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FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — A grieving father erupted in anger Tuesday as he told jurors about the daughter Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz murdered along with 16 others four years ago, his voice rising as he recounted her “infectious laugh that I can only get to watch now on TikTok videos.”
Dr. Ilan Alhadeff’s emotional testimony about his 14-year-old daughter Alyssa marked a second day of tears as families, one after another, took the witness stand to give heartrending statements about their loved ones who died at Parkland’s Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018.
He and his wife, Lori, described Alyssa’s role as captain of her soccer team, the friend others always turned to for advice or a shoulder to cry on, and her plans to become a business lawyer. He cried as he recounted how he will not dance with his daughter at her wedding or see the children she would have had.
“My first-born daughter, daddy’s girl was taken from me!” yelled Alhadeff, an internal medicine physician. “I get to watch my friends, my neighbors, colleagues spend time enjoying their daughters, enjoying all the normal milestones, taking in the normal joys and I only get to watch videos or go to the cemetery to see my daughter.”
He said one of Alyssa’s two younger brothers was too young to comprehend her death when it happened, but now “asks to go see his sister at the cemetery from time to time.”
“This is not normal!” he said angrily.
Cruz, 23, pleaded guilty to 17 counts of first-degree murder in October; the trial is only to determine whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole. Over the two days of family statements, he has shown little emotion, even as several of his attorneys wiped away tears and Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer’s voice broke when she gave directions. He mostly stares straight ahead or looks down at the table where he sits.
As one family testifies, others sob in the gallery while awaiting their turn. When finished, they stay to lend support. They exchange packets of tissues, shoulder rubs and, when breaks come, hugs. Some jurors wipe away tears, but most sit stoically.
Some families had statements read for them. The mother of 14-year-old Martin Duque wrote that while he was born in Mexico, he wanted to become a U.S. Navy Seal. The wife of assistant football coach Aaron Feis wrote that he was a doting father to their young daughter and a mentor to many young people.
The mother of 16-year-old Carmen Schentrup wrote that she was a straight-A student whose letter announcing she was a semifinalist for a National Merit Scholarship arrived the day after she died. She wanted to be a doctor who researched amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Shara Kaplan sobbed as she told the jurors of her two sons’ sadness that they weren’t there to protect their little sister, 18-year-old Meadow Pollack.
Luke Hoyer’s mom, Gina, said the 15-year-old was her “miracle baby,” her “Lukey Bear.” She said he yelled down that Valentine’s Day morning to thank her for the card and Skittles she’d placed in his bathroom. The gifts stayed there for a year. His father, Tom, said he never saw his son that morning, but yelled up “Have a good day” as he hurried to work. “That is the kind of exchange you have when you think you have tomorrow,” he said.
Fred Guttenberg, who has become a national advocate for tighter gun laws, said he regrets that the last words he said to his 14-year-old daughter Jaime weren’t “I love you” but instead, “You gotta go, you are going to be late” as he pushed her and her older brother out the door that morning. He said his son is angry with him for telling him to run when he called in a panic to say there was a gunman at the school instead of having him find his sister, even though it would have made no difference.
His wife, Jennifer Guttenberg, said that while her daughter was known for her competitive dancing, she volunteered with the Humane Society and with special needs children. She planned to be a pediatric physical therapist.
Annika Dworet, her husband Mitch sitting somberly at her side, told the jurors about their son Nick, who was 17 when he died. A star swimmer, he had accepted a scholarship to the University of Indianapolis and was training in hopes of competing for his mother’s native Sweden in the 2020 Olympics. His younger brother, Alex, was wounded in the shooting.
“He was always inclusive of everyone. On his last evening with us, he spent time speaking to the younger kids on the swim team, giving them some pointers,” she said.
But now, she said, “our hearts will forever be broken.”
“We will always live with excruciating pain. We have an empty bedroom in our house. There is an empty chair at our dining table. Alex will never have a brother to talk or hang out with. They will never again go for a drive, blasting very loud music. We did not get to see Nick graduate from high school or college. We will never see him getting married.
“We will always hesitate before answering the question, ‘How many kids do you have?’” | https://cw39.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-news/grieving-father-erupts-at-parkland-school-shooters-trial/ | 2022-08-02T21:57:49 | en | 0.98996 |
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
2-4-5
(two, four, five)
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
2-4-5
(two, four, five) | https://www.lakecountystar.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-Midday-game-17346291.php | 2022-08-02T21:57:51 | en | 0.934472 |
NORWALK, Conn. (AP) _ Terex Corp. (TEX) on Tuesday reported second-quarter profit of $74.1 million.
The Norwalk, Connecticut-based company said it had profit of $1.07 per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 87 cents per share.
The machinery products maker posted revenue of $1.08 billion in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.07 billion.
Terex expects full-year earnings in the range of $3.80 to $4.20 per share, with revenue in the range of $4.1 billion to $4.3 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on TEX at https://www.zacks.com/ap/TEX | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Terex-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346449.php | 2022-08-02T21:57:53 | en | 0.940881 |
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We use cookies to personalize content and ads, to provide social media features and to analyse our traffic. We also share information about your use of our site with our social media. See details. | https://www.tayyar.org/News/Lebanon/490234/ | 2022-08-02T21:57:53 | en | 0.94178 |
BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) — The man charged with killing his mother at sea during a 2016 fishing trip off the coast of New England in a plot to inherit millions of dollars will remain detained pending trial, a federal judge in Vermont ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Court Judge Geoffrey Crawford denied Nathan Carman’s request to be released, saying he is a flight risk and potential danger due to the seriousness of the charges, lack of strong family, employment or community connections “and his involvement with firearms and the ongoing feud with his family” over his late grandfather’s inheritance.
Crawford said the evidence regarding the loss of his mother at sea, and “the acrimonious dispute” with relatives over the inheritance, as well as his purchase of AR-15 type weapons “are evidence that this is a volatile situation.”
Carman, 28, of Vernon, was charged in May with murder and fraud in the killing of his mother, Linda Carman of Middletown, Connecticut, during a fishing trip in which his boat sank. He was found floating in a raft and rescued eight days after departing from a Rhode Island marina. He pleaded not guilty in his mother’s death.
Prosecutors also have accused Carman of killing his grandfather, John Chakalos, who they say was shot in his home in Windsor, Connecticut, in 2013 as part of a scheme to obtain money and property from his grandfather’s estate. Carman has not been charged in that case and has denied any involvement in his grandfather’s death. | https://cw39.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-news/man-charged-with-killing-mother-at-sea-to-remain-detained/ | 2022-08-02T21:57:56 | en | 0.989724 |
A federal judge on Tuesday tossed out a public records lawsuit on the 2020 census based on a Webster's dictionary definition of one obscure word: “whereby.”
The lawsuit was over an even more obscure concept: how a statistical method was used to fill in details when information was lacking about people residing in dorms, nursing homes, prisons and other group living spaces.
A Republican-leaning redistricting advocacy group had sued the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department, which oversees the statistical agency, in an effort to get records showing by state the number of times the statistical method was used for group quarters. Fair Lines America Foundation had said it had “significant implications for our nation’s redistricting and electoral process” and demanded transparency in how the method was implemented.
In group quarters, the method known as imputation involves using already available information about the facility, such as its maximum capacity, to fill in missing details.
People living in group quarters were particularly difficult to count during the 2020 census because the coronavirus pandemic sent college students fleeing campuses and put nursing homes and prisons in lockdown. In response, the Census Bureau unexpectedly decided to use the statistical technique for group housing, where about 3% of the U.S. population lives. Because of concerns over the group quarters count during the pandemic, the Census Bureau set up a separate program for governments to appeal that count in their jurisdictions.
The census determines how many congressional seats each state gets, as well as the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year.
The Census Bureau had argued that releasing the records to Fair Lines would violate a law protecting census participants' privacy and confidentiality. Bad actors could reconstruct the larger data set and identify people's private information if the information was released, the statistical agency argued.
In her order, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson conceded that releasing the aggregated data itself wouldn't jeopardize participants' privacy or confidentiality. But the law prohibits “‘any publication whereby the data furnished by any particular establishment or individual under this title can be identified,'" she wrote, quoting from the law.
“The interpretation of this sentence hinges on the word ‘whereby,'" she wrote.
Citing a Webster's dictionary definition from 1953, a year before the law was enacted, the judge said the meaning of ‘whereby' led her to believe that publication of the data was prohibited. An attorney for Fair Lines didn't respond to an email and text seeking comment.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Census-lawsuit-tossed-based-on-definition-of-17346545.php | 2022-08-02T21:57:57 | en | 0.960892 |
SAN DIEGO (AP) _ TuSimple Holdings Inc. (TSP) on Tuesday reported a loss of $108.6 million in its second quarter.
On a per-share basis, the San Diego-based company said it had a loss of 49 cents.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of six analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 60 cents per share.
The self-driving technology company posted revenue of $2.6 million in the period, missing Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $4.1 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on TSP at https://www.zacks.com/ap/TSP | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/TuSimple-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346486.php | 2022-08-02T21:57:59 | en | 0.938453 |
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. (AP) _ Unum Group (UNM) on Tuesday reported second-quarter net income of $370.4 million.
On a per-share basis, the Chattanooga, Tennessee-based company said it had profit of $1.83. Earnings, adjusted for investment costs, were $1.91 per share.
The results surpassed Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of 11 analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.23 per share.
The insurance company posted revenue of $3.04 billion in the period. Its adjusted revenue was $3.05 billion, also surpassing Street forecasts. Ten analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $2.99 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on UNM at https://www.zacks.com/ap/UNM | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Unum-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346435.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:00 | en | 0.944486 |
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A former police officer in Virginia should not be criminally charged but should be investigated for potential civil rights violations after he pepper-sprayed, struck and handcuffed a Black U.S. Army lieutenant during a 2020 traffic stop, a special prosecutor has determined.
The prosecutor’s findings are the latest fallout from a confrontation involving two police officers and a uniformed military officer that drew outrage and national attention to the small town of Windsor, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Richmond.
The man who was pulled over, Caron Nazario, was never charged. Video of the December 2020 traffic stop surfaced in April 2021 after Nazario sued in federal court, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated. The images sparked outrage and served as a grim reminder to many Black Americans that a military uniform doesn’t necessarily protect against mistreatment by police.
In December, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring’s office sued the town, alleging that it operated in a way that discriminated against Black Americans.
One of the officers, Joe Gutierrez, was fired from the department. He was the target of the special prosecutor’s criminal probe.
“Although I find the video very disturbing and frankly unsettling, Gutierrez’s use of force to remove Nazario did not violate state law as he had given multiple commands for Nazario to exit the vehicle,” special prosecutor Anton Bell said in his report, dated July 29 and posted online by Nazario’s attorneys.
“The problematic issue, however, were Gutierrez’s statements throughout the entire ordeal, which would lead a reasonable person to wonder whether underlying bias was at the root of how and why Nazario was treated in like manner,” Bell wrote.
Bell’s findings were first reported Monday by The Virginian-Pilot newspaper.
The incident began when Nazario was driving home from his duty station, according to his lawsuit. Officer Daniel Crocker radioed that he was attempting to stop a vehicle with no rear license plate and tinted windows.
Crocker said the driver was “eluding police” and he considered it a “high-risk traffic stop,” according to a report that’s included in the lawsuit. One of Nazario’s attorneys, Jonathan Arthur, later explained that Nazario was trying to stop in a well-lit area “for officer safety and out of respect for the officers.”
The other officer, Gutierrez, was driving by and decided to join the traffic stop, the lawsuit stated. By the time the two officers reached Nazario’s SUV, the license plate was visible in the rear.
When Nazario stopped at a well-lit gas station, the two officers immediately drew their guns and pointed them at Nazario, his lawsuit alleges. The officers then attempted to pull Nazario out of the vehicle while he continued to keep his hands in the air. Gutierrez pepper-sprayed Nazario multiple times as the officers yelled for him to get out.
At one point, Gutierrez told Nazario he was “fixin’ to ride the lightning,” a reference to the electric chair that was also a line from the movie “The Green Mile,” a film about a Black man facing execution, the lawsuit said.
Nazario got out and asked for a supervisor. Gutierrez responded with “knee-strikes” to his legs, knocking him to the ground, the lawsuit says. The two officers struck him multiple times, then handcuffed and interrogated him.
The traffic stop was captured on Nazario’s cellphone as well as the officer’s body-worn cameras.
Tom Roberts, another attorney representing Nazario, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a judge or a jury, not a special prosecutor, should have determined whether Gutierrez violated the law.
“I think that there’s sufficient evidence to show that he was intentional in his actions,” Roberts said. “And I believe that he exceeded any authority to use force, and therefore he committed assault and battery.”
Roberts said that would have been a misdemeanor offense, for which the statute of limitations is one year, well before the special prosecutor released his findings.
“All too often, when it comes to law enforcement violating the laws, we see our Commonwealth’s Attorneys fail to apply the same zeal at prosecuting law enforcement as they do with other offenders,” Roberts’ firm said in a statement.
John Becker Mumford Jr., an attorney listed for Gutierrez in Nazario’s lawsuit, did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Bell, the special prosecutor, wrote that he asked the local U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for possible civil rights violations. Karoline Foote, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Tuesday that the office had no comment.
In February, the town of Windsor asked a court to dismiss the state attorney general’s lawsuit, arguing that it only refers to one person — Nazario — “in a cursory and inconclusive manner.”
Jason Miyares, who defeated Herring in November’s election, took over as Virginia’s AG in January. Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Miyares’ office, said Tuesday that the lawsuit is still pending. | https://cw39.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-news/no-charges-for-officer-who-pepper-sprayed-army-lieutenant/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:02 | en | 0.983559 |
RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Gov. Roy Cooper’s secretary of health and human services should not be immune from a lawsuit over the administration’s restrictions on large gatherings in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department of Health and Human Services temporarily shut down Ace Speedway, a small stock car racetrack in Alamance County, in June 2020 after it repeatedly defied Cooper’s executive order limiting outdoor crowds to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The racetrack filed counterclaims that August, alleging the department unlawfully singled out the business for its acts of protest and violated its employees’ constitutional right to earn a living.
The appeals court unanimously upheld a January 2021 trial court ruling denying a DHHS motion to dismiss Ace Speedway’s claims that the agency selectively enforced the governor’s orders and impeded the racetrack’s ability to make money.
“This case makes us consider the use of overwhelming power by the State against the individual liberties of its citizens and how that use of power may be challenged,” the judges wrote.
DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley, whose predecessor filed the 2020 order to close the speedway, argued before the appeals court that executive officials should be immune from civil lawsuits. But the court ruled Ace’s claims were “sufficient to survive the secretary’s motion to dismiss” the lawsuit.
Three days after Cooper issued an executive order placing a 25-person cap on all outdoor gatherings, Ace Speedway hosted approximately 2,550 spectators for its first race of the season on May 23, 2020.
A sign posted on site at a subsequent race that June labeled the 2,000-person gathering a “peaceful protest of injustice and inequality everywhere," the lawsuit states.
When the speedway continued to draw crowds of 1,000 or more, the governor’s office ordered Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson to intervene. After Johnson refused to issue a misdemeanor citation, the Cooper administration declared Ace Speedway an “imminent hazard” for the spread of COVID-19 and called for its closure until the emergency order expired.
A court has yet to rule on the merits of Ace Speedway’s claims. But the panel of three Republican judges drew attention Tuesday to a clause in the state Constitution guaranteeing North Carolinians a right to the “fruits of their labor.” Recent court precedents say the clause is synonymous with the right to earn a living.
The ruling noted that the order to close the racetrack “restricted or otherwise interfered with the lawful operation of a business serving the public."
___
Schoenbaum is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her at twitter.com/H_Schoenbaum. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Court-Top-NC-health-official-can-be-sued-for-17346488.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:04 | en | 0.946923 |
SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (AP) _ Veracyte Inc. (VCYT) on Tuesday reported a loss of $9.5 million in its second quarter.
On a per-share basis, the South San Francisco, California-based company said it had a loss of 13 cents.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of four analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for a loss of 21 cents per share.
The molecular diagnostic company posted revenue of $72.9 million in the period, which also topped Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $67.4 million.
Veracyte expects full-year revenue in the range of $272 million to $280 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VCYT at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VCYT | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Veracyte-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346394.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:07 | en | 0.943958 |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A former special education teacher in West Virginia was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison Tuesday for abusing several students.
Nancy Boggs was sentenced in Kanawha County Circuit Court stemming from incidents last September at Holz Elementary School in Charleston, news outlets reported.
“You turned your classroom into a place of what can only be described as torture,” Judge Maryclaire Akers told Boggs.
Boggs, 67, pleaded guilty in May to 10 misdemeanor counts of battery. Akers ordered the sentences of one year on each count to be served consecutively.
Boggs admitted to hitting one female student with a cabinet door, pulling her hair and pulling a chair out from under her. Boggs also admitted to slamming another child’s head into a desk and slapping a third child. Surveillance cameras captured the classroom incidents.
In March, Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill aimed at protecting students by requiring public school administrators to view video of each special needs classroom periodically and eliminated a requirement that video footage be deleted after a certain time period. The parents of one of the students in Boggs’ case worked with lawmakers to strengthen an existing law. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Ex-WVa-special-education-teacher-gets-10-years-in-17346350.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:10 | en | 0.969742 |
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) _ Verisk Analytics Inc. (VRSK) on Tuesday reported second-quarter profit of $197.8 million.
The Jersey City, New Jersey-based company said it had net income of $1.24 per share. Earnings, adjusted for amortization costs and non-recurring costs, came to $1.53 per share.
The results beat Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of eight analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of $1.42 per share.
The insurance data provider posted revenue of $746.3 million in the period, also surpassing Street forecasts. Six analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $745.3 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VRSK at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VRSK | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Verisk-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346285.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:13 | en | 0.934865 |
SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) — Jim Obergefell, whose landmark case before the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationally, is hoping he and fellow Democrats can make gains in the Ohio Statehouse this year with a message grounded in equality.
“It really just all comes down to: Can’t we all just get along and treat each other like human beings? Can’t we be decent people?” the celebrity plaintiff -turned-Ohio House candidate told the Democratic Women of Erie County on a recent summer evening. “And we all deserve to be part of ‘We the People.’”
Obergefell, 56, is unopposed in a primary Tuesday for a state legislative seat representing Ohio’s Lake Erie coast through Ottawa and Erie counties. He’s already looking toward a November faceoff against second-term Republican Rep. D.J. Swearingen, 36, a Sandusky attorney who has focused his campaign on “kitchen table” issues.
The race marks the first time that Obergefell has moved from activism into a political run for office. He’s campaigning at a sensitive time for the LGBTQ rights movement after the U.S. Supreme Court in June repealed the constitutional right to abortion, raising fears that other rights may also fall away, including same-sex marriage.
With that in mind, the U.S. House overwhelmingly voted last month to approve legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. The legislation is being considered in the Senate.
Obergefell became among the most visible figures in the marriage equality movement after he and his longtime partner, John Arthur, who was dying, flew to Maryland and were wed in a plane on a tarmac because the Cincinnati-area couple couldn’t do so legally in Ohio. Arthur died a few months later, and Obergefell’s fight to be listed as spouse on the death certificate led to his role in the landmark 2015 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage.
In Ohio now, Obergefell’s pitch for inclusion is running into a heated political environment. The primary election itself had to be split because of a contentious and protracted political mapmaking fight, with a federal panel of judges ultimately setting the date and imposing maps that a different court has declared unconstitutional. Legal battles continue.
GOP mapmakers redrew the 89th House District that Obergefell is seeking in the face of his candidacy, and the district now leans nearly 57% Republican, according to Dave’s Redistricting App, a political mapmaking website. That should favor Swearingen in a state that former President Donald Trump twice won by wide margins and where Republicans control every branch of government.
Obergefell appears to remain a threat, however. He is the best-known state legislative candidate on Ohio’s 2022 ballot and among its top legislative fundraisers so far, having outraised Swearingen more than 4 to 1, according to campaign finance reports.
That’s in part because his popularity as a civil rights icon has drawn support from a host of deep-pocketed national progressive groups — including the LGBTQ Victory Fund, the Human Rights Campaign and Democracy for America — as well as in-state donors.
Obergefell said he believes his party can reach moderate Republicans and independents with their message of inclusiveness if voters “see the Democratic Party being obvious, being clear, being direct on what they believe in and what they will fight to protect and support.”
But Swearingen said district voters he’s spoken to are not focused on social issues, but on pocketbook ones.
“What I continue to hear from people is gas, groceries, feeding their families — very kitchen table issues that are very relevant and important to them. They’re immediately in front of them,” he said. “The social issues do not appear to be very high on the list.”
That’s not the case for Darlene Walk, a Sandusky native and vice president of the Democratic Women of Erie County. She said she plans to vote for Obergefell and is encouraging friends of all partisan persuasions to do the same.
“We’re ready for a change, and you have to accept people as they are, where they are and what they do and what they stand for,” she said. “And he stands for progress.” | https://cw39.com/news/u-s-news/ap-us-news/same-sex-marriage-plaintiff-obergefell-runs-for-ohio-office/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:15 | en | 0.970822 |
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Flags will be lowered around Connecticut for a soldier killed by lightning while training in Georgia last month.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Clark of Bolton had served for 22 years on active duty and as a Army reservist. Clark, 41, had deployed four times to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a medical unit, the 933rd Forward Resuscitative Surgical Company, which performs emergency surgery and other urgent treatment on wounded soldiers in combat.
On Tuesday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all U.S. and state flags lowered to half-staff beginning at sunrise Wednesday and ending at sunset Thursday.
Nine other soldiers were injured by the July 21 lightning strike at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. The Paducah, Kentucky-based medical unit was at Fort Gordon for an annual training exercise.
Calling hours and a funeral service in Clark's honor are scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Windsor. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Flags-lowered-for-Connecticut-soldier-killed-by-17346543.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:16 | en | 0.969097 |
OAKWOOD VILLAGE, Ohio (AP) _ ViewRay Inc. (VRAY) on Tuesday reported a loss of $27.6 million in its second quarter.
The Oakwood Village, Ohio-based company said it had a loss of 15 cents per share.
The results matched Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of five analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was also for a loss of 15 cents per share.
The radiation therapy systems maker posted revenue of $22.1 million in the period, surpassing Street forecasts. Five analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $19.6 million.
ViewRay expects full-year revenue in the range of $84 million to $90 million.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on VRAY at https://www.zacks.com/ap/VRAY | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/ViewRay-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346274.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:19 | en | 0.938964 |
ONTARIO, Ontario (AP) _ Waste Connections Inc. (WCN) on Tuesday reported second-quarter earnings of $224.1 million.
The Ontario, Ontario-based company said it had net income of 87 cents per share. Earnings, adjusted for one-time gains and costs, were $1 per share.
The results topped Wall Street expectations. The average estimate of nine analysts surveyed by Zacks Investment Research was for earnings of 95 cents per share.
The solid waste services provider posted revenue of $1.82 billion in the period, which also beat Street forecasts. Seven analysts surveyed by Zacks expected $1.8 billion.
Waste Connections expects full-year revenue of $7.13 billion.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WCN at https://www.zacks.com/ap/WCN | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Waste-Connections-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346398.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:21 | en | 0.944008 |
BROOKLET, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia couple has died of apparent heat exhaustion after their bodies were found inside their mobile home.
Bulloch County Coroner Jake Futch said the couple, who were both in their 80s, was found Monday in the Leefield community outside of Brooklet, WYFF-TV reported. Their names were not released.
Temperatures inside the mobile home, which did not have air conditioning, felt like 110 degrees (43 Celsius) or hotter, and it appears that they died sometime Sunday morning, Futch said.
The closest reporting weather site in Statesboro reported a high of 92 degrees (33 Celsius) Sunday and 96 degrees (35 Celsius) Monday. With the humidity factored in, the feels-like temperature was approximately 104 degrees (40 Celsius) Monday.
Futch said autopsies were not planned for the couple. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Heat-suspected-in-deaths-of-older-couple-in-17346359.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:22 | en | 0.987302 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Merrick Garland swore in the new director of the federal Bureau of Prisons Tuesday as the Biden administration looks to reform the beleaguered agency.
Colette Peters was sworn in at the agency’s headquarters in Washington. The former director of the Oregon state prison system replaces Michael Carvajal, who submitted his resignation in January amid mounting pressure from Congress after investigations by The Associated Press exposed widespread corruption, misconduct and abuse in the agency.
She takes the reins about a week after Carvajal appeared before a Senate subcommittee investigating the agency during which he refused to accept responsibility for a culture of corruption and misconduct that has plagued his agency for years, angering both Democratic and Republican senators.
Peters said during her swearing in that she was “humbled, honored and proud to serve” in the position. She also welcomed congressional oversight, adding that she believes in “good government” and transparency.
Peters is only the second director in the agency’s history with no prior experience in the federal prisons system. Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco led the search for the new director and had been looking for someone who was focused on reforming an agency that has had cultural issues for decades.
Attorney General Merrick Garland said he had “full confidence” in Peters’ ability to innovate, reform and lead the Bureau of Prisons.
In an interview with the AP last month, Peters stressed the importance of working to “create an environment where people can feel comfortable coming forward and talking about misconduct.”
Investigations by the AP have exposed myriad crises in the agency that agency that employs more than 30,000 people and has an annual budget of about $8 billion. The AP documented sexual abuse by correctional officers, rampant criminal conduct by staff, dozens of escapes, deaths and critically low staffing levels that have hampered responses to emergencies. | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/garland-swears-in-new-us-prisons-chief-in-push-for-reform/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:22 | en | 0.975911 |
MILWAUKEE (AP) _ Weyco Group Inc. (WEYS) on Tuesday reported net income of $4.5 million in its second quarter.
On a per-share basis, the Milwaukee-based company said it had net income of 47 cents.
The footwear distributor posted revenue of $74.4 million in the period.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WEYS at https://www.zacks.com/ap/WEYS | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Weyco-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346295.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:27 | en | 0.947317 |
MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — A hospital system with properties in Mississippi and Alabama has merged with a health system based in Louisiana.
On Monday, Rush Health Systems became Ochsner Rush Health, the Meridian Star reported. Rush had said in June 2021 that it intended to merge with Ochsner Health, based in New Orleans.
“By coming together, we’ll be able to do more to enhance and expand clinical services focused on the critical needs of the communities we serve while ensuring our patients have access to local, high-quality care for generations to come," Larkin Kennedy, CEO Ochsner Rush Health, said in a news release.
Ochsner Rush Health will provide health care in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama.
Updated names and branding to reflect the new organization will also be put in place at regional hospitals in the cities of Meridian, Union, DeKalb and Quitman, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; and Choctaw County, Alabama.
Ochsner Health also operates health care facilities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Hospital-system-serving-MS-AL-merges-with-17346335.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:28 | en | 0.953606 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — Jill Biden says she didn’t doubt that she could keep teaching as first lady and overcame the skepticism that she could handle both jobs by instructing her staff to “figure it out.”
In a new interview in the September issue of Real Simple magazine, the first lady describes how she uses Post-it notes to manage her large family, and offers marriage advice to newlyweds hoping to celebrate 45 years of marriage as she and President Joe Biden did on June 17.
Biden is the first first lady to continue her career outside the White House.
“I think people were a little skeptical. Could I truly do it, since I was the first one to try it?,” she said. “But I knew I wanted to teach.”
She said she told her staff, “This is what I want to do. We have to figure it out.’
Biden continues to teach English and writing at Northern Virginia Community College, which is where she taught during the eight years her husband was vice president. Her staff back then also doubted that she could teach and serve as second lady, but she managed.
“I saw it work then, and I knew we could figure out how to do it now,” she said.
Biden doesn’t like to use “juggling” or “balancing” to describe how she handles her responsibilities.
“You can’t do anything in a haphazard way,” she said. “You have to have purpose while you’re doing it, and it has to be organized. That’s the key to it.”
To that end, she relies on Post-it notes to manage her family gatherings and save herself from having to explain things over and over. She sticks instructions — like “fill glasses with ice” or “light candles” — to her kitchen cabinets so family arriving will know right away how to help.
“Everything is set up so when somebody comes in, they do what they want to do,” she said.
The first lady also uses Post-it notes to communicate with the president.
“If I want to get a message to Joe, I put one on his mirror,” she said. “It may be a nice ‘I missed you’ or ‘I hope you get whatever it is you’re working on.’”
She said it’s taken a lot of work for her and the president to get to 45 years of marriage. Both were married previously.
Joe Biden, 79, lost his first wife and infant daughter when the car she was driving collided with a truck in Delaware just before Christmas 1972. His two young sons were gravely injured. Jill Biden, 71, was divorced from her first husband.
“You have to work in any relationship, but especially in marriage. It’s not always 50/50,” she said. “Sometimes you lean on him, sometimes he leans on you. Sometimes he’s super busy and I have to pick up a lot of it, or vice versa.
“The goal is that we’re not in the same place at the same time, so we can count on one another when we need to,” she added. | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/jill-biden-on-teaching-as-1st-lady-i-knew-i-could-do-both/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:29 | en | 0.98946 |
HOUSTON (AP) _ Whitestone Reit (WSR) on Tuesday reported a key measure of profitability in its second quarter.
The real estate investment trust, based in Houston, said it had funds from operations of $12.6 million, or 25 cents per share, in the period.
Funds from operations is a closely watched measure in the REIT industry. It takes net income and adds back items such as depreciation and amortization.
The company said it had net income of $4.3 million, or 9 cents per share.
The real estate investment trust, based in Houston, posted revenue of $35 million in the period.
Whitestone expects full-year funds from operations to be 98 cents to $1.02 per share.
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This story was generated by Automated Insights (http://automatedinsights.com/ap) using data from Zacks Investment Research. Access a Zacks stock report on WSR at https://www.zacks.com/ap/WSR | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/business/article/Whitestone-Q2-Earnings-Snapshot-17346339.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:33 | en | 0.960131 |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Four eastern Iowa media organizations are joining a nonprofit media rights group in filing a lawsuit against the Bettendorf school board and other officials after they blocked journalists from covering a meeting about school violence that was attended by hundreds of people.
The lawsuit filed Monday by the Iowa Freedom of Information Council, the Quad-City Times and television stations KWQC, WQAD and WHBF asks a state court judge to find the school district in violation of Iowa’s open meetings law and to issue an injunction prohibiting the school board from violating the statute in the future. The lawsuit also asks the court to fine members of the board who took part in the meeting held May 25 that was attended by as many as 300 people, the majority of the school board and Superintendent Michelle Morse.
The law allows courts to order damages of between $100 and $500 and in cases where it’s proven the officials present knowingly participated in a violation, and fines of $1,000 to $2,500 can be levied.
The meeting was held the day after an elementary school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, where 21 student and teachers were killed. It was held to address violence that has taken place at a middle school in the district and other safety issues, including mounting complaints from parents during the recently completed academic year about how school officials responded to reports of rowdy behavior that left some students and their parents fearful.
School employees posted at the doors prevented reporters and photographers from entering the meeting.
In a letter sent to Morse and school board president Rebecca Eastman a week after the meeting, the Iowa FOI Council and managers of the news companies expressed “profound disappointment” with Bettendorf officials’ decision to exclude journalists.
“The topic discussed on the evening of Wednesday, May 25, was one of the fundamental responsibilities of the Bettendorf Community School District — ensuring the safety and wellbeing of the district’s 4,700 students during each school day,” the letter stated.
Randy Evans, the executive director of the Iowa FOI Council, said the authors of Iowa’s open meetings law recognized the important work journalists do in informing the public about issues facing government and potential solutions. Journalists can't serve that role when they can't attend meetings, Evans said.
Morse, Eastman and the district's lawyer did not immediately respond to messages. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/News-groups-sue-Bettendorf-schools-after-media-17346582.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:35 | en | 0.980682 |
Members of the far-right Oath Keepers’ extremist group charged in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol will face jurors this fall after a judge on Tuesday denied defense attorneys’ bid to delay the high-profile trial until next year.
Lawyers for Stewart Rhodes, the leader of the Oath Keepers, and other associates of the antigovernment group argued a trial beginning in September would be tainted by publicity surrounding recent Jan. 6 House committee hearings and that attorneys still have too much evidence to sort through.
But U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta said he is confident the court will find a fair jury for the Oath Keepers’ case in Washington next month and that he’s obligated to oversee a speedy trial for the defendants, who have been locked up for months. Moving the trial would also “wreak havoc” on the court’s calendar, which is filled with trials into next year, he said.
“This is a court of law, we cannot wait on the legislative process to unfold,” Mehta said.
Rhodes and four co-defendants are heading to trial on Sept. 26 on charges including seditious conspiracy, a rarely used Civil War-era charge that calls for up to 20 years in prison. They are accused of plotting for weeks to block the peaceful transfer of power and keep President Donald Trump in office.
Defense attorneys have argued there was no plan to storm the Capitol and that any plans they made were only about providing security at the rally before the riot or protect themselves against possible attacks from far-left activists.
Mehta suggested Tuesday that he believes the defense has a strong case, saying he didn’t believe it was a “laydown” case for prosecutors and he’s “not sure jurors in the District of Columbia will either.”
A different judge overseeing the other major case stemming from the Jan. 6 riot — involving members of the Proud Boys extremist group — agreed to postpone the start of that trial from Aug. 8 to Dec. 12 after attorneys for several of the men argued that their clients couldn’t get a fair trial in the midst of the committee’s hearings. The committee has said it’s public hearings will resume in September.
In a separate matter on Tuesday, Mehta rejected Trump’s request to dismiss lawsuits filed by four Capitol police officers seeking damages arising from injuries they sustained while defending the Capitol from the violent mob.
Mehta cited an earlier February ruling denying Trump’s bid to dismiss other lawsuits filed by lawmakers and two Capitol police officers. In that ruling, Mehta said Trump’s words during a rally before the storming of the Capitol were likely “words of incitement not protected by the First Amendment.”
“Only in the most extraordinary circumstances could a court not recognize that the First Amendment protects a President’s speech,” Mehta wrote at the time. “But the court believes this is that case.”
Trump’s lawyers are appealing that ruling, saying in court papers filed last week that the Supreme Court has “made clear that when acting in his official capacity, a President of the United States is immune from civil suit.” | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/judge-wont-delay-oath-keepers-trial-over-jan-6-hearings/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:35 | en | 0.970789 |
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Donald Glover warned his fellow writers from the first day on “Atlanta” that the show would get canceled for what it was going to attempt.
He was wrong.
The buzzy FX series won Emmys and drew praise for its social commentary and experimentation that pushed boundaries when it debuted in 2016. The show begins its fourth and final season on Sept. 15. The premiere includes two episodes of the 10-episode season.
"I feel like this is probably the most grounded season. It explores people more than we have before," Glover told a TV critics' meeting Tuesday. “We're right now kind of living in a time where you just don’t give people the benefit of the doubt so I feel like this is a good time to kind of explore that more.”
Glover writes, directs, executive produces and stars as Earn Marks, a Princeton dropout who manages his rapper cousin as they navigate the Atlanta rap scene.
The show’s run has been spread out, with FX citing scheduling conflicts for creating a wide gap between seasons two and three. The sophomore episodes concluded in May 2018, and season three debuted this past March.
“Our show started kind of punk, like no one cares about a lot of stuff,” Glover said. “That was my mindset anyway, but by the end we cared about a lot of stuff. A lot of our lives changed in a lot of ways so we kind of grew up. We ended up being a show about people and before it was about do people matter."
The show has been criticized by some Black viewers, including those who claim it’s inauthentic about the Black experience, and Glover has been singled out for his depiction of Black female characters.
“I listen to the criticisms, but I’m also like the conversation isn’t as elevated as it should be,” Glover said. “This is such a Black show on a lot of levels. To say that it’s for white people is like we’re cutting ourselves down. It’s just sad to me mostly.”
Stephen Glover, who co-writes the show with his older brother, is bolstered by Black viewers he runs into telling him they're inspired to “do cooler and weirder stuff” because of the show.
“For me that is the real kind of conversation that's happening out there that I listen to," he said. "I kind of get my feelings from the streets.”
Last season took place almost entirely in Europe and included four installments that focused on one-off characters, which drew mixed opinions from viewers. Some of that stand-alone element is back this fall, although the show returns to its home city.
“It felt for a lot of people like a step out of the way we do things, but for me it’s kind of like we’ve always done stuff like that,” Stephen Glover said. “Maybe people won’t hate us so much this time.”
A laughing Donald Glover added, “If the question is did we learn our lesson, the answer is no.” | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/entertainment/article/Donald-Glover-gets-grounded-on-final-season-of-17346345.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:39 | en | 0.985629 |
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A former police officer in Virginia should not be criminally charged but should be investigated for potential civil rights violations after he pepper-sprayed, struck and handcuffed a Black U.S. Army lieutenant during a 2020 traffic stop, a special prosecutor has determined.
The prosecutor's findings are the latest fallout from a confrontation involving two police officers and a uniformed military officer that drew outrage and national attention to the small town of Windsor, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Richmond.
The man who was pulled over, Caron Nazario, was never charged. Video of the December 2020 traffic stop surfaced in April 2021 after Nazario sued in federal court, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated. The images sparked outrage and served as a grim reminder to many Black Americans that a military uniform doesn’t necessarily protect against mistreatment by police.
In December, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring's office sued the town, alleging that it operated in a way that discriminated against Black Americans.
One of the officers, Joe Gutierrez, was fired from the department. He was the target of the special prosecutor's criminal probe.
“Although I find the video very disturbing and frankly unsettling, Gutierrez's use of force to remove Nazario did not violate state law as he had given multiple commands for Nazario to exit the vehicle,” special prosecutor Anton Bell said in his report, dated July 29 and posted online by Nazario's attorneys.
“The problematic issue, however, were Gutierrez's statements throughout the entire ordeal, which would lead a reasonable person to wonder whether underlying bias was at the root of how and why Nazario was treated in like manner,” Bell wrote.
Bell's findings were first reported Monday by The Virginian-Pilot newspaper.
The incident began when Nazario was driving home from his duty station, according to his lawsuit. Officer Daniel Crocker radioed that he was attempting to stop a vehicle with no rear license plate and tinted windows.
Crocker said the driver was “eluding police” and he considered it a “high-risk traffic stop,” according to a report that's included in the lawsuit. One of Nazario's attorneys, Jonathan Arthur, later explained that Nazario was trying to stop in a well-lit area “for officer safety and out of respect for the officers.”
The other officer, Gutierrez, was driving by and decided to join the traffic stop, the lawsuit stated. By the time the two officers reached Nazario’s SUV, the license plate was visible in the rear.
When Nazario stopped at a well-lit gas station, the two officers immediately drew their guns and pointed them at Nazario, his lawsuit alleges. The officers then attempted to pull Nazario out of the vehicle while he continued to keep his hands in the air. Gutierrez pepper-sprayed Nazario multiple times as the officers yelled for him to get out.
At one point, Gutierrez told Nazario he was “fixin’ to ride the lightning,” a reference to the electric chair that was also a line from the movie “The Green Mile,” a film about a Black man facing execution, the lawsuit said.
Nazario got out and asked for a supervisor. Gutierrez responded with “knee-strikes” to his legs, knocking him to the ground, the lawsuit says. The two officers struck him multiple times, then handcuffed and interrogated him.
The traffic stop was captured on Nazario’s cellphone as well as the officer's body-worn cameras.
Tom Roberts, another attorney representing Nazario, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a judge or a jury, not a special prosecutor, should have determined whether Gutierrez violated the law.
“I think that there’s sufficient evidence to show that he was intentional in his actions,” Roberts said. “And I believe that he exceeded any authority to use force, and therefore he committed assault and battery.”
Roberts said that would have been a misdemeanor offense, for which the statute of limitations is one year, well before the special prosecutor released his findings.
“All too often, when it comes to law enforcement violating the laws, we see our Commonwealth’s Attorneys fail to apply the same zeal at prosecuting law enforcement as they do with other offenders,” Roberts' firm said in a statement.
John Becker Mumford Jr., an attorney listed for Gutierrez in Nazario’s lawsuit, did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Bell, the special prosecutor, wrote that he asked the local U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for possible civil rights violations. Karoline Foote, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Tuesday that the office had no comment.
In February, the town of Windsor asked a court to dismiss the state attorney general's lawsuit, arguing that it only refers to one person — Nazario — “in a cursory and inconclusive manner.”
Jason Miyares, who defeated Herring in November's election, took over as Virginia's AG in January. Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Miyares' office, said Tuesday that the lawsuit is still pending. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/No-charges-for-officer-who-pepper-sprayed-Army-17346298.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:41 | en | 0.98471 |
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — The Justice Department on Tuesday filed a lawsuit that challenges Idaho’s restrictive abortion law, arguing that it conflicts with a federal law requiring doctors to provide pregnant women medically necessary treatment that could include abortion.
The federal government brought the lawsuit seeking to invalidate the state’s “criminal prohibition on providing abortions as applied to women suffering medical emergencies,” Attorney General Merrick Garland said.
The announcement is the first major action by the Justice Department challenging a state trigger law since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June. The court’s decision has led some states to enact restrictive abortion laws and is likely to lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states in the U.S.
The Justice Department brought the suit because federal prosecutors believe Idaho’s law would force doctors to violate the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, a federal law that requires anyone coming to a medical facility for emergency treatment to be stabilized and treated, Garland said.
“Idaho’s law would make it a criminal offense for doctors to provide the emergency medical treatment that federal law requires,” Garland said.
Idaho, like many Republican-led states, has several anti-abortion laws on the books, creating a legal quagmire now that the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned the landmark abortion rights case Roe v. Wade.
The law targeted by the Justice Department criminalizes all abortions, subjecting anyone who performs or attempts to perform an abortion to a felony punishable by between two and five years in prison.
People who are charged under the law could defend themselves against the criminal allegations by arguing that the abortion was done to save a pregnant person from death, or that it was done after the pregnant person reported that they were a victim of rape or incest to a law enforcement agency — and provided a copy of that report to the abortion provider.
“Under the Idaho law, once effective, any state or local prosecutor can subject a physician to indictment, arrest, and prosecution merely by showing that an abortion has been performed, without regard to the circumstances,” the Department of Justice wrote in the lawsuit. “The law then puts the burden on the physician to prove an ‘affirmative defense’ at trial.”
Advocates for sexual assault survivors have said the rape and incest exception is essentially useless, because Idaho’s public record law doesn’t allow law enforcement agencies to release reports when a case is still under investigation — a process that generally takes weeks or months.
Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, a family physician, and a regional Planned Parenthood organization have already sued over the abortion ban and two other anti-abortion laws in the Idaho Supreme Court, which is expected to hear arguments in the case on Wednesday. In the lawsuit, Gustafson contends that the exception for medical emergencies is vague and impossible to interpret.
“It would be very difficult, if not impossible, for me to implement the medical exception and provide care to a pregnant person whose life may be at risk,” wrote Gustafson, noting that some serious pregnancy-related medical conditions like preeclampsia can cause death though it is not guaranteed to do so.
Idaho Gov. Brad Little, a Republican, said the U.S. Supreme Court gave states the ability to regulate abortion, “end of story.” He promised to work with the state’s attorney general, Lawrence Wasden, to defend the law.
“The U.S. Justice Department’s interference with Idaho’s pro-life law is another example of Biden overreaching yet again,” Little said in a prepared statement.
Wasden, also a Republican, said the lawsuit was “politically motivated” and said the Justice Department should have reached out to Idaho some time over the past six weeks work out the issue.
“Instead of complying with the requirements of this provision,” Wasden said, referencing the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, “or even attempting to engage Idaho in a meaningful dialogue on the issue, the federal government has chosen to waste taxpayer dollars on an unnecessary lawsuit.”
Idaho Democratic Party Chair Lauren Necochea praised the Justice Department’s lawsuit in a prepared statement, saying the state’s Republican politicians “would rather let a pregnancy kill a person than allow them to receive an abortion.”
“Idaho’s radical abortion ban gives health care providers an impossible choice: withhold medically necessary care or face prison time,” Necochea said. “In states where these bans have gone into effect, providers are waiting for medical conditions to worsen before assisting their pregnant patients, increasing the risk of sepsis and other life-threatening complications. This is immoral.”
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services last month informed hospitals that they must provide abortion services if the life of the mother is at risk, saying federal law on emergency treatment guidelines preempt state abortion bans if the bans don’t have adequate exceptions for medical emergencies.
In response, the state of Texas sued the federal government, contending that the guidance from the Biden administration is unlawful and that the Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act does not cover abortions. That case is still pending.
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Balsamo reported from Washington, D.C. | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/justice-dept-sues-over-idahos-abortion-law/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:42 | en | 0.955529 |
Washington (AP) — The number of people living in America without health insurance coverage hit an all-time low of 8 percent this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday.
“Every American has the right to the peace of mind that comes with access to affordable, quality health care,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday about the record-low rate of uninsured Americans.
The findings come days after Democrats hammered out a 725-page climate, health care and tax deal that would extend generous federal subsidies for people who buy private health insurance that are credited with driving down the uninsured rates. Democrats have proposed spending $64 billion to extend those price breaks for three more years.
The drop in uninsured Americans began last year, when Congress and Biden signed off on a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that lowered premiums and out-of-pocket costs for new or returning customers purchasing plans through the Affordable Care Act’s private health insurance markets.
The uninsured rate fell to just under 9 percent last year with the improved subsidies. The Biden administration also began to step up advertising and increased the number of counselors who helped sign up people for plans during the open enrollment season last year.
Prior to last year, the uninsured rate had consistently remained in the double digits for decades. The number of uninsured Americans began dropping after the ACA, which expanded Medicaid and offers health insurance to people who lack job-based coverage through a mix of subsidized private plans, was enacted in 2010.
Roughly 26 million people remain without health insurance in the U.S. Just under 2 percent of children are now uninsured.
“We know that access to quality, affordable health care is key to healthier lives, economic security, and peace of mind,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement Tuesday. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Number-of-uninsured-Americans-drops-to-record-low-17346549.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:47 | en | 0.965471 |
MOSCOW (AP) — The Kremlin said Tuesday that it’s ready for talks with the United States on nuclear arms control even as Moscow and Washington have remained locked in a tense standoff over Russia’s actions in Ukraine.
Commenting on U.S. President Joe Biden’s statement that Washington is open for talks on a new arms control deal to replace the New START treaty after it expires in 2026, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that such negotiations are long overdue.
Just days before the New START was due to expire in February 2021, Russia and the United States agreed to extend it for another five years.
The treaty, signed in 2010 by President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, limits each country to no more than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and envisages sweeping on-site inspections to verify compliance.
Moscow and Washington hadn’t started discussions about the pact’s possible replacement until the Kremlin sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24.
While voicing readiness to “expeditiously negotiate a new arms control framework to replace New START when it expires in 2026,” Biden emphasized in Monday’s statement that “Russia’s brutal and unprovoked aggression in Ukraine has shattered peace in Europe and constitutes an attack on fundamental tenets of international order.”
“In this context, Russia should demonstrate that it is ready to resume work on nuclear arms control with the United States,” he added.
Asked about Biden’s statement in a conference call with reporters, Peskov emphasized that “Moscow has repeatedly spoken about the necessity to start such talks as soon as possible as there is little time left.”
“If the treaty expires without being replaced with a solid deal, it will negatively impact global security and stability, primarily in the area of arms control,” Peskov noted. “We have called for an early launch of talks, but until that moment it has been the U.S. that has shown no interest in substantive contacts on the issue.”
He emphasized that negotiatons on a new arms control pact can only be held “on the basis of mutual respect and taking into account mutual concerns.” | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/kremlin-says-nuclear-arms-control-talks-hinge-on-us-goodwill/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:49 | en | 0.941902 |
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Aboard the speeding locomotive of “Bullet Train” ride at least five assassins, one venomous reptile (a snake on the train), countless glib Guy Ritchie-esque slo-mo action sequences, and one bucket-hat wearing Brad Pitt.
It's a lot of ingredients that go into this candy-colored, battle royale of a movie. But the only one that really matters is that last one. At 58, Pitt's star power has never seemed so easy and so natural. Radiant in “Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood,” delicious in “The Lost City," Pitt glides into “Bullet Train” in an rarified state of cruise control. Seldom has a movie star seemed to be having so much fun.
In “Bullet Train,” which opens in theaters Friday, Pitt plays a hired gun by profession but little else. His code name is Ladybug. He doesn't like guns. And in his first job back after a hiatus of self-reflection and therapy, he goes into lethal fights with great reluctance, spouting self-help slogans like “Hurt people hurt people" in the midst of hand-to-hand combat. Pitt, a maximum movie star with a minimalist bent, is a hitman with no taste for hitting.
Ladybug, tasked to grab a very particular briefcase off a train headed from Tokyo to Kyoto, might not be up for the job, but the bigger question is whether “Bullet Train" is a good enough vehicle for its biggest star. Director David Leitch, the stuntman-turned-director of “Atomic Blonde” and “Deadpool 2,” has brought the style and energy of a “John Wick” film (he co-directed the first) to a setting that has traditionally been associated with more subtle methods of killing.
But with films like Bong Joon Ho's “Snowpiercer” and the Liam Neeson-led “The Commuter" greasing the wheels, train movies have chugged along since the original “Murder on the Orient Express.” Adapted from Kōtarō Isaka’s pulpy novel, “MariaBeetle," “Bullet Train” amps the carnage further and shifts the action to Japan.
But the location here is mostly just a neon-lit stage for a high-speed melee with an international ensemble, including Brian Tyree Henry (best of the bunch) and Aaron Taylor-Johnson as bickering British “twins"; Andrew Koji as a Japanese assassin; a Mexican cartel veteran named the Wolf (Benito A. Martinez Ocasio, a.k.a. Bad Bunny); a dangerous young woman called Prince who fake cries her way out of nearly everything (Joey King); and Zazie Beetz's killer known as the Hornet.
All are on the train for various criminal reasons ultimately connected to a Russian kingpin named the White Death. The actor playing this most fearsome character is best left to the third-act reveal, but that's just one way “Bullet Train” plays around with star persona. There's a cameo that answers Pitt's in “The Lost City.” Another “Lost City” star, Sandra Bullock, is mostly only heard on the other end of a phone line, as Ladybug's handler.
The copious flashbacks and quirky banter (Henry's character has an outlook based around Thomas the Tank Engine) that accompany the juggling of all these characters in between bloody encounters is a familiar kind of framework recalling a long line of Quentin Tarantino knockoffs. In “Bullet Train,” a movie that proudly opts for style over substance, characters are introduced like videogame fighters, running gags get run into the ground and a winking irreverence lands somewhere in between playful and exhausting.
It's no train wreck. Leitch's film is colorful, cartoonish and well-choreographed. But the more-is-more manic energy of “Bullet Train" eventually peters out, since that's all the movie was ever running on. Well, that and Pitt. His charm alone does wonders for the movie, raising it at least to the level of watchable. When, in the finale, Ladybug sails comically unharmed through the wreckage, it captures the situation exactly. “Bullet Train” might go off the rails but Pitt remains bulletproof.
"Bullet Train,” a Columbia Pictures release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association of America for strong and bloody violence, pervasive language, and brief sexuality. Running time: 126 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.
___
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/entertainment/article/Review-Bullet-Train-goes-off-the-rails-but-17346487.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:53 | en | 0.943673 |
MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — The mother and father of a 6-year-old eastern Indiana boy who fatally shot his 5-year-old sister in their home were each charged Tuesday with four counts of neglect, a prosecutor said.
If convicted of the most serious charge — level one felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death — Jacob Grayson, 28, and his 27-year-old wife, Kimberly Grayson, could each face 20–40 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
The Graysons were formally charged in Delaware Circuit Court, Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said in a statement. Online court records did not list attorneys who could comment on their behalf.
First responders discovered the girl with a gunshot wound to her head on the afternoon of July 26 at the home in Muncie, 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis. She was taken to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The boy said he went to a safe in his parents' bedroom while his mother was napping, turned a key to unlock the safe and accidentally shot his sister while playing with the gun, Muncie Police Officer Andrew Sell said in an affidavit.
Jacob Grayson said his son had accessed the safe previously and that he had taken the boy to a shooting range and showed him how to shoot a gun, Sell wrote.
“The living conditions in the home were deplorable. There was food, trash, animal feces, and furniture strewn throughout the house. The children's beds were mattresses on the floor with no sheets or blankets. Both mattresses had various stains on them. The walls of the home appeared to have feces smeared on them in multiple places," Sell said. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Parents-of-boy-who-fatally-shot-sister-charged-17346576.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:53 | en | 0.990557 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nba/milwaukee-bucks/articles/40265823 | 2022-08-02T21:58:55 | en | 0.738227 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A new round of U.S. sanctions targeting Russian elites includes a woman named in news reports as Vladimir Putin’s longtime romantic partner.
The Treasury Department said Tuesday that the government has frozen the visa of Alina Kabaeva, an Olympic gymnast in her youth and former member of the state Duma, and imposed other property restrictions. The department said she is also head of a Russian national media company that promotes Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Critics of the Kremlin and imprisoned Russian rights campaigner Alexey Navalny have been calling for sanctions against Kabaeva, saying her news outlet took the lead in portraying Western commentary on the invasion as a disinformation campaign.
The U.K. sanctioned Kabaeva in May and the EU imposed travel and asset restrictions on her in June.
Also named in Treasury’s latest sanctions package is Andrey Grigoryevich Guryev, an oligarch who owns the Witanhurst estate, a 25-bedroom mansion that is the second-largest estate in London after Buckingham Palace.
His $120 million yacht, the Alfa Nero, was also identified as blocked property. Also sanctioned was his son Andrey Andreevich Guryev and his son’s Russian investment firm Dzhi AI Invest OOO.
Christian Contardo, a former Treasury attorney now at Lowenstein Sandler LLP says “what we’ve seen is that the US government has identified that a lot of oligarchs are using family as a way to evade sanctions.”
“Some of the oligarchs will transfer ownership to their wives and children,” he said.
In April, the U.S. imposed sanctions on Putin’s adult daughters Katerina Vladimirovna Tikhonova and Maria Vladimirovna Vorontsova.
Russian steel manufacturer Publichnoe Aktsionernoe Obschestvo Magnitogorskiy Metallurgicheskiy Kombinat, also known as MMK, its chairman of the board of directors, Viktor Filippovich Rashnikov, and its subsidiaries, were also designated for financial penalties.
Additionally, the State Department reported today that 893 Russian Federation officials, including Federation Council and military members, will have their visas blocked.
“As innocent people suffer from Russia’s illegal war of aggression, Putin’s allies have enriched themselves and funded opulent lifestyles,” Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement.
“Together with our allies, the United States will also continue to choke off revenue and equipment underpinning Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.”
Secretary of State Antony Blinken reiterated U.S. support “for the brave people of Ukraine and will continue to promote accountability for President Putin and his cronies whose actions have caused so much suffering and destruction in Ukraine. ” | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/putins-rumored-girlfriend-hit-with-latest-u-s-sanctions/ | 2022-08-02T21:58:56 | en | 0.96183 |
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SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
2-4-5
(two, four, five)
SACRAMENTO (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday afternoon's drawing of the California Lottery's "Daily 3 Midday" game were:
2-4-5
(two, four, five) | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-3-Midday-game-17346291.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:59 | en | 0.934472 |
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A family of five was found dead Tuesday afternoon at a central Florida home in what appears to be a murder-suicide, police said.
Orlando police investigators were conducting a well-being check at the home when they discovered the bodies of three adults and two children, according to a police news release.
Officials didn't immediately identify any of the victims or release their ages. No details about the slayings or what prompted them were released. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Police-Family-of-5-found-dead-in-apparent-17346583.php | 2022-08-02T21:58:59 | en | 0.982786 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill enhancing health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits is expected to win final approval in the Senate on Tuesday, ending a brief stalemate over the measure that had infuriated advocates and inspired some to camp outside the Capitol.
President Joe Biden has pushed for the legislation, saying the measure “makes good on our sacred obligation” to care for veterans and their families.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation once before, but it required a do-over for a technical fix. But the process derailed when Republicans made a late attempt to change another aspect of the bill last week and blocked it from advancing. The abrupt delay outraged veterans groups and advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart. It also placed GOP senators in the uncomfortable position of delaying the top legislative priority of service organizations this session of Congress.
A group of veterans and their families have been camping out at the Capitol since that vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he had good news for them, announcing a final vote for Tuesday evening.
“Veterans who were exposed to the toxic fumes of burn pits will be treated by the VA like they should have been from the beginning,” Schumer said.
Some Democrats have questioned whether Republicans blocked the bill for spite, after an announcement just hours earlier that key Democrats had agreed on a way forward on a health, energy and tax bill that Republicans oppose and may be unable to stop.
“Wait a minute. You’re not going to help our veterans because we want to lower the cost of prescription drugs, because we want to lower the cost of health care, because we want to protect the planet? Of course you don’t agree with any of those things, but would you use that to vote against our veterans?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a press conference last week. “It’s really immoral, almost criminal.”
Republican senators rejected that charge and said the changes they seek would not affect spending for veterans in the bill.
The bill contains two major components for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who served near burn pits will get 10 years — rather than five — of enhanced health care coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs upon their separation from the military.
Second, the legislation directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service.
Roughly 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.
The military used burn pits to dispose of such things as chemicals, cans, tires, plastics and medical and human waste.
Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War era veterans and survivors also stand to benefit from the legislation. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange exposure. The Congressional Budget Office projected that about 600,000 of 1.6 million living Vietnam vets would be eligible for increased compensation, though only about half would have a severe enough diagnoses to warrant more compensation.
Also, veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. That’s another 50,000 veterans and survivors of deceased veterans who would get compensation for illnesses presumed to have been caused by their exposure to the herbicide, the CBO projected.
The bill is projected to increase federal deficits by about $277 billion over 10 years and does not include offsetting spending cuts or tax increases to help pay for it.
When the CBO scored the bill, it projected that nearly $400 billion spent on VA services would take place as mandatory spending rather than discretionary spending. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, said a reclassification to mandatory would “both reduce the pressure to keep those costs under control and make it easier for appropriators to spend more elsewhere in the budget without offsets.”
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is seeking a vote for an amendment that he said would not change the spending slated for veterans programs, but how the government accounts for that spending.
However, the dynamics Toomey has spoken about also applied to the bill when the Senate voted on it in June. Senators then voted for the measure by a resounding vote of 84-14, raising questions about why Republicans voted against advancing the do-over effort last week.
Advocacy groups for veterans, a key voting bloc in the upcoming midterm elections, were furious and ramped up the political pressure on lawmakers to act.
At a Capitol Hill news conference the day after last week’s procedural vote, speakers used terms such as “villains” and “reprehensible” to describe the Republican senators who voted against advancing the measure last week but voted for almost the exact same bill in June.
“Veterans are angry and confused at the sudden change from those they thought had their backs,” said Cory Titus of the group Military Officers Association of America.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the veterans camped out at the Capitol are exhausted and want to go home.
“But they will not. They will not go home until the job is done,” Gillibrand said. | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/senate-tees-up-vote-on-bill-to-aid-vets-exposed-to-burn-pits/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:02 | en | 0.964309 |
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The polio virus was detected in wastewater samples from the suburban county near New York City where an unvaccinated adult recently contracted the life-threatening disease, but health officials said Tuesday they have not identified any additional cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the presence of the virus was detected in wastewater samples collected in early June from Rockland County, where officials on July 21 announced the first case of polio in the United States in nearly a decade.
The unidentified young adult had a strain of the virus that has since been genetically linked to samples found in Rockland County wastewater, as well to samples in London and the Jerusalem area.
The CDC said in a prepared statement said that the New York wastewater sample shows there may be more people in the community shedding the virus.
“However, it’s important to note that we don’t have enough information at this time to determine if the virus is actively spreading in New York or elsewhere in the U.S., and no additional cases have been identified,” according to the CDC.
Health officials have said the patient had acquired a “vaccine-derived” strain of the virus, meaning it probably originated in someone who had been inoculated with a live vaccine — available in other countries, but not the U.S. In rare instances, people given the live virus can spread it to other people who haven't been vaccinated.
New York health officials said they could not conclusively say whether the Rockland County samples came from the patient, who developed symptoms in June.
As to the wider implications, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative said in a statement Friday that genetic and epidemiological investigations are attempting “to determine possible spread of the virus and potential risk associated with these various isolates detected from different locations around the world.”
Polio, once one of the nation’s most feared diseases, was declared eliminated in the United States in 1979, more than two decades after vaccines became available.
Its discovery in the populous suburbs north of New York City prompted a local vaccination drive.
“Given how quickly polio can spread, now is the time for every adult, parent, and guardian to get themselves and their children vaccinated as soon as possible,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Polio-virus-found-in-New-York-wastewater-but-no-17346357.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:05 | en | 0.968401 |
A federal judge on Tuesday tossed out a public records lawsuit on the 2020 census based on a Webster's dictionary definition of one obscure word: “whereby.”
The lawsuit was over an even more obscure concept: how a statistical method was used to fill in details when information was lacking about people residing in dorms, nursing homes, prisons and other group living spaces.
A Republican-leaning redistricting advocacy group had sued the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department, which oversees the statistical agency, in an effort to get records showing by state the number of times the statistical method was used for group quarters. Fair Lines America Foundation had said it had “significant implications for our nation’s redistricting and electoral process” and demanded transparency in how the method was implemented.
In group quarters, the method known as imputation involves using already available information about the facility, such as its maximum capacity, to fill in missing details.
People living in group quarters were particularly difficult to count during the 2020 census because the coronavirus pandemic sent college students fleeing campuses and put nursing homes and prisons in lockdown. In response, the Census Bureau unexpectedly decided to use the statistical technique for group housing, where about 3% of the U.S. population lives. Because of concerns over the group quarters count during the pandemic, the Census Bureau set up a separate program for governments to appeal that count in their jurisdictions.
The census determines how many congressional seats each state gets, as well as the distribution of $1.5 trillion in federal spending each year.
The Census Bureau had argued that releasing the records to Fair Lines would violate a law protecting census participants' privacy and confidentiality. Bad actors could reconstruct the larger data set and identify people's private information if the information was released, the statistical agency argued.
In her order, U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson conceded that releasing the aggregated data itself wouldn't jeopardize participants' privacy or confidentiality. But the law prohibits “‘any publication whereby the data furnished by any particular establishment or individual under this title can be identified,'" she wrote, quoting from the law.
“The interpretation of this sentence hinges on the word ‘whereby,'" she wrote.
Citing a Webster's dictionary definition from 1953, a year before the law was enacted, the judge said the meaning of ‘whereby' led her to believe that publication of the data was prohibited. An attorney for Fair Lines didn't respond to an email and text seeking comment.
___
Follow Mike Schneider on Twitter at https://twitter.com/MikeSchneiderAP | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Census-lawsuit-tossed-based-on-definition-of-17346545.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:07 | en | 0.960892 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is holding out the CIA operation that killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri as a monumental strike against the global terror network responsible for the Sept. 11 attacks of 2001. But there’s a downside, too.
The drone strike also is putting into stark relief the mounting evidence that after 20 years of America’s military presence — and then sudden departure — Afghanistan has once again become an active staging ground for Islamic terror groups looking to attack the West.
The operation, carried out over the weekend after at least six months spent monitoring movements by al-Zawahri and his family, came just weeks before the one-year anniversary of the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from the country.
The Biden administration is making the case that the operation shows Americans at home and allies abroad that the United States hasn’t lost focus — or the ability to strike terrorists in the region — and validates its decision to end two decades of fighting in Afghanistan with its withdrawal.
Announcing the strike from the White House, President Joe Biden said Monday night that “justice” had been exacted on a leader who in recent weeks had recorded videos calling for his followers to attack the United States and allies. And the White House on Tuesday framed the operation was an enormous counterterrorism win.
“The president has made good on his word when we left. He said the United States did not need to keep sending thousands of American men and women to fight and die in Afghanistan,” White House National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on NBC’s “Today” show. “After 20 years of war to keep this country safe, he said we would be able to continue to target and take out terrorists in Afghanistan without troops on the ground.”
But as details of the operation continue to emerge, the administration has also revealed troubling evidence of al-Qaida’s presence and of the Taliban once again offering refuge to the group that was behind the 9/11 attacks on the United States.
White House officials believe that senior members of the Haqqani Network, an Islamist terror group with strong ties to the Taliban, were aware that al-Zawahri was in Kabul. Sullivan said that while al-Zawahri wasn’t involved in day-to-day planning at the time of his killing, he continued to play an active role in directing al-Qaida and posed “a severe threat” against the U.S. and American citizens.
Concerns about al-Qaida efforts to regroup inside Taliban-controlled Afghanistan are hardly new.
Before the strike, U.S. military officials, including Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had said al-Qaida was trying to reconstitute in Afghanistan, where it faces limited threats from the now-ruling Taliban. Military leaders have warned that the group still aspired to attack the U.S.
Al-Qaida leadership has reportedly played an advisory role since the Taliban returned to power in the leadup up to the U.S. withdrawal, according to a U.N. Security Council report last month.
The U.N. report also noted that ISIS-K — the group that carried out a massive attack that killed 13 U.S. troops and dozens of Afghans near the Kabul International Airport just days before the U.S. completed its withdrawal last year — has become increasingly active in northern and eastern Afghanistan. That’s a worry for the West though ISIS-K and the Taliban espouse different ideologies and interests, with ISIS-K carrying out a bloody insurgency against the Taliban and religious minorities across Afghanistan.
“Zawahri’s presence in post-withdrawal Afghanistan suggests that, as feared, the Taliban is once more granting safe haven to the leaders of al-Qaida – a group with which it has never broken,” said Nathan Sales, ambassador-at-large and coordinator for counterterrorism during the Trump administration who is now a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
Frank McKenzie, the retired Marine general who until earlier this year was the top American military officer in the Middle East, said the U.S. has seen an effort by al-Qaida to restore training camps in Afghanistan.
“I see nothing happening in Afghanistan now that tells me that the Taliban are determined to prevent that from happening,” he said in an interview.
Since the American troop withdrawal, U.S. military leaders have said America’s ability to monitor and strike a target in the country would be difficult but not impossible.
The strike on Zawahri proved both, said McKenzie, who is now executive director of the Global and National Security Institute at the University of South Florida. “If it’s a national priority, we can certainly do that. It requires tremendous effort.”
He cautioned not to draw broad conclusions from this one drone strike.
“This was a unique circumstance,” he said. “You had a target that didn’t move, and they had the opportunity to get a good look at pattern of life. That’s not always going to be the case. In fact, typically, that is not the case.”
That al-Zawahri was living in a Kabul neighborhood and not in rural Afghanistan as previously believed, “tells you that he got really comfortable” under the protection of the Taliban, said Colin Clarke, director of research at The Soufan Group, a global intelligence and security firm.
“These entities work hand in glove,” Clarke said of the Taliban and al-Qaida. “There’s not the separation that others would have you believe.”
The Taliban had promised in the 2020 Doha Agreement on the terms of the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan that they would not harbor al-Qaida members or those seeking to attack the U.S.
The Taliban were quick to condemn the U.S. strike as a “a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement,” though they did not acknowledge that al-Zawahri was killed. The U.S. gave no forewarning to the Taliban government, which the United States does not recognize, that it was carrying out the operation.
“Such actions are a repetition of the failed experiences of the past 20 years and are against the interests of the United States of America, Afghanistan, and the region,” the Taliban statement said.
White House National Security Council spokesman John Kirby declined to comment on how, or if, the U.S. would hold the Taliban responsible for sheltering al-Zawahri.
“The Taliban have a choice now,” Kirby said. “And that is they can comply with their agreement under the Doha agreement … or they can choose to be going down a different path. And if they go down a different path, it’s going to lead to consequences not just from the United States but from the international community.”
Kirby said the U.S. had already engaged with the Taliban about al-Zawahri’s presence following Sunday’s strike.
The Taliban remain sanctioned by the U.S. government for its role harboring al-Qaida before the 9/11 attacks. After the collapse of the U.S.-backed government in Kabul last summer, the Biden administration froze billions of dollars in assets belonging to Afghanistan’s central bank to prevent the assets from falling under Taliban control. Some of that money has since been freed for humanitarian aid to address the country’s dire hunger crisis.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was quick to congratulate Biden on the operation, but also made the case that it “further indicates that Afghanistan is again becoming a major thicket of terrorist activity following the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. forces.”
“Killing al-Zawahri is a success, but the underlying resurgence of al-Qaida terrorists into Afghanistan is a growing threat that was foreseeable and avoidable,” McConnell said. “The administration needs a comprehensive plan to rebuild our capacity to combat it.” | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/the-downside-us-strike-shows-afghanistan-still-terror-base/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:08 | en | 0.969884 |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill enhancing health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits is expected to win final approval in the Senate on Tuesday, ending a brief stalemate over the measure that had infuriated advocates and inspired some to camp outside the Capitol.
President Joe Biden has pushed for the legislation, saying the measure “makes good on our sacred obligation" to care for veterans and their families.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation once before, but it required a do-over for a technical fix. But the process derailed when Republicans made a late attempt to change another aspect of the bill last week and blocked it from advancing. The abrupt delay outraged veterans groups and advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart. It also placed GOP senators in the uncomfortable position of delaying the top legislative priority of service organizations this session of Congress.
A group of veterans and their families have been camping out at the Capitol since that vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he had good news for them, announcing a final vote for Tuesday evening.
“Veterans who were exposed to the toxic fumes of burn pits will be treated by the VA like they should have been from the beginning," Schumer said.
Some Democrats have questioned whether Republicans blocked the bill for spite, after an announcement just hours earlier that key Democrats had agreed on a way forward on a health, energy and tax bill that Republicans oppose and may be unable to stop.
“Wait a minute. You’re not going to help our veterans because we want to lower the cost of prescription drugs, because we want to lower the cost of health care, because we want to protect the planet? Of course you don’t agree with any of those things, but would you use that to vote against our veterans?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a press conference last week. “It’s really immoral, almost criminal.”
Republican senators rejected that charge and said the changes they seek would not affect spending for veterans in the bill.
The bill contains two major components for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who served near burn pits will get 10 years — rather than five — of enhanced health care coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs upon their separation from the military.
Second, the legislation directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service.
Roughly 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.
The military used burn pits to dispose of such things as chemicals, cans, tires, plastics and medical and human waste.
Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War era veterans and survivors also stand to benefit from the legislation. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange exposure. The Congressional Budget Office projected that about 600,000 of 1.6 million living Vietnam vets would be eligible for increased compensation, though only about half would have a severe enough diagnoses to warrant more compensation.
Also, veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. That's another 50,000 veterans and survivors of deceased veterans who would get compensation for illnesses presumed to have been caused by their exposure to the herbicide, the CBO projected.
The bill is projected to increase federal deficits by about $277 billion over 10 years and does not include offsetting spending cuts or tax increases to help pay for it.
When the CBO scored the bill, it projected that nearly $400 billion spent on VA services would take place as mandatory spending rather than discretionary spending. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, said a reclassification to mandatory would “both reduce the pressure to keep those costs under control and make it easier for appropriators to spend more elsewhere in the budget without offsets.”
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is seeking a vote for an amendment that he said would not change the spending slated for veterans programs, but how the government accounts for that spending.
However, the dynamics Toomey has spoken about also applied to the bill when the Senate voted on it in June. Senators then voted for the measure by a resounding vote of 84-14, raising questions about why Republicans voted against advancing the do-over effort last week.
Advocacy groups for veterans, a key voting bloc in the upcoming midterm elections, were furious and ramped up the political pressure on lawmakers to act.
At a Capitol Hill news conference the day after last week’s procedural vote, speakers used terms such as “villains” and “reprehensible” to describe the Republican senators who voted against advancing the measure last week but voted for almost the exact same bill in June.
“Veterans are angry and confused at the sudden change from those they thought had their backs,” said Cory Titus of the group Military Officers Association of America.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the veterans camped out at the Capitol are exhausted and want to go home.
“But they will not. They will not go home until the job is done," Gillibrand said. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Senate-tees-up-vote-on-bill-to-aid-vets-exposed-17346416.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:12 | en | 0.965336 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday approved two massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help them defend against Iran.
The more than $5 billion in missile defense and related sales follow President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East last month, during which he met with numerous regional leaders in Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been hit in recent months with rocket attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen.
Although Tuesday’s approvals are for defensive weapons, they may be questioned by lawmakers who had supported Biden’s decision last year to cut Saudi Arabia and the UAE off from major purchases of offensive U.S. arms because of their involvement in the war in Yemen.
The new sales include $3 billion for Patriot missiles for Saudi Arabia specifically designed to protect itself from rocket attacks by the Houthis, and $2.2 billion for high-altitude missile defense for the UAE.
“The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by replenishing its dwindling stock of PATRIOT GEM-T missiles,” the State Department said in its notice informing Congress of the sale.
“These missiles are used to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s borders against persistent Houthi cross-border unmanned aerial system and ballistic missile attacks on civilian sites and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia,” the department said.
For UAE, the department said the sale would “support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important regional partner. The UAE is a vital U.S. partner for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”
Early in his administration Biden had pledged to cut off or cut back weapons sales to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE because of their actions in Yemen. | https://cw39.com/politics/ap-politics/us-approves-massive-arms-sale-to-saudi-uae-to-counter-iran/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:15 | en | 0.954422 |
DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A 12-year-old girl held captive in a rural Alabama residence escaped and was discovered walking along a road, prompting an investigation that led police to discover two decomposing bodies at the home where she had been kept, authorities said Tuesday.
José Paulino Pascual-Reyes, 37, was jailed on a kidnapping count, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett told a news conference. District Attorney Jeremy Duerr said “multiple” additional capital murder charges were likely.
A motorist driving through a rural residential area spotted a child on the road on Monday morning and stopped, authorities said. Court records indicate the child had been drugged and bound but managed to escape, WSFA-TV reported.
The driver picked up the girl and called 911, prompting an investigation and search that led to police officers finding two decomposing bodies inside the residence where Pascual-Reyes lived and the girl was believed to be held, Abbett said. Other people lived at the residence, but no one else was there when police arrived, he said.
The man was arrested in Auburn, Abbett said. It wasn't clear what information the girl might have provided to authorities, but Abbett called her a hero.
Police didn't immediately release the names of the dead people or a cause of death, and court records didn't include the name of a defense lawyer who could speak on behalf of Pascual-Reyes.
Authorities didn't release any information about the girl, including whether she had any relationship to the suspect. She hadn't been reported missing, the sheriff said.
"We gave her medical attention,’’ Abbett said. “She is safe now, and so we want to keep her that way.” | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Sheriff-Captive-girl-escapes-home-police-find-2-17346430.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:18 | en | 0.983954 |
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RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The North Carolina Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that Gov. Roy Cooper’s secretary of health and human services should not be immune from a lawsuit over the administration’s restrictions on large gatherings in the early months of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Department of Health and Human Services temporarily shut down Ace Speedway, a small stock car racetrack in Alamance County, in June 2020 after it repeatedly defied Cooper’s executive order limiting outdoor crowds to mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
The racetrack filed counterclaims that August, alleging the department unlawfully singled out the business for its acts of protest and violated its employees’ constitutional right to earn a living.
The appeals court unanimously upheld a January 2021 trial court ruling denying a DHHS motion to dismiss Ace Speedway’s claims that the agency selectively enforced the governor’s orders and impeded the racetrack’s ability to make money.
“This case makes us consider the use of overwhelming power by the State against the individual liberties of its citizens and how that use of power may be challenged,” the judges wrote.
DHHS Secretary Kody Kinsley, whose predecessor filed the 2020 order to close the speedway, argued before the appeals court that executive officials should be immune from civil lawsuits. But the court ruled Ace’s claims were “sufficient to survive the secretary’s motion to dismiss” the lawsuit.
Three days after Cooper issued an executive order placing a 25-person cap on all outdoor gatherings, Ace Speedway hosted approximately 2,550 spectators for its first race of the season on May 23, 2020.
A sign posted on site at a subsequent race that June labeled the 2,000-person gathering a “peaceful protest of injustice and inequality everywhere," the lawsuit states.
When the speedway continued to draw crowds of 1,000 or more, the governor’s office ordered Alamance County Sheriff Terry Johnson to intervene. After Johnson refused to issue a misdemeanor citation, the Cooper administration declared Ace Speedway an “imminent hazard” for the spread of COVID-19 and called for its closure until the emergency order expired.
A court has yet to rule on the merits of Ace Speedway’s claims. But the panel of three Republican judges drew attention Tuesday to a clause in the state Constitution guaranteeing North Carolinians a right to the “fruits of their labor.” Recent court precedents say the clause is synonymous with the right to earn a living.
The ruling noted that the order to close the racetrack “restricted or otherwise interfered with the lawful operation of a business serving the public."
___
Schoenbaum is a corps member for the Associated Press/Report for America Statehouse News Initiative. Report for America is a nonprofit national service program that places journalists in local newsrooms to report on undercovered issues. Follow her at twitter.com/H_Schoenbaum. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Court-Top-NC-health-official-can-be-sued-for-17346488.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:21 | en | 0.946291 |
WASHINGTON (Nexstar) — Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is in Taiwan, a visit that’s angering China and could further strain U.S. relations with China.
The issue is that China sees Taiwan as its territory while Taiwan considers itself independent, and China perceives Pelosi’s trip as a provocation.
“Let me be clear the speaker’s visit is totally consistent with our long-standing One China Policy,” John Kirby with the National Security Council said.
In a Washington Post opinion piece, Pelosi said the delegation she leads is “an unequivocal statement that America stands with Taiwan” in the face of what she calls “accelerating aggression” from China.
Republicans are unusually supportive of her.
“I’m about to use four words in a row that I haven’t used in this way before. And those four words are Speaker Pelosi was right,” Rep. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) said.
“I don’t think the Chinese get to tell members of Congress where they can go,” Senate Minority leader Mitch McConnell added.
In response, China says it will conduct military exercises with live ammunition in areas surrounding Taiwan.
“There’s no reason for Beijing to turn this visit, which is consistent with long-standing policy, into some sort of crisis,” Kirby said.
Chinese officials say the U.S. and Taiwan are working together to provoke China and playing with fire.
The U.S. is also positioning warships near Taiwan. | https://cw39.com/politics/dc-bureau/pelosi-visits-taiwan-defying-warnings-from-china/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:22 | en | 0.958681 |
HONDO, Texas (AP) — The Texas city near where 1 9 children and two teachers were shot dead in an elementary school classroom has rescinded a deal for a gun group’s fundraising event in a city-owned hall.
The Hondo City Council voted 4-1 Monday to rescind the rental agreement for the Friends of the NRA to hold its fundraiser Saturday at the city’s Medina Fair Hall.
The vote came after an angry crowd denounced the event, including a raffle of a semi-automatic rifle similar to one an 18-year-old gunman used in the May 24 shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, 44 miles (70 kilometers) east of Hondo.
The group has held similar fundraisers in the hall for about 15 years and had leased the hall last spring, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Hondo is 33 miles (53 kilometers) west of San Antonio.
Supporters of the local National Rifle Association group asserted that the event helped teach young people how to handle firearms responsibly and that there was no disrespect toward the Robb Elementary dead intended. Others in the crowd Monday condemned the event and its timing.
“Us as parents deserve better than this. I mean, you can’t sit here and try to sell a rifle strikingly similar to the one that killed our children, you know, less than 60 days after they passed away,” said Angel Garza, stepfather of Amerie Jo Garza, who was among those killed.
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For more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting
___
This story corrects the location of the council throughout from Uvalde to Hondo. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/Texas-city-scene-of-school-shooting-revokes-gun-17346323.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:24 | en | 0.964466 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267195 | 2022-08-02T21:59:28 | en | 0.738227 |
Which bearded dragon leash is best?
Bearded dragons need more out of life than a glass terrarium and occasional handling. You want to let your bearded dragon experience outside, but you’re nervous about it getting loose. If something startles it in public, you could lose it or it could get injured.
Getting a dragon leash solves this problem and looks adorable, too. If you’re looking for a quality dragon leash, the Adoggygo Bearded Dragon Harness is the top choice.
What to know before you buy a bearded dragon leash
A bearded dragon leash is a tiny harness and adjustable leash small enough for a lizard to fit in. Popular versions have leather wing attachments to give your reptile the dragon look. Harnesses are made with your dragon in mind and should not harm it during use.
How to use a bearded dragon leash
Before applying the leash, make sure you and your dragon are calm. It is not safe to try leashing a frustrated lizard.
- Lay it out: Loosen your leash as wide as possible to make it easy to put on your dragon.
- Fit the arms: Gently help your dragon put its arms through the harness. If one size doesn’t fit, try another. Don’t force your dragon’s arms through the harness.
- Adjust the leash: Once you have the right size, adjust the leash to hold it snugly to your dragon. The harness shouldn’t let your dragon slip out or be too tight and squeeze it.
- Observe and review: Put your dragon on the floor or other space where it’s safe to see if the dragon can slip out of the harness. Adjust your harness as needed to ensure proper fitting.
- Have an adventure!
Size
Whether your bearded dragon is a juvenile or an adult, you want your leash to fit well. Just like terrariums and other dragon needs, leashes come in multiple sizes. This lets the leash continue to fit your dragon throughout its life cycle.
Materials
Your dragon’s skin is tough, but it is still delicate enough to injure or irritate. Look for leashes or harnesses with soft leather and other material that won’t chafe them. If you have a larger dragon, some owners can use ferret or small animal harness options.
Style
Your bearded dragon leash should fit like a harness and go over its arms. Some black or colorful strap leashes simply go around the dragon to secure it. Other options include decorative dinosaur or dragon wings that make your dragon the talk of the day. These wings can typically be removed if needed.
What to look for in a quality bearded dragon leash
Adjustability
Your dragon may not be fully grown, or maybe it had a big meal recently. An adjustable harness lets you ensure your dragon is comfortable on the leash. It should not be too loose or your dragon can get out; too tight and you could injure it. Be sure your harness is adjustable so it fits your dragon properly.
Wingspan
The wings attached to many dragon leashes are adjustable, removable and have different wingspans. Smaller wings are better for juvenile lizards or those new to this style leash. There are also wings that expand directly out, making it look like your dragon is in flight. With larger wingspans, be sure your dragon has enough room to roam without being stepped on.
Safety
The safety of your bearded dragon can depend on the leash entirely. If it is too loose or breaks and your dragon gets free, something could harm it or it could get lost. You want to ensure that your leash is made of quality materials that won’t break or irritate your dragon’s scales.
How much you can expect to spend on a bearded dragon leash
They’re typically priced around $8-$12.
Bearded dragon leash FAQ
Is a leash safe for my dragon?
A. Yes. Dragon leashes are made to comfortably hold the dragon without harming it. However, you should always monitor your dragon when it’s on the leash to avoid injury.
What kinds of leashes can I use for my dragon?
A. Leashes made for bearded dragons are ideal but other small animal leashes also work. The style of leash is what is most important when selecting one. Use a harness rather than a collar-style leash, because collars can injure a bearded dragon’s neck.
What’s the best bearded dragon leash to buy?
Top bearded dragon leash
Adoggygo Bearded Dragon Harness
What you need to know: This is a leash with small dinosaur wings to help your bearded dragon stand out.
What you’ll love: The harness and wings are made of soft leather. The wings are designed to be smaller and safer for juvenile or smaller lizards. There are three harness sizes in the pack to provide your dragon with comfort as it grows into an adult.
What you should consider: This leash is designed for smaller lizards and may not fit every life stage.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top bearded dragon leash for the money
Yamadura Adjustable Lizard Leash
What you need to know: This is a classic dragon leash with soft, black leather wings and an adjustable strap.
What you’ll love: There are three harness options to keep your dragon snug on the leash. The leather is designed to protect your dragon’s skin and is lined with gold to accentuate the wings.
What you should consider: A few customers reported difficulty with adjusting this dragon leash and said their dragons escaped the harness.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Adoggygo Leather Wing Harness with Removable Leash
What you need to know: This is a lizard harness with a classic wing design, adjustable leash and colorful options.
What you’ll love: This leash has three sizes of chest straps to fit your lizard throughout its life. It comes in pastel blue and pink so your dragon stands out in a crowd.
What you should consider: A few reviewers said this harness was not comfortable for larger dragons.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw39.com/reviews/best-bearded-dragon-leash/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:28 | en | 0.945398 |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration on Tuesday approved two massive arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to help them defend against Iran.
The more than $5 billion in missile defense and related sales follow President Joe Biden’s visit to the Middle East last month, during which he met with numerous regional leaders in Saudi Arabia. Both Saudi Arabia and the UAE have been hit in recent months with rocket attacks from the Iran-backed Houthi rebel movement in Yemen.
Although Tuesday’s approvals are for defensive weapons, they may be questioned by lawmakers who had supported Biden’s decision last year to cut Saudi Arabia and the UAE off from major purchases of offensive U.S. arms because of their involvement in the war in Yemen.
The new sales include $3 billion for Patriot missiles for Saudi Arabia specifically designed to protect itself from rocket attacks by the Houthis, and $2.2 billion for high-altitude missile defense for the UAE.
“The proposed sale will improve the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s capability to meet current and future threats by replenishing its dwindling stock of PATRIOT GEM-T missiles,” the State Department said in its notice informing Congress of the sale.
“These missiles are used to defend the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s borders against persistent Houthi cross-border unmanned aerial system and ballistic missile attacks on civilian sites and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia," the department said.
For UAE, the department said the sale would “support the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping to improve the security of an important regional partner. The UAE is a vital U.S. partner for political stability and economic progress in the Middle East.”
Early in his administration Biden had pledged to cut off or cut back weapons sales to both Saudi Arabia and the UAE because of their actions in Yemen. | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/US-approves-massive-arms-sale-to-Saudi-UAE-to-17346572.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:30 | en | 0.95629 |
New research hints that even a simple exercise routine just might help older Americans with mild memory problems.
Doctors have long advised physical activity to help keep a healthy brain fit. But the government-funded study marks the longest test of whether exercise makes any difference once memory starts to slide — research performed amid a pandemic that added isolation to the list of risks to participants' brain health.
Researchers recruited about 300 sedentary older adults with hard-to-spot memory changes called mild cognitive impairment or MCI -- a condition that’s sometimes, but not always, a precursor to Alzheimer’s. Half were assigned aerobic exercises and the rest stretching-and-balance moves that only modestly raised their heart rate.
Another key component: Participants in both groups were showered with attention by trainers who worked with them at YMCAs around the country -- and when COVID-19 shut down gyms, helped them keep moving at home via video calls.
After a year, cognitive testing showed overall neither group had worsened, said lead researcher Laura Baker, a neuroscientist at Wake Forest School of Medicine. Nor did brain scans show the shrinkage that accompanies worsening memory problems, she said.
By comparison, similar MCI patients in another long-term study of brain health -- but without exercise -- experienced significant cognitive decline over a year.
Those early findings are surprising, and the National Institute on Aging cautioned that tracking non-exercisers in the same study would have offered better proof.
But the results suggest “this is doable for everybody” -- not just seniors healthy enough to work up a hard sweat, said Baker, who presented the data Tuesday at the Alzheimer's Association International Conference. ”Exercise needs to be part of the prevention strategies" for at-risk seniors.
Previous research has found regular physical activity of any sort may reduce damaging inflammation and increase blood flow to the brain, said Alzheimer’s Association chief scientific officer Maria Carrillo.
But the new study is especially intriguing because the pandemic hit halfway through, leaving already vulnerable seniors socially isolated -- something long known to increase people’s risk of memory problems, Carrillo said.
It’s a frustrating time for dementia research. Doctors are hesitant to prescribe a high-priced new drug called Aduhelm that was supposed to be the first to slow progression of Alzheimer’s -- but it’s not yet clear if it really helps patients. Researchers last month reported another drug that works similarly -- by targeting amyloid plaques that are an Alzheimer’s hallmark -- failed in a key study.
While amyloid clearly plays a role, it's important that drugmakers increasingly are targeting many other factors that can lead to dementia, Carrillo said, because effective treatment or prevention likely will require a combination of customized strategies.
One example of a new approach: Sometimes in dementia, the brain has trouble processing blood sugar and fats for the energy it needs, John Didsbury of T3D Therapeutics told the Alzheimer's meeting. His company is testing a pill that aims to rev up that metabolism, with results expected next year.
Meanwhile, there’s growing urgency to settle whether steps people could take today -- like exercise -- might offer at least some protection.
How much and what kind of exercise? In Baker’s study, seniors were supposed to get moving for 30 to 45 minutes four times a week, whether it was on a vigorous turn on the treadmill or the stretching exercises. That’s a big ask of anyone who’s sedentary, but Baker said MCI’s effects on the brain make it even harder for people to plan and stick with the new activity.
Hence the social stimulation — which she credited with each participant completing over 100 hours of exercise. Baker suspects that sheer volume might explain why even the simple stretching added up to an apparent benefit. Participants were supposed to exercise without formal support for an additional six months, data Baker hasn't yet analyzed.
“We wouldn’t have done the exercise on our own,” said retired agriculture researcher Doug Maxwell of Verona, Wisconsin, who joined the study with his wife.
The duo, both 81, were both assigned to the stretching classes. They felt so good afterward that when the study ended, they bought electric bikes in hopes of even more activity -- efforts Maxwell acknowledged are hard to keep up.
Next up: Baker is leading an even larger study of older adults to see if adding exercise to other can’t-hurt steps such as a heart-healthy diet, brain games and social stimulation together may reduce the risk of dementia.
___
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Even-simple-exercise-may-help-aging-brain-study-17345418.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:33 | en | 0.951505 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267229 | 2022-08-02T21:59:34 | en | 0.738227 |
Which strawberry planter is best?
Strawberries are delicious and easy to grow. They produce fruit in their first spring or summer, which is far less of a wait than most other fruits. Strawberry planters take advantage of the fact that strawberry plants don’t have large root balls to grow them vertically, saving space.
You have plenty of planter options, including stacking and hanging versions. If you’re looking for a stacking planter with a large capacity, the Mr. Stacky Five-Tier Strawberry and Herb Garden Planter is a great choice.
What to know before you buy a strawberry planter
Types of planters
You’ll find three main types of strawberry planters: stacking planters, pocket planters and hanging planters.
- Stacking: These planters usually have three to five tiers, with each tier holding three or four plants. Each tier is stacked, so it’s offset from the one below it, giving ample space for each strawberry plant to grow.
- Pocket: You can find pocket planters that are either cylindrical or urn-shaped. They have protruding pocket-like holes down the sides where you plant your strawberries.
- Hanging: Hanging planters are suspended rather than sitting on the ground. They’re great for gardeners with small spaces who want to make the most of the area available. You’ll need something sturdy to hang this type of planter from, as they’re heavy when full of soil.
Materials
Consider the common materials used to make strawberry planters and determine which is best for your yard.
- Ceramic: Ceramic planters look great, but they’re heavy and can break if dropped or knocked over. Unglazed ceramics, such as terracotta, are porous, which makes soil dry out more quickly, so they’re not the best choice.
- Hard plastic: Planters made from hard plastic are relatively durable but inexpensive. Most stacking planters are made from hard plastic.
- Felt: Felt is an extremely inexpensive fabric that’s also lightweight and breathable, allowing more oxygen to plants’ roots. However, felt planters aren’t all that durable over time, so they wear out after a year or two.
What to look for in a quality strawberry planter
Water filtration system
Some stacking planters have a filtration system, so you only need to irrigate the top layer and water filters down to the layers below.
Color
While some people don’t mind what color their planters are, others prefer them to match other garden planters or want decorative options. You can find plastic planters in colors such as green, terracotta, black and beige. Ceramic planters are more decorative and may be patterned or use interesting glazes.
Saucer
Planters with a saucer catch water as it drains. These are great for greenhouses, balconies and decks. Keeping water from leaking out of the bottom of the planter prevents stains and wet spots on the ground.
How much you can expect to spend on a strawberry planter
You can find basic felt strawberry planters for around $10-$15, while versions you can use yearly cost roughly $30-$50.
Strawberry planter FAQ
How often should you water strawberries in planters?
A. Strawberry plants grown in containers need more regular watering than those grown in beds to prevent them from drying out. They like to have moist but not wet soil, so you should water them regularly but not too regularly. You can water them with a garden hose or a large watering can.
Watering frequency depends on various factors, such as ambient temperature and rainfall, but roughly two to four times a week. Once the top inch of soil has dried out, it’s time to give your strawberries a drink.
Do strawberry planters need to be positioned in full sun?
A. Although strawberries will grow in partial sun or even fairly shaded areas, they produce the greatest fruit yield when grown in full sun. Ideally, position your planter in an area that gets direct sunlight for at least eight hours a day. Strawberry plants that get plenty of sunlight give you more fruit and produce tastier fruit.
What’s the best strawberry planter to buy?
Top strawberry planter
Mr. Stacky Five-Tier Strawberry and Herb Garden Planter
What you need to know: This five-tier stackable planter holds 20 strawberry plants.
What you’ll love: You can stack as many of these planters on top of one another as you choose, giving you a huge yield of strawberries while taking up minimal ground space. You can choose from five colors, including terracotta, black and pink.
What you should consider: If you want to stack more than five tiers, you’ll need a stake or similar to keep them from toppling.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top strawberry planter for the money
Pri Gardens Hanging Strawberry Planter
What you need to know: With 11 holes, you can get an excellent yield of strawberries from just one planter.
What you’ll love: You get two planters to a pack, letting you grow up to 22 plants. You can hang them to save on ground space. The hanging design makes it challenging to overwater your strawberries since the drainage is excellent.
What you should consider: The felt material isn’t all that rugged, so it’ll probably last for just a year or two.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Vivosun Vertical Gardening Stackable Planter
What you need to know: It has five tiers with a three-plant capacity per tier so that you can grow up to 15 strawberry plants.
What you’ll love: Thanks to the water filtration system, evenly watering all your plants is easy. You can hang it or place it on the ground. The hard plastic material is weather-resistant and won’t crack in the sun or frost.
What you should consider: It’s slightly unstable unless you put a stake or rod through the center.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona 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://cw39.com/reviews/best-strawberry-planter/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:35 | en | 0.930986 |
DAHLONEGA, Ga. (AP) — University of North Georgia President Bonita Jacobs, the school's first woman to hold the position, said she plans to retire in June.
In a news release Monday, Jacobs said she announced her plans to “ensure the Board of Regents has ample time to select UNG's next president and to provide for a stable transition over this next year as we celebrate North Georgia's sesquicentennial — our 150th anniversary.”
Jacobs was appointed president of then-North Georgia College & State University in July 2011. When the school consolidated with Gainesville State College to become the University of North Georgia in 2013, she took over as leader of the multi-campus university, becoming the second woman to lead one of the country's six senior military colleges.
UNG has campuses in Blue Ridge, Cumming, Dahlonega, Gainesville and Oconee County, serving about 19,000 students and employing more than 2,100 faculty and staff.
University System of Georgia Chancellor Sonny Perdue described Jacobs as a trailblazer.
“Over the past decade, she has been a critical factor to the university’s growth and how it has helped students find success and prosperity,” Perdue said. "From consolidation with Gainesville State College to campus expansion in Blue Ridge, and with all the new ways UNG has been able to serve communities and offer new academic opportunities from associate degrees to graduate-level programs, President Jacobs has been a great leader for its campuses and the university system. I’m grateful for her leadership and service.” | https://www.lakecountystar.com/news/article/University-of-North-Georgia-s-president-to-retire-17346519.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:36 | en | 0.966799 |
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) — A former special education teacher in West Virginia was sentenced to the maximum 10 years in prison Tuesday for abusing several students.
Nancy Boggs was sentenced in Kanawha County Circuit Court stemming from incidents last September at Holz Elementary School in Charleston, news outlets reported.
“You turned your classroom into a place of what can only be described as torture,” Judge Maryclaire Akers told Boggs.
Boggs, 67, pleaded guilty in May to 10 misdemeanor counts of battery. Akers ordered the sentences of one year on each count to be served consecutively.
Boggs admitted to hitting one female student with a cabinet door, pulling her hair and pulling a chair out from under her. Boggs also admitted to slamming another child’s head into a desk and slapping a third child. Surveillance cameras captured the classroom incidents.
In March, Gov. Jim Justice signed a bill aimed at protecting students by requiring public school administrators to view video of each special needs classroom periodically and eliminated a requirement that video footage be deleted after a certain time period. The parents of one of the students in Boggs’ case worked with lawmakers to strengthen an existing law. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Ex-WVa-special-education-teacher-gets-10-years-in-17346350.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:39 | en | 0.969742 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267231 | 2022-08-02T21:59:40 | en | 0.738227 |
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — Flags will be lowered around Connecticut for a soldier killed by lightning while training in Georgia last month.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael D. Clark of Bolton had served for 22 years on active duty and as a Army reservist. Clark, 41, had deployed four times to Iraq and Afghanistan as part of a medical unit, the 933rd Forward Resuscitative Surgical Company, which performs emergency surgery and other urgent treatment on wounded soldiers in combat.
On Tuesday, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont ordered all U.S. and state flags lowered to half-staff beginning at sunrise Wednesday and ending at sunset Thursday.
Nine other soldiers were injured by the July 21 lightning strike at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia. The Paducah, Kentucky-based medical unit was at Fort Gordon for an annual training exercise.
Calling hours and a funeral service in Clark's honor are scheduled to be held on Wednesday and Thursday in Windsor. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Flags-lowered-for-Connecticut-soldier-killed-by-17346543.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:41 | en | 0.969097 |
Which TCL sound bar is best?
You’d be hard-pressed to find a TV that has adequate speakers and audio quality for movies and music. The default speakers usually favor one over the other, and that can lead to disappointment and frustration.
If you don’t want to splurge on a new home theater audio system, an affordable, quick solution is to get a sound bar. These audio gadgets are specifically tuned to give you big sound in a small package, perfect for when space is a luxury.
TCL has been in the consumer technology industry for over 40 years and knows a thing or two about sound — it manufactures TVs, mobile phones and home audio setups. If you want to upgrade your film streaming experience, the TCL Alto 8 Plus 3.1.2 Channel Dolby Atmos Smart Sound Bar is an excellent choice.
What to know before you buy a TCL sound bar
Power output
You naturally want to hear all the sounds when watching a movie and don’t want to strain during dialogue. The best way to prevent incomprehensible audio is to consider the sound bar’s power output relevant to your viewing environment. The power output determines how loud the sound bar will be before distorting.
Bigger isn’t always better
It’s natural to assume that a larger speaker will produce a loud sound. While that is true sometimes, it’s not always the case for sound bars. These elongated audio players are made to be as small as possible while still producing excellent sound quality. Together with the power output, you might find a smaller sound bar that is just as clear and loud as a full home theater system. It will cost a fraction of the price too.
Active sound bars are better than passive ones
While passive sound bars have better speakers than active ones, they do require a receiver or an amplifier to work. This takes up more space in your living room and requires additional cables. On the other hand, active sound bars have an amplifier built into them that also separates the right, left and center channels. They are easier to set up and get going but aren’t as loud or clear as passive sound bars.
What to look for in a quality TCL sound bar
Multiple connections
Most sound bars provide additional audio for your TV, but you don’t want to be limited to just that. A good-quality TCL sound bar has multiple connections that include Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and USB. This lets you easily pair a mobile device to stream audio from your favorite music sources.
Remote control
Getting up off the couch to change the volume is so last century. You want the comfort of being able to change the input source and volume without having to walk over to the sound bar. That is why a good-quality TCL model comes with a remote controller. In fact, several of them are compatible with TCL’s Roku TV remote.
Mounting the sound bar
You’ll usually find a sound bar in front of the TV, but placing it just above can improve the audio clarity. You can only do that, though, if the sound bar is mountable on a wall. Consider a TCL sound bar that lets you do this. Several include a wall mounting kit.
How much you can expect to spend on a TCL sound bar
The average cost of a TCL sound bar largely depends on the model, the number of speaker channels and additional functions. An affordable sound bar costs $60-$80, while a surround-sound model costs $150-$200.
TCL sound bar FAQ
What do the channel numbers mean?
A. Sound bars and home theater systems use several speakers to produce the audio, and the channels indicate the corresponding amount. For example, a 2.1-channel sound bar has a left and right audio channel and a subwoofer. A setup with more speakers is a 7.1-channel system.
Can you add more speakers?
A. That isn’t possible with TCL sound bars.
What’s the best TCL sound bar to buy?
Top TCL sound bar
TCL Alto 8 Plus 3.1.2 Channel Dolby Atmos Smart Sound Bar
What you need to know: This 3.1.2-channel sound bar comes with a wireless subwoofer for added bass.
What you’ll love: In addition to the wireless subwoofer, it has eight small speakers to create surround sound through Dolby Atmos. The center channel is specifically for dialogue, letting you hear every word clearly. It’s compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant.
What you should consider: There was a rare complaint that lips didn’t sync with sound.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top TCL sound bar for the money
TCL Alto 6 2.0 Channel Home Theater Sound Bar
What you need to know: An affordable option to upgrade your TV’s audio, it has a two-channel system with an active speaker amplifier.
What you’ll love: Through Dolby technology, this sound bar creates virtual surround sound. The Bluetooth connection lets you pair it with mobile devices and connects to others through HDMI and USB.
What you should consider: You can’t pair this sound bar with other speakers.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
TCL Alto 8i 2.1 Channel Dolby Atmos Sound Bar with Built-in Subwoofers
What you need to know: This TCL sound bar has a built-in subwoofer with rich bass, letting you feel the onscreen action.
What you’ll love: Measuring almost 40 inches long, it’s easily mounted on a wall. It is compatible with the TCL Roku TV remote and supports Dolby Atmos technology for great surround sound.
What you should consider: As it has a built-in subwoofer, you can’t add an additional woofer if you want more thumping bass.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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SAN DIEGO (AP) — San Diego Padres acquire Juan Soto in blockbuster deal with Washington Nationals.
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- An 11-year-old girl was killed in a boating incident while wearing a life jacket and helmet in... | https://www.lakecountystar.com/sports/article/Alert-San-Diego-Padres-acquire-Juan-Soto-in-17346255.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:43 | en | 0.908818 |
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BROOKLET, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia couple has died of apparent heat exhaustion after their bodies were found inside their mobile home.
Bulloch County Coroner Jake Futch said the couple, who were both in their 80s, was found Monday in the Leefield community outside of Brooklet, WYFF-TV reported. Their names were not released.
Temperatures inside the mobile home, which did not have air conditioning, felt like 110 degrees (43 Celsius) or hotter, and it appears that they died sometime Sunday morning, Futch said.
The closest reporting weather site in Statesboro reported a high of 92 degrees (33 Celsius) Sunday and 96 degrees (35 Celsius) Monday. With the humidity factored in, the feels-like temperature was approximately 104 degrees (40 Celsius) Monday.
Futch said autopsies were not planned for the couple. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Heat-suspected-in-deaths-of-older-couple-in-17346359.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:47 | en | 0.987302 |
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CHICAGO (AP) — The Philadelphia Phillies acquired veteran reliever David Robertson and center fielder Brandon Marsh in a pair of trades on Tuesday.
Philadelphia sent minor league pitcher Ben Brown to the Chicago Cubs for the 37-year-old Robertson, one of the top relievers on the market ahead of the trade deadline. The Phillies got Marsh from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for catching prospect Logan O’Hoppe.
Philadelphia is fighting for one of three NL wild cards. It hasn’t made the postseason since 2011.
The well-traveled Robertson also played for the Phillies in 2019, making seven appearances before he was sidelined by an elbow injury that required surgery. He didn't make it back to the majors until he pitched in 12 games with Tampa Bay in 2021.
Robertson is 3-0 with a 2.23 ERA and 14 saves in 36 appearances this year. The right-hander finalized a $3.5 million, one-year contract with the Cubs on March 16.
Robertson made his big league debut in 2008 and spent his first seven seasons with the New York Yankees, winning the World Series in 2009. He has 151 saves and a 2.89 ERA in 709 career appearances.
The 22-year-old Brown was selected by the Phillies in the 33rd round of the 2017 amateur draft. The right-hander was 3-5 with a 3.08 ERA in 16 appearances with High-A Jersey Shore this year, including 15 starts.
Marsh is a lefty-hitting, righty-throwing 24-year-old with speed and power projection. He ranked among Los Angeles’ top prospects before debuting in the majors last season, but he has struggled in the big leagues. He’s a .239 hitter in 163 games with 10 homers, 14 stolen bases and a .653 OPS.
His defense is well regarded, and that’s an area Philadelphia sorely needed to upgrade. Marsh trails only Brett Phillips and Minnesota’s Max Kepler among major league outfielders in Outs Above Average, according to Statcast.
The Phillies have stayed in the playoff race despite losing 2021 NL MVP Bryce Harper because of a broken thumb on June 25. He’s expected to begin swinging a bat soon and should return before the end of the season.
Philadelphia also designated veteran outfielder Odúbel Herrera and reliever Jeurys Familia for assignment. The move could end Herrera's eight-year tenure with the team that included a lengthy ban under Major League Baseball’s joint domestic violence policy.
The 22-year-old O’Hoppe has developed into one of the majors' top catching prospects. He was batting .275 with 15 homers and 45 RBIs in 75 games with Double-A Reading.
___
More AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.lakecountystar.com/sports/article/Phillies-get-reliever-Robertson-OF-Marsh-in-pair-17346495.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:49 | en | 0.961511 |
Which two-slice toaster is best?
A toaster with two slots is the perfect size for small households or limited countertop space. You’ll want to pick one that evenly browns your bread and includes the features you need. For instance, if you’re using a toaster for English muffins, you’ll want one with a high enough lift so you don’t have to fish out your muffins. For toasting bagels, look for a toaster with wider slots, such as the KitchenAid Two-Slice Toaster with Manual Lift Lever.
What to know before you buy a two-slice toaster
Function
Toasters with two slots serve one function: to toast. A good toaster can warm and brown sliced bread, frozen waffles, sliced English muffins and sliced bagels. They are not intended for warming frozen pizza, toast with butter or cheese, or American-style muffins. You’ll need a toaster oven for these functions.
Size and capacity
Two-slice toasters are small kitchen appliances but they do require some countertop space. Consider a toaster’s footprint and how much room you have in your kitchen. Typically, footprint measurements are around 7 by 10 inches or 8 by 11 inches. For a larger capacity — but a bigger footprint — opt for a four-slice toaster.
Slot width
Any two-slice toaster will accommodate pre-sliced bread you buy in the grocery store. However, if you’re looking to toast thicker slices such as homemade bread or a halved bagel, you’ll need wider slots. Look for a model that’s advertised as a wide-slot toaster or having extra-wide slots.
Slot length and depth
For eaters of round- or wide-loaf breads, such as sourdough, consider a toaster with extra-long slots or extra-deep ones so that the entire surface area of your bread is toasted and not just a portion of it. Often these slots are extra wide, too.
Manual vs. automatic lift
Most two-slice toasters have a manual lift, which means you need to push a lever or button to lower toast into them. You also have to manually operate the lever or button to lift the toast out when it’s done. An automatic lift senses when your bread is in the slots and automatically lowers it. When the bread is toasted, it also automatically lifts it from the slots.
Shade control
Most toasters have shade settings so you can control how dark or light you want your bread toasted. These typically come in numbered settings on a dial from five to seven shades.
What to look for in a quality two-slice toaster
Toasting functions
Even basic toasters can feature a bagel and/or frozen setting. The bagel setting toasts the sliced inside of your bagel without burning the outside. Other toasters may include a keep-warm setting and reheat setting, which lets you warm cooked toast that has cooled down — without burning it.
Cancel button
A cancel button lets you prematurely terminate the toasting cycle. For example, if you smell burning, hit the cancel button to eject your toast. Some toasters feature a pause button that lets you check on your toast mid-cycle.
High lift
If you toast smaller items, such as English muffins or a sliced baguette, look for a toaster with a high lift, which forcefully pops up the smaller slices above the top of the appliance so you don’t have to reach inside the narrow slots to retrieve them. Never stick a fork down the slot of a toaster.
Adjustable slots
Toasters with adjustable slots let you manually narrow the slot for smaller or thinner slices to ensure even toasting.
How much you can expect to spend on a two-slice toaster
They range in price from $30-$100. High-end toasters can cost up to $200.
Two-slice toaster FAQ
Can I toast frozen waffles in my toaster?
A. While most two-slice toasters have wide enough slots to heat waffles, to cook frozen ones it’s better to have a frozen function that will defrost your waffles before toasting them.
What is a crumb tray?
A. All toasters come with a removable tray at the base to collect the crumbs that inevitably gather. These crumbs can accumulate and cause a burnt smell to your toast or kitchen. It’s important to empty it regularly to prevent fires.
What’s the best two-slice toaster to buy?
Top two-slice toaster
KitchenAid Two-Slice Toaster with Manual Lift Lever
What you need to know: This sharp-looking toaster is well-built and comes with a bagel and frozen setting.
What you’ll love: It evenly toasts store-bought or homemade bread and comes in four attractive finishes. There’s a bell that rings to alert you when your toast is about to pop up. The design is compact and minimalist, and the slots are wide.
What you should consider: Even though it’s advertised as having a high lift, some reviewers had a hard time removing muffins from the slots.
Where to buy: Sold by KitchenAid, Amazon, Home Depot and Macy’s
Top two-slice toaster for the money
What you need to know: This low-cost toaster features the bells and whistles you’d expect on a more expensive model.
What you’ll love: It has seven shade settings and four toasting functions, including ones for frozen items and bagels. The smooth profile combines a retro style with a sleek modern look.
What you should consider: Some people said the bagel function isn’t different from the toast setting.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Wayfair
Worth checking out
Redmond Two-Slice Stainless Steel Toaster
What you need to know: Add a pop of fun and color to your countertop with this retro-style toaster that comes in multiple colors.
What you’ll love: The stainless steel construction is durable and the toaster is nontoxic and free of the potentially harmful chemical bisphenol A. It includes six shade settings and a frozen, cancel and bagel button. The design is attractive and so are the color choices.
What you should consider: Over time the springs may wear out some and have trouble lifting the bread up all the way.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Ana Sanchez 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://cw39.com/reviews/best-two-slice-toaster/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:48 | en | 0.923057 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267250 | 2022-08-02T21:59:53 | en | 0.738227 |
MERIDIAN, Miss. (AP) — A hospital system with properties in Mississippi and Alabama has merged with a health system based in Louisiana.
On Monday, Rush Health Systems became Ochsner Rush Health, the Meridian Star reported. Rush had said in June 2021 that it intended to merge with Ochsner Health, based in New Orleans.
“By coming together, we’ll be able to do more to enhance and expand clinical services focused on the critical needs of the communities we serve while ensuring our patients have access to local, high-quality care for generations to come," Larkin Kennedy, CEO Ochsner Rush Health, said in a news release.
Ochsner Rush Health will provide health care in eastern Mississippi and western Alabama.
Updated names and branding to reflect the new organization will also be put in place at regional hospitals in the cities of Meridian, Union, DeKalb and Quitman, Mississippi; Scott County, Mississippi; and Choctaw County, Alabama.
Ochsner Health also operates health care facilities on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Hospital-system-serving-MS-AL-merges-with-17346335.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:53 | en | 0.953606 |
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Shanshan Feng never wanted to play more than 10 years of professional golf. She went longer than planned, and the only regret for China's happy-go-lucky major champion is the COVID-19 pandemic kept her from a proper farewell.
Feng, 32, announced her retirement Tuesday with an Instagram post in which she said golf gave her far more than she was able to give back.
"Now it is time for me to try something different,” she said.
Feng achieved plenty, beyond becoming China's first major champion in 2012 at the LPGA Championship. She won a bronze medal in golf's return to the Olympics in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. She won 22 times on the LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and the Japan LPGA.
She also reached No. 1 in the world, a ranking she held for 23 weeks from November 2017 through April 2018.
“I consider myself extremely lucky to see the Chinese flag raising on the international stage,” she wrote in thanking all the support she had along the way.
Feng went some 18 months without competing. She finished third in the China Open in late 2019, then sat out all of 2020 during the pandemic. She returned in early April 2021 for the first LPGA major of the year and tied for third.
Her final victory was the Thornberry Creek LPGA Classic in July 2019. Her final tournament was the Olympics outside Tokyo last summer, which had no spectators after a one-year postponement caused by the pandemic. Feng finished eighth.
“Due to the pandemic, I have never made an official farewell to people who support me on the golf course,” she wrote. She said she hopes to see her LPGA friends again in the future for what she described as “my last dance.”
In the meantime, Feng wants to slow down, focus on personal growth and give back by helping to develop more golf talent out of China.
“I have a dream that one day in future professional golf, we see more of us Chinese players,” she said. “The players and the resources together can help this sport tremendously grow, and create some future Chinese champions along the way.”
PRESIDENTS CUP ASSISTANTS
Webb Simpson will be on his home course of Quail Hollow in September for the Presidents Cup but without clubs. Simpson and Steve Stricker have been added as assistant captains for Davis Love III.
They will be joining Ryder Cup captain Zach Johnson and Fred Couples as assistants for the Sept. 22-25 matches against the International team.
Stricker was the Presidents Cup captain in 2017 and joined Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer as the only captains to win a Ryder Cup and a Presidents Cup. He led the U.S. to a record victory over Europe last year at Whistling Straits. Johnson is the Ryder Cup captain for the 2023 matches in Italy, while Couples was 3-0 as a Presidents Cup captain.
The newcomer is Simpson, who played on three Presidents Cup teams, most recently at Royal Melbourne in 2019. He also played in three Ryder Cup matches.
SAY ONE THING, DO ANOTHER
Patrick Reed said one of the great appeals of LIV Golf was a smaller schedule.
“Just the quality of life for us as players now, having less events, being able to spend more time at home with the family ... and not sitting there and having to play three, four weeks in a row, then have a week off, and during that week off you’re preparing trying to get ready for the next week,” Reed said a month ago at LIV Golf's Oregon event.
And then the Asian Tour announced Tuesday that Reed will be playing in the International Series-Singapore next week and the International Series-Korea the following week.
Throw in the LIV Golf Invitational events outside Boston and Chicago in September, and Reed will be playing four of the next six weeks.
It’s nothing new for Reed, who typically plays around 30 times a year. It just doesn’t square with him talking about having fewer events a LIV Golf schedule affords.
Of course, there is that matter of world ranking points, which Asian Tour events receive. Reed is close to falling out of the top 50. The Asian Tour events will have minimal ranking points but still more than what Reed is getting now.
ALL ABOARD
Joohyung Kim was such a fan of Thomas the Tank Engine in the TV series “Thomas & Friends” that he goes by “Tom.” And after a year like this, the 20-year-old South Korean has been chugging his way to a PGA Tour card.
Kim was No. 131 in the world at the start of the year. He won the Singapore International, was runner-up at the Singapore Open and was seated on stage with Greg Norman at the Saudi International when Norman was preaching the virtues of Saudi-backed LIV Golf and its investment in the Asian Tour.
Kim said his eyes were on a bigger prize.
“Every day I’ve played golf, I thought about playing on the PGA Tour. It was nothing else,” he said Sunday after he tied the Detroit Golf Club record with a 63 to finish seventh. Along with making the cut in the U.S. Open and British Open, he really piled up points with a third-place finish in the Scottish Open, co-sanctioned this year by the PGA Tour.
It all adds to enough points to assure he will have a full card for next season. Kim has risen to No. 34 in the world and is playing the Wyndham Championship. Much like the situation Will Zalatoris was in two years ago, he won’t be able to play in the PGA Tour postseason unless he wins this week.
“It could get a little emotional tonight, but it’s definitely been a dream,” he said. “It’s been a road. And hopefully, I’ll be out here full time.”
DONALD’S TRAITS
Luke Donald played his first Ryder Cup under European captain Bernhard Langer and served as an assistant to Padraig Harrington last year. In between, he also played for Ian Woosnam, Colin Montgomerie and Jose Maria Olazabal, and he was an assistant to Thomas Bjorn.
That’s quiet a variety of personalities from which to learn. Donald, appointed Ryder Cup captain on Monday, was asked which captain his personality would most likely resemble.
“I supposed somewhere between a Langer and an Olazabal,” he said. “I think I’m a detail-oriented person. I like to figure things out in my head without blurting them out. Jose was certainly more of a quiet leader, and I think that will be kind of my stance. That’s my characteristics.
“Between those two, I’m guessing I’ll be on the phone to both of them and getting some ideas for my captaincy.”
DIVOTS
Tiger Woods is hosting a junior event on the Monterey Peninsula in October. TGR Live, Pebble Beach Co. and TaylorMade are collaborating on the TGR JR Invitational on Oct. 8-10 for 60 juniors, male and female. They will qualify on The Hay at Pebble Beach, the short course Woods designed. The championship matches will be at The Links at Spanish Bay. ... Jason Day closed with a 66 in the Rocket Mortgage Classic to tie for 17th and move to No. 106 and assure his 15th consecutive appearance in the FedEx Cup playoffs. Day also earned $128,100 to become the 11th player to surpass $50 million in career earnings. ... Top-seeded Steven Alker is among five players from the top 10 in the Charles Schwab Cup standings who are not playing the PGA Tour Champions event in Canada this week.
STAT OF THE WEEK
Tony Finau won one tournament in his first 154 starts on the PGA Tour. He now has won three of his last 25.
FINAL WORD
“They say a winner is just a loser that just kept on trying, and that’s me to a T. How many times do I lose? But one thing I won’t do is give up.” — Tony Finau.
___
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.lakecountystar.com/sports/article/Shanshan-Feng-got-everything-from-golf-but-a-17346322.php | 2022-08-02T21:59:55 | en | 0.980474 |
Which Rtic cooler is best?
Whether you’re heading on a weeklong camping trip or a picnic at the park, the right cooler keeps food and drink fresh and chilled. Rtic coolers are known for being rugged and good at what they do.
Your main choice is between hard and soft coolers, but you should also consider factors such as capacity and ease of carrying. Rtic Heavy-Duty Hard Cooler is the top choice if you’re looking for a hard cooler.
What to know before you buy an Rtic cooler
Cooler types
Rtic makes both hard coolers and soft coolers. The right one for you depends on how you intend to use your cooler and how long you need to keep its contents cool.
- Hard coolers: These are generally larger than soft coolers and hold ice for up to 10 days. This makes them great for camping trips or other overnight adventures and for days when you need plenty of supplies, such as big family picnics.
- Soft coolers: Lighter than hard coolers but with significantly less insulation, these types of coolers are better for day trips and picnics. They’re more easily transportable than their hard counterparts and are available as totes or backpacks.
Capacity
While soft coolers tend to list their capacity in cans, hard coolers usually have a quart capacity listed. This will help you figure out roughly how much you can fit in an Rtic cooler. However, it can vary somewhat depending on factors such as the type of cooler and the size of any cans you want to put inside.
- 45 quarts: Coolers of this size cold roughly 36 cans or 40 pounds of ice. They’re good for days out or weekend trips for one or two people.
- 65 quarts: Expect a cooler of this size to hold 64 cans or 70 pounds of ice. They’re good for weekend trips for large groups or longer trips for one to three people.
- 145 quarts: This size cooler holds around 145 cans or 155 pounds of ice. It can keep a small group going for up to 10 days or hold supplies for eight to 10 people on shorter trips.
What to look for in a quality Rtic cooler
Carry straps and handles
These coolers can have handles, single-shoulder straps or double-shoulder straps, like a backpack. They’re durable enough that they shouldn’t break halfway to or from your destination and leave you in a tricky situation
Drain
Rtic hard coolers have drains to empty the water left behind by melted ice. Without this, they’d be hard to empty, especially without making a huge mess.
No-sweat exterior
The no-sweat exterior of these coolers doesn’t gather beads of condensation. This is a particular bonus when loaded into a car next to other items that a sweaty cooler could get wet.
Bear-resistant
This company’s hard coolers are extremely rugged and seal tightly, making them bear-resistant. This is great news for camping trips or days out in the wilderness.
How much you can expect to spend on an Rtic cooler
Soft coolers cost roughly $50-$200, while hard coolers can cost from $200-$600. Larger versions are always pricier than smaller ones.
Rtic cooler FAQ
Are Rtic coolers worth it?
A. Naturally, an item worth buying for some people isn’t for others. However, if you’re looking for a durable cooler, Rtic models offer excellent value.
You might pay more than you would for a simple soft cooler or a thin-walled hard cooler, but they can hold ice for up to 10 days and are incredibly rugged. They’re especially worthwhile purchases for keen campers or anyone who takes lots of picnics or trips to the beach.
Can you put hot food and warm drinks in a cooler?
A. While you technically can use a cooler to chill food and drinks, you’ll get the best results if you chill them in the fridge before loading your cooler. This way, any ice or cool packs stay cool for longer since they don’t have to chill warm food or drinks. They just maintain an already-cool temperature.
It’s also more efficient to layer your food or drinks under ice or cool packs rather than on top. Warm air rises, and cold air drops, so ice more effectively chills anything below it.
What’s the best Rtic cooler to buy?
Top Rtic cooler
What you need to know: This exceptionally durable hard cooler is perfect for serious campers and tailgaters.
What you’ll love: It’s available in three sizes: 45, 65 and 145 quarts. It can hold ice for up to 10 days. It’s bear-resistant, thanks to the tough body and secure latches. The easy-flow spout makes draining it a breeze.
What you should consider: It’s on the heavy side, so you wouldn’t want to carry it over long distances.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Rtic cooler for the money
What you need to know: Ideal for picnics, hikes and day trips, this soft cooler is light and easy to transport.
What you’ll love: The exterior is leakproof and doesn’t sweat. Its shoulder strap makes it easy to carry around. You can choose from five sizes, holding eight, 12, 20, 30 or 40 cans.
What you should consider: The zipper is tough to undo, which can be frustrating.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: As it’s 30% lighter than Rtic’s standard hard cooler, it’s great for anyone who would struggle with the weight of the heavier model.
What you’ll love: It holds up to 64 cans or around 40 pounds of ice. The removable divider and basket make organizing different types of food and drinks easier. It’s durable with heavy-duty marine rope handles.
What you should consider: It’s only available in one size.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona 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://cw39.com/reviews/br/camping-outdoors-br/coolers-br/best-rtic-cooler/ | 2022-08-02T21:59:55 | en | 0.936779 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267289 | 2022-08-02T21:59:59 | en | 0.738227 |
COSTA MESA, Calif. (AP) — Despite being the Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020 and then reaching the Pro Bowl last season, Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert still has room to improve going into his third season.
Herbert is focused his footwork. He made it a major focus of his offseason program and has continued to hone in on it during the first week of training camp.
“I think all of the drops that tie into the routes — three-step, five-step, seven-step — and being smooth in progressions and going through all of the reads,” said Herbert about what he wanted to improve.
“I’m still experiencing the young aspects of playing in the NFL. I have a lot to learn, but hopefully a lot of room for improvement, as well.”
Footwork has been at the top of Herbert's improvement list going back to when he was preparing for the draft. He did not take any snaps under center during his four years at the University of Oregon.
Honing in on footwork took a little bit of a backseat last season as Herbert was getting up to speed with coach Brandon Staley, offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi and quarterback coach Shane Day.
Now that he's more comfortable in the offense, Herbert's work on his footwork has become a bigger focus.
Day — also the Chargers passing game coordinator — has noticed improvement from last year's training camp to offseason workouts and the first week of preseason practices.
“The evolution of that footwork is pretty cool,” Day said. “The second year, kind of once you have the offense down, then you can focus on the fundamentals. It’s been working through that progression of what’s best and me learning what his body does best too, because he’s a top quarterback. And then figuring out how to implement all that stuff as we go.”
Herbert's learning curve of learning how to operate under center is part of a process that most quarterbacks have to go through when they come into the NFL. With most high school and college programs running their offense out of the shotgun, the learning curve can be steep and often begins during the pre-draft process and the scouting combine.
Even with getting up to speed with a new offense, Herbert was one of the league's top quarterbacks last season. He tied Tampa Bay's Tom Brady for most 300-yard games (nine), was second in completions (443) and passing yards (5,104), and third in passing touchdowns with 38.
Herbert also has the most completions, passing yards, passing touchdowns and total TDs through the first two seasons of a career.
Center Corey Linsley and wide receiver Mike Williams said they have noticed Herbert being more vocal during the first week of camp.
“In the walkthroughs and out here in practice and everything, he is definitely in tune a little bit more with some of the suggestions that we’ve made," Linsley added. "From an adjustment standpoint, that’s something that he’s shown in the early few days of camp and even in the offseason in OTAs and stuff. We’re like, ‘Hey, man, if you see it, call it. We’re good. As long as we’re on the same page, we’re good. Make the call.’“
Herbert's biggest goal this season is to get the Chargers into the playoffs for the first time since 2018. Los Angeles looked as if it was going to get there last year before dropping three of the final four.
Being in the same offense for the second straight season is an advantage, but the Chargers have a tough start to the season. They host Las Vegas on Sept. 11 before a short week and trip to Kansas City for a Thursday night game on Sept. 15.
“You just have to compete and you have to execute when it matters most. Unfortunately, we fell short of that, but I think we have the team, and definitely the pieces," Herbert said.
"We’re miles ahead of where we were at this point last year, so now we’re focusing on things that are maybe a little more tough or challenging to tackle, but I think we’re where we need to be right now.”
___
More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.lakecountystar.com/sports/article/Step-by-step-Herbert-focusing-on-footwork-going-17346454.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:01 | en | 0.9809 |
Which clear phone case is best?
Phone manufacturers work hard to make visually engaging phones, but most people immediately cover their hard work with colorful phone cases. If you enjoy your phone’s natural design but still want a little protection, grab a clear case instead. Some cases meet in the middle by including a touch of color or some other design element without becoming opaque.
The best clear phone case is the Oribox Clear Phone Case. It packs in multiple layers of protection and offers tinted clear cases in addition to a standard clear option.
What to know before you buy a clear phone case
What phone do I have?
This is the first question to ask yourself before you begin shopping for a clear phone case. Every phone is built differently, even phones from the same manufacturer that look like they’re identical. If you don’t buy a case that’s specifically made for your phone, you could cover the ports, buttons and camera lenses.
If you don’t know the answer, finding it is easy. All you need to do is go into your phone’s settings and look for the “about” section. Your model name and number are there, and either can be used to narrow your search results to matching cases.
Design
Clear phone cases are usually just plainly translucent all over, but they don’t have to be. Many are tinted with a range of colors, either only on the sides or all over. Other cases may have an opaque design on the back that still leaves room for translucency around it.
What to look for in a quality clear phone case
Protection level
Clear phone cases offer different degrees of protection.
- Light: Most clear phone cases offer light protection. These cases cling tightly to the phone to avoid adding bulk. Mild drop protection is about all you can expect.
- Moderate: Bulkier clear cases offer moderate protection. This can include strong drop protection, raised edges to protect the screen and camera lenses and anti-slip sides for a better grip.
- Heavy: Few, if any, clear cases offer heavy protection, as this class usually involves hiding the phone in multiple thick layers.
Screen protector
Some clear cases come with either a built-in screen protector or are bundled with a screen protector you need to apply.
- Built-in screen protectors are typically thin sheets of plastic that cover the screen. These can make it harder for your phone to detect inputs, but it’s also easier to use and maintain.
- Bundled screen protectors are separate sheets of plastic or glass that need to be applied. Your inputs aren’t affected, but the application process can be difficult; trapping specks of dust underneath is one of the most common issues.
Wireless charging compatibility
As wireless charging continues to become more utilized, many phone case manufacturers look to ensure their cases are thin enough not to block wireless charging from working. Most clear cases are thin enough, but thicker and more protective cases may not be compatible.
How much you can expect to spend on a clear phone case
Clear phone cases are typically more simple than other cases, so their cost is frequently lower. Most cost around $5-$15 but some of the more rugged or brand-name options might cost up to $30.
Clear phone case FAQ
Do clear phone cases offer warranties?
A. Some do. Whether a phone case offers a warranty is an easy way to determine its quality. The best offer lifetime warranties and will send you a replacement case for free should the original break in the line of duty.
Are clear phone cases made of recycled materials?
A. Some are. This isn’t a feature that’s often clearly promoted though. You may need to look hard before you find a case that’s both made of recycled materials and worth buying. Additionally, clear cases made of recycled materials tend to be more expensive.
An easier option to find is a clear case made of recyclable materials such as something plant-based. These are also more expensive than most plastic cases.
What’s the best clear phone case to buy?
Top clear phone case
What you need to know: This is the perfect blend of protection with limited visual impact.
What you’ll love: The case uses a hard inner layer for high protection and a soft outer layer for impact absorption and hand comfort. The sides have nonslip stripes to make it easier to hold. It comes in plain clear or tinted gray, purple or light blue.
What you should consider: With the extra protection comes extra weight and bulk. Some consumers were unhappy with the case’s degree of water protection.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top clear phone case for the money
What you need to know: It is slim and offers a solid amount of protection for a good price.
What you’ll love: It has military-grade drop protection and raised edges around the screen and camera lenses to protect it from direct falls. The back is acrylic for scratch protection. It’s compatible with wireless charging. The edges can be plain clear or tinted with black or red.
What you should consider: The camera flash can be caught by the case, lowering its effectiveness. A few customers noted that the red option looks closer to pink.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This case is a good choice if you want as little weight and bulk added as possible.
What you’ll love: It fits tightly against the phone to add effectively no bulk or weight while still helping to prevent scratches and other basic damage. The edges can be plain clear or tinted red or blue. The ports and buttons are precisely cut out so there’s no interference in operation.
What you should consider: There’s no grip assistance, so it can feel a little slick. A few purchasers found the case yellowed over time, starting as soon as six months.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw39.com/reviews/br/electronics-br/cell-phones-accessories-br/best-clear-phone-case/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:02 | en | 0.933344 |
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NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — A former police officer in Virginia should not be criminally charged but should be investigated for potential civil rights violations after he pepper-sprayed, struck and handcuffed a Black U.S. Army lieutenant during a 2020 traffic stop, a special prosecutor has determined.
The prosecutor's findings are the latest fallout from a confrontation involving two police officers and a uniformed military officer that drew outrage and national attention to the small town of Windsor, about 70 miles (113 kilometers) southeast of Richmond.
The man who was pulled over, Caron Nazario, was never charged. Video of the December 2020 traffic stop surfaced in April 2021 after Nazario sued in federal court, alleging that his constitutional rights were violated. The images sparked outrage and served as a grim reminder to many Black Americans that a military uniform doesn’t necessarily protect against mistreatment by police.
In December, then-Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring's office sued the town, alleging that it operated in a way that discriminated against Black Americans.
One of the officers, Joe Gutierrez, was fired from the department. He was the target of the special prosecutor's criminal probe.
“Although I find the video very disturbing and frankly unsettling, Gutierrez's use of force to remove Nazario did not violate state law as he had given multiple commands for Nazario to exit the vehicle,” special prosecutor Anton Bell said in his report, dated July 29 and posted online by Nazario's attorneys.
“The problematic issue, however, were Gutierrez's statements throughout the entire ordeal, which would lead a reasonable person to wonder whether underlying bias was at the root of how and why Nazario was treated in like manner,” Bell wrote.
Bell's findings were first reported Monday by The Virginian-Pilot newspaper.
The incident began when Nazario was driving home from his duty station, according to his lawsuit. Officer Daniel Crocker radioed that he was attempting to stop a vehicle with no rear license plate and tinted windows.
Crocker said the driver was “eluding police” and he considered it a “high-risk traffic stop,” according to a report that's included in the lawsuit. One of Nazario's attorneys, Jonathan Arthur, later explained that Nazario was trying to stop in a well-lit area “for officer safety and out of respect for the officers.”
The other officer, Gutierrez, was driving by and decided to join the traffic stop, the lawsuit stated. By the time the two officers reached Nazario’s SUV, the license plate was visible in the rear.
When Nazario stopped at a well-lit gas station, the two officers immediately drew their guns and pointed them at Nazario, his lawsuit alleges. The officers then attempted to pull Nazario out of the vehicle while he continued to keep his hands in the air. Gutierrez pepper-sprayed Nazario multiple times as the officers yelled for him to get out.
At one point, Gutierrez told Nazario he was “fixin’ to ride the lightning,” a reference to the electric chair that was also a line from the movie “The Green Mile,” a film about a Black man facing execution, the lawsuit said.
Nazario got out and asked for a supervisor. Gutierrez responded with “knee-strikes” to his legs, knocking him to the ground, the lawsuit says. The two officers struck him multiple times, then handcuffed and interrogated him.
The traffic stop was captured on Nazario’s cellphone as well as the officer's body-worn cameras.
Tom Roberts, another attorney representing Nazario, told The Associated Press on Tuesday that a judge or a jury, not a special prosecutor, should have determined whether Gutierrez violated the law.
“I think that there’s sufficient evidence to show that he was intentional in his actions,” Roberts said. “And I believe that he exceeded any authority to use force, and therefore he committed assault and battery.”
Roberts said that would have been a misdemeanor offense, for which the statute of limitations is one year, well before the special prosecutor released his findings.
“All too often, when it comes to law enforcement violating the laws, we see our Commonwealth’s Attorneys fail to apply the same zeal at prosecuting law enforcement as they do with other offenders,” Roberts' firm said in a statement.
John Becker Mumford Jr., an attorney listed for Gutierrez in Nazario’s lawsuit, did not respond to an email seeking comment.
Bell, the special prosecutor, wrote that he asked the local U.S. Attorney’s Office to review the case for possible civil rights violations. Karoline Foote, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia, said Tuesday that the office had no comment.
In February, the town of Windsor asked a court to dismiss the state attorney general's lawsuit, arguing that it only refers to one person — Nazario — “in a cursory and inconclusive manner.”
Jason Miyares, who defeated Herring in November's election, took over as Virginia's AG in January. Victoria LaCivita, a spokeswoman for Miyares' office, said Tuesday that the lawsuit is still pending. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/No-charges-for-officer-who-pepper-sprayed-Army-17346298.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:07 | en | 0.98471 |
WFO MEDFORD Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 2, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Medford OR
140 PM PDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING
FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 280...
281...284...285...621...622...623...624 AND 625...
* Impacts: Abundant lightning on critically dry vegetation is
likely to result in numerous new fire starts through this
evening that could overwhelm firefighting resources. Gusty
thunderstorm outflow wind gusts of 30 to 60 mph will contribute
to fire spread in some areas. In other areas, locally heavy,
wetting rainfall is likely to limit or prevent fire spread, but
numerous holdover fires will be possible.
* Affected area:
In Northern CA, all of Fire Zones...280...281...282...284...285.
In South Central OR, all of Fire Zones...624...625.
In Southwest OR, all of Fire Zones...617...620...621...622...623.
* View the hazard area in detail at:
https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mfr/HAZARD
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-MEDFORD-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17346369.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:07 | en | 0.794318 |
Which Puma backpack is best?
Puma backpacks are practical for school, work, the gym, hiking trips and everyday use. Most buyers want a bag that isn’t just functional but also looks great.
Whatever your needs and preferences, you’ll find a Puma backpack that fits the bill. If you’re looking for something versatile and stylish, the Puma Dash Backpack is a great choice.
What to know before you buy a Puma backpack
Backpack types
Puma makes a range of backpack types. Some of the most common are standard backpacks, mini versions, sling backpacks and carry sacks.
- Standard: These full-size backpacks are great all-rounders and a sensible choice for most buyers. They’re roomy enough for school, work and day trips.
- Mini: If you’re looking for something smaller than a standard backpack, Puma makes plenty of mini versions. They’re also great for young kids.
- Sling: Sling backpacks have single cross-body straps instead of two shoulder straps. Some buyers prefer the casual look of these backpacks.
Pockets and compartments
Pockets and compartments in backpacks help you organize your items. Rather than digging around the bottom of your bag for your keys, you can keep them in a zippered pocket so that you always have easy access. Puma generally makes backpacks with plenty of handy compartments.
- Front pockets: Front pockets are great for any belongings you need regular easy access to, such as your phone or wallet. Some front pockets on Puma bags have smaller zippered pockets inside to provide an extra layer of security.
- Side pockets: These are usually elasticated and perfect for holding water bottles and umbrellas.
- Interior pockets: Small interior zippered pockets are great for items like keys, phones and wallets, or any small things that could easily get lost in the bottom of a backpack.
- Laptop sleeves: Padded interior laptop sleeves help protect your laptop. This is a great feature if you need to bring a laptop to work or school.
Padding
A well-padded backpack is much more comfortable to wear. If you carry heavy items or wear your bag all day, you’ll appreciate padding all the more.
- Back: Padding on the back wall of a backpack keeps items inside from digging into your back.
- Straps: Padded straps lessen the feeling of weight on your shoulders.
What to look for in a quality Puma backpack
Color
While many Puma backpacks come in muted hues, such as black and gray, you can also find them in bright colors, including neon yellow and primary red. Most versions offer at least a couple of color options, with some giving you more than 10 choices.
Logo
The iconic Puma leaping cat logo is on most of its backpacks. The logo color can vary from solid colors to rainbow hues.
Adjustable straps
The shoulder straps on your backpack should be easy to adjust, even while wearing it. This lets you set it to a comfortable position for your height.
How much you can expect to spend on a Puma backpack
Most cost $20-$50, but you can find a handful that cost up to $75. The most affordable options usually have fewer features or simpler designs.
Puma backpack FAQ
How do you clean a Puma backpack?
A. Not all backpacks are machine washable, so check the label before throwing yours in the washer. If your backpack is machine washable, you should start by opening all the zippers and pockets and removing the dust and debris from inside. Then you can turn it inside out to protect the hardware and wash it on a cool, gentle cycle in a laundry bag or old pillowcase.
With backpacks that aren’t machine washable, you’ll need to spot clean them with a stain remover, laundry detergent or water solution. If you’re unsure whether you can machine wash your backpack, basic nylon backpacks generally wash well.
However, you clean your backpack, always let it air dry. It’s likely to shrink or get damaged in a tumble dryer.
Are Puma backpacks waterproof?
A. They aren’t waterproof, but most are made from dense nylon fabric that provides water resistance. Still, if the rain is coming down hard, you can expect the contents of your backpack to get wet.
What’s the best Puma backpack to buy?
Top Puma backpack
What you need to know: Simple yet stylish, this backpack has a quilted front and is comfortable to wear.
What you’ll love: The logo comes in rainbow, sunset and gold versions. The front pocket has a second interior pocket to secure your phone or wallet. The protective laptop sleeve inside is handy.
What you should consider: It’s smaller than some buyers expect, so you should check the dimensions to avoid disappointment.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Puma backpack for the money
Puma Evercat Contender Backpack
What you need to know: With a spacious interior, it’s great for school, work and hiking.
What you’ll love: It has a large front pocket, side pockets for drink bottles and an interior laptop sleeve. You can choose from 13 color combinations, including navy, gray and coral and dark red.
What you should consider: It’s not the most durable overall, so it’s unlikely to last more than a couple of years of regular use.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
What you need to know: This sling backpack has a single cross-body strap, which some people prefer over two-strap versions.
What you’ll love: The strap is easily adjusted for a comfortable fit. It has front and interior pockets to help organize your belongings. It comes in black or heather gray.
What you should consider: It’s fairly small, so it’s better for casual use than school or work.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona 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://cw39.com/reviews/br/fashion-accessories-br/backpacks-br/best-puma-backpack/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:09 | en | 0.928616 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267384 | 2022-08-02T22:00:11 | en | 0.738227 |
Washington (AP) — The number of people living in America without health insurance coverage hit an all-time low of 8 percent this year, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced Tuesday.
“Every American has the right to the peace of mind that comes with access to affordable, quality health care,” President Joe Biden said in a statement Tuesday about the record-low rate of uninsured Americans.
The findings come days after Democrats hammered out a 725-page climate, health care and tax deal that would extend generous federal subsidies for people who buy private health insurance that are credited with driving down the uninsured rates. Democrats have proposed spending $64 billion to extend those price breaks for three more years.
The drop in uninsured Americans began last year, when Congress and Biden signed off on a $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief bill that lowered premiums and out-of-pocket costs for new or returning customers purchasing plans through the Affordable Care Act’s private health insurance markets.
The uninsured rate fell to just under 9 percent last year with the improved subsidies. The Biden administration also began to step up advertising and increased the number of counselors who helped sign up people for plans during the open enrollment season last year.
Prior to last year, the uninsured rate had consistently remained in the double digits for decades. The number of uninsured Americans began dropping after the ACA, which expanded Medicaid and offers health insurance to people who lack job-based coverage through a mix of subsidized private plans, was enacted in 2010.
Roughly 26 million people remain without health insurance in the U.S. Just under 2 percent of children are now uninsured.
“We know that access to quality, affordable health care is key to healthier lives, economic security, and peace of mind,” HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra said in a statement Tuesday. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Number-of-uninsured-Americans-drops-to-record-low-17346549.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:13 | en | 0.965471 |
WFO MEDFORD Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 2, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE...CORRECTED
National Weather Service Medford OR
148 PM PDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING
FOR ABUNDANT LIGHTNING ON DRY FUELS FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES 280...
281...282...284...285...617...620...621...622...623...624 AND 625...
* Impacts: Abundant lightning on critically dry vegetation is
likely to result in numerous new fire starts through this
evening that could overwhelm firefighting resources. Gusty
thunderstorm outflow wind gusts of 30 to 60 mph will contribute
to fire spread in some areas. In other areas, locally heavy,
wetting rainfall is likely to limit or prevent fire spread, but
numerous holdover fires will be possible.
* Affected area:
In Northern CA, all of Fire Zones...280...281...282...284...285.
In South Central OR, all of Fire Zones...624...625.
In Southwest OR, all of Fire Zones...617...620...621...622...623.
* View the hazard area in detail at:
https://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mfr/HAZARD
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-MEDFORD-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17346411.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:14 | en | 0.799912 |
Separating myths from medical facts
There are probably a lot of things that you do simply because that is how you’ve always done them. You might have overheard something and believed it was true or learned something erroneously that has worked its way into your daily routine. It might involve drinking water, wearing sunscreen or adopting some trendy routine that seems perfectly logical in practice.
However, if you take a minute to consider if the things you are doing habitually are really helping you, you might discover they aren’t necessary at all. We asked our medical expert, Dr. Michael Huynh, M.D., about four common practices to see if they were myths or facts.
What is oil pulling and does it help?
Oil pulling is the practice of using certain natural oils, such as coconut oil, as a way to achieve and maintain good oral hygiene. More conservative claims say the oil can kill the bacteria in your mouth, making you less prone to bad breath and cavities. More radical claims suggest the practice can cure chronic diseases, such as allergies.
When asked about oil pulling, Dr. Huynh stated, “It actually does not do any good to the teeth. And it may cause erosion of the enamel.” He suggested that if you want to try it, add it to your dental routine. Do not use it as a replacement for brushing.
The American Dental Association’s (ADA’s) stance on the benefits of oil pulling is similar: “Currently, there are no reliable scientific studies to show that oil pulling reduces cavities, whitens teeth or improves oral health and well-being. Based on the lack of scientific evidence, the American Dental Association does not recommend oil pulling as a dental hygiene practice.”
Dr. Huynh explained why it is so important to take care of your teeth. “The mouth has so much bacteria in it. But it’s OK because everything is set up in a way that you are protected from that bacteria. However, once any bit of the barrier is broken, like the enamel of the tooth, bacteria has a channel that can lead to the rest of the body.”
In short, if an infection in the mouth travels deeper to reach the root canal, it can spread throughout the body and travel to places you really don’t want it to go, such as the heart. So proper dental hygiene is extremely important to overall health.
Who needs to wear sunscreen?
People know from experience that they don’t tend to burn as much after getting a tan. This leads them to believe that a tan, or a darker skin tone, will protect them from the sun. Unfortunately, this is not the case.
“No matter what your skin tone, everyone should wear sunscreen,” Dr. Huynh advised. “It protects against UV rays, which you cannot see. If your skin tone is light, you definitely need to wear sunscreen because you don’t produce something called melanin, which is pigmentation that absorbs some of the UV rays. If you are a darker tone, you should still wear sunscreen because you are still at risk for skin cancer.”
He continued, stating that before you leave the house, you should apply sunscreen on the exposed parts of your body, especially your face, neck and arms if you are wearing a short sleeve shirt. “Even though UV rays are invisible, they can cause damage that can lead to a lot of cancers that you can’t really cure in the future.”
Are multivitamins necessary?
The common belief is everyone needs multivitamins to promote stronger health. Dr. Huynh, on the other hand, said it is “very person dependent.”
If you eat a well-balanced diet, you can get your vitamins and minerals through food sources, such as vegetables, meats and fruits. So, there may not be a need for you to take a multivitamin.
Dr. Huynh offered, “If you think you are lacking certain vitamins, it’s OK to take a multivitamin. Even if you aren’t lacking certain vitamins, there is still no harm with most vitamins you take in excess because you can just pee them right out if you take too much. In my opinion, it’s OK to take multivitamins, but it might not be necessary. Especially if you’re a healthy person with a good diet.”
Dr Huynh warned, however, that not all vitamins are water soluble. Vitamins A, D, E, and K are fat-soluble vitamins. This means they linger in your body and can cause complications if they build up. When you take a multivitamin, there are usually not enough fat-soluble vitamins to cause a problem. But if you take a standalone vitamin, you can get yourself into trouble.
How much water do we really need?
It’s easy to remember the phrase drink eight 8-ounce glasses of water each day. So easy that it caught on and became more than a mantra. Drinking water became a lifestyle. People walk around with a bottle of water in hand, feeling the constant pressure to get that 64 ounces of water down before bedtime.
But according to Dr. Huynh, “There is no real rule to how much water you should drink. You should drink when you feel like you are thirsty because your body has very good regulators that tell you when you need water.”
The truth is, drinking too much water can be harmful to the body. It can cause a fluid imbalance and dilute the electrolytes in your system. But we’re talking excessive drinking, not just an extra glass or two. Conversely, too little fluid can cause problems as well. So you should listen to your body and drink when it tells you to.
If you want to get a little more scientific about it, Dr. Huynh says the best way to gauge if you’re drinking the right amount of water is to get weighed every day at approximately the same time. Ideally, this time would be in the morning, before breakfast. If there are dramatic changes in your weight from day to day, that is an indicator that you are either getting too much water or not enough water each day.
Products to help you live a better life
Oral-B Genius X Electric Toothbrush
If you want to clean your teeth the way dentists recommend, that means brushing. The Oral-B Genius is a smart toothbrush that recognizes your brushing style and coaches you on how to clean all portions of your mouth equally. Purchase includes a rechargeable handle, three brush heads, a charger and a travel case.
Sold by Amazon
Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser
Flossing should also be part of your daily dental hygiene routine. This water flosser has 10 settings, including a massage mode for gum stimulation. The built-in timer helps you keep track of flossing time.
Sold by Amazon
Supergoop! Play Everyday Lotion SPF
When you go outside, don’t forget your sunscreen. This option offers broad-spectrum protection for the face and body. It is enriched with rosemary, sunflower and rice antioxidants, and formulated to help keep the skin from dehydrating.
Sun Bum Original Scent SPF 30 Sunscreen Lotion
Sun Bum is another popular sunscreen that can help keep your skin protected and moisturized. It delivers broad-spectrum protection and is fortified with vitamin E. It is formulated to be hypoallergenic, vegan and reef-friendly.
Brita Large 10-Cup Grand Water Pitcher with Filter
When your body tells you it is thirsty, you want to have clean water to drink. This pitcher can filter out mercury, copper, zinc and cadmium, while reducing chlorine taste and odor. The long-lasting filters mean you only need to change them after approximately two months.
Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — The mother and father of a 6-year-old eastern Indiana boy who fatally shot his 5-year-old sister in their home were each charged Tuesday with four counts of neglect, a prosecutor said.
If convicted of the most serious charge — level one felony neglect of a dependent resulting in death — Jacob Grayson, 28, and his 27-year-old wife, Kimberly Grayson, could each face 20–40 years in prison and fines of up to $10,000.
The Graysons were formally charged in Delaware Circuit Court, Delaware County Prosecutor Eric Hoffman said in a statement. Online court records did not list attorneys who could comment on their behalf.
First responders discovered the girl with a gunshot wound to her head on the afternoon of July 26 at the home in Muncie, 60 miles (100 kilometers) northeast of Indianapolis. She was taken to IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital, where she was pronounced dead.
The boy said he went to a safe in his parents' bedroom while his mother was napping, turned a key to unlock the safe and accidentally shot his sister while playing with the gun, Muncie Police Officer Andrew Sell said in an affidavit.
Jacob Grayson said his son had accessed the safe previously and that he had taken the boy to a shooting range and showed him how to shoot a gun, Sell wrote.
“The living conditions in the home were deplorable. There was food, trash, animal feces, and furniture strewn throughout the house. The children's beds were mattresses on the floor with no sheets or blankets. Both mattresses had various stains on them. The walls of the home appeared to have feces smeared on them in multiple places," Sell said. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Parents-of-boy-who-fatally-shot-sister-charged-17346576.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:19 | en | 0.990557 |
WFO SAN DIEGO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 3, 2022
_____
BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service San Diego CA
155 PM PDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT REMAINS IN EFFECT THROUGH WEDNESDAY
AFTERNOON...
* WHAT...Elevated surf of 4 to 6 feet with sets to 7 feet.
* WHERE...Orange County Coastal Areas and San Diego County
Coastal Areas. Highest surf on exposed south facing beaches.
* WHEN...Through Wednesday afternoon.
* IMPACTS...Elevated surf and strong rip and longshore currents
will create dangerous swimming conditions.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Remain out of the water to avoid hazardous swimming conditions.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SAN-DIEGO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17346434.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:20 | en | 0.812624 |
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What is the best Airborne supplement?
The human immune system is complex but effective. It stands guard against bacteria, viruses and parasites, and then launches a counterattack if one of those foreigners invade the body. The immune system can become comprised due to age, poor nutrition and illness. Dietary supplements that strengthen the immune system are popular and plentiful.
Manufactured by Schiff Vitamins, Airborne is one of the leading brands of immune system supplements. Available in gummies, effervescent tablets and chewables, Airborne manufactures a variety of supplements that combine vitamins, minerals and herbs to fortify your body’s defenses and minimize the impact of an illness once it starts. For its comprehensive formula and proven track record, the best Airborne supplement is the Airborne Fruit-Flavored Gummies.
What to know before you buy an Airborne supplement
There are two types of immune responses
When it comes to fighting off illness, the body has two ways to protect itself. The initial defense is called innate immunity, which provides a protective barrier against microbes trying to enter the body. Our skin, stomach acid, sweat and mucus all form the front line of defense.
But if germs break through the innate barriers, our acquired immunity activates by making antibodies that multiply our immune cells to attack the specific microbe that has invaded. Airborne supplements are designed to strengthen both immune responses.
Supplements aren’t the only natural defense
While immune system supplements can assist the body’s response, they need to complement other healthy habits like a nutritious diet, exercise, restful sleep and maintaining a healthy weight. Chronic health conditions also can wear down the immune system. Supplements need to be a supportive strategy, not the primary one.
No supplement can cure the common cold
Airborne supplements are meant to boost your immune system’s strength, but they are not curative of any illness, including the common cold. If you develop cold symptoms, Airborne products may help your system fight off a cold’s duration, but the supplement will not cure you of the cold since no scientifically proven cure exists.
What to look for in an Airborne supplement
Vitamins and herbal blend
The majority of Airborne products contain a blend of vitamins A, C and E, plus minerals like selenium, zinc and manganese. They also include herbal extracts of echinacea, ginger, Japanese catnip, forsythia and isatis root.
These individual ingredients have been shown to have immune-strengthening properties when studied separately.
Delivery forms
Airborne supplements are manufactured in three different delivery methods.
- Gummies and chewables are simple to take and break down with your saliva for easy swallowing.
- Effervescents are a powdered form of the supplement that dissolves in water for a tasty drink that both hydrates and protects.
Elderberry
Airborne manufactures several products that feature elderberry along with other vitamins and minerals. Elderberry is full of natural antioxidants that have anti-inflammatory properties and are believed to aid the immune system in fighting colds and other illnesses.
Children’s supplements
Airborne Kids is the children’s supplements brand, which includes age-appropriate doses of each vitamin and herb. These are gluten-free and available in fruity flavors.
How much you can expect to spend on an Airborne supplement
Airborne supplements cost between $8-$20 per container. The price varies based on the number of doses per bottle or box. Some containers have enough supplement for two weeks, while others have a month’s worth of Airborne.
- Chewable tablets are the least expensive per dose, costing around $0.20 per serving.
- Gummies cost between $0.30-$0.35 per serving.
- Effervescents typically run between $0.70-$0.75 per serving.
Airborne supplement FAQ
Are Airborne supplements approved by the Food and Drug Administration?
A. Like the majority of over the counter nutritional supplements, Airborne is sold as a dietary supplement, not a drug. This means it can be marketed without review or testing to prove its remedial claims. The Food and Drug Administration does not confirm its immune support claims without scientifically backed research, of which there is none.
How does zinc fight colds?
A. One of the key ingredients in Airborne products is zinc. According to the Mayo Clinic, zinc may help keep the virus that causes most colds, the rhinovirus, from multiplying. Zinc also may keep the rhinovirus from lodging in mucous membranes. Zinc is found in most immune supporting supplements.
What are other sources of vitamin C?
A. Fresh fruit is loaded with vitamin C, but many fresh vegetables also have high levels of vitamin C. Broccoli, potatoes, cabbage, red peppers and green peppers are excellent sources of this important vitamin.
What is the best Airborne supplement to buy?
Top Airborne supplement
Airborne Fruit Flavored Gummies
What you need to know: The original formula offers the proprietary herbal blend with vitamins C and E, zinc and selenium.
What you’ll love: There are 750 milligrams of vitamin C to serve as a foundation. They come in the easy-to-chew gummy form that has bold fruity flavors. These are the gummies that launched Airborne’s popularity.
What you should consider: The gummies can melt if exposed to direct sunlight for an extended time.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and iHerb
Top Airborne supplement for the money
Airborne Elderberry Effervescent Tablets
What you need to know: These packets dissolve quickly in water and include the popular elderberry extract.
What you’ll love: The effervescent tablets are a convenient way to take the supplement. They are sugar-free and gluten-free. They feature 50 milligrams of elderberry extract in addition to the vitamins and herbal blend with ginger and echinacea.
What you should consider: Some users had an aftertaste when done drinking the supplement.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and iHerb
Worth checking out
Airborne Kids Assorted Flavor Immune Support Gummies
What you need to know: The popular Airborne gummies are made with doses appropriate for children and come in great flavors.
What you’ll love: These gummies feature the proprietary herbal blend and 500 milligrams of vitamin C. They have tasty fruit flavors that children love. The standard container has 3 weeks’ worth of gummies.
What you should consider: A few users found the gummies hard to chew.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw39.com/reviews/br/health-wellness-br/vitamins-br/best-airborne-supplement/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:23 | en | 0.932558 |
WFO BUFFALO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 2, 2022
_____
BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Buffalo NY
412 PM EDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT IS CANCELLED...
Waves will continue to subside this evening.
...BEACH HAZARDS STATEMENT NOW IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM EDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Strong currents and dangerous swimming conditions.
* WHERE...Beaches of Wayne, Northern Cayuga, and Oswego counties.
* WHEN...Until 11 PM EDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Strong currents and dangerous swimming conditions.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Stay out of the water to avoid dangerous swimming conditions.
* WHERE...Beaches of Jefferson county.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/NY-WFO-BUFFALO-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17346289.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:26 | en | 0.821948 |
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What are the best garage storage shelves?
Over time, your garage can become a drop zone for everything without a designated place. Overrun with boxes, sporting goods, yard equipment, paint and camping gear, your cars may sit outside because there is no room left.
Garage storage shelves offer a simple, proven way to organize your garage and restore order. There are several styles, sizes and materials to start the decluttering process. For its 2,500-pound capacity and steel construction, the best garage storage shelves are the Husky Industrial Welded Steel Garage Shelving Unit.
What to know before you buy garage storage shelves
What are the kinds of garage storage shelves?
There are three types of garage storage shelves.
- Wall-mounted shelves are the strongest and provide the most weight-bearing capacity. They are attached directly to the wall studs using heavy-duty brackets. Once installed, they are not easily moved.
- Ceiling-mounted shelves are attached to the ceiling joists and provide above-ground storage out of the way of cars and other activity below. They also keep items protected from water damage. They are excellent for bulky seasonal items that get used occasionally.
- Freestanding shelves are easy to assemble and move as your space needs change. They come in a variety of colors and materials but typically hold less weight than wall- or ceiling-mounted units.
What are garage shelves made from?
- Metal is the strongest material, used for all types of shelving to provide long-term corrosion-resistance and support maximum weight. They are more expensive and heavier than other materials.
- Plastic or resin shelves are popular for freestanding units. They are inexpensive and easy to move around. Review the manufacturer’s weight limits, as the plastic is strong but can buckle under too much tension.
- Wooden shelves are most common for do-it-yourself projects. Wooden shelves are less expensive and easy to customize. Make sure to use hardwoods such as oak or maple — soft wood such as pine can easily bend under too much weight.
Are garage shelves challenging to install?
Some freestanding shelves are easy to assemble without any tools or a small supply of hand tools. Wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted units may require power tools and the assistance of another person. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions based on your skill level.
What to look for in quality garage storage shelves
Casters and adjustable feet
Not all garage floors are level. Freestanding shelves may wobble if their bottom feet aren’t flush with the ground. Look for models with adjustable feet that can be raised or lowered to make a level connection.
There are also shelves with lockable casters that let you wheel them to a new location and then secure them in place. Always empty shelves before attempting to move them.
Coating
Metal shelves come with a corrosion-protective coating. This coating is a thermoplastic powder or chrome-plated covering that extends the shelves’ life. Black epoxy is also popular, since black shelves blend well with most backdrops.
Document protector
Owners manuals, technical drawings, receipts and other important papers can be stored in a document protector. This laminated cover hangs on the side of the shelving for easy access and keeps your documents free from water, dust and wrinkling.
How much you can expect to spend on garage storage shelves
Inexpensive shelves cost $25-$100; these include basic freestanding units made from plastic or fiberboard with two to four shelves. Medium-priced shelves run $100-$250. Metal freestanding shelves and ceiling-mounted shelves in this range have higher weight capacity and durability. Expensive shelves, which include wall-mounted and ceiling-mounted shelves with longer and taller sections for the biggest storage projects, are $250-$600.
Garage storage shelves FAQ
What if I have dangerous chemicals that I want restricted?
A. Consider a safety cabinet for your shelves if you have hazardous items you want to keep out of sight and out of reach. Some shelves come with a doored section for closing off items, but they don’t typically lock.
Do garage storage shelves have a warranty?
A. Most shelves have a lifetime limited warranty. You may need to register your product online for it to be activated. Read the manufacturer’s information for details of your warranty’s length and provisions.
What are the best garage storage shelves to buy?
Top garage storage shelves
Husky Industrial Welded Steel Garage Shelving Unit
What you need to know: This heavy-duty shelving can support up to 2,500 pounds on each shelf for anything you may need to stow.
What you’ll love: Made from powder-coated steel, this unit is over 6 feet tall and 6 feet wide. The shelves are adjustable in 3-inch increments. It assembles easily and comes with a lifetime warranty.
What you should consider: Reviewers had some concerns about the wire end shelves not having cross supports for greater strength.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
Top garage storage shelves for the money
Amazon Basics Four-Shelf Adjustable Heavy-Duty Storage Shelving Unit
What you need to know: For smaller garages with sports equipment and lawn tools, these affordable shelves are perfect for decluttering.
What you’ll love: They comes in sets of three, four or five 3-foot shelves. Made from black-coated steel, each shelf holds a maximum of 350 pounds. It is adjustable in 1-inch increments and requires no tools for assembly.
What you should consider: Some customers reported difficulty assembling the shelves due to awkward positioning of the connectors.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Fleximounts Adjustable Height Overhead Garage Storage Rack
What you need to know: This sturdy storage rack is kept high above the garage activity to keep seasonal items dry and safe.
What you’ll love: Providing up to 105 cubic feet of storage, this overhead rack is 8 feet long and 4 feet wide. It can be lowered between 22 to 40 inches. It must be used with wood studs or concrete walls. Steel construction holds up to 600 pounds.
What you should consider: Installation requires more than one person.
Where to buy: Sold by Home Depot and Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw39.com/reviews/br/home-br/storage-organization-br/best-garage-storage-shelves/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:29 | en | 0.944619 |
WFO HOUSTON/GALVESTON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, August 2, 2022
_____
RIP CURRENT STATEMENT
Coastal Hazard Message
National Weather Service Houston/Galveston TX
302 PM CDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 8 PM CDT THIS
EVENING...
* WHAT...Dangerous rip currents.
* WHERE...Matagorda Islands, Brazoria Islands, Galveston Island
and Bolivar Peninsula Counties.
* WHEN...Until 8 PM CDT this evening.
* IMPACTS...Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away
from shore into deeper water.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Swim near a lifeguard. If caught in a rip current, relax and
float. Don't swim against the current. If able, swim in a
direction following the shoreline. If unable to escape, face the
shore and call or wave for help.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/TX-WFO-HOUSTON-GALVESTON-Warnings-Watches-and-17346288.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:33 | en | 0.848042 |
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ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — The polio virus was detected in wastewater samples from the suburban county near New York City where an unvaccinated adult recently contracted the life-threatening disease, but health officials said Tuesday they have not identified any additional cases.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the presence of the virus was detected in wastewater samples collected in early June from Rockland County, where officials on July 21 announced the first case of polio in the United States in nearly a decade.
The unidentified young adult had a strain of the virus that has since been genetically linked to samples found in Rockland County wastewater, as well to samples in London and the Jerusalem area.
The CDC said in a prepared statement said that the New York wastewater sample shows there may be more people in the community shedding the virus.
“However, it’s important to note that we don’t have enough information at this time to determine if the virus is actively spreading in New York or elsewhere in the U.S., and no additional cases have been identified,” according to the CDC.
Health officials have said the patient had acquired a “vaccine-derived” strain of the virus, meaning it probably originated in someone who had been inoculated with a live vaccine — available in other countries, but not the U.S. In rare instances, people given the live virus can spread it to other people who haven't been vaccinated.
New York health officials said they could not conclusively say whether the Rockland County samples came from the patient, who developed symptoms in June.
As to the wider implications, the Global Polio Eradication Initiative said in a statement Friday that genetic and epidemiological investigations are attempting “to determine possible spread of the virus and potential risk associated with these various isolates detected from different locations around the world.”
Polio, once one of the nation’s most feared diseases, was declared eliminated in the United States in 1979, more than two decades after vaccines became available.
Its discovery in the populous suburbs north of New York City prompted a local vaccination drive.
“Given how quickly polio can spread, now is the time for every adult, parent, and guardian to get themselves and their children vaccinated as soon as possible,” said New York State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary T. Bassett. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Polio-virus-found-in-New-York-wastewater-but-no-17346357.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:33 | en | 0.968401 |
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Which Thermos beverage container is best?
So popular that its brand name is now a generic term for any vacuum bottle, a Thermos beverage container is the obvious first choice for keeping drinks hot or cold. Durable and reliable, they’re great for all kinds of liquids, retaining their temperature all day.
Before choosing a Thermos, first consider what you need from a beverage container. Do you want to keep drinks hot or cold? What capacity do you require? If you’re looking for a large flask for hot and cold drinks, the Thermos Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Beverage Bottle is ideal.
What to know before you buy a Thermos beverage container
Temperature retention
A Thermos doesn’t heat or chill its contents. Instead, it retains the temperature of whatever liquid you put inside. So, it keeps cold drinks cool and hot drinks warm. Most work for hot and cold drinks, but some are suitable for cold drinks only.
- Hot and cold drinks: Whether you want to take hot coffee to the park on a cold day or have refreshingly chilled lemonade all day, a Thermos that keeps drinks hot and cold is ideal.
- Cold drinks only: Thermos makes a handful of containers that are only designed to keep cold drinks cool. They’re usually aimed at kids for school or days out.
Capacity
The smallest Thermoses hold around 12 ounces, while the largest can hold up to 68 ounces.
- Small: Small Thermoses of around 12 to 20 ounces are great for use as a water bottle, for kids or for carrying a single large tea or coffee.
- Medium: Mid-sized containers can hold around 24 to 36 ounces. They’re ideal if you want to get a few drinks from your Thermos but don’t want to carry anything too bulky.
- Large: With 40- to 68-ounce capacities, these Thermos flasks are big enough for a crowd or to provide you with hot drinks all day. They’re popular for camping trips and with people who work outdoors.
What to look for in a quality Thermos beverage container
Materials
While Thermos containers used to have glass inserts, they’re now primarily made from stainless steel, with plastic stoppers and occasionally plastic lids. This makes them significantly more durable than old-style vacuum flasks.
Leak-proof
The last thing you want is your Thermos leaking into your bag or all over the passenger seat of your car. Most are completely leak-proof, as long as you close the lid properly, so there’s no need to worry about making a mess.
Drinking cup
Some flasks come with a lid that doubles as a drinking cup. Occasionally, they even have double-stacked lids to act as two cups. This saves you from carrying around a mug or glass for drinking.
Sweat-proof exterior
Due to the vacuum insulation, Thermos containers are sweat-proof, so you don’t get annoying condensation on the exterior when you put cold liquids inside.
Cool-touch exterior
For the same reason they don’t sweat, these containers remain cool to the touch, no matter how hot the liquid inside is.
Color
You can find Thermoses in a wide range of colors. Those made for kids even feature popular cartoons, movies and video game characters.
How much you can expect to spend on a Thermos beverage container
Small cold-only containers start at around $10-$15, while the largest hot-and-cold versions cost roughly $35-$45.
Thermos beverage container FAQ
Is drinking from stainless steel harmful?
A. Thermoses are made using food-grade stainless steel, which is completely safe at all temperatures. It doesn’t leach any chemicals into your drink and is easy to clean, so it won’t hold onto particles of old drinks that affect the taste of your beverages. It’s also not a good environment for mold or mildew to develop, so you shouldn’t have any issues with them in your container.
Are Thermos flasks dishwasher-safe?
A. Some are dishwasher-safe, but others aren’t, so check the manual before you clean yours this way. Those that can go in the dishwasher should usually go on the top rack, where they’ll get a more gentle clean. That said, you may find your container stays in better condition for longer if you wash it by hand. You can use a bottle brush to more effectively clean the interior.
What’s the best Thermos beverage container to buy?
Top Thermos beverage container
Thermos Stainless King Vacuum-Insulated Beverage Bottle
What you need to know: Thanks to its large capacity, this container can keep you in hot or cold drinks all day.
What you’ll love: The twist-and-pour stopper lets you pour drinks without removing the stopper completely. The stopper is leak-proof, and the lid doubles as a drinking cup. It’s dishwasher-safe on the top rack. It comes in 40-ounce and 68-ounce versions.
What you should consider: It has very few flaws, although a small number of buyers report receiving their flask dented slightly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top Thermos beverage container for the money
Thermos Funtainer Vacuum-Insulated Kids’ Straw Bottle
What you need to know: This compact 12-ounce bottle with built-in drinking straw is perfect for kids.
What you’ll love: It’s great for kids because it’s easy to carry and open. It comes in numerous colors and designs, including Pokemon and Super Mario versions. It keeps drinks cool for up to 12 hours.
What you should consider: It isn’t suitable for hot beverages.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Worth checking out
Thermos the Rock Vacuum-Insulated Beverage Bottle
What you need to know: Large and rugged, this flask holds 44 ounces and feels solidly made.
What you’ll love: It has a durable handle with a non-slip grip. It keeps hot drinks warm for 12 hours and cold drinks cool for 24 hours. It comes with a lid that you can use as a drinking cup.
What you should consider: The inside of the cup is plastic, which some people would rather not drink from directly.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2022 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://cw39.com/reviews/br/kitchen-br/coffee-accessories-br/best-thermos-beverage-container/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:36 | en | 0.927431 |
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WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill enhancing health care and disability benefits for millions of veterans exposed to toxic burn pits is expected to win final approval in the Senate on Tuesday, ending a brief stalemate over the measure that had infuriated advocates and inspired some to camp outside the Capitol.
President Joe Biden has pushed for the legislation, saying the measure “makes good on our sacred obligation" to care for veterans and their families.
The Senate overwhelmingly approved the legislation once before, but it required a do-over for a technical fix. But the process derailed when Republicans made a late attempt to change another aspect of the bill last week and blocked it from advancing. The abrupt delay outraged veterans groups and advocates, including comedian Jon Stewart. It also placed GOP senators in the uncomfortable position of delaying the top legislative priority of service organizations this session of Congress.
A group of veterans and their families have been camping out at the Capitol since that vote. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said he had good news for them, announcing a final vote for Tuesday evening.
“Veterans who were exposed to the toxic fumes of burn pits will be treated by the VA like they should have been from the beginning," Schumer said.
Some Democrats have questioned whether Republicans blocked the bill for spite, after an announcement just hours earlier that key Democrats had agreed on a way forward on a health, energy and tax bill that Republicans oppose and may be unable to stop.
“Wait a minute. You’re not going to help our veterans because we want to lower the cost of prescription drugs, because we want to lower the cost of health care, because we want to protect the planet? Of course you don’t agree with any of those things, but would you use that to vote against our veterans?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said at a press conference last week. “It’s really immoral, almost criminal.”
Republican senators rejected that charge and said the changes they seek would not affect spending for veterans in the bill.
The bill contains two major components for veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. Veterans who served near burn pits will get 10 years — rather than five — of enhanced health care coverage through the Department of Veterans Affairs upon their separation from the military.
Second, the legislation directs the VA to presume that certain respiratory illnesses and cancers were related to burn pit exposure, allowing veterans to obtain disability payments to compensate for their injury without having to prove the illness was a result of their service.
Roughly 70% of disability claims related to burn pit exposure are denied by the VA due to lack of evidence, scientific data and information from the Defense Department.
The military used burn pits to dispose of such things as chemicals, cans, tires, plastics and medical and human waste.
Hundreds of thousands of Vietnam War era veterans and survivors also stand to benefit from the legislation. The bill adds hypertension, or high blood pressure, as a presumptive disease associated with Agent Orange exposure. The Congressional Budget Office projected that about 600,000 of 1.6 million living Vietnam vets would be eligible for increased compensation, though only about half would have a severe enough diagnoses to warrant more compensation.
Also, veterans who served in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Guam, American Samoa and Johnston Atoll will be presumed to have been exposed to Agent Orange. That's another 50,000 veterans and survivors of deceased veterans who would get compensation for illnesses presumed to have been caused by their exposure to the herbicide, the CBO projected.
The bill is projected to increase federal deficits by about $277 billion over 10 years and does not include offsetting spending cuts or tax increases to help pay for it.
When the CBO scored the bill, it projected that nearly $400 billion spent on VA services would take place as mandatory spending rather than discretionary spending. The Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, a nonpartisan fiscal watchdog, said a reclassification to mandatory would “both reduce the pressure to keep those costs under control and make it easier for appropriators to spend more elsewhere in the budget without offsets.”
Sen. Pat Toomey, R-Pa., is seeking a vote for an amendment that he said would not change the spending slated for veterans programs, but how the government accounts for that spending.
However, the dynamics Toomey has spoken about also applied to the bill when the Senate voted on it in June. Senators then voted for the measure by a resounding vote of 84-14, raising questions about why Republicans voted against advancing the do-over effort last week.
Advocacy groups for veterans, a key voting bloc in the upcoming midterm elections, were furious and ramped up the political pressure on lawmakers to act.
At a Capitol Hill news conference the day after last week’s procedural vote, speakers used terms such as “villains” and “reprehensible” to describe the Republican senators who voted against advancing the measure last week but voted for almost the exact same bill in June.
“Veterans are angry and confused at the sudden change from those they thought had their backs,” said Cory Titus of the group Military Officers Association of America.
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., said the veterans camped out at the Capitol are exhausted and want to go home.
“But they will not. They will not go home until the job is done," Gillibrand said. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Senate-tees-up-vote-on-bill-to-aid-vets-exposed-17346416.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:40 | en | 0.965336 |
DADEVILLE, Ala. (AP) — A 12-year-old girl held captive in a rural Alabama residence escaped and was discovered walking along a road, prompting an investigation that led police to discover two decomposing bodies at the home where she had been kept, authorities said Tuesday.
José Paulino Pascual-Reyes, 37, was jailed on a kidnapping count, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett told a news conference. District Attorney Jeremy Duerr said “multiple” additional capital murder charges were likely.
A motorist driving through a rural residential area spotted a child on the road on Monday morning and stopped, authorities said. Court records indicate the child had been drugged and bound but managed to escape, WSFA-TV reported.
The driver picked up the girl and called 911, prompting an investigation and search that led to police officers finding two decomposing bodies inside the residence where Pascual-Reyes lived and the girl was believed to be held, Abbett said. Other people lived at the residence, but no one else was there when police arrived, he said.
The man was arrested in Auburn, Abbett said. It wasn't clear what information the girl might have provided to authorities, but Abbett called her a hero.
Police didn't immediately release the names of the dead people or a cause of death, and court records didn't include the name of a defense lawyer who could speak on behalf of Pascual-Reyes.
Authorities didn't release any information about the girl, including whether she had any relationship to the suspect. She hadn't been reported missing, the sheriff said.
"We gave her medical attention,’’ Abbett said. “She is safe now, and so we want to keep her that way.” | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Sheriff-Captive-girl-escapes-home-police-find-2-17346430.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:41 | en | 0.983954 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267854 | 2022-08-02T22:00:41 | en | 0.738227 |
Which small greenhouse for yards is best?
When you’re ready to step your green thumb up a notch, you need to get a greenhouse. Greenhouses let you care for plants outside their normal seasons and even outside your climate. Most greenhouses are big affairs that won’t fit in the average yard, but rest assured there are great options for those with less space.
The best small greenhouse for yards is the SV Scool Value Small Greenhouse. It’s just large enough to stand in and has shelves to maximize its available space.
What to know before you buy a small greenhouse for yards
Small greenhouse for yard types
There are four types of greenhouses with three being meant for small yards.
- Miniature greenhouses are the smallest and cost the least. They’re perfect if you have extremely limited space or don’t have many plants to grow. However, they aren’t sturdy and tend not to last longer than a year or two.
- Starter greenhouses are big enough to step inside but don’t take up enough space to be restrictive. They use glass as a cover for maximum heat retention and durability, but this also gives them a high cost. They’re best for serious gardeners.
- Portable greenhouses are essentially starters but portable. They use plastic instead of glass, which makes them easy to move or set up and take down as you need. They also cost less. However, they aren’t as effective at retaining heat and they’re less durable.
- Grower greenhouses are starters on the largest scale, meaning they don’t fall into the “small” category. They’re meant for near commercial-grade use.
Size and shape
Yards come in all sizes and shapes. Greenhouses do the same.
- Size should be a happy medium between how much space you have and how much space you need. Miniature greenhouses can be so small they only had a handful of pots. Starter and portable ones can be as large as 10 feet by 10 feet before they cross into grower territory.
- The most common shape of greenhouses is square or rectangle. There are also options with enough sides to be considered circular, but these cost more and don’t ventilate as well.
What to look for in a quality small greenhouse for yards
Covering material
Small greenhouses for yards are typically covered by glass or plastic.
- Glass: Most greenhouses use horticulture glass, which doesn’t cost much but can break easily and is tough to clean. Better options use more durable safety glass, though it does cost more.
- Plastic: Greenhouses use a variety of plastics, such as polycarbonate, polyethylene and PVC. Polycarbonate is usually best thanks to its high durability and insulation, but it doesn’t let in as much light.
Frame material
Small greenhouse frames are typically aluminum or steel, but wood is also an option.
- Aluminum is most common due to its low cost and weight plus good durability.
- Steel is used in greenhouses on the larger side for its higher durability, but it does cost a little more.
- Wood is the most attractive, yet it has the lowest durability and highest cost.
How much you can expect to spend on a small greenhouse for yards
They can cost as little as $20 or as much as $500-plus. Miniature greenhouses typically cost $20-$100 while portable ones typically cost no more than $250. Starters typically cost no more than $500 before they start reaching sizes too large for the average yard.
Small greenhouse for yards FAQ
What’s the difference between diffused and clear glazing?
A. Clear glazing lets in direct light while diffused glass lets in even light. Clear glazing is best for starting plants that will be transferred outside when they’re old enough. Diffused glazing is best for plants that will never be taken out of the greenhouse.
Do I need to heat my greenhouse?
A. That depends on your climate and the climate you want to simulate. If you live in a cold weather climate and want to grow tropical plants, for example, you absolutely need some kind of heater.
Plan ahead when buying and assembling your greenhouse if you intend to heat it. Make sure it has the space to hold the heater you’ll be using and set it up near the heater’s energy source.
Are there legal restrictions on having a small greenhouse in my yard?
A. That depends on your local laws and especially on any restrictions your homeowner’s association may have. For legal restrictions, you shouldn’t need to worry unless the greenhouse requires permanent installation — something a small greenhouse is unlikely to need. For association restrictions, well, you just have to ask.
What’s the best small greenhouse for yards to buy?
Top small greenhouse for yards
SV Scool Value Small Greenhouse
What you need to know: This small greenhouse is good for potted plants and even starting trees.
What you’ll love: It’s 4.6 feet by 6.3 feet wide and tall and can be either 2.5 feet or 4.6 feet deep. The door rolls up and can be tied open or it zippers closed so you can maintain your desired atmosphere.
What you should consider: A few consumers found the tie-down pegs to be too thin and flimsy, choosing to replace them with thicker stakes.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Top small greenhouse for yards for the money
Gardman USA Mini Four-Tier Greenhouse
What you need to know: This shelving-only greenhouse is the right choice for those with little space to spare.
What you’ll love: It’s 2.25 feet by 1.5 feet by 5.25 feet with a metal frame and four metal shelves. The door rolls up and can be secured with ties or zippered closed. Metal stakes and guide ropes keep it standing even in fierce winds.
What you should consider: A few customers had issues with the zippers breaking. The covering is clear, not green as it’s displayed in the listing.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
Worth checking out
ShelterLogic 10-by-10-Foot Greenhouse-In-A-Box
What you need to know: This greenhouse is perfect for enthusiasts with extra yard space.
What you’ll love: It has roll-up side panels and half-moon screens so you can precisely control your ventilation. A heavy-duty steel frame and guide wire anchors keep it standing no matter the weather. The cover is waterproof, ultraviolet-treated and powder-coated for maximum longevity.
What you should consider: It’s large enough that you may run into legal or homeowner restrictions. It takes time, tools and an extra set of hands to set up.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon and Home Depot
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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://cw39.com/reviews/br/lawn-garden-br/greenhouses-br/best-small-greenhouse-for-yards/ | 2022-08-02T22:00:43 | en | 0.953675 |
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Wednesday, August 3, 2022
_____
RED FLAG WARNING
URGENT - FIRE WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
233 PM PDT Tue Aug 2 2022
...GUSTY WINDS AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY THROUGH WEDNESDAY...
.Winds will be breezy across the Kittitas Valley, the eastern
Columbia River Gorge, and the Lower Columbia Basin through
Wednesday. Winds in combination with low humidity will cause
rapid fire spread in dry grassy areas.
...RED FLAG WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM PDT WEDNESDAY
FOR WIND AND LOW RELATIVE HUMIDITY FOR FIRE WEATHER ZONES OR641,
WA690, AND WA691...
* AFFECTED AREA...Fire Weather Zones 641 Lower Columbia Basin of
Oregon, 690 Kittitas Valley and 691 Lower Columbia Basin.
* IMPACTS...The combination of gusty winds and low humidity will
create issues for fire control in dry grassy areas. Fires may
spread rapidly.
* WINDS...West 10 to 20 mph with gusts 30 to 40 mph, especially in
the Kittitas Valley.
* RELATIVE HUMIDITY...As low as 15 percent.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions
are either occurring now....or will shortly. A combination of
strong winds...low relative humidity...and warm temperatures can
contribute to extreme fire behavior.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.lakecountystar.com/weather/article/WA-WFO-PENDLETON-Warnings-Watches-and-Advisories-17346584.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:45 | en | 0.780271 |
HONDO, Texas (AP) — The Texas city near where 1 9 children and two teachers were shot dead in an elementary school classroom has rescinded a deal for a gun group’s fundraising event in a city-owned hall.
The Hondo City Council voted 4-1 Monday to rescind the rental agreement for the Friends of the NRA to hold its fundraiser Saturday at the city’s Medina Fair Hall.
The vote came after an angry crowd denounced the event, including a raffle of a semi-automatic rifle similar to one an 18-year-old gunman used in the May 24 shootings at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, 44 miles (70 kilometers) east of Hondo.
The group has held similar fundraisers in the hall for about 15 years and had leased the hall last spring, the San Antonio Express-News reported. Hondo is 33 miles (53 kilometers) west of San Antonio.
Supporters of the local National Rifle Association group asserted that the event helped teach young people how to handle firearms responsibly and that there was no disrespect toward the Robb Elementary dead intended. Others in the crowd Monday condemned the event and its timing.
“Us as parents deserve better than this. I mean, you can’t sit here and try to sell a rifle strikingly similar to the one that killed our children, you know, less than 60 days after they passed away,” said Angel Garza, stepfather of Amerie Jo Garza, who was among those killed.
___
For more AP coverage of the Uvalde school shooting: https://apnews.com/hub/uvalde-school-shooting
___
This story corrects the location of the council throughout from Uvalde to Hondo. | https://www.myjournalcourier.com/news/article/Texas-city-scene-of-school-shooting-revokes-gun-17346323.php | 2022-08-02T22:00:47 | en | 0.964466 |
You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. | https://sportspyder.com/nfl/new-england-patriots/articles/40267933 | 2022-08-02T22:00:47 | en | 0.738227 |
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