Where To Get Environmental Funds, Can ACFA Cashflow Offers environmental loans?

environment funding

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Michael Dabney

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May 5, 2022

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Where To Get Environmental Funds, Can ACFA Cashflow Offers environmental loans?

Advocates see environmental justice funds as only the beginning.

Environmental justice efforts under the Biden administration received a significant funding boost in the $1.5 trillion government spending bill. Still, advocates are concerned that the increased attention will be short-lived, given years of promises that have failed to deliver results in their communities. There are lenders that can offer environmental loans that can help you in funding boost use acfa-cashflow.com.

The $100 million planned for the Environmental Protection Agency’s environmental justice initiatives, an increase of $83 million beyond the fiscal 2021 allocation, is one of the biggest successes for the agency’s equality efforts.

The additional funding will support grants to underserved areas while also allowing the agency to strengthen its ability to integrate environmental justice activities throughout its entire mission, including clean air, clean water, toxic chemicals, and waste management.

“As significant as this financing is, it’s just the beginning,” said the House Natural Resources Committee chairman.

“The size of the budget must match the size of the problem.”

In addition, he noted, “vulnerable communities require laws that hold polluters accountable and provide them with redress against discriminatory policies,” as well as more input into permitting decisions.

Increased Funding

In addition to the $100 million for environmental justice, the fiscal 2022 funding bill included a $13 million increase for ecological monitoring and enforcement, totaling $539 million.

The bill allocated $1.23 billion to the EPA’s Superfund cleanups in fiscal 2022, a modest increase of $27 million over fiscal 2021 levels.

Brownfields cleanup and redevelopment received a $1 million boost, bringing $92 million.

While the increases are minor, the bipartisan infrastructure package included billions of dollars in new funding for Superfund and other hazardous cleanups to assist long-neglected communities around the sites.

For five years, the law allocated $3.5 billion to Superfund cleanups. The House passed the omnibus package (H.R. 2471) on Wednesday, and the Senate passed it on Thursday, sending it to President Joe Biden for signature.

Collective Effort

According to advocates, impoverished communities will require more than just funds for EPA initiatives. The initiative will follow Biden’s commitment to take a whole-of-government approach when he started office.

“We’ve been fighting legacy pollution issues for communities built on Superfund sites and landfills for 30 years, trying to find a way out,” said a member of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council and executive director of the Deep South Center for Environmental Justice, “We’ve been fighting legacy pollution issues for communities built on Superfund sites and landfills for 30 years, trying to find a way out.”

More resources are needed, according to White, to convert cleaned-up garbage sites into job-creating endeavors like solar energy projects that benefit communities.

“They’ll need cooperation from numerous agencies to get this fixed,” she said, adding that the EPA is “simply a portal to the whole-of-government approach.”

However, White added that she has yet to see a framework for expanding the initiative beyond the EPA.

Notable Improvements

Under the funding measure, the EPA’s environmental justice operations, particularly the Office of Environmental Justice—which oversees efforts to eliminate injustices across all EPA regional offices—see considerable benefits.

“This most definitely advances environmental justice,” said the National Wildlife Federation’s vice president of environmental justice, climate, and community revitalization, adding that Superfund and other waste site cleanups now have “a much stronger foundation than we have had in a number of years.”

While extra funding is always desirable, he and other advocates pointed out that it comes at a time when EPA leadership is promising more robust enforcement to better safeguard communities of color and low-income neighborhoods, including more surprise inspections of polluting sites.

“Even if some of these are minor gains, how the agency uses those resources to serve these areas may be just as significant,” he said.

Looking Forward to the New Year

According to Dana Johnson, senior strategy and federal policy director for WE ACT for Environmental Justice, many advocates are already looking ahead to next year to see if recent increases in federal spending will continue.

“When we go ahead to fiscal 2023, we want to see spending that is genuinely focused on environmental justice,” she said.

In January, the EPA Administrator said that the agency would increase site inspections in and around disadvantaged communities and increase air monitoring operations, including the use of the agency’s single-engine turboprop ASPECT plane, and recruit more air pollution inspectors.

Regan began a tour of long-ignored areas in the fall, saying that “far too many communities” had been suffering for “far too long,” with some waiting decades for results.

Fox embarks on anti-climate justice marathon after COP27 reparations deal

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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November 23, 2022

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After 30 years of pressure from developing countries, world leaders have agreed to create a new fund through which rich countries will help pay vulnerable countries to recover from climate-induced disasters. The concept, known as climate loss and damage or reparations, was a point of contention at COP27, especially among wealthy countries like the United States. However, the United States, among other nations, has agreed to contribute to the fund without accepting any responsibility for loss and damage caused by climate change.

The G20 countries, which account for around 80% of global economic output, are also responsible for around 75% of toxic greenhouse gas pollution. Yet small and poorer countries, especially island nations, bear the brunt of these impacts in the form of drought, sea level rise and other disasters resulting in huge economic losses. The African Development Bank estimates that the continent has already lost between 5 and 15% of its GDP growth due to climate impacts. Climate-fueled flooding in Pakistan, which killed more than 1,000 people and displaced or affected more than 30 million people this summer, has made negotiations over loss and damage urgent this year. In a September segment on CNN’s New Day, correspondent Clarissa Ward reported on the flooding and comments by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres on the need for climate reparations for these types of climate disasters, while noting that Pakistan emits less than 1% of global emissions, but suffers disproportionate damage from climate impacts such as flooding.

However, almost none of the details of the fund, such as which countries will contribute, who exactly will receive the money and how much will be donated, were discussed. The United States and the European Union are pushing to ensure that China would not benefit from the funding and should eventually contribute, despite being defined by the UN as a developing nation. China’s position as the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases may challenge that label when it comes to this particular fund in the coming months. The country has expressed its opposition to being treated as a developed nation.

Despite the significance of this historic deal, Fox wasted no time in demonizing the fund and using the deal to discredit global action on climate change:

Berry Dilley: from carer to defender |

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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November 23, 2022

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When Athens resident Berry Dilley struggled to find help to care for several members of her family, she took it upon herself to make sure that she, and others like her , had the help they needed.

Berry recently received the Athena Award from the Athens Municipal Commission on Persons with Disabilities in recognition of her advocacy work and volunteerism.

Virginia should instead enforce threat assessment laws. Noting the lack of conformity is not enough.

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 22, 2022

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by James C. Sherlock

I have written about the Threat Assessment Teams (TATs) of two state universities, the University of Virginia and Virginia Tech.

I assessed Tech to be in compliance with state law. I pointed out that UVa was not. This of course begs the question of the rest of the colleges and universities in Virginia.

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) in 2014, with far more resources and access than me, found the state of the TATs serving the Commonwealth’s fifteen four-year state institutions of higher learning (DIH), its community colleges and its private DIHs to be as a group a hot mess (my tenure).

I will follow this article with an assessment of the compliance of the current policies of Virginia’s fifteen public IHLs.

The 2014 report did not have the intended effect of standardizing and professionalizing threat assessment and response in Virginia. Preliminary reviews of each other’s policies show that they are still all over the map in terms of compliance.

I am reasonably confident that if the DCJS redoes its investigation tomorrow, it will result in similar findings and recommendations. Perhaps at this point the government should actually enforce the law rather than just reporting non-compliance.

A wish that had occurred years earlier.

Context of the DCJS report. The 2008 Virginia General Assembly passed a law that required every public institution of higher education (IHE) to establish a Violence Prevention Committee (VPC) and a Threat Assessment Team (TAT).

These two organizations have been tasked with preventing violence on campus by

define the policy on the one hand; and
assess and intervene when individuals exhibit behavior that may pose a threat to the safety of the other’s campus community.

There are separate guidelines in the right for the structures of each of a violence prevention committee and a threat assessment team in each public IHE.

Each Violence Prevention Committee (VPC) was then, as now, charged with specific responsibilities for policy development, including

“(a) the assessment of persons whose behavior may present a threat,

(b) appropriate means of intervention with these persons, and

(c) sufficient remedies, including interim suspension, referrals to community service boards or health care providers for evaluation or treatment, medical separation to resolve potential physical threats, and notification of family members or guardians, or both, unless such notice proves detrimental to the individual in question, pursuant to federal and state law.

Each TAT, still like today, was required to implement the evaluation, intervention and action policies defined by the VPC.

The DCJS worked with an earlier version of the current law, but this version (§23-9.2:10. Violence Prevention Committee; Threat Assessment Team) was no different in any significant respect from the current § 23.1-805.

DCJS in September 2021 produced a study this indicated that Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) information was available to TATs, including members of the TAT’s institutional police.

Findings and Recommendations. There is no doubt that appropriate changes to the findings could have been imposed on state IHLs immediately after the publication of the 2014 study.

They were not. I have no idea why not.

Selected conclusions follow and are quoted in full.

The majority of public institutions VPC (approximately 70%) and TAT (approximately 75%) have the types of representation (student affairs, law enforcement, advisory services, etc.) on committees required by §23-9.2:10 . Community colleges seem slightly less likely than public four-year institutions to have all the required representation, but this may be due to overlapping or duplication of functions performed by the same person on committees.

With respect to intervention strategies, institutional policies are most likely to include disciplinary conduct review, provisional suspension, and voluntary referral to mental health services (all over 80%). Policies were least likely to include involuntary hospitalization (51%) or medical separation (45%), particularly for community colleges.

18% of institutions said they always use at least one assessment tool during their threat assessment process.

Nearly two-thirds (64%) of establishments reported having between five and 10 EAT members. The average number of team members was eight, the minimum was five members, and the maximum was 16 members.

The highest percentage of EATs were chaired by a student affairs representative (41%), followed by a law enforcement/public safety representative (27%).

Only seven public four-year institutions, one community college and one private institution reported having a budget allocated specifically for threat assessments.

80% of public four-year institutions reported having a social media monitoring mechanism, compared to 47% of community colleges and 47% of private institutions.

91% of institutions reported that their EAT had assessed one or more threat cases during the 2013-2014 academic year. Four institutions reported no threat assessments during this period. A total of 1,217 threat assessment cases were reported.

The number of threat assessment cases reviewed in the 2013-2014 school year varied significantly from institution to institution, as did the risk levels assigned to these cases by institutions. This suggests that there are differences between institutions in how they define and report threats, and how they assess their risk levels.

The survey responses published in the report are even more interesting than the results. Take intervention strategies. Thirteen of the 15 public institutions had intervention strategies that included provisional suspension. Presumably, these other two included UVa.

First policy required of the VPC:

Then execution of the policy by the TAT:

Net of this we can see that the policy followed by TAT.

If the provisional suspension was not part of the policy, it was not used. Of course, it was not used in the case of the alleged UVa shooter. And this is not mentioned in the current UVa policy.

With all of that, if you still think there’s a rhyme or reason attributed to the TAT process, check out this chart.

and this one

An institution with fewer than 2,500 students in the 2013-2014 academic year investigated 213 of them as potential threats. Another with more than 30,000 respondents 20 in the same year. It’s statistically almost impossible that they used anything like the same criteria.

Bottom line. Current law needs to be updated to define TATs as law enforcement activities, led by the chief of police, with a dedicated law enforcement investigator, as Virginia Tech does, and with the statutory involvement of mental health professionals and legal counsel.

Campus law enforcement officials must gather information available through law enforcement channels and FERPA information, investigate, execute searches, execute campus bans, and execute temporary suspensions.

Mental health professionals must perform mental health examinations. These in turn should be mandatory when determining the team.

Temporary suspensions for school safety should be automatic for those who refuse to participate in an investigation in any way.

The EAT should have access to other university/college resources for case-by-case support, but the concept of running threat assessment teams with student affairs staff is nonsense and needs to stop.

Padding TATs with other campus interest groups by law or even voluntarily at best slows the process down and is counterproductive to community safety at worst.

There were, inexplicably, no directives issued to state institutions as a result of the shortcomings found in the DCJS study. Recommendations only.

“Higher education administrators may wish to further examine why there are differences in compliance between Virginia community colleges and four-year public IHEs with certain aspects of legislative requirements for TATs.”

“May wish.”

Clearly some did not want it.

Virginia public schools pre-K-12 have very similar requirements. Do you wonder how they are?

Conclusion updated to clarify the intent of the legislation Nov 22 at 3:11 p.m.

Ant-Man 3 Photo Shows Kang’s Marvel Comics Costume Accuracy

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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November 21, 2022

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A new official image shows Jonathan Majors as the comic book-accurate Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania.

A new picture of Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania features Jonathan Majors as the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s next arch-villain, Kang the Conqueror.

The photo was included in the latest issue of Empire and shows Kang facing off against Scott Lang/Ant-Man (Paul Rudd). Director Peyton Reed promises Kang’s arrival will have significant repercussions that will be explored in other MCU films, including the fifth avengers film, The Kang Dynasty. “I think it has a profound impact on the MCU,” he said. “Jeff Loveness, who wrote this film, writes The Kang Dynasty thus, there has been a lot of talk about the impact of this Kang The Conqueror appearance. There are great things in store.”

kang-jonathan-majors-ant-man-wasp-quantumania

The majors previously appeared in the MCU like the one that remainsa multiversal variant of Kang revealed to be the head of VAT in Loki. Reed explained how QuantumaniaThe character’s version of himself stands out saying, “Kang the Conqueror in our movie is a very different character. He’s someone who has dominion over time, and he’s a warrior and a strategist.” Reed went on to say that he was thrilled to pit such a formidable foe against an unlikely hero like Scott Lang. “It’s interesting to me,” he said. “To take the smallest, and in some people’s minds the weakest, Avenger, and pit them against this absolute force of nature.”

Jonathan Majors is a powerful performer

Executive producer Brian Gay praised Majors commitment and skill as Kang the Conqueror. “I think part of the fun is that we have someone who is so talented that he can play as they say in Loki, bass keys and treble keys, and going through the whole range with him,” he explained. “I’m so excited for everyone to see the incredible work he’s done. I think he’s an incredible presence on the MCU. And when he comes on screen, you know Kang is there. It gives that embodiment and gravity that is so focused on that character.”

Kang won’t be the only threat Marvel’s smaller heroes will face Quantumania. The trailer gave fans a first look at The character of Bill Murray in the film, it is believed to be Krylar, an extremely obscure villain who was a denizen of the Microverse who antagonizes the Hulk. Additionally, the film is also expected to feature the MODOK’s MCU Debut. Although it is unknown who plays him, rumors have suggested names like jim carrey and Corey Stoll, who previously played the villain Darren Cross/Yellowjacket first The ant Man film.

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is set to hit theaters on February 17, 2023.

Source: Empire

Ahead of Thanksgiving, a ministry gives back to the community

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 19, 2022

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Whole Man Ministries donates food to those in need ahead of Thanksgiving

WXII 12 NEWS ARE AMAZING. THANK YOU, JAKI. WELL, WAS THERE MUCH MORE TO GIVE MORE? PEOPLE WERE IN THE SPIRIT OF GIVING TODAY IN THE TRIAD IN WINSTON-SALEM, THEIR HOME AND NORTH CAROLINA MINISTRIES DONATED 350 THANKSGIVING DINNER BOXES. IT WAS THIS SCENE IN THE CHURCH PARKING LOT ON OLD LEXINGTON ROAD. THE CHURCH DOES THIS EVERY YEAR. WE DON’T WANT ANYBODY TO SAY IT ABOUT THANKSGIVING, MAN. WE WANT EVERYONE TO EAT ON THANKSGIVING. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THESE TURKEYS IN THE BISHOP’S HAND HERE. EVERYONE IS WELCOME. WE WILL NOT TRY TO WORK OUR WAY OF PROVIDING. BUT IT’S JUST AMAZING TO BE ABLE TO GIVE BACK BECAUSE AT ONE TIME IN OUR LIFE, I SPEAK FOR BOTH OF US RIGHT NOW. WE JUST HAVE A PLACE WHERE WE NEED HELP AND AND PEOPLE HAVE REACHED US AND HELPED US. AND AND WE JUST WANT TO RETURN THAT FIBER AND DO THE WORK OF THE LORD AND REACH OUT AND HELP THOSE IN NEED OF HELP. THIS YEAR. FOR THOSE TO ORGANIZERS SAYING THAT NE

Whole Man Ministries donates food to those in need ahead of Thanksgiving

As Thanksgiving approaches, a church made a difference in the triad on Saturday. In Winston-Salem, Whole Man Ministries of North Carolina donated 350 Thanksgiving dinner boxes to the community. The event took place in the church car park on Old Lexington Road. “We don’t want anyone to be sad on Thanksgiving, we want everyone to be able to eat on Thanksgiving,” Bishop Jeffrey Dowell said. “Everyone is welcome, we won’t turn down a call while supplies last.” This event has taken place every year since the church took the initiative. Two organizers have announced that they will be planning a blood drive for New Year’s Eve.

WINSTON-SALEM, North Carolina —

As Thanksgiving approaches, a church made a difference in the triad on Saturday.

In Winston-Salem, Whole Man Ministries of North Carolina donated 350 Thanksgiving dinner boxes to the community.

The event took place in the church car park on Old Lexington Road.

“We don’t want anyone to be sad on Thanksgiving, we want everyone to be able to eat on Thanksgiving,” Bishop Jeffrey Dowell said. “Everyone is welcome, we won’t turn down a call while supplies last.”

This event has taken place every year since the church took the initiative. Two organizers have announced that they will be planning a blood drive for New Year’s Eve.

Infographic | The largest chilli producers in the world

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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November 19, 2022

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The price of chillies has recently increased in India due to poor harvests due to heavy rains and strong domestic demand, which have combined to cause a shortage.

According to a report by Money controlprices rose 50% year-on-year in September, despite falling demand from China, the biggest importer of Indian chillies.

According to the report, excessive rainfall last year led to widespread pest attacks, resulting in a shortage of chili production in the last harvest in early 2022, and traders expressed concern over insufficient supply. quality peppers, which affected exports.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, India remained the top producer of dry chillies in 2020 with the country producing over 17 lakh tons of the spice. It was followed by Thailand, which produced a much smaller 3.22 lakh tons, with China in third place with 3.07 lakh tons produced in 2020.

Data for 2021 remains unavailable, likely due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on global food production and data collection.

Retail price inflation for agricultural and rural workers decreased slightly to 7.22% and 7.34%, respectively, in October compared to September 2022, mainly due to lower prices for certain food products.

Food inflation stood at 7.05% and 7% in October 2022 against 7.47% and 7.52% respectively in September 2022 and 0.39% and 0.59% respectively during the corresponding month of the previous year.

With the contributions of the agency

Advocates rally at Utah Capitol to put teen center in every high school

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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November 17, 2022

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The political project asks the Utah Legislature to help establish Teen Centers for at-risk youth in all high schools in the state. Earlier this year, the advocacy group was the motor force behind the invoice who placed free period products in all K-12 public schools in Utah.

There are 9,951 homeless students in Utah public schools, according to data released by the Utah State Board of Education earlier this fall. It’s a 10.4% increase of the last school year.

At a Nov. 16 rally under the rotunda of the Utah State Capitol, students, teachers, parents and community members filled the space with signs and cheers. There were booths on the outskirts where people could write letters to their lawmakers, learn how to become student ambassadors for The Policy Project, and make posters showing their support.

During the rally, the chairman of the House Rep. Brad WilsonR-Kaysville and Senate President Sen. Stuart AdamsR-Layton, said they were excited to partner with The Policy Project to fund the centers through a public-private partnership with the Legislative Assembly.

“There really is nothing the government can do that is more important than providing resources and supporting the next generation so that all of you and your friends can have great success in the future,” Wilson said. “And you’d be really hard pressed to find leaders who care more about our future than The Policy Project.”

Proposed teen centers would have services aimed at meeting basic needs, such as pantry and laundry services. But the centers could be different in each school.

“We will try to let the communities decide what they want for their teen center and what they need,” said Policy Project founder Emily Bell McCormick.

The Policy Project founder Emily Bell McCormick addresses a crowd at the Utah State Capitol. High school students line up in front of the public and hold signs. November 16, 2022.

For example, there may be a school that does not need laundry facilities because a local non-profit organization provides these services. Instead, the focus could be on showers, computers and internet access, as there is a greater need for these services.

McCormick said the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and the Huntsman Foundation have already committed to be private donors for this project. Details of the Utah Legislature’s contribution versus private organizations will be discussed in the upcoming 2023 legislative session.

“We’re working with the Legislature on the bill and supply right now to see what that’s going to look like,” she said.

Teen centers already exist in some Utah high schools. Mountain High School in the Davis School District opened a resource center for teenagers this school year. Social worker Jennifer Christensen said Mountain High is the district’s alternative school and the center serves everyone because all of its students are considered at-risk.

Some Mountain High students at the rally said they have already seen the benefits of the center. Moana Suka-Hanisi, senior, said she often went to get a snack and saw students who brought their laundry in every morning. The rally made her feel heard and what she took away is that there is a lot of support for this idea.

Policy Project Teen Center rally, Mountain High students and teachers, Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City, November 16, 2022 — From left are Mountain High School social worker Jennifer Christensen, senior students Dylan Olsen, Tyler Reed, Gettie Sheen and Moana Suka-Hanisi, and teen center attorney Jen Lund.

Senior Dylan Olsen has noticed a change for the better at the school since the Mountain High center opened.

“I really like going to the teen center whenever I need to. I love our social workers and our workers who work in the teen center,” Olsen said. “I think every school should have the opportunity to do that.”

Several speakers at the rally emphasized that it is not enough to have physical facilities, but that continuous support is needed. McCormick said a key part of teen centers is that there will be someone working there who the students feel they can trust. If a student has experienced trauma, abuse, or mental health issues, they can come to the center and the person who works there can help them find resources.

When state Superintendent of Public Instruction Sydnee Dickson spoke at the rally, she pointed to the signs the students were holding. One sign she particularly liked said “teenagers help teenagers.”

“It’s not just about advancing money and creating a center for teenagers, but what happens in terms of day-to-day interactions with each other?” she says. “Do you think of a center for teenagers where ‘these’ children go? Or are you in the mindset of these are my brothers and sisters, these are my friends, these are my peers.

A Greenville family nurtures a community

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 16, 2022

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The Martins are not your typical love story. When they met, Cassandra and her children had spent a year in a shelter. Redd had been homeless for nearly 18 years. He was then working in a sports memorabilia store. “And the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life walked through the door,” Martin said. “We became best friends, and it’s been history ever since.” Together they overcame Redd’s substance abuse disorder, and later they married. reason we are here,” Redd said. “It’s also by the grace of God,” Cassandra continued. Now they’re hosting Sunday dinner with a twist. The non-profit organization is dedicated to feeding homeless men and women in Greenville, distributing food on street corners, in the woods and under bridges. Three years ago, a visit changed their lives forever. The Martins fed a woman under a bridge in Cherrydale when they learned she was five months pregnant. They took care of her until she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Sam. “That could have been my child,” Cassandra said as she held the two-year-old baby. “I couldn’t leave her there. So, we had to do something.” Instead of being placed in a foster home, the Martins stepped in. They have since raised him, taking him to dinner on Sundays and providing sleeping bags and weekly snacks. For Sunday Dinner with a Twist, feeding the homeless is only half the goal. “You just give them some hope that someone cares about them,” Redd said. “And they understand what they’re going through and that they love them.” The Martins are a family from difficult circumstances, and as they continue to give, their family continues to grow. “These are people who actually do something, you know what I mean, in the community,” said Karen Holmes. Holmes has been homeless for nine years and dependent on Sunday dinners. “Once I’m ready to go, I’m going to give back, because these are really helping people.”

GREENVILLE COUNTY, South Carolina —

The Martins are not your typical love story.

When they met, Cassandra and her children had spent a year in a shelter. Redd had been homeless for nearly 18 years. He was then working in a sports memorabilia store.

“And the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met in my life walked through the door,” Martin said. “We became best friends, and it’s been history ever since.”

Together they worked on Redd’s alcoholism and drug addiction disorder, and later they were married.

“If it wasn’t for her, I wouldn’t be here. That’s the only reason we’re here,” Redd said. “It’s also by the grace of God,” Cassandra continued.

Now they are hosting Sunday Dinner with a Twist. The non-profit organization is dedicated to feeding homeless men and women in Greenville, distributing food on street corners, in the woods and under bridges.

Three years ago, a visit changed their lives forever. The Martins fed a woman under a bridge in Cherrydale when they learned she was five months pregnant. They took care of her until she gave birth to a beautiful baby boy named Sam.

“That could have been my child,” Cassandra said as she held the now two-year-old. “I couldn’t leave her there. So, we had to do something.”

Instead of being placed in a foster home, the Martins stepped in. They have since raised him, taking him to dinner on Sundays and providing sleeping bags and weekly snacks.

For Sunday Dinner with a Twist, feeding the homeless is only half the goal.

“You just give them some hope that someone cares about them,” Redd said. “And they understand what they’re going through and that they love them.”

The Martins are a family that came from difficult circumstances, and as they continue to give, their family continues to grow.

“These are people who actually do something, you know what I mean, in the community,” said Karen Holmes. Holmes has been homeless for nine years and dependent on Sunday dinners. “Once I’m ready to go, I’m going to give back, because these are really helping people.”

Pakistani woman wins Gender Just Climate Solution Award

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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November 15, 2022

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Pakistani environmentalist Javed Hussain won the ‘Gender Just Climate Solution Award’ at the COP27 climate conference in Egypt. He is the first Pakistani to receive the award.

Hussain got the honor for the project titled “Advancing Labor Rights of Women Cotton Pickers in Pakistan”.

The ecologist is from Hala and has been actively working on the impact of the climate on women cotton pickers in Mitiari and other parts of Sindh province, which is one of the districts most affected by the floods. of the province.

A total of 259 organizations from 119 countries, including Pakistan, submitted their nominations for the awards, and only three were awarded at Monday’s ceremony.

Lily Sherry highlights high cost of climate ‘inaction’

The Women and Gender Constituency of Women Engage for Common Future, a United Nations-affiliated organization, said in its press release that SCF uses a feminist participatory action research approach to support the demands of women agricultural workers.

“Located in the Mitiari district of Pakistan, the foundation has developed an innovative advocacy strategy linking social and climate justice,” he said. The “goals of the foundation are to strengthen climate adaptation measures, establish a training program for 100 women agricultural workers on climate awareness, climate justice and the protection of labor rights”, he said. He specifies.

After receiving the award, Hussain addressed the attendees and said, “It’s a first for our efforts to be recognized on a global platform. We still need support to achieve climate justice for women agricultural workers.”

Talk to The Express Grandstand from Egypt, Hussain said he was the first environmentalist from Pakistan to receive the award and said “this is a time of great celebration”.

“We need to work seriously on the impact of climate change and in particular take women into account,” Hussain stressed, adding that his organization had been struggling for many years to raise awareness among the masses in the fight against climate change.

According to the World Bank Group’s National Climate and Development Report (CCDR), Pakistan needs $348 billion over eight years – 800% more than the current annual budget – to stop climate-induced disasters. climate. Climate change, however, has the potential to wipe out a fifth of the economy if action is not taken now, according to a new report released by the World Bank.

ThinkISP partners with Envision Strategy to advocate for the last mile industry

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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November 14, 2022

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WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–ThinkISP, the nation’s leading independent think tank for the parcel delivery industry, announced its partnership with Envision Strategy, LLC (Envision). Envision is a state and federal government relations firm with offices in Albany, NY and Washington, D.C., and includes a consulting team of former members of Congress, chiefs of staff from both sides of the aisle, local and state government officials and leaders. private and public sectors.

In their first project together, ThinkISP and the Envision team will work with federal lawmakers to address the backlog in Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) payments to Independent Service Providers (ISPs). “The ERTC is a refundable payroll tax credit for wages paid by an employer whose activity is totally or partially suspended due to an order related to COVID-19 or who experiences a drop of at least minus 10% of gross receipts over the same calendar quarter of the prior year,” according to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).

Independent service providers across the country have experienced delays in their ERTC payments due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the backlog of cases that have yet to be reviewed by the IRS. Long delays cause headaches for small and medium-sized businesses amid rising costs and growing demand for services. ThinkISP and Envision connect ISPs with their federal legislators to assist with the ERTC process and follow up with the IRS on the status of ERTC payments. Most recently, the ThinkISP and Envision team met with staff from the offices of US Senate Majority Leader Charles “Chuck” Schumer, Representative Elise Stefanik, and Representative Paul Tonko. The group has several other federal meetings in the queue after the recent election.

“This partnership is critical to ThinkISP’s mission and the last mile industry,” said Steven Johnson, ThinkISP founding member and think tank spokesperson. “The industry needs positive affiliations as businesses continue to navigate the COVID-19 pandemic and relief efforts. Envision will bring its government and business development expertise to the table, and we will bring our knowledge of the last mile industry to protect ISP results.

“ThinkISP has a unique opportunity to improve the parcel delivery industry,” said Jim Thompson, consultant at Envision. “As a team, we are grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the organization, its mission and the industry, which has such a profound effect on the lives of millions of Americans. We look forward to bringing solutions to the table, so ISPs can focus on expanding their businesses and providing quality delivery services.

Through its partnership, ThinkISP and Envision will use the data and research established by the think tank and its members to seek legislative and regulatory solutions and improve the independent service provider model that powers the last mile.

About ThinkISP

ThinkISP is an independent think tank for the parcel delivery industry. ThinkISP’s mission is to enhance the independent service provider model that powers last mile delivery by putting data, intelligence, and solution research at the forefront. The eight founding members of ThinkISP own businesses that collectively deliver hundreds of thousands of FedEx Ground packages each week.

China’s vision of global governance to address common challenges – Xinhua

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 14, 2022

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This photo taken on November 12, 2022 shows the logo of the upcoming 17th Group of 20 (G20) summit outside Apurva Kempinski, the main summit venue in Bali, Indonesia. (Xinhua/Wang Yiliang)

BEIJING, Nov. 14 (Xinhua) — “What happened to the world and how should we react?”

As early as 2017, Chinese President Xi Jinping posed this sobering question in his speech at the United Nations Office at Geneva. He also presented China’s vision of building a human community with a shared future to ensure development and peace for generations.

This call is even more valid today, as the global community faces more complex challenges, including the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, regional conflicts and the headwinds of economic globalization.

As Group of 20 (G20) leaders meet this week to discuss how to resolve global issues at the 17th G20 summit in Indonesia, Xi is expected to once again outline China’s answers to the fundamental question. that weighs on the world.

Aerial photo taken on July 29, 2022 shows Xi’an International Port in Xi’an, northwest China’s Shaanxi Province. (Xinhua/Zhang Bowen)

COMMON DEVELOPMENT

Over the past decade, China has experienced remarkable growth, with its GDP rising from 53.9 trillion yuan ($7.58 trillion) in 2012 to 114.4 trillion yuan ($16.09 trillion) in 2021. greater role on the world stage.

China is also making unremitting efforts to promote common development in the world. The Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) it proposed in 2013 strives to share its development dividends with other countries through infrastructure connectivity.

Until the end of 2021, the total volume of merchandise trade between China and countries along the BRI routes stood at nearly 11 trillion US dollars.

“Infrastructure development plays an important role in boosting economic growth. China has made tireless efforts in this regard through the Belt and Road cooperation and other initiatives,” said Mr. Xi on his thinking behind the initiative at the 16th G20 Leaders’ Summit.

“Through the BRI, it has therefore brought new thinking about development – from simple loan recipients to real projects on the ground that bring development through trade and business,” said James M. Njihia, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and Management. , University of Nairobi.

In September last year, Xi introduced the Global Development Initiative (GDI) during the general debate of the 76th session of the UN General Assembly. At the High-Level Dialogue on Global Development in June this year, he explained the steps China will take under the GDI to support the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, including deepening global cooperation in poverty reduction, building capacity for food production and supply. , and the promotion of clean energy partnerships.

“The Global Initiative for Global Development is a valuable contribution to addressing common challenges and accelerating the transition to a more sustainable and inclusive future,” said UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.

In addition to these two initiatives, China shares opportunities with the world. These include the launch of the China International Import Expo, the establishment of pilot zones for e-commerce cooperation on the Silk Road, the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership and application to join the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership.

World Bank data showed that during the period 2013-2021, China’s contribution to global economic growth averaged 38.6 percent, higher than that of the Group of Seven countries combined.

China’s proposals for common development exemplify a correct understanding of global issues and a focus on collective progress, said Farhad Javanbakht Kheirabadi, a Chinese researcher at Shahid Beheshti University in Iran.

Doves are released into the sky at Tian’anmen Square in Beijing, capital of China, July 1, 2021. (Xinhua/Sun Fei)

INDIVISIBLE SECURITY

“With peace, a country enjoys prosperity, just like with rain, the earth can prosper,” Xi said, citing an Uzbek proverb. However, today’s world is far from calm, with global peace and security deficits widening.

In response, Xi proposed the Global Security Initiative (GSI) at the opening ceremony of the Boao Forum for Asia’s 2022 annual conference, offering a Chinese solution to global security challenges.

The initiative advocates cooperative and synergistic approaches to replace the Cold War zero-sum mindset of maximizing security with contesting power and pursuing arms, Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz said. Sharif.

David Monyae, director of the Center for Africa-China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said the initiative presents the right guiding philosophy on global peace and security.

The GSI is part of China’s contribution to solving the global security deficit. Over the past decades, China has called for promoting a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security vision.

Since 1990, China has sent more than 50,000 peacekeepers to nearly 30 UN peacekeeping missions and has become the second largest financial contributor to these critical UN operations. Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, described China as “strong support for the (UN) blue flag”.

Faced with various security threats, China has sought to coordinate responses through multilateral mechanisms such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). Addressing the 22nd meeting of the SCO Heads of State Council in September, Xi called on members to crack down on terrorism, separatism and extremism, as well as effectively address security challenges. data security, biosecurity, space security and other non-traditional security areas.

Building a global security community for all “solves the problems of peace deficit and governance deficit, and pursues peace and development”, which will undoubtedly gain momentum, said BR Deepak, president of the Center for China and Southeast Asian Studies in New Delhi. at Jawaharlal Nehru University.

Photo taken on Nov. 22, 2021 shows wind turbines at the De Aar Wind Project in De Aar, South Africa. (Xinhua/Lyu Tianran)

A COMMUNITY

Faced with the persistence of the pandemic, the rise of geopolitical tensions and the rise of protectionism and unilateralism, global development is facing setbacks.

The latest Human Development Report, released by the United Nations Development Program in September, showed that nine out of 10 countries have fallen behind in human development due to multiple crises, including the North-South divide, technological divides and insufficient climate action.

While urging developed countries to keep their climate promise, China is helping developing countries build their adaptive capacity through South-South cooperation.

So far, China has offered other developing countries 2 billion yuan ($276 million) for climate change adaptation and mitigation, as well as equipment such as microsatellites and drones used for climate change. monitoring and warning of natural disasters.

Meanwhile, China provided global public goods where they were needed. To narrow the “vaccination gap” revealed by the pandemic, China and other BRICS countries have inaugurated a vaccine research and development center to make vaccines accessible and affordable for developing countries.

The countries have also provided development experience and technology to the countries of the South. For example, China is helping many African countries, such as Mozambique, to develop modern agriculture with the help of China-developed BeiDou satellite navigation system and unmanned equipment.

At the opening ceremony of the BRICS Business Forum in June, Xi again called on the world to “promote in-depth consultation and joint contribution to deliver shared benefits” to ensure that “all countries enjoy equal rights, follow the rules as equals and share equal opportunities.”

“Despite the changes in a changing global environment, the historical trend of opening up and development will not be reversed,” Xi said, calling for facing challenges and resolutely forging ahead. objective of building a human community of destiny.

In the eyes of the Algerian ambassador to China, Hassane Rabehi, China’s proposals “are noble because they are in the interest of all humanity” and inspire all countries to work together to “support peace and stability in the world and working together for the common good”. .” ■

Budd Friedman, founder of Improv Comedy Club, dies at 90

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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November 14, 2022

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Budd Friedman, a Broadway producer and founder of the iconic Improv Comedy Club franchise, has passed away. He was 90 years old.

Friedman died on Saturday, according to an Instagram tribute shared by Hollywood improv, the Los Angeles venue of the Improv Comedy Club, on Saturday. A cause of death was not given.

“The comedy world lost a giant today,” the venue wrote, calling Friedman a “pioneer” and “godfather of stand-up comedy.”

“He changed the comedy world by creating the first comedy club for the masses to come together in laughter,” the tribute continued. “Budd offered opportunity and support to all who had the privilege of performing in front of this iconic brick wall. We are committed to his vision.”

“His impact is immeasurable and his legacy will be felt in comedy for generations to come.”

USA TODAY has reached out to The Hollywood Improv and The Broadway League for additional comment.

Friedman founded the Improv Comedy Club in New York in 1963, according to the franchise’s official website, with the goal of creating an “intimate” haven for Broadway performers to unwind: “eat, drink coffee and, above all, sing.”

Over the years improv has become a mecca for comedic talent, with appearances from famous pranksters Jay Leno, Dave Chappelle, Ellen DegeneresFreddie Prinze and jerry seinfeld.

A number of comedians took to social media to mourn Friedman’s passing and pay tribute to his impact on the comedy landscape.

“Budd literally invented the modern comedy club,” Rob Schneider tweeted. “He made it possible for me (and) so many others to earn a living for our families doing what we love! It was through Budd’s support and kindness that I had the chance to live my dreams (and) be discovered.”

“I cannot thank this man enough for what he has given us all,tweeted Adam Sandler alongside a photo of himself with Friedman. “A homemade comedy. All the time on stage. All advice. All encouragement. A place where comedians can meet and talk only about comedy.”

“St. Peter’s like ‘Out of the aisles, out of the aisles, Budd is coming'” jimmy fallon wrote on Twitter. “Rest in peace, Budd Friedman.”

“So sad to hear of the passing of legendary Budd Friedman, owner of The Improv, who discovered everyone you love,” Judd Apatow tweeted. “A great man we all loved. He made the world so much happier!”

Comedian Richard Lewis called Friedman “true kingmaker for many young actorsin a Twitter tribute on Sunday.

“In 1971 my father, a hero to me, died young. I was lost and found by this man,” Lewis wrote of Friedman. “In many ways he saved my life. I loved him and his family. RIP mate.

Judy Tenuta:Hot-headed ‘Goddess of Love’ comedian dies aged 72 from ovarian cancer

“We are heartbroken”:Actor and comedian Gilbert Gottfried dies at 67 after a long illness

Explained | Why are discussions on 1.5°C on the brink at COP27?

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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November 12, 2022

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What are the tipping points besides the potential collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet and how are they likely to affect things like monsoons and heatwaves? How are world leaders expected to react to COP27? Why do some communities file climate complaints against rich countries?

The story so far: Following the ratification of the 2015 Paris Climate Change Agreement, the focus is on voluntary national actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and keep the increase in average global temperature well below 2°C and as close to 1.5°C as possible by the end of the century. All countries that have signed the pact under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) are meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, during COP27, to review progress, raise ambition in reducing emissions and developing financing plans to help vulnerable people. countries are adapting to climate change. But the scientific community is losing hope that rising temperatures can be stopped in time, before uncontrollable tipping points are reached, leading to catastrophic climate change that will harm human health, biodiversity and agriculture. This caused worldwide protest movements. Young people in particular are reluctant to face their uncertain future.

Why does the 1.5°C target seem unattainable?

UN scientific reports that contribute to the understanding of climate change published ahead of the COP27 meeting in Egypt highlight the extremely narrow window available to close the emissions gap and prevent the average temperature increase beyond 1.5°C.

UNEP’s 2022 Emissions Gap Report indicates that while all conditional Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) – voluntary pledges submitted under the Paris Pact – followed by net-zero emissions reduction targets are implemented, global warming is expected to reach 1.8°C with a probability of 66%. The report also points out that global annual emissions in 2021, at 52.8 gigatonnes (GtCO2e), represent a slight increase from 2019, the pre-COVID year, and that the outlook for 2030 is not bright. Collectively, the members of the G20 account for 75% of emissions, even if it is the richest countries that are responsible for the emissions accumulated since the industrial revolution.

During the conference on Egypt, the scientist Johan Rockstrom said the major tipping points are the potential collapse of the Greenland Ice Sheet, the collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, the thawing of boreal permafrost and the death of tropical coral reefs, all of which are expected to occur produce at 1.5°C. These and other estimates of temperature impacts were reported in a recent journal article Science by Armstrong McKay and others. Tipping points represent moments that turn into irreversible changes, with a domino effect on other elements such as monsoons and heat waves. To put things into perspective, Professor Rockstrom said the current temperature rise is between 1.2C and 1.3C above the pre-industrial average, the highest in about 12,000 years since the last ice age. With current soft approaches to limiting atmospheric CO2, it will be nearly impossible to meet the 1.5°C target.

What do the scientific reports say about the fallout?

COP27 is described as the implementation conference, as the UN climate talks are often criticized as a ‘talk more, do little’ exercise. Yet official Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports that inform the UN system contain reminders for participating leaders, whose national pledges fall far short of needed reductions. The latest Sixth Assessment Report (SAR) of the IPCC, with high confidence in its short-term conclusions (until 2040), indicates that biodiversity loss, loss of Arctic ice, threat to settlements and coastal infrastructure will all be experienced, while conflict, migration of affected people and urban issues of energy and water access may also arise. Beyond 2040 and until the end of the century, the IPCC report paints a bleak picture. At 2°C, up to 20% less snowmelt water for irrigation, less water for agriculture and human settlements due to loss of glacial mass, and doubling of flood damage could occur, while up to 18% of species on earth could disappear.

The projected increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events such as cyclones, particularly in the medium to long term until 2100, is of particular concern in tropical regions. The SAR says that “displacement will increase with intensification of heavy rainfall and associated flooding, tropical cyclones, drought and, increasingly, sea level rise.”

What is at stake in the negotiations at COP27?

The countries most affected by the effects of climate change have sought to obtain payments for loss and damage from the wealthiest industrialized nations, which have contributed most of the CO2 to the atmosphere. Strengthening this compensation mechanism is a major focus in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The background to the emissions is explained as follows: The CO2 level at Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii was 416.22 parts per million (ppm) on November 11. The level was 315 ppm in 1958 and the pre-industrial revolution level was 280 ppm. To display. Emerging economies and smaller climate-affected countries say they are not responsible for this stockpile of CO2, and many want the creation of a massive fund for loss and damage, separate from the agreed $100 billion a year under the Paris Agreement. At the last conference in Glasgow, this program was abandoned. Some communities in countries ranging from Peru to Pakistan and even India have started filing climate complaints, asking for restrictions or damages.

Read also | Loss and damage: fight against human damage, huge climate costs

More fundamentally, campaigners are seeking a radical move away from fossil fuels to peak emissions by 2025. A special report titled “10 New Perspectives on Climate Science” released at COP27 by Professor Rockstrom highlights the persistence of high emissions from fossil fuels because “success is still measured primarily by GDP and wealth, rather than improving resource use efficiency and promoting human well-being in the limits of the biosphere, so world leaders and the financial system investing in polluting companies around the world are under pressure to divest from fossil fuels and support greener, renewable options at COP27.

$20 million announced to strengthen Latino communities

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 11, 2022

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By launching this ambitious campaign, the Denver-based philanthropic foundation, run by Latinos for Latinos, seeks to ensure that investments in Hispanic communities and nonprofits can continue indefinitely.

The “unique community. Fundraising “One Legacy” for 3 years will make LCFC the best-funded Hispanic fund in the nation.

Carlos Martínez, general manager of LCFC Colorado, said:

This is a transformative step in our journey. We need to rethink investment models that promote systemic change.

Publicly announced in mid-October, more than $13 million has been pledged to the campaign to date, including donations from the Colorado Health Foundation for $5 million, the S. Clement Trust for $2.7 million dollars and the Jay and Rose Phillips Family Foundation of Colorado. for $1 million.

“The purpose of a community. A legacy is to ensure that the work we do today will be sustained in perpetuity so that we can fulfill our mission for generations to come,” Martínez emphasized.

The campaign will focus on developing the following funds:

Legacy Fund – $10 million unrestricted fund to advance community transformation work.
Vision Fund – $5 million earmarked fund to provide capacity building grants to nonprofits, combined with leadership development, training, and coaching.
Loan Fund — $5 million revolving fund that opens opportunities for ongoing working capital to build wealth.

While the funds will be used to strengthen LCFC’s work statewide, its efforts will be particularly focused in places like the San Luis Valley, where the foundation works with 4 communities in partnership with Soul Players of the Valley.

The initiative will also serve as a model for beneficiary groups to leverage resources and promote economic growth, security, youth development and the pursuit of better living conditions.

“It shouldn’t just be a matter of handing out grants and walking away. Real and meaningful change comes by edifying, encouraging and working in partnership with leaders and organizations on the ground on how to find the solutions they know are right for their communities,” Martínez added.

Since LCFC’s inception in 2007, the foundation has invested more than $13 million and mobilized nearly $50 million in Latin American communities in Colorado, as well as other LGBTQ and communities of color.

For more information on One Community. A legacy, click here.

EastEnders Confirms Amy Mitchell Self-Harm Storyline

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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November 11, 2022

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**Disclaimer: This article contains discussion of self-harm that some readers may find upsetting.**

Amy Mitchell (played by Ellie Dadd) will be involved in a self-harm storyline in the coming weeks on EastEnders.

The teenager is struggling with increasing pressures at school and at home which have in turn isolated her from family and friends.

Her struggles didn’t end there as she found herself at odds with her father, Jack Branning (Scott Maslen), over his relationship with Denzel (Jaden Ladega).

This should continue and as she lowers it is revealed that she is self-harming.

Over the next few weeks, viewers will also see the impact Amy’s mental health has had on her loved ones.

It will also highlight how her friends and family come together and learn to effectively support Amy.

EastEnders has worked closely with Alumina, Disturbs and Samaritans to portray this story as realistically and sensitively as possible.

Chris Clenshaw, executive producer of EastEnders, said of the script: “It was really important for us to explore a storyline focused on Amy’s mental health issues – the issues she faces impact so many young people and their families across the UK, so we hope it helps to raise awareness and start a conversation among viewers.

“We wanted to make sure the story was portrayed with the utmost care, which is why working alongside charities such as Alumina, Mind and Samaritans was key to making sure it was portrayed in the most accurate way possible. more sensitive and as precise as possible.”

Denzel (Jaden Ladega) and Amy Mitchell (Ellie Dadd) in EastEnders. BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron

Jenny Cavendish, co-head of the project at Alumina, commented: “Stories like Amy’s are so important because they can help communicate the emotions felt by the young person and their family in the face of self-harm. We appreciate the sensitivity with which this story has been portrayed. , while expressing the variety of feelings of Amy and those around her.

“As described on EastEnders, we believe that seeking support is essential to living a life free of self-harm and hope that others will benefit from seeing how sensitively this is handled by family. At Alumina, we always recommend young people to reaching out to those around them to help them access the help they need.

More like this

Alex Bushill, head of media and public relations at Mind, also said seeing mental health issues depicted on screen can help raise awareness of their signs and symptoms.

“That’s why it’s great to see EastEnders dedicating airtime to exploring such an important issue. We know there is a mental health crisis among young people, with one in six having a Mental Health.

“I hope Amy’s story helps to emphasize that self-harm is all too real, it’s not about attention-seeking or something to reject, and every young person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. We also hope it highlights safe ways for people to take care of themselves if they are hurting themselves to cope with difficult feelings.”

And finally, Lorna Fraser, Head of Media Advisory at Samaritans, said: “Great care should be taken with stories of self-harm, but sensitive portrayals, which depict a character overcoming difficult times and show a full recovery. hope, can encourage others to ask for help.

“Young people, especially women of Amy Mitchell’s age, are most likely to consider self-harm, so we were delighted to help a hugely popular soap opera like EastEnders maximize the positive impact of its story. Hopefully Amy’s story will help start meaningful conversations around mental health and self-harm, which is a major public health issue.”

For help and information on the issues raised in this article, visit the BBC Action Line.

Read more:

Visit our dedicated site EastEnders page for all the latest news, interviews and spoilers. If you’re looking for more to watch, check out our tv guide Where Streaming Guideor visit our Soaps center.

We the people want racial, economic and climate justice in New York and beyond!

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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November 9, 2022

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Minerva Solla, union organizer, June 2020, photo by Mariposa

New Yorkers made their voices heard loud and clear! Despite attempts to thwart the efforts of the Racial Justice Commission, we the people voted overwhelmingly to create a preamble that includes a statement of values in the New York City Charter, an Office of the racial equity, and to measure and publicize the true cost of living. As reported in The Gothamist, “NYC voters support racial justice ballot proposals by wide margins.” Kudos to everyone who worked tirelessly to make this happen.

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Politico Called It: All 3 Racial Justice Ballot Proposals Passed in New York!

Thank you to everyone who volunteered for our campaign to educate New York voters!

— New York Racial Justice Commission (@RacialJusticeNY) November 9, 2022

It’s a step forward for New York City, a step that was born out of the fight for racial justice and equity. The 3 proposal questions, posed by the New York Racial Justice Commission under Mayor Bill DeBlasio, emerged from weeks of protests in June 2020, following the May 25, 2020 killings of George Floyd and the murders of Breonna Taylor and Ahmaud Arbery shortly before. I shared in the Daily Kos story I wrote, Why Vote Yes to Change the New York Charter, Even If You Don’t Live in New York, It’s About You.

We’re a trendy city, but not as hip as people would like to think, if the word branch is positive in your book. The fact is that racism and segregation exist in New York. Racism is racism and Nordic racism is very real. “Centering the New York City Charter on racial justice and equity as moral imperatives is an acknowledgment of systemic racism and the legacy it has inflicted,” the former council chair tweeted. New York City Council, Melissa Mark-Viverito.

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Incredible progress. Centering the New York City Charter on racial justice and equity as moral imperatives is an acknowledgment of systemic racism and the legacy of the damage it has inflicted. Proud to have been part of the effort that led to this moment. Congratulation @RacialJusticeNY! https://t.co/hSUT0JtRA1

— Melissa Mark-Viverito (@MMViverito) November 9, 2022

An Office of Racial Equity will mean that every New York City agency will be held accountable by being held accountable for its progress in addressing racial disparities. Like Kimberle Crenshaw states in his famous Tedtalk, On the Urgency of Intersectionality, “when you can’t see a problem, you pretty much can’t solve it.” Having an office that will compel city agencies to produce hard data will hopefully help us see the problems and address them. As a working class black Puerto Rican woman teaching and living in poverty (yes, even with a college degree) in the Bronx, I can personally attest that this will make a difference not only in my life but in the life of my family. and my students.

It is the victory of a people who emerged from the struggle.

There have been numerous protests during the pandemic, which prompted Mayor Bill de Blasio’s administration to create a racial justice commission, including on June 14, 2020, where Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and other members of the many Latinx African Diaspora communities in New York City marched. for racial justice. The march started in Washington Heights towards West Harlem and East Harlem/El Barrio in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

Longtime abortion rights advocate Josh Shapiro elected governor of Pennsylvania

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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November 9, 2022

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Pennsylvania Democratic Attorney General Josh Shapiro won the race for state governor, beating Donald Trump-backed Doug Mastriano.

The race was called by the headquarters of the decision office at 10:13 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Shapiro’s victory means Pennsylvania will continue to have a divided government, with a Democratic governor and Republican majorities in both state legislative houses. This is especially critical to maintaining access to abortion in the state; Shapiro, a longtime abortion rights advocate, said he would veto GOP-controlled Pennsylvania State Assembly legislation restricting the procedure.

Shapiro, who was elected attorney general in 2016, has focused his campaign on protecting abortion rights, raising the state minimum wage to $15 an hour, expanding energy education and union rights, and investing in public schools and law enforcement, among others.

Mastriano has run on issues such as reducing taxes and crime while taking extreme positions on abortion and denying that President Joe Biden won the last presidential election. After the certification of the 2020 results, Mastriano, who was a state senator at the time, held a hearing in which witnesses aired false allegations of mass voter fraud. He also attended the “Stop the Steal” rally on January 6, 2021 and was outside the US Capitol when Trump supporters stormed the building.

During his campaign, Mastriano, who served in the U.S. military before taking public office, said if elected governor he would eliminate mail-in ballots; prohibit certain teaching about race, ethnicity and gender in public schools; and enacting anti-abortion legislation such as the six-week ban he introduced in the state Senate in 2019.

Despite numerous attempts by Republican lawmakers in Pennsylvania to restrict abortion rights in recent years, the procedure remains legal in the state until 24 weeks of pregnancy. Indeed, every bill passed by the state General Assembly was vetoed by Democratic Governor Tom Wolf, who was unable to run for office.

Shapiro said if elected, he would continue, like Wolf, to veto anti-abortion legislation.

In a statement sent to BuzzFeed News in September, Manuel Bonder, spokesperson for the Shapiro campaign, said the candidate “has always stood for a woman’s right to choose, and as governor he will protect reproductive rights and will defend true freedom”.

In contrast, Mastriano said marriage equality should be illegal, called the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade a “triumph for innocent life” and described legal abortion as “a national disaster”. He has previously said he opposes any exceptions to the abortion ban.

As a state senator, Mastriano said women who violated his six-week abortion ban should be charged with murder.

Mitchell Emergency Services Receive Blankets Donated by Kiwanis Club – Mitchell Republic

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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November 8, 2022

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MITCHELL — Changing lives one child, one community (and one blanket) at a time.

That was the theme as the Kiwanis Club of Mitchell presented Mitchell Police and Fire/EMS with homemade blankets on Monday, November 7.

Mitchell Kiwanis members left to right Linda McEntee, Janet Fritzemeier, Ruth Swartout, Tami Sonne, Paula Deckert, Jamie McGowan, Police Chief Mike Koster and Fire/EMS Chief Marius Laursen hold blankets donated to help comfort the people in an emergency on Monday, November 7, 2022 at the Mitchell Police and Fire Department.

Photo submitted

Linda McEntee, the Kiwanis club secretary, spoke at the event, noting that this is the first year the club has participated in the idea. The idea of donating a tie blanket was originally introduced to the group after seeing another club donate it in a national Kiwanis club magazine.

“We had about 20 people working on these covers, sometimes on specific workdays or sometimes in meetings,” McEntee said. “Blankets will be placed in the back of patrol cars, as well as in fire platforms or ambulances for people in emergencies.”

McEntee said that although they donated 19 blankets today, the club’s plan is to maintain contact with Mitchell’s emergency services to continue supplying the blankets in the future.

McEntee also said the main reason for the general donation was for children in need during particularly traumatic situations.

“The motto behind the Kiwanis Club is ‘Serving the Children of the World,’ changing a child’s life, one community at a time,” McEntee said. “All of our efforts are focused on Mitchell’s children.”

Linda McEntee displays a stitched patch on the corner of blankets donated by the Kiwanis club to comfort those in an emergency Monday, November 7, 2022 at the Mitchell Police and Fire Department.

For more information about the Kiwanis club and how to get involved, click here.

Climate activists sidelined from COP27

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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November 7, 2022

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Young Ugandan activist Nyombi Morris arrived in Egypt for the UN’s COP27 climate summit with high hopes of being part of the campaign for environmental justice.

But it didn’t take long for Egypt’s tough security measures to shatter his dreams, as rights groups warn the North African country has snuffed out protests with ‘dozens’ of protesters. arrests.

“I was so happy when they announced the COP would be in Africa,” said Morris, who founded the youth organization Earth Volunteers which campaigns for “climate justice”.

“I thought maybe I would be lucky enough to be in the room where the negotiations are taking place.”

Instead, “with the questions we received at the airport, it won’t be easy for us to proceed with our plan,” the 24-year-old said.

In 2008, when Morris was 10, devastating flash floods hit Butaleja district in eastern Uganda, an area where illegal extraction of riverbank sand for construction was common. Some 400 people, including Morris’ family, lost their homes.

Morris, who said the digging “has worsened flooding already made worse by climate change”, said they had to move to the capital Kampala.

“I’m here to represent my mother who lost a farm, who lost a house,” he said. “I am here to seek compensation for my community.”

– ‘Abusive security measures’ –

Activists wishing to demonstrate at COP27, which is being held in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, must apply for accreditation 36 hours in advance, providing information such as the names of protest organizers and details of the proposed walk.

Approved demonstrations are only permitted during working hours and in a specific area built for this purpose.

This accreditation process is risky, Morris fears.

“When they started asking about our locations, where we will be staying, our passports, our names, we were worried,” he said.

“What if they follow one of us and (we) get arrested? »

He cited the case of Indian climate activist Ajit Rajagopal, who was arrested after leaving to walk from Cairo to Sharm el-Sheikh. He was later released after an international outcry.

Human Rights Watch warned on Sunday that “dozens of people” calling for protests had been arrested.

“The Egyptian government has no intention of relaxing its abusive security measures and allowing freedom of expression and assembly,” the watchdog said.

Rights groups say at least 138 people have been arrested ahead of a rally scheduled for November 11 – planned across the country but not in Sharm el-Sheikh – against what they say is a crackdown and a sharp increase in the cost of living.

– ‘Watch online’ –

Africa is home to some of the countries least responsible for global warming emissions, but hardest hit by a wave of extreme weather.

In addition to security restrictions, Morris lamented that activists like him were excluded from the talks.

“I’m looking online because our observer badges won’t let us in,” he said.

“I’m like ‘so why are we here?'”

He said his hopes had faded that holding the summit in Africa could make a difference, including demanding that the rich countries responsible for the emissions pay their dues.

“It’s not an African COP, it’s a Polluters COP – because polluters rule,” he said.

“Haven’t you seen Coca-Cola here?” he added, referring to one of this year’s official sponsors.

Campaign group Greenpeace called Egypt’s choice of the soft drinks giant “appalling”, blaming the company for much of the “world’s plastic pollution”.

Last year, at COP26 in Glasgow, tens of thousands of protesters from around the world marched to demand “climate justice”.

Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg is skipping COP27, calling it a “greenwash” forum and saying “the space for civil society this year is extremely limited”.

On Sunday, ignoring the restrictions, a handful of activists held up banners at the entrance to the summit hall.

“We are trying to promote veganism to help save the planet from greenhouse gases,” said Tom Modgmah, a disciple of Vietnam’s “Supreme Master Ching Hai”, alongside colleagues holding banners.

“Be vegan, make peace,” they read.

bam/sbh/pjm/lg/smw

Local polling places, election day times

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 6, 2022

0

A sign in Hudson directs voters where to vote. (Photo/Dakota Antelman)

REGION – As the election approaches, check local voting locations and times. Unless otherwise specified, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day on November 8.

Graton

In Grafton, Wards 1, 2, and 3 vote at Grafton Middle School, and Wards 4 and 5 vote at Millbury Street Elementary School. For more information, visit https://www.grafton-ma.gov/town-clerk/pages/election-information-voting-locations.

Hudson

In Hudson, precincts 1 and 5 vote in the gymnasium at Hudson High School. Ward 2 votes at the Glen Road Community Center, Ward 3 and 4 votes at the David J. Quinn Middle School gymnasium, and Ward 6 votes at City Hall.

For more information, visit https://www.townofhudson.org/town-clerk/pages/elections-voting.

Marlborough

In Marlborough, Wards 1 and 2 of Constituencies 1 and 2 vote at Francis J. Kane School. Ward 3, Precinct 1 vote at Senior Center and Precinct 2 votes at Raymond J. Richer School.

Precincts 1 and 2 in Ward 4 also vote at the Senior Center. Wards 1 and 2 of Ward 5 vote at the Masonic Lodge while Wards 1 and 2 of Ward 6 vote at Lieutenant Charles Whitcomb School.

For more information, visit https://www.marlborough-ma.gov/city-clerk/pages/election-voting-information.

Northborough

In Northborough, all constituencies vote at Melican Middle School. For more information, visit https://www.town.northborough.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/elections-voting.

Shrewsbury

In Shrewsbury, Constituency 1 votes at the Richard D. Carney Municipal Office Building while Constituencies 2 and 6 vote at the Senior Citizens Centre.

Precinct 3 votes at Calvin Coolidge School, Precinct 4 votes at the Scandinavian Athletic Club, and Precinct 5 and 10 votes at the Water and Sewer Service Garage. Precincts 7 and 8 vote at Spring Street School and Precinct 9 votes at Fire Station No. 3 on Centech Boulevard.

For more information, visit https://shrewsburyma.gov/349/Election-Voter-Information.

Southborough

In Southborough, polling stations are open from 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. All precincts vote in the gymnasium at Trottier Middle School.

For more information, visit https://www.southboroughtown.com/town-clerk/voting-and-election-information/pages/november-8-2022-state-election.

Westborough

In Westborough, all constituencies vote at Westborough High School. For more information, visit https://www.town.westborough.ma.us/town-clerk/pages/election-information

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Race for city council grows even more hostile as election day approaches

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 6, 2022

0

Portland’s most resented election race continues to escalate as Election Day approaches.

City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, the incumbent, and Rene Gonzalez, a lawyer and small business man who is running for political office for the first time, have been throwing incessant blows at each other for a month.

As the deadline to cast ballots approaches (it’s 8 p.m. on Tuesday, November 8), here are some of the most recent spats.

1. Hardesty’s campaign unearthed a 2021 donation Gonzalez appears to have made to Republican PAC WinRed. Gonzalez took to Twitter to set the record straight: He had actually donated $50 to Nate Sandvig, who ran for Oregon’s sixth congressional district this spring but lost in the Republican primary. But that clarification may not have been the clap-back Gonzalez wanted it to be. Among the top priorities Sandvig lists in campaign materials are “Securing the Border,” “Dealing with the Woke Crowd,” and “Listening to Parents.” He is also pro-life.

Gonzalez says the campaign ignored donations he made to Democratic candidates in statewide races. In mid-October, he donated $1,000 to gubernatorial candidate Tina Kotek’s campaign.

2. Gonzalez sent a cease and desist letter to the Hardesty campaign, alleging the campaign made “demonstrably false” allegations on its campaign materials. Among them: that Gonzalez uses Republican consultants and that he engaged in illegal activity by accepting downtown office space for $250 a month, for which he was initially fined $77,000. $ through the City’s Small Donor Election Program. (Last week, an administrative law judge overturned the entire fine.)

And yet, a flyer sent out this week by the Hardesty campaign doubled down on many of those same points, albeit this time through visual innuendo rather than written allegations. This flyer shows a preview of Gonzalez’s profile, then fills in on a number of names and phrases the Hardesty campaign claims he is linked to: Marjorie Taylor Greene, Texas Right to Life and the Oregon Republican Party. “Portland needs positive change, not a HARD RIGHT turn,” the flyer read.

3. The Hardesty campaign took to Twitter to claim that if Gonzalez is elected, Portland will “fall back into white supremacy and classist Oregon history.”

4. On November 2, Hardesty offered what could have been an olive branch. After Gonzalez’s campaign tried to draw a line between Hardesty’s rhetoric and smashed windows in Gonzalez’s office last weekend, it said in a statement several days later that any protest should be nonviolent.

“It saddens me to hear that someone feels unsafe at home or in their workplace,” Hardesty wrote. “I want to send a clear message to the people of Portland. We can speak out and create real change peacefully. I’ve seen us do it in the past. Please use our precious free speech rights and the power of your vote to support or oppose the candidates and issues that matter to you. We are one community, and when one of us is threatened or attacked, we all suffer.

5. The connection of this incident to racing is tenuous, but it’s still kind of funny. City Council voted on Thursday on five resolutions put forward by Mayor Ted Wheeler to address homelessness. Hardesty proposed a number of amendments to the resolutions. When it came time for Council to discuss its amendments, Commissioner Mingus Mapps, whose frosty relationship with Hardesty is no secret, bombarded it with numerous questions.

At one point, while discussing one of his amendments, Mapps said he was not doing “ambitious politics”. At that, Hardesty looked around briefly in disbelief, then remarked, “What a bastard.” The microphone was near his face – and turned on.

Republican Candidates on Climate: ‘Fake Science’ for ‘Carbon is Healthy’ | 2022 US Midterm Elections

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 4, 2022

0

It was another catastrophic weather year for the United States, with tens of millions of people across the country affected by floods, fires, drought, heat waves and tornadoes.

Climate scientists are unequivocal: time is running out to move away from fossil fuels like oil, gas and coal and power our cars, heat our homes and grow our food using renewable energy sources and sustainable farming practices. . Most voters agree: Two-thirds of Americans want the federal government to do more to tackle the climate crisis, according to a recent poll.

Despite this urgency, the climate crisis has not been front and center in the campaigns of Democrats or Republicans ahead of next week’s midterm elections, with inflation, abortion and immigration getting much more attention. candidates. Worrying for Joe Biden and the Democrats, who are expected to lose control of both chambers, 60% of voters know little or nothing about the historic climate bill (the Inflation Reduction Act) passed this summer. And 139 pro-fossil fuel members of the current (117th) Congress still refuse to acknowledge scientific evidence of man-made climate change, accounting for more than half of Republicans.

Ultimately, future climate policy will come down to a handful of key national and state races in which Republican candidates have downplayed or denied the seriousness of the climate challenges facing the United States and the planet.

The Guardian looked at what some of the candidates are saying (or lying) about the climate.

Georgia

Senate: Herschel Walker (Republican) vs. Raphael Warnock (Democrat)

Republican candidate Herschel Walker and Senator Raphael Warnock.
Photo: Jason Getz, Amanda Andrade-Rhoades/AP

Walker: “Since we don’t control the air, our good air has decided to float towards China’s bad air, so when China receives our good air, its bad air must move. So it moves to our good airspace. Then, now, we need to clean up this backup. (July 9 campaign event)

Warnock: “We have to be kind to the Earth. It’s the only place we have, and we need to make sure we have a planet to leave our children. (debate of October 16)

Pennsylvania

Governor: Doug Mastriano (Republican) against Josh Shapiro (Democrat)

Mastriano: “It’s fake science. And it’s an academic racket. (radio interview 2018)

“It’s time we unlocked Pennsylvania’s energy potential. It’s time to roll back regulations, open up land and develop these resources without being infringed by so many Harrisburg surcharges or fees. (August 8 campaign event)

Shapiro: “We can’t afford to elect a conspiracy theorist to the governorship of Pennsylvania. He is too extreme. He is too dangerous. I believe in science. (August 19, Twitter)

Ohio

Senate: JD Vance (Republican) vs. Tim Ryan (Democrat)

Representative Tim Ryan and Republican candidate JD Vance.
Photography: Paul Vernon/AP

Vance: “The net result of environmental justice policy is to ship a lot of manufacturing jobs to the dirtiest economy in the world – which is China, and frankly India too .” (July 2021 primary debate)

Ryan: “I’ve been a proponent of natural gas since I’ve been in Congress and we have to get it right. We need to increase our natural gas production. (debate of October 11)

“The threat of global climate change is one of the most critical issues facing our nation and the world today.” (Congress website)

Wisconsin

Senate: Ron Johnson (Republican) vs. Mandela Barnes (Democrat)

Johnson: “I don’t know about you guys, but I think climate change is, as Lord Monckton said, bullshit.” Lord Monckton is a right-wing British aristocrat known for his climate denial and homophobia.

“The climate has always changed and will always change, so I don’t deny climate change.” (debate of October 7)

Barnes: “What we have to do is reduce carbon emissions. What we also need to do is move toward a clean energy economy and make sure Wisconsin is in the driver’s seat. (debate of October 7)

Georgia

House: Marjorie Taylor Greene (Republican) vs. Marcus Flowers (Democrat)

Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Democratic candidate Marcus Flowers. Composition: Brandon Bell, Robin Rayne/Getty, ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

Greene: “People are freezing to death. This warming of the Earth, and the carbon, is actually healthy for us. It helps us feed people, it keeps them alive. (Radio interview, June 2022)

“We need to hold the Democrats accountable and defund all their climate garbage.” (Interview with Fox News, August 2022)

Flowers: “We could have a situation where we have millions of people all over our borders because of climate change. So I think we have to do everything we can to protect our environment. (January 2022 interview)

Pennsylvania

Senate: Mehmet Oz (Republican) vs. John Fetterman (Democrat)

Oz: “The ideology that carbon is bad, which in itself is a lie. Carbon dioxide, my friends, [is] 0.04% of our air. That’s not the problem. (March 2022 campaign event)

Fetterman: “Currently, hydraulic fracturing and other traditional types of fossil fuels are part of our energy portfolio. And as long as we continue to transition to green energy, that’s how I think that’s the way to go… Energy security is key, but climate change is also very critical. (October 2022 interview)

Kentucky

Senate: Rand Paul (Republican) vs. Charles Booker (Democrat)

Senator Rand Paul and Democratic candidate Charles Booker. Composition: Timothy D. Easley/AP

Rand: “Despite alarmist climate predictions, humans will likely survive for hundreds of millions of years into the future. In the meantime, we should start creating atmospheres on suitable moons or planets. (January 2020 Twitter)

(Note from the Guardian: Dinosaurs lived just under 200 million years in total, and the longest time between unsolicited mass extinction events on Earth is less than 150 million years). ‘years.)

Booker: “These historic and unprecedented storms – with a 1,000-year flood hitting communities that have never been in a floodplain – these things are no accident…So we can’t deflect them , or call them a myth or a joke like Rand Paul would.(October TV talk show Paul didn’t show up at)

Versailles volleyball reaches the regional final

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 4, 2022

0

The Versailles bench erupts as the team closes in on a third-set win.

Drew Terhall | The Daily Lawyer

KETTERING — Versailles High School Volleyball continues with another playoff sweep. This time they defeated Cardington-Lincoln High School at Kettering Fairmont High School on November 3 in the Division III Regional Semi-Finals. They are yet to drop a set in the playoffs.

The first set consisted entirely of Lady Tigers. They opened with a 6-1 lead. During the season, Versailles started games in slow motion.

Head coach Liz McNeilan said the nervous energy of this type of match kept the girls moving. She told the team to use this energy as fuel to get started.

“When we were up eight points, I saw a couple of our girls take this deep breath,” McNeilan said. “It opened the doors for them to be a bit more aggressive and capitalize on some of those plays.”

The Lady Pirates looked bewildered in the opening set. Their service reception struggled early on and Versailles was successful on most of their early attacking attempts. The Lady Tigers won the first set, 25-13.

Then Versailles started slowly in the second set. Cardington-Lincoln came out as a different team and started to land some of their attacks.

Then the service game gave Versailles the edge they needed to start pulling away. McNeilan said the game plan was to be aggressive serve. She told the team that they would have some leeway with the serve errors as they want to pressure the Lady Pirates with their serve.

The Lady Tigers won the second set 25-16.

It looked like Versailles entered this third set with momentum on their side. It took them a while to get started, but they started to separate from their offense.

The Lady Pirates found a rhythm later in the third set. They fought to keep the ball in the air and found ways to move the Versailles defense enough to score points.

Versailles started to play on defense to keep the rally going. McNeilan said she wanted her team to focus on those tough rallies to keep a point alive. That will be a priority as the Lady Tigers go deeper into the playoffs.

“As you start to face teams that are tougher and able to come back with an attack like yours, you have to figure out what you’re going to do second and third play defensively or offensively. The girls came out with that in mind” , said McNeilan.

Versailles had to call a 21-19 timeout with Cardington-Lincoln starting to make their comeback. The Lady Tigers remained calm and finished the set on a 4-0 run to complete the sweep.

This will be the sixth consecutive appearance at the Versailles Regional Finals on November 5 when they return to Kettering Fairmont High School to face Summit Country Day or Miami East. McNeilan said this post-season run has been fun so far and wants it to continue for his players and the community.

“It’s fun to hear from everyone in the community. It’s fun to see everyone here. It’s a good time for the girls. I’m happy for them, they deserve it, they worked hard. Hopefully we can get through this one,” McNeilan said.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]

New report measures seasonal influx of workers, residents and visitors across region

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 3, 2022

0

Northwest Michigan’s population rises and falls by 78% in the summer, with visitors accounting for 40% of the region’s total population during the peak month of July, according to a new report from Networks Northwest and Beckett & Raeder. The study, the first of its kind since 2014, shows the dramatic impact of the influx of seasonal workers, visitors and part-time residents to the region, including on infrastructure, emergency services and the availability of accommodations.

These impacts — often seen and felt locally but not clearly articulated in the data, according to Networks Northwest community development manager Rob Carson — are particularly notable in Grand Traverse and Leelanau counties, which have the highest concentration of rentals. term (STR) in 10 countries. counties. When Networks Northwest released its first report in 2014 on the region’s seasonal population, it did not include data on STR visitors or seasonal workers. But nearly a decade later, “there’s more hard data that’s readily available” on those categories, Carson says, noting that the organization is “much more comfortable with the numbers that have come out of this. study” due to the use of updated research methodologies.

The report provides key information on seasonal population figures in the 10 county region, including counties Antrim, Benzie, Charlevoix, Emmet, Grand Traverse, Kalkaska, Leelanau, Manistee, Missaukee and Wexford. According to the report, an increase of around 295,000 people in the region in the summer is due “mainly to overnight visitors”. Of the 270,000 visitors who come during the July peak, about 82% stay in “traditional lodging businesses like hotels, motels and campgrounds,” the report said. “Other overnight visitors stay in the STRs. On a monthly basis, the region averages around 4,300 STR listings and around 213,000 room nights available.

According to the report, the region’s part-time population – people who own second homes in northwest Michigan – is growing 636% in just four months, from a low of 13,130 in February. to 96,566 in June. “As a highly seasonal region, employment levels also fluctuate within the region,” the report said. “As of July, there are an estimated 15,898 seasonal employees in the region, representing 10.4% of the total workforce.

Seasonal variations in population and employment vary by county. Here are some key findings from the immediate five-county area report:

Grand Traverse County: With a permanent population of 95,238 individuals and a peak population of approximately 161,000, Grand Traverse has the largest population in northwest Michigan. Although it has the highest number of overnight visitors of all 10 counties, it also has a more stable permanent population, which never drops below 60% of the total population. However, while Grand Traverse County has “one of the lowest numbers of part-time residents, indicating that seasonal ownership is not as prevalent in Grand Traverse County,” the report also notes that some of these seasonal homes “may have been converted into one of the county’s 1,000 STRs. About a quarter of all STR listings in the area are in Grand Traverse County. The county also has the most seasonal workers , accounting for 30% of the region’s total seasonal workforce in July.

County of Leelanau: “Leelanau County is experiencing the greatest change between off-season and season of any county in the region,” the report said. “The total population increases by 126%, reaching 60,094 individuals in the month of July. Growth is driven by a large number of part-time residents and overnight visitors. The part-time population makes up over 20% of Leelanau’s total population during the months of June, July and August – the largest share of any county. Night visitors approach 26,000; while most stay in “traditional lodging businesses,” Leelanau also has the second-highest concentration of STRs behind Grand Traverse County, accounting for 16% of the area’s listings. The number of seasonal workers in Leelanau County peaked at around 1,100 workers in July.

County Antrim: In the low season, County Antrim’s permanent population of 23,431 individuals represents over 70% of the total population. But in summer Antrim’s population approaches 60,000, ‘due to the influx of second homes and overnight visitors’, according to the report. STRs see more guests than Antrim’s off-season hotels due to many businesses closing for the winter. On average, County Antrim’s workforce is 6.4% seasonal, but exceeds 15% in the month of June, or around 1,700 people. “Housing seasonal workers is an ongoing challenge for many local workers and businesses,” the report said. “The lack of seasonal housing limits the pool of workers to those who live in the area or who are lucky enough to find the few seasonal units.” Local businesses like Short’s have “assumed responsibility for finding seasonal accommodations,” the report notes.

Benzie County: At 17,970, Benzie County has one of the smallest permanent populations in the region. “However, in the month of July, taking into account second home owners and overnight visitors, Benzie County becomes the third most populous county in the region,” the report said. “The substantial increase in population is mainly due to visitors staying in accommodation businesses like campgrounds, hotels, and motels. Those who say in STRs are also contributing to the overnight visitor boom, but they represent only about 14% of the total overnight visitors in July.For half of the year, Benzie’s overnight visitor population is “larger than the permanent population and the second-home population combined “, says the report.

Kalkaska County: Kalkaska is another of the smaller counties in the region, with a total July population of 42,795. The permanent population of 17,939 people represents about 80% of the total off-season population and about 44% in summer. “The seasonal increase in population is primarily due to overnight visitors who primarily stay at campgrounds and RV parks,” the report said. “There are very few STRs in Kalkaska County; (they) represent only 2% of regional registrations in the month of July. Kalkaska also has a “relatively small seasonal workforce, likely because there is only one community in the county (the village of Kalkaska) with a concentration of commercial activity.”

There are both challenges and benefits to living in a highly seasonal area, according to Carson. On the plus side, Northwest Michigan draws large numbers of visitors, even without college sports teams, arenas, or large outdoor entertainment venues. “What we have is the natural beauty and the resources that drive these (seasonal numbers), and that obviously benefits a lot of industries: food, accommodation, gasoline, retail, etc.,” he says.

However, the simultaneous influx of visitors and seasonal workers can make accommodation very competitive and difficult to obtain for summer employees. Companies that have a pattern of increasing their workforce during the summer and reducing their workforce during the winter can make it difficult for employees to find stable, well-paying, year-round employment. The “surprising — almost alarming — number of STRs” also worries Carson about the rate at which long-term accommodation is being converted into vacation rentals. Seasonal population surges can put a strain on emergency services and public services, he says; this problem is exacerbated when firefighters, police officers, paramedics and nurses cannot afford or find housing and therefore relocate or refuse jobs. Infrastructure is another challenge: Many lakefront homes — built decades ago — lack modern septic systems and were intended to be used as single-family homes. Having a high number of visitors flow through these homes all summer puts a strain on these systems, Carson says, which ultimately poses a risk to local waterways.

According to Carson, the goal of the new report is to help city staff, planning commissioners and elected officials better understand the challenges facing their communities and create policies to address them – from regulating STR to rewrite zoning rules to encourage more density and year-around housing to invest in infrastructure. The latter notably includes broadband: Young professionals and families will never outgrow retirees who move to the area without technology that allows them to work remotely, Carson says. But with investments in broadband, workers could spread to more rural areas — places like Copemish, Mesick, Kalkaska, Bellaire and Boyne City — that have cheaper homes and land, which could help alleviate the housing crisis without forcing residents to travel long distances to work.

“When we have hard data like this, we can try to address these challenges head-on in a professional setting,” Carson says. “These are challenges that our communities need to plan for.”

Javier ‘Maggical’ España’s impact was felt at Worlds 2022 in Mexico City

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 2, 2022

0

This year, the Worlds came to Latin America for the first time. As the action moved to the United States, Latin America welcomed Worlds with open arms as LATAM players came out to support them. The Play-In scene saw custom Luchador masksa viewing party—with the accent on the party— at the House of the Worlds, and an incredible passion from all the Latin American esports fans who rooted themselves in each team with impressive energy.

But the Mexico Worlds also missed a crucial part. Known to friends as Javi and to gamers as Riot Maggical, Javier España’s impact on Latin American esports, on gamers, and on Riot is impossible to fully summarize. At just 40, he died suddenly in May. When Javi passed away, Latin American gamers lost the face of Riot in the region and Riot lost a man who personified what it means to be a Rioter.

“Javi was so passionate, the most passionate of all of us about esports,” said Mariano Vives who worked with Javi at Riot’s office in Mexico City. “He was in the middle of our community, he was a pillar in the region for the players. He was a wonderful person, he was an excellent father. He embodied the passion of working in video games every day, he was the best Rioter out there. It was a pleasure to work with him. »

When the Mexico team talks about Javi, the laughs and the tears come in equal parts. He was a colleague, a leader and above all a friend.

“We signed our contracts with Riot on the same day over seven years ago,” said Juan Moreno, one of Javi’s closest friends at Riot. “We did Denewb (Riot’s week-long onboarding process) together in the same week. When you look up Rioter in the dictionary, Javier is what comes up. He did everything for the player and for the community. And having Worlds in Mexico was his dream, so while he’s not there to see it, we did it for him.

He was an amazing Rioter who impacted every facet of Riot. At the same time, he was a family man who would do anything for his wife and children.

“Javi was amazing at his job, but his three kids and his wife, they were his top priority,” said Santiago Duran, Javi’s manager during his final years at Riot. “He got up early, made lunch for his kids, took them to school and came to the office. Once there, it was a machine. He has done so many amazing things for our office. And he wouldn’t stay late, he would never have needed to, he would make sure he was back with his family for dinner. But you could also guarantee that he would find time for League or VALORANT later that night when the kids had gone to bed.

EPA Announces 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year Award Winners

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

November 1, 2022

0

November 1, 2022

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the 26 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners in 14 states and the District of Columbia, recognizing their achievements in the design, manufacturing, the selection and use of products containing safer chemicals.

The Safer Choice program helps consumers and buyers in facilities, such as schools and office buildings, find products containing chemical ingredients that are safer for human health and the environment.

“Cleaning products and other products made with safer chemicals — like those certified by the Safer Choice program — help protect workers, families, communities and the planet,” said EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention Deputy Assistant Administrator for Pollution Prevention, Jennie Romer. “This year, we are pleased to recognize various organizations for their support of safer chemistry and sustainability, including organizations that have worked to make these products more affordable and accessible to everyone, advancing the commitment of Biden-Harris administration in favor of equity and the environment. Justice.”

This year’s winners represent a wide variety of organizations, including small and medium-sized businesses, women-owned businesses, state and local governments, non-governmental organizations, and business associations. This year’s winners have all demonstrated their commitment to preventing pollution by reducing, eliminating or stopping pollution at its source before recycling, treatment or disposal.

Nominees for this year’s awards were encouraged to show how their work advances environmental justice, builds resilience to the impacts of climate change, improves water or air quality, or improves water quality. drinkable. Many recognized organizations today are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and tackle the climate crisis. For example, several winners offer products with concentrated formulas that reduce water consumption and the use of plastic. This practice also reduces greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of product to be transported.

Additionally, many winners have improved access to products with safer chemical ingredients in underserved and overburdened communities. For example, one nonprofit winner conducted targeted outreach activities in English and Spanish to promote safer cleaning techniques and products, including Safer Choice certified products, in food trucks. Many of these businesses are owned and operated by immigrant entrepreneurs. Another winner has made its line of Safer Choice-certified products more accessible to low-income shoppers by offering affordable prices and making these products available at retailers that often serve low-income communities.

In early 2023, the EPA will build on this work by announcing a grant opportunity for projects that have the potential to increase supply and demand for safer and environmentally preferable products, such as those certified by the Safer Choice Program or identified by the EPA’s Environmentally Preferable Purchasing Program.

A list of the 2022 Partner of the Year award winners is available below. Learn more about the 2022 Safer Choice Partner of the Year award winners and summaries of their achievements.

List of winners

American Cleansing Institute, District of Columbia

The Ashkin Group, LLC, Channel Islands Harbour, CA.

Bona US, Englewood, Colo.

Medical Case, Bloomfield, NJ

Church & Dwight Co., Inc., Ewing, NJ

Clean Safety and Health Team in Food Trucks (CleanSHiFT), Seattle, Wash.

The Clorox Company, Oakland, Calif.

Colgate Palmolive, New York, NY

Design for the Environment Logo Redesign Coalition: Environmental Defense Fund, The Natural Resources Defense Council, The Clorox Company, The Procter & Gamble Company and Reckitt

Dirty Labs Inc., Portland, Oregon.

ECOs, Cypress, Calif.

Grove Collaborative, San Francisco, CA.

Hazardous Waste Management Program, Seattle, Wash.

Holloway House, Inc., Fortville, Ind.

The Home Depot, Atlanta, Ga.

Household and Commercial Products Association, District of Columbia

Jelmar, LLC, Skokie, Ill.

Lemi Shine, Austin, TX

LightHouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, San Francisco, CA.

Mother Africa, Kent, Wash.

Novozymes North America, Raleigh, North Carolina

ODP Corporation, Boca Raton, Florida.

The Procter & Gamble Company, Cincinnati, Ohio

PurposeBuilt Brands, Gurnee, Illinois.

Sensitive Home, Greenbrae, CA.

Solutex, Sterling, Va.

Candidate Profile: Davis wants to champion community as state representative for District 58 | New

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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November 1, 2022

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Shantel Davis believes voters in District 58 should have a choice, so she decided to run for the state House of Representatives.

Although Davis, a Democrat, said she knows she’s new to politics, she said running this year against incumbent Republican Les Eaves “gives the people of Kensett, Higginson and Searcy a choice.” . For so long my opponent has been unopposed so it just gives people who have had no choice to choose who they want to be their representative.

Cockroach infestation cancels community candy festivities – FOX13 News Memphis

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 31, 2022

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Creepy, crawling fake bugs are usually part of the Halloween decor, but in one community the cockroaches were real and that’s why there are no tricks or treats this year.

>> Read more trending news

Wyandotte officials canceled Halloween festivities to prevent a cockroach infestation from spreading from a vacant home, the Associated Press reported.

The city engineer said the now-closed sidewalks will prevent cockroaches from being carried on suits, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Officials also feared that if cheaters stepped on the insects and killed them, they could carry the cockroach eggs to the rest of the neighborhood, the newspaper reported.

WXYZ reported that a letter was sent to residents of the neighborhood saying:

“It is in the interest of citizens to close 20th Street and the sidewalks from Eureka to Grove on Monday, October 31, 2022, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Barricades and signs will be placed on the street and sidewalks in Grove, at the intersections of Orchard and Pine and in Eureka, closing the street and sidewalk to vehicles and pedestrians. It is recommended to discourage Trick ‘r Treating in this area.

The city council voted to overturn the rigging or treatment, USA Today reported.

The problem began in August when waste haulers threw a bag of garbage into a garbage truck and noticed the bag was moving and filled with cockroaches. Police carried out a wellness check and neighbors said a family lived in the house in question, which has since been vacated.

The family was told to put their contents outside, packed, but they didn’t pack their things, so the cockroaches spread throughout the neighborhood.

They had been given 30 days to bring the house up to standard, but an inspection showed that was not the case, WDIV reported.

It can take a year to get rid of cockroaches in the neighborhood, WXYZ reported.

Not only are cockroaches scary to some, but they can also be a hazard to your health and transmit disease, USA Today reported.

What these scenes from The Boys look like without special effects

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 31, 2022

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Towards the end of the first episode, the audience begins to understand just how cruel Homelander really is. The Mayor of Baltimore and his son are on a plane when they see Homelander flying alongside them. The mayor previously tried to blackmail superhero company Vought, leading Homelander to use his laser eyes to shoot down the plane. The superhero (or should we say supervillain?) watches with a slight smile as the plane burst into flames, rips apart, and plummets through the clouds.

To create this shocking scene, the crew filmed Starr hanging from wires in front of a green screen. They combined these images with CGI to create the final effect. Homelander uses his laser eyes several times throughout the show, and it was during this scene that the visual effects team refined the look of his most memorable superpower.

“There’s also a lot of subtlety and a lot of breakage to these lasers that make them slightly unique from your average CG laser eye gag and they play into his character,” Fleet notes. “I think the timing and the tempo and the rhythm of when we go up and down them, we use his performance to really gauge that.”

“The final blow is really [director] Dan Trachtenberg’s vision in doing a slow, wraparound reveal of the character of Homelander,” adds Fleet. So you get the plane ripped in half, which is awesome, that’s probably the biggest show we get in this episode, and then we snake the camera over Homelander and see that little smile on his face and you realize: “Oh, this guy is a sociopath.” “

This incredible attention to detail almost makes the Supes look real…but after seeing this show, we’re glad they’re not!

Consortium seeks $800 million in federal support for carbon management | New

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 30, 2022

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Kern’s much-vaunted future as a carbon management capital may hinge on a local cooperative effort to compete with other parts of the country for a share of the $3.5 billion approved under the law. federal government on infrastructure investment and jobs last year.

A consortium of oil companies and other organizations is finalizing to prepare an offer of $800 million or more to help make the county one of four U.S. hubs that, by 2029, would extract the dioxide carbon from the atmosphere – “direct air capture”, or DAC – to start slowing global warming.

Healthy Savannah Announces Community Health Advocate Training November 10

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 29, 2022

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(SAVANNAH, GA) Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia invite community members, church and health ministry leaders, community service providers, and others interested in health equity to consider joining its Community Health Advocate (CHA) training program. A next training session is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 10.

This is the fourth CHA training course offered since the project was launched last summer. The program is funded by an additional grant from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to expand initiatives from a five-year Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) grant awarded in 2018. Both grants are administered by Healthy Savannah and the ‘Y’ with the goal of fostering sustainable health equity among Black and Latinx inner-city residents and improving awareness and acceptance of the COVID-19 and influenza vaccine in communities black and latinx from Savannah.

“To date, 55 community members have participated in our Community Health Advocate training program and 34 have now completed the requirements, many of whom are still actively working in the community,” said Elsie Smalls, PhD, operations manager.

Smalls credits the work of CHAs, who often meet one-on-one with community members at school, church, and neighborhood events; to a growing shift in outlook on COVID-19 vaccine acceptance and awareness of the importance of boosters.

“Attitudes have definitely changed over time,” said Charice Stroud, who graduated from the ACH’s first coaching program last summer after moving to the Savannah area. “With hindsight, I can understand why some may have been hesitant or against vaccination. It was all very shocking and new. A lot of people had to make big adjustments. Today there is more normality and information about COVID vaccination and reminders. Many people have been vaccinated and encouraged to return to work or school. Vaccination and boosters have generally been accepted as a way back to normal. »

Chatham County’s vaccination rates increased for one dose from 8% in February 2021 to 64% in June 2022, reaching a current rate of 65%. According to the Georgia Department of Health, 58% of Chatham County residents are fully vaccinated and 46% are vaccinated with an extra dose. Vaccination rates for the black community are currently 52.4%, down from 51.8% in June 2022. For the Hispanic community, the rate is 47%, down from 42.2% in June 2022.

“This is why the work of Community Health Advocates is so important,” said Nichele Hoskins, communications manager. “They are able to reach deeply into their own communities to hear concerns, perspectives and experiences regarding COVID-19 and its vaccines. Their experiences help provide a deeper understanding of current perceptions and offer insights that could help shape public health’s interaction with people in priority communities.

“Ahead of the holidays, anyone who is eligible should consider getting boosted so they are better protected during family gatherings,” said Ervenia Bowers, a West Savannah native and 2021 CHA graduate. “You want to be surrounded by your family and have fun. Being boosted brings comfort, especially if you’re around people you don’t know who might be exposed.

The next training session will take place at 6:30 p.m. on November 10, with participants meeting via ZOOM in small groups of around 10 each. In addition to a $500 stipend they will receive to carry out community outreach activities after the training, participants can hone their leadership skills and learn about advocacy. They will also be invited to attend an appreciation celebration for the first three cohorts of interns scheduled for November, which will feature Lillian Grant-Baptiste, president of Healthy Savannah, as keynote speaker.

Participants will also have the opportunity to attend a storytelling workshop with renowned sociologist, Bertice Berry, PhD, scheduled for December. A bestselling author and award-winning speaker, Berry has been named Comedian of the Year, Public Speaker of the Year, and Entertainer of the Year. She has published 11 bestselling books in fiction and non-fiction and has won numerous awards and accolades for her writing and presentations.

“We want to encourage those who can understand the health inequities that Black and Hispanic Savannahians experience to consider attending this training session,” Smalls said. “If you are active in your community or religious organization, or are considering a career in public health, you can put this training to good use.”

To apply for the Community Health Advocates Training Program or to learn more, please email Dr. Elsie Smalls at [email protected] or call 843-323-9997.

ABOUT THE YMCA OF COASTAL GEORGIA/HEALTHY SAVANNAH GRANT FOR RACIAL AND ETHNIC APPROACHES TO COMMUNITY HEALTH: In September 2018, Healthy Savannah and the YMCA of Coastal Georgia were awarded a five-year, $3.4 million grant called Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health. Awarded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the funding is being deployed in an “upstream” approach by the Savannah/Chatham County project team to foster sustainable health equity among Black residents of inner-city neighborhoods. The goal of the local project, called Healthy Opportunities Powering Equity, or HOPE, is to increase the availability of high-quality food; promote physical activity by creating better access to safe places to walk, run, cycle and play; and fostering stronger connections between people and the health care providers who serve them. Working with over 200 community partners and organizations, the team is committed to improving community health and well-being through policies, systems and environmental change. In July 2022, Healthy Savannah received the CDC’s 2022 REACH Lark Galloway-Gilliam Award for Advancing the Health Equity Challenge. The award recognizes extraordinary individuals and entities whose work has helped advance health equity.
healthysavannah.org ymcaofcoastalga.org.

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Pittsburgh shooting: Multiple shots fired, remains ‘active scene’ with unknown number of casualties, officials say

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 29, 2022

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CNN
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At least six people were injured after a shooting broke out Friday outside a Pittsburgh church where a funeral was taking place, police said.

A victim originally reported in critical condition is now in stable condition, among five others also being treated for injuries, Pittsburgh Police Commander Richard Ford said at a Friday afternoon news conference.

At least one of the victims in stable condition was taken to the city’s children’s hospital, Ford said.

Two “persons of interest” were arrested Friday night in connection with the shooting, police said. Authorities have not identified those detained or explained how they are linked to the shooting.

Officers from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives “are on site to assist the Pittsburgh Police Bureau with this incident,” Special Agent Robert Cucinotta told CNN, and declined. to comment further.

Police were alerted to two ShotSpotter activations shortly after noon on Friday. The first alert showed five shots fired and the second alert 15 shots fired, Ford said. Once at the scene, responding officers determined that gunshots were heard outside the church. It is believed that at least some of those shot were attending the funeral, Ford said.

The incident “obviously appears to be the result of a targeted shooting,” Ford said.

“We believe there are people who will resort to violence through firearms, and that’s a danger to anyone when that might happen,” Ford said.

Ford also confirmed that several suspected shooters were involved in the incident, but provided no further information on potential suspects. The investigation, including reviewing video of the incident, is ongoing, Ford said.

Of the six gunshot victims, four went to nearby hospitals and two were taken by medics, Ford said. He declined to release their ages or other identifying information at this time as police are still working to notify families.

All schools near the shooting have been notified that the area is now safe for the removal of students, according to Ford.

Destiny of Faith Church senior pastor Reverend Brenda Gregg said that in 30 years of working in pastoral ministry, Friday’s shooting “was one of the most devastating days in [her] life.”

Gregg added that it was a difficult time “to organize a funeral for a young man and to be able to work with his family to put an end to what had happened in their lives, that we had people coming to the church and fired shots at people”.

Despite the shooting, the church will continue with its Halloween harvest event to continue bringing the community together, Gregg said.

“Thinking about it, I think we’re stronger together and we want to continue to have those things that would make sense in the community, and that’s we need a place for our kids to come,” said said Gregg.

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey acknowledged that the community and the families of the victims were hurting and that Friday’s shooting was something not all of them expected.

“I never could have imagined it. Never, that we would be shooting on holy ground,” Gainey said. “We will be working around the clock to do whatever is necessary to apprehend those who did this heinous thing today. ‘today.”

Gainey also urged the community to provide any information that would help the police investigation and help the community recover from the incident.

“If you work with us, if you talk to us, we will get justice and we will get healing,” Gainey said.

Climate Matters: Vermont’s climate policy and mid-terms

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 27, 2022

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GREG DENNIS

30th in a series

On paper, it looks like Vermont has done a lot to fight climate change.

There is more money in the state budget for clean energy programs. The state has a climate action plan. There are new guidelines for “environmental justice” and the Global Warming Solutions Act commits the state to meeting climate goals or dealing with tough litigation.

Will next month’s election bring new hope to Vermont’s climate movement or more challenges? It’s too early to tell, but we can make educated guesses.

There will be a lot of turnover during the new legislative session; of Vermont House’s 150 members, 43 are not running for election.

Chris Pearson and Sarah Copeland Hanzas, chairs of the House Climate Caucus who were so instrumental in getting the Climate Action Plan approved, left the building. Becca Balint’s leadership in the Vermont Senate will be missed as she runs for the United States House.

One huge factor will remain: the governor’s skepticism of climate action.

Whatever you think of Governor Phil Scott — and many Vermonters like him — political habits die hard even in the face of the climate crisis, and Vermonters love their Republican governors. So many Democrats voted for Scott in 2020, apparently delusional that he was not an anti-vaxxer, that he took nearly 70% of the vote from David Zuckerman, a popular lieutenant governor. Despite the overwhelmingly Democratic electorate, Scott appears to be tied for re-election this fall to a fourth term against Brenda Siegel, his savvy but largely unknown Democratic opponent.

A key question for 2023: Can lawmakers pass clean heat and renewable energy standards, and overcome Scott’s uncompromising opposition to restrictions on fossil fuel companies?

The heat standard has nearly surpassed Scott’s all-too-typical veto this year. In fact, overriding the veto failed only when a member of the House who originally voted for the bill recanted. Representative Thomas Bock of Chester, a Democrat, had the dubious distinction of being for before being against.

The Renewable Energy Standard would set the amount of renewable energy that utilities must include in their portfolios. One of the concerns of state environmental groups is what constitutes “renewable”. 350 Vermont has been particularly adamant in its warning against greenwashing through the false claim that gas is renewable when it is just the same old poison in a new bottle.

Can these organizations find common ground and enough votes to overcome a Governor No veto? It won’t be easy.

On a related issue, the Green Mountain State could be a leader in permanently setting aside forests to sequester carbon emissions, a critical step in the Climate Action Plan. But Scott also vetoed H.606, a bill that would have set conservation goals of 30% of Vermont’s land by 2030 and 50% by 2050.

Moreover, there is still a lot of short-sighted NIMBY sentiment when it comes to siting solar projects. And as the energy masters among us will point out, there are challenges with the existing electrical grid that make it more difficult to add and use more green energy.

It’s not all bad news, however.

New federal infrastructure and “cutting inflation” laws will inject millions into Vermont’s climate and resilience projects.

Newly appointed state treasurer Mike Pieciak says he wants to explore the possibility of the state divesting itself of risky investments in fossil fuel companies. If Vermont divests, it would join the state of Maine, stacks of public money held by New York and California, and other funds worth trillions, all of which have pledged to withdraw their money from companies that profit fossil fuels.

Locally, Republican Rep. Harvey Smith’s retirement pits an opponent of climate action (Republican Jon Christiano) against an advocate for doing more for the climate (Democrat Jubilee McGill). The newly redesigned Addison-5 district now encompasses part of Middlebury, in addition to Weybridge, much of New Haven and Bridport.

It’s also easy to find many local efforts to tackle the climate crisis. ACORN energy and food cooperatives have been working on this for years. The Climate Economy Action Center (CEAC) has drafted a climate action plan for Addison County, based on a substantial study that identified our largest local emitters of greenhouse gases.

The CEAC also organized two climate roundtables which brought together more than 20 local organizations acting to combat climate change in housing, transport, domestic heating and waste treatment.

The Pollinator Pathways effort, along with the “WindowDresser” projects in Bristol and Middlebury, show the appeal of hands-on volunteer work. And no matter what happens at the state level, these grassroots, citizen-led efforts will continue.

——————

Greg Dennis is a writer, Cornwall resident and lifelong environmental activist.

Zoning Ordinance for Transitional Housing in the Community of Lynden Extended to March 2023 | New

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 26, 2022

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2023 preliminary budget also presented by Mayor Korthuis

LYNDEN — Mayor Scott Korthuis opened the Oct. 17 city council meeting in Lynden by encouraging people to support the EMS tax in the Nov. 8 election.

Globally Important Vaccine Producer: US Praises India’s ‘Incredible’ Manufacturing Capacity

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 26, 2022

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The United States hailed India’s “incredible vaccine manufacturing capacity”, acknowledging the country’s important role on the global front in providing COVID-19 vaccines.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, US COVID-19 Response Coordinator Dr Ashish Jha said: “Because of its incredible manufacturing capacity (from India), it has been an exporter major vaccine”. Jha was responding to a question about the cooperation of QUAD (a consortium of the United States, Japan, Australia and India) with India in manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines. “The quadruple partnership is really important – certainly important for this administration. And I think, you know, India is a major vaccine manufacturer for the world – I mean, not just for India itself. C It’s a really important thing,” Dr Jha said. journalists.

United States | India has been a major exporter of vaccines due to its incredible manufacturing capacity. India is a major vaccine manufacturer in the world: White House COVID-19 response coordinator Dr Ashish Jha at a press briefing pic.twitter.com/wYhb9ym9WQ

— ANI (@ANI) October 26, 2022

It is pertinent to mention that under the initiative led by PM Modi – the Government of India’s Vaccine Maitri Initiative, over 250 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been provided to over 100 countries.

India’s impact on world stage increased with vaccine donation during COVID: UN chief

Earlier in October, during his visit to India, United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres claimed that India’s impact on the international stage increased when India donated vaccines against COVID-19 to countries that had not received them from rich, developed countries.

“From your donations of equipment, medicine and vaccines at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, to your humanitarian aid and development funding in Afghanistan and Sri Lanka, you are increasing your impact on the international stage,” declared António Guterres.

It is pertinent to mention that Bhutan and Nepal in September expressed their gratitude and appreciation to India at the United Nations General Assembly for its “heartwarming goodwill” and “valuable support” in the supply of COVID-19 vaccines under New Delhi’s “Vaccine Maitri” initiative. ‘ which allowed neighboring countries to vaccinate their populations as the pandemic raged across the world.

“Our campaign to vaccinate our population has been recognized as an unlikely success, and today over 90% of our entire population is fully vaccinated. This, in large part, has been possible due to the goodwill heartwarming message from friends and partners, including India, whose Vaccine Maitri initiative has enabled the first full round of vaccinations for our adult population,” Bhutan’s Foreign Minister said from the UNGA podium. .

Nepali Foreign Minister Bharat Raj Paudyal also expressed his gratitude in his address to the General Assembly for the vaccines provided to his country by India.

US coalition calls on John Kerry to support loss and damage funding at COP27

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 24, 2022

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A broad coalition of nearly 150 U.S.-based progressive groups on Monday urged the Biden administration to commit to “meaningful strides” on financing “loss and damage” at the UN’s COP27 climate conference. which is fast approaching in Sharm el-Sheikh. , Egypt.

“The discussion is one thing, and the actual provision of money is another.”

Long a mainstay of the climate justice movement, loss and damage financing aims to compensate developing countries for the destruction caused by decades of unmitigated greenhouse gas pollution, primarily from excessive fuel use. fossils by rich countries. Although the poorest members of humanity bear the least responsibility for the planetary emergency, they are already suffering the most and remain highly vulnerable and ill-equipped to deal with its increasingly deadly consequences.

“It is long overdue for the United States and other wealthy countries to recognize the terrible and unfair burden it is placing on low-income and climate-vulnerable countries and take full responsibility for addressing this crisis,” he said. Rachel Cleetus, Policy Director for Climate. and Energy Program of the Union of Concerned Scientists, said in a statement.

As the coalition wrote in a letter to John Kerry, President Joe Biden’s Special Presidential Envoy for Climate:

This year alone, extreme weather-related events, including terrible floods in Pakistan; persistent drought in the Horn of Africa, intense heat waves in parts of Asia, Africa, South America, the United States, Australia and Europe ; and severe wildfires in Europe, Russia and North America have wreaked deadly and costly havoc. Slow-onset climate disasters such as sea level rise, desertification and threats to food and water supplies are also already having a significant impact and will worsen. In addition to economic losses, climate change also leads to the loss of cultural heritage, ways of life, biodiversity and other profound non-economic losses. The most extreme of these impacts are already beyond the ability of frontline nations and communities to respond with ordinary adaptation measures. Low-income countries and marginalized communities bear a disproportionate burden of the resulting loss and damage, and will continue to do so.

The responsibility and obligation of wealthier nations like the United States is clear, as they are responsible for the majority of the heat-trapping emissions driving these climate extremes. The United States in particular is responsible for nearly a quarter of cumulative carbon dioxide emissions since the start of the Industrial Revolution, by far the largest share of any individual nation. Yet the United States’ negotiating position on loss and damage has been recalcitrant, creating a major obstacle to meeting the urgent needs of climate-vulnerable countries and causing great damage to our nation’s reputation on the world stage. , including most recently at COP26 in Glasgow last November and at the climate conference in Bonn in June.

Nearly 10 years have passed since the establishment of the Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage, but “there has been no progress in obtaining meaningful action to provide funding for this critical issue”, says the letter.

“Development assistance and episodic humanitarian assistance in response to disasters are not a substitute for the strong, predictable and continuous flows of needs-based funding that are necessary to protect people, ecosystems and livelihoods from disasters. before they happen,” the letter continues. “Private or philanthropic funding is also no substitute for public sources of funding. Nor is funding for adaptation sufficient to deal with the kinds of climate extremes that go beyond the limits of ordinary adaptation measures. “

At last year’s COP26 meeting, Scotland committed just over $2 million for loss and damage funding, becoming the first government to do so. Scotland was followed by Wallonia, a French-speaking region of Belgium, which dedicated around $1 million to the cause.

However, the negotiators “failed to obtain the creation of a new fund dedicated to the damages that vulnerable countries had demanded earlier at the summit”. Reuters reported at the end of the event, due to “resistance from the United States, the European Union and some other wealthy nations”.

On Monday, the coalition implored the Biden administration to “stop blocking progress” and “work constructively” at COP27 from Nov. 6-18 to advance a pact to create a so-called funding facility, which would be dedicated funding for loss and damage. mechanism under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Bloomberg reported last week that the White House had decided to support formal UN negotiations on payment of loss and damage at the summit next month.

“The outsized role the United States has played in perpetuating the climate crisis demands that we support and provide resources to those who are already experiencing devastating climate impacts.”

“The recognition by the United States of the need to discuss loss and damage funding is welcome,” Brandon Wu, director of policy and campaigns at ActionAid USA, said Monday. “But the discussion is one thing, and the actual provision of money is another.”

“The Biden administration must support arrangements for direct funding of loss and damage needs in developing countries,” Wu said. ‘countless frontline communities facing climate catastrophe.’

Denmark last month became the first UN member to pledge funds for loss and damage, allocating around $13 million to Africa’s Sahel region and other regions devastated by extreme weather disasters. .

Not only does this pale in comparison to the more than $5 trillion in unpaid damages that fossil fuels are thought to cause each year, but critics have warned that a substantial part of the promised funding is structured to enrich insurers. deprived at the expense of those who need it most.

Mara Dolan of the Women’s Environment and Development Organization stressed on Monday the need for “robust, grant-based public funding for loss and damage”.

“The outsized role the United States has played in perpetuating the climate crisis demands that we support and provide resources to those who are already experiencing devastating climate impacts,” Dolan said. “We reject attempts to use conversations about loss and damage to entrench wealth and the exploitation of colonial financial institutions, private financial actors, and wealthy nations, and urge the United States at COP27 to support the grant-based public funding that focuses the redistribution of resources to frontline communities and countries.”

Rachel Rose Jackson, director of climate research and policy at Corporate Accountability, noted that the United States, led by Kerry and other officials, “has long tried to defer the payment of a huge debt of several decades that they owe to low-income countries”.

“Mr. Kerry says the cost is too high even for the richest country in the world? So instead of abandoning those most exposed to the global crisis,” Jackson said, “the United States should hold the big polluters – the Exxons, the Totals, the Shells, the BPs, the Kochs – accountable instead of doing their bidding.”

Monday’s letter – organized by ActionAid USA, Corporate Accountability, Friends of the Earth US, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists, Women’s Environment and Development Organization, Taproot Earth and Oxfam America – attracted a total of 143 signatories.

U.S. support for loss and damage financing, the signatories argued, should be seen as a complement to rapid reductions in global warming emissions and an equitable contribution to climate finance for mitigation and climate change. ‘adaptation.

“We simply can no longer afford years of failure and delay as people lose their lives, homes and livelihoods or face devastating food and water shortages due to a problem they did little to cause,” the letter said. “The success of COP27 depends critically on increasing contributions from rich, polluting countries like the United States to climate finance and demonstrating clear will and solidarity to address the losses and significant damage.”

San Dieguito School District seeks help from Encinitas for swimming pool project

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 24, 2022

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The San Dieguito Union High School District is looking for a partner to help fund a swimming pool that could be used by both district students and the community, a district official told city council on Wednesday, 19 october.

“If there is interest, I would return to my board in January 2023” and begin the process of revamping pool plans and updating cost estimates, added John Addleman, associate superintendent. Acting District Business Services.

The five city council members said they were definitely interested in the idea of Encinitas partnering with the school district on a swimming pool project, but cautioned that the process of moving from idea to reality may have to cross rough waters.

“There’s no doubt that it’s worth exploring,” council member Tony Kranz told Addleman, adding that he should remember the famous saying that “the devil is in the details.”

Council member Kellie Hinze and Mayor Catherine Blakespear said they think residents would like to have a community pool. Hinze noted that the Magdalena Ecke Family YMCA is the community’s primary source of swimming lessons and that due to the growth of the city, more pool access is needed. Council member Joy Lyndes said she can’t wait to see what happens next.

“I believe there is interest in the community, but it’s not easy things to do,” she said.

Among the issues to be resolved are the location of the pool and its size.

The San Dieguito Union High School district, which covers a wide area from Carmel Valley to South Carlsbad, is considering two pool projects, Addleman said. The district board supported the establishment of a pool at Torrey Pines High School and a second pool “somewhere here on the north end of the district,” he said.

During his presentation, he showed a slide that used the San Dieguito Sports Complex on Calle Barcelona in South Carlsbad as a proposed second pool site. If this pool were a shared facility for both the school and the community, the district would offer to build a 50-meter pool, he said, adding that such a project would cost $16.3 million to build and about $1 million a year to operate. depending on how it is managed.

Carlsbad has one shared-use pool, the Monroe Street Pool next to Carlsbad High School, as well as a municipal pool complex at Alga Norte Park. Encinitas does not have a city-owned swimming pool.

As Addleman talked about putting a swimming pool on the South Carlsbad site, members of the Encinitas City Council explained how the original plans for the Encinitas Community Park, which opened in 2015, included a swimming pool. Kranz noted that a pool design was included in the environmental impact report the state approved for the park project and said the city should review the proposed size.

Councilman Joe Mosca, who once served on the city’s parks and recreation commission, said it was interesting to hear the pool issue come up.

“It’s come full circle and we’re discussing it again,” he said, later adding, “I absolutely support further exploration.”

Addleman told the board the district is setting aside $38 million for its pool projects. The Torrey Pines High School project, which is expected to be a 37-meter swimming pool, is expected to cost $14 million to build and just under $250,000 a year to operate, he said.

Tallahassee Urban League Hosts Voting and Health Fair

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 23, 2022

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TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — A community event brought health care screenings, a campaign rally, food giveaways and more to residents of south Tallahassee.

On Saturday, students and families from our community turned out for health and wellness services and a campaign rally as part of a Health Fair event hosted by the Urban League of Tallahassee along with other contributors.

“We try to get people to understand the importance of voting. We have to vote in every election,” said Curtis Taylor of the Tallahassee Urban League.

Taylor recognized the importance of getting people to the polls. This is one of the reasons they hold voter engagement events in communities on the Southside of Tallahassee.

According to supervisors at the Leon County Elections Office, only 28.5 percent of black voters in Leon County participated in the August primary elections.

This is another reason community partners have teamed up with Urban League in hopes of increasing turnout.

Sharlene Jones attended Saturday’s voter rally.

She said she believed it was important to involve young voters.

“They’re the next generation that’s going to take over the voting process, so we want to make sure they’re aware, they have the tools, they know where to vote, how to vote, and they’re encouraging their friends. to do the same,” Jones said.

The event also offered free healthcare screenings, dental hygiene information, crime prevention tips and more.

Taylor thinks it’s crucial to have all of these resources at one event.

“Crime prevention is important to our community. Voting is important to our community. Health care is important to our community and of course it’s always important to give back to our youth who are going to be our leaders,” said Taylor said.

Jones is happy to see health care screenings and learn more about affordable health care options.

She says having everything in one place for the community to access is the most beneficial.

“A lot of times people can’t get in touch with them, so the next thing is to come to people and provide them with the resources and the awareness and the tools they need to move forward and know that they’re an essential part of it. part of the community,” Jones said.

Oil prices are stabilizing; China demand hopes outweigh recession worries

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 23, 2022

0

Oil prices stabilized on Friday as hopes of stronger Chinese demand and a weaker U.S. dollar outweighed worries about a global economic slowdown and the impact of rising interest rates. on fuel consumption.

To fight inflation, the U.S. Federal Reserve is trying to slow the economy and will continue to raise its short-term rate target, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Patrick Harker said Thursday in remarks that weighed on oil.

But crude is gaining support thanks to an impending European Union ban on Russian oil, as well as the recent production cut of 2 million barrels per day agreed by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies, including Russia, known as OPEC+.

Brent settled at $93.50 a barrel, up $1.12 or 1.2%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude settled at $85.05 a barrel, up 54 cents, 0.6%. During the session, both benchmarks were down more than a dollar.

Brent rose 2% on the week, while WTI fell around 0.7%.

Traders were lining up ahead of the weekend after the WTI contract expired in November, increasing volatility.

“The bias is to play the weekend on the long side,” said John Kilduff, partner at Again Capital LLC in New York.

Fluctuations in the US dollar, which generally moves inversely to oil prices, have added to trade volatility. [USD/]

The dollar eased against a basket of currencies after a report said some Fed officials signaled greater unease over steep interest rate hikes to fight inflation, as even that they were lining up another big rate hike for November.

Brent, which hovered near its all-time high of $147 in March, was on track for a weekly gain of 0.8%, while U.S. crude was heading for a loss of around 1.5%. Both benchmarks fell the previous week.

Regarding the OPEC+ cut, which has been criticized by the United States, the Saudi energy minister said the producer group was doing a good job of ensuring stable and sustainable oil markets.

On Thursday, oil gained after Bloomberg News reported that Beijing was considering reducing the quarantine period for visitors from 10 days to seven days. There has been no official confirmation from Beijing.

“The reflex price action provided a useful insight into what to expect once more punitive restrictions were lifted,” Stephen Brennock of oil broker PVM said of the market rally after the report.

China, the world’s biggest crude importer, has stuck to strict COVID-19 restrictions this year, weighing heavily on trade and economic activity and reducing demand for fuel.

Meanwhile, the number of U.S. oil and gas rigs, an early indicator of future production, rose by two to 771 in the week to Oct. 21, energy services firm Baker Hughes Co said. . [RIG/U]

U.S. oil rigs rose two to 612 this week, their highest level since March 2020, while gas rigs were unchanged at 157.

Climate reporting is only ‘heating up’ as the news publishing industry invests more in data, journalists and partnerships

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 22, 2022

0

Victoria Holmes | for editor and editor

On June 24, 1988, The New York Times reported with an A1 headline: “Global Warming Has Begun.

The day before, during an extremely hot summer in Washington, DC, then-NASA climatologist Dr. James Hansen testified before the Senate Subcommittee on Energy and Natural Resources. He presented the case that the climate was warming and that this was a result of human activity. This testimony is considered the first time that global warming has become an issue of public interest in the United States and, therefore, a slow but growing priority for media coverage.

For early climate journalists, covering such a serious subject was a burden. Few publications wanted to take on the task at hand; those who did narrowly covered a small amount of ground. Dr Edward Maibach, director of the Mason Climate Change Communication Center at George Mason University, said there was also a major misstep with some early reporting practices.

“Many journalists who have reported on climate change in the past felt the need to tell both sides of the story, when in fact there was really only one side to the science – the evidence. – of what’s going on,” Maibach said.

While necessary in some circumstances, this reporting tactic is not an ideal approach to covering climate change and can lead to confusion in the public sphere.

“Going out and looking for voices that are contrarian voices but not fundamentally focused on things that happen in the real world – they focus on interpretations that they want us to believe – it was a real mistake. It’s not “fair and balanced” when you present both sides, and there’s really only one side that’s fundamentally true, based on evidence. It’s called a false balance,” Maibach said.

Over the years, this approach has diminished, but there is still room for improvement.

“Focus not only on the impacts that are already happening in our community, but tell stories about what people are doing about it. That’s what the public is most interested in,” Maibach suggested.

Maibach draws this conclusion from her 40 years of research experience on public communication campaigns. He cites a simple formula that can translate into storytelling: “Clear messages repeated often by a variety of trustworthy and caring voices, including local weather forecasters or columnists.”

“Their viewers know them; their viewers love them and their viewers trust them. And so when they talk about how climate change is changing the weather in their community, people don’t push back, people don’t argue with that,” Maibach said.

John Morales is the founder of ClimaData, a boutique forensic meteorology company. He was the first hurricane specialist at WTVJ NBC-6 in Miami and inspired to look into climate coverage 25 years ago after being part of a group of guest TV weather presenters at the White House.

Maibach believes it is local voices that can help educate communities. John Morales is an example of a local voice who has led the charge for climate reporting. He was the first hurricane specialist at WTVJ NBC-6 in Miami. He founded and runs ClimaData, a boutique forensic meteorology company. He dabbled in climate coverage 25 years ago after being part of a group of guest TV weather presenters at the White House.

“We met with scientists from NOAA and so on. We also met with political decision makers. … In the evening, we were in the East Room of the White House, and there was a reception with the president and the vice president. They both made speeches. The vice president’s speech was like watching “An Inconvenient Truth,” but in person. Personally, I left this event inspired because all they asked of us as broadcast meteorologists was to try to include climate context in our reporting,” Morales said.

“I am an atmospheric scientist by training. I had read the newspapers; there was nothing wrong with the science from my perspective,” he said. But he encountered some problems at first.

“The problem is that I was working on television in Spanish. … They don’t just provide local news, but they try to sprinkle in news from all the different countries. So when you have a preview that includes such a high number of stories, there’s not much time left for the weather,” Morales said.

Morales has found a solution. It separated its climate coverage from the weekday forecast. He did longer features for news in a separate format called “packages”, which is a story ranging from 90 seconds to 2.5 minutes. In 2003, he began reporting for a Telemundo station and doing crossover work for an NBC station.

“And at the same time, the extreme weather was starting to escalate a bit. … More opportunities were starting to arise for me to do a little more of these types of longer format reports. If I could sprinkle a little of climatic context in a weather segment of the Telemundo station, I would, ”he recalls.

Morales communicated the message effectively, avoiding scare tactics and focusing his reporting on local concerns.

“We were seeing more rainwater runoff-type flooding, not just in South Florida, but in other parts of the state,” Morales said. These events allowed him to also talk about the climate.

“Sea level rise was accelerating in our region. We have seen 6 inches of sea level rise in just 25 years, which is much faster than most of the rest of the world. So all I would do is talk about these different climate stories,” Morales said.

There was some backlash early on, especially from management. Morales was told to find “both sides” of his climate story, a practice he did not consider relevant to climate reporting.

“Science doesn’t work like that. The scientific method doesn’t give you both sides of the story,” Morales said.

Outwardly, Morales said he hasn’t seen much public reaction.

“Yeah, on social media you get some of that. And the trend, by the way, that I’ve seen is less of a pullback these days compared to 10 or 15 years ago,” Morales said.

“If you met someone at the hardware store, or you know, the supermarket, and people started a conversation with you, they’d be like, ‘Oh, by the way, thank you for being the only one in Miami talking about the climate, because damn it, I mean, we’re ground zero, and nobody wants to talk about it, but you talk about it, ”he said.

When it comes to climate reporting, Morales has some tips to get started. If there is a climate angle in a story, include it. Communicate with simple language that non-scientists can digest. Use simple terms and try to connect with readers locally.

Morales said in his experience, strong climate reporting can lure journalists into newsrooms, citing colleague Steve MacLaughlin. McLaughlin was a meteorologist in Florida who came to work for the station because he was encouraged by the long-duration weather coverage.

Frank Mungeam is Director of Innovation at the Local Media Association. He leads the Covering Climate Collaborative, a network of 25 local newsrooms and six science partners that report on the effects of climate change, climate justice and climate solutions.

While weather forecasters are a prime example of reporters reporting on the weather, small newsrooms can use general-assignment reporters to tell the story to the public. Frank Mungeam is Director of Innovation at the Local Media Association. He leads the Covering Climate Collaborative, a network of 25 local newsrooms and six science partners that report on the effects of climate change, climate justice and climate solutions.

“The climate is really present in everything we do. It’s a health story. It’s a transport story. It’s a story of economy and jobs,” Mungeam said.

“The effects of climate change have been felt disproportionately by underrepresented communities, and so the legacy of where the worst climate impacts have occurred overlaps with housing injustice and gender inequality. political access. People who haven’t had a seat at the table, who haven’t had a strong voice in shaping policy, citing where factories and waste go, unsurprisingly, turned out be unequally affected,” Mungeam said.

Public opinion estimates from Yale Climate Opinion show Americans’ beliefs, risk perceptions, and political support for climate change.

He suggested that climate reporters need to go beyond “issues and documentation reporting” and integrate solutions journalism into their practice.

“The data is clear enough that people know we have a problem. … The effect of reporting on solutions is to give communities and individuals agency and a clear idea of not only what the problems are, but also what can be done about those problems,” Mungeam explained. .

The interactive Yale Climate Opinion map shows Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and political support at different levels of government, such as by county, state, and congressional district.

Mungeam referenced data from Yale Climate Opinion Maps, which shows Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions and political support at different levels of government, such as by county, state and congressional district. Mungeam also invited newsrooms to tap into the Covering Climate Collaborative.

The collaboration worked with a number of journalists and news organizations to amplify climate coverage and connect newsrooms for joint storytelling opportunities. The organization also offers mentorships and hosts a wealth of storytelling ideas. While there are challenges for newsrooms large and small, Mungeam has a positive view of the nature of the industry and its ability to adapt.

“Those are all the things journalists do well – filtering out complex issues, synthesizing them and reporting them reliably,” Mungeam said.

Victoria Holmes is a freelance journalist and writer based in Dallas, Texas. Previously, Holmes worked as a television reporter and political podcast host at WNCT-TV in Greenville, North Carolina. Contact her on Twitter.

Youth Advocate Program Seeks Advisory Board Members | New

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 22, 2022

0

Texas Youth Advocates is seeking to form a board of directors for its Higher Education Advancement Tours educational program.

HEAT is a program created by TYA in 2018 to provide qualified local high school students with access to higher education institutions. TYA takes local students to visit universities, colleges and technical schools to ensure the program meets the interests of a wide range of students.

The goal of the program is to serve as a medium to mentor participants through life lessons, convey the importance of education, and provide an opportunity to be exposed to experiences outside of East Texas.

Participants traveled to places such as Houston, Denton, Austin, San Marcos, Waco and Shreveport.

College visits have included Baylor University, Rice University and Tyler Junior College. Organizational tours have included Deloitte Consulting LLP, the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas and the Houston Texans NFL Sport Facility.

Members also participate in community service projects, including providing local residents with lawn care services, keeping our adopted road clean for Palestine City, or any other service that allows the program to give back to the community.

Board members would be asked to plan, advise and oversee program functions and activities.

Texas Youth Advocates is a non-profit organization that strives to have a positive impact on young people in Palestine and surrounding areas.

The organization does the majority of its work through youth outreach programs such as SIXERS Basketball, which allows local youth to travel, visit colleges, businesses, complete a community service project summer and compete in tournaments throughout Texas as well as surrounding states.

Other TYA sponsored programs include Westwood Little Dribblers, Sixers Club Volleyball and Westwood Youth Football.

Those interested in becoming members of the HEAT Program Advisory Council are encouraged to contact Texas Youth Advocates via Facebook or by email at [email protected]

8 days a week – The free weekly

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 21, 2022

0

October 21 (Friday)

Scrappy Ladies — Quilting Group, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Rogers Public Library. Free. rogerspubliclibrary.org.

Walk-in Tour: Art Trail—Sculpture & Nature, 1 p.m., Garrison Lobby at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Tour of the exhibition — “Architecture at Home”, 2 pm, Garrison Hall at the Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Used Book Sale — Children and Young Adults, 3:30 to 7 p.m. Oct. 21; 10am-5pm on October 22; 1-5 p.m. Oct. 23, Fort Smith Main Library. fortsmithlibrary.org.

Art by the Glass — With Angie Gomez, 6 p.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. $30. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

“Disney’s Winnie the Pooh” — 7 p.m. Oct. 21; 11 a.m. & 2 p.m. & 7 p.m. October 22, Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville. $20 to $45. 443-5600 or waltonartscenter.org.

“Detroit ’67” – The Civil Rights Movement Captured in One City in an Instant, 7:30 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, 2 p.m. Sunday, through Nov. 6, TheatreSquared in Fayetteville. $27 to $57; digital streaming also available. theatre2.org.

__

October 22 (Saturday)

Super Saturday – Halloween Story Time, 10 a.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Introduction to Genealogy — 10 a.m. to noon, Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Meditation & Art — 10:30 a.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. $5. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Seamless Tutu Making – 1 p.m., Ozark Folkways in Winslow. $15. ozarkfolkways.org.

Multi-Sensory Saturday — For visitors with and without sight loss, 1-4 p.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Adult workshop — With artist Laura Raborn, 1-5 p.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. $55. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Prayers for a Feverish Planet — Piano Concert with Ann DuHamel, 2 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Create a YouTube Channel – Part I, 2 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. Register at faylib.org.

Walmart Oz Kids Fat Tire Criterium — And Fall Festival, 2-6 p.m., Bentonville Public Library Lawn. Free. Register at bentonvillelibrary.org.

Chalk Walk – With local artists drawing on the sidewalks of downtown, part of Ozarktober in Springdale. Free. www.downtownspringdale.org.

Brews & Tunes – Ozarktober Party, 4-8pm, Turnbow Park in downtown Springdale. $30. eventbrite.com/e/406272300387.

Pitch Black – A Blindfold Dining Experience, 6 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. $150 and up. Tickets on faylib.org.

__

October 23 (Sunday)

Plant Swap — 1-5 p.m., Friends of RPL Community Hall, Rogers Public Library. Free. rogerspubliclibrary.org.

Ceramic Magic for Kids — With Cheryl Buell, 2 p.m., Ozark Folkways in Winslow. $20. ozarkfolkways.org.

Ready-to-go Opening Reception — 4-7 p.m., Ozark Folkways in Winslow. Free. ozarkfolkways.org.

Squirrel Jam Open Circle – 5 p.m., Ozark Folkways in Winslow. Free. ozarkfolkways.org.

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October 24 (Monday)

Walk-in Tour: Collection Highlights — 11:30 a.m. Monday, Thursday and Sunday, 2 p.m. Saturday, Garrison Lobby at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Self-guided tour: Architecture — 1 p.m. Monday, Thursday, Sunday, Garrison Lobby at the Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

All Quiet at Mena – True Crime in Arkansas with author Mara Leveritt, 6 p.m., Bentonville Public Library. Free. bentonvillelibrary.org.

Yoga at FPL — 6 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

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October 25 (Tuesday)

Mindfulness Meditation — 5:30 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Detective or Consequences – “The Body in the Library” by Agatha Christie, 6 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

UAFS Wind Ensemble – Including works by Grainger, Schuman, Markowski and others, 7 p.m., ArcBest Performing Arts Center in Fort Smith.

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October 26 (Wednesday)

Library Book Club — 9:30 a.m., Bella Vista Public Library. Free. bvpl.org.

Walk-in Tour: Big Picture—Art, Architecture, and Nature, 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday, Garrison Lobby at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

3 in 30 — Three works in 30 minutes, 12:30 p.m. Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, Garrison Lobby at the Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Fashion Symposium – In celebration of “Fashioning America: Grit to Glamour,” the symposium features leading industry voices such as Tory Burch, Tommy Hilfiger and others, from 12:45 p.m. to 4:00 p.m., Great Hall at Crystal Bridges Museum. $30. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Author Talk — With Sean Fitzgibbon, author of “What Follows Is True: Crescent Hotel,” 6 p.m., Bentonville Public Library. Free. bentonvillelibrary.org.

One Book, One Community — With Angeline Boulley, author of “Firekeeper’s Daughter,” 6 p.m., Pryor Center in downtown Fayetteville. Also available on Zoom. Email [email protected] or visit fulbright.uark.edu/special-events/one-book-one-community/.

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October 27 (Thursday)

Gallery Conversation—Critical Intersections: How Citizens, Planners, and Builders Create Better Communities, 1:30 p.m., Orchard Trail at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

True Crime Club — 5:30 p.m., Bella Vista Public Library. Free. bvpl.org.

Cocktail Tour — “Architecture at Home,” 6 p.m., Orchard Trail at Crystal Bridges Museum. $20. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Peering into the Stacks – A Deeper Dive into Court, Church, and Vital Records, 6 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Beginner’s Genealogy Class — 6 p.m., Fort Smith Main Library. Free. fortsmithlibrary.org.

Fabulous Fiction Book Club — 6:30 p.m., Rogers Public Library. Free. rogerspubliclibrary.org.

__

October 28 (Friday)

Walk-in Tour: Art Trail—Sculpture & Nature, 1 p.m., Garrison Lobby at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Tour of the exhibition — “Architecture at Home”, 2 pm, Garrison Hall at the Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

Pumpkin Coaster Crochet Craft – 2 p.m., Fort Smith Main Library. Free; register before October 26. fortsmithlibrary.org.

“Almost, Maine” – A nine-vignette set about love under the Northern Lights, 8 p.m. Oct. 28-29, 2:30 p.m. Oct., again Nov. 3-6, Arkansas Public Theater at Victory in Rogers. $20 to $40. arkansaspublictheatre.org.

Art Night Out — Fashion Party, 9 p.m. to midnight, Crystal Bridges Museum. $25. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

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October 29 (Saturday)

A Morning with Suzanne Woods Fisher – A Special Get-together with the Book Club, 10 a.m., Bentonville Public Library. Free. Register at bentonvillelibrary.org.

Family Halloween Celebration — 10:30 a.m. to noon, Springdale Public Library. Free. springdalelibrary.org.

A Morning With Suzanne Woods Fisher — Community event with book sale and book signing, 11 a.m., Bentonville Public Library. Free. bentonvillelibrary.org.

Discover the Park – Plants That Kill, 11 a.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. Tickets at 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

The Psychology of Card Magic — 3 p.m., Fayetteville Public Library. Free. faylib.org.

Fashion Teen Night — 7-10 p.m., Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

__

October 30 (Sunday)

__

On display

“Back to School” – Themed tours of the Hawkins House, until October 29, Rogers Historical Museum. Free. 621-1154.

“Goal 14 Water For Life” – An art exhibition featuring individual works and a large interactive installation by artists Lourdes Valverde, David Gómez, Briseida Ochoa and Dexta Rodríguez based on “Transforming Our World: The Sustainable Development Agenda at horizon 2030” from the United Nations, until October 30, Art Ventures, 20 S. Hill Ave., Fayetteville. Free. artventures-nwa.org.

“Civil War in Benton County: Untold Stories” – Until Nov. 12, Rogers Historical Museum. Free. 621-1154 or rogershistoricalmuseum.org.

“Ken Smith’s Buffalo River Country” – Remembering the Creation of the National River, through December, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. Free. 750-8165 or shilohmuseum.org.

“Digi Know” – A photography exhibit that illustrates a time when a photo was a precious thing and shows visitors how historic photos are digitized to preserve these stories of our people and our past, all summer long, Shiloh Museum of Ozark History in Springdale. Free. shilohmuseum.org.

“Maths move! Experimenting with Ratios and Proportions” – Allows children and families to “playfully investigate ratios and proportions using their bodies and gestures,” year-round, Scott Family Amazeum in Bentonville. $10. amazeum.org.

“A Dash of Apple Vinegar” – A celebration of the apple industry at Rogers, through Dec. 31, Rogers Historical Museum. Free. 621-1154 or rogershistoricalmuseum.org.

“Listening Forest” – Until January 1, Crystal Bridges Museum. $15 to $27 for adults, $7 to $15 for children. crystalbridges.org.

“We the People: The Radical Notion of Democracy” – Until January 2, Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. 657-2335 or crystalbridges.org.

“The Worst-Scenario Survival Experience” – Tuesday and Wednesday 12-6pm; Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m.; and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. extended through January 12, The JTL Shop on Emma Avenue in downtown Springdale. $6 to $12. thejonescenter.net.

“Fashioning America” - the history of American fashion through recognizable names – Ralph Lauren, Nike, Vera Wang, Levi-Strauss – but more so through “little-known fashion heroes”, until the January 30, Crystal Bridges Museum. $12. crystalbridges.org.

“Between/Between” – Presenting works that speak to Latinx histories living in the United States and between the United States, through March 20, Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. crystalbridges.org.

“Architecture at Home” – Five housing prototypes intended to start a conversation about how to improve places to live, to 2023, Orchard Trail at Crystal Bridges Museum. Free. crystalbridges.org.

— Becca Martin-Brown

[email protected]

What if more buyers refuse metals like aluminum from Russia? The LME does not want to know anything

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 20, 2022

0

Speculation that the United States is considering banning aluminum from Russia contributed to a brief spike in metal prices a week ago, but some consumers have already voluntarily chosen to avoid the country’s metals.

This has led the London Metal Exchange (LME) to consider options to circumvent trade distortions potentially caused by a buildup of metals from Russia in its warehouses.

Reports last week said the United States was considering a possible ban, restrictions, increased tariffs on aluminum imports from Russia or the sanctioning of Russian aluminum producer United Co Rusal, in response to the military escalation of the war in Ukraine.

“There is certainly chatter in the aluminum market, but a lack of clarity only contributes to the uncertainty that keeps some buyers on the sidelines,” said Christopher Davis, director of price reports, Americas. , from S&P Global Commodity Insights. “Some think tariffs could be applied,” he said. It would be “less drastic than sanctions or a total ban, which would have a greater impact”.

In early March, aluminum producer Alcoa Corp. YY,
+3.43%
said he would stop buying raw materials from, and selling its products to Russian companies in response to the country’s invasion of Ukraine. Some reports last week indicated that Alcoa had asked the White House to stop US imports of aluminum from Russia.

The LME published a working paper on Russian metal on October 6 and said it was “closely monitoring the use and flow of Russian metal on the LME, to ensure that LME warehouses do not see a large influx of unwanted Russian stocks, which could create a market disorderly or unfair”.

He listed three options to help deal with growing concerns about the “threat to market order.”

“If the underlying physical aluminum market got to the point where the vast majority were not accepting the Russian metal, then these tonnes wouldn’t be representative of the market as a whole,” Davis of S&P Global said. So there is a “market opinion that the LME would be more likely to delist it.

Wednesday, the LME Aluminum Spot Bid Price was $2,168 per metric ton, down from $2,373.50 on October 13, the day after reports of a possible U.S. ban on the metal from Russia.

For now, there seems to be enough adoption and Russian metal remains viable, Davis said. Next year, however, there may be more consumers who have decided not to accept additional Russian hardware and the LME may decide to take formal action, he said.

The LME has listed its first option to address growing concerns as maintaining the current stance, with no further action until international governments impose sanctions on Russian metals, or stocks and price data show a guaranteed impact of Russian metal on prices. Warrants represent the right to a specific lot of metal approved by the LME.

The LME said it could also introduce thresholds for Russian metal backed. If, for example, Russian metals constitute a specified percentage of the stock under mandate for a metal, the LME would suspend further deliveries. The last option would be the suspension of the guarantee of Russian metal in LME warehouses around the world, which could cause market disruption in the short term, but would bring certainty to the market, LME said.

“Given that Russia accounts for around 5% of global aluminum production, the metals would be one of the hardest hit should we see a ban or limits on Russian deliveries to LME warehouses,” he recently wrote. Ewa Manthey, commodities strategist at ING. comment. Russian aluminum has accounted for up to three-quarters of LME stocks over the past decade, she said. “Clearly, the LME is concerned about the risk of Russian metal being dumped into LME warehouses as buyers become less willing to accept Russian metals for next year’s supplies.”

““Clearly, the LME is concerned about the risk of Russian metal being dumped into LME warehouses as buyers become less willing to accept Russian metals for next year’s supplies.” ”

— Ewa Manthey, P.Eng.

Manthey thinks a total ban on Russian metals would be the most optimistic outcome of the LME working paper – “effectively cutting Russian metals off the exchange.”

LME warehouses are also “filling up rapidly” with Russian copper since the conflict began in late February, said Ronnie Cecil, senior analyst, metals and mining at S&P Global Commodity Insights. Any potential bans by the LME or the US government on imports from Russia are likely to “increase upward pressure on prices”.

Jason Sappor, Cecil’s colleague at S&P Global, a senior metals and mining research analyst, said LME nickel prices found support this month as the exchange considered banning delivery of nickel. new Russian nickel in its warehouses.

“Self-sanctioning” by consumers of nickel produced by Russia’s Norilsk Nickel for 2023 annual contracts, during the current so-called “mating season” trading period that runs from September to the end of year, “could push the company to deliver excess metal to LME warehouses and drive down LME nickel prices,” Sappor said. Self-sanction refers to buyers who voluntarily avoid Russian metals given the uncertainties surrounding them.

Even so, Russia is likely to find a willing buyer in China, especially for aluminum.

“The question is whether a ban or sanctions on Russian aluminum would produce the effects desired by the Biden administration,” said Jeff Klearman, portfolio manager at GraniteShares, which offers the GraniteShares Bloomberg Commodity Broad Strategy No K- 1 COMB,
+0.07%,
an exchange-traded fund that offers broad exposure to commodities.

For example, Russia could “avoid the repercussions of a US ban by selling aluminum to China, at a reduced price, and then China would sell its aluminum production to the United States at a higher price”, did he declare.

Russia is a major aluminum producer, and steps taken to effectively eliminate Russian aluminum from the market will likely raise aluminum prices and thus contribute to higher levels of inflation, Klearman said.

Given that, the Biden administration might be reluctant to implement a ban, “especially during the midterm elections,” he said.

Protesting farmers have their heads in the mud – Climate Justice Taranaki

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 20, 2022

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“Today’s Groundswell protest shows how stuck in the mud some farmers are when it comes to moving with the times. That after decades of scientific evidence and changes easily felt here on farms d ‘Aotearoa, some people still call climate change a hoax or not man-made says a lot about their detachment from the rest of the world,’ says Emily Bailey of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“This country’s rural and agricultural sector has been hit hard by floods, intense storms and droughts this year alone, costing millions of dollars in damage and a great deal of stress and grief for those who have lost homes, sheds, stockpiles and fences.The situation is only getting worse and farmers can either adapt and quickly reduce their emissions or they and everyone else will suffer more.

“We know that at least 50% of our emissions come directly from agriculture, not even counting the international emissions of an industry that exports 80 to 95% of its products. There is a direct correlation with the increase in emissions and the theft of colonial land and the increase in the use of fossil fuels and the industrial period of machinery, agricultural chemicals and massive deforestation. Climate change is undoubtedly man-made. We can stick our heads in the mud and complain that we don’t want to change anything and suffer more, or we can shift to a quick transition now.

“The intensification and industrialization of the dairy industry – fueled by the import of animal feed from abroad and the use of synthetic fertilizers like urea – in Taranaki and elsewhere have increased our emissions while by negatively impacting the local environment.Streams and streams are in trouble, there is loss of biodiversity and rural communities are literally disappearing with the closure of schools, businesses and community halls due to a population decline.While the negative impacts on our atmosphere can be measured, the social impacts are often overlooked,” says Urs Signer of Climate Justice Taranaki.

“Our group sat down with unions, councils and the oil and gas industry to work on a just transition plan for the fossil fuel sector. We must now do the same for the dairy industry. Rather than exporting 95% of dairy products as a cheap commodity to sell on the international stock market, we need to work together to localize and diversify our food production. When a dairy farmer on 200ha struggles to pay his bills, while market gardeners can grow vegetables on half an acre creating three full-time jobs while feeding the local community, it’s clear the agricultural sector has been pushed and trapped in a system created by banks, agricultural advisers and industry lobby groups that are failing our planet, rural communities and our local environment.

“We need an immediate halt to the import of palm feed made from rainforest destruction in Borneo. We must ban the import of phosphate from war-torn Western Sahara. We need to stop using synthetic fertilizers made from fossil fuels or hydrogen. Most importantly, we need to work together in rural communities to shift from exports to regenerative agriculture for local markets by diversifying our production, removing farmland for indigenous reforestation, and rebuilding once thriving communities,” concludes Signer.

Nelson Carlo, advocate for minority entrepreneurs.

Advocate

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Michael Dabney

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October 19, 2022

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Nelson Carlo owned several manufacturing companies in the steel industry, including Carlo Steel Co., and was a strong advocate for minority-owned contractors in the construction industry.

“Nelson was a story maker for Latinos and very specifically for Puerto Ricans, but for all Hispanics, for bringing together Latinos and African Americans to increase our participation in all sectors of society in Chicago, in Illinois and the Midwest,” said Charlie Serrano, a Chicago businessman who champions trade with Puerto Rico. “It takes a visionary.”

Carlo, 83, died of natural causes on September 11 in Clare assisted living community on the Gold Coast, his 29-year-old wife Maritza Marrero Carlo said. A longtime South Loop resident, Carlo recently suffered multiple mini-strokes, his wife said.

Born in Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, Carlo moved with his family at an early age to New York and then to the West Side of Chicago. He attended Farragut High School.

After a stint in the Navy ended in 1962, Carlo held several jobs before becoming a sales and purchasing trainee for Griffiths McKillen Steel Co.

This was Carlo’s entry into the steel industry, and in 1968 he was hired as a salesman at Abbott Specialty Metals on the Southwest Side, a metal fabricator that made products for commercial, industrial, and defense customers. , including the manufacture of test bombs for the US military. . In 1980, military contracts accounted for about 85% of Abbott’s business.

Carlo helped to more than triple Abbott’s sales, and by 1973 he had purchased a 45% stake in the company. He soon bought out the founder of Abbott with a loan from the Small Business Administration and expanded his reach by starting a separate company that made restaurant equipment.

“I make a point of hiring Spanish speakers or blacks,” Carlo told the Tribune in 1977. “We’re in a labor surplus area, but we don’t have the problem of agents immigration officers arriving at our doorstep and chasing busloads of our employees. These people are skilled workers and stable residents in the community.

The Small Business Administration’s Midwest Region named the Abbott Group its “Builder of the Year” in 1980.

“Nelson was just fearless,” said Joe Williams, a friend and fellow entrepreneur who, like Carlo, advocated for minority-owned businesses. “He felt that if people had a mandate (to hire women and minority-owned businesses), they should comply.”

In the 1970s, Carlo also helped organize Americana Federal Savings and Loan, which was the first Hispanic-owned financial institution in the Chicago area.

In 1991, Carlo purchased another steel company, Alert Steel Products, and renamed it Carlo Steel Co. The company was a passenger terminal contractor for O’Hare International Airport in the early 2000s and Little Village High School. Carlo Steel also fabricated steel for many West Side homes.

Carlo worked with the City of Chicago to help create its Minority and Women-Owned Business Certification Program.

“He was just looking for fairness in business for all of us so-called ‘minorities,'” said Hermene Hartman, N’DIGO editor and longtime friend. “For him, that meant women, that meant African Americans, and that meant Hispanics. It was at the forefront of his work. He was a real inspiration to many people.

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After the global financial crisis, construction stopped and in 2011 Carlo decided to close Carlo Steel. However, instead of retiring, he started working for a friend who owned a south side cabinetry company, Amberleaf Cabinetry.

“Nelson introduced them to developers and general contractors so they could start to grow, and they’re doing extremely well now,” Carlo’s wife said.

Carlo was a founding member of the Hispano-American Construction Industry Association.

A first marriage ended in divorce. In addition to his wife, Carlo is survived by one daughter, Antoinette Yannias; one brother, Joseph; and two grandchildren.

Services took place.

Bob Goldsborough is a freelance journalist.

To purchase an obituary, visit https://placeanad.chicagotribune.com/death-notices. To suggest a staff-written obituary on a local person of interest, email [email protected]

Concerned parents: Community involvement in sight after bullying | News, Sports, Jobs

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Michael Dabney

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October 19, 2022

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The Jamestown Human Rights Commission discussed ways to increase community involvement at last Friday’s Human Rights Commission meeting. The committee is looking for ways to engage with the community and better represent residents of the city. Screenshot by Timothy Frudd

The Jamestown Human Rights Commission agreed to increase community involvement at a recent meeting.

Following reports of an incident of bullying at Jamestown Public Schools that were presented to the Jamestown Public Schools Board last week, the Human Rights Commission has determined that it would be beneficial for members of the committee are present at various meetings and events throughout the city.

Kimberly Knight, who is both a member of the Human Rights Commission and a teacher at Jamestown Public Schools, asked other members of the committee to consider joining her at the next school board meeting on 25 October, following reports from parents presenting their concerns to the Jamestown Public Schools Board.

Knight said the parents felt “unwelcome” at the meeting and were unhappy with the way school board members handled their concerns about bullying issues in the school district.

As a result, Knight explained that she plans to attend the next board meeting to lend support to the Human Rights Commission on behalf of concerned parents in the community.

The other members of the Human Rights Commission also expressed interest in attending the next school board meeting, prompting a lengthy discussion about how the Human Rights Commission could find ways to develop increased involvement in the community by participating in various municipal meetings and events.

The committee concluded that it would be beneficial to both the community and the Human Rights Commission if some committee members attended Jamestown Public School Board meetings and some city council meetings. By attending the meetings, the committee hopes to send a message to the community that the Human Rights Commission is ready to play a more active role in helping the people of Jamestown and representing the rights of every resident.

In addition to increasing community participation, the Human Rights Commission also discussed ways to make its meetings more productive and meaningful for city residents.

Due to several vacancies, the committee determined that it would be helpful if the Commission on Human Rights was reduced to eight members, with a meeting quorum of five members. Human Rights Commission Chairman Rev. Uvie Stewart Jr. said he would approach Mayor Eddie Sundquist with the committee’s request.

In addition, the Commission on Human Rights has proposed the idea of changing the day or time of meetings to better reflect the availability of its members’ schedules, with any changes to be discussed at a future meeting. .

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Opinion: Is Elon Musk played by a master manipulator?

Impact producer

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Michael Dabney

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October 18, 2022

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Editor’s note: Frida Ghiti(@fridaghitis) former producer and correspondent for CNN, is a columnist on world affairs. She is a weekly opinion contributor to CNN, a columnist for the Washington Post and a columnist for the World Politics Review. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his own. See more opinion on CNN.

CNN
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If Elon Musk’s actions hadn’t had such powerful consequences, we could sit back and enjoy the show. But, as he likes to weigh in heavily on consequential issues, the rest of the world must worry about the impact and wonder which side he is on. What are the principles – moral, ethical, financial – that drive his exuberant forays into global affairs?

Nothing in Musk’s monumental streak of business accomplishments suggests he has any expertise in immersing himself in the world’s most dangerous conflicts. But that didn’t stop him. Musk spoke about the Russia-Ukraine war and Taiwan’s tensions with Beijing with the self-confidence of someone who knows what he’s talking about.

No matter that his proposals won the support of dictators. Like some extremely wealthy men, Musk can operate under the illusion that he is a genius at everything. He combines the arrogance of wealth with the craving for attention of an insecure soul.

But people who need a lot of attention make themselves vulnerable. And Musk, not content with possessing the largest fortune in the world, is played by a master manipulator.

Among his many manic maneuvers, a recent “peace” proposal for Ukraine – offered in a Twitter poll – come out. Musk asked his 100 million followers to vote on a plan that appeared to have been drafted in the Kremlin, with distorted history Crimea – the Ukrainian territory annexed by Russia in 2014.

He suggested that Ukraine (and presumably the world) accept Russian sovereignty over Crimea, that another referendum be held in Ukrainian lands annexed to Russia, this time under UN supervision (and despite Russian military occupation!), among other ideas.

The reaction was quick. Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky retaliated with his own Twitter poll, asking his followers if they prefer the Musk who supports Ukraine or the one who supports Russia. Specifically, the Ukrainian Ambassador to Germany replied, “Fuck you… @elonmusk”

(Musk replied to Zelensky’s tweet saying he’s “still very supportive[s] Ukraine” but fears “massive escalation”.)

Russia, of course, I loved the map. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov praised Musk, adding that “to achieve peace without fulfilling Russia’s conditions is absolutely impossible.” The plan, he thus confirmed, met Russia’s conditions.

Then there was another twist on the much-scrutinized tweet. After US political scientist Ian Bremmer of the Eurasia Group said Musk told him he had spoken to Russian President Vladmir Putin before this tweet, Musk denied it.

But the most telling analysis of the relationship between Musk and Putin – those two paragons of overconfidence – came from Fiona Hill, who was once the top Russian leader on the US National Security Council.

“Putin”, she says Politico“plays the egos of great men, gives them the feeling that they can play a role. But in reality, they are only direct transmitters of Vladimir Putin’s messages.

As a former KGB agent, Putin is trained in the art of reading and manipulating people. Some images of Putin plying his trade with world leaders — for example, bringing his black Labrador to a meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is said to be afraid of dogs, in 2016 — are indelible.

What’s in it for Musk? The man who put thousands in electric cars, who turned spaceflight into a for-profit business, is now trying out a different vehicle. It is an ego trip.

Imagine if he could solve the war in Ukraine! Nobel Peace Prize, anyone?

If a proposal Putin liked wasn’t enough, Musk had a little something for Chinese President Xi Jinping.

In a interview with the Financial Times, he unveiled his proposal to resolve the hostilities between Beijing and Taipei. Musk suggested creating “a special administrative zone for Taiwan“, thinking that “they could have a more lenient arrangement than Hong Kong”. China, you will recall, promised “one country, two systems” for Hong Kong, until it broke its word and crushes the freedom of Hong Kong.

Like Russia before it, China was fast with praise and thank you for the billionaire. Taiwan’s envoy to Washington had a scathing responsetweeting: “Taiwan sells many products, but our freedom and democracy are not for sale.”

It should be noted that Tesla has a strong presence in China. If Beijing is happy with Musk, it may be good for business.

It may not be fair to portray the Tesla tycoon as a friend of dictators. Life isn’t Twitter, and in the real world, Musk’s SpaceX-created Starlink internet service has been an invaluable tool for Ukrainians fighting Putin’s invasion.

(Interestingly, Musk too Told the Financial Times that Chinese officials asked him to promise not to sell Starlink systems in China.)

A few days ago, CNN discovered that SpaceX had written to the Pentagon, asking it to start paying tens of millions of dollars a month or it could stop funding Starlink in Ukraine.

Starlink’s presence there has not exactly been an entirely charitable enterprise. Documents reviewed by The New York Times showed much of the cost was borne – paid to Starlink – by the US, UK and Poland, which paid for 17,000 of the 20,000 terminals sent in Ukraine. Starlink donated 3,000, and Musk says SpaceX is covering the hefty monthly fee for the service.

Musk’s impulsiveness and U-turns are familiar. Just as he decided to buy Twitter, then changed his mind, then changed it again, he swerved on Starlink.

CNN’s report sparked a firestorm of criticism. Two days later, Musk backtracked, with the dismissive attitude of someone who makes decisions on the fly. “What the heck…we will continue to fund it for free,” he said. tweeted.

When someone replied that no good deed goes unpunished, Musk struck a humanitarian pose and said, movingly, “Even so, we should still do good deeds.”

Is Musk a philanthropic humanitarian or a pro-dictator tycoon?

Despite his shenanigans, and even though he sometimes seems to act like a mischievous teenager, he likes to take himself seriously, thinking big things about important matters. Some of his business ideas and their execution deserve the highest praise.

But he also loves to poke fun, sometimes with disastrous consequences. It is to be prosecuted on allegations that he boasted anything but worthless dogecoin as part of a pyramid scheme. (musk says he still supports it.) The Securities and Exchange Commission investigate him on Twitter, and before punished him on other market-manipulating tweets. Musk and the SEC settled on fraud chargesagreeing on penalties.

He claimed he wanted to buy Twitter and put former President Donald Trump back on the platform because he is a “absolutist of freedom of expression”. Freedom of expression in the complicated and rapidly changing era of social media is one of the topics on which experts say he doesn’t have a serious understanding of the extraordinarily complex issues that a major platform has to deal with.

Musk’s restless mind could use a moment to focus on what he believes. He seems to want to be one of the good guys, but he doesn’t seem quite sure. Maybe that’s what happens when you’re the powerful ruler of your business empire and you seem to think that makes you one of the masters of the universe.

A very powerful and impulsive man, who needs a lot of attention, can be a perilous force.

Notice of Open Comment for Presidential Policy on Sustainable Practices

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Michael Dabney

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October 17, 2022

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Home / 2022 / October / Notice of Open Comment for Presidential Policy on Sustainable Practices

TO: UC Santa Cruz Community

Of: Elida Erickson, Acting Vice-Chancellor, Finance, Operations and Administration/Campus Comptroller and Director of Sustainability

The Office of the President of the University of California invites comments on proposed updates to the existing Presidential Policy on Sustainable Practices. The proposed revisions address the following key issues:

Green Building Design: The first two updates to this policy section codify campus best practices and respond to feedback from the system-wide review of last year’s practice policy updates lasting and at the request of several regents. The first update increases the minimum level of green building certification for new buildings from LEED Silver to LEED Gold. The second update addresses the fact that parking structures are no longer eligible for LEED certification by requiring that new parking structures earn Parksmart Silver certification. Parksmart is a LEED-like rating system that is designed for parking structures and has already been tested on two UC campuses. The third update to this section removed references to the Savings by Design program that investor-owned California utilities recently discontinued.
Climate Protection: The date when campuses will achieve carbon neutrality from Scope 3 sources has been moved from 2050 to 2045 to align with the updated goal of the State of California. A new provision has been added to the Procedures section to integrate the University’s “Framework for Mainstreaming Environmental and Climate Justice into Climate Action” into climate action planning processes.
Zero Waste: Target dates for foodservice-related single-use plastic requirements have been extended to July 2024 to allow time for foodservice establishments to adapt to post-pandemic operating conditions. Also, because campuses can no longer count waste incinerated in their waste diversion rates, language related to this completed transition has been removed.
Sustainable Food Service: In keeping with feedback received during the system-wide review of last year’s Sustainable Practices Policy updates, this update sets a new goal for UC to purchase 25% plant-based foods by 2030 and strive to purchase 30%. These new goals will facilitate and track efforts to reduce the carbon footprint of food served at UC venues.
Sustainability at UC Health: Updates to this section of the policy set new goals for sustainable sourcing. Specifically, provisions have been added to cover the reprocessing of medical devices and the purchase of office equipment, equipment and supplies.
Health and Wellness: Based on research, analysis and pilot projects conducted by the Global Food Initiative, the Healthy Campus Network and the Healthy Beverage Initiative, updates to this section of the policy establish goals for the percentage of food and beverages in vending machines that meet UC Healthy Selling Guidelines. Additional provisions cover the marketing of healthy items, energy efficiency and zero waste targets for vending machines.
Minor revisions throughout the policy remove outdated language and targets and help clarify the intent and improve the readability of the document.

The draft policy is available online.

Please send your comments to the Office of Policy Coordination before the close of business on January 31, 2023 at [email protected]

Buyers call for further reductions in North East Atlantic pelagic quotas

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By

Michael Dabney

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October 17, 2022

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According to the North Atlantic Pelagic Advocacy Group (NAPA).

ICES has indicated that the Northeast Atlantic mackerel catch in 2023 is not expected to exceed 782,066 metric tons (MT); a reduction of 1.6% from its 2022 advice. However, in a statement released ahead of its annual coastal states meetings, NAPA said the agreed total allowable catch (TAC) for 2022 was set at 1,131 416 MT. Therefore, to follow ICES advice in 2023, a 31% reduction is needed, he said.

Similarly, ICES reported that catches of Atlanto-Scandian herring in 2023 do not exceed 511,171 MT; a 14.6% reduction from the 2022 advice. However, in 2022 there was no agreement on the TAC; the sum of the unilateral quotas declared by the different parties was 827,963 MT. NAPA said to follow ICES advice next year, a 38% reduction is needed.

The overfishing of these stocks has “a major impact on seafood businesses”, from the catching sector to retailers, he said.

“Mismanagement of these fisheries has so far led to the loss of Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) certification,” he said. “The loss of certification means that the fisheries are no longer publicly recognized against well-known independent certification programs for fisheries sustainability.”

Regarding the increased advice for blue whiting – no more than 1,359,629 MT; an 81% increase from 2022 – NAPA warned the rise was not due to better inventory management.

“On the contrary, unprecedented levels of recruitment have flooded the fishery, effectively masking the underlying issues of inadequate management and governance, from which mackerel, herring and blue whiting collectively suffer,” he said.

Blue whiting recruitment is now estimated at an all-time high of 71.6 billion fish, up from 22.8 billion last year.

The preliminary catch for 2022 has been calculated at 1,107,529 MT. Thus, compared to 2022, there is a possibility of a 23% increase in the TAC.

“The high council for blue whiting offers a golden opportunity for coastal states. The revised abundance estimates allow all parties to reduce their allocations and ensure that the TAC does not exceed scientific advice without making real-term reductions. Will they take this chance? NAPA said.

NAPA said the blue whiting fishery also lost its MarinTrust certification, which is conditional on MSC certification.

“The ripple effect on fisheries’ biggest customer, salmon farming, is a significant step backwards in responsible business practices and will impact retailers and catering businesses, as well as consumers, who require sustainable marine ingredients in animal feed,” he said. .

Formed in 2019 in response to the ongoing dispute over quota allocations in the Northeast Atlantic, NAPA has over 50 members spanning catering businesses, processors, buyers and retailers from Europe, Africa , North America and Japan. Together, these companies hold an €802 million ($781.5 million) share of Northeast Atlantic pelagic purchases.

NAPA argues that the conditions that have led to this overfishing are political and that coastal states simply need to agree on catch shares that follow ICES advice. Whether no improvement is made, individual NAPA members will reconsider their buying decisions, with some companies pledging to stop sourcing from fisheries.

Photo courtesy of Arild Lilleboe/Shutterstock

The Iowan Daily | Blue-Collar Conservatives: The Political Journey of Phil Hemingway

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 17, 2022

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Phil greets potential voters outside the Johnson County Republican seat before Clash in Kinnick on Friday, August 26, 2022. Hemingway knows the challenges a Republican candidate faces in a largely liberal Johnson County and said, “I hope the community will just look at me and look at not just my party affiliation but look at what i did when i had the public trust like serving on the school board. (Ayrton Breckenridge/The Iowan Daily) (Ayrton Breckenridge)

The prospect of running his own business allowed Phil to help raise Monica and let her work in the shop. Eventually, Monica became his campaign manager when Phil ran for the school board.

Monica even designed the campaign sign he still uses today. Early in his political career, his campaign budget was low, so he took old political signs and painted them over to make them his own. Phil raised $790 in 2022 for the reporting period from January 1 to July 14, according to a report from the Iowa Ethics and Campaign Disclosure Board.

During his campaign, Phil makes it a point to show the pay increases county supervisors have received from 2018 to 2023. A sign listing these dollar figures is prominently displayed wherever Phil campaigns.

When Phil first ran for the board of supervisors in 2018, the salary was $71,240. For fiscal year 2023, the salary is set at $92,558 without benefits.

Phil’s initial promise in 2018 when he was first offered for a supervisor position was not to ask for or accept a raise during his tenure. He still keeps that promise. With the $20,000 salary increase between 2018 and 2023, Phil plans to take that money each year and donate it to every school in Johnson County that has an agriculture or Future Farmers of America program in place ( FFA).

Infographic by Jami Martin-Trainor/The Daily Iowan

After a day of work in the store, Phil cleans the grease from his hands before heading home. (Ayrton Breckenridge)

“Farming is the one thing that every person in the world is involved in every day,” Phil said.

While at the school board, Phil said he supports the integration of these programs into the school system, as they provide young people with access to different trades and open the door to new job opportunities.

Phil has also served as chairman of the board’s finance committee and links his work there to current salary increases with the oversight board.

“The Iowa City School District budget is greater than the county budget,” he said. “[The school district] also has more employees than the county has employees. I oversaw the largest bond issue at the time in the state of more than $193 million in spending to renovate our schools…and I did it all for free,” Phil said.

He was one of two board members at the time to vote against sending the bond to a full referendum and said there was not enough for special education, career and technical education – and that excluded Hills Elementary. Although the referendum passed, Phil considered it his responsibility as a political leader to oversee the obligation.

“Sometimes you’re on the winning side, and sometimes you’re not, but you still have to keep going and make sure everything you do is for the good of the community,” Phil said. “You can’t hold grudges and things like that, you just have to keep going and keep working…I’m showing up to be a voice for everyone in the community – and I mean everyone. Not just from one party, not just from one community, but from the whole county.

He compared his political approach to finances to the way he runs Phil’s Repair. It wasn’t until his third school board application that he thought it would go his way, he said. With his perseverance and current politics, Phil believes the siege could fall his way as more people watch where their money is going given high inflation and a looming recession.

Timeline by Jami Martin-Trainor/The Daily Iowan

Looking back at his eight campaigns, Phil and Anita know the hardships that come with success, but they see their Republican Party affiliation as an additional hurdle in a largely Democratic county. Of the county’s 90,213 active voters, 46,645 are registered Democrats and 16,571 are registered Republicans. The rest are mostly registered as non-party voters.

“A lot of people in this city and this county just look at the consonant behind the name and are immediately turned off,” Anita said. “Some of them lump all Republicans into the same category without realizing that there are different shades of Republicans.”

Phil ran uncontested in the June Republican primary with Jammie Bradshaw. They will face Democratic candidates Jon Green and V Fixmer-Oraiz on Election Day.

Both Phil and Anita mentioned the benefit of having people from different backgrounds represented on the board.

“When you have five politically-minded people making decisions for a very diverse community in their thinking,” Phil said. “I think the community would recognize the benefit of having a diverse group of leaders.”

Phil’s older brother, David, is a self-proclaimed “Liberal Democrat.” Although he doesn’t always align himself politically with his brother, David said they end up supporting the same goals.

Phil said he plans to treat a supervisor’s seat as a full-time job, referring to the amount of salary received, while some still view the role as a part-time endeavor.

“You don’t take that to fill out a resume,” Phil said of the job. “You take this to provide a service to the community.”

18 Sharing Tips – October 17, 2022

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 16, 2022

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John Athanasiou, Red Leaf Securities

PURCHASE RECOMMENDATIONS

Ansell (ANN)

During inflation, companies with pricing power tend to outperform. Ansell, a leading manufacturer of industrial and medical protective gloves, was able to pass on rising production costs without any significant impact on demand. Therefore, we expect the stock price to outperform.

Energy Paladin (PDN)

The uranium company owns a 75% stake in the Langer Heinrich mine in Namibia. The stock price is strongly correlated to the price of uranium. The political momentum for uranium as a clean and reliable source of energy, particularly in Europe, is accelerating. Therefore, we expect rising uranium prices to translate into improved stock prices going forward.

MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

Whitehaven Coal (WHC)

The coal producer’s share price rose from $2.76 on January 4 to $10.80 on October 13. Energy supply problems related to the conflict in Ukraine contributed to the increase. While we don’t expect the energy supply issues to be resolved in the short term, we don’t recommend pursuing WHC at these prices. Better to hold and monitor the energy supply crisis before changing your position, in our opinion.

Transurban Group (TCL)

The company owns and operates toll roads in Australia and overseas. More than half of its income is linked to the rise in the consumer price index. Motorists may reduce their vehicle trips in response to rising fuel prices and rising costs of living. In our view, it is best to hold and assess the economic outlook going forward.

SALES RECOMMENDATIONS

Pilbara Minerals (PLS)

The Australian lithium producer’s share price fell from $2.28 on June 2 to $5 on October 13. The company benefited from higher lithium prices. In fiscal 2022, the company generated revenue of $1.2 billion, an increase of 577% over the prior corresponding period. Investors may consider cashing out some gains.

West African Resources (WAF)

This unhedged gold producer is based in Burkina Faso, where there has been a change in military leadership. The stock price rose from $1.40 on August 10 to $1.047 on October 13. Risk is an investment consideration. We prefer more attractive and stable opportunities elsewhere.

Harrison Massey, Argonaut

PURCHASE RECOMMENDATIONS

Centaurus Metals (CTM)

Centaurus owns and operates the Jaguar nickel project in Brazil. Jaguar has a JORC nickel resource of 80.6 million tonnes at 0.91% nickel. The company expects to release an updated mineral resource estimate at the end of October. The update can upgrade the resource. The company is well funded with $50 million in cash reserves.

Ramélius Resources (RMS)

This Australian gold producer has flagship assets in Western Australia. Despite producing 258,625 ounces of gold in fiscal 2022 at a competitive all-in sustaining cost of $1,523 per ounce, the company was sold due to lower profit margins and an increase input and labor costs. We believe RMS will have a stronger 2023 by offering new reserves. We expect better than expected cash returns.

MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

Newcrest Mining (NCM)

Increased cost pressures in fiscal 2022 reduced the gold producer’s profit margin compared to prior periods. An environment of high inflation and rising interest rates is generally difficult for gold producers. But given the size and scale of Newcrest, we think it’s still worth holding onto for gold exposure.

Pilbara Minerals (PLS)

Pilbara owns and operates the Pilgangoora lithium project in Western Australia. The company produced 377,902 dry metric tons of spodumene concentrate in fiscal 2022. It generated revenue of $1.2 billion, an increase of 577% over the prior corresponding period . The share price doubled between July and October 13. It may not be worth adding more stocks at this point, but we suggest keeping exposure to lithium.

SALES RECOMMENDATIONS

Harvey Norman Holdings (HVN)

The retail giant posted net profit after tax of $811.53 million in fiscal 2022, down 3.6% from the previous corresponding period. Inflationary pressures and rising interest rates are expected to impact discretionary consumer spending going forward. It may be worthwhile for investors to consider reducing their exposure to the retail sector.

Temple & Webster Group (TPW)

The online furniture and homewares retailer’s share price rose from $2.97 on July 12 to $5.26 on October 13. It may be time for investors to consider cashing in on some gains as the economic outlook points to a likely reduction in discretionary spending as consumers grapple with higher increases in the cost of living.

Jed Richards, Shaw and partners

PURCHASE RECOMMENDATIONS

CSL (CSL)

This blood products company has demonstrated for more than 25 years that it can generate a high rate of return. It leads the global plasma industry and dominates the market. The company’s research and development program will allow CSL to maintain its position as a leader in innovation. The healthcare sector performs well in various economic conditions because it is a non-discretionary expense.

ResMed Inc (RMD)

The breathing apparatus company’s popularity surged after competitor Philips announced a product recall last year. The Philips recall was factored into RMD’s share price. But, in the longer term, we still expect the impact of the recall to allow RMD to increase and maintain its market share in the respirator market.

MAINTENANCE RECOMMENDATIONS

Brambles (BXB)

The share price of this global logistics supply chain company fell from $13.10 on August 22 to $11.28 on October 13. However, the company’s defensive earnings are attractive. Additionally, the ability to pass on higher input costs makes BXB an attractive investment proposition in this inflationary and volatile environment. We expect the benefits of automation to further improve profit margins over the medium term.

Telstra Company (TLS)

The company’s infrastructure generates predictable, annuity-like cash flows. TLS dominates the Australian telecommunications market. It has the best network and a mobile market share of around 50%. While company earnings are reliable, we believe the stock is fully valued at these levels.

SALES RECOMMENDATIONS

Pilbara Minerals (PLS)

We believe in the lithium story. Supply shortages have driven lithium prices higher. But the PLS share price rose more than 100% between early June and October 13. In our view, the stock is overvalued. More attractive opportunities exist elsewhere. Recession fears could impact commodity prices over the next 12 months.

Woodside Energy Group (WDS)

WDS has strongly outperformed the market this year. It benefited from the rise in energy prices in response to the war in Ukraine. High crude oil prices are expected to fall if the Ukrainian conflict is resolved. Longer term, we expect crude oil prices to fall as the transition to renewable energy accelerates.

The recommendations above are general advice and do not take into account an individual’s goals, financial situation or needs. Investors are advised to seek their own professional advice before investing. Please note that TheBull.com.au merely publishes broker recommendations on this page. The publication of these recommendations does not constitute an endorsement by TheBull.com.au. You should seek professional advice before making any investment decision.

Friends and colleagues remember nonprofit advocate killed in train crash

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 15, 2022

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WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – Longtime friends and colleagues remember a well-known advocate for nonprofits who died in a train accident Wednesday.

Harreen Bertisch, 76, of Palm Beach Gardens, was the development manager of the Palm Beach County Legal Aid Society Inc.a position she has held for the past 30 years.

“This is such an unexpected and horrific tragedy,” said WPTV legal analyst Michelle Suskauer. “She was someone everyone fell in love with immediately and everyone wanted to work with.”

Bertisch was also a longtime member of Women’s Executives of the Palm Beaches where she played a vital role in giving back to non-profit organizations according to current board chair Kate Newitt.

“Hareen had a passion for women, and she was a champion for underdogs and for all women and that described Harreen perfectly,” Newitt said.

Bertisch touched countless lives, Bob Carter was one of them.

“She was always there to support me in any way she could, and she did, and she always encouraged me, saying, ‘Bob keep doing what you’re doing. It’s important,'” Carter said.

Another friend, Gary Lewis shared the same sentiment.

“She cared about everything and everyone. Her heart was huge,” Lewis said.

He, along with those who knew Bertisch best, is now grieving and hurt.

On Wednesday, Bertisch died after a freight train hit her SUV along Fern Street in downtown West Palm Beach, police say.

Suskauer said Bertisch will be remembered for his impact on the community and his commitment to service.

“It’s always a blessing to work with her, and our hearts are broken, they really are,” Suskauer said.

Bertisch leaves behind a son, a daughter and her husband Robert Bertisch who is the executive director of the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County.

Pakistani finance minister sees gradual recovery from floods

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 15, 2022

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WASHINGTON – Pakistan’s new finance minister has estimated it will take the South Asian country ‘nearly three years’ to recover from the devastating floods that killed more than 1,700 people and displaced another 7.9 million .

Ishaq Dar, who took the finance job last month for the fourth time in his career, told The Associated Press on Friday that flood losses were estimated at more than $32 billion and the cost of the reconstruction of damaged infrastructure would exceed $16 billion.

Monsoon rains, likely worsened by climate change, battered Pakistan for months from mid-June, damaging or washing away 2 million homes.

Rebuilding, Dar said, “cannot happen overnight” and will take “maybe close to three years”, although he acknowledged he was “not an engineer”. Last month, the World Bank pledged $2 billion in flood relief.

Dar returns to the Ministry of Finance at a difficult time for Pakistan. Moody’s Investors Service, citing Pakistan’s dwindling foreign exchange reserves, downgraded the country’s public debt this month. With inflation over 20% year-on-year, Pakistan’s currency, the rupee, has fallen 19% against the US dollar this year.

But Dar, who gained a reputation for supporting a strong rupee during his previous tenure as finance minister, noted that the currency had rallied on his return to work; it has risen by almost 10% against the dollar since the end of September.

Dar was in Washington this week for the fall meetings of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank.

The visit started well.

He was arrested and called a “thief” by an unidentified individual upon his arrival Thursday at Dulles International Airport.

On Friday, he dismissed the incident, which was captured on video and shared online, as the act of a political opponent of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s government. “Obviously it’s domestic politics that has crossed borders,” Dar said. “It shouldn’t be.”

Variety of Events Planned for Homecoming Week 2022

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 14, 2022

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UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Penn State’s 2022 Homecoming Week will be held Oct. 16-22, culminating with the Homecoming Parade on Friday, Oct. 21 and the Homecoming Football Game against Minnesota on Saturday, Oct. 22.

A variety of events are planned throughout the week to celebrate Penn State pride and tradition and engage students, alumni, faculty, and staff. The grand marshal for this year’s Homecoming is Nittany Lion wrestler great David Taylor, and the honorary grand marshals are Penn State President Emeritus Eric Barron and Molly Barron.

Additional details on the week’s events are available at homecoming.psu.edu.

TUNA 5K – 8 a.m., October 16, Bryce Jordan Center. The annual THON 5K powered by PNC will be held in person and virtually. Register today and join the Penn State and THON communities in the fight against childhood cancer.

Allen Street Jam — 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. on October 17, Allen Street. Stop by Allen Street between Beaver and College Avenues for a street fair featuring food, games, live music, performances and more.

past to present — 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. October 18, HUB-Robeson Center. Enter the HUB and be greeted by a living history museum. Learn about the history of some of Penn State and State College’s most pervasive organizations and watch performances.

Grand Marshal Questions and Answers — 6-7 p.m. October 18, Freeman Auditorium, HUB-Robeson Center. This Q&A style event, held in conjunction with the Blue and White Society, is an opportunity for current students to ask questions of Homecoming 2022 Grand Marshal and former Nittany Lion wrestler great David Taylor.

FTG Talent Show — 7 p.m. on October 18, Schwab Auditorium. Homecoming will host a talent show to showcase organizations and individuals with great talent. Come be a part of it or watch the amazing performers in action.

Best of Penn State Carnival – 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on October 19, HUB Lawn. Come ride the rides, play the games and have a good time.

Homecoming/Opulence Drag Show — 8:30 p.m. October 19, Alumni Hall, HUB-Robeson Center. Penn State Homecoming is thrilled to partner with student group Opulence to host their second annual drag show. Opulence is Penn State’s premier drag ambassador group. Come for a fun evening of performances.

Pride in our Pep Rally community — October 20, monumental staircase, HUB-Robeson Center. The Cheer Rally celebrates the diversity of Penn State’s student community through performances by different cultural organizations. Come celebrate cultural differences through dance, spoken word and community gathering.

Ancient Ice Cream – 1 to 3 p.m. on October 21, Hintz Family Alumni Center. The Ice Cream Social is an event to which all Penn State students, alumni, and community members are invited. Penn State Berkey Creamery ice cream will be served with music, performances by Alumni Blue Band and a cash-only Homecoming merchandise sale. The event helps welcome alumni back to campus for the weekend while building Penn State pride ahead of the homecoming parade. Registration is free but mandatory and walk-in registrations will be accepted. Sign up for the Ice Cream Social here.

return parade – 6 p.m. Oct. 21, Across Campus and Downtown State College. The theme for this year’s Homecoming Parade is “One Community, One Home Forever”. Celebrate one of Penn State’s oldest and most famous traditions that keeps alumni, students, faculty, and staff connected.

Guard the lion shrine — 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on October 21, Nittany Lion Shrine. Members of Penn State’s Army ROTC program stand guard and protect the symbol of our best. At the event, there will be free food, including popcorn and funnel cakes, photo opportunities with the Nittany Lion, and a variety of games and activities to earn prizes. gifts and prizes. Live entertainment will be present throughout the night, including the drum line from the Penn State Blue Band.

Back-to-school football match — 7:30 p.m. on October 22, Beaver Stadium. The Homecoming football game will feature a Penn State White Out and will be played against the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Come and watch the black and pink S-Zone, the “Generations of Greatness” jerseys and the presentation of the Homecoming Courts, Grand Marshals and much more.

Visit homecoming.psu.edu for details on this year’s festivities.

NCBA slams Google feature that misrepresents environmental impact of beef

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 14, 2022

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NCBA slams Google feature that misrepresents environmental impact of beef

The National Cattlemen’s Beef Association (NCBA) has denounced Google’s decision to skew consumers against beef through its new sustainability search feature that provides inaccurate climate information on beef production.

“Google is using its billions of dollars of resources to target cattle producers and ignoring the science that demonstrates the sustainability and value of beef to the environment,” said NCBA President Don Schiefelbein, a cattle producer from Minnesota. “Cattlemen have a proven track record of continuous improvement, which has led the United States to have the lowest greenhouse gas emissions from beef in the world while contributing to global food security. In addition, beef production protects green spaces, recycles grass and forages, and provides consumers with a source of lean protein rich in essential nutrients. Google should seriously reconsider this feature.

Livestock play an important role in protecting open spaces and contribute a very small portion of greenhouse gas emissions. Eliminating all livestock in the United States and removing beef from the diet would only reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 0.36% globally. NCBA urges Google to consider the science of beef production before making this new feature widely available.

Source: NCBA

Will going solar help health clinics survive the climate crisis? | Climate crisis

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 13, 2022

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IIt’s not easy to shake Rosa Vivian Fernandez. The general manager of a California health care clinic, she sees the harsh realities the low-income, largely Hispanic community the clinic serves faces every day.

But when Fernandez traveled to Puerto Rico in 2017 to visit family, she was shocked to see how devastated Hurricane Maria had been on the island.

“All the health centers – those that weren’t flooded or destroyed by the storm – collapsed,” Fernandez said. More than 5,000 people died from the severe Atlantic storm, which caused an estimated $90bn (£80bn) in property damage, wiping out the power grid. “People have died because of the lack of services,” she added.

After her 2017 visit, Fernandez realized that the clinic she runs, the San Benito Health Foundation in Hollister, Calif., could also be vulnerable to power outages that could compromise patient health. California’s record heatwaves and other factors are increasingly straining an already strained power grid. Something had to be done, she decided.

Today, the 17,000 square foot clinic in San Benito is nearly 100% solar powered with the ability to rely entirely on solar power for a week, through a self-contained microgrid of panels $1.7 million solar and battery products.

The clinic has been heralded as an example for other healthcare facilities to follow, an achievement all the more remarkable given that approximately 90% of patients are people of color who lack health insurance.

Hospitals are big energy consumers and stand to gain from switching to solar power, research shows. The San Benito clinic, pictured, is nearly 100% solar powered. Photography: The Romero Institute’s Let’s Green CA Campaign

And efforts to become energy independent have positioned San Benito as one of many healthcare facilities building resilience to environmental challenges associated with climate change.

A report released last year by California’s Hospital Building Safety Board warned that solar power is rapidly becoming essential for the “sustainability and resilience” of healthcare as climate change increasingly threatens energy resources. traditional. The report notes that the San Benito clinic is part of several “pilot projects” providing examples for other health facilities to follow.

“We hope this will serve as a model for other community health centers,” Fernandez said.

‘Green energy’

Researchers say hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities are among the sectors most in need of moving away from fossil fuel-dependent power sources due to their high energy consumption, critical nature their services and the fact that healthcare institutions are generally large emitters. greenhouse gas emissions.

Thanks to this recognition, solar and other “green energy” options are gaining popularity globally. A hospital in New Jersey began work to integrate solar power into its power supply in 2014 and now over 70% of its annual electrical needs are supplied by solar power. And a hospital in Jackson, Calif., installed an onsite solar power generation system in 2019 to supply more than half of its electricity needs. Three hospitals in Greece currently under construction will be covered with canopies of solar panels to help power the facilities.

Solar power has also helped hospitals in Puerto Rico keep the lights on after big storms – with some shutdowns and restarts. In San Juan, a children’s hospital was able to restore power after Hurricane Maria, when Tesla donated a series of solar panels and batteries. But elsewhere, these philanthropic efforts have been less successful in inducing long-term change. The only hospital on Vieques, one of Puerto Rico’s smallest islands, closed shortly after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, even after Tesla installed solar power equipment at the center.

The Weed Army Community Hospital in Fort Irwin, California is the first Department of Defense LEED platinum and carbon-neutral medical facility built in the United States. Photography: Aliyah

Yet inspired by what she saw on the island after Maria, Fernandez was determined to bring solar power to San Benito Health.

Founded by farmworkers in 1975, San Benito Health is located in an agricultural and ranching community of approximately 41,000 people, surrounded by farm fields shining with green rows of lettuce and spinach. The clinic offers dental, pediatric and vision care, as well as primary care services.

To build the system and retrofit the clinic to accommodate solar panels on its roof, the clinic partnered with climate justice nonprofit group Let’s Green CA and solar installation provider Mynt Systems. One of the objectives was to ensure that the clinic would have the capacity to store at least 10 days of electricity.

By relying on the sun for its energy needs, the clinic’s microgrid reduces the need to burn an estimated 2.3 million pounds of coal over 25 years, according to Robert Hymes, chief development officer of Mynt Systems, who has installed the clinic system.

“Electric bikes too”

The clinic’s monthly electricity bills have gone from over $44,000 per year to less than $4,000 per year since the clinic switched to solar power in 2019. The clinic has also received so far $200,000 (£176,282) in rebates from the PG&E electric utility and expects another $200,000 more over the next five years. In contrast, electricity prices have soared more than 15% so far this year.

The operational benefits of going solar were underscored earlier this month when record temperatures well over 100 F (37.7 C) pushed the region’s power grid beyond capacity. Three buildings at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, Calif., lost power due to the failure of a diesel generator designed as a backup, forcing the hospital to cancel surgeries and direct ambulances to transport emergency patients elsewhere.

The early success of their solar system prompted San Benito Health to plan for growth. Clinic officials are designing a new, larger microgrid, the clinic has purchased an electric van to operate as a mobile clinic, and electric vehicle charging stations have been installed in the parking lot.

“We are also looking at e-bikes,” Fernandez said.

In London, the Gateway Surgical Center has solar lighting in its car park. A growing number of medical facilities are turning to solar power as demand for energy increases. Photography: Construction Photography/Avalon/Getty Images

During a 2019 celebration of the clinic’s renovated energy system, California Congressman Jimmy Panetta applauded the work that has gone into the project. “Having health foundations take positive steps to not only care for their patients full time, all the time, but to care for our environment – that’s an example that needs to be used across this state… across this country. “, did he declare.

This is an edited version of a story co-published with the New Lede, an environmental working group journalism project.

Deep dive into five with surviving attorney Selena Gonzalez

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 13, 2022

0

San Jose State University survivors’ attorney offers emergency and support services to ensure the well-being and safety of survivors of sexual harassment and sexual violence, domestic violence, spousal abuse and stalking. Selena Gonzalez has held this position for SJSU since August 2021. She has been advocating for survivors since 2017.

As SJSU’s Campus Survivor Advocate, Selena Gonzalez serves everyone on campus – students, staff, and faculty.

1. What is the role of the survivor advocate?

The Survivor Advocate (SA) is an essential confidential resource on campus, providing one-on-one and group support to students and staff affected by sexual harassment and abuse, domestic violence/domestic violence, and stalking. We do not report to Title IX or the police.

Our philosophy is based on a survivor-centered and trauma-informed philosophy, which focuses on a few key principles – safety, trust, choice, collaboration, empowerment and cultural relevance.

I first check the physical and the emotional security of the survivor to help process the trauma they are facing. In order to help a survivor, I try to build trust while maintaining boundaries between myself, the task I am capable of doing, and how I can help defend them. I prioritize survivors choice in their healing process and to support this choice in the future.

When the survivor wants information or options, I collaborate with them on what they think is the best option for them. During this process, we empower the survivor to identify their strengths and prioritize skills that help a survivor heal and grow. It is important to me to understand that each individual experience a survivor faces is unique to them because of the lived experience. Culture they grew up in and how it affects their decisions.

A survivor can be assured that when they walk into my office, I apply this trauma-informed, survivor-centered approach.

2. How is this role different from the work that takes place in the office of Title IX and Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)?

Although the Survivor Advocate campus works closely with Title IX and CAPS, we are all separate departments.

Title IX is an impartial office committed to ensuring the safety of the SJSU community through investigative processes across the CSU Executive Order 1097. Title IX is the office to which you report incidents of sexual harassment, gender discrimination, and gender inequality. Although their services operate with mandatory privacy protocols, they cannot be a confidential service.

Also, since it is an impartial office, they work with a complainant and a respondent respectively. The SA works only with survivors and advocates for their needs on and off campus. They go over the options and break down the pros and cons of each option a survivor would like to explore.

If a survivor chooses not to report to the Title IX office, the SA will support that decision and assist the survivor in seeking alternate avenues of healing. Because the Survivor’s Advocate is a confidential service, they do not need to report their trauma to the Title IX office, and all conversations will be kept between the survivor and the SA.

CAPS is a place where students can go to receive short-term talk therapy sessions with licensed counselors. Topics covered can range from personal development to problem solving. CAPS counselors are there to process trauma, dive deeper into their feelings, and provide trauma-specific counseling at their fingertips.

The biggest distinction between the CAPS and the Survivor Advocate is that the SA is not a licensed therapist. SAs are certified for sexual assault and domestic violence crisis counseling and can help ground a survivor when triggered by trauma. But when a student wants to explore this trauma further and talk about it in a therapeutic setting, the survivor advocate will warmly transfer to the CAPS department to address more.

Additionally, SA is there to identify and normalize feelings, offer informational options and resources, and (if needed) provide psychoeducation about sexual abuse and domestic violence.

3. How does the Survivor Advocate serve people on campus?

The Survivor Advocate serves everyone on campus – students, staff and faculty, and our services can be divided into a few categories:

Advocacy: Educate survivors about their options; assist in Title IX, legal or medical proceedings; and work to ensure the safety and support of a survivor. This is where I address immediate needs and begin to offer healing options.
Accompaniments: Accompany survivors in most public areas – some including: Title IX investigations and hearings, court hearings, or medical/SART examinations. If a Survivor prefers to meet in a public meeting room (rather than an office), we can meet there. Unfortunately, we are unable to accompany survivors to private residences.
Accommodation: Provide accommodations for housing, education, and employment needs through school and community collaboration. This is to ensure that a survivor can continue to be successful in their SJSU career with reasonable accommodation requests.
Crisis advice: Offer short-term, confidential, goal-oriented crisis counseling to promote survivor safety and stability. As stated earlier, the SA is not a counsellor/therapist, but can help the survivor deal with their trauma by focusing on their safety and providing tools to deal with triggers as they occur in the moment.
Educational Opportunities: To provide educational opportunities for on-campus organizations to learn about topics related to sexual violence, domestic violence, bullying and bullying. The Survivors Advocate can provide presentations specific to your organization’s needs.

4. How does the Survivor Advocate help change the culture on campus?

SA promotes change by being a resource for survivors who experience trauma related to sexual violence, domestic violence and harassment. The SA also helps change the campus culture by providing educational opportunities to the community. They educate on topics such as consent, active bystander intervention, how to support a survivor, and more.

As a Department of One, I think it is important to state that the Survivor Advocate alone cannot change the culture on campus. It takes different departments, organizations and people working together to create change. This includes addressing past institutional betrayals, repairing those harms and building trust, and continuing to expand prevention efforts. I think it will be vital that additional resources are allocated to prevention and education work, so that lasting cultural change can occur.

5. How can a person access the services of the Survivor Advocate?

The SA can be contacted by e-mail, telephone or in person. An appointment can be made by phone or e-mail. If you would like to make an appointment by phone, please contact (408) 924-7300 and request an appointment with the campus survivor attorney. If you would like to make an appointment by e-mail, please send an e-mail [email protected].

The Survivors Advocate is located on the 3rd floor of the Student Welfare Center and is in the CAPS department. They are available Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A healthy Lexington teacher one day, then fighting for her life the next; how the community mobilizes around his family

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 12, 2022

0

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – “It’s overwhelming and crazy. I mean even to think I would get this interview because of the ongoing story.

That’s because just 20 weeks ago, 46-year-old Emily Presley was completely healthy. STEM teacher at Wellington Elementary School, wife of Jeff Presley and mother of Jackson, 13, and Ella, 16. In May, Presley contracted what she thought was a cold. A few days later, she knew something was seriously wrong.

“When I walk in I can just see her. I knew it wasn’t good,” Emily’s husband Jeff said.

Within 30 minutes of being admitted to Baptist Health, Presley was put on a ventilator and then into a medically induced coma. Jeff learned that she had parainfluenza presenting as bronchitis. This caused his immune system to crash and Presley contracted a bacterial staph infection along with pneumonia.

“It lit up his lungs like a volcano.”

At that time, the fan was useless. Presley was taken to the UK hospital, where an ECMO machine was the only thing keeping her alive for 18 weeks. Until Saturday, when a bed became available at the Northwestern in Chicago.

“It’s overwhelming, which is a word I bet I’ve used a million times through it all. Overwhelming, intimidating, exhausting. So once we get here, we adjust to a new place It’s a whole new hospital, new staff, new routine.

And a new apartment where Jeff will live for the next 12 months while Emily is treated. Jeff’s mother will stay at their home in Lexington with their children.

“She is cheerful by nature. I call it the social butterfly. I am introverted. She is outgoing. I’m biased, but I see how her friends, fellow teachers, principal and family have rallied around her. That says a lot about who she is.

Tens of thousands of dollars are streaming in through a GoFundMe his friends started. Like Presley said, all they can do now is keep helping Emily write a better story.

“If it was a book, it’s just a middle part. It’s just chapters being written. It’s definitely not the end. So we tried to live and be inspired by this motto to live the best story.

If you would like to donate or learn more about Emily’s story, you can find a link to the GoFundMe here.

Mosaic Company Announces Impact of Hurricane Ian on Its Fertilizer Producer

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 11, 2022

0

The Mosaic Society recently announced that North American Phosphates has been adversely affected by the damage caused by Hurricane Ian. Significant flooding and high winds were recorded throughout central Florida during the storm, causing modest damage to Mosaic Company facilities and supporting infrastructure.

Early estimates indicate that phosphate production could decline by around 200,000 to 250,000 metric tons, split roughly evenly between the third and fourth quarters of 2022. Repairs are expected to be completed over the next two weeks.

In addition to production impacts, the shipping schedule was also affected by the storm. Phosphate sales volumes in the third quarter are now expected to reach 1.60 to 1.65 million metric tons as port and rail closures delayed shipments from the end of the third quarter through October.

Mosaic expects to provide further updates when releasing third quarter results. The Mosaic company produces fertilizer in west-central Florida, where Hurricane Ian made landfall late last month.

Listen to Sabrina Halvorson’s program here.

Mosaic Company Announces Impact of Hurricane Ian on Its Fertilizer Producer

Sabrina Halvorson
National Correspondent / AgNet Media, Inc.

Sabrina Halvorson is an award-winning agricultural journalist, broadcaster and speaker. She hails from the agriculturally rich Central Valley of California.

Chronicle: Why the road to Sharm el-Sheikh goes through Washington, DC

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 10, 2022

0

October 10 – In less than 30 days, the caravan of climate negotiators, ministers, heads of state, media, industrialists and financiers will land in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, for the 27th round of climate negotiations (COP27 ). They will meet 30 years after countries first agreed to the Framework Convention on Climate Change, and seven years after the world decided in Paris to act to limit warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels and, in doing so, to leave no trace behind.

COP27 will take place amid complex crises and two competing climate narratives. The first is that of dismay that politics has failed science: we are subsidizing fossil fuels more and deforesting faster. We have failed to mobilize the promised green finance and we have not made enough progress in greening the financial system.

The second is hope: the possibility of a renewable energy revolution, as technologies improve, prices fall, storage expands and the electric vehicle transformation takes off. And in traditionally hard-to-cut sectors such as steel, cement, shipping and aviation, we are seeing advances in technology and coalitions forming to drive progress.

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Complex crises, however, are likely to get in the way. The dislocation of the pandemic continues to work its way through the system, having stunted growth and development, increased indebtedness and hampered global supply chains. Added to this is the war in Ukraine, which is driving up high gasoline prices and fueling fuel price inflation and soaring food prices. Europe has diverted climate and development funds to Ukraine. We have a major fertilizer crisis, and the UN is facing, for the first time in economic history, several famines at the same time.

Trucks and cars drive past as smoke rises from the Duvha coal-fired power station owned by state-owned electricity company Eskom, in Emalahleni, Mpumalanga province, South Africa, on 3 June 2021. Picture taken June 3, 2021. REUTERS/Siphiwe Sibeko

Relations between China and the United States, at the heart of climate diplomacy as the two largest emitters, are in the cold, and Europe faces recession and a test of everything it stands for. in the face of Vladimir Putin’s aggression. Meanwhile, low-income countries are on the brink of broken promises on vaccines, climate finance and clean energy investments.

So what can we expect? Despite these crises, success means progress on finance.

At COP26 in Glasgow, the failure to deliver, even belatedly, the pledge of $100 billion a year in climate finance by 2020 was clouded somewhat by the announcement of private finance: $130 trillion of assets under management from 450 financial institutions, united under the name Glasgow Finance Alliance for Net Zero (GFANZ).

This number was made possible by the aggressive conduct of reluctant US banks in the weeks leading up to the summit. Twelve months later, GFANZ validates the claims of its signatories; some asset managers exited in uncertainty; and some major US banks, led by the most prominent fossil fuel banker, JP Morgan, have expressed doubts in public.

With an eye on the November elections, states like Texas and Florida are grappling with ESG investing trends and the financial industry’s move to set net-zero goals is inevitably hitting hurdles in the road to the transition.

Previously, net zero claims were attacked by the left for greenwash. Now the attacks are coming from the right for being “woke” capitalism. Integrity is at the heart of the financial sector’s role in climate action and there will be a closer look at commitments in Sharm. Egypt’s ministers, always pragmatic, made it clear that they wanted to move from pledges to specific enforceable policies and practices aimed at ensuring effective implementation.

Public finances will still not reach 100 billion dollars. Still, significant efforts will be made to leverage funding from the Just Energy Transition Partnerships (JET-P) – with new platforms in sight for Indonesia and Vietnam. Senegal is online and a platform for India is in sight.

These JET-Ps follow the agreement to channel 8.5 billion dollars to South Africa during COP26. And while it has proven to be a complex process moving forward, the elements of new funding and flows are the subject of intense work among a wide range of partners.

Voluntary carbon markets, which were decried as greenwashing taps a year ago, are undergoing detailed work to establish safeguards and rules that will ensure that high-integrity markets lead to reductions and elimination of emissions as well as a constant flow of resources to countries and communities, which can produce high quality carbon credits, such as Gabon. Making carbon markets work better for Africa in particular will be important at COP27.

But the road to Sharm is through Washington, DC, and the upcoming IMF and World Bank annual meetings. Attacked by some shareholders, including its largest, the United States, the management of the World Bank is trying to demonstrate sufficient climate effort. He may well be tasked with rethinking his strategy. But for now, there will be no fundamental change.

For developing countries, however, climate finance must be part of debt relief. Sixty percent of low-income countries and 30% of emerging economies are already over-indebted, and climate impacts will make it worse. The two are inextricably linked. The IMF expects $40 billion to flow into the Resilience and Sustainability Fund created following recent redemptions of SDR issuances. The IMF has also reported interest on debt for climate trading. But this is only the beginning.

Mahmoud Mohieldin, Egypt’s climate champion, speaks during an interview with Reuters in Cairo, as Egypt prepares to host the COP27 summit in Egypt, September 12, 2022. REUTERS/AMR Abdallah Dalsh

Mahmoud Mohieldin, the COP27 champion and a veteran of the Bank and the Fund, echoed calls from Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados, for the World Bank to expand its most concessional financing to more countries, that is, its lending at below-market rates to the most vulnerable countries to help accelerate development goals.

There are also calls to change the classification of the “most vulnerable”. If a country or state can lose more than 5% of its GDP during an extreme weather event, which is increasing in frequency and intensity due to climate change, then income alone is a boring measure of need.

There is no justice in climate change. The most vulnerable become impoverished, and extremes of rainfall and heat will punish the weakest the most. But climate justice is the framework for discussions on finance. COP27 comes at a time when we have yet to translate the rallying cry of climate justice into the way we regulate our financial markets, set the price of carbon and manage our insurance markets.

International financial institutions and our multilateral cooperation framework have not responded with the urgency needed, and they will have to be reset by their owners with new ownership models. In the meantime, in Sharm ‒ to echo the Egyptian presidency ‒ we must do concrete things.

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The opinions expressed are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which is committed to integrity, independence and freedom from bias by principles of trust. Sustainable Business Review, part of Reuters Professional, is owned by Thomson Reuters and operates independently of Reuters News.

Rachel Kyte

Rachel Kyte is Dean of the Fletcher School at Tufts University. She is a member of the United Nations Secretary-General’s High-Level Advisory Group on Climate Action and co-chair of the Voluntary Carbon Markets Integrity Initiative (VCMI). Kyte has served as Special Representative of the Secretary General of the United Nations and Managing Director of Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL). She was previously vice president of the World Bank Group and special envoy for climate change, leading the preparation of the Paris Agreement. In 2019, she was named by Time magazine as one of 15 Women Leading Climate Action.

Nursing shortage: Southland Hospital on brink of collapse, cancer care advocate says

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 10, 2022

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Melissa Vining with husband Blair who died of bowel cancer in 2019. Photo/RNZ

By RNZ

Cancer care advocate Melissa Vining said Southland Hospital was on the verge of collapse.

She has received a large number of messages and staff raising concerns and has been told that the hospital’s pediatric assessment unit has been closed for three weeks now – and is not expected to reopen for at least three others. In addition, patients from the Lakes and Gore districts destined for Southland Hospital have been diverted to Dunedin due to a lack of staff.

A message Vining received from a member of staff at Southland Hospital said ‘staff are falling apart, breaking down every shift, despite continually giving their all to keep patients safe’ .

“We are in a serious personnel crisis,” the staffer told Vining.

“Our medical patients from Lakes and Gore need to be redirected to Dunedin due to a shortage of medical staff and last week we had no orthopedic consultants on call as they were short – so we cannot admit any patients high-risk orthopedics requiring surgery They were all to be sent to Dunedin.

“Service beds also continue to be closed due to nursing shortages.”

Te Whatu Ora Southern confirmed that the pediatric assessment unit had been closed “intermittently” for the past three weeks and some care had been postponed.

“I receive a number of concerns from the SDHB [Southern District Health Board] patients and staff in the abysmal state of the healthcare system,” Vining said in a social media post.

“A number of staff at Southland Hospital are breaking every shift due to unsafe staffing levels, they are doing everything they can to keep patients safe. Andrew Little ensures the safety of staff at our hospitals! Patients and staff deserve better.”

Vining’s late husband Blair died in 2019 after a year-long battle with bowel cancer.

The 39-year-old father of two from Southland was diagnosed with terminal cancer at the end of 2018 and told he had just weeks to live.

Due to delays, he was not even able to get an appointment with an oncologist through the public sector.

After seeking treatment in the private sector, Vining started a petition calling for the creation of a national cancer agency and an overhaul of cancer care nationwide.

He collected over 140,000 signatures and many of his hopes for reform were covered by the government’s cancer action plan.

Vining said cancer services in the south were still failing patients.

He had been told “clinically dangerous wait times in oncology, some patients are missing valuable survival time and suffering treatable pain.”

A spokesperson for Te Whatu Ora confirmed some of Vining’s claims.

“The Pediatric Assessment Unit (PAU) is generally open 10am to 10pm, Monday to Friday. The unit has been closed intermittently for three weeks due to RMO staffing shortages. October,” the spokesperson said. said.

“Children who would normally be assessed in PAU are assessed in the ward or emergency department. The pediatric team will travel to where the child is.

“Previously a small number of patients from Lakes and Gore District Hospital who would normally be transferred to Southland Hospital were transferred directly to Dunedin Hospital. This was due to the lack of staff at the RMO in the medical team at Southland Hospital.

“Most patients received orthopedic assessment and surgery as usual within hours at Southland Hospital. Last week, two patients were transferred to Dunedin by helicopter out of hours for medical care. urgent orthopedic services as Southland Hospital was unable to provide out-of-hours orthopedic service.”

Te Whatu Ora Southern was working to balance the health needs of patients with the welfare of staff, the spokesperson said.

“We are postponing some planned care outpatient clinics and some theater cases, using locums where they are able to support our clinical staff (including on-call) and coordinating acute care locations across the district.

“The well-being of our staff is a very high priority at Te Whatu Ora Southern. We know that staff work above and beyond every day. We greatly appreciate our staff’s dedication, commitment and support to our community.”

Staff had been disrupted by Covid-19 and other winter illnesses which led to staff absences and the organization was “actively recruiting to fill vacancies”, the spokesperson said.

“Healthcare is a 24/7/365 service, and we are constantly balancing the needs and safety of our patients while ensuring our staff get a well-deserved break.”

How to lend your voice to the community policing conversation

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 9, 2022

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In May 2022, the Seattle Police Department launched the “Before the Badge” (BTB) training program. Launched by Police Chief Adrian Diaz, the program engages new Seattle police recruits in a 45-day interpersonal and wellness training before entering the Washington State Basic Law Enforcement Academy.

The goal of the training is to immerse new recruits in community experiences that will allow them to build relationships with those who live and/or work in Seattle before entering their 720-hour academic training. The Before the Badge training program is grounded in relational policing that relies on community partnership, dialogue and collaborative engagement. Components of the training include community dialogues with geographic and identity groups, wellness, and exploring the police’s racist history.

The SPD’s micro-community policing plans, now in their eighth year, are part of the Before the Badge training. Over the past two years, as part of the community micro-policing plans, we have held over 30 community-police dialogues that have brought together community members and police personnel within a framework of justice restorative to discuss the results of the Seattle Public Safety Investigation and how community members and police can work together to increase public safety in Seattle. These conversations have included community members from every borough of Seattle and 58 neighborhoods and a demographically and experientially diverse group of civilians and sworn police officers, from recruits to command personnel.

In the fall, Micro-Community Policing Plans launched a new series of community-police dialogues focused on Before the Badge recruits as part of the Before the Badge training to engage new recruits with community members at levels of the precinct and neighborhood and to help educate recruits on the public safety concerns of neighborhood communities. Dialogues offer community members and recruits the opportunity to work together in creative and meaningful ways to increase public safety and improve neighborhood quality of life, recognizing the shared humanity of recruits and community members. that they will serve. Community-police dialogues help train recruits for their roles as police officers through a shared community culture that builds relationships that will start early and go deep.

Recruits who join the Seattle Police Department enter a whole new world of policing. Who are the people who decided to join the Seattle Police Department at a time in history when policing as a career is seen as largely undesirable? What should these new recruits know about Seattle and its neighborhoods? How can recruits work with community members to improve public safety at a time when police numbers are historically low?

These questions and others cross the dialogues with the recruits of Before the Badge. The main themes of the conversations include how recruits will respond to crime while acknowledging historical policing practices that have harmed marginalized populations and how they will change policing culture. The discussions are framed by the results of the Seattle Public Safety Survey to highlight the neighborhood’s specific public safety and quality of life issues. Community members are invited to share the most important thing they would like new recruits to know about their neighborhood, and recruits are invited to share their background, why they joined the Seattle Police Department and what they will offer to the community.

Conversations allow new recruits and community members to develop relationships early in the training process to lay the foundation for community members and future police officers to work together to restore community confidence in the police. . When community members are able to engage with police recruits before rather than after they enter the police culture, and to develop and maintain ongoing and lasting relationships from a perspective of understanding rather than opposition, it There is hope that one recruit and one member of the community at a time, the barriers, issues and actions that separate and maintain mistrust between the community and the police will slowly crumble as a new police culture will emerge.

The Seattle Public Safety Investigation will be administered October 15 through November 30 in 11 languages. To participate in SPD’s community micro-policing plans, pre-badge community policing dialogues and survey, go online: publicsafetysurvey.org.

For those unable to complete the online survey, paper surveys are available upon request via email: [email protected]

Early interaction between community and police recruits can help new Seattle police recruits and community members learn and understand together that police culture is community culture. This early lesson and relationship building has the potential to create long-term change in police and community culture that will be profound.

Jacqueline B. Helfgott is Professor of Criminal Justice and Director of Crime and Justice Research in the Department of Criminal Justice at Seattle University. She has collaborated with the Seattle Police Department on search initiatives for nearly three decades.

Brandon N. Bledsoe is a student in Seattle University’s Master of Arts in Criminal Justice program and serves as the South and Southwest Precincts Research Analyst for the Seattle Police Department’s Micro-Community Policing Plans.

The reduction in oil production could be 10% real, 90% illusory

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 9, 2022

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Ministers from the OPEC+ group of oil-producing nations agreed to cut their collective production target by 2 million barrels a day from November when they met on Wednesday. The decline in their actual output could be only a tenth of the overall figure.

Although the group includes 23 countries, the burden of the final cut will be shared by only three – Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait. Most of the others are already pumping so far below their quota levels that their production will always be below their new allocations.

September production estimates from OPEC+ suggest that collectively it is about 3.6 million barrels per day behind the expected level.

When the new targets take effect on November 1, only eight countries will be required to pump less crude. Besides the three Gulf Arab neighbors, small reductions are also expected to come from South Sudan, Algeria, Gabon, Iraq and Oman.

The total reduction demanded of them is only 890,000 barrels per day. This is still a significant reduction, but far from the overall figure.

However, don’t expect the cut to be that big. You can forget South Sudan, Gabon and probably even Iraq.

OPEC’s own data shows that South Sudan has not only exceeded its quota every month since the current deal took effect in May 2020, but has never cut a single barrel of production. . It would be surprising if it started now.

Gabon showed a similar lack of determination. Its output has been below its cap in just one month of the deal’s 29-month history, according to OPEC data.

As for Iraq, the country’s oil minister wasted no time after Wednesday’s deal was finalized to assure oil buyers that the deal would not affect his country’s exports. With little room to modify home use, this really means there’s no reduction in production either.

This narrows the list down to five.

The reductions requested from Algeria and Oman total 32,000 barrels per day; it’s little more than a rounding error in assessing the band’s overall output.

The cuts demanded from Saudi Arabia and its neighbors amount to 790,000 barrels per day, but even that could be offset by increased production from some other members of the group.

Nigeria, Angola and Malaysia are all facing declining production capacity and have been pumping below target for many months. That probably won’t change. Russia is also in trouble. He was already struggling to keep up with his growing stipend before President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine, and the situation has only gotten worse in the months since. invasion.

But Kazakhstan is different. Production is more than 560,000 barrels per day below target on a combination of scheduled maintenance at one of its largest fields and a gas leak at another. Completion of maintenance this weekend is expected to return approximately 260,000 barrels per day. The rest will take longer, but the country’s energy minister says he should be back by the end of the month, just in time to make up for the planned reduction.

If he’s right, the actual reduction in production, measured from current production, could be down to 230,000 barrels per day – hardly worth getting upset about.

But a month later, the situation may look very different. European Union sanctions on exports of Russian crude come into effect on December 5 – the day after the producer group is due to hold its next meeting. The restrictions target most sea shipments to bloc members, which have already fallen to around 660,000 barrels per day from 1.6 million barrels in January.

Russia has successfully diverted much of the crude avoided by European buyers to India, Turkey and China; but the sanctions, which also aim to limit shipments to non-European countries, could have a much greater impact. Russia’s own tanker fleet is not big enough to transport all the oil that should be diverted from Europe. This could force production cuts. A proposal to cap prices on Russian crude would provide the Kremlin with a way out – exempting shipments sold at a price that has not yet been agreed from sanctions – but Moscow seems determined not to accept it.

If the Kremlin decides to shut down production instead of agreeing to a price cap, which seems likely, the OPEC+ cut of 2 million barrels per day could suddenly become very real.

One thing is for sure, crude is on a rollercoaster ride for the remainder of 2022.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Editorial Board or of Bloomberg LP and its owners.

Julian Lee is oil strategist for Bloomberg First Word. Previously, he was a senior analyst at the Center for Global Energy Studies.

More stories like this are available at bloomberg.com/opinion

Afterclimate helps game developers fight climate change

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 7, 2022

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Earlier this year, at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco, Dr. Benjamin Abraham found himself in front of a disheartening scene. The climate-focused researcher and author took the stage for his “Make Room for Climate Justice” speech, only to be greeted by a sea of empty chairs.

“I was hoping this session would be packed like the NFT ones,” he told attendees at the time.

But a presentation – even at one of the largest gatherings of game creators in the world – was still only a small part of the plan.

At the end of August, Abraham launched AfterClimate, a company intended to help small game developers on their decarbonization journey by doing the work to figure out how to reduce emissions for them. Why video games, however, when industries like transportation and energy are (literally) polluting a storm? Because at this point – with UN reports bearing grim news and extreme weather submerging a third of Pakistan in flood waters, driving millions from their homes – every gesture counts.

“I watch the floods in Pakistan and I would like them to be a surprise,” Abraham said in an interview with The Washington Post. “But that’s exactly what scientists have been saying for decades, and it’s going to happen to more people. … The game developers I’ve spoken to are some of the most socially responsible people I know. I think they’re starting to say, ‘Okay, what should we do?’ ”

A journey inside Pakistan’s floodplain reveals how the poorest have been hardest hit

AfterClimate offers different levels of service depending on the desire of ambitious developers to achieve their decarbonization efforts. To start, the company will collect data on a studio’s electricity bills, power sources, and work/workplace conversations to determine overall emissions and compare them to companies in similar sized video games. If emissions are high, then AfterClimate will offer suggestions, such as reducing a studio’s reliance on specific energy sources or switching to renewables in places.

If a developer or studio is particularly committed, AfterClimate also offers a full audit of all upstream and downstream emissions, including the purchase of new equipment – the manufacture and delivery of which produces emissions – and access of players to a game, which involves both drawing power from players’ and potentially taxing data centers.

“We can look at this and say, ‘What’s the full scope of this? How can we best reduce these emissions?'” Abraham said. “Is it by making the material last longer? Is it by changing something in the functioning of the game? Is it moving more and more computing power to the cloud? It could be streaming games, or it could be the other way around. It depends on where the people are in the world, where the players are; the world has different levels of emissions intensity for the electricity we receive.

Despite a firm belief that climate change became a “everyone’s problem” decades ago, Abraham picks his battles. As in other industries, the bigger hitters – the Microsofts and the Sonys, in this case – almost certainly spew more CO2 than the smaller ones. But many of these companies are already working (slowly) towards net-zero emissions goals, and according to recent GDC surveys, small teams collectively make up a large part of the industry. The result of this, on a large scale, borders on the jaw-dropping: thousands of new games release every month on PC and mobile platforms, the majority of which come from teams smaller than Microsoft, Sony, Nintendo, Tencent or n any number of others. last names.

“Indie gaming won’t have the same footprint as Triple-A gaming, but it will still have a footprint,” Abraham said. “And the sheer number of people making games in the world these days is daunting. I don’t know what the answer is for those people other than to have some kind of service that they can use to help them reduce emissions.

Can virtual nature be a good substitute for wide open spaces? Science says yes.

The rest of the equation, for Abraham, is simple: big business has resources to invest in this problem; small teams don’t. This is where AfterClimate comes in.

“Game developers don’t have a lot of free time,” Abraham said of an industry in which overwork remains a pervasive problem at studios big and small. “So rather than asking every indie developer in the world to spend a few months figuring out what they need to do to reduce their emissions, I’d be more than happy to do it for them.”

Since the project is just getting started, AfterClimate is currently working with only one client: a Melbourne-based studio called Paper House, which itself is making a game about climate change called “Wood & Weather.” This has been a challenge as Paper House staff often work from home, which can make it difficult to accurately measure development-related emissions. But in an industry that’s increasingly embracing work-from-home and hybrid models, that’s exactly the kind of data creators need.

“We’re trying to find a way to use smart power meters to measure the devices they’re working on — to get a sense of the footprint of game development working remotely,” Abraham said. “Because at the moment we really only have a few estimates.”

This is not to say that Abraham exclusively aims at the independent end of the pond; he just believes battling the biggest fish in the video game industry is a different task. He thinks companies like Unity — which has hired renowned sustainability expert Marina Psaros to head sustainability — are making good faith efforts to improve.

But if companies like Microsoft and Sony fail to meet negative carbon targets by 2030 and 2050, respectively, or back off on converting power-hungry, energy-intensive cloud gaming data centers to renewable energy, Abraham believes that only an effort collective would force them back on track.

“We can hold them to account,” he said. “If they don’t hit their targets, we’ll nail them to the wall.”

Review: In ‘Endling: Extinction is Forever’, witness climate catastrophe through the eyes of a fox

Abraham also hopes to use AfterClimate as a way to advocate for bigger, more systemic changes in the video game industry and beyond. With such a big issue, greening individual businesses — even at what Abraham hopes will eventually become large scale — will only get you so far.

“We’re trying to cobble together something from what we can do when we really should have overarching frameworks that allow us to take more structured interventions,” he said, pointing to California’s Title 20 regulations, which limits the amount of power games and computer systems, among other devices, can use in any given year, for example. “I think regulation is going to be one of the main ways we [solve this problem]. We will not be able to govern everyone otherwise. People don’t just voluntarily change their way of life.

One thing the video game industry can’t afford to do, however, is wait any longer. Abraham has spent years watching well-meaning developers make climate change games without practicing what they preach. The time for this sort of thing, he says, “was 20 years ago.”

“There’s a long history of wanting to use games to persuade players, to change their minds,” he said. “We could be wasting a lot of time doing these things when we really need to reduce the millions of tons of CO2 that games produce every year, rather than trying to spend time getting gamers to live greener – whatever that means. We can do both, but we have limited time and effort.

Former Grand Rapids School Board president, community advocate competing for open seat in Third Ward

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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October 7, 2022

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GRAND RAPIDS, MI — A former chair of the Grand Rapids Public Schools Board of Education and a community advocate are vying Nov. 8 for the seat of the open municipal commission representing much of the southeast side of Grand Rapids.

The Reverend Kenneth Hoskins, senior pastor of Alpha Omega Ministries and executive director of Oakdale Neighbors, and Kelsey Perdue, director of the Kids Count in Michigan project for the Michigan League for Public Policy, are the two candidates vying for the seat of the third area left open. by outgoing curator Senita Lenear.

Lenear, who has represented the city’s third ward since 2014, has a limited term and cannot run in the November elections.

The winner of the Nov. 8 election will represent the Third Ward alongside Commissioner Nathaniel Moody, whose current term expires in 2024. The seats are nonpartisan.

The Third Ward is home to the majority of Grand Rapids’ black population and has historically been underfunded by public and private investment.

Grand Rapids’ Third Ward is located on the southeast side of the city and is generally defined by Wealthy Street to the north, Jefferson Avenue to the west, and the city limits with neighboring municipalities to the south and east.

Hoskins, 63, served on the Grand Rapids Public Schools School Board from 2004 to 2012, serving two of those years as the body’s president. In addition to currently serving as senior pastor at Alpha Omega Ministries, he is the executive director of Oakdale Neighbors, a Christian community development organization.

Hoskins said he has also served on several boards throughout the city, region and state, including the Advisory Board for the Regional Agency on Aging, the Advisory Board for the Citizen-Based Initiative the Governor’s Faith, the Urban Young Life Board of Trustees, the Cornerstone University Alumni Council, the Vision To End Homelessness Advisory Council, and the city’s Housing Appeal Board. Hoskins holds a doctorate in theological studies.

Related: Former Grand Rapids School Board chairman seeks city commission seat

Perdue, 32, is the director of the Kids Count in Michigan project for the Michigan League for Public Policy. Last year, she was appointed to Governor Gretchen Whitmer’s Black Leadership Advisory Council. She has also served on the Board of Directors for the Healthy Homes Coalition of West Michigan, as well as the Grand Rapids Community Relations Commission and the Board of Directors for First Steps Kent, which oversees the Ready Early Childhood Mileage. by Five of the County’s $34 million.

Perdue is also CEO and owner of KP Products and Services LLC, which, according to his LinkedIn, provides consulting services related to nonprofit strategy and operations, equity and justice work, and more. She holds a bachelor’s degree in human development from Howard University.

Related: Community Advocate Announces Grand Rapids City Commission Campaign

MLive/The Grand Rapids Press has partnered with the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan to provide candidate information to readers. Each candidate was asked to state their positions on a variety of public policy issues listed below.

All answers in the voter’s guide were submitted directly by the candidate and have not been edited by the League of Women Voters, except for necessary trimming if an answer exceeded character limits. Spelling and grammar have not been corrected. Publication of candidates’ statements and opinions is in the public service interest only and should NOT be considered an endorsement. The League never supports or opposes candidates or political parties.

Information on other state, county and local primary races can be found at Vote411.org.

Why are you running for election?

Kenneth Wayne Hoskins:

There are a number of reasons I’m running for City Commissioner of the 3rd Ward, but the main reasons are to bring about change and solutions regarding public safety. Collaborate with community members, city officials and police to make our neighborhoods safer and increase engagement and trust. I want to address the housing shortage by increasing supply, focusing on affordability and home ownership. As one of four signatories to a 9 1/2 acre project in the Boston Square/Oakdale neighborhood, I’m already helping bring minority-owned businesses into our community. I want to increase support for minority-owned businesses and economic development, especially in the already underfunded 3rd Ward. And finally, when it comes to education and employment, making Grand Rapids a place where people want to live, learn, work and stay by creating a community where everyone can thrive and have equal access and opportunity. .

Kelsey Perdue:

I was born and raised in the Third Ward of Grand Rapids and have a personal commitment to this city and this community. Running for office is an extension of my lifelong commitment to public service and our city. I enthusiastically donated my time, my treasures and my talent to make Grand Rapids a great place to live, work and play for all.

Working for many years on issues like housing, education, and public safety, the importance of the decisions of elected leaders at the local level came up time and time again. I was encouraged by my peers to “step up” and get started once I started speaking more publicly about local issues at least 8 years ago.

When the community asks you to step in, it’s important to listen. I pledge to continue working for a thriving Third Ward that is safe, secure and strong.

My qualifications, my focus on equity and my enthusiasm have prepared me to lead effectively. I, Kelsey Perdue, am passionate, prepared, and have a plan for the Third Ward. That’s why I run.

What is the biggest challenge facing the office you are looking for? How are you going to fix it?

Kelsey Perdue:

Grand Rapids offers quality services that attract business, harness resources and engage residents. Yet we face a housing crisis, security issues and inequitable economic development.

Public safety is a challenge in which, as a victim of armed violence, I am personally invested. There are many things that make a community safe and unsafe, such as: housing, economic security, police-community relations, environment and nutrition. I take a holistic approach to security, investing in prevention as well as smart policing and accountability.

Inclusive economic development is another challenge. Many Third Ward business districts are destroyed and many residents struggle to make ends meet. We need to support local development, activate public spaces and include everyone in our growing prosperity. I will attract partnerships, target resources and support the community to find concrete solutions to our most pressing problems.

Kenneth Wayne Hoskins:

There are a number of pressing issues facing residents of Granda Rapids, specifically 3rd Ward, but perhaps the most difficult would be the issue of public safety. I have already started having difficult conversations with the leaders of the police unions, as well as with the various community leaders. I believe they need reform within the police department, as well as policy and procedural changes. There must also be behavioral changes within the community regarding police-community relations. I believe both parties have to be willing to come together and work on solutions for change to happen.

What strategies would you use to remain responsive and accountable to the public between elections?

Kenneth Wayne Hoskins:

As a former elected official for 8 1/2 years on the Grand Rapids Board of Education, I had then, and still have now an open door policy where I am accessible and transparent. I regularly met with my constituents and received their views and solutions. I brought together three advisory councils, Elders, Millennials and Youth. They will continue throughout my mandate to give me advice and guidance on the problems and solutions to be brought to the commission.

Kelsey Perdue:

I have a reputation for being integrated and involved in the community, and this will not change once elected. A joy to campaign has been speaking to so many residents and organizations in our city and the Third Ward. I rely on their experience and expertise to better understand how issues affect all parts of our community and to identify new solutions. I will continue to look to these leaders and others for input on issues that affect us.

I am committed to finding solutions beyond political talking points. Although I am married to the outcome we envision, I am not committed to one process over another. For these reasons, I will remain flexible and open to new ideas, contributions and criticism. I do this by remaining open to input from diverse stakeholders, leading with curiosity, and asking good questions.

More personally, I’m building a support team of people I trust and have known for many years to keep me grounded in the values and beliefs that got us to this job in the first place.

Read more:

Grand Rapids Second Ward commission race pits incumbent against challenger

Grand Rapids First Ward commission race pits incumbent against challenger

West Michigan’s first public stargazing observatory opens this weekend

The McGregor community bids farewell to Lori and Natalie Aviles

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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October 6, 2022

0

McREGOR, Texas (KWTX) – Lori and Natalie Aviles, two of the five people killed at McGregor last Thursday, were laid to rest a week later.

Hundreds of people gathered at the McGregor Exchange Event Center to pay their respects and bid farewell.

Lori and Natalie have helped shine a bright light on their community – a light that is always on – which fades as the community heals.

Over the past week, friends and family have described Lori and Natalie as good people who were strong in their faith.

Natalie was a graduate of McGregor High School and a nursing student at Temple College.

His mother, Lori, worked as a respiratory therapist assistant at Baylor Scott and White for several years.

“Whatever she said, she said it with her heart. It wasn’t just through the lips and that’s what really touched people,” said family member Alex Rez.

Lore and Natalie Aviles were buried.(KWTX)

According to Natalie and Lori’s family, when there was trouble, they were always there to help in any way they could.

“I lost my son last year, exactly one year ago. She was one of the sisters who helped so much with the funeral arrangements and everything we needed. I appreciate them so much for that,” said family member Adriana Servin.

Other stories I’ve heard about Lori and Natalie include taking neighbors’ children to doctor’s appointments when parents weren’t able to – as well as a annual walk to raise awareness for colon cancer – something she lost her late husband, mike, to in 2019.

“Through her words of wisdom and her knowledge, she had just that in her. Not many people have that kind of gift where you can reach out to people,” Rez said.

Natalie was a former Miss McGregor, student council president, and recipient of the KWTX Class Champion for her great achievements in and out of school.

“They were exceptional people and wonderful women. We will miss them so much. I am so happy to know that they were loved,” Servin said.

Lori and her daughter, Natalie, are survived by Natalie’s two younger brothers, Ezra and Zion Aviles.

Services for Monica Delgado Aviles and her children Miguel and Natalie Avila are scheduled for Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the McGregor Exchange Event Center.

Republic Services and Archaea Energy Announce Renewable Gas Project

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 6, 2022

0

Republic Services, an environmental services industry leader, and Archaea Energy, the leading producer of renewable natural gas (RNG) in the United States, today announced plans for an RNG facility at Middle Point Landfill that will be developed through the companies Lightning Renewables. , LLC joint venture. The project will convert the gas that occurs naturally when waste in place at the Middle Point landfill decomposes into pipeline-grade RNG that can be used as a low-carbon alternative to fossil fuels.

After hearing from Rutherford County officials about their continued interest in a local renewable energy project, the Republic-Archaea partnership will help bring this idea to life. “At Republic Services, we put sustainability into action through partnerships and projects like this one at Middle Point Landfill,” said Jamey Amick, regional president of Republic Services. “Combined with the significant investments we have made in the landfill gas system to control the potential for off-site odors, this project will further propel on-site gas collection. We know how important sustainability is to this community, and we are excited to bring this innovative solution to Rutherford County and Central Tennessee.”

“Republic has appeared before the county public works committee several times since 2018. We told them the county wanted renewable energy, and they did,” County Commissioner Craig Harris said. “We are excited that they are investing in new technology at Middle Point Landfill as a sustainable landfill gas solution. It shows Republic is making great strides in having a better relationship with the county in the future.”

“We are excited to move forward with our joint venture projects with Republic Services, including this project at Middle Point Landfill,” said Nick Stork, co-founder and CEO of Archaea. “We are aligned with Republic Services in their vision to have a meaningful sustainability impact in local communities and contribute to larger-scale climate solutions.”

The Middle Point Landfill gas-to-RNG project will create clean energy resources, further control the potential for offsite odors, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while directly contributing to the goal of long-term sustainability. Republic Services term to beneficially reuse 50% more biogas by 2030. RNG projects provide significant local and global environmental benefits with little or no negative impacts to the local community.

Using EPA estimates, the Project’s projected total annual environmental benefits will be equivalent to the carbon sequestered by more than 800,000 acres of US forests in one year.

The previously announced Lightning Renewables, LLC joint venture includes plans to develop 39 new RNG projects at landfills owned or operated by Republic Services across the country. The Middle Point project is part of the first phase of the joint venture’s development. This RNG partnership builds on Republic’s growing list of environmental commitments, including fleet electrification and investments in plastics circularity, to create a more sustainable world.

Republic Services is involved in 77 renewable energy projects at its landfills across the country, which generate electricity as well as RNG and help customers and communities meet their own sustainability goals. When used as a transport fuel, RNG can reduce emissions by up to 70%. Today, RNG powers 21% of Republic’s fleet.

For more information on Republic Services’ sustainability platform and industry-leading climate goals, visit RepublicServices.com/sustainability.

Archaea operates 13 RNG facilities across the United States and has a strong RNG development backlog of around 90 projects, which it plans to develop and build over the next few years. Archaea develops, designs, builds and operates RNG facilities using an innovative and cost-effective manufacturing approach to project development, supported by a commercial strategy focused on long-term fixed-price contracts. Archaea’s renewable energy projects provide a sustainable, reliable, multi-decade decarbonization solution for local and global communities

About Republic Services
Republic Services, Inc. is a leader in the environmental services industry. Through its subsidiaries, the Company offers its customers the most comprehensive set of products and services, including recycling, solid waste, special waste, hazardous waste, container rental and on-site services. field. Republic’s industry-leading commitments to advancing circularity, reducing emissions and decarbonizing operations help realize its vision to partner with customers to create a more sustainable world. For more information, please visit RepublicServices.com.

About Archaea
Archaea Energy Inc. is one of the largest RNG producers in the United States, with a state-of-the-art platform and expertise in the development, construction and operation of RNG facilities to capture waste emissions and convert them into low-carbon fuel. Archaea’s innovative, technology-driven approach leverages significant expertise in gas processing, enabling Archaea to deliver RNG projects that are expected to have higher uptime and efficiency, faster project timelines and lower development costs. Archaea partners with landfill and farm owners to help them turn potential sources of emissions into RNG, transforming their facilities into renewable energy hubs. Archaea’s differentiated business strategy is focused on long-term contracts that provide business partners with a reliable, non-intermittent, and sustainable decarbonization solution to replace fossil fuels. Additional information is available at www.archaeaenergy.com.

Forward-looking statements
This press release contains certain forward-looking information about Republic Services and Archaea that is intended to be covered by the “forward-looking statements” exemption rule provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts. Words such as “expect”, “will”, “may”, “anticipate”, “plan”, “may”, “could” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements include information about Republic Services’ and Archaea’s plans, strategies and outlook. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of performance. These statements are based on the current beliefs and expectations of the management of Republic Services and the management of Archaea and are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed, implied or projected. by forward-looking information and statements. Among the factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in the forward-looking statements include the costs and timing of the start-up and completion of RNG projects, the rate at which the joint venture can convert landfill gas in GNR, the impact of environmental, economic, financial, and social conditions in the United States and the Republic’s ability to achieve its sustainability commitments and goals within the time frame contemplated. Further information about factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated is included from time to time in Republic Services’ and Archaea’s reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. Republic Services and Archaea undertake no obligation to publicly update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

SOURCE Republic Services, Inc.

EPA ‘falling behind’ on power plant rules, report says

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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October 5, 2022

0

Hello and welcome to The Climate 202! Today Maxine is wonder why Apple does not offer cloud storage discounts for pet owners. 😹

On a more serious note, Election Day is five weeks away. The Washington Post has put together a nifty “democracy toolkit” to help you understand how to register to vote, who’s on the ballot, and what’s at stake. You can create a custom kit here. But first :

Exclusive: Report urges Environmental Protection Agency to step up pace of power plant rules

The Environmental Protection Agency is ‘overdue’ on finalizing eight key rules to reduce air pollution, water pollution and global warming emissions from the country’s power plants, according to a report shared first with The Climate 202 ahead of its wider release on Wednesday.

The analysis, which was conducted by the climate advocacy group Evergreen Actionreviewed whether the EPA is on track to finalize 10 power sector regulations by the end of President Bidenfirst term.

If the rules are released in the final days of Biden’s first term, a future Republican-controlled Congress could overturn them using the Congressional Review Actwhich allows lawmakers to abandon any regulation within 60 legislative days of finalizing it by simple majority vote.

After “several delays and missed deadlines”, the report concludes, eight rules could be left unfinished or erased from the books by disapproving lawmakers, while two rules are set to roll out next year.

“Now is the time to sound the alarm that the EPA is falling behind its own proposed timelines for implementing these important rules,” Evergreen’s executive director said. jamal raad said in an interview.

“If they don’t start coming up with these important rules by the end of this year, they won’t be able to finish these rules by the end of the first term, which would be hugely detrimental to delivering on our commitments. on climate and environmental justice,” Raad added.

Asked to comment on the analysis, the EPA spokesperson Tim Carroll said in an email that the agency had already taken “bold action to tackle the climate crisis, protect people’s health and deliver economic benefits” by finalizing tough rules to phase out climate superpollutants and reduce emissions. car exhaust emissions.

“We will continue to act aggressively to advance ambitious proposals that protect people and the planet, building on the momentum provided by Congress in the Cut Inflation Act,” Carroll said. “We are working quickly to develop rules in a way that follows the best available science, respects the law and will stand the test of time.”

The recently enacted climate law, dubbed the Inflation Reduction Actwill put the United States on a path to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030 from 2005 levels, according to several independent modellers.

Yet Biden has pledged to cut emissions by at least 50% over the next decade. To make up the difference, his administration will need to take bold executive action on climate, activists say.

To that end, the report urges the EPA to propose two rules aimed at reducing carbon emissions from power plants, which rank as the nation’s second largest contributor to global warming, by the end of this year. According to the administration’s spring regulatory agenda, the agency expects to propose both of these rules by March 2023.

Once finalized, both rules could be challenged in court by Republican-led states or other potential opponents. But the report stresses that the standards would rest on a solid legal basis.

The Supreme Court ruled in June that the EPA had exceeded its authority to reduce carbon emissions from coal and gas-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act.
However, the judgment rendered in West Virginia vs. EPA clarified that the agency still has the authority to require “inside the fence” emissions reductions from new and existing power plants under Sections 111(b) and 111(d) of the Act. environment, respectively.

“The federal government has incredible authority under the Clean Air Act,” Raad said. “And contrary to popular opinion, West Virginia vs. EPA has not emptied this authority.

Other air, water standards

The remaining eight rules aim to clean the air and water around power plants, although some would have the added benefit of reducing climate pollution.

The EPA is on track to finalize an interstate air pollution rule by March and to propose a toxic water pollution rule by November, according to the report.
But the agency is “dragging its feet” on six additional standards, the report says, including rules to reduce mercury and other toxic air pollutants, limit soot and smog, and regulate the storage of ash. coal.

In March, EPA Administrator Michael Regan strongly affirmed EPA’s commitment to finalizing these remaining rules as part of a broader crackdown on power plant pollution.

“While we continue to see significant leadership from you to reduce pollution, power plants remain the largest stationary sources of harmful pollutants like nitrogen oxide and sulfur dioxide,” Regan told CERAWeekan annual energy conference.

“My friends, I have thought long and hard about this,” he said. “I know it’s complex. But we believe there is a way to do it, and it protects public health and continues to give you the certainty you all need to accelerate a clean energy future.

Senate Democrats renew calls for Biden to declare climate emergency

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) led a letter Tuesday urging President Biden building on the climate investments of the Inflation Reduction Act by declaring a national climate emergency.

“We urge you to take the important next step of declaring a climate emergency and unlocking all the tools at your disposal to deal with this crisis,” the letter said, adding that such a declaration would empower federal agencies to pursue regulatory actions “to reduce emissions”. , protect public health, support national and energy security, and improve the quality of our air and water.

In July, Biden considered declaring a climate emergency, but the administration later backed down, in part over fears of disrupting already delicate climate package negotiations with Senator Joe Manchin III (DW.Va.).

Signatories to Tuesday’s letter include Meaning. Sheldon Whitehouse (DR.I.), Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Alex Padille (D-California), Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Cory Booker (DN.J.).

Environmental Quality Council Announces New Hires

The White House Council on Environmental Quality announced on Wednesday that four new staff members are joining the agency to strengthen its work on climate change, conservation and environmental justice.

Crystal Bergemann will join the board as Senior Director of Resilience and focus on protecting communities from the effects of climate-fueled extreme weather. She most recently served as Senior Climate Advisor to the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Marcia L. Fudge.
Jonathan Black will take on a new role as Senior Director of Chemical Safety and Plastic Pollution Prevention. It will focus on protecting communities from toxic “eternal chemicals” known as polyfluoroalkyl and perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS. Black worked most recently in the White House Office of Legislative Affairs.
Alyssa Roberts will serve as Director of Communications after three years as a Campaign and Congressional Assistant for Senator John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.) and a stint as spokesperson for the League of Conservation Voters.
samar ahmed will take up the position of scheduler and communications assistant after completing a summer internship with the council’s press team.

White House considering controversial gas export ban

White House officials have asked Department of Energy study whether a ban on exports of gasoline, diesel and other refined petroleum products would lead to lower fuel prices, Ari Natter and Jennifer A. Dlouhy reporting for Bloomberg News.

The move comes amid growing concerns that rising gas prices could pose a political problem for Democrats in next month’s midterm elections. The White House The request was described by a person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity as she was not authorized to comment publicly.

In a letter Tuesday to the Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholmthe American Petroleum Institute and the American fuel and petrochemical manufacturers urged the administration to take an export ban “off the table.”

“Prohibiting or limiting the export of refined products would likely reduce inventory levels, reduce domestic refining capacity, put upward pressure on consumer fuel prices, and alienate U.S. wartime allies,” they said. writes the professional associations before the crucial meeting on Wednesday. OPEC Plus consortium.

Flooding from Hurricane Ian devastates remote coastal communities

Almost a week later Hurricane Ian made landfall in Fort Myers, several Florida communities more than 150 miles inland remained underwater on Monday, Barbara Liston and Brady Dennis reporting for the Washington Post.

Ian poured biblical amounts of rain into these communities, causing the ponds and streams to swell beyond their banks and turn the streams into rushing rivers. Flood risks for inland communities are only increasing, in part due to climate change, as warming oceans fuel more intense storms with monumental rainfall.

During this time, a National Hurricane Center graph known as the forecast cone, which outlines the path of a storm, is blamed for deaths during Ian, Dance Scott and Amudalat Ajasa report for La Poste.

The tool shows the likely future locations of the center of a storm, which can help residents, first responders and politicians make decisions about preparedness and whether to evacuate. But many people misinterpret the cone and assume the danger is limited to specific areas in a shaded corner of the map. The confusion has prompted some meteorologists and scientists to push the center to update the way it illustrates forecasts.

Sprout Social launches more integrated employee advocacy

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 4, 2022

0

CHICAGO, Oct. 04, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Today, Sprout Social announced the launch of its renowned advocacy solution, Sprout Social Employee Advocacy. With this solution, users can create and publish their employee-focused amplifying efforts from within Sprout’s comprehensive social suite. With the current social media climate comes a new set of challenges to solve, from algorithmic changes to increasingly crowded feeds. To overcome these challenges, brands are leveraging the social media influence of their own employees—more than two-thirds (68%) of marketers report that their organizations have a social media advocacy program. Marketers note the use of these programs to increase brand awareness and garner more qualified leads, highlighting the incredible opportunity advocacy presents for businesses to reach new audiences and drive sales.

“Our clients rely on organic social media to achieve many business goals, and many are realizing the potential impact their employees have in accelerating those goals without the need for increased marketing spend,” said Ryan Barretto. , president of Sprout Social. “When employees share company content on social media, they reach an audience significantly larger than their company’s follower base. We’re deepening our investment in employee advocacy to help our customers engage top talent, drive revenue and reduce risk so they can easily measure the impact of their efforts on their organization’s bottom line.

Sprout’s advocacy solution allows users to create posts directly from the editorial window, eliminating extra work by managing all social and advocacy efforts from one place. Reporting features provide the metrics and analytics needed for Sprout customers to see how many shares their content is receiving from employees across networks, as well as the potential reach each shared post brings. Sprout users can also push content internally to their teams via Slack, email or mobile push notification.

“Since using Employee Advocacy from Sprout Social, we’ve grown from 1 million to 17 million in less than six months,” said Jamie Whalen, director of social strategy at Ivanti. “We implemented an incentive program to encourage employees to share company content, which generated more than $500,000 in earned media value each month. Our employees really help to increase awareness of the Ivanti brand and we have seen a deeper connection with our audience on social media as a result.

Learn more about how Sprout Social Employee Advocacy can enhance any social strategy. here.

About Sprout Social

Sprout Social provides in-depth social media listening and analytics, social management, customer service, commerce and advocacy solutions to more than 33,000 brands and agencies worldwide. Sprout’s unified platform integrates the power of social into all aspects of a business and enables social leaders at all levels to extract valuable data and insights that drive their business forward. Based in Chicago, Sprout operates on major social media networks including Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, YouTube and LinkedIn.

Social media profiles:
www.twitter.com/SproutSocial
www.twitter.com/SproutSocialIR
www.facebook.com/SproutSocialInc
www.linkedin.com/company/sprout-social-inc-/
www.instagram.com/sproutsocial
https://www.tiktok.com/@sproutsocial

Contact:

Media:
Kaitlyn Gronek
Email: [email protected]
Phone: (773) 904-9674

Investors:
Jason Rechel
Twitter: @SproutSocialIR
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (312) 528-9166

Community and college scholarships support Kennesaw State students in their recovery

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 3, 2022

0

KENNESAW, Georgia | October 3, 2022

Jeremy Beck, a junior at Kennesaw State University, said his college journey has had more ups and downs than most.

After a rocky freshman year at KSU in 2016, using drugs and alcohol to escape a sense of not belonging, the Cumming native said he fell deeper and deeper into addiction until until he “collapses and burns” out of school.

He took a short-lived job as an air traffic controller in Wyoming before returning home to complete a 30-day, six-month rehab at a sober living facility, but soon Beck found himself working a job he didn’t like and to think again about school. .

“I was just tired of what I was doing, and I thought it would really help my career if I could finish my degree, so I started asking for recommendations on where I should finish it,” said- he declared.

A friend told Beck that he should investigate the college recovery program at KSU’s Center for Young Adult Addiction and Recovery. He enters school and joins the college recovery program (CRP) in the summer of 2021.

Jeremy Beck

On Friday, Beck stood on the podium at CYAAR’s Collegiate Recovery Scholarship Breakfast to congratulate 26 other students in the program for winning one of nine endowed scholarships or one of seventeen scholarships. general for a total of more than $50,000. Many scholarships are in memory of deceased loved ones or to celebrate graduation from the program, and the event ended with the announcement of a new endowment: the Taylor-Koonin Family Scholarship at the memory of Brian Waronker.

The annual breakfast event celebrates student successes and thanks supporters for donating funds for CYAAR scholarships and other recovering student initiatives.

Beck, a scholarship recipient and now student president of the college recovery program, said the dedication of center staff, support from donors and the community of students with similar experiences has helped keep school recovery on course for him and for so many others.

“When I was sober, I expected to go back to school and not have any friends,” Beck said. “I am older than most students. I’m completely sober, so I won’t be going to parties, and I never expected to find a group to fit into. But CYAAR immediately provided me with this group of people, which made it easier to transition from addiction and full-time work to student life.

During her breakfast address, KSU President Kat Schwaig said CYAAR has, over its 15 years, helped thousands of students through cancer prevention and education. drug and alcohol abuse, recovery support services, research assistantships and internships.

Schwaig also said that in the spring of 2021, students in the recovery program had an average GPA of 3.34, with 43% receiving all A’s and more than 70% maintaining or improving their GPA. Last school year, 11 students reached their graduation goal, she added.

“These students work so hard to overcome past academic struggles while maintaining recovery from substance use disorders, eating disorders, and other addiction issues,” Schwaig said. “For many, this program and this center is a renewal of hope, and we are grateful for the opportunity to offer them that.”

Daniel Krasner, executive vice president of business development at Summit Behavioral Healthcare and alumnus of the college recovery program, said CRP helped him stay on a steady path as he coped with the loss of his sister. following a drug overdose and introduced him to networking. opportunities that culminated in a 12-year career.

Krasner said he attended several treatment centers, community college and achieved years of sobriety before joining the program at KSU, but he said he always found a sense of belonging that he didn’t. hadn’t before. He said he credits CYAAR for making his graduation from KSU possible in 2011 with a 3.9 GPA.

“I know without a doubt that I wouldn’t be where I am today without the center. It changed my life and brought people into my life that I didn’t even know I needed,” Krasner said.

Beck added: “The students here inspire me and prove to me that just because my past is muddy and painful doesn’t mean my future will include anything other than achieving my dreams. So thank you all for helping me become the person I am today.

– By Thomas Hartwell
Pictures of Darnell Wilburn

Jorge Zuiga Blanco explains how competition in logistics affects trade

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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October 2, 2022

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Competitiveness goes beyond simple cost reduction. Businesses can optimize their spend to create more efficient logistics operations that can contribute to the success of international trade. In today’s hyper-connected world, where many factors that determine competitiveness are commoditized and become the norm, adding value is the only way to stay competitive. Jorge Zuiga Blanco is a seasoned businessman and global trade expert, and discusses how logistics competitiveness affects global trade.

How can we become more competitive if we share fuel prices and worker wages? The answer lies in adding value, understanding load needs and context, being creative and prioritizing communication excellence. Innovation is also possible when there is competition.

Zuiga explains, It is necessary to define logistics in order to contextualize the relationship between logistics, foreign trade and logistics. It is the process of implementing and controlling the efficiency of the flow of goods from one place to another. For example, if you are thinking of an import, export and/or manufacturing company, the board of directors is the brains and the logistics are the heart. Logistics is about making things happen.

The logistics relationship with foreign trade is important. If logistics can be dynamic, competitive and efficient, it will impact international trade multipliers in operations. It will create new forms of commerce, just like what is happening with e-commerce. A website can be used by a rural producer to market their products to major consumer centers like Shanghai and Dubai.

International trade is highly dependent on international logistics competitiveness. A strong logistics agent can have a big impact on the dynamics of international trade in a positive or detrimental way. Both for the company whose operations depend on a functioning supply chain and for the customer, logistics competitiveness is crucial. A more traceable, reliable and fast logistics system becomes an important differentiator and an essential added value.

Without proper price negotiation and logistics coordination, even the most successful business can be destroyed. It is an integral and essential relationship. The development of logistics infrastructure and services plays a crucial role in international trade operations.

It is essential to consider the entire logistics operation when assessing the competitiveness of international trade operations. This means you need to consider the entire logistics flow, including the movement of goods from place to place, as well as the customs and procedures that go into making the deal happen. This is where the greatest vulnerability lies.

Managing logistics operations, in addition to infrastructure and global conditions, is a way to increase value and competitiveness in international trade. Zuiga adds, “The supply chain is the foundation of any business and logistics becomes a key differentiator for the customer and consumer.

Operations management used to be the sum of carrying out business activities. We started integrating concepts such as process optimization and cost reduction. It’s not just about optimizing while maintaining high quality to save money, it’s about doing it every time. Logistics adds more value to the product/service.

It is essential to have transparent and secure logistics processes. These are essential attributes that shippers and customers value highly. When it comes to managing logistics operations, there are three main points: reviewing costs as a routine exercise; strengthen relationships and cohesion with strategic suppliers; and the analysis of freight unitization: how to transport more goods at the same logistics cost.

Consumers expect immediate results in a globalized world. Improved traffic management, reduced material transportation times and better communication management are key factors that can add value to customers and increase their competitiveness. It’s about demonstrating, sincerely, and energizing the information so that it is easily accessible to everyone in an agile and easy-to-read way.

About Jorge Zuiga Blanco

Jorge Zuiga Blanco is a leading e-commerce expert who has provided his services to growing organizations around the world. He has a diverse background in industries under his belt, which gives him the ability to build relationships and contribute to business owners in a variety of markets. He has over 20 years of experience in the e-commerce industry and for the past nine years has dedicated his expertise and knowledge to helping executives and managers grow their businesses.

This news content may be incorporated into any legitimate news gathering and publishing effort. Linking is allowed.

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Need more funds for climate change mitigation: Momen at the UN

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 1, 2022

0

Foreign Minister Dr. AK Abdul Momen stressed the importance of increasing funds for climate change mitigation and adaptation.

During his meeting with the President of the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, at the UN headquarters in New York, Friday, September 30, 2022, Momen also mentioned that the commitment to provide 100 billion dollars per year should be materialized. as soon as possible.

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The President of the UNGA expressed his support on this issue.

Regarding the Rohingya issue, the Foreign Minister highlighted the measures taken by the Government of Bangladesh on various issues, including the management of Covid-19 and the education of Rohingya children in their own language.

Momen also expressed his displeasure that not a single Rohingya has yet been repatriated to Myanmar.

In response, the UNGA President hailed Bangladesh’s role in providing shelter and humanitarian aid to the Rohingya.

He also said the crisis was unacceptable, according to the Bangladesh Mission in New York.

Csaba Kőrösi hailed Bangladesh’s remarkable leadership, productive engagement and significant contribution in recent times to various UN initiatives.

At the start of the meeting, Momen presented two proposals.

This is to organize a high-level event on “the review of the implementation of the SDGs” and to take the initiative to create a forum of ministers of finance, foreign affairs and development of developing countries within the framework of South-South cooperation.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed concern about funding gaps when implementing the SDGs, especially given the Covid-19 pandemic.

The proposed high-level event will be an opportunity to review progress made in the implementation of the SDGs and the way forward to address funding gaps, the GF added.

The Foreign Minister also mentioned that under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Bangladesh has been able to sustain satisfactory GDP growth even amid the pandemic.

Momen invited the UNGA President to visit Bangladesh at an appropriate time.

MEETING WITH THE ASSISTANT SECRETARY-GENERAL FOR UNITED NATIONS PEACE OPERATIONS

During a meeting with the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Department of Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, Foreign Minister Abdul Momen said that Bangladesh has always played a leading role in peacekeeping operations. peace of the United Nations and will continue to do so.

He mentioned that Bangladesh is ready to provide Quick Reaction Force (QRF), Base Defense Contingent, Infantry Contingent and Police Contingent in future. In addition, the foreign minister also called for the appointment of senior military and civilian officers at the top level, especially the force commanders.

Momen called for using Bangladesh’s expertise, experience and best practices to build lasting peace in countries in conflict.

He also reiterated Bangladesh’s commitment to increase the number of female peacekeepers.

He invited the United States Government to visit Bangladesh, in particular to participate in the upcoming international seminar on women, peace and security and the 26th annual conference of the International Association of Peacekeeping Training Centers (IAPTC). ).

Lacroix commended the Bangladeshi peacekeepers for their dedication, responsibility and professional skills in United Nations peace operations.

He thanked Bangladesh for the recent deployment of the Bangladesh Infantry Battalion in Abeyi, Sudan, armored helicopter contingents and the Rapid Reaction Force in Mali, hospital units in Central Africa and the deployment of explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) in the Congo.

Lacroix expressed hope that Bangladesh will continue to contribute to United Nations peacekeeping operations, including female peacekeepers.

Ansonia crosses the National Trail, 44-17

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

October 1, 2022

0

Senior Exzaviar Moody drags National Trail defenders with him in this race.

By Drew Terhall

DailyAdvocate.com

NEW PARIS — After a tight halftime game, Ansonia High School Football pushed the pedal to the metal and ran all over the National Trail, 44-17, on the road.

Head coach Adam Hall said the team made mistakes in the first half that were corrected in the second half.

“Our line fired the ball, the backs were running really hard in the second half. It wasn’t always pretty, it was sometimes a bit ugly. But, we gained meters. This is Ansonia football,” Hall said.

Both teams love to run the ball. So naturally, both teams scored in the air on their first possession.

The Blazers scored on a 29-yard passing game. The Tigers scored on a pass from Ian Schmitmeyer to Trendon Spence for a 50+ yard touchdown play.

Spence added an interception to his stat sheet in the first half. This helped set up a 5-yard touchdown run from Keegen Weiss.

National Trail added a 26-yard field goal before halftime to trail Ansonia 16-10.

Then Ansonia took over. They roamed the pitch on their second-half possession as Exzaviar Moody scored from two yards out.

After National Trail went over the bettors’ heads on the next possession, Ansonia was in the red zone on the 19-yard line.

Moody added another 2-yard touchdown to his stat sheet and gave Ansonia a 30-10 lead.

The Blazers would respond with a 35-yard touchdown pass. Hall said they had to give up some games in the air to bottle up their running game.

“They have a ton of good running backs. They are very fast. We’ve seen them on film crews everywhere,” Hall said. “We were determined not to let that happen tonight.”

Weiss then added two more rushing touchdowns to give Ansonia their comfortable victory. One of his standout drives came after running for a 40-yard gain on fourth down as a punter. Without anyone watching, he took off deep in his own territory to get into midfield.

The victory takes Ansonia to 6-1 this season and they remain one of the best teams in the WOAC. Hall said while his team isn’t lacking in motivation, this win will help them be more motivated for the next road to the playoffs.

“It was good for our guys to come out and win against a good team. It gives us extra motivation down the stretch,” Hall said.

Contact Daily Advocate sports editor Drew Terhall at [email protected]

Sam and Dave Strengthen a Generation with “Soul Man”

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 30, 2022

0

Sam Moore, half of the hit Stax duo Sam & Dave, didn’t write the lyrics to “Soul Man.” He also didn’t play the signature guitar lick on this Grammy-winning single.

And yet, “it identifies what I believe from here,” Moore told CBS News in 2019, pointing to his heart.

Co-writer and co-producer Isaac Hayes found inspiration watching late ’60s news reports of civil rights protests in Detroit. “It was said that if you put ‘the soul’ on the door of your commercial establishment, they wouldn’t burn it,” Hayes later told NPR. “Then the word ‘soul,’ it was kind of a galvanizer for African Americans, and it had a unifying effect. It was said with a lot of pride. So I thought, ‘Why not write a track called ‘Soul Man’?”

Moore, who exchanged verses with Dave Prater on the track, wasn’t the last person to see himself in the catchy lyrics that emerged. The empowering message of “Soul Man” was not exclusive to any one community – and that had been Hayes’ goal from the start.

“All you had to do was write about your personal experiences because every African American in this country at the time had similar experiences,” Hayes noted. “But we realized that in addition to being an African American experience, it was a human experience and so it crossed over and became very commercial.” Released in September 1967, “Soul Man” shot to No. 1 on the R&B chart thanks to a series of clever musical contributions from Booker T. & the MG’s and the Mar-Keys horns. It then reached No. 2 on the pop chart.

Listen to “Soul Man” by Sam and Dave

Hayes also played a maestro role in the Stax studio. Working in a converted theater, he presented MG guitarist Steve Cropper with an essentially finished demo. What was missing, however, was of crucial importance: the intro.

“He asked me if I wanted to go down to the piano with him for a minute and have some fun, which I did,” Cropper told Songfacts. “He was always coming up with these changes. He was such a good jazz musician, and he could come up with these different sets of changes, and sometimes leave it up to me to put in some kind of lick or something on top of those changes – and that’s how the intro to “Soul Man” was born.

Cropper rounded things out with another of the brilliantly concise solos he would one day become famous for, but not before Moore shouted, “Play it, Steve!” (The phrase would later become the title of Cropper’s 1998 solo album and the name of his website.)

Still, the inviting exuberance that surrounds Cropper makes following the “Soul Man” sound easier than it was in an analog, decidedly non-technical age. To make things perfect, Cropper had to sit rather than perform in his preferred standing position. “It was one of the toughest sessions I’ve ever played,” Cropper said in 2011. “It sounds like a lot of fun, but that little lick I did? I did it with a Zippo lighter.”

“Soul Man” disappeared from the charts and then became a treasured alum before being unexpectedly resurrected by the Blues Brothers a decade later.

Listen to the Blues Brothers’ version of “Soul Man”

Cropper remained a behind-the-scenes force in the song’s revival as he also sat with this Saturday Night Live spin-off group co-led by blues enthusiasts John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. They initially started out with a much more rooted goal that matched the name of the band.

“I looked at John and said, ‘Have you ever thought about doing something that you could, like, dance to?’ And he said, ‘Like what?'” Cropper later told Michael Berry. “And I said, ‘Like Sam and Dave. They had great records, but they were known as dancers. They could really rock the house.'”

Belushi asked for a suggestion and Cropper improvised “Soul Man”. “They started dancing and clowning around and stuff,” Cropper added. “Everyone was laughing and having a lot of fun.” The updated version reached No. 14 in February 1979, but not everyone was a fan of the Blues Brothers – at least not as recording stars.

“I thought it was a respectable thing at first, but they disrespected Sam and Dave as founders or creators of the song,” Moore said. The Washington Times in 2015. “They did the Blues Brothers thing, made people think ‘Soul Man’ was their song. I felt insulted every time Danny called me to play. I didn’t say anything because I needed the money.” Moore then recorded an update with Lou Reed for the 1986 film of the same name, before “Soul Man” was added to the Grammy Hall of Fame and then to the prestigious National Recording Registry at the Library of Congress.

Top 25 soul albums of the 70s

There’s more to the decade than Marvin Gaye and Stevie Wonder, but those legends are well represented.

Nomad Editing Company Adds Senior Executive Producer Alaina Zanotti to LA Studio

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 30, 2022

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After a banner year with the addition of editorial partners Brandon Porter and Conor O’Neill, as well as the successful launch of a new Austin outpost, award-winning creative/VFX editorial company Nomad continues to grow its all-star team. with the addition of industry veteran Alaina Zanotti as senior executive producer at Nomad’s Los Angeles office.

With over fifteen years of experience leading creative teams and growing them in the advertising and entertainment industries, Zanotti has an impressive resume that includes working with agencies like Wieden+Kennedy and BBDO for some of the biggest global brands like Apple, Disney and Paramount, to name a few.

Formerly an EP at Company3, Method Studios and editorial and post-production studio Cartel, Zanotti brings a wealth of experience in business development and management while balancing reel and revenue, supporting his creative teams. Zanotti noted, “We are all married to our jobs in this industry. I was at Company3/Method Studios for eleven years, so loyalty is incredibly important to me. I took time to be with my family, and when the opportunity to join Nomad presented itself, it was too good an offer to turn down. I knew my next job wasn’t a one- or two-year acting job — I was aiming for the next ten years of my life. Nomad is a global family, and this is my dream home.

Alongside his passion for production, Zanotti also co-founded Lost and Found, a grassroots nonprofit to benefit homeless youth, with PRETTYBIRD partner Ali Brown and homeless youth advocate Amy Favat. . The organization’s goal is to collect lost and found items from LA gyms and distribute them to those in need. While the pandemic has temporarily halted operations, they plan to reopen sometime before the new year.

Nomad Partner Brandon Porter is particularly delighted with her arrival, citing: “Alaina is a rockstar! When we found out she was available, we crossed our fingers and toes hoping it would work out. The impact she has had during her previous terms cannot be underestimated. His experience, connections and overall greatness as a human being will be integral to our future ambitions as a company. We look forward to things moving forward.

As the newest addition to Nomad, Zanotti joins a team that’s a perfect match for his skills and goals. She continued, “I have known Nomad for a long time. As a strong legacy brand, they’ve been working on something of a renaissance recently with new talent, an updated studio, and so many things I haven’t dipped into yet – globally, no less . There are so many wonderful things happening, and I look forward to helping to continue to shape and share the Nomad story.

Zanotti’s leadership style is driven by his experience in commercial and technical management with a focus on sales, marketing, customer management and operations. Recognized in the industry as honest, fair and trustworthy, she has built lasting relationships with her clients and peers. With an ability to balance the creative and business aspects of any project and leveraging an understanding to predict new technologies and their impact on organizations, Zanotti is a perfect addition to the team.

Nomad Partner Conor O’Neill also shared his enthusiasm: “We are delighted to have Alaina join us at Nomad. His past experience expanding Company3’s footprint, as well as his long-standing relationships with people in the worlds of production and post-production, will no doubt help us broaden our horizons in the future. .

Collaborating for Housing Justice: In-Depth Series

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 29, 2022

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Housing is a basic human need that affects outcomes from life, health and education to economic well-being. When people have a safe and secure place to live, they can focus on their education, finding and keeping a job, caring for their families, and connecting with their community.

Yet our housing system is broken. Deep-rooted systems of racial prejudice, discrimination and segregation severely limit housing options and life opportunities for millions of Black, Indigenous and other people of color. We can only hope to solve this problem if we work collaboratively across sectors and spheres of influence. It will take all of us to dismantle racial inequalities, right wrongs and restructure systems to ensure equitable housing and life outcomes for all.

This series, sponsored by Funders for Housing and Opportunity, shares insights, insights and lessons learned from our housing justice efforts, including how and why the work will only move forward if it is systemic, anti-racism and connects the sectors. The series examines the key elements for achieving housing justice through systems-level change, including policy, advocacy and organizing; narrative change; and elevate what works. The articles also offer observations on institutional racism and housing; work within a collaborative structure and process with donors; and the intersections between housing justice and homelessness, health and climate justice.

We hope that readers will come away from this series with a deeper understanding of how housing justice is synonymous with racial justice and an invigorated sense of how they, whatever their area of interest, can collaborate. to support housing and opportunity.

^{(Series illustrations by Raffi Marhaba)}

Chumash advocate for new state sports betting bill | New

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Michael Dabney

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September 29, 2022

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The following article was published on September 28, 2022 in the Santa Maria Sun – Volume 23, Number 31 [ Submit a Story ]

The following articles were printed from Santa Maria Sun [santamariasun.com] – Volume 23, Number 31

Chumash Advocates for New State Sports Betting Bill

By Taylor O’Connor

Two gambling proposals on the California ballot in November created a more than $400 million campaign showdown – the most expensive in US history, according to NPR – and united more than 60 Native American tribes in against one of the measures.

The two Propositions, 26 and 27, both focus on expanding sports betting in the state, but Proposition 27 would legalize online sports betting, and Proposition 26 would allow Native American tribes to operate sports betting and racetracks on site, Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indian President Kenneth Kahn told the Sun.

A NEW WAY TO PLAY

Propositions 26 and 27 are on the ballot for the November election, both of which would allow sports betting, but the difference between the two is whether online gambling will be allowed.

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUMASH CASINO RESORT

“Our position is that Proposition 27 is a massive expansion of gambling in California. We are concerned about addicted gambling and youth gambling [with] devices available at home,” Kahn said. “The main difference between the two proposals is that Proposition 27 is being pushed by companies outside the state. Ninety percent of that money will be taken out of the state. Tribes will only see a fraction of the total [profit].”

California’s Office of the Legislative Analyst said Proposition 27 would direct 85% of the tax revenue it generates to local entities to address homelessness and 15% would help tribes, but Kahn was unsure how that would take place.

“The fact that they are trying to solve homelessness with gambling could create more homelessness,” he said. “Eight and a half cents of what will be collected will be allocated to the homeless and that leaves about one and a half cents for regulation and for tribes on the dollar.”

This is not the first time that sports betting and this debate have approached California, Kahn added. In 2020, the State Senate proposed legislation that would have legalized online sports betting and had similar proponents like FanDuel and DraftKings among other big names in sports gaming, but the bill failed.

“This time it was an approach to regulate the industry, and as technology improves, we’ll likely push more and more towards online platforms, whether it’s poker , sports betting or other types of gambling,” Kahn said. “But our view is that we’re not there yet, and our No. 1 goal is to protect families, especially in their own homes.”

The Santa Ynez Band of Chumash, along with several other tribes, are pushing for Proposition 26 — which would allow federally recognized tribes operating casinos to add in-person sports betting and horse racing — because the The industry supports 125,000 jobs and tribal governments receive other revenue as well as a $20 billion statewide economic impact and $3.5 billion fiscal impact.

“It all stays in the state, and it’s important to us because it creates jobs in our communities. The tribes use this money to pay for education, general welfare and health care,” he said.

If both bills pass after the election, it will be up to the courts to decide how they are regulated and how the state will regulate them simultaneously, Kahn said.

The Sun reached out to both Sen. Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and Assemblyman Jordan Cunningham (R-San Luis Obispo) to discuss the matter, but neither responded by the Sunit is deadline.

The use of biofertilizers by Brazilian soybean producers is highlighted by a leading scientific journal

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 28, 2022

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By using biofertilizers on 80% of their planted area, Brazilian soybean farmers are reaping the environmental and economic benefits of using the microbiome instead of chemical fertilizers. The microbiome is the community of fungi, bacteria and other microorganisms in a given environment. In agriculture, it provides nutrients needed by crops and increases yields. Its use has many economic and environmental advantages.

The case of Brazilian soybeans is one of 14 success stories discussed in a review article on the impact of microbiome research on sectors such as agriculture, fermented foods and human health. Published in Frontiers in Microbiology, it was undertaken as part of MicrobiomeSupport, a project funded by the European Union under its Horizon 2020 program to map global microbiome research, focusing on innovation in the food system.

The project involves scientists and companies from 28 countries, including the Genomics Research Center for Climate Change (GCCRC), one of the Engineering Research Centers (ERCs) supported by FAPESP. The GCCRC is a partnership with the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA).

“Brazil is one of the few countries in the world to successfully use biofertilizers in the cultivation of soybeans. It is the largest producer and exporter of the commodity. Microorganisms are applied to fix nitrogen on 80% of the areas planted with soybeans in Brazil. The positive environmental impact is very important. Carbon emissions to the atmosphere are approximately 430 million tons of CO₂ lower equivalent due to nitrogen-fixing bacteria. It also protects springs and other sources of fresh water as chemical nitrogen contaminates rivers,” said Rafael de Souza, co-author of the paper. He is a researcher at the GCCRC and founder of Symbiomics, a Brazilian biotech startup that develops next-generation biologics.

The application of microorganisms to soil also has a significant economic impact. “The war in Ukraine has shown how dependent we are on imported chemical fertilizers,” Souza said. “Brazil imports about 77% of the nitrogen used to fertilize its agricultural crops. Soy is the only exception. They are not dependent on these imports precisely because of the biological nitrogen fixers used by growers, which saves some $10 billion in synthetic nitrogen fertilizers.

Biofertilizer saves farmers huge amounts of money. According to Solon Cordeiro de Araujo, consultant to the National Association of Producers and Importers of Inoculants (ANPII) and co-author of the article, chemical fertilizers cost around BRL 1,000 per hectare while biofertilizer inoculants cost less than 50 BRL per hectare.

“The work done in the case of soybeans involves selecting certain bacteria, isolating them and applying them to the crop in order to increase the quantity of these beneficial microorganisms in the soil. Bacteria replace synthetic nitrogen fertilizer. Instead of chemicals, farmers use biofertilizer inoculants, which take nitrogen from the air and inject it directly into the plant,” Araujo explained.

The impact is all the greater as Brazil is the world’s leading producer and exporter of soybeans, with more than 36 million hectares of planted area. The authors of the article highlight the economic and environmental benefits of microbiome research in Brazil in order to show growers of other crops the benefits of biofertilizers and to encourage scientists to do more research on the replacement of chemical fertilizers by microorganisms.

All crops need nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. In the case of soybeans, the biofertilizer only provides nitrogen. The other two nutrients are provided by chemicals. In other cases, such as corn, beans, and rice, for example, all three nutrients are supplied by chemicals.

Nitrogen biofertilizer has been developed in Brazil since the introduction of soybeans in the 1960s. “Brazil has opted for the development and refinement of these bacteria and bacterial products as substitutes for chemical nitrogen,” Araujo said.

According to the authors, the substitution of chemical nitrogen with microbiome products in soybeans was made possible through collaborative efforts in three areas. “It is the result of the work done in academia, regulation and industry. Scientists from universities and EMBRAPA brought the required technology to Brazil. Legislators adopted the necessary regulatory framework. And the industry has also played its part in terms of implementation and commercialization,” Souza said.

Microorganism research has been ongoing since the beginning of soybean cultivation in Brazil, but the number of articles and products has increased over the past decade as genetic sequencing tools have become more accessible. . “The case of Brazilian soybeans is also important because it paved the way for other products to gain market share and for other crops to use biofertilizers,” he added.

Model for other cultures

The development of microbiome-based technologies is expected to grow in Brazil. Along with advances in research leading to better selection of microorganisms and the production of more potent inoculants, the researchers noted another set of factors that will contribute to the use of biofertilizers by growers of different crops.

“There is talk of a perfect storm leading to the use of biofertilizers in Brazil,” Souza said. “We now have a large number of startups and research centers interested in developing new microbiome products for different crops. The economic and environmental protection figures are impressive. It has also become clear that we need to rely less on chemical fertilizers, most of which are imported. The case of Brazilian soy could therefore be a driving force for further advances in the use of biofertilizers here.

About the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP)

The São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP) is a public institution whose mission is to support scientific research in all areas of knowledge by granting scholarships, fellowships and grants to researchers linked to educational institutions University and Research from the State of São Paulo, Brazil. FAPESP is aware that the best research can only be done by working with the best researchers at the international level. Therefore, it has established partnerships with funding agencies, institutions of higher education, private companies and research organizations in other countries known for the quality of their research and has encouraged scientists funded by its grants to further develop their international collaboration. You can find out more about FAPESP at www.fapesp.br/en and visit the FAPESP news agency at www.agencia.fapesp.br/en to keep up to date with the latest scientific advances that FAPESP is helping to achieve through to its many programs, awards and research centers. You can also subscribe to the FAPESP press agency at https://agencia.fapesp.br/subscribe

/Public release. This material from the original organization/authors may be ad hoc in nature, edited for clarity, style and length. The views and opinions expressed are those of the author or authors.View Full here.

Tufts Climate Action calls for divestment from fossil fuels

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 27, 2022

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Tufts Climate Action held a rally last Friday at the Mayer Campus Center Lower Patio to demand that the university divest itself entirely of its fossil fuel holdings. The rally drew 50 to 75 attendees, making it one of the largest climate protests on the Tufts campus in the past three years, organizers said.

Julia Silberman, senior, one of the leaders of Tufts Climate Action, believes Tufts has not done enough to divest from fossil fuels, calling the university’s lack of action “disappointing”.

“We thought this would be the time Tufts would divest, but … there really wasn’t anything they actually did,” Silberman said.

The university formed a Responsible Investment Advisory Group in 2019 to assess its investment decisions, following calls from campus activists at the time. In 2021, in response to RIAG recommendations, Tufts banned direct investment in coal and oil sands companies.

Patrick Collins, executive director of media relations at Tufts, shared a statement with the Daily against the university taking steps to limit its fossil fuel investments and reduce its carbon footprint.

“Our investment approach has been to prevent the endowment from investing directly in coal and oil sands companies, to take steps to reduce indirect investments in them, and to make significant investments in funds that will have a positive impact on the trajectory and impact of climate change,” Collins wrote in an email to The Daily.

Silberman said many activists believe the university tried to co-opt their movement after the school announced it would divest itself of coal and oil sands companies, ignoring the work the students had done for them. to push.

“[Tufts was] market it like they did something groundbreaking when they really weren’t,” Silberman said. “There was absolutely no mention of 10 years of activism.”

Despite the frustration of student climate activists such as Silberman, the university maintains that it is slowly working toward its decarbonization goals.

“The university is committed to reducing its carbon footprint to meet the Monegasque President’s 2016 commitment to make Tufts carbon neutral as soon as possible, but no later than 2050,” Collins wrote. “Tufts campuses in Medford/Somerville and Grafton already have plans to decarbonize their buildings and the Sustainability Council has drafted a new vision, key principles and goals to guide sustainability at the university. »

Organizers also urged Tufts to reject research funding from the fossil fuel industry. Daniel Barszczak, a sophomore who attended the protest, spoke about the corrosive influence fossil fuel companies can have on critical research emerging from some of the world’s top universities.

“The most glaring example in my opinion is the MIT Energy Initiative. If you go to their site [and] if you go to their members page, half of the companies … are oil companies,” Barszczak said.

Protesters demanded that Tufts develop a plan to achieve decarbonization, and organizers called on Tufts leaders to commit to climate justice.

Organizers hope the university’s next president will play an important role in the fight against climate change.

“The next president should be someone who is committed to using his role to ensure that Tufts is a leader in climate action and climate justice,” Silberman said in a speech to protesters. “That means using Tufts resources to support vulnerable frontline communities and to expand climate education, research and opportunity.”

Parke Wilde, a professor at Tufts’ Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, spoke to the crowd about the importance of cooperation between older and younger generations.

“Sometimes our elders feel like … hope comes from sweet stories that everything will be okay,” Wilde said. “Hope doesn’t require us to tell untruths about our future – hope comes from action.”

Wilde told the Daily that his research and his students’ passion for climate action inspired his decision to attend the protest.

“Climate is involved in my life as an academic researcher because I teach American food policy,” Wilde said. “But what really brought me here today is the recognition that teaching and research are not enough, that we need a vision for social change – and I hear that from students.”

In addition to Tufts students and faculty, protesters included representatives from Fridays for Future Boston, an offshoot of the climate strike movement started by Greta Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion Boston and Mass 350. Members of Fossil Free Research, a group that pushes universities to exclude fossil fuel money when funding their research, also participated. Attendees also included representatives of climate groups from Wellesley College, Olin College, Harvard University and Boston College.

After several speeches and chants, Emily Witherell, one of the leaders of Tufts Climate Action, and Silberman led a march to Ballou Hall, where the Monaco president’s office is located. Six TUPD officers stood in front of Ballou during the protest, telling the Daily they were only present as a precaution.

Although Silberman is graduating this year, she told The Daily she is hopeful about the future of the divestment movement.

“We’ve heard a lot of growing support from members of the administration, quietly,” she said. ” I talked to [first-years], they all know what fossil fuel divestment is and they are immediately supportive. …Basic views on climate justice have changed, and I think we are going to win.

North Carolina child safety officials to advocate for safe gun storage in 2023

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 26, 2022

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North Carolina child safety officials said they will try again next year to convince lawmakers to approve a statewide education campaign on the safe storage of firearms. fire.

In 2021, 116 children died from gunshot wounds, including homicides, suicides and unintentional shootings. Firearm deaths were the leading cause of injury death in 2021 among children in North Carolina.

According to state data, as of 2020, more children are now killed by firearms in North Carolina than by motor vehicle accidents. And the use of firearms in underage suicides has also risen sharply.

Gun sales have increased in North Carolina in 2020 and 2021, during the pandemic, and many of these guns are not stored safely.

According to a state survey last year:

42% of North Carolina adults said they have a gun at home
45% said they store it charged
53% of these gun owners say they don’t lock them up

Even before the pandemic, the Child Death Task Force advocated for a statewide education campaign on safe gun storage, including free gun locks. Alan Dellapenna, a member of the task force, said it was also a school safety issue because most firearms used in school shootings are brought from home.

“The problem is not going away, we know that,” Dellapenna said. “We would like to alleviate the problem in the state and start the work.”

In 2021, the State House passed a bill to fund the program and put it on the budget. However, the state senate declined to consider it. The bill’s sponsor and state Sen. Bobby Hanig, of R-Currituck County, said Senate leaders won’t tell him why.

“We’re not going to accept gun bills this year,” Hanig said. “That’s about all I have. I don’t know if there are underlying reasons or not.

Hanig, who previously served in the State House, is now in the Senate. He said he plans to try again for the program next year. Hanig said it was not a partisan issue and it was not anti-gun.

“I’m a 100% Second Amendment big person,” Hanig said. “And that has nothing to do with the Second Amendment.

“This is just common sense. And, it’s education. And, it’s voluntary. Nothing mandatory about it. Nothing says you have to.

WRAL News asked state senate leaders why the safe gun storage bill hasn’t moved forward. They didn’t answer.

Governor Lamont’s Statement on Connecticut’s Annual Crime Statistics Report

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 26, 2022

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Press Releases

09/26/2022

Governor Lamont’s Statement on Connecticut’s Annual Crime Statistics Report

(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont released the following statement in response to today’s release of Connecticut’s annual Crime Statistics Report, which compiles data on crimes reported to law enforcement. state order for calendar year 2021:

“This report shows that violent and property crime are down in Connecticut from the previous year, preserving our state’s status as one of the safest in the nation. We need to stay focused on continuing to reduce crime. As a father, husband and governor, one crime is too much. We have a real opportunity, together with law enforcement and community partners, to further increase public safety in Connecticut.

The annual report is created by the Connecticut Department of Emergency Services and Public Safety’s Crime Analysis Unit and is now in its 44^e Year of publication. It is the most comprehensive source of crime data for the state.

Data from the report shows that between 2020 and 2021, Connecticut experienced:

3% reduction in overall crime;
9% reduction in violent crime; and one
2% reduction in property crimes.

Additionally, the report finds that over the past ten years, overall crime in Connecticut has dropped by 30%, including a 43% reduction in violent crime and a 29% reduction in property crime.

Over the past four years, the Connecticut State Police Training Academy has graduated 333 new state troopers through six training troops. The 132^n/a The training troop is currently underway and is expected to train an additional 33 new state troopers by the end of October. The state police plan to launch another training troop in November. This class of state troop trainees is currently being recruited and will graduate in 2023.

The state budget that Governor Lamont signed into law earlier this year for fiscal year 2023 includes significant investments in crime prevention and reduction, particularly with respect to gun violence, as well as services to victims of crime and support to settle legal cases that have accumulated during the pandemic. This includes:

$11 million for strategies led by law enforcement officials to trace firearms to their sources, reduce stolen cars, reduce violent crime and promote safer rural roads;
$8 million for community and public health strategies to prevent and reduce gun violence;
$4 million to invest in the latest forensic technologies to expedite the investigation and resolution of criminal cases;
$18 million to help victims and survivors recover from crime through safety planning, crisis counseling, mental health treatment and support for survivors of domestic violence; and
$32 million to speed up the processing of court cases.

**To download: Department of Emergency Services and Public Safety Annual Crime Statistics Report for 2021

Twitter: @GouvNedLamont

Facebook: Office of Governor Ned Lamont

Global Citizen Festival’s #2022 Campaign to End Extreme Poverty Reaches $2.4 Billion

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 26, 2022

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The world’s largest movement of doers and makers now dedicated to ending extreme poverty, Global Citizen, said its 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign resulted in more than $2.4 billion in pledges. to end extreme poverty.

The six-week campaign culminated in a nine-hour two-stage festival, beginning at Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, and ending at Central Park in New York, presented by Citi and Cisco.

The 2022 campaign saw two million actions taken by global citizens as part of Global Citizen’s mission to end extreme poverty now, more than double the record previously set by the international organization defense of rights.

The global body, in a statement released recently, said that several governments and organizations have made these commitments not only to eradicate extreme poverty, but also to help empower girls, defend the planet, promote health, protect the civic space and alleviate the global food crisis.

On stage at the Global Citizen Festival: Accra, the governments of Ghana and South Africa announced the African Prosperity Fund, a joint initiative of the governments of Ghana and South Africa, which aims to deploy $1 billion dollars to fund economic inclusion and financial participation projects across the continent. The fund will focus on projects in the African Continental Free Trade Area, including infrastructure development, financial access for women and youth participation, education, healthcare, technology and sustainability, all for the benefit of Africa’s 1.3 billion people.

Meanwhile, at Global Citizen Festival: NYC, members of the US Congress from both sides of the political aisle stood alongside world leaders, philanthropists and private sector pioneers to make announcements worthy of 10 years of history of the Global Citizen Festival. During a video message, President Macron announced that France would reallocate 30% of its special drawing rights to the world’s poorest countries, particularly in Africa, to fight against extreme poverty, pandemics, inequality and climate change.

The days leading up to the 10th anniversary of the Global Citizen Festival saw major commitments from world leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who respectively pledged $1.209 billion. Canadians and 715 million euros in the seventh replenishment of the Global Citizen. Fund to fight AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria. During the Festival, Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen thanked the citizens of the world for taking action.

The following pledges were made during the Global Citizen Festival 2022 in Accra, Ghana and New York.

Among the investments committed for the future of women and girls, several governments, including Belgium, have committed €2.6 million to the ILO’s Global Flagship Program on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso, extending until 2025; Denmark has pledged $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their recently announced three-year expanded partnership, while the European Commission has committed 45 million euros to UNFPA.

In addition, Germany, as a champion of global education, has committed €10 million to Education Cannot Wait efforts to meet educational needs in Ukraine, while Luxembourg has pledged to renew its partnership with the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program to End Female Genital Mutilation, with a 70% increase in its funding based on previous contributions over the next three years, highlighting its support for girls and women around the world .

That’s when Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance and Girl Effect announced an $8 million partnership to address gender barriers that limit the use of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia.

The Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through partnership ranging from fighting stigma, increasing availability of menstrual products, raising awareness and educating the public about menstrual health and safe elimination, and beyond.

For the Planet, commitments to defend the planet include: The Peace Corps has committed to launch a new climate initiative to support more than 2 million hours of volunteer service in approximately 50 countries, including up to 1,000 volunteers who will work with host country partners to identify and implement actions that contribute to host country climate priorities and national plans.

Five major companies have signed on to the UN-led Race to Zero campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including American Eagle Outfitters, Betterfly, Harith General Partners, Juan Valdez Café and Global Citizen Festival: Campaign Partner NYC World Wide Technology.

For the global food crisis, pledges made to improve food and nutrition security in response to the global food crisis include: the next five years.

Norway has pledged NOK 100 million to the African Development Bank’s Africa Emergency Food Production Fund. Slovenia has committed €1.23 million to civil society organizations fighting hunger in sub-Saharan Africa.

The private sector, Citi, has announced its continued support of No Kid Hungry for the next three years, estimated to be the equivalent of supplying 60 million meals.

For global health, Canada highlighted its commitment of C$1.209 billion made during the Global Fund replenishment. The European Commission highlighted its contribution of €715 million to the Global Fund. Malta has pledged €30,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

Philanthropic foundations. And Rotary International has pledged $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative over the next three years.

To overcome poverty, other pledges to act on behalf of the world’s most marginalized people include: The United Nations in Ghana has committed $257 million in funding for the implementation of the United Nations Cooperation Framework United Nations for Sustainable Development by 2025. This brings together over 24 UN agencies, funds and programs with the ambition to reach all parts of Ghana, meet the needs of the most vulnerable and leave no one behind. next to. The United States has committed $138 million to support human capital development in health, education, climate, and peacebuilding and $32.5 million to deepen partnerships in West Africa in Ghana, Benin, Ivory Coast, Guinea and Togo. Just like Lithuania announced that it would commit 11 million euros in funding for the reconstruction of infrastructure, including schools, houses and a bridge in Ukraine.

Global Citizen Festival: Accra featured performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, TEMS and Uncle Waffles, and was hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira. Presenters included Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha and Sabrina Dhowre Elba.

Global Citizen Festival: NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MÅNESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton and Rosalía and special guest performances by Angélique Kidjo and Billy Porter, and was hosted by actor, producer , author and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Presenters included Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Folake Olowofoyeku, Jay Shetty, Katie Couric, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Sofia Carson, Tamron Hall and Van Jones.

Markham advocate launches national Canadian library project for true reconciliation

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 24, 2022

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The Canadian Library commemorates First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and children who have been murdered or gone missing.

“It is only with the sharing of the truth that true reconciliation can take place.”

So says Shanta Sundarason, founder of the social justice group Giving Tree Unionville in Markham, which started a project to spark conversation about the massive numbers of missing and murdered Indigenous women and children.

The Canadian Library, commemorating First Nations, Métis and Inuit women and children who have been murdered or gone missing, makes its official public debut at the Varley Art Gallery in Markham on September 24.

It’s a collaboration between Indigenous and non-Indigenous creators that aims to remind Canadians that every Missing and Murdered Indigenous Woman and Girl (MMIWG) has a story. Aboriginal artist Sandra Moore of the Hiawatha First Nation is participating in the project.

“When I was first approached by the Canadian Library, I was shocked to find that women, other than other Indigenous women, care about our MMIWG and our children. As an Indigenous woman, I am honored to have the privilege of working with these allies and sisters, in this unique and powerful way of honoring our MMIWG and raising awareness for all Canadians. History and truth about Indigenous peoples is a dark stain on Canada, and this project is beginning to color that stain.

The name of each MMIWG is printed on the spine of a book, which has been hand-wrapped in original Aboriginal-designed fabrics. The books form a dazzling and diverse showcase of Indigenous design, as showcased in the shelves.

TCL

The books are hand-wrapped in original Indigenous-designed fabrics by volunteers.

Mim Harder, an Indigenous elder, grandmother and true Canadian history educator, shared her thoughts on the project with Markham Economist and Sun ahead of the debut.

“Personally, I think it’s amazing that a group of settlers/newcomers to this earth cared enough about what the first people were facing, to learn, educate themselves, and then do something to raise awareness. others. This project is a colossal undertaking.”

Harder hopes the project will “encourage others not only to uncover the truth about what has happened and is still happening on this earth, but also to find ways to change our collective narrative so that everyone can enjoy all the conveniences. that many take for granted in this country. country we now call Canada.

She quoted Justice Murray Sinclair, former chair of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission: “Education is what got us into this mess and education (or re-education) is what will get us out of it.

“I believe it,” Harder said. “This is how we will learn to relate to each other and walk together, hand in hand, to create a better world for those who follow us.”

Audiences can witness the deeply emotional display at various locations. Markham Stouffville Hospital is one of the sites planned for the exhibition. On Sept. 21, Harder and Sundarason led hospital attendees through an activity to hand-wrap books and strike up a conversation. The goal is for 8,000 packaged books to reside in a public setting yet to be determined.

“My vision for the Canadian Library was to help start important conversations and educate each other about the true history of Canada, with a living art installation that all Canadians could participate in,” said Sundarason.

In addition to visiting the library in their communities, the public can contribute to the nonprofit project through donations or purchases that cover programming and fabric costs, donating hardcover books to wrap, and donating. volunteering. Donation opportunities are available at www.thecanadianlibrary.ca.

The facilities of the Canadian Library are initially planned for the following sites:

• Varley Gallery, Unionville

• Markham Stouffville Hospital, Markham

• King City Museum

• Niagara Falls Library

• Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library

• Richmond Hill Public Library

• Newmarket Public Library

• IKEA stores across Canada

STORY BEHIND THE STORY: To write a story for the National Day of Truth and Reconciliation, journalist Irene Wong reached out to Indigenous communities and rights advocates in Markham.

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Collierville community comes together a year after tragedy

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 24, 2022

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COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. (WMC) – The community came together Friday to remember a life lost and to support survivors on the first anniversary of the mass shooting that took place in Collierville Kroger.

One woman was killed and 13 others were injured during the frenzy on September 23, 2021.

The community of Collierville and many others in the state were shaken that day.

On Friday, they came together to show the strength of community and share the grief left by this tragedy.

Wes King, the son of murdered victim Olivia King, remembers his mother as a woman who loved her community and was strong in her faith and her family.

“The hardest thing about the last year is reconciling the fact that she’s gone and the undeniable fact that she shouldn’t be,” King said.

Collierville Fire Chief John Selberg will never forget that day.

He says the collaboration between police and firefighters was above and beyond.

“The store was unsecured, but they entered and immediately began treating the patient,” Chief Selber said. “What I saw that day, they saved several lives and that was one of the things I was most proud of.”

Friday’s remembrance was also about acknowledging and embracing community grief.

Angela Hamblen-Kelly of the Baptist Center for Good Grief says she has seen this community come together and support each other over the past year.

“When we as a community experience trauma, we are drawn to each other,” Hamblen-Kelly said. “We want to be with each other. We want to be with people who share this pain, this shared experience. And that’s what healing is. It comes from sharing and allowing others to carry your grief.

A year after losing his mother, King thanked the people of Collierville for their love and support.

He shared a message for change so this doesn’t happen to another family:

“Let’s remember the things that are happening in our culture that lead to these events and ask what we can do,” King said. “What can we do differently? Because clearly what we’re doing isn’t working, and I think that starts with prayer. I think it starts with forgiveness. I think it starts with love. True love. The love of God.”

The Shelby County Crime Victims and Rape Crisis Center as well as the Baptist Center for Good Grief provided resources to the community.

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Silver Fern Farms Launches First-Ever U.S. Branded Campaign, “Delicious Starts Here,” Featuring Max the Meat Guy

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 23, 2022

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NEW YORK – Silver Fern FarmsNew Zealand’s largest producer and exporter of red meat, announces its first-ever US-branded campaign, titled Delicious starts here. The spots, which will air on YouTube and social media, show how the farmers who work with Silver Fern Farms take incredible care of their animals and their environment, and how this work doesn’t just help make the world a better place – it produces uniquely delicious meat. They also feature a chef and influencer Max Greb, also known as Max the meat guywhose cooking and passion for quality ingredients has garnered 5.1 million followers on ICT Tac3 million on Youtubeand 1.1 million on instagram.

Animal welfare strategies have a well-established link to the production of tastier meat. These traditionally include things like freedom to roam, grass-based farming, and helping livestock live stress-free lives. But the Delicious Starts Here campaign shows how Silver Fern Farmers take care of the land, plant native trees, encourage biodiversity and are aware of their carbon footprint. All of this hard work – taking care of the environment, their livestock, and preserving their land for future generations – contributes to better, tastier meat. Everything Silver Fern Farmers does is done with care.

“I know the meat and this meat is excellent, it comes from Silver Fern Farms in New Zealand” Max Greb said in the spots. Each features him seeking to discover what makes Silver Fern Farms red meat so good, talking to four different Silver Fern farmers, who show their dedication to craftsmanship and the natural beauty of their farming environment.

The Delicious Starts Here campaign tells this story through a series of video and static formats, including a 4-minute video, 30-second and 10-second videos, as well as digital ads, enabled on YouTube, social media and digital.

There is a real consumer demand for more carefully raised livestock. According to a report by research agency Mintel, 60% of red meat consumers between the ages of 18 and 34 are concerned about the environmental impact of raising cattle, and more than half of this group say that concerns in terms of animal welfare have an impact on the products they buy. Finally, 83% of consumers would choose a product that is better for the environment and 70% would pay more for a sustainable product.

This campaign is aimed at those conscious consumers, who love meat but not the emotional baggage that comes with it. These consumers are trying to balance their love for food with the desire to do what’s best for the planet and want to make better choices when it comes to food.

“We want American consumers to see the commitment and passion of our farmers and the management and care they provide every step of the way. This makes Silver Fern Farms the future of delicious, sustainable grass-fed red meat,” said Nicky Cummerfield, Global Marketing Manager for Silver Fern Farms.

Silver Fern Farms has been a committed exporter of red meat to the United States for 30 years, supplying New Zealand farmed products to individuals, restaurants, distributors and retailers with multiple product lines including premium products. Ground beef, steak, lamband deer retail packs.

In April 2022, Silver Fern Farms launched its Net Carbon Zero by Nature USDA approved 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef in 134 Bijou-Osco supermarkets across the Midwestern United States, offering a delicious new selection of 100% grass-fed Net Carbon Zero Ground Beef, Tenderloin Steak, Top Sirloin Steak, Rib Eye Steak and Steak New York Striploin. The product line was also launched in select supermarkets in New York and Los Angeles in March.

Net Carbon Zero by Nature 100% Grass-Fed Angus Beef has been widely celebrated for its rigorous environmental standards and cutting-edge vision. At the product launch event in New York, Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand said he “represents both New Zealand values but also our climate change aspirations. Rather than this product being the exception, it will increasingly be the rule. It’s great to see Silver Fern Farms leading the charge in this regard. Since its introduction, Silver Fern Farms has recorded record global profits and an annual turnover of NZ$2.7 billion in 2021.

ON SILVER FERN FARMS: Silver Fern Farms is New Zealand’s largest producer of grass-fed lamb, beef and venison, sourcing the United States from the rolling pastures of New Zealand and striving to set the standard world in red meat. Established as a small farmers’ co-operative in 1948, it produces 30% of all New Zealand lamb, beef and venison in partnership with 16,000 farmers and exports to over 60 countries.

Markey, Merkley and colleagues highlight environmental justice concerns about permitting legislation and the need for stand-alone review

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 22, 2022

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“Given our nation’s history of environmental inequity, any changes to permitting processes should strengthen — not crush — public participation and add protections for frontline communities.

Washington (September 22, 2022) — Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) today joined his colleagues led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) in sending a letter to Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (DN. Y.) expressing concern about the impact the recently released proposal to change the federal permitting process for fossil fuel projects will have on communities of color, frontline communities, and other disadvantaged communities. The letter was also signed by Senators Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Cory Booker (DN.J.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Ben Cardin (D- Md.), and Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.).

“For many years, siting decisions for major infrastructure projects have essentially prioritized the perceived societal benefits of fossil fuel energy over the very real costs borne disproportionately by communities of color, communities low-income and others who have been traditionally marginalized”, write the Senators. “The result has been the destruction of homes and neighborhoods, the loss of wealth in these communities, lasting health consequences and premature deaths. Environmental justice advocates are pushing policymakers to address our country’s failure to take the contribution of environmental justice communities more seriously, but we still have a lot of work to do.

The senators’ letter notes the concerns of the environmental justice community about the proposed reforms and the implications of these permits:

“We also share the concerns of the environmental justice community that the proposed reforms could reduce the ability of affected stakeholders and state, federal and tribal governments to thoroughly analyze proposed projects and undermine judicial review,” they continued. “Given our nation’s history of environmental inequity, any changes to permitting processes should strengthen — not crush — public participation and add protections for frontline communities.”

The senators concluded by emphasizing that such important issues deserve serious debate and consideration, regardless of the urgent need to pass legislation keeping open government before September 30.^e.

“The environmental justice community has reason to believe that changing the policies that shape how energy projects are considered will have profound impacts on their overall health, prosperity, well-being and quality of life. We agree and believe that such important issues should be considered in full committee scrutiny and in-depth indoor debate, regardless of the urgent need to ensure that government remains open,” they conclude.

The full text of the letter can be found here and follows below:

Dear Chief Schumer,

We have heard many concerns from the environmental justice community about the proposed permitting reforms and we are writing to convey the importance of these concerns and to let you know that we share them.

For many years, siting decisions for major infrastructure projects have essentially prioritized the perceived societal benefits of fossil fuel energy over the very real costs borne disproportionately by communities of color, communities with low income and others who have been traditionally marginalized. The result has been the destruction of homes and neighborhoods, the loss of wealth in these communities, lasting health consequences and premature deaths. Environmental justice advocates are pushing policymakers to address our nation’s failure to take the contribution of environmental justice communities more seriously, but we still have a lot of work to do. We share the concerns of frontline communities and communities of color that the proposed licensing reforms are taking us in the wrong direction.

Congressional approval of the Mountain Valley Pipeline, the weakening of the National Environmental Policy Act, and the weakening of the state’s ability to protect water quality under the Clean Water Act will limit the contribution of the public and will cause additional pollution, disproportionately affecting people who are already directly harmed. We also share the concerns of the environmental justice community that the proposed reforms could reduce the ability of affected stakeholders and state, federal, and tribal governments to thoroughly analyze proposed projects and undermine judicial review. Given our country’s history of environmental inequity, any changes to permitting processes should strengthen — not crush — public participation and add protections for frontline communities.

During this Congress, we have made significant investments to elevate environmental justice communities, including dramatically increasing funding to address past harms and resources to ensure that environmental justice communities can share in the benefits of a just transition to renewable energy. In addition to funding, however, transparency and the ability for potentially affected communities to have prior, informed, and meaningful participation and consideration are fundamental to ensuring environmental justice. A number of the proposed licensing reforms would do just the opposite. The environmental justice community is justified in its belief that changing the policies that shape how energy projects are viewed will have profound implications for their overall health, prosperity, well-being, and quality of life. We agree and believe that such important issues should be considered through full committee scrutiny and full room debate, regardless of the urgent need to ensure that government remains open.

We believe our caucus broadly shares the goal of advancing climate justice by repairing past harm done to frontline and low-income communities, and ensuring that such harm is not inflicted in the future. We look forward to working with jurisdictional leaders and committees, as well as the environmental justice community on these important civil rights priorities.

###

Stephen Dudley Smith, MD – Escondido Times-Lawyer

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 22, 2022

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Obituary

By times-lawyer
|
on September 22, 2022

Steve passed away peacefully on Tuesday morning August 9 surrounded by his loved ones. He was born in Indianapolis Indiana on January 23, 1934 to Miriam Carol Sprague and Dudley Arland Smith, the youngest of three children. After graduating from high school at age 16, Steve studied medicine at Indiana University where he met the love of his life, Mary Lou Sterrett of Chicago, Illinois, qu he married in 1955. They were married for almost 67 years. Steve was a successful GP for 53 years (12 in Knightstown, Indiana + 1.5 in Phoenix, AZ + 40 years in Escondido, CA)

Dr. Stephen D. Smith was predeceased by his sister Sharon Hansell and brother Ben Wright. He is survived by his wife MaryLou and his daughters Kim, Marce and Elizabeth. He was a proud grandfather of seven children: Stephen and David Parks, Brooke McKeating, Lindsay MacEwing and Carly Gresham, Sierra and Whitney Rice. Not to mention the fun he had with his adorable great-granddaughters Payton and Blake McKeating.

A celebration of life in his honor will be held on Sunday, October 9 in Escondido at 1:00 p.m.

In lieu of flowers, please donate in memory of Dr. Stephen D. Smith to The Escondido Kawanis Club – Hidden Valley Foundation for education or Riley Children’s Foundation, Indianapolis, Indiana

Cincinnati Children’s co-sponsoring Batesville Health Fair – WRBI Radio

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 22, 2022

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The Batesville Community Schools Health and Wellness Resource Fair on September 28 will feature fun activities for children, teens and families. (Photo: Cincinnati Children)

Batesville, IN – Cincinnati Children’s will co-sponsor the inaugural Batesville Community Schools Health and Wellness Resource Fair on Sept. 28.

The fair will be held from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the parking lot near the Batesville Middle School walking track.

It will feature gift cards, prizes and fun activities for kids, teens and families. The event is free to the public, and all are welcome to attend.

Cincinnati Children’s will provide health screenings. More than a dozen other community organizations will also provide tables under tents in the parking lot near the school entrance so participants have space to park.

In case of rain, the fair will take place inside the building.

During the fair, Cincinnati Children’s and other organizations will collaborate on:
• Vision and hearing screenings
• Advice on healthy cooking and dental care
• Mental health resources
• Vaccinations for children and adults (some may require an insurance card)

Complimentary food and beverages will be provided to all attendees and vendors through the collaboration of host Batesville Community School Corporation and co-sponsor CareSource.

“Passport” cards will be offered to encourage participants to visit all booths. On the back of each card is a poll to gauge opinions about local access to healthcare and what attendees liked about the fair. Cincinnati Children’s will share this information with Batesville Community Schools, and each participant who completes the survey will receive a $15 medical center gift card.

Cincinnati Children’s has provided primary care in Batesville and Greensburg since 1998. The medical center recently added specialty clinics to its primary care location in Batesville so children and families in Southeast Indiana don’t have to traveling far to see providers who specialize in serious medical conditions. .

Other community organizations participating in the fair include Margaret Mary Health; One Community One Family; Ripley County Foster Care Program; Mother’s Helpline/IDOH; SIEOC Community Action Partnership; SIEOC Head Start; YMCA of Southeast Indiana; MDWise; Community Mental Health Center; Harmony Health Primary Care; NECCO Foster Care Program; Ripley County Health Department; Center for the deaf and hard of hearing; George’s Pharmacy & Medical Equipment; building blocks; and the Batesville Public Library.

(Cincinnati Children’s Press Release)

Ukraine’s defense industry and the prospect of a long war

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 21, 2022

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After more than six months of war, Russia and Ukraine are now preparing for a long period of hostilities, forcing each side to find long-term solutions for their military supplies. Without military and financial aid from the West, Ukraine would be unable to maintain its army or continue to fight. Although the West has promised To supply Ukraine with materiel for as long as it takes to win the war, Kyiv wants to source as much materiel as possible to avoid any policy changes or delivery delays.

What contributions could Kyiv expect from its local defense industry? Ukraine inherited many Soviet-era defense companies, so can these produce some of the war equipment Ukraine needs?

The fact that the Ukrainian armed forces destroyed Russian flagship Moscow early April using a missile designed and produced by Ukrainian industry suggests untapped potential. More recently, the announcement That Baykar, the Turkish manufacturer of Bayraktar TB2 drones, intends to open a factory in Ukraine has also boosted optimism about Ukraine’s military-industrial capabilities.

Ukraine’s defense industry already fulfills an essential function with its ability to repair military equipment. Although only a marginal contributor to the country’s military supplies, Ukraine’s defense industry could prove significant if it manages to grow. To do this, he will have to overcome many obstacles. No Ukrainian territory is spared by the Russian strikes, and it is very difficult under these conditions to set up such strategic production lines. Above all, after years of underfunding and production problems, the Ukrainian military-industrial complex entered this war in very bad shape.

The Slow Decline of Ukraine’s Defense Industry

A common mistake is to forget that Russia is not the only heir to the Soviet Union. At the fall of the Soviet Union, Ukraine concentrate about 15% of the research, development, testing and establishment, and factories of the former Soviet military production. This represented 700 dedicated factories and a workforce of approximately 500,000 people, making the defense industry one of the largest employers in the country.

Some of these enterprises were among the most strategic for the Soviet Army. This was especially true for the navy, with the Mykolaiv shipyards located on the Black Sea. These were the only ones capable of accommodating an aircraft carrier, a heavy loss for Moscow, which subsequently had to maintain its only aircraft carrier in its northern ports, which freeze in winter.

Ukraine has also inherited many strengths in the aerospace industry. Pivdennebased in Dnipro, was the heart of Soviet intercontinental missile production; Sich engine, based in Zaporizhzhia, equipped Soviet aircraft with its engines and gas turbines; and the most famous example certainly remains Antonov, the company behind the largest aircraft of all time, the Mriia A-225, destroyed in the early days of the war. In addition, the Malyushev factory in Kharkiv is the largest center of armor production in the former Soviet Union and has been since World War II.

But as big as it was in 1991, Ukraine’s defense sector faced massive economic headwinds after independence. Contrary to Moscow’s ambition to remain a great power, Ukraine quickly opted for neutrality. Perceiving no immediate security threat, the Ukrainian Armed Forces had no urgent need to acquire equipment, nor the budget to do so. As a result, he bought little from local producers, who had to rely on exports to survive. On top of that, the lack of funding pushed away the country’s educated engineers, who were drawn to other, better paying industries.

The awakening of 2014

The annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the outbreak of the conflict in the Donbass were a wake-up call, forcing the Ukrainian army to re-equip itself, and in the process, to place orders with local companies. Exports drastically decreasesfor the benefit of the Ukrainian armed forces, which, for example, acquired a batch of T-64 and BTR-3 tanks initially ordered by Angola and Thailand.

But this sudden wave of orders has come up against an industry that has lost its historical partners based in Russia, with whom the Ukrainian industry maintained vital links until 2014. The total disorganization of trade caused a series of problems for these producers, who suddenly had to find new suppliers. Often they couldn’t find any. Antonov, for example, hasn’t produced a single plane since 2016.

Added to the overall failure of Ukrainian industry is the current damage caused by the Russian invasion since February. Unsurprisingly, Ukrainian production sites are the target of Russian strikes. Already in May, key facilities in Kyiv and Mykolaiv, as well as the Malyshev Giant Tank Factory in Kharkiv, had been destroyed or badly damaged. More recently, the Motor Sich Factory in Zaporizhzhia was hit.

Limited expectations

What can be expected from the Ukrainian defense industry in the future? The sinking of the Russian flagship in the Black Sea, the Moscow, using a surface-to-sea missile developed by the Luch Design Bureau in Kyiv, named “Neptune”, an update of an old Soviet technology which now equips the Ukrainian army, was a turning point in the war and a blow of thumb for the country’s defense sector. Luch, one of the few relatively successful Ukrainian producers, also builds the Stuhna air-to-surface missile, which was regularly used during the war. Nevertheless, the acquisition of high-tech armaments remains globally very limited. In 2021, the general manager of Luch, Oleh Korostelev, declared that his company was only able to supply “600 or 800” Neptune missiles to the Ukrainian Armed Forces, which requested at least 2,000.

However, high-tech weaponry is not the only area where the defense industry matters. Steven Zaloga, defense specialist and consultant at TEAL Group, explains that “the Ukrainian army [is] well supplied with modern uniforms, small arms and soldier gear and much of it appears to be indigenous. He also notes that “in the field of armored vehicles, there seems to be a good number of BTR-3/BTR-4 in use”. It is difficult to know in more detail the contribution of local industry, he notes, because “the Ukrainians are silent on their production capacity at the moment” for fear of seeing them come under airstrikes.

This fear also casts doubt on the announcement of a future opening of a Bayraktar drone manufacturing plant in Ukraine. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky confirmed the arrival of the Turkish company and its joint production with Ukrainian manufacturers. The land is said to have already been purchased, but its location remains unknown. On the other hand, the Ukrainian drone manufacturer UkrSpecSystems announcement plans to relocate production to neighboring Poland. Given this news, it’s hard to imagine the Turkish producer investing in a new factory in Ukraine.

The need for maintenance

Given Ukraine’s difficulties in procuring weapons, it has no choice but to rely in part on domestic manufacturing. Talk to UkrinformVladyslav Belbas, general manager of the Ukrainian drone manufacturer, summarized the situation:

Without waiting for Lend-Lease, Ukraine is forced to place orders with domestic producers. Will lend-lease have negative consequences for the Ukrainian defense industry? Yes, there will be, but the key word here is “Ukrainian”. Because if there is no lend-lease, there will be no Ukrainian defense industry. There must be a healthy balance between import supply capabilities and domestic manufacturing capabilities.

Given the state of Ukrainian finances, there is little hope of Kyiv overloading its local producers with orders. On the other hand, maintaining production lines capable of repairing equipment seems to be a more achievable goal. “Ukraine has significant armored vehicle reconstruction facilities, which may explain its ability to recycle damaged/captured armored vehicles,” recalls Steven Zaloga. This aspect is also underlined by Vladyslav Belbas: “[the indigenous industry] should not stay away and watch this process, because without domestic manufacturers, none of the equipment provided to us will be repaired quickly. We cannot take, for example, an American howitzer to the United States for repair.

General Valeriy Zaluzhnyi, Commander-in-Chief of the Ukrainian Armed Forces, echoed these concerns in one of his rare public interventions. “Ukraine can consider acquiring the relevant weapon systems from partners only as a solution for the transition period. From the very first days of the large-scale Russian aggression, the Ukrainian side faced the acute problem of restoring and establishing its own design and production capabilities for manufacturing high-tech weapon systems” , said Zaluzhny. He added that “Ukraine’s national efforts to this end open up unlimited possibilities for international military-technical cooperation with partner countries.”

Despite its challenges, the Ukrainian defense industry can still play a decisive role in the war, if only through its ability to repair equipment. In the immediate future, it will be Western arms deliveries that will have the most impact, but if Ukraine manages to save its industry, both by protecting it from Russian strikes and by providing it with sufficient funding , it could make a valuable contribution.

The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the position of the Foreign Policy Research Institute, a nonpartisan organization that seeks to publish well-reasoned, policy-oriented articles on U.S. foreign policy and the national security. priorities.

Former MLK colleague commemorates environmental justice movement with NC roots

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 21, 2022

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A former colleague of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. addressed members of the Duke community under the stained glass windows and among the pews of Duke Chapel on September 15.

Civil rights activist Rev. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., Divinity School ’80, recent President’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient and former MLK colleague, joined Catherine Coleman Flowers, current vice chair of the White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council and Nicholas School Practitioner in Residence.

The event, titled “Environmental Justice: Past, Present, and Future,” was hosted by the Sanford School of Public Policy as part of Duke’s Environmental Justice series and broadcast live worldwide. It was meant to celebrate and mark the anniversary of the Warren County protests in 1982, which ushered in a new movement and a new academic field and changed the course of history.

“In 40 years, we now not only have a movement in North Carolina, we have a movement all over the world. The environmental justice movement is a global movement,” Chavis said. “The future is what we shape the future.”

The opening statement was followed by a discussion and Q&A involving both speakers and moderated by Cameron Oglesby, currently a graduate student at Sanford. Throughout the discussion, panellists touched on the history and origins of environmental justice, its importance locally and internationally, and more specific issues such as voter turnout, climate justice in rural areas and the Duke’s role in continuing to move the movement forward.

Chavis’ points mainly focused on the importance of unity in the movement, covering all ethnic groups, private and public companies, states and nations. He also stressed that political engagement should be at the forefront, particularly through voter turnout and the election of leaders who have a heart and experience in environmental justice issues.

“On November 8, democracy is on the ballot. On November 8, environmental justice is on the ballot. On November 8, climate justice is on the ballot. On November 8, racial justice is on the ballot,” Chavis said.

Chavis was the youngest person to be elected executive director and CEO of the NAACP. He entered the role in 1993, but was later fired in 1994.

Chavis is also credited with coining the term “environmental racism”. In the 1960s he worked alongside MLK and over the next decade was wrongfully incarcerated for his involvement in the Warren County protest.

Coleman is an author, MacArthur Fellow, and founder of the Center for Rural Enterprise and Environmental Justice, who has dedicated her career to researching and raising awareness of environmental inequalities in rural and marginalized communities.

Using his expertise in poor sanitation in rural communities, Coleman explained how collaborating globally to improve sanitation can help those who are historically marginalized, for example, by “using the human rights framework ‘man [and] Sustainable Development Goals. She also cited her experience working overseas and at the White House to emphasize the importance of collaboration and exchange programs.

Both speakers agreed that although the movement has made significant progress, there is still much to do. Yet they expressed hope and optimism because of the number of young people, including at Duke, who are passionate about the environmental justice movement.

“On this 40th anniversary as an optimist, I am encouraged because I see young people. White youth, black and Latino youth, Pacific Islander and Asian youth. I see young people demanding climate justice. Not waiting for politicians and not even waiting for public policy makers,” Chavis said.

He followed up with a lesson he learned from his time working with MLK stating, “It’s not just good enough to see an injustice. We [have to] have the courage to challenge this injustice, to change this injustice.

“And we only have opportunities today. We should want clean air, clean water, good healthy food for everyone,” Chavis said.

At the end of the event, sophomore Meghna Parameswaran, who attended due to her involvement in a Bass Connections project and her interest in environmental justice, described the event as “beautifully organized”.

“As soon as they came out and started talking, I had tears in my eyes,” Parameswaran said.

“Just being in the presence of these incredible and wonderful people has motivated me to want to do everything I can to be part of this movement and to be in community with people like them.”

East Baton Rouge Leads Louisiana in Road Deaths Amid ‘All-Time High’ in Pedestrian Fatalities | New

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 20, 2022

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More drivers died on Louisiana roads in 2021 than any year in over a decade, highlighted by a record number of pedestrian fatalities statewide and in East Baton Rouge Parish .

According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, 972 people died on Louisiana roads in fatal crashes in 2021, an increase of 17% from 828 statewide in 2020.

East Baton Rouge Parish leads all parishes in the state with 104 total fatalities from 99 crashes, compared to Orleans Parish in second place with 69 total fatalities from 62 crashes.

While Orleans Parish used to have more road deaths each year, East Baton Rouge has seen more road deaths since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the gatekeeper said. word of the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, Mark Lambert.

Since 2020, East Baton Rouge has had 247 road deaths to 98 road deaths in Orleans Parish.

Pedestrian fatalities have been particularly prevalent in East Baton Rouge, as 25 of the parish’s 104 total traffic fatalities in 2021 were pedestrians.

“You already have a fairly stable pedestrian population in New Orleans where people walk a lot more,” Lambert said. “Baton Rouge is a much more car-centric city. With the pandemic, it’s possible that more people have started walking, so you have more pedestrians.”

Since the start of 2020, East Baton Rouge has recorded 16% of the total number of pedestrian fatalities in the state, followed by Orleans Parish at 10%.

Of the pedestrians killed in East Baton Rouge last year, Lambert said, many were in similar areas of the parish town when they were hit.

Lambert said the downtown area, areas along Interstate 110 to the freeway’s intersection with Airline Highway, near the LSU campus and the Gardere area were where most of the deaths of pedestrians took place.

The common thread, Lambert said, was the number of pedestrians walking through these areas.

“On campus and in places like the Gardere area, there are a lot of people walking in those neighborhoods,” he said. “We also see a lot of pedestrians getting hit at night along the Airline Highway north of Florida Boulevard.”

Lambert noted that the pandemic has marked a significant change in the number of road deaths in East Baton Rouge, as more aggressive drivers have led to increased fatalities.

“We are seeing dramatic increases in aggressive driving and speeding that started with the lockdown in 2020 where, for the first time in a long time, the freeway was clear and some aggressive drivers took advantage,” he said. he declares. “We’ve seen a lot of single-vehicle fatalities.”

Helmut Schneider, the state’s top traffic analyst and executive director of LSU’s Center for Analytics and Research in Transportation Safety, which conducted the research, said driver aggression was a major cause of the spike in fatalities. on the roads.

“Driver behavior has certainly changed during COVID-19,” Schneider said in an LHSC statement. “Drivers could change their behavior to be more careful…but it’s probably a slow process. It will take some time.”

In an effort to reduce the number of road deaths in the parish town, Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome announced an initiative earlier this month that pledges a “commitment to a goal of zero fatalities and serious injuries on our roads and streets by 2040.”

To track progress towards the goal of zero deaths, Broome said, the parish town has also pledged to cut the number of deaths by half by 2030 and by two-thirds by 2035.

“Our residents and businesses tell us that safety is their biggest concern when using our streets,” Broome said. “That’s why the parish town has embarked on a multi-year effort to reduce deaths and injuries on local roads that often exceed the number recorded by other comparable municipalities.”

Broome noted that the parish town has used revenue from the MOVEBR capital improvement program to redesign and rebuild roads, streets and intersections to add new safety features.

“With over 65 additional miles of new bike lanes and over 100 additional miles of sidewalks currently being planned or designed as part of our MOVEBR program, we are working to make our streets safer and more accessible to everyone,” she said.

Lambert said people walking on the edge of the roadway or on a sidewalk should walk towards oncoming traffic to avoid being hit.

“If you walk with traffic on the right side of the road, you are three times more likely to be hit and killed than if you walk against traffic,” he said.

For drivers, Lambert said to keep a watchful eye and always wear a seatbelt because it has saved the lives of thousands of Louisiana drivers over the years.

“If you’re driving, just be careful and be alert because there are a lot more people walking and cycling than before,” he said.

While Louisiana is seeing an increase in traffic fatalities, the number of fatalities is consistent with national trends. Last year, the United States recorded the largest year-over-year increase ever reported in the national data system.

here are the Top 5 deadliest parishes in 2021:

East Baton Rouge Parish: 104

Orleans Parish: 69

Parish of Calcasieu: 56

Caddo Parish: 47

Jefferson Parish: 45

East Baton Rouge Parish Traffic Fatalities

Year 2022 to date: 54

2021: 104

2020: 89

2019: 59

2018: 66

2017: 69

2016: 51

2015: 41

Trends in state accidents, fatalities

There was a worrying increase last year — 32% — in cases of people driving while intoxicated/impaired, said Schneider, the state analyst.

Here are some other statewide trends for 2021 identified by Schneider:

174 interstate deaths, which is a staggering 49% increase from 2020.
an all-time high of 185 pedestrian fatalities, an increase of nearly 27% from 2020.
a 17% increase in collisions resulting in moderate or serious injury.
a 4.9% increase in motorcycle fatalities, which were down in previous years.
a 2.9% increase in cycling fatalities.

See complete totals by parish.

What Beginning Pharmacists Need to Know About Business

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 19, 2022

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Pharmacists must be involved in all aspects of their activity and with the various professional groups available.

To be an effective pharmacist, it is not enough to dispense prescriptions and consult patients. The independent pharmacist is particularly a businessperson, as well as a health care provider, and should be good at the former if he plans to continue doing the latter, at least independently. Most pharmacist training programs are ill-equipped for the business aspects of the industry and the training system is not fully aligned with the needs of a retail pharmacy owner.

A pharmacist who runs a business in addition to providing patient care must have specific skills and up-to-date credentials. Because the training world doesn’t have many solutions for freelancers hoping to eventually become owner-operators, we should review some key tips for the business side of the pharmacy career.

Part of the scene
Newcomers starting a business often forget that their pharmacy can only be successful if local customers allow it. When opening a practice, the primary goal is to serve patients as part of the local healthcare system.

Pharmacists need to develop a business plan that suits the character of their neighborhood and a marketing plan that directly addresses a concrete community need. Pharmacists have to find a nearby wholesaler, get along with a local bank, and enthusiastically participate in business life.

It’s who you know
Pharmacy is a retail business and retail is a social business, so networking is essential. Beyond establishing a good link with the community as a service provider, pharmacists must develop links with other operators of medicine and health care, whether with doctors, physiotherapists, chiropractors, massage therapists or psychiatrists. Patients need more than just medication, and a pharmacist who can refer other practitioners – and be recommended by them – is in a strong position within the healthcare ecosystem.

Once your business is established, personal development never stops and is a great way to keep networking. Pharmacists must be involved in all aspects of their business and with the various professional groups available, whether they are associated with their college of pharmacy or health networks. Pharmacists who are women, people of color, LGBTQ+, disabled or any other demographic can find a peer group to learn from and support each other, building solidarity and improving as professionals.

Never stop improving
Many of the skills a pharmacist needs cannot even be part of a school curriculum and must be learned through experience. For patients, this means learning the skill of keeping them adherent to treatment regimens and comfortable going to the pharmacy to discuss their concerns. For the business itself, that means understanding spreadsheets, marketing, accounting, and public awareness.

While running their business, a pharmacist must continue their formal training and certification process. It is important to have all possible identifying information after his name. Certification to prescribe as a pharmacist is especially vital in taking any refresher or development courses necessary to maintain that status.

Find a niche
There’s nothing stopping a pharmacist from creating a specialty practice and it’s a great way to stand out in their community and go above and beyond for those who need specialized help. Different levels of licensing and accreditation are available for pharmacists, and each practitioner may have a passion for a particular subset of the population.

There’s always a demand for specialists, whether it’s diabetes care, oncology, pediatrics—any field of medicine. In many cases, specialist salaries are higher and patient needs are greater, and sometimes the problems that a dedicated expert can solve are greater. In this case, a good marketer can ensure that the pharmacist targets the patient group he has chosen.

To delegate
Pharmacists who understand the business side of their career know that ideally they need specialized staff or contractors to handle operational functions. Patient care coordinators can work directly with customers on many different types of calls, while store managers make the pharmacy itself look and function like a professional space, and a marketing firm can publicize the services available in the community.

Arguably the most important employee of all, an accountant helps balance the books and ensure the business remains solvent. Accountants are also helpful in navigating the tax strategies and procedures necessary to ensure a successful pharmacy.

This expertise is especially useful for students and early-career pharmacists to launch their business, establish ownership and stakes, and create value. Yet it’s at the start that most pharmacists have no idea they should.

Acquire help
Doing all the work necessary to keep a pharmacy running can be exhausting and hiring a different specialist for each task is often prohibitively expensive. For some pharmacies, the best option may be to hire an outside company to take some of the pressure of business operations on the owner.

These partner organizations take care of areas such as financing, legal work, contracts and wholesale negotiations, removing much of the pharmacist’s workload. They also put in place the technology needed for a busy pharmacy to thrive in the digital age.

Running a pharmacy is no small feat, even for the tough world of small business. By quickly learning key business skills, networking diligently, and knowing how to hire the right people or company for each task, entry-level pharmacists can fit into their location and become an indispensable part of the business and healthcare landscape. health.

About the Author

Dalbir Bains is Founder, President and CEO of FGC Health, a leading provider of consumer healthcare services in Canada as well as industry-specific commercial technologies. He previously founded and grew Amenity Health Care into a large network of independent pharmacies, which was eventually sold to a private equity firm.

Pa. Communities seek solutions to increased flood risk often caused by climate change

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 18, 2022

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Samantha Sharp was home alone in her Middletown home when floodwaters came through the windows and started filling her basement.

It was 2011 and Tropical Storm Lee was sweeping through Pennsylvania.

“I called my dad in a panic. I’m like, I don’t know what I’m supposed to do. I can’t get him to stop coming in,” Sharp said.

When Sharp’s mother, Deb Sharp, returned home from work that day, she remembers walking in knee-deep water to get home.

The basement had been a relaxation area, with a pool table and a kitchenette. It also housed the house’s circuit breaker, furnace, water heater, and served as storage for holiday decorations and family heirlooms.

Courtesy of Samantha Sharp

/

Samantha Sharp points to debris left by floodwaters on her basement ceiling beams on August 10, 2022.

All of this had to be discarded or replaced.

Because Tropical Storm Lee was declared a disaster by then-President Barack Obama, the Sharps got some help replacing their furnace. But they had no flood insurance. Their home is located away from the Susquehanna River and Swatara Creek, outside of the historic floodplain.

Climate change is expected to make Pennsylvania warmer and wetter, with more intense gusty rain. Because of this, floodwaters are now appearing outside federally designated flood zones. It will be up to the communities to determine how to respond.

After 2011, the Sharps moved the circuit breaker upstairs, installed sump pumps, and cleaned up the basement.

“I really didn’t think it was going to happen again. I thought it was just a weird thing,” Deb Sharp said. “I don’t think about that anymore.”

In 2017, another storm dropped over 4 inches of rain on Middletown in about an hour. Water seeped from the walls and floor of the basement, then backed up through the family’s sump pumps when the borough’s storm drains were overwhelmed. The Sharps’ basement filled like a bathtub.

“And I thought, that’s it. We’re gonna lose everything, you know? said Deb Sharp.

In a video Samantha took at the time, brown water covers the front yard. The street looks like a river.

The 2017 storm was not named and the damage it caused did not warrant a disaster declaration. But he left his mark.

The water pipes are still visible on the stairs leading to the basement, a few inches from the first floor of the house.

Samantha remembers carrying her then 3-year-old son, crying and shaking, through the water to a relative’s house. The whole family now gets angry every time it rains.

Deb and Samantha Sharp stand outside their home in Middletown on August 10, 2022.

Hidden streams

Deb Sharp didn’t even think about flooding when she and her husband bought the cottage-style home in 1996.

But now she is not sure if she can stay and continue to live during the floods. She said she couldn’t afford to move and wasn’t even sure anyone else would buy it after the recent floods.

“It was our house, and that’s not fair. So I don’t know what to do. I’m really taken,” she said.

Intense storms that cause flash flooding are likely to become more frequent in Pennsylvania with climate change, and they occur outside of historic floodplains.

Legacy infrastructure can make the problem worse – and in some cases it hides even more problems.

Penn State Harrisburg researchers are trying to understand all the factors behind this.

After the 2017 flood, the borough asked Shirley Clark, a professor of environmental engineering at Penn State Harrisburg, to help identify the issues.

She started with records at the Pennsylvania State Museum, where she discovered a forgotten, buried creek that was diverted in storm sewer pipes and paved over between the 1930s and 1950s. It doesn’t appear on modern maps.

Clark thinks the creek probably runs near the Sharps’ house.

This stream is Bloody Run, presumably named after the Slaughterhouses that were next to it.

Bloody Run begins north of the Pennsylvania Turnpike and runs roughly where Middletown’s Spruce Street is now. It is briefly visible between Oak Hills Park and East High Street before disappearing underground again.

Many cities have similar buried streams, including Harrisburg, Lancaster, Philadelphia, New York, and Boston. Somewhere in their history, city planners decided that waterways were a nuisance or thought they should be replaced with building land.

Clark and his students are now trying to understand the relationship between forgotten streams, precipitation rates, soil moisture, and flooding.

“And that’s an area that we just don’t have enough information about, except that we know it’s a problem in areas known as environmental justice zones,” she said. declared.

Bloody Run, seen here August 10, 2022, in daylight between Oak Hills Park and East High St. in Middletown.

Understand the problem

But the thing about water – the harder you try to squeeze it, the faster it runs out of your hand.

“We don’t understand that – you’re putting more water into the stream from the stream itself, you’re putting more water on the ground, raising the water table, you’re putting compaction, and you’re basically creating a bowl very shallow that needs to hold water,” Clark said. “And that water is going to flow somewhere. And the longer it flows, the easier it’s going to find the easiest place to go.

Clark’s work in Middletown is funded by the Pennsylvania Sea Grant Program. His team will collect and review data such as soil compaction and water infiltration rates in different areas of the borough. But a second phase of the project will focus on information such as the stress caused by repeated flooding for residents of Middletown.

Qualifying for federal disaster assistance is a complicated process. Damage costs must reach a certain amount per capita for people to get help. A state’s governor must request a disaster declaration from the president and show that the damage exceeds the ability of the state alone to respond.

Floods that only hit a small area usually don’t cause enough damage to qualify for disaster relief funds, which can add more pressure to people trying to clean up. Samantha Sharp said her parents probably spent around $50,000 cleaning up after the 2011 and 2017 floods.

It will be up to the borough to use the information gathered by its team to find fixes, although Middletown has no obligation to follow the researchers’ recommendations.

“The real goal is to get data from the field, so when we start targeting solutions, we’re targeting the problem and we’re actually going to deliver a solution,” Clark said.

Borough Director Kenneth Klinepeter said he hopes the work of Clark’s team will show the borough where money is best spent on solutions. He said the borough has not upgraded its storm sewer system since he took office in 2016. Once more data becomes available, engineers will be able to determine what types of upgrades are necessary.

Look (middle) west

For example, the borough might look to Dubuque, Iowa. Beginning in 1999, the city experienced six storms over a 12-year period that were declared federal disasters.

These storms put the city on the path to a radical solution that included the discovery, or “natural lighting,” of a buried creek.

The old Bee Branch Sewer is now Bee Branch Creek again, with a park and walking trails. The city bought up about 100 properties to make space for the project and move people out of the flood-prone area.

Dubuque also built green infrastructure like rain gardens and streets with permeable pavement. He added retention ponds upstream to hold water during heavy storms.

Deron Muehring, a civil engineer from Dubuque who ran the Bee Branch program, said they tried to build for the future.

Usually engineers design for the 100 year event, which means something with a 1% chance of happening every year. Dubuque built for the 500 year event.

“It made sense for us to design for these 500 years to be better positioned to deal with whatever the future might throw at us in terms of precipitation,” Muehring said.

His advice to other cities trying to solve similar flooding problems: involve residents early in the process and plan well in advance to best take advantage of available grants.

Muehring said communities shouldn’t be afraid to think big. He said that if he had seen the plans for Bee Branch’s final project 20 years ago, he wouldn’t have thought it was possible.

The plan has been the subject of criticism. Newspaper reports from the time show people were outraged that the city was considering demolishing homes. Some said that the price offered for their properties was not enough. And others didn’t want to see utility bills go up because of upgrades.

But Muehring said the project was working. In July, the city broke a daily rainfall record with more than 2 inches in a matter of hours. In the past, Muehring said it likely would have caused flooding, but not this time.

He said now the Bee Branch Creek is considered an asset. He even sees real estate ads advertising “Bee Branch Facade”.

Middletown and Dubuque have some similarities. Both sit on major rivers, the Susquehanna and Mississippi, and have buried streams.

But Middletown is a borough of less than 10,000 people, while Dubuque has nearly 60,000 people. It cost around $160 million just to bring Bee Branch to light, not including other infrastructure upgrades. The budget for solutions in Middletown will likely be smaller.

People like Deb Sharp want to see patches soon. But solutions will take time.

Dubuque’s Bee Branch project took over a decade from concept to completion.

Middletown is just getting started.

Martha’s Vineyard flights disturb migrant advocates

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 18, 2022

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SAN ANTONIO — After an arduous journey to reach the United States from Venezuela, migrant Israel Garcia thought he had found refuge when federal immigration officials said he could stay in the United States while his case was pending. instance.

But as he stood outside a migrant shelter in Texas this week, he struggled to know where to go and what to do next. Agents had told him he couldn’t work, but a man approached him offering a free flight to Washington, as well as housing and a job.

Garcia, 27, a carpenter, was suspicious.

“To me, it was a false promise,” he said.

Migrant leaders say efforts by GOP governors of Florida and Texas to bus and fly newcomers to places like Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts and DC have created an additional level of confusion for migrants. and sparked fears that they would be coerced by deceptive offers to go elsewhere.

The city of San Antonio – where Florida Governor Ron DeSantis chartered flights to transport 50 migrants out of state this week – said on Saturday it was advising migrants “not to accept rides or other assistance from ‘strangers’ outside the Migrant Resource Center. Some of those who took the DeSantis flights say they were approached by a woman named Perla near the shelter. The city said signs were posted providing a national human trafficking hotline.

The shelter can accommodate 700 people and has served more than 24,000 migrants since it opened in July, funded by the Federal Emergency Management Administration through December. But Catholic Charities is resuming operations in the city on Monday, after the group’s chief executive, Antonio Fernandez, raised concerns about the site recruiting migrants under false pretences.

Fernandez said he plans to install security cameras and asked staff to be on the lookout for scouts lingering outside.

“I’m concerned. Who recruited them? I don’t really know,” he said. “It shows how the system works: they can take them anywhere by lying to them.”

The organization has hired 145 staff, plans to remove the center’s three-day stay limit and offer more services. They will also rename it the “Centro de Bienvenida”, or reception center, and offer food, clothing and case management. Fernandez said the shelter will not accommodate buses provided by Governor Greg Abbott.

Other migrant advocacy groups are also stepping in to heighten vigilance.

The League of United Latin American Citizens posted “Wanted” flyers at San Antonio shelters with a $5,000 reward for “information leading to a positive identification, arrest and conviction” of Perla, the court said. migrant woman approaching them outside the city shelter.

The group’s national president, Domingo Garcia, said Friday that nine Venezuelan migrants at Martha’s Vineyard told him they spoke with Perla before boarding the flights.

“She promised them that they would receive three months of paid work. Under immigration law, they’re here on parole. They have a court date. It is illegal for them to work. It therefore encourages them to work, which is a federal offence. She inspires them to break the law,” Garcia said.

Garcia said all of the migrants crossed the Rio Grande and were detained near the border town of Eagle Pass, Texas, before making their way to San Antonio. His group is sending volunteers to Eagle Pass this week to educate migrants about their rights, he said. They also plan to erect migrant billboards along I-35 outside of Eagle Pass and San Antonio, he said, “Warning the danger of strangers with people offering jobs and free transport which are not legitimate services to refugees”.

Other advocates have raised concerns about how migrants in places like Cape Cod, Mass., will handle their cases from afar. Rachel Self, a Boston lawyer who helps migrants, said the US Department of Homeland Security released the migrants with forms that incorrectly stated they would be residing in homeless shelters in Washington state in Florida then told them to register at nearby immigration offices once they arrived.

She said the DHS forms and Florida’s decision to airmail them to Martha’s Vineyard left migrants “terrified” about missing mandatory appointments and being deported without a hearing.

In an interview on Saturday, Self said immigration lawyers had been successful in securing extensions for migrants to register with immigration officials and were trying to find lawyers to defend them against deportation. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which represents the government in deportation proceedings, did not respond to requests for comment on Saturday.

Homeland Security officials pushed back against any suggestion of wrongdoing, saying Saturday they had nothing to do with states’ transportation efforts and did not know which migrants were taken to Martha’s Vineyard or what their parents were saying. forms. Officials said migrants must declare a US address before being released and register with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) until their case is resolved.

Any information on the forms is based on what migrants have told authorities, officials said.

Officials said they are also giving migrants electronic devices with instructions on how to use them to quickly update their new addresses to avoid missing appointments. DHS does background checks on migrants before releasing them to local shelters, nonprofits or city departments to help them find housing or transportation.

DHS officials criticized Republican governors for failing to coordinate the arrival of buses and planes with state and local governments.

“DHS officials work around the clock to enforce our laws, treat migrants appropriately, and care for those in detention. Unlike those governors, they are not in the business of using vulnerable men, women and children as props for a political coup,” DHS spokesman Luis Miranda said.

Self-proclaimed attorneys have also called for a criminal investigation into the thefts in Florida and plan to file a lawsuit in federal court “to prevent this from happening again.” She said advocates are also warning migrants in Texas and other border states to exercise caution when accepting rides and to avoid scenarios that seem “too good to be true.”

“They are preying on a vulnerable population,” she said of the people who recruited the migrants at the vineyard. “There have been a lot of misrepresentations made here.”

Republicans defended the action, saying border towns were seeing even greater influxes. Federal border agents made nearly 2 million arrests at the southern border this fiscal year, surpassing last year’s total.

The transport of migrants by bus from Texas to Washington continued on Saturday: about fifty migrants, including a one-month-old baby, arrived at the residence of Vice President Harris. The bus sent by Abbott dropped off the migrants, mostly Venezuelans, in front of the Naval Observatory on Saturday morning. The Texas governor also sent three migrant buses to New York on Saturday.

Migrant advocates at the border were working to ensure migrants were better informed of their rights and travel options, but said there were limits to what they could do.

Tiffany Terrier, director of operations for the Val Verde Border Humanitarian Coalition in Del Rio, Texas, said she had “major concerns” about the Martha’s Vineyard thefts, calling them “misleading”.

“There’s nothing transparent about how this operation unfolded,” Burrow said.

She said her group “integrates the awareness of these types of possibilities into our orientation.” But she does not discourage migrants from taking the free buses provided by Abbott.

“At the end of the day, the migrants decide if it is a good fit for their needs,” she said, noting that the day shelter in the small border town, “cannot do much. The migrants are with us for such a short time, often less than half an hour… wherever the final destination is, it makes the most sense to gather this kind of in-depth assistance.

Reverend Gavin Rogers said volunteers from the Corazón Ministries at Travis Park Church were trying to help migrants they met at the downtown bus station, but “political agents are finding people to recruit migrants for traveling”.

“It really is a form of human trafficking,” he said. “We try to tell people to follow what is on their asylum papers, to go to the city where they have to go,” to inquire with federal immigration officials. “Ironically, migrants need transportation. The governors of Texas and Florida are so close to helping – if they would just look at the piece of paper that says where they need to be.

Venezuelan migrant Mike Betancourt Vivas was outside the city shelter on Saturday, trying to find a way to get to Washington state. He had crossed the border at Eagle Pass, but had never seen the state buses. If he had the option, he said, he would take one.

“We need a way to get directly to our destination. People here close the door and don’t give us opportunities, just like other countries, like Panama and Costa Rica,” he said.

Betancourt, 26, a construction worker and songwriter with a wife and two daughters stuck in Colombia, said he didn’t mind being a political pawn if it allowed him to travel to Washington for free.

“I don’t care,” he said. “I just want to go.”

Fund to help women in southern New Mexico pay installments and education expenses

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 17, 2022

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Staff reports
| Las Cruces Sun-News

This article was submitted by the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico. Louise Trask died in July 2021.

Finding a way to honor Louise Trask’s legacy was not difficult. The seed of inspiration was planted when Louise’s eldest daughter, Melissa Henry, was just 5 years old. Louise took her two young daughters to church one day and when the pastor called for a prayer request, Melissa raised her little hand and said, “I would like to ask you to pray that my dad will stop hitting my mom. .

Fortunately, Melissa’s prayers have been answered. The church community rallied around Louise in support, giving her a moving truck to pack her things and gas money. She ended up in Las Cruces and became a well-known face in the community. After several years working in sales for the manufactured home industry, Louise was hired as a mortgage loan officer at a local credit union. While there, she made it her mission to help others realize their dream of buying their forever home. “She was like a mom figure to everyone,” Melissa said. “She helped people fix their credit and gave them tips like ‘you don’t have to eat a burrito at a restaurant every day for lunch’ to get people to start thinking about saving for their new home.”

Even though the high demands and commitments at home prevented Louise from graduating from high school, education has always remained important to her. She has volunteered at local schools, sharing her time and expertise to help provide financial literacy information to high school youth. Louise also used her past experiences to speak in college home economics classes about domestic violence, including types of abuse and signs to look out for.

Louise used the church’s investment to create a new life, a life filled with hope, love and service to her community. Now that his daughter Melissa and her husband, Dr. Kevin E. Henry, are church founders and pastors in Pantego, Texas, they, along with their church family at Word of Truth International Ministries, have chosen to come full circle. of Louise’s story by creating The Louise Trask Memorial Foundation Fund. The fund, housed at the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, was created to help other women in southern New Mexico who were in situations of domestic violence find a fresh start. Proceeds from the fund will provide assistance with new down payments, apartment rent and deposits, and education-related expenses such as tuition or GED application fees.

When we asked Melissa why the creation of this fund was important, she replied: “We can use what has been done for my mother, my sister and me to help other mothers and their children and give them a Second chance. This is my mother’s legacy – she meant well for everyone and had a caring heart for others.

Louise’s family also found creative ways for those who knew Louise to help support the endowment established in her memory. Special commemorative t-shirts will be sold with proceeds going to the Louise Trask Memorial Foundation fund. After Louise passed away, Melissa rediscovered a children’s book she wrote in seventh grade and which her mother helped her create. The book “Where’s Sara?” will be published and dedicated to Louise, with proceeds from the sale also supporting the endowment.

To learn more about the Louise Trask Memorial Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation of Southern New Mexico, visit https://bit.ly/3bS39Aq.

US agriculture chief visits state

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 17, 2022

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ENGLAND — US Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack traveled to Arkansas on Friday to meet with farmers and discuss new US Department of Agriculture programs designed to increase sustainability.

Funding for these programs is part of the Biden administration’s Climate Smart Agriculture initiative, designed to support pilot programs that will help farmers transition to sustainable farming practices, establish new markets to create and grow sources of revenues and to verify and report data that proves to consumers that crops have been produced sustainably, Vilsack said.

“Farmers, ranchers, growers… across the country probably understand and appreciate the challenges of climate change better than anyone on the planet,” Vilsack said on Friday during a visit to Isbell Farms in England.

“They face it every day, they face it in the form of mega droughts in some parts of our country, wildfires in other parts of our country, major floods that occur periodically and with greater frequency and intensity…windstorms, hurricanes, the whole nine yards.”

“They also know they have a responsibility that they take very seriously, and that responsibility is to be stewards of our lands and waters,” Vilsack said.

USA Rice Federation, Winrock International and Tyson Foods will take the lead on major contracts worth at least $160 million.

These projects will primarily focus on rice production, a few other row crops, and livestock and poultry.

Vilsack announced earlier this year that the USDA had allocated $1 billion to its Partnerships for Climate-Smart Commodities program to be split into two funding pools, but the Biden-Harris administration increased the total funding to about 3, $5 billion due to increased demand from candidates.

USDA Invests Up to $2.8 Billion in 70 Projects for First Funding Pool to Support “Climate-Smart” Projects; 20 of these projects are expected to affect Arkansas.

An estimated 50,000 farmers in the United States and Puerto Rico will participate in the programs, Vilsack said, and more than 55 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent will be sequestered over the five years of the 70 projects.

Proposals for the projects include plans to leverage matching funds of up to 50% of federal investments on average from non-federal sources, according to the USDA release.

Funding for the program will be done in two phases by Commodity Credit Corp. from the USDA. The projects chosen for the second funding pool will be announced later this year.

The USA Rice Federation will receive $80 million for its Rice Stewardship Partnership for Climate-Smart Commodities project to help farmers adopt conservation practices that will reduce their water use when growing rice and also help them trying to reduce methane, a greenhouse gas emission.

“For this particular project, we’re looking at 400,000 impacted acres, 25% of which is specifically for historically underserved growers, and what that will do is enable all of those growers to activate climate-smart practices,” Isbell Farms said Mark Isbell, partner and rice farmer.

“We’re still going to impact water quality, we’re still going to impact air quality, we’re still going to impact soil health, but we’re also going to reduce greenhouse gases. greenhouse, and that will have a substantial impact on the climate in the future,” Isbell said.

Isbell Farms produces nearly 3,000 acres of rice annually using zero-grade technology to reduce water and land use and increase efficiency.

USA Rice works with Ducks Unlimited of Memphis, Walmart, the National Black Grower’s Council, Anheuser-Busch of Missouri, Riceland Foods of Arkansas — a member of USA Rice — Arva Intelligence, the University of Arkansas and others for the project.

“The Rice Federation project was the highest rated project of all the various grants [proposals] that were submitted,” Vilsack said.

Winrock International is receiving $20 million to help farmers — especially historically underserved growers — adopt sustainable farming practices.

Winrock also works with Riceland Foods and Arva Intelligence, as well as the Intertribal Agriculture Council.

Springdale-based Tyson Foods Inc. will receive $60 million to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and increase carbon sequestration in beef production and row crops for livestock feed such as corn , and to provide technical assistance and incentive payments to underserved small-scale producers.

Tyson works with Bayer; McDonalds; Scoular, an agricultural supply chain solutions company; Where Food Comes From, a third-party food verification company; Iowa Select, the eighth largest pork producer in the United States; some Native American tribal communities; and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development, of which Tyson is a member.

Why climate activist and drag queen Pattie Gonia is taking a stand for regenerative agriculture

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 16, 2022

0

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From taking the train instead of the plane to following a strict plant-based diet, there are plenty of ways to minimize our individual carbon footprint. For drag queen and climate activist Pattie Gonia, small but consistent lifestyle changes are key. Among them is buying from brands that focus on regenerative agriculture.

We spoke with Pattie Gonia to find out why regenerative agriculture is so important for a more sustainable future and all the reasons we should seek out farmers and brands investing in regenerative organic farming practices as it unfolds. was launching a campaign with TAZO tea.

Can you tell us a bit more about what regenerative agriculture really is?

It’s climate change mitigation, it’s food security, it’s agriculture that takes care of people and the planet and I believe that’s the future and the action we need to see the brands take. At its core, regenerative organic farming – the path taken by TAZO – looks like repairing soils and enhancing biodiversity as a way to sequester carbon. But holistically, it’s also about caring for the people and animals that are also part of the process, with fair wages, strong ethics, and strong connections to every piece of the regenerative organic agriculture puzzle in the shared ecosystem framework.

The practice is an age-old agricultural approach pioneered by indigenous farmers that gives back to the health of the soil, the ecosystem, and the people who depend on the land. Today, experts like the Regenerative Organic Alliance have defined regenerative organic agriculture as an approach that embraces soil health while prioritizing animal welfare and worker equity.

TAZO is currently working towards regenerative organic certification for its entire product line and is a proud ally of the Regenerative Organic Alliance.

Why should environmentally conscious consumers care about regenerative agriculture?

I think we should care about regenerative agriculture because agriculture accounts for a lot of our carbon emissions – and a lot of what we do, eat, drink. Ensuring we can shift to regenerative agriculture will be key to meeting carbon targets. Regenerative practices are key to improving soil health, human health, and worker justice and, therefore, bringing intersectional climate justice to agriculture.

While legitimate regenerative agriculture is great, how can consumers avoid companies that engage more in greenwashing than real change?

It’s harder than ever to tell who is greenwashing and who is not. So my rule is: I seek action. Action, action, action. What has a brand actually done? What are they doing right now? What are their ethics and morals? What is their plan for the future? I’m blown away by what TAZO has done over the past two years to completely rethink their supply chain, transition to regenerative agriculture, and earn certifications such as USDA Organic, Rainforest Alliance Certified, and Fair Trade USA Certified™ for their new range of regenerative tea. On top of that, TAZO has put its money where it’s at when it comes to partnerships like their partnership with Rodale Institute for their Regenerative Launch.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to live a sustainable life, but might feel overwhelmed with the question of how to make a difference?

I rely on the words of a climate elder of mine, Dr. Ayana Elizabeth Johnson. “Ask yourself: What makes me happy? What is the job to do? What are you good at? At the intersection of these questions will be your unique course of action.

Do whatever you can to eliminate shame from your life [when it comes to] environmentalism. Shame never works as a motivator. Be kind to yourself. Pursue sustainable environmentalism.

Do you have anything else to tell us about climate activism?

Nature is so strange. No planet, no pride. Please come out. You are loved.

RELATED: This company is helping improve coffee for farmers and the planet

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Katy ISD unblocks LGBTQ+ websites after year of student advocacy, ACLU letter

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 16, 2022

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After the ACLU alleged First Amendment violations, Katy ISD changed its internet policies to allow students access to websites that serve LGBTQ+ youth.

In a written response to a formal complaint from a student and a letter of support from the ACLU of Texas as well as Lambda Legal, administrators said third-party Internet filtering software used by KISD blocks websites aimed at LGBTQ+ communities that contained no pornographic material. students. After a district investigation into the complaint, an administrator said internet filters would be changed to allow access to websites for all high school students.

District officials have previously responded to inquiries about its practice of blocking the websites of organizations such as the nonprofit suicide prevention organization The Trevor Project by citing its obligation to comply with federal privacy law. Children’s Internet Protection, which requires schools to censor obscene images for minors.

Cameron Samuels, now a graduate of Seven Lakes High School who filed the formal complaint, said the policy change is a step in the right direction for the district.

“I see this as a victory,” Samuels, who is now studying politics at Brandeis University in Massachusetts, said Thursday by phone. “I am so proud to see that the hard work we have put in over these months has paid off.”

Katy ISD did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the outcome of the formal complaint or the ACLU’s allegations. However, Maria Corrales DiPetta, general manager of media relations for KISD, confirmed last week that high school students can now access the Trevor Project website.

“With respect to the website in question, its content was recently reassessed as part of standard District practice, as well as in response to a request for review,” she said. “The site was deemed acceptable and made accessible via district Wi-Fi, with the exception of the chat functionality. The site’s chat room functionality is available to minors and adults and has therefore been restricted by district Wi-Fi as per guidelines (of the Children’s Internet Protection Act).

On HoustonChronicle.com: Most push to ban books in Texas schools came from politician and GOP pressure, not parents

Brian Klosterboer, attorney for the ACLU of Texas, said most districts in the United States and Texas have taken steps to remove these filters created by third-party vendors years ago.

“It is deeply regrettable that it has taken a year of incredible activism and advocacy by Cameron and other students to bring these issues to light,” he said. “Katy ISD seems unique in how long it took to remove discriminatory web filters.”

In November, an analysis by the Houston Chronicle revealed that KISD was blocking several websites of organizations serving LGBTQ+ children, such as the Trevor Project. Other websites included the Montrose Center, a Houston nonprofit with youth services and support groups, the Human Rights Campaign and Advocate, an information source focused on the LGBTQ+ community.

Of the six other Houston-area districts that responded to a Chronicle survey, including Barbers Hill, Fort Bend, Aldine and Friendswood ISDs, none blocked the Trevor Project website to high school students.

At the time, a KISD spokesperson said its third-party Internet filtering software was based on predetermined categories that comply with the Children’s Internet Protection Act.

In April, the ACLU of Texas and Lambda Legal sent the district a letter in support of the formal complaint filed by Samuels. Their correspondence alleged that the district violated students’ First Amendment rights, citing Supreme Court precedent.

“Katy ISD’s filtering software appears to be misconfigured to block websites providing critical information and resources to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (“LGBTQ+”) students in a discriminatory manner,” it read. in the letter.

On HoustonChronicle.com: ‘Harmful to minors’: Texas school district police officer removes book from library after complaint

In a 2012 ACLU report, the organization said it found that many districts across the country used to have web filters that specifically blocked websites with LGBTQ+ content, often at the without the knowledge of the administrators.

“Today, nearly every school district nationwide, including here in Texas, removed these discriminatory web filters that automatically block LGBTQ+ students from accessing essential information and resources,” the letter read. ACLU. “Federal law requires Katy ISD to follow suit and update its web filtering software to meet its constitutional obligations, provide the best possible learning environment for its students, and not discriminate or deny equal access essential resources for LGBTQ+ students.”

The web filtering company used by KISD, ContentKeeper, has a category called “Alternative Sexual Lifestyles (GLBT) Global,” according to district documents. In 2021, the name of the filter was changed to “Human Sexuality”, according to the district.

“Despite the name change, the Human Sexuality category continued to block LGBTQ+ websites,” Leslie Hack, deputy district superintendent, said in a written response to Samuel’s complaint.

On HoustonChronicle.com: Katy ISD assesses changes to library rules, including notifying parents when their child borrows books

Hack said in the response that none of the blocked websites in this category display pornography, adding that another filter called “Adult Content” blocks student access to pornographic images.

In January, the district continued to block websites for the Trevor Project, The Lawyer and Outsmart Magazine to students, but allowed access to some previously blocked sites, including the Montrose Center, the Human Rights Campaign man and PFLAG.

KISD also asked students to submit individual support tickets to request the unblocking of specific sites, according to the letter from the ACLU.

“Requiring students to submit individual support tickets…is not a solution to this problem either, but unacceptably forces LGBTQ+ students to ‘walk out’ and face an intimidating and discriminatory burden for access critical information,” the letter said.

The ACLU and Lambda Legal have also challenged whether students can access websites that advocate restricting LGBTQ+ rights, including Breitbart, Texas Values, and ADFLegal.

“The inconsistency of KISD’s web filtering software is shocking and particularly harmful to LGBTQ+ students,” the letter reads. “If Katy ISD students can freely access websites and information that are harmful to LGBTQ+ students, there is no reason to ban students from an essential resource like the Trevor Project that has the power to literally save the lives of LGBTQ+ students.”

After a district investigation, Hack said in August she granted Samuels’ request and said the internet filtering system would be changed to remove the “Human Sexuality” category altogether, making previously blocked websites accessible to high school students. .

According to the ACLU, the district has also created a process for elementary and middle school students to request that specific sites be unblocked at those levels.

“It’s not the full outcome we wanted, but to see that high school students can now access vital resources to assert their identity is wonderful,” Samuels said.

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Kim Kardashian on Justice Reform on ‘Unreasonable Talk Day’ – The Hollywood Reporter

One community

By

Michael Dabney

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September 16, 2022

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Social impact agency Propper Daley hosted its second “A Day of Unreasonable Talk” summit on Thursday, with a star-studded lineup including Kim Kardashian, Uzo Aduba, Chrissy Teigen, BJ Novak and director and producer Scott Budnick.

The invitation-only event – produced in collaboration with cultural change agency Invisible Hand, featuring The Hollywood Reporter as a Media Partner – took place at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills and featured a full day of programming designed to unite television writers, producers and executives with agents of cultural change. The day’s multiple conversations focused on intellectual humility, mental health, social and economic divide, criminal justice, reproductive rights, climate change, responsible technology and more, with discussions intended to influence future screenplays and maintain narrative authenticity.

Kardashian and Budnick sat down with host Baratunde Thurston for a “How to Fuck in an America Divided” panel, where the two discussed their longstanding advocacy for prison reform after discovering how badly the system is flawed, especially for people of color.

Budnick, who had a successful career as producer of many Todd Phillips films, left the industry for five years to lead the nonprofit The Anti-Recidivism Coalition, which works to end recidivism. mass incarceration in California.

“I took a 90% pay cut, I left my position of power, I couldn’t recruit anyone, I couldn’t hire anyone, and those were the best five years,” Budnick said. . “What I’ve realized in my five years leading this non-profit organization is that it’s about telling stories – all the men and women, boys and girls with who I worked with were meant to tell their stories and humanize them.”

“I think storytelling is so important because people always ask, ‘How can you help? What can you do?’” Kardashian added. you on one case? Work on politics. And I said to them, ‘If you don’t put a face on that rap sheet and you don’t understand’ — people just want safety in the community, they want unless you hear their story, unless you have heard where they are from and where they are now, you won’t feel safe if you just read a bit of paper, so the storytelling aspect is so important for politics to get through.

Kardashian said to balance all of her activism work with her businesses and law school: “I pretty much have a rule that I’m going to do 10 cases at a time and I can’t really go beyond that. .” Budnick also noted that he has 300 CRA people, “everyone who used to be incarcerated, who are now union cameramen, union hair and make-up artists, union wardrobe. It’s been a game-changer,” in particular on his films like just mercy which also deal with on-screen criminal justice reform.

About Budnick’s current film projects, through his One Community co-financing company, he said THR he is looking for “stories that can impact people’s lives but are entertaining; entertainment first. Feed no one his vegetables, no one his medicine. We bring you into a great commercial movie, TV show, docuseries with real movie stars, it’s going to be captivating and entertaining and you don’t know what’s going to happen but you’re going to learn something. You’re going to want to have an impact by the end, and we’re going to give you the path to have an impact at the end,” he said, quoting get out and Black Panther as a source of inspiration.

The summit’s morning lineup also saw Aduba perform a dramatic reading of Jonathan Haidt’s essay After Babel and writer-director Billy Ray – who is currently working with Adam McKay on a feature film about the January 6 uprising – on a panel titled ‘Radicalization: ‘How Could This Get Out of Order?’ »

“We have learned over the past six years that democracy is a decision; it is not an absolute like gravity or sunrise in the morning. Democracy happens when 330 million Americans decide it has to happen and it has to be nurtured and it has to be protected and it has to be watered,” Ray told the audience. “If we don’t, we just won’t have any.”

In the afternoon, Novak took part in a discussion on “Road Trips to Deeper Understanding”, where, inspired by the trip he took for his film Revengehe encouraged Hollywood to “return people to where their roots are so they can hold things accountable and that’s not just Surroundings and shows about privileged people winning all the Emmys.

Zazie Beetz moderated a conversation titled “Apocalypse Never: Our Climate Future and BIPOC Solutions”, and in a side conversation with THR she revealed her hopes for the on-screen climate stories.

“If you’re making a movie in 2022, there’s no world where your story wouldn’t really include a conversation about climate, whether it’s how people choose to eat on your show or to transport itself or crises that might be happening in the background,” she said. “I don’t necessarily think it’s about making the climate the focus of every story, but about making the climate kind of the landscape of a story – just like how, if you do a romantic comedy in New York, New York is going to play a character in the story. Teigen was among the final speakers, leading a lecture on the reproductive rights entitled “I made this choice”.

Propper Daley President Greg Propper, who hosted the first “Day of Unreasonable Talk” since 2019 after missing the past two years due to the pandemic, said the focus this year was on “the issue of intellectual humility and the joy of being wrong, and helping us all develop that muscle of curiosity and asking questions.

And when it came to booking talent and high-profile conversations, the organization sought to “elevate itself out of the cable news debate and conversations and just try to have a conversation more nuanced on the issues. I think most people want that, it’s just hard to find,” Propper added. “I think people care, it’s just a matter of whether we can lure them out of their writers rooms and out of their productions for a day to join us long enough to hear it.”

Samsung sets goal of 100% clean power by 2050

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 15, 2022

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SEOUL, South Korea (AP) — Samsung Electronics is moving away from fossil fuels and aims to power its global operations entirely with clean electricity by 2050, an ambitious goal that experts say could be hampered by South Korea’s modest climate change commitments.

South Korea-based Samsung is a leading producer of computer memory chips and smartphones and, by some estimates, the biggest consumer of energy among hundreds of global companies that have joined the campaign “RE100” to obtain 100% of electricity from renewable sources such as wind or solar energy.

In announcing its goal on Thursday, the company said it aims to achieve net zero carbon emissions across its mobile devices, display panels and consumer electronics divisions by 2030, and across all operations. world, including semiconductors by 2050.

It plans to invest 7 trillion won ($5 billion) through 2030 in projects to reduce process gas emissions, control and recycle e-waste, conserve water and minimize pollutants. He plans to develop new technologies to reduce power consumption in consumer electronics and data centers, which would require more efficient memory chips. It will also set long-term goals to reduce emissions in supply chains and logistics.

“Samsung is responding to the threats of climate change with a comprehensive plan that includes reducing emissions, new sustainability practices, and developing innovative technologies and products that are better for our planet,” said Jong-Hee Han, CEO of the company, in a press release. statement sent by email.

Samsung’s plan has drawn praise from some of its investors, including Dutch pension fund manager APG, which said the company could potentially make a “significant contribution” to cleaning up Korea’s electricity market. of the South, given its impact and influence on the national economy.

But APG also expressed concern that Samsung’s announcement comes at a time when South Korea is backtracking on its climate change goals.

The conservative government of President Yoon Suk Yeol, which took office in May, has focused much of its energy policy on promoting nuclear-generated electricity. Desperate to revive a weak economy, Yoon’s government has also signaled its reluctance to sharply reduce the country’s dependence on coal and gas, which generate about 65% of South Korea’s electricity.

South Korea got 7.5% of its electricity from renewable sources in 2021, which is significantly lower than the 30% average for wealthy countries in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. Yoon’s government recently adjusted the country’s renewable energy target to 21% of the total energy mix by 2030, softening the 30% target announced by his liberal predecessor, Moon Jae-in.

Samsung has acknowledged that it would have a harder time converting to renewable electricity sources at home than in its overseas operations, where it aims to achieve 100% clean energy by 2027.

“As a long-term investor in Korea, we are concerned about how the government plans to reconcile the industry’s desperate need for clean electricity to remain relevant in the long term,” said Yoo-Kyung Park, head of responsible investment and governance at APG for Asia-Pacific. , said in a statement.

Samsung, South Korea’s biggest company, has faced increasing pressure to cut its carbon emissions as it lags behind some of its peers on climate commitments. These companies include Apple, a major buyer of Samsung’s chips, which joined RE100 in 2016 and plans to be carbon neutral across its manufacturing operations and supply chains by 2030, putting the pressure on its suppliers to meet these requirements.

Samsung is the jewel in the crown of an export-dependent economy, driven by the manufacture of semiconductors, cars, displays, cellphones and ships, industries that tend to have a strong energy consumption.

Samsung used 25.8 terawatt hours of electricity for its operations last year, nearly double the amount consumed by all households in South Korea’s capital of Seoul and more than other global tech giants like Google, Apple, Meta, Intel and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing. Company.

Samsung’s embrace of clean electricity could have significant supply chain effects, pushing other companies to increase their renewable energy supplies, said Jin Woo-sam of the Seoul-based Corporate Renewable Energy Foundation. .

“Most significantly, Samsung’s RE100 commitment sends a strong signal to the renewable energy market and policymakers to increase renewable energy supply given the company’s massive electricity consumption,” Jin said.

Reviews | 5 years after Hurricane Maria, we treat climate reality like a game

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 14, 2022

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Ricia Anne Chansky Sancinito is a professor at the University of Puerto Rico, a senior climate justice researcher at the Humanities Action Lab and co-editor of “Mi María: Surviving the Storm, Voice of Puerto Rico.”

A friend recently texted me a picture of an arcade “game” she and her son stumbled upon while taking a break from back-to-school shopping: Hurricane Simulator.

Its description promises that players can “enter and be blown away, regardless of physical danger.” It lets people “feel winds up to 75 mph” while a 42-inch LCD screen displays “physical destruction animations”. People can experience a storm safe from the “danger of flying debris, rising tides, horizontal rain.” Its promoters promise that the simulator is “all for fun”, which equates to “a big profit for the operators!”

The friend who sent the photo is from Puerto Rico, a survivor of the devastation caused by Hurricane Maria, which made landfall five years ago this month. Just like his son. Like me.

It’s strange for us to imagine the person who wants to enter a hurricane simulator and watch destruction animations. It’s hard to imagine community trauma — shared by the 3.3 million people who lived in Puerto Rico when Maria struck — functioning as amusement. But I guess it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the game exists – and that it makes money.

For a company to present disaster as entertainment makes sense when you consider the widespread effectiveness of climate change deniers, who have underestimated the impact of corporations on the environment, largely by decoupling disaster from its human costs.

The latest report from the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been described by António Guterres, the UN Secretary General, as a “red code for humanity”. Why is such a statement, on such a huge crisis, not enough to inspire more people to act?

George Marshall, co-founder of Climate Outreach and author of “Don’t Even Think About It: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Ignore Climate Change,” says that while the science has long been clear, scholarship is not enough to persuade people to take it seriously – because scientific data “does not galvanize our emotional brains into action”.

Paul Slovic, president of Decision Research, suggested that motivating people is difficult because many cannot conceive of how climate change will affect their lives. “The question is often ‘Do I feel vulnerable?’ he told Time in 2018. “For the most part, we don’t, and it shapes our behavior.

Seen in this light, the hurricane simulator is an apt metaphor for the separation between abstract notions of climate disasters and their tangible real-life results. The ‘game’ is a ‘single attraction’, a seemingly harmless thrill – so much easier to step into a box than to confront the true stories of hardship, courage and survival like the ones I’ve recorded over the past five last years. For instance:

Carlos Bonilla Rodríguez, a farmer in San Sebastián, watched from a neighbor’s house as Hurricane Maria ripped the roof off his house. “When it all blew away…and I knew we had nothing,” Carlos said, “the only thing to do was cry.” Although this is the second time Carlos’ home has been destroyed – the first time during Hurricane Georges in September 1998 – he has received no government assistance. As he said, “not even a nail”.

Belle Marie Torres Velázquez, the only doctor in the island municipality of Culebra, was forced to deliver a premature baby in a supply closet because nearly two months after the hurricane there was still no electricity and the closet was the only space close enough to plug into a generator. “This baby was arriving in very poor conditions – with no access to special equipment, no transport and no possible communication with an obstetrician,” she recalled, adding, “All those same feelings of despair are still with me.”

The hurricane simulator is not the problem. The game is a symptom and reflection of a larger crisis, built by individuals, corporations and governments that failed to address a global emergency caused by human degradation of the environment.

In contested spaces like Puerto Rico, this is an emergency whose consequences are compounded by existing inequalities, systemic racism, colonial practices and predatory maneuvers such as “disaster capitalism”, which enriches the profiteers. deprived at the expense of the rest of us.

As Puerto Rico prepares for the height of the 2022 storm season, our recently privatized power grid is frequently failing, leaving many people without power. Thousands of houses have not been rebuilt. Access to medical care is extremely difficult. And schools, roads and health facilities remain in a deteriorating state. What happens if we find ourselves in the path of another Category 5 hurricane?

This is not a simulation. It is not an exercise. But for the many stakeholders who find climate issues too remote from their own experiences to care about, or too inconvenient to care about when there are corporate profit margins to consider, this global crisis will remain. simply a game – until it’s far too late for any of us to win.

US gun rights advocate asks appeals court to block Trump-era ban on bump stocks – JURIST

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

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September 14, 2022

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United States The Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday heard arguments again in a case filed by gUN rights activist Micheal Cargillo to challenge the Trump-era bump stock ban. Cargill filed a motion for a new bench hearing in January, aarguing that the challenged rule incorrectly classifies a stock of moguls as machine guns.

After a 2017 mass shooting in Las Vegas, the Trump administration enacted a rule expanding the definition of machine gun in the Gun Control Act (GCA) and National Firearms Act (NFA) to include protective stocks. Cargill believes the rule exceeds the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) definition of a machine gun. The United States District Court for the Western District of Texas and the The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit upheld the ban.

In court on Tuesday, Cargill’s attorney argued that the bump stocks are not a machine gun because, to fire continuous shots, you have to “pull the trigger and push the barrel forward to fire quickly.” while “a machine gun is a weapon that can fire more than one shot automatically by a single trigger pull.

Other federal courts upheld the ban and the U.S. Supreme Court denied petitions to reconsider the case twice.

Dame Lisa Carrington accepts the honour, overlooked by the late Queen’s portrait

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

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September 13, 2022

0

Juan Zarama Perini

Lisa Carrington, New Zealand’s most decorated Olympian, received her Dame title at Government House on Tuesday.

Five-time Olympic gold medalist Dame Lisa Carrington led a list of honored investitures at Government House following the Queen’s death.

The famous canoe racer said it was special to be able to experience the whole ceremony and receive her badge and korowai with the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II still hanging on the wall in front of her.

“It’s really nice to be able to celebrate it in an official way…to be able to do it is a huge privilege.”

In the absence of Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, who is in the UK for the Queen’s funeral, the Government Administrator presented the titles of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

READ MORE:
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* Dame Lisa Carrington defeats Aimee Fisher in the third race of the K1 500m duel at Lake Karapiro
* Lisa Carrington, three-time gold medalist in Tokyo, wins the Lonsdale Cup for 2021

Carrington was made a Dame Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit for her services to canoe racing in the same year she became New Zealand’s most successful Olympian.

She has also been recognized for her coaching and support of young paddlers at her home club in Ōhope as well as her work with Canoe Racing New Zealand to develop the sport.

Meanwhile, in 2021, she was also named the most influential Maori sports personality of the past 30 years, as well as the Halberg Sportswoman of the Decade.

Juan Zarama Perini

In the absence of Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro, the Government Administrator presented the titles of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Carrington said it was “not something I ever thought would happen”.

The investiture ceremony was an important time to look back on her accomplishments, she said.

“It’s not something I think about every day, but it’s really nice to have times like this to be able to do that.”

After a month away from training, following her third gold medal at the sprint canoe world championships, Carrington said she is back.

Although she didn’t have the ‘longest career’ as an athlete, she hoped to continue making an impact and ‘doing something for New Zealand, New Zealanders, our young wāhine, children’ , as had others on the list of nominations.

Abigail Dougherty / Stuff

Director and producer Chelsea Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi) has been made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit.

Chelsea Winstanley (Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi Te Rangi), who was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, said she was grateful to be recognized for her contributions. “But it’s not just me,” she said, “there are so many other people who help me do what I do and I’m so grateful for that.”

“I am so honored and delighted because I have my whānau here with me, I wear my tipuna’s beautiful taonga.”

The filmmaker and producer has been recognized for her service to the screen industry and Maori.

She was the first indigenous wāhine producer to be nominated for a Best Picture Oscar with Taika Waititi’s Jojo Rabit and the producer behind te reo Māori versions of Disney’s Moana, Lion King and Frozen.

Waititi was also among those recognized at this week’s investiture ceremonies.

Breakfast

The monarch will be buried in St George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle.

Winstanley said her work was “for our babies of tomorrow, to see their own language in public spaces, in movies, and to be proud to step into those spaces.”

“Standardizing te reo Maori should be something we all embrace because it’s the language of the country,” she said.

To commemorate Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee, two additional members will receive New Zealand’s highest honor at investitures this week.

Former Governor General Dame Silvia Cartwright receives additional Order of New Zealand for her significant contributions to the legal profession; work that includes participating in a United Nations investigation into alleged war crimes in Sri Lanka, investigating North Korea’s violations of international law, and leading the public inquiry into the Earthquake Commission .

Sir Tipene O’Regan receives an additional Order of New Zealand for his work in academia, the public sector and his influential contributions to Ngāi Tahu.

Ruth Aitken, coach of world champion Silver Ferns, is among the wāhine toa receiving Damehoods. Hugh Rennie will receive a Knighthood for services to governance, law, business and community.

Former children’s commissioner Andrew Becroft and para-athlete Holly Robinson are also among those recognized.

The race begins to dig a 2-mile sewer tunnel under the Potomac River

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

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September 12, 2022

0

A crucial race against time to dig a tunnel under the Potomac River hinges on one mighty player: a 15-foot-wide, 380-ton machine named “Hazel.”

This round metal device, a custom-made tunnel boring machine decorated with colorful handprints, was lowered into a 138-foot shaft a few weeks ago and is now preparing to dig a two-mile sewer tunnel in Alexandria.

This mission – the largest infrastructure project undertaken in this Northern Virginia community – is intended to address the city’s most pressing pollution problem: the millions of gallons of raw sewage it dumps into the Potomac.

“It’s really driven by the goal of improving the health of our city’s waterways,” said Justin Carl, program manager at Alexandria Renew Enterprises, or AlexRenew, the local wastewater authority. “We’re building this mega-project in a very historic area, and we’re doing it in unprecedented time.”

The vast majority of homes and businesses in Alexandria have separate pipes for storm and sewage, but the city’s historic Old Town relies on a combined sewer system with a single pipe for both.

This means that when heavy rains hit the city – which they do about 70 times a year – these combined pipes overflow into outfalls around the city, washing up to 140 million gallons of untreated human waste into the Potomac. and two of its tributaries, Hooffs Run and Hunting Creek.

It’s a problem faced by more than 700 other US cities, which also have dense neighborhoods that urbanized before the turn of the century and depend on these combined sewer overflows (CSOs).

Environmental lawsuits and state legislation have forced many of these communities to undertake remediation efforts similar to those in Alexandria: DC has largely completed a 13-mile network of sewer tunnels under the Anacostia River, and cities like Seattle, Columbus and Pawtucket, RI have embarked on their own projects.

Like many other tunnel boring machines, Hazel is named after a woman – in this case, the “mother” of the modern environmental justice movement, Chicago activist Hazel Johnson – in keeping with the 16th century mining tradition of tunnel diggers. tunnels looking towards Saint Barbara for protection.

But unlike other machines, Hazel faces a particularly tight deadline: the machine has 14 months to connect two of the city’s outfalls to its treatment plant, so that the wastewater can be captured, treated and then pumped out. in the river.

Lawsuit alleges Alexandria polluted Potomac with coal tar

The entire remediation project must be completed by 2025, thanks to a deadline imposed by state lawmakers — few knew about the problem until environmental groups started sounding the alarm.

Virginia State Sen. Scott A. Surovell (D-Fairfax), who represents an area just downriver from Alexandria, said he was “completely shocked that we routinely dump raw human waste into the river Potomac”.

While Richmond and Lynchburg also rely on CSOs, he pointed out that Alexandria has a reputation for being a community of environmentalists — it was the first in Virginia to adopt an “eco-city charter” — and boasts one of the wealthiest populations in the Commonwealth, meaning it has the cash to solve the problem.

“It’s something that most people thought should have been taken care of 30 years ago,” Surovell said. “If the city of Alexandria couldn’t find the resources to plug the discharge of raw sewage into the Potomac, I don’t see how we could expect anyone to do that.”

Carl, the program manager working on the RiverRenew tunnel project, said Hazel was trying to solve what he called a “150-year-old problem”.

During the Civil War era, engineers in Alexandria built a CSO to direct human waste away from homes and businesses in the Old City and into the nearby river. The system was seen as a huge improvement over outdoor latrines, which dumped sewage into the ground, polluting the city’s drinking water and making residents sick.

“When they were originally built, they were innovative. It was seen as a huge leap forward for human health,” Carl said of CSOs. “Obviously we have learned a lot since then with the impact this is having on our waterways, and the fish and wildlife in our waterways.”

Although modern sewage treatment – from the 1950s – has helped clean up a polluted river that newspapers once declared ‘too thick to drink’ but ‘too thin to plow’, heavy rains have continued to overload the OSC system. This has sometimes led to dangerous levels of E. coli and nitrogen and phosphorus pollution.

Caitlin Feehan, director of communications and external programs for AlexRenew, pointed out that Hazel will only be addressing one of three flood-related issues in Alexandria.

Outside of the CSO area in Old Town, some storm drains — especially in lower neighborhoods like Del Ray and Rosemont — can’t handle the rain from more frequent thunderstorms and fill the streets with water. And closer to the Potomac, rising sea levels mean high tides sometimes flood the Old Town shoreline.

Alexandria already needed to repair its storm pipes. But climate change is making the situation worse.

The $615 million project is funded by grants from the American Rescue Plan Act and low-interest loans from a Virginia Clean Water Fund and the Environmental Protection Agency, which will eventually be reimbursed by local taxpayers.

Monthly sewage rates for Alexandria customers have already increased by about $12 for an average resident since the RiverRenew project began and are expected to increase to about $75 when it is completed in three years.

Last month, RiverRenew engineers and construction crews lowered Hazel – split into two massive, round metal shields – into one of two shafts they had dug at a site near the city’s sewage treatment plant. town.

Hazel is slated to actually begin work on the tunnel in October, when he will dig through the Potomac’s clay soil and return it to the plant while simultaneously constructing a 12-foot-wide concrete-lined sewer tunnel.

The machine’s destination is at a weir at the end of North Pendleton Street in Old Town, near Oronoco Bay Park. Although the machine was able to tunnel under Old Town, the area’s historic status and potential for some disturbance – along with its more difficult ground conditions – made it an easy choice for routing it under the Potomac to instead, Carl said.

“It’s both engineering and community,” he added. “We didn’t sit here in an office and come up with a tunnel route based entirely on engineering decisions.”

Consulta – A dynamic one-stop community engagement company providing tools, resources and support to enable their clients to achieve their goals

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 11, 2022

0

From individual families to local businesses, Consulta is ready to provide all the services they need to find their way through any challenge with advocacy, respect and integrity.

Committed to bringing communities together and providing families with the tools to become self-sufficient, Consulta offers culturally and linguistically competent services. Consulta is a women-owned community engagement company that works with individuals, families and community stakeholders to create strategies that advance equality, diversity and accessibility for their needs. They are not just consultants but advocates who believe in the inherent value of all life. Their team of experts and DDA-certified support broker are skilled in facilitating personalized discussions that involve collaboration, communication, dialogue, and consensus building so that everyone gets what they want.

Consulta gets to know each client’s community and stakeholders by honestly engaging with them and learning about their unique strengths, values and needs. Once these needs are identified, Consulta’s diverse team of researchers, advocates and policy strategists work together to design solutions to meet them. They provide the tools, resources, support and guidance to help solve problems in real time and create change with lasting impact.

Consulta’s goal is to bridge communication gaps, support efforts that create innovative solutions, and mobilize individuals to take action for positive change. Their expertise and experience allow them to provide direct advice, develop strong grassroots strategies, and advocate for the groups that need their services the most.

Asked about the uniqueness of the company, Alarice Vidale de Palacios, the founder said that “Serving the local community through advocacy, problem solving and information sharing is at the heart of what we do. Our first and foremost goal is to provide quality, honest and timely services to our clients with integrity. Our experience has made us experts in more areas than we can count. As we strive to improve our community, we realize that our vision for a better future must involve all aspects of our community, not just our own. Therefore, we must maintain a values-based partnership. We treat everyone with respect for their individuality and never discriminate based on race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or age.

Consulta LLC introduced Direct Job Support to create a pathway for the most vulnerable citizens to receive home support services. This is made possible by connecting the specially empowered population to a unique database of service providers with experience in providing direct waiver-based support services. Consulta brings families in need together with providers screened, trained and ready to begin providing the services necessary for community life. As a result, families exercise their self-managed waivers and community providers begin their careers or grow their businesses using Consulta’s data-driven solutions.

Media Contact
Company Name: Consulta LLC
Contact person: Alarice Vidale de Palacios
E-mail: Send an email
Call: (301) 966-6697
Country: United States
Website: https://www.consultallc.com/

On the 21st anniversary of 9/11, Al-Qaeda publishes a message from an anonymous leader glorifying the preparers

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 11, 2022

0

The following report is a supplement MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM) offering. For JTTM subscription information, Click here.

On September 10, 2022, Al-Sahab, the media arm of Al-Qaeda’s Central Command, released a message marking the 21st anniversary of the September 11 attacks, titled “Gains – The Day Of Criterion, The Day Of Badr, And The Criterion From Age to September Day.”

The eight-page post, which did not include the name of the author or leader, glorified the 9/11 attackers and described the attacks as an extension of the Battle of Badr, an hour-long battle that took place in the 624 between a small group of Muslims led by Muhammad and a larger group from the tribe of Quraysh, resulting in a decisive Muslim victory. The message highlighted the impact of 9/11 on the United States, suggesting that the attacks were the beginning of the collapse of the United States on all levels.

The September 11 attacks as an extension of the Battle of Badr

The message, which is similar in style to those prepared by slain al-Qaeda leader Ayman Al-Zawahiri, who was killed in a US drone strike in Kabul on July 31, begins by emphasizing the importance of the Battle of Badr, saying that despite the long record of victories in Islamic history, Badr has special significance due to the low resources of the Muslim fighters at that time, who were mostly equipped with their faith and courage.

After a lengthy description of the Battle of Badr, the message discusses the significance of 9/11, emphasizing that it has a similar impact on the global course of events.

Quoting American author Paul Kennedy, who is said to have written that 9/11 marked a turning point in the shaping of 21st century events, the message asserted that “America will never return to what it was before the collapse of its greatest icons: the Pentagon, seat of the United States Department of Defense – the greatest power in the history of mankind, and the World Trade Center, a skyscraper that represents its economic hegemony and the frightening financial domination of American capitalism.

The “timeless” attacks of September 11 were unexpected

The message argues that the significance of the September 11 attacks lies in the fact that they were totally unexpected. “The attacks hit America in a place it never considered or anticipated.” Recalling the day of the attacks, the message highlights the leadership of slain al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, saying that the American press reported on the day of the attack that “a Muslim named Osama bin Laden, in the farthest corners of the earth and into its forests, hurled four spears [i.e., airplanes] from Kandahar to Washington and New York, and three of those spears have touched the military and economic heart of the United States. »

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He further boasted that 9/11 killed more people than those killed in the attack on Pearl Harbor. Glorifying the impact of the attacks, the message describes them as “a timeless Islamic conquest that the whole world has watched live”, adding that “the world has never seen or heard like them before, militarily or strategically”.

The September 11 attacks sparked conflict among the Crusaders

Elaborating on the impact of 9/11, the message claims that it sparked an internal conflict among the “crusaders”, claiming that Western Europe with its Catholic majority as well as Eastern Europe and its Orthodox majority, attempted to exploit the attacks “to take down Protestant America” from world leaders.

The post further boasted that 9/11 dealt a severe blow to the US intelligence community, saying it cast doubts among the American people and the world about the effectiveness of their intelligence services.

“What made Americans and others wonder: what if this attack was launched by a superpower or even terrorists who possess lethal weapons such as nuclear or bacterial weapons!

Discussing the economic impact of the attacks, the message pointed out that targeting the World Trade Center “has crippled the global and American economic system.”

Poem praising the 9/11 attackers

The message concluded: “I don’t think anyone, regardless of their analytical skills, imagined that nine knights were capable of destroying, 6,000 miscreants in the country well known for its satellite capabilities and central intelligences, and a producer of accurate spy devices.” Praising Allah for granting the 9/11 attackers success in carrying out the attacks, the message ended with a poem praising their bravery that led to a unique assault that humiliated “the arrogance of the American crusaders”.

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The post included a photo from an upcoming book by slain al-Qaeda veteran Abu Mohammad Al-Masry titled “9/11 – Between the Truth And Skepticism.”

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[1] Genews, As-Sahab, September 10, 2022.

ImageCat presents a second technical webinar on the Global Economic Disruption Index (GEDI), a new framework for assessing the economic impacts of climate change and disasters

Climate justice

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 10, 2022

0

ImageCat, Inc.

Frameworks such as ImageCat’s GEDI encourage more proactive disaster risk management and also support the emergence of parametric insurance as a way to protect livelihoods, communities and natural assets underserved by disaster risk mechanisms. ‘traditional insurance’, Simon Young, Principal, WTW.

LONG BEACH, CA (PRWEB)
September 10, 2022

ImageCat is pleased to announce its 2nd technical webinar on the brand new Global Economic Disruption Index (GEDI), a framework for assessing the economic impacts of climate change and disasters. GEDI is a modeling framework funded by NASA, GEO, and GOOGLE that characterizes the general economic impact of disasters, including economic restoration and recovery time of critical infrastructure. GEDI offers a way around the complexity of traditional modeling technologies and provides a simple index for widespread use.

“Climate change and a growing appreciation of the social impacts of disasters have caused many to question the way economic impacts are calculated,” said Charles Huyck, executive vice president at ImageCat. “GEDI offers a unique way to characterize the disruptions that follow disasters, with far-reaching applications, from environmental justice to parametric insurance products.”

The framework draws on Earth Observation (EO), Disaster Modeling (CAT) and economic modeling to serve a wide range of applications, including supplementing disaster warning, needs assessment (PDNA) and claims, community resilience assessment, prioritization of infrastructure projects, and compliance with recent executive initiatives, orders, and regulations regarding social justice and climate change (such as as Justice40, SEC proposal 33-11042 and ex-ordinance 14008). GEDI will be available to government, insurance and non-profit sector end users through the consulting services and risk platforms of ImageCat Inhance® and FACFinder™.

“Bringing together Earth observation, future climate projections and disaster risk models is essential to understand and thus better manage the increasing physical risks that a more volatile and extreme climate brings. Frameworks such as ImageCat’s Global Economic Disruption Index (GEDI) encourage more proactive disaster risk management and also support the emergence of parametric insurance as a way to protect livelihoods, communities and people. natural assets underserved by traditional insurance mechanisms,” said Simon Young, Senior Director of WTW’s Climate and Resilience Practice.

To learn more about how GEDI can help your organization, please join our 2nd technical webinar on this topic specifically for the insurance public on Wednesday, September 14, 8:00 a.m. Los Angeles/10:00 a.m. New York/4:00 p.m. London.

Please register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_SjK027qJS3qfqREBWzy3wQ

Speakers for this event are Shanna McClain, PhD, NASA Disaster Program Manager, Charles Huyck, Executive Vice President of ImageCat, and Rick Murnane, PhD, is the CEO of Kinetic Analysis Corporation. Speakers will discuss NASA’s disaster program, goals and objectives, current activities and future directions, and applications of the GEDI framework for the insurance industry.

The Disasters program area of NASA’s Earth Sciences Applied Science Program uses Earth observation data and applied research to improve prediction, preparedness, response, and recovery from hazards and disasters in the whole world.

ImageCat is an international risk management innovation company serving the global risk and disaster management needs of the insurance industry, governments and NGOs.

Kinetic Analysis Corporation provides a holistic, multi-model, multi-hazard view of deterministic and probabilistic risk, damage, and loss data. Multi-model and deterministic data is available in near real time for current events, as well as historical or what-if scenarios.

This free webinar is presented by Resurances, an initiative of ImageCat.

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Anchorage Assembly members advocate for use of former city-owned Golden Lion Hotel as treatment center

Advocate

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 10, 2022

0

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) – The former Golden Lion Hotel was purchased by the city in December 2020 with the idea that it would be used as an addiction treatment center for up to 100 people. Neighbors were wary of the project, as was Mayor Dave Bronson when he was running for office. Now the mayor says the site is not a good place for a treatment center at all.

On Thursday, the mayor shared a letter from the Alaska Department of Transportation with Anchorage Assembly members stating that the busy intersection of 36th Avenue and the Seward Highway – where the old hotel is located – is also the site of a planned road safety project. The letter stated that if the project was successful, it was highly likely that the state would need to take the property to complete the pending project.

“After consulting with the Law Department based on this new information from the DOT and PF to possibly take ownership of the Golden Lion Hotel, it makes no sense to set up a treatment facility in a location that will be swept away” , Bronson wrote in an email.

But some members of the assembly disagree, pointing out that the project is estimated at $100 million and is by no means certain as it could be years before it starts.

“It’s not funded, it’s not even funded for the final design, it’s not in the state’s transportation improvement plan,” assembly member Meg Zaletel said. “It’s all very speculative until we know there’s money for design, let alone money for construction.”

Department of Transport spokesman Justin Shelby agreed the project still has some way to go before it becomes a reality.

“We need this project added to the state’s priority list in order to receive federal funding,” Shelby said. “Once that happens, under ideal circumstances, we’re looking at five years before construction.”

Zaletel said the uncertainty surrounding the project should not stop the city from moving forward with a treatment center in the old hotel, and she criticized the administration’s stance.

“I think it’s an inappropriate letter,” Zaletel said. “It’s a way to kick the box down the road to the Golden Lion, instead of opening it up for much needed drug treatment, which was the intention, that’s the intention of the money that was used to buy it.”

Also representing District 4, Assemblyman Felix Rivera pitches another idea for the facility.

“We know we have a crisis right now with 350 people homeless, so why don’t we see the Golden Lion as an emergency shelter response, so we don’t have to use the leisure centers Spenard or Fairview,” Rivera said. in an interview on Friday.

Rivera asked the Emergency Shelter Task Force to consider the idea, which indicated it would.

The Bronson administration did not respond to a specific question about the former hotel’s use as a temporary emergency shelter. However, spokesman Corey Allen Yount sent a statement saying the mayor supports providing treatment services to people who need them.

“As part of due diligence, the administration supports the upcoming opening of treatment centers with Providence and the Salvation Army and is evaluating other possible locations and options to meet addiction treatment and current needs. from the community.”

BCTC’s MyKY.info kiosks serve those in need

One community

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 9, 2022

0

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) is pleased to announce its partnership with Family Scholar House and the installation of two new MyKY.info kiosks, which will serve BCTC students, faculty, and staff in need of free community resources .

Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC) is transforming the Bluegrass Region – one student, one employer, and one community all at once. BCTC is a member of the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

The MyKY.Info kiosks will be located in the Student Lounge of the Classrooms Building at the Newtown Campus and in Building M at the Leestown Campus. These kiosks will serve BCTC students, faculty, and staff who need free community resources such as basic needs like food and housing assistance. Resources also include medical services and experts for education, support, and financial or legal assistance. The kiosks also provide access to crisis lines and Kentucky safe locations. The MyKY.info web application is also offered in Spanish and will soon offer French for English learners.

“These kiosks are important because they provide our students with the community resources they may need to succeed in college,” says Dr. Karen Mayo, Associate Vice President for Academics and Workforce Development. work at the BCTC. “We are constantly looking for ways to ensure our students have everything they need to succeed.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the installation of these kiosks will take place later this year. For more information, please contact Dr. Karen Mayo at [email protected].

Click here for more information on Kentucky business.

Campaigning with a camera – PBA

Impact producer

By

Michael Dabney

-

September 9, 2022

0

As an impact producer, Leeanne Torpey has found the perfect marriage between her campaigning skills and the creativity of cinema. She is this week’s Changemaker.

Leeanne Torpey is an award-winning documentary impact producer with a background as a human rights activist and journalist.

She told Pro Bono News that she had recently been described as a “staunch optimist”.

“At first I was a little offended by that statement, but when I thought about it, I think it’s true. I’ve always been one to dream of a world that allows equal opportunities for all,” she says.

“The character in the book that I linked my childhood to was Pollyanna, she was always so ‘happy happy happy’ with everything, although she was an orphan and things sure hadn’t been so rosy for her.

“I look at her now and I think she’s a bit naive and sweet. But Leeanne at 10 could really relate, and that ability to be positive and dream big stayed.

Leanne is currently producing another frontier, Ithaca: a fight for Julian Assange and The great health check of Magda Subanzki.

How did you come to the position you currently hold?

I was that kid who took a portable camera on vacation and then forced everyone to watch my boring stories of uneventful family vacations. I continued to obsess over photography, fonts, storytelling and slowly learned to do less boring things.

My first job was in finance (terrible idea for me). Then journalism (I loved it, but felt like I was too far removed from the good fight). Then the human rights campaign (which I also loved, but felt like I was in an echo chamber).

Now, as an impact producer, I bring together the worlds of campaigning and journalism (just right), tapping into the power of film and television to create change.

When the right story reaches the right audience, that’s when the magic happens.

What does a typical day look like for you?

The most effective impact production begins when a film is in development. The research informs the strategy you will execute for the release and the life of the film beyond. Making impact is really about relationships, so most of my time is spent with people. Although there are also a lot of spreadsheets and fundraising and budgeting. Sometimes you will be on set. Sometimes in an editing room. But you’ll always be in conversation with people who are doing amazing things and pushing together for a better and brighter future.

What are some of the challenges of working in NFPs in general?

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