Monthly Archives: July 2020

Man charged with murder in Whitemarsh Island shooting that left woman dead – WSAV-TV

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CHATHAM COUNTY, Ga. (WSAV) A man has been charged with felony murder in connection with a shooting on Whitemarsh Island that left a woman dead early Wednesday morning.

The Chatham County Police Department (CCPD) says officers were called to the 100 block of Forestay Court in the Battery Point subdivision just after 4 a.m. When they arrived, they found a deceased female with an apparent gunshot wound.

The victim has been identified as 34-year-old Samantha Sams.

Witnesses on the scene told detectives there was an altercation between Sams and 34-year-old Christopher Hall. Hall and Sams knew each other, and detectives say this was not a random shooting.

Hall was taken to the hospital for treatment of injuries he sustained during the incident. He was then released and taken to the Chatham County Detention Center.

Hall was charged with aggravated battery on Wednesday. On Thursday, he was also charged with felony murder and possession of a firearm during the commission of an aggravated battery.

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Man charged with murder in Whitemarsh Island shooting that left woman dead - WSAV-TV

Plan to put Amazon warehouse on Grand Island back on after town supervisor said project was on pause – WIVB.com – News 4

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GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WIVB)The much-anticipated project that could bring a massive Amazon warehouse to Grand Island experienced a see-saw this week when the developer pressed pause on the deal.

Opponents breathed a sigh of relief, while supporters scrambled. That changed again as the week wore on.

But it was a day earlier this week that looked to potentially sink a project that could change the physical and financial face of Grand Island.

News 4 broke the story about the idea that could bring whats now known as Project Olive to this plot of land off Long Road near the Holiday Inn Express.

After what town and other local officials describe as a problematic meeting of the towns planning board, when an attempt was made to vote in opposition to a zone change on the land, the developer pulled back and informed board members the project was on hold.

Town officials, including Grand Island Chamber of Commerce President Eric Fiebelkorn, were relieved to learn it was still moving forward.

We see it really as a once in a lifetime opportunity financially, and something thats going to take some time to work out. This is how deals get done. Nothing gets done in a day, Fiebelkorn said.

The plan calls for a 3.8 million square foot building that would eventually house 1,000 employees for another Amazon distribution hub.

Those are big numbers for the aging infrastructure of Grand Island, particularly the bridges on the north and south ends. But there are other big numbers to consider, Fiebelkorn says.

With a conservative assessment potentially on the building, its going to give the local share 35 million dollars, 25 million of that to the schools, over a 15 year period, he added.

Former Grand Island Town Supervisor Nate McMurray told voters this week Project Olive offers both risk and reward.

And though he says Amazons labor relations and the potential environmental impact should be examined more closely, hes hopeful the town board comes to a supportive conclusion. And that union workers are used to build what could be a five-story center, to decades of future development.

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Plan to put Amazon warehouse on Grand Island back on after town supervisor said project was on pause - WIVB.com - News 4

Vinalhaven residents reject paying county sheriff to continue patrolling the island – Bangor Daily News

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Vinalhaven residents on Wednesday night shot down a proposal to continue paying the Knox County Sheriffs Office to police their community.

The Courier-Gazette reports that the proposed $125,335 contract was the only item out of 48 on the town meeting warrant to fail.

That comes after residents have complained about ineffective police coverage following a series of high-profile incidents on the island.

In March, the island attracted national attention after a group of armed men allegedly tried to force out-of-staters to quarantine during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic by cutting down a tree to block their driveway.

Then, on June 14, 28-year-old Roger Feltis died from knife wounds. Feltis had filed a harassment complaint with a sheriffs deputy against Dorian Ames three days before his death, which police ruled a homicide. A Knox County grand jury declined to indict Ames in the death earlier this month. Details about the circumstances around Feltis death are still unclear.

Vinalhaven has contracted with the sheriffs office for police coverage for decades, according to the Courier-Gazette. It is one of two towns the other is North Haven that have a dedicated officer, Knox County Sheriff Tim Carroll told the newspaper.

The previous contract with the sheriffs office expired on Dec. 31, 2019.

Vinalhaven Town Manager Andrew Dorr told the Courier-Gazette that residents have questioned the quality of the service, complained about coverage gaps and that the bill for it is too high.

Carroll acknowledged that a bone of contention between the islanders and his office is that a deputy does not live on the island full time. Under the expired contract, the town paid $750 a month for housing and up to $4,500 for heating and electricity for a deputy, the Courier-Gazette reports.

Another town meeting will be scheduled in the coming weeks to discuss police coverage, including options ranging from reviewing the contract with the sheriffs office and starting an island-based police force, according to the newspaper.

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Vinalhaven residents reject paying county sheriff to continue patrolling the island - Bangor Daily News

Positive coronavirus test rates on Staten Island remain low. Check for your ZIP code. – silive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Despite sharp spikes elsewhere in the country, the rate of positive coronavirus (COVID-19) tests remained below 3% on Staten Island for the sixth straight week, data show.

In fact, the percentage of positive tests in the borough over the past seven days decreased from the prior one-week period.

As of Thursday afternoon, 2.56%, or 132 of the 5,159 borough residents who were checked since July 16 have confirmed coronavirus cases, according to the most recent data compiled by GitHub, which is linked to the city Heath Departments web site.

Previously, for the week between July 9 and July 15, the positive test rate was 2.82%.

Over the past month-and-a-half, the lowest positive test rate was 2.36% between June 18 and June 24.

Earlier last month, the rate had been above 3%, specifically, 3.44% from June 4 into June 10.

At the same time, Thursdays data showed the continuing decline in Staten Islands total positive test rate since the pandemics outbreak in March.

Of the 81,673 residents checked thus far, 14,208, or 17.39%, have been infected, the data said.

Last week, 14,076 of the 76,514 Islanders examined through July 15, or 18.39%, had confirmed coronavirus cases.

Overall, the total infection rate is significantly lower than it was three months ago at the pandemics peak.

On April 16, of the 19,174 borough residents checked to that point, 9,108, or 47.5%, had confirmed cases.

*** CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE COVERAGE OF CORONAVIRUS IN NEW YORK ***

The highest percentage of positive tests remains in two North Shore ZIP codes 10302 and 10303.

ZIP code 10302, which includes Port Richmond and Elm Park, has retained the highest positive rate on Staten Island 21.34%, or 654 of 3,065 residents checked.

But fewer individuals have been tested in that ZIP code compared to all but one other in the borough.

ZIP code 10303, which includes Mariners Harbor, continues to have the second highest rate of confirmed cases 19.51% - or 918 of the 4,706 residents examined.

Third highest was ZIP code 10305 with 1,316 of the 7,274 residents checked testing positive, or 18.09%.

Communities in ZIP code 10305 include Arrochar, Fort Wadsworth, Grasmere, Ocean Breeze, Rosebank, Shore Acres, South Beach, and part of Dongan Hills.

ZIP Code 10304 has the fourth highest rate of confirmed cases.

Residents there were positive 18.04% of the time 1,448 of 8,026 individuals examined

ZIP code 10304 covers a long swath of the East and North shores, including Clifton, Concord, Emerson Hill, Stapleton, Todt Hill and part of Dongan Hills.

While the rate of confirmed cases in ZIP codes 10314 and 10312 are toward the middle of the pack, those two ZIP codes continue to have the greatest number of total cases.

They are two of the boroughs largest ZIP code areas.

In ZIP code 10314, of the 15,769 residents checked, 2,780, or 17.63%, have confirmed cases, said the data.

ZIP code 10314 includes such communities as Bulls Head, Castleton Corners, Graniteville, Meiers Corners, New Springville, Travis, Westerleigh and Willowbrook.

There were 1,600 confirmed cases in ZIP code 10312, which displayed a positive rate of 16.79% for the 9,532 residents examined.

ZIP code 10312 includes Annadale, Arden Heights, Eltingville, Greenridge and Huguenot.

Positive test rates in the remaining communities ranged from 15.92% in ZIP code 10306 to 17.5% in ZIP code 10307.

Residents in ZIP code 10306 had 1,519 positive cases in 9,539 tests.

Included in its area are Egbertville, Grant City, Midland Beach, New Dorp, New Dorp Beach, Oakwood, Richmond, and part of Dongan Hills.

ZIP code 10307, whose residents had tested positive in 406 of 2,320 examinations, contains Tottenville.

ZIP code 10307 has the lowest number of overall documented cases, as well as the fewest number of individuals examined.

Following ZIP codes 10314 and 10312, the highest number of total confirmed coronavirus cases have occurred in residents in zip codes 10306, 10304, 10305, 10301 (1,273 of 7,423), 10303, 10309 (886 of 5,354), 10310 (730 of 4,413), 10308 (678 of 4,252), 10302 and 10307.

DEATHS

Additional data show the disease has claimed the most lives in ZIP codes 10314 and 10304.

As of Thursday afternoon, there had been 203 fatalities in ZIP code 10314 in which the decedent was a confirmed coronavirus case.

That figure marked an increase of one over the past week.

The death total remained slightly lower 182 in ZIP code 10304, which saw no change in the number of reported fatalities from July 16.

The tally does not include probable coronavirus fatalities, which the city has also been tracking daily.

A death is classified as probable if the decedent was a city resident who had no known positive laboratory test for the coronavirus, but the death certificate lists COVID-19 or an equivalent as a cause of death.

A Health Department source said the figures reflect totals as of when they are reported to the agency and not when the deaths occur. All data are preliminary and subject to change.

Below, in descending order, are the number of deaths in confirmed coronavirus cases for the remaining ZIP codes. There was no change from July 16 in any of those areas:

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Positive coronavirus test rates on Staten Island remain low. Check for your ZIP code. - silive.com

Station No. 7 nears completion for Paradise Island area – WCBD News 2

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AWENDAW S.C. (WCBD) The Awendaw-McClellanville Consolidated Fire District is nearing their date of completion for their newest firehouse, Station No.7. According to Battalion Chief Mike Browers, the dream forthe structure beganabout 7 yearsago.

Battalion Chief Browers said, it all started with their yearly audit after it was discovered that the area of Paradise Island was one of the areas that we were deficient in fire protection. He said after recognizing the weakness, they created a temporary station where a tent was put up. Underneath that tent was a singular unstaffed fire truck.

The structure being put up now is a 4,000 square foot buildingwith multiple pieces of equipment chosen with their surroundings in mind.

We dont have yah know, fire hydrants.Sowe use the pondsand the intercoastal, and whatever water source we can use. So really the technology that we had added to the station is mainly safety features. That would be the extractor and also the vent system that hooks to the firetruck. And we dont have either one of those in any other station that we got.

As for the location, Chief Browers said its able to reaching thepeoplethey want to reach, and the positionnear Half Way CreekRoad could belife-saving.

Weve had several traffic crashes over the years in between steed creek road andGuerinsbridge road on halfway creek road. Several fatality wrecks, its been avery dangerous stretch of road.Sothis, were hoping being on, weve got a station closer to steed creekthis will be down towards the end. Well be able to meet in the middle and cut response times to that areaof our district.

For nowStation 7 answers roughly 1500 calls a year,but with new developments coming to the areait will prove its worth both for now and thefuture.

Despite the usual construction delays that they have had, Station No. 7 should be open to the public and operating by the end of this August or early September.Chief Browers said hes excited to be open for the community, whether its to assist them, or have a cup of coffee.

To stay connected with Cait Przetak, follow her on social media! For Facebook click here, for Twitter click here, and for Instagram click here.

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Station No. 7 nears completion for Paradise Island area - WCBD News 2

Private lots in Newbury on Plum Island open to nonresidents – The Daily News of Newburyport

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PLUM ISLAND Although the City of Newburyport is restricting weekend parking in the public lot at Plum Island Point to residents only until early September, there are at least five private parking lots in the Newbury section of Plum Island open to paid parking by people from out of town.

Licensed private lots are located along Plum Island Turnpike at The Cottage Island Market and next to Surfland, as well as two at the corner of the turnpike and Northern Boulevard.

The small lot adjacent to the beach is for Newbury residents only. There is an additional private lot owned by Blue Inn on the Beach on Fordham Way that also is open to paying visitors.

Newburyport put restrictions in place on the city's public lot at the northern tip of Plum Islandto reduce overcrowding and prevent the spread of COVID-19 on beaches, according to a press release this week.

The restrictions start this weekend and run through Sept. 5-6. Newburyport residents will be able to park in the lot on weekends at the discounted resident rate of $12 per day.

Proof of residency includes an active City of Newburyport resident parking pass; a current city yard waste sticker displayed on the vehicle; or a Plum Island Parking Lot 2020 vehicle sticker.

"This sticker is available at no cost by registering the vehicle in person at the (Newburyport) harbormaster office at 27R Water Street during normal business hours," the statement reads.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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Private lots in Newbury on Plum Island open to nonresidents - The Daily News of Newburyport

Grand Island food and beverage tax revenues down 7% for the year – Grand Island Independent

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Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the major summer events and early fall events that draw hundreds of thousands of people to Grand Island have been canceled. The latest victim was the Harvest of Harmony parade, canceled Thursday by the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce.

A large part of Grand Islands economy is the reputation it has developed during the years as a destination community. Events ranging from Harvest of Harmony, Husker Harvest Days and the Nebraska State Fair to national livestock shows, national 4-H shows and the annual crane migration have all taken economic hits this year because of COVID-19.

As a destination community, visitors, along with locals, like to eat, drink and dine at many of the communitys restaurants and bars. But due to the health restrictions placed on those establishments because of the virus, they were not allowed to have customers when directed health measures were the most severe. It has been only in the past month that health restrictions have eased, allowing people again to eat and drink out.

A good indicator of how the food and beverage industry in Grand Island is doing is the citys collection of its food and beverage tax from those establishments.

According to Cindy Johnson of the Grand Island Chamber of Commerce, Junes food and beverage tax revenues were $171,799, compared to $201,786 collected in June 2019. That is a 14.86% decline.

Johnson said that looking at year-to-date figures for this year, the food and beverage tax revenues have been $1.637 million, compared to $1.757 million for the same January-through-June period last year. That is a 6.8% decline.

Revenues, while still down, were significantly better (as a percentage) than April and May, she said.

April and May were when restaurants and bars could not serve customers in their establishments. Many improvised to keep some revenue flowing, especially as the government was paying many of those businesses to keep their employees. They implemented curbside pickups, some had drive-thru windows going and others were delivering food directly to their customers.

Considering the effect the pandemic was having on the communitys businesses, having food and beverage taxes down by less than 7% is a testament of those businesses resiliency, as food supply chains to restaurants were severely disrupted.

Looking at labor force numbers for the Grand Island market area, Johnson said the unemployment rate was 7.6%. Last year, during June, it was 3.3%.

She said that Junes workforce in Grand Island was 44,571 people, of which 41,175 people were employed.

Hall Countys initial unemployment insurance claims dropped to 128 the week of July 18, Johnson said. That compares to the highest initial unemployment insurance claim total of 940 in April.

As the federal COVID-19 relief package (which provided an additional $600 per week in unemployment benefits) and the executive order waiver of requiring work search come to an end (slated for Aug. 1), we expect to see more unemployed individuals return to the workforce, Johnson said.

She also reported that building permits for residential construction so far this year total $12.642 million, with 86 permits. That compares to $12.682 million for 76 permits for the same period last year.

For commercial building permit valuation for January through June, three permits have been issued for a valuation of $4.383 million. Last year, during the same period, there were six permits for $11.62 million in valuations.

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Grand Island food and beverage tax revenues down 7% for the year - Grand Island Independent

Three-year-old Grand Island girl deemed "bird-whisperer" – WKBW-TV

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GRAND ISLAND, N.Y. (WKBW) All summer long, three-year-old Vivian Budnack of Grand Island sang out these words.

Mr. Cardinal!!! Vivian said.

Her friends and family even proclaiming her as a bird-whisperer.

[She] has gotten this great interest with birds, and she just wants to be friends with them, her mom Rachel Budnack said. She tiptoes all over the backyard, all summer, saying Im Vivy, Im your friend,

Well, on July 15, a bird friend answered her call. A red cardinal.

I love cardinals, Vivy said.

Mom says the cardinal approached her at a picnic table at Sandy Beach. She called over Vivian over and the two chatted for about 10 minutes. Just enough time for mom to capture this photo.

I talked to it and I fed it, Vivan said.

And you know, shes gonna think shes a Disney princess now. Stick out my hand and here comes the bird, mom said laughing.

Vivian says she doesnt always get the chance to come in close contact with a red cardinal, but she always tries.

Yeah and this has been her prayer and her big dream all summer. To be friends with the birds, mom said.

A prayer that has been answered for this new fairy princess. At a time when so many spirits could use a lift.

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Three-year-old Grand Island girl deemed "bird-whisperer" - WKBW-TV

Marvel Comics Confirms The Return Of The Externals – Bleeding Cool News

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Marvel has confirmed the return of the Externals to the X-Men books for X Of Swords, with this teaser for Excalibur #11. Didn;t we say Excalibur was the book to watch?

In June, Bleeding Cool suggested that The Externals were returning to Marvel after being abandoned in the nineties.

First named inX-Force#10 fromFabian Nicieza, Rob LiefeldandMark Pacella. The Externals are all mutants with the additional gift of immortality and, as expressed by Cable, they play an important role in the future and Apocalypse's rise to power. Externals typically cannot die, but seem to possess an immortal healing factor rather than invulnerability. They suffer injuries just like any other person, and can even appear dead if mortally wounded, but will eventually restore themselves to life and health. Each External was claimed to represent an intangible concept

You can only kill an External again by running a blade through their heart. Ten swords. Ten hearts. Ten arcane energies to be absorbed. But could this also be a way in which they resurrect Kate Pryde? Could she also be an External rather than Cannonball? Could that explain how the Krakoan portals and rejuvenation rejected her? She's always been a sucker for a sword as well.

Here is the current list of Exter. sorry, High Lords.

AbsalomdespairBurke fortitudeCandra guileCruleferocityGideonopportunityNicodemus wisdomSaulpatienceSelenecorruptionCannonball hope however, Selene and more recently Cable, had stated that Cannonball is not an External.Apocalypse evolution or destruction taken away by the Celestials, his status as an External is still unclear. But Powers Of X #3 named him such in the backmatter.

EXCALIBUR #11MARVEL COMICSMAR200915(W) Tini Howard (A) Marcus To (CA) Mahmud AsrarBLOOD OF THE CHANGELING!The Citadel has committed an act of war and Excalibur must respond. While they lick their wounds deep in Otherworld, Apocalypse takes steps toward his ultimate goal.Rated T+In Shops: Aug 19, 2020SRP: $3.99

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Marvel Comics Confirms The Return Of The Externals - Bleeding Cool News

The Absurdity of a Progressively Debilitating Terminal Illness – ALS News Today

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Oh, I used to be disgusted and now I try to be amused.

Those lyrics from the Elvis Costello song (The Angels Wanna Wear My) Red Shoes are an apt description of the journey that my perspective has trekked since my ALS diagnosis was delivered.

The initial pronouncement was maddeningly surreal. The imagery of what lay ahead of me was mortifyingly disgusting. That revulsion quickly became anger as the predicted symptoms began to manifest themselves.

The rage within me only intensified with each stage of my bodys devolution. From limping unaided to stumbling with assistive devices, to struggling in transferring myself to a wheelchair, to becoming fully immobile, my irritation redoubled. As my speech made its way from occasional slurring to labored, guttural utterances, my rancor boiled.

But by far the greatest accelerant of my fury were the unanswerable questions. Why ALS? Why me? Why now? The vacuum created by seemingly having no meaning or purpose was absurdly overwhelming.

In fact, there was little separating me from characters introduced by writers of the Theatre of the Absurd (TOTA) drama genre. Unwittingly, I had come to exemplify the French writer Albert Camus take on life as expressed in his essay, The Myth of Sisyphus. Camus draws on the Greek fable of a man eternally condemned to roll a rock up a mountain only to have it roll back down, ad infinitum. Camus argues that this is a metaphor for the human condition in a senseless world. Our best option is to accept the inherent absurdity and bear it as best we can.

Indirectly, Camus suggests that anger is not the correct response. After reflection and some research, l came to agree with him.

The health downsides of anger are numerous. Obvious ones like depression, high blood pressure, and increased risk of heart attack readily come to mind. One previously unknown to me really caught my attention. Anger causes the hormone cortisol to be produced. Elevated cortisol causes neurons to accept too much calcium through their membrane. A calcium overload can make cells fire too frequently and die, noted the National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine. The modus operandi of ALS is advancement through cell death. No need to aid and abet the enemy.

Then there is the popular notion that anger like mine, given the circumstances, is justifiable. While that may be true societally speaking, it has no basis biblically. In his study on human anger, Jeffrey Gibbs describes finding nothing in the Bible to support righteous anger. Among his conclusions are that anger quickly becomes sin, and we simply must think in those terms, and while human emotions, including anger, are not intrinsically sinful, it is not a justification to remain angry.

So, what does one do with an accumulation of unhealthy and misplaced emotion? In my case, convert as much of it as possible to laughter.

The TOTA playwrights often provided comedic interludes. Absurd happenings can be humorous, even hilarious. However, the overriding theme isoften interpreted as a response to the challenges of living in a 20th-century world that seems devoid of meaning [and] is frequently far more nightmarish than funny.

To that I turn to the comedy team of Laurel and Hardy. Absurdist theater icon Samuel Becketts play Waiting for Godot contains portions that closely mirror scenes Laurel and Hardy created on screen, theIndependent points out.Becketts absurd tragi-comic characters have so much of Stan and Ollie about them. After escaping any of the all too frequent ALS perils, I borrow from their catchphrase (Ollie to Stanley): Well, heres another nice mess youve gotten me into. Only my brain is Hardy, and my feeble body is Laurel. Thus, anger quickly dissipates into mental laughter.

Similarly, when my attempts at verbal expression invariably fail, I try to replace a scowl of frustration with a calm smile. Remembering the comic misadventures in communicating that resulted from entering the cone of silence, as depicted in the 1960s sitcom Get Smart, always serves to placate me. The dialogue handicaps that fictional bit of gadgetry presented have nothing on my Neanderthal-like banter.

Somewhere between disgust and amusement, I rediscovered meaning and purpose to life. The key is the word itself. Life is to be lived. It is a gift. Like any gift, it is up to the recipient as to how it will be used. I choose to live life as fully as possible, acknowledging that what is possible for me is incessantly eroding.

In the aforementioned song, Costello infers that angels are offering immortality in exchange for red footwear. Oh, the absurdity! I believe that everlasting life is conveyed through faith in God. That, for me, is the meaning of life. That is my purpose.

Note: ALS News Today is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of ALS News Today or its parent company, BioNews Services, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to ALS.

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The Absurdity of a Progressively Debilitating Terminal Illness - ALS News Today

Twitch sees 5 billion hours watched in Q2 2020 and Facebook Gaming grows 75%, as livestreaming boost from the pandemic continues – MCV/Develop

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Twitch dominated the livestream industry in Q2 2020, with over 5 billion hours spent watching content on the platform.

This comes from StreamElements, who alongside its analytics partner Arsenal.gg, has released its Q2 livestreaming report, State of the Stream.

The report contains further good news for Twitch Overall hours watched on Twitch jumped 56 per cent from Q1, with views on the platform peaking in April, at 1.8 billion hours watched.

This is also a year-on-year increase of 60 per cent, based on comparing June 2019, at 939 million hours watched, with June 2020, at around 1.5 billion hours watched.

Twitch isnt alone in seeing increased engagement during lockdown. Facebook Gaming had significant momentum, with a 75 per cent increase in hours watched in Q2 2020, compared to Q1 2020. Hours watched in Q2 peaked on Facebook Gaming at 342 million hours watched in May.

Facebooks streaming platform also saw 200% year-on-year growth, based on comparing June 2019, at 111 million hours, with June 2020 at 334 million hours.

Twitchs most popular channel remains one totally unrelated to video games the social channel Just Chatting, which increased 94 per cent in hours watched from January to June 2020, jumping from 86 million hours watched to 167 million. The channel also grew 175 per cent from 181 million hours in Q1 of 2019, to 498 million in Q2 of 2020.

The now almost 7 year old title Grand Theft Auto V continues its seeming immortality as the third most popular channel, with hours watched not dipping at all in 2020, making it the years most viewed action game so far.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare got a huge boost from the March 10 release of battle royale mode Call of Duty: Warzone, placing it at 76 million hours watched in June 2020, compared to just 7 million in January the same year.

Music & Performing Arts have also seen a huge boost in views, now in 16th place with a 268 per cent increased in hours watched from January to June 2020, with a peak viewership of 25 million hours watched in May. Additionally, amid the social distancing measures brought on by COVID-19, viewers are getting their nature hit on Twitch, with the Travel & Outdoors category increasing 183 per cent in hours watched from January to June 2020.

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Twitch sees 5 billion hours watched in Q2 2020 and Facebook Gaming grows 75%, as livestreaming boost from the pandemic continues - MCV/Develop

What is Basic Income? | Guaranteed Universal Basic Income

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Basic Income, often refered to as Universal Basic Income or a Basic Income Guarantee is a system in which all of the citizens of a country get a certain amount of income from the government -- unconditionally. This income would be received regardless of other income from work or any other limitations.

Basic Income would, in theory, allow for the removal of many other government support programs which would no longer be necessary. It would also give citizens the ability to survive without work. In turn, those who do continue to seek employment would earn a living at a standard above the minimum.

This system is a more efficient option than having a variety of cluttered, complicated, and bloated welfare and assistance programs. The goal would be to spend a similar amount of money in total, but with a far more efficient result. The amount given each individual would need to be enough for a single person to survive. Consequently, this would result in a lower homeless rate, and less people without enough money to eat or pay rent. At the same time, it allows those who can and do work to have free income to spend on things that aren't bare necessities, fueling the economy.

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What is Basic Income? | Guaranteed Universal Basic Income

ECLAC calls for urgent regional cooperation beyond the pandemic to foster more integration and avert a food crisis – Dominican Today

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(July 23, 2020).- The Executive Secretary of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Alicia Brcena, urged the regions countries to implement urgent cooperation beyond the pandemic and foster greater productive, trade and social integration, during a virtual conference held today under the organization of the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) and the regional office of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Other participants in the webinar entitled Multilateral Action to Prevent the Health Crisis from Becoming a Food Crisis included Marcelo Ebrard, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico, in its capacity as President Pro Tempore of CELAC; Joseph Cox, Assistant Secretary-General of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM); Vinicio Cerezo, Secretary-General of the Central American Integration System (SICA); and Julio Berdegu, FAOs Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean. Serving as moderator was Camila Zepeda, Director General for Global Issues at the Secretariat for Multilateral Affairs and Human Rights of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.

During her presentation, Alicia Brcena emphasized that the region is at risk of experiencing a true food crisis. She specified that more than 96 million people will be living in extreme poverty 11.8% of all people living in cities and 29% of the residents in rural areas.

This is a huge warning, the income of households is declining along with their access to the food basket. It is not that there is a shortage of food, it is that people do not have the resources to be able to acquire it. This comes on top of the low nutritional quality that people are experiencing, above all the poorest families, she warned.

She added that in the region, we are in a lost decade in social and economic terms.

This downturn will lead us to the worst crisis in a century: GDP will fall -9.1%, poverty will affect 37.3% of the population, and unemployment will reach 13.5%. In Central America and Mexico, the drop in GDP will be 8.4% with a big impact from the recession and unemployment in the United States. South America, meanwhile, will be the subregion most affected by the fall in international prices (-9.4%) due to its specialization in the production and exportation of commodities, she said.

With regard to Caribbean countries, she indicated that while they have managed the pandemic crisis better in relative terms, they are experiencing a great plunge in tourism and have high external debt (68.5% of GDP). The GDP of the Caribbean will fall by -5.4%, she added.

ECLACs most senior representative added that governments have taken important measures, but they are not enough to account for the magnitude of the gap.

She explained that to confront the crisis, ECLAC proposes implementing an emergency basic income equivalent to one poverty line ($147 dollars) for six months, at a cost of 1.9% of GDP, along with an anti-hunger grant equivalent to 70% of one extreme poverty line ($57 dollars), which would cost 0.45% of GDP. The Commission also recommends longer repayment periods and grace periods for credits to Micro, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs) and partial co-financing of the payroll; conditional support for at-risk big companies in strategic sectors; expansive and progressive fiscal and monetary policies; and cooperation for financing under favorable conditions.

It also proposes a political compact for a welfare State and universal, progressive and distributive social policies aimed at dismantling the culture of privilege.

Alicia Brcena noted that to prevent the health crisis from becoming a food crisis, ECLAC proposes (in addition to complementing the emergency basic income with the provision of an anti-hunger grant) the granting of subsidies, debt restructuring and/or liquidity provision for agricultural and food-related SMEs and for family businesses, to guarantee the production and distribution chain.

Furthermore, she called for deepening regional integration through greater resilience in production networks, diversifying suppliers in terms of countries and companies, favoring locations that are closer to final consumption markets, and relocating strategic production-related and technological processes.

The senior United Nations official warned about the fragility of multilateralism and its exacerbation with the unilateral restrictions placed on the exportation of medical supplies in more than 60 countries. She also explained that in the post-pandemic period, globalization will not be rolled back, but there will be a more regionalized global economy organized around 3 poles: Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

Finally, ECLACs Executive Secretary highlighted the importance of CELAC for expressing the regions needs and urgencies, with a single voice, on the international stage, primarily in areas such as the search for financial support for middle-income countries under flexible conditions and guaranteeing the unfettered movement of food, medicine and goods.

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ECLAC calls for urgent regional cooperation beyond the pandemic to foster more integration and avert a food crisis - Dominican Today

Cannabis Industry Insight – US Trademark Registrations Continue to be Denied for Foods and Dietary Supplements containing Hemp-Derived CBD – Lexology

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Despite the changes to Federal law, including the 2018 Farm Bill, which relaxed some prohibitions on hemp, significant hurdles remain for those seeking to register trademarks for food or dietary supplement products containing the non-psychoactive substance CBD derived from hemp.

In May 2019, we wrote an article entitled Cannabis Industry Insight CBD Derived from Hemp Is Legal in the U.S. about the changed policy of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to register trademarks for CBD products derived from hemp containing no more than 0.3% of the psychoactive substance THC on a dry-weight basis in accordance with the 2018 Farm Bill.

However, we noted that the relevant USPTO Examination Guide still refused registration of marks for foods, beverages, dietary supplements, or pet treats containing hemp-derived CBD because such products had not yet been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Such a refusal has been affirmed in a precedential opinion of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB): In re Stanley Brothers Social Enterprises, LLC, Application No. 86568478 (T.T.A.B. June 16, 2020).

Background

Stanley Brothers Social Enterprises, LLC, a Colorado marijuana grower, applied to register the mark CW for hemp oil extracts sold as an integral component of dietary and nutritional supplements, claiming use since March 14, 2015.

The Examining Attorney refused registration on the ground that Applicants goods were unlawful under the federal Food, Drug & Cosmetics Act (FDCA) , among other things. Applicant appealed to the TTAB, which affirmed the refusal.

The Law

The CSA made it illegal to manufacture, distribute or dispense marijuana which included substances derived from it such as THC and CBD.

However, the 2014 Farm Bill exempted industrial hemp if it had a THC concentration of less than 0.3 percent on a dry weight basis.

On December 20, 2018, after Applicants appeal had been fully briefed and ready for decision, the 2018 Farm Bill amended the CSA specifically to exclude hemp from the definition of illegal marijuana.

Meanwhile, the FDCA continued to prohibit the distribution or sale of any food containing a drug or biological product that is the subject of substantial clinical investigations for which the existence has been made public. CBD, even if derived from hemp, was the subject of such clinical investigations.

The Arguments and Decision

Applicant argued that the 2014 Farm Bill and the CSA exclusion of hemp overrode the FDCAs prohibition on the use of hemp-derived CBD in food. The TTAB rejected this argument and held that Applicants hemp oil extracts were food to which CBD had been added, that CBD was the subject of clinical investigations, and therefore that Applicants goods were unlawful under the FDCA.

Applicant also argued that its goods were dietary supplements rather than food. The TTAB rejected this attempted distinction.

Finally, Applicant argued that CBD had been marketed before any substantial clinical investigated had been instituted. The TTAB said this was unsupported by any probative evidence.

Conclusion

The exclusion of industrial hemp from the CSA has allowed its growing, cultivation or even distribution, but it has not given the green light for the use of hemp-derived CBD in food or food supplements governed by the FDCA. Therefore, such products remain unlawful under federal law, and trademarks for them remain unregistrable, at least until the end of the FDAs clinical investigations.

In contrast, the FDA has stated that it has not prohibited or restricted cosmetic products containing CBD derived from hemp if these products are not adulterated, mislabeled, or intended to affect the structure or function of the body, or to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent disease. Thus, the trademarks for cosmetics may be registrable.

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Cannabis Industry Insight - US Trademark Registrations Continue to be Denied for Foods and Dietary Supplements containing Hemp-Derived CBD - Lexology

Healthy foods store owner aims to share his health journey with others – WZZM13.com

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The store has been open for a month, and was a challenge in the middle of the pandemic. But customers are still enjoying what Sobczak has to offer.

NORTON SHORES, Mich. Eric Sobczak was worried about the future.

"I really was at a point where my life was at risk," he says.

At nearly 400 pounds, his doctor told him he had Type-2 diabetes. Dedicated to learn more about health, in 15 months he lost 165 pounds and reversed the diabetes diagnosis.

"So I kind of felt like I had this responsibility," Sobczak explains. "The universe had given me this gift of the insight in regards to really understanding your weight, controlling your weight and the foods that you ate."

And that's where the idea for his store, Healthy Done Better in Norton Shores, came from.

Sobczak refers to it as a healthy food store and not a health food store. The difference, he says, is at a health food store, you will find supplements to your diet.

"We on the other hand are about giving people foods, and only to a very limited degree, providing some supplements in what we offer," he says.

The store has been open for a month, and was a challenge in the middle of the pandemic. But customers are still enjoying what Sobczak has to offer.

"The people that we do have come in are just totally excited by the space," says Sobczak. "There's so many interesting things we're doing, from milling oats in the space, growing our own micro greens in the space."

Despite the struggle, he feels proud to make a positive impact on his community.

"I think there's a lot of things here that will make their life better and can really help them get where they want to be," says Sobczak.

To learn more about the story behind Healthy Done Better, you can visit the store's website.

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Healthy foods store owner aims to share his health journey with others - WZZM13.com

Outdoor Trails: Mid-Summer projects berries, bears and waterfowl – The Sudbury Star

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Recent rains have really been great for plumping up late-ripening blueberries, and while there are still a few wild raspberries, their season is mostly over now. The wild black raspberries or black-caps are burgeoning forth with robust building berries, and should also prove to be a great harvest in a few weeks.

We have now passed the peak of the insect season, but for sure, insect protection is still needed in bush settings and especially near water, both early and late in the day.

Right now is a good time to scout out the chokecherry crop that is now forming nicely thanks to the rain. Both berry pickers and bear hunters should know where the main patches are. They make good jam.

As the blueberries taper off mid-August, around the same time the fall bear season opens, they will be ripening nicely, and the bears go from feeding on blueberries to gorging themselves on the wild cherries, so do some trail cruising to find such patches, whether a berry picker or a bear hunter. Usually, youll find these small, shrub-like trees near relatively clear areas, not mature bush. If you are a bear hunter, especially an archery buff, this can prove a decent harvesting option. You may need to clear some shooting lanes and do consider several shooting lanes to allow for different wind directions bears have very keen olfactory abilities and you need this to give you advantage.

A major part of your bear planning must be getting your harvested animal cooling off and to a cold storage facility as soon as you can. Early season bears will be taken when the temperature is still warm and both blow flies and gut rot occur quickly.

Waterfowl permits become available at the first of August, and waterfowlers should be training and sharpening up your retriever if you use one. It is also a good idea to enhance your intended marsh right now, well in advance of opening day.

Puddle ducks, also called marsh ducks by seasoned duck shooters, like to land in fairly open stretches of water. This way, they can be sure the area they are landing in has no predators hiding, such as big pike or predacious snapping turtles. I use a scythe for such work, and like to clear an opening near an overhanging oak tree if there is one.

These trees drop acorns in the water later on and the ducks simply love them. If you prefer to shoot the divers such as scaup (bluebills), redheads, ring-necks and canvass-backs, often a larger body of water is what you need to find. I have had good shooting by building a small blind on a few rocks in the middle of large beaver ponds and small lakes for these birds

Of course, diver shooting comes much later than the marsh ducks, so in either case, do build your duck blind within good range of your enhancement in the duck marsh. In addition to the natural acorn forage already mentioned, mallards, teal and wood ducks also eat a lot of bulrushes, which abound around a healthy marsh setting, and if the periphery of the pond has cranberries, for sure youll attract ducks. If you are an ardent waterfowler do send me an email and let me know if there are enough interested, Ill do a feature on waterfowling and send it to you (for free) as a PDF file. If there isnt interest, I wont waste my time. I did the same for predator calling last early winter and had interest from right across Ontario apparently, there are more than Sudburians who read this column.

A couple more right-now projects are to get out your power ice auger and give it a run and rev it out for a short while to keep the gas in the carb fresh. By the way, its a good idea to use high-test gas in small gas engines such as ice augers, chainsaws and quads. Ditto for your snow machines, and charge up the ice fish finder battery. I will also take out all my firearms and give them a good slick-down of rust preventative. If you are a shotgunner, watch the store flyers for clay pigeons to be coming on special, as I expect they will soon.

What are you seeing on your outdoor expeditions? Do you need more info or discussion than found here? I love to chat with like-minded folk, so do email me.

John Vances column, Outdoor Trails, runs regularly in The Sudbury Star. Contact him at outdoors@execulink.com.

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Outdoor Trails: Mid-Summer projects berries, bears and waterfowl - The Sudbury Star

Yuan He lab wins $1.9 million to explore how a common piece of the immune system contributes to inflammation – The South End

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A Wayne State University School of Medicine researcher who won a 2020-2021 University Research Grant from the WSU Office of the Provost in April has now earned his first R01 grant from the National Institutes of Health.

Assistant Professor of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology Yuan He, Ph.D., is the principal investigator of Molecular Mechanism of NLRP3 Inflammasome Activation, a five-year, $1.9 million grant from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. The project will investigate the molecular mechanism of a natural component of the human immune system that contributes to the pathogenesis of a variety of inflammatory diseases.

The NLRP3 inflammasomeis a critical component of the innate immune system that controls the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin ( IL)-1 and IL-18 in response to infection and tissue damage. Aberrant activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome, Dr. He said, contributes to the pathogenesis of several inflammatory disorders, including Cryopyrin-associated autoinflammatory syndrome, gout, diabetes and Alzheimers disease.

The goal of this projectis to better understand how the NLRP3 inflammasome is activated, he said. Understanding the mechanism of NLRP3 inflammasome activation might guide the development of novel therapeutic strategies for treating NLRP3 inflammasome-driven inflammatory diseases.

Zhe Yang, Ph.D., professor of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, is a co-investigator on the grant.

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Yuan He lab wins $1.9 million to explore how a common piece of the immune system contributes to inflammation - The South End

Space Tourism Is Getting Interesting (…And Weird) – Forbes

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For less than a century, humans have been sending objects, both organic or inorganic, into space. We have not yet managed to travel beyond our galaxy, but our descendants will possibly find a way to travel to distant galaxies in the future.

Though human exploration of space is in its infancy, how we nurture the infancy of space exploration will determine its maturity for future generations. We must consider the opportunities space exploration presents to us now and how we can use those opportunities to prepare for a better life for future generations.

Here are nine innovative, and sometimes strange ways, some companies are preparing now for the future of space exploration.

Eau de Space

To most people, the smell of burnt cookies brings back memories of baking and burning cookies for the holidays or other special occasions. But to astronauts, the smell of burnt cookies or lingering gun powder (depending on their childhood activities) may remind them of the smell of space.

For more than a decade, NASA has used the smell of space in-field training to prep astronauts for any unusual events they may experience in space. But now a team of people in the fashion, tech, design, and logistics fields are bottling the smell of space in a scent called Eau de Space and bringing it to the general public.

In 1895, when Russian scientist Konstantin Tsiolkovsky visited Paris, he was inspired by the sight of the newly constructed Eiffel Tower and imagined constructing a space elevator. He based his concept on designing a compression structure built to run along a free-standing tower from the earth to the height of the geostationary orbit.

Now, more than a century later, while humans chosen mode of transportation to outer space is the shuttle, companies like Obayashi, are reimagining space elevators. Modern designs consist of Carbon nanotube composite ribbon running from a giant platform in the middle of the ocean into space, and Obayashi hopes to start transporting people into space by 2050.

The worlds youngest astronaut in training, Alyssa Carson, collaborated with Berlin-based, Horizn Studios, to develop a concept for a smart, carbon fibre suitcase suitable forspace tourism.

Carson is said to be on track to be the first person to set foot on Mars and the concept luggage they developed is called HORIZN ONE, the worlds first luggage for space travel. What will you pack when you go to space?

With the desire for any type of exploration comes the need for supplies, and food is a supply we must consider for long term space exploration. That is why U.S. Air Force Colonel Nick Hague is aboard the International Space Station (ISS) studying how to grow plants in space.

Right now, astronauts carry processed, pre-packaged astronaut food that contains the required nutrients. The difficulty with making space food is the research and development costs required for it to meet the many necessary criteria. Growing plants in a zero-gravity environment also comes with challenges, but NASA and Hague are determined to keep astronauts and other space explorers well fed.

Starting in 2021, one space focused startup company, Space Perspective, will start sending scientific research payloads into space via a balloon called Spaceship Neptune. The intent of SpaceShip Neptune, which will reach a height of 30 miles, is that it will carry eight passengers at a time on six-hour flights within about the next three-and-a-half years.

While passengers traveling to sub-orbital space via Spaceship Neptune will not experience weightlessness, they will hover above 99% of our atmosphere for two hours. And during that time, they will enjoy a panoramic view of earth and the stars from a cabin with wrap-around windows.

Space Coffins

Another part of life we do not always like to talk or think about is death, but one company wants to help families honor the deceased in space while also aiding in mankinds space exploration. Enter Space Coffins, which is literally working on space coffins.

While the idea of space burial my seem far fetched to some, this company is hoping to make it a reality w/ an interesting twist. Per Space Coffins, they offer a space-age alternative to traditional options by organizing the preparation, celebration, and shipping of a person's body to travel through space on a trajectory of their choosing. The coffin is designed to protect their body in peace while collecting data and broadcasting. Any data collected by the coffin can be donated or commercialized to further space exploration.

In essence, you can check in on Grandpa Joes voyage thru space in the afterlife, which is transmitting data and is probably connecting to other interstellar coffins.

Their cofounder Chris Johnson says the company wants to change the Death Care industry from a negative expense to something positive for that person and mankind. He also sees it as a way for everyone to have a chance to participate in the Space Industry and help space startups and companies gain funding.

So after reading this, does a space coffin seem so far fetched?

While NASA works on making long-term and long-distance space travel more convenient, Voyager Station plans to make space exploration more comfortable. The station is planned for a polar orbit (sun-synchronous) launch and it would the first of a new class of large rotating space stations that are luxurious and have artificial gravity, in some ways making it the first space hotel.

Along with using this space hotel, which will feature 24 individual pods and accommodate 400 guests, for luxury stays, they hope to also use it for educational seminars. Voyager Station hopes to attract 100 guests every week, as well as they plan to build a much larger space hotel that will accommodate 1400 guests.

A Russian startup called StartRocket is working on creating and launching an orbital display or billboard that will beam ads from space. They would do this using an array of cubesats, but have gotten pushback from scientists, researchers, and even advertising professionals. Were not sure that humanity really needs space ads.

HeroX & NASA

While for-profit companies imagine ways to explore space in profitable ways, NASA is giving anyone the chance to make space exploration more practical. A few months after the toilet paper crisis of 2020, NASAs Lunar Loo Challenge gives anyone the opportunity to ensure astronauts and Astro-tourists never experience an out of this world crisis.

The Lunar Loo Challenge consists of a $35,000 prize that will be split between the top three designs (by individuals or teams of people over 18 years of age) for a toilet for the Artemis astronauts. There is a junior division, but they will only receive public recognition and an official NASA item.

With as much as we dont yet know about our own planet, one must wonder how far our exploration of the final frontier of space will extend. Future generations may explore parallel galaxies, discover what is on the other side of a black hole, and walk on the surfaces of more planets.

For those who watched Star Trek, you may remember the opening words of almost every episode, Space: The Final Frontier . . . . Captain James T Kirk said those words at the beginning of all but two episodes of the original Star Trek.In this first century of space exploration, we will see innovation beyond our wildest imagination as companies and individuals continue to pioneer this final frontier.

And to quote Captain Jean Luc Picard, Things are only impossible until they're not."

Willy Sanjuan/Invision/AP

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Space Tourism Is Getting Interesting (...And Weird) - Forbes

Critters ‘Wild’ and ‘Exotic’; ‘Red Dwarf’ returns – The Union Leader

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ANIMAL STORIES both ennobling and depressing dominate Saturdays programming. Richard Attenborough narrates Wild India (8 p.m.), debuting on BBC America. With its billion-plus population of human beings, India still has vast territories filled with exotic creatures, unique landscapes and a large percentage of the worlds tiger and elephant populations.

Much of the excitement on Wild takes place in the Karnataka region, where arid winds have carved forbidding sculptures out of some of the planets oldest rock formations. As always, its a colorful eyeful animated by critters both fearsome and cuddly, sometimes both at the same time.

If Wild India inspires with the absence of human contact, Surviving Joe Exotic (10 p.m. Saturday, Animal Planet, TV-14) concentrates on such human traits as selfishness, pride and avarice. Surviving lives up to its name, profiling some of the former employees of the colorful character at the center of Netflixs Tiger King documentary, as well as following the stories of the big cats and other wild animals who found safer forever homes after being taken from Exotics down-market empire after his arrest.

TNT devotes the weekend to marathon helpings of movies from the Star Wars franchise, including the broadcast debut of the 2018 adventure Solo: A Star Wars Story (6 p.m. Sunday, TV-14). In this saga, we meet Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) early in his career, working on the seedy side of the galaxy amid space criminals and smugglers. We also learn how he hooked up with his tall and hirsute Wookiee sidekick, Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo).

Despite the usual bells, whistles, soaring score and the presence of Game of Thrones star Emilia Clarke, Solo was as close as a Star Wars movie ever got to being a box office failure. Earning a mere $393 million worldwide, it was described as a money-loser for its Disney overlords. Despite such modest earnings, it was generally well received by critics. Aggregator Rotten Tomatoes summed things up with the phrase Flawed yet fun.

If Solo represents the backstory of a mega franchise, the 2020 feature Red Dwarf: The Promised Land updates a space comedy from the 1980s and 90s. Streaming on BritBox, Dwarf always put the emphasis on the unglamorous aspects of space travel, focusing on the drudgery and nuts-and-bolts aspects of technology and bureaucracy, the surreal nature of interplanetary and interspecies interaction as well as the mind-bending potential of human isolation.

Todd McFarlane: Like Hell I Wont (11 p.m. Saturday, Syfy) profiles an artist associated with the Spider-Man comic franchise and the creator of Spawn, and follows his iconoclastic nature as he rebelled against the conventions of the comic book and toy industries. Speaking of conventions, this documentary is part of Syfys Fan Fest, filling a void created by the cancellation of this summers usual Comic-Con gatherings. It can also be streamed on Syfy.com and Syfys YouTube page.

You cant accuse the folks at Epix of not having a favorite time and place. Scant months after their two-part docuseries on the Laurel Canyon music scene of the 1960s and 70s, Epix presents Helter Skelter: An American Myth (10 p.m. Sunday).

The six-part docuseries revisits the Manson Family, a sordid fringe cult that has fascinated many since their participation in the bloody Tate/LaBianca murders of 1969. Helter promises never-before-seen interview footage with former Manson Family members as well as law enforcement officials on the scene at the time. While this series takes its name from Vincent Bugliosis 1974 best-selling account of the murder and trial, it promises to upend some long-held assumptions established by that very book.

The Nationals and Yankees meet as MLB baseball (7 p.m., Fox) enters its shortened season.

Players anticipate renewed competition on NBA Countdown (8 p.m., ABC).

A new romance unravels when a woman is Stalked by My Husbands Ex (8 p.m., Lifetime, TV-14).

Its now or never when a fetching former tour guide meets a single dad in the 2019 romance Christmas at Graceland: Home for the Holidays (8 p.m., Hallmark, TV-G).

Shaun makes a big assumption on The Good Doctor (10 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14).

Repeat reports scheduled on 60 Minutes (7 p.m., CBS): gene therapy; child refugees get the Sesame Street treatment; a sightless piano prodigy wowing audiences.

The New York Mets host the Atlanta Braves in MLB baseball (7 p.m., ESPN).

On two helpings of The Alienist: Angel of Darkness (TNT, TV-MA): a nurse holds evidence (9 p.m.), a press baron throws a party (10 p.m.).

Beth shares a secret on Yellowstone (9 p.m., Paramount, TV-MA).

Perrys courtroom debut does not go smoothly on Perry Mason (9 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).

Kevin balks at his birthday on The Chi (9 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).

Maggie risks all on NOS4A2 (10 p.m., AMC, BBC America, TV-14).

Greg awaits his appeal on Outcry (10 p.m., Showtime, TV-MA).

DNA evidence links elements in the killers family tree on Ill Be Gone in the Dark (10 p.m., HBO, TV-MA).

French director Jacques Demy (The Umbrellas of Cherbourg) relocated to Los Angeles to direct Model Shop (10:45 p.m. Saturday, TCM, TV-14), about a floundering architects (Gary Lockwood) love affair with a French woman (Anouk Aimee, A Man and a Woman). Made a year after Lockwoods appearance in 2001: A Space Odyssey (8 p.m.).

Nobody mourns a corporate bully on Magnum P.I. (8 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... Two hours of Dateline (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) ... Evidence takes Pride to New York on NCIS: New Orleans (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... 48 Hours (10 p.m., CBS) ... A vintage helping of Saturday Night Live (10 p.m., NBC, r, TV-14).

The Titan Games (8 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) ... Dispensations on The Simpsons (8 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) ... Celebrity Family Feud (8 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) ... Henry Jr.s big decision on DCs Stargirl (8 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) ... Jennys new job on Bless the Harts (8:30 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14).

Trafficking on NCIS: Los Angeles (9 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... Americas Got Talent (9 p.m., NBC, r, TV-PG) ... Louise stands up for Gene on Bobs Burgers (9 p.m., Fox, r, TV-PG) ... Press Your Luck (9 p.m., ABC, r, TV-PG) ... Illusionists audition on Penn & Teller: Fool Us (9 p.m., CW, r, TV-PG) ... What a fool believes on Family Guy (9:30 p.m., Fox, r, TV-14) ... A female assassin stalks Europe on NCIS: New Orleans (10 p.m., CBS, r, TV-14) ... Match Game (10 p.m., ABC, r, TV-14).

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Critters 'Wild' and 'Exotic'; 'Red Dwarf' returns - The Union Leader

Who still needs the office? U.S. companies start cutting space – Reuters

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NEW YORK (Reuters) - Corporate America is downsizing its real estate footprint as companies allow more employees to work from home, a growing threat to the bottom line of owners of traditional office buildings and a sign that companies are looking for ways to cut costs as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

Men walk into the Chrysler building in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., July 22, 2020. REUTERS/Carlo Allegri

A Reuters analysis of quarterly earnings calls over the past week revealed more than 25 large companies plan to reduce their office space in the year ahead, a move designed to reduce the second-largest expense after payrolls at corporations.

Energy company Halliburton Co said it intends to close more than 100 facilities. Financial services company State Street Corp said it is going to nearly double the workers assigned to one office before adding additional space, based on the assumption that a significant portion of its workforce will continue to work from home even after a vaccine for COVID-19 emerges. Bedding company Sleep Number Corp plans to slow the growth of its total square footage as more consumers shop online.

You should expect and hold us to a much lower footprint really starting quite soon, State Street Corps CEO, Ronald Philip OHanley, said on the companys July 17 earnings call.

Regions Financial Corp, meanwhile, told analysts: Whether through increased use of hoteling, work from home or modified scheduling, we are confident overall office square footage will continue to decline, as some workers share desks or stop coming into the building.

Analysts say the plans to cut back on real estate are likely the first wave of cost-cutting measures to hit office workers as companies try to maintain margins going into what may be a long recession. So far, the majority of the 14.7 million U.S. jobs lost during the pandemic have been in hard-hit areas such as restaurants, travel and retailers.

Reductions in office spending could likely be followed by layoffs and investments in technology that should help improve productivity with a reduced workforce, said Bill McMahon, chief investment officer of active equity strategies at Charles Schwab.

Clearly, were seeing businesses starting to rationalize their physical plants and at some point they will turn to labor too, he said.

Morgan Stanley in June forecast that work-from-home policies will increase vacancy rates in office buildings. Vacancy rates in New York will reach 10%-12% in the next two to five years from 8.7% now, while San Francisco will reach 7-9% from 5.8%, it predicted.

So far, concerns about declining office space use have not hurt commercial mortgaged-backed securities, with the iShares CMBS ETF up 4.4% for the year to date.

While companies tend to cut back on their real estate needs during typical recessions, the last four months of economic lockdown have shown that many workers can remain productive at home, said Danny Ismail, an analyst at independent research firm Green Street Advisors. As a result, the cutbacks that companies are making are more likely to be permanent, he said.

Every company just went through a mass work-from-home experience and for the majority it was mostly positive, he said.

Green Street Advisors expects that office demand will be reduced by up to 15% as a result of work from home policies once the coronavirus pandemic is contained.

That reduction in necessary space will most likely hurt real estate investment firms with large exposures in cities such as San Francisco and New York as workers are expected to be given more freedom by employers to live in lower-cost areas away from the coasts, Ismail said.

Even before COVID-19, youd seen a migration from majority coastal cities along the Northeast and West Coast to Sun Belt markets, he said, referring to the region stretching from Florida to Southern California, collectively known as the Sun Belt. We think that will accelerate in the future as the cost of living, quality of life and ability to keep your job is much better in a post-COVID-19 world than before.

(Corrects to say that office demand will be reduced by up to 15%, instead of that up to 15% of U.S. office workers will likely remain remote, paragraph 13.)

Reporting by David Randall in New York; Editing by Megan Davies and Matthew Lewis

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Who still needs the office? U.S. companies start cutting space - Reuters