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[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:40 | null | 2016-08-26T07:00:25 | An author and grandmother is studying for a masters degree for the first time at the age of 80. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fgrandmother-80-accepted-on-to-university-course-1-7544908.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7544907.1472140841!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Grandmother, 80, accepted on to university course | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | An author and grandmother is studying for a masters degree for the first time at the age of 80.
Hilary Chalkly, of Swing Gate Lane in Berkhamsted, will enrol on the two-year MA course in creative writing at Kingston University next month.
She will be enrolling at the same time as thousands of excited 18-year-old ‘freshers’ across the country, but the mother-of-two believes you are never too old for higher education.
Mrs Chalkly, who lives with husband Syd, 76, and is mum to daughters Gill and Libby, said: “I want to impress on people that 80 is the new 60.
“I applied to Kingston tongue-in-cheek but I was absolutely gobsmacked when I got the email to say I had been accepted. I was thrilled!”
The course will be held one day a week over two years at the campus in South London, and is one of several writing-related courses Hilary has done since leaving school at the age of 15.
The grandmother-of-one, who spent 15 years working on Hemel Hospital Radio, said: “I’ve always dabbled in writing all my life. I was good at essays at school and I wrote a couple of articles for Melody Maker.
“I worked locally for many years before I retired. Then back in 2010, I was sat at the kitchen table with my two daughters and they said: ‘Mum, you’re vegetating’.
“It took someone to jar and jerk me to make me realise that I had become static,” said Hilary, who was born-and-bred in Berkhamsted.
Hilary, who is working on her first novel, flicked through a course prospectus for West Herts College and settled on creative writing.
Hilary got the studying bug so after the Dacorum course, she and her friends enrolled in a Workers’ Educational Association course in Leverstock Green.
Following a City Lit course which finished in July, Hilary and her pals set up their own writing club and now meet regularly in Holborn to critique each others’ work.
“Having others read your work is a really eye-opening experience,” said Hilary.
“I’m currently in the throes of a novel which is inspired by my grandparents’ house, where I used to go in the school holidays.”
Hilary is looking for fee sponsorship. If you can help, email thegazette@jpress.co.uk | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/grandmother-80-accepted-on-to-university-course-1-7544908 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/b74545ce44c4508ab257c6a82fafe654cfb89841e39ee1ccf49d5809d3078e05.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T10:48:59 | null | 2016-08-27T10:03:13 | Hayley Oates will be competing for Team GB in the European Sprint Triathlon Championships next year. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fother%2Fhayley-s-hard-work-earns-team-gb-sprint-triathlon-call-up-1-7541194.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7541187.1472033039!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Hayley’s hard work earns Team GB sprint triathlon call-up | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Hayley Oates will be competing for Team GB in the European Sprint Triathlon Championships next year.
Hayley is part of Hemel Hempstead Cycling Club, which also has a tri section. Her HHCC triathlon team won the Triathlon England Regional Relay event in 2015 and came third this year.
Now, after 11 races this season, she has qualified for the championships in Germany next summer and is looking for sponsors to support her efforts.
Sprint triathlons consist of a 750m open water swim, straight into a 20km bike and finish with a 5km run. Hayley’s current PB is 1 hour 11 minutes.
She said: “Earlier this year I set myself the goal to qualify to represent Team GB as an age grouper (30-34 years old) in the European Sprint Triathlon Championships next year.
“In the past I’ve only raced in small, local sprint tris and done quite well but racing with the big girls in the British Champs, English Champs and the actual qualifier in Nottingham were both eye-opening and terrifying!
“From fracturing my toe in a mass start swim in one race (and because my feet were numb for the entire race I didn’t realise at the time so didn’t feel it necessary to pull out of the race), to seeing the determination and pain etched on some faces showed me that I wasn’t the only lady aiming to qualify.
“I’ve raced 11 times this season which is unheard of, however, the hard work’s paid off as I am now a Team GB age group triathlete and get to race in Dusseldorf in June 2017!”
That news would be cause for celebration for most – but not fot Hayley who instead went for a run because that was what she had scheduled that day.
She said: “As with all age groupers, I have to completely fund my training and travel to the race myself, so if any local Hertfordshire businesses would like to sponsor me aid in my training in any way I’d absolutely love your help, please!’
You can email Hayley at hayleyoates@gmail.com | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/other/hayley-s-hard-work-earns-team-gb-sprint-triathlon-call-up-1-7541194 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/5bd7e6ab56ef460007d446435f581cd5b6fd05aff571fd74e91fc2ddd3fe1f66.json |
[
"Diane King"
] | 2016-08-26T12:55:53 | null | 2016-08-24T11:27:46 | The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fcoca-cola-bottle-most-iconic-packaging-1-7541247.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7541245.1472034454!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Coca-Cola bottle ‘most iconic packaging’ | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | The Cola-Cola glass bottle has been voted as the most iconic packaging on the UK’s shelves.
A study of 1,500 Brits exploring the influence of packaging and branding on shopping habits found that one in six people thought the Coca-Cola bottle was the most identifiable in terms of packaging.
Indeed, it was deemed to be just as recognisable without its logo or the product itself.
The research, commissioned by Easyfairs, organisers of Packing Innovations and Luxury Packaging London, found the Toblerone triangular chocolate bar finished as a close runner up, with Marmite’s glass jar rated as third-best-loved product packaging.
Beauty brands, such as the Tiffany Box and the Chanel No.5 Bottle just missed out on the top ten.
Coke’s success has been attributed to its targeting younger audience, with one in five Millennials selecting the bottle as the most recognisable pack product.Pringles’ iconic cylinder tube, fourth on the overall list, was the Millennial’s second favourite.
The study also revealed barcodes as the greatest packaging invention, ahead of more traditional items such as the cardboard box (21 per cent) - although the younger generation, 18-34 years, voted for 3D printing and re-sealable zips as its top two.
Gerry Sherwood, Event Director for the Easyfairs’ Packaging Portfolio, who commissioned the survey, said: “Millennials have officially passed Baby Boomers as the largest generation in history, and are more personally connected to their favourite brands than ever before. It is therefore not surprising to see 3D printing come out top in our poll for this age group.”
Top Ten Most Recognisable Brand’s Packaging
1. Coca-Cola Bottle
2. Toblerone Triangle
3. Marmite Jar
4. Pringles Tube
5. KFC Bucket
6. Heinz Ketchup Bottle
7. Fairy Liquid Bottle
8. Apple’s iPhone Box
9. Walkers Crisp Packet
10. Amazon Box | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/coca-cola-bottle-most-iconic-packaging-1-7541247 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/34a60926615a462656ca5928d9824fcd7923967eaccb1f665e7ea70fce7f12ae.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:53 | null | 2016-08-20T06:00:00 | Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Ftrendy-trampolines-cause-child-injuries-1-7531014.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7531009.1471439036!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Trendy trampolines cause child injuries | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Bryony Page may have wowed crowds by becoming the first Brit to win an Olympic medal on a trampoline.
But new research suggests injuries sustained from indoor trampoline parks are an “emerging health concern”.
The warning comes after a study recorded 40 children needed medical treatment at one hospital in the space of just six months after trampoline accidents at an indoor park.
Last week 25-year-old Bryony won a silver medal in Rio, performing twists and turns at a staggering 30ft.
But while many youngsters may wish to emulate her, researchers stress the danger of using indoor trampoline parks, where many kids bounce simultaneously, on beds placed in close proximity to each other.
Researchers reviewed the medical records of Australian children under 17, who sought medical treatment at a children’s emergency care department between July 2014 and January 2015.
The team focussed solely on injuries sustained whilst at a trampoline park.
During a six month period, the team recorded 40 child patients, 55 per cent of which were girls, requiring treatment for their injuries.
The average age of each child patient was 10, but the youngest was just a year old.
Most of the injuries, a third, occurred while the child was on the trampoline.
And a fifth - 18 per cent - of the injuries were caused by a failed landing.
But in eight cases, the injury was the result of several different children of different sizes using the trampoline at the same time.
The research, published in the journal Injury Prevention, revealed over half of the children (52.5%) injured were simply jumping and not attempting any flips or somersaults at the time.
Six children injured themselves by landing awkwardly on something on the trampoline, such as protective padding designed to prevent falls.
Bruising and sprained ankles were the most common injuries, with 55% of the children’s medical records detailing these.
A third fractured elbow and ankle bones.
But for five children, their injuries were more serious and required surgery and a hospital admission.
Author Dr Christopher Mulligan, from The University of New South Wales said: “Most children were injured while involved in simple jumping activities (52.5%).
“However, five children (12.5%) were injured while attempting somersaults or flips.
“Six children were injured when they came into contact with something while on the trampoline.
“This included two children who landed on balls, and four children who landed on, or caught their feet in, the less elastic padding surrounding them or the hard surface floor.
“In terms of the injuries observed, the majority of patients presented with a soft tissue injury or sprain ( 55%) or fractured bone(s) (37.5%).
“One child sustained a lip laceration. One child presented with concussion, and one with chest pain.
“The lower extremity was the most frequent site of injury (67.5%), followed by the upper extremity (15%).
“The most common sprains were of the ankle. The most common fractures were supracondylar fractures of the elbow and fractures of the ankle.
“There was one fracture/dislocation of a cervical vertebra. No patients sustained a loss of consciousness.”
He added children using trampolines at home are more at risk of falling off it as they are raised above the ground or falling through the padding.
But at centres “double bouncing, or multiple users on a single trampoline, carried a significant risk for injury.
“This occurred particularly when small children were jumping with larger peers
or other adults.”
The study was published in the BMJ’ s Injury Prevention. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/trendy-trampolines-cause-child-injuries-1-7531014 | en | 2016-08-20T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/5c33e251981674af95b7cd666974a994119c10cf2001a6a652d67c35ff0e59b9.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T20:48:08 | null | 2016-08-26T18:00:00 | Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Farts-culture%2Feating-out-carluccio-s-puts-italian-soul-into-berhamsted-s-award-winning-high-street-1-7541325.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7541316.1472040050!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Eating Out: Carluccio’s puts Italian soul into Berhamsted’s award-winning high street | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.
A popular eating out destination for people from across the Home Counties, Berkhamsted has won a number of awards for its high street offering in the past.
Carluccios is the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy Antonio Carluccio
To that end it has a reputation to protect.
Carluccio’s - the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy, Antonio Carluccio, may be yet another chain - and yes the high street does need to maintain its tradition of having some great independents - but it doesn’t feel like one and in many respects has local at its heart.
For a start Berkhamsted’s Carluccio’s is nestled away in the Listed Old Town Hall building on the high street, making it one of the best and most interesting settings to enjoy a nice meal.
Cosy and inviting inside, the staff offer as warm a welcome as the table filled with a host of delicious desserts which greets you as you walk in.
Carluccio's Grandioso platter
The menus cater for all ages and are genuinely exciting. It is the sharing platters that steal the show, though. There are meat and veggie versions, the meat version is particularly delicious and boasts succulent freshly sliced meats like Parma ham, salami from Naples and Milan, herb-roasted ham and mortadella. And if you can manage it, the meat is accompanied by olives, caperberries and home baked focaccia.
But don’t miss out on the arancini, a taste sensation which is essentially Italy in a stuffed rice ball. Coated with breadcrumbs and then deep fried, the arancini are balls of gorgonzola and courgette or nduja and buffalo mozzarella, both served with a tomato sauce.
A range of fantastic classic Italian dishes from a hearty traditional lasagne, lobster spaghetti and homemade ravioli, as well as gluten-free pasta, adorn the menu and the mix is just right without offering too much choice that you find yourself overwhelmed. The menu also includes Italian grill dishes of flattened chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mint-marinated lamb cutlets which is a must.
The dessert offering is typical Italian fare with a zesty lemon tart, chocolate cake, tiramisu and meringue to choose from. There is also a collection of Carluccio’s own branded products on offer and you can take some sweet treats home with you if you like too.
Bistecca Di Fesa
Another aspect which gives the chain a local connection is its picnic service.
There are freshly made meat and vegetarian picnic meal platters available at £45 each, which generously feed two people, as well as a children’s version with a mini pizza, cake and juice for £10 and it all comes in a nifty coolbag. So if you are going out to enjoy the fine summer weather we are experiencing at the moment you can place your order over the phone and collect the picnic basket four hours later.
People might ask did Berkhamsted need another chain? Maybe not, but it definitely needs its Carluccio’s.
Traditional, hearty lasagne
Sweet treat: Carluccio's tiramisu | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-culture/eating-out-carluccio-s-puts-italian-soul-into-berhamsted-s-award-winning-high-street-1-7541325 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/422af4bfa54d078346a10ffca6a3d9e0dd15eba681cda983ab34eb3eaa6a1803.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T10:50:51 | null | 2016-08-29T10:46:25 | Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fsleepiness-linked-to-traffic-noise-and-pollution-1-7548626.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7548623.1472463964!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Sleepiness linked to traffic noise and pollution | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Nodding off in the middle of the day may be down to pollution generated by traffic, suggests new research.
The study shows exposure to traffic pollution is a trigger for daytime sleepiness - and may also trigger SNORING.
More than 12,000 adults were included in the Respiratory Health in Northern Europe (RHINE) study.
The findings show that people exposed to high levels of pollution had a 65 per cent greater chance of suffering from daytime sleepiness, compared to those who had no exposure.
Traffic noise in the bedroom was also a trigger - with people 46 per cent more likely to feel sleepy in the day if exposed.
And the research also suggests that people are also 29 per cent more likely to be a habitual snorer if they are exposed to traffic noise while they sleep.
Daytime sleepiness affected one in five people involved in the study, while one in four reported habitual snoring.
Ane Johannessen, an epidemiologist at Bergen University in Norway, wrote the study together with Professor Thorarinn Gislason and other Northern European researchers.
She said: “Exposure to traffic should be taken into account when planning treatment for patients with sleep disturbances, because reducing noise and pollution exposure in the bedroom may have a beneficial effect.
“Reducing exposure through relocating the bedroom away from pollution sources or making the bedroom more soundproof to protect against traffic noise, as well as mapping alternative and less polluted outdoor everyday routes may help patients with their sleep disorders.”
The study also showed that men, older subjects, smokers and those with lower education were more likely to report habitual snoring.
They were usually less physically active, with a higher BMI, and more likely to have a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA).
Women, older people, smokers, and those with lower education were more likely to report daytime sleepiness.
The new research is due to be presented at the European Respiratory Society’s International Congress in London next month.
Professor Jorgen Vestbo, President of ERS and Professor of Respiratory Medicine at the University of Manchester, said: “The question of who snores may be a running joke in some households but for many snoring is a serious issue, with direct links to physical and mental well being and the same is true for daytime sleepiness.
“We want people to think more about the environment around them and the impact it can have - from the way they sleep to the air they breathe.”
To coincide with Congress, the ERS will be holding some free public lung function testing, starting in Trafalgar Square on September 2 and 3. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/sleepiness-linked-to-traffic-noise-and-pollution-1-7548626 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/edd5fb785da075c53d4fc34d153593dae1928a2fe480f4c38cd0331120fe8923.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:59:49 | null | 2016-08-17T09:24:52 | Fans of The Kinks are in for a spectacular evening with the arrival of Sunny Afternoon to the area. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Ftheatre%2Fkinks-musical-hits-milton-keynes-and-aylesbury-stages-1-7530346.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7530380.1471423279!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Kinks musical hits Milton Keynes and Aylesbury stages | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Fans of The Kinks are in for a spectacular evening with the arrival of Sunny Afternoon to the area.
The band from North London hit the music scene big time in the early Sixties with hits including You Really Got Me and Lola.
Brothers Ray and Dave Davies formed The Kinks. Ray was the primary songwriter and the band’s definitive sound rocked a nation and influenced generations of music lovers.
Sunny Afternoon has won multiple awards during its run in the West End, and now the show is on tour with stops at The Waterside in Aylesbury and Milton Keynes Theatre.
Producer Richard Darbourne said: “Ray Davies is one of the best British songwriters we’ve ever had. There is an iconic Kinks sound and some amazing song writing. He wrote for a particular age, he was very observational. It resonates with that particular time and it either induces a memory in people today, or brings in new listeners who hear their music for the first time on radio.”
The show promises to have a real concert vibe to it.
Mr Darbourne said: “There is no band in the pit, it’s a quite spectacular event. The actors are musicians as well. Finding the right personnel for any show is a major challenge. We needed four Kinks and their understudies and they have to learn the music and sound like The Kinks with an authentic sound. There is a catwalk that goes into the audience, it’s a logistical nightmare but we’ve kept it for the tour. We felt it was important to retain it and keep the show as it is seen in the West End.”
Sunny Afternoon comes to Milton Keynes Theatre from Tuesday August 30 - Saturday September 3. To book call 0844 871 7652 or visit www. atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes. It then visits Waterside Theatre in Aylesbury from Tuesday September 27 to Saturday October 1. Call the box office on 0844 871 7607 or visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/ aylesbury. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/what-s-on/theatre/kinks-musical-hits-milton-keynes-and-aylesbury-stages-1-7530346 | en | 2016-08-17T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/aa00e3ba81709f6f0d9a5151579cb5352474c11ae6aadfff123765daf65311e5.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:54:29 | null | 2016-08-25T14:43:14 | Singer songwriter James Walsh is preparing for his first visit to Berkhamsted next month, where he will perform fresh material and old Starsailor favourites. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fberkofest-performance-will-be-plain-sailing-1-7544275.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7544274.1472133548!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Berkofest performance will be plain sailing | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Singer songwriter James Walsh is preparing for his first visit to Berkhamsted next month, where he will perform fresh material and old Starsailor favourites.
The former Starsailor frontman, who hails from Wigan, is headlining family-friendly festival Berkofest at Berkhamsted Cricket Club on Saturday, September 10, and he says it ‘should be a good one’.
The 36-year-old, who has sold more than three million albums, said: “The closest I’ve got to Berkhamsted is Luton, when I did an interview on BBC 3 Counties Radio.
“I met Charlie [Hussey, Berkofest organiser] then and it was great to hear the passion he has for it. I’m looking forward to playing in Berkhamsted, it should be a good one.”
James is perhaps best known for being one quarter of post-Britpop band Starsailor, but he released his first solo album in 2009 and has been touring on his own too.
But Starsailor fans will be pleased to know he will be playing some of their hits at Berkofest, as well as some fresh material.
The dad-of-two, who lives with wife Lisa and children Niamh, 14, and eight-year-old Cillian, said: “I think it’s important to strike a balance.
“I want to show people what I’m working on now, but I don’t want to gloss over my past. I want to say, I’m still part of that, but I’m also doing this.”
The artist, who first played the piano aged 12 and started writing his own songs at 14, cites Tim Buckley, Jeff Buckley, Oasis and Blur as just some of his early influences.
And even though he’s performed all over the world, the musician admits he still gets nervous before gigs.
He said: “It’s not a bad nervous, more like adrenalin. I always find gigs exciting and intriguing, because you never know what the audience is going to be like.”
Buy tickets to see James play at www.berkofest.com | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/berkofest-performance-will-be-plain-sailing-1-7544275 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/9c94670ed1d8acb19f057e755e9c02eec8b2c56bf6e360dadaee55d539551a9d.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T14:49:22 | null | 2016-08-26T14:28:24 | Online retail giant Amazon treated its employees to a family fun day and BBQ in Hemel. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Ffamily-fun-for-amazon-workers-1-7546529.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7546520.1472218079!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Family fun for Amazon workers | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Online retail giant Amazon treated its employees to a family fun day and BBQ in Hemel.
The team from the firm’s fulfillment centre on the Maylands industrial estate had the chance to ride a giant helter skelter, race around in the dodgems, tuck into a BBQ and tackle a climbing wall.
Amazon's Summer BBQ at Herts County Showground. Hubertas, seven, (son of Elena Vicius) rides the rodeo.
The event, at the Herts showground on Redbourn Road, also had face painting, a penalty shootout, a bouncy castle and toyset carousel for younger guests on the day.
Trampolines, camel rides, Segways and a raffle for guests to win prizes rounded off the day that was organised by the Amazon team in Hemel Hempstead.
Amazon Hemel Hempstead general manager Lorenzo Barbo said: “The event was a great opportunity for the team at our Hemel Hempstead site to celebrate the summer season with team mates, friends and families whilst enjoying lots of fun activities.
“The annual event was a big success and I’d like to extend a huge thanks to the team that helped organise the event and also to the Amazon associates and their families who came along and joined in the excitement of the day.”
Amazon's Summer BBQ at Herts County Showground. Sara, six, daughter of Katarzyna (katarzyb), enjoys the fair. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/family-fun-for-amazon-workers-1-7546529 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/89d7de34de5194815b6cbdff3de977657a2396d7325030619a434dbabfd58aa0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:10:51 | null | 2016-08-23T17:50:58 | After a victorious Olympic Games in Rio, Mo Farah and Usain Bolt were among the big names who made an appearance at a popular festival – well, in straw form. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fcrow-farah-does-the-mobot-at-popular-scarecrow-festival-1-7540539.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7540535.1471971034!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Crow Farah does the Mobot at popular scarecrow festival | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | After a victorious Olympic Games in Rio, Mo Farah and Usain Bolt were among the big names who made an appearance at a popular festival – well, in straw form.
The golden duo were among dozens of impressive scarecrows which sprung up at the annual Flamstead Scarecrow Festival, which is now in its 15th year.
Flamstead Scarecrow Festival 2016 Usian Bolt PNL-160819-181529009
Funds raised are still being counted but they will be split between The Friends of St Leonard’s and the Herts Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre.
Claire McMurdo, who works at the centre and helped organise the festival, said: “We were very pleased – it was a really good event.
“Thank you to everyone who came along and supported it because it is the people who make it happen. Regardless of the weather, people enjoyed it and it was lovely on Sunday. It’s quite a big event which takes a lot of effort but it helps us keep costs down for everyone that uses the centre.”
Along with the straw Olympians, there were some eye-catching Pokemon scarecrows, the Wizard of Oz cast and even a man sat on the loo! Groups including the Chilterns 20s 30s Walking Group, made sure they stopped off at the festival over the weekend. People voted for their favourites and first place, fittingly, went to the Olympians – created by the Thompson family.
Flamstead Scarecrow Festival 2016 Pokemon Crow! PNL-160819-182416009
Runners-up were the Jenkins family who made a superb Pirates of the Caribbean scene and third place went to the Eency Weency Spider at Wilton Cottage. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/crow-farah-does-the-mobot-at-popular-scarecrow-festival-1-7540539 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/5f6876bca44fd65419351434f9974315dfcf54baba88afc904afb16ba4ccb24a.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:50:53 | null | 2016-08-29T06:00:00 | Are you a drill sergeant, a worshipper, a skipper or a teammate? Experts have identified four types of parent when it comes to teaching their children how to DRIVE. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fwhat-type-of-teacher-parent-are-you-1-7540354.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7540353.1471965972!/image/image.jpg | en | null | What type of teacher-parent are you? | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
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Local Targeting ► Our Classified websites (Photos, Motors, Jobs and Property Today) use cookies to ensure you get the correct local newspaper branding and content when you visit them. These cookies store no personally identifiable information.
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Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/what-type-of-teacher-parent-are-you-1-7540354 | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/7a1129fada1b40174265fa71fecd53e05a27ca8dee2dab9a1eefb8644e71133f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:56:47 | null | 2016-08-21T06:00:00 | Can you get 10/10 in our retro games quiz? | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Fquiz-how-well-do-you-know-your-retro-games-1-7528956.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7528955.1471348453!/image/image.jpg | en | null | QUIZ: How well do you know your retro games? | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
Revenue Science ► A tool used by some of our advertisers to target adverts to you based on pages you have visited in the past. To opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Google Ads ► Our sites contain advertising from Google; these use cookies to ensure you get adverts relevant to you. You can tailor the type of ads you receive by visiting here or to opt out of this type of targeting you can visit the 'Your Online Choices' website by clicking here.
Digital Analytics ► This is used to help us identify unique visitors to our websites. This data is anonymous and we cannot use this to uniquely identify individuals and their usage of the sites.
Dart for Publishers ► This comes from our ad serving technology and is used to track how many times you have seen a particular ad on our sites, so that you don't just see one advert but an even spread. This information is not used by us for any other type of audience recording or monitoring.
ComScore ► ComScore monitor and externally verify our site traffic data for use within the advertising industry. Any data collected is anonymous statistical data and cannot be traced back to an individual.
Local Targeting ► Our Classified websites (Photos, Motors, Jobs and Property Today) use cookies to ensure you get the correct local newspaper branding and content when you visit them. These cookies store no personally identifiable information.
Grapeshot ► We use Grapeshot as a contextual targeting technology, allowing us to create custom groups of stories outside out of our usual site navigation. Grapeshot stores the categories of story you have been exposed to. Their privacy policy and opt out option can be accessed here.
Subscriptions Online ► Our partner for Newspaper subscriptions online stores data from the forms you complete in these to increase the usability of the site and enhance user experience.
Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/what-s-on/quiz-how-well-do-you-know-your-retro-games-1-7528956 | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/c8bfae042ac0f408ab5df465d5e939d8d59561b50112062be7f8ddc5e69f8cf0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:03:49 | null | 2016-08-25T10:08:03 | Gade Valley Harriers once again took over Jarman Park Athletics ground to pit themselves against The Magic Mile last Wednesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fathletics%2Fmagic-mile-runs-from-gade-valley-harriers-1-7539366.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7539363.1471943332!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Magic mile runs from Gade Valley Harriers | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Gade Valley Harriers once again took over Jarman Park Athletics ground to pit themselves against The Magic Mile last Wednesday.
The Harriers were asked to guess how fast they could each run one mile on the track and were awarded penalty points for each second they were adrift of their guesses.
Gade Valley Tri triathletes Dean Kidd, Andy Terry Jon Roberts and Guy Woollett. PNL-160822-132059002
At the end of the races the penalty points were added up and were compared men against ladies, with the team with the lowest number of penalty points being awarded The Captains Cup.
There were 26 competitors this year and the men were closest to the mark retaining the Captains Cup for the second year in a row. There were great performances all round on the night, including new club records for Tracey Cotton in the FM35 category (6:26) and Andy Cook in the MV50 group (5:41).
Gade Valley Tri triathletes Dean Kidd, Andy Terry .Jon Roberts and Guy Woollett pushed themselves to the limit on Sunday competing in the gruelling Cotswold Classic Half Iron Man Triathlon.
First back for the team was Jon Roberts posting 37:33 for the swim, 2:35:40 for the bike ride and 1:40:15 for the run. Next home was Wollett in 34:57, 2:41:55 and 1:39:36. Kidd completed the 1.2 mile open water swim in 48:06, the 56 mile bike ride in 2:53:31 and the 13.1 mile run in 2:30:23, giving a total time of 6:17:01, setting a new PB by over 31 minutes. Team mate Terry showed respectable times of 45:21, 3:17:45 and 2:09:57.
The swim section started at Ashton Keynes water park in the heart of the Cotswolds, then the two lap bike section bike section left the water park and headed out of the area on a flat and fast course into some of the Cotswolds’ most beautiful and quiet villages.
For the final run section the athletes were treated to a mixture of tarmac and hard pack pathing for the 13.1 mile route that took in lakeside paths, as well as local village routes before finishing back close to the lakeside transition in the finishers area.
Serena Harrap from GVH took on the infamous Tough Mudder obstacle race on Sunday for the fourth time. Harrup dug deep to get round the 12 mile course and through the 20+ obstacles including mud pits, rope swings and their trademark electric cables.
Competing at the Kimbolton Half Marathon in Cambridgeshire, James Birnie raced around the 13.1 mile course in the beautiful and historic village of Kimbolton, pushing hard to set a time of 1:36:06.
Braving the unseasonal rainy weather 28 Gade Valley Harriers took to eight different parkruns at the weekend
There was a great turnout of 18 Harriers at the St Albans parkrun, with many new PBs and club records being smashed. The first club record was the Senior Ladies 5K record, now held by Ladies Captain Gemma Bitaraf, posting 19:52 (PB) and securing first lady home. Also taking a title was Tracey Cotton, who took top spot in the GVH FV35 category in a time of 22:03 (PB).
The full list of finishers was Anthony James 17:52, Matt Ashby 18:04 (PB), Anthony Willcox 19:14 (PB), Ed Price 19:18, Steve Newing 19:49, Vince Ellerby 19:52, Gemma Bitaraf 19:52 (PB), James Thomson 20:09, Simon Wallis 20:47, Paul Reilly 21:48, Gary Mullery 21:56, Gareth Tucker 21:57, Tracey Cotton 22:03 (PB), Russ Bailey 24:45, Tom Roberts 24:31, Paul Buxton 24:33, Charlie Costin 29:13 and Paul Rumble 29:44.
Scott Dixon took second overall place at the Gadebridge Park parkrun, posting a quick time of 19:27. Dixon was followed by Bill Hawes in 20:29 (PB), Andy Bishop 26:17 and Emma Nash 45:20.
Tilgate in West Sussex saw Peter Tucker from the Harriers set a time of 30:39, while in Oxford, his daughter Sam, clocked 24:40.
There was one Harrier apiece at the Tring, Cassiobury Park, and Burnham parkruns with Tom North setting a time of 21:12, Andy Button 25:51 and Mark Crabtree 18:02 respectively. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/athletics/magic-mile-runs-from-gade-valley-harriers-1-7539366 | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/7c77255a40ac8b7ac9ea2a53859b3deb8454a0f3a71c7c57a43dd109a8107215.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:15 | null | 2016-08-21T06:00:00 | Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Flife-ban-for-pokemon-go-cheats-1-7530984.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7530983.1471438432!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Life ban for Pokemon GO cheats | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Pokemon GO players who are found to be cheating will have a permanent ban slapped on them, it has been announced.
The game’s developer, Niantic, has altered the terms and conditions to include the condition that a life ban will ensue for anyone caught using trickery to bag Pokemon.
The new clause prohibits: “Falsifying your location, using emulators, modified or unofficial software and/or accessing Pokemon GO clients or backends in an unauthorized manner including through the use of third party software.”
It has been reported that some users have managed to fool the app into thinking they were at a different location. Some Pokemon are region-specific, although taken to extremes, a player could play the game without leaving their home.
“Our goal is to provide a fair, fun and legitimate game experience for everyone,” Niantic said:
“We will continue to work with all of you to improve the quality of the gameplay, including ongoing optimization and fine tuning of our anti-cheat system.”
Anyone believing that have been unfairly banned can access an appeals system. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/life-ban-for-pokemon-go-cheats-1-7530984 | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/cdd54d1888a65ccfbc10b9fd04b4cc2cf20bde146720a0c94fd87ba26e2ec0a6.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:49:55 | null | 2016-08-26T18:00:00 | Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Farts-culture%2Feating-out-carluccio-s-puts-italian-soul-into-berkhamsted-s-award-winning-high-street-1-7541325.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7541316.1472040050!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Eating Out: Carluccio’s puts Italian soul into Berkhamsted’s award-winning high street | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Berkhamsted may be teeming with great places to eat but if you are looking for good honest Italian food with a contemporary twist in a great setting then look no further than Carluccio’s.
A popular eating out destination for people from across the Home Counties, Berkhamsted has won a number of awards for its high street offering in the past.
Carluccios is the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy Antonio Carluccio
To that end it has a reputation to protect.
Carluccio’s - the brainchild of the godfather of Italian gastronomy, Antonio Carluccio, may be yet another chain - and yes the high street does need to maintain its tradition of having some great independents - but it doesn’t feel like one and in many respects has local at its heart.
For a start Berkhamsted’s Carluccio’s is nestled away in the Listed Old Town Hall building on the high street, making it one of the best and most interesting settings to enjoy a nice meal.
Cosy and inviting inside, the staff offer as warm a welcome as the table filled with a host of delicious desserts which greets you as you walk in.
Carluccio's Grandioso platter
The menus cater for all ages and are genuinely exciting. It is the sharing platters that steal the show, though. There are meat and veggie versions, the meat version is particularly delicious and boasts succulent freshly sliced meats like Parma ham, salami from Naples and Milan, herb-roasted ham and mortadella. And if you can manage it, the meat is accompanied by olives, caperberries and home baked focaccia.
But don’t miss out on the arancini, a taste sensation which is essentially Italy in a stuffed rice ball. Coated with breadcrumbs and then deep fried, the arancini are balls of gorgonzola and courgette or nduja and buffalo mozzarella, both served with a tomato sauce.
A range of fantastic classic Italian dishes from a hearty traditional lasagne, lobster spaghetti and homemade ravioli, as well as gluten-free pasta, adorn the menu and the mix is just right without offering too much choice that you find yourself overwhelmed. The menu also includes Italian grill dishes of flattened chicken breast topped with Parma ham and mint-marinated lamb cutlets which is a must.
The dessert offering is typical Italian fare with a zesty lemon tart, chocolate cake, tiramisu and meringue to choose from. There is also a collection of Carluccio’s own branded products on offer and you can take some sweet treats home with you if you like too.
Bistecca Di Fesa
Another aspect which gives the chain a local connection is its picnic service.
There are freshly made meat and vegetarian picnic meal platters available at £45 each, which generously feed two people, as well as a children’s version with a mini pizza, cake and juice for £10 and it all comes in a nifty coolbag. So if you are going out to enjoy the fine summer weather we are experiencing at the moment you can place your order over the phone and collect the picnic basket four hours later.
People might ask did Berkhamsted need another chain? Maybe not, but it definitely needs its Carluccio’s.
Traditional, hearty lasagne
Sweet treat: Carluccio's tiramisu | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/what-s-on/arts-culture/eating-out-carluccio-s-puts-italian-soul-into-berkhamsted-s-award-winning-high-street-1-7541325 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/f92f163b92a0b1601b143f01fd92410f3b2f392d8e1df90302064a5d58ec19aa.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:18 | null | 2016-08-26T13:10:52 | The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Frevealed-most-popular-pet-names-1-7546273.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7546272.1472213435!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Revealed: Most popular pet names | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | The most popular pet name in the UK is Charlie, according to new research into the names we choose for our animals by Pets at Home.
Pets at Home surveyed more than 800,000 pet owners through its My VIP club and has found the top 50 most popular names for each pet type. Whether the pet is a bird, cat, dog, fish, horse, reptile or small animal, Charlie was the clear winner with almost 34,000 of British pet owners choosing this name for their animal friend, topping the list of most common names for birds, cats and horses.
Poppy also proved to be a popular choice for many pets, particularly canines and felines, ranking at number one for dogs and number two for cats. Other common selections include Alfie, Bella, Billy and Molly.
George also ranked highly across all species with almost 10,000 of those taking part choosing this name within the top 50, again regardless of pet type, suggesting the young Prince’s influence may not end with toddler fashion and toys.
The world of entertainment, particularly children’s cartoons, appear to have had an effect on the names owners select. Bird based film Rio saw the film’s title rank in 10th place for birds, while classic cartoon character name Tweety came in at number 32.
Bestselling book A Cat Called Alfie may have inspired cat owners, with Alfie being the eighth most popular name for cats. Winnie the Pooh fans are meanwhile drawn to Tigger, which ranked at 11 in cat names. Demonstrating that classic films can still influence our decisions, Thumper, who appeared in the 1942 film Bambi, is still the seventh most chosen name for rabbits. Nemo, is the second most popular name for the nation’s fish following Goldie in first.
Gavin Hawthorn, Group CRM Director, said: “It’s interesting to see that just as popular culture and famous faces influence what we name our children, likewise, these trends can help the nation’s pet owners select a name for their animals. It seems likely that children being allowed to name their first animal friend forms a big part of the naming process, particularly among the film and TV inspired monikers.
“However, it also seems that books and even the Royal family are also helping Brits to decide on what to call their pet. Meanwhile Charlie and Poppy scored highly across species, suggesting that cute, traditional names will always appeal when it comes to naming our pets.”
Top 10 names for British pets by species
Top 10 names for dogs
1. Poppy
2. Alfie
3. Bella
4. Charlie
5. Molly
6. Max
7. Daisy
8. Bailey
9. Ruby
10. Lola
Top 10 names for cats
1. Charlie
2. Poppy
3. Molly
4. Bella
5. Oscar
6. Daisy
7. Tilly
8. Alfie
9. Millie
10. Smudge
Top 10 names for small animals
1. Daisy
2. Fudge
3. Nibbles
4. Poppy
5. Rosie
6. Charlie
7. Thumper
8. Fluffy
9. George
10. Harry
Top 10 names for reptiles
1. Spike
2. George
3. Rex
4. Charlie
5. Sid
6. Monty
7. Bob
8. Leo
9. Rango
10. Sheldon
Top 10 names for fish
1. Goldie
2. Nemo
3. Bob
4. Bubbles
5. Fishy
6. George
7. Fred
8. Jaws
9. Dave
10. Tom
Top 10 names for horses
1. Charlie
2. Jack
3. Rosie
4. Molly
5. Harry
6. Alfie
7. Billy
8. Poppy
9. Murphy
10. Lady
Top 10 names for birds
1. Charlie
2. Joey
3. Billy
4. Bobby
5. George
6. Blue
7. Alfie
8. Rosie
9. Sky
10. Rio | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/revealed-most-popular-pet-names-1-7546273 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/21f861de85394a5fc609e0a8c384e39eb8ef6cc059c01b2424ee97b16d1c8a05.json |
[
"Roy Mitchard"
] | 2016-08-26T13:02:05 | null | 2016-08-21T13:02:07 | Kings Langley and Frome fought out an uncompromising 2-2 draw in wet and windy conditions which was perhaps understandably short on flowing football. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fkings-langley-battle-out-draw-with-frome-1-7536933.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7496734.1471871051!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Kings Langley battle out draw with Frome | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Kings Langley and Frome fought out an uncompromising 2-2 draw in wet and windy conditions which was perhaps understandably short on flowing football.
Kings paraded two new signings in the Southern League Premier clash, with Jorell Johnson forging a good partnership with Kyle Anthony at the back and Tom Nyama influential in midfield when coming off the bench.
Kings Langley v Frome. Picture: Chris Riddell.
Kings had the better of the early stages with Lewis Toomey just failing to convert a Sean Coughlan cross, but went ahead on 21 minutes when Jack Waldren added to his debut goal four days earlier.
Emmanuel Folarin and Gary Connolly combined on the right to cross to Waldren, who brought a good save out of Darren Chitty, but the wing back calmly netted the rebound.
The lead was to last but six minutes as Frome skipper Dan Cleverley rose to a sweeping left wing free kick to head firmly past Xavi Comas, but Kings continued to press with Gary Connolly just wide on a Jack Waldren cross, answered by a close Darren Jefferies header at the otherend.
Then Sean Coughlan made a direct, weaving run into the box and when he was brought down, Lewis Toomey converted from the spot shortly before half time.
Lewis Toomey scores. Picture: Chris Riddell.
Coughlan missed a Toomey cross by inches and a Dean Hitchcock free kick was held as Kings closed the half in control.
A similar story continued after the break, a Lewis Toomey angled shot from the right went just wide and Sean Coughlan’s finish to a flowing move going the wrong side of the post.
Jack Waldren’s cross was tipped onto the post by Chitty and Jorell Johnson headed over, but as the game became more physical, Lewis Toomey was forced off with a head injury after an unpunished challenge and the Robins, having ridden the storm, came back into the game to dominate the last 20 minutes with the wind behind them.
Kings defence gave the ball away and Mitchell Page broke clear to pick out Jake Jackson, who converted from close range.
Gary Connolly for Kings Langley. Picture: Chris Riddell.
Danger man Darren Jefferies came close on two occasions to grabbing the winner, being foiled by a Xavi Comas save at the end to ensure a scoreline that was probably a fair result on the day.
Kings Langley visit Redditch on Saturday. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/football/kings-langley-battle-out-draw-with-frome-1-7536933 | en | 2016-08-21T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/aca74d14bc35410c5f00bb38c32d690a5beefc077aab0c110fde4bb7c5e5fe86.json |
[
"Damien Lucas",
"Damien.Lucas Jpress.Co.Uk"
] | 2016-08-26T14:48:30 | null | 2016-08-26T13:48:43 | A popular pub-restaurant chain has pledged to donate the full net price of every pizza or pasta dish they sell for three days to raise money towards the Italian relief effort in the wake of the Amatrice earthquake. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fpopular-restaurant-chain-s-brilliant-gesture-in-wake-of-italian-earthquake-1-7546374.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7546372.1472217114!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Popular restaurant chain’s brilliant gesture in wake of Italian earthquake | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | A popular pub-restaurant chain has pledged to donate the full net price of every pizza or pasta dish they sell for three days to raise money towards the Italian relief effort in the wake of the Amatrice earthquake.
As the horrors of the Amatrice earthquake continue to unfurl, and the scale of the devastation and the need for assistance becomes ever more apparent, Oakman Inns & Restaurants has pledged to help by donating every penny they get from the sale of all their pizzas and pasta dishes from Tuesday August 30 to Thursday September 1 to the Italian Red Cross.
Oakman Inns chief executive Peter Borg-Neal
The company - which was founded by entrepeneur Peter Borg-Neal at the Akeman in his hometown Tring and operates the Kings Arms in Berkhamsted and The Red Lion in Water End, Hemel Hempstead - has decided to raise funds to help the Italian relief effort. As a result, every one of its 17-strong collection will be telling all customers over the next 48 hours and urging everyone to get on board the social media campaign to #EatForItaly.
CEO, Peter Borg-Neal, said the idea came due to the chain’s strong connections with Italy.
“Much of our menu is inspired by Italy and their traditional cuisine - and we therefore have a huge number of colleagues who are Italian,” he said.
“We have decided that we want to do something really meaningful to help the victims of this disaster. As a result, we will donate the full net price of every pizza or pasta dish sold next week for three days between Tuesday 30th August and Thursday 1st September to the Italian Red Cross. to help provide relief. If we sold our normal amount of dishes we would be sending a cheque for around £20,000 to Italy. I am hoping we will have to write a much bigger cheque.”
If we sold our normal amount of dishes we would be sending a cheque for around £20,000 to Italy. I am hoping we will have to write a much bigger cheque. Peter Borg-Neal, Oakman Inns CE0
Over the past two years, all Oakman Inns have been adding authentic wood-fired Pizza Ovens into their pubs and Peter insists on training his principal Pizza chefs in Italy. “One of our restaurant teams only recently came back from training in Naples, and on Tuesday night, only a few hours before this terrible event, we were holding an internal competition to discover our best Pizzaiolo.”
The 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck at 3:36am on Wednesday morning and devastated the towns of Amatrice, Accumoli and the village of Arquata del Tronto in the northern Lazio region of Italy. The Italian Red Cross and many other Italian and European emergency forces plus thousands of volunteers are providing rescue services and relief efforts for the survivors many of whom have lost everything in the space of a few minutes.
Hopes are dwindling of finding more survivors alive as aftershocks are continuing to hamper rescue efforts, and the number of people killed could yet surpass the last major earthquake to strike Italy in L’Aquilla in 2009 when more than 300 people died.
The mayor of Amatrice, Sergio Pirozzi, said: “Our heart is broken but will be resurrected”, while Italy’s prime minister, Matteo Renzi, added: “Today is a day for tears, tomorrow we can talk of reconstruction.” | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/popular-restaurant-chain-s-brilliant-gesture-in-wake-of-italian-earthquake-1-7546374 | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/a9c75a612b5a7789610c29f22d4eb0c1c5e911f0a687eff24b340b07097b790c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:11:56 | null | 2016-08-23T11:37:38 | Neighbourhood Watch is offering advice to residents approached by door-to-door pedlars at their homes. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fadvice-on-door-to-door-salespeople-1-7539639.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7520754.1472204353!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Advice on door-to-door salespeople | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | The types of cookies we, our ad network and technology partners use are listed below:
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Add This ► Add This provides the social networking widget found in many of our pages. This widget gives you the tools to bookmark our websites, blog, share, tweet and email our content to a friend. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/advice-on-door-to-door-salespeople-1-7539639 | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/28aaac1469bfe3682d52c92daa8afc7fa98f1e8d63f066ee88fb7f6f2baf7759.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:09:51 | null | 2016-08-24T16:26:45 | A man in his 20s was threatened and beaten up by a gang when he refused to hand over his belongings. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fgang-threatens-man-with-knife-in-late-night-robbery-1-7542102.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7519679.1472109738!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Gang threatens man with knife in late-night robbery | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | A man in his 20s was threatened and beaten up by a gang when he refused to hand over his belongings.
The victim, in his 20s, was cornered in an alleyway off Northridge Way, Hemel Hempstead, at around 12.50am on Saturday, August 20.
As he walked towards Chaulden Lane, four people approached him and demanded he hand over his belongings.
When he refused, one of the men reportedly said he had a knife and gestured towards a bag.
The victim refused once again and the gang then attacked him, leaving hime with pain to his face, ribs and leg.
Two people then walked through the alleyway, disturbing the offenders who picked up the victim’s bag and ran off.
One of the suspects is described as wearing a black hoodie with white writing down the arm.
Another is described as being aged around 20, with a tattoo on his hand and was wearing a black hoodie and black jogging bottoms.
A third member of the group was wearing a black hoodie and light coloured three-quarter length jeans.
PC Laurence Harwood from Dacorum Local Crime Unit said: “I would like to reassure people that we are doing all we can to identify those responsible.
“I am keen to trace the two people who walked through the alleyway as they may have information which could greatly assist the investigation. If this was you, please get in touch.
“I would also like to hear from anyone else who may have information about the incident, or anyone who saw a group of people in the area around the time, matching the descriptions given.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Dacorum Local Crime Unit on non-emergency number 101, quoting crime reference D1/16/5998.
Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or use their Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org.
No personal details are taken, information cannot be traced or recorded and you will never need to go to court. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/gang-threatens-man-with-knife-in-late-night-robbery-1-7542102 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/09c7a37e55a7bc9f61f98d1ce796cf2c2fb2d77283edd24a0143e235c93f26c3.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:18 | null | 2016-08-24T10:12:28 | Rush Judo competition squad were back in action in Thetford at the weekend at the BJA Judo East England ranking event. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Fother%2Frush-judo-end-competition-season-on-a-high-1-7539379.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7539378.1471943581!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Rush Judo end competition season on a high | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Rush Judo competition squad were back in action in Thetford at the weekend at the BJA Judo East England ranking event.
It was a long but rewarding day with some very tough categories particularly so as this was the last chance for judoka to get ranking points of the season.
The calendar ended with all of the competition pre cadets / cadets ranked in the top 10 of the country.
Gold went to Jessica Rush and Emily Niven with bronze for Haydn Williams, Hannah Niven, Charlie Bennett and Lewis Fryer.
Coaches Laurie Rush and Pete Brent were pleased with the continued great results from the squad members, saying: “The whole squad medalled with lots of big ippons on show. Keep up the hard work and effort going and the rewards will follow!”
Rush Judo is an inclusive club which caters for beginners though to competition players and specialise in teaching people with learning disabilities in partnership with Dacorum Mencap. Contact Laurie Rush on 07949 609569 for more information or visit www.rushjudo.co.uk. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/other/rush-judo-end-competition-season-on-a-high-1-7539379 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/433f3069d65b092f323ecf756a7ac74beb55a6bd1f47a4ad3b24a1c906b1d069.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:10:33 | null | 2016-08-24T17:04:41 | Cocktail aficionados and pizza lovers rejoice – Aylesbury’s newest bar on the block is raising a glass to that winning combination. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fcosy-new-bar-is-the-snug-place-to-be-1-7542294.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7542043.1472055434!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Cosy new bar is The Snug place to be | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Cocktail aficionados and pizza lovers rejoice – Aylesbury’s newest bar on the block is raising a glass to that winning combination.
The Snug, at 36 Market Square, opened its trendy grey doors for the first time on Friday night, and revellers enjoyed the trademark cosy interior, with eclectic props and eye-catching wall art.
Ashley Moore, left, and Giles Fry, business partners and owners of The Snug in Aylesbury
The Snug brand, which was first launched 12 years ago by business partners Ashley Moore and Giles Fry, is taking the Home Counties by storm.
The Aylesbury site is number nine out of 10 Snugs across the region, including High Wycombe, Hertford, Hitchin, St Albans, Ware, Bedford, Bury St Edmunds and two in Cambridge.
The extensive cocktail menu – which scooped Best Cocktail Menu at the Hertfordshire Food Awards last year –includes old favourites done well, such as the Singapore Sling, alongside more quirkily-named offerings such as the Snugism and Ginspector Morse.
Artisan pizzas are made fresh on site, but that’s not the extent of the menu – there’s salads, nibbles and appetizers, as well as tempting desserts.
The Snug, Market Square, Aylesbury
Giles, who joined forces with Ashley after they met working for burger chain TGI Fridays, said: “We are excited to open the new Aylesbury Snug this summer and look forward to giving everyone a Snug welcome in what we hope will soon become a firm favourite with residents and visitors to Aylesbury alike.”
The business is flourishing and this year will top a £5 million turnover, with the staff count climbing to 180 by December.
So what’s the secret to running a successful bar chain that trumps the other High Street offerings out there?
Well, the chirpy staff, live music nights and hands-on cocktail classes probably have something to do with it.
Plus Ashley and Giles really care about their staff; the pair ensure all new recruits get a month’s worth of training to transform them into close-knit cocktail experts.
And word has got around, as there were 420 applications for the 38 new roles at Aylesbury and Bury St Edmunds.
Visit the website here for more information. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/cosy-new-bar-is-the-snug-place-to-be-1-7542294 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/b0451df6ddc2a9376c25e5d0c35a73564cdd8a2899c92e85deb98bbf2fa71698.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:51:29 | null | 2016-08-30T14:36:15 | Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fhealth%2Fhealth-news%2Fmore-than-9-100-calls-to-ambulance-service-over-bank-holiday-weekend-1-7550798.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.6873324.1472564631!/image/image.jpg | en | null | More than 9,100 calls to ambulance service over Bank Holiday weekend | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Ambulance staff and volunteers have been thanked for their hard work during another busy bank holiday weekend.
The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) received more than 9,100 emergency calls during the long weekend (27th – 29th August) – 9% more than the 2015 August bank holiday weekend.
The busiest day of the weekend was Saturday with 3,299 calls across the East. The Trust received 2,776 calls on bank holiday Monday.
Community first responders attended almost 300 medical emergencies over the weekend.
Sandy Brown, Director of Nursing and Clinical Quality, said: “Whilst most people were enjoying a long weekend in the sun, our staff and volunteers were working hard to help patients across the East of England.
“I’d like to thank everyone for their efforts over the weekend.
“We continue to experience an increase in demand, but we coped well to provide the best possible care to patients over the bank holiday.”
County breakdown of number of calls over the bank holiday weekend compared with 2015:
Bedfordshire – 873 (849)
Cambridgeshire – 1,123 (1,095)
Essex – 2,992 (2,626)
Hertfordshire – 1,463 (1,491)
Norfolk – 1,444 (1,301)
Suffolk – 1,276 (1,019) | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/health/health-news/more-than-9-100-calls-to-ambulance-service-over-bank-holiday-weekend-1-7550798 | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/6bf94bd15861bd3d032f2da835ff941e1a65fcd163f611b40489e9b4e718c183.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:10:42 | null | 2016-08-24T09:25:42 | “Stable leadership” is the priority at West Herts Hospitals, after the Gazette met new chief executive Katie Fisher for an exclusive interview. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fnow-we-need-stable-leadership-1-7540972.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7540971.1472027125!/image/image.jpg | en | null | ‘Now we need stable leadership’ | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | “Stable leadership” is the priority at West Herts Hospitals, after the Gazette met new chief executive Katie Fisher for an exclusive interview.
Mrs Fisher spoke to this newspaper on Friday, just six weeks after taking up the reins.
But while she is under no doubts about the challenges leading a trust that is in special measures, she also praised the numerous positives that she has already encountered.
Mrs Fisher said: “What we need is stable leadership. The trust and the staff need a bit of love and someone who is on their side, so that we can do our best.
“I know that sounds cheesy but I don’t make any apologies for that. We’ll take the best of what we have and use it to inspire everyone to improve.”
She added: “One of the most striking aspects is how committed our staff are. It’s been a very bruising experience for them since the trust was put into special measures, but the vast majority of staff still take a great deal of pride in trying to provide the best possible care for all patients.
“Then there are outcomes which perhaps we haven’t been so good at shouting about in the past. West Herts Hospitals have the 11th best mortality rates in the country. That’s been a real focus over the last three years.
“We’ve had no MRSA bacteremia this year, and we’ve had no Grade 4 pressure ulcer acquisition over the last 18 months while Grade 3 are down 80 per cent.”
While this is Mrs Fisher’s first chief executive role, she has worked as a director in the NHS for the past 13 years.
Her previous employer was the Royal Free Hospital in north London, most recently as director of service transformation, a role which gave her executive responsibility for Chase Farm Hospital in Enfield.
The biggest story for health campaigners in 2016 has been the Your Care, Your Future review of the future of healthcare in the region.
Patients have even drawn up their own proposals for a brand new hospital, equidistant from West Herts’ current sites in Hemel Hempstead, St Albans and Tring.
While Mrs Fisher was careful not to take a view which could prejudice the review she did acknowledge the need for reform, with investment of £110million needed to simply maintain the current buildings over the next five years.
She said: “We will need to deliver big changes, but that’s about pathways of care as well as buildings.” | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/now-we-need-stable-leadership-1-7540972 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/70c9cdb8fbdbd986258c12a565998ec61ab4a35d4033660014bb6e69fb5a9795.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:11:01 | null | 2016-08-24T09:25:51 | A drug-user claims he was inspired by Breaking Bad to convert his own kitchen into a crystal meth laboratory. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fnews%2Fmore-news%2Fbreaking-bad-inspired-druggie-1-7540974.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7535229.1472027137!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Breaking Bad inspired druggie | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | A drug-user claims he was inspired by Breaking Bad to convert his own kitchen into a crystal meth laboratory.
James Stutter, 37, had been paying around £140 for a gram of the drug and thought it would be cheaper to make it himself.
He told St Albans Crown Court:”Having watched Breaking Bad and a couple of documentaries, I thought it would be easy to make. I had a great idea to make it.”
Stutter decided to try to manufacture the drug , which is hard to obtain in the UK, in his two-bedroom flat in Long Chaulden.
When the police raided the address they found a recipe book in which his partner Eleanor Hunt, 26, had written out the ingredients for crystal meth.
Prosecutor Roxanne Aisthorpe, told the jury: “You may have seen the TV series Breaking Bad. That laboratory was quite professional. That was not what happened in this case.”
She said lithium had been drained from batteries and there were traces of ephedrine or pseudoephedrine in a coffee grinder. Among other items recovered were lighter fuel, acetone, goggles, masks, Epsom salts and hydrogen peroxide.
Police raided the Hemel address after a parcel from the United States to the UK was intercepted on March 17, 2014. Crystal meth had been hidden inside the hollowed out portion of a colouring book. The police replaced the drug with a dummy substitute and arrested a man when it was delivered to an address near Hull.
When that man’s iPhone was examined texts were discovered between him and James Stutter.
Stutter, 37, formerly of Long Chaulden, Hemel and Hunt, 26, formerly of Tresco Road, Berkhamsted, now both of Riverside Gardens, Berkhamsted, denied attempting to make methylamphetamine on March 24, 2014. He was convicted, she was cleared by the jury.
He also pleaded guilty to possessing 3.77g cannabis and 1.67g amphetamine with intent to supply.
Recorder Leslie Cuthbert adjourned sentence on Stutter until September 9. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/news/more-news/breaking-bad-inspired-druggie-1-7540974 | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/e7c30d2ba0aa4ea67ff225114d2a269b36f963b23213deee6fe5200404d0a502.json |
[
"Roy Mitchard"
] | 2016-08-26T13:08:06 | null | 2016-08-18T11:18:32 | Kings Langley turned on the style to outplay Biggleswade Town and secure their first win in the Southern League Premier on Tuesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fkings-langley-outplay-waders-to-win-first-premier-match-1-7532520.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7532519.1471515500!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Kings Langley outplay Waders to win first Premier match | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Kings Langley turned on the style to outplay Biggleswade Town and secure their first win in the Southern League Premier on Tuesday.
On a pitch of Crown Bowling green standards, Kings were finally able to demonstrate the qualities that have been the foundation of their rapid rise through the divisions and win 4-0.
A similar formation to the previous match saw Lewis Toomey and Immanuelson Duku again paired up front and this time Toomey was the provider, with an astute through ball from a Callum Adebiyi pass which Duku ran on to and took past defender and keeper, netting with confidence on 16 minutes.
Four minutes later it was his persistence, after approach work by Lewis Toomey and Dean Hitchcock, that doubled the lead when he chased a seemingly lost cause to outmuscle Russell Short and place a precision shot past keeper Ian Brown.
Robbie Parker had a shot tipped round the post by Xavi Comas and Gavin Hoyte put a header just over as the Waders tried to find a way back, while Callum Adebiyi came close at the other end.
Any thoughts of again letting a two goal lead disappear were quickly dispelled as the central midfield trio of Gary Connolly, Dean Hitchcock and Ollie Cox simply took control after the interval.
The new wing back pairing of Jack Pattison, back after a lengthy injury and Jack Waldren, making his debut, grew in confidence as the match progressed, culminating in King’s third goal by the latter on the hour.
Ollie Cox swung a high centre into the box, the keeper got his punch to the ball above the head of Toomey, only for it to fall to Waldren on the edge of the box to fire home via post and Brown’s fingertips.
Town’s woes increased when Craig Daniel was shown a straight red for a high challenge that left Cox with sore ribs and Inih Effiong blasted over in a rare attack.
Kings introduced Sean Coughlan, David Hutton and Oran Swales and they combined for Coughlin to blast home a Swales cross for the fourth as the substitutions increased the visitors dominance.
A breath-taking all round performance that went a long way to answering some of the questions asked by the management.
Kings host Frome on Saturday. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/football/kings-langley-outplay-waders-to-win-first-premier-match-1-7532520 | en | 2016-08-18T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/b83052c25155f7c02ef6cfb7a82fa1478521e6088aba49061182745fb2c73ce8.json |
[
"Anne Cox"
] | 2016-08-26T12:50:30 | null | 2016-08-19T10:47:46 | In July 1966 the England football team was about to pull off the impossible and London was fast becoming the hip, groovy and happening place to be. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fwhat-s-on%2Ftheatre%2Fno-lazing-on-a-sunny-afternoon-for-new-cast-ahead-of-milton-keynes-and-aylesbury-dates-1-7534920.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7534918.1471600053!/image/image.jpg | en | null | No lazing on a Sunny Afternoon for new cast ahead of Milton Keynes and Aylesbury dates. | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | In July 1966 the England football team was about to pull off the impossible and London was fast becoming the hip, groovy and happening place to be.
High in the charts was The Kinks, with their second hit, Sunny Afternoon. This popular four-piece pop combo, fronted by Ray Davies and his younger brother Dave, hailed from North London, and were to become one of the most influential rock groups of all time.
Sunny Afternoon UK Tour cast
Fast forward almost 50 years and you don’t have to be a Dedicated Follower of Fashion to realise that Sunny Afternoon is back and riding high.
In 2014 Ray’s searingly honest musical slipped onto the genteel stage of Hampstead Theatre, blasted out its silver-haired audience, and won a whole new set of fans, before transferring to the West End, becoming a major hit and winning four Oliviers.
England didn’t make the cut at this year’s World Cup but Sunny Afternoon is set for continued success with a national tour playing in Milton Keynes Theatre from next week (August 30) and Aylesbury Waterside Theatre from September 27.
The cast were putting the finishing touches to the show at rehearsal studios on The Isle of Dogs in East London when I caught up with them.
I watched key cast members Ryan O’Donnell, playing Ray Davies, Mark Newnham, as brother Dave, Garmon Rhys as bassist Pete Quaife and Andrew Gallo playing Kinks’ drummer Mick Avory, going through their paces, including a rousing rendition of Sunny Afternoon before sitting down with them for a chat.
Tousle-haired Ryan, a former member of the Jethro Tull entourage, has already appeared in the 1960’s Who musical, Quadrophenia. He had to pass muster with The Kinks’ frontman Ray before bagging the part.
“I remember meeting Ray backstage once, after I’d got the part, and he said ‘Hi, nice to meet you’. He nodded his head and said: ‘So, you’re doing this are you? Ah’. And we shook hands and that was it, “said Ryan.
“Ray is very hands on. He comes to watch it quite a lot and he’s very supportive. He comes to all the auditions and is involved in casting.
“When you go into the final round of auditions there is this quiet man sitting at the back with a steely glare, passing judgement - which is pretty intimidating.
“I didn’t know much about The Kinks before I saw the show a couple of years ago, but obviously I knew the songs. They’re so iconic. But you don’t realise how many they wrote. It can be overwhelming for audiences. Just one great song after another. It’s a helluva show.”
Garmon, who has recently played Agatha Christie’s young detective, Tommy, and Wilfred Owen in the WWI drama, Regeneration at Northampton, here plays disillusioned guitarist Quaife, who suffers a crisis of confidence at the peak of the band’s success.
“My favourite song in the show is You Really Got Me,” he said, “Because it’s the first time you get to see the band play together as a four-piece properly, when they’re on Top of the Pops and you get a real buzz when you hear those first chords. It’s amazing.”
“I like Set Me Free, which is a pretty sexy tune, with all the trippy vocal harmonies and guitar riffs,” added Ryan.
“I have a constant battle with our music director, in songs like Sunny Afternoon. He comes up to me and says: ‘You are singing it like Ray but could you sing it a bit nicer? A bit brighter? It is supposed to be a happy moment in the show!’
“I say that it’s a lazy afternoon but he says: ‘Yeah, but it’s not a lazy moment in the show!’”
Garmon says that Britain can’t get enough of the 1960s. “It was a pioneering era for culture and fashion, especially British music and apparel.
“It was where a lot of modern fashions were started. Our wardrobe department have had it easy because the clothes and shoes, like the Chelsea Boots, are still in fashion.
“And our audiences are not all in their 60s. We have kids of all ages because everyone loves 1960’s music.”
“The reason Sunny Afternoon has been so successful is that audiences don’t just come to hear amazing songs that they remember but there are a lot of familiar themes - money, homesickness, the class struggle.”
“A lot of people come up to me,” said Ryan, “who were around at that time and didn’t know the full story. This has a strong narrative, is a fascinating play, as well as a great musical.”
Andrew Gallo, who came to MKT with Saturday Night Fever, has an impressive drum solo in Sunny Afternoon which earns the admiration of everyone.
“I was originally up for Pete, Mick and their manager. I had five drum songs to learn plus their scenes and, just in case, another song. I hadn’t touched the drums for a year so I booked myself into a studio and drummed for about four hours solid until I gave myself blisters!”
He first heard The Kinks at the age of 12 after discovering a cache of old cassette tapes while sitting with mates in a neighbour’s attic. “We just played them on a loop. They were amazing”.
Mark, who plays wild Dave, swilling fizz, swinging from a chandelier, bedding the birds and wearing a frock or two, used to play The Kinks songs when he was in a band in Brighton.
“I knew that Ray and Dave had a tempestuous relationship. Their songs are so iconic. It was so magical the way Ray wrote about stuff. He came up with some incredible lyrics. I haven’t stopped listening to The Kinks since I got the job.
“Dave is a real gift to play. He’s so flamboyant and has such a verve for life. And the script is fantastic. You could take the songs out and still have an incredible play.
“I auditioned in front of Ray, which was interesting. I had already auditioned for Pete and Dave. I did my Pete stuff first and had my fringe over one way and then, when I did my Dave audition, I said: “Do you mind if I manipulate my fringe?’ which made Ray laugh.
“I moved it into a centre parting and he said: ‘Oh yeah, you’re playing a different character’. ‘Yeah, I’m playing your little brother!’ and again I made him laugh.”
Sunny Afternoon plays at Milton Keynes Theatre August 30-September 3 and Aylesbury Waterside, September 27-October 1. To book visit www.atgtickets.co.uk/miltonkeynes or www.atgtickets.co.uk/aylesbury, | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/what-s-on/theatre/no-lazing-on-a-sunny-afternoon-for-new-cast-ahead-of-milton-keynes-and-aylesbury-dates-1-7534920 | en | 2016-08-19T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/d009f9a5b745026c234d625bc34f5736c48a29c728509efe9b56261d71f8c3f7.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T14:50:28 | null | 2016-08-31T13:48:47 | Tring Athletic earned a decent point in a 1-1 draw at home to Welwyn Garden City on Saturday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hemeltoday.co.uk%2Fsport%2Ffootball%2Fathletic-fight-back-to-earn-point-against-garden-city-1-7554164.json | http://res.cloudinary.com/jpress/image/fetch/w_300,f_auto,ar_3:2,c_fill/http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/webimage/1.7496734.1472644355!/image/image.jpg | en | null | Athletic fight back to earn point against Garden City | null | null | www.hemeltoday.co.uk | Tring Athletic earned a decent point in a 1-1 draw at home to Welwyn Garden City on Saturday.
Although City probably had more possession during the game, and look to have high expectations in the SSML Premier this season, they had few clear chances, with Athletic defending well against a well organised side and then creating a number of chances themselves.
The home side started the game with a first team debut for striker Adam Scotcher and without the injured Dan Steadman.
The first few minutes saw City on the front foot, winning a free kick and two corners but it was Athletic who nearly opened the scoring. Following a back pass visiting keeper Joe Croft had his clearance charged down by Chris Vardy with the ball hitting the post before being hacked away.
There was little flow to the game although the visitors were seeing more of the ball.
In the 31st minute City opened the scoring. A free kick was floated into the area eluding everyone except Sam Doolan at the far post who easily planted the ball into the net.
Athletic looked to improve at the start of the second half and equalised just nine minutes into the restart. The ball was played to Adam Scotcher who ran into the penalty area before being brought down for a blatant penalty. Skipper Sam Joliffe stepped up and scored with confidence.
The visitors came right back putting Athletic’s defence under pressure, keeper Jack Hopwood pulled off a great save following Josh Brontis’ powerful long shot. Athletics Chris Vardy was played through down the left but City managed to clear the danger.
Athletic then had their best spell of the game. First Luke Dunstan saw his superb header just clear the goal and then Chris Vardy’s shot was blocked by some desperate defending.
Tring host Wembley in the SSML Premier on Saturday before visiting Leighton in the Premier Division Cup on Tuesday. | http://www.hemeltoday.co.uk/sport/football/athletic-fight-back-to-earn-point-against-garden-city-1-7554164 | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.hemeltoday.co.uk/12d3057b686e2b7b15c6929e701db9940447fe369193b65e62b9612beac23dd2.json |
[
"Mads Bøyum"
] | 2016-08-27T18:48:01 | null | 2016-08-27T17:23:35 | Måseungen spådde kjempetap for Brann! | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.bt.no%2F100Sport%2Ffotball%2FBallspark%2FHer-kupper-Haugesunds-maskot-Ballspark-811057_1.snd%3Fxtor%3DRSS-2.json | http://vertical.snd.no/incoming/article811039.ece/ALTERNATES/w1440c169/20160827Ballspark_maskot.jpg?updated=270820161638 | no | null | Her kupper Haugesunds maskot Ballspark | null | null | www.bt.no | null | http://www.bt.no/100Sport/fotball/Ballspark/Her-kupper-Haugesunds-maskot-Ballspark-811057_1.snd?xtor=RSS-2 | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.bt.no/e1b5b8188affca5aa647c0fc0e3487a6ab0d17083ab73302d9f200688637e5f8.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:01:31 | null | 2016-08-26T12:32:18 | LANGHAM, Sask. — The key to growing a monster pea crop, like APT Nutrition had at its demonstration plot at the recent Ag In Motion […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fpeas-prolific-with-plenty-of-nutrients%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Peas prolific with plenty of nutrients | null | null | www.producer.com | APT Nutrition’s fertility trial plots showed that a crop with more phosphate was taller and had more pods
LANGHAM, Sask. — The key to growing a monster pea crop, like APT Nutrition had at its demonstration plot at the recent Ag In Motion farm show, is proactive nutrient management, said company spokesperson Dan Owen.
“We wanted this crop to stay green right to the bottom throughout the season. If this crop starts to yellow off, we know that it is cannibalizing itself, moving mobile nutrients from the bottom leafs to fill the pod. This is going to reduce the genetic potential yield of the crop,” said Owen.
APT Nutrition had low fertility and high fertility pea crops growing side by side at the farm show.
Both trials used the same pea variety and were seeded with a Seed Hawk drill with 12 inch spacing and fertilizer placed an inch below and to the side of the seed. But that is where the similarities between the two trials ended.
The low fertility crop had only 20 pounds of phosphate applied and ended up being shorter with fewer pods compared to the high fertility trial.
The high fertility trial was fertilized to a soil test to achieve an 80-bushel yield average, including a seed treatment that contained a nutrient and biostimulant package.
“We are putting things on like 50 pounds actual phosphate, 30 pounds of potassium, 25 pounds of sulfur and also a micro package in the soil to address any needs of the plant. This site itself is actually boron deficient so we need to manage that boron from the start,” Owen said.
Beyond the initial fertilizer application at seeding, APT performed tissue tests each week on old and new plant growth to monitor the plants’ current and future needs.
“When we take that new and old growth, we can start to predict what’s going to happen in that plant. The old growth is going to start showing as any mobile nutrients that are being moved up into the top of the plant.
“New growth tissue tests don’t show what is going to happen in the plant in one week’s time.”
Guided by the tissue tests, a foliar application was applied that had a nutrition package containing calcium and another biostimulant package to help with nutrient use efficiency and stress management in the crop.
“We started tissue testing then and what we found was this crop here required a lot more zinc, manganese and boron than we expected, so we added those nutrients into that spray,” Owen said.
APT is harvesting the crop to see if they reached its target yield.
The Ag in Motion outdoor farm show was held July 19-21 near Saskatoon. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/peas-prolific-with-plenty-of-nutrients/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/1915b438594c460bb43e45d9b6355fb165aebf9dea69ecfc7f1558cd6c0b096a.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T12:57:42 | null | 2016-08-26T10:58:17 | Dutch Industries has a solution for large livestock operations that need to dispose of animal carcasses. BioMulcher is a mortality composter for large containment livestock […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fbiomulcher-mixes-heats-and-grindsto-compost-carcass%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | BioMulcher mixes, heats and grindsto compost carcass | null | null | www.producer.com | Dutch Industries has a solution for large livestock operations that need to dispose of animal carcasses.
BioMulcher is a mortality composter for large containment livestock operations such as feedlots and chicken and hog barns.
“How it works is, you drop the dead animal in along with a source of carbon and it will grind it, heat it and mix it all in a contained environment,” said company spokesperson Stephen Denzin.
“It will allow it to kill some of the pathogens and make a good quality fertilizer.”
Carbon has to be added to the composter at a two to one ratio, so a 2,000-pound cow would need 1,000 lb. of carbon for the machine to properly compost the carcass.
Some hog barns use the wood chips that come out of their transport trucks, while cattle operators often use the straw they have on-hand on their farms. However, Denzin said almost any source of carbon can be used.
“The water is all from the carcass,” he said. “A carcass is about 80 percent water, so the moisture is absorbed by the carbon source. The job of the carbon is to absorb the moisture so that it’s not too wet, which helps the bacteria to grow, so then the process is quicker.”
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The BioMulcher comes in two sizes:
The smaller composter is used for animals up to the size of a pig and comes with a five horsepower motor.
The larger composter is two feet taller, has a 10 h.p. engine and is used for larger animals such as cattle.
“If it’s a cow, you can do one every three to five days. If it’s pigs or chickens or smaller animals, you can actually run the machine on a continuous basis,” Denzin said.
“As long as you have less than 500 lb. of mortalities every single day, one machine will do it.”
Operators open the door at the front of the machine once it is finished working and then push a button to discharge the compost.
“You can take the product and spread it on your land as fertilizer,” Denzin said.
“Some people have been looking at bagging and selling it as a product.”
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He said the compost material often contains 100 lb. of nitrogen per ton of material.
The machine disintegrates carcass bones and reduces pathogens by heating the material to 50 to 70 C.
It requires a 100 amp electric service.
“We’ve done a study for 52 weeks on how much power consumption it will actually use,” Denzin said.
‘If you have the machine running 100 percent of the time at full capacity, it will cost you about a penny and a half per pound of electricity.”
Operators usually build a ramp up the back of the machine so that it can be easily loaded with a small tractor or skid steer.
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The BioMulcher costs approximately $60,000. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/biomulcher-mixes-heats-and-grindsto-compost-carcass/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/60887da42f2ba9e56e06f30b3f815e824a9844d8095444298f39a9f5db6b16e6.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Rob Bright",
"Shelley Hendry"
] | 2016-08-30T22:50:39 | null | 2016-08-30T21:05:53 | Harvest is underway in northern Saskatchewan and if early results are any indication, it could be a good one. So far, peas are coming off […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fnorthern-growers-hope-for-early-harvest%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Northern growers hope for early harvest | null | null | www.producer.com | Harvest is underway in northern Saskatchewan and if early results are any indication, it could be a good one.
So far, peas are coming off in good condition with average to above average yields, wheat yields are expected be better than average and canola fields look good.
As usual, however, the success of this year’s harvest will hinge on the weather.
“In general, things look pretty good in this area,” said Howard Hobson, a machine operator and retired farmer from Cutknife, Sask. “The crops are better than average.”
Last week, Hobson was swathing seed wheat for Les Laing, who also farms in the Cutknife area, east of North Battleford, Sask.
According to Hobson, harvest operations are just getting underway in the Cutknife area.
Peas started coming off about a week ago and early cereals are close behind.
“Some pulse crops took a bit of a hit this year due to excess moisture,” Hobson said.
“Some are doing OK but the ones that are on lower ground, where they got more rain than usual, they’re not looking quite so good.”
In general, producers in north-central and northwestern Saskatchewan got off to an early start this spring and received ample rainfall throughout the growing season.
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The result, in most cases, is a potentially early harvest with reduced risk of frost damage.
In the Prince Albert-Birch Hills area, combines were busy last week taking off peas and many growers were swathing spring wheat and barley.
With few exceptions, crops across a large part of the province’s northern grainbelt — from Prince Albert to the Alberta border — look to be in good to excellent condition with above average yield potential.
Along the provincial border, south of Lloydminster, crops are also advancing quickly and growers are hoping for an early harvest with potentially big yields and few quality issues.
“It’s looking very good,” said Mark Holmedal, who was harvesting peas last week for 4g Wild Farms Ltd., near Rivercourse, Alta.
“This is our first (pea) field of the year but they’re running really good and the quality looks pretty good too.”
According to Holmedal, rainfall was not excessive in the Rivercourse area but it came at the right time.
By all accounts, yield potential south and east of Lloydminster is expected to be at least average and likely above average.
“So far, it’s going well,” said Holmedal. “As long as the rain stays away, it could be a good one.”
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At Spiritwood, Sask., west of Prince Albert, agronomist Curtis McNabb with Cavalier Agrow said it’s shaping up to be a “good, solid harvest” with average or slightly better than average yields.
“The talk is that the cereal crops are pretty good this year,” McNabb said.
“Canola? It’s always so hard to say until you actually get into it.”
According to McNabb, one of the most notable things abut the 2016 harvest could be its timing.
In general, crops in the Spiritwood area are at least a week ahead of normal.
Growers throughout northwestern Saskatchewan got an early start to seeding this year and crops came up quickly because soil temperatures were warmer than usual.
“More years than not, we’re cutting canola hoping that it won’t freeze in the next day or two,” McNabb said.
“This year, we’re going to be cutting a lot of our canola this weekend so that is a week to 10 days earlier than normal for us.”
“We’re as advanced here as just about anywhere. We’re hoping for a good solid crop that’s earlier than normal, as long as the weather co-operates.” | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/northern-growers-hope-for-early-harvest/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/dfc9af540cf527687b053fa2d3869174dfb5882bc761dc646d3bb6c3ac7dea3a.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:02:52 | null | 2016-08-26T13:00:56 | Lyle Stewart remains at the helm of Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry after premier Brad Wall shuffled his cabinet today. The Lumsden-Morse MLA is one of four […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fstewart-remains-ag-minister-following-sask-cabinet-shuffle%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Stewart remains ag minister following Sask. cabinet shuffle | null | null | www.producer.com | Lyle Stewart remains at the helm of Saskatchewan’s agriculture ministry after premier Brad Wall shuffled his cabinet today.
The Lumsden-Morse MLA is one of four ministers retaining their responsibilities as Wall downsized cabinet by one and added four rookies just elected in April.
Wall said the government must find savings of five percent across the board in order to balance the budget, and the cabinet changes will save about $450,000 annually. The cabinet now includes 17 ministers, including the premier.
“I think it’s also very important that we send a signal about fiscal responsibility,” he said.
Changes were expected after former deputy premier Don McMorris stepped down earlier this month when he was charged with impaired driving, former economy minister Bill Boyd asked to leave cabinet and then-environment minister Herb Cox stepped down to undergo stem cell treatment for cancer.
All three remain the MLAs for their respective constituencies.
Don Morgan, minister of education and labour from Saskatoon Southeast, is now deputy premier.
David Marit, MLA for Wood River and former president of the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, joins cabinet as the minister responsible for highways and infrastructure.
“Transportation has always been at the top of my priority list so I’m pretty excited about it,” he said moments after being sworn in at Government House.
He said the government is committed to tackling the infrastructure deficit.
“Unfortunately, it takes time to do all that and I’m just looking forward to continuing the role that previous ministers have done and carry on that work.”
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Marit replaced Nancy Heppner (Martensville-Warman), who is no longer in cabinet. Also out as a result of the shuffle are Jennifer Campeau (Saskatoon Fairview), who was replaced in central services by Christine Tell (Regina Wascana Plains), and Mark Docherty (Regina Coronation Park), whose parks portfolio has been assumed by Ken Cheveldayoff (Saskatoon Willowgrove).
Tell’s corrections and policing duties have been taken on by justice minister Gordon Wyant (Saskatoon Northwest). Docherty is now a legislative secretary to the premier, responsible for immigration and culture.
After four years in the health portfolio, Dustin Duncan (Weyburn-Big Muddy) moved to energy and resources, SaskTel and SaskEnergy.
Jim Reiter (Rosetown-Elrose) is now health minister, handing over his government relations and First Nations responsibilities to Donna Harpauer (Humboldt-Watrous).
Tina Beaudry-Mellor, just elected in April in Regina University, takes on Harpauer’s previous job as minister of social services. Bronwyn Eyre (Saskatoon Stonebridge-Dakota) is the minister of advanced education, replacing Scott Moe (Rosthern-Shellbrook), who returns to his previously held role as minister of environment.
Joe Hargrave, Prince Albert-Carlton, is minister of the Crown Investments Corporation, replacing McMorris.
Jeremy Harrison (Meadow Lake) has taken on Boyd’s former duties as minister of the economy.
Staying in their roles are finance minister Kevin Doherty (Regina Northeast), rural and remote health minister Greg Ottenbreit (Yorkton) and Wyant.
Other roles announced today include Nadine Wilson (Saskatchewan Rivers) continuing as provincial secretary, Paul Merriman (Saskatoon Silverspring-Sutherland) as government house leader and Greg Lawrence (Moose Jaw Wakamow), government whip.
Legislative secretaries, in addition to Docherty, are:
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*Campeau, to Morgan, for First Nations student achievement
*Lisa Lambert (Saskatoon Churchill-Wildwood), to Morgan, curriculum development and consultation
*Lori Carr (Estevan), to SaskPower minister Wyant, for renewable and sustainable energy
*Fred Bradshaw (Carrot River Valley), to Moe, forestry and wildfire management
*Hugh Nerlien (Kelvington-Wadena), to Public Service Commission minister Cheveldayoff, public sector bargaining;
*Steven Bonk (Moosomin), to Harrison, export development
*Warren Kaeding (Melville-Saltcoats), to Stewart, on irrigation expansion.
The fall sitting of the legislative session is scheduled to begin Oct. 19.
Contact karen.briere@producer.com | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/stewart-remains-ag-minister-following-sask-cabinet-shuffle/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/650d1d9422e2c042726597ccc4b1359e8423d17eb94b1e7483041deb8ade5fcb.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Shelley Hendry",
"Warren Lauzon"
] | 2016-08-30T16:51:27 | null | 2016-08-30T16:03:19 | New regulations requiring horses destined for slaughter to have paperwork documenting illnesses and medication for the previous six months have created confusion at auction markets. […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2010%2F08%2Fhorse-sales-struggle-with-new-rules%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Horse sales struggle with new rules | null | null | www.producer.com | New regulations requiring horses destined for slaughter to have paperwork documenting illnesses and medication for the previous six months have created confusion at auction markets.
The Aug. 13 horse sale at Alberta’s Grande Prairie Auction Market was cancelled because of the confusion surrounding the new Canadian Food Inspection Agency regulations requiring slaughter facilities to have complete records for each horse.
Marty Gilfillan, manager of the Grande Prairie Auction Market, said his employees are trying to figure out how to manage the documentation.
“I knew it was going to be a paperwork nightmare,” said Gilfillan. “The document is getting shorter, but it is still complicated.”
The Equine Identification Document requires the name of the animal, land location or premise identification number, horse’s markings, colour, pedigree, pictures of the animal and a history of drugs or vaccinations given to the animal with the last six months.
Gilfillan said he heard of one auction that only sold 50 to 60 head of horses, but it took two to three days before and after the sale to do paperwork.
His northern Alberta horse sales are more likely to draw 250 horses, which could take staff 30 days to do paperwork.
“I haven’t got 30 days to do a sale.”
Gilfillan expects to have a process established so that the September horse sale will go ahead.
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Don Fessler, manager of the Vold Jones auction in Dawson Creek, B.C., said he and his staff are preparing the paperwork for their upcoming Sept. 25 horse sale.
“It looks like it will be a lot of work for us.”
Danny Daines of Innisfail Auction Market said the paperwork accompanying horses will become part of the auction process.
AUGUST 26, 2010
Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to: Box 2500, Saskatoon, SK. S7K 2C4
The Western Producer is published in Saskatoon by Western Producer Publications,
which is owned by GVIC Communications Inc. Publisher, Larry Hertz Publications Mail Agreement No. 40069240; Registration No. 10676 “This is just the way it is,” said Daines, who has held two horse auctions since the regulations took effect July 31.
Now, Daines and his wife, Dusty, fill out the EID for each horse owner and take pictures of each horse coming through the auction to help streamline the process.
Each picture must be signed and dated by the owner. In the medication declaration form, Daines said the most common medication is dewormer.
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The date and dosage given must be recorded and the documents signed in blue ink.
Daines said meat buyers are given a list of the horse documentation before the sale.
“Where it would hurt is if you didn’t fill these out, you wouldn’t get the value you should,” he said.
Bruce Flewelling, an auctioneer and horse buyer from Strathmore, Alta., said the extra paperwork is here to stay.
“It’s going to be pretty complicated. With my wife’s help, I can live with it.”
The new rules will affect the price of horses without proper documentation. A 1,200-pound horse that would normally sell for 40 cents per lb. would bring $480. The same horse without paperwork would likely sell for $100.
A horse without paperwork would need to spend six months in a feedlot to ensure no medication is in the meat destined for European dinner plates.
“The Europeans don’t want meat with drugs in it,” said Flewelling. | http://www.producer.com/2010/08/horse-sales-struggle-with-new-rules/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/3ab46a680965e3a3413244d960e866c89b6693b50d7148d7d372317ecc91293f.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:55 | null | 2016-08-26T10:42:06 | REGINA — Grain transportation was the talk of the town when two federal cabinet ministers met with 19 agricultural stakeholders in Regina. Public Safety Minister […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Ffederal-ministers-talk-grain-transportation%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Federal ministers talk grain transportation | null | null | www.producer.com | REGINA — Grain transportation was the talk of the town when two federal cabinet ministers met with 19 agricultural stakeholders in Regina.
Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale, who is from Regina, and Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay were in the city last week to discuss agricultural issues, and transportation was at the top of the list.
MacAulay said farmers have been heard “loud and clear” about the grain transportation issue, and his government takes responsibility for ensuring the grain moves to market well.
“A bumper crop is the first thing in order for farmers to make money. Then it’s important (to ensure) the crop is moved for shipment. Then it’s our responsibility to make sure that’s done,” he said between discussions Aug. 18.
“Every effort that can and could be taken will be taken to ensure that the grain is moved more efficiently than it was (in 2013-14).”
He said the railways have been in touch with him and the transportation minister, and both Canadian National Railway and Canadian Pacific Railway have said they are ready to move the larger-than-five-year average crop that is expected to be harvested in Western Canada during the next month.
“The (Emerson) transportation review is in place and it will be looked at” with respect to how the railways will be observed by the government, he added.
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Goodale said former cabinet minister David Emerson’s report put considerable emphasis on the need for transparency in the system, which is now lacking.
“People need to know the facts and have the data upon which to make sound decisions,” he said.
Saskatchewan’s agricultural minister Lyle Stewart was one of the stakeholders involved in the discussions.
“Increased data (distribution) and transparency is very important,” said Stewart, adding that transportation agencies also need greater authority over the railways.
He said most the 19 presentations were “on that same page.”
Both he and MacAulay felt federal transportation parliamentary secretary Kate Young was fully engaged in the grain industry roundtable.
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Goodale said it’s more important than ever for governments to listen to farmers because they are less aggressively represented in Ottawa and in the country’s boardrooms “than they were in the past.”
The loss of the Canadian Wheat Board and the farmer-owned prairie grain-handling co-operatives over the past 15 years has reduced the lobbying power of producers.
“The railways need to know they are under special scrutiny because of how that crop season went three years ago,” Goodale said.
“They and the grain companies did not perform up to the standard that farmers would expect, and they need to understand that everyone will be looking very closely in this crop year.”
Stewart said key discussion subjects included interswitching, which permits one rail company to use another’s tracks for short distances, expansion and line preservation, the revenue cap on grain transportation (review and maintaining) and the closures of producer car loading sites.
Emerson plans to make a response to his report in the coming weeks.
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Contact michael.raine@producer.com | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/federal-ministers-talk-grain-transportation/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/94d6d6331cb8474758273c0b6ee11a98067a6266371a57161e76fd327e8901f9.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Keith Duhaime"
] | 2016-08-29T18:50:22 | null | 2016-08-29T18:16:46 | SOVEREIGN, Sask. — Members of the Keith family were praying for rain last year. Now they’re “surfing” on drowned out canola fields and praying for […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Ffarmers-make-the-best-of-a-bad-situation%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Farmers make the best of a bad situation | null | null | www.producer.com | What were supposed to be fields of golden canola turned into a sea of blue — so the Keith family got out their surfboards
SOVEREIGN, Sask. — Members of the Keith family were praying for rain last year.
Now they’re “surfing” on drowned out canola fields and praying for the rain to stop.
Brothers Cody and Justin and their cousin, Grady, of Sovereign have been making waves in fields over the past few weeks after more than 200 millimetres of rain turned bumper crops into recreational land.
“We were kind of depressed because we went from bumper crops to crop insurance on our lentils and we were, ‘well, we may as well have some fun with this,’ ” said Cody, who recently spent an afternoon surfing on a neighbour’s quarter section of canola.
“My philosophy with the farming thing is if you can’t do anything about it, there’s no point worrying about it”
The 20-something farmers have been able to put their situation into perspective.
“I’ve never been to the point where I couldn’t pay my bills yet, so I can’t say I’ve had the stress that some people have had,” said Cody.
Added Grady: “We’re still growing (as farmers), so we’re hoping for the best, but we get a little bit more bummed out than the older guys.”
The irony of the situation is not lost as they reflect on last year’s growing conditions compared to now.
Justin was included in a front page story in The Western Producer last June about the concern over the drought that persisted across much of the West.
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“What a difference this year. We’re praying for it to stop,” said Justin.
They’re not alone.
This summer’s abundant wetness has had many farmers looking for it to dry up as they ponder their vast oceans of crops that in many low-lying fields have become a stinky and sopping mess.
For the Keiths, the excess water has allowed them to get out their surf boards and have some fun.
On Aug. 16, the three farmers got into position at the headland of a field. Justin drove the truck forward until the slack went out of the line, while Cody firmly hung on. Grady was photographing the event from an open window.
A yelled “go” from Cody, a spin of tires on gravel, a clean and jerk and Cody was quickly plowing water.
Startled ducks squawked in the distance, their wings flapping hard in the other direction.
Cody slalomed back and forth over drowned out canola for almost a kilometre.
To their surprise, a two-minute Facebook video that they posted Aug. 10 quickly went viral. Since then, they have been flooded with more than 600,000 national and international views, most of them positive.
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“Just posted it and instantly everybody was sharing it,” said Cody. “My most watched clip before that was probably 200.”
A Facebook posting from Marcus Dyck summed up the response: “Those guys down there (Saskatchewan) are always the most creative at having fun,” he said.
Added Rita Fletcher: “A perfect example of ‘when life gives you lemons.…’ ”
Too much moisture has decimated many lentil crops in the Keiths’ region this summer, but many canola fields have flourished and time will soon tell if there will be a whopper of a harvest.
The Keiths planted one-third malting barley, one-third canola and one-third lentils.
While they’re not expecting much of a crop with lentils and barley, they’ll still harvest it.
“We’re trying to get malt, but it will likely be feed this year. We’ll see,” Cody said.
“We’re going to combine the lentils and clean up the mess.” | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/farmers-make-the-best-of-a-bad-situation/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/b9b57cdb3ebd9c7693148163fe9ad9591cd3ec392e2a4756687c67732dfcb68f.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:03:43 | null | 2016-08-26T12:23:02 | LANGHAM, Sask. — Most of the fencing staple guns on the market have to stay within an air hose length of a compressor, which is […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fhoseless-fuel-powered-staple-gun-allows-freedom-to-move-in-pasture%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Hoseless, fuel powered staple gun allows freedom to move in pasture | null | null | www.producer.com | LANGHAM, Sask. — Most of the fencing staple guns on the market have to stay within an air hose length of a compressor, which is not ideal for producers who need to follow fence lines through rough terrain.
However, Stockade’s ST400i allows producers to shed the air hose tether while still maintaining the high productivity that staple guns allow.
“It’s the world’s first power-driven, gas drive, hoseless fence stapler,” said Axle Boris of FenseFast, Canadian distributor for Stockade.
The nail gun fires up to two-inch barbed staples and has a fully adjustable depth-to-drive system.
“Loosen the nut, adjust it all the way in and the staple will go all the way in,” Boris said.
“If the guard is set all the way out, it will leave the staple out about half an inch.”
Staples for the Stockade gun come in a 25-staple deck, and the gun will hold up to two decks.
It runs on a fuel cell cartridge, which provides 500 to 600 shots per cell.
The gun comes with two rechargeable batteries, and each battery can handle 5,000 to 6,000 shots.
“When you pull the trigger, a little bit of propellant is injected into the combustion chamber,” Boris said.
“The fan mixes that with air, and then there is a spark that fires and lights that combustion chamber and drives that piston down that in turns drives the hammer, which in turn drives the fastener into your post.”
The gun and the propellant canister use radio frequency identification technology, which allows users to test to see how much fuel and battery life remain.
A guard where the nail comes out must be suppressed before it can be fired as a safety mechanism.
The gun costs $2,100, while a box of staples costs $190, which in-cludes 1,000 staples and two fuel canisters. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/hoseless-fuel-powered-staple-gun-allows-freedom-to-move-in-pasture/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/371ca05a6f29e8fd8f6171c0fadb35b87a4f365dbd67fcc945f9df28f42f181c.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:31 | null | 2016-08-26T11:12:25 | Leaders of two United Nations agencies fighting hunger have applauded new legislation in the United States aimed at strengthening global food assistance programs. The UN […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fu-s-praised-for-feed-the-future-program%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | U.S. praised for Feed the Future program | null | null | www.producer.com | Leaders of two United Nations agencies fighting hunger have applauded new legislation in the United States aimed at strengthening global food assistance programs.
The UN World Food Program (WFP) and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) praised U.S. President Barack Obama for his July 20 signing of the Global Food Security Act (GFSA), after the bill was passed by the U.S. Congress on July 6 with broad support.
“The United States is helping to put an even stronger emphasis on how food security and economic development are intertwined, while stressing the central role of small-scale family farmers in the fight against hunger and poverty,” said FAO Director-General José Graziano da Silva.
“This law will have a dramatic impact on the lives of people throughout world, showing once again why the United States is a leader in promoting food security and helping those who struggle to feed their families so they can start to build their own future,” says WFP Executive Director Ertharin Cousin.
Strongly promoted by Obama, the GFSA supports initiatives that focus on developing agriculture, assisting small-scale food producers and improving nutrition, especially for women and children worldwide.
It also seeks to improve the provision of water, sanitation and hygiene to poor communities and build their resilience to withstand shocks, such as those stemming from conflict, droughts and floods.
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Among other things, the GFSA writes into law the Feed the Future program, the U.S. government’s global hunger initiative, ensuring it will continue after the Obama presidency ends in January.
Feed the Future helps countries struggling to provide their citizens with adequate access to food. It emphasizes the needs of smallholder farmers, particularly women, and has supported WFP’s work in Uganda and other places.
The GFSA also authorizes for the first time USAID’s International Disaster Assistance and Emergency Food Security Program.
This means future White House administrations and future Congresses could more easily make cash assistance available to people experiencing hunger unexpectedly, due to causes such as natural disasters or war.
As well, the law aims to improve co-ordination among various U.S. agencies providing overseas aid, to ensure the wisest possible spending practices.
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The U.S. is the largest bilateral donor to both FAO and WFP.
The bill was passed with support from members of both the Democratic and Republican parties, during a time of great division in U.S. politics.
It was sponsored by U.S. representatives Chris Smith and Betty McCollum and by U.S. senators Johnny Isakson and Bob Casey.
The Food and Agriculture Organization is a United Nations agency dedicated to eliminating hunger. The World Food Program is a UN agency fighting hunger worldwide. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/u-s-praised-for-feed-the-future-program/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/5ad4774bbbb72b59fe318a76d2bafe56aab672f0f1e3a4927927227b40eb1089.json |
[
"Western Producer"
] | 2016-08-29T16:51:21 | null | 2016-08-29T02:27:46 | BROOKDALE, Man. — On a hot, bordering on stifling July day in western Manitoba, the Boston plantain in Juanita Kopp’s hand was obviously suffering. The […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fhigh-sugar-forages-give-beef-a-boost%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | High-sugar forages give beef a boost | null | null | www.producer.com | Studies show energy dense feed is easier for cattle to digest and improves rumen health and weight gain
BROOKDALE, Man. — On a hot, bordering on stifling July day in western Manitoba, the Boston plantain in Juanita Kopp’s hand was obviously suffering.
The plant was wilted, droopy and resembled an unappetizing leaf of lettuce.
The plantain wasn’t doing particularly well because it had been removed from the soil. Its cousins in the ground were doing much better at the Manitoba Beef and Forage Initiative (MBFI) research farm east of Brookdale, Man.
Kopp, a livestock production specialist with Manitoba Agriculture, showed off the plantain during a presentation at the MBFI field tour July 26.
She and other Manitoba Agriculture experts are studying Boston plantain and other high-sugar forage crops at four sites across the province.
“I know it (plantain) is used more in the U.K., New Zealand and Australia,” Kopp said.
“It’s more novel for Manitoba.”
Juanita Kopp, a Manitoba Agriculture farm production specialist, holds Boston plantain, a forage crop that has a high sugar content. Kopp and others are studying the potential of high sugar forages at multiple sites in Manitoba. | Robert Arnason photo
Scientists want to know if plantain, along with antler chicory, Nabucco Italian ryegrass and perseus festulolium, can be successfully grown in Manitoba and if the high-sugar forages will benefit beef cattle production.
The inspiration for the project came from Clayton Robins, a former beef research assistant with Agriculture Canada in Brandon and a producer near Rivers, Man.
Robins earned a Nuffield Scholarship in 2013, and he chose to study energy dense forages and their potential application in Canada.
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After travelling to Wales, Scandinavia, Spain and the United States, Robins learned that beef producers in many countries value forage with a high sugar content.
Most Canadian legumes and grasses have a sugar content of seven to 12 percent, but chicory, plantain and other high-sugar forage crops can have a sugar content of 20 to 30 percent.
Research suggests that livestock can metabolize feed more efficiently when the sugar content is higher.
“Cattle that consume forages with higher-sugar content have higher rates of gain, improved performance and better rumen health,” the Beef Cattle Research Council says on its website.
Robins spoke at numerous events on the Prairies in 2014 and 2015 to spread the word about high-sugar forages. His message may be gaining traction because a few Manitoba producers are experimenting with high-sugar forage crops or are curious about the concept, Kopp said.
“We went to a couple of presentations that Clayton gave and there was a lot of interest.”
Manitoba Agriculture decided to research the possibilities.
The scientists want to know if these forages can be used for late season grazing to provide a nutrient rich source of feed before winter.
“It’s going to fit in that fall grazing period. You’re not going to be baling it up,” Kopp said.
“It’s typically seeded late May or early June.”
Kopp and her colleagues seeded the four forage species in plots at four sites last year in late May and early June.
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Early results suggest the forages can thrive in the eastern Prairies because they produced a substantial amount of dry matter.
chicory: 3.7 tons per acre
plantain and Italian ryegrass: 4.1 tons per acre
Festulolium: 4.8 tons per acre
The Alberta Agriculture website says alfalfa can generate two to seven tons per acre, so the high- sugar forage species have comparable production.
“The potential for productivity is definitely there, but keep in mind it is plot (research),” Kopp said.
Scientists also measured the total digestible nutrients (TDN) of the four forage species:
chicory: 67 percent
plantain: 62
Italian ryegrass: 64
Festulolium: 62
“A lactating cow would need 65 percent TDN in her diet, so pretty much (the forages) meet that requirement,” Kopp said.
Manitoba Agriculture researchers are repeating the experiment this year, but at Brookdale it’s being done on a bigger scale. They seeded chicory and plantain on a larger piece of land, and cattle will graze the site this fall.
“(We will) have our cow-calf pairs go in and weigh them before they go in,” Kopp said.
“Then get two or three weeks (of grazing) … and get a sense of average daily gain…. It’s not foundational research by any means. It’s more demonstrative.”
Manitoba Agriculture scientists aren’t the only ones studying the potential of high-sugar forages in Canada.
Gilles Belanger, an Agriculture Canada researcher in Quebec, is looking at ways to increase the sugar content of alfalfa, including harvesting in the late afternoon and breeding alfalfa with higher sugar concentration. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/high-sugar-forages-give-beef-a-boost/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/08a6b14f29fe79e4b50b27218848e9d8f1bf5f28c183ee388b2dc8ecaf6073a1.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T12:58:07 | null | 2016-08-26T11:01:37 | PINE RIVER, Man. — Life is good on the farm for 11-year-old Levi Williamason. A swimming pool, trampoline, all-terrain vehicle, horses, chickens and rows of […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Ftrial-and-error-for-startup-u-pick-berry-farm%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Trial and error for startup U-pick berry farm | null | null | www.producer.com | Operation still learning which strawberry varieties are best suited to the area and how to water to prevent mould
PINE RIVER, Man. — Life is good on the farm for 11-year-old Levi Williamason. A swimming pool, trampoline, all-terrain vehicle, horses, chickens and rows of sweet strawberries fill his farmyard.
He has easy access to his maternal grandparents across the cow pasture, target practice with his bow and arrow and fishing with his dad on Pine River.
His parents, Jodi and Oggy, operate a U-pick and custom pick strawberry operation and sawmill and raise chickens for local consumers.
“It’s all right, as long as I don’t have to work too hard,” said Levi of farm work.
Jodi said Levi has picked as many as five pails of strawberries in a day, but most of the fieldwork falls to her.
Oggy, who spends his winters away logging, processes wood to heat the family home and to sell to local consumers and his father-in-law’s sawmill.
“To make something like that pay off, you try to do different things,” said Oggy.
There is significant bush and occasional wildlife encounters in their area, but Jodi can manage when Oggy is gone, having recently put down a bear eating their chickens.
The couple’s goal is to expand gradually with little or no debt, but it’s difficult to be small when businesses and suppliers cater to large-scale operations.
“We have a long ways to go before we’re small,” quipped Levi about their modest operation.
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Their customers come from many miles to pick strawberries, and the Williamsons often deliver fruit into Dauphin. Membership in the Prairie Fruit Growers Association gets their name on the group’s website and enables them to buy plants at discounted prices.
The Williamsons decided to grow strawberries after finding an abundance of wild ones on the quarter section of land they bought from Jodi’s parents. Neighbours leaving the business offered them their plants to help them get started.
Oggy suggested Thysyldo as a farm name after painstaking hours clearing bush, building the road in and setting up the house trailer.
“We would often find ourselves saying, ‘this’ll do,’ and so it’s a name that’s stuck. Things may not be perfect, but they’ll do,” said Jodi.
She gained valuable work experience and mentorship as a labourer at Prairie Dome near Yorkton, Sask.
They have had financial and other setbacks since startup, including the demise of 2,000 strawberry plants.
“Some other strawberry farmers we talked to said we put too much fertilizer too close to the plants. We applied it by hand, and I think that was the whole problem. We burned them,” said Jodi.
“This year, we used the same fertilizer again in a much lesser amount and all is well.”
Jodi cheerfully takes it all in stride.
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“We had to view it as how it had to be,” said Jodi, a Mennonite who grew up in Steinbach, Man.
Levi attends a Mennonite school in Pine River, and Jodi continues to attend church and wear the traditional attire and head dress despite her departure from the group. She dons pants for safety and practical reasons when working at her father’s nearby sawmill and on her farm.
The family is still tweaking their operation and learning what works best for growing produce on their sandy soil.
“Strawberries do good in sandy soil, but weeds not so much,” Oggy said. “It’s trial and error, and hopefully we don’t make too many more errors.”
The Williamsons use minimal amounts of chemicals, spraying the blossoms to deter fruit malformation.
They limit the use of their current sprinkler system, which can cause mould to form on the plants.
“We prefer drip irrigation because it goes straight to the berries, there’s no weeds in the rows and it’s not wasting water because we have to haul (our water),” Jodi said.
Their newly planted field has gravity fed drip irrigation from a water tank. The downside is that algae in the water can plug the holes of irrigation strips.
They have 1,000 plants for picking and have planted the same amount again for next year, switching to Kent from Glooscap to reduce the amount of foliage.
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“It’s too hard for people to find the berries,” said Jodi. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/trial-and-error-for-startup-u-pick-berry-farm/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/2733b7917af8bbe65cbb3534fa6a5b362072f3f146a2eda1c0aa54011308dc2f.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Skye Bowen"
] | 2016-08-29T22:50:15 | null | 2016-08-29T22:11:21 | Kelly Hofer’s book, Hutterite, invites visitors into the quiet world of the Green Acres colony in southern Manitoba. Young and old members are captured performing […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fbook-captures-colony-life-memories%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Book captures colony life memories | null | null | www.producer.com | Kelly Hofer’s book, Hutterite, invites visitors into the quiet world of the Green Acres colony in southern Manitoba.
Young and old members are captured performing farm tasks and sharing in family life.
“It genuinely is about our culture,” Hofer said. “With this book, I am trying to elevate Hutterites. They deserve a lot more.”
As he combed through more than 140,000 photos dating back to the first images he shot at age 11, he originally considered showing oddities but settled on showing the magic of ordinary lives.
Now 23, the photographer launched his self-published book this month by working through Kickstarter, a website that provides a funding platform for creative projects.
He willingly shares portraits of the life he left behind at 19. That departure also gave him the courage to tell the world he was an artist and gay.
“I was that weird kid,” he said from the loft art studio that he shares with 11 Calgary artists.
Art was not discouraged on the colony but talented youth were encouraged to channel that ability to support life on the colony.
“They don’t go out of their way to encourage art but they don’t squash it,” Hofer said.
His father was principal of his school and kept a point-and-shoot camera at home. Kelly used it to shoot the farm and landscape and later added portraits.
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In this age of cellphones and the internet, he said it is harder to suppress the urge to record life’s moments through pictures.
“Everyone has a cellphone. You can’t really say no to cameras. Even the minister in our colony was very against me shooting photos but he had a cellphone and you could see him shooting photos,” he said.
After high school, Hofer studied web design at college but his passion was photography. During that time, he was considering leaving colony life behind like his sister had. While she was visiting, they packed his belongings and he left with $300 in his pocket.
He lived with her in Calgary for a few months and she helped him get a job in electronics. He soon landed photography work.
The break from the colony tugged at his heart for a long time.
“It is a very difficult choice to make. Yes, I’m gay but it is hard to leave the culture behind,” he said.
Hofer had to be self-sufficient. Meals were no longer waiting for him and the support of his group was gone.
“Every person you know in life is on the colony,” he said.
Hofer misses the life but is no longer a believer.
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“I believe in morality but not religion.”
Repeated requests to return for a visit were refused but this year he was allowed to return for a half day for a family wedding.
His new life has taken him around the world on photo assignments and to the United States, Mexico, United Kingdom, Germany and China for documentary film work.
His current work is commercial assignments, fashion, sports, portraits and some weddings.
He is also exploring his affinity for electronics and works with other artists to embed electronic sensors in clothing. Electrical sensors display when the muscles are working so activity can be monitored during general work or physical training.
Artists at his studio practise everything from three-dimensional printing to more traditional art forms.
“This is actually my colony. In this studio, we share tools, we share knowledge together and bounce ideas around. That is exactly how a colony works,” he said.
He keeps in touch with colony friends and cousins through Facebook and his parents have visited, but he sees connections loosening because their lives are so different.
“This is the last thread that is holding me to the culture … the photos I still have,” he said.
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For more information, visit www.kellyhofer.com. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/book-captures-colony-life-memories/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/4004e661edcb3aba48b0fe03ae9309cf4038cd294849bfb45a5b677cdc7b4dc6.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Rob Bright",
"Shelley Hendry"
] | 2016-08-30T20:50:26 | null | 2016-08-30T19:39:24 | Agrium Inc. and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc. confirmed Tuesday they are in preliminary merger talks. Agrium is North America’s major distributor of agricultural products […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fagrium-potash-corp-of-saskatchewan-confirm-merger-talks%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Agrium, Potash Corp of Saskatchewan confirm merger talks | null | null | www.producer.com | Agrium Inc. and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan Inc. confirmed Tuesday they are in preliminary merger talks.
Agrium is North America’s major distributor of agricultural products and produces nitrogen, potash and phosphate fertilizer.
PotashCorp is the world’s largest potash producer with five mines in Saskatchewan, as well as nitrogen and phosphate operations.
Both issued statements saying no agreement had been reached.
Saskatchewan premier Brad Wall said both companies are important corporate citizens in the province, employing thousands of people directly and indirectly as well as supporting the provincial treasury through the potash royalty system.
He told reporters the CEOs of both companies had called to tell him the province’s interests are at the forefront of discussions.
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“Those interests of course are jobs, the taxes paid, the economic impact of these companies to Saskatchewan,” Wall said.
He noted Agrium is headquartered in Calgary but does most of its research and development in Saskatchewan. PotashCorp headquarters are in Saskatoon.
Wall said a potential merger might be an opportunity for a larger corporate presence in Saskatchewan.
In 2010, a federal review was triggered when BHP Billiton attempted a hostile takeover of PotashCorp. Wall and the Saskatchewan Party government were staunchly opposed to that deal.
But he noted this proposal is a merger of two Canadian companies, not a foreign takeover, and a review process wouldn’t be automatic.
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“While we don’t have official standing we have an obligation to Saskatchewan people to protect interests and to further them,” Wall said.
“Our government would want to even begin working proactively on some ideas that would make Saskatchewan an attractive place for even more jobs from a new entity.”
Share for both PotashCorp and Agrium were up after the news broke. Agrium shares were up more than six percent, while PotashCorp shares jumped more than 11 percent.
Contact karen.briere@producer.com | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/agrium-potash-corp-of-saskatchewan-confirm-merger-talks/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/077c7c2ade4dd662621edd5786764cb5b30a5d9bfb675231bf305965fed90419.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:00:36 | null | 2016-08-26T08:49:23 | As combine architecture maxed out at Classes 9 and 10 because of weight, farmers started paying serious attention to the soil compaction benefits of the […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Ftribine-not-your-daddys-combine%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Tribine: not your daddy’s combine | null | null | www.producer.com | As combine architecture maxed out at Classes 9 and 10 because of weight, farmers started paying serious attention to the soil compaction benefits of the uniquely radical Tribine prototypes.
After four prototype versions, the fifth generation production model Tribines started rumbling out of the Kansas factory this month.
By splitting the traditional combine platform into a giant processor on two wheels attached to a giant grain tank on two wheels, the innovative Tribine marks the only fundamental upgrade to combine design since the first self-propelled Fahr combine in 1951. The first self-propelled was patented in 1888.
Tribine employs two engines, a 6.7 litre Cummins for propulsion and a 9.0 litre Cummins to power the massive threshing plant. Clean grain is transferred to the 1,000 bushel grain cart that rides on its own pair of hydraulically driven tires.
Designer Ben Dillon decided 20 years ago that combines were getting too heavy. He saw that soil compaction resulted in yield losses as high as 10 percent. Ironically, the machine responsible for collecting yield is the same machine that is also responsible for much of the yield reduction.
So Dillon decided to take a fresh look at grain harvest and soil compaction.
Corn best exemplifies the basic compaction challenge with ever-higher yields, ever-wider headers and high performance threshing plants.
As a result, the grain tank fills quickly, causing that expensive piece of machinery to slow down or even stop. Heavy grain carts and tractors run willy-nilly around the field, trying to keep up with the volume of corn.
Many farmers combine with their unload auger running full time, dumping into grain carts pulled alongside.
The Tribine strategy is to use the giant 1,000 bushel grain tank to either unload into a 1,000 bushel semi at the headland or manage the cart to minimize trips across the field. Compaction is reduced, and the combine continues working at peak financial efficiency.
The large capacity tank serves as a buffer, giving the operator more unload options, said Tribine chief engineer Bob Matousek.
“It’s no longer possible to run one big combine with one big grain cart. Today you need two tractors and two big grain carts in the field to keep that one single big combine running,” said Matousek, adding that it’s especially difficult with a 12 row corn head.
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“Instead of having to unload every four minutes, the Tribine gives you the option of unloading every 12 minutes, and that changes everything. You can unload the entire 1,000 bushels in just two minutes if that’s what you want.”
Matousek said Tribine has the world’s largest threshing and cleaning system with up to double the cleaning area of other combines. The numbers are pretty impressive.
Rotor diameter is 38 inches and concave wrap is 270 degrees. The cleaning area is more than 13,000 sq. inches. As well, Tribine engineers have developed what they call an advanced pneumatic cleaning system.
“We have our own special way of separating the chaff from the straw as it exits the rotor, so we don’t put it all down on the cleaning system. If you want high cleaning capacity, you concentrate on separating straw from grain, not grain from straw. It’s pretty cool. I can’t tell you how it works today, but you’ll be able to see it at the (U.S.) Farm Progress Show (in Boone, Iowa),” said Matousek.
The twin straw choppers blow material out the left and right sides for a total width of 50 feet. To eliminate the need for deflectors, choppers are designed to throw straw to the farthest points rather than to a point near the combine.
Matousek said that once you’ve figured out how to spread wide, it’s easy to control the straw for a narrow windrow. As for weight and pounds per sq. inch on the soil, he won’t disclose exact numbers.
“Yes, it does look big, but it’s not nearly as heavy as you’d think. We’re no heavier than the big combines other people are making,” he said.
“The tires are new. They’re low sidewall and they’re intended to squat as much as six inches under load. It really spreads out the footprint. Our p.s.i. isn’t as low as tracks, but compaction is low.”
Weight on the front axle has also been reduced.
“On a typical big combine with a wide head and a load of grain, there can be 100,000 pounds on the front axle. We’re not much more than 50,000 lb. on the front axle with a wide head.”
On any centre articulated machine, the point in the middle where the front half meets the rear half is a highly stressed joint. You can envision that it’s even more traumatic on a machine like the Tribine, with a corn head leveraged way out front and a full load in the tank.
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Oscillation left-right should be no problem, but the bucking bronco action oscillating up-down at the joint could be catastrophic.
Matousek and his engineers solved the problem, but he won’t give details, other than to imply that people who have seen the system are often perplexed.
“As we started looking at bigger headers, we could see that the weight shifts back and forth and constantly flexes that area of the joint.”
Matousek set out to solve that problem.
“We have a leveraged joint. We don’t ask a short arm to withstand a lot of bending, but that’s about all I can say today.”
The unique twin engine concept is a matter of weight and balance. Matousek said it gives him extreme diversity in dialling in the optimal power level individually for propulsion and for threshing. It also allows him to easily install different engines for different models in the future.
The propulsion engine spins a hydraulic pump, while the larger engine powers the harvest system mechanically. Together, the two engines produce 590 horsepower.
“But I don’t want to go beyond that. I don’t want to teach other people how to do this.”
The Tribine is full-time all-wheel-drive with a hydraulic motor mounted in each wheel. To help minimize compaction, the rear cart tires follow the same path as the front combine tires and are the same size. The centre articulating harvester has a tight turning radius because the rear axle actually pivots to help steer the machine.
“I compare it to the pivoting front axle on your old Radio Flyer little red wagon. Pick any large combine you want and we’ll turn inside it. We have the geometry with the compound steering working pretty well, so the steering cylinders are actually quite small.”
The 500 gallon fuel tank allows 24 hours continuous operation without stopping for fuel. The engines do not require diesel exhaust fluid.
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The first production model Tribine will debut at the Farm Progress Show in Boone, Iowa, Aug. 30-Sept. 1. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/tribine-not-your-daddys-combine/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/3ddb3892be125741f65cfdbcc5b4e9fa331fd7af2435fbe7369d7ee2e19f5787.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T20:49:19 | null | 2016-08-26T20:31:35 | Three American groups, all supporters of organic agriculture, are suing General Mills over glyphosate residues in Nature Valley granola bars. Moms Across America, Beyond Pesticides […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fgranola-bar-maker-slapped-with-glyphosate-lawsuit%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Granola bar maker slapped with glyphosate lawsuit | null | null | www.producer.com | Three American groups, all supporters of organic agriculture, are suing General Mills over glyphosate residues in Nature Valley granola bars.
Moms Across America, Beyond Pesticides and the Organic Consumers Association filed the lawsuit Aug. 25 in the District of Columbia Superior Court.
The groups claim General Mills is misleading the public because the label on the granola bars says ‘made with 100 percent natural whole grain oats.’
They say the word ‘natural’ misleads because Nature Valley granola bars contain trace amounts of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup herbicide.
“Glyphosate cannot be considered ‘natural’ because it is a toxic, synthetic herbicide,” said Jay Feldman, executive director of Beyond Pesticides. “It should not be allowed for use in food production, and certainly not in food with a label that suggests to consumers that the major ingredient, oats, is 100 percent natural, when it is produced with and contains the highly hazardous glyphosate.”
The groups say glyphosate is dangerous because in 2015 the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a division of the World Health Organization, classified the herbicide as probably carcinogenic to humans.
Many other agencies, such as the European Food Safety Authority and Health Canada, have also studied glyphosate’s safety and concluded it is not carcinogenic.
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Earlier this year, representatives of Moms Across America bought Nature Valley granola bars from a drugstore in Washington, D.C.
Subsequent laboratory testing showed the bars had trace amounts of glyphosate.
The level of glyphosate was below U.S. tolerances in food but any amount of the herbicide is unacceptable if General Mills claims their granola bars are natural, the groups said.
“As a mother, when I read “100 percent Natural” I would expect that to mean no synthetic or toxic chemicals at all,” said Zen Honeycutt, executive director of Moms Across America.
The statement of claim said the source of glyphosate is “known only to General Mills and its suppliers,” but could be caused when farmers spray glyphosate on oats to dry down the crop for harvest.
Western Canada, primarily growers in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, produces most of the oats in North America and is the major supplier to food manufacturers like General Mills.
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Spraying the crop with glyphosate before harvest, is a common production practice.
The lawsuit applies to Nature Valley granola bars and a number of General Mills foods, including breakfast biscuits and oatmeal squares.
Feldman said the lawsuit isn’t about financial compensation for consumers who bought granola bars based on misleading information.
The non-profit groups want to stop companies like General Mills from using false and deceptive claims, because the oat products in question are not “made with 100 percent natural whole grain oats.”
Contact robert.arnason@producer.com | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/granola-bar-maker-slapped-with-glyphosate-lawsuit/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/bd4e4c668d0c53a554c119c4f7e370e0b3c4e87c4b2bd6ef9cd8f52cbdee1ade.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Keith Duhaime"
] | 2016-08-29T22:51:11 | null | 2016-08-29T19:23:28 | While U.S. farmland values are beginning to slump because of a drop in crop prices, Farm Credit Canada thinks western Canadian farmland might escape a […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fland-prices-may-not-follow-crops%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Land prices may not follow crops | null | null | www.producer.com | While U.S. farmland values are beginning to slump because of a drop in crop prices, Farm Credit Canada thinks western Canadian farmland might escape a similar fate.
Prairie land prices didn’t shoot up as much as in parts of the U.S. Midwest, so they might not need to fall at all.
“I think we’re in a fairly stable, balanced position,” said Craig Klemmer, FCC’s senior agricultural economist.
“A lot of it has been playing catch-up at most.”
Klemmer said FCC expects Canadian farmland prices to slow the rate of increases seen in recent years, but values should still rise in the rest of 2016 and in 2017.
Rabobank Food and Agribusiness Research recently released a report called The Land Value Wave Dips, in which it predicts U.S. farmland rental rates will slip in the next year or face bigger declines in coming years.
“The cost of renting land remains sticky and unsustainably high,” says the report.
“If rental costs remain sticky at unsustainable levels through the 2017-18 growing period, individual land assets face the threat of much deeper devaluation as nutrient and crop protection programs are cut and abandonment increases.”
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The term “sticky” refers to the tendency of land rents to rise in good times but resist decline when financial conditions get worse.
While the Rabobank report focuses on land rent in the U.S., it indirectly but closely reflects the underlying price of farmland. A rental rate reveals the price somebody is willing to pay for a piece of land and still receive a return.
Farmers in the U.S. rent a far higher proportion of their land than is common in Canada, where most farmers own most of the land they farm. In the U.S. it is not unusual for farmers to rent half or most of their land.
Farmland prices are hard to evaluate in Canada because so little changes hands. Klemmer said that in Canada only about two percent of land changes hands in any year.
U.S. farmers have been hammered by commodity prices far below those common in the 2007-12 bull market.
Land prices shot higher in those years, and rents followed them upward. Now that crop prices have slumped, many farmers find themselves dropping to break-even levels or even into losses, so high land rents aren’t sustainable.
If rents aren’t reduced, farmers might back away from future rental agreements, Rabobank says.
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In Canada the situation might be different not just because of the slower rate of land increases, Klemmer said, but also because some of Canada’s crops have remained profitable.
“We’ve been insulated by the Canadian dollar,” said Klemmer.
“A 77 cent Canadian dollar definitely helps.”
Also, crops like some pulses and canola have been generally profitable. And rental rates aren’t such a drag on Canadian farmer profitability due to the lower proportion of rented land by Canadian farmers compared to their U.S. counterparts.
Canadian farmers face their tough land value challenges with buying and financing farmland.
But most farmers only occasionally pick up a quarter section, so even high-priced land can be “cross-subsidized” by the rest of the farm if values dip.
“We still have a very healthy land market,” said Klemmer.
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“We’ll likely continue to see land prices going up.” | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/land-prices-may-not-follow-crops/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/d5157779f353834b9ca3e8c938ffc1c90312eb9a9d15496d0311c69a569965a1.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T20:49:29 | null | 2016-08-26T20:20:06 | Manitoba SOUTHWEST Precipitation varied from 10 to 20 millimetres, and hailstorms caused severe damage in some areas. Winter wheat and fall rye are in the […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fcrop-report-43%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | The Western Producer | null | null | www.producer.com | Manitoba
SOUTHWEST
Precipitation varied from 10 to 20 millimetres, and hailstorms caused severe damage in some areas.
Winter wheat and fall rye are in the bin, while harvesting of spring wheat, barley, oats and peas has begun, all with generally average yields.
Some second cut hay is being done with average yields.
NORTHWEST
Rainfall ranged from 10 to 25 mm, and most crops are in good condition.
Harvest is underway for spring wheat and field peas, while 10 to 20 percent of canola is swathed.
Cereal silage yields are excellent with chopping near completion.
CENTRAL
Precipitation varied from five to 50 mm with some hail and high humidity.
Harvest is slow because of high moisture levels in grain, and swathing and pre-harvest timing is difficult because of the staginess of crops.
Sclerotinia infections in canola are becoming more evident, resulting in premature ripening.
Yield and quality of second cut hay is surpassing the first cutting.
EAST
Rainfall ranged from 15 to more than 50 mm. Hot temperatures and high humidity were also reported.
Fusarium damaged kernel levels have been lower than expected in winter and spring wheat.
Winter feed supplies are rated 20 percent surplus and 80 percent adequate for hay and 100 percent adequate for straw, greenfeed and feed grains.
INTERLAKE
Precipitation varied from trace amounts to 45 mm with warm temperatures and favourable winds.
Harvest progress is five to ten percent complete, including some canola fields.
Leaf cutter bees are coming to the end of their life cycle, and their nests will soon be moved from fields.
Greenfeed silage has started with yields better than expected.
Saskatchewan
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SOUTHEAST
The region is furthest advanced with 19 percent of the crop in the bin and half the canola swathed.
Precipitation varied from small amounts to 18 millimetres with localized flooding, lodging and strong winds.
Cropland, hayland and pasture topsoil moisture is rated 70 percent adequate, but it varies greatly across the region.
There are high levels of fusarium head blight in some durum crops and sclerotinia in some canola.
SOUTHWEST
Rainfall ranged from very little to seven mm, which delayed harvest somewhat. Twelve percent of the canola is combined and 29 percent swathed.
Cropland topsoil moisture conditions are rated 79 percent adequate, while hayland and pasture are 93 percent adequate.
Yield loss and downgrading are expected for much of the pulse crop, and some crops are in aeration bins.
EAST-CENTRAL
Six percent of all crops are combined and 24 percent of canola is swathed.
Precipitation ranged from trace amounts to 32 mm along with strong winds, lodging and disease.
Topsoil moisture conditions on cropland, hayland and pasture have an average rating of 92 percent adequate.
WEST-CENTRAL
Four percent of the crop is in the bin and 30 percent of canola and six percent mustard is swathed.
Rainfall amounts ranged up to 25 mm with high humidity, and many fields remain too wet to support equipment. Crop dry down is delayed.
There are many reports of high levels of sclerotinia, blackleg, fusarium head blight and mould in pulse crops, along with lodging, hail and strong wind.
NORTHEAST
Three percent of the crop is harvested and 19 percent of canola is swathed, but swathers and sprayers are getting stuck and leaving ruts in some fields.
Precipitation varied from small amounts to nine mm, along with localized flooding, lodging and diseases such as sclerotinia and fusarium head blight.
Cropland, hay land and pasture topsoil moisture conditions have an average rating of 23 percent surplus and 76 percent adequate.
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NORTHWEST
Three percent of the crop is in the bin and 26 percent of canola is swathed.
Rainfall ranged from small amounts to 119 mm with localized flooding, hail, strong winds, lodging and disease.
Cropland, hayland and pasture topsoil moisture conditions are rated 87 percent adequate.
Alberta
SOUTH
A wet weather pattern slowed harvest operations.
Harvest is 17 percent complete, and 16 percent of canola is swathed.
Subsoil moisture is rated 72 percent good or excellent, while hayland and pastures are 61 percent good or excellent.
CENTRAL
Harvest progress was minimal because of wet conditions with less than two percent in the bin and five percent of canola swathed.
Subsoil moisture conditions are rated 84 percent good or excellent while hay and pastures are 77 percent good or excellent.
NORTHEAST
Wet weather has delayed harvest with less than one percent of spring cereals and 33 percent of peas in the bin, while nine percent of canola is swathed.
Subsoil moisture ratings are 82 percent good or excellent, while hay and pastures are 96 percent good or excellent.
NORTHWEST
Heavy precipitation caused localized flooding.
Harvest operations were delayed with most work occurring in field peas, and one percent of crops have been swathed.
Subsoil moisture ratings are 87 percent good or excellent while hay and pastures declined five percent.
PEACE
An extended period of dry weather allowed crops to mature and harvest to get underway before precipitation shut operations down.
Combining is slightly ahead of the five year average, but swathing is 10 percent behind the five year number of 15 percent.
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Subsoil moisture ratings are 85 percent good or excellent while hay and pastures are 79 percent good or excellent. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/crop-report-43/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/983b766abdea7b5b2f474968672a16a0586fd4fc862ec84af487dd3bae6b09a2.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Warren Lauzon"
] | 2016-08-30T14:50:24 | null | 2016-08-30T12:58:03 | In the lead-up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China this week I was watching half-hopefully and half-cynically to see how the canola-to-China dispute […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fcanola-its-nice-to-count-on-the-pms-trip-to-china%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Canola: it’s nice to matter (during the PM’s trip to China) | null | null | www.producer.com | In the lead-up to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit to China this week I was watching half-hopefully and half-cynically to see how the canola-to-China dispute would be handled.
The hopeful part of me said: JT understands how important exports and commodities are to the Canadian economy, so he won’t ignore China’s threatened strangulation of Canadian canola. Plus he seems to want to show that a Liberal government can represent all the regions of the country, rather than just its traditional eastern Canadian bastion, and that western concerns also can be seen as national concerns.
The cynical part of me said: JT wants a big success in China. He wants to be seen reviving his family’s name for building bridges with sometimes antagonistic foreign powers like China, as his father did. If canola could mess that up, he’ll throw it under the bus.
I’m happy to see my hopeful side is being rewarded and my cynical side sent to the corner. A couple of weeks before the trip the federal government began pushing the canola dispute out front and has kept up that publicity. And it hasn’t just been with bureaucrats, negotiators or other officials. International Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland and JT himself have attached themselves to the issue, rather than backing away, so that builds the pressure on the Chinese to make some concessions if they want the trip to be a success for the Canucks and not leave them humiliated. The Chinese understand humiliation.
Some might scoff at the idea that China would care about Canadian sensitivities or be concerned about this nation’s feelings towards it, but the Chinese are in fact keen to build better relations with countries it both relies upon for commodities – and that it wants to ease away from American dependency. The Chinese are trying to build a free trade zone, dominated by China, and it is encouraging countries like Canada to think about joining it. The Chinese government doesn’t like seeing the U.S.-dominated Trans Pacific Partnership (possibly) being built all around its edges, so it has an incentive to lure key U.S. trading partners into a closer relationship with China.
That would be good for Canada too. While TPP will shore-up our access to the U.S. markets and improve access to Japan and other key markets, improving access to China should also be a key strategic objective for Canada. We have all seen what happens when small interests within the U.S. manage to manipulate its political system to ban certain Canadian agricultural imports. Right now, with the U.S. by far the dominant export market, Canada is both incredibly insecure and powerless to put effective pressure on the U.S. government if it acts up. Lowering that absolute dependance would make Canada more secure, and China could be key to that.
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But if the Chinese play dirty on canola, as they appear presently to be doing over Canadian canola, in order to manipulate the domestic economic situation, why would Canada ever see China as a potentially trustworthy free trade partner? That’s the ace in JT’s hand. The Chinese need to show good faith, and canola could be the key to that.
So let’s hope something gets sorted out in the next couple of days while the prime minister is in China, something that both preserves Canadian canola’s access to the Chinese market and which allows the Chinese to feel like they have achieved something. Then everyone can do a happy photo op.
But even if the Canadian government fails to get a deal on canola, it’s been nice to see that it is willing to consider something like canola to be sufficiently important as a national product to inject into a key foreign policy initiative and put high on the agenda. It has not always been thus. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/canola-its-nice-to-count-on-the-pms-trip-to-china/ | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/3850777399947d33a5d37884f7f01a51936504d4e169226afb8d0d7384f4fa84.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:06:12 | null | 2016-08-26T13:06:11 | If all of the United States corn crop this year was loaded onto rail cars in one train, that train would have roughly 3.79 million […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fbumper-u-s-crop-hurts-grain-prices%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Bumper U.S. crop hurts grain prices | null | null | www.producer.com | If all of the United States corn crop this year was loaded onto rail cars in one train, that train would have roughly 3.79 million cars.
I’d hate to be at a rail crossing waiting for that to go by.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture last week forecast the American corn crop would have a national average yield of slightly more than 175 bushels an acre, generating a crop of 15.15 billion bushels.
Both those numbers are records, as are the USDA’s forecast for soybean average yield at almost 49 bu. an acre and a crop topping four billion bushels.
The USDA’s numbers exceeded the average of analysts’ pre-report forecasts and you’d think that would have knocked down crop prices.
There was a spike down initially with corn touching a seven year low, but by the end of Aug. 12, the day of the report, corn closed slightly higher and new crop soybean futures were down only 2.25 cents a bushel.
It appears that regardless of what analysts expected, the market had already priced in record corn and soybean production.
The market was also paying attention to hot demand from the export sector as the USDA reported its 12th daily sale of soybeans in 13 days.
And then as this week began, soybean futures jumped higher when the National Oilseed Processors Association’s monthly report showed that soy oil supplies were tighter than expected.
I don’t mean to imply that prices are good. They are not and that is why exports are picking up: end users are stocking up on cheap grain.
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But it is comforting that there appears to be less risk of prices falling much further.
But the opportunity for a significant rally is not good either, barring some disastrous weather event.
To put that corn yield forecast into perspective, the projected national average yield of 175.1 is four bushels ahead of the previous record of 171 set in 2014 and 21.6 bu. or 14 percent higher than the five year, 2011-15 average of 153.5 bu.
The highest yields are expected in the states with the largest corn acreage, Iowa and Illinois, where yields are expected to close in on 200 bushels an acre. Last year, Manitoba’s average corn yield was 126.5 bu. an acre.
With the bigger crop forecast, the USDA also increased its expectation of domestic corn consumption and exports.
But even with that, it sees 2016-17 year-end corn stocks rising to 2.4 billion bu., up 41 percent from 2015-16.
U.S. ending stocks represent nearly 17 percent of annual use, the most in 11 years.
U.S. year-end soybean stocks were also increased, to 330 million bushels, but the supply-demand balance there is tighter, at eight percent of annual use.
So that helps to keep the oilseed side of the market, including canola, on a better footing that the grain side.
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Turning to wheat, many of you have likely been reading about the disastrous crop in France, the European Union’s largest producer and exporter, and wondering why that is not pushing wheat prices higher.
The USDA supply and demand report provides an explanation.
It slashed EU wheat production to 147.5 million tonnes, down nine million tonnes because of the problems in France.
However, that was more than made up for by a total 11 million tonnes increase in production in Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan.
It raised the Canada wheat production forecast one million tonnes to 30 million and also raised Australia by one million to 26.5 million. The U.S. climbed 1.63 million to 63.16 million.
Overall, it sees 2016 global wheat production at 743.44 million tonnes, up almost five million from its July forecast and up 8.6 million from last year.
The USDA expects Russia will reclaim from the European Union the crown of world’s largest wheat exporter, shipping 30 million tonnes compared to the EU’s 27 million.
But early signs are that Russia could also have a low protein crop, compounding an already existing shortage following the disappointing protein levels in the U.S. winter wheat crop harvest.
The USDA expects the U.S. will have a better export year than 2015-16 when its high dollar discouraged shipments, allowing Canada to move past it into third place.
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The USDA expects the U.S. this year will export 25.86 million tonnes of wheat and Canada 21.5 million. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/bumper-u-s-crop-hurts-grain-prices/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/bce05244e73baa39edc1c8487f81426f062cb530098f905f41d398e3b23895b5.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:06:28 | null | 2016-08-26T13:05:53 | Canadian beekeepers lost 16.8 percent of their colonies in the winter of 2015-16, which is one of the lowest rates of winter loss in recent […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fwinter-bee-losses-decline-summer-losses-still-mystery%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Winter bee losses decline, summer losses still mystery | null | null | www.producer.com | Canadian beekeepers lost 16.8 percent of their colonies in the winter of 2015-16, which is one of the lowest rates of winter loss in recent history.
Meanwhile, American beekeepers lost 44 percent of their hives, based on a survey of U.S. apiarists.
The numbers suggest Canada’s beekeeping industry is in good shape while the Americans are struggling with a “beepocalypse,” but a U.S. bee expert says the story is more complicated.
The Canadian Association of Professional Apiculturists publishes a report on honeybee winter losses in July, compiled from a survey of beekeepers.
This year it showed that bee health and colony management is improving in Canada. Losses have dropped from more than 30 percent in the late 2000s to less than 20 percent the last couple of years.
The association said provincial apiculturists have been encouraging beekeepers to improve their hive management, such as monitoring honeybee pests like varroa mites.
Dennis van Engelsdorp, a University of Maryland entomologist, said winter losses have also declined in the United States.
Winter bee losses in the U.S. were 30 to 35 percent from 2006-10, based on survey data from the Bee Informed Partnership, a collaboration of bee research labs in the U.S.
The annual winter loss in the U.S. has dropped to 25 percent over the last five years, which is slightly higher than Canadian figures.
However, the Canadian survey only looks at winter losses, while the American survey tracks winter and summer losses of U.S. honeybee colonies.
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“Certainly winter losses have decreased over our 10 years of monitoring, but it seems like our summer losses have increased,” said van Engelsdorp, who is the project director for the Bee Informed Partnership.
Colonies dying during the summer have propelled total U.S. losses to 40 percent and higher in three of the last four years.
A bar graph on the Bee Informed website clearly illustrates that more bee colonies are dying in the summer.
Van Engelsdorp said the cause of summer deaths remains a mystery.
“We don’t know…. It certainly could be virus and varroa (related),” said van Engelsdrop, a Canadian who studied at the University of Guelph.
“But it also suggests other things…. Not enough nutrition in the landscape… and pesticides are probably contributing to those summer losses.”
Varroa mites, an invasive species, have been present in American hives longer than they’ve been in Canada.
As a result, viruses carried by varroa mites have mutated into more dangerous forms in the U.S., which might partially explain the summer losses.
“The (varroa) viruses have been in the United States longer (and) Canada tends to be about 10 years behind in some of (these) emerging conditions,” van Engelsdorp said.
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“We’ve seen the evolution of much more virulent strains of viruses…. I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the really virulent strains of viruses, down here, aren’t yet up there (in Canada).”
Canada may not have the same bee pathogens, but beekeepers north of the border have noticed an unusual trend in the last few years.
Queen bees used to last two to three years before a beekeeper had to replace them. Now they’re not surviving as long, and beekeepers are asking why.
“I don’t know if you get a year and a half any more … so what’s going on? Why are the queens not lasting?” said Bryan Ash, a beekeeper from Gilbert Plains, Man.
Besides the lack of summertime loss data, Engelsdorp said the Canadian beekeeper survey might be skewed.
“It’s pretty clear that they (CAPA) are surveying mostly commercial beekeepers, and commercial beekeepers always lose fewer colonies,” he said.
“If you were to compare U.S. numbers and Canadian numbers … make sure that you’re comparing commercial beekeepers…. A lot of the losses that you’re seeing reported in the States are coming from the … backyard beekeepers.”
While it’s possible that Canadian bee colonies are doing better than America honeybees, van Engelsdorp said it’s unlikely related to better management.
“It’s interesting that the (loss) rates do seem lower,” he said.
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“I think there are important insights there, but I don’t know whether it’s fair to say that Canadian beekeepers … are better than American beekeepers.” | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/winter-bee-losses-decline-summer-losses-still-mystery/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/6d7189fc562b69ab16cc70c2fa0edbd7d92a027666a7c73b25fc623fbbbf5f6b.json |
[
"Western Producer"
] | 2016-08-31T14:50:47 | null | 2016-08-31T14:38:42 | BEIJING, Aug 31 (Reuters) – China agreed on Wednesday to delay introducing stricter rules on shipments of canola from Canada while both countries work to […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fchina-delays-new-canola-rules-in-late-reprieve-for-canada%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | China delays new canola rules in late reprieve for Canada | null | null | www.producer.com | BEIJING, Aug 31 (Reuters) – China agreed on Wednesday to delay introducing stricter rules on shipments of canola from Canada while both countries work to end a months-long trade spat over sales of the oilseed, offering an eleventh hour temporary reprieve for Canada’s farmers.
Just a day before the new standards were due to go into force, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang said Canada would be able to continue with the current canola export regime, while a longer-term solution was worked out.
China is Canada’s top export market for the oilseed, and Ottawa has taken an increasingly strong line in talks on a new standard, which industry participants say would significantly raise costs for exporters.
While only temporary, the exemption for Canada will be seen as a small victory for Trudeau. The import dispute has taken centre stage during his visit to China.
China has said the tougher import rules were necessary to prevent the spread of blackleg disease from Canadian canola into Chinese crops of rapeseed, another name for the agricultural commodity.
“China itself is a large producer of canola, but China has no intention of keeping its doors closed to other exporters,” Li told a joint news conference with Trudeau at his side.
“But it’s also true that Chinese canola producers have their own worries, hoping that imported canola will not carry with it any disease. Chinese consumers also have that issue on their mind,” Li added.
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Both sides should take a flexible attitude on the canola issue, he said.
Industry participants say the new standard, under which China will reduce the amount of foreign matter allowed per shipment to no more than 1 percent from 2.5 percent, would significantly raise costs for exporters.
Negotiating teams from the two countries were currently meeting in Beijing, Canada’s Trade Minister Chrystia Freeland said.
“We are now working on achieving a long-term agreement on terms of Canadian canola shipments and, as the prime minister said, we are working to achieve that in the coming days and weeks,” she told reporters.
China has also been keen to start talks on a free trade agreement with Canada, similar to the pacts Beijing has sealed with Australia and New Zealand, although a senior Canadian government official said last week there is no near-term chance of agreement.
Li said both countries had agreed to start feasibility talks on a free trade pact at an early date, although Trudeau made no mention of this in remarks in front of reporters. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/china-delays-new-canola-rules-in-late-reprieve-for-canada/ | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/8c80a164ddf0da85a06a24be2a8a9b3348e2b038c7a4903f80836fd7e10c01a7.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:02:27 | null | 2016-08-26T12:31:55 | IRON SPRINGS, Alta. — Jane and Gerrit van Asch pulled off a feat of perfect timing Aug. 6 at their dairy farm, Van Iron Farms. […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fvisitors-all-eyes-and-ears-on-dairy-farm-tour%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Visitors all eyes and ears on dairy farm tour | null | null | www.producer.com | IRON SPRINGS, Alta. — Jane and Gerrit van Asch pulled off a feat of perfect timing Aug. 6 at their dairy farm, Van Iron Farms.
During on open house that drew 430 people, one of their 319 dairy cows gave birth, much to the astonishment of several visitors.
Jane van Asch acknowledged that the birth on that day was pure chance but said she was delighted with the event and the response.
“One little boy said, ‘it just dove out,’ ” said Jane about the newborn calf.
“Kids and adults were just amazed.”
The open house, promoted by Alberta Milk, was the second dairy farm open house held in the province this summer. The other one was held at Yff Dairy near Penhold June 18.
Van Asch said she and her family felt it was important to show people the source of their milk.
“Just seeing it first hand was a big eye opener for a lot of people,” she said.
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“There were a lot of kids specifically who were just flabbergasted that this is actually where their milk comes from. This is where it starts.”
Fifty-two volunteers, including members of the Green Acres 4-H club and other dairy producers in the region, helped the van Asches organize the event.
A breakfast, barn tours and various children’s activities were part of the event. Two veterinarians, a hoof trimmer and experts on dairy feed and artificial insemination techniques also provided information.
“We had a lot of people commenting and complimenting on how the animals are taken care of and how they looked and that it was a very well set-up and run farm,” said van Asch.
“If things look nice, people have such a different perception of what’s going on. They really loved the fact of the hoof trimmer and the vet being there.”
Kelsie Gilks, school and agriculture programs co-ordinator for Alberta Milk, said such open houses are a way to engage consumers and build trust in the industry.
“The average urban consumer, we find they’re detached from agriculture, but they’ve still got that desire to know where their food’s coming from, which is why the event is there to showcase the farm to fridge journey, but in a fun, family friendly way,” she said.
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Gilks attended the event with a full-scale model cow that allows people to try their hand at attaching milkers to an udder.
Van Asch said the most common question asked during the event was about the use of additional hormones in dairy cattle.
“People were really, really surprised and very happy to know that there was no hormones in the milk. We do not shoot up the cows with hormones.”
She said visitors also liked being able to roam the entire farm without restriction and that no part of the operation was off limits.
The van Asch family emigrated from Holland to Alberta in 1995 and settled near Iron Springs. Gerrit’s family has been in the dairy business for about 100 years.
Jane and Gerrit have four children — Raoul, Stanley, Wesley and Nadia — who are all teenagers. The farm also has three full-time employees.
Gilks said no more dairy open houses are planned for this year, but farmers have already expressed interest in holding events next year. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/visitors-all-eyes-and-ears-on-dairy-farm-tour/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/a00eb98bb23b644eba0a5d287aeb2a59b31a913b963d62254442d26371847878.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:04:50 | null | 2016-08-26T12:53:16 | Fields that once grew profitable durum no longer do so because of fusarium, leaving some to speculate that prairie durum may go the way of […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fdurum-acres-fall-prey-to-fusarium%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Durum acres fall prey to fusarium | null | null | www.producer.com | Winter cereals gain in popularity as durum production grinds to a halt in areas once considered safe from fusarium head blight
Fields that once grew profitable durum no longer do so because of fusarium, leaving some to speculate that prairie durum may go the way of the dodo bird and the dinosaur.
Plant breeding and fungicide application can do only so much in the war on fusarium. As a result, strategic rotation has become an increasingly valuable tool in keeping fields profitable without spring seeded cereals.
Many fields in traditional durum areas now grow fall-seeded crops that flower before fusarium spores take to the winds, including winter wheat, conventional open pollinated fall rye and the new hybrid fall rye varieties.
One Brasetto rye grower south of Regina reported an average 120 bushels per acre in the first week of August. Typical pricing at the time was about $4.10 per bu., but that crop brought $4.90.
Total prairie durum acres increased 4.8 percent this year to 6.1 million acres, but the crop is all but a memory in Manitoba, where it was once a staple.
Saskatchewan remained flat at five million as acreage shifted west.
Alberta farmers planted 34 percent more, matching their 2002 record acreage of 1.1 million.
Paul Thoroughgood farms near Moose Jaw, Sask., an area known for durum, and has worked as an agronomist on the Ducks Unlimited winter wheat program for 17 years.
He grew winter wheat on his own farm over those years and has also grown a lot of durum.
“But I quit durum last year. I was tired of growing (No.) 4 and 5 durum. Over the past five years, winter wheat profit has just blown away durum,” he said.
“If you don’t grow a 1 or a 2, there’s no point growing durum. You’re just not in the money. Regardless of following best management practices, your durum is going to get hit with fusarium.”
He has a half dozen neighbours who now have winter wheat in their rotations as a fusarium avoidance strategy.
Others are switching durum acres to spring wheat varieties that are more resistant to fusarium.
“A lot of people around here are really frustrated. They’re walking their durum fields and they’re seeing a lot of fusarium, despite using high water volumes with the fungicide and spraying right on time. Lots of people are looking for an alternative,” he said.
“Durum may not become obsolete. That may be a little strong. But I’ve always felt that durum is not a commodity crop. It’s a niche crop, if you can grow 1 or 2. There’s nothing good you can say about a 4 or 5 durum.”
Doug Martin, chair of Winter Cereals Manitoba, is well versed when it comes to fall-seeded crops. He said he doesn’t even attempt to grow durum on his farm northeast of Winnipeg.
“We’re in a high moisture area here. We already had fusarium head blight back in the middle ’80s when I started farming,” he said.
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“But I do grow a lot of winter wheat. There are so many benefits, probably the biggest this year is the way it handles excess moisture. It’s more advanced than other crops, so it can use up all the rain we’ve had. We’ve had seven major rain events on our farm this year.
“We had one field (week of Aug. 8) that went 94 bushels. That was at 16 percent moisture. Pretty good for a wet year. And no disease.”
Mark Akins, who farms near Rouleau, Sask., worked as an agronomist on the Ducks Unlimited winter wheat program before farming full time.
Akins, who was harvesting 900 acres of winter wheat and 1,100 acres of durum last week, said the ratio of winter wheat on his farm is constantly increasing because of fusarium in his spring wheat.
“We had bad fusarium in the durum in 2014 and actually, this year, I think it’s going to be worse, a lot of fusarium in our durum,” he said.
“At times it’s been up to 30 percent of our crop. I can’t see things continuing that way. It’s just has to change.”
Akins said he’s grown winter wheat every year for the past 15 years, although he’s had issues with seeding at the recommended time, often putting it in too late.
“I think we’re going to continue growing at least this many acres, maybe more. The yields have been good this year. I have some soft white winter and some hard red winter. The fusarium levels are low on all of it,” he said.
“As far as I know, winter wheat is highly susceptible to fusarium, just like durum, but it’s a timing factor. Flowering happens so much earlier that we just don’t have the fusarium problem.
“Just as insurance, we always do an early heading leaf disease fungicide application. It’s a little later than the flag leaf but earlier than what you would normally do for fusarium timing. And of course we always do a seed treatment.”
Akins speculated that fusarium could adapt to early flowering crops that have been seeded in the fall.
“I don’t know whether that will happen, but Mother Nature’s like that, isn’t she? She’s very adaptable,” he said.
“It’s not out of the question. That’s why we need continuous ongoing genetic improvements.”
Mother Nature will be in for a surprise if she does try to pull that stunt. Two years ago, the new variety Emerson was the first winter wheat to achieve the R rating, meaning it’s resistant to fusarium.
Early seeding is important to ensure that plants get an early jump in the spring as soon as temperatures warm up. There’s an excellent chance of beating the disease if the crop can get through the early growth stages while night time temperatures remain below 10 C.
“It’s very important that winter wheat is part of our plan going forward,” Akins said.
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“I can’t see us doing any more durum than we’re doing now. There’s always a hope that we’ll get fusarium resistant durum, but I can’t wait that long.”
Winter Cereals Canada chair Dale Hicks, who farms near Outlook, Sask., grew no durum this year.
“Fusarium is here to stay. The intensity will increase or decrease from year to year, depending on moisture and the timing of moisture, but we’re going to have fusarium forever,” he said.
“I followed fusarium west from the Red River Valley back when I was a young guy working for Cargill. I remember when we got the memo saying a car of durum at Winkler, (Man.) had been rejected because of a few kernels of scab. That was 1989.
“They brought a plant pathologist up from North Dakota State University, and he explained what fusarium was. He told us it would spread across all of North America. It’s just a matter of time, 20 years or 40 years.”
Manitoba’s winter wheat crop had a brush with fusarium in 2014, and Hicks said that might happen in a fall seeded crop only once every 10 or 20 years. In durum, it’s going to happen almost every year, and not only in wet years.
“Even if the good old dry years return, we’ll still have fusarium in durum,” he said.
“Last year, we had land that got only 3/10 inch of rain from spring seeding to July 20, and we still had fusarium in the durum. Only 1.5 percent, but it was there. It’s definitely here to stay.”
Jeff Askin, a seed grower from Portage la Prairie, Man., and a director with Winter Cereals Manitoba, said farmers in his area seem to be switching to high yielding feed wheat.
“Faller is pretty common around here, and Prosper. I’m trying to get Penhold going here, and I’m selling some of that now, too. These varieties out-yield the spring wheats,” he said. “But it seems a lot of guys don’t want to be bothered seeding when they’re busy combining. I know my sales have been down on the winter wheats, and the feed wheats (spring-seeded) have been up. They can be affected by the fusarium, but not as badly as the durum.”
Askin said growers have worried about winter wheat wrecks in the past five years, and they haven’t yet returned to the crop. Winter wheat averaged 88 bu. on his farm this year.
Jake Kirschenman, who runs a mixed farm in a traditional durum area near Medicine Hat, Alta., grows a lot of fall rye because it has a good fit with his 3,000 head feedlot. This was his first year growing Brasetto, but it was hit with a 100 percent hail claim, so he isn’t sure how it would have performed.
“I used to grow some durum, but I haven’t for quite a few years. We always had the fusarium. It’s pretty common around here,” he said.
“I prefer feed cereals, although this year I am trying a little bit of durum again.”
Fitting fall planted cereals into the rotations has proved challenging, despite their profitability. Prairie acres have fallen to 635,000 this year from 1.35 million in 2012. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/durum-acres-fall-prey-to-fusarium/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/351597f4ebdab2c3a40db68dc6158bedff23718c49afbb8f102aa2a32fb7c0db.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:02:00 | null | 2016-08-26T12:34:12 | The organics industry is under constant scrutiny to ensure its methods of production are true to its roots and that regulations and practices are followed […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Forganic-feed-imports-glitch-in-production-guarantee%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Organic feed imports glitch in production guarantee | null | null | www.producer.com | The organics industry is under constant scrutiny to ensure its methods of production are true to its roots and that regulations and practices are followed so consumers know they are getting the environmental ethos they desire when they pay extra at the supermarket.
The Organic Federation of Canada notes that the National Standard of Canada for Organic Agriculture, which regulates farming, livestock and processing practices used to produce organics, has rules that must be “comparable to the standards of trading partners who sell organic products on the international market.” Comparison tables exist for the European Union, the United States and Japan.
However, feed for organically raised livestock is pouring into Canada and the United States from other countries.
So we should pay attention when a feed supplier such as Tom Manley expresses exasperation over the lack of non-genetically modified feed for organics producers.
“(I’m) flabbergasted by the way that not enough Canadian farmers are taking up the (organic) opportunity,” said Manley, who supplies feed and agronomic services to organic farmers in Central and Eastern Canada and the U.S. “I don’t get it. The grains are worth twice the price. What the hell is wrong, you guys? Why aren’t you producing?”
The decision to transition to organics from conventional farming goes beyond profit. The transition time, about three years, and the workload — more tillage —are part of the reason people don’t leap into organics. So change in the industry can be slow.
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While there is no way to track how much organic feed is being imported from overseas to Canada, dairy producers in the U.S. import significant amounts of organic feed grains from countries such as Romania and Turkey. Organic feed corn is imported from Croatia, Bulgaria and the Balkans. India is another source of organic feed. In Canada, dairy producers import less organic feed, but hog, chicken and egg producers are thought to rely on imports.
Some countries producing organic feed for North American farmers have significant levels of corruption, as noted in Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index. If confidence in government oversight is dubious, how can we have confidence that feed certified organic in those countries is authentic?
It’s a blind eye thing.
The problem is evident in the audit process. In Canada, it’s up to manufacturers to certify feed organic, but it is not possible to verify organic practices in countries where corruption is manifest.
So there is a disconnect between the organic movement and its philosophical cousin — the local food movement — and those who are importing organics from overseas, both with the authenticity of organic feed and the fact that far-away imports are environmental anathema.
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Said Warren Taylor, an Ohio creamery operator: “It’s completely antithetical to the founding principles of the organic industry that we’ve allowed the supply chains to go this way…. There is no justifying this.”
Strong words.
If the organics industry did not accept feed from countries where it is not possible to authenticate organic practices, the supply in North America would indeed dwindle, driving up the price of feed here, perhaps high enough that more farmers would make the transition into producing organic feed.
The increased costs could well be passed on to consumers, who are devout in their purchasing patterns, with the affirmation that the entire organic chain is genuine.
Such an initiative might yield a long-term solution to feed shortages and ensure the real thing.
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Bruce Dyck, Barb Glen, Brian MacLeod, D’Arce McMillan and Michael Raine collaborate in the writing of Western Producer editorials. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/organic-feed-imports-glitch-in-production-guarantee/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/505f0b6510f5d68c451839fe565210b1b67630e35fe5f660c5b3d8b8edd3346e.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:05:34 | null | 2016-08-26T13:05:34 | CORRECTION – this article originally contained some incorrect information. U.S. feedlots must be part of the Beef Quality Assurance program developed by the National Cattlemen’s […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fcargill-heeds-consumer-push-for-animal-welfare-assurance%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Cargill heeds consumer push for animal welfare assurance | null | null | www.producer.com | Consumers are demanding high production standards; the cattle industry needs to accept it and have an auditing system to back it up, says Cargill official
CORRECTION – this article originally contained some incorrect information. U.S. feedlots must be part of the Beef Quality Assurance program developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, while Canadians need to be certified under the a new feedlot animal welfare program developed by the National Cattle Feeders Association. The Feedlot Animal Care Assessment tool for auditing animal welfare has certified audit status from the Professional Animal Auditor Certification Organization, Inc. (PAACO).
MANHATTAN, Kan. — Cargill Meat Solutions wants 90 percent of its cattle supply sourced from a certified quality assurance program by 2018.
By 2019, it expects the Canadian beef industry to follow suit.
Mike Siemens of Cargill said more customers are demanding certification to prove cattle receive the highest level of health and welfare care, and packers must exert pressure on suppliers to make sure they comply with public demands that animals are well treated from the farm to the kill floor.
“We cannot hide behind science anymore. We have got to listen to what people are talking about,” he told the International Beef Welfare Symposium held earlier this summer in Manhattan, Kansas.
There are hundreds of branded beef programs in the United States, but some have such high standards that few can comply.
“Consumers want wholesome, inexpensive food, and we sometimes have customers who make promises that are unrealistic,” he said.
U.S. feedlots must be part of the Beef Quality Assurance program developed by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association, while Canadians need to be certified under a new feedlot animal welfare program developed by the National Cattle Feeders Association. The Feedlot Animal Care Assessment tool for auditing animal welfare has certified audit status from the Professional Auditor Certification Organization, Inc. (PAACO).
Cargill also accepts a newly released feedlot animal welfare program developed by the National Cattle Feeders Association.
The company believes the programs are all encompassing, so in time the requirements will also affect backgrounders and ranches. Similar requests have gone to the dairy industry because cattle from that sector often end up as beef.
Alberta Beef Producers chair Bob Lowe said Canada can meet these requirements through the Verified Beef Program and the Canadian Roundtable on Sustainable Beef.
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“Packers have the power to make it happen,” said Lowe, who was heavily involved in McDonald’s sustainable beef pilot project.
He said producers need to be trained and certified through the Verified Beef Program and accept it as a part of doing business.
“In the end, it will make a better product. We have got to compete with pork, chicken and soybeans,” he said.
The latest version of the Verified Beef Program, which was launched June 15, includes training and auditing for enhanced animal care, biosecurity, food safety and environmental stewardship.
“I believe we have to be there as an industry, not just a few producers,” he said in an interview.
Producers may think they are doing everything correctly, but it’s becoming increasingly important to be able to prove it.
“Consumers do want to trust that their food is produced in a sound, humane manner with as little impact on the environment as possible,” he said. “You need the auditing system as a backup.”
Producers need to adopt the program voluntarily rather than be forced to do so in the future.
However, Lowe said it should not be considered a burden.
“We’ve proved with McDonald’s, it can be done,” he said.
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Lowe believes verified sustainable beef will ultimately be a retail label that tells consumers cattle were raised responsibly and sustainably.
More producers are becoming aware of these changes, especially after the controversy over the Earls restaurant chain’s decision to buy only certified humane meat and to buy it from the United States because there was no similar program in Canada.
Cargill processes meat for customers from grocery stores to restaurants and started revising its antibiotic and animal welfare policies in the last year, said Siemens.
Activist groups protesting the treatment of animals had some influence, but more companies have also decided there is a moral obligation to implement higher production standards.
Cargill wants to clamp down on how cull animals are handled because it sees too many arriving at plants with damaged udders and prolapses, fatigued or that can barely walk.
“We want better control and management of these cull cows,” he said.
The company is scheduling meetings with dairy organizations in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ontario and Alberta to educate producers on what it expects. It supports the Canadian Dairy Farmers’ quality assurance program, ProAction.
Transporters must also get on board to prevent injuries, and Cargill would like to see more receive training and certification on the proper handling of livestock.
Siemens cited the Canadian Livestock Transporters training program as a credible, comprehensive certification course that shows drivers the importance of ensuring cattle and pigs arrive at their final destination in good shape. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/cargill-heeds-consumer-push-for-animal-welfare-assurance/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/6e49a1a26aa1d257f963ecfc403e7a607124858f3db59598e0060db4722de2db.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:01:05 | null | 2016-08-26T10:55:43 | A former federal agriculture minister believes the China canola dockage issue won’t be resolved before the Sept. 1 deadline. “I doubt it,” said Gerry Ritz, […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fresolution-thought-doubtful-for-dockage-dispute%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Resolution thought doubtful for dockage dispute | null | null | www.producer.com | A former federal agriculture minister believes the China canola dockage issue won’t be resolved before the Sept. 1 deadline.
“I doubt it,” said Gerry Ritz, who served as agriculture minister for eight years under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture appears to agree with him, according to a recent report on China’s oilseed markets.
“(Canola) imports face uncertainty as the Chinese regulatory authorities are likely to enforce stricter inspection rules in September 2016,” stated the USDA.
Ritz contends the Liberal government is taking the wrong approach to finding a solution to a problem that threatens $2 billion in annual trade with China.
He said Ottawa is focused on finding a scientific rather than a political resolution to the impasse.
China’s General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine is implementing a new policy Sept. 1 that will require canola shipments to contain less than one percent dockage instead of the current 2.5 percent limit.
The Canola Council of Canada says the policy threatens four million tonnes of annual canola seed exports to China, which is 40 percent of Canada’s total export program.
Chinese officials say the policy is being implemented to minimize the chance of blackleg disease entering China and attacking the country’s rapeseed crops.
Ritz said it has nothing to do with blackleg and everything to do with economics and China supporting its rapeseed growers.
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“This is simply to force their crushers in China to use the domestic (rapeseed) supply first. That’s all it is,” he said.
Ritz said crushers prefer to use Canadian canola because it gives them twice as much oil and a better quality meal than rapeseed. Restricting canola imports would force crushers to use more Chinese rapeseed.
The government also has a vested interest in reducing canola imports because it is sitting on a huge stockpile of rapeseed oil that it is eager to sell.
The USDA estimates China sold 2.28 million tonnes of its rapeseed oil reserves through the end of June.
Ritz said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government is mismanaging the issue by sending bureaucrats to China to discuss blackleg concerns when that is a red herring.
“This is not a scientific problem by any stretch. This is a political problem,” he said.
“It’s a political solution that the politicians of today don’t seem to want to tackle.”
He believes the federal agriculture and trade ministers should be meeting with their Chinese counterparts face-to-face rather than sending their bureaucrats overseas.
“You have to be there and you have to look them right in the eyeball and say, ‘folks, this is not good. This does not look good on the world stage. You’re an economic power and you’re nickel and diming here,’ ” said Ritz.
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Agriculture Minister Lawrence MacAulay was unavailable to respond directly to Ritz’s criticisms.
A spokesperson from his office sent an email saying MacAulay and trade minister Chrystia Freeland met in Ottawa with the Chinese ambassador on the issue and have raised it with their counterparts in China on more than one occasion.
Trudeau is travelling to China in advance of the G20 meeting in Hangzhou, China, to strengthen ties with Canada’s second largest single-country trading partner.
The official visit is Aug. 30 to Sept. 6. The G20 is Sept. 4-5. The Prime Minister’s Office was asked if the canola dockage issue will be raised during his visit but did not respond.
The Canola Council of Canada says it would be nearly impossible to meet China’s new dockage requirements. Ritz disagrees. He said it is “absolutely” possible, but it would be time-consuming and costly.
“At the end of the day it sends a chill through the industry right at harvest, which tends to play around with pricing,” he said.
Ritz also believes the China incident highlights the need to further diversify canola seed sales rather than relying on one customer to buy 40 percent of the crop.
“It’s time to start looking at other markets,” he said. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/resolution-thought-doubtful-for-dockage-dispute/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/04d513a1a0c8e0197d72d827e1fe28ffd8a386effc861a98e49680ce4d4f3b05.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Keith Duhaime"
] | 2016-08-29T18:50:11 | null | 2016-08-29T18:09:50 | DRESDEN, Ont. — Southern Ontario’s drought broke in mid-August with widespread rain, but it was too late for the corn crop. “It looks like an […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Fontario-gets-rain-but-damage-done%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Ontario gets rain, but damage done | null | null | www.producer.com | DRESDEN, Ont. — Southern Ontario’s drought broke in mid-August with widespread rain, but it was too late for the corn crop.
“It looks like an average or below average crop for most of the guys. Now we’re seeing disease and pest issues with things like the western bean cutworm and corn smut,” said Moe Agostino, chief commodity strategist with Farms.com Risk Management Inc.
“The beans are looking a bit better. Some are not as mature as they should be. With the rain we’ve just had, they do have more potential, but it’s too late for the corn.”
Agostino, who is leading Farm.com’s 2016 Great Ontario Yield Tour, also visited major growing areas in the United States. He said the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s recent forecast for bumper corn yields of 175 bushels and close to 50 bu. soybeans may be overly optimistic.
“I don’t think the market believes them,” Agostino said.
Low pressure systems have regularly crossed Ontario this summer, but none brought more than scattered showers until Aug. 13-16.
Marcel Roelandt, who farms near Tilbury, said no measurable rain fell from mid-June until Aug.16, when 30 millimetres fell.
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A half hour away, Lloyd Dunlop was more fortunate with a few light showers arriving in a timely fashion. He was pleased with his sweet banana pepper yield and has hopes for a good processing tomato harvest.
Dunlop’s corn has suffered, but the Dresden-area farmer is taking the situation in stride.
“The good Lord looks after us. The more you make the more you spend, so what’s the difference?”
The hit-and-miss scenario has been playing out throughout southern Ontario.
Agostino said some of the corn fields in the Haldimand area are all but a write-off.
It’s the driest year in most of the province since 1988.
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Geoff Coulson, a meteorologist with Environment Canada, said much of the province has received 40 to 50 percent of the long-term average rainfall and some areas even less.
“We have had the fronts going through this summer, but the precipitation coming out of them has been spotty,” he said.
A broad sweep of farmland east of Toronto to Kingston along Lake Ontario’s north shore has been especially dry. There’s also been drought in Haldimand-Norfolk, Niagara, Elgin and south of Georgian Bay and in smaller pockets throughout the province.
Pat Cherneski, manager of Agriculture Canada’s National Agroclimate Information Service, said climate change may be part of the picture.
“I don’t think it’s going out on a limb to say that,” Cherneski said.
“In the last few years, there has been more extreme weather events. The complexity is increasing.… The overall global climate is changing, and there are impacts from that.”
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One crop that did do well in Ontario was winter wheat with many farmers recording yields of more than 100 bu. per acre. In recent years, the average wheat yield in the province has been close to 80 bu. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/ontario-gets-rain-but-damage-done/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/f20a1c8e3d173f343e5775f3404baa8a18d2bfc9a0619ad7c2524e3570152d33.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease",
"Jeff Winter",
"Ruth Maria Braun",
"Gordy Hall",
"Erzsi Runn",
"Ida Scott-Rousell"
] | 2016-08-26T13:05:11 | null | 2016-08-26T12:27:10 | Alberta’s Bill 6 plans to eliminate the farm exemptions on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workers Compensation, Labour Relations and Employment Standards. Legislation in […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2015%2F12%2Fwhat-the-other-provinces-are-doing-about-farm-worker-safety%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | What the other provinces are doing about farm worker safety | null | null | www.producer.com | Alberta’s Bill 6 plans to eliminate the farm exemptions on the Occupational Health and Safety Act, Workers Compensation, Labour Relations and Employment Standards.
Legislation in the other western provinces varies when it comes to coverage and exemptions for farmers and farm workers. Below is a snapshot of what the proposed changes in Alberta look like in the other provinces.
Occupational Health and Safety
British Columbia: Every workplace that employs workers must have a health and safety program, including farms.
However, only employers that have twenty or more employees and have a workplace with a moderate to high risk of injury must develop and maintain an occupational health and safety program. An OHS program in BC must include the employer’s aims and responsibilities with respect to OHS, regular inspection schedules, written directions for employees, maintenance of statistics and records, and a regular review of OHS standards and their implementation.
The regulations include a number of conditions specific to agriculture, including barriers on manure pits, cold storage, animal handling and use of hay balers. There are no exemptions for family farms or differentiations between large and small farming operations.
All WP Bill 6 coverage here.
Saskatchewan: Regulations apply to all workplaces, including farms. The act places responsibility for health and safety on everyone who works at the workplace, including owners, workers, self-employed people, contractors and suppliers.
The level of responsibility for each of these is based on authority and control. An employer has the most responsibility to ensure health and safety standards are met.
Workers are given three basic health and safety rights.:
They have the right to know about the hazards of their job and how to deal with those hazards so they will not cause injury or harm.
They have the right to participate in health and safety education in the workplace.
They have the right to refuse work that they believe is unusually dangerous to themselves or others in the workplace.
A self-employed person, such as a farmer, who does not employ others, has the same responsibility under the act as both an employer and worker combined.
Manitoba: The act governs the relationship between employers and employees with regard to workplace safety and applies to all workplaces, including farms.
Every employer must ensure the safety, health and welfare of all their workers. The act gives direction on how farmers should protect those who work on a farm as well as how workers are required to protect themselves and others.
Workers Compensation
British Columbia: The act applies to all employers and workers who are engaged in paid work, although it does allow for some exemptions.
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Exemptions are not based on industry (there is no exemption for agriculture), but rather duration of employment and if the employment is taking place at a private residence.
Exemptions are if a person works an average of less than eight hours a week and a person is employed for a specific job for a temporary period of less than 24 hours.
All paid workers, and the employers of those workers on all commercial farming operations, regardless of size, are included under WCB legislation. Unpaid workers, such as children and family members performing chores or assisting in seasonal activities, are not included under the legislation.
Saskatchewan: Like Alberta, the WCB manages a compensation system for workplace injuries on behalf of workers and employers. There are exemptions for certain areas, including dairy, demonstrating and exhibiting, feedlots, grazing co-ops, land clearing, fur farms, livestock brokers, mobile farm feed services or portable seed cleaning plants, pig farms, poultry farms, trapping and voluntary workers.
Manitoba: The act applies to all employers and workers in all industries. It does exempt farmers and family members of farmers from WCB regulations. A farm can be owned by a farmer or can be a family farm corporation. Family members can be a spouse or common-law partner, child, parent, sibling and other relative and a person who the farmer considers to be a close relative, whether or not they are related by blood, adoption, marriage or a common-law relationship.
The farming exemption is liberal and far-reaching and exempts close friends from coverage. This allows family members and their neighbours to work together.
Farmers can voluntarily apply for coverage for themselves and their family members.
Labour Standards
British Columbia: A farm worker is anyone employed in farming, ranching, orchards and agricultural operations who grows or raises crops or livestock, clears land, operates farm machinery or other equipment, sells any products from a farm or washes, cleans, sorts, grades or packs a product from a harvest.
Farm workers are covered by most sections of the act except minimum wage, paid wages, deduction of wages and statutory holidays. Farm workers are not entitled to overtime, but a farm work must not work excessive hours detrimental to their health.
Saskatchewan: The legislation outlines the relationship between employer and employee, including application of minimum wages, holidays and maternity leave.
The act does not apply to employees in farming, ranching or market gardening, but it does apply to those in egg hatcheries, greenhouses, nurseries, bush clearing, feedlots, confined feeding operations and commercial hog operations.
Manitoba: Parts of the employment standards code covers farm workers, while others do not. There are different exemptions for paid farm workers with no relationship to the family that owns or operates the farm and for family members being paid to work on the farm.
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Paid, non-family members are not regulated by the standard hours of work requirements, overtime, general holiday and wages for reporting to work requirements.
Non-family workers are regulated by minimum wage requirements, annual vacation and vacation allowance requirements, weekly day of rest requirements, work break requirements, unpaid leave requirements, termination of employment requirements and employment of children requirements.
Paid family members are subject to only one code, which requires that employers may not discriminated between male and female employees by paying one gender more than the other for the same work.
The requirements that are applicable to paid non-family workers are not applicable to paid family workers.
Collective Bargaining
Eight provinces in Canada allow farm workers to unionize and seek collective bargaining, including British Columbia, Manitoba and Quebec. In Ontario, farm workers can associate but not collectively bargain.
Alberta’s previous exclusion for farm workers from the Labour Relations Code is considered to interfere with the Canadian Charter’s rights to associate. Several Supreme Court rulings favour expanding rights to include farm workers.
Children and Farm Work
Alberta: Prior to Bill 6, restrictions on child employment do not apply to most farm and ranch employees. Children younger than 16 must attend school during normal school hours, unless they have a special permit.
British Columbia: Workers must be 15 years old or hold a permit from the employment standards branch to work in any sector, including farm work.
Saskatchewan: Youth workers must be 16 years old to operate powered mobile equipment on a worksite or to work in areas where they may be exposed to dangerous chemicals or biological substances.
There is an exception for family farms so that the immediate family members of the farm owner are able to work on farms with no restrictions to work hours other than workers younger than 16 cannot work during school hours without the permission of the school principal.
Manitoba: Most restrictions on child employment do not apply in the agricultural sector. However, children younger than 16 cannot work during school hours without a permit. Children younger than 15 may not get such a permit. However, children who are family members of farmers are exempt from this section of the code.
SOURCE: Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties’ Environmental Scan of Farm Safety Legislation. | http://www.producer.com/2015/12/what-the-other-provinces-are-doing-about-farm-worker-safety/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/e720464d65e29f73a62d739648b3eebc4d9df22501a0efc79fd35c08811c72aa.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T22:49:22 | null | 2016-08-26T21:42:25 | Canola prices have climbed in recent weeks despite prospects of a big crop on the way. The oilseed has support from soybean oil, which in […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Foil-demand-boosts-canola-price%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Oil demand boosts canola price | null | null | www.producer.com | Canola prices have climbed in recent weeks despite prospects of a big crop on the way.
The oilseed has support from soybean oil, which in turn is being propped up by rising palm oil prices.
In recent weeks, there has been a dramatic rebound in soy oil prices that had been on a steady downward slide since spring.
Canola prices are closely linked to soy oil prices due to the high oil content of canola seed.
David Dzisiak, commercial leader of grains and oils for Dow AgroSciences Canada, said the soy oil rally stems from disappointing 2016 palm oil production.
“The output is falling off and that’s driving a rally in veg oil crops,” he said.
Palm oil prices have been rising due to the lingering effects of El Nino, which brought drought to Indonesia and Malaysia during the second half of 2015 and the beginning of 2016.
An article published in Indonesia Investments said Indonesia’s crude palm oil production is expected to be 31.5 million tonnes in 2016, down from earlier expectations of 36 million tonnes.
The article also states that palm oil demand has been strong due to the resurgence in economic activity in key export markets like China, India, the European Union and the United States, as well as at home in Indonesia.
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Exports have been surging recently. Shipments out of Malaysia during the first half of August were up 31 percent compared to the first half of July.
Benchmark palm oil futures prices as of mid-August were up 21 percent compared to a month ago.
Dzisiak said the rising palm oil prices are offsetting the bearish news of a record U.S. soybean crop on the way.
“There is a surprising amount of bullishness in the market considering the size of some of these crops we’re looking at,” he said.
Canola crush margins have risen after collapsing in the spring, due to better oil prices and a long period of depressed seed prices. ICE Futures Canada reports margins at $130 above the November contract compared to $58 a year ago.
“It has been really rallying the last month or two,” said Dzisiak.
Arlan Suderman, chief commodities economist for INTL FCStone, said soy oil has been underpriced for too long considering the global soybean stocks-to-use ratio is under seven percent.
“That’s the tightest that we’ve been in modern day history.”
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Suderman said the spread between soy meal and soy oil prices had gotten out of whack.
“We kind of had this wake-up call — wow, soy oil is underpriced. And so we had this big reaction,” he said.
In addition to support from palm oil, there was strength from rising crude oil prices because soybean oil is used in biodiesel.
Once the momentum shifted, there was a lot of covering of short positions in a thinly traded market, which fuelled the bull run for the commodity.
Global soy oil supplies are snug and it is an inelastic commodity, so prices could remain firm for a while.
“It’s difficult to ration demand with higher prices in soy oil,” said Suderman.
Meal values have trended down at the same time that oil values have been rising, but he thinks that will be short-lived.
Global meat production is climbing and soy meal is a key component of livestock rations. He estimates the world is going to require an extra 13 million tonnes of soybeans in 2017.
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“That’s just for the pork and poultry. That doesn’t include the other components and uses of soybeans,” he said. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/oil-demand-boosts-canola-price/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/419ef7c844aed2ddb176f4f978b00f5efd1bad6ecaac94718db51eee53dece80.json |
[
"Western Producer",
"Joe Overlease"
] | 2016-08-26T13:04:06 | null | 2016-08-26T12:26:41 | For the 23rd consecutive year, Canadian farm debt has hit a new record. In the West, the debt load is particularly severe, raising questions about […] | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.producer.com%2F2016%2F08%2Frecord-debt-threatens-farming-in-west%2F.json | http://www.producer.com/wp-content/themes/producer/_/img/favicon.ico | en | null | Record debt threatens farming in West | null | null | www.producer.com | For the 23rd consecutive year, Canadian farm debt has hit a new record. In the West, the debt load is particularly severe, raising questions about the future of this vital industry.
Farmers in British Columbia are faring best, with $6 billion in debt. Manitoba and Saskatchewan are middle of the road, with more than $8 billion and $13 billion respectively. Alberta’s farmers, however, carry an eye-popping $20 billion in debt.
In Alberta and Saskatchewan, outstanding farm debt has increased more than $5 billion in the last five years.
The only thing of more concern than those numbers is that no one is talking about them.
I grew up on a farm in southern Alberta. Growing up in a farming community, I learned early on that debt was just part of the game if you want to grow, or even maintain, your operation. But it was only recently that I learned just how much debt western farmers are carrying.
There are several reasons for this, but a few stand out as particularly important. As the debt load of each western province has increased, the number of farmers in each western province has decreased substantially.
In other words, farms are being bought, sold and consolidated into massive farms.
For farming, it is true that debt is often a necessary evil. You need capital to buy the land, animals, and equipment for expanding a farming operation, which increasingly means taking on more debt.
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Debt is often required for operations of all sizes — buying land, replacing equipment, buying feed and making up for years of low prices.
Another factor, perhaps the most important, is the prime interest rate. This rate is established by the Bank of Canada on eight predetermined dates per year.
The prime interest rate will be changed if the Bank of Canada thinks it will help fight inflation in the long term or will help a number of the bank’s short-term goals, such as fighting unemployment.
Therefore, even though farming influences the prime interest rate, it has no greater influence than any other industry in Canada. The prime interest rate can and will rise, regardless of the impact on the farming industry.
In the past 23 years, we have had mercifully low prime interest rates. The payments that farmers make on their operating loans are based on their credit scores and the prime interest rate. As a result, farmers have had lower interest rates than what they would have had in the past, enabling them to go deeper into the red then they would have in the past.
Some debt is necessary. But how much is too much? At what point do we need to decide that we are in way over our heads? Sooner rather than later, we are going to be in serious trouble.
Any farmers who had a farm in the early 1980s will remember the debt crisis.
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In the 1970s, prime interest rates were low. However, as a result of several factors, the prime interest rate skyrocketed in the early 1980s, from 8.5 percent four years earlier to an average of 19.29 per cent by 1981.
While the prime interest rate isn’t expected to make that kind of jump soon, it is bound to change, and with it the interest rate on farmer operating loans.
Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures.
While the staggering amount of debt held by western Canadian farmers is an important part of the story, how farmers are dealing with it is even more important.
The Canada West Foundation is trying to understand that part of the story. We want to hear from people who are at the centre of this story — farmers.
Go to www.cwf.ca/currents, and tell us what you think, or tweet us @CanadaWestFdn.
Sarah Pittman is an intern at the Canada West Foundation, a public policy think-tank focused on the four western provinces. This article was distributed through Troy Media. | http://www.producer.com/2016/08/record-debt-threatens-farming-in-west/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.producer.com/de42b9b27c649f5aaf8da13d5a271ab18647c84d60f69f0bf1f6854d460757f7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:47:34 | null | 2016-08-23T18:20:31 | null | http%3A%2F%2Ffolhademombaca.com.br%2Fhello-world%2F.json | http://folhademombaca.com.br/hello-world/ | en | null | Hello world! - Folha de Mombaça | null | null | folhademombaca.com.br | Welcome to WordPress. This is your first post. Edit or delete it, then start writing! | http://folhademombaca.com.br/hello-world/ | en | 2016-08-23T00:00:00 | folhademombaca.com.br/2fc60406c04b6805349bcaffb0d58edaa220f836c515f413fa7088729f7e27b0.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T16:50:13 | null | 2016-08-29T15:30:39 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fspirit-winds-a-fixture-for-nearly-40-years-up-for-sale%2F.json | http://lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/SW-1.jpg | en | null | Spirit Winds, a fixture for nearly 40 years, up for sale | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | Bulletin photo by Mike Cook
Spirit Winds owner Richard Parra works in the store he has now put up for sale.
By Mike Cook
Las Cruces Bulletin
It would be hard to imagine Las Cruces without Spirit Winds Gift Source and Coffee Bar. It’s been a local icon for more than three decades and a fixture on south Locust Street for more than 20 years.
“People like coming in here,” said owner-operator Richard Parra, a native of Deming. “It’s a comfort zone. I want people to come in here and enjoy the atmosphere,” he said.
Parra has had a Spirit Winds at one of several locations in Mesilla and Las Cruces since 1978. Someone new, though, could end up running the place.
At 62 (as of Sept. 3), Parra’s thinking about retiring, and has put Spirit Winds on the market.
“I’ve got other plans,” he said. “I’m just not disclosing them.”
Genesis
His first studio-gallery, all 800 square feet of it, was located on Valley Drive and had only one door and no windows. But, it gave him enough space to make the jewelry, stained-glass and leather work he was selling in craft shows in the area.
At one of those shows, at Holy Cross Retreat in the late 1970s, Parra was offered the rental of a building on the Mesilla Plaza. His first Sprit Winds was located first where J. Eric Chocolatier is now operating and later moved a short way down the plaza to where the Billy the Kid gift shop is now.
Parra had the store in Mesilla for 13 years, and ran a store in Ruidoso for three years during that time, traveling between the two cities and working seven days a week.
Spirit Winds sells a wide range of gift items, but “it’s always been about jewelry and women’s accessories,” Parra said. “Women are shoppers,” he said, along with some men.
The store also sells clothing, cards, wind chimes, mugs, figurines, clocks, artwork and many other unique gift items that Parra finds during his travels to trade shows on the East and West coasts and points in between.
Then comes coffee
Only after the retail end of his business was well established did Parra decide to add a coffee bar to Spirit Winds, spending about $10,000 on an espresso machine and other $5,500 on a double refrigerator. In addition to coffee that’s delivered daily to Spirit Winds from Picacho Coffee Roasters of Las Cruces, the café also serves a variety of food, including bakery-fresh pastries, soups and salads.
The gift shop and coffee bar are both decorated in a range of bright colors. “I wanted to make it happy,” Parra said. “It’s in your face, but it’s not in your face,” he said. “There’s never any hurry for anyone to leave this place because it’s so visual.”
Multiple talents
Parra, a graduate of Deming High School who took art classes in college off and on for seven years, keeps his hand in the creative end of his business, where he began. “I have a jewelry studio hidden away,” he said, where he still occasionally makes jewelry and sometimes slips a piece he’s made into his inventory without putting his name on it. “Each one is one of a kind. That’s the key for me,” Parra said. “I just go into my studio and escape.”
Parra also has a warehouse where he keeps several motorcycles and cars that he’s restoring, including a 1954 Chevy truck he owned in high school, a1951 Mercury, a 1959 ranch wagon and a 1953 Chevy Belair. “I get away from the reality of retail,” he said. Working on cars is “my cleansing, I guess.” He also takes a month off every year to take a motorcycle trip somewhere in the western United States.
Parra credits the people who work for him with much of his success. “It’s not just me; it’s my staff. They’re spot on. I have to give a lot of credit that they watch my back,” he said. “Spirit Winds is more than just me. I have some incredibly talented people.”
Parra said he has also “been very fortunate that the community has supported us for 30-plus years.”
Spirit Winds, located at 2260 S. Locust St., is open 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, call 521-0222. Follow them on Facebook at Spiritwinds Gift Source and Coffee Bar. | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/spirit-winds-a-fixture-for-nearly-40-years-up-for-sale/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/5059190dce407c35f6739be9573a7a2ca6ec815e9f5d56beea577d3332fbfefc.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:58:37 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Ffarm-ranch-museum-to-celebrate-milestone%2F.json | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/acc632d10328d2bff752fed817cecae5Image_5.jpg | en | null | Farm & Ranch Museum to celebrate milestone | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | Farm & Ranch Museum to celebrate milestone
By MIKE COOK
Las Cruces Bulletin
New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is celebrating several major milestones with its Community Appreciation Day, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road.
Admission to the museum is free to everyone that day.
“With our accreditation achievement and the Heritage Garden opening, we feel like this is a special time at the museum, and we want to share it with the community, said Museum Communications Manager Craig Massey.
“A big part of accreditation is our role in the community, so everyone who loves this place and supports us, whether it’s through visitation or becoming a Friend of the Museum, played a part in that honor,” he said.
“We’re making it a free-admission day to say thank you and remind everyone what the museum has to offer. We have some amazing exhibits on display right now, and we also want to show our demonstrations,” Massey said.
The Heritage Garden is the newest venue at the 47-acre museum, which is also celebrating the 20th anniversary of the construction of its main building, which was named in honor of Bruce King (1924-2009), who served three terms as New Mexico’s governor, 1971-75, 1979-83 and 199195. The garden is located in front of the Bruce King building and includes a sculpture by nationally recognized artist Martha Pettigrew and a wall that Massey said will be used to honor museum supporters. The garden will be available for parties, weddings and other functions.
The museum announced in July that it has received accreditation from the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the highest national recognition available to museums. “Accreditation signifies excellence to the museum community, to governments, funders, outside agencies and to the museum-going public,” said Massey.
One of the highlights of Community Appreciation Day “will be the Parade of Breeds demonstration at 11:30 a.m., where the livestock staff brings examples of each of the museum’s seven different breeds of beef cattle into the shaded round pen to talk about the characteristics and origin of each breed,” Massey said in an Aug. 17 NMFRHM news release.
Activities will also include live demonstrations, including blacksmithing, quilting, wool spinning, sewing, weaving, wood carving and dowsing. Pony rides for children, which cost $5, will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon.
There also will be a plant sale.
NMFRHM, which is part of the New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs, opened in 1998. In addition to its main building, the campus includes three large barns, a greenhouse, roping arena, animal pens, the historic Green Bridge, a theater, indoor and outdoor exhibits, banquet and event rooms, an amphitheater and a gift shop and snack bar.
New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum is celebrating several major milestones with its Community Appreciation Day, which will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 27, at the museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. Admission to the museum is free to everyone that day.
COURTESY PHOTO | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/farm-ranch-museum-to-celebrate-milestone/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/9be83aee70c2a90c918f890f3839b2523deab6db9f0006a0842359cd8ed3a20e.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:59:27 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fcrafts-the-pursuit-of-excellence-and-god%2F.json | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/c7074bf40b4caf4e0afb432fa131a3c6Image_0.jpg | en | null | Crafts, the pursuit of excellence and God | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | Crafts, the pursuit of excellence and God
Many years ago, when I first wrote “Bread for the Wilderness,” a book on baking, my wife said to me, “What you have written in the chapter about the spiritual aspect of bread baking could be easily applied to any craft. It’s more or less universal.”
I realized the truth of her statement, and in fact had already thought about the similarity between baking and calligraphy and, really, everything else. Calligraphy is exacting. There are standards to an alphabet on one hand, but there is freedom of expression on the other.
Recently I’ve been visiting the web site for Ieuan Rees, a true master of the art in both paper and stone. Ieuan lives and works in Wales. I attended a deeply inspirational workshop with Rees many years ago and I have never forgotten his spiritual energy, expressed so magnificently in his calligraphic forms.
In Rees’s work one sees both the exacting standards of a particular alphabetic form, but at the same time his creative powers of expression.
His heart is there, visible to the beholder in and through the forms.
One of my favorite writers and artists was David Jones, an Anglo- Welsh poet who did a series of what he called “inscriptions” in his latter years. Once, when a friend was visiting and asked about a particular piece he was working on, and noted the incredible concentration and thoughtfulness he brought to the work, Jones said something to the effect of, “I have to set this aside for now. Perhaps by Saturday I will be able to complete the E.”
Here is the heart of the matter expressed in a simple sentence.
Here is Jones, unaffectedly speaking to a friend, somewhat distracted, and yet pursuing excellence insofar as he was able.
When you are deeply involved in any craft, you lose time and place in the pursuit of that which is excellent by the standards of the craft. You lose yourself in the best way possible: into that which you love.
The pursuit of excellence is both a universally spiritual experience and also a deeply Christian vocation. Early Christian writers and teachers emphasize that we are called to do all things well to the greater glory of God.
What could be more evident than that, if we love both God and neighbor, we must be prepared to give our best?
For those who do not frame matters in this sort of language, there remains the pursuit of excellence in whatever one does. Any increase of beauty in the world deepens our awareness of that which is beyond us, nameless or not, even as does an increase of truth or goodness.
So if you are a plumber, pursue your craft toward excellence. There is beauty in a wellfunctioning plumbing system, as any of us who have known plumbing problems would testify. If you are an electrician know that people are counting on you grounding the system in order to render it safe. They will praise your competence as you pursue excellence in that craft. If you are a musician or a writer or a waiter… You get the point.
When I would introduce the art of leading worship to students in my past teaching life in Chicago, I would advise them to go to a good restaurant and observe the behavior of the waiters. There is an art to waiting tables; the best waiters strive to be on one hand invisible and on the other completely at your service.
Just like God. And there you have my connection between the Holy and the excellent for this week.
Fr. Gabriel Rochelle is pastor of St Anthony of the Desert Orthodox Mission, Las Cruces. Visit the church web site at http://stanthonylc. org
GABRIEL ROCHE
Tales from the Cassock | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/crafts-the-pursuit-of-excellence-and-god/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/3102e84e8b7b79d3263658fa8f0101d0557442245c7ef364424191ffd5893f50.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T22:50:21 | null | 2016-08-29T22:54:17 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fborderplex-alliance-tabs-secretary-jon-barela-as-new-ceo%2F.json | http://lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/barela.jpg | en | null | Borderplex Alliance tabs Secretary Jon Barela as new CEO | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | New Mexico Economic Development Secretary Jon Barela – a graduate of Las Cruces High School – has been named CEO of the Borderplex Alliance, a nonprofit organization that promotes business growth and expansion along the border.
Effective Oct. 1, Barbara Brazil, deputy cabinet secretary, will serve as acting cabinet secretary.
“Jon has been critical in helping us diversify our economy, and now, in his new position, he will be able to continue building on our record of success along the border,” Governor Susana Martinez said.
“During his tenure as secretary for the New Mexico Economic Development Department, the New Mexican economy and business environment has improved tremendously, from a significant drop in the state’s unemployment rate to a jump in private-sector job creation. Jon is someone who knows what it takes to create jobs and attract businesses to the region,” said Tom Hutchinson, Owner of La Posta de Mesilla.
In recent months, Martinez and Barela have announced nearly 2,500 new jobs in communities across New Mexico in a broad and diverse spectrum of industries, including high-tech and traditional manufacturing, healthcare, information technology, insurance, and finance. Some are homegrown New Mexico companies; others are national leaders in their industries. Recently, the Albuquerque metro area experienced its best year-over-year job growth since 2007, and home sales in the metro through the first half of 2016 have already outpaced all of last year.
“As I return to the private sector, my work to diversify New Mexico’s economy and build on the Governor’s bold reforms is far from done,” Barela said. “I’m grateful for the Governor’s support and friendship over the past six years, and I am excited to continue building on the progress we’ve made in building up a key corridor for trade between the U.S., Mexico, and the rest of the world.” | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/borderplex-alliance-tabs-secretary-jon-barela-as-new-ceo/ | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/4ba9c4cee138f7fd8cfdad307f4c2d1d0d8cfdae0fe8da5ea47bda78f01c5c2a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:48:59 | null | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fnew-state-veterinarian-brings-broad-animal-experience%2F.json | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/2b13aaea220c0b68125eb459a68c631aImage_0.jpg | en | null | New state veterinarian brings broad animal experience | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | New state veterinarian brings broad animal experience
BULLETIN REPORT
After a six-month, nationwide search, a new state veterinarian has been named for New Mexico. Ralph Zimmerman, DVM, will lead the Office of the State Veterinarian after seven years as head veterinarian at the Albuquerque Biopark Zoo.
The Office of the State Veterinarian resides within the New Mexico Livestock Board. Zimmerman and his staff of field veterinarians will work with the Livestock Board and various other government and private-sector partners to ensure New Mexico remains free of diseases affecting livestock. The office is critical in responding to and ending outbreaks such as the equine herpesvirus outbreak that occurred at a southern New Mexico racetrack earlier this year.
“In addition to his scientific background and expertise in both regulatory medicine and private practice, Dr. Zimmerman brings extensive experience in personnel management and public relations to this key position in the State of New Mexico,” said Bill Bunce, executive director of the New Mexico Livestock Board. “We all look forward to working cohesively on the myriad state, domestic, and international issues that impact our livestock industry.”
Throughout his career, Zimmerman has worked with animals both small and large, including dairy and beef cattle, horses, goats and more. He graduated at the top of his class at Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine in the Federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis in the West Indies. He first moved to New Mexico in 1987.
Zimmerman’s first day as state veterinarian will be Monday, Aug. 15. He said his goal is to have open, honest communication with the state’s livestock producers.
“My job is to protect and promote the New Mexico livestock industry, and I intend to meet with the different producer groups to get a feel for what their needs are, and how the New Mexico Livestock Board and the State Veterinarian can better meet them,” Zimmerman said. “We may not always agree, but an open dialogue, with all treated evenly and respectfully, will better serve the industry’s needs.”
New Mexico’s livestock sector is the top contributor to the state’s agricultural economy. The sale of New Mexico-produced, unprocessed livestock products (including meat animals, milk, wool, mohair and honey) amounted to nearly $3 billion in 2014, the most recent year for which such data are available from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That figure becomes larger when some of these items are processed into high-value products, such as when milk is turned into cheese and when wool is spun into yarn.
ZIMMERMAN | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/new-state-veterinarian-brings-broad-animal-experience/ | en | 2016-08-02T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/19b59dbca8bc120e7929c8668c0de2e9eb284b7d31fa1763352e525543c6b37b.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:58:12 | null | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fcheck-beneath-soil-to-see-if-you-have-grub-worms%2F.json | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/b2dfaad0428e32d34143383878b0bab8Image_1.jpg | en | null | Check beneath soil to see if you have grub worms | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | Check beneath soil to see if you have grub worms
If you have tried more water, different or more fertilizer, iron or soil acidifiers, but still can’t get your tree or shrub to look healthy, it might be grub worms. They are the larvae of the May and June beetles, which are the large brown beetles that hovered around your yard right before sunset. You probably have inadvertently played tennis with them or they may have buzzed around your hair this past spring. Very pesky varmints! If these pests were present in your yard a few months ago, you probably have grub worms feasting on your lawn, tree and shrub roots right now.
They will show up on your lawn as brown patches that can be lifted up like a piece of carpet. They can weaken or stress new-planted trees or shrubs by chewing up newly formed roots. They can be the size of your pinkie and they can wreak havoc in your landscape.
Fortunately there are some beneficial nematodes that are a natural and organic way to control grub worms. Although they might be a bit tricky to apply, this is a great way to be rid of these critters, especially if you have pets and/or children in the garden. The upside to this method is of course it is organic and will also kill a variety of other harmful soil creatures without hurting earth worms. The downside is that it is more expensive and covers a smaller area, and may take a bit longer to work.
Of course there are granular and liquid forms of grub control. They are relatively safe to use but do not fall under the “organic” line of pesticides. Both list that it is safe to reenter treated areas after the insecticide has thoroughly dried. The upside is this method works immediately, with the exception of the largest of the grub worms, and covers larger areas for the money spent. The downside is that it may harm earthworms as well as other beneficial organisms. As always please read and follow all of the directions on the label of any products you use.
So if you can’t figure out why your plants are not thriving, dig deeper into the soil. There is no mistaking these unsightly creatures. They have an offwhite body with a dark brown head. Skunks and birds love to feast on these. By the way, getting rid of these grubs may also get rid of your skunks, if you have them, of course.
Gary Guzman is the owner of Color Your World LLC, Guzman’s Greenhouse LLC nurseries and is a native Las Crucen with more than 30 years in the horticultural field.
GOOGLE IMAGE
GARY GUZMAN
Gardening Guru | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/check-beneath-soil-to-see-if-you-have-grub-worms/ | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/f35d345c7611325e13c178fdafc6a00253f3e4a3d84937163d4824723384846f.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T12:57:49 | null | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.lascrucesbulletin.com%2Fsite%2Fdillards-gets-makeover%2F.json | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2016/08/573d5604c3e63aeea56fd310c081c170Image_0.jpg | en | null | Dillard’s gets makeover | null | null | www.lascrucesbulletin.com | Dillard’s gets makeover
Party marks completion of Phase 1 renovations
By ALTA LeCOMPTE
Las Cruces Bulletin
On Aug. 19, Dillard’s threw a party to celebrate the first in a series of remodeling projects and the introduction of new products that appeal to millenials.
“We’re always looking for a reason to celebrate,” said Las Cruces store manager John Bittrick. He promises another celebration in September when the store completes Phase 2, introducing new jewelry and watches. Phase 3 will be all about bags and accessories.
The party marking the completion of Phase 1 focused on the newly configured cosmetics department and its new products.
Customers found the traditional favorites such as Clinique and Este Lauder in new locations and also got acquainted with a brand that’s new to Dillard’s — MAC.
MAC for looks
“We used to get calls nearly every day asking if we have MAC,” Bittrick said. “We can now say yes to them and invite them into our store.”
He said the MAC line appeals to younger shoppers for many reasons, not the least of which is social responsibility. MAC is known for its recycling program and its AIDS charity, the largest dedicated to helping patients, he said.
SEE DILLARD’S, PAGE 40
Fragrances are seen on display at Dillard’s.
DILLARD’S
CONTINUED FROM 38
“New Mexico State University students want to stop going to El Paso for MAC cosmetics,” he said. “Now they can go to the Mesilla Valley Mall.”
Where have all the young girls gone?
Dillard’s is one of the nation’s largest apparel, cosmetics and home furnishings retailers with annual sales exceeding $6.5 billion.
The search for a younger clientele began 15 years ago when Dillard’s conducted comprehensive research and learned it was viewed by shoppers as a store for “little old ladies,” Bittrick said.
Dillard’s began featuring its contemporary line of attire for college students and young professionals.
The contemporary department at the local store — The Edge — will expand during the makeover and add brands the management team believes will become increasingly popular with style-conscious Since 1976 millenials.
The current metamorphosis of the Las Cruces store began in April after the store came under the aegis of the Phoenix region, Bittrick said.
“Our new regional manager stepped into the door and said, ‘You don’t have a MAC counter?’” Bittrick said. “You have a college market with NMSU in your back yard.”
The Las Cruces store reaches out to the college market in a variety of ways, including providing items for charity auctions, supporting the Shop for a Cure Tough Enough to Wear Pink luncheon and giving presentations for retail merchandising students.
Next stop, jewelry
Phase 2 of the reinvention of Dillard’s at MVM will be the creation of a new space for jewelry and watches. The space currently is under construction behind a closed curtain.
“It will be open-concept, which puts greater focus on the merchandise rather than the fixtures,” Bittrick said.
With the new look will come new product lines, including watches by New York designer Kate Spade.
JOHN BITTRICK Dillard’s store manager
“It’s a funky, contemporary look geared toward younger females, with lots of polka dots and lots of color,” Bittrick said.
Also new will be Diesel watches for men.
How charming
“But the piece de resistance for jewelry — we will be the sole provider for James Avery jewelry in southern New Mexico,” Bittrick said. “It’s hand designed, hand crafted, hand sold top-quality silver. They’re exclusive to Dillard’s. You will not be able to find them at Nordstrom.”
The James Avery gallery of charms, bracelets, wedding bands and necklaces will be displayed on eight fixtures.
“They include significant pieces, and also simple crosses; 40 percent of their business is charms,” Bittrick said.
By next spring, 200 Dillard’s stores will carry the line.
The Dillard’s way
Phase 3 of the remodeling will create a series of mini-boutiques, each displaying a sought-after brand of handbags, Bittrick said. He said the departments will continue to operate throughout the remodeling. When construction is completed, all readyto- wear will be connected and will ring the perimeter of the store, uninterrupted by unrelated departments such as children’s and cosmetics.
Bittrick said Dillard’s is the highest-paying store in MVM.
“That comes with expectations,” he said, noting that, in addition to formal training, associates receive ongoing coaching.
“I’m a big proponent of one-on-one coaching in the moment,” he said.
“Our goal is to provide the best customer care anywhere. From the customer service standpoint, we corner the market.” Alta LeCompte can be reached at lecompte.alta@gmail.com or 575-343-7478.
‘Our goal is to provide the best customer care anywhere. From the customer service standpoint, we corner the market.’ | http://www.lascrucesbulletin.com/site/dillards-gets-makeover/ | en | 2016-08-05T00:00:00 | www.lascrucesbulletin.com/c99c6575878e582629a7f3570cf3056c25e21af0c85890356fe0b7067ef503ef.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:13:32 | null | null | null | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.interior-news.com%2Fs%3Faction%3DdoLogin%26f%3Dy.json | http://www.interior-news.com/s?action=doLogin&f=y | pl | null | Clickability | null | null | www.interior-news.com | null | http://www.interior-news.com/s?action=doLogin&f=y | en | 2016-08-01T00:00:00 | www.interior-news.com/1e4fe201308f4384875fd83a4744ab7bf1d006fccda00b7a8d0d5d10fcd27cf2.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T14:51:13 | null | 2016-08-29T14:43:12 | A couple in Halland had been banned by the county council from owning cats. But when animal protection officers paid them a visit they found around 100 felines. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160829%2Fswedes-banned-from-owning-animals-kept-100-cats.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/c573916f8c7b399d48f70bf31751a10929bc40786d1b937b379f0c3c60f7bfb5.jpg | en | null | Swedish couple banned from owning animals kept 100 cats | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Not the cats mentioned in the article. Photo: Drago Prvulovic/TT
The Local · 29 Aug 2016, 14:43
Published: 29 Aug 2016 14:43 GMT+02:00
A couple in Halland had been banned by the county council from owning cats. But when animal protection officers paid them a visit they found around 100 felines.
The couple, in Laholm municipality in southern Sweden, first became the subject of an investigation in 2009 following anonymous complaints. Halland county council then ruled they could not own more than nine adult cats, which was this summer extended to an overall ban after one of the cats had to be put down.
But when animal protection officers visited two properties owned by the couple earlier this month they found that the ban had again been broken, by quite some margin.
"They found around 100 cats at the addresses," Sara Olsson told regional newspaper Hallandsposten. "The county council has never taken care of this many cats before."
Most of the felines, which she said were strays that had been adopted by the couple from the street, have now been taken into custody by animal protection officials.
"Their intent is good, but it's sad to see how they just let them reproduce. Nine cats, which you are allowed to have without permission from the county administrative board, would have been manageable, but 100 is an incredible number. To look after so many cats you would need several people working full time."
Ten cats ran off when the officers visited the property, but the 90 taken into custody are to be examined by a veterinarian to assess their health and decide what happens next.
"When we have done checks before quite a few cats have been perceived as feral, and afraid of people. It's therefore important to examine their mental health as well," said Olsson.
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"Once the veterinarian has carried out an assessment we will decide what will happen to the cats. If they are wild or sick, they will probably be put down. But if they are healthy and manageable, they will be placed in another home," she added.
Last December, two Swedish women, also from Laholm, were banned from owning animals after authorities found they had treated their cats like human babies – keeping them strapped to highchairs and with one of them breastfeeding her pet. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160829/swedes-banned-from-owning-animals-kept-100-cats | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/cb72937497b1f653eff8d165fc12d91074588f1e482002a9e277ff54513479b8.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T12:51:49 | null | 2016-08-30T14:17:03 | A court in western Sweden has sentenced a 28-year-old asylum seeker to six years in jail for starting a fire at the asylum centre where he lived. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fman-jailed-six-years-asylum-home-westsura.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/c488370f499f7067c2e9c0c36ebb89b7709366aa6954e0fc592cc8b4328c0b25.jpg | en | null | Man jailed for six years for asylum home arson | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The district court in Västmanland. Photo: Pontus Lundahl/TT
The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 14:17
Published: 30 Aug 2016 14:17 GMT+02:00
A court in western Sweden has sentenced a 28-year-old asylum seeker to six years in jail for starting a fire at the asylum centre where he lived.
Västmanland District Court found the Syrian man guilty on Tuesday of aggravated arson and ordered his deportation after he serves his time in prison.
The man’s roommate testified against him, saying he set fire to newspapers and a curtain after returning to the room on July 7th in a fit of anger.
The fire gutted the wooden wing where the men shared a room on the Westsura estate, a 17th century stately home near Surahammar that has housed asylum seekers since 2011.
The arsonist, who said in police questioning that he had wanted to commit suicide, suffered minor injuries in the fire. None of the other residents were harmed.
He told police he was tired of waiting to hear when he could leave the home, where he felt disliked by the other residents.
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The court noted that an assessment would be made after the man was released from jail as to whether he could be deported to Syria.
It is not yet known if he will appeal the ruling. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/man-jailed-six-years-asylum-home-westsura | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/79a8bec5665401dbadbf707b6a5fd3e5662768fa4b0645d5aed4a0e23b464d9d.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:51:54 | null | 2016-08-30T16:13:24 | Nobody knows quite what to expect when Pope Francis visits secular Sweden this autumn. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fswedish-police-brace-for-unpredictable-pope-francis.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/333475f3fd8967549c09d5080bf1087aa8604be1851d110e6c3b356bca4ffb1c.jpg | en | null | Swedish police brace for 'unpredictable' pope | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Sweden's Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine meeting Pope Francis in the Vatican last year. Photo: Henrik Montgomery/TT
The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 16:13
Published: 30 Aug 2016 16:13 GMT+02:00
Nobody knows quite what to expect when Pope Francis visits secular Sweden this autumn.
Pope Francis will visit Sweden – a bastion of the Lutheran Church when they're not busy not being particularly religious at all – on October 31st to mark this year's 500th anniversary of the start of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It's the first time a pope visits Sweden in 27 years.
He and his bodyguards are scheduled to land at Malmö Airport, after which the Argentinian pontiff will be taking part in a service at Lund Cathedral, followed by an event at Malmö Arena.
After spending the night at an undisclosed location in southern Sweden he will on November 1st lead a mass for the Nordic Catholic Church at an as yet undecided location in the Malmö area.
Swedish police have spent the past six months preparing for the rare papal visit and officers from across the country have been called in to bulk out the southern regional workforce.
"We expect a lot of people, but all parties involved find it difficult to state how many spectators to expect, precisely because we don't have any recent experiences of visits to the Nordics," Mats Karlsson, who is in charge of the police operation during the visit, told the TT newswire.
His team is preparing for a number of different scenarios, including Pope Francis wanting to make unscheduled stops along his police escort route from Lund to Malmö.
"As far as we've understood he is a bit unpredictable," said Karlsson, but added that the uncertainty could also work to their advantage. "It makes it more difficult for a perpetrator, because nobody knows where he will want to stop the car and get out," he told TT.
"We make risk analyses, we go through the locations and what their vulnerabilities are, possible threats, the whole spectrum. And we're working on reducing those risks that can be reduced."
The last time Sweden got a papal visit was when John Paul II held a mass for 16,000 people in Stockholm's Globe Arena in 1989. He also paid a visit to the tomb of Saint Bridget, Sweden's first saint.
The trip comes ahead of the 500th anniversary of the reformation, which began when Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses in Latin to the door of All Saints' Church in Wittenberg, Germany, to protest the Church's abuses.
Sweden, which seceded from the Catholic Church in the 16th century, enjoys a strong Lutheran heritage despite being one of the most secularized countries in the world.
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The Swedish Church (Svenska Kyrkan) has around 6.2 million members in a country just shy of 10 million people, but the numbers have been dwindling in recent years. Before 1996, children whose parents were members of the Swedish Church were automatically enrolled at birth.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Church is growing, with 113,000 members in 2016 compared to 87,000 at the start of the millennium.
But according to Statistics Sweden, just five percent of Swedes are regular church goers. One in three couples that get married in Sweden choose a civil ceremony.
Almost eight out of ten Swedes described themselves as either "not religious" or "convinced atheists", according to a major global 2015 study that concluded the Nordic nation is the least religious in the West. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/swedish-police-brace-for-unpredictable-pope-francis | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/e106bcd296cbdcdc7f751956029c086967eac4e83d7621d356d4db9763366a05.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:08:04 | null | 2016-08-25T06:09:48 | UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday pushed for a further inquiry of the mysterious 1961
plane crash that killed ex-UN chief Dag Hammarskjöld, saying documents from South Africa may help shed light. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fwas-there-really-a-secret-plot-to-kill-swedish-ex-un-chief.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/317d7e2ff52c47f6a1b150f946f75f74d852195f3d1a830ea2aebe36021054f3.jpg | en | null | Was there a secret plot to kill Swedish ex-UN chief? | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Dag Hammarskjöld, the UN's Secretary General, pictured months before his death in 1961. Photo: TT
AFP · 25 Aug 2016, 06:09
Published: 25 Aug 2016 06:09 GMT+02:00
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Wednesday pushed for a further inquiry of the mysterious 1961 plane crash that killed ex-UN chief Dag Hammarskjöld, saying documents from South Africa may help shed light.
The former secretary-general died when his plane crashed on September 17th or 18th 1961, near Ndola in Northern Rhodesia, now known as Zambia.
The cause of the crash has never been established.
Ban proposed appointing an eminent person to review documents and "communications" from various individuals before re-opening the inquiry.
Of particular interest is whether South Africa will be able to recover the original documents detailing a purported plot to kill Hammarskjöld code-named Operation Celeste.
The alleged plot came to light in 1998 when South Africa's truth and reconciliation commission received a file on the clandestine operation that may have involved a maritime research institute acting as a front for
mercenaries.
A panel appointed by Ban last year was unable to conclude whether the "Operation Celeste" documents were authentic because it examined "poor quality copies", Ban said in a report to the General Assembly.
That inquiry however said that there was enough information to pursue leads on whether the plane was shot down or the target of "other interference as a hypothesis of the possible cause of the crash."
Ban said that if South Africa can provide the original documents, it may be possible to conduct forensic tests to determine whether they are fake.
"Whether the documents are authentic or not would allow the hypothesis relating to 'Operation Celeste' to be either supported or dispelled, either of which would be a contribution to the historical record," Ban added.
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In a letter included in Ban's report, South Africa offered its full support for the investigation and said it had ordered a search of documents and records concerning Hammarskjöld's death.
The eminent person tasked with reviewing the documents "would be in a position to determine the scope that any further inquiry or investigation should take," said Ban.
The UN General Assembly in December 2014 adopted a resolution that called for a full investigation to finally shed light on the Swedish diplomat's death. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/was-there-really-a-secret-plot-to-kill-swedish-ex-un-chief | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/0ed7fad6ab3ab0108fcbd505b1f8e5d545a24478275bdad67bfa3476d2508204.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:33 | null | 2016-08-25T14:10:52 | US Vice President Joe Biden praised Sweden for punching way above its weight in the global refugee crisis. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fjoe-biden-sweden-punches-way-above-its-weight.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/74c7e1c2ed216ee388b4b45f665bc2126a37a13be646e67fc09872f01e043fc7.jpg | en | null | Joe Biden: 'Sweden has shown great leadership' | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Joe Biden, left, and Stefan Löfven. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT
The Local · 25 Aug 2016, 14:10
Published: 25 Aug 2016 14:10 GMT+02:00
US Vice President Joe Biden praised Sweden for "punching way above its weight" in the global refugee crisis.
President Obama's right-hand man made the comments at a joint press conference with Prime Minister Stefan Löfven, the head of the Social Democrat-Green government, in Stockholm on Thursday.
"Sweden has shown great leadership – you have shown great leadership Mr Prime Minister – and great compassion in providing humanitarian aid and assistance to millions of refugees fleeing violence in Syria and Iraq and for that matter Afghanistan," said Biden.
Despite accidentally referring to Löfven as both 'President' and 'Vice President' during the press conference, Biden highlighted the good relations between Sweden and the US.
He went on to praise the Nordic country for taking in a record 163,000 asylum seekers during last year's refugee crisis, the highest number per capita in any European country.
"We know that it is not easy, but it is a reflection of the generosity and the commitment of your people. It is difficult but it is admired," said Biden, urging other countries to also "step up".
A temporary no-fly zone was in place in Stockholm on Thursday and a number of roads and bus routes closed for the duration of the US Vice President's visit.
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He landed at Arlanda Airport in the early hours of Thursday, where he was met by Foreign Minister Margot Wallström, US Ambassador Azita Raji and Sweden's Ambassador to the United States Björn Lyrvall.
Biden was in Sweden to discuss bilateral and international issues, with a key point on the agenda being "global responsibility for migration and refugees", ahead of a global migration summit in New York in September of which Sweden is one of the joint organizers. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/joe-biden-sweden-punches-way-above-its-weight | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/530217fd297c6b0f2f9c416cbb33819f1df078fbd653dd3cac0e4240e60a6c71.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T14:51:55 | null | 2016-08-30T16:03:14 | A team led by a professor at Linköping University has identified a key enzyme linked to alcoholism – a breakthrough that could pave the way for landmark new medical treatments. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fcould-this-swedish-breakthrough-help-cure-alcoholism.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/4d23611722c8e264529a0e57565950fda3e57d89b9c3fb5c4bc54d86e8011730.jpg | en | null | Could this Swedish finding help cure alcoholism? | null | null | www.thelocal.se | What causes alcohol dependency? Photo: Fredrik Sandberg/TT
The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 16:03
Published: 30 Aug 2016 16:03 GMT+02:00
A team led by a professor at Linköping University has identified a key enzyme linked to alcoholism – a breakthrough that could pave the way for landmark new medical treatments.
The discovery that the enzyme PRDM2 is switched off in the frontal lobe nerve cells of people who become dependent on alcohol was made by Professor Markus Heilig’s Linköping team alongside researchers from Miami University.
This is the first time that scientists have managed to pinpoint the biological mechanisms underpinning impaired impulse control in alcoholics.
“We’ve worked hard for this. The enzyme, PRDM2, has previously been studied in cancer research, but we didn’t know that it has a function in the brain,” said Heilig, professor of psychiatry and head of the Center for Social and Affective Neuroscience (CSAN) at Linköping University.
The enzyme deficiency affecting alcoholics explains why they find it so much more difficult to walk past a pub in the middle of a hot weekday, the researchers said by way of example. A person with full impulse control can quite easily resist the urge and go back to work.
“PRDM2 controls the expression of several genes that are necessary for effective signalling between nerve cells. When too little enzyme is produced, no effective signals are sent from the cells that are supposed to stop the impulse,” said Heilig.
During several years of research the Linköping team found that “alcohol dependence in rats leads to a down-regulation of PRDM2 production, which in turn leads to disruption of impulse control. This is why the laboratory animals continue to consume alcohol, even when it is unpleasant. If they are subjected to stress, they also quickly relapse into drinking alcohol”.
To check this finding the researchers then cut off the production of the enzyme in rats that were not dependent, before observing the same lack of impulse control.
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“Now that we’re beginning to understand what’s happening, we hope we’ll also be able to intervene. Over the long term, we want to contribute to developing effective medicines, but over the short term the important thing, perhaps, is to do away with the stigmatization of alcoholism,” said Heilig.
The findings of the Linköping and Miami teams are published in Molecular Psychiatry, the world’s top-ranked psychiatry journal. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/could-this-swedish-breakthrough-help-cure-alcoholism | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/64a8bee817c8b46f8cc01a17eb43c54d04d199b3e46b32c94efded4d7bef39f6.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:39 | null | 2016-08-26T09:43:24 | Police suspect human remains found in a well on an abandoned farm in rural Sweden belonged to a man who was murdered. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160826%2Fhuman-skeleton-found-on-abandoned-farm-sweden.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/af6c8aaa819dd0fb9139bad54179a4000321c56d846e215396d73ed78fa6f2fa.jpg | en | null | Human skeleton found on abandoned farm in Sweden | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Police at the farm in Hörby. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
The Local · 26 Aug 2016, 10:12
Published: 26 Aug 2016 09:43 GMT+02:00
Updated: 26 Aug 2016 10:12 GMT+02:00
Police suspect human remains found in a well on an abandoned farm in rural Sweden belonged to a man who was murdered.
The grim discovery happened on Monday when a worker was sent out to the farm in Hörby, southern Sweden, to drain sludge from a well and instead found a plastic bag full of bones.
“It was about 160 centimetres tall and had the shape of a human. I would like to think it's an animal but unfortunately it probably isn't. It looks too much like a body,” the worker, Peter Åhlin, told the Aftonbladet tabloid at the time.
Police confirmed his suspicions on Friday. “The coroner has confirmed that the skeletal parts come from a human, probably a man,” they said in a statement published online.
The farm had been abandoned since 2011 when the previous owner moved out.
A Malmö-based couple bought it in November 2014 and eventually started to clear scrap and waste from the yard, including from the well where the bones were found.
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Police are now going through records of people who have gone missing in the area.
“One of our priorities is to establish the identity [of the person]. At the moment we don't know when the murder took place,” police investigator Peter Hansson told the regional tabloid Kvällsposten. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160826/human-skeleton-found-on-abandoned-farm-sweden | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/898d9f2c973ab6a805c92f3807b5fb4d43b9c505d202c6e5a1be42acd1d96c95.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:07:22 | null | 2016-08-25T10:00:14 | With Sweden tumbling in international rankings, a generation of wrong-headed academics should apologize for undermining the role of teachers in the 1990s, says pedagogy professor Jonas Linderoth. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fsweden-teachers-apologize-professor-jonas-linderoth.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/cae91b0cc17c84da27c94d6868747ee361a7597812e2cd51049f48245c34c6c9.jpg | en | null | We harmed Sweden's teachers and should apologize: prof | null | null | www.thelocal.se | A tired pupil at a school in Stockholm. Photo: Jessica Gow/TT
The Local · 25 Aug 2016, 10:00
Published: 25 Aug 2016 10:00 GMT+02:00
With Sweden tumbling in international rankings, a generation of wrong-headed academics should apologize for undermining the role of teachers in the 1990s, says pedagogy professor Jonas Linderoth.
An aspect often overlooked when analyzing Sweden’s precipitous fall in the annual Pisa rankings is the active role taken by researchers two decades ago in demonizing traditional teaching methods, Linderoth writes in newspaper Dagens Nyheter.
“The age-old form of instruction, in which someone who knows something explains it to someone who doesn’t, came to be associated with abuse of power and blind discipline,” says the Gothenburg University professor.
“Instead, a good teacher was supposed to support a pupil’s independent learning, classwork was to take the pupil’s natural motivation as its starting point, the boundaries between different subjects were to be dissolved, and the physical environment in a school was to be designed more to support a pupil’s own work than a teacher’s instruction.”
As a result, he writes, the teacher’s traditional role was gradually dismantled, all under the watchful eyes of researchers, teacher trainers, civil servants, trade unions, and politicians.
But recent research has suggested that the ideas greeted with such enthusiasm back then “stand in almost direct contradiction to what constitutes successful teaching methods”.
Linderoth now believes that the innovators from the 1990s who ushered in such sweeping changes – including himself – should publicly apologize for the damage they have done.
An apology could help heal the deep fractures that emerged between more old-school teachers and a teacher-training regime that turned their world upside down.
“It could rehabilitate teachers who managed to resist teaching trends that accentuate a teacher’s role as guide. It would allow teachers to once again view their own professional identity with pride in a historical perspective,” he writes.
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As a new school year starts the country is now grappling with the dual problem of qualified teachers leaving their jobs and empty spaces appearing in teacher-training colleges.
“The situation is very worrying. Within a few years Swedish schools will lack thousands of qualified teachers,” says Linderoth. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/sweden-teachers-apologize-professor-jonas-linderoth | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/31d98a8a16abf75e97b5c22278b708989c0ff0e3a1dc121f070595a624ddffd8.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:51:46 | null | 2016-08-30T11:39:34 | Swedes are most likely to suffer heart attacks on Mondays and at Christmas, new research suggests. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fswedish-hearts-fail-on-mondays-and-at-christmas.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/e43b19f4146dd1d51ebb449bb9bd6f581ba04541731568ec8cb997f80fa0d246.jpg | en | null | Swedish hearts fail on Mondays and at Christmas | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Tell me why I don't like Mondays. Photo: Marcus Lindblad/SvD/TT
TT/The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 11:39
Published: 30 Aug 2016 11:39 GMT+02:00
Swedes are most likely to suffer heart attacks on Mondays and at Christmas, new research suggests.
A Swedish research group that examined data on 150,000 domestic heart attacks noted that the coronary risk was 11 percent higher than normal on Mondays.
While this was in line with long-standing international findings, statistics for July set Sweden apart. The heart-attack risk dipped by eight percent, suggesting that Swedes’ tendency to take all of July off work might not be a bad idea.
“The fact that fewer people get sick in July has not previously been seen in other countries. Perhaps Swedes alone link the summer holidays to a protective effect,” John Wallert, a psychologist and researcher at Uppsala University, told newspaper Dagens Medicin.
Stress has long been viewed as a heart attack trigger, so it’s maybe no surprise that Christmas brings with it a spike in cardiac arrests. Figures show a seven-percent higher risk over the Yuletide period.
“One interesting aspect was that the increased heart attack risk at the Christmas applied exclusively to pensioners,” said Wallert.
He speculated that Sweden’s working-age cohort perhaps had a more relaxed approach to the jolliest of seasons.
Workers should watch out for Mondays though, with the risk of heart failure for the under-65s soaring 20 percent on the first day of the working week.
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Moving on a few days, Swedish hearts welcomed the mini-break offered by the weekend, when the risk of heart failures was 12 percent lower than normal.
John Wallert presented his findings on Monday at the European Society of Cardiology’s congress in Rome, where he received a Best Young Investigator Award. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/swedish-hearts-fail-on-mondays-and-at-christmas | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/16bf85cdcaa630b2b3da74b5de343ef0a0cf8d2c906db0f7b715329d6cf93cb4.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:06:50 | null | 2016-08-26T13:45:13 | The prosecutor is pushing for a murder conviction for a man who was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter for stabbing a worker to death at a home for young refugees in Sweden. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160826%2Fasylum-worker-manslaughter-conviction-appealed-molndal-sweden.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/5e2c419a78f1b686fdb191964edb8555a823d1e8132dbaf96adb88c6d83e02bb.jpg | en | null | Prosecutor wants asylum stabber convicted of murder | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Prosecutor Linda Wiking. Photo: Adam Ihse/TT
The Local · 26 Aug 2016, 13:45
Published: 26 Aug 2016 13:45 GMT+02:00
The prosecutor is pushing for a murder conviction for a man who was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter for stabbing a worker to death at a home for young refugees in Sweden.
Alexandra Mezher, 22, was fatally stabbed while working alone at the accommodation centre in Mölndal, western Sweden, last January. When police arrived at the scene she had multiple knife wounds in her back and a fatal wound to the thigh which caused her to bleed out.
The perpetrator was found guilty of aggravated manslaughter and was sentenced to psychiatric care in a facility for offenders earlier this month, with a special review required for his discharge. If discharged the court also ordered that he be deported and banned from returning to Sweden until 2026.
The prosecutor appealed the sentence on Friday, arguing that the attack on Mezher should be classed as murder and the man handed a lifetime deportation order.
“My conviction is that the district court has been very cautious in its assessment when it does not believe there's enough to support a murder conviction,” Linda Wiking said after the verdict was read out in Gothenburg District Court on August 8th.
The man's age was a major point of contention during the high-profile trial. Initial reports claimed he was 15 years old, but the district court based its decision to deport him for ten years on him being at least 18 at the time of the stabbing.
However, the prosecutor wants the appeals court to take into account a medical examination she ordered during the investigation which found that he was aged 21.4.
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She is also appealing for him to be convicted of attempted murder rather than attempted manslaughter of another resident at the asylum centre, who had tried to restrain him.
Mezher's family's legal counsel has also appealed the district court verdict, arguing that the accused should pay out more than the 300,000 kronor ($34,970) ordered in damages. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160826/asylum-worker-manslaughter-conviction-appealed-molndal-sweden | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/ee1cd967199c89fa06bbcf49dcb513505f3953077ce114a5a46edf4139bf34f5.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T14:51:15 | null | 2016-08-29T16:14:07 | A group of Swedish amateur spelunkers have found a hidden cave on the Baltic island of Gotland. But its exact location remains a secret. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160829%2Fswedes-find-secret-150-metre-long-cave.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/61efd5683441093433451cb64740827ad5ec5a666cd98ea571254eacd9b23ee6.jpg | en | null | Swedes discover secret 150-metre-long cave | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Per Bäckström on his way into the cave. Photo: Alexander Bennerstål/TT
The Local · 29 Aug 2016, 16:43
Published: 29 Aug 2016 16:14 GMT+02:00
Updated: 29 Aug 2016 16:43 GMT+02:00
A group of Swedish amateur spelunkers have found a hidden cave on the Baltic island of Gotland. But its exact location remains a secret.
It all started when five cave enthusiasts began exploring what looked like not much more than a hole in the ground. Around a year later they have managed to reach 150 metres into the previously unexplored cave.
"In some places in the roof there are several square metres of stalactites," cave enthusiast Alexander Bennerstål told the TT news agency on Monday. "We have not measured all parts of the cave, so it is probably bigger than that. It's mostly a narrow passage where we are on our stomach or side, crawling, and sometimes you just about manage to push your chest through."
The hidden cave is located somewhere at the Martebo wetlands on north-eastern Gotland, but its exact location is being kept a secret so that curious explorers do not get injured or stuck in the winding tunnels below ground.
"It is unseen territory. It was really awesome when I came out into a cavern. Those behind me didn't believe me, they thought I had become loopy from being in a narrow space and digging for several hours," said Bennerstål.
Part of the cave. Photo: Alexander Bennerstål/TT
The explorers are currently trying to make their way further into the tunnel, which could be even longer than 150 metres, to find out where it leads and if it is connected to the Lummelunda cave a few kilometres away, the second-largest cave system in Sweden.
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But Bennerstål does not believe his discovery, while likely to garner huge interest in the field of speleology, will get the same attention as Lummelunda, which is visited by tens of thousands of tourists every year.
"We would direct anyone interested to the Lummelunda caves, because this one is extremely narrow. Someone just slightly bigger than us would have extreme difficulties getting in," he said. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160829/swedes-find-secret-150-metre-long-cave | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/89f34d2d56b66d6c1bf80b193828c97af62aa15bc4fa02e5803e67d7b6af5292.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:02:40 | null | 2016-08-25T14:57:40 | A 26-year-old man who torched the iconic Christmas goat in Gävle last year could go to jail for up to four years. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fdrunken-christmas-goat-burner-risks-four-years-in-jail.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/22498875b33860058ad3b3640378b619f03a303c6fcab3ab1bb87b11a74a92be.jpg | en | null | Drunken Christmas goat burner risks four years in jail | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The Christmas goat looks at the fireworks and contemplates its future. Photo: Mats Åstrand/TT
The Local · 25 Aug 2016, 14:57
Published: 25 Aug 2016 14:57 GMT+02:00
A 26-year-old man who torched the iconic Christmas goat in Gävle last year could go to jail for up to four years.
When questioned by police the man first denied setting fire to the giant straw buck. But he soon gave up the pretence given his fringe and eyebrows were singed and his face was covered in soot when the police arrested him.
He also held a lighter in his hand, and in his pockets police found a balaclava and newspapers. Part of his jacket had melted after his clothing caught fire in the blaze. The smell of petrol lingered on his clothes.
Also, a security guard had chased him from the scene as the scent of burning straw spread through the town in the early hours of December 27th.
So eventually he confessed that he’d maybe had “a few too many drinks” before spotting his chance to leap over the security barrier surrounding the Christmas goat, SVT reports.
“I had the idea, and it was now or never,” he told the police.
Now local authorities and the prosecution have made it clear that not everyone is amused by gigantic flaming effigies.
Gävle wants 100,000 kronor ($12,000) in damages from the fire-starter, and the prosecution reckons the crime deserves to be classified as aggravated in view of the goat’s cultural, symbolic, and financial importance for the eastern city. This means the boozed-up arsonist could be jailed for up to four years.
The Christmas goat in Gävle has become such a fixture in Swedish life that it now has its own Twitter account to inform the world about its survival in the face of yuletide arsonists.
Sorry to leave you far too early this year!Thank you for this amazing time with you my friends. See you next year on my 50th birthday party! — Gävlebocken (@Gavlebocken) December 27, 2015
And in 2015 it was thrilled to made it past Christmas Day, but the fiery 26-year-old ensured it didn’t see the new year.
Congrats to Sweden's @Gavlebocken which survived Christmas this year without getting torched https://t.co/iwtpmTGzUQ pic.twitter.com/hmlTJCQKxI — Emma Löfgren (@ekjlofgren) December 25, 2015
It was the 34th time the goat had burned since Gävle launched the tradition in 1966.
Last year's structure stood 13 metres high and seven metres long, weighed 3.6 tonnes, and was built entirely of straw.
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Over the years, the goat has been run over by a souped-up Volvo, attacked by a team of Santas and gingerbread men wielding bows and arrows, and burned down by a gullible American tourist who had been convinced by his Swedish hosts that doing so was perfectly legal. He served ten days in prison. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/drunken-christmas-goat-burner-risks-four-years-in-jail | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/35cb73961de60eebb025140fadc10a6e71f119b4eba7a5254488fb57612aeb07.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T08:51:44 | null | 2016-08-30T09:53:36 | A woman considered not “traditionally Swedish” enough for a job has reported the aid group SOS Children’s Villages to Sweden's discrimination watchdog. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fwoman-told-shes-not-swedish-enough-for-a-job.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/68a94175bfdec4c46a9cb720fa209d5284bb6345afe9a0ab3babb7b14110f1e0.jpg | en | null | Woman told she's not Swedish enough for a job | null | null | www.thelocal.se | A sun bather wears a Swedish flag hat to celebrate National Day. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 09:55
Published: 30 Aug 2016 09:53 GMT+02:00
Updated: 30 Aug 2016 09:55 GMT+02:00
A woman considered not “traditionally Swedish” enough for a job has reported the aid group SOS Children’s Villages to Sweden's discrimination watchdog.
The Swedish arm of the international development organization said it had cut ties with the external recruitment firm that rejected the job applicant after hearing a phone conversation that she had recorded and sent to radio news show P3 Nyheter.
The woman had applied for a job at a centre for unaccompanied migrant children but had not been called to interview. After a friend of hers, who had also been rejected, received an unusual explanation when querying the decision, the woman decided to record her own call to the recruiter.
She was told: “We have some [applicants] with your background and professional experience but who maybe have a more traditionally Swedish origin so to speak.”
SOS Children’s Villages described the justification as “completely unacceptable” after hearing the audio file.
The aid group said it had conducted an internal investigation and found a second discrimination complaint against the same recruiter.
“As a result we have decided to end our cooperation with the recruitment firm in question, since what the the recruiter responsible said was unacceptable,” SOS Children’s Villages said in a statement.
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The recruitment company, Jerrie, said in a statement that it would like to “apologize unreservedly” to the applicant.
“The consultant, who is personally involved in integration issues outside of work, is deeply regretful and ashamed of the wording,” the firm said. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/woman-told-shes-not-swedish-enough-for-a-job | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/912d7d8012d01a472d6bdd00fca0aef33be5bee1fa2252a45ea0b1f08e7978f6.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:03:05 | null | 2016-08-26T06:59:06 | Sweden's British Open champion Henrik Stenson withdrew from The Barclays Championship on Thursday after aggravating a knee injury. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160826%2Fswedens-stenson-pulls-out-of-barclays-with-injured-knee.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/d5cec0695f87327a81e34b74f766bbc50b00d27fd2e5366d3ac674487b0be02b.jpg | en | null | Sweden's Stenson pulls out of Barclays with injured knee | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Henrik Stenson at the Olympics this summer. Photo: AP Photo/Alastair Grant
The Local/AFP · 26 Aug 2016, 07:00
Published: 26 Aug 2016 06:59 GMT+02:00
Updated: 26 Aug 2016 07:00 GMT+02:00
Sweden's British Open champion Henrik Stenson withdrew from The Barclays Championship on Thursday after aggravating a knee injury.
The Swedish star limped out of contention at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale after shooting a three-over-par 74 in the first round.
“My right knee, which required surgery in December 2015, has flared up again,” Stenson said in a statement.
“Regrettably, I need to withdraw this week to allow time for an MRI and see what the next step is.”
The world number four's withdrawal raises a question mark about his fitness as Europe prepares to battle the United States at next month's Ryder Cup.
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The 40-year-old arrived in New York having won a silver medal in golf's return to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160826/swedens-stenson-pulls-out-of-barclays-with-injured-knee | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/b940e9642d356b411827ad06ada44199ca8acbae4b84f1b0bd80057fb9001392.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T06:52:21 | null | 2016-08-31T08:35:58 | A 17-year-old boy from Eritrea was just about to get a decision on his asylum application when he hopped on the wrong train and wound up in Denmark. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160831%2Fasylum-seeker-boy-stuck-in-denmark-after-taking-wrong-train.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/8695e668a805bc983ba8450845e360ca32dd6f491ead9d9e1849cff48a2bc400.jpg | en | null | Asylum seeker boy stuck in Denmark after train mix-up | null | null | www.thelocal.se | ID checks at Kastrup Airport. Photo: Björn Lindgren/TT
TT/The Local · 31 Aug 2016, 08:35
Published: 31 Aug 2016 08:35 GMT+02:00
A 17-year-old boy from Eritrea was just about to get a decision on his asylum application when he hopped on the wrong train and wound up in Denmark.
Robel Kidane had meant to travel from Osby to Vellinge in southern Sweden but stepped on the wrong train, and by the time he realized his mistake was already on the other side of the border, newspaper Sydsvenskan reports.
When border police at Copenhagen's Kastrup Airport on August 11th saw the boy’s official asylum seeker photo ID, they understood that something was wrong and contacted the asylum home where he lived in Vellinge.
Staff at the home then got in touch with Kidane’s legal guardian in Sweden, Thorild Hamfors.
He in turn phoned the Migration Agency to explain the mistake - a decision he now regrets.
Hamfors had hoped for help, but instead the boy was registered as having left Sweden, where he has lived since last August. The 17-year-old also lost the right to return to the asylum accommodation in Vellinge, and will most likely have to reapply for asylum if he manages to return.
“It’s a catastrophe as far as his wellbeing is concerned,” Hamfors told Sydsvenskan. “The [Migration Agency’s] case officer was just about to make a decision regarding permanent residency. Now it starts again, and will take at least another year.”
Sweden’s tough new asylum rules mean Robel Kidane will no longer be able to apply for permanent residency and can hope for a temporary permit at best.
The Red Cross and the Migration Agency said they knew of several similar cases since the introduction of border checks.
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Mikael Kinning, who works with the Red Cross in Vellinge, criticized the migration agency’s bureaucratic response to the error.
“There’s no empathy for the person here: a teenager who goes to school in Vellinge, who has a support family that cares about him, and a home where he is liked,” he told Sydsvenskan. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160831/asylum-seeker-boy-stuck-in-denmark-after-taking-wrong-train | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/cdb10e26a0c0c33dc0ee10f52c9a9447e036ae1656da5608b69a86326df87e30.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:07:50 | null | 2016-08-24T12:10:09 | A fireman in Malmö has won praise across Sweden for calling out arsonists on the “bullshit” reasons behind a spate of car fires in the southern city. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160824%2Ffurious-fireman-lashes-out-at-malm-car-arsonists.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/afed3be8e0764273c2491c36de00ad2c324b230694b4bd7c5273881aa499c610.jpg | en | null | Furious fireman lashes out at Malmö car arsonists | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Firefighters battle a blaze in Malmö earlier this month. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
TT/The Local · 24 Aug 2016, 12:10
Published: 24 Aug 2016 12:10 GMT+02:00
A fireman in Malmö has won praise across Sweden for calling out arsonists on the “bullshit” reasons behind a spate of car fires in the southern city.
Firefighter Kaj Engelke hit out at young fire-starters who blamed their troubles on society and reacted by setting cars alight.
“I’m going to let you in on something. It was tougher for me than you growing up. My childhood was hell. It was insecurity, poor health, fear, violence, and no money. It was, in your view, lots of good reasons for not taking responsibility,” he wrote in an opinion piece in newspaper Sydsvenskan.
“But I have been where you are, as have many of my colleagues. We don’t buy your bullshit. While you choose to poison us, we are working as hard as we can to help this society, so more people can have it as good as us. So you can have it as good as us.”
The article has been shared widely on social media since its publication on Monday evening. Engelke said he wrote it out of frustration after seeing his workmates get sick, and in some cases die, from work-related injuries.
“I’ve had colleagues who have died of cancer. I have a colleague who coughed blood when we were training recently after he and I got covered in a big smoke cloud,” he told news agency TT.
“We weren’t the ones putting out the fires; that was the smoke divers, who have full breathing protection and all that. But sometimes the wind moves in strange ways.”
The fireman said he was thrilled by the positive reactions to the article.
“It has been overwhelming. People have called me and thanked me for sharing my thoughts and have told me it’s great that I’m doing it.”
His article is written as an open letter to the arsonists who have burned scores of cars in Malmö over the summer. In it he explains to them the role of a firefighter.
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“We come to you when the most awful things happen, and you would have died if we hadn’t saved your life. We are life-savers.
“But we are more than that.
“We are someone’s child. We are someone’s mother and father. We are brothers and sisters. We are people, just like you.” | http://www.thelocal.se/20160824/furious-fireman-lashes-out-at-malm-car-arsonists | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/b750467f5c2f48407b63e6a99eca87a352f686a9b904c58372b213b74b1c5acf.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:04:36 | null | 2016-08-25T13:17:06 | Two Scandinavian banks have revealed plans to merge operations in the Baltics. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fnordic-banking-giants-to-merge-baltic-units.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/21b2b695c16175c7e90235488629bb601a384443565ea2694a4860ac09cd5071.jpg | en | null | Nordic banking giants to merge their Baltic units | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Nordic banks are joining forces. Photo: Fredrik Varfjell/NTB/TT & Marcus Ericsson/TT
The Local/AFP · 25 Aug 2016, 13:17
Published: 25 Aug 2016 13:17 GMT+02:00
Two Scandinavian banks have revealed plans to merge operations in the Baltics.
Swedish Nordea and Norwegian DNB announced on Thursday that they will merge in Baltic eurozone members Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
Their new bank will be the second-largest financial institution in the region behind market-leader Swedbank, with assets worth 13 billion euros ($14.6 billion) and more than 3,000 employees.
"Nordea and DNB have entered into an agreement to combine their operations in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania to create a leading main bank in the Baltics with strong Nordic roots," a joint statement issued by the banks said.
"Now it is time to take the next step and build for the future. Together we will have the scale, stronger geographic presence and broader a product offering, enabling us to become the main bank for customers in the Baltics," said Inga Skisaker, who heads the Swedish Nordea's Baltic state operations.
"Scale is key in banking today, with larger banks having more efficient use of resources. The new bank will be better equipped to counter increasing competition in the region," said Mats Wemlein, head of Norway's DNB's Baltic division.
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The move will not affect other markets, in which the two banks will remain entirely separate and competing banks.
The announcement is subject to regulatory approval, and the merger is likely to be complete by the middle of 2017, the banks said. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/nordic-banking-giants-to-merge-baltic-units | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/e812249969149c8f59f60434554e7fcfffb0153c3874434adf74659f4f0f724f.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T16:50:24 | null | 2016-08-27T17:27:37 | Police have launched an extensive search operation after two elderly hikers went missing in the Swedish mountains. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160827%2Fswedish-police-launch-massive-search-for-elderly-hikers.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/cc85f550145f3c7404da8a41696da1d0710959238ba4715fc281a3593d071491.jpg | en | null | Swedish police search for missing elderly hikers | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The only trace is currently a mobile phone found in the area and which is believed to belong to one of the men. Photo: Henrik Montgomery /TT
TT/The Local · 27 Aug 2016, 17:27
Published: 27 Aug 2016 17:27 GMT+02:00
Police have launched an extensive search operation after two elderly hikers went missing in the Swedish mountains.
The two men, both in their mid-70s, left for their hike in the northern Abisko mountain range on Tuesday and were due back at the starting point on Friday, but when they did not arrive as scheduled, police was alerted.
“They have a green tent with them and are supposedly experienced hikers,” police spokesman Dennis Kärrman said.
No one has heard from them since they started out on the hike, Swedish news agency TT reported.
On Saturday, rescue services staff – backed up by helicopters and police – combed the area in search of the pair.
According to police, a mobile phone has been found in the area and is believed to belong to one of the missing men.
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“We want to come into contact with those who found the phone to get more information about where exactly it was found,” police spokesman Jan Lidén said. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160827/swedish-police-launch-massive-search-for-elderly-hikers | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/c6c8ec938697fb1be4c02ec5a92fb6eb390c1d2c8902a67173466df8f724cf62.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T12:51:09 | null | 2016-08-29T14:16:48 | As the funeral takes place on Monday of an eight-year-old boy killed in a Gothenburg grenade attack last week, police have yet to make any arrests in the case. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160829%2Fno-arrests-after-boys-death-in-gothenburg-grenade-attack.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/69921a23a85ea69522580966efb8474664e818f10cacea0e6cf3cbfebb33afc9.jpg | en | null | No arrests after boy's death in Gothenburg grenade attack | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The scene at the apartment in Biskopsgården two days after the attack.Photo: Adam Ihse/TT
The Local · 29 Aug 2016, 14:45
Published: 29 Aug 2016 14:16 GMT+02:00
Updated: 29 Aug 2016 14:45 GMT+02:00
As the funeral takes place on Monday of an eight-year-old boy killed in a Gothenburg grenade attack last week, police have yet to make any arrests in the case.
Yuusuf Warsame was killed when a hand grenade was flung through the window of an apartment in the Biskopsgården suburb of the city at around 3am last Monday morning. The boy, from Birmingham, was visiting the apartment with his family.
Police said surveillance footage taken in the area had not generated any new leads. Also, the attack took place at a time when most people were asleep, making it especially hard to find eyewitnesses in a district where police already have trouble getting people to testify in suspected gang-related cases.
"People are presumably scared and upset," police spokesman Peter Adlersson told The Local.
He added that the police were continuing to work hard on the case and were urging anyone with information that might lead to an arrest to come forward.
The boy’s father Abdiwahid Warsame, said the eight-year-old had lain asleep when the grenade detonated, before dying in his mother’s arms.
“When I heard the news I had to sit, I could no longer stand up. My wife’s heart is broken,” he told the Birmingham Mail.
“She tried to help, she took him by his chest and held him, but he was dead.
Two of the boy’s siblings were asleep in the same room but were not seriously harmed in the attack, his father said.
A relative told local newspaper Göteborgs-Posten that the family had decided to have the burial in Sweden due to the emotional and financial costs of bringing the boy's body back to the UK.
Yuusuf Warsame had arrived in Gothenburg with his mother on August 13th, two days before his eighth birthday.
His parents are Dutch citizens of Somali origin and are resident in the UK’s second largest city, where Abdiwahid Warsame owns a shop.
There were at least five children and several adults in the apartment at the time of the blast, with several receiving minor injuries.
Police are working on the theory that the grenade attack could be linked to the shooting at a restaurant in another part of Biskopsgården in 2015, when two men were killed and eight injured in a gang-related shooting.
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One of the men convicted over the fatal attack was registered at the same address as the grenade blast.
Organized crime expert Amir Rostami told The Local last week that the gang violence in Gothenburg had "escalated to the degree that the people involved in the conflict don’t even know what it’s about."
Residents in area reacted with shock to the death.
“I’m afraid it’s getting worse and worse. I think the gang conflicts are escalating,” said Jörgen Fredriksson, who has lived in the area for more than 40 years. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160829/no-arrests-after-boys-death-in-gothenburg-grenade-attack | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/40d170c54b9a746263f64d6c136da418daef4dcc15a1ea8b9ba9ebcba04272c0.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:07:37 | null | 2016-08-25T08:15:44 | USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo has been
slapped with a six-month ban from the national team for her comments in which she called the Swedish players a bunch of cowards, US Soccer announced
on Wednesday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fus-keeper-kicked-off-team-for-calling-swedes-cowards.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/7b2c0953bd7c484a54289a7e2261bb88a004bb05c05bf72de9351701808224ba.jpg | en | null | US keeper kicked off team for calling Swedes cowards | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Hope Solo made her comments after Sweden knocked the US team out of the Olympics. Photo: Eugenio Savio/AP
The Local · 25 Aug 2016, 08:17
Published: 25 Aug 2016 08:15 GMT+02:00
Updated: 25 Aug 2016 08:17 GMT+02:00
USA women's goalkeeper Hope Solo has been slapped with a six-month ban from the national team for her comments in which she called the Swedish players "a bunch of cowards", US Soccer announced on Wednesday.
The 35-year-old Solo made the comments after the Americans were eliminated in a penalty shootout from the Rio Olympics women's football tournament on August 12th.
"The comments by Hope Solo after the match against Sweden during the 2016 Olympics were unacceptable and do not meet the standard of conduct we require from our National Team players," US Soccer president Sunil Gulati said in a statement on Wednesday.
"Beyond the athletic arena, and beyond the results, the Olympics celebrate and represent the ideals of fair play and respect. We expect all of our representatives to honor those principles, with no exceptions."
Solo wasn't backing down Wednesday and defended her "coward" comments by saying the suspension wasn't warranted.
"I am saddened by the federation's decision to terminate my contract," Solo told Sports Illustrated. "I could not be the player I am without being the person I am, even when I haven't made the best choices or said the right things."
Solo said she plays and speaks with passion and is trying to be an example for future US female players.
"I did the job of a pro athlete the only way I knew how - with passion, tenacity, an unrelenting commitment to be the best goaltender in the world .... to elevate the sport for the next generation of female athletes," Sports Illustrated quoted her as saying.
This is not the first time Solo has been suspended. She was banned for 30 days in 2015 after an incident at one of the national team's training camps.
"Taking into consideration the past incidents involving Hope, as well as the private conversations we've had requiring her to conduct herself in a manner befitting a U.S. National Team member, U.S. Soccer determined this is the appropriate disciplinary action."
Solo labelled Sweden "cowards" after the world champion Americans' bid for a fourth straight Olympic gold ended in quarter-final defeat.
"We played a bunch of cowards," Solo said. "The better team did not win today. I strongly believe that."
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"I don't think they're going to make it far in the tournament."
Solo made the comments because she felt the Swedes were playing too defensively.
The defeat was the Americans' first in 15 games at the Olympics and only their third ever in Games history having won four golds and a silver since women's football was introduced to the Olympic programme.
US Soccer said in the news release that Solo won't be eligible to try out for the national team again until next February. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/us-keeper-kicked-off-team-for-calling-swedes-cowards | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/87fc5d6b7aef30d1bef6c593160b59674ab2ad9ffbcb796dc24ffc2dc6cc092c.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:05:18 | null | 2016-08-26T06:59:59 | Like the sound of a crayfish party if it weren't for all the crayfish? This recipe can tick the box while giving you a dish you'll actually enjoy. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160826%2Fhow-to-make-this-delicious-swedish-crayfish-pasta.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/dc1d0b3cc0f02ca03d04aaa820f0ed69d4fa11cc1892a646fac7ecaa98ddd287.jpg | en | null | How to make this delicious Swedish crayfish pasta | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The Local Recipes
Swedish crayfish pasta. Photo: John Duxbury/Swedish Food
The Local · 26 Aug 2016, 06:59
Published: 26 Aug 2016 06:59 GMT+02:00
Like the sound of a crayfish party if it weren't for all the crayfish? This recipe can tick the box while giving you a dish you'll actually enjoy.
READ ALSO: How to survive a Swedish crayfish party
Summary
Serves: 2
Level: Very Easy
Time: 20 minutes (including 15 minutes cooking time
Ingredients
150g (6oz) dried pasta, such as penne
1 small onion, finely sliced
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp cornflour (cornstarch)
4 tbsp (1/4 cup) white wine
180ml (3/4 cup) half-fat crème fraîche
1 unwaxed lemon, finely grated zest plus juice
salt and white pepper to taste
150g (6oz) packet of crayfish tails
2 tbsp finely chopped dill
1/2 lemon for garnish, quartered
2 small sprigs of dill for garnish
Method
1. Put the pasta into a pan of boiling water. Cook according to the instructions on the packet and then drain and keep warm in the saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, fry the sliced onion gently in butter for five minutes until softened.
3. Add the corn flour and stir thoroughly. Then gradually mix in the wine and crème fraîche. Simmer gently for five minutes.
4. Add the juice of half of the lemon plus salt and pepper. Taste and add more lemon juice and seasoning if needed.
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5. Stir in the crayfish tails and the finely chopped dill.
6. Pour most of the mixture into the saucepan of pasta and stir thoroughly.
7. Serve individual pasta dishes topped with the remaining crayfish, lemon zest, sprigs of dill and lemon wedges.
8. Enjoy with a nice crisp salad topped with sliced radishes, a popular addition to salads in Sweden.
Tips
- If you can buy loose crayfish, be a bit more generous with the amount of crayfish tails!
- Try and get yourself invited to a real kräftskiva! (A crayfish party is a kräftskiva, the plural is kräftskivor.)
This recipe is provided courtesy of John Duxbury, founder and editor of Swedish Food. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160826/how-to-make-this-delicious-swedish-crayfish-pasta | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/9e5bb2eaa063b769334c38958e26467b890a798dd548c9ac455569550aeeae67.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:08:17 | null | 2016-08-24T15:16:16 | A 17-year-old boy who stormed the pitch and attacked a goalkeeper in Sweden’s top division earlier this month has claimed he had placed a large bet on the result. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160824%2Fboy-who-attacked-goalkeeper-place-large-bet-on-result.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/5f02038cfe78bc2f71687b01d35b8f791892db1d21996d01f291e9915158ab73.jpg | en | null | Boy who attacked goalkeeper 'bet thousands' on game | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Photo: Mikael Fritzon/TT
The Local/AFP · 24 Aug 2016, 15:16
Published: 24 Aug 2016 15:16 GMT+02:00
A 17-year-old boy who stormed the pitch and attacked a goalkeeper in Sweden’s top division earlier this month has claimed he had placed a large bet on the result.
The match between Jönköpings Södra and Östersund was approaching full-time when a masked black-clad supporter burst onto the pitch and assaulted Östersund keeper Aly Keita.
Keita was chased and struck before players and security officials intervened and arrested the attacker.
The keeper was seen clutching his head as he returned to the changing rooms where he was tended to by medics, with the referee stopping the game which had been heading towards a 1-1 draw.
When questioned by the police the boy said he had no connection to either of the teams and had acted out of desperation when it became apparent that he was going to lose money on his bet, local news site Jmini reports.
He also told police that he had left a bomb in his bag at the stadium, though that proved to be untrue.
The 17-year-old attacker had made the 300-kilometre trip to Jönköping from his home town of Södertälje, in eastern Sweden.
The boy claims he bet between 5,000 and 10,000 kronor ($1,200) on the game, according to prosecutor Pernilla Törsleff.
“Whether or not the police or I, as a prosecutor, consider it credible is immaterial. It’s all about what we can show,” she told Jmini.
The 17-year-old suspect has close family ties to the notorious Södertälje mafia, according to a TV4 report.
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Sweden’s state-run gambling operator Svenska Spel launched an investigation into suspected match-fixing after the game was abandoned, but said it had not seen any unusual betting patterns.
Legal experts and football fans have however speculated that exceptionally high bets would likely be placed overseas, for example with Asian gambling syndicates, to avoid detection by Swedish authorities.
Prosecutors do not have any other suspects in the case and expect to complete the preliminary investigation in two to three weeks. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160824/boy-who-attacked-goalkeeper-place-large-bet-on-result | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/edcb3916360ddba47b486ec1203a18858bfb9bac53a72ccd9551411598c907e3.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T06:51:44 | null | 2016-08-30T07:01:32 | Business travellers have been flocking to city hotels in Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm this summer. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160830%2Fswedish-hotels-cash-in-on-business-travellers.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/89c7c1ff60b348f92d340f91af02c964bcedd8e2ea653b411fe50bc9141ee11e.jpg | en | null | Swedish hotels cash in on business travellers | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Visitors are flocking to Malmö. Photo: Johan Nilsson/TT
The Local · 30 Aug 2016, 07:01
Published: 30 Aug 2016 07:01 GMT+02:00
Business travellers have been flocking to city hotels in Malmö, Gothenburg and Stockholm this summer.
Revenue per available room rose by 13 percent in Malmö, six percent in Gothenburg and four percent in Stockholm on the same period last year, according to preliminary figures put together by tourism industry organization Visita.
Malmö hotels also saw their occupancy rate increase to around 80 percent, bringing the growing southern Swedish city to the same level as Stockholm and Gothenburg.
“It's great and a sign that Malmö is prospering. And one reason is that Malmö has a large and wide range of meeting, event and hotel facilities,” council tourism boss Ann Nyström told Swedish radio's news programme Ekot on Tuesday.
The increase in Sweden's three biggest cities is largely thanks to a rising number of businesspeople travelling to and within the country, which has enjoyed a business boom in the past few years on the back of growing global companies and successful startups.
“It means that you can charge slightly higher prices per hotel room and that's important for profitability,” Visita CEO Eva Östling told Ekot.
She said another reason the cities have seen more visitors could be that the availability in other areas of Sweden has decreased because of some hotels being turned into asylum accommodation.
“In the countryside that is probably a reason, that fewer rooms are available. But in the big cities you don't have that phenomenon,” said Östling.
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As The Local reported earlier in August, the southern Skåne region enjoyed a 7.3 increase in tourists and 10.6 in international visitors in the first six months of 2016, with an all-time high in British tourists.
Sara Brynskog, a spokesperson for Tourism in Skåne, told The Local at the time: “The increase is probably due to a number of reasons… from our perspective, we know that there is an overall interest in Swedish culture and lifestyle. The Nordic food scene, nature in Skåne and also Nordic Noir, with The Bridge series and Wallander, have drawn a lot of attention.” | http://www.thelocal.se/20160830/swedish-hotels-cash-in-on-business-travellers | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/c6130e3ec836dcc6bb9c0581d873f264bd70c9fae25959b9f7956f46a3e9906d.json |
[] | 2016-08-29T06:51:08 | null | 2016-08-29T07:10:23 | Sweden’s education minister has called for tougher laws preventing gender segregation after a Muslim school was given the all-clear to run separate gym classes for boys and girls. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160829%2Fstockholm-school-segregates-boys-and-girls.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/1d8af9afaf0e5fd3ed35a49902e11a766776b844da5764def995e273fd3d10b9.jpg | en | null | Stockholm school segregates boys and girls | null | null | www.thelocal.se | A gym class for first-graders. Photo: Anders Wiklund/TT
TT/The Local · 29 Aug 2016, 07:10
Published: 29 Aug 2016 07:10 GMT+02:00
Sweden’s education minister has called for tougher laws preventing gender segregation after a Muslim school was given the all-clear to run separate gym classes for boys and girls.
All four centre-right parties in the opposition Alliance criticized the national school inspectorate's decision, and the education minister, Gustav Fridolin, said he shared their concern.
Separating boys and girls in primary school and lower secondary school “can not be a way of working with gender equality,” he told TV4 Nyheterna.
The minister said he would instruct officials on Monday to examine how to make changes to the existing legislation.
Nina Da Mata, a sports teacher at the Al-Azhar school, defended the policy and said she would teach in the same way in a non-Muslim school.
“The girls feel more secure when they are in a group of the their own,” she told Mivida, the Swedish Teachers Union newspaper.
The school was reported to the inspectorate by an individual who worried that gender-segregated gym classes risked perpetuating patriarchal norms.
But the inspectorate ruled that the quality of gym classes offered by the school did not differ between boys and girls.
The school’s principal told the inspectorate that the pupils had a “Muslim cultural background” and would not be able to participate in gym classes at all if boys and girls were in the same group.
The gym teacher Nina Da Mata elaborated:
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“Some of our girls want to be able to take off their veils and wear shorts and T-shirts in their classes. The would be difficult if there were boys of the same age or a male teacher,” she told Mivida.
The former Minister for Upper Secondary Schools, Aida Hadzialic, said in June that Sweden needed to discuss whether to ban religious schools amid reports that some schools were segregating boys and girls.
Sweden's free school system of state-funded but privately run schools was introduced in 1992 and paved the way for religious organisations to operate schools as long as they stuck to the secular Swedish curriculum. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160829/stockholm-school-segregates-boys-and-girls | en | 2016-08-29T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/884b200c5f8e61c24e56517a872181bb343cf1ebc8ca3b87b12fc9e5561496b7.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:04:56 | null | 2016-08-26T11:04:11 | Millions of old Swedish bank notes are still in circulation despite a deadline to hand them in by the end of August, warns the central bank. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160826%2Fold-cash-worth-billions-still-in-circulation.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/d0ac956f6b6a0de2c89cc53df330bc4c4b9e0d6e26f5165a5d2856001211f340.jpg | en | null | Old Swedish cash worth billions still in circulation | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Old Swedish money. Photo: Micke Larsson/TT
The Local · 26 Aug 2016, 11:04
Published: 26 Aug 2016 11:04 GMT+02:00
Millions of old Swedish bank notes are still in circulation despite a deadline to hand them in by the end of August, warns the central bank.
Sweden's old 20, 50 and 1,000 kronor bills ceased to be legal currency in June, after being replaced by new designs. People have still been able to deposit them in bank accounts, but after August 31st they can only be exchanged for a fee at the Riksbank, the central bank.
However, the Riksbank has revealed that some 41 million of the old bank notes – at a value of 1.3 billion kronor ($155 million) – are still in circulation despite the fast-approaching deadline.
“If you still have notes at home it's high time to go to the bank and deposit them into an account,” said Christina Wejshammar, head of the department for cash supply, in a statement.
READ ALSO: Tourists being caught out by Sweden's expired bank notes
Sweden is due to get more new notes in October, including a 100 kronor note adorned by Greta Garbo, and a 500 kronor note carrying the image of Swedish soprano Birgit Nilsson. The one krona, two kronor and five kronor coins will also change appearance in the autumn, though the old versions will still be usable until June 30th, 2017.
In an effort to get people to hand in their cash, the Riksbank launched a campaign this spring featuring “Wanted” posters on billboards, in newspapers and in digital channels.
Exactly what Swedes are doing with all the missing cash is not clear, but there’s a good chance that much of it is hiding in drawers in the famously cash-averse country. Sweden is one of the countries that has come furthest towards becoming a cash-free society, with cash transactions accounting for just two percent of the value all payments, a figure predicted to fall to 0.5 percent within five years.
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If you still have old bank notes you want to redeem, information is available on the Riksbank's website.
The notes can be sent to the bank along with a form, and the money will then be exchanged and deposited into the sender's bank account. A Swedish bank account is not required, but a flat 100 kronor administration fee is charged. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160826/old-cash-worth-billions-still-in-circulation | en | 2016-08-26T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/1c55a8811b8c3ba7416b4e2ca347012cb54dfe81fb7516c11b2cc7e43c614ebd.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T12:52:26 | null | 2016-08-31T12:28:30 | Watch this video and find out. But don't even think about trying it in Sweden. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160831%2Fwhat-happens-if-you-spend-the-night-at-ikea.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/72623ba446d4c682b849270bdaebfe0ade650304d1a42f8ce5b66d73e0eaf263.jpg | en | null | What happens if you spend the night at Ikea? | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Video
Picture this but at night and without all the people. Photo: Heiko Junge/TT
The Local · 31 Aug 2016, 12:59
Published: 31 Aug 2016 12:28 GMT+02:00
Updated: 31 Aug 2016 12:59 GMT+02:00
Watch this video and find out. But don't even think about trying it in Sweden.
Let's be honest. Most of us have at some point wondered what it would be like to have an entire Ikea store to ourselves, jumping in the beds and running like rebels in the aisles against the direction of the arrows without bumping into crying babies and couples on the verge of breaking up.
But none throw caution to the wind like these two Dutch YouTube comedians, who have gone viral with a video of their secret sleepover at one of the Swedish furniture giant's stores in Belgium.
Watch their shenanigans here:
On their YouTube page, the pair write: "Life is about building experiences and memories. There is a quote that says: 'Do not regret what you have done, regret what you have not done in your life.' Life is one big YouTube video. You should better make it interesting because when it comes to an end, you're gone and you'll never have a second chance."
But the Swedish furniture giant is not all too happy with the attention from the bizarre stunt.
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"Security for staff and customers is always our first priority. Staying in the store is not allowed and something we at Ikea take seriously. Our policy is to search the store before closing. All our stores in Sweden are equipped with motion detectors to ensure everyone's safety," Ikea press spokesperson Emil Eriksson told the Göteborgs-posten newspaper.
READ ALSO: Swedes' top-ten favourite brands | http://www.thelocal.se/20160831/what-happens-if-you-spend-the-night-at-ikea | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/e6d9b5432b6d7b5497f175c903a13294f6dce2d6a21fbd524cbe112c168d8b4c.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T12:52:28 | null | 2016-08-31T13:50:22 | Hobby photographer Johan Vilhelm Löfgren headed out to snap the Northern Lights, but instead got the celestial surprise of his life. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160831%2Foverjoyed-swede-snaps-shooting-star.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/1d70fe6d156c411b3bc2b7ca3861bf559633b2456f1a7396ef1619baa6327684.jpg | en | null | 'Overjoyed' Swedish snapper captures this shooting star | null | null | www.thelocal.se | He caught a falling star. Photo: Johan Vilhelm Löfgren
The Local · 31 Aug 2016, 13:53
Published: 31 Aug 2016 13:50 GMT+02:00
Updated: 31 Aug 2016 13:53 GMT+02:00
Hobby photographer Johan Vilhelm Löfgren headed out to snap the Northern Lights, but instead got the celestial surprise of his life.
A Facebook group he follows informed the frequent aurora snapper of the slight possibility of a sighting on Tuesday evening.
He rigged up his camera on the shores of Lake Hjälmaren at 11.30pm and started to observe the lovely night sky. The majestic phenomenon was just about visible, so he stayed for a while.
Happy he had got what he wanted, he made up his mind to go back into Örebro, the central Swedish city where he lives.
“Just before I was going to pack up I saw a big green meteor,” Löfgren, 34, told The Local.
His camera was already facing north to capture the northern lights and he just happened to press the button at the ideal moment.
“I was overjoyed when I realized I had got the picture.”
He added that the shooting star had “flashed and sparkled in the sky” just after the photo was taken.
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Earlier this month The Local spoke to Chad Blakley, an American photographer who specializes in the Northern Lights, about the transformational effect of the dazzling light show.
“I’ve seen grown men cry. I’ve seen men go down on their knees and propose to their girlfriends. I’ve seen people have almost religious type experiences.” | http://www.thelocal.se/20160831/overjoyed-swede-snaps-shooting-star | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/bb321f86a76396ec087cef58ffb71ba902813ea04dcb5be04c5ad30774963339.json |
[] | 2016-08-31T08:52:24 | null | 2016-08-31T10:13:25 | An investigation has looked into how Italian surgeon Paolo Macchiarini was able to carry out three trachea operations at Karolinska University Hospital which sparked controversy after patients died. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160831%2Fkarolinska-should-never-have-hired-macchiarini.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/5963778114f1a69e56bd3022a72b58b31b10c4a5b672c339cbf9b2cd491d275e.jpg | en | null | 'Karolinska should never have hired Macchiarini' | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Italian celebrity surgeon Paolo Macchiarini. Photo: AP Photo/Lorenzo Galassi
The Local · 31 Aug 2016, 10:46
Published: 31 Aug 2016 10:13 GMT+02:00
Updated: 31 Aug 2016 10:46 GMT+02:00
An investigation has looked into how Italian surgeon Paolo Macchiarini was able to carry out three trachea operations at Karolinska University Hospital which sparked controversy after patients died.
Macchiarini, famed for his pioneering use of stem cells in regenerative surgery, was reported to the Swedish authorities by four doctors as early as 2014. But an internal probe cleared him of research misconduct and carrying out procedures without ethical permission.
However, after a documentary by Swedish broadcaster SVT sparked debate when it shed light on some of his more controversial surgeries, the hospital ordered Kjell Asplund, chairman of the Swedish National Council on Medical Ethics, to carry out an external investigation.
"Much went wrong in connection with Macchiarini's transplants of synthetic trachea," said Asplund in a statement when he presented the results of the inquiry on Wednesday.
"Macchiarini should not even have been employed at the hospital. There were shortcomings in how the decisions about the transplants were made and how they acted on existing laws. The hospital has a big task ahead to ensure patient safety and trust."
At a press conference Asplund elaborated: "Hospitals where he had performed surgeries before gave him strongly negative reviews. These critical voices were not taken into account. There was never a job interview, for example. Our conclusion is that the hospital needs a better hiring process."
The Italian celebrity surgeon rose to fame in 2011 for carrying out the first synthetic organ transplant, making a trachea – or windpipe – from plastic, and using it as a frame into which the patient’s own stem cells could then grow.
Three of these were carried out at Karolinska University Hospital. However, two of the patients later died and one was forced to have a new transplant in the US.
Asplund said that all three patients had been seriously ill and that in two of the cases the cancer types had been so unusual that it was impossible to determine the extent of their illness. But he added that there had not been "an immediate life threat" in either of the cases when the transplantations were carried out.
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Macchiarini is the subject of nearly a dozen separate ongoing inquiries, including five at the Karolinska Institute (KI), which is closely linked to the hospital, and a police investigation into suspected manslaughter.
He is also accused of having lied on his CV when he applied for a position at KI, from where he was fired in March following the allegations. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160831/karolinska-should-never-have-hired-macchiarini | en | 2016-08-31T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/e27a04e3954983042029b274f4d19242320a28cfcdf2b2a9e370e178e461916a.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:08:41 | null | 2016-08-24T11:41:56 | How do you manage a long-distance relationship separated by time zones? One expat couple, who met in Sweden before moving continents apart, found an answer in the form of photography – with spectacular results. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160824%2Fin-pics-see-stockholm-spectacularly-change-through-the-seasons.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/35cb62e12b02f744783278f7ee3cd184d3fb0f10f91fa71081f807650887dbd6.jpg | en | null | See Stockholm spectacularly change through the seasons | null | null | www.thelocal.se | A bright autumn day in Stockholm. Photo: Delphine Fortin
The Local · 24 Aug 2016, 11:41
Published: 24 Aug 2016 11:41 GMT+02:00
How do you manage a long-distance relationship separated by time zones? One expat couple, who met in Sweden before moving continents apart, found an answer in the form of photography – with spectacular results.
French food blogger and photographer Delphine Fortin met boyfriend David Brossard while both were living in Stockholm, but work soon meant that he had to move to Chicago, USA, while his partner stayed behind in Sweden.
With around 6,800km between them, the pair decided to create SK945 – a photo blog detailing their daily lives in the two cities.
“We wanted to keep in touch during the months we would be living so far apart, and we thought sharing our daily routine would keep the two of us involved,” Fortin told The Local
“David is totally in love with Stockholm, so it was a nice way to still be connected, while I would discover Chicago through the pictures.”
Stockholm's Årsta bridges in early October 2015. Photo: Delphine Fortin
Autumn in full flow only a month later on a quiet Östermalm road. Photo: Delphine Fortin
The hundreds of images on the blog provide a striking visual illustration of how the Swedish capital changes throughout the seasons, from the clear skies of the summer, through to the bright colours of autumn and the frozen lakes covered with snow in the winter.
“It’s actually a very nice way to pay attention to the small details of your daily life that you wouldn’t notice otherwise,” Fortin explained.
“We both realized how lucky we were to live in such beautiful cities: one surrounded by nature, the other a very urban one tucked away by Lake Michigan.”
The Mälaren lake frozen over and covered with snow at Vinterviken bay in February. Photo: Delphine Fortin
St. Patrick's Day celebrations in Chicago last March. Photo: David Brossard
The French photographer’s favourite shot is one of the early stages of spring in Tantolunden park on the island of Södermalm – a cathartic moment of the year for Stockholm residents after months of cold, dark winter.
“It’s hard to pick a favourite picture but if I had to choose only one I’d go for Burst of Spring in Tantolunden,” she said.
“I used to jog through the park and over Årsta Bridge, which was designed by Norman Foster. The lovely colourful stugor (Swedish cottages) never cease to amaze me.”
Spring in Tantolunden park. Photo: Delphine Fortin
After almost a year of living on opposite sides of the Atlantic, Fortin finally relocated to Chicago in early August. Despite enjoying the slick look of the American city, she admits that she still misses her old home.
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“Stockholm is an amazing city, it’s absolutely beautiful at every time of the year – from the thick comforting blankets of snow in the winter to the summer with its ever-present ubiquitous nature,” she noted.
“Chicago is very different, and much more urban, but I’m fascinated by its remarkable architecture.”
Summer at Centralbadet on Delphine's last day in Stockholm. Photo: Delphine Fortin
And it seems the blog may not have seen the last of the Swedish capital.
“A great adventure is starting for us here in Chicago together… before coming back to Stockholm one day!” she concludes. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160824/in-pics-see-stockholm-spectacularly-change-through-the-seasons | en | 2016-08-24T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/db0283a3e70fddba0cb06e9ab97de1c2720d35fa40b3b9eca95df10b357323b8.json |
[] | 2016-08-30T10:51:51 | null | 2016-08-30T12:00:22 | The Local - Sweden's News in English | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2Fjobs%2Farticle%2Fwant-to-work-in-sweden-volvo-on-hunt-for-400-new-engineers.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/18fdbba7a74f17a1ef3cc4c88403c2249cee6c38160561ab4e619a1c1e7f9e3d.jpg | en | null | Volvo on hunt for 400 new engineers in Sweden | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Want to help build one of these? Photo: Björn Larsson Rosvall/TT
Published on: 30 Aug 2016 12:00 CET
Swedish car maker Volvo launched what it described as one of its biggest recruitment campaigns ever on Tuesday, in the hope of attracting hundreds of new engineers to Sweden.
Volvo Cars said in a press release on Tuesday that it planned to employ around 400 engineers to work in software development, with the majority to be placed at its Gothenburg headquarters.
The company, which is owned by Chinese Geely, has also employed 35 workers for a new research and development centre in Lund, southern Sweden, which is set to open in September.
"The university town of Lund has an international reputation and is close both to Sweden's third-biggest city Malmö and Denmark's capital Copenhagen," read the press release.
The recruitment drive comes two weeks after Volvo announced plans to team up with ride-sharing service Uber in a $300 million joint venture to develop driverless cars.
It has also begun shifting towards electric and hybrid cars, with one in five of all Volvo XC90s currently sold as a plug-in hybrid. In 2019 it will release its first all-electric vehicle.
"Volvo is an industry leader when it comes to self-driving cars and electrification and not least the obvious leader when it comes to safety," said deputy chief executive Peter Mertens in a statement on Tuesday.
"We have great ambitions not only to maintain but also extend that lead, so we must ensure that we attract the best engineers on the market. The new recruitment campaign is part of that strategy," he added. | http://www.thelocal.se/jobs/article/want-to-work-in-sweden-volvo-on-hunt-for-400-new-engineers | en | 2016-08-30T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/0d0b889ffa12b370a3f2d8848543386747bedfb31c9feedd4b377829f612b362.json |
[] | 2016-08-26T13:02:14 | null | 2016-08-25T15:57:45 | The writer behind Swedish-Danish crime drama hit The Bridge has revealed one interesting detail we're going to find out more about in the series' fourth and final season. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160825%2Fthe-detail-thats-going-to-be-revealed-in-the-bridge.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/06d306776cdfb4e0a41637d92dcf14c9f08430d9c3d6a84f0697dbcbda17f361.jpg | en | null | What we'll learn about Saga in The Bridge's final season | null | null | www.thelocal.se | Nordic Noir
Sofia Helin as Saga Norén. Photo: Carolina Romare/Filmlance International AB
The Local · 25 Aug 2016, 15:57
Published: 25 Aug 2016 15:57 GMT+02:00
The writer behind Swedish-Danish crime drama hit The Bridge has revealed one interesting detail we're going to find out more about in the series' fourth and final season.
Writer Hans Rosenfeldt spoke to Swedish tabloid Expressen after Danish broadcasters confirmed that the fourth season is also going to be the final season of the Nordic Noir mega hit.
"We all went into the fourth season to finish it, not least Sofia [Helin, who plays lead character Saga Norén] who has an enormously tough schedule, away from her family for six months. So we said: if we're doing another one it will be the last one," said Hans Rosenfeldt.
He also revealed that the majority of the plot would be based in Copenhagen, but declined to divulge much more about the hyped season apart from one detail about the detective heroine's iconic green Porsche 911.
"We're changing countries for the investigation itself. It has always been Sweden-based but now it's going to be Denmark-based."
"There's going to be a case to solve and then both lead characters will have a personal journey, and the less I say about that the better, I think. But one small detail is that we're going to find out where Saga got her Porsche from," he said.
The head of drama at Danish broadcaster DR, a co-producer behind the series, Piv Bernth, confirmed last week that the series is not expected to continue beyond the fourth season.
"Without giving away the plot, it does not allow for further continuation," she said in a press release.
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As The Local has previously reported, the premiere date for the fourth season has not yet been set, but the eight episodes are expected to air at some point in 2018 in the Nordic countries.
Sofia Helin and Thure Lindhardt will both return as Swedish and Danish detectives Saga Norén and Henrik Sabroe in the new season, which kicks off around a year-and-a-half after the last episode. Shooting is scheduled to start in November. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160825/the-detail-thats-going-to-be-revealed-in-the-bridge | en | 2016-08-25T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/34e19099f0d087e4bdf43f5f4ebc8d17448315a1bd22e67ffa1c13de0882cb0e.json |
[] | 2016-08-27T12:50:23 | null | 2016-08-27T14:13:56 | Strong gusts, forecast to reach up to 21 metres per hour, left thousands of people without power in Sweden’s northern regions on Saturday. | http%3A%2F%2Fwww.thelocal.se%2F20160827%2Fwinds-leave-thousands-without-power-in-swedens-north.json | http://www.thelocal.se/userdata/images/article/2ec2cb94213f526a9e4dc7148aac771bc3d4c89f8a84c2fee0846387d0654400.jpg | en | null | Winds leave thousands of Swedes without power | null | null | www.thelocal.se | The winds are also expected to blow away the warm weather that the Swedes have been blessed with in the past few days. Photo: Peter Arwidi / TT file picture
TT/The Local · 27 Aug 2016, 14:13
Published: 27 Aug 2016 14:13 GMT+02:00
Strong gusts, forecast to reach up to 21 metres per hour, left thousands of people without power in Sweden’s northern regions on Saturday.
The Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute (SMHI) issued a class 1 warning for the regions of Jämtland, Gävleborg and Västernorrland and urged people in those areas to avoid getting on the roads with their cars.
By lunchtime, at least 6,000 homes had been hit by power outages, Swedish news agency TT reported, and several trees had been knocked down by the strong winds, blocking some roads.
In Jämtland, in the northwest, a tree fell on a power line and caught fire.
“We’ve been out and helped the Swedish Transport Administration remove between five to 10 trees,” Henrik Jönsson, a spokesman for the local rescue services, told local daily Östersundsposten.
SMHI warned that the winds were likely to pick up even more throughout the day, but are expected to slow in the beginning of the evening.
“[The winds] can reach up to 21 metres per second, and even a bit more than that,” SMHI meteorologist Sandra Andersson said.
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The agency added that the winds are likely to bring down the warm temperatures that the Swedes have been able to enjoy in the past few days, bringing in more volatile weather, including some rain in the south. | http://www.thelocal.se/20160827/winds-leave-thousands-without-power-in-swedens-north | en | 2016-08-27T00:00:00 | www.thelocal.se/e5bb65b90fc5062efad1f769cee94c6e3721d5695563313ff75778aca58bf057.json |
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