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The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.
The period of concern will run from about 4-11pm ET from west to east as a cold front sweeps across our area, triggering a broken line of storms. Read More
Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device.
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https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/en-espanol/guerra-de-rusia-en-ucrania-ltima-hora-y-noticias-de-la-invasi-n/article_1d5300a1-8539-5c0f-9d7e-45ad3e3309db.html
| 2022-04-06T11:02:45Z
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https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/en-espanol/guerra-de-rusia-en-ucrania-ltima-hora-y-noticias-de-la-invasi-n/article_1d5300a1-8539-5c0f-9d7e-45ad3e3309db.html
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(WWLP) – The White House is kicking the restart of federal student loan payments further down the road.
An announcement is expected Wednesday extending the freeze on interest and payments through August 31.
More than 43,000,000 Americans were on the hook to restart paying their loans on May 1. They had been suspended since the early days of the covid-19 pandemic. In total, Americans owe a combined $1.6 trillion in student debt.
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https://www.wwlp.com/news/white-house-to-restart-freeze-on-student-loan-payments/
| 2022-04-06T11:16:32Z
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https://www.wwlp.com/news/white-house-to-restart-freeze-on-student-loan-payments/
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If something can't go down on bad news..
That's one of the more common adages in the market and it may well be fitting with what we're seeing in oil prices at the moment.
Today, oil is up 1.6% as price continues to hold above $100 for the time being.
A record crude reserve release by Biden and talk of more from the IEA has weighed on sentiment but in the bigger picture, we're still very much caught in the range of $95 to $125 still in oil. What's looking more bullish for the bulls is that price is even managing to hold above $100.
One argument is that these releases, while impactful, is but a band-aid and not exactly a long-term solution to the structural issues in the oil market. That is something I pointed out here last week.
As much as oil may be "struggling" to scale the highs seen during the peak of the Russia-Ukraine conflict fears, the fact that price is staying up is quite a strong indicator of where sentiment is leaning towards in my view.
We may not get such a straightforward move like the one we saw in early March but on the balance of things, the fundamentals look to dictate that higher oil prices are here to stay barring any major demand destruction globally.
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https://www.forexlive.com/news/cant-keep-a-good-oil-down-20220406/
| 2022-04-06T11:17:00Z
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https://www.forexlive.com/news/cant-keep-a-good-oil-down-20220406/
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- Prior -6.8%
- Market index 398.5 vs 425.1 prior
- Purchase index 258.1 vs 267.1 prior
- Refinancing index 1,166.3 vs 1,295.1 prior
- 30-year mortgage rate 4.90% vs 4.80% prior
Mortgage applications continue to drop as home borrowing costs continue to surge higher, leading to a significant fall in both purchases and refinancing activity over the past few months. Since the start of the year, mortgage rates have risen by nearly 1.6% and that is the quickest run-up in costs since 1994.
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https://www.forexlive.com/news/us-mba-mortgage-applications-we-1-april-63-vs-68-prior-20220406/
| 2022-04-06T11:17:19Z
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This is ridiculous.
Sugar Land Mayor Joe Zimmerman’s dual roles as a member of the Houston region’s transportation planning board and consultant at an engineering company will not receive further scrutiny by the local board after staff concluded the panel cannot police its own ethics policies.
A three-month examination of questions raised by opponents of the massive Interstate 45 rebuild in Houston concluded Friday with only minor changes for the Transportation Policy Council, a subcommittee of the Houston-Galveston Area Council. The opponents had accused Zimmerman of having a conflict of interest in supporting the project while his employer, Halff Associates, is under contract with the Texas Department of Transportation for work on the project.
Asked to analyze the accusations, staff and H-GAC lawyers concluded that while they had rules, they do not have mechanisms to enforce them.
“Neither the TPC, nor the staff, have authority to investigate ethics complaint,” said Craig Raborn, transportation program manager for H-GAC.
Because the local board cannot investigate the conflict of interest complaint, it also cannot say whether one occurred, Raborn said. In its report, the agency said no further action on the matter was needed, and recommended only minor changes in policy so officials are of aware of and can report conflicts of interest.
[…]
Members of the transportation council, as is common on many boards across Texas, are expected to police themselves and report conflicts so they can abstain from voting. The TPC ethics policy is mostly verbatim the state’s ethics guidelines, which make violations either a criminal or civil complaint.
While the policy has ethics rules about conflicts of interest, they are rarely, if ever, applied. In the past decade, no disclosure form has been filed by a member of the transportation policy council based on prior open records requests and the recent analysis. Conflict of interest disclosures have been filed by H-GAC board members, however, including Zimmerman in that capacity.
The analysis has led to changes internally, meanwhile, for the policy council. Meetings now include a reminder at the beginning for members to submit declarations of any conflicts of interest.
Three separate parts of state codes outline conflict of interest, as it could be applied for transportation council members. State law requires an elected official to declare a conflict if they have a “substantial interest” in a business, defined as owning 10 percent of the company’s stock or deriving 10 percent or more of one’s gross income from the company. Another portion of the law requires any member of a board to abstain from voting on an item that includes something in which they have a business relationship.
Texas Transportation Code, meanwhile, sets out specific ethics rules for metropolitan planning organizations. In that section, it says board members may not “accept other employment or compensation that could reasonably be expected to impair the member’s or employee’s independence of judgment in the performance of the member’s or employee’s official duties.”
The provision, however, only allows for someone to file a complaint with the district attorney’s office, which can — if it thinks the allegation has merit — ask for assistance from the Texas Ethics Commission.
I make no judgment about the merits of the accusations here – I’d not heard of this before now, and I don’t know enough to say anything substantive. You can read the rest of the story and draw your own conclusions. What I will say is that as much as I’d like to crap on H-GAC, the real problem here is the Legislature and its longstanding allergy to ethics and ethics enforcement. On the list of priorities the Lege should have, I can’t say this is up there. It still boggles the mind that there isn’t even a mechanism to force a clearly unethical member of a body like H-GAC to resign. Yes, a criminal complaint can be filed – that would be the case regardless of what the statutes relating to these rules say – but there’s a significant gap between what’s illegal and what’s merely unethical. What we’re left with is an unsatisfactory mess for all involved. We deserve better.
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| 2022-04-06T11:19:26Z
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I have three things to say about this.
A rival of the Astros during their current run as a Major League Baseball power said Houston wasn’t the only team that’s resorted to cheating.
Red Sox lefthander Chris Sale, who pitched against Houston during playoff series in 2017, 2018 and 2021, made the remarks during a Monday interview on “The Greg Hill Show” on Boston sports radio station WEEI.
When asked about former Astros designated hitter Carlos Beltran — a central figure in the 2017 sign-stealing operation — telling the YES Network that the team’s championship that season is tainted during his first interview on the subject, Sale said the Astros weren’t alone in the cheaters’ fraternity.
“If the Astros were the only team doing it, then yeah, give (the championship) back — take it back,” Sale said. “I know for a fact they weren’t. All these people pointing fingers: Well, hey, take a check in the mirror real quick. Make sure that you and your team weren’t doing something.
“What (the Astros) did was wrong. And I’m not trying to condone it. Shoot, we’re talking five years ago now and we’re still talking about this stuff. I’d like to kind of turn the page on it. It happened. They dealt with it. There’s nothing you can do about it now sitting here where we are. So you just kind of move on from it.”
1. I’m sure Sale is correct that the Astros were not the only team cheating. It would be odd if they were.
2. That said, cheating exists on a spectrum – small scale, short term, individual effort to large scale, long term, team effort. The Astros were on the far end of the scale in all categories, they were extremely visible about it in retrospect, and as the World Series winner that year it was just embarrassing. But maybe they weren’t alone in those regards, maybe they just had the bad luck to be outed about it. Which leads to…
3. Spill the beans already. I know no one is going to narc on their own team, and if you’re accusing a rival it will be seen as gamesmanship, but surely someone out there is now in the same position that Mike Fiers was when he ratted on the Astros. I really don’t want to be talking about cheating when we may finally have a “normal” season again, but the reason we’re still talking about this five years later is because we feel like there had to be more to the story. (Yes, the MLB letter about the Yankees, whatever it says, is a part of that as well.) So let’s get it all out there, therapy-style, and see if we can’t finally get some closure.
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| 2022-04-06T11:19:34Z
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Gov. Greg Abbott on Monday called a June 14 special election to replace former U.S. Rep. Filemon Vela, D-Brownsville, in a South Texas seat that Republicans are working to flip.
The filing deadline for the special election is April 13, and early voting starts May 31, according to Abbott’s proclamation.
Vela resigned Thursday to take a job with Akin Gump, a prominent lobbying and law firm. He had already announced he was not seeking reelection.
The special election will be held under the previous, more competitive boundaries of the district, under which President Joe Biden carried it by only 4 percentage points. His underperformance throughout South Texas emboldened Republicans who are now trying to make fresh inroads throughout the region.
The winner of the special election will only get to finish Vela’s term, which goes through January 2023. Still, Republicans are eager to score an early win on their way to November, and the current GOP nominee for the full term in the 34th District, Mayra Flores, has already said she would run in any special election.
[…]
Abbott had the option of scheduling the special election for the Nov. 8 uniform election date or calling an “emergency special election” to slate it sooner. He went the latter route, citing his disaster declarations on COVID-19 and the Mexican border to argue that it is “imperative to fill this vacancy to ensure that Congressional District 34 is fully represented as soon as possible.” He also cited the coming hurricane season.
See here and here for the background. The “emergency” justification seems awfully weak to me – compare and contrast with Rick Perry calling a November 2005 special election for HD143, which he did in late May following the death of Rep. Joe Moreno, even though he was about to call what turned out to be two special sessions of the Legislature, running in total from June 21 to August 19. I’m not sure it would be possible to challenge this in court – who would even have standing to sue? – and recent precedent shows that SCOTx is not all that interested in limiting the Governor’s powers even if someone tried. And, even if I don’t like the politics involved here, I can’t say I like the idea of forcing delays in elections, also for political reasons. Just because we’re not holding a great hand doesn’t mean we should sue to stop the game.
Anyway. We’ll see if Dems can scrounge up a respectable candidate for the position of placeholder, and if that person can get any financial support if they do materialize. Just remember, the real villain in this, the person who put us in this unenviable position, is Filemon Vela, who I remind you is a DNC official. We’re here because he couldn’t wait a couple more months before cashing in as a lobbyist. Thank you ever so much for your service, Filemon.
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http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=104914
| 2022-04-06T11:19:41Z
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The Houston Independent School District may reconsider proposed budget changes that would have centralized the funding of certain positions and programs, a top district official told principals Monday.
“Our cabinet team is revisiting the budget and staff allocation strategy this week. As a result, we need to pause all budget meetings and your planning based on the previous allocation sheets,” Chief of Schools Denise Watts told principals via e-mail. “It is my hope that we will be able to communicate how to move forward soon. I apologize for any frustration or confusion that this may cause. I appreciate your flexibility and patience.”
[…]
Under the strategic plan, which aims to make the school system more equitable, the district would centrally fund such jobs as assistant principals, nurses and fine arts teachers in an effort to ensure all campuses staff those positions, which currently is not the case. Additionally, the plan calls for the district to centrally fund programs such as Advanced Placement, special education supports and athletics.
During the first workshops about the budget, several trustees had raised concerns about the lack of details they had received about the proposals, the speed at which the proposed changes would occur and how the district planned to pay for the strategic plan, which will be initiated with the help of federal COVID relief money.
“I am happy to hear the district is listening to the feedback,” Trustee Bridget Wade said Monday.
Wade last week tweeted that she was a “no” vote until she saw more research and data guiding the district. “The pause and redirect are a much needed start.”
See here, here, and here for the background. I agree with Trustee Wade, we need more time and data before we can move forward with this. I’m not making any judgments about Superintendent House’s proposals – as I’ve said, I generally like the goals, but the details very much matter, and so does buy-in from the stakeholders. Big changes need careful handling, and that takes time. I recognize that we can’t take forever, but we should take as much time as is needed, and we should very much listen to the concerns that have already been raised. I am hopeful this will proceed with all due care.
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http://www.offthekuff.com/wp/?p=104921
| 2022-04-06T11:19:49Z
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Sea life: Up close and personal with octopuses, seahorses and jellyfish
Acclaimed National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager has captured three notoriously mysterious sea creatures and their enigmatic beauty, showcased in his new book.
Scientists estimate that 90 per cent of species in the ocean have yet to be classified. While researchers continue to explore the oceans, they are in a battle with time as the planet loses species to human activity such as oil spills, global warming, plastic waste and other pollution.
In Octopus, Seahorse, Jellyfish, acclaimed National Geographic photographer David Liittschwager has been able to capture three notoriously mysterious sea creatures in amazing detail.
Liittschwager has spent 12 years working on this book. During this project he traveled to more than 28 locations around the world. The images in this book are edited from the 135,000 exposures of nearly 500 specimens he photographed, using a white background and a portable studio setup to capture the smallest of details, including small hairs and translucent tissues.
Paired with Liittschwager’s extraordinary photography are essays by bestselling science writers Elizabeth Kolbert, Jennifer Holland and Olivia Judson, which further explain the biology of these surprising creatures and how they navigate their world.
"The world is an amazing place." Liittschwager tells Science Focus. "A pregnant male seahorse, a shape-shifting octopus, and a jellyfish that can cleave off a piece of itself to make another are all wondrous." But his project is by no means finished with the publication of this book. "I am now 60 and I have been working on this since I was a teenager. I have always been interested in trying to see more. More resolution, more fidelity."
With this book, he aims to highlight what we could lose if we fail to protect our oceans from pollution. Take a look at some of our favourite images from the book.
Octopuses
Seahorses
More image galleries from Science Focus:
- The world's largest tokamak begins to take shape
- A Bobcat claims his prize as the winner of the WildArt Photo Competition
- 8 incredible images of octopuses
Jellyfish
Octopus, Seahorse, Jellyfish by David Liittschwager is published on 26 May 2022. (£30, National Geographic)
Read more about amazing sea life here:
Subscription offer
Subscribe and get 6 issues for just £9.99. After your first 6 issues, your subscription will continue at £22.99 every 6 issues by Direct Debit. Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery.
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https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/sea-life-up-close-and-personal-with-octopuses-seahorses-and-jellyfish/
| 2022-04-06T11:20:28Z
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These robot fingertips mimic the nerve signals of a human hand
A major step towards creating human-like robotics.
Accurately replicating touch in robots can be tricky, but by using a 3D printer, a team of researchers have created an accurate representation of human fingertips in a robot hand.
The research was led by Nathan Lepora, a professor of robotics and AI from the University of Bristol. Working with his colleagues, Lepora created a sense of touch in an artificial fingertip.
“Our work helps uncover how the complex internal structure of human skin creates our human sense of touch,” said Lepora.
"This is an exciting development in the field of soft robotics - being able to 3D-print tactile skin could create robots that are more dexterous or significantly improve the performance of prosthetic hands by giving them an in-built sense of touch.”
This was done using a 3D-printed mesh of pin-like papillae (the bumps under your skin that form the ridges of a fingerprint). These artificial papillae are made using advanced 3D printers that can mix both soft and hard materials to create complicated structures.
“We found our 3D-printed tactile fingertip can produce artificial nerve signals that look like recordings from real, tactile neurons. Human tactile nerves transmit signals from various nerve endings called mechanoreceptors, which can signal the pressure and shape of a contact.”
A study back in 1981 first plotted electrical recordings from the nerves in human fingertips. Lepora and his team of researchers tested their 3D-printed fingertip against the findings of this original study, using the same ridged shapes, and discovered a very close match to the data of a human hand.
“For me, the most exciting moment was when we looked at our artificial nerve recordings from the 3D-printed fingertip and they looked like the real recordings from over 40 years ago! Those recordings are very complex with hills and dips over edges and ridges, and we saw the same pattern in our artificial tactile data.”
While the research has created a very close resemblance to a human fingertip and the nerves underneath, it was not as sensitive to fine details. The team believes this is because the 3D-printed skin is thicker than human skin.
This research could lead to a better replication of human hands. Most specifically, an improved dexterity in robots, able to better grip objects, and understand the shapes that they are touching. Lepora and his team are now looking to the future, aiming to make this new artificial skin as good as, or even better, than human skin.
Read more:
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https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/these-robot-fingertips-mimic-the-nerve-signals-of-a-human-hand/
| 2022-04-06T11:20:34Z
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The Online Safety Bill: How the UK's changing internet laws may affect you
What you need to know about the new legalisation according to a social media law expert.
On 17 March 2022 the new 'world-leading' Online Safety Bill was brought before Parliament. The bill is part of the UK government's plan to make the UK the safest place to go online.
Currently, websites including social media platforms are responsible for identifying and removing harmful or criminal behaviour on their sites. With the new Online Safety Bill in place, it would be Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, telling the social media giants what content can and cannot be shown to British users.
But what actually is the Online Safety Bill, and how will it affect everyday internet users? We spoke to Dr Laura Higson-Bliss, a lecturer of law at Keele University, to find out everything you need to know about the new Online Safety Bill.
What is the Online Safety Bill?
The full title for the proposed legislation is 'A bill to make provision for and in connection with the regulation by Ofcom of certain internet services; for and in connection with communications offences; and for connected purposes.'
According to the government, the bill was designed so that UK internet users could have a new, safer digital experience, one that protects children from harmful content, limits people’s exposure to illegal content, while still protecting freedom of speech. The bill is also said to hold tech giants to account with regards to activity on their sites.
"The bill is focused on companies and forcing them to react more quickly to content on their site that [is defined] as illegal or in some cases, legal but harmful. Failure by those companies to adhere to these new rules would result in fines or imprisonment in some cases," explains Higson-Bliss.
"There are also provisions within the Online Safety Bill to change the criminal law in this area, in particular making cyber-flashing a specific criminal offence and making alterations to current communication offences."
So, sending unsolicited nudes could be met with criminal charges, in case there was any doubt over what 'cyber-flashing' means.
How will the Online Safety Bill affect me?
The bill aims to tackle online criminal offences like cyber-flashing which, until now, have been a legal "grey area" according to Higson-Bliss, since they fall outside the usual definition of indecent exposure.
It also introduces new measures that allow internet users more control over who can contact them and what they see online, and requires all websites that publish or host pornography to verify their users are over 18. However, it's currently unclear as to how porn sites will be expected to check the age of viewers.
"It also recommends creating a new communication offence for individuals that send harmful communications to another person," says Higson-Bliss. This will cover sites and social media platforms, though it does not apply to things like emails, text and phone calls. But it is not yet clear whether social sites that have private messaging features will need to open up these inboxes to be checked for legal but harmful content.
Key to the new, safer internet the government is trying to establish is the identification and removal of illegal or so-called 'legal but harmful' content. Currently, the onus is on the platforms themselves to decide what meets these description, but the bill will put these definitions in the hands of Parliament.
The government says this change "removes any incentives or pressure for platforms to over-remove legal content or controversial comments", putting MPs in charge of determining which statements fall under legal free speech and which need to be taken down.
All this means that what we see online may look different if the Online Safety Bill in its current form is been passed into law, with comments being removed and sites being hidden until users can verify their age.
Anyone who follows online influencers – people who make a career out of posting about products on social media – might notice an increase in the amount of paid-for promotions, not because there are more but because influencers that fail to declare they are being paid to promote products on social media could be subject to stronger penalties.
There should also be fewer scams to be found, as social media platforms and search engines will be legally required to prevent paid-for fraudulent adverts appearing on their services.
Who decides what is 'legal but harmful' online?
The new bill is said to help "clear up the grey area around what constitutes legal but harmful", however Higson-Bliss says she has concerns around giving Ofcom the power to govern what we say online.
An example of activity that could be deemed legal but harmful is content around the subject of self-harm.
"[The government] is saying that that sort of content would be legal but harmful and should be removed. But the issue there is, where do you draw the line? Mental health is an important topic and we shouldn't be pushing conversations like this underground. You should be allowed to have frank and open conversations about mental health. So, if we're now censoring that [by deeming it legal but harmful and removing it], are we actually going backwards rather than forwards with regards to mental health?"
Higson-Bliss says that currently, the legal but harmful definition is so broad, even material around things like gambling, or alcohol, could be argued to have a harmful element.
"We see gambling adverts on football all the time. Does it now mean we're not allowed to put those adverts on social media, or even discuss them?"
How will the bill stop cyber-flashing?
In addition to changing what users can post on social media, and what content we will be allowed to see, there will also be specific criminal offences put into law to protect us from things like cyber-flashing – sending explicit images to another person without their consent.
Cyber-flashing can happen across social media sites or in private messaging, but has often been associated with people using Apple's AirDrop feature to send images to strangers' iPhones in the nearby area, says Higson-Bliss.
Read more about online activity:
The Online Safety Bill will introduce a new criminal offence that covers when a person intentionally sends or gives a photograph or film of a person's genitalia to another person with the intent that the media will cause alarm, distress and/or humiliation.
"That [definition] is something that's been quite heavily criticised at the moment, because if you're sending that image for, let's say, a joke, your intent is not necessarily going to fall under the definition of alarm, distress or humiliation."
The bill will also make it a criminal offence to send or give such a photograph or film for the purpose of obtaining sexual gratification, if the person sending it knows or thinks the recipient will be caused alarm, distress or humiliation.
Does the new Online Safety Bill protect children?
Sites will now be assessed to determine whether it's possible for children to access the content. Where children can access the site, there is a duty to "mitigate the impact of harm to children in different age groups presented by content that is harmful to children", reads the bill.
The only way to show that a site is not able to be accessed by children is by putting something in place like age verification or another means of age assurance. This could involve asking users to upload their driving licence for proof of ID, or a credit card number.
Age verification for pornographic sites has been being discussed for a number of years, says Higson-Bliss, but the bill could argue that any site will need to put in measures to ensure children can't access potentially harmful material.
What isn't covered by the new legislation?
While the government has said the new bill protects freedom of speech, Higson-Bliss says the current draft could be putting freedom of expression "more under threat than before".
"I think the only thing that's missing is a balance between freedom of expression and privacy. The new provision of harmful communications that's been put forward within the bill will make it an offence to send a communication which is harmful to another to a likely audience without reasonable excuse."
Where the line is drawn, though, is unclear. What will be deemed a reasonable excuse?
Higson-Bliss does think that the current problems with the draft bill will be resolved before it is put into law.
When will it become law?
The bill is currently being considered before Parliament. It will be read several times by those in the House of Commons, and given to a committee of experts chosen to scrutinise the bill, before it is passed onto the House of Lords. Throughout the process, issues can be raised and alterations made.
Though the government have said they want to be able to enforce the bill before the end of this year, Higson-Bliss is sceptical it'll happen that quickly.
"I don't think it's going to. In my personal opinion, I think it's very complicated and there's a lot to get your head around. There's still a lot we don't know."
About our expert, Dr Laura Higson-Bliss
Dr Laura Higson-Bliss is a lecturer in law at Keele University. Her research spans a broad range of communication offences, particularly online abuse aided by social media.Subscription offer
Subscribe and get 6 issues for just £9.99. After your first 6 issues, your subscription will continue at £22.99 every 6 issues by Direct Debit. Receive every issue delivered direct to your door with FREE UK delivery.
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| 2022-04-06T11:20:40Z
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- Can't respond to current high inflation
- ECB orientation is geared towards the medium-term
Again, this does not sound like someone who is advocating for tighter policy sooner rather than later. Is it that surprising? Not in the slightest. The central bank continues to toy with market hopes but it is increasingly evident that they don't really have the stomach for tighter policy when push comes to shove.
In turn, this could be a headwind for the euro in the months ahead as the Fed begins to flex its muscles.
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| 2022-04-06T11:25:42Z
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Convenience chain Sheetz will open its latest store Thursday in Stafford County.
At 9 a.m., a grand opening will be held outside the store at 15 Wyche Road, with prizes including Sheetz for year. A Sheetz family member will be present for the ribbon-cutting ceremony, set for 10:45 a.m.
The new location off Courthouse Road, which officially opens to the public at 8 a.m., will also offer free self-serve coffee and soda for the day.
Hartwood District Supervisor Darrell English said bringing Sheetz to Burns Corner, as the area is called, is an economic and community achievement.
"Our county, courthouse, public safety and hospital employees could not be more excited for this store to open," he said in a news release.
In honor of the grand opening, Sheetz will donate $2,500 to the Fredericksburg Regional Food Bank, which helps to provide food to over 31,000 people through its network of 152 community partners operating more than 260 food assistance programs.
Customers attending the grand opening are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item to the nonprofit. Those who do will receive a Sheetz branded thermal bag while supplies last.
A second donation of $2,500 will also be presented to the Special Olympics of Virginia, which Sheetz has supported for more than 30 years.
Sheetz currently operates 646 stores across Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Ohio and Maryland, with all locations open 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
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| 2022-04-06T11:26:18Z
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Editor: In response to “New Tree Study May Be on Horizon . . . Eventually” [Sun Gazette, March 24], two points should be made.
First, Jarlath O’Neil-Dunne, director of University of Vermont’s Spatial Analysis Laboratory and an expert in tree-canopy analysis, concluded in a 2018 letter that the accuracy of the Arlington government’s 2016 study data was “too low to draw conclusions about changes in tree canopy.”
In addition, the 2011 tree-canopy assessment (performed by the University of Vermont) used a different dataset and methodology to perform its analysis than did the 2016 assessment (performed by Davey Tree). So any comparison of the two assessments would be apples to oranges.
Moreover, the purported “increase” in canopy to 41 percent in 2016 was within the assessment’s own margin of error. Being as generous as possible, the most that could be legitimately claimed is that Arlington’s canopy remained the same (no net gain/loss) over the 5-year span.
Whereas government entities may attempt to spin scientific information and statistics in order to paint a rosier picture than reality supports, this kind of behavior should be discouraged. Or at least corrected.
The fact that county staff refuses to acquire more current and accurate data (available for free or at low cost from the federal government) for analysis in order to update the Forestry and Natural Resources Plan calls into question the legitimacy of this entire effort.
How is it that a “plan update” that purports to serve as a roadmap for the future preservation and restoration of Arlington’s tree canopy can rely on outdated, less accurate data? Using outdated numbers to “update” a planning document makes no sense whatsoever.
Suzanne Smith Sundburg, Arlington
[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]
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| 2022-04-06T11:26:25Z
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Editor: Although being ranked the second richest county, after Loudoun, in the U.S., the appetite for money among Fairfax County’s government leaders never seems to be satiated.
Their tax-and-spend policies are over the top even as they are considering how to spend their COVID-money windfall.
The new 5-cents-per-plastic-bag tax, long sold as an environmental necessity, will have zero effect on the environment even if everyone were to abandon plastic bags for the reusable sort. And people have been led to believe that this tax is a state policy. It is not.
Stop the bleeding of taxpayers, especially through such regressive taxes as this.
Marty Smith, McLean
[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]
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| 2022-04-06T11:26:31Z
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Editor: One day after the Fairfax County School Board adopted its One Fairfax policy in 2017, our Board of Supervisors adopted it, too.
While its measured words describe itself as little more than an instrument to effect economic growth, iIt seems advocates have conjured up dubious statistics asserting that if everyone in our county were as productive as our average citizen, then our economy would grow.
Presumably, government programs and spending are expected to reshape some to reach the abilities of others, akin to the New Soviet Man the Soviets envisioned?
Trouble is, government entities have stretched the policy’s supposed intent to even fund drag-queen performances for toddlers (at Dolley Madison Library). Social-justice warriors command all Fairfax County government to worship and perform ablutions at the equity altar as they define equity.
Most troubling is members of every board, authority and committee are compelled to sign a One Fairfax Policy acknowledgement – sort of a religious test for office, some might surmise. Others might be disturbed by its resemblance to a loyalty test.
Striving for equity has aroused a religious zeal in some quarters, culminating or perhaps starting with Fairfax’s chief equity officer Karla Bruce’s 2018 anointment as our high priestess of equity. Contrasting her presentations set two years apart, we see a downward spiral of how our county’s zealous equity quest gets more threatening.
Yet Bruce’s Oct. 16, 2019, slide presentation to the Fairfax County Athletic Council was troubling enough. Starting at Slide 9, we observe three individuals (leaving aside its pandering in that all three appear to be people of color – indeed, one color) whose view of a baseball game is blocked by a wooden fence. Each stands on an equally high crate (labeled “equality”). One person towers over this fence; another sees adequately while the third is too short to see at all.
Bruce’s fence is a metaphor for hurdles to opportunity, while her crates represent limited government assistance or rules dispensed equally.
Invoking the slogan popularized by Karl Marx – “From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs” – Bruce’s second pane (“equity”) depicts how superior equity is to equality, as one person gets no support while her other two get one crate and two crates, respectively, so equalizing all outcomes.
By July 27, 2021, Bruce’s presentation to the Fairfax County Redistricting Committee turns more ominous.
Slide 5 repeats three individuals, this time watching a soccer match from behind a fence. The difference here is the disparities become heightened – only one person gets a clear view, this second person’s view is partially obscured, and the third person cannot see the game. Marxism is front and center – the fence no longer horizontal, but slanted (the unjust system); compounding this hurdle is slanted ground on which those wishing to participate as spectators must stand.
Lest Bruce’s graphical admonition not sink in that our less fortunate face a two-fold stacked deck, she explains “Not the people’s ‘lack’ preventing them from participating in the soccer game, it’s the unjust system and structure.”
Such presentations seem to evidence a lack of appreciation for audiences’ ability to see through heavy-handed Marxist analysis. Freedom of speech and academic freedom are our society’s bedrocks, so one would expect to see such expressions shared in books, journals and college lecterns rather than at taxpayer expense and underpinning our county’s operations.
Must we conclude that, in Fairfax, loyalty pledges are in, equality is out; equity is in, meritocracy is out; and equality of outcomes is in?
Nicholas Kalis, McLean
[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]
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Editor: I’m writing regarding funding for the director position at the Arlington school system’s David M. Brown Planetarium. My hope is that the funding would be restored, as it is vital to the continued operation of the planetarium.
This would be consistent with Arlington’s current plan to fund the new projector system for the planetarium as well.
I have been involved with the David M. Brown Planetarium on several occasions, providing music-based science programs for elementary students who represent all parts of the local community.
In terms of investment, the planetarium and its programs have had an enormous impact on young science students and their families. The science programs I have conducted there are based on educational-story songs, and they have attracted sellout crowds for fund-raising events on at least three occasions over the last few years. It’s quite something to see happy people lined up around the building to experience musical science programs at the planetarium.
As a youngster, I visited planetariums and was deeply inspired by their programs to become an astronautical engineer in the U.S. Air Force, and also to earn a Ph.D. in that field. I would like to see other youngsters follow similar paths someday as informed scientists and engineers for the good of our society.
By using music as an artistic teaching tool, I have been able to promote interest in STEAM subjects through my public-access TV show, “Space Quest with Dr. Jim” on Fairfax Public Access and YouTube. Based on this material, the planetarium staff in Arlington has been kind enough to use some of my space-story songs to create well-received, educational full-dome sky shows.
I hope to see the funding restored for the planetarium-director position so that the facility can go back into operation as soon as possible.
Lt. Col. (retired) Dr. James D. Thorne, USAF, Arlington
[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]
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| 2022-04-06T11:26:43Z
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Editor: A recent letter to the Sun Gazette urged renaming Taney Avenue in Alexandria because it appears to be named for Chief Justice Roger Taney, who wrote the Supreme Court’s infamous Dred Scott decision. [“Remove Notorious Justice’s Name from Street,” Letter March 24].
That would be a needless waste of taxpayer money.
The street doesn’t bear Chief Justice Taney’s first name, and most people traveling the street probably have no idea who Chief Justice Taney was, much less that the street is named for him. So rather than renaming the street, it could simply be designated as honoring a different Taney: the diplomat James B. Taney, who served as U.S. Consul in Belfast from 1893-96.
Doing that rather than renaming the street would save the hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer money it costs to rename a street and change maps and public records. It also would save residents and the Postal Service the hassle of changing residents’ street addresses to a new name.
Hans Bader, Arlington
[Sun Gazette Newspapers provides content to, but otherwise is unaffiliated with, InsideNoVa or Rappahannock Media LLC.]
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https://www.insidenova.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-street-renaming-would-be-a-waste-of-resources/article_5a557388-b597-11ec-8645-2788bbc3099e.html
| 2022-04-06T11:26:49Z
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Man beaten at CTA Red Line station in the Loop
CHICAGO - A man was punched in the face several times Tuesday night at a CTA Red Line stop in the Loop.
The 43-year-old was approached around 11:11 p.m. by a group of people who began punching him in the face at the Lake Red Line station, police said.
The man suffered bruising and swelling to the face and was transported to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where he was listed in good condition.
No one is in custody as area detectives investigate.
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| 2022-04-06T11:35:06Z
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GREER, S.C. (WSPA) – A pianist charged with murder of a Greer woman pleads his innocence.
Zachary David Hughes ,29, was arrested last year for the murder of 41-year-old Christina Larain Parcell. He filed a motion Tuesday to be granted on bond.
We previously reported, Parcell died of multiple stab wounds on October 13.
The Greenville County Sheriff’s Office said physical evidence tied Hughes to the murder.
The Moorman Law Firm has planned to ask the judge to consider a motion for a pretrial release. Hughes’ attorneys said he is neither a danger to the community nor a flight risk.
According to The Moorman Law Firm, Hughes was scheduled to fly to Europe for a job when police obtained warrants for his arrest. Hughes left the airport in Michigan and turned himself in to authorities.
The Moorman Law Firm said “Zack remains innocent until proven guilty, (and he) is not guilty of the crimes with which the State has charged him.”
Hughes’ attorneys said investigators have no motive for the crime or connection between Hughes and Parcell. Hughes has hired experts to contest items police seized as evidence according to the filing.
His attorneys also included 52 letters of support from people who know Hughes such as lawyers, employers and his classmates from The Juilliard School in their filing.
Hughes bond hearing is scheduled for Wednesday at 11 a.m.
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| 2022-04-06T11:36:03Z
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The White House plans to announce new sanctions on Russia. U.S., European and other world leaders want Russia held accountable for atrocities. Oklahoma passes a bill to make most abortions illegal.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The White House plans to announce new sanctions on Russia. U.S., European and other world leaders want Russia held accountable for atrocities. Oklahoma passes a bill to make most abortions illegal.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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https://www.klcc.org/2022-04-06/news-brief-war-crimes-in-ukraine-blinken-in-brussels-oklahoma-abortion-bill
| 2022-04-06T11:44:40Z
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Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Brussels for NATO meetings. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to State Department spokesman Ned Price about objectives that could include tougher sanctions on Russia.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is in Brussels for NATO meetings. NPR's Leila Fadel talks to State Department spokesman Ned Price about objectives that could include tougher sanctions on Russia.
Copyright 2022 NPR
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| 2022-04-06T11:44:52Z
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Secretary of State Antony Blinken is in Brussels to oversee the U.S. investigation into the Kremlin's war crimes against Ukraine. While in Europe, he will also meet with G-7 members and NATO foreign ministers to discuss potential additional punitive actions against Russia.
The United States aims to hold Russian President Vladimir Putin accountable for war crimes Russian troops are accused of committing against Ukrainian citizens. Blinken is in Europe to ensure evidence is collected for future trials after reports and photographs of mass graves and civilian executions in Bucha surfaced last weekend.
Russian forces retreated from Kyiv's border towns late last week, but U.S. officials anticipate they are regrouping. The U.S. believes the Kremlin will reposition military units in the southern and eastern parts of Ukraine.
With the conflict likely far from over, NPR's Michele Kelemen reports that Blinken and NATO allies will likely discuss how to put additional pressure on Putin in the coming days. President Joe Biden has mentioned additional sanctions against Russia on multiple occasions, but Europeans rely heavily on Russian energy.
Blinken promised another wave of security assistance for Ukraine to the tune of $100 million.
The secretary will also meet with foreign ministers from Japan and Australia to discuss China's growing military presence. The U.S. and its British and Australian allies, a military partnership known as AUKUS, announced they are pushing for cyber defense and hypersonic munition developments, The Associated Press reported.
Hypersonic weapons are capable of bypassing current missile defense systems, which Russia has used on multiple occasions in Ukraine and are in testing phases in China. The Russian military boasted one of its hypersonic systems can travel 27 times faster than the speed of sound.
Next year's Pentagon budget requested $4.7 billion dedicated to hypersonic weapons research and development.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.
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| 2022-04-06T11:44:58Z
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GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The jury in the kidnapping plot trial is expected to continue deliberations for a third day on Wednesday.
Tuesday morning, the jury asked to look at transcripts of witness testimony. Judge Jonker would not allow them to view transcripts while they deliberated because he says there is a “richness” to oral testimony that gets lost when it’s put into the written word.
On Monday morning the 12-person jury panel and three alternates were brought into the courtroom for a total of about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Judge Robert Jonker told them this is not about politics or about the pandemic, this is a criminal case and they have to weigh the evidence and the law.
Just after 3 p.m. that day, the jury asked Judge Jonker for the definition of a weapon.
He told them it is a category of devices that could readily be used or designed to destroy, injure or kill someone or something, as opposed to something you’d simply use for fun, and that the term could be applied very broadly based on context.
Adam Fox, Barry Croft, Daniel Harris and Brandon Caserta were arrested in October of 2020 and charged with conspiracy to kidnap for allegedly planning to kidnap Governor Whitmer. Fox, Croft and Harris face additional charges.
The men were supposedly angry over COVID-19 restrictions and allegedly planned it from June to October 2020.
The defense has argued that the defendants were entrapped by undercover agents and informants who pushed the plan forward.
Three things have to be proven for the jury to reach a guilty verdict: that two or more people conspired the plan; they willingly and voluntarily entered it; and they did things to advance it.
If convicted, all four men could spend the rest of their lives behind bars.
Follow FOX 17: Facebook - Twitter - Instagram - YouTube
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https://www.fox17online.com/news/governor-kidnapping-plot/jury-deliberations-continue-into-3rd-day-in-kidnapping-plot-trial
| 2022-04-06T11:45:13Z
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MACKINAC CITY, Mich. — The Coast Guard and others responded to a Mackinac Island ferry that lost steering while in the Straits of Mackinac on April 5 around 6 p.m. The Star Line ferry Huron had 144 passengers and 4 crew members aboard when the ferry lost steering and subsequently was unable to deploy its anchor.
The ferry and all aboard drifted toward St. Ignace but were in luck as the Coast Guard Cutter Katmai Bay, was breaking ice nearby and diverted to assist.
A local commercial vessel that also serves Mackinac Island, the Senator, responded as well, meeting the disabled ferry, and taking all its passengers aboard.
The passengers were safely transported to St. Ignace, while the four Huron crewmembers stayed aboard their vessel and Katmai Bay stood by while towing arrangements were finalized.
“Tonight’s incident can serve as a reminder that life on the Great Lakes is far from predictable,” said Lt. Tyler Carslgaard of Sector Sault Ste. Marie. “Fortunately, good cooperation and simple precautions like making sure everyone on board was wearing a life jacket helped everyone get home safely.”
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| 2022-04-06T11:45:25Z
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Arkansas baseball vs Florida Gators: Scouting report for SEC series
FAYETTELVILLE - Arkansas baseball is going for its fourth SEC series win of the season, this time on the road at Florida.
The No. 2 Razorbacks nearly won all three against defending national champion Mississippi State last weekend, but the Bulldogs won a 12-inning game Sunday to avoid the sweep. Arkansas (21-5, 7-2 SEC) has now won all six of its weekend series this season.
No. 22 Florida (18-10, 3-6) suffered a sweep at the hands of Georgia, which rose seven spots to No. 10 after beating the Gators.
The three-game series in Gainesville is set to start Thursday (5 p.m. CT, SECN).
Here's what to know about the Razorbacks' next conference opponent.
WEEKEND RECAP:Our top observations from No. 2 Arkansas baseball's series win against Mississippi State
HOOPS NEWS:Razorbacks No. 1? Where Arkansas basketball stands in 'way-too-early' top 25 rankings
Up-and-down season
Florida was ranked No. 10 in the preseason coaches poll but suffered an opening weekend series loss to Liberty.
The Gators have since been ranked as high as No. 7, but back-to-back series losses to No. 21 LSU and No. 23 Georgia have the Gators struggling in conference play.
In between those two series losses, however, Florida won a one-game matchup with No. 5 Florida State. The Gators also have a series win over No. 22 Miami on their resume.
Batting leaders
Outfielder Jud Fabian is a hitter to watch for Florida. He leads the Gators in nearly every batting category, including with a 1.105 OPS, 12 home runs and 30 RBIs.
Against Georgia, he was a combined 2-for-12. However, both hits were home runs.
Outfielder Wyatt Langford is right there with Fabian, second to him in OPS (1.103), home runs (10) and RBIs (29). Langford leads the Gators in slugging percentage with .686.
Starting pitchers
If last weekend's rotation holds, Florida will start lefthander Hunter Barco (5-2) on Thursday, righthander Brandon Sproat (3-3) on Friday and righthander Garrett Milchin (3-4) on Sunday.
Barco has been Florida's best starter with a 1.87 ERA while throwing an average of six innings per start. Opponents are hitting .169 against the lefty.
His outing against Georgia wasn't his best as he gave up three runs, seven hits and struck out six in five innings. Florida's offense kept it alive, but the bullpen allowed three runs to score in the ninth for a 7-6 loss.
Sproat has an ERA of 4.68 through seven starts. Opponents are hitting .260.
Milchin is looking to bounce back after a rough start against Georgia, his third start of the season. He didn't make it out of the first inning after giving up three hits, two earned runs and a walk.
Christina Long covers the Arkansas Razorbacks. You can email her at clong@swtimes.com or follow her on Twitter @christinalong00.
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Milton Glaser once said, “a designer goes through three acts.” He may or may not have forgotten about Stefan Sagmeister, who has logged many more than three—in fact, counting his advertising, graphic design, filmmaking, artmaking, exhibition design, housewares and now clothing endeavors, he is beyond three. There are some I’m doubtless missing … and it ain’t over yet.
This week is the launch of Sagmeister 1 2 3. Inspired by Stefan’s long-term “thinking project” Beautiful Numbers, he has designed wearables that optimistically “serve as a reminder that the latest Tweets and cable news don’t mean we’re standing at the edge of doom.” This line of clothes is based on his recent Beautiful Numbers art exhibit that philosophically suggests that despite evidence to the contrary, the world is not out of control.
The products are long-term data visualizations on items “carefully made in New York City.” The Sagmeister 1 2 3 line includes two shirts, a pair of trousers, a sweater, a jacket and a coat. The company’s motto is classic Sagmeister: “We don’t follow seasons. We might be the laziest fashion company on the planet.” I asked Sagmeister to pitch the thinking behind his new act.
Can you explain this concept?
We’ve been creating projects connected to long-term thinking for a long while now, because so many of my friends think that we are living in the worst of times. But if you look at many human developments over the long term, say 100 or 200 years, many things developed well. We live over two-and-a-half times as long, worldwide extreme poverty was reduced from 90% to 10% (it was down to 9% before the pandemic), and for the first time in human history more than half of the world population lives in a democratic system.
This does not mean that all is well. But I do believe we have a better chance to change things from a platform acknowledging past successes rather than from the edge of doom.
What is the meaning behind the graphic elements?
The Pedestrian Sweater talks about how traffic accidents were reduced over the past 80 years (the large shape in the front represents the 11 Americans who died annually in 1935 per 100,000 people, the small shape in the back shows the two people who died in 2015).
The Life Shirt (with the two large shapes) compares the life expectancy from 1800—29 years—to the life expectancy from 2020: 71 years. Since most of us [would] rather [be] alive than dead, being alive two-and-half-times as long is an advantage.
The Progress Shirt shows that having a child used to be as dangerous for a woman 100 years ago as having breast cancer is today.
Koala? Why is this your patron saint?
The koala is the laziest animal in the jungle, lazier than the sloth even.
We won’t do seasons. I just advised an Austrian fashion company—they design 1,000 pieces per year.
Who else is involved in Sagmeister 1 2 3?
My very good friend [fashion designer] Anni Kuan is producing the clothes, and my partner Karolina Ciecholewska is creating the site and is responsible for social media.
You have been branching out quite a lot in the past few years. Do you plan on adding more and different items to the Sagmeister line?
Right now we are also designing the tunnels connecting the five main hospitals in Toronto, a bike path in Arkansas, and I’m preparing exhibits in Mexico City, Tokyo and Kyoto. Things are busy and I like doing it all.
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Nio (NIO) is in talks with other automakers about licensing its battery-swapping technology, according to a Financial Times report, which cited the company’s European President, Hui Zhang. Founded in 2014, Nio is a Chinese electric vehicle company, and has sold more than 180,000 cars.
Nio is the only company to commercialize a battery-swap system, an apparently challenging business that Tesla (TSLA) tried and dropped. The process involves drivers replacing their drained batteries with fully charged batteries at a charging station. The swap only takes a few minutes, saving drivers time.
Nio wants to sell its technology to automakers interested in the battery-swapping system but are unable to develop it on their own. The executive said the company is in discussions with local and international automakers about battery-swap system licensing. If it works, the strategy may provide an additional revenue source for Nio beyond selling cars.
Nio’s International Expansion Efforts
The talks around battery-swapping technology licensing come as Nio also seeks to broaden its global presence. The company has primarily sold its cars in its home market, China, but now it wants to enter more international markets. It has begun its foray into Europe from Norway, where it entered in 2021. Now it plans to enter Germany, Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands in 2022. From Europe, Nio plans to go to the U.S.
Nio’s expansion plan attests that Europe is an important market for electric car companies. Recently, Tesla inaugurated a mega factory in Germany, which will serve as its European manufacturing hub, with a capacity to produce 500,000 cars annually.
As part of its international expansion, Nio is setting up more charging points. It aims to have 5,000 charging stations globally by 2025, up from about 800 stations currently.
Wall Street’s Take
On April 4, UBS analyst Paul Gong upgraded Nio to a Buy from a Hold but lowered the price target from $42 to $32, which now indicates 42.4% upside potential.
Consensus among analysts is a Strong Buy based on 17 Buys and two Holds. The average Nio price forecast stands at $44.06 and implies upside potential of 96% to current levels. Shares have declined 44% over the past year.
Blogger Opinions
TipRanks data shows that financial blogger opinions are 81% Bullish on NIO, compared to a sector average of 68%.
Key Takeaway for Investors
In addition to opening a new revenue stream for Nio, making the battery-swap system available to others may also benefit the industry by helping boost electric vehicle sales. For example, more drivers may be interested in getting an electric car if they knew that re-energizing would be as fast as refilling a car tank with gas. Additionally, electric vehicles may be more affordable if the battery cost is not included in the initial price and drivers are allowed to rent a battery and swap it when out drained.
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Related News:
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Real estate investment trust (REIT) PS Business Parks, Inc. (NYSE: PSB) has appointed Stephen W. Wilson as President and CEO, effective immediately. He has been the company’s interim President and CEO since January 17.
Wilson has been on PSB’s board since July 2019.
Commenting on the appointment, Ronald L. Havner, Jr., the Chairman of PSB’s board of directors, said, “During his time as a director and as our interim President and CEO, Steve has demonstrated a deep understanding of the company and its strategy and brings extensive REIT management experience and real estate expertise from his more than 21 years at AvalonBay (NYSE: AVB).”
About PS Business Parks
Headquartered in California, PS Business Parks acquires, develops, owns, and operates commercial properties, mainly multi-tenant industrial, industrial-flex, and low-rise suburban office space.
As of December 31, 2021, it had 97 properties spanning 28 million square feet. PSB’s portfolio also includes 800 residential units.
Consensus Rating
Based on one Buy and one Hold, PSB has a Moderate Buy consensus rating. PSB’s average price forecast of $181.50 implies 8.2% upside potential from current levels. Shares have gained 14.5% over the past year.
Investors’ Sentiment
TipRanks’ Stock Investors tool shows that investors currently have a Very Positive stance on PSB, as 40.4% of investors on TipRanks increased their exposure to the stock over the past 30 days.
Conclusion
Wilson, a member of the Urban Land Institute, has been the Chairperson of the ULI Transit Oriented Development Council. He is also a member of The American Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
Before retiring in 2019, he was the Executive Vice-President of Development at Virginia-based REIT AvalonBay for five years. Wilson has also held various senior leadership positions at AvalonBay. Such an impressive profile makes him the perfect fit for PSB.
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Related News:
Rivian’s Pace In Line with Annual Production Guidance
GM and Honda Join Hands to Overtake Tesla
Rewards Galore for PayPal Customers
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TipRanks has compiled a list of Wednesday’s biggest pre-market stock movements.
Using TipRanks’ new Top Stock Gainers/Losers page, we’ve identified the top five pre-market stock movers, as detailed below.
5 Biggest Movers
Gogo Inc. (GOGO), a provider of in-flight broadband Internet and other connectivity services for business aircraft, was the biggest gainer in pre-market trading, jumping around 10.9% at the time of writing. Positive sentiment followed the news that the company will be added to the S&P SmallCap 600 on April 8.
Meanwhile, Cano Health, Inc. (CANO) had slumped 8.6% in pre-market trading at last watch. The drop followed a 5% decline in price at Tuesday’s close. There is no fundamental news explaining the trading frenzy.
Melco Resorts & Entertainment Limited (MLCO) had lost 8.1% in pre-market trading at last check. Though there is no fundamental news explaining the drop, it seems investors are anxious over the company’s fundamentals.
PagSeguro Digital Ltd. (PAGS) had declined 6.1% in the pre-market session at the time of writing. The fall in price followed a 5.6% drop on Tuesday. There is no company-specific news explaining the downtrend.
Biopharmaceutical startup Iovance Biotherapeutics, Inc. (IOVA) completes the list. It had jumped 5.3% in pre-market trading at the time of writing. Investor optimism increased following positive feedback from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Iovance’s proposed matrix of potency assays for its Biologics License Application (BLA) for lifileucel in metastatic melanoma.
Continue to watch this space for possible clues about volatility when the market opens. Tomorrow, we’ll provide another up-to-date piece on the biggest Pre-Market Movers…
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Read full Disclaimer & Disclosure
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Cognyte Software (NASDAQ: CGNT) lost over a quarter of its market capitalization on April 5, after the company reported worse-than-expected Q4 results.
Cognyte is a global leader in security analytics software that helps governments and enterprises analyze and visualize disparate data sets at scale to help their teams ensure a safer world.
Earnings and revenue significantly lagged expectations due to ongoing supply chain challenges and lower-than-expected conversions of the company’s pipeline.
The company did not provide any outlook for FY2023 or any other long-term targets due to the lack of clarity on looming uncertainties.
Q4 Miss
Adjusted earnings of $0.16 per share fell six cents short of analysts’ expectations of $0.22 per share. Furthermore, it was a significant decline over the previous year’s reported earnings of $0.36 per share.
Furthermore, revenues were flat year-over-year at $125 million, but lagged consensus estimates of $129.55 million.
The quarterly revenues fell far short of the guidance provided by the company and were below the midpoint of the prior guidance by several million dollars .
Management Commentary
Cognyte CEO, Elad Sharon, commented, “Looking forward, we believe we are well positioned for sustained growth over the long-run…The market’s fundamentals have not changed. Security threats are increasing, and governments are seeking innovative analytical solutions. We are a market leader with a long history of growth and innovation and will continue to help our customers address their evolving security challenges.”
Wall Street’s Take
Following the dismal Q4 results, Needham analyst Mike Cikos downgraded Cognyte software from Buy to Hold.
The Wall Street community is cautiously optimistic about the stock, with a Moderate Buy consensus rating based on one Buy and one Hold. The average Cognyte Software price target of $13 implies 61.89% upside potential to current levels.
TipRanks’ Stock Investors Tool Weighs In
TipRanks’ Stock Investors tool shows that investors currently have a Very Negative stance on Cognyte Software, with 10.7% of investors reducing their exposure to CGNT stock over the past 30 days.
Bottom-Line
Investors’ confidence in the stock was negatively impacted by the Q4 miss, as witnessed by the sharp share price decline. The bigger concern is that the company refrained from providing the outlook for FY2022. Year-to-date, the stock is down almost 50%. Investors will likely wait for a few positive quarters before taking a position in the stock.
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To find good ideas for stocks trading at attractive valuations, visit TipRanks’ Best Stocks to Buy, a newly launched tool that unites all of TipRanks’ equity insights.
Read full Disclaimer & Disclosure
Related News:
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Sage Jumps on Positive Data from SAGE-718 Trial
NIO Rises on Q1 Delivery Numbers
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CUSTER, S.D. (KELO) — Custer State Park welcomed a new face over the weekend.
The park’s first bison calf of the year was born Sunday according to the park’s Twitter. The park says it anticipates between 460 and 470 calves this year.
CUSTER, S.D. (KELO) — Custer State Park welcomed a new face over the weekend.
The park’s first bison calf of the year was born Sunday according to the park’s Twitter. The park says it anticipates between 460 and 470 calves this year.
Photo courtesy Custer State Park
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SIOUX CITY, IA(KCAU)- Even windier conditions are expected through the day today as we see wind advisories in effect today. Some showers making their way across the area but focused in the morning as clouds will last the whole day. and after the passage of a cold front, temperatures will be colder today as we struggle to rise into the upper 40’s for highs for Siouxland.
The evening will be more of the same as winds become slightly calmer overnight and a brief stretch of clearer skies. Temperatures fall close to the freezing point by tomorrow morning, leading to chances to see mixed rain and snow tomorrow.
Another blustery day for the region as strong northwestern airflow persist with more clouds. And an even cooler day as highs struggle to climb out of the 30’s.
Expect increasing temperatures as we see more sunshine and warmer winds as we head towards the weekend
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Central bankers put inflation control front and center
Inflation has risen to multidecade highs in the U.S. and large parts of the world. The reckoning over why it happened and what central bankers should do about it is only beginning.
- That's the takeaway from two speeches delivered Tuesday on opposite sides of the Atlantic, both of which make clear the pressure facing central banks to clean up a mess they helped create.
Why it matters: Even monetary doves have concluded that the economy is at a delicate moment in which high inflation could become entrenched. That has created a new urgency to tighten monetary policy, itself a source of risk for markets and the economy.
Driving the news: Speeches by Federal Reserve governor Lael Brainard and Bank for International Settlements chief Agustín Carstens show that inflation control has become the "paramount" concern of central banks, as Brainard put it.
- Brainard emphasized that high inflation causes more financial distress for lower-income families, and offered a hawkish prescription for Fed action to counter it, including "methodically" raising interest rates and shrinking the Fed's balance sheet "considerably more rapidly" than in the last economic cycle.
- The latter comment fueled a massive bond sell-off, Tuesday, sending interest rates soaring. The 10-year Treasury yield rose 0.14 percentage points to 2.55%, its highest level in three years. (Sorry, prospective homebuyers: That adjustment will quickly flow through to higher mortgage rates.)
Beyond the tactical decisions the Fed and other central banks must make to try to bring demand in line with constrained supply, Carstens warned that the inflation problem may be no short-term blip.
- "We should not expect inflationary pressures to ease soon," said Carstens — head of the Basel, Switzerland-based organization that is essentially the central bank of central banks — at a conference in Geneva. He added that "there are signs of inflation expectations coming unmoored."
- He said that "policymakers may need to shift their mindsets" and that the low-inflation environment gave central banks "great, if not unprecedented, leeway to place more weight on other objectives, be they growth, full employment or others further beyond their traditional remit."
The bottom line: The era of central banks having a free hand to stimulate growth without inflation showing up is long gone. And as Tuesday's market action showed, the adjustment to this new world could be bumpy.
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Film industry asks for statehouse boost
This is the final week of the spring session in Springfield, and bills are stacking up waiting to be called.
- That includes an expansion of the state's film production tax credit.
Why it matters: Illinois film production has become an economic engine. Then-Chicago Cultural Affairs commissioner Mark Kelly estimated last year that local productions would bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in economic value, including 20,000 jobs.
Context: Passed in 2008, the credit gives film and television production companies a 30% tax break to shoot, produce, and edit in Illinois.
Driving the news: The Illinois Production Alliance (IPA) and the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce want to see the tax credit expanded to remain competitive with other states, including Michigan and Indiana.
- They're calling for an industry-funded workforce development program for film training, with an emphasis on jobs for women and minorities, as well as more non-resident positions.
What they're saying: "We have to do this to stay competitive and keep our place as one of the top states in the country," IPA executive director Christine Dudley tells Axios. "A modest update of our current program is necessary to achieve our first annual $1 billion in production spending."
By the numbers: California and New York are the top states for film production. Georgia is now third, posting over $4 billion in spending in 2021.
- Illinois is currently ranked No. 7 behind states like New Jersey and New Mexico.
State of play: There are currently 15 productions working here, everything from Dick Wolf's "Chicago" franchise to HBO Max shows like "South Side" and "Somebody Somewhere."
- Films include David Fincher's "The Killers," which just wrapped shooting in St. Charles.
Zoom in: According to NBC/Universal, the total economic activity for just the "Chicago" franchise since 2012 is $2.1 billion.
- The franchise has also created 17,200 jobs and brought in more than $1.17 billion in income for Illinois workers.
What's next: The bill, introduced at the beginning of the spring session, is still in committee.
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Mapped: Minnesota women in local office
The gender parity gap in politics persists when it comes to municipal office in Minnesota.
By the numbers: Women fill about 35% of local positions in Minnesota towns and cities of 10,000 or more, a new analysis from the Center for American Women and Politics shows.
- That statistic mirrors the percentage of women serving in our state Legislature.
How we compare: Our share of women in these offices is the 14th highest in the nation, and comes in slightly higher than the national average of 31.5%.
Of note: At least nine Minnesota cities of 30,000 or more, including several metro suburbs, are led by a female mayor.
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Minnesota zoos take precautions for avian flu
Zoos in the Twin Cities metro are taking steps to protect their birds amid an avian flu outbreak.
Why it matters: The latest outbreak of the highly contagious and deadly virus has already sickened more than a dozen poultry flocks across the state.
- While the impact on Minnesota's turkey industry is a major concern, exotic birds could also be at risk.
What they're doing: A Minnesota Zoo spokesperson tells Axios staff are implementing various "biosecurity" measures to prevent exposure on its Apple Valley grounds.
- "For those working in our animal care facilities, mandatory protective clothing, sanitizing foot-baths, and glove-changes are already required," the zoo said in a statement.
Como Park Zoo & Conservatory in St. Paul is also tracking the situation and adding shoe- and foot-baths with viral disinfectants for staff interacting with its flamingo population, per a spokesperson.
Behind the changes: The flu can spread through droppings from migrating birds. Cleaning shoes is one way to make sure the virus isn't tracked into exotic bird habitats.
Zoom out: Similar precautions are being taken at zoos and animal sanctuaries across the country, including in Des Moines.
- Meanwhile, a number of venues nationwide, including The Philadelphia Zoo, have closed bird exhibits and temporarily moved winged residents indoors.
Be smart: If you encounter a wild bird that appears to be sick, zoo officials recommend that you call the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota or the Minnesota Raptor Center.
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Target Field's new food lineup: Aussie pies, barbecue bowls and more
The Target Field concourses will look a little different this summer with the addition of new food and beverage options. Here's what you can expect:
🥧 Bub's Gourmet Aussie Pies of Lake Elmo will serve chicken wild rice and Sloppy Joe hand-held pies near section 126.
🥨 Upcycle Foods of Minneapolis is debuting The Italian Grinder, which has capicola, mortadella, ham, salami and provolone cheese. It comes on a fresh-baked pretzel bun made with local brewers' spent grains. Find it in the Truly on Deck venue in right field.
🍲 Soul Bowl is back at Target Field and its new Summer Bowl has barbecue-braised beef, Cajun corn and Return of the Mack and Cheese. Section 112.
🛒 New this year: "The Market" near Gate 6 will have a grab-and-go selection of food plus a walk-in cooler where you can pick your own beer. Self check-out.
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Texas support for "Don't Say Gay" law may be sign of what's to come
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick's campaign email this week promised a Texas version of the recently signed Florida bill referred to by some critics as the "Don't Say Gay" law.
Why it matters: Another front in the Texas culture war is erupting. Patrick's comments are a sign of what's to come when the Legislature convenes next January, and the sentiments are sure to help shape the political terrain ahead of the November elections.
- Patrick's announcement raises questions about whether Gov. Greg Abbott will pressure state lawmakers to pass a measure that's similar to Florida's.
- Ahead of potential 2024 presidential runs, Abbott and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis have tried to outflank each other — on banning mask mandates, on purging library books, on restricting abortion access, on suppressing rights for transgender people — in ways likely to appeal to Republican primary voters.
Between the lines: The subject line of Patrick's campaign email on Monday afternoon ("I AM DONE WITH DISNEY!" — a company that has publicly opposed the Florida law) is the latest sign of how certain corporate interests have taken a backseat within some precincts of the GOP.
- When Fort Worth-based American Airlines spoke out against Texas legislation restricting voting last year, Patrick called the company out by name, arguing that, "Texans are fed up with corporations that don't share our values trying to dictate public policy."
- Now, even Mickey Mouse isn't safe.
Zoom out: Florida's passage of the measure could be a roadmap for the Texas Legislature.
- DeSantis signed the controversial Parental Rights in Education Bill into law last month, banning classroom instruction on sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten through 3rd grade beginning July 1.
What they're saying: Patrick urged his supporters to boycott Disney and follow him in selling stock in the company, criticizing the business' "woke agenda" after the company suspended its political donations in Florida and said it would fight the law.
"Until they change their corporate philosophy, stop spending money with them. Cut off the Disney Channel. Cancel your park trip or your cruise if one is planned. If you own Disney stock, sell it."— Patrick wrote in a campaign email
The other side: "Texans should have the freedom to be who they are without input from the government or anyone else," Texas Democratic Party officials posted on Twitter on Tuesday.
Reality check: With Republicans firmly in control of the Legislature and Abbott likely to be re-elected — a new poll Tuesday by the Texas Hispanic Policy Foundation shows him with a 12-point lead over Beto O'Rourke among very likely voters — there's little Democrats can do to prevent Patrick from seeing his pledge through.
Yes, but: Florida's bill is being challenged in federal court.
- The lawsuit, filed by the National Center for Lesbian Rights on behalf of Equality Florida, contends that the new law violates students' First Amendment and other constitutional rights.
What to watch: Abbott has been known to file executive orders rather than wait for a legislative session. In February, he ordered state child welfare officials to investigate the families of transgender children, equating gender-affirming health care for kids as child abuse.
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National Weather Service faces helium shortage for weather balloons
Just as the spring tornado season kicks into high gear, the National Weather Service is facing shortages in key gases it uses to fill weather balloons.
Why it matters: Weather balloons are usually launched twice daily at about 100 locations nationwide and provide vital information for weather forecasting, from the temperature profile of the atmosphere to the winds aloft. They can help anticipate severe thunderstorms, for example.
- But several balloon sites have had to limit launches because of supply chain shortages of helium, plus a contract dispute concerning a supplier of hydrogen gas.
Context: With extreme weather events on the rise both in number and severity, due in part to human-caused climate change, America's weather forecasting infrastructure is showing signs of strain.
- Meteorologists have complained for years about NWS telecommunications glitches that have delayed the relay of life-saving warnings and hobbled the NWS website.
- In addition, a vital communications link known as NWS Chat that ties together meteorologists, emergency managers and the media is constantly crashing when it's needed most — during severe weather events.
Driving the news: On March 29 the NWS sent a bulletin announcing the reduction in frequency of weather balloon launches due to a "global supply chain disruption of helium" and a "temporary issue with the contract" of a hydrogen supplier. Most NWS weather balloons use hydrogen rather than helium.
- According to the notice, about 9% of the 101 upper air observation sites were affected by the gas shortage and contract problem, with more disruptions expected.
- The statement downplayed the implications of the disruption. "This temporary adjustment will not impact weather forecasts and warnings," it stated. However, meteorologists disputed this.
Details: According to NWS spokeswoman Susan Buchanan, as of Tuesday, the hydrogen contract has been resolved, but deliveries of the gas may take up to six weeks to arrive.
- In addition, the number of helium balloon sites affected has declined to three from the original five. They are Albany, Tallahassee and the New York City forecast office located in Upton, Long Island.
- "This is an evolving situation that changes daily," Buchanan said.
What they're saying: Buchanan said the public statement, which has drawn scrutiny from forecasters, "could have been better worded."
- "Upper air soundings are a critical observation tool for weather forecasts. Because of the vital importance of this data, we have been doing everything we can to resolve supply issues," she said via email.
What's next: The NWS has received significant increases in funding in the past few years to boost its supercomputing power, but other core capabilities may need upgrading in an era when climate change is putting more strains on the agency.
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Wingham Wildlife Park in Canterbury has paid tribute to one of its giraffes which has died. The park said in a post on Facebook that it appears Ron sustained an injury during an accident.
It is said to have taken place in the indoor housing during the night, although they are still awaiting the results of the post mortem examination. The wildlife park covers 26 acres of land and cares for over 200 species.
In a post on Facebook, they said: "It is with a very heavy heart that we have to tell you that Ron, one of our giraffes has sadly passed away. It appears that he sustained an injury during an accident he had in the indoor housing during the night, however, we are also still awaiting the results from the post mortem."
READ MORE: Dover locals 'fed up' of Operation Brock M20 traffic misery as town brought to standstill
After being posted on Wednesday morning (April 6), the statement has already received over 2,000 reactions from people wanting to pay their respects to Ron. Some people even commented how they only saw Ron a matter of days ago and that they couldn't believe the sad news.
Kaylee Marie Jerrom said: "We came to the park yesterday and saw all three of them together, such sad news thinking of all the staff at WWP. RIP Ron."
Yvonne Youd wrote: "This is absolutely heartbreaking. So sad for all at WWP, you must be absolutely devastated. All three giraffes looked so well and happy together."
Meanwhile, Phill Capon said: "Our thoughts are with Ron and all the staff that work there and particularly the staff that worked with Ron himself. So very sad."
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| 2022-04-06T12:07:22Z
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Traffic is at a standstill on the M20 in Kent after an overflow of vehicles heading towards the port at Dover. As part of Operation Brock, the M20 eastbound is now closed to car drivers to hold the long queue of waiting lorries.
Drivers can no longer travel eastbound between J8 ( Maidstone ) and J9 ( Ashford ) whilst measures are put in place to manage traffic. National Highways has said there is "severe congestion on approach to the contraflow system in place".
Operation Brock is part of a series of measures which is supposed to help local traffic flow in the event of disruption to services across the English Channel. National Highways say this is a precautionary measure in response to the ongoing reduced ferry capacity at the Port of Dover.
READ MORE: Dover locals 'fed up' of Operation Brock M20 traffic misery as town brought to standstill
Inrix reports: "The road is closed to all non-freight traffic heading Eastbound. The London bound side of the road remains open to all traffic."
Delays have been ongoing in the Kent area with slow moving traffic and diversions in place on the A2 Jubilee Way Eastbound (which is closed for traffic management) and at the A20 Roundhill Tunnel Eastbound. You can follow updates of these closures on our KentLive traffic and travel blog.
KentLive will keep you updated on the situation on the M20 closure as and when they happen. If you have an update for us, get in touch by messaging us on Twitter @kentlivenews or on Facebook.
Diversion in place
- Non-freight traffic uses the A20 instead
- All freight comes off at J8 to then be sent back down into the holding areas.
Good afternoon
Weclome to KentLive's blog on the closure of the M20 Eastbound between junctions 8 and 9.
We will you keep you updated on the travel situtation as it develops
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| 2022-04-06T12:07:32Z
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Border Patrol officials say they are planning for as many as 18,000 arrivals daily once the health policy, known as the Title 42 authority, expires in May.
Former Trump administration officials are pressing Republican border governors to declare an “invasion” along the U.S.-Mexico border.
It comes as Texas Governor Greg Abbott says he'll announce “unprecedented actions” on Wednesday to deter migrants from coming to Texas.
Abbott has already sent thousands of state troopers and National Guard members to the border over the past year.
He now says he'll go even further after the Biden administration last week announced it will end the use of a public health law that has limited asylum to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
It’s unclear whether Abbott supports proposals from the former Trump administration.
The former acting director of ICE, Tom Homan, said last week that he spoke with Abbott, but he did not indicate whether he supported the idea.
Republican Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has been pressured by his own party to declare an “invasion” and use powers normally reserved for war, including using National Guard troops and state law enforcement to send back migrants.
However, Ducey avoided commenting on the proposals.
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| 2022-04-06T12:08:57Z
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Fire breaks out on Onslow County elementary school campus
Published: Apr. 6, 2022 at 7:51 AM EDT|Updated: 19 minutes ago
ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - A fire broke out on an elementary school campus in Onslow County early Wednesday morning.
Onslow County Schools spokesman Brent Anderson says a fire was reported in a mobile classroom trailer at Hunters Creek Elementary School sometime after 6 a.m. The fire was contained to the trailer and no one was hurt.
The mobile classroom is a total loss.
Anderson says the school will be operating on a two hour delay to ensure the air quality is safe.
Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the fire.
Copyright 2022 WITN. All rights reserved.
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| 2022-04-06T12:12:40Z
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Thursday evening, join Acadiana Animal Aid for the organization's largest and most impactful fundraising event of the year, Bark in the Dark.
The CAJUNDOME Convention Center, Festival Ballroom will set the scene for an evening of entertainment, incredible food, prepared by Chef Gilbert Decourt, and opportunities to bid on exclusive auction items — all benefiting Acadiana Animal Aid, the region’s leader in animal rescue, sheltering, and transport.
"It benefits all of the shelter pets, cats and dogs that we care for here at Acadiana Animal Aid. We are a shelter that pulls from municipal shelters throughout the state, cats and dogs that are at risk of euthanasia. So we really are their last stop sometimes before they can find an adoptive family," explains Executive Director Jeanine Foucher.
In 2020, community support helped Acadiana Animal Aid save nearly 2,000 cats and dogs.
If you'd like to support the cause, but you are unable to attend, check out the silent auction items available for online bidding through Thursday, April 7 at 8:30 p.m.
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| 2022-04-06T12:13:03Z
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The City of New Iberia is holding a job fair on Wednesday
The city is looking to fill municipal civil service positions.
There will be on the spot testing and/or interviews for the following positions:
● Equipment Operator 4 (mini excavator)
●Wastewater Inspection Technician (TV Camera)
●Equipment Operator 1 (zero-turn mowers/ tractor with bushhog)
●Wastewater Maintenance Laborer
● Construction Laborer
● Part-time Grounds Maintenance Laborer
● Accounting Clerk (Accepting applications only/ testing on another date)
The event happens April 6 from 9 a.m. until noon at City Park Cyr-Gates Community Center, 300 Parkview Drive, New Iberia, LA 70563
Applicants should bring:
• a copy of your voter verification
• A copy of your high school verification; diploma or transcript (if you have one)
• Your driver’s license
• Your pre-filled City of New Iberia application (you may obtain and fill out an application there)
For more information visit our website at https://www.cityofnewiberia.com/job-listings or call (337)369-2351 or (337)369-2300
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| 2022-04-06T12:13:15Z
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A Tuesday night fire damaged the former Romero's Grocery building on Hwy 93 in Scott.
The Scott Fire Department says they responded at 10:06 pm on April 5 to the commercial fire located in the 1300 block of Hwy 93.
Fire was observed on the first floor of the building with heavy smoke conditions reported throughout the first and second floors.
Upon entering the building, firefighters say they were able to quickly bring the fire under control.
SFD says the room where the fire originated received heavy fire damage. The remainder of the first floor and a second-floor apartment received smoke damage.
An investigation into the cause of the fire is ongoing.
No one was injured as a result of the incident, according to SFD.
Carencro and Duson Fire Departments assisted at the scene.
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| 2022-04-06T12:13:21Z
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A Dense Fog Advisory has been issued for areas along I-10 and south to the coastline for early Wednesday morning, with a very moist air mass sitting on top of Acadiana.
There's a tremendous amount of moisture in the atmosphere and it will feel very muggy out there through the day, especially with a solid layer of clouds acting like a wet blanket.
Sunshine will remain at a premium Wednesday with little clearing, but even still temperatures will be in the mid 80s across the board.
A slight breeze from the south will turn and become much more blustery overnight with stronger winds coming from the north by sunrise Thursday.
This freshen up in the atmosphere will last through the rest of the week with temperatures getting into the low 70s by the end of the day, and lows the next few nights will be in the 40s.
The nice weather will last through the weekend with another round of storms on the way for the middle of next week.
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Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers
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https://www.katc.com/news/muggy-and-cloudy-for-wednesday-much-nicer-weather-on-the-way
| 2022-04-06T12:13:27Z
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Border Patrol officials say they are planning for as many as 18,000 arrivals daily once the health policy, known as the Title 42 authority, expires in May.
Former Trump administration officials are pressing Republican border governors to declare an “invasion” along the U.S.-Mexico border.
It comes as Texas Governor Greg Abbott says he'll announce “unprecedented actions” on Wednesday to deter migrants from coming to Texas.
Abbott has already sent thousands of state troopers and National Guard members to the border over the past year.
He now says he'll go even further after the Biden administration last week announced it will end the use of a public health law that has limited asylum to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
It’s unclear whether Abbott supports proposals from the former Trump administration.
The former acting director of ICE, Tom Homan, said last week that he spoke with Abbott, but he did not indicate whether he supported the idea.
Republican Arizona Governor Doug Ducey has been pressured by his own party to declare an “invasion” and use powers normally reserved for war, including using National Guard troops and state law enforcement to send back migrants.
However, Ducey avoided commenting on the proposals.
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| 2022-04-06T12:13:33Z
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The products and services mentioned below were selected independent of sales and advertising. However, Simplemost may receive a small commission from the purchase of any products or services through an affiliate link to the retailer's website.
Raising kids can be a downright punishing job. Some days, behind their adorable faces and precious giggles, your children activate that side of themselves that pushes every single one of your buttons. Maybe they have a hard time getting to sleep (or staying that way). Perhaps getting them to pick up their room is an endless battle.
Most of the time, we grownups can brush off these little issues and keep the day going without much drama. There are those times, though, that you’ve probably caught yourself not only raising your voice in frustration to your little ones but also actually yelling at them. It can become a vicious cycle and parents quickly discover they might be yelling at their children more often than they’d like, often out of desperation to get them to pay attention.
If you can relate to feeling like you’re constantly snapping at your kids because they’re not listening, then you might want to read “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids: How to Stop Yelling and Start Connecting” by Dr. Laura Markham.
Books with advice on better parenting are a dime a dozen but, with an average 4.7-star rating and nearly 2,700 reviews on Amazon so far, Markham’s book seems to have cut through the noise. “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” aims to help parents build connections with their children that focus on eliminating power struggles and provide practical tools to improve communication, even when emotions run high. And that starts with teaching parents how to manage their own emotions.
“I start by showing you how to take care of yourself and regulate your own emotions,” Markham explained on her website, AhaParenting.com. “Because if you can’t do that, you can’t be the parent you want to be for your child.”
She argues that by figuring out ways to manage our own emotions as parents, we can handle tense conflicts with our children in a calmer manner, which provides a good model for them.
How Does Yelling Affect Kids?
Yelling at our kids not only makes us feel guilty, but studies have also shown that screaming doesn’t change the undesired actions of children, and can cause lasting damage to them as they mature.
A 2013 University of Pittsburgh study concluded that yelling at children reinforced bad behavior, increased depression and even caused similar damaging effects as hitting them. As The New York Times reported, yelling only serves to make parents look out of control and weak to the children they are trying to project an image of strength upon.
RELATED: Here’s How Yelling At Your Kids Affects Their Brains
Coaching vs. Controlling Our Kids
In “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids,” Markham promises to teach parents how to connect and communicate with their children throughout their developmental years: from the time they are born all the way up to their teen years.
Instead of trying (and failing) to control children through yelling and threats, Markham shares a series of action guides to help parents coach their children through common conflicts, including:
- Making bedtime easier
- Getting your child out the door in the morning
- Handling a child who has shut down
- Understanding anger
- Facing sibling conflicts
- Coaching a child through a meltdown
According to the author’s philosophy, coaching helps guide children and encourages them to work with their parents’ expectations and build self-discipline, which is the key to getting out of the yelling cycle.
You can buy “Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids” as an e-book or paperback from various bookstores, including at Amazon for $12.59 for the paperback edition or $13.99 for the Kindle version.
This story originally appeared on Simplemost. Checkout Simplemost for additional stories.
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| 2022-04-06T12:13:45Z
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Howard Stern has more recently cozied up to the progressive establishment, repeating his desire for COVID-19 austerity, but there was once a time that his jokes were so off-color and insensitive that Magic Johnson wanted to “hit” him.
Johnson goes over this in his upcoming Apple TV+ docuseries, “They Call Me Magic”, which debuts on April 22 and was covered by Variety.
The former Lakers great’s issues with Stern are discussed within the context of “The Magic Hour”, an ill-fated syndicated talk show that Johnson hosted in 1998 that was universally panned.
Stern was apparently particularly merciless in mocking the show on his radio program, and Johnson’s producers responded by booking him as a guest.
Stern opened his appearance by telling Johnson that he was a great basketball player but his talk show needed work.
“The thing you need to work on, in my estimation, seriously, is you’ve got to stop trying to talk like the white man,” Stern told Johnson. “It’s the truth.”
Stern said Johnson was being coached to be “anti-ebonics”.
“I say, let it fly,” Stern declared. “Earvin, what you need to do, my brotha, is to really get down with it. Everyone’s trying to get you to talk like the white man. I think this show should loosen up and you should talk ebonics all you want. You know what I’m saying?”
“I grew up in a black neighborhood,” Stern continued, after suggesting that Johnson’s speech coach should be hung from the rafters. “I’m blacker than you are. Trust me. I’m the blackest black man you’ll ever meet, and I’m telling you right now, when I lived in Roosevelt, Long Island, which is a black ghetto, everyone talks like this [pantomiming ebonics]. And I think you should talk like that. Why does everyone need to understand every word you’re saying? Who cares what you’ve got to say?”
Stern also delved into HIV.
“I want to know about your life before HIV,” Stern told Johnson. “You had the life I wanted. You present a clean-cut image, but I read about these booty parties. Before AIDS, before all that kind of stuff, you had the life right? You were married but you got to screw around.”
Johnson said that was not correct, and that the parties were before he got married. As they continued to go through the particulars of how the booty parties worked, Stern said, “At least you had fun getting AIDS. I know guys, they go for a blood transfusion, it’s a real pain in the ass.”
Johnson corrected Stern that he had HIV, not AIDS.
While Johnson laughed off all the jokes while on the show, as an audience there for Stern laughed and applauded giddily, he says in the Apple doc that he was seething mad.
“I wanted to say something and hit him at the same time — on air,” Johnson say. “I was mad when they booked him, but there’s nothing you can do. When people look for ratings, this is what happens.”
But, Magic said, it was a learning situation for him.
“I’ve never put myself — or HIV and AIDS, or my race — in that position again, ever again,” he said.
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| 2022-04-06T12:22:30Z
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A U.S. Army Paratrooper assigned Charlie company, 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, during Raven Spring for setup and operation of a RT-1523 SIGCCARS radio at Dandolo Training Area in Pordenone, Italy on Apr. 5, 2022. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army Photo by Antonio Bedin)
This work, Raven Spring [Image 5 of 5], by Antonio Bedin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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| 2022-04-06T12:29:04Z
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A U.S. Army Paratrooper assigned Charlie company, 54th Brigade Engineer Battalion, during Raven Spring for assembles of a RT-1523 SIGCCARS radio at Dandolo Training Area in Pordenone, Italy on Apr. 5, 2022. The 173rd Airborne Brigade is the U.S. Army's Contingency Response Force in Europe, providing rapidly deployable forces to the United States European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility. Forward deployed across Italy and Germany, the brigade routinely trains alongside NATO allies and partners to build partnerships and strengthen the alliance. (U.S. Army Photo by Antonio Bedin)
This work, Raven Spring [Image 5 of 5], by Antonio Bedin, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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| 2022-04-06T12:29:26Z
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Starting in June, the six-month accelerator is aimed at “ambitious e-sports, gaming, social media and streaming entrepreneurs across the UK” who have recently started a business or are thinking about forming one.
The programme promises “fully-funded access to a range of tools and opportunities” including one-to-one coaching with experts in the field, a network of “like-minded peers” and invitations to face-to-face and virtual events on how to build and grow a business.
NatWest, formerly Royal Bank of Scotland Group, said candidates did not need to be existing customers of the bank, with applications to join the accelerator now open online via the Coutts website.
The programme will be delivered in partnership with the NatWest Accelerator.
Paul Franks, interactive entertainment lead at Coutts, said: “Interactive entertainment [IE] is one of the fastest-growing industries in the UK, with the global gaming market on track to surpass $300 billion [£230bn) by 2026.
“By helping entrepreneurs form a business and a strategy behind something that is normally considered a hobby, we’re striving to change the misconception that being in interactive entertainment isn’t a ‘real career’. At Coutts, our aim is to be the go-to bank for those in IE, using our team of experts to help them thrive.”
NatWest said it has supported more than 3,500 businesses since 2018 thanks to its 13 accelerator hubs across the UK. Out of these businesses, 43 per cent are female-led.
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https://www.scotsman.com/business/natwest-and-coutts-push-button-on-accelerator-for-gaming-and-social-media-entrepreneurs-3642586
| 2022-04-06T12:31:20Z
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Natalie Buxton has been promoted to the newly created role of UK network managing director. She will retain her current role as managing director of Weber Shandwick Scotland, while taking on the responsibility of connecting the firm’s UK offices in London, Manchester and Scotland around “key initiatives and programmes”.
Buxton has been at the PR and marketing firm for 15 years and has driven campaigns for brands including the Royal Society of Chemistry, CityFibre, Caledonian Sleeper and Quality Meat Scotland.
The promotion will see her work closely with Helen Bennett, who also moves from her role as managing director, London to the newly created role of UK chief executive.
The firm said Buxton’s promotion comes on the back of a string of new client wins and consultant hires across its Scotland offices.
Buxton said: “Weber Shandwick has the strongest UK footprint of any global agency which puts us in an influential position as both an employer and trusted partner to our clients.
“I truly believe that the talent across our network is second to none and by harnessing local and global insights, we bring real benefit to the people and businesses we work with.
“That’s why my priority over the coming months is to foster even greater collaboration across our UK teams to deliver work that’s true to our values and drives meaningful impact for clients.”
A number of new leadership roles across the UK business have been announced including Suzanne Gilson who joins as UK chief financial officer; Neil Flash as chief operating officer for Weber Shandwick UK; while Dean Gallagher has been promoted to managing director, Weber Shandwick Manchester.
Bennett said: “Under Natalie’s stewardship, our operations in Scotland have gone from strength to strength and I’m delighted that our wider UK business will now benefit from her expertise and talent.
Since Buxton took over as Scotland managing director in 2019, the agency has expanded its media, public affairs and digital services teams. The consultancy also signed up to the Young Person’s Guarantee in 2021.
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| 2022-04-06T12:31:34Z
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That was the finding of a new study which looked at a range of so-called agroecological practices – including regenerative farming, organic systems, integrated farm management (IFM), agroforestry and low input farming.
Researchers at the SRUC said that agroecology encompassed food security, environmental and social goals by helping to restore the health of agricultural ecosystems and increase the resilience of farms to future challenges.Comparing five agroecological approaches which are currently practised in Scotland, the work was carried out for ClimateXChange, Scotland’s Centre of Expertise on Climate Change, which provides independent research to support Scottish Government policy-making on climate change adaptation and the net-zero transition.The researchers found there was considerable overlap in the different farming practices adopted, which depended on the farming system, geographical location, resource availability, and mindset and priorities of the farmer.Regenerative agriculture, IFM and organic farming were found to have the widest range of practices considered as ‘core’, reflecting their broad scope and ‘toolbox’ approach to select practices appropriate to specific locations and circumstances.The report was based on the views of a wide-ranging panel of experts, including farmers, advisors, researchers and policy makers – and admitted that some of the approaches such as regenerative agriculture had no legal or regulatory definition, making it difficult for certification and policy development.
But while agroforestry and IFM were perceived to match yields attained in conventional systems, those using organic, regenerative agriculture and low-input systems carried an expectation that such systems would be lower yielding. However, despite this perceived loss in yield, profit margin was thought to be higher in regenerative and organic systems due to a lower reliance on expensive inputs.
However all models were perceived to increase farm resilience and stabilise yields either slightly (low input and organic) or intermediately (agroforestry, regenerative, IFM).The report highlighted the need for farms to have the financial capacity to buffer the economic costs of transitioning and suggested the use of labelling or certification to increase the market value ofagroecological produce to incentivise farmers to adopt these approaches – although it was unknown how acceptable this would be to consumers.
“While a farm-scale shift towards an agroecological model requires expertise, commitment and, in some instances, significant investment, a more gradual but widespread adoption of specific agroecological practices – such as cover crops and hedgerow restoration – in conventional systems should not be undervalued,” said lead author Dr Lorna Cole.
“While climate change, biodiversity and food security are often viewed as separate challenges, they are inherently interlinked – but agroecological approaches to farming focus on increasing efficiency and regenerating ecosystem health bringing these three challenges together under a single umbrella.“Agroecology can help buffer against weather extremes, hikes in input costs, changing market conditions, increasing the resilience of farms,” she added.
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| 2022-04-06T12:31:41Z
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The social media giant said the ability to edit tweets after they have been posted has been in development since last year and testing of the function will begin in the coming months.
Jay Sullivan, the site’s head of consumer product, said users “want to be able to fix (sometimes embarrassing) mistakes, typos and hot takes in the moment”, and the move is part of plans to give people “more choice and control over their Twitter experience”.
But Lewis Wiltshire, the former head of sport at Twitter, said introducing an edit button will be a “mistake” given the site’s influence on global affairs and the potential impact that amending posts could have.
“It’s one of those things that people call for when they want to sound like they understand tech products but don’t really,” he posted on the platform in response to the news.
“An edit button would be welcomed by a small percentage of hardcore users, weaponised by a larger and more dangerous group of bad people, and largely ignored by the majority of people in between.
“If you do not think that, you haven’t been paying attention for the last 15 years.
“If they did it, within weeks there would be a scandal where a tweet was subtly but fundamentally altered after it received thousands of likes.
“On this platform, more than any other, that has the potential to change the course of global affairs. Now would not be the time.
“It would be a mistake. Be careful what you wish for.”
Twitter says it has considered how the edit button could be misused and Mr Sullivan said the app is working on potential ways to ensure the safety of the feature, including a time limit for editing and making records of edits transparent.
“Without things like time limits, controls, and transparency about what has been edited, Edit could be misused to alter the record of the public conversation,” he said.
“Protecting the integrity of that public conversation is our top priority when we approach this work.
“Therefore, it will take time and we will be actively seeking input and adversarial thinking in advance of launching Edit. We will approach this feature with care and thoughtfulness and we will share updates as we go.”
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| 2022-04-06T12:32:22Z
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The seafaring – or non-seafaring – equivalent of a Potemkin village.
The Russian statesman Potemkin, of course, created fake villages for Catherine the Great, filled with happy, well-fed peasants to give the impression that things were better than they were. Welcome to Nicola Sturgeon’s Potemkin government.
But more worryingly for Nicola Sturgeon – and this is genuinely worrying for her personally because it is about her own prospects, not the country’s – is perhaps there is something façade-like about her own support. Maybe we can see through the First Minister’s fine clothes and see her in the altogether mess into which she has got this nation.
Certainly when it comes to the Bravehearts fighting for independence the slogan is less: “Freedom!”, like the Hollywood blockbuster, and more, “Ah cannae get the matches to light,” like the 1980s STV advert set on a battlefield.
For weeks the organisers of the ‘All Under One Banner’ independence organisation predicted that 10,000 people would join them to march for the cause in Arbroath at the weekend. The police were warning residents to avoid the area because of expected traffic congestion. In the end it was reported that only 700 people turned up, and that is thought to be a kind estimate.
To put it in perspective, more people definitely turned up to watch Queens Park play Cove Rangers on the same day, and more than four times that number took in Falkirk versus Montrose. If Scottish independence is on the brink of something big it seems more somnolent than ambulant.
The malaise is confirmed in two new polls this week, from two different pollsters, both showing a 6-point lead for ‘No’ over ‘Yes’ when the 2014 question ‘Should Scotland be an independent country?’ is asked. Remarkably, YouGov found that the gap widened to a striking 15 points when the question was framed Remain/Leave in line with the 2016 Brexit vote. We are a long way from the heady days of 2020 when Nationalists claimed that separation was the ‘settled will’ of the Scottish people.
Similarly, the previously mighty election war machine that is the SNP appears to be deploying guerrilla tactics for next month’s local elections, fielding fewer candidates than at any time since 2007. In contrast, the Scottish Conservatives have a record high number of candidates – and more than Labour for the first time in living memory.
Perhaps the reason that so many SNP members and supporters don’t feel the urge to stand for them anymore is because there is so little that the SNP leadership has done for them to make them feel proud. In that, at least, they are in touch with the national mood.
The First Minister says she takes pride in keeping Ferguson Marine open. No one wants it to close. But to be proud of keeping a shipyard open after giving it £250 million to deliver no ships – when the starting price was £97 million for two – is hardly a matter of pride. A total of £250 million for 450 jobs comes out at more than half a million pounds each. The workforce could each have set up several new businesses, or perhaps just retired, on that amount of cash.
Without a record even approaching what could be called ‘achievement’, Ms. Sturgeon seems to be relying on her unique selling point as being she is not Boris Johnson. Most people have, I suspect, already noticed that. It may not be enough any more.
The First Minister has grown used to telling her Party members every year at their conference that a second referendum is imminent, when she knows it is not. She promised to set up a national energy company that she did nothing meaningful to deliver. In the time of global pandemic she felt she could claim she had almost eradicated Covid – that was almost two years ago. We are supposed to applaud every announcement and never look for delivery.
Even her supporters have grown used to, and bored with, the script. Nicola good, Boris bad. Scotland good. Westminster bad. The problem is Scotland is beginning to realise that nothing is getting better, indeed in most areas it is getting worse.
Of course, some of her supporters will dismiss this by saying the polls suggest Scotland will still elect her. That is true, but it is also true that for many months before 2011 most of the polls said Iain Gray was going to become First Minister, and we know how that turned out.
Elections are so frequent these days we perhaps tend only to focus on them when they are near. What is clear is that when the Nationalists try to summon the Scottish equivalent of the spirit of Agincourt, gentlemen in woad stay now abed.
The Scottish Government has seemed tired for many years. The independence movement has a weariness where once there was a fanatical vigour. It does feel that the whole project has just run out of steam. The bubble may not be about to burst, but there is a sense that it is slowly deflating.
The people of Scotland will cast their votes for local councils in 4 weeks’ time, when differential turnout will be crucial to the results of an election where only a minority of the population usually vote. The question now is whether ennui keeps them from the polling station, weariness makes their eyes droop in the polling booths, or whether they see sharply through the façade and painted on windows of Nicola Sturgeon.
-Murdo Fraser is the Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife
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| 2022-04-06T12:33:15Z
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WILSON — School board members approved two resolutions at their meeting Tuesday requesting that Gov. Kathy Hochul restore local control over Covid-related health policies to school districts and parents.
One of the resolutions specifically requests an end to the requirement to test unvaccinated staff members, and the reporting of findings to the state department of health. The other resolution requests that the governor not implement any statewide Covid vaccination mandates for students.
Wilson Superintendent Timothy Carter said after the meeting that he feels the district's logging of test results isn’t necessary, due to the average infection rates at the district being close to equal among both the vaccinated and the unvaccinated.
“My job is to educate and keep kids safe, not collect data for the Department of Health.” he explained. “They know how many Covid cases are being reported, they don’t need Wilson or any other school district to duplicate that data. All it does is take time out of the busy schedules of the people who work here, and in turn takes taxpayer money out of the community’s pockets.
He also feels that if a student vaccination mandate is put in place, then the district is at risk of losing students to homeschooling from parents not wanting to have their kids vaccinated.
“If I am an advocate of public education,” said Carter. “Then I have to strongly tell the state, ‘if you put a mandate for vaccines in place, then I have a chunk of parents who are going to take their kids out of school instead of meeting that mandate.’ ”
Wilson’s school board has sent several similar requests to the governor in the past asking that Covid-related rules be rolled back. Carter feels hopeful that Hochul is taking these comments into consideration, as she made the decision to roll back indoor mask requirements in March. The Wilson school board had sent a request for her to do this the month before.
“I’m very hopeful that they will take this into consideration. One of the things that the governor has said all along is that she’s listening,” said Carter. “So I’m going to give this information to the governor, and what she does with it is entirely up to her.”
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https://www.lockportjournal.com/news/local_news/wilson-school-board-calls-out-covid-rules/article_9e7b2451-edc1-53c6-b051-602196820e61.html
| 2022-04-06T12:33:18Z
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The BBC reports John Lansdown has filed a tribunal claim against the company and its chief executive, and is seeking financial compensation and exemplary damages of up to £76million.
P&O Ferries said its job cuts were “categorically not based on race or the nationality of the staff involved”, in a statement carried by the broadcaster.
Mr Lansdown said the action was about the “bigger picture”.
“This is not just about me. Seven hundred and ninety nine of my seafaring family have lost their livelihoods, their way of life, their homes for half the year,” he told the BBC.
It comes after criminal and civil investigations were launched on April 1 into the decision by P&O Ferries to sack nearly 800 workers.
The company was widely criticised for making the seafarers redundant without notice on March 17.
Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng said the Insolvency Service had started “formal criminal and civil investigations”.
The Insolvency Service said: “Following its inquiries, the Insolvency Service has commenced formal criminal and civil investigations into the circumstances surrounding the recent redundancies made by P&O Ferries.
“As these are ongoing investigations, no further comment or information can be provided at this time.”
P&O Ferries chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite told a joint hearing of the Commons’ business and transport committees that his company broke the law by not consulting with trade unions before sacking workers.
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| 2022-04-06T12:34:23Z
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(WWLP) – FDA advisers will meet today to hash out what the future of Covid-19 boosters looks like in the United States.
Just a week ago, the FDA and the C-D-C signed off on a second booster for people 50 and up.
However, fewer than half of eligible adults have decided to get that first booster shot, and some health experts question whether getting additional doses of the vaccines every few months to protect against mild illness is a practical public health strategy.
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| 2022-04-06T12:34:47Z
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WASHINGTON (AP) — As gruesome videos and photos of bodies emerge from the Kyiv suburb of Bucha, Kremlin-backed media are denouncing them as an elaborate hoax — a narrative that journalists in Ukraine have shown to be false.
Denouncing news as fake or spreading false reports to sow confusion and undermine its adversaries are tactics that Moscow has used for years and refined with the advent of social media in places like Syria.
In detailed broadcasts to millions of viewers, correspondents and hosts of Russian state TV channels said Tuesday that some photo and video evidence of the killings were fake while others showed that Ukrainians were responsible for the bloodshed.
“Among the first to appear were these Ukrainian shots, which show how a soulless body suddenly moves its hand,” a report Monday on Russia-1’s evening news broadcast declared. “And in the rearview mirror it is noticeable that the dead seem to be starting to rise even.”
But satellite images from early March show the dead were left out on the streets of Bucha for weeks. On April 2, a video taken from a moving car was posted online by a Ukrainian lawyer showing those same bodies scattered along Yablonska Street in Bucha. High-resolution satellite images of Bucha from commercial provider Maxar Technology reviewed by The Associated Press independently matched the location of the bodies with separate videos from the scene. Other Western media had similar reports.
Over the weekend, AP journalists saw the bodies of dozens of people in Bucha, many of them shot at close range, and some with their hands tied behind them. At least 13 bodies were located in and around a building that residents said was used as a base for Russian troops before they retreated last week.
Yet Russian officials and state-media have continued to promote their own narrative, parroting it in newspapers and on radio and television. A top story on the website of a popular pro-Kremlin newspaper, Komsomolskaya Pravda, pinned the mass killings on Ukraine, with a story that claimed “one more irrefutable proof that ‘the genocide in Bucha’ was carried out by Ukrainian forces.”
An opinion column published Tuesday by the state-run news agency RIA Novosti surmised that the Bucha slayings were a ploy for the West to impose tougher sanctions on Russia.
Analysts note it isn’t the first time in its six-week-old invasion of Ukraine that the Kremlin has employed such an information warfare strategy to deny any wrongdoing and spread disinformation in a coordinated campaign around the globe.
“This is simply what Russia does every time it recognizes that it has suffered a PR setback through committing atrocities,” said Keir Giles, senior consulting fellow with the Russia and Eurasia program at the Chatham House think tank. “So the system works almost on autopilot.”
Before the war, Russia denied U.S. intelligence reports that detailed its plans to attack Ukraine. Last month, Russian officials tried to discredit AP photos and reporting of the aftermath of the bombing of a maternity hospital in the Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, which left a pregnant woman and her unborn child dead.
The photos and video from Bucha have set off a new wave of global condemnation and revulsion.
After his video appearance Tuesday at the U.N. Security Council, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy enumerated the killings in Bucha by Russian troops and showed graphic video of charred and decomposing bodies there and in other towns. Russian U.N. Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia dismissed them as staged.
Across social media, a chorus of more than a dozen official Russian Twitter and Telegram accounts, as well as state-backed media Facebook pages, repeated the Kremlin line that images and video of the dead were staged or a hoax. The claims were made in English, Spanish and Arabic in accounts run by Russian officials or from Russian-backed news outlets Sputnik and RT. The Spanish-language RT en Español has sent more than a dozen posts to its 18 million followers.
“Russia rejects allegations over the murder of civilians in Bucha, near Kiev,” an RT en Español post said Sunday.
Several of the same accounts sought to discredit claims that Russian troops carried out the killings by pointing to a video of Bucha Mayor Anatoliy Fedoruk, taken March 31, in which he talked about the suburb being freed from Russian occupation.
“He confirms that Russian troops have left Bucha. No mentioning of dead bodies in the streets,” top Russian official Mikhail Ulyanov tweeted Monday.
But Fedoruk had publicly commented on the violence before the Russian troops left in an interview with Italian news agency Adnkronos on March 28, where he accused them of killings and rapes in Bucha.
In an AP interview March 7, Fedoruk talked about dead bodies piling up in Bucha: “We can’t even gather up the bodies because the shelling from heavy weapons doesn’t stop day or night. Dogs are pulling apart the bodies on the city streets. It’s a nightmare.”
Satellite images by Maxar Technologies while Russian troops occupied Bucha on March 18 and 19 back up Fedoruk’s account of bodies in the streets, showing at least five bodies on one road.
Some social media platforms have tried to limit propaganda and disinformation from the Kremlin. Google blocked RT’s accounts, while in Europe, RT and Sputnik were banned by tech company Meta, which also stopped promoting or amplifying Russian-state media pages on its platforms, which include Facebook and Instagram.
Russia has found ways to evade the crackdown with posts in different languages through dozens of official Russian social media accounts.
“It’s a pretty massive messaging apparatus that Russia controls — whether it’s official embassy accounts, bot or toll accounts or anti-Western influencers — they have many ways to circumvent platform bans,” said Bret Schafer, who heads the information manipulation team at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a nonpartisan think tank in Washington.
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| 2022-04-06T12:34:53Z
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Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has kept up demands for war crimes trials for Russian troops and their leaders, while warning they were regrouping for fresh assaults on Ukraine’s east and south.
Overnight, Russian forces attacked a fuel depot and a factory in Ukraine’s Dnipropetrovsk region, the region’s governor Valentyn Reznichenko said. The number of casualties was unclear.
“The night was alarming and difficult. The enemy attacked our area from the air and hit the oil depot and one of the plants. The oil depot with fuel was destroyed. Rescuers are still putting out the flames at the plant,” he wrote.
In the eastern Luhansk region, shelling of the city of Rubizhne on Tuesday killed one person and injured five more, governor Serhiy Haidai said.
Ukraine’s military has said Russian troops were preparing for an offensive in Ukraine’s east, “to establish complete control over the territory of Donetsk and Luhansk regions”.
Parts of the two regions have been under control of Russia-backed rebels since 2014 and are recognised by Moscow as independent states.
Ukrainian forces have been holding back Russian troops trying to push east but remain outnumbered in troops and equipment, Mr Zelensky said in a video address to his country late on Tuesday.
“But we don’t have a choice — the fate of our land and of our people is being decided,” he said. “We know what we are fighting for. And we will do everything to win.”
Over the past few days, a global outcry has been raised over what appear to be intentional killings of civilians in Bucha and other towns before Russian forces withdrew from the outskirts of Kyiv.
The evidence led western nations to expel scores of Moscow’s diplomats and propose further sanctions.
The US, in co-ordination with the European Union and G7, is expected to roll out more sanctions on Wednesday, including a ban on all new investment in Russia, a senior administration official said.
The European Commission proposed a ban on coal imports from Russia, which are an estimated 4 billion euros (£3.3 billion) per year. It would be the first time the 27-nation bloc has sanctioned the country’s lucrative energy industry over the war.
Speaking by video on Tuesday to the UN Security Council, Mr Zelensky said civilians in towns around Kyiv had been tortured, shot in the back of the head, thrown down wells, blown up with grenades in their apartments and crushed to death by tanks while in cars.
Those who carried out the killings and those who gave the orders “must be brought to justice immediately for war crimes” in front of a tribunal similar to the one established at Nuremberg after the Second World War, he said.
Moscow’s UN ambassador, Vassily Nebenzia, said “not a single local person” suffered from violence while Bucha was under Russian control, and claimed video footage of bodies in the streets was “a crude forgery” staged by the Ukrainians.
“You only saw what they showed you,” he said. “The only ones who would fall for this are western dilettantes.”
Associated Press journalists in Bucha have counted dozens of corpses in civilian clothes and interviewed Ukrainians who told of witnessing atrocities.
High-resolution satellite imagery from Maxar Technologies showed that many of the bodies had been lying in the open for weeks, during the time Russian forces were in the town.
Many of the dead seen by AP journalists appeared to have been shot at close range, and some had their hands bound or their flesh burned.
The chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court at The Hague opened an investigation a month ago into possible war crimes in Ukraine.
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| 2022-04-06T12:35:05Z
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Distillery Reserve Collection
The Glenlivet has announced the release of three fine and iconic whiskies in the new Distillery Reserve Collection.
The 10, 14 and 22 Year Old single cask editions showcase the finest Scotch craftsmanship mastered over decades. The Glenlivet has made each of the 50cl bottles of the Distillery Reserve Collection available for pre-order.
Each bottle of cask strength captures The Glenlivet's pioneering style. Every bottle is drawn from a single cask by the makers themselves before being numbered to identify the age, cask type and bottling date.
The Glenlivet Distillery Reserve Collection 10 Year Old
This is the first in the collection. With flavours of juicy poached pears, raisin fudge and cinnamon, the whisky gives way to warming ginger and freshly baked glazed cinnamon buns. Only 849 bottles of this expression will be available.
The Glenlivet Distillery Reserve Collection 14 Year Old follows with a limited run of 700 bottles. The rich finish from the first fill sherry cask is rooted in the heritage of The Glenlivet distillery. Every precious drop from this limited release delivers, with flavours of plum, ginger cake and toasted oak.
Completing the trio with a vibrant and tropical finish is The Glenlivet Distillery Reserve Collection 22 Year Old first fill American barrel, which is packed full of citrus flavour.
Linda Brown, Brand Home Manager at The Glenlivet commented:“The rare collection celebrates the very best the distillery and Speyside has to offer and is a testament to the rich, bold flavours our makers can achieve. The Distillery Reserve Collection offers something truly unique in terms of taste, quality and experience.”
You can order from the theglenlivet.com site.
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| 2022-04-06T12:35:31Z
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Dan Gamble, the tighthead prop, and Roan Frostwick, the scrum-half, have been drafted in for the match at the DAM Health Stadium on Friday night.
Edinburgh had vacancies in their squad after deregistering George Taylor, who was forced to retire in January due to a history of head injuries, and Jordan Venter, who left the club to join Bath in December.
Gamble, from Kelso, is a Scotland Under-20 international who came through the Edinburgh Rugby Academy and was loaned out to London Scottish in January.
Frostwick, a product of North Berwick RFC, is also a Scotland U20 cap and had a spell on loan at English Championship side Ampthill.
Friday’s match against Pau is Edinburgh’s last in Pool C of the Challenge Cup and a win will see them top the group and have a home tie in the last 16, most likely against Bath.
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https://www.scotsman.com/sport/rugby-union/edinburgh-rugby-add-two-players-to-squad-for-challenge-cup-tie-with-pau-3643131
| 2022-04-06T12:36:45Z
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BAFTA Scotland has confirmed that its annual ceremony in Glasgow will be going ahead at the DoubleTree by Hilton in the city centre.
Broadcaster Edith Bowman and Still Game star Sanjeev Kohli will be hosting the event’s red carpet comeback on 20 November.BAFTA Scotland has had to grapple with the impact of tight Covid restrictions over the last two years, with the film categories suspended for 12 months due to the shutdown of cinemas.Actor James McAvoy, actress Marli Siu, refugee drama Limbo, drag queen Lawrence Chaney and the children’s series The Brilliant World of Tom Gates were among the big winners at last year's "closed studio" event, which was held at the BBC's Pacific Quay HQ.
BAFTA Scotland director Jude MacLaverty said: “Despite the challenges of the past few years, the film, games and television industries in Scotland have continued to innovate and creatively thrive, keeping audiences across the country both entertained and informed, and we are delighted to open entries for this year’s Awards which will recognise the achievements of the country’s outstanding creative talent.
“We’re also thrilled to announce that this year our Awards ceremony will be returning to the DoubleTree by Hilton Glasgow Central and we cannot wait to celebrate the industry, the nominees and their incredible achievements in film, games and television with our awards host Edith Bowman and Sanjeev Kohli on 20 November”.
BAFTA Scotland has opened entries for the 17 different categories for this year’s awards.
Entrants in certain categories will be asked whether their work meets official new industry “diversity standards” recently put in place for the film and TV industries in Scotland.
Government agency Screen Scotland said they would help bring about “real and lasting change needed to ensure true representation and make the screen industry in Scotland a more inclusive and attractive place to work.”
The new BAFTA Scotland entry guidelines state: “Entrants will be asked to self-assess against these standards.
"Qualification will not affect eligibility, is voluntary and has no impact on funding awards previously made by Screen Scotland. The intention is to encourage better representation and increased inclusivity across the industry.”
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| 2022-04-06T12:37:05Z
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At a trial last month, the singer and his Shape Of You co-writers, Snow Patrol’s John McDaid and producer Steven McCutcheon, faced accusations that they ripped off the 2015 song Oh Why by Sami Chokri and Ross O’Donoghue.
In a ruling on Wednesday, Mr Justice Zacaroli concluded Sheeran “neither deliberately nor subconsciously” copied a phrase from Oh Why when writing Shape Of You.
Reacting to the ruling, the Shape of You co-writers said in a joint statement that the case had come at a cost on “creativity” and on their mental health.
“When we are tangled up in lawsuits, we are not making music or playing shows,” they said, adding: “There is an impact on both us and the wider circle of songwriters everywhere.
“Our hope in having gone through all of this is that it shows that there is a need for a safe space for all songwriters to be creative, and free to express their hearts.”
Sheeran and his co-authors originally launched legal proceedings in May 2018, asking the High Court to declare they had not infringed Chokri and O’Donoghue’s copyright.
Two months later, Chokri – a grime artist who performs under the name Sami Switch – and O’Donoghue issued their own claim for “copyright infringement, damages and an account of profits in relation to the alleged infringement”.
The pair alleged that an “Oh I” hook in Shape Of You is “strikingly similar” to an “Oh Why” refrain in their own track.
But in his judgment, Mr Justice Zacaroli concluded “Mr Sheeran had not heard Oh Why and in any event that he did not deliberately copy the Oh I phrase from the Oh Why hook”.
He added: “Mr Chokri is undoubtedly a serious and talented songwriter and while his management were unsurprisingly trying to create some hype around the release of the Solace EP, it had limited success.
“In my judgment, the possibility that these attempts might have led to it coming to Mr Sheeran’s attention – either because someone he was associated with played it to him or because he found it himself – is at best speculative.”
The judge said the phrases in the songs at the heart of the legal dispute “play very different roles”, with the Oh Why hook reflecting the track’s “slow, brooding and questioning mood”, while Shape of You’s Oh I phrase was “something catchy to fill the bar” before the next part of the song.
He continued: “The use of the first four notes of the rising minor pentatonic scale for the melody is so short, simple, commonplace and obvious in the context of the rest of the song that it is not credible that Mr Sheeran sought out inspiration from other songs to come up with it.”
During the 11-day trial at the Rolls Building in London, Sheeran denied he “borrows” ideas from unknown songwriters without acknowledgement and insisted he “always tried to be completely fair” in crediting people who contribute to his albums.
The singer told the court he was trying to “clear my name” and denied using litigation to “intimidate” Chokri and O’Donoghue into abandoning the copyright dispute.
Lawyers for the Oh Why co-writers labelled Sheeran a “magpie”, alleging he “habitually copies” other artists and that it was “extremely likely” he had previously heard Oh Why.
Chokri told the trial he felt “robbed” by the music star and was “shocked” when he first heard Shape Of You on the radio.
But lawyers for Sheeran, McDaid and McCutcheon said the allegations against them were “impossible to hold”, with the evidence pointing to Shape Of You being an “independent creation”.
Sheeran was present throughout the trial in March and frequently burst into song and hummed musical scales and melodies when he took to the witness stand.
In one brief incident, the court was accidentally played a clip of unreleased material by Sheeran from McCutcheon’s computer.
All three Shape Of You co-authors denied allegations of copying and said they did not remember hearing Oh Why before the legal fight.
Ian Mill QC, representing the three men, said the legal dispute had been “deeply traumatising”, arguing the case should never have reached trial.
But the Oh Why co-writers’ lawyer, Andrew Sutcliffe QC, alleged Sheeran is an artist who “alters” words and music belonging to others to “pass as original”.
He claimed Sheeran’s lawyers brought the legal proceedings because PRS for Music – the industry body that collects and distributes royalties – had “frozen” payments for UK broadcast and performance income from Shape Of You.
It was also claimed Sheeran must have been aware of Chokri because they appeared on YouTube channel SBTV at about the same time, they shared friends, Chokri had sent messages to him on Twitter, and Sheeran had allegedly shouted his name at a performance.
Mr Sutcliffe suggested Sheeran “consciously or unconsciously” had Oh Why in his head when Shape Of You was written at McCutcheon’s Rokstone Studios in west London in October 2016.
But Mr Mill said the Shape Of You co-writers were clear they had “no preconceived ideas” when they went into the studio.
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American Association of Candy Technologists National Technical Seminar
Date: Sept. 20–21, 2021
Place: Oak Brook, Illinois
Average attendees: 300
2021 attendees: 148
Website: aactcandy.org/national-seminar
What makes gummy bears yummy and chocolate so addictive? It’s all because of — or, if you’ve got a real sweet tooth, you can blame it on — candy technologists. The beginnings of the American Association of Candy Technologists (AACT) date back to 1947, when candy makers attended the Professional Manufacturing Confectioners Association (PMCA) Conference. Discussing problems they encountered during the creation process, from dull chocolate to the boiling and inversion of sugar, they realized they could all benefit from sharing ideas about candy making’s technical side. And so AACT was born and has continued to meet annually.
Today, AACT has 350 members, from makers to suppliers, said Michelle Schwenk, Ph.D., president and food science consultant for Bellis Food Solutions and the association’s president. “It’s people doing the research, production, or quality [control] on candy, or on the ingredients that go into candy.”
Keep Calm and Candy On
As part of the food industry, most AACT members were considered essential workers who continued working throughout the pandemic, but were unable to attend education conferences due to cancellations. AACT held virtual training and networking in 2020 but felt a physical event was vital.
At the 2021 in-person seminar, “the panel we had was specifically on handling taste panels and consumer panels during COVID,” Schwenk said. “Getting real feedback is very important to the innovation in our industry. When we couldn’t get together, it was very difficult to get real people to safely test our new ideas. The panel showed us some new technology and creative ideas in order to reach our panelists and safely deliver them samples.”
The seminar isn’t all work and no play. The Iron Confectioner competition — a riff on the cooking show “Iron Chef” — features two teams of three participants. Teams bring their own equipment and AACT supplies the ingredients. Teams must come up with three confections featuring a secret ingredient unveiled at the start of the competition.“It is always a highlight,” Schwenk said, and “a time of real bragging rights.”
Sugarcoated Sessions
Sessions at the 2021 American Association of Candy Technologists National Technical Seminar included:
- Contemplating Cannabis Confectioners: An Overview of the Laws, Regulations, and Considerations
- Ready, Set, Sour — The Power of Acids & Buffers
- Agile Innovation with Sensory and Consumer Methods
Casey Gale is managing editor at Convene. Illustration by Carmen Segovia
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The most meaningful kind of CSR activity at an event is one that is in complete alignment with the interests of its participants and furthers the mission of the host organization.
Here’s an example of how that was done seamlessly — and as a crocheter, I Iove that it comes from the fiber arts community.
After a pause during 2021 due to COVID-19, QuiltWeek returned to Daytona Beach, Florida’s Ocean Center Feb. 23-26, the first of six annual shows hosted across the U.S. by the American Quilter’s Society (AQS), which has more than 70,000 members around the world.
“Like art at a museum,” Kate Sark, Ocean Center’s marketing and communications manager said in a release, “quilts are displayed throughout the 93,000-square-foot exhibit hall” along with exhibits inspired by everyone and everything from Diana, Princess of Wales, to the TV game show “Wheel of Fortune.” One exhibit, “The Ties That Bind,” featured quilts made from men’s ties.
The event includes workshops and lectures with instructors and a Best of Show competition along with other prizes, as well as a Merchant Mall, stocked with the latest in quilt-making supplies.
CSR activities are mainstays of QuiltWeek. In Daytona, AQS provided a booth and supplies for Racing Fingers Quilt Guild of Ormand Beach. The group creates small fidget quilts, complete with tactile and manipulative objects like textured fabric, spools, zippers, and buttons for patients with Alzheimer’s, dementia, or traumatic brain injury. “These patients have a symptom called ‘restless hands,’ and having the fidget quilts helps them remain calm and not disturb medical devices,” Linda Derryberry of Racing Fingers Quilt Guild told Convene. At the show in Daytona, attendees of all skill levels were encouraged to stop by the booth and create their own — or contribute to an in-progress — fidget quilt.
Racing Fingers Quilt Guild has an agreement with AQS each year to help them with the show at Ocean Center. In each destination hosting a QuiltWeek, a local quilting guild is asked to help with the show and staff a “charity booth,” Derryberry explained.
Related: Taking a Holistic CSR Approach
“At our AQS QuiltWeek shows, we always have some activity that ties in with different organizations in the community,” Bonnie Browning, executive show director for AQS told Convene. In addition to the fidget quilts initiative at Ocean Center, AQS worked with the Quilts of Valor Foundation, offering an info booth at the show and making a presentation of quilts to service members and veterans who have been touched by war. This is an initiative that will be part of every QuiltWeek during 2022.
Other charitable activities scheduled for QuiltWeek in different destinations include children’s comfort quilts in Branson, Missouri; quilts to be donated to Merryman House Domestic Violence Center in Paducah, Kentucky; and doll quilts donated to Santa Claus Girls of Kent County, Michigan, a nonprofit that collects holiday gifts for children of families needing help.
On AQS’ website, QuiltWeek is described as making “an indelible mark on the fiber art community.” To which we’d add, and on the local community as well.
Michelle Russell is editor in chief of Convene.
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In case you missed it, the China services PMI from Caixin released early today plunged to 42.0 from 50.2. That's a two-year low and comes with Shanghai's covid outbreak showing now signs of slowing down.
A survey of 163 US companies on April 1 by the American Chamber of Commerce showed that 99% of them had already been affected by the latest outbreak in Shanghai.
Cases there have hit records for five straight days, including 17,007 in the latest report. The city of 25 million remains locked down indefinitely and officials aren't offering any hints at loosening the 'dynamic covid zero' policy despite rising dissatisfaction.
That could change as the economic costs mount and the futility of trying to control omicron but until that happens, expect to see continued deterioration in China. Moreover, the curbs in Shanghai and elsewhere in China will add another wrinkle to a desperately-stretched supply chain.
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Global Meetings Industry Day (GMID), Thursday, April 7, was launched five years ago by the 70-member Meetings Mean Business industry coalition as an annual day of industry-wide advocacy focused on raising the profile of the economic value of business events, trade shows and exhibitions, and incentive travel. And like almost everything else, GMID has evolved in response to the pandemic.
This year, for example, marks the first time GMID is happening under the banner of the U.S. Travel Association (USTA), which merged with the Meetings Mean Business coalition in 2021, reflecting USTA’s heightened focus on reviving business travel. Although leisure travel is expected to return to pre-pandemic levels in 2022, business travel is lagging, complicating the economic outlook for travel. Business travelers made up just 20 percent of the pre-pandemic total trip volume yet accounted for a disproportionate 40 to 60 percent of lodging and air revenue, USTA wrote in a press release announcing the integration of Meetings Mean Business into the travel association last November. “The return of professional meetings and events is crucial,” USTA added, “to the recovery of the travel economy and is a top priority of the association.”
Under the umbrella of the tagline “Meet Safe,” the association has created social media and other tools for meetings professionals for GMID 2022, including research about the demand for in-person events and their economic benefits. USTA also has compiled a database of case studies describing meetings of all sizes that were safely and successfully conducted in a variety of formats — in-person, all-digital, and hybrid — since May 2020. (Instructions for how organizations can add their events to the database are available on the Meet Safe website.)
This year’s lineup of GMID events reflects not only the surge in 2022 in the number of events that have returned to an in-person format, but a range of meeting-design decisions. While some events organized by PCMA chapters are designed for in-person attendees only, including breakfasts and lunches planned in Vancouver, San Francisco (on April 6), New York, Ottawa, and Columbus, others, including events in St. Louis and Washington, D.C., offer both in-person and digital options. For the second year in a row, Hospitality Today Live, a weekly video show hosted by industry veteran Deborah Gardner, CMP, will present an all-day, live video broadcast featuring interviews with a dozen leaders from the hotel, association, academic, and corporate event worlds.
And the PCMA Capital Chapter has redesigned its GMID game plan — originally called Hill Day and focusing on in-person visits to policymakers on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. — to create an event that leverages the benefits of both in-person and digital formats. On April 7, the chapter will host a three-hour education and networking session at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C., featuring a deep dive into advocacy how-to’s.
The hybrid event is the culmination of a three-week-long campaign initiated by the Capital Chapter that put members of several PCMA chapters around the country in digital contact with their representatives in Washington, D.C. Prior to virtual appointments they set up with senators, representatives, and their staff members March 21–April 8, PCMA members participated in training sessions on how to create a compelling case on issues important to the meetings industry by Virginia-based marketing and engagement agency MCI USA.
The idea to open the Capital Chapter’s Hill Day to PCMA members from other chapters came in 2021 when the event went virtual. Organizers had planned to hold the meetings during the week of GMID but stretched the period for appointments to two weeks after facing scheduling conflicts with busy lawmakers. The chapter also added to the potential impact of the outreach program by including members of PCMA chapters from all over the country. “We found that it’s definitely easier to get an appointment with one of the lawmakers if you’re an actual constituent,” Capital Chapter President Marcus Eng told Convene. The changes helped to increase the program’s reach, he said, and to “be inclusive with the other chapters to have a larger voice in representing the industry.”
More About Global Meetings Industry Day
- Find a list of PCMA GMID chapter events.
- Register to attend the Hospitality Today Live GMID22 Special Edition broadcast.
- To read the white paper about the PCMA Capital Chapter innovation around Hill Day activities for GMID, visit convn.org/Capital-GMID.
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The strongest to weakest of the major currencies
The EUR is the strongest and the CHF is the weakest as the NA session begins. The EU PPI came in at +31.4% YoY (yikes) as supply chain shocks and now the Ukraine war continue to push those prices. The good news is the expectations were higher at 31.5%.
The USD is mostly higher as the market continues to digest the Brainard comments yesterday where she called for faster taper and higher rates to contain inflation. The FOMC meeting minutes will be released later today with the focus on the taper. The market expects the Fed to tighten by 50 bp increments as they accelerate the tightening process now. Fed's Harker is expected to speak today. The economic calendar in the US is bare, but the weekly oil inventory data will be released at 10:30 AM ET.
The private data late yesterday showed
Expectations
Headline crude -2.1M barrels Gasoline +0.1M Distillates -0.8M A snapshot of the markets as North American traders enter for the day shows:
Spotgoldis trading down $2.60 or -0.15% at $1920.57 Spotsilver is trading down $0.14 or -0.57% at $24.18 Spotcrude oilis trading up $1.17 or 1.15% at $103.11 Bitcoinis trading at $44,905 that's down around $600 on the day In the premarket for US stocks, the majorindicesare trading lower. The majorindices snapped a two day win streak yesterday with the NASDAQ index leading the declines with a -2.26% decline
Dow industrial average down -226 points after yesterday's -280.7 point decline S&P index down -43 points after yesterday's -57.52 point decline NASDAQindex is down -227 points after yesterday's -328.39 point decline In the European equity markets, the majorindicesare moving sharply lower along with other indices as inflation fears tick up
German DAX, -1.9% France's CAC, -1.9% UK's FTSE 100 -0.3% Spain's Ibex, -1.6% Italy's FTSE MIB -1.6% In the US debt market, US yields are continuing it's run to the upside as the Fed is expected to go full speed ahead in May with balance sheet reduction and 50 basis point rate hikes. The yield curve
Yield Curve
A yield curve is a line used to help determine interest rates of interest rates for a specific bond, differentiated by contract lengths. This is useful for contrasting maturity dates, for example 1 month, 1 year, etc.In particular, yield curves help underscore the relationship between interest rates or borrowing costs and the time to maturity.Some of the best examples of this include US Treasury Securities, which are among some of the most observed worldwide by traders. By determining the slope of yield curves, it is possible to plot or predict future interest rate changes. There are three types of yield curves that are primarily studied, classified as normal, inverted, or flat.Why are Yield Curves Important?Yield curves like other benchmarks help investors and analysts ascertain more information about specific constructs affecting financial markets.For example, a normal or upward sloping curve points to economic expansion. Expectations of yields becoming higher in the future help attract funds in shorter-term securities with the hopes of purchasing longer-term bonds later, for a higher yield.The opposite is true in the case of an inverted or downward sloping curve, which traditionally points to an economic recession. If yields are expected to eventually be lower, investors opt to purchase longer-term bonds to help price in yields before further decreases occur.Subsequently, these are predictive of economic output and growth and are thus instrumental in financial analysis.These curves are also utilized primarily as a barometer for other forms of debt in a market, including bank lending rates, mortgage rates, and other benchmarks.The most reported yield curves deal with US Treasury debt, comparing the 3-month, 2-year, 5-year, 10-year and 30-year intervals. This information is published daily.
A yield curve is a line used to help determine interest rates of interest rates for a specific bond, differentiated by contract lengths. This is useful for contrasting maturity dates, for example 1 month, 1 year, etc.In particular, yield curves help underscore the relationship between interest rates or borrowing costs and the time to maturity.Some of the best examples of this include US Treasury Securities, which are among some of the most observed worldwide by traders. By determining the slope of yield curves, it is possible to plot or predict future interest rate changes. There are three types of yield curves that are primarily studied, classified as normal, inverted, or flat.Why are Yield Curves Important?Yield curves like other benchmarks help investors and analysts ascertain more information about specific constructs affecting financial markets.For example, a normal or upward sloping curve points to economic expansion. Expectations of yields becoming higher in the future help attract funds in shorter-term securities with the hopes of purchasing longer-term bonds later, for a higher yield.The opposite is true in the case of an inverted or downward sloping curve, which traditionally points to an economic recession. If yields are expected to eventually be lower, investors opt to purchase longer-term bonds to help price in yields before further decreases occur.Subsequently, these are predictive of economic output and growth and are thus instrumental in financial analysis.These curves are also utilized primarily as a barometer for other forms of debt in a market, including bank lending rates, mortgage rates, and other benchmarks.The most reported yield curves deal with US Treasury debt, comparing the 3-month, 2-year, 5-year, 10-year and 30-year intervals. This information is published daily.
Read this Term is steepening as the longer end moves higher:
US yields are higher
The European debt market yields are also sharply higher on inflation
Inflation
Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is measured by the level of the total money supply of a specific currency, for example the US dollar, which is constantly increasing. However, an increase in the money supply does not necessarily mean that there is inflation. What leads to inflation is a faster increase in the money supply in relation to the wealth produced (measured with GDP). As such, this generates pressure of demand on a supply that does not increase at the same rate. The consumer price index then increases, generating inflation.How Does Inflation Affect Forex?The level of inflation has a direct impact on the exchange rate between two currencies on several levels.This includes purchasing power parity, which attempts to compare different purchasing powers of each country according to the general price level. In doing so, this makes it possible to determine the country with the most expensive cost of living.The currency with the higher inflation rate consequently loses value and depreciates, while the currency with the lower inflation rate appreciates on the forex market.Interest rates are also impacted. Inflation rates that are too high push interest rates up, which has the effect of depreciating the currency on foreign exchange. Conversely, inflation that is too low (or deflation) pushes interest rates down, which has the effect of appreciating the currency on the forex market.
Inflation is defined as a quantitative measure of the rate in which the average price level of goods and services in an economy or country increases over a period of time. It is the rise in the general level of prices where a given currency effectively buys less than it did in prior periods.In terms of assessing the strength or currencies, and by extension foreign exchange, inflation or measures of it are extremely influential. Inflation stems from the overall creation of money. This money is measured by the level of the total money supply of a specific currency, for example the US dollar, which is constantly increasing. However, an increase in the money supply does not necessarily mean that there is inflation. What leads to inflation is a faster increase in the money supply in relation to the wealth produced (measured with GDP). As such, this generates pressure of demand on a supply that does not increase at the same rate. The consumer price index then increases, generating inflation.How Does Inflation Affect Forex?The level of inflation has a direct impact on the exchange rate between two currencies on several levels.This includes purchasing power parity, which attempts to compare different purchasing powers of each country according to the general price level. In doing so, this makes it possible to determine the country with the most expensive cost of living.The currency with the higher inflation rate consequently loses value and depreciates, while the currency with the lower inflation rate appreciates on the forex market.Interest rates are also impacted. Inflation rates that are too high push interest rates up, which has the effect of depreciating the currency on foreign exchange. Conversely, inflation that is too low (or deflation) pushes interest rates down, which has the effect of appreciating the currency on the forex market.
Read this Term fears. The German/French yield has moved higher as Macron lead vs LePen is narrowing. LePen is anti-EU.
European 10 year yields are higher
ADVERTISEMENT - CONTINUE READING BELOW
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| 2022-04-06T12:48:33Z
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The business events industry, at large, is comprised of women — 77 percent, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. But some spaces are quite the opposite, particularly facility management, where just 21 percent are women, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We’re spotlighting women who have worked their way up to the top spots at convention centers around the country, and up next is Ellen Schwartz, general manager at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) in Los Angeles, California.
When it comes to leadership in the events industry, there is quite a bit of gender disparity, especially facility management. Why do you think that is, and what needs to change in the industry to close that gap? In addition to your skills and capabilities, to what would you attribute your success in a male-dominated sector of the business events industry? What attracted you to this side of the business?
The gender disparity exists at the top level of facility management as a result of the “old school track/career path” to running a facility. The pathway to the top usually ran through operations and/or finance — both heavily male-dominated areas. As someone that came from neither of these areas, I am a firm believer that, really, it’s the person and not the path that’s the most important. Also, there has been a swell of interest around having someone from a sales/revenue/customer background lead. There are currently lots of women and POC in leadership roles (VP/director) at centers, and this should pave the way for more diverse leaders in the near-term future.
For me, curiosity, a willingness to work hard, the ability to ask good questions (especially in the areas I’m least versed in), surrounding myself with an excellent and diverse team, and … most importantly, a good sense of humor, has contributed to where I am today. Prior to being on the facility management side of the business I spent many years in show management and special events. A move to Miami led me to the venue side of the business (sales) and I’ve never looked back!
What is the biggest challenge convention facilities are facing right now? What do you see as your biggest opportunity?
Currently our biggest challenge is getting back to pre-pandemic levels of business. We’re on the road, but [we] hit the Omnicron bump and are hopeful things smooth out now. Our challenge has created new opportunity to host new/emerging events — e.g., the NFT space — as we have availability that we might not have had pre-pandemic.
Our cover story in our upcoming March/April 2022 issue highlights how the design and functionality of convention facilities is changing because of the pandemic and the evolving needs of groups. From your perspective, what do you predict will change at your facility, as well as at convention centers as a whole?
We’ve all upgraded our air filtration and cleaning practices and I believe these changes will be permanent. We know the importance of tech in facilities, and bandwidth has become highlighted with the streaming that we are seeing more and more of. At the LACC, we are looking forward to our expansion to give us contiguous exhibit space, a multipurpose space with a beautiful outdoor terrace, more meeting rooms, and an update [that] will unify our facility, bringing us to the forefront with digital signage and more. Health, safety, and security are always top of mind for all venue managers and this will not change.
Jennifer N. Dienst is senior editor at Convene.
More Women Leaders
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A car burst into flames after crashing into a wall on Prince Charles Avenue, in Walderslade, Chatham yesterday afternoon. Kent Police, Kent Fire and Rescue and paramedics from SECAmb were all at the scene.
The vehicle set alight shortly after hitting the wall causing disruption to traffic in the area and the road was closed shortly afterwards. The driver of the car managed to get out by the time police arrived but sustained a leg injury.
Firefighters used a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze. Crews worked to ensure the scene safe.
READ MORE: Recap of Chatham updates as car is on fire on Prince Charles Avenue, in Walderslade
A spokesperson from Kent Police said: "Kent Fire and Rescue Service was called to reports of a car fire on Prince Charles Avenue in Walderslade, Medway at 17.33 on Tuesday 5th April 2022.
"On arrival crews found a car alight, after it had crashed into a wall. The male driver was out of the car but had sustained a leg injury. Firefighters assessed the man and gave him first aid, before he was placed into the care of paramedics from SECAmb.
"Firefighters used a hose reel jet to extinguish the blaze. Crews made the scene safe."
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| 2022-04-06T12:49:31Z
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The latest prices drivers are paying to fill up their vehicles has been revealed. Across the county, unleaded petrol is currently on sale from 157p.
The cheapest unleaded petrol can currently be found just over the other side of the Dartford Crossing in Grays. It's priced at 157.7p, while pumps this side of the Crossing in Greenhithe are priced at 158.7p.
But if it's diesel you're after, the cheapest can be found in Thanet for 168.9p. This is currently being sold at Tesco in Ramsgate.
READ MORE: Operation Brock causes traffic chaos across Kent - live updates
To help you find the best price for fuel where you live, we have pulled together the cheapest stations in a number of towns and cities including Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone and Tunbridge Wells. For this, we used petrolprices.com.
Please note, all pumps shown in the list below are within five miles of the relevant area. All prices in the list are accurate at the time of writing on Wednesday morning (April 6).
Unleaded
Ashford
Tesco Ashford Park Farm - 158.9p
Tesco Extra Ashford Crooksfoot - 158.9p
Low Prices Always Ashford - 159.8p
Canterbury
Asda Canterbury - 158.7p
Morrisons Canterbury - 158.7p
Tesco Extra Whitstable - 158.9p
Dartford
Morrisons Grays - 157.7p
Asda Greenhithe- 158.7p
Tesco Lakeside Extra - 158.9p
Dover
Tesco Extra Dover - 159.9p
BP A2 (Whitfield Services) - 161.9p
BP Limekiln Street - 162.9p
Folkestone
Gulf Canterbury Road - 159.7p
BP Seabrook Road - 159.9p
Sainsbury's West Park Farm - 160.9p
Medway
Asda Gillingham Pier - 158.7p
Morrisons Walderslade - 158.7p
Asda Chatham/Rainham High Street - 158.7p
Sevenoaks
BP London Road - 159.9p
Tesco Sevenoaks Riverhead - 161.9p
Sainsbury's Sevenoaks - 162.9p
Thanet
Tesco Ramsgate Manston - 158.9p
Sainsbury's Thanet - 158.9p
Tesco Extra Broadstairs - 158.9p
Tonbridge
Sainsbury's Tonbridge - 163.9p
Esso Paddock Wood - 163.9p
Harvest Energy Hildenborough- 164.9p
Tunbridge Wells
Sainsbury's Tunbridge Wells - 163.9p
BP Hastings Road - 163.9p
Esso Eridge Road - 166.9p
Diesel
Ashford
Tesco Ashford Park Farm - 169.9p
Tesco Extra Ashford Crooksfoot - 169.9p
Sainsbury's Ashford Bybrook - 172.9p
Canterbury
Esso Sturry Road - 170.7p
Asda Canterbury - 171.7p
Morrisons Canterbury - 173.7p
Dartford
Asda Greenhithe - 171.9p
Esso Princes Road - 175.9p
Esso Dartford Road - 176.9p
Dover
Tesco Extra Dover - 171.9p
Shell Dover - 175.9p
BP A2 - 179.9p
Folkestone
Sainsbury's West Park Farm - 174.9p
Tesco Folkestone - 176.9p
Shell Folkestone - 179.9p
Medway
Tesco Extra Gillingham - 169.8p
Sainsbury's Hempstead - 169.9p
Asda Gillingham Pier - 170.7p
Sevenoaks
Sainsbury's Sevenoaks - 176.9p
Tesco Sevenoaks Riverhead - 176.9p
BP London Road - 176.9p
Thanet
Tesco Ramsgate Manston - 168.9p
Tesco Extra Broadstairs - 168.9p
Sainsbury's Thanet - 170.0p
Tonbridge
Sainsbury's Tonbridge - 173.9p
Esso Pembury - 176.9p
Harvest Energy Hildenborough - 176.9p
Tunbridge Wells
Sainsbury's Tunbridge Wells - 172.9p
Sainsbury's Tonbridge - 173.9p
Esso Pembury - 176.9p
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https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/kent-fuel-prices-cheapest-places-6911940
| 2022-04-06T12:49:41Z
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A man has died after a crash on the A21 in Robertsbridge. Emergency services were called to Silverhill in East Sussex at 1.35am to reports a car had left the carriageway.
A 19-year-old man from Essex, who was a passenger in the vehicle, was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.
A 20-year-old man was airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries and a third, 19-year-old man was taken to hospital by the ambulance service in a serious condition.
Two 20-year-old men from London were arrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving and remain in police custody. Anybody who witnessed the collision, has relevant dashcam footage or has any information which could help the investigation is asked to contact collision.appeal@sussex.police.uk, quoting Operation Atlas.
If you have seen or heard anything you think we should know about, or in relation to this, please contact the KentLive newsdesk by email at kentlivenewsdesk@reachplc.com . Alternatively, you can get in touch with us via our Facebook page or on Twitter @kentlivenews .
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https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/man-19-killed-serious-a21-6913811
| 2022-04-06T12:49:51Z
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Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov says negotiations with Ukraine are continuing despite allegations of war crimes against civilians in the Kyiv suburb of Bucha.
Peskov said Wednesday the talks continued with Ukraine but that the Bucha revelations — which he referred to as a “staging” — had hampered talks and there was “a fairly long road ahead.”
“The working process continues but it is going much more tough than we would like. Of course, we would like to see more dynamism from the Ukrainian side, but the process has not been broken off and is continuing,” Peskov said.
Russia retreated from areas around Kyiv and the northern cities of Chernihiv and Sumy after talks with Ukraine in Turkey last week.
Ukrainian troops entering the areas found evidence of widespread killings of civilians.
Russia denies any war crimes, calling the allegations a “monstrous forgery,” according to Reuters.
Russia has alleged Ukraine has faked the incidents.
Since the talks in Turkey, Russia and Ukraine’s delegations have continued talks via video link.
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https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/russia-ukraine-conflict/moscow-says-talks-with-ukraine-continue-denies-war-crimes
| 2022-04-06T12:50:07Z
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Club Mixers are ‘right on track’ with support of Down Royal Racecourse
Down Royal has secured a new partnership with soft drinks brand, Britvic.
The agreement sees Britvic Northern Ireland become the racecourse’s exclusive soft drinks partner throughout its annual race calendar and their iconic mixer brand Club Mixers become the official sponsor of the May Day race meeting set to take place on Monday 2nd May 2022.
The partnership with Down Royal includes naming rights for The Club Mixers May Day race meeting and sees direct promotional and marketing support of the full Britvic brand portfolio, including sponsorship of all seven race titles.
Down Royal Director of Sales & Marketing, Claire Rutherford said: “We are thrilled to partner with such a dynamic soft drinks company as Britvic and are excited to grow the relationship both on and off the track.
“Britvic’s brands are steeped in history, and they share our passion for helping people to enjoy life’s everyday moments. We are always looking to work with local brands who share our commitment to developing authentic and elevated experiences for racegoers and the Club Mixers brand is the perfect fit for us.
“Through this new partnership we hope to enhance the race-going experience and give people an extra reason to visit Down Royal and to keep coming back.”
Brian Greer, Marketing Manager, Club Mixers said: “We are very excited about this new partnership with Down Royal which gives us a perfect platform to showcase the attributes of heritage, quality and reliability associated with our Club Mixers portfolio.
“We look forward to engaging with the thousands of avid racegoers who attend the racecourse throughout the year and to encouraging them to explore the expertly crafted Club Mixers range which are the perfect accompaniment to a wide range of popular gins, vodkas, whiskeys or delicious on their own.”
The first race at Down Royal will take place at 2pm.
Gates open at 12 noon. Admission is £20 and tickets are available at the turnstiles on arrival. Children under 14 go free and free car parking is available.
For further information on upcoming race meetings at Down Royal visit www.downroyal.com/fixtures-tickets/
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https://www.ulstertatler.com/2022/04/club-mixers-are-right-on-track-with-support-of-down-royal-racecourse/
| 2022-04-06T12:56:46Z
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Dress to Impress at Balmoral Show
The Balmoral Show is on the lookout for the most appropriately dressed country lady and gent as popular competition returns to Balmoral Park, Lisburn on Saturday 14th May 2022.
This year the competition will be judged by Cool FM presenter and former Miss NI Katharine Walker. Dubarry of Ireland and Ireland’s Blue Book will also return as sponsors of this popular competition that will crown both the Best Dressed Lady and Gent of the 2022 Show.
Speaking ahead of the competition, Katharine commented, “I am thrilled to be judging the most appropriately dressed Lady and Gent at this year’s Balmoral Show. I’m looking forward to meeting finalists whose attention to detail and authentic style will make them worthy winners.”
With some fabulous prizes on offer including, a stylish country outfit from Dubarry and a luxury stay provided by Ireland’s Blue Book, Show Organisers are encouraging visitors to dress to impress in their best country attire on Saturday 14th May. Entrants should make their way to the registration marquee, located next to the Downtown Show Stage on from 10am-1pm with the final will taking place at 2pm on the Downtown Show Stage.
The 153rd Balmoral Show will take place from Wednesday 11th May to Saturday 14th May 2022 at Balmoral Park, Lisburn and promised to be a fun day out for the entire family. Come along and visit us this year, whether you’re from the city or countryside, a first-time visitor or repeat show-goer, we hope to see you there.
To find out more about the Balmoral Show visit www.balmoralshow.co.uk or follow Balmoral Show on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or TikTok. Please note, all tickets must be purchased online at www.balmoralshow.co.uk.
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https://www.ulstertatler.com/2022/04/dress-to-impress-at-balmoral-show/
| 2022-04-06T12:56:53Z
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BASEBALL
COLGAN 5, POTOMAC 0: Brandon Cassedy improved to 4-0 Tuesday after striking out eight in five innings as the host Sharks (3-0 in Cardinal District, 8-0 overall) recorded their fourth straight shutout. Cassedy has yet to allow an earned run in five outings and 19 innings this season.
John Stansbury had two RBIs for Colgan and Cassedy, Brett Renfrow and Carter Newman one each.
SOFTBALL
COLGAN 11, POTOMAC 5: The host Sharks broke a 3-3 tie in the bottom of the fifth by scoring seven runs en route to the Cardinal District win.
Jordan Hern got things started with a double. Ashley Hairfield, Izzy Adame, and Addi Leck each had two hits for Colgan (3-0, 4-3).
Ava Johns picked up the win. She struck out seven and allowed seven walks, four hits and two earned runs in seven innings.
WEST POTOMAC 14, GAR-FIELD 3: Host West Potomac scored five runs in the bottom of the first before adding two runs each in the next two innings and then four in the fourth.
Gar-Field falls to 4-3.
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https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/april-5-high-school-baseball-softball-roundup-colgan-baseball-posts-fourth-straight-shutout/article_83a7eb60-b4f4-11ec-9083-d7ad6df5064c.html
| 2022-04-06T12:56:58Z
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The Minnows ‘Come Home’ with new single release
Belfast-based Minnows resurface with new single and video from ‘Californian Poppy’ album
BELFAST-based indie rock band The Minnows have resurfaced again with a new single and video from last year’s critically acclaimed ‘Californian Poppy’ album.
Entitled ‘Come Home Soon’, the new single certainly marks a metaphorical return ‘home’ for The Minnows in a musical sense with the band’s melodic sensibilities and trademark harmonies very much to the fore in this bittersweet tale of long-distance love.
Jangling guitars, a driving rhythm and a melancholy harmonica combine to create an atmospheric ‘West Coast’ vibe that is very much in keeping with the ‘Californian Poppy’ album title – with layered vocals reminiscent of Laurel Canyon and the sounds of The Byrds and Crosby, Stills and Nash.
The Minnows are very laid back about things these days and this is encapsulated by the song’s unrushed instrumental outro – a chilled out sonic delight that is made for long road trips on desert highways!
“There is definitely an Americana feel to ‘Californian Poppy’, hence the title,” explained The Minnows’ singer/songwriter Michael Rafferty, “and I think ‘Come Home Soon’ is a perfect example of the soundscape that we have created on the album.
“The freedom to do our own thing on our own terms has really enabled us to create music that we love, with no restrictions, and that seems to resonate with our audience, which now covers all parts of the globe thanks to social media.
“At the end of the day, we’re just four best mates who love making music together and in that respect we have no intention of stopping – or reason to do so. The fact that more and more people are buying into what we do is a very welcome bonus though, and something that we all appreciate very much,”
Fans can watch the brand new video for ‘Come Home Soon’ on www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LQT2ouCjX8.
The single and album are also available to stream or download on all digital platforms, including iTunes, Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and Bandcamp… with limited edition CDs available to purchase on the band’s website www.minnowsband.com.
The Minnows are Michael Rafferty, Paul Maynes, Kevin Carson and Stephen O’Sullivan. Formerly known as Tiberius’ Minnows, they first came to prominence with the release of their debut single ‘Time Flies’ on the famous Good Vibrations record label.
A string of singles and prominent live gigs followed, with the release of two albums Holyland and Leonard Cohen’s Happy Compared To Me. After a 10-year gap, the band made a successful return last year with their third studio album ‘Californian Poppy’.
For more Minnows news and music, check out the band’s Facebook page.
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https://www.ulstertatler.com/2022/04/the-minnows-come-home-with-new-single-release/
| 2022-04-06T12:57:01Z
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GIRLS SOCCER
OSBOURN PARK 3, FREEDOM-SOUTH RIDING 2: Jazmin Jackson scored all three Yellow Jacket goals, including the game-winner in the 76th minute.
Rookie goalie Melina Barrientos came up with big saves for Osbourn Park (2-2 in Cedar Run District, 2-4 overall).
PATRIOT 8, GAINESVILLE 0: Camille Daniel scored four goals and Natalie Zeger two to lead Patriot (3-0-1 in Cedar Run District, 5-1-1 overall).
Nenah Connors and Carly Brock scored the Pioneers’ other two goals.
OTHER SCORES
John Champe 6, Battlefield 4
BOYS SOCCER
OSBOURN PARK 8, FREEDOM-SOUTH RIDING 3: Jason Carcamo led Osbourn Park (3-1-1 in Cedar Run District, 5-1-1 overall) with four goals.
Daniel Flores had one goal and two assists and Ashby Barbee, Jorge Alvarez and Daniel Diaz each had a goal.
Kevin Sandoval recorded two assists and Jorge Ortego one assist.
PATRIOT 5, GAINESVILLE 0: AJ Schuetz recorded two goals and two assists as the Pioneers improved to 2-2-1 in the Cedar Run District and 3-3-1 overall.
Anthony Cuzmar, Jake Gibson and Maxwell Hall also scored goals for Patriot. Gibson, Kyan Laureano and Caleb Ashes added assists.
Will Lash posted the shutout in goal. Danny Spittle, Kelechi Eze, Chidi Eze, Josue Navas provided standout defensive play.
GAR-FIELD 4, POTOMAC 1: Captains Bryan Galvan and Benjamin Velasquez scored two goals in the first half and Andy Flores and Jefferson Lopez-Coreas two goals in the second half for Gar-Field (3-2 in Cardinal District, 4-2 overall).
Galvan tallied his goal off a free kick and Velasquez scored his goal off a 30-yard shot.
OSBOURN 0, UNITY REED 0: The Eagles and the Lions tied in the Cedar Run District match. Osbourn is 4-0-1 in the district and 6-0-1 overall. Unity Reed is 0-4-1 in both.
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https://www.insidenova.com/sports/prince_william/april-5-high-school-soccer-roundup-jazmin-jackson-leads-osbourn-park-past-freedom-south-riding/article_7a9ffa02-b4f5-11ec-a729-c74a348ddbd8.html
| 2022-04-06T12:57:04Z
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In the kitchen this morning, we welcome Nick Rabar from Avenue N making Rigatoni with Sausage & Mustard Sauce.
Ingredients:
- 1 lb Rigatoni Pasta, cooked in salted water
- 8 Sweet Italian Sausages, removed from casing
- 1 Shallot, minced
- 1cup White Wine
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 2 Tablespoons Whole Grain Mustard
- 1 Tablespoon Dijon Mustard
- 1 cup Fresh Chopped Basil
- 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
- 1 pinch Crushed Red Pepper
- 1 pinch Kosher Salt
Directions:
- In a sauce pan over medium high heat, sauce sausage until caramelized and reserve.
- Add olive oil and sauté shallot.
- Add wine and reduce by half.
- Add cream and reduce by half.
- Fold in mustard, pasta, sausage, salt, crushed red pepper and basil.
Rhode Show Content Disclaimer: The information, advice, and answers displayed in The Rhode Show section of WPRI.com are those of individual sponsors and guests and not WPRI-TV/Nexstar Media Group, Inc. WPRI.com presents this content on behalf of each participating Rhode Show sponsor. Sponsored content is copyrighted to its respective sponsor unless otherwise indicated.
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https://www.wpri.com/rhode-show/in-the-kitchen/in-the-kitchen-rigatoni-with-sausage-mustard-sauce/
| 2022-04-06T12:58:55Z
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https://www.parrysound.com/news-story/10602087-today-s-coronavirus-news-ontario-s-plan-for-fourth-dose-expected-wednesday-biden-orders-push-on-lo/
| 2022-04-06T13:01:34Z
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“I always thought our marriage was so superior,” says Sophie Whitehouse to her husband in this exclusive clip from Netflix’s upcoming series Anatomy of a Scandal.
In the scene from the first episode of the drama, which premieres April 15, Sophie, played by Sienna Miller, is watching her perfect marriage crumble. She’s meeting her politician husband (Rupert Friend) after learning that he cheated on her with a colleague. As she heads upstairs to the Members’ Dining Room at the House of Commons to meet him, she realizes she is possibly standing in the same elevator where he had at least one of his many sexual encounters with his mistress.
Miller describes the scene as one of her favorites because “there was so much subtext,” she says. As her character enters this posh dining room, she sees she’s surrounded by powerful people like her husband—and all eyes are on them. “I think it’s the first time she realizes, Who are these people? Am I like them?” says Miller. When Sophie asks her husband about the elevator, Miller says there was “an opportunity with that line to show something other than horror and disgust and shock, but almost like a twisted curiosity. There was something terrifying and interesting about it to her.”
Developed by David E. Kelley, Anatomy of a Scandal follows in the footsteps of his other series, Big Little Lies and The Undoing, by exploring the secrets and lies in a marriage—but is this time set in London, among the powerful British elite. The series is an adaption of the novel of the same name by Sarah Vaughan, but the story hits close to home for Miller, who went through her own very public scandal when she broke off her engagement to her fiancé Jude Law in 2005 after he admitted to having an affair with his children’s nanny. “In some ways, I was reserved about playing her because some of the content felt similar to moments I’ve experienced in my own life, and why would I want to put myself back into those feelings?” Miller tells Vanity Fair. “But at the same time, her reactions to the scenarios, some of which were familiar to me, were so different that I found that kind of psychologically quite interesting, how to revisit some moments and respond in different ways.”
With that scandal more than 15 years in the past, Miller says she didn’t worry about the baggage this series might dig up. “I feel like everybody’s seen my dirty laundry in that department,” she says. “And it also feels like another life, such a long, long time ago, and I’m proud of this work. I don’t mind talking about the truth, and that is the truth.”
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https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/04/first-look-anatomy-of-a-scandal-sienna-millers-own-past
| 2022-04-06T13:02:34Z
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“Before we had a hit record, we had to make an impression with our style,” Ronnie Spector recounts in Be My Baby (Henry Holt), her time capsule memoir with a new edition out next month. (She signed off on revisions shortly before her death, in January, at 78.) As newcomers in 1962, the Ronettes were seen as much as heard, with their beehives and makeup. “When we got on stage, the kids went wild, and the louder they applauded, the more eyeliner we’d put on the next time.”
That trademark makeup gesture—classicism edging, millimeter by millimeter, toward transgression—is itself a song that plays on repeat. At Batsheva’s spring 2022 show, models wore exaggerated cat eyes, which evoked kitsch (echoed by the bouffant wigs) and metal (Ministry on the soundtrack). Dior’s mod runway offered a subtle riff: thin parallel wings that recalled vintage ballet makeup.
A judiciously heavy hand is also cause for fanfare, as Julia Fox proved after arriving nearly incognito to the Schiaparelli couture show. The impulse to pile on liner feels right: part homage to the much loved Spector, part identity shift, part pick-me-up. Backstage, designer Batsheva Hay explained how she likes to bring in darkness to offset the “froofiness of the clothes.” But that morning, as she sat down to get her own stark cat eye, Hay was all smiles: “You’re going to make my day with this eye.”
Extra Credit
“It definitely takes a certain character type to wear decals,” says Donni Davy, the mastermind behind Euphoria’s obsessed-over makeup. But one need not be an art kid to relish instant transformation—whether a rhinestone-dusted face (at Fendi’s spring 2022 couture show) or a spiked baby-doll lash (on Katy Perry for SNL).
Pro Tip
Seven talents share their signature liners for stage, screen, and life—from crisp flicks to pencil-thin mustaches. Illustrations by Jaya Nicely.
AVRIL LAVIGNE, emo icon with a new album, Love Sux, wears MAC eye kohl in Smolder: “I use my fingertip to smudge it out. It looks even better the next morning!”
MICHÈLE LAMY, Owenscorp cofounder (with Rick Owens) and executive manager of art and furniture, likes Kiko Milano Deep Black kajal: “I wear it as the nomads do in the desert!”
JULIETTE LEWIS, actor on Yellowjackets, recommends Charlotte Tilbury Rock ’n’ Kohl pencil in Bedroom Black: “My character Natalie, she’s a perpetual eyeliner wearer. Always smoky/smudgy.”
TAUBA AUERBACH, artist with a survey at SFMOMA, wears 100% Pure Long Last liquid liner: “I’ve tried so many, and this is far and away my favorite. It’s vegan and stays on better than all the ones with nasty chemicals.”
JOHN WATERS, director and Search Party guest star, draws his mustache with Maybelline Expert Wear in Velvet Black: “My entire identity depends on this magic little wand of sleaze.
ISAMAYA FFRENCH, makeup artist with a debut EP out with Alto Arc, wears Sensai Designing liquid liner: “I love its perfect inky black color. I use it for an everyday bold cat eye, or more graphic looks if the mood is edgier.”
TAYLOR STANLEY, New York City Ballet principal dancer onstage this month, goes light with MAC eye kohl in Feline: “Lately I have felt more drawn to simplicity, presenting as natural a face as I can. I do just enough to make my eyes pop.”
— See All the Red-Carpet Fashion From the 2022 Oscars
— Inside Vanity Fair’s Oscar After-Party
— The Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David Ruggerio
— The West’s Fairy-Tale Fetishization of Russia
— Prince Andrew’s First Public Appearance With the Queen
— All of the Looks From the Vanity Fair Oscar Party
— Inside the Frenzied World of Rare Watches and the Rich People Who Love Them
— Mark Seliger’s Vanity Fair Oscar Party Portraits
— 15 Best Hyaluronic Acid Serums for Plump, Hydrated Skin
— From the Archive: Sarma Melngailis, the Runaway Vegan
— Sign up for “The Buyline” to receive a curated list of fashion, books, and beauty buys in one weekly newsletter.
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| 2022-04-06T13:02:40Z
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A Russian mom in Wisconsin killed her 8-year-old son and threatened to slaughter the rest of her family — “amped up” by paranoia and terror over her homeland’s ongoing war on Ukraine, authorities said.
Natalia Aleksandrovna Hitchcock, 41, strangled little Oliver on March 30, days after also trying to drown his 11-year-old brother in the bath, according to a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Sheboygan County.
The older boy had found his brother’s lifeless body on the floor of his bedroom while “his mother was on the bed with a big knife,” according to the complaint into first-degree murder and attempted murder charges.
The surviving boy’s screams woke their dad from a nap, and he raced to make doomed attempts to save Oliver, who was pronounced dead two days later, the legal papers said.
While he gave CPR, his wife — who had no history of mental health problems — was “walking around the apartment with a knife, dazed, saying she was going to kill everyone in the house,” the complaint said.
The mom also tried to overdose on painkillers and stabbed herself in the chest in a bid to “cut her heart,” she later told cops.
“When asked if Hitchcock had any mental health concerns, [the husband] said, ‘She does now'” — and detailed her paranoia over the Kremlin’s ongoing war on Ukraine.
The husband told cops that he “was worried about Hitchcock’s mental state of mind as she watched TV with the war between Russia and Ukraine.”
Her parents were still in Russia and she was furious that she could not book flights to get home to see them, the complaint said.
In the days before killing her son, Hitchcock asked her husband to stay home from work and “buy survival gear such as a camping stove and fuel and also wanted to buy knives and guns,” the document said.
The husband “said no to the knives and guns,” but bought food and other supplies to make his wife “feel safe,” the documents said.
“He said that he felt the war between Russia and Ukraine amped up Hitchcock more than ever and that she started to drink” vodka.
She was terrified that “people were going to be coming from a bigger city to attack them” or even sell them on the dark web, the husband allegedly said.
Hitchcock later admitted similar fears when interviewed by cops, telling them that she had been unable to sleep and feared the “Russian government was going to take her children and abuse them.”
“She also said that people had been looking at her strange and felt that people looked at her as a Russian spy, which caused her to feel that social workers were going to take her kids from her,” the complaint said.
She confirmed killing her son “because she did not want to see him be abused,” the complaint alleged.
She said when she previously held her 11-year-old son’s head under the water in the bath it was “to scare him so that he would understand his life was in danger.”
“She said that she told the boys they needed to wake up and needed to see what was going on around them,” the complaint said.
Hitchock was already in Sheboygan County Jail when officers visited to tell her that her son had died two days after the attack.
“Well, I guess I accomplished what I set out to do then,” she replied in a “calm tone,” before “she began to cry softly,” the complaint said.
She again said she did it because she felt little Oliver “would be better off dead” rather than be abused over the Russian war, the complaint alleged.
Hitchcock appeared in Sheboygan County Court on Tuesday, looking back to speak to her “visibly emotional,” husband, TMJ4 said.
“I’m so sorry. I don’t know what happened,” Hitchcock told him, according to the station.
She is being held on $1 million bond ahead of her next court hearing scheduled for Thursday.
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https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/russian-mom-in-us-killed-son-over-paranoia-of-ukraine-war-cops/
| 2022-04-06T13:09:56Z
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Sign up here to get Inside the Giants delivered to your inbox each Wednesday morning.
A case can be made that the Giants should dispense with all the draft rhetoric, push aside all the other needs at all the other spots on the field and just do it.
Fix the damn offensive line, once and for all.
They own the No. 5 and No. 7 overall picks in the upcoming NFL Draft, positions from which they could instantly fill two of the five starting spots on the line. The first part of this is easy. If Evan Neal of Alabama or Ickey Ekwonu of North Carolina State is on the board at No. 5, race up to the podium with the card that bears the name of either of these two stud tackles, and that’s that.
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https://nypost.com/2022/04/06/nfl-draft-offers-giants-a-chance-to-fix-most-glaring-need/
| 2022-04-06T13:10:02Z
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A little over three months removed from the University of Wyoming’s Potato Bowl win over Kent State, the Cowboys returned to the field last week, spurring storylines as the 2022 season inches closer.
It’s difficult to read too much into the first week of spring practice, especially when only 20 minutes of each session — containing mostly stretching and special teams segments — are open to the media. However, there have been a few revelations to emerge from the post-practice comments of players and coaches.
Here are three takeaways from the first week of spring ball.
No shortage of competition
With 22 returning starters entering last spring, the Pokes had a fairly accurate assessment of who would play key roles at the end of the annual Brown and Gold game. It doesn’t appear that will be the case this year.
Some starting spots are solidified, such as Titus Swen at running back, Easton Gibbs at Mike linebacker and some returning veterans on the offensive and defensive line. With only five starters back on both sides of the ball, though, much is still up for grabs.
“I doubt whether I’m going to release a depth chart at the end of spring this year,” UW coach Craig Bohl said. “That’s just the makeup of this team.”
Naturally, the quarterback position is a source of intrigue.
Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley has impressed with his ability to grasp the Cowboys’ pro-style offense, while Bohl noted that Snow College product Evan Svoboda “has a ton of ability, but it’s pretty raw right now.” He also indicated that returners Hank Gibbs and Jayden Clemons have shown growth throughout the offseason and start of spring practice.
As the second-most experienced running back on the roster, Dawaiian McNeely seems in line to secure the No. 2 spot. However, he’s currently sidelined with a minor hip issue, creating more opportunities for Jeremy Hollingsworth, D.Q. James, Jordon Vaughn and Joseph Braasch to prove themselves during the next few weeks.
The offensive line has a pair of proven tackles in Frank Crum and Eric Abojei, but the rest of the group will be ironed out in the coming months. Offensive coordinator Tim Polasek hinted the Pokes are open to moving guys around up front, as they look to figure out the eight top candidates to make an impact next season.
On the defensive side of the ball, cornerback transfers Jakorey Hawkins and Deron Harrell have already made a positive impression, while Bohl says the development of Cameron Stone has created “good competition at that spot.” Zaire Jackson is among the players in the mix to see playing time at nickelback.
Getting acclimated
Harrell, a Denver native who comes to UW from Wisconsin, is relatively familiar with Laramie’s climate and elevation. It is a new experience, though, for the Cowboys’ other two Power Five transfers.
Hawkins hails from Montgomery, Alabama, and spent the past four years at Ole Miss. He says working out at 7,200 feet took some getting used to, but he’s acclimated now.
“My first taste was when I worked out,” Hawkins said. “I got so light-headed because I wasn’t used to the altitude, but I’m used to it now.”
Linebacker Cole DeMarzo, a Michigan State transfer, comes from the warm and temperate climate of coastal South Carolina. However, he says he prefers Southeast Wyoming winters over those of Lansing, Michigan.
“Laramie winter is actually nice,” DeMarzo said. “The sun’s out all the time, compared to Michigan, which is cloudy all the time, so it’s been feeling good.”
Early standouts
Like quarterback, receiver is another unknown area, with departures Isaiah Neyor and Ayden Eberhardt accounting for 77.7% of the team’s receiving production at the position last season. Joshua Cobbs, who led all returning wide-outs with 25 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown, has experienced growth from a speed and confidence standpoint. Bohl says the next step for him to become a go-to guy is to continue to improve his confidence, as well as his ability to make contested catches.
Crum is among the most experienced players on Wyoming’s roster, and is set to be an anchor for an offensive line that loses four contributors. Despite having already established himself, the Laramie native has approached the offseason and spring with the tenacity of someone fighting for a starting spot.
“He’s not had a mentally of, ‘I’ve arrived,’” Bohl said. “He has a really sharp edge, and he’s going out there and working really hard.”
In the backfield, Swen has continued to take steps in his growth, both from a physicality and mental perspective, while Polasek suggested that fullback Caleb Driskill might be the most improved player on the offense.
There hasn’t been much said about the defense. Bohl did note that Hawkins and Harrell’s experience in the SEC and Big Ten, respectively, has been apparent. He’s also been impressed with the athleticism of the entire defensive end group, something that is imperative to play in UW’s system.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/early-takeaways-from-uw-spring-practice/article_3d49af90-ed36-58b8-8528-927369e6a328.html
| 2022-04-06T13:29:53Z
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CASPER — Rep. Landon Brown had two press releases on his computer: one that announced he was bowing out of the Wyoming Legislature and one that said he was running for reelection. He sent the latter one Friday, but only after weeks of mulling over the pros and cons of what being a state lawmaker in Wyoming entails these days.
Increasing incivility in the statehouse gave Brown second thoughts about running again.
In Brown’s view, that incivility steadily increased after former President Donald Trump took office, but really accelerated with the onset of COVID-19.
Brown, a moderate Cheyenne Republican, has become a target of the far right inside and outside of the Legislature, in part for being outspoken and a Trump critic.
Brown said he received a violent death threat, a Facebook message from an anonymous account suggesting he kill himself and between “10 and 20 vile, hateful” emails during the recently completed four-week budget session. That’s a nasty email roughly every two days.
“It gets to the point where the whole family is affected by it,” Brown said.
After Frank Eathorne, chairman of the Wyoming GOP, said in January 2021 that western states were “paying attention” to secession efforts in Texas, Brown vigorously condemned the comment.
His condemnation spurred a man to repeatedly call the Cheyenne representative late into the night for two nights in a row. On the second night, the man seemed heavily intoxicated. Brown did not pick up that final call, but the man left a voicemail.
“He said he was going to come over to my house and said he was going to rip my face off and feed it to my dogs,” Brown said.
The Brown family called the Cheyenne Police Department.
His wife Rachel Smith, a precinct committeewoman and nurse, said they didn’t sleep that night.
After such an incident, many politicians might consider vacating their seat, a move Brown himself appeared wedded to on the final day of the 2022 budget session. As the last day came to a close, state lawmakers had still not agreed on a reapportioned map following the 2020 census, despite the fact that it was the body’s constitutional duty to approve one by midnight.
“To be honest with you guys, this might be the last thing that I say on these microphones,” Brown said. “Had we been dealing with more of this, had we dealt with this bill first ... we would’ve had more time to work on this issue ... but instead we were busy debating guns, we were busy debating abortion, we were busy debating non-issues in this state instead of our constitutional obligations.”
Brown is one of the most outspoken members of the Wyoming House partly because of Rep. Liz Cheney, who has become the top target of many conservatives due to her repeated condemnations of Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
“She’s influenced me to stand on my morals and my values and take the shots as they come and let it almost fuel you even further,” Brown said.
After what appeared to be a final speech on the House floor, Brown changed his mind.
“I think the good outweighs the bad. There is work to still be done,” Brown said. “I feel like I have opportunities to make a difference in the state of Wyoming, and I do care about the state.”
Brown is specifically dedicated to his work on the Joint Education Committee and feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of.
But the online threats have taken a toll. The lawmaker presents himself as having a thick skin against all of it, Smith said, but it’s been tough — for him and for the couple’s marriage.
“He comes (in) at 9 or 10 at night and he just has this heavy weight on his shoulders,” Smith said. “He doesn’t feel like participating in these family things. That is strenuous on a marriage.”
Ultimately, Smith is backing her husband’s decision to run for reelection.
The couple was sitting in a Florida airport on the way back from their spring break vacation Thursday. Brown had officially made up his mind moments before he leaned over and told Smith he was going to run.
“You know, I kind of thought you were,” she said.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/despite-threats-lawmaker-will-run-again/article_e01172f9-ccba-5b2d-b338-c86c39a8dc0c.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:11Z
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CASPER — Gov. Mark Gordon announced his reelection bid Monday, offering an upbeat message after a first term dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic and economic challenges.
“I do believe that Wyoming is the best place on the Earth bar none, and I believe Wyoming’s best days are ahead of it,” said Gordon, a moderate Republican. “And that’s because of you: the people of Wyoming.”
Gordon’s time in office has been challenging, and he’s faced criticism from his party’s right wing.
He angered many Wyomingites with a statewide mask mandate enacted during a COVID spike in December 2020. He lifted it four months later.
Midway through 2021, as COVID was surging in the state, Gordon said Wyoming would not implement another statewide mask order or require vaccines. That promise held true.
Despite criticism from Gordon’s right flank, there is not a well-known, hard-line conservative challenging him. Challenging an incumbent is already tough, but time is starting to run out for a formidable candidate to raise money and spread awareness about his or her candidacy.
“It’s way too late,” said Bill Novotny, a county commissioner and political consultant. The primary is in August.
Scott Madsen, a Buffalo City Council member and Gordon supporter who attended Monday’s announcement, said opinions of Gordon in the northern Wyoming town are “fairly positive.” Politicians often have strong support in their hometowns (Gordon grew up on a ranch near Kaycee), but the measures the governor’s office took to combat COVID-19 angered people across the board.
“He wasn’t very well liked during the state of emergency and the mandates,” Madsen said. “He wasn’t fully responsible. I think he was getting bad advice.”
Most recently, Gordon successfully pushed for pay raises for state workers because state agencies are experiencing difficulty hiring and retaining workers.
Gordon’s 2018 primary race was crowded with candidates, and he came out on top with 33.4% of the vote. He beat out five other Republican candidates including the late GOP megadonor Foster Friess and natural resources lawyer Harriet Hageman.
Hageman is now the Donald Trump-endorsed candidate running against Rep. Liz Cheney for Wyoming’s lone House seat.
Gordon coasted to victory in the general election, defeating Democrat Mary Throne.
The 2018 gubernatorial primary sparked calls for changes in Wyoming’s electoral system. Some on the far right pushed for a runoff system so that candidates would need majority support to win, though that effort was ultimately unsuccessful.
Friess also blamed his loss on what’s called “crossover voting,” the practice of Democrats and independents changing their affiliation on primary day, typically to vote for more moderate Republicans. The data does not back up Friess’ claim, but the issue has remained a concern for some with the upcoming midterms.
While Wyoming is a deeply red state with the most Republican legislature in the nation, three of the last six governors were Democrats.
The state Democratic Party has not yet announced a candidate.
Gordon was appointed to serve as Wyoming’s treasurer in 2012 after the death of then-treasurer Joseph Meyer. Two years later, Gordon was elected to the post. He’s also a small businessman and rancher.
The governor was born in New York City and attended college in Vermont. Since moving to Wyoming early in his life, he has predominantly lived in Johnson County.
Most of the crowd in attendance at Gordon’s campaign announcement were supporters and longtime friends of the Gordon family. The entrance to the event was surrounded by Gordon yard signs that read, “Wyoming Right.”
The slogan can be interpreted a number of ways, but it’s meant to send a positive message about the state.
“It’s just Wyoming gets everything right. We do,” said Tom Wiblemo, Gordon’s campaign coordinator.
The slogan matches the message the incumbent delivered Monday. It was positive, hopeful and complimentary of the state’s residents.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/governor-gordon-says-hell-seek-second-term/article_66e11ca3-537a-5612-8090-04d51e15f726.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:17Z
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A federal judge has ordered that a civil suit seeking damages from four Missouri hunters for allegedly trespassing by corner crossing on the Elk Mountain Ranch be transferred from state to federal district court. The move puts the issue of accessing some 1.6 million acres across the West in a venue where federal laws favoring access to public land may have more import.
Corner crossing is the act of stepping from one piece of public land to another where the public parcels share a four-way corner with two private parcels — all without setting foot on private land. As interpreted widely across the West, corner crossing constitutes trespass because a person must pass through the airspace over private property in the process.
Under that interpretation, 404,000 acres of public and state land across Wyoming and 1.6 million when also considering Colorado, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Utah are off limits to the public. Much of that land is enmeshed in a checkerboard pattern of ownership dating from the era of railroad construction.
Carbon County prosecutors filed criminal trespass charges against the four men in Carbon County Circuit Court and also want three of them convicted of trespassing to hunt. The charges stem from hunting trips the men took to Elk Mountain in 2020 and 2021 where they say they crossed corners to hunt on public land without setting foot on private property.
Elk Mountain Ranch owner Iron Bar Holdings, which lists billionaire Fred Eshelman as its manager, also sued the four in Carbon County District Court seeking civil damages. An attorney for the hunters last month filed a petition to transfer the civil case from state jurisdiction to the U.S. District Court for Wyoming where federal public access laws may hold more sway.
“The clerk of the district court is hereby advised that jurisdiction over the parties and subject matter of the above-entitled action is deemed removed from the district court to the United States District Court for the District of Wyoming…” Chief U.S. District Judge Scott W. Skavdahl wrote in an order filed Thursday. The order becomes effective once the hunters’ attorney files documents in state district court, and Iron Bar will have an opportunity to ask Skavdahl to send the case back to the state venue.
Iron Bar “has a right to exclusive control, use, and enjoyment of its Property, which includes the airspace at the corner, above the Property … the surface of the land and the subsurface below it,” the ranch owner states in its civil suit. The hunters, who have asked that the civil and criminal cases be dismissed, say Iron Bar’s interpretation runs afoul of laws passed by Congress, including the Unlawful Inclosures Act that generally prohibits landowners from fencing people out of public property.
“[S]tate legislatures, state executives, and state judiciaries may not grant rights, privileges, or powers to private parties regarding the use of or access to federally owned public lands located within a state that would conflict with federal legislation enacted by Congress pursuant to the Property Clause,” the hunters’ petition to transfer states.
The Legislature’s Joint Judiciary Committee has proposed that trespass be its No. 1 topic for study before lawmakers begin their next session in 2023. The overseeing Management Council will consider the request April 8. The committee wants to investigate the issue “including trespass by drone and a comparison of criminal trespass with trespass for hunting purposes.”
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/judge-transfers-corner-crossing-trespass-case-to-federal-court/article_03f8c6c3-ebb7-5d48-82ac-b04dfcb234d0.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:24Z
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ROCK SPRINGS — On the last Saturday of March, residents of Sweetwater County marched the streets in support of pro-life views and to raise awareness to local organizations that provide alternative solutions.
March for Life is an annual pro-life event that usually takes place in January.
The movement began throughout the United States in the early 1970s in the aftermath of Roe v. Wade in which the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution protects a pregnant woman’s right to choose to have an abortion without excessive government restriction.
In Sweetwater County, this was the second annual March for Life and about 60 to 70 residents marched the streets of Rock Springs on Saturday, March 26, representing different community organizations and churches.
“I think the March for Life is very much a personal thing. Everybody’s here for a different reason and in a different way. I know people march because they feel the legal end to abortion is a very important thing and that’s obviously a core aspect for a March for Life,” said Eric Urlacher, Grand Knight of Knights of Columbus No. 2441. “For me, personally, I’m really into the fact that this raises awareness to Inside Connection (Southwest Wyoming Pregnancy Resource Center). For me, being pro-life is providing the services, medical and financial, that women need. I think that’s an often overlooked topic in March for Life. I think that’s a practical way to being pro-life, providing services to those who are in need.”
Knights of Columbus No. 2441, Holy Spirit Catholic Church, Inside Connection, Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church, Restoration Ministries, Sweetwater County Right to Life and Wyoming Right to Life each had a part in this year’s march.
“For me, the ecumenical aspect is really important. I think in the spirits of the last couple of popes – Pope Francis and Pope John Paul II – a big push in the Catholic church is ecumenicism,” Uracher said.
“It’s not Catholics versus Evangelical versus Mormons. We’re all on the team to support the virtues that we think are the guiding lights to our society,” he said. “The most important thing for me, personally, is that we have multiple faith communities involved.”
Pastor Richard P. Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church began the event with an opening prayer at the corner of C Street and Norton Avenue near Imagine Preschool.
Following a police escort, people marched the streets toward the Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral.
They carried signs that read, “Pray to End Abortion,” “Jesus Forgives and Heals,” “Children are the Gift of God,” as well as others.
The march ended at Saints Cyril and Methodius Cathedral where people enjoyed refreshments and listened to guest speakers from a variety of different organizations.
Guest speakers included Kim Seymour, director of Inside Connections, Gene Emerson, Chariots of Light Wyoming President, Pastor Mechell Williams of Restoration Ministries, Deacon Louis Hernandez of Holy Spirit Catholic Church and Pastor Carlson of Rock Springs Evangelical Free Church.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/residents-show-pro-life-support-in-rock-springs/article_e7fa2fcd-5fb1-5b19-a40e-7317b73b3da0.html
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Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns this weekendThe annual Wyoming Open Pool Tournament returns to the Platte Valley Community Center in Saratoga for its 14th year Thursday through Sunday.
This four-day tournament is divided into four divisions of Masters, Expert, Classic and Sportsman to give every skill level a chance to compete. Players younger than 18 will compete with adults in the various brackets appropriate to their skill level. This year about a half dozen kids are signed up.
This event is a regular stop for Billiard Congress of American Hall of Fame members because of the sizable prize money. However, this year’s tournament dates have resulted in scheduling conflicts with both national and international contests. As a result, the only professional pool player available to attend, as of press time, is Rodney “The Rocket” Morris.
This year’s tournament has 150 players registered with an entry fee of $30 per player and up depending on the division level of play. There is a table fee for each contest entered. All officially sanctioned contests will be played at the Community Center and the Recreation Center.
The tournament gathers players from across Wyoming as well as from seven states this year, said director Mark Osborne.
All entry fees plus an additional $13,000 in prize money will be given out this year. This contest charges no administration, table or green fees. Last year’s payout was more than $24,000, said Osborne. The 24 winners each get a plaque and all entrants get a free T-shirt.
There are three contests played on 22 tables over four days. Scotch Doubles, Single Elimination and the eight-ball/Saratoga competition. These contests will begin Thursday evening and end with the finals Sunday.
This Wyoming Open contest will be livestreamed on ontherailtv.com for those who can’t attend.
This event has about 50 sponsors that provide $5,000 of the prize money, along with the Carbon County Visitors Council that provides $4,000 in funding each year. This event is put on in association with the Saratoga Lions Club and local businessman Ed Glode.
For more information, contact Osborne at 307-710-1447 or e-mail wyomingopen@gmail.com.
Wyoming Arts Council seeks musicians for Summer Road Trip
The Wyoming Arts Council is seeking music from Wyoming musicians for the 2022 Summer Road Trip Playlist. This is a statewide call open to independent musicians of all genres.
The Summer Road Trip Playlist is an annual release hosted on Spotify and promoted at high tourism areas across the state, such as at state parks, historic sites and trails; Wyoming visitor centers; museums and festivals. In addition to the promotion of the playlist, artists will receive featured pieces on their music through Wyoming Arts Council media channels.
To apply for consideration, musicians must complete the interest form online by April 27. The form requires some general information about the artist’s music as well as web links to up to two songs already listed on Spotify in order to be considered.
Songs will be juried by Kendall Smith, director or programming at The Arts Campus at Willits in Basalt, Colorado, based on the merit of the song and the quality of the recording. The playlist will then be curated to form a cohesive listening experience. There is no limit to the number of songs selected for the playlist.
The Summer Road Trip Playlist is an annual part of the Arts Council’s Wyoming Independent Music Initiative (WIMI), which is working to build a robust music scene in Wyoming.
For additional information, please contact Taylor Craig, taylor.craig@wyo.gov, or 307-274-6673.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting/article_d26806a8-8251-5dfd-bb76-46e281f37ba9.html
| 2022-04-06T13:30:42Z
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In Wyoming, whiskey is for drinking, and water is for fighting over.
Never has that old saying been more fitting than today.
Worldwide, the next great shortage crisis will involve water. And Wyoming has an abundance of it.
Our most important unclaimed water resource is the ample Green River, which streams down from its headwaters in the Wind River Mountains near Dubois. It flows down the western side of the state, exiting the state in the 91-mile-long Flaming Gorge Reservoir south of Green River.
Since 2002, the biggest threat to Wyoming water stored in huge amounts at Flaming Gorge has been posed by a Fort Collins entrepreneur. Aaron Million lusts after that water and has promoted plans upon plans to get it to the Front Range of Colorado.
For years, he touted a pipeline that would run across southern Wyoming. A tiny amount of the water would have been allocated to Cheyenne and Torrington. Despite that token gesture, the project was fought hard by just about everyone in Wyoming. A survey on the project once showed 79% of Wyomingites opposed it.
Recently, Million has proposed moving the project to Utah, but officials in that state have also spurned his efforts.
And even more recently, he proposed his project as an energy generation project, similar to hydropower projects across many western states. No takers on that plan yet, either.
The guy dreamed up the project while doing a thesis at the University of Colorado. He deserves credit for his persistence. His well-heeled backers appear to keep paying him with the remote hope that someday the project will work its way through all the regulatory hurdles and divert Wyoming water to Colorado.
Historically, the Colorado River compact was flawed. Seven states, including Wyoming, tried in 1922 to divide up the water that flows down that river. The biggest single tributary flowing into the Colorado is the Green River. It joins the Colorado near Canyonlands National Park in Utah.
When they divvied up the water rights, officials from the states had no way of knowing that they were emerging from some very wet decades and entering dry times.
Especially in recent times, when population growth has been been high and precipitation levels have been low, a crisis has loomed. States like Colorado want the water that was allocated to them. Hence, the efforts to harness water currently flowing in the Green River and stored in Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Other states in the compact were Utah, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada and California.
Other canal projects come to mind. After almost 50 years of effort, the Central Arizona Project now drains billions of gallons of water away from the Colorado River to keep golf courses in Phoenix green.
Although most of the unallocated water is located in Wyoming, Colorado is the thirstiest place north of Las Vegas, which draws its water from the over-allocated Lake Mead. Lake Mead is the biggest reservoir in the United States, but its water levels are dropping at an alarming rate. It now contains less water than when it was first filled.
Super strict water restrictions in Sin City have resulted in a city with few green lawns. Yards everywhere are landscaped desert designs and cactus gardens.
Back in Colorado, some 80% of the people live east of the Continental Divide, and 80% of its water is west of the divide. The state was been a model of water creativity, especially with trans-basin movement of water. In some cases, it even involves tunnels through mountains crossing under the divide.
Today, Colorado leaders are aghast because Nebraska is proposing a new canal to draw water from its South Platte River. This 500-mile project would take water away from the already parched Front Range, but the plan is legal based on regional water compacts created long ago.
Nebraska officials are smug about their chances, while Colorado officials are apoplectic about the very mention of them losing any more water.
An underground lake? In Greeley, city leaders are working on a project where they would store water in an aquifer, which is similar to a lake – except it is underground.
Called the Terry Ranch project, it is located under 10,000 acres of land near Carr, Colorado, just south of Cheyenne. It would reportedly hold 1.2 million acre-feet of water. This is almost 50 times more water than what is being used now by Greeley. Now, that is an example of some real creativity.
Meanwhile, this is not the end of water squabbles between states in this region. As temperatures continue to soar and rain and snow totals drop, the only thing guaranteed to happen will be future battles over this limited natural liquid resource.
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https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/sniffin-everybody-wants-wyoming-water-how-do-we-keep-colorado-from-stealing-it/article_e9af7a76-96f7-5b91-a580-28d898eb161e.html
| 2022-04-06T13:31:13Z
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This past session of the Legislature was a mostly productive time for Wyoming’s burgeoning digital money industry.
These organizations use massive amounts of computing power – along with correspondingly large portions of electricity – to rapidly perform calculations in order to virtually mint digital currency. They scored some legislative wins at the state Capitol in this past session, which wrapped up earlier this month.
As detailed in a recent article in the Wyoming Tribune Eagle, these virtual miners got some changes to state law that they say will make it even easier for them to register their operations in this state. And legislators also passed Senate File 106, the Wyoming Stable Token Act.
Industry did not get all it wanted, however.
In the wake of the session, Gov. Mark Gordon vetoed the stable coin bill. He said that the state treasurer’s office was busy with other obligations besides potentially dealing with the currency.
During the Legislature’s budget session, efforts fizzled to allow for the creation of deregulated energy zones, if a county commission successfully petitioned the Wyoming Board of Land Commissioners for one on state land. Senate File 71 died in the Senate Minerals Committee, following testimony from many stakeholders over a few days. Utilities generally opposed the bill, as did most others.
The failure of the bill doesn’t mean that the issue is dead, a wide array of stakeholders agreed in recent interviews. Crypto companies still want power, and many would ideally like to locate at least some operations in Wyoming.
The issue remains that digital currency miners contend that they need a lot more electricity to expand their operations in the state to the extent that they would like. On the other side are utilities, which often cannot deliver as much power, as quickly and at as low a cost as the virtual financiers desire.
Frustration over the failure to pass his bill was evident in comments from its backer, Sen. Chris Rothfuss, D-Laramie. Speaking as the bill was voted down by all other members of the Minerals Committee who took part, he was upset that the issue was being punted to the interim legislative work session later this year.
“We have done a tremendous job over the years of wasting opportunities and not providing an appropriate regulatory framework for anybody to do anything at a large scale in the state” that is new and innovative, such as with the cryptocurrency operations, Rothfuss said last month.
“We can push the pause button. It is what we have done before” on other issues in the committee, he added. “That tends to be the end-game mantra. And a lot of the time, it comes from industry, because we are changing things in a disruptive way.”
This was seemingly acknowledged by the legislative panel’s chairman, Sen. Jim Anderson, R-Casper. In a tense exchange with Rothfuss, Anderson seemed to agree with him that even though the issue of deregulated power zones for crypto companies might come up in the interim session, it might not advance further.
Neither lawmaker responded to numerous recent requests for comment.
On April 8, the Legislature’s Management Council will meet to discuss what topics should be addressed in the interim session. Those on all sides of the issue expect that the panel will at least consider whether something like SF 71 should be a legislative topic. Many expect that the issue of electricity deregulation could come up more generally.
“There could be a larger utility discussion as a whole, and this will be part of it,” said Shawn Taylor, executive director of the Wyoming Rural Electric Association.
Utility officials, speaking in recent days, said they’re interested in entering into contracts with crypto miners. It’s just that there seem to be differences in the expectations of this technology industry in how quickly and at what cost power can be provided, and the reality of needing to carefully connect those operations to the grid in a way that does not create financial shockwaves if these new companies later change plans.
Rural electric cooperatives, which cover most of the state’s geographic territory and serve about a quarter of Wyoming’s electric customers, want to reach commercial agreements with crypto firms. “We recognize the advantage if we can make it work” that virtual currency mining would bring to the electric grid and other customers of these member-owned co-ops, said Taylor.
A change in the law is necessary to get virtual currency miners the power they want, said Sean Murphy, a local digital mining expert. The situation is “something that is not going to change unless the law changes,” said Murphy.
Murphy’s cryptocurrency consulting company has some clients who are interested in potentially moving to Wyoming. It “has been frustrating for companies that want to come to Wyoming and just can’t get the power,” he said. He said that Black Hills Energy stands out for its request for proposals to solicit expressions of interest from such miners.
During the hearing, and in follow-up communications with the WTE, utilities, including Black Hills, noted that they have sought requests, such as through RFPs. Some deals are in the works.
Utilities respond that they want to sell more power, since that is their business. They need to make sure that if they agree to serve a miner, that the customer won’t suddenly change plans and leave the power provider with a stranded investment that might need to be paid for by other customers who had nothing to do with the minting of new virtual tokens.
Speaking at the Feb. 24 hearing, Black Hills lobbyist David Bush said, “We have been working with crypto miners here in Cheyenne.” The company’s Cheyenne Light, Fuel and Power subsidiary has more than 43,000 customers in the Cheyenne area. Its RFP sought expressions of interest for at least 10 megawatts for at least two years, with service interruption provisions.
Black Hills officials noted that they got requests to purchase about 1.9 gigawatts of electricity, a staggering seven times the peak power load of all of Cheyenne. The RFP “helps illustrate our due diligence efforts in order to protect our current customers,” a company spokesperson said by email.
During the Feb. 24 hearing, a representative of Rocky Mountain Power noted that it, too, had issued an RFP. The company has been analyzing responses to see what it could viably deliver, said the official. He noted, like others, that Wyoming is a net exporter of electricity to other states, and that all companies’ electric rates in Wyoming are low compared with elsewhere. (A hearing was also held on Feb. 23.)
“Rocky Mountain Power will provide the electrical service requested by residential, business and industrial customers in our service territory, including those in the blockchain technology industry,” a company spokesperson wrote in an email. It is owned by PacifiCorp.
Rocky Mountain Power is an example of a utility that must plan ahead when it comes to power distribution, because it operates in several states and not just Wyoming, said Shannon Anderson, a staff attorney at environmental group Powder River Basin Resource Council. “There is not extra power, per se, because they have built the system for that load” that is already being used, she said.
“Utilities like long-term planning,” she said. “It’s not something that you can just do when someone says, ‘Hey, we need this power tomorrow.’ And it doesn’t work like that anywhere in the country.”
Montana-Dakota Utilities “has received inquiries to serve crypto miners, but does not have any signed agreements,” according to its spokesperson, noting that some would-be power buyers want 100 megawatts. (That is just under half of the power that Cheyenne typically consumes.) “We are interested in serving these types of loads,” the representative wrote in an email. “Once we explain projected costs to secure additional power and upgrade our infrastructure to handle such a load, the interested entities have not pursued further discussions.”
Likewise at Black Hills, its spokesperson noted of the retail tariff rate under which miners could buy power that it “does not provide the desired rate for the miners.”
Some blamed the defeat of SF 71, in part, on the process for drafting the legislation, which may not have fully included all stakeholders.
Before the 2022 budget session, there was discussion of the bill in the Select Committee on Blockchain, Financial Technology and Digital Innovation Technology, experts noted.
While some got a chance to participate in such discussion of the then-draft legislation, others said they did not. Now, they are looking ahead to the interim session so that they can fully take part in any further process.
“I think the unfortunate part is that neither I nor any commissioner that I am aware of was ever contacted or alerted to the fact that this legislation existed and the fact that commissioners would play a critical role in the process. Had that occurred, we certainly would have brought our concerns (up) earlier,” said Jerimiah Rieman, executive director of the Wyoming County Commissioners Association. (There are 23 counties in the state, and each has several commissioners.)
“Commissioners are not generally involved in blockchain legislation, nor would the title of the bill have given away that commissioners would play such a seminal role,” said Rieman, who acknowledged that he missed it, too. Although the association’s members generally want to see more businesses start up in their counties, the legislation envisioned an unusual role for them in the industrial land zone siting process, he said.
These local officials “were opposed to the way that the specific legislation was structured, which put them in what felt like an untenable situation where commissioners are making decisions for the state relative to these industrial power users without the benefit of much of the information” that would be needed for them to make an educated decision, according to Rieman.
For now, experts predict that more smaller power deals will be worked out, including for operations that can rely on alternative setups that don’t involve connecting to the grid.
“I think there is power out there” at lower amounts, such as several megawatts, instead of dozens or more, said Wyoming lawyer Will Reese. He is also co-founder of Highwire Energy Partners, which mines virtual currency using energy from gas that would otherwise be flared from wells.
If something like SF 71 does eventually pass the Legislature, “I think it could be very good,” Reese said. “In theory, it could allow you to unlock some power that is not being unlocked” as “every megawatt of power burned within the state” is better than getting it from elsewhere, he added. “Any encouragement to utilize power within our borders, I think, is for the best.”
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Patrick Lawson of Riverton was in the driver’s seat of a Tesla Model S 100D Ludicrous between Rawlins and Laramie on Interstate 80 last week, but it was the car that was doing the driving.
“It’s passing a semi truck right now because [the semi is] going too slow,” Lawson said.
Crosswinds of up to 60 mph were chewing into mileage, Lawson said. But after departing from home in Riverton with a full battery, he topped it off at a “high-speed” EV charging station during a stop in Rawlins. A full charge will propel the Tesla over 300 miles of road, he said.
However, relying on an electric vehicle in Wyoming can be challenging. There are many “dead zones” — especially in the central portion of the state, Lawson said. Also, most all the existing charging stations available to the public are exclusively designed to charge Tesla vehicles.
That will soon change, thanks to a new federal EV infrastructure initiative. Wyoming has access to nearly $24 million in federal dollars to begin “electrifying” its roadways, beginning with the three interstates that run through the state.
The charging station Lawson stopped at in Rawlins is a Tesla Supercharger station set up at the Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott right off I-80. It’s the only EV charging station between Laramie and Rock Springs, and will only accommodate Tesla vehicles equipped for supercharging. While other Tesla charging stations not equipped with superchargers will allow other brand EVs to use them with an adapter, only Teslas can use the superchargers.
Expanding the accessibility for EVs to power up along major travel corridors like I-80 will become more important as electric vehicles make up a greater percentage of the overall market. Interstate commerce especially is moving quickly to convert semitrailers to electric.
“We need more fast-charging stations that are open to all brands,” Lawson said.
There are other considerations besides battery-draining wind when piloting an EV in Wyoming. Driving up mountains, hills and long inclines will reduce mileage — the same for petrol-propelled vehicles, Lawson said. The benefit of an EV, however, is as long as you have enough juice to crest an incline, the vehicle gains mileage on the decline by recharging the battery.
He learned that lesson the hard way during a drive through Utah when his vehicle ran out of power near the top of a climb just outside a town with EV charging stations. He had to call for a tow.
“It was kind of embarrassing,” he said.
Yet for all of the elevation, wind gusts, extreme weather and long distances between charging stations, Wyoming is a good place to be an EV owner, said Lawson, who boasts being part of an “all-EV” family. His wife drives a 2017 Tesla Model X 100D and his son drives a 2012 Nissan Leaf. His mother and sister also drive EVs in Wyoming. The bottom line for Lawson is EVs save money.
It costs around $10 to add 200 miles of range, according to Lawson. That’s less than a third the cost of a gasoline-powered vehicle, at $3 per gallon. His home charging station cost less than $2,000 to install, and he estimates the extra power load nudged up his home electric bill by about $50 per month.
“It’s worth it for me because I drive a lot of miles,” said Lawson, who serves as executive manager for Wind River Internet.
However, Wyoming needs a major buildout to shorten the distance between EV charging stations. Another urgent need is for charging stations to accommodate all brands and models of EVs. There’s an all-brand EV charging station in Jackson. The Harley-Davidson dealership in Cheyenne has a charging station for Harleys. But almost all other existing EV stations in Wyoming are designed exclusively for Tesla vehicles because Tesla paid for them.
That’s one of the mandates of the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) program that’s driving billions in federal dollars to states. Wyoming already has a federal NEVI allocation of $3.9 million, and will receive another $5 million each year for the next four years. The Wyoming Department of Transportation just released its draft Zero Emission Vehicle Strategy under the NEVI program, and will launch a series of public meetings across the state to fine-tune the strategy that began this week in Cheyenne.
“We want to know, how do we make this plan better?” Wyoming Department of Transportation Director Luke Reiner said.
There’s only 460 EVs currently registered in Wyoming, and about 360 of those are Teslas, according to WYDOT. But tens of thousands of EVs — of all varieties — travel Wyoming roadways, and the numbers are quickly increasing for both commercial and tourism traffic.
“Tourism is our second-largest industry in terms of the state’s economy,” Reiner said. “So it’s really important for us to set the conditions to allow tourists with electric vehicles to visit our great state and to see the sights.”
The federal NEVI program mandates states to first “electrify” main corridors. “In order, that’s [Interstate] 80, I-25 and I-90, that’s how we’re going to tackle that,” Reiner said. Along those routes charging stations must be within 50 miles of each other, must accommodate a minimum of four simultaneously charging vehicles, and must be located within a mile of an interstate exit.
Other federal priorities for Wyoming include main tourism routes to Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks, which mostly rely on public input to determine. Secondary routes for general connectivity across the state rank third in the list of federal EV infrastructure priorities. WYDOT is going to “stretch” the federal NEVI dollars as far as possible, Reiner said, but there are other funds available to continue the EV infrastructure buildout.
“Discretionary” grants are available via the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. Plus, Wyoming has access to more than $8 million from the Volkswagen Clean Air Act Civil Settlement. Those programs include various matching requirements, but communities can already apply for the funds, which is an important option, Reiner said. The NEVI program mostly focuses on the installation of charging stations along corridors and routes, not necessarily within cities and towns.
WYDOT will begin accepting proposals from contractors within the year, Reiner said. The EV infrastructure effort is another example of a federal program that provides an opportunity for entrepreneurs to specialize in a growing industry, and Reiner said he hopes some of those businesses will be located in Wyoming.
Another vital piece of the NEVI program is broadband, Reiner said. Charging stations must be connected to the internet — that’s how customers pay for the electricity.
Given the recent gasoline price shock spurred by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Lawson said he expects EVs will quickly become more socially acceptable in Wyoming. Especially as carmakers produce more trucks and SUVs with towing power, like the Ford F-150 Lightning and the Rivian R1T.
Lawson said his company, Wind River Internet, has been shifting its fleet from petrol to electric vehicles.
“It’s great because we were spending a fortune on gas,” he said. “We drive 100 miles a day and we were spending like $500. Now we’re spending like $50 or $60 on electricity.”
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CASPER — Rep. Landon Brown had two press releases on his computer: one that announced he was bowing out of the Wyoming Legislature and one that said he was running for reelection. He sent the latter one Friday, but only after weeks of mulling over the pros and cons of what being a state lawmaker in Wyoming entails these days.
Increasing incivility in the statehouse gave Brown second thoughts about running again.
In Brown’s view, that incivility steadily increased after former President Donald Trump took office, but really accelerated with the onset of COVID-19.
Brown, a moderate Cheyenne Republican, has become a target of the far right inside and outside of the Legislature, in part for being outspoken and a Trump critic.
Brown said he received a violent death threat, a Facebook message from an anonymous account suggesting he kill himself and between “10 and 20 vile, hateful” emails during the recently completed four-week budget session. That’s a nasty email roughly every two days.
“It gets to the point where the whole family is affected by it,” Brown said.
After Frank Eathorne, chairman of the Wyoming GOP, said in January 2021 that western states were “paying attention” to secession efforts in Texas, Brown vigorously condemned the comment.
His condemnation spurred a man to repeatedly call the Cheyenne representative late into the night for two nights in a row. On the second night, the man seemed heavily intoxicated. Brown did not pick up that final call, but the man left a voicemail.
“He said he was going to come over to my house and said he was going to rip my face off and feed it to my dogs,” Brown said.
The Brown family called the Cheyenne Police Department.
His wife Rachel Smith, a precinct committeewoman and nurse, said they didn’t sleep that night.
After such an incident, many politicians might consider vacating their seat, a move Brown himself appeared wedded to on the final day of the 2022 budget session. As the last day came to a close, state lawmakers had still not agreed on a reapportioned map following the 2020 census, despite the fact that it was the body’s constitutional duty to approve one by midnight.
“To be honest with you guys, this might be the last thing that I say on these microphones,” Brown said. “Had we been dealing with more of this, had we dealt with this bill first ... we would’ve had more time to work on this issue ... but instead we were busy debating guns, we were busy debating abortion, we were busy debating non-issues in this state instead of our constitutional obligations.”
Brown is one of the most outspoken members of the Wyoming House partly because of Rep. Liz Cheney, who has become the top target of many conservatives due to her repeated condemnations of Trump’s role in the Jan. 6 attack and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election.
“She’s influenced me to stand on my morals and my values and take the shots as they come and let it almost fuel you even further,” Brown said.
After what appeared to be a final speech on the House floor, Brown changed his mind.
“I think the good outweighs the bad. There is work to still be done,” Brown said. “I feel like I have opportunities to make a difference in the state of Wyoming, and I do care about the state.”
Brown is specifically dedicated to his work on the Joint Education Committee and feels like there’s unfinished business to take care of.
But the online threats have taken a toll. The lawmaker presents himself as having a thick skin against all of it, Smith said, but it’s been tough — for him and for the couple’s marriage.
“He comes (in) at 9 or 10 at night and he just has this heavy weight on his shoulders,” Smith said. “He doesn’t feel like participating in these family things. That is strenuous on a marriage.”
Ultimately, Smith is backing her husband’s decision to run for reelection.
The couple was sitting in a Florida airport on the way back from their spring break vacation Thursday. Brown had officially made up his mind moments before he leaned over and told Smith he was going to run.
“You know, I kind of thought you were,” she said.
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TORRINGTON — “I mean this in the best way possible, but I don’t ever want to see you again.”
Drew Aldridge addressed a group of incarcerated people who have just earned their high school equivalency diplomas and are preparing to reenter society.
Aldridge works as the Academic Manager at the Wyoming Medium Correctional Facility in Torrington, the primary intake center for all inmates not sentenced to death, and home to the top education programs for inmates in the state. From welding to braille, incarcerated people there can choose a program and earn their certification in that skill.
Those without high school diplomas are required to earn their equivalency diplomas, and all these education opportunities open new doors once they reenter society. Approximately 96% of incarcerated individuals do reenter society.
“They’re going to be your neighbor,” Aldridge said. “[Through education,] they’re able to kind of change that [harmful] mindset.”
Studies have shown the link between education and recidivism — the likelihood those who have served their time will reoffend. WDOC works with local institutions such as Eastern Wyoming College to provide education opportunities for incarcerated persons in hopes of keeping the local recidivism rate as low as possible.
The partnership between WDOC and EWC began nearly two decades ago.
“Our commitment is to help provide [incarcerated individuals] with educational opportunities,” EWC Vice President of Academic Services Roger Humphrey said.
EWC teaches classes in the prisons within its service area, including WMCI in Torrington and the Wyoming Women’s Center in Lusk.
The Second Chance Pell Grant, which EWC has applied for through the Department of Education, would provide more opportunities for the school to teach new classes and expand its available programs.
“If this is approved, it provides access to qualifying incarcerated people to be able to access funds to be able to take more courses,” Humphrey said. “For example, it could look like us going in and teaching an English class or a math class. [The grant] will allow the incarcerated individuals to be able to potentially access more courses and programs.”
The Department of Education has yet to announce a decision on EWC’s application for the Second Chance Pell Grant.
Reentering society after years spent in prison can be difficult. A gap on a resume labeled “prison” isn’t exactly what many employers are looking for.
Research has shown that formerly incarcerated individuals who exit the system with a certificate or something else proving their expanded skill set tend to have a more positive experience in finding employment.
That employment is key in lowering rates of recidivism. Studies have shown how employment and a solid support system are important factors in formerly incarcerated people’s decisions to change their harmful behaviors.
The Prison Policy Initiative reports that 27% of formerly incarcerated individuals were unemployed in 2008, the latest year data is available.
For reference, the general unemployment rate in America during the Great Depression was 25%. Even with the housing market crash in 2008, the general unemployment rate was only 5.8%, according to a report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
The current rate is about 3.8%.
Even in specific demographics, the rates of unemployment among those who have formerly been incarcerated and those who have not are exponentially different. Education has shown itself to be a significant factor in employability.
Humphrey said attending the graduation ceremonies for incarcerated people and seeing the things they’ve accomplished is both “personally and professionally very rewarding.”
Stephen Hyatt and Robert Pedro have both graduated from programs at WMCI.
Hyatt even tutors other incarcerated individuals in the welding program.
“When I came and they brought me [to WMCI] on the bus, I’d seen welding students out there,” Pedro said about his first experience with the welding program. “I never thought I was going to be a student… So, when I got accepted, I was pretty excited.”
Both Hyatt and Pedro said they have enjoyed their time in the welding program and the other education opportunities they have had while at WMCI.
“It’s like a taste of freedom,” Hyatt said. “You get to use a lot of tools and build things that the average prisoner doesn’t really get to experience.”
The welding program has added another “tool in the tool bag” for Hyatt and Pedro, hopefully opening up a brighter future than what others in their shoes have experienced.
Along with welding, braille and other specialty classes, incarcerated individuals without a high school diploma or the equivalent are required to complete the Adult Basic Education program.
From there, they have the chance to apply for the other classes.
Most jobs and employers require a high school diploma or the equivalent. By completing the ABE program, graduates have numerous doors opened to them.
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