text
stringlengths 237
126k
| date_download
stringdate 2022-01-01 00:32:20
2023-01-01 00:02:37
⌀ | source_domain
stringclasses 60
values | title
stringlengths 4
31.5k
⌀ | url
stringlengths 24
617
⌀ | id
stringlengths 24
617
⌀ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Kennedy Carter, 54, was caught on surveillance video stealing a cargo trailer with thousands of dollars in furniture in Garland, according to police.
GARLAND, Texas — A man has been arrested after police said he was caught on video stealing a trailer filled with $30,000 in furniture from a Garland business early Saturday.
Police in Garland said they responded around 1 a.m. to a call about a theft in the 700 block of Easy Street, near Forest Lane and S. Plano Road.
According to police, a caller reported that they were watching live surveillance video of a person in a pickup truck stealing a cargo trailer.
Garland officers found the vehicle near Forest Lane and Skillman Street and tried to perform a traffic stop, but the suspect drove off, according to police.
Police said the suspect drove to an area at Sinclair Avenue and Gaston Parkway, near Garland and Jupiter roads, and then fled on foot.
Officers were able to use a drone to find the suspect, later identified as Kennedy Carter, hiding on the roof of a home on Wyatt Street, police said.
Police said officers recovered the stolen trailer and furniture and later learned that the pickup truck was also reported as stolen out of Dallas.
Police said Carter, 54, was arrested and charged with theft, unauthorized use of a motor vehicle, evading arrest and other warrants out of Dallas County and the cities of Dallas and Lancaster. He remains in Garland jail with no bond set.
|
2022-04-16T19:31:22Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Garland crime: Man accused of stealing $30,000 in furniture | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-accused-stealing-furniture-garland-business-found-hiding-house/287-6d7ff7eb-0b0c-46bb-a5b8-afd3e4eab414
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/man-accused-stealing-furniture-garland-business-found-hiding-house/287-6d7ff7eb-0b0c-46bb-a5b8-afd3e4eab414
|
Upscale shopping and restaurant district Highland Park Village shared to social media last week a photo that sure seemed worthy of a brag... unless... it wasn't?
DALLAS — North Texans appreciate a good celebrity sighting.
There was Mick Jagger's Dallas sightseeing tour in November, ahead of the Rolling Stones' concert at the Cotton Bowl.
And nothing piqued the interest of Fort Worth quite like when Tim McGraw and Sam Elliott showed up in the Stockyards to film "1883" last summer.
But we also know a good bluff when we see one.
Highland Park Village, the upscale shopping and restaurant district off Preston Road and Mockingbird Lane within the enclave of the same name, posted a picture to social media on Friday morning that was seemingly worthy of a Facebook brag.
According to the post, the world-famous U2 singer from Bono had dined earlier in the week at Mi Cocina.
"You never know who you'll run into at the Monkey Bar!" the post said, referencing the popular themed bar within the Highland Park Village location of the popular regional Tex-Mex chain.
The scenario wasn't totally out of the question. Bono could have been in Dallas for any number of reasons! And in November, you may recall, Jagger gave an on-stage shoutout to Mi Cocina's famous mambo taxi margarita during the Rolling Stones' set at the Cotton Bowl.
You never know who you’ll run into at the Monkey Bar! We hope you enjoyed your time @micocina, Bono. Cheers!
Posted by Highland Park Village on Friday, April 15, 2022
Except there was just one problem with this story: The man in the photo, as dozens of Facebook commenters were quick to point out, wasn't Bono.
"Bono's 6th cousin by marriage on his mom's side," one commenter said.
Another commenter took a more analytical approach, while still leaving open the possibility it was actually him: "He has some deep wrinkles on his forehead and face but maybe the lighting of the photo washed them out," they said. "I do hope it is though, as that would be awesome to meet the legend."
For the record, here's a picture of Bono and U2 bandmate, The Edge, in December:
The Edge, left, and Bono of U2 arrive at the premiere of "Sing 2" on Sunday, Dec. 12, 2021, at the Greek Theatre in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
A couple other commenters pointed out that the "Bono" in the photo is merely a look-a-like who's known to frequent the area.
To be fair, it's not a bad lookalike.
The hair. The purple-tinted glasses. The black jacket. The earrings.
You've got to wonder: Did he have the Irish accent, too?
Either way, as of Monday morning, Highland Park Village's Facebook post remained up, unedited, still bragging away.
Maybe it was an April Fool's joke two weeks late, and the prank's on us? Or maybe, just maybe, Highland Park Village still hasn't found what they're looking for.
'Out and about in Dallas': Mick Jagger takes in the city ahead of Rolling Stones concert
|
2022-04-18T16:02:31Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Bono at Mi Cocina in Highland Park Village? Not so fast | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/bono-visited-a-dallas-mi-cocina-or-did-he-facebook-disagrees-highland-park-village/287-5d045ffd-f066-4808-a208-a2152b4960f4
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/bono-visited-a-dallas-mi-cocina-or-did-he-facebook-disagrees-highland-park-village/287-5d045ffd-f066-4808-a208-a2152b4960f4
|
For the first time, a mosque allowed us inside to show and tell us what they’re now doing differently.
DALLAS — Millions of Muslims around the world, including here in North Texas, are celebrating Ramadan this month.
And many places of worship across the region are changing the way they do prayer service, especially after what happened at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville in January, when a gunman held four people hostage for hours.
At mosques we visited, there are armed guards at services that fit into the crowd, in case a gunman walks in.
This is what we saw.
'They have to blend in'
At the Islamic Association of North Texas Mosque in Richardson, you will find prayer and peace. Peace because it’s tucked away in the crowd, and in that crowd, there are armed guards.
“They have to blend in, and have to be ready if something unfortunate happens,” said Khalid Hamideh, general counsel for the Islamic Association of North Texas.
“All of the places of worship now have to hire security,” Hamideh said.
Guards are extra vigilant after the recent standoff at the synagogue in Colleyville.
“The security guards are on their toes a lot more,” Hamideh said.
In January, Malik Akram walked into Congregation Beth Israel, and held four people hostage for hours.
“Seeing what happened in Colleyville, and other places, we have to do it,” Hamideh said.
Days before the standoff, Akram walked into the Islamic Center of Irving.
He wanted to spend the night at the mosque.
“He became very agitated, and started pointing his finger at the security officer, [saying], 'Good Lord will judge you on the day of judgement day,” Hamideh said.
Muslims families across N.Texas & the world are celebrating #Ramadan .
In this crowd are armed guards.
Mosques are changing the way prayer service is held, after what happened in Colleyville.
We sat through prayers at a local mosque. The changes we learned about @wfaa pic.twitter.com/XksZp6AXVL
Security like 'at a football game'
At the Irving mosque, they previously had four armed guards; now they have at least eight during prayer service.
“It’s almost like they have become like the security folks you see at football games, where they’re looking into the stands to see if there is anything abnormal,” Hamideh said.
A handful of mosques across North Texas are adding armed guards during prayer service, and changing the way their security operations are running.
Mosque’s have also changed the way they greet people at the front door. At the Richardson mosque, they now use an educational room, which was at the front office, as their security room. They want to have face-to-face interactions with people as they walk in.
“It’s important to have face-to-face, because you know that someone is monitoring you, keeping eyes on you,” said Mohammed Hafeez, from the IANT.
And if volunteers at the mosque see an unfamiliar face, they ask questions.
“Hey, how are you doing? You look new to the facility. Can I help you with something?" Hafeez gave as an example of what might be asked.
The goal is to leave prayer service feeling cleansed.
“They’re coming here for peace, and tranquility, and nothing else,” Hamideh said.
‘This is just ugly and simple hate’: Colleyville, Garland residents discover anti-Semitic, racist flyers in neighborhoods
Colleyville hostage taker sought 'machine gun' with 'a lot of bullets,' agent testifies
|
2022-04-18T20:41:16Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
North Texas mosques are upping their security during Ramadan | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/how-north-texas-dfw-mosques-are-changing-their-security-during-ramadan/287-217936c7-ebb0-479e-bd30-96501f9a2f81
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/how-north-texas-dfw-mosques-are-changing-their-security-during-ramadan/287-217936c7-ebb0-479e-bd30-96501f9a2f81
|
The hiring push is aimed at making sure pool hours aren't limited this summer, due to lack of staffing.
PLANO, Texas — Editor's note: Above video previously when North Texas cities were in need of lifeguards in summer of 2021.
The Plano Parks and Recreation Department still needs more lifeguards for city pools this summer.
The hiring push is aimed at making sure pool hours aren't limited this summer, due to lack of staffing. The city is opening a new pool at the Oak Point Recreation Center, which will add to the city's staffing needs.
If the remaining lifeguard positions aren't filled soon, then pool hours will likely be restricted this summer, officials said.
“Pool hours will be announced in mid-May, and those hours solely depend on how many lifeguards we are able to hire,” Susie Hergenrader, the city's recreation services manager said. “Not only do we have to hire these lifeguards, but we will need to train them as well. The safety of our patrons is a priority we will not compromise.”
The lifeguard positions are part-time jobs, open to anyone 15 and older. The city does not require previous lifeguard experience and will cover training, certification and uniform expenses.
Lifeguard pay starts at $13.51/hour, and head lifeguard positions start at $14.90/hour.
The city is also hiring concession attendants, learn-to-swim instructors and swim teaching assistant positions for the summer.
Anyone interested in the jobs can apply through the city's employment website here.
Other North Texas cities post lifeguard job openings
The City of Fort Worth posted several open lifeguard positions across the city: Aqua Mobile Swim School, Hurricane Harbor, public pools, YMCA Metropolitan Fort Worth, Happy Swimmers, Bearfoot and Texas Christian University.
The City of Arlington posted its need for lifeguards at Great Wolf Lodge.
The City of Keller posted its need for college-aged lifeguards at its pools this summer. In the job listing the city said, "Lifeguards from Baylor earn high pay and spend most of their summer in the sun and by the pool, any Baylor University student's dream." If you would like to learn more, click here or here.
The City of Mansfield and the City of Hurst need lifeguards too.
|
2022-04-18T20:41:22Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Plano, Texas lifeguard jobs: How to get hired, how much it pays | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-texas-parks-and-rec-needs-lifeguards-for-the-summer-heres-how-to-get-hired-and-how-much-it-pays/287-3fa78ad0-b33e-449b-8817-2b1b2f2c46e0
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/plano-texas-parks-and-rec-needs-lifeguards-for-the-summer-heres-how-to-get-hired-and-how-much-it-pays/287-3fa78ad0-b33e-449b-8817-2b1b2f2c46e0
|
Housing demand remains high, and it's impacting property taxes in the greater Dallas-Fort Worth area. Homeowners have a window of opportunity to protest the increase
DALLAS — Many homeowners in the Dallas-Fort Worth area have recently received a notice of appraisal from their local appraisal district.
"They are coming, and if you haven't gotten it yet, be ready," said Jason Doyle Spencer, a realtor with Dave Perry Miller.
Home inventory and interest rates have remained low. At the same time, demand is high, so housing prices are through the roof.
It's all reflecting in property taxes.
Spencer said, "It's a double-edged sword. We've been watching our neighbors sell and people have sold their homes in the past year. We all know that it has been a very good market for sellers, and unfortunately that second side of that sword is the taxes."
At the Dallas Central Appraisal District, between 600,000 to 700,000 appraisal notices were mailed out on Friday. Ken Nolan, chief appraiser at DCAD, said people may be unhappy with the numbers, but it shouldn't be a surprise with the housing market the way it is.
Homeowners can decide if they want to protest the appraisal or not. Spencer recommends to all his clients, "Protest your taxes every year."
Kevin Pierce, a loan officer and sales manager with Thrive Mortgage, has similar advice for homeowners. "I believe that there's a good opportunity for everybody to be able to go in and fight their taxes, if it makes sense."
Pierce tells his clients to take a look at their tax values and understand where the numbers are coming from. Pierce said it's important for homeowners to do their due diligence, research the area and contact local real estate agents to pull data that will help with protesting.
On the other hand, when homeowners receive an appraisal letter in the mail, Nolan said some people may not need to protest.
He said, "Ask yourself, would I sell the property for that? And if you think you would either sell the property for that or for more, then our value is probably good. If not, think, what about my property makes it worth less than they say it is?"
In Dallas County, homeowners who decide to protest their property value should do it online with the DCAD UFile system. Nolan said they should not go to their office to protest.
In your online protest, include neighborhood data that can be pulled from your real estate agent, repair estimates and photos of repairs needed.
Dallas Central Appraisal District will contact homeowners electronically or by telephone once the protest is reviewed. If DCAD and the homeowner can't come to an agreement, the homeowner will be scheduled for an appraisal review board hearing.
This would happen around the third week of May and last until July or longer.
Nolan expects between 180,000 to 200,000 protests in Dallas County, higher than the last two years.
The deadline to file a protest is May 16.
Homeowners who filed for a homestead exemption should double-check that it is on the notice, capping their increase at 10%.
In Collin County, Bo Daffin, chief Appraiser of the Collin Central Appraisal District, said all real estate notices are in the mail as of Friday. Around 295,000 appraisal notices were sent.
Last year, Collin County received more than 79,000 protests. Daffin expects between 90,000 to 100,000 protests this year.
Daffin said, "Last year, our average homestead market value was $396,500. This year, at the release of appraisal notices, our average homestead market value is $509,500."
In Denton County, the appraisal district will send more than 360,000 notices in the next few months. The first batch with nearly 175,000 notices were shipped on Monday.
The deadline to file a protest in Denton County is 30 days after the date the notice is mailed.
Denton CAD is expecting more than 120,000 protests in 2022 as real estate values continue to outperform expectations. The median home sale in Denton County increased from $345,000 in 2021 to $420,000 in 2022.
WFAA reached out to the Tarrant Appraisal District and did not hear back at the time of this publication.
|
2022-04-19T02:37:13Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Want to protest your home appraisal? Here's how | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/protest-home-appraisal-property-taxes-soaring-dfw-north-texas/287-b473e032-d087-467b-8c6a-b1b90f5cf449
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/protest-home-appraisal-property-taxes-soaring-dfw-north-texas/287-b473e032-d087-467b-8c6a-b1b90f5cf449
|
The Mavs point guard took it upon himself to keep Dallas in the game, scoring 21 in the first two quarters
DALLAS — Jalen Brunson has gone nuclear tonight. And that is reason #1, #2, #3, and #46 why the Mavs are in this basketball game.
Game 2 has looked quite a bit like Game 1, between the Dallas Mavericks and the Utah Jazz. A gritty performance, despite the absence of Luka Doncic, to hang with the Jazz all game.
Doncic is not playing in tonight's Game 2, as was expected. He was listed as doubtful for the second straight game, still recuperating from his strained left calf. Head coach Jason Kidd did, however, say that Doncic is progressing. With still 72 hours until Game 3 in Utah, the progress that Doncic has shown is encouraging for later in the series. Thursday should be interesting.
But the Mavs got an incredibly hot start from point guard Jalen Brunson, who was doing his best Chris Paul impersonation through the first 8 minutes of the basketball game. He his 6 of his first 7 shots, and scored 15 of Dallas' first 18 points. His early thrust helped Dallas build a lead as large as eight in the opening minutes of the game, at 14-6.
Brunson wasn't quite as hot in the second quarter, but continued to make plays for Dallas. He hit four of his first six three point attempts, to help Dallas edge back in front at various points in the period, as the lead exchanged hands multiple times. For a player who figures to make a lot of money this summer -- be it from Dallas or someone else -- he just made himself a good bit more.
Jalen Brunson is on fire tonight, shooting 66.7% from 3 🔥
The Mavs take back the lead!@dallasmavs | #MFFL | 📺 BSSW | #dALLasIN pic.twitter.com/UxstV9gQdy
And late in the second quarter, Spencer Dinwiddie got in on the act. The newest Mav knocked down a high-arcing floater and a big three-pointer to tie the game at 48.
Dinwiddie delivery!! 📫@dallasmavs | #MFFL | 📺 BSSW | #dALLasIN pic.twitter.com/QmJ3pix7Dk
But the Jazz would end the half on a 7-0 run, including a three pointer from Donovan Mitchell, to take a 55-48 lead at the break. Mitchell was easily the most dangerous Utah player, matching Brunson's 21 first half points. Since the halfway point of Game 1, Mitchell has scored 52 points in the last four quarters of this series.
|
2022-04-19T02:37:38Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Mavs hanging with Utah at halftime in Game 2, behind monster performance from Brunson | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nba/mavericks/mavs-hanging-with-utah-at-halftime-behind-monster-performance-from-brunson/287-490c7003-25f3-474b-ac1a-b248994bd4b1
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/sports/nba/mavericks/mavs-hanging-with-utah-at-halftime-behind-monster-performance-from-brunson/287-490c7003-25f3-474b-ac1a-b248994bd4b1
|
"The courage is to stand up and say this is a political endeavor to turn out the vote in November," McKinney Mayor George Fuller said.
MCKINNEY, Texas — School districts across Texas have been thrust into a number of debates because of the pandemic.
And while most of the mask and social distancing debates have quieted down, the latest efforts to ban sexually explicit books has heated up.
"I've been the face of this movement for the last six months," said state Rep. Jared Patterson, of District 106. The district covers Frisco, Denton, The Colony and surrounding areas.
Patterson tells WFAA he and his staff have sent letters asking Texas school districts to pledge not to do business with certain book vendors. Thirty districts have signed the pledge.
Patterson says that Frisco, Prosper and McKinney school districts have not.
"I'm not blaming any specific librarian or teacher. I think the book vendors need to be held accountable for selling this trash," said Patterson.
McKinney ISD on Friday released a strong statement from Superintendent Dr. Rick McDaniel: "The school library book debate has been largely fueled by political agendas, sensationalism, and exaggeration."
"It's an accurate statement, there is a procedure," said McKinney Mayor George Fuller.
Fuller says the district has procedures on challenging books. Fuller, a Republican, calls these efforts to ban sexually explicit books "partisan pandering."
Fuller says he will be the first to challenge books he deems too graphic and not appropriate for children. But, he says these latest efforts by some lawmakers and groups are not entirely about protecting children.
"The courage is to stand up and say this is a political endeavor to turn out the vote in November," Fuller said.
Patterson tells WFAA he's disappointed in some conservative leadership and he's calling out school boards. He says there are more than two dozen sexually explicit books on school shelves right now.
Patterson says that it took him five minutes to identify online a book on McKinney ISD shelves that is sexually explicit. Patterson encourages Superintendent McDaniel to read aloud the graphic passages from the book at the next board meeting.
Patterson says that he and two full-time staff members cannot keep up on the number of messages from parents complaining about books that are explicit.
"This is a political movement because the policy makers aren't taking this seriously," said Patterson.
McKinney ISD says over the last 10 years, only five books have been challenged and not one book has been challenged currently. McDaniel wrote in a letter to parents that many of the books recited in school board meetings are not on McKinney school shelves.
"Even though school library books are being used as a political ploy to rile voters up in advance of the upcoming elections, it is important to recognize that our teachers and library media specialists take great measures to ensure that library resources are safe and appropriate for students," the letter stated. "Parents always have the right to determine what is appropriate for their child and can provide librarians with a list of books or topics that their child is not permitted to access."
"What is happening now, weaponizing our children and our teachers and the collateral damage that's being done to the teaching profession, is hurting our students," said Fuller.
Patterson hopes in six months to file legislation for 2023 that would hold districts accountable and create an online database that would allow tax-payers to see which books are on the shelves.
'Angry' Keller ISD parents have challenged 33 books, including the Bible, since October
|
2022-04-19T04:24:27Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
McKinney ISD responds to Texas book ban debate | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mckinney-isd-addresses-book-ban-debate-mayor-says-partisan-pandering/287-b5f4c977-8ebe-4e0d-9706-3ddbb1b36a4c
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/mckinney-isd-addresses-book-ban-debate-mayor-says-partisan-pandering/287-b5f4c977-8ebe-4e0d-9706-3ddbb1b36a4c
|
Prisma Reyes disappeared three years ago this week. Detectives hope new leads will come in to help them solve the case.
DALLAS — In April 2019, 26-year-old Prisma Reyes vanished.
"I just don’t see how, and I said it before, how someone could just disappear like smoke in the wind," said Dan Fuchs, Reyes' step-father.
Fuchs said just before she disappeared, Reyes called a bunch of people she knew.
"She was confused. She didn’t know what was going on. She thought she was talking to one person, but she was actually talking to someone else," said Fuchs.
Mesquite Police Detective Dustin Barrett has been on the case since the beginning when his department got a 911 call from Reyes' babysitter, who said she hadn’t picked up her little boy. That triggered a missing person’s report, Barrett said.
RELATED: 'Bring her home': Mesquite mother missing since Wednesday
Barrett walked WFAA through the videos from the day Reyes disappeared. She was last seen in Dallas at the E-Bar Tex-Mex restaurant, located in the 1900 block of Haskell Avenue. She was with her ex-boyfriend while on a lunch break from her job from a car dealership in Mesquite.
"We have them on camera during that. He leaves and she goes back inside the E-Bar, " said Barrett.
Reyes stayed for another three hours, until the bartender refused to serve her any more drinks, which reportedly upset her.
She got in her white jeep, and phone records tracked her initially heading back to Mesquite but then turning around and going back to Dallas.
Barrett said Reyes then got into a road rage incident.
RELATED: Missing Mesquite mom was involved in road rage incident before she disappeared, police say
According to a Dallas police report, three witnesses said a woman in a white jeep pointed a gun at them. They got her license plate number and called police.
The next video shows Reyes arriving at the Olympus on Ross Apartments, now called Macallan on Ross, where her ex-boyfriend that she was having lunch with lived.
"So she runs through the gate and then goes to stand by the elevator. We spoke to everyone on her phone records list that she called leading up to her disappearance, and all of them tell us she sounds upset," said Barrett.
The next videos police showed WFAA were new. It's hard to see, but you can tell Reyes is in one of the videos wearing a red shirt.
"So she kind of stumbles out of the view of the camera, and nothing else is captured there," said Barrett.
She just vanished and was never seen again.
"The closure we don’t have is we just don’t have anything. She walked out, vaporized and disappeared. We don’t have any clues or nothing," said Fuchs.
Dallas police found her white jeep where she left it parked inside the garage, and the gun she reportedly displayed in the road rage incident was found.
"The handgun was still in the jeep, so she was in a hurry. She jumped out and didn’t grab it," said Fuchs.
Fuchs said Reyes bought the gun for protection.
”She had felt she was being followed, like stalked or followed, or something like that. So, she bought it for herself for her birthday.”
Police said they have ruled out everyone she talked to that day as suspects, including her ex-boyfriend. She never used her phone or her debit or credit cards after that day.
So what do police think happened?
”It could be human trafficking. It could be she stumbled and met the wrong person. If you leave that complex and walk a couple of blocks in any direction, she would have walked into an area that is not safe for her," said Barrett.
While her case has made national headlines and police have exhaustively searched for her, there are no new leads or clues. Independent forensic analysts are going through all the videos again to see if they missed something -- hoping that one leads to the one tip that will help find her.
Meanwhile, Fuchs isn’t giving up hope.
"In my heart, until it is proven differently without a doubt, I feel she is still here," said Fuchs.
He wants people to remember Reyes as the National Guard soldier, the daughter and the mom who loved her son and would do anything for him.
"That boy needs to know where his mother is and what happened to her, to his mother. He deserves all the answers," said Fuchs.
Anyone with information should contact the Mesquite Police Department.
Man found guilty of organized crime in connection to kidnapping, murder of Shavon Randle sentenced to 55 years
|
2022-04-19T04:24:33Z
|
www.wfaa.com
|
Missing Mesquite woman Prisma Reyes: Police release new video | wfaa.com
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/missing-mesquite-woman-prisma-reyes-new-surveillance-video-released/287-2bd8d7d5-1c91-4ede-9d1e-854f5e106adc
|
https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/missing-mesquite-woman-prisma-reyes-new-surveillance-video-released/287-2bd8d7d5-1c91-4ede-9d1e-854f5e106adc
|
ABC News goes back to the future
DO NOT ADJUST your set. “Matthew Perry: The Diane Sawyer Interview” (8 p.m., ABC) may seem like a relic of 1990s broadcast television, but it concerns Perry’s new book “Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing: A Memoir.” The “Terrible” part concerns his struggles with addiction.
Since “Friends” concluded in 2004, Perry has had no shortage of television roles, both serious and comedic. He played a dedicated teacher in “The Ron Clark Story” and appeared in “Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip,” Aaron Sorkin’s behind-the-scenes take on the making of an “SNL”-like sketch show. He starred in and executive produced a number of short-lived network sitcoms, including “Mr. Sunshine,” “Go On” and a reboot of “The Odd Couple.”
• This fall season began with a fantasy arms race of sorts, with very expensive productions — HBO’s “House of the Dragon” and Prime Video’s “The Rings of Power” — competing for viewers. For some time, “Rings” was the most-watched series on that streamer. But now that both series have completed their first seasons, Prime has a new hit on its hands. “The Peripheral,” adapted from a William S. Gibson novel and just in its second week, is already the most-watched series in Prime Video history.
For the uninitiated, “Peripheral” is set in the relatively near future, when a gaming whiz appears to be recruited by shadowy forces from an even more distant and dystopian date. A third episode streams today.
• One sure sign that the holiday season (and the season for launching Oscar-worthy movies) is just around the corner is the streaming debut of Netflix’s epic adaptation of “All Quiet on the Western Front.” Well received by critics during its brief theatrical run, it has already been selected as Germany’s submission for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film.
This is the third adaptation of Erich Maria Remarque’s 1929 antiwar novel. The book was acclaimed internationally when it was first published and was among the first books banned by the Third Reich when Hitler came to power in 1933.
• In the spirit of the Halloween season, Apple TV+ will make the 1966 animated special “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” available to nonsubscribers for free for the next three nights.
Also streaming on Apple TV+, the 2022 documentary “Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues” offers a new biographical take on the trumpet player, entertainer and movie star who dominated American music, popular culture and jazz for the first six decades of the 20th century.
“Blues” makes extensive use of Armstrong’s vast holding of home recordings. These tapes reveal a man much more thoughtful and opinionated than his amiable public persona. The film also includes a wealth of interview footage, featuring Dick Cavett and Orson Welles.
Trumpeter Wynton Marsalis offers a younger musician’s evolution in attitudes. As a young man, he dismissed Armstrong’s tourist-friendly performances as “Uncle Tom,” but as a musician, he came to appreciate Armstrong’s originality and virtuosity and to see Armstrong in the context of his times — a man born while slavery was still a living memory and raised in a viciously segregated world.
Not unlike James Brown, Armstrong grew up in the shadow of brothels and would go on to be invited to the White House. The atmosphere of Armstrong’s Storyville upbringing is evoked in the new adaptation of “Interview With the Vampire,” airing on AMC.
• A cosmic accident allows an unhappily married woman to relive her 20s, wiser, but not older, in the Spanish-language series “If Only,” streaming on Netflix.
• Peyton and Cooper Manning host two season-ending episodes of “College Bowl” (8 p.m. and 9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG). The second episode is the season finale.
• The Houston Astros host the Philadelphia Phillies in Game 1 of the World Series (8 p.m., Fox).
• The musical “Dia de los Muertos” (9 p.m., PBS, TV-PG, check local listings) celebrates the Day of the Dead holiday.
• Thieves target expensive bling on “Blue Bloods” (10 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
Hostile extraterrestrials assume big-top disguises in the 1988 comedy shocker “Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (10 p.m., TMCX). Theme song performed by The Dickies.
Hondo’s balancing act on “S.W.A.T.” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... A building collapse and a ghastly choice on “Fire Country” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14) ... “20/20” (9 p.m., ABC) ... “Dateline” (10 p.m., NBC).
Jimmy Fallon welcomes Jim Parsons, Bobby Cannavale and JVKE on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Johnny Knoxville, Jake Lacy and Pusha T visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC, r).
DEAR READERS: I’m asked every year around this time for hints on what to get a grandmother for the coming holidays, whether she lives in a nursing home, in your home or by herself. If you would like to add to the list, just email or write to me at www.Heloise.com or P.O. Box 795001, San Anto…
DEAR ABBY: I have a brother I can’t seem to get along with anymore. Sometimes he’s OK, but most of the time he’s not. I visited him recently for a cookout, and it wasn’t good. He got into an argument with his wife, shattered a glass, tried to fight me out of the blue, and talked about extrem…
|
2022-10-28T16:00:47Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
ABC News goes back to the future | | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/abc-news-goes-back-to-the-future/article_3ababf87-4c4e-5173-a28f-947f868fba9d.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/abc-news-goes-back-to-the-future/article_3ababf87-4c4e-5173-a28f-947f868fba9d.html
|
By Riley Rogerson Anchorage Daily News, Alaska
Robert "Bruce" Snodgrass of Anchorage died in October 2021. In the year since, his mother helped advocate for legislation to spread awareness about deadly synthetic opioids like fentanyl.
The bill, called Bruce's Law, seeks to educate the public about synthetic opioids through an awareness campaign, a federal working group and community-based grants.
Bruce's mother, Sandy Snodgrass, said her son had battled substance abuse and was working on recovery when he died. She believes he did not know he was taking fentanyl, which is 50 times stronger than heroin. She refers to his death as "poisoning."
"I continue to talk about Bruce because if it can happen to my son, it can happen to any Alaskan family," Snodgrass said. "He made a mistake, as many young people do. They make mistakes. This mistake should not have cost him his life."
[Earlier coverage: 'People will listen to a grieving mother': An Anchorage mom who lost her son to fentanyl wants to tell her story]
After speaking with Snodgrass, Alaska Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski introduced Bruce's Law in June, with Senate co-sponsors Democrats Dianne Feinstein of California and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, as well as Alaska Republican Dan Sullivan.
On Tuesday, Alaska Democrat Rep. Mary Peltola co-sponsored a companion bill in the House.
"There are very few families across our nation that have not had a loved one experience opioid addiction or death," Peltola said in a statement. "This legislation is critical to ensuring our communities have the resources they need to educate the public on the dangers of fentanyl."
Synthetic opioid deaths spiked about 56% nationally between 2020 and 2021. Alaska ranks first among states for the greatest increase in drug overdose deaths in that period.
National advocacy groups say Bruce's Law's emphasis on public education is key.
"The bottom line is we've got to let people know, and Bruce's Law is going to be able to spread public awareness and give people community funding to do that," said Andrea Thomas, the founder of advocacy groups Voices for Awareness and Facing Fentanyl.
In 2018, fentanyl killed Thomas' 32-year-old daughter, Ashley Romero. Thomas said her daughter's boyfriend gave Romero what looked like a prescription pill not knowing it contained fentanyl. Romero died in minutes.
"That was the first time I ever heard about fentanyl," Thomas said.
After a year of grief and advocacy, Snodgrass said, she is glad to see Bruce's law introduced in both chambers of Congress.
She spent the anniversary of her son's death this week putting up a memorial where his body was found in an East Anchorage grocery store parking lot and sharing memories with friends and family at his favorite restaurant, Moose's Tooth.
Through a spokesperson, U.S. Rep. David Trone, D-Md., a lead sponsor of the House bill, said its backers are hoping "to shine a light on this issue and build momentum for a hopeful passage next Congress."
Snodgrass said beyond pushing for the passage of Bruce's Law, she is developing an organization to distribute naloxone dispenser kits to Alaska communities. Naloxone, also often referred to by the brand name Narcan, is a medication that can rapidly reverse an opioid overdose.
In the past year, Snodgrass said, she has kept the other Alaskans affected by fentanyl-related deaths in mind.
"I represent a lot of mothers in Alaska and I'm glad to do that, but I don't ever want to forget that there are hundreds of families in Alaska, just in this last year, that I am also trying to represent," she said.
Reporter Riley Rogerson is a full-time reporter for the ADN based in Washington, D.C. Her position is supported by Report for America, which is working to fill gaps in reporting across America and to place a new generation of journalists in community news organizations around the country. Report for America, funded by both private and public donors, covers up to 50% of a reporter's salary. It's up to Anchorage Daily News to find the other half, through local community donors, benefactors, grants or other fundraising activities.
If you would like to make a personal, tax-deductible contribution to her position, you can make a one-time donation or a recurring monthly donation via adn.com/RFA. You can also donate by check, payable to "The GroundTruth Project." Send it to Report for America/Anchorage Daily News, c/o The GroundTruth Project, 10 Guest Street, Boston, MA 02135. Please put Anchorage Daily News/Report for America in the check memo line.
|
2022-10-28T16:00:53Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
A year after fentanyl killed a 22-year-old Alaskan, a bill named after him moves forward in Congress | National | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/national/a-year-after-fentanyl-killed-a-22-year-old-alaskan-a-bill-named-after-him/article_c5441067-c502-5257-b333-27fff2aeef4b.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/national/a-year-after-fentanyl-killed-a-22-year-old-alaskan-a-bill-named-after-him/article_c5441067-c502-5257-b333-27fff2aeef4b.html
|
FILE PHOTO: Paul Pelosi, husband of U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, meets Pope Francis with his wife at the Vatican, October 9, 2021.
By Billy House Bloomberg
The 82-year-old was severely beaten in the head and body with a hammer and was being treated for blunt force trauma, the Associated Press reported. A person familiar with the investigation confirmed the intruder was armed with a hammer at the time. Speaker Pelosi's office said he is expected to recover from his injuries.
"The Speaker and her family are grateful to the first responders and medical professionals involved, and request privacy at this time," Pelosi's spokesman, Drew Hammill, said in a statement.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that President Joe Biden had called Speaker Pelosi after the attack and is praying for the "whole family."
"The President continues to condemn all violence, and asks that the family's desire for privacy be respected," she said.
Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who has faced violent threats and a smashed window at her home, told the New York Times recently she wouldn't be surprised if a lawmaker were killed.
The Pelosi family home is located in Pacific Heights, a wealthy enclave of mansions overlooking the San Francisco Bay and the Golden Gate Bridge.
In June, city voters recalled then-District Attorney Chesa Boudin, who had come to office pledging progressive reforms of the criminal justice system even as crime spiked. Mayor London Breed replaced him in July with one of Boudin's most vocal detractors, Brooke Jenkins, a prosecutor.
City police department data at the time of Boudin's ouster showed burglaries and homicides were actually decreasing from the same period last year, but high-profile smash and grab incidents, car thefts, homelessness and attacks on Asian Americans had left residents rattled.
"While the motive is still unknown we know where this kind of violence is sanctioned and modeled," said Representative Jackie Speier of California.
Senior Republican Senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa wished Paul Pelosi well. "Violence is never okay," he tweeted.
Bloomberg's Steven T. Dennis, Erik Larson, Karen Breslau and Josh Wingrove contributed to this report.
|
2022-10-28T18:03:19Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Pelosi's husband attacked in break-in at California home | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/pelosis-husband-attacked-in-break-in-at-california-home/article_ce9c8f14-46c1-54ba-9840-eb26d1da8822.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/pelosis-husband-attacked-in-break-in-at-california-home/article_ce9c8f14-46c1-54ba-9840-eb26d1da8822.html
|
Jerry Lee Lewis performs at the19th annual Bridge School Benefit Concert in Mountain View, California, on Oct. 29, 2005.
Lewis, also known by the nickname "The Killer," was one of the first performers inducted into the Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Fame in 1986 and was so influential that when John Lennon met him backstage at a show in Los Angeles, the Beatle dropped to his knees and kissed Lewis' feet.
|
2022-10-28T21:54:23Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Rock 'n' roll pioneer Jerry Lee Lewis, known as 'The Killer,' dies | Back Page | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/rock-n-roll-pioneer-jerry-lee-lewis-known-as-the-killer-dies/article_46416650-e3a0-5a6b-98b0-dca5dd1853b7.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/rock-n-roll-pioneer-jerry-lee-lewis-known-as-the-killer-dies/article_46416650-e3a0-5a6b-98b0-dca5dd1853b7.html
|
Items for final delivery at an Amazon.com Inc. fulfilment center in Swindon, U.K., on Nov. 23, 2021.
Amazon.com Inc., shocking Wall Street, projected the slowest holiday-quarter growth in the company’s history, sending the shares tumbling about 11% Friday morning.
The report, and subsequent share decline, pushed Amazon’s market value below $1 trillion dollars. The e-commerce giant joins a long list of U.S. companies to see their market values crumble in this year’s bear market.
The world’s largest online retailer had spent this year adjusting to a sharp slowdown in e-commerce growth as shoppers resumed pre-pandemic habits. Amazon delayed warehouse openings, froze hiring in its retail group and shut down experimental projects. Some investors had hoped the company’s commanding market share in the U.S. and Europe, the massive scale of its logistics business and the cost-cutting would insulate Amazon from slowing consumer spending. The forecast suggests that isn’t the case, and Amazon joined other previously high-flying tech giants such as Alphabet Inc. and Microsoft Corp. in reporting disappointing results.
Asked about the upcoming shopping season, Olsavsky said Amazon is “optimistic about the holiday, but we’re realistic that various forces are weighing on people’s wallets.”
|
2022-10-28T21:54:35Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Amazon shares plunge on forecast for sluggish holiday sales | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/amazon-shares-plunge-on-forecast-for-sluggish-holiday-sales/article_7dcb940c-68f8-594d-891d-a0c21fcbe690.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/amazon-shares-plunge-on-forecast-for-sluggish-holiday-sales/article_7dcb940c-68f8-594d-891d-a0c21fcbe690.html
|
An illuminated Apple store, ahead of the start of new rules requiring businesses to turn off lighting at night, in Barcelona, Spain, on Aug. 10.
Angel Garcia/Bloomberg
Though sales of iPhones and services were softer than expected last quarter, Apple's revenue and profit both topped analysts' estimates. Even with growth expected to decelerate during the current period, investors found enough optimism to send the shares on their biggest one-day rally since July 2020.
But even Apple's generally positive results raised questions for investors, who are looking for signs that the long-resilient company might finally fall victim to a slowing economy. Apple's iPhone and services sales came in just shy of projections -- sparking concerns about two areas that were expected to be strong performers. And Apple's Mac computer business will decline substantially in the holiday quarter following a sales surge driven by new models, Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri warned on a conference call.
With loyal customers still eager to snap up its pricey products, Apple has been seen as an outlier during a punishing tech slowdown. The company also released its latest iPhone earlier in the year than usual, giving the fiscal fourth quarter a greater portion of sales from Apple's flagship device. But roaring inflation and a broader slowdown in consumer spending, particularly for personal devices, may still be weighing on the company.
The iPhone, Apple's flagship device, generated about $42.6 billion in the fourth quarter, which ended Sept. 24, the company said. Analysts had estimated nearly $42.7 billion. Services, such as music and video streaming, brought in $19.2 billion. That was well short of the almost $20 billion projection.
The Cupertino, California-based company didn't provide a specific revenue forecast for the current quarter, continuing an approach it adopted at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. But analysts estimate sales of about $128 billion, which would be an all-time record.
Apple's overall revenue grew 8.1% to about $90.1 billion in the fiscal fourth quarter. That beat the $88.6 billion estimate, because of better-than-expected growth in its Mac and wearables businesses. Earnings of $1.29 a share topped the average projection of $1.26.
Apple's iPhone remains its biggest source of sales, and the company was expected to get a boost from an earlier release this quarter. The period included about nine days of sales of the iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. But the iPhone 14 Plus -- a new format that has seen a tepid response from consumers -- didn't launch until the current quarter.
The company's services business includes its Music and TV+ streaming platforms, as well as the Apple Card, iCloud storage and other digital offerings. It's seen as one of Apple's key sales drivers, especially as the company expands into new types of services.
Apple launched a new iPad Air earlier this year, but it didn't come out with a new iPad Pro or entry-level model until the current quarter.
The Mac bounced back in the fourth quarter, with sales marking a record for that period. The category was buoyed by a redesigned MacBook Air and new low-end 13-inch MacBook Pro -- Apple's two most popular computers.
On the call, Maestri said that the Mac had a stronger-than-usual quarter in last year's holiday quarter due to the redesigned 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pros. Those were Apple's first high-end laptops built with its own processors, replacing chips from Intel Corp. That kind of shift won't be replicated this holiday period.
The company's wearables, home and accessories segment, which includes the Apple Watch, AirPods, the TV set-top box, HomePod, Beats headphones and other accessories, also saw momentum last quarter. Apple made $9.65 billion from those products, beating expectations.
Apple signaled in its previous quarterly report that it would be more cautious with spending, part of a broader deceleration for Silicon Valley companies. Unlike some peers, Apple has avoided mass layoffs. But it plans to cut back on expenditures in 2023 and slow hiring, Bloomberg News has reported. "Obviously we're being deliberate in our decisions of where to invest," Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook said in July.
|
2022-10-28T21:54:41Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Apple dodges tech rout, even while warning of holiday slowdown | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/apple-dodges-tech-rout-even-while-warning-of-holiday-slowdown/article_873d7eec-f1f6-5dbb-a8dc-3cdcd810f977.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/apple-dodges-tech-rout-even-while-warning-of-holiday-slowdown/article_873d7eec-f1f6-5dbb-a8dc-3cdcd810f977.html
|
NORTH CONWAY — The Mount Washington Commission on Friday unanimously approved a revised Master Plan for the 60-acre Mount Washington State Park that, despite what critics allege, skews in favor of the environment atop the tallest peak in the Northeast.
Before voting at the Pope Memorial Library, the commission got an earful from several members of the public and from one of its own: Howie Wemyss, who represents the Mount Washington Auto Road.
The commission also fielded questions about the proposed Lizzie’s Station project and Chairman Jeb Bradley pointed out that the seasonal hotel — which would be made up of 18 rail coaches on land controlled by the Cog Railway — is out of the commission’s jurisdiction.
That observation prompted calls from the audience for the creation of an entity that had oversight of the entire mountain, not just the summit cone.
Bradley, who is a state senator from Wolfeboro, replied that the Legislature is the place to go to either amend the law regulating the authority and scope of the current commission or to establish one with broader powers.
Later, after the adoption of the Master Plan, Bradley said that action will eventually help secure an appropriation for the environmental assessment from New Hampshire lawmakers.
The assessment “will happen,” said Bradley, who predicted that “It’ll be a top priority for the next Legislature.”
Robert Kirsch, who represents the Mount Washington Observatory on the commission and is an attorney, said the proposed Master Plan incorporated concerns about the need for an assessment of existing conditions raised earlier this year at public hearings in Concord and Conway.
In addition to what the public said it wanted, the proposed plan, he said, “accomplishes what most of the people on the commission wanted to see.”
As written, the Master Plan, which he earlier said “does skew in favor of the environment explicitly,” would allow the commission to explore “opportunities consistent with this plan,” among other things, generating revenues from the Sherman Adams Building in the state park, where the observatory is a tenant.
Bradley said the proposed Master Plan is clear that its priorities are to preserve the summit environment while providing services to visitors.
Wemyss opined that the language of the Master Plan as to the use of the assessment should be stronger, and that the commission should be required to follow the recommendations in the assessment, rather than just consider them.
Citing the “overwhelming comments of the public” at the two Master Plan hearings in support of the assessment, Wemyss asked “are we afraid of protecting the environment up there?”
Regardless of who is bringing visitors to the summit — both the Auto Road and Cog Railway do, but an even larger number of visitors hike up — Wemyss told the commission that “you just can’t keep growing the number of people” there.
Phil Bryce, who serves on the commission as a representative of the public and had served, until his retirement in September as director of New Hampshire Parks and Recreation, cautioned that requiring the commission to incorporate assessment recommendations risked conflict with other sections of the Master Plan.
After several tries Friday, Bradley came up with wording that met with his fellow commissioners’ unequivocal assent: the commission shall modify the Master Plan “based on the recommendations in the assessment and other recommendations of the Master Plan.”
Jamie Sayen, of Stratford, told the commission that it was “absurd” that the they adopted a Master Plan without first doing an environmental assessment.
“Human aspirations are in conflict with natural limits” atop Mount Washington, he said, adding that when commission members spoke about balancing priorities, it was code to the environment taking “a back seat.”
If adopted, the Master Plan would have “zero credibility,” Sayen warned, with scientists and the public.
The alpine zone on Mount Washington is disappearing, he said, and in adopting the Master Plan, “you (the commission) are dooming the alpine ecology and I don’t see any balance in that.”
Karen Umberger, who is a commission member and a state representative from Kearsarge, said adopting the plan “doesn’t mean we don’t have a lot of work to do.”
Earlier she pointed out that the commission has worked for 10 years to get a handle on how many hikers come up Mount Washington daily — Cog owner Wayne Presby has previously said the number of hikers greatly exceeds the total that the railway and Auto Road bring up combined – but has been unable to do so.
She dwelt on the positive that on the way to the Master Plan, “We were not shouting at each other throughout the whole process. That is good.”
|
2022-10-28T23:39:23Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Officials: Revised Mount Washington Master Plan prioritizes the environment | Environment | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/environment/officials-revised-mount-washington-master-plan-prioritizes-the-environment/article_323e03f9-e8e3-5c2a-a510-5de01cb3e822.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/environment/officials-revised-mount-washington-master-plan-prioritizes-the-environment/article_323e03f9-e8e3-5c2a-a510-5de01cb3e822.html
|
Former President Donald Trump, who was permanently banned from Twitter over accusations of inciting violence after the Jan. 6, 2021 capitol riots, welcomed the takeover, but said little about a return to Twitter. “I am very happy that Twitter is now in sane hands, and will no longer be run by Radical Left Lunatics and Maniacs who truly hate our country.”
State prosecutors charged a Nashua man with a felony for collecting unemployment payments while he was allegedly working at an Applebee’s.
|
2022-10-29T01:28:45Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
As Musk takes over Twitter, free speech limits tested | National | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/wire/national/as-musk-takes-over-twitter-free-speech-limits-tested/article_376ccb90-7296-52f0-b0e5-cd8c414a2ceb.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/wire/national/as-musk-takes-over-twitter-free-speech-limits-tested/article_376ccb90-7296-52f0-b0e5-cd8c414a2ceb.html
|
Areas of freezing fog early. Abundant sunshine. High 61F. Winds light and variable..
Deborah Shaw and Joscelyn Funnié, senior officials in the Social Security Administration's watchdog division, say they have faced sustained retaliation since they came forward with concerns that the office was issuing massive penalties to poor claimants on disability benefits in violation of federal regulations.
Sarah Silbiger/Washington Post
By Lisa Rein The Washington Post
Joscelyn Funnié and Deborah Shaw, veteran attorneys in the Social Security Administration's inspector general's office, were removed from their jobs and placed on paid leave after expressing concerns about the fines, then eventually reinstated.
"I have literally begged for meaningful, senior-executive-level work," Funnié wrote in an email to The Washington Post. "My pleas for meaningful work continue to fall on deaf ears, and I have no seat at the table with the Inspector General or her senior staff. They pretend I don't exist, hoping that eventually I will exhaust my emotional and financial resources and walk away."
Their colleagues and experts on whistleblowers describe the treatment described by the attorneys as significant evidence of retaliation in a case that's generated national headlines and is the focus of three ongoing probes.
"They're all common tactics and they're all illegal," said Tom Devine, legal director of the Government Accountability Project, a nonprofit group that represents whistleblowers in Washington.
Rebecca Rose, a spokeswoman for Ennis, declined to comment on a detailed list of allegations from the whistleblowers, writing in an email that "we are unable to comment on personnel matters."
Funnié learned that the program in 2018 began levying fines that reached hundreds of thousands of dollars against more than 100 people. The penalties were issued without due process and disregarded federal regulations, as The Post reported, deviating from how the government had recovered money since the program's inception in 1995. Attorneys were directed to stop taking into account claimants' financial state, their age, their intentions and level of remorse, among other factors. One of those attorneys was Shaw, who, like Funnié, has spent her career at Social Security.
After Funnié and Shaw repeatedly pressed Ennis and her deputies to have the cases reexamined and the penalties lowered - and were told no changes were planned - they were escorted out of the inspector general's headquarters in Woodlawn, Md., in September 2019 and placed on paid leave.
Following The Post's reporting in May, the acting Social Security commissioner opened an investigation into Ennis's oversight of the anti-fraud program. Two other inquiries into her conduct were launched, including one by the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency. The Office of Special Counsel, an independent office that protects federal employees and whistleblowers, also is investigating, according to Funnié and her attorney, who said they met with the special counsel investigator last week. (The special counsel's office declined to confirm whether an investigation is open, citing agency policy). The civil penalty program was suspended amid mounting political pressure from Congress and the White House.
With her legal bills soaring and on the brink of bankruptcy, Funnié settled with Ennis's office and returned to work last December as a special adviser. She kept her senior executive role making $185,000 a year, but with no staff.
For the first six weeks she was back on the job, her only assignment was to read two books on resilience and spirituality, she said. Her latest assignment, she said, is evaluating the department's administrative functions - a task requiring auditing skills she doesn't have. Her supervisor directed her in writing to seek his permission before speaking with colleagues to complete her assignments, she said.
Funnié was not given a performance plan - a key foundation of year-end appraisals and pay decisions - for more than seven months after repeated requests, she said; the plan she eventually received was not based on senior executive-level work.
Funnié's supervisor at one point told her to join a committee redesigning a logo, emails show - a role for which she was turned down because she lacked the necessary skills.
"I am merely requesting the opportunity to work for the salary I am earning, at an SES level, free of interference, hostility, and retaliation," she wrote in an email in September to Ennis and her deputies that detailed her claims she was sidelined. Funnié said she did not receive a response.
Shaw returned to work in early 2020 after four months. She, too, appealed the agency's action to the Merit Systems Protection Board. She was demoted from a supervisory GS-15, the highest pay grade on the scale that sets salaries for civilian federal employees, lost the staff she supervised, and continued to face a 45-day unpaid suspension the inspector general's office had proposed when she was marched out of headquarters.
In May, an administrative law judge ruled that Shaw had been the victim of "whistleblower reprisal" by Ennis's office. Judge Craig A. Berg found "significant evidence" that Ennis and her top staff "had motive to retaliate" against Shaw as she became a "vocal advocate" to reopen close to 100 cases whose penalties she found unconscionable. The judge ordered Ennis's office to give her back pay, return her to her supervisory role and remove potential for a suspension.
Ennis's staff has appealed the ruling to the three-member board of the merit systems office, effectively putting the judge's order on hold, with the exception that Shaw was returned to her GS-15 rank. Ennis's chief counsel, Michelle Murray - one of the management officials the judge found had retaliated against Shaw - wrote and signed the appeal and is now her second-line supervisor, controlling her work assignments, requests for training and other aspects of her job, according to Shaw.
Murray also serves as coordinator of Social Security's whistleblower protection program, according to the inspector general's website. Murray declined to comment for this story.
She said she continues to be denied assignments in her area of expertise, anti-fraud investigations. This summer, emails show, she was directed to write a legal opinion on the soundness of starting a book club to improve morale on Ennis's staff. (Ennis's office came in last of 432 federal departments in the most recent survey of the Best Places to Work in the Federal Government.)
Shaw also was reprimanded for helping colleagues who asked for advice on a fraud case - then scolded for sending two emails after duty hours in response to her supervisors at 6:28 p.m. and 6:51 p.m., emails show.
"I continue to be marginalized and left out of the loop on work being done in my component," Shaw wrote in an email to The Post. "Perhaps worst of all, my experience has become a cautionary tale for those who might otherwise speak about mismanagement, abuse of discretion and all sorts of serious wrongdoing within the [inspector general's] office."
The Senate finally confirmed a governing board at the merit systems office this spring after five years without a quorum, and thousands of appeals like Shaw's are still pending.
"Winning an administrative judge ruling is just a placeholder," Devine said. "If an agency appeals, the employee is left twisting in the wind until a decision by the full board, which with the current backlog can take years."
|
2022-10-29T12:05:13Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Social Security whistleblowers say they were sidelined for exposing fines | Social Issues | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/social_issues/social-security-whistleblowers-say-they-were-sidelined-for-exposing-fines/article_bded7b06-42f6-5e89-85a3-e80cece2d731.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/social_issues/social-security-whistleblowers-say-they-were-sidelined-for-exposing-fines/article_bded7b06-42f6-5e89-85a3-e80cece2d731.html
|
By Emily Burnham Bangor Daily News, Maine
“Candlepin,” a 26-minute film directed by Leighton, will debut on YouTube on Nov. 1. It’s an affectionate portrait of the Mainers and New Englanders who have kept the regionally specific sport alive over the decades, showcasing bowling centers from York to Aroostook counties.
Leighton worked with Northeast Historic Film to digitize clips from the organization’s extensive archive of footage from the Boston TV station WCVB from the 1970s and 80s. WCVB for years broadcast “Candlepin Bowling with Don Gillis,” showcasing tournaments held all over New England, and Maine had its own show on WABI, “Maine Candlepin Action.”
|
2022-10-29T13:58:54Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
New film about candlepin bowling celebrates the New England sport | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/new-film-about-candlepin-bowling-celebrates-the-new-england-sport/article_89b3b89c-0956-59f8-a6e9-0f897d3210f5.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/new-film-about-candlepin-bowling-celebrates-the-new-england-sport/article_89b3b89c-0956-59f8-a6e9-0f897d3210f5.html
|
By Pranshu Verma The Washington Post
That's a new potential reality, according to Scandinavian researchers. In a study released last week, scientists from universities in Sweden and Denmark said they transmitted nearly double an internet's worth of data through a fiber optic cable in one second using a laser-powered chip - a world record.
"The internet is a really, really huge energy consumer," Leif Katsuo Oxenløwe, a lead researcher on the study, said in an interview. "We need to be able to support a continuous growth of the internet, but we need to come up with new energy efficient technologies."
The chip works by using a single laser to create a rainbow of colors through a device called a "frequency comb." Those arrays of light carry data through fiber optic cables in a faster, less energy consuming manner.
"It's like . . . you're on the New Jersey Turnpike and all those cars are linked together in a way so that they move in unison," said John Ballato, a material science professor at Clemson University, who was not involved in the study.
Ballato said the Scandinavian team's speed results are exciting. "It's not very often that something like that comes along," he said.
The benefit is the chip's simple design, he said. Using that, along with a fiber optic cable that is specialized, but not incredibly hard to get, makes it possible companies might use this method to transmit data in the future, he said. "This is not a one-off thing," he said. "It's not a crazy exotic you think we'll make once and never again."
He acknowledged, however, that the design is still in the research phase and could take years to become mainstream. It's unlikely, he added, that internet companies will tear up fiber optic cables powering the internet that lay under the sea and replace them using this method.
It's more likely, he said, that this technology will be used in efforts to roll out local, shorter distance, 5G networks that data-hungry advances, such as autonomous vehicles, will need to rely on to function better.
"Everybody is clamoring for 5g," he said. "That's an extraordinarily [large amount] of power and bandwidth, capacity-hungry proposition."
|
2022-10-29T15:47:49Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
This chip transmits an internet's worth of data every second | Science & Technology | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/this-chip-transmits-an-internets-worth-of-data-every-second/article_bd8fe35c-0267-5713-8818-e3b938b49f6a.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/this-chip-transmits-an-internets-worth-of-data-every-second/article_bd8fe35c-0267-5713-8818-e3b938b49f6a.html
|
Russian President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, on Friday.
LONDON -- Russia said on Saturday that the accelerated deployment of modernized U.S. B61 tactical nuclear weapons at NATO bases in Europe would lower the "nuclear threshold" and that Russia would take the move into account in its military planning.
Amid the Ukraine crisis, Politico reported on Oct. 26 that the United States told a closed NATO meeting this month that it would accelerate the deployment of a modernized version of the B61, the B61-12, with the new weapons arriving at European bases in December, several months earlier than planned.
The Pentagon said it was not going to discuss the details of the U.S. nuclear arsenal and that the premise of the Politico article was wrong as the United States had long planned the modernization of its B61 nuclear weapons.
"Modernization of U.S. B61 nuclear weapons has been underway for years, and plans to safely and responsibly swap out older weapons for the upgraded B61-12 versions are part of a long-planned and scheduled modernization effort," Pentagon spokesman Oscar Seara said.
"It is in no way linked to current events in Ukraine and was not sped up in any way," Seara said in an emailed statement.
'Strategic significance'
The United States, according to the U.S. 2022 Nuclear Posture Review published on Thursday, will bolster nuclear deterrence with the F-35, the B61-12 bombs and a nuclear-armed air-launched cruise missile.
|
2022-10-29T20:53:27Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Russia says U.S. lowering 'nuclear threshold' with newer bombs in Europe | Military | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/russia-says-u-s-lowering-nuclear-threshold-with-newer-bombs-in-europe/article_ffd2155e-7389-5cc3-906c-f00abb744311.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/russia-says-u-s-lowering-nuclear-threshold-with-newer-bombs-in-europe/article_ffd2155e-7389-5cc3-906c-f00abb744311.html
|
A newspaper with a cover picture of Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by Iranian morality police is seen in Tehran on Sept. 18.
"This sinister plan, is a plan hatched ... in the White House and the Zionist regime," Salami said. "Don't sell your honor to America and don't slap the security forces who are defending you in the face."
The Twitter account 1500tasvir, which has nearly 300,000 followers, posted videos it said showed protesters in the northwestern city of Astara, lighting a bonfire with debris and motorbikes seized from police.
In another show of defiance, protesters in the small northern town of Lasht-e Nesha held a loud street rally chanting "Clerics must get lost!," according to a video on 1500tasvir.
Protestors on trial
A hardline Revolutionary Court began the trials of some of the 315 protesters charged so far in Tehran, at least five of whom are accused of capital offenses, the official news agency IRNA reported.
The defendants include a man accused of hitting and killing a police officer with his car and injuring five others, IRNA said. He is charged with "spreading corruption on earth," an offense punishable by death under Iran's Islamic laws.
Another man is charged with the capital offense of "moharebeh" - an Islamic term meaning warring against God - for allegedly attacking police with a knife and helping set fire to a government building in a town near Tehran, IRNA added.
|
2022-10-29T20:53:33Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Iran's Guards head warns protesters: 'Today is last day of riots' | Politics | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/irans-guards-head-warns-protesters-today-is-last-day-of-riots/article_e4634515-ccd1-5291-b782-6f8bbe26967c.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/irans-guards-head-warns-protesters-today-is-last-day-of-riots/article_e4634515-ccd1-5291-b782-6f8bbe26967c.html
|
Manchester police said in social media posts just before 4 p.m. Saturday that officers were working on South Willow Street near the mall, and asked the public to avoid the area. Half an hour later, the state Attorney General's Office said officials were responding to a suspicious death in the same area.
|
2022-10-29T22:33:55Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Police investigating suspicious death on South Willow Street near mall | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/police-investigating-suspicious-death-on-south-willow-street-near-mall/article_25751977-8a57-580d-9f34-307a58818488.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/police-investigating-suspicious-death-on-south-willow-street-near-mall/article_25751977-8a57-580d-9f34-307a58818488.html
|
Founders John O’Neil and Mel Bennett give a tour of Life Forest in Hillsborough on Oct. 20, 2022.
Founders John O’Neil and Mel Bennett stand in a field of withered ferns at Life Forest in Hillsborough on Oct. 20, 2022.
Founders John O'Neil and Mel Bennett walk down a path lined by birch trees at Life Forest in Hillsborough on Oct. 20, 2022.
A marker at Life Forest in Hillsborough contains the name and photo of the person interred there and a QR code that links to a site where family members can post memories, photos and videos of their loved one.
Founders John O'Neil and Mel Bennett visit a grave at Life Forest in Hillsborough, which they created after the death of Bennett's mother, who had told her daughter she wanted to become a tree after she died.
Founders Mel Bennett, left, and John O’Neil visit a wooded area of Life Forest cemetery, where trees will be planted in the future to mark burial sites.
Founders Mel Bennett, left, and John O’Neil stand atop a glacial rock, one of several natural features at Life Forest in Hillsborough.
Melissa LeBeau of Londonderry purchased this rose of Sharon tree to bury the cremated remains of her mother and sister at Life Forest in Hillsborough. The burial took place on Oct. 22.
By Shawne K. Wickham • Sunday News Staff
E ven in all her grief, Melissa LeBeau knew just what to do when her mother died unexpectedly last month.
Last weekend, on a postcard-perfect autumn day, LeBeau buried her mother’s ashes beneath a newly planted rose of Sharon bush at Life Forest cemetery in Hillsborough. She and her family and friends shared stories about her mom and placed red long-stemmed carnations at the burial site.
Life Forest is a “conservation cemetery,” where someone can have their cremated remains buried beneath a tree of their choice. It’s the first such place in New Hampshire and may well be unique in the entire country.
It’s where LeBeau’s mother had insisted she be laid to rest, after close family friends were buried there two years ago.
The ceremony was completely different from any funeral she had ever attended, said LeBeau, who lives in Londonderry. “People were dressed to be outside and people were there to celebrate the life of somebody they loved,” she said. “It wasn’t the typical everyone’s in black, everyone’s head’s down, everyone’s crying, everyone’s miserable…. None of that happened.”
“It’s down to earth, literally,” she said.
For Life Forest co-founders Mel Bennett and John O’Neil, their work is personal, even sacred.
“I think our responsibility is twofold: protecting the land as well as protecting the legacy,” Bennett said.
Life Forest bears little resemblance to a traditional cemetery. Its 13 acres are surrounded by another 86 acres of conservation land owned by the town of Hillsborough.
Deer, moose, coyote and porcupine live in these woods, and ferns and wildflowers are abundant. A pollinator garden draws butterflies and bees in the summertime, and birds eat the raspberries and blueberries that grow wild.
The burial sites are marked by trees and bushes, with small metal tags that bear the names and photos of those buried, along with a QR code that links to a site where families can share memories, photos, videos and other mementos.
The founders had to get approval from the local planning board and conservation commission, as well as the state departments of environmental services and agriculture. They worked with the state Bureau of Vital Statistics and the county Registry of Deeds to ensure Life Forest burials are properly recorded.
Bennett said families have deeded access to their burial plots that they can pass to future generations.
“It will always be there for our families to have this area of beautiful conservation land,” she said. “We want to make sure our people are really protected.”
Families get to know each other when they come to visit. One woman comes every Sunday, sitting on a bench near her husband’s tree. She always brings coffee and two pastries.
Another woman who bought a plot for her future burial told Bennett, “I can imagine my granddaughter getting married under my tree.”
“It’s a building of community as well as just a beautiful space,” O’Neil said. “It really is developing into a much larger thing that I think either of us thought.”
A place for best friend
At Life Forest, the ashes of beloved pets can be buried in the family plot as well.
One of the first trees that greets a visitor to Life Forest is a “pink diamond” hydrangea. Buried underneath are the ashes of a man and his dogs.
When a bird built its nest among the branches, the man’s husband was overjoyed, Bennett said. “It makes him feel like he’s happy where he is,” she said. “And that’s the beauty of nature.”
To date, 45 people and 30 pets have been buried in the forest. Bennett said she feels a connection with every family who has come here.
One man came from New York state to bury the remains of his wife, who had been an opera singer, under a peach tree, her favorite. On the day of the burial, her husband played a recording of her singing.
“And to this day, I can look at that tree and I hear her voice,” Bennett said. “That is the gift.”
Life Forest uses soft woolen shrouds to protect the cremated remains. As the wool biodegrades, it releases sulfur, nitrogen and magnesium that offset the elements produced by the process of cremation. Otherwise, the salinity might kill the tree.
The property features a few manmade elements, including a “phone of the wind,” modeled after a phone booth set up in Japan after the 2011 tsunami that killed thousands. An old-fashioned rotary telephone is attached to a large tree, where visitors can “call” their loved ones to deliver a message.
“You know who really likes it? The little kids who’ve lost a parent,” Bennett said.
Some men struggle to process their grief, Bennett said. She gently points them to a trail that leads down to a brook. “They come back different,” she said. “It’s a kind of lovely unfolding you get to experience.”
A natural end
Bennett’s mom was the first person buried at Life Forest.
Her mother, who died in her 60s from early-onset Alzheimer’s, “was an amazing human being,” Bennett said.
The family lived in Lawrence, Mass., when Bennett was growing up, but her mother insisted on getting the children out to play. “She would take us to these big, rolling Catholic cemeteries,” she said.
She hated it, she remembers telling her mother: “It’s scary and it’s depressing and I just don’t want to be here.”
She had no reason to be afraid, her mother reassured her. “It’s just natural to die,” she told her. “Someday I’ll die and become a tree.”
So after her mother died in 2016, Bennett began looking for a cemetery where she could plant a tree and bury her mom’s ashes underneath. “Nobody would do it,” she said.
A chance conversation with John O’Neil changed everything.
Both Bennett and O’Neil have adopted children from China. At a gathering for their adoptive family group in 2019, Bennett told O’Neil she was thinking of buying a piece of land so she could bury her mother’s remains under a tree.
O’Neil loved the idea at once.
By the next day, they had decided to create a cemetery for others like them who want a more natural place to bury their loved ones.
A practical beauty
O’Neil, who has worked in real estate for 25 years, brings a wealth of knowledge about laws governing land use. They enlisted help from others to create Life Forest, including a tree surgeon and end-of-life experts.
Colton Sawyer, who teaches mathematics at Southern New Hampshire University and is Life Forest’s director of mapping technology, created a system that uses GPS data to locate burial sites within Life Forest, so that visitors will be able to find them in the future.
Sawyer said he always feels a sense of calm when he’s at Life Forest. “Watching how the forest has grown up around the love and care that people have put into this place has been absolutely amazing,” he said.
Lee Webster, past president of the Green Burial Council, said Life Forest — while technically not “green burial” because it handles cremated remains rather than bodies — is providing a vital service for generations to come.
The cremation rate in New Hampshire in 2020 was 77.5%, the fifth-highest in the nation, according to the Cremation Association of North America. It was even higher during the pandemic.
Genealogical research is conducted through cemetery records, Webster said. When someone’s ashes are scattered in the ocean or on a mountaintop, she said, the record ends at the crematorium.
But the names of those buried in Life Forest cemetery are recorded forever in Hillsborough town records as well as the county registry of deeds.
In the three years since its founding, the forest has stood in silent witness to terrible sorrow.
Among those buried here: a young man who died in violence, another who died by suicide, a young woman lost to a drug overdose.
At the funeral of a young father, the man’s two little boys brought shovels to help plant their dad’s tree. It was heartbreaking, Bennett said.
But this has since become a place where the boys come to see their dad’s tree and hike in the woods, she said. “These children now don’t feel scared to visit their dad,” she said. “It kind of feels like a comma, not a period.”
Some families bring relatives’ cremated remains that they’ve kept for many years.
Last weekend, along with her mother’s remains, Melissa LeBeau buried the ashes of her sister, who was 38 when she died of a drug overdose in 2017.
Her sister Renee was “the victim of a really bad life,” she said. “Mental illness undiagnosed turned into addiction uncontrolled. It ripped the family apart and killed her.”
Last Saturday’s burial at Life Forest brought a sense of relief, and release, for her mother and her sister, LeBeau said.
“It reunited them,” she said. “My mom was able to be back with her baby.”
For more: thelifeforest.com.
|
2022-10-29T22:34:01Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Life Forest: A unique cemetery in the woods of Hillsborough | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/life-forest-a-unique-cemetery-in-the-woods-of-hillsborough/article_18cdb471-bb70-57c4-bc79-fbb45c6a91de.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/life-forest-a-unique-cemetery-in-the-woods-of-hillsborough/article_18cdb471-bb70-57c4-bc79-fbb45c6a91de.html
|
Shannon Morrissette of Citizens Bank visits children at a Citizens Bank Champion in Action volunteer event the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua on Wednesday. The bank’s Champion in Action is a support program for nonprofit organizations addressing social challenges facing their communities.
Barbara Plamondon of Citizens Bank works on a mural with Shanelly Moran, 10, of Nashua at a Champion in Action volunteer event the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua on Wednesday. The bank’s Champion in Action is a support program for nonprofit organizations addressing social challenges facing their communities.
Barbara Plamondon of Citizens Bank works with Prime Ngoyi, 11, of Nashua while painting a mural at a Citizens Bank Champion in Action volunteer event the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua on Wednesday. The bank's Champion in Action is a support program for nonprofit organizations addressing social challenges facing their communities.
Joseph Carelli, president of Citizens New Hampshire, holds a check for $35,000 with help from Harper Archer Evans, 7, from Nashua, during a Champions in Action presentation by Citizens to the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua in July.
Thomas Roy/Union Leader/file
By Mike Cote Union Leader Staff
Volunteers from Citizens spent Wednesday afternoon painting a mural inside the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Nashua — making good on the bank’s promise to pay special attention to the nonprofit.
In July, Citizens recognized the club as a Champion in Action, an honor that includes $35,000 in unrestricted funding, promotional support, advertising and news coverage.
Twice a year, the bank chooses a champion through a program now celebrating its 20th anniversary. The New Hampshire Union Leader serves as media partner.
Since the program was launched — beginning first in the Granite State — Citizens has awarded more than $10 million in contributions and promotional support to 367 nonprofits in several states.
In New Hampshire, 58 nonprofits have been honored, receiving more than $1.6 million. The lack of strings attached to the financial award enables nonprofits to spend it on immediate needs.
“When I speak to nonprofit executives after the fact, the common denominator around the funding is that it is incredibly impactful when it comes in an unrestricted fashion so that it’s not specially earmarked for a program or doesn’t come with the need for a matching grant,” said Joe Carelli, president, Citizens New Hampshire.
Some nonprofits have used the money to expand their reach or to jump-start new programs.
NeighborWorks of Southern New Hampshire was named a Champion in 2008, when it used a $25,000 grant from Citizens toward expansion and rebranding.
“It was good timing for us because we were growing as an organization. We needed to become recognized more regionally,” said Executive Director Robert Tour-igny.
The nonprofit, which now has 500 units in its portfolio and works in 81 communities, was evolving to reach beyond the Queen City. A couple of years after receiving the Champion in Action award, it expanded into Nashua.
“Our strategy was to be more of a regional housing provider to help address some of the affordable housing gaps in the more suburban communities and not be just thought of as an urban redevelopment organization,” Tourigny said.
When YWCA New Hampshire was named a Champion in 2004, its focus was on crisis services to support survivors of domestic and sexual violence.
Jessica Cantin, who became CEO of the YWCA in 2015, said the $25,000 grant helped pave the way for the crisis services model the Y uses today.
“Without really intentionally thinking about it, Citizens was being innovative in the sense that they were uplifting work that isn’t always considered glamorous in the community but is at the same time very impactful,” Cantin said.
She praised the bank for shining the spotlight on a nonprofit whose mission addresses tough truths.
“It’s not warm and fuzzy and immediately gratifying – like donating Christmas presents or helping someone out who is unhoused,” Cantin said. “It’s work that you often don’t see the impact right away because that person is probably experiencing a really challenging time in their life.”
It’s been only six years since Families in Transition was named a Champion in Action, but the Manchester nonprofit has grown dramatically since then.
In 2017, it merged with New Horizons, another nonprofit that was providing housing, food and other services to the homeless and other people in need. That year, the nonprofit also was contracted by the state to take over transitional housing after the financial collapse of Serenity Place, an addiction treatment center in Manchester.
“We now do the adult emergency shelter program, and we also have what’s now supportive housing that was Angie’s Shelter at the time,” said Stephanie Savard, chief external relations officer.
Last year, the nonprofit provided affordable housing and emergency shelter to more than 1,500 people, including nearly 200 families.
Families in Transition invested its $35,000 Champion funds to help support its family emergency shelter.
“It really was a way to anchor the supportive services and emergency shelter that we offer for that program,” Savard said.
Needs remain
The battles continues for veteran Champions.
For 30 years, NeighborWorks has been addressing the need for affordable housing in New Hampshire — a need that has become more acute as the state struggles to provide enough housing to attract and retain workers.
“For the longest time we were all by ourselves beating the drums around needing more housing inventory, specifically more affordable housing. And now it’s affecting everybody,” Tourigny said. “I guess the silver lining to the gray cloud is it’s got everybody’s attention.
“But the problem is, it’s 10 times more challenging than it’s ever been because costs are at an all-time high, demand is at an all-time high,” he said.
Families in Transition, which holds its annual fundraiser breakfast Nov. 22 at the DoubleTree hotel in Manchester, faces rising demands — and rising costs — for its services, Savard said.
“As COVID relief funds are winding down, the need for homeless service, food insecurity services – that’s going to go up,” she said. “We are so in need of our community really wrapping around us with donations and support right now because our costs are so much higher.”
YWCA New Hampshire operates out of a building that is more than a century old.
“I think the biggest challenge that we’re facing right now is being able to increase our operational funding support, being able to ensure that all the communities that need our support that we can reach them through them understanding what our program and services are,” Cantin said.
Champion credentials
When Citizens selects recipients for the Champion in Action award, it examines a nonprofit’s fiscal strength, community impact, board effectiveness and volunteer base.
Carelli, the Citizens New Hampshire president, has worked for the bank for 30 years and has been involved in the Champion in Action program since its inception. He has learned firsthand about the work of New Hampshire’s nonprofits.
With each cycle, the program has a specific focus area. Girls Inc., a Champion in 2021, was chosen for its work in mental health support and education.
“Sharron McCarthy, who is the executive director, was really walking us through how in the depth of COVID, this program that they put together was really helping young girls overcome some of the social challenges of the COVID impact,” he said. “It’s really incredibly fulfilling to see how these dollars have been put into action.”
Mike Cote is senior editor for news and business. Contact him at mcote@unionleader.com or 206-7724.
|
2022-10-30T00:09:49Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Champions in Action: Citizens program celebrates, supports NH nonprofits | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/champions-in-action-citizens-program-celebrates-supports-nh-nonprofits/article_fb8bcc9c-7f8e-53d6-83f1-a19649e177ff.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/champions-in-action-citizens-program-celebrates-supports-nh-nonprofits/article_fb8bcc9c-7f8e-53d6-83f1-a19649e177ff.html
|
Rendering of first phase of new gaming hall proposed by the owners of Concord Casino.
Provided by Concord Casino
Former Manchester Alderman Mike Lopez places a roulette bet while touring the building during the grand opening of Filotimo Casino and Restaurant and a Draftkings Sportsbook facility in Manchester in September 2020.
Thomas Roy/Union Leader File
Matt Wyman, left, deals Texas hold ‘em at Boston Billiard Club and Casino in Nashua in August 2022.
The owners of the Concord Casino hope to expand as part of a multi-phase project that will include a charitable gaming facility, restaurant, events center and hotel.
Concord Casino is among several Granite State charitable gaming businesses aiming to expand their operations.
The proposed hospitality venue would be built on Break O’Day Drive off of Loudon Road. The parcel is visible from Interstate 393. Phase 1 calls for a 24,000-square-foot gaming hall and a 4,800-square-foot restaurant.
Andy and Laurie Sanborn, managing partners, will be presenting the plans to the Concord Planning Board. Andy Sanborn is a former Republican state senator from Bedford and Laurie is a state representative.
Andy Sanborn said the project will be a gateway to those visiting or passing through Concord from the west or north. The east side of the city remains largely undeveloped, according to the project application.
A big part of the move has to do with adding historic horse racing, approved last year. Historic horse racing games look and operate similar to other gaming machines, but players pick winners of randomly selected horse races that have already been run.
Historic horse racing had brought in $450,000 to the state with only two locations licensed so far, according to Rick Newman, a New Hampshire lobbyist for the industry. A third venue, The Lucky Moose Casino & Tavern, also offers the machines.
“As it begins to ramp up, the state revenue will increase,” he said. The entire industry is set to bring in $18 million to $22 million for charity from bingo, Lucky 7 and other games of chance.
Eventually more facilities will offer historic horse racing.
Filotimo Casino & Restaurant in Manchester has been outfitted for the machines, but is still waiting to be licensed, according to owner Dick Anagnost.
Many such casinos are looking to expand to maximize the amount of money that can be raised for charity as allowed under state regulations.
Anagnost has also expanded and waiting to licensed in Dover and Keene. Facilites in Conway and Lebanon are under construction, he said.
Recently, some national gaming operators had bought or entered into an agreement to buy casinos.
New Hampshire has a scaled-back version of gambling with maximum bets, which is more of a form of entertainment, Anagnost said.
Kentucky-based Churchill Downs bought Chasers Poker Room in Salem and Buffalo-based Delaware North entered an agreement to buy Boston Billiards Club in Nashua.
Chasers will expand into a former Kmart.
The Brook has undergone a multimillion dollar renovation since Nevada-based Eureka Casino Resort acquired the former Seabrook Park property in 2019.
There are 15 charitable gaming facilities across the state.
Anagnost said out-of-state companies have bought out local operators because of the costs associated with expanding to include the new machines.
“You see more of that with the cost of $25,000 per machine,” he said.
The Sanborns opened the small downtown casino in 2019, knowing allowing wagers on historical horse racing would pass the Legislature.
“We opened up a very small facility acknowledging that we were going to build something bigger to accommodate the market need,”’ Andy Sanborn said. “We kind of waited for HHR to pass.”
For more than a year, the Sanborns have looked for a space to relocate before coming upon the highly visible vacant parcel. The casino will undergo a rebranding and be renamed.
“It is a great piece of land,” he said. “It sits directly on 393 basically right near the on- and off-ramp.”
Sanborn said adding historic horse racing will help the business double its charitable contributions.
“For us, it is all about trying to take pressure off of the state budget and off of local budgets,” he said. “Providing an entertainment venue where people can come have some fun and in doing so help those in most need in our communities.”
The building will reflect an old mill building and the restaurant will pay homage to New Hampshire, which includes an opportunity to display an historic Concord Coach in the lobby. The landscape will be enhanced with birch and maple trees.
The future hotel and event center will be designed to be “exciting, fun and funky” and designed for both businesspeople and tourists. The event space could hold small concerts and other events.
He acknowledged the industry is coming off of tough times during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Most people are trying to get back to some sense of normalcy and business and business is conducting itself again,” he said.
Anagnost said the projects will be a boon for the charities the gaming facilities support and state for the taxes revenue.
“Instead of having a large casino interest come in and have all that money shipped to wherever there headquarters are, most of the money stays for the most part right here in our state,” he said. “And it benefits the most needy.”
|
2022-10-30T00:09:55Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Concord Casino wants to build new venue; others expand for historic horse racing | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/concord-casino-wants-to-build-new-venue-others-expand-for-historic-horse-racing/article_7d382867-3fe7-5b21-9a56-1fdea4195f75.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/concord-casino-wants-to-build-new-venue-others-expand-for-historic-horse-racing/article_7d382867-3fe7-5b21-9a56-1fdea4195f75.html
|
Joe Carelli, president of Citizens Bank for New Hampshire and Vermont, has a positive outlook for business despite concerns about inflation.
JOE CARELLI considers himself a “glass half-full” type of a guy. The Citizens Bank New Hampshire president’s outlook on the economy is infused with a dose of optimism, a refreshing change from grim talk about a looming recession.
“New Hampshire is unique. When the rest of the country is affected, sometimes we don’t get affected as deeply, and we come out quicker,” Carelli said Thursday. “And I’m hoping this stays true for the Northern New England market, and more importantly, the rest of our country.”
He has fresh numbers on his side.
The U.S. economy posted its first period of positive growth for 2022 in the third quarter, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reported Thursday. Gross Domestic Product growth increased 2.6%, a bit higher than forecasters had expected.
“A large component of that increase is the trade imbalance. We sold more overseas than we imported,” Carelli said. “That really demonstrates strong demand for U.S. goods and services.”
Business growth in New Hampshire is also ticking up. The Citizens Business Conditions Index for New Hampshire increased 1.7 percent in the third quarter, to 55.2, a 5% rise over the same period last year.
The national Citizens Bank Conditions Index rose nearly 6%, to 56.1, regaining momentum after a drop in the second quarter. While inflation remains a top concern, the employment market has been steady.
“Why are some companies feeling good in spite of inflation, high energy prices and high commodity costs? Their inventory positions are starting to moderate. Their supply chain disruptions are easing,” Carelli said.
Businesses are beginning to catch up with customer demand.
“Companies that have been working really, really hard to rebuild their inventories so that they can meet their customers’ needs are in a much better position today,” Carelli said.
But higher prices are taking their toll.
“The companies I talk to, inflation is their number one concern. And while the Fed has been increasing interest rates, it’s really too early in the cycle to really see any tangible results,” he said.
The Citizens Business Conditions Index is made of several components, including trends in job employment in manufacturing and nonmanufacturing.
“Both of those over the last quarter were expanding. Service sector numbers, which is a very broad sector, was also picking up,” Carelli said. “And then we look at proprietary business data, led by utilities and basic materials. All of those improved, all boosted by commodities and energy prices.”
A component that did not show growth was new business formation, which remained flat.
“I’m hearing mixed reviews from customers,” said Carelli, who has been working in the New Hampshire market for 30 years. “Our credit portfolios are still very, very strong. I feel good. From a guy that’s looking over a portfolio of companies in six New England states and upstate New York, I’m seeing that the portfolio is holding up well.”
And that’s a good thing should a recession take hold.
“Our clients are very well positioned with strong balance sheets and really good liquidity,” Carelli said. “Regardless of what the future looks like, if a company is well-positioned, they have a much better ability to absorb any potential downdraft.”
While consumers have been hit hard with inflation and rising gasoline and energy prices, they thus far have remained resilient.
“Consumer sentiment has been able to be buoyed by increases in wages. It will be interesting to see how it plays out as we go into the winter months with increased energy costs.”
While he remains optimistic, Carelli tempered his outlook. Economic forecasting can never account for the great unknown, such as the effectiveness of the Federal Reserve’s interest hikes.
We would add the war in the Ukraine, which has caused much of the havoc in global markets.
“There are a lot of triggers that could very quickly change what the future looks like,” Carelli said.
|
2022-10-30T00:10:01Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
NH Business: Citizens Bank president keeps his econ glass half full | NH Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/nh_business/nh-business-citizens-bank-president-keeps-his-econ-glass-half-full/article_0b02939a-59b6-549d-8254-79ae1a17a8bb.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/nh_business/nh-business-citizens-bank-president-keeps-his-econ-glass-half-full/article_0b02939a-59b6-549d-8254-79ae1a17a8bb.html
|
Manchester police said in social media posts just before 4 p.m. Saturday that officers were working on South Willow Street near the mall, and asked the public to avoid the area. Half an hour later, the state Attorney General’s Office said officials were responding to a suspicious death in the same area.
Police closed off the southbound lanes of South Willow Street near the mall just south of Interstate 293, backing up traffic to Weston Road, about a mile away.
|
2022-10-30T00:10:13Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Police investigate 'suspicious' death on S. Willow Street | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/police-investigate-suspicious-death-on-s-willow-street/article_e9573615-3561-5e5f-96d6-2ac6d27b96fb.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/police-investigate-suspicious-death-on-s-willow-street/article_e9573615-3561-5e5f-96d6-2ac6d27b96fb.html
|
Green burial advocate Lee Webster, pictured here at Life Forest in Hillsborough, said having such a place — where cremated remains are interred and then registered in town records — is important in a state where more than three-quarters of those who die are cremated.
The Green Burial Council (greenburialcouncil.org) defines green burial as “a way of caring for the dead with minimal environmental impact.” It involves burying bodies “without impediment” such as embalming, liners or vaults, and using biodegradable containers or shrouds.
Supporters point out it’s the way our ancestors were buried for hundreds, even thousands, of years.
Author and long-time “funeral reform advocate” Lee Webster, the past president of the Green Burial Council, founded New Hampshire Funeral Resources, Education & Advocacy, which provides resources for families.
New Hampshire actually has few restrictions for burying your dead here, Webster says.
By state law, embalming is not required unless the body is held for public viewing for longer than 24 hours. Otherwise, families can choose green burials for loved ones at home or in local cemeteries — provided the cemetery rules allow for the practice.
Approximately 360 cemeteries in the U.S. and Canada now allow burial without vaults, Webster said. “It has hit critical mass,” she said.
Peter Morin, executive director of the New Hampshire Funeral Directors Association, said his organization supports green burials.
“It’s sort of like what’s new is old,” he said. “The way things were done when we still all lived in communities and villages and everyone stayed pretty close to home.”
If a family asks a funeral director about being more environmentally conscious, Morin said, “the options are unlimited now, they really are.”
Morin said some families choose a casket made from bamboo or wicker, or a woolen shroud. “Most of it tends to be a trend toward just wanting something simpler,” he said.
Another trend is having a funeral at home, “as it was decades ago and centuries ago,” Morin said.
Modern funeral practices evolved during the Civil War, Morin said. “For the first time in our nation’s history, we had large numbers of, primarily, men dying far away from home,” he said. “They were being killed in battle, and their one desire was to be sent home and to be buried at home.”
That’s when embalming caught on, he said.
A growing number of municipal cemeteries in New Hampshire are creating spaces for green burials.
Jill Huckins, cemetery administrator for the City of Concord, said she’s been getting a lot more calls asking about that option. Currently, the city requires vaults for burials, but Huckins is looking for a place that would be appropriate for green burials.
Most cemeteries require vaults because the natural settlement that occurs when a casket and body decompose can cause problems for the equipment used to maintain the grounds, explained Huckins, who is president of the New Hampshire Cemetery Association. “So when we do go forward with a green burial section, we’ll take that into consideration,” she said.
She expects that will happen within the next five years.
For now, Huckins said, “The family is allowed to have their loved one placed in a grave so that their body is on the earth,” with a concrete vault inverted on top. About two dozen families a year choose that option, she said.
Why it’s changing again
Margaret Drye, a cemetery trustee in Plainfield, said her town is moving ahead to allow green burials in its 13 municipal cemeteries.
Drye said the trustees did their homework, inviting Lee Webster to give a presentation. “The more we looked, the more we liked the option,” she said.
They did a survey of town residents and then brought a warrant article to the March town meeting, asking if residents supported the trustees’ efforts “to begin developing policies and procedures to allow green burial in town cemeteries.”
“That passed unanimously,” Drye said.
The town is currently drawing up those rules and regulations. Ultimately, she said, “That will be just another option you can do with your plot in Plainfield.”
It’s something that funeral director Morin, 70, said he and his wife have talked about for themselves.
“It’s nothing new,” Morin said. “It’s just the way we used to do things.”
Drye, who grew up in a family of morticians, said green burial appeals to her, too. “It’s very nice,” she said.
“Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
NHfuneral.org offers information about green burial, including a list of cemeteries that offer natural and “hybrid” burial.
|
2022-10-30T00:10:19Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Green burial becoming more popular in NH | Environment | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/environment/green-burial-becoming-more-popular-in-nh/article_9ff67520-48f8-5148-9ff7-5ac295af1c22.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/environment/green-burial-becoming-more-popular-in-nh/article_9ff67520-48f8-5148-9ff7-5ac295af1c22.html
|
City Hall: What's in a name? A lot of Manchester history
A lot, when it involves requests to name and rename two spots in the city after prominent Manchester residents.
Aldermen gave their blessing last week to two such requests — one from Mayor Joyce Craig to rename Barrister Lane (which runs alongside Veterans Memorial Park) after former Police Chief Thomas J. King, the other from state Sen. Lou D’Allesandro to name an alleyway near the entry to Prout Park to “General Richard Vercauteren Way,” after the late brigadier general.
In a memo to aldermen, Craig said she has been in contact with King’s family, who asked the city to consider naming something after the former chief to commemorate his 100th birthday last June.
“After working with Public Works Director (Tim) Clougherty, it was confirmed that Barrister Lane, that runs between Merrimack and Central Streets behind the County Courthouse, can be renamed,” Craig wrote in her request. “I am respectfully requesting the Lands & Buildings Committee approve renaming Barrister Lane to Chief Thomas J. King Lane in honor of his tremendous contributions to our community.”
According to information provided by the city, King was born in Manchester, a first-generation Irish-American, from parents who immigrated from the west of Ireland to start a new life in the Manchester mills.
Upon graduation from Central High School, King enlisted in the U.S. Navy before embarking on a 40-year career with the Manchester Police Department.
King joined MPD in 1950 and walked downtown beats as a patrolman, rising through the ranks until being appointed chief in 1975.
He was chief for 16 years before retiring in 1991 after 40 years of service.
“Tom was proud of his profession and believed law enforcement was about helping people,” Craig wrote.. “His policing style emphasized ‘community policing’ before it was accepted as a national best practice. Tom’s career was characterized by fairness and respect.
“Under his leadership, the Manchester Police Department became one of the first police departments in the United States and the first in New Hampshire to achieve professional accreditation. This was one of the many achievements that helped develop the Manchester Police Department into the professional, well-respected department it is today.”
Once retired, King continued his community service by re-establishing the Manchester St. Patrick’s Day Parade committee in 1994 and serving as president. The parade has an award in his honor given to a recipient of non-Irish heritage “who has contributed to the betterment of Manchester.”
“The parade continues to this day and offers a chance for all citizens to gather and celebrate what has become a multicultural holiday,” Craig wrote. “Tom’s successful career was closely tied with the strength of his unique capacity to build respectful relationships with people — from all walks of life. He often used a shamrock as a metaphor for the values he held to his heart; faith, family, and friends.”
The second request looks to honor Vercauteren, who grew up in the Queen City and played sports at Prout Park as a youth.
Vercauteren graduated from Bishop Bradley High School (now part of Trinity High School) and then Providence College. He served in Vietnam and had a distinguished career in the U.S. Marine Corps., rising to the rank of brigadier general.
“To my knowledge, he is the highest-ranking Marine officer to come out of Manchester,” D’Allesandro wrote in a memo to aldermen. “He received numerous commendations, including the Silver Star.”
The alley will have signage at the entryway marking “General Richard Vercauteren Way.”
Cards for the military
The mayor’s office on the third floor of City Hall, 1 City Hall Plaza, will again be a drop-off location for holiday cards for the military.
Founded in 2017 by Dr. Laura Landerman-Garber, the goal of Holiday Cards for Our Military Challenge is delivering personalized, signed expressions of respect, caring and gratitude to deployed U.S. troops.
“Participating in Holiday Cards for our Military Challenge is an easy and impactful way to recognize our service members and let them know they’re not alone during the winter holiday season,” Craig said in a statement.
Cards should adhere to the the following guidelines:
1. Use a greeting card or a piece of paper (no larger than 8.5 x 11) folded in half.
2. Start the card with “Dear Warrior.”
3. Write a personal note about yourself and your community. Share how you celebrate the holidays, a favorite holiday memory or draw a holiday scene. Feel free to be serious, funny or both, but remember to use appropriate and respectful language, and that our troops are diverse in their holiday practices and beliefs.
4. Sign your first name only, along with your city or town, and state. Include your school, business or community group if you want to.
5. Envelopes are not necessary. If you do include an envelope, do not seal it. If you want to, you can write “Warrior” on the outside, and decorate the envelope.
The 2022 deadline is Nov. 18. Cards submitted after the deadline will be used for later mailings.
Drop off completed cards at the Office of Mayor Joyce Craig, 3rd floor of City Hall at 1 City Hall Plaza. Cards also may be addressed as “Holiday Card Challenge” and sent to P.O. Box 103, Hollis, NH 03049.
If using FedEx or UPS, please send to: Holiday Card Challenge, 5 Hutchings Drive, Suite 100, Unit 103 Hollis, NH 03049.
For more information, visit the Holiday Cards for Our Military Challenge website at militaryholidaycardchallenge.com.
Money for more housing
City aldermen have approved $3 million in federal funds to increase the number of affordable housing units in the city through three projects.
Lincoln Avenue Capital, a Santa Monica, California, firm, will develop two buildings of affordable housing, one at 351 Chestnut St., the site of the former police station, and a second replacing a parking lot across the street at the corner of Chestnut and Merrimack streets. Together, the projects will create approximately 142 studio, one- and two-bedroom units, affordable for individuals at up to 60% of the area median income.
|
2022-10-30T00:10:32Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
City Hall: What's in a name? A lot of Manchester history | City Hall | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/city_hall/city-hall-whats-in-a-name-a-lot-of-manchester-history/article_1e0fe25e-31ef-579d-a761-d34acae7e031.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/city_hall/city-hall-whats-in-a-name-a-lot-of-manchester-history/article_1e0fe25e-31ef-579d-a761-d34acae7e031.html
|
Gilford girls cap perfect season with Division III title
BEDFORD — Ever since squandering a two-goal lead as the No. 2 seed in a 4-3 loss to Stevens in last year’s Division III quarterfinals, the Gilford High School field hockey players vowed to make things right this fall.
The Golden Eagles perfectly executed their plan with an undefeated season.
Sophomore Olivia Keenan and senior Alysen Pichette scored the goals as top-seeded Gilford put the final stamp on a 17-0 season with a 2-0 victory over No. 7 Bishop Brady in Saturday’s Division III championship game at Bedford High School.
“I told them this season was their revenge tour,” Gilford coach Dave Rogacki said. “I told them you know how to play the game. Just focus on the fundamentals.”
“We just keep coming and coming and you never see us play backwards,” Rogacki said. “We just keep moving forward and the seniors were great this year.”
After a scoreless first quarter, Keenan scored the first goal off a penalty corner to give Gilford a 1-0 lead with eight minutes left in the second quarter.
“I’m so excited. We didn’t give up and we just kept moving the ball, Keenan said. “We just wanted to get out to a fast start.”
Keenan then found Pichette to give Gilford a two-goal cushion midway through the fourth quarter.
Bishop Brady (11-7) was making its fourth straight trip to the title game, after it won in 2019 and 2020 and lost to Hopkinton last year.
“Our goal was to be here in the finals and we met our goal. I couldn’t be more proud,” said Bishop Brady coach Kelly Owen. “We had possession for most of the first quarter, but then they got one at halftime. They had eight seniors, and they had more of a run at the end than we did.”
Gilford outscored their opponents 78-13 this season, which included a 3-2 win over No. 4 Mascenic in the semifinals.
“We were ahead at Mascoma midway through the season, they came back and tied, but we responded and won in overtime (3-2),” Rogacki said. “That’s when I knew this was a special group.”
|
2022-10-30T00:10:44Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Gilford girls cap perfect season with Division III title | Sports | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/gilford-girls-cap-perfect-season-with-division-iii-title/article_d4f35c9a-63e0-524a-a202-d0e2bd090f30.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/gilford-girls-cap-perfect-season-with-division-iii-title/article_d4f35c9a-63e0-524a-a202-d0e2bd090f30.html
|
Souhegan's Romy Jain rolls out while being pursued by Plymouth’s Matt Cleary during action earlier this season. Cleary scored two touchdowns on Saturday against Sanborn.
High School Football Roundup: Plymouth, West finish regular season with victories
Dylan Welch scored three touchdowns and Matt Cleary two — including a pick-six — as Plymouth Regional beat Sanborn 49-18 in a Division II regular-season finale on Saturday.
Mason Lessard and Landon Fogg also scored TDs for the Bobcats, who will take a 5-4 record into the playoffs.
Man. West 27, Hillsboro-Deering 6: On Saturday, Joe Ramos passed for 213 yards and two touchdowns, ran for 81 yards and had a pick-six to lead West (3-6). His TD passes went to Taylor Gallant and covered 48 and 49 yards. Miguel Sanchez added 111 total yards, including a 52-yard TD run. C.J. Taylor had three tackles, an interception and a sack.
Gilford/Belmont 34, St. Thomas 7: In Dover, quarterback Isaiah Reese completed 7 of 11 passes for 109 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for 151 yards on 11 carries as Gilford/Belmont (9-0) earned the No. 1 seed for the Division II tournament. Michael Kitto ran for 158 yards and two TDs for the Golden Eagles. St. Thomas dropped to 4-5.
Pelham 49, Hanover 13: In Hanover, Dom Herrling ran for 89 yards and three touchdowns (24, 27 and 11 yards) to help the Pythons improve to 9-0 and secure the No. 2 seed for the Division II playoffs. Pelham scored 42 points in the second quarter. Hanover (6-3) received a 54-yard TD pass from quarterback Roger Lucas to Ryan O’Hearn, and a 12-yard TD run from Jason Oriole.
Bow 33, Laconia 6: In Laconia, Ryan Lover (45 yards), Gavin McCabe (5 yards), Owen Guertin (35 yards), Hollis Jones (15) and Owen Walton (3 yards) had TD runs for the Falcons, who improved their record to 8-1.
Merrimack 24, Bedford 21: In Bedford, senior running back Reimello Hyde ran for touchdowns covering 7, 3 and 2 yards and added a two-point conversion to help Merrimack past Bedford 24-21 in a Division I regular-season finale at Bulldog Stadium. Reese Lopez opened the scoring with a 26-yard field goal for the Tomahawks (6-2). Quarterback Danny Black went 17-for-25 with 256 yards and three TDs for Bedford (5-3). Dom Taglaferro caught five of those passes for 134 yards and a score.
Exeter 41, Memorial 30: In Exeter, quarterback Evan Pafford ran for a touchdown and tossed a TD pass to tight end Ryan Graney to help the Blue Hawks improve their record to 6-2.
The victory means Exeter will likely be the No. 3 seed and get a bye for the first-round of the playoffs. Ethan Moss kicked two field goals for the Blue Hawks. Memorial fell to 2-7.
Londonderry 41, Salem 7: In Salem, quarterback Drew Heenan threw two touchdown passes and Andrew Soucy scored on runs of 8 and 10 yards as Londonderry improved to 8-1 (8-0 NHIAA) and locked up the No. 1 seed for the Division I playoffs. Heenan’s TD passes were caught by Trevor Weinman (38 yards) and Matthew Carroll (29). Salem (2-7) scored on a 38-yard TD pass from Nolan Lumley to Justice Casado.
Winnacunnet 14, Spaulding 13: In Hampton, Conor Fenlon scored on a 46-yard TD run and Syncere Bailey added a 6-yard TD run to help the Warriors improve to 2-7. Seth Cortina ran for 77 yards and a touchdowns on 17 carries for Spaulding, which fell to 4-5 (3-5 NHIAA).
Epping/Newmarket 30, Kearsarge 28 (OT): In North Sutton, Damon Dawson’s third TD reception of the game pulled the Cougars within two points in overtime, but Epping/Newmarket stopped the conversion and raised its record to 3-6.
Kearsarge QB Parker Goin tossed two TD passes and John Fraioli had a TD catch and a TD run for the Cougars (2-7).
Monadnock 59, Kingswood 6: In Wolfeboro, Ethan Brown rushed for 209 yards and four touchdowns for the Huskies, who will enter the playoffs at 8-1.
Kingswood finished 0-9.
|
2022-10-30T00:10:56Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
High School Football Roundup: Plymouth, West finish regular season with victories | Sports | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/high-school-football-roundup-plymouth-west-finish-regular-season-with-victories/article_4da1844a-5502-5f70-b6b4-de18062317ba.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/high-school-football-roundup-plymouth-west-finish-regular-season-with-victories/article_4da1844a-5502-5f70-b6b4-de18062317ba.html
|
Most popular destinations for Thanksgiving travelers
By Lauri Baratti TravelPulse (TNS)
Allianz Partners, a leading travel protection company, reviewed over 2 million flight itineraries planned for the Thanksgiving holiday travel period.
It probably comes as no surprise that New York City, always a highlight of the holiday season, claims the top spot among domestic destinations on Americans’ autumn travel schedules.
Seattle came in second, which is also not unusual, since it typically attracts plenty of outdoor enthusiasts to the forested Pacific Northwest.
Climbing five spots from 2021, Orlando made its way into third place, reflecting a broader trend toward warm-weather destinations. Besides which, Orlando serves as a gateway to popular amusement parks and, with nearby Port Canaveral having resumed normal operations, plenty of cruisegoers will also be passing through.
Another Florida favorite, Fort Lauderdale returns to the Top 10 in 10th place after falling off the list in 2021, while Washington, D.C., in ninth place made the cut for the first time in five years. Other major U.S. cities occupying the rest of the Top 10 positions: Boston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Atlanta, Los Angeles and Dallas.
|
2022-10-30T01:45:50Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Most popular destinations for Thanksgiving travelers | | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/most-popular-destinations-for-thanksgiving-travelers/article_80a12f78-7968-52ba-9a98-6f89ea8d2164.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/most-popular-destinations-for-thanksgiving-travelers/article_80a12f78-7968-52ba-9a98-6f89ea8d2164.html
|
GRAHAM STEADMAN
By Graham Stedman of McLane Middleton
Although the demand is large, I view it as reasonable. Importantly, the demand is at the limits of my business’s insurance policy. My insurance company, however, sees things differently and has made a low offer to settle the case. Years have passed since the accident, and the injured party is now threatening to take the case to trial.
We do not need the bad publicity or the distractions associated with trial. In addition, the employee who caused the accident did not have the best track record. What can I do to make my insurance company pay what it should, so that we can put this incident behind us and not risk our business’s reputation?
A: You might consider engaging separate counsel to represent your interests with respect to the insurance company’s claim practices. Insurance companies are in the business of paying as little as possible for claims made by injured claimants. Thus, the insurance company’s business interests, and your interests, may not be entirely aligned.
Fortunately, there are legal theories that can be used to convince the insurance company to settle the case if it is reasonable for it to do so. For example, insurance companies in New Hampshire have a duty to exercise reasonable care when deciding whether to settle a case so as to not expose their insured to an excess jury verdict.
In deciding whether to settle, the insurance company must be as quick to compromise and dispose of a meritorious claim as if itself were liable for any jury verdict in excess of the policy limits. Separate counsel may help marshal the facts and persuade the insurance company of the legal risks associated with trial, and the potential claims that could be asserted by your business, against the insurance company, should a jury return a verdict in excess of the policy limits.
Graham Stedman can be reached atGraham.Steadman@mclane.com.
|
2022-10-30T01:45:56Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Know the Law: Making your insurance pay | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/columns/know-the-law-making-your-insurance-pay/article_f2c20e5d-2817-583f-8bbd-98f507bbdc6b.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/columns/know-the-law-making-your-insurance-pay/article_f2c20e5d-2817-583f-8bbd-98f507bbdc6b.html
|
'Your Money': Time to plan for Social Security increase in benefits
INFLATION TOPPED 8.2% over the past 12 months through September (tinyurl.com/2hfmxp2s). That’s bad news for consumers, but good news for the roughly 70 million Americans who receive Social Security benefits. On average, Social Security benefits will rise by about $140 per month beginning in January. That’s an increase of 8.7% over 2022’s benefit, which was announced by the Social Security Administration recently. (tinyurl.com/4rk7kz8a).
The 8.7% increase was the largest cost-of-living adjustment since the double-digit increases in 1980 (14.3%) and 1981 (11.2%), when inflation was also high (13.5% in 1980; 10.3% in 1981 — see tinyurl.com/5n87wmzt). As inflation declined in the 1980s, so did the COLA, with a 7.4% increase in 1982, and 3.5% each in 1983 and 1984 (tinyurl.com/54ne8h46).
The estimated average monthly Social Security benefit payable in January 2023 for all retired workers will be $1,827. For an aged couple who are both receiving benefits, the estimated average amount is $2,972, and for an aged widow(er) alone, it is $1,704 (tinyurl.com/5dvnspyd).
The maximum Social Security benefit for a worker who retires at the full retirement age (if you were born in 1960 or later, it is age 67 — see tinyurl.com/4t5zpk3k for more details) is $3,627 per month, an increase from 2022 of nearly $300 per month.
There were other important details offered by the SSA related to 2023.
While you are employed, a Social Security tax is automatically deducted from your paycheck. The tax is calculated on earnings below a certain threshold. The 2023 threshold is $160,200, an increase from 2022’s $147,000. The tax rate for an employee remains 7.65%; for the self-employed, the tax rate remains 15.3%. These tax rates are for Social Security (which includes Old-Age and Survivors Insurance and Disability Insurance) and Medicare taxes.
Let’s talk about “excess earnings” that reduce Social Security benefits when you retire BEFORE your full retirement age (also referred to by Social Security as your “normal retirement age”). One dollar in Social Security benefits is withheld for every $2 in earnings if you earn above $21,240 (2023), an increase of more than $1,600 over 2022.
However, if 2023 is the year that you reach your full retirement age, then the formula is different: $1 in Social Security benefits is withheld for every $3 in excess earnings (based on earnings of more than $56,520, or $4,710 per month). The SSA notes that it applies only for the earnings for the months in 2023 prior to reaching full retirement age.
The SSA states that “any benefits withheld while you continue to work are not ‘lost.’ Once you reach (your full retirement age], your monthly benefit will be increased permanently to account for the months in which benefits were withheld” (tinyurl.com/2pvedt9c).
If you are receiving Social Security and SSI benefits, you will be notified in early December about your new benefit amount, according to the SSA. You also can look up the COLA notice online in your “my Social Security” account (tinyurl.com/3jk6ze5p).
Overall, a “raise” sounds nice. But there are some things to keep in mind. The Senior Citizens League, a nonpartisan seniors group, pointed out that an increase in Social Security income could raise your overall income and subsequently increase your income-related Medicare premiums (tinyurl.com/53434uvy). For Medicare premium income levels, see tinyurl.com/5n6fs2jt.
Also, those who haven’t had to pay taxes on their Social Security benefits might find themselves doing so if their overall income surpasses certain levels ($25,000 for an individual, and $32,000 for a married couple). See more details on Social Security taxes at tinyurl.com/5xtc6b4k.
Before the Social Security increase takes effect, make sure to have your budget plans in place, and continue to focus on saving where you can in order to take full advantage of your extra funds.
On another matter, the deadline to apply for the 2022 401(k) Champion Award, which honors those who optimize their 401(k)s and encourage others to do the same, has been extended to Nov. 17. To compete for the award, go to 401kchampion.com.
|
2022-10-30T01:46:02Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
'Your Money': Time to plan for Social Security increase in benefits | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/columns/your-money-time-to-plan-for-social-security-increase-in-benefits/article_b6459ee4-1d01-5a98-9c5c-4d88498742e6.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/columns/your-money-time-to-plan-for-social-security-increase-in-benefits/article_b6459ee4-1d01-5a98-9c5c-4d88498742e6.html
|
ESTATE PLANNING is important, and this is true regardless of a person’s life situation. While COVID-19 might have brought the subject to some people’s minds, two out of three Americans do not have the basic estate planning document: a will. Fifty-six percent of Americans think having a plan is important, and yet, according to the 2022 Wills and Estate Study from Caring.com, 46% say that procrastination keeps them from creating one.
• Michael Jackson might come to mind. He died in June 2009 with an estate valued at approximately $600 million. In this case, planning was done and the plan included a trust. A trust is a document that, once funded with assets titled in the name of the trust, includes provisions as to how the funds are spent after the grantor passes.
The trust is a private document. This is in contrast to assets that must be probated. Probate proves the will’s authenticity and disposition of assets. It is a public process. The problem with the Jackson estate was that the trust wasn’t funded. As a result, Jackson’s heirs had to file with the probate court and request assets be titled to the trust. This adds costs and delays to the process, not to mention the process being public.
• Proper estate planning can also save federal and state estate taxes and reduce expenses, as well. Soprano’s actor James Gandolfini’s estate is an example. The actor died in 2013 with an estimated estate valued at $70 million. The estate planning he had done didn’t consider taxes. This cost the heirs some money.
• Prince is the next case we shall look at. He died in 2016 with an estimated $150 million. He also died without a will or other documents. A woman claiming to be a sister asked the court to appoint an administrator. The administrator had to review the prospective heirs, creditors and others to determine to whom the assets should pass. Once again, this became an open public process. Remember, if there aren’t any estate documents, the state law will most likely determine where the assets go.
• Singer Barry White, who died in 2003 without any planning, died while legally married. He had been separated from his second wife for quite some time and had lived with a longtime girlfriend. White had nine children. Because there was no planning in place, his legally married wife received it all. The girlfriend and children had nothing. This prompted a legal battle.
• You might remember Florence Griffith Joyner. She was an Olympic medalist and died in 1998. She was young, having passed at only age 38. No will could be located. Joyner’s husband and mother engaged in a bitter argument as to whether Griffith promised her mother lifetime residence in the family home. It is best to let someone know where documents can be located just to avoid these types of situations.
• Heath Ledger did his estate planning. The issue here was not reviewing it periodically. Changes to Ledger’s life occurred after the documents were executed. One of the changes was starting a relationship with actress Michelle Williams, with whom he had a daughter named Matilda Rose. Williams and Matilda Rose were left nothing. After a bit of family discussion, the daughter did receive money from the estate.
Marc A. Hebert, MS, CFP, is a senior member of the wealth management and financial planning firm The Harbor Group of Bedford.
|
2022-10-30T01:46:14Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
'Money $ense': Famous people who died with inadequate estate planning | Money Sense | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/money_sense/money-ense-famous-people-who-died-with-inadequate-estate-planning/article_51e6dfe5-a3b9-5b2a-971d-2553ff90764c.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/money_sense/money-ense-famous-people-who-died-with-inadequate-estate-planning/article_51e6dfe5-a3b9-5b2a-971d-2553ff90764c.html
|
Chloe Luongo drives the ball down the side before passing to a teammate during the state Division II semifinals against Portsmouth on Wednesday night. The Sabers will battle John Stark for the crown today at 11 a.m. at Bedford High.
Souhegan players celebrate Allison Jordan’s goal against Portsmouth during the state Division II semifinals in Exeter on Wednesday. The Sabers will play John Stark for the crown today at 11 a.m. at Bedford High.
Sophia Merenda advances the ball during the State Division II semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium on Wednesday night.
Samantha Faques defends against Portsmouth during the State Division II semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium Wednesday night, Oct. 26, 2022.
Ella Barrett pushes through Portsmouth defenses for a goal attempt during the State Division II semifinals at Bill Ball Stadium Wednesday night, Oct. 26, 2022.
Souhegan girls look to break through in Division II championship game
EXETER — You don’t have to tell Kelli Braley how hard it is to win a state championship in field hockey.
When the 2022 season began, Souhegan High School had been to the Division II field hockey semifinals in seven of the last eight years, but had no championship hardware to show for it.
Braley, who has been Souhegan’s head coach since 2011, guided the Sabers to another semifinal appearance this season. The second-seeded Sabers beat third-seeded Portsmouth 4-3 at Bill Ball Stadium in Exeter on Wednesday night.
That victory earned Souhegan (15-0-1) another crack at winning a state title. The Sabers will face top-seeded John Stark (15-0-1) in today’s Division II championship game at Bedford High School (11 a.m.).
“Frustrated? No, I’m not,” Braley said when asked about coming so close to a title so many times. “I’m so fortunate to be gifted with great athletes through the years who want to work hard to get there. Yeah, it would be nice to not leave with a runner-up medal, but the reason I keep coming back is because every year these girls want to come back and grow and get better. However that ends up landing is all right by me.”
Despite all the semifinal appearances, this year is only the third time Souhegan has reached the Division II championship game under Braley. The Sabers lost to Hanover 3-0 in 2019, and dropped a 2-0 decision to Kennett in 2020.
One difference between this year’s Souhegan team and many of the others is offense. The Sabers outscored their opponents 67-14 this season, and have collected 11 goals in their two playoff games.
Senior Ella Barrett has a team-high 20 goals this season. She broke a 1-1 tie by scoring with 12:34 left in the third quarter of Wednesday’s matchup with Portsmouth, which won last year’s Division II title.
Souhegan led Portsmouth 4-1 with less than eight minutes to play, but the Clippers scored with 6:37 left and again with 4:58 remaining.
“I want to win,” Barrett said “The past four years we’ve come so close. This is the year I want to win … my senior year.
“In the past years when we’ve come up short, it’s come down to really little things like passing and communication. This year, we’ve really got a hold of it. In past years we’ve been really close, but we haven’t been as connected as we are this year.”
Senior Chloe Luongo will enter Sunday’s championship game with 13 goals, three of which came during a 7-1 victory over seventh-seeded Merrimack Valley in the quarterfinals. Junior Ariana Goulet scored twice in the semifinal victory against Portsmouth, and junior Allison Jordan finished that game with a goal and an assist.
John Stark had never gone so far as the semifinals until this season. The Generals advanced to Sunday’s championship game by beating fifth-seeded Hollis-Brookline, 2-0, in Wednesday’s second semifinal. The Sabers and Generals played to a 1-1 tie during the regular season.
The Sabers will be seeking the program’s first state championship since 2007, when Souhegan beat Portsmouth 1-0 in the Class I final.
“To have another shot at a title? Of course it’s everything I could want as a coach,” Braley said. “It’s everything I know they could want and have worked for. Hopefully this year is the year, but we’re growing. The program is growing, and I can’t ask for any more than that.”
|
2022-10-30T01:46:57Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Souhegan girls look to break through in Division II championship game | Sports | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/souhegan-girls-look-to-break-through-in-division-ii-championship-game/article_0ae4aca6-ad17-5dc4-abd9-e4a08b75174f.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/highschool/souhegan-girls-look-to-break-through-in-division-ii-championship-game/article_0ae4aca6-ad17-5dc4-abd9-e4a08b75174f.html
|
Quarterback Mac Jones of the Patriots gestures during practice at Gillette Stadium on Wednesday in Foxborough, Mass.
Matt Stone/MediaNews Group/Boston Herald
The New England Patriots’ offense can’t afford to produce another stinker this week.
They face a make-or-break type game today against the New York Jets, who at 5-2, are in second place in the AFC East behind Buffalo, and for now, comfortably ahead of the 3-4 Patriots.
After their quarterback platoon netted 14 points against the Bears, the Patriots’ offense needs to rebound and get back on track with Mac Jones under center the entire game, which is the expectation.
“They play hard. They’re very aggressive. They play a lot of people,” Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said of the Jets defense. “Up front, they don’t give any big plays. They pursue well. They play physical … the whole secondary, there’s a lot of new players in the secondary. They play well.”
They don’t have a particularly complex defense, but the unit has quality talent and playmakers. Jones really needs to avoid mistakes and deliver in this game.
It should be noted the last time the Patriots played the Jets, Jones (24 of 36 for 307 yards, two TDs) had his way with the defense, putting up 54 points.
Pro Football Focus has him graded as the fifth-best corner in the league. He’s allowing a completion percentage of just 42.5 with a 51.1 passer rating.
|
2022-10-30T01:47:03Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
How Mac Jones and the Patriots offense can exploit the Jets defense | Patriots | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/patriots/how-mac-jones-and-the-patriots-offense-can-exploit-the-jets-defense/article_efe4b2e1-6f81-5c8e-a810-734cf5dca99b.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/patriots/how-mac-jones-and-the-patriots-offense-can-exploit-the-jets-defense/article_efe4b2e1-6f81-5c8e-a810-734cf5dca99b.html
|
Ted Gatsas: A good fit for Executive Council
Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas deserves reelection. Voters in the 4th district (in and around Manchester including Londonderry) are lucky to have him representing their interests on a small but important part of New Hampshire’s unique government.
Gatsas doesn’t need the work (or the nominal pay). Successful in the private sector, he served in the state Senate, becoming president of that body, before returning to Manchester to restore fiscal sanity as mayor. We suspect voters here would return him to that post in a flash, should he want the job.
Instead, Gatsas is standing for a new term on the executive council. He is well-suited to a post that watches over hundreds of contracts that state departments seek. Unlike other states, which have eliminated the office, New Hampshire’s council provides a sensible check and balance on the governor. Gatsas does that job well.
|
2022-10-30T05:42:06Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Ted Gatsas: A good fit for Executive Council | Editorials | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/editorials/ted-gatsas-a-good-fit-for-executive-council/article_b56510f8-ffb7-53e7-a9af-51eac1da71e5.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/editorials/ted-gatsas-a-good-fit-for-executive-council/article_b56510f8-ffb7-53e7-a9af-51eac1da71e5.html
|
ON NOV. 8, New Hampshire has a very important choice to make. As I’m sure you all know, the U.S. Senate is currently in a 50-50 tie and it is very likely that our vote could tip the balance of power in one direction or the other.
We can continue down Sen. Maggie Hassan’s path of high inflation, high gas prices, high electric rates, baby formula shortages, opioids and fentanyl moving freely across our southern border, rising home heating oil prices, dwindling retirement savings and an overall sense that our country is moving in the wrong direction. Or we can send Gen. Don Bolduc to Washington and return to a fiscally responsible course that will end the reckless spending that is causing inflation, restart our domestic energy production to bring down costs and cut through the red tape and onerous regulation that is clogging up our supply chain.
In 2016, Maggie Hassan won by just 1,000 votes. Every single vote is also going to matter this year. We cannot afford to sit out this election or not take this race seriously. The future of our great nation is in our hands, and for me, the choice is clear. New Hampshire needs to elect Don Bolduc to the U.S. Senate.
I’ve known Gen. Bolduc for years, but over the course of the Republican primary, I really came to know him well. He is an honorable man who truly wants what is best for his state and his country. He is a patriot who has spent his life in service to his community, first as a police officer in Laconia and then during his long and distinguished military career.
Don represents the best of our New Hampshire values. He’s a hard worker. I can tell you from experience that he does not rest when he sets his mind to a goal. He believes in limited government and low taxes. He will fight to protect our freedoms and will not stand for Washington’s overreach into New Hampshire’s affairs. He not only defends our Life Free or Die attitude; he lives by it.
Like most of you, I’ve heard the non-stop drumbeat of misinformation about Gen. Bolduc coming from Democrats in Washington. Don’t believe any of it. The truth is that Washington is scared to death of Don Bolduc coming to town, not because he is out of step with mainstream New Hampshire principles, but because he is a leader, not a follower. He won’t blindly follow anyone, even those within his own party, or vote how he is told by more senators with “seniority.” He will always do what is best for the Granite State. You certainly can’t say the same about Maggie Hassan, who has voted with President Biden nearly 100% of the time.
I ran for the Senate saying that Washington needed a lot more of the 603, and a lot less of D.C. I still believe that we need a senator that is going to achieve that. That’s why I am going to proudly cast my ballot for Don Bolduc. New Hampshire needs a real leader in the Senate and Washington needs a change. Don Bolduc will be both.
Sen. Chuck Morse (R-Salem) represents District 22 and serves as Senate president. He was a 2022 candidate for U.S. Senate.
|
2022-10-30T05:42:30Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Chuck Morse: We need Bolduc on point for the 603 | Op-eds | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/chuck-morse-we-need-bolduc-on-point-for-the-603/article_8fc634fe-3c1f-57b9-a09b-4fe47ec6ff4e.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/chuck-morse-we-need-bolduc-on-point-for-the-603/article_8fc634fe-3c1f-57b9-a09b-4fe47ec6ff4e.html
|
South Willow Street remained closed for hours as police investigated a deadly shooting
Booking photo of Tyrese Harris
A 22-year-old man has been charged with shooting another man to death on South Willow Street Saturday afternoon, according to the attorney general.
The busy section of street near the Mall of New Hampshire and Interstate 293 was closed for hours as police and other agencies investigated.
Tyrese Harris of Manchester has been charged with two counts of second-degree murder, according to a news release.
Multiple witnesses reported to police about 3:24 p.m. that a person had been shot in the roadway, according to the release.
Dzemal Cardakovic, 45, was pronounced dead at the scene after being found unresponsive and suffering from an apparent gunshot wound.
The charges against Harris are for "knowingly causing the death of [Cardakovic] by shooting him with a firearm" and "recklessly causing the death of Cardakovic under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life, to wit, Harris shot Cardakovic with a firearm,” the release reads.
Harris will be arraigned in Hillsborough County Superior Court, but a date has not been scheduled.
|
2022-10-30T13:59:00Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Arrest made in deadly shooting on South Willow Street in Manchester | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/arrest-made-in-deadly-shooting-on-south-willow-street-in-manchester/article_71e52a50-7f37-5376-9f26-d6bc38287a10.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/arrest-made-in-deadly-shooting-on-south-willow-street-in-manchester/article_71e52a50-7f37-5376-9f26-d6bc38287a10.html
|
A 61-year-old Massachusetts woman was flown to Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon by helicopter after an ATV crash on Newell Brook Road in Millsfield, Fish and Game said.
The crash was reported around 4:45 p.m. Sunday, according to a news release.
Tracy Calitri, of Danvers, was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. She was traveling east Newell Road with a “large group of OHRV’s,” according to the release.
Calitri told conservation officers with sun in her eyes she took one hand off the handlebars to block the light and struck a rock in which her machine veered to the left.
“Due to one of her hands being off the handlebars, she was unable to control it before it struck another rock, sending Calitri and her ATV off the trail into a tree,” the release reads.
Members of her riding party rushed to her aid and called emergency personnel.
Errol Fire Department’s Rescue UTV brought her to an ambulance. Due to the potential severity of Calitri’s injuries, Dartmouth-Hitchcock Advanced Response Team’s (DHART) helicopter. The helicopter met the ambulance at the Berlin Airport.
|
2022-10-30T16:36:07Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
ATV crash victim flown to hospital in medical helicopter | Public Safety | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/atv-crash-victim-flown-to-hospital-in-medical-helicopter/article_a9e33e41-da9c-5601-a973-97ff109127da.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/atv-crash-victim-flown-to-hospital-in-medical-helicopter/article_a9e33e41-da9c-5601-a973-97ff109127da.html
|
A ticket for the American Freedom Train in Manchester for Tuesday, April 15, 1975, "GOOD ONLY 6:00 PM TILL CLOSING." From the collection of the Manchester Historic Association.
The American Freedom Train comes to Manchester
Corporate donors contributed the $1.5 million dollars needed to assemble the train at a workshop in Richmond, California.
A brief welcoming ceremony was held at the Freedom Train on 7:30 a.m. on April 14. The program included remarks from U.S. Rep. Norman D’Amours of Manchester and from city Mayor Charles R. Stanton.
|
2022-10-30T19:00:14Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
The American Freedom Train comes to Manchester | Looking Back | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/voices/looking_back/the-american-freedom-train-comes-to-manchester/article_29d707ce-9564-583f-85b8-c9a23ac031ea.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/voices/looking_back/the-american-freedom-train-comes-to-manchester/article_29d707ce-9564-583f-85b8-c9a23ac031ea.html
|
SEOUL -- Foreign leaders expressed condolences over the deadly crowd surge in Seoul's Itaewon district, with more than 20 foreign nationals from 15 countries among those killed in the crush in a popular nightspot.
South Korea's foreign ministry put the total at 26 foreign nationals killed from 15 countries. A ministry official told Reuters the dead included people from China, Iran and Russia.
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden sent their condolences, writing: "We grieve with the people of the Republic of Korea and send our best wishes for a quick recovery to all those who were injured."
|
2022-10-30T21:11:09Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Foreign leaders offer condolences over deadly South Korea crush | World | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/world/foreign-leaders-offer-condolences-over-deadly-south-korea-crush/article_83607f40-d3bf-54a5-80f9-a52cd008b73f.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/world/foreign-leaders-offer-condolences-over-deadly-south-korea-crush/article_83607f40-d3bf-54a5-80f9-a52cd008b73f.html
|
Lula defeats Bolsonaro to win third term as Brazil's president
By Anthony Faiola, Paulina Villegas and Gabriela Sá Pessoa The Washington Post
RIO DE JANEIRO - Former Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva reclaimed the office Sunday on pledges to defend democracy, save the Amazon rainforest and bring social justice to Latin America's largest nation, defeating Brazil's Trumpian incumbent in a remarkable political comeback some three years after he walked out of a prison cell.
The victory for Lula, who served two terms as president from 2003 to 2010 - returns a leftist titan of the Global South to the world stage, where his progressive voice will stand in sharp contrast to that of right-wing - and now one-term - President Jair Bolsonaro. For Latin America, Lula's return to the Planalto Palace adds the regional giant to a streak of wins by the left: Lula joins a club of leaders who have now bested the political right in Colombia, Chile, Peru, Honduras, Argentina and Mexico.
His win, which followed a slugfest of a campaign in a deeply divided country awash in fake news and explosive rhetoric, came amid allegations of official suppression of the vote by Bolsonaro's allies in the police. Overall, the race sounded strong echoes of the 2020 showdown in the United States between Joe Biden and Donald Trump. It pitted Bolsonaro, 67, a staunch Trump ally, against Lula, 77, a stalwart of the traditional left who moved to the center during the campaign. Lula's strength lay in female and low-income voters - particularly the Northeast, heavily populated by people of color - but also in social progressives and power brokers disturbed by Bolsonaro's authoritarian bent.
Lula has pledged a unity government to work on mending the breaches in Brazilian society of the kind that, in an era of toxic politics, have taken root in democracies across the globe. The margin - Lula won by less than two percentage points - was the closest in Brazilian history. It was the first time an incumbent ran for a second term and lost.
"We have reached the end of one of the most important elections in our history," Lula told supporters in São Paulo. "An election that put face to face two opposing projects of the country and that today has only one winner: the Brazilian people.
"This is not a victory for me or for the [Workers Party] or for those who supported me. This is a victory for a huge democratic movement that was formed above political parties, personal interests, ideologies, so that democracy would be the winner."
Supporters in Rio de Janeiro set off fireworks and cheered. People in downtown São Paulo honked horns and sang through windows: "Lula there," the most famous jingle of the president-elect. And another tune: "Tá na hora de Jair ir embora" - It's time for Jair to leave.
In the capital, Brasilia, hundreds of Bolsonaro supporters gathered in the Esplanada, where a man with a loudspeaker urged the crowds not to concede and to wait for their "leader's statement."
"We are with you, President Bolsonaro," he said. "Lula thief, you belong in prison!" the crowd chanted in unison.
As voting unfolded Sunday, Brazil's most bitterly fought election since the collapse of the military dictatorship in 1985 descended into allegations of police attempting to suppress the vote. The Federal Highway Police, an organization closely allied with Bolsonaro, allegedly set up roadblocks to delay voters in the country's impoverished Northeast and other centers of support for Lula.
Highway police director Silvinei Vasques had earlier posted a call to vote for Bolsonaro on Instagram, the newspaper O Globo reported. It was later deleted. Sen. Randolfe Rodrigues, a Lula supporter, demanded his immediate arrest. Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes, Brazil's chief election official, ordered Vasques to stop the operations immediately or face personal fines of nearly $100,000 per hour.
Later Sunday, however, Moraes sought to calm concerns of a broader effort that could taint the vote. He said checkpoints had delayed, but not prevented, voters from casting their ballots, and he would not extend voting hours beyond the planned 5 p.m. close.
"The damage caused to the voters was a delay during the inspections," Moraes said. "There was no prejudice to the right to vote and, logically, there will be no postponement of the end of voting … There is no need to overstate this issue. There were no cases where voters went home."
Despite the statement from Moraes, who has frequently locked horns with Bolsonaro, Lula's Worker's Party demanded an extension of the polls in the 560 places where it said "illegal" police operations had taken place. The party called for prioritizing extensions in the Northeast, where it said the operations were carried out "with greater intensity."
Brazil's Superior Electoral Court announced the result just before 8 p.m. Brasilia time. Bolsonaro did not immediately concede the race, and uncertainty remained over whether he would. As recently as Friday night, he said, "whoever has the most votes wins. That is democracy."
But he and his supporters also laid the groundwork to contest a loss with months of allegations of fraud. Bolsonaro summoned foreign diplomats in July to cast doubt on electronic voting. Some analysts predicted that Bolsonaro, who followed much of the Trump playbook during his rise to power and while in office, could do the same in defeat: refuse to concede and declare Lula's presidency illegitimate.
Another parallel: Bolsonaro's loss comes as the specter of criminal investigations hangs over him and his family.
Some of Bolsonaro's allies encouraged him to concede: "It is time to disarm the spirit, extend your hand to your opponents," House Speaker Arthur Lira said. "We reaffirm the fairness, the stability and the confirmation of the popular will. We cannot accept revanchism and persecution from any side. Now it is time to look ahead."
In the United States, the contest took on the feel of a proxy war between Democrats and Republicans. In a letter to President Biden, congressional Democrats warned that Bolsonaro's "reckless and dangerous rhetoric about electoral fraud raise[s] serious fears" that he will try to "impede a peaceful transfer of power if he loses." Trump, meanwhile, endorsed Bolsonaro, telling Brazilians in a video shared on the incumbent's Twitter account on Saturday that "you have a chance to elect one of the great people in all of politics and in all of leadership of countries."
Biden was quick to recognize Lula's victory Sunday: "I send my congratulations to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva on his election to be the next president of Brazil following free, fair, and credible elections," he said in a statement. "I look forward to working together to continue the cooperation between our two countries in the months and years ahead."
With 99.76 percent of the vote counted, Lula was declared the winner with 50.89 percent of the vote. Bolsonaro had 49.11 percent. The transfer of power is set for the first days of January.
The candidates sparred over who would offer more assistance for the poor and who would raise the minimum wage. But they also became deeply mired in the culture wars now emblematic of modern democracies plagued by polarization. For Lula, the job of national healer will not be easy.
Many economists and political analysts view Lula as a pragmatic elder statesman, but Bolsonaro's core supporters revile him. Danya Dorado, a 44-year-old housewife, who waved a flag with Bolsonaro's face in Brasilia, described herself as "anguished" by the results - which she did not believe to be true. "I am ready to fight for my country because I do not want my children and grandchildren to live in a second Venezuela," she said.
Election Day in Brazil became a global experiment on the power of misinformation. False narratives spread by Bolsonaro and his supporters in public comments and on social media insisted Lula would close churches and open unisex bathrooms in schools. Lula dismissed those claims as blatant lies, but many Bolsonaro supporters at the polls Sunday steadfastly believed them.
"We can't just have one bathroom for a kid to use with men of my age," said Mario Antonio Castro, an actor who voted for Bolsonaro in Rio de Janeiro's Flamengo neighborhood. He said he'd also heard that Lula was offering "beer and steak" to those who voted for him. "There are rules that exist your entire life. People no longer respect rules."
Others saw a civic duty in voting out Bolsonaro, who in recent days claimed that Lula's strong support in the Brazilian Northeast - a region with a disproportionately large population of people of color - was due to high "illiteracy rates" there.
"I'm a Black woman and I am a mother of three kids," said Vanda Ventura, a 49-year old stylist who voted in Rio. "The government in Brasilia does not represent me." Asked if she thought Black people in Brazil would vote for Bolsonaro, she said: "Not the Black people I know … The Black people who want liberty, who want to go to college, and want to grow and who want food will not vote for this genocidal man."
In the capital, national tensions came to a head at a downtown polling station, where several voters wearing the telltale colors of their candidates - green and yellow for Bolsonaro, red for Lula - squared off in slur-shouting screaming matches, signaling the deep polarization in the country.
"Bolsonaro out!" a young man wearing a red shirt shouted at a Bolsonaro supporter as he walked into the polling station at the University Center of Brasilia. "Maconheiro!" - a derogatory word in Portuguese that roughly translates as 'stoner' - the woman shouted back.
The same woman engaged another Lula supporter in a similar shouting match, leading police to intervene. Leonardo Rodrigues de Jesus, Bolsonaro's nephew and a former chief of staff for his eldest son, told a Washington Post reporter that a man shouting at a woman was "precisely the kind of leftist behavior" the country needed to get rid of.
Critics say Bolsonaro, a former army officer, has undermined democracy by stocking the prosecutor's office and police with loyalists while appointing current and former generals to his cabinet and other senior posts. If he had won the race, they feared, he might have sought to expand the Supreme Court, a body he has said is biased against him.
Lula, casting himself as the defender of Brazil's young democracy, garnered the backing of center-right leaders and former opponents, including former president Fernando Henrique Cardoso.
Bolsonaro, known for a blunt manner that included insults aimed at women, people of color and the LGBTQ community, connected with supporters through fiery social media posts. As the coronavirus pandemic hit the country hard - it has killed more than 687,000 people, and at one time was second in deaths only to the United States - he suggested vaccines could turn people into "reptiles," falsely claimed a link between the vaccine and AIDS, and touted unproven treatments against covid-19. As the virus ravaged the country, Bolsonaro dismissed it as a "little flu" and told Brazilians to stop "whining" and get back to work. He often berated the free press. During the first televised debate in the current campaign, Brazilian journalist Vera Magalhães asked him about the country's coronavirus vaccination rate.
"I think you go to sleep thinking about me," Bolsonaro responded to her. "You have a crush on me."
But Bolsonaro often reserved his harshest comments for the man he saw as his personal nemesis: Lula.
A former shoeshine boy from a poor northeastern family who lost a finger at age 19 in a factory accident, Lula became a union leader and co-founder of the left-wing Worker's Party. After three failed runs at the nation's highest office, he won his first term as president in 2002 and reelection four years latter.
His victory initially rattled investors, who feared the rise of a radical leftist.
Lula would calm those fears by dragging his party toward the center while he leveraged the global commodities boom of the 2000s to increase social spending and launch programs that reduced the hunger rate, lifted millions out of poverty and sent the children of poor Brazilian families to university for the first time. Former U.S. President Barack Obama called him "the most popular president on Earth." He left office in 2011 with a second term in 2011 with an approval rating above 80 percent.
His administration was marred by political scandal, including a vote-buying case in Congress that engulfed members of his inner circle. Claims have emerged that Lula knew about it. He has maintained he did not.
In 2018, Lula turned himself him in to serve a 12-year sentence on separate charges of accepting bribes from one of the country's major construction companies. Though Lula maintained his innocence, his arrest kept him out of the 2018 election that Bolsonaro won. To the outrage of Bolsonaro, who has called Lula "a nine-fingered thief," he was released from prison in 2019 when the Supreme Court ruled he had been denied due process. The charges against him were annulled two years later.
"They didn't lock up a man," he declared on the day he was freed. "They tried to kill an idea. But an idea can't be destroyed."
During the campaign, Lula largely spoke in broad themes. He promised to fight hunger and poverty and to slow the deforestation of the Amazon rainforest, which accelerated under Bolsonaro, and suggested an increase of taxes on the rich. Few observers believe he is likely to propose massive spending plans or take radical steps to redistribute wealth.
"Lula understands well that all policies have to be fiscally sustainable and that large budget deficits will backfire in his attempt to be progressive in social issues," said Paulo Calmon, professor at the University of Brasilia. "He certainly will attempt to maintain some fiscal consistency in his policies."
What Bolsonaro does next will be key. Some say he might leave the country to avoid the possibility of prosecution for alleged crimes including a bloated vaccine deal at the health ministry and mishandling the pandemic. Others expect him to remain in Brazil, transforming himself into a formidable opposition leader who will seek to undermine Lula and stoke national divisions as he bides his time for the next election.
Bolsonaro can count on a loyal base of outspoken national lawmakers, as well as powerful governors in some of the country's largest states. His most powerful weapon remains an army of digital followers, which he has wielded as a weapon to build or destroy political careers.
In governing a divided nation, Lula might benefit from the nature of Brazilian politics. Victors may draw lawmakers who did not back them during the campaign to fall in line with pork barrel spending and backroom deals.
But some observers see a wild card this time around.
"The nature of the right in Brazil has changed," said Guilherme Casarões, a political analyst at the Getulio Vargas Foundation in Sao Paulo. "All they cared about before were office positions and resources, so Lula could run an administration even with the help of the right. But there's a new kind of right, a super ideological kind of right, a Bolsonarista kind of right. And the pro-Bolsonaro movement is not about political pragmatism. It's about total loyalty and submission to what Bolsonaro thinks is right."
Villegas reported from Brasilia and Sa Pessoa from Sao Paulo. Kiratiana Freelon in Rio de Janeiro also contributed to this report.
|
2022-10-31T03:04:56Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Lula defeats Bolsonaro to win third term as Brazil's president | World | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/world/lula-defeats-bolsonaro-to-win-third-term-as-brazils-president/article_b7e1f95a-b3d7-5b36-a8c2-955f826e1999.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/world/lula-defeats-bolsonaro-to-win-third-term-as-brazils-president/article_b7e1f95a-b3d7-5b36-a8c2-955f826e1999.html
|
Distiller’s Week, hosted by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, runs from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4, with top distillers and spirit industry celebrities, experts, owners, and brand ambassadors presenting bottle signings, tastings, pairing dinners and seminars.
NH Liquor Commission hosts region's largest distiller's showcase
NH Liquor Commission
Top whiskeys, tequilas, vodkas, rums and more from around the world will be featured during Distiller’s Week, hosted by the New Hampshire Liquor Commission from Monday, Oct. 31, to Friday, Nov. 4 in Southern New Hampshire.
Distillers, spirit industry celebrities, experts, owners and brand ambassadors will descend on New Hampshire for a series of bottle signings, tastings, pairing dinners and seminars.
The headline event is the ninth annual Distiller’s Showcase of Premium Spirits at the DoubleTree by Hilton Manchester Downtown venue from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3.
It will feature more than 600 premium and ultra-premium spirits for sampling and cuisine from dozens of New Hampshire’s restaurants and food vendors. Tickets are $60 to $75. Proceeds will benefit the New Hampshire Food Bank.
Though the Buffalo Trace Tasting Dinner on Tuesday, Nov. 1, at the Crown Tavern in Manchester is sold out, there are plenty of other events to attend.
Irish Whiskey, food and other spirits will also be featured at a special “Taste of Ireland” event in partnership with Bord Bia – the Irish Food Board from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 2, at Manchester Country Club in Bedford. Cost is $60.
On the same night, An Evening with Four Roses runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Flight Center Taphouse and Eatery in Manchester. It will feature custom cocktails and food.
Another Four Roses event runs from 2 to 4 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 3, at Nashua Liquor Store.
For tickets and more information, go to www.distillersshowcase.com.
|
2022-10-31T03:05:02Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
NH Liquor Commission hosts region's largest distiller's showcase | Dining & Food | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/nh/food/nh-liquor-commission-hosts-regions-largest-distillers-showcase/article_b1f71d70-1d81-58a1-876a-b12069a273fb.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/nh/food/nh-liquor-commission-hosts-regions-largest-distillers-showcase/article_b1f71d70-1d81-58a1-876a-b12069a273fb.html
|
A ticket for the American Freedom Train in Manchester for Tuesday, April 15, 1975.
Courtesy Manchester Historic Association
Aurore Eaton's Looking Back: The American Freedom Train comes to Manchester
Corporate donors contributed the $1.5 million needed to assemble the train at a workshop in Richmond, California.
A brief welcoming ceremony was held at the Freedom Train at 7:30 a.m. on April 14. The program included remarks from U.S. Rep. Norman D’Amours of Manchester and from city Mayor Charles R. Stanton.
|
2022-10-31T03:05:27Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Aurore Eaton's Looking Back: The American Freedom Train comes to Manchester | Looking Back | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/voices/looking_back/aurore-eatons-looking-back-the-american-freedom-train-comes-to-manchester/article_29d707ce-9564-583f-85b8-c9a23ac031ea.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/voices/looking_back/aurore-eatons-looking-back-the-american-freedom-train-comes-to-manchester/article_29d707ce-9564-583f-85b8-c9a23ac031ea.html
|
I cook with gas, but even gas has become expensive. Although I don’t do much watering of flowers at this time of year, my utility bills are still outrageously high. My home is old, but I have always kept it up and repaired anything that needs to be fixed. Any hints on how I can lower my utility bills?
— Georgia H., Fall River, Massachusetts
Suzanna, you don’t need to give a gift at all. If, however, you want to give a gift, you can select something you think is appropriate, or contribute an amount of money you feel you can afford. There’s no need to apologize or explain.
|
2022-10-31T04:58:03Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Heloise: Cutting down on utilities | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/heloise-cutting-down-on-utilities/article_ab1b44c0-5819-5111-8056-3a9783a047f9.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/heloise-cutting-down-on-utilities/article_ab1b44c0-5819-5111-8056-3a9783a047f9.html
|
Robert J. Lynn
Robert J. Lynn: Vote 'Yes' on Question 1
WHEN NEW HAMPSHIRE voters go to the polls on November 8th, they will not only be choosing the persons who fill important federal, state, and county elected positions. At the end of the ballot, voters also will be presented with two constitutional amendment questions. I write to address Question 1.
Question 1 asks if you are in favor of amending articles 71 and 81 of the second part of the New Hampshire Constitution. Article 71 concerns the election of county officers, specifically the county treasurers, county attorneys, sheriffs, and registers of deeds. Article 81 concerns a prohibition against judges acting as counsel or as an advocate, or from receiving any fees as counsel or advocate, in any probate business that is pending or may be brought in any court of probate in the county in which he or she is a judge. It is important to understand that you are not being asked to add to the constitution the language that appears in this question. That language is already in the constitution. Rather, the purpose of the question is to ask voters whether they approve amending articles 71 and 81 so that the term “registers of probate” is removed from these articles. In short, if this question is approved, the position of Register of Probate will be abolished. I strongly support adoption of this amendment.
Historically, the register of probate for each county served as the clerk of the probate court for that county, supporting the judge in handling estates, guardianships, adoptions, and supervising a professional staff. But unlike the clerks of all other courts in the state, who are appointed by the judges of the courts in which they serve, the constitution currently provides that registers of probate be elected by the voters. If our founders had some reason for treating registers of the probate courts differently from the clerks of other courts, their motivation is a long-forgotten historical footnote that serves no purpose in the modern era and that has, in fact, been a source of inefficiency in the handling of probate matters.
Simply put, although registers of probate had no independent policy making responsibilities, because of their elected status, some registers (thankfully a small minority) felt that they had their own constituency and were thus resistant to following uniform probate court rules and procedures. For this reason, among others, as part of a court reorganization in 2011 that created the circuit court by combining the former district, family division, and probate courts into one system, the state Legislature transferred all responsibilities of the elected registers to a court-appointed employee, the clerk of the circuit court. This reorganization saved the state approximately $3 million annually.
However, because the office of register is in our state constitution, the Legislature could not eliminate it by statute. As a result, lawmakers did the only thing they felt they could do — the Legislature left the shell of the “office” in place, but stripped it of all duties and responsibilities. All that remains of the Register of Probate now is the title, which is enshrined in the constitution as an elected position along with other county officials. The register has no office, no phone, no desk, no computer, and no useful tasks to perform. The register does, however, receive a stipend of $100 per year.
Since the reorganization, there have been several unsuccessful attempts by a few legislators to restore some duties to the elected registers. These efforts have failed because the majority of legislators recognize that having an elected person perform duties now being performed quite adequately by the clerks of the circuit court makes no sense. The time has come to remove the “empty shell” position of register of probate from the constitution, and that is precisely what adoption of Question 1 will do.
Constitutional amendments require a two-thirds majority vote, so please do not ignore this question at the end of the ballot. I urge you to vote “Yes” on Question 1.
Rep. Robert J. Lynn (R-Windham) retired as chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court in 2019, after serving nearly 27 years on the bench.
GREAT PROGRESS, the kind that reshapes our lives, often begins with bold imagination. Edison imagined safely lighting the darkness of night (1879). The Wright brothers studied the flight of birds, with curiosity and imagination (1903). Engineers at Bell Labs imagined portable, hand-held tele…
|
2022-10-31T04:58:15Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Robert J. Lynn: Vote 'Yes' on Question 1 | Op-eds | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/robert-j-lynn-vote-yes-on-question-1/article_ed3286c1-2de7-559f-a79f-ce922fb0c517.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/robert-j-lynn-vote-yes-on-question-1/article_ed3286c1-2de7-559f-a79f-ce922fb0c517.html
|
A woman walks past a building damaged in the course of Russia-Ukraine conflict in the town of Nova Kakhovka, Russian-controlled Ukraine, October 30, 2022.
By Francesca Ebel The Washington Post
Ukrainian officials said Russia launched dozens of cruise missiles, many of which were intercepted by air defenses, and they warned again that civilians should prepare for long-term power and water outages. There were no immediate tallies of casualties, but officials said there were people wounded.
Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said the strikes had left 80 percent of the capital city without a water supply - disrupting the Monday morning routine for hundreds of thousands of residents - and that engineers were working to restore electricity at a damaged facility that supplies power to 350,000 Kyiv apartments.
As air raid sirens wailed across Ukraine, strikes and power outages were also reported in the Kharkiv region in the northeast, in the Cherkasy, Poltava and Dnipropetrovsk regions in central Ukraine, and in Zaporizhzhia in the southeast. Several hydroelectric dams appeared to be specific targets Monday.
Moldova's Interior Ministry also confirmed that a missile fell in the northern border town of Naslavcea, about 95 miles southwest of the Ukrainian city of Vinnytsia, after being intercepted by Ukrainian air defenses - in a rare and dangerous example of the war spilling into a neighboring country.
Monday's airstrikes, many apparently launched from fighter planes over the Caspian Sea or from the Rostov region in southern Russia, were the latest attack in recent weeks deliberately targeting Ukraine's energy system, a strategy officials say is intended to punish civilians as winter approaches and to compensate for Russia's setbacks on the battlefield with long-range bombing.
The bombings followed Ukrainian attacks over the weekend on Russian naval targets in occupied Crimea, where Russia has long maintained the headquarters of its Black Sea fleet, in Sevastopol, under a lease agreement before its invasion and illegal annexation of the peninsula in 2014. Russian ships were damaged by apparent drone strikes, but Ukraine has not claimed responsibility.
"Instead of fighting on the battlefield, Russia fights civilians," Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba wrote on Twitter. "Don't justify these attacks by calling them a 'response.' Russia does this because it still has the missiles and the will to kill Ukrainians."
Klitschko urged residents of the capital to prepare for hardship. "We ask you to stock up on water from the nearest pumps and points of sale," he wrote on Telegram.
Ukraine's air command claimed to have shot down 44 out of 50 missiles targeting different areas of Ukraine.
After the strikes on naval vessels on Saturday, the Russian Foreign Ministry said it was abandoning an agreement to allow the export of grain from Ukraine, which is a crucial supplier to many developing countries.
Moscow said it could "no longer guarantee the safety of civilian dry cargo ships participating in the Black Sea Grain Initiative," referring to the U.N.-brokered deal to safeguard grain being exported from Ukraine's Black Sea ports.
Russia's withdrawal from the deal triggered renewed concerns about global food supplies. The grain deal brokered by Turkey in July, had allowed exports to resume from Black Sea ports, where they had been halted after Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24.
The Washington Post's Isabelle Khurshudyan in Kyiv, Ukraine and Leo Sands in London contributed to this report.
|
2022-10-31T13:54:46Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Missiles slam Ukraine as Russia strikes infrastructure in new air barrage | Military | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/missiles-slam-ukraine-as-russia-strikes-infrastructure-in-new-air-barrage/article_3616a9c5-2559-542c-bc33-569e628cad09.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/military/missiles-slam-ukraine-as-russia-strikes-infrastructure-in-new-air-barrage/article_3616a9c5-2559-542c-bc33-569e628cad09.html
|
Maureen O’Neil of Rye, New Hampshire had a four-day winning streak on “Jeopardy!”.
By Katherine Rodriguez nj.com
These are some of the most popular episodes of the year, as Jeopardy! brings back its biggest winners of the previous 12 months (who are usually fan favorites) to compete for a grand prize of $250,000.
Here’s what you need to know about who will be playing in the tournament and how the tournament will be set up this year.
The tournament setup
There are 21 contestants who will compete in several stages of play.
Three of those contestants (Matt Amodio, Mattea Roach and Amy Schneider) are “seeded contestants because of their performance during regular season game play. They automatically make it to the semifinals without having to go through a first-round matchup.
After the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds come the finals, where the top three contestants play at least three games to determine the winner. They can play up to seven games should the situation arise.
The first finalist to make it to three wins is crowned the winner of the 2022 Jeopardy Tournament of Champions.
Who will be playing in the Tournament of Champions?
The seeded contestants are as follows:
Matt Amodio - Cambridge, Massachusetts
Mattea Roach - Toronto, Ontario
Amy Schneider - Oakland, California
Here are the rest of the contestants that have secured a spot in the Tournament of Champions:
Eric Ahasic - Minneapolis, Minnesota
Sam Buttrey - Pacific Grove, California
Brian Chang - Chicago, Illinois
Jonathan Fisher - Coral Gables, Florida
John Focht - El Paso, Texas
Andrew He - San Francisco, California
Jackie Kelly - Carey, North Carolina
Ryan Long, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Zach Newkirk - Arlington, Virginia
Maureen O’Neil - Rye Beach, New Hampshire
Tyler Rhode - New York, New York
Courtney Shah - Portland, Oregon
Margaret Shelton - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Jaskaran Singh - Plano, Texas
Jessica Stephens - Nashville, Tennessee
Megan Wachspress - Berkeley, California
Rowan Ward - Chicago, Illinois
Christine Whelchel - Spring Hill, Tennessee
The tournament will officially kick off with the quarterfinal matches, which are from Oct. 31-Nov. 7, 2022.
The dates for the semifinal matches and the finals will be announced at a later date, although they will most likely start immediately following the quarterfinal matches.
The winner of the Tournament of Champions will receive $250,000 in prize money, while the second place finisher will receive $100,000 (or their two-day finals total, whichever number is larger) and the third place finisher will receive $50,000 (or their two-day finals total, whichever number is larger).
|
2022-10-31T19:48:15Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Jeopardy Tournament of Champions 2022: Who’s competing, dates, schedule of matches, prize money | Back Page | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/jeopardy-tournament-of-champions-2022-who-s-competing-dates-schedule-of-matches-prize-money/article_cf71fa49-ef3c-55c5-ab60-b3205825537b.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/jeopardy-tournament-of-champions-2022-who-s-competing-dates-schedule-of-matches-prize-money/article_cf71fa49-ef3c-55c5-ab60-b3205825537b.html
|
New York City will pay Muhammad A. Aziz and the estate of Khalil Islam to compensate them for their wrongful murder convictions in 1966, according to the city's legal office and an attorney for the men. The sum will be divided equally between Aziz and Islam's estate, said the lawyer, David Shanies.
"These settlements acknowledge Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam's innocence, and unconscionable violations of the law by police and prosecutors sworn to uphold it," Shanies said in an email. "The damage caused by wrongful convictions can never be undone, but we owe it to history and to the people whose lives were destroyed to face the truth and try to make amends."
Stefan Mooklal, deputy chief of staff for New York City's law department, said his office agreed with former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.'s conclusion that Aziz and Islam had been wrongfully convicted.
"This settlement brings some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure," Mooklal said in a statement.
The payouts serve as another public mea culpa for the combined 42 years that Aziz, 84, and Islam, who died in 2009, served in prison before prosecutors admitted to making a tragic mistake. The pair was exonerated in November after a jury previously found them guilty of participating in Malcolm X's 1965 assassination on the stage of Manhattan's Audubon Ballroom.
A Netflix documentary released in 2020 publicized new evidence casting doubt on Aziz and Islam's involvement, prompting Vance to launch a two-year review of their first-degree murder convictions. He eventually concluded that there were deep flaws in the prosecution, including withheld documents, conflicting eyewitness testimony and apparently solid alibis exposed in the decades since the convictions.
"While I do not need a court, prosecutors, or a piece of paper to tell me I am innocent, I am glad that my family, my friends and the attorneys who have worked and supported me all these years are finally seeing the truth we have all known officially recognized," he said.
Aziz and Islam's estate had been discussing potential settlements with the city since August, court records from the federal cases in the Eastern District of New York show. Federal Magistrate Judge Robert M. Levy recommended that the parties reach an agreement, according to docket entries posted Saturday.
The killing prompted both factually grounded debate and conspiracy theories about the identity of the attackers. Shanies and the Innocence Project, a nonprofit pushing for criminal justice reform, have long sought to clear Aziz and Islam's names.
New York Supreme Court Justice Ellen Biben apologized to Aziz and to Islam's family as she overturned their convictions last year.
"I regret that this court cannot fully undo the serious miscarriages of justice in this case and give you back the many years that were lost," she said.
|
2022-10-31T19:48:21Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Men wrongly convicted of killing Malcolm X to get $26 million settlement | Back Page | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/men-wrongly-convicted-of-killing-malcolm-x-to-get-26-million-settlement/article_2e0e073b-3b41-5045-8339-0fe9bdd4f846.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/men-wrongly-convicted-of-killing-malcolm-x-to-get-26-million-settlement/article_2e0e073b-3b41-5045-8339-0fe9bdd4f846.html
|
A bottle of Clorox bleach arranged in Dobbs Ferry, New York on Jan. 30, 2021.
Tiffany Hagler-Geard/Bloomberg
Clorox's bet that Americans would continue snapping up disinfectants after the pandemic faded hasn't paid off so far -- and it doesn't look like it will.
"They were not alone in the view that consumers would be forever changed by the pandemic," Barclays analyst Lauren Lieberman said in an interview. "What was different was the degree to which Clorox thought it would be the case."
The company's shares have declined about 40% from their pandemic-fueled record high in August 2020, while the S&P 500 Consumer Staples Sector Index has risen 17% since then.
Clorox's products range from Brita water filters to Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing, but wipes, bleach and multipurpose cleaners account for about 27% of revenues, Bank of America Securities analyst Anna Lizzul estimates. In response to frantic demand earlier in the pandemic, the company added a new line at a factory in Georgia and signed contracts with third-party manufacturers.
Barclays estimates that Clorox's revenue will have grown at a compound annual rate of 2.7% between fiscal years 2019 and 2023, in line with the company's prior long-term target of 2% to 4%. Clorox raised both ends of the range by one percentage point in February 2021.
"It's not an unwind to zero," Lieberman said. "You're kind of where you would've been with or without the pandemic."
A Clorox representative declined to comment ahead of the company's earnings report.
Clorox Chief Executive Officer Linda Rendle, who took over the CEO job in September 2020, recently announced a new operating model that she said is "driving growth and productivity." The restructure involved cutting 100 jobs, or 2% of the non-manufacturing workforce, with several senior employees losing their jobs as the company removed layers of management, people familiar with the matter said. The changes went into effect Oct. 3.
The position of general manager for the international unit was eliminated. The chiefs of the company's four regional business groups now report to Chris Hyder, the newly minted group president of the health and hygiene division, which oversees U.S. cleaning, professional products, and the international business.
The areas of consumer research, product research and design lost headcount, the people said. Meanwhile, Rebecca Dunphey took over as president of the care and connection unit, which oversees businesses such as Glad bags, Burt's Bees natural skincare and Kingsford charcoal. The company is expected to provide more details on its reorganization when it reports results.
People still care more about sanitizing than they did before, Rendle told investors at a conference in September. And revenue at Clorox's health and wellness segment, which includes cleaning products, was higher in the 12 months through June than in fiscal 2019 - even if it was down from the pandemic high.
But demand for the company's cleaning and disinfecting products will continue moderating in the 12 months ending in mid-2023, the company said in August. It also expects a double-digit decline in the quarter that runs through September due to outsize demand a year earlier when the delta variant of Covid-19 swept through the U.S.
Newsmakers: Endowment for Health appoints three new board members
Nashua Community Colleges teams with Fidelity for finance training
Ask the Expert: Scrappy marketing for consumer startups
Closing the Deal: Don't let customers see your dysfunction
|
2022-10-31T19:48:34Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Clorox's pandemic-era boom fades as virus concerns recede | Business | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/cloroxs-pandemic-era-boom-fades-as-virus-concerns-recede/article_9024a04c-d667-5189-acff-95ae3c7325a4.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/cloroxs-pandemic-era-boom-fades-as-virus-concerns-recede/article_9024a04c-d667-5189-acff-95ae3c7325a4.html
|
U.S. oil production nears 12M barrels/day, at pre-pandemic high
By Arathy Somasekhar Reuters
HOUSTON -- President Joe Biden on Monday called on oil and gas companies to invest some of their record profits in lowering costs for American families, a White House official said.
U.S. oil output climbed to nearly 12 million barrels per day (bpd) in August, government figures showed on Monday, the highest since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, even as shale companies have said they do not see production accelerating in coming months.
U.S. crude prices have hovered around $85 a barrel after surging into triple-digits this year and boosting fuel costs for consumers. President Joe Biden has called on oil companies to boost production to reduce fuel prices.
Overall U.S. output peaked at 13 million bpd in late 2019, and has not returned to that level since the pandemic started as rigs have been shut in and as costs for equipment and labor increased rapidly.
Several U.S. shale producers recently said well results are disappointing, and production is falling short of forecasts.
"You'll see production tick higher, but I don't think we're going to go ripping higher to 13.1 million barrels," said Bob Yawger, director of energy futures at Mizuho in New York.
A little over two years after the pandemic wrecked havoc on demand and slashed profits, four of the five largest global oil companies brought in roughly $50 billion in net income in the most recent quarter. Most major oil majors and large, listed producers are focused on returning profits to shareholders through share buybacks and dividends.
U.S. upstream oil companies are expected to bank a 68% increase in free cash flow per barrel in 2022, while output growth lingers at 4.5% year to date, Deloitte said last week.
Crude production rose 0.9% to 11.98 million bpd in August, highest since March 2020, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said in monthly figures.
Natural gas production in the United States hit another record, with gross output in the lower 48 states rising 0.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd) to 110.6 bcfd in August.
That topped the prior all-time high of 110.0 bcfd in July.
In top oil producing states, monthly output rose 1.6% to 5.10 million bpd in Texas and 0.6% to a record 1.58 million bpd in New Mexico, but fell 0.5% to 1.06 million bpd in North Dakota. Texas's output is at a level not seen since April 2020.
In top gas producing states, monthly output rose 0.9% to a record 31.3 bcfd in Texas and fell 1.5% to 20.4 bcfd in Pennsylvania, lowest since November 2020.
|
2022-10-31T19:48:40Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
U.S. oil production nears 12M barrels/day, at pre-pandemic high | Economy | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/u-s-oil-production-nears-12m-barrels-day-at-pre-pandemic-high/article_c20acac8-98ad-52b0-a8ca-0788b7bab1a8.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/u-s-oil-production-nears-12m-barrels-day-at-pre-pandemic-high/article_c20acac8-98ad-52b0-a8ca-0788b7bab1a8.html
|
By Praveena Somasundaram The Washington Post
Authorities said that Richard M. Allen, 50, of Delphi, Ind., was taken into custody last week and charged with two counts of murder Friday in the killings of Liberty German, 14, and Abigail Williams, 13, whose bodies were found in 2017.
Allen pleaded not guilty in a preliminary hearing, Carroll County Prosecutor Nicholas McLeland said in a news conference Monday. Allen is being held at the White County jail without bond and has hearing dates scheduled for January and March 2023.
Officials did not discuss the timeline of events or evidence that led to Allen's arrest, saying only that a judge determined that there was probable cause. It was unclear Monday whether Allen has an attorney.
The probable cause affidavit and charging information were sealed by court order, McLeland said, to protect the ongoing investigation.
"The time will come when additional details can be released, but again today is not that day," Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas Carter said. "It's about Abby and Libby, their families and this community."
The arrest has been long awaited by Liberty's and Abigail's families, as well as for the community of Delphi, which has kept a close eye on the investigation. The teens lived in the tiny town about 70 miles northwest of Indianapolis. Delphi has a park dedicated to the teens, called the Abby and Libby Memorial Park, honoring their love for sports and the outdoors.
For years, Becky Patty, Liberty's grandmother, has posted a photo on Facebook every day in memory of the girls, usually with the words "Today is the day" in the image. Those four words have been used by family and community members to keep attention on the case as it remained unsolved.
"Now I sit here not needing to do it because at long last we have a face to go with our monster," Patty wrote Saturday in a Facebook post.
On Feb. 13, 2017, the two friends had gone for a hike on the Delphi Historic Trails and were reported missing by their families when they did not return home that afternoon. The next day, volunteers from the community formed a search party, and found the girls' bodies in a wooded area near the trail.
But police did not disclose the cause of death at the time, saying only that the case was a double homicide investigation - and the girls' autopsies have remained under seal.
Days after the bodies were found, Indiana State Police released a photo of a man they suspected was involved in the killings. The photo, which was recovered from Liberty's cellphone, showed a man who authorities said was walking on the Delphi Historic Trails and might have "participated in the murders," according to a news release.
Another chilling detail recovered from Liberty's phone emerged about a week after the girls were found - a recording of what might have been the killer's voice. In the audio, police announced, a male voice appears to say "Down the hill." Officials offered a download of the audio and asked anyone who recognized the voice to send in a tip.
"This young lady is a hero, there's no doubt," Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum said at the time, referring to Liberty. "To have enough presence of mind to activate that video system on her cellphone, to record what we believe is criminal behavior that's about to occur."
In an effort to help the public recognize whom they were looking for, Indiana State Police in July 2017 released a composite sketch of what they thought the killer looked like.
Nearly two years passed before authorities released a second composite sketch in April 2019, this one in stark contrast to the first, which they said "more accurately" depicted the killer, the Indianapolis Star reported.
On Sunday, Patty posted a photo of Liberty near a pool, a beach towel tied around her like a cape with the caption: "Fitting."
After Monday's news conference, Kelsi German, Liberty's sister, said in a tweet: "Oct. 28th was the day."
The Washington Post's Sarah Larimer contributed to this report.
|
2022-10-31T19:48:46Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Suspect arrested in 2017 killings of 2 teens in Indiana | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/suspect-arrested-in-2017-killings-of-2-teens-in-indiana/article_23531753-f3c3-50fd-9a53-ee9d40d1bb34.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/suspect-arrested-in-2017-killings-of-2-teens-in-indiana/article_23531753-f3c3-50fd-9a53-ee9d40d1bb34.html
|
President Joe Biden makes a statement about gasoline prices and oil company profits in the Roosevelt Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 31, 2022. REUTERS/Leah Millis
In remarks at the White House, Biden criticized major oil companies who are bringing in big profits while Americans, weary of inflation, pay a tidy sum to fill up their cars.
The oil industry “has not met its commitment to invest in America and support the American people,” he said. They’re not just making a “fair return” he said, they’re making “profits so high it is hard to believe,” Biden said.
“Their profits are a windfall of war,” he said, of the conflict that is ravaging Ukraine, and they have a responsibility to act.
“I think it’s outrageous,” he said. If they passed those profits on to consumers, gasoline prices would be down about 50 cents, he said.
“If they don’t, they’re going to pay a higher tax on their excess profits, and face other restrictions,” he said. The White House will work with Congress to look at these options and others. “It’s time for these companies to stop war profiteering.”
Biden said oil and gas companies should invest their profits in lowering costs for Americans and increasing production and that if they do not, he will urge Congress to consider requiring oil companies to pay tax penalties and face other restrictions.
The president held the event with a week to go until Americans decide whether his Democrats will remain in control of the Congress. Republicans are favored to take command of the House of Representatives, while the Senate is viewed as a toss-up.
Global energy giants including Exxon Mobil Corp and Chevron Corp posted another round of huge quarterly profits, benefiting from surging natural gas and fuel prices that have boosted inflation around the world and led to fresh calls to further tax the sector.
British lawmakers in July approved a 25% windfall tax on oil and gas producers in the British North Sea that was expected to raise $5.95 billion in one year to help people struggling with soaring energy bills.
|
2022-10-31T21:37:21Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Biden calls on oil, gas companies to stop 'war profiteering,' threatens windfall tax | Economy | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/biden-calls-on-oil-gas-companies-to-stop-war-profiteering-threatens-windfall-tax/article_7b6c9122-0b8c-5380-8b2d-c86c80d5a5f5.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/business/economy/biden-calls-on-oil-gas-companies-to-stop-war-profiteering-threatens-windfall-tax/article_7b6c9122-0b8c-5380-8b2d-c86c80d5a5f5.html
|
WASHINGTON -- Conservative Supreme Court justices signaled skepticism on Monday toward the legality of race-conscious admissions policies in cases involving Harvard University and the University of North Carolina that could imperil affirmative action programs often used to boost enrollment of Black and Hispanic students.
The cases give the court an opportunity to overturn its prior rulings -- including one as recent as 2016 -- allowing race-conscious admissions policies at colleges and universities. They also give it a chance to embrace an interpretation favored by conservatives of the U.S. Constitution's 14th Amendment promise of equal protection under the law that would bar governments and other institutions from using race-conscious policies - even those crafted to benefit people who have endured discrimination.
"But as I read the record and understand their process, it's never standing alone, that it's in the context of all of the other factors -- there are 40 factors about all sorts of things that the admissions office is looking at. And you haven't demonstrated or shown one situation in which all they look at is race," Jackson added.
'Checking a box'
Military academies
|
2022-10-31T21:37:27Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
U.S. Supreme Court conservatives lean against race-conscious student admissions | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/u-s-supreme-court-conservatives-lean-against-race-conscious-student-admissions/article_bea52699-1926-54b5-bbb0-27ac3d93e32f.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/u-s-supreme-court-conservatives-lean-against-race-conscious-student-admissions/article_bea52699-1926-54b5-bbb0-27ac3d93e32f.html
|
Open enrollment on HealthCare.gov begins on Tuesday. Last year, more than 1.84 million Texans signed up for coverage — by far the most since the Affordable Care Act was passed over a decade ago.
Juan Figueroa//The Dallas Morning News/TNS
Mitchell Schnurman The Dallas Morning News
1. More people are eligible for more subsidies
During the pandemic, subsidies were increased and expanded for those using the exchange, and Congress locked in the enhancements until 2025. Four out of five customers on HealthCare.gov will be able to find a plan for $10 a month or less after subsidies, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
They include some high-earners who previously were ineligible for assistance because they earned over 400% of the federal poverty level.
There’s also been a recent rule change to fix the so-called family glitch. The glitch occurs when a breadwinner gets coverage from work but cannot afford to add a spouse and kids. Those family members will be eligible for subsidies.
2. Review HealthCare.gov coverage even if you’re satisfied with your plan
Open enrollment is a chance to compare offers on the exchange and make changes if you find a better fit.
Those who don’t sign up for a new plan can be automatically re-enrolled in the same plan for next year — and that can lead to surprises.
Daniel Bouton, senior director of family and community health at United Way of Metropolitan Dallas, said his father had to deal with sticker shock.
“He didn’t do anything because he was keeping the same plan, but that didn’t mean the price was staying the same,” Bouton said. “It was higher than what he had paid throughout the year.”
3. Update financial and family information to get the correct subsidies and assistance
The net costs of coverage on HealthCare.gov is based on family income and other factors, such as the number of people living in the household. Those details affect subsidies that reduce monthly premiums and can reduce deductibles and copayments.
To get an accurate read of the actual price, you must enter key information and compare plans on the exchange. There’s a checklist of items that may be needed for the application, including Social Security numbers, wage information from W-2 forms or pay stubs, unemployment compensation and income from gig work.
One more tip from Bouton: If you participated in the exchange this year, be sure to have log-in information. That speeds up the re-enrollment process.
4. Free help and advice is widely available, and there are several ways to enroll
To help people evaluate and apply for offers, the federal government spends millions to train and certify assisters, often known as navigators.
Independent brokers and agents for insurance companies also sign up customers and provide advice. Go to localhelp.healthcare.gov and enter your ZIP code.
There’s a link for certified enrollment partners. For those wanting to enroll by phone or mail, HealthCare.gov has phone numbers and applications.
5. Be aware of deadlines and crunch times on HealthCare.gov
Open enrollment runs from Nov. 1 to Jan. 15, but you must sign up by Dec. 15 for coverage to take effect Jan. 1. For those enrolling after Dec. 15, coverage starts in February.
“Why not get covered for the entire year?” Bouton said.
One expert suggested applicants wait a day or two to avoid the crowds on the Nov. 1 opening. Bouton was more concerned about people waiting too long and facing delays on Dec. 15. If they run into long waits when calling someone at the exchange, they can reach out to local navigators through the United Way website or its phone lines.
“We may be able to see you within a couple of hours in person or through a virtual visit over the phone,” Bouton said.
|
2022-10-31T21:37:39Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
What you need to know about Tuesday’s HealthCare.gov open enrollment launch | Health | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/what-you-need-to-know-about-tuesday-s-healthcare-gov-open-enrollment-launch/article_a61deef3-027d-52ce-99f2-975e8d635c2e.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/what-you-need-to-know-about-tuesday-s-healthcare-gov-open-enrollment-launch/article_a61deef3-027d-52ce-99f2-975e8d635c2e.html
|
Kathleen Cavalaro, a Democratic candidate for state representative, said she's gotten death threats since Libs of Tik Tok posted a video she made a year ago in which she advocated leaving the country.
ROCHESTER — A Democratic candidate for state representative said she has received death threats since Libs of Tik Tok posted a video last weekend in which she advocated leaving the country.
Kathleen Cavalaro of Rochester said threatening emails, texts and phone messages were left after she had become a target on the conservative social media platform, which uses videos to lampoon liberal candidates, activists and elected officials.
During a telephone interview, Cavalaro said she made the video, which got more than a million views a year ago, out of frustration with the health care system.
At the time, Cavalaro said she had no health insurance and had been told her husband was “dying” unless he got a liver transplant.
Her spouse risked falling off a waiting list for a transplant without proof that they could afford the procedure, she said.
“I’m 46 and when I turn 50 and my husband is all better we plan on moving out of the country and somewhere else in the world,” Cavalaro said in the 27-second video.
Part of the motivation for making the video was to attract donations to their cause and it succeeded, she said.
“My question is there a place that we can move where people would be happy to have us, that we are not gentrifying and colonizing? Is there a way to do this?” Cavalaro asked rhetorically in the video.
“I don’t want to be a problem but I need to get the (expletive) out of this country.”
In response, someone who identifies on Twitter as “Memewarrior 1448 posted at Cavalaro Sunday, “We're getting the gallows ready. they got your name on em. we know who you are. we know where you are. when the time comes, you will pay."
Confronting critics
Cavalaro did little to discourage the outrage on her own Twitter feed.
“Come and get me,” she declared.
On Sunday, the Twitter accounts of the New Hampshire Republican State Committee and Committee to Elect N.H. House Republicans also drew attention to her video.
“NH Democrat Kathleen Cavalaro HATES: America, New Hampshire, and YOU. Next Tuesday, go to the polls and support Republican candidates down the ballot so that we NEVER send Kathleen to DESTROY the Granite State,” the N.H. GOP said.
Cavalaro said her husband had become seriously ill from a tick bite. Doctors have since told him he is no longer in urgent need of a liver transplant but may need one in the future.
“I realized through this whole experience that if you want change, you have to stay in the fight and that’s why I’m running for the House this year,” Cavalaro said.
A N.H. GOP spokesperson defended drawing attention to the video.
"The NHGOP doesn’t condone any threat of violence against any candidate or elected official ever," the N.H. GOP State Committee said in a statement. "Kathleen Cavalaro should not run for office because it’s clear that she will not uphold nor protect the Constitution of our country which she claims to hate and wants to escape from."
Last July, Attorney General John Formella’s office urged Cavalaro to take down a video or explain on her social media account after she joked about promoting voter fraud.
“You can actually vote for me. Just get on one of those buses that comes in from Massachusetts and go to Ward 2 in Rochester and vote for me,” Cavalaro had said.
Formella said the video amounted to protected free speech but raised a concern some could view it as encouraging out-of-state residents to vote illegally here.
|
2022-10-31T21:37:45Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Dem State rep candidate says viral video led to death threats | Voters First | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/dem-state-rep-candidate-says-viral-video-led-to-death-threats/article_3ccb4da1-72b5-54ff-bc03-bb6f3a53a2c8.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/dem-state-rep-candidate-says-viral-video-led-to-death-threats/article_3ccb4da1-72b5-54ff-bc03-bb6f3a53a2c8.html
|
China moved another step closer to completing its own space station with the launch of a rocket carrying the third and final module for the ambitious project.
The Long March 5B rocket blasted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island at 3:37 p.m. local time Monday with the Mengtian laboratory module on board.
The module, whose name translates to dreaming of the heavens, will join the Tianhe core module and the Wentian experiment module to complete the T-shaped Tiangong space station.
China started building its own space station in April 2021 after the U.S. barred Beijing from participating in the International Space Station.
In May, it released a high-definition image of Tiangong, which is in orbit around 250 miles above the Earth and expected to be finished later this year.
Under President Xi Jinping, Asia’s biggest economy has increased efforts to match the U.S. as the dominant power in space, teaming up with Russia on a proposed lunar research station and opposing the Washington-backed Artemis Accords, which are intended to help govern future space activity such as mining on the moon.
Monday’s launch may draw criticism if stages of the Long March 5B rocket crash back to Earth in an uncontrolled re-entry — something that happened after China’s previous two space station launches.
In late July, remnants of a massive Chinese rocket fell over the Indian Ocean, leading U.S. space officials to criticize China’s lack of information-sharing about its boosters re-entering the atmosphere.
|
2022-10-31T23:22:09Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
China moves closer to completing space station with final module launch | | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/china-moves-closer-to-completing-space-station-with-final-module-launch/article_9293674b-4dc6-5d59-a0aa-b1598a7bef51.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/china-moves-closer-to-completing-space-station-with-final-module-launch/article_9293674b-4dc6-5d59-a0aa-b1598a7bef51.html
|
A person buys a Powerball ticket as the Powerball lottery jackpot hits $1 billion in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, Monday. REUTERS/Hannah Beier
Cory Greene, 54, of Atlanta was among those who waited patiently on Monday. The semi-retired construction worker and former Army infantry soldier wasn't planning on buying a Powerball ticket until he saw all the commotion.
Greene said he'd spend a lot of money helping small businesses in the African-American community. When asked if he wanted to buy something big for himself, he said "no."
|
2022-10-31T23:22:21Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Powerball jackpot hits $1 billion ahead of Halloween night drawing | Back Page | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/powerball-jackpot-hits-1-billion-ahead-of-halloween-night-drawing/article_859874ec-b54a-585c-b157-924628788720.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/powerball-jackpot-hits-1-billion-ahead-of-halloween-night-drawing/article_859874ec-b54a-585c-b157-924628788720.html
|
The sun was 'smiling' in a NASA photo. It might be a warning for Earth.
It turns out that anyone who drew a smiley-faced sun as a kid has been scientifically proved — somewhat — right.
Last week, NASA’s Solar Dynamics Observatory captured an image of the biggest object in our solar system looking like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from “Ghostbusters,” the baby-faced “Teletubbies” sun or a jack-o’-lantern (if you’re into the Halloween spirit).
But what looks like a Scrub Daddy sponge set ablaze might not be as cute as it appears. For us here on Earth, the solar emoji could produce a beautiful aurora sighting — or it could signal problems for the planet’s telecommunications systems.
The sun is, in essence, “the largest nuclear reactor in our solar system,” said Brian Keating, a physics professor at the University of California at San Diego. There’s a flurry of action happening every second in the massive, spinning, glowing ball of hot gas — from the conversion of hydrogen into helium, which gives off the same amount of heat as several nuclear bombs, to electrical storms and sunquakes.
Some of that solar activity was photographed by NASA’s satellite on Wednesday, Keating told The Washington Post.
In the image, the trio of patches that make up the “face” — which can’t be seen with human eyes because they’re in the ultraviolet spectrum — are what’s known as coronal holes, or slightly cooler sections of the sun’s outer layer, which usually has a temperature of about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
“We’re talking about a few hundred degrees, so it’s not like some ski resort,” Keating said. “But because they’re so dark and because we’re looking at it in ultraviolet radiation, which the naked eye can’t see, the [NASA satellite] sees them as dark holes.”
The coronal holes aren’t just interesting shapes moving around the sun’s surface. They’re areas of high magnetic-field activity steadily sending solar wind — or a flow of protons, electrons and other particles — into the universe.
“More so than a smiley face, its eyes are like gleaming laser beams sending particles that can cause severe disruptions to the atmosphere on Earth,” Keating said.
When the particles, which carry electrical charge, hit the planet in small doses, colorful auroras might follow, bringing brilliant displays caused by the atmosphere’s gases interacting with the sun’s burped-up shoots of energy. The problems come if a tremendous number of the teeny-tiny particles hit Earth, Keating said. Instead of being sucked into Earth’s magnetic field, they could get picked up by radio antennae and disrupt radio, television and other communication channels. A severe solar storm could even damage electrical grids and cause power outages, Keating added.
While images of a smiling sun have been captured before — for instance, in 2013 after it “ate a comet” or in 2014 when NASA dubbed it a “Pumpkin Sun”— the worst-case scenario Keating described hasn’t happened in almost two centuries. The last intense geomagnetic storm to affect Earth that much was the 1859 Carrington Event, which caused fires at several telegraph stations as auroras popped up in tropical regions.
A massive event like that is long overdue, he said.
“Scientists expect that to happen on average, with a couple percent probability, every year, and we’ve just dodged all these magnetic bullets for so long,” Keating said. “So it could be really scary, and the consequences could be much more dramatic, especially in our technology-dependent current society.”
The sun’s particles from the latest smile event may reach Earth right on time for the ghostliest night of the year.
“There could be something on our way for Halloween night after all,” Keating said. “Pretty spooky, but hopefully not too spooky.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center issued a minor geomagnetic storm watch Saturday, warning that conditions could change from “unsettled” to “active.” The flare-ups of the coronal holes are expected to continue through Wednesday.
|
2022-10-31T23:23:10Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
The sun was 'smiling' in a NASA photo. It might be a warning for Earth. | | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/the-sun-was-smiling-in-a-nasa-photo-it-might-be-a-warning-for-earth/article_184c99a0-ecf9-50dc-add4-0b7d3d9e6c54.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/the-sun-was-smiling-in-a-nasa-photo-it-might-be-a-warning-for-earth/article_184c99a0-ecf9-50dc-add4-0b7d3d9e6c54.html
|
Minutes after a truck driver was shot to death in the middle of South Willow Street Saturday afternoon, Manchester police were watching the outside of Tyrese Harris’ apartment on Bodwell Road, according to a police affidavit.
Harris was considered a “person of interest” in the murder of Dzemal Cardakovic, 45, who was driving a tractor-trailer that he owned and operated to support his family. Witnesses say road rage played a role in the murder.
Multiple witnesses called police around 3:24 p.m. reporting a person had been shot in the roadway near the Mall of New Hampshire, according to a news release from the Attorney General’s Office.
In all, five officers were involved in the “vehicle takedown.” They were wearing SWAT tactical gear.
At one point the Kia pulled over and as a detective drove by, Harris “pulled his head directly outside the window.” Police witnessed Harris turning onto South Mammoth Road without coming to a complete stop, swerving and making an abrupt left turn onto Cilley Road in the straight-only lane.
Police decided to make a “high-risk traffic stop” believing the driver was Harris. The vehicle was stopped with no oncoming traffic or pedestrians at 6:04 p.m. on Cilley Road.
“The driver was ordered to put his hands out the window and turn off the vehicle which he did,” the affidavit reads. “He threw the keys out the window as ordered and exited the vehicle with his hands showing.”
The two counts of murder allege Harris knowingly caused the death of Cardakovic and the other for “recklessly causing the death of Cardakovic under circumstances manifesting an extreme indifference to the value of human life.”
On Monday afternoon, prosecutor Adam Woods did not provide any additional information on the murder after the scheduled arraignment Monday afternoon.
Harris is being represented by public defenders Aileen O’Connell and Benjamin St. Pierre.
Ryan Connors was driving home Saturday afternoon after running errands on South Willow Street in Manchester when he saw a commotion and heard …
|
2022-11-01T01:02:29Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Manchester police quickly track down man charged in roadway shooting | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/manchester-police-quickly-track-down-man-charged-in-roadway-shooting/article_0a4f79b3-accf-5fa0-9630-4899e7796118.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/manchester-police-quickly-track-down-man-charged-in-roadway-shooting/article_0a4f79b3-accf-5fa0-9630-4899e7796118.html
|
Early symptoms of RSV infection may be mild. It may take a few days into the illness for more severe symptoms to evolve.
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus that can cause severe problems, especially for young children and older adults, has increased illness and hospitalizations.
“We’re seeing relatively high rates of infection occur earlier in the fall than usual,” says Dr. Nipunie Rajapakse, a pediatric infectious diseases physician with the Mayo Clinic Children’s Center. “Typically, we don’t see a lot of circulation of this virus until November. But this year, we are seeing much more than we generally see.”
It’s a prevalent virus that mostly causes mild, cold-like symptaoms. Most children will be infected with the virus by age 2. But for some children, it can be severe.
“RSV virus is a respiratory virus. When it infects young children, especially those under 2 years of age, it causes inflammation in the airways. It is the most common cause of bronchiolitis, inflammation of the small airways in the lung, and the most common cause of pneumonia in young kids,” says Rajapakse.
Rajapakse says because children have a small airway when they develop inflammation due to RSV, it can cause difficulty breathing. Because of this, many children need to be hospitalized to manage their RSV infection, especially kids under 6 months old.
“Symptoms of RSV include fever, coughing, difficulty breathing, wheezing, kids might not want to feed as much or have difficulty feeding, and they may be more fatigued than usual. The real things we make sure to ask parents to look out for are signs of difficulty breathing or working hard to breathe. This can include sucking in. You might notice it at the base of the throat or between the ribs, a child that’s breathing fast, a child that’s having difficulty breathing and feeding to the point where they’re getting dehydrated,” Dr. Rajapakse says.
Seek immediate medical care if your child (or an adult) has difficulty breathing.
Most mild RSV cases go away in a week or two. There are no specific treatments, though you may want to administer over-the-counter fever and pain relievers (never give aspirin to children). And drink plenty of fluid.
There are no preventive RSV vaccines currently.
There is an antibody product called palivizumab for some children who may be eligible. It is administered usually in five monthly doses throughout the RSV season. Rajapakse says those children are a relatively small group, including those with underlying conditions, such as heart disease, lung disease or children who were born prematurely.
Tips for parents to help reduce RSV infection:
• Wash your hands frequently. Teach your children the importance of hand-washing.
• Avoid exposure. Cover your mouth and nose when you cough or sneeze. Limit your child’s contact with people who have fevers or colds.
• Keep things clean. Make sure kitchen and bathroom countertops, doorknobs and handles are clean. Discard used tissues right away.
• Don’t share drinking glasses with others.
• Don’t smoke. Babies exposed to tobacco smoke have a higher risk of getting RSV and potentially more severe symptoms.
• Wash toys regularly. Do this, especially when your child or a playmate is sick.
Along with those tips, Rajapakse says the measures that were adopted for the COVID-19 pandemic are also effective for helping slow the spread of other respiratory viruses, like RSV.
“RSV is a respiratory virus, so it’s spread by respiratory droplets or by touching droplets from someone who’s infected. Avoiding people who are sick, washing your hands, even wearing a mask would prevent transmission of RSV as well,” adds Rajapakse.
Children under 2 are not recommended to wear masks.
|
2022-11-01T01:02:30Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
RSV season: What parents need to know | Health | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/rsv-season-what-parents-need-to-know/article_8b1184f7-f04b-5365-8be3-ea4f32296221.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/rsv-season-what-parents-need-to-know/article_8b1184f7-f04b-5365-8be3-ea4f32296221.html
|
Kathy Raiche-Stevens, director of healthy living at the YMCA of Downtown Manchester, with a diabetes education participant.
Provided by Granite YMCA
In January 2022, The Granite YMCA became the first community-based YMCA in the nation to be accredited by the Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists (ADCES) as a Diabetes Educator.
In addition, and for the second consecutive year, The Granite YMCA is recognized as a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program (MDPP) provider by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
For Granite Staters, this means they can access and participate in the YMCA’s “gold standard” diabetes education and prevention programs and have it paid for by insurance.
“The Granite YMCA is leading the nation in how we impact the health of our community by being a supplier for DPP/MDPP and recently accredited for DMES. This is vital work within NH as the YMCA can connect people to programs, resources, activities, lifestyle and behavior changes. This type of work is a model for how YMCAs across the country can become an extension of the health care system and has the ability to improve the health of our communities in significant ways,” said Dr. Gloria Winters, chief medical officer, YMCA Managed Service Organization.
According to the 2020 New Hampshire Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) survey, 8.8% (or 100,000) of New Hampshire adults aged 18 and older have been told by a health professional that they had diabetes. New Hampshire BRFSS statistics also show adults diagnosed with prediabetes is also on the rise, up from 6.0% in 2011 to 10.3% in 2020. “In New Hampshire, among adults 18 to 44 years of age, the prevalence of diabetes is increasing by 4.4% each year,” explained Mike Laviolette, chronic disease epidemiologist.
The CDC estimates that one-third of adults have prediabetes, putting them at risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, stroke and kidney disease.
“We know that hospitals and health care systems are doing great work in this area, but there is more work to be done, so partnering as a community source for diabetes education and prevention has been among our highest priorities, explained Michele Sheppard, president and chief executive officer, The Granite YMCA.
“Cindy Lafond, our executive director of health interventions, and her team have been focused on access, programming, measurable goals and outcomes, and their dedication over many years has led to us now being a national example to all YMCAs as to how to achieve the highest standards in diabetes education and prevention for the benefit of the community we serve,” added Sheppard.
The process for being recognized as a Medicare Diabetes Prevention Program provider and then being accredited by the ADA started in 2020.
“We initiated our program by adopting the curriculum developed by the CDC. As we achieved success with our participants, we added new strategies and goals. One of those was removing the cost barrier by being recognized by Medicare for reimbursement. When we achieved that goal last year, we knew we had to strive for accreditation so that the people of New Hampshire could rest assured that they have the very best in diabetes education. It is extremely rewarding to have been asked to present our work and model at the ADA conference last July as the first accredited YMCA in the nation,” Lafond said.
“We are so pleased to be partnering with the Granite YMCA on diabetes and heart disease prevention and management efforts. As the first YMCA in the nation to offer an accredited diabetes education program, we couldn’t be prouder. The Granite YMCA is increasing access to evidence-based programs for populations that need them the most,” said Whitney Hammond, MSW, MPH, chronic disease director, New Hampshire Division of Public Health Services.
Participating in The Granite YMCA’s Diabetes Prevention Program has been proven to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes by 58-71%. The year-long program consists of 16 weekly sessions and three sessions every other week during the first six months followed by monthly sessions in the second six months.
The Granite YMCA offers in-person programs in Goffstown, Manchester, Portsmouth, Rochester, Londonderry, Concord and Exeter, as well as a virtual option to all New Hampshire residents who cannot make it to an in-person location either due to distance or preference. A YMCA membership is not required to participate.
|
2022-11-01T01:02:32Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
The Granite YMCA sets the standard nationally for community based Y diabetes education | Health | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/the-granite-ymca-sets-the-standard-nationally-for-community-based-y-diabetes-education/article_9313519b-04f8-5234-85c8-a5540e4babda.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/the-granite-ymca-sets-the-standard-nationally-for-community-based-y-diabetes-education/article_9313519b-04f8-5234-85c8-a5540e4babda.html
|
By Abraham Gutman The Philadelphia Inquirer
A national shortage of Adderall has people with attention deficit/hyper activity disorder scrambling to find a pharmacy that can refill their prescription.
The Food and Drug Administration confirmed the shortage, which specifically affects the immediate-release formulation, earlier this month. Teva, a major manufacturer of generic drugs, including a generic version of Adderall, is “experiencing ongoing intermittent manufacturing delays,” the FDA said.
Further complicating the issue: Adderall is considered a controlled substance because it contains amphetamine and dextroamphetamine, and its production is highly regulated.
Demand for Adderall and other stimulants has been increasing over recent years, continuing a decades-old debate about the risk of over-prescribing and misuse.
Anthony Rostain, chief of the department of psychiatry at Cooper Health, said that some of his patients visited multiple pharmacies before finding it in stock. “They’re extremely anxious right now and quite frustrated,” he said.
Adderall is a brand name for amphetamine mixed salts. The most common use of Adderall is to treat ADHD, but the medication is also used to treat narcolepsy — a sleep disorder — and depression, at times, Rostain said.
The medication comes in an immediate-release form, which works for about four hours, and extended-release, which people usually take once a day.
The shortage is specifically in the immediate-release formulation of Adderall.
What are the risks of the shortage?
The most immediate risk is disruption in daily life.
School-aged children could have trouble learning in the classroom and people of all ages could have a hard time regulating their emotions, focusing, and managing their behavior.
Discontinuing Adderall abruptly could lead to more hyperactivity and make people moody. “You don’t want to run out of stuff suddenly,” he said.
Rostain worries that people who run out and are under pressure, such as college students, will attempt to buy the drug illegally, but he hasn’t heard of that happening in this shortage.
Is Adderall the only medication for ADHD?
There are multiple medications for ADHD, including different formulations of Adderall (immediate-release vs. long-acting). There is also another type of medication called methylphenidate. This drug is more commonly knows as Ritalin or Concerta.
What to do if you can’t refill your prescription
There are a few options.
Rostain said he advised patients to call different pharmacies to see if they have Adderall stocked. That could require an actual visit because some pharmacies might not be comfortable sharing their supply levels of a controlled substance over the phone.
“Yes, it’s a pain in the neck, but I told people to keep looking around because not every single pharmacy is out,” he said.
Another option is for people to talk to their provider about potentially changing either the drug they are taking or the formulation. Some people who started with the immediate-release formulation may be able to switch to the extended-release version.
“Adderall immediate release lasts four hours,” he explained. “Your ADHD doesn’t.”
|
2022-11-01T01:02:38Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
There is an Adderall shortage. A psychiatrist explains what it means for kids, adults with ADHD | Health | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/there-is-an-adderall-shortage-a-psychiatrist-explains-what-it-means-for-kids-adults-with/article_5cc9127f-9018-5b54-9ef6-3539a360998c.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/health/there-is-an-adderall-shortage-a-psychiatrist-explains-what-it-means-for-kids-adults-with/article_5cc9127f-9018-5b54-9ef6-3539a360998c.html
|
New York City will pay Muhammad A. Aziz and the estate of Khalil Islam to compensate them for their wrongful murder convictions in 1966, according to the city’s legal office and an attorney for the men. The sum will be divided equally between Aziz and Islam’s estate, said the lawyer, David Shanies.
“These settlements acknowledge Muhammad Aziz and Khalil Islam’s innocence, and unconscionable violations of the law by police and prosecutors sworn to uphold it,” Shanies said in an email. “The damage caused by wrongful convictions can never be undone, but we owe it to history and to the people whose lives were destroyed to face the truth and try to make amends.”
Stefan Mooklal, deputy chief of staff for New York City’s law department, said his office agreed with former Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr.’s conclusion that Aziz and Islam had been wrongfully convicted.
“This settlement brings some measure of justice to individuals who spent decades in prison and bore the stigma of being falsely accused of murdering an iconic figure,” Mooklal said in a statement.
As a Black religious leader and activist, Malcolm X was controversial among both Black and White Americans.
He advocated for Black empowerment and the adoption of Islam among Black people while espousing the virulently anti-White ideology of the Nation of Islam, for whom he was a spokesman. But his fiery nature also won him the admiration of many.
The killing prompted both factually grounded debate and conspiracy theories about the identity of the attackers. Shanies and the Innocence Project, a nonprofit pushing for criminal justice reform, have long sought to clear Aziz and Islam’s names.
|
2022-11-01T02:42:48Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Men wrongly convicted of killing Malcolm X to get $26 million settlement | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/men-wrongly-convicted-of-killing-malcolm-x-to-get-26-million-settlement/article_2e0e073b-3b41-5045-8339-0fe9bdd4f846.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/men-wrongly-convicted-of-killing-malcolm-x-to-get-26-million-settlement/article_2e0e073b-3b41-5045-8339-0fe9bdd4f846.html
|
Seeking reelection
A Free State Project supporter running on both the Democratic and Libertarian tickets is challenging incumbent Republican John Coughlin to be the top prosecutor in Hillsborough County.
Nicholas Sarwark, 43, former committee chairman of the national Libertarian Party, orchestrated a write-in campaign in the Democratic Party primary this past September. He received 1,023 votes, which landed him a spot on the Democratic ticket.
Coughlin, who also tried to get on the Democratic ticket, received 98 votes.
“The vote totals show my approach to criminal justice — a focus on violence and property crimes — aligns more closely with the Democratic Party than it appears to align with the Republicans,” Sarwark said.
Sarwark, 42, lives in Manchester. He runs a political consulting company, Wedge Squared Strategies. He has experience in criminal law, working for five years as a public defender in Colorado.
The election will decide whether Coughlin will continue as Hillsborough county attorney. The Republican was elected two years ago, ending two years of tumult in the office under his predecessor, a Democrat who was elected with no prosecutorial experience.
Coughlin, 69, is a retired district court judge whose resume includes 11 months as county attorney in the early 2000s and deployment with the National Guard in Iraq.
Sarwark cites a number of issues with Coughlin: crushing caseloads for his staff, numerous staff departures and a judge’s sanction against the office last year, mostly because of prosecutors missing deadlines.
“The only real difference between him and me is he’s had two years to do a better job and hasn’t,” Sarwark said.
Coughlin blamed the sanctions on scheduling issues. Prosecutors would resign, and cases would be reassigned, but calendars and deadlines were not always transferred with them.
The office has purchased Microsoft 365 scheduling software, which has addressed those issues.
“We’re getting better in transitions as people leave,” he said.
Coughlin said his biggest accomplishment is addressing the backlog caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Also, his office has better relationships with law enforcement: He has assigned a prosecutor to every police department.
“We even have Windsor covered,” Coughlin said.
But he acknowledges that departures have continued. In October, he lost the director of his Special Victims Unit. Some of the departures cite the treatment of his prosecutors in the superior court in Manchester, but he said that is improving.
Sarwark said backlogs could be addressed with more aggressive hiring practices. He wants to narrow the pay gap between city prosecutors, who earn higher salaries prosecuting misdemeanors, and county prosecutors.
He would report regularly on the operations of the office. And he would reduce high caseloads and backlogs by looking at drug arrests. Drug crimes involving simple possession and no violence need to be quickly settled, usually with probation and treatment.
Coughlin said that’s already being done. He hires experienced prosecutors and assigns them to the Early Case Resolution Unit.
The prosecutors know the system and what program would best help a defendant.
“As prosecutors, we can effectuate positive change in people’s lives. We’re in a better position to do that than defense lawyers,” Coughlin said.
Sarwark said he was one of the earliest signers to the Free State Project pledge, in 2002 when he lived in Maryland and before activists selected New Hampshire as their base. He lived in Colorado and Phoenix before moving to Manchester in 2019.
His nomination as a Democrat has irked party leaders.
“He is not ‘on the ticket,’ as he is not a Democrat,” said Alan Raff, chairman of the Manchester city Democrats. The party is not advising Democrats to vote for him, he said.
Sarwark ran in 2020 as a Libertarian only. He earned nearly 12,000 votes, about 5% of the vote. If elected, Sarwark said he would take an oath of office to prosecute violations of all laws, but would prioritize violent and property crime.
“The Libertarian ideal,” he said, “is you don’t hurt people and you don’t take their stuff.”
Hillsborough County Attorney
|
2022-11-01T02:43:07Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Libertarian-Democrat leader challenges Republican John Coughlin for Hillsborough County Attorney | Voters First | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/libertarian-democrat-leader-challenges-republican-john-coughlin-for-hillsborough-county-attorney/article_7f56b967-a39b-5ee4-be61-27f6bb990569.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/libertarian-democrat-leader-challenges-republican-john-coughlin-for-hillsborough-county-attorney/article_7f56b967-a39b-5ee4-be61-27f6bb990569.html
|
China moved another step closer to completing its own space station with the launch of a rocket carrying the third and final module for the ambitious project.
The Long March 5B rocket blasted off from Wenchang Satellite Launch Center on Hainan island at 3:37 p.m. local time Monday with the Mengtian laboratory module on board.
The module, whose name translates to dreaming of the heavens, will join the Tianhe core module and the Wentian experiment module to complete the T-shaped Tiangong space station.
China started building its own space station in April 2021 after the U.S. barred Beijing from participating in the International Space Station.
In May, it released a high-definition image of Tiangong, which is in orbit around 250 miles above the Earth and expected to be finished later this year.
Once Tiangong is complete, China will be the only country to operate a space station of its own, adding to other accomplishments such as landing on Mars last year and on the far side of the moon in 2019.
Under President Xi Jinping, Asia’s biggest economy has increased efforts to match the U.S. as the dominant power in space, teaming up with Russia on a proposed lunar research station and opposing the Washington-backed Artemis Accords, which are intended to help govern future space activity such as mining on the moon.
China’s Global Times said in September that the Mengtian module will be oriented to microgravity scientific research and is equipped with experimental cabinets for fluid physics, materials science, combustion science, basic physics and space technology experiments.
Zhang Wei, director of the Space Utilization Development Center, Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization, under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, said previously Mengtian will carry the world’s first space-based cold atomic clock system. Cold atomic clocks may one day “form the most precise time and frequency system in space, which should not lose one second in hundreds of millions of years,” Zhang was quoted as saying.
The Mengtian module, almost 18 meters long, also has a payload airlock, allowing the station’s small robotic arm to take science payloads and install them on an experiment platform on the module’s exterior, according to Space.com.
Monday’s launch may draw criticism if stages of the Long March 5B rocket crash back to Earth in an uncontrolled re-entry — something that happened after China’s previous two space station launches.
In late July, remnants of a massive Chinese rocket fell over the Indian Ocean, leading U.S. space officials to criticize China’s lack of information-sharing about its boosters re-entering the atmosphere.
China’s spaceflight agency said at the time that the vast majority of the wreckage burned up upon re-entry but some experts estimate about 20% to 40% by weight of the part of the rocket survived, and chunks have begun turning up in Indonesia and Malaysia.
|
2022-11-01T02:43:19Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
China moves closer to completing space station with final module launch | Science & Technology | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/china-moves-closer-to-completing-space-station-with-final-module-launch/article_9293674b-4dc6-5d59-a0aa-b1598a7bef51.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/china-moves-closer-to-completing-space-station-with-final-module-launch/article_9293674b-4dc6-5d59-a0aa-b1598a7bef51.html
|
Boston Bruins center Pavel Zacha and Dallas Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist battle for the puck during an Oct. 25 game at TD Garden.
Bruins' Pavel Zacha center of attention, for now
Steve Conroy Boston Herald
When the 2022-23 Boston Bruins are fully healthy, Pavel Zacha will most likely drop down to play left wing on the third line with Charlie Coyle. But right now, we are getting a taste of what the Bruins could possibly look like beyond this season.
With David Krejci currently out (upper body, day-to-day), Zacha is filling the middle between Taylor Hall and David Pastrnak. And his first game there last Friday in Columbus could reasonably be considered a success. He picked up a helper and was plus-2 in 16:50 of ice time.
The challenge will become greater this week when the Bruins travel to face the Penguins on Tuesday, the Rangers on Thursday and the Maple Leafs on Saturday, even though all three of those teams are off to slower starts than expected.
In a small sample size, coach Jim Montgomery liked what he saw from Zacha against the Blue Jackets.
“He did a lot of good things,” said Montgomery. “I thought he transported the puck really well. I thought he drove play and he did a really good job of getting pucks out to Hallsy and Pasta. And his D-zone, he was closing quicker than we expected. It’s not an easy D-zone coverage for centers and he grasped it and he’s getting better and better at it.”
Zacha said it’s a different system than the one he played in New Jersey, but he felt comfortable playing the pivot. He should get a couple more games there, too. Montgomery said that though Krejci will travel with the team on the three-game road trip, the veteran is definitely out for the Pittsburgh game and possibly the one in Manhattan. Krejci skated prior to practice on Monday at Warrior Ice Arena, but he did not return for the team portion.
One center’s duty on which Zacha was clearly rusty was faceoffs. He won just three of 10 draws.
“I have to work on it,” he said. “The more games I get in, the more reps, I’m going to get better. I always want to be over 50% and go from there. I have to focus on that a little more and practice it.”
Zacha could well find himself playing center in a future without Patrice Bergeron or Krejci, provided the Bruins extend his contract.
“When you play with Bergy and Krech, you play with the puck on your stick way more, so I know how important it is to take faceoffs and win them, so I have to get better in the circle.”
In all, it feels like Zacha is still something of an unknown commodity. His size (6-4, 200 pounds) and speed help him win puck battles and races, and that’s been a positive for the Bruins. But knowing that he would be playing mostly on the wing, Zacha came into this season vowing to have more of a shoot-first mentality. That hasn’t really materialized just yet. Through nine games, he’s averaging two shots a game, pretty much the same pace he had in his last two years in Jersey. He has one goal thus far.
In another positive sign for this team, Charlie McAvoy (shoulder surgery) shed his non-contact jersey and was a full participant in practice. While a target date has not been set, he’s ahead of the original Dec. 1 target date and Montgomery thinks he’ll play before Thanksgiving.
McAvoy won’t play on the upcoming road trip, but will travel with the team to get re-acclimated to the players’ routine as well as get more familiarized with the tweaks Montgomery has instituted in the defensive and attacking approaches.
“Let’s do it!” said McAvoy with a big smile. “I won’t be playing on this trip, but just to be out there to keep getting practices and pre-game skates, to be with the guys, I think we’re at that point where it’s more important for me to be on the ice with the guys than it is for me to just be here by myself. I’ll get to see the family back in New York, so that’s cool. That’s good timing. All good things.”
Montgomery said he’s leaning toward Linus Ullmark to start on Tuesday and then go with Jeremy Swayman to play in New York on Thursday, though that final decision has not been made.
|
2022-11-01T02:43:25Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Bruins' Pavel Zacha center of attention, for now | Bruins | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/bruins/bruins-pavel-zacha-center-of-attention-for-now/article_275cf6b0-9723-5e37-941c-e0380d572ba9.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/bruins/bruins-pavel-zacha-center-of-attention-for-now/article_275cf6b0-9723-5e37-941c-e0380d572ba9.html
|
DEAR EXHAUSTED: Don’t you think it’s time to disengage with this unpleasant, controlling woman? If she won’t speak with you or answer emails, thank your higher power and concentrate on the rest of the family. If they’re experiencing the same treatment you are, they, too, may be glad to focus on relationships they find rewarding and let her continue to isolate herself.
|
2022-11-01T04:18:46Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Dear Abby: Angry, abusive stepmother is impossible to deal with | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/dear-abby-angry-abusive-stepmother-is-impossible-to-deal-with/article_e3cbddfa-f2ec-51f1-a6ea-9ea1b575877e.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/dear-abby-angry-abusive-stepmother-is-impossible-to-deal-with/article_e3cbddfa-f2ec-51f1-a6ea-9ea1b575877e.html
|
To the Editor: Will you be voting on Tuesday, November 8th? Will you be a part of the process or will you stay home and complain later? Now is the time to have your voice heard by voting in person or by absentee ballot at the polls. In our last election, only 22% of Sandown registered voters took time to vote.
My vote again supports Senator Bill Gannon. He enjoys serving the residents of the towns in his district. He enjoys educating anyone who will listen about New Hampshire and U.S. politics. He will listen to the improvements you want in the legislature and work towards their success. He takes time to educate children about the legislative process and provides tours of the State House as often as he can.
Senator Gannon cares! He gets the job done and he deserves your vote on November 8.
LINDA MENCIS
|
2022-11-01T04:19:04Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Letter: Sen. Gannon cares and gets the job done | Letters to the Editor | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-sen-gannon-cares-and-gets-the-job-done/article_cb848aa9-6774-56ff-a0e8-bdc4523a556c.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-sen-gannon-cares-and-gets-the-job-done/article_cb848aa9-6774-56ff-a0e8-bdc4523a556c.html
|
To the Editor: Citizens in New Hampshire have a reputation for being independent and voting across party lines. I first registered in Manchester to vote as a Democrat in honor of my grandfather’s service to our state legislature. Since that time, I have not hesitated to vote for a Republican or an independent I felt was better suited to serve our interests in Concord or Washington.
I’m sad to say, those days are over:
U.S. Senate and congressional Republicans now openly discuss their desire to eliminate, privatize, or raise the age for Social Security and Medicare — our money they’re supposed to safeguard.
Congressional Republicans voted more than 50 times to end the Affordable Care Act, with no alternative for people who depend on it.
The GOP-appointed Supreme Court has overturned 50 years of settled law protecting choice, with broad Republican support for a national abortion ban were they to regain power.
In Concord, our Republican dominated Executive Council has voted four times to defund reproductive counseling, cancer screening, and treatment for the poorest Granite Staters. In October 2021, the Executive Council voted 4-1 against accepting $27 million in federal relief related to COVID vaccination efforts.
These actions are not just out of step with New Hampshire voters. They are cruel. And they do not serve the people of the Granite State.
Therefore, my choice this year is simple: I’m voting for integrity, compassion, and the common good. I’m voting for Maggie Hassan, Chris Pappas, and Tom Sherman, and every Democrat on the ballot.
|
2022-11-01T04:19:10Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Letter: These Republicans I can't support | Letters to the Editor | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-these-republicans-i-cant-support/article_cf718cc8-21be-5027-8893-91f21b131e95.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-these-republicans-i-cant-support/article_cf718cc8-21be-5027-8893-91f21b131e95.html
|
THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL is vitally important to the New Hampshire way of governance. The function of the council, oversimplified, is to control the purse strings of the state budget. The Executive Council must approve nearly all budgeted expenditures by state departments. They also approve appointments of judges and hear pardon requests. Their responsibilities are wide and varied. For this reason, it’s important to place the right person in the job, with experience, honesty and integrity being at the top of the list. Incumbent Counselor Ted Gatsas meets all the criteria and more.
Prior to his election to the Executive Council, Ted served as a state senator and mayor of the City of Manchester. He brings a business-style approach and his undisputed honesty and integrity makes him the best of watchdogs for the taxpayers.
One of Ted’s most important qualities is his responsiveness to his varied constituency. For example, a portion of Route 107 runs for several miles through the heart of Pittsfield. Over the course of several years a segment of the highway experienced consistent flooding. In winter, a long stretch of the road froze over with ice, sometimes a foot thick. During the spring thaw, and after heavy rains, that same portion of the road would flood, creating very hazardous conditions immediately adjacent to the exit of the Barnstead-Chichester-Epsom-Pittsfield regional recycling center. For several years the situation went unresolved despite the indisputable danger to a state road. On behalf of the B.C.E.P., The Pittsfield Board of Selectmen took a crack at the problem by contacting Ted Gatsas. He had the drainage corrected, the road repaired, and the situation resolved in just four months!
Rural Pittsfield is a town where three of the state’s highway zones converge. DOT Districts 3, 5, and 6 merge in the downtown portion of our community. Sometimes coordination is challenging, especially given that our main street is a state highway. Based on our frequent need for assistance, who occupies the executive counselor’s seat is important to the citizens of Pittsfield, and indeed all of the small towns in District 4. Councilman Gatsas has always responded to all inquiries and his personal contact with the Department of Transportation on our behalf has helped immensely.
Ted regularly attends select board meetings throughout the district to reintroduce himself and to remind us that he is ready, willing and able to help all the communities under his watch. He is a tremendous asset to our town’s limited ability to influence state bureaucracies and re-electing Ted Gatsas to the Executive Council promises renewed hard work, dedication, and sound judgment applied for the betterment of our state. Our board is unanimous in supporting his reelection.
Carl Anderson is chair of the Pittsfield Select Board. Retired now, he operated a trucking firm and a real estate business.
|
2022-11-01T04:19:16Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Carl Anderson: Gatsas delivered for my town | Op-eds | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/carl-anderson-gatsas-delivered-for-my-town/article_9477b33d-f3f2-5a7b-ac20-945ca96f209d.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/carl-anderson-gatsas-delivered-for-my-town/article_9477b33d-f3f2-5a7b-ac20-945ca96f209d.html
|
Rep. Steven Smith
THE BIZARRE and dangerous rhetoric of New Hampshire Democratic candidates for office and the state Democratic Party are a disservice to voters. You deserve to see the full picture. For months, the Democratic messaging machine has latched on to far-fetched, if not fabricated, talking points that do nothing more than mislead voters and cast aspersions on anyone who holds a different set of beliefs.
Example number one is the false claim that Republicans and/or Governor Chris Sununu enacted an abortion ban. They think that explaining the issue this way is clever. They’ve made it the hallmark of their campaigns up and down the ticket. Well, folks, the truth is that you can get an abortion in New Hampshire in the first six months of pregnancy for any reason. I don’t know how that amounts to a ban.
Prior to the abortion laws being updated last year, we did not align with some of our neighboring states like Maine and Massachusetts. Using state Democrats’ own flawed rationale, one could say that there is a “ban” in deep-blue Massachusetts, a state under Democratic control for decades. Even left-coast California’s laws had similar language before New Hampshire. Where’s the outrage about California’s “ban”? Shame on the way they are trying to fool voters on this issue.
Example two is that somehow our state’s surplus is the result of federal stimulus dollars. Nope. Reckless Washington spending and the literal printing of money to fund it, fully supported by our Democratic federal delegation, is the root cause of the economic and inflation crisis that we have today. If anything, the federal stimulus boondoggles they cite have likely put a damper on what our surplus could have been. Inflation reduces spending power of the state and every consumer, business, and municipality. Our state surplus is the result of the responsible budget that we worked on for you. This is another manufactured “fact” to mislead voters. Don’t buy it.
Example three is the vilification of people with whom they disagree. This is especially true of folks who, for whatever reason, moved here from out of state to seek a better way of life. According to census data from the UNH Carsey School of Public Policy, a whopping 58% of New Hampshire residents were born somewhere else. More than half of current Democratic members of the New Hampshire House have self-reported that they are not originally from New Hampshire (including their House Deputy Democratic Leader). The Democratic Party and their candidates for legislative seats across the state have an unhealthy fixation on making any Republican who moved here at some point in their life — who opposes higher taxes, supports lower regulation, and expanding personal freedom — as some sort of boogeyman. If you are a Democrat who moved here though, that’s fine. Double standard much?
New Hampshire has been welcoming refugees from high-tax, over-regulated nanny states across the northeast for decades. The fact that some of these folks have chosen to run for office, I think, is great. These folks will ensure that New Hampshire will never go the way of the states they fled. They know firsthand the effects of bad public policies in their former states and that can only enrich our own political system.
The next time you hear the term “Free Stater” being thrown around as some negative label, think of your friends and neighbors (or maybe even yourself) who came here to pursue the New Hampshire advantage. Think of the majority of the House Democrats who were born elsewhere. Will the state Democratic Party say that they are unwelcome to participate in public service, too? Fortunately, voters send us representatives, not political parties, and you know better.
While I could go on and on, these examples are quite telling of how bankrupt the Democratic Party is on ideas this campaign season. They’ve led their candidates to believe that if they keep spouting these manufactured “facts” and far-fetched (at best) talking points, that eventually you will begin to believe it is true.
They believe you’re not smart enough to see through their smoke and mirror, snake-oil-salesman campaign messaging tactics. They don’t think you’ll be offended by their constant vilification of candidates and public servants based on false and misleading talking points.
Be offended. Don’t let them get away with it. Join me in voting Republican.
Deputy Speaker of the House Steven Smith (R-Charlestown) represents Sullivan District 11.
|
2022-11-01T04:19:22Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Rep. Steven Smith: Democrats have only snake oil to sell | Op-eds | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/rep-steven-smith-democrats-have-only-snake-oil-to-sell/article_2aaf0d48-e29e-5cea-a027-b866148f31e6.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/rep-steven-smith-democrats-have-only-snake-oil-to-sell/article_2aaf0d48-e29e-5cea-a027-b866148f31e6.html
|
For decades, a slain woman was 'Lady of the Dunes.' Now she has a name.
On Monday, the FBI announced it had identified the woman discovered 48 years ago amid the dunes of the Cape Cod National Seashore as Ruth Marie Terry. She had been the oldest unidentified homicide victim in Massachusetts, according to Joseph Bonavolonta, chief of the FBI field office in Boston. The FBI received confirmation of Terry's identity last week and notified her family soon after.
"This is, without a doubt, a major break in the investigation that will, hopefully, bring all of us closer to identifying the killer," Bonavolonta said Monday at a news conference.
Terry's body was found on July 26, 1974, about a mile east of the Race Point Ranger Station on the Cape Cod National Seashore. The left side of her skull had been crushed, her head nearly severed and her hands removed, which police believed was an attempt to thwart them from identifying her. Her nude body was lying on a beach blanket with her head resting on a pair of folded jeans.
"It was a brutal death," Bonavolonta said Monday.
Investigators have since learned that Terry was born in 1936 in Tennessee, Bonavolonta said, and that she was "a daughter, sister, aunt, wife and mother." She had ties to Massachusetts, California and Michigan, according to authorities, who at Monday's news conference declined to provide any additional information about her, citing the ongoing investigation and the privacy of Terry's relatives.
"We also realize that while we have identified Ruth as the victim of this horrific murder, it does not ease the pain for her family. Nothing can. But hopefully it answers some questions while we continue to look for her killer," Bonavolonta said.
And that's what's next, authorities said.
"Today's identification of the Lady of the Dunes is not the end of the case, or even the beginning of the end," Massachusetts State Police Col. Chris Mason said at the news conference.
"Now, almost half a century since her own voice was silenced in the most horrible of ways, we focus our work entirely on determining what Ruth Marie Terry did in life, on what led her to the easternmost point of our state to the dunes of Provincetown, and to who did this to her," he added.
|
2022-11-01T12:31:53Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
For decades, a slain woman was 'Lady of the Dunes.' Now she has a name. | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/for-decades-a-slain-woman-was-lady-of-the-dunes-now-she-has-a-name/article_55e157d0-d413-51e3-afa2-14aa9a962b02.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/for-decades-a-slain-woman-was-lady-of-the-dunes-now-she-has-a-name/article_55e157d0-d413-51e3-afa2-14aa9a962b02.html
|
Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers (R) testifies to the Jan. 6 committee in June.
Coffee County, Ga., Republican Party Chair Cathy Latham, center, shakes hands with Trump ally Scott Hall at a local election office in January 2021.
Obtained By The Washington Post
Supporters on either side of the debate over stricter voting laws confront each other in Georgia this summer.
Joshua Lott/Washington Post
By Amber Phillips The Washington Post
A movement to deny legitimate election results is thriving, and this worries experts who study democracy. What kind of pressure is that movement putting on our system, and what does it mean for your vote in this November's midterm elections and potentially future ones?
Let's attempt to break this down, in three ways.
Election deniers are running for office around the country.
This November's midterm elections are likely to bring a wave of election deniers into Congress and top state-level jobs overseeing elections in all corners of the country. That's according to an analysis of GOP statewide and congressional candidates by The Washington Post's Amy Gardner, who found that more than half of the Republican candidates deny the 2020 election results.
The movement's reach is even wider than candidates running for elected office. Republicans are spending millions to recruit partisan poll workers and watchers, who could disrupt the counting process or raise false claims about it. (Michigan Republican secretary of state nominee Kristina Karamo rose to prominence as a Detroit poll watcher who made false claims about election fraud.)
There is a brain drain among experienced election officials.
To be an election official in America these days can mean receiving death threats for doing your job, as former Georgia election worker Wandrea ArShaye "Shaye" Moss testified to the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol this summer.
"IT'S OPEN SEASON on honest election officials," tweeted the head of Maricopa County, Ariz., a Republican, after the federal government charged a man with threatening an election official in the county. Another man was sentenced to prison for threatening Colorado's secretary of state.
Tammy Patrick, a former election official in Maricopa County, said these threats aren't slowing down.
"Election officials are under-resourced, underfunded, under appreciated - and now they are under attack," she said. She said one Republican election official in a Trump-supporting county in Wisconsin told her, "I used to be the pillar of my community, and now I'm being treated like the pariah." Patrick worries that many of these officials and their institutional knowledge will leave the field - when they're needed more than ever.
We've seen how just one partisan local election official can leave elections systems vulnerable to bad actors. After the 2020 election, Trump allies and supporters allegedly attempted to access or copy data from voting machines in multiple states, according to a Washington Post investigation. Some experts worry that if that data fell into the wrong hands, hackers could use it to look for voting machines' weaknesses.
The Supreme Court could give state politicians much more control over election results.
Sometime after the midterms, the Supreme Court is expected to consider a once-marginal legal theory that state legislatures alone - and no other structure of state power - determine how elections are run.
This is called the "independent state legislature doctrine." It's a controversial, extremely literal reading of the Constitution, which says: "Times, Places and Manner of holding Elections for Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the Legislature thereof."
That's traditionally been interpreted to mean that all of state government - so, state legislatures, but also governors and state constitutions and state courts - has a role in determining how to run federal elections.
"It's kind of unimaginable that a state legislature could act outside its own state constitution," said Richard Briffault of Columbia Law School.
Several conservative lawyers pushing this theory brushed off concerns that it would be used to overturn the popular vote or select alternate electors. Even if it's theoretically possible, one told The Post's Colby Itkowitz and Isaac Stanley-Becker, "I can also tell you that as a pragmatic matter, I don't know of any state legislature that has done that."
But experts say that if the Supreme Court agrees with this theory, it would give state legislatures much more power to change the way elections are run, and with very little oversight. And they're especially worried because state legislatures have become less democratic themselves, as the parties draw district lines to keep themselves in power (a process known as gerrymandering).
State legislatures were a key part of former president Donald Trump's strategy to overturn the 2020 election results. He and his allies pressured Republican state lawmakers to override the popular vote in swing states he lost.
Not coincidentally, the doctrine gained a lot of popularity on the right around then. The power to choose electors is "yours and yours alone," Virginia "Ginni" Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, wrote in emails to Arizona elected officials.
Trump's team was largely rebuffed. "I said, 'Look, you are asking me to do something that is counter to my oath,' " testified Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers (R) to the Jan. 6 committee about the pressure he faced from Trump and his lawyers.
For now, there are backstops in place - like other election officials, or the courts - to prevent a rogue official from simply refusing to certify legitimate results, or overturning how people voted.
"The few instances when we've seen people try to do something along these lines, it has resolved the right way because the law does try to prevent these things from happening," Sean Morales-Doyle, acting director of the Brennan Center's Voting Rights Program, told me earlier this year. (That situation played out this summer in rural New Mexico: When an entire county board refused to certify results, the secretary of state got a court order.)
But democracy experts say we should also be aware that there is a concerted effort to erode those backstops for future elections. If enough election deniers win their various races - including governor, secretary of state, attorney general and lawmakers at every level - those backstops may weaken.
"The ability to actually run a competent election is something not to be overlooked and taken for granted," she said.
|
2022-11-01T12:32:05Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
WaPo Analysis: Three ways election deniers are threatening U.S. democracy, explained | Voters First | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/wapo-analysis-three-ways-election-deniers-are-threatening-u-s-democracy-explained/article_69419dea-e9be-5f57-ab38-79a92305e8e1.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/wapo-analysis-three-ways-election-deniers-are-threatening-u-s-democracy-explained/article_69419dea-e9be-5f57-ab38-79a92305e8e1.html
|
By Heather Kelly and Gerrit De Vynck The Washington Post
The company is considering charging users to get verified and display the signature blue check mark next to their account name. It's something Twitter has offered to some accounts for free in the past, with mixed success.
Over the weekend, Jason Calacanis, a longtime Musk associate who has been brought in to help run Twitter, posted a poll asking how much people would be willing to pay for the honor. The vast majority voted "wouldn't pay."
If undeterred, Twitter could charge as much as $20 a month for the privilege of having the blue check, according to a person familiar with the issue who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters. Twitter's existing paid version, called Twitter Blue, would be combined with the verification process, and some of its existing features may be cut, according to the person.
Whether you use Twitter or not, the change could have broader implications for everything from misinformation to elections. Here's what you need to know.
Q: What is verification?
A: Twitter verification is a small blue check mark in a bumpy circle that appears next to a username on the site or app. It indicates Twitter has confirmed an account belongs to the person or company claiming it.
Verification was first launched in 2009 as a response to complaints from celebrities. Kanye West - now known as Ye - was upset at the time that a Twitter user was pretending to be him, when he didn't actually have an account at all. Former St. Louis Cardinals manager Tony La Russa sued the company over a page that impersonated him and made comments about drunken driving.
In the beginning, verification was only offered to "public officials, public agencies, famous artists, athletes, and other well known individuals at risk of impersonation," Twitter co-founder Biz Stone said in a 2009 blog post. Early verified accounts included the CDC, Neil Armstrong, Kim Kardashian, Oprah and the Milwaukee police department. In 2016, Twitter opened the application process to everyone.
Q: Who gets verified now?
A: The blue icon has grown into a security feature for the site and a defense against misinformation, but is also seen as some as a status symbol that is unfairly doled out. Verification requests have been open to any accounts that are notable and "authentic" for years, creating a varied class of check-marked Twitter users with small and large followings.
On its application page, Twitter says verification is "not an incentive, reward or endorsement," a statement that could be at odds with charging for a check mark. The latest list of eligible accounts Twitter had on its site included official government accounts or officials, political candidates, news organizations and staff, brands, celebrities, activists, experts and content creators.
Any Twitter user has been able to request verification, though it's unclear if those are being processed at the moment. The setting is located in Settings and Privacy; Your Account; Account Information; Verification Request. Users need to prove they qualify and confirm their identity.
Q: Why does verification matter?
A: Social media sites have struggled with widespread misinformation for years. The issue has been particularly pronounced on Twitter, where breaking news is most likely to unfold in real time, and a fake news story can spread at lightning speed.
Calacanis tweeted on Monday, "Having many more people verified on Twitter, while removing the bot armies, is the quickest path to making the platform safer & more usable for everyone." It's unclear if charging for verification would lead to more blue check marks or fewer, and if existing verifications would be revoked.
Q: How would paid verification likely work?
A: Twitter already has a paid tier called Twitter Blue, where users pay $4.99 a month to have access to ad-free articles from some news publishers, a special tab showing what links are most popular on the platform, and the ability to change the color of their app icon. The paid verification system would become part of Twitter Blue, and the price would be increased, according to the person familiar with the discussions around the system.
If you don't already have a Twitter Blue account, that would mean having to begin paying, which is usually done through the Apple or Google app stores.
Q: What are the possible consequences of paid verification?
A: It's not immediately clear how paid verification would change Twitter, but if adoption is low, it could lead to an increase in misinformation or impersonations on the site.
Twitter would essentially be doing the opposite of what other social networks are doing ahead of the midterm elections. For example, TikTok made it a rule that politicians need to be verified to avoid impersonation.
|
2022-11-01T12:32:11Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Twitter wants to charge for verification. Here's what you need to know. | Science & Technology | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/twitter-wants-to-charge-for-verification-heres-what-you-need-to-know/article_ac14f045-2e99-51b9-bc96-4c859157ac55.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/scitech/twitter-wants-to-charge-for-verification-heres-what-you-need-to-know/article_ac14f045-2e99-51b9-bc96-4c859157ac55.html
|
An aerial view of former U.S. President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home after Trump said that FBI agents raided it, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. August 15, 2022.
By Devlin Barrett, Perry Stein and Josh Dawsey The Washington Post
One of the Justice Department's most experienced national security prosecutors has joined the team overseeing the intensifying investigation of classified documents at Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago home and private club, people familiar with the matter said.
National security law experts interviewed by The Washington Post say prosecutors appear to have amassed evidence in the case that would meet some of the criteria for bringing charges against the former president - an unprecedented action that they said likely would only happen if the Justice Department believes it has an extremely strong case.
David Raskin, who served for many years as a senior federal prosecutor in New York City, and more recently has worked as a prosecutor in Kansas City, Missouri, has been quietly assisting in the investigation into Trump and his aides, according to the people familiar with the matter, who like others interviewed for this article spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation.
Raskin is considered one of the most accomplished terrorism prosecutors of his generation, having worked on the case of Zacarias Moussaoui, who was tried in Virginia as a co-conspirator in the 9/11 terrorist attacks that killed nearly 3,000 people. Raskin was also part of the team that prosecuted Ahmed Ghailani in federal court in Manhattan in connection with the 1998 bombings of U.S. embassies in East Africa. Ghailani was acquitted of most counts but found guilty of conspiracy to destroy government buildings and property. He is the only Guantánamo Bay detainee to be brought to a U.S. court and tried and convicted. Both Moussaoui and Ghailani received life sentences.
Justice Department officials initially contacted Raskin to consult on the criminal investigation into the Jan. 6, 2021, assault on the U.S. Capitol. But his role has shifted over time to focus more on the investigation involving the former president's possession and potential mishandling of classified documents, the people familiar with the matter said.
The addition of Raskin to the team handling the Mar-a-Lago probe is another indication of the seriousness with which Justice Department officials view the case and underscores the high stakes for both Trump and those tasked with investigating him.
Raskin did not respond to messages from The Post. A Justice Department spokesman declined to comment. A spokesman for Trump did not respond to requests for comment Friday.
Just two weeks ago, Raskin won a guilty plea in a case with parallels to the Trump case - a former FBI analyst in Kansas City who authorities say took more than 300 classified files or documents to her home, including highly sensitive material about al-Qaeda and an associate of Osama bin Laden.
In court papers, federal prosecutors say they have recovered a similar number of documents with a variety of classified markings from Mar-a-Lago, all apparently taken from the White House. The Post has previously reported that some of that classified material was highly sensitive and restricted intelligence that included at least one document about Iran's missile program and others about intelligence-gathering work aimed at China, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation.
Eyeing Trump's intent
When deciding whether to file charges in an investigation, Justice Department officials often use past cases as a guide. In 2015, authorities won a misdemeanor guilty plea from retired general and former CIA director David Petraeus. Ten years earlier, former national security adviser Samuel "Sandy" Berger pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for removing classified documents from the National Archives and Records Administration.
But past cases only count for so much when investigating Trump.
"There is no other case in history like this," said Mary McCord, who served as acting assistant attorney general for national security during the Obama administration. "This is the former president of the United States. This is someone who was the commander in chief, someone who spent four years being briefed every single day on national security issues. It isn't like any other case, so the steps prosecutors take aren't going to look the same as any other case."
Government employees with security clearances have to sign documents acknowledging they know the rules of how to handle such secrets, and follow them. When they leave the government, they also sign paperwork saying they do not possess any classified material, and prosecutors often use that paperwork as evidence that the defendants understood what they did was illegal.
Presidents, however, do not have security clearances and do not sign such paperwork.
For that reason and others, any potential criminal charge would rely heavily on prosecutors' ability to show Trump's intent - that he didn't just unwittingly take classified materials from the White House and store them at his residence at the private club in Florida without knowing it was a crime.
McCord said the timeline of events - from requests for documents from the National Archives, to subpoena demands by the Justice Department, to a court-authorized search of the property on Aug. 8 - could be critical to meeting that requirement.
"The evidence of the many months long back and forth between the president and his lawyers with the National Archives about documents that were believed to be classified that they wanted returned" suggest that Trump was aware of the legal ramifications of the situation, she said.
Aggravating factors
Since the Aug. 8 search, many key pieces of evidence have been described by people close to the matter, and they offer a rough sense of how prosecutors may weigh the "aggravating factors" in Trump's case - circumstances surrounding an alleged crime that could increase its severity and convince prosecutors to seek charges.
"Classic aggravating factors in a case involving the willful retention of classified documents would include the number of classified documents kept in a place they are not authorized to be," said David Laufman, a former senior Justice Department national security official. Like the FBI analyst in Kansas City, Trump allegedly had a large volume of classified documents on his property - though 184 of the more than 300 were turned over voluntarily in January in boxes given to Archives officials.
Other potential aggravating factors include whether there was an effort to conceal documents from investigators, or obstruct the probe. People familiar with the investigation have said a Trump aide told the FBI the former president instructed him to remove boxes from a storage room where classified documents were kept - and that was done after Trump received a subpoena in May for any classified material in his possession. That witness account, from former White House valet Walt Nauta, is buttressed by security-camera footage from Mar-a-Lago that shows boxes being moved after the subpoena, according to these people, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe an ongoing investigation.
Witness credibility
Federal investigators have interviewed a range of low-level Trump aides in the probe to understand how the boxes got to Mar-a-Lago, how they were packed at the White House and why they were moved, according to two people familiar with the matter.
In addition to Nauta, those questioned include Molly Michael, Trump's longtime personal assistant, who sat just outside his office and handled all his calls and appointments in both Florida and at his residence and golf course in Bedminster, N.J., these people said. Michael, who also worked in the same role in the Trump White House, departed her job late this summer after being questioned by federal authorities, but she and Trump remain on good terms, these people said. It is unclear what Michael has told investigators.
Nauta still works for Trump and recently traveled with him to a rally, two Trump advisers said. People close to Nauta said his lawyers have conveyed to others that he is likely to face difficult choices in the weeks ahead because of the investigation. He has conveyed to others that he did not seek to be interviewed by the FBI but had to answer their questions, these people said.
Prosecutors have also asked Trump advisers and Archives officials about all the chances Trump was given to return the documents, and why he expressed anger at being asked to do so, according to a person who has heard accounts from some of those who have been questioned.
The credibility of such witnesses will likely be a major factor in any charging decision regarding Trump. When first questioned by the FBI, Nauta denied handling sensitive documents or the boxes that might contain such documents, according to people familiar with the matter, before his account shifted significantly in a second interview. Justice Department officials are trying to arrange a third interview, and possible grand jury testimony, but have yet to reach an agreement, these people said.
To prosecutors, evidence of possible obstruction of an investigation "is sort of a red cape in front of a bull," said Laufman, who described the known evidence as "sound evidentiary footing" to pursue a case.
"From the public facing information thus far, it would seem to me that the Justice Department already has a bevy of aggravating factors and if it otherwise can meet its burden of proof beyond a reasonable doubt that Mr. Trump unlawfully retained classified information, it would be on a sound evidentiary footing to criminally charge him," Laufman said. "That's not to say whether ultimately the attorney general in his judgment will find it in the net interests of the department to criminally charge a former president of the United States for the first time in history."
There are important questions that have to be answered before prosecutors can make such a determination, such as whether key witnesses' accounts of what happened at Mar-a-Lago are credible. Prosecutors are also trying to determine whether claims made by one Trump ally and adviser, a former federal prosecutor named Kash Patel, could provide Trump a defense that the documents were no longer classified.
Patel has publicly claimed that Trump declassified material. While Trump has made similar claims in public interviews, his lawyers have yet to argue in court papers that he did declassify the documents. In recent weeks, prosecutors called Patel to answer questions before a grand jury about any alleged declassification decisions by Trump, according to people familiar with the matter who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Patel has asserted his Fifth Amendment right to refuse to answer questions, and the two sides appear to be at a stalemate. Patel's grand jury appearance was first reported by CNN.
Prosecutors have also asked Trump aides if they ever saw or heard Trump give any kind of blanket declassification order, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.
Moving quickly
Brandon Van Grack, a lawyer in private practice who previously worked classified-mishandling cases as a federal prosecutor, said investigators typically don't interview key witnesses until they have collected significant amounts of evidence.
"The fact that there is reporting that they are talking to individuals who appear to have directly communicated with the former president is a high sign that there has been an evolution in the case," Van Grack said. "Before you talk to key witnesses, you typically want to have most of the facts already nailed down so that you are focused on what holes you need to fill and can better assess whether the witness is telling a complete and true story."
It is still likely to be months before a charging decision is made, according to Van Grack, who said he expects prosecutors won't make any big decisions in the case until after a court-appointed special master completes his review of the 13,000 nonclassified documents seized in the FBI search. Criminal investigators are barred from using these nonclassified documents until after the review is completed, now expected in December.
The Justice Department could get access to the nonclassified material earlier if prosecutors win a pending appeal that would overturn the appointment of the special master, but the appeals court judges are not expected to make their decision until late November at the earliest.
Javed Ali, a senior official at the National Security Council during the Trump administration who now teaches at the University of Michigan, said the threshold to potentially charge the former president would be extremely high, leaving prosecutors little room for error. Even if prosecutors could feasibly file multiple charges against Trump, he expects they will only bring charges if they have an ironclad case.
"Because this is so unprecedented, they are going to take it slow," Ali said. "It's going to be so explosive. And the last thing you want to do is bring a case to trial that is weak or has holes because then what would be the point?"
Spencer S. Hsu contributed to this report.
|
2022-11-01T14:29:42Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Top national-security prosecutor joins Trump Mar-a-Lago investigation | Crime | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/top-national-security-prosecutor-joins-trump-mar-a-lago-investigation/article_800f3ab5-fa67-5b3e-9b49-c6c576dd95c5.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/crime/top-national-security-prosecutor-joins-trump-mar-a-lago-investigation/article_800f3ab5-fa67-5b3e-9b49-c6c576dd95c5.html
|
A 65-year-old crossing guard in Hudson suffered minor injuries when he was hit by a car outside Alvirne High School Tuesday morning, police said.
Around 7:10 a.m. Tuesday Hudson police responded to Route 102 in the area of Alvirne High School for a report of a car hitting a crossing guard.
Hudson police said a crossing guard identified as Gary Rodgers, 65, of Windham was attempting to stop traffic on Route 102 when he was hit by a 2019 Chevrolet Malibu driven by Jennifer Zeleneski, 36, of Nashua.
Rodgers was knocked down in the roadway. He was taken by Hudson Fire Ambulance to St. Joseph’s hospital in Nashua with what appeared to be minor injuries, Hudson police said in a release.
“The Hudson Police Department would like to remind the motoring public to use caution and obey the reduced speed limits when in school zones as there are often crossing guards and children in the area,” Hudson police said in a statement.
Laconia police investigating shooting
Troy man dies in fall off Grandfather Mountain in North Carolina
|
2022-11-01T19:57:14Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Hudson crossing guard, 65, hit by car | Public Safety | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/hudson-crossing-guard-65-hit-by-car/article_ec45ccf7-6d9c-5651-b25f-6f9e06757639.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/safety/hudson-crossing-guard-65-hit-by-car/article_ec45ccf7-6d9c-5651-b25f-6f9e06757639.html
|
Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) asks questions of Attorney General Merrick Garland during a Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, Science, and Related Agencies hearing on April 26.
greg nash via reuters POOL
The justices denied Graham’s emergency request to put on hold a judge’s order requiring him to appear as a witness before the grand jury in Fulton County while the Republican senator’s appeal in the dispute proceeded.
Graham, who represents South Carolina in the Senate, contends that as a member of Congress he is protected under the Constitution from questioning in the investigation.
Graham is not a target in the investigation but has been subpoenaed to testify before a special grand jury formed as part of the probe led by the Fulton County district attorney, a Democrat, into possible coordinated attempts to illegally interfere in the outcome of the 2020 election. In Georgia, a special grand jury cannot return indictments but can recommend criminal prosecution.
‘Unique knowledge’
Prosecutors sought Graham’s testimony about phone calls he made to Georgia election officials in the weeks after Trump, a Republican, lost the election to Democrat Joe Biden.
During the calls, Graham questioned the officials — also Republicans — “about re-examining certain absentee ballots in order to explore the possibility of more favorable outcome for former President Donald Trump,” prosecutors said in court documents.
Graham has “unique knowledge” regarding communications “involved in the multi-state, coordinated efforts to influence the results of the November 2020 election in Georgia and elsewhere,” the prosecutors added.
Graham has said he is constitutionally immune from questioning because his calls to state officials were “made in the process of fulfilling his duties” as a senator and were aimed at fact-finding “to help inform his vote to certify the election.”
U.S. District Judge Leigh Martin May on Sept. 1 rejected Graham’s bid to quash the subpoena but limited the scope of questioning, ruling that the senator is protected from having to discuss “investigatory fact-finding.” May said Graham may be questioned about alleged efforts to encourage officials to throw out ballots or alleged communications with the Trump campaign.
The investigation was launched after Trump was recorded in a Jan. 2, 2021, phone call pressuring Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to overturn the state’s election results based on unfounded claims of voter fraud. During the phone call, Trump urged Raffensperger to “find” enough votes to overturn his Georgia loss to Biden.
The transcript of the call quotes Trump telling Raffensperger: “I just want to find 11,780 votes,” which is the number Trump needed to win Georgia. Trump has denied wrongdoing in the phone call.
Legal experts have said Trump’s phone calls may have violated at least three Georgia election laws: conspiracy to commit election fraud, criminal solicitation to commit election fraud and intentional interference with performance of election duties.
|
2022-11-01T21:38:06Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Supreme Court allows Graham questioning in Georgia election probe | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/supreme-court-allows-graham-questioning-in-georgia-election-probe/article_513c9abc-5309-50c1-89ee-6e60ba2f3d6a.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/supreme-court-allows-graham-questioning-in-georgia-election-probe/article_513c9abc-5309-50c1-89ee-6e60ba2f3d6a.html
|
Public defender Adam Lipson speaks with the media Tuesday after the arraignment of David Wayne DePape, accused of attacking House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s husband, Paul, with hammer after forcing his way into couple’s San Francisco home.
By Paresh Dave Reuters
SAN FRANCISCO — The man charged with breaking into House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s San Francisco home and clubbing her husband in the head with a hammer pleaded not guilty to attempted murder and other charges and was ordered to remain jailed without bond.
DePape is accused in court documents of forcing his way into Pelosi’s home before dawn on Friday with plans to take the speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives hostage, and to break her kneecaps unless she told him the “truth” under his questioning.
Officers then subdued DePape and took him into custody, authorities said. Officers later recovered zip ties in the home, as well as a roll of tape, rope, a second hammer, a pair of gloves and a journal in DePape’s backpack, the affidavit said. The intruder used the same hammer he is accused of striking Paul Pelosi to break in through a glass door to the residence.
On Tuesday, U.S. Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said in a statement: “We believe today’s political climate calls for more resources to provide additional layers of physical security for Members of Congress.”
|
2022-11-01T21:38:12Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Suspect in hammer attack on Paul Pelosi pleads not guilty to state charges | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/suspect-in-hammer-attack-on-paul-pelosi-pleads-not-guilty-to-state-charges/article_5c68df10-602e-52d1-9cd0-3a08bf8f3ed1.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/suspect-in-hammer-attack-on-paul-pelosi-pleads-not-guilty-to-state-charges/article_5c68df10-602e-52d1-9cd0-3a08bf8f3ed1.html
|
School districts in Henniker and Rumney will be getting new electric school buses, after winning a federal lottery that will cover the cost. Pictured are the buses used by Champlain Valley School District in Vermont.
PROVIDED BY Champlain Valley School District
The EPA announced last week that the Henniker and Rumney school districts are getting a total of nearly $2.8 million to purchase new electric school buses -- four for School Administrative Unit 24 in Henniker and three for Rumney School District.
The funding comes from the EPA Clean School Bus Program, created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2021.
In the first round of funding for the five-year program, 391 applicants from around the country were selected by lottery to receive more than $913 million to replace their existing school buses with clean and zero-emission models.
Jessica Wilcox, transportation program specialist at the state Department of Environmental Services, said she was “thrilled’ to hear that two school districts here got funding in the first round.
“It was also inspiring to see how many school districts had been interested in the funding,” she said. “I think that speaks to where we’re moving as a nation.”
“The electric bug has bit New Hampshire,” said Wilcox, who is also director of Granite State Clean Cities Coalition.
The EPA program is designed to favor “priority” school districts initially, defined as high-need, low-income communities and rural areas.
Both Henniker and Rumney qualified as priority school districts. The funding will go to the districts’ student transportation companies, which will purchase the electric buses and charging equipment.
“We’re excited that we’re receiving the buses,” said Christopher Roy, business manager for SAU 24. “It goes along with a lot of the energy upgrades we’ve looked to around the district.
"And it’s a good first step on the buses side.”
Roy said the district’s school bus provider, Student Transportation of America (STA), submitted the application to the EPA and will be receiving $1.58 million to purchase four new electric buses.
SAU 24 includes four school districts: Henniker, Weare and John Stark Regional, which use STA, and Stoddard, which uses a different bus company.
Roy said it’s his understanding that the new electric buses can be used for the three districts that use STA, not just for Henniker students.
It’s a little murkier in Rumney.
The EPA grant lists “Rumney School District” as the recipient of $1,185,000 for three new electric buses.
Kyla Welch, superintendent of SAU 48, which includes Rumney School District, said she was “really excited” to learn that the district was selected.
Her SAU contracts with Durham Student Services for school buses.
Rumney School District includes just one school, Russell Elementary School, which has about 90 students in kindergarten through eighth grades. “It’s just one of my little schools in a larger community,” Welch said.
Welch said she’s waiting to hear more specifics about how the funding can be used, and hopes the electric school buses can serve the broader SAU’s students. “We’re excited about it and we can’t wait to see more of the details," she said.
Twenty other New Hampshire school districts are on a waitlist for funding, including Concord, Goffstown, Litchfield, Oyster River and Plymouth. “If any other school districts nationwide drop out, that funding could potentially go to folks on the waiting list,” Wilcox from DES said.
The next round of funding will be announced by the end of this year, and Wilcox said school districts that are on the waiting list should be well-positioned to receive funding in future rounds.
As New Hampshire closes the books on CARES Act spending, the state Department of Education has provided data about how much was spent and how, with much of it going to programs that supported remote learning and ongoing online tutoring.
Exploded Brookline house was home to two Nashua teachers
|
2022-11-01T21:38:24Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Electric school buses coming to Rumney, Henniker | Education | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/education/electric-school-buses-coming-to-rumney-henniker/article_2e17cf84-1ea9-5717-b69b-919e92016200.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/education/electric-school-buses-coming-to-rumney-henniker/article_2e17cf84-1ea9-5717-b69b-919e92016200.html
|
An interior view of the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building in 2015. MUST CREDIT: Washington Post photo by Nikki Kahn
Nikki Kahn
An artist rendering of a planned new gallery at the Library of Congress that will be dedicated to the story of the native cultures of the Americas. MUST CREDIT: Library of Congress
WASHINGTON — The Library of Congress announced Tuesday that it has received a $10 million donation to establish a new gallery dedicated to the story of the native cultures of the Americas.
The gallery will feature the library’s Jay I. Kislak Collection of the archaeology and history of the early Americas from about 1000 BCE to modern times.
It will include artifacts, paintings and documents from the Maya, Aztec, Olmec and Inca cultures, among others, and will explore native life before, during and after the era of colonization.
The donation comes from the Kislak Family Foundation, and the gallery is slated to open in 2024, the library said in a statement.
In 2004, Kislak, a Miami businessman and philanthropist who died in 2018, donated more than 4,000 items from his collection to the Library of Congress.
Kislak, a native of Hoboken, N.J., had become fascinated by the American civilizations before Columbus, and was especially intrigued by the complex art and hieroglyphs of the Maya.
“My father wanted this collection to live on well beyond his own time at the finest institution in the world,” Paula Kislak, chair of the Kislak Family Foundation, said according to the statement.
The Librarian of Congress, Carla Hayden, said: “We are honored to continue Jay Kislak’s legacy.”
The library said many objects will be displayed for the first time through a state-of-the-art, transparent artifact wall in the rear of the gallery.
The gallery, in the library’s landmark Thomas Jefferson Building in Washington, “will give voice to the pre-Columbian cultures of the Americas,” said John Hessler, the exhibition curator, according to the library statement.
“It really is a big deal,” he said in an interview Monday. “It’s gong to allow the library to really put forward its early Americas collection in a way that it has never been able to do before. “
|
2022-11-01T23:17:44Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Library of Congress gets $10 million for early Americas gallery | Back Page | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/library-of-congress-gets-10-million-for-early-americas-gallery/article_eec267b0-3ddf-576e-820c-2cce8f893a9f.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/back_page/library-of-congress-gets-10-million-for-early-americas-gallery/article_eec267b0-3ddf-576e-820c-2cce8f893a9f.html
|
In order to afford a $1,295-a-month rental home, the average fair market rent in the U.S., a full-time hourly worker would need to earn $24.90 an hour, more than three times the $7.25 federal minimum wage.
After New Hampshire announced Emergency Rental Assistance payments would stop in the coming months, Southern New Hampshire Services is pulling its social workers out of courthouses in Nashua and Manchester.
Southern New Hampshire Services, a social services agency that administers a range of federally-funded programs, had been sending social workers to circuit courthouses in Manchester and Nashua since the fall of 2021. Their aim had been to catch people on the way to and from eviction hearings, helping people on the brink of homelessness to fill out forms for Emergency Rental Assistance and other housing subsidies.
But after the U.S. Treasury Department announced last month that New Hampshire would not be getting its next round of funding to pay for Emergency Rental Assistance, according to a spokeswoman for the New Hampshire Judicial Branch, the social workers have been pulled from the courthouses.
New Hampshire renters and landlords can no longer apply for Emergency Rental Assistance or renew their aid, and without the social workers in courthouses, renters won’t be able to apply for any other aid or subsidies at the same place as their hearings.
Instead, applying for other aid will mean working through an online form, calling or visiting an office in person.
Judicial branch spokeswoman Susan Warner said legal assistance and landlord-tenant mediation services are still available at courthouses — though rental assistance payments had been one key way mediators found solutions for landlord-tenant disputes.
|
2022-11-01T23:17:57Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Southern NH Services pulls out of courthouses | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/southern-nh-services-pulls-out-of-courthouses/article_876d115f-f91b-5e29-a6d3-1763fc600882.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/southern-nh-services-pulls-out-of-courthouses/article_876d115f-f91b-5e29-a6d3-1763fc600882.html
|
Guests make their way to the front door for the ribbon cutting for Families in Transition’s housing apartments on Union Street in Manchester in May.
The financing is part of a three-year agreement to fund rental housing, with a focus on supporting low- and moderate-income households and nonprofit developers in the communities that Cambridge Trust serves, according to a news release.
According to the news release, New Hampshire is facing its 14th straight year of increasing rents and extremely low vacancy rates.
Last year, NH Housing financed 32 multifamily developments that will soon provide an additional 1,800 units of affordable and workforce housing around New Hampshire.
“These funds will be an important resource allowing us to offer our developer partners long-term multifamily housing loans at competitive rates,” said Rob Dapice, executive director and CEO of New Hampshire Housing.
Cambridge Trust is a Massachusetts chartered commercial bank with approximately $5.1 billion in assets as of Sept. 30, and a total of 22 Massachusetts and New Hampshire locations.
Brady Sullivan looking to build 110 apartments on Elm Street
D.I.Y. destination: ReStore in Newington
|
2022-11-01T23:18:03Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Cambridge Trust partners with NH Housing to provide $30M in financing | Homes & Garden | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/homes/cambridge-trust-partners-with-nh-housing-to-provide-30m-in-financing/article_7627e361-db76-5407-989a-833a4a8c87f8.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/homes/cambridge-trust-partners-with-nh-housing-to-provide-30m-in-financing/article_7627e361-db76-5407-989a-833a4a8c87f8.html
|
Head of embattled MBTA to step down in January
By Gayla Cawley Boston Herald (TNS)
Amid calls for new leadership at the embattled transit agency, Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority General Manager Steve Poftak said he plans to step down from his position in January.
Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey, a Democrat who is polling far ahead in the gubernatorial race, issued a transportation plan that included her intention to appoint a new general manager, if she were to be elected.
|
2022-11-01T23:18:21Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Head of embattled MBTA to step down in January | Wire | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/wire/region/head-of-embattled-mbta-to-step-down-in-january/article_ad76e41f-f65f-5728-a929-3bad4b5a4925.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/wire/region/head-of-embattled-mbta-to-step-down-in-january/article_ad76e41f-f65f-5728-a929-3bad4b5a4925.html
|
Hampton-based Planet Fitness has more than 2,300 locations in all 50 states and in several other countries, including this one in Dover.
A former chief financial officer of Hampton-based Planet Fitness has collected more than $9.4 million after nearly a decade of legal wrangling with the fitness club giant.
In May, the Massachusetts Appeals Court upheld the trial court judgment, putting an end to the wrongful termination and civil fraud lawsuit filed by Jayne Conway. Planet Fitness wired the money to her last week after further appeal to the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court was denied, according to attorney Ken DeMoura of Wakefield Mass.-based law firm DeMoura-Smith.
After a two-week trial in May 2019, a Massachusetts superior court jury found Planet Fitness liable for fraud. Conway accused the company of fraudulently convincing her to sign a separation agreement and making negligent misrepresentations to get her to sign it. She was awarded $5.36 million.
The amount jumped to $9.4 million with pre-judgment and post-judgment interest, including a 12% increase as the case was being appealed, DeMoura said.
“It took a long time, and there were a lot of procedural hurdles we had to cross to get there,” he said Tuesday afternoon. “My client was firm in her conviction that she was right and the jury agreed, the appeals court agreed and justice was served.”
Some of those hurdles included defeating two separate motions to dismiss, a motion to compel arbitration, challenges to discovery requests, a summary judgment motion and two appeals after the jury trial.
Conway worked for Planet Fitness from April 2010 to November 2011.
According to court documents, Conway took a significant pay cut in taking the job in exchange for receiving an equity interest in the company. A sticking point in Conway’s termination was the value of her equity in the company.
Conway agreed to accept $500,000 in compensation after her firing, but then sued to recover what she felt the settlement amount should have been. The suit was filed on May 10, 2013, according to court documents.
In April 2012, Craig Benson, a former governor of New Hampshire who was acting as an “informal adviser” to Planet Fitness, told Conway the company wasn’t financially sound and urged her to settle, according to the appeals court’s decision.
She claimed Planet Fitness provided Delphi Valuation Advisors Inc. with “misleading and incorrect information.”
The appeals court noted the sale of 75% of the company to a private equity firm.
Planet Fitness did not return a request for comment Tuesday afternoon. The company has previously denied that it misrepresented facts and insisted that any misstatements weren’t made by the company, which expressed disappointment in the verdict.
As of June 30, Planet Fitness had more than 16.5 million members and 2,324 locations in 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, Panama, Mexico and Australia, according to the company’s second-quarter earnings release. Shares of the company on the New York Stock Exchange closed at $65.50 Tuesday.
|
2022-11-02T00:53:49Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Planet Fitness pays $9.4M to former executive who sued | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/planet-fitness-pays-9-4m-to-former-executive-who-sued/article_93968696-7d4e-57c9-b2d6-7ea810b334a1.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/planet-fitness-pays-9-4m-to-former-executive-who-sued/article_93968696-7d4e-57c9-b2d6-7ea810b334a1.html
|
Suspended Celtics head coach Ime Udoka appears to be heading to Brooklyn to take over the Nets.
The Celtics look willing to take that risk of losing Udoka, though, thanks to interim head coach Joe Mazzulla. Boston has started the year strong with a 4-2 record but more important than the record, Mazzulla has the backing of his players in the early going. The Celtics clearly are confident enough in the 34-year-old that they don’t fear Udoka derailing their season as a competitor or even as an option to take over when his suspension was over. There’s a clear understanding that this is Mazzulla’s show now and he will no longer have to be looking over his shoulder along the way.
|
2022-11-02T02:29:53Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Nets to hire Celtics’ Ime Udoka as next coach after Steve Nash departure | Celtics | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/celtics/nets-to-hire-celtics-ime-udoka-as-next-coach-after-steve-nash-departure/article_1a5543d8-43d6-514e-a348-f9e9124ef8bd.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/celtics/nets-to-hire-celtics-ime-udoka-as-next-coach-after-steve-nash-departure/article_1a5543d8-43d6-514e-a348-f9e9124ef8bd.html
|
UNH wide receiver Sean Coyne is congratulated by Osho Omoyeni and teammates after scoring a touchdown during the Wildcats’ 40-22 win over Elon at Wildcat Stadium in Durham on Oct. 22.
State of Sports: CAA title hopes on the line for UNH football Saturday
UNIVERSITY OF NEW HAMPSHIRE coach Rick Santos called his team’s 40-22 triumph over Elon on Oct. 22 the program’s biggest game in five years. That may have been true, but it set up an even bigger game this weekend.
The Wildcats, who moved up to No. 17 in the STATS FCS Top 25 this week, will play at No. 14 Richmond on Saturday at 3:30 p.m. The Wildcats (6-2 overall, 5-0 CAA) are the only team unbeaten in CAA play. The Spiders (6-2, 4-1 CAA) are tied with Elon for the lead among CAA teams in turnover margin (plus six).
“When you watch them (the Wildcats) one of the things you look for is where are the mismatches?” Richmond coach Russ Huesman said. “Where are they not as good? And they really don’t have any position group on their team that’s not up to par.
“They don’t have a weakness anywhere across the board, and as you look at them you want to find a weakness. All right, where can we exploit them? And there’s really nothing out there, so it’s going to be a game of execution on both sides of the ball and in the kicking game.”
The game also features the top two teams in the CAA in terms of time of possession. UNH is first, averaging 33 minutes and 52 seconds per game. Richmond is next at 32:36.
UNH’s biggest challenge will be containing quarterback Reece Udinski, who has completed 239 of 310 passes for 2,287 yards and 19 touchdowns this season. He’s been intercepted three times.
Udinski was named the CAA Player of the Week on Monday for his performance in Saturday’s 31-21 victory at Maine. He completed 26 of 33 passes for 368 yards and two touchdowns in that win. He also rushed for two TDs.
“Their quarterback, Udinski, is as good as there is in the country,” Santos said.
UNH will likely be an FCS playoff team if it can win at least two of its final three games. After Saturday’s game at Richmond the Wildcats will play Rhode Island at home, and then wrap up the regular season at Maine.
It was understandably overshadowed by the release of the NHIAA playoff pairings, but there will be non-playoff high school football in New Hampshire this weekend.
The eight Division I teams that did not qualify for the playoffs will each play Friday night. That group includes Manchester Central and Manchester Memorial.
Central (2-6) will face Winnacunnet (2-7) at Gill Stadium. Memorial (2-6), which will also be at home, will play Keene (1-8). The two other matchups have Nashua South (2-6) visiting Salem (2-7), and Goffstown (0-9) will play at Alvirne (0-9).
The extra week was put in to give teams a ninth or 10th game, depending on whether or not a team picked up a game during its bye week. It was also designed to match teams of similar strength. Matchups between teams that played during the regular season were avoided.
The Division I boys soccer semifinals will be played tonight at Exeter High School’s Bill Ball Stadium. Sixth-seeded Manchester Central will face second-seeded Nashua South at 4 p.m., and top-seeded Windham will tangle with fifth-seeded Hanover at 6:15 p.m.
Windham beat Hanover 5-0 during the regular season, but the Bears have won 11 in a row since then. Hanover has reached the semifinals for the fifth year in a row.
Central defeated South 5-1 when those teams met during the regular season. Central is seeking its first state championship since it beat Hanover, 2-1, in the 2012 Division I final.
The George “Butch” Joseph Foundation will be holding a “Yours in Sports” social event Nov. 11 from 6 to 10 p.m. at Derryfield Country Club. The cost is $35 per person.
The GBJ Foundation provides scholarships to local high school athletes, and financial help to other underprivileged students in the greater Manchester community. Donations can be made payable to the GBJ Foundation ℅ Kim Joseph, 367 Coral Ave., Manchester, N.H., 03104.
Dover High School’s Carys Fennessy finished tied for third by shooting a 1-under-par 71 Monday at the 31st New England Interscholastic Golf Championship at Mohegan Sun Golf Course in Baltic, Conn. Fennessy finished seven shots behind winner Molly Smith of Westford (Mass.) Academy.
Mascenic Regional’s Josiah Hakala was the top New Hampshire finisher in the boys tournament. Hakala tied for seventh with a 1-under-par 71. Elliot Spaulding of Freeport (Maine) High School won the boys event with a 5-under-par 67.
|
2022-11-02T02:30:18Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
State of Sports: CAA title hopes on the line for UNH football Saturday | Sports Columns | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/sports_columns/state-of-sports-caa-title-hopes-on-the-line-for-unh-football-saturday/article_c94c6d0c-0358-5145-b61b-2ad539cdecdb.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/sports_columns/state-of-sports-caa-title-hopes-on-the-line-for-unh-football-saturday/article_c94c6d0c-0358-5145-b61b-2ad539cdecdb.html
|
DEAR ABBY: I’m a married woman in my 50s with two adult children and one grandchild. I work as a nurse. I wear my hair short because I have thick, unruly hair. One day, at a local supermarket, I was walking down the aisles looking for my husband. A man and his wife had a young daughter about 6 years old with them. He called me a slang word for lesbian. I ignored him and continued walking. He looked annoyed that his word didn’t bother me. (I am not confrontational.)
|
2022-11-02T05:41:43Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Dear Abby: Divorcee's dating life has been a roller coaster ride | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/dear-abby-divorcees-dating-life-has-been-a-roller-coaster-ride/article_e776bd64-e8dc-5d74-8f34-da3cd9edda16.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/dear-abby-divorcees-dating-life-has-been-a-roller-coaster-ride/article_e776bd64-e8dc-5d74-8f34-da3cd9edda16.html
|
To the Editor: As the CEO of Sunrise Labs, I can tell you that policies coming out of Washington matter to small businesses. Intelligent and balanced policy results from negotiations among trustworthy leaders. As an independent, I have voted for candidates in both major parties. I choose high-integrity leaders because they get constructive things done. They seek to understand and speak the truth.
Senator Maggie Hassan’s integrity has earned the respect of peers on both sides of the aisle. The bipartisan legislation she’s delivered is proof of this. Bipartisan solutions stick. Most recently, the IRA and the CHIPs laws are great examples of results she delivered. These programs invest in our future by reducing our dependence on overseas factories, and building sustainable and reliable energy infrastructure. Intelligent and lasting policy stabilizes the business environment, giving us the confidence to continue investing in our growth.
In contrast, I’ve also listen to Don Bolduc. Before the primary he said, “I signed a letter with 120 other generals and admirals saying that Trump won the election, and, damn it, I stand by my letter.”
Two days after winning the Republican primary, Bolduc said, “I’ve done a lot of research on this. The election was not stolen.”
In October, he said, “I can’t say that it was stolen or not, I don’t have enough information.”
It illustrates a lack of ability to determine the facts and speak the truth on the part of Bolduc. Please go beyond party affiliation and take a sober look at these two candidates.
ERIC SOEDERBERG
|
2022-11-02T05:42:20Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Letter: Hassan vs. Bolduc: Integrity Matters | Letters to the Editor | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-hassan-vs-bolduc-integrity-matters/article_da564403-1912-556b-9f42-d61bda92cf83.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-hassan-vs-bolduc-integrity-matters/article_da564403-1912-556b-9f42-d61bda92cf83.html
|
To the Editor: I recently saw coverage of the push to hand-count votes, and became concerned that this misguided effort will actually result in less-accurate tallies. I’ve been a poll worker, and I have seen how tired we get at the end of election day. It’s a lot easier for a human brain to make mistakes than a machine designed solely to read ballots. There have been studies done on this that show a human makes about twice as many miscounts as the machines do.
I’m a reliable voter, and I want my vote to be counted accurately. Let’s just use the reliable system we have used for years and not be side tracked by alleged irregularities.
DIANE B. LOCKWOOD
|
2022-11-02T05:42:44Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Letter: Humans more accurate? You had better think again | Letters to the Editor | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-humans-more-accurate-you-had-better-think-again/article_64aa3b2f-3525-580f-98bf-8eca5864cf29.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-humans-more-accurate-you-had-better-think-again/article_64aa3b2f-3525-580f-98bf-8eca5864cf29.html
|
To the Editor: In response to John Koziol’s article from Oct. 28, 2022, titled, “Officials: Revised Mount Washington Master Plan prioritizes the environment,” as this piece examines, there is a schism between humans and nature that is tough to bridge. To frame the issue differently, think of nature: gorgeous, breathtaking, and untouched by humans. It is that astonishing beauty that tourists want to witness. However, the second tourists go to see the untouched nature, it becomes touched, sometimes in a devastating way.
The installation of tourist-geared architecture is a perfect example. There is no simple solution for how to get the two to exist in harmony. Completing and adhering to a strong environmental assessment prior to adopting a master plan is the only way to make sure nature doesn’t take a backseat to tourists.
ARROW BROWN-RYDER
Brent Street, Manchester
|
2022-11-02T05:42:50Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Letter: Humans vs. nature atop the Rock Pile | Letters to the Editor | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-humans-vs-nature-atop-the-rock-pile/article_2caeb2a1-d41c-5dc1-96f7-dbff276d516a.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/letters_to_editor/letter-humans-vs-nature-atop-the-rock-pile/article_2caeb2a1-d41c-5dc1-96f7-dbff276d516a.html
|
IN JUST a few short days, Granite Staters from the North Country to the Seacoast have the opportunity to elect strong, responsible leaders who represent our Granite State values. Whether in our federal offices, Executive Council, or state legislature we can elect leaders who will fight for New Hampshire families.
Under our current Republican state leadership, Granite Staters are suffering from skyrocketing energy prices, rising property taxes, a severe housing affordability and availability crisis, and a coordinated attack on health care and reproductive rights. Chris Sununu and our Republican state legislature have failed New Hampshire time and time again in the last two years, and Granite Staters are paying the price for their failures.
Chris Sununu signed into law a state budget, crafted solely by state Republicans, that included New Hampshire’s first modern abortion ban. This ban made no exceptions for rape, incest, or fatal fetal anomaly, but included mandatory invasive ultrasounds and criminal penalties for doctors. The budget also included tax breaks for millionaires and an extremely harmful school voucher scheme.
Since then, Sununu’s hand-picked Executive Council Republicans voted to defund Planned Parenthood four separate times, threatening access to birth control, STD testing and treatment, cancer screenings, and other essential health care services that families all across New Hampshire rely on.
New Hampshire Republicans are willing to go even further. They proposed a six-week abortion ban, which would ban legal abortions before most women even know they’re pregnant. They voted to support a bill allowing any man, even a stranger, to go to court to stop a woman from getting an abortion.
They passed curriculum bans with severe penalties for teachers found in breach of the vaguely worded legislation. When Sununu signed the bill, nearly all of his diversity council resigned in protest. Shortly after, a conservative group closely allied with Sununu appointee and longtime pal Education Commissioner Frank Edelblut began offering bounties on New Hampshire teachers.
Sununu vetoed 11 pieces of legislation that would have diversified New Hampshire’s energy marketplace and mitigated the worst aspects of the energy crisis we’re in today. Instead, he catered to Eversource, a top donor of his re-election campaign, which has more than doubled its rates, now the highest in New England.
New Hampshire Republicans even put forward legislation to have New Hampshire formally leave the United States by seceding from the union.
These failures have resulted in a state where people who want to be here cannot afford to live or work, so they have to leave. Students who go to college here cannot afford to stay. Talented young professionals, especially teachers, cannot afford to risk their careers and livelihood because of the relentless attacks the New Hampshire GOP has made on our educators. It’s a tragedy.
Under Republican leadership, we are becoming a state we don’t want to be.
Meanwhile, New Hampshire Democrats are fighting for the issues that truly affect the lives of Granite Staters. They’re fighting to codify Roe v. Wade into our state law, which Sununu has refused to do. They’re fighting to fund Planned Parenthood and other family care centers to provide New Hampshire women with affordable health care. They’re defending and expanding Medicare, standing up to Big Pharma and Big Oil, and lowering the costs of prescription drugs. They’re fighting for affordable housing to bolster our state economy and keep workers in New Hampshire.
That’s what Granite Staters need — people who are going to fight for us. From the U.S. Senate to county offices, we need to elect fighters. We need leaders who are going to get the job done and who won’t give up on us. We need leaders who aren’t going to back down to the far-right extremists and will stand up for the Granite State values that we hold dear.
On November 8th, vote for the fighters that are bringing us real results. Vote for Democrats all the way down the ballot.
Raymond Buckley is chairman of the New Hampshire Democratic Party. He lives in Manchester.
|
2022-11-02T05:43:02Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Raymond Buckley: Vote for fighters, vote for Democrats | Op-eds | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/raymond-buckley-vote-for-fighters-vote-for-democrats/article_1249e486-ff7f-5959-b8ec-10532a6a01ab.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/opinion/op-eds/raymond-buckley-vote-for-fighters-vote-for-democrats/article_1249e486-ff7f-5959-b8ec-10532a6a01ab.html
|
Cena hits campaign trail in 'The Independent'
NBC UNIVERSAL keeps trying to put a wrestler in the Oval Office. If you recall, the whole premise of the dismally unfunny sitcom “Young Rock” was a retrospective by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson on the eve of his presidential bid in the 2032 election. Recently, in real time, the real “Rock” announced that he would not be running for president in 2024.
Peacock, NBC Universal’s streaming service, will premiere the 2022 political thriller “The Independent,” starting today. Wrestler John Cena stars as Nate Sterling, an independent candidate given a real chance to win the presidential election. He’s up against a candidate (Ann Dowd) vying to become America’s first woman president.
Behind the scenes, a journalist (Jodie Turner-Smith) smells a conspiracy afoot and teams up with a veteran reporter (Brian Cox, “Succession”) to get to the bottom of it before the election is tainted.
Given its cast, one would suspect that “The Independent” might be given a theatrical release. But it has been funneled directly to Peacock. Screeners were not made available for review.
“Young Rock” returns for a third season on Friday night.
• The woods are sacred spaces. Soaring cathedrals to some, forests can also seem like a symphony hall, a place filled with birdsong. While most of the feathered players in nature’s orchestra are vocalists, one species has specialized in percussive sounds. That very different drummer is the woodpecker, the subject of tonight’s “Nature” (8 p.m., PBS, TV-G, check local listings) installment, “Woodpeckers: The Hole Story,” narrated by Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”).
We learn early on that woodpeckers took their own path on the evolutionary road some 20 million years ago, developing in ways that departed from their aviary cousins. Their bodies and skulls have adapted to withstand the rapid pounding that would turn other creatures’ brains into mush. And they’ve developed a separate eyelid that rapidly opens and protectively closes with each pulverizing peck at a stand of dead or dying wood. They’ve even adapted their flying style to the woods — they regularly tuck their wings in to swoop between trees.
For all the racket they create, woodpeckers have highly sensitive auditory powers. They hear the ants and other insects inside their arboreal targets.
They are ruthlessly efficient at drilling into soft and rotting wood. This staccato attack not only serves up their next meal, it serves as a mating call for female woodpeckers and a way of warning other males that a rival has arrived.
Woodpeckers are essential to the process of speeding along the decay of trees and making way for new growth. Along the way, the holes they bore offer shelter and nesting places for young woodpeckers and any number of other small birds, and even squirrels.
• A single New York woman (Meg Ryan) embarks on an affair with a dashing man from an earlier time (Hugh Jackman) in the 2001 romance “Kate & Leopold” (7 p.m., Sho2), part of a Ryan double feature including the 1993 weepie “Sleepless in Seattle” (9 p.m.).
• Marcel gains quite the reputation on “Chicago Med” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
• The Houston Astros and Philadelphia Phillies meet in Game 4 of the World Series (8 p.m., Fox).
• Neapolitan pizza looms large on “The Real Love Boat” (9 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
• A bomb claims a jewelry store on “Chicago Fire” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
• Dordogne, France, becomes the setting for “The Amazing Race” (10 p.m., CBS).
• Atwater’s approach comes under scrutiny on “Chicago P.D.” (10 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
• New evidence emerges on “Big Sky” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-14).
Supernatural elements complicate a maritime salvage operation in the 2002 shocker “Ghost Ship” (9 p.m., MoMax) starring Julianna Margulies, Ron Eldard, Gabriel Byrne and Desmond Harrington.
One castaway gets on everyone’s nerves on “Survivor” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-PG) ... Darlene’s promotion comes at a cost on “The Conners” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... A line-dancing craze erupts on “The Goldbergs” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
The school gains media attention on “Abbott Elementary” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG) ... A new branch of the family tree on “Home Economics” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Jennifer Lawrence and Ernest Moniz are booked on “The Late Show With Stephen Colbert” (11:35 p.m., CBS) ... Jimmy Fallon welcomes George Lopez, Cole Hauser, LaTanya Richardson Jackson, Joey Bada$$ and Men I Trust on “The Tonight Show” (11:35 p.m., NBC) ... Daniel Radcliffe, “Weird Al” Yankovic, Kerry Condon, Kurt Vile and the Violators and Dena Tauriello visit “Late Night With Seth Meyers” (12:35 a.m., NBC).
Powerball’s tantalizing jackpot has swollen to $1.2 billion, a record-breaking prize that if won, will be the second-highest lottery prize in the United States. The drawing is set for Wednesday night at 10:59 p.m. and with hundreds of millions of tickets already purchased, according to lotto…
Inside the command center for the U.S. Capitol Police, a handful of officers were going through their routines early Friday morning, cycling through live feeds from the department's 1,800 cameras used to monitor the nearby Capitol complex as well as some points beyond, when an officer stoppe…
In an open Florida congressional seat that was redrawn to tilt more Republican, Anna Paulina Luna is running as a self-described "pro-life extremist" and stolen-election believer who frequently appears on far-right talk shows hosted by former Donald Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon, MyPillow …
|
2022-11-02T14:51:46Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Cena hits campaign trail in 'The Independent' | | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/cena-hits-campaign-trail-in-the-independent/article_d1375766-1207-594e-a181-e445e1e38036.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/cena-hits-campaign-trail-in-the-independent/article_d1375766-1207-594e-a181-e445e1e38036.html
|
By Isaac Arnsdorf and Marianna Sotomayor The Washington Post
In an open Florida congressional seat that was redrawn to tilt more Republican, Anna Paulina Luna is running as a self-described "pro-life extremist" and stolen-election believer who frequently appears on far-right talk shows hosted by former Donald Trump adviser Stephen K. Bannon, MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and the misinformation blog Gateway Pundit.
Mike Collins, who's running for a safe Republican seat in Georgia, falsely claimed in a Twitter video while carrying an assault rifle that Trump won the state in 2020, and has spoken on behalf of defendants being prosecuted for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. In a Facebook post last year, he said he told a member of the hard-right House Freedom Caucus, "Hold the line now, help is on the way."
And in Oklahoma, the Freedom Caucus's co-founder, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), cut an ad for Josh Brecheen, a state legislator who introduced bills against teaching evolution in schools and is now running for election in a solid red congressional district.
Luna, Collins and Brecheen are among the likely freshmen on the cusp of joining the House class of 2023 if Republicans have a strong night Nov. 8. They're all running with the support of the campaign arm of the House Freedom Caucus, the hard-line bloc that has evolved from its early days as a secretive tea party brotherhood to become the de facto vehicle for most of the House Republicans closely aligned with Trump's Make America Great Again movement, such as Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, Lauren Boebert of Colorado, Mike Cloud of Texas and Mary Miller of Illinois.
"The Freedom Caucus is where the fight is," Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) said in an October podcast interview with caucus chairman Scott Perry (R-Pa.). "We had a great crop of freshmen members, male and female, come into the Freedom Caucus in 2020 . . . and I'm seeing another good crop of people coming into the Freedom Caucus this time."
"We need to hold investigations, people need to be held accountable and we need to be willing to take tough votes," Perry said on the podcast with Biggs. "If we were in charge, this is what would be happening, and all we can do is try and force our leadership to have this discussion."
"It really depends on the margin in terms of how influential the Freedom Caucus will be," said Buck, a member of the caucus.
If the Freedom Caucus increases their ranks significantly, it will be easier to gain leverage. Members have already discussed making stark demands of leadership in exchange for their votes, in particular a request to bring back a rule that gives members the ability to recall the speaker at any time - a direct threat to House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) should he take the gavel.
They are also looking for more influence, particularly in committees on which they have largely been shunned from serving given their more conservative views. To wield such power, they hope to have more than one representative serving on the Steering Committee, which determines committee assignments and helps set the agenda with leadership regularly. They also want more members to serve as chairs beyond Ohio's Jordan, who is set to wield the gavel at the powerful House Judiciary Committee.
McCarthy, after watching how the Freedom Caucus ended the speakerships of John A. Boehner and Paul D. Ryan, learned early on to keep them close. He is already signaling that he'll take up some of the bloc's demands, such as repealing the IRS expansion, blocking future aid to Ukraine as it fights Russia's invasion and using the debt ceiling as leverage to win concessions from the Biden administration.
In the primaries, McCarthy's allies worked quietly to weed out some of the most controversial candidates, aiming past a raw majority for what they termed a "governing majority," with mixed success. Where they failed, far-right nominees are now making some races more competitive than they might have been. Joe Kent in Washington state and Sandy Smith in North Carolina both overcame resistance from McCarthy's team with the backing of Trump and the House Freedom Fund.
Now Kent, who spoke at a 2021 rally for Jan. 6 defendants, faces a tight race against Democrat Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, who has raised more than $2 million since the primary. In a recent debate, Kent said people should be able to have machine guns (federally banned since 1934), said the Jan. 6 riot looked "like an intelligence operation" and called people prosecuted for attacking the Capitol "political prisoners."
Smith tweeted on the day of the attack that she "marched from the Monument to the Capitol" and has called for executing people who she falsely claims stole the 2020 election. She has also been accused of domestic violence, and is now on defense in a district that Trump carried. The Cook Political Report rates the race as likely Democratic.
Some Trump allies running in swing districts, such as John Gibbs in Michigan, are steering clear from saying whether they would join the Freedom Caucus. "I haven't really gone that far," Gibbs said in an interview last month. "I'm focused on getting there in the first place."
Luna, the far-right Florida candidate, survived a $1.6 million barrage in the primary from Republican donors acting without McCarthy's direct coordination. Now she's facing a well-funded Democratic opponent in Eric Lynn, a former Pentagon adviser in the Obama administration. Lynn's cousin, Illinois investor Justin Ishbia, supplied $5 million to a super PAC attacking Luna for her stances on abortion and the 2020 election. Cook rates the seat likely Republican.
Luna's campaign received more than $377,000 from the House Freedom Fund - more than any non-incumbent - plus more than $126,000 in outside spending. She has campaigned with Greene and, on her podcast, praised Greene, Jordan, Boebert and other Freedom Caucus members as "incredible thought leaders." Luna confirmed to The Washington Post that she would join the Freedom Caucus.
"We do not need another Marjorie Taylor Greene in Congress, and we definitely do not want someone like Marjorie Taylor Greene representing our community," Lynn said in an interview. "Her being out of the mainstream is what is gaining us momentum."
The Luna campaign said she wasn't available for an interview. In written responses to questions, Luna said she called herself a "pro-life extremist" to make fun of Lynn trying to "stereotype" her.
"Eric Lynn is lying about me and my positions to distract from the fact that he's just another liberal rubber stamp for the reckless Biden/Pelosi agenda," she said.
In Tennessee's 5th district, Andy Ogles has presented himself as the state's "most conservative mayor" - accusing the Biden administration of "weaponizing covid," dismissing rape and incest exceptions to abortion bands as a "red herring used by left and radicals" and describing the election as a "spiritual war." In a primary debate, Ogles said Biden should be impeached and, alongside House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), tried for treason. He won the primary with a plurality of 37 percent, and is now favored to enter Congress in a predominantly Republican district.
After seeing Ogles speak in person at least nine times, Randy Stamps, a lifelong Republican from Hendersonville and former political director of the state party, said he was disappointed to hear divisive rhetoric about masks and no discussion of solutions to improve the economy or work across party lines. Stamps publicly announced his support for Ogles's Democratic opponent, state senator Heidi Campbell.
"He's going to do whatever Jim Jordan tells him to do," Stamps said of Ogles. "Sending someone to Washington who's beholden to people like Jim Jordan is not going to do anything to make this country move forward."
"He's one of these candidates who won the primary because he was furthest to the right, endorsed by Trump, believes in the 'Big Lie,' says he's a white Christian nationalist," Campbell said. "The more people that get elected who are on board with sort of this theocratic, extreme agenda, the more freedom we're going to lose."
Crane, the Arizona House candidate, is in a hard-fought race to unseat incumbent Democrat Tom O'Halleran. Crane and the National Republican Congressional Committee have spent more than $3 million on ads, against $4.7 million by O'Halleran and Democratic allies. Some Democratic ads attack Crane for promoting "conspiracy theories spread by white supremacists" over footage of the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol. Cook rates the seat as leaning Republican.
Crane has said that he is being mentored by Freedom Caucus members and plans to work closely with them in Congress. "First, I'm going to beat Tom O'Halleran, then I'm going to join the Freedom Caucus," Crane said to cheers and applause at a September campaign stop in Casa Grande, between Phoenix and Tuscon. "The Republican Party now has played defense for far too long."
In the speech, Crane recounted his service as a Navy SEAL and his business selling bottle openers made out of bullets that appeared on the TV game show "Shark Tank." Crane also encouraged people to watch a speech by a right-wing pastor about "Cultural Marxism," which the Southern Poverty Law Center has described as an antisemitic conspiracy theory. In 2020, Crane posted to Facebook supporting a conspiracy theory that world leaders staged the covid pandemic, and comparing vaccination policies to Nazi Germany.
The Crane campaign didn't respond to requests for comment.
Several more new candidates endorsed by both Trump and the Freedom Caucus are all but assured to win in safe seats. In Ohio, former Trump aide Max Miller is on track to replace Anthony Gonzalez, one of the 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump for inciting the insurrection. Miller has been accused of aggressive behavior toward women, including slapping his then-girlfriend, former White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham, according to Politico. Miller's lawyer denied the assault.
Harriet Hageman is a shoo-in for Wyoming's sole congressional seat after her primary win over Rep. Liz Cheney (R), who supported impeachment and served as vice chair of the House Jan. 6 investigation. Hageman received almost $500,000 in direct support from the House Freedom Fund or affiliated outside spending. She has falsely called the 2020 election rigged and cited the discredited conspiracy theory movie "2,000 Mules." A spokesperson confirmed Hageman will be joining the Freedom Caucus.
Eric Burlison - a Missouri state senator who sponsored a bill to ban state and local enforcement of federal gun regulations - received an endorsement from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) and additional funding from the House Freedom Fund for his congressional bid. Keith Self, who became the nominee in a solidly Republican Texas district after incumbent GOP Rep. Van Taylor admitted to an affair and withdrew, ran a campaign emphasizing election fraud and has said he wants to serve on the House Administration Committee, which settles disputes in congressional races. His campaign received $5,000 from the House Freedom Fund.
Other incoming MAGA candidates have been less clear about aligning themselves with the Freedom Caucus. Ryan Zinke, Trump's scandal-plagued former interior secretary, is favored to win a Republican-leaning seat in Montana. Zinke hasn't said if he'd join and his campaign didn't respond to a request for comment. Neither did the campaign of Russell Fry, the Trump-endorsed congressional candidate in South Carolina who unseated Rep. Tom Rice, another of the 10 Republicans who voted for impeachment.
Derrick Van Orden, a Republican running for Congress in Wisconsin, was also outside the Capitol on Jan. 6. Unlike fellow attendees Smith and House candidate J.R. Majewski in Ohio, Van Orden is the only one favored to win by Cook, which rates his race as likely Republican. National Democrats haven't invested heavily in the race. Van Orden hasn't said if he plans to join the Freedom Caucus.
"We are taking nothing for granted and not measuring any curtains," he said in a statement. "Ask me again November 9th."
|
2022-11-02T14:52:18Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
New class of combative MAGA candidates poised to roil House GOP | Voters First | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/new-class-of-combative-maga-candidates-poised-to-roil-house-gop/article_a3a8fbb3-4bd7-5adf-a844-b05cae877519.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/voters/new-class-of-combative-maga-candidates-poised-to-roil-house-gop/article_a3a8fbb3-4bd7-5adf-a844-b05cae877519.html
|
By Christopher Hurley The Sun, Lowell, Mass.
It's going to take a lot more than a terrifying tailspin to keep Jon McKennedy from crossing the finish line.
Battling for the lead with 10 laps to go in Thursday's Virginia is for Racing Lovers 200 at Martinsville Speedway, he was literally thrown for a loop after getting bumped by another driver, leaving him in the back of the pack.
Luckily, the damage to the vehicle was minimal. McKennedy quickly regrouped to finish 12th overall, while clinching his first career NASCAR Whelen Modified Tour championship in just his second season of full-time competition. Not bad for a guy who lives in Chelmsford, Massachusetts, not exactly the hub of the auto racing world.
"It's a great accomplishment to keep climbing the ladder in different divisions of short track racing through out the northeast. I'm very fortunate to have driven for some great car owners and be surrounded by good people," he said.
Of the tour championship, he said, "It feels great. A lot of work went into this. To win any championship is difficult, but to win a NASCAR Modified championship is an extremely big challenge. I was happy we were able to do it."
"It was a brand-new race team, and a new car owner who just got into racing just over a year or two ago," said McKennedy, 33. "We went up against some extremely stiff competition, drivers and teams that have been doing this their whole lives, so it's very satisfying. I'm really excited."
McKennedy's dream nearly turned into a nightmare after getting spun courtesy of a hard bump by Kyle Bonsignore. The near wreck killed any thoughts of a first-place finish.
"One of the cars bumped me from behind and sent my right rear quarter spinning," McKennedy recalled. "It wasn't good. There was a moment there where I was far on the back straightaways, and the whole field pretty much had gone by. My championship hopes were pretty much over at that point."
Although the sudden spinout was unexpected, it proved to be a small speedbump en route to a milestone moment in the Chelmsford racer's career.
"It was definitely disappointing," he said of the spinout. "We were in great position to win the race just to get wrecked out there, but to win the championship was huge. I won a lot of championships over the years, multiple modified racing championships, as well as all the weekly short-term stuff in the New England area, but the NASCAR Modified deal is the icing on the cake. It hasn't totally sunk in yet."
"My dad was always into racing," he recalled. "At about 8-9, he brought me to Sugar Hill Speedway in New Hampshire where they'd race go-carts. Right away I really enjoyed it."
"The majority of the guys we were racing against were in their 20s and 30s," said McKennedy. "I was definitely the little guy in the field, but I was able to do well, win some races and earn some respect. It kept progressing from there."
More touring followed, as he continued to travel up and down the East Coast. His racing career shifted into high gear over the past decade, culminating with a spot on the Lepine's racing team.
"I've been very fortunate to drive for some great car owners and be surrounded by great people over the years," he said. "There's a lot that goes on behind the scenes that people don't realize. The driver is only a small part of it. At any given time, you have a group of guys that come over that wall to change tires and refuel. They're all as big a deal as I am. You need a great pit crew and the whole package. In racing that's key."
"We're going to take a few weeks off here and figure out our plans for next year," he said. "It's been a hell of a last six months. It's crazy how it all worked out."
|
2022-11-02T14:52:30Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Chelmsford's Jon McKennedy roars to NASCAR crown | Motor Sports | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/motorsports/chelmsfords-jon-mckennedy-roars-to-nascar-crown/article_830e933a-7049-5f24-9e9a-09cb73187da8.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/sports/motorsports/chelmsfords-jon-mckennedy-roars-to-nascar-crown/article_830e933a-7049-5f24-9e9a-09cb73187da8.html
|
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas arrives with his wife, Ginni Thomas, for a State Dinner for Australia’s Prime Minister Scott Morrison at the White House in Washington, U.S. September 20, 2019.
By Jacqueline Alemany and Spencer S. Hsu The Washington Post
Days earlier, Chesebro on Christmas Eve morning sent an email to Eastman, Justin Clark, Bruce Marks, and others and put the odds of the court taking up the question and issuing a decision at no more than 5 percent - and of it doing so in Trump's favor by Jan. 6 at "only 1 percent."
But Chesebro said the "relevant analysis . . . is political" and "feeding the impression that the courts lack the courage to fairly and timely consider these complaints, and justifying a political argument on Jan. 6."
Eastman has argued that the set of disputed emails were protected by attorney-client privilege - a bedrock principle of U.S. legal practice that says a lawyer must keep confidential what they are told by their clients, and work product related to their representation. Carter cited a "crime-fraud exception" - including instances in which communications were part of a crime - ruling that "the emails are sufficiently related to and in furtherance of a conspiracy to defraud the United States."
|
2022-11-02T17:42:11Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Trump lawyers saw Clarence Thomas as key to stop Biden electoral count, emails show | Courts | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/trump-lawyers-saw-clarence-thomas-as-key-to-stop-biden-electoral-count-emails-show/article_5a73354b-ec5a-57c3-ae66-fd472e78d513.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/courts/trump-lawyers-saw-clarence-thomas-as-key-to-stop-biden-electoral-count-emails-show/article_5a73354b-ec5a-57c3-ae66-fd472e78d513.html
|
The entrance to the campus of Southern New Hampshire University.
Melissa Donovan, who taught mathematics at SNHU, said she was “compelled to quit” in part for refusing to change the failing grades for two students in a math course she taught.
The case was taken to the Supreme Court after a Hillsborough Superior Court judge also sided with SNHU.
Donovan, who resigned in November 2018, “raised good faith concerns that such modifications would be unethical and in violation of SNHU academic policy,” according to court documents.
The university said the grading scheme was structured as an “all or nothing” system, which was not communicated in the course introduction or syllabus for the introduction to quantitative analysis class. The class was under review by the university because of the course design and grading.
Two students failed under the “all or nothing” grading method and appealed, according to court documents.
The main argument by Donovan’s lawyer, Sean List, revolved around public policy, which “supports academic integrity, consistency and equality in grading,” according to court documents.
The Supreme Court issued its decision in a six page ruling on Wednesday.
“We conclude that the court did not err because complaints about the application of internal grading decisions by a private university do not implicate public policy considerations necessary to support a wrongful termination claim,” the court wrote.
Ex-SNHU professor fights grade changes, wrongful termination in Supreme Court
A former associate dean has sued Southern New Hampshire University, saying she was “compelled to quit” in part for refusing to change the fail…
|
2022-11-02T17:42:17Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Supreme Court sides with SNHU in lawsuit over grade changes | Education | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/education/supreme-court-sides-with-snhu-in-lawsuit-over-grade-changes/article_70af6201-fd9e-5e00-9d39-c40cf106df64.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/education/supreme-court-sides-with-snhu-in-lawsuit-over-grade-changes/article_70af6201-fd9e-5e00-9d39-c40cf106df64.html
|
“Freedom from Want,” a re-imagined version of an iconic Norman Rockwell painting, from “We Are For Freedoms,” at the Currier Museum of Art.
This “Freedom From Want” photograph was created by Hank Willis Thomas and Emily Shur.
Divisiveness is plaguing many American families. As the holidays -- a time of goodwill -- approach, we want to hear from you about how you have reconciled differences and made peace with your family members and friends. The best stories will be shared in an upcoming edition of the Union Leader.
Please contact reporter Shawne Wickham by email at: swickham@unionleader.com, or by phone at 603-206-7731.
|
2022-11-02T17:42:23Z
|
www.unionleader.com
|
Bridging our differences: We want to hear from you | Human Interest | unionleader.com
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/bridging-our-differences-we-want-to-hear-from-you/article_7967098e-64a9-5d80-9cdb-c349e835620d.html
|
https://www.unionleader.com/news/human_interest/bridging-our-differences-we-want-to-hear-from-you/article_7967098e-64a9-5d80-9cdb-c349e835620d.html
|
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.