text string | url string | crawl_date timestamp[ns, tz=UTC] | source_domain string | group string | id string | in_blocksbin int64 | in_noblocksbin int64 | tag string | minhash_count string |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CHEYENNE – A New Zealand-based fencing and wire machinery manufacturer has decided its North American hub will be located in Cheyenne.
UMC Technology Ltd. specializes in the manufacturing of wire fence fabrication machinery. The company recently released a patented new product: the Fence Lokk Machine, or FLM, series.
"Their FLM machine is the only fabricated fence machine in the world capable of producing two different types of fence knot with the same machine," a news release from economic development organization Cheyenne LEADS explained. "Combining decades of experience and innovation, UMC has been able to deliver a high-speed, versatile, state-of-the-art machine with integrated safety and wide-ranging functionality."
This new machine was the "result of widespread consultation with the fencing industry," and created a fencing machine that saves time and money for manufacturers, the news release said.
The company's Cheyenne location – its first in the U.S. – will create 10 jobs, with more planned in the future, according to the release.
The announcement was made Friday by Gov. Mark Gordon at the Cheyenne LEADS annual meeting and banquet, held at Little America Hotel & Resort.
The facility will be located in the Cheyenne LEADS-owned North Range Business Park just west of Cheyenne. UMC plans to begin construction of the 20,000-square-foot facility this summer.
"After the decision was made to set up a North America location, and careful consideration was given, UMC made the decision to choose the state of Wyoming for its manufacturing and sales facility," the release said.
The company's leadership apparently identified many similarities between New Zealand and Wyoming.
"The people are very friendly and hardworking, and the geography similar," UMC CEO Mark Ullrich said in the release. "We felt right at home from the first visit to Cheyenne last year."
Company leaders met with LEADS on their first visit to Cheyenne in late 2021, according to the release.
"It wasn’t long after that initial meeting we committed to Cheyenne," Ullrich said. "There was a lot of support from the LEADS staff, along with the LEADS board to make our move to Cheyenne a reality."
The manufacturing company "intends to be an American company, and fully immerse themselves in the community and commit to the people in the area," the release said.
"UMC Technology Ltd. is a perfect fit for Cheyenne and the state of Wyoming," Cheyenne LEADS CEO Betsey Hale said in the release. "UMC is a family-owned company that provides quality jobs, great benefits and will be an active member of the community."
Mayor Patrick Collins told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Monday that the company's move "validates" the city's efforts to become an attractive location for business and for manufacturing. He emphasized LEADS' role in attracting and working with businesses looking to expand or relocate, calling the economic development entity the city's "biggest cheerleader."
Collins also mentioned the announcement last November that sporting goods manufacturer Wright & McGill, producer of Eagle Claw fishing tackle, would open a plant in Cheyenne in the coming years. LEADS was also instrumental in that arrangement.
"When (CEO Mark Ullrich) articulated the reasons he wanted to come to Cheyenne, to me, that's just such an important victory for us," the mayor said. "What I think is going to happen is, the more of these (businesses) we get, the more the story gets out there that people need to look at Cheyenne." | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/new-zealand-machinery-manufacturer-coming-to-cheyenne/article_81948dc8-67ec-5b04-a090-b1919192f0f4.html | 2022-04-12T01:46:09Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/new-zealand-machinery-manufacturer-coming-to-cheyenne/article_81948dc8-67ec-5b04-a090-b1919192f0f4.html | 0 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | 2 |
CHEYENNE – A New Zealand-based fencing and wire machinery manufacturer has decided its North American hub will be located in Cheyenne.
UMC Technology Ltd. specializes in the manufacturing of wire fence fabrication machinery. The company recently released a patented new product: the Fence Lokk Machine, or FLM, series.
"Their FLM machine is the only fabricated fence machine in the world capable of producing two different types of fence knot with the same machine," a news release from economic development organization Cheyenne LEADS explained. "Combining decades of experience and innovation, UMC has been able to deliver a high-speed, versatile, state-of-the-art machine with integrated safety and wide-ranging functionality."
This new machine was the "result of widespread consultation with the fencing industry," and created a fencing machine that saves time and money for manufacturers, the news release said.
The company's Cheyenne location – its first in the U.S. – will create 10 jobs, with more planned in the future, according to the release.
The announcement was made Friday by Gov. Mark Gordon at the Cheyenne LEADS annual meeting and banquet, held at Little America Hotel & Resort.
The facility will be located in the Cheyenne LEADS-owned North Range Business Park just west of Cheyenne. UMC plans to begin construction of the 20,000-square-foot facility this summer.
"After the decision was made to set up a North America location, and careful consideration was given, UMC made the decision to choose the state of Wyoming for its manufacturing and sales facility," the release said.
The company's leadership apparently identified many similarities between New Zealand and Wyoming.
"The people are very friendly and hardworking, and the geography similar," UMC CEO Mark Ullrich said in the release. "We felt right at home from the first visit to Cheyenne last year."
Company leaders met with LEADS on their first visit to Cheyenne in late 2021, according to the release.
"It wasn’t long after that initial meeting we committed to Cheyenne," Ullrich said. "There was a lot of support from the LEADS staff, along with the LEADS board to make our move to Cheyenne a reality."
The manufacturing company "intends to be an American company, and fully immerse themselves in the community and commit to the people in the area," the release said.
"UMC Technology Ltd. is a perfect fit for Cheyenne and the state of Wyoming," Cheyenne LEADS CEO Betsey Hale said in the release. "UMC is a family-owned company that provides quality jobs, great benefits and will be an active member of the community."
Mayor Patrick Collins told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle on Monday that the company's move "validates" the city's efforts to become an attractive location for business and for manufacturing. He emphasized LEADS' role in attracting and working with businesses looking to expand or relocate, calling the economic development entity the city's "biggest cheerleader."
Collins also mentioned the announcement last November that sporting goods manufacturer Wright & McGill, producer of Eagle Claw fishing tackle, would open a plant in Cheyenne in the coming years. LEADS was also instrumental in that arrangement.
"When (CEO Mark Ullrich) articulated the reasons he wanted to come to Cheyenne, to me, that's just such an important victory for us," the mayor said. "What I think is going to happen is, the more of these (businesses) we get, the more the story gets out there that people need to look at Cheyenne." | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/new-zealand-machinery-manufacturer-coming-to-cheyenne/article_81948dc8-67ec-5b04-a090-b1919192f0f4.html | 2022-04-12T01:46:09Z | wyomingnews.com | control | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/new-zealand-machinery-manufacturer-coming-to-cheyenne/article_81948dc8-67ec-5b04-a090-b1919192f0f4.html | 1 | 0 | green-iguana-35 | 2 |
D4 Concepts and Business High Point Will Host Global Thought Leader Luncheon
April 11, 2022, HIGH POINT, N.C. – D4 Concepts in partnership with Business High Point will host a leadership luncheon entitled, “Scaling Healthy Leaders When It Feels Impossible,” with special guest, Jeremie Kubicek, Founder of GiANT Worldwide, Leadercast and Catalyst. The luncheon will be held at The Loft at Congdon Yards on Monday, May 9 at 12 p.m. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m. and all registered guests are invited to meet Kubicek and network with other leaders. Tickets are $25 and are available at https://www.highpointleaders.com/.
Working with people is not always easy, and in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent “Great Resignation,” workforce challenges have skyrocketed in the last two years. Employee shortages and workforce issues are further exacerbated by unhealthy leaders and ill-equipped managers. It is imperative for leaders to improve their own health, as well as the health of their company culture and employees.
“After the past couple of years and with all the Great Resignation and workforce challenges today, leaders and managers are finding themselves overwhelmed,” said Micah Ray, co-partner and founder of D4 Concepts. “Leaders need to understand how to improve their own health (mentally and emotionally) so that they can lead better through challenging times. They need to get better at multiplying themselves into new leaders to create better overall work cultures.”
A powerful communicator and prolific entrepreneur, Kubicek will give practical tools for attendees to become healthier leaders and multiply that health out to create a thriving culture within their organizations. Kubicek has built leadership tools used by global companies like Google, Chick-fil-A and the U.S. Air Force. His company, GiANT Worldwide, is recognized as a global thought leader in creating actionable leadership training that transforms individuals and organizations.
About D4 Concepts: D4 Concepts, High Point-based business coaching for people development and innovation management, are a team of GiANT-certified business coaches. D4 Concepts understands that many leaders are overwhelmed in dealing with today's challenges. That's why they teach leaders and their teams to use simple and easy-to-use tools that get same-day results. The teams they train communicate better, are more productive and contribute to healthy organizational culture. To learn more about D4 Concepts, please visit www.d4concepts.com.
About Business High Point, Inc.: Business High Point – Chamber of Commerce initiates, inspires and accelerates the kind of change that propels its members to success and its community to prominence. This mission is accomplished through the three areas of focus: Chamber of Commerce, Strategic Initiatives and Transformational Change. To learn more about BHP Chamber please visit www.bhpchamber.org. | https://www.yesweekly.com/business/d4-concepts-and-business-high-point-will-host-global-thought-leader-luncheon/article_4bfe41fa-b9c2-11ec-afdf-3336e2273408.html | 2022-04-12T01:50:12Z | yesweekly.com | control | https://www.yesweekly.com/business/d4-concepts-and-business-high-point-will-host-global-thought-leader-luncheon/article_4bfe41fa-b9c2-11ec-afdf-3336e2273408.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Yadkin Arts Council Announces a “Call for Art” for 11th Annual 2022 Juried Exhibition
Winston-Salem Artist, Sharon Hardin, to serve as this year’s Juror
(Yadkinville, NC) – The Yadkin Arts Council invites artists from all over the state of North Carolina to join in on the competition and participate in their 11th annual Yadkin Arts Council Juried Exhibition. This gallery show serves as a celebration of some of the finest creativity in our region and brings a beautifully diverse exhibit to the Welborn Gallery each year.
This exhibit will be on display July 15 – September, 2022 with an opening reception and award ceremony to be held on July 15, 2022 from 5-7pm. The deadline to enter this competition is June 9, 2022 by midnight. Eligibility for entry is open to Fine Art artists in both 2D and 3D categories that are a minimum of 18 years of age and reside in North Carolina. $3,500 in combined prizes will be awarded to the best artists!
To download the prospectus: https://www.yadkinarts.org/annual-juried-show/
To apply: https://artist.callforentry.org/festivals_unique_info.php?ID=10035
MEET OUR JUROR:
Sharon Hardin, local Winston-Salem artist, is slated as the juror for this exhibition. Sharon has been painting with watercolor for the past three decades. Her work has been exhibited locally, regionally and nationally as well as internationally. Publications include the text Art Talk by Rosalind Ragans. Hardin has worked as an Artist-in-Residence and an Arts Educator with local and state Arts Councils in Illinois, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. Hardin has been selected to jury and curate exhibitions on local, regional and national levels. She participated on juries of selection for the Georgia Arts Council, Winston-Salem Arts Council and Piedmont Craftsman, among others. Hardin is a past Visiting Artist and Instructor of Design at the North Carolina School of the Arts, Director of the Davis Gallery at Sawtooth School for Visual Art, and Drawing and Design Instructor at Salem College.
Additional Information:
Exhibit is On Display: July 15 – September 2, 2022
Artist Opening Reception: July 15 at 5-7pm
Where: Yadkin Cultural Arts Center, The Welborn Gallery, 226 E. Main St., Yadkinville.
Additional information: www.yadkinarts.org/annual-juried-show/
About the Yadkin Arts Council
The Yadkin Arts Council, a nonprofit 501(c)3 organization, has a mission to transform the lives in our community through the arts by offering opportunities to encounter, create. We believe art is transformational. Arts open minds, frees imagination, and helps people see the world from different perspectives.
About the Welborn Gallery
The Welborn Gallery is located just outside the Willingham Theater in the Yadkin Cultural Arts Center. We feature a variety of 2-dimensional and 3-dimensional works of art from local and regional artists alike. Prepare yourself to be transformed by the remarkable artwork featured here for every exhibit | https://www.yesweekly.com/news/the-yadkin-arts-council-announces-a-call-for-art-for-11th-annual-2022-juried-exhibition/article_c45aae4a-b9c2-11ec-81c2-d3d44f9f0b55.html | 2022-04-12T01:50:13Z | yesweekly.com | control | https://www.yesweekly.com/news/the-yadkin-arts-council-announces-a-call-for-art-for-11th-annual-2022-juried-exhibition/article_c45aae4a-b9c2-11ec-81c2-d3d44f9f0b55.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Spring and summer wildflower blooms make up for the wet, gloomy, gray months Washingtonians endure during the winter. As snow melts in the mountains, meadows come alive with a rainbow of wildflowers like lupine, beargrass and Indian paintbrush. Wildflower season generally begins in late March in lower-altitude locations, like the Columbia River Gorge and Central and Eastern Washington, and runs through September, depending on a location’s altitude and snowmelt.
Be sure to check trail conditions and the weather — some of these trails will be covered in snow into summer.
With warmer weather on the way (right? right?!), you could tour the whole state to catch the diverse display of wildflowers.
Here are some of the best wildflower hikes throughout Washington. (And, as much as you may want to get your Julie Andrews on and twirl
in the sea of flowers, trampling them prevents future growth. Admire from the trail and avoid walking directly in the meadows.)
Marmot Pass
A must-do hike in the Olympic Peninsula’s Buckhorn Wilderness, exploring Upper Big Quilcene via Marmot Pass is simply marvelous. Plan a summer backpacking trip of at least one night to explore the many out-and-back hikes from Camp Mystery, about 4.5 miles into the hike and just a short jaunt below the pass.
The views from the pass will drop your jaw to the ground, but if you continue on the trail toward Buckhorn Lake, you’ll come across a meadow flush with wildflowers and complete with sweeping views of the Olympic Mountains.
As a bonus for dog owners, this trail sits outside of the Olympic National Park boundary, so dogs are allowed.
National Forest Development Road 2750, Jefferson County
Grassy Knoll and Big Huckleberry Mountain
For those on the hunt for balsamroot, Grassy Knoll near Carson in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest is a great, less-crowded alternative to nearby Dog Mountain. While still popular among flower peepers, the trail, which was once part of the Cascade Crest Trail (the original Pacific Crest Trail route), is not nearly as congested.
This is a great bang-for-buck hike. The trail starts out in a field of wildflowers, such as paintbrush, larkspur and shooting stars. It’s a steep climb up to Grassy Knoll, but you will forget about the elevation gain and sore muscles when you reach the knoll’s summit, where you’ll find more wildflowers and sweeping views of the Columbia River Gorge.
Continue on and you’ll find a field of balsamroot on an open slope. You can turn around there or carry on toward the summit of Big Huckleberry Mountain if you want to extend the hike. If you opt for Huckleberry Mountain, your round-trip hike will total about 12 miles. It’s 4.4 miles round-trip to Grassy Knoll.
Junction of Forest Road 68 and Forest Road 511, Carson
Yellow Aster Butte
This popular North Cascades hike, located in the Mount Baker Wilderness in Whatcom County just south of the U.S.-Canada border, is teeming with color in mid-to-late summer, displaying wildflowers such as fireweed, paintbrush and, of course, aster. Come September, the hillsides are painted with the red, orange and yellow of huckleberry bushes.
The trail begins along steep switchbacks through an avalanche path before reaching a ridgeline that runs through a hillside meadow filled with flowers. Follow the Yellow Aster Butte Trail to reach the summit of Yellow Aster Butte, where your reward is breathtaking views of Mount Baker, Mount Larrabee and the Border Peaks in Canada.
National Forest Road 3065, Deming
Green Mountain
From wildflower-filled meadows to views of Cascade peaks and the bonus of a fire tower lookout, Green Mountain in the Glacier Peak Wilderness deserves a visit. If you can play hooky on a weekday, then do so, because this hike is popular. It’s also a slog, gaining 3,300 feet in 8.5 miles round-trip.
After the first 1.5 miles, you emerge from the woods to a wildflower rave. By summer, the meadows are illuminated with the bright colors of blue bells, paintbrush, columbine, glacier lilies, purple penstemon and more. Come fall, wildflowers give way to vibrant blueberry bushes.
The steep trail leads to the fire tower and views of prominent peaks like Mount Baker and Glacier Peak, among others. The peak sits at 6,500 feet, so check the weather and bring layers.
The fire tower was at risk of being removed but advocates fought to save it, and today it is protected by law. As you hike along the trail and take in the view from the deck of the fire tower, consider the members of the Friends of Green Mountain who mountain biked and hiked more than 12 miles carrying tools and supplies to preserve the lookout.
Forest Road 2680, Darrington
Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake
The Ira Spring Trail to Mason Lake hike near Snoqualmie Pass would be a challenging but doable after-work excursion, provided you don’t mind the drive to get there. The 6.5-mile hike gains 2,420 feet in elevation, rewarding hikers with views of Mount Rainier, an alpine lake and meadows filled with wildflowers.
The display of wildflowers and mountain views will force you to stop and take plenty of breaks on this hike, so feel free to frequently catch your breath. Camping is available at Mason Lake, a small alpine pool with views of Bandera Mountain. It’s popular, so go early or snag a spot for a weekday overnight if you can.
End of Mason Lake Road, North Bend | https://www.yakimaherald.com/love-washington-wildflowers-try-these-5-hikes-this-spring/article_39caefd2-1eeb-5cf2-ad79-ef2a95dc5eef.html | 2022-04-12T01:50:23Z | yakimaherald.com | control | https://www.yakimaherald.com/love-washington-wildflowers-try-these-5-hikes-this-spring/article_39caefd2-1eeb-5cf2-ad79-ef2a95dc5eef.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Courtesy of WellBefore
Apr 12, 2022
Courtesy of Kaze
The Kaze x Matches Fashion Tropicale Series proves that PPE can also be fun.
Rules around face masks may be loosening, but they are still required on airplanes and other modes of transportation.
Face mask mandates may be loosening across the United States, but when it comes to travel, they’re still an essential item to bring along. The U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has extended its mask mandate for airplanes and airports through at least April 18, Lyft and Uber continue to require them for passengers, and some individual businesses request patrons to wear them despite city- or state-level indoor masking mandates being lifted.
Even if TSA and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) decide to lift the federal transportation mask mandate on April 18, there will still be plenty of travelers who will feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask for the foreseeable future.
And when it comes to “one-way masking”—meaning travelers or crew who wear a mask for added protection even if (or especially because) it’s not required and those around them are not wearing a mask—having a higher-quality mask is even more important.
Whether you need a face mask for travel due to a requirement or because of personal public health concerns, we’ve rounded up the best ones to use.
As of press time, passengers on all flights departing in the United States, domestic and international, are required to wear a face mask. Although rules vary a little, the majority of domestic U.S. airlines do not allow bandanas, scarves, face masks with valves, or a face shield in lieu of a face mask. (Face shields are allowed if you are also wearing a mask.) Cloth masks (ideally with two or three layers), surgical masks, and KN95 and N95 masks are accepted on all major domestic airlines, including Alaska, Allegiant, American, Delta, Frontier, Hawaiian, JetBlue, Southwest, Spirit, and United.
While some international airlines have begun dropping the mask requirement, there are also international carriers that continue to require face masks and some of them will technically not allow cloth masks. Passengers on these flights are required to wear surgical masks or FFP1, FFP2, or FFP3 face masks (the higher the number, the higher the quality), which are the European equivalent of N95 quality masks (N95s pass muster too). Make sure you are up to date on the last masking requirement for the domestic or internatinoal carrier you are flying with.
ADVERTISEMENT
Of course, wearing a face mask isn’t just about complying with the rules—it’s also about providing you and your fellow passengers with the most protection. In this regard, N95s are still regarded as the best type of face mask to wear on flights by health experts.
“Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) offer the highest level of protection,” the CDC states in its latest mask guidance. (NIOSH stands for National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health.)
While KN95 and N95 masks (or respirators as they are sometimes called) can offer a similar level of protection, N95s are considered a notch above because of the NIOSH approval that ensures they are well manufactured. The CDC has found that about 60 percent of KN95 respirator evaluated by NIOSH during the pandemic were of subpar quality, so it is important to research and buy quality KN95s, which are typically made oversees, from reputable vendors.
Though N95 masks have become the gold standard for protection, there is one drawback to them—they aren’t washable, which means they are less reusable than cloth masks. Per the CDC, “data suggest limiting the number of reuses to no more than five total uses (five total donnings)” for respirators. Ultimately what matters is that the fit remains close to the face and that the condition of the mask remains sufficient to provide adequate protection. Once either of those falls by the wayside it is probably time to swap out for a new mask.
Regardless of which (approved) mask type you wear, it’s important to ensure it creates a tight seal against your face with no gaps and is comfortable enough to wear for the duration of your flight. These are some of the best face masks available for flights, as well as other forms of travel:
Buy now: from $16 for a 10-pack (with a subscription), wellbefore.com
Available in both flat-fold and cup style designs with over-the-head straps, these N95 face masks from the medical supplier WellBefore are NIOSH approved. Sold in packs of 10, you can get these masks for as little as $1.59 each if you set up a subscription that you can cancel at any time.
Buy now: from $46 for a 50-pack, amazon.com
Yes, these “duck-bill” shaped masks may look a little comical, but if you’re snoozing away on an hours-long flight, style isn’t exactly a top priority. Where these NIOSH-approved respirators excel is comfort and breathability, thanks to adjustable around-the-head straps and a large breathing chamber—just what you want on that long haul to Australia.
Buy now: from $12 for a 10-pack, bonafidemasks.com
Found to have a 98.8 percent filtration efficiency by the CDC, the Powecom KN95 face masks are a solid, straightforward option for face masks. One of the unique features, though, is that each set of masks can be run through an anti-fake checker—simply enter the serial number in the online portal at powecom.com—so customers can be certain they received a legit (and effective) Powecom mask.
Buy now: $15 for a five-pack, evolvetogether.com
If you’re looking for a more stylish alternative to the basic white or black KN95s, Evolvetogether makes them in several different colors with a sleek flat profile. These masks feature soft ear loops, an adjustable nose bridge for a secure fit, and six layers, including a water-resistant outer layer, two melt blown center layers, an activated charcoal layer, and two water absorbent inner layers. In addition to the green seen here, these masks also come in navy, khaki, gray, and hot pink. If you’re looking for surgical masks, Evolvetogether also still makes those for adults and kids too.
Buy now: from $36 for a 10-pack, shopmaskc.com
Worn by the likes of Rihanna and JLo, Maskc makes KN95s and three-ply surgical masks in a rainbow of colors as well as a variety of patterns, including plaid and pastel florals. The brand’s KN95s are made with a five-ply design and an adjustable nose bridge for a snug but comfortable fit.
Buy now: from $40 for a 10-pack, kazeorigins-us.com
Although these are some of the priciest KN95s we’ve seen, the bright candy colors and marbleized patterns are great for when you want to make a statement or match your PPE to an outfit for a special occasion. These aren’t just about form over function, either. Kaze Original KN95 masks are made with a five-ply design and come with an adjustable nose bridge—and ear straps—for a comfortably custom fit.
Jessie Beck and Lyndsey Matthews contributed reporting to this article.
>> Next: These At-Home COVID Tests Are CDC-Approved for Travel
Sign up for the Daily Wander newsletter for expert travel inspiration and tips
Please enter a valid email address.
Read our privacy policy | https://www.afar.com/magazine/best-face-masks-for-travel | 2022-04-12T01:51:10Z | afar.com | control | https://www.afar.com/magazine/best-face-masks-for-travel | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Bob Baffert banned from Preakness Stakes
Hall of Fame horse trainer Bob Baffert is prohibited from competing in the Preakness Stakes next month, the Maryland Racing Commission said in a letter on Monday.
Driving the news: The commission was specifically asked to "take action to suspend [Baffert] from upcoming Maryland horse racing events" by the group Animal Wellness Action.
- "Mr. Baffert will not be eligible to participate in the Preakness Stakes," J. Michael Hopkins, the commission's executive director, stated in his letter to the non-profit animal advocacy organization.
The big picture: The announcement comes after Baffert was banned from Kentucky races for 90 days starting April 4, according to NBC News.
- The country's 38 racing states typically honor each other's prohibitions, however, the Maryland Racing Commission was specifically approached by Animal Wellness Action to consider Baffert's eligibility for Preakness.
Go deeper: Baffert was suspended by the New York Racing Association in May 2021 after his horse Medina Spirit — who won the Kentucky Derby — failed a post-race drug test.
- The New York suspension was overturned by a federal judge in July 2021, who said the association erred in providing Baffert adequate time to respond to the allegations. | https://www.axios.com/bob-baffert-banned-from-preakness-stakes-01ee32cf-1799-46bb-b9b7-4b652c5cb329.html | 2022-04-12T01:58:32Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/bob-baffert-banned-from-preakness-stakes-01ee32cf-1799-46bb-b9b7-4b652c5cb329.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
House GOP sets its sights on Biden country
House Republicans are so confident of snagging easy seats en route to regaining the majority this November, their big-spending outside super PAC is now targeting congressional districts President Biden won by as much as 16 points, Axios has learned.
Driving the news: The Consumer Price Index report being issued at 8:30am ET Tuesday is expected to show annual inflation surging to 8.4% in March — the highest rate since December 1981. With Biden’s approval numbers already languishing in the negatives, Republicans are going for the kill.
- They've already seized a lead in generic congressional ballot polling.
Why it matters: In targeting seats the president won in 2020 by an average of 8 points, the Congressional Leadership Fund is putting Democrats on notice it plans to play offense in previously safe Democratic districts.
- The group's offensive play comes after its Democratic counterpart, the House Majority PAC, reserved advertising time in 51 media markets as it prepares to defend districts in many once-safe Democratic regions.
- The GOP group, which is aligned with House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, is sitting on a mountain of cash and reported $93.5 million on hand as of the end of March.
- A CLF endorsement is both a signal it plans to spend serious dollars in a race and a sign to other donors that McCarthy's team likes what it sees in the candidates.
Between the lines: Republicans are pointing to Biden's 69% disapproval rating on inflation, according to a new CBS poll, as one of his key political vulnerabilities.
- The White House is braced for the latest CPI report, now as eagerly anticipated as were once jobs reports.
Details: All but one of the seven new "trailblazer" endorsements are in districts that Biden won by 7 points or more.
Democrats themselves re-drew some of the targeted districts with an eye to shoring up their party's incumbents.
The CLF endorsees:
- Mayra Flores, a respiratory care practitioner, in Texas' 34th District (Biden +16)
- Tanya Wheeless, an attorney, in Arizona's 4th District (Biden +10)
- Marc Molinaro, a county executive, in New York's 19th District (Biden +10)
- Colin Schmitt, a state assemblymember, in New York's 18th District (Biden +8)
- April Becker, an attorney, in Nevada's 3rd District (Biden +7)
- Cassy Garcia, a former staffer for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), in the state's 28th District (Biden +7)
- Jim Bognet, a businessperson, in Pennsylvania's 8th District (Trump +3)
By the numbers: The seven new endorsements in the pro-Biden seats bring the number of districts where CLF plans to engage to 24.
- The first batch of endorsements included 17 districts, where the average 2020 margin was Trump +1.
- Of those 17 districts, just three voted for Biden by 8 points or more, and eight voted for Trump.
What they're saying: “Each of these impressive candidates have the strength to expand the map into deep blue, traditionally Democrat-held territory," CLF president Dan Conston said in a statement to Axios.
- “Biden’s failures have turned stretch seats into real opportunities we can win with the right candidates.”
- The endorsements "[unlock] additional hard-dollar financial support" for the campaign, the CLF said. That translates to direct contributions, though the endorsements also indicate where the super PAC will target its ad dollars.
- Abby Horrell, executive director of the Democrats' House Majority PAC, told Axios: “While Democrats get things done ... Republican candidates across the country will continue to obstruct, root against the economy, and vote against affordable insulin. Voters will remember who stands with them come November.”
Go deeper: Molinaro, who is challenging two-term Rep. Antonio Delgado (D-N.Y.), points to rising costs and crime as two central factors driving support for the GOP.
- "I think that people are frustrated and fearful ... that the policies out of Washington and Albany are making life more expensive, and ... making us less safe," Molinaro said during an interview with Axios. "We hear it everywhere we go."
- "CLF, what this signals to me and to others, is that NY-19 is quickly emerging as a battleground district and a winnable seat." | https://www.axios.com/gop-targets-biden-country-899c86f5-1fb9-41eb-915d-cd2a4d2b7b57.html | 2022-04-12T01:58:38Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/gop-targets-biden-country-899c86f5-1fb9-41eb-915d-cd2a4d2b7b57.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Senate secretary blows off expense disclosure reports
U.S. Senate officials are flouting a federal law requiring the public disclosure of senators' official expenses, records show.
Why it matters: The lack of Senate expense disclosure has brought a key government transparency measure to a standstill, depriving the public of information about their representatives to which they're legally entitled. The disclosure details spending on staff salaries and other office expenses.
- For one senator in particular, the lack of reporting is particularly relevant politically.
- Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) won his seat in a 2021 special election and faces a re-election contest this year. Georgians should already have access to over a year of his office's expense data. Currently, they have just a few months' worth.
- A Warnock spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The background: A law passed in 2009 requires the secretary of the Senate to publish semiannual reports detailing each Senate office's itemized expenses.
- The move from paper expense reports to an online database was hailed at the time as a belated but important transparency measure.
- Since then, reports have been published every six months on the secretary's website, consistently within the legally mandated 60-day window following the semiannual reporting periods.
- They end in March and September.
What's happening: The secretary of the Senate hasn't posted one of those disbursement reports in nearly a year.
- The last came in March 2021.
- For the first time since the reports went online, two semiannual disclosure periods have passed without any online reports on Senate disbursements.
- Spokespeople for the secretary of the Senate did not respond to multiple inquiries from Axios.
Between the lines: A notice on the secretary's website says: "The semi-annual Report of the Secretary of the Senate for the period April 1, 2021 – September 30, 2021 is delayed and will be published as soon as possible."
- While COVID-19 has strained Capitol Hill, two of the semiannual reports were published in October 2020 and April 2021, while the pandemic raged.
- House of Representatives officials have maintained their regular quarterly filing schedule for the equivalent expense reports from the other side of the Capitol.
What they're saying: "Neither the House nor the Senate have been delayed significantly since we began gathering salary data in 2005," Jock Friedly, the CEO of legislative research service LegiStorm, told Axios.
- "Until now, the disclosures have always come out like clockwork."
The big picture: The Senate expense reports are designed to provide a measure of transparency in the Senate's operations — both for the public and congressional staffers themselves.
- Friedly noted recent staffer efforts to organize and collectively bargain over their pay and working conditions.
- "The lack of disclosure is a violation of law but also hampers the ability of staffers to understand the scope of the problem, and how their pay compares with others," he said.
- It also "makes it impossible for the public to understand fully how dangerous political rhetoric is driving up security costs to protect lawmakers and their staff."
Expense reports are also frequent sources for opposition researchers looking to dig into political opponents' spending habits. | https://www.axios.com/senate-secretary-blows-off-expense-disclosure-reports-e9d06545-c012-4eb7-bf99-7876d50007af.html | 2022-04-12T01:59:02Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/senate-secretary-blows-off-expense-disclosure-reports-e9d06545-c012-4eb7-bf99-7876d50007af.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JACKSON COUNTY, N.C. (WSPA) – Officials warn people against swimming near the waterfalls at Whitewater Falls Park after a child died falling into the water.
Multiple law enforcement agencies were called to the falls Sunday. According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, three-year-old Nevaeh Jade Newswanger was visiting the falls with their family from Denver, P.A. Deputies said the child was in the water when the current carried them over the edge of the falls.
”It only takes one slip, trip and fall for the current to carry you over the falls,” said Public Affairs Officer for the National Forests in North Carolina Cathy Dowd. “There are rocks below the falls.”
Rescue teams searched for Newswanger for hours. Her body was found around 1 a.m. Monday.
“It looks like it’s safe so many people aren’t aware of the danger of being in the stream above the falls,” explained Dowd. “The other danger is being in the streams below the falls.”
Dowd said it is safest to view waterfalls from a distance and urged visitors not to get too close.
“Sometimes, the current can catch you and carry you under, and you don’t even realize that that’s a possibility. And, there are rocks and sticks that you can bang your head on.”
Firefighters told 7NEWS they get called to more rescues at lakes, ponds and waterfalls as the weather warms. They said it is important for people to be prepared before they go into the water.
“Make sure you bring all the safety equipment – a personal floatation device and ‘swimmies’ for the kids,” explained Chesnee Fire Department Firefighter and Paramedic Paul Bradley. “Go in pairs. Make sure you have somebody with you. You don’t want to go unattended. Someone needs to know where you’re at.”
Bradley said the water can be dangerous even for the strongest swimmers because tides and currents can change so quickly.
“Once that water starts picking up and the flow becomes a little more rapid, the harder you swim, the faster you’re going to tire out,” explained Bradley.
“Your safety is your own responsibility,” added Dowd. | https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/it-only-takes-one-slip-officials-warn-against-swimming-near-waterfalls-after-childs-death/ | 2022-04-12T02:06:06Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/local-news/it-only-takes-one-slip-officials-warn-against-swimming-near-waterfalls-after-childs-death/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
DELPHI, Ind. (WXIN) – Investigators are asking for tips in the 2017 slayings of two Delphi, Indiana girls after a new social media profile tied to a possible suspect surfaced.
The account, created under the name “anthony_shots,” may hold answers in the slayings of Abigail Williams and Liberty German. On Feb. 13, 2017, the two best friends went for a walk on the remote historic trails of Delphi, Indiana.
The next day, their bodies were found. For years, the best evidence police had of the girl’s killer came from video on Libby’s cellphone that captured both an image of a man approaching her on the High Bridge and a recording as the man told the girls to go down the hill.
Several suspects have emerged over the last five years, but it’s in interviews with the most recent potential suspect where answers in the cold case could be taking shape. In August of 2020, 27-year-old Kegan Kline, of Peru, was arrested on 30 counts of child solicitation, child exploitation and possession of child porn.
But to Libby, Kline may have been known by another name: his online persona Anthony Shots, the social media account that used fake pictures of a male model to solicit nude photos of teenage girls between 2016 and 2017. Kline admitted to police the anthony_shots account was used to talk to underage girls. He told police he’d find girls, both people he knew and didn’t know, on Instagram and ask them to message him on Snapchat or other apps.
Transcripts of an interview police had with Kline reveal that the account was interacting with Libby German the day she and Abby Williams were killed. Also in the transcripts, Kline said he gave the password to the account “to a lot of people.” In another interview, Kline said his father had access to the account.
On Monday, the Indiana State Police said investigators are looking to expand the list of social media applications used by “anthony_shots.”
The Delphi Double Homicide Task Force says the profile was used on the social media platform that once went by the name of Yellow. It is now called Yubo.
This app was designed as a social networking site to make new online friends when it launched in 2017. However, The Irish Times reports it came under fire among child protection experts who dubbed it “Tinder for kids,” warning it could be a potential “free-for-all for sexual predators.” It has since been rebranded as Yubo.
The task force is asking anyone who communicated with the anthony_shots profile on the app to contact the task force at abbyandlibbytip@cacoshrf.com or 765-822-3535.
Kline has not been criminally charged in connection with the murders and ISP hasn’t said he’s a suspect.
WGN’s Andy Koval contributed to this report. | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/another-fake-profile-linked-to-delphi-murders-of-2-teens/ | 2022-04-12T02:06:12Z | wspa.com | control | https://www.wspa.com/news/national/another-fake-profile-linked-to-delphi-murders-of-2-teens/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Blood donors sought to help Ukrainian war victims and refugees
Not only in Middle Tennessee, but in and Southern Kentucky and additionally across Eastern Europe — blood donors will soon have an opportunity to save countless lives.
From April 1-8, Blood Assurance will donate $10 for every blood donor it sees to the Blood Centers of America Foundation for Ukraine Support, in response to the devastation in Ukraine. Blood Centers of America has reached out to international contacts and chosen vetted charities that are providing vital aid to war victims in Ukraine and the millions of refugees seeking safe haven in neighboring countries.
Samaritan’s Purse and the Ukrainian Red Cross are the charities that have been selected to provide medical supplies, build a new field hospital and maintain a clinic for patients in need.
“What we are seeing play out oversees is nothing short of heartbreaking,” according to J.B. Gaskins, CEO of Blood Assurance. “Sending blood products to Ukraine, unfortunately, is just not feasible, so this is the least we can do. I encourage everyone who can donate lifesaving blood to schedule an appointment.”
If you wish to donate, prospective donors can schedule an appointment online at bloodassurance.org/schedule, can call 800-962-0628, or text BAGIVE to 999777. All donation centers and mobile blood drives however, do accept walk-in donors as well. You must be at least 17 years old (16 years old with parental consent), weigh 110 pounds or more, and be in good health to be eligible to donate blood, Donors are asked to drink plenty of fluids (avoiding caffeine), and eat a meal that is rich in iron prior to donating. | https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2022/04/12/blood-donors-sought-help-ukrainian-war-victims-and-refugees/7220947001/ | 2022-04-12T02:13:13Z | dnj.com | control | https://www.dnj.com/story/news/2022/04/12/blood-donors-sought-help-ukrainian-war-victims-and-refugees/7220947001/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
VOTE: Who was the Murfreesboro area high school girls athlete of the week for April 4-9?
Cecil Joyce
Murfreesboro Daily News Journal
Who was the Murfreesboro area high school girls athlete of the week for April 4-9?
You can vote below.
Nominees are Eagleville's Brinli Bain, Smyrna's Adaeze Nwogbo, Blackman's Morghan McMillan, Riverdale's Becca Komers, Rockvale's Mallory Williams, Stewarts Creek's Grace Fujino, MTCS' Rose Davis, Central Magnet's Jacey Goetzinger, Oakland's Onnika Spencer and Siegel's Mary Bradley.
The poll will close at 3 p.m. Thursday.
Note: If the poll doesn't appear below, you may need to refresh your browser. | https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/04/11/vote-murfreesboro-area-high-school-girls-athlete-week/7251462001/ | 2022-04-12T02:13:19Z | dnj.com | control | https://www.dnj.com/story/sports/high-school/2022/04/11/vote-murfreesboro-area-high-school-girls-athlete-week/7251462001/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
...Light Rain and Snow Possible Along With Strong Winds...
Rain and snow will continue into this afternoon and early evening.
Snow levels will drop to valley floors with a cold front in the
next few hours. Lower elevations should see generally less than 1
inch, with locally higher amounts on benches. With the cold
front, strong winds gusting to near 50 mph may produce near
whiteout conditions and a brief burst of heavier snow. Snow
showers and gusty winds will persist overnight.
Dr. Susan Eirich, Founder and Executive Director of Earthfire Institute, has been invited to speak at the prestigious international Cortona Week 2022 to be held in Pontignano, Italy June 26 - July 3, 2022. Speakers and guests from around the world are selected by the Cortona Friends committee and asked to share insights about emerging themes with a focus on innovative approaches toward solving current global issues. This will be Susan’s third invitation to present at a Cortona Friends event.
Susan’s workshop, “Transformative Experiences in Nature: A Path to a Livable Planet” will emphasize a heart-based element of Reconnection Ecology®, an approach to wildland conservation she has pioneered through her personal experiences and her work as a wildlife biologist and psychologist.
“Many of us have had profound moments of connection with a nonhuman being. Earthfire’s work supports the importance of those experiences, helping us trust them and integrate them into our professional and personal lives; moving us to take action on behalf of all Life,” says Susan.
Founded over 30 years ago by internationally renowned scientist Dr. Pier Luigi Luisi and famed Benedictine monk Brother David Steindel-Rast, the ultimate aim of Cortona Week - according to their website - “is to forge and catalyze a new class of world leaders by opening up the horizon of the participants [graduate students and young leaders] to the values of ecology, ethics, tolerance, internal introspection as well as the actual new frontiers of science, literature, art, economics … where life becomes a system view of interacting parts, and not an addition of single isolated domains.” | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/earthfire-director-to-speak-at-cortona-week/article_cdab67ea-a525-5827-af73-bf4f933aea2b.html | 2022-04-12T02:13:24Z | tetonvalleynews.net | control | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/earthfire-director-to-speak-at-cortona-week/article_cdab67ea-a525-5827-af73-bf4f933aea2b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
An online survey is now available for backcountry skiers, riders, and climbers to share their perspectives on Teton Bighorn Sheep conservation and backcountry winter recreation. The survey asks winter backcountry travelers about options for managing important sheep habitat, the extent and need for specific closure areas, future bighorn sheep research needs, and the willingness of backcountry travelers to participate in citizen programs for bighorn sheep conservation and observe closures.
The survey was developed and is administered by the Teton Backcountry Alliance, the Teton Climbers Coalition, Winter Wildlands Alliance, the Access Fund, and the American Alpine Club, independent of government agencies in an effort to collect information that will be useful in the forthcoming review process to be launched by Caribou Targhee National Forest, Bridger Teton National Forest, and Grand Teton National Park.
Wildlife monitoring indicates that the Teton bighorn sheep population is currently perilously low and at serious risk. In an effort to address conservation of Teton bighorn sheep, in 2020 the Teton Bighorn Sheep Working Group convened a series of public workshops to share information about sheep biology and gather information from users on winter backcountry recreation. Subsequent to those meetings, management agencies implemented voluntary closures in areas deemed important to bighorn sheep.
Steve Kilpatrick, a biologist and member of the Teton Bighorn Sheep Working Group recently reported that “So far skiers have largely supported the Teton Bighorn Sheep Working Group’s and agencies’ recommendations. He went on to say “We are interested in what skiers observe and urge them to report their experiences and insights.”This spring, the Park Service and Forest Service will determine future management actions for winter recreation in bighorn sheep habitat, including possible closures, through a National Environmental Policy Act review process. The results of the online survey will be analyzed and summarized independently by the five sponsoring outdoor organizations and shared with the public and with land management agencies. The names of all those taking the survey will remain anonymous.
“This survey provides an important opportunity for Teton backcountry skiers and winter climbers to be heard by agencies, and I strongly encourage all backcountry skiers and winter climbers to participate”, says guidebook author, Teton ski mountaineer, and historian Tom Turiano.“It’s our hope that the experience and knowledge of backcountry skiers and winter climbers will shape and ultimately improve the final management plan of agencies,” says Hilary Eisen, Policy Director at Winter Wildlands Alliance.The online survey is found at https://arcg.is/SmeXC0. If you have questions about the survey, write info@tetonbackcountryalliance.org. | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/survey-on-teton-bighorn-sheep-and-winter-backcountry-travel-now-available/article_96e0160e-69c5-5853-8415-6d996b0dd94a.html | 2022-04-12T02:13:30Z | tetonvalleynews.net | control | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/freeaccess/survey-on-teton-bighorn-sheep-and-winter-backcountry-travel-now-available/article_96e0160e-69c5-5853-8415-6d996b0dd94a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
...Light Rain and Snow Possible Along With Strong Winds...
Rain and snow will continue into this afternoon and early evening.
Snow levels will drop to valley floors with a cold front in the
next few hours. Lower elevations should see generally less than 1
inch, with locally higher amounts on benches. With the cold
front, strong winds gusting to near 50 mph may produce near
whiteout conditions and a brief burst of heavier snow. Snow
showers and gusty winds will persist overnight.
1 of 4
Sophomore Emma Berry takes a swing at Wednesday’s game. While Teton didn’t net a win against Snake River, Coach Angie Kincaid says the girls are finding their rhythm and playing as a cohesive unit.
Sophomore Emma Berry takes a swing at Wednesday’s game. While Teton didn’t net a win against Snake River, Coach Angie Kincaid says the girls are finding their rhythm and playing as a cohesive unit.
Julia Tellman
Freshman Gracie Kincaid is leading Teton as the starting pitcher.
Julia Tellman
Coach Angie Kincaid gives sophomore Kamryn Gonzales a pep talk after a successful run around the bases.
Julia Tellman
Melissa Bagley makes it safely to first base in last week’s game against Snake River.
Even though half the softball season has already passed, the Lady Timberwolves only started practicing outside last Thursday; spring sports always pose a challenge for athletes in this valley when they’re facing off against teams from milder climes.
“It’s definitely a different feel, between balls bouncing in the gym and hitting dirt,” Coach Angie Kincaid said. “My poor outfielders barely get any practice when they’re inside.”
The extremely young softball team is learning the ropes, she said. With zero upperclassmen, Kincaid didn’t even name a team captain at the beginning of the year. Instead, she let leadership form organically among the girls.
“They have not disappointed,” she said. “They all know how to step up, communicate, do what they need to do.”
On top of youth and in some cases inexperience, the ‘Wolves have also been battling injuries and absences. Kincaid said they have yet to play with a full roster. Undeterred, the team been setting individual goals as well as team goals and focusing on hitting those.
“We have been doing a lot of reconfiguration and working out the kinks to account for missing players,” she said.
That includes bringing girls up from junior varsity or putting them in new positions, with help from Coach Brent Douglass and Pitching Coach Emma Steiner. The players have handled it with aplomb, fortunately.
“Hands down, our biggest strength is that they’re in sync, having fun, loving playing as a team, they’re really supportive of each other and have hit a good rhythm,” Kincaid said. “Basically, they’re a coach’s dream team.”
Teton played its first conference game on April 12 against Sugar-Salem after the press deadline. Kincaid said that while both Sugar and South Fremont have good ball programs, she’s confident that once Teton puts all the pieces in place it can be a contender.
“We just need to be firing on all cylinders. We have great defense and great batting, they just need to both happen in the same game.”
Teton’s next home game is on Monday, April 18 against Ririe at 4 p.m. Kincaid encouraged everyone to come enjoy the sport.
“It brings so much extra energy to have a lot of fans out there,” she said. “The girls really thrive off a supportive crowd.” | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/sports/ths/young-teton-softball-team-is-finding-its-groove/article_99460118-28ea-5852-bbb6-4c759aaed10a.html | 2022-04-12T02:13:37Z | tetonvalleynews.net | control | https://www.tetonvalleynews.net/sports/ths/young-teton-softball-team-is-finding-its-groove/article_99460118-28ea-5852-bbb6-4c759aaed10a.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
This content is only available to subscribers.
Support Local Journalism
$1 for 6 Months.
Your subscription supports:
Are you a subscriber with digital access?
Sign in to your accountAre you a subscriber without digital access?
Activate your digital accountAre you a subscriber without digital access?
Activate your digital accountThis content is only available to subscribers.
Support Local Journalism
$1 for 6 Months.
Your subscription supports:
Are you a subscriber with digital access?
Sign in to your accountAre you a subscriber without digital access?
Activate your digital account | https://www.dnj.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnj.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fhigh-school%2F2022%2F04%2F12%2Ftssaa-murfreesboro-area-spring-sports-teams-geared-run-spring-fling%2F9516257002%2F&gnt-tng-s=1 | 2022-04-12T02:14:33Z | dnj.com | control | https://www.dnj.com/restricted/?return=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dnj.com%2Fstory%2Fsports%2Fhigh-school%2F2022%2F04%2F12%2Ftssaa-murfreesboro-area-spring-sports-teams-geared-run-spring-fling%2F9516257002%2F&gnt-tng-s=1 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Man who shot Chicago cops while being transported gets 31 years
CHICAGO - A convicted felon who pleaded guilty to charges that he opened fire on police in 2020 and wounding at several officers, was sentenced Monday to 31 years in prison.
The sentence comes two months after Lovelle Jordan, 27, pleaded guilty to one count of attempted murder and five counts of aggravated battery to a peace officer, the Chicago Tribune reported.
The charges stem from a shooting incident that came shortly after Jordan was arrested in connection with a carjacking in downtown Chicago. Police had driven him to a station on the city’s northwest side.
DOWNLOAD THE FOX 32 CHICAGO APP FOR BREAKING NEWS ALERTS
Officers patted him down but while they found he was carrying drugs in his pockets, according to authorities, they did not see that he was carrying a small loaded pistol. Jordan was handcuffed behind his back.
Lovelle Jordan | Chicago police photo
At the time of the incident, Chief of Detectives Brendan Deenihan said that officers had searched Jordan before he was transported but he apparently had the gun "extremely secreted, probably very close to his private area" and was able to retrieve the weapon during the ride to the station.
Jordan was somehow able to move his cuffed hands from behind his back, grabbed the gun and opened fire when an officer opened the door for him at the station.
Advertisement
Dozens of shots were fired in a shootout between Jordan and at least three officers were shot. Jordan was also shot and was left paralyzed. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-who-shot-chicago-cops-while-being-transported-gets-31-years | 2022-04-12T02:23:18Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/man-who-shot-chicago-cops-while-being-transported-gets-31-years | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Video: Driverless car pulled over by San Francisco police
SAN FRANCISCO - San Francisco police made an unusual traffic stop recently when an officer pulled over a driverless car.
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed the incident happened April 1 on Clement Street in the city's Officers initially pulled the self-driving cruise vehicle over for not having it's headlights on while driving after 10pm.
Richmond District.
Video obtained by KTVU shows an officer walking to what would be the driver-side window of a Cruise car only to find that no one was at the steering wheel.
After the car came to a stop and the officer walks back to the patrol car, the Cruise vehicle drives ahead through the intersection before pulling to the side again and turning on its hazard lights.
Cruise said its car rolled forward to find a safer place to stop.
"Our AV [autonomous vehicle] yielded to the police vehicle, then pulled over to the nearest safe location for the traffic stop, as intended," Cruise tweeted.
FLASHBACK: Man seen riding in the back seat of Tesla with no driver on Bay Area roads
Onlookers can be seen and heard reveling in the scene on Clement Street in the Richmond neighborhood. The video was posted to Instagram on April 1.
"Ain't nobody in it," one man is heard saying.
"Oh my god, I have to watch this," says a woman.
The officer initially pulled the vehicle over for not having its headlights on while driving after 10 p.m.
In an email to KTVU, Cruise confirmed the vehicle is part of its driverless ride-hail service, which only operates at night between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. The company said the vehicles' headlights were off due to a human error and the issue has been fixed.
Such stops could foreshadow what happens as more autonomous vehicles take to the streets.
The officer did not issue a ticket, Cruise said.
San Francisco police have not responded to KTVU's inquiries.
Advertisement
Cruise began offering free rides to passengers in their robotic cars earlier this year. | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/video-driverless-car-pulled-over-by-san-francisco-police | 2022-04-12T02:23:30Z | fox32chicago.com | control | https://www.fox32chicago.com/news/video-driverless-car-pulled-over-by-san-francisco-police | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Updated April 10, 2022 at 11:46 AM ET
Taylor Behn-Tsakoza is only 26, and she got Pope Francis to apologize to her.
She is a youth delegate with the Assembly of First Nations, an advocacy organization that represents First Nations citizens. She and other members of a delegation from the organization shared stories with the pope about the impact Canada's residential schools had — and continue to have — on their communities.
Then the earthly head of the Catholic Church apologized.
"I was almost right in front of him, and it actually took a second to register that he said, 'I'm sorry' ... because he was speaking in Italian," she said. "Once the translation had come through, I realized it."
And he told them he hoped to visit Canada in late July to deliver the apology again.
Despite the historic — and unexpected — nature of the event, Behn-Tsakoza was not satisfied as the apology was on behalf of members of the Church who committed abuses against Indigenous children. The delegation wanted him to apologize on behalf of the whole Church, she said.
"I'm hopeful that when he comes to Canada, he will take it that step further," Behn-Tsakoza said.
A member of Fort Nelson First Nation in British Columbia, she has seen the impact of the residential schools in her own family.
Her aunts and uncles attended Lower Post residential school on the border between British Columbia and Yukon before it closed in 1975. Now, Behn-Tsakoza mourns the loss of language and traditions.
"There's a lot that wasn't shared with me just because my grandparents were terrified like what if the church was going to come back or the [Royal Canadian Mounted Police] was going to come back and get us," she told APTN News before meeting the pope.
For more than 100 years, Indigenous children in Canada — like those in Behn-Tsakoza's family — were taken from their communities and forced to attend residential schools, then assimilated into Western, Christian civilization. The Catholic Church ran many of these residential schools, including Lower Post.
Many of these children suffered abuses there, including physical and sexual assaults. Recently, the remains of hundreds of children have been discovered at some of these schools.
Behn-Tsakoza advocates for the Vatican returning stolen artifacts and digitizing records. She also wants Pope Francis to renounce and rescind the Doctrine of Discovery, which was used to back Christian authority over non-Christian people.
There could be a similar reckoning in the United States too, where boarding schools existed. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland has confirmed that a report of her department's investigation into the federal government's oversight of these schools will come out in April, but didn't specify a date.
Behn-Tsakoza remains hopeful for the future of the Indigenous community. And a papal visit to Canada would be meaningful to survivors of residential schools and their children, she said.
According to Behn-Tsakoza, the delegation requested in the March 31 meeting that Pope Francis visit the Kamloops Indian Residential School in British Columbia, which the Catholic Church also operated. A mass grave containing the remains of 215 children was reported there last year.
The delegation made the visit to Rome and requested this because they want him to see and understand the effect that residential schools have had on Indigenous children and their families.
"This trip was for them," she said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.klcc.org/2022-04-03/an-indigenous-youth-delegate-met-with-the-pope-heres-what-she-wants-him-to-do-next | 2022-04-12T02:25:50Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-04-03/an-indigenous-youth-delegate-met-with-the-pope-heres-what-she-wants-him-to-do-next | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
7-Day Weather Forecast for Clarion County
A look at the 7-day weather forecast for the Clarion County area.
Today – A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 5pm. Increasing clouds, with a high near 62. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 10 mph in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 21 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tonight – Showers, mainly before 4am. Low around 45. South wind 5 to 9 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Tuesday – A chance of showers, mainly before 7am. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 65. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Tuesday Night – A chance of showers after 2am. Increasing clouds, with a low around 50. South wind 3 to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
Wednesday – A chance of showers, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Southwest wind 6 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Wednesday Night – Showers and thunderstorms likely before 2am, then a chance of showers between 2am and 5am, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 5am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Thursday – A chance of showers before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 64. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Thursday Night – Partly cloudy, with a low around 40.
Friday – Mostly sunny, with a high near 59.
Friday Night – A chance of showers after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 41. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Saturday – A chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Saturday Night – A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 34. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday – A chance of rain and snow showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 51. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/7-day-weather-forecast-for-clarion-county-2952/ | 2022-04-12T02:29:38Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/7-day-weather-forecast-for-clarion-county-2952/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
CCHRA: Landlord Meeting Scheduled for April 27 at Ramada Inn Clarion
CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – Clarion County and Redevelopment Housing Authority (CCHRA) will be hosting a landlord meeting on April 27, 2022, at the Ramada Inn Clarion.
The meeting will run from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
It will be held at the Ramada Inn Clarion and is open to all landlords.
All participants are asked to RSVP on or before April 18, 2022 to [email protected] or 814-226-8910 extension 114.
CCHRA will be providing a buffet style dinner for the participants to enjoy while attending the informative sessions. The sessions will include topics such as Fair Housing, Tenant Landlord Law, Pest management, Drug Activity, and Programs that CCHRA has to offer. Below is the tentative schedule of events for the evening.
This meeting will also serve as a question-and-answer forum in regards to the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and the other programs available through the Clarion County Housing and Redevelopment Authority.
To stay up to date with CCHRA and this Landlord Meeting make sure to like and follow @ClarionCountyHousingandRedevelopmentAuthority on Facebook.
If you plan to attend the Landlord Meeting, please RSVP on or before April 18, 2022, to [email protected] or 814-226-8910 extension 114.
Contact:
Voice/TTY: (814) 226-8910
Fax: (814) 226-6039
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.clarionhousing.com
Facebook: @ClarionCountyHousingandRedevelopmentAuthority
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/cchra-landlord-meeting-scheduled-for-april-27-at-ramada-inn-clarion/ | 2022-04-12T02:29:44Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/cchra-landlord-meeting-scheduled-for-april-27-at-ramada-inn-clarion/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Chloe Ann Drelick
Chloe Ann Drelick, 77, of Oil City, PA, passed away in her home at 12:23 A.M. Sunday April 10, 2022.
Born April 1, 1945 in Washington D.C., she was the daughter of the late Elmer & Thelma Bussey Smith.
Chloe was married in the Assumption B.V.M. Church on June 25, 1966 to Bruce A. Drelick and he survives.
Mrs. Drelick was a cosmetologist for many years and operated Giesla’s Beauty Shop.
She was a member of the 7th Day Adventist Church in Seneca.
In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Lisa Greathouse, and her husband Richard of Oil City; a grandson, Will Greathouse, and his wife Alyssa, and their daughters, Nora and Ava.
She was preceded in death by a brother Elmer “Pete” Smith.
There will be no viewing or visitation.
Services will take place at the convenience of the family.
The Reinsel funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Condolences may be sent at www.reinselfuneralhome.com.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/chloe-ann-drelick/ | 2022-04-12T02:29:50Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/chloe-ann-drelick/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Clarion County Adoptable Pet of the Week: Chloe
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 12:04 AM
This week’s Clarion County Adoptable Pet of the Week sponsored by the Clarion Federal Credit Union: Chloe.
Chloe is an adult female Pit Bull Terrier mix.
She is house-trained, spayed, and her vaccinations are up-to-date.
According to Tri-County Animal Rescue Center, Chloe was brought to the rescue center when her owner had to enter a nursing home.
She knows the commands sit and shake.
For more information on Chloe, or to schedule an appointment to visit her, visit Tri-County Animal Rescue Center website here, call 814-918-2032, or email [email protected]
Clarion County Adoptable Pet of the Week is sponsored by Clarion Federal Credit Union. Visit Clarion Federal Credit Union at www.clarionfcu.org for more information.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/clarion-county-adoptable-pet-of-the-week-chloe-3/ | 2022-04-12T02:29:56Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/clarion-county-adoptable-pet-of-the-week-chloe-3/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Clarion County Photo of the Day
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 12:04 AM
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/clarion-county-photo-of-the-day-4-11/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:02Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/clarion-county-photo-of-the-day-4-11/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Deer Creek Winery: Book Club on Monday, Bingo on Tuesday, Mixology Combinations All Month Long!
SHIPPENVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – Deer Creek Winery is offering a Book Club event on Monday night, Bingo on Tuesday night, and Mixology Combinations during the month of April!
Book Club on Monday, April 11
Becky meets with anyone who wants to join to talk about the book of the month from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Participants usually spend half of an hour on the last book the club reads and the other time picking a new book for the month.
The club meets on the second Monday of the month.
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-club-tickets-272163387017
Bingo on Tuesday, April 12
Renee does Bingo with the participants on the second Tuesday of the month from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.
Each ticket comes with a glass of wine. Good Food, Good Friends, Great Wine, and Fun Times!
Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bingo-tickets-272181390867
April Mixology Combinations
Mixology combinations for April for just $5.00 per glass at all locations. Pick up your favorite combinations or order online.
Celebrate every moment of your life with Deer Creek wine!
Riesling for $12.99. A favorite with ham. Very smooth and crisp. Goes perfect with ham…just in time for Easter!
Deer Creek Winery is located at 3333 Soap Fat Road, Shippenville, Pa.
For more information, visit Deer Creek Winery’s website here.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/deer-creek-winery-book-club-on-monday-bingo-on-tuesday-mixology-combinations-all-month-long/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:21Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/deer-creek-winery-book-club-on-monday-bingo-on-tuesday-mixology-combinations-all-month-long/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Draft Bills And Late-Night Emails Reveal Cozy Ties Between Pa. State Lawmaker, Casino Lobbyists
HARRISBURG, Pa. – In the spring of 2019, State Sen. Tommy Tomlinson hosted a news conference in the state Capitol to announce legislation banning thousands of unregulated gaming machines that have popped up in gas stations, convenience stores, bars, social clubs, and other establishments across Pennsylvania.
Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan newsroom powered by The Philadelphia Inquirer in partnership with PennLive/The Patriot-News, TribLIVE/Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, and WITF Public Media. Sign up for our free newsletters.
The slot-like machines, called skill games, are not only largely untaxed, said the Bucks County Republican, but siphon millions from regulated games, including those belonging to the State Lottery.
“These machines are essentially picking the pockets of our senior citizens,” Tomlinson said at the time, referencing lottery revenue that underwrites programs for older Pennsylvanians.
What the public had no way of knowing is that the bill Tomlinson introduced that day was ghostwritten by the gaming industry. At the senator’s request, lobbyists and lawyers for Pennsylvania’s top-earning casino had drafted the bill, and the final text matched that version almost word-for-word.
“Good Morning, Gents,” Ryan Skoczylas, Tomlison’s chief of staff, wrote in an April email with the subject line “Language” to lobbyists for Parx Casino, which is in Tomlinson’s district. “Hope everyone had a great Easter Weekend. Tommy would like to introduce this bill sometime next week. Where are we at with the draft language?”
“Attached is the proposed draft bill,” lawyer and lobbyist Mark Stewart replied within hours, adding that Parx executives were “still in the process of refining it and considering a couple additional concepts.”
The emails — exposed as part of an ongoing lawsuit — offer a rare glimpse of the reach that lobbyists enjoy in the state legislature and the close relationships that sometimes develop between lawmakers and special interests. They also provide a behind-the-scenes look at the bare-knuckle fight over expanding gambling in Pennsylvania, which has pitted the state’s casinos, among others, against companies that produce skill games, some of which resemble casino slots.
At the center of it all: hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue and profit.
In Tomlinson’s case, Parx’s lobbyists also participated in strategic planning sessions with him and drafted talking points and other key documents for his office, emails show.
In a statement, Tomlinson said that consulting with outside experts is “an integral part of the legislative process” and that his office spoke with multiple government agencies and industries affected by unregulated skill games.
As for his 2019 bill, he said, “Although we may have received insight on language, I had the final say on the legislation that was introduced.”
A Parx spokesperson, Pete Shelly, echoed that sentiment and added that as one of the largest employers in Tomlinson’s district, “we absolutely reached out to Sen. Tomlinson. … We are in his district and we know the gaming world as well as anybody.”
Stewart did not respond to multiple requests for comment.
Emails to and from the legislature are normally shielded from public scrutiny, as lawmakers exempted themselves from having to reveal electronic communications when they revamped the state’s public records law in the 2000s.
Emails between Tomlinson’s office and Parx Casino’s lobbyists were unearthed as part of a little-publicized federal lawsuit by Georgia-based Pace-O-Matic, which develops skill games, against Stewart and his law firm, Eckert Seamans Cherin & Mellott.
The lawsuit revolves around accusations that Stewart and Eckert engaged in the legal equivalent of double-dipping by representing Pace-O-Matic while also acting as a lawyer for a competing interest: Parx Casino. Eckert, in court papers, initially denied the allegations but earlier this year stipulated that the firm had not obtained “informed consent” from Pace-O-Matic when it decided to represent Parx.
In Pennsylvania, 1,150 registered lobbyists representing a wide array of businesses and industries court lawmakers in the hopes of influencing public policy. The very nature of their job requires them to research and analyze legislation, monitor bills, regularly attend legislative and regulatory hearings, and remain in frequent contact with people in positions of power.
The lobbying industry describes itself as a “legitimate and necessary part of our democratic political process,” according to the National Institute for Lobbying & Ethics, which represents lobbyists and government affairs professionals and promotes professionalism and ethical standards in the industry.
Good-government experts say having partisan interests writing bill language — which has become increasingly common in statehouses nationwide — harms public confidence in government.
“This can create a potential tension,” said Pete Quist, deputy research director at OpenSecrets, a nonprofit research and government transparency group that tracks money in politics and its impact on elections and policy.
“Elected officials should be representing what they view as the public interest, whereas the lobbyist is representing the interest of the client, and the public must rely on the legislator to recognize when that difference is or is not contradictory.”
‘The game plan’
In Pennsylvania, lobbying around gambling has been fierce since the state legalized slot machines in 2004. Since then, lawmakers have vastly expanded the types of games people can pay to play — including table games, online gaming, fantasy sports, and sports betting — and where they can play them.
One remaining sore spot? Skill games.
Critics argue that skill games are not authorized by the state’s gambling law. Because they are not regulated by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board, skill games are not taxed like other gambling devices. The state’s 16 casinos and mini-casinos, by comparison, pay a steep, 54% tax on revenues from slot machines.
Manufacturers such as Pace-O-Matic counter that skill games aren’t casino gambling, as they rely on a level of cognitive and physical player ability, rather than on pure chance, to get a successful outcome.
They also note their machines financially benefit the establishments that house them, including many small, family-run businesses that get a cut of the revenue. Pace-O-Matic, for instance, said it provides store owners with a 40% cut of the revenue from its machines. State officials estimate there are more than 50,000 machines across the state.
Casino owners want legislation banning skill games and argue that legalization would further cannibalize the state’s already over-saturated gambling landscape. Skill-games operators and distributors would prefer laws to tax and regulate their industry — although they have benefited financially from legislative stasis over how to best confront the issue.
Both sides have hired top lobbyists and lawyers and have landed allies in the legislature who have introduced competing bills in recent years.
Tomlinson, a veteran lawmaker who played a pivotal role in ushering in the 2004 gambling law, is one of the most vocal advocates for banning skill games. He’s found a sympathetic ear in the State Police — which has seized some of the machines, leading to prolonged litigation — and the State Lottery, which contends the games eat into its revenue.
Though casinos, like most businesses, took a direct financial hit when they shut down during the pandemic, they have made an eye-popping comeback. Last year, in fact, was a record year for gambling revenue, with the industry pulling in just over $4.7 billion.
Even within that windfall, Parx distinguished itself as the top-earning casino in Pennsylvania. It topped the charts last year in revenue from slot machines ($409 million) and table games ($207 million) and was among the top five for revenue from iGaming and sports wagering, according to the state Gaming Control Board.
Though casinos were banned from making campaign donations for the first 15 years of legalized gambling in Pennsylvania, a federal court ruling in late 2018 removed that barrier. Since that time, Parx’s chairman, Robert W. Green, has contributed $323,500 from his political action committee, the 2999 Group, to various candidates across the state, according to campaign finance reports.
Tomlinson, records show, has received $10,000 from that PAC since 2020, when it was first launched.
Skill-games operators and manufacturers also contributed big money during that same time frame to state lawmakers and other elected officials — just under $680,000. Last summer, however, several high-ranking senators, including the top Democrat and Republican in the chamber, returned donations they had received from the skill-game industry, citing the fact that it was still unregulated.
Parx’s lobbyists and executives appeared to take some credit for the reversal. “When the parade changes direction, run around to the front of it,” Parx’s chief operating officer wrote in a June 2021 email.
Dick Gmerek, a top Harrisburg lobbyist representing Parx, responded, “We all pushed the parade in That direction … with Rommy’s help obviously.” Gmerek did not respond to requests for comment about his emails, including clarifying whether “Rommy” referred to Tomlinson.
In 2019, when Tomlinson introduced his bill, the new, two-year legislative session had just started, and the fight over skill games was being waged in both the Capitol and the courts. In early April of that year, emails show, lobbyists for Parx met with Tomlinson and Skoczylas, his chief of staff, to strategize about Tomlinson’s bill.
“The game plan Tommy laid out is as follows,” Gmerek wrote in an April 9 email to Stewart, Sean Schafer, and two Parx executives, including Green. (Schafer is another Parx lobbyist and a former Tomlinson aide.)
The plan, according to Gmerek’s email, included Tomlinson calling a meeting of casino lobbyists to divvy up calls to senators to take their pulse on the issue and report back to Tomlinson. That meeting, subsequent emails show, was scheduled for mid-April in Tomlinson’s office.
A few days after that meeting, Skoczylas emailed Gmerek, Schafer, and Stewart seeking draft language for a bill banning skill games. Stewart followed up within hours with a proposal, and again on April 30 with a revised version.
On May 15, Skoczylas sent the lobbyists the most up-to-date version of the bill, which included a few edits from Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s office: “Got this back from the Govs office. Let us know what you think.”
Another staffer from Tomlinson’s office a week later emailed the lobbyists with the proposal’s final language, asking for input.
The bill that Tomlinson introduced at the end of the month contained near-identical language to the draft that Parx’s lobbyists had drawn up.
‘Talking points’
The next year, when the pandemic began, legislative activity focused on dealing with its fallout.
But by that summer, as budget negotiations unfolded, top GOP leaders in the state Senate, including then-Majority Leader Jake Corman of Centre County, began pushing behind the scenes for a gambling expansion bill that would legalize, regulate, and tax skill games.
Parx’s lobbyists quickly went to work, emails show.
On June 22, at about half past midnight, Stewart emailed Gmerek telling him: “Have about 7 or 8 amendments ready to go. Will get to you tomorrow early in case.”
What would be more helpful, Gmerek replied at 7:40 a.m., are documents and charts detailing the stark differences between casino and non-casino games, including skill games.
Minutes later, at 7:46, Gmerek emailed one of his associates and copied Stewart, with the subject line: “JUNE 2020 TOMLINSON SKILL GAME TALKING POINTS.” Attached was a list with headlines such as “You’ve Got To Be Kidding Me,” “A Pig In A Poke,” and “Is This The Pennsylvania You Want To Create?”
The emails do not show whether the talking points made their way to Tomlinson, and whether he used them. That morning, however, Republican senators met behind closed doors to discuss the plan, with Tomlinson telling PennLive: “We shouldn’t be pushing this thing at all as long as our casinos aren’t up and running 100%. We are thumbing our nose at their economic distress.”
The effort fizzled. But that fall, with just weeks left before the end of the 2019-20 legislative session, a key state Senate committee chaired by then-Sen. Tom Killion (R., Delaware) held a hearing on a bill championed by Corman that would legalize and regulate skill games.
The day before the Oct. 6 hearing, Schafer emailed Gmerek, Stewart, and several Parx executives, including Green.
“I think I will personally watch the hearing from Tommy’s office,” Schafer wrote at 12:23 p.m. “It is safer and makes sense. We could probably accommodate safely a good 8 to 10 people in Tommy’s office if anyone else wants to join I’ll arrange it.”
He added: “Additionally, Tommy still wants to do dinner to go over questions. Any questions give me a call.”
At the hearing, Tomlinson was clear: “To get any compromise is going to be very difficult.”
The 2019-20 session ended without any changes to the law or resolution over how to best handle skill games.
‘Tommy will adapt it to his needs’
The debate over skill games has spilled into the current legislative session, which ends in November, although a deal again seems elusive.
Gambling expansion has for years been an area legislators explore when they need new dollars. But at the moment, the state is flush with cash, thanks to unspent federal COVID-19 relief dollars.
Still, the issue has been on the legislature’s radar. In June of last year, State Sen. John Yudichak (I., Luzerne) convened a hearing on what was billed as the “sustainability of gaming” in the state.
In the days leading up to the hearing, Parx’s lobbyists prepared a one-page document with talking points and questions for Tomlinson.
“I could tweak this a little but I think it’s good as it is. Tommy will adapt it to his needs anyway,” Stewart wrote in a June 11, 2021, email to Gmerek and an Eckert Seamans colleague.
In this session, Tomlinson — who plans to retire at the end of 2022 — has again introduced a bill banning skill games. A competing bill has been championed by State Sen. Gene Yaw (R., Lycoming) to tax and regulate them. Among Yaw’s arguments for doing so: Skill games provide much-needed revenue to bars, small businesses, and service organizations, including chapters of the Veterans of Foreign Wars and the American Legion.
Casino lobbyists scoffed at the argument.
“I just puked in my mouth,” Stewart wrote to Gmerek on April 14 of last year, after being forwarded an op-ed by an owner of a small Pennsylvania supermarket that has skill-games machines. The owner said the games had helped the store’s revenue and enabled him to provide health coverage to employees.
Gmerek’s response: “He could also sell cocaine and have the same result.”
WHILE YOU’RE HERE … If you learned something from this story, pay it forward and become a member of Spotlight PA so someone else can in the future at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/draft-bills-and-late-night-emails-reveal-cozy-ties-between-pa-state-lawmaker-casino-lobbyists/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:27Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/draft-bills-and-late-night-emails-reveal-cozy-ties-between-pa-state-lawmaker-casino-lobbyists/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Featured Local Job: Full-Time Machinists and Welder/Fabricators
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 01:04 PM
Charles Machine, Inc. has immediate openings for Full-time Machinists & Welder/Fabricators.
Founded in 1978, their family-owned, full-service machine shop, including a welding and fabricating facility encompasses 57,000 square feet and serves all types of heavy industries.
Join the Charles Machine, Inc. family of employees today!
Machinist:
- CNC experience is a plus, but will train the right motivated people
- Must possess very strong math skills
Welder/Fabricator:
- Mig, Tig, stick all metals & knowledge of working with drawings & blueprints a plus
- Position is alternating 1st and 2nd shifts
Requirements:
- Pass pre-employment drug screening
- Reliable
- Must be able to lift, bend, twist, push and pull during shift
- Abide by all safety protocols
- Steel-Toed Boots
At Charles Machine, Inc. success begins with…
- Competitive Hourly Pay – Non-Exempt
- $1.25 Per Hour 2nd Shift Differential
- Annual Bonus
- Simple IRA Retirement Plan with Company Matching Program
- Paid Holidays
- Paid Vacation
- Medical, Prescription & Vision Insurance
- Company Paid Disability & Life Insurance
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply in person at:
10037 Olean Trl
Summerville, PA 15864
Monday – Friday 8 am to 3:30 pm. Please be prepared for an on-the-spot interview.
www.charlesmachine.com
https://www.facebook.com/CharlesMachineInc
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/featured-local-job-full-time-machinists-and-welderfabricators/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:33Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/featured-local-job-full-time-machinists-and-welderfabricators/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Featured Local Job: Lumber/ Yard Sales/ CDL Redi-Mix Concrete Driver
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 08:04 AM
Heeter Lumber currently has an opening for an experienced CDL truck driver to load and deliver customer orders including redi-mix concrete at their New Bethlehem location.
Responsibilities:
- Greeting and assisting customers
- Load customer orders
- Build loads for delivery and deliver to customer location
- Load, unload, and stock: lumber, building supplies, hardware, & redi-mix concrete
- Operate forklift & front end loader
- Prepare customer custom cut orders
- Clean and maintain lumber yard, hardware store, and deliver vehicles
- Inspect vehicles for mechanical items and safety issues and perform preventative maintenance
- Comply with truck driving rules and regulations (size, weight, route designations, parking and break periods) as well as with company policies and procedures
- Maneuver trucks into loading or unloading positions
- Document and log work/rest periods and miles spent driving and retain fuel receipts
- Collect and verify delivery instructions
- Report defects, accidents or violations
Skills:
- Proven work experience as a truck driver
- Extensive knowledge of applicable truck driving rules and regulations
- No recent moving or driving violations
- Adaptability and foresight to handle unexpected situations (traffic, weather conditions etc)
- Valid CDL license
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: $14.00 – $20.00 per hour
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- 401(k) matching
- Health insurance
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
Schedule:
- 8 hour shift
- Overtime
- Weekend availability
Education:
- High school or equivalent (Preferred)
License/Certification:
- Commercial Driver License (Required)
Apply one of the following ways:
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/featured-local-job-lumber-yard-sales-cdl-redi-mix-concrete-driver/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:39Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/featured-local-job-lumber-yard-sales-cdl-redi-mix-concrete-driver/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Frank George Rick
Frank George Rick, 92, a well-known resident of 114 Gilfillan Street, Franklin, died peacefully at 2:45 PM Friday, April 8, 2022.
He was born in Allison Park, Allegheny County on September 20, 1929, a beloved son of the late: Francis George Rick and Rachel Leora Heverline Rick.
Frank was a 1948 graduate of Sandy Lake High School.
Mr. Rick had owned and operated Rick’s Tree and Crane Service in Franklin for more than 40 years, before retiring in 2014.
He was an extremely hard worker all of his life.
In his earlier years, he assisted his family with their large produce farm in New Lebanon.
As time grew, he began the dairy operations at the farm, and was well-known throughout the Sandy Lake area where he would cheerfully deliver his farm’s milk before going to school each day.
He was an avid outdoorsman, who loved to hunt and fish in his earlier years.
Family was paramount in his life.
He cherished the time he was able to share, being an integral part of his children’s and grandchildren’s lives.
He looked forward to vacations to Florida and New Mexico.
He will be deeply missed by all those who loved him!
He was married October 7, 1965 to the former Gloria Viola Crispen Boyer, who preceded him in death.
He is survived by a daughter, Mary E. Zinz and her husband, Michael; a son, Brett E. Rick all of Franklin; and by a step-daughter, Crystal Rae Boyer Raymos of Gainesville, FL.
Also surviving are his grandchildren: Lorraine Cochran and her husband, Ben; Katherine Zinz; and Erica Rick; in addition to his great-grandchildren: Michael Cochran; Benjamin Cochran; David Rick; and Devin Stockwell.
In addition to his beloved wife and parents, Mr. Rick was preceded in death by an infant son; a sister, Jean Ferlin; and by his step-daughter, Sherri Lynn Boyer Monroe.
In keeping with his wishes, there will be no public visitation.
Memorial contributions, if desired, may be directed in his name to the Venango County Humane Society, 286 South Main Street, Seneca, PA 16346.
Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Timothy E. Hartle Funeral Home, 1328 Elk Street, Franklin.
Please visit: www.hartlefuneralhome.com for further information and to leave your note of condolence.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/frank-george-rick/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:45Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/frank-george-rick/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Larry H. Stanley
Larry H. Stanley, 86, of Seneca, died Thursday night, April 7, 2022 at UPMC Hamot Hospital in Erie, following a brief illness.
He was born in Oil City on April 1, 1936 to the late Homer A. and Mildred (Fry) Stanley.
Larry was a 1954 graduate of Cranberry High School.
He also attended DeVry in Chicago and studied electrical courses.
He served in the U.S. Army from 1959 through 1961.
He loved the Lord and attended Faith Baptist Church in Seneca.
In his earlier years, Larry enjoyed hunting and camping.
He also enjoyed spending many winters in Lakeland, Florida, and playing golf there.
He was employed with Penelec for over thirty years, retiring in 1994 as supervisor of electrical equipment.
He was married in Venus on June 30, 1962 to the former Carole J. Rickenbrode, and she survives.
Also surviving is a daughter, Sandra “Sandy” Wygant and her husband Jamie of Erie; and two grandchildren, Cassidy and Jacob Wygant of Erie.
Numerous nieces and nephews also survive, include a very special niece, Lisa Gilbert of Oil City.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Donna Heffern and her husband Bill; and a nephew, Rod Whitmore.
Visitation will be held Wednesday (April 13) from 1 – 3 and 6 – 8 p.m. in Hile-Best Funeral Home, 2781 Rte. 257 in Seneca.
A funeral service will be held in the funeral home Thursday (April 14) at 11 a.m. officiated by Pastor Larry Williams of Faith Baptist Church.
Private interment will follow in Heckathorn Cemetery in Seneca.
Memorial contributions may be made to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, PO Box 91891, Washington D.C., 20090; or to Faith Baptist Church, 235 Horsecreek Rd., Seneca, PA 16346.
Online condolences can be shared by visiting www.hilebest.com.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/larry-h-stanley/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:51Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/larry-h-stanley/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Must-See: Redbank Valley’s Wagner Drawing Crowds, Oohs and Ahhs, When He Throws the Discus
NEW BETHLEHEM, Pa. (EYT/D9) — The word is out on Cam Wagner.
He’s drawing a crowd. Curious onlookers want to get a glimpse of the Redbank Valley junior as he steps into the throwing circle and gets ready to launch a discus.
Far.
(Photo by Madison McFarland)
They crowd around the cage. Draw quiet as he spins. Erupt when the discus spins into the landing zone.
It’s a must-see event at Bulldog meets these days.
“It’s a compliment, for sure,” Wagner said.
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
It’s also a lot of pressure. But, Wagner is delivering.
Wagner recently unleashed his best throw yet in the discus at 160 feet, 10 inches.
It’s the second farthest throw in the state this season, according to milesplit.com, and puts Wagner again among the best in Pennsylvania.
That 160-10 throw was modest in comparison to what he was hitting during warmups.
State-championship-winning stuff.
The discus was flying.
“I was hitting around 170 feet, I’m assuming, in warmups,” Wagner said. “In the meet, though, I kind of think it gets into my head. I mean, it makes me feel like I can do it again and again and again. When it gets down to the meet, I think too much.”
Shutting off his brain and blocking out the crowd is Wagner’s next step in his throwing development.
Last year, as a sophomore, Wagner was able to place fourth at the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the discus with a throw of 155-9 in Class AA.
Rushard Williams of Wyomissing won the state title with a distance of 169-7.
Wagner’s best throw last season was 157-1.
He’s already blown past that.
Wagner is still fine-tuning his technique.
“There’s only about two things I need to work on,” he said. “I need to work on my legs and their speed, and it seems like I throw the discus too high in the air. I need to keep it lower. I’ve been working on that stuff in practice.”
Wagner doesn’t shy away from that challenge.
He is a mainstay in the weight room and often goes to practice early and stays late to work on his throws.
Even the weekends aren’t off-limits when it comes to ironing out the kinks in his technique.
It’s all with one goal in mind.
A gold medal around his neck.
“I mean, it’d be just amazing to get that,” Wagner said. “It would be quite an experience.”
Wagner fell just short of a state title this fall as a member of the Redbank Valley football team.
Wagner was a quarterback behind Bryson Bain and Gunner Mangiantini on the depth chart. As a sophomore, he filled in for Mangiantini and won a playoff game.
He should get another crack at the starting job in the fall as a senior.
“If I’m not the main guy, I still show up every day,” Wagner said. “I still make sure I’m doing what I need to do to make the team better. I’m a team guy. I care more about the team and how we do as a whole rather than just me. If I do well, that’s a plus.”
Wagner feels like he can help the Bulldogs’ boys track and field team do big things this season. He also feels like he’s right where he wants to be at this stage for the season, building toward his best performance on the biggest stage at the end of May.
With lots of people watching.
“It feels amazing,” Wagner said. “It feels like all the work I’ve been putting in throughout my entire life has really been contributing to everything.”
Redbank Valley, Keystone, and Union/A-C Valley sports coverage on Explore and D9Sports.com is brought to you by Heeter Lumber.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/must-see-redbank-valleys-wagner-drawing-crowds-oohs-and-ahhs-when-he-throws-the-discus/ | 2022-04-12T02:30:57Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/must-see-redbank-valleys-wagner-drawing-crowds-oohs-and-ahhs-when-he-throws-the-discus/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Police: Man Caught on Video Stealing Cash from Motel 6
MONROE TWP., Pa. (EYT) – A 46-year-old man is facing charges after he reportedly stole cash from the Motel 6 in Monroe Township earlier last month.
According to court documents, Clarion-based State Police filed criminal charges against Steven Wilkinson Bussen Sr. at Magisterial District Judge Timothy P. Schill’s office on Thursday, April 7.
Bussen is facing one second-degree misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking.
According to a criminal complaint, Clarion-based State Police responded to the Motel 6 on United Drive in Monroe Township, Clarion County, on March 14, around 8:37 a.m.
The manager of the motel told police that a guest of the hotel went behind the front desk and removed $151.00 cash from the cash drawer at approximately 3:45 a.m. The guest was identified as Steven Bussen.
Troopers reviewed surveillance video from the front desk and observed Bussen walking around the Motel 6 lobby at approximately 3:45 a.m. Bussen then went behind the front desk and took the money from the cash drawer before walking down the main hallway, away from the lobby, the complaint states.
The manager said Bussen checked into the hotel on March 13, at approximately 7:12 p.m., and was wearing the same clothes as he was during the theft, the complaint indicates.
Police also viewed surveillance video that showed Bussen exit the hotel and get into an older model, dark colored Cadillac sedan. Police attempted to make contact with Bussen in his hotel room; however, he wasn’t there and they were unable to locate him. Investigators also confirmed that Bussen owns a 1996 Cadillac Deville bearing NY registration.
Bussen is currently awaiting a preliminary hearing.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/police-man-caught-on-video-stealing-cash-from-motel-6/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:03Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/police-man-caught-on-video-stealing-cash-from-motel-6/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Knox Woman Scammed Out of Nearly $3K in Online Job Interview
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 12:04 AM
KNOX BOROUGH, Pa. (EYT) – A Knox woman was scammed out of $2,775.00 involving an online job interview.
According to Clarion-based State Police, the incident occurred on March 17 around 8:00 a.m. in Knox Borough, Clarion County, involving a known 33-year-old Knox woman.
Police say the Knox woman interviewed for a job online for Energyempiregroup.net.
The woman gave $2,775.00 to the company via Venmo and Zelle for supplies; however, she was never accepted for the job.
PSP Clarion released the above report on Monday, April 11, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/police-report-8/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:09Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/police-report-8/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Say What?!: International ‘Louie Louie’ Day Celebrates Birthday of Songwriter Richard Berry
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 12:04 AM
International “Louie Louie” Day, celebrated annually on April 11, was started by a group of online fans in 2003 and pays tribute to the song originally recorded by R&B group Richard Berry and The Pharaohs in 1957.
The holiday began in 2003, when an online group for fans of the oft-covered song proposed celebrating it on April 11, the birthday of songwriter Richard Berry.
Read the full story here.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/say-what-international-louie-louie-day-celebrates-birthday-of-songwriter-richard-berry/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:22Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/say-what-international-louie-louie-day-celebrates-birthday-of-songwriter-richard-berry/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Clarion Area’s Junior High Science Olympiad Team Headed to States
CLARION, Pa. – Clarion Area’s junior high team recently brought home a second place trophy from the Northwest Regional Science Olympiad competition, medaling in sixteen out of twenty-three events.
(Article written by Lauren Winters. Photo above: Junior high team from left to right – Front row–Natalie Durish, Brian Fox, Billy Kahle, Chris Kim Back row–Lindsay Schmader, Alicyn Burford, Victor Troese, Carson Bills, Prathmesh Singh. Photo by Tracy Durish.)
Teammates cheered for those who were competing in each event, providing support to one another as they earned the scores needed to make it to the state competition. The school is proud of the team’s accomplishments and will soon have a sendoff to celebrate the students’ advancement to the state competition on April 29 at Penn State Altoona.
Clarion Area Jr.-Sr. High School Principal Mrs. Miller-Martini commented: “I couldn’t be more proud of you all and the fact that every detail matters to you students, which shows how much effort you put forth. Our Science Olympiad team has represented the Bobcat Family well.”
Junior High Students
1st Place
Experimental Design – Natalie Durish, Lindsay Schmader, and Alicyn Burford
Green Generation – Chris Kim and Billy Kahle
Mousetrap Vehicle – Natalie Durish and Alicyn Burford
Ornithology – Chris Kim and Billy Kahle
2nd Place
Bridge – Brian Fox and Zoey Ketterer
Dynamic Planet – Alicyn Burford
Ping Pong Parachute – Victor Troese and Prathmesh Singh
Solar System – Billy Kahle and Lindsay Schmader
Storm the Castle – Brian Fox and Carson Bills
Write It Do It – Linsay Schmader and Alicyn Burford
3rd Place
Anatomy – Prathmesh Singh
Crave the Wave – Chris Kim and Billy Kahle
Disease Detective – Natalie Durish and Prathmesh Singh
Food Science – Victor Troese and Prathmesh Singh
Mission Possible – Natalie Durish and Alicyn Burford
Road Scholar – Chris Kim and Billy Kahle
Senior High Students
1st Place
Environmental Chemistry – Prakhar Singh and Madilyn Baker
3rd Place
Bridges – Blaise Cunningham and Maya Wilshire
4th Place
Forensics – Lauren Winters and Gabe Martz
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/science-olympiad-article1/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:28Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/science-olympiad-article1/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Shirley Jane (Crooks) Pence
Shirley Jane (Crooks) Pence, age 97 of New Bethlehem, was born in Distant, Armstrong County, on March 8, 1925, to Clyde and Orie Bowser Crooks.
She passed away of natural causes at Edgewood Heights in New Bethlehem on Sunday morning, April 10, 2022.
At a very young age, she had a deep appreciation for family such as aunts, uncles, grandparents and cousins, as she was an only child.
Living her life to the fullest meant intentionally developing meaningful relationships with family, working hard, having adventures through travel and giving generously to her children and grandchildren.
Shirley was proud to say she had been in every state in the union, every country in Europe and every province in Canada.
After graduating from New Bethlehem High School in 1943, Shirley set off to work for Bell Aircraft, in Buffalo, New York as an electrician during World War II.
During her employment there she was asked to play on the company’s all women’s softball team.
Shirley often spoke of her talents as a short stop and a pitcher.
She returned home to wed Vern Pence February 11, 1945, and together the couple began to form a legacy of entrepreneurialism.
They resided in Springside and worked together to build the Ritchie Bus Company.
The couple had four children; Christopher Pence married to Linda Shoup; Clyde Pence married to Arleen Shreckengost; Curt Pence married to Sherry Cassaboom, and Penny (Pence) Neely married to William “Bud” Neely.
While raising her family some of her many jobs included bookkeeper, school bus driver, soda jerk, milk truck driver, night nurse, and delivery driver for H & R Block.
Shirley was the owner of several successful businesses: The first soft serve custard stand in the area, selling mobile homes, owning and operating three rest homes; Crooks Home in New Bethlehem, Pence Retreat in Brookville and Laurel Haven in Brookville.
As her last business endeavor, Shirley purchased a restaurant/bar called the Honey Tree in Ford City.
Shirley had a desire to keep her family together and did so through the building of a beautiful home on the Allegheny River.
The river front property has been a gathering place for family and friends for over 50 years.
In 1975 she retired and bought a home in Sarasota, Florida and loved being a snowbird because she had the best of both worlds.
Shirley is survived by twelve grandchildren, thirty great grandchildren and four great great grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, her youngest son, Curtis Howard Pence, who lost his life in a boating accident on April 18, 1973, and a granddaughter, Jamie (Minich) Merritt as well as a great granddaughter, Julia Dawn Merritt.
Family and friends will be received from 6 to 8 pm, Wednesday, April 13, 2022, at the Rupert Funeral Home and Cremation Service chapel, 233 Penn Street, New Bethlehem.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 14, 2022, in the funeral home chapel with Reverend Jimmy Swogger officiating.
Interment will follow in the Oakland Cemetery in Distant.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Edgewood Heights “Porch Project,” 612 Keck Avenue, New Bethlehem, PA 16242
Online condolences may be sent to Shirley’s family at www.rupertfuneralhomes.com.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/shirley-jane-crooks-pence/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:34Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/shirley-jane-crooks-pence/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SPONSORED: Hop into Savings This Month at Clarion Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram
Monday, April 11, 2022 @ 12:04 AM
Check out this month’s deals happening now at Clarion Ford.
Get 0% financing for 48 months AND $1,500 cash back on a new 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee WK Laredo 4×4.
Get 0% financing for 36 months OR $1,000 cash allowance on a new 2022 Jeep Compass Limited 4×4.
Receive $1,250 cash allowance on a new 2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 4×4.
Get 0% financing for 72 months on a new 2022 Ram 1500 Bighorn Quad Cab 4×4.
Receive 0% financing for 72 months on a new 2021 Dodge Durango.
Visit them on Main Street in Clarion for friendly smiles during normal business hours or at the all-new website: www.clarionauto.com.
Remember: “Nobody Beats Us!”
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-hop-into-savings-this-month-at-clarion-chrysler-dodge-jeep-ram/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:40Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-hop-into-savings-this-month-at-clarion-chrysler-dodge-jeep-ram/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Penn Highlands Healthcare Offers Cutting-Edge Tendonitis Relief in Clarion
We all know someone who’s suffered from jumper’s knee, tennis elbow, plantar fasciitis or hip bursitis as well as a throbbing shoulder or an aching Achilles tendon? They’re all forms of a condition known as tendinitis, which occurs when a tendon becomes irritated, inflamed, or suffers microscopic tears. The toughest part about tendinitis is that it’s often caused by the activities we love or just the normal wear and tear of everyday life.
If you can relate, there’s good news. You can now get relief right in the Clarion area. Christopher Varacallo, DO, CAQSM, FAAFP, who practices interventional orthopedics and sports medicine at the Clarion Community Medical Building on Holiday Inn Road in Clarion, uses a new cutting-edge product called the TenJet to remove degenerative or diseased tissue from a tendon. Dr. Varacallo is the only physician in the region using the TenJet technology.
“TenJet is having a very positive impact on the lives of my patients,” said Dr. Varacallo. “Traditionally, most tendinitis could only be treated with surgery. Now, this has emerged as a microinvasive—meaning even less than minimally invasive — outpatient solution to target the source of chronic tendon pain with many of the same benefits as surgery.”
A tendon is the thick and flexible but inelastic cord that attaches muscle to bone. Tendinitis can occur from a single injury, but in many cases, it happens when a patient repeats the same motion over and over. (In sports medicine, “overuse injuries” account for 30 to 50% of all injuries.) It makes the most common movements like walking, cooking or swinging a golf club uncomfortable.
The TenJet technology uses a pressurized, high-velocity stream of saline that shoots from a needle which passes through the skin to flush out and remove the degenerative tissue. With ultrasound imaging, Dr. Varacallo navigates the needle to access the site of tendinitis while preserving the healthy tendon. Patients can typically undergo a local anesthetic, and many TenJet procedures are complete in under 30 minutes. The device delivers fast results and can be closed with medical tape or a bandage (no stitches). Typically, patients can return to their normal activities in just one day.
In addition, the TenJet process offers another significant advantage over some other less invasive solutions – it has a lasting effect. In 2019, Dr. Varacallo participated in a nationally recognized research study that was presented at the National Sports Medicine Conference in Houston, which hosts orthopedic practitioners from all around the world. The results of the study indicated that six months after their procedure, more than 80% of patients with elbow pain experienced almost complete resolution to their former condition.
“This technology is for just about anyone,” said Dr. Varacallo. “While other more invasive procedures might leave some patients with scarring or some degree of pain, this newer technology allows patients with a wide range of circumstances to fully rebound — sometimes literally.”
Dr. Varacallo’s youngest patient for this procedure was an 18-year-old basketball player who had been considering surgery for jumper’s knee. The athlete returned to the court within weeks after undergoing the procedure. His eldest patient was in their 90s and appreciated the gentle recovery.
One patient in her early 60s, shared about her tenotomy experience. After suffering from tendinitis in her hips for almost five years, she met with Dr. Varacallo to find a more permanent solution than the cortisone shots she’d received every three months for the past two years.
“I told Dr. Varacallo I’d do anything that could possibly end my pain for good,” she said. “The whole procedure only took 10 or 15 minutes for each hip. Afterward, I was able to drive myself home!”
She went on to describe her rapid recovery. “The incision was honestly a pinpoint. Dr. Varacallo covered it with a bandage, and I went home to rest for the day. I was a little sore, but I healed within just a couple days. It was a very quick recovery.”
As part of the Penn Highlands Orthopedics and Sports Medicine team, Dr. Varacallo is the supervising physician for Curwensville Area and works in collaboration with athletic trainers from the region’s school districts (DuBois, Brockway, Brookville, Clearfield, and St. Marys, including Elk County Catholic), along with the DuBois Dream, Penn State DuBois and Clarion University.
In addition to TenJet tendinitis treatment, Dr. Varacallo specializes in orthopedic care and surgery, concussion treatment, sports medicine and non-surgical orthopedic care. He sees patients in the Penn Highlands Healthcare Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Office in the Clarion Community Medical Building at 265 Holiday Inn Drive in Clarion.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-penn-highlands-healthcare-offers-cutting-edge-tendonitis-relief-in-clarion/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:46Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-penn-highlands-healthcare-offers-cutting-edge-tendonitis-relief-in-clarion/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Meadows Frozen Custard Shop Is for Sale
CLARION, Pa. (EYT) – The Meadows Original Frozen Custard in Clarion is for sale.
Owners Rosary and Jason Pennington opened the popular shop in July of 2010 along State Route 68, beside the Clarion Mall, specializing in frozen custard cones, sundaes, and shakes. For years, the shop has been the center for the community to enjoy summer nights with a favorite frozen treat and has really incorporated itself into the ever-thriving Clarion business community.
“We’ve been doing it for 12 years, and I think we’ve poured a lot of our heart and soul into it and getting it to where it is now,” Rosary Pennington explained. “But, we’re both ready to start enjoying a little more free time in our lives.”
Rosary, who also works as a school counselor at Clarion Area High School, is immensely grateful for the time they have served as owners of the store.
“It was a hard decision to make because we have put so much blood, sweat, and tears into the place,” she said. “I think we both agree that we want to see it stay a staple in the community as it’s become, not only here, but in nearby communities, too.”
It truly has become a staple in the community, but customers can be assured that the sale does not mark the end of its tenure in the community, nor does it mean much will change.
“We would really like to sell it to somebody who plans to continue to keep that a tradition and staple in the community,” Rosary said. “We do a lot of events, so we meet a lot of people out-and-about at ALF and the Peanut Butter festival because we do have the mobile ice cream truck that people have come to know. We do events as big as that and events like graduation parties and weddings. We’ve met a lot of people along the way, made a lot of relationships, and I hope that the new owners would continue that.”
The Penningtons were frequenters of The Meadows location in DuBois in the past and the dream of owning their own location was rooted not only in those times but also, as Jason noted, the origins were much simpler.
“It started with just enjoying the product,” he said. “We used to go to DuBois to eat (at The Meadows) all the time and we said, “Wouldn’t it be cool to own a Meadows and eat it anytime?”
And, it was cool, indeed.
It took some time, as every business does, to take flight and be successful in the community, but after that, it was smooth sailing, according to the Penningtons.
“I think it took a little bit of time for the name to get ingrained in the local community. A lot of word of mouth helped – people being satisfied, and maybe people were devoted to their ice cream place that they frequented,” Rosary said. “But, within about five years, it started taking ground and everything was going well. Obviously, we had setbacks with COVID-19 and things of that nature, but over the last three years, we’ve really seen our customer base grow and solidify with our returning customers, as well.”
The store will operate as usual until a new buyer can be found.
“We are a franchise, so there is an ability for new owners to get the franchise to come in and get that training that they can pay for, or we could include that service to someone new coming in. We would be their mentors, if you will,” Rosary noted.
The Meadows Original Frozen Custard was established in the summer of 1950 when J.V., Richard, and Delbert Meadows opened a small custard stand in Duncansville, Pa.
According to The Penningtons, “The Meadows has been a wonderful franchise to be part of under the current ownership. Steve (Gardner) is truly awesome to work with.”
Steven Gardner, President of The Meadows Franchise Systems, Inc., has been involved in The Meadows for nearly 30 years.
The franchise currently has 25 locations across the Northeast region.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-the-meadows-frozen-custard-shop-is-for-sale/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:52Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/sponsored-the-meadows-frozen-custard-shop-is-for-sale/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
State Police Calls: Clarion Walmart Reports Retail Theft of Over $3K in Breast Milk Pumps, Calculators
CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – Clarion-based State Police responded to the following calls:
Retail Theft in Monroe Township
Clarion Walmart located on Perkins Road, in Monroe Township, notified PSP Clarion of retail theft on April 10 around 3:23 p.m.
It was reported that two individuals shoplifted several items on April 6, including several breast milk pumps and calculators totaling over $3,000.00.
The investigation is ongoing.
Identity Theft in Monroe Township
Clarion-based State Police were notified of an incident of identity theft on Route 68 in Monroe Township, Clarion County.
Police say an investigation was initiated on an unemployment scam on April 8, around 9:48 a.m.
The victim is a 62-year-old Clarion woman.
PSP Clarion released the above reports on Monday, April 11, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/state-police-calls-clarion-walmart-reports-retail-theft-of-over-3k-in-breast-milk-pumps-calculators/ | 2022-04-12T02:31:58Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/state-police-calls-clarion-walmart-reports-retail-theft-of-over-3k-in-breast-milk-pumps-calculators/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Car Runs Off Roadway, Hits Several Trees, Rolls Over in Richland Twp.
RICHLAND TWP., Pa. (EYT) – According to Clarion-based State Police, a car traveled off Interstate 80 in Richland Township, then struck several trees and rolled over.
Police say this accident happened around 1:32 p.m. on Thursday, April 7, on Interstate 80, near the 44.6-mile marker, in Richland Township, Clarion County.
According to police, 37-year-old Megan K. Causgrove, of Erie, Pa., was traveling west on I-80 in a 2013 Acura TL. The Acura left the roadway on the north side of the road and then struck several trees before overturning. It came to a rest on the north shoulder of the roadway.
Causgrove was using a seat belt and was not injured.
Charges are pending investigation, according to police.
PSP Clarion released the above report on Monday, April 11, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-car-runs-off-roadway-hits-several-trees-rolls-over-in-richland-twp/ | 2022-04-12T02:32:04Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-car-runs-off-roadway-hits-several-trees-rolls-over-in-richland-twp/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Emlenton Man Who Allegedly Attempted to Cash Fraudulent $15K Check Due in Court Tomorrow
CLARION CO., Pa. (EYT) – A hearing for an Emlenton man who allegedly attempted to cash a fraudulent $15,000.00 check is scheduled for Tuesday morning.
According to court documents, a preliminary hearing for 35-year-old Dustin Jonathan Whitling is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12, at 10:30 a.m. in Clarion County Central Court on the following charges:
– Forgery – Unauthorized Act in Writing, Felony 2
– Theft by Deception-False Impression, Felony 3
He is currently lodged in the Clarion County Jail on $15,000.00 monetary bail on this case.
Whitling is also facing a preliminary hearing on April 12 stemming from an incident that occurred on December 3, 2021, on the following charge:
– Marijuana-Small Amount Personal Use, Misdemeanor
Bail was set for this case at $1,000.00 monetary.
Details of the forgery case:
According to a criminal complaint, on December 2, 2021, Knox Borough Police were notified by a local banking institution that Dustin Whitling had attempted to deposit/cash a check in the amount of $15,000.00.
Copies of the check were then forwarded to the Knox Borough Police.
According to the complaint, the check was made out to Whitling and was dated for November 30, 2021, and the issuer of the check was listed as a business in Georgia.
Police questioned Whitling about the check on December 3.
The complaint indicates he had received the check from an “online girlfriend” who told him her uncle had sent the check to help with medical bills and living expenses. He told police he was not aware the check was fraudulent. He also reportedly admitted he had never worked for the company the check was issued from.
According to the complaint, Whitling told police his only connection to his “online girlfriend” was their interaction online. He reported he had received the check by a UPS envelope and his “online girlfriend” told him to cash it, keep $1,500.00 of the money, and give her the rest of the money.
Police made contact on December 6 with the corporate treasurer from the company the check was issued from.
The corporate treasurer stated the routing number and account number on the check were correct; however, the check number was not an accurate number. He reported that the CFO of the company is the only person allowed to sign such checks and told police the name of the bank the check was drawn from was not the correct bank. He also noted that a total of 12 similar checks had been blocked by their fraud system between November 9, 2021, and December 6, 2021.
Other Cases Against Whitling:
Court documents indicate Whitling also has a case pending in Clarion County Court of Common Pleas related to an incident where he allegedly threw full beer cans at another man during an altercation in Clarion Borough. He is also facing charges in the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas on theft and related offenses from an incident in Allegheny County in October 2021.
RELATED:
Area Man Allegedly Attempts to Cash Fraudulent $15K Check
Man Accused of Throwing Full Beer Cans at Another Man During Main Street Dispute
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-emlenton-man-who-allegedly-attempted-to-cash-fraudulent-15k-check-due-in-court-tomorrow/ | 2022-04-12T02:32:10Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-emlenton-man-who-allegedly-attempted-to-cash-fraudulent-15k-check-due-in-court-tomorrow/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SUV vs. Tractor-Trailer Collision Reported on I-80 in Scrubgrass Twp.
SCRUBGRASS TWP., Pa. (EYT) – Clarion-based State Police released the details of an SUV versus tractor-trailer crash that occurred last Thursday on Interstate 80 in Scrubgrass Township.
According to police, the accident happened around 11:17 a.m. on Thursday, April 7, on Interstate 80 West, north of Emlenton Clintonville Road, in Scrubgrass Township, Venango County, involving 18-year-old Andrew J. Verostek, of St. Petersburg, Pa., and 51-year-old Mohamud E. Ibrahim, of Grande Island, Ne.
Police say a 2009 Subaru Forester SUV and a 2021 Freightliner truck were traveling west on I-80, with the SUV in the right-hand lane and the truck in the left-hand lane.
The Subaru driven by Verostek attempted to merge into the left lane and struck Ibrahim’s Freightliner. Verostek then lost control of his vehicle and struck the cement barrier on the right shoulder of the bridge. The Subaru then drifted into both westbound lanes and came to a final rest.
The Freightliner came to a final rest in the left-hand lane.
The Subaru sustained disabling damaged and required a tow from the scene.
The Freightliner was not damaged.
Both operators were using seat belts and were not injured.
PSP Clarion released the above report on Monday, April 11, 2022.
Copyright © 2022 EYT Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. Any copying, redistribution or retransmission of the contents of this service without the express written consent of EYT Media Group, Inc. is expressly prohibited. | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-suv-vs-tractor-trailer-collision-reported-on-i-80-in-scrubgrass-twp/ | 2022-04-12T02:32:16Z | exploreclarion.com | control | https://www.exploreclarion.com/2022/04/11/update-suv-vs-tractor-trailer-collision-reported-on-i-80-in-scrubgrass-twp/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
MEDINA — Former members of the Mustang Marching Band will celebrate the band's 55th anniversary this spring with a special appearance by the Alumni Marching Band in the Memorial Day Parade.
The Alumni Band first met to perform five years ago to celebrate the band’s 50th anniversary, according to Alana Koneski, vice president of the Alumni Band Committee and a member of the Mustang Marching Band from 1969 to 1973.
Former members are being asked to participate with the band to march in this special occasion, which will also recognize band director Jim Steele’s retirement at the end of the season.
The Alumni Band Committee has been meeting for several weeks under the leadership of Greg Nellist (1975), president; Koneski (1973); Sue Squires (1982), treasurer; and Dave Leonard (1993), secretary.
Also on the committee are Janet Smith (1969), Jeff Pask, (1981), Shelly Smith (1984) and Ben Zakes (2019).
“This is a plea to get alumni members to register ASAP and not to procrastinate, because the deadline is May 1 to order tee shirts,” the committee said in an e-mail.
Registration is online at www.mmmband.com under “Alumni.” The fee is $25. A T-shirt with the member's year of graduation on the back will be provided. Payment is through Venmo or by sending a check to Sue Squires.
To date, plans include a meet and greet at 7 p.m. May 29 at Sacred Heart Club and practice at 10 a.m. May 30, followed by a picnic at 2 p.m.
The Alumni Band will line up at 10 a.m. on Memorial Day at the Pickle Factory on Park Avenue. Their performance will feature three patriotic songs: “America,” “America the Beautiful” and “Battle Hymn of the Republic.”
Nellist stressed it is not necessary to play an instrument to march with the band.
The Alumni Committee is also urging a great turnout of alumni, not only to participate again, but to recognize and honor Steele.
“As a director and educator, Mr. Steele has worked to instill inspiration and dedication in all of his students, and during his tenure recorded an impressive history of decisive victories in the Small School I Division of the New York State Field Band Conference,” the Alumni Committee said in its appeal.
Joseph McKain, founder of the Mustang Marching Band, who first brought the group to excellence, has also been asked to participate, because he played such a huge role in the band program, Koneski said.
The 2017 performance of the Alumni Band saw close to 100 alumni participate in the parade, with several others attending the meet-and-greet. It is the committee's hope to exceed that number at this year’s gathering and celebration. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/community/medinas-alumni-marching-band-taking-part-in-memorial-day-parade/article_4128ed4d-bac4-5d80-b921-9428fb635464.html | 2022-04-12T02:33:48Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/community/medinas-alumni-marching-band-taking-part-in-memorial-day-parade/article_4128ed4d-bac4-5d80-b921-9428fb635464.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
SANBORN — There was a time when Xander Fletcher and T.J. Robinson were jealous of each other.
Neither wished the other would fail, but they couldn’t comprehend how they could thrive at the same time. As they began to play together, the Niagara Wheatfield duo realized each would thrive because of the other.
Now there are times when Robinson calls Fletcher in the middle of the night just to talk. The pair learned their talents were complementary and when both were cooking, the Falcons were hard to beat. When there were large stretches when injuries and slumps plagued both players, each knew what needed to be done to avoid a skid.
Jealousy turned into cohesion, which resulted in a few new additions to the trophy case. First came the program’s first Niagara Frontier League championship. Next came Niagara Wheatfield’s first Section VI championship since 1973. Now Fletcher and Robinson will share the Greater Niagara Newspapers boys basketball player of the year.
“Any coach in Western New York would sign up to have both of those guys out there,” Niagara Wheatfield head coach Erik O’Bryan said. “... It’s been wonderful experiencing all of these firsts that have happened this year. And it’s because of those two guys.”
PHOTOS: Meet the GNN all-area boys basketball team
•••
Scoring was never a problem from Fletcher. He averaged 20.3 points per game last season and the Falcons reached the Class A-1 sectional final. But in order to win a sectional title, Fletcher needed to learn to be a true point guard as a junior.
Sure he put up 4.8 assists per game last season, but being a point guard is more than bringing the ball up the floor and passing. It’s where to pass, when to pass and how to dictate the pace of a game.
Having to learn those skills was forced on him not by an individual, but by injury. Fletcher rolled his ankle during an early-season practice, limiting the quick first step he used to beat defenders to the rim.
While initially frustrated, Fletcher — who surpassed 1,000 career points during the postseason — found a loophole to his pain. He learned how to manipulate the tempo of the game to fit his team’s liking. He zipped passes to open shooters to provide an effortless release in rhythm. He could penetrate just enough to draw a defender and drop a nifty pass to an open big man for a layup.
“You have to be patient, wait for your shot, find other people and it’ll come to me,” said Fletcher, who was voted NFL player of the year. “... Anyone from our team can step up at any given time.”
“We don’t beat Will East without him controlling that tempo,” O’Bryan said. “It’s something we talked about at shootaround. I said, ‘I can’t tell you to stop. I can’t tell you to go. You’re going to have to feel this for us.’ It was one of the best games he’s played and he didn’t force a shot that he didn’t need to take because he let the game come to him.”
By the time Fletcher healed, Robinson was entering a slump. Armed with his new attributes, Fletcher sizzled. He finished the season averaging 16.7 points, 5.1 assists, 4.1 rebounds and 2 steals per game.
Fletcher had a nine-game streak of at least 10 points, four rebounds and four assists, including finishing one rebound and one assist shy of a triple-double against Kenmore East on Feb. 1.
Perhaps the injury made Fletcher too unselfish, however. When Robinson returned, Fletcher had moments where he deferred to teammates more frequently than needed. Aside from a tremendous 24-point outing against Hutch Tech in the sectional semifinals, Fletcher made 10 shots in the three other postseason games. But now he knows what’s next: learning how to blend his scoring prowess with being a true point guard.
“I should have been a little more aggressive,” Fletcher said. “... The next step is to be more aggressive.”
•••
While Fletcher played tug-of-war with reinventing himself early in the season, Robinson piled up points. With his partner slowed, the senior took on the role of top scoring threat and did so as well as anyone in Section VI.
Both players hit 30 points during a shootout win over Lockport on Jan. 4, but Fletcher only had 20 points once in the first eight games. Robinson, however, surpassed 20 points nine times in the first 14 games.
During the stretch, Robinson averaged 22.4 points per game — more than three points better than his season average of 18.9 — and hit 50 3-pointers.. He also filled in for Fletcher as a ball hawk, recording 29 of his 39 steals during the same time period.
“I had to do what Xander did — facilitate the ball, but score at the same time,” said Robinson, who was fifth in Section VI with 74 3-pointers. “For me, I was just a scorer. But I had to do his job, which was facilitate, and it all came together.”
Robinson was able to carry the extra weight with Fletcher on the mend, but everyone buckles under pressure at some point. He had one 20-point game over the final 10 games.
Before regaining his form during sectionals, Robinson endured a three-game stretch in which he scored a total of 24 points and didn’t have his normal bite. He took just three free throws and had only one steal during that period.
The pressure came from a number of areas and it’s hard to pinpoint the biggest culprit. Robinson, who scored 1,480 points in his career, became the primary focal point of opposing defenses on the court and was beginning to feel the weight of all that comes with applying to colleges.
He has also carried a heavy albatross over the last year. Robinson’s mother, Liz Holton, died of thyroid cancer at 43 years old on Oct. 20, 2020, and he wasn’t sure he wanted to play basketball. O’Bryan understood basketball wasn’t the top priority and simply encouraged Robinson to come watch practice. He did and never left.
“A lot of the weight of the world is on his shoulders,” O’Bryan said. “Dad did most of the basketball part and mom did the education part. When he started having to apply to schools, I think the emotional toll did come out of him."
There are times Robinson thinks about his mother on the court. But he knows what she would tell him if he wavered on continuing his career. He also thought about how she might feel about Niagara Wheatfield’s success this season and Robinson’s decision to continue his basketball journey at SUNY Fredonia.
“I was in a dark place last year losing my mom,” Robinson said. “I want to make her proud and playing basketball would make her proud. I just try to make it so if she was still right here, right now that I would make her proud every moment.”
Meet the rest of the GNN all-area basketball first team:
• Bobby Beilein, Jr., Lewiston-Porter: Already one of Western New York’s premier shooters, Beilein developed into an all-around standout. He averaged 19.2 points and 4.1 rebounds per game this season. He also connected on 70 3-pointers, which was second in the NFL and sixth in Section VI. Beilein had 11 20-point games, including five consecutive from Jan. 14-27. He scored a career-high 33 points in a win over Niagara Falls on Jan. 15 and had 31 against Lockport 10 days later. Beilein also had 10 games with at least four 3-pointers.
• Jalen Duff, Jr., Nichols: Duff transferred from Lewiston-Porter and his numbers followed. The junior did it all for Nichols, averaging 24.3 points, 7.5 rebounds, 6 assists and 1.7 steals per game this season. Duff had 17 20-point games and six 30-point outings. The 5-foot-10 guard flirted with a triple-double consistently and earned one with a 21-point, 11-rebound, 11-assist game against Timon on Jan. 11. Duff was the 2021 GNN Sports player of the year.
• Dominic McKenzie, Sr., Niagara Falls: If there was a ball on the rim, McKenzie usually came down with it. The 6-foot-5 forward averaged 16.2 points, 10.7 rebounds, 2.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. McKenzie also recorded 13 double-doubles, including a 26-point, 22-rebound game against Rochester East. He ranked sixth in Section VI in total rebounds and was one of two players in the Niagara Frontier League to average a double-double.
And the second team:
• Rod Brown, Sr., Niagara Falls: In his first season with Niagara Falls after transferring from Sweet Home, Brown established himself as one of the top on-ball defenders in the area. Brown possessed the speed and lateral quickness to give ballhandlers fits. He accumulated 37 steals, but also forced turnovers and disrupted offenses consistently. Brown was also a capable scorer at 11 points per game and led the Wolverines with 45 3-pointers.
• Logan Eoute, Sr., Lewiston-Porter: One of the most improved players in Western New York, Eoute went from averaging 8.1 points and 5.8 rebounds per game a year ago to posting a double-double. The 6-foot-4 senior put up 15.7 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2 blocks per game. His 253 rebounds were the most in the NFL and ranked fourth in Section VI, while he was second in the league with 12 double-doubles.
• Jamel Johnson Jr., Jr., Royalton-Hartland: Johnson Jr. missed all of last season for COVID-19 precautions and became one of the top all-around players in the Niagara-Orleans League. The 6-foot point guard registered 14.6 points, 10.3 rebounds, 3.4 steals and 3.3 assists per game. He had nine double-doubles, leading the N-O in rebounds and steals. He had a 34-point, 11-rebound, 5-steal game against Medina to clinch the league title.
• Jake Kish, Sr., North Tonawanda: After sitting out last season due to COVID-19 precautions, Kish exploded in his first and only varsity season. The do-it-all guard averaged 19.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals per game. His 405 points were second in the NFL and he drilled 42 3-pointers. Kish had 10 20-point games, including a career-high 36 on 12-of-19 shooting to lead a 17-point comeback win over Grand Island on Feb. 11.
• Evan Myers, Jr., Newfane: In his first full varsity season, Myers had the best 3-point shooting season in program history. Myers averaged 13.8 points and 5.3 rebounds per game, recording six 20-point games. He hit a school-record 53 3-pointers on 38% shooting, including going 9 of 13 in a win over Wilson on Feb. 11. He led the N-O League in 3-point shooting.
• Aiden Petrie, Sr., Royalton-Hartland: The N-O player of the year was a force, as Petrie led the league in scoring with 18.6 points per game and also added 8.9 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.2 blocks per game. The 6-foot forward had seven 20-point games and a pair of 30-point outings. He had 33 points and 12 rebounds in a win over Akron on Feb. 9 and a 28-point, 17-rebound game against Medina on Jan. 20.
Nick Sabato can be reached via email at nick.sabato@gnnewspaper.com or on Twitter @NickSabatoGNN. | https://www.lockportjournal.com/sports/high_school/gnn-players-of-the-year-xander-fletcher-t-j-robinsons-cohesion-takes-niagara-wheatfield-to/article_d0b567e5-3914-54f1-85cd-a5e8ed7e5096.html | 2022-04-12T02:33:54Z | lockportjournal.com | control | https://www.lockportjournal.com/sports/high_school/gnn-players-of-the-year-xander-fletcher-t-j-robinsons-cohesion-takes-niagara-wheatfield-to/article_d0b567e5-3914-54f1-85cd-a5e8ed7e5096.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Though more than an inch and a half of fresh snow blanketed Klamath Falls Monday morning, it wasn’t enough to counteract a nearly three-year drought — one of the area’s worst in recorded history.
The region’s hydrology has improved slightly from last year. In 2021 farmers received zero irrigation water, dead juvenile salmon littered the banks of the Klamath River and a few extremist irrigators threatened to divert water by force. Still, no single party in the watershed is getting close to what they need.
“We wish we had better news today,” said Reclamation Mid-Pacific Regional Director Ernest Conant. “Obviously there are no winners in this critical year as all interests are suffering — fisheries, tribes, farmers and waterfowl alike. But given the current hydrology that we have to work with, we did the best job we could.”
Tributaries that feed into Upper Klamath Lake, a modified natural lake and the project’s principal source of stored water, are experiencing some of their lowest flows on record this year. Brian Person, special advisor to Reclamation’s Klamath Basin Area Office, said the total amount of water that entered the lake between October 1, 2021, and early this April is only slightly higher than the same period a year ago, which was the lowest on record.
That’s due to three years of record-low precipitation, poor snowpack and above-average evaporation driven by warming temperatures. Though the end of 2021 brought several powerful storms and even above-average snowpack, Person said conditions deteriorated “markedly” throughout the winter, when blue skies and above-average temperatures dominated the West Coast.
“We had a promising start to the water year,” Person said. “When 2022 came to us, so did dry conditions. So it was a teaser of sorts.”
According to Reclamation, irrigators in the Klamath Project will initially receive approximately 50,000 acre-feet of water from Upper Klamath Lake, a marginal improvement over last year’s initial allocation of 33,000 acre-feet, which was later reduced to an unprecedented zero following an exceptionally warm and dry spring. This year’s allocation is less than 15% of what the Klamath Project would receive during a typical irrigation season.
Precarious water levels for endangered fish
The surface of Upper Klamath Lake must not dip below 4,142 feet in elevation during the months of April and May to allow endangered C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and shortnose suckers) to reach spawning habitat along the lake’s shoreline. As of Monday, the lake sat half a foot below that requirement, and Reclamation does not expect that enough water will enter the lake in the spring to meet it. Additionally, the lake level will likely not meet minimum height requirements in mid-July. Those measurements are set in place to mitigate toxic algae blooms that contribute to mass die-offs of juvenile suckers in the summer. The agency does, however, believe it can keep the lake above its bare minimum elevation requirement of 4,138 feet with a few inches to spare.
C’waam and Koptu are integral food and cultural resources to the Klamath Tribes, who have depended on them since time immemorial but have not been able to harvest more than two a year since the 1980s. Klamath Tribal Councilman Clay Dumont said he and other tribal leaders are depressed and horrified that Reclamation appears to be throwing out the spring and mid-summer lake level targets. Doing so for the third year in a row, he said, allows them to make excuses in the future.
“It’s very bad news. It’s hard to comprehend the United States creating a situation where, for the third year in a row, our fish are not going to be allowed to spawn,” Dumont said. “The outrage is palpable, and legitimately so. What do you say when we’re being treated as unfairly as we are?”
Klamath Tribal Secretary Roberta Frost said it seemed apparent that Reclamation is not prioritizing suckers in water management decisions despite their precarious position as a species.
“Our fisheries, our C’waam and Koptu, are always an afterthought, while other needs seem like they’re more important,” Frost said. “Just because of the dire straits that they’re in, any blow to their habitat could be crucial. It could be the last year we’re seeing them.”
Efforts to save downriver salmon from disease
Salmon down the California side of the Klamath River may receive a lifeline later this week, when Reclamation plans to release a burst of water known as a “flushing flow” meant to scour spores and hosts of the Ceratonova shasta parasite present below Iron Gate Dam. High spore levels, high water temperatures and low flows last spring led to a significant juvenile fish kill that spanned the entire Lower Klamath River without a flushing flow to mitigate it.
Jim Simondet, Klamath Basin branch supervisor for NOAA Fisheries, said the flow event should begin around April 15 and release approximately 25,000 acre-feet of water down the river from Upper Klamath Lake — half of what constitutes a full flushing flow. Spore concentrations are entering the danger zone, and young salmon are expected to begin their migrations to the ocean soon.
“That is a good time to release that water, given the imminent risk of C. shasta,” Simondet said.
The Yurok Tribe, whose reservation encompasses the lower 44 miles of the Klamath River’s course, appreciated the reintroduction of a flushing flow that agencies did not implement last year. Tribal members throughout the Lower Klamath Basin and its tributaries have depended on salmon and other anadromous fish species in the river since time immemorial for physical and cultural sustenance, and their populations are declining due to the presence of dams, irrigation diversions to other watersheds and other landscape modifications.
“Although we are gratified that the river is afforded minimal protections under this plan, it is no time for celebration,” said Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers. “Salmon runs will continue to suffer under these conditions, and as climate change intensifies, such protections will become increasingly important.”
Dollars versus food
The Klamath Water Users Association, which represents agricultural producers served by the Klamath Project, bemoaned the agency’s 2022 water allocation. They argued that more water should be given to the project’s roughly 1,200 farmers and ranchers amid rising global food prices and insecurity, and that allocating it to fish hasn’t improved their populations for more than 20 years. Representatives Cliff Bentz (R-Ore.) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) penned a joint letter last week to President Joe Biden citing these reasons and urging the release of 162,000 acre-feet to project irrigators.
“We’re ready to get to work. On a single acre, we can produce over 50,000 pounds of potatoes, or 6,000 pounds of wheat. This year, most of that land will not produce any food because the government is denying water for irrigation. We’ll just be trying to keep the weeds and dust under control,” said KWUA President Ben DuVal, who farms on Klamath Project land in Tulelake. “If we farmers failed as badly as the federal agency biologists who are controlling water policy, our bankers would have foreclosed on us 20 years ago.”
Reclamation also announced $20 million in drought relief on Monday for irrigators who will leave their fields fallow this summer. Another $5 million in assistance is being allocated to projects in the basin led by tribes. But farmers have indicated that they’d rather have water than money.
“Dollars cannot replace the loss of food production, jobs and community stability directly caused by unbalanced federal water management policies,” a KWUA news release read.
A majority of producers in the Klamath Irrigation District, one of around a dozen entities in the Klamath Project that contract with Reclamation to deliver water, recently indicated through a poll that they would be willing to forego federal drought relief if the district were to break with Reclamation’s operations plan and divert more water than it’s allocated this year. Though KID maintains that such action would still technically be consistent with their contracts with the federal government, the legality of the situation remains muddled and unresolved by the courts.
Reclamation’s news release said unauthorized diversions will result in “reductions to the Klamath Project water allocation” and “appropriate legal action.” Last year, the agency reduced the project’s initial 33,000 acre-feet allocation to zero in light of the Klamath Drainage District diverting roughly that amount through a state water right permit.
“We’re hoping that irrigators cooperate with us and adaptively manage the limited supply that we have,” Conant said.
Though KID has not announced any plans to actually divert additional water outside the realm of Reclamation’s plan, the agency noted that the district’s decision to begin releasing water into the project’s main artery, known as the A Canal, in March was inconsistent with the agency’s timing directives. However, Person said the action won’t jeopardize drought funding for KID patrons because a slow priming of the A Canal is necessary to preserve the water delivery channel’s structural integrity and ensure the safety of the surrounding community in Klamath Falls.
“That part of the operation, they have absolutely been in alignment with Reclamation’s guidance,” Person said. “The timing of it, not so much.”
National wildlife refuges will again be dry
Lower Klamath and Tule Lake National Wildlife Refuges, two of the nation’s first areas set aside for the protection of waterfowl, once supported as much as 80% of migrating birds on the Pacific Flyway. But because they depend on leftover irrigation water from the Klamath Project and sit at the bottom of the water rights pecking order in the basin, their wetlands have been progressively drying up for two decades. This year, Reclamation has made no plan to deliver water specifically to either refuge, and Tule Lake is likely to go completely dry for the first time in potentially millions of years.
Jeff McCreary, director of operations for Ducks Unlimited’s Western Region, said the situation on the refuges is critical.
“These refuges are essential to support the Pacific Flyway, which is in dire straits because of this widespread Western drought,” he said. “Every drop of water is critical, and we hope a few can be used to support waterfowl this year.”
While farmers urged an overhaul of water policy in the basin, tribes pointed to the need for landscape-scale restoration actions that could improve habitat and water quality for the Klamath’s species, which may free up water for agriculture.
“The Upper and Lower Klamath Basin once functioned as an integrated system that provided abundant salmon, suckers and waterfowl with minimal intervention. The fact that these systems now appear to be in conflict with each other is a direct result of…ecological collapse,” Myers said. “It is our duty to help bring this system back into balance, and we will never stop working toward that goal.”
Copyright 2022 Jefferson Public Radio. To see more, visit Jefferson Public Radio. | https://www.klcc.org/2022-04-11/klamath-basin-to-see-second-lowest-water-allocation-in-history-this-summer | 2022-04-12T02:34:37Z | klcc.org | control | https://www.klcc.org/2022-04-11/klamath-basin-to-see-second-lowest-water-allocation-in-history-this-summer | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed a Republican-backed bill on Monday that will thwart hard-fought efforts by the Unified Government of Wyandotte County/Kansas City, Kansas, to issue municipal IDs to residents unable to get legal photo IDs.
The UG's "Safe and Welcoming Act," which would have allowed undocumented immigrants to obtain municipal IDs, faced backlash from state GOP.
Passed by the UG in February, the act also blocked local police from cooperating with Immigration and Customs Enforcement authorities except in the case of threats to public safety or a warrant signed by a judge.
Kelly, who is up for reelection in November, said in a statement that she signed the statute because it is the responsibility of federal officials, not municipalities, to address our broken immigration system.
"Both Republicans and Democrats in Washington have failed to address immigration issues for decades," Kelly said in the statement. "We need a national solution and we need it now."
The law originated with Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who objected to the UG ordinance, saying Wyandotte County would become a "sanctuary jurisdiction for illegal immigrants,” and calling on the Legislature to ban sanctuary cities in the state.
Schmidt, who is expected to be the Republican candidate facing Governor Kelly in November, suggested in a statement that Kelly had little choice but to sign the bill.
"The veto-proof bipartisan support for this bill in the Legislature demonstrated its importance," he said. "Under this new law, Kansas law enforcement will be able to resume working professionally with federal immigration authorities ... and not be silenced by a patchwork of local sanctuary city gag orders."
The push to pass Safe and Welcoming lasted five years, with vocal protests occurring throughout three different mayoral administrations.
Supporters of the act have said that proof of identity is required for many essential activities, including health care, job applications, enrolling children in school and cashing a check.
Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Tyrone Garner noted that immigrants were only one group the municipal ID assisted. It helped other vulnerable residents, including those experiencing homelessness, formerly incarcerated people, kids aging out of the foster system and many elderly .
“Residents here in Wyandotte County, no matter where they're from, no matter who they are need to feel safe and protected by law enforcement when they seek services,” Garner said.
Karla Juarez, Executive Director of the Advocates for Immigrant Rights and Reconciliation, had been optimistic that the governor would veto the bill. She was dejected when she got the news.
"Oh boy, I don't know what our next steps will be," she said.
Juarez said Kelly's signature on this bill sends a destructive message to communities about engagement.
"Government is for the people," she said. "The message today is, even if they get involved, the government won't listen. It sure seemed that way through this process." | https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-11/kansas-governor-kelly-signs-sanctuary-city-bill-dealing-harsh-blow-to-immigration-activists | 2022-04-12T02:37:08Z | kcur.org | control | https://www.kcur.org/news/2022-04-11/kansas-governor-kelly-signs-sanctuary-city-bill-dealing-harsh-blow-to-immigration-activists | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The data is here:
Australian March 2022 Business confidence 16 (prior 13) & Business conditions 18 (prior 9)
Note this:
- labour costs +2.7% q/q (from +1.8%)
- selling prices +2.3% q/q (from 1.4%)
And, retail prices pass-through:
The reasoning being cited for a May rate hike from the Reserve Bank of Australia is that this latest inflation indication, along with others, is enough to trigger the RBA regardless of the election campaign. The Release of Q1 CPI data on April 27 is the next trigger (or not trigger, as the case may be) to watch. | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/australia-business-survey-inflation-indicators-igniting-chatter-of-a-may-rba-rate-hike-20220412/ | 2022-04-12T02:41:28Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/australia-business-survey-inflation-indicators-igniting-chatter-of-a-may-rba-rate-hike-20220412/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
USD/CNY is the onshore yuan. Its permitted to trade plus or minus 2% from this daily reference rate.
CNH is the offshore yuan. USD/CNH has no restrictions on its trading range.
A significantly stronger or weaker rate than expected is typically considered a signal from the PBOC.
The previous close was 6.3695
The PBOC inject 20bn yuan via 7 day reverse repos (rate remains at 2.1%)
- zero yuan mature today
- thus net injection of 20bn yuan on the day | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-central-rate-at-63795-vs-estimate-at-63752-20220412/ | 2022-04-12T02:41:35Z | forexlive.com | control | https://www.forexlive.com/centralbank/pboc-sets-usd-cny-central-rate-at-63795-vs-estimate-at-63752-20220412/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
China's One Belt One Road (OBOR), now known as the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), was announced in 2013 and it seems it has one purpose only -- subjugation of the economically fragile nations on the way to becoming a great power by the time the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) celebrates 100 years.
There are numerous examples of countries, developed and developing, which are economically fragile that have become even more fragile, courtesy the OBOR. The recent situation in Pakistan and Sri Lanka is a case in point. The Centre for Global Development in a 2018 study of countries hosting OBOR projects found 23 of them in a state of debt distress.
Sri Lanka has taken loans from China, at lending rates in the range of 3-6 per cent against the 1-3 per cent offered by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF). As a result, Sri Lanka has had to request China for a debt-to-equity swap, selling their own equity to Chinese companies as they have not been able to pay back their loans.
China's investment of an estimated $1.4 billion in Sri Lanka's Colombo Port City project is the largest single foreign investment in the island nation's history. Dubbed as a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the government of Sri Lanka and the CHEC Port City Colombo (CPCC) Pvt Ltd, the project has been much publicised for the employment opportunities and huge revenues which it would generate for the Sri Lankans.
What is seldom spoken about is the fact that of the 269 hectares of reclaimed land, 43 per cent will be controlled by the CPCC through a 99-year lease agreement. This is reminiscent of the not too long-ago takeover of the Hambantota Port on a 99-year lease by China Merchant Port Holdings (CMPH). The port is now operated 'jointly' by the Sri Lanka Ports Authority and CMPH, with the latter holding 80 percent stake in the port and exercising near total control over its operations. Sri Lanka is just one example of how China uses its economic power to ensnare unsuspecting, and sometimes complicit governments in an intricate web of debt and dependencies.
The BRI is the garb to entice nations into futile and ineffectual projects which are extravagant compared to more realistic challenges being faced. The projects are promoted as one of its kind infrastructure development project with fictitious prospects; however they are of significance and benefit primarily to China.
The initiatives provide easier and convenient opportunities to address vulnerabilities of China at the cost and investment of individual nations. The mechanism provides expedient access for Chinese state owned companies to saturate the economies of small nations and saddle the borrowing nation with loans which can be leveraged when needed. In addition, China with its financial freedom has emerged as an independent nation providing financial alternatives over international organisations like the IMF, and Asian Development Bank (ADB) to secure individual and selfish designs.
The infrastructure projects of road, rail, buildings, ports etc. with inflated costs are advertised as comprehensive solutions without disclosing the methodology and terms of execution.
The projects in Sri Lanka like the $104 million Lotus tower which never got commissioned or the $209 million Mattala Airport which is the ‘World's Emptiest Airport', though presumed to be funded by China had all its costs recovered through execution by Chinese entities, using equipment/ machinery/material from China including significant proportion of labour/top management.
In effect, whilst Sri Lanka paid for the projects, it filled Chinese treasury for a requirement which was not essential. Further, due to the confidentiality of project being pursued by the government the actual cost of the projects are also largely exaggerated. The Chinese approach in Sri Lanka has been outright capitalist where in the Sri Lankan economy is flooded with cheap Chinese goods so as to kill the local economy and extract as much Strategic advantage by trapping the Government of the day in frivolous infrastructure projects.
It needs to be understood that all Chinese deals come with hidden agendas particularly with the aim to in debt the country, take control of land, fill the coffers of China at the expense of smaller countries under the garb of development. The modus operandi of engagement has been similar in Africa, Asia and Latin America wherein countries have been indebted with Chinese loan of billions of dollars. | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/04/11/china-belt-and-road-initiative-sri-lanka-debt.amp.html | 2022-04-12T02:43:12Z | onmanorama.com | control | https://www.onmanorama.com/news/world/2022/04/11/china-belt-and-road-initiative-sri-lanka-debt.amp.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida Department of Health in Leon County (DOH Leon) joins the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and others in recognizing April 10-16 as Sexually Transmitted Disease (STD) Awareness Week.
This year’s theme is, “Get Yourself Tested.”
Nationally and here in Leon County, sexually transmitted infections remain a serious public health concern.
“Working together to build awareness will help prevent the spread of STDs throughout our community,” said Sandon S. Speedling, MHS, CPM, CPH, DOH Leon Interim Health Officer in a statement. “Unfortunately, a lot of people don’t know they have an STD because many STDs show no signs or symptoms. This week and throughout the month of April, DOH Leon is placing special emphasis on how to prevent STDs and the importance of testing and treatment.”
In 2021, Leon County documented 107 cases of infectious syphilis. New case rates (incidence rates) are up among men who have sex with men but are also rising among heterosexual partners and across the board among young people. Cases of congenital syphilis (babies born with syphilis) are also increasing. DOH Leon works closely with a diverse group of community and health care partners to confront the uptick in syphilis rates. These groups meet regularly sharing data, prevention strategies, and trainings.
Throughout the week, and during the rest of this month, DOH Leon's Disease Intervention Specialists will support and participate in screening an educational outreach activities to raise STD awareness. Among them, a free and confidential mobile HIV/STDs testing event in Frenchtown with Neighborhood Medical Center.
The mobile event will take place April 29 at the Time Saver Convenience Store, located at 518 W. Brevard Street in Tallahassee from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
To prevent the spread of all STDs, including syphilis, DOH Leon provides free screening, counseling, treatment, and partner notification services to persons with or suspected of having STDs at our clinics. Call 850-404-6403 to speak with a specialist, confidentially, about any matter and get linked to care.
The best way to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted infection is by not having sex.
However, if you are sexually active, you can do the following things to lower your chances:
- Be in a long-term, monogamous relationship with a partner who has tested negative for syphilis and other STDs;
- Use protection the right way, including condoms;
- Talk to your health care provider about getting testing for syphilis and other STDs or locate a clinic near you for free and confidential testing;
- If you test positive for syphilis or other STDs, get treated right away and be sure your sexual partner is treated as well to reduce the risk of re-infection. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/florida-department-of-health-leon-county-recognizes-national-std-awareness-week | 2022-04-12T02:45:22Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/florida-department-of-health-leon-county-recognizes-national-std-awareness-week | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
VALDOSTA, Ga. (WTXL) — The Valdosta Fire Department responded to a fire Sunday.
According to a news release provided by VFD, the fire occurred on the 300 block of Virginia Avenue just after 5 p.m. Sunday.
The first Valdosta Fire Department crew arrived at the scene of the fire within minutes of notification of the fire.
The crew found smoke exiting from a vacant residential structure.
According to the fire department, the fire was caused by an improperly discarded smoking material.
The fire was in the living room of the structure. The fire department did not report any injuries from the incident. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/valdosta-fire-department-responds-to-residential-fire | 2022-04-12T02:45:28Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/local-news/valdosta-fire-department-responds-to-residential-fire | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(SHNS/WWLP) – The erosion of government support for higher education over the past 20 years has made obtaining a four-year degree increasingly inaccessible to low-income students in Massachusetts, particularly students of color, as tuition and fees increases have required greater borrowing, a new report shows.
The study, produced by the Hildreth Institute and being published Monday, found that while state funding for public higher education declined 20 percent per full-time student between 2001 and 2020, tuition and fees at four-year institutions rose an average of 59 percent.
“The crisis for people of color, particularly black and Latinx students is at its worst in community colleges with enrollment around 30% over the last couple of years, we also see enrollment down at the state university system,” said Merrie Najimy, president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association
Financial aid has also failed to keep pace with rising costs being shifted onto families, falling 35 percent for full-time students from $595 to $386 during a time when median household earnings have climbed 13 percent, the report found.
“I know I probably wouldn’t have gone to college if I had to pay loans…that would have been anxiety-inducing,” said Olly Ajao, Amherst College student.
“It stresses me out a lot, especially when thinking about graduate school, and how I am going to pay for that? Will I have to take a gap year? Or will I have to work a few years?” said Taylor MasterAlexis, a Smith College student.
Massachusetts students are being priced out of public college by rising tuition teacher’s associations are sounding the alarm.
“After two decades of disinvestment, we’re too far down the road to expect a few reforms will re-chart a new course for our public institutions and students. Years of inaction will force the state to finally decide the role the Commonwealth, which prides itself on being the birthplace of public education, should play in post-secondary public education,” wrote Bahar Akman Imboden, managing director of the Hildreth Institute and the author of the report.
The state this year budgeted nearly $1.2 billion for its higher education campuses, including $577.5 million for the University of Massachusetts, out of a $48 billion state budget. After passing a law before the pandemic reforming the way the state funds K-12 education, lawmakers are now grappling with how to make education more affordable at both the beginning and advanced stages of a student’s educational career.
Local educators advocating for the Fair Share Amendment, a proposed state tax on annual incomes above $1 million. It would generate over $1 billion annually and would be spent on public education and make public colleges affordable.
“It would increase access for families to higher education working families, poor families, middle-class families have been paying their taxes, the uber-rich, the 1%, to pay their fair share of taxes,” said Ian Rhodewalt, local educator at Amherst.
Senate President Karen Spilka and House Speaker Ron Mariano have both discussed finding ways to use federal dollars and other resources to lower the cost of early education and care while Reps. Natalie Higgins and Sen. Jamie Eldridge have filed legislation to make debt-free college a reality for tens of thousands of students.
Mariano and House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz are expected on Monday to announce new investments in the early education workforce that will be a part of the House’s fiscal 2023 budget due out on Wednesday.
Imboden said state policymakers should seriously consider the framework put forward by Higgins and Eldridge in their bills (H 1339. S 829) to guarantee debt-free higher education for all students, and estimated that it could cost between $771.7 million and $1.015 billion, depending on who would qualify for enhanced aid.
Public universities now rely on tuition and fees for 40 percent of their revenue, according to the report, which is a far different paradigm from the 1980s when student charges delivered less than a quarter of an institution’s revenue.
In the 1980s, financial aid through the MassGrant program, the state’s main form of need-based financial assistance covered 80 percent of a student’s tuition and fees. It now covers 10 percent of a full-time student’s expenses, researchers wrote.
“With this shift and the decline in financial aid to students, the financial burden on public higher education students and their families is at an all-time high,” Imboden wrote.
The shift puts more hardship on students from low to moderate-income backgrounds, requiring them to work more hours outside of school and take on more students loans, and putting them at greater risk of not finishing their degree.
63% of students at public universities now take out loans to complete their degrees, compared to 53% of their peers at private colleges, the report found, and public university students now graduate with more debt ($24,112) on average than their private school peers ($23,940).
The COVID-19 pandemic has only made the situation more dire, according to the Hildreth Institute, which found that public higher education enrollment dropped 6.9 percent in 2020 and another 4.2 percent in 2021, with community colleges seeing the sharpest declines and Black and Latino first-year students dipping 33 percent between 2019 and 2020.
“Until we address the fact that chronic disinvestment has priced out those who stand to gain the most through higher education, we will continue to see negative enrollment trends that further disenfranchise communities most in need of investment,” the report stated.
Communities of color have a higher rate of student loan debt in default than white communities – 12 percent to 5 percent.
The Hildreth Institute concludes that the state government should expand eligibility of the MASSGrant program, as well as the types of educational expenses that students can put the money toward, and boost funding to cover the unmet need of students attending public institutions so that they can graduate with little to no student debt. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampshire-county/college-becoming-increasingly-inaccessible-to-low-income-students-report-says/ | 2022-04-12T02:45:30Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/local-news/hampshire-county/college-becoming-increasingly-inaccessible-to-low-income-students-report-says/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
FORT PIERCE, Fla. — Police are looking for a man who threw two Molotov cocktails at a Fort Pierce home in Florida on Sunday morning, causing a fire and explosion.
Video of the brazen attack was posted on the Fort Pierce Police department's Facebook page.
Police said officers responded to the home and investigators said after the attacker tossed the homemade bomb at the front of a window, he ran to the side of the house and threw another bottle over the roof.
WATCH: Man throws Molotov cocktails at home
Video shows large flames coming from the window of the home after the attack, shortly afterward, the man fled from the scene.
The homeowner's cousin, Juanita Anderson, said there were three people at the home when the attack occurred.
Anderson was sitting across the street when it all happened.
"I heard my cousin screaming that someone was throwing a bomb through her house," Anderson said.
She said her cousin and the two others who were at the home are doing fine.
"I don't know why would that happen or why that did happen," Anderson said. "I hope they don't come back."
Police are calling the attack an isolated incident.
This story was published by Scott Sutton and Briana Nespral of WPTV in West Palm Beach, Florida. | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/video-shows-man-toss-molotov-cocktails-at-florida-home | 2022-04-12T02:45:52Z | wtxl.com | control | https://www.wtxl.com/news/national/video-shows-man-toss-molotov-cocktails-at-florida-home | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Britney Spears, less than five months after her conservatorship ended, confused some fans Monday when she posted on Instagram that she’s pregnant, and apparently married.
“I lost so much weight to go on my Maui trip only to gain it back,” the pop star wrote in part Monday, accompanied by a photo of flowers and a cup of coffee. “I thought ”Geez … what happened to my stomach???” My husband said “No you’re food pregnant silly!!!” So I got a pregnancy test … and uhhhhh well … I am having a baby. …”
Spears — with liberal use of various emojis — didn’t name partner Sam Asghari as the “husband” and added: “I obviously won’t be going out as much due to the paps getting their money shot of me like they unfortunately already have.”
While some, including Paris Hilton, congratulated Spears.
Monday evening, Asghari added an Instagram post of his own accompanied by a painting of a lion family with three members.
“Marriage and kids are a natural part of a strong relationship filled with love and respect. Fatherhood is something i have always looked forward to and i don’t take lightly. It is the most important job i will ever do,” he wrote.
Spears spoke of suffering from perinatal depression in the past, calling it “absolutely horrible” and saying she’s heartened that the condition is spoken of more freely among women now than at the time of her previous go arounds with her sons, ages 15 and 16. She shares the teens with ex Kevin Federline.
She said “some people considered it dangerous if a woman complained like that with a baby inside her … but now women talk about it everyday … thank Jesus we don’t have to keep that pain a reserved proper secret … This time I will be doing yoga every day !!! Spreading lots of joy and love!!!”
The 40-year-old Spears has said she longed for a baby with the 28-year-old Asghari, a personal trainer, but she has said the nearly 14-year-long conservatorship forced her to remain on birth control.
The two met on the set of her “Slumber Party” video in 2016.
Multiple email requests for confirmation from Spears’ representative were not immediately returned Monday. | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/britney-spears-confuses-some-with-instagram-pregnancy-news/ | 2022-04-12T02:46:41Z | wpri.com | control | https://www.wpri.com/entertainment-news/britney-spears-confuses-some-with-instagram-pregnancy-news/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Adam Shreiner, Vice President of Jones, Lange LaSalle, recently told me, “Personally, I think the future of the workplace is really bright and exciting. For many years offices have been just that, ‘the office.’ I think organizations and leaders now are being forced to ask some of the important questions that, frankly, prior to COVID they were able to avoid because offices were in so many ways homogenous and universally accepted ‘as-is,’ so to speak.
“Looking ahead, I think there are two critical questions an organization must ask itself when looking at physical workplaces for people. The first is, what is the purpose of our workplace?
“The answer will be different for every individual organization. We have heard a variety of answers thus far, ranging from ‘the office will be a place for our people to primarily perform more collaborative tasks’ to ‘it’s essential that our people be together as much as possible for purposes of our culture and the speed with which we need to communicate and work together to remain ahead of our competition.’
“If you’re in the first camp, then designing a workplace that is focused on gathering spaces and infused with tools and technology that make meetings and team-centric events more productive and comfortable will be critical.
“If you’re in the latter camp, then locating and designing a workplace that fosters energy and has any type of space and/or tools that an employee might need to do any variety of tasks on a given day will be of great importance.
“The second critical question is, what sort of people and culture do we envision? Ultimately, this question may be more impactful on workplace strategies than the first. One thing I think we’ve learned from the last two years is that some leaders and people are OK with working from home, and some really prefer being in-person. I think over time we will see people more so than companies self-select and gravitate towards those like them when it comes to working in-person versus working from home.”
In addition, Shreiner notes that, almost all office leasing in the United States during the pandemic was in trophy-quality buildings in major markets such as New York, Austin, Washington and Northern Virginia and almost entirely by “Big Tech” firms such as Amazon, Google and Microsoft. “These organizations and their leaders from the beginning have been steadfast in their commitment to giving their people more optionality but have also continuously reiterated how crucial to their culture and innovation working together is.”
As with any change, it may not be easy, but by putting in the effort to think it through both from a short- and long-term perspective and to communicate openly and frequently along the way, you can set your employees and your business up for success in this next phase of our new normal.
Kathryn Falk is the Vice President and Market Leader for Cox Communications in Northern Virginia and the immediate past Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Northern Virginia Chamber of Commerce. | https://www.insidenova.com/business_voice/looking-ahead-what-s-the-future-of-the-office/article_1c011da6-ba03-11ec-b482-8f719081038c.html | 2022-04-12T02:51:44Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/business_voice/looking-ahead-what-s-the-future-of-the-office/article_1c011da6-ba03-11ec-b482-8f719081038c.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
“Welcome back! So good to see you after two years!” This is a pretty common phrase these days, one that can be heard across the region as people are returning to the office, events and, dare I say, the new normal.
According to the New York Times, 50 million people left the office during the pandemic. Before 2019, only 4% worked exclusively from home while after May of 2020, 43% did so. For white-collar workers the figure was even higher – at 65%.
As the pandemic recedes and spring descends on us with warm weather and more daylight, many of us are coming out of hibernation. Offices are reopening and many leaders are asking how they can entice workers to come back to the office and get back to normal.
First, we have to realize that just like the world has changed, our teammates have changed and the old “normal” is gone. Employees want different things now and with the war for talent and unemployment rates in the region back to pre-pandemic low levels, it’s going to take a new approach to office expectations and culture to strike the best balance.
Enticing Employees to Come Back: First Things First
Create and share a safety and wellness plan
Leaders first need to create and share a safety and wellness plan that demonstrates not only how the office will be safe to occupy but also addresses physiological safety. Because of the trauma brought on by the pandemic, we need to ensure everyone is able to show their true self without fear of negative consequences to their career. Bottom line, each person must feel that they are accepted and respected. With these as a base line, we can start to encourage and entice workers to come back.
Get flexible
Most workers continue to want some sort of hybrid approach. According to a study by the Future Forum, a consortium launched by Slack in September 2020, globally, nearly seven in 10 respondents said hybrid is their preferred work environment. But most workers also want flexibility in not just where they work but when. While 78% of all survey respondents said they want location flexibility, nearly all (95%) want schedule flexibility.
The goal here is to come up with a clear plan that is flexible and addresses your teams’ needs. To engage employees, you may want to have each team come up with their own “Team Agreement” about days, schedules and availability. Then, be sure to communicate these plans with key boundary partners. Flexibility is critical in such a tight labor market where inflexibility could result in an exodus.
Fun Ways to Welcome Employees Back
- Create programming that brings people together:
- Mentor Mondays – have mentors and mentees meet in a special area and provide snacks
- Speed networking programs
- Togetherness Tuesdays – come in for a quick lunch of sandwiches or pizza
- Speakers on wellness – virtual or in person
- Host book clubs
- Conduct volunteer activities like packing snack bags for a local food pantry
- Freshen up the office and include free food:
- Offer “welcome back” trinkets such as branded cups and hand sanitizer.
- Create a coffee bar with extra offerings
- Put plants in the office
- Provide fresh snacks in break rooms. (Most people prefer individually wrapped snacks or fruit. Hold off on the pizza party and popcorn machine until summer.)
- Create a free lunch day
Have some fun:
- Create and host scavenger hunts
- Add game tables like putting greens, foosball, air hockey, cornhole, Jenga and board games in break areas
And for safety, make sure that you have:
- Hand sanitizer dispensers in several visible locations
- Disinfectant wipes in all break rooms and high traffic areas
- Ultraviolet phone sanitizers in break rooms
Start small: Pick one day a week to focus on and advertise that as a day for people to gather. For example, host “Monday Fun Days!” with the goal of having as many employees as possible start their week in the office.
Don’t forget the newbies: Some employees may have never been to your office because they were onboarded during the pandemic so have a plan for them too, including maps of the building, directional signage and instructions on badging and using the copiers and printers. | https://www.insidenova.com/business_voice/the-next-phase-rebuilding-office-culture/article_dcf0dd86-ba02-11ec-bae8-9bb06f883175.html | 2022-04-12T02:51:50Z | insidenova.com | control | https://www.insidenova.com/business_voice/the-next-phase-rebuilding-office-culture/article_dcf0dd86-ba02-11ec-bae8-9bb06f883175.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Current Ranking
0
Apr 11 2022
0
YTD 2022
Prize Money
$0
$000000
YTD 2022
0
/
0
00/0
YTD 2022
Career High
0
Apr 11 2022
0
Career
Prize Money
$0
$0000000
Career
0
/
0
000/000
Career
Latest Matches
All MatchesSorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Matches do not include current week match results.
Grand Slam Record
Grand SlamsBest Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
R128 x1
W/L
0/1
2021
Australian Open
—
–
Roland Garros
—
–
Wimbledon
—
–
US Open
R128 x1
2021
Latest Player Videos
-
-
Monterrey: Wang Qiang overcomes qualifier Galfi from a set down
2022 Monterrey -
Top seed Putintseva ends wildcard Galfi's run: Budapest Highlights
2021 Budapest -
Galfi makes first WTA QF at home with Schmiedlova win: Budapest…
-
Drops, counterdrops & set point saves as Galfi gains first WTA win…
2021 Budapest
Latest Player News
-
Rankings Watch: Osaka climbs 42 spots; Collins back in Top 10
Rankings update -
Rakhimova, Yuan advance to final Australian Open qualifying round
2022 Australian Open -
Introducing the 2021 US Open's Grand Slam debutantes
2021 US Open -
Insider Wrap: Krejcikova rises to No.2 in Race, Zidansek wins first…
WTA Insider -
Rankings Watch: Krejcikova closes in on Top 10, Burel into Top 100
Rankings Update
- Singles
- Doubles
Matches Filter
Filter by Year
Filter by Tournament
Matches do not include current week match results.
Sorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Best Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
R128 x1
W/L
0/1
2021
Australian Open
—
–
Roland Garros
—
–
Wimbledon
—
–
US Open
R128 x1
2021
Filter
2022
Filter
Sorry, we couldn't find any stats data for this year.
* For purposes of the player profile, individual player stats are cumulative for the calendar year and not calculated using a minimum match requirement.
SinglesRanking
Current Singles
92
Singles Career High Ranking
Highest Singles
92
Apr 11, 2022
Doubles Current Ranking
Current Doubles
178
Doubles Career High Ranking
Highest Doubles
165
Dec 14, 2020
Custom Filter:
Top Rank by Year
Year-end Ranking
No Rankings Data Available
Custom Filter:
Top Rank by Year
Year-end Ranking
No Rankings Data Available
Filter
2022
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
Filter | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/321106/dalma-galfi | 2022-04-12T02:52:43Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/321106/dalma-galfi | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Latest Matches
All MatchesSorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Matches do not include current week match results.
Grand Slam Record
Grand SlamsBest Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Latest Player Videos
-
-
Miami: Bronzetti saves match point, bests Tomljanovic for first Top 50…
2022 Miami -
Guadalajara: Bouzkova beats Bronzetti to book QF spot
2022 Guadalajara -
Guadalajara: Qualifier Bronzetti overcomes McNally from a set down
2022 Guadalajara -
Putintseva reaches second SF of season over Bronzetti: Portoroz…
2021 Portoroz -
Bronzetti beats Pera, makes 3rd WTA QF in 3rd WTA main draw: Portoroz…
2021 Portoroz
Latest Player News
-
Insider Wrap: From Swiatek to Fruhvirtova, the biggest stories from…
2022 Miami -
Rankings Watch: Osaka climbs 42 spots; Collins back in Top 10
Rankings update -
Collins overpowers Jabeur, Saville saves match point to reach Miami…
2022 Miami -
Monday at the Miami Open: Eight things to know about the Round of 16
2022 Miami Open -
Osaka advances in Miami as Muchova withdraws
2022 Miami -
Miami Day 5 order of play: Osaka faces Muchova; Jabeur, Collins in…
2022 Miami
More on Bronzetti...
Personal
Coached by Francesco Piccari. Former Top-50 player Karin Knapp also an occasional member of her team
Career Highlights
Career in Review
- Singles
- Doubles
Matches do not include current week match results.
Sorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Best Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Sorry, we couldn't find any stats data for this year.
* For purposes of the player profile, individual player stats are cumulative for the calendar year and not calculated using a minimum match requirement.
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
Sign Up to the WTA Newsletter
Every week, receive player features, tournament news, and WTA Insider Content with the WTA First Serve Newsletter
Will be used in accordance to our Privacy Policy. | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/322280/lucia-bronzetti | 2022-04-12T02:52:49Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/322280/lucia-bronzetti | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Latest Matches
All MatchesSorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Matches do not include current week match results.
Grand Slam Record
Grand SlamsBest Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Latest Player Videos
-
-
Bogota: Rakhimova triumphs over Bara to reach first WTA SF
2022 Bogota -
Bogota: Rakhimova upsets Haddad Maia, reaches 2nd QF of 2022
2022 Bogota -
St. Petersburg: Martic battles past Rakhimova, snaps losing streak
2022 St. Petersburg -
Melbourne 2: Rakhimova upsets Sorribes Tormo to make 1st WTA QF
2022 Melbourne 2 -
The top 25 indoor hard points of 2021, Part 2 (No.12 to No.1)
2021 rewind
Latest Player News
-
Rankings Watch: Maria, Pigossi rise; Bencic back in Top 20
Rankings update -
Pigossi upsets Osorio in Bogota; to meet Maria in all-qualifier final
2022 Bogota -
Rakhimova, Yuan advance to final Australian Open qualifying round
2022 Australian Open -
Zheng Qinwen, Trevisan pull off escapes in Australian Open qualifying
2022 Australian Open -
Australian Open qualifying draw: Zheng Qinwen, Gasanova in action
2022 Australian Open -
Riske battles past lucky loser Cristian in thriller to capture Linz…
2021 Linz
More on Rakhimova...
Personal
Coached by Yulia Pilchikova
Started playing tennis aged five
Favorite surface is hard
Career Highlights
DOUBLES
Winner (1): Phillip Island Trophy (w/Raina).
Finalist (1): 2021 - Palermo (w/Dzalamidze).
Career in Review
Advanced to 3r at 2021 US Open (asqualifier, l. Krejcikova). Also made 2r last year at St. Petersburg, Belgradeand Lausanne
Won doubles title at Phillip Island Trophy in 2021 (w/Raina, d. Blinkova/Potapova in F)
Reached 2r on Grand Slam debut at 2020 Roland Garros (as qualifier, l. Sakkari); 1r win over No.55
Rogers was both the best-by-ranking of her career and also first at Tour level
Fell 1r on WTA main draw debut at 2019 Jurmala (as WC, l. Marcinkevica)
Owns five singles and six doubles titles on ITF Circuit
Made professional debut on ITF Circuit in Kazakhstan in 2016
- Singles
- Doubles
Matches do not include current week match results.
Sorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Best Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Sorry, we couldn't find any stats data for this year.
* For purposes of the player profile, individual player stats are cumulative for the calendar year and not calculated using a minimum match requirement.
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
Sign Up to the WTA Newsletter
Every week, receive player features, tournament news, and WTA Insider Content with the WTA First Serve Newsletter
Will be used in accordance to our Privacy Policy. | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/325936/kamilla-rakhimova | 2022-04-12T02:52:57Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/325936/kamilla-rakhimova | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Latest Matches
All MatchesSorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Matches do not include current week match results.
Grand Slam Record
Grand SlamsBest Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Latest Player Videos
-
-
Gauff edges past Zhang to reach Miami R16 for first time
2022 Miami -
Miami: Gauff makes third round debut with defeat of Wang Qiang
2022 Miami -
Indian Wells: Halep beats Gauff, stays undefeated vs. Top 20 in 2022
-
Indian Wells: Gauff advances past fellow American Liu
2022 Indian Wells -
Doha: Dazzling rallies as Gauff, Pegula win doubles title
2022 Doha
Latest Player News
-
Rankings Watch: Osaka climbs 42 spots; Collins back in Top 10
Rankings update -
Swiatek ousts Gauff in Miami for 14th straight win; will meet Kvitova…
2022 Miami -
Monday at the Miami Open: Eight things to know about the Round of 16
2022 Miami Open -
Gauff, Pegula through to Round 4 in Miami
2022 Miami -
Miami Open Day 6 order of play: Pegula in enemy territory; Gauff in…
2022 Miami Open -
Swiatek, Sakkari lead stacked Stuttgart entries; Raducanu, Gauff debut
2022 Stuttgart
More on Gauff...
Personal
Coached by father, Corey, who played basketball at Georgia State; mother, Candi, excelled in gymnastics before competing in a track and field at Florida State University
Started playing tennis at six
Favorite surface is hard, describes her playing style as aggressive as possible with a big serve; depends on her quickness and athleticism to keep her in any point - describes herself as a "fighter"
Tennis idols growing up were the Williams sisters whose tenacity and fearlessness made her want to become a professional tennis player
Enjoys hanging out with her brother and family, watching superhero movies and making TikTik videos
Does not have any pets but has been trying to convince her mom to get a dog ... Favorite city is Paris because of the history, food and architecture
Favorite celebrity is Beyonce because she is an incredible performer
Career Highlights
SINGLES
Winner (2): 2021 - Parma; 2019 - Linz.
DOUBLES
Winner (4): 2022 - Doha (w/Pegula); 2021 - Parma (w/McNally); 2019 - Washington DC, Luxembourg (both w/McNally). Finalist (1): 2021 - US Open (w/McNally)
ADDITIONAL
American Fed Cup Team, 2020.
Career in Review
2021 - Second season finishing in the Top 50 in both singles (No.22) and doubles (No.21); in singles, won second career title at Parma (d. Q. Wang); reached semifinals at Adelaide (l. to Bencic) and Rome (l. to Swiatek); reached quarterfinals at Roland Garros (l. to Krejcikova), Dubai (l. to Teichmann), Charleston 500 (l. to Jabeur) and Montreal (l. to Giorgi); reached 4r at Wimbledon (l. to Kerber); Notched two Top 10 wins, both at Rome (d. No.4 Sabalenka, d. No.1 Barty); in doubles, won title at Parma (w/McNally); reached doubles final at U.S. Open (l. to Stosur/Zhang).
2020 - First Top 50 season (finishing No.48); SF at Lexington (l. to Brady); reached 4r at Australian Open (l. to Kenin) and 2r four times (incl. Roland Garros); fell 1r twice (incl. US Open); made Top 50 debut on February 24 (rose from No.51 to No.49).
2019 - First Top 100 season (finishing No.68); won maiden WTA title at Linz (as LL, d. Ostapenko in F) en route earning first Top 10 win over No.8 Bertens; reached 4r at Wimbledon (as qualifier, l. to Halep), 3r at US Open (l. to Osaka) and 2r at Miami (l. to Kasatkina); fell 1r twice and in qualifying once (Roland Garros); in doubles, won two titles at Washington DC and Luxembourg (both w/McNally); won one doubles title on ITF Circuit.
2018 - Fell in qualifying at US Open; made professional debut on ITF Circuit at $25k Osprey, FL-USA.
- Singles
- Doubles
Matches do not include current week match results.
Sorry, there are no matches available for this year.
Best Grand Slam Result
Highest Finish
Australian Open
Roland Garros
Wimbledon
US Open
Sorry, we couldn't find any stats data for this year.
* For purposes of the player profile, individual player stats are cumulative for the calendar year and not calculated using a minimum match requirement.
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
No Rankings Data Available
Sign Up to the WTA Newsletter
Every week, receive player features, tournament news, and WTA Insider Content with the WTA First Serve Newsletter
Will be used in accordance to our Privacy Policy. | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/328560/coco-gauff | 2022-04-12T02:53:03Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/players/328560/coco-gauff | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
ANAHEIM — The Angels are taking no chances with Mike Trout.
The three-time American League MVP was in the lineup on Monday, but after Manager Joe Maddon talked to him about the stomach bug that continues to bother him, he decided to scratch his star center fielder from the lineup.
“It’s Game 5,” Maddon said. “Let’s just be smart about all this stuff. If you’re not feeling well, you’re not feeling well.”
Trout was too sick to play the final two exhibition games of the Freeway Series last week, but then he played all four in the season-opening series against the Houston Astros.
Apparently, he was still not 100 percent, though, so Maddon wanted to be careful. After Trout went through his pregame work on the field, Maddon removed him from the lineup.
Maddon said he would rather start the game with Trout on the bench and have him available for later than have to take him out and not have him at the end of the game.
Another reason to keep Trout out of the lineup on Monday was that a player who has been bothered by a stomach issue can be dehydrated, and that could lead to a much more serious injury.
“With his history of soft tissue injuries, we just want to be cautious with him,” head athletic trainer Mike Frostad said. “It’s early in the year and we don’t want to run the risk of having somebody go down with a soft tissue injury at this point in the season, especially with somebody with his history.”
Last season Trout missed the final four months of the season with a strained calf injury that was expected to keep him out only two months.
Trout has said he’s been on a new regimen of workouts and flexibility exercises that is intended to prevent such injuries. He said he has been feeling better than he had in past seasons.
ADELL’S SLOW START
Jo Adell had been out of the lineup before Trout was scratched, which allowed him to get back in and try to snap out of his brief funk to begin the season. Adell was hitless in his first nine at-bats, with seven strikeouts.
The Astros threw him 19 breaking balls among the 39 pitches that he saw. He swung at 11 of them and he made contact just twice, not including one foul tip. His 34.8% contact rate is the lowest in the majors for qualified players.
“It’s just an adjustment thing,” Adell said. “I think we’re all getting the feel of how things are gonna run. They definitely mixed in a lot of offspeed pitches and I came in some situations against guys that rally spotted it up and made good pitches. I’m just getting back in a rhythm to what I had, to just keep moving forward.”
Maddon said that Adell will get better, particularly against those breaking balls.
“He’s just underneath some pitches that I thought he was squaring up,” Maddon said. “He could hit a breaking ball over those rocks. He can really crush a breaking ball. I think from what I saw some were just a little too wide. He has to narrow it down and get them over the plate a little bit. If he catches a strike breaking ball, it’s going to go really far.”
NOTES
Adell might only have a few more games to show some improvement because Taylor Ward (strained groin) is progressing well and will likely come off the injured list on Saturday, Frostad said. Ward was Maddon’s choice to be the everyday right fielder, so once he returns that will create a squeeze with Adell, Brandon Marsh and Jose Rojas in left field. …
Griffin Canning (back) is expected to begin throwing off a mound sometime during the Angels’ upcoming trip, Frostad said. Canning is on the 60-day injured list, so he’s not eligible to return until June 4. …
The Angels have continued to have their players work on bunting for hits against the shift. Maddon said he wants players to be comfortable enough to do it on their own. “The thing about guys bunting that don’t normally bunt, it always seems better when they decide to do it on their own, as opposed to getting a sign. Getting a sign has a tendency to tighten people up,” Maddon said. …
Shohei Ohtani is scheduled to make his next start as a pitcher on Thursday, the first day of a four-game series in Texas. Assuming the Angels continue in the same order, Reid Detmers, Noah Syndergaard and José Suarez would pitch the final three games of the series.
UP NEXT
Angels (LHP Patrick Sandoval, 3-6, 3.62 in 2021) vs. Marlins (LHP Jesus Luzardo, 6-9, 6.61 in 2021), Tuesday, 4:07 p.m., Bally Sports West, 830 AM | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/04/11/angels-scratch-mike-trout-from-the-lineup-because-of-stomach-illness/ | 2022-04-12T03:02:40Z | pasadenastarnews.com | control | https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2022/04/11/angels-scratch-mike-trout-from-the-lineup-because-of-stomach-illness/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
While a lot of renters are struggling, few are hurting more than those dependent on Section 8 government housing assistance. Many are losing their homes and can't find anywhere accepting vouchers.
Margaret is one of those people. The 80-year old is tired, physically and emotionally, from struggling to find a new home.
"I'm on the computer from the time I get up at seven in the morning till two to three in the afternoon, then go and eat something and go and start all over again," Margaret said.
She counts on it to pay a big part of her rent. But Villa Montana apartments in Scottsdale, Arizona, her home of 19 years, notified Margaret they no longer take Section 8 vouchers.
And she can't find any place that does accept the vouchers.
"This just hasn't happened to me before and I don't know which way to turn," she says.
After this story aired on television, dozens of people reached out with suggestions. They ranged from links with property listings to programs that help renters to people looking for roommates.
We sent them all to Margaret.
"I've had so many responses and numbers to call. I've called over 200 numbers now," she tells me.
But still, no luck.
"We don't accept it anymore. That's what most of them say," Margaret recalls.
So, Margaret paid $1,400 out of her own pocket to stay one more month in hopes of finding something. In this very tight housing market, more owners know they can get more money with fewer potential Section 8 hassles.
It's leaving people like Margaret on years-long waiting lists or taking anything they can get.
"There's no choosing which is better, or which is worse. It's just accepting what's available," she says.
Margaret and her daughter were in Mesa, Arizona after they discovered some potentially good news. They were looking at a place that apparently had a Section 8 opening.
While it would be miles from her life of 19 years, Margaret is hopeful but cautious.
She was asked what she would do if it doesn't work out.
"Then I'm up the creek without a paddle," she says.
The Mesa apartment is open, does accept Section 8 and she's going through the process of applying right now.
If it doesn't work out, Margaret knows she's better off than many since she has children nearby. But she still wants a place of her own. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/200-calls-and-no-rental-80-year-old-struggles-to-find-housing | 2022-04-12T03:07:14Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/200-calls-and-no-rental-80-year-old-struggles-to-find-housing | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Since its first days at war with Russia, Ukraine has succeeded in leveraging social media and the press to get the attention and support of countries around the world.
That's led some to suggest that it's winning the information war against Russia, an impressive feat considering that many experts see the Kremlin as a global leader in information warfare.
Experts tell Newsy Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy's regular addresses on the turmoil the country is facing have helped.
On-the-ground footage showing the effects of war that could be published incredibly quickly has also allowed Ukraine to keep its narrative of the war ahead of Russia's.
"We're down to a scale of minutes," said Daniel Johnson, Park fellow at the Hussman School of Journalism and Media at the University of North Carolina. "Ukrainians understand the power of images. They understand the power of the messages coming in almost real-time."
Social media has allowed Ukrainians to constantly document and broadcast the real-time turmoil they're facing from Russia. Ukraine's ability to debunk Russian propaganda with images of what's actually happening on the ground has helped them draw even more global support.
"When Ukraine says there are mass graves in the city of Bucha, almost any of us can turn on satellite imagery that's readily available online, or follow reporting by western reporters who are there to get a horrifying but firsthand look at what's going on," said Andy Carvin, managing editor of the digital forensic research lab at the Atlantic Council.
"But when Russia makes claims of Ukraine purposely attacking its own citizens, they don't offer proof."
"Zelenskyy and the government's ability to appeal to populations around the world, partly through social media, partly through making direct appeals to parliaments of countries, through the United Nations” of being visible and making Ukraine's case, is critical for Ukraine to continue receiving the support that it needs from wealthier countries around it," said Scott Radnitz, associate professor of Russian and Eurasian studies at the University of Washington.
Still, experts told Newsy that just because Ukraine is winning the information war on one front doesn't mean it's winning it everywhere. It also means that if Ukraine doesn't keep attention on the situation, it could lead to them losing the information war in the future.
"If you're looking at domestic Russian audiences, Ukraine is not even in the fight," Carvin said. "It's purely Russian messaging, with Russian censors cracking down on social media, arresting people who share truthful information, and then they get charged for spreading fake news."
"This really is a David and Goliath story," Radnitz said. "It's not hard to sell that storyline, and Zelenskyy has worked this narrative masterfully. But the truth is, people around the world, social media users, have other things to do. They have more immediate concerns. There will be other short-term crises and eventually attention is going to flag. And Ukraine is going to have to try ever harder to justify why people should care about it."
Newsy is the nation’s only free 24/7 national news network. You can find Newsy using your TV’s digital antenna or stream for free. See all the ways you can watch Newsy here. | https://www.katc.com/news/national/why-russia-has-struggled-in-its-information-war-in-ukraine | 2022-04-12T03:07:39Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/national/why-russia-has-struggled-in-its-information-war-in-ukraine | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Those with student loans have a bit longer to pay off their debt.
The federal student loan moratorium has been pushed back until August 31st.
This extension means more than 43 million Americans can put off repaying their federal student loans even longer without any additional interest.
"To get this little sense of relief is nice however, I wish that they just cancel it instead of extending it like this."
For college students like Jasmine Dean, there's extra time to put off paying loans.
Before the moratorium, Dean paid $250 a month on her loans.
Since then she's using the money to take care of other responsibilities.
"That's a huge relief considering bills, gas, and groceries. Being able to use that 250 towards something else, definitely helps,” Dean added.
"It is as simple as they don't remember how much their payment is as simple as they don't know who their loan servicer is. And so we've oftentimes allocated funds elsewhere."
Yrefy managing partner, Mary Jo Lambert-Terry says borrowers in Louisiana have racked up $22.1 billion in student loan debt.
"On average, people have anywhere from 31,000 to 36,000, depending on the state that they're in, in average debt, which is usually pretty close to their rent payment and or the biggest debt next to a mortgage,” said Terry.
Before payments start again, Lambert suggests knowing your status through student aid.gov.
"You log in, and you can find out who your loan servicer is, you're going to want to update your profile. There are income-driven repayment programs, there are four in the federal program, which basically we'll take a look at how your household is changed, how your income has changed, and realistically how much you can afford to pay. The closer we get, the busier they're going to be in completing this documentation. And if we need to adjust these things, let's do them right now,” Terry added.
"There are some people in less fortunate situations that are very grateful for this. Again, I just hope that they come to a finalized decision on whether they're going to continue to extend it past August 31st or if they're just going to cancel it altogether,” said Dean.
------------------------------------------------------------
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 | https://www.katc.com/news/student-loan-moratorium-pushed-back-until-august-31st-how-to-prepare-for-payments | 2022-04-12T03:07:45Z | katc.com | control | https://www.katc.com/news/student-loan-moratorium-pushed-back-until-august-31st-how-to-prepare-for-payments | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Lance Cpl. Jose Magallon, non-tactical vehicle section motor vehicle operator, skins a wild boar caught on the installation, Gotemba, Japan, April 6, 2022. As part of an ongoing life skills program, hunters from the Gotemba Hunters’ Association taught Marines about various hunting and trapping procedures used on the installation, and how to prepare a wild boar. The lessons are part of an overall life skills program, made up of volunteers, aimed to deliver a variety of experiences to junior Marines and Sailors living in the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Katie Gray)
This work, Gotemba Hunters' Association teaches Marines survival life skills [Image 10 of 10], by Katie Gray, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7138040/gotemba-hunters-association-teaches-marines-survival-life-skills | 2022-04-12T03:08:43Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7138040/gotemba-hunters-association-teaches-marines-survival-life-skills | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
A Combined Arms Training Center Camp Fuji Marine prepares a cut boar during a life skills class, Gotemba, Japan, April 6, 2022. As part of an ongoing life skills program, hunters from the Gotemba Hunters’ Association taught Marines about various hunting and trapping procedures used on the installation, and how to prepare a wild boar. The lessons are part of an overall life skills program, made up of volunteers, aimed to deliver a variety of experiences to junior Marines and Sailors living in the barracks. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Katie Gray)
This work, Gotemba Hunters' Association teaches Marines survival life skills [Image 10 of 10], by Katie Gray, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7138043/gotemba-hunters-association-teaches-marines-survival-life-skills | 2022-04-12T03:09:00Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/image/7138043/gotemba-hunters-association-teaches-marines-survival-life-skills | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With the 2020-21 season long since in the books, let’s take a few moments to look back at the performance of each member of YOUR Marquette Golden Eagles this year. While we’re at it, we’ll also take a look back at our player previews and see how our preseason prognostications stack up with how things actually played out. We’ll run through the roster in order of total minutes played going from lowest to highest, and today we’ll start off our run of reviews with the guy on the roster that saw the least amount of court time this season.......
Emarion Ellis
Freshman - #2 - Guard - 6’5” - 185 pounds - Davenport, Iowa
Emarion Ellis Traditional Stats
Emarion Ellis Fancy Stats
WHAT WE SAID:
Reasonable Expectations
We have to take two things into account when trying to figure out how Emarion Ellis fits into this year’s Marquette team. #1, he’s a freshman, and #2, Marquette is woefully thin in terms of experience at guard and wing.
Let’s start with the lack of experience part because that might play the biggest part here. Yes, Greg Elliott is back with Marquette, but there are reasonable questions to be asked about Elliott’s health and physical fitness to play major Division 1 basketball minutes as a result of his series of injuries. That’s it in terms of returning guards or wings, but we do have two transfers that will help. Darryl Morsell is clearly going to get all the minutes he wants because that’s what you do for a guy who elected to spend his bonus year of eligibility with you, and Tyler Kolek has a year of quality experience at George Mason... but it’s at least reasonable to wonder how well he fits into a Big East squad.
That’s it for experienced college guards. Quite honestly, just to get through the season, at least one and probably at least two of Marquette’s freshman guards are going to have to be contributors. Maybe not notable contributors, but they are probably not going to be allowed to just sit quietly on the bench and learn how the game is played at that level from over there.
Thus, the pathway is open for decent minutes for Ellis right out of the gate. T-Rank’s projection for him says about 12 minutes a game and 3.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. I’m definitely not turning that down, and there’s definitely a possibility that he easily surpasses that. After all, he is a freshman, and the fact of the matter is that Marquette does not need major things from him.
Why You Should Get Excited
Of Marquette’s three freshman guards, Ellis is probably the best athlete. Shaka Smart has made repeated references to the conditioning levels needed to play with the pace and energy that he wants his first MU team to show on the court. Without saying anything negative about anyone else, if you’re already the most gifted athlete, then you’ve got a little bit of an extra advantage when it comes to getting yourself to the point that Smart wants his players to be at to contribute.
I mean, look at that picture at the top of the page. Sure, I don’t know anything about the guy he’s blocking or the team that Assumption was playing or how much Ellis’ high school coach let him freelance. The fact of the matter is that Ellis is still capable of making a play like that. Sure, there’s a question about whether or not he can pull that off at the high major level, but you can’t teach the mental and athletic instinct that gets a guy to the point where he realizes he can do that and then does it. That’s the kind of thing that can be the difference in order to get you minutes on the court.
I also want to point out the “good hands” and “opportunistic defender” part of that scouting report from Jerry Meyer. Smart has publicly stated he wants his teams to create at least 32 deflections per game. Having good hands and taking advantage of opportunities are two things that are very important when it comes to creating deflections on defense, and if Ellis can make that happen, then that’s going to get him on the court more and more.
Potential Pitfalls
We have to swing back to item #1 way back in the Expectations department: Ellis is a freshman. As the old saying goes, the best thing about freshmen that they become sophomores. Maybe Ellis takes a minute to figure how how things work the best at this level. Maybe the core talents of the other freshmen are more important to what the Golden Eagles need on the floor and that leaves Ellis sixth in line for backcourt/wing minutes.
None of these are a bad thing, of course. These kinds of things happen to freshmen all along. However, Ellis is on a team that is probably going to struggle to win games at times this season. If he himself is struggling to make a positive impact on the court, it’s very easy to see how the coaching staff is going to look in a direction that gets them the best possible team and the best possible opportunity to win. If Ellis is the best athlete but more of a raw talent than an immediately ready to contribute high major guard, that could easily lead to a season of very little on the court action for him.
Well, nothing against Emarion Ellis here, but this player review is not going to take very long. That’s what happens when the coaching staff puts you on the floor for a grand total of 85 minutes in 14 games. When Ellis got on the floor for the final five minutes of the North Carolina game in the NCAA tournament, that was his first time in action since playing for two minutes in MU’s home win over Georgetown on February 16th, just barely more than a month earlier. The game against the Hoyas was the first action Ellis saw since MU’s home win over DePaul back on January 11th.
None of this should be surprising to you at this point, and quite honestly, looking back at the whole season, it shouldn’t have been a surprise as it happened, either. As Marquette didn’t have an easy time of it while getting the win against SIU Edwardsville in the season opener, Ellis didn’t play a single minute. Against New Hampshire three days later as MU had roughly the same level of difficulty? Just six total minutes as I imagine the coaching staff attempted to find a lineup that would crack the Wildcats’ code.
All alone, with no context, this painted a pretty strong picture of exactly where Ellis slotted in amongst the guards for the rest of the season. Add in the context of Ellis playing six total minutes in the first two games of the season against teams that, in theory, Marquette should be overwhelming and the coaching staff should be playing mix and match all while Greg Elliott served a four game suspension to start the year? Yeah, that did not bode well for how much Ellis was going to contribute all season long, and as the season wore on, that proved to be accurate.
That’s a little bit of a bummer because you’d like to see everyone contributing, of course, but also because of the flickers of potential that we did see. I would have liked to see Ellis get a chance to show how real his three-point shooting was. In a stretch of nine games that he played in this season between the St. Bonaventure game in Charleston and the road game against Georgetown on January 7th, Ellis went 5-for-7 from long range. He finished the year 5-for-9. Quite obviously, these are unsustainable numbers. No one is shooting 71% on threes for a season, and it’s very unusual for someone to knock down 55% of their attempts. But, if he could hit his first attempt of the game in four different contests after popping off the bench and never playing more than 10 minutes in any of those four games..... well, that certainly sounds like a skill that deserved a little bit more attention.
It seems Ellis rebounded his position pretty well from a glance at his rebounding rate numbers, but it’s easy to forget that he’s 6’5” after not seeing him on the court all that much. 6’5” guards should be able to get a decent number of rebounds. In limited action, Ellis showed a knack for getting to the free throw line, finishing the year with a better fouls drawn per 40 minutes number per KenPom.com than anyone else on the roster. Ellis played just 85 minutes this year, but he still finished the season with more free throws attempted than Kam Jones. We can have a long conversation about Ellis only shooting 50% on his 20 free throw attempts, sure, and that can definitely factor into the discussion of how real that three-point shooting percentage is as well.
BEST GAME
It was a blowout for the Golden Eagles as a team, but Ellis’ nine minutes against Georgetown on January 7th were pretty great. Four points, four rebounds, and an assist, 1-for-2 from long range, no turnovers.
SEASON GRADE
I refuse to grade 85 minutes as a real season worth grading, particularly with just two appearances since classes started for the spring semester. I’m giving Emarion Ellis an Incomplete on the year, and hoping that we see a lot more of him in 2022-23. | https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2022/4/11/23020029/marquette-golden-eagles-basketball-player-review-emarion-ellis | 2022-04-12T03:10:07Z | anonymouseagle.com | control | https://www.anonymouseagle.com/2022/4/11/23020029/marquette-golden-eagles-basketball-player-review-emarion-ellis | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) — Marketing changes by major COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers have people asking: What is Spikevax? What is Comirnaty?
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Spikevax is simply a new name for a product the public is already familiar with — the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine. Comirnaty is also just a new name for a familiar product — the Pfizer-BoiNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
“The vaccine has been known as the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, and will now be marketed as Spikevax, for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older,” an online FDA publication said. “The vaccine that has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16 years of age and older.
The change is the result of the full approval of the vaccines by the FDA, which has previously only allowed their use on an emergency basis.
On March 29, the FDA authorized a second booster dose of the two vaccines for older and immunocompromised individuals. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has set up a website, Vaccines.gov, to help individuals find COVID-19 vaccines and boosters in their area. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/health/coronavirus/what-are-spikevax-and-comirnaty/ | 2022-04-12T03:11:41Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/health/coronavirus/what-are-spikevax-and-comirnaty/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
With three weeks to go before the Hamilton County primary elections, the republican candidates for mayor faced off in a live debate hosted by Local 3 News and our partner the Chattanooga Times Free Press.
Candidates Matt Hullander, Sabrena Smedley, and Weston Wamp were hesitant to throw their support behind contributing county funds for a new stadium for the Chattanooga Lookouts.
They agreed the county's sewer systems are in need of an upgrade and the need curb the rising cost of housing and rent.
Where the three candidates differed most was their solution to the overcrowding of some Hamilton County Schools. The Hamilton County School District estimates facilities are in need of $1.4 billion in upgrades.
"School doesn't look have to look the way it used to," said Wamp. "Our STEM school at Chattanooga State's an example that we basically used auxiliary space less than ten years ago and it's now one of the highest performing public schools."
"I have met with the superintendent on multiple occasions," said Smedley. "He and I have already talked about the possibility of taking two of our schools that are grossly under capacity and repurposing those."
"I wish every child could walk to their elementary school," said Hullander. "But when it comes to high schools, we also have to be careful. You have Brainerd you have Howard. You have gang-related issues, turf war problems."
Two years after the beginning of the COVID crisis, the candidates looked back on the county's response and how they would have handled it differently. They all agreed there never should have been a mask mandate.
"I am a father of children whose earliest educational experiences were negatively impacted by masks," said Wamp.
"As mayor, I will never tell a business owner that you cannot go to work," said Smedley.
"Hopefully, this will not happen in the future. But if it does, I believe in the constitution of the United States and our 13th and 14th amendments spell it out for us," said Hullander.
The candidates laid out plans for curbing the record-high costs of housing and rent.
"We have to invest in wastewater, " said Smedley. "We have to invest now while we have this one-time money through the COVID relief fund. $70 million."
"You have to explain to people the pros and cons and the tradeoffs, for example, of density," said Wamp. "Where densities are appropriate, we should pursuit it. So that families like mine can afford a place to live."
"I think there's a way for the county mayor to work with the city mayor to find areas for additional density," said Hullander.
The winner of the republican primary will face democrat Matt Adams in the general election in August. He weighed in on what his republican opponents had to say, and argued there needs to be more emphasis on creating opportunities for people in the county.
"Vocational training is great. I think the pipeline to the workforce is great," Said Adams. "But I also believe that there are several other issues that we need to address in this county to make sure that folks are given an opportunity and not just a job."
The Hamilton County primary election is on May 3. Early voting begins on Wednesday, April 13. | https://www.local3news.com/candidates-for-hamilton-county-mayor-weigh-in-on-new-consolidating-schools-covid-response/article_933084b4-ba05-11ec-ae0e-1b5f16d063be.html | 2022-04-12T03:13:30Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/candidates-for-hamilton-county-mayor-weigh-in-on-new-consolidating-schools-covid-response/article_933084b4-ba05-11ec-ae0e-1b5f16d063be.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(CNN) -- President Joe Biden on Monday announced new steps aimed at regulating so-called "ghost guns," as use of the untraceable, homemade weapons in violent crimes rises.
Ghost guns are one of many issues facing regulators and policymakers looking to address a spike in gun violence that began in early summer 2020. Gun homicides drove the uptick.
Here's what you should know about ghost guns:
What ghost guns are
Ghost guns are untraceable, self-assembled firearms, often put together with parts sold online, sometimes in as little as 30 minutes.
The weapons, sometimes referred to by officials as "privately made firearms," or PMFs, do not have serial numbers, making them all the more difficult to track and regulate.
Purchasing kits to build ghost guns online does not require a background check, so buyers can sidestep the typical requirements that might come with buying a firearm.
This means anyone -- no matter their age or criminal record -- can buy the kits and assemble a weapon.
How prevalent they are
Calls for something to be done about ghost guns have grown as their use in shootings across the US has proliferated, with the weapons recovered at crime scenes in some big cities more frequently.
While ghost guns make up a relatively small percentage of the total number of guns recovered by law enforcement, officials in several cities have reported sharp increases in those tallies, a CNN analysis of 2021 data found.
In San Francisco, for example, about 20% of the nearly 1,100 guns it seized in 2021 were ghost guns, police there told CNN.
And New York is on pace to again shatter the previous year's total, according to data shared with CNN. Since the start of this year, the NYPD has recovered 163 ghost guns, compared to 29 over the same period in 2021, mayor Eric Adams said Monday.
In 2021, New York authorities seized 4,497 firearms -- 375, or 8.33%, were ghost guns.
Of the 12,088 guns recovered in Chicago last year, 455, or 3.76%, were ghost guns, according to data from the city, up from 130 ghost guns recovered in 2020, when ghost guns made up 1.15% of the 11,343 guns recovered.
Between 2016 and 2021, the ATF received 45,000 reports of privately made firearms recovered by law enforcement in criminal investigations, including 20,000 reported last year alone. The agency was able to trace only 1% of the 45,000, officials said, because the firearms lack serial numbers.
The number of guns the ATF traced rose from about 217,000 in 2015 to just over 393,000 in 2020.
Just this past week, a ghost gun was recovered outside the home of a suspect arrested for the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old girl in the South Bronx, a police source told CNN.
What Biden announced
The regulation the Biden administration announced Monday addresses a gap in the government's ability to track ghost guns, requiring background checks before kit purchases and inclusion of serial numbers on some pieces used to assemble weapons.
"The Biden administration is making sure these kits are treated as the deadly firearms they are," a senior administration official said ahead of the announcement.
The new rules require anyone purchasing a kit to undergo a background check, which is required for other kinds of firearm purchases. Those selling kits will also be required to include a serial number on the components that make up the weapon, so the eventual firearm can be traced.
Additionally, the new rules mandate firearm dealers add a serial number to already-assembled ghost guns they come across.
"It's no longer a ghost," Biden said in the Rose Garden on Monday. "It has a return address. And it's going to help save lives, reduce crime and get more criminals off the streets."
What steps states have taken
At least 10 states and Washington, DC, have already taken steps to restrict or ban the purchase or use of ghost guns, according to the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.
Maryland was the latest to join last week, when the governor allowed legislation to pass that altered the definition of "firearm" to include an unfinished frame or receiver and prohibiting the sale of such components, among other steps.
Republican Gov. Larry Hogan thanked the legislature for addressing untraceable firearms in a letter. But he said the legislation did not go far enough to hold accountable those who actually commit shootings.
Last October, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, signed legislation last October aimed at tackling the epidemic of gun violence, including prohibiting "the sale of ghost guns and requiring gunsmiths and dealers in firearms to register firearms in their possession," according to the governor's office.
Federal cases have targeted alleged traffickers
In the meantime, federal authorities have been cracking down on those who are either in possession of ghost guns or looking to traffic them.
Four men were charged in Baltimore last month with conspiracy and dealing firearms -- including ghost guns -- without a license, per the US Attorney's Office in Maryland.
In January, a Rhode Island man was charged by the US Attorney's Office of the Southern District of New York for allegedly selling or attempting to sell more than 100 guns he made at his home.
According to the Justice Department, the 34-year-old allegedly purchased the parts, made them at his home in Providence, Rhode Island, and then sold the completed weapons.
He was charged with one count of conspiracy to traffic firearms and one count of making false statements, the DOJ said in a news release.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/what-you-should-know-about-ghost-guns-as-biden-announces-new-regulation/article_00a049a8-ba06-11ec-94e9-836f46eb3f73.html | 2022-04-12T03:14:01Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/what-you-should-know-about-ghost-guns-as-biden-announces-new-regulation/article_00a049a8-ba06-11ec-94e9-836f46eb3f73.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
No player from a historically Black college or university has been drafted into the WNBA since 2002. On Monday night, that finally changed.
Ameshya Williams-Holliday, a senior center out of Jackson State University, was selected in the third round, 25th overall, by the Indiana Fever, making her the first HBCU player to be drafted into the WNBA in 20 years.
A three-time Southwestern Atlantic Conference defensive player of the year, Williams-Holliday was also player of the year for the 2021-22 season. CNN reached out to Williams-Holliday for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
In the 26 years since the WNBA's founding, only five players from an HBCU have ever been drafted into the league.
Three were in 2002: Andrea Gardner from Howard University, Amba Kongolo from North Carolina Central University, and Jacklyn Winfield from Southern University and A&M College.
The two other HBCU players drafted were Denique Graves in 1997 and Karen Wilkins in 1998, both from Howard University.
But in 2022, there are no players from an HBCU in the WNBA.
"I think if I was at a Power 5 school, it would be a different story of me being drafted or trying to get my foot in (the WNBA)," Williams-Holliday said in an interview last week with ESPN's Andscape.
"People think (HBCUs) can't compete with other top institutions (or) a Power 5 school, but that's not true," she said. "I think we deserve to be on the same level. I do think if I was still at Mississippi State, I would be a first-round draft pick."
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/wnba-drafts-its-first-player-from-an-hbcu-in-20-years/article_5767cd44-1ab6-56b7-bf49-d3bf753af7f6.html | 2022-04-12T03:14:07Z | local3news.com | control | https://www.local3news.com/regional-national/wnba-drafts-its-first-player-from-an-hbcu-in-20-years/article_5767cd44-1ab6-56b7-bf49-d3bf753af7f6.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Diverted JetBlue Passengers Plead to Deplane in Newark After Plane Has Trouble Landing at JFK
Many of the passengers were frightened and nauseous when they landed at Newark after four aborted landings at JFK and wanted to get off the plane, but they were told they would have to wait until the weather cleared, then fly back 33 miles to JFK.
Chaos erupted on a JetBlue flight when passengers diverted due to weather were told they would be flying back to their original destination instead of being allowed to deplane.
“We gotta get off this plane. It’s dangerous!” one passenger in the aisle said. “We tried to land four times already. It’s dangerous. We’re scared to fly. We want to get off.”
The passengers were headed to JFK International Airport from Cancun in stormy weather when the pilots had to abort the landing four times. The flight tracker shows the wild path it took over New York City before giving up and diverting to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
Many of the passengers were frightened and nauseous when they landed at Newark and wanted to get off the plane, but they were told they would have to wait until the weather cleared, then fly back to JFK.
The two airports are 33 miles apart.
“I don't care about JFK. It's our lives. It's our lives. It’s our lives, I'm sorry,” the passenger in the aisle said. “People are sick back there. People are fainting. People are throwing up.”
Sabrina Ettinger, 26, shot video of the scary ordeal.
“It was really bumpy and it felt like we were flying like this,” Ettinger said, motioning side to side with her hand. “And then going down really fast and then going back up. And it was definitely a lot of motion sickness.”
But the crew insisted everyone had to stay on board and fly back to JFK.
“Everybody wants to get off!” the passenger in the aisle said.
The plane took off and eventually landed safely at JFK more than seven hours late.
“The lack of compassion that we got was something that I don’t think anyone on the flight will ever be able to get over,” Ettinger said.
JetBlue apologized and each passenger received a $50 credit.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Russian Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, Who Protested Ukraine Invasion on Live TV, Gets New Job
PoliticsDiverted JetBlue Passengers Plead to Deplane in Newark After Plane Has Trouble Landing at JFK
NewsLoud Manhole Explosion Sends Panicked Crowds Scrambling in Times Square
NewsGeorgia Coroner Finds His Parents and His Teenage Son Shot to Death Inside Family Business
CrimeMassachusetts Teacher Finally Diagnosed With Cancer After Medical Complaints Were Dismissed as Anxiety
Health | https://www.insideedition.com/diverted-jetblue-passengers-plead-to-deplane-in-newark-after-plane-has-trouble-landing-at-jfk-74306 | 2022-04-12T03:17:31Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/diverted-jetblue-passengers-plead-to-deplane-in-newark-after-plane-has-trouble-landing-at-jfk-74306 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Kelsea Ballerini Co-Hosts the CMT Awards From Home After COVID-19 Diagnosis
“Unfortunately I cannot be there in person anymore, and I am devastated. I’m gutted," the country pop singer said in an Instagram video.
Hours before the CMT Awards was set to begin, co-host Kelsea Ballerini tested positive for COVID-19, leaving producers scrambling for a backup plan.
“Unfortunately I cannot be there in person anymore, and I am devastated. I’m gutted," the country pop singer said in an Instagram video.
Producers for the Nashville awards show ended up sending a production truck with a set and wardrobe to Ballerini’s house. She co-hosted and performed for the show remotely.
“I will still see you tonight at the awards, so let’s make lemonade from these bitter, bitter lemons,” Ballerini said.
Across the country, COVID-19 numbers are on the rise. New York City Mayor Eric Adams was the latest to test positive after waking up with a “raspy voice.”
It comes after a busy week of events for the mayor, including the New York Yankees home opener. Hewas also at the Gridiron Club dinner in Washington D.C. last weekend. Seventy-two movers and shakers who attended the dinner have now tested positive.
CNN’s Anderson Cooper also revealed Monday that he has COVID-19. “Thankfully the kids are negative,” he wrote on Instagram.
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Russian Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, Who Protested Ukraine Invasion on Live TV, Gets New Job
PoliticsDiverted JetBlue Passengers Plead to Deplane in Newark After Plane Has Trouble Landing at JFK
NewsLoud Manhole Explosion Sends Panicked Crowds Scrambling in Times Square
NewsGeorgia Coroner Finds His Parents and His Teenage Son Shot to Death Inside Family Business
CrimeMassachusetts Teacher Finally Diagnosed With Cancer After Medical Complaints Were Dismissed as Anxiety
Health | https://www.insideedition.com/kelsea-ballerini-co-hosts-the-cmt-awards-from-home-after-covid-19-diagnosis-74311 | 2022-04-12T03:17:37Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/kelsea-ballerini-co-hosts-the-cmt-awards-from-home-after-covid-19-diagnosis-74311 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Russian Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, Who Protested Ukraine Invasion on Live TV, Gets New Job
Marina Ovsyannikova disrupted a state-run Russian news broadcast by holding sign that said "NO WAR."
Russian journalist Marina Ovsyannikova has a new job after she stormed the set of a live Russian news show while holding a sign that read "NO WAR' and "You are being lied to."
Ovsyannikova said she was detained and interrogated for 14 hours after following her March 14 disruption of Russia's state-run primetime broadcast of Channel One.
Publisher Axel Springer announced on Monday that the 43-year-old will report for Germany's WELT as a freelance correspondent, writing for its newspaper and contributing to the outlet's TV news coverage. She will report from Ukraine and Russia, the executive said.
Ovsyannikova said her new employer "stands for what is being so vehemently defended by the courageous people of Ukraine on the ground right now: freedom."
The journalist was offered asylum in France, but said she plans to stay in Russia, despite facing possible imprisonment under harsh, new laws against news reporting imposed by President Vladimir Putin, who sent troops into Ukraine in February, sparking a deadly and violent march across the neighboring country.
"I see it as my duty as a journalist to defend that freedom," she said. "And I am delighted to be able to do this now for WELT."
Ulf Poschardt, editor-in-chief of the WELT Group, said the reporter "had the courage to confront Russian viewers with an unembellished view of reality ... She defended the most important journalistic ethics — despite the threat of state repression," he said. "I am excited to be working with her."
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Russian Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, Who Protested Ukraine Invasion on Live TV, Gets New Job
PoliticsDiverted JetBlue Passengers Plead to Deplane in Newark After Plane Has Trouble Landing at JFK
NewsLoud Manhole Explosion Sends Panicked Crowds Scrambling in Times Square
NewsGeorgia Coroner Finds His Parents and His Teenage Son Shot to Death Inside Family Business
CrimeMassachusetts Teacher Finally Diagnosed With Cancer After Medical Complaints Were Dismissed as Anxiety
Health | https://www.insideedition.com/russian-journalist-marina-ovsyannikova-who-protested-ukraine-invasion-on-live-tv-gets-new-job-74316 | 2022-04-12T03:17:43Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/russian-journalist-marina-ovsyannikova-who-protested-ukraine-invasion-on-live-tv-gets-new-job-74316 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Stacey Abrams' Fair Fight Organization's Lawsuit Against Georgia Election Officials Goes to Trial Next Week
Abrams accused officials of voter suppression over three years ago, and her lawsuit is going to trial this year.
More than three years after Stacey Abrams filed a suit against Georgia officials for election mismanagement, the lawsuit is going to trial on Monday, according to CBS News.
Abrams ended her bid to to become the governor of Georgia in 2018 and announced her plan to push back against the way the state was handling their election processes.
That November, her organization Abrams’ Fair Fight Action filed a suit alongside Care in Action — a nonprofit that advocates for domestic workers — that alleged that state officials "grossly mismanaged" the election, resulting in voter suppression of Georgia residents, particularly low-income people and people of color.
According to CBS, Fair Fight says it works to promote voting rights and support progressive candidates around the country, and its PAC has raised more than $100 million since it began.
The suit asked a federal judge to find that Georgia's elections processes violated the U.S. Constitution and federal law, and Fair Fight collected statements from people who said they had problems voting, including the “purging” of eligible voters from voter rolls under a "use it or lose it" policy, the state's “exact match” voter registration rules, an insufficient number of voting machines at some precincts, and a lack of sufficient training for election officials, according to the outlet.
"Since the start of this lawsuit, we have highlighted real voters and their challenges because we believe that is one of the most effective ways to demonstrate the barriers in Georgia's elections system," Fair Fight executive director Cianti Stewart-Reid said to CBS.
Abrams’ 2018 competition was Brian Kemp, a Republican, then-secretary of state.
Abrams believed Kemp was utilizing his position as a Georgia chief elections officer to take part in the voter suppression, which Kemp has denied, according to the outlet.
Originally, the lawsuit called for a complete overhaul of the state's elections. Since then, the scope has been narrowed after some of the allegations were addressed by the state — including plans to replace old voting machines — and others were dismissed by the court for being irrelevant, according to CBS.
CBS says Abrams is the only Democrat running for governor, and she will be running against Kemp again if he wins in his primary.
It is currently unclear if the changes would affect elections this upcoming year if U.S. District Judge Steve Jones sides with Abrams’ Fair Fight.
According to CBS, Jones and other federal judges have been hesitant to change rules last-minute, as the Supreme Court has repeatedly said federal judges shouldn't alter rules "on the eve of an election." Lawyers for the state argue that the claims "are not supported by the evidence."
Related Stories
Trending on Inside Edition
Russian Journalist Marina Ovsyannikova, Who Protested Ukraine Invasion on Live TV, Gets New Job
PoliticsDiverted JetBlue Passengers Plead to Deplane in Newark After Plane Has Trouble Landing at JFK
NewsLoud Manhole Explosion Sends Panicked Crowds Scrambling in Times Square
NewsGeorgia Coroner Finds His Parents and His Teenage Son Shot to Death Inside Family Business
CrimeMassachusetts Teacher Finally Diagnosed With Cancer After Medical Complaints Were Dismissed as Anxiety
Health | https://www.insideedition.com/stacey-abrams-fair-fight-organizations-lawsuit-against-georgia-election-officials-goes-to-trial | 2022-04-12T03:17:49Z | insideedition.com | control | https://www.insideedition.com/stacey-abrams-fair-fight-organizations-lawsuit-against-georgia-election-officials-goes-to-trial | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
OLYMPIA, Wash. —
National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15 and the Washington State Department of Transportation is asking the public to wear orange this Wednesday, April 13 in honor of its crews.
The week is meant to honor anyone who died or was hurt in a work zone crash while raising awareness on the need for safety around work zones. On average, 670 people die in work zones each year.
Washington had five fatal work zone crashes on state roadways in 2021. 60 WSDOT workers have died on the job since 1950, with the most being from work zone crashes.
According to state statistics, nearly 94% of work zone crash killings involve travelers. WSDOT asks that everyone stay alert and cautious around work zones, not just workers.
April 13 has been dubbed “Go Orange Day.” While raising awareness for safety and supporting workers, people can take pictures in their orange attire, then post them with #Orange4Safety and #NWZAW.
WSDOT is reminding the public to follow these instructions when they approach a work zone:
Slow down and drive the posted speed.
Be kind.
Pay attention.
Stay calm. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/national-work-zone-awareness-week-is-underway-wsdot-to-hold-go-orange-day/article_a227de76-b9fc-11ec-8130-4bb17f4c37e4.html | 2022-04-12T03:18:49Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/national-work-zone-awareness-week-is-underway-wsdot-to-hold-go-orange-day/article_a227de76-b9fc-11ec-8130-4bb17f4c37e4.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
OLYMPIA, Wash. —
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife released 2021’s annual wolf report, which showed wolf populations in the state increasing for the thirteenth year in a row. The wolf population rose 16% from 2020 to 2021.
“Washington’s wolves continue to progress toward recovery, with four new packs documented in four different counties of the state in 2021,” said WDFW Director Kelly Susewind.
Total numbers by the end of 2021 were 206 wolves, 33 packs and 19 successful breeding pairs. In comparison, there were only 178 wolves, 29 packs and 16 breeding pairs in 2020.
WDFW reports these as minimum numbers, stating the true number of Washington wolves is higher.
New packs were reported in Columbia County with the Columbia Pack, Ferry County with the Keller Ridge Pack, Stevens County with the Dominion Pack and Chelan County with the Shady Pass Pack.
67% of known Washington wolf packs did not take part in livestock depredation. Eight packs were, but only two of those packs were involved in more than two livestock depredation events. Due to the depredations, two Columbia Pack wolves were killed in 2021.
“Although wolf-livestock interactions have remained consistent, we recorded the lowest number of livestock depredation incidents in the state since 2017 and removed the fewest wolves in response to conflict since 2015,” said WDFW Wolf Policy Lead, Julia Smith. “We’re committed to promoting the proactive use of non-lethal deterrents to minimize wolf-livestock conflict, and proud to demonstrate that our approach is working thanks to the dedication of livestock producers, non-governmental organizations assisting directly with livestock monitoring, and WDFW staff.”
Gray wolves are protected through the Endangered Species Act in the western two-thirds of Washington state, as of February 10, 2022. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service leads wolf recovery in the area. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/report-shows-washington-wolf-populations-rise-for-13th-year-in-a-row/article_e5293586-b9f6-11ec-9716-e3d7b3c45020.html | 2022-04-12T03:18:55Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/report-shows-washington-wolf-populations-rise-for-13th-year-in-a-row/article_e5293586-b9f6-11ec-9716-e3d7b3c45020.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WALLA WALLA, Wash. —
A Class of 2000 graduate of Walla Walla High School is now returning as Assistant Principal of the school. Claudia Salazar has been named the assistant principal, which she will start July 1.
“Returning to Walla Walla High School as an assistant principal and serving our community in this capacity is truly an honor,” said Salazar. “I’m excited to work with our students and families to continue the work of developing Washington’s most sought after graduates.”
Salazar has been working in Walla Walla School District since 2004. She spent the last 14 years as a bilingual teacher for elementary and middle schools. She received the Bilingual Administrators Scholarship in 2021, working as an administrative intern at Pioneer Middle School this year.
Salazar went to Walla Walla Community College for her Associates of Arts, then Washington State University for her Bachelor of Arts in Education. She went on to get her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in reading at Grand Canyon University. Salazar got her Principal Certification from Gonzaga University.
Current Assistant Principal Stacy Estes is moving to Pioneer Middle School to be its Assistant Principal.
“I’m especially proud to represent our diverse community,” said Salazar. “As an immigrant myself, I know firsthand of the difficulties and obstacles that many of our students face and must overcome to achieve success.” | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/walla-walla-school-district-announces-new-assistant-principal-for-walla-walla-high-school/article_bfb38b86-ba04-11ec-b1e9-877d8ecba6b2.html | 2022-04-12T03:19:01Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/news/walla-walla-school-district-announces-new-assistant-principal-for-walla-walla-high-school/article_bfb38b86-ba04-11ec-b1e9-877d8ecba6b2.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
EASTERN OREGON -
Oregon Department of Transportation reported I-84 is closed in both directions between Exit 216 near Pendleton and Exit 265 near La Grande due to weather and traffic concerns.
It is reporting severe snow conditions and multiple trucks spun out.
OR 204 is closed to everyone besides local freight and passenger vehicles.
For updated conditions:
Check TripCheck.com.
Call 511 or 800-977-6368.
If outside the state of Oregon, call 503-588-2941. | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/i-84-closed-between-pendleton-and-la-grande/article_af2f3b98-ba09-11ec-859a-972cd42446b5.html | 2022-04-12T03:19:08Z | nbcrightnow.com | control | https://www.nbcrightnow.com/traffic/i-84-closed-between-pendleton-and-la-grande/article_af2f3b98-ba09-11ec-859a-972cd42446b5.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — As people continue to protest the police killing of Patrick Lyoya, FOX17 decided to look into the rights guaranteed to those who participate.
Grand Rapids Administrative Policy 17-02 details the do’s and don’t’s of protests, vigils, speeches, and other expressive activities within the city.
According to the city’s website, administrative policies are created by the city manger and city executives.
Policy 17-02 was enacted on October 1, 2017.
Under the policy, no advance notice is required for demonstrations within Grand Rapids. However, it encourages organizers to do so to ensure public safety and properly allocate city resources.
Protests are different from special events according to the policy. The city cannot charge fees or require insurance for protests, however that’s only in cases in which participants stay on the sidewalk. Additionally, if another counter-protestors show up to wherever protestors are gathered, the policy requires the city to guarantee counter-protestors space too.
If event coordinators want to march in the street, reserve a certain location, etc., a special events permit is required. Fees and insurance requirements may apply.
Policy 17-02 allows for sound amplification devices, like a megaphone, but it must be no louder than the “average conversational level” 100 feet away from the sound. A special events permit allows for use of the equipment without restrictions.
“At the same time that people have a freedom of speech, other people also have the freedom of movement,” said Sarissa Montague, a criminal defense attorney at Levin & Levin in Kalamazoo.
Montague says while the United States Constitution guarantees a person’s right to express their opinion and other rights, the government holds an interest too that allows them to create certain regulations for expressive activities, although it varies in each city.
“Those regulations usually have everything to do with the time, place, and manner of the protest, but they can’t just be very broad regulations,” said Montague. “The regulations have to be narrowly tailored in order to make sure that the constitutional rights of each of us is being upheld even when there’s governmental involvement.”
According to policy 17-02, there are also standards of conduct that each person at a protest must follow, regardless of a special events permit.
Conduct rules include people not blocking access to a building or other facility during a protest and obstructing car and pedestrian traffic. It prohibits littering or posting materials on city property.
Any violation may lead to criminal charges.
Montague advises people research a community’s policy before protesting and move forward in a peaceful manner “no matter what” during a demonstration.
“You certainly have the right to your speech and your right to the protest, but at the same time, law enforcement is tasked with the job that people are safe and the community is safe,” said Montague.
To go into more detail about a person’s rights if a police officer stops or detains them during a demonstration, click here.
To read Grand Rapids Administrative Policy 17-02, click here. | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/grand-rapids/what-to-know-about-protesting-in-grand-rapids | 2022-04-12T03:23:06Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-news/grand-rapids/what-to-know-about-protesting-in-grand-rapids | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The Insider Wrap is a recap of everything you need to know from the week that was. This week, WTA Insider looks back at the start of the clay season on the Hologic WTA Tour, which kicked off at the Credit One Charleston Open (WTA 500) and Copa Colsanitas presentado por Zurich in Bogota (WTA 250).
Performance of the Week: Belinda Bencic
How did Belinda Bencic solve her clay problem? Simply by not thinking about it. Coming off her resurgent run to the Miami Open semifinals, the quick turnaround from hard court to clay worked in the Swiss' favor. The 25-year-old is back into the Top 15 after capturing her sixth career title, holding strong to defeat Ons Jabeur 6-1, 5-7, 6-4 to win the Credit One Charleston Open.
"For me, this is just really a great way to show myself that I can do it on every surface when I play my game and when I'm just doing the right things," Bencic said.
Champions Corner: Bencic gets back on track in Charleston
Bencic's Charleston win caps off a solid three-week run to finish her spring North American swing. With the start of her season season derailed by the lasting effects from Covid, Bencic's confidence in her physicality has clicked into form. In her two Top 10 wins in Charleston, she put that physicality on display with three-set wins against Paula Badosa in the quarterfinals and Jabeur in the final.
Victory for the Swiss 🙌
— wta (@WTA) April 10, 2022
No.10 seed @BelindaBencic outlasts Jabeur and claims the @CharlestonOpen singles title! pic.twitter.com/kqQOwU782Z
Surprise of the Week: Tatjana Maria and Laura Pigossi
For the first time in the history of the tour, two players ranked outside the Top 200 faced off in a final. Both No.237 Tatjana Maria and No.212 Laura Pigossi came through the Bogota draw as qualifiers. Pigossi saved match points both in the first round of qualifying and in her quarterfinal win over Dayana Yastremska.
Match Report: Maria outlasts Pigossi to win Bogota
In the end, Maria came through with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 win her second title and first as a mother of two.
"I love my family. I love my two kids. It's the first WTA title with my two kids watching." 🥲@Maria_Tatjana bringing out all the feels in Bogota 💜
— wta (@WTA) April 11, 2022
Watch the top plays from her title run here! 🎥👇
Honor Roll
Ons Jabeur: The World No.9 didn't hide her heartbreak after losing the Charleston final, which dropped her to 1-4 in tour-level finals. Jabeur let the tears flow on court as she addressed the crowd and afterward as she spoke to the media.
"I thought I cried it off in the shower, but apparently it's coming [again]," Jabeur said in her post-match press conference. "I'm obviously going to talk to my coach, but not today. Too many emotions today.
"But hopefully, I can get past this. It's a very tough loss. I think one of the toughest in my career. But I'll keep going."
🚨 Tweener alert 🚨
— wta (@WTA) April 10, 2022
An outstanding rally from both players!#CharlestonOpen pic.twitter.com/aS9Koph84W
Read: Past champions reunite for 50th-anniversary celebration in Charleston
Paula Badosa: The No.2 seed in Charleston, Badosa continues to post solid results. She followed up her Indian Wells semifinal with a Miami quarterfinal, and despite feeling the fatigue, she battled into the quarterfinals in Charleston.
Amanda Anisimova: Another quality appearance from the 20-year-old American, who ousted top seed Aryna Sabalenka en route to her second semifinal of the season in Charleston.
Rankings Watch: Bencic returns to Top 20, Maria and Pigossi earn Bogota boost
Camila Osorio: The home favorite and defending champion in Bogota, Osorio did well in her first title defense, returning to the semifinals. Still struggling with a leg injury that forced her to retire in Indian Wells and withdraw from Miami, Osorio put everything she had left into her title defense before losing in two tiebreaks to Pigossi.
Notable Numbers
4: WTA finals made by Ons Jabeur in the past 12 months.
19: Aces struck by Zheng Qinwen in her second-round loss to Ekaterina Alexandrova in Charleston, the most aces struck in a single match this season and the most ever hit in a match in Charleston.
6: Times a player has hit 19 or more aces in a clay-court match since 2008.
1999: The last time a Swiss player lifted the trophy in Charleston before Bencic. Martina Hingis won the title that year.
14: WTA finals made by Bencic. Charleston was Bencic's first clay-court final.
1: Top 10 win on clay for Bencic before 2022 Charleston (d. No.1 Osaka, 2019 Madrid). The Swiss tallied two in Charleston, defeating No.9 Jabeur and No.3 Badosa.
Quote of the Week: Belinda Bencic breaks it down
"I felt like my career, it was maybe complicated. Some would say I wasted some years and just had a lot of injuries, but everyone is different. My career was really good at the start. I had a great junior career, and then I went straight to the pros, and I did well in everything. Then some injuries came and it was not going as smooth as everyone was thinking.
"But for me it was like, 'OK, this is the top of women's tennis.' It's not easy and maybe I had some years where I had to really figure out myself and find myself and get back to what I'm doing the best and appreciate tennis more after the injuries. But I never felt like my career is wasted or something.
"So now I'm really enjoying and doing the best I can. I'm 25 years old. I still feel like I'm pretty young and I still have a lot of time. And, yeah, I feel like with the Olympics, it's kind of complete. I felt like the pressure came off of me because before that I always felt like I have to prove I can win something big, and I'm not just this prodigy that never wins something.
"But after the Olympics, I felt like it's going better for me. I'm improving my game and just taking steps forward and maybe a little bit closer to big titles as well, like Grand Slams and playing quarterfinals, semifinals of Miami. I'm saying to myself, the more chances I give myself, the more I can use." | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2573301/insider-wrap-persistence-rewarded-in-charleston-bogota | 2022-04-12T03:23:09Z | wtatennis.com | control | https://www.wtatennis.com/news/2573301/insider-wrap-persistence-rewarded-in-charleston-bogota | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Since the January 6 committee was formed last July to investigate the events surrounding the attack on the Capitol, a not-insignificant number of Donald Trump’s allies have refused to cooperate, deciding they’d rather risk being charged with contempt of Congress than provide information that would undoubtedly cast the former president in a negative light. Two people who have surprisingly not followed that trend? His son-in-law and his daughter, the latter of whom spent a large chunk of time chatting with the committee last week.
Yes, following in Jared Kushner’s footsteps, Ivanka Trump reportedly spent nearly eight hours voluntarily testifying before the House select committee on Tuesday. While it’s unclear what the former first daughter told investigators, committee vice chair Liz Cheney said on Sunday that Ivanka’s “testimony was helpful,” during an interview in which the Wyoming representative, who has been castigated by her follow Republicans for speaking out against the 45th president, also said that it was “absolutely clear” that Trump knew his actions were “unlawful” but “did it anyway.” As The New Republic notes, eight hours is a lot of time for “probing questions” and answers, and Ivanka has unique insight into what her father was up to on January 6, as well as the days leading up to it. The committee presumably now knows what she was willing to share.
While Kushner—who provided “valuable” information during his seven-plus hours of testimony late last month, according to committee member Elaine Luria—was traveling on the day of the actual attack, Ivanka was not only in the White House but reportedly pressed her father to stop the violence on at least two occasions. In a letter sent to the former first daughter in January, the committee wrote that she was in the Oval Office during a phone call between her father and Mike Pence on the morning of January 6, when the then president reportedly accused his V.P. of not having “the courage” to block the certification of Biden’s win. In testimony before the panel, Keith Kellogg, a retired lieutenant general who served as Pence’s national security adviser, said that after the president claimed Pence wasn‘t “tough enough” to overturn the results, Ivanka countered that “Mike Pence is a good man.” (For her part, Ivanka tweeted, “the violence must stop,” during the riot. She also initially addressed the people attacking the Capitol as “American patriots,” so there's that.)
Obviously, there’s no reason to believe that Ivanka would give the committee the kind of information that could lead to her father, say, going to prison, but her and Kushner’s willingness to speak with the panel and not invoke their Fifth Amendment rights is notable. There’s also the matter of a CNN report from June alleging that a chilliness had developed between the couple and the ex-president, supposedly, in part, over the couple’s annoyance that he wouldn’t shut up about the 2020 election. The other thing that’s important to remember is that Jared and Ivanka’s go-to move while working in the administration was to literally flee the scene any time there was blowback over Trump doing something particularly bad, even for him, in the obvious hope people would forget they were senior advisers to the president. So if telling the committee what they know—even if it hurt Ivanka’s dear old dad—would help them? Well that seems like something they’d be happy to do.
If you would like to receive the Levin Report in your inbox daily, click here to subscribe.
— Fox News Hosts Entertained Putin-Friendly Talking Points. Then Their Colleagues Were Killed in Ukraine
— The Life and Confessions of Mob Chef David Ruggerio
— Kremlin Keeps Blurring Its Red Line Around Nuclear War
— Calls for Recusals, Resignations, and Even Impeachment: Democrats Escalate Ethics Campaign Around Clarence Thomas
— Two Ukrainian AP Journalists Capture the Most Devastating Moments of War
— Trump: If I Was President I’d Threaten to Drop a Nuclear Bomb on Russia
— What Will Dems Do If Biden Doesn’t Run?
— Orgies, Beheadings, Jewish Space Lasers: Everything Kevin McCarthy Has Had to “Speak” to Republican Lawmakers About
— The Truth Behind Republicans’ Vile Questioning of Ketanji Brown Jackson
— From the Archive: Molly Bloom’s House of Cards
— Not a subscriber? Join Vanity Fair to receive full access to VF.com and the complete online archive now. | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/ivanka-trump-january-6-committee-testimony | 2022-04-12T03:23:09Z | vanityfair.com | control | https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2022/04/ivanka-trump-january-6-committee-testimony | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
(WXYZ) — The Atlanta Dream selected Michigan forward Naz Hillmon in the second round of the WNBA Draft with the 15h overall pick on Monday.
Hillmon, a unanimous 2022 first-team All-Big Ten selection, was Michigan's first women's basketball All-American and holds the program record for career double-doubles with 52.
Hillmon is the first Michigan player drafted since Tabitha Pool was selected by the New York Liberty in the second round of the 2005 draft. | https://www.fox17online.com/sports/michigans-naz-hillmon-selected-15th-overall-by-atlanta-in-wnba-draft | 2022-04-12T03:23:36Z | fox17online.com | control | https://www.fox17online.com/sports/michigans-naz-hillmon-selected-15th-overall-by-atlanta-in-wnba-draft | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Maddow will host her 9pm MSNBC show on Mondays only, starting in May
Rachel Maddow returned to her 9 p.m. show Monday after a brief hiatus — announcing she'll continue to host her show Mondays through Thursdays for the rest of the month and then will only host on Mondays beginning in May.
Why it matters: Maddow was expected to fully leave her position as MSNBC's weekday 9 p.m. primetime host later this year. The new arrangement adds pressure on MSNBC to find Maddow's replacement.
Details: Starting in May, "I'm going to be here weekly," Maddow told viewers. "I'm going to be here on Monday nights, again to give myself just more time to work on some of this other stuff that I’ve got cooking for MSNBC and NBC," she continued.
- "[T]his might change," she added. "[W]e'll see how things go, but that's the plan as of now, so now you know and we will never speak of it again."
- On the days Maddow is not hosting, the 9 p.m. ET hour will be hosted by a rotating group of hosts.
The big picture: Maddow reached a multiyear deal with NBCUniversal to expand her purview to a broad range of products, including books, documentaries, movies, TV series and podcasts.
- She will continue to appear on MSNBC for special coverage and major news events, including the midterm elections. | https://www.axios.com/maddow-9pm-msnbc-show-mondays-only-6e6e4303-0dde-4117-b7da-85ce0b19df7b.html | 2022-04-12T03:29:08Z | axios.com | control | https://www.axios.com/maddow-9pm-msnbc-show-mondays-only-6e6e4303-0dde-4117-b7da-85ce0b19df7b.html | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
On this Pacific Pulse: the 37th iteration of the annual bilateral exercise, Balikatan, concluded April 8, 2022, the United States is contributing $7 million dollars to demining efforts in Sri Lanka, and the Emory S. Land-class submarine tender USS Frank Cable departs Sydney, Australia.
This work, Pacific Pulse: April 11, 2022, by PO2 Jack Aistrup, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/audio/68923/pacific-pulse-april-11-2022 | 2022-04-12T03:30:27Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/audio/68923/pacific-pulse-april-11-2022 | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The science-backed ways to keep slugs off your plants (and no, it's not salt or beer)
Certain slug pellets have now been banned in the UK. So how can we stop slugs and snails from decimating our dahlias?
From 1 April, slug pellets containing metaldehyde can no longer be owned or sold in the UK. The ban follows the advice from the UK Expert Committee on Pesticides (ECP) and the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), and has come into force because the chemical has an unacceptable impact on the environment and wildlife.
Metaldehyde is harmful to birds, amphibians and mammals – including hedgehogs, cats and dogs – that directly consume the pellets, or eat slugs or other creatures that have been contaminated by them.
Metaldehyde works by disrupting the mucus production in slugs and snails. This reduces their ability to digest food and move around, and also makes them susceptible to dehydration. Slugs and snails that have eaten the chemical will tend to die within days.
Slug pellets based on less toxic ferric phosphate are still allowed. This chemical causes the slugs and snails to stop eating.
How can I stop slugs eating my plants?
According to Dr Hayley Jones, an entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) who researches slugs and snails, slug pellets should always be the last option for controlling slugs, and it’s better to start with preventative measures.
“If you’re planting out new plants, grow your seedlings on until they're bigger and sturdier so that they're not going to just die straight away if they get nibbled a bit,” she says. “Once you've got your plants in and they're being nibbled, go out at night to catch them [the slugs] in the act and pick them off, relocate them or dispose of them as you see fit.”
It's also worth researching plants that are less attractive to slugs. Generally, shrubby or woody plants, or those with waxy or furry leaves, or are less tasty. Here are some common slug-resistant plants, recommended by the RHS:
- Snapdragons
- Foxgloves
- Fennel
- Bleeding heart
- Scabious
- Nasturtiums
- Pelargoniums
- Geraniums
- Fuchsias
- Aquilegia
If that doesn’t work, it is possible to buy a nematode biological control agent that you mix into water and sprinkle over your plants. The nematodes in the mixture are parasites of slugs. “It doesn't really affect snails because they don't hide underground in the way that slugs do,” says Jones. “But it will be good for treating a raised veggie bed or something like that. As well as killing the slugs on the plants, it will kill the slugs in the bed.”
The nematode is naturally occurring in the UK, so when you apply it to the soil, you’re bumping up the levels that were there before.
“It's actually quite interesting because it's not the parasite itself that kills the slug,” says Jones. “The parasite carries bacteria, and when the nematode gets into the slug’s body, it releases the bacteria. The bacteria kill the slug and then essentially the nematode breeds in the soupy slug mess that's left behind.”
The truth about salt, eggshells and copper tape…
But what about ‘traditional’ control agents – like eggshells, salt and copper tape – to keep slugs and snails off your lettuces?
“So far, there is not much scientific evidence in their favour. So for copper, there have been some studies that show copper working and some that show it not working, including a study that I did,” says Jones. “I tested copper, bark mulch, gravel, eggshells and wool pellets on lettuce. And at the end of six weeks of lettuce growth, there was no significant difference between the ones with the barriers and the ones that had nothing at all.
“The idea is supposed to be that slugs and snails don’t like sharp, rough or very dry surfaces, but as long as they're well hydrated, they can just produce extra mucus to help them overcome it. So even if it is kind of uncomfortable, if what's on the other side is tasty enough, they will they will crawl over it.
“Salt is an interesting one. I'm never quite sure what to do with that because I don't know how people use salt. The main problem with salt is that it is bad for your soil and potentially bad for your plants.”
As for beer traps, there are many studies that show you can catch lots of slugs in that way, but Jones has not yet found any research that shows plants are less damaged as a result of the trap being there.
“This is a knowledge gap I’m hoping to fill,” she says. “It maybe does have promise, but there's a chance that it might not be helpful because it's attracting the wrong kind of slugs, or because it's actually attracting them from farther away. Plus, there’s also the risk you’ll catch ground beetles and other non-target animals.”
Why are slugs important?
In the UK, there are around 44 species of land-based slugs, and of those, only nine cause any significant damage to plants. Most of them will eat rotting material, as well as fungi and algae, making them part of the clean-up crew in our gardens.
The one that causes the most problems for gardeners is the grey field slug, which is around four centimetres long when fully grown. They can often be found hiding out in lettuces and cabbages, as they are small enough to lurk within the leaves.
But is it time for us to stop fighting the slugs? After all, they’re an important component of food webs, with thrushes and other birds, hedgehogs, badgers, slow worms, frogs, toads, and all other kinds of things feeding on them.
“They are part of the ecosystem. The climate in the UK is ideal for slugs, kind of damp and middling temperature. They've been around longer than gardens have,” says Jones. “You'll never be able to get rid of slugs and snails from your garden, and you don't know what the unintended consequences would be if you could. At least take a bit more of a neutral stance: when you see a slug, recognise that it is not necessarily doing harm!"
Read more about slugs and snails:
About our expert
Dr Hayley Jones is an entomologist at the Royal Horticultural Society. She leads their research into gastropods (slugs and snails) in the garden.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. | https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/the-science-backed-ways-to-keep-slugs-off-your-plants/ | 2022-04-12T03:33:08Z | sciencefocus.com | control | https://www.sciencefocus.com/nature/the-science-backed-ways-to-keep-slugs-off-your-plants/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden spoke on a video link with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday, stressing the countries’ shared values as the U.S. has pushed India and others to take a harder line against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Biden opened the conversation by emphasizing the defense partnership between the two countries and by saying the U.S. and India are going to “continue our close consultation on how to manage the destabilizing effects of this Russian war.”
“The root of our partnership is a deep connection between our people, ties of family, of friendship and of shared values,” the U.S. president said.
India’s neutral stance in the war has raised concerns in Washington and earned praise from Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, who lauded India this month for judging “the situation in its entirety, not just in a one-sided way.”
Modi called the situation in Ukraine “very worrying,” and he noted that an Indian student lost his life during the war. He said he has spoken with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, appealing to both of them for peace. India has condemned the killings uncovered in the city of Bucha and has called for an independent investigation.
Still, India has refrained from some efforts to hold Russia accountable for its invasion. India abstained when the U.N. General Assembly voted Thursday to suspend Russia from its seat on the 47-member Human Rights Council over allegations that Russian soldiers in Ukraine engaged in rights violations that the U.S. and Ukraine have called war crimes.
The vote was 93-24 with 58 abstentions.
In the virtual meeting, Biden planned to talk about the consequences of Russia’s war against Ukraine “and mitigating its destabilizing impact on global food supply and commodity markets,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a statement Sunday.
They’ll discuss “strengthening the global economy, and upholding a free, open, rules-based international order to bolster security, democracy, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific,” she said.
India continues to purchase Russian energy supplies, despite pressure from Western countries to avoid buying Russian oil and gas. The U.S. has also considered sanctions on India for its recent purchase of advanced Russian air defense systems.
Last month, the state-run Indian Oil Corp. bought 3 million barrels of crude from Russia to secure its needs, resisting entreaties from the West to avoid such purchases. India isn’t alone in buying Russian energy, however. Several European allies such as Germany have continued to do so, despite public pressure to end these contracts.
Indian media reports said Russia was offering a discount on oil purchases of 20% below global benchmark prices.
Iraq is India’s top supplier, with a 27% share. Saudi Arabia is second at around 17%, followed by the United Arab Emirates with 13% and the U.S. at 9%, the Press Trust of India news agency reported.
Biden and Modi last spoke in March.
___
Sharma reported from New Delhi. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/biden-modi-speak-as-us-presses-for-hard-line-on-russia/ | 2022-04-12T03:37:47Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/biden-modi-speak-as-us-presses-for-hard-line-on-russia/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — A jury deliberated for just 18 minutes Monday before finding a fervent Islamic State supporter guilty of stabbing lawmaker David Amess to death a slaying that shocked the nation and sparked calls for increased police protection for politicians.
Ali Harbi Ali, 26, was found guilty by London’s Central Criminal Court of murder and preparing terrorist acts. Ali stabbed the veteran British lawmaker to death last year while he was meeting with voters at a church hall in eastern England.
Ali, who had spent years researching and planning potential attacks on lawmakers, had defended his actions by saying Amess deserved to die as a result of voting for airstrikes on Syria in 2014 and 2015.
Ali, a London man with Somali heritage, had denied charges of murder and preparing acts of terrorism.
Opening the trial, prosecutor Tom Little said the case was “nothing less than an assassination” carried out because of a “warped and twisted and violent ideology.”
“It was a murder carried out by that young man who for many years had been planning just such an attack and who was, and is, a committed, fanatical, radicalized Islamist terrorist,” he said.
Little said Ali bought the knife used to attack Amess five years earlier, and that Ali tricked his way into meeting Amess by pretending to be one of his constituents.
Amess, 69, had been a member of Parliament since 1983. He was pronounced dead at the scene after the stabbing.
The prosecutor also said that Ali had researched and planned attacks on lawmakers and the Parliament building from at least 2019. The research included reconnaissance trips targeting work and home addresses of two other lawmakers, Mike Freer and Cabinet member Michael Gove, he added.
The slaying of Amess shook the nation, as lawmakers often meet directly with the public. It came five years after Labour Party lawmaker Jo Cox was shot and stabbed to death by a far-right extremist. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/is-fanatic-found-guilty-of-killing-uk-lawmaker-david-amess/ | 2022-04-12T03:38:38Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/is-fanatic-found-guilty-of-killing-uk-lawmaker-david-amess/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
101st Rangers show skills at Best Ranger Competition
Story by Spc. Kelvin Johnson Jr., 40th Public Affairs Detachment
FT. BENNING, Ga. – 101st Soldiers, in four teams of two, competed with the top Rangers from around the world in the Best Ranger Competition April 8-10, 2022.
With 51 teams and 33 total events throughout the three days, the 101st Rangers knew they needed to prepare well for this.
“We have been preparing for months,” said 1st Lt. John Greer, with 1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “We’ve been running and rucking for miles and attacking the Air Assault obstacle course.”
Once they arrived, the 101st Rangers were met with three long days and nights of events that challenged their physical, mental and technical skills.
After the opening ceremony, Day One started with a mass run of 10 miles and a swim across Victory Pond to conquer the Malvesti Obstacle Course. Rangers were then required to complete an ACFT with a gold standard score, followed by a team buddy run, range qualification and a buddy team live fire, firing a variety of weapons along the way.
Finishing off the day was the Darby Queen Obstacle Course, stretching about a mile long, as well as a ruck and night stakes.
“The Darby Queen was probably the most challenging event,” said 1st Lt. Matt McKenzie, with 1st Battalion, 187th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). “After all the events we have completed so far, this event tested muscular endurance with the obstacles and uphill runs.”
On the second day of the competition, the events that took place were day stakes and a stress shoot.
The day stakes were multiple lanes covering different types of knowledge, including radio assembly and medical lanes in a hostile environment.
The stress shoot challenged the fatigued competitors, limited on ammunition and time, to hit as many targets as possible.
“I think we are executing well,” said Greer. “We prepared for this. We knew what to expect coming in and our training is paying off. We just have to motivate each other to stay focused.”
Lastly, on Day Three, the Soldiers had to complete a final obstacle course, Helocast, litter hoist and one last buddy run to finish.
The 101st Soldiers remained dedicated. Even after 51 teams became 16, three of the four 101st teams were left on Day Three.
“It was definitely challenging, but as Rangers, we should always be ready for a challenge,” said McKenzie.
At the closing ceremony, Gen. Michael X. Garrett, U.S. Army Forces Command Commander, addressed the Rangers.
“You are the example, and you will teach them,” Garrett said. “You will inspire them because Rangers lead the way.”
From the 101st, 1st Lt. Matthew McKenzie and 1st Lt. Michael Singer took 10th place; 1st Lt. Nicholas Chatel and 1st Lt. John Greer took 11th place; and 1st Lt. Aaron Arturi and 1st Lt. John Ryan took 13th place. The fourth team did not place.
“Winning tomorrow begins with the way you choose to lead today,” said Garrett.
This work, 101st Rangers show skills at Best Ranger Competition, by SPC Kelvin Johnson Jr, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright. | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/418296/101st-rangers-show-skills-best-ranger-competition | 2022-04-12T03:39:10Z | dvidshub.net | control | https://www.dvidshub.net/news/418296/101st-rangers-show-skills-best-ranger-competition | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli spyware maker NSO Group is turning to the U.S. Supreme Court as it seeks to head off a high-profile lawsuit filed by the WhatsApp messaging service.
In a filing to the Supreme Court, NSO said it should be recognized as a foreign government agent and therefore be entitled to immunity under U.S. law limiting lawsuits against foreign countries. The request appeals a pair of earlier federal court rulings that rejected similar arguments by the Israeli company.
WhatsApp parent Facebook, now called Meta Platforms Inc., sued NSO in 2019for allegedly targeting some 1,400 users of its encrypted messaging service with highly sophisticated spyware. It is trying to block NSO from Facebook platforms and servers and seeks unspecified damages.
Granting sovereign immunity to NSO would greatly hinder WhatsApp’s case. It also could provide protection from a potentially risky discovery process that could reveal its customers and technological secrets. NSO is seeking to have the entire case dismissed.
In its petition, NSO said that lower courts have given mixed opinions on sovereign immunity over the years and that it was crucial for the Supreme Court to rule on an issue that has great national security implications for governments around the world.
“Many nations, including the United States, rely on private contractors to conduct or support core governmental activities,” it wrote in the April 6 filing. “If such contractors can never seek immunity … then the United States and other countries may soon find their military and intelligence operations disrupted by lawsuits against their agents.”
NSO’s flagship product, Pegasus, allows operators to covertly infiltrate a target’s mobile phone, gaining access to messages and contacts, the camera and microphone and location history. It says that it sells the product only to government law enforcement agencies to catch criminals and terrorists and that all sales are approved by Israel’s Defense Ministry. It does not identify its clients.
But critics say a number of clients, including Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan and Poland, have abused the system to snoop on critics and stifle dissent. WhatsApp says at least 100 of the users connected to its lawsuit were journalists, rights activists and civil society members.
NSO says it has no control over how its clients use the product and no access to the data they collect, though it claims it has safeguards in place to prevent abuses. Critics say the safeguards are insufficient.
“NSO’s spyware invades the rights of citizens, journalists, and human rights activists around the globe and their attacks must be stopped,” WhatsApp said in a statement.
“Two United States courts have already rejected NSO’s contrived bid for immunity and we believe there is no reason for the Supreme Court to hear their last-ditch attempt to avoid accountability,” it said, adding that multiple human rights groups and tech companies have said granting immunity to spyware companies “would be dangerous for the world.”
The WhatsApp case is among a series of legal battles plaguing NSO. Apple last year filed a lawsuit that it says aims to prevent NSO from breaking into products. It claimed Pegasus had affected a small number of iPhone users worldwide, calling NSO’s employees “amoral 21st century mercenaries.”
NSO last year also was blacklisted by the U.S. Commerce Department, limiting its access to U.S. technology. U.S. officials said the company’s products were complicit in “transnational repression.”
NSO appears to face a formidable challenge. For starters, the Supreme Court agrees to consider just 1% or so of the requests put before it.
It could be months before the court decides whether to review the case. But even if it does, NSO would have to convince the court that it is a state agent and entitled to immunity.
Eugene Kontorovich, an Israeli-American professor at the George Mason University Scalia Law School and director of its Center for the Middle East and International Law, said it was a “very interesting” and “very serious” case. But he said he was skeptical NSO would prevail.
“They’re a software company. They create a product that’s been licensed to foreign governments and which governments can use,” he said. “An agent usually is something of a much higher standard.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/nso-turns-to-us-supreme-court-for-immunity-in-whatsapp-suit/ | 2022-04-12T03:39:21Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/nso-turns-to-us-supreme-court-for-immunity-in-whatsapp-suit/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — The World Bank says Ukraine’s economy will shrink by 45.1% this year because of Russia’s invasion, which has shut down half of the country’s businesses, choked off imports and exports, and damaged a vast amount of critical infrastructure.
Unprecedented financial and export sanctions imposed by Western allies in response to the war, meanwhile, are plunging Russia into a deep recession, lopping off more than a tenth of its economic growth, the World Bank said in a report Sunday.
The war is set to inflict twice the amount of economic damage across Europe and Central Asia that the COVID-19 pandemic did, the Washington-based lender said in its “War in the Region” economic report. Besides Ukraine, it focuses on central and Eastern Europe, former Soviet republics, the Balkan countries and Turkey.
“The magnitude of the humanitarian crisis unleashed by the war is staggering,” said Anna Bjerde, the World Bank’s vice president for the Europe and Central Asia region. “The Russian invasion is delivering a massive blow to Ukraine’s economy and it has inflicted enormous damage to infrastructure.”
The report said economic activity is impossible in “large swaths of areas” in Ukraine because infrastructure like roads, bridges, ports and train tracks have been destroyed.
Ukraine plays a major role as a global supplier of agricultural exports like wheat but that’s in question now because planting and harvesting have been disrupted by the war, the report said. The war has cut off access to the Black Sea, a key route for exports, including 90% of Ukraine’s grain shipments, it said.
“The war is having a devastating impact on human life and causing economic destruction in both countries, and will lead to significant economic losses in the Europe and Central Asia region and the rest of the world,” the report said.
Belarus, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova and Tajikistan also are forecast to slide into recession this year, while economic growth projections have been cut for the region’s other economies because of the war’s ripple effects.
The World Bank said the humanitarian catastrophe is the biggest initial shockwave from the war and will likely be its most enduring legacy, as the wave of refugees fleeing Ukraine is “anticipated to dwarf previous crises.”
More than 4 million people have fled Ukraine, with more than half going to Poland and others heading to countries like Moldova, Romania and Hungary. An additional 6.5 million have been displaced internally. Those numbers are expected to swell as the war drags on, the World Bank said.
The report issued a stark warning that “the war will increase poverty in the region due to the recession and food price inflation.”
Beyond the humanitarian crisis, the lender said “the war is also delivering a sizable blow to the global economy through multiple channels.”
The war and sanctions have scrambled global trade routes and pushed up shipping and insurance costs, “which magnifies strains on global value chains,” the report said, noting that industries getting hit include food, automobiles, construction, petrochemicals and transport. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/russias-war-to-shrink-ukraine-economy-45-world-bank-says/ | 2022-04-12T03:39:51Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/russias-war-to-shrink-ukraine-economy-45-world-bank-says/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
LONDON (AP) — Britain sanctioned two leading Bosnian-Serb politicians Monday, accusing them of encouraging ethnic hatred and jeopardizing the peace accord that ended the civil war in Bosnia-Herzegovina more than 25 years ago.
Milorad Dodik and Zeljka Cvijanovic will be hit with asset freezes and travel bans in the first sanctions the U.K. has leveled in Bosnia. Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine had emboldened the pair to further erode the international rules based system in the Western Balkans.
“These two politicians are deliberately undermining the hard won peace in Bosnia and Herzegovina,” Truss said in a statement. “Encouraged by Putin, their reckless behavior threatens stability and security across the Western Balkans.”
U.K. authorities say the pair have have used their positions to push for the de facto secession of Republika Srpska — one of two semi-autonomous regions that comprise the federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina — in direct contravention of the country’s constitution.
The U.S. Treasury Department on Monday imposed its own sanctions on seven more people from the Western Balkans.
Dodik has for years advocated separating the Bosnian Serb mini-state from the federation and uniting it with neighboring Serbia. He is the Bosnian Serb member of Bosnia’s tripartite presidency, which also includes representatives of the Bosnian Muslim and Croat communities.
Secession would violate the Dayton Accords, the 1995 U.S.-sponsored agreement that ended Bosnia’s civil war, which killed more than 100,000 people and left millions homeless. The agreement established two separate governing entities in Bosnia — one run by Bosnia’s Serbs and the other controlled by the country’s Bosniaks and Croats.
The two entities are linked by joint institutions, and all actions taken at a national level have to be reached by consensus among the three ethnic groups.
U.S. authorities had previously sanctioned Dodik, accusing him of “corrupt activities” that threaten to destabilize the region. The Americans allege that he used his leadership position to accumulate wealth through graft and bribery.
Cvijanovic, the president of Republika Srpska, the Serb entity, has proposed legislation to transfer powers from the national government to her mini-state, British authorities said. She has also glorified war criminals and denied acts of genocide during the civil war, they said.
The top international official in Bosnia, Christian Schmidt, described the decision to impose sanctions on Dodik and Cvijanovic as “reasonable” and thanked the British government for its commitment to Bosnia’s stability and security.
“Dodik and Cvijanovic missed every opportunity to get back into constructive dialogue for the benefit of the people in this country,” said Schmidt, who heads the U.N.’s Office of High Representative in Bosnia. “They will have to bear the consequences of their words and deeds, and the U.K. sanctions are the continuation of the consequences that started in January with the U.S. sanctions.”
The practical impact of Monday’s actions is unclear. Both Dodik and Cvijanovic said they don’t have assets in the U.K.
“All they (British) say are lies. They are old manipulators and enemies of the Serb people. I told them so many times before,” said Dodik.
“They are helpless in their feud with Putin, and they accuse the two of us now of acting on orders from Putin,” he added.
Andi Hoxhaj, an expert in corruption in the Western Balkans at Warwick Law School, described the new sanctions as “appropriate.” The lack of a clear European Union strategy to integrate the Western Balkans has created a vacuum that has allowed Russia and China to undermine democracy and pursue their own goals in the region, he said.
“However, with the ongoing war in Ukraine, there is a policy shift to sanction individuals that undermine peace and democracy in fragile states, and this attempt is to address that,” Hoxhaj said.
In addition to its January action against Dodik, the U.S. on Monday added seven more individuals and a Hungary-based company to the list of people from across the Western Balkans who have been sanctioned for corrupt and destabilizing activities.
“The people designated today constitute a serious threat to regional stability, institutional trust, and the aspirations of those seeking democratic and judicious governance in the Western Balkans,” Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence Brian E. Nelson said in a statement.
The list includes various figures from Albania, North Macedonia, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Montenegro.
The most prominent people targeted by the new U.S. sanctions are an ex-president of the former joint state of Serbia and Montenegro, Svetozar Marovic, former North Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski and Gordana Tadic, a one-time chief prosecutor in Bosnia-Herzegovina.
The sanctions mean that any property they own in the U.S. will be frozen and business transactions with U.S. companies are banned. The individuals from Bosnia-Herzegovina and North Macedonia, along with their immediate family members, are also barred from traveling to the U.S.
“The ultimate goal of sanctions is not to punish, but to bring about a positive change in behavior,” the Department of Treasury said. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/uk-sanctions-2-bosnian-serb-politicians/ | 2022-04-12T03:40:06Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/uk-sanctions-2-bosnian-serb-politicians/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The U.N. official spearheading global vaccination efforts against the coronavirus said Monday the number of countries where 10% or less of the population has been vaccinated dropped from 34 to 18 since January and called for accelerated progress to end the pandemic.
Assistant Secretary-General Ted Chaiban told the U.N. Security Council that with over 6 million lives lost to COVID-19 and just over 1 million new coronavirus infections reported to the World Health Organization in the last 24 hours, it is urgent to increase vaccinations in countries where it wasn’t possible to boost rates in 2021.
“The next six months are critical,” he said. “In 2022, we must take the rapid action needed to accelerate vaccination. The window of opportunity is gradually closing. We risk losing the momentum and failing on vaccine equity.”
Chaiban said more than 11.1 billion doses of vaccines have been administered globally, and 124 of the 194 WHO member nations have vaccinated more than 40% of their populations and 51 countries have reached more than 70%.
However, in low-income countries the rate is only 11%, he said. In WHO’s Africa region, 83% of the people remain unvaccinated, and in its eastern Mediterranean region, which includes Afghanistan, 51% haven’t gotten a first jab.
U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appointed Chaiban, a senior official at the U.N. children’s agency UNICEF, in February to lead a U.N. team to ensure an effective global response to the pandemic and help close the gap in vaccine availability and distribution. It will also provide financial and technical assistance to overcome vaccine bottlenecks.
Chaiban said a just ended campaign in Ethiopia increased vaccination coverage from 4% in January to just over 20%, including in some conflict-affected areas. In the conflict-affected Central African Republic, he said, strong community engagement including focus group discussions, TV and radio spots with leaders and influencers and the mobilization of young people has led to almost 19% of the population being vaccinated.
Chaiban told the council he was speaking by video link from Congo where this week the U.N. team will be meeting with government officials and key partners “to better address the urgent needs and bottlenecks to expanding vaccination coverage across this country of nearly 100 million people.”
Dr. Esperanza Martinez, a senior adviser to the director-general of the International Committee of the Red Cross, said vaccinations and other health-related activities “are incredibly difficult to carry out” in conflict-affected areas.
“The good news is that as the supply of vaccine doses grows, the potential to get jabs in arms grows, too,” she said.
To achieve this, Martinez said, the Security Council should ensure that international humanitarian law requiring the protection of health workers and facilities is respected, makes coronavirus vaccinations part of broader efforts to improve health and strengthens the health systems of conflict-affected countries. He said community involvement in vaccination activities is key to gaining public trust.
“We have seen vaccines expire on airport tarmacs in Afghanistan, Nigeria, South Sudan and several other places,” Martinez said. “Some of these vaccines were wasted because they arrived with too short expiry date, others because the receiving country’s health systems were not ready to distribute them.”
To address the significant vaccine equity gap, the U.N’s Chaiban urged the council to continue supporting two resolutions it adopted calling for cease-fires and increased global cooperation to facilitate access for vaccinations in major conflict areas.
He urged countries to turn $4.8 billion in pledges at a virtual summit Friday to help lower income countries boost vaccinations “into tangible support” now.
Chaiban also urged council members to advocate for and help guarantee unhindered humanitarian access to deliver vaccine supplies and administer doses and to invest in primary health care “as a key element of future pandemic preparedness.” | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/un-official-urges-acceleration-in-coronavirus-vaccinations/ | 2022-04-12T03:40:28Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-international-news/un-official-urges-acceleration-in-coronavirus-vaccinations/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Farms that rely on irrigation from a depleted, federally managed lake on the California-Oregon border, along with a Native American tribe fighting to protect fragile salmon, will both receive extremely limited amounts of water this summer as a historic drought and record-low reservoir levels drag on in the U.S. West.
More than 1,000 farmers and ranchers who draw water from a 257-mile-long (407-kilometer) river that flows from the Upper Klamath Lake to the Pacific Ocean will have access to roughly one-seventh the amount they could get in a wetter year, a federal agency announced Monday. Downstream salmon will receive about half the water they’d get if the reservoir was full.
It’s the third year in a row that severe drought has impacted farmers, fish and tribes in a region where there’s not enough water to satisfy competing demands. Last year, no water at all flowed through the Klamath Reclamation Project’s main irrigation canal, and thousands of downstream juvenile salmon died without reservoir releases to support the Klamath River’s health.
The U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, which manages the irrigation project, announced $15 million in relief for affected farmers and $5 million for Native American tribes as a result of its decision and warned farmers not to take water beyond what was ordered or risk further irrigation reductions and legal action. The agency decides the allocations each year, taking into account court rulings that require certain lake levels to support two federally endangered fish species.
Across the American West, a 22-year megadrought deepened so much last year that the region is now in the driest spell in at least 1,200 years — a worst-case climate change scenario playing out in real time, a study found last month.
Inflow to the Upper Klamath Lake is at a record lows, water managers said, and water allocations could drop further if drought conditions worsen this summer.
“We wish we had better news today. Obviously there are no winners in this critical year as all interests are suffering — fisheries, farmers tribes and waterfowl alike — but given the current hydrology that we have to work with, we did the best job we could,” said Ernest Conant, the bureau’s regional director.
Irrigators reacted with shock and anger to the news and said they weren’t sure they could survive another growing season without adequate water supplies. The amount of water available is less than 15% of what the farmers need, said Ben DuVal, president of the Klamath Water Users Association, who operates a farm in Tulelake, California.
“We have 170,000 acres (68,800 hectares) that could be irrigated this year, and we’re ready to get to work,” he said. “On a single acre, we can produce over 50,000 pounds (22,700 kilograms) of potatoes, or 6,000 pounds (2,700 kilograms) of wheat. This year, most of that land will not produce any food because the government is denying water for irrigation.”
Klamath River water that is dammed in the Upper Klamath Lake is the linchpin of the nearly 200,000-acre (80,940-hectare) Klamath Reclamation Project, a major agricultural powerhouse of more than 1,000 farms and ranches. Today, farmers there grow everything from mint to alfalfa to potatoes that go to In ’N Out Burger, Frito-Lay and Kettle Foods.
But the reservoir water is also source of conflict among competing demands, and amid historic drought in the carefully managed river basin there hasn’t been enough water to go around in recent years. Before 2020, the last time water allocations reached such a boiling point in the Klamath Basin was in 2001, when the U.S. government sent federal marshals to the area during a drought year and farmers threatened to breach the head gates.
Under the law, the lake’s water must be kept at a certain level to protect its sucker fish, a key species to the heritage of the Klamath Tribes in southern Oregon. This year’s water decision order irrigators to keep the lake’s water above a certain level for sucker fish spawning in April and May and then at a different level for the remainder of the summer — but even at those levels, the lake will not meet federally mandated minimums for the spring months.
Farmers can start drawing the limited water on Friday.
But federally threatened coho salmon that live in the lower Klamath River, below the reservoir, also need pulses of water from the lake to keep at bay a deadly parasite that thrives in warm and slow-moving water. The salmon are revered by the Yurok Tribe, California’s second-largest Native American tribe.
One so-called “flushing flow” of water that’s about half the normal amount — and half what farmers will get — will be released Friday also.
Yurok Vice Chairman Frankie Myers said the fact that salmon, sucker fish and waterfowl are competing for the region’s water was a “direct sign of the ecological collapse brought by water withdrawals.” He said the Yurok would never stop working to save the salmon.
“Although we are gratified that the river is afforded minimal protections under this plan, it is no time for celebration. Salmon runs will continue to suffer under these conditions, and as climate change intensifies, such protections will become increasingly important,” Myers said.
The slashed water allocations to the Klamath Reclamation Project also will impact two national wildlife refuges in the region that are replenished with irrigation runoff. The refuges host tens of thousands of migratory birds along the Pacific Flyway. Last year, environmentalists and farmers used pumps to combine water from two stagnant wetlands into one deeper one to prevent another outbreak of avian botulism like the one that killed 50,000 ducks in 2020.
Hundreds of domestic wells impacted by the increased groundwater pumping have also gone dry since late last summer. | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-national-news/farms-fish-on-dry-california-oregon-border-see-scant-water/ | 2022-04-12T03:41:47Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/news/ap-national-news/farms-fish-on-dry-california-oregon-border-see-scant-water/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
The best Origins skin care products on Sephora
Since the 1990s, Origins has relied on plant-based science to create innovative products that help transform the skin without irritation. The brand has focused on a holistic approach that gives back to the environment to truly celebrate the nature that inspires its skin care.
From gentle cleansers and intensive serums to soothing treatment masks, Origins offers skin care products for every step of your routine. The range includes formulas for all skin types, so you can find products that target your specific skin issues.
To introduce some natural but effective products into your skin care routine, here are the most popular Origins skin care products at Sephora to help give you clear, fresh, healthy skin.
Most popular cleansers
Origins Checks and Balances Frothy Face Wash
This oil-free facial cleanser easily removes dirt, oil, makeup and other impurities from the skin. It has a gel formula that foams up for effective cleaning but never leaves the skin feeling stripped. It’s an excellent option for oily, combination and acne-prone skin.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Refreshing Scrub Cleanser
Save some time in your skin care routine with this two-in-one cleanser. Not only does it remove dirt and oil, it also helps exfoliate to remove dead skin cells. It has an invigorating citrus and mint scent to help wake you up for the day.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Checks and Balances Polishing Exfoliator
This gentle scrub effectively buffs away dull, dead skin to reveal a soft, smooth complexion. It can also help unclog and soften the look of pores in as little as a week. Best of all, the formula is vegan and cruelty-free.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular serums
Dr. Andrew Weil for Origins Mega-Mushroom Relief & Resilience Advanced Face Serum
Featuring a fermented chaga mushroom and reishi mushroom blend, this serum helps strengthen and nourish the skin. It reduces visible redness and calms irritation for healthier skin. Because the formula is gentle, it can work well for sensitive skin.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Plantscription Multi-Powered Anti-Aging Peptide Serum
Minimize the visible signs of aging with this peptide-rich serum. It softens the look of fine lines and helps encourage collagen and elastin production for plumper skin. It also features niacinamide to reduce the appearance of your pores.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing into the Glow Brightening Serum
This lightweight serum features a potent blend of vitamin C, AHAs, BHAs and green coffee extract to give you healthy, glowing skin. It encourages cell turnover, so your skin looks brighter and smoother. It also helps moisturize and plump the skin with hyaluronic acid.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular moisturizers
Origins Plantscription Retinol Night Moisturizer
This nighttime moisturizer helps increase the skin’s hydration while boosting its glow. The included retinol promotes cell turnover to improve your skin’s tone, texture and elasticity. It works especially well for fine lines, wrinkles, dark spots and uneven texture. All skin types can use it.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Original Skin Matte Moisturizer with Willowherb
If you want to reduce shine, this water cream moisturizer is an excellent option. It has a natural matte finish, so your skin never looks greasy or oily. The included willow herb helps even out your skin tone and minimizes the appearance of your pores. It also absorbs quickly, so it works well under makeup.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Ultra-Hydrating Energy-Boosting Cream
This thick, rich moisturizer is like a drink of water for dry skin. It helps prevent moisture loss, so your skin stays hydrated for up to 72 hours. It contains caffeine and ginseng to help energize the skin, leaving it looking fresh and well-rested. The formula is free of parabens and phthalates.
Sold by Sephora
Origins GinZing Refreshing Eye Cream to Brighten and Depuff
This lightweight eye cream hydrates the delicate under-eye area and creates the perfect canvas for concealer. The formula features vitamin C to brighten dark circles and ginseng and caffeine to reduce puffiness. The cream is available in two different brightening tones to match most skin tones.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Ginger Souffle Whipped Body Cream
This creamy body moisturizer leaves your skin feeling soft and smooth after just one application. It features olive, grapeseed, rice bran and apricot kernel oils to nourish and hydrate the skin. It also contains natural lemon, lime and bergamot to give it a bright, refreshing scent.
Sold by Sephora
Most popular face masks
Origins Clear Improvement Charcoal Honey Mask to Purify and Nourish
This bamboo charcoal-fortified mask gently purifies the skin, leaving you with a clean, clear complexion. It’s formulated to draw dirt and impurities from your pores, so it’s effective for treating blemishes and blackheads. It also contains golden wildflower and fermented honey to nourish the skin, so it never feels dry or tight.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Original Skin Retexturizing Mask with Rose Clay
This face mask not only draws impurities out of the skin but also exfoliates. It features rose clay, willow herb and jojoba beads to gently cleanse the skin and buff away dead skin cells. It’s ideal for normal, oily and combination skin, leaving you with a clear, smooth complexion.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Drink Up Intensive Overnight Hydrating Mask with Avocado & Glacier Water
This sleeping mask provides intense moisture for normal and dry skin while you sleep. With Swiss glacier water, hyaluronic acid and avocado butter, it provides up to 72 hours of hydration and nourishment. It can be used twice a week, or more if your skin is particularly dry.
Sold by Sephora
Origins Out of Trouble 10-Minute Mask to Rescue Problem Skin
This multi-action mask helps prevent breakouts and clogged pores for oily and acne-prone skin. It has zinc oxide and sulfur to absorb excess oil that can lead to acne. The formula also helps remove dead skin cells and pulls impurities out of the skin.
Sold by Sephora
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jennifer Blair writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/15-most-popular-origins-skin-care-products-on-sephora/ | 2022-04-12T03:43:01Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/15-most-popular-origins-skin-care-products-on-sephora/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What are the best sheet masks at Sephora?
Just about every self-care checklist will suggest treating yourself to a sheet mask — and with good reason. Not only are sheet masks great at delivering nourishing skin care ingredients, but they also give you an excuse to relax.
Whether you struggle with acne, redness or dry skin, there’s a sheet mask for you. If you’re looking to find a popular option, cosmetics retailer Sephora carries a range of sheet masks beloved by customers and beauty experts alike for their nourishing ingredients and excellent results.
Sheet masks vs. clay masks
Sheet masks have been gaining in popularity in Western markets for a few years now, but they’ve been a staple in Korean beauty regimens for much longer. Unlike wash-off facial masks, which usually consist of a clay base, sheet masks are made from fabric, paper or gel that’s been saturated with skin care ingredients. The sheet fibers give your skin a chance to absorb the essence’s beneficial ingredients without the dried-out feeling that can come from clay masks, and there’s no rinsing necessary. While both kinds of masks offer several benefits, sheet masks tend to focus on hydration while clay masks are better for decongesting skin.
How to use sheet masks
To use a sheet mask effectively, start by cleansing your face. You may wish to steam your face with a hot washcloth or facial steamer to open up your pores. This helps your skin absorb the mask’s essence. Wear the mask for the recommended amount of time, then gently massage the leftover essence into your skin. Treat your neck and décolleté as well: if there’s any essence left in the mask’s packaging, massage that in, too. Sheet masks with acne-fighting or exfoliating ingredients are recommended for use once a week, while gentler, hydrating masks can be used more often.
Sheet mask benefits
Almost any skin care concern can be addressed with a sheet mask. Here are some of the key ingredients to look for if you’re shopping for a specific type of sheet mask:
- Exfoliating sheet masks may contain fruit enzymes (like pineapple or papaya) or retinol.
- Hydrating sheet masks may contain hyaluronic acid, snail jelly, honey or coconut water.
- Brightening sheet masks may contain licorice root extract, pearl extract or vitamin C.
- Soothing sheet masks may contain green tea extract, aloe vera or chamomile.
- Acne and blemish-clearing masks may contain salicylic acid, tea tree oil or charcoal.
- Redness-reducing masks may contain niacinamide or tiger grass.
The most popular sheet masks from Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Face Mask
These affordable masks make great spa-night treats or gifts, and they cover a variety of skin concerns like soothing, exfoliating, mattifying and toning. Biodegradable eucalyptus fibers carry essences formulated with plant extracts like matcha, grapefruit and coconut. The masks are cruelty-free, but not everyone is a fan of the added fragrance.
Sold by Sephora
Glamglow Bubblesheet Oxygenating Deep-Cleanse Mask
Formulated with bamboo charcoal and green tea, this foaming mask bubbles up to help clear out pores and clean away dirt and buildup. It can be drying, so it’s recommended for those with oily skin. Use it as a weekly detox by wearing the mask for just three minutes, then using the charcoal sheet as an exfoliating washcloth while you rinse off.
Sold by Sephora
This two-step mask comes with an ampoule of gel-like serum, which is applied to the two-part rubber sheet mask that’s made from natural clay and algae. Leave the mask on for 30-40 minutes while the rubber prevents ingredients from evaporating, leaving skin soothed, brightened and moisturized. The masks are available for four different skin concerns.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection Clean Foot Mask
Sheet masks aren’t just for your face! Treat your feet with this foot mask. It’s cruelty-free and available in two formulas, one for refreshing feet and one for nourishing dry skin. Just wrap up your clean feet in the masks and leave on for 20 minutes, then massage in the essence.
Sold by Sephora
JLo Beauty That Limitless Glow Sheet Mask
Sold individually or in a set of three, this two-piece mask is engineered to wrap around your ears, gripping your face for targeted treatment. It’s saturated with one ounce of the brand’s Glow serum, which can help minimize the look of pores and fine lines, brighten your complexion and boost radiance. Wear this cruelty-free mask for 10 minutes up to twice a week.
Sold by Sephora
Dr. Jart+ Ceramidin Facial Barrier Mask
This mask is formulated to combat dryness and support the skin barrier. Whether you have dry, oily, combination or sensitive skin, this mask can hydrate without increasing oil production or irritating your skin. It’s made from biodegradable bamboo cellulose. Users recommend treating the creamy essence like a sleep mask so you can wake up to smoother, hydrated skin.
Sold by Sephora
Peter Thomas Roth 24-Karat Gold Pure Luxury Lift and Firm
Give your under-eye area special attention with these luxurious under-eye masks. They’re formulated with hydrolyzed collagen, caffeine and 24K and colloidal gold to firm, brighten, depuff and smooth the skin under your eyes. The jar contains 30 pairs of eye gels, which are worn for 10-15 minutes at a time.
Sold by Sephora
Sephora Collection After-Sun Mask
This two-piece mask can help both your face and chest recover from a day at the beach with its cooling, hydrating formula. It’s great for mitigating sunburn thanks to watermelon extract, and it can even extend the look of a suntan. Apply both pieces to your face and décolleté and leave on for 15 minutes.
Sold by Sephora
SK-II Pitera Facial Treatment Mask
For a spa-quality treatment, these masks are a luxurious way to improve skin’s elasticity and texture. The fragrance-free formula contains a powerful dose of Pitera, the brand’s exclusive essence, which is packed with vitamins, minerals and amino acids to encourage cell renewal. The masks come in a set of six or 10 and can be used once or twice a week for 10-15 minutes.
Sold by Sephora
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Laura Duerr writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/9-most-popular-sheet-masks-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-12T03:43:07Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/9-most-popular-sheet-masks-at-sephora/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Which space heater is best?
Even the dead of summer can be too cold if your office blasts the air conditioner. That’s where a space heater can come in handy. Some space heaters can also double as fans if you get too hot.
The best space heater is the Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater with Humidifier. It gets decently hot and the humidifier prevents health issues caused by dry heat.
What to know before you buy a space heater
Outdoor vs. indoor space heaters
Space heaters are usually designed with a location in mind, be it outdoors or indoors, though some can be used in either situation.
- Outdoor heaters tend to be on the smaller side, contrary to what you would expect. They are usually designed to be as portable as possible and focus on heating the area directly in front of them or the air in the immediate vicinity.
- Indoor heaters are more varied. They can be ultra-portable, big enough to require installation or somewhere in between. Most heat the air in front of or around them like outdoor heaters, but a few are able to heat nearby objects directly instead.
Power source
Both indoor and outdoor heaters can be powered by electricity or fossil fuels.
- Electric heaters require a nearby outlet, making the majority of them designed for use indoors. Some are still designed for outdoor use, including those meant for use on your patio. They are safer thanks to their lack of emissions.
- Fossil-fueled heaters typically run on propane, kerosene or natural gas. They are typically used outdoors as using them indoors can be dangerous without access to proper ventilation since their burning fuel emits dangerous vapors. Some are still designed for use indoors, again with proper ventilation, in case of emergency power loss.
What to look for in a quality space heater
Heat output
Space heaters denote their heating ability using either wattage or British thermal units. Bigger equals hotter, but also requires more energy. Fuel type also affects heat output. Electric heaters tend to heat quickly but won’t last if switched off. Fossil-fueled heaters are the opposite, heating up slowly but providing lasting heat once switched off.
Energy efficiency
Space heaters of any kind are one of the most energy-efficient heat sources you can use. They heat up rapidly and maintain heat well. Any heaters with some kind of help moving air, such as those with built-in fans, are even more efficient. However, this efficiency drops off the longer you use them as their fuel consumption rates eventually outpace their heat generation.
How much you can expect to spend on a space heater
Space heaters usually cost roughly $30-$150. The $30-$50 budget models still output plenty of heat for one person while the $75-$150 models can heat up small- to medium-sized rooms.
Space heater FAQ
What are the benefits of using a space heater?
A. Their biggest benefit is the ability to quickly heat a room to your preferred temperature with less energy consumption than your central heating would require. This then allows you to switch to your central heating with a minimal increase in your energy bill while continuing to use the space heater on lower settings to maintain your comfort. Space heaters are also quieter than most central heating units, and they can be moved from room to room as needed.
What are the downsides of using a space heater?
A. The biggest downside is their maximum efficacy is typically limited to small-to-medium homes. Larger spaces simply can’t be comfortably heated as most space heaters only effectively heat the areas in their immediate vicinity. Trying to use one in a large space, or using one as your central source of heating rather than a heating supplement, is energy inefficient and can noticeably raise your energy bill. Their exteriors can also become dangerously hot, even if used for a short amount of time. This makes them difficult to safely use in homes with pets and young children.
What’s the best space heater to buy?
Top space heater
Dr. Infrared Heater Portable Space Heater With Humidifier
What you need to know: This humidifier is large and in charge, and it has some great features.
What you’ll love: It has 5,200 BTU of heating power that directly heats objects rather than the air around it. The built-in humidifier adds enough moisture to the room to prevent dry-heat-related problems like nosebleeds and dehydration. Expert assembly is offered, though it can double the total cost.
What you should consider: It’s among the largest, and most expensive, space heaters. Some consumers had issues with the humidifier tank leaking. There are rare reports of melted outlets.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Top space heater for the money
Black and Decker Portable Space Heater
What you need to know: This is surprisingly effective for its small size.
What you’ll love: It’s small enough to be inconspicuous while still providing plenty of heat. Its heat comes from two power modes, 900 and 1,500 watts, plus it has a heatless fan-only mode. It has good safety features, including auto-shutoff if tipped over.
What you should consider: Some consumers had issues with overheating, which led to burning and smoking smells as well as damaged outlets. The carrying handle is uncomfortable.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Pelonis Ceramic Tower Indoor Space Heater
What you need to know: This midrange heater is powerful enough to heat a small room.
What you’ll love: It has many heating modes, including a programmable thermostat, multiple heat settings, an oscillation mode and an economy mode. It also has a timer setting and includes a remote control. It heats up to 70 degrees in three seconds and maintains a steady temperature.
What you should consider: Temperature settings can only be changed 5 degrees at a time. Some consumers were concerned with how hot the front of the heater can become.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Jordan C. Woika writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/best-space-heater/ | 2022-04-12T03:43:45Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/best-space-heater/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
What are the 10 most popular Nars products at Sephora?
With its high-end black packaging and award-winning products, Nars Cosmetics is one of the most recognizable brands at any beauty store. What started as a line of 12 lipstick shades now includes a full range of beauty products for all skin tones and types.
Since many Nars products have become cult favorites, it might be hard to choose just one. Luckily, you can find almost their entire line at Sephora, which has stores all over the world. If you’re wondering which products to start with, here are the 10 most popular Nars products at Sephora.
How to choose Nars beauty products
Skin tone
Nars Cosmetics is known for being one of the first beauty brands to have an expansive shade range suitable for a wide array of skin tones. For example, most of their foundations have 40 shades, and there are options for cool, warm or neutral undertones. To figure out your undertone, look at the veins on your wrist.
- Cool undertone: If the veins on the inside of your wrist look blue, you’re most likely cool-toned.
- Warm undertone: You probably have a warm undertone if the veins on your wrist appear to be green.
- Neutral undertone: If you see both green and blue veins on the inside of your wrist, you most likely have a neutral undertone.
Skin type
There are four main types of skin — dry, normal, combination and oily.
- Dry: If your skin appears dull and often flakes or feels rough, you likely have dry skin. It may also feel tight or itchy at times.
- Oily: Those with oily skin often feel like their face looks greasy or shiny. People with oily skin are also more prone to acne.
- Combination: If your skin has both dry and oily areas, that’s known as combination skin.
- Normal: Normal skin doesn’t feel dry or oily. It’s not particularly prone to acne or flaky patches.
What to consider when buying Nars products at Sephora
Size
When buying Nars beauty products, one feature to consider is the size. Remember that the packaging may be much larger than the product within.
Ingredients
Many Nars products include quality skin care ingredients like vitamin C or hyaluronic acid, which benefit the skin. However, if you have sensitive skin, you might want to avoid products with added chemical fragrance.
Coverage
If you plan to create a full glam look, you probably want to consider a foundation with full coverage or blush with high pigment. On the other hand, a sheer lipstick or light coverage tinted moisturizer is better for those no-makeup look days.
Most popular Nars products at Sephora
With 40 shades, this foundation has a match for just about every skin tone. It offers medium coverage that provides a natural no-makeup look but can also be built up for a full coverage look. The formulation includes a few skin care ingredients, including vitamin C and turmeric.
Sold by Sephora
This best-selling concealer brightens and corrects for a radiant finish that lasts up to 16 hours. The medium coverage can be built up for full coverage or worn alone for a natural look. From dry to oily, all skin types can appreciate this perfecting concealer.
Sold by Sephora
After a swipe of this award-winning blush, it’s not hard to see why it’s beloved around the world. There are a variety of shades in shimmer, matte or satin finishes. Since it’s formulated with superfine micronized powder pigments, you’re sure to get a seamless finish.
Sold by Sephora
If you have dry skin or dislike powder blush, this liquid blush that comes in a matte, shimmer or sheer finish is a great alternative. Tamanu oil provides extra moisture and allows it to glide on the skin. Additionally, the formulation is free of parabens, phthalates, formaldehyde and sulfates.
Sold by Sephora
Nars Soft Matte Complete Concealer
Cream concealer is ideal for blurring imperfections on the face, and this option provides a full coverage in a matte finish. You’re also getting the benefits of skin care ingredients, including peptides, hyaluronic acid and antioxidants with vitamins A, C and E.
Sold by Sephora
Nars Air Matte Liquid Lipstick
This liquid lipstick is formulated with a color-diffusion complex that instantly diffuses color for a soft and comfortable finish. The matte color is buildable and blendable with the custom-designed applicator. It comes in nine shades.
Sold by Sephora
Nars Pure Radiant Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Those who prefer lightweight, sheer coverage with moisturizing benefits will enjoy this tinted moisturizer. It comes in over 15 shades and has vitamin C in it to even out your skin tone and brighten your complexion. Plus, it features broad spectrum SPF 30.
Sold by Sephora
Whether you want to sculpt your face or add a healthy glow, this bronzer powder is a top choice. It comes in four different shades with a radiant finish, and it’s free of mineral oil, phthalates, parabens and gluten.
Sold by Sephora
Nars Velvet Matte Lipstick Pencil
If you don’t enjoy using liquid lipstick but want to add color to your lips, you’ll love this velvet matte pencil. It delivers the bold color of a lipstick with the convenience of a pencil. It’s enriched with vitamin E and emollients for a nondrying, long-lasting and creamy texture.
Sold by Sephora
Nars The Multiple Cream Blush, Lip and Eye Stick
This multipurpose stick is perfect for on-the-go, quick makeup looks or those who prefer a natural makeup look. It comes in five colors with a shimmer or radiant finish, and it can be used on the eyes, lips or cheeks. The cream-to-powder formula features vitamin C and acai oil.
Sold by Sephora
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Bre Richey writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/10-most-popular-nars-products-at-sephora/ | 2022-04-12T03:44:22Z | wwlp.com | control | https://www.wwlp.com/reviews/br/beauty-personal-care-br/face-makeup-br/10-most-popular-nars-products-at-sephora/ | 1 | 1 | green-iguana-35 | null |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.