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Does Biden's student loan plan do enough for Black graduates? Published August 26, 2022 at 4:15 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Wisdom Cole of the NAACP about the Biden administration's student loan forgiveness program. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/does-bidens-student-loan-plan-do-enough-for-black-graduates | 2022-08-26T09:57:39Z |
It's peak blackberry season in Oregon. And even if you don't live there, the blackberries you eat are likely from the state. (Story first aired on All Things Considered on Aug. 10, 2022.)
Copyright 2022 NPR
It's peak blackberry season in Oregon. And even if you don't live there, the blackberries you eat are likely from the state. (Story first aired on All Things Considered on Aug. 10, 2022.)
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/encore-why-oregonians-are-so-proud-of-their-blackberries | 2022-08-26T09:57:45Z |
Examining President Biden's student loan forgiveness program Published August 26, 2022 at 4:15 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email President Biden's student loan forgiveness plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. But many will still have loans to pay off after Biden's changes. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/examining-president-bidens-student-loan-forgiveness-program | 2022-08-26T09:57:51Z |
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell speaks Friday morning in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Powell hopes to curb inflation without pushing the economy into recession.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Federal Reserve chairman Jerome Powell speaks Friday morning in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Powell hopes to curb inflation without pushing the economy into recession.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/fed-chief-jerome-powell-is-under-pressure-to-curb-inflation | 2022-08-26T09:57:58Z |
With millions of Americans preparing to fly over the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is urging airlines to step up their game so travelers aren't stranded.
Copyright 2022 NPR
With millions of Americans preparing to fly over the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend, Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is urging airlines to step up their game so travelers aren't stranded.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/flight-delays-and-poor-customer-service-are-at-unacceptable-levels-buttigieg-says | 2022-08-26T09:58:04Z |
Morning news brief Published August 26, 2022 at 4:15 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Listen • 10:54 The Fed chair speaks today in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Biden's student loan plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. Conditions deteriorate at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under Russian control. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/morning-news-brief | 2022-08-26T09:58:10Z |
Moviepass is back after its bankruptcy. The CEO says this time will be different Published August 26, 2022 at 4:15 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email NPR's Leila Fadel speaks with MoviePass co-founder and CEO Stacy Spikes about the return of the service after its bankruptcy in 2020. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/moviepass-is-back-after-its-bankruptcy-the-ceo-says-this-time-will-be-different | 2022-08-26T09:58:16Z |
NASA plans to test launch its newest rocket next week — one it hopes will eventually take astronauts back to the moon. But the rocket's big price tag has some critics skeptical about its future.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NASA plans to test launch its newest rocket next week — one it hopes will eventually take astronauts back to the moon. But the rocket's big price tag has some critics skeptical about its future.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/nasa-plans-to-launch-a-huge-moon-rocket-but-the-price-tag-may-impede-its-future | 2022-08-26T09:58:21Z |
The Inflation Reduction Act includes a number of provisions to tackle climate change and health care costs. But whether it really fights inflation is less clear.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The Inflation Reduction Act includes a number of provisions to tackle climate change and health care costs. But whether it really fights inflation is less clear.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/planet-money-will-the-inflation-reduction-act-really-fight-inflation | 2022-08-26T09:58:27Z |
The latest report cards from top U.S. retailers show shoppers are making fewer purchases and fewer trips to stores. But when they check out, they tend to spend more because things cost more.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The latest report cards from top U.S. retailers show shoppers are making fewer purchases and fewer trips to stores. But when they check out, they tend to spend more because things cost more.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/retailers-say-shoppers-are-making-fewer-purchases-but-inflation-means-they-pay-more | 2022-08-26T09:58:33Z |
StoryCorps: A mother talks about her love of learning Published August 26, 2022 at 4:15 AM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email In this week's StoryCorps, a public school history teacher tells her son about how her love of learning began. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/storycorps-a-mother-talks-about-her-love-of-learning | 2022-08-26T09:58:39Z |
Atomic energy agency seeks to visit Ukraine nuclear power plant amid concerns
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A mission from the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant next week after it was temporarily knocked offline and more shelling was reported in the area overnight, Ukrainian officials said Friday.
Fire damage to a transmission line at Europe’s largest nuclear plant caused a blackout across the region on Thursday and heightened fears of a catastrophe in a country still haunted by the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
Lana Zerkal, an adviser to Ukraine’s energy minister, told Ukrainian media on Thursday evening that logistical issues are being worked out for the IAEA team to come to the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces and run by Ukrainian workers since the early days of the 6-month-old war.
Zerkal accused Russia of trying to sabotage the visit. Ukraine has alleged that Russia is essentially holding the plant hostage, storing weapons there and launching attacks from around it, while Moscow accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on the facility.
“Despite the fact that the Russians agreed for the mission to travel through the territory of Ukraine, they are now artificially creating all the conditions for the mission not to reach the facility, given the situation around it,” she said, offering no details.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow to the claims. The atomic agency’s head, Rafael Mariano Grossi, also said Thursday he hopes to send a team to the plant within days. Negotiations over how the team would access the plant are complicated but advancing, he said on France-24 television.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said an area close to the plant came under a barrage of shelling overnight, amid mounting concerns that an armed conflict near a working atomic plant could cause more serious damage, even as Zaporizhzhia’s reactors are protected by reinforced concrete containment domes.
Dnipropetrovsk governor Valentyn Reznichenko said shelling in the city of Nikopol, which is across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia plant, damaged 10 houses, a school and a sanitorium, causing no casualties.
A power line also has been cut, leaving up to 1,000 local residents without electricity, he added. Nikopol has been under nearly constant Russian shelling since July 12, with eight people killed, 850 buildings damaged and over half the population of 100,000 fleeing the city.
On Thursday, the Zaporizhzhia plant was cut off from the electrical grid after fires damaged the last operating regular transmission line, according to Ukraine’s nuclear power agency, Energoatom.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos in this story may contain disturbing content.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russian shelling and said the plant’s emergency backup diesel generators had to be activated to supply power needed to run the plant. Zaporizhzhia’s Russian-installed regional governor, Yevgeny Balitsky, blamed the transmission-line damage on a Ukrainian attack.
It was not immediately clear whether the damaged line carried outgoing electricity or incoming power, needed for the reactors’ vital cooling systems. A loss of cooling could cause a nuclear meltdown.
As a result of the transmission-line damage, the two reactors still in use out of the plant’s six went offline, Balitsky said, but one was quickly restored, as was electricity to the region.
Many nuclear plants are designed to automatically shut down or at least reduce reactor output in the event of a loss of outgoing transmission lines. The IAEA said Ukraine informed it that the reactors’ emergency protection systems were triggered, and all safety systems remained operational.
The three regular transmission lines at the plant are out of service because of previous war damage. Ukraine cannot simply shut down its nuclear plants during the war because it is heavily reliant on them. Its 15 reactors at four stations provide about half of its electricity.
Elsewhere, two people were killed and six more injured over the past 24 hours in the eastern Donetsk region, Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said Friday. In the northeastern Sumy region, on the border with Russia, more than 100 munitions were fired over the past 24 hours, burning down a house, governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said.
___
Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/atomic-energy-agency-seeks-visit-ukraine-nuclear-power-plant-amid-concerns/ | 2022-08-26T10:49:44Z |
Oregon Health Authority (OHA) recently awarded the System of Care grant to Cascade Health Alliance (CHA) — a coordinated care organization (CCO) that serves Medicaid members in Klamath County. The additional funding brings promise of improved quality and availability of medical care for Medicaid recipients in Klamath Basin, according to a recent news release from CHA.
The “System of Care” award is an initiative of the OHA System of Care Advisory Council (SOCAC) intended to specifically support local health care governance and the enaction of recommended plans offered by the SOCAC.
The main focus of the Klamath County System of Care (SOC) is youth and families who are members of vulnerable populations. The system is youth- and family-led, working to identify and address the barriers that may arise when providing medical care to the communities by aligning efforts among local systems which serve the youth.
Through this grant, CHA and SOC will work to increase awareness of these barriers, which include suicide risk, lack of access to technology and lack of health care access for migrant workers.
“We are ecstatic about this award,” CHA CEO Tayo Akins said. “The funds will enable us to offer an extra lifeline to people struggling to get back on their feet or keep their lives on track health-wise. We are always looking for ways to enhance our ability to care, find gaps and serve our members most in need,” Akins added.
According to the same news release, “There can never be too many resources offered to people who genuinely need them; especially in Oregon, where health disparities have widened in recent years, and people are struggling to afford housing and food, let alone medical expenses. CHA will make a meaningful and measurable impact in the community because of this award.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/law_enforcement/cascade-heal-alliance-awarded-grant-funding/article_dba10046-23f7-11ed-8928-4f33a06d7317.html | 2022-08-26T11:08:44Z |
The parched communities of Klamath Basin are finally able to whet their whistles this week as millions of dollars are being distributed to quench the thirst of the drought-stricken county. The Interior Department issued a news release Tuesday, Aug. 23, announcing the allocation of federal funding to the Klamath Falls National Fish Hatchery and ecosystem restoration projects in the amount of $26 million.
For 20 years, ongoing drought in the Klamath Basin has caused tensions to run high as the water supply has dwindled. Water allocations are at “historic lows,” according to multiple news releases this year from the Department of Interior. This resulted in the destruction of important ecosystems, severe economic decline and strained relationships between groups, including the Klamath Tribes and the agricultural communities, according to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland.
Another $3 million, provided by the Bureau of Reclamation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and matched contributions, will fund 10 grants for the Trinity River Restoration and the Klamath River Coho Restoration Grant Programs.
FundingA portion of the Biden administration’s $1.2 trillion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) was devoted to conservation efforts for American public lands in the sum of $1.4 billion. The Interior Department previously earmarked $162 over five years for the Klamath Basin.
The most recent dispersal of funds will allocate $10 million to the fish hatchery for an expansion to the facility. Once completed, the hatchery will be capable of raising up to 60,000 of the endangered C’waam and Koptu (Lost River and shortnose suckers).
The departments said that the remaining $16 million will be granted to restoration efforts across the Basin that aim to improve water quality suffering from toxic algal blooms; restore wildlife habitats, including waterfowl wetlands; and support endangered, endemic species of fish which are sacred and crucial to the Klamath Tribes.
Clay Dumont, Chairman of the Klamath Tribes Council, said the tribes have received approximately $5.75 million in restoration funding, $3 million of which came from funding put in place by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., and the rest was allocated from the BIL.
Dumont said the tribes will be putting the money toward projects which will improve the natural habitat of C’waam and Koptu populations.
“One of the problems we have had perennially is that we don’t meet the biological minimum requirements in the lake for spawning in spring,” Dumont said.
He explained the requirements are defined and protected by the Endangered Species Act but have been “disregarded” for three consecutive years.
The Klamath Tribes received $50,000 to increase their spawning sucker habitats (Ambodat).
The Tribes also received $913,000 for the salmon reintroduction efforts.
Trinity River Restoration and Klamath River Coho Restoration Grant Programs are two in the Basin whose efforts are put toward recovery of the coho population. Combined, they received $2.2 million from BIL, and an additional $700,000 from matched contributions.
CollaborationIn April of 2021, the Biden-Harris administration formed the Interagency Drought Relief Working Group, co-chaired by the Departments of Interior and Agriculture, for the purpose of working toward solutions to the ongoing water crises across the West.
“Water is a sacred resource. This Interagency Working Group will deliver a much-needed proactive approach to providing drought assistance to U.S. communities, including efforts to build long-term resiliency to water shortages,” Haaland said in an Interior Department news release. “We are committed to using every resource available to our bureaus to ensure that Tribes, irrigators and the adjoining communities receive adequate assistance and support.”
The Departments held collaborative meetings in the Basin earlier this year to better understand the plights relative to drought that are affecting the ecosystem, wildlife habitats, the Klamath Tribes and agriculture production. These included local and state officials, non-governmental organizations, the Tribes and other affected communities.
Sen. Ron Wyden, D-Ore., expressed appreciation for the relief and support the Basin is receiving.
“With no rain in immediate sight this summer, there’s obviously much more work to be done during this brutally tough water year,” Wyden said. “But I’m gratified the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law has generated these federal resources for species recovery and habitat restoration to make sure every precious drop of water goes as far as possible in the Basin.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/law_enforcement/klamath-basin-receives-26-million-for-drought-relief/article_f4096ede-24b5-11ed-8b55-774e1fa3e3ed.html | 2022-08-26T11:08:48Z |
On the day that his dad died, Nicholi Ohbronovich found a home in the band that would become Owls & Aliens.
He was the fifth and final member, fusing together a group of friends whose musical journeys converged in 2019. Ohbronovich had accepted an invitation from his neighbor, lead guitarist Jeff Martinez, to come down and jam with the band.
They handed Ohbronovich an old, second-hand bass and he played his first song with them, “Romanticize the Sorrow.” It was the first song the band had written, and their only completed work at the time. When it was over, Martinez grabbed Ohbronovich by the wrist and said, “We have a bass player.”
“The band was complete at that moment,” drummer Dakotah Webb said.
Owls & Aliens, a hard rock band from Klamath Falls, is competing in Battle for the Big Stage on Twitch, vying to win a spot on the main stage at 2022’s Aftershock festival in Sacramento, Calif.
The band released its self-titled debut album digitally July 22, and are planning a vinyl release show for early winter. They are signed with MVK Music Group in Florida. MVK helped the band expand its reach and find contests such as the one taking place this summer.
Battle for the Big Stage is an online competition on the Twitch channel DWPresents, airing by livestream Thursdays and Sundays. The first round of voting occurred last Sunday, allowing viewers to give each band a simple “yes” or “no” vote to determine whether bands would advance. Later stages are more intense, with bands competing head-to-head with viewers choosing only one band or the other to move on.
Owls & Aliens advanced with an enthusiastic viewer reaction Sunday, Aug. 21. Webb said this summer’s contest is not the first the band has competed in.
“We competed in one called Welcome to Rockville in Florida last spring,” he said. “We got all the way to the very, very, very final round, so we got second place.”
Webb said there were 32 bands competing in the bracketed portion of the Welcome to Rockville contest, with many more siphoned out before that. During the head-to-head portion of the event, each band presents 90-second music videos which are aired over the livestream. But once the field is whittled down to four bands, each band gets to perform its music live.
Unfortunately, Webb said that during the live portion of the event, Owls & Aliens experienced technical issues at the worst possible time.
“So we went to Johnny B’s, which is a joint locals gig in Medford that we played a lot. We love that place,” Webb said. “They livestream their shows from there all the time too, so we were like, ‘That’s a perfect combination.’”
The band brought their gear and began to set up, while working with Twitch on troubleshooting their audio connection. Around 3 p.m., a man walked in, unrecognized by anybody in the band.
According to Webb, the man said, “I’m the landlord here. I just wanted to let you guys know that you can’t play any live music until 6. We’ve got a meeting going on next door, and yep. Have a good day.”
At this point, Trent Beck, the owner and manager at Johnny B’s, was busy talking to the host of the show, trying to figure out performance logistics.
“It’s not working,” Webb said. “He’s not getting the connection to go through. He can’t get the audio. They’re not receiving it at all.”
The band now had two problems, and they needed to solve them both at the same time.
“It gets to the point where the show starts at 3:30. We don’t have it figured out and they have to start the show,” Webb said.
Owls & Aliens was scheduled to play between 4:30 p.m. and 4:45 p.m., and time was slipping away.
“It was 4:10,” said Carter, “and the guy who owned the music store two blocks away walked down and said, ‘Hey, you guys can do it at my shop.’”
While still trying to negotiate with the landlord to play in the building where their gear was ready to go, the band had to make a decision and quickly.
“Everyone, grab everything,” Carter said.
“We’re just running down two blocks with handfuls of gear,” Ohbronovich said, “in the pouring rain.”
“It didn’t start raining until we went to move the gear,” Webb said. “It hadn’t rained at all.”
At this point, Twitch was shuffling the schedule, allowing Owls & Aliens to go on last. Bands had already been playing on the show, with a semi-finalist already eliminated. As the band scrambled to set up their gear at the new location, the audio still wouldn’t come through.
Webb said, “I can hear in the chat that the hosts are like, ‘Should we disqualify them? They’re not able to play.’”
At that point, Beck unplugged the audio system entirely so the sound would run directly through the microphone on the laptop.
“In-room audio,” Carter said.
“From a laptop microphone,” Webb added.
The band was audible, but only in the loosest sense of the word. The sound hissed and crackled over the speaker with the sound of static. Despite the setback, Owls & Aliens won their semifinal matchup and moved on to the finalsm where they lost in a close vote.
The second-place finish offered little consolation to the band. Coming so close to victory amplified the pain of losing and missing out on the big stage.
“It was a weird feeling,” Webb said. “You knew that you didn’t lose because of your music.”
“It felt like we were just not meant to win,” Carter said.
Despite the loss, Owls & Aliens has found success networking with other bands, forming friendships with those they have competed against. Networking has helped them to find gigs and maintain relationships within the independent rock scene.
When the band first formed, they came together from different corners of Klamath Falls. Webb met vocalist Dustin Carter through his college band Box Brothers. Carter was doing solo work around that time, performing as a singer/songwriter. When the members of Box Brothers went their separate ways, Webb reached out to Carter.
“Hey, bro, let’s start a band,” Webb said to him.
Carter in turn suggested Martinez and rhythm guitarist Travis Siebecke, who were friends with one another, but who had completely different styles and influences. As a result, despite both being musicians, it took them a long time to actually try playing together.
“We didn’t even play music for the whole summer,” Siebecke said.
Martinez too was hesitant to play together. He said, “Well, it’s cool, we can still be friends. We can still go skate. And then eventually the guitars came out one summer and we wrote a tune or two together.”
The result was a hybrid of the two sounds, and it worked.
“It’s definitely a huge part of our sound,” Webb said. “The dichotomy between the guitarists, because Travis plays more ‘90s alternative, like grunge and post-grunge, and kind of even the hardcore style, whereas Jeff is more like ‘80s, original classical metal and classic rock.”
The addition of Ohbronovich as bassist further helped to meld the differing styles into a cohesive unit, while also expediting the song-writing process.
“Once Nich came in then it was just like, boom, boom, boom. It was like fireworks were going off,” Webb said.
Within the first three months of the band forming, Webb said they wrote 75% of the material for their first album. Since then, they have performed gigs in and around Klamath Falls while growing their brand through social media and adding new songs to the repertoire. Their song “Tsunami” came later, and has since become one of the band’s most popular songs.
Every member of the band plays guitar, granting each the opportunity to write riffs and collaborate on song construction. On Thursdays, the band rehearses at a house in Klamath Falls where most of them live.
Last Thursday, after tequila shots, the band loaded up with instruments and headed out to a garage decorated in flags and posters. Flanked by their gear, Ohbronovich and Seibecke stood barefoot on opposite sides of the drums while Carter wielded a microphone in one hand and a beer in the other.
The band played with the type of energy and pageantry one would expect to see in front of a live audience. Martinez fell to his knees during a guitar solo, Webb attacked the drums with aggressive abandon, hair flying and flipping over his eyes and around his neck. By the end of the set, a glistening layer of sweat sat upon Carter’s forehead.
Every song had its own pace and its own mood. “Temperature Shift” seethed with desperate energy, Carter’s growling vocals overlaying a moody guitar riff, punctuated by Webb’s haunted background vocals. The song recalled the feeling of a battleground, fighting for a lost cause.
“The Void” was like the audio equivalent of a swamp filled with warm tar. Black, oozing, menacing, weirdly intriguing, with the tendency to completely pull you in.
Then there’s “Tsunami,” the opposite of “The Void.” It’s a shot of adrenaline, light, bouncy, high-energy, cool and refreshing like a popsicle on the surface of Venus. It’s the singalong song, the radio song and the one with the greatest crossover appeal.
“You Can’t Save Everyone” is similarly high-energy, but fiery and aggressive. It’s mosh-pit bait with a screaming, killer guitar riff and pounding vocals from Carter. The band shot a music video for it right in Klamath Falls, showing vistas of rolling golden hills, dotted with trees.
“We want it to show our city of Klamath Falls and the beauty that is here,” Webb said. “What better scenery than what we’ve got right here?”
Owls & Aliens’ debut album, which features all of the aforementioned tracks, was recorded with Sean Stack at Fat Cat Recording. According to Webb, the band recorded its first single and part of the album in Sacramento, Calif., in the summer of 2020 before COVID-19 restrictions forced the studio to close its doors indefinitely.
A few months went by, and Webb gave Stack a call to try and schedule more dates for recording. Stack said he had moved his operation to Austin, Texas, opening a new studio there. Rather than start over at a new location, Owls & Aliens planned a trip to Austin over the next six months, and were the first band to record in Stack’s new studio when it officially opened. The band spent two weeks in Texas recording, but waited to release the new record until the time was right.
“We didn’t want to release the album until we were free to play shows again and tour with no COVID restrictions,” Carter said.
With the timing considerations in place, Owls & Aliens released the album in July, a month ahead of The Battle of the Bands contest, where they will be representing Klamath Falls.
“If it wasn’t for this community we wouldn’t have gotten nearly as far as we did in the last DWPresents competition,” Webb said. “That’s why we made it to second place and we hope that our community will rally behind us again for this next one.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local-sound-owls-aliens-representing-klamath-falls-in-livestream-band-contest/article_f032c8a2-24b3-11ed-9dae-43bacff73e4a.html | 2022-08-26T11:08:49Z |
Aglow International Lighthouse
On Saturday, August 20, From 9:30 to 10 a.m., enjoy drinks and treats. From 10 a.m. until 12 p.m., Aglow Gathering will present guest speaker Mark Solares. Mark ministers in a heart warming way through music, song and bible scriptures. Come hear what Mark will be sharing concerning, “All In, Full Send.” Following the gathering, please stay and enjoy lunch. If you have special dietary needs, please feel free to bring your lunch. New third Saturday and new place. Location: 2809 Avalon Street. For more information call Sandy at 541 591-0866
Bahai’s of Klamath Falls
Online meetings Mondays and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. We engage in a meaningful conversations group.
Calvary Temple
Regular mass at 10:30 a.m., Sunday. Children’s Church 10:30 a.m. evening worship, 6 p.m. Wednesdays: Intercessory Prayer, 5:30 p.m., Bible Study 6:30 p.m. Location: 2161 Garden Avenue
Chiloquin Christian Center
Pre-service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, service at 10 a.m. Location: 310 South Chiloquin Road
Christ Lutheran Church
Sunday service at 9:30 a.m. Sunday school and Bible class class at 10:45 a.m. Sermons and radio messages at www.lutherankf.org. Location: 127 North Spring Street
Christian Science
Service 10:30 a.m. Sunday. Bookstore and library open Wednesdays, noon to 4 p.m. Location: 806 Oak Avenue
Church of the Nazarene
Visit us online, Facebook or YouTube at 10:45 a.m., Wearing face masks and keeping socially distanced. Location: 2142 Carlson Drive
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Services at 9 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. at 6630 Alva Ave, and 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. at 501 Martin St. Visitors are always welcome at both locations
Combine
Saturday Night Alive on Saturdays at 6 p.m., a celebration service led by Pastors Randy and Missy Hadwick. 35601 South Chiloquin Road
Congregational United Church of Christ
Location: 2205 Wantland Avenue
Crossover
10 a.m. to 11 a.m. service on Sundays, at Rachel’s School of Dance. For information, call 541-891-0477. Location: 638 Klamath Avenue
Evergreen Baptist Fellowship
Sunday, August 28, we continue our series in the Gospel of John at 10:45 a.m. with the message “John 7:53-8:11; The Authority of Scripture.” Open and interactive Bible study will be at 9:45 a.m. We welcome all to come worship with us. Visit evergreenbaptistfellowship.com or call 541-633-9244 for more information. Location: 7451 South Sixth Street
First Presbyterian
We invite everyone to join us for our 10 a.m. Sunday service, titled “I Believe in God but I Don’t go to Church...Much” based on scripture readings Matthew 16:18, Cor 12:27, and Romans 12:4-5. Sermons can be attended in-person or live, on klamathfpc.com. Location: 601 Pine Street
First United Methodist
On Sunday, August 28, Dave Glidden’s sermon will be “Humble Thyself” from Luke 14. We will be having a block party in our parkinig lot on Sept. 3, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Location: 230 North Tenth Street
For His Glory Ministries
Available via Zoom, and for regular and auxiliary services. Location: 2550 Altamont Street
Friends Church
We are an open, diverse, and affirming Quaker Church. Everyone is welcome. Worship begins at 10 a.m. The first Sunday of every month is unprogrammed worship; other Sundays are semi-programmed. A Zoom option is also available by emailing klamathfallsfriendschurch@gmail.com. Visit our website and/or Facebook page for more information. Location: 1918 Oregon Avenue
Glad Tidings Worship Center
Call 541-883-2200 for more information. Regular Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. Location: 1007 Pine Street
Hope Lutheran
Sunday worship will be at 9:45 a.m., followed by a coffee/social hour. The following programs will resume in September: choir, Sunday School, men’s breakfast and Bible study, adult Bible study, youth group/confirmation and quilting group. For more information, call 541-884-6414. Location: 2314 Homedale Road
Klamath Falls Friends
Worship at 10 a.m. Sunday. Everyone is welcome! To participate via Zoom, email klamathfallsfriendschurch@gmail.com. Location: 1918 Oregon Avenue
Klamath Falls Reformed Fellowship
10:15 a.m. service Sunday. Visit klamathreformed.org. Location: 2901 South Sixth Street
Klamath Lutheran
Welcome to worship at klamath lutheran Church on Sunday mornings at 10 a.m. Visit klamathlutheran.org for access code to zoom services. Location: 1175 Crescent Avenue
Last Days Harvest Ministries
Services every Saturday at 6 p.m., Chiloquin Community Center. Home fellowship meetings throughout week. Visit www.lastdaysharvestministries.com. For info call 541-891-9243 or 541-783-2428. Location: 140 South First Avenue, Chiloquin
Merrill Presbyterian
Worship and Sunday school for August 28, is from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Pastor Liz Arakelian’s sermon title is”Come Up Here.” Scripture is Proverbs 25:6-7 and Luke 14:1-14. Wednesday night Bible study starts Sept. 7 at 6 p.m., preceded by a potluck. Women’s Bible study begins Sept. 8 at 10 a.m. Produce Connection is at church at 1 p.m. on Friday, August 19. All are welcome to pick up produce. Saturday, August 20, men’s breakfast at church. Location: 210 West Second Street, Merrill
Mt. Laki Community Presbyterian
10 a.m. service Sunday. Charles Charles will provide the music. Location: 12570 Highway 39
New Life Christian
Services at 10 a.m. on Sunday. Coffee and refreshments before. Recently moved to Tenth Street and Main Street in downtown Klamath Falls, across street from Leap of Taste. “Little Sprouts” ministry includes children’s stories, activities. Pastor Clayton will preach on Matthew.
Nile Street Church of Christ
On Sundays, we offer Sunday school at 9:45 a.m. for all ages; 11 a.m. worship service with Neal Pace; and a 3 p.m. afternoon service. Wednesdays, at 10 a.m., ladies Bible study; 6:30 p.m. regular Bible study. Services online and on Facebook. Call 541-882-5894 for info. Location: 2521 Nile Street
Peace Memorial Evangelical Presbyterian
Sunday, August 21, at 10:30 a.m., Mike McCandless will share the message “The Three Circles.” Special music following worship. Sermons and devotional aides can be accessed through our Facebook page or our website, peaceepc.com. Location: 4431 South Sixth Street
Sacred Heart Catholic
Regular services: Masses on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays through Fridays, at 8 a.m. Saturdays, at 4:30 p.m. (with Confession from 3 to 4 p.m.) and Sundays, at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. in Spanish. Registration on website. Call 541-884-4566 for information or visit www.sacredheartkf.org. Location: 815 High Street
Seventh-Day Adventist
Saturday, August 27, at 11 a.m., the worship message will be “Valuable Servants,” presented by Pastor Jim Osborne. Adult and children’s Sabbath School classes at 9:30 a.m. Meals will be available and community service will distribute personal care products and cleaning supplies Monday at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday evening worship at 6:30 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Sabbath service also live on YouTube. Location: 1735 Main Street
St. Augustine Catholic
Location: 905 E. Front, Merrill
St. Mark’s Anglican
Holy Communion the first and third Sundays and Morning Prayer the second, fourth and fifth Sundays of the month. Services also on Facebook. Location: 1211 Main Street
St. Pius X Catholic
Join us for Mass at 9 a.m. on Sunday. Masses also Monday-Friday at 8:30 a.m. and Saturday vigil at 5 p.m. Location: 4880 Bristol Avenue
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
For information about church and services, visit http://www.uukfalls.org. Location: 1918 Oregon Avenue
WestSide Community Church
Regularly scheduled Sunday services begin at 5:05 p.m. For more information, please call John Culver at (503) 260-8746. Location: 6601 Tingley Lane | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/faith/august-26-klamath-county-faith-briefs/article_6485582c-24c4-11ed-98bd-d72d292ff117.html | 2022-08-26T11:08:55Z |
A breakout match from freshman Savanna Sterck was not enough for Oregon Tech, as the Lady Owls dropped their first match of the Warrior Volleyball Invitational to host William Jessup in four sets Thursday in Rocklin, Calif.
The Warriors (1-1) used 10 aces and a 46-39 edge in kills to pick up the 25-17, 25-19, 18-25, 25-20 victory.
Sterck had a match-high 16 kills for the Lady Owls (2-3), hitting at a solid .324 clip. Courtney Isom posted her third double-double of the year, logging 18 assists and 15 digs, with Kaley Whalen adding 12 digs.
“Definitely a frustrating day for us and excited we get to lace them back up tomorrow,” OIT coach Dr. Ken Murczek said. “Good to see some players get moved around today and play well.”
Big starts for WJU in the first two sets allowed the hosts to control the match. The Warriors rolled to a 13-5 lead in Set 1, before kills from Nicole Reyes and Sterck helped Tech claw within 18-14 – but could not get closer. Set 2, Jessup grabbed a 17-12 lead, but a 7-2 push, capped by a Kate Hicks kill, got OIT even at 19-19. However, the Warriors took advantage of two aces and two Tech hitting errors in a 6-0 run to close the period.
The Lady Owls dominated Set 3 – scoring nine of the first 10 points, as Sterck powered down seven kills in the period. Unfortunately, WJU put the match away in Set 4, jumping to a 17-7 lead and easing to the victory.
Tech finished with a 6-4 edge in total blocks – including three each from Alma Solis and Ashley Ripplinger, with Reyes adding five kills and both Willow Jacobson and Hicks each adding four.
Marina Gonzalez led WJU with 12 kills and nine digs, with Sydney Hancock posting 11 kills.
OIT closes out its non-conference schedule Friday with a 9 a.m. matchup against Menlo College. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/oregon-tech-loses-opener-at-warrior-volleyball-invitational/article_0cd4591c-24d7-11ed-81e8-fbf143052fe9.html | 2022-08-26T11:09:01Z |
Updated August 26, 2022 at 6:40 AM ET
You can generally trust that when you flip a light switch in the U.S., the power will come on.
But earlier this year, a forecast by the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) predicted much of the country could see blackouts during peak summer demand, when everyone is blasting their air-conditioners.
While major outages haven't happened so far, GOP elected officials and fossil fuel supporters still used the report to bash the shift to renewable power.
" 'Biden blackouts' will make it impossible to run even fans and air conditioners on the hottest days of the summer," said Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst during a speech on Capitol Hill in July, claiming these outages would be the result of "the Democrats' push towards renewables."
Iowa is major producer of wind power, said Ernst, but she accused Democrats of causing energy shortages by restricting oil and gas leases.
Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the top coal-producing state in the country, made a similar argument in a USA Today op-ed. So did Washington Post columnist Marc Thiessen, in a piece that also cast doubt on climate change. "Senator Barrasso's opinion column expresses his point of view based on data," said Kristen DelGuzzi, USA TODAY's opinion editor. The Washington Post declined to say how it fact-checked Thiessen's column.
This message is part of an ongoing misinformation campaign, says Dave Anderson of the Energy and Policy Institute, a watchdog group.
The aim is, "To keep alive the idea that we need large amounts of fossil fuels" to back up the grid, he says, despite the scientific consensus that the world must rapidly slow down and stop using them to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.
How disinformation for the fossil fuel industry started spreading
When the power did go out during the big winter storm in Texas last year, killing 246 people, "The disinformation machine for the fossil fuel industry very quickly jumped into action," Anderson says.
He put together a 19-page timeline of how elected officials and advocacy groups began publicly hammering wind power, even before the blackouts started.
The day before the storm, DeAnn Walker, then-chairperson of the Public Utility Commission of Texas, had warned that gas generation plants were having issues and wind turbines were frozen.
But only part of that message was picked up and widely circulated. Photos and tweets about frozen wind turbines flew around social media. Some spreading the message, like the conservative Texas Public Policy Foundation, have received money from coal and gas interests. As the weather worsened, conservative media amplified the message, with segments by Fox News' Tucker Carlson Tonight and Mornings with Maria.
"It's just reaching millions of people in a way that's hard to reach with any sort of fact-check," Anderson says.
This campaign is designed to drown out the truth, says Anderson, "When a situation like this arises that highlights in a enormously public and consequential way how fossil fuels can also fail."
A federal report would later find that natural gas fired plants suffered the majority of outages during the storm, with wind power a distant second.
This pattern repeated again during the summer of 2022, when the grid operator Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) warned the power could go out during a heatwave in July.
"They put out a press release which basically was setting up wind to be the fall guy if there were problems," says Andrew Dessler, professor of atmospheric sciences at Texas A&M University.
This time, the power stayed on. ERCOT declined to make anyone available for an interview, but confirmed to Politico that at the same time it warned about wind power, conventional power plants were also down.
The message that renewables were to blame, Dessler says, "It's not honest."
Transitioning to renewable energy is doable but must be done at a managed pace
Jim Robb, CEO of NERC, says there are two main challenges when adding renewables to the grid: Managing times when wind and solar power aren't producing, and converting power from renewable sources to a form that the grid can use.
"This clean energy transition is doable. It needs to be done at a managed pace," he says. Bringing more wind and solar onto the grid, without focusing on how to back it up, could cause outages, Robb says. For now, natural gas is often the power source for times the wind is not blowing and the sun is not shining, according to NERC. In the future, it could be batteries, hydrogen power, or another clean energy source.
But, technology exists now to make a renewable grid work better, says Shelley Welton, professor of law and energy policy at the University of Pennsylvania. Solutions like building transmission lines to connect power sources in different parts of the country are a policy challenge, not a scientific one.
Blaming renewables is a distraction, says Welton, "A way to forestall a transition that's underway, but needs to move faster than it is right now."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-24/renewable-energy-is-maligned-by-misinformation-its-a-distraction-experts-say | 2022-08-26T11:09:36Z |
A Chipotle restaurant in Lansing, Mich., voted Thursday to unionize, making it the first of the chain's nearly 3,000 locations to do so.
The employees are seeking improved schedules and higher wages, and first filed for a union election July 5.
"Today's victory is an amazing moment for our team that has worked so hard and spent many months organizing," said Samantha Smith, 18, a crew member who has worked at the location for over two years. "We set out to show that our generation can make substantial change in this world and improve our working conditions by taking action collectively.
Employees at the location first filed for a union election July 5. They are being backed by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a union with 1.2 million members across professions such as warehouse workers, pilots, public defenders and more.
"Forming a union will allow us to have a true voice on the job and force Chipotle to address our concerns," said Harper McNamara, 19, a crew member who, like Smith, has also been there for more than two years. "I am so proud of all those who were involved in this effort, and showed the courage needed to take on a huge corporation."
An Augusta, Maine, location filed a union election petition in July, but Chipotle permanently closed the restaurant later that month, according to reports.
A Chipotle spokesperson acknowledged the employees' action, saying the company was "disappointed" by the vote.
"At Chipotle, our employees are our greatest asset, and we are committed to listening to their needs and continuing to improve upon their workplace experience," Chipotle's chief corporate affairs officer Laurie Schalow said in a statement. "We continue to believe that working directly together is best for our employees."
Schalow touted various employee benefits at Chipotle, such as tuition reimbursement, health care and quarterly bonuses that totaled $37 million between 100,000 employees.
The vote in Lansing is the latest move in unionization efforts at some of the country's largest companies, such as Starbucks, Amazon and Apple.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/a-chipotle-restaurant-in-michigan-becomes-the-first-in-the-chain-to-unionize | 2022-08-26T11:09:42Z |
There are those who heed the warning "don't mess with Texas," and then there are those who do the exact opposite.
Activist Chaz Stevens is in the second group.
He's taking on a Texas law that requires public schools to display signs and posters with the national motto "In God We Trust" in "conspicuous places." The law requires that the signs were either donated or purchased from private donations to the school.
Stevens, who lives in Florida and is known for his petitions to local governments, heard of the law about a week ago and told NPR he was irritated by the move to bring religion — in this case, Christianity — into schools.
"That should be irritating for you, regardless of what God or not-God you believe in," he said.
As far as he could tell, there was no requirement that the motto be written in English. He decided to start a fundraising campaign to send posters to schools around the state with the motto written in Arabic instead.
"They didn't say anything about language," Stevens said. "And as an artist, it's always art forward for me. So I thought, well, know what looks good ... and then it occurred to me that Arabic is beautiful."
He said his goal with this campaign is the same as with his previous endeavors.
"It's simple — it's empowering hypocrisy itself, turning bureaucracies against themselves, figuring out what the bureaucratic hypocrisy is," Stevens said.
The Texas law passed during the last legislative session
The law was passed last summer. At the time, there were more concerns about the pandemic than the signs – and only now are more being donated, The Texas Tribune reports.
Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes authored the bill and has shared updates as groups have started making donations to different districts and schools.
The law requires the posters or signs to be donated or "purchased from private donations," and the U.S. flag and Texas state flag must be represented on the poster as well. It "may not depict any words, images, or other information."
Though the law does not mention English being the only language that can be displayed, Hughes responded to news of Stevens' campaign.
"Read the bill. Sign must contain "In God We Trust" US flag, Texas flag and "may not depict" any other words or images," Hughes wrote. "Print what you like, but only these signs qualify under the law."
Despite that, Stevens is continuing with his plan. In less than a week, he has raised more than $18,000 and counting to fund the purchase of the signs.
He said overall the response has been "wildly supportive," including a shoutout from filmmaker Quentin Tarantino on Instagram.
Stevens is expanding the design to include more languages
The feedback from the public also led Stevens to broaden his design. He plans to include Spanish, Hindi and other languages. To ensure he has the translations right, Stevens said he is hiring translators in each language.
There's still some design work to be done, but Stevens is hopeful his posters will start arriving at schools in Texas in the next two to three weeks.
Other organizations -- including the Yellow Rose Texas Republican Women group and Patriot Mobile, which calls itself a Christian conservative wireless service provider — have donated posters printed in English to schools outside of Houston as well as in the Dallas metropolitan area.
Stevens said he doesn't have a list of specific schools in mind, but he's aiming to send the signs to politically liberal and conservative areas.
"If I send out 500 signs, I expect 98% of them not to go up. And that's a win for me," Stevens said. "Maybe two out of a hundred go up on a wall. And I wanted the two. ... It proves the point."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/an-activist-plans-to-test-texas-in-god-we-trust-law-with-signs-in-arabic | 2022-08-26T11:09:48Z |
TIJUANA, Mexico — Six miles from the U.S.-Mexico border, Muslims gather to pray in an-oud scented musalla. The prayer room sits within a two-story, 8,000 square foot refugee shelter, complete with a minaret and a blue dome.
It's a beacon for Muslims arriving to the city from all over the world seeking a new life elsewhere.
"When they come here ... they feel comfortable," said Sonia García, president of the Latina Muslim Foundation, the organization that runs the shelter.
The shelter provides a number of services: legal assistance, medical care, language and Quran classes. There are separate quarters for men and women lined with bunk beds. There is also another room to quarantine people when they get sick.
The building was converted from an event space that was once used for quinceañeras and birthday parties. It has a commercial kitchen and a dining area. The musalla where local Muslims and shelter residents worship was once a bar.
"It used to be a drinking place ... We say from haram to halal," García jokes.
A few years ago, when García was volunteering at another migrant shelter, she noticed women in hijab. That got her thinking about creating a space where Muslims can feel more comfortable. One where they could pray five times a day and be served halal meals.
The women she saw that day were from Somalia. But since the shelter opened in June, García has welcomed people from Yemen, Afghanistan, and Russia.
García says there aren't a lot of Muslims in Mexico. She estimates there are around 100 in Tijuana and neighboring Rosarito. "It's enough to know that we're growing," she said. García herself converted to Islam from Catholicism.
Mexico is a Christian majority country. According to the 2020 Mexican government census, about 78% of the population identifies as Catholic and 11% as Protestant/Christian Evangelical. Only 0.2% identify with other religions, including Islam.
While Mexico is predominately Catholic, García says the local community has been receptive to the Muslim shelter. "They respect that we have certain rules – the way we pray, the way we eat, the way we live," she said.
Many of the people at the shelter left their home countries because of political persecution and war. "They don't want to leave," García said. "But if there is something dangerous ... they don't have a choice. They have to leave."
Some of those who arrive at the shelter are traumatized by what they experienced in their home countries. "Especially the kids," García said. "When they come here to Mexico, they're so scared they don't want to leave the room."
It can take months to build trust with children. She says some of them refuse to talk and others have anger issues. But she sympathizes with them.
"Imagine hearing bombs, guns every day," García said.
The shelter provides art classes and psychologists to try to help them cope. Refugees mostly learn about the shelter through word of mouth and social media.
García also talks with the directors of other shelters in Mexico to invite Muslims to come to hers. She tells them, "If you see someone praying on the floor, [who] does not eat pork, who has hijab ... send them to us."
For García, the hope is to make people feel safe and secure during some of the most daunting times of their life.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/from-haram-to-halal-how-a-bar-became-a-shelter-for-muslim-migrants-in-mexico | 2022-08-26T11:09:54Z |
Brittany and Briana Dean dreamed of marrying another pair of twins. They met Jeremy and Josh Salyers in 2017. They got married a year later and both couples gave birth to sons five months apart.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Brittany and Briana Dean dreamed of marrying another pair of twins. They met Jeremy and Josh Salyers in 2017. They got married a year later and both couples gave birth to sons five months apart.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/identical-twins-that-married-identical-twins-start-their-families | 2022-08-26T11:10:00Z |
Selena became an international superstar in the 1980s and '90s because of her warm stage presence and emotional singing style. She died in 1995, when she was only 23.
But on a new album, Moonchild Mixes, out Friday, she no longer sounds like her early-20s self. Instead, these remixes employ digital technology to age her voice. Take her 1986 song "Dame tu amor," which was recorded when she was a teenager; in the remixed version, her voice has been pitched down a semitone. It's also fuller, especially at the low end.
"We worked on her vocal track to make her sound more mature," said Selena's father, Abraham Quintanilla, who, along with other members of Selena's family, collaborated with Warner Music Latina on the new release. "It'll make you think that she recorded the songs this morning."
But some Selena devotees aren't on board with this approach. After Warner Music Latina dropped a preview track a few weeks in advance of the album's release, fans took to social media to express their displeasure.
The human ear is such a complex, precise apparatus. It will sound weird and messed up, no doubt about it.
— Wenceslao Prince (@hoverboardthief) August 2, 2022
"Her voice is timeless," said Brandon Hunter, a die-hard Selena fan who lives in Tampa, Fla. "Don't touch it."
Hunter said he would have preferred the new album to include rare releases from Selena's back catalog instead of heavily-produced remixes of hits.
Fellow Sacramento, Calif.-based fan Ruben Moody said he worries that her music will now sound overly polished — which would be too bad, because fans love her voice as it was.
"While I welcome new Selena music, it bothers me to know that her brother and others are unnecessarily editing her vocals," Moody said. "There's no need to guess how Selena would sound as an older singer. Just give the fans the unreleased material as a posthumous album or a deluxe version of an existing album."
The use of digital audio processing technologies like Autotune and Melodyne to adjust or add special effects to performers' voices is now ubiquitous in pop music production. And for many people, that's a good thing.
"If these new technologies can expose and create new music fans, then I'm all for them," said Taurin Barrera, executive director of a music technology program at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music, and a longtime Selena fan himself.
However, Barrera said he doesn't like the use of technology to lower Selena's voice. "Her original recordings are so raw and incredible. But when they pitched the music a little bit lower so that it would sound like a more mature version of Selena, that's not really how us fans of Selena envision her."
But he said because Selena's original recordings pre-date contemporary audio production techniques, it's easy to understand why her family would want to use them to bolster her visibility in a pop landscape packed with noisy, heavily-produced music.
Rupal Patel, a speech scientist at Northeastern University, said although some fans may be uncomfortable, the producers of Moonchild Mixes haven't created a whole new synthetic voice or voice clone for Selena. They've just tweaked her original tracks. Yet, she said, the singing voice carries so much emotional weight, it can make people acutely sensitive even to tiny changes in the voices of the singers they love.
"Whereas for speech, we're listening for the information content, for music, we're listening for the pleasure, how it moves us," Patel said.
Then there's the fact Selena isn't around today to give consent to her new mature-sounding voice.
"Was she someone who would never want to be seen or heard in a way that sounds older than she is, or unauthentically her than what she was?" Patel said.
The Quintanilla family didn't respond to NPR's questions about the ethics of manipulating Selena's voice or address the fans' criticisms.
"This is just breathing life into older music for the new generation," said Selena's sister Suzette Quintanilla in defense of the new album.
Despite the detractors, many Selena fans — old and new alike — are all for it.
"We have the original recordings, for example, 'Santa La Ranita,' a really funny song about a frog that she did when she was so young," said University of Chicago undergrad Vivian Benishek, who currently lives in Houston, Texas. "And now I'm looking forward to hearing it fast forward, you know, years later with a different sound."
"Personally, I'm excited that it's something new," said another Selena devotee, Kyra Fortenberry from Shefield Lake, Ohio . "You can only go through the existing albums so many times."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/new-selena-album-moonchild-mixes-sparks-voice-aging-debate | 2022-08-26T11:10:07Z |
The Fed chair speaks in Jackson Hole, Wyo. President Biden's student loan plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. Conditions deteriorate at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under Russian control.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The Fed chair speaks in Jackson Hole, Wyo. President Biden's student loan plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. Conditions deteriorate at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under Russian control.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/news-brief-wyoming-economic-summit-student-debt-equity-nuclear-plant-at-risk | 2022-08-26T11:10:13Z |
ELGIN, S.C. — David Horne remembers exactly where he was when the first earthquake hit his town of Elgin, S.C., on Dec. 27, 2021.
He was relaxing on his front porch, while his wife was inside caring for their young grandson. Suddenly, Horne felt the ground shake and heard a noise like thunder boom across the sky.
"And as soon as it happened, I got out of my chair and I went and told her, 'That was an earthquake. That was a 3-point-plus,'" he said.
Horne used to live in Alaska, where earthquakes are more common, but his wife, Whitney Horne — a lifelong South Carolinian — said she wasn't sure what had happened.
"Because I'd never experienced an earthquake," she said. "We're in South Carolina! You don't have earthquakes that you feel in South Carolina."
Sure enough, it was a 3.3 magnitude earthquake — too small to cause damage but big enough to light up the town's Facebook page with dozens of excited comments.
At first, David Horne said, he thought it was cool.
"Wow! An earthquake," he remembered thinking. "I've heard there was a big fault line around here. And that's all I thought about it."
Then, what seemed like aftershocks began — and never stopped. Days and months after that first quake, the ground would rumble while the Hornes were out shopping or at night, while they were in bed, and the shaking has shown no signs of stopping.
"I mean, literally, it seems like we have an earthquake every week. It's not even a surprise anymore," David Horne said.
The U.S. Geological Survey has recorded more than 60 small earthquakes near the town since that first quake in December. The largest — a magnitude 3.6 — rumbled through in late June.
All the shaking has fascinated geologists, who've said this is the longest-running series of earthquakes in recent South Carolina history.
South Carolina's state geologist, Scott Howard, has been investigating these earthquakes with help from other experts. He said scientists refer to this phenomenon as an earthquake "swarm" — that is, a series of small earthquakes with no apparent mainshock.
"They could be a magnitude 2, 3, 1, 2," he said. "It just kind of bounces up and down."
South Carolina is on a minor fault line, Howard said, and the state has had swarms before. In the 1970s, a series of small earthquakes was traced to the creation of the Monticello Reservoir.
When the reservoir was filled with water, it put indirect pressure on the underground fault, Howard said, setting off the string of minor earthquakes.
This time, however, there's no clear explanation. Howard said it's possible heavy rain may have played a role early in the year, but it's hard for scientists to know for sure.
Many residents have worried the swarm is building up to a big earthquake, though seismologists have said that's unlikely.
Still, emergency officials have told people to look into earthquake insurance, and some have, like retired postal worker Phil Crowley, who moved to Elgin a year ago.
"You know, what can you control? You can control getting insurance. That's about it," Crowley said.
He and his wife don't think a big earthquake will hit, but they worry.
"She'll look at me when we're going to sleep and say, 'I hope it's not going to be tonight,'" he said.
If it is, they're ready. They keep two bags packed with clothes and other essentials sitting by their front door, just in case.
As for earthquake safety, the American Red Cross says: "Stay indoors until the shaking stops and you are sure it is safe to exit."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/scientists-are-stumped-why-quakes-keep-hitting-this-small-south-carolina-town | 2022-08-26T11:10:19Z |
I've always felt there's something a bit too self-conscious about movies that are explicitly about the magic of storytelling. Really, the best way to pay tribute to storytelling is to simply tell a good story, not rattle on and on about how timeless stories are. That may explain why I felt both mildly charmed and a little worn out by the new movie Three Thousand Years of Longing.
It's adapted from a short story by the English writer A.S. Byatt, and much of it unfolds in an Istanbul hotel room where Idris Elba, taking a page from Scheherazade and her 1,001 nights, regales Tilda Swinton with one fantastical tale after another. Some of these tales are vivid and involving, but what they add up to is less than the sum of its many shimmering parts.
Even still, the movie has its undeniable pleasures. The Australian director George Miller might be best known for his thrilling Mad Max series, but he's always had a flair for fantasy, as he's shown in marvelously inventive films like Babe: Pig in the City and Happy Feet. In Three Thousand Years of Longing, which he co-wrote with his daughter, Augusta Gore, Miller unveils an outlandish premise with a sly wit that's initially hard to resist.
Tilda Swinton plays Alithea Binney, a modern-day literary scholar who specializes in the study of narratives, the way the same tropes and symbols tend to pop up in stories from different cultures and eras. While attending a conference in Istanbul, Alithea goes shopping in the bazaar and purchases a small glass bottle as a memento.
Later, while she's cleaning the bottle in her hotel room, out in a burst of smoke pops an enormous Djinn, played by Elba. After some amusing awkwardness — how would you react if confronted by a giant otherworldly intruder with hairy blue legs and pointy ears? — the two settle into a long, heady and whimsical conversation. Also, they're both wearing those plush white hotel bathrobes, in the movie's most charming visual.
The Djinn tells Alithea that he was trapped in the bottle roughly three millennia ago by King Solomon. The only way for him to be freed is to grant three wishes to any human who possesses the bottle. You'd think that Alithea would jump at the chance, but being an expert on stories, she knows that wishes have a way of backfiring. And so she refuses to play along.
Alithea has long seemed content with her solitary existence. She was married once but now has no family, and books have provided the only companionship she needs. But as she talks to the Djinn, her long-forgotten desires for love and connection begin to surface. The movie's point seems to be that these desires, or longings, lie at the heart of every great story.
The Djinn knows this firsthand: He tells Alithea about all the women he's fallen for over the centuries, starting with his first great love, the Queen of Sheba. More recently, his bottle fell into the hands of a brilliant 19th-century woman who used her wishes not to acquire power or riches, but rather to gain more knowledge about the world. Their love burned bright for a spell but ended, like the others, in tragedy. This is why the Djinn has never been able to break free; his love for the humans who command him proves his undoing.
Miller dramatizes those stories in vibrant flashbacks decorated with all manner of ornate visual effects; sometimes the results can be garish, but sometimes they're genuinely entrancing. At their best, the Djinn's stories achieve the quality of a great page-turner. But the movie becomes less effective as it raises the possibility of romance between Alithea and the Djinn. Swinton and Elba are both superb and have a sweet, touching chemistry, but they never forge the kind of bond that feels passionate enough to transcend time and space.
The movie tosses off some fascinating ideas in the closing stretch, including the way a Djinn might feel redundant in a world where technology has become its own modern-day magic. But Three Thousand Years of Longing ends on a muted, uncertain note. It left me faintly curious about what might happen next, which is not quite the same thing as wanting more.
Copyright 2022 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/three-thousand-years-of-longing-will-leave-you-charmed-and-a-little-worn-out | 2022-08-26T11:10:25Z |
Thousands are expected to gather in Austin, Texas, on Saturday to demand that Gov. Greg Abbott act to prevent further loss of life in the state. About a dozen parents and family members who lost loved ones in the Uvalde school shooting in May will address the crowd from the Texas Capitol steps.
With schools across Texas having already welcomed students back into the classroom, gun safety advocates are calling for the governor to hold a special session so state lawmakers can vote on whether to raise the minimum age for purchasing AR-15-style rifles from 18 to 21.
The youth-led gun safety advocacy group March for Our Lives is heading the rally, backed by the families of the students and teachers slain at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde. They believe Abbott has done little to nothing since the gunman used a legally purchased AR-15-style rifle to kill 19 children and two teachers.
"We're here to drive home the message that we are living on borrowed time, and more kids will die if we don't take action like raising the age to purchase an AR-15 to 21," March for Our Lives spokesperson Noah Lumbantobing told NPR.
Abbot announced this month that the Texas Department of Public Safety would dispatch more than 30 law enforcement officers — at the request of the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District — to Uvalde for the new school year. However, when March for Our Lives and the parents asked the governor about enacting stricter gun laws, he said it wouldn't happen, Lumbantobing said.
Ana Rodriguez, 35, is one of those parents. She will speak to the crowd on Saturday about her daughter, Maite Rodriguez, who was one of the students shot and killed on May 24.
"I want to be able to speak about her but also talk about how her life was so meaninglessly taken by this 18-year-old kid who was able to purchase these weapons of war and ammunition, and how I am demanding that the age go up in a special session," Rodriguez told NPR. "I'm not going to ask — I'm going to demand."
She says raising the minimum age for buying an AR-15-style rifle just makes sense. An 18-year-old is still a child, she said. Though 18-year-olds are considered adults in the eyes of the law, their brains aren't fully developed. She believes 21 is still too young, but it's better than 18.
"The fact that an 18-year-old mentally unstable child was able to purchase what he purchased legally and do what he did to our children is mind-boggling," Rodriguez said. "If I could have it my way, I would have [AR-15-style rifles] banned, but I don't think that'll happen. So I think 21 or 25 is the minimum they could do."
Lumbantobing said he has found that Texans support responsible gun ownership, including some restrictions. He thinks multiple mass shootings in the state have changed the minds of many gun owners who were previously against stricter gun laws.
"It's hit close to home for a lot of Texans, as it has in the past. And for Texans, these are children's lives we are talking about," Lumbantobing said. "It's hard to imagine that being your child shot in first or second period. It's moved people emotionally to want this sort of change."
The school district voted on Wednesday to fire Pete Arredondo, the police chief in charge of the response to the shooting. The families of the slain children and teachers had been calling since late May for his termination, one of many steps taken since the shooting.
This summer, the governor ordered state school safety officials to take precautionary measures to ensure student safety. Abbott laid out his directions in a letter, which mentioned steps such as safety trainings for school staff and access-point assessments of school buildings.
But Lumbantobing said hardening schools won't keep students safe, citing law enforcement officers on-site at schools previously targeted by shooters. He believes that increasing the minimum age for purchasing AR-15-style weapons will ultimately save lives and that the power to bring the proposal to the people lies with Abbott and Abbott alone.
Rodriguez bought bulletproof backpacks for her surviving children, 11 and 15, for this school year. And the school has implemented a handful of other security measures to try to keep students safe. But she's worried that attempts to make schools safer will make them seem more like prisons.
Abbot has argued that mental health is at the core of America's gun violence epidemic, not firearms themselves. Rodriguez says mental health is part of the problem but that refusing to acknowledge that guns play a part as well is ridiculous.
She hopes people will attend the rally on Saturday. More so, she hopes people will listen, including the governor, who she is demanding put the issue to a vote of the people.
"Three months ago, it was my child," Rodriguez said. "Tomorrow it could be yours."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/uvalde-parents-and-advocates-will-rally-in-austin-to-up-the-age-for-ar-15-purchases | 2022-08-26T11:10:31Z |
HONOLULU-- A moment of calm, before the action. Fans say they're ready
"For people who don't know about UH, it's gonna be a good atmosphere. It's always loud. And it's gonna be the first time in a while that people get to have fun and do fun stuff at the game," a fan named Anthony told KITV.
Players also say they're ready.
"So we can be there for them and turn little games into big games. Open up pass opportunities. open up run lanes. That'll be big for us. It's been big for us, just bringing everyone together and putting the community in as well," running back Dedrick Parson told Press.
And as far as the fan experience is concerned, this will be the first home game since COVID restrictions disrupted the last two school years. Those restrictions are no more. Food and beverages are back. Masks are optional. And-did you know, each home game has a color coordinated them day!
"Wear your green shirt. And if you don't have your green shirt, the book store, the H zone will be selling apparel here on campus as well as the stadium," said Associate Athletics Director of external affairs Vince Baldemor.
There are other other options for viewing the action, including out in town, at home- or even at the movies.
It's 15 dollars to catch the action on the big screen in Mililani, Kailua or Koko Marina.
Otherwise, there are plenty of options around town. There's the comfort of home, or it will be watching football on campus, like many haven't had a chance to experience in their lifetime.
"We've got a sold out crowd coming to the first home game under coach Timmy Chang. So a lot of excitement. He and the team have really done a great job building that community," Baldemor concluded. | https://www.kitv.com/news/uh-football-commences-countdown-to-gameday/article_a1230600-251c-11ed-b247-5f051a70d371.html | 2022-08-26T11:14:14Z |
California will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035. Is the grid ready? NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Margo Oge, former director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the EPA.
Copyright 2022 NPR
California will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035. Is the grid ready? NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Margo Oge, former director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the EPA.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/californias-phasing-out-of-gas-powered-cars-will-require-infrastructure-changes | 2022-08-26T11:32:20Z |
Brittany and Briana Dean dreamed of marrying another pair of twins. They met Jeremy and Josh Salyers in 2017. They got married a year later and both couples gave birth to sons five months apart.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Brittany and Briana Dean dreamed of marrying another pair of twins. They met Jeremy and Josh Salyers in 2017. They got married a year later and both couples gave birth to sons five months apart.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/identical-twins-that-married-identical-twins-start-their-families | 2022-08-26T11:32:27Z |
The Fed chair speaks in Jackson Hole, Wyo. President Biden's student loan plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. Conditions deteriorate at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under Russian control.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The Fed chair speaks in Jackson Hole, Wyo. President Biden's student loan plan is designed to help low-income borrowers. Conditions deteriorate at a Ukrainian nuclear plant under Russian control.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/news-brief-wyoming-economic-summit-student-debt-equity-nuclear-plant-at-risk | 2022-08-26T11:32:33Z |
The homeless encampment in Phoenix has grown to over 800 people from about 250 last year. Service providers say rising rents, high inflation and the end of the eviction moratorium play a role.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The homeless encampment in Phoenix has grown to over 800 people from about 250 last year. Service providers say rising rents, high inflation and the end of the eviction moratorium play a role.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/the-population-at-an-arizona-homeless-encampment-swells-but-resources-fall-short | 2022-08-26T11:32:39Z |
Conditions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine are deteriorating as international monitors are hoping to visit the facility in the coming days.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Conditions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine are deteriorating as international monitors are hoping to visit the facility in the coming days.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/ukrainian-nuclear-plant-controlled-by-russian-forces-temporarily-went-off-line | 2022-08-26T11:32:45Z |
For many North Texans — particularly the thousands of newcomers who've moved here -- Amon G. Carter is just a name on a museum, a college stadium (at TCU), several streets, even a lake. But Carter was an epic figure in the city's history. And Dave Leiber, the "Watchdog" columnist for the Dallas Morning News was inspired to write a one-man play about him, a play that opens this weekend in Hurst.
So — who was Amon G. Carter? And why's his name all over Fort Worth?
"Amon Carter was a cultural phenomenon that you don't find anymore in the United States," Lieber said. "He ran Fort Worth for 50 years. He ran the city. He ran West Texas. He was the dominant figure in this region for half a century."
And how did he do all that?
"He was the owner of the Fort Worth Star Telegram, which went out in a dozen editions across the state, the largest paper in the state at the time. They dropped it out of an airplane, they had so many subscibers. Then he started WBAP a hundred years ago, the second station in the Southwest after WRR in Dallas. And then in 1948, he launched Channel 5 (NBC 5). So he had complete domination of the media: radio, TV and newspaper."
Even so, the newspaper didn't make Carter much money. He only became truly rich because of oil. But he wasn't just another Texas oil man. Carter became this larger-than-life figure — both beloved and berated. He was an unstoppable civic booster for all things Fort Worth. He didn't just love the city, he completely identified with it. Nothing was too good for his town.
"He was very competitive," Lieber said, "and he was a marketing genius. And so he wanted the biggest and the best of everything. One example is what he did to Dallas in 1936. He ran his own Centennial fair in competition with the city of Dallas's official fair. And, you know, there was nudity, there was gambling and all kinds of wicked things going on at the Fort Worth Fair. And it attracted many, many people. And it was all because of competition."
Actually, San Antonio was considered the logical, deserving place to mark the state's 100 years, considering that neither Dallas nor Fort Worth were around in 1836. But Dallas won the bidding war for the state's official exposition. In Fort Worth, a modest Frontier Days had been planned until Carter got involved.
For the now-renamed Fort Worth Frontier Exposition, Carter hired Broadway impresario Billy Rose, who brought in such acts as Jumbo, the elephant, and the scandalous 'fan dancer' Sally Rand. There were huge neon signs advertising "Wild! and "Whoopee." He even built the original home of Casa Manana.
In the video above Amon Carter himself appears in a March of Time newsreel. He's doing what he loved, cheerleading for Fort Worth, and taking a dig at all those smug dudes in Dallas:
"You'd think Dallas invented Texas, just because they bid higher for the centennial than any other city. But we're going to put on a show of our own and teach those dudes over there where the West really begins!"
In fact, "Fort Worth is where the West begins, and Dallas is . . . where the East peters out" was a favorite, oft-quoted line of Carter's.
That kind of drive — not just a competitiveness but the compulsion to beat everyone else, to have nothing but the best — it's a little like a child wanting to have all the attention, isn't it?
"Yeah," Lieber said, "his stepmother kicked him out of the house when he was 13, and he had to live as an adult in his teenage years by himself."
Lieber added: "You know, he also was married three times. And his third wife was 25 years younger than him. And you just did not do two divorces and then marry someone 25 years younger than you, back in his heyday. But he had so much power nobody was going to say anything to him."
For people outside of Texas, Carter became a popular embodiment, an iconic image of Texas. But he wasn't some laconic, dusty rancher checking on his herd. Carter had all this energy and money. He was entertaining. He was a boisterous friend of Franklin Roosevelt and the humorist Will Rogers.
But then, he also made national news because he had a drinking problem — and a firing-his-revolver problem. At the 1928 Houston Democratic Convention, he impatiently shot up a hotel elevator for being too slow.
"Yeah, he dressed up like a cowboy for public appearances," Lieber said. "And he'd put on these purple TCU boots, and he actually hated wearing boots. And he had this diamond tie pin and he'd wear his cowboy hat that he used to give away by the hundreds. And he just pretended to be a cowboy."
It should be said that in drumming up business for Fort Worth, steering lots of federal money there, helping what became Lockheed get started — Carter was a preeminent civic salesman but also a shrewd businessman, looking after his own interests. Helping Fort Worth helped him. If nothing else, such efforts brought his newspaper more readers.
"But what I like about him most," Lieber said, "was he used his power to bring improvements to West Texas. If it wasn't for him, there wouldn't have been a Texas Tech. There might not have been a Big Bend National Park. Those are big legacies that he left us with."
To that list, one might add the Amon Carter Museum of American Art. Although his daughter, Ruth Carter Stevenson, was one of the driving forces behind the museum's creation, it began with her father's will. It included a legacy to build a non-profit, public museum to house his extensive collection of paintings and bronze sculptures by Frederic Remington and Charles M. Russell — and "to aid in the promotion of cultural spirit in the city of Fort Worth and vicinity, to stimulate the artistic imagination among young people residing there."
Lieber's one-man bio-drama, called simply Amon: The Ultimate Texan, stars Kelvin Dilks as Carter. Since its premiere in 2019, it's played in six towns in Texas, including Abilene. And the Hurst production is the start of what Lieber hopes will be a tour.
AMON! is actually a rather affectionate portrait of the man. And that feels different for the journalist — certainly different from his popular Watchdog columns in the Morning News. There, he's a Javert-like figure, a relentless investigator and consumer advocate. He's scornful of businesses and elected officials. He holds them accountable for scamming people, ignoring voters, burdening customers with lousy service.
So writing such a play must have been a break from all that.
"Exactly," Lieber said. "I had to create an escape from the world of fraud in business and government. I had to go back into the past and revel in the '30s and the '40s and the '50s. And it's a way for me to keep my sanity because I've been doing the Watchdog column for 17 years. And it hurts sometimes, to write about and meet people who've been hurt by others. So this was an escape for me — really."
AMON! The Ultimate Texan opens Aug. 27 at the Artisan Center Theatre in Hurst and runs through Sept. 10.
Got a tip? Email Jerome Weeks at jweeks@kera.org. You can follow him on Twitter @dazeandweex.
Art&Seek is made possible through the generosity of our members. If you find this reporting valuable, consider making a tax-deductible gift today. Thank you. | https://www.keranews.org/arts-culture/2022-08-26/who-was-amon-g-carter-and-why-was-he-mr-fort-worth | 2022-08-26T11:32:51Z |
Atomic energy agency seeks to visit Ukraine nuclear power plant amid concerns
KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — A mission from the U.N.’s International Atomic Energy Agency is expected to visit the Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant next week after it was temporarily knocked offline and more shelling was reported in the area overnight, Ukrainian officials said Friday.
Fire damage to a transmission line at Europe’s largest nuclear plant caused a blackout across the region on Thursday and heightened fears of a catastrophe in a country still haunted by the Chernobyl disaster in 1986.
Lana Zerkal, an adviser to Ukraine’s energy minister, told Ukrainian media on Thursday evening that logistical issues are being worked out for the IAEA team to come to the Zaporizhzhia plant, which has been occupied by Russian forces and run by Ukrainian workers since the early days of the 6-month-old war.
Zerkal accused Russia of trying to sabotage the visit. Ukraine has alleged that Russia is essentially holding the plant hostage, storing weapons there and launching attacks from around it, while Moscow accuses Ukraine of recklessly firing on the facility.
“Despite the fact that the Russians agreed for the mission to travel through the territory of Ukraine, they are now artificially creating all the conditions for the mission not to reach the facility, given the situation around it,” she said, offering no details.
There was no immediate comment from Moscow to the claims. The atomic agency’s head, Rafael Mariano Grossi, also said Thursday he hopes to send a team to the plant within days. Negotiations over how the team would access the plant are complicated but advancing, he said on France-24 television.
Meanwhile, Ukrainian officials said an area close to the plant came under a barrage of shelling overnight, amid mounting concerns that an armed conflict near a working atomic plant could cause more serious damage, even as Zaporizhzhia’s reactors are protected by reinforced concrete containment domes.
Dnipropetrovsk governor Valentyn Reznichenko said shelling in the city of Nikopol, which is across the Dnieper River from the Zaporizhzhia plant, damaged 10 houses, a school and a sanitorium, causing no casualties.
A power line also has been cut, leaving up to 1,000 local residents without electricity, he added. Nikopol has been under nearly constant Russian shelling since July 12, with eight people killed, 850 buildings damaged and over half the population of 100,000 fleeing the city.
On Thursday, the Zaporizhzhia plant was cut off from the electrical grid after fires damaged the last operating regular transmission line, according to Ukraine’s nuclear power agency, Energoatom.
GRAPHIC WARNING: Videos in this story may contain disturbing content.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy blamed Russian shelling and said the plant’s emergency backup diesel generators had to be activated to supply power needed to run the plant. Zaporizhzhia’s Russian-installed regional governor, Yevgeny Balitsky, blamed the transmission-line damage on a Ukrainian attack.
It was not immediately clear whether the damaged line carried outgoing electricity or incoming power, needed for the reactors’ vital cooling systems. A loss of cooling could cause a nuclear meltdown.
As a result of the transmission-line damage, the two reactors still in use out of the plant’s six went offline, Balitsky said, but one was quickly restored, as was electricity to the region.
Many nuclear plants are designed to automatically shut down or at least reduce reactor output in the event of a loss of outgoing transmission lines. The IAEA said Ukraine informed it that the reactors’ emergency protection systems were triggered, and all safety systems remained operational.
The three regular transmission lines at the plant are out of service because of previous war damage. Ukraine cannot simply shut down its nuclear plants during the war because it is heavily reliant on them. Its 15 reactors at four stations provide about half of its electricity.
Elsewhere, two people were killed and six more injured over the past 24 hours in the eastern Donetsk region, Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said Friday. In the northeastern Sumy region, on the border with Russia, more than 100 munitions were fired over the past 24 hours, burning down a house, governor Dmytro Zhyvytsky said.
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Follow AP coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/atomic-energy-agency-seeks-visit-ukraine-nuclear-power-plant-amid-concerns/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:09Z |
Chauvin moved to Arizona federal pen to serve time in George Floyd killing
(AP) - Derek Chauvin has been moved from a Minnesota state prison where he was often held in solitary confinement to a medium-security federal prison in Arizona, where the former police officer convicted in George Floyd’s killing may be held under less restrictive conditions.
Chauvin was taken Wednesday from a maximum-security prison in a Minneapolis suburb, where he often spent most of his day in a 10-by-10-foot cell, to the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
The Tucson facility houses 266 inmates, both male and female, as part of a larger complex that includes a high-security penitentiary and a minimum-security satellite camp.
Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Randilee Giamusso declined to detail the circumstances of Chauvin’s confinement, citing privacy, safety and security concerns.
Experts said earlier that Chauvin was likely to be safer in the federal system. It typically houses less-violent inmates, and he’d be less likely to mix with inmates he had arrested or investigated as a Minneapolis police officer.
“It’s dangerous to be an officer in any prison,” former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger said after Chauvin was sentenced last month. “It’s even more dangerous in state prison because of the nature of the inmate population. There are gangs, for example. And police officers just don’t do well there. Those risks are reduced in a federal prison.”
The federal prison system does house many high-profile inmates, but it is also plagued by gangs and chronic violence. The entire federal prison system was put on a nationwide lockdown in January after two inmates were killed and two others were injured during a gang altercation at a federal penitentiary in Texas.
The Bureau of Prisons has also faced increasing scrutiny of violent incidents and serious misconduct in its ranks. Associated Press investigations have uncovered abuse, neglect and leadership missteps, including rampant sexual abuse by workers, severe staffing shortages, inmate escapes and the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chauvin was sentenced last month in U.S. District Court in St. Paul to 21 years on federal civil rights charges after pleading guilty in an agreement with prosecutors. He was already serving 22 1/2 years for his conviction in state court on murder and manslaughter charges; a condition of the agreement called for the sentences to be served concurrently and in federal prison.
Chauvin, who is white, killed Floyd by pinning the unarmed Black man to the pavement with his knee for 9 1/2 minutes as bystander video captured Floyd struggling to breathe and crying out for help. Floyd was suspected of passing a counterfeit bill at a nearby grocery store.
Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, touched off a firestorm of protests around the world and refocused attention on police brutality and racism.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson suggested when sentencing Chauvin that he be placed near family who live between Iowa and Minnesota. But federal officials are not bound by judicial requests.
Last month Magnuson also sentenced ex-Minneapolis police Officer J. Alexander Kueng to three years in prison and former Officer Tou Thao to 3 1/2 years on criminal civil rights charges related to the Floyd killing. They intend to appeal their sentences. Earlier in July, former officer Thomas Lane was sentenced to 2½ years. He’s been ordered to report to a low-security federal prison camp in Colorado later this month.
The three former officers were on trial at the same time three men were in court in Georgia, facing federal hate crime charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black. They were eventually convicted.
Two of the men agreed to plead guilty in the case in exchange for serving their sentences in federal prison, saying they feared for their safety in state prison. The judge rejected the deal in part because Arbery’s family strongly opposed it.
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Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
___
This story has been corrected to show the correct spelling of Randilee Giamusso’s name.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/chauvin-moved-arizona-federal-pen-serve-time-george-floyd-killing/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:16Z |
Isolated showers and storms remain possible through the weekend
Most will stay dry on Saturday and Sunday
Today will bring a mix of sun and clouds, gradually increasing humidity, and temperatures in the upper 70s-mid 80s. A cold front sliding in from the northwest will bring a slightly better chance of hit-and-miss showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and evening.
Tonight, storms will fade after sundown, and we’ll see some lingering clouds and areas of fog with low temperatures again in the upper 50s and low 60s.
Saturday will bring partly sunny skies, and a few more showers and storms during the afternoon and evening hours as the front continues to work its way through the area. High temperatures Saturday will be just on either side of the 80-degree mark.
We’ll see a mix of sun and clouds on Sunday and Monday with a few spotty showers and storms at times. Temperatures will remain above average in the upper 70s and low-mid 80s. A stronger frontal system will move through for the middle of next week bringing a better chance of showers and thunderstorms and cooler temperatures behind it. Make sure to stay tuned and catch the latest on WVVA.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/isolated-showers-storms-remain-possible-through-weekend/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:23Z |
Jazz landmark Perseverance Hall collapses in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - A rare New Orleans Jazz landmark and historic Creole cultural site has collapsed.
Perseverance Hall on North Villere Street in the Seventh Ward has become the latest victim of blight in the city.
“The preservationists of New Orleans failed, period. All the various organizations that call themselves committed to the history of the city, they all sat on their hands. They were blind. They were passive,” historian Dr. S. Frederick Starr said.
Perseverance Hall has stood in the historic Seventh Ward since the 1880′s, but damage from Ida pushed the long-neglected building to the edge of collapse. Some heavy rain this week finally finished the job, bringing this once modest but mighty building, one of the very few surviving early jazz venues, to the ground, WVUE reported.
“This, I would put at the very top of the list of places where the great earliest jazz musicians were performing for dances on a weekly basis, and they were all there, you name them. It’s a kind of who’s who of early jazz,” Starr said.
It was originally built by a group of Creole people called La Société de la Perseverance, or the Perseverance Benevolent Mutual Aid Association, as a meeting hall before becoming an incubator for the music that defines the city’s soul.
In 1949 it was purchased by the Holy Aid and Comfort Spiritual Church, a small congregation that doesn’t meet anymore. Now all that’s left is the facade.
“You can’t know where you’re going without knowing where you come from, and you see that property falling down it, it hurts and hurts and no one wants to see that,” District C Councilmember Freddie King said.
Eliminating blight in his district, which includes the Seventh Ward, is something very central to the mission of King.
“It is probably our second biggest quality of life issue under crime,” King said. “You don’t want to understate how, how important crime is, but blight is right there with it. It’s the cousin of crime. As I said, a safe neighborhood is a clean one. When people see that the neighborhood is clean and people take pride in where they live, that ‘we could do anything mentality doesn’t follow up.”
King works closely with code enforcement on the East and West bank of his district. He recently was able to help clear a blighted corner store in Algiers.
“It’s a small victory, but it means a lot to the people in this neighborhood,” King said.
King says it’s a slow and tedious process, code enforcement is backlogged, but it’s a necessary one.
“That’s a shame a beautiful historical property like that, unkept for years as a result, so we want to prevent that. I think beefing up the code enforcement budget is the first step,” King said.
King said code enforcement needs cars and more employees, especially title researchers.
Starr said he believes Perseverance Hall can still be save. An organization is just going to have to step up and take the reins.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/jazz-landmark-perseverance-hall-collapses-new-orleans/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:29Z |
Student loan relief highlights burden on Black borrowers
(AP) -Gabrielle Perry, a 29-year-old epidemiologist in New Orleans, expects $20,000 of her $135,000 student loan debt to be wiped out under the plan announced this week by President Joe Biden. She is happy for the relief, but disappointed he isn’t fully canceling student debt that weighs especially heavy on African Americans.
For her, it’s discouraging that Biden isn’t doing more to help a constituency that played a critical role in his presidential campaign. Perry, who cares for and financially supports her disabled mother, said those obligations act as a societal tax on Black people, preventing the growth of generational wealth.
“You are ensuring that your little brothers and sisters have what they need for school,” Perry said. “You are helping your parents pay off their rent, their house. So your quote-unquote wealth doesn’t even have time to be built because you’re trying to help your family survive.”
Black borrowers on average carry about $40,000 in federal student loan debt, $10,000 more than white borrowers, according to federal education data. The disparity reflects a racial wealth gap in the U.S. — one that some advocates say the debt relief plan does not do enough to narrow.
One in four Black borrowers would see their debt cleared entirely under the administration’s plan, which cancels $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes below $125,000 a year, or households that earn less than $250,000. The plan includes an additional $10,000 in relief for Pell Grant recipients, who are more than twice as likely to be Black.
But more work needs to be done to make higher education accessible and affordable, said Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division.
“When we think about education and higher education, fundamentally, it’s the promise of an equitable future,” Cole said. “We have so many Black graduates who go through the system, graduate and are not able to see that future because they disproportionately risk taking out loans.”
Perry faced steep challenges to complete her education. Homeless for nearly a year, she had to drop out of school and saw the interest on her loans balloon. She also faced incarceration. Eventually, she was able to get her record expunged and earned a master’s in public health from Tulane University, graduating just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic-era freeze on student loan payments, combined with raises at work, allowed Perry to achieve a sense of stability for the first time in her life. She was able to pay off her car, help her disabled mother, and start a nonprofit, the Thurman Perry Foundation, that gives college scholarships to currently or formerly incarcerated women and their daughters.
“That time with that payment pause, it didn’t just build up my life,” Perry said. “It even helped me pull my mother out of poverty. I got her into a safer place to live. It reverberated for people like me. Because I know that there are other people living worse than what I survived.”
Black students are more likely to take on debt to finance their education, and in larger amounts, in part because of the wealth gap that makes it less likely for Black families to be able to finance their children’s education.
In her first months of graduate school, before her fellowship salary kicked in, TC Headley called the university’s financial aid office to ask if there was help to cover the cost of books and supplies. Instead, the woman on the phone told her to call her parents and ask for more money.
“I can’t just call my parents for thousands of dollars,” she said. “The only other option to get this money in time was to take out a loan. I did what I had to do to be able to support myself and stay in school.”
Headley, who owes roughly $40,000 in student debt, had put off thinking about owning a home or starting a family because she was so focused on paying that off. Now, she expects half of that will be forgiven because she was a Pell grant recipient.
While white families are more likely to see a transfer of wealth from one generation to the next, the opposite is true of Black families, where children are more likely to have to support a parent once they obtain some level of financial security, said Andre M. Perry, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute.
“For many Black women, and Black people in general, many middle income people are being missed by this policy,” Andre M. Perry said. “We have done everything that we were asked to do to get ahead. Go to college, go to the best schools, we’re told. And as a result, we had to take on debt.”
___
Associated Press writer Sharon Lurye in New Orleans contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press’ reporting around issues of race and ethnicity is supported in part by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/student-loan-relief-highlights-burden-black-borrowers/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:38Z |
Swastika Mountain in Oregon to get new name
PORTLAND, Ore. (Gray News) – The Oregon Geographic Names Board met last week to consider proposals to re-name several geographic features in several Oregon counties.
The board agreed that Swastika Mountain, which refers to a symbol of the German Nazi Party, will be changed.
Mount Halo and Umpqua Mountain are two names that have been submitted for consideration so far, but Mount Halo will likely be the new name.
Halo refers to Chief Halotish, a 19th century leader of the Yoncalla-Kalapuya tribe.
The board is expected to make a final decision on the new name for the mountain in December.
The mountain is located within the Umpqua National Forest and is more than 4,000 feet tall.
According to a name change proposal form on the board’s website, the mountain was originally named for a nearby town called Swastika, which took its name from a cattle ranch where the owner branded his cattle with the symbol before it was used by the Nazis.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/swastika-mountain-oregon-get-new-name/ | 2022-08-26T11:39:45Z |
Chauvin moved to Arizona federal pen to serve time in George Floyd killing
(AP) - Derek Chauvin has been moved from a Minnesota state prison where he was often held in solitary confinement to a medium-security federal prison in Arizona, where the former police officer convicted in George Floyd’s killing may be held under less restrictive conditions.
Chauvin was taken Wednesday from a maximum-security prison in a Minneapolis suburb, where he often spent most of his day in a 10-by-10-foot cell, to the Federal Correctional Institution in Tucson, according to the Bureau of Prisons.
The Tucson facility houses 266 inmates, both male and female, as part of a larger complex that includes a high-security penitentiary and a minimum-security satellite camp.
Bureau of Prisons spokeswoman Randilee Giamusso declined to detail the circumstances of Chauvin’s confinement, citing privacy, safety and security concerns.
Experts said earlier that Chauvin was likely to be safer in the federal system. It typically houses less-violent inmates, and he’d be less likely to mix with inmates he had arrested or investigated as a Minneapolis police officer.
“It’s dangerous to be an officer in any prison,” former U.S. Attorney Tom Heffelfinger said after Chauvin was sentenced last month. “It’s even more dangerous in state prison because of the nature of the inmate population. There are gangs, for example. And police officers just don’t do well there. Those risks are reduced in a federal prison.”
The federal prison system does house many high-profile inmates, but it is also plagued by gangs and chronic violence. The entire federal prison system was put on a nationwide lockdown in January after two inmates were killed and two others were injured during a gang altercation at a federal penitentiary in Texas.
The Bureau of Prisons has also faced increasing scrutiny of violent incidents and serious misconduct in its ranks. Associated Press investigations have uncovered abuse, neglect and leadership missteps, including rampant sexual abuse by workers, severe staffing shortages, inmate escapes and the mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chauvin was sentenced last month in U.S. District Court in St. Paul to 21 years on federal civil rights charges after pleading guilty in an agreement with prosecutors. He was already serving 22 1/2 years for his conviction in state court on murder and manslaughter charges; a condition of the agreement called for the sentences to be served concurrently and in federal prison.
Chauvin, who is white, killed Floyd by pinning the unarmed Black man to the pavement with his knee for 9 1/2 minutes as bystander video captured Floyd struggling to breathe and crying out for help. Floyd was suspected of passing a counterfeit bill at a nearby grocery store.
Floyd’s death on May 25, 2020, touched off a firestorm of protests around the world and refocused attention on police brutality and racism.
U.S. District Judge Paul Magnuson suggested when sentencing Chauvin that he be placed near family who live between Iowa and Minnesota. But federal officials are not bound by judicial requests.
Last month Magnuson also sentenced ex-Minneapolis police Officer J. Alexander Kueng to three years in prison and former Officer Tou Thao to 3 1/2 years on criminal civil rights charges related to the Floyd killing. They intend to appeal their sentences. Earlier in July, former officer Thomas Lane was sentenced to 2½ years. He’s been ordered to report to a low-security federal prison camp in Colorado later this month.
The three former officers were on trial at the same time three men were in court in Georgia, facing federal hate crime charges in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, who was Black. They were eventually convicted.
Two of the men agreed to plead guilty in the case in exchange for serving their sentences in federal prison, saying they feared for their safety in state prison. The judge rejected the deal in part because Arbery’s family strongly opposed it.
——-
Find AP’s full coverage of the death of George Floyd at: https://apnews.com/hub/death-of-george-floyd
___
This story has been corrected to show the correct spelling of Randilee Giamusso’s name.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/chauvin-moved-arizona-federal-pen-serve-time-george-floyd-killing/ | 2022-08-26T12:20:48Z |
Jazz landmark Perseverance Hall collapses in New Orleans
NEW ORLEANS (WVUE/Gray News) - A rare New Orleans Jazz landmark and historic Creole cultural site has collapsed.
Perseverance Hall on North Villere Street in the Seventh Ward has become the latest victim of blight in the city.
“The preservationists of New Orleans failed, period. All the various organizations that call themselves committed to the history of the city, they all sat on their hands. They were blind. They were passive,” historian Dr. S. Frederick Starr said.
Perseverance Hall has stood in the historic Seventh Ward since the 1880′s, but damage from Ida pushed the long-neglected building to the edge of collapse. Some heavy rain this week finally finished the job, bringing this once modest but mighty building, one of the very few surviving early jazz venues, to the ground, WVUE reported.
“This, I would put at the very top of the list of places where the great earliest jazz musicians were performing for dances on a weekly basis, and they were all there, you name them. It’s a kind of who’s who of early jazz,” Starr said.
It was originally built by a group of Creole people called La Société de la Perseverance, or the Perseverance Benevolent Mutual Aid Association, as a meeting hall before becoming an incubator for the music that defines the city’s soul.
In 1949 it was purchased by the Holy Aid and Comfort Spiritual Church, a small congregation that doesn’t meet anymore. Now all that’s left is the facade.
“You can’t know where you’re going without knowing where you come from, and you see that property falling down it, it hurts and hurts and no one wants to see that,” District C Councilmember Freddie King said.
Eliminating blight in his district, which includes the Seventh Ward, is something very central to the mission of King.
“It is probably our second biggest quality of life issue under crime,” King said. “You don’t want to understate how, how important crime is, but blight is right there with it. It’s the cousin of crime. As I said, a safe neighborhood is a clean one. When people see that the neighborhood is clean and people take pride in where they live, that ‘we could do anything mentality doesn’t follow up.”
King works closely with code enforcement on the East and West bank of his district. He recently was able to help clear a blighted corner store in Algiers.
“It’s a small victory, but it means a lot to the people in this neighborhood,” King said.
King says it’s a slow and tedious process, code enforcement is backlogged, but it’s a necessary one.
“That’s a shame a beautiful historical property like that, unkept for years as a result, so we want to prevent that. I think beefing up the code enforcement budget is the first step,” King said.
King said code enforcement needs cars and more employees, especially title researchers.
Starr said he believes Perseverance Hall can still be save. An organization is just going to have to step up and take the reins.
Copyright 2022 WVUE via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/jazz-landmark-perseverance-hall-collapses-new-orleans/ | 2022-08-26T12:20:56Z |
Student loan relief highlights burden on Black borrowers
(AP) -Gabrielle Perry, a 29-year-old epidemiologist in New Orleans, expects $20,000 of her $135,000 student loan debt to be wiped out under the plan announced this week by President Joe Biden. She is happy for the relief, but disappointed he isn’t fully canceling student debt that weighs especially heavy on African Americans.
For her, it’s discouraging that Biden isn’t doing more to help a constituency that played a critical role in his presidential campaign. Perry, who cares for and financially supports her disabled mother, said those obligations act as a societal tax on Black people, preventing the growth of generational wealth.
“You are ensuring that your little brothers and sisters have what they need for school,” Perry said. “You are helping your parents pay off their rent, their house. So your quote-unquote wealth doesn’t even have time to be built because you’re trying to help your family survive.”
Black borrowers on average carry about $40,000 in federal student loan debt, $10,000 more than white borrowers, according to federal education data. The disparity reflects a racial wealth gap in the U.S. — one that some advocates say the debt relief plan does not do enough to narrow.
One in four Black borrowers would see their debt cleared entirely under the administration’s plan, which cancels $10,000 in federal student loan debt for those with incomes below $125,000 a year, or households that earn less than $250,000. The plan includes an additional $10,000 in relief for Pell Grant recipients, who are more than twice as likely to be Black.
But more work needs to be done to make higher education accessible and affordable, said Wisdom Cole, national director of the NAACP Youth & College Division.
“When we think about education and higher education, fundamentally, it’s the promise of an equitable future,” Cole said. “We have so many Black graduates who go through the system, graduate and are not able to see that future because they disproportionately risk taking out loans.”
Perry faced steep challenges to complete her education. Homeless for nearly a year, she had to drop out of school and saw the interest on her loans balloon. She also faced incarceration. Eventually, she was able to get her record expunged and earned a master’s in public health from Tulane University, graduating just in time for the COVID-19 pandemic.
The pandemic-era freeze on student loan payments, combined with raises at work, allowed Perry to achieve a sense of stability for the first time in her life. She was able to pay off her car, help her disabled mother, and start a nonprofit, the Thurman Perry Foundation, that gives college scholarships to currently or formerly incarcerated women and their daughters.
“That time with that payment pause, it didn’t just build up my life,” Perry said. “It even helped me pull my mother out of poverty. I got her into a safer place to live. It reverberated for people like me. Because I know that there are other people living worse than what I survived.”
Black students are more likely to take on debt to finance their education, and in larger amounts, in part because of the wealth gap that makes it less likely for Black families to be able to finance their children’s education.
In her first months of graduate school, before her fellowship salary kicked in, TC Headley called the university’s financial aid office to ask if there was help to cover the cost of books and supplies. Instead, the woman on the phone told her to call her parents and ask for more money.
“I can’t just call my parents for thousands of dollars,” she said. “The only other option to get this money in time was to take out a loan. I did what I had to do to be able to support myself and stay in school.”
Headley, who owes roughly $40,000 in student debt, had put off thinking about owning a home or starting a family because she was so focused on paying that off. Now, she expects half of that will be forgiven because she was a Pell grant recipient.
While white families are more likely to see a transfer of wealth from one generation to the next, the opposite is true of Black families, where children are more likely to have to support a parent once they obtain some level of financial security, said Andre M. Perry, senior fellow at the Brookings Institute.
“For many Black women, and Black people in general, many middle income people are being missed by this policy,” Andre M. Perry said. “We have done everything that we were asked to do to get ahead. Go to college, go to the best schools, we’re told. And as a result, we had to take on debt.”
___
Associated Press writer Sharon Lurye in New Orleans contributed to this report.
___
The Associated Press’ reporting around issues of race and ethnicity is supported in part by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
___
The Associated Press education team receives support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/student-loan-relief-highlights-burden-black-borrowers/ | 2022-08-26T12:21:03Z |
Swastika Mountain in Oregon to get new name
PORTLAND, Ore. (Gray News) – The Oregon Geographic Names Board met last week to consider proposals to re-name several geographic features in several Oregon counties.
The board agreed that Swastika Mountain, which refers to a symbol of the German Nazi Party, will be changed.
Mount Halo and Umpqua Mountain are two names that have been submitted for consideration so far, but Mount Halo will likely be the new name.
Halo refers to Chief Halotish, a 19th century leader of the Yoncalla-Kalapuya tribe.
The board is expected to make a final decision on the new name for the mountain in December.
The mountain is located within the Umpqua National Forest and is more than 4,000 feet tall.
According to a name change proposal form on the board’s website, the mountain was originally named for a nearby town called Swastika, which took its name from a cattle ranch where the owner branded his cattle with the symbol before it was used by the Nazis.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/swastika-mountain-oregon-get-new-name/ | 2022-08-26T12:21:09Z |
California will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035. Is the grid ready? NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Margo Oge, former director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the EPA.
Copyright 2022 NPR
California will ban sales of new gas-powered cars in 2035. Is the grid ready? NPR's Rachel Martin talks to Margo Oge, former director of the Office of Transportation and Air Quality at the EPA.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/californias-phasing-out-of-gas-powered-cars-will-require-infrastructure-changes | 2022-08-26T12:46:56Z |
Part 4 of the TED Radio Hour episode Incognito.
Fashion designer Gala Marija Vrbanic creates digital clothes that defy physics and outshine superheroes' wardrobes. Vrbanic says the future of AR and VR will change how we express our identities.
About Gala Marija Vrbani
Gala Marija Vrbanic is the founder of Tribute Brand, a high-end digital fashion brand that is developing various uses for digital fashion. She launched the brand in 2020 as the first-ever direct-to-consumer digital fashion brand.
Vrbanic has a bachelor's and a master's degree in design and visual communications from the University of Zagreb in Croatia. Her upcycled fashion line appeared in the 2019 London Fashion Week.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Fiona Geiran and edited by Rachel Faulkner, James Delahoussaye, and Katie Simon. You can follow us on Twitter @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadio@npr.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/gala-marija-vrbanic-how-a-fashion-designer-creates-clothes-for-our-digital-selves | 2022-08-26T12:47:02Z |
Part 2 of the TED Radio Hour episode Incognito.
Artist Holly Herndon created an AI clone of her voice that can sing in any languages and in any tone. In her music, Holly shows how AI can enhance the power and artistry of the voice.
About Holly Herndon
Holly Herndon is an American musical artist based in Berlin. She uses artificial intelligence to transform her physical image and her singing voice.
She has toured the globe for her musical albums PROTO (4AD) and Platform (4AD). Recently, she did so accompanied by a choir composed of human and AI voices. In 2022, Herndon won the STARTS Prize for artistic exploration, the grand prize of the European Commission honoring innovation in technology, industry and society stimulated by the arts.
Herndon earned her doctorate in composition at Stanford University working with the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics. She also has a podcast, Interdependence, where she makes her research process public.
Holly's TED Talk will be available soon.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by James Delahoussaye and edited by Katie Simon. You can follow us on Twitter @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadio@npr.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/holly-herndon-how-ai-can-transform-your-voice | 2022-08-26T12:47:09Z |
Part 1 of the TED Radio Hour episode Incognito.
Dr. Scholl's foot powder, tin foil, dead rats—former CIA Chief of Disguise Jonna Mendez used them all to conceal agents and secret messages. She shares stories about getting creative undercover.
About Jonna Mendez
Jonna Mendez is a retired CIA intelligence officer. She was recruited to the agency in 1966, and retired in 1993 from her role as the Chief of Disguise in the CIA's Office of Technical Service.
Mendez worked abroad from cities including Havana, Beijing and Moscow.
After her retirement, she has worked as an author, lecturer, teacher and consultant on intelligence matters. She and her late husband, former CIA officer Antonio Mendez, cowrote several books about spies and espionage, including Spy Dust: A True Story of Espionage and Romance, Argo and The Moscow Rules.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katie Monteleone and edited by Katie Simon. You can follow us on Twitter @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadio@npr.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/jonna-mendez-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-master-of-disguise | 2022-08-26T12:47:15Z |
Part 3 of the TED Radio Hour episode Incognito.
The technology powering many apps and services seems automatic. But anthropologist Mary L. Gray explains how there are millions of hidden workers behind the screen who are key to making it all work.
About Mary L. Gray
Mary L. Gray is a senior principal researcher at Microsoft Research and a faculty associate at Harvard University's Berkman Klein Center for Internet and Society. She also holds a faculty position at Indiana University.
In 2020, she was named a MacArthur Fellow for her work in anthropology and study of technology and society.
She has written multiple books, including In Your Face: Stories from the Lives of Queer Youth and Out in the Country: Youth, Media, and Queer Visibility in Rural America. In 2019, Mary co-wrote with computer scientist Siddharth Suri the book Ghost Work: How to Stop Silicon Valley from Building a New Global Underclass.
In 2004, Gray earned her PhD in communication from the University of California at San Diego.
This segment of the TED Radio Hour was produced by Katherine Sypher and edited by James Delahoussaye. You can follow us on Twitter @TEDRadioHour and email us at TEDRadio@npr.org.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/mary-l-gray-the-invisible-ghost-workforce-powering-our-day-to-day-lives | 2022-08-26T12:47:22Z |
The homeless encampment in Phoenix has grown to over 800 people from about 250 last year. Service providers say rising rents, high inflation and the end of the eviction moratorium play a role.
Copyright 2022 KJZZ
The homeless encampment in Phoenix has grown to over 800 people from about 250 last year. Service providers say rising rents, high inflation and the end of the eviction moratorium play a role.
Copyright 2022 KJZZ | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/the-population-at-an-arizona-homeless-encampment-swells-but-resources-fall-short | 2022-08-26T12:47:28Z |
Conditions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine are deteriorating as international monitors are hoping to visit the facility in the coming days.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Conditions at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in Ukraine are deteriorating as international monitors are hoping to visit the facility in the coming days.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/ukrainian-nuclear-plant-controlled-by-russian-forces-temporarily-went-off-line | 2022-08-26T12:47:34Z |
Minnesota Star Tribune
Neal Brennan is the comedy whisperer.
Over the past 25 years, he’s helped famous friends punch up their material, usually without much fanfare. “Chappelle’s Show”? He co-created it. “Inside Amy Schumer”? He directed 10 episodes. Seth Meyers’ blistering takedown of Donald Trump during the 2011 White House Correspondents’ Dinner? Key member of the writing team. Ellen DeGeneres’ “Relatable,” which marked her triumphant return to stand-up? Consulting producer.
But Brennan, 48, is a formidable talent all on his own. That’ll be evident to anyone who catches his latest one-man performance, “Unacceptable.”
He spoke by phone from his Los Angeles home recently about his past contributions and his future dreams.
Q: “Unacceptable” and your previous stand-up show, “3 Mics,” were both huge off-Broadway hits. How difficult is it to take the act on the road?
A: It’s not hard in general. Traveling is hard. It’s like running for president. Portions of the show I had to change. There was an element about New York that involved a wall that I don’t do on the road because I can’t move the wall. But you still get the funny parts. It generally doesn’t matter where you perform. There are certain jokes like my takes on marriage and kids that work in New York and Los Angeles, the heathen cities. But when I did them in Phoenix, the audience only got half of it. People there are really invested in marriage and kids.
Q: I wonder if you have the perfect amount of fame. You’re recognized by those who really appreciate comedy but don’t have to deal with the hassles of being a major celebrity. What do you think?
A: People don’t really care about writers. They care about Larry David now, but that’s only because he’s the star of his own show. I’d like be more popular as a comedian so I can get on more talk shows. I would like it to be easier to sell tickets. But I don’t want to get to the level of Dave, Chris [Rock] and Ellen where people cry when they see them. What good is that? People don’t see the downside of being famous. It’s such a hassle to enter front entrances at places. They have to go through the service areas, which stink of garbage.
Q: Do you ever get jealous of a friend’s success?
A: Dave would say I’m competitive, that I’d rather beat him in an argument than in a ticket-sale contest. We have an ongoing joke, that my wish is that Dave’s final thought on Earth is, “Neal was right.” At the end of the day, I want to be on the team that’s winning, even if I’m not personally scoring.
Q: You came up with the “Saturday Night Live” sketch right after 2016 election in which host Dave Chappelle and Chris Rock are unfazed by Donald Trump’s win while the white people around them are freaking out. How do you end up contributing such a classic bit when you’re not even on the “SNL” staff?
A: When a comedian is the host, they will often bring their own person or two. Like when Richard Pryor hosted, he brought along Paul Mooney, who helped write the word association sketch. I pitched my idea to [co-head writer] Colin Jost around midnight on Tuesday and then again Wednesday morning. Dave made it more from the point of view of a Black guy looking at the rest of America and Black cynicism.
Q: How do you and Dave collaborate?
A: We have a policy we try to hold onto where we don’t say who wrote what because no one ever asks for a good reason. They’re usually asking because they want to discount one of you.
Q: I’m not. I’m genuinely curious about the process.
A: You’re the exception, sweetheart. Generally speaking, I’m not going to slam someone’s premise. It’s my job to make that person’s jump out of an airplane safer. Even if I’m skeptical of the premise, once we’re doing it, I try to buy in and add what I can. The best example of that is the Black Bush sketch we did on “Chappelle’s Show.” I didn’t think it was a good premise. But once I knew Dave wanted to do it, I came up with as much as I could. What I underestimated was that it’s fun to watch Dave do stuff and fun to watch a Black guy take on a famous white person.
Q: There’s a theory out there that Seth’s jokes about Trump at the Correspondents’ Dinner was one of the reasons he ran for president. Do you buy that?
A: It’s not a thing I think about, but comedy is powerful. Some people think “Chappelle’s Show” made the world less racist. Maybe. Maybe there’s a net positive.
Q: With your growing success as a stand-up are you less excited about writing for others?
A: I haven’t really written for other people in three or four years. Now I just direct commercials and do stand-up. But Chris [Rock] was out here a couple weeks ago and we showed each other new material. He had some stuff for me and I had some stuff for him. Will I get credit on his new special? Maybe. I didn’t even get paid for the Ellen thing. I don’t really see that as being part of my career now. It’s just a thing I do. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/comic-neal-brennan-is-more-than-dave-chappelles-best-friend/article_c060eb76-2405-11ed-a2c6-27b4cadeb7ae.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:18Z |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
Edge Fest 2022 is just over 24 hours away, but there’s still plenty of time to brush up on the performing artists before they take the stage at Civic Commons Park.
Here’s a look at opening acts, joe p and Claire Rosinkranz, and the headliner, Tones and I.
joe p
Recording the majority of his young discography from his basement studio in Asbury Park, New Jersey, joe p makes music about as stripped back and natural as one can.
His 2021 EP, “Emily Can’t Sing,” shows that the streaming community responds well to his DIY attitude. The song “Off My Mind,” a pop-infused, off-beat solo cut that slowly builds into something radio worthy, currently has over 17 million plays on Spotify and serves as an example of the artist utilizing his style to his advantage.
There’s also “Fighting in the Car,” which, while different from the remainder of his work, shows his ability to do something atypical of most up-and-coming pop artists. It is moody, and might make a listener wish he would explore this sound further.
On Aug. 5, he released his first single in more than six months, titled “All Day I Dream About.” If there’s anything to pull from this release, it’s that joe p is rapidly developing his sound as he experiments with more dynamic highs and lows in his instrumental composition.
Even with the differences between “Emily Can’t Sing” and “All Day I Dream About,” there’s clearly a thread running through his work that demands attention from the public to see what he comes up with for his sophomore release.
Recommended listening: “Off My Mind” (2021), “Fighting in the Car” (2021), “All Day I Dream About.”
Claire Rosinkranz
With the least exposure of this year’s Edge Fest lineup, Rosinkranz also shows possibly the greatest degree of promise with her stripped back, bubblegum pop approach to songs about relatable adolescent themes.
She’s coasting off of a collection of singles and two EPs, “BeVerly Hills BoYfRiEnd” (2020) and “6 Of A Billion,” (2021). So far, her biggest hit is the cheerful and innocent cut “Backyard Boy,” which feels like an unlikely blend of sounds reminiscent of the wildly popular Olivia Rodrigo and the neurotic stylings of lesser-known Jack Stauber.
Rosincranz has kept busy in 2022, and clearly honed her sound in the process. Only recently did she turn 18 years old, so the youthful nature of her music continues to be prominent.
Her most recent single, July’s “123,” feels a lot like “Backyard Boy,” but “i’m too pretty for this” and “stuck on us,” show an entirely different approach. It’s still pop, still easy listening, but with driving guitar riffs to the point that “too pretty” almost dips its toes into being pop-punk – a sound the singer/songwriter hadn’t previously explored.
It’s a welcome direction to see her heading in. Rosinkranz feels right at home with a little more angst-ridden drive backing her vocals.
Recommended listening: “Backyard Boy” (2020), “I’m too pretty for this” (2022), “123” (2022), “don’t miss me” (2021).
Tones and I
The Australian singer recently stated that she’s grown tired of her biggest hit, “Dance Monkey.”
It’s a shame, because the general public is still feeding is popularity, and that’s just something that Tones might have to deal with for the remainder of her career. That’s show business, or so they say.
The thing is, she’s been in the studio a lot since the release of “Dance Monkey” in 2019, and it’s time for listeners to get wise to the rest of her catalogue.
Most recently, she released a collaboration with Grammy winning rapper Macklemore. While the final product feels more like a Macklemore track, Tones and I was the correct choice to fill the chorus of “CHANT” (2022). Listen to Tones’ solo work, and one can quickly recognize that she’s found the style she’s comfortable working in.
There’s a reason for that: She does it well.
Her lone full-length release, “Welcome to the Madhouse” (2021), contains track after track of pounding baselines and melodies that bring to mind the neon glow of EDM rave lights on a temperate summer night. “Fly Away” rivals the hit-power of “Dance Monkey,” and “Not Going Home” manages to slow down the pace without sacrificing energy.
Check out the acoustic versions of her more popular songs to get a sense of her true vocal range.
A deeper cut from the “Madhouse,” “Bars (RIP),” is an aggressive number that shows Tones exercising her rapping ability. It doesn’t feel out of the ordinary, but the tempo and cocksure attitude stand out from the remainder of her catalogue.
Recommended listening: “CHANT,” (2022), “Bars (RIP)” (2021), “Cloudy Day (Acoustic)” (2021), “Not Going Home” (2021).
Will Carpenter is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s Arts and Entertainment/Features Reporter. He can be reached by email at wcarpenter@wyomingnews.com or by phone at 307-633-3135. Follow him on Twitter @will_carp_. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/dont-go-into-edge-fest-tone-deaf-heres-some-background-on-this-years-lineup/article_e5bfb0a2-23fe-11ed-b06c-536fa8391b3f.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:21Z |
For the Wyoming Tribune Eagle
September evening skies are a mixture of summer constellations dominating the western sky with the dimmer and less obvious autumn constellations in the eastern sky.
High overhead are Cygnus and Lyra, both of which contain two stars of the Summer Triangle. The third star of the Summer Triangle is farther south in Aquila. East of the Summer Triangle, you will spot the Great Square of Pegasus. The Milky Way stretches from Perseus on the northeast horizon through Cygnus overhead and flows to the southwestern horizon, where you will find Sagittarius.
Facing north, you will find Draco, Cepheus and Cassiopeia. The Andromeda Galaxy (Messier 31) is between Cassiopeia and Andromeda, and appears as a fuzzy patch easily visible to the unaided eye in dark skies. The brightest objects in September in order of brightness are Jupiter, Arcturus, Vega, Capella, Saturn, Altair, Antares, Fomalhaut and Deneb.
The autumnal equinox occurs on Sept. 23, marking when the Sun crosses the celestial equator as it moves back to the southern hemisphere.
September and October are when you might see the zodiacal lights in the morning sky. The zodiacal lights appear as a glow in the East about one to two hours before sunrise. This glow looks like a pyramid and rises about 75 degrees in the sky along the ecliptic. The ecliptic is the path the sun follows through the sky.
The Zodiacal lights are caused by the scattering of sunlight created by the dust particles that surround the Earth. They are most visible when the ecliptic is at a steep angle to the observer’s horizon. The visibility of the Zodiacal lights fluctuates throughout the year. Sometimes they glow brighter than the Milky Way. At other times, they can be faint and difficult to detect.
Now is also a great time to find the circumpolar constellations Cassiopeia and Cepheus. Circumpolar stars and constellations are ones that circle endlessly around Polaris, the North Star, and are visible all night. Whether a star is circumpolar is determined by your latitude on Earth.
On September evenings, Cassiopeia is about halfway above the northeastern horizon. It is comprised of five fairly bright stars that stands out in the sky.
Cassiopeia the Queen is one of the most ancient constellations. The Milky Way runs through Cassiopeia. The small constellation appears as a “W” or “M,” depending on the season and the time of night. To find Cassiopeia, draw a line from the star where the handle joins the Big Dipper’s bowl, then trace it through Polaris and continue on until you hit the middle star of Cassiopeia.
The center star of the “W” is Gamma Cassiopeia – an erratic variable star.
Cassiopeia was also host to a supernova explosion in 1572. This supernova was the brightest supernova ever recorded, it became brighter than Venus and was visible in daylight. It became known as Tycho’s Star after the great astronomer Tycho Brahe identified the star in its supernova and kept an accurate record of the star for 17 months, until it became too dim to see with the unaided eye.
Cassiopeia is rich in star clusters that are easily visible through binoculars. For instance, you can see Messier 52, an open cluster, lying above the tip of the “W” facing Cepheus.
In Greek mythology, Cepheus, the King, was married to the Queen of Ethiopia, Cassiopeia.
Cepheus is much dimmer than Cassiopeia, and contains five third- and fourth-magnitude stars, forming the shape of a stick house with a steep roof. On September evenings, the house looks upside down, with its peak pointing at the ground. Part of Cepheus lies in the Milky Way. To find Cepheus, draw a line through the end of the bowl of the Big Dipper – also called the Pointers – through Polaris and continue until you reach the roof of the stick house of Cepheus. Cepheus is a bit higher in the sky this month and lies to the west of Cassiopeia.
Several of the stars in Cepheus are worth mentioning. Mu Cephei is known as the Garnet Star, and is one of the reddest stars visible with the unaided eye. It lies in the middle, between the two stars making up the bottom of the stick house. Be sure to check out its ruddy color.
Delta Cephei is the prototype of the important Cepheid Variable stars. It varies in magnitude from 3.7 to 4.6. It is the bottom star of the stick house on the side facing Cassiopeia. This variable star helped astronomers crack the code to measuring cosmic distances and eventually led to the discovery that the Milky Way was only one of a countless number of galaxies.
By the way, an entire group of stars, the Cepheid variables, get their name from Delta Cephei.
Also, three of the brighter stars of Cepheus will be the pole stars 2,000, 4,000 and 6,000 years from now. This is due to precession, or the wobbling of the Earth on its axis. Over a period of 25,000 years, our axis traces out an imaginary circle on the sky. When they built the pyramids in Egypt, the North Star was a dim star called Thuban, found in the constellation Draco.
Twelve thousand years from now, the bright star Vega, in Lyra, will become our pole star.
This is a monthly article provided by the Cheyenne Astronomical Society (CAS). Marcy Curran is the editor of the Cheyenne Astronomical Society’s monthly newsletter and taught astronomy at LCCC for over 20 years. She also is an editor for EarthSky.org. For further information about the CAS visit our website at killerrabbit.co. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/outdoors/explore-cepheus-and-cassiopeia-in-the-september-sky/article_16e9a952-2275-11ed-ac8a-f3505fa43b04.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:22Z |
Cheyenne and Laramie County
New Frontier Cheyenne Gun and Western Collectibles Show
– Aug. 26, 12-5 p.m.; Aug. 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; Aug. 28, 9 a.m.-2 p.m. This Western collectible and firearms show will have a large assortment of new and antique firearms, accessories, knives, edged weapons, cowboy and Indian artifacts, relics, Western memorabilia, antiques and jewelry. Laramie County Events Center at Archer, 3801 Archer Parkway. 307-633-4670
Fridays on the Plaza
– Aug. 26, 5:30 p.m. A weekly summer concert series featuring acts from around the country. This week’s headliner is Jocelyn & Chris, with an opening performance by The Patti Fiasco. Cheyenne Depot Plaza, 1 Depot Square. 307-637-6200
Cheyenne Farmers Market
– Aug. 27, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Local and regional vendors sell their produce, honey, jams, meat, bakery and specialty items, and much more. Proceeds benefit Community Action of Laramie County and its programs. B Parking Lot, Frontier Park, 4610 Carey Ave. 307-635-9291 or www.calc.net/farmers-market
End of Summer Foam Party
– Aug. 27, 10 a.m.-noon. Summer is over, and it’s time to go back to school. Join the library for outdoor games and sipping on lemonade as we enjoy the last rays of summer with a foam party. Performance Park, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
University of Wyoming Football Fest
– Aug. 27, 2-6 p.m. Prepare your best University of Wyoming football cheer, don your brown and gold, and get ready for game day at the library. Join fellow fans to watch the first game of the season as the Cowboys take on Illinois. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
New Frontier Cheyenne Gun and Western Collectibles Show Auction
– Aug. 27, 4 p.m. This year’s auction includes antique Native American and cowboy items, Old West memorabilia and eight special items worn on-screen by famous (now deceased) actor John Wayne. Laramie County Events Center at Archer, 3801 Archer Parkway. 307-633-4670
Edge Fest 2022
– Aug. 27, 5-11 p.m. Experience Tones & I, Claire Rosinkranz and Joe P at the seventh installment of this free outdoor music festival. There will be food and drink on site, as well. Civic Commons Park, Bent Avenue and 20th Street. info@edgefest.com
Tales Together
– Aug. 30-31, 10:15-10:45 a.m. An interactive early literacy class for preschool children and their caregivers. Practice new skills incorporating books, songs, rhymes, movement and more. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Open Mic Night at Blue Raven
– Aug. 31, 7-10 p.m. A musical open mic night, presented in collaboration with Wyoming Wave Studios. Blue Raven Brewery, 209 E. 18th St. 307-369-1978
Cheyenne First Friday Artwalk
– Sept. 2, 5 p.m. Free. The Cheyenne Artwalk is a monthly event that highlights a local gallery or studio on the first Friday of every month. This month, look for the mobile ArtHaus unit parked out front the Clay Paper Scissors, along with food trucks and live music. Cheyenne Artist Guild, 1701 Morrie Ave. 307-632-2263
Cheyenne Farmers Market
– Sept. 3, 7 a.m.-1 p.m. Local and regional vendors sell their produce, honey, jams, meat, bakery and specialty items, and much more. Proceeds benefit Community Action of Laramie County and its programs. B Parking Lot, Frontier Park, 4610 Carey Ave. 307-635-9291 or www.calc.net/farmers-market
VFW Craft and Flea Market Show
– Sept. 3, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Support local veterans by shopping for different crafts, including jewelry, crochet items, candles and more. Lunch will be available. VFW 1881, 2816 E. Seventh St. 307-632-4053.
Labor Day Pig Roast
– Sept. 5, 11:30 a.m. Free. American Legion Post 6 is sponsoring a free pig roast that is open to the public. There will be barbecue pork, hot dogs and hamburgers with fixings. American Legion Post 6, 2001 E. Lincolnway. 307-256-4138
Cheyenne Heritage Quilters Meeting
– Sept. 6, 7 p.m. Guest speaker Angela McPherson of Cheyenne will give a trunk show of art quilts. She will have an emphasis on the use of many mediums to create an art quilt, and will also talk about a class she will be teaching to create an art quilt on Oct. 15. First United Methodist Church, 108 E. 18th St. info@chquilters.org
Spanish Storytime (Hora de cuentos en español)
– Sept. 7, 6-7 p.m. In collaboration with the Hispanic Heritage Celebration, the library will be presenting a special Spanish Storytime. Come enjoy stories, songs, snacks and a craft, all in Spanish. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
– Sept. 7, 6-7 p.m. En colaboración con La Celebración de la Herencia Hispana, presentaremos una hora de cuentos en español. Disfrute de cuentos especiales, canciones, meriendas y manualidades – ¡todo en español! Biblioteca del condado de Laramie, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Capital City Car and Bike Club: Show and Shine
– Sept. 8, 5-8 p.m. Enjoy a free car show at the library before the club’s big event at the Cheyenne Hispanic Festival on Sept. 10. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
The Purple Society Meeting
– Sept. 8, 6-7 p.m. Join members of the LBGTQ+ and allies community. This group meets to chat about LGBTQ+ related issues, work on crafts and enjoy some snacks in a safe environment. This group seeks to offer understanding, support and acceptance. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Nonprofits: Introduction to Proposal Writing
– Sept. 8, 12:30–1:30 p.m. Are you new to proposal writing or wanting a quick refresher? This class will provide participants with an introductory overview of the nonprofit proposal writing process. RSVP for this event at lclsonline.org/calendar/. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Open Jam Night
– Sept. 8, 7 p.m. Free. The Lincoln Theatre is hosting its monthly Open Jam Night. Musicians are encouraged to bring their guitar, bass, etc., and come jam with other local musicians! Backline provided. A full bar will be available for those who just want to come and watch. The Lincoln Theatre, 1615 Central Ave. 307-369-6028
La Noche de Celebracion
– Sept. 9, 7 p.m. $10. La Noche de Celebración will highlight Hispanic heritage as a kick-off to the weekend-long Cheyenne Hispanic Festival. Cheyenne Civic Center, 2101 O’Neil Ave. 307-637-6363
Comedy Night at The Metropolitan
– Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. $20. Laughter is good for the soul. Get your giggles on at this 90-minute comedy show featuring two awesome comedians. The Metropolitan Downtown, 1701 Carey Ave. 307-432-0022
Ongoing
Americans and the Holocaust Exhibit
– Through Aug. 28, library hours. Laramie County Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Righting a Wrong: Japanese Americans and World War II
– Through Aug. 28, library hours. Smithsonian poster exhibition traces the story of Japanese national and Japanese American incarceration during World War II and the people who survived it. Laramie County Library, 2200 Pioneer Ave. 307-634-3561
Laramie and Greater Wyoming
Tails and Trails
– Aug. 26, 6-7 p.m. Bring your pups for a group hike on Stone Temple Circuit. This will be a great opportunity to meet others who like to hike with their pets. Curt Gowdy State Park, 1264 Granite Springs Road. 307-777-7878
7220’ Music Fest
– Aug. 27, 3-10 p.m. $20. A music festival to raise money for Albany County Search and Rescue and Laramie Chamber Business Alliance. There will be street vendors, food trucks and music. Bond’s Brewing Company, 411 S. Second St. 307-460-3385
307 Film Festival
– Aug. 27-28. $49 for weekend pass. A festival that celebrates films and filmmakers from across Wyoming, the United States and internationally. Studio City UW, 2422 Grand Ave. 307-460-1598
Fort Collins, Colorado
Off the Shelf: Contemporary Book Arts in Colorado
– Aug. 26-Dec. 18, museum hours. Free. This exhibit features artists that innovate and defy our conceptual framework of the book and its contents. The artist book, a medium spanning the public and private sphere of creators and viewers, reflects on issues intimate and grand. Colorado State University Gregory Allicar Museum of Art, 1400 Remington Street, Fort Collins, Colorado. 970-491-1989
World’s Biggest Pizza Party
– Aug. 27, noon-4 p.m. Fort Collins pizza maker Project Pizza Co. is hosting an event to beat the world record for the world’s biggest pizza party. There will be six pizza trucks making pizzas, a DJ and a celebration for pizza lovers in Fort Collins. City Park Fort Collins, 1500 W. Mulberry St. info@projectpizzaco.com
Greeley, Colorado
”Weird Al” Yankovic @ Union Colony Civic Center
– Sept. 9, 7:30 p.m. $52-$89. For only second time in his career, the legendary satirist and five-time Grammy winner will host an intimate evening of non-parody music. Union Colony Civic Center, 701 10th Ave., Greeley, Colorado. 970-356-5000
Boulder, Colorado
Hiatus Kaiyote @ Boulder Theater
– Aug. 31, 8 p.m. $39.50-$40. A performance by Melbourne-based, genre-transcending alternative band Hiatus Kaiyote. Boulder Theater, 2042 14th St., Boulder, Colorado. 303-786-7030
Denver
My Morning Jacket @ Red Rocks
– Aug. 26-27, 7:30 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m. A two-night performance from alternative-rock band My Morning Jacket. Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, Colorado. 720-865-2494
Nine Inch Nails @ Red Rocks
– Sept. 2-3, 7:30 p.m.; doors at 6 p.m. A two-night performance from critically acclaimed industrial/electronic/metal band fronted by Trent Reznor. Red Rocks Amphitheater, 18300 W. Alameda Parkway, Morrison, Colorado. 720-865-2494
Courtney Barnett & Japanese Breakfast @ Mission Ballroom
– Sept. 3, 5 p.m.; doors at 4 p.m. $52-$124. Courtney Barnett, as a part of her “Here and There Festival Series,” is stopping in Denver with indie outfit Japanese Breakfast, Arooj Aftab and Bedouine. Barnett is coming off the release of her third studio album, “Things Take Time, Take Time.” Mission Ballroom, 4242 Wynkoop St., Denver. 720-577-6884
Echo & The Bunnymen @ The Ogden
– Sept. 4, 9 p.m.; doors at 7 p.m. Legendary Liverpool band Echo & the Bunnymen are announcing their return to the U.S. for a tour in support of their 12th studio album and first since 2009, “Meteorites.” Ogden Theatre, 935 E. Colfax Ave, Denver. 303-832-1874
To submit an item to the events calendar, email ToDo@wyomingnews.com or call WTE features editor Will Carpenter at 307-633-3135. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/features/todo/friday-calendar-8-26-22/article_b1d804e8-2402-11ed-96b0-8fd14c5cfc73.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:24Z |
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FRIDAY
Downtown Laramie Farmers Market: 3-7 p.m., parking lot north of Depot Park on South 1st Street.
Free walking tour “Second Story Secrets: Laramie’s Brothels”: 5:30 p.m., meet at the Wyoming Women’s History House, 317 S. 2nd St. Bring masks; some stair climbing required and recommended for ages 18 and older.
SATURDAY
Fusion Feast culinary event: 1-4 p.m., Lincoln Community Center, 365 W. Grand Ave. Hosted by Friends of Internationals and High Plains Christian Fellowship. Taste delicious dishes from around the world and play games. It’s free.
Thrown-Out Bones performs: 5:30-7p.m., Washington Park band shell, 18th and Sheridan streets. Popcorn, pretzels and beer.
UW Planetarium presents “Back to the Moon For Good”: 8 p.m., UW Planetarium. What’s up in the sky around Wyoming.
SUNDAY
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
MONDAY
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
UW Music presents Diego Caetano on piano: 7:30 p.m., Buchanan Center for the Performing Arts Recital Hall. Free to attend and all are invited. Program focuses on French-inspired music by an artist who’s been described as “a gifted pianist with a brilliant technique and musicality.”
TUESDAY
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
WEDNESDAY
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. at outdoors Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
THURSDAY
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Diabetes Support Group meets: 5:30-6:30 p.m. via Zoom. Email questions@ivinsosnhospital.org for the link.
Sept. 2
Spaghetti fundraiser dinner: 5:30-7:30 p.m., Elks Lodge, 103 S. 2nd St. Cost is $15 for a spaghetti dinner with meatballs and sausage. Limited quantities, so please call for a reservation, 307-742-2024.
Sept. 3
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 4
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 5
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 6
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 7
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 8
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Business After Hours: 5:30-7 p.m., Western States Bank, 3420 E. Grand Ave.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 10
22nd annual Wyoming Buddy Walk: 9 a.m. to noon, Washington Park band shell.
Tailgate party for Wesley Foundation’s 100th anniversary: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., United Methodist Church parking lot, 1215 Gibbon St. The student ministry is marking 100 years at the University of Wyoming and First United Methodist. Free lunch picnic.
Summer Market Day at the fairgrounds: 3-6 p.m., beef barn.
Sept. 11
Special worship service for Wesley Foundation: 10 a.m., First United Methodist Church, 1215 Gibbon St., followed by a potluck. Special guest Bishop Karen Olivetto will attend and preach. All are invited to reminisce with former Wesley Foundation members and meet the recent generation of the organization.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 12
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Albany County Historic Preservation Board meets: 6 p.m. via Microsoft Teams. To attend and receive an invite, email a request to kcbard@charter.net.
Sept. 13
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Albany County Republican Party meets: 6 p.m., Albany County Public Library.
Sept. 14
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 15
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 16
Albany County CattleWomen meet: 11:30 a.m., location tbd. Visit wyaccw.com in the week before the meeting for location and more information.
Sept. 17
Walk to End Alzheimer’s: 9 a.m., Optimist Park, with music and food following the walk.
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Walk with a Doc: 1:30-2:30 p.m. at the Washington Park west shelter No. 3. Bring walking shoes and a friend. For more information, email questions@ivinsonhospital.org.
Sept. 18
Higher Ground Fair: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wyoming Territorial Prison State Historic Site in Laramie. A celebration of the six Rocky Mountain states and the native first nations that also call the region home. Proceeds from ticket sales (kids admitted free) help support Feeding Laramie Valley. Fore more information or to volunteer, call 307-223-4300 or email info@highergroundfair.org.
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 19
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Veterans service office hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., Veterans Service Center at the UW Student Union, 1000 E. University Ave.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
Sept. 20
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 21
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Ivinson’s women’s health team hosts prenatal education: 5:30 p.m. in the Summit conference room. For more information and registration, visit ivinsonhospital.org/childbirth.
Sept. 22
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Sept. 25
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Sept. 26
Alcoholics Anonymous meets: Daily at various times in person or on Zoom. For more information, call 307-399-0590 or visit area76aawyoming.org or aa.org.
Survivors of Suicide Support Group: Meets from 5:30-6:45 p.m. at Hospice of Laramie House, 1754 Centennial Drive.
America Sewing Guild Laramie Chapter meets: 7 p.m., United Methodist Church, 1215 E. Gibbon St.
Sept. 27
Prayers & Squares Quilting Group meets: 9 a.m., Room 1 of Hunter Hall at St. Matthews Cathedral.
Sept. 28
Laramie Tai Chi and Tea meets: 1:30 p.m. outdoors at Harbon Park, North 14th and Gibbon streets. For more information, visit visit laramietaichiandtea.org.
Sept. 29
Caregivers for loved ones with Alzheimer’s/dementia: 3 p.m., meet for coffee, pie, understanding and comradeship at Perkins Restaurant & Bakery, 204 S. 30th St. For more information, call 307-745-6451.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 5:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716.
Fly fishing rod building for veterans: 7-9 p.m., Laramie Chamber Business Alliance office, 528 S. Adams St.
Oct. 2
Laramie Connections free Meet and Eat dinner and faith gathering: 4:30 p.m., First Baptist Church, 1517 E. Canby St.
Al-Anon Family Group meets: 6:30 p.m. at the Presbyterian church, 215 S. 11th St. For relatives and friends of alcoholics. For information, call Jane at 307-760-4683 or Mark at 307-760-4716. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/announcements/whats-happening-aug-26-2022/article_ca0ac3f4-249b-11ed-b0c4-afaddfc0c078.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:38Z |
JACKSON — An attorney representing abortion foes looking to uphold Wyoming’s ban said restricting access to abortion protects women’s health.
“The harms to women from abortion are well-documented,” said Denise Harle, the senior counsel and director of the Center for Life at the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative legal advocacy group.
“Everything from physical harms from hemorrhaging, sepsis infection, death to psychological harms,” Harle said. “There’s a wealth of research showing women after abortions have increased risks of suicide, PTSD, eating disorders and depression.”
However, a Jackson OB-GYN who is one of the plaintiffs in a lawsuit against the ban, said the health risks of a full-term pregnancy are greater than those associated with abortions, particularly those performed early in a pregnancy.
The state’s ban is currently on hold.
Ninth District Court Judge Melissa Owens decided earlier this month that it potentially “transgresses” the state Constitution, meriting a halt on its enforcement until the lawsuit challenging the ban can be decided.
Harle, alongside Cheyenne attorney Frederick Harrison, represents two individuals and an organization that want to intervene in the case: state Rep. Rachel Rodriguez-Williams, R-Cody; state Rep. Chip Neiman, R-Hulett, and Right to Life of Wyoming.
Speaking from Georgia, where the Alliance is based, Harle (pronounced Har-ley) discussed the arguments against access to abortion the intervenors plan to make.
Of the resources Harle cited about how abortions harm women was a 2011 PubMed study that measured the association between abortion and indicators of adverse mental health from 1995-2009 and a Charlotte Lozier Institute report on the reality of late-term abortions.
The Charlotte Lozier Institute’s goal, according to the organization’s website, is to “promote deeper public understanding of the value of human life, motherhood, and fatherhood, and to identify policies and practices that will protect life.”
Local OB-GYN Dr. Giovannina Anthony, who is fighting the criminal ban in court, agreed with the Lozier Institute finding but stated that late-term abortions constitute the minority of procedures and pale in comparison with the risks associated with a full-term pregnancy.
“Almost 90% of abortions in 2020 were before 12 weeks,” Dr. Anthony said. “I agree that abortions performed after 15 weeks have more risk, as she mentions, but this is still a fraction of the risk of the exact same complications that occur with a full-term pregnancy.
“Ironically, by making abortion illegal or difficult to access, this will force women to delay, travel and drive up the second-trimester abortion rate when those women could have had a safer first-trimester abortion.”
In 2020, the risk of death with a full-term pregnancy in the U.S. was 23.8 per 100,000, Dr. Anthony said.
“The risk of dying from a full-term pregnancy is thousands of percentage points higher than dying from abortion at 18 weeks, and even higher compared to first-trimester pregnancy,” Dr. Anthony said. “If we use this logic, every pregnant woman should be informed that abortion is safer and almost 20 times less likely to kill her than a full-term pregnancy.”
Regarding the potentially unconstitutional vagueness of the current language in the law advising on what constitutes a medical emergency, Harle said the defense plans to submit “expert affidavits” from OB-GYNs to show that women are “completely safe” in emergency circumstances when using “basic, reasonable medical judgment.”
“With a medical emergency, every state law allows for treatment when the life of the mother is at risk,” Harle said. “If a doctor can save the life of a mother and that requires terminating the pregnancy, that’s permissible.”
“It’s frustrating to hear pro-abortion doctors acting like they don’t know the difference between an abortion and what’s not an abortion,” she continued. “They’re inserting chaos and causing fear in women by pretending they don’t know the difference.”
Anthony, who has spent three decades caring for pregnant women, responded to Harle’s comment in an email, saying: “That anyone would suggest that after 30 years of obstetrics and gynecology care I or any of my colleagues would ‘pretend’ to not know what an abortion is defies all logic and common sense.
“Take away my ability to provide safe and evidence-based obstetric and gynecologic care, as she is doing, and the chaos and fear that will ensue (and is ensuing) will endanger every reproductive-age woman in this country.”
When asked how the statute doesn’t mention lethal fetal abnormalities, Harle said fetal deaths that have already occurred in the womb, such as miscarriages, are not considered an abortion, but did not directly address fetal abnormalities.
“If you look at the basic definition of abortion it’s the ‘intentional, elective ending of human life in womb,’ ” Harle said. “That’s not the same as treating a miscarriage, and any OB-GYN would know the difference between performing an abortion to end a baby’s life versus a miscarriage where the baby has already died.”
“Every child deserves to be born even if they may face different circumstances,” Harle said. “Abortion has the effect of killing a child every single time and harming the mom. No one should be killed because they may be poor.”
When asked about the recent cuts to maternity care in rural Wyoming communities such as Kemmerer, Rawlins and Riverton, where clinics have been closed due to staffing difficulties and budget cuts, Harle mentioned the work that Rep. Rodriguez-Williams is doing and stressed the need for more programs that support mothers.
“I have no idea what’s going on in terms of the economy, employment issues, but I definitely know that [Rodriguez-Williams] is the executive director of a pregnancy clinic, one of more than 3,000 pregnancy centers around the nation that provide free resources, counseling, support, ultrasounds, blankets, diapers, clothes, job training to women facing unplanned pregnancies in Wyoming.”
Rodriguez-Williams sponsored House Bill 92, Wyoming’s trigger law for abortion restrictions that was set to take effect in if the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade, which it did in June. Neiman was a co-sponsor.
On its website, the Serenity Pregnancy Resource Center lists itself as a Christ-centered ministry that “provides alternatives to abortion” while also offering “post abortion support.”
Neither Rep. Rodriguez-Williams nor Rep. Neiman responded to requests for comment.
“We would look forward to seeing laws passed that provide real support to women, actually empowering women,” Harle said. “Having to end her child’s life to find success is not supporting the woman.”
Harle was also asked how the Alliance Defending Freedom, a nonprofit legal organization that aligns itself with protecting religious freedom, responds to a Jewish plaintiff who has claimed that the ban infringes on her religious freedom because she has a different moral conception of when life begins.
“This would be a misunderstanding in terms of religious freedom,” Harle said. “This particular claim has been rejected time and time again.”
Harle cited unsuccessful attempts by the Satanic Temple, recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt church, to bring lawsuits arguing their church has a “Satanic Abortion Ritual” and that exempts its members from state restrictions. If someone says that their conscience would permit them to engage in something that the state has deemed a crime, this is not an effective legal argument, Harle said.
“Pro-life laws are not based on religion,” Harle said. “They are consistent with the Constitution, what laws permit and science, since science says from the moment of conception the baby has its own DNA, heartbeat in a matter of days, and organs are formed by eight to nine weeks.”
The Alliance Defending Freedom cited the Lozier Institute for these conclusions.
A remote scheduling conference is slated for 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 27. The hearing was scheduled to give both parties time to respond to both motions — the motion to certify the lawsuit challenging the ban to the Supreme Court and the motion to approve the three anti-abortion intervenors.
According to Alexandra Ralph, judicial assistant to 9th Judicial District Judge Melissa Owens, “nothing substantive will be discussed.”
“This conference is to set other hearings and deadlines,” Ralph said in an email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/anti-abortion-lawyer-defends-wyomings-ban-seeks-to-join-suit/article_1005256a-2493-11ed-89ee-73218a7846bd.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:45Z |
Area growers enter harvest season watching the weather, which can make or break a summer of work. Many local farmers sell their products at the Downtown Farmers Market.
POWELL — At the start of the growing season, commodity prices suggested that farmers were going to be sitting pretty when the crops were harvested, but the increased cost of fuel, fertilizer, and labor have since dampened those earlier hopes.
“It’s not the banner year it could have been if those [production costs] had been back where they were historically,” said David Northrup, who grows beets, corn, barley, oats and hay in Park County.
Northrup said he had expected that the invasion of Ukraine, which exports a lot of corn and wheat, would have spelled big profits, but as inflation drove up prices, it drove those hopes down.
“Now it looks like we’re just going to have a regular year,” he said.
Ric Rodriguez, owner of Rodriguez Farms Inc., grows barley and beets on Heart
Mountain. He said the commodity prices will offset those increased costs of production, but they’re not to the finish line yet.
“The margins are pretty slim right now, and if you have any kind of a weather wreck or yield loss, your net income is going to be short,” he said.
As the season approached last spring, drought conditions were hanging heavy over much of the state, but toward the end of May and through the middle of June, the Big Horn Basin saw quite a bit of cool weather and regular moisture.
The moisture was needed, but it would have been more beneficial if it had come later on or earlier.
Corn and beans got planted later, which means a later harvest.
“That cold spring set things up for a different kind of year than we’re used to,” Northrup said. “Timing, timing, timing.”
Up on Heart Mountain, which typically gets more moisture than surrounding areas, the drought earlier in the year was so bad, Rodriguez said, that they had to start irrigation earlier than normal. He said it was the first time in 40 years that his farm had to water barley that early.
The cool, wet weather that came in May and June was ultimately good for the barley, he said, but not so good for the beets.
There was also some high-wind weather in late July, which Rodriguez said wasn’t good for the people growing grass seed.
“They lost some yield there because it just thrashed out the seed. I’ve never seen that happen,” he said.
Jeremiah Vardiman, agriculture and horticulture educator for the University of Wyoming Extension, said the weather this year has generally been good for pastures, which will benefit the ranchers.
“It was very good for forage production,” he said.
Weather can be fickle, and so what happens in one area may be different just 20 miles away. Northrup said he’s heard that the barley farmers in Burlington and up in Montana got moisture earlier than he did on his farm, so they’ll see some benefits from that.
How this year’s ag season turns out, Vardiman explained, depends on the final yields the farmers get, as well as how the weather goes this fall.
“Nobody knows exactly where they stand until everything is harvested and in the bank,” he said.
Rodriguez said he’s watching how his crops bulk up in the next few months. If things stay dry and warm, without being too hot, they’ll see a better margin.
“It depends on what Mother Nature does from now until the end,” he said.
Northrup is crossing his fingers that the area won’t get hit with an early frost, which can really slim up margins. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/as-harvest-approaches-farmers-become-weather-watchers/article_241f2f4c-2492-11ed-b38d-c7fde6a29fda.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:51Z |
Crews work at 13th and Lewis street. Laramie City Council approved the closure of a section of Lewis between 14th and 15th streets during a meeting Tuesday night.
As the University of Wyoming welcomes thousands of students to its Laramie campus, part of a nearby street is closing.
Laramie City Council has given a green light to close Lewis Street between 14th and 15th streets as work continues on an ongoing $250 million UW effort to build new residence halls in the area.
Once the project is completed, the section of Lewis Street will act as a service road to the new dormitories.
The closure, while part of a longstanding agreement between the city and university, came as a disappointment to some Laramie City Council members and one resident who expressed concern about public access to the area near the UW Lab School.
Council member Andrea Summerville has said the closure could make it more difficult and dangerous for parents to drop their children off at the school, which is located near Lewis and 13th streets.
The university agreed to add a bus stop and school zone around the area to mitigate the issues along with improving nearby crosswalks and adding two 30-minute parking spaces for Lab School parents and visitors.
During a meeting Tuesday, council member Bryan Shuster worried that long-term UW projects in the area impacting 15th Street will have an ongoing negative impact on the community as they move forward.
The university’s plan is not in line with the city’s needs, he said.
“People are not negotiating in good faith,” Shuster said. “I’m sure there’s going to be more problems down the road.”
Council member Fred Schmechel and Mayor Paul Weaver agreed that communication between UW, the city and residents needs improvement. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/city-council-oks-closure-of-road-near-uw-lab-school/article_80ed02d8-24a8-11ed-9e0e-7702719ec5c9.html | 2022-08-26T12:58:57Z |
The owner of the Elk Mountain Ranch broke federal law by blocking four hunters’ access to public land and by harassing and intimidating them, the hunters’ attorney alleges in new court papers.
The filing in a civil case in U.S. District Court by attorney Ryan Semerad marks the first time the four Missouri hunters have explicitly charged the ranch owner with violating U.S. statute. In court action to date, including at a criminal trial in Rawlins where the four men were found not guilty of criminal trespass, attorneys only suggested that the ranch owner violated the Unlawful Inclosures Act of 1885.
“We have relied on this [UIA] argument to make other arguments throughout this [civil] case and the criminal case,” Semerad wrote in an email, “but this is the first time we have made this argument/defense directly.”
A court ruling on the matter could have implications for a decades-old BLM interpretation that prohibits corner-crossing.
Corner crossing involves stepping from one piece of public land to another at the four-corner intersection with two pieces of private land. The four hunters crossed at such corners, without setting foot on the Elk Mountain Ranch, where public U.S. Bureau of Land Management property and private lands lie in a checkerboard pattern in Carbon County.
It is uncertain whether the allegation might trigger a federal investigation or other action against the official ranch owner Iron Bar Holdings, LLC, the company’s wealthy North Carolina owner Fred Eshelman, ranch property manager Steve Grende or any other party.
Aside from the routine practice of not commenting on pending or ongoing investigations, U.S. Attorney Nick Vassallo’s office couldn’t immediately explain the investigative process and what or whose allegations it probes. Eshelman’s attorney, along with the BLM, also did not respond to inquiries.
In a July 29 filing, attorney Semerad defended his clients against Eshelman’s civil claim.
“Plaintiff [Iron Bar Holdings] is now violating and has, at all times relevant to its claims in the Complaint, violated existing federal law … by unlawfully enclosing public lands and/or by using force, threats, intimidation, and other unlawful means to prevent or obstruct Defendants, as members of the public, from peaceably entering upon, freely passing over or through, or freely traveling over or through the public lands,” the document reads.
With the UIA, Congress protected legal access to federal property, especially in the West, by restricting landowners’ actions and structures. How and whether the UIA applies in the civil case could have a bearing on public access to some 8.3 million acres in the West, 2.4 million acres in Wyoming alone.
That’s the amount of acreage considered by the digital mapping company onX to be “corner-locked” by any definition that corner crossing is illegal.
During their 2021 hunt, the four hunters found two T-posts chained together at one checkerboard corner. They used a stile — a fence ladder — to climb over the obstacle. They claimed they were harassed, intimidated and threatened by Grende while hunting on public BLM land they accessed by corner crossing near the ranch.
Iron Bar’s civil suit claims the hunters damaged Eshelman’s ranch, a property that extends across more than 20,000 acres on and around wildlife-rich Elk Mountain. The ranch’s checkerboard layout “corner-locks” hundreds of acres of public land.
Separately, the Carbon County attorney in 2021 charged the four hunters with criminal trespass, arguing in the trial that they violated the ranch’s airspace. A Rawlins jury in April found them not guilty of the misdemeanor charges but none of the six jurors explained their reasoning to reporters at the end of the circuit court trial.
Eshelman’s attorney Gregory Weisz filed Iron Bar’s separate civil suit in state court. But a federal judge moved that claim to his venue at the hunters’ request, agreeing that the issue involved federal statutes.
A section of the 1885 UIA titled “Obstruction of settlement on or transit over public lands” prohibits landowners from blocking “…any person from peaceably entering upon or establishing a settlement or residence on any tract of public land…” No person “shall prevent or obstruct free passage or transit over or through the public lands,” the UIA states.
But another clause appears to protect landowners, stating that the law “shall not be held to affect the right or title of persons, who have gone upon, improved, or occupied said lands under the land laws of the United States, claiming title thereto, in good faith.”
The federal law has teeth, if prosecutors choose to use them. Any “owner, part owner, or agent, or who shall aid, abet, counsel, advise, or assist in any violation” of the act who is found guilty can be fined up to $1,000, imprisoned for a year, or both.
From the BLM’s perspective, the UIA does not protect corner crossing as a means to access public land.
“There is no specific state or federal laws regarding corner crossings,” the agency states in a pamphlet that appears to have been updated in 2013. “Corner crossings in the checkerboard land pattern area or elsewhere are not considered legal public access.”
Courts could decide whether the BLM policy and the UIA are in conflict.
That pamphlet reflects a 1997 opinion by an Interior Department solicitor. In writing that, Lowell L. Madsen, assistant regional solicitor for the Rocky Mountain region, flatly stated that corner crossing was illegal because it cannot be done without violating private airspace.
“Under common law the one who owns the surface of the ground has the exclusive right to everything which is above it,” his opinion states. In Wyoming law, “[t]he ownership of the space above the lands and waters of this state is declared to be vested in the several owners of the surface beneath subject to the right of flight…” Madsen wrote.
The solicitor even addressed the possibility that a stile could preclude trespass if all four of its feet were on public land at a checkerboard corner.
“[T]he stile would invade the airspace of the owner of the cornering private lands [and] constitute a trespass,” his opinion reads.
That passage was prescient. The hunters — Phillip Yeomans, Bradly Cape, John Slowensky and Zachary Smith — used a portable stile to climb over an obstruction erected at the four-corner intersection in question.
In the hunters’ criminal trial in Rawlins, Semerad challenged the airspace argument, emphasizing that the Wyoming law states airspace ownership is vested “in the several owners” of the property below, including the public — owners of the federal BLM parcels.
The federal civil trial — as-yet unscheduled — may address the two metal T-posts driven into Elk Mountain property at the four-corner intersection. Photographs show the posts connected across the corner by a wire and chain. The two posts were connected to nothing else — no property-line fences — a photograph shows.
After the hunters left the area in 2021, the chain was removed, Elk Mountain Ranch property manager Grende testified at the Rawlins trial.
“It was removed because it had no purpose,” he said in court.
Courts have defined what constitutes an illegal enclosure, according to Madsen who quoted one ruling.
“[W]hen, under the guise of enclosing his own land, [a landowner] builds a fence which is useless for that purpose, and can only have been intended to enclose the land of the government, he is plainly within the (unlawful enclosures) statute, and is guilty of an unwarrantable appropriation of that which belongs to the public at large,” he wrote. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/corner-crossers-ranch-owner-broke-federal-access-law/article_4671feaa-248b-11ed-9ab6-3f65ef68d509.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:03Z |
BUFFALO — This fall is a great time to be an elk hunter, according to the Wyoming Game and Fish Department's 2022 hunt forecast.
That's especially true for those who are willing to hunt antlerless elk. Elk populations are thriving statewide, according to previous Bulletin reporting.
In most hunt areas, elk are at or above population objectives, leading officials to add more tags and change season limitations and opening dates to achieve desired harvest levels.
"We're hoping for a better harvest this year,” Buffalo Game Warden Jim Seeman said. "The longer they stay up on U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management lands, the better chance we have for a better harvest. So far, it's pretty good. Elk are staying up there so far.”
Elk are the outlier among other big game populations that are not reaching goals and therefore have had quotas reduced this year. Those reduced license quotas are due to persistent drought conditions and spread of disease, said Cheyenne Stewart, Sheridan region wildlife management coordinator.
But those reduced license quotas give those who drew tags in the region a better chance at harvesting an animal, according to the Game and Fish hunt forecast.
That includes pronghorn, a species that suffered population declines from disease-related mortalities in 2021, including epizootic hemorrhagic disease and bluetongue.
Antelope, in general, according to Seeman, are doing well near Buffalo, based on the agency's late summer classifications.
"We did cut licenses from last fall. We're down overall in population with antelope, so hunters should expect to see at least east of town fewer numbers," he said. "You might see a lot more fawns, which doesn't come into play until the following year."
Mule deer in the region have been a population of concern for Game and Fish for a while.
The department wrapped up a study on the Upper Powder River mule deer herd in December that biologists hope will give them an idea of the biggest problems facing the herd.
Chronic wasting disease is another factor in mule deer mortality. The disease, a neurological illness that is often fatal, is most prominent in the region's white-tailed deer populations.
That, epizootic hemorrhagic disease and the bluetongue outbreak in fall 2021 mean that hunters can expect population impacts.
This year's precipitation, though, is good news for those populations, according to the forecast.
To date, the Powder River Basin has experienced precipitation that is 101% of normal, according to the Natural Resource Conservation Service. The water year ends Oct. 1. Seeman said that the rainfall the county received in the spring — at a time that's best for fawns and chicks hoping to survive — would be useful now, too.
"We got good moisture, but it's dry now," Seeman said. "A lot of watering holes people had hunted five to 10 years ago that might not have water in them. A lot of people hunt near water usually in September, sometimes in October, at least east of town going toward the Powder River."
Southern Johnson County near Kaycee, especially, has experienced above-average rainfall, clocking an additional nearly half an inch this year compared with last year, per the National Weather Service. Overall, the region experienced some much-needed moisture, which has reduced its ongoing drought intensity and, as a result, the agency expects doe-to-fawn ratios to improve.
That moisture this spring has been kind to upland bird habitats, the hunt forecast says.
The highly contagious avian flu, often fatal, has impacted bird populations this year, both wild and domestic, though the extent of its impact is unknown, according to the agency.
Pheasant production at the Sheridan Bird Farm has been impacted by the flu, and hunters can expect a slightly shorter release season. Areas that require a Pheasant Management Stamp in Sheridan and Johnson counties will now be open to harvest any pheasant, a new change for the 2022 season.
Most seasons begin Sept. 1, but Seeman advised that some regulations for certain areas have changed.
More information about this coming hunting season is available at the Wyoming Game and Fish Department website.
“There are subtle changes in some of the hunt areas," he said. "We've had some issues already and a lot of phone calls. If (hunters) don't understand or are confused about the change, they need to give us a call and clarify that." | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/game-and-fish-predicts-good-season-for-elk-hunters/article_f07b6dac-2493-11ed-950a-9f6ea8dd194f.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:09Z |
CODY — The gravelly, guttural voice of Tommy Herr poured through the phone as he told the story of Tesla Rose, affectionately known by many locals and tourists as the Irma Dog. Tesla died July 27.
Tesla Rose was often spotted with Herr at the Irma Hotel and the Silver Dollar Bar.
“We would go to the Irma after work sometimes, and she loved going and playing with the tourists,” Herr said. “They started calling her the Irma Dog. The cops even called her the Irma Dog.”
Tesla also was frequently seen walking down the streets of Cody with Herr, holding her own leash in her mouth.
“Ever since we’ve moved out here, nine and a half years ago, she has become a little celebrity,” Herr said.
She also went to work with Herr every day. He works mainly at the Six Gun Motel as a maintenance worker.
“She was with me all the time,” Herr said. “I talked to her more than I did people.”
Herr got Tesla in 2011 from a border collie seller in Pennsylvania, where he lived at the time.
“I had actually picked out another [border collie] online, and I didn’t like her temperament,” he said. “A guy picked one out ... and said this is the one we call Rosie.”
“He put her down. She gave me a little kiss, ran out of the barn and then came running right back to me,” Herr added. “I said, ‘I’ll take her,’ and I never had a problem training her.”
Herr named Tesla after the ’80s rock band.
“I was sitting at home, listening to music, writing down names and Tesla came on the radio, which is one of my favorite ’80s bands,” he said. “And Tesla Rose just flowed together.”
Herr has had other dogs before, but Tesla was his first border collie.
“She had such a personality,” he said. “She was a very loving dog, [and] from the day I picked her up, she just blew my mind on her intelligence, how smart she was and the stuff she picked up herself.”
Tesla learned to grab Herr’s leg at intersections to let him know when it was safe to cross the road.
She loved Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and would shake her Frisbee whenever she saw one.
“She rode in a Harley as a puppy for a little while, and she just had a fascination with Harleys ever since,” Herr said.
Tesla even liked watching the cue ball when people played pool. She’d get on her hind legs and follow the ball around the table. And she loved going to the hardware store to get treats.
“She wouldn’t eat cheap treats. It had to be the good ones,” Herr said.
Tesla went on road trips with Herr and went hiking and kayaking too.
But Tesla was more than just a furry companion for him.
“I got her to stay out of trouble because I was two times divorced back East doing nothing but drinking and partying all the time, and I said I need something to come home to,” Herr said. “She changed my life [because] I had to take care of her [and] border collies are like having a kid.”
Tesla may have saved him, but she was loved by many bar patrons around town.
“It’s kind of ironic that I got the dog to stay out of the bar and everybody lets her in the bar,” Herr said.
When Tesla got sick, it was difficult for Herr.
“I cried for a week,” he said. “She was my best friend.”
On July 20, he took Tesla to a veterinarian, who found a lump under her right armpit. On July 22, Tesla was scheduled for surgery to get it removed.
“They called me and said that quarter-inch lump under her right armpit had spread to the size of a softball, and there was nothing they could do,” Herr said. “They said they’d never seen anything spread so quick in 24 hours.”
So Herr gave Tesla the best, last few days he could.
“I slept on the floor with her because I didn’t want her jumping in and out of the bed,” he said.
Throughout this ordeal, he found out how deeply Tesla had touched the community.
“Complete strangers came knocking on my door, saying what she meant to them,” Herr said. “She had a great life and was well loved. Everybody loved her.”
He hopes the community will remember Tesla.
“I hope people remember her love for life and love for making people happy,” Herr said. “She made me very happy for 11 years, [and] I probably wouldn’t be here right now if it wasn’t for that dog.”
For him, the hardest part about losing Tesla is waking up without her.
“Mornings are normally the hardest [because] every morning at 5 o’clock, I could feel her jump on the bed,” Herr said. “She’d give me hugs and kisses.”
He hasn’t decided if he’ll get another dog, but he knows one thing for sure. If he does, it’ll be another female border collie, and her middle name will be Rose.
Until then, Herr said the Irma plans on putting up a plaque for Tesla, and he wants to work on starting a GoFundMe for a statue to be made of her catching her Frisbee, which will also go outside the Irma.
“She lived a great life,” Herr said. “And she will be missed.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/irma-dog-was-a-fixture-in-downtown-cody/article_028f6a0a-249b-11ed-ae6d-2f3613016d13.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:16Z |
Laramie High School is beginning the school year with a new assistant principal.
Brooke Fergon joins LHS Assistant Principals Brady Humphrey and Jeremy Qualls as school administrators, as well as new Principal Fred George.
Laramie High School is beginning the school year with a new assistant principal.
Brooke Fergon joins LHS Assistant Principals Brady Humphrey and Jeremy Qualls as school administrators, as well as new Principal Fred George.
Fergon was director of elementary education and dean of students at the Rocky Mountain School of Expeditionary Learning in Denver, according to a press release. Last year, Fergon and her family moved to Laramie, where she spent the term teaching math at the University of Wyoming Lab School.
“(Fergon) strikes me as a very thoughtful, professional and adept worker,” George said in a press release from the district. “The students she worked with at the Lab School loved her and are sad to see her leave. She had a great ‘rep’ there.”
Fergon has 18 years experience educating in public schools, the press release says. She spent 16 of those years teaching math and science, which will help guide her work with those departments at LHS.
She also will focus on helping the freshman class ease the transition to high school, and has begun working with school administration and resource officer to evaluate security and make any improvements deemed necessary.
One of her long-term goals is to create strong connections with students, parents and the community.
“Students should be engaging in internships, work experiences and service-learning in the community,” Fergon said. “I want to create more opportunities for students to engage in this type of learning.”
She also hopes to focus on building morale and improving the culture at LHS, which will include sharing stories and recognizing the positive work that happens in the school every day.
“Educators have worked through very difficult conditions since March 2020,” Fergon said. “They have been targets of political culture wars when in reality, the majority of parents are mostly satisfied with their children’s schools. We need our teachers to be healthy and well.”
Fergon lived in Denver for almost 10 years before moving to Laramie, but is originally from a small rural town in Texas. She said she appreciates the value locals put on education, along with the welcoming nature of the city that feels in many ways “like going home again.”
A central part of her philosophy is that it’s normal for students to make mistakes, and that being there for guidance afterward is an important role for educators.
“I want students to know that I don’t expect that you will never mess up,” Fergon said. “I do expect you to try to make it right when you do.”
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/lhs-begins-term-with-new-administrators/article_4de4c0b6-23d5-11ed-82c0-f75e87941b4d.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:22Z |
The air felt a little more brisk Thursday morning as students across Albany County sharpened their pencils, organized their notebooks and headed back to school for the fall.
“There’s nothing that matches the optimism that comes with the first week of school,” said Carlos Mellizo, counselor at Beitel Elementary School in Laramie.
As families attended meet-and-greets the night before the first day and walked through the doors Thursday morning, some educators and parents expressed a sigh of relief for a renewed feeling of routine more than two years into a pandemic.
“I’m super-excited going back knowing that there will be a sense of normalcy,” said Mandi Pollard, art teacher at Beitel and Harmony elementary schools.
She explained that while mask requirements were lifted for local public schools last year, this will be the first time since before spring 2020 that teachers aren’t required to follow specific protocols. At Beitel, it also is the first time students can fully enjoy recess and lunch periods in the cafeteria rather than in their classrooms.
Educators, students and parents experienced a range of emotions waiting for school to start at Indian Paintbrush Elementary. Some kids were quick to run to the playground with friends they hadn’t seen in months, while others stuck near their parents until the bell rang.
“I’m a little scared,” said Isla Banks, who was starting her first day of kindergarten. “I’m going to meet a lot of different friends.”
While nerves are to be expected, this year educators were extra prepared to ease students of all ages into the social vortex of school and through their transition from following strict pandemic protocols.
Multiple schools meet-up nights this week, where students could get to know their teachers and move into their desks before the big day. The social emphasis also expanded to employees, who spent time getting to know one another above and beyond the routine tasks of going through training and classroom setup.
“I’m looking forward to being able to be a more outward facing community,” said Beitel Principal Loren Engel.
This type of engagement is important to parents, some of whom experienced milestones with their kids Thursday.
“This is our kindergartner’s first day, and we also just dropped off our (high school) freshman,” said Ashley Comtti. “We are excited for change and all the support the district can offer. It’s a big day.”
Added challenges
Despite their optimism, Albany County School District 1 administrators have so far had a tumultuous start to the school year with concerns about the completion of the new Slade Elementary building and pending debates over state education funding.
Leading up to the first day, teachers and staff have spent hours preparing Slade for its opening, with staff from other schools showing up to help and some employees staying as late as 11 p.m.
Despite their efforts, the first day for Slade students was pushed back to Monday after the school failed to obtain an occupancy permit from the city of Laramie in time for a Thursday start.
The permit was not approved after a Wednesday inspection because tactile plates for the handicap parking sidewalk egress at the school had not been installed. Construction workers could be seen installing the plates at the school early Thursday morning, but without the permit the school was not allowed to host students, said Superintendent John Goldhardt.
“Although this is highly disappointing, we do not want students in the building until every safety factor has been checked off,” he said. “I am most appreciative to the Slade staff who have worked so hard to prepare their rooms and their content materials in this facility.”
He said city officials have been cooperative in the process as well.
Tight purse strings
Statewide conversations on funding public education also came to a head last week when the Wyoming Education Association filed a lawsuit against the state alleging it’s failed to provide pay its share for Wyoming schools.
The WEA claims the state has continuously failed to provide enough funding for schools to adjust employee salaries with inflation, among other issues, according to reporting by the Wyoming Tribune Eagle.
“It affects what we can do in Albany County,” said ACSD1 Board Chairperson Janice Marshall. “We’re not getting that external cost adjustment. We know that the cost of living is going up for our employees (but) we’re not getting those funds to give those salary increases.”
ACSD has lost about $1 million in state money, Marshall said. The school board was still able to provide employees with routine pay increases, but had to use money from a reserve account to do it.
Some local school leaders have said that despite budget concerns, budget tightening has yet to profoundly impact their day-to-day operations.
“We were able to have positions filled and programs and needs met,” said Dave Hardesty, principal at Linford Elementary School. “I’m confident we’ll be able to meet the needs of our students and our teachers will have the materials and support they need.”
One of Goldhardt’s goals is to have a finance committee work to find ways to get enough money into the district’s operating budget so it doesn’t have to dip into reserve accounts, Marshall said.
Along with a new adventure for local kindergartners, the beginning of this school year also is the first for Goldhardt as ACSD1 superintendent. He began in July, replacing former Superintendent Jubal Yenni, who resigned as of the end of the last fiscal year.
“I’m really optimistic about this school year,” she said. “I think Dr. Goldhardt will be well prepared to lead the district. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/looking-sharp-students-educators-optimistic-despite-first-day-challenges/article_d14e1664-2498-11ed-adce-d7c55c4f3b42.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:28Z |
ROCK SPRINGS — Every year, thousands of participants across America walk, climb and run to remember those who sacrificed their lives to save others on Sept. 11, 2001.
In Rock Springs, firefighters are hosting the 2022 Walk the Rock, 9/11 Memorial Climb.
According to Kelly Mathis, captain of the Rock Springs Fire Department, the twin towers at the World Trade Center each had 110 floors and 2071 steps.
“We want to keep doing this for community involvement,” said Mathis. “Members of the community will join firefighters to climb Grant Street in honor of the 343 firefighters from the Fire Department of New York City who gave their lives while trying to save others on that dark day.”
Mathis explained that Walk the Rock will consist of four lengths of Grant Street, starting and ending at the top of the street.
“This will show the participants in the walk what it was like to be in full gear as those brave people climbed 110 stories,” he said.
The first responders will have weight vests, hose bundles and tools for people to carry if they would like to experience the weight that firefighters had to carry while ascending the burning twin towers.
“It’s steep, challenging and it can accommodate a lot of people,” Mathis described. Mathis also mentioned that some participants and first responders may even go above and beyond by doing the equivalent of 343 flights of stairs in memory of the 343 emergency responders who lost their lives on 9/11.
Those who complete the 343 Challenge will receive a commemorative challenge chip. On the chip, the words “Never Forget” are inscribed.
Rock Springs Fire Department Chief Jim Wamsley said, “For us, in fire service, those aren’t just words. We will always remember those sacrifices and we don’t want to forget.”
“We want to remember their heroism – their attempt to save a few lives – maybe some of those lives were already lost but they climbed in and did what needed to be done anyway,” he added.
“I think that’s an example for our conduct for all walks of life; certainly, for those in fire service. It’s our job,” said Wamsley. “We get in there and do whatever we can to save lives. That’s what the fire service is all about. A lot of times we are fortunate to be able to prevent loss of life but bad things happen and we have a job to do.”
Mathis was working at Copier and Supply, a small business in downtown Rock Springs, with his brother, before becoming a firefighter.
“My brother heard about it before coming into the shop and told us what was happening in New York City,” Mathis explained. “My best friend was in the academy at West Point at the time. Back then, we had no way to track what was going on. We didn’t even have a TV in the shop.”
Mathis tried contacting him for about eight hours before he finally heard his voice.
“He wasn’t close to downtown, in fact, he was 43 miles away from where they got hit,” he shared. “I told him that the first thought I had when I heard the news was that the enemy would hit the military academy and wipe out all the future leaders of the United States.”
Wamsley noted that “the towers were a symbol of western culture.”
“They represented exuberance and power,” he said.
Wamsley was still working for Church and Dwight in 2001. He had just gotten home from a graveyard shift when the attack began.
“I listened to the radio on the way home and the news of the towers wasn’t mentioned,” Wamsley revealed. “I had to call the plant for something and whoever answered the phone was in a panic. He said, ‘Can’t talk now. A plane just hit one of the towers in New York City!’”
Wamsley turned his television on as a commercial aircraft flew into the second tower.
“I normally would have slept all day but I didn’t get a wink of sleep that day,” he said. “They were somber days. It’s one of those things where you hear people talk about those momentous events in their lives.
“It was truly the darkest day in the United States.”
“For my parents, it was the assassination of John F. Kennedy,” Wamsley said. “For me, it will always be 9/11. Before that, it was the first man landing on the moon when I was in the first grade.”
“There are a few things I can recall but with 9/11, I’ll always remember the feeling and just the way that day was so surreal,” he said. “It has fundamentally changed our philosophies in the United States. It created a whole new federal bureau – Homeland Security of the United States.”
The Walk the Rock 9/11 Memorial Climb opening ceremonies will begin at 6:46 a.m. sharp on Sunday, Sept. 11, 2022.
“The first plane struck the twin towers at 6:46 a.m. mountain standard time,” Mathis said.
“Anyone at any fitness level is invited to join us,” said Wamsley. “This is definitely not a fitness competition. This is a memorial event and a personal challenge.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/never-forget-firefighters-recall-the-darkest-day-in-america/article_d02c0ae2-2499-11ed-af0c-1b14bfd1a044.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:34Z |
Beitel Elementary School third grade teachers Tami Whitton, left, and Crystal Graf work out instructions for students before the start of the 2021-22 school year in Albany County School District 1.
CASPER — The Wyoming Department of Education is offering a new coaching program to school districts that’s meant to “improve teacher morale and retention.”
The program uses “instructional coaching” to highlight teachers’ strengths with the idea to help them expand on their successes. It pays both teachers and coaches who participate.
Wyoming has a big teacher shortage problem. According to data from the Wyoming Department of Education, 12 school districts in Wyoming had a negative teacher count change in the 2019-2020 school year, meaning that they hired fewer teachers than the number who left the previous year.
In the same year, 17 districts had a negative count change for full-time educators.
What’s more, a recent statewide survey by the Wyoming Education Association and the University of Wyoming found that 65% of teachers who responded would quit right now if they could, and 12% said they planned to quit at the end of the school year.
Anxiety and depression, lack of professional support and too many student assessments correlated strongly with desire to quit, according to the report.
On top of all that, there aren’t enough new college graduates in Wyoming to fill the number of teacher departures each year.
There are several efforts around the state to address the problem.
The Wyoming Department of Education and the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board are launching a pilot teacher apprenticeship program in three school districts this fall with hopes that it will improve the situation.
The agencies plan to do a statewide rollout of the program, which is meant to reduce barriers for people who want to become teachers, in fall 2023.
The University of Wyoming is also working on a couple of projects to support teachers; the Wyoming Teacher-Mentor Corps, which connects emerging teachers with mentors, launched in June. And the university got a grant in March to explore making a rural teacher corps in Wyoming.
The newest teacher retention program is funded by a federal grant led by the American Institutes for Research, a nonprofit research organization. It will pay teachers to attend a two-hour orientation this fall, after which the teachers will participate in several coaching sessions during the school year.
The coaches will be school district staff or educators who have retired or temporarily left the classroom.
Those interested in the program can register for a Sept. 7 informational webinar at https://airtable. com/shrpr8wPdj3XqXxcW to learn more. The webinar will also be available as a recording. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/new-wde-program-targets-teacher-morale/article_84907f3c-2494-11ed-96a7-7fbe504428f8.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:40Z |
Troop 26 Boy Scouts Drew Valdez and Eddie Walsch battle for the ball in the debut of Gaga ball in Powell. The new arena at Homesteader Park was built by the troop under the leadership of Valdez as his Eagle Scout community project.
POWELL —There have been many obstacles that Drew Valdez has faced on the way to advancement to Eagle Scout. COVID-19, supply chain issues, inflation and a little self-doubt all stood between him and his required service project.
But he had a dream, and on Saturday he saw it come true, including winning the first organized game of gaga ball in Powell’s Homesteader Park.
Dozens of excited scouts and spectators came to the park, many of them without a clue about gaga ball.
But after a short ribbon-cutting ceremony, Valdez explained the game and within minutes he stood victorious in the gladiator-style hexagon, ready for more fun. Fun is the key word here.
“It’s family friendly. And there’s lots of competition in it, too,” Valdez said.
Gaga ball is a variant of dodgeball played in a gaga “pit.” The game combines dodging, striking, running, and jumping, with the objective of being the last person standing. Players hit the ball at each other with their hands and are eliminated if the ball strikes them on or below the knee.
Once out, you can return to the game if you catch a wayward ball leaving the hexagon, so you’re never really out of the game until only one player remains.
Valdez was introduced to the game in 2016. But it wasn’t until four years later when he was searching for a project when he was reintroduced to the game at Boy Scout camp.
At the same time, the cost of supplies for the project went up dramatically as pandemic lockdowns persisted. With a price tag of over $1,000 for materials, Valdez doubted he could raise enough money.
Powell businesses and contributors came through in a big way. Almost everyone he contacted was willing to make a donation.
Aldrich Home Center came through with nearly half of the funds to get the project off the ground. Valdez said he had a “guy on the inside” at Aldrich’s. Troop 26 Scoutmaster Donnie Peterson is a salesperson at the business.
Valdez still needed to appear in front of the city council, seek approval from Parks Department director Tim Miller and learn about the permit process with city building official Ben Hubbard.
It took more than six months of work before he was finally able to get all the materials delivered to the site, just west of the playground at the festive park.
The final task was building the structure. Valdez prepared by spending time creating specs on an architectural design program. Then he faced leading a team to erect the pit, which took four days to ensure it would be a sturdy addition to the park.
“The point of the Eagle project is he runs the project, like he’s a manager, and he’s got to get everybody else to do the work and direct them,” Peterson said.
Valdez won the inaugural game, but was first out in the second as the fun continued on the sunny day. If you’d like to play, all you need is a tough ball, like a kick ball, and a bunch of friends ready for a rumble.
Valdez donated a ball to the cause, but suggests bringing your own.
“That one won’t last long,” he predicted.
It will be another four to six months before Valdez will receive advancement to Eagle Scout.
His next challenge will be with the U.S. Armed Forces, likely the Army, he said. He’s still weighing his options and talking to recruiters from the Navy and Air Force.
Chris and Pam Valdez are the proud parents.
“He worked very hard on this project,” Pam said.
Neither had seen the game played prior to Saturday, but both said it looked like fun while watching from a shady spot on the hot day. Despite the challenges, Drew’s persistence is what impressed them. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/people-are-going-gaga-for-new-sport/article_845c66e8-2494-11ed-bce7-c32999f23701.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:46Z |
GILLETTE — Emily Nuzum and Madison Bracht were in the middle of a fall out.
The two childhood friends were in the thick of a teenage stalemate brought along by loss in the family and a growing up of sorts.
In other words, they weren’t talking at the time.
But as Bracht scrolled through her phone, nearly two years ago, something stood out. She paused and scrolled back up.
“(Nuzum) posted something and I found it pretty weird, since that’s not something she usually posted so I decided to leave a nice comment,” Bracht said. “Then she reached out to me.
“She reached out to me about being sexually assaulted and it was by the same person I was sexually assaulted by, so we decided we wanted to come forward not alone.”
“We needed each other,” Nuzum added. “We just didn’t know it.”
Although the two 16-year-olds recognize and are grateful that the moment reignited the bond of friendship they had years before, they also know that the shared traumatic experience is something that neither of them should have had to live through, especially not alone.
Now, almost two years later, they are sharing their stories so that people their age can know who to turn to if they experience the same situation. They are starting a group called “We Will Not Be Silenced” with the aim to support and promote healing and understanding.
The two have turned a traumatic situation into a new beginning, laying groundwork for more communication and visibility on a prevalent issue that oftentimes hides in the invisibility of a victim’s shame or guilt.
“The main goal is to spread awareness (of sexual assault) because it’s unspoken,” Nuzum said. “We’re trying to focus on our peers, people our ages, because no one talks about it and it’s something that’s super hard to do.”
Since the two started their campaign just a few months ago, they’ve already had local girls and girls from out-of-state reach out to them for help or just a shoulder to lean on. The two hope to provide support but also share their experience in coping and what to expect if a person chooses to report — because Nuzum said the process is not simple or easy by any means.
“Obviously, it’s up to everyone to choose whether or not to report,” Bracht said. “I won’t tell them they ever have to but I’ll tell them it’s an option.”
For a long time after Nuzum reached out to her, Bracht felt guilty because she hadn’t reported what happened to her to authorities. She felt as though, maybe if she told someone, something could have been done to take him off the streets.
But after it happened, she wasn’t in a place where she felt she could speak and it wasn’t until long after Nuzum came forward that she told her story.
“I saw how everyone was treating her (at school),” Bracht said. “And there was no way I wanted anyone to know after that.”
“People were telling me that I was a horrible person and that I ruined his life,” Nuzum said about going back to school after the student’s arrest.
But the two had each other and also their families, who they said were way more supportive than they initially thought they’d be, another thing they want to pass along to anyone who joins their group.
Right now, the two have set up a website and Instagram where people can see their stories and join to support. So far, the two said that everyone in the community has been gracious and supportive of their efforts.
“We know we’ll get kickback eventually,” Nuzum said. “But we’re ready for it.”
They’ve also reached out to other counseling services and organizations in Gillette to learn more about how to guide anyone who comes to them with questions.
And in a bake sale fundraiser at Pokey’s Bar and Grill earlier in August, the two raised more than $1,500, half of which they will donate to the Gillette Abuse and Refuge Foundation.
They will use the rest of the money raised to pay for things like items for the float they want to create for the homecoming parade and copying kits or coloring books that may help some in the group manage the hurt.
The group is something of a coping mechanism for the girls, as well.
“Yes, the group is all about helping others,” Nuzum said. “But it’s also helping us. Being able to help just one person is what I live for.”
They want people to see their faces and know their names so that they know exactly who they can go to without judgment, if they need to. Both said that having someone their own age to go to would have helped them tell their stories earlier.
“That’s who I would’ve reached out to first,” Bracht said.
But since the issue isn’t talked about, she didn’t know of anyone who could help. She had heard rumors of students who had possibly lived through a similar hurt but again, it’s not something she felt comfortable asking them about.
By stepping forward, the two hope to alleviate that stress from anyone else.
After the assaults, both of the girls had to learn how to come back to their new normal.
But somehow, they’ve also learned how to look at the situation in as positive a way as they can.
Bracht said that going through the experience pushed her to be better. She had been going through a dark time and after that night, she realized she wanted more. Since then, she’s applied herself in school and started working in the hospital — a job she’d always wanted.
Nuzum said that she has been able to look at and approach things with a wider mindset, accepting things as they come without judging others.
“It made me see that damn, this is life,” she said.
Every week, the two spend countless hours together putting together what they can to form their peer group so they can share their perspectives and experience with others in a thoughtful way. They admit that as 16 year olds, money is scarce and starting something new is intimidating, but so far, their enthusiasm has not been stymied.
And it doesn’t look like it will be anytime soon.
Nuzum and Bracht have experienced how people change from childhood into adolescence and then fully into adulthood, and they’ve realized firsthand that there will be some friends people cannot live without.
Those friends are the ones a person calls for the simple things, like help for a missed day of homework but also the harder times in life, when a friend loses a family member or struggles to get out of bed.
It’s on those days that friends reach out and give support, lifting the other and assuring them that although the life motto is overwhelmingly cheesy, everything will, at some point at least, be all right again.
Bracht and Nuzum are now at the moment where it is all right again, but their goal is to make sure that others are able to reach that same point with a group of friends there to support them. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/students-support-peers-affected-by-sexual-assault/article_4bb0d81e-249a-11ed-a16b-9736d912e20c.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:53Z |
Barrasso, Lummis react to student loan forgiveness
Wyoming’s two U.S. senators were quick to criticize President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive $10,000 worth of federal student loan debt for students who earn less than $125,000 a year.
Barrasso, Lummis react to student loan forgiveness
Wyoming’s two U.S. senators were quick to criticize President Joe Biden’s plan to forgive $10,000 worth of federal student loan debt for students who earn less than $125,000 a year.
Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., said in a press release:
“Cancelling millions of dollars in student loan debt will make the pain of high prices even worse for Wyoming families. Today’s announcement is an insult to every American who played by the rules and worked hard to responsibly pay off their own debt. This decision is also a boon for Biden’s wealthy supporters. Once again, the Biden administration is selling out working families to appease the far-left wing of the Democrat party.”
Sen. Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo., said in a Wednesday statement:
“People in Wyoming know there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and cancelling student debt amidst record high inflation will only throw fuel on the fire. Any notion that there’s no cost to wiping out billions of dollars of debt is flat out wrong. According to the Penn Wharton Budget Model, this reckless decision will add an additional $300 billion to our national debt, thereby driving the cost of everyday goods even higher. This is incredibly unfair to the hardworking people of Wyoming who will be forced to foot the bill for the richest 40% of Americans who carry 60% of student loan debt.”
Rock Springs mayor accused of misconduct, conflict
Rock Springs Mayor Timothy Kaumo is facing criminal charges alleging official misconduct and conflict of interest.
According to the court documents obtained by the Rocket Miner, the crimes Kaumo allegedly committed include five counts of official misconduct, which is defined as “intent to obtain a pecuniary benefit, or maliciously to cause harm to another, he knowingly committed an act relating to his official duties that he did not have the authority to undertake” in July 2020.
The mayor also is charged with one count of conflict of interest, which was stated as the “request or receive of pecuniary benefit, other than lawful compensation, on any contract, or for the letting of any contract, or making any appointment where the government employing or subject to the discretion or decisions of the public servant is concerned,” also in July 2020.
All charges are considered misdemeanors under Wyoming law and are punishable by a fine of not more than $5,000.
The charges were filed in the 3rd Circuit Court on Aug. 1.
Kaumo’s next court appearance is scheduled for 9 a.m. Aug. 31.
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A receipt was sent to your email. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/news/worth-noting-aug-26-2022/article_bccf2c3a-24ae-11ed-936f-b343248cd2c4.html | 2022-08-26T12:59:59Z |
August 24 marked six months since Russia launched its war on Ukraine, with millions displaced and tens of thousands of civilians and soldiers killed.
The same day marked the centennial of the late historian Howard Zinn’s birth. Zinn was an author, professor and anti-war activist. His seminal book, “A People’s History of the United States,” revealed a different, dissident perspective on the historical arc of the Western hemisphere, from Christopher Columbus’ arrival in 1492 to the so-called “War on Terror.” First published in 1980, “A People’s History” has become a standard text, with over 2 million copies in print. Howard Zinn died in 2010, at the age of 87. His words, more than a decade after his death, are still worth hearing in a world wracked by war, racism and inequality.
“War poisons everybody who engages in it,” Howard Zinn said in a 2006 address in Madison, Wisconsin. The United States was waging two major wars at the time, in Iraq and Afghanistan, and supporting ongoing conflicts elsewhere. Howard Zinn continued: “We’ve had a history of war after war after war after war. What have they solved? What have they done?”
Howard Zinn volunteered to serve in World War II, becoming a bombardier. He participated in the bombing of Royan, a small town along the coast of France, in April 1945:
“This was a few weeks before the war was going to be over, and everybody knew it was going to be over,” Zinn said on the Democracy Now! news hour in 2005. “There was a little pocket of German soldiers hanging around this little town of Royan on the Atlantic coast of France, and the Air Force decided to bomb them — 1,200 heavy bombers, and I was in one of them, flew over this little town of Royan and dropped napalm — first use of napalm in the European theater. We don’t know how many people we killed, how many people were terribly burned as a result of what we did. But I did it, like most soldiers do, unthinkingly, mechanically, thinking we’re on the right side, they’re on the wrong side, and therefore we can do whatever we want, and it’s OK.”
Howard Zinn visited the French seaside resort in 1966 to speak with survivors. He wrote a detailed history of the raid and its consequences. “It was ... a very great sobering lesson about so-called good wars.”
In Zinn’s 2006 Wisconsin speech, he described “the different ratio of civilian-to-military deaths in war ... in World War I, 10 military dead for one civilian dead; in World War II, it was 50-50, half military, half civilian; in Vietnam, it was 70% civilian and 30% military; and in the wars since then, it’s 80% and 85% civilian.”
Howard Zinn taught at Spelman, a historically Black women’s college in Atlanta, during the height of the civil rights movement. Among his students were author Alice Walker and Children’s Defense Fund founder Marian Wright Edelman. Zinn explained on Democracy Now!, “At Spelman, I got involved with my students in the actions that were going on in the South, the sit-ins, the demonstrations, the picket lines.” His solidarity got him fired. In 2005, Professor Zinn was invited back to Spelman to deliver the commencement address.
Howard Zinn became a prominent opponent of the war in Vietnam. In 1968, he and activist priest Fr. Daniel Berrigan flew to North Vietnam, coordinating the first release of U.S. prisoners of war held there. When renowned whistleblower Dan Ellsberg released the Pentagon Papers, the U.S. government’s secret history of its involvement in Vietnam, Howard Zinn and his late wife Roz hid a copy of the documents in their home. His dedication to peace and anti-war activism continued unabated throughout his life.
August 24, in addition to the anniversary of Zinn’s birth, is also the day that Ukraine marks its independence from the Soviet Union. This year, independence celebrations were banned across Ukraine for fear of Russian attacks. Russia did attack a rail station on that day, in the eastern Ukrainian village of Chaplyne, killing at least 25 people, including children. On the same day, President Joe Biden announced an additional $3 billion in military aid to Ukraine, bringing the total in U.S. military aid to Ukraine since Biden took office to $13.5 billion.
Howard Zinn is not here to condemn this war, or any of the others now being fought. But through his example, his activism, and the enduring relevance of his writings, we can commit, on the centennial of his birth, to reiterate one of his central messages: War is not the answer to conflict in the 21st century.
Amy Goodman and Denis Moynihan, along with David Goodman, are co-authors of The New York Times best-seller “Democracy Now!: 20 Years Covering the Movements Changing America.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/laramieboomerang/opinion/guest_column/howard-zinn-at-100-the-enduring-legacy-of-the-peoples-historian/article_51bebffe-24b4-11ed-95a3-3ba15da85ec0.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:05Z |
Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – The Unitarian Universalist Church of Cheyenne’s new minister may only have three weeks under their belt so far, but they’re already excited about getting to lead the small congregation.
Rev. Elizabeth Mount – who identifies as nonbinary and uses “they/them” pronouns – already seems at home in the space, a modestly-sized church building at 3005 Thomes Ave. The church’s exterior walls are hugged by flowers and an overflowing vegetable garden. Walking among the thriving plants, the minister was eager to give away mint and squash.
Cheyenne’s UU congregation was a product of the church’s “fellowship movement” across the U.S. and parts of Canada, Mount said. The Unitarian Universalist Association’s website says the movement formally took place between 1948 and 1967.
About one-third of all current UU churches spring from this “massive church-planting effort,” Mount said. All began as “very, very small house churches.”
“They tend to just have this really close-knit, energetic lay leadership style, where people take a lot of responsibility for themselves and the continuation of programming,” the minister said.
Mount said they’ve already seen this sense of ownership on display at the Cheyenne church, which has about 120 members.
“This is a really sweet church. They’re just excited to be doing things,” Mount said. The minister said one of the teens in the congregation suggested holding a potluck and movie night this Friday.
“I’m like, ‘Yes, let’s do it,’” Mount said.
Mount described their philosophy for what they’re calling the church’s “Year of YES,” which stands for “Your Experimental Space.” It’s about trying out new programming and ways of doing things, and saying “yes,” unless there’s a good reason to say “no” – for example, a congregant’s recent suggestion to bring back a drum circle held on the Equinox.
Before coming to Cheyenne, Mount served for three years as minister of a UU church in Indiana, Pennsylvania, a small city outside of Pittsburgh.
Mount, who was born in Denver, said Cheyenne “feels a lot closer to home in a lot of ways.” They said they enjoy this part of the country and feel like there’s a lot of room for the UU church to grow here.
“My sense is, there’s a lot of folks who would love to be part of communities, and are looking for ways to connect that don’t necessarily mean that they’re stuck with a whole set of political or religious taboos and prescriptions. We’re looking to make a kinder world, not a controlling one,” the minister said of the UU church. “I think the thing that happens when you stop focusing on one set of scriptures as the only way to find truth is you start turning toward one another, and paying attention to people, and what makes people able to live good, healthy, inspired, contented lives.”
‘Love is the purpose’
Mount said that Unitarians, half of the merged religion, “historically have emphasized the oneness of God, and Jesus as a teacher and exemplar, rather than as a separate being who is also God.”
“They really believed that all of humanity has the potential to find holiness inside of them, and so congregations became a place where people could work to make themselves, each other and the world a better place,” they said.
Universalists “were folks who believed that any god who was all-knowing, all-powerful and all-loving would not condemn people to hell for eternity – that it was impossible for an infinite being to be unable to forgive finite sin. Because people are not as big as God. So you can’t sin big enough that God can’t forgive you.”
The two relatively small religions merged in 1961, with the common belief that “love is the purpose,” and that “what we are trying to do is make this world better, secure in the knowledge that the next world is taken care of,” said the minister.
Both religions have roots in Protestant Christianity, according to the UUA website.
Mount said the UU church has a long history of working for immigrant rights, supporting unhoused populations, and fighting for LGBTQ+ rights and inclusion.
Although they didn’t have exact numbers, the minister said the church surpassed half of its religious professionals being women in the 1990s, and estimates that number now sits between 60% and 70%. The church also has a “significant number” of nonbinary religious leaders, they said.
“When I started seminary, it seemed very possible that I was going to be the first out nonbinary minister ordained in UU-ism. That didn’t happen, and by the time I was ordained, I was not even in the top 10,” Mount said. “We have had rapid growth, which I’ve just found fabulous.”
Transgender Religious Unitarian Universalists Together, or TRUUsT, which is an organization of transgender UU religious professionals, was, for a period of time, “doubling their membership every year,” Mount said.
The minister said they think there’s “a pretty solid range” of political beliefs within the UU church, but “I don’t know that anybody would be comfortable long term in a UU church if they believed any particular kind of people were an abomination or unwanted.”
“You can certainly come with those beliefs, but they may have to be reshaped if you’re going to stay long term and feel good about being here,” Mount said. “I mean, that’s one of the things that we do is love people through their awkward belief moments. And I think we all have places that we can grow.”
Finding inclusion
Mount entered the UU church through their family. Their mom came from a Jewish background, and their dad “a nominally, but not very practicing, Christian background.” After Mount’s parents realized their child’s interest in religion, the family began exploring different churches.
“My mom said the UU church that we went to was the first one where she didn’t want to go and argue with the minister after church,” Mount said, laughing. “So, they stayed.”
During their middle school and high school years, Mount was “really drawn to paganism and pagan ritual,” going to study groups with a coven of UU pagans in their congregation at the time. For a while, Mount said they’d probably have identified as an atheist, and were encouraged by the congregation to spend time with a humanist group.
“The ability to be part of a church where I can have different theological groundings throughout my life, and figure out the truth in that without ever feeling like I was going to lose my community over it, or even have anybody be particularly upset about it” is something Mount believes is unique to the UU church.
In their free time, Mount enjoys hiking and reading – often science fiction, fantasy and philosophy. They have an orange cat named Miel, which means “honey” in Spanish. Miel is “the child of an Amish barn cat” – one carryover from Mount’s time as a minister in Pennsylvania.
Now, in Cheyenne, Mount is looking forward to building a legacy here through the church’s people.
“Often, I never see the outcomes of what we’ve planted together: programs, sermons, whatever. Here, I hope that I will get to dedicate children in this space, and then watch them go to school and watch them turn into teenagers,” they said. “And there’s no guarantees for that, but the ability to plant one little thing and then see what grows.”
Hannah Black is the Wyoming Tribune Eagle’s criminal justice reporter. She can be reached at hblack@wyomingnews.com or 307-633-3128. Follow her on Twitter at @hannahcblack. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/new-unitarian-universalist-minister-finds-home-in-cheyenne/article_0f7a0220-2400-11ed-962e-d3c521257c60.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:11Z |
Until primary election night, when he won his party’s Wyoming secretary of state nomination, Rep. Chuck Gray, R-Casper, had a pretty dismal 2022. None of the five bills he sponsored in the budget session passed, including four that didn’t even come up for a vote.
The previous year hadn’t been so hot for Gray, either. In September 2021, when former President Donald Trump shopped for a GOP congressional candidate to send Rep. Liz Cheney packing, he bypassed Gray and endorsed Cheyenne attorney Harriet Hageman.
When Trump declared everyone else should get out of Hageman’s way, Gray dutifully dropped out.
Gray tried to win Trump’s favor with two bills to change the name of State Highway 258 to the “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” Trump may well be the most popular politician in Wyoming, but both bills failed.
In May, opportunity knocked when Republican Secretary of State Ed Buchanan decided to not run for re-election. Gray announced his bid.
Gray made Trump’s lies about the 2020 election being stolen the centerpiece of his campaign. The candidate called the election “clearly rigged” against Trump, with ballot drop boxes like those in Wyoming serving as the tool Democrats used for the theft.
The idea Wyoming voters can’t trust that their ballots will be fairly counted should be a tough sell in a state where Trump trounced Joe Biden by 120,068 votes. If state Democrats are that inept at stuffing ballot boxes, they shouldn’t even be allowed to cross the street unassisted.
But Gray’s message that Wyoming’s elections are tainted by widespread voter fraud carried the day, and he defeated Sen. Tara Nethercott, R-Cheyenne, 50% to 41%.
Gray cast himself as a voter fraud expert because he went to Arizona to watch the Cyber Ninjas firm conduct a partisan “forensic audit” of Maricopa County’s presidential election. “I support the audit 100%. It’s an incredible, very important operation,” he tweeted.
The audit, which took more than seven months as the ninjas hand-counted ballots, did find election errors. Their report concluded 360 more residents voted for Biden than previously reported.
Yet Gray contends Wyoming should automatically conduct the same type of audit statewide using paper ballots, even though only four state residents have been convicted of voter fraud since 2000. All four, by the way, were Republicans.
Gray sponsored free showings of Dinesh D’Souza’s film “2000 Mules” to justify his desire to ban ballot drop boxes in Wyoming. Gray said the discredited documentary shows “how the woke, big-tech left has stolen elections with ballot drop boxes.”
Fortunately, none of Gray’s proposed voter fraud remedies can be implemented without legislative approval.
Former Secretary of State Max Maxfield, who endorsed Nethercott, filed a federal complaint against Gray for allegedly violating campaign finance laws. Maxfield questioned how Gray managed to loan his congressional campaign $300,000 when he claimed to only earn $11,000 a year.
After calling the complaint “frivolous,” the work of “liberal insiders,” Gray eventually explained he inherited the $300,000 from his grandfather.
“This campaign, unfortunately, has gotten pretty nasty because when someone stands for the truth against the insiders, they will do anything to maintain their power,” Gray charged at a Casper forum.
I agree that the campaign turned nasty, and truth matters. That’s why what the “Committee to Elect Chuck Gray” did a few days before the primary was so egregious.
Unsolicited text messages were sent to many Wyomingites – including Nethercott! – that erroneously claimed she is “being sued for lying and slander,” investigated “for violating state campaign $$$ law” and voting to “give herself a $30k taxpayer-funded raise.”
There is no lawsuit or investigation. Nethercott voted to increase state officials’ pay, but that was months before Buchanan announced his position would be open.
I don’t know how much damage the phony texts did to Nethercott’s chances of winning. Her loss by nearly 13,000 votes can likely be attributed to her declaring the election wasn’t stolen from Trump and such baseless claims are “undermining our country.”
As expected, Trump endorsed Gray. What’s surprising is that Gray polled about 40,000 votes less than Hageman, even though he and other right-wing candidates tried to tie themselves to her coattails.
Hageman trounced Cheney, but Cheney’s post-election words ring true: “No American should support election deniers for any position of genuine responsibility, where their refusal to follow the rule of law will corrupt our future.”
Gray joins five Republican secretary of state nominees – in Arizona, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada and New Mexico – who are election deniers. Unlike them, he’s the first who is virtually assured of victory in November, because no Democratic, Constitution or Libertarian party nominees will be on the ballot.
It’s time to face the harsh reality that someone who has the gall to deny the legitimacy of Wyoming elections, without a shred of evidence, will be in charge of them.
To be fair, Gray isn’t the only one responsible for his radical election agenda. He’s a surrogate who took advantage of his politically expedient chance to deliver Trump’s lies to Wyoming. Just as culpable are voters who wholeheartedly bought them – hook, line and sinker. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/drake-a-gray-day-dawns-for-wyoming-s-future-elections/article_991f3c48-24a5-11ed-8539-4bad3b0924b9.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:17Z |
Marching in lockstep, the Democrats pushed a $700 billion spending bill through Congress, claiming it would reduce inflation. We know that to be a lie.
Independent analyses from the Congressional Budget Office, the Congressional Joint Tax Committee and Penn/Wharton all show the badly misnamed Inflation Reduction Act would do little to nothing to stop the rate of increase in the price of goods and services.
Instead, relying on the oft-quoted strategy of never letting a good crisis go to waste, the Democrats rammed through a pared-down version of President Joe Biden’s Build Back Better plan that, to the disappointment of those who put him in office, had languished on Capitol Hill for more than a year.
Biden and the Democrats plan to spend the month of September traveling the country, trumpeting their achievement – which will be interesting to watch, as no Democrat considered even remotely at risk of defeat seems to want to campaign with him. Yet the American people are not fooled. A recent NBC News poll found that 71% believe that if it does anything, the legislation will actually make things worse.
Inflation is still on everyone’s mind. A Rasmussen Reports survey released Monday found 85% of likely U.S. voters at least “somewhat concerned” about inflation, including 57% who are “very concerned.” That’s almost unchanged since May, the pollster reported. Nonetheless, the Democrats are already shifting gears, talking about the IRA’s caps on prescription drug prices and stimulation of America’s switch to green energy instead.
Let’s look at what’s wrong with it. One of the Democrats’ proudest boasts is that by 2030, the new law will bring down carbon emissions by 40% from where they were in 2005. What they don’t say is they’re already projected to drop by 30% over that period. Spending $370 billion to maybe gain an additional 10% reduction sounds like a bad deal because the reduction in global average temperature would be imperceptible.
The new law also contains provisions that will increase costs for working families, according to a release from the minority staff on the House Ways and Means Committee. Among them are a $25 billion crude oil tax and methane taxes on American energy that will disproportionately harm middle- and lower-income households by driving up the price of gasoline and traditional home heating and cooling.
When it’s cold, you can put on a sweater. When it’s beastly hot, is it fair to force working American families to choose between buying groceries and school supplies or turning on the AC? And that’s not even the most odious part of the legislation Congress once again passed without knowing what was in it.
It makes things worse for working families in other ways. According to the Congressional Joint Tax Committee, more than 92% of households with incomes under $200,000 get no benefit or a tax hike. Median-income families earning $50,000-$75,000 are 33% more likely to get a tax hike than a tax cut. Families earning $75,000-$100,000 are four times more likely to get a tax hike, and families earning $100,000-$200,000 more than 10 times more likely to see their taxes go up.
If they lose, who wins? The wealthiest Americans:
The percentage of $1 million-plus households getting a tax cut (19.4%) is twice as high as any other income group.
The group with the next highest proportion of tax cuts is those earning $500,000-$1 million.
Over the long term, 72.5% of households with income over $1 million get a tax cut.
The claim drugs prices will come down fares no better. The scheme the new law imposed will increase new drugs’ launch price, according to the Congressional Budget Office. If new drugs cost more, you will pay more at the pharmacy, and your health insurance premiums will rise, meaning new cures could be pushed out of reach for all but the wealthiest Americans.
From top to bottom, the Inflation Reduction Act is a budget buster, driving the federal government and the nation’s families deeper into debt. Under the guise of bringing prices down, the Democrats used their momentary monopoly on power to reward the special interests who help them get elected and their electoral base.
It’s a progressive political payoff, not the salvation of the American economy.
Peter Roff is a media fellow at the Trans-Atlantic Leadership Network, a former columnist for U.S. News and World Report, and senior political writer for United Press International. Contact Roff at RoffColumns@gmail.com, and follow him on Twitter @TheRoffDraft. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/opinion/guest_column/roff-bidens-inflation-reduction-act-will-make-things-worse/article_ffb489e2-24ad-11ed-85a5-f39289b3fc68.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:24Z |
CHEYENNE – Elisiana Manzanares stands 5-foot-1. Maybe a smidge taller on a good day.
Despite her size, Manzanares plays a big role for the Cheyenne South volleyball team as its libero.
Libero is a defensive specialist position players of Manzanares’ stature thrive in, but the position is about a lot more than merely keeping points alive.
“She has learned what I’m looking for and has really stepped into a leadership role in that back row,” Bison coach Cherisa Applehunt said. “Her confidence is through the roof right now. She’s doing a great job of telling our hitters where to hit because she sees the court so well.”
The latter is the part of Manzanares’ role that often goes overlooked. It’s a duty she enjoys.
“I like to tell the hitters where I see open spots on the floor, and I get to tell them about where to hit or whether they need to tip a ball,” Manzanares said. “I’m also working to help our team recover defensively and get the block up. Communication was kind of a hard skill for me to learn, but I had to do it.”
Manzanares spent her freshman year at Cheyenne East, but transferred to South for her sophomore campaign. Transfer rules barred her from playing anything other than subvarsity contests that season, so last fall was her first season on varsity.
Being vocal didn’t come naturally for Manzanares, especially as she was still trying to find her fit on the roster.
“(Applehunt) pushed me hard to talk to my teammates more,” Manzanares said. “I had to watch other teams to understand what they might do so I knew where I needed to be and where to get my teammates. I’m comfortable with those things now, and I’m a lot more confident doing what I need to.”
Applehunt agrees.
“She’s talking more than I’ve ever seen,” the coach said. “She’s also leading by example. She wants to be good and is really fighting for it.”
Laramie County Community College’s volleyball team has had to practice at South a few times because of renovations at the college’s recreation and athletics building. Manzanares has tried to use the time when the teams overlap to her advantage, Applehunt said.
“She was there watching their liberos and asking them questions afterward,” she said.
Libero is one of the most difficult positions on a volleyball team. They wear a different colored jersey than their teammates, which signifies their special substitution privileges to referees. That difference also puts them under a spotlight for fans who expect them to reach every attack in their vicinity.
Manzanares has come to appreciate that pressure.
“It’s not an easy position, but I love it,” she said with a smile. “It’s a lot of diving on the floor and hustling to get to the ball. I love that challenge. I want to touch every ball I can and keep plays alive.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/burns/elisiana-manzanares-enjoys-pressure-of-her-role-for-south/article_4c1ff332-249c-11ed-a952-93706d402b4e.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:30Z |
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Cheyenne South’s football captains Aiden Webber (5), left, and Robert Campbell (55), right, pose for a portrait together on South’s football field in Cheyenne on Thursday, Aug. 25, 2022. Weber plays tight end and linebacker, Campbell plays right guard and linebacker. The co-captains have been best friends since fifth grade where they met playing for the Junior Bison team. Alyte Katilius/Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – Aiden Weber is still coming to terms with giving up the No. 26 for his final season wearing a Cheyenne South football uniform.
He had worn the digits from the first time he pulled a game jersey over a set of shoulder pads as a fifth-grader. It was a number Weber had to earn after Allan Cummings, his Junior Bison coach, told him he wasn’t just going to give him.
“He told me it had been his son’s number and that I was going to have to work extra hard if I wanted to wear it,” Weber said with a smile. “I didn’t get a jersey until I proved to him I was worthy of 26.”
Weber’s number change this fall is coming because he has again proven his worth.
The 5-foot-9, 160-pound tight end and linebacker is one of two South captains chosen to wear 5 and 55 by first-year coach Eli Moody. Weber will don 5, which represents the S on South’s helmets. Senior guard and linebacker Robert Campbell wear 55 in honor of the city’s South Side.
“We have four captains, but we want to give two of those guys a special recognition,” Moody said.
Campbell views the number change as an opportunity to help leave a legacy at his school.
“South hasn’t always had a good culture,” he said. “(Moody) thinks we can be the foundation of changing the culture here, so that’s an honor.”
Weber caught 14 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns last season. He also posted 36 tackles (16 solo) and a tackle for loss.
“He was one of the leaders on the defense as a junior with both his play and being vocal,” said Moody, who was an assistant at South last fall. “All this summer, he was one of the first kids to show up and the last to leave.
“When we went to team camp in Kearney (Nebraska), he was big about coaching the younger kids, getting them involved and making them want to be here.”
Weber has tried to be conscious of how he approaches practice, knowing other players look up to him.
“In the past, we haven’t had a lot of energy during practice,” he said. “Very few of us were hyped up and excited to be at practice. I’m trying to find good things that happen, even in bad plays.
“There’s always something good you can find with so many players out there. When someone messes up, I want to help them correct it and make them excited to play football. I want to build guys up, instead of beating each other up.”
Campbell spent the first month of the 2021 campaign in the top 10 of Class 4A’s defensive points average rankings. He has 29 tackles (13 solo and four for loss) to go with a quarterback sack. However, a rotator cuff injury derailed his season and sidelined him starting in October.
“I wanted to play through it, but my doctor basically gave me an ultimatum and told me I would really mess it up if I didn’t get it taken care of,” Campbell said. “Not being able to play kind of destroyed me mentally. I’m really glad Moody was there, helping build me back up.”
Campbell, a 5-10, 200-pound senior, has added 20 pounds in the off-season, and hopes the added bulk helps him avoid injury this season.
As good as he has been on the field, Campbell’s biggest contributions to the Bison might have come from behind the steering wheel of his grandmother’s minivan.
“He’d roll up to off-season activities and have 10 kids pouring out of that thing because he wanted to make sure they got here,” Moody said. “(Campbell and Weber) were the guys making the phone calls, trying to get as many kids as possible to 7-on-7s and things like that wherever they were practicing.”
Campbell is quick to note that his trips were largely along the city’s south side, and that the players riding with him threw him a few dollars for gas money. Playing shuttle driver was important, in his mind.
“We always have people making excuses for why they can’t be here,” he said. “We don’t want excuses. You can’t have that on a good football team. I told a couple guys I’d come pick them up, then another guy and another guy.
“Next thing you know, I’ve got about nine people hopping in with me.”
Jeremiah Johnke is the WyoSports editor. He can be reached at jjohnke@wyosports.net or 307-633-3137. Follow him on Twitter at @jjohnke. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/cheyenne_south/weber-campbell-honored-by-new-south-tradition/article_776de662-24b4-11ed-b6a0-a34c7ddf5e47.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:42Z |
LARAMIE — Last season it was “Build.”
This season it’s “Find A Way.”
The team slogan, branding and theme for Laramie High football is a continuation from the first season to the second with coach Paul Ronga at the helm of the Plainsmen.
“Find A Way” in maroon and gold appears on just about anything and everything — wristbands, T-shirts, stickers and much more.
Ronga came to Laramie shortly before the start of last season after an extensive coaching career throughout the state of New York. Last year’s Plainsmen sported a new look with a lot of changes, including jerseys and helmet designs. This season will be less about newness and more about improvement, starting with the slogan.
“It’s off of the premise of last year, which was ‘build,’” Ronga said. “We put the structure down where we were looking to build a program, build a foundation. Now we’re looking to ‘find a way’ to get better with what we built and to improve where we are in everything that we are doing.”
One of the major differences from the two seasons is instead of Ronga having about five weeks to prepare for the start of football, he had an entire offseason of thinking solely about the program and preparing for the future.
“(It was) an opportunity to assess the entire program as a whole — to analyze it, spend more time on it and find ways to make it better,” he said. “A lot of it was done in the weight room, offseason workouts, conditioning, hiring a strength coach and also tweaking what we do with football itself. Most notably, an entire new defense has been put in and half of the offense has been changed.
“It is year two, but it is still kind of year 1.5 so to speak because we are still growing and still learning. Having a year to do this made it simpler for us because of the time. Last year, there was no time.”
The more important time has arrived as the Wyoming Class 4A football schedule begins, and Laramie hosts Natrona County at 6 p.m. today in Deti Stadium.
It will be the first look at this season’s Plainsmen after an offseason spent like no other in the recent history of the program.
“Some of this stuff, it’s the first time this has ever been done — first time anyone has ever seen this, heard this or went through this,” Ronga said. “We had a 7-on-7 scrimmage against Poudre High School in Fort Collins (in May) and a 7-on-7 team scrimmage at the University of Wyoming, getting us on that field.”
Other offseason voluntary preparations included weight training, strength tests, conditioning tests, camps and clinics.
Laramie was 1-8 last year with its win being a 42-19 contest at Cheyenne South in the second to last game of the season. It snapped a nine-game losing skid that dated back to 2020.
The four Plainsmen co-captains are seniors Mahlon Morris, Abraham Bangoura, Jessie Cruz and Reese McIntyre.
“It’s fun, and been a longtime coming,” McIntyre said about being a senior captain. “We’ve waited to be able to be the team leaders for a while. It’s also surreal because it went so fast, so we can’t take it for granted this year.
“We’ve got a good group of senior guys,” the outside linebacker said. “We communicate well, work well together as a team and have fun. I think we can be something special this year on the defensive side.”
Cruz plays right tackle on offense, and mentioned “we are really coming out strong this year — better than last year for sure with a better run game.”
It was no secret significant injuries hampered the Plainsmen last year, starting from day one of fall camp and lasting to the end of the season with just enough players to field a team. Ronga and his staff are already pleased with how the offseason workouts already are showing signs of preventing that issue since official practices began Aug. 8 without pads and Aug. 11 with pads.
“The biggest thing we found out and discovered versus where we were a year ago is that the attrition rate has dropped dramatically,” Ronga said. “Last year, we dropped daily and weekly, and our numbers were so thin. This year we are exactly where we are since the first day.
“One of the reasons behind that was the emphasis on offseason conditioning and working out — getting our players bigger, faster and stronger. They’ve come in better shape and more prepared for the rigors of football. As a result, they are less prone to injury and it’s a huge difference.”
Without giving away specific game plans or diving into x’s and o’s, Ronga said the following for what to expect from the Plainsmen in all three phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams.
Offense
“Offensively, what we are looking for is to improve upon something we were worst in the league last year, which was running the ball,” Ronga said. “That is difficult because it involves patience, execution and players who are versed and skilled in terms of dominating the line of scrimmage. With that said, we are going to make an effort to do that.
“Other than that, we have skilled players who are good athletes and can do different things. We are pretty much a hybrid offensive unit.”
Last season, the Plainsmen were ninth in the 10-team 4A with 234 yards of total offense, and 10th with 75 of those rushing. Passing was fourth at 159 yards.
Defense
“Again, better athletes who are skilled and conditioned to run the defense we are running, which is now linebacker orientated — less linemen, more linebackers to be more in-tune with the Laramie-type athlete for football,” Ronga continued.
“We are looking to have more improvement there with the main thing of giving up less big chunks of yardage. Many times last year we gave up home runs and huge gains. We are looking to minimize and stop that with our linebackers chasing ball carries down.”
Last season, the Plainsmen were ninth in overall defense, giving up 391 yards — 258 on the ground (ninth) and 133 through the air (fifth).
Special teams
“We lost our kicker and all-state punter Talon Luckie (graduation), but we have a soccer kicker (junior Tyler Ennist) in place of him we feel very comfortable with and he is like Talon. We are looking forward to having Tyler as part of our program full-time.
“We also look to be smarter with special teams and be more skilled to execute our assignments better. Last year, there were some positive signs, but also some very negative signs we definitely need to change.”
The Mustangs
Natrona County finished at 7-4 last season and advanced to the 4A state playoff semifinals before a 38-24 loss to eventual champion Sheridan. The Mustangs have long been considered part of the “big four” in 4A along with Sheridan, Cheyenne East and Thunder Basin/Campbell County (before Gillette added Thunder Basin as a second high school in 2017). Rock Springs also cracked the “big four” by playing in the championship game last season, losing to Sheridan 45-27.
Natrona recently won state titles in 2010, 2012, 2014 and 2018.
“We know they are (known as) a powerhouse,” Ronga said. “Our mission and goal is for us. It’s a home game and we had no success last year at home. So we want to have a better product on the field for our home fans and give them something to feel good about and for ourselves something to feel good about.
“Natrona is just a means to an end. They are a powerhouse and always will be … our concern is making ourselves the best that we can be and put the best product we can on the field.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/high_school/laramie_high/find-a-way-plainsmen-host-natrona-county-to-begin-season/article_7f25f9e0-24d6-11ed-b81e-5fffde48ee83.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:48Z |
Romo aces Hole No. 9 at Airport Aug 26, 2022 1 hr ago Comments Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save CHEYENNE – Chris Romo of Cheyenne used a 7-iron to hit a hole-in-one on the 152-yard, par-3 Hole No. 9 on Wednesday at Airport Golf Course.The shot was witnessed by Charlie Bauer, Mano Martinez and Patrick Martinez of Cheyenne. Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Tags Hole No. Chris Romo Cheyenne Golf Sport Airport Mano Martinez Patrick Martinez Charlie Bauer Recommended for you Please enable JavaScript to view the comments powered by Disqus. comments powered by Disqus Latest Special Section 2021 Wyoming Football Preview To view our latest e-Edition click the image on the left. Trending Now Keys to success for Wyoming football in 2022 Keagan Bartlett ready to lead Indians after season of learning LCCC women's soccer adapts to new coach Cowboys turn focus to Illinois Predicting Wyoming’s starters for the season opener | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/community/romo-aces-hole-no-9-at-airport/article_7414e720-24de-11ed-82ff-0b40458dfdb6.html | 2022-08-26T13:00:55Z |
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WyoSports
CHEYENNE – During her freshman season at Yavapai Community College, Brooke Parker started a new pregame tradition with her volleyball teammates.
For three to five minutes before each game, the team would gather in a circle to meditate on the upcoming game, visualizing everything from setting up perfect passes to celebrations to how they would respond to adversity.
This pregame tradition is just one of many things that the sophomore setter hopes to bring to Laramie County Community College during their 2022 campaign.
Parker began her volleyball career at the age of 9 in Flagstaff, Arizona. As she grew older, she joined a higher-level club team that played in Phoenix. She would make the one hour and 45-minute drive down to Phoenix three days a week with the goal of getting more looks from college coaches.
“While there are club teams in Flagstaff, I just wanted to be able to further my athletic career,” Parker said. “It was a grind, but it definitely paid off in the end, and I’m really glad that I did that.”
Parker became a standout during her time at Coconino High. She was a three-time first team all-region honoree, a three-time second team all-conference selection and a three-time Coconino all-tournament team pick. During her senior year, she took home the Grand Canyon Region Player of the Year honor.
Throughout her time in Flagstaff, Parker started to develop her leadership skills. She worked with Student Council and the National Junior Honor Society during middle school and high school, which helped her develop her leadership skills both on and off the court.
“I have always done leadership things,” Parker said. “So, when I first started volleyball, I liked being able to be a leader and a positive example for my teammates.”
Parker carried that success into college, where she helped Yavapai to a 14-13 record. As a setter, she led the team in assists (462) and finished fourth on the team in both aces (21) and digs (208).
Despite the success in college, a major change came in Parker’s athletic career. After the season ended, her head coach, Zach Shaver, took the vacant head coaching job at LCCC. Parker decided to follow her coach to Cheyenne and joined the LCCC for the 2022 season.
The biggest reason for the change: coach Shaver himself. Parker cited his coaching style and how much she learned from him as a major reason for her transfer.
“(Shaver) does a great job of getting us all on the same page, having good team chemistry and pushing us to be the best we can be,” Parker said. “So that was a big factor for me when he left Yavapai.”
Since arriving in Cheyenne, Parker has taken on a leadership role. She is being leaned on not only to run the offense while she is on the court, she is also being asked to help everyone understand how to play in coach Shaver’s system. She is also helping mentor the seven freshmen on the roster, guiding them through the differences in the college game.
Parker also brings valuable experience to the team, not just with coach Shaver, but in the college game as a whole. She brings consistency at the setter position, and is both a good blocker and attacker.
“She knows the game at a high level,” Shaver said. “She is not somebody that we have to change our offense for when she is in the front row. But I think, most of all, (she brings) a competitiveness that we are looking for.”
The Golden Eagles currently sit at 2-1 on the season. They open the home portion of their season at 6 tonight at Storey Gym by hosting Western Nebraska Community College, which is one of the premiere teams in the NJCAA.
“We are all pretty confident after this past weekend,” Parker said. “We are definitely humble, and not going to get ahead of ourselves, but we had some really good matches this past weekend.”
Matt Atencio covers Cheyenne prep sports for WyoSports. He can be reached at matencio@wyosports.net. Follow him on Twitter at @MattAtencio5. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/other_sports/lccc/parker-brings-leadership-experience-at-setter-for-lccc/article_22ebeae2-2402-11ed-bb34-1fd011caefd3.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:07Z |
LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming volleyball team opens the season today and Saturday by hosting the first of its two nonconference tournaments.
The Rumble in the Rockies in the UniWyo Sports Complex will feature a loaded field of teams to test the Cowgirls when No. 18 Creighton, Iowa State and Wichita State visit Laramie.
The Cowgirls are entering their 10th season with coach Chad Callihan at the helm, and begin at noon today against Wichita State. UW finishes the first day with a 7 p.m. match against Iowa State. Saturday’s match will be at 6 p.m. against Creighton. The trio of Cowgirls’ opponents went a combined 66-26 last season.
Wyoming was 16-14 overall and 8-10 in Mountain West action last season. The Cowgirls enter this season picked seventh in the Mountain West preseason poll. UW played a pair of preseason tune-ups last weekend. The annual Brown and Gold scrimmage was split two sets each, and UW won a four-set exhibition match against CSU Pueblo.
Naya Shimé led the Cowgirls against the ThunderWolves with 17 kills. Corin Carruth and Tierney Barlow added eight and seven kills, respectively. Shimé also had four blocks to lead the team. In the back row, Hailey Zuroske led with 17 digs. Setter Kasia Partyka tallied a match-high 38 assists.
UW returns eight student-athletes from last season’s squad, including 2019 All-Mountain West honoree KC McMahon, who was 10th in MW play last season in kills (3.01 per set) and points (3.45). She enters her final campaign with the Cowgirls with 901 career kills, 99 shy of becoming the 13th member of the 1,000-kill club in program history.
Shimé led the team last season with 2.99 kills and was fourth in the conference in league-play at 3.55. Zuroske, who will likely transition to the libero spot this season, was one of four players to have action in at least 100 sets and has appeared in 74 matches during her UW career. She was fourth on the team with 158 kills and was second with 223 digs (2.17) and had 30 service aces.
Corin Carruth, Teresa Garza, Lydeke King, Kayla Mazzocca and Zoee Smith also return this season after seeing playing time in 2021.
The opponents
Creighton, which begins the season in the Preseason AVCA Top-25 Poll, were 31-4 last season, and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. The Bluejays were picked to win the Big East for a ninth consecutive season in the league’s preseason poll and are led by preseason Big East player of the year, Norah Sis.
Sis, who was also Big East freshman of the year last season, was second in the league in kills (3.75) and points (4.34). She also was named an AVCA third team All-American last season.
Joining Sis on the preseason All-Big East squad is Kendra Wait and Jaela Zimmerman. Zimmerman was the only player in the Big East to average at least three kills and three digs per set on her way to honorable mention All-America honors. Wait led the Big East in assists and was also an honorable mention All-American.
Iowa State returns five starters, including unanimous All-Big 12 preseason selection Eleanor Holthaus, who was 10th in the league last season in kills (3.23) and ninth in points (3.75).
Jaden Newsome returns after finishing fourth in the Big 12 in assists (9.80). The Cyclones are led by longtime coach Christy Johnson-Lynch, who enters her 18th season leading ISU. The Cyclones were 16-12 overall and 8-8 in the conference.
Wichita State returns a trio of All-AAC selections with Brylee Kelly (first team), Natalie Foster (second team) and Kayce Litzau (second team). The Shockers were 19-10 last season and finished fifth in the American Athletic Conference with a 13-7 mark in league play.
Kelly finished fourth in the league in both kills (3.54) and points (4.16). Litzau led the conference in assists (10.18) and Foster hit .334 on the season, ranking fifth. The Shockers are coached by Chris Lamb, who is entering his 23rd season with the program. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/cowgirls-open-season-hosting-rumble-in-the-rockies/article_0adff43c-24c2-11ed-96be-d726118fd037.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:13Z |
LARAMIE — The University of Wyoming soccer team and Montana have made a habit of tying in recent memory. That didn’t change Thursday at South Campus Stadium in Missoula, Montana.
UW tied Montana 2-2, marking the fifth straight draw in matches between the two squads.
The teams had to wait out a 1½-hour lighting delay, but it didn’t affect the Cowgirls’ aggressiveness. UW (0-2-1) fired seven shots in the first 45 minutes, and senior Faith Joiner made one of those pay off.
Joiner came off the bench and immediately made an impact. She got on the end of freshmen Alyssa Glover’s crossing pass for a score in the 45th minute.
It marked the fourth-career goal for Joiner and the first career assist for Glover. It took less than 10 minutes into the second half for Joiner to log her fifth-career score. She found the back of the net in the 55th from a flip throw-in from junior Alyssa Bedard.
Montana cut its deficit in half in the 67th when Molly Massman scored after an assist from Maysa Walters to make it 2-1.
Montana (0-1-2) earned the equalizer with less than 10 minutes to play in the game. Skyleigh Thompson bodied in a ball from Delaney Lou Schorr that gave the contest its final tally.
UW finished with 12 shots, nine on target. Montana had 18 shots, six of which were on frame. Bedard led the Cowgirls with three shots.
Cowgirls’ senior goalkeeper Miyuki Schoyen made four saves. Camellia Xu turned away seven shots for the Lady Griz.
Wyoming will next host North Dakota at 1 p.m. in the Madrid Sports Complex for its season home opener. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/cowgirls-play-to-a-draw-at-montana/article_5dd6a104-24e0-11ed-99aa-87d7ebf18627.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:19Z |
Bob Asmussen, who covers Illinois for the Champaign News-Gazette, weighs in on what Wyoming can expect this weekend against the Illini.
I know they've been keeping things close to the vest, but what is the quarterback situation looking like?
They're not going to say until the game starts, but I would say I'm 99.9% sure – maybe 100% – that (Syracuse transfer Tommy) DeVito is going to be the starter. I don't think there's any question about that. ... If they don't start DeVito, it would be the most shocking thing ever here in terms of who is going to be the starter.
Illinois ranked 121st in the FBS in passing efficiency last year. What was the biggest source of these struggles in the passing game?
The quarterbacks weren't very accurate. If you look at the percentages of all the guys, it just wasn't very good, but the main part of that was guys were not open. The receivers, other than Isaiah Williams, had a tough time getting open. Just everything about that passing game wasn't good. The reason they made the coaching change at offensive coordinator is because the passing game was so off.
You cannot win the Big Ten with being 121st in passing. It just doesn't work. These guys want to have some semblance of balance, and they didn't have it last year. I would say the main thing was they didn't have enough separation for most of the receivers, and when they did get separated, there were drops, and the quarterbacks couldn't hit them. It was just a combination of things.
What would you say is the greatest strength, and greatest uncertainty or weakness, as far as position groups go?
Certainly the strength, and I don't think it's even close, is running back. Chase Brown is a 1,000-yard rusher, and they haven't had a whole lot of those here in recent years. He has a chance to be only the third guy with 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons, and I think he'll do it unless he gets hurt. He's a great player, and one of the better running backs I've seen here. He has Joshua McCray as a backup, who had a really good freshman year, and there's a bunch of guys beyond those two. That room is very, very talented, and they've made it clear they want to run the ball, so I think that group will be really productive.
As for an uncertainty or weakness, I would have said receiver, but it looks better than I thought going into the year. The concern will be, not because of the talent involved, but there's questions on the defensive line because they lost some really good players. There are two really good players up there – Keith Randolph and Jer'Zhan Newton – but the rest of the line is just kind of unsolved. That part is pretty important, and that's a place where a little unsettled is the word I'd use.
Another one is the specialists. Last year, they were really good. Their kicker was good, their long snapper was great, and the punter was the best in school history. Those guys are all gone. They are all new guys, and they could be fine. It's more of a question than it is a weakness. We just don't know. I think you'll see early in the season if guys can make field goals and punt well, but I think there are concerns about that from the Illinois side.
This is going to be the second season under head coach Bret Bielema. What are some of the changes you've seen in the program?
Just organizationally, they seem to know what they're doing. Lovie (Smith)'s staff was fine. They were great coaches, but they had not worked in college football (for a long time), so that was a big difference for them. It had been 20 years for him. I think this staff seems much more like a college staff, as opposed to Lovie's staff, which seemed more like a pro staff.
The main thing is the day-to-day operations seem more smooth. They just have a better plan. They don't waste time. We hardly see them practice, but when we do, everybody is doing something. That, to me, is smart. You have people giving them feedback all the time, so they're all getting better. Not just half the team, the whole team is getting better. With as much success in college football as Bielema has, I think they hope he can recapture some of the Wisconsin stuff here. That's the goal.
What’s your prediction for Saturday’s game?
I keep going back and forth. I know the oddsmakers are calling it a 10- or 10 1/2-point game, and I think that's pretty reasonable, but I certainly think Wyoming has a chance. I've seen Illinois in the past think they're going to win a game easily, and it just didn't happen like that. I think it'll be a seven- to 10-point game. The offense of Illinois will be better, but the defense is also a little more questionable.
I could see maybe a 27-20 game. The coaching staff at Wyoming is great, and I think Craig Bohl does an unreal job, so I think they'll have a chance to come in and scare the Illini, if nothing else. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/know-the-foe-wyoming-at-illinois/article_cbb43ca6-2498-11ed-a676-ef3b453bdf7e.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:25Z |
LARAMIE – For the first time in nearly four decades, University of Wyoming football fans will hear a different voice on the radio when the Cowboys kick off their 2022 season this weekend.
However, the UW faithful should be plenty familiar with the new man behind the mic.
Reece Monaco was announced as the successor to longtime play-by-play commentator Dave Walsh on July 1, and is set to broadcast his first game as the new Voice of the Cowboys on Saturday at Illinois. Monaco has been a staple of UW athletics for the past two decades, serving for 19 seasons as the voice of Cowgirls basketball, before moving into the same role with the men’s basketball team in 2020. He’s also been the sideline reporter on football broadcasts for the past 10 years.
Monaco has been asked plenty over the last two months about the prospects of taking over for one of his mentors, a nine-time Wyoming sportscaster of the year and inductee into the Wyoming Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. For him, the response to these types of questions is a simple one.
“My answer to that is those shoes can't be filled,” Monaco said. “He is the voice of a generation, maybe two generations for Wyoming athletics. The only thing I can do is try to step in and bring it the best I can, and try to make it mine. I think that's what I did with basketball for the last couple of years. And, hopefully, I'll gain the trust of Wyoming fans.
“They can trust me that I'm going to try to keep it at the same level that Dave was for so, so long. It's an absolute honor. With so many outstanding sportscasters in Wyoming, for the university and for Learfield to trust me to do this, it's just a great feeling. When they announced it in July, it was like, 'OK.' It's game week now. It's go time. There's no more sitting around thinking about what could've/should've been. It's time to get going.”
While Monaco views Walsh a mentor, there hasn’t been a ton of advice from the man passing him the torch in recent months. Having witnessed Monaco’s abilities as a broadcaster up close, Walsh notes “there's not a whole lot I could tell Reece, honestly.”
Monaco is a five-time Wyoming sportscaster of the year himself, and Walsh is confident he’s the perfect fit to take his place in the broadcast booth.
“He possesses all the talents of a good play-by-play guy and a good sportscaster,” Walsh said. “You can hear the lilt in his voice, and he's into it. He's not deadpan whatsoever, and he gets emotional, and he describes what's going on.
“He has that talent to be able to paint the picture, as we say. Reece is very good at that. He has that gift of gab that really helps in this business, so all those traits that you look for and hope for in a good radio personality, Reece has that. He's going to slide right in there and just do great.”
‘Wyoming in their soul’
In addition to his wealth of experience doing play-by-play for UW basketball games, as well as his decade as a part of the football broadcast, Monaco’s affiliation with the university goes back to his days as a student in the 1990s.
He says his first experiences with Wyoming sports was listening to Walsh, as well as his partner in the broadcast booth, Kevin McKinney, on the radio. In doing so, the seed was planted in his mind that broadcasting was a career he wanted to pursue.
“I was a high school athlete, a weekend warrior type of guy, and I realized really quick that there really wasn't a lot of room in the sports world for a kind of short, fat, slow guy,” Monaco recalled. “My decision to go into sportscasting was to keep in sports, to be around it, and to participate in the only way I know, to be able to describe to people and tell people about it. That's why I got into this.”
Monaco took his first broadcasting job at KCSR in Chadron, Nebraska, where he started out calling games for Chadron High. He vividly remembers his first broadcast – a showdown between Chadron and Gordon high schools – and eventually moved into a role calling Chadron State women’s basketball games.
This experience opened the door for him to return home to Wyoming as a broadcaster for the Cowgirls basketball program, an opportunity he views as a turning point in his career. He’s been entrenched in UW athletics ever since.
“When I got the chance to start doing Wyoming women's basketball, I considered that a huge break for me,” Monaco said. “That got my foot in the door over there, and I got to work with one of the best coaching staffs I have ever been around – with Joe Legerski and Gerald Mattinson and his assistant coaches, Heather (Ezell), Ryan (Larsen), Fallon (Lewis), Mike Petrino and everybody that was on that staff.
“That was an incredible break, and that got my voice out there to Wyoming fans. I think that familiarity has really helped me on this journey from women's basketball to men's basketball and now here to football. I developed a relationship with a lot of Wyoming football fans through that, so those are the highlights.”
While some athletic departments would conduct an outside search to find the new play-by-play voice for generations to come, Wyoming didn’t have to look far. Instead, the Cowboys elected to keep the hire within the UW family.
McKinney, who worked alongside Monaco on men’s basketball broadcasts for the past two seasons, is pleased the university decided to do so.
“I think it's important to do that, and for (the play-by-play voice) to have Wyoming in their soul,” McKinney said. “We're very fortunate that Reece does have that. He's earned it. He's been around a long time, he's done a lot of games, Cowgirls and Cowboys, so to have him get this opportunity is really special.
“I'm so happy for him. I know he's going to be a little nervous in that first game, but he'll do great. He's a professional, and I'm really happy for him that he got this opportunity.”
Familiar sound
Obviously, there will be a new wrinkle to the broadcast this season, with the only play-by-play voice that a significant portion of Wyoming football fans have known stepping away from the booth after 38 years. However, with McKinney – who has been a fixture on UW broadcasts since the 1970s – entering his 27th season as the color commentator for Cowboys football, there will be a familiar feel, as well.
“First, his knowledge is absolutely incredible,” Monaco said of what stands out about his time working alongside McKinney. “Kevin has forgotten more about the University of Wyoming and Wyoming athletics than I'll ever know, or a lot of people will ever know.
“And just his dry sense of humor. The way he approaches some things, you have to pay attention. Nobody has ever accused me of being a genius, and sometimes that just goes right over my head.”
Having had the chance to call Cowboys basketball games with Monaco, McKinney sees a handful of similarities between him and his former radio partner.
“His preparation is outstanding,” McKinney said. “He's very good at painting a clear picture of what's going on, and that's a talent. That's not easy to do. Dave was the same way. These guys are, in their own way, an artist. They're painting a picture for us with words. I grew up listening to the play-by-play announcers with my dad, and I always marveled at how they did that.
“Reece has that ability. He's very clear about it. He's a guy that gets excited at the right times. I think he's always upbeat. Everybody says when they hear the game, they can tell if we're down because of me. I hate that, but that's me. He's always positive, always upbeat, and when he gets excited, you can't help but get excited.”
Beginning of a new era
Walsh admits that this week has a bit of an unusual feeling to it. Despite the oddness of knowing he won’t be in the broadcast booth this weekend, though, he’s happy about the change.
Gone are the days of spending countless hours preparing spot charts, and performing in-depth research on the Cowboys and their upcoming opponent. This year, it’s been a more relaxing experience getting ready for UW’s season.
Walsh plans to spend Saturday in the comfort of his own home, cheering for the Pokes alongside family members. And, of course, listening to his close friends on the radio broadcast.
“I'm looking forward to it, actually,” Walsh said. “I'll listen, and I get to be more of a fan now. I can scream and cheer, and sing 'Cowboy Joe' whenever I want now. It'll be different, but it'll be great, and it'll be a lot of fun listening to Reece and Kevin, too.”
The lead-up to the season opener has been a new experience for Monaco, as well.
As a sideline reporter, there wasn’t nearly as much pregame preparation required, with his primary responsibilities being to provide injury reports and give analysis on what he was seeing on the field. This time around, his research started last week, and has only ramped up in recent days. He even went out and bought a new pair of binoculars recently, preparing to take in the game from his new vantage point in the broadcast booth.
The initial reaction to being announced as the new Voice of the Cowboys was one of a dreamlike nature for Monaco. As kickoff inches closer, though, reality has settled in.
“It has hit me,” Monaco said. “I'm in awe that I'm in this position, and I'm forever grateful that I'm getting this opportunity.” | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/monaco-looks-to-leave-own-mark-as-voice-of-the-cowboys/article_0d47da50-23eb-11ed-81f8-7b4f2f81de41.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:32Z |
All signs point toward a pair of transfers getting the first snaps under center. Tommy DeVito joined the Illinois program after spending the past five years at Syracuse, and will look to invigorate an aerial attack that ranked 121st in the country in passing efficiency last season. DeVito burst onto the scene as a sophomore in 2019, completing 63.2% of his passes while throwing for 2,360 yards, 19 touchdowns and five interceptions. He battled with injuries in 2020, though, and ultimately lost his starting job last season. Andrew Peasley comes to the Cowboys from Mountain West rival Utah State, where he saw limited action over the past four seasons. However, his most significant playing time came in arguably the Aggies’ biggest win of the regular season, when they took down Air Force 49-45 in what would ultimately serve as the Mountain Division tiebreaker. Peasley completed 10 of 15 passes for 195 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions in this game.
Advantage: Push
Running back
While the Cowboys will likely hold an advantage at running back most weeks, depth seems to give Illinois an edge at the position in this matchup. The Illini duo of Chase Brown and Josh McCray combined to rush for 1,554 yards and seven touchdowns last year, and both are back to headline the team’s run-first attack. Wyoming’s Titus Swen very well could be the most talented running back on the field, as he looks to build off a season in which he ranked second among MW running backs with 5.9 yards per carry, while rushing for 785 yards and a team-high seven touchdowns as the No. 2 back to Xazavian Valladay. However, top backup Dawaiian McNeely is sidelined with an injury that will keep him out Saturday, leaving a pair of promising, but unproven redshirt freshmen – Joey Braasch and D.Q. James – to fill the void behind Swen on the depth chart.
Advantage: Illinois
Wide receiver/tight end
Perhaps no position on Wyoming’s roster was hit harder by departures than wide receiver, with the Cowboys’ top two pass catchers – Isaiah Neyor and Ayden Eberhardt – exiting the program after combining for 1,176 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns last year. Joshua Cobbs has stepped into the No. 1 wideout role, and is UW’s top returning receiver after hauling in 25 catches for 245 yards and a touchdown in 2021. Tight end, on the other hand, was the most stable position in terms of roster turnover. Treyton Welch had two receiving touchdowns last year, including the game-winner against Montana State, and combined with Parker Christensen for 290 receiving yards last season. Illinois, meanwhile, brings back top receiver Isaiah Williams, who had 47 receptions for 525 yards and four touchdowns in 2021. However, they lost a two-year starter in tight end Daniel Barker to the transfer portal.
Advantage: Illinois
Offensive line
Both teams will feature new contributors on the interior line, while bringing back experience at the tackle spots. Alex Palczewski is one of the veterans for Illinois up front, having started 52 games during his career, while Julian Pearl started 10 games last year, as well. With the Illini not releasing a depth chart, though, the rest of the line is somewhat of a mystery at this point. Wyoming’s offensive tackles – Frank Crum and Eric Abojei – have combined to start 50 games during their college careers, with the Cowboys boasting a top-20 rushing attack in each of their two years as full-time starters. Center Nofoafia Tulafono and right guard Emmanuel Pregnon will also start, with Zach Watts and Jack Walsh both set to see playing time at left guard. There isn't a ton of playing experience between these four, but reviews out of training camp have been nothing but positive. The Pokes also could benefit from their interior line not having much wear and tear on their bodies, something that wasn't the case with last year’s veteran-heavy group.
Advantage: Wyoming
Defensive line
Illinois brings back a pair of talented defensive linemen in Keith Randolph and Jer'Zhan Newton, both of whom earned preseason All-Big Ten honors from Athlon after combining to start 18 games last season. Much like the offensive line, though, it’s a bit unclear where the Illini stand outside of these two veterans. As for Wyoming, defensive tackles Cole Godbout and Jordan Bertagnole are two of the most experienced players on the roster, with Godbout earning an All-MW honorable mention and leading the team in sacks last season. The loss of defensive end Sabastian Harsh to injury will undoubtedly hurt, but there is still hope that the athleticism of DeVonne Harris, Oluwaseyi Omotosho and Braden Siders will help improve a pass rush that ranked second-to-last in the conference in sacks in 2021.
Advantage: Illinois
Linebackers
With Butkus Award finalist Chad Muma off to the NFL, Easton Gibbs will have big shoes to fill after moving from weakside to middle linebacker this offseason. Gibbs appears to be ready for the challenge, having gained a significant amount of muscle mass this offseason and stepping into a leadership role for the defense. He’ll be joined by Shae Suiaunoa, who has appeared in 19 games over the past two years, at weakside linebacker. Illinois returns its second-leading tackler from a year ago in middle linebacker Tarique Barnes, with outside linebackers Calvin Hart and Seth Coleman expected to step into larger roles this season.
Advantage: Push
Defensive backs
Illinois brings back three starters in the secondary, but also loses a significant piece in all-conference safety Kerby Joseph. Wyoming, meanwhile, will have a different look to its defensive backfield after leading the MW in pass defense in 2021. Sophomore cornerback Cam Stone has progressed perhaps as much as anybody on the roster this offseason, and is joined at the position by Power Five transfers Jakorey Hawkins and Deron Harrell. Hawkins showcased his playmaking ability with an interception in the spring game, nearly coming up with two additional picks, while Harrell is no stranger to Illinois after spending the past five years at Wisconsin. Sophomore safety Isaac White played a significant amount during the final six games of last season, and was arguably the best player in the secondary during this stretch, recording 33 tackles, 26 solo stops, two tackles for loss, one sack, one fumble recovery and one interception. Fifth-year senior Miles Williams and sophomore Wyett Ekeler also bring a mix of experience and potential to the position.
Advantage: Wyoming
Special teams
Special teams is a bit of an uncertainty for Illinois after losing key pieces at long snapper, kicker and punter, so it’s difficult to gauge where the Illini stand in the kicking game until they play their first game this season. Wyoming has yet to announce its starting punter, but John Hoyland enters his third year as the Cowboys' place kicker. Hoyland struggled at times on longer kicks last year – going 1 of 5 on attempts of 40 yards or more – after posting a 92.9% success rate his freshman season. However, he was automatic on kicks under 40 yards, going 9 of 9, in addition to converting all 40 of his extra-point attempts. Both teams are looking to make more game-changing plays on special teams, with Williams, Cobbs and Stone – who had a 99-yard kick return for a touchdown to break open a blowout win over MW champion Utah State last year – expected to receive action in the return game.
Advantage: Push
Final score: Illinois 24, Wyoming 17
Josh Criswell covers the University of Wyoming for WyoSports. He can be reached at jcriswell@wyosports.net or 307-755-3325. Follow him on Twitter at @criswell_sports. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyosports/university_of_wyoming/football/tale-of-the-tape-wyoming-at-illinois/article_3966db04-2495-11ed-862b-03db247d439e.html | 2022-08-26T13:01:38Z |
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Nelva Williamson, a Houston public school history teacher, didn't think she'd end up in the classroom — even though her mom was a teacher. She tells her son about how her love of learning began.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Nelva Williamson, a Houston public school history teacher, didn't think she'd end up in the classroom — even though her mom was a teacher. She tells her son about how her love of learning began.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/after-4-decades-in-the-classroom-a-texas-teacher-is-keeping-history-alive | 2022-08-26T13:02:19Z |
Jarl Mohn set out to become a member of all 251 stations. He sent a donation of a $1,000 to each of them and asked for a mug in return. His collection currently stands at 210.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Jarl Mohn set out to become a member of all 251 stations. He sent a donation of a $1,000 to each of them and asked for a mug in return. His collection currently stands at 210.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-08-26/former-npr-ceo-jarl-mohn-wants-to-collect-a-mug-from-each-member-station | 2022-08-26T13:02:25Z |
Nelva Williamson, a Houston public school history teacher, didn't think she'd end up in the classroom — even though her mom was a teacher. She tells her son about how her love of learning began.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Nelva Williamson, a Houston public school history teacher, didn't think she'd end up in the classroom — even though her mom was a teacher. She tells her son about how her love of learning began.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/after-4-decades-in-the-classroom-a-texas-teacher-is-keeping-history-alive | 2022-08-26T13:31:25Z |
Jarl Mohn set out to become a member of all 251 stations. He sent a donation of a $1,000 to each of them and asked for a mug in return. His collection currently stands at 210.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Jarl Mohn set out to become a member of all 251 stations. He sent a donation of a $1,000 to each of them and asked for a mug in return. His collection currently stands at 210.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/former-npr-ceo-jarl-mohn-wants-to-collect-a-mug-from-each-member-station | 2022-08-26T13:31:31Z |
EPA to designate ‘forever chemicals’ as hazardous substances
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency is designating some toxic industrial compounds used in cookware, carpets and firefighting foams as hazardous substances under the so-called Superfund law.
The designation means that releases of long-lasting chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS that meet or exceed a certain quantity would have to be reported to federal, state or tribal officials. The requirement would increase understanding of the extent and locations of the contamination and help communities avoid or reduce contact with the potentially dangerous chemicals, the EPA said.
PFOA and PFOS have been voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers but are still in limited use and remain in the environment because they do not degrade over time. The compounds are part of a larger cluster of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS that have been used in consumer products and industry since the 1940s.
PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are used in nonstick frying pans, water-repellent sports gear, stain-resistant rugs, cosmetics and countless other consumer products.
The chemicals can accumulate and persist in the human body for long periods of time, and evidence from animal and human studies indicates that exposure to PFOA or PFOS may lead to cancer or other health problems.
“Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these forever chemicals,’’ EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement Friday. “The action announced today will improve transparency and advance EPA’s aggressive efforts to confront this pollution.”
Under the proposed rule, “EPA will both help protect communities from PFAS pollution and seek to hold polluters accountable for their actions,’’ Regan said.
The EPA’s action follows a recent report by the National Academies of Science that calls PFAS a serious public health threat in the U.S. and worldwide.
Regan said many sources of PFAS contamination are near communities already overburdened with pollution. The proposed rule would provide the agency with improved data and the option to require cleanups and recover cleanup costs to protect public health, he said.
The move follows an EPA announcement in June that PFOA and PFOS are more dangerous than previously thought and pose health risks even at levels so low they cannot currently be detected.
The agency issued nonbinding health advisories that set health risk thresholds for PFOA and PFOS to near zero, replacing 2016 guidelines that had set them at 70 parts per trillion. The chemicals are found in products including cardboard packaging, carpets and firefighting foam and increasingly found in drinking water.
The EPA said in a statement that it is focused on holding responsible those who have manufactured and released significant amounts of PFOA and PFOS into the environment. The agency also said it is committed to further outreach and engagement to hear from communities affected by PFAS pollution.
Several states have set their own drinking water limits to address PFAS contamination that are far tougher than the federal guidance.
The revised health guidelines issued in June are based on new science and take into consideration lifetime exposure to the chemicals. Officials are no longer confident that PFAS levels allowed under the 2016 guidelines are safe from adverse health impacts, an EPA spokesman said.
Attorney Rob Bilott, an anti-PFAS advocate, said the EPA’s proposal “sends a loud and clear message to the entire world that the United States is finally acknowledging and accepting the now overwhelming evidence that these man-made poisons present substantial danger to the public health and the environment.”
Bilott, whose work to uncover the widespread presence of PFAS chemicals in the environment and in human blood was highlighted in the 2019 film “Dark Waters,’’ represents states, water providers and others affected by PFAS contamination. He said in a statement that any hazardous substance designation under the Superfund law must be implemented so the costs of cleaning up the toxins are borne by PFAS manufacturers who caused the contamination — “not the innocent victims of this pollution who didn’t create the toxins and were never warned any of this was ever happening.”
The EPA said it expects to propose national drinking water regulations for PFOA and PFOS later this year, with a final rule expected in 2023.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the Environmental Protection Agency at https://apnews.com/hub/us-environmental-protection-agency.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/epa-designate-forever-chemicals-hazardous-substances/ | 2022-08-26T13:45:13Z |
Inflation eases as consumer prices rise 6.3% in July
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation eased last month as energy prices tumbled, raising hopes that the surging costs of everything from gasoline to food may have peaked.
According to a Commerce Department report Friday that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, consumer prices rose 6.3% in July from a year earlier after posting an annual increase of 6.8% in June, the biggest jump since 1982. Energy prices made the difference in July: They dropped last month after surging in June.
So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 4.6% last month from a year earlier after rising 4.8% in June. The drop — along with a reduction in the Labor Department’s consumer price index last month — suggests that inflationary pressures may be easing.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices actually fell 0.1% from June to July; core inflation blipped up 0.1%, the Commerce Department reported.
Inflation started rising sharply in the spring of 2021 as the economy rebounded with surprising speed from the short but devastating coronavirus recession a year earlier. Surging customer orders overwhelmed factories, ports and freight yards, leading to delays, shortages and higher prices. Inflation is a worldwide problem, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up global food and energy prices.
On Friday, regulators in the U.K. said that residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills.
In the United States, the Commerce Department’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index is less well known than the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI).
But the Fed prefers the PCE index as a gauge of inflationary pressures, partly because the Commerce index attempts to measure how consumers adjust to rising prices by, for example, substituting cheaper store brands for pricier name brands.
There are evidence just in the last several months that that is happening.
CPI has been showing higher inflation than PCE; Last month, for instance, CPI was running at an 8.5% annual pace after hitting a four-decade high 9.1% in June. One reason: The Labor Department’s index gives more weight to rents, which have soared this year.
The Commerce Department also reported Friday that Americans’ after-tax personal income rose 0.3% from June to July after adjusting for inflation; it has fallen in June. Consumer spending rose 0.2% last month after accounting for higher prices.
The Fed was slow to respond to rising inflation, thinking it the temporary result of supply chain bottlenecks. But as prices continued to climb, the U.S. central bank moved aggressively, hiking its benchmark interest rate four times since March.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell was scheduled to give a speech Friday at an economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he was expected to shed light on the Fed’s plans for future interest rate hikes.
“Admittedly, with headline PCE inflation still at 6.3% and core PCE inflation at 4.6%, we don’t expect the Fed suddenly to announce a pivot at Jackson Hole,’’ Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note. “But even better news on inflation over the coming months is likely to convince the Fed to change course next year, despite any hawkish rhetoric coming from officials now.’’
Price pressures may be easing as the U.S. economy slows. Gross domestic product — broadest measure of economic output — shrank in the first half of 2020 as borrowing costs increased. The housing market has been hit especially hard. And supply chain backlogs have started to unsnarl.
Nick Zawitz, who runs Tangle Creations, a South San Francisco company that makes Fidget Toys among others, said that shipping costs have plunged and raw materials prices have dropped slightly. Meanwhile, the company’s sales are up 45% over the past year. “Things are chugging along,’’ Zawitz said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/inflation-eases-consumer-prices-rise-63-july/ | 2022-08-26T13:45:19Z |
Moderna suing Pfizer over vaccine technology
(AP) - COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna is suing Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech, accusing its main competitors of copying Moderna’s technology in order to make their own vaccine.
Moderna said Friday that Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine Comirnaty infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ago protecting the technology behind its preventive shot, Spikevax. The company filed patent infringement lawsuits in both U.S. federal court and a German court.
A Pfizer spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the company had not been served with a copy of the litigation.
Moderna and Pfizer’s two-shot vaccines both use mRNA technology to help patients fight the coronavirus.
The mRNA vaccines work by injecting a genetic code for the spike protein that coats the surface of the coronavirus. That code, the mRNA, is encased in a little ball of fat, and instructs the body’s cells to make some harmless spike copies that train the immune system to recognize the real virus.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a prepared statement that the vaccine developer pioneered that technology and invested billions of dollars in creating it.
The company said it believes its rivals’ vaccine infringes on patents Moderna filed between 2010 and 2016.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/08/26/moderna-suing-pfizer-over-vaccine-technology/ | 2022-08-26T13:45:26Z |
College student struck by lightning on first day of class
PENSACOLA, Fla. (WEAR) - Talk about a rough first day: A freshman at the University of West Florida was walking to class when she got struck by lightning.
She survived, which her doctors say is a miracle.
Emma Eggler, 18, is feeling lucky this week. “A lot of doctors told me I should buy a lottery ticket because I was lucky,” she said.
The Birmingham, Alabama, student was struck by lightning on Monday, her first day of college as a freshman.
“I did not feel anything, at all really. I just woke up on the ground,” Eggler said.
She collapsed on the sidewalk after the lightning hit her in the chest.
“My shirt was like completely open,” Eggler said. “Because of the lightning strike, it melted to me.”
The electricity traveled down the left side of her body. Her watch exploded and burned her wrist.
The electricity went down to her foot, putting a hole in her sock and one in her sneaker.
“I was able to get my backpack off me. But I could not feel my legs at all, and I was scared I was paralyzed, and I was really panicking,” Eggler said.
Senior Nelson Libbert and others ran over to Eggler and put her on a bench. They called 911.
Libbert started talking to her to calm her down. He said that he told her, “I would be freaking out over this, but you, you’re so strong, you’re a strong freshman. I know this is a tough first day, but believe it or not, but you’re going to make it through this.”
She was taken to Sacred Heart in Pensacola and then to University of Alabama Hospital in Birmingham.
The doctors told her parents she was lucky the bolt didn’t stop her heart.
“We definitely feel like God performed a miracle for her. That is the only explanation for why she is still with us,” said Erin Eggler, Emma Eggler’s mother.
Emma Eggler has been released from the hospital and has regained movement in her legs. She is expected to return to classes next week.
Copyright 2022 WEAR via CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/college-student-struck-by-lightning-first-day-class/ | 2022-08-26T13:51:32Z |
EPA to designate ‘forever chemicals’ as hazardous substances
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency said Friday it is designating some toxic industrial compounds used in cookware, carpets and firefighting foams as hazardous substances under the so-called Superfund law.
The designation means that releases of long-lasting chemicals known as PFOA and PFOS that meet or exceed a certain quantity would have to be reported to federal, state or tribal officials. The requirement would increase understanding of the extent and locations of the contamination and help communities avoid or reduce contact with the potentially dangerous chemicals, the EPA said.
PFOA and PFOS have been voluntarily phased out by U.S. manufacturers but are still in limited use and remain in the environment because they do not degrade over time. The compounds are part of a larger cluster of “forever chemicals” known as PFAS that have been used in consumer products and industry since the 1940s.
PFAS is short for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, which are used in nonstick frying pans, water-repellent sports gear, stain-resistant rugs, cosmetics and countless other consumer products.
The chemicals can accumulate and persist in the human body for long periods of time, and evidence from animal and human studies indicates that exposure to PFOA or PFOS may lead to cancer or other health problems.
“Communities have suffered far too long from exposure to these forever chemicals,’’ EPA Administrator Michael Regan said in a statement Friday. “The action announced today will improve transparency and advance EPA’s aggressive efforts to confront this pollution.”
Under the proposed rule, “EPA will both help protect communities from PFAS pollution and seek to hold polluters accountable for their actions,’’ Regan said.
The EPA’s action follows a recent report by the National Academies of Science that calls PFAS a serious public health threat in the U.S. and worldwide.
Regan said many sources of PFAS contamination are near communities already overburdened with pollution. The proposed rule would provide the agency with improved data and the option to require cleanups and recover cleanup costs to protect public health, he said.
The move follows an EPA announcement in June that PFOA and PFOS are more dangerous than previously thought and pose health risks even at levels so low they cannot currently be detected.
The agency issued nonbinding health advisories that set health risk thresholds for PFOA and PFOS to near zero, replacing 2016 guidelines that had set them at 70 parts per trillion. The chemicals are found in products including cardboard packaging, carpets and firefighting foam and increasingly found in drinking water.
The EPA said in a statement that it is focused on holding responsible those who have manufactured and released significant amounts of PFOA and PFOS into the environment. The agency also said it is committed to further outreach and engagement to hear from communities affected by PFAS pollution.
Several states have set their own drinking water limits to address PFAS contamination that are far tougher than the federal guidance.
The revised health guidelines issued in June are based on new science and take into consideration lifetime exposure to the chemicals. Officials are no longer confident that PFAS levels allowed under the 2016 guidelines are safe from adverse health impacts, an EPA spokesman said.
Attorney Rob Bilott, an anti-PFAS advocate, said the EPA’s proposal “sends a loud and clear message to the entire world that the United States is finally acknowledging and accepting the now overwhelming evidence that these man-made poisons present substantial danger to the public health and the environment.”
Bilott, whose work to uncover the widespread presence of PFAS chemicals in the environment and in human blood was highlighted in the 2019 film “Dark Waters,’’ represents states, water providers and others affected by PFAS contamination. He said in a statement that any hazardous substance designation under the Superfund law must be implemented so the costs of cleaning up the toxins are borne by PFAS manufacturers who caused the contamination — “not the innocent victims of this pollution who didn’t create the toxins and were never warned any of this was ever happening.”
Erik Olson, a health and food expert at the Natural Resources Defense Council, called the announcement an important step to clean up hundreds of contaminated sites across the country and protect millions of families exposed to the toxic chemicals.
“Listing PFOA and PFOS as hazardous under Superfund law should allow EPA to hold polluters responsible for that contamination,” he said. “Ratepayers and public utilities should not be footing the bill for industry’s decades of wonton use of these dangerous chemicals.”
The EPA said it expects to propose national drinking water regulations for PFOA and PFOS later this year, with a final rule expected in 2023.
___
Follow the AP’s coverage of the Environmental Protection Agency at https://apnews.com/hub/us-environmental-protection-agency.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/epa-designate-forever-chemicals-hazardous-substances/ | 2022-08-26T13:51:38Z |
Inflation eases as consumer prices rise 6.3% in July
WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation eased last month as energy prices tumbled, raising hopes that the surging costs of everything from gasoline to food may have peaked.
According to a Commerce Department report Friday that is closely watched by the Federal Reserve, consumer prices rose 6.3% in July from a year earlier after posting an annual increase of 6.8% in June, the biggest jump since 1982. Energy prices made the difference in July: They dropped last month after surging in June.
So-called core inflation, which excludes volatile food and energy prices, rose 4.6% last month from a year earlier after rising 4.8% in June. The drop — along with a reduction in the Labor Department’s consumer price index last month — suggests that inflationary pressures may be easing.
On a monthly basis, consumer prices actually fell 0.1% from June to July; core inflation blipped up 0.1%, the Commerce Department reported.
Inflation started rising sharply in the spring of 2021 as the economy rebounded with surprising speed from the short but devastating coronavirus recession a year earlier. Surging customer orders overwhelmed factories, ports and freight yards, leading to delays, shortages and higher prices. Inflation is a worldwide problem, especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine drove up global food and energy prices.
On Friday, regulators in the U.K. said that residents will see an 80% increase in their annual household energy bills.
In the United States, the Commerce Department’s personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index is less well known than the Labor Department’s consumer price index (CPI).
But the Fed prefers the PCE index as a gauge of inflationary pressures, partly because the Commerce index attempts to measure how consumers adjust to rising prices by, for example, substituting cheaper store brands for pricier name brands.
There are evidence just in the last several months that that is happening.
CPI has been showing higher inflation than PCE; Last month, for instance, CPI was running at an 8.5% annual pace after hitting a four-decade high 9.1% in June. One reason: The Labor Department’s index gives more weight to rents, which have soared this year.
The Commerce Department also reported Friday that Americans’ after-tax personal income rose 0.3% from June to July after adjusting for inflation; it has fallen in June. Consumer spending rose 0.2% last month after accounting for higher prices.
The Fed was slow to respond to rising inflation, thinking it the temporary result of supply chain bottlenecks. But as prices continued to climb, the U.S. central bank moved aggressively, hiking its benchmark interest rate four times since March.
Fed Chair Jerome Powell was scheduled to give a speech Friday at an economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, where he was expected to shed light on the Fed’s plans for future interest rate hikes.
“Admittedly, with headline PCE inflation still at 6.3% and core PCE inflation at 4.6%, we don’t expect the Fed suddenly to announce a pivot at Jackson Hole,’’ Paul Ashworth, chief North America economist at Capital Economics, said in a research note. “But even better news on inflation over the coming months is likely to convince the Fed to change course next year, despite any hawkish rhetoric coming from officials now.’’
Price pressures may be easing as the U.S. economy slows. Gross domestic product — broadest measure of economic output — shrank in the first half of 2020 as borrowing costs increased. The housing market has been hit especially hard. And supply chain backlogs have started to unsnarl.
Nick Zawitz, who runs Tangle Creations, a South San Francisco company that makes Fidget Toys among others, said that shipping costs have plunged and raw materials prices have dropped slightly. Meanwhile, the company’s sales are up 45% over the past year. “Things are chugging along,’’ Zawitz said.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/inflation-eases-consumer-prices-rise-63-july/ | 2022-08-26T13:51:44Z |
Moderna suing Pfizer over vaccine technology
(AP) - COVID-19 vaccine maker Moderna is suing Pfizer and the German drugmaker BioNTech, accusing its main competitors of copying Moderna’s technology in order to make their own vaccine.
Moderna said Friday that Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine Comirnaty infringes on patents Moderna filed several years ago protecting the technology behind its preventive shot, Spikevax. The company filed patent infringement lawsuits in both U.S. federal court and a German court.
A Pfizer spokeswoman declined to comment, saying the company had not been served with a copy of the litigation.
Moderna and Pfizer’s two-shot vaccines both use mRNA technology to help patients fight the coronavirus.
The mRNA vaccines work by injecting a genetic code for the spike protein that coats the surface of the coronavirus. That code, the mRNA, is encased in a little ball of fat, and instructs the body’s cells to make some harmless spike copies that train the immune system to recognize the real virus.
Moderna CEO Stephane Bancel said in a prepared statement that the vaccine developer pioneered that technology and invested billions of dollars in creating it.
The company said it believes its rivals’ vaccine infringes on patents Moderna filed between 2010 and 2016.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/08/26/moderna-suing-pfizer-over-vaccine-technology/ | 2022-08-26T13:51:51Z |
Strength in unity is a guiding light for the music of tenor sax quartet Battle Trance, and their latest work "Green of Winter I" is a wind-powered, tour-de-force. Unlike a string quartet, with different parts of one musical family, group members Jeremy Viner, Patrick Breiner, Matt Nelson and Travis Laplante concentrate on a single instrument, creating a unique opportunity to explore all the sounds it contains through Laplante's compositions. From lilting chorales to surging clouds of noise, from carving different paths to converging as one unit, the group pushes its one instrument to all its extremes — revealing worlds of possibilities beneath keys and reeds.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-08-26/battle-trance-green-of-winter-i | 2022-08-26T14:19:56Z |
There are those who heed the warning "don't mess with Texas," and then there are those who do the exact opposite.
Activist Chaz Stevens is in the second group.
He's taking on a Texas law that requires public schools to display signs and posters with the national motto "In God We Trust" in "conspicuous places." The law requires that the signs were either donated or purchased from private donations to the school.
Stevens, who lives in Florida and is known for his petitions to local governments, heard of the law about a week ago and told NPR he was irritated by the move to bring religion — in this case, Christianity — into schools.
"That should be irritating for you, regardless of what God or not-God you believe in," he said.
As far as he could tell, there was no requirement that the motto be written in English. He decided to start a fundraising campaign to send posters to schools around the state with the motto written in Arabic instead.
"They didn't say anything about language," Stevens said. "And as an artist, it's always art forward for me. So I thought, well, know what looks good ... and then it occurred to me that Arabic is beautiful."
He said his goal with this campaign is the same as with his previous endeavors.
"It's simple — it's empowering hypocrisy itself, turning bureaucracies against themselves, figuring out what the bureaucratic hypocrisy is," Stevens said.
The Texas law passed during the last legislative session
The law was passed last summer. At the time, there were more concerns about the pandemic than the signs – and only now are more being donated, The Texas Tribune reports.
Republican state Sen. Bryan Hughes authored the bill and has shared updates as groups have started making donations to different districts and schools.
The law requires the posters or signs to be donated or "purchased from private donations," and the U.S. flag and Texas state flag must be represented on the poster as well. It "may not depict any words, images, or other information."
Though the law does not mention English being the only language that can be displayed, Hughes responded to news of Stevens' campaign.
"Read the bill. Sign must contain "In God We Trust" US flag, Texas flag and "may not depict" any other words or images," Hughes wrote. "Print what you like, but only these signs qualify under the law."
Despite that, Stevens is continuing with his plan. In less than a week, he has raised more than $18,000 and counting to fund the purchase of the signs.
He said overall the response has been "wildly supportive."
Stevens is expanding the design to include more languages
The feedback from the public also led Stevens to broaden his design. He plans to include Spanish, Hindi and other languages. To ensure he has the translations right, Stevens said he is hiring translators in each language.
There's still some design work to be done, but Stevens is hopeful his posters will start arriving at schools in Texas in the next two to three weeks.
Other organizations -- including the Yellow Rose Texas Republican Women group and Patriot Mobile, which calls itself a Christian conservative wireless service provider — have donated posters printed in English to schools outside of Houston as well as in the Dallas metropolitan area.
Stevens said he doesn't have a list of specific schools in mind, but he's aiming to send the signs to politically liberal and conservative areas.
"If I send out 500 signs, I expect 98% of them not to go up. And that's a win for me," Stevens said. "Maybe two out of a hundred go up on a wall. And I wanted the two. ... It proves the point."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.keranews.org/news/2022-08-26/an-activist-plans-to-test-texas-in-god-we-trust-law-with-signs-in-arabic | 2022-08-26T14:36:59Z |
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