A settlement in the Liberty Utilities rate case has been reached, according to staff from state Rep. Matt Schaefers office.

In a post on a Facebook page about the case, the staff said they were informed Monday about the settlement.

We do not have details that we can share at this time, the post read. Rep. Schaefer is requesting a meeting in person with PUC (Public Utility Commission) officials ASAP.

A hearing about the merits of the Liberty Utilities rate case was scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday in Austin.

However, because of the settlement, the hearing was canceled, according to the Facebook post.

It was unclear late Monday what the settlement would mean for the proposed rate increases for customers in Tyler and Smith County.

The settlement is the latest development in a process that began in September after the utility company notified its Tall Timbers and Woodmark Sewer customers about a proposed rate change for wastewater service.

The rate increase as proposed then would more than triple some customers monthly bills and was met with widespread opposition.

Customers submitted more than 1,000 protests to the Public Utility Commission of Texas.

The commission has original jurisdiction over the companys rate application for customers living in Smith County.

However, the city of Tyler has original jurisdiction over Liberty Utilities rate application for customers living inside the city limits.

The number of protests from Smith County customers triggered an automatic hearing at the state level and, in December, the Public Utility Commission referred the case to the State Office of Administrative Hearings to address factual disputes.

At the same time, the city of Tyler was addressing the rate request for its residents and in April, the city denied the companys application for a rate increase saying it lacked the authority to approve rates based on alternate ratemaking methodologies, which the company was proposing in its application.

The company appealed the citys decision to the Public Utility Commission of Texas and, in June, a judge with the State Office of Administrative Hearings consolidated the appeal with the rest of the case it already was addressing.

Schaefers staff said they would provide an update as soon as possible.

TWITTER: @TMTEmily

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Tyler Morning Telegraph - Settlement reached in Liberty Utilities rate ... - Tyler Morning Telegraph

Fresh off an All-Star MVP performance, Maya Moore leads the Minnesota Lynx into the second half of the season as the No. 1 team in the league with a sparkling 16-2 record and a three-game lead over the second-place Los Angeles Sparks.

Moore and fellow Lynx All-Stars Sylvia Fowles, Seimone Augustus and Rebekkah Brunson welcome fellow All-Stars Tina Charles and Sugar Rodgers and the New York Liberty on Tuesday to Xcel Energy Center.

While the four Lynx stars enjoyed showcasing their talents with the best of the WNBA, they kept one eye focused on the larger team goal.

Its almost like there wasnt a break for us because we were together, Moore said of being around her teammates and coaches. Just continuing to build these memories and continue to build momentum with my teammates and coaches. Its just one more thing we were able to do together to bring it into the second half of the season.

Minnesota closed out the first half on a much different note than the Liberty. The Lynx start second-half play on a three-game win streak

The Liberty stumbled into the All-Star break, splitting their last six games. Offensive struggles forced coach Bill Laimbeer to shake up his starting lineup. Bria Hartley moved into the lineup, Epiphany Prince slid over to the shooting guard spot and Rodgers provided a needed spark off the bench.

Laimbeer was proven correct when the Liberty beat the Mystics on July 16 and the bench erupted for 41 points.

We know were a good team, Charles said. At times, its just we still have to figure it out.

A lot of teams are able to figure it out at the beginning of the season, they have experience like in Minnesota and L.A., and then you have teams that are still figuring it out along the way and thats where we are.

But it does look like Charles and company have figured things out after winning their final two games before the All-Star break.

The structure that we have right now is good for us, Laimbeer said. Were pushing the pace better. Were getting easier baskets. We have good role definition.

Now comes a brutal stretch of five games on the road for the Liberty, with the Lynx being the first hurdle.

When these teams meet, the marquee matchup is always Moore vs. Charles.

Charles is playing at an MVP level, averaging 20.5 points and 9.9 rebounds per game. Moore is as steady as ever, averaging 15.7 points and 3.8 assists per game. Her surrounding cast is second-to-none in the WNBA.

Fowles is a serious MVP candidate, averaging 20.1 points and 9.8 rebounds per game. Augustus is averaging 11.6 points and Brunson is right behind at 10.9 points and 6.7 rebounds.

Tuesdays game is the second of three meetings this season between the Liberty and Lynx. Minnesota took the first game 90-71 on May 18.

Excerpt from:

Moore leads league-best Lynx into meeting vs. Liberty (Jul 24, 2017) - FOXSports.com

MUSCATINE Almost 50 years after a one-room schoolhouse in West Liberty closed its doors, it will get a turn-of-the century wooden floor, returning the structure to how it looked when one teacher taught students of all ages under one roof.

The schoolhouse once stood on a particularly swampy swath of land outside West Liberty, earning it the nickname the Swamp School." But since its construction at around 1879, the building was moved a couple of times and was used as a garage at some point. By the time it moved to West Liberty Heritage Park in 2004, the school lost its original wooden floor. Instead, the building had an industrial-looking poured concrete floor that seems at odds with the wooden features of the schoolhouse.

When you look at the old one-room schoolhouse and you see a modern poured concrete floor, thats not really how it was, said Scott Brooke of the West Liberty Heritage Foundation, the organization that now owns the house. We want to try and give a presentation that would give an accurate image of what a one-room school house looked like back in the day. And by putting down a vintage wooden floor it would give you a better idea of how things looked.

The floor will be the last big project in a long list of restoration projects that the West Liberty Heritage Foundation has undertaken to bring the schoolhouse back to its former glory. The $6000 project is funded in part by individual donations. The West Liberty Heritage Foundation was also awarded an almost $3,000 grant from the State Historical Society of Iowa this month for the project.

A relic of rural history, the Swamp School is one of a handful of one-room schoolhouses to be preserved in Muscatine County. At one point, according to the Iowa State Historical Society, almost 14,000 such schools dotted rural Iowa. Most were closed in the 1960s after the Iowa State Legislature mandated the creation of school districts.

It was one of the few ones that actually remained standing and all the other ones have kind of either fallen in or burned down or torn down or fallen to a state of disrepair, Brooke said.

Brooke said the foundation is looking for a turn-of-the century floor to maintain the houses historical accuracy. The floor will most likely come from an old barn or another structure built around that time. Restoration, he said, will begin in the fall and will take about a week to 10 days.

Its just an important part of our history, as an in-town school would be. Its building our community, he said.

Go here to read the rest:

West Liberty one-room schoolhouse to receive new floors - Quad City Times

Published: Mon, July 24, 2017 @ 12:05 a.m.

By Sarah Lehr

slehr@vindy.com

LIBERTY

Plans for a possible merger with the Girard Fire Department have stalled, prompting Liberty trustees to propose going in a different direction.

Trustee Jodi Stoyak suggested during a meeting this month the township form a committee to study creation of a central fire station, which would replace the townships two aging fire stations.

Though Stoyak placed the fire department issue on the agenda for discussion, trustees never formally voted to create a committee.

Stoyak said she wanted to at least discuss the fire department due to inaction from Girard officials on a merger study.

Ive been a bit frustrated with the lack of response from them, Stoyak said of Girard officials.

Trustees convened a joint session March 29 with Girard officials to discuss commissioning a study on the benefits and drawbacks of a merger of the Girard and Liberty fire departments.

The two communities had hoped to pay for the study using up to $50,000 in state grant money.

At that meeting, a large contingent of firefighters and their supporters spoke against commissioning a study, arguing a merger would negatively affect services to residents. At the end of the meeting, Stan Nudell, Liberty trustees chairman, said the feedback indicated there was no point in moving forward with the study and did not bring the issue to a vote.

Stoyak later brought the issue back at the next April 10 regular meeting, at which all three trustees voted for a study. Trustees emphasized the study was only for fact-finding.

Though a majority of Girard City Council members told The Vindicator earlier this year they supported a study, Girard council has never brought the issue to the floor for a vote.

Girard Mayor James Melfi and City Council President Reynold Paolone said council members have so far given no indication they wish to introduce legislation.

Melfi also has said he would support a study that does not cost the city money. Melfi said he needs more information to determine whether he favors a merger.

Canfield, Poland and Hubbard have merged with neighboring fire departments to create joint fire districts. Proponents of joint fire districts say they eliminate redundancies and allow firefighters to apply more competitively for grant money.

Nudell said he is still holding out hope Girard council will take action on a joint fire study. Liberty officials have also floated the idea of merging with a nearby community other than Girard, but have not made concrete steps in that direction.

Right now, our hands our tied, Nudell said.

The lack of action prompted Stoyak to renew the call for a central Liberty fire station an idea township leaders have bandied about for years.

Stoyak contends it is waste of taxpayer dollars to spend money on repairs to the townships two aging fire stations at 4001 Logan Way and 5920 Belmont Ave.

Both fire Chief Gus Birch and Justin Graham, president of the Liberty chapter of the International Association of Fire Fighters union, support building a new, centrally located fire station.

It would pay for itself, Graham said. Right now, we need to have two of everything.

Township voters would need to approve the issuance of bond notes to pay for the construction of a new station.

More:

Liberty trustees propose committee to study central fire station as plans stall - Youngstown Vindicator

What's in a name? Well, a lot at least for those in Austins vibrant restaurant, live music andcondimentscenes.

Earlier this month,Stubb'sAustin Restaurant Co. settled a trademark dispute with McCormick and Co., and its subsidiary One World Foods, so that McCormick will be theonlycompany that can use the nameStubb's.

So now, the Maryland spice company that owns the Austin sauce company is no longer allowing the Austin barbecue spot and music venue to use the nickname of the man that opened the restaurant.

Perhaps anticipating that this might happen,the restaurant Stubb's filed paperwork to claim the name "Liberty Lunch," sending a collective record skip that could be heard all the way toAntones the record store, not the club. (Incidentally, the twoAntone'sbusinessesare owned by different companies.)

Stubbsregistering the name Liberty Lunch raised several questions like, "Can they do that?" and Will the new brand stick?

A brand is like a handshake. Its a promise," saidMitchBaranowski, a creative director and branding expert based in New York."Its a promise that youre going to deliver on a certain product, or service, or experience. And these days, what a lot of consumers really want is an authentic brand experience."

To get that authentic brand experience, he says, you need heritage, sincerity and quality.Stubbsis losing some of that heritage its namesake as a result of the lawsuit.

C.B.Stubblefieldloved music," Baranowski said. "His original West Texas restaurant was frequented by so many great Texas musicians, from Joe Ely, Tom T. Hall, many others."

It was in Elys house that Stubblefieldbegan to bottle his sauce for sale,accordingStubbswebsite the sauce company, not the restaurant.

"They used to jam at his place all the time and that continued when he moved it to Austin," Baranowski said. "So, the live music component, that part of the brand heritage will be called up when they move over to the new name Liberty Lunch.

A Dive

If that name doesnt ring a bell, here's a primer for those of you too young or too new to Austin.

Liberty Lunch was one of the city's storied live music venues. It hit its stride in the1980sand'90s, booking a whos who of music. Located in the middle of what are now high-rises and boutiques, Liberty Lunch thrived without anyaesthetics.

I think that was the beauty of the place," saidKUTX's Susan Castle, who says she used to go to Liberty Lunch two to three times a week."It was a dive, a complete dive. It had half a roof on. But they had so many big names come through before they got big."

Great music, I mean thats what it was known for, right? saidBaranowski, who lived in Austin while attending undergrad and graduate school at the University of Texas.So, youd go see Michael Johnson and the Killer Bees, or Twang Twang Shock-A-Boom or the Reivers.

TheReivers were regulars at Liberty Lunch. You may know the band by its original name, Zeitgeist, which it had to change after a lawsuit.

A lot of those times, back in those college days, we couldnt quite afford the cover charge, so we might sit out on the curb eating our beans and rice from LaZonaRosa," Baranowski said. "But as I started working more and more around town, I had the means to pay the hefty $5 to $6 cover. Great sweaty, rocking nights at the Liberty Lunch."

"You could go right up to the stage and get just washed over [by] the sound of the Funky Meters, Castle said.

It was one of those places that many who were in Austin at the time remember fondly. It closed in 1999 to make way for the new City Hall and two office buildings.

Liberty Lunch's last owners,MarkPratzand Jeanette Ward, were not all that fond of the weird name, according to The Austin Chronicle. And that may make you wonder how it even got the name.

A Lumber Yard

If you dont know what theoriginalLiberty Lunch was, here's a primer for those of you too young or too new to Austin.

The clubs original owners, ShannonSedwickand Michael Shelton, bought the lease way back in 1975 from a guy who was running an open-air bar.

[There were] pickled eggs on the counter, with one with a bite taken out of it and put back in. It was just pretty much a dive, Sedwick said. "It was funky, very, very funky."

Sedwickand Shelton have had a hand in the development of a number of Austin night spots, most famously Esthers Follies, which they still own. Back in 75, they brought music to Liberty Lunch, booking local bands likeBetoy LosFairlanesand The Lotions.

All the outside was still pretty much the way it had been from the early days when it was a lumber yard, Sedwick said.

Wait. Lumber yard?

A Burger Stand

So, if you dont know what the original, original Liberty Lunch was, here's a primer for those of you too young or too new.

At one time, Austins warehouse district was more than inexpensive real estate to start music clubs; the warehouses were usedto house wares.

CalcasieuLumber was one of if not the biggest building suppliers in Austin. If you live in an old home in town, theres a reasonable chance that there areCalcasieubeams somewhere in the structure.

Supplying lumber and hardware to much of Austin required a lot of warehouse space.

We had a window department, an appliance store, an architectural mill plant, the main office these were all in different buildings down there in theSecondandThird Street area. But our main office was onSecondStreet, said Nick Morris, the former president ofCalcasieu. His grandfather Bill Drake started the business.

The company owned much of the land around this one building without a roof.

I ate [in that building] all the time, but, no, that was not ours," he said. "That was a restaurant, and I had plenty of hamburgers there at Liberty Lunch. Idont remember how it got its name; I know that a blind man owned it. And if you went in there often, I dont know if he could detect your voice or your footsteps or whatever, but hed call you by name.

Now were getting to the bottom of it.

According to Sedwick, the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired owned the space.

"They had named it Liberty Lunch and then painted over that part of the building," she said. "And so when we uncovered that paint on the front of the building, that name came out. We just discovered it by happy accident, and thats why we named it Liberty Lunch.

But thats where the origin story ends in a mystery. The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired doesnt have any record of a program onSecondStreet. The school says official records of off-site programs go back only so far.

Back then, there was a federal program for the blind to be employed specifically in the operation of vending facilities, which included cafeterias, snack bars and, later, vending machines. It's possible that the burger stand was run by an individual in the program who could have had a hand in establishing the name.

Brand New

If you dont know what Liberty Lunch will be, youre not alone.

It just seems to me you shouldnt take somebodys built-up brand and utilize it again," Sedwick said. "I wouldnt like it if somebody tried to call something Armadillo World Headquarters, either. Those things are special. They should be special."

Thats why Im a little bummed thatStubbsmay get the name Liberty Lunch," Castle said, "because I want Liberty Lunch to bethat memory."

Will it be the same Liberty Lunch? No, it wont," Baranowskisaid. "But its in the same arena and hopefully, over time, the folks behind the new Liberty Lunch will create a similarly warm and inviting experience that can be part of the Austin culture for years to come.

This incarnation of Liberty Lunch will have barbecue but probably a different sauce.

See the original post here:

Liberty Lunch Might Be Coming Back, But Where Did It Come From? - KUOW News and Information

WASHINGTONAs America becomes more secular, religious liberty is facing ever harsher attacks. Opponents have what they feel are reasonable objections to that liberty, some going so far as to say religious liberty does damage and leads to discrimination. Thats led people like constitutional law professor Michael Paulsen of Minneapolis St. Thomas University to study those objections and then answer them one by one.Hes even trying to reach way out beyond his law classes to spread his message that theres a strong defense for religious rights. Before a crowd at Washington, D.C.s Family Research Council this past week, he explained that when America became a constitutional republic, most of its founders had a strong belief in God and a sacred sense about peoples religious rights. Thats why it makes so much sense theyd protect religion with the First Amendment.

Gods Commands Beat Governments Demands

"Religious liberty is our collective sense or intuition that if God exists and makes commands on people, those commands really are more important than what the state requires, Paulsen told the FRC audience.

But he worries that in an increasingly secular society, that sense is decaying.Its kind of a lost perspective in the modern era, he said.

Paulsens concerned about a growing hostility to people practicing their faith in areas like their businesses.There are those with objections to religious liberty who actually fear what such unfettered liberty in the hands of business-owners might do to harm others.

He said of such objectors who look down their nose at religion, You sort of shed the idea that religious liberty is generally a good thing, and it becomes a view that religion is an affirmatively harmful thing.And protecting what you dont think corresponds to any objective truth is kind of like protecting kookiness.

If You Believe Religion Is a Delusion

Imagine if there were a constitutional right that afforded special status for delusional people, which is the way that many secularists view religion, he continued.You would not want to protect delusions of delusional people very strongly, and you would find that just about anything that the state or society imposes as its rule should prevail over religious truth."

Its why these days, those who believe in same-sex marriage and gay rights are going after cake-bakers and florists and photographers who dont want to serve gay weddings.These gay rights supporters find biblical objections outdated or ludicrous and think actions like refusing to serve same-sex weddings should be forbidden because they see them as active discrimination.

But Paulsen pointed out, You can as a cake maker decline to make a Ku Klux Klan cake or a Nazi cake or an anti-Muslim cake.

Same-Sex Marriage Ruling a Turning Point

The thing is, the U.S. Supreme Court with the 2015 Obergefell vs. Hedges 5-to-4 ruling has now made same-sex marriage a constitutional right.

"By making it a constitutional right, the Supreme Court has given fuel to the forces who wish to override the claims of religious conscience, Paulsen told CBN News."Most Christians I think share a variety of views that entail empathy for the neighbor and are not hostile to homosexuals themselves.Nonetheless, there are very many who would wish to preserve the ability to act in accordance with what they think are scriptural commands; not to affirm propositions with which they disagree."

But now the law may force compliance, leading Paulsen to say, "The most important and dangerous aspect of Obergefell is its threat to religious liberty."

Still, the law professor pointed out that those insisting religious believers are wrong to oppose activities like abortion or same-sex marriage face a huge barrier.

An Objection to the Constitution Itself'

Paulsen stated, It is the view of some that religious liberty should not be protected and that every exercise of religious liberty basically is an impairment of the rights of others.

Now if you take that argument seriously, you never protect religious liberty, he said. But its basically an objection to the Constitution itself. The Constitution protects religious liberty and protects it in a special way.

One thing about Americas federal system is that federal law trumps state or local statutes. Paulsen believes that should be true even when it comes to state laws against some discrimination.

The Constitution prevails over statutes.If theres a constitutional right weighed against a statutory assertion, youre basically weighing the constitutional freedom of religion against a claim of government power to enforce civil rights laws, Paulsen explained.

"I think that as a matter of starting points as first principles, you should say, Wait a minute. We dont start with civil rights laws and say, well, can we really justify a religious exemption from it?' I think we start with the First Amendment free exercise right," he said.

Faith Is Not Irrational

As society becomes more secular, Paulsen suggested believers will have to learn to defend their faith in a way that makes logical sense to others.

It is not irrational for people to believe in a Creator God, he explained. "And I think it is important in defending and explaining religious freedom to be able to explain the premises that underlie religious faith in a way thats coherent to people who have competing philosophical systems.

Its why hes out there defending it himself in an era where such liberty may soon be threatened like never before in America. Hes also written about it extensively in The Priority of God (a Theory of Religious Liberty).

Christians have lived in secular and oppressive ages throughout all history. America is probably one of the least bad places for that. We enjoy these tremendous constitutional freedoms and theyre protected by a very strong social structure, Paulsen told CBN News.

But he warned, "Nonetheless, It is obviously true that the more society becomes secularized, the less strongly it will value and protect religious liberty. And Id like to keep religious liberty strong for all Christians, Muslims, Jews and all religious believers of good faith.

Continue reading here:

Answering Modern Threats to Religious Liberty - CBN News

By just about any measure, the Transportation Security Administration has been a failure. A recent undercover test provides even further evidence of this, as if any were needed.

The TSA was a mess before it was merged, along with 21 other federal agencies, into the superbureaucracy known as the Department of Homeland Security in 2002. At the time, then-President George W. Bush promised that the new department would improve efficiency without growing government, but as with other DHS agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Secret Service, the TSA has only gotten more bloated, more incompetent and less accountable.

The latest example is the dreadful performance of security screeners at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport, the 16th-busiest airport in the U.S., where undercover agents with the DHS Office of the Inspector General successfully smuggled explosive materials and fake weapons through security on 17 of 18 attempts thats a failure rate of 95 percent! The TSAs performance was so bad that the covert tests were reportedly halted prematurely. Moreover, it seems that security at Minneapolis-St. Paul has actually been getting worse; screeners failed on 9 of 12 attempts during a similar test last year.

This seems to be consistent with the national trend. In 2002, USA Today reported that undercover agents got bombs and weapons through security about a quarter of the time. By 2007, the failure rate had jumped to 75 percent, the paper reported. Between 2007 and 2015, the TSA beefed up its screening staff by more than 50 percent from about 30,000 to 46,000 and spent $550 million on staff training and new screening equipment, but then TSA famously failed to detect mock explosives and banned weapons in 67 of 70 cases a 96 percent failure rate in 2015, leading to the ouster of agency chief Melvin Carraway. It seems things have not gotten any better since then.

If that was not enough, the U.S. Government Accountability Office again blasted the TSA for wasting resources on a behavior detection program that has little, if any, scientific basis, much less actual results to justify it. As a new GAO report explains, officers were trained to look for behavioral indicators like assessing the way an individual swallows or the degree to which an individuals eyes are open, supposedly as evidence that an individual might pose a threat.

But, as the GAO concluded in a 2013 report, The human ability to accurately identify deceptive behavior based on behavioral indicators is the same as or slightly better than chance, and it recommended shutting the program down. The new report confirms that 98 percent of the 178 sources the TSA cited to substantiate its efforts failed to meet the GAOs definition of valid evidence thereby discrediting at least 28 of the 36 behavioral indicators examined.

Yet, even as the TSAs performance remarkably continues to deteriorate, as in numerous other areas, the governments solution is more of the same: more employees, more taxpayer money, more pointless harassment of passengers, including enhanced pat-downs and inspections of books and food. These efforts have never caught a terrorist or foiled a terrorist plot, but they have successfully beaten Americans into submission to ever-growing government authority and intrusions.

We are told that these infringements of our liberties are the price of security, but as Benjamin Franklin so presciently warned 262 years ago, these sacrifices have only led to less liberty and less safety. In the interests of both liberty and safety, we should get government out of the security business and let airlines compete to serve customers while also keeping them safe.

See the original post here:

TSA still offers us less liberty and less safety - OCRegister

July 24, 2017

Faces of Business

Stan Simpson Special to the Hartford Business Journal

Math and computations have always fascinated Glenn Davis.

As he reflected in his Middletown office on his extensive career in finance, the dapper vice president for community development at Liberty Bank said it wasn't really the numbers that engaged him as a child.

"I like solving problems," Davis said. "What's intriguing for me is working through the process. I love successful outcomes. As an economic development person what is refreshing is that you can leave a legacy that you were able to solve a problem that led to significant change. At the end of the day, economic development is about taking nothing and turning it into something.''

The Windsor resident's mornings start at about 5 a.m. with prayer, walking the family dog and then breakfast. He is normally at his Main Street branch a little after 8 a.m.; leaves around 5:30 p.m. and usually works another two hours in his home office.

Davis leads a three-person team tasked with making investments and providing resources to empower low-and-moderate income communities. In addition to his VP duties, Davis is also the bank's Community Reinvestment Act officer, making sure that loans and mortgages are made available to underserved communities.

More than $40 million worth of transactions flow through his office, including investments in nonprofits, lending to homebuyers, neighborhood revitalization projects and small businesses.

Davis, a Philadelphia native, and wife Dianne have been married 37 years. They have three children and a grandchild. His career in finance, banking and economic development spans 40 years.

"I love working with small businesses and helping them to achieve their goal," Davis, 62, said. "That's been the real driver for me helping others achieve their goals."

That driver applies to his staff as well. As a business leader, Davis says he wants his team members to achieve their individual goals, "but to have that success structured in the context of our team."

When it comes to managing people, Davis said he has learned that it's important to understand the personalities of each employee and what motivates them.

"You can't treat everyone the same," he said. "People are wired differently. So, even your approach to how you motivate them is different. Some may require more of a strong-arm approach; others a softer approach. The key to being successful with that is to really be in tune to who you are. You have to be comfortable with yourself to be able to flow in those different roles."

He majored in business and economics at Fisk University in Nashville, Tenn., and earned a master's degree in management at Cambridge College in Massachusetts. Work stops included Louisville, Ky.; Shreveport, La.; and Houston, Texas.

This is a man who at an early age found his niche in life finance and parlayed it into a career helping others secure funding for their dreams. Davis was hired at Liberty in 2013.

On any given day, the customer may be a real estate developer trying to transform a parcel of land, a nonprofit looking to expand, a first-time homebuyer, or an entrepreneur seeking a loan.

Financial literacy is another sector that drives Davis.

He is particularly proud of Liberty's Small Business Academy launched in 2016. The training program educates fledgling entrepreneurs, who generate less than $1 million in annual revenue, on the fundamentals of business. Financing, taxes, risk management and insurance are among the topics discussed. The candidates must be in business for less than three years, have no bankruptcies in the past five years, and not be under supervision of the criminal justice system. A credit line of $5,000 is approved for each participant that completes the eight-week program. So far, about 100 entrepreneurs have graduated.

"In my experience, no one has ever gone out of business because they were not proficient at what they did,'' Davis said, adding that it is the business-side of operating a firm that dooms many entrepreneurs.

When he's not working the numbers and solving problems, Davis enjoys time at home working on his yard and reading motivational books, or ones about spirituality and (who knew?) espionage.

He finds irony that his very first job in 1976 was in a management-training program at a place called Liberty Bank in Louisville, Ky. no connection to Connecticut's Liberty.

"I've come full circle," Davis said, with a smile. "Back into a Liberty Bank."

Stan Simpson is the principal of Stan Simpson Enterprises LLC, a strategic communications consulting firm. He is also host of "The Stan Simpson Show," on Fox 61.

Link:

Financier Davis is Liberty Bank's community developer - Hartford Business

Former Liberty Cab drivers start new...

CHICO, Calif. - There's a new cab in Chico, but these might look familiar.

Just months after Liberty Cab went out of business after serving Chico for 12 years, some of its drivers have officially launched a new cab company.

The former Liberty Cab drivers bought three taxi's from their former boss and transformed Liberty Cab into Star Taxi.

"I just want to drive. I don't know, it's so simple, I love driving," said Erik Schmidt, co-owner of Star Taxi.

That's exactly what he and the other owner, Shawn Heater, plan to do. Schmidt said he only got five days notice from Liberty Cab that he would no longer have a job back when they closed in April.

Now, he and two former drivers are back to serve the city.

"I just hope we can be the new Liberty, I just hope we can make it," Schmidt said.

The taxis have the same look, with a new name. Three drivers are ready for duty 24 hours a day.

They even deliver. Schmidt brought an Icee to a Chico man named Richard Kisling, who can't drive. "It's pretty valuable [to me,] said Kisling. "I can call [the taxi] that particular day to go somewhere and back and with [another transportation option] I'd have to make arrangements beforehand."

It's the kind of bedside manner Schmidt said sets Star Taxi apart from other taxi companies and from the ride share options like Uber.

"Most of our demographic doesn't have smart phones," Schmidt said. "Our average customer is probably about 40 or 50 years older than the average Uber user."

The elderly or disabled make up about 80 percent of their business, which is slowly but surely on the rise.

"Today I feel better," said Schmidt. "I was really scared, but we get about four or five more calls every day which is good right?"

It's a continuing improvement. The three hit the road July 13 with only six calls a day and now they're up to almost 25 a day just a week and a half later.

Enough business means they'll be adding two more cabs sooner than later.

"I'm all in. I've sold everything I could possibly sell. I just put everything I have, it's gonna work," said Schmidt.

The local business is asking for local help. Anyone who needs a ride is welcome to call Star Taxi at 530-466-8899. Schmidt said they're still working out some kinks in their call system. If that number doesn't work, call 530-966-0439.

Schmidt said their former employers with Liberty Cab are fully supporting the new business. The average taxi can cost up to $5,000, but they're buying the already branded Liberty Cabs at a discounted rate of about $1,200.

See the article here:

Former Liberty Cab drivers start new service in Chico - KRCRTV.COM

Liberty Twp. -

Police departments in the areas surrounding Liberty are on the look out for a robbery suspect Saturday morning.

A little after 10 am, a bank teller at the Home Savings on Belmont Avenuepressed the emergency button twice to alert police of the robbery after a man handed over a note demanding money and showed a silver handgun.

Police in Liberty and Youngstown began searching the area around Home Savings Bank on Belmont Avenue for a robbery suspect with a K-9 Unit from Youngstown.

The departments are asking for help finding the suspect who is described to be a black male in his mid to late 30's. Police say he was wearing a red, white, and black plaid hat, a brown jacket, blue jeans, and black framed glasses. He is described to be about 5'8" and 200 lbs.

Bank employees weren't able to tell police what was taken at the time they called 911.

Police were first searching the cemetery behind the bank, as well as the surrounding areas.

This is a developing story. Stay with 21 News for more information as it becomes available.

Originally posted here:

Police searching for Liberty bank robbery suspect - WFMJ

SALISBURY, MD and MARLTON, NJ, Jul 21, 2017 (Marketwired via COMTEX) -- SALISBURY, MD and MARLTON, NJ--(Marketwired - Jul 21, 2017) - On July 20, 2017, Delmar Bancorp ("Delmar") (otcqb:DBCP), the parent company of The Bank of Delmarva, Seaford, Delaware ("Delmarva"), and Liberty Bell Bank, Marlton, New Jersey ("Liberty") (otcqb:LBBB) entered into a definitive agreement (the "Agreement") pursuant to which Liberty will be acquired by Delmar through the merger of Liberty into Delmarva, with Delmarva being the surviving institution.

Under the Agreement, each Liberty shareholder will be entitled to elect to receive either 0.2857 shares of Delmar common stock, or $1.70 in cash, for each share of Liberty common stock they own, provided that in the aggregate 70% of the shares of Liberty common stock must be converted into Delmar common stock and 30% of the shares of Liberty common stock must be converted into cash. Options and other warrants to acquire Liberty common stock will be assumed by Delmar and converted into options and rights to acquire shares of Delmar common stock.

Based on the average closing price of Delmar common stock during the 90 days ended July 14, 2017 of $6.58, the aggregate value of the transaction would be approximately $16 million, or approximately 162% of Liberty's tangible book value per common share as of March 31, 2017 and 54 times Liberty's projected 2017 earnings available to common shareholders, each as of March 31, 2017. Delmar expects to recover at closing of the transaction $6.1 million of Liberty's $6.8 million valuation reserve on its deferred tax asset, due to the significant common ownership of Delmar and Liberty (they share the same largest shareholder), providing a unique opportunity for Delmar and Liberty shareholders. With this valuation reserve recovery, the aggregate value of the transaction represents approximately 100% of Liberty's tangible book value. Approximately $4.5 million of the aggregate consideration will be payable in cash. Delmar expects that the transaction will be accretive to Delmar's earnings within twelve months following the closing of the merger, and will result in modest dilution to tangible book value, which is expected to be earned back in approximately three years.

The acquisition of Liberty, with three branches in Burlington and Camden Counties, will be Delmar's initial entry into the Southern New Jersey/Suburban Philadelphia market. The merger will enable Delmar to enhance its growth opportunities by leveraging its larger capital base and legal lending limit with Liberty's customer base.

At March 31, 2017, Liberty had approximately $149.9 million in assets, $121.2 million in loans and $136.5 million in deposits.On a pro forma basis at March 31, 2017, the combined company would have $668.6 million of assets, $556.1 million in loans and $575.0 million in deposits.

Kenneth R. Lehman currently serves on the Board of Directors of both Liberty and Delmar.In connection with the merger, two additional members of the Board of Directors of Liberty will join the Board of Directors of Delmar and Delmarva. Liberty will continue to operate under the name "Liberty Bell Bank, a division of The Bank of Delmarva".

The merger is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2017 or first quarter of 2018.The Agreement has been unanimously approved by the boards of directors of both Delmar and Liberty and is subject to the approval by the shareholders of Liberty, the approval of the applicable bank regulatory authorities, and the satisfaction or waiver of the conditions to closing and covenants of each party contained in the Agreement.

John W. Breda, President and CEO of Delmar and Delmarva said, "We are extremely excited about the proposed acquisition of Liberty and the transformative opportunities the combination creates for us. We are familiar with the market and believe that it provides substantial opportunities for growth of the combined bank. We look forward to serving Liberty's customers with our portfolio of deposit, cash management, and loan products for businesses and consumers. We plan to work very closely with the Liberty team to provide a seamless transition, and make Liberty's customers feel that nothing has changed, except our capacity to serve them.Having just assumed the role of President and CEO of Delmar, I am very proud and eager to lead it into a new market and new opportunities."

Benjamin F. Watts, President and CEO of Liberty said, "We are thrilled to have found such a strong and high caliber institution as Delmar Bancorp to merge with.This partnership will serve our shareholders, our employees, our customers and our community well."

Liberty was advised by FIG Partners, L.P. as financial advisor, and Stevens & Lee as legal counsel. RP Financial LC. served as financial advisor, and Buckley Sandler LLP served as legal counsel, to Delmar.

About the Companies: Delmar Bancorp is the holding company for The Bank of Delmarva, which commenced operations in 1896. Delmarva's main office is in Seaford, Delaware, and it conducts full service commercial banking through 10 offices, soon to be 11, located in Wicomico and Worcester Counties in Maryland, and Sussex County in Delaware. Delmarva focuses on serving its local communities, knowing its customers and providing superior customer service.

Liberty Bell Bank is headquartered in Marlton, New Jersey, and has two additional full service offices in Moorestown and Cherry Hill, New Jersey.

Additional Information About the Merger and Where to Find It

In connection with the proposed transaction, Delmar intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") an Offering Statement on Form 1-A (the "Offering Statement") to qualify the shares of Delmar common stock to be issued to shareholders of Liberty in connection with the transaction. The Offering Statement will include a Proxy Statement of Liberty (the "Proxy Statement") and an Offering Circular of Delmar, as well as other relevant materials regarding the proposed transaction involving Delmar and Liberty. A definitive Proxy Statement/Offering Circular will be mailed to shareholders of Liberty. SECURITY HOLDERS OF LIBERTY ARE ADVISED TO READ THE PROXY STATEMENT/OFFERING CIRCULAR WHEN IT BECOMES AVAILABLE AND ANY OTHER DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE IN THE PROXY STATEMENT/OFFERING CIRCULAR BECAUSE THEY WILL CONTAIN IMPORTANT INFORMATION REGARDING DELMAR AND LIBERTY AND THE PROPOSED TRANSACTION. Security holders may obtain free copies of these documents, once they are filed, and other documents filed with the SEC on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov. This release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities or a solicitation of any vote or proxy in favor of the merger, nor shall there be any sale of securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of such jurisdiction. Any such solicitations or offers will be made through the Proxy Statement/Offering Circular following the qualification of the Offering Statement with the SEC and under any state securities law requirement. Any proxy or offer to sell or buy any securities provided in response to this release will not be accepted.

Forward-looking Statements: This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements of goals, intentions, and expectations as to future trends, plans, events or results of Delmar's operations and policies and regarding general economic conditions.These forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements about (i) the benefits of the merger between Delmarva and Liberty and (ii) Delmar's and Liberty's plans, obligations, expectations and intentions. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by use of words such as "may," "will," "anticipates," "believe," "expects," "plan," "estimates," "potential," "continue," "should," and similar words or phrases. These statements are based upon the beliefs of the respective managements of Delmar and Liberty as to the expected outcome of future events, current and anticipated economic conditions, nationally and in the parties' market, and their impact on the operations and assets of the parties, interest rates and interest rate policy, competitive factors, judgments about the ability of the parties to successfully consummate the merger and to integrate the operations of the two companies, the expected growth opportunities or cost savings resulting from the merger, which may not be fully realized or take longer than expected to realize; the ability of the two companies to avoid customer dislocation or runoff, and employee attrition, during the period leading up to and following the merger, the timing of and any conditions to required regulatory approvals, the ability of Delmar to recover Liberty's valuation reserve on its deferred tax asset, and other conditions which by their nature, are not susceptible to accurate forecast and are subject to significant uncertainty. Factors that could cause results and outcomes to differ materially include, among others, the ability to obtain required regulatory and shareholder approvals; the ability to complete the merger as expected and within the expected timeframe; and the possibility that one or more of the conditions to the completion of the merger may not be satisfied.Because of these uncertainties and the assumptions on which this discussion and the forward-looking statements are based, actual future operations and results in the future may differ materially from those indicated herein.Readers are cautioned against placing undue reliance on such forward-looking statements.Past results are not necessarily indicative of future performance.Delmar and Liberty assume no obligation to revise, update, or clarify forward-looking statements to reflect events or conditions after the date of this release.

CONTACTS: DELMAR BANCORP John W. Breda President and CEO 410-548-1100 Liberty Bell Bank Benjamin F. Watts President and CEO 856-830-1135

2017 Nasdaq, Inc. All rights reserved.

Original post:

Delmar Bancorp and Liberty Bell Bank Announce Merger Agreement - MarketWatch

LIBERTY On Aug. 3 at 6:30 p.m., the Liberty Public Library at 189 N Main Street in Liberty will be hosting a real, hands-on Dinosaur Dig inside the library. To get the children ready for the dig, the program will start off with a 30-minute interactive fossil talk presented by Field Paleontologist, Mike Straka. During the talk Mr. Straka will cover how and where we find fossils and will show some amazing fossil discoveries from the time of the dinosaurs to the time of the ice age.

He will then assist children in digging for real dinosaur bones, identifying the bones and placing them on top of a Triceratops cut out. Please note that while this program is free, the hands-on dig workshop is limited to 50 participants, ages 5-11. Weather permitting; the dig will be set up outside the library so children should come dressed in play clothes. After the dig, children will have an opportunity to spend time looking at the expanded fossil museum set up in the library.

More details are available at libertypubliclibrary.org or call 292-6070.

Continue reading here:

Dig for dinosaur bones at Liberty Public Library Aug. 3 - Times Herald-Record

Quick Take

Media giants Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) and Liberty Global (LBTYA) have participated in the latest financing round of $8 million for marketing technology company Integrate.

Integrate has developed an industry-leading top of funnel demand orchestration software program that enterprises use to more efficiently manage and prioritize their lead generation and sales processes.

Comcast and Liberty are both active investors in startup companies that promise to have a positive impact on their business operations, and I expect to see that investment pace continue for the foreseeable future.

Investee Company

Phoenix, Arizona-based Integrate was founded in 2010 to create software that improves top-of-funnel pipeline prioritization for marketers.

Management is headed by co-founder and CEO Jeremy Bloom, who was previously founded Wish of a Lifetime.

Below is a brief video about Integrates demand orchestration system:

(Source: Integrate Inc)

The value of Integrates system is that it enables management of outbound marketing campaigns to operate at a granular level, so customers can rank and prioritize lead development.

The companys data then integrates into major CRM applications allowing companies to use their existing workflows more efficiently:

(Source: Integrate)

Major integration partners include Oracle (ORCL), Salesforce (CRM), Microsoft (MSFT), Tibco, Marketo and others.

Investors in the current Series D round were led by Iron Gate Capital, Foundry Group and Forte Ventures, and included new investor Chestnut Street Ventures.

Comcast and Liberty had previously invested in Integrates Series B and C rounds and returned to continue their support.

Investment Terms and Rationale

Valuation in the round wasnt disclosed; With the current $8 million funding, Integrate has raised a total of $35 million since inception.

So, why are the likes of Comcast and Liberty so interested in Integrate?

Integrate is focused on the top of B2B demand generation with its demand orchestration system that brings increased automation to this neglected part of the enterprise marketing stack.

As Integrates founder and CEO Jeremy Bloom stated in the deal announcement,

When I founded Integrate, I knew that the marketing technology industry was going through a transformation that would lead to increased automation and the need to scale demand to meet marketing's revenue contribution mandate. Today, this transformation is only accelerating. The relentless focus B2B marketers must place on building the top of the funnel is driving more value in the sales pipeline. Integrate's latest fundraise ensures we continue to innovate our offering and further invest in our customers' success. [Italics mine]

Both Comcast and Liberty have significant advertising marketing operations, so their investment in Integrate is well within their scope of MarTech activities.

Integrates solution is an industry-leading system for the top of the sales funnel, and both Comcast and Liberty have been early investors and users, with the ability to act as marquee customer testimonials to help Integrate penetrate other market verticals.

Both Comcast and Liberty Global have been active investors in startup companies, although Comcast has made many more investments over the past five years, as the Excel spreadsheets indicate below,

(Source: VentureDeal)

In the coming quarters, I expect to see continued busy investment pace for Comcast and less so for Liberty Global, as they both grapple with challenges and opportunities in the media and telecom industries.

I write about M&A deals, public company investments in technology startups, and IPOs. Click the Follow button next to my name at the top or bottom of this article if you want to receive future articles automatically.

Disclosure: I/we have no positions in any stocks mentioned, and no plans to initiate any positions within the next 72 hours.

I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Link:

Comcast And Liberty Global Invest In Integrate's Demand MarTech - Seeking Alpha

From Broadway to bluegrass, every genre of music will be represented in a trilogy of shows being put on this summer by the Alpine Theatre Project.

The shows, Life, Liberty and The Pursuit of Happiness dont need to be seen in any particular order, though NKenge, one of the shows performers, encourages people to come to all three.

The shows are all based on different themes. Life uses Broadway hits to take audience on a journey from birth to death. Liberty celebrates moments in American history that shaped America, starting with the American Revolution, on through wars in which America, and then battles fought within the country, such as the struggle for civil rights. Finally, The Pursuit of Happiness uses song and dance from around the world to highlight the similar themes in music in all cultures.

They are all part of the bigger picture, NKenge said.

In the past, the project has put on shows like Chicago and Little Shop of Horrors, but something built from the ground up like this can be really exciting for performers, NKenge said.

When someone goes to New York they might see five different Broadway shows in a week, NKenge said. Were taking all those shows and morphing them into one Broadway experience.

NKenge has performed in Broadway's "Motown: The Musical," and starred in The Genius of Ray Charles in Londons West End. This is her third season performing with the project, and marks the debut of her 2-year-old daughter, Jahzara Martina, who has a small role at the end of The Pursuit of Happiness. As a parent, getting to be onstage for her daughters first performance was cool, she said.

All shows at 8 p.m. in the Whitefish Performing Arts Center:

"Life The Broadway Experience," through Saturday, July 29, 8 p.m.

"Liberty The American Experience," throughThursday, July 27

"The Pursuit of Happiness The Global Experience," through Friday, July 28

People who plan to go to all three can get a 20 percent discount on tickets. For tickets, call the Alpine Theatre Project box office at406-862-7469.

Excerpt from:

'Life,' 'Liberty,' 'The Pursuit of Happiness' are the Broadway experience in Montana - The Missoulian

Trump is flanked by clergy members after signing an executive order on Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty at the White House, on May 4, 2017, in Washington. Mark Wilson / Getty Images file

The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, names the Departments of Health and Human Services, Justice, Labor, and Treasury specifically in the records request.

In March, the ACLU submitted

"The administration hasnt been shy in saying it wants to broaden peoples ability to discriminate based on religious beliefs," ACLU attorney Joshua Block told NBC News on Thursday. "Were just trying to find out how its planning to go about that."

Related:

Although the January leak of the draft executive order was never signed by President Trump, it caused widespread panic among LGBTQ advocates. Then-White House Deputy Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham told NBC News in

But even after controversy surrounding the leaked draft died down, the Trump administration continued to state support for increased religious freedom protections. In May, President Trump signed the

Related:

Other actions by the administration have caused LGBTQ advocates to worry that anti-discrimination protections are slowly being dismantled. In March,

Earlier in July,

Related:

"The president has also directed me to issue guidance on how to apply federal religious liberty protections," Sessions said in the July 11 speech. "The department is finalizing this guidance, and I will soon issue it."

For the ACLU, that's warning enough. Now the civil rights group wants the federal administration to show its hand and confirm whether it is planning religious liberty guidance that would impact non-discrimination laws.

"Whats clear in the months since then is the administration is exploring different means of accomplishing the same results the guidance Sessions is promising for the Justice Department, new regulations for the Health Department, across the board," said Block. "The public should be able to know whos driving this."

NBC News requested comments from the departments of Health, Labor, or Treasury and did not receive replies. A Department of Justice spokesperson said they had no updates to provide on the issue.

Read the original:

ACLU Sues Federal Government for Religious Liberty Documents - NBCNews.com

Reading is fundamental was a popular slogan when I was an elementary student in Los Angeles during the 1970s. Today, parents, teachers, and tutors stress the importance of literacy to public, private, home, and virtual school students. Reading is not only still fundamental; it is even more profoundly so than it was 40 years ago. Why? Our knowledge economy, economic self-sufficiency, and military soundness require a highly literate population.

To comprehend just how important reading is to American liberty, it is worth a look backward to see what our founding generation believed about literacy. The Founders decision to dissolve their bonds with England was a declaration for the liberty to learn as much as it was a declaration of political independence in 1776. Liberty is hollow without literacy. This is why education was so important. In fact, five legislaturesPennsylvania (1776), North Carolina (1776), Georgia (1777), Massachusetts (1780), and New Hampshire (1784)included education clauses in their constitutions before delegates to the Constitutional Convention approved a federal constitution in 1787.

John Adams etched into the Massachusetts Constitution of 1780 that one advantage of education is the preservation of [the peoples] rights and liberties. At the same time, Abigail Adams in a letter dated August 14, 1776, reminded her husband John that If we mean to have Heroes, Statesmen, and Philosophers, we should be learned women. The enslaved Africans of colonial America believed reading was fundamental to freedom. Many of them learned to read in secret, with assistance from educated whites or blacks, or through makeshift schools.

Today, 241 years after our Declaration, we find ourselves living in a nation divided: people with higher-order reading skills and those without them. Unfortunately, too many adults and children live in the second category. This in no way means that people with low or no reading skills are doomed to failure. American history is replete with examples to the contrary. Nevertheless, reading matters. It affects a persons earning potential, marriage prospects, housing options, and choice of school. Not surprisingly, parents matter to the education of children, and as goes the literacy of the individual and the family, so goes the well-being of a nation.

So how are our students doing in reading? According to 2015 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)referred to as The Nations Report Cardthere is much room for growth. Only 36 percent of fourth graders and 34 percent of eighth graders scored proficient or better in reading. Results for subgroups are worse. Scores remained the same or dropped for white students; less than 20 percent of black fourth and eighth graders scored at or above proficient; reading scores rose for Hispanic fourth graders but dropped for eighth graders; and the reading scores for Asians, our nations top performers, rose only slightly for fourth graders and remained stable for eighth graders.

If our elementary and middle school students are doing poorly, what does NAEP tell us about our high school students? Researchers compared NAEP and international reading achievement data for members of the Class of 2015 in the U.S. and 33 Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. Only 33.5 percent of U.S. high school graduates scored proficient in reading. Massachusetts had the top U.S. proficiency score at 46.1 percent, while Louisiana, New Mexico, and Mississippi hovered at the bottom with 21 percent22 percent. Overall, the U.S. ranked 18th among OECD nations; our students reading proficiency is higher than peers in Luxembourg, Italy, and Hungary but lags behind peers in Japan, Canada, and Israel.

Why are our reading proficiency scores so low? It is not because of money. Although money matters in education, federal spending on K12 schools increased between 1970 and 2015, dramatically so during the 1990s, but NAEP reading scores remained relatively flat, as the accompanying graph shows.

Are students from poor or less-educated families the culprits? Scholars compared reading scores of American students living in a household where one parent has a college degreehigh level educationto similarly situated students in OECD nations. They relied on the percentage of students that scored at or above proficiency level in readinga higher threshold than just proficiency. They found that in Poland, 62.6 percent of students reached the higher reading threshold compared to only 41.6 percent of American students. Put another way, 58.4 percent of our students from high level education homes did not score at or above proficiency. Overall, we ranked 22nd among OECD nationsbehind Luxembourg and Hungary, two nations we beat when all students were included in the pool for achieving a lower-level reading threshold. We fared no better in math or science.

Reading is fundamental to maintaining our nations economic self-sufficiency and military soundness. We need more literate people to compete successfully in the knowledge economy. Nearly 75 percent of Americans aged 17 to 24 do not qualify for our military because they did not complete high school, have a criminal record, or have health challenges. Even for high school graduates who took the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery examination between 2004 and 2009, one in five failed to meet minimum academic requirements for enlistment in the Army.

These results are not a recipe for protecting American liberty. Making reading really fundamental is.

View post:

Reading is fundamental to American liberty - American Enterprise Institute

CLARKSBURG Hes probably our best wide receiver, Liberty coach A.J. Harman commented on returning player Broderick Lantz.

Thats high praise, except Lantz isnt a receiver at all but for when Liberty lines up in the spread. Instead, he plays the role of fullback in the teams Stick-I offense, and he causes headaches from the position that likely remind some of the old Bridgeport iteration of the run-heavy scheme.

But even though Lantzs position traditionally plays the second fiddle to that of the tailback, at least by way of carries, Liberty has shown an inclination for different plans. Last year, Lantz carried the ball 169 times for 1,054 yards, combining with tailback Dalton Westfall for well over 2,000 rushing yards in one backfield.

The nice thing about Broderick is that hes unselfish about his position, Harman said. Hes not a kid thats counting his carries, hes just willing to do what it takes to win. That being said, we have to find a way to get the ball in his hands the way we have in the past.

That declaration seems to make sense. The senior was responsible for 14 rushing touchdowns and 362 receiving yards (a 16.5 yards per catch average), all while finishing sixth in rushing yards in the area.

Hes got a great combination of size, strength and speed, Harman said. I think hes naturally a wide receiver, but hes got the heart of a lion, so it works at fullback for him. Hes a hitter and a team player, and he has no problem making blocks for Dalton when its his time to carry the football.

I just think his selflessness, when you couple that with his athleticism, hes a coachs dream.

Its worthwhile to consider the touchdowns Lantz not only scored himself, but also those that Westfall scored, most with Lantz as lead blocker. Its not hard to say, then, that Lantz may well have had a hand in about 30 of the Mountaineers scores (Westfall scored 17 rushing touchdowns).

I just have to do whats best for the team, Lantz said. If Im called to carry, I have to run as hard as I can, and if the guy behind me is carrying, I have to make a hole.

Versatility isnt the only weapon Lantz brings to the table, however. Hes a four-year starter who began on the defensive side of the ball, where Harman said he continues to play as a safety in the Mountaineers 4-3 scheme and where he earned second team Class AA all-state honors last season.

His dad is the defensive coordinator, so there isnt a kid on this football team that knows what were doing better than Broderick, Harman said. He plays through the pain over there, with all the blocking he does on offense. Hes a very tough kid, physically and mentally, on both sides of the ball.

Four years of experience have paid off for Lantz, freeing him up to play with relative ease in the secondary.

It comes pretty natural now, he said. I just go out there and do it. Its slower now, I can see everything better. I can go after the ball and make hits without having to think first.

That will pay off in another way, as well. As the season approaches, Harman said his senior gives him a significant mental asset on the field.

Hes like having another coach on the field, and he comes into work every day with a great attitude, Harman said. He sets a great example for the younger guys.

Continue reading here:

Selflessness the key for Liberty fullback, safety Lantz - The Exponent Telegram (press release) (registration)

Where are the wreaths for the known?

U.S. Rep. Ron DeSantis recently told constituents of how he participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. He told us to remember and give thanks to those who gave their lives in the service of our nation, as they are the indispensable Americans without whom we would not be free.

Ernie Gallo of Palm Coast is the USS Liberty Veterans Associations president. On June 8, 1967, the USS Liberty, stationed in international waters, was attacked for two hours by the Israeli military. That left 34 U.S. sailors and Marines dead, 174 wounded and the Liberty the most decorated ship for a single engagement in U.S. Navy history.

The Navy Board of Inquiry following the attack was a farce and cover-up that included admirals threatening the survivors with court-martial, life imprisonment or worse if they ever spoke of the attack, as detailed in testimony to the commission convened by Adm. Tom Moorer, retired chief of naval operations and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Justice has been denied the men of the Liberty for 50 years. If moved to by his constituents, Rep. DeSantis could initiate a proper congressional investigation into the attack on the Liberty.

Like the men on the Liberty, DeSantis is a Navy man proud of his service as a JAG officer. He knows how a Navy Board of Inquiry is supposed to work. At noon on June 8, Gallo and his shipmates gathered at the tomb for their fallen crew members at Arlington National Cemetery. Although invited, Congressman DeSantis did not attend.

DeSantis claims to know nothing about the attack on the Liberty. We owe the 34 indispensable Americans who gave their lives on the USS Liberty. Its time we Americans let Congressman DeSantis know about it.

Phil Restino and Ernie Gallo

Restino, of Port Orange, is spokesperson for We Are Change Central Florida. For 10 years hes organized USS Liberty Remembrance Day events in Volusia County. Gallo, of Palm Coast, is the Liberty Veteran Associations president. For more info, see http://www.usslibertyveterans.org and http://www.honorlibertyvets.org.

Nation took a turn

Sometime in the past eight years of the Obama administration, our country took a sharp left turn. Liberals, the left and the media savored it while conservatives worried we were headed in the wrong direction. Hillary Clinton had a credibility and email problem. Bernie Sanders wanted a political revolution, but a concerned country elected Donald Trump. President Trump wanted to make America great again, repeal and replace unaffordable Obamacare, improve the economy, cut costly regulations and the size and scope of government, stop illegal immigration, rebuild our military, and reduce our taxes through tax reform. Democrats also have an agenda, which includes: treason, impeachment, Russian collusion, obstruction, tax hikes and single-payer, government-run health care. Republicans inability to agree on a fiscally sustainable fair alternative to the ACA would open the door to socialized medicine, loss of doctors and nurses, rationing of care, long waits, critical health decisions made by government bureaucrats and the death knell to free market insurance.

Margaret Thatcher predicted: Socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other peoples money. Yet half of all millennials, the largest emerging voter bloc, have a favorable view of socialism. Look at Venezuela with the richest oil supply in the world, collapsing into socialistic chaos while U.S. capitalism has produced the greatest wealth-producing economic system available. Will destroying President Trump and his administration produce economic prosperity and protect our freedoms or undermine and change our country forever?

Madeline Bizette

Port Orange

Excerpt from:

LETTERS: DeSantis claims to know nothing about the attack on the Liberty. - Daytona Beach News-Journal

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

TRAFFIC: Liberty Bridge, inbound Tunnel closing tonight | Pittsburgh ... Pittsburgh Post-Gazette The Liberty Bridge and inbound Liberty Tunnel will close overnight Thursday to prep for this weekend's construction work. The span will close from 8 p.m. to 5 ... Weekend Liberty Bridge closure scheduled, but stormy weather ...Tribune-Review Yet Another Liberty Bridge Closure This Weekend - Dormont, PA PatchPatch.com all 5 news articles »

Link:

TRAFFIC: Liberty Bridge, inbound Tunnel closing tonight | Pittsburgh ... - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On a day the Liberty drew 17,443 people to Madison Square Garden the vast majority of them kids for Camp Day it was only fitting Tina Charles, who herself grew up cheering for the Liberty, would be the one to lead the way.

For sure, I remember being young and watching games and just being one of them and coming to the game to support the New York Liberty, Charles, a Queens native, said after her 28-point and 17-rebound performance, her ninth double-double of the season.

The games 11 a.m. start time gave NYC campers the opportunity to make their way to the Garden, and they turned out in full force, thunder-sticks and all.

The kids were in for a treat as the Liberty avenged two losses this season and rolled over the Connecticut Sun 96-80. The Liberty (10-9) head into the All-Star break having beaten the Eastern Conferences top-two teams the Sun and Washington Mystics (both 12-9) in less than a week.

We like where were at right now, Liberty coach Bill Laimbeer said. Were pushing the pace better, and were getting easier baskets. I think they enjoy what they have right now, and its showing in the way they play.

It feels like when were playing great teams were able to match where they are, Charles said. Everybody is getting better and were just starting to click.

Charles a former MVP and the leagues leading scorer last season is headed to her fifth All-Star Game in Seattle on Saturday. But the 28-year old center would not take the credit for the teams performance.

This is not a one-woman show, she said. We need everyone in this locker room to be successful.

Nevertheless, Charles was dominant. When the game was still tight, her 10-point third quarter turned the Libertys four-point halftime lead into a double-digit rout.

As the near-capacity crowd made its way toward the exits, Charles had all of those kids on her mind.

Im really happy were able to show young girls that they can have a dream, and that they can aspire to play in the WNBA, she said.

Read more:

Tina Charles and the Liberty win one for the kids - New York Post