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SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Sinn Féin Leader Mary Lou McDonald is travelling to California this weekend for a series of engagements. During the visit, she will brief Governor Newsom, Speaker of the US House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi, and a number of state and congressional representatives including Congressman Mike Thompson, Assembly member James Gallagher and Ambassador Eleni Kounalakis the first woman elected Lieutenant Governor of California with responsibility for International Affairs and Trade. She will be meeting with senior global executives from several US companies including Google and Salesforce and address business leaders at an event hosted by the Bay Area Council. She will also meet with Irish Consul General Micheál Smith with Tourism Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and the IDA.
She will address the Labor Day breakfast organised by the San Francisco Labor Council and attend a number of Irish Community events in Pairc na nGael and the United Ireland Cultural Centre. She will deliver a keynote address in the University of San Francisco on Wednesday evening.
Ms McDonald said:
"I am travelling to California later this week and I look forward to meeting with political representatives, business leaders, trade unions and the Irish community.
"While we are dealing with many challenges, this is a time of real hope and opportunity in Ireland. The social and economic opportunities are immense and we want to see them realised. This requires planning and preparation, something which the current FF/FG government are completely failing to do. That is why we have a generation being left behind, a generation who will be worse off than their parents and locked out opportunity and home ownership. This cannot go on – we need change, we need progress, we need opportunity. We need our young people to have a stake in the future, a future in Ireland.
"We are approaching the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement, an agreement that shows what can be achieved when people come together in common purpose. 25 years on we are now beginning to write the next chapter in Ireland's story – the re-unification of Ireland. The role of the US in securing the Good Friday Agreement was critical and their voice will be just as important as we move towards referenda on Irish unity.
"But as we look to the future we are dealing with huge challenges globally and in Ireland. The ongoing war in Ukraine, a cost of living crisis, the fallout of a toxic Brexit, a very real and present climate emergency and a full out attack on the Good Friday Agreement from a British Tory party in internal disarray. As they elect a new leader in the coming days we need to see a change of direction. We need to see a recommitment to the Good Friday Agreement, real support for the restoration of the political institutions and an end to game playing around the Irish protocol and the unilateral actions of the British Government.
And voices in Ireland and the US could not be more unified in making it clear to Britain that this needs to happen.
"My message on this trip is about change, opportunity and working together in common cause and that is what I'm committed to delivering."
Mary Lou McDonald will deliver a keynote address in the University of San Francisco at 7pm on Wednesday on the topic of "A Decade of Opportunity: Building a New and United Ireland - An Evening with Mary Lou McDonald" The event will be live streamed.
Contact: Siobhán Fenton
Sinn Féin Press Office
siobhan.fenton@sinnfein.ie
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SOURCE Platinum Advisors DC on Behalf of Mary Lou McDonald | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/mary-lou-mcdonald-meet-political-business-leaders-california-visit/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:15Z |
Grace E. Speights Envisions "The Future of the Workplace'' in Thought-leadership discussion at the Center Club in Downtown Baltimore as part of the MSBA's 125th anniversary celebration.
BALTIMORE, Sep. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Maryland State Bar Association (MSBA) is proud to continue programming for its 125th Anniversary Thought Leadership Initiative through its Spark Series on September 14, 2022 at 5PM featuring Grace E. Speights, a world-renowned thought-leader, partner at Morgan Lewis and The American Lawyer's 2018 Attorney of the Year.
"The SPARK SERIES has been curated to bring us top tier thinkers and leaders like Ms.Sherrilyn Ifill and Ms.Vanita Gupta to lead us in critical reflection and deep discussion about the state of the legal profession, how we, as lawyers, have wielded our position of influence historically, and the legal profession's role in reimagining the future of justice in the state and across the nation," remarks David Shapiro, President of the Maryland State Bar Association.
Previous Spark Series events were held virtually earlier in 2022 and it is with great excitement that MSBA hosts the September event live from high above Downtown Baltimore at The Center Club (100 Light St. #16 Baltimore, MD 21202). The Spark Series events will be followed by a series of podcasts and a full day culminating program on December 9, 2022.
MSBA President Shapiro went on to add, "I am very proud of the program the Maryland State Bar Association has brought to our members and the public under the leadership of Donna Hill Staton and Reena Shah, both highly respected lawyers and advocates for improving our justice system, the legal profession, and the lives of the people we serve."
In the final installment of the Spark Series, Ms. Speights will be leading a discussion about The Future of the Workplace. Grace E. Speights is sought out by executives and boards to handle high-profile and high-stakes workplace matters for employers and advises on corporate culture and governance.
Space is extremely limited! Reserve your seat at https://www.msba.org/product/spark-series-grace-speights/
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SOURCE Maryland State Bar Association | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/maryland-state-bar-association-continues-its-125th-anniversary-thought-leadership-initiative-programming-with-spark-series-event-september-14-featuring-grace-e-speights/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:22Z |
NEW YORK and SAN DIEGO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP, a preeminent national consumer rights law firm, announces that it is investigating claims on behalf of Nelnet Servicing, LLC ("Nelnet") customers.
On or before July 21, 2022, Nelnet discovered a vulnerability that led to a data event (the "Data Breach"). On or around August 17, 2022, an investigation revealed that beginning in June 2022 and ending on July 22, 2022, certain student loan account registration information was accessible by an unknown party.
On or around August 26, 2022, Nelnet began notifying consumers of the Data Breach. Information acquired includes names, home addresses, email addresses, phone numbers and social security numbers.
If you received a NOTICE OF DATA BREACH from Nelnet and you reside in the United States, if you wish to discuss this investigation, or if you have any questions regarding your rights and interests in this matter, please contact Wolf Haldenstein immediately by telephone at (800) 575-0735, via e-mail at byrd@whafh.com, or visit our website at www.whafh.com
CLICK HERE TO FILL OUT CONTACT FORM
Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP has extensive experience in the prosecution of consumer rights litigation in state and federal trial and appellate courts across the country. The firm has attorneys in various practice areas and offices in New York and San Diego. Courts have repeatedly recognized the reputation and expertise of this firm and have appointed it to major positions in complex litigation.
Contact:
Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP
Gregory Stone, Director of Case and Financial Analysis
Rachele R. Byrd, Esq.
Email: byrd@whafh.com or gstone@whafh.com
Tel: (800) 575-0735 or (619) 239-4599
Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome.
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SOURCE Wolf Haldenstein Adler Freeman & Herz LLP | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/nelnet-servicing-llc-data-breach-investigation-alert-issued-by-wolf-haldenstein-adler-freeman-amp-herz-llp/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:29Z |
PARSIPPANY, N.J., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE: PBF) today announced that members of its management team will participate in the Barclays Energy-Power Conference on September 7, 2022 and the Wells Fargo Leveraged Finance Conference on September 8, 2022.
PBF Energy Inc. (NYSE: PBF) is one of the largest independent refiners in North America, operating, through its subsidiaries, oil refineries and related facilities in California, Delaware, Louisiana, New Jersey and Ohio. Our mission is to operate our facilities in a safe, reliable and environmentally responsible manner, provide employees with a safe and rewarding workplace, become a positive influence in the communities where we do business, and provide superior returns to our investors.
PBF Energy Inc. also currently indirectly owns the general partner and approximately 48% of the limited partnership interest of PBF Logistics LP (NYSE: PBFX).
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SOURCE PBF Energy Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/pbf-energy-participate-industry-conferences/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:35Z |
RED BANK, N.J., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Provention Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRVB) (the "Company"), a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to intercepting and preventing immune-mediated diseases, today announced that the Company granted stock options to two non-executive employees to purchase an aggregate of 38,000 shares of common stock. The stock options were granted without stockholder approval as inducements, material to the new non-executive employees entering into employment with the Company, pursuant to Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4) and were approved by the Company's compensation committee of the board of directors.
The stock options were granted with a 10-year term and an exercise price equal to $4.51 the closing price per share of the Company's common stock as reported by Nasdaq on September 1st 2022. Each of the options will vest 25% on the one year anniversary of the grant date and 75% in equal monthly installments thereafter so that the grant is fully vested on the four year anniversary of the grant date, provided that the new employee continues to serve as an employee of, or other service provider to, the Company on each such vesting date. The stock options are subject to the terms of the Provention Bio, Inc. 2020 Inducement Plan, as amended.
About Provention Bio, Inc.:
Provention Bio, Inc. (Nasdaq: PRVB) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on advancing the development of investigational therapies that may intercept and prevent debilitating and life-threatening immune-mediated diseases. The Biologics License Application (BLA) for teplizumab, its lead investigational drug candidate, for the delay of progression to Stage 3 clinical type 1 diabetes in at-risk individuals has been filed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The Company's pipeline includes additional clinical-stage product candidates that have demonstrated in pre-clinical or clinical studies proof-of-mechanism and/or proof-of-concept in other autoimmune diseases, including celiac disease and lupus. Visit www.ProventionBio.com for more information and follow us on Twitter: @ProventionBio.
Internet Posting of Information:
Provention Bio, Inc. uses its website, www.proventionbio.com, as a means of disclosing material nonpublic information and for complying with its disclosure obligations under Regulation F.D. Such disclosures will be included on the Company's website in the "News" section. Accordingly, investors should monitor this portion of the Company's website, in addition to following its press releases, SEC filings and public conference calls and webcasts.
Investor Contact:
Robert Doody, VP, Investor Relations
rdoody@proventionbio.com
484-639-7235
Media Contact:
Kaelan Hollon, VP, Corporate Communications
khollon@proventionbio.com
202-421-4921
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SOURCE Provention Bio, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/provention-bio-announces-grant-inducement-awards/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:42Z |
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: RGLS), a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs (the "Company" or "Regulus"), today announced that the Company will participate in two upcoming investor conferences.
Details are as follows:
- Wells Fargo Healthcare Conference taking place September 7-9, 2022, in Boston, MA
- H.C. Wainwright 24th Annual Global Investment Conference taking place September 12-14, 2022, in New York, NY
A replay of the live presentation will be available under "Events and Presentations" through the investor relations section of the Company's website at www.regulusrx.com and archived for 30 days following the presentation date.
About Regulus
Regulus Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: RGLS) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines targeting microRNAs. Regulus has leveraged its oligonucleotide drug discovery and development expertise to develop a pipeline complemented by a rich intellectual property estate in the microRNA field. Regulus maintains its corporate headquarters in San Diego, CA.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements contained in this presentation regarding matters that are not historical facts are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements associated with the Company's RGLS8429 program, including the expected timing for initiating clinical studies, the expected timing for reporting topline data, and the timing and future occurrence of other preclinical and clinical activities. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as "believes," "anticipates," "plans," "expects," "intends," "will," "goal," "potential" and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are based upon Regulus' current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results and the timing of events could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks associated with the process of discovering, developing and commercializing drugs that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs, and the risk additional toxicology data may be negative. In addition, while Regulus expects the COVID-19 pandemic to adversely affect its business operations and financial results, the extent of the impact on Regulus' ability to achieve its preclinical and clinical development objectives and the value of and market for its common stock, will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence at this time, such as the ultimate duration of the pandemic, travel restrictions, quarantines, social distancing and business closure requirements in the U.S. and in other countries, and the effectiveness of actions taken globally to contain and treat the disease. These and other risks are described in additional detail in Regulus' filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including under the "Risk Factors" heading of Regulus most recently quarterly report on Form 10-Q. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Regulus undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
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SOURCE Regulus Therapeutics, Inc | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/regulus-therapeutics-participate-upcoming-investor-conferences/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:48Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ --
If you own shares in any of the companies listed above and
would like to discuss our investigations or have any questions concerning
this notice or your rights or interests, please contact:
Joshua Rubin, Esq.
Weiss Law
305 Broadway, 7th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(212) 682-3025
(888) 593-4771
stockinfo@weisslawllp.com
Silverback Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBTX)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Silverback Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: SBTX), in connection with SBTX's proposed merger with ARS Pharmaceuticals, Inc. ("ARS"). Under the terms of the merger agreement, assuming that SBTX's net cash at closing is $240 million, SBTX equity holders are expected to own only approximately 37% of the combined company and pre-merger ARS equity holders are expected to own approximately 63% of the combined company. If you own SBTX shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/sbtx
Covetrus, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVET)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Covetrus, Inc. (NASDAQ: CVET), in connection with the proposed acquisition of CVET by funds affiliated with Clayton, Dubilier & Rice and TPG Capital. Under the terms of the merger agreement, CVET shareholders will receive $21.00 in cash for each share of CVET common stock owned. If you own CVET shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/cvet
Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GBT)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and other violations of law by the board of directors of Global Blood Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: GBT), in connection with the proposed acquisition of GBT by Pfizer Inc. Under the terms of the merger agreement, GBT shareholders will receive $68.50 in cash for each share of GBT common stock owned. If you own GBT shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/gbt
MicroStrategy Incorporated (NASDAQ: MSTR)
Weiss Law is investigating possible breaches of fiduciary duty and violations of the federal securities laws by the directors and officers of MicroStrategy Incorporated (NASDAQ: MSTR) concerning MSTR's mounting losses tied to its Bitcoin purchases and holdings. If you own MSTR shares and wish to discuss this investigation or your rights, please call us at one of the numbers listed above or visit our website: https://www.weisslaw.co/news-and-cases/mstr
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SOURCE Weiss Law | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/shareholder-alert-weiss-law-reminds-sbtx-cvet-gbt-mstr-shareholders-about-its-ongoing-investigations/ | 2022-09-02T20:45:55Z |
STAMFORD, Conn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Synchrony (NYSE: SYF), a premier consumer financial services company, today announced Will Graylin has resigned from its Board of Directors. Graylin is leaving to focus on leading OV Loop, an everywhere-commerce super-app company he founded, and Indigo Tech, a next generation EV company powered by road sensing smart-wheels, where he serves as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. Graylin, who has been a Synchrony Board member since 2015, has no disagreements with the Company and is leaving on good terms.
"On behalf of our Board and Synchrony's leadership team, we thank Will for his service and commitment to the Company," said Margaret Keane, Executive Chair of the Synchrony Board of Directors. "We greatly appreciate his entrepreneurial spirit and the expertise he shared in mobile and digital payments technologies. We wish him well in his future endeavors."
About Synchrony
Synchrony (NYSE: SYF) is a premier consumer financial services company delivering one of the industry's most complete digitally-enabled product suites. Our experience, expertise and scale encompass a broad spectrum of industries including digital, health and wellness, retail, telecommunications, home, auto, outdoor, pet and more. We have an established and diverse group of national and regional retailers, local merchants, manufacturers, buying groups, industry associations and healthcare service providers, which we refer to as our "partners." We connect our partners and consumers through our dynamic financial ecosystem and provide them with a diverse set of financing solutions and innovative digital capabilities to address their specific needs and deliver seamless, omnichannel experiences. We offer the right financing products to the right customers in their channel of choice. For more information, visit www.synchrony.com and Twitter: @Synchrony.
Contacts:
Kathryn Miller
Investor Relations
203.585.6291
InvestorRelations@syf.com
Michelle Blaya
Media Relations
626.250.1415
Michelle.Blaya@syf.com
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SOURCE Synchrony | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/synchrony-announces-resignation-will-graylin-board-directors/ | 2022-09-02T20:46:02Z |
HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund (NYSE: VGI) today announced the following monthly distributions:
The amounts of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.
About the Fund
Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund is a diversified closed-end fund that seeks to maximize current income while preserving capital by investing in broadly diversified holdings across the major domestic and international fixed-income sectors. Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. is the investment adviser to the Fund and Newfleet Asset Management is its subadviser.
For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at closedendfunds@virtus.com, or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.
Fund Risks
An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about the Fund's investment objective and risks, please see the Fund's annual report. A copy of the Fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the end of this press release.
About Newfleet Asset Management
Newfleet Asset Management provides comprehensive fixed income portfolio management in multiple strategies. The Newfleet Multi-Sector Strategies team that manages the Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund leverages the knowledge and skill of investment professionals with expertise in every sector of the bond market, including evolving, specialized, and out-of-favor sectors. The team employs active sector rotation and disciplined risk management to portfolio construction, avoiding interest rate bets and remaining duration neutral to each strategy's stated benchmark. Newfleet Asset Management is a division of Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners. For more information, visit newfleet.com.
About Virtus Investment Partners
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit virtus.com.
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SOURCE Virtus Global Multi-Sector Income Fund | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/virtus-global-multi-sector-income-fund-announces-distributions/ | 2022-09-02T20:46:09Z |
HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Income Fund (NYSE: EDF), today announced the following monthly distributions:
The amounts of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.
Virtus Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Income Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is managed by Stone Harbor Investment Partners. The Fund's primary investment objective is to maximize total return, which consists of income and capital appreciation on its investments in emerging markets securities. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at closedendfunds@virtus.com, or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.
An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about the Fund's investment objective and risks, please see the Fund's annual report. A copy of the Fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the end of this press release.
Stone Harbor Investment Partners is a global institutional fixed-income investment manager specializing in credit and asset allocation strategies. The firm manages institutional clients' assets in a range of investment strategies including emerging markets debt, global high yield, bank loans, as well as multi-sector credit products including unconstrained and total return approaches. The firm's investment strategies are based on fundamental insights, derived from a combination of proprietary research and the in-depth knowledge and specialized experience of the firm's team. Founded in 2006, it is based in New York City with additional offices in London and Singapore. Stone Harbor Investment Partners is a division of Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, LLC, a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners. For more information, visit shipemd.com.
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit virtus.com.
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SOURCE Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Income Fund | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/virtus-stone-harbor-emerging-markets-income-fund-announces-distributions/ | 2022-09-02T20:46:15Z |
HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Total Income Fund (NYSE: EDI), today announced the following monthly distributions:
The amounts of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.
Virtus Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Total Income Fund is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is managed by Stone Harbor Investment Partners. The Fund's primary investment objective is to maximize total return, which consists of income and capital appreciation on its investments in emerging markets securities. There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at closedendfunds@virtus.com, or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.
An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about the Fund's investment objective and risks, please see the Fund's annual report. A copy of the Fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the end of this press release.
Stone Harbor Investment Partners is a global institutional fixed-income investment manager specializing in credit and asset allocation strategies. The firm manages institutional clients' assets in a range of investment strategies including emerging markets debt, global high yield, bank loans, as well as multi-sector credit products including unconstrained and total return approaches. The firm's investment strategies are based on fundamental insights, derived from a combination of proprietary research and the in-depth knowledge and specialized experience of the firm's team. Founded in 2006, it is based in New York City with additional offices in London and Singapore. Stone Harbor Investment Partners is a division of Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, LLC, a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners. For more information, visit shipemd.com.
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit virtus.com.
SOURCE Stone Harbor Emerging Markets Total Income Fund | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/virtus-stone-harbor-emerging-markets-total-income-fund-announces-distributions/ | 2022-09-02T20:46:22Z |
HARTFORD, Conn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. (NYSE: ZTR) today announced the following monthly distributions:
Under the terms of its Managed Distribution Plan, the Fund will seek to maintain a consistent distribution level that may be paid in part, or in full, from net investment income and realized capital gains, or a combination thereof. Shareholders should note, however, that if the Fund's aggregate net investment income and net realized capital gains are less than the amount of the distribution level, the difference will be distributed from the Fund's assets and will constitute a return of the shareholder's capital. You should not draw any conclusions about the Fund's investment performance from the amount of this distribution or from the terms of the Fund's Managed Distribution Plan.
The Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur, for example, when some or all of the money that you invested in the Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with 'yield' or 'income'.
The Fund provided this estimate of the sources of the distributions:
Information regarding the Fund's performance and distribution rates is set forth below. Please note that all performance figures are based on the Fund's NAV and not the market price of the Fund's shares. Performance figures are not meant to represent individual shareholder performance.
The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are estimates only and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The actual amounts and sources of the distributions for tax purposes will depend on the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of its fiscal year and may be subject to changes based on tax regulations. The Fund or your broker will send you a Form 1099-DIV for the calendar year that will tell you what distributions to report for federal income tax purposes.
About the Fund
Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. is a diversified closed-end fund whose investment objective is capital appreciation, with income as a secondary objective. Virtus Investment Advisers, Inc. is the investment adviser, and Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. and Newfleet Asset Management are the subadvisers, to the Fund.
For more information on the Fund, contact shareholder services at (866) 270-7788, by email at closedendfunds@virtus.com, or through the Closed-End Funds section of virtus.com.
Fund Risks
An investment in a fund is subject to risk, including the risk of possible loss of principal. A fund's shares may be worth less upon their sale than what an investor paid for them. Shares of closed-end funds may trade at a premium or discount to their net asset value. For more information about the Fund's investment objective and risks, please see the Fund's annual report. A copy of the Fund's most recent annual report may be obtained free of charge by contacting "Shareholder Services" as set forth at the bottom of this press release.
About Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co.
Duff & Phelps Investment Management Co. pursues investment strategies with exceptional depth of resources and expertise. With more than 35 years of experience managing investment portfolios, Duff & Phelps has earned a reputation as a leader in investing in global listed infrastructure, global listed real estate, clean energy, and diversified real assets in institutional separate accounts and open- and closed-end funds. For more information, visit dpimc.com.
About Newfleet Asset Management
Newfleet Asset Management provides comprehensive fixed income portfolio management in multiple strategies. The Newfleet Multi-Sector Strategies team that manages Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. employs active sector rotation and disciplined risk management in portfolio construction, avoiding interest rate bets, and remaining duration neutral to each strategy's stated benchmark. Newfleet Asset Management is a division of Virtus Fixed Income Advisers, LLC, which is a registered investment adviser affiliated with Virtus Investment Partners. For more information, visit newfleet.com.
About Virtus Investment Partners
Virtus Investment Partners (NASDAQ: VRTS) is a distinctive partnership of boutique investment managers singularly committed to the long-term success of individual and institutional investors. The company provides investment management products and services through its affiliated managers and select subadvisers, each with a distinct investment style, autonomous investment process, and individual brand. For more information, visit virtus.com.
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SOURCE Virtus Total Return Fund Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/virtus-total-return-fund-inc-announces-distributions-discloses-sources-distribution-section-19a-notice/ | 2022-09-02T20:46:29Z |
A Minneapolis school district contract drew a storm of conservative media coverage. A lawsuit alleges the district is racially discriminating against white teachers to protect teachers of color.
Copyright 2022 NPR
A Minneapolis school district contract drew a storm of conservative media coverage. A lawsuit alleges the district is racially discriminating against white teachers to protect teachers of color.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/a-new-minneapolis-teachers-contract-is-the-center-of-a-debate-over-diversity | 2022-09-02T21:05:08Z |
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Oscar and Jennifer Orona, whose son Noah was wounded during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Oscar and Jennifer Orona, whose son Noah was wounded during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/a-uvalde-survivors-parents-explain-their-journey-through-gratitude-grief-and-guilt | 2022-09-02T21:05:14Z |
Gabriel Boric, Chile's youngest ever leader, has had a rocky first few months as president. Now, he faces his biggest political challenge yet — a referendum for a new constitution.
Copyright 2022 NPR
Gabriel Boric, Chile's youngest ever leader, has had a rocky first few months as president. Now, he faces his biggest political challenge yet — a referendum for a new constitution.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/chilean-president-gabriel-boric-faces-his-biggest-political-challenge-yet | 2022-09-02T21:05:20Z |
The Big Ten is set to make a lot of money. The college athletics conference recently signed an exclusive broadcast deal with FOX, CBS, NBC, and NBCUniversal's Peacock streaming service. Reports have the deal set to bring in over $7 billion across seven years. But none of that money will be going directly to the athletes, again reviving the debate over whether student-athletes should get paid.
According to the Big Ten's press release, the broadcast deal along with the addition of the University of California, Los Angeles and the University of Southern California into its ranks will provide the conference with "the broadest audience in the country, coast-to-coast."
"They're not even pretending anymore. It's about money," said Jason Stahl, head of the College Football Players Association.
The CFBPA is not a union, but an advocacy and organizing group that has argued for elite college football players to receive a share of the revenue earned through college football games. Stahl said that at one point, the Big Ten would've at least paid lip service to the idea that their decisions are in the best interests of their athletes' academic careers. But now, Stahl sees that pretense as gone.
"Because the idea that a college athlete getting on a cross-continental flight to play a game is somehow in service of an academic agenda is obviously absurd," he said.
Earlier this summer, at a training camp press conference, a reporter asked Ohio State quarterback C.J. Stroud if players should be getting a cut of the Big Ten broadcast deal.
"I'll probably have to think about that a little more, but just off rip, I'll say yes," he said.
Stroud said he was grateful for the opportunity he's been given and appreciates that his tuition has been covered. "Me personally, my mom has always taught me to know my worth," he said.
There's been one recent change that's allowed college athletes access to a source of income. About a year ago, after a Supreme Court ruling, the NCAA changed its rules and now allows student-athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness. Meaning they are now allowed to sign endorsement deals and do commercials.
"It definitely provides kids with the chance to come across some money that they may not see in their lifetime if they don't make it to professional football," said Jordan Meachum.
Meachum is on the leadership committee of the CFBPA. He's also a former college football player, mostly playing at Sacred Heart University before finishing his career at South Dakota State University.
But money earned through NIL deals isn't available to the majority of players, nor is it coming directly from the team, school, or conference system. Meachum said that had he gotten paid, it would've meant not having to stress out about the regular expenses of food, rent, and books, and instead "put more focus into academics and football, and so on."
Victoria Jackson is a sports historian at Arizona State University who said historically, we as a culture understood the athletic scholarship as a fair trade for athletes' efforts. But now?
"These athletes play for schools that are bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars. Conferences that are bringing in, now, billions of dollars. And an NCAA system in total that's bringing in close to $20 billion annually," she said.
Football and basketball take up a lot of the conversation around college sports because they bring in the money. Money that's used to subsidize other sports. Which introduces a racial dynamic to this, said Jackson, considering the top tier players in NCAA football and basketball are majority Black. "And the athletes who are being subsidized are often the privileged kids who play water polo or rowing or tennis or golf," and who are less likely to be in need of a scholarship to go to college.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/college-football-is-back-and-players-still-arent-getting-paid | 2022-09-02T21:05:26Z |
Former presidential pastry chef Roland Mesnier dies at age 78 By Gabe O'Connor, Mallory Yu Published September 2, 2022 at 3:16 PM CDT Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Roland Mesnier served as the White House pastry chef for 25 years under five different presidents. Mesnier died last week at age 78. Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/former-presidential-pastry-chef-roland-mesnier-dies-at-age-78 | 2022-09-02T21:05:32Z |
There's an online scam where the scammer acts as a secret middleman between unsuspecting shoppers and the good. Here's how it works and what you should look out for.
Copyright 2022 NPR
There's an online scam where the scammer acts as a secret middleman between unsuspecting shoppers and the good. Here's how it works and what you should look out for.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/free-stuff-from-the-internet-is-likely-too-good-to-be-true-and-it-could-be-a-scam | 2022-09-02T21:05:38Z |
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Honk For Jesus Save Your Soul director Adamma Ebo and producer Adanne Ebo about their new movie — which looks at the attempted comeback of a disgraced megachurch pastor.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Ailsa Chang talks with Honk For Jesus Save Your Soul director Adamma Ebo and producer Adanne Ebo about their new movie — which looks at the attempted comeback of a disgraced megachurch pastor.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/honk-for-jesus-save-your-soul-is-a-celebration-of-worship-and-satire-of-religion | 2022-09-02T21:05:44Z |
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with former Rep Barbara Comstock, R-Va., about the Republican Party's reaction to President Biden's address, where he called "MAGA Republicans" a threat to American Democracy.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with former Rep Barbara Comstock, R-Va., about the Republican Party's reaction to President Biden's address, where he called "MAGA Republicans" a threat to American Democracy.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/the-gop-reacts-to-president-bidens-speech-condemning-maga-republican-extremism | 2022-09-02T21:05:50Z |
People are discovering that some of their favorite videos that have been turned into meme songs during the last 10 years were all written by the same group — The Gregory Brothers.
Copyright 2022 NPR
People are discovering that some of their favorite videos that have been turned into meme songs during the last 10 years were all written by the same group — The Gregory Brothers.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/the-group-behind-the-its-corn-viral-song-has-been-doing-this-for-over-10-years | 2022-09-02T21:05:57Z |
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Ben Judah, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, about British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who will likely succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Ari Shapiro talks with Ben Judah, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council, about British Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, who will likely succeed Boris Johnson as prime minister.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/the-united-kingdoms-next-prime-minister-could-be-a-foreign-policy-hard-liner | 2022-09-02T21:06:03Z |
From the doorway, Nicole Ogburn's fourth grade classroom looks bright and unassuming.
New, colorful JanSport backpacks hang from small chairs. Blue and white desks with dry erase surfaces sit in clusters around the room. A green bookshelf filled by rows of books is surrounded by beanbag chairs and fuzzy pillows.
This year, as Ogburn prepares her classroom, her first priority is not the decorations she usually spends the summer picking out. Instead, it's buying things to help her students – and herself – feel safer in the classroom.
"I bought a thing that you jam under the door so that they can't open the door. I bought a curtain to pull down so you can't see in my door if something was happening," Ogburn said. "We've just thought of more safety this year than, 'How cute's my room gonna look?'"
Ogburn is preparing for her first year as a teacher at a newly repurposed campus space, dubbed Uvalde Elementary School. For the seven years prior, Ogburn taught at Robb Elementary. The school shut down after the mass shooting in May in which 19 students and two teachers were killed. Ogburn, her co-teacher and her students survived, and escaped through a window of their classroom with the help of law enforcement.
Although the Uvalde Consolidated Independent School District and state leaders have announced new security measures, the district has been under pressure from parents and other members of the community to offer more transparency and demonstrate its ability to keep students safe at school.
Ogburn said she felt there had been progress, though improvements are taking time.
"We're working towards being safe, and I think we're gonna be OK the first day of school, but it's not gonna be 100% done," she said. "But, it's in the process."
As she thought about physical security measures, she was also trying to anticipate what it would be like when students returned to the classroom for the first time since the May 24 shooting.
"I think I'm scared for how some of these kids are gonna react when they get here, and if I'm gonna be able to handle that part of it," she said.
This year, she's added one feature to her classroom to try to help her students express and manage their feelings. It's a black poster that asks students to answer one question: How do you feel? Each student has their own cut out marker, and each day Ogburn and her co-teacher plan to encourage students to put their marker next to a corresponding feeling like, "ready to learn," "confused," or "angry."
"I'm thinking, OK what if this happens this day, and the whole class is feeling anxious or upset? There's no way we're gonna teach a lesson," she said. "We've gotta figure out ... how are we gonna calm 'em down, how are we gonna make this better?"
Ogburn is also concerned for herself.
She said she wanted to get through the year "without being a complete emotional wreck," as she works through her grief, particularly the deaths of fellow fourth grade teachers, Eva Mireles and Irma Garcia.
For several years at Robb, Ogburn and her co-teacher Trisha Albarado taught in the classroom next door to Mireles and Garcia.
"It's already been hard not having my two friends here with us, but having my co-teacher with me has helped a lot," she said. "Cause we both said if you don't come back, I'm not coming back. If we're not together, we're gonna fight to be together. Cause we can't do it without each other right now."
Since the shooting, Ogburn said she's been treated for depression, anxiety and PTSD – as have other teachers who survived. She said what she heard and saw that day is something she'll live with for the rest of her life.
"Every day, there can be something that triggers an emotion that I don't want to have that day," she said. "And right now, every day is a constant reminder, cause everywhere I go, it's right in front of my face."
She almost didn't return to the classroom. But she thought about her own children, as well as Uvalde students.
"I thought, I gotta go back and show them first of all, we can't live in fear. I mean, you just never know when something's gonna happen," she said. "So I thought, I have to try not to live in that fear. I have to go forward and show these kids, OK, Ms. Ogburn can go back to school, then so can I."
Gaby Olivares and Yvette Benavides of Texas Public Radio translated this article into Spanish.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/this-teacher-survived-the-uvalde-shooting-heres-why-she-is-returning-to-the-job | 2022-09-02T21:06:09Z |
The unemployment rate inched up in August, but only because hundreds of thousands of people started looking for work. That jump in the workforce could take some pressure off inflation.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The unemployment rate inched up in August, but only because hundreds of thousands of people started looking for work. That jump in the workforce could take some pressure off inflation.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/u-s-employers-added-315-000-jobs-in-august | 2022-09-02T21:06:15Z |
The failure of the water systems in Jackson, Miss., has forced public schools to return to remote learning — something school leaders had hoped to never do again after the COVID pandemic.
Copyright 2022 NPR
The failure of the water systems in Jackson, Miss., has forced public schools to return to remote learning — something school leaders had hoped to never do again after the COVID pandemic.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/water-systems-failures-in-jackson-miss-force-schools-to-return-to-remote-learning | 2022-09-02T21:06:21Z |
President Biden's speech honed in on "MAGA Republicans" as an extremist force in politics. But his remarks also left out much of the context that has led to popular support for political violence.
Copyright 2022 NPR
President Biden's speech honed in on "MAGA Republicans" as an extremist force in politics. But his remarks also left out much of the context that has led to popular support for political violence.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/what-bidens-speech-left-out-about-the-growing-popular-support-for-political-violence | 2022-09-02T21:06:27Z |
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Buenos Aires-based journalist Natalie Alcoba about the failed assassination attempt on Argentina's vice-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Ailsa Chang speaks with Buenos Aires-based journalist Natalie Alcoba about the failed assassination attempt on Argentina's vice-president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.keranews.org/2022-09-02/what-we-know-about-the-failed-attempt-to-assassinate-argentinas-vice-president | 2022-09-02T21:06:33Z |
Father shoots 2 young children as they slept in bunkbeds, sheriff says
TAMPA, Fla. (Gray News) – A father in Florida is facing numerous charges after shooting his two young children in their bunkbeds while they were sleeping.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the 5-year-old girl died and the 8-year-old boy is in critical condition.
Jermaine Bass, 30, is charged with first-degree murder, premeditated firearm discharge causing multiple wounds/death, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated child abuse causing critical injuries.
The shooting happened Monday around 10:30 p.m. inside the family’s home.
The sheriff’s office said Bass’ wife and mother of the children kissed them goodnight and left the bedroom. Then, deputies said Bass entered the room and shot both children in the head three to four times.
A neighbor heard the shots and called 911. When deputies arrived, both children were rushed to the hospital. The 5-year-old girl was pronounced dead, and the 8-year-old boy remains in critical condition as of Friday afternoon.
According to Sheriff Chad Chronister, Bass walked out of the home carrying his 8-year-old son when deputies arrived and was cradling the boy. Chronister said Bass told deputies, “It was an accident. I don’t know how the gun went off. I accidentally shot my son.”
Bass’ bond was set at $2.5 million.
“This is a horrific experience no parent should have to go through,” Chronister said. “This is an experience no law enforcement or first responder should ever have to witness. We, as a sheriff’s office, are struggling today. I hope that this individual feels the full weight of the criminal justice system and never sees the light of day where he can ever be in a position to harm another human being.”
Chronister said there were no previous police visits to the home in the past. The parents and the two children were the only ones inside the home at the time of the shooting.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/father-shoots-2-young-children-they-slept-bunkbeds-sheriff-says/ | 2022-09-02T21:43:14Z |
Meet 11-year-old Eebbers: TSA’s ‘cutest canine’
(Gray News) - The Transportation Security Administration says the final votes are in for this year’s cutest canine contest.
Eebbers, an 11-year-old explosive detection canine who works at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, was voted the winner of TSA’s 2022 Cutest Canine Contest.
Last week, the TSA held a nationwide social media contest for the public to vote for the agency’s “cutest canine.” Once all the votes were tallied, Eebbers emerged as the winner.
The agency said the contest was held in recognition of National Dog Day to acknowledge the important role TSA’s hardworking canines play in protecting the nation’s transportation system.
Eebbers, a Vizsla-Labrador mix, is a passenger screening canine who works at MSP alongside his handler as they screen travelers and their belongings for explosives at a security checkpoint.
According to the TSA, Eebbers has worked at the airport for almost 10 years. He was born into TSA’s puppy program and was named in memory of 19-year-old U.S. Army Pvt. James Ebbers who died in 2002.
Eebbers is the last remaining canine from the puppy program still working daily for TSA and has assisted with security on several major events, including the Super Bowl and the Indianapolis 500.
The TSA said it utilizes canines like Eebbers in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives or explosive materials. The dogs are paired with handlers who utilize the working canine’s keen sense of smell when on duty throughout busy transportation environments.
Currently, the TSA has more than 1,000 canine teams that were trained at the TSA Canine Training Center in Texas.
Later this year, the agency said it will announce the availability of its 2023 canine calendar, featuring the top 12 runners-up in the 2022 contest. Eebbers will be the canine featured on the cover.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/meet-11-year-old-eebbers-tsas-cutest-canine/ | 2022-09-02T21:43:20Z |
Shooting kills student at school in Baltimore
BALTIMORE (Gray News) - A student was fatally shot Friday at a high school in Maryland, police said.
Baltimore police said they received a report of the shooting at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School shortly after dismissal. A suspect was taken into custody.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said school officers chased after the suspect and caught him, also recovering the weapon they believe was used.
The identities of the suspect and the victim have not been released. An official said the suspect was a student from another school, and the shooting happened after an argument just outside the school, commonly known as Mervo High School.
“Today there was a tragic shooting outside Mervo during regular dismissal,” said Baltimore City Public Schools on Twitter. “One of our students was taken to a hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. Our thoughts are with the family & Mervo community. We will have counselors at the school next week for students & staff.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/shooting-kills-student-school-baltimore/ | 2022-09-02T21:43:27Z |
Barbara Ehrenreich, ‘myth busting’ writer and activist, dies
NEW YORK (AP) — Barbara Ehrenreich, the author, activist and self-described “myth buster” who in such notable works as “Nickel and Dimed” and “Bait and Switch” challenged conventional thinking about class, religion and the very idea of an American dream, has died at age 81.
Ehrenreich died Thursday morning in Alexandria, Virginia, according to her son, the author and journalist Ben Ehrenreich. She had recently suffered a stroke.
“She was, she made clear, ready to go,” Ben Ehrenreich tweeted Friday. “She was never much for thoughts and prayers, but you can honor her memory by loving one another, and by fighting like hell.”
She was born Barbara Alexander in Butte, Montana, and raised in a household of union supporters, where family rules included “never cross a picket line and never vote Republican.” She studied physics as an undergraduate at Reed College, and received a PhD in immunology at Rockefeller University. Starting in the 1970s, she worked as a teacher and researchers and became increasingly active in the feminist movement, from writing pamphlets to appearing at conferences around the country. She also co-wrote a book on student activism, “Long March, Short Spring,” with her then-husband, John Ehrenreich.
A prolific author who regularly turned out books and newspaper and magazine articles, Ehrenreich honed an accessible prose style that brought her a wide readership for otherwise unsettling and unsentimental ideas. She disdained individualism, organized religion, unregulated economics and what Norman Vincent Peale famously called “the power of positive thinking.”
A proponent of liberal causes from unions to abortion rights, Ehrenreich often drew upon her own experiences to communicate her ideas. The birth of her daughter Rosa helped inspired her to become a feminist, she later explained, because she was appalled at the hospital’s treatment of patients. Her battle with breast cancer years ago inspired her 2009 book “Bright-Sided,” in which she recalled the bland platitudes and assurances of well wishers and probed the American insistence — a religion, she called it — on optimism, to the point of ignoring the country’s many troubles.
“We need to brace ourselves for a struggle against terrifying obstacles, both of our own making and imposed by the natural world. And the first step is to recover from the mass delusion that is positive thinking,” she wrote.
“Positive thinking has made itself useful as an apology for the crueler aspects of the market economy. If optimism is the key to material success, and if you can achieve an optimistic outlook through the discipline of positive thinking, then there is no excuse for failure. The flip side of positivity is thus a harsh insistence on personal responsibility.”
For “Nickel and Dimed,” one of her best known books, she worked in minimum wage jobs so she could learn firsthand the struggles of the working poor, whom she called “the major philanthropists of our society.”
“They neglect their own children so that the children of others will be cared for; they live in substandard housing so that other homes will be shiny and perfect; they endure privation so that inflation will be low and stock prices high,” she wrote. “To be a member of the working poor is to be an anonymous donor, a nameless benefactor, to everyone.”
Ehrenreich wrote for The New York Times, The Nation, Vogue and many other publications, and her other books included “The Worst Years of Our Lives: Irreverent Notes from a Decade of Greed,” “Blood Rites: Origins and History of the Passions of War” and “Fear of Falling: The Inner Life of the Middle Class.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/barbara-ehrenreich-myth-busting-writer-activist-dies/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:12Z |
Father shoots 2 young children as they slept in bunkbeds, sheriff says
TAMPA, Fla. (Gray News) – A father in Florida is facing numerous charges after shooting his two young children in their bunkbeds while they were sleeping.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office said the 5-year-old girl died and the 8-year-old boy is in critical condition.
Jermaine Bass, 30, is charged with first-degree murder, premeditated firearm discharge causing multiple wounds/death, attempted first-degree murder, and aggravated child abuse causing critical injuries.
The shooting happened Monday around 10:30 p.m. inside the family’s home.
The sheriff’s office said Bass’ wife and mother of the children kissed them goodnight and left the bedroom. Then, deputies said Bass entered the room and shot both children in the head three to four times.
A neighbor heard the shots and called 911. When deputies arrived, both children were rushed to the hospital. The 5-year-old girl was pronounced dead, and the 8-year-old boy remains in critical condition as of Friday afternoon.
According to Sheriff Chad Chronister, Bass walked out of the home carrying his 8-year-old son when deputies arrived and was cradling the boy. Chronister said Bass told deputies, “It was an accident. I don’t know how the gun went off. I accidentally shot my son.”
Bass’ bond was set at $2.5 million.
“This is a horrific experience no parent should have to go through,” Chronister said. “This is an experience no law enforcement or first responder should ever have to witness. We, as a sheriff’s office, are struggling today. I hope that this individual feels the full weight of the criminal justice system and never sees the light of day where he can ever be in a position to harm another human being.”
Chronister said there were no previous police visits to the home in the past. The parents and the two children were the only ones inside the home at the time of the shooting.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/father-shoots-2-young-children-they-slept-bunkbeds-sheriff-says/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:19Z |
Jane Fonda says she has cancer, is dealing well with chemo
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jane Fonda said on social media Friday that she has cancer.
“So, my dear friends, I have something personal I want to share. I’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and have started chemo treatments,” the 84-year-old actor wrote in an Instagram post.
“This is a very treatable cancer,” she added, “so I feel very lucky.”
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the white blood cells and affects parts of the body’s immune system.
Fonda acknowledged that unlike many, she is privileged to have insurance, and access to the best doctors and care.
“Almost every family in America has had to deal with cancer at one time or another and far too many don’t have access to the quality health care I am receiving and this is not right,” she said.
Fonda said she has begun a six-month course of chemotherapy, is handling the treatments well, and will not let it interfere with her climate activism.
Fonda has dealt with cancer before. She had a tumor removed from her breast in 2010, and has also had skin cancer.
Part of a legendary Hollywood family, Fonda gained fame for both her acting and her activism starting in the late 1960s.
She won Oscars for her performances in 1971′s “Klute” and 1978′s “Coming Home.”
She has also starred in the films “Barbarella” and “9 to 5,” and in the Netflix series “Grace and Frankie.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/jane-fonda-says-she-has-cancer-is-dealing-well-with-chemo/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:25Z |
Meet 11-year-old Eebbers: TSA’s ‘cutest canine’
(Gray News) - The Transportation Security Administration says the final votes are in for this year’s cutest canine contest.
Eebbers, an 11-year-old explosive detection canine who works at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, was voted the winner of TSA’s 2022 Cutest Canine Contest.
Last week, the TSA held a nationwide social media contest for the public to vote for the agency’s “cutest canine.” Once all the votes were tallied, Eebbers emerged as the winner.
The agency said the contest was held in recognition of National Dog Day to acknowledge the important role TSA’s hardworking canines play in protecting the nation’s transportation system.
Eebbers, a Vizsla-Labrador mix, is a passenger screening canine who works at MSP alongside his handler as they screen travelers and their belongings for explosives at a security checkpoint.
According to the TSA, Eebbers has worked at the airport for almost 10 years. He was born into TSA’s puppy program and was named in memory of 19-year-old U.S. Army Pvt. James Ebbers who died in 2002.
Eebbers is the last remaining canine from the puppy program still working daily for TSA and has assisted with security on several major events, including the Super Bowl and the Indianapolis 500.
The TSA said it utilizes canines like Eebbers in its security operations nationwide. They are trained to detect the scent of explosives or explosive materials. The dogs are paired with handlers who utilize the working canine’s keen sense of smell when on duty throughout busy transportation environments.
Currently, the TSA has more than 1,000 canine teams that were trained at the TSA Canine Training Center in Texas.
Later this year, the agency said it will announce the availability of its 2023 canine calendar, featuring the top 12 runners-up in the 2022 contest. Eebbers will be the canine featured on the cover.
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/meet-11-year-old-eebbers-tsas-cutest-canine/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:32Z |
Shooting kills student at school in Baltimore
BALTIMORE (Gray News) - A student was fatally shot Friday at a high school in Maryland, police said.
Baltimore police said they received a report of the shooting at Mergenthaler Vocational-Technical High School shortly after dismissal. A suspect was taken into custody.
Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said school officers chased after the suspect and caught him, also recovering the weapon they believe was used.
The identities of the suspect and the victim have not been released. An official said the suspect was a student from another school, and the shooting happened after an argument just outside the school, commonly known as Mervo High School.
“Today there was a tragic shooting outside Mervo during regular dismissal,” said Baltimore City Public Schools on Twitter. “One of our students was taken to a hospital where they succumbed to their injuries. Our thoughts are with the family & Mervo community. We will have counselors at the school next week for students & staff.”
Copyright 2022 Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/shooting-kills-student-school-baltimore/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:38Z |
Therapy dog entertains Bluefield University students
“But it’s hard to look at an animal and not smile or feel a little bit happy” - Wilson
BLUEFIELD, Va. (WVVA) - Students at Bluefield University received some stress release when a therapy dog named Sunny visited them in their classroom. Sunny is a trained therapy dog and knows just how to brighten everyone’s day. She wandered around the classroom, visiting with the students during their lesson. Meghan Wilson, Assistant Professor at Bluefield University and owner of Sunny, says that science confirms that therapy dogs can decrease stress and boost serotonin.
“But it’s hard to look at an animal and not smile or feel a little bit happy just because they’re always happy, happy to see people. She greets everybody with a warm welcome, and she really - when I put this harness on her, she knows it’s time to go to work, and she’s ready to meet people and just be there for the students,” said Wilson
Wilson says although Sunny has had therapy dog training, her skills really come from her innate desire to love people.
Copyright 2022 WVVA. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/therapy-dog-entertains-bluefield-university-students/ | 2022-09-02T22:02:45Z |
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Oscar and Jennifer Orona, whose son Noah was wounded during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Copyright 2022 NPR
NPR's Juana Summers speaks with Oscar and Jennifer Orona, whose son Noah was wounded during the mass shooting at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas.
Copyright 2022 NPR | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-02/a-uvalde-survivors-parents-explain-their-journey-through-gratitude-grief-and-guilt | 2022-09-02T22:07:01Z |
Bed Bath & Beyond is cleaning house.
The retail giant, known for its ubiquitous coupons, announced job cuts and store closures in an effort to reduce costs as it continues to struggle with weak sales and a recent senior leadership shakeup.
In a Wednesday announcement, the New Jersey-based company vowed to slash its workforce by 20% and close about 150 stores.
According to Seth Basham, a managing director at the financial services and investment firm Wedbush Securities, Bed Bath & Beyond is seeing some of the same problems as other retailers in the home furnishings sector, such as a decline in sales and excess inventory that needs to be sold off.
But, he said, the company was also hurt by an attempt to overhaul its supply chain during the pandemic, which led to understocked store shelves, as well as a failed shift from popular national brands to private labels created by the store.
"That led to further defection of customers from Bed Bath & Beyond and further pressure on their sales trends," Basham told NPR.
In 2019, the retailer hired former Target executive Mark Tritton as CEO. Part of his plan to rehabilitate the company was to sell merchandise on private labels specific to Bed Bath & Beyond like Target does, but the idea didn't catch on in the same way.
"At Target, there are a lot of consumables and other things [customers] went to the store for, and they came to like and enjoy the private label brands they saw," Basham said. "You didn't have that draw at Bed Bath & Beyond."
Tritton left the company in June.
Though Bed Bath & Beyond got a boost early in the pandemic when many people were spending more time at home, the gains didn't last, and earnings have continued to drop.
The company said this week that it had net sales of about $1.45 billion in the second quarter of this fiscal year – a roughly 26% drop from the same period last year.
Director and interim CEO Sue Gove said Bed Bath & Beyond, after taking a "thorough look at our business," is now making some major changes.
The company is expecting an infusion of outside financing from J.P. Morgan and the investment firm Sixth Street Partners. It's bringing back some beloved national brands, the company said, and it will try to reengage with customers through its loyalty program.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-02/bed-bath-beyond-will-close-150-stores-and-slash-20-of-its-workforce-to-cut-costs | 2022-09-02T22:07:07Z |
Sikhulile Moyo led the team of scientists that first identified the omicron variant of COVID-19 in November 2021. It's gone on to dominate the world. Moyo directs the laboratory for the Botswana–Harvard AIDS Institute and is a research associate with the Harvard School of Public Health.
Moyo was disturbed to see the world's reaction to the more transmissible variant. Other nations closed off travel and trade with southern African countries, including Botswana, even as they discovered the variant was already within their own borders. In fact, it was subsequently found that the variant was circulating in the Netherlands a week before the announcement from Africa.
"How do you reward the countries that alert you of a potential dangerous pathogen with travel bans? My country was put on a red list, and I didn't feel good about that," Moyo told NPR.
NPR touched base with Moyo to see what he's been working on – and thinking about – since this landmark discovery.
This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
You discovered omicron. Did omicron discover you?
I got COVID. Funnily enough, the omicron discoverer gets omicron.
I had three days of very serious symptoms of COVID, and I had to stay at home. So I would say mild to severe, but not too severe.
Then I had long COVID. I had almost three months of difficulty trying to recover my lung volume, my breathing. Walking, I was fatigued. All of a sudden, the COVID made my [blood] sugar worse, and I had to change my diabetes doses. I had to step up my meds, because it was no longer controlling [my diabetes] the way it was.
These are the complications that come with COVID, while people think COVID is gone.
Do you think the world has made any progress in learning not to cast blame?
There was a global awakening. Those events around the omicron discovery showed us the triumph of science but the failure of global health policy.
While we suffered, we were a catalyst to make people aware of the value of global public health — that we cannot be inward-looking, because the virus knows no borders.
You see the response to monkeypox is different than the response to COVID. No one is blacklisting anyone from the monkeypox-endemic areas.
Has your work changed because of this discovery — are you and your lab collaborating more with scientists around the world?
Yes! We have established collaborations with the Africa CDC. We've established what is called the Pathogen Genomics Initiative, a network of labs that are working together, and we have a lot of demand for training.
I was named one of the TIME magazine's 100 most influential people of 2022. That gives us a voice to share our experiences but also access to a lot of collaborations that I never thought I would have. That is really pushing us forward.
Have you made more ground-breaking omicron discoveries?
Earlier this year, around April, May, there was the discovery of BA.4 and BA.5, and we detected them in Botswana a few days after South Africa detected them. And these are the variants that have taken over the world. Some of the questions have been: What's happening in southern Africa that [the region] is seemingly detecting more variants?
What is unique about southern Africa, especially Botswana and South Africa, is the ability to detect these variants in near real-time because of the pathogen genomic sequencing that has been established [examining DNA to identify it or see if it's changing]. We think it's not that they are not circulating elsewhere, but it's just that maybe we are looking deeper.
We are always doing pathogen genomic sequencing. The most resourced in the world, in terms of sequencing, is of course the U.K. and the United States, and many parts of Europe. But I think the systematic, real-time, sampling and sequencing [in southern Africa] has been very, very useful.
How has southern Africa become so good at finding new variants and subvariants?
Southern Africa was the hotspot for HIV. We have passed through difficult times. I think we have taken this to our advantage to find solutions for ourselves. With funding — from PEPFAR and from other international agencies, U.S. institutes, some donors — southern Africa began to implement pathogen genomics focusing on HIV.
Some of us were involved in setting up population-based sequencing to understand the movement of viruses, to characterize transmission dynamics — and that has spilled out to malaria, to TB. And we used those technologies to quickly adapt to SARS-CoV-2. That has been the strength of southern Africa.
We're even thinking beyond COVID. We are preparing ourselves to be able to adapt for pathogen discovery. If a [new] outbreak happens, we should be able to quickly check within 24 to 36 hours what it is.
New subvariants seem to be getting better at reinfecting people. What does that mean moving forward?
BA.4 and BA.5 are masters in terms of evading the fury of the immune system. The subvariants were able to elicit an immune response, but magnitudes lower than what we saw before.
As the immunity wanes down, that's where my worry is: How far can we hold on with the current levels of immunity?
The vaccine immunity still provides some protection against severe disease. We know that you may get infected, but you may not get hospitalized with BA.4 and BA.5.
It may get a little bit rough. Many people are spending days at home and [developing] long COVID afterward.
What do you think needs to happen next?
Research, training and development cost a lot of money, but as cases go down, people forget that we need to make sure these systems are sustained. That's one of the challenges: Are we going to be able to sustain some of this innovation that we have developed over a very difficult time of our lives during COVID?
The virus is still finding some pathways to escape immune pressure.
And there's always a possibility of a more virulent variant?
The variant that is going to really dominate is a variant that would have a massive escape to antibody neutralization or to vaccine neutralization. Chances are low of that happening. But omicron taught us that anything can happen.
So we need to be very careful. We need to continue with surveillance, so that if we notice anything, we should be able to go back and say: Do we need to change the way we are doing things?
While I support loosening and going back to our lives [when cases are low], I also feel that's when you need to be more vigilant. When you see signs of wildfire starting, then you can try and put it out.
Melody Schreiber (@m_scribe) is a journalist and the editor of What We Didn't Expect: Personal Stories About Premature Birth.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-02/whatever-happened-to-the-botswana-scientist-who-identified-omicron-then-caught-it | 2022-09-02T22:07:13Z |
The shelves, pallets, and freezers at St. Joseph’s Food Pantry in Cheyenne, Wyo., have been looking pretty barren lately. Eva Estorga lists what she does have in stock.
“There's always breakfast, soups, fruits, vegetables, pastas,” she said.
Provisions are donated from a vast network of grocery stores, individuals, and government programs. Estorga coordinates operations with around 70 volunteers. The warehouse is the size of a soccer field and serves about 150 families a day.
“It's a way of caring for the community in a way that sometimes nobody else does,” Estorga said. “We get to put some kind of food on their table.”
But Estorga’s job has recently become more stressful as demand at St. Joseph’s has skyrocketed. Inflation has driven food prices up, and pandemic relief programs have come to an end. That’s made it more challenging for Wyoming residents to make ends meet.
Several pantries in the state have seen the number of customers double since the pandemic began, according to the Casper Star Tribune. Some folks who never needed food assistance before this summer are coming for the first time.
“The more people we have, of course, the more food we need, because we are giving so much out and we’re not getting as much in,” Estorga said.
St. Joseph’s is a 100% drive-through operation. Cars often line up around the block. Many customers in line share similar stories.
“I started coming here because I fell on hard times,” said Joanne, who preferred not to share her last name. “It just helps me get from one paycheck to the next.”
“It doesn’t take much to run through $100 worth of food stamps,” said Scott Leyo. “Having a place like this has just been a life-saver.”
“Everything’s so costly, [I] can’t afford it. The price of meat’s ridiculous,” said Raymond Mauch.
Most people get basic staples in their boxes: canned goods, protein and produce. But Estorga worries she’ll have to cut back in the near future.
The food bank buys things to fill in the gaps when donations aren’t cutting it. In a normal month, they’d spend about $12,000. In August, they spent over $20,000, but that still isn’t enough. Two weeks ago, Estorga spent $1,000 just on jelly. It was gone in four days.
“We can only buy so much, so people will be seeing less in their boxes,” Estorga said. “I don't think the end of the tunnel is close. I think it's going to be tough for a while.”
Estorga’s story is common around the Mountain West. Food banks in Nevada, Utah, and New Mexico also report being squeezed this Summer.
Rachel Bailey heads the Food Bank of Wyoming, a major supplier for more than 150 partners statewide. She said shortages are ubiquitous across the country, and that it’s been especially challenging to serve such a large land area.
“When we are traveling such long distances across the state, to rural communities, you know, those fuel prices and transportation costs really add up,” Bailey said.
Inflation has a big impact on Bailey’s bottom line. A truckload of sweet corn, for instance, cost her just over $8,000 in 2021. Now it’s over $13,000. Potato prices have risen 71 percent in the past year.
But that’s not the only thing limiting supplies.
“One of the biggest challenges that we have right now is a 52 percent decrease in the USDA emergency food assistance program,” she said.
The Emergency Food Assistance Program (TEFAP) supplies pantries across the country. During the pandemic, it got a huge boost from federal COVID relief funds.
But this summer, that money has run out – at the worst time. The U.S. Department of Agriculture had been providing about 40 percent of the Food Bank of Wyoming’s supply. Now, it’s down to 23 percent.
“I think that the public needs to have awareness that this is happening – that there are decreased donations and that there's increased need,” Bailey said. “Because what we really need from our communities right now is support.”
Bailey wants Congress to spend more on food aid next year. The nonprofit Feeding America also advocates for increased funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). They argue further investments to alleviate food insecurity could help the one in ten residents of the Mountain West facing hunger.
In a memo sent earlier this week, the USDA said it “anticipates an increase in TEFAP entitlement food funding, due to significant inflationary changes.” Congress will have to approve any budget increases early next year.
Back in line at St. Joseph’s, construction worker Dominic Fonseca is in his turquoise pickup truck with his pomeranian in the passenger seat. He’s disabled and diabetic, and said healthcare costs have added up. So he comes here twice a month for a source of healthier meals.
“What I do with what I can’t eat since I’m diabetic is I pass it to friends and neighbors and family if they want it,” he said.
Fonseca hopes others in line – and especially those that don’t visit food pantries – pass on what they can.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/mountain-west-food-banks-strained-by-high-customer-demand-low-supply | 2022-09-02T22:07:20Z |
Dr. Nikki Price, director of pharmacy operations, holds up Narcan, which is for sale over the counter, Friday, Feb. 2, 2018, at Albertsons on Yellowstone Road in Cheyenne. Narcan blocks the effects of opioids for 30-90 minutes, reversing any respiratory delays that may lead to death for enough time to reach a medical facility. Jacob Byk/Wyoming Tribune Eagle
CHEYENNE – Free orders of a temporary opioid overdose antidote known as Narcan are once again available for Wyoming groups, businesses, schools and other government agencies through the Wyoming Department of Health.
Erica Mathews, Grants and Programs Unit manager with the WDH Behavioral Health Division, said it's a potentially lifesaving prescription medication designed to quickly help reverse the effects of an opioid overdose.
“This program provides free NARCAN to agencies, businesses and organizations in Wyoming that may be in position to help people who are experiencing an opioid overdose,” Mathews said in a news release Wednesday. “It’s meant for groups such as law enforcement agencies, emergency medical service providers and schools, rather than for individual orders.”
The effort is being funded through the State Opioid Response Grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration.
WDH data show annual deaths attributed to overdoses in Wyoming have increased in recent years. It’s believed the recent increase in overdose deaths can largely be attributed to an increase in synthetic opioid-involved overdose deaths. In 2021, 106 overdose deaths were recorded among Wyoming residents, compared to 99 in 2020, 78 in 2019, 65 in 2018, 62 in 2017, 94 in 2016, 96 in 2015, 106 in 2014, 96 in 2013 and 99 in 2012.
The active ingredient in Narcan, naloxone hydrochloride, can block the effects of opioids and restore normal breathing in a person whose breathing has slowed, or even stopped, as a result of opioid overdose. Mathews said more than one dose of naloxone may be required when stronger opioids and synthetic opioids such as fentanyl are involved.
Groups interested in receiving the medication through the Wyoming program should visit health.wyo.gov/behavioralhealth/mhsa/mat/. Rules, specific program requirements and ordering information are available.
People interested in a personal supply of naloxone for themselves or for a close friend or family member should ask local pharmacies or medical providers about the medication. Insurance will sometimes cover prescriptions for naloxone, and some pharmacies are able to provide naloxone for individuals without a doctor’s prescription. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/department-of-health-offers-overdose-antidote-orders-to-wyoming-groups/article_41bd5074-2974-11ed-9ca2-fbb5965682ff.html | 2022-09-02T22:09:42Z |
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HILO, Hawaii (KITV4) -- A Hilo woman has been charged with attempted murder and other crimes after investigators say she slashed her 77-year-old father-in-law with a knife.
The alleged incident happened on Wednesday just before 9 a.m. in the Komohana Gardens subdivision in Hilo.
According to Big Island police, the suspect, 31-year-old Frances Hartman, was arguing with her father-in-law about her 1-year-old daughter. The father-in-law is the legal guardian of the child and, according to police, Hartman is prohibited to have contact with her by court order.
During the argument, police say Hartman first threatened her father-in-law before slashing him across the abdomen with a knife. Police say she then took her daughter and ran away.
Police found and arrested Hartman a short time later at a nearby park on Komomala Drive. The child was not injured and was returned to her lawful guardians, police said.
Because of this incident, Hartman was charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree custodial interference, second-degree terroristic threatening, and violation of a protective order. Prosecutors are also seeking extended prison time, saying that Hartman is an offender against the elderly.
If convicted on just the attempted murder charge, prosecutors say Hartman could be sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole. With the extended prison modifier, parole could be taken off the table.
Hartman’s initial court appearance is set for Friday afternoon in Hilo District Court. She remains in jail, with bond set at more than $1-million.
Hartman’s father-in-law was taken to the hospital in serious condition due to the stab wound. Authorities say he was immediately taken to the operating room and his condition has been stabilized. He remains in the hospital.
Matthew has been the digital content manager for KITV4 since September 2021. Matthew is a prolific writer, editor, and self-described "newsie" who's worked in television markets in Oklahoma, California, and Hawaii. | https://www.kitv.com/news/crime/hilo-woman-accused-of-stabbing-her-father-in-law-taking-daughter/article_04d51c08-2b01-11ed-86e4-cb1e965f1739.html | 2022-09-02T22:15:18Z |
The uncrewed Artemis I mission is ready for another launch attempt this weekend.
The Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft are scheduled to lift off between 2:17 and 4:17 p.m. ET Saturday from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
Although there is no crew aboard, the mission is the first step of the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon and eventually land them on Mars
There is a 60% chance of favorable weather conditions for the launch, with chances increasing to 80% favorable toward the end of the window, weather officer Melody Lovin said during a Friday morning news conference.
If the rocket is unable to launch Saturday, the next possible launch window would be Monday.
Once it launches, the Orion spacecraft will enter a distant retrograde orbit of the moon and travel 40,000 miles beyond it, going farther than any spacecraft intended to carry humans. Crews will ride aboard Artemis II on a similar trajectory in 2024, and astronauts are slated to arrive at the lunar south pole in late 2025 on the Artemis III mission. The Artemis program aims to land the first woman and the first person of color on the moon.
The agency will share live views and coverage in English and Spanish before, during and after the Artemis I launch on its website and on NASA TV. The broadcast will begin at 5:45 a.m. ET as supercold propellant is loaded into the SLS rocket.
After the launch, NASA will conduct a briefing and later Saturday will share the first Earth views from cameras aboard the Orion spacecraft. The Virtual Telescope Project will attempt to share live views of Orion on its way to the moon shortly after launch.
Orion's journey will last about 38 days as it travels to the moon, loops around it and returns to Earth -- traveling 1.3 million miles (2.1 million kilometers). The capsule will splash down in the Pacific Ocean off San Diego on October 11.
Cameras inside and outside of Orion will share images and video throughout the mission, including live views from the Callisto experiment, which will capture a stream of a mannequin called Commander Moonikin Campos in the commander's seat. If you have an Amazon Alexa-enabled device, you can ask it about the mission's location each day.
Here's everything you can expect before, during and after the launch.
Counting down to launch
Early Saturday, the launch team will conduct a briefing on weather conditions and decide whether to begin fueling the rocket.
If everything looks good, the team will begin fueling the rocket's core stage and then move on to fueling its upper stage. Afterward, the team will top off and replenish any of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen that dissipates during the fueling process.
About 50 minutes before launch, the final NASA test director briefing will occur. The launch director will poll the team to make sure every station is a "go" 15 minutes ahead of liftoff.
At 10 minutes and counting, things kick into high gear as the spacecraft and rocket go through the final steps. Much of the action takes place in the final minute as the ground launch sequencer sends the command for the rocket flight computer's automated launching sequencer to take over.
In the last few seconds, hydrogen will burn off, the four RS-25 engines will start, resulting in booster ignition and liftoff at T minus zero.
Journey to the moon
The solid rocket boosters will separate from the spacecraft about two minutes into the flight and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean, with other components also jettisoning shortly afterward. The core stage of the rocket will separate about eight minutes later and fall toward the Pacific, allowing for Orion's solar array wings to deploy.
The perigee raise maneuver will occur about 12 minutes after launch, when the interim cryogenic propulsion stage experiences a burn to raise Orion's altitude so it doesn't reenter the Earth's atmosphere.
Shortly afterward is the trans-lunar injection burn, when the ICPS boosts Orion's speed from 17,500 miles per hour (28,163 kilometers per hour) to 22,600 miles per hour (36,371 kilometers per hour) to escape the pull of Earth's gravity and set off for the moon.
After this burn, the ICPS will separate from Orion.
Around 9:45 p.m. ET, Orion will make its first outbound trajectory correction burn using the European Service Module, which provides the spacecraft with power, propulsion and thermal control. This maneuver will put Orion on a path to the moon.
The next few days after launch, Orion will venture out to the moon, coming within 60 miles (96 kilometers) during its closest approach on day six of the journey. The service module will place Orion in a distant retrograde orbit around the moon on day 10.
Orion will also surpass the distance record of 248,654 miles (400,169 kilometers) -- set by Apollo 13 in 1970 -- on day 10 when it loops around the moon. The spacecraft will achieve its maximum distance from Earth of 280,000 miles (450,616 kilometers) on September 23 when it ventures 40,000 miles (64,373 kilometers) beyond the moon.
This is 30,000 miles (48,280 kilometers) farther than Apollo 13's record.
Orion will make its second-closest approach of the lunar surface, coming within 500 miles (804 kilometers), on October 5. The service module will experience a burn that enables the moon's gravity to slingshot Orion back on its way to Earth.
Just before reentering Earth's atmosphere, the service module will separate from Orion. The spacecraft will hit the top of Earth's atmosphere moving at about 25,000 miles per hour (40,233 kilometers per hour), and its heat shield will experience temperatures of nearly 5,000 degrees Fahrenheit (2,760 degrees Celsius).
The atmosphere will slow Orion down to about 300 miles per hour (482 kilometers per hour), and a series of parachutes will slow it down to less than 20 miles per hour (32 kilometers per hour) before it splashes down in the Pacific at 2:10 p.m. ET on October 11.
Splashdown will be streamed live from NASA's website, with views from 17 cameras aboard the recovery ship and helicopters waiting for Orion's return.
The landing and recovery team will collect the Orion capsule, and data from the spacecraft will determine the lessons learned before humans return to the moon.
The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/how-to-watch-the-artemis-i-mission-lift-off-to-the-moon/article_b463f8b9-12d4-58fd-87ab-8b82c9d33902.html | 2022-09-02T22:15:24Z |
Jane Fonda has been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and has begun chemotherapy treatment, the legendary actress and activist said in post shared on her verified social media account.
"This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky," she wrote.
Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma is a cancer of the immune system. Fonda said she will be doing chemotherapy for 6 months and that she is "handling the treatments quite well," adding "and, believe me, I will not let any of this interfere with my climate activism."
Fonda has been active in raising awareness of the climate crisis after getting inspired by young environmental activist Greta Thunberg.
Fonda launched an effort in 2019 called "Fire Drill Fridays," a civil disobedience effort to raise awareness of environmental challenges.
"Cancer is a teacher and I'm paying attention to the lessons it holds for me," Fonda added of her diagnosis. "One thing it's shown me already is the importance of community. Of growing and deepening one's community so that we are not alone. And the cancer, along with my age -- almost 85 -- definitely teaches the importance of adapting to new realities."
Fonda's Netflix TV series "Grace and Frankie" wrapped up its final season in April. Fonda has additional screen projects in the works, according to her IMDB profile.
While she did not address her ongoing professional commitments, Fonda said her activism will continue.
"We're living through the most consequential time in human history because what we do or don't do right now will determine what kind of future there will be and I will not allow cancer to keep me from doing all I can, using every tool in my toolbox and that very much includes continuing to build this Fire Drill Fridays community and finding new ways to use our collective strength to make change," she wrote. "The midterms are looming, and they are beyond consequential so you can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions." | https://www.kitv.com/news/national/jane-fonda-announces-shes-been-diagnosed-with-non-hodgkins-lymphoma/article_d9cf0050-e939-567c-a274-512129d0de12.html | 2022-09-02T22:15:30Z |
Jane Fonda says she has cancer, is dealing well with chemo
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Jane Fonda said on social media Friday that she has cancer.
“So, my dear friends, I have something personal I want to share. I’ve been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and have started chemo treatments,” the 84-year-old actor wrote in an Instagram post.
“This is a very treatable cancer,” she added, “so I feel very lucky.”
Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a cancer that begins in the white blood cells and affects parts of the body’s immune system.
Fonda acknowledged that unlike many, she is privileged to have insurance, and access to the best doctors and care.
“Almost every family in America has had to deal with cancer at one time or another and far too many don’t have access to the quality health care I am receiving and this is not right,” she said.
Fonda said she has begun a six-month course of chemotherapy, is handling the treatments well, and will not let it interfere with her climate activism.
Fonda has dealt with cancer before. She had a tumor removed from her breast in 2010, and has also had skin cancer.
Part of a legendary Hollywood family, Fonda gained fame for both her acting and her activism starting in the late 1960s.
She won Oscars for her performances in 1971′s “Klute” and 1978′s “Coming Home.”
She has also starred in the films “Barbarella” and “9 to 5,” and in the Netflix series “Grace and Frankie.”
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/jane-fonda-says-she-has-cancer-is-dealing-well-with-chemo/ | 2022-09-02T22:26:44Z |
Prosecutor: Trump ally arranged meeting with poll worker
ATLANTA (AP) — After the 2020 election, a Georgia poll worker who was falsely accused of voting fraud by former President Donald Trump was pressured and threatened with imprisonment during a meeting arranged with the help of an ally of the Trump campaign, a prosecutor said in a court filing Friday.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia. As part of the probe, Willis filed court documents on Friday seeking testimony from Willie Lewis Floyd, a director of Black Voices for Trump, a group aimed at increasing the former president’s support among Black voters.
In December 2021, Floyd was asked to arrange a meeting to discuss an “immunity deal” with Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker whom Trump and his allies falsely accused of pulling fraudulent ballots from a suitcase, according to Willis.
Willis said Floyd arranged for Trevian Kutti — whom Willis described as a “purported publicist” based in Chicago — to meet with Freeman. The prosecutor has previously sought Kutti’s testimony.
Kutti told Freeman that “an armed squad” of federal officers would approach her and her family within 48 hours and that Kutti had access to “very high-profile people that can make particular things happen in order to defend yourself and your family,” according to Willis’ court filing.
The district attorney cited video footage as evidence of those statements.
Kutti did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Friday. A message to Floyd’s Instagram account was also not immediately returned.
Freeman and Kutti met at the Cobb County Police Department, where Kutti told Freeman that “freedom and the freedom of one or more of your family members” would be disrupted if Freeman declined her assistance. Kutti said Freeman was “a loose end for a party that needs to tidy up,” according to Willis.
The meeting was captured in part by a body camera, Willis said.
Kutti also said she wanted to connect Freeman to Floyd, whom she described as a “Black progressive crisis manager, very high level, with authoritative powers to get you protection that you need,” Willis said.
During a subsequent phone call with Kutti and Floyd, Freeman was pressured to reveal information under threat of imprisonment, Willis said.
Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, appeared in June before the House Jan. 6 committee and have told lawmakers how the lies about election fraud upended their lives. Moss was also a poll worker in Fulton County.
Willis has sought testimony from numerous witnesses with ties to Trump as part of her investigation, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. Giuliani, who’s been told he’s a target of the investigation, testified before the special grand jury last month. A federal judge on Thursday ruled that constitutional protections don’t shield Graham from testifying.
Trump has blamed voter fraud for his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. State officials and federal investigators, including Trump’s own attorney general, have said there was no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 contest.
___
Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/prosecutor-trump-ally-arranged-meeting-with-poll-worker/ | 2022-09-02T22:26:50Z |
DIXON, Ill., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Allied-Locke Industries, Inc. ("Allied-Locke") discovered an incident that may have impacted the privacy of information related to certain employees, dependents of employees and customers. While Allied-Locke is unaware of any actual or attempted misuse of information in relation to the incident, it is providing potentially affected individuals with information about the incident and steps individuals may take to help protect their personal information should they feel it is appropriate to do so.
Allied-Locke discovered suspicious activity related to some of its computer systems. Allied-Locke immediately launched an investigation, with the assistance of third-party forensic specialists, to determine the nature and scope of the activity. The investigation determined that an unauthorized actor had the ability to access certain files stored on our network between November 8, 2021 and November 14, 2021. Therefore, Allied-Locke undertook a comprehensive review of the contents of the data determined to be at risk to assess the information present and to whom it related.
On March 10, 2022, Allied-Locke determined the potentially impacted files contained information related to certain individuals. Allied-Locke subsequently had to review its internal records to locate mailing addresses for much of the affected population. This review was completed on July 15, 2022.
The information impacted by this event varied by individual but may include name, Social Security number, driver's license number, financial account information, medical information, health insurance information, and date of birth.
Allied-Locke is mailing notice letters to affected individuals for whom they have a valid mailing address. Interested individuals can find additional information about the event at https://www.alliedlocke.com/. You may also write to Allied-Locke at 1088 Corregidor, Green River Industrial Park, Dixon, IL 61021.
Allied-Locke takes the security of information in its care very seriously. Upon learning of this issue, Allied-Locke immediately took steps to secure its network and conducted a diligent investigation to confirm the nature and scope of the incident. Allied-Locke also worked with third-party specialists to strengthen the security of its systems.
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SOURCE Allied-Locke Industries, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/allied-locke-industries-inc-provides-notice-data-event/ | 2022-09-02T22:26:57Z |
LOUISVILLE, Ky., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- American Air Filter Co., Inc. dba AAF International, a global leader of air filtration solutions for over 100 years, has acquired National Air Filter Service Company of New Jersey, one of the oldest and largest full-service air filtration management companies in the United States.
"This is an exciting announcement for us that we believe will yield important benefits for our customers and our vendors while ensuring the continuity of our business and relationships," said Don Borghoff, President and Owner of National Air Filter Service Company of New Jersey. "This acquisition symbolizes our intention to deliver more value to our customers while providing them with the same great service they have come to expect," Borghoff added. This change in ownership is effective August 29, 2022.
About AAF International
From our world headquarters in Louisville, Kentucky, AAF International proudly celebrated its 100-year anniversary in 2021. AAF International, AAF Flanders and its subsidiaries maintain manufacturing operations in 22 countries across four continents with 6,000 employees worldwide. AAF International is a subsidiary of Daikin Industries, Ltd., based in Osaka, Japan, a diversified international manufacturing company and a global leader in air conditioning.
AAF is recognized as a global leader in air filtration and has consistently delivered many industry firsts. Our vision is to 'bring clean air to life' by supplying our customers with best-in-class products and technologies that protect and improve people's health. Our residential, commercial and industrial customers benefit from decades of know-how that allows us to protect people, products, and equipment in critical processes while still delivering solutions that minimize impact and protect our environment.
For more information about AAF, visit https://www.aafintl.com/.
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SOURCE American Air Filter International | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/american-air-filter-co-inc-acquires-national-air-filter-service-co-new-jersey/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:03Z |
MACOMB, Mich., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Ascent Aerospace, a leading provider of aerospace tooling systems, factory automation and integration services, will be an exhibitor at the International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago, IL at McCormick Place from September 12-17, 2022. As the largest show in the Western hemisphere, and this year being co-located with Hannover Messe, it will be the event of the year with over 2,000 booths and 9 application focused pavilions to cater to each and every industry need.
This year at IMTS, Ascent will be showcasing a parallel kinematic machine (PKM) that has extreme accuracy, flexible mounting options and is customizable to meet specific machining applications for any industry. As an expert in automated solutions and factory integration, Ascent Aerospace can incorporate robots, like this PKM, into new or existing systems to meet specific customer needs and industry requirements. With unmatched expertise, Ascent creates flexible and scalable applications to propel production for customers in the right direction to reduce cycle times or recurring costs while increasing overall quality and a safer work environment for all.
Visit Ascent Aerospace in Level 3 of the North building at booth 236367 to define the best solution to drive your manufacturing excellence.
Ascent Aerospace is a world renowned, single-source provider of turnkey production and automated assembly systems for the aerospace, defense and space industries. Our unique offering consists of a variety of products and solutions to resolve challenging aerostructure assembly requirements, from wing components and fuselage structures to final assembly lines. As the industry's largest tooling and automation group, Ascent produces a full suite of composite tooling, including layup molds, mandrels, bond tools, and trim and drill fixtures, including the largest Invar molds ever made for aerospace. In addition, Ascent offers automated, high-precision drilling and fastening systems, having installed more than 2,200 systems globally. As an assembly line integrator, Ascent works with airframers to develop their project and see it through from process design and engineering through build and installation, to ensure it is an efficient and cost-effective solution. This strategy has allowed Ascent Aerospace to develop long-term, strategic alliances with the world's foremost manufacturers in the commercial aerospace, business aviation, defense, space launch and satellite industries. Visit www.ascentaerospace.com for more information.
Media Contact
Marisa Bennett - Marketing Manager
Marisa.Bennett@ascentaerospace.com
Tel: +1-586-464-4122
www.ascentaerospace.com
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SOURCE Ascent Aerospace | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/ascent-aerospace-exhibit-imts-september/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:10Z |
Harrah's New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City add nearly 20,000 square feet of world-class amenities
**For event photos, click here
NEW ORLEANS and BOSSIER CITY, La., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- An exciting new era of sports betting and poker play was ushered in this week with the grand openings of spectacular spaces at two Louisiana-based casinos. Part of Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) ("Caesars"), Harrah's New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino each made history by opening state-of-the-art Caesars Sportsbook locations at their resorts. In addition, Harrah's debuted the largest poker room in Louisiana with its grand opening of the new World Series of Poker Room.
"This was a special week for Caesars and our longstanding commitment to Louisiana," said Dan Real, Regional President, Caesars Entertainment. "The opening of our world-class Caesars Sportsbook locations and the new World Series of Poker® Room add to the legacy that Harrah's New Orleans and Horseshoe Bossier City have built in the Gulf Coast region. We're ready to welcome sports fans into our sportsbooks, and we're proud to open the largest poker room in Louisiana, true to the WSOP brand and what it represents."
To commemorate these openings, Caesars held two ceremonial events inside Harrah's and Horseshoe this week, each featuring a ribbon-cutting and ceremonial first bet.
In New Orleans, Archie and Cooper Manning joined Pro Football Hall of Famer and former New Orleans Saint Rickey Jackson, local dignitaries, and Saints Superfan Leroy Mitchell Jr., better known as "Whistle Monsta," to open the new sportsbook and poker room. Jackson placed the ceremonial first bet with his $1,000 wager on the Saints to win the Super Bowl at 40/1 odds and any possible winnings benefitting the United Negro College Fund (UNCF). In Bossier City, Caesars Sportsbook opened in grand fashion with Mayor Tommy Chandler cutting the ribbon ahead of a massive ceremonial first bet of $200,000, placed by a VIP and well-known guest.
Harrah's New Orleans now boasts a 5,700-square-foot sportsbook with four betting windows, 12 self-service betting kiosks, a 147-foot video screen, and a state-of-the-art, high-powered audio system adjacent to the 5,000-square-foot World Series of Poker Room featuring 20 poker tables. The openings mark another phase in the ongoing $325 million transformation of Harrah's New Orleans into Caesars New Orleans, which is expected to be completed by 2024.
Horseshoe Bossier City's new Caesars Sportsbook further cements its status as the foremost entertainment destination in northwest Louisiana. The more than 6,900-square-foot space features three betting windows, 15 self-service betting kiosks, more than 94 TVs with a state-of-the-art, high-powered audio system, a VIP viewing section, and a massive bar.
"These incredible openings are a testament to Louisiana residents, our Team Members and the guests who visit these historic resorts," said Eric Hession, President of Caesars Digital. "We truly feel like we're part of the home team in Louisiana, and we take pride in serving the great customers and sports fans in the state. From our Caesars Sportsbook app to our retail sportsbooks and now our elevated World Series of Poker Room, we embrace the opportunity to provide guests with even more unforgettable experiences."
Caesars remains committed to investing hundreds of millions of dollars to provide unequaled sports and entertainment experiences throughout Louisiana. This commitment will see Isle of Capri Lake Charles transform into Horseshoe Lake Charles, which will reopen with a new Caesars Sportsbook location in the coming months.
In addition to in-person wagering at these properties, the easy-to-navigate Caesars Sportsbook app features improved performance with a focus on speed, ease of use, and intuitive features to make getting a bet down easier than ever. Bettors can take advantage of additional ways to deposit funds, faster payouts, live scoreboards, and expanded in-play betting options, as well as same-game parlays, new cashout functionality, and more ways to wager with thousands of additional markets.
Eligible sports fans in select Louisiana parishes can download the app on iOS or Android, register, and deposit funds to take advantage of a new special sign-up offer for first-time users:
- The Full Caesar
- An additional 1,000 Tier Credits and 1,000 Rewards Credits
- One free bet equal to the amount of your first wager up to $1,250
- Full offer terms found here
Both online and in-person, Caesars Sportsbook integrates the industry-leading loyalty program, Caesars Rewards. Every bet placed rewards the bettor with Tier Credits for status and Reward Credits that can be used to unlock unbeatable experiences within the Caesars portfolio of properties and partnerships.
Caesars has local partnerships with the New Orleans Saints, New Orleans Pelicans, LSU Athletics, and a historic 20-year, exclusive naming rights deal with the Saints for the Caesars Superdome, the future home of Super Bowl LIX in 2025.
Caesars is an industry leader in responsible gaming with a decades-long commitment to responsible gaming practices. As Caesars Sportsbook continues to expand into new markets, responsible gaming education remains a key emphasis, and customers in Louisiana can directly access responsible gaming resources through Caesars Sportsbook's work with regulators and the community. In addition, the Caesars Sportsbook app has best-in-class tools in place to prevent problem gambling, including Deposit Limits, Spending Limits, Daily Time Limits, and Cool Off Time Limits.
For real-time industry updates and to join the empire of like-minded Caesars, players can engage with the Caesars Sportsbook social handle @CaesarsSports on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
About Caesars Entertainment, Inc.
Caesars Entertainment, Inc. (NASDAQ: CZR) is the largest casino-entertainment Company in the U.S. and one of the world's most diversified casino-entertainment providers. Since its beginning in Reno, NV, in 1937, Caesars Entertainment, Inc. has grown through development of new resorts, expansions and acquisitions. Caesars Entertainment, Inc.'s resorts operate primarily under the Caesars®, Harrah's®, Horseshoe®, and Eldorado® brand names. Caesars Entertainment, Inc. offers diversified gaming, entertainment and hospitality amenities, one-of-a-kind destinations, and a full suite of mobile and online gaming and sports betting experiences. All tied to its industry-leading Caesars Rewards loyalty program, the Company focuses on building value with its guests through a unique combination of impeccable service, operational excellence and technology leadership. Caesars is committed to its employees, suppliers, communities and the environment through its PEOPLE PLANET PLAY framework. Know When To Stop Before You Start.® Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700. For more information, please visit. www.caesars.com/corporate. If you think you or someone you care about may have a gambling problem, call 1-877-770-STOP (1-877-770-7867).
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SOURCE Caesars Entertainment, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/caesars-entertainment-opens-two-state-of-the-art-caesars-sportsbook-locations-brand-new-world-series-poker-room-louisiana/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:17Z |
MANSFIELD, Pa., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The Board of Directors of Citizens Financial Services, Inc. (CZFS), the bank holding company for First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB), recently declared a cash dividend for its shareholders.
The cash dividend of $0.48 per share is payable on September 30, 2022 to shareholders of record at the close of business on September 16, 2022. This quarterly cash dividend is an increase of 3.1% over the regular cash dividend of $0.465 per share declared one year ago, as adjusted for the 1% stock dividend declared in June 2022.
"We believe that the recent uplisting of our stock to the Nasdaq Capital Market has complemented our demonstrated growth, and our consistent and dependable cash dividend payment is a reflection of our commitment to reward shareholders for their ownership" noted President and CEO, Randall Black.
Citizens Financial Services, Inc. is a $2.25 billion bank holding company conducting business through First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB). First Citizens Community Bank (FCCB) operates 31 offices in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New York.
For further information regarding the common stock of Citizens Financial Services, Inc., please contact any of the following firms: Automated Trading Desk, 866-283-2831; Boenning & Scattergood, Inc., 800-842-8928; Keefe, Bruyette & Woods, Inc., 800-342-5529; Monroe Securities Inc., 800-766-5560; Pershing LLC, 201-413-2700; RBC Capital Markets Corp., 800-959-5951; Sandler O' Neill & Partners, 212-466-8020; Stifel, Nicolaus & Co., Inc., 973-549-4200; UBS Securities, LLC, 203-719-8710.
Note: This press release may contain forward-looking statements as defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Actual results and trends could differ materially from those set forth in such statements due to various factors. These factors include operating, legal and regulatory risks; changing economic and competitive conditions and other risks and uncertainties.
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SOURCE Citizens Financial Services, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/citizens-financial-services-inc-declares-quarterly-cash-dividend/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:23Z |
NORTH PORT, Fla., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The City of North Port, FL (the "City") is providing notice of a recent event that may have impacted the privacy of certain individuals' personal information. The City takes this incident very seriously and is providing information about the incident, our response to it, and resources available to individuals to help protect their information, should they feel it appropriate to do so.
What Happened? On or about January 11, 2022, the City discovered suspicious activity in our computer network. We immediately took steps to secure our systems and launched an investigation into the nature and scope of the event, with the assistance of third-party computer forensic specialists. The investigation determined that on January 11, 2022, certain files in our systems were subject to unauthorized access. In response, we undertook a thorough and time-intensive review of the data stored within these files to determine the type of information contained therein and to whom that information pertains to. We completed our comprehensive review on August 5, 2022, and worked diligently to provide this notice as quickly as possible. Although there is no evidence that anyone's information was actually viewed or acquired by an unauthorized party, we cannot rule out this possibility. While we are unaware of any actual or attempted misuse of any particular person's information as a result of this event, we are providing this notice out of an abundance of caution.
What Information Was Involved? The information that may have been impacted by this event varies by individual but includes: name, Social Security number, driver's license number, medical/health information, and health insurance information. We are providing this notice out of an abundance of caution as the investigation was unable to determine whether any personal information was actually viewed or acquired, and we have no evidence of any actual or attempted fraudulent use of information resulting from this event.
How Will Individuals Know If They Are Affected By This Incident? The City mailed notice letters to the individuals identified as potentially impacted. If an individual does not receive a letter but would like to know if they are affected, they may call the City's dedicated assistance line, detailed below.
What The City Is Doing. The confidentiality, privacy, and security of personal information within our care is among our highest priorities, and we have strict security measures in place to protect the information in our care. Upon learning of the event, we have taken additional steps to improve our security and better protect against similar incidents in the future. We are also notifying applicable regulator(s) of the event.
Whom Should Individuals Contact For More Information? If individuals have questions or would like additional information, they may call the City's dedicated assistance line at 855-544-2906, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Eastern time, Monday through Friday, excluding major U.S. holidays.
What You Can Do. The City encourages individuals to remain vigilant against incidents of identity theft and fraud by reviewing your account statements and monitoring your free credit reports for suspicious activity and to detect errors over the next 12 to 24 months. Under U.S. law individuals are entitled to one free credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus. To order a free credit report, visit www.annualcreditreport.com or call, toll-free, 1-877-322-8228. Individuals may also contact the three major credit bureaus directly to request a free copy of their credit report, place a fraud alert, or a security freeze. Contact information for the credit bureaus is below.
Consumers have the right to place an initial or extended "fraud alert" on a credit file at no cost. An initial fraud alert is a 1-year alert that is placed on a consumer's credit file. Upon seeing a fraud alert display on a consumer's credit file, a business is required to take steps to verify the consumer's identity before extending new credit. If you are a victim of identity theft, you are entitled to an extended fraud alert, which is a fraud alert lasting seven years. Should you wish to place a fraud alert, please contact any one of the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below.
As an alternative to a fraud alert, consumers have the right to place a "credit freeze" on a credit report, which will prohibit a credit bureau from releasing information in the credit report without the consumer's express authorization. The credit freeze is designed to prevent credit, loans, and services from being approved in your name without your consent. However, you should be aware that using a credit freeze to take control over who gets access to the personal and financial information in your credit report may delay, interfere with, or prohibit the timely approval of any subsequent request or application you make regarding a new loan, credit, mortgage, or any other account involving the extension of credit. Pursuant to federal law, you cannot be charged to place or lift a credit freeze on your credit report. To request a security freeze, you will need to provide the following information:
- Full name (including middle initial as well as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.);
- Social Security number;
- Date of birth;
- Addresses for the prior two to five years;
- Proof of current address, such as a current utility bill or telephone bill;
- A legible photocopy of a government-issued identification card (state driver's license or ID card, etc.); and
- A copy of either the police report, investigative report, or complaint to a law enforcement agency concerning identity theft if you are a victim of identity theft.
Should you wish to place a fraud alert or credit freeze, please contact the three major credit reporting bureaus listed below:
You may further educate yourself regarding identity theft, fraud alerts, credit freezes, and the steps you can take to protect your personal information by contacting the consumer reporting bureaus, the Federal Trade Commission, or your state Attorney General. The Federal Trade Commission may be reached at: 600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20580; www.identitytheft.gov; 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338); and TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The Federal Trade Commission also encourages those who discover that their information has been misused to file a complaint with them. You can obtain further information on how to file such a complaint by way of the contact information listed above. You have the right to file a police report if you ever experience identity theft or fraud. Please note that in order to file a report with law enforcement for identity theft, you will likely need to provide some proof that you have been a victim. Instances of known or suspected identity theft should also be reported to law enforcement and your state Attorney General. This notice has not been delayed by law enforcement.
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SOURCE City of North Port, FL | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/city-north-port-fl-provides-notice-data-privacy-event/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:24Z |
NOVI, Mich., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- EnerDel, a leading Li-ion battery pack manufacturer will display the next generation iEGO pack and greet customers at the Battery Show North America! The Battery Show presents the latest on advanced battery technology for a variety of electric and hybrid products. Meet the EnerDel Team at the show in the Pearl Meeting Room at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI on September 13th and 14th from 9:15am to 4:30pm (EST).
The latest chapter in EnerDel's long history is new ownership by Mr. Paul Herbert. We are now an American-owned company with a new leadership team members who will be in attendance at the Show to highlight our new products and operations.
Learn more about the new EnerDel by attending Kev Adjemian's (EnerDel CSO) talk on the New Beginnings at EnerDel. The speech will take place in the Gold Ballroom at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi, MI on September 15th at 2pm (EST).
The iEGO Pack is the next gen pack answer for flexible configurations and state of the art battery management system controls! It is well suited for customers wanting custom pack configurations, used in many applications, like mining, agriculture, construction, industrial lift, micro-grid, specialty transportation, and marine.
Be sure to check out EnerDel's new website at www.enerdel.com
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SOURCE EnerDel | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/enerdel-display-iego-pack-battery-show-north-america/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:31Z |
Parler Now Downloadable for iOS and Android Devices
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Parler, the leading viewpoint-neutral, free speech social media platform, today announces that the Parler app has been reinstated to the Google Play Store for Android. Google approved the free speech Twitter alternative after an unusually long approval process spanning months rather than days.
"We are pleased that Parler is back on Google Play as a native app so that Android users no longer have to side-load," said Samuel Lipoff, Chief Technology Officer at Parler. "While away from Google Play, we have worked diligently to build a more feature-rich and dynamic user experience. Now is a perfect time to join Parler and rediscover the non-partisan platform where we enable people to speak freely!"
Over the last several months, Parler has continuously worked to improve the platform's user experience and technology, providing streamlined accessibility for iPhone users since returning to the Apple App Store more than a year ago.
"Parler has a strong commitment to free speech and despite the market duopoly but is working to provide options and choices for the millions of voices currently being censored or suppressed based on their viewpoint," said Parler's Chief Marketing Officer, Christina Cravens.
Download Parler for free on the App Store or Google Play today.
About Parler Inc.: Parler has a bold vision to make freedom of expression, security, and privacy a reality through social media and blockchain technology. Over 16 million users have chosen Parler as their social media platform to protect against the authoritarian powers of Big Tech, Big Government, and cancel culture. Parler uses the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution as a guide, making it possible for people to speak freely without fear of being suspended or labeled 'dangerous' and banned. Parler is the public town hall where everyone is welcome, and civil debate is encouraged around diverse topics. Founded in 2018, Parler is based in Nashville, TN, and has a growing global community of content creators. To learn more, visit: https://parler.com, follow @Parler, or download on the App Store or Google Play Store now.
Media Inquiries:
Christina Cravens, CMO, Parler
media@parler.com
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SOURCE Parler | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/free-speech-social-media-platform-parler-returns-google-play-store/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:37Z |
MILWAUKEE, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- MGIC Investment Corporation (NYSE: MTG) announced today that the company's Chief Executive Officer, Tim Mattke, will participate in a fireside chat at the Barclays Global Financial Conference, being held at the New York Hilton Midtown, on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at 11:15 a.m. Eastern Time.
The fireside chat will be webcast live and can be accessed at the company's website, http://mtg.mgic.com/ under Newsroom or MGIC Investment Corporation - 1567954 (webcasts.com). A series of related slides will also be available on both websites on Monday, September 12, 2022. A replay of the fireside chat will be available for 30 days at http://mtg.mgic.com/.
About MGIC
Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation ("MGIC") (www.mgic.com), the principal subsidiary of MGIC Investment Corporation, serves lenders throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, and other locations helping families achieve homeownership sooner by making affordable low-down-payment mortgages a reality through the use of private mortgage insurance.
From time-to-time MGIC Investment Corporation releases important information via postings on its corporate website, and via postings on MGIC's website for information related to underwriting and pricing and intends to continue to do so in the future. Such postings include corrections of previous disclosures and may be made without any other disclosure. Investors and other interested parties are encouraged to enroll to receive automatic email alerts and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feeds regarding new postings. Enrollment information for MGIC Investment Corporation alerts can be found at https://mtg.mgic.com/shareholder-services/email-alerts. For information about our underwriting and rates, see https://www.mgic.com/underwriting.
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SOURCE MGIC Investment Corporation | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/mgic-participate-barclays-global-financial-service-conference/ | 2022-09-02T22:27:43Z |
SAN DIEGO, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRTX), a clinical-stage targeted oncology company, today announced that the company granted equity awards to 25 new employees with a grant date of September 1, 2022, as equity inducement awards outside of the company's 2022 Equity Incentive Plan (but under the terms of the company's Inducement Plan) and material to the employees' acceptance of employment with the company. The equity awards were approved in accordance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5635(c)(4).
The employees received, in the aggregate, options to purchase 99,972 shares of Mirati's common stock, and in the aggregate 64,054 restricted stock units ("RSUs"). The options have an exercise price of $82.04 per share, which is equal to the closing price of Mirati's common stock on September 1, 2022, (the "Grant Date"). One-fourth of the shares underlying the employee options will vest on the one-year anniversary of the grant date and thereafter 1/48th of the shares underlying the employee options will vest monthly, such that the shares underlying the options granted to the employees will be fully vested on the fourth anniversary of the grant date, subject to the employees' continued employment with Mirati on such vesting dates. Each RSU will vest as to 25% of the shares underlying the RSU award on the first anniversary of the grant date and as to an additional 25% of the shares underlying the RSU award annually thereafter, subject to each such employee's continued employment on each vesting date.
Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company whose mission is to discover, design and deliver breakthrough therapies to transform the lives of patients with cancer and their loved ones. The company is relentlessly focused on bringing forward therapies that address areas of high unmet need, including lung cancer, and advancing a pipeline of novel therapeutics targeting the genetic and immunological drivers of cancer. Unified for patients, Mirati's vision is to unlock the science behind the promise of a life beyond cancer. For more information about Mirati, visit us at Mirati.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook.
This press release contains forward-looking statements regarding the business of Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. ("Mirati"). Any statement describing Mirati's goals, expectations, financial or other projections, intentions or beliefs, development plans and the commercial potential of Mirati's drug development pipeline, including without limitation adagrasib (selective KRASG12C inhibitor), sitravatinib (TAM receptor inhibitor), MRTX1719 (MTA cooperative PRMT5 inhibitor), MRTX0902 (SOS1 inhibitor), and MRTX1133 (selective KRASG12D inhibitor), is a forward-looking statement and should be considered an at-risk statement. Such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, particularly those challenges inherent in the process of discovering, developing and commercialization of new drug products that are safe and effective for use as human therapeutics, and in the endeavor of building a business around such drugs.
Mirati's forward-looking statements also involve assumptions that, if they never materialize or prove correct, could cause its results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Although Mirati's forward-looking statements reflect the good faith judgment of its management, these statements are based only on facts and factors currently known by Mirati. As a result, you are cautioned not to rely on these forward-looking statements. These and other risks concerning Mirati's programs are described in additional detail in Mirati's quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and annual reports on Form 10-K, which are on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") available at the SEC's Internet site (www.sec.gov). Mirati assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements, or to update the reasons why actual results could differ from those projected in the forward-looking statements, except as required by law.
Mirati Contacts
Investor Relations: ir@mirati.com
Media Relations: media@mirati.com
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SOURCE Mirati Therapeutics, Inc. | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/mirati-therapeutics-reports-inducement-grant-under-nasdaq-listing-rule-5635c4/ | 2022-09-02T22:28:03Z |
NEW YORK, Sept. 2, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II ("MUDS" or the "company"; NASDAQ: MUDS, MUDSU, MUDSW), a special purpose acquisition company, today announced it intends to dissolve and liquidate pursuant to the provisions of its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation (the "Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation"). MUDS did not complete a business combination opportunity within the period required by its Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation. The company will redeem all of its outstanding shares of Class A common stock issued as part of the units sold in the company's initial public offering (the "public shares"), effective as of the close of business on September 12, 2022.
Consistent with the provisions of the Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, in connection with its dissolution and liquidation, the company will:
Net of taxes and up to $100,000 of dissolution expenses, MUDS currently expects the per-share redemption price for the public shares will be approximately $10.16 (as finally determined, the "Redemption Amount").
The Redemption Amount will be paid on or prior to September 23, 2022, to the beneficial owners of public shares held in street name without any required action on their part. The Redemption Amount will be paid to record holders of public shares after delivery of their public shares to the company's transfer agent, Continental Stock Transfer & Trust Company, on or after September 12, 2022.
MUDS anticipates that the public shares will cease trading before business open on September 13, 2022. As of the close of business on September 12, 2022, the public shares will be deemed cancelled and will represent only the right to receive the Redemption Amount. After September 12, 2022, the company will cease all operations except for those required to wind up the company's business.
There will be no redemption rights or liquidating distributions with respect to MUDS' warrants, which will expire worthless. The company's sponsor, directors and each member of MUDS' management team have waived their redemption rights with respect to all founder shares held by them.
MUDS expects that NASDAQ will file a Form 25 with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") to delist its securities. The company thereafter expects to file a Form 15 with the SEC to terminate the registration of its securities under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act"), and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"), that are not historical facts, including with respect to the company's anticipated redemption, liquidation and dissolution, and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected and projected. Words such as "expect," "believe," "anticipate," "intend," "estimate," "seek," "future," "project," "anticipate" and variations and similar words and expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements relate to future events or future performance, but reflect management's current beliefs, based on information currently available. A number of factors could cause actual events, performance or results to differ materially from the events, performance and results discussed in the forward-looking statements. For information identifying important factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements, please refer to the company's Form S-1 relating to its initial public offering, Annual Report on Form 10-K and other documents the company has filed with the SEC, as amended from time to time. Copies of such filings are available on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made, and the company assumes no obligation and does not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise, except as required by law. Nothing in this press release should be regarded as a representation by any person that the forward-looking statements set forth herein will be achieved or that any of the contemplated results of such forward-looking statements will be achieved. The inclusion of any statement in this press release does not constitute an admission by the company or any other person that the events or circumstances described in such statements are material.
About Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II
Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II is a special purpose acquisition company formed for the purpose of effecting a merger, asset acquisition, stock exchange or purchase, reorganization, or combination thereof with one or more businesses.
Media Contact
Todd Fogarty
Partner, Kekst CNC
Tel: (212) 521-4854
Email: todd.fogarty@kekstcnc.com
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SOURCE Mudrick Capital Acquisition Corporation II | https://www.whsv.com/prnewswire/2022/09/02/mudrick-capital-acquisition-corporation-ii-will-redeem-its-public-shares/ | 2022-09-02T22:28:10Z |
A historic race: Q&A with Oregon's three candidates for governor
By SIERRA DAWN McCLAIN Capital Press Sep 1, 2022
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On Nov. 8, Oregonians will elect a new governor.
Several factors make this race unique and explain why it’s garnering national attention.
First, many Oregonians are disenchanted with the state’s current leadership. Outgoing Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, is America’s least popular governor, according to a 2022 poll from the data firm Morning Consult.
The race is also capturing national interest because it’s a tight contest. Sabato’s Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia Center for Politics, a nonpartisan newsletter with a high rate of accuracy in predicting election results, labeled Oregon’s outcome as a “toss-up.”
Oregon is hosting an unusual three-way race among a trio of women who are all recent members of the state legislature: former state House Speaker Tina Kotek, running as a Democrat; former House Minority Leader Christine Drazan, running as a Republican; and former state Sen. Betsy Johnson, running as unaffiliated, formerly a moderate Democrat.
If Kotek wins, she will be America’s first out lesbian governor. If Drazan wins, she will be the first Republican to win an Oregon gubernatorial race since 1982. If Johnson wins, she will be the first independent governor to win since 1930.
The Capital Press sat down with each of the candidates to talk about issues that matter to rural Oregonians. Each candidate answered the same set of questions.
The candidates’ answers have been shortened for readability. Words in parenthesis are written by the Capital Press to add context and clarity. Follow-up questions are indicated in italics.
Capital Press: If you are elected, how do you plan to bridge the political divide between Oregon’s urban and rural communities?
Johnson: “Well, show up is the first one. We’ve just come back from a trip to Eastern Oregon. I think being there is important and understanding that whether you’re making silicon chips, or wood chips, or potato chips out in Boardman, or fish and chips in Astoria, that we have throughout Oregon different micro-economies, and the governor needs to understand that.”
Drazan: “The opportunity to bring Oregonians together is a big part of why I’m running. When we have a Portland focus and hard, progressive Democrat agenda, you end up taking that agenda and you impose it on the rural parts of the state.
“Too often in the public policy-making process, you have folks drive six or eight hours to Salem and testify for two or three minutes. No one asks them questions and their proposals do not change outcomes because this single party control machine — they’ve got the votes.
Having a Republican governor ensures (lawmakers) have to compromise. They have to listen to the stakeholders, because if they don’t, they’ll get a veto in my administration.”
Kotek: “For me, it is about how you listen to people, making sure you’re out in local communities, engaging with local leaders.
“As speaker of the House, it was really important for me to represent the entire state. I made a point to encourage my colleagues, Democrats and Republicans, to visit each other’s districts.
“As governor, getting out of Salem more often — it’s important. You bring people together by listening. And focusing on issues that I don’t think are very partisan. Every part of this state has a housing problem. That’s not a partisan issue. I honestly think water’s not a partisan issue. We all need water.
“So, focusing on issues that aren’t highly politicized is a good place to start.”
CP: What marching orders will you give the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality?
Johnson: “Big ones. I want that agency to stop torturing Oregonians and to help Oregonians.
“Frequently, DEQ’s answer has been no — to everything. I want can-do, want-to, will-do people running state agencies. I want them to start at yes. I want agencies with regulatory authority to work with farmers and not constantly be looking for fault or wanting to over-regulate.”
Drazan: “My favorite thing that’s going to happen on my first day is asking all the agency heads to turn in their resignations — all of them. And we’re going to sit down and have a conversation.
“My commitment to Oregonians is to lead in a new direction. We’re not going to get that done if you keep the entire bureaucratic machine crankin’ along like nothing’s changed. I have an expectation that my agency heads are expert in the subject matter, committed to customer service, to being problem-solvers, to getting to ‘yes’ first and ‘no’ second and to partnering with Oregonians rather than standing as a barrier.”
Kotek: “I think one of the biggest issues right now is to make sure (DEQ has) the resources and staff power to meet current regulations.
“Nothing is more frustrating for me than to hear someone say, ‘I want to expand my business, but it’s taking 18 months to get my new water permit or my air permit renewed.’
“The other issue is making sure our rulemaking processes and rules are inclusive. Oregonians support regulations that have goals.
“We believe in clean water, clean air — we all agree on that. And things have to be set up in a way that businesses can function.”
CP: Oregon’s new Advanced Clean Trucks rule requires manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission vehicles, including heavy-duty trucks, starting with the 2024 model year. Critics say the rules will raise truck prices and push a fleet of electric vehicles on rural communities that don’t yet have charging infrastructure. What’s your response?
Johnson: “Well, we gotta’ slow (the timeline) down. Where’s the infrastructure? I don’t think the technology has caught up with the reality of what exists on the ground. And at what cost?
“We cannot address Oregon’s minor contribution to global climate change on the backs of rural communities that were asked to unfairly bear the economic cost of implementation.”
Does Johnson support a move toward more electric vehicles?
“Sure, sure. But we’re going faster than it can be implemented on the ground right now,” she said.
Drazan: “I do not support an end position of a mandate around what equipment is used by Oregonians.
“This move towards electric vehicles right now doesn’t meet all the needs. There’s not adequate charging infrastructure. The grid can’t support it.
“You can’t put the cart before the horse. In some cases, these political agendas force people off of a bridge to nowhere.”
Does Drazan support transportation electrification?
“As we move to new technologies that are low-emissions, I would support (voluntary) incentive-based movement in that direction,” she said.
Kotek: “If we’re going to have new regulation(s), we have to put public money on the table to help people achieve conversion.
“What we all understand is, we have to transition to cleaner engines. How do you make that happen? I think we have to put more urgency behind our electrification plans as a state.
“The good thing is, with the federal infrastructure package, we have more resources coming down from the federal government than we’ve ever had.
“The thing I always ask in transition conversations is: Does the timeline work for folks? The goal is to have it happen, not to put something in place just to say we put it in place. If the timeline has to be reassessed, we have to reassess it, ‘cause the goal is to get people to cleaner vehicles.”
CP: California air regulators voted on Aug. 25 to phase out vehicles that run on fossil fuel, culminating in a total ban on sales of new gas-powered cars, pickup trucks and SUVs by 2035. Washington regulators plan to follow California’s lead, and under Gov. Kate Brown, Oregon is also potentially poised to follow suit. If you’re elected, will you adopt or reject this policy?
Johnson: “We need a government that does things with Oregonians, not to Oregonians.
“We need to provide more options to reduce fossil fuel use, but I am opposed to heavy-handed mandates that reduce choice and drive up costs on consumers and companies.”
“How dare the governor consider doing this without public hearings or legislative action. It’s just one more assault on rural economies, farmers, ranchers, loggers and anyone who can’t afford a Tesla.”
Drazan: “Once again, bureaucrats in the Brown administration are pushing a political agenda that goes well beyond their authority.
“People are already struggling with an out-of-control cost of living and skyrocketing inflation. Now, Governor Brown’s administration wants to make life even more costly for hardworking Oregonians, all in the name of a political agenda that is out-of-touch with everyday people.
“This proposal is dead on arrival. As governor, I’ll repeal it on day one.”
Kotek: “Policies like this will help make zero-emission cars more affordable and accessible and will ultimately help Oregonians reduce pollution, improve air quality and save money over time.
“I’d support adopting a policy that’s tailored to meet Oregon’s needs.”
CP: Do you support Oregon’s existing water rights system under the doctrine of Prior Appropriation, or “first in time, first in right,” in which the person with the oldest water right on a stream has seniority and is the last to face a shutoff?
Johnson: “Our water rights system is very complicated. Before politicians change the system, they need to get everybody at the table.
“We need to convene the parties and have a conversation about: What does changing the water rights really mean?
“But I don’t want somebody to come away with the opinion that I’m for changing the water rights system.
“What I’m supportive of is, if there is a problem statement that people agree on, what’s the statement? Is it that the water rights system is too complicated? Is it that some are getting deprived of water? I would want to have some collective understanding of: What are we solving for?”
Drazan: “I support our existing water rights system.”
Would Drazan try to maintain the system if it was challenged?
“I would,” she said. “And just to be clear, I don’t think any system is perfect. I do believe in the ability to be flexible. I think that needs to be a stronger, more dominant characteristic of our state government in particular, that we’re responsive to local needs, but as a principle, and as a construct under which we all operate, I support the existing system.”
Kotek: “It is the fundamental starting place for how water is utilized in the state. It is the law. It is the starting point, yes.”
However, Kotek said she is open to conversations about potentially changing other laws. For example, under Oregon water law, if a water rights holder does not use the full water right for five consecutive years, that user could forfeit the right. Kotek expressed concern over this.
“Some people say, ‘If I don’t use my water, I will lose my rights.’ When I listen to that, I’m like, ‘OK, does that make sense when the third person down the line also needs water?’ Right?” said Kotek.
“So, how do you have thoughtful conversations about assessing that? The starting point is where we are today, but with the understanding that we have to consider perhaps some new ideas.”
CP: Do you think agriculture has too large a claim on Oregon’s water supply?
Johnson: “I do not. Oregon’s economy rests on the back of agriculture. Farmers, fishing interests, ranchers, other producers are part of the backbone of our economic past and certainly our economic future.”
Drazan: “I don’t. Oregon agriculture has always been a critical partner in Oregon’s economy, to Oregon culture, to Oregon families. And we cannot overlook the need for access to local food production.”
Kotek: “I don’t know if I can comment on that. What I do know is Oregonians like the fact that we grow things, that we are a leader in export products in the ag sector, and it’s kind of in the DNA of Oregon to grow things. So, I think ag is really important.”
CP: Statewide, how do you plan to balance the competing water needs of agriculture, growing human populations and fish under the Endangered Species Act — for example, in the Klamath Basin?
Johnson: “Klamath is beyond complicated. And I really have not immersed myself. That’s a bi-state problem too because one of the tribes is in Northern California. And I’m not an expert on Indian law.
“But I think you should leave with the notion that I fully embrace the idea of using the governor’s office as the bully pulpit to convene people. I think we have not had adequate balance, particularly in about a decade on the boards and commissions or in the agencies. Not all voices have been at the table.”
Drazan: “You just struck on one of the most complex, political issues that Oregon has faced for decades.
“We’ve had administration after administration that has not necessarily stood up for Oregon in that conversation and said: ‘We need real, long-term solutions.’ Instead, you have folks in the Klamath Basin in particular that get tossed by the political winds.”
What does Drazan plan to do?
“I think it’s important that the people that are impacted are the ones to define what that range of policy objectives should be,” she said.
“I’m not gonna jump in with both feet and say, ‘Here, edict from on high, what I think is the solution that no one’s looked at.’ But I can tell you we have not had enough advocacy for the impacts on the community down there and that the political weight has been given in a heavier percentage to the needs of species.”
Kotek: “I think that is a key role of the governor: to make sure everyone is heard and balance all needs to the degree that we can.
“It’s complicated. I am not a water expert. The water situation in the Klamath Basin is incredibly important, and we have to make sure that all stakeholders are at the table.
“Being on the ground and seeing what’s at stake is important. You can’t go forward on these conversations without local input. I’m gonna be honest with folks: I don’t know if we can balance all the different needs. But we’re gonna try.”
CP: Climatologists predict Oregon will get less water in the future. Do you have a plan for collecting water during wet seasons for use in dry seasons via storage projects?
Johnson: “I would be instructed by my participation in the Umatilla Basin Project, ‘cause that’s exactly what that did. So not only do I have a plan, I have practical experience.”
What types of storage projects would Johnson support, such as aquifer recharge, building new dams or raising existing dams?
“The ones that I am the most enthusiastic about is where water users help define the problem. But can I name you XYZ projects? I can’t. I’m interested in looking at anything.”
Drazan: “Yeah, support for storage is going to be essential moving forward.”
What types of storage projects would Drazan support?
“I will take an all-of-the-above approach that supports additional options that are feasible, that we can afford and that actually move the needle,” she said.
Kotek: “I have been supportive of water storage projects. I think cost is a big deal there, whether we can do some of these things. But we are going to have to be creative like that to make sure we have water during the seasons that we need it.”
What storage projects would she support?
“Honestly, I would not feel comfortable (naming specifics),” she said.
Kotek said she also supports more thorough monitoring of water usage.
“It’s really hard to know where we need to go if we’re not having compete understanding of water usage,” she said.
Kotek said she is also open to exploring different water delivery systems, including piping.
“I understand people like open ditches. I’m not sure that’s a good idea,” she said.
CP: What does good forest and public lands management look like to you? For example, do you support prescribed burning, grazing, thinning and logging?
Johnson: “Yes, yes, yes, yes.”
Although Johnson supports all four practices, she described nuances.
Johnson said she supports prescribed fire but has “questioned the competency of the Forest Service not to let some of those prescribed burns get away.”
Johnson said there are “subtleties” on grazing: “Do you keep the critters out of the streams?”
On thinning, she said, “We have got to thin.”
Johnson said she also backs post-fire salvage logging.
Drazan: “There’s a place for all of that, to be clear. We need to have active management of our working lands, and that has got to include forests.
“Technology exists for us to be able to identify, say, when lightning strikes occur, which may result in a fire start. We also have the Good Neighbor Authority program; we should continue to invest in that. (The program allows states, counties or tribes to do forest, rangeland and watershed restoration projects on federal lands.)
“I think we should make more of our forestlands available for logging. We’re either gonna manage (our forests) or we’re gonna watch (them) burn.”
Kotek: “My baseline is: Talk to the experts. OSU (Oregon State University) is a huge resource for us, understanding what the experts at OSU think we should be doing.
“I believe we do need some level of prescribed burning, and it has to be done safely.
“In terms of overall forest practices, the Private Forest Accord is a template of how we can improve forest practices.” (The accord was a deal that timber and conservation groups reached last fall.)
Where does Kotek stand on logging and grazing?
“I don’t have a particular agenda on either of those issues because I’m not an expert,” she said.
Kotek says solving Oregon’s housing crisis is a top priority. Does she support using timber harvested from Oregon’s forests to build houses?
“We’re gonna have to build 36,000 housing units per year for the next decade to actually meet our gap and get ahead of it,” she said. “I love the cycle of using Oregon-based mass timber to construct homes. Mass timber is a very viable product that we have to promote.”
CP: Many family farmers say the farmworker overtime pay rule, which passed during the 2022 legislative session, will hurt their businesses. Do you have plans to amend the law?
Johnson: “Let’s start from the premise of: Increasing the safety and wages and working conditions of low-income workers is a laudable goal. OK. This bill, I think, was an overly simple solution to a really complicated issue.
“My concern is that good intentions can’t mandate good jobs. I think we’re gonna have all sorts of work-around schemes, (employers) capping (employees’) hours, or it will create a highly transient workforce. I’m just not sure that it was thought out as carefully as it should have been for a policy change of this magnitude.”
Does she plan to change the law?
Johnson did not name specific plans but said amendments might relate to “highly perishable crops” such as grapes.
Drazan: “Yeah, absolutely. I look forward to the opportunity to find a more balanced approach to that issue. With single-party control, the needs of all stakeholders were not taken into consideration with the passage of that legislation. It does need to be reworked and amended.”
Does Drazan have specific amendments planned?
Drazan did not outline a plan, but said: “I look forward to having the conversation and proposing a more responsive piece of legislation that allows Oregon ag to continue to be Oregon ag.”
Kotek: “Before I left the Legislature, we were gearing up for this conversation in last year’s session. I had dairy farmers calling me up saying, ‘This isn’t working for us.’ I listened hard. Before I left the Legislature, I said, ‘Look, we have to transition this in a way that helps farmers to do their business.’
“It was very important to me to have a reasonable transition (timeframe) plus resources to support farmers — the tax (credit). I am definitely open to maintaining the (tax credit). (The law includes temporary tax credits for employers to cushion costs.) But it would be nice if the federal government solved this. From a competitive standpoint, it would be good if every state was doing this. It’s the right thing to do.”
CP: Was it a mistake to shut down schools and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic?
Johnson: “Hell, yes.
“I think we did enormous damage. I don’t think we’ve measured the social, emotional, mental health and academic damage that we’ve done to our kids.
“A lot of the hospitality industry is not going to recover. We’ve dissipated the workforce. And our response to the distribution of money was not consistent or objective.”
What would she have done differently?
“I would have approached the issue with more humility,” she said. “I would have talked to county commissioners and city councilors and mayors. If you don’t have the affected people’s opinion(s), you just have what emanates out of Salem.
“My reaction to what happened was that the agencies were punitive (and) retaliatory. They didn’t work with business to try to prescribe the safest conditions for patrons and workers. Rather, they just had their little regulatory Bigger Book of Bureaucracy out, running around trying to tell people what they were doing wrong.”
What if there’s another pandemic?
Johnson said she plans to be better prepared with personal protective equipment on hand and “clearer lines of communication.”
Drazan: “I’m a mom of three kiddos. I had my daughter at home online trying to teach herself algebra in middle school. It was absolutely a mistake to keep schools closed as long as they were.
“Those first days where we did not fully understand how to navigate COVID, who was at risk, how this was going to move through our communities. … As House Republican leader, I sent a letter to the governor on behalf of our caucus saying: Whatever you need, however we can work with you, we need to do everything we can to protect public health.
“And that suddenly became: She did whatever she wanted. And she mandated everything. I think that the duration of that shutdown was heavy-handed and was an absolute abysmal failure.”
What will Drazan do differently if there’s a future pandemic?
“I’d give more local control to our school boards with recommendations,” she said.
And businesses?
“And businesses,” she said. “You can trust Oregonians with the best information and the most support possible to make the right choices for themselves, their customers, their clients and their families.”
Kotek: “There was certainly disagreement across the state on how best to do this.
“I think it was important that we instituted public health requirements that kept people safe, and frankly, alive. There are a lot of people walking around today because we tried to do the right thing.”
Will Kotek keep schools and businesses open moving forward?
“The number one priority to me is, no matter what, we have to keep our schools open. We have to have students in person,” said Kotek.
What about businesses?
“I think one of the things (that) didn’t go well is you can’t tell businesses they are open and give them 48 hours and say, ‘Oh, and you’re closing in two days.’ You have to give people advance warning,” said Kotek. “It’s important to have businesses part of the conversation and give them adequate notice whenever you’re gonna do something that could impact their business.”
CP: Rural economies are largely based on agriculture and natural resource industries. What do you see as the ideal jobs of the future in rural Oregon?
Johnson: “I think that industry in rural places is doing it. Walking through the plywood mill in Elgin, realizing how much of that is now computer-driven.
“We’re innovating new products we had never even dreamed of. Oregon is uniquely positioned to do the things we’ve already talked about — thinning, logging — but also, I think we’re uniquely positioned to innovate.”
Drazan: “Across every generation, you see the evolution of community. What we have to continue to protect and preserve, though, is the autonomy of local communities.
“We live in a free society. That is the beauty of our nation — its independence. Oregonians should have the right to choose for themselves and their families their best lives.
“And I frankly don’t believe there is a future for our state and nation without rural communities that continue to provide the values and benefits that our agricultural community has provided for centuries.”
Kotek: “I’m super bullish about the strides we’re making on broadband infrastructure. The other issue for me is clean energy jobs.
“We have to produce more clean energy in our state. That is jobs for rural Oregonians. That is large-scale solar. It’s offshore wind. It’s the pumped storage (hydropower) facility down in Klamath.
“One of the things about large-scale solar in particular (is) finding properties that are on low-grade or low-value farmland. We have to protect the land use system.
“So, clean energy jobs and broadband (are) very important and supporting our traditional industries as well.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/a-historic-race-q-a-with-oregons-three-candidates-for-governor/article_0c71fc0c-2af1-11ed-8aba-0f6ce20d7959.html | 2022-09-02T22:54:42Z |
Sometimes I just sit and think. And other times, I just sit. I tell myself I need to move. Then I sit and think about how to do it.
All my life, for as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be better at most everything I do.
Sometimes I just sit and think. And other times, I just sit. I tell myself I need to move. Then I sit and think about how to do it.
All my life, for as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to be better at most everything I do.
Take cooking, for example. This morning, for probably the twelve-millionth time, I made pancakes. I don’t make them for my husband and me, because we don’t need to eat them. But I often made them when my kids were growing up, and will, if one of the grandkids sleeps over.
Wiley is 9. He loves pancakes. He and my husband were good sports this morning. They’ve learned not to complain. (Once, when I gave Wiley a cookie, he said, “Nana, I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but this doesn’t really look like a cookie.”)
These pancakes looked like pancakes. But they were thick. And dry. And burnt. When Wiley tried to cut them, he looked like Luke Skywalker wielding a lightsaber. Not even butter and syrup could help.
How hard can it be to make pancakes? I’ve tried countless recipes and mixes. Same stove.
Same kitchen. Same cook. But no two batches are the same.
That’s true of most everything I do. When it works, it’s good and everybody’s happy. When it doesn’t, we scrape the plates and dish up some ice-cream.
I wish I could say cooking is my only weakness. But it’s just one of many improvements I’d like to make. There’s this voice in my head (it sounds like my mother, but I picture it as God) that keeps reminding me of all my sins and shortcomings.
I wish you could hear it. Just the voice, not the sins.
When my children were small, that voice would tell me in no uncertain terms that I needed to clean my house, flea-dip the dog and be a better mother. I agreed absolutely. But try as I might, I never quite measured up.
That didn’t stop me, of course, either then or now, from taking great pride in the people my children grew up to be and the kind of parents they’ve become.
Raising a child is a moment by moment juggling act of faith and fear, failure and forgiveness, grace and hope and joy. No one does it perfectly. We can only do our best and pray for a miracle to turn our mistakes into blessings for our child.
One of the people I’ve admired most in life is my husband’s late father. In his 80’s, when he was hospitalized for a diabetic infection in his foot, I listened as a doctor suggested changes in his diet to improve his health.
Bob listened politely, nodded and said, “You’re an excellent doctor. I appreciate your advice. I’ve had a great life. I don’t plan to change it. Whatever time I have left, I just want to enjoy it with my family and friends.”
The doctor smiled. “Sounds like a good plan,” he said.
When the voice in my head starts cracking its whip, telling me I need to shape up, I think about my father-in-law’s plan for the last years of his life.
I, too, have had a great life, more happiness and blessings than I ever dreamed possible. I wake up each day just to see what will happen next.
But even on the best of days, there are always things I’d like to change, or at least, try to do a little better. Here are a few:
I want to sit less and move more, so I can keep moving.
I want to think less and trust more, to feel more at peace.
I want to ask more questions and do less talking, because asking is how we learn and learning keeps us alive.
I want to be a better person as a wife, mother, grandmother, friend and even a better cook, because the world needs our best in everything we do.
I want to enjoy life with the people I love and know that they love me, too, just as I am.
We aren’t meant to be perfect. We are meant to be ourselves, just trying to do the best we can.
I wish someone would explain that to the voice in my head.
Sharon Randall is the author of “The World and Then Some.” She can be reached at P.O. Box 922, Carmel Valley CA 93924 or www.sharonrandall.com.
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Illegally-grown marijuana plants are destroyed after a bust of a black-market growing and processing facility Wednesday, Aug. 31 on the 6000 block of Carberry Creek Road near Applegate Lake in Jackson County.
RURAL JACKSONVILLE, Ore. — The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office (JCSO) SWAT team responded to a black-market cannabis growing and processing facility early Wednesday, Aug. 31 to assist Illegal Marijuana Enforcement Team (IMET) detectives in serving a search warrant. Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) assisted due to concerns of forced labor trafficking and substandard living conditions. IMET utilized the JCSO SWAT team after investigations determined an elevated threat level due to the property’s connection to a drug trafficking organization.
The marijuana grow and processing facility on the 6000 block of Carberry Creek Road near Applegate Lake in Rural Jacksonville contained approximately 32,546 black-market marijuana plants, 148,900 pounds of processed illegal cannabis, 6.6 pounds Butane Honey Oil (BHO), $20,040 cash and three firearms. Investigators also seized a 2020 Dodge 3500 and an industrial generator from the property. This case was the result of a months-long investigation of a black-market marijuana growing and processing operation. Detectives identified the primary suspects and investigations into the drug trafficking organization are ongoing.
On the property 16 workers were detained, interviewed and released. HSI Medford agents identified and interviewed 15 potential victims of forced labor trafficking with the assistance of an HSI Victim Advocate Specialist (VAS) and Forensic Interview Specialist (FIS). Indications are that workers were being paid inconsistent wages, some much lower than minimum wage, and provided substandard living and working conditions to process illegal marijuana. UNETE Oregon, a center for farmworker advocacy, responded to assist the workers and provide support services. UNETE partners directly with IMET through Oregon Criminal Justice Commission grant funding in a mutual effort to address the poor treatment of migrant workers being victimized at illegal marijuana grows. Investigators also discovered an abandoned horse on the property which was turned over to a local equine rescue group.
Jackson County Code Enforcement responded to the scene to conduct an independent investigation. Code Enforcement issued citations to the property owner totaling $98,000. The violations included 75 structures which are either unpermitted or contain unpermitted electrical or mechanical installations. Violations also included unpermitted marijuana production, solid waste and camping within a marijuana grow site. The property had a permit to grow hemp but there was no licensing for recreational or medical cannabis growing, handling or processing at the location.
Due to the size of the growing and processing operation, many agencies assisted with the search warrant. Those assisting from JCSO included Patrol, Criminal Investigations Division, Corrections, Search and Rescue (SAR), Evidence and K9 Teams. The outside agencies included HSI, Bureau of Land Management Law Enforcement Special Agents, United States Forest Service Law Enforcement and Investigations unit, Oregon State Police Southwest Region Drug Enforcement Section team and Josephine County Sheriff’s Office detectives from the Josephine Marijuana Enforcement Team (JMET).
While regulatory agencies investigate permitted cannabis operations, IMET is focusing on the black-market marijuana trade in the Rogue Valley. IMET is a multi-agency task force funded by a grant from the Oregon Criminal Justice Commission. The task force includes personnel from JCSO, Medford Police Department, HSI, Code Enforcement, Watermasters and the DA’s Office.
Investigations are open and ongoing with detectives working additional leads. No further information is currently available for release. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/law_enforcement/jackson-county-task-force-busts-drug-trafficking-organization/article_786f15be-2b02-11ed-866f-43518ea0297d.html | 2022-09-02T22:54:54Z |
State education officials recommend adding a future planning course and removing the testing requirement for students.
Senate Bill 744, passed by the Oregon Legislature last year, ordered the Oregon Department of Education to deliver a report evaluating the state’s graduation requirements by Sept. 1, 2022.
Released Thursday, ODE’s report outlines research and recommendations on what’s expected of Oregon high school graduates, with two main findings and eight suggestions.
In the first review of Oregon’s graduation requirements in 15 years, the Oregon Department of Education examined graduation requirements in other states and solicited feedback from thousands of Oregonians. The report concluded that Oregon’s graduation requirements should change to be more equitable and better aligned with what businesses and colleges want from future employees and students.
ODE director Colt Gill said the recommendations focus on changing Oregon’s education system to better serve students and get them to graduation.
“We know students can meet requirements when we put them in front of them … one of the reasons you see so many of our recommendations focused on the system is because we think that’s what needs to be addressed to help our students, to help Oregon’s graduation rates, and help more students earn a diploma in Oregon,” Gill said.
But both feedback and data collected for the report show inequities in graduation among student groups — from the types of diploma students receive, to the method by which they fulfill graduation requirements.
ODE Administrator for Research and Accountability Dan Farley said the changes Oregon needs to make are systemwide, not based on individual student achievement.
“The accountability in our prior graduation requirements was almost squarely placed on individual students,” Farley said. “Whereas, graduation really is a community indicator, and it reflects students’ access to high quality learning resources across their K-12 experience.”
Gill said the data collected for the report informed ODE”s recommendations, which will be presented to legislators and the State Board of Education later this month.
FILE - In this May 4, 2017, file photo, students head to classes at a high school in Forest Grove, Ore.
FILE - In this May 4, 2017, file photo, students head to classes at a high school in Forest Grove, Ore.
Don Ryan / AP
The community feedback
State officials heard from 3500 people over the last year, including students, parents, educators and community members. The majority responded via a statewide survey, but state officials also hosted Zoom meetings and community conversations with specific groups.
The report summarizes the feedback received into several themes, among them flexibility, the value of skills like financial literacy and critical thinking, and the assessment methods for testing student knowledge in areas including math, reading and writing.
“My high school did not prepare students for the real world. They didn’t even teach students how to write a proper resume. They didn’t offer or point students in the direction of internships… The school just wanted to get kids to graduate; they were not focused on what happened after,” said one Oregon resident, quoted in the report.
Gill noted that access to high-quality education for all students was a repeated point.
“Our students and their families, and our educators weren’t so concerned about where we set the standard, they feel like they can meet it, and the students feel like they can meet it,” Gill said, “as long as they have access to an equitable education to help them get there.”
The state by state comparison
Compared to other states, Oregon’s graduation rate is near the bottom in the country’s rankings, a statistic that has long been mentioned by politicians and other officials. But when it comes to the number of credits required for graduation, Oregon is one of 14 states that require 24 credits, the most of any state.
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Gill noted that Oregon’s diploma requirements are among the “most rigorous, most stringent” and aren’t equivalent to states with higher graduation rates and different standards for graduation.
“All that can feel like excuses, but what I’m really trying to say there, is that these are not measuring the same outcome for our students,” Gill said. “So we’re all calling it a diploma as an outcome, but that’s not what we’re reaching.”
The report’s authors say Oregon’s graduation rate falls below other states “partly due to differences in systemic investments.”
Farley said those systemic investments include better per-student funding, as well as higher pay for teachers.
“It’s not necessarily that we haven’t paid attention to or invested in these areas that we know are needed,” Farley added, citing the Student Success Act, a corporate tax legislators passed a few years ago to directly help fund schools. “But there are some states who are farther down in that investment process than we are.”
The recommendations
The recommendations include requiring a ‘future planning’ course that would include skills like financial planning or resume building. The report also recommends going from three Oregon diploma options (the Oregon diploma, the Modified Oregon Diploma, and the Extended Oregon Diploma) to just one.
The report found some Oregon schools were “increasing their use” of a modified diploma and that the differences between diploma types were not always communicated to parents and students. Some parents felt districts were “pushing” a modified diploma.
“They want to give my son a modified diploma but they haven’t given me enough information about what it means and that my son will have barriers if he receives the certificate or what will he be allowed to study,” said one parent’s comment in the report, translated from Spanish.
ODE also recommends keeping the list of Essential Skills but updating it with input from businesses, industry leaders, and colleges.
To prove students have mastered those skills, the report suggests connecting the skills to the recommended ‘future planning’ course, and removing the requirement that students prove their Essential Skills mastery with a test.
In addition to ordering this report, SB 744 dropped the Essential Skill requirement through the 2023-2024 school year, prompting concern that students would no longer have to prove they can read, write, or do math to graduate from high school.
“The review of statewide data shows the Assessment of Essential Skills requirement was implemented inequitably and did not ensure anticipated benefits for students in their preparation for postsecondary transition,” according to the report.
Other recommendations include better preparing students for life after high school by requiring two-year post graduation plans for students.
What’s next
What happens next to Oregon education depends on the Legislature and Oregon State Board of Education.
With a gubernatorial election coming just a couple of months away, the future of Oregon’s graduation requirements also lie with its next governor.
Gill said he hopes Oregonians take the time to read the report before coming to conclusions about the state agency’s position on graduation requirements.
“It will be easy to politicize and to make statements about, you know, ‘these recommendations will lead us to a higher level of rigor for our students or a lower level of rigor for our students,” Gill said. “But I think if you take a look at what people in Oregon said, what our students said, what our families said, and you tie that to the data, these recommendations will make a lot of sense.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/new-report-suggests-changes-for-oregon-graduation-requirements/article_8fad9d60-2af1-11ed-98b4-3f1d11b4425e.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:00Z |
Coldwell Banker Holman Premier Realty hosted the 10th annual Steve McManus Memorial Car Show in its parking lot Aug. 19.
A total of 59 cars and trucks were entered for the show, including a variety of Rat Rods, classic muscle cars and trucks, motorcycles and everything in between.
The event was sponsored generously. Food and drinks were made available, and a live radio spot was presented by Basin Mediactive.
The Steve McManus Memorial Car Show benefits the Klamath Lake County Food Bank. In lieu of an entry fee participants, bring a canned food item for donation. This year, 397 lbs. of non-perishable food items were donated.
Many participants and attendees also made monetary donations with an additional $615 presented to the food bank.
Show Awards and prizes were given:
"Best of Show" awarded to Rick Sumnar and his 1968 Chevy Camaro
"People’s Choice" awarded to Pete Cholewinski and his 1969 GMC 1500 Short Bed Pickup
"Most Flare" awarded to Deb Conner and her 1948 Plymouth Deluxe
Event photos can be found on the Coldwell Banker Holman Premier Realty Facebook page. Coldwell Banker and event coordinators were overwhelmed with the positive feedback they received and thank all the sponsors, attendees and spectators who helped make the event a success.
Special thanks to Fable Restaurant, Stacy Dennis IT Solutions, Indulgence Salon, Miss Klamath County/City of Sunshine, Benefit for the Basin and Country Financial.
Next year’s event is scheduled for Aug. 18, 2023, and everyone is invited, once again.
For more information on next year’s event, contact Courtney Shaw at Coldwell Banker 541-884-1343, or email marketing@cbkfalls.com to get on the email list for event updates and announcements. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/10th-annual-steve-mcmanus-memorial-car-show/article_8ad820a0-2996-11ed-bede-e39a2f3b7bea.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:07Z |
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The majority of SNAP benefits recipients in Oregon will continue to receive temporarily increased emergency food benefits in September. Approximately 433,000 SNAP households are estimated to receive an additional $69 million in extra food benefits during this month.
These emergency benefits are a temporary support that Oregon can provide because of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency.
Since March of 2020, the federal government has approved these emergency allotments every month to help support SNAP recipients during the pandemic. Once the public health crisis ends, however, the extra funding will no longer be provided to SNAP beneficiaries.
Because the federal government approved these emergency benefits for September, Oregon will also be able to issue them in October.
“We know that many rely on these additional emergency food benefits to get enough healthy food for themselves and their families,” Interim Director of the Oregon Department of Human Services (ODHS) Self-Sufficiency Programs, Jana McLellan, said. “We also know that many Oregonians are still struggling to meet their basic needs and we encourage them to contact our partners at 211, the Oregon Food Bank and their local Community Action Agency for support during this difficult time.”
SNAP households will receive their added benefits on one of three scheduled dates: Sept. 13, Sept. 30 or Oct. 4.
SNAP recipients do not have to take any action to receive these supplemental benefits as they will be issued directly on their EBT cards. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/increased-snap-benefits-continue-in-september/article_5faac824-2af4-11ed-9fac-e36074efb905.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:25Z |
A crowd is gathered on the lawn of the Central School, which stood near the corner of Ninth and Main streets in Klamath Falls from 1905 to 1929. It was torn down to make way for the Oregon Bank Building, more commonly known as the Medical Dental Building.
Patrolmen McLoughlin and Brandenburg reclining comfortably in the curb in front of the Central School Wednesday afternoon earned $110 for the city. That sum was paid in the police court yesterday by the following autoists who were charged by the officers with driving past the school at a speed exceeding 12 miles per hour.
Lee Parker, R. Hamblet, Ed Venice, J. Knowlton, John D. Williams, F. D. Bryant, Roy Call, Mrs. M. Burns, John Doe Black, E.R. White, $10 each. C.A. Dunn and L. T. Kittiner, $5 each.
Leo Moore was fined $5 on an old charge of parking within 30 feet of a corner.
Ed Dunham and Walter G. West also fell in the net, the officers said, but they have not appeared in court.
The Evening Herald, Sept. 8, 1922
50 years ago
KART is off and running.
“We don’t know where we’re going . . . .just want to go,” said the first covey of passengers boarding the KART (Klamath Area Transit) bus as it opened its first run Thursday morning.
Rambling three times around its 26-mile route, the bus provided riders with a broad exchange of unseen neighborhoods, a cross-section of garage sales and just one heck of a good time.
“This is ideal for me,” reported Ruth Burgoyne as she stepped aboard the off-duty school bus by the Shangri-La Apartments. “I like to shop at Shasta Plaza and now I can do it easily.”
“Gee,” said delighted Mrs. Bill Heimann, 1818 Siskiyou St., as she hopped aboard at the corner of Oregon Avenue and Biehn Street, “you really came.”
“I’ve been waiting for this,” nodded Harvey Ovgard, 3645 Laverne Ave., after joining the group of opening day quarter-droppers. “As far as I’m concerned, this is a damn good thing.”
“I’m more than happy with our first day’s turnout,” reported a satisfied Jack Graham, KART project director, this morning. According to Graham, the opening day totals showed 40 paying passengers—and two 25 cent tips.
While a majority of the first day riders were female senior citizens, the ride drew all ages.
The Herald and News, Sept. 1, 1972
25 years ago
“Forest health” is the byword that drives most public policy decisions regarding America’s national forest these days. But biologists know it’s the sick and dying trees that often help wildlife the most.
So on the Chemult Ranger District of the Winema National Forest, a crew of workers is injecting heart rot fungi into healthy trees this summer in an experiment aimed at creating more wildlife diversity.
Experts hope the fungi will eat away at the heartwood of the trees, making them suitable for wildlife habitat, while allowing the trees to continue living for years to come.
“The primary reason we’re doing this is to help the cavity excavators—woodpeckers,” said Todd Forbes, wildlife biologist on the Chemult Ranger District. “If we manage for the animals to create the cavities, all the cavity users will benefit.”
Forbes said woodpeckers have a natural ability to find trees with weak hearts. Woodpeckers use the nest for only one season, however. As a result, the cavity becomes available for other birds such as mountain bluebirds, mountain chickadees and various species of swifts.
The problem for birds, Forbes said is that hollow-hearted trees are becoming scarce in some of the forest because of the recent emphasis on salvage logging of dead and dying trees.
The Herald and News, Sept. 8, 1997
10 years ago
Oregon agriculture officials quarantined a Fort Klamath area ranch after anthrax killed a steer last week, believed to be the first confirmed case of anthrax in the state in more than 50 years.
Officials could not name the ranch, but Oregon State Public Health Laboratory on Friday confirmed a steer died Aug. 22 from a natural occurring form of anthrax.
Another two animals have died, also suspected anthrax cases, and the herd of approximately 1500 cattle has been isolated to protect neighboring ranches, said State Department of Agriculture spokesman Bruce Pokarney.
Cattle were likely affected by feeding on infected pastureland, he said.
A weaponized version of the bacterial in 2001 killed five and sickened 17 others, according to The Associated Press. But the bacteria was specially treated and easily aerated.
Anthrax is found in soil across the United States and its spores are unlikely to become airborne.
ODA does not require cattle producers to vaccinate herds for anthrax although cattlemen in past decades made the vaccine common practice, Pokerney said. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/looking-back-this-week-in-klamath-basin-history-for-sept-3-2022/article_fa2bd40e-2afb-11ed-a0dc-0b6458aa124e.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:31Z |
Oregon Tech is one of the nation’s top universities based on contribution to the public good in three broad categories: social mobility, research and promoting public service, according to Washington Monthly magazine’s “2022 College Guide and Rankings.”
In addition to ranking high at No. 15 on the 2022 Bachelor’s Colleges Ranking, Oregon Tech is a top university in Oregon at No. 40 on the magazine’s list of “Best Bang for the Buck West Colleges,” which recognizes four-year institutions that “help non-wealthy students attain marketable degrees at affordable prices.”
According to the publication’s website, Washington Monthly takes a different approach to rankings, by focusing on data that is more reliable and relevant to the majority of students, as well as to policymakers.
The Washington Monthly’s measures are based on publicly available data largely collected by the federal government.
The ranking reinforces Oregon Tech’s real-world focus, which produces real results including average graduate starting salaries of $60,000 per year.
Oregon Tech also ranks among the best schools in the nation on Forbes’ annual Top Colleges list, released this week. The rankings list 500 schools — the top 20 percent of all four-year and graduate universities in the nation — with Oregon Tech listed at No. 377 overall and No. 179 in Public Colleges. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/oregon-tech-ranked-by-washington-monthly-as-a-top-degree-in-the-nation/article_76d22bbe-2af9-11ed-98f5-5faa10781255.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:38Z |
LAKEVIEW — For many, Labor Day weekend is enjoyed recreating on area public lands or working on outdoor projects.
This weekend, Southern Oregon is expecting to see high temperatures and strong gusty winds. Fire danger remains extreme and fire officials from the South-Central Oregon Fire Management Partnership (SCOFMP) urge the public to prevent any human-caused wildfires.
“Wildland fire conditions in Klamath & Lake counties are still at extreme fire danger levels,” said Randall Baley, Protection Unit Forester for the Oregon Department of Forestry (ODF). “It’s been a good season in terms of challenging fires and we would like to keep it that way. This upcoming wind situation combined with recent dry weather patterns have led to a 'pins and needles' situation as we enter late summer and early fall. We have been blessed so far by not having more human-caused fires. My concern is we are only a blink away from additional major problems. With hunting seasons here and high recreation use with the warm and dry weather, fire officials are keeping a close eye in the entire area with Regulated Use Closures still in effect and continually educating the public on the current conditions.”
Summer holiday weekends, including Labor Day, see an increase in abandoned campfires on area wildlands. Currently campfires are prohibited as part of Public Use Restrictions on most public lands in South Central Oregon. The latest restrictions and regulations, including for ODF and federal agencies, are available at scofmp.org/restrictions.shtml.
The public is responsible for ensuring they have reviewed and are aware of the restrictions for the landscape they plan to recreate or work on. For all agencies, violation of these prohibitions could result in citations, fines and even imprisonment, depending on the agency and order.
Visitors to public and private wildlands should always use caution to prevent human-caused wildfires. To reduce the risk, it is advised to do the following:
• Before camping, check fire restrictions and never leave a campfire unattended. Build campfires in cleared open areas and keep water and a shovel nearby. Make sure campfires are out and cool to the touch before leaving the area.
• Consider alternatives to a campfire, such as a portable camp stove.
• Smoking should only be in a closed vehicle or fire-safe area and always dispose of cigarette debris in some type of an ashtray. Check local Use Regulations for specific rules.
• Avoid driving and parking in tall grass or roads with heavy, fine fuel accumulations. Exhaust particles, hot exhaust pipes, and hot catalytic converters can start grass fires in a matter of seconds. Exhaust from ATVs and motorcycles can also ignite wildfires. Maintain proper tire pressure; driving on exposed wheel rims can throw sparks.
• Secure chains properly from trailers or other equipment. Sparks from dragging chains have caused numerous wildfires.
• Spark arresters are required on all recreational and portable gasoline-powered equipment.
• Carry firefighting equipment in vehicles, including a shovel, at least one gallon of water or one 2 ½ pounds or larger fire extinguisher.
Suspected wildfires should be reported to 911 as soon as possible. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/public-asked-to-help-prevent-human-caused-wildfires-this-labor-day-weekend/article_6718af2e-2b01-11ed-ac85-4bfa5475ac45.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:44Z |
Washington and Oregon rank in the top 10 states for the longest life expectancy, according to new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The high rankings come with the caveat that the pandemic has thrown lengthening human lifespans into reverse across the U.S.
It is clear that if you want to live long and prosper, the Pacific Northwest is a fine place. Washingtonians have the second longest life expectancy of any state in the nation, behind only Hawaii. Oregonians are not far behind in eighth place and Idaho comes in eleventh.
According to the new data published by the Centers for Disease Control, a child born in Washington or Oregon in 2020 can expect to live around 79 years. That's two years longer than the national average. The life expectancy for an Idaho child born in 2020 is closer to 78 years.
Since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic though, life expectancy has declined in all 50 states.
"Certainly, there was some state variation in the change in life expectancy," said mortality statistics chief Robert Anderson on a podcast recorded by the CDC's National Center for Health Statistics. "But overall, COVID-19 was the primary factor."
“It’s a little more complicated than that because there’s some other things going on,” Anderson continued. “We saw increases for some other causes of death (i.e., heart disease, liver disease and suicide) and of course increases in drug overdose deaths also had an impact.”
The decline in life expectancy was less pronounced in the Northwest states, but still the excess deaths during the first year of the pandemic shaved about a year off the expected lifespan of people in this region. Anderson said the smaller drops in lifespans recorded in Washington, Oregon and Idaho corresponded with lower-than-average COVID death rates in the region.
A provisional analysis by the CDC of 2021 data showed that life expectancy continued to drop nationwide as the pandemic dragged on.
"Life expectancy for Americans in 2021 fell to the lowest level in a quarter of a century — 76.1 years, the same level it was in 1996," CDC staff wrote on the National Center for Health Statistics blog on Thursday.
The health agency has not yet teased out state-by-state numbers from its national analysis of the immediate past year.
As is the case everywhere, females outlive males. The average woman in the Northwest is predicted to live four to five years longer than the average male. Anderson said that gap has widened during the pandemic.
“We do know that men were disproportionately affected by the pandemic — I mean COVID-19 death rates were higher for men than for women,” Anderson said. “So, it’s not surprising that we would see a slightly larger disparity between males and females.” | https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/washington-and-oregon-among-states-with-longest-life-expectancy-but-pandemic-hurt/article_c3d2195a-2b09-11ed-8809-e7e72d0ffdfe.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:50Z |
The Oregon Tech men’s golf season kicks off over Labor Day Weekend with a new-look squad poised for a big campaign.
The Owls picked up a pair of team titles last season and finished fourth overall at the Cascade Collegiate Conference Championships. However, three members of their normal scoring quintet have graduated, opening the door for multiple members of the current eight-player squad.
Tech will have to replace four-time All-CCC and former All-American Mayson Tibbs, who closed his career with a 74.8 stroke average – No. 2 in program history. The Owls will have to replace Preston Luckman (77.3 career stroke average) and Zach Malina (78.6 career stroke average) – both mainstays in the 2021-22 lineup.
Second-year coach Dave Myers returns experience in the form of Michael Gray and Hunter Eberhardt. Gray, a senior, recorded a pair of top-five finishes last season – including earning medalist honors at the OIT Spring Invitational. Eberhardt, a junior, had a consistent season, logging four top-10 finishes.
Two others return – junior Mason Snider and sophomore Carter Borror – both looking to climb into the lineup.
Four newcomers look to make an immediate impact – two transfers and two freshmen.
Junior college teammates Tyler Vassar and Xavier De La Rosa helped North Idaho College win the Northwest Athletic Conference team championship in 2022. Vassar had three top-five finishes, including an individual title during the regular season, before placing 10th at the NWAC Championships. De La Rosa was NIC’s No. 4 player and took 19th at the NWAC Championships.
Freshmen Kellen Humphries and Issey Tanimura both head to the Basin with impressive resumes. Humphries claimed the 2021 Class 5A state title at Thurston High and placed sixth overall as a senior. Tanimura, from Shorewood High in the Seattle area, was a four-time competitor at the Class 3A state tournament and was a former Washington Junior PGA champ.
Tech will play five tournaments during the fall season – beginning Sunday at the Coastal Collegiate Classic in Gleneden Beach. The squad will play tournaments at College of Idaho, Multnomah and Bushnell, plus host the OIT Fall Invite at the Running Y Ranch. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/oit-mens-golf-preview-owls-seek-to-replace-stalwarts-in-lineup/article_7d99a342-2afd-11ed-b5fd-cb8978ea5d22.html | 2022-09-02T22:55:56Z |
Oregon Tech’s Payton Canon didn’t earn All-American honors last season because the NAIA changed to a selection committee. She’ll come back for a fifth year to try again.
Ranked in the Top 25 to start a fourth straight season, the Oregon Tech women’s golf team returns three of its top four players in search of its fifth trip to the NAIA Championships in the past seven seasons.
The Lady Owls claimed team wins last season at both the Coastal Collegiate Classic and the OIT Spring Invite – while placing a close second to NAIA national champ, British Columbia, in every Cascade Collegiate Conference event. Their efforts landed the club the No. 23 ranking in last month’s NAIA preseason coaches’ poll.
Tech will have to replace senior Ashley Zhu, an all-CCC selection, who recorded a 78.2 stroke average as the Owls’ No. 2 player. The squad will also have to replace a trio of seniors – Grace Hull, Madison Darnold and Kirsten Reed – all who spent time at the No. 5 spot or played as individuals.
Anchoring the club is four-time all-CCC pick and 2022 NAIA national qualifier Payton Canon. The fifth-year senior owns the majority of OIT’s all-time records – posting four of the top six single-round scores and three of the top four 36- and 54-hole stroke totals – and holds a school-record 77.0 career stroke average. Canon has four tournament victories – including last season’s Lewis-Clark State Invitational and OIT Spring Classic titles – and 23 career top-10 finishes.
Fellow senior Maiya Baker returns after posting a 79.8 stroke average in 2021-22. Baker earned all-CCC honors as a sophomore, while picking up an individual title last season at the Coastal Collegiate Classic.
Junior Quincy Beyrouty starts her first full season with the Lady Owls after joining the squad early in 2022. Beyrouty made a splash early in her OIT career, shooting a school-record, final-round 67 to share medalist honors with Canon at the OIT Spring Classic and finished last season with a 79.7 stroke average.
Two freshmen round out the roster – Brittney Barrington from California and Baylee Hodgman from Arizona. Barrington was a three-time All-Valley Oak League selection at East Union High in Manteca and was the 2021 VOL Player of the Year. Hodgman was a two-time state tournament participant while at Highland High in Mesa.
OIT will play five tournaments during the fall season – beginning Labor Day weekend at the Coastal Collegiate Classic in Gleneden Beach. The Owls will travel to Caldwell, Idaho, for the C of I Invitational and to Portland for the Multnomah Invite, before hosting the Oregon Tech Fall Classic at the Running Y Ranch. The fall season ends in Silvis, Ill., at the TPC Deere Run Invitational – the site of the NAIA National Championships. | https://www.heraldandnews.com/sports/oit-womens-golf-preview-payton-canon-returns-to-lead-owls/article_d74064a8-2a53-11ed-b2ef-7f4d232cab64.html | 2022-09-02T22:56:02Z |
Father, daughter facing felony charges for setting raccoon on fire, sheriff says
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) - A father and daughter in Florida are facing felony charges for allegedly burning a young raccoon.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Alicia Kincheloe, 30, recorded a video of a raccoon being burned in a dumpster on Aug. 11. Investigators said the incident involved Alicia Kincheloe and her father, 63-year-old Roddy Kincheloe.
WWSB reports Roddy Kincheloe stabbed the raccoon with a pitchfork. After lunch, the two returned to the dumpster to find the animal still alive. Roddy Kincheloe reportedly told his daughter to get a gasoline can from his truck before the animal was set on fire.
Deputies said Alicia Kincheloe admitted to pouring gasoline on the raccoon and setting it on fire. According to the sheriff’s office, a second video obtained by investigators showed the charred remains of the raccoon.
“They will be held accountable,” Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said. “This is the wrong place to do a crime like this.”
Hoffman called the act “a sick and terrible thing to do” at a Friday news conference. The sheriff also said the father and daughter would face the “full force” of the law.
Authorities said Alicia and Roddy Kincheloe are facing felony charges, including aggravated animal cruelty. Alicia Kincheloe is also charged with tampering with evidence for trying to dispose of the animal’s body.
According to Hoffman, Alicia Kincheloe didn’t have a prior criminal record, but Roddy Kincheloe has an extensive criminal history.
The sheriff said his office had been criticized for taking weeks to arrest the suspects, but it took time for his deputies to compile evidence and obtain signatures on warrants before the arrests were made.
Copyright 2022 WWSB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/father-daughter-facing-felony-charges-setting-raccoon-fire-sheriff-says/ | 2022-09-02T23:23:18Z |
‘He’s never going to get away again’: Murder suspect faces judge after international capture
SAN DIEGO (CNN) - A suspected killer on the run for six years appeared in court on Friday for the murder of his girlfriend in California.
Raymond McLeod was arraigned for the 2016 death of 30-year-old Krystal Mitchell.
Police said McLeod and Mitchell lived in Arizona but were visiting friends in San Diego when she was found dead in an apartment.
According to investigators, McLeod fled the country after her murder but was arrested in El Salvador earlier this week.
Investigators say Mitchell’s mother, Josephine Wentzel, is a former detective who helped authorities in the international search for McLeod.
“The number one thing for this conference is ‘yes, I got him.’ He’s never going to get away again. He’s not going to be released from that jail if I could have something to do with that,” Wentzel said.
Before his arrest, McLeod was on the U.S. Marshals 15 most wanted list.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/hes-never-going-get-away-again-murder-suspect-faces-judge-after-international-capture/ | 2022-09-02T23:23:24Z |
Thousands told to flee 3 towns ahead of fast California fire
WEED, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving fire in Northern California threatened hundreds of homes Friday and authorities ordered at least 5,000 residents across three communities to leave immediately.
Residents of the towns of Weed, Lake Shastina and Edgewood to evacuate after the blaze spread quickly in hot and windy conditions, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The Mill Fire had burned 1.4 square miles (3.6 square kilometers), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Sue Tavalero, the mayor of Weed, said the fire started on the property of Roseburg Forest Products, a lumber mill north of town, and quickly burned through homes in the nearby neighborhood of Lincoln Heights and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of people.
“It has taken out a neighborhood in town,” she said, but then clarified that she was not sure exactly how many homes had burned. “The Lincoln Heights neighborhood has burnt houses in it. I don’t know how many. I’m positive several homes have been lost.”
Tavalero said she was out of town but headed back to Weed, so she did not have visuals of the fire.
She said the evacuation orders for all of Weed and nearby areas of Lake Shastina and Edgewood covered a combined population of about 7,500 people.
Evacuees described heavy smoke and chunks of ash raining down from massive flames near Weed, about 70 miles north of the city of Redding.
Christopher Rock, an employee at the Mayten Store in Montague, a town 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Weed, said evacuees from the fire had swarmed the pumps.
“It’s really busy right now,” he said. “You can’t see the flames from here, just a lot of smoke.”
Marco Noriega, brewmaster at Mount Shasta Brewing Company, said they received the notice to evacuate about an hour ago and he sent the 10 customers and three employees away. He said the power is out and they have received little information.
Smoke is to the north and winds are blowing from the south, keeping the fire away. He sounded calm as he cleaned up.
“I’ve been through it before, so long as the wind stays in the direction it is, I’m all right. But I know the wind switches quickly,” he said by phone.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Siskiyou County from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday when winds in the Weed area were expected to reach up to 31 mph (50 kph).
Willo Balfrey, 82, an artist from Lake Shastina, said she was painting on Friday afternoon when she got a call from a grandson in the California Highway Patrol to warn her of the fast-spreading flames.
“He said, ‘don’t linger, grab your computer, grab what you need and get out of the house now. It’s coming your way.’ So I did,” Balfrey told The Associated Press.
She grabbed a suitcase full of important documents, as well as water and her computer, iPhone and chargers, and headed out the door.
“I’ve reached the philosophy that if I have all my paperwork, what’s in the house is not that important,” she said.
She stopped to load her car-less neighbor into her own vehicle and they drove about 20 miles away to a church parking lot in Montague she’s passed before in her travels.
“That’s about as safe as you can get,” she said.
Balfrey said there are about 40 cars in the church’s parking lot, with people asking one another, “what news do you have, what have you heard?”
She said she evacuated for the Lava Fire about two years ago and firefighters were able to keep the flames out of her subdivision. She hopes they will be successful this time as well.
In Southern California, firefighters were making progress Friday against two big wildfires despite dangerously hot weather.
Containment of the Route Fire along Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles increased to 37% and it remained at just over 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) in size, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection statement said.
Firefighters were focusing on mopping up hotspots and building more containment lines, trying to get most of the hard work done before the midday heat, Cal Fire said.
California is in the grip of a prolonged heat wave. Temperatures have been so high that residents have been asked for three consecutive days to conserve power during late afternoon and evening hours when solar energy declines.
On Wednesday, seven firefighters working the Route Fire in triple-digit temperatures had to be taken to hospitals for treatment of heat illnesses. All were released.
“Excessive heat, low humidity and steep terrain will continue to pose the biggest challenge for firefighters,” Cal Fire said.
The tally of destroyed structures remained at two, and all evacuation orders were lifted.
In eastern San Diego County, the Border 32 Fire remained at just under 7 square miles (18 square kilometers) and containment increased to 20%.
More than 1,500 people had to evacuate the area near the U.S.-Mexico border when the fire erupted Wednesday. All evacuations were lifted by Friday afternoon.
Two people were hospitalized with burns. Three homes and seven other buildings were destroyed.
Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
___
Associated Press writers Olga R. Rodriguez and Janie Har in San Francisco and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.whsv.com/2022/09/02/thousands-told-flee-3-towns-ahead-fast-california-fire/ | 2022-09-02T23:23:31Z |
BOOMERANG page plan for WEEKEND, Sept. 3
A1 (send color)
Tease 1
CLEANING UP COAL UW researchers collaborate with industry to demonstrate byproduct production, B1
Tease 2:
Sports tease from David, Page C1
Tease 3:
TODAY’S PICK Liz Cheney in 2024? Deep skepticism in some key states, Page A3
____________________________________________________________
CHANGE DAY AT TOP OF A1 TO “SATURDAY” – PRICE $3.00
- MAIN PACKAGE: After the bloodshed: Communities endure, demand long-term solutions once media attention, political theater fades from schools shootings, APG (photos, breakout)
- Opinions differ on WEA education lawsuit, WNE
- Jumps to A4
A2 (send color)
- Standalone photo
- Today/tomorrow
- What’s happening?
- Weather
- Correction policy
A3 (send color)
- Today’s pick: Liz Cheney in 2024? Deep skepticism in key states, AP (photo) --- note: don’t use this on either of the D Section wire pages, pls
A4 (send B&W)
- Wyo man launches app for rural youth mentorship, WNE (photo)
- Free overdose antidote available, WNE – if you need
- Jumps from A1
A5 (send color)
- Obits (so far 2)
- High ranch prices show interest no longer limited to stewards, WNE (file photo)
- WHP trooper on leave has bonded out of jail, WTE (photo)
- Around Wyoming
- Vol. 142 No. 181
A6
- Throwing a shoe: 42 compete in state horseshoe championship, WNE (photo)
- Powell woman helps those suffering from mental illness, WNE (photo)
B1 Business (send color)
- BIZ BUZZ: Small companies employ uneven share of workers, Staff – Anchors the left side of the page all the way down, in a gray shaded box; see note in BLOX on placement of photo
- MAIN PACKAGE: Cleaning up coal: UW researchers collaborate to demonstrate byproduct production, Abby (photos)
- Lower US job gain could aid Fed’s inflation fight, AP (photos) -- note: don’t use this on either of the D Section wire pages, pls
- Jumps to B2
B2 (send B&W)
- $1B in economic grants headed coast to coast, AP (photo) -- note: don’t use this on either of the D Section wire pages, pls
- Park County OKs permit for yoga retreat, WNE – can hold if needed
- Former prisoner releases critical thinking book, WNE – can hold if needed
- Jumps from B1
B3 Community
- Eppson Center
- Albany County Public Library
- Worth noting briefs (photo) – standalone attached to run with briefs, OK to run big
B4 Opinion (first opinion page) (send B&W)
- TOP: Winner in Ukraine war may not be who you think, The Conversation (bug) – strip across top, jump to B6
- Stroot cartoon
- Failing to fund education, state also will fail in court — again, Drake’s Take (Wyoming voices) – can jump to B6 if needed
- We need ‘Wyoming’s doctor’ to fight for our health care needs (Wyoming voices) – can jump to B6 if needed
B5-B6 (more opinion) (send B&W)
- Syndicated cartoon
- Walker column (Wyoming voices) – must run, pls
- Palmer column (Local voices) – must run, pls
- Hunt column (Wyoming voices)
- McDaniel column (Local voices)
- Jumps from B4
C1 Sports (send color)
- David will give a specific page plan for sports, but here’s the BW/Color situation for these pages
- C2-C4 (send B&W)
- C5-C6 (send color)
D Classifieds (send color)
D1-D2 classifieds (send color)
D3-D4 COMICS/PUZZLES (send B&W)
D5-D6 – WIRE (send B&W)
- D5 nation, D6 world, pls – make sure not to snag AP stuff already on A3 and Business | https://www.wyomingnews.com/boomerang-page-plan-sept-3/article_703c91f6-2afc-11ed-bf90-17f5abb02df9.html | 2022-09-02T23:23:37Z |
Lawmakers are scheduled to consider five draft trespass-related bills in mid-September. They include measures that would criminalize aerial photography of prisons, flying drones “into the immediate reaches” of airspace over private property, and crossing private property to collect antlers on public land.
The draft bill – Prohibiting drones over penal institutions – raises potential conflicts with the First Amendment, the bedrock constitutional clause guaranteeing free speech, an attorney with a national news photographers group said.
The bill states that no person shall “intentionally … [p]hotograph, surveil, broadcast or otherwise record a penal institution or correctional facility through the use of an unmanned aircraft system.” The person in charge of a prison could authorize photography.
The Joint Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the draft measure during a two-day meeting Sept. 12-13 in Casper.
The committee has also scheduled discussion on the draft bill Trespass by Small Unmanned Aircraft. It would make it a crime to cause a drone to “enter into the immediate reaches of the airspace over … private property” when such action interferes with “use and enjoyment of the land.”
Another bill appears to address the issue of trespassing to collect antlers. A fourth bill would add drones to the list of aircraft that are illegal to use for hunting. Yet another draft bill would expunge a data-trespass statute that’s been ruled by courts to be unconstitutional.
The committee continues its charge by the Legislature’s leadership to investigate trespass issues before the next legislative session at the beginning of 2023. The meeting will address a slew of other matters from pedestrian safety, to homicide by vehicle, violence against healthcare workers, security in healthcare facilities and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. The discussions will be live-streamed through a link available on the Legislature’s website.
First Amendment
The draft bill prohibiting drones over prisons would not ban satellite imagery and various government operations. The bill also criminalizes the use of drones to deliver contraband.
“The bill as proposed, at least the section pertaining to photography, is constitutionally suspect,” said Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association. U.S. regulations on flying drones include prohibitions regarding flying over critical infrastructure, Osterreicher said.
The draft bill appears to go beyond that.
“They’re not actually saying you can’t fly over it, (they’re saying) you can’t photograph it, surveil it,” he said. Surveil is not defined in the bill and appears to include news photography, he said.
“I think there’s a problem here … which is to list photography” as an illegal act, Osterreicher said. An exemption for news gathering would probably bring the bill in line with constitutional requirements, he said.
Drone voyeurism
The draft bill criminalizing trespass by small, unmanned aircraft would set penalties of up to $750 and six months in jail for a violation.
A person would be guilty if he or she “causes a small unmanned aircraft to enter into the immediate reaches of the airspace over the private property of a landowner and the entry substantially interferes with the landowner’s or his authorized occupant’s use and enjoyment of the land.”
The measure addresses trespassing in airspace “over” private property, including the undefined “immediate reaches” of such airspace.
Whether crossing the airspace directly above private property is illegal is a matter that’s being contested in a civil case in federal court in a corner-crossing case involving hunters. They were criminally cited – and found not guilty – in Carbon County.
The separate and ongoing civil suit seeks to recover damages from the four Missouri men after they stepped from one piece of public U.S. Bureau of Land Management land to another at the common corner of two private parcels, all arranged in a checkerboard pattern of ownership.
The hunters did not set foot on private property. The owner of the private land, citing Wyoming law, claims that passing through the airspace directly above his ranch constituted trespass.
Hunting
Another draft trespass bill Prohibiting travel across private land for hunting purposes appears to revive a measure that Rep. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, proposed during the last legislative session. The bill would amend Wyoming’s law that criminalizes the act of trespassing to hunt or to collect antlers.
Today, the law makes it illegal to “enter upon the private property of any person,” to hunt or collect antlers. The proposed amendment would change that language to make it illegal to enter upon “or travel through” such private property.
During the legislative session earlier this year, Crago said the measure he proposed was not intended to address corner crossing. Instead, it was to make trespass enforcement uniform across the state.
Crago’s measure also was designed to deter trespassing antler hunters who might collect antlers on public land after crossing private land without permission. In such instances antler hunters might find antlers that are worth much more than the maximum $1,000 fine. The existing law also provides for a six-month sentence.
Crago sought to deter antler hunting by including a provision in his House Bill 103 – Prohibit travel across private land for hunting purposes – that would have made antler hunters forfeit their booty. But his measure did not advance in the 2022 session.
A couple of other draft bills also seek to address hunting and trespass issues. One would add drones to the list of aircraft prohibited for hunting. The other would repeal elements of the state’s troubled data trespass laws that courts found unconstitutional.
WyoFile participated as a witness in that court challenge.
WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/local_news/lawmakers-to-consider-expanding-trespass-definitions/article_940ead30-29a3-11ed-a09e-13c85813b618.html | 2022-09-02T23:23:43Z |
CHEYENNE – Wyoming is following the lead of federal health officials when it comes to getting newly updated vaccinations against the coronavirus.
On Thursday, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky endorsed a CDC advisory committee recommendations for use of updated COVID-19 boosters from Pfizer-BioNTech for people ages 12 and older, and from Moderna for all adults.
On Friday, Wyoming Department of Health Public Information Officer Kim Deti told the Wyoming Tribune Eagle that public and private partners will work to ensure vaccines are available to residents who want them. Updated COVID-19 boosters add omicron BA.4 and BA.5 spike protein components to the current vaccine composition, helping to restore protection that has waned since previous vaccinations.
As of Thursday, Laramie county is rated in the "low" community level category by the CDC. For much of the summer, the county had been at the "medium" or "high" levels. The federal agency didn't immediately reply to queries seeking further details.
What the lower level means for Cheyenne and the surrounding area is that the CDC isn't recommending everyone wear a mask in public indoors. However, the agency says, "people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask."
As the CDC noted in a news release, “the updated COVID-19 boosters are formulated to better protect against the most recently circulating COVID-19 variant,” said Walensky. “They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection against newer variants. This recommendation followed a comprehensive scientific evaluation and robust scientific discussion. If you are eligible, there is no bad time to get your COVID-19 booster and I strongly encourage you to receive it.”
In the coming weeks, the CDC also expects to recommend updated COVID-19 boosters for other pediatric groups. The Food and Drug Administration in recent days authorized updated COVID-19 boosters.
Public health nursing offices and local health departments in Wyoming will be receiving more than 15,000 doses in the next few weeks. WDH's Deti said out of that supply, doses may be shared with other COVID-19 vaccine providers in their respective communities. Pharmacies that are part of the federal retail pharmacy program may also have the updated boosters available in the next two weeks.
Deti expects additional orders can be placed in the next several weeks by vaccine providers. She said interested parties should confirm availability ahead of time with the location they want to visit for their vaccination. Such shots will continue to be free to all residents.
“These are intended to be a single booster dose for people who already completed what’s known as a primary series, such as two primary doses of a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine,” she said. “People who have not yet received a primary series would need to have those doses before these updated booster doses, with appropriate timing between.”
WDH doesn’t recommend people waiting until they are at imminent risk of infection, and instead they should get inoculated beforehand to prevent infection and serious illness. People who have already received a booster can get the updated dose if it’s been long enough since their most recent shot in the arm.
As flu season approaches, Deti reminded the public that residents can get flu shots and COVID-19 booster doses at the same time.
“We continue to recommend Wyoming residents stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations,” she said.
This article has been updated online with information from the CDC about Laramie County. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/news/state-follows-cdc-in-recommending-updated-covid-19-boosters/article_77b21cce-2afe-11ed-a43d-b75198327452.html | 2022-09-02T23:23:50Z |
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Starbucks has named a longtime PepsiCo executive as its new CEO.
The coffee giant said Thursday that Laxman Narasimhan will join Starbucks on Oct. 1 after relocating from London to Seattle, where Starbucks is based. He will work closely with Starbucks’ interim CEO Howard Schultz through April 1, when he will assume the CEO role and join the company’s board.
Narasimhan, 55, was most recently CEO of Reckitt, a U.K.-based consumer health, hygiene and nutrition company that makes Lysol cleaner and Enfamil formula. Reckitt had announced Narasimhan’s surprise departure earlier Thursday. Reckitt’s shares dropped 5% then.
Schultz, a longtime CEO who helped shape Starbucks after buying it in 1987, came out of retirement and assumed the interim CEO job in March after the company’s former CEO, Kevin Johnson, announced his retirement. Schultz also returned to the company’s board, and will remain there even after Narasimhan takes over.
Schultz said he had not planned to return, but wanted to help reshape the company after the pandemic, which upended Starbucks’ coffee shops and sped changes including a heavier mix of drive-thru orders.
Narasimhan takes over a company with significant strengths. Starbucks reported record demand in the April-June period as strong U.S. sales made up for continuing closures in China, the company’s second-largest market.
Starbucks also has challenges. Schultz has been working on a plan to remake store layouts, upgrade equipment and bolster employees, who came out of the pandemic feeling harassed and underappreciated. Starbucks announced a $1 billion investment in employee wages and benefits last fall and added $200 million more for pay, worker training and other benefits in May.
The company faces an unprecedented unionization effort, which it opposes. At least 233 U.S. Starbucks stores have voted to unionize since late last year.
Narasimhan worked with unions at Reckitt, where 23% of employees were unionized at the end of last year. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/starbucks-names-former-pepsico-executive-as-new-ceo/article_633456d6-2b0d-11ed-a8b8-8f0d8e632ccd.html | 2022-09-02T23:24:02Z |
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People's Rep'c of Guinea-Bissau, Republic of Guyana, Republic of Heard and McDonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras, Republic of Hong Kong, Special Administrative Region of China Hrvatska (Croatia) Hungary, Hungarian People's Republic Iceland, Republic of India, Republic of Indonesia, Republic of Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq, Republic of Ireland Israel, State of Italy, Italian Republic Japan Jordan, Hashemite Kingdom of Kazakhstan, Republic of Kenya, Republic of Kiribati, Republic of Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait, State of Kyrgyz Republic Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon, Lebanese Republic Lesotho, Kingdom of Liberia, Republic of Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein, Principality of Lithuania Luxembourg, Grand Duchy of Macao, Special Administrative Region of China Macedonia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar, Republic of Malawi, Republic of Malaysia Maldives, Republic of Mali, Republic of Malta, Republic of Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania, Islamic Republic of Mauritius Mayotte Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco, Principality of Mongolia, Mongolian People's Republic Montserrat Morocco, Kingdom of Mozambique, People's Republic of Myanmar Namibia Nauru, Republic of Nepal, Kingdom of Netherlands Antilles Netherlands, Kingdom of the New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua, Republic of Niger, Republic of the Nigeria, Federal Republic of Niue, Republic of Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway, Kingdom of Oman, Sultanate of Pakistan, Islamic Republic of Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama, Republic of Papua New Guinea Paraguay, Republic of Peru, Republic of Philippines, Republic of the Pitcairn Island Poland, Polish People's Republic Portugal, Portuguese Republic Puerto Rico Qatar, State of Reunion Romania, Socialist Republic of Russian Federation Rwanda, Rwandese Republic Samoa, Independent State of San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/environment/summer-watering-schedule-ends-this-friday-in-cheyenne/article_b9460812-2b03-11ed-8ffc-97589659978b.html | 2022-09-02T23:24:08Z |
CHEYENNE – The Colorado Department of Transportation has partnered with the Cheyenne Metropolitan Planning Organization and the Wyoming Department of Transportation to conduct a transit connection feasibility analysis between northern Colorado and southern Wyoming.
This transit analysis will examine transit needs, routing, amenities and the overall benefits to communities in the two regions. It will build on recent and ongoing planning efforts, examining travel markets, population/employment growth, and other infrastructure improvements, according to the planning organization. It will also examine existing service models, such as Bustang in Colorado, and evaluate how to maximize connectivity for users through integration with local transit providers.
The primary outcomes of this effort outlined on the site are:
An examination of transit demand, and if demand is deemed sufficient to support the new transit service.
Evaluation and recommendation of appropriate service models (fixed route, on-demand, deviated, etc.), matched to the potential demand and potential service patterns
Evaluation and recommendation of termini, routing, bus technology/vehicle, and stops (as applicable to the recommended service type), including examining the potential integration with other existing/proposed transit improvements, mobility hubs and major activity centers
Conceptual-level capital and operating costs for the final recommended service. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/government_and_politics/feedback-needed-on-transit-between-front-range-and-cheyenne/article_a312e98e-2b03-11ed-8b7e-e73e7a6cf596.html | 2022-09-02T23:24:14Z |
Lawmakers are scheduled to consider five draft trespass-related bills in mid-September. They include measures that would criminalize aerial photography of prisons, flying drones “into the immediate reaches” of airspace over private property, and crossing private property to collect antlers on public land.
The draft bill – Prohibiting drones over penal institutions – raises potential conflicts with the First Amendment, the bedrock constitutional clause guaranteeing free speech, an attorney with a national news photographers group said.
The bill states that no person shall “intentionally … [p]hotograph, surveil, broadcast or otherwise record a penal institution or correctional facility through the use of an unmanned aircraft system.” The person in charge of a prison could authorize photography.
The Joint Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the draft measure during a two-day meeting Sept. 12-13 in Casper.
The committee has also scheduled discussion on the draft bill Trespass by Small Unmanned Aircraft. It would make it a crime to cause a drone to “enter into the immediate reaches of the airspace over … private property” when such action interferes with “use and enjoyment of the land.”
Another bill appears to address the issue of trespassing to collect antlers. A fourth bill would add drones to the list of aircraft that are illegal to use for hunting. Yet another draft bill would expunge a data-trespass statute that’s been ruled by courts to be unconstitutional.
The committee continues its charge by the Legislature’s leadership to investigate trespass issues before the next legislative session at the beginning of 2023. The meeting will address a slew of other matters from pedestrian safety, to homicide by vehicle, violence against healthcare workers, security in healthcare facilities and financial exploitation of vulnerable adults. The discussions will be live-streamed through a link available on the Legislature’s website.
First Amendment
The draft bill prohibiting drones over prisons would not ban satellite imagery and various government operations. The bill also criminalizes the use of drones to deliver contraband.
“The bill as proposed, at least the section pertaining to photography, is constitutionally suspect,” said Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel for the National Press Photographers Association. U.S. regulations on flying drones include prohibitions regarding flying over critical infrastructure, Osterreicher said.
The draft bill appears to go beyond that.
“They’re not actually saying you can’t fly over it, (they’re saying) you can’t photograph it, surveil it,” he said. Surveil is not defined in the bill and appears to include news photography, he said.
“I think there’s a problem here … which is to list photography” as an illegal act, Osterreicher said. An exemption for news gathering would probably bring the bill in line with constitutional requirements, he said.
Drone voyeurism
The draft bill criminalizing trespass by small, unmanned aircraft would set penalties of up to $750 and six months in jail for a violation.
A person would be guilty if he or she “causes a small unmanned aircraft to enter into the immediate reaches of the airspace over the private property of a landowner and the entry substantially interferes with the landowner’s or his authorized occupant’s use and enjoyment of the land.”
The measure addresses trespassing in airspace “over” private property, including the undefined “immediate reaches” of such airspace.
Whether crossing the airspace directly above private property is illegal is a matter that’s being contested in a civil case in federal court in a corner-crossing case involving hunters. They were criminally cited – and found not guilty – in Carbon County.
The separate and ongoing civil suit seeks to recover damages from the four Missouri men after they stepped from one piece of public U.S. Bureau of Land Management land to another at the common corner of two private parcels, all arranged in a checkerboard pattern of ownership.
The hunters did not set foot on private property. The owner of the private land, citing Wyoming law, claims that passing through the airspace directly above his ranch constituted trespass.
Hunting
Another draft trespass bill Prohibiting travel across private land for hunting purposes appears to revive a measure that Rep. Barry Crago, R-Buffalo, proposed during the last legislative session. The bill would amend Wyoming’s law that criminalizes the act of trespassing to hunt or to collect antlers.
Today, the law makes it illegal to “enter upon the private property of any person,” to hunt or collect antlers. The proposed amendment would change that language to make it illegal to enter upon “or travel through” such private property.
During the legislative session earlier this year, Crago said the measure he proposed was not intended to address corner crossing. Instead, it was to make trespass enforcement uniform across the state.
Crago’s measure also was designed to deter trespassing antler hunters who might collect antlers on public land after crossing private land without permission. In such instances antler hunters might find antlers that are worth much more than the maximum $1,000 fine. The existing law also provides for a six-month sentence.
Crago sought to deter antler hunting by including a provision in his House Bill 103 – Prohibit travel across private land for hunting purposes – that would have made antler hunters forfeit their booty. But his measure did not advance in the 2022 session.
A couple of other draft bills also seek to address hunting and trespass issues. One would add drones to the list of aircraft prohibited for hunting. The other would repeal elements of the state’s troubled data trespass laws that courts found unconstitutional.
WyoFile participated as a witness in that court challenge.
WyoFile is an independent nonprofit news organization focused on Wyoming people, places and policy. | https://www.wyomingnews.com/wyomingbusinessreport/industry_news/printing_and_graphics/lawmakers-to-consider-expanding-trespass-definitions/article_6345e5b8-2b03-11ed-bb73-0784e2307855.html | 2022-09-02T23:24:21Z |
A swimming cap made specifically for natural Black hair has received official approval from the worldwide governing body for competitive swimming.
Soul Cap is a covering made especially to protect hair that's thick, curly, braided or otherwise textured — which is often difficult to fit into smaller swim caps.
FINA initially rejected the cap's use at the Olympics last year, claiming that athletes competing at the world stage have "never used, neither require to use, caps of such size and configuration," according to The Associated Press.
The report said that the organization also determined that the cap does not "[follow] the natural form of the head," a rule that is outlined in FINA's requirements for approved swimwear.
This ban sparked global conversations about inclusivity and existing barriers within the world of competitive swimming.
Danielle Obe, chair of the Black Swimming Association, told Sky Sports last year that, "by and large, hair is a significant barrier to aquatics for many women especially and many people of color from our communities. So [the Soul Cap] should be considered as a product that overcomes this barrier."
FINA walked back last year's rejection this week after "a period of "review and discussion on cap design," along with Soul Cap creators, Brent Nowicki, executive director at FINA told the U.K.'s Metro.
"Promoting diversity and inclusivity is at the heart of FINA's work, and it is very important that all aquatic athletes have access to the appropriate swimwear," he told the outlet.
The British Olympic swimmer (and Soul Cap ambassador) Alice Dearing said the news was exciting, in a statement to NPR. Dearing became the first Black swimmer who represented Great Britain at an Olympic level last year. She also co-founded the Black Swimming Association in 2020.
"I know that a lot of people value the option this cap brings them when going swimming. Knowing that it is acceptable to compete in this cap at the highest level of sport sends a message that hair should not be a barrier which stops people from participating," Dearing said.
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-02/a-swimming-cap-made-for-black-hair-gets-official-approval-after-previous-olympic-ban | 2022-09-02T23:39:00Z |
Jane Fonda announced on Friday that she has been diagnosed with cancer and is in treatment.
The actress, activist and former fitness guru issued an optimistic statement on Instagram, informing her followers about her condition.
"I've been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and have started chemo treatments," Fonda began in the lengthy post. "This is a very treatable cancer. 80% of people survive, so I feel very lucky."
Fonda added that she will be undergoing chemotherapy for six months and that she is "handling the treatments quite well."
Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is a kind of cancer that starts in white blood cells, generally in the lymph nodes and lymphatic tissues that are part of the immune system. According to the American Cancer Society, the overall 5-year relative survival rate for people with NHL is 73%.
Throughout much of her career, the Hollywood icon has been devoted to a life of activism. And now, at 84, Fonda assured fans that she will not let her illness to interfere with her fight for climate change.
"We're living through the most consequential time in human history because what we do or don't do right now will determine what kind of future there will be and I will not allow cancer to keep me from doing all I can," she wrote.
"The midterms are looming, and they are beyond consequential so you can count on me to be right there together with you as we grow our army of climate champions."
Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/2022-09-02/jane-fonda-says-she-has-cancer-and-is-undergoing-treatment | 2022-09-02T23:39:07Z |
Six months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion inspired fierce resistance by the people of Ukraine and touched people throughout the western world.
University of Wyoming economics professor Sasha Skiba is watching the war from afar, rationing his attention between the war in his homeland and his responsibilities as department head.
His parents are still in their home city, Lviv, in northern Ukraine.
"My dad said in the beginning, it was very, very nerve-wracking," Skiba said. "Because every time it would start up - especially during the times where the Russian military was shooting all over Ukraine, shooting rockets all over Ukraine - he literally said every time the air raid siren goes off, you start fearing for your life. And when it stops, you feel like you've won the lottery."
When the war began - the entire country, even the capital, Kyiv - was a target for Russian missiles. Now, the fighting has moved south, where Ukrainian and Russian troops have been fighting for months. Skiba's dad, like many Ukrainians, is able to go to work - but that doesn't mean they're in the clear or safe from rocket attacks.
August 24 was Ukrainian Independence Day, and Skiba's parents heard the air raid sirens six different times.
"Every time he goes to work or a business trip around the area, he said he says goodbye to his wife, to my mom," Skiba said. "And part of the reason is this uncertainty. It seems the entire country is under possible attack at any given point in time."
Skiba is not the only Ukrainian following the war from far-distant Wyoming. UW student Anastasiia Pereverten spent the summer hosting fundraisers, lectures and film screenings, staffing information booths, and getting books about the history of Ukraine into the campus library.
She's hoping to familiarize Americans with her homeland and to counter Russian misinformation about Ukraine.
"It's not just about expanding your outlook," she said. "It's about understanding deeply what's going on right now."
Russian President Vladimir Putin has justified the invasion as an attempt to reclaim a part of Russia's "spiritual space" - suggesting that places once part of the Russian empire or the Soviet Union belong within Russia.
Pereverten is confronting this claim by demonstrating a strong and unique Ukrainian identity. To that end, she's also been talking to U.S. museums about presenting Ukrainian history and art as distinctly Ukrainian, and not just Russian.
"Unfortunately, for many years or decades, or maybe even centuries, Russia had this claim of ownership for every cultural phenomenon or figure that's been born in Ukraine or any other country that used to be a part of the Russian empire," she said.
For Pereverten, all of this is what she can do for Ukraine from so far away. At the outset of the war, balancing everything was sometimes overwhelming. But Pereverten received some helpful mental health guidance and was told that her anxiety is rational.
"There's no way you wouldn't be anxious," Pereverten said she was told. "Accepting this fact kind of fixed everything for me. Because if my anxiety doesn't impact anything but my productivity, and I can't get rid of this anxiety, I should try to just negotiate with it, just deal with it somehow."
Pereverten is still a full-time student and even works a campus job now.
In the days following the outbreak of the war, UW graduate Megan Neville found herself a refugee displaced by war.
After graduating from UW, Neville moved to Europe, where she fell in love with a Ukrainian. They were living in Ukraine at the time, but the couple was actually vacationing in Thailand when Russian missiles started pelting Ukraine last winter.
Since then, they've hopped around Europe, staying with friends for weeks or months at a time, unable to return home. Neville said the forced globetrotting is not as fun as it sounds.
"It was honestly really hard. It was really, really exhausting," she said. "You have to carry everything with you and you just don't feel like you have any stability or community. We just felt like none of it was home and we didn't want to put our roots down anywhere because our families weren't there."
The couple was eventually able to land in the United States thanks to the Uniting for Ukraine program. The program lets Americans - like Neville's family - sponsor Ukrainian refugees and streamline the otherwise lengthy process of coming to America.
Their home city in Ukraine is far from the active fighting, but the war has still touched Neville and her partner.
"A lot of people we know have joined the military, including some of my colleagues," she said. "Two of them died recently, which was really hard. One of them was a senior Java engineer who was at the top of his field, but he felt like he had to do something for his country."
Like Neville, Nick Piazza of Cody is another American with deep ties to Ukraine. The investor has spent a significant amount of time there, financing some of the country's biggest industries, like information technology. He's gotten to watch the country modernize in the years since the fall of the Soviet Union, and - until the outbreak of war - split his time between Ukraine and Wyoming.
"I had left Ukraine about a week before everything started," Piazza said. "It was an incredible shock to see that all crashing down."
Piazza started investing in Ukraine's defense - funding and helping other people fund everything from body armor to beer bottles for Molotov cocktails. Then he helped recruit fighters.
An off-the-cuff comment in a local paper about helping people get over to Ukraine to fight spread among ex-special forces and military communities.
"At first, we thought we were going to get a lot of people with big hearts, but not a lot of experience," Piazza said. "We didn't want to dump someone in Ukraine who maybe was kind of full of desire and his heart was in the right place, but then put them in a dangerous situation that they weren't ready for."
But Piazza said there were actually several people with the right training and experience who reached out. He said he helped 12 fighters get to Ukraine, including two Wyoming residents.
Piazza has also helped people go the other way - sponsoring the wives and children of Ukrainian fighters, who are seeking refuge through the United for Ukraine program mentioned before.
Just as the war has affected people all over the world, UW student Anastasiia Pereverten said the result of the war will also be felt far beyond the borders of Ukraine.
"Supporting Ukraine by either familiarizing yourself with its history or donating is a part of everybody's responsibility right now," she said. "Because living in the outcomes of letting it slip will be way more horrific." | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/as-war-rages-in-ukraine-the-ripples-touch-even-wyoming | 2022-09-02T23:39:13Z |
Ashley Browning remembers the 1995 film “The Indian in the Cupboard” being one of the only Indigenous portrayals on the big screen when she was a child.
“We have these false stereotypes of the Indian princess, the stoic Indian, the Indian warrior, and that’s not who we are,” said Browning, who is from the pueblos of Pojoaque and Santa Clara in New Mexico. “It really doesn’t touch on anything that I see in myself or saw growing up."
Now she's one of eight Indigenous film and TV producers selected for a training program that aims to boost Native representation in Hollywood.
Netflix and IllumiNative, an Indigenous social justice group, launched the IllumiNative Producers Program in April. It’s part of Netflix’s Fund for Creative Equity, an effort to create more behind-the-scenes opportunities for underrepresented communities in TV and film. The program provides fellows with training, mentorship and a $25,000 grant to support their work. They're being taught the ins and outs of the job, including how to pitch a story and write a budget.
The 2021 Hollywood Diversity report out of UCLA shows that Native people accounted for 0.6% of all top film roles in 2020, and they made up 0% of writers.
“For so long companies have said, 'There’s no audience for this. Nobody wants to hear these stories. Nobody cares about these stories,'” said Leah Salgado, the chief impact officer at IllumiNative.
She’s Latinx and Pascua Yaqui, a tribe in Arizona. She wants Native people included in all aspects of film and television, and points to FX's acclaimed comedy series Reservation Dogs and Peacock’s Rutherford Falls as examples.
“Being able to see and watch people connect with those characters and those stories means that this big myth that has been going around Hollywood for so long is actually just false,” Salgado said.
Browning is using her fellowship to produce a short film called "Lovers Cycle." It’s about a Diné man who returns to his reservation after a breakup and discovers a different type of love.
The other fellows represent tribes ranging from the Oglala Lakota to the Blackfeet Nation. The cohort was selected from nearly 400 applicants.
Some tribes – like the Cherokee Nation and Pueblo of Tesuque in New Mexico – have created their own film studios or training programs, according to Indian Country Today. Groups like the Sundance Institute also support Indigenous-created stories.
These efforts are working to counter the effects of little to no Native representation. The 2020 Indigenous Futures Survey of 6,400 Native peoples from all 50 states and 401 tribes, found that 94% of those surveyed noticed the lack of Indigensous representation, 90% were disappointed with their exclusion, and 96% reported feeling upset or offended with negative representation.
Arianne Eason, an assistant professor in psychology at the University of California Berkeley, says a lack of Indigenous representation in the media impacts how Indigenous peoples see themselves – and it can increase the risk of suicidal thoughts, depression and anxiety.
“When there is little to no representation or when that representation is negative, then what we’re left with is these ideas that maybe our future isn’t as bright as it could be,” she said.
Non-Natives are also impacted by the lack of diversity.
“If people can’t see Indigenous peoples, then they can’t see their experiences and therefore don’t want to fight for them,” she said.
And that, she said, can lead to dehumanization and contribute to, for example, the crisis of missing and murdered Indigenous peoples.
“The lack of representation or the omission of Indigenous people within society renders them invisible, and it affects the way non-Indigenous people treat Indigenous people,” Eason said. “I think that’s one of the powerful pieces of media – being able to represent what might not be directly in front of our faces, but still reminds us the group exists."
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Copyright 2022 KUNM. To see more, visit KUNM. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/fellowship-boosts-indigenous-film-producers-bringing-authentic-native-narratives-to-the-big-screen | 2022-09-02T23:39:19Z |
President Biden recently signed into law a bill that could shape the future of energy in states like Wyoming, and so far it is polarizing amongst energy leaders in the state.
The Inflation Reduction Act is a dense 750 pages. It addresses everything from health care to taxes to climate and energy, which for Wyoming as the energy state, the latter is a main point of focus.
Tackling greenhouse gasses
The bill includes more than $360 billion intended to address climate change, making the largest investment ever in reducing climate warming pollution.
“It’s [the bill] really kind of a once-in-a-generation opportunity to tackle the climate crisis,” Shannon Anderson, a staff attorney and organizer for the Powder River Basin Resource Council.
The council sees advantages to the state diversifying its energy industries, and it thinks this bill will help.
“It’s focused on the need for our nation to really reduce the carbon pollution that comes from our electricity sector,” Anderson said.
According to some analysts, the bill will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 percent in the next decade, compared to 2005 levels. Which is a big step, especially for Wyoming, said Anderson. The state is a top producer of natural gas, oil and coal, making it also a top emitter of greenhouse gasses.
“It does require us to be present and at the table in a very meaningful way,” Anderson said. “Because the window of opportunity for Wyoming is shrinking.”
How the energy industry feels
The state of Wyoming is aware of the need to tackle a warming climate. Governor Mark Gordon pledged to a net-zero emissions plan, which includes keeping the fossil fuel industry alive while trying to eliminate related pollution. The state has invested heavily in carbon capture and storage technology that supposedly can capture the pollution, but its effectiveness is highly debated.
Industry leaders, such as the Petroleum Association of Wyoming (PAW), support the state’s efforts. However, they do not support the new bill.
PAW Vice President Ryan McConnaughey said the legislation tackles emissions by favoring renewable energies and tearing down the fossil fuel industry.
“We see a lot of things that are going to make it much more difficult to produce on federal lands, which will disproportionately affect Wyoming, given our reliance on federal lands for production here in the state,” McConnaughey said.
For example, McConnaughey said the bill will increase royalty rates on federal land production, meaning companies will have to pay the government more money every time they sell oil, gas or coal produced on federal land. Previously the rate was 12.5 percent, now it will be a minimum of 16.66 percent.
It is not that the industry cannot produce anymore, it is just going to be more expensive to operate.
At the Rockies Petroleum Conference that was held in Cheyenne recently, there was similar sentiment.
“American energy is under attack,” said former Vice President Mike Pence, who spoke about the bill at the conference. “The left wants to drive the cost of energy from traditional sources so high to move us toward this ideal that they have of renewable energy.”
However, many experts suggest the bill gives incentives to both the fossil fuel and renewable industries. In fact, it actually locks the two together.
For every solar or wind project on federal land, the government has to offer up new oil and gas leases, basically guaranteeing production on public land for at least the next 10 years.
Renewable businesses stand to benefit
Rather than directly stopping fossil fuel production, there are tax incentives for renewable projects. Scott Kane, co-owner of Creative Energies Solar, said he hopes this will get more Wyomingites to make the switch to solar. Kane’s solar company has been in operation since 2001.
“In Wyoming, often our challenge has been to open up people's mindset to the benefits of converting to a clean energy economy,” he said. “It's been a long haul.”
One incentive includes a 30 percent tax credit to people or companies who choose to go solar.
“The more people there are that are willing to invest in solar, that's the part that's good for business.,” Kane said.
Kane added that he knows Wyoming has a long, proud history with energy, specifically oil, gas and coal. He said he thinks Wyoming can still be the energy state, but just in a different way.
“And I'm hoping that, you know, with this new bill, with each passing month of more solar going up on more roofs around the state, that people begin to see this as being part of the fabric of Wyoming,” Kane said.
The Impact
Meanwhile, the fossil fuel industry fears the bill could potentially limit operations.
It is still unclear how everything will shake out. Anderson, with the Powder River Basin Resource Council, said there is a lot of new language in the bill that will likely require some follow-up legislation. It is also possible there could be court challenges to the new bill in the future.
However, for individuals the impact may be felt as soon as the upcoming tax season, when Wyomingites could get more money back for things like solar and electric vehicles. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/how-wyoming-will-be-impacted-by-landmark-federal-climate-bill | 2022-09-02T23:39:25Z |
Last week out of the blue, the Legislature's Joint Corporations and Elections committee approved a motion to look into moving the elections division out of the Secretary of State's office.
The motion by Co-Chairman Dan Zwonitzer of Cheyenne is a reaction to comments by Casper Rep. Chuck Gray who's likely going to be the next Secretary of State. He won the primary and is running uncontested in the general election.
Gray has made it clear that he thinks the 2020 Presidential election was stolen and that he has concerns about the safety of Wyoming elections. Gray didn't agree to an interview with Wyoming Public Radio, but during an interview that aired on KGWN and KCWY television this summer, he said he wanted to ban ballot drop boxes among other things.
"We need all paper ballots. The fact that a few counties have moved off paper ballots, I think, is really wrong. And we need hand audits," said Gray.
During the campaign, Gray concerned some by saying he'd get rid of Secretary of State employees who didn't share his vision. Current Secretary of State Ed Buchanan has consistently said Wyoming's elections are extremely safe and talked some counties out of hand counting ballots.
Rep. Zwonitzer said he brought the proposal because he's concerned that Gray could damage how Wyoming runs its elections.
"We may be in a precarious position when it comes to election administration for the next four years. And I would feel more confident and comfortable, personally, having a separate operating agency of government made up of all five statewide elected officials who oversee a director of an office of elections," said Zwonitzer.
The idea is that everything that involves elections would be removed from the Secretary of State's office. Deputy Secretary of State Karen Wheeler said it would be a significant change.
"The Wyoming voter registration system, the campaign finance system, would also remove anything to do with candidate filing and applications for nomination prior to running for office. So there's quite a bit that would go with it if it were to be removed from this office," said Wheeler.
County attorneys are watching with interest. Platte County Clerk Malcolm Ervin is the President of the Wyoming County Clerks Association.
"You know really…it's a policy matter," Ervin said.
It's clerks who administer elections across the state. He said whatever the legislature does is fine by them. But Ervin added that the clerks continue to work to prove that Wyoming's elections are safe.
"The last year we've had more people interested in serving election judges and attending audits and testing equipment. And so we think that participation is important," he said.
Ervin added they have communicated with Gray and believe they've had a positive dialogue with him that he hopes will continue.
Douglas Sen. Brian Boner is a committee member who voted against the proposal. Boner said Gray was elected by a wide margin and lawmakers should honor that. But he also noted that many of the election reforms Gray wants to make will require legislative approval.
"I do understand some of the concerns. I think Representative Gray might have a hard time delivering on any of the promises that he made during the campaign season. But we also need to acknowledge the results of the election as well," he said.
One thing Boner is slightly nervous about is whether a number of people in the Secretary of State's office will leave or possibly be dismissed. One key official has left and the Elections Director is looking for a new job.
Wheeler said that's a real concern when it comes to the elections division.
"So I think you would need to ensure that staff remains that knows that system inside and out, knows if there is a glitch, how to fix it quickly. They work with the developer on that system as well. So I think that could be a concern, as well as with the campaign finance system," said Wheeler. "These are complex systems, they aren't something you buy off the shelf."
Years ago, the legislature removed duties from the State Superintendent and created a whole new department because of conflicts they had with her. Those changes were overturned by the Supreme Court and longtime Casper Sen. Charles Scott reminded committee members of that last week in opposing the motion.
The committee will further discuss the issue and consider draft legislation when it meets in October. Rep. Gray did not respond to requests for comment. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/lawmakers-may-create-a-new-election-agency | 2022-09-02T23:39:31Z |
The first meat science degree in Wyoming is officially launching this fall at Central Wyoming College (CWC). The degree program aims to train the next generation of local butchers and food scientists. Wyoming Public Radio's Taylar Stagner spoke with program director Amanda Winchester about the program and what she hopes the students will learn.
Amanda Winchester: That's definitely the only one in the state, it's maybe one of the only few in the nation that has this particular type of program. Now, they have full-fledged meat science programs at some of the universities, but they go into more entailed programs than what we do. Ours is mostly hands on learning how to do everything from harvesting, to fabricating, to quality, to dealing with customers.
The main purpose of the program is to teach students how to be well educated laborers for the industry. And so we're trying to offer the semester-long program so that they learn the skills that they can go in and be a well educated, well knowledgeable employee, and be at a higher pay rate than somebody that they'd have to train and do all the food safety and everything from scratch. The students can go through the certificate program, and then get the rest of their requirements for their associate's degree. They can use that to go on to a university and go into meat science or animal science, go in and manage a huge processing plant, they can become a USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) or state inspector, and what that pretty much means [is] that you're guaranteed a job.
Taylar Stagner: How do you prepare students for slaughtering animals? I hear that that's a big contributor to burnout in this industry.
AW: That is something that even my student that stayed on with us, she had done that on her farm back in California. So, she had done it. But we went to do a couple tours, and she kind of panicked, she wasn't sure that she could do that. And I just kind of told her that I wanted her to give it a chance.
It doesn't fit everybody. Some students might get into it and decide 'This is not for me, I don't want to do this part of the class. I can't do that.' That's probably okay. I really am going to try to encourage them. We're not going to throw them in there, and go, you know, 'You're on your own.'
They will be able to watch, they will be able to jump in there a little bit, they will be able to slowly work themselves into that. And then if they're done with things, and they decide 'That's not the aspect that I want to go into the industry,' that's what they decide they're doing. I know I can do it. But they could go into the fabrication and still do well.
They'll have the knowledge, they'll have the skills, which will be beneficial for a small plant. But if they went into a bigger plant, they can pick and choose which end of it they want to do.
TS: Many of us are very separate from our food. Can you talk a little bit about that? And in that separation, I think that there becomes a little bit of a disconnect.
AW: Realistically, people don't really realize that even the meat in the grocery store comes from a live animal at some point. I think that's part of the lack of education on their end and our end because, you know, I think that society, they have this misconception about what farmers and ranchers really are, what they do, or how they treat their animals.
But yet, they'll go to the grocery store and still buy things. They don't make the connection. I think it needs to start out kind of at an early age that kids need to learn that there's a connection between, 'Gee, the animal in the field is what we eat.' I don't think every kid needs to know the whole process of that, but I think they need to realize that those animals are for a purpose.
I think that's a real issue that we need to educate the public so that they understand more about where our food comes from. And I really think our program within the college can try to help with that. I think everybody should. Especially during COVID, you had to learn that when you had scripts or there wasn't always meat, or there wasn't toilet paper, or there wasn't, you know, all these products, that we need to know where our foods coming from and try to have a better supply of it, a more local supply, so we know what's in it, that it's good quality, and that it's available instead of relying on the big corporations to provide us products.
TS: So there's a nonprofit at CWC now that's USDA approved that processes to meat locally as a teaching tool, but also as a way to support the program. Can you tell me a little bit about that? I believe it's called the Rustler Cattle Company.
AW: The money just goes back into helping with the program. It's running all year long, and so they're processing and harvesting all summer while we don't have students and they'll continue when we do. It's an actual business. But it's still part of education so we use it as a tool. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/meat-science-director-discusses-next-generation-of-local-producers | 2022-09-02T23:39:37Z |
The sound of a rattlesnake elicits fear for most Westerners.
Even for those who haven’t seen one themselves, there are plenty featured in old Westerns and even recent movies like 2011's Rango. Much like sharks, they’re almost always portrayed as a bad guy.
“Second only to the Bible, Hollywood has done more to damage the reputation of the humble snake than any other single factor on Earth,” said David Jensen, owner of Wasatch Snake Removal LLC.
Jensen's colleagues operate around much of Utah, helping relocate snakes. He argues rattlesnakes aren’t evil.
“Evil is not a force found in nature. There are no evil animals or clouds or trees or plants or water or whatever. Evil is a human construct,” he said.
In Utah, it’s generally illegal to kill any species of rattlesnake there. Some specific rattlesnakes are also protected elsewhere in the Mountain West, including Wyoming’s midget faded rattlesnake and the New Mexico Ridge-Nosed Rattlesnake — not that everyone follows the law.
The Wyoming Game and Fish Department website states that the general public has “NO good reason” for handling the midget faded rattlesnake, and warns that it has some of the most toxic venom in North America.
“Remember fellas, youth, alcohol, and snake venom are a very bad combination. Most people bitten by rattlesnakes are either trying to catch the snake, or kill it,” it says.
You even need a permit to move these venomous critters in many states. However, you can kill rattlesnakes in Utah if you think they’re a threat to your person or property. Many feel threatened just seeing them.
That exception is the same across much of the Mountain West, from states like Montana and Nevada that have hardly any rattlesnake protections, to states like Colorado, which has its own snake hunting season.
But how dangerous are these noisy snakes, really?
Data from the American Association of Poison Control Centers shows that about 1,000 people were bitten by a rattlesnake last year. Only one of them died, or about 0.1%.
In 2020, there were about 1,200 bites. Three people died. The year before that, there were zero recorded deaths.
“Deaths are very rare when individuals are treated with antivenom following snake bite,” the AAPCC states. “Most deaths occurring from rattlesnake bite are due to the individual not getting treatment with antivenom in time or due to an anaphylactic reaction (severe allergic reaction) to the snake venom when bitten.”
Still, that’s just a few more deaths than from sharks, which average one death every other year in the U.S. It’s also far less likely to kill you than a lightning strike, which kills about 20 people a year nationwide.
People should still be wary of rattlesnakes, though.
This summer, a 6-year-old boy died in Colorado Springs, Colo., from a rattlesnake bite. And around 10% of those bit still faced major, life-threatening effects, including nerve damage, internal bleeding, amputation and trouble breathing.
In the field
Out in the foothills of Boise, Idaho, Kristina Parker poked around bushes, actively looking for rattlesnakes, with help from a metal snake-grabbing tool.
Parker is with the U.S. Geological Survey, and she’s studied snakes, including rattlers.
“Oh yeah, this is snakey,” she said, looking at an area with larger rocks, shrubs and bushes.
She noted that such an area allows them to maneuver around better than in thick brush like dense cheatgrass. However, you have to be careful where you step.
“Always step on top of rocks. Never step next to or over the rock because snakes could be on another side of the rock that you can’t see,” she said.
Parker says the species we’d most likely find in southern Idaho, the Great Basin rattlesnake, is pretty docile.
“A lot of the time they won’t rattle in hopes to not be seen. So not until you’re really digging around and poking around will you start getting a rattle from them,” she said. “I’m sure a lot of people walk by rattlesnakes without even noticing them.”
She says it’s one of her favorite snake species, partially because it is so persecuted and misunderstood — like so many other kinds of rattlesnakes.
“The snakes are more afraid of you than you are of them,” she said. “They really don’t want anything to do with people, and so they’re just trying to stay away and defend themselves. No snake is actually going to come and attack you.”
Rattlesnakes are important to the ecosystem, eating rodents and cutting down on the diseases they carry. Right around now, some of the snakes are giving birth and getting ready to ride out the colder months in a den with other snakes.
Oftentimes, Parker says you can discourage them from coming into your yard just by making sure it isn’t inviting to prey, like rodents, or doesn’t have shady hiding spaces, like under a deck.
Rattlesnakes in this drought may also come into yards and irrigated fields to find water.
However, if they do come into your yard, you can call wildlife officials to help move them. And if you are bit, don’t try to capture the snake to take it with you.
Parker added, “Don’t tourniquet, don’t try sucking the venom out, don’t try any of those snake bite kits.”
Instead, make sure there isn’t anything tight around the swelling bite area. And of course, you should call 911, followed by a call to a poison control center.
“Poison control knows a lot better on care for a venom injection than a lot of medical doctors because a lot of medical doctors don’t have snake bites that often,” Parker said.
Poison control centers can give further instructions. Beyond that, just stay as calm as possible and get to a hospital.
Dogs can get bitten, too, and should also be taken directly to a veterinarian. However, there is snake aversion training for dogs that go out in rattlesnake country often.
And one last thing: that old saying about baby rattlers being more deadly because they can’t control the amount of venom they give?
“Yup, that is 100% a myth,” Parker said.
She says rattlesnakes innately know how much venom to use. They need it to digest prey. And a baby snake bite may even be less of a threat because those little bodies have less venom.
Ultimately, her trek around the Boise foothills didn't turn up any rattlesnakes, much to the relief of those who recreate there. It also goes to show how challenging it can be to even find one in many areas, let alone face a deadly bite.
If you are bitten by a rattlesnake or exposed to any poisonous, toxic substance, you can call the Poison Helpline at 1-800-222-1222, or visit poisonhelp.org.
This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O'Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Copyright 2022 Boise State Public Radio News. To see more, visit Boise State Public Radio News. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/rattled-in-the-west-shedding-myths-that-bedevil-venomous-snakes | 2022-09-02T23:39:43Z |
The University of Wyoming was recently selected as one of just a few research institutions nationwide to receive approximately one million dollars in grant funding for research into pandemic modeling. Wyoming Public Radio's Hugh Cook spoke with economics faculty Dr. David Finoff and Dr. Linda Thunstrom on how the money will help them research future pandemics.
David Finoff: The grants give us the time to be able to conduct the research. They allow us to hire graduate students, and we actually will be hiring a postdoc as well. But they also allow us to pay for the data [that] doesn't exist. We might need to conduct experiments to gather "how would people respond in the face of a future pandemic," or the kinds of risks [and] the mix of risks and policies that we might see, if you will. We've been doing a lot of economic and epidemiological and behavioral modeling for quite a while. And at the start of the pandemic, we jumped in with a bunch of work looking at a cost-benefit analysis of pandemic policies. And then when we started thinking about how weird people were be[ing] in this deal, Linda jumped into really going after the consequences of vaccine hesitancy, so we had a bunch of work going on. And then last year, when Steve Newbold, Todd Cherry, and [Jason] Shogren, a bunch of us in the Department of Economics, got together and started building a team with other people at UW in mathematics and psychology, and then working with other collaborators in Sweden and other institutions across the U.S. So, we wrote a proposal and submitted it to the National Science Foundation, the NSF, and it was a really competitive process. Ours was one of eight projects that were awarded. [There were] submitted proposals [from] loads of institutions and teams did this, and we were one of only eight to get funding for it and we actually beat out a lot of really prestigious institutions.
Linda Thunstrom: We're doing this in collaboration with colleagues at George Mason University, [the] University of Tennessee, also the Norwegian Health Institute, and a research institute in Sweden. And I forgot to mention Denison University. We realized, just like the NSF that the models that existed did not do a very good job of predicting the disease developments, because people didn't behave in a manner that the models assume, standard epidemiological models would assume.
Hugh Cook: Were you involved in research during the pandemic, in regard to disease models or anything like that? Or is this something that is purely looking forward that you're involved in?
DF: Both actually. We were involved with using existing modeling to think about the costs and benefits of the social distancing policies that were imposed at the start of the epidemic. We actually wrote a paper really early on that got a lot of publicity and some of the greatest things we did with that paper, we did wide. We did a massive sensitivity analysis across all these key parameters, and the forecasted outcomes really depended keenly upon the assumptions that were built in. And some of those assumptions were based upon good data. And some of them were [when] things were moving so quickly, you had to take what was the best available, and turns out the best available wasn't as rich as what we see now.
LT: It really gives us a unique opportunity to study the behavior or behavioral responses to both the disease and the policies, like Dave said, because there is such a wide variety of policies that we could observe both in the U.S., of course, but and not least, in Scandinavia and across countries that are very similar, but took very different approaches politically to these diseases. So, Sweden, for instance, had more of a laissez-faire policy, whereas Norway was very strict and also adjusted their policies very frequently, depending on the disease situation, or the health outcomes at the time, down to a municipality level. By combining all three countries, the U.S., Norway, Sweden, we get a very large variety of policies, we get a very large variety of health outcomes during the current pandemic. And we can analyze unique policy questions because of this large variety, both across time and space, that we wouldn't have been able to do if we would have focused on one single one of these countries. We had a very efficient team that worked both on disease models and behavioral aspects. So, we combine[d] those early on. And then a small university with good relations really helps in terms of that we could build this team that Dave was talking about with mathematicians and psychologists as well. And so, there are benefits to being small and well connected so that we very quickly build these teams.
HC: Modeling was one of the things that either was kind of on point with COVID or it seemed to be kind of wildly off base when you're looking at post-pandemic modeling. What are some of the factors that you're looking to take into account that pre-pandemic or pandemic era models did not have?
DF: That's actually exactly the impetus for this work and namely, the fact that how people respond to the risk and how people respond to the difference in the risk that public policies cause really does lead you to have a set of different outcomes than what you would expect. Our work is to try to provide a more realistic characterization of behavior in these models. So the forecasts are better, or at least can be used to generate some scenarios that are kind of like, 'Well, what if people respond in a certain way to some of this? And then another certain way to, let's say, the policies?' And if so, will our public policy be efficient and a good use of money? Or will it fail?
HC: What were some of those things that you learned about Wyoming through some of your prior research?
LT: Particularly with regards to vaccine hesitancy, we learned quite a bit. And we learned that Wyoming is different. It is quite unique in terms of the stickiness of the vaccine hesitancy that we could observe here versus nationally. So we did one study, for instance, where we examined how vaccine hesitancy responded to different types of information. And we could see fairly sizable effects for the nation as a whole from some of those information messages and we saw no impact whatsoever in Wyoming. So we realize that the initial vaccine hesitancy might have been similar, or more similar at least, in Wyoming to across the nation, but it was just stickier, harder to address with policies. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2022-09-02/university-of-wyoming-researchers-will-help-formulate-post-pandemic-modeling-for-future-pandemics | 2022-09-02T23:39:50Z |
Today on the show, we will review efforts to remove election powers from the Secretary of State's office following the election of Chuck Gray. Wyoming is a top producer in the fossil fuel industry. Congress is pushing the state to take a harder look at how the industry impacts climate change. And food banks across the region are facing shortages. Those stories and more. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/podcast/open-spaces-podcast/2022-09-02/open-spaces-september-2-2022 | 2022-09-02T23:39:56Z |
Listen to the Full Show
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Today on the show, we will review efforts to remove election powers from the Secretary of State's office following the election of Chuck Gray. Wyoming is a top producer in the fossil fuel industry. Congress is pushing the state to take a harder look at how the industry impacts climate change. And food banks across the region are facing shortages. Those stories and more.
Segments
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Last week out of the blue, the Legislature's Joint Corporations and Elections committee approved a motion to look into moving the elections division out of the Secretary of State's office. The motion is a reaction to comments by Casper Rep. Chuck Gray who's likely going to be the next Secretary of State. He won the primary and is running uncontested in the general election.
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President Biden recently signed into law a bill that could shape the future of energy in states like Wyoming, and so far it is polarizing amongst energy leaders in the state. The Inflation Reduction Act is a dense 750 pages. It addresses everything from health care to taxes to climate and energy, which for Wyoming as the energy state, the latter is a main point of focus.
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Netflix and IllumiNative have launched a training program for Indigenous film producers that aims to increase Native representation in Hollywood. Its first cohort of fellows includes Ashley Browning, who is from the pueblos of Pojoaque and Santa Clara in New Mexico.
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The University of Wyoming was recently selected as one of just a few research institutions nationwide to receive approximately one million dollars in grant funding for research into pandemic modeling. Wyoming Public Radio's Hugh Cook spoke with economics faculty Dr. David Finoff and Dr. Linda Thunstrom on how the money will help them research future pandemics.
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Six months ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. The invasion inspired fierce resistance by the people of Ukraine and touched people throughout the western world. University of Wyoming economics professor Sasha Skiba is watching the war from afar, rationing his attention between the war in his homeland and his responsibilities as department head. His parents are still in their home city, Lilv, in northern Ukraine.
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People have always feared the unknown. And that fear transforms some animals into monsters in our minds — like sharks in the ocean, or rattlesnakes in the West.
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The first meat science degree in Wyoming is officially launching this fall at Central Wyoming College. The degree program aims to train the next generation of local butchers and food scientists. Wyoming Public Radio's Taylar Stagner spoke with program director Amanda Winchester about the program and what she hopes the students will learn.
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Several pantries in the region have seen their number of customers double since the pandemic began. Some folks who never needed food assistance before this summer are coming for the first time. | https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/show/open-spaces/2022-09-02/september-2-2022 | 2022-09-02T23:40:03Z |
Father, daughter facing felony charges for setting raccoon on fire, sheriff says
SARASOTA, Fla. (WWSB/Gray News) - A father and daughter in Florida are facing felony charges for allegedly burning a young raccoon.
According to the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office, Alicia Kincheloe, 30, recorded a video of a raccoon being burned in a dumpster on Aug. 11. Investigators said the incident involved Alicia Kincheloe and her father, 63-year-old Roddy Kincheloe.
WWSB reports Roddy Kincheloe stabbed the raccoon with a pitchfork. After lunch, the two returned to the dumpster to find the animal still alive. Roddy Kincheloe reportedly told his daughter to get a gasoline can from his truck before the animal was set on fire.
Deputies said Alicia Kincheloe admitted to pouring gasoline on the raccoon and setting it on fire. According to the sheriff’s office, a second video obtained by investigators showed the charred remains of the raccoon.
“They will be held accountable,” Sarasota County Sheriff Kurt Hoffman said. “This is the wrong place to do a crime like this.”
Hoffman called the act “a sick and terrible thing to do” at a Friday news conference. The sheriff also said the father and daughter would face the “full force” of the law.
Authorities said Alicia and Roddy Kincheloe are facing felony charges, including aggravated animal cruelty. Alicia Kincheloe is also charged with tampering with evidence for trying to dispose of the animal’s body.
According to Hoffman, Alicia Kincheloe didn’t have a prior criminal record, but Roddy Kincheloe has an extensive criminal history.
The sheriff said his office had been criticized for taking weeks to arrest the suspects, but it took time for his deputies to compile evidence and obtain signatures on warrants before the arrests were made.
Copyright 2022 WWSB via Gray Media Group, Inc. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/father-daughter-facing-felony-charges-setting-raccoon-fire-sheriff-says/ | 2022-09-02T23:46:31Z |
‘He’s never going to get away again’: Murder suspect faces judge after international capture
SAN DIEGO (CNN) - A suspected killer on the run for six years appeared in court on Friday for the murder of his girlfriend in California.
Raymond McLeod was arraigned for the 2016 death of 30-year-old Krystal Mitchell.
Police said McLeod and Mitchell lived in Arizona but were visiting friends in San Diego when she was found dead in an apartment.
According to investigators, McLeod fled the country after her murder but was arrested in El Salvador earlier this week.
Investigators say Mitchell’s mother, Josephine Wentzel, is a former detective who helped authorities in the international search for McLeod.
“The number one thing for this conference is ‘yes, I got him.’ He’s never going to get away again. He’s not going to be released from that jail if I could have something to do with that,” Wentzel said.
Before his arrest, McLeod was on the U.S. Marshals 15 most wanted list.
Copyright 2022 CNN Newsource. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/hes-never-going-get-away-again-murder-suspect-faces-judge-after-international-capture/ | 2022-09-02T23:46:38Z |
Prosecutor: Trump ally arranged meeting with poll worker
ATLANTA (AP) — After the 2020 election, a Georgia poll worker who was falsely accused of voting fraud by former President Donald Trump was pressured and threatened with imprisonment during a meeting arranged with the help of an ally of the Trump campaign, a prosecutor said in a court filing Friday.
Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis is investigating whether Trump and others illegally tried to influence the 2020 election in Georgia. As part of the probe, Willis filed court documents on Friday seeking testimony from Willie Lewis Floyd, a director of Black Voices for Trump, a group aimed at increasing the former president’s support among Black voters.
In December 2021, Floyd was asked to arrange a meeting to discuss an “immunity deal” with Ruby Freeman, a Fulton County election worker whom Trump and his allies falsely accused of pulling fraudulent ballots from a suitcase, according to Willis.
Willis said Floyd arranged for Trevian Kutti — whom Willis described as a “purported publicist” based in Chicago — to meet with Freeman. The prosecutor has previously sought Kutti’s testimony.
Kutti told Freeman that “an armed squad” of federal officers would approach her and her family within 48 hours and that Kutti had access to “very high-profile people that can make particular things happen in order to defend yourself and your family,” according to Willis’ court filing.
The district attorney cited video footage as evidence of those statements.
Kutti did not immediately respond to an email message seeking comment Friday. A message to Floyd’s Instagram account was also not immediately returned.
Freeman and Kutti met at the Cobb County Police Department, where Kutti told Freeman that “freedom and the freedom of one or more of your family members” would be disrupted if Freeman declined her assistance. Kutti said Freeman was “a loose end for a party that needs to tidy up,” according to Willis.
The meeting was captured in part by a body camera, Willis said.
Kutti also said she wanted to connect Freeman to Floyd, whom she described as a “Black progressive crisis manager, very high level, with authoritative powers to get you protection that you need,” Willis said.
During a subsequent phone call with Kutti and Floyd, Freeman was pressured to reveal information under threat of imprisonment, Willis said.
Freeman and her daughter, Wandrea “Shaye” Moss, appeared in June before the House Jan. 6 committee and have told lawmakers how the lies about election fraud upended their lives. Moss was also a poll worker in Fulton County.
Willis has sought testimony from numerous witnesses with ties to Trump as part of her investigation, including former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani and U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham. Giuliani, who’s been told he’s a target of the investigation, testified before the special grand jury last month. A federal judge on Thursday ruled that constitutional protections don’t shield Graham from testifying.
Trump has blamed voter fraud for his 2020 loss to Democrat Joe Biden. State officials and federal investigators, including Trump’s own attorney general, have said there was no evidence of widespread fraud in the 2020 contest.
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Associated Press writer Meg Kinnard in Columbia, South Carolina, contributed to this report.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/prosecutor-trump-ally-arranged-meeting-with-poll-worker/ | 2022-09-02T23:46:46Z |
Thousands told to flee 3 towns ahead of fast California fire
WEED, Calif. (AP) — A fast-moving fire in Northern California threatened hundreds of homes Friday and authorities ordered at least 5,000 residents across three communities to leave immediately.
Residents of the towns of Weed, Lake Shastina and Edgewood to evacuate after the blaze spread quickly in hot and windy conditions, the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. The Mill Fire had burned 1.4 square miles (3.6 square kilometers), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection
Sue Tavalero, the mayor of Weed, said the fire started on the property of Roseburg Forest Products, a lumber mill north of town, and quickly burned through homes in the nearby neighborhood of Lincoln Heights and prompted evacuation orders for thousands of people.
“It has taken out a neighborhood in town,” she said, but then clarified that she was not sure exactly how many homes had burned. “The Lincoln Heights neighborhood has burnt houses in it. I don’t know how many. I’m positive several homes have been lost.”
Tavalero said she was out of town but headed back to Weed, so she did not have visuals of the fire.
She said the evacuation orders for all of Weed and nearby areas of Lake Shastina and Edgewood covered a combined population of about 7,500 people.
Evacuees described heavy smoke and chunks of ash raining down from massive flames near Weed, about 70 miles north of the city of Redding.
Christopher Rock, an employee at the Mayten Store in Montague, a town 30 miles (48 kilometers) north of Weed, said evacuees from the fire had swarmed the pumps.
“It’s really busy right now,” he said. “You can’t see the flames from here, just a lot of smoke.”
Marco Noriega, brewmaster at Mount Shasta Brewing Company, said they received the notice to evacuate about an hour ago and he sent the 10 customers and three employees away. He said the power is out and they have received little information.
Smoke is to the north and winds are blowing from the south, keeping the fire away. He sounded calm as he cleaned up.
“I’ve been through it before, so long as the wind stays in the direction it is, I’m all right. But I know the wind switches quickly,” he said by phone.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning for Siskiyou County from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday when winds in the Weed area were expected to reach up to 31 mph (50 kph).
Willo Balfrey, 82, an artist from Lake Shastina, said she was painting on Friday afternoon when she got a call from a grandson in the California Highway Patrol to warn her of the fast-spreading flames.
“He said, ‘don’t linger, grab your computer, grab what you need and get out of the house now. It’s coming your way.’ So I did,” Balfrey told The Associated Press.
She grabbed a suitcase full of important documents, as well as water and her computer, iPhone and chargers, and headed out the door.
“I’ve reached the philosophy that if I have all my paperwork, what’s in the house is not that important,” she said.
She stopped to load her car-less neighbor into her own vehicle and they drove about 20 miles away to a church parking lot in Montague she’s passed before in her travels.
“That’s about as safe as you can get,” she said.
Balfrey said there are about 40 cars in the church’s parking lot, with people asking one another, “what news do you have, what have you heard?”
She said she evacuated for the Lava Fire about two years ago and firefighters were able to keep the flames out of her subdivision. She hopes they will be successful this time as well.
In Southern California, firefighters were making progress Friday against two big wildfires despite dangerously hot weather.
Containment of the Route Fire along Interstate 5 north of Los Angeles increased to 37% and it remained at just over 8 square miles (21 square kilometers) in size, a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection statement said.
Firefighters were focusing on mopping up hotspots and building more containment lines, trying to get most of the hard work done before the midday heat, Cal Fire said.
California is in the grip of a prolonged heat wave. Temperatures have been so high that residents have been asked for three consecutive days to conserve power during late afternoon and evening hours when solar energy declines.
On Wednesday, seven firefighters working the Route Fire in triple-digit temperatures had to be taken to hospitals for treatment of heat illnesses. All were released.
“Excessive heat, low humidity and steep terrain will continue to pose the biggest challenge for firefighters,” Cal Fire said.
The tally of destroyed structures remained at two, and all evacuation orders were lifted.
In eastern San Diego County, the Border 32 Fire remained at just under 7 square miles (18 square kilometers) and containment increased to 20%.
More than 1,500 people had to evacuate the area near the U.S.-Mexico border when the fire erupted Wednesday. All evacuations were lifted by Friday afternoon.
Two people were hospitalized with burns. Three homes and seven other buildings were destroyed.
Scientists say climate change has made the West warmer and drier over the last three decades and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive.
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Associated Press writers Olga R. Rodriguez and Janie Har in San Francisco and Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles contributed to this story.
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. | https://www.wvva.com/2022/09/02/thousands-told-flee-3-towns-ahead-fast-california-fire/ | 2022-09-02T23:46:53Z |
FEMA Awards Nearly $1M to Port of South Louisiana
RESERVE, La. (press release) — The Port of South Louisiana was awarded $955,339 in port security grant funding from the Department of Homeland Security Federal Emergency Management Agency. The funding will go toward the enhancement of the port’s cybersecurity framework and will support enhancements to its geographic information system. The GIS provides up-to-date spatial information to port security personnel and public safety agencies in the Port’s 54-miles of jurisdiction along the lower Mississippi River.
As the nation’s leading grain exporter and one of the Western Hemisphere’s largest tonnage ports, the safety and security of the Port of South Louisiana, its personnel, and its tenants is critical during these challenging times. The cyber and terrorist threat landscape is evolving rapidly and protecting against potential external threats requires rapid monitoring and response.
“The commerce that happens along the Lower Mississippi River at the Port of South Louisiana is intertwined with the national security of the United States,” said Paul Matthews, Chief Executive Officer. “We are grateful to our federal partners for awarding these funds, which will go directly toward solidifying the sustainment of cyber security protection and assist in preventing an outside threat of causing human loss of life, structural devastation, or economic catastrophe.”
The Port of Louisiana received $695,389 for enhanced cyber security. This project is for the enhancement of the Port of South Louisiana’s cyber security framework. It includes the following integrated layers of cyber security technologies: installation, configuration, initial and continuous assessment, 24/7 monitoring, management and vulnerability scanning, real-time detection, network remediation, quarterly penetration testing, advanced training, troubleshooting, decryption of ransomware encryption, and related functions to protect against technology advancement of cyber terrorist threats. The Port of South Louisiana will make a 25% match for a total project cost of $927,186.
The Port also received $259,950 for GIS Acquisition Phase 1. GIS is currently used by the Port as a tool for business development, to depict available sites within the district along with adjacent and/or proximate transportation infrastructure such as rail lines, pipelines, water lines, etc. The investment supports the improvement of the GIS that will provide up-to-date spatial information via a web viewer to port security personnel and public safety agencies in the Port’s 54-miles of jurisdiction along the lower Mississippi River, thus improving maritime domain awareness significantly; also the project will provide up-to-date information to maintain port-wide risk management for critical infrastructure, transportation and utility networks, and the location of hazardous materials. The Port of South Louisiana will make a 25% match for a total project cost of $346,600. | https://www.bizneworleans.com/fema-awards-nearly-1m-to-port-of-south-louisiana/ | 2022-09-02T23:54:24Z |
Kali and Sushila Mukherjee Trading Lab Opens at UNO
NEW ORLEANS — From the University of New Orleans:
University of New Orleans officials celebrated the opening of the Kali and Sushila Mukherjee Trading Lab on Wednesday with a ribbon cutting and reception. The lab, located in Kirschman Hall that is home to the College of Business Administration, is designed to give students real-world experienced in portfolio management.
The lab is named in honor of the parents of UNO finance professor Tarun Mukherjee who donated $50,000 for the creation of a student-managed investment fund that also bears their names.
The lab includes wall mounted flat screen televisions tuned into business news channels and a real-time scrolling ticker tape with stock market data.
“Dr. Mukherjee’s commitment to UNO does not end with his duties as an educator and researcher,” President John Nicklow said. “Through his continued generosity and as a complement to this fund, generations of UNO students will benefit from hands-on learning experiences in this very laboratory.”
Mukherjee has been a UNO faculty member for more than 40 years and his primary expertise is in corporate finance. His parents instilled in him the value of a good education and made sacrifices that allowed him to gain a broader wealth of knowledge, Mukherjee said.
“As a finance professor, I’m always looking for a return on investment,” Mukherjee said, which drew laughter from the crowd gathered in the atrium of Kirschman Hall. “The return on this investment that I have done is not measurable by percentages so I cannot even fathom it or explain it, because I get to honor my parents, who are the best parents in the world.”
Kali and Sushila Mukherjee, who are now deceased, instilled the importance of hard work and the value of education in their 10 children, Mukherjee said.
His father was a government worker and his mother, who was raised by an older brother after the death of her parents when she was just 4-years-old, overcame the cultural bias that prevented her from getting a formal education by teaching herself.
“I can credit both of my parents for where we are,” he said. “We have doctors and engineers and all those things … They both said that education was not for getting a job, it’s for knowledge that makes you a full person.”
The lab has a plaque and photograph on the wall at the entrance to memorialize Mukherjee’s parents and his generosity.
“We’re very excited about the latest addition to Kirschman Hall and that our current and future students will have the opportunity to utilize this state-of-the-art lab as it is integrated into our finance curriculum,” said Pamela Kennett-Hensel, dean of the College of Business Administration.
The University offers a three-hour course called Student Managed Investment Fund for undergraduate senior finance majors and students in the finance master’s degree program in which they manage money in the student fund. The student fund is a restricted asset of the UNO Foundation and all funds are held in a brokerage account, according to Anthony Gregorio, president of the UNO Foundation.
Kenneth Bui, a senior finance major, said he took the fund management course last semester and jokingly lamented that he should have waited.
“Seeing it now, I wish I would have taken it this semester instead of last semester. It would have made it a lot more immersive, I think,” said Bui who attended the ribbon cutting. “At least I know that future students will get this sort of experience.” | https://www.bizneworleans.com/kali-and-sushila-mukherjee-trading-lab-opens-at-uno/ | 2022-09-02T23:54:30Z |
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