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Alyssia Lovato has been riding the city buses in Santa Fe on and off for several years now, but since taking in her two young nephews recently, she said it has become a necessity.
“They always ask to ride the bus now,” she said, adding they love going to places like the Santa Fe Botanical Garden.
But taking the bus is also necessary for Lovato to get to work each day since the battery in her car started having problems.
While the coronavirus pandemic and a shortage of bus drivers have led to reduced service for Santa Fe Trails, riders like Lovato who depend on the buses are hoping for a return to normal soon.
Lovato takes Route 6 to her job at La Fonda. The route is one of several that currently offers only on-demand service, meaning riders must call in to request a ride.
The longest she has waited for on-demand bus service has been about an hour, she said, as opposed to the regular service, which came every half-hour.
Of the 10 bus routes in the city, five were reduced from regular stops to on-demand service in 2021 because of the driver shortage.
The vacancy rate in the city’s transit division has remains among the highest in city government, along with other areas that have struggled to recruit like the Finance Department and Parks and Recreation. The vacancy rate for drivers in the division was just over 50% in recent weeks.
Currently, the division is down 31 drivers for fixed routes, out of a desired 56, and down seven drivers out of 18 for the wheelchair-accessible vans that pick up riders as part of the Santa Fe Ride program.
City officials point to ongoing recruitment efforts to hire drivers, such as a citywide 3% pay raises for all employees who make less than $100,000 per year.
Many of the city’s bus drivers, however, belong to the city employee union, the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 3999, which remains in contract negotiations with the city and has not approved the raise for members. While nonunion employees in the city began to get 3% raises beginning July 1, unionized employees will not receive the raises unless the union votes to approve them.
Transit Division Director Thomas Martinez said his staff would be recruiting drivers at two upcoming events in Santa Fe and would soon be hosting a “rapid-hire” event, which the department has held in years past along with other city departments looking to recruit.
The ongoing shortage of drivers also means longer hours for the current drivers.
Johhny Doubleday has worked as a driver for Santa Fe Trails for almost four years. He said the extra work — 20 hours of overtime per week typically — is taking its toll.
“At times I appreciate the overtime because it got me a place to rent, but it kind of burns you out when you’re working that many hours,” he said.
Bus drivers for Santa Fe Trails currently earn between $17 to $20 per hour.
Doubleday said while he has seen new drivers coming on in recent months, they have also lost some to retirement. He believes a pay increase could help to entice new recruits, but he said housing costs in Santa Fe make things harder.
“We really need some people,” he said. “We’re like a family there. ... You’ve just got to do what you’ve got to do.”
A “multimodal transition plan” adopted by city councilors in 2022 calls for expanding bus service to Santa Fe Regional Airport as well as expanding residential developments Tierra Contenta and Las Soleras. The planning document also recommends extended hours Saturdays and the implementation of flexible “microtransit” services in some parts of the city.
Driver Edward Montoya — who has worked in transit in Santa Fe for 17 years — said he believes the expansions are “absolutely” possible but only if the division can hire more drivers.
“We’re only serving a small part of the city,” he said. “We could be doing a lot more if we had the personnel.”
While he is driving his routes, Montoya said, he is “always recruiting,” asking riders to apply to become bus drivers if they have valid licenses and can pass a background check.
Montoya said many of his fellow drivers have grown frustrated with the union, as they watch their nonunion coworkers receive raises that started July 1. Several have been talking about jumping ship, he said.
Montoya said he currently works 45 hours per week but most of his fellow drivers work more than 50 hours per week, with schedules that run from early morning to past dinnertime.
Drivers working the on-demand routes work hard to deliver the service, too, he said, “zipping around town” to get residents to work in the morning where the services are not currently offered on a fixed route.
“Our guys are top notch,” he said. “We try our best to keep the wheels rolling.” | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-bus-services-not-up-to-full-speed-despite-big-recruiting-push/article_72328f90-19b4-11ee-a90b-676aaf16102b.html | 2023-07-31 21:51:06 | 1 | https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/local_news/santa-fe-bus-services-not-up-to-full-speed-despite-big-recruiting-push/article_72328f90-19b4-11ee-a90b-676aaf16102b.html |
NEW YORK, Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Juan Monteverde, founder and managing partner of the class action firm Monteverde & Associates PC (the "M&A Class Action Firm"), a national securities firm rated Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report and headquartered at the Empire State Building in New York City, is investigating Albireo Pharma, Inc. (NASDAQ: ALBO), relating to its proposed sale to Ipsen. Under the terms of the agreement, ALBO shareholders are expected to receive $42.00 in cash per share they own, plus one Contingent Value Right worth a deferred $10.00 per share. Click here for more information: https://www.monteverdelaw.com/case/albireo-pharma-inc. It is free and there is no cost or obligation to you.
We are a national class action securities litigation law firm that has recovered millions of dollars and is committed to protecting shareholders from corporate wrongdoing. We were listed in the Top 50 in the 2018-2021 ISS Securities Class Action Services Report. Our lawyers have significant experience litigating Mergers & Acquisitions and Securities Class Actions. Mr. Monteverde is recognized by Super Lawyers in 2013 and 2017-2019 as a Rising Star and in 2022 as a Super Lawyer in Securities Litigation. He has also been selected by Martindale-Hubbell as a 2017-2021 Top Rated Lawyer. Our firm's recent successes include changing the law in a significant victory that lowered the standard of liability under Section 14(e) of the Exchange Act in the Ninth Circuit. Thereafter, our firm successfully preserved this victory by obtaining dismissal of a writ of certiorari as improvidently granted at the United States Supreme Court. Emulex Corp. v. Varjabedian, 139 S. Ct. 1407 (2019). Also, we have recovered or secured over a dozen cash common funds for shareholders in mergers & acquisitions class action cases.
If you own common stock in ALBO and wish to obtain additional information and protect your investments free of charge, please visit our website or contact Juan E. Monteverde, Esq. either via e-mail at jmonteverde@monteverdelaw.com or by telephone at (212) 971-1341.
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The Empire State Building
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Tel: (212) 971-1341
Attorney Advertising. (C) 2023 Monteverde & Associates PC. The law firm responsible for this advertisement is Monteverde & Associates PC (www.monteverdelaw.com). Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome with respect to any future matter.
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SOURCE Monteverde & Associates PC | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/alert-mampa-class-action-firm-announces-investigation-albireo-pharma-inc-albo/ | 2023-01-10 03:25:42 | 1 | https://www.cleveland19.com/prnewswire/2023/01/10/alert-mampa-class-action-firm-announces-investigation-albireo-pharma-inc-albo/ |
PERTH, Australia, June 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Andrew and Nicola Forrest have given nearly A$5 billion more to their philanthropic foundation Minderoo, through a donation of 220 million Fortescue shares - one fifth of their shareholding.
This brings the Foundation's endowment to about A$7.6 billion and enables the substantial investment to be deployed for greater public benefit. It continues the Forrests' pledge to donate their material wealth – creating lasting change and the greatest possible good.
Minderoo Foundation will continue to grow its philanthropic work and be sustained for many decades to come, to help meet the huge challenges which society and humanity face. Minderoo's soon to be announced 2030 Strategy will enable the Foundation to deepen its focus and make a greater impact in the face of looming global challenges such as climate change and economic disruption.
''As our world faces enormous challenges, we have elected to continue to use our material wealth to help humanity and the environment meet these existential risks," Dr Andrew Forrest AO said.
"Accumulating wealth should only be a small part of a person. Their contribution to their family and society is way more important. Other skills such as carpentry, farming, the arts, working in construction, or for government are equally as important. If you happen to be good at accumulating wealth, then I believe in using that skill for the greater good.
"This is why we will continue to donate our wealth to causes where we can make a sustainable difference."
Nicola Forrest AO said the latest donation will directly result in real change for Minderoo's beneficiaries.
"These are tough times for many Australians, and of course for many people right around the world. I believe we all need to do what we can with what we have, so I am pleased that the transfer of these shares will escalate our efforts to help those who need it most," Mrs Forrest said.
"From the outset and over the past 22 years, we have remained focused on supporting families to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive and reach their full potential - as children are our future.
"This donation is a further expression of our unwavering passion to help and in conjunction with our new strategy, will see Minderoo provide more significant support in a focused manner, empower our partners to deliver change and ignite collective and purposeful action including for vulnerable communities, our oceans and gender equality."
In 2013, the Forrests' were the first Australians to sign the Giving Pledge, committing to give away the vast majority of their wealth in their lifetimes.
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SOURCE Minderoo Foundation | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/06/20/andrew-nicola-forrest-donate-one-fifth-fortescue-shareholding-philanthropy/ | 2023-06-20 11:54:51 | 1 | https://www.mysuncoast.com/prnewswire/2023/06/20/andrew-nicola-forrest-donate-one-fifth-fortescue-shareholding-philanthropy/ |
The rapper G Herbo pleaded guilty Friday to his role in a scheme that used stolen credit card information to pay for a lavish lifestyle including private jets, exotic car rentals, a luxury vacation rental and even expensive designer puppies.
Under a deal with prosecutors, the 27-year-old Chicago rapper, whose real name is Herbert Wright III, entered a guilty plea in federal court in Springfield, Massachusetts, to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and making false statements. In exchange, prosecutors dismissed several counts of aggravated identity theft.
He also agreed to forfeit nearly $140,000, the amount he benefited from what prosecutors have said was a $1.5 million scheme that involved several other people.
“Mr. Wright used stolen account information as his very own unlimited funding source, using victims’ payment cards to finance an extravagant lifestyle and advance his career,” acting U.S. Attorney Joshua Levy said in a statement.
Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 7, and he faces a maximum of 25 years in prison. A voicemail seeking comment was left with his attorney.
From at least March 2017 until November 2018, G Herbo and his promoter, Antonio Strong, used text messages, social media messages and emails to share account information taken from dark websites, authorities said.
On one occasion, the stolen account information was used to pay for a chartered jet to fly the rapper and members of his entourage from Chicago to Austin, Texas, authorities said. On another, a stolen account was used to pay nearly $15,000 for Wright and seven others to stay several days in a six-bedroom Jamaican villa.
In court documents, prosecutors said G Herbo “used the proceeds of these frauds to travel to various concert venues and to advance his career by posting photographs and/or videos of himself on the private jets, in the exotic cars, and at the Jamaican villa.”
G Herbo also helped Strong order two designer Yorkshire terrier puppies from a Michigan pet shop using a stolen credit card and a fake Washington state driver’s license, according to the indictment. The total cost was more than $10,000, prosecutors said.
When the pet shop’s owner asked to confirm the purchase with G Herbo, Strong directed her to do so through an Instagram message, and G Herbo confirmed he was buying the puppies, authorities said.
Because the stolen credit card information was authentic, the transactions went through and it wasn’t until later that the real credit card holders noticed and reported the fraud.
G Herbo was also charged in May 2021 with lying to investigators by denying that he had any ties to Strong when in fact the two had worked together since at least 2016, prosecutors said.
Strong has pleaded not guilty and is awaiting trial.
G Herbo’s music is centered on his experiences growing up on the East Side of Chicago in a neighborhood dubbed Terror Town, including gang and gun violence.
He released his debut mix tapes “Welcome to Fazoland” and “Pistol P Project” in 2014, both named for friends who had been killed in the city. His first album was 2017’s “Humble Beast,” and his latest is “Survivor’s Remorse,” released last year.
His 2020 album “PTSD” debuted at number 7 on the Billboard 200.
G Herbo also started a program in Chicago called Swervin’ Through Stress, aimed at giving urban youths tools to navigate mental health crises, after publicly acknowledging his own struggle with PTSD. In 2021 he was named to Forbes’ 30 Under 30 music list. | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-07-28 21:52:23 | 1 | https://www.seattletimes.com/entertainment/rapper-g-herbo-pleads-guilty-in-credit-card-fraud-that-paid-for-private-jets-and-designer-puppies/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
Pet owners have a multitude of messes to contend with. Spilled food, muddy paw prints, shed fur and other pet-based accidents can result in foul odors and even damage your home if not addressed regularly. But vacuum makers are acutely aware of the pet owner’s plight, and three manufacturers consistently turn out great vacuums to help you keep the chaos in check.
In this article: Bissell MultiClean Allergen Lift-Off Pet Vacuum, Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum and Black and Decker Power Series Pro Pet Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner.
Makers of great pet vacuums
These three companies are on top of the pet vacuum game.
- Bissell: Whether you’re cleaning carpets, filtering the air in your home or steaming your kitchen floors, Bissell’s reputation for quality appliances makes it uniquely equipped to offer excellent pet vacuums loaded with features.
- Shark: Shark is known for lightweight, maneuverable mops and vacuums. In keeping with this philosophy, its upright vacuums can be converted into hand-held canister vacuums, combining its penchant for flexibility with portable power.
- Black and Decker: While Black and Decker makes everything from power drills to chainsaws, the debut of the Dustbuster in 1979 made it a household name in cleaning. It now offers Dustbusters with the power and features pet owners need.
Pet vacuum features to look for
- Easy dirt disposal: Select a vacuum that either releases the dust from inside its canister with the push of a button or lets you remove the bin entirely for easy disposal into the trash.
- Pet hair brush: A great pet vacuum has at least one brush attachment. Look for rubber bristles, which resist tangling.
- Detachable accessories: To get the most out of your pet vacuum, choose one that can accommodate different surfaces or let you reach into challenging areas of your home with included attachments.
- Filter: Excess pet dander and dust can cause irritation and odors. A pet vacuum should have a fine filter that removes these particulates from the air you breathe. Select one with a HEPA filter for maximum dust and allergen control.
Pet vacuum types
There are three kinds of pet vacuums.
- Upright: Upright vacuums are made to clean carpets and floors. They are pushed manually and are the most powerful.
- Hand-held: Hand-held vacuums are great for getting pet hair and crumbs off of furniture or stairs. They can reach areas that upright vacuums can’t, and many are cordless, removing a potential tripping hazard.
- Convertible: Convertible vacuums can be transformed from upright to hand-held operation. While they strive to achieve the best of both worlds, their portable configurations are usually more cumbersome than dedicated hand-held options.
Best Bissell pet vacuums
Bissell MultiClean Allergen Lift-Off Pet Vacuum
This upright vacuum features a tangle-free brush, a HEPA filter and swivel steering for maximum maneuverability. Its canister can be detached, letting you reach blinds, ceiling fans and stairs with its included attachments.
Sold by Amazon
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Lithium Ion Cordless Hand-held Vacuum
Small but mighty, this battery-powered hand-held vacuum includes three attachments for cleaning upholstery and reaching into crevices. It has three levels of air filtration and an easily emptied dust container.
Sold by Amazon
Bissell Pet Hair Eraser Turbo Plus Lightweight Vacuum
Specialized pet tools and an Easy Empty dirt tank make this powerful vacuum great for removing hair and grime from your floors and furniture. A quick-release furniture wand lets you reach areas over your head, and the vacuum’s light weight makes it easy to move around your home.
Sold by Amazon
Best Shark pet vacuums
Shark Rotator Powered Lift-Away TruePet Upright Vacuum
This can be used as an upright or hand-held vacuum, and its extendable head makes cleaning under beds and furniture easy on your back. LED headlights let you peek into dark areas, and its HEPA filter skims allergens out of the air.
Sold by Amazon
Shark Rocket Pet Plus Corded Stick Vacuum
Shark proves again that it can’t be beat for flexibility with this lightweight vacuum that converts from hand-held to upright mode for floor-to-ceiling cleaning. Attachments let you pick up pet hair from your furniture or stairs, and LED headlights illuminate the dust ahead.
Sold by Amazon
Shark UltraCyclone Pet Pro Plus Cordless Hand-held Vacuum
With three attachments and ultra-powerful suction, this vacuum is great for small messes and car interiors. It includes a self-cleaning pet brush, and you can eject the contents of its dust canister directly into the trash by pressing a button on its handle.
Sold by Amazon
Best Black and Decker pet vacuums
Black and Decker Power Series Pro Pet Cordless Vacuum Cleaner
Rubber brush bristles and up to an hour of continuous battery life make this portable pet vacuum convenient. It uses Autosense technology to adjust its suction based on the surface you’re cleaning and can be transformed into a hand-held canister vacuum.
Sold by Amazon
Black and Decker Dustbuster for Pets
This battery-powered Dustbuster includes a Powerboost option for increased suction, a dust canister that can be emptied with the push of a button and and extendable crevice cleaner. Anti-tangle rubber bristles keep its brush from getting clogged with hair.
Sold by Amazon
Black and Decker Powerseries Extreme Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner for Pets
Converting to a hand-held cleaner, this cordless vacuum features extreme power for multi-surface cleaning. From carpets and furniture to hard floors, its V-shaped bristles, detachable brush head, easy-empty dirt canister and LED headlights provide all you need to clean your entire home.
Sold by Amazon
Other pet vacuum worth checking out
While it’s not marketed to pet owners, Dyson’s high standards for quality and cleaning power make this battery-powered vacuum an excellent choice for anyone looking for a premium appliance. A HEPA filter, detachable accessories and Dyson’s hair-detangling technology let you deep clean your floors, blinds, walls, ceiling fans and furniture.
Sold by Amazon
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Copyright 2023 BestReviews, a Nexstar company. All rights reserved. | https://www.fox16.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/3-brands-that-consistently-make-great-pet-vacuums/ | 2023-03-22 23:21:15 | 1 | https://www.fox16.com/reviews/br/home-br/vacuums-br/3-brands-that-consistently-make-great-pet-vacuums/ |
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PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Stephanie Soares matched her season-high with 23 points and added 11 rebounds and six blocks as No. 5 Iowa State rolled past Michigan State 80-49 on Thursday night in the semifinals of the Phil Knight Invitational.
Soares, a 6-foot-6 transfer from The Master’s where she was a two-time NAIA national player of the year, dominated on the interior, making 10 of 14 shots.
Emily Ryan added 17 points and eight assists, and the Cyclones cruised despite an off shooting night by leading scorer Ashley Joens, the Big 12 preseason player of the year. Joens was averaging 25.5 points, but managed just eight.
Iowa State (5-0) began the week ranked in the top five of the AP Top 25 for the first time sine Dec. 31, 2001, when the program reached its highest ranking in school history at No. 4. The Cyclones will have a chance to make a case for a higher ranking with a top-10 matchup against North Carolina in the championship game on Sunday.
DeeDee Hagemann led Michigan State (6-1) with 14 points and Kamaria McDaniel added 11. The Spartans played without leading scorer Matilda Ekh, who was in her native Sweden due to national team commitments. The school expects her to rejoin the team in time for Sunday’s third-place game. Ekh is averaging 11.2 points.
The Cyclones were dominant in the first half, taking a 37-17 halftime lead. Michigan State struggled shooting in the first half, making just 6 of 30 shots and went nearly the final seven minutes of the second quarter without a made basket. Michigan State missed its first 12 3-point attempts before Stephanie Visscher hit the team’s first in the opening minute of the fourth quarter.
BIG PICTURE
Iowa State: The Cyclones showed they can be more than just Joens offensively. Nine of the 12 Iowa State players that saw time scored. Joens had led the Cyclones in scoring in three of four games this season.
Michigan State: The Spartans had shot 49% from the field through their first six games, so the bad shooting night was an outlier that could be more an indication about the quality of opponent. Not having Ekh was a big loss with her team-leading 18 3-pointers on the season.
UP NEXT
Iowa State: The Cyclones will face No. 8 North Carolina in the championship game on Sunday.
Michigan State: The Spartans will face No. 18 Oregon in the third-place game on Sunday.
___
AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/No-5-Iowa-State-cruises-past-Michigan-State-80-49-17609494.php | 2022-11-25 03:24:12 | 1 | https://www.ourmidland.com/sports/article/No-5-Iowa-State-cruises-past-Michigan-State-80-49-17609494.php |
The Big 12 championship game will remain at the home of the Dallas Cowboys through at least 2025, the season after Texas and Oklahoma are set to leave for the Southeastern Conference.
The contract extension announced Wednesday means the first nine games since the return of the Big 12 title game in 2017 will be at the 80,000-seat AT&T Stadium. The announcement came during Commissioner Brett Yormark's first official week on the job.
The Big 12 didn't have a championship game from 2011-16 after realignment reduced the league to 10 teams. The conference brought the title game back despite its round-robin regular-season schedule, believing the extra game would help get the league champion into the College Football Playoff.
If Texas and Oklahoma don't leave early for the SEC, the Big 12 is set to include 14 teams for two seasons in 2023-24 with the additions of Cincinnati, Houston, BYU and UCF.
The Big 12 could expand again before then with uncertainty surrounding the Pac-12 following the defections of Southern California and UCLA to the Big Ten. Those schools are set to make the switch in 2024.
After the Big 12 launched in 1996, the first 13 championship games rotated among the home stadiums of the Kansas City Chiefs, Houston Texans and St. Louis Rams along with the former home of the Cowboys in the Dallas suburb of Irving.
AT&T Stadium has been the only site for the title game since 2009, an arrangement similar to the Big 12 basketball tournament and its Kansas City, Missouri, home. The men's and women's tournaments have been in Kansas City since 2010 and will stay at least through 2027. | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/big-12-championship-staying-in-arlington-through-2025/3040264/ | 2022-08-04 18:37:41 | 0 | https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/sports/big-12-championship-staying-in-arlington-through-2025/3040264/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans issued another series of subpoenas Monday as part of an ongoing investigation into what they contend is the mistreatment of parents who protested “woke” school board policies.
Rep. Jim Jordan, chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, demanded documents and testimony from three individuals, including the former heads of the National School Boards Association, for “requesting federal law enforcement assistance to target parents voicing concerns at local school board meetings.”
The Ohio Republican is flexing his newly appointed subpoena power to probe a September 2021 letter that the nonprofit representing U.S. school boards sent to the Biden administration. The letter warned of rising threats against school board members over coronavirus restrictions and teaching around race.
The letter to the Justice Department, signed by Chip Slaven, then the interim executive director of the NSBA, and Viola Garcia, then the president of the NSBA, outlined more than 20 instances of threats, harassment, disruption and acts of intimidation in California, Florida, Georgia, New Jersey, Ohio and other states.
Jordan, who also chairs a new subcommittee dedicated to what Republicans assert is the “weaponization” of government, has said that as a result of the letter, the Justice Department designated “a specific threat tag” for school board-related threats and opened investigations “into parents simply for speaking out on behalf of their children.” Those allegation are outlined in a GOP report released in November.
The NSBA has repeatedly stated that the letter’s focus was on the issue of violence and threats, not protests from parents.
Last month, Jordan issued his first subpoenas as chairman to Attorney General Merrick Garland, FBI Director Christopher Wray and Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, accusing them of withholding information about whether the government overreached in scrutinizing parents.
The Justice Department has denied targeting parents and has already begun to turn over documents to the committee. The subpoenas come days after House Speaker Kevin McCarthy helped introduce legislation that would give parents more of a say in school curriculum.
It is all part of the Republican Party’s larger effort to turn the issue of ”parents’ rights” into a rallying cry, harnessing the frustration with schools that reached a boiling point during the pandemic when educators grappled with masking requirements, closures and remote learning for children.
Also subpoenaed Monday was Nina Jankowicz, the former director of the Department of Homeland Security’s now-defunct Disinformation Governance Board. Jankowicz stepped down from the role in May after being caught in a political firestorm over the creation of the board, which was meant to coordinate the U.S. government’s efforts to treat disinformation as a national security threat.
But the board, which disbanded shortly after she stepped down, was hampered from the start by questions about its purpose, funding and work that Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas struggled to answer even as he appeared in front of lawmakers last spring.
In the subpoena letter, Jordan said the committee is seeking testimony from Jankowicz regarding how the board planned to approach countering misinformation and “how it proposed to protect First Amendment rights.”
In response, Jankowicz said that she will “happily testify” about her time on the board but criticized the subpoena, saying Jordan’s “abuse of congressional oversight powers is about to get wildly out of control.”
“His ‘weaponization’ committee is the entity that is actually weaponizing our government, and the American people deserve better,” Jankowicz said in a statement to The Associated Press. “I am ready to continue to stand up for the truth, as I have done my entire career, and I will not be cowed by conspiracy theories or intimidation.”
___ Associated Press writer Amanda Seitz contributed to this report. | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/republicans-issue-subpoenas-to-former-school-board-officials/ | 2023-03-07 14:05:56 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/news/politics/ap-politics/republicans-issue-subpoenas-to-former-school-board-officials/ |
Two House Democrats are calling on budget appropriators to double President Biden’s request for funding to process immigrant application backlogs.
Reps. Lou Correa (D-Calif.) and Dan Goldman (D-N.Y.) wrote a letter to Reps. David Joyce (R-Ohio) and Henry Cuellar (D-Texas), the chairman and top Democrat on the Homeland Security Appropriations Subcommittee, in support of President Biden’s fiscal 2024 budget request but called on the appropriators to amp up immigration spending.
“We were encouraged to see that the President’s budget included discretionary funding to address the historic backlog of work authorization, naturalization, green cards, and other applications, as well as improve refugee processing,” Correa and Goldman wrote.
“However, we request that the committee increase this funding from the President’s proposal of $264 million to $400 million to support application processing and the reduction of backlogs within asylum, field, and service center offices, and an increase from $342 million to $425.9 million to fully fund the March 2022 asylum processing rule,” they added.
The two Democrats also called for $100 million to be added to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) citizenship grant, which awards money to groups that help prepare legal permanent residents for their naturalization process.
USCIS, the agency under the Department of Homeland Security that processes work permits, permanent residency and naturalization applications, is mostly funded by fees paid by foreign applicants.
That funding system over time has become a catch-22 for the agency, forcing fee hikes on one end, while restricting the amount and quality of services USCIS can provide.
In January, the agency proposed a new fee structure that would boost fee revenue from $4.5 billion to $6.4 billion. The public comment period for that rule ended mid-March.
According to USCIS, that hike would allow it to hire nearly 8,000 new personnel to address the growing backlog of applications.
“USCIS is facing a significant case backlog and processing times that have sharply increased in recent years. This has resulted in individuals falling out of status, families being separated, victims of crime remaining in abusive or exploitative relationships, and businesses losing needed employees,” Correa and Goldman wrote.
According to the lawmakers, the most recent USCIS data showed a backlog of 8.6 million applications and petitions in September 2022 and a 50 percent growth in wait times between fiscal 2017 and fiscal 2021.
But funding allocated by Congress to improve USCIS’s processing times translated into marked improvements for the agency, the lawmakers said.
“According to the agency’s December 2022 progress report, as a result of funding allocated by Congress in FY22, the agency was able to reduce the net backlog of naturalization cases, reduce processing times for a number of form types, and adjudicate nearly double the typically available number of employment-based visas in a given fiscal year,” they wrote.
Correa and Goldman, who were joined by 70 Democratic colleagues in their letter, said the USCIS “funding is critical in supporting our nation’s commitment to the American Dream and of a fair and humane immigration system.”
“The long-term success of USCIS and our immigration system greatly depends on the support and funding that the agency receives in order to address the current lengthy backlog and processing time that have kept visa applicants, asylum seekers, and other migrants in limbo for months or years,” the lawmakers wrote. | https://www.myarklamiss.com/hill-politics/house-democrats-call-to-double-immigration-backlog-processing-funds/ | 2023-04-03 18:11:27 | 1 | https://www.myarklamiss.com/hill-politics/house-democrats-call-to-double-immigration-backlog-processing-funds/ |
POWHATAN – Kathy Ware doesn’t usually try to call attention to herself, so agreeing to take on one of the most prominent roles in the county – 2022 Powhatan Christmas Mother – was a big leap for her.
It’s not that she was afraid of doing the work. Ware has been volunteering as a gift wrapper for the past few years with the program and even that small glimpse into the work of the Christmas Everyday Committee (CEC) was enough to show her the level of hard work and caring the volunteers behind the group bring to the community, so her eyes are wide open there.
But whether it is supporting her husband, Del. Lee Ware, R-65, in his professional and political careers, raising their family, her former career as a CPA or her current volunteer work, she is generally fine staying out of the limelight.
So when outgoing Christmas Mother Dale Goodman came to her door this summer, handed her a letter describing the privilege it would be to have Ware as her nominee to wear the mantle next, and asked her to read it before she made a decision, she gave it the full weight the request deserved.
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“I thought about it and prayed about it and talked to friends about it, because I was a little overwhelmed. I thought it was a daunting undertaking,” Ware said.
Even beyond the already large task that being the Christmas Mother involves, Ware said she knew Goodman would be a tough act to follow because she so fully embraced and went above and beyond in her year in the role. Even feeling greatly honored and knowing what a privilege it would be, Ware said she didn’t think she could do it, but “Dale is so positive, you can’t say no to Dale.”
“I prefer to be behind the scenes. I like that servant role. I have always been in supportive roles,” she said. “But I see this job, the way I am looking at it, is my job is to support all those ladies on the committee who are doing the leg work and help make it possible by raising funds and getting the word out – make it possible for them to get the work done. That is very similar to what I do at home. I make it possible for Lee to do what he does by keeping the home fires burning.”
As the daughter of a minister, Ware grew up in different parts of Wisconsin, leaving home for the first time when she attended a small college in Kentucky. She met her future husband after she graduated and was still working there, and the couple married in September 1975. They would go on to have four children and 10 grandchildren together.
In the years that followed, Lee Ware’s career saw them moving several times, including to Ohio, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and finally to Virginia. He became a reporter for the Powhatan Gazette in 1981 and then later started teaching at the high school.
Kathy Ware was a stay-at-home mom for the first several years of their marriage but then got a job as a front desk receptionist at a dentist office until she became a certified public accountant, working in that field from 1998 to 2017.
As a Powhatan native, Goodman had known and seen Ware since her family moved to the county. Goodman recalled working for the Bank of Powhatan in the Village years ago and watching Ware out walking and having a good time with her children. A few years later, when Goodman went to work for the Powhatan Vocational Center, she got to know Lee Ware when he was a history teacher with the division. Then she got to know them both better when Goodman moved to the Village and saw them more there and at local youth sporting events.
“I just always used to have conversations with her. As life has gone on and years have passed, I have always respected her. I know as a mother how she is. She is a good mother, she is a good community person and it has nothing to do with her husband being in politics,” Goodman said. “She is a very independent woman. She deals with situations on her own, and I have always admired her. I label her as a phenomenal woman.”
So Ware said yes and is studying up on the work of previous Christmas Mothers to see how she wants to start to shape the year ahead.
“I think once I do it a couple times it will be easy. It is just such a good organization and people mostly know about it so you don’t have to convince them that it is a good organization,” she said. “I am trying to talk to the committee members so I know what they do and what goes on so I can answer questions when people have questions about the organization and be prepared.”
With all of that in mind, the theme Ware chose for her year as Christmas Mother seems fitting. “Whispering Hope” is the name of an old gospel hymn she loves.
“I chose that because hope is one of the things you think about at Christmas time – joy, hope for a better future, hope for good relationships. And the whispering part I liked because what the Christmas Mother organization does is try to provide hope and joy and happiness to those who may otherwise not have a happy Christmas. But they do it in a quiet way. They don’t want recognition for it.”
While having doubts about being ready for the role, Ware wasn’t completely surprised by the ask. A friend asked her a few years ago if she might consider having her name put in for consideration, and at the time, she declined because she didn’t know enough about the organization.
The Wares moved to Powhatan in 1981 with their three children – the fourth came after they moved here – so of course Kathy was aware of the Christmas Mother. She thought it was an amazing program and had friends involved, but her knowledge of all the Christmas Mother program did was limited. She admitted that, like many people, she thought it was a seasonal operation when she started volunteering as a gift wrapper to get to know the program better, not realizing the group helps people all year long. What she has discovered about the nonprofit and the community that supports it completely surprised her.
“I had no idea there were so many facets to it. Because there is a committee and everybody on the committee has their own little niche, it runs like a well-oiled machine,” she said. “I was impressed with how generous Powhatan folks are. What I love about this county is it is like a big family. When things happen or in a tragedy or emergency, people step up to help. In a larger county or city people don’t know their neighbors. Powhatan has a good mix of suburbia and country life.”
Ware’s own involvement in the community has varied. When her children were younger, she was involved in their schools’ PTOs and also joined the Junior Woman’s Club and an Extension homemaker’s club. Her time was more limited when she went to work, but after she retired, she started looking for ways to be of service.
Through the years she was involved with Habitat for Humanity-Powhatan and the Powhatan Lions Club. She also took on the task of mapping the Powhatan Community Center.
“I like puzzles and it was like putting a puzzle together to map it, to know who owned what plots and where people were buried. Since the software to do that is about $10,000 I just did it on an Excel sheet. I am still working on it,” she said.
Fran Carleton, Christmas Mother 2014, said she has known Ware since their children went to school together and from being neighbors in the Village area. Through the years, she has found Ware to be soft-spoken, quiet and a listener who lets things sink in before she speaks. She speaks when she has something to say, which is a good trait to have, Carleton added.
“I think Kathy will be a wonderful Christmas Mother and she will be a real asset to the CEC because she is compassionate and intuitive, which is a great combination for a Christmas Mother,” she said.
Ginny Broughton, Christmas Mother 2002, said she had been trying for years to get Ware involved in the Christmas Mother program and was thrilled that she started helping in the last few years. She is a likeable, easygoing person who doesn’t need recognition or attention.
“I know she is going to do a fantastic job. She has a lot of connections in the community and is well liked and well known,” Broughton said. “I think she has a lot of enthusiasm for the job so I think she will do a good job. I have a lot of faith in her.”
As she readies herself to fully take on the Christmas Mother role, Ware said she is looking forward to meeting with new people and talking with clients, county business owners and volunteers.
“Because I have an idea of what the job involves and having watched previous Christmas Mothers, I am in awe of the job,” she said. “It is just an amazing opportunity and a great honor and I am looking forward to a great year.” | https://richmond.com/community/powhatan-today/kathy-ware-named-2022-powhatan-christmas-mother/article_7df4b178-2eaf-11ed-9765-c71fbb989f26.html | 2022-09-07 14:28:59 | 0 | https://richmond.com/community/powhatan-today/kathy-ware-named-2022-powhatan-christmas-mother/article_7df4b178-2eaf-11ed-9765-c71fbb989f26.html |
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
9-3-1-4
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(nine, three, one, four)
DETROIT (AP) _ The winning numbers in Tuesday evening's drawing of the Michigan Lottery's "Daily 4" game were:
9-3-1-4
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(nine, three, one, four)
By The Associated Press | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-game-17636165.php | 2022-12-07 02:24:06 | 0 | https://www.seattlepi.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Daily-4-game-17636165.php |
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery about advice she's learned living under smoky skies after 22 years in San Francisco.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Mother Jones editor-in-chief Clara Jeffery about advice she's learned living under smoky skies after 22 years in San Francisco.
Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.knau.org/2023-06-08/advice-from-the-west-coast-to-the-east-coast-on-staying-safe-under-smoky-skies | 2023-06-08 20:57:13 | 0 | https://www.knau.org/2023-06-08/advice-from-the-west-coast-to-the-east-coast-on-staying-safe-under-smoky-skies |
FORT GREENE, Brooklyn (PIX11) – A man tried to sexually assault a woman inside a Brooklyn subway station after she asked him for directions, police said.
It happened at the Lafayette Avenue subway station in Fort Greene around 2:45 a.m. on Friday, Sept. 23, NYPD officials said.
A 36-year-old woman was on a southbound C train approaching the Lafayette Avenue station when she asked a stranger for directions. The man told her to follow him off the train so he could show her where to go, police said.
As the woman followed the man up the stairs from the subway platform, he turned around and exposed himself to her, authorities said. The man then allegedly grabbed the woman and attempted to have her engage in oral sex.
The suspect fled when two MTA workers appeared. The victim was not physically injured during the incident, police said.
The NYPD released surveillance video and images showing the suspect, who hasn’t yet been caught.
The man was last seen wearing a red baseball hat, a red T-shirt with a Nike logo on the front, black pants and white sneakers, police said.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/brooklyn/man-tries-to-sexually-assault-woman-who-asked-for-directions-in-subway-nypd/ | 2022-09-26 01:37:11 | 1 | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/brooklyn/man-tries-to-sexually-assault-woman-who-asked-for-directions-in-subway-nypd/ |
LSU Tigers (12-13, 1-11 SEC) at Georgia Bulldogs (15-10, 5-7 SEC)
The Tigers are 1-11 in SEC play. LSU is fifth in the SEC shooting 33.0% from deep. Mwani Wilkinson paces the Tigers shooting 44.4% from 3-point range.
The Bulldogs and Tigers match up Tuesday for the first time in SEC play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Terry Roberts is averaging 14.7 points, 4.1 assists and 1.6 steals for the Bulldogs. Oquendo is averaging 11.7 points over the last 10 games for Georgia.
Adam Miller averages 2.3 made 3-pointers per game for the Tigers, scoring 11.9 points while shooting 31.4% from beyond the arc. K.J. Williams is shooting 47.4% and averaging 15.7 points over the past 10 games for LSU.
LAST 10 GAMES: Bulldogs: 4-6, averaging 67.4 points, 31.4 rebounds, 10.9 assists, 5.6 steals and 2.0 blocks per game while shooting 39.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 74.8 points per game.
Tigers: 0-10, averaging 59.6 points, 29.8 rebounds, 10.3 assists, 5.5 steals and 3.0 blocks per game while shooting 35.3% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 75.7 points.
___
The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/oquendo-and-georgia-host-lsu/2023/02/13/7b80f864-ab7a-11ed-b0ba-9f4244c6e5da_story.html | 2023-02-13 09:04:44 | 0 | https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/colleges/oquendo-and-georgia-host-lsu/2023/02/13/7b80f864-ab7a-11ed-b0ba-9f4244c6e5da_story.html |
We saw some pretty good patches of rainfall and some isolated to scattered thunderstorms in our area on our Friday. Some of the rainfall was on the heavy side briefly, however all of the major strong to severe thunderstorms stayed just to the west and south of our area. All of this was due to a front and some low pressure sliding through our area today.
Most of the activity will clear out of our area overnight and into our Saturday, as high pressure builds into our area. We will see still some isolated chances for some showers and thunderstorms over portions of our area on our Saturday, however most of the area will stay dry.
As the weekend does go on, we will see some pretty good high pressure build into our area. This will keep our area mostly dry and we will see some of the hottest temperatures of the season move back into our area for the high temperatures. We will also see some pretty good humidity build into our area. This could give us several afternoons with heat index values reaching to above 100 degrees at times.
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Safe and unsafe places in severe weather - Open this link | https://www.wtva.com/weather/forecast/drier-weather-moves-into-our-area-on-saturday/article_f35370a4-e912-11ec-bacc-539f999fa119.html | 2022-06-12 02:56:02 | 0 | https://www.wtva.com/weather/forecast/drier-weather-moves-into-our-area-on-saturday/article_f35370a4-e912-11ec-bacc-539f999fa119.html |
Mississippi River flooding prompts evacuations, sandbagging
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Some residents along the swelling Upper Mississippi River evacuated their homes this week while others scrambled Wednesday to stack sandbags in preparation for what forecasters say could be near-record flooding caused by the rapid melting of a huge snowpack in northern Minnesota.
A small number of people had to leave their homes in Wisconsin as the river kept rising. In the small riverfront community of Buffalo, Iowa, residents — wary of the devastating floods of 2019 — were stockpiling sandbags as they braced for flooding this weekend and early next week.
In the city of Campbell, located on an island in the Mississippi and Black rivers near La Crosse, Wisconsin, Fire Chief Nate Melby said some residents had to use canoes to reach their homes. Melby estimated a half-dozen people have decided to evacuate after the rising waters forced emergency workers to cut power and gas to their homes. Emergency officials have not issued mandatory evacuation orders, though, he said.
“We’re putting up a good fight,” Melby said. “We’re hanging in there.”
Amy Werner, who lives on the northern tip of French Island, has been using six pumps to remove river water from a crawl space. Werner said it’s been a 24-hour-a-day battle, with friends and her parents taking turns monitoring the pumps during the nights.
She estimated the pumps are removing 25,000 to 30,000 gallons of water per hour.
“It’s pretty stressful,” Werner said. “It’s bubbling up from the ground. I’ve been living my life by every hour for about 10 days now, and it’s not over yet. (But) so far we’re holding our own.”
The Mississippi was expected to be especially high along parts of Wisconsin and to crest Wednesday or early Thursday in La Crosse, a city of about 50,000 people. In Iowa, forecasts predict the river will reach the third-highest level ever recorded when it crests Saturday about 160 miles to the south in Davenport.
About 60 miles (100 kilometers) downriver from La Crosse at Prairie du Chien, the Mississippi was a little more than 6 feet (1.8 meters) above flood stage Wednesday morning. The water was expected to continue rising each day until Saturday, when it’s expected to crest at just under 25 feet (7 meters). The record high was 25 feet, 3 inches (7.7 meters) in April 1965.
Video footage shot by WKBT-TV on Tuesday showed water at least a foot deep covering city streets and yards.
Crawford County Emergency Management Specialist Marc Myhre said that some families have evacuated and are staying with other family members, but as of Tuesday officials hadn’t issued mandatory evacuation orders. A message left at the county emergency management offices on Wednesday morning wasn’t immediately returned.
In Iowa, improved floodwalls and other temporary measures should prevent significant problems, but crews were constantly monitoring the river, officials in the cities of Dubuque, Davenport and Burlington said. Forecasts call for only a chance of light showers later in the week.
Crews in Dubuque, a city of about 60,000, had closed 13 of the city’s 17 floodgates and started up four permanent pumping stations and three temporary pumps to suck water over the floodwall and back into the river by Wednesday.
“Now we’ve got to get through the next three or four days of rain, but I think we will be in good shape,” Dubuque Public Works Director John Klostermann told the Des Moines Register.
Downstream, officials in Davenport and Bettendorf have closed roads near the river, and Davenport workers set up temporary sand-filled barriers to protect downtown. In 2019, barriers failed and allowed water to rush into parts of downtown, but officials said this time the barrier will be much deeper and higher.
__
Richmond reported from Madison, Wisconsin.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2023/04/27/mississippi-river-flooding-prompts-evacuations-sandbagging/ | 2023-04-27 03:30:46 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2023/04/27/mississippi-river-flooding-prompts-evacuations-sandbagging/ |
(KRON) — A suspect was arrested in an attempted bank robbery Thursday afternoon, the Walnut Creek Police Department (WCPD) said on Twitter. The suspect attempted to rob the U.S. Bank on Civic Drive but was unsuccessful as no money was taken.
The U.S. Bank at 1655 N Main St. is located across the street from the WCPD station.
No injuries were reported from the attempted robbery. Walnut Creek police said there were no additional suspects.
The suspect’s identity was not released by WCPD. No other details were immediately available.
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Earlier this month, KRON4 reported a bank robbery in Walnut Creek on Saturday, May 6. Police said the PNC Bank on California Boulevard was robbed, and the suspect ran away with an unknown amount of cash. PNC Bank and U.S. Bank are both located in downtown Walnut Creek, approximately a 10-minute walk away from each other. | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/suspect-who-tried-to-rob-bank-across-from-walnut-creek-police-station-arrested/ | 2023-05-18 23:21:21 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/news/bay-area/suspect-who-tried-to-rob-bank-across-from-walnut-creek-police-station-arrested/ |
Israeli troops kill Palestinian in West Bank firefight
JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinian authorities say Israeli troops killed a Palestinian man during a firefight in the occupied West Bank. The Israeli military said Wednesday that its soldiers came under fire during the arrest of a wanted person in the Faraa refugee camp in the northern West Bank. The Palestinian Health Ministry said 21-year-old Younis Ghassan Tayeh died from a bullet wound to the chest. Israel has been conducting near-daily arrest raids in the West Bank for months, which were prompted by a spate of deadly attacks against Israelis earlier this year that killed 19 people. | https://kion546.com/news/2022/09/07/israeli-troops-kill-palestinian-in-west-bank-firefight/ | 2022-09-07 09:34:52 | 0 | https://kion546.com/news/2022/09/07/israeli-troops-kill-palestinian-in-west-bank-firefight/ |
2022 U.S midterm election results from around the country
2022 U.S midterm election results from around the country
what Congress tackles in its next session depends on who is in control of the House and Senate. Both democrats and republicans say the economy is number one, but they have different approaches. Republicans commitment to America plan includes curbing government spending. They claim that will combat the rise in prices for groceries, gas and housing. They're also focused on giving more resources to police officers and also focused on immigration. They want to stop the influx of people coming across the border illegally and make America energy independent energy costs are also *** top priority for democrats. The White House says they want to hold oil companies accountable, so americans will pay less at the pump, paying less for description drugs is also on the democrats agenda like capping insulin prices for all americans along with the cap already in place for seniors. They also look to ban and sold weapons and protect reproductive rights by codifying roe v wade in Washington, I'm kayla norwood.
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2022 U.S midterm election results from around the country
Voters across the country headed to the polls to elect their local representatives to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, as well as electing governors and voting on ballot measures. Here's a look at the 2022 U.S. midterm election results from around the country. U.S. SenateU.S. HouseGovernorsBallot MeasuresSee all maps below (app users tap here)PGlmcmFtZSBjbGFzcz0iYXAtZW1iZWQiIHRpdGxlPSJMaXZlIGVsZWN0aW9uIHJlc3VsdHMgdmlhIHRoZSBBc3NvY2lhdGVkIFByZXNzIiBzcmM9Imh0dHBzOi8vaW50ZXJhY3RpdmVzLmFwLm9yZy9lbGVjdGlvbi1yZXN1bHRzL2N1c3RvbWVycy9sYXlvdXRzL29yZ2FuaXphdGlvbi1sYXlvdXRzL3B1Ymxpc2hlZC82NjU5Ny83Mzc3Lmh0bWwiIHdpZHRoPSIxMDAlIiBmcmFtZWJvcmRlcj0iMCIgc2Nyb2xsaW5nPSJubyIgbWFyZ2luaGVpZ2h0PSIwIj48L2lmcmFtZT48c2NyaXB0IGRlZmVyIHNyYz0iaHR0cHM6Ly9pbnRlcmFjdGl2ZXMuYXAub3JnL2VsZWN0aW9uLXJlc3VsdHMvYXNzZXRzL21pY3Jvc2l0ZS9yZXNpemVDbGllbnQuanMiPjwvc2NyaXB0Pg==
Voters across the country headed to the polls to elect their local representatives to the U.S. Senate and U.S. House of Representatives, as well as electing governors and voting on ballot measures. Here's a look at the 2022 U.S. midterm election results from around the country.
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NEW YORK, July 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- BGC Partners, Inc. (Nasdaq: BGCP) ("BGC"), a leading global brokerage and financial technology company, today announced the addition of Dr. Sharon Brown-Hruska to the FMX Futures Exchange Board of Directors. Dr. Brown-Hruska will serve as a Member of the Board and the Regulatory Oversight Committee Chair.
Robert Allen, President of the FMX Futures Exchange, commented on today's announcement, "We are pleased to welcome Dr. Sharon Brown-Hruska to the FMX Futures Exchange Board of Directors. Sharon's deep experience in the futures industry and strong regulatory oversight will be invaluable to the FMX Futures Exchange as we pursue our mission to bring competition to the interest rate futures market."
Dr. Sharon Brown-Hruska added, "I'm excited to join the Board of the FMX Futures Exchange. The FMX Futures Exchange is a game-changer that brings smart innovation and cutting-edge technology to the interest rate futures market. This initiative will add much-needed resiliency, capacity, and liquidity to the interest rate futures market to promote competition and reduce systemic risk."
Dr. Sharon Brown-Hruska was designated by President Bush to serve as Acting Chairman of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) on July 26, 2004, and served as Acting Chairman until July 10, 2005. She was first nominated to the Commission on April 9, 2002, confirmed by the Senate in August 2002, and sworn in on August 7, 2002. Dr. Brown-Hruska was nominated by President Bush to a second term as a Commissioner and confirmed by the Senate on November 21, 2004, to a term expiring April 13, 2009.
While at the CFTC, Dr. Brown-Hruska served as a member of the President's Working Group on Financial Markets, the President's Corporate Fraud Task Force, and played a leadership role in cooperative enforcement with national and international authorities. She worked closely with staff attorneys and the CFTC Office of Cooperative Enforcement to facilitate interagency actions, including prosecuting manipulation and fraudulent Ponzi schemes in foreign currency, energy, and other commodities. Working with other agencies, she led the agency's efforts in the development of anti-money laundering (AML) and "Know Your Customer" requirements and was a leading member of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission.
Dr. Brown-Hruska is an arbitrator for the National Futures Association (NFA) and has testified as an expert in arbitrations before the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) on securities regulatory requirements and industry practices. She serves on the Panel of Recognized International Market Experts in Finance (P.R.I.M.E. Finance), specializing in dispute resolution and international arbitration concerning derivatives and complex transactions.
She has served as a Professor at Tulane University's Energy Institute and as a Visiting Professor of Finance at Tulane University's A.B. Freeman School of Business. Dr. Brown-Hruska earned her BA in economics and international studies, along with her Ph.D. and MA in economics at Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
About BGC Partners, Inc.
BGC Partners, Inc. ("BGC") is a leading global brokerage and financial technology company. BGC, through its various affiliates, specializes in the brokerage of a broad range of products, including Fixed Income (Rates and Credit), Foreign Exchange, Equities, Energy and Commodities, Shipping, and Futures. BGC, through its various affiliates, also provides a wide variety of services, including trade execution, brokerage, clearing, trade compression, post-trade, information, and other back-office services to a broad range of financial and non-financial institutions. Through its brands, including FMX™, Fenics®, Fenics Market Data™, Fenics GO™, BGC®, BGC Trader™, Capitalab®, and Lucera®, BGC offers financial technology solutions, market data, and analytics related to numerous financial instruments and markets. BGC, BGC Trader, GFI, Fenics, FMX, Fenics Market Data, Fenics GO, Capitalab, and Lucera are trademarks/service marks and/or registered trademarks/service marks of BGC and/or its affiliates.
BGC's customers include many of the world's largest banks, broker-dealers, investment banks, trading firms, hedge funds, governments, corporations, and investment firms. BGC's Class A common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the ticker symbol "BGCP". BGC is led by Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Howard W. Lutnick. For more information, please visit http://www.bgcpartners.com. You can also follow BGC at https://twitter.com/bgcpartners, https://www.linkedin.com/company/bgc-partners and/or http://ir.bgcpartners.com/Investors/default.aspx.
Discussion of Forward-Looking Statements about BGC
Statements in this document regarding BGC that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements. These include statements about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Company's business, results, financial position, liquidity and outlook, which may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impact may differ, possibly materially, from what is currently expected. Except as required by law, BGC undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements. For a discussion of additional risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking statements, see BGC's Securities and Exchange Commission filings, including, but not limited to, the risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information set forth in these filings and any updates to such risk factors and Special Note on Forward-Looking Information contained in subsequent reports on Form 10-K, Form 10-Q or Form 8-K.
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Justice Department sues Norfolk Southern over derailment
(AP) - The federal government filed a lawsuit against railroad Norfolk Southern over environmental damage caused by a train derailment on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border that spilled hazardous chemicals into nearby creeks and rivers.
The U.S. Department of Justice said it’s seeking to hold the company accountable for “unlawfully polluting the nation’s waterways and to ensure it pays the full cost of the environmental cleanup,” in the lawsuit filed Thursday.
It’s asking for fines under the Clean Water Act and for a judgment to hold the railroad accountable for past and future costs.
The derailment in early February led to the evacuation of half of the 5,000 residents of East Palestine when responders intentionally burned toxic chemicals in some of the derailed cars to prevent an uncontrolled explosion.
Chemicals from the derailed cars and firefighting foam seeped into creeks and rivers near the village, with some eventually ending up in the Ohio River. So far, more than 9 million gallons (34 million liters) of wastewater have been removed from the site and hauled to hazardous waste storage sites in Ohio and other states, according to state officials.
Government officials say tests haven’t found dangerous levels of chemicals in the air or water in the area, but many residents remain concerned about their long-term health.
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources said three weeks after the disaster that the spilled contaminants killed an estimated 44,000 fish, mostly small ones such as minnows.
Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw has repeatedly apologized for the impact of the derailment and the company has pledged to pay for the cleanup. The railroad has promised so far to spend close to $28 million to help the Ohio community recover while also announcing several voluntary safety upgrades.
Connor Spielmaker, a spokesperson for Norfolk Southern, said the company is focused on the cleanup and working at the direction of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.
“Our job right now is to make progress every day cleaning up the site, assisting residents whose lives were impacted by the derailment, and investing in the future of East Palestine and the surrounding areas,” he said in a statement.
Ohio filed a lawsuit against Norfolk Southern just over two weeks ago to make sure it pays for the cleanup and environmental damage, and pays for groundwater and soil monitoring in the years ahead.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/03/31/justice-department-sues-norfolk-southern-over-derailment/ | 2023-03-31 15:21:45 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/03/31/justice-department-sues-norfolk-southern-over-derailment/ |
LONDON (AP) — Facebook parent Meta’s quasi-independent oversight board said Tuesday that an internal system that exempted high-profile users, including former U.S. President Donald Trump, from some or all of its content moderation rules needs a major overhaul.
The report by the Oversight Board, which was more than a year in the making, said the system “is flawed in key areas which the company must address.”
Meta asked the board to look into the system after The Wall Street Journal reported last year that it was being abused by many of its elite users, who were posting material that would result in penalties for ordinary people, including for harassment and incitement of violence.
Facebook’s rules reportedly didn’t seem to apply to some VIP users while others faced reviews of rule-breaking posts that never happened, according to the Journal article, which said the system had at least 5.8 million exempted users as of 2020.
The system — known as “XCheck,” or cross-check — was exposed in Facebook documents leaked by Frances Haugen, a former product manager turned whistleblower who captured worldwide headlines with revelations alleging that the social media company prioritized profits over online safety and galvanized regulators into cracking down on hate speech and misinformation.
Nick Clegg, Meta’s president for global affairs, tweeted that the company requested the review of the system “so that we can continue our work to improve the program.”
To fully address the board’s recommendations, “we’ve agreed to respond within 90 days,” he added.
The company has said cross-check, which applies to Facebook and Instagram, was designed to prevent “overpolicing,” or mistakenly removing content thought to be breaking the platform’s rules.
The Oversight Board’s report said that the cross-check system resulted in users being treated unequally and that it led to delays in taking down content that violated the rules because there were up to five separate checks. Decisions on average took more than five days, it found.
For content posted by American users, the average decision took 12 days, and for Afghanistan and Syria, it was 17 days. In some cases, it took a lot longer: one piece of content waited 222 days — more than seven months — for a decision, the report said, without providing further details.
Among its 32 recommendations, the board said Meta “should prioritize expression that is important for human rights, including expression which is of special public importance.”
Human rights defenders, advocates for marginalized communities, public officials and journalists should be given higher priority than others put on the cross-check list because they are business partners, such as big companies, political parties, musicians, celebrities and artists, the report said.
“If users included due to their commercial importance frequently post violating content, they should no longer benefit from special protection,” the board said.
Addressing other flaws, the board also urged Meta to remove or hide content while it’s being reviewed and said the company should “radically increase transparency around cross-check and how it operates,” such as outlining “clear, public criteria” on who gets to be on the list.
The board upheld Facebook’s decision to ban Trump last year out of concern he incited violence leading to the riot on the U.S. Capitol. But it said the company failed to mention the cross-check system in its request for a ruling. The company has until Jan. 7 to decide whether to let Trump back on.
Clegg said in a blog post that Meta has already been making changes to cross-check, including standardizing it so that it’s “run in a more consistent way,” opening up the system to content from all 3 billion Facebook users and holding annual reviews to verify its list of elite users and entities.
After widespread criticism that it failed to respond swiftly and effectively to misinformation, hate speech and harmful influence campaigns, Facebook set up the oversight panel as the ultimate referee of thorny content issues it faces. Members include a former Danish prime minister, the former editor-in-chief of British newspaper the Guardian, as well as legal scholars and human rights experts.
Some critics have previously questioned the board’s independence and said its narrow content decisions seemed to distract from wider problems within Facebook and concerns about government regulation. | https://phl17.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-meta-oversight-board-urges-changes-to-vip-moderation-system/ | 2022-12-06 22:29:03 | 0 | https://phl17.com/news/international/ap-international/ap-meta-oversight-board-urges-changes-to-vip-moderation-system/ |
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The US flies nuclear-capable bombers in a fresh show of force against North Korea
By HYUNG-JIN KIM
Associated Press
SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — The United States has flown nuclear-capable bombers to the Korean Peninsula in its latest show of force against North Korea. South Korea’s Defense Ministry says the B-52 bombers took part in joint aerial drills with other U.S. and South Korean fighter jets Friday over the peninsula. The bombers’ flyover is the latest in a series of temporary U.S. deployments of strategic assets in South Korea in response to North Korea’s push to expand its nuclear arsenal. North Korea could respond to the bombers’ deployment with weapons tests. On Sunday, North Korea staged massive anti-U.S. rallies in its capital to mark the 73rd anniversary of the start of the Korean War. | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/06/30/the-us-flies-nuclear-capable-bombers-in-a-fresh-show-of-force-against-north-korea/ | 2023-06-30 12:52:49 | 1 | https://localnews8.com/news/ap-national/2023/06/30/the-us-flies-nuclear-capable-bombers-in-a-fresh-show-of-force-against-north-korea/ |
McKee, White House announce $61.7M for RI small businesses. Where will that money will go?
Gov. Dan McKee on Thursday joined White House officials to draw attention to $61.7 million in American Rescue Plan money ticketed for Rhode Island small businesses.
The money is Rhode Island's share of $10 billion in funding for State Small Business Credit Initiative programs included in the $1.9-trillion pandemic recovery bill passed in 2021.
Rhode Island is expected to put the money into three programs run out of the Rhode Island Commerce Corporation:
- A $31.5 million equity/venture capital program targeting early-stage, high-growth Rhode Island firms
- A $27-million small business loan program for businesses in "underserved communities."
- $3 million in "portfolio insurance" to cover losses on enrolled loans made by participating lenders.
Beyond that, not many details were available.
McKee told reporters he did not know when the new money would be available for expenditure.
He said the money will beef up existing state small business lending programs that aren't expected to change much.
As an example of companies that have used the program he mentioned the Feast & Fettle food delivery service in East Providence.
Feast & Fettle "was a great example of a business that received dollars, it helped grow that business during the pandemic and now they are expanding regionally into Massachusetts and Connecticut, which is what we want," McKee said.
Gene Sperling, senior adviser to the president and American Rescue Plan Coordinator, said "funding new innovations is encouraged, but we also know expanding successful programs is often going to get the funds out quicker." | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/24/white-house-touts-61-7m-for-ri-small-businesses/69936434007/ | 2023-02-24 14:44:00 | 0 | https://www.providencejournal.com/story/news/politics/2023/02/24/white-house-touts-61-7m-for-ri-small-businesses/69936434007/ |
MARTINSVILLE — A million-dollar piece of high-tech training equipment for Martinsville’s New College Institute arrived in 2015 with great fanfare, and with promises of a brighter economic future for people in one of Virginia’s poorest communities.
Virginia taxpayers shelled out most of the cost — $750,000 — for the unique machine, which was intended to train employees of a local company that manufactures film for car and building windows.
But the training program at New College Institute didn’t last. In fact, many of the programs at NCI quickly and quietly disappeared, despite the continued infusion of millions of dollars of state funding. Since 2017, Virginia has invested more than $17 million in NCI, in addition to more than $10 million approved by a state commission designed to help regions suffering from economic distress after the loss of the tobacco industry.
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An investigation by the Martinsville Bulletin has found that NCI spent millions on salaries and programs that offered little payoff to Martinsville and Henry County residents, offered training for employers that were prepared to hire workers without it, and filled key positions with remote workers from other parts of the state.
Of its recent, heavily-touted new initiatives, a digital shipbuilding curriculum never got started, a cloud computer training lasted only a year and jobs didn’t materialize as intended for people who took the training, and two, short wind turbine safety training classes now have no one enrolled.
Classrooms at the modern, 52,000-square-foot NCI facility sit empty, as do the well-equipped common areas outfitted with stylish furniture. Nearly all of the in-person and online college classes at NCI, coordinated in partnership with four-year colleges and the local community college, ended during the COVID-19 pandemic, even though as recently as September, NCI’s website still listed them as active partnerships.
None of the issues plaguing the vacant halls, classrooms and machinery bay at NCI came up for discussion at the June meeting of NCI’s 15-person governing board, which includes five Virginia General Assembly members. Instead, the meeting highlighted summer camps for K-12 students and praise for Karen Jackson, the outgoing interim executive director.
Jackson told the board she tried to put together slides of all the things NCI had accomplished in her three years but “it was too much. Nobody there nor myself would want to sit through everything that I had to present.”
But months later, in an interview for this story, Jackson struggled when asked about the most beneficial programs NCI offered when she left. The current interim executive director, as well as state Sen. Bill Stanley, a Republican from Franklin County, the chair of NCI’s board, acknowledged the problems and answered detailed questions over the course of several interviews, saying they’re working to start new programs.
“It sucks that we’ve gotten to this, to where we are,” said Christina Reed, NCI’s longtime assistant director of finance and operations, who was appointed interim executive director in July. “Because that’s not what we want.”
State Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, chair of the Senate Subcommittee on Higher Education, said she saw NCI in the state budget but "it never occurred to me to ask a question about whether or not it was actually functioning.”
The lack of programming is "a problem that needs to be addressed. ... But I don't think that it can be addressed until we all know that it is a problem."
NCI’s early years
NCI launched in 2006 to provide higher education and economic advancement to people in Martinsville and Henry County, though the organization was in the works from years earlier.
The 2002 sale of Memorial Hospital of Martinsville and Henry County, a medical center that was largely funded by community donations, led to the formation of a nonprofit organization called The Harvest Foundation. Its role was and remains to use the proceeds from the hospital sale to help the economically depressed region; one of its first initiatives was a pledge of $50 million if the state created a four-year college in the area to counteract job losses in tobacco, manufacturing and textiles.
But the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia opposed that plan, leading the state to start NCI, which also began receiving money from the Harvest Foundation, and has its own New College Foundation with a mission of providing support.
State law says NCI’s mission includes helping people in Martinsville and Henry County earn college degrees. That’s traditionally been seen as NCI’s primary mission, although officials in recent years started talking more about certifications instead of college degrees.
By 2011, 109 people from the region earned a college degree without leaving home, in some cases studying at Patrick & Henry Community College a few miles away for two years and then earning a degree through a four-year school while at NCI, which is not a college. But those numbers tapered off as NCI focused on completing a new building, and in 2015, only 12 people earned degrees with help from NCI.
Harvest Foundation officials in 2016 said future funding would be contingent on NCI becoming a college or branch of a four-year college, after funding $23.7 million of the initial $50 million challenge. And as attention shifted from NCI, Harvest Foundation in 2017 announced free tuition for all Martinsville and Henry County students who meet certain criteria and attend Patrick & Henry Community College. In September 2021, the foundation committed $10.3 million to that program and extended it by 13 years.
“NCI has strayed far from the initial vision and mission at the core of the Harvest challenge,” The Harvest Foundation wrote to Stanley in February 2017.
Virginia spent $7.5 million two years ago to buy the building that houses NCI — money that went to the New College Foundation and remains there, untouched. That’s on top of the state paying $383,000 annually in NCI’s rent from July 2014 to October 2020.
NCI says it currently partners with just two colleges: Longwood University, through which students can earn a bachelor’s degree in several education programs; and Radford University, which partners with NCI to offer a master’s degree in strategic communication. The only in-person classes at NCI right now alternate between online and in-person, through Longwood, Reed said. The Radford program has one student in the Martinsville area.
According to U.S. Census Bureau data, while 10% of Virginians live in poverty, more than 26% of people in Martinsville do. Median household income in Virginia is $76,398. It’s just $36,166 in Martinsville.
Unemployment in Martinsville and Henry County is now at 3%, back to pre-pandemic levels. The Martinsville-Henry County Chamber of Commerce lists 31 categories of jobs currently available through AmeriStaff, and specific jobs unfilled with 43 organizations and businesses.
NCI partnerships quietly lapse
Even though most of its partnerships with four-year colleges had expired, NCI’s website said otherwise as recently as September, listing the partnerships with schools such as James Madison University and the University of Virginia under the header, “Now Enrolling!”
After a September inquiry from the Martinsville Bulletin, NCI updated its website to remove those listings.
Reed, the interim director, said most of the partnerships lapsed after COVID-19 in March 2020 prompted the closure of public facilities and forced coursework to go virtual.
“I realized that the marketing [team] had not updated the website,” Reed said. “Miscommunication, change in leadership, change in staff.”
The number of people earning a college degree with help from NCI dropped to 14 in 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic hindered the center further, and as of last year NCI had 39 students enrolled in degree programs, and 15 graduates. For 2021-2022, NCI reported to the state that it had 26 graduates.
According to state data, southside Virginia is the region with the smallest percentage of people holding an associate’s degree or higher. While nearly 40% of Virginians have a bachelor’s degree or higher, that number is about 22% in Martinsville and 15% in Henry County.
Officials have debated whether NCI’s focus should even be on four-year degrees — a core part of its original mission. But other initiatives have faltered or haven’t materialized as promised.
A $1 million piece of machinery, called an “academic coater,” was paid for with $750,000 in state money and $250,000 from the federal government and The Harvest Foundation.
The machine produced imperfections in film so students could learn how to correct them. Students took course work at Patrick & Henry Community College, hands-on training at NCI, and then could interview with Eastman Performance Films, one of the largest employers in Martinsville. But it turned out that Eastman could hire people off the street without sending them through a year of training, Stanley said.
“Sending them off to training and not utilizing them almost immediately is not cost productive for them,” Stanley said.
Jackson, the interim executive director at NCI from June 2019 to June 2022, said the machine was “dormant” when she arrived. “I never could move the needle on that one.”
A spokeswoman for Eastman confirmed that the company needed to bring on workers at a faster pace because of attrition and growth of the company in Martinsville, and while the training was beneficial, she said, Eastman has had success recruiting and hiring on its own in recent months. The company and NCI say they want to relaunch the partnership.
Stanley and other NCI officials in 2018 announced a partnership with Newport News Shipbuilding, which designs and builds Navy aircraft carriers and is the largest industrial employer in the state. At the time, officials said they planned for NCI to offer a shipbuilding program by fall 2019.
But that program never materialized. Stanley blamed that on Old Dominion University not starting an online curriculum that could be utilized at NCI.
Patrick Wilson is a member of the Public Service Journalism Team. He can be reached at pwilson@lee.net.
Holly Kozelsky is editor of the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached holly.kozelsky@martinsvillebulletin.com.
Bill Wyatt is a staff writer for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at bill.wyatt@martinsvillebulletin.com.
Martinsville Bulletin staff writer Monique Holland contributed to this report.
Patrick Wilson is a member of the Public Service Journalism Team. He can be reached at pwilson@lee.net.
Holly Kozelsky is editor of the Martinsville Bulletin. She can be reached holly.kozelsky@martinsvillebulletin.com.
Bill Wyatt is a staff writer for the Martinsville Bulletin. He can be reached at bill.wyatt@martinsvillebulletin.com.
Martinsville Bulletin staff writer Monique Holland contributed to this report. | https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/money-pit-how-this-taxpayer-funded-program-spent-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-and-is/article_72de6dcf-6044-5ca8-81cc-7b4841bca052.html | 2022-11-11 14:36:54 | 1 | https://richmond.com/news/state-and-regional/money-pit-how-this-taxpayer-funded-program-spent-tens-of-millions-of-dollars-and-is/article_72de6dcf-6044-5ca8-81cc-7b4841bca052.html |
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — An Indiana judge on Thursday blocked the state’s abortion ban from being enforced, putting the new law on hold as abortion clinic operators argue that it violates the state constitution.
Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon issued a preliminary injunction against the ban that took effect one week ago. The injunction was sought by abortion clinic operators who argued in a lawsuit that the state constitution protects access to the medical procedure.
The ban was approved by the state’s Republican-dominated Legislature on Aug. 5 and signed by GOP Gov. Eric Holcomb. That made Indiana the first state to enact tighter abortion restrictions since the U.S. Supreme Court eliminated federal abortion protections by overturning Roe v. Wade in June.
The judge wrote “there is reasonable likelihood that this significant restriction of personal autonomy offends the liberty guarantees of the Indiana Constitution” and that the clinics will prevail in the lawsuit. The order prevents the state from enforcing the ban pending a trial on the merits of the lawsuit.
Republican state Attorney General Todd Rokita said in a statement: “We plan to appeal and continue to make the case for life in Indiana.”
Indiana’s ban followed the political firestorm over a 10-year-old rape victim who traveled to the state from neighboring Ohio to end her pregnancy. The case gained wide attention when an Indianapolis doctor said the child came to Indiana because of Ohio’s “fetal heartbeat” ban.
An Ohio judge has temporarily blocked that state law, indicating he will allow abortions to continue up to 20 weeks’ gestation until after a court hearing scheduled for Oct. 7.
With Indiana now on hold, bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states. In another state, Wisconsin, clinics have stopped providing abortions amid litigation over whether an 1849 ban is in effect. Georgia bans abortions once fetal cardiac activity can be detected and Florida and Utah have bans that kick in after 15 and 18 weeks gestation, respectively.
The Indiana ban, which includes limited exceptions, replaced state laws that generally prohibited abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy and tightly restricted them after the 13th week.
The American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which is representing the abortion clinics, filed the lawsuit Aug. 31 and argued the ban would “prohibit the overwhelming majority of abortions in Indiana and, as such, will have a devastating and irreparable impact on the plaintiffs and, more importantly, their patients and clients.”
Ken Falk, the ACLU of Indiana’s legal director, pointed to the state constitution’s declaration of rights including “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” in arguing before the judge on Monday that it included a right to privacy and to make decisions on whether to have children.
The state attorney general’s office said the court should uphold the ban, calling arguments against it based on a “novel, unwritten, historically unsupported right to abortion” in the state constitution.
“The constitutional text nowhere mentions abortion, and Indiana has prohibited or heavily regulated abortion by statute since 1835 — before, during, and after the time when the 1851 Indiana Constitution was drafted, debated, and ratified,” the office said in a court filing.
The question of whether the Indiana Constitution protects abortion rights is undecided.
A state appeals court decision in 2004 said privacy was a core value under the state constitution that extended to all residents, including women seeking an abortion. But the Indiana Supreme Court later set aside that ruling without addressing whether the state constitution included such a right.
Hanlon, a Republican who was first elected in 2014 as a judge in the rural southern Indiana county, wrote that Indiana’s constitution “is more explicit in its affirmation of individual rights and its limitation of legislative power to intrude into personal affairs” than the U.S. Constitution.
“There is a reasonable likelihood that decisions about family planning, including decisions about whether to carry pregnancy to term,” are protected by the state constitution, Hanlon wrote.
Planned Parenthood and other abortion clinic operators involved in the lawsuit said in a statement that they were “grateful that the court granted much needed relief for patients, clients, and providers but this fight is far from over.”
“Indiana lawmakers have made it abundantly clear that this harm, this cruelty, is exactly the reality they had in mind when they passed (the abortion ban,)” the statement said.
The Indiana abortion ban includes exceptions allowing abortions in cases of rape and incest, before 10 weeks post-fertilization; to protect the life and physical health of the mother; and if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly.
The new law also prohibited abortion clinics from providing any abortion care, leaving such services solely to hospitals or outpatient surgical centers owned by hospitals. | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/ap-judge-blocks-indiana-abortion-ban-week-after-it-took-effect/ | 2022-09-22 21:18:28 | 0 | https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/national/ap-judge-blocks-indiana-abortion-ban-week-after-it-took-effect/ |
Hundreds of Stores Across Six States, Notable Partnerships with Companies Including DoorDash and Core-Mark, with plans to expand into thousands more stores in the years ahead
LOS ANGELES, June 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Bevz, the leading software and services (SaaS) platform for independently operated and small chain liquor/convenience stores, has seen tremendous growth and success this year, with no signs of slowing down in 2023 and beyond.
Bevz was built by convenience stores for convenience stores. Started in January 2020 by Victor Grayr and Jason Vego, Bevz was created to modernize liquor and convenience stores, and help them grow their businesses.
"Convenience stores are an integral part of the snack and drink ecosystem. In the U.S., there are over 150,000 convenience stores doing hundreds of billions of dollars in annual sales, yet they've been completely overlooked by technology and innovation," said Jason Vego, CEO & Co-Founder. "We're on a mission to power the snack and drink industry at a hyper-local level, by helping brands get the right products into the right convenience stores, and helping convenience stores seamlessly sell more products to consumers."
See below for notable recent company milestones across various parts of the organization…
Storefront Success
- Hundreds of stores across 6 states
- 95% conversion from free trial to paid subscription
- 99% monthly retention
- Stores increase their revenue by up to $132k per year when using Bevz
Notable Partnerships and Integrations
- E-commerce: DoorDash, GrubHub, Uber
- POS: Cash Register Express, Retail Management Hero
- Distribution: Core-Mark, RNDC, Vistar
- Brands: FritoLay, Lotte, Pepsi
- Infrastructure: DocuSign, Plaid, Slack, Stripe, Twilio, Zendesk
Notable Advisors & Investors:
- Adam Mavrikos, VP of Sales at Toast
- Chris Beals, CEO at Komet Sales & Former CEO at Weedmaps
- Golden Section Ventures
- Gryphon Ventures
- Jeffrey Klein, Former President & CEO at 101communications
- Rich Larson, Founder & CEO at Daintri
- Silicon Beach Investment Group
- Stage 2 Capital
- Techstars
- UCLA Anderson Angels
"I've been working with Bevz over the last year and I've seen their incredible ability to acquire and support stores across the nation," said Adam Mavrikos, VP of Sales at Toast. "Just like Toast pioneered technology for restaurants, I think Bevz is on track to become the market leader and go-to company for convenience store modernization and optimization."
Looking Ahead
- Adding thousands of stores across a majority of states in the U.S.
- Combining additional local e-commerce and delivery options
- Integrating with the most popular POS systems in the convenience store sector
- Helping dozens of small and large brands get into convenience stores, and sell more products in-store and online
About Bevz
Bevz is a technology platform built for convenience stores, by convenience store owners. Our all-in-one solution allows convenience stores to purchase inventory from distributors, sign-up with and combine multiple e-commerce apps (DoorDash, Uber Eats, Grubhub, etc.), and seamlessly manage inventory. Visit Bevz.com to learn more.
Communications Contact
Taylor Foxman
Taylor@TheIndustryCollective.org
609-432-2237
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SOURCE Bevz | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/bevz-leading-software-services-platform-local-independently-operated-liquor-convenience-stores-sees-tremendous-start-2023/ | 2023-06-06 15:23:14 | 0 | https://www.kswo.com/prnewswire/2023/06/06/bevz-leading-software-services-platform-local-independently-operated-liquor-convenience-stores-sees-tremendous-start-2023/ |
The James Webb Space Telescope will remain The James Webb Space Telescope, despite criticism from some astronomers who refuse to call it that.
They object to honoring a NASA administrator who led the agency at a time when the government persecuted gay workers. But after an extensive review of historical records, NASA now says it "found no evidence that Webb was either a leader or proponent of firing government employees for their sexual orientation."
"Based on the available evidence, the agency does not plan to change the name of the James Webb Space Telescope," the agency said in a statement released on Friday, Nov. 18.
Space telescopes have traditionally been named after scientists, like astronomer Edwin Hubble. But back when NASA was designing and building what's now its flagship telescope, an administrator unilaterally decided to name the powerful instrument after James Webb, an accomplished leader who oversaw the Apollo program that sent astronauts to the moon.
Last year, before the $10 billion telescope was launched into space, several astronomers wrote an article for Scientific American calling for this observatory to be renamed. They argued that Webb's leadership role during a time when the federal government was investigating and purging gay employees meant he effectively had to have been complicit.
Many astronomy researchers signed on to a petition urging NASA to change the name, and some pointedly refer to the telescope only by its initials. The American Astronomical Society even reminded its members this month that they don't need to use the telescope's full name when submitting scientific papers to the society's journals.
In 2021, NASA started to investigate records related to Webb's time in government, but the coronavirus pandemic meant that access to some archival collections was restricted.
"A critically important part of this whole investigation was getting access to records," says Brian Odom, NASA's chief historian. "COVID presented a huge challenge to that."
Still, after an initial review, NASA's administrator Bill Nelson released a statement in September of last year saying that the telescope's name would remain unchanged. At the time, some astronomers were unhappy that NASA was not more transparent about how officials came to that decision.
Now, NASA has publicly posted the full report describing its investigation of Webb's time in government, both at the State Department and NASA.
Odom and his colleagues reviewed over 50,000 pages of documents covering the period from 1949-1969.
"I'm satisfied that we've done our due diligence, that we have gone through the records that we needed to go through," he says.
This broad review turned up nothing about Webb's own opinions on the federal government's employment policies, says Odom, other than his intention to implement the policies set by his superiors. For example, Webb was very concerned that NASA centers comply with new equal employment opportunity practices related to race and gender.
"We really still don't really know how he felt about any of these issues," says Odom, saying that Webb's main concern seemed to be understanding the administration's policies and putting them into effect while also fulfilling other priorities, like going to the moon.
In Webb's communications about personnel issues at NASA, homosexuality just doesn't come up, says Odom. He found no evidence that Webb was ever aware of the firing of Clifford J. Norton in 1963. Norton was a NASA budget analyst who lost his job after being arrested by the police for having made a "homosexual advance," and later sued the government.
The report also examines an episode during Webb's time at the State Department, in 1950, when he met with Senator Clyde Hoey, who led a congressional inquiry into homosexuals in the federal government.
"Based upon the available evidence, Webb's main involvement was in attempting to limit Congressional access to the personnel records of the Department of State," the new NASA report states, adding that Webb did apparently pass along some materials on homosexuality provided by another federal employee.
"None of the evidence found links Webb to actions emerging from this discussion. Nor does Webb, in the aftermath of the June 28 meeting, follow up on the matter – whether via memoranda or correspondence," NASA's report says.
Critics of the telescope's name say NASA's approach to this whole issue is sorely lacking. The four astronomers who authored the Scientific American article sent NPR a joint statement which says that "NASA's statement relies on a practice of selective historical reading: where there is not a piece of paper that explicitly says 'James Webb knew about this,' they assume it means he did not."
Noting that "all evidence points to the suggestion that Webb continued to be in positions of power specifically because he was highly competent," these astronomers say it's likely that Webb knew much about the security practices at his agency during the Cold War, when being gay was perceived as being a national security risk.
"It is hypocritical of NASA to insist on giving Webb credit for the exciting things that happened under his leadership — activities that were actually conducted by other people — but refuse to accept his culpability for the problems," they write.
They add that NASA's stance may be seen as implying that managers are not responsible for homophobia or other forms of discrimination that happen on their watch.
Odom says he understands why people can have passionate feelings about the name of the telescope, calling the persecution of gay government workers a "painful chapter in American history."
"I'm very familiar with how the past can still have an impact on the present. And I understand why it means so much to people," says Odom. "But ultimately, you know, we have to go where the evidence takes us."
Even if there's no evidence that Webb led efforts to oust gay people from government, says Odom, understanding that part of history and the damage it did to people's lives is important as NASA moves forward and tries to have open conversations about diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
"If we don't make this a usable past," says Odom, "we will fail to learn the lessons that it can provide us and we will be weaker for it."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-11-18/nasa-once-again-declines-to-rename-the-james-webb-space-telescope | 2022-11-18 21:53:03 | 1 | https://www.wbaa.org/2022-11-18/nasa-once-again-declines-to-rename-the-james-webb-space-telescope |
WFO PENDLETON Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Tuesday, February 14, 2023
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WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY
URGENT - WINTER WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Pendleton OR
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915 PM PST Sun Feb 12 2023
...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 AM MONDAY TO
4 AM PST TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 6 to 10
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inches with locally higher amounts above 5000 feet. Winds
gusting as high as 45 mph.
* WHERE...In Oregon, Northern Blue Mountains of Oregon. In
Washington, Northwest Blue Mountains.
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* WHEN...From 4 AM Monday to 4 AM PST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult. Patchy blowing snow
could significantly reduce visibility.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
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Slow down and use caution while traveling.
The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1, or
by visiting online at https://tripcheck.com for Oregon or
https://wsdot.com/travel for Washington.
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...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PST
MONDAY ABOVE 3000 FEET...
* WHAT...Snow expected above 3000 feet. Total snow accumulations
of up to 6 to 10 inches, with locally higher amounts near 12
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inches at Snoqualmie Pass. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph.
* WHERE...East Slopes of the Washington Cascades.
* WHEN...From 11 PM this evening to 11 PM PST Monday.
could significantly reduce visibility. Gusty winds could bring
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down tree branches.
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Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/wa-wfo-pendleton-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17780542.php | 2023-02-13 05:53:36 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/weather/article/wa-wfo-pendleton-warnings-watches-and-advisories-17780542.php |
AUSTIN, Texas, Feb. 21, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Organizations face an average of six breaches in their SaaS supply chain every year, according to new data published today by Nudge Security. With threat actors like Lapsus$ exploiting this modern attack surface, securing it has become a top cybersecurity priority and was the subject of a recent executive order. In fact, by 2025, 45% of organizations worldwide will have experienced attacks on their software supply chains, a three-fold increase from 2021, according to Gartner, Inc.
To address these threats, Nudge Security announced the addition of multiple new SaaS attack surface management capabilities to its platform, including SaaS supply chain breach notifications, OAuth risk scoring, and a SaaS attack surface dashboard.
"Every security leader is contending with a sprawling mix of cloud and SaaS providers, permissions, accounts, and identities. Until now, this emerging attack surface has been largely invisible and vulnerable to the types of supply chain attacks in the headlines week after week," said Kevin Mandia, CEO, Mandiant and Strategic Partner, Ballistic Ventures. "Nudge Security recognized that securing the SaaS supply chain is one of the core challenges of modern cybersecurity, and that's why the Ballistic Ventures team was so eager to invest."
With a new centralized SaaS attack surface dashboard, IT and security teams can continuously identify critical targets like cloud infrastructure, code repositories, and apps that handle IP and sensitive data as well as publicly exposed apps, registered domains, and social media accounts. Additionally, new OAuth risk scoring extends Nudge Security's existing OAuth discovery capabilities, so teams can understand what access is given between apps and surface overly permissive grants.
"Recent breaches like the one at CircleCI show how SaaS supply chain attacks can ricochet across modern software development and CI/CD environments," said Jaime Blasco, CTO and co-founder of Nudge Security. "Our data shows that, on average, organizations use three SaaS providers for source code repositories and artifact hosting, which they connect to other services, creating permissions sprawl and heightened risk. For example, organizations give Github access to about 10 different SaaS applications on average."
When breaches occur, organizations must be able to quickly assess impact. That's why Nudge Security expanded its SaaS supply chain capabilities with new breach notifications for third- and fourth-party SaaS providers, so customers can know immediately if they're in the blast radius of a breach, such as the recent GoDaddy breach.
For more, join Nudge Security for a live webinar on SaaS attack surface management on Thursday, February 23, 2023. Register at www.nudgesecurity.com.
About Nudge Security
Nudge Security enables SaaS security at scale using the power of the modern workforce. Founded in 2021 by Jaime Blasco and Russell Spitler and backed by Ballistic Ventures, Nudge Security was named a "Cybersecurity startup to watch in 2023" by CSO Magazine. Learn more at www.nudgesecurity.com and follow on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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SOURCE Nudge Security | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/21/new-saas-attack-surface-management-capabilities-nudge-security-help-organizations-discover-manage-saas-supply-chain-risks/ | 2023-02-21 21:08:56 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2023/02/21/new-saas-attack-surface-management-capabilities-nudge-security-help-organizations-discover-manage-saas-supply-chain-risks/ |
A 25-year old man has been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting death in Tucson earlier this year, Tucson police announced.
Carlos Gandara Jr. was arrested Wednesday, July 26, in the Feb. 25 slaying of Warren Lee Lewis, 61.
Police gave the following account in a news release:
Officers called to the southwest corner of North Stone Avenue and West Fort Lowell Road found Lewis with gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
Witnesses told investigators Lewis was walking with another person along North Stone when a passing car opened fire.
No immediate suspects were identified but forensic evidence led to Gandara as the prime suspect.
Police obtained a search warrant and an arrest warrant was issued for Gandara. They eventually found him a home near the intersection of North Flowing Wells and West Fort Lowell roads. The Tucson Police Department's SWAT team was called in to assist and he was taken into custody without incident.
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Gandara is being held at the Pima County jail on suspicion of first-degree murder, drive-by shooting and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charges.
Detectives ask that anyone with information about the case call 88-CRIME.
Eddie Celaya is a breaking news reporter and host of the "Here Weed Go!" podcast. He graduated from Pima Community College and the University of Arizona and has been with the Arizona Daily Star since May 2019. | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-courts/first-degree-murder/article_b1d12b3a-2ccd-11ee-b9d9-03a8e6ca2584.html | 2023-07-27 23:34:12 | 1 | https://tucson.com/news/local/crime-courts/first-degree-murder/article_b1d12b3a-2ccd-11ee-b9d9-03a8e6ca2584.html |
CNN — The Senate on Thursday approved a bill by unanimous decision with the goal being to improve access to baby formula as the U.S. deals with a nationwide shortage that has sparked controversy and put pressure on lawmakers to make changes.
The bill, called the Access to Baby Formula Act, was approved by the House on Wednesday and will now go to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.
The measure is aimed at guaranteeing that families in need can continue to buy baby formula with WIC benefits during a public health emergency or supply chain issues such as a product recall.
“The Senate has just passed legislation to help ease the terrible nightmare parents are facing trying to find baby formula for their kids,” said Majority Leader Chuck Schumer in remarks on the Senate floor. “It’s rare that we have unanimity in the Senate on important measures, and I wish we had more. But this is one of these important issues and I’m glad we’re acting with one voice.”
The measure would allow the Agriculture Department to waive certain requirements related to the benefits program, according to a fact sheet from the House Education and Labor Committee.
“The step we’re taking today is going to add flexibility and relief to WIC beneficiaries and almost half of all baby formula consumed in the US is by WIC beneficiaries,” Schumer added. “Now, millions of parents will have an easier time finding the baby formula they need.”
The House also passed another bill on Wednesday to help to address the baby formula shortage, but the fate of that legislation is more uncertain in the Senate. The legislation faced stiff Republican opposition in the House, passing the chamber by a vote of 231 to 192. That bill would provide $28 million in emergency funding for the US Food and Drug Administration in an effort to help reduce the current shortfall and prevent future shortages.
Senate GOP Whip John Thune of South Dakota acknowledged earlier on Thursday that key senators in his party have not “looked that closely” at the $28 million bill yet. But he and other Republicans have said already they don’t think more funding is needed and that the Biden administration has the tools necessary to resolve the problem.
The emergency funding would be used to increase the number of FDA inspection staff, provide resources for personnel working on formula issues, help the agency stop fraudulent baby formula from entering the US marketplace, and improve data collection on the formula market, according to a release from the House Appropriations Committee.
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™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved. | https://nbc-2.com/cnn/2022/05/21/senate-passes-bill-to-improve-access-to-baby-formula-for-families-in-need/ | 2022-05-21 16:02:17 | 0 | https://nbc-2.com/cnn/2022/05/21/senate-passes-bill-to-improve-access-to-baby-formula-for-families-in-need/ |
Fires ravage French forests near Atlantic as Europe heats up
Challenged by high temperatures and strong winds, 1,000 firefighters and 10 water-dumping planes struggled Friday to contain two wildfires in the Bordeaux region of southwestern France that have forced the evacuation of 11,300 people and ravaged pine forests near the Atlantic coast.
The French wildfires were among several scorching different areas of Europe this week.
One of the French fires is in woodlands just south of the Atlantic resort town of Arcachon, a major attraction for visitors during the summer. The other is in parkland not far from valleys dotted with vineyards that have struggled with hotter, drier weather than usual this year that authorities have linked to climate change.
More than 17,000 acres of land have been consumed by the fires, according to the regional emergency service. As the fires stretched into a fourth day Friday, one was partially contained, it said, but warned that hotter temperatures and winds over the weekend could further complicate firefighting efforts.
“We are living through an exceptionally harsh [summer] season,” French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday during a visit to the government crisis management center at the Interior Ministry in Paris. The number of French forests burnt in fires this year is already triple those destroyed in 2020, Macron said.
President Biden met with the Saudi royal family in Jeddah on Friday, reversing a vow he made to marginalize the oil-rich kingdom.
Some of the firefighting planes and equipment that were supposed to be displayed in Thursday’s Bastille Day parade in Paris were diverted for use on the Bordeaux region fires. Wildfires also broke out in southeast France and north of Paris.
Portugal has been hit particularly hard by wildfires this week. More than 3,000 firefighters battled alongside ordinary Portuguese citizens desperate to save their homes from several wildfires that raged across the country, fanned by extreme temperatures and drought conditions. The country’s Civil Protection Agency said 10 fires were still raging Friday, with ones in the north causing the most concern.
Portuguese state television RTP reported Friday that the area burned this year has already exceeded the total for 2021. More than 74,000 acres of land have been burned, it said, most in the last week.
Meanwhile, Portuguese authorities said a July national high of 117 degrees was registered in the northern town of Pinhao on Wednesday, the hottest day of the year so far.
Spain, Croatia and Hungary have also fought wildfires this week. For a fifth day, firefighters in Spain were battling Friday to try to bring under control a fire started by a lightning strike in the west-central Las Hurdes area that has consumed about 13,600 acres.
Some 400 people from eight villages were evacuated late Thursday as the flames approached their houses and threatened to spread into the nearby Monfrague National Park.
The government said Friday that 17 fires across Spain kept firefighters busy. In northeastern Catalonia, authorities restricted access to several mountain areas to avoid possible fires.
The European Union has urged member states to prepare for wildfires this summer as the continent faces another extreme weather shift that scientists say is being triggered by climate change.
In the Spanish city of Seville, one of the hottest spots in Europe this week, some unions called for workers to be sent home. Temperatures in many parts of Spain have been topping 104 degrees for several days and are expected to keep doing so through next week.
Seville became the first city in the world to take part in a pilot project that names and categorizes heat waves in an effort to raise awareness of the health hazards caused by extreme heat and the precautions citizens should take.
“Climate-driven extreme heat is killing more people than any other of the climate-driven hazards. Heat is invisible, it is silent and it kills slowly, and people are not aware of it,” said Kathy Baughman McLeod, director of the Arsht-Rockefeller Resilience Center of the Atlantic Council.
Britain’s Met Office weather agency warned Friday that record temperatures expected next week pose a risk of “serious illness or danger to life.”
The office issued its first-ever “red warning” of extreme heat for Monday and Tuesday, when temperatures in southern England are forecast to reach 98.6 degrees.There is a chance that temperatures could breach the highest-ever recorded in Britain — 101.7, which was set in 2019.
The Met Office weather alert, which covers a big chunk of England from London up to Manchester, warns of danger to life, disruption to air and rail travel and potential “localized loss of power and other essential services, such as water or mobile phone services.”
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. | https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-07-15/fires-ravage-french-forests-near-atlantic-as-europe-heats-up | 2022-07-15 19:51:38 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2022-07-15/fires-ravage-french-forests-near-atlantic-as-europe-heats-up |
LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, the BIG3 announced CBS is returning as the league's primary broadcast partner for the BIG3's sixth season. CBS will air more than 20 hours of live weekend games in the summer of 2023, when the league returns to its original touring model with games in 10 different cities.
"After the success of last season, it's cool to continue to blow this league up with CBS," said Ice Cube, BIG3 CEO and co-founder. "CBS has been more than an amazing partner by showcasing 2 to 3 BIG3 games every weekend on the number one network. They believe in the league and use their unprecedented reach to bring the BIG3 to new heights on the worldwide stage of sports."
Last season was one of the league's most successful to date, with viewership up 14% year-over-year and several games recording record number of viewers. After a full day of BIG3 basketball – including the Monster Energy BIG3 Celebrity Game with stars like Rob Gronkowski, Nelly, and Wallo267 and Gillie Da Kid and the league's inaugural All-Star Game – more than 1 million people, a 32% increase from last year, tuned in watch Trilogy take home the title in the 2022 Championship Game.
"BIG3 is an exciting brand of basketball with an audience that continues to grow each year," said Dan Weinberg Executive Vice President, Programming, CBS Sports. "We look forward to showcasing the BIG3 across our platforms and build on the momentum the League has created over the past three seasons on CBS."
"CBS feels like home for our millions of fans who love our sport and love the BIG3," said Jeff Kwatinetz, BIG3 president and co-founder. "They have helped us grow each year and we will continue to work together to build a successful global league."
As a league focused on innovation, the BIG3 introduced the first-of-its-kind Forever Experience Action Token (FEATs), which leverages blockchain technology to sell NFTs offering ownership-like benefits and real-world experiences, redefining how teams and leagues can use Web3.0 technology. Owners include a community of Axie Infinity Members – owners of the now three-time-champion Trilogy – DeGods, Gary Vaynerchuk and VeeFriends, Bill Lee and MyDoge/DogeCoin, Krause House, and Snoop Dogg and PayPal Co-Founder Ken Howery.
The full broadcast schedule, cities, and venues will be announced in the coming weeks.
To stay updated with the latest news about the BIG3, including the dates and locations of the league's open tryouts, the 2023 draft, and other season 6 announcements, go to BIG3.com and follow @thebig3 on twitter and instagram. To become part of the BIG3 FEAT community, join the Discord here.
BIG3 (BIG3.com) is where FIREBALL3 superstars play. The premier global BIG3 league features many of the greatest, most popular, and skilled professional athletes of all time. Founded by producer, actor, and music legend Ice Cube and entertainment executive Jeff Kwatinetz, the BIG3 combines highly competitive, physical, fast game experiences and incredible fan experiences.
MEDIA CONTACTS
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SOURCE BIG3 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/12/big3-returns-cbs-summer-2023-leagues-sixth-season/ | 2022-10-12 20:46:49 | 1 | https://www.wafb.com/prnewswire/2022/10/12/big3-returns-cbs-summer-2023-leagues-sixth-season/ |
MILAN (AP) — Milan Fashion Week closed four days of mostly menswear previews for next fall and winter on a note of tranquility.
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Italian fashion world stalwart Giorgio Armani took his admirers inside Milan’s hidden courtyards, islands of calm concealed from general view within the walls of the city’s austere neoclassical architecture.
Indian designer Dhruv Kapoor, a relative Milan newcomer, hopes to promote an interior journey with a new collection in which he seeks to reconcile alter-egos – be they romantic, aggressive or pensive – as a way of healing.
While creating similar moods, the presented designs couldn’t have been more aesthetically opposite: one a study in tailoring and muted hues, the other an explosion of color on silhouettes that mix the oversized with the petite.
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Highlights from Monday’s shows:
DHRUV KAPOOR PROMOTES HEALING
Kapoor has a message of radical self-acceptance in his collection, which combined floral prints promoting stillness, cartoon images of Godzilla representing aggression and lace details for romanticism.
The designer, through his unisex collection dubbed “The Embracer,’’ advocates embracing all of our parts, even those viewed negatively. Not that he thinks the solution lies in wardrobing.
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“It’s a very simple process. Look in the mirror and tell yourself, ‘I love you.’ And see how the magic starts to shift. You just need to admire yourself just the way you are,’’ Kapoor said backstage, adding that he has felt a dramatic shift since adopting the practice. “I don’t know how it comes. I never dwell on the how.”
The collection includes a fitted, ripped denim dress over loose jeans. Broad-shoulder suit jackets were combined with tight trousers that flare into a bell bottom. Oversized sweatshirts were layered with cotton tunics and a sheer lace pant. Godzilla raged on the front of a button-down shirt or tight-fitting dress, while a silver pillow jacket had reptilian spikes down the back.
“Godzilla also has a very negative, monstrous thing attached to it,’’ Kapoor said. But that should not impede acceptance, he insisted.
Crystals on knitwear, suits and jackets hold energy that Kapoor said can be activated to have a positive impact on the wearer’s life. Instructions are included with the garments.
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Models traversed the Tiepolo room in the 18th century Clerici Palace beneath images that included demons, walking to the beat of modems connecting mixed with classical music and hip hop. The mashup gives “us a whiff of the past and the future,’’ Kapoor said. “And we are birthing a new present.”
Kapoor also promotes healing for the environment. Nearly two-thirds of his collection is either upcycled, employing leftover textiles that otherwise would be discarded, or recycled. For this season, all of his suit fabrics are made from recycled plastics.
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ARMANI’S HIDDEN MILAN
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Hidden from view in Italy’s frenetic fashion and finance capital are quiet gardens ensconced in Milan’s courtyards.
Giorgio Armani suggests these are places to pause and take stock before emerging for business or play, this season on soft footwear with rubber soles.
Models walked slowly to a soundtrack of Italian pianist-composer Ludovico Einaudi soundtrack while wearing suits and separates that were deeply textured, projecting self-assuredness in the 88-year-old designer’s trademark soft-silhouette.
The color palette consisted of soft earthy tones set off by olive and forest green with a surge of crimson in sportswear and a final smattering of weekend dandy looks. Flannel cargo pants were paired with soft sweaters. Disciplined double-breasted suits befitted a negotiating table. Big gake furs, including one in tiger print, lightened the quiet mood.
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The show closed with couples dressed in shimmering black evening dresses and formal suits with silk or velvet details chattering down the runway, as if they were leaving a party.
Armani conceded that flashes of skin on other runways this season had a sensuality. But he stuck by his conviction: “You can wear anything you want, but when you are at an important table, you need to wear an important suit," he said.
His one transgression: ties that arch under the knot, as if pulled loose, and worn tucked into vests, “to give space to relax.”
‘’Stiff is not good,’’ the designer added. | https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/Armani-Kapoor-bring-tranquil-close-to-Milan-17720927.php | 2023-01-16 17:29:58 | 1 | https://www.seattlepi.com/entertainment/article/Armani-Kapoor-bring-tranquil-close-to-Milan-17720927.php |
LONDON (AP) — The number of coronavirus deaths fell by 9% in the last week while new cases remained relatively stable, according to the latest weekly pandemic report released by the World Health Organization Wednesday.
The U.N. health agency said there were more than 14,000 COVID-19 deaths in the last week and nearly 7 million new infections. The Western Pacific reported a 30% jump in cases while Africa reported a 46% drop. Cases also fell by more than 20% in the Americas and the Middle East.
The number of new deaths rose by 19% in the Middle East, while dropping by more than 70% in Africa, 15% in Europe and 10% in the Americas.
The WHO said that the omicron subvariant BA.5 remains dominant globally, accounting for nearly 70% of all virus sequences shared with the world’s biggest publicly available virus database. The agency said other omicron subvariants, including BA.4 and BA.2, appear to be decreasing in prevalence as BA.5 takes over.
The WHO cautioned that its assessment of COVID-19 trends remains compromised by countries dropping many of their testing, surveillance and sequencing efforts as most countries have relaxed pandemic controls.
Still, Chinese authorities have announced new restrictions this week, after finding COVID-19 cases in the tourist island of Hainan and in Tibet. Earlier this week, the Chinese government shut down Lhasa’s Potala Palace, the traditional home of the Dalai Lama, and also locked down Haikou, the capital of Hainan, in addition to several other cities including the beach resort Sanya.
About 80,000 tourists were stranded this week in Sanya after Chinese officials declared it a COVID-19 hot spot and required people to test negative five times within a week before being allowed to leave.
On Tuesday, the Chinese government sent a first planeload of 125 tourists out of Sanya and said other flights would be organized to fly out tourists in batches once they fulfilled the criteria to leave.
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Follow AP’s coverage of the pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic | https://www.kron4.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/who-covid-19-deaths-fall-overall-by-9-infections-stable/ | 2022-08-11 08:58:04 | 0 | https://www.kron4.com/top-stories/ap-top-headlines/who-covid-19-deaths-fall-overall-by-9-infections-stable/ |
In Arizona, Kari Lake points to perceived conflict of interest
PHOENIX (AP) — Republican Kari Lake and supporters of her failed campaign for Arizona governor are attacking Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs as having a conflict of interest for overseeing the election she won. Secretaries of state across the country routinely oversee their own races, and Republicans had no such criticism when one of their own was secretary of state in Georgia and oversaw his own election for governor four years ago. The criticism of Hobbs has persisted after one heavily Republican rural county declined to certify its own election results, forcing Hobbs to sue.
Lake said in a video posted to social media this week that Hobbs “is now threatening counties with legal action if they do not crown her governor by certifying the election that she botched. You simply can’t make this stuff up.” Hobbs defeated Lake by a little more than 17,000 votes, and there has been no evidence that voters were disenfranchised or that the result was in any way inaccurate. Every county in the state except one — Cochise County, in the state’s southeast corner — has certified its results. Hobbs’ lawsuit against the county has its first hearing on Thursday.
While most Republicans around the country who lost after spreading baseless claims about the 2020 presidential election conceded, Lake has not. She has embarked on a campaign on social media and conservative outlets to claim the election was tainted by problems in Maricopa County, which includes the Phoenix area and accounts for more than 60% of the state’s registered voters. County officials say everyone was able to cast a ballot and that all legal votes were counted.
Trey Grayson, a Republican who served two terms as Kentucky’s secretary of state, noted that he oversaw two of his elections — his re-election as secretary of state and then a bid for U.S. Senate. “The system is designed so that there aren’t conflicts of interest,” Grayson said. “I can understand why Kari Lake might ask the question. But if you look at the actual division of labor, there is not a conflict.” Grayson said he did not think an appearance of a conflict justified elected official recusing themselves from the process, pointing to various safeguards built into the system. The secretary of state merely administers laws passed by the legislature, he said, and courts can step in if someone tries to influence an election. “If everyone has to recuse on the mere perception of a conflict, our system would fail,” he said. “There is no evidence that is necessary.”
Similar claims surfaced in 2018 when then-Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp and then-Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, both Republicans, were both running for governor in their respective states. While Kobach lost his bid, Kemp won amid criticism from his Democratic opponent, Stacey Abrams, for refusing to step down from his position before the election. “Brian Kemp oversaw for eight years the systematic and systemic dismantling of our democracy and that means there could not be free and fair elections in Georgia this year,” Abrams told MSNBC in an interview shortly after the 2018 election.
Earlier this year, a federal judge ruled against a group associated with Abrams in a four-year-old lawsuit that had challenged various aspects of the state’s voting practices. Kemp resigned soon after Election Day in 2018, and an interim secretary of state later certified the results.
Across the country this year, 15 secretaries of state were on the ballot — running for re-election or another office. Just before the Nov. 8 election, a nonpartisan group that advocates for election reforms called on the officials to recuse themselves from certifying themselves as the winner in a close election. The Election Reformers Network had previously drafted proposed legislation that would, among other steps, prohibit a state election official from overseeing elections in which they are on the ballot. “Although many secretaries of state manage such situations of potential conflict of interest with integrity, the current environment of partisan animosity and voter distrust calls for proactive efforts to ensure voter confidence in results,” Kevin Johnson, the group’s executive director, said in a statement at the time.
This year, most of those contests were not close, but Hobbs won by less than 1 percentage point in the Arizona governor’s race. The secretary of state there certifies election results in the presence of the governor, the state attorney general and the chief justice of the state Supreme Court. This week, Johnson said Hobbs should explore whether state law allows her to recuse herself from certifying her own race. Hobbs’ spokeswoman, Sophia Solis, emphasized that the secretary of state does not handle ballots or play a direct role in vote tabulation, and said that neither the courts nor precedent in the state require Hobbs to recuse herself “based on purely speculative claims.” “In fact, Arizona has a history of state officials who have been tasked with overseeing election administration or certifying election results who have continued to ethically perform their duties while on the ballot,” Solis said.
While Hobbs plays an important role in certifying an election, the procedure is routine and ministerial, meaning she is compelled to sign off on the results unless a judge has intervened in the process. Nevertheless, the issue was raised by many of the dozens of speakers who urged supervisors in counties across the state not to certify the vote tallies in their jurisdictions. “In my opinion, that opens the door to fraud because she’s in charge of an election in which she is a candidate,” Lawrence Neigel of Prescott told Yavapai County supervisors, saying Hobbs should have recused herself. “I mean, that’s crazy.”
In Cochise County, two Republican supervisors on the three-member board voted not to accept the election results on Monday, the deadline under state law, prompting Hobbs’ lawsuit and another representing voters in the county. On Wednesday, a Tucson civil rights lawyer filed a notice of claim with Cochise County, saying it was the first step toward a class action lawsuit on behalf of all 47,000 voters who are at risk of not having their votes counted. The supervisors did not cite any concerns with the vote count but said they want to hear more during a Friday meeting about debunked concerns that ballot counting machines were not properly certified for use in an election.
The county attorney has refused to defend the supervisors, saying their refusal to certify is illegal. The supervisors voted Tuesday to instead hire a Phoenix lawyer who represented the firm Cyber Ninjas, which led a widely mocked partisan review of the 2020 election in Maricopa County. It’s not clear whether the lawyer, Bryan Blehm, is willing to take the case. The supervisors were unable to reach him before voting to hire him. Blehm and Cochise County Administrator Richard Karwaczka did not respond to emails Wednesday asking whether Blehm had agreed to represent the supervisors.
Two prominent former prosecutors asked the attorney general and county attorney to investigate whether the two Republican supervisors, Tom Crosby and Peggy Judd, should be criminally charged for failing to carry out their election obligations. “We take no pleasure in making this prosecution recommendation, but we believe deeply that the rule of law dictates that public officials be held accountable when they refuse to comply with their legal obligations,” former state Attorney General Terry Goddard, a Democrat, and former Maricopa County Attorney Rick Romley, a Republican, wrote in their letter.
___
Cassidy reported from Atlanta.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.azfamily.com/2022/12/01/arizona-kari-lake-points-perceived-conflict-interest/ | 2022-12-01 02:07:38 | 0 | https://www.azfamily.com/2022/12/01/arizona-kari-lake-points-perceived-conflict-interest/ |
Man dies in construction accident at ice cream plant
Published: Feb. 14, 2023 at 6:41 AM EST|Updated: 1 hour ago
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WPTA/Gray News) – A man died Monday morning in a construction accident at an Edy’s Ice Cream Plant in Indiana, according to officers from the Fort Wayne Police Department.
Emergency officials were called around 11:40 a.m. to respond to reports of a construction worker who was hit by a vehicle on the site.
Authorities said in a news release the man, who has not been identified, was on his phone and unaware of the construction vehicle backing up at the time of the accident.
The construction worker hit died at the scene, according to police.
Officials barricaded the area and said all construction is stopped until the investigation is complete.
Copyright 2023 WPTA via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/02/14/man-dies-construction-accident-ice-cream-plant/ | 2023-02-14 13:10:08 | 0 | https://www.wsaz.com/2023/02/14/man-dies-construction-accident-ice-cream-plant/ |
Dozens of machines have been bought by university campuses nationwide
CHICAGO, Sept. 13, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Shield T3, a spin out of the University of Illinois System's Discovery Partners Institute, is now providing vending machines stocked with more than 300 of its saliva-based, PCR tests for COVID-19. (Download a 3D rendering here.)
Students activate the machines with their smartphones, by scanning a QR code, at no cost to the student. The machines come with a dropbox, so a user can collect a sample and submit his or her test immediately.
Shield T3 promises results within 24 hours via text message and email. Universities are currently paying $20 to $40 per test for this service including the cost of the vending machine.
"The reality is that most campuses don't have pharmacies where students can easily access tests, much less our highly accurate PCR test," said David Clark, Shield T3's CEO. "Further tests of all kinds are expensive. This is an easy way for colleges to continue to secure affordable, high-quality testing for their students."
College administrators are able to access demand and positivity-rate data from the tests purchased from their machines via an online dashboard. It's a far more affordable way to get a read on infection rates than widespread testing.
"Outbreaks are still happening and colleges still need to ensure that in-person classes can be held safely," said Bill Jackson, Shield T3's principal officer of Shield T3. "This is a way, with little to no effort on the school's part, to protect students and gauge the number of students who are infected."
Shield T3 grew out of an easy-to-administer PCR saliva test developed by researchers at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign in 2020. The company has a track record, having run more than 4.8 million saliva tests nationwide for more than 250 schools, businesses and other organizations.
To learn more about the vending machines, please visit www.ShieldT3.com or contact info@shieldt3.com.
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Acquisition Provides Customer Self Service Solutions for Media Companies
MARKHAM, ON and ROCHESTER, NY, Sept. 6, 2022 /PRNewswire/ - Enghouse Systems Limited (TSX: ENGH) has acquired the business assets of VoicePort LLC, a provider of SaaS automated solutions based in Rochester, New York.
About Enghouse
Enghouse Systems Ltd. is a Canadian publicly traded company (TSX:ENGH) that provides vertically focused enterprise software solutions focusing on contact centers, video communications, healthcare, telecommunications, public safety and the transit market. Enghouse has a two-pronged growth strategy that focuses on internal growth and acquisitions, which are funded through operating cash flows. The company has no external debt financing and is organized around two business segments: the Interactive Management Group and the Asset Management Group. Further information about Enghouse may be obtained from the company's website at www.enghouse.com.
About VoicePort
VoicePort LLC is a provider of automated, configurable, and integrated customer self-service software. The products, including inbound and outbound IVR and AI-powered chatbots with 2-way text messaging, are designed and orchestrated to be fully integrated and work seamlessly across organizations and their supporting resources and systems. VoicePort is known for innovation in product offerings designed to help the circulation industry not only reduce costs, but to improve customer experience, retention and sales. For more information, log on to www.voiceport.net.
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(NewsNation) — Mass shootings inside schools have taken the lives of hundreds of students and teachers in the United States over the past two decades, leaving the country searching for answers as to how to stop these tragedies from happening.
Democratic lawmakers have consistently called for gun control laws to be put in place to stop the shootings, while Republicans have recently pivoted, calling for the funding of mental health programs as a solution.
As politicians continue to feud and trade blame over who and what is responsible for school shootings, teachers like Jason Winder, of Utah, have decided to carry guns in their classrooms in case anything were to happen at their school.
“When it comes down to it, even if a school has a resource officer, if they’re in a different part of the school, different part of campus, it could be minutes before that resource officer shows up,” Winder said on NewsNation’s “Rush Hour.”
“That could be the difference, unfortunately, between a massive tragedy happening,” Winder said. “I just like having the opportunity to make that decision for myself and my students.”
States like Ohio and Florida have laws and programs in place that give teachers a decision whether or not to carry a gun in school. Ohio passed its law in the wake of the Robb Elementary School shooting in Texas that left 19 children and two teachers dead. Florida passed its law in 2019 after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas school shooting in Parkland that left 17 people dead.
Winder said he does not think all teachers should be armed, but he did say it’s a “tool” for teachers to use to protect their students.
“I don’t know anyone who is promoting arming all teachers; it should definitely be a choice,” Winder said. “I hope that teachers get to have the choice. In Utah, it’s a very Second Amendment-friendly state, and we get to have that choice.”
He added, “I don’t know that I personally would want to live with knowing that I could and not having the ability to protect my students when I can.” | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/utah-teacher-explains-decision-to-carry-gun-in-classroom/ | 2022-08-10 20:34:50 | 1 | https://www.kron4.com/news/national/utah-teacher-explains-decision-to-carry-gun-in-classroom/ |
Corbin Carroll Player Prop Bets: Diamondbacks vs. Padres - April 23
Published: Apr. 23, 2023 at 9:29 AM MST|Updated: 40 minutes ago
Corbin Carroll -- with a slugging percentage of .639 in his past 10 games, including seven extra-base hits -- will be in action for the Arizona Diamondbacks versus the San Diego Padres, with Yu Darvish on the mound, on April 23 at 4:10 PM ET.
In his last game, he strung together two hits (going 2-for-4 with a double) against the Padres.
Corbin Carroll Game Info & Props vs. the Padres
- Game Day: Sunday, April 23, 2023
- Game Time: 4:10 PM ET
- Stadium: Chase Field
- Live Stream: Watch this game on Fubo!
- Padres Starter: Yu Darvish
- TV Channel: BSAZ
- Hits Prop: Over/under 0.5 hits (Over odds: -222)
- Home Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 home runs (Over odds: +450)
- RBI Prop: Over/under 0.5 RBI (Over odds: +155)
- Runs Prop: Over/under 0.5 runs (Over odds: +100)
Looking to place a prop bet on Corbin Carroll? Check out what's available at BetMGM and sign up with this link!
Corbin Carroll At The Plate
- Carroll leads Arizona with 22 hits and a team-best slugging percentage of .506.
- Among qualified batters in baseball, he ranks 58th in batting average, 114th in on-base percentage, and 38th in slugging.
- Carroll has had a hit in 13 of 22 games this season (59.1%), including multiple hits eight times (36.4%).
- He has gone deep in 18.2% of his games in 2023 (four of 22), and 4.8% of his trips to the dish.
- Carroll has had at least one RBI in 22.7% of his games this year (five of 22), with more than one RBI three times (13.6%).
- In 45.5% of his games this year (10 of 22), he has scored, and in three of those games (13.6%) he has scored more than once.
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Corbin Carroll Home/Away Batting Splits
Padres Pitching Rankings
- The pitching staff for the Padres has a collective 8.6 K/9, which ranks 20th in the league.
- The Padres' 4.36 team ERA ranks 17th among all league pitching staffs.
- Padres pitchers combine to allow 22 total home runs at a rate of one per game (to rank 13th in the league).
- Darvish (0-2) gets the starting nod for the Padres in his fourth start of the season. He's put together a 3.44 ERA in 18 1/3 innings pitched, with 20 strikeouts.
- His last time out was in relief on Sunday when the righty threw 2/3 innings against the Arizona Diamondbacks while giving up hits.
- The 36-year-old has a 3.44 ERA and 9.8 strikeouts per nine innings in three games this season, while giving up a batting average of .210 to his opponents.
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Your favorite cater waiters are back for Party Down season 3!
Nearly 13 years after the cast of the fan-favorite Starz comedy threw their last bash, they're back for more --reuniting for six new star-studded episodes, which premiere Friday, Feb. 24.
The new season picks up in real time, with Ron Donald (Ken Marino) still working for Party Down catering -- and, apparently, living in the van -- while most of his former "crew" have moved on. When a chance reunion brings Henry Pollard (Adam Scott) back together with his former co-workers, plenty of laughs, spills and service industry drudgery ensue.
"This is not how I envisioned my 40s," Henry admits in the trailer. Watch the full clip below:
In addition to Scott and Marino, season 3 features the return of original Party Down stars Jane Lynch, Megan Mullally, Martin Starr and Ryan Hansen, and the introduction of several new cast members, including Jennifer Garner, Tyrel Jackson Williams and Zoë Chao, with James Marsden recurring as a guest star.
True to the series’ tradition, season 3 will also feature plenty of famous guest stars as the hosts and attendees of the Party Down festivities, including Quinta Brunson, Bobby Moynihan, Nick Offerman, Calum Worthy, Liv Hewson, Ki Hong Lee, Judy Reyes, Dan Bakkedahl, Lyric Lewis, Fran Kranz and more.
Party Down season 3 premieres Friday, Feb. 24 at 9 p.m. PT/ET on STARZ and at midnight on the STARZ app and all STARZ streaming and on-demand platforms.
RELATED CONTENT: | https://www.ktvb.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/party-down-returns-for-star-studded-season-3-watch-the-trailer/603-74fdf1df-39ac-4d36-b8fe-9b47390901e0 | 2023-01-26 23:40:05 | 0 | https://www.ktvb.com/article/entertainment/entertainment-tonight/party-down-returns-for-star-studded-season-3-watch-the-trailer/603-74fdf1df-39ac-4d36-b8fe-9b47390901e0 |
DAVID BIANCULLI, HOST:
This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli, in for Terry Gross. Today we're remembering Seymour Stein, who died last Sunday at age 80. He was the co-founder of Sire Records, which he ran from 1966 until he stepped down in 2018. We're going to listen to two of our interviews with Stein. Over his long career, he signed a wide range of pioneering artists, from the Ramones and Madonna to Talking Heads, The Pretenders, k.d. lang and Ice-T. Here's a sampling.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BEAT ON THE BRAT")
RAMONES: (Singing) Beat on the brat. Beat on the brat. Beat on the brat with a baseball bat, oh, yeah, oh, yeah, oh.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LUCKY STAR")
MADONNA: (Singing) You must be my lucky star 'cause you shine on me wherever you are. I just think of you, and I start to glow.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BURNING DOWN THE HOUSE")
TALKING HEADS: (Singing) Watch out. You might get what you're after. Cool, babies - strange but not a stranger. I'm an ordinary guy burning down the house. Hold tight.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "6 'N THE MORNIN'")
ICE-T: (Rapping) Six in the morning, police at my door, fresh Adidas squeak across the bathroom floor. Out my back window I make my escape - didn't even get a chance to grab my old-school tape. Mad with no music but happy 'cause free, and the streets to a player is the place to be.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "DIRTY BLVD.")
LOU REED: (Singing) He's got nine brothers and sisters. They're brought up on their knees. It's hard to run when a coat hanger beats you on the thighs. Pedro dreams of being older and killing the old man, but that's a slim chance. He's going to the boulevard. He's going to end up on the dirty boulevard. He's going out to get the dirty boulevard.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BRASS IN POCKET")
THE PRETENDERS: (Singing) Going to use my arms, going to use my legs, going to use my style, going to use my sidestep, going to use my fingers, going to use my, my, my imagination 'cause I'm going to make you see.
BIANCULLI: Seymour Stein learned the record business at King Records. He was only 14 when he met Syd Nathan, that label's founder. At the time, the young teenager was working at Billboard magazine. Billboard used to host listening sessions where record company owners would play their new recordings and try to persuade Billboard to give them a good review. At one of those sessions, Stein met Syd Nathan. Seymour Stein recalled their first meeting in a conversation with Terry Gross in 2009.
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
SEYMOUR STEIN: I remember that session, you know, like it was yesterday, and it was over 50 years ago. Syd was there and another record man was there as well. What I remember very clearly was there were a large amount of records to listen to, and the last two or three were on the Jubilee label. And one of the reporters said, oh, I hear Jubilee Records is going out of business. Why should we even bother with these records? He said, I'm sure - you know, Syd is getting a little bored here. And Syd said - and the way he spoke, you know, he said, (imitating Syd Nathan) look; what if I wasn't here? Would you talk that way about me? Listen to these records.
And so the person said, boy, Jerry Blaine - who was the owner of Jubilee Records - he said he must be a good friend of yours. And he said (imitating Syd Nathan) oh, no, I'm suing the son of a b****.
TERRY GROSS: (Laughter).
STEIN: And he said, but what's right is right, you know? And one of the records actually became a hit. I can't remember - it might have been "White Silver Sands" by Don Rondo or something like that.
GROSS: So how did you get to work for Syd Nathan?
STEIN: He invited me out to spend the summer with him. I was still in high school. I was 15, and I said, yeah, wow. And my parents were a bit - you know, my father was an Orthodox Jew and, you know, just didn't understand all of this. And I'd brought them up to Billboard. And an appointment was made, which I didn't talk to my parents for a couple of weeks. I was so embarrassed that they would, you know, question something that was so wonderful.
And just as they walked into Syd's office, he put out his - my father - cheap cigar, and Sydney immediately reached into his pocket and gave him a Havana, which my father was not used to. And he had my father in his pocket. And he said, well - he said, Seymour here - he's got shellac in his veins. And what a compliment. It meant that, you know, I was a record man, you know, because shellac was the main ingredient in an old 78. And then he explained that to my father. He said, if you don't let him do what he wants to do, he's going to wind up doing nothing. And you'll have to buy him a newspaper route because that's all he'll be good for. And this was April, and my parents rushed home, and when I got home, everything was packed. I wasn't supposed to leave till the end of June when high school was up.
GROSS: So how old were you when you went to work with Syd Nathan at King Records full time?
STEIN: Full time was 1961, '62. So I would have been 19 or just turning 20.
GROSS: Now, one of the things that Syd Nathan did for you after you started working with him at King Records was tell you to change your name. Your real last name was...
STEIN: Oh, I was born with the name Steinbigle - Seymour Steinbigle.
GROSS: And what was wrong with that in Syd Nathan's eyes?
STEIN: It was too long. And he kept asking me to change it. And I didn't want to hurt my father's feelings. My father was the eldest son and both his brothers had changed their name, had shortened it, but he felt out of respect to his father, he should keep it.
GROSS: So - but you did change it.
STEIN: Well, yes. Not everybody had phones at King Records. People shared phones. As much as three or four people could share a phone at one time. But there was a paging system, and the switchboard operator had one microphone, and Syd had the other one on his desk. And I was being paged at an incoming call. Seymour Steinbigle, pick up the closest phone. Seymour Steinbigle, there's a call. And she was repeating it over and over again. And all of a sudden, Syd's voice came on and he said (imitating Syd Nathan) oh, no, it's Stein or Bigle or back to New York.
GROSS: (Laughter).
STEIN: And I was so - I almost started to cry. I was so embarrassed. And I changed my name. And it - I'm very glad that I did.
GROSS: So you got started at Billboard magazine. Do you ever miss the importance of the charts, the days when, like, Top 40 really meant something?
STEIN: I miss it a lot.
GROSS: What do you miss about it?
STEIN: I miss all the the excitement. I mean, that's how I heard about Billboard. And there was this disc jockey long before rock 'n' roll, Martin Block.
GROSS: WNEW New York.
STEIN: Yes.
GROSS: Make Believe Ballroom.
STEIN: Exactly. (Singing) It's Make Believe Ballroom time and free to everyone.
Well, I would come back on Saturday mornings from the synagogue and and have my radio sort of under the pillow so my father couldn't hear it when he came home, listening to Martin Block play the Top 25 off of the Billboard chart, and later he started playing, in addition, the Top 5 R&B and the Top 5 country and western. And that's how I got introduced to Johnny Cash and Ray Price and Hank Williams on the one hand, and to some of the R&B records, to my idol, Fats Domino, as well. Radio was very important, and the charts, and they played the Billboard charts. That was what Martin Block played off of. And that's how I knew to go up to Billboard.
GROSS: Seymour Stein, a pleasure to talk with you. Thank you so much.
STEIN: You're very welcome.
BIANCULLI: Seymour Stein speaking to Terry Gross in 2009. He died last Sunday at age 80. After a break, we'll hear another of their conversations. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF ICE-T SONG, "NEW JACK HUSTLER (NINO'S THEME)")
BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. We're listening back to our interviews with Seymour Stein, the influential co-founder of Sire Records. He died Sunday. Terry Gross spoke with Stein again in 2018. He had just published his autobiography, called "Siren Song: My Life In Music."
(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED NPR BROADCAST)
GROSS: Seymour Stein, welcome back to FRESH AIR. In your book, you write, I'm a hitman, a record business entrepreneur. What I'm not is a producer like Phil Spector or Quincy Jones. I can't play any instrument. I can't operate a studio. My exact job description is A&R, artist and repertoire, the old showbusiness term for talent hunting. How do you think not being a musician has been both a shortcoming and an advantage for you?
STEIN: Well, I think that for me it's been somewhat of an advantage because what I listen to first and foremost are the songs. And I always feel that an artist as a performer can always get better and usually does. The same thing with a musician - they usually get stronger, you know, as it goes along. But the songs have to be great from the very beginning, and that's what I've always looked for in all the different categories and fields of music that I've signed artists in. It's always been the songs.
GROSS: You started in the record business at age 15, when Syd Nathan, the founder of King Records, convinced your father to allow you to spend summers in Cincinnati at King's headquarters.
STEIN: Well, no, that's not exactly correct. I started really going up to Billboard when I was 15 years old just to copy down the charts because I had kept the charts religiously from around - when I was about 9 years old, I started writing them down. I would listen to a show called "Make Believe Ballroom," and they would play the Top 25 hits off of the Billboard chart. And I wanted to go backwards and go into the '40s and find out what was going on then. But that brought me to New York. That brought me to Billboard in the Palace Theater building, and that was the center of the music business there. And I saw everything that was going on.
GROSS: You were just really pivotal in the punk movement in America. You signed the Ramones, one of the first punk rock bands. How were you tipped off about them? How did you know to go hear them?
STEIN: I had heard about them from a number of people, but I think mostly from Danny Fields. And I had wanted to go see them a couple of times, but I was in England. And I came back particularly to see them. And I got sick when I was in England, and I couldn't go. So I sent my wife with Danny, and she came back raving.
So the next evening I bundled up, rented a rehearsal studio, and I rented it for an hour. But their set - they must have done, you know, about 18 songs in about 25 minutes. I may exaggerate a little bit, but they were just incredible. I was - it was like nothing else I had ever heard. I started talking to them immediately, and we came to an agreement, a deal right then and there. And two days later they were in the recording studio, and that was it, you know - one of the greatest signings for me and really a great thing for Sire Records.
GROSS: Do you have a favorite track from the Ramones among the records that you put out on Sire?
STEIN: I suppose, you know, what always comes to mind immediately is "Blitzkrieg Bop." There are so many of their songs that I like, but "Blitzkrieg Bop," I think, is my favorite.
GROSS: So let's hear "Blitzkrieg Bop" by the Ramones on an album released by Sire Records, which is the label co-created by my guest Seymour Stein, who still has Sire Records.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BLITZKRIEG BOP")
RAMONES: (Singing) Hey, ho. Let's go. Hey, ho. Let's go. Hey, ho. Let's go. Hey, ho. Let's go. They're forming in a straight line. They're going through a tight wind. The kids are losing their minds - the blitzkrieg bop. They're piling in the back seat. They're generating steam heat. Pulsating to the back beat - the blitzkrieg bop. Hey, ho. Let's go. Shoot them in the back now. What they want, I don't know. They're all revved up and ready to go. They're forming in a straight line. They're going through a tight wind.
GROSS: So that's the Ramones, one of the great bands signed by my guest, Seymour Stein of Sire Records. So - yeah, go ahead.
STEIN: Wait. One correction - I don't still have Sire Records. About a month ago, I left. And...
GROSS: Oh.
STEIN: You know - yes. I left Sire. And I left Warner Bros. And I'm now interested in pursuing new objectives.
GROSS: So let's get back to the Ramones. It was very hard for you to get any kind of radio play for the Ramones because why? And we're talking a time when there's - like, there's AM, and there's FM. And FM is more album-oriented then. And AM is still, like, singles. So at the risk of asking the obvious, why was it so hard to get the Ramones some airplay?
STEIN: I think they were kind of misunderstood and not fully appreciated. And that was in the United States. But when we finally got them out of the United States and, you know, touring in England, they were a sensation. In fact, the first gig that they did, a lot of English bands came to see them - the Sex Pistols and The Clash and others. And they were so enthralled with the Ramones that it made them convinced that they could make it, too. And it kind of turned the tide for them. They were also big in other parts of Europe and South America. And it's a shame. They would be playing big theaters in England and then coming back to America and playing, you know, small clubs. It kind of broke my heart. And I'm sure it broke their hearts, too.
GROSS: So one of the things you tried to do to get your bands airplay was to tell your promotion people, don't use the word punk. Use the word new wave. Why did you do that? And was it effective?
STEIN: Well, that really came about with the Talking Heads because they were describing them as punk, and they were the furthest thing from punk. I said, look; New York used to be the absolute center of the music business. And that was maybe 20, 25 years before that. And then, of course, LA came into prominence, San Francisco, Detroit with Motown, and Philadelphia with labels, you know, like Cameo and Parkway and later Philadelphia International. And Memphis and Nashville was growing. And it all took away from the importance of New York. And then I think that this music, which was predominantly coming from New York but not exclusively, was like a new wave for New York. And that's what I called it. And it didn't sound bad, like punk.
GROSS: So let's talk about Talking Heads. You heard them kind of accidentally the first time around. Correct me if I'm wrong. But you went to hear new songs by the Ramones at a club.
STEIN: Yes.
GROSS: Talking Heads was opening for them.
STEIN: Yeah.
GROSS: And that's how you heard them.
STEIN: And it was a surprise opening. They weren't supposed to be the opening act. But I had heard about Talking Heads. But they were not spending that much time in New York. They were very early involved in video. And they were working on that. And they were going back to Rhode Island, you know, which is where they went to school. And so they - I missed a lot of their gigs. And Johnny wanted me to hear some new songs live.
GROSS: Johnny Ramone.
STEIN: Johnny Ramone, yes. And so I came down. I investigated what the opening band was going to be. And they were a band called The Shirts, which I had seen and liked but not liked enough to sign. And so I was waiting outside of CBGBs. And all of a sudden, I hear this music. And, I mean, it, like, sucked me into the room. That's how incredibly good it was. I was standing outside with Lenny Kaye from the Patti Smith band. And I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It was so incredible. I said, this isn't The Shirts. He said, no, no. They got another gig. He said, this is Talking Heads. And, boy, I was just blown away.
GROSS: So I want to play a track from their first album that you released, "Talking Heads: 77." And this is "Psycho Killer," which is such a great track.
STEIN: Fabulous.
GROSS: OK. So let's hear Talking Heads. And this is "Psycho Killer."
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "PSYCHO KILLER")
TALKING HEADS: (Singing) I can't seem to face up to the facts. I'm tense and nervous, and I can't relax. I can't sleep 'cause my bed's on fire. Don't touch me. I'm a real live wire. Psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est. (Vocalizing). Better run, run, run run, run, run, run away. Oh, oh, oh, psycho killer, qu'est-ce que c'est. (Vocalizing). Better run, run, run, run, run, run, run away. Oh, oh, oh, oh. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. You start a conversation. You can't even finish it. You're talking a lot.
BIANCULLI: That was Talking Heads. Seymour Stein spoke to Terry Gross in 2018. He died last Sunday at age 80. We'll hear more of their conversation after a break. Also, we'll hear from Joni Mitchell, who last month received the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. And film critic Justin Chang reviews "Air," directed by Ben Affleck. I'm David Bianculli. And this is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF ALLISON MILLER'S BOOM TIC BOOM'S "WELCOME HOTEL")
BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. I'm David Bianculli, professor of television studies at Rowan University, sitting in for Terry Gross. Let's return to Terry's 2018 interview with Sire Records co-founder Seymour Stein, who died last Sunday at age 80. Among the many acts he discovered and signed include the Ramones, Ice-T, Talking Heads and a certain ultimately very famous material girl. He was in the hospital when he signed her.
STEIN: Well, let's go back a little before that. Mark Kamins was someone that I thought had a lot of potential as a producer, a scout and everything. And the third or fourth artist he brought me was Madonna. And he brought the record to me while I was in the hospital. This - I was there about a week and a half when he came to see me, and he played me this one track, "Everybody" by Madonna, and I was totally blown away. And so I said, look. I'd like to see her. I'm going to be here for another almost three weeks. Try to bring her down here so I can meet her and we can, you know, do a deal.
So he goes away and calls me up at 5 o'clock and says, Madonna and I are coming to see you at 8 o'clock. And here I was, you know, laying in this hospital uniform and a mess, you know, and I probably hadn't taken a shower in a few days and all that 'cause they had to take all the needles out of me. I freaked out. I had somebody come and shave me and cut my hair and look the best I could in 2.5 hours before she got there.
But when she came, when I saw her, I realized that the way she spoke - first, she's amazing. But she wanted a shot more than anything. And I wanted to give her that shot 'cause I totally believed in her. So we spoke about a deal, and we agreed on a deal for recordings. And she walked out of there very happy. And I went to bed very happy that night, and that was great. And later, I learned that she had been trying to get a deal for over two years. And people like Chris Blackwell, who was somebody that I have the greatest...
BIANCULLI: He ran Island Records.
STEIN: Yeah, he owned Island Records and ran it - had turned her down, and other people had turned her down. I couldn't believe it because to me, it was a no-brainer. And it was a great day in my life.
GROSS: So of the early tracks that you recorded with her, do you have a favorite?
STEIN: I think that the song I liked best and was really the song that became the one that launched her most was "Borderline." I loved it. But I liked everything that she did.
GROSS: Well, why don't we hear "Borderline"? Seymour Stein, thank you so much for talking with us. And thank you for signing the bands that you signed.
STEIN: I appreciate it very much.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "BORDERLINE")
MADONNA: (Singing) Something in the way you love me won't let me be. I don't want to be your prisoner, so, baby, won't you set me free? Stop playing with my heart. Finish what you start when you make my love come down. If you want me, let me know. Baby, let it show. Honey, don't you fool around. Just try to understand I've given all I can 'cause you got the best of me. Borderline. Feels like I'm going to lose my mind. You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline.
BIANCULLI: That was Madonna. Seymour Stein spoke to Terry Gross in 2018. The co-founder of Sire Records died last Sunday at age 80. After a break, we listen to an archive interview with Joni Mitchell, who was recently honored by the Library of Congress for her songwriting. This is FRESH AIR.
(SOUNDBITE OF THE FRED HERSCH TRIO'S "GRAVITY'S PULL") Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR. | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-04-07/remembering-legendary-music-executive-seymour-stein-co-founder-of-sire-records | 2023-04-07 22:15:19 | 0 | https://www.kasu.org/arts-culture/arts-culture/2023-04-07/remembering-legendary-music-executive-seymour-stein-co-founder-of-sire-records |
Millions in extra funding pledged for ICC work in Ukraine
By SYLVIA HUI
Associated Press
LONDON (AP) — Officials say an international conference in London raised 4 million pounds ($4.9 million) to support the International Criminal Court in its investigations into alleged war crimes in Ukraine and its work to hold Russia to account. Justice ministers from over 40 countries met in London for Monday’s war crimes conference. It came after the global court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin, accusing him of personal responsibility in the abduction of children from Ukraine. Karim Khan, the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, said the warrant for Putin was not a moment of triumph but a “somber occasion” reminding the world that joint international action is key to delivering justice for Ukraine. | https://kion546.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/03/20/millions-in-extra-funding-pledged-for-icc-work-in-ukraine/ | 2023-03-20 20:45:00 | 0 | https://kion546.com/news/ap-national-news/2023/03/20/millions-in-extra-funding-pledged-for-icc-work-in-ukraine/ |
WFO SACRAMENTO Warnings, Watches and Advisories for Saturday, June 11, 2022
_____
EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING
URGENT - WEATHER MESSAGE
National Weather Service Sacramento CA
135 PM PDT Fri Jun 10 2022
...EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT
SATURDAY...
* WHAT...Dangerously hot conditions with temperatures around 100
degrees. Overnight lows from 65 to 75.
* WHERE...The Delta, the Sacramento Valley and the western side
of the Northern San Joaquin Valley and the adjacent foothills.
* WHEN...Through 11 pm Saturday.
* IMPACTS...Extreme heat will significantly increase the
potential for heat related illnesses, particularly for those
working or participating in outdoor activities.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Some cooling is expected Saturday compared
to Friday but high heat risk is still expected.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS... Drink plenty of fluids,
stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check
up on relatives and neighbors. Young children and pets should
never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.
Take extra precautions if you work or spend time outside. When
possible reschedule strenuous activities to early morning or
evening. Know the signs and symptoms of heat exhaustion and heat
stroke. Wear lightweight and loose fitting clothing when
possible. To reduce risk during outdoor work, the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration recommends scheduling frequent
rest breaks in shaded or air conditioned environments. Anyone
overcome by heat should be moved to a cool and shaded location.
Heat stroke is an emergency! Call 9 1 1.
Interact with us via social media www.facebook.com/nws.sacramento
...HEAT ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT SATURDAY...
* WHAT...Temperatures 96 to 103 expected. Overnight lows from 65
to 72.
* WHERE...The Motherlode and the east side of the northern San
Joaquin Valley.
* IMPACTS...Hot temperatures may cause heat illnesses to occur.
Some cooling is expected Saturday compared to Friday but high
heat risk is still expected.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out
of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors. Young
children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles
under any circumstances.
_____
Copyright 2022 AccuWeather | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SACRAMENTO-Warnings-Watches-and-17233996.php | 2022-06-10 21:40:31 | 0 | https://www.mrt.com/weather/article/CA-WFO-SACRAMENTO-Warnings-Watches-and-17233996.php |
CA Medford, OR Zone Forecast for Saturday, March 25, 2023
_____
694 FPUS56 KMFR 260935
ZFPMFR
Zone Forecast Product for Southern Oregon and Northern California
National Weather Service Medford, OR
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
CAZ080-262300-
Western Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Somes Bar, Happy Camp, Callahan, Etna,
Fort Jones, Greenview, and Scott Bar
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...
.TODAY...Sunny. A 10 percent chance of snow this afternoon. Highs
in the mid 30s to mid 40s. Northeast winds around 5 mph shifting
to the northwest late this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Partly cloudy with a 10 percent chance of snow in the
evening, then mostly cloudy after midnight. Lows in the lower to
mid 20s. West winds around 5 mph shifting to the southeast after
midnight.
.MONDAY...Cloudy. Rain and snow likely in the afternoon. Snow
level 2000 feet in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch
at lower elevations and 2 to 4 inches above 3000 feet. Highs in
the mid 30s to mid 40s. Breezy. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph
shifting to the south 15 to 25 mph late in the afternoon. Chance
of precipitation 60 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Rain and snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Snow
level 2500 feet lowering to 2000 feet after midnight. Lows in the
mid 20s to lower 30s. Windy. Southeast winds 20 to 30 mph with
gusts to around 45 mph. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Snow may be heavy at times in the morning. Snow level
2000 feet in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
Breezy. South winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph increasing
to 40 mph late in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation near
100 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow likely in the
evening, then chance of rain and snow showers after midnight.
Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow
showers. Highs in the lower 40s to lower 50s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy in the evening then clearing.
Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning, then mostly cloudy with
a slight chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Highs
in the lower 40s to lower 50s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming
partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s to mid 30s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow. Highs in
the lower 40s to lower 50s.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.SATURDAY...Rain and snow likely. Snow may be heavy at times in
the morning. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
$$
CAZ081-262300-
Central Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Hilt, Klamath River, and Yreka
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
...HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY EVENING...
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy late this
morning then becoming sunny. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
Northwest winds around 5 mph shifting to the east this afternoon.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening then becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s. Northwest winds around 5 mph
shifting to the southeast after midnight, then shifting to the
east well after midnight.
.MONDAY...Cloudy. Chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Snow
level 1800 feet in the afternoon. Highs in the lower 40s to lower
50s. Breezy. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the
southeast 10 to 15 mph early in the afternoon, then shifting to
the south 15 to 25 mph late in the afternoon. Chance of
precipitation 30 percent.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Snow likely in the evening, then snow after
midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 30s. Windy. Southeast winds
25 to 35 mph with gusts to around 50 mph. Chance of snow
80 percent.
.TUESDAY...Snow in the morning, then rain and snow in the
afternoon. Snow level 2100 feet in the afternoon. Highs in the
mid 30s to mid 40s. Windy. South winds 20 to 30 mph. Chance of
precipitation 90 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain and snow in the
evening, then slight chance of snow showers after midnight. Lows
in the mid 20s to mid 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the
morning, then slight chance of rain and snow showers in the
afternoon. Highs in the lower 40s to lower 50s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid
20s to lower 30s. Highs in the lower 40s to lower 50s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the morning,
then slight chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs in
the mid 40s to mid 50s.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow.
Lows in the lower to mid 30s.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy. Rain and snow likely. Highs in the
lower 40s to lower 50s.
$$
CAZ082-262300-
South Central Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Mount Shasta, Dunsmuir, and McCloud
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...
.TODAY...Sunny. Patchy freezing fog early this morning. Highs in
the mid 30s to mid 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening then becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows 15 to 25. West winds around 5 mph shifting to the
northeast in the late evening and early morning, then shifting to
the east well after midnight.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. A 40 percent chance of snow in the
afternoon. Snow accumulation around 1 inch at lower elevations
and 1 to 2 inches above 4000 feet. Highs in the mid 30s to mid
40s. Southeast winds 10 to 15 mph shifting to the south 15 to
20 mph with gusts to around 35 mph late in the afternoon.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Lows in the mid
20s to lower 30s. Windy. South winds 20 to 30 mph. Gusts up to
40 mph increasing to 45 mph well after midnight. Chance of snow
near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY...Snow. Snow may be heavy at times. Highs in the lower
30s to lower 40s. Breezy. South winds 15 to 25 mph. Gusts up to
40 mph in the morning. Chance of snow near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Snow likely in the evening, then
chance of snow showers after midnight. Snow may be heavy at
times. Lows in the lower 20s to lower 30s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow showers in the
morning, then rain and snow showers likely in the afternoon.
Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and
snow showers in the evening, then mostly clear after midnight.
Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy in the morning, then mostly cloudy with
a slight chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon. Highs
in the lower to mid 40s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a slight chance of rain and
snow showers. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow. Highs in
the mid 30s to mid 40s.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and snow.
Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Rain and snow likely. Snow may be heavy at times in
the morning. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
$$
CAZ083-262300-
North Central and Southeast Siskiyou County-
Including the cities of Pondosa, Bray, and Tennant
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
...WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH
TUESDAY MORNING...
.TODAY...Partly cloudy early this morning then clearing. Highs in
the lower 30s to lower 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill
readings around 2 below this morning.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear with a 10 percent chance of snow in the
evening, then mostly cloudy after midnight. Lows 15 to 20. West
winds around 5 mph shifting to the northwest late in the evening,
then shifting to the southeast after midnight.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. A 30 percent chance of snow in the
afternoon. Highs in the lower 30s to lower 40s. Breezy. Southeast
winds 10 to 20 mph shifting to the south 15 to 25 mph late in the
afternoon.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Snow likely in the evening, then snow after
midnight. Snow may be heavy at times after midnight. Lows in the
mid 20s to lower 30s. Windy. South winds 25 to 35 mph. Gusts up
to 45 mph increasing to 55 mph late in the evening and overnight.
Chance of snow near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY...Snow. Snow may be heavy at times in the morning. Highs
in the lower 30s to lower 40s. Windy. South winds 25 to 35 mph
with gusts to around 50 mph. Chance of snow near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the evening,
then chance of snow showers after midnight. Lows in the lower to
mid 20s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow showers in the
morning, then chance of rain and snow showers in the afternoon.
Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers
in the evening. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.THURSDAY...Partly cloudy. Slight chance of rain and snow showers
in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 40s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in
the evening. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.FRIDAY AND FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of rain
and snow. Highs in the mid 30s to mid 40s. Lows in the mid 20s to
lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then
rain and snow likely in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s to
mid 40s.
$$
CAZ084-262300-
Northeast Siskiyou and Northwest Modoc Counties-
Including the cities of Newell, Tulelake, Dorris, and Macdoel
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
.TODAY...Partly cloudy this morning then clearing. Highs in the
mid 30s to lower 40s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear in the evening then becoming mostly
cloudy. Lows around 20. West winds around 5 mph shifting to the
southeast after midnight.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the
afternoon. Highs around 40. Southeast winds 15 to 20 mph.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the evening,
then snow likely after midnight. Lows around 30. Breezy. South
winds 20 to 25 mph with gusts to around 40 mph. Chance of snow
70 percent.
.TUESDAY...Snow. Highs around 40. Breezy. South winds 15 to
25 mph. Chance of snow 90 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the
evening, then partly cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers
after midnight. Lows in the mid 20s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy in the morning, then partly cloudy
with a slight chance of snow showers in the afternoon. Highs in
the lower to mid 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s.
.THURSDAY THROUGH FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Highs in the mid 40s to
lower 50s. Lows in the mid 20s to lower 30s.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Lows around
30.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then
rain and snow likely in the afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid
40s.
$$
CAZ085-262300-
Modoc County-
Including the cities of Day, Lookout, Adin, Alturas, Canby,
Davis Creek, and Likely
235 AM PDT Sun Mar 26 2023
.TODAY...Mostly cloudy then becoming partly cloudy in the late
morning and early afternoon then becoming sunny. A 10 percent
chance of snow. Highs in the lower to mid 30s. North winds 5 to
10 mph.
.TONIGHT...Mostly clear with a 10 percent chance of snow in the
evening, then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows 15 to 20.
Northwest winds around 5 mph shifting to the southeast late in
the evening and overnight.
.MONDAY...Mostly cloudy. A 20 percent chance of snow in the
afternoon. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Breezy. Southeast
winds 15 to 25 mph.
.MONDAY NIGHT...Cloudy with a 50 percent chance of snow. Lows in
the mid 20s to lower 30s. Windy. South winds 20 to 30 mph.
.TUESDAY...Snow. Highs in the mid 30s to lower 40s. Windy. South
winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 45 mph. Chance of snow
near 100 percent.
.TUESDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow in the
evening, then partly cloudy with a slight chance of snow showers
after midnight. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.WEDNESDAY...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. Highs
in the lower to mid 40s.
.WEDNESDAY NIGHT...Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower to mid 20s.
.THURSDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow showers in the
afternoon. Highs in the lower to mid 40s.
.THURSDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s to lower
30s.
.FRIDAY...Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of snow in the morning,
then slight chance of rain and snow in the afternoon. Highs in
the lower to mid 40s.
.FRIDAY NIGHT...Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow. Lows in the
mid 20s to lower 30s.
.SATURDAY...Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow in the morning, then
rain and snow likely in the afternoon. Breezy. Highs in the lower
to mid 40s.
$$
Visit us at www.weather.gov/Medford
_____
Copyright 2023 AccuWeather | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/ca-medford-or-zone-forecast-17860636.php | 2023-03-26 10:35:48 | 0 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/weather/article/ca-medford-or-zone-forecast-17860636.php |
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — UnitedHealthcare announced Wednesday that they have donated $1 million in grants to six community-based nonprofits across the state.
Three of the donations will be to organizations in Western New York. $115,000 will go to Boys & Girls Clubs of Buffalo to expand the Healthy Eating Habits summer program. $65,000 will be donated to Resource Council of WNY to establish the R-Kids Cupboard children’s food pantry and create a demonstration kitchen to hold cooking classes for the community. Finally, $30,000 will be donated to Buffalo State College Foundation to purchase a freezer for Milligan’s Food Pantry and expand services and programming for students.
In total, UnitedHealthcare has donated $11 million in grants nationwide.
Aidan Joly joined the News 4 staff in 2022. He is a graduate of Canisius College. You can see more of his work here. | https://www.wivb.com/news/unitedhealthcare-donates-1m-to-help-communities-in-need/ | 2022-08-10 21:32:47 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/unitedhealthcare-donates-1m-to-help-communities-in-need/ |
CHENGDU, China, April 6, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A grand ceremony was held for the Dujiangyan Irrigation System in Chengdu, capital of Southwest China's Sichuan province, on Qingming Festival, which fell on April 5 this year, to commemorate its founders.
More than 1,000 guests from all over the world attended the event, wearing traditional hanfu. They include the ambassadors of Ecuador, Thailand and Malta, the minister of the Ethiopian Embassy in China, as well as more than 30 consul generals and consular officials from 17 countries such as Poland, Chile and Spain.
The Dujiangyan Irrigation System, built on the upper reaches of the Minjiang River 2,279 years ago by Sichuan governor, Li Bing, and his son, is still in use today. It has prevented the Chengdu plain from floods and droughts since its completion.
Since ancient times, workers have used rafts to block the course of the Minjiang River each winter to maintain the riverbeds and reinforce the dikes during the dry season. In the spring, they would tear the rafts away to release water and irrigate the farmlands in the plain.
It gradually became a tradition to hold a water-releasing ceremony for the irrigation system on Qingming Festival, which marks the beginning of a busy spring plowing season. Today, this tradition has evolved into a grand event – the Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival.
The Dujiangyan Water-Releasing Festival is one of the most solemn and grand folk culture activities in western Sichuan and was listed in the first batch of National Intangible Heritages. The Dujiangyan Irrigation System, together with the nearby Qingcheng Mountain, was listed as a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage site.
Grzegorz Piotr Morawski, consul general of Poland in Chengdu, who participated in the festival for the first time, said it was very impressive. He admires the Chinese people for their inheritance of history and culture, as the ceremony dates back a thousand years and is still being held today.
The irrigation system waters 755,000 hectares of farmlands in 40 counties within the West Sichuan Plain, and meets the water needs of tens of millions of people for living, production, and ecological and environmental protection purposes.
View original content to download multimedia:
SOURCE The Publicity Department of Dujiangyan Municipal Party Committee | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/04/06/water-releasing-festival-kicks-off-dujiangyan/ | 2023-04-06 09:37:16 | 1 | https://www.kbtx.com/prnewswire/2023/04/06/water-releasing-festival-kicks-off-dujiangyan/ |
Before Félix Bautista began playing organized baseball, as a little kid in the Dominican Republic, he’d watch the fanfare that would follow a closer entering a game and dream.
He’d dream that one day, that fanfare would be for him, entering with a game on the line. Those introductions were a large part of why Bautista picked up a baseball and decided to pitch. They led him on a path that featured a major setback, a late development and ultimately, the kind of introduction he’d long envisioned.
By the end of Bautista’s 2022 season with the Orioles, the rookie right-handed closer would take the field with floodlights flashing and Omar’s Whistle from the HBO show “The Wire” playing. He was a relatively unknown commodity last year, beginning with High-A Aberdeen, but concluded his first season in the major leagues as a closer with a dominant splitter, a triple-digit fastball and 15 saves.
Bautista is doing what he always dreamt of doing, even before his potential took the form of 100-plus mph heaters and made him one of baseball’s top up-and-coming high-leverage arms.
“Whenever I saw closers coming in, and I was watching baseball as a kid, I wanted to be like them one day,” Bautista said through team interpreter Brandon Quinones. “Looking back, at the time it was something unreasonable to think about, something crazy.
“But now that I’m able to live it, and go out there and have my own entrance, and go out there and pitch that way, it’s something really special. And I take a lot of pride in that.”
Bautista’s journey to Baltimore wasn’t linear. He began in the Miami Marlins’ organization, but he was released as a teenager and spent the next year out of professional baseball. When he was released, “my dream and my vision was a bit tarnished and a bit murky after that,” he said.
But when Bautista joined the Orioles, his power on the mound eventually coincided with more control. His walk rate of 29% in 2019 dropped to 15% in 2021, and in 65 2/3 innings in the big leagues this season, Bautista walked just 9% of the batters he faced.
With that improved command came lofty strikeout numbers, punching out 34.8% of batters with a 2.19 ERA. Bautista’s four-seam fastball (-14) and splitter (-6) each ranked in the top 15 in the majors in run value, a measurement of a pitch’s impact on how many runs an opponent scores based on the situations it’s used, with lower being better for pitchers.
“Just so happy with the season he’s had and him going forward,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “What a great story. Great story for us, great story for him.”
Before the season began, though, Bautista didn’t know whether this would be possible.
He entered spring training with one goal: To make the opening day roster. Once he achieved that, he accomplished his remaining two goals for the year as well, proving to Hyde he could handle high-leverage situations before assuming the closer responsibility after Jorge López was traded to the Minnesota Twins at the Aug. 2 deadline.
Bautista’s season was cut a few days short as he dealt with left knee discomfort after he landed awkwardly in the penultimate series of the year. He was placed on the 15-day injured list, but Bautista said there’s no long-term concern about his knee. Out of playoff contention, the Orioles opted to give their flame-throwing closer extra time to rest, ensuring he is healthy to train this offseason.
Shortly after the season concluded this month, Bautista boarded a plane to return to the Dominican Republic. It’s where this dream began, watching closers on television and envisioning his own special introduction one day.
Bautista achieved that, with the flashing lights and Omar’s Whistle part of a breakout campaign. But that was just a taste of what Bautista hopes is on the horizon.
“It’s highly motivating,” Bautista said. “Now that I have that secured and have that in my back pocket, going into next year I’ll have new goals that I want to reach and new things I want to accomplish. I’ll be really excited going into next season.”
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BALTIMORE (AP) — Tyler Huntley went 16 of 18 for 110 yards and a touchdown in the first half, and the Baltimore Ravens extended their record streak of preseason victories to 21 with a 23-10 win over the Tennessee Titans on Thursday night.
Rookie quarterback Malik Willis ran for a touchdown for the Titans, but Huntley put Baltimore ahead to stay with a 14-yard scoring strike to Shemar Bridges in the final minute of the second quarter.
Bridges, an undrafted rookie out of Fort Valley State, had four catches for 62 yards.
“I like Shemar,” Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. “He’s a big, physical guy. He goes up and gets the ball, he posts a lot of good speeds in practice, he plays hard on special teams in practice.”
Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry were among the standouts who didn’t play Thursday. Huntley was Jackson’s top backup last season and made four starts. He was sharp in this preseason opener, although his completions were mostly short ones.
“Tyler played great. His numbers were off the charts,” Harbaugh said. “He really ran the offense well. Timing was really good in the passing game. I thought the o-line looked pretty good.”
Willis, a third-round draft pick from Liberty, started the game for the Titans with Ryan Tannehill held out. Willis scored on a nifty 7-yard run in the second quarter, spinning back toward the Tennessee sideline and then slipping past a couple Baltimore defenders near the goal line.
Willis went 6 of 11 for 107 yards and ran for 38 yards on five carries.
“He needs to try to throw the ball when guys are open, be more decisive,” coach Mike Vrabel said. “Wanted to get him out there and wanted to see how he responded. He did OK.”
Safety Kyle Hamilton, a first-round pick this year by the Ravens, recovered a fumble by Julius Chestnut at the Tennessee 22. Baltimore converted that short field, taking a 7-0 lead on a 4-yard touchdown run by Mike Davis.
The Titans led 10-7 before Huntley guided a 10-play, 58-yard touchdown drive near the end of the half. Then Justin Tucker added three field goals in the second half.
Logan Woodside took over at quarterback for Tennessee in the third quarter and was intercepted twice, including one underthrown pass that Daryl Worley picked off at the Baltimore 2.
Anthony Brown relieved Huntley and went 10 of 15 for 117 yards for the Ravens. Brett Hundley also played a bit toward the end.
Baltimore hasn’t lost a preseason game since Atlanta beat the Ravens 20-19 on Sept. 3, 2015.
INJURIES
Baltimore WR Tylan Wallace and Tennessee CB Chris Jackson left with knee injuries.
NEWCOMERS SHINE
The Ravens drafted Jordan Stout to replace longtime punter Sam Koch. Stout averaged 47.8 yards on four punts Thursday.
Tight end Isaiah Likely, another Baltimore rookie, had four catches for 44 yards, although he also had a couple holding penalties.
“I probably had a jitter or two pregame, because you look around, and the stadium fits around 70,000?” Likely said. “You’ve just got to look around and really smile, get a jitter out, and then you got to realize it’s football.”
MID-DRIVE CHANGE
The Titans replaced Willis with Woodside in the middle of Tennessee’s first offensive drive of the second half — immediately after Willis gained 17 yards on a scramble.
“I wanted Malik to throw the ball,” Vrabel said. “And he wasn’t.”
IN MEMORY
The crowd in Baltimore observed a moment of silence before the game in honor of linebacker Jaylon Ferguson and former defensive lineman Tony Siragusa, both of whom died in June.
UP NEXT
Titans: Host Tampa Bay on Aug. 20.
Ravens: At Arizona on Aug. 21.
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Follow Noah Trister at www.Twitter.com/noahtrister
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More AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://apnews.com/hub/pro-32 and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ravens-top-titans-23-10-for-21st-straight-preseason-win/ | 2022-08-12 16:41:51 | 0 | https://www.cenlanow.com/sports/ravens-top-titans-23-10-for-21st-straight-preseason-win/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bipartisan consensus that Congress should act to toughen regulations on railroads emerged Wednesday as senators heard fresh testimony on the fiery hazardous train derailment last month on the Ohio-Pennsylvania border.
Both Republicans and Democrats on the Senate Commerce Committee peppered Norfolk Southern CEO Alan Shaw with questions about what enhanced safety measures he would support. At times they aggressively questioned the CEO of one of the nation’s largest railroads on what could be done to prevent future derailments like the one that has upended life in the Ohio village of East Palestine.
Shaw offered support for some safety enhancements, including training for emergency response crews and phasing out older tank car models. But he declined to endorse several key parts of the bipartisan Railway Safety Act of 2023, which is being championed by Ohio Sens. Sherrod Brown, a Democrat, and JD Vance, a Republican.
The bill includes requirements that trains have crews of at least two people, expands the classification for highly hazardous flammable trains and increases fines for safety violations.
Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell, chair of the Senate Commerce Committee, said lawmakers have an opportunity to “use the horrible accident to really improve rail safety.” She predicted a bill would advance to the Senate floor by April.
Cantwell added the bipartisan nature of the bill, as well as the committee’s recent history of considering railway safety legislation, would make it possible for lawmakers to act quickly.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is also behind the Railway Safety Act. And in the House, a bipartisan group of Ohio lawmakers has also introduced a similar proposal, though top Republicans have also urged caution on enacting fresh regulations.
“It is an opportunity for real and meaningful bipartisan cooperation,” said Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, the committee’s top Republican.
The East Palestine derailment has given rise to rare bipartisan cooperation in the closely-divided Senate. Democrats say they want to ensure profitable corporations like Norfolk Southern invest in safety standards and workforce before reaping profits. Republicans, at times urged by Vance to shift attention from the concerns of big business towards white, working-class communities like East Palestine, are looking to show they can deliver for an area they accuse the Biden administration of overlooking.
When Shaw testified before a separate Senate committee earlier this month, he emphasized the voluntary steps Norfolk Southern are taking after the derailment and stopped short of endorsing any action by Congress. But he appeared to concede Wednesday that legislation was likely, saying there are many provisions of the Railway Safety Act that now have Norfolk Southern’s “full-throated endorsement.”
He also reiterated apologies for the derailment and committed to aiding East Palestine’s recovery.
“We won’t be finished until we make this right,” Shaw told the committee.
Misti Allison, an East Palestine resident, testified at the hearing that the company has lost the trust of a deeply traumatized community. State and local officials decided to release and burn toxic vinyl chloride from five tanker cars after the Fed. 3 derailment, prompting the evacuation of half of the roughly 5,000 residents.
“They feel like Norfolk Southern is offering breadcrumbs,” she said, describing how the derailment had haunted the town with fears of the long-term effects of the release of hazardous materials.
“My seven-year-old has asked me if he is going to die from living in our own home,” Allison said. “What do I tell him?”
Senators repeatedly noted that railway safety is an issue in every state, due to the national network of tracks.
“The bottom line is that what happened in East Palestine could have just as easily happened in Illinois,” Democratic Sen. Tammy Duckworth said of her home state.
The Association of American Railroads trade group, whose CEO Ian Jefferies testified Wednesday, says that railroads are still the safest way to transport hazardous material over land. Train derailments have also been getting less common, but there were still more than 1,000 last year, according to data from the Federal Railroad Administration. And as East Palestine shows, even a single train derailment involving hazardous materials can be disastrous.
Jefferies emphasized the industry’s commitment to voluntary safety measures, but also clarified that it has not officially taken a position on the Railway Safety Act.
The bill takes sides in a long-running disagreement between railroad worker unions and operators by requiring train crews to continue to have two people, although the train that derailed in East Palestine had a three-person crew. Unions argue that railroads are riskier because of job cuts in the industry over the past six years. Nearly one-third of all rail jobs were eliminated and train crews, they say, are fatigued and under pressure to perform safety inspections in a matter of seconds.
Shaw was pressed to support a two-person requirement for crews, but declined. Instead, he said, “We are a data-driven organization and I’m not aware of any data that links crew size with safety.”
Senators pushing the new safety requirements, like Ohio’s Brown, argued Shaw’s stance is emblematic of an industry that is putting efficiency and profits over safety.
“Railroads want only one person working on a train that is two or three miles long,” Brown said. “That’s frankly crazy.”
Some Republicans on the committee cautioned against legislation that would burden the industry. But the scenes of billowing smoke above East Palestine were still on the minds of lawmakers.
The committee is also looking at possible changes to regulations that don’t classify trains as high hazardous flammable, so long as they fall under certain thresholds for the number of railcars carrying combustible liquids. Lawmakers are examining how local authorities are informed by railroad operators about what trains are carrying as well.
“It wasn’t a high-hazard train,” Republican Sen. Shelley Capito, R–West Virginia said of the train that derailed in East Palestine, “but it had hazard material that was very flammable. It just lit up the sky.” | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/bipartisan-support-emerges-for-senate-railroad-safety-bill/ | 2023-03-23 10:46:21 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/bipartisan-support-emerges-for-senate-railroad-safety-bill/ |
Disney-themed children’s clothing sets recalled due to lead poisoning hazard
(Gray News) - Pieces of Disney-themed children’s clothing are being recalled due to the risk of lead poisoning.
The Bentex Group has issued a recall of about 87,000 units of children’s clothing, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.
Officials said the affected products were sold online at Amazon and several major retailers nationwide, including TJ Maxx, DD’s/Ross, Burlington, and others from November 2021 through August 2022.
According to the recall alert, the textile ink painted on the clothes contains levels of lead that exceed either the federal lead paint ban or the federal lead content ban, posing a lead poisoning hazard. Lead is toxic if ingested by young children and can cause adverse health issues.
Consumers can contact Bentex at 1-800-451-0285 or via email at recall@bentex.com or online. The company said it is offering a refund on the recalled items.
The recall involves nine different Disney-themed clothing sets. Officials said the item and batch numbers are printed on the clothing neck or side label.
The following styles are included in the recall:
- Jersey Leggings Set - G9P6456M
Batch numbers: 69P6456MI-0122, 79P6456MI-0122, 89P6456MI-0122, 99P6456MI-0122 69P6456MI-0722, 79P6456MI-0722, 89P6456MI-0722, 99P6456MI-0722.
- Bike Shorts Set - G1E2125MI
Batch numbers: 71E2125MI-0122.
- Girls Shorts Set - SP2247971DC
Batch numbers: SP2247971DC 3/2022.
- Girls Shorts Set - SP2246088DS
Batch numbers: SP2246088DS 03/2022.
- Boys Shorts Set – B2E6459LN
Batch numbers: 02E6459LN-0322, 12E6459LN-0322.
- 3 Pack Shorts Set - B2E6919MM
Batch numbers: 02E6919MM-0322, 12E6919MM-0322, 22E6919MM-0322, 32E6919MM-0322.
- 3 Pack Pants Set - B2P6920MM
Batch numbers: 02P6920MM-0322, 12P6920MM-0322, 22P6920MM-0322, 32P6920MM-0322.
- Children’s Shorts Set - B2E5094PH
Batch numbers: 12E5094PH-1021 22E5094PH-1021.
- Children’s Leggings Set - G2P6361MI
Batch numbers: 62P6361MI-0322, 72P6361MI-0322, 82P6361MI-0322.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wflx.com/2022/12/01/disney-themed-childrens-clothing-sets-recalled-due-lead-poisoning-hazard/ | 2022-12-01 23:55:25 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2022/12/01/disney-themed-childrens-clothing-sets-recalled-due-lead-poisoning-hazard/ |
This historical property, originally built in 1896, was once an inn. Located on the National Road, it later became a hotel with guest cottages, one of which remains and the other has been converted to a garage. Zoned as a business, it could be used as both a residence for single and multi-family units with an attached business. It is in the Northeastern Local School District.
A gravel drive and parking area is next to the two-story, brick- and wood-sided home. The front door is flanked by side lights and topped with a transom window. A side entry connects to the parking area. The main house has wide moldings and decorative moldings around most doorways.
Inside the front door is an entryway with wood floors and a ceiling light. To the right is a formal living room with a gas fireplace flanked by built in bookcases. This room also has luxury vinyl tile flooring.
To the left of the entry is another living area with gas fireplace surrounded by a wood mantel. There is an exterior door that opens to a walkway leading to the gravel drive in this room. It also has wood flooring.
And opening leads to another formal sitting room with a woodburning fireplace with brick and wood surround and wood mantel. This room also has crown molding and a closet.
The first floor also has a half bath with vinyl tile flooring, wainscoting on the walls and a long vanity area with multiple cabinets and double sink. There is also an exterior door in this room and a stained-glass decorative window. There is a full bath on the first floor as well with vinyl flooring, wood-paneled walls and a walk-in shower with glass door. There is another stained-glass decorative window in this bathroom.
The hearth room is open to this room and has tile flooring, a woodburning fireplace, wood beamed ceiling and chandelier. There is a built-in wood bin and cabinet adjacent to the hearth and fireplace with wood mantel. Because this was once a business, the kitchen flows through adjacent rooms. The first has wood cabinets and paneling, a brick accent wall, another decorative chandelier and a dishwasher. The adjacent room has a refrigerator, wall oven and built-in cabinets — as well as several pantry closets.
A laundry area, with washer and dryer, cabinets and a sink, is also located on the first level.
The main stairs are wood and lead up to the second level. A primary bedroom has a gas fireplace, wood flooring and two closets. There is a bath attached to this bedroom with ceramic tile halfway up the walls and a wood vanity.
A second bedroom has wood flooring and a decorative fireplace with brick hearth and a walk-in closet with wood paneling. There is a full bath with tub shower combination with glass doors, built-in linen closet and double vanity as well as vinyl flooring. A third bedroom has a gas fireplace with wood surround and mantel and built-in cabinets and double closets.
An addition to the main house is on the back; and there is a finished room connecting the two with decorative ceiling light and painted wood floors. There are additional bedrooms in the addition with newer wood flooring and double closets. A paver patio on the side of the main house connects to an entry for the wood sided addition.
The property has a carport, three-car garage, attached and detached garage and a farm building. The yard is partially fenced and there is also a storage shed. A separate building could be another residence and has a living room with wood floor and built-in corner cabinet, a kitchenette with gas range, half size refrigerator and single sink, and a full bath with walk-in shower with glass doors.
There is a large brick patio with partially covered area off the side of the house addition. The brick pavers create pathways throughout the property to connect other buildings.
Facts:
8518 E. National Road, South Vienna, OH 45369
Six bedrooms, three and one-half bathrooms
14,021 square feet
3.13-acre Lot
Price: $595,900
Directions: Route 40 National Road to S. Vienna
Highlights: Historical property with business or multi-family potential, original wood floors, multiple fireplaces – some woodburning and some gas, wooded lot with multiple outbuildings, garages and parking spaces, multiple kitchens, cellar with storage, some new flooring, partially fenced yard.
For more details:
Shawn Redman
Street Sotheby’s International Realty
614-946-5983
Shawn.redman@sothebysrealty.com
About the Author | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/homes/1896-home-teeming-with-possibilities/OPP2VN3QARBXJPF77RQLFGQDXE/ | 2023-02-12 13:36:37 | 0 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/homes/1896-home-teeming-with-possibilities/OPP2VN3QARBXJPF77RQLFGQDXE/ |
TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A Palestinian gunman opened fire on a crowded street in central Tel Aviv late Thursday, wounding three people before he was shot and killed, Israeli officials said. The shooting came hours after an Israeli military raid killed three Palestinian militants in the occupied West Bank.
The incidents were the latest violence in a year-long wave of Israel-Palestinian fighting that shows no signs of slowing.
The Tel Aviv shooting occurred on Dizengoff Street, a popular thoroughfare filled with shops and restaurants. The city was filled with people on Thursday night, the start of the Israeli weekend, and as anti-government protests were taking place.
The MADA rescue service said one of the wounded was in critical condition, while Zaka, another medical service, said the shooter was killed.
An image on social media showed what was believed to be the attacker standing in the middle of the road as he pointed a pistol. Dozens of police and rescuers rushed to the scene, which was quickly cordoned off.
Earlier Thursday, three Palestinian militants were killed in a shootout with Israeli troops in the northern West Bank.
Israeli security forces said they raided the village of Jaba to arrest suspects wanted for attacks on Israeli soldiers in the area. The suspects opened fire on Israeli troops, who shot back and killed three people, all affiliated with the Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant group, police said.
The Palestinian Health Ministry identified the men as Sufyan Fakhoury, 26, Nayef Malaisha, 25 and Ahmed Fashafsha, 22, and said they were shot by Israeli fire during the military operation. A fourth man was hospitalized with a bullet wound to the head, authorities added.
Israeli police released a photo of assault rifles, pistols, ammunition and explosive devices they said troops confiscated in Jaba, just south of the flashpoint city of Jenin. Gunmen shot down an Israeli drone during the clashes, the military said.
The Jaba militant group, a fledgling militia of disillusioned young Palestinians who have taken up guns against Israel’s occupation, said members opened fire and hurled explosive devices at Israeli forces from a sedan — that now sits, smashed and bloodied, in the center of town. Residents said Israeli troops killed members of the group who had been recently incarcerated by Israel and had carried out a recent shooting attack at a nearby checkpoint.
This year has been marked by escalating unrest across the West Bank, as Israeli arrest raids spiral into protracted firefights with armed Palestinians.
On a visit to Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters on Thursday that he discussed concerns over the upsurge in violence in the occupied West Bank with his Israeli counterpart, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The United States was “urging everyone to de-escalate,” the defense secretary said, particularly in the run-up to the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, which coincides this year with the Jewish holiday of Passover.
“The U.S. remains firmly opposed to acts that could trigger further instability, including settlement expansion and inflammatory rhetoric,” Austin said, adding that he was “especially disturbed” by settler violence against Palestinians. “We will continue to oppose actions that put a two-state solution out of reach.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right government, which took office late last year, has already approved thousands of new settlement homes, legalized unauthorized outposts built partially on private Palestinian land and pledged to further entrench Israeli rule over the occupied territory. Last month, in response to a Palestinian attack that killed two Israelis, a mob of settlers rampaged through the Palestinian town of Hawara and torched dozens of homes and businesses, leaving one man dead.
The Israeli military on Thursday issued a report into the rampage that identified a series of failures, including an insufficient number of soldiers in the area and the need to send reinforcements faster. It said “lessons were drawn” about coordination between the army, police and internal security agents.
“This is a severe incident that took place under our responsibility and should not have happened,” said Israel’s military chief, Lt. Col. Herzi Halevi. “We will draw the necessary lessons and study them to prevent similar events from reoccurring in the future.”
Austin urged for calm even as the Gaza-based Islamic Jihad issued a veiled threat, saying its fighters would respond to the morning raid “to deter the enemy and avenge the blood of the martyrs.” Rocket fire from the Gaza Strip has previously followed violence in the West Bank.
The Jaba armed group includes gunmen from various factions, including Islamic Jihad and the armed offshoot of the nationalist Fatah party. Militants in the village say that Islamic Jihad supports the group and provides members with weapons.
The group is part of a larger trend of emerging armed groups across the West Bank that have been mounting shooting attacks on Israeli soldiers and civilians and opening fire during Israeli raids on their towns, defying the increasingly unpopular Palestinian Authority. In areas of the northern West Bank where much of the fighting has been focused, the PA’s control is receding as young Palestinians’ hopes dim for statehood.
The hardscrabble streets of Jaba teemed with young Palestinians in black chanting against the Israeli occupation and firing into the air as they held the bodies of militants aloft.
Yousef Hammour, a 28-year-old in the funeral procession, said Palestinian rage at Israel is only intensifying with the stepped-up arrest raids.
“Everyone’s in shock, everyone’s angry,” said Hammour. “Every single day they’re killing more and more of us. If they attack us, we’ll attack them.”
Earlier in the week, at least six Palestinians were killed in an Israeli raid in the Jenin refugee camp. The Palestinian Health Ministry said that 14-year-old Walid Nasser died Thursday from wounds suffered in Tuesday’s raid.
At least 74 Palestinians, around half of them affiliated with militant groups, have died in Israel’s raids in the West Bank since the beginning of the year. During the same time 14 people, all but one of them civilians, were killed in Palestinian attacks against Israelis.
Israel captured the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem, in the 1967 Mideast war, territories the Palestinians seek for their future state. In the decades since, more than 700,000 Jewish settlers have moved into dozens of settlements in the West Bank and Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, which the international community considers illegal and an obstacle to peace.
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DeBre reported from Jerusalem. Associated Press writer Ilan Ben Zion in Jerusalem contributed to this report. | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/at-least-3-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-military-raid/ | 2023-03-09 19:55:21 | 1 | https://www.wfla.com/news/international/ap-international/at-least-3-palestinians-killed-in-israeli-military-raid/ |
Restaurant Brands International Inc. to Participate in Scotiabank Back to School Conference
Published: Sep. 8, 2022 at 5:30 AM CDT|Updated: 2 hours ago
TORONTO, Sept. 8, 2022/PRNewswire/ - Restaurant Brands International Inc. (TSX: QSR) (NYSE: QSR) (TSX: QSP) ("RBI") announced today that José Cil, Chief Executive Officer, will participate in a fireside chat at Scotiabank Back to School Conference on September 13th,2022 at 9:00 am Eastern Time.
A live audio webcast will be available on the company's investor relations website (http://rbi.com/investors) and will be available for 30 days following the event.
About Restaurant Brands International Inc.
Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with over $35 billion in annual system-wide sales and over 29,000 restaurants in more than 100 countries. RBI owns four of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES®, and FIREHOUSE SUBS®. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities for decades. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to its food, the planet, and people and communities.
The above press release was provided courtesy of PRNewswire. The views, opinions and statements in the press release are not endorsed by Gray Media Group nor do they necessarily state or reflect those of Gray Media Group, Inc. | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/restaurant-brands-international-inc-participate-scotiabank-back-school-conference/ | 2022-09-08 12:10:38 | 1 | https://www.kalb.com/prnewswire/2022/09/08/restaurant-brands-international-inc-participate-scotiabank-back-school-conference/ |
LONDON (AP) — A British lawmaker from the governing Conservative Party has been charged with racially abusing a Bahraini activist, London police said Monday.
Bob Stewart, 73, is alleged to have told Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei to “go back to Bahrain” following the altercation on Dec. 14 outside a historic Foreign Office building in the heart of the capital.
Stewart, who is currently chairman of the all-parliamentary group on Bahrain, is also alleged to have told Alwadaei, 36, to “get stuffed” and that he is “taking money off my country.”
The incident was caught on camera and was widely circulated across social media. Soon after the exchange became public, Stewart said he had made a mistake and that he had been goaded into a response.
London’s Metropolitan Police, which launched an investigation after Alwadaei made a complaint about the incident outside Lancaster House, charged Stewart with using “threatening or abusive words or behaviour or disorderly behavior and the offense was racially aggravated.”
With regard to the same incident, Stewart has also been charged with using “threatening or abusive words or behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.” Police said the additional count has been added in order “to allow the court discretion on the racial element of the allegation.”
Alwadaei has said he is living in exile after being tortured in the Gulf state following his participation in anti-government protests. He is the director of advocacy at the U.K.-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, whose self-declared mission is “to promote human rights and effective accountability in Bahrain.”
Stewart, a former British army officer best known for his command of the U.N. peacekeeping forces in Bosnia during the early 1990s, will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on July 5. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/british-lawmaker-charged-with-racially-abusing-bahraini-activist/ | 2023-06-05 18:54:53 | 0 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/international/british-lawmaker-charged-with-racially-abusing-bahraini-activist/ |
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration said Thursday that children under 5 may be able to get their first COVID-19 vaccination doses as soon as June 21, if federal regulators authorize shots for the age group, as expected.
White House COVID-19 coordinator Ashish Jha outlined the administration's planning for the last remaining ineligible age group to get shots. He said the Food and Drug Administration's outside panel of advisers will meet on June 14-15 to evaluate the Pfizer and Moderna shots for younger kids. Shipments to doctors' offices and pediatric care facilities would begin soon after FDA authorization, with the first shots possible the following week.
Jha said states can begin placing orders for pediatric vaccines on Friday, and said the administration has an initial supply of 10 million doses available. He said it may take a few days for the vaccines to arrive across the country and vaccine appointments to be widespread.
“Our expectation is that within weeks every parent who wants their child to get vaccinated will be able to get an appointment,” Jha said.
The Biden administration is pressing states to prioritize large-volume sites like children's hospitals, and to make appointments available outside regular work hours to make it easier for parents to get their kids vaccinated.
Jha acknowledged the “frustration” of parents of young children who have been waiting more than a year for shots for their kids.
“At the end of the day we all want to move fast, but we’ve got to get it right," he said.
Credit: Susan Walsh
Credit: Susan Walsh
Credit: Susan Walsh
Credit: Susan Walsh | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/white-house-1st-shots-for-kids-under-5-possible-by-june-21/2CJZWKC525BXVBLJOARFTEWWKA/ | 2022-06-02 21:53:50 | 1 | https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/nation-world/white-house-1st-shots-for-kids-under-5-possible-by-june-21/2CJZWKC525BXVBLJOARFTEWWKA/ |
Democrat Aaron Rouse appeared to clinch the special election for Virginia’s 7th state Senate district on Tuesday in yet another victory for his party, which was already riding high from a better-than-expected midterm election.
The race was a nail-biter, with Rouse scraping by over Republican opponent Kevin Adams with less than 1 percent of the vote, according to unofficial election results. Still, the flip will be seen as a major win by the party and will expand its majority in the commonwealth’s state Senate. The split in the chamber will now stand at 22-18.
Rouse declared victory shortly after the unofficial vote tallies were counted.
“THANK YOU!” he tweeted Tuesday night. “With your support, and the support of voters from across Virginia Beach and Norfolk, we have won this Special Election. No rest for the weary – tomorrow, we head to Richmond to get to work for Virginia families.”
His party also hailed the victory, with the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee tweeting Tuesday night that it “will help Dems defend our majority in the VA Senate this fall!”
Rouse, a Virginia Beach city council member and former NFL player, will replace Rep. Jen Kiggans (R-Va.) in the seat that she vacated after she defeated former Rep. Elaine Luria (D-Va.) in the November U.S. congressional elections.
The seventh state Senate district includes much of the Virginia Beach area and parts of Norfolk. Rouse’s victory is significant due to the district’s Republican lean. Kiggans won the seat by just less than a point in 2019, while Biden won the district by 10 points in 2020. Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) won the seat during the state’s 2021 gubernatorial campaign. And in 2022, Kiggans trailed Luria by four points in precincts within the state Senate district, according to the Virginia Public Access Project.
Rouse’s victory is also significant because it provides Democrats with an extra vote against any measure that could restrict abortion access in the commonwealth. The issue featured heavily in the race and underscored its viability for Democrats as they look toward the November general elections and the 2024 presidential election. | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/democrat-appears-to-flip-virginia-state-senate-seat-in-closely-watched-special-election/ | 2023-01-11 04:05:06 | 0 | https://www.cbs42.com/hill-politics/democrat-appears-to-flip-virginia-state-senate-seat-in-closely-watched-special-election/ |
BEIJING (AP) — On a balmy Sunday night, residents of an upscale Shanghai compound took to the streets to decry lockdown restrictions imposed by their community. By the following morning, they were free to leave.
The triumphant story quickly spread on chat groups across the Chinese city this week, sparking one question in the minds of those who remained under lockdown: Shouldn’t we do the same?
By the end of the week, other groups of residents had confronted management in their complexes, and some had won at least a partial release.
While it’s unclear how widespread they are, the incidents reflect the frustration that has built up after more than seven weeks of lockdown, even as the number of new daily cases has fallen to a few hundred in a city of 25 million people.
They also are a reminder of the power of China’s neighborhood committees that the ruling Communist Party relies on to spread propaganda messages, enforce its decisions and even settle personal disputes. Such committees and the residential committees under them have become the target of complaints, especially after some in Shanghai and other cities refused to allow residents out even after official restrictions were relaxed.
More than 21 million people in Shanghai are now in “precaution zones,” the least restrictive category. In theory, they are free to go out. In practice, the decision is up to their residential committees, resulting in a kaleidoscope of arbitrary rules.
Some are allowed out, but only for a few hours with a specially issued pass for one day or certain days of the week. Some places permit only one person per household to leave. Others forbid people to leave at all.
“We have already been given at least three different dates when we are going to reopen, and none of them were real,” said Weronika Truszczynska, a graduate student from Poland who posted vlogs about her experience.
“The residential committee told us you can wait a week, we are going to reopen probably on June 1st,” she said. “No one believed it.”
Two days after the Sunday night breakout at the upscale Huixianju compound, more than a dozen residents of Truszczynska’s complex confronted their managers on a rainy Tuesday,
The residents, who were mostly Chinese, demanded to be allowed to leave without time limits or restrictions on how many per household. After the demands were not met, some returned to protest a second day. This time, four police officers stood watch.
On Thursday afternoon, community representatives knocked on the doors of each resident with a new policy: Write their name and apartment number on a list, take a temperature check, scan a barcode — and they were free to leave.
“We got the possibility of going out just because we were brave enough to protest,” Truszczynska said of her fellow residents.
The Shanghai lockdown has also prompted resistance from people being taken away to quarantine and workers required to sleep at their workplaces. Videos on social media showed what were said to be employees of a factory operated by Taiwan’s Quanta Computer Inc. trying to force their way out of the facility in early May.
The party’s strict anti-virus campaign has been aided by an urban environment in which hundreds of millions of people in China live in gated apartment compounds or walled neighborhoods that can be easily blocked off.
The front line for enforcement are the neighborhood committees that are responsible for keeping track of every resident in every urban household nationwide and enforcing public health and sanitation rules.
Many tend to err on the side of over-enforcement, aware of the example made of public officials who are fired or criticized for failing in their pandemic prevention duties.
The importance of neighborhood committees dwindled in the 1990s as the Communist Party relaxed restrictions on the movement of citizens, but they have been undergoing a resurgence in an ongoing tightening of societal controls under President Xi Jinping.
The incident at Huixianju prompted others to speak out. In a series of videos that circulated this week, about two dozen people march toward the Western Nanjing Road Police Station, chanting “Respect the law, give me back my life.”
Residents of a compound in Jing’an district saw the gates of neighboring compounds open over the past month — yet theirs remained locked. On Wednesday, about two dozen gathered at the gate, calling out to speak with a representative.
“I want to understand what are the neighborhood leaders planning?” one woman asks in a video of the incident. Another woman chimes in: “Are you making progress?” A third resident points out that they should be free by now, since the compound has been case-free for a while. “Didn’t they say on television that things are opening up? We saw it on television,” an older man says.
The next day, the community issued one-day passes — residents were allowed out for two hours on Friday, with no word on what would happen after that.
Shanghai authorities have declared a June target for life to return to normal. But some people aren’t waiting, pushing the boundaries bit by bit.
On Thursday night, more than a dozen young people gathered for a street concert in the same district where Sunday’s protest took place. Video of the last song, “Tomorrow will be better,” was shared widely on social media.
A police car parked nearby with its flashing red and blue lights and headlights on. As the final song drew to a close, an officer wearing a face shield strode toward the group and said, “OK you’ve had enough fun. It’s time to go back.” The crowd dispersed.
___
Associated Press researcher Si Chen in Shanghai and writer Joe McDonald in Beijing contributed to this report. | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/shanghai-lockdown-residents-demand-release-and-some-get-it/ | 2022-05-27 18:08:57 | 0 | https://www.wivb.com/news/world/shanghai-lockdown-residents-demand-release-and-some-get-it/ |
WASHINGTON — The conflict in northeast Syria escalated Friday as Iran-backed militias launched a volley of rocket and drone attacks against coalition bases after American reprisals for a drone attack that killed a U.S. contractor and injured six other Americans.
President Joe Biden, speaking at a news conference in Canada, sought to tamp down fears that tit-for-tat strikes between the United States and militant groups could spiral out of control, while at the same time warning Iran to rein in its proxies.
“Make no mistake, the United States does not, does not, I emphasize, seek conflict with Iran,” Biden said in Ottawa, Ontario, where he was making a state visit. “But be prepared for us to act forcefully to protect our people. That’s exactly what happened last night.”
The fighting, among the most serious in the area since 2019, threatens to upend recent efforts to de-escalate tensions across the wider Middle East, whose rival powers, including Iran and Saudi Arabia, have made steps toward rapprochement in recent days after years of turmoil.
The initial attack Thursday came as U.S. forces in northeast Syria were on high alert following 78 attacks by Iran-backed militias since January 2021. But a self-destructing drone, which U.S. officials said was of “Iranian origin,” managed to hit a coalition base anyway, killing the U.S. contractor and wounding six other Americans.
Two U.S. officials said the main air defense system at the base was “not fully operational” at the time, raising questions about whether the attackers had detected that vulnerability and exploited it, or just happened to send the drone at that time, according to people who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the investigation.
Brig. Gen. Patrick Ryder, the Pentagon spokesperson, said the air defense’s radar was working but he declined to discuss any other details of the system, citing operational security and an investigation by the military’s Central Command.
It was unclear why the system was not fully functional and what difference that had made in defending the base. The Avenger missile defense system at the base, called RLZ, may have been experiencing a maintenance problem, one of the U.S. officials said.
The base near Hasaka has other defenses, but even all those systems combined are not foolproof, officials said. Pentagon and other U.S. officials said they were reluctant to discuss any possible weaknesses or failings in the layered defense network to avoid giving adversaries in the region any advantage.
“We take a variety of measures to safeguard our people, but again, it’s an inherently dangerous place,” Ryder said.
After U.S. intelligence analysts concluded that the drone was of Iranian origin — a claim the Pentagon made without any supporting evidence — the United States retaliated by launching airstrikes against militant sites linked to Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, Ryder said.
Two Air Force F-15E fighter jets hit a munition warehouse and a control building nearby, and an intelligence-collection site in eastern Syria, two senior U.S. military officials said.
The U.S. airstrikes killed eight pro-Iran fighters, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a group in Britain that tracks the conflict through contacts in Syria. Ryder said the military was still investigating reports of casualties on the ground.
“As President Biden has made clear, we will take all necessary measures to defend our people and will always respond at a time and place of our choosing,” Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Thursday. “No group will strike our troops with impunity.”
Iran-backed militias responded by firing rocket and drone attacks on coalition targets, including at a second U.S. base in the area, called Green Village. Another American was injured in one of the attacks, U.S. officials said, raising fears that the violence could escalate into a wider war.
Asked whether the United States holds Iran responsible for the death of an American citizen, Ryder said, “Iran certainly backs these groups, and by default, therefore has a responsibility to ensure that they’re not contributing to insecurity, instability. But clearly, they continue to do that.”
The Revolutionary Guard is a powerful branch of Iran’s armed forces that operates in parallel with the military. It is charged with securing Iran’s borders, and its overseas arm, the Quds Force, carries out operations across the Middle East and beyond, and trains and arms Shiite proxy militias that operate in a number of countries. The U.S. has designated it a terrorist group.
Iran has built increasingly sophisticated weapons-capable drones in recent years. It has both sold them commercially to other nations, including to Russia for use in the war in Ukraine, and stepped up their transfer to proxy groups.
The drones are part of a rapidly evolving threat from Iranian proxies in Syria, with militia forces specialized in operating more sophisticated weaponry hitting some of the most sensitive U.S. targets in attacks that evaded U.S. defenses.
Two of the wounded service members were treated on site, while the three other service members and the contractor were medically evacuated to coalition medical facilities in Iraq. The Pentagon did not identify the contractor who was killed, pending notification of family, a senior military official said.
America still has more than 900 troops and hundreds more contractors in Syria, working with Kurdish fighters to make sure there is no resurgence of the Islamic State group, which was ostensibly defeated as a self-declared caliphate in 2019 after five years of wreaking havoc across Iraq and Syria.
U.S. and partner forces with a coalition that includes the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces have been working together to keep pressure on Islamic State militants and to ensure that detained fighters do not end up back on the battlefield.
The Kurdish Syrian forces conduct targeted raids against Islamic State members. They also guard more than 10,000 imprisoned Islamic State fighters, while the Pentagon and U.S. troops provide air support, intelligence and reconnaissance.
With the Biden administration focused on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and a potential future conflict with China, the counter-Islamic State military mission in Syria has become something of a back-burner issue.
The mission has received greater attention only when Iranian-backed militias or Islamic State militants attack the U.S. troops who rotate in and out, for nine months at a time, across a handful of bases in northeast Syria, which Gen. Mark Milley, the chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, visited this month.
The United States has repeatedly carried out airstrikes in response. In June 2021, it struck facilities used by two Iranian-backed militias in Iraq and Syria that the Pentagon said had conducted drone strikes against American personnel in Iraq. In December 2019, the U.S. military struck five targets in Iraq and Syria controlled by an Iranian-backed paramilitary group in retaliation for a rocket attack that killed an American contractor. | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/conflict-in-syria-escalates-following-attack-that-killed-a-u-s-contractor/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world | 2023-03-25 04:10:30 | 0 | https://www.seattletimes.com/nation-world/conflict-in-syria-escalates-following-attack-that-killed-a-u-s-contractor/?utm_source=RSS&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=RSS_nation-world |
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla., June 30, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- On the heels of an incredibly productive and strong first half of the year, Cruise Planners has been rated #20 on Travel Weekly's prestigious 2023 Power List, again solidifying their powerhouse status in the travel industry. Cruise Planners is the nation's largest home-based travel advisor franchise network with over 2500 advisors. Cruise Planners was also recently awarded with the "Most Innovative Use of Technology: Products" award for their patent pending LivePlanner™ tool at the 2023 Franchise Innovation Awards.
Cruise Planners had an incredible rebound year in 2022 with $845 million in total sales, adding over $300 million to their previous year of sales. And 2023 departures are even stronger, pacing 45% ahead of same time last year and the company has already surpassed full year 2019 sales by 40% and full year 2022 sales by 30%.
The annual Power List ranking was unveiled in Pebble Beach, Ca. at this year's Travel Weekly Leadership Forum where Cruise Planners CEO Michelle Fee, COO Theresa Scalzitti and CSO Scott Koepf attended. Travel Weekly's Power List measures full-year travel sales for the previous year. Cruise Planners debuted on the prestigious Power List 10 years ago with a ranking of #44 and has reached #20 in less than 10 years.
"To be recognized on this list for over a decade is a feat in itself, but to see our sales from 2021 to 2022 increase an additional $300 million in just one year is phenomenal," said Michelle Fee, CEO and founder of Cruise Planners. "It is a testament to the perseverance and expertise of our advisor network, our spirit of continuous innovation and support, as well as our strong relationships with our supplier partners that we are seeing such a positive upward trajectory."
For the full profile, you can click here.
Company Background: Cruise Planners was founded in 1994 and is the nation's largest home-based travel agent franchise network. As a leader in the travel franchise industry, Cruise Planners positions a nation-wide network of 2,500 franchise owners for success by providing award-winning and innovative marketing programs, proprietary and cutting-edge booking and technology tools, as well as professional development and travel agent training with the industry's top executives. The company continues to be an industry leader and was named the No.1 travel franchise by Entrepreneur magazine for 18 consecutive years and awarded by Franchise Business Review as "Best-In-Category" for 3 years and ranked #20 on Travel Weekly's 2023 Power List.
Franchise Business Review also ranked Cruise Planners #3 OVERALL on their list of Top 200 Franchises of 2022. Cruise Planners was recently featured in Entrepreneur as one of the top 30 franchise innovators in technology, has been consistently named as one of the Top Women-Owned Businesses by the South Florida Business Journal, is on the Inc. 5000 list as one of the fastest-growing private companies in America, and was recognized as one of the Top Workplaces by the Sun Sentinel.
Visit our website, www.cruiseplanners.com, for more information or to view the complete list of awards and honors. For those interested in becoming a franchise owner, please visit https://www.cruiseplannersfranchise.com/.
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SOURCE Cruise Planners Franchising, LLC | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/06/30/cruise-planners-recognized-again-travel-weeklys-prestigious-2023-power-list/ | 2023-06-30 13:21:20 | 0 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/06/30/cruise-planners-recognized-again-travel-weeklys-prestigious-2023-power-list/ |
(The Hill) — CNN political commentator Van Jones said Monday that he would not be surprised if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg held back on indicting former President Donald Trump — arguing that the prosecutor should wait for the former president to be slapped with more serious charges.
“I think that the heat is on this DA, I think he’s going to make a very sober decision and I would not be surprised if he doesn’t step back from the brink,” Jones said on CNN Monday night.
That “heat” comes after Trump claimed over the weekend that he would be arrested amid the Manhattan DA’s probe into hush-money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
Trump and his allies have publicly attacked Bragg, a Democrat, for the possible indictment, saying it would be politically motivated.
House Republicans turned their attention to Bragg after the news of Trump’s possible indictment broke, with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) promising to investigate whether any federal funds are being used in the probe. A trio of Republican chairs in the chamber requested testimony from Bragg.
“Your actions will erode confidence in the evenhanded application of justice and unalterably interfere in the course of the 2024 presidential election,” House Judiciary Committee Chair Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), House Oversight Committee Chair James Comer (R-Ky.), and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil (R-Wis.) wrote in a letter to Bragg on Monday.
But Trump also faces a slew of other investigations at both the federal and state level, which Jones argued would more likely alter the former president’s legacy.
Trump is also being investigated in Georgia for his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in the state, and a special grand jury recommended perjury charges against multiple people in the probe, according to a partial and redacted report from the special grand jury released last month. He also faces a Department of Justice probe into his actions on Jan. 6 and his handling of classified documents.
“A charge like this — a porn star payoff seven years ago, somehow tied to the election but not really — it doesn’t seem like the right way to go,” Jones said. “History is not going to judge Donald Trump based on Stormy Daniels. They’re going to judge him based on the election, going to judge him based on the coup attempt.”
Jones finished by saying if he were Bragg, he would wait for potential charges from the Georgia probe to come forward before pursuing Trump in his investigation.
“I would wait for Georgia to go first,” Jones said. “(In) Georgia, you have the president calling in trying to change an election. That seems to me the thing to start with, not this.” | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/van-jones-says-bragg-may-step-back-from-the-brink-on-charging-trump/ | 2023-03-21 20:43:36 | 0 | https://www.localsyr.com/news/national/van-jones-says-bragg-may-step-back-from-the-brink-on-charging-trump/ |
Caring for those who need it most, The New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches is a home for struggling youth and their families. This time of year, especially, they are reminding the public of how crucial it is to care for those who need it most.
The New Mexico Boys and Girls Ranches were established in 1944 as a response to families whose fathers didn’t come home from the war. Over the years, they have partnered with an organization called ‘at risk youth.’ Those are kids who are at risk of failing at school; they are at risk of suicide and a lot of negative outcomes. They can offer different services to those kids that foster care can’t.
They focus on healing, education, and counseling that allows kids just to be kids. They show kids what a family should look like and tell them that they don’t have to repeat the cycle that they went through. The New Mexico boys and girls ranches received a donation to build a new cottage. That will allow each kid to have their own room and bathroom.
If you would like to donate or help their cause, visit theranches.org. | https://www.krqe.com/new-mexico-living/new-mexico-boys-and-girls-ranches-provide-a-home-for-those-who-need-it-most/ | 2022-12-22 22:22:02 | 0 | https://www.krqe.com/new-mexico-living/new-mexico-boys-and-girls-ranches-provide-a-home-for-those-who-need-it-most/ |
ST. LOUIS, June 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- New research indicates that increased use of a homeowner voucher program could significantly shrink the racial gap between Black and white home ownership.
The study -- conducted by The Urban Institute in partnership with Urban Strategies Inc. (USI) and funded by JP Morgan Chase -- found that more Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) could help reduce the racial disparity in homeownership, which is at its highest in 50 years. A key change would let households with an HCV use it for mortgage payments rather than rent.
One major contributor is the disproportionate burden that mortgage costs place on Black potential homebuyers. Inequity in income, along with structural racist policies, leads to nearly half of all of the vouchers going to Black non-Hispanic households.
A summary concluded that successful implementation requires collaboration between housing agencies, lenders, and other first-time-homebuyer programs.
Historically, discrimination has caused a disparity in access to home ownership and its benefits. Living in inadequate housing requires more upkeep and paying relatively more in property taxes. Legacies of redlining and current discriminatory lending have also hampered Black households' efforts to gain access to quality housing.
Key findings of the study include:
- The HCV home ownership program is limited in size and scope.
- The use of homeownership vouchers is higher in places with lower housing costs and lower fair market rent.
- Public housing authorities that use the highest share of vouchers for home ownership tend not to have majority Black non-Hispanic clientele. However, four out of five of the PHAs with the most participants serve majority Black non-Hispanic households in their programs: Philadelphia, Chicago, New Orleans, and Louisville.
- Foreclosures and non-payment are uncommon.
Strategies that the study said could help close the voucher gap include higher income limits for participants, creation of a distinct class of vouchers earmarked for homeownership, extending the length of subsidy allowed in the HCV homeownership program and more funding for the lump sum/down payment option.
Founded in 1978, Urban Strategies, Inc. is a national nonprofit leader with extensive experience in implementing results-based human capital development strategies in communities that are undergoing physical revitalization. www.urbanstrategiesinc.org.
The Urban Institute is a nonprofit research organization that provides data and evidence to help advance upward mobility and equity, strengthen decision making, create inclusive economic growth, and improve the well-being of families and communities.
For Information:
Cindy Wallach
314-922-8060
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SOURCE Urban Strategies, Inc. | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/06/14/increased-use-vouchers-could-bridge-racial-homeownership-gap/ | 2023-06-14 14:30:32 | 1 | https://www.kxii.com/prnewswire/2023/06/14/increased-use-vouchers-could-bridge-racial-homeownership-gap/ |
Fargo Promoter Cancels Show With Artist Accused Of Sexual Assault
Jade Presents had booked Har Mar Superstar, whose real name is Sean Tillmann, June 1st at The Hall at Fargo Brewing Company
FARGO, N.D. (KVRR) – A local concert promoter has cancelled a show with Har Mar Superstar, the Minnesota musician and former bar co-owner in Moorhead who left the spotlight after sexual assault allegations two years ago.
Jade Presents had booked the artist, whose real name is Sean Tillmann, June 1st at The Hall at Fargo Brewing Company.
There was a lot of backlash on social media after Jade announced the show.
On Wednesday, Jade Presents founder and president Jade Nielson released a statement apologizing for booking the show.
It reads in part, “I promise to do better as we progress. I’m sorry to my staff, partners, and all customers. I will work to make this right. As of today, this event is canceled. Your voice is always welcome and will be heard.”
Tillmann denied a specific sexual assault allegation when it surfaced two years ago.
He said other women came forward to say he’s mistreated them, and that he is, quote, “deeply sorry to anyone who feels I’ve hurt them”.
Tillmann stopped performing after the allegations. He has started performing again, but a show in Mankato announced this week as also reportedly cancelled.
He co-owned Harold’s bar in Moorhead, which opened in 2019.
The bar’s other owners asked him to resign when the allegations came out. | https://www.kvrr.com/2023/03/30/promoter-cancels-show-with-artist-accused-of-sexual-assault/ | 2023-03-30 13:19:35 | 1 | https://www.kvrr.com/2023/03/30/promoter-cancels-show-with-artist-accused-of-sexual-assault/ |
Chopped walnut pouches recalled for containing the wrong kind of nuts
(Gray News) – A recall has been issued for Great Value Walnuts for mislabeling issues.
According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the recalled pouches contain pecans instead of walnuts.
People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to pecans run the risk of a serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they eat the nuts.
The FDA said there have not been any reports of illness or death associated with this recall so far.
Only the Great Value Walnut Chopped 4oz. pouches with UPC 78742201344, Lot #29329 are impacted. They have a Best If Used By date of April 29, 2023.
The nuts were sold at Walmart stores in Florida, North Carolina and South Carolina.
Anyone who bought the mislabeled pouches can return them to the store for a full refund or throw them away.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2022/08/24/chopped-walnut-pouches-recalled-containing-wrong-kind-nuts/ | 2022-08-24 18:57:15 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/2022/08/24/chopped-walnut-pouches-recalled-containing-wrong-kind-nuts/ |
QUEENS (PIX11) — A brazen thief is wanted for attempting to steal over $3,000 cash from three different banks in Queens on Friday, police said.
The first incident occurred at a CitiBank on Queens Boulevard around 12:48 p.m., after the suspect passed a note to the teller asking for $1,200 cash, police said. He was unsuccessful and fled empty-handed to hit another bank twenty minutes later, police said.
Inside Ponce Bank on 82nd Street he demanded $2,000 cash from a bank teller around 1:10 p.m., police said. Failing again, he hit another bank thirty minutes later on Main Street, police said. At Royal Business Bank, he stated he had a gun and demanded money, pocketing $230 dollars before running away, police said.
Investigators described the suspect as approximately 40 years old with a medium build. He was last seen wearing gray sweatpants, a gray hooded jacket, black and white sneakers, and a black facemask.
Submit tips to police by calling Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477), visiting crimestoppers.nypdonline.org, downloading the NYPD Crime Stoppers mobile app, or texting 274637 (CRIMES) then entering TIP577. Spanish-speaking callers are asked to dial 1-888-57-PISTA (74782). | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/queens/robbery-suspect-hits-3-banks-in-queens-in-1-hour-spree-nypd/ | 2023-03-14 15:42:07 | 1 | https://pix11.com/news/local-news/queens/robbery-suspect-hits-3-banks-in-queens-in-1-hour-spree-nypd/ |
It's primary election day in Virginia Published June 20, 2023 at 5:13 AM EDT Facebook LinkedIn Email Virginia Democrats vie for seats in primary elections that have proven expensive and competitive. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-06-20/its-primary-election-day-in-virginia | 2023-06-20 10:04:06 | 1 | https://www.mainepublic.org/2023-06-20/its-primary-election-day-in-virginia |
WASHINGTON -- Congress is receiving new evidence Thursday of internal chaos at Southwest Airlines over the Christmas holiday meltdown.
The Senate Commerce committee is questioning Southwest executive Andrew Watterson, alongside Southwest pilot union president Casey Murray, Sharon Pinkerton of the Airlines for America trade group, Paul Hudson of Flyers' Rights, and economist Clifford Winston of The Brookings Institution.
The pilots' union characterized the operation as held together by "duct tape," while Southwest's chief operating officer is apologized and said the airline "is intensely focused on reducing the risk of repeating the operational disruption."
Southwest CEO: 'Just no way to apologize enough' for disastrous week of flight cancelations
Among the union's evidence is a message sent during the meltdown to a cockpit computer from the airline's dispatchers asking what crew is onboard the plane.
"Sched is asking to confirm who is operating this flight," the message read. "Pls send emp numbers to confirm. It's a mess down here."
A photograph of the message, which shows the extent of the airline's breakdown, was included in testimony the Southwest Airlines Pilots Association union, SWAPA, presented at the hearing. (The message and others are seen in all capital letters, standard for this type of cockpit display.)
Southwest to pay pilots an estimated $45M in bonus 'gratitude pay' for working during meltdown
As planes stood still at the height of the debacle, crewmembers sat stranded, unable to communicate with their dispatchers and schedulers.
"No updates here," another cockpit computer message to pilots read. "Scheduling is so far behind we were told we aren't allowed to walk over and talk to them."
Southwest's meltdown
The massive meltdown began in the wake of a large winter storm at Christmastime, one of the busiest travel windows of the year. But while other airlines managed to recover their schedules, Southwest's legacy technology and manual scheduling processes could not keep up with the rate of changes.
More than 16,700 flights were canceled and 2 million passengers stranded, scuttling holiday plans and leaving mountains of unclaimed baggage nationwide. Southwest CEO Bob Jordan apologized and the airline offered reimbursements for passengers' costs, along with bonus points. The Department of Transportation is investigating, including whether the airline scheduled more flights than it could handle.
The pilots' union is testified that Watterson and Jordan, who began their roles just over a year ago, "inherited a massive, complex operation held together by duct tape and baling wire." Technology failures were predictable and avoidable because the system has failed multiple times "with increasing frequency and magnitude."
"Since 2011, SWA has averaged one major operational failure every 18 months," the testimony said. "Warning signs were ignored. Poor performance was condoned. Excuses were made. Processes atrophied. Core values were forgotten."
The testimony also provided new details about what was happening behind the scenes while the airline's schedule fell apart.
The union says the airline operated more than 500 empty flights to reposition planes -- and it contends the aircraft could have carried passengers. More than 10,000 pilots rode in passenger seats, headed to another assignment in a choreography the union called "inefficient."
Southwest declined to comment on the union's allegations ahead of the hearing.
A copy of Watterson's testimony, obtained ahead of the hearing by CNN, included an apology to travelers and employees for the disruption. It shows he is prepared to say the difficulty of recovering from the storm "created an unprecedented amount and frequency of required changes to Crew schedules that overwhelmed our Crew Scheduling processes and technology."
Southwest says it has been testing a scheduling software update, launched a new team in its command center, improved telephone systems, and is investing in better preparedness for cold weather.
Watterson said the airline "had an opportunity to test some of these newly-implemented mitigation efforts" when the FAA grounded all departures nationwide last month due to its own computer failure.
The union criticized the airline for giving executives stock options in the wake of the meltdown while employees lost profit sharing pay because of the airline's financial hit due to the meltdown. The airline did agree to give some employee groups hardship pay.
The-CNN-Wire & 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://6abc.com/southwest-holiday-meltdown-congress-airlines/12791578/ | 2023-02-09 18:20:27 | 0 | https://6abc.com/southwest-holiday-meltdown-congress-airlines/12791578/ |
MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 27, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) announced today that it will present at the Raymond James 44th Annual Institutional Investors Conference at the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Florida on Tuesday, March 7, 2023 at 1:40 p.m. Eastern Time. Mike Speetzen, Chief Executive Officer, and Bob Mack, Chief Financial Officer will make a formal presentation on the Company.
To access the live webcast and slide presentation, visit the Polaris Investor Relations website on the time and day of the meeting at ir.polaris.com. A replay of the webcast will also be available on our website following the event.
About Polaris
As the global leader in powersports, Polaris Inc. (NYSE: PII) pioneers product breakthroughs and enriching experiences and services that have invited people to discover the joy of being outdoors since our founding in 1954. Polaris' high-quality product line-up includes the Polaris RANGER®, RZR® and Polaris GENERAL™ side-by-side off-road vehicles; Sportsman® all-terrain off-road vehicles; military and commercial off-road vehicles; snowmobiles; Indian Motorcycle® mid-size and heavyweight motorcycles; Slingshot® moto-roadsters; Aixam quadricycles; Goupil electric vehicles; and pontoon and deck boats, including industry-leading Bennington pontoons. Polaris enhances the riding experience with a robust portfolio of parts, garments, and accessories. Proudly headquartered in Minnesota, Polaris serves more than 100 countries across the globe. www.polaris.com
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NEW ORLEANS (AP) — COVID-19 precautions wiped out most New Orleans’ Mardi Gras festivities in 2021, and a shortage of police officers forced the city to shorten routes for some of its lavish seasonal parades in 2022.
Now, city officials, and business owners are celebrating plans to let the good times roll on longer routes — and in front of businesses that welcome the crowds — with security bolstered by neighboring police agencies.
Mayor LaToya Cantrell’s official announcement Monday that parade routes were being lengthened was welcome news to Staci Rosenberg, a founder of the Krewe of Muses. It means the all-female organization and its signature floats — including a giant stilletto-heeled pump swathed in color-changing lights — will be able to roll again on Magazine Street. The thoroughfare lined with small shops, century-old cottages, bars and restaurants runs through neighborhoods that gave the parade what Rosenberg described as a more intimate, family-friendly atmosphere.
“It was important to send a sign, I think, to the world that we’re back,” Rosenberg said of plans to restore the longer route. “We’ve recovered from all kinds of things — the pandemic, the labor shortage, the police shortage.”
It also means bolstered business at Le Bon Temps Roule, a well known around-the-clock neighborhood bar on Magazine Street. Co-Owner Joe Bikulege said it was closed for 17 months because of the pandemic. Mardi Gras business, he said, usually enables him to put aside money to pay for taxes, insurance, building improvements and other emergencies.
“There’s a lot of people that make their living off Mardi Gras,” he noted.
Cantrell made the announcement, heralded by a brass band, at Gallier Hall, a 19th-century Greek Revival building that once was the seat of city government. She was joined by interim Police Superintendent Michelle Woodfork and, via video hookup, Sheriff Susan Hutson — who worked to broker agreements with other Louisiana law enforcement agencies to beef up manpower.
It marked a chance for Hutson and Cantrell, both of whom are elected officials, to bolster their political fortunes at a time when both have been under pressure. Cantrell, in her second term, is facing a recall effort a amid rising crime, unhappiness over delays in street projects and trash pickup, and questions about her use of a city-owned French Quarter apartment. Hutson, who took office last year, inherited a long-troubled city jail and is embroiled in political and legal battles over construction plans and security issues.
Manpower shortages have affected police departments around the country since the beginning of the pandemic and the nationwide protests over the murder of George Floyd. Various estimates put the number of New Orleans police officers at around 900 to 950, about 400 short of the ideal at any time of year.
Exactly how many police officers and sheriff’s deputies from other jurisdictions will help with the parades wasn’t immediately clear. A spokesperson for Hutson’s office said in an email that agreements with other agencies were still being finalized ahead of the major parades.
Carnival season begins each year on Jan. 6 and picks up steam with a growing list of balls and parades. It reaches a climax in the final two weeks before Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent. Mardi Gras falls on Feb. 21 this year.
Last year, major parades were limited to a route that took floats, marching bands and walking clubs down historic St. Charles Avenue to the downtown area. The restoration of longer routes means the Krewe of Thoth can again roll by New Orleans’ Children’s Hospital after a nearly three-year absence.
It will be a return welcome by Dr. Scott Macicek. “It’s scary when your a child and you’re in the hospital,” Macicek said. “Having as many joyful experiences as we can create is important.”
Joe Bikulege, co-owner of Le Bon Temps Roule. The bar is open around the clock on Magazine Street — a busy thoroughfare left off last year’s route. Bikulege said money made during Mardi Gras bolsters income and helps pay for insurance, taxes and maintenance on his building. | https://www.wdtn.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-spreading-the-joy-longer-parade-routes-okd-for-mardi-gras/ | 2023-01-31 13:02:56 | 0 | https://www.wdtn.com/entertainment-news/ap-entertainment/ap-spreading-the-joy-longer-parade-routes-okd-for-mardi-gras/ |
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan’s President Tsai Ing-wen has condemned China’s military drills in the Taiwan Strait, saying Tuesday that China did not demonstrate the “responsible” behavior of a major Asian nation.
China’s three-day, large-scale drills that ended Monday were retaliation for Tsai’s meeting with United States House Speaker Kevin McCarthy in California last week on her tour of Taiwan’s official and unofficial allies.
“As the president, I represent our country in the world, whether it’s a visit to allied countries or stopping through in the U.S. and interacting with our international friends, and not only has this been going on for years, it’s the Taiwanese people’s shared expectation,” Tsai said in a statement. “But China used this as a pretext to start military drills, creating instability in the Taiwan Strait and region. This is not the attitude of a responsible major nation in this region.”
China sees such meetings as encouraging Taiwanese voters and politicians who support formal independence for the island, a step China’s ruling Communist Party says would lead to war.
The sides split in 1949 after a civil war, and the government says the island is obliged to rejoin the mainland, by force if necessary. China does not recognize Taiwan’s government institutions, has cut off almost all communication with Tsai’s government since shortly after her initial 2016 election and has blocked Taiwan’s participation in most international organizations, beginning with the United Nations.
Surveys show a strong majority of Taiwanese back the current state of de facto independence, while Tsai’s government says a declaration of formal independence is unnecessary because the island already enjoys the status of a sovereign nation, despite China’s attempts to isolate it diplomatically.
China’s People’s Liberation Army issued a threat as it concluded the exercises. Its troops “can fight at any time to resolutely smash any form of ‘Taiwan independence’ and foreign interference attempts,” the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command, responsible for contingencies involving Taiwan, said in a statement.
China’s Foreign Ministry backed up that threat Tuesday.
“Again, I would like to stress that China will take resolute strong measures to safeguard its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” spokesperson Wang Wenbin told reporters at a daily briefing.
In recent years, China has been increasing its military presence in the Taiwan Strait, with warplanes being sent on a near-daily basis and military drills being conducted in the waters and skies near Taiwan.
In August, after then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan, China conducted missile strikes on targets in the seas around Taiwan and sent warships and warplanes over the median line of the Taiwan Strait. It also fired missiles over the island itself, which landed in Japan’s exclusive economic zone in a significant escalation.
Despite having only unofficial relations, the U.S. is Taiwan’s most important ally and source of military assistance. U.S. law requires Washington to regard all threats to the island — including a blockade — as matters of “grave concern,” although it does not explicitly require the commitment of forces.
The exercises this time have focused more on air strength, with Taiwan reporting more than 200 flights by Chinese warplanes. On Monday alone, Taiwan’s defense ministry tracked 91 flights by Chinese warplanes.
Chinese state broadcaster CCTV, citing the PLA, said the exercises simulated sealing off the island and striking important targets in waves.
Tsai also urged the public to not believe any disinformation about Taiwan’s defenses, saying the military was fulfilling its duties and the public should encourage the forces. “Our nation’s soldiers and national security team will continue to stand fast at their posts to defend our country,” she said.
Taiwan’s defense ministry said eight Chinese navy vessels were still in the waters surrounding the island as of Tuesday morning.
___
Find more AP coverage of the Asia-Pacific region at https://apnews.com/hub/asia-pacific | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/ap-international/taiwans-tsai-says-china-not-being-responsible-with-drills/ | 2023-04-12 00:09:47 | 1 | https://www.ksn.com/news/national-world/ap-international/taiwans-tsai-says-china-not-being-responsible-with-drills/ |
Just in case Azuolas Tubelis and the Arizona Wildcats needed any extra motivation this week, the Pac-12 dished some out Tuesday morning.
While the league’s 12 coaches voted Tubelis and Ballo on their 10-player first team all-Pac-12 team, and gave Ballo the Most Improved Player award, the Wildcats were passed over on several other occasions.
Coaches voted UCLA’s Jaime Jaquez the league’s Player of the Year over Tubelis, didn’t put Kylan Boswell on the all-freshman team, didn’t put Courtney Ramey on the all-defensive team and didn’t give point guard Kerr Kriisa a single vote for the 15 all-conference spots.
Coaches also gave UCLA the majority of the major awards: Mick Cronin was named Coach of the Year, Adem Bona was Freshman of the Year and Jaylen Clark was Defensive Player of the Year. Only Ballo as Most Improved and USC’s Reese Dixon-Waters, as Sixth Man of the Year, broke the Bruins’ hold on the major awards.
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Also Tuesday, based on voting by eight media members who regularly cover the league, the Associated Press named Jaquez POY, Cronin COY and Washington’s Keion Brooks the Newcomer of the Year while putting Tubelis on its five-player first team and Ballo on its second team.
When made available for comment after UA’s practice Tuesday, Lloyd expressed support for Kriisa, saying “maybe some other guys have better numbers, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're more valuable to their team and he’s a winner, he’s my guy.”
But overall, neither Lloyd nor Tubelis were complaining about the Pac-12 awards.
“I know UCLA won a bunch of them and they should have,” Lloyd said. “They’ve had an amazing year.”
Similarly, Tubelis didn’t express a problem with Jaquez' award even though Tubelis became the first player to lead the conference in both scoring (19.9) and rebounding (9.6) since 2005-06.
“I think he deserved it,” Tubelis said. “The coaches think that way. I think he deserves it.”
Tubelis said it was “pretty cool” to lead the conference in scoring and rebounding, something nobody had done since Cal’s Leon Powe did it 17 years ago, though it was not a goal of his.
Still, Jaquez beat Tubelis out after ranking in the league's top five in scoring (17.5) and rebounding (8.0). Jaquez also is considered a better defender than Tubelis, and led the Bruins to a conference championship by four games -- a factor Lloyd said should figure into individual postseason awards.
"I think our players would agree," Lloyd said on his weekly radio show Monday evening. "I mean, UCLA won the league by four games or something. Last year we had that same scenario where we did the same thing and we got all the awards. This year, I think they did.
"So congrats to them. They've had an incredible season. I think at the end of the day, it's always about the team and individuals that deserve to be honored will be honored."
Last season, Arizona (18-2) won the Pac-12 title by three games over UCLA (15-5) and nearly swept the major awards: Lloyd was named COY, Bennedict Mathurin was POY, Christian Koloko was Defensive POY and Most Improved while Larsson was Sixth Man of the Year, an award he was not eligible for this season because he started one too many games. The only major award UA did not get last season was Freshman of the Year, an award that went to Stanford's Harrison Ingram.
This season, UCLA finished the conference season at 18-2 while the Wildcats and USC tied for second at 14-6. Arizona earned the Pac-12 Tournament's No. 2 seed, however, because of its series sweep over the Trojans and will begin play this week on Thursday at 7 p.m. against the winner of a first-round game Wednesday between seventh-seeded Utah (10-10) and 10th seeded Stanford (7-13).
Both the Utes and Cardinal have beaten Arizona earlier this season, so maybe playing them in a one-and-done environment now was enough motivation for the Wildcats even before all the postseason awards came out Tuesday.
At least Lloyd is hoping so.
“That's on them,” Lloyd said when asked if the awards would add incentive for his players. “We don't talk about that stuff. If you need more motivation this time of year, you’ve probably got to look in the mirror. It’s a single elimination tournament. When you advance, you lose, you go home. I don't know what motivates individuals more than that.” | https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/azuolas-tubelis-oumar-ballo-named-all-pac-12-but-ucla-wins-most-major-postseason-awards/article_35342e4c-bcac-11ed-a986-fb6ebc531237.html | 2023-03-07 20:30:10 | 1 | https://tucson.com/sports/arizonawildcats/basketball/azuolas-tubelis-oumar-ballo-named-all-pac-12-but-ucla-wins-most-major-postseason-awards/article_35342e4c-bcac-11ed-a986-fb6ebc531237.html |
Prep Swimming Hornet teams top Bruins
FORT WAYNE — Angola’s swim teams opened their dual meet seasons with wins over Northrop on Monday, 108-50 in the girls’ dual and 99-37 in the boys’ meet.
In the girls’ meet, Frances Krebs (200-yard freestyle, 100 butterfly), Ella Sears (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), Taylor Shelburne (200 individual medley, 100 backstroke) and Brooke Shelburne (500 freestyle, 100 breaststroke) won two individual events apiece for the Hornets. Angola also took first place in all three relay races.
The Angola boys swam in their first competition of the season on Monday and also won all three relays. Ethan Sanders (200 freestyle, 100 backstroke) and Isaac Sanders (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke) won two individual events each for the Hornets. Aidan Shannon won the 50 freestyle, and Michael Newburg was first in the 100 freestyle.
Prep Wrestling Chargers, Churubusco beat Westview
EMMA — West Noble and Churubusco both defeated Westview in Northeast Corner Conference action on Monday. The Chargers topped the Warriors 60-18, and the Eagles won over Westview 42-15.
Warner Ott and Case Krider had pins for Churubusco.
Mike LeCount and Teegan Clouse had first period pins for West Noble. Also winning matches for the Chargers were Jonny Rutter, Diego Esparza, Austin Null, Jesse Castillo, Noah Rassner, Nolan Parks, Cody Hammock and Abram Olvera.
The Chargers will compete in the Goshen Redhawk Super Duals Friday and Saturday.
Prep Boys Basketball EN-Snider game rescheduled
KENDALLVILLE — East Noble’s home freshman, junior varsity and varsity games with Snider were moved from this coming Tuesday night to the afternoon of Feb. 4 due to the success of the Panther football team and those players returning to basketball needing to get enough practices in.
Snider’s football team lost at home to Valparaiso 22-21 in overtime on Friday in the Class 5A North Semi-State game.
The freshman and JV boys basketball games between EN and Snider will start at 1 p.m. with the varsity game to follow inside the Big Blue Pit.
Charger freshmen lose to Raiders
LIGONIER — West Noble’s freshman team lost to Northridge 45-20 on Monday.
Blake Jones led the Chargers with nine points. West Noble also had five points from Gavin Keene, four from Ryan Gross and two points from Joe Button.
College Hockey NCHA honors Trine’s Price, Wong-Ramos
ANGOLA — Two Trine University men’s hockey players were named Northern Collegiate Hockey Association Players of the Week for their efforts last weekend in splitting last weekend’s series with defending NCAA Division III national champion Adrian.
Sophomore forward Bobby Price was named Offensive Player of the Week, and sophomore goaltender Cristian Wong-Ramos was named the conference’s Defensive Player of the Week.
Price, from Sault Sainte Marie, Michigan, had a goal and four assists in the two games against the Bulldogs, including a goal and three assists in Trine’s 6-2 upset win Saturday at Arrington Ice Arena in Adrian, Michigan.
This is the second time Price was named NCHA Player of the Week.
Wong-Ramos made 51 saves against Adrian in his first two starts of the season and had a .911 save percentage last weekend. The Alameda, California, resident had 28 saves in Saturday’s Thunder win.
Trine led the Bulldogs 2-1 after one period Friday in Angola, but Adrian ended up winning 3-2 in overtime.
The Thunder will play at Utica (N.Y.) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
Martial Arts Franz excels in TKA Shirokai Championships
MARION — Steven Franz, owner of Franz Karate in Auburn, competed in the TKA Shirokai Championships on Saturday and earned first place in Kata and first place in Weapons Kata competing in the executive black belt division.
Franz, a 43-year veteran of the martial arts, has competed on two point circuits for martial arts traveling throughout Indiana this year.
Bowling
Auburn Bowl lists top scores
AUBURN — Auburn Bowl has listed its top scores for the week of Nov. 7.
Bowlers of the week were Jon Pease for men (148 pins over average), Kathy Brown for women (109 pins over average) and Owen Garrison for youth (128 pins over average).
MEN: Moose — Jon Pease 266, Matt David 255, 719 series, Tom Slaughter 254, 279 series, Travis Thompson 715 series. Booster — Mike Handley 279, 706 series, Lucas Schutt 276. Masters & Slaves — Chris Levy 259. Adult-Youth — Tim Klinker 255.
WOMEN: Moose — Buffy Salinas 221, 500 series, Nycole Adcox 210, 520 series, Rachael Gardner 209, 504 series, Marilyn Mory 203, 543 series, Megan Books 577 series, Willa Thompson 505 series, Wilma Fuelling 503 series. Booster — Dawn Simmons 225, 607 series. Tuesday Coffee — Jane Ellert 202, 582 series. Masters & Slaves — Dawn Simmons 215, 580 series, Heather Newman 211, 563 series.
YOUTH: Elizabeth Jones 210, 554 series, Max McGinnis 205, Harlee Toy 196, 530 series. Adult-Youth — Elizabeth Jones 201, 548 series.
Middle School Basketball
Baron 8th grade boys defeat Eastside
BUTLER — DeKalb’s eighth grade boys basketball team defeated Eastside on Monday.
The Barons used aggressive defense to hold the Blazers to 10 points in the contest. All 10 DeKalb players scored. | https://www.kpcnews.com/article_a37ad117-74e5-543c-8565-82816fce49cb.html | 2022-11-23 01:12:56 | 0 | https://www.kpcnews.com/article_a37ad117-74e5-543c-8565-82816fce49cb.html |
Kevin Costner’s wife, Christine Baumgartner, files for divorce after 18 years of marriage
Kevin Costner and Christine Baumgartner are calling it quits.
Former model and handbag designer Baumgartner filed to dissolve their 18-year marriage on Monday.
“It is with great sadness that circumstances beyond his control have transpired which have resulted in Mr. Costner having to participate in a dissolution of marriage action,” a rep for the “Yellowstone” star confirmed to The Times.
“We ask that his, Christine’s and their children’s privacy be respected as they navigate this difficult time,” the rep added.
‘Yellowstone’ star Kevin Costner’s finally accepted his Golden Globe, a month after he missed the show due to flooding near his Santa Barbara home.
According to TMZ, Baumgartner, 49, asked for joint custody of their three kids: Cayden, 15, Hayes, 14, and Grace, 12. Costner responded to the petition on Tuesday, also requesting joint custody of the children.
Baumgartner and Costner reportedly met on a golf course in the ’80s when Costner was rehearsing for his role in the 1996 film “Tin Cup.” The actor was married to his first wife at the time and didn’t start dating Baumgartner until 1999.
The couple split briefly in 2003 — Baumgartner wanted to have children and Costner wasn’t sure he should have more — but the two ultimately worked it out, tied the knot in Aspen, Colo., in 2004, and welcomed three children over the course of the next several years.
This is the second divorce for 68-year-old Costner. The “Dances With Wolves” star was previously married to Cindy Silva. Their 16-year marriage ended in 1994, and according to Forbes, the divorce was one of the most expensive in Hollywood history, with Silva awarded an $80-million estimated settlement.
Attendees demanded refunds on social media after star Kevin Costner, creator Taylor Sheridan and others missed a scheduled panel at PaleyFest L.A.
According to TMZ, Baumgartner is not asking for spousal support. Costner’s response, filed by divorce attorney to the stars Laura Wasser, says, “Spousal support to be payable to petitioner pursuant to the terms of the parties’ Premarital Agreement.”
Which basically means: A prenuptial agreement was signed.
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You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. | https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-05-02/kevin-costners-christine-baumgartner-filed-for-divorce | 2023-05-03 04:20:03 | 0 | https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2023-05-02/kevin-costners-christine-baumgartner-filed-for-divorce |
LAS VEGAS (AP) — The Orlando Magic led by 18 points with less than five minutes left in regulation of their NBA Summer League against the Sacramento Kings on Saturday, well on their way to a victory.
They wound up getting that win — after some very wild events down the stretch.
Emanuel Terry's layup off a pass from No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero gave the Magic a 94-92 victory in sudden-death overtime, capping a frantic finish to a game that had a little bit of everything in the final moments.
“That's a game I'll probably never, ever forget," Magic summer coach Jesse Mermuys said.
With good reason. Sacramento closed regulation on a 23-5 run, getting the last six of those points in the final 5.1 seconds on a pair of 3-pointers to force overtime.
The fun was just getting started.
Keon Ellis banked in a 3-pointer with 22 seconds left in the first 2-minute overtime, putting Sacramento up 92-89. But the Kings fouled Devin Cannady with 6.2 seconds left, and he swished all three free throws to tie it.
Ellis missed a short jumper with a second left in OT, and Cannady nearly won the game there with a 60-foot heave that bounced off the rim. That sent the teams to a second overtime, sudden death, first score wins.
Banchero was called for a foul on the first Sacramento possession and the Kings would have gone to the line to shoot free throws — but after a lengthy review, the call was overturned. Orlando got the ball, Banchero found Terry down low, and the Magic got their winner.
“This was one of the most fun games I've ever been a part of," Cannady said. “I've played in the NCAA Tournament, obviously I've played in NBA games, but this was basketball at its purest."
Banchero scored 23 points for the Magic and had six rebounds, six assists and four steals. Admiral Schofield scored 14 points for Orlando.
Neemias Queta topped Sacramento with 23 points. Keegan Murray, the No. 4 pick, scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds. Queta hit the first 3-pointer in the final moments of regulation to give Sacramento a chance, and Murray made the tying one with two-tenths of a second remaining.
RAPTORS 97, 76ERS 77
Armoni Brooks made five 3-pointers and scored 25 points, Delano Banton added 21 and Toronto breezed to a victory over Philadelphia.
Christian Koloko, the Raptors' only pick in this year's draft, added 12 points and seven rebounds. The No. 33 overall pick added three steals and three blocks.
Isaiah Joe buried 7 of 9 shots from 3-point range, scoring 24 points to pace the Sixers.
___
More AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Top-pick-Banchero-Magic-beat-Kings-94-92-in-17294933.php | 2022-07-10 00:20:23 | 1 | https://www.sfchronicle.com/sports/article/Top-pick-Banchero-Magic-beat-Kings-94-92-in-17294933.php |
'Hair,' 'Everwood' actor Treat Williams killed in motorcycle crash
Actor Treat Williams, whose nearly 50-year career included starring roles in the TV series "Everwood" and the movie "Hair," died Monday after a motorcycle crash in Vermont, state police said. He was 71.
Shortly before 5 p.m., a Honda SUV was turning left into a parking lot when it collided with Williams' motorcycle in the town of Dorset, according to a statement from Vermont State Police.
"Williams was unable to avoid a collision and was thrown from his motorcycle. He suffered critical injuries and was airlifted to Albany Medical Center in Albany, New York, where he was pronounced dead," according to the statement.
Williams was wearing a helmet, police said.
The SUV's driver received minor injuries and wasn't hospitalized. He had signaled the turn and wasn't immediately detained although the crash investigation continued, police said.
Williams, whose full name was Richard Treat Williams, lived in Manchester Center in southern Vermont, police said.
His agent, Barry McPherson, also confirmed the actor's death.
"I'm just devastated. He was the nicest guy. He was so talented," McPherson told People magazine.
"He was an actor's actor," McPherson said. "Filmmakers loved him. He's been the heart of ... Hollywood since the late 1970s."
The Connecticut-born Williams made his movie debut in 1975 as a police officer in the movie "Deadly Hero" and went on to appear in more than 120 TV and film roles, including the movies "The Eagle Has Landed," "Prince of the City" and "Once Upon a Time in America."
He was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for his role as hippie leader George Berger in the 1979 movie version of the hit musical "Hair."
He appeared in dozens of television shows but was perhaps best known for his starring role from 2002 to 2006 in "Everwood" as Dr. Andrew Brown, a widowed brain surgeon from Manhattan who moves with his two children to the Colorado mountain town of that name.
Williams also had a recurring role as Lenny Ross on the TV show "Blue Bloods."
Williams' stage appearances included Broadway shows, including "Grease" and "Pirates of Penzance."
Colleagues and friends praised Williams as kind, generous and creative.
"Treat and I spent months in Rome filming 'Once Upon a Time in America,'" actor James Woods tweeted. "It can be pretty lonely on the road during a long shoot, but his resilient good cheer and sense of humor was a Godsend. I really loved him and am devastated that he's gone."
"Working with Treat Williams in Mamet's 'Speed the Plow' at Williamstown in '91 was the start of great friendship," tweeted writer, director and producer Justine Williams. "Damn it, damn it. Treat, you were the best. Love you."
"Treat Williams was a passionate, adventurous, creative man,” actor Wendell Pierce tweeted. "In a short period of time, he quickly befriended me & his adventurous spirit was infectious. We worked on just 1 film together but occasionally connected over the years. Kind and generous with advice and support. RIP."
Scripps Only Content 2023 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/06/13/hair-everwood-actor-treat-williams-killed-motorcycle-crash/ | 2023-06-13 15:10:22 | 0 | https://www.wflx.com/2023/06/13/hair-everwood-actor-treat-williams-killed-motorcycle-crash/ |
McCarthy offers deal to end standoff in House speaker fight
WASHINGTON (AP) — The contours of a deal that could make Republican leader Kevin McCarthy the House speaker have begun to emerge after three grueling days and 11 failed votes in a political spectacle unseen in a century. It has left Republicans in disarray and exposed anew the fragility of American democracy.
The House will be back at it Friday, with Republicans trying to elect their new House speaker — this time, against the backdrop of the second anniversary of the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. The attack was an unimaginable scene of chaos that shook the country when a mob of President Donald Trump’s supporters tried to stop Congress from certifying his election defeat.
McCarthy made no promises of a final vote that would secure him the speaker’s gavel, but glimmers of a deal with at least some of the far-right holdouts who have denied him support were emerging.
“We’ve got some progress going on,” McCarthy said late Thursday, brushing back questions about the lengthy, messy process. “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”
The agreement McCarthy presented to the holdouts from the conservative Freedom Caucus and others center around rules changes they have been seeking for months. Those changes would shrink the power of the speaker’s office and give rank-and-file lawmakers more influence in drafting and passing legislation.
Even if McCarthy is able to secure the votes he needs, he will emerge as a weakened speaker, having given away some powers and leaving him constantly under threat of being voted out by his detractors. But he would also be potentially emboldened as a survivor of one of the more brutal fights for the gavel in U.S. history.
At the core of the emerging deal is the reinstatement of a House rule that would allow a single lawmaker to make a motion to “vacate the chair,” essentially calling a vote to oust the speaker. McCarthy had resisted allowing it, because it had been held over the head of past Republican Speaker John Boehner, chasing him to early retirement.
The chairman of the chamber’s Freedom Caucus, Scott Perry of Pennsylvania, who had been a leader in Trump’s efforts to challenge the 2020 presidential election, appeared receptive to the proposed package, tweeting the adage from Ronald Reagan, “Trust but verify.”
Other wins for the holdouts include provisions in the proposed deal to expand the number of seats available on the House Rules Committee, to mandate 72 hours for bills to be posted before votes and to promise to try for a constitutional amendment that would impose federal limits on the number of terms a person could serve in the House and Senate.
Lest hopes get ahead of reality, conservative holdout Ralph Norman of South Carolina said: “This is round one.”
It could be the makings of a deal to end a standoff that has left the House unable to fully function. Members have not been sworn in and almost no other business can happen. A memo sent out by the House’s chief administrative officer Thursday evening said that committees “shall only carry-out core Constitutional responsibilities.” Payroll cannot be processed if the House isn’t functioning by Jan. 13.
After a long week of failed votes, Thursday’s tally was dismal: McCarthy lost seventh, eighth and then historic ninth, 10th and 11th rounds of voting, surpassing the number from 100 years ago in the last drawn-out fight to choose a speaker.
The California Republican exited the chamber and quipped about the moment: “Apparently, I like to make history.”
Feelings of boredom, desperation and annoyance seemed increasingly evident.
One McCarthy critic, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, cast votes for Trump — a symbolic but pointed sign of the broad divisions over the Republican Party’s future. Then he went further, moving the day from protest toward the absurd in formally nominating the former president to be House speaker on the 11th ballot. Trump got one vote, from Gaetz, drawing laughter.
Democrats said it was time to get serious. “This sacred House of Representatives needs a leader,” said Democrat Joe Neguse of Colorado, nominating his own party’s leader, Hakeem Jeffries, as speaker.
What started as a political novelty, the first time since 1923 a nominee had not won the gavel on the first vote, has devolved into a bitter Republican party feud and deepening potential crisis.
Democratic leader Jeffries of New York won the most votes on every ballot but also remained short of a majority. McCarthy ran second, gaining no ground.
Pressure has grown with each passing day for McCarthy to somehow find the votes he needs or step aside. The incoming Republican chairmen of the House’s Foreign Affairs, Armed Services and Intelligence committees all said national security was at risk.
“The Biden administration is going unchecked and there is no oversight of the White House,” Republicans Michael McCaul, Mike Rogers and Mike Turner wrote in a joint statement.
But McCarthy’s right-flank detractors led by the Freedom Caucus and aligned with Trump, appeared emboldened — even though the former president publicly backed McCarthy.
Republican Party holdouts repeatedly put forward the name of Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, ensuring continuation of the stalemate that increasingly carried undercurrents of race and politics. They also put forward Republican Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, splitting the protest vote.
Donalds, who is Black, is seen as an emerging party leader and a GOP counterpoint to the Democratic leader, Jeffries, who is the first Black leader of a major political party in the U.S. Congress and on track himself to become speaker some day.
Ballots kept producing almost the same outcome, 20 conservative holdouts still refusing to support McCarthy and leaving him far short of the 218 typically needed to win the gavel.
In fact, McCarthy saw his support slipping to 201, as one fellow Republican switched to vote simply “present,” and later to 200. With just a 222-seat GOP majority, he could not spare votes.
The disorganized start to the new Congress pointed to difficulties ahead with Republicans now in control of the House, much the way that some past Republican speakers, including Boehner, had trouble leading a rebellious right flank. The result: government shutdowns, standoffs and Boehner’s early retirement.
The longest fight for the gavel started in late 1855 and dragged on for two months, with 133 ballots, during debates over slavery in the run-up to the Civil War.
___
AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/01/06/mccarthy-offers-deal-end-standoff-house-speaker-fight/ | 2023-01-06 08:28:41 | 1 | https://www.newschannel6now.com/2023/01/06/mccarthy-offers-deal-end-standoff-house-speaker-fight/ |
A former St. Louis police sergeant whose son was robbed at gunpoint by the same suspect who allegedly mowed down a teen in the city last week is calling out Circuit Attorney Kim Gardner for putting the safety of citizens in "jeopardy."
Jim Dandridge's son was robbed at gunpoint in 2020 by Daniel Riley, the 21-year-old unlicensed driver charged with plowing through a downtown St. Louis intersection and striking a Tennessee teen in town for a volleyball tournament. The 16-year-old victim lost her legs as a result.
Riley was out on bond for a 2022 robbery and was supposed to be on house arrest. He had violated his bond conditions more than 50 times before the crash.
"The safety of every one of us here is in jeopardy because an inept prosecutor here," Dandridge told "America's Newsroom" Monday. "How does that happen? I feel so sorry for this girl and I feel like St. Louis has let her down."
MISSOURI AG MOVES TO FIRE DEM ATTORNEY KIM GARDNER AFTER SHE REFUSES TO RESIGN OVER PUBLIC SAFETY OUTCRY
The former police sergeant was set to testify in front of the Missouri legislature Monday to protest Gardner's leadership.
Dandridge recalled how he was contacted by a local reporter who revealed the St. Louis Circuit Attorney’s Office dismissed charges in his son's robbery case because "the victim of the robbery was deceased."
The news came as a shock to Dandridge, whose son was sitting next to him during the call.
Dandridge discovered a victim in a separate case involving one of the other suspects from his son's case had died. The victim had the same first name as his son, leading prosecutors to mix up the cases.
"This is incompetency at the highest level," Dandridge told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. "I feel so sorry for this girl and her family. Kim Gardner’s office failed her family and my family completely."
Dandridge noted the second suspect also had multiple prior ankle bracelet violations and said his family should have been immediately notified when Riley violated house arrest.
"For this person to be out on the street and continue to do these crimes is outrageous," he said.
The Missouri Supreme Court on Friday appointed Judge John P. Torbitzky of the Eastern District of Missouri Court of Appeals to adjudicate the legal action by state's attorney general to remove Gardner from her post, citing negligence of her duties in the Riley case.
Attorney General Andrew Bailey on Thursday filed a petition quo warranto, which is the legal mechanism under state law that allows the attorney general to remove a prosecutor who neglects his or her duties. Bailey will have to show Judge Torbitzky that Gardner neglected her duties and should be removed, and the decision is up to Torbitzky.
In a press conference last week, Gardner said there are "numerous individuals that have an agenda to make sure that my office does not succeed."
"That is not an excuse. But at the same time, we know we do not control every part of the system. But what we can control is we're going to fight very hard for justice in spite of the vitriol, the hate, the racist attacks, the known manipulation of the court procedures to make sure our office fails," she said.
"The buck stops with my office, and we did our job. As I said, could we do more? We could. But did we not do nothing? That is not true."
Fox News' Brianna Herlihy contributed to this report | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/far-left-prosecutor-slammed-for-incompetence-after-repeat-offender-critically-injures-teen-volleyball-player/article_4b0f446b-9f02-5659-aa49-0b66d135de9f.html | 2023-02-27 22:45:04 | 1 | https://www.foxbangor.com/news/national/far-left-prosecutor-slammed-for-incompetence-after-repeat-offender-critically-injures-teen-volleyball-player/article_4b0f446b-9f02-5659-aa49-0b66d135de9f.html |
Leaked US military document reveals Russia’s Wagner mercenary group tried to buy weapons from NATO member
By Zachary Cohen and Jennifer Hansler, CNN
A Russian paramilitary group fighting in Ukraine on behalf of Vladimir Putin attempted to buy weapons and equipment from an unlikely source: NATO member Turkey, according to a leaked US intelligence document that was obtained by CNN.
The leaked document appears to show the lengths the Russian private military group Wagner has gone to try to further strengthen its capabilities as the war in Ukraine — in which it is playing a key role — continues on with no signs of abating.
As a NATO member, Turkey is broadly considered a partner nation to the US and other countries providing direct military support to Ukraine and it has publicly expressed opposition to Russia’s invasion.
It is also home to a major US military base where nuclear weapons are stored which act as an obvious warning sign to deter Russian aggression against NATO members.
It is also home to a major US military base where nuclear weapons are stored and act as an obvious warning sign to deter Russian aggression against NATO members.
According to the US signals intelligence reporting cited in the document, personnel from the Wagner Group met with “Turkish contacts” in early February with the intent “to purchase weapons and equipment from Turkey” that could then be used by Wagner mercenaries who are fighting alongside Russian forces in Ukraine.
It is unclear who those “contacts” were or if the Turkish government was aware of the meetings. There is no evidence that shows that Turkey has moved forward with any arms sales to the Wagner Group.
Still, the potential of a NATO ally selling weapons to Russian mercenary forces would likely raise serious concerns in Washington and complicate Ankara’s relationship with other NATO members.
The details about the February meeting, which were outlined in a section of the leaked document titled, “Mali, Russia, Turkey: Vagner seeks weapons from Ankara,” suggest US officials believe the Russian mercenary outfit has at least tested the waters.
According to the leaked document, Wagner also planned to use the weapons and equipment from Turkey in Mali, where the group maintains a significant presence.
Not only does the document reference intelligence about Wagner seeking to purchase weapons from Turkey, it also states that the paramilitary group planned to resume recruitment of prisoners from Russia’s jails.
CNN has not independently confirmed the veracity of the document, but US officials have indicated that most of the leaked tranche are authentic. A State Department spokesperson said the “the Department of Defense and the intelligence community are actively reviewing and assessing the validity” of the leaked documents, adding “we are not in a position to confirm or comment on any specific information they contain.”
CNN has reached out to the US National Security Council, the office of the Turkish president and Turkey’s Embassy in Washington for comment on the document.
Turkey’s unique relationship with Russia
US officials have long grappled with the complicated reality of Turkey’s unique relationship with Moscow compared to that of other NATO members despite all being part of the same alliance designed to protect bordering nations from the potential threat of Russian expansion.
The Turkish government has expressed its opposition to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. However, unlike many NATO allies, it has maintained close ties to the government in Moscow.
At times, the Turkish government has used those ties to push the Russian government to end the war, including last week, when Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavasoglu met with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Ankara.
The Turkish government served as one of the brokers of a deal to allow Ukrainian grain to transit safely through the Black Sea without Russian threat.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has previously positioned himself as a broker in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In January, Erdogan held separate calls with Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
He told Zelensky that Turkey was ready to undertake a mediator and facilitator role for lasting peace between the countries and that it could facilitate diplomatic efforts regarding the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant, a Turkish government readout of the call said.
In his call with Putin, Erdogan told him that calls for peace and negotiations should be supported by a unilateral declaration of ceasefire and a vision of “a fair solution.”
Putin, however, told Erdogan that Moscow is open to “serious dialogue,” but Kyiv must accept the “new territorial realities,” according to a Kremlin statement.
Representatives from the Wagner Group appear to have met with their Turkish contacts just one month after Erdogan’s calls with Putin and Zelensky took place, according to the leaked Pentagon document.
CIA Director Bill Burns said on Tuesday that his intelligence agency assesses that Putin is “not serious about negotiations at this stage” of the war in Ukraine and it is “Ukrainian progress on the battlefield that is most likely to shape prospects for diplomacy” to end the ongoing conflict.
Speaking publicly for the first time since leaked classified US military documents appeared online — including assessments that cast a pessimistic viewpoint about the state of the war and predict a stalemate for the foreseeable future — Burns stressed the importance Ukraine’s planned offensive, saying “a great deal is at stake in the coming months.”
Another document obtained by CNN cites signals intelligence that Turkish companies were aiding in sanctions evasion for another key Putin ally: Belarus.
The US has sought to crack down on such efforts to evade sanctions, even by companies based in US-allied countries. On Wednesday, the US Treasury Department imposed sanctions of two Turkish companies which it said are supporting Russia’s military industrial complex in defiance of existing sanctions.
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™ & © 2023 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/04/12/leaked-us-military-document-reveals-russias-wagner-mercenary-group-tried-to-buy-weapons-from-nato-member-2/ | 2023-04-12 21:48:50 | 1 | https://kion546.com/politics/cnn-us-politics/2023/04/12/leaked-us-military-document-reveals-russias-wagner-mercenary-group-tried-to-buy-weapons-from-nato-member-2/ |
GREENVILLE, S.C. (AP) — As Ron DeSantis wrapped up a 12-stop campaign tour that began in an Iowa evangelical church and ended here in a South Carolina convention center, dozens of pastors met backstage to pray for the presidential candidate. Later, to the 1,500 people in the auditorium, DeSantis closed out his stump speech with a paraphrased Bible verse: “I will fight the good fight, I will finish the race, and I will keep the faith.”
The governor’s religious rhetoric and hard-charging policies are at the center of his outreach to white evangelicals — an important voting bloc in the early GOP nominating contests. And yet, when it comes to his own Catholicism, the culture warrior is much more guarded, rarely mentioning the specifics of his faith and practice.
“I don’t think he’s a wear-your-religion-on-your-sleeve kind of guy,” said Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, a conservative advocacy organization that hosted a rally for DeSantis last fall.
Burch argues DeSantis’ policies are the true measure of his faith, from Florida’s six-week abortion ban to a spate of laws targeting LGBTQ+ rights and gender-affirming care: “Perhaps a good Scripture reference that may describe him is, ‘By their fruits you shall know them.’”
DeSantis officially entered the presidential race last month and is the leading alternative to former President Donald Trump, who remains the dominant force in the GOP for now. But if the Florida governor captures the Republican nomination and takes on Joe Biden, two Catholic presidential candidates will face off for the first time in U.S. history.
Both have publicly clashed with Catholic bishops: DeSantis over immigration and the death penalty; Biden over abortion and LGBTQ+ rights. The current president, though, speaks often about being Catholic. He is known to wear a rosary and is regularly photographed attending Mass in D.C. and on the road — in contrast to DeSantis, who is intensely private about his personal life.
He’s “nominally Catholic,” according to a New York Times essay from the conservative writer Nate Hochman, who later joined the DeSantis campaign. Last year, Hochman wrote that DeSantis is “politically friendly to conservative Christians. But he rarely discusses his religion publicly and almost never in the context of politics.”
The campaign did not respond directly to questions about Hochman’s essay or where the DeSantises go to church in Tallahassee. A spokesperson for Never Back Down, the DeSantis super PAC, did not have information about the governor’s current church attendance.
Maria Sullivan, a supporter who lives in DeSantis’ former congressional district, remembers worshipping regularly with DeSantis and his wife Casey at Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic Church when they still lived in Northeast Florida. “He’s a very low-key man, not looking for attention, just there with his family,” she said, recalling them at 7 a.m. Mass with young children in tow.
Sullivan said she attended the baptism of DeSantis’ older daughter at the church. The large, active parish was also a polling place in 2018, and where DeSantis cast his own ballot when he was first elected governor.
DeSantis grew up Catholic. He attended Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic School in Dunedin, Florida, and according to his political memoir, he was expected at church every Sunday. He noted in his book that his mother’s family is so Catholic she counts a nun and a priest among her siblings.
His uncle, a parish priest in Ohio, figures into another of the few religious anecdotes that DeSantis shares for laughs on the campaign trail. After his first inauguration, his uncle baptized their son at the governor’s mansion, using water that the DeSantises had collected from the Sea of Galilee on a congressional trip to Israel. The punchline is that custodial staff threw out the plastic water bottle afterwards, not knowing its holy contents.
It’s during the rare instances when DeSantis talks about trials and tragedy that he gives his most revealing faith responses. He has spoken of the power of prayer in helping his family through his wife’s breast cancer diagnosis and treatment. In March, he agreed with the journalist Piers Morgan when asked if he leaned on his faith after his sister’s death at age 30 from a pulmonary embolism.
“You start to question things that are unjust, like ‘Why did this have to happen?’” DeSantis said. “And you just have to have faith that there’s a plan in place, trust in God, there’s no guarantee that you’re going to have a life without challenges and without heartbreak and that’s just a function of being human.”
In his stump speeches, though, DeSantis sticks to general God-and-country fare, occasionally referencing the Bible and often in ways bolstering his warrior persona, such as telling audiences to “put on the full armor of God.” One of his ads released last year, which was a take on a 1978 Paul Harvey speech, played images of DeSantis while repeating the phrase, “ So God made a fighter.”
“He deals in vague platitudes about faith and so on, and he very much downplays his Catholicism,” said Cary McMullen, a retired journalist and former religion editor of The Ledger in Lakeland, Florida.
In 1960, when anti-Catholic sentiment was more prevalent, then-candidate John F. Kennedy gave a landmark speech to a group of Protestant ministers, pledging he would not take orders from the Catholic Church if elected. For his part, DeSantis has already been willing to defy the Catholic hierarchy on policy.
El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz said DeSantis’ recent flights of migrants — taken to California from a Catholic Church shelter at the Texas border — are “reprehensible” and “not morally acceptable.”
In 2022, DeSantis attended Mass and met with most of Florida’s Catholic bishops during their annual lobbying days in Tallahassee. The bishops urged him to reconsider his immigration policies, in particular his objection to unaccompanied minors, which the Catholic Church cares for in one of its Florida shelters.
“It was a frank exchange,” said Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski, the highest-ranking Catholic official in the state.
DeSantis doubled down in opposition after the meeting, which devolved into competing press conferences by him and Wenski and ended with a DeSantis spokesperson saying the archbishop lied. (DeSantis said it was “disgusting” for Wenski to equate today’s immigrant children with Cuban minors who came to Florida 60 years ago. Wenski mistakenly inferred DeSantis said recent unaccompanied minors were “disgusting.”)
DeSantis skipped the annual event with the bishops this year while traveling to promote his book in advance of launching his presidential campaign.
The Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops has praised the DeSantis administration on its anti-abortion, school choice and anti-LGBTQ+ policies, while criticizing its support of the death penalty.
No political party is “totally consistent with the gamut of our Catholic interests,” Wenski said.
“Biden makes a bigger deal of his Catholicism than DeSantis does,” Wenski added, noting “it gives all us bishops heartburn because of his radical abortion stance.”
For now, the DeSantis team appears to be focusing their faith outreach on white evangelicals, who vote overwhelmingly Republican. Catholics, on the other hand, are swing voters and not a lock for either party. Never Back Down, the DeSantis super PAC, has brought on senior adviser David Polyansky in part to coordinate grassroots faith outreach — efforts he also led for Ted Cruz, who won the 2016 Iowa caucus thanks to evangelicals.
Bob Vander Plaats, head of The Family Leader and a coveted evangelical endorsement in Iowa, was impressed when he and his wife had lunch with the DeSantises in Tallahassee recently. Asked if the governor talked about his own Catholic faith, Vander Plaats demurred: “No, we really didn’t get into a lot of that, other than what we believe are our core values.”
Likewise, John Stemberger, an influential evangelical leader in Florida, said he has not discussed the governor’s Catholic faith with him, but he has prayed over him before his inauguration. Stemberger’s organization, the Florida Family Policy Council, recently gave DeSantis its top award at the group’s annual gala.
In the long history of Christian U.S. presidents, many candidates from both parties have shared personal faith stories. Those heartfelt professions used to be integral to courting evangelical voters, but Stemberger said they matter less now than policy.
“So many times, we’ve seen somebody who says they have faith but then their policy decisions don’t reflect what we believe would be the traditional values that come from that faith,” Stemberger said.
Trump also has changed the calculus. The man that he has dubbed “DeSanctimonious” offers fewer scandals and far more religious literacy than Trump, who still won over a record number of evangelical voters. Even if DeSantis doesn’t share his personal faith journey as easily as Mike Pence or Tim Scott, he still can appeal to conservative Christians.
“You don’t have to be Pat Robertson in order to win those votes because Trump isn’t,” said Michael Binder, a political scientist at the University of North Florida.
After the rally in Greenville, a group of four friends — all previously Trump supporters — said DeSantis won them over that evening.
“He’s more palatable,” said Tom O’Shields from Easley, S.C. “Mr. DeSantis seems to have what those Christian voters are going to want without the baggage of Mr. Trump.”
___
Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/florida-gov-ron-desantis-woos-gop-christian-voters-but-stays-tight-lipped-on-his-own-catholic-faith/ | 2023-06-09 23:01:07 | 1 | https://www.wric.com/news/u-s-world/florida-gov-ron-desantis-woos-gop-christian-voters-but-stays-tight-lipped-on-his-own-catholic-faith/ |
Louisiana moves forward with legislation to relax vaccine requirements for K-12 students
The Senate Education Committee unanimously advanced two bills Thursday that would relax vaccine requirements for K-12 students.
Rep. Kathy Edmonston, R-Gonzales, wrote both bills. Colleges and universities are no longer included in the bills after amendments by the committee.
House Bill 182 would prohibit Covid-19 vaccinations as a condition of enrollment or continued enrollment in any public or private K-12 schools.
House Bill 399 would require schools to provide exemption information for any type of vaccine.
In current law, students may receive an exemption when entering a school from vaccinations through a doctor’s note or written dissent from parents. The proposed law would also allow this exemption for students already enrolled at the school.
Several parents came forward to say that their school districts had not provided exemption information to parents online or in person.
Doris Brown from the Louisiana Department of Health said an all-out effort is being made to educate parents on their right to exempt their children from vaccines.
Both the Department of Education and the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education supported the bill. However, Ethan Melancon, a department representative, said information about exemption forms were sent to all schools and made publicly available.
Kaitlyn Joshua, a Louisiana resident and mother, said this bill would encourage exemption instead of vaccination. She said it would decrease vaccine use and recommended that it be amended to also mandate information on why vaccines are important.
Proponents of the bill to provide COVID vaccine requirements maintained that it is not fair for unvaccinated students to be sent home when vaccinated students could still be transmitting COVID.
Here's what Louisiana's version of what critics call Don't Say Gay would mean in schools
Louisiana does not currently require COVID vaccines for school; however, individual schools may add it to their vaccine schedule.
Opponents of the bill said that parents are already allowed to receive exemptions for their children.
“So this bill is really unnecessary, and only serves to set a precedent of outlawing safe and effective vaccines from being added to the recommended school schedule,” Joshua said.
Louisiana's poorest workers won't get raise after Senate rejects minimum wage increase
Both bills were amended to exclude colleges and universities from the changes. However, any students enrolled in fully online classes would be exempt from vaccination requirements. | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2023/06/01/louisiana-moves-to-relax-vaccine-requirements-for-k-12-students/70279132007/ | 2023-06-02 02:01:47 | 0 | https://www.shreveporttimes.com/story/news/2023/06/01/louisiana-moves-to-relax-vaccine-requirements-for-k-12-students/70279132007/ |
Cheating scandal at Ohio tournament rocks competitive fishing world
By Zoe Sottile, CNN
There’s something fishy going on in the competitive fishing world.
The would-be winners of almost $29,000 at an Ohio fishing tournament were disqualified on Friday, after it was discovered their fish were stuffed with lead weights and fish fillets.
Jason Fischer, director of the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament, told CNN he was immediately suspicious when one team’s fish weighed almost twice what he expected they would at the Cleveland championship weigh-in.
The walleye in the bucket looked like they should each weigh around 4 pounds, but the total weight indicated they would have to be at least 7 pounds each, he said.
“I thought, there’s just no way,” he said. “I could also hear the crowd grumbling, like ‘no way, there’s no way.’ “
“I physically felt the fish, I could feel hard objects inside the fish,” he said.
The moment when Fischer discovered the alleged cheating was documented in several now-viral videos posted on social media, showing Fischer, surrounded by competitors, slice open the fish with a knife and pull out what he said was a lead ball. Jacob Runyan, one member of the two-person team who allegedly cheated, stood by silently watching in one video Fischer shared with CNN.
“We got weights in fish,” Fischer shouted. The crowd lobbed insults at Runyan.
“You just lost everything,” one person is heard saying to the angler. The video also shows Fischer telling Runyan to leave and telling the crowd not to touch him.
Runyan and his teammate, Chase Cominsky, were set to win a $28,760 prize, Fischer told CNN. The prize money at each tournament he hosts comes from the entry fee each angler pays to compete.
Fischer hosts around eight tournaments over the course of the year, drawing competitors from Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, he said. Competitors face off to see who can achieve the highest total weight for a bucket of five walleyes caught in Lake Erie.
Neither Runyan nor Cominsky responded to CNN’s request for comment.
Fischer said tournament officials are in touch with local authorities.
Stephanie O’Grady, media and outreach specialist at the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, told CNN the department collected evidence Friday and is preparing a report for the Cuyahoga County Prosecutor’s Office.
“As this is an open investigation, we have no further comment at this time,” she wrote in an email to CNN.
Fischer was “absolutely disgusted” when he discovered the alleged cheating, he said. “This is a family atmosphere,” he said. “We all take pride in this sport.”
“Everyone sacrifices so much” to stage and compete in tournaments, he said.
Orchestrating the large event takes precious time away from his family, he added. “For someone to essentially cheat them out of not only money but family time, I can’t believe that they would.”
Fischer said he knew Runyan and Cominsky from other tournaments, noting they won several tournaments previously.
But he said they won’t be competing at the Lake Erie Walleye Trail tournament again anytime soon.
“They would never be able to fish at mine,” he said.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2022/10/03/cheating-scandal-at-ohio-tournament-rocks-competitive-fishing-world-2/ | 2022-10-03 21:45:46 | 1 | https://kion546.com/sports/cnn-sports/2022/10/03/cheating-scandal-at-ohio-tournament-rocks-competitive-fishing-world-2/ |
NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., June 1, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Vitalief, a leading consulting and functional service provider specializing in the research and clinical trial industry, is excited to announce the launch of its new Clinical Trials Office (CTO) and Study Activation services. The offerings encompass four key services: consulting, resourcing, managed services, and learning and development which are designed to address the most pressing challenges in clinical research.
In their 2022 Site Landscape Survey, the Society for Clinical Research Sites found that "58% of respondents reported higher turnover in the last two years." This industry-wide trend toward high attrition rates has resulted in degraded processes based on outdated systems and an acute need for staff training and development. Vitalief's new services target the clinical trials office where the alignment of people, processes, and technologies is critical to research success.
"Our goal is to empower research organizations to achieve more," said David Moore, CEO of Vitalief. "These new services embody our commitment to tackling the most significant issues in the industry. With our CTO and Study Activation services, we're leveraging our expertise to provide innovative solutions to the areas where our clients need them the most."
While the CTO services address the broader clinical trials office function with the organization, the Study Activation services focus on the specific activities that are required to start a study, including the coordination of review and approval cycles by various teams and individuals. This time-consuming process represents a significant administrative burden for trial sites.
The new service offerings are designed by a team of seasoned industry practitioners who understand the critical nature of these processes and their impact on the organization's research goals.
"We understand the unique demands and challenges of clinical research," said Jennifer Stanford, MSN, Director of Client Services at Vitalief. "Our CTO and Study Activation services are designed to address these challenges head-on, ensuring our clients can focus on their core research objectives while we manage the administrative and operational complexities."
With the introduction of these new services, Vitalief continues its mission to transform research operations, driving better outcomes for clients and their patients.
Please visit our website to learn more about Vitalief's new Clinical Trials Office and Study Activation services.
About Vitalief:
Vitalief is a consulting firm specializing in research and clinical trial operations. With a team of experienced industry practitioners, Vitalief provides consulting, resourcing, managed services, and learning and development services to help research and clinical trial teams optimize their operations and achieve greater success. Learn more at www.vitalief.com.
Press Contact:
Monique Garrett
Vice President, Marketing
mgarrett@vitalief.com
+1.484.363.1773
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SOURCE Vitalief | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/vitalief-announces-new-clinical-trials-office-study-activation-services/ | 2023-06-01 12:48:31 | 1 | https://www.wkyt.com/prnewswire/2023/06/01/vitalief-announces-new-clinical-trials-office-study-activation-services/ |
Illinois highway reopens after dust storm crashes kill 6
DIVERNON, Ill. (AP) — An interstate highway in Illinois reopened Tuesday after a windstorm that kicked up clouds of blinding dust from farm fields and led to crashes that killed at least six people and injured dozens more, police said.
More than 70 vehicles, including dozens of commercial vehicles and passenger cars, were involved in crashes late Monday morning along a 2-mile stretch of Interstate 55 in Montgomery County, 75 miles (120 kilometers) north of St. Louis. The highway was closed in both directions after the crashes, but northbound and southbound lanes reopened around 6 a.m. Tuesday, Illinois State Police said.
The crashes involved 40 to 60 cars, along with tractor-trailers, two of which caught fire, Maj. Ryan Starrick said. The six people who died were all in northbound lanes, while 37 people on both sides of I-55 were taken to hospitals.
“The only thing you could hear after we got hit was crash after crash after crash behind us,” said Tom Thomas, 43, who was traveling south to St. Louis.
Starrick told reporters that it was a spring version of a “whiteout situation” typically seen in winter snowstorms. Gov. J.B. Pritzker described the scene as “horrific.”
Dairon Socarras Quintero, 32, who was driving to St. Louis to make deliveries for his custom frame company based in Elk Grove Village, said that after his truck hit the vehicle in front of him, he exited and moved to the side of the road, then returned after the chain reaction of crashes ended behind him.
Socarras Quintero said the dust continued to blow ferociously as he checked on other motorists and emergency crews arrived. He held up his backpack, caked with dust even though it was inside a closed truck cab.
Winds at the time were gusting between 35 and 45 mph (56 and 74 kph), the National Weather Service said.
“It’s very flat, very few trees,” meteorologist Chuck Schaffer said. “It’s been very dry across this area, really, for the last three weeks. The farmers are out there tilling their fields and planting. The top layer of soil is quite loose.”
Evan Anderson, 25, who was returning home to St. Louis from Chicago, said a semi turned before striking his vehicle, sparing him even more damage.
“You couldn’t even see,” Anderson said. “People tried to slow down and other people didn’t, and I just got plowed into. There were just so many cars and semitrucks with so much momentum behind them.”
Authorities set up staging areas away from the crash site to help travelers reunite with friends and relatives.
___
Associated Press reporters Rick Callahan in Indianapolis and Ed White in Detroit contributed to this report.
Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/05/02/illinois-highway-reopens-after-dust-storm-crashes-kill-6/ | 2023-05-02 14:04:55 | 0 | https://www.wcjb.com/2023/05/02/illinois-highway-reopens-after-dust-storm-crashes-kill-6/ |
(The Hill) – Tesla CEO Elon Musk reportedly had twins, his eighth and ninth known children, with a top executive at one of his companies last year.
Court documents obtained by Business Insider on Wednesday showed that Musk and the children’s mother, Shivon Zilis, filed a petition to change the twins’ names in order to “have their father’s last name and contain their mother’s last name as part of their middle name.”
The order was then approved by a federal judge in May. Zilis purchased a home in the Austin, Texas area last August, nearly three months before the twins were born, according to Insider. Musk also has a waterfront estate in the city.
The twins were born weeks before Musk and his then-girlfriend, the musician known as Grimes, gave birth to their second child via surrogate last December.
Zilis, a 36-year-old Yale University graduate, began her career at companies including as IBM and Bloomberg Beta before joining Tesla in 2017 as a project director.
The Ontario, Canada native, who was named onto the Forbes’ 30 Under 30 list in 2015, reportedly first met Musk that year through her work for his nonprofit OpenAI.
The 51-year-old CEO has been an outspoken advocate for more childbirth, expressing fear of a possible fertility crisis in the U.S. and touting his own success with childbirth.
“Contrary to what many think, the richer someone is, the fewer kids they have,” Musk said in a Twitter thread. “I am a rare exception. Most people I know have zero or one kid.”
“I mean, I’m doing my part haha,” Musk said in a follow-up tweet in the thread last month.
Musk has yet to close on his big to acquire social media platform Twitter, however Insider noted that Musk had Zilis on the short-list of individuals to run the company should the deal go through. | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/elon-musk-had-eight-and-ninth-children-with-top-executive-last-year-report/ | 2022-07-07 13:33:57 | 1 | https://www.conchovalleyhomepage.com/news/national-news/elon-musk-had-eight-and-ninth-children-with-top-executive-last-year-report/ |
Award recognizes women in STEM for their contributions to Rochester's tech community.
ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 26, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Foundry Digital LLC ("Foundry"), a digital asset mining and staking company focused on empowering a decentralized infrastructure, announced that TechRochester Association selected Foundry's VP of Product Strategy, Zoe Koulouris, as a Tech Woman of the Year Award finalist. The award recognizes contributions to the technology profession, the support of other women in the field, and stewardship in the community.
Providing strategic direction to Foundry's product teams, Koulouris' insights and leadership help shape the roles and career paths of product managers and reinforce the success of Foundry's product portfolio. Foundry's portfolio includes a suite of mining services designed to see institutions through every phase of the mining cycle and best-in-class staking infrastructure with support for leading protocols.
Before joining Foundry, Koulouris co-founded women-owned Web3 software development and consulting company Upstate Interactive. Driven by her passion for inspiring women in technology, she also co-founded Women in Coding to provide coding workshops and resources in the Syracuse community and is an active member of Meta Gamma Delta — a DAO supporting women-led projects. Koulouris holds a B.S. in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises from Syracuse University and completed web development coursework at the New York Code + Design Academy and StartFast Code.
Koulouris said, "I am honored to be nominated among so many talented women. Through representation, I hope to inspire and open the door for other women looking to have fulfilling careers in tech and have support to navigate the field's challenges."
Previous Emerging Tech Woman of the Year nominee Rachael Simmonds stated, "I was happy to nominate Zoe for Tech Women of the Year. She's an extraordinary example of what tech careers can grow into. As a woman of color just beginning my career as a software engineer, I hope to follow in her footsteps to provide more representation in the tech industry and encourage others to pursue careers in this field."
About Foundry Digital LLC
A subsidiary of DCG, Foundry Digital LLC was created to meet the institutional demand for better capital access, efficiency, and transparency in the digital asset mining and staking industry. Headquartered in Rochester, NY, Foundry uses its institutional expertise, capital, industry relationships, and market intelligence to empower participants within the crypto ecosystem by providing the tools they need to build tomorrow's decentralized infrastructure. For more information, please visit foundrydigital.com. please visit foundrydigital.com.
About Tech Rochester
TechRochester is an organization comprised of professionals and companies that are working together to strengthen the Greater Rochester Area's technology community. We accomplish this through the development and sponsorship of relevant events and stimulating programs focused on skill building and the cultivation of individual and business relationships. For more information, visit www.techrochester.org.
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SOURCE Foundry Digital LLC | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/foundry-vp-product-strategy-zoe-koulouris-named-2023-tech-woman-year-award-finalist/ | 2023-04-26 18:57:13 | 1 | https://www.wagmtv.com/prnewswire/2023/04/26/foundry-vp-product-strategy-zoe-koulouris-named-2023-tech-woman-year-award-finalist/ |
Rescue team helps beached manatee back to safety
VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. (Gray News) – Around a dozen people worked together last week to carry a stranded manatee off a Florida beach to safety.
Bodycam video shared by the Volusia County Sheriff’s Office shows deputies Oldham and Warner working together with personnel from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, Volusia County Beaches and the Volusia County Marine Mammal Stranding Team to carry a stranded manatee off the beach in Ponce Inlet.
A crowd of bystanders can be seen looking on as the crew moves the manatee bit by bit, stopping to periodically set down the large animal.
They use a ramp to move the manatee into a truck.
According to the sheriff’s office, the manatee was successfully taken to the Sea World Rehabilitation Center.
The sheriff’s office also reminded residents and visitors not to approach or touch stranded wildlife.
Authorities say marine mammal strandings are common along the Florida coast and happen when live animals beach themselves or dead animals wash up on shore.
According to the Marine Mammal Stranding Team, manatees and dolphins are the most common animals to be found stranded in Volusia County.
Copyright 2023 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. TMX contributed to this report. | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/10/rescue-team-helps-beached-manatee-back-safety/ | 2023-07-10 16:42:12 | 0 | https://www.kait8.com/2023/07/10/rescue-team-helps-beached-manatee-back-safety/ |
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center, about the risk of burns when temperatures rise into the triple digits for multiple days in a row.
Copyright 2023 NPR
NPR's Scott Simon speaks with Dr. Kevin Foster, director of the Arizona Burn Center, about the risk of burns when temperatures rise into the triple digits for multiple days in a row.
Copyright 2023 NPR
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PRAGUE (AP) — Liudmyla Chudyjovych used to have a career as a lawyer in Ukraine and big plans for the future. That was before the Russian invasion forced the 41-year-old woman to put her daughter’s safety first, and leave both her job and home behind.
Since fleeing the town of Stryj in western Ukraine in May, Chudyjovych has found a new job in the Czech Republic. But instead of practicing law, she’s had to settle for work as a housekeeper at a hotel in the capital, Prague.
“It’s just a different stage of my career,” she said. “That’s simply how it is.”
One of the millions of refugees who have fled Ukraine since the Feb. 24 Russian invasion, Chudyjovych considers herself lucky to have a job at all. Not fluent enough in either Czech or English, Chudyjovych said she didn’t mind the work as long as she and her daughter are safe.
Although the European Union introduced regulations early in the war to make it easier for Ukrainian refugees to live and work in its 27 member nations while they decide whether to seek asylum or return home, many are only now starting to find jobs — and many are still struggling.
Some 6.5 million Ukrainians, have entered the EU since February, according to Frontex, the EU Border and Coast Guard Agency, streaming into neighboring countries before many moved on to more prosperous nations in the West. Around half have since returned to Ukraine.
Only a relatively small number of those who stayed had entered the EU labor market by mid-June, according to the European Commission.
A recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development report looking at the potential impact Ukrainian refugees will have on the EU workforce projected it will be about twice as large as the 2014-2017 inflow of refugees, which included many fleeing war in Syria.
The study estimated the Czech Republic, which has the lowest unemployment rate in Europe, would add the most Ukrainians to its workforce by the end of the year, with an increase of 2.2%, followed by Poland and Estonia. About 1.2 million workers would be added to the European workforce overall, mainly in service occupations, the report said.
Still, the influx is unlikely to drive down wages or boost unemployment in European countries, many of which face labor shortages due in part to their aging populations.
“Considering the labor needs of the main host countries, a negative impact in terms of employment or wages for the resident population … seems very unlikely,” the report concluded.
The EU effort to help the Ukrainians has won praise from the U.N. Refugee Agency and other rights groups dealing with migration. But they also note a major difference in the treatment of people fleeing wars or poverty in the Middle East, Africa or Asia, who often have to wait years before overcoming the hurdles for acquiring residency papers or work permits.
Still, there are many challenges ahead for Ukrainian refugees looking for work.
In addition to language barriers, skilled workers from Ukraine often lack documentation to prove their professional credentials to get better-paid employment. Their diplomas may not be recognized in their host countries, meaning many have to take language and training courses before they can seek professional opportunities.
Because men between the ages of 18 and 60 are banned from leaving Ukraine, many refugees are women with children, which can be an additional obstacle for trying to find work. Many women are still weighing their options and might decide to return home for the start of the school year in September, officials say, despite the war being far from over.
In Poland, which has taken in about 1 million Ukrainian refugees, more than any other EU nation, just over a third have found work, according to the Polish minister of labor and social policy, Marlena Malag. Some have gotten jobs as nurses or Ukrainian language teachers in Polish schools, while others are working as housekeepers or waitresses.
In Portugal, some of the country’s largest companies have special job recruitment programs for Ukrainians, while the Institute for Employment and Professional Training offers free Portuguese language classes.
In Germany, about half of some 900,000 Ukrainian refugees have registered with the country’s employment agency, though no figures are available on how many have actually found jobs. The Mediendienst Integration group, which tracks migration in Germany, says about half have university degrees, but doesn’t specify how many have been able to work in their professional fields.
Natalia Borysova was chief editor of a morning TV show in the western Ukrainian city of Lviv before fleeing with her daughters, 11 and 13, in March, and settling in the German city of Cologne. She applied for low-paying jobs such as housekeeping, but ultimately decided to turn them down to focus on learning German.
“I’m an optimist and I am sure that I will find a job after learning the language,” the 41-year-old said via WhatsApp. “Perhaps on a different level than in Ukraine, but in the same field. Now it just doesn’t make sense for me to work for the minimum wage.”
Borysova, like other Ukrainian refugees, receives an allowance from the German government that helps the family pay for food and housing, but said she wants to return to work as soon as she masters German.
Chudyjovych is among some 400,000 Ukrainians in the Czech Republic who have registered for special long-term visas that grant access to jobs, health care, education and other benefits. Nearly 80,000 have already found work, the government said.
At the Background café in Prague’s Old Town, 15 Ukrainian refugees work with the Czech staff as part of a project sponsored by the Mama Coffee chain. The refugees also receive free language classes and other programs.
Lisa Himich, 22, from Kyiv, likes it and says “it feels like home here.”
For Chudyjovych, working as a housekeeper is far better than living in fear and under the constant sound of air raid sirens.
“I thought I would miss Ukraine and be homesick but that hasn’t happened at all,” Chudyjovych said. “It’s peaceful here and I feel like a human being.”
___
Gec reported from Belgrade, Serbia. Associated Press writers Renata Brito in Barcelona, Spain; Vanessa Gera in Warsaw, Poland; Kirsten Grieshaber in Berlin; Jamey Keaten in Geneva; Lorne Cook in Brussels, and Barry Hatton in Lisbon, Portugal, contributed.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the Russia-Ukraine war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/months-into-war-ukraine-refugees-slow-to-join-eu-workforce/ | 2022-08-04 12:59:47 | 1 | https://www.kark.com/news/ap-top-headlines/months-into-war-ukraine-refugees-slow-to-join-eu-workforce/ |
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo. (NEXSTAR) – Authorities are asking for anyone with information to come forward after a man allegedly interacted with a newborn bison calf that later died in Yellowstone National Park.
Park officials say the man approached the calf, which had been separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River, on Saturday, May 20. He was seen pushing the calf away from the river and onto a nearby roadway.
According to Yellowstone visitors, the calf then walked up to and followed cars and people.
Park rangers tried “repeatedly” to reunite the bison calf with its herd but “these efforts failed,” Yellowstone officials said Tuesday.
“The calf was later killed by park staff because it was abandoned by the herd and causing a hazardous situation by approaching cars and people along the roadway,” authorities wrote in a news release.
Now, park officials are asking anyone who visited Lamar Valley during the evening of May 20 with information about the incident to contact the Yellowstone National Park Tip Line at 307-344-2132 or YELL_Tip@nps.gov.
The individual involved in the incident – seen in the image below provided by the National Park Service – is described as a white man in his 40s or 50s who was wearing a blue shirt, black pants, and sunglasses.
Park regulations require visitors to remain at least 25 yards from all wildlife and at least 100 yards from bears and wolves. Violating those regulations could result in fines, or more seriously, injury and death. Yellowstone officials didn’t immediately respond to Nexstar’s request regarding whether the man could face legal consequences.
Last year, a 25-year-old woman was tossed 10 feet into the air by a bison she approached while walking near Old Faithful. Less than two months later, a 71-year-old woman was gored by a bison she and her daughter “inadvertently approached” in Yellowstone. Two days earlier, a man was gored by a bison after it charged him and his family. Both individuals survived but suffered injuries. | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/yellowstone-rangers-forced-to-kill-bison-calf-after-man-disturbed-it/ | 2023-05-24 02:23:18 | 0 | https://www.wowktv.com/news/u-s-world/yellowstone-rangers-forced-to-kill-bison-calf-after-man-disturbed-it/ |
Shaq praises Rihanna's Super Bowl halftime show, says critics should 'shut the f--- up'
The performance has been met with mixed reviews
Rihanna's performance at Super Bowl LVII was the most-watched halftime show of all time, but not everyone was pleased.
WWE legend Goldberg said it was "frickin' horrible," while former President Trump said it was "the single worst Halftime Show in Super Bowl history."
CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM
Well, NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is coming to the nine-time Grammy Award winner's defense.
"All you people disrespecting my Rihanna, shut your face. Shut it up," he said on "The Big Podcast." "I was there - it was beautiful. She did a great job. I didn't know she was pregnant until she bust out, but leave this lady alone…
"You did a great job. I love you. All you people that got something to say: shut the f--- up."
The performance was met with some mixed reviews. She belted out 12 of her best hits in 13 minutes, but she has received backlash for moves like putting her hand near her crotch and putting it up to her nose.
But O'Neal didn't seem too bothered by any of it, nor does he think anyone else should be.
WWE LEGEND GOLDBERG RIPS RIHANNA'S SUPER BOWL HALFTIME PERFORMANCE: 'I WAS DISGUSTED BY IT'
"We living in a world where people got too much freedom. Keep your f–king thoughts to yourself," he continued. "She did a wonderful job, she’s pregnant, she blessed it, she did her thing, she didn’t fall. Just leave it there. All you superstars that’s disrespectful and causing beef, shut your face. Shut it up."
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Rihanna also revealed her pregnancy during the show, as she and A$AP Rocky are expecting their second child. | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-praises-rihannas-super-bowl-halftime-show-says-critics-should-shut-the-f-up | 2023-02-18 00:53:33 | 0 | https://www.foxnews.com/sports/shaq-praises-rihannas-super-bowl-halftime-show-says-critics-should-shut-the-f-up |
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
8-6-3
(eight, six, three)
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday afternoon's drawing of the Iowa Lottery's "Pick 3 Midday" game were:
8-6-3
(eight, six, three) | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17417581.php | 2022-09-03 19:32:20 | 0 | https://www.sfgate.com/lottery/article/Winning-numbers-drawn-in-Pick-3-Midday-game-17417581.php |
Soda City Live: Hundred Days Musical at the Workshop Theatre
Published: May. 8, 2023 at 5:09 PM EDT|Updated: 37 minutes ago
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - The Workshop Theatre will premiere a contemporary musical called “Hundred Days” that explores what it means to make the most of the time we have.
The show runs from May 12 through May 27 with various show times. Tickets for general admission are $25.
For more information click here.
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Copyright 2023 WIS. All rights reserved. | https://www.wistv.com/2023/05/08/soda-city-live-hundred-days-musical-workshop-theatre/ | 2023-05-08 21:47:02 | 0 | https://www.wistv.com/2023/05/08/soda-city-live-hundred-days-musical-workshop-theatre/ |
SUMMIT COUNTY, Ohio. — A sheriff's office in Ohio shared a heart-stopping video on Thursday that captured the moment a dump truck crashed into a Department of Transportation vehicle which led to a huge explosion.
Authorities said it happened shortly before 7:30 a.m. and left both drivers with life-threatening injuries. The sheriff's office said it's investigating.
The video shows the dump truck drift from the right lane and crash directly into the DOT vehicle. Both vehicles erupted in flames and were pushed off the road into a line of trees.
In Ohio, the law requires drivers to move over for any stationary vehicle with flashing lights on the side of the road. That applies to all vehicles with flashing lights of any color, including law enforcement, emergency responders, road construction, maintenance vehicles, utility crews and tow trucks.
Florida law also requires drivers to move over a lane, when it's safe to, for stopped vehicles with displayed warning lights. That includes law enforcement, emergency, sanitation, and utility service vehicles, tow trucks or wreckers, and maintenance or construction vehicles. When it's not possible to move over, drivers are to slow down to 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit.
Last week, officers in Clearwater said too many drivers aren't following the law and there's been a spike in reckless driving that's putting lives at risk.
“I can tell you, it’s very scary," Sgt. Dan Negersmith said. "There’s many times I’ve been on the side of the road where I can feel the brush of a vehicle as it goes by at 60, 70 miles an hour." | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/heart-stopping-video-captures-explosion-after-dump-truck-crashes-into-ohio-dot-vehicle | 2022-05-13 12:56:38 | 0 | https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/national/heart-stopping-video-captures-explosion-after-dump-truck-crashes-into-ohio-dot-vehicle |
The technical collaboration will combine Baraja's next-generation Spectrum HD25 with TIER IV's innovative sensor fusion solution
TOKYO, Jan. 5, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- TIER IV, an open-source autonomous driving leader, is expanding upon its work with Baraja, creator of the breakthrough Spectrum-Scan™ LiDAR technology, by signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly validate, develop and optimize their respective autonomous driving solutions.
Following a successful research and development project between the companies, originally announced in January 2022, this technical collaboration intends to integrate Baraja's next-generation, high-performing LiDAR with TIER IV's HDR cameras and sensor fusion software, which utilizes point cloud perception. This advanced combination will offer customers an industry-leading autonomous vehicle solution with planned availability in 2025.
"We are pleased to further strengthen our partnership with TIER IV to create this next-generation offering that will provide reliable long-range detection and object classification through enhanced perception ability," said Joseph Notaro, Chief Commercial Officer at Baraja. "This strategic collaboration between Baraja and TIER IV is a critical step toward enabling future levels of autonomy for the industry."
Baraja's revolutionary LiDAR, the Spectrum HD25, is a key ingredient to the MOU. The partnership will boost the capabilities of both company's technologies, delivering unique benefits to the automotive industry, including:
- Greatly enhanced localization and scene comprehension
- Optimized use of Baraja's LiDAR in different environments (e.g. rain, fog, etc.),
- The use of Doppler to solve critical edge cases
- Dependable long-range detection and more
Ultimately, the resulting solution will provide automotive perception algorithms with a clear and accurate representation of the physical world to help enable autonomous vehicles to make swift, accurate decisions based on the immediate situation.
Spectrum HD25 was created using Baraja's robust and proprietary Spectrum-Scan™ solid-state scanning platform and is a significant leap forward in LiDAR technology. Designed to completely reimagine how cars see the world around them, this LiDAR system is the first in the world to combine per-point Doppler capability at the hardware level with a tunable wavelength laser and Random Modulation Continuous Wave (RMCW) ranging method. Its unique makeup enables the optimal resolution and range required for safe deployment of autonomous functions and allows it to deliver unmatched accuracy and performance.
TIER IV is developing sensor fusion and perception algorithms for the next generation of autonomous vehicles, built on the open-source platform Autoware. Research and development into new sensing methods and strategies is integral to expanding operational design domains through reference designs, and will contribute to growing the Autoware ecosystem. Accelerated development of high performance perception systems will be made available to all Autoware users by incorporating cutting-edge technology such as Baraja's Spectrum Scan LiDAR into TIER IV's Pilot.Auto and Edge Perception Development Kit.
"We have made a number of tangible and impactful achievements through the collaborations with Baraja. TIER IV aspires to accelerate its business on the Autonomous Driving Development Kit (ADK) and passionately contribute to the Autoware community by providing competitive reference designs and solutions." said Shinpei Kato, Founder and CTO of TIER IV, Co-Founder and Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Autoware Foundation.
To learn more about Spectrum-ScanTM, as well as TIER IV's sensor fusion work and HDR cameras, visit TIER IV's Booth 6317 in Tech East, located within the West Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, Jan. 5-8, 2023.
About Baraja
Baraja is building the future of LiDAR to enable the autonomous future. With its revolutionary Spectrum-Scan™ LiDAR technology, Baraja gives leading automotive companies a solid state system in the fast axis that sets a new benchmark in precision and reliability.
Baraja was founded in 2016 by telecommunications engineers Federico Collarte and Cibby Pulikkaseril, who discovered a way to use the industry's proven optical fiber + photonics technology to solve the problems faced by legacy LiDAR. Baraja is backed by Sequoia, Blackbird Ventures, Hitachi Construction Machinery and Main Sequence Ventures. Learn more at https://www.baraja.com.
About Spectrum-Scan™ LiDAR
Baraja's revolutionary Spectrum-Scan™ LiDAR completely rethinks the way autonomous vehicles see the world around them. Built on proven optical and photonics technologies from the telecommunications industry, Spectrum-Scan™ precisely steers infrared lasers through prism-like optics in the sensor, rapidly switching the laser's wavelength to send each color of light in a different direction — the same way optic fiber technology works. The resulting pointclouds are extremely high-resolution and immune to interference from other light sources and LiDAR systems. Baraja Spectrum-Scan™ operates on the 1550 nm infrared spectrum, making it safe for human eyes, and creates crystal-clear pointclouds with a high-resolution 2000-channel vertical axis and responsive focus to effectively detect objects at ranges of more than 250 meters.
About TIER IV
TIER IV is the creator of Autoware, the world's first open-source software for autonomous driving, and provides full-stack solutions for the commercialization of intelligent vehicles based on the Autoware-defined Autonomous Driving Kit (ADK), which runs on multiple platforms. Autoware is currently used by hundreds of companies globally, with field operation tests run in about 20 countries and implemented with 30 different types of vehicles.
As a founding member of the Autoware Foundation, TIER IV is dedicated to providing open access to autonomous driving technology so that everyone, from individuals to organizations, can participate in and contribute to a sustainable ecosystem of intelligent vehicles and autonomous driving technology for the benefit of society. Learn more at https://tier4.jp/en/ and follow us @tier_iv_japan.
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SOURCE Tier IV, Inc. | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/05/tier-iv-baraja-strengthen-collaboration-with-signing-memorandum-understanding-ahead-ces-2023-exhibit/ | 2023-01-05 18:56:26 | 1 | https://www.wflx.com/prnewswire/2023/01/05/tier-iv-baraja-strengthen-collaboration-with-signing-memorandum-understanding-ahead-ces-2023-exhibit/ |
Hurricane Ian forced school closures across Central Florida and erased five days of high school sports, Tuesday through Saturday, in the Orlando area.
Timber Creek’s girls volleyball team was set to fly to Phoenix, Arizona, to participate in the prestigious Nike Tournament of Champions Southwest. The Wolves (9-4) would have been the only Florida squad in the 96-team event.
Canceling that weekend trip cut seven matches out of the Wolves’ schedule. That’s 28% of the 25 regular season matches the FHSAA permits teams to play.
The HOKA FlRunners.com Invitational, the state’s largest high school cross country meet, was backed up two weeks to Oct. 14-15 at Holloway Park in Lakeland.
Basketball is on
The show will go on for the weekend Hoop Exchange Fall Festival boys basketball showcase, according to event director Scott Golden.
The event, which is not an official high school event, had more than 80 teams signed up. The schedule is adjusted to start later, with games scheduled from 5 to 10:30 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Sunday at The Big House sports complex in Tavares.
Golden said that as of Wednesday morning almost all of the top-rated teams were still on board. That list included 7A state champ Miami Columbus, with the Boozer brothers, Cameron and Cayden; along with Montverde Academy, Apopka, CFCA, Central Pointe Christian, Edgewater, Leesburg, Oak Ridge, Olympia, Orlando Christian Prep, Wekiva, West Oaks, Windermere High and Windermere Prep.
Obviously, nobody can promise all of those teams will participate.
Spectator admission is $15 per day.
FHSAA final news
Polk State College in Winter Haven is the new home for the upcoming Florida High School Athletic Association’s girls volleyball state finals in an agreement that makes Polk County the host for six state championship events.
The seven girls volleyball championship matches will be played across two days, Nov. 11-12. The spring season boys volleyball tournament will be played at the same site.
The RP Funding Center in Lakeland, the long-standing venue for the FHSAA girls and boys basketball state tournaments, will now also host the winter girls weightlifting finals, Feb. 17-18; and boys weightlifting finals, April 14-15.
The FHSAA announced that “multi-year deals: are part of a partnership that includes Polk County Tourism and Sports Marketing and Polk County Public Schools.
Cross country PR’s
Winter Springs senior Simone Monaco has been sensational in her first season of cross country.
In her second race at the 5,000 meter distance she won the Astronaut Invitational. And last Saturday Simone clocked the fastest area time of the season, 18 minutes, 31.8 seconds, to place second at the Rockledge Raider Classic. The Bears also finished second as a team, 2 points behind Satellite.
Monaco moved from Oregon and enrolled at Winter Springs as a junior and joined the track team. That allowed her to train alongside record-setting Caroline Wells, now a college runner at Stanford.
“She’s a tough, determined runner who dropped into our lap,” longtime Winter Springs coach Ocky Clark said of Monaco.
Much-improved Oviedo senior Marc McDonald was second with a PR time of 15:58.03 in the Rockledge boys race.
Olympia sophomore Emily Knopfle ran her season-best time of 18:40.6 to win the West Orange Invitational.
Master’s Academy junior Ava Wyant also ran a PR (18:37.34) as the girls runner-up in the Katie Caples Invitational in Jacksonville.
Orlando University senior Alejandro Berrio set a school record with a winning time of 16:07.69 at the Tohopekaliga Invitational .
Boone teammates Megan Dolan (18:59.92) and Hannah Foley (19:45.31) were the top two girls finishers in that meet.
Lake Highland Prep’s boys edged Hagerty 100 to 101 to win the 32-team West Orange Invitational. Hagerty senior Miguel Pantojas was the individual champ with a PR 16:15.1 time ahead of Dr. Phillips’ Joel McConnell (16:18.8) and Timber Creek’s Brexton Hathaway (PR 16:22.7).
Hagerty competed without its top runner, junior Jonathan Leon. Huskies coach Jay Getty said Leon rested after racing the past four weeks.
Golf gem
Lake Mary Prep’s boys golf team finished 8-under-par in a 136-151 win against The First Academy on Monday. Steven Liu and Shinchi Sai each shot 3-under 33 as all four LMP scores were under par at Timacuan Golf & Country Club.
Nanci Dai shot 2-under 34 at Timacuan to lead the Lake Mary Prep girls to a 160-184 win against Bishop Moore.
Circle Christian shot 307 for 18 holes to win the boys Hawks Invitational at Plantation Bay. It took a playoff to determine the individual medalist after Windermere’s Cameron Baez, Circle Christian’s Joshua Castellanos and Tyler Brewer of Spruce Creek all shot 74. Baez emerged as the champion in the tiebreaker.
Smashing pins
Apopka senior Jeremy Walker crushed a 288 game in a win against West Orange.
Justyn Duran bowled a 287 for Orlando University as the Cougars beat four East Orlando teams at Boardwalk Bowl. East River’s
Joshua Brown bowled a 256 as Timber Creek improved to 7-1.
Jake Everson bowled a two-game 472 series as Lyman upped its record to 9-0.
In girls play, Kenna Hancock bowled a 244 game for Apopka.
Madison Bailey bowled a 225 for undefeated Timber Creek (10-0).
Hitting their stride
The Windermere Wolverines, hit hard by graduation following last season’s state runner-up finish (27-4), were below .500 entering last week’s Metro Conference West Division girls volleyball tournament. That changed quickly.
Windermere (9-7), the No. 4 seed, defeated Edgewater and then knocked out top seed Olympia 26-24, 25-21 in a Saturday semifinal before cruising past West Orange 25-16, 25-18 in the final later that day.
To say it was an overnight success story would be incorrect. More like a gradual progression against a tough schedule.
“We understood it would not look so pretty early in the season,” Windermere coach Daniel Fuentes said Monday. “We were trying to know each other. We are now finding how we want to play as a team.”
Sentinel Sports Final
Senior setter Isabel Mulita has developed a connection with a new set of hitters. She had 28 assists in the win against Olympia (14-5). Fellow seniors Ashley Lunt (11 kills, 9 digs), Alicia Marti (9 kills) and Reese Burry (13 digs) also performed well.
Horizon (12-1) saw its undefeated streak end with a quarterfinal loss to West Orange 25-17, 20-25, 15-10.
Volleyball rallies
Orangewood Christian (9-4) rallied from two sets down to post a 22-25, 21-25, 25-22, 25-19, 16-14 win against The First Academy (7-9) on Monday night. Kaleigh Langmo (21 kills), Caroline Vargas (15 kills, 4 blocks) and Jordan Parke (26 digs) led the Rams.
Timber Creek scored a dramatic five-set win over Olympia 14-25, 25-22, 25-15, 23-25, 16-14.
Sam Bowron had a triple-double 15 kills, 11 assists and 10 digs for Lake Brantley (12-5) in a 16-25, 25-22, 20-25, 27-25, 15-11 win over Oviedo (9-6). Amina N’diaye added 14 kills, 25 digs and 4 aces in that victory.
Hagerty (14-6) has won six of its past seven matches.
This report was first published at Orlandosentinel.com. Varsity Content Editor Buddy Collings can be reached by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com. | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/os-sp-hs-collings-insider-0929-news-and-notes-20220928-eemtomeoaba3zfgvcc7jqo2rt4-story.html | 2022-09-28 21:29:13 | 1 | https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/os-sp-hs-collings-insider-0929-news-and-notes-20220928-eemtomeoaba3zfgvcc7jqo2rt4-story.html |
A Lunar New Year postcard from Finland Published January 22, 2023 at 5:17 PM EST Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 3:06 Ilona Tran in Espoo, Finland, talks to NPR about celebrating lunar new year in the arctic. Copyright 2023 NPR | https://www.wlrn.org/2023-01-22/a-lunar-new-year-postcard-from-finland | 2023-01-23 01:50:09 | 1 | https://www.wlrn.org/2023-01-22/a-lunar-new-year-postcard-from-finland |
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