The study, commissioned by UN Women and the UN Development Programme (UNDP), points to a 9.1 per cent increase in the poverty rate for women.

Prior to COVID-19, the rate was expected to decrease by 2.7 per cent between 2019 and 2021.

The projectionsalso show that while the pandemic will impact global poverty generally, women will be disproportionately affected, especially women of reproductive age.

By 2021, for every 100 men aged 25 to 34 living in extreme poverty (living on $1.90 a day or less), there will be 118 women, a gap that is expected to increase to 121 women per 100 men by 2030.

Datasummarized in the report, From Insights to Action: Gender Equality in the wake of COVID-19, also shows that COVID-19 will push 96 millioninto extreme poverty by 2021 47 million of whom are women and girls. This will increase the total number of themliving in extreme poverty to 435 million, with projections indicatingthat this number will not revert to pre-pandemic levels until 2030.

Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka, UN Women Executive Director, said that the increases in womens extreme poverty are a stark indictment of deep flaws in the ways that society and the economy are structured.

We know that women take most of the responsibility for caring for the family; they earn less, save less and hold much less secure jobs in fact, overall, womens employment is 19 per cent more at risk than mens."

She added that the evidence of multiple inequalities should now drive swift, restorative policy action that puts women at the heart of pandemic recovery.

The pandemic poses a serious threat toeradicating extreme poverty by the end of 2030, and there are fears that the reality could be worse, as the projections of increased poverty rates for women and girls only account for the downward revision of the gross domestic product (GDP), excluding other factors such as women leaving the workforce due to childcare responsibilities.

According to Achim Steiner, UNDP Administrator, more than 100 million women and girls could be lifted out of poverty if governments improve access to education and family planning, fair and equal wages, and expand social transfers.

Women are bearing the brunt of the COVID-19 crisis as they are more likely to lose their source of income and less likely to be covered by social protection measures, he said.

Investing in reducing gender inequality is not only smart and affordable, but also an urgent choice that governments can make to reverse the impact of the pandemic on poverty reduction, he added.

UN Women

According to a UN Women report, gender-responsive policymaking is crucial to close gender poverty gaps.

While its findings are alarming, the study estimates it would take just 0.14 per cent of global GDP (about $2 trillion) to lift the world out of extreme poverty by 2030; and $48 billion to close the gender poverty gap.

However, if governments fail to act or act too late the real number could end up much higher. Similarly, increases in other pre-existing gender inequalities could also impact the final figures.

For instance, women workingin some of the sectors most affected by the pandemic, such as hospitality, food services, and domestic services, are particularly vulnerable to layoffs and loss of livelihood.

Go here to read the rest:

Women bear the brunt, as COVID erodes progress on eradicating extreme poverty - UN News

The fourth episode of HBO's Emmy award-winning show Hard Knocks took place on Tuesday night. Another excellent episode featured a behind-the-scenes look to what led Chargers head coach Anthony Lynn to cancel the team's scrimmage at SoFi Stadium and instead bring awareness to racism.

Hard Knocks shows that Lynn had a zoom call with his players and coaches the night before the scrimmage. Lynn spoke about the recent police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He reacted by saying, "Unfreaking believable." He said that he tipped his cap off to the NBA for boycotting their playoff games.

On Thursday, while driving to the stadium, Lynn decided it was time to listen to everyone and not practice. He brought all the guys into the locker room.

"Right now, I feel like a lot of guys in here got something on your mind, and you need to get it out," Lynn said. "I don't want to take the football field until we get it out. And I don't give a damn how long we're in this locker room. We're gonna get it out right now. And we're gonna talk."

He spoke but then handed it off to special teams coach George Stewart.

"Guys, I'm 62 years old...62. I've lived this life. I've talked to some of you men this morning," Stewart explained. "I'm tired. I'm tired. I've seen in from age 6 to 62 years old. I'm tired of it. I grew up in the damn South. Excuse my damn language. I know what it's like to be oppressed. We talk about, 'What can we do?' You gotta lose something to get something. I look at Colin Kaepernick. His ass lost millions of f****** dollars because he believed in something. ---If it's us, we gotta go do it. You gotta be willing to lose something."

When Stewart speaks up, players listen, when the media spoke to some players after every one of them mentioned the special team coach's speech.

In the final scene, players in the locker room are hugging and fist-bumping each other. Then Lynn is sitting in a chair with quarterback Tyrod Taylor and some other players, and they ask their head coach if they will be making up for the scrimmage or not.

"Things change like I told you every day," replied an exhausted Lynn with a smile. "So... on my way home, I'll figure out what we're going to be doing tomorrow."

Herbert shows growing pains and a new hope in the same episode

It is no secret that rookie quarterback Justin Herbert has had his growing pains this training camp, but he is learning from them.

He dropped back, during the show, and the pocket collapses during the episode, so he takes off running, but is tagged right away. A sack by the defense. One of the defensive players tells the young quarterback, "This isn't Washington State."

For weeks, the media had heard that Herbert and Hamilton are always together. The show proved it. Every time Herbert comes off the field, he goes straight to Hamilton.

The Oregon product comes out a day later and leads the team to a touchdown. Quarterbacks coach Pep Hamilton, "That was a graduate-level rep." Herbert is showing some promise, but he is not ready yet.

Lynn told the media that he likes that Herbert is uncomfortable because he will learn from his mistakes and get better.

Mike Williams injury

There was a funny scene between receivers Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, and defensive end Melvin Ingram where they talk about the size of Williams gloves. Ingram teams up with Allen to give the young receiver a hard time about it.

The real highlight of this was Williams coming down hard, trying to dive for a catch. He is on the ground, and receivers coach Phil McGeoghan says many expletives and takes off running to make sure his receiver is okay.

He wasn't.

Lynn runs over and asks the receiver, "Mike, you okay?"

The receiver shook his head.

Lynn said it was a shoulder injury. He could be out for a little bit.

Go here to see the original:

HBO Hard Knocks Chargers recap: Social Justice, Justin Herbert progress, and Mike Williams injury - Sports Illustrated

WASHINGTON - Terrorist organizations appear to be tightening their grip on multiple regions of Africa, despite ongoing efforts by the United States and its allies to degrade their capabilities and limit their reach.

The findings, part of a new report released Tuesday from the Defense Department inspector general, come as U.S.-led efforts have been forced to adjust, and in some cases, scale back activities because of the coronavirus making its way across the continent.

The United States and its international partners made limited progress, Acting Inspector General Sean ODonnell wrote in the quarterly report, citing setbacks against affiliates of both al-Qaida and Islamic State, also known as IS or ISIS.

Rather than slow terrorist groups down, the report warned the spread of COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, appears to have given many of them new opportunities to expand.

The pandemic exacerbated many of the underlying conditions that foster VEO (violent extremist organization) growth, including economic and food insecurity, ODonnell wrote, pointing to assessments by the United Nations that in some areas, terror groups capitalized on the virus to undermine state government authority and continue their attacks.

Warnings about the resilience of al-Qaida and IS affiliates in Africa are not new. Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command, warned U.S. lawmakers months ago that such groups were on the march and getting increasingly ambitious.

"If ISIS can carve out a new caliphate, or al-Qaida can, they will do it," he said in March.

In a report released in July, the Defense Department Inspector General reported that terrorist activity in Africa, appears to be outpacing U.S., European and African efforts to counter it.

Despite some successes, including a French-led operation in June in northern Mali that killed the emir of al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), with help from the U.S., several officials worry that terror hot spots in Africa are only getting hotter.

One area of concern is eastern Africa, where U.S. military officials say as many as 10,000 fighters with al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab continue to enjoy freedom of movement, enabling them to carry out attacks at what the inspector general report describes as historically high levels.

Data compiled by the Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) project found that al-Shabab carried out 608 attacks during the three months from April through June, up from 568 such incidents during the first quarter.

At the same time, poor weather conditions and a lack of resources limited the U.S. to just seven airstrikes against the terror group, compared to 33 during the first three months of the year.

U.S. military officials also expressed concerns about western Africa, where al-Qaida and IS affiliates managed to expand their operations into the western Sahel and to northern regions of several coastal countries.

In particular, U.S. Africa Command said both IS-West Africa and Boko Haram benefited from the spread of the coronavirus, wreaking havoc on communities forced to self-quarantine.

The report also warned of growing dangers in northern Africa, specifically from IS in Libya, which had been relatively quiet until May.

ISIS-Libya resumed small-scale attacks in the southern desert region, ODonnell said.

A recent United Nations report, based on member state intelligence, said IS-Libya likely has just a few hundred fighters.

But at least one intelligence service warns the group may be growing, gathering as many as 1,400 fighters under its banner.

And while U.S. officials believe the smaller estimate is more accurate, there are growing concerns that the ongoing civil war in Libya, and the influx of thousands of mercenaries and foreign fighters, could create conditions that might allow IS to thrive.

U.S. Africa Command estimates that as of the end of June, more than 7,000 Syrian fighters had flocked to Libya, most with the help of Russia or Turkey.

U.S. officials believe a growing number of Syrian fighters may have previous links to terror organizations, though many of them are likely fighting in Libya for financial or personal reasons.

Most of the Syrian fighters, about 5,000, appear to be fighting with Turkish mercenaries and troops to back Libyas Government of National Accord.

But Africa Command officials warn that many of them are inexperienced, uneducated and motivated by promises of considerable salary, saying reports of theft, sexual assault and other misconduct have increased in areas where Turkish-backed Syrian fighters have been deployed.

See the original post:

Watchdog Warns of Limited Progress in Africa Counterterror Fight - Voice of America

As a Black athletic director in a Minnesota college sports scene dominated by mostly white administrators, Macalesters Donnie Brooks shoulders what he calls a tremendous responsibility.

Like any AD, he needs to put each team in position to succeed. And Brooks is determined to do that while creating racial diversity opportunities in areas where they rarely exist.

I dont take it lightly at all, Brooks said.

At a time when calls to end Americas racial inequality are the loudest in decades, college sports at all levels are being singled out for lacking Black leadership.

When George Floyds death happened, our Black athletes came to me and had concerns, said Carletons AD Gerald Young, who is Black. They wanted to see more coaches who looked like them.

College administrators are listening, but all across Minnesotas college sports landscape, there is major work to be done when it comes to hiring more leaders of color. Of the 30 Minnesota colleges and universities that compete in NCAA sports, Macalester is the only school with more than one Black head coach: Abe Woldeslassie in mens basketball and Sarah Graves in volleyball. The Gophers have no Black head coaches.

Only two Minnesota schools have Black athletic directors Macalester with Brooks, and Carleton with Young. Macalester and Hamline, both based in St. Paul, have made notable strides with their diversity hiring overall in athletics, but leaders at both schools say they have a long way to go with inclusion.

My job now is helping to get more folks in, Brooks said. How do I support more people like me who want to be in this business?

Brooks was once a Division III football player at Springfield College in Massachusetts. He had eyes on becoming an administrator in the NFL or in Division I. He never imagined working at Macalester or another D-III school because he never saw other Black men or women in those roles.

According to the Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, Division III had the lowest racial diversity among athletic directors of any level in the NCAA, at 92.5% white, with only 4.9% African American, in the latest data from the 2018-19 season. Meanwhile, nearly 13% of D-III athletes are Black.

Among Division I head coaches, only 8.7% are Black. That number drops to 5.7% at Division II, and 5% at Division III.

Minnesota has 20 Division III schools, and those institutions have a total of four Black head coaches, including Hamlines Chip Taylor, the only Black college head football coach in the state.

If were going to see any change in the composition of coaches, its going to be about us looking at who we hired to be our athletic directors, said Hamline President Fayneese Miller, whose AD, Jason Verdugo, is also of color.

Among the nine Minnesota Division II schools in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference, there is only one Black head coach Krayton Nash in womens tennis at Minnesota Crookston.

Dan McKane, commissioner of the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, said he has challenged its schools to hire more female coaches and administrators. His hope is to place the same emphasis now on hiring for racial diversity.

Once you make it a priority to talk about it in front of ADs and presidents, he said, you could hopefully see positive trends. We need to do better.

Inching forward

Diverse hiring is reflected in leadership all over Macalesters campus.

In February, Suzanne Rivera became the schools first Latina and female president. Three Black women have key roles in academics: Vice President of Student Affairs Donna Lee, Dean of Students DeMethra Bradley and Dean of Multicultural Life Marjorie Trueblood.

I think here at the college, there is some intentionality in our work, Brooks said. We dont want to become diverse by accident.

Brooks isnt the first Black AD at Macalester. That distinction belongs to legendary sports broadcaster Irv Cross, who led the Scots from 1999-2006. A former NFL star, Cross also was the first Black full-time sports analyst on national television in 1971.

That same year, Macalester made history by hiring Don Hudson from Minneapolis Central High. He became the first African American football coach at a predominantly white college in the modern era, although the school didnt say much to promote the historic move until 2007.

In the early 2000s, Macalester had Cross, but the Scots head coaches looked like the coaching staffs at most Minnesota colleges right now largely white.

Graves, a former Macalester volleyball standout, cherished her experiences as a player, even returning to spend six years as an assistant at her alma mater. Still, she knew something was missing.

Athletics for many years has been very male, very white and very patriarchal, Graves said.

Following two years as a head volleyball coach at Denison University in Ohio, Graves returned to Macalester in 2017. Soon after, she contributed to bringing more diversity, joining Lee on hiring committees for the AD and president, which led to Brooks and Rivera.

Once youre actually working in [diverse] environments, you realize how youve been towing the line in being a token in representation, Graves added. The experience is richer for you personally, your co-workers and your student-athletes.

Hired as Macalesters AD in January 2019, Brooks inherited two Black coaches Woldeslassie and Graves among the schools 21 sports programs. Brooks looked to create diversity opportunities in other roles, too. This summer, the Scots added two entry-level positions to their department to help groom future administrators of color.

My job really is for our young people of color and those who identify as minorities to give them fertile land and continue to water the grass, Brooks said.

Taking tough jobs

Woldeslassie, a former Macalester player who grew up a few blocks from where George Floyd was killed in south Minneapolis, is now the only Black mens NCAA college basketball coach in Minnesota.

The Scots went 3-22 the year before he took over the program in 2018, and theyve improved to seven and eight wins in his first two seasons.

This summer, Woldeslassie gathered his mostly white team and gave the players a big-picture look at the importance of trying to build a program that could reach its first NCAA tournament. Their success could help show that coaches of color can win.

I need to make sure this program performs well, Woldeslassie said. So that other coaches who look like me get a chance.

John Parker had that same feeling 25 years ago, when Minnesota Morris made him the first Black Division II football coach in the state. Morris was riding a 19-game losing streak, longest in the country, but he took the job, having interviewed for 13 others without landing one.

Thats typically the jobs many Black coaches get, said Parker, who went on to earn NSIC Coach of the Year honors in 1997. You get a job that no one has been successful in.

Parker is surprised in 2020, there still is only one Black college football coach in Minnesota. Taylor took over a tough job at Hamline to win five games his first year in 2016, but hes won just four games since.

For Hamline and Macalester, turning programs around is particularly tough with high tuition costs, strict admission standards and no athletic scholarships permitted in D-III.

Macalesters mens basketball team went a combined 9-31 in MIAC play during Woldeslassies first two seasons. The volleyball team was 8-20 overall in 2017, the year before Graves took over. Her team went 4-21 last season, and she dealt with players transferring and publicly criticizing her program.

Brooks, though, said he stands by both coaches and that its up to him to provide the best situations to be successful. For coaches of color, it can be even more stressful considering there might be few opportunities if they dont succeed the first time around.

We dont, a lot of times as minority coaches, get a second chance, said Woldeslassie, a Division I assistant for nearly a decade.

Has to be a focus

The MIAC made history in 1994, hiring Carlyle Carter as the first commissioner of color at an NCAA conference that doesnt include the HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities).

But convincing individual MIAC schools to take minority hiring seriously in athletics was a real struggle, Carter said.

Now, decades later, it frustrates him that most Minnesota colleges still are barely represented by head coaches and senior administrators of color.

Theres no real excuse, he said. If in fact they want minorities in the [candidate] pool, they can reach out and say were looking for an athletic administrator, and wed like to include people of color. Thats all they have to do. It has to be a focus of the institution.

Brooks and Young got their first start after being involved in NCAAs Pathway Program aimed at teaching and molding future ADs. And they saw value pursuing careers in Division III instead of moving up (Young worked briefly at Oregon State).

Now theyre working to promote opportunities at the D-III level, the largest in the NCAA with 443 schools.

Ive been fortunate enough to be part of programs and been paired up to mentor, Young said. Getting the foot into the door to get interviews [isnt easy]. And helping to prepare those coaches and administrators for the process is important.

At Hamline, Miller is the only Black president among Minnesota colleges. She hired Verdugo out of the Pathway Program.

Meanwhile, Miller is breaking ground herself as the only Black woman on the NCAAs Board of Governors, the organizations highest governing body.

We have to put ourselves in that space to affect change in what [college leaders] look like, Miller said. We are not as many as we need to be.

The rest is here:

Minnesota colleges make incremental progress in hiring coaches and administrators of color, but much is left to do - Minneapolis Star Tribune

Local researchers have made progress in tracking the next of kin for Lewis Mason, a U.S. military veteran of the Vietnam War who died in mid-August in Winnebago County in northern Iowa.

Amateur genealogist Margie Kenyon of Minburn and Nick Praska, director of the Dallas County Veterans Affairs office, located a 1998 obituary for Beverly J. Mason in the Mason City Globe-Gazette.

Lewis Mason was listed as the surviving husband of Beverly J. Mason.

Lewis Mason died unattended last month in a Winnebago County motel. Among his personal effects was a lock box containing a Veterans Administration card and a deed at Violet Hill Cemetery in Perry.

His cremains have arrived in Perry, andPerry city officials are seeking any living relatives of Mason. Once funeral services are arranged, they will be made public for citizens wishing to pay their respects.

Go here to read the rest:

UPDATE: Progress made in tracking relatives of Vietnam veteran - theperrynews.com

As of Sept. 2, more than 14,200 firefighters continue to battle over 20 major fires and lightning complexes in California. Containment efforts continue to increase despite weather conditions getting warmer and drier. Today more than 18,200 people remain evacuated. But crews work hard towards getting people back into their homes. Over the weekend a team of 10 Israeli firefighters have deployed to California to assist in battling some of the largest wildfires in the states history.

Since the lightning siege that started on Saturday, August 15, 2020, there have been nearly 14,000 lightning strikes. During this time-period, there have been more than 900 new wildfires, which have now burned over 1.5 million acres. There have 8 fatalities and over 3,100 structures destroyed.

Largest wildfires in CA history:

Most destructive wildfires in CA history:

Deadliest wildfires in CA history:

Seasonable weather conditions continue to aid firefighters in their efforts towards containment at lower elevations. Above 2,000 feet firefighters are still seeing low humidity with little recovery at night. Warmer and drier conditions are expected into the weekend throughout much of the State. An excessive heat watch is in effect for coastal, inland and the foothill regions. Smoke and poor air quality continue to impact portions of the Southern Sierra.

Californians need to take steps to prevent sparking a wildfire. To learn more ways to prevent sparking a wildfire visit http://www.ReadyForWildfire.org.

LNU Lightning Complex Fire, Napa County (more info)Napa, Lake, Sonoma, Solano, and Yolo CountiesState DPA, SRA, Napa County

SCU Lightning Complex Fire, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara and Stanislaus Counties (more info)Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara and Stanislaus Counties

CZU August Lightning Fire, San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties (more info)San Mateo and Santa Cruz Counties

BTU/TGU Lightning Complex Fire, Butte and Glenn Counties (more info)Butte, Tehama and Glenn Counties

River Fire, Monterey County (more info)East of Salinas

Carmel Fire, Monterey County (more info)South of Carmel

Sheep Fire, Lassen CountyPlumas National Forest, Lassen National Forest, Lassen-Modoc Unit29,522 acres, grass, brush and timber, 71% containedCAL FIRE Lassen-Modoc Unit and CA IMT 1 (McGowan) in unified command

Lake Fire, Los Angeles County (more info)Southwest of Lake Hughes

August Complex, Tehama County (more)Grindstone Canyon, Elk Creek

Dolan Fire, Monterey County (more info)Ventana Wilderness Los Padres National Forest

Apple Fire, Riverside County (more info)Cherry Valley

North Complex Fire, Plumas County (more info)Southwest of Susanville Plumas National Forest

Loyalton, Vegetation Fire, Sierra County (more info)East of Loyalton Tahoe National Forest

Red Salmon Complex Shasta-Trinity National Forest (more info)Northeast of Willow Creek, CA

SQF Complex, Tulare County (more info)East of Giant Sequoia National Monument/ Golden Trout Wilderness

W-5 Cold Springs, Lassen County (more info)East of Madeline.

Dome, San Bernardino County (more info)Mojave National Preserve

Blue Jay/Wolf Fire, Mariposa County (more info)Yosemite National Forest

Woodward Fire, Marin County (more info)Point Reyes National Seashore

Slink Fire, Mono County (more info) (NEW)Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forest

Hobo, Vegetation Fire, Trinity County (more info) (NEW)Shasta Trinity National Forest

Here is the original post:

CAL FIRE making progress against historic fires as another heatwave looms | - Concord Clayton Pioneer

UPDATE: Fire crews stop forward progress of Heaton Road Fire | News | khq.com

You have permission to edit this article.

Radar was able to pick up the smoke from the Heaton fire, colored green.

UPDATE, Sept. 2, 2020 7:35 PM :

The forward progress of the Heaton Road Fire has stopped, according to DNR.

Fire crews will be on scene for the rest of Wednesday night to mop up hot spots.

CourtesyBianka DeSure

CourtesyBianka DeSure

PREVIOUS COVERAGE, Sept. 2, 2020 4:00 PM:

According to Spokane Regional Emergency Management PIO Patrick Erickson, level three evacuations were dropped to level two for the Heaton Road Fire.

Radar was able to pick up the smoke from the Heaton fire, colored green.

Level two means to "prepare to leave."

Spokane County Fire District 3 is notifying residents between Latah Creek and Valley Chapel Road, and northeast of Kentuck Trails Road.

The fire is burning 150 acres. Fire crews on scene said the fire started in a wheat field and worked its way into a timber area.

CourtesyBianka DeSure

CourtesyBianka DeSure

PREVIOUS COVERAGE, Sept. 2, 2020 3:45 PM:

A level three evacuation has been issued for the Latah Creek area by Spokane County Fire.

Spokane County Fire District 3 is notifying residents between Latah Creek and Valley Chapel Road, and northeast of Kentuck Trails Road.

A level three evacuation means "Go now."

Washington DNR said the Heaton Road Fire is burning 100 acres.

KHQ crews said there are multiple fire bosses in the area.

According to KHQ's Blake Jensen, wind gusts in the area are 22 miles-per-hour.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE:

According to KHQ crews, a fire is burning south of Spokane near Spangle.

KHQ crews said there is a ton of smoke in the area.

Multiple KHQ viewers have sent photos of the smoke.

Information will be updated as it is received.

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Original post:

UPDATE: Fire crews stop forward progress of Heaton Road Fire - KHQ Right Now

The 11,900-acre Bear Creek Fire was 85% contained as of late Sept. 1, an incident report said.

Lightning caused the fire Aug. 11 in timber and brush about 29 miles east of Salmon, Idaho, in the Lemhi Pass area.

Crews early Sept. 2 mopped up, repaired dozer lines and worked to make sure there was no new advancement, said Syd Janssen, acting public affairs officer for the Beaverhead-Deerlodge National Forest in Montana.

A crew of 46 was working on the fire as of Sept. 1. Tasks included back-hauling equipment and supplies that are no longer needed.

The Great Falls Tribune on Aug. 31 reported that most personnel, which once numbered more than 400, were diverted away from the Bear Creek Fire. Factors included cool temperatures and light rain.

Lemhi Pass Road, closed Aug. 11, has been reopened, the Sept. 1 incident report said. Trail closures remain in effect.

Read more here:

Crews make progress on Bear Creek Fire in Idaho - Capital Press

NASCAR President Steve Phelps says that the series is continuing to evaluate possible venue, format and other changes before committing to its 2021 schedule.

There are a lot of different variables and factors that need to go into what our 2021 schedule is going to look like, Phelps told a group of reporters. Do we want to continue to look at potential new venues? The answer is yes. Do we want to look at potential format changes? Yes. Do we want to consider continuing one-day shows in some form or fashion? Probably.

Phelps, of course, reiterated that all the above would have to be weighed with industry stakeholders tracks, broadcast partners, and teams. Traditionally, the 21 schedule would have been revealed by this point in the year, but the COVID-19 pandemic has delayed it as officials have worked tirelessly just to get through the rest of this season.

These are difficult times, continued Phelps. Whether were going to announce a full schedule as we traditionally have done or we will continue to do different pieces of it those are things were contemplating right now.

I am cautiously optimistic that many of the objectives that we would have had in a pre-COVID world we will have during our 2021 season. But, again, there are just a lot of moving parts, and we need to wrestle those to the ground before were able to discuss what (the schedule) looks like.

With the sport having to adapt to racing during a pandemic, Phelps acknowledged they have had to do things that, in all honesty, they didnt want to do. For example, there were doubleheaders, midweek races, and the elimination of practice and qualifying. Teams had roaster limits, track access has been cut, masks and social distancing were requirements, and so much more.

There will be policies and procedures that end up carrying over into next season. One consideration is the Daytona road course, which became a contingency plan for NASCAR when traveling to Watkins Glen became an issue. The question is whether NASCAR makes it a third event to go along with the Daytona 500 and the summer race because Phelps does not see it replacing the second oval race.

It is nice to have options, and I think its great that it is an option we have in our bag of tricks, he said.

Mid-week racing? Phelps didnt completely shut the door on the possibility of those events happening in the future by calling the opportunity viable. However, he doesnt know if they will be on the 21 schedule, adding they were on the lower end of probability.

We have seen from a research standpoint your avid fans love it, said Phelps. I think we all got accustomed to that Wednesday night race, and youre like, Oh, this is sweet. I get to watch a Wednesday night race. And that was fun. But whether it was the casual fan who wasnt tuning in the numbers just werent as high as we would see on a Saturday night or a Sunday.

Im not suggesting that we wont do it in the future; in some cases, those midweek races were some of the best races we had. Its a balance. We need to make sure that we are driving ratings because that drives visibility for the sport, that drives sponsorship value.

Again, well collaborate with our broadcast partners and our teams, but its phenomenal to know there is that opportunity. We have shown that we can do it, and it is an option.

Given the lessons of this year, NASCAR will have its set schedule and then contingency plans for next season. For now, the 2021 season-opening Daytona 500 is scheduled for February 14.

If the coronavirus is still impacting the country and subsequently NASCAR by restricting at-track access for fans, sponsors, and others, Phelps does not foresee delaying the season or moving the date of the sports biggest race.

Given where we are with COVID, none of us could have imagined any of what has happened this year. But right now, our plan is not to do that, he said. The Daytona 500 would run when its originally scheduled to run in mid-February. So, I dont see that (date) changing. But I guess never say never. Our intention is to run the Daytona 500 when were scheduled to run.

Read the original here:

NASCAR 2021 schedule still a work in progress - RACER

Clermont, Hamilton, and Warren are three of 78 Ohio Counties Offering this Free Book Program for Children

Columbus, Ohio Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine has announced what she describes as amazing progress in reaching young Ohio readers in the Ohio Governors Imagination Library (OGIL) Programs first year.

Now, 206,463 Ohio children from birth to age 5 are enrolled to receive a free Imagination Library book in the mail every single month. The program is currently offered countywide to children in 78 of Ohios counties, with an additional three Crawford, Van Wert, and Mercer launching the OGIL Program in September.

Thanks to dedicated Ohio lawmakers, who are investing in our kids with matching funding, and our wonderful local partners, the Ohio Governors Imagination Library has made outstanding progress in its first year, said Ohio First Lady Fran DeWine. But we still have more work to do. Mike and I look forward to the day that every young child in Ohio no matter what city, county, village or township that child lives in has access to the Ohio Governors Imagination Library books.

Last summer, the Dolly Parton Imagination Library Program was available in pockets of Ohio when the Ohio Governors Imagination Library partnered with the Dolly Parton program. 93,483 children were enrolled in August 2019.In September 2020 enrollment will more than double to 206,463.

First Lady DeWine in Lawrence County on February 3, 2020 (Provided Photo)

I really enjoyed visiting with our local partners and families in 16 Ohio counties between January and March of this year, said Mrs. DeWine. Of course, that was before the COVID-19 pandemic. But weve continued working to find county partners during these recent months, because we know this program works. Young children are excited to receive the book each month in the mail, which is addressed to them. And just having these books in the home promotes a love of learning and family bonding that we know adds up to preparing children for kindergarten. I encourage all Ohio children to sign up for these free books!

Only seven Ohio counties Ashland, Columbiana, Lake, Ottawa, Richland, Sandusky, and Seneca remain without a countywide program.

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First Lady DeWine in Cuyahoga County on January 13, 2020 (Provided Photo)

First Lady DeWine in Pike County on January 24, 2020 (Provided Photo)

First Lady DeWine in Scioto County on January 24, 2020 (Provided Photo)

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First Lady announces first year progress on Ohio Governor's Imagination Library Program - Loveland Magazine

With the installation of the Magnetic Resonance Imaging units, the Loma Linda University Medical Center and Childrens Hospital tower construction project has reached a significant milestone. Completion efforts now focus on completing the buildings interior, including furnishings, equipment, supplies and all the small touches necessary to make the buildings ready to receive patients.

Below is a look back on the status of this massive effort in the months of August over the five years of work. With just a few months to go until patients move into this new building, this retrospective shows just how much has been accomplished by construction workers, Loma Linda University Health leadership, and the generous support of thousands of donors to the project.

August 18, 2015: Early signs of change start appearing as work gets underway. Utilities need rerouting. Streets need to be redirected. And the entire parking lot east of the cloverleaf tower building needs to be broken up and removed it will serve as the site for the new facility.

August 9, 2016: The buildings foundation and space for two lower floors will be underground. To create the foundation pit, workers will remove 110,000 yards of soil, or 7,857 truckloads. Then the bottom of the pit was covered with 1,400 yards of concrete four inches thick. On that slab, workers put together 5.1 million pounds of steel rebar, which reinforced another 15,230 yards of concrete.

August 11, 2017: Anyone standing on the foundation floor on this date would still see the cloverleaf tower dominating the campus skyline. But having dug down, workers were ready to start building up. First task? Anchoring 126 base isolators into place to support the entire building and protect it in case of an earthquake.

August 10, 2018: The pit is just a memory, as the steel structure for the two towers begins to rise. The Childrens Hospital tower ultimately topped off at nine stories, while the Medical Center reached 16 floors, and has a new helipad on the buildings roof.

August 12, 2019: Work on the exterior is nearing completion. Two outside elevator hoists served the project delivering workers and supplies to the various floors. But the hoist on the side of the Childrens Hospital tower is no longer needed and is in the process of being removed. And on the other side of the building, the process of installing the glass walls for the 16th-floor conference center began at this same time.

August 12, 2020: Late afternoon sun appears to crown the new Medical Center, casting a long shadow on the east side of the building. The new hospital is the tallest hospital in the state of California and the tallest building in San Bernardino County. But while its size is impressive, whats truly exciting is the impact this facility will have in the region as it advances our ability to continue providing excellent healthcare. The new Medical Center tower is more than a building; it's a beacon of hope for brighter, better tomorrows in this community.

We're sharing photographic updates of the hospital construction work on a periodic basis. Watch for special emphasis on some of the behind-the-scenes-views and untold stories at the Vision 2020 website.

This vignette is adapted from a blog by Dennis E. Park, which appears on the website http://www.docuvision2020.com.

See more here:

Five years of progress on new Medical Center - Loma Linda University Health

The next win determines progress.

As the Stars streaked past the Colorado Avalanche on Sunday night bombarding them early and hanging on late during a 5-4 win in Game 4 they set themselves up for a shot at evolution.

On Sunday, the Stars grabbed a sizable 3-1 lead in the second-round series, and Dallas is now one win away from advancing to the Western Conference Finals for the first time since 2008, which would mark the first time this core has won two playoff rounds. The Stars did it with another episode of their dominance in spurts.

The Stars controlled the first period, racing to a 3-0 lead as Colorado needed more than 18 minutes to test Anton Khudobin with a shot on goal. In a series defined by runs from each team, Dallas opened Game 4 with one and built enough cushion to withstand Colorados comeback attempts in the second and third periods.

The Stars power play scored twice in the first period. They allowed two Colorado goals in the second period, including one late in the period during an Avs 5 on 3 power play. But Dallas answered with two goals to push Colorado to the brink of elimination.

Nine Stars recorded points, led by Radek Faksas goal and two assists. Roope Hintz and John Klingberg each had a goal and an assist, while Jamie Benn and Denis Gurianov also scored. For the sixth time in the last nine games, the Stars scored at least five goals. They scored at least five goals in a game just five times throughout the entire regular season.

Khubodin started his eighth straight game in place of the injured Ben Bishop and stopped 33 of 37 shots on goal.

The continued offensive explosion gives the Stars three chances to close out the Avalanche, with the first coming in Game 5 at 8:45 p.m. Monday.

Were a confident group, and tomorrows going to be the hardest game, Klingberg said. It always is when you can close out a series. We expect Colorado to be even better tomorrow.

The Stars have matched where they got to last season: within one victory of the NHLs final four.

Last May, they had two chances to eliminate the St. Louis Blues and couldnt, leading to a summer of what-ifs as St. Louis won the Stanley Cup. They entered this season with regret and remorse, and maybe some fear that 2019 could have been their year. One more win this week would signal that the Stars are past that stage and moving forward with a core that has needed years to percolate.

The next win would put the Stars halfway to the required 16 wins needed to lift the Stanley Cup and would give more credence to Jim Nills roster, one that is still missing its starting goaltender and has won six of its last seven games.

Between the round robin and the first round, this postseason could have been viewed as a seminal moment for the Stars.

They had the big contracts of Benn and Tyler Seguin without the superstar results. They had aging scorers such as Joe Pavelski and Alexander Radulov on the books for multiple seasons. Defenseman Miro Heiskanen remained on a cheap entry-level contract for one more season. Khubodin was free to walk after this one. And then, of course, theres the situation behind the bench, where Rick Bowness still wears an interim tag.

An early exit (or maybe even just matching last years results) could have served as an inflection point for the franchise that hadnt qualified for two straight postseasons for a decade before the last two seasons. Would the Stars want to keep this core together? Could they break it up if they tried? How would the next coach fare with the personnel?

Instead, the Stars seem poised to bounce the favored Avalanche and sign up for another two weeks in the Edmonton bubble. One more win, and progress is tangible. One more win, and Dallas has evolved into a true, top-shelf, real-life, not-dreaming Stanley Cup contender.

The next win determines progress.

Were keeping our composure, Benn said. We know how hard that Game 6 was against Calgary. Obviously, we didnt get off to a good start at all. Well sit on this one for a couple hours and then move on and get right back at it tomorrow.

Find more Stars stories from The Dallas Morning News here.

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Making progress: The Dallas Stars need one win to eliminate Avalanche, but that victory could mean so much - The Dallas Morning News

BEREA, Ohio -- The Cleveland Browns are expecting big things from rookie Jedrick Wills. The Cleveland Browns used the 10th overall pick in the 2020 NFL Draft to select Jedrick Wills to anchor the Cleveland Browns left tackle position.

However, left tackle is a tough position to just step in at the NFL level and play well, let alone dominate, as Joe Thomas did. Couple that, with the fact that the rookie from Alabama is set to open the season in less than two weeks against one of the best defenses in the NFL in the Baltimore Ravens.

After Sunday's practice at FirstEnergy Stadium, Wills was asked how he thinks he's progressing.

Wills feels he's making the transition to left tackle pretty well.

It is going well," Wills said. "The transition is hard for anybody in any position no matter the position, whether you are a skill player or not. Really just coming in, improve the things I need to work on in practice, and just get ready for the next two weeks.

I think I have made a lot of progress, especially like you said since the past few weeks," he said. "Moving along very quickly and just trying to get better.

Offensive line coach Bill Callahan said all rookies are behind.

I think rookies across the league are behind the curve," Callahan said. "I think what our goal has been is to bring him up to speed as fast as we can. We have really inundated him with techniques and walkthroughs. We have gone through several measures in the classroom showing him different players doing the techniques that we are asking of him. I think the progress has been positive, but you just do not know until you go up against live competition."

Callahan said going up against the Browns pair of Pro Bowl defensive ends has helped speed up his growth.

"Having the looks that we are getting in practice from No. 54 (Olivier Vernon) and No. 95 (Myles Garrett) certainly helps that," Callahan said. "He has obviously lost a share and he has won a share of his reps, but that experience of getting out against quality and premier pass rushers is invaluable. Every day, it is a learning experience for him, and we are trying to bring him up to speed as fast as we can.

Wills said the work against those two has helped him significantly.

It has been a great competition between me and Myles and also Olivier Vernon on the other side, which is who I see mostly," he said. "It definitely would have helped to get these things moving along way back in OTAs, if we would have had those with this COVID thing going on. It would have definitely helped, but we have to adjust now and just keep moving forward.

Wills admitted he has been a bit discouraged when Vernon, Garrett, or another pass rusher gets the best of him.

Of course because you come from a place in college where I just dominated everybody I went against," he said. "It was easy and it was a walk in the park, and now you are going against these guys who are Pro Bowlers and some of the best pass rushers in the league. It gets frustrating at times, but you just have to learn from your losses.

Callahan said part of his coaching is helping Wills from not getting discouraged.

I think for all the rookies in our league and especially on our team, they need to learn the cycle of the snap, and they need to get the mindset prior to the play in the pre-snap," he said. "Then of course when the snap is over, good bad or indifferent, they need to process that quickly and find out or learn what they did good, what they did bad and what they could do better, and then move on to the next play.

"That ability to change the mindset of the next play and going to the next play is critically important for a young player," he said. "Sometimes, they have the tendency to dwell because they want to do so well that it kind of feeds into that cycle of overthinking, paralysis and things of that nature. We have worked really hard at trying to get a mindset for Jedrick and all of our players of getting on and getting forward with the next play.

Wills said the different looks have helped him the most.

Really just seeing different things every day from the guys on the other side of the ball," Wills said. "Really mastering your technique and being ready for all the kinds of moves.

"Really, just trying to do what I need to do day in and day out to get to that stage of comfort because there are always things you can improve on.

See the original post:

Cleveland Browns Bill Callahan Calls Jed Wills Progress Positive - 247Sports

It is not where it wants to be yet, but the Cincinnati police department has made major strides in diversifying the department over the years. In WLWT's ongoing investigation Inside Your Police Force, we look at what contributed to the progress.The faces of Cincinnati police officers mirror many on the streets of Cincinnati: Black, brown, white, male and female. The department has come a long way since state Sen. Cecil Thomas' days on the force."I was an officer, and I didn't see a whole lot of individuals who looked like me on the police force back then. I think we were maybe 2%," he said. RELATED: Inside Your Police Force: A Black officer's perspective and how history impacts community relations todayHe was sworn in in 1974, not many years after the National Guard was called to Cincinnati in back to back years, for riots in 1967 and again in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. There were deaths, dozens of injuries, hundreds of arrests and millions of dollars in damages. There were many signs the relationship between police and many of the city's neighborhoods was broken."I've seen significant change since my early years on the police force," Thomas said. He is a big part of the reason why. Thomas filed a formal complaint against Cincinnati police and the city that ended in federal court."His complaint way back in the late 70s, early 80s became a Justice Department investigation and then eventually a Justice Department set of findings, which are attached to the consent decree, that document a history of racial discrimination and sex discrimination," said civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein.He represented the Sentinel Police Association for almost four decades, fighting for diversity in hiring and promotion and equality in discipline and assignments within the department. The consent decree he referenced is an agreement the city signed off on, declaring that after 1980, every recruit class should be at least 34% Black and 23% female, representing the city's workforce at the time.In 2020, 28% of the department is Black according to data provided to WLWT last month. Twenty three percent of the department is female.An additional consent decree, signed in 1987, aimed to increase diversity in promotions, ensuring that female officers and Black officers were adequately represented in the ranks of lieutenant, police captain and assistant police chief. Gerhardstein said it played a key role in diversifying the department, especially compared to other midwestern cities. Although significant progress has been made, the department now led by its third Black police chief still falls short of reflecting a city now made up of more than 45% Black people."The presence of those court orders has allowed us to stay vigilant about working toward the long-term goals of the decree," Gerhardstein said. "The reason it's still in place is that we've never met the long-term goal."Officer Louis Arnold with CPD's community relations unit said diversity is an important piece to mending the relationship with the community but community policing is also key. "We're called to serve and protect, and sometimes we forget that serve piece. We forget that service piece," he said. "It's one-on-one. It's when you roll into the community, you get out of your cruiser and you walk the community and you talk to people, and people begin to see you as more than there to enforce the law."The police department runs several community initiatives, including a summer cadet program that teaches youth what it means to be an officer and a citizen's police academy that teaches community members to better understand policing through an eight-week program. Arnold says those programs and positive interactions between police officers and community members that happen every day also play a role in building trust. "Think about the moment we're in," Gerhardstein said. "Your generation has a lot more to do."

It is not where it wants to be yet, but the Cincinnati police department has made major strides in diversifying the department over the years.

In WLWT's ongoing investigation Inside Your Police Force, we look at what contributed to the progress.

The faces of Cincinnati police officers mirror many on the streets of Cincinnati: Black, brown, white, male and female.

The department has come a long way since state Sen. Cecil Thomas' days on the force.

"I was an officer, and I didn't see a whole lot of individuals who looked like me on the police force back then. I think we were maybe 2%," he said.

RELATED: Inside Your Police Force: A Black officer's perspective and how history impacts community relations today

He was sworn in in 1974, not many years after the National Guard was called to Cincinnati in back to back years, for riots in 1967 and again in 1968 following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

There were deaths, dozens of injuries, hundreds of arrests and millions of dollars in damages. There were many signs the relationship between police and many of the city's neighborhoods was broken.

"I've seen significant change since my early years on the police force," Thomas said.

He is a big part of the reason why. Thomas filed a formal complaint against Cincinnati police and the city that ended in federal court.

"His complaint way back in the late 70s, early 80s became a Justice Department investigation and then eventually a Justice Department set of findings, which are attached to the consent decree, that document a history of racial discrimination and sex discrimination," said civil rights attorney Al Gerhardstein.

He represented the Sentinel Police Association for almost four decades, fighting for diversity in hiring and promotion and equality in discipline and assignments within the department.

The consent decree he referenced is an agreement the city signed off on, declaring that after 1980, every recruit class should be at least 34% Black and 23% female, representing the city's workforce at the time.

In 2020, 28% of the department is Black according to data provided to WLWT last month. Twenty three percent of the department is female.

An additional consent decree, signed in 1987, aimed to increase diversity in promotions, ensuring that female officers and Black officers were adequately represented in the ranks of lieutenant, police captain and assistant police chief. Gerhardstein said it played a key role in diversifying the department, especially compared to other midwestern cities.

Although significant progress has been made, the department now led by its third Black police chief still falls short of reflecting a city now made up of more than 45% Black people.

"The presence of those court orders has allowed us to stay vigilant about working toward the long-term goals of the decree," Gerhardstein said. "The reason it's still in place is that we've never met the long-term goal."

Officer Louis Arnold with CPD's community relations unit said diversity is an important piece to mending the relationship with the community but community policing is also key.

"We're called to serve and protect, and sometimes we forget that serve piece. We forget that service piece," he said. "It's one-on-one. It's when you roll into the community, you get out of your cruiser and you walk the community and you talk to people, and people begin to see you as more than there to enforce the law."

The police department runs several community initiatives, including a summer cadet program that teaches youth what it means to be an officer and a citizen's police academy that teaches community members to better understand policing through an eight-week program.

Arnold says those programs and positive interactions between police officers and community members that happen every day also play a role in building trust.

"Think about the moment we're in," Gerhardstein said. "Your generation has a lot more to do."

Go here to read the rest:

Inside Your Police Force: CPD's progress through the years and the push for more - WLWT Cincinnati

WASHINGTONPresident Trump has missed a self-imposed deadline to release a comprehensive health-care plan and has said he would issue an executive order on pre-existing conditions that public-health specialists believe would be difficult to execute because of legal and economic hurdles.

Mr. Trump said Friday that over the next two weeks he would be pursuing a major executive order requiring health insurance companies to cover all pre-existing conditions for all customers. The Obama-era Affordable Care Act already requires that, but the administration is supporting a Republican-led lawsuit that could invalidate the health law.

In a July 19 interview on Fox News Sunday, Mr. Trump said: Were signing a health-care plan within two weeks, a full and complete health-care plan. The two-week mark passed in early August with no action by the president.

The recent pledges have drawn attention to a challenge facing Mr. Trump: Neither he nor his campaign have identified a second-term health-care agenda, and his administration lacks a clear plan if the Supreme Court strikes down the ACA. The Supreme Court appears unlikely to hear the case before Election Day.

White House spokesman Judd Deere said that Mr. Trump has already accomplished a lot on the health front. While Democrats have continued to propose radical plans that would destroy the health insurance of millions of Americans, President Trump continues to work to improve health care more broadly and stabilize the market, including creating a system that protects the vulnerable, lowers prescription drug costs, increases transparency and delivers the affordability Americans need, the choice and control they want, and the quality they deserve, Mr. Deere said.

Go here to read the rest:

Trump Health-Care Agenda Still a Work in Progress - The Wall Street Journal

The developer of a stalled hotel project at the southern entrance to Ketchum has less than a month to show meaningful work on the construction site, or else see his building permit suspended.

Jack Bariteau, developer of the proposed Harriman Hotel, will have until Aug. 31 to show specific progress on the project, according to a letter sent to Bariteau by Ketchum City Administrator Suzanne Frick. At minimum, that means completing all the footings at the northeast section of the building and pouring at least 40 yards of concrete for structures related to the project, the letter states.

In an email to the Mountain Express, Frick explained that a site visit by city building officials scheduled to occur by June 1 never took place. Instead, she and Building Inspector Jim Lynch reviewed information previously provided by the developers contractor that showed soil testing completed in February.

The question was whether or not the work and testing that occurred in February qualified as continuous work under the building code, Frick said. After review, the Division of Building Safety and the city have determined the February work does not qualify and additional work must occur to maintain the building permit.

Excavation of the proposed hotel site began in 2016, but since then the project has not seen much progress. Per a development agreement between the city and Bariteau, the hotel needs to be completed by December 2021, with site inspections every 180 days to monitor progress.

We recognize COVID-19 has had some impact on construction activities, Frick stated in her letter, dated July 29. Therefore, an extension of the next inspection date will be authorized.

The next inspection must occur by Aug. 31.

According to Frick, if the outlined work is not completed by Aug. 31, the city will determine the next steps to take. At this time, there has been no violation of the development agreement between Bariteau and the city, Frick said.

Since the development agreement was reached in 2008, Bariteau has obtained five extensionsin 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015 and 2018due to lack of funding, flooding in the area and the Great Recession. The Harriman Hotel was previously proposed to be an addition to the Auberge Resort Collection, and at that time was projected to have 62 rooms and 12 residences.

Link:

Ketchum hotel has three weeks show progress - Idaho Mountain Express and Guide

Face-to-face interaction through technology like video chat can help those dealing with social isolation during the pandemic.

PORTLAND, Ore. A blood test for Alzheimers disease and the impact of face-to-face video chats for seniors; both are encouraging research from an international conference.

Social isolation in seniors is a problem that has been magnified by the global pandemic, but research into a remedy has been ongoing for years.

Really, its a huge public issue, Dr. Hiroko Dodge said.

Dr. Hiroko Dodge is a professor and researcher at Oregon Health and Science University. Her work focuses on the impact of social isolation on seniors and how new technology can make a positive difference.

Social isolation was found to impact our health very deeply, Dodge said. Socially isolated people not only die earlier, but also have developed more comorbidities; like diabetes, obesity, heart disease, stroke, all of this.

However, Dodge said theres good news: face-to-face interaction through technology like video chat can help. For about the past two decades Dodge has researched how programs like Zoom, Skype, and Facetime can improve cognition in our aging population.

The study called the internet-based conversational engagement clinical trial or I-CONECT, follows people ages 75 and older for about six months. Half connect with people on the phone. The other half get regular social video chats.

Then see how social interaction, face-to-face interaction, can improve our cognition and hopefully this will become our sort of remedy for socially isolated people, Dodge said.

Dodge and her research were just part of the Alzheimers Association International Conference (AAIC), which looked a little different this year. It was completely virtual because of the pandemic.

Its really important that we continue forward. Alzheimers isnt going anywhere. So, we need to continue forward with that research and helping future generations, said Heidi Rowell, program director for the Oregon and SW Washington chapter of the Alzheimers Association.

The international conference usually sees about 6,000 attendees, but because it went online this year more than 32,000 people were able to participate from more than 160 countries.

For Rowell and many others, the most exciting research to come out of this years conference is promising progress for a blood test that could detect Alzheimers 20 years before symptoms appear. Its not finalized yet, but it has many encouraged.

Thats huge. That gives people time to plan, time to figure out what their wishes are, but it also gives people more time to participate in clinical trials than weve ever had before, Rowell said. And that could be just groundbreaking for the research community.

The pandemic isnt slowing down that research, in fact its highlighting some of its importance; not just for people living with Alzheimers and dementia-related diseases, but for their caretakers as well.

Just dont isolate yourself. Phone call, video chat, helpline, hotline, anything you can do to connect with others is very important, Dodge said.

If youre interested in learning more about theI-CONECTstudy and to sign you or a loved one up visit: https://www.i-conect.org/

More here:

From promising progress on blood test to impact of video chat, Alzheimers research persists in pandemic - KGW.com

Rivian has released a new progress update with a look at electric pickup prototypes, production images, and more.

We have been reporting a lot about Rivians production over the last few months in anticipation of delays following the pandemic.

At one point, Rivian was on track to beat everyone to market with an electric pickup truck a full year before the competition.

Last month, they confirmed that the Rivian R1T is not going to make it to market until June 2021.

Nonetheless, it could be the first electric pickup to make it to market as it already started pre-production last month.

Now Rivian has shared a new progress update of the road to full production at their factory in Normal, Illinois:

The video gives us the best look weve seen at the electric vehicle factory that once was a Mitsubishi plant producing gasoline vehicles.

They shared some interesting images of the production including the marriage of the chassis with the battery pack:

We also get a look at Rivians drivetrain for the R1T electric SUV:

The video is showing some great progress at the plant, but theres still a lot of work to do.

CEO RJ Scaringe said that they still need to build the body manufacturing line, which is expected to be done this fall.

The general assembly line also needs to be built and they need to install about 500 robots.

Rivian is expected to update the specs of the R1T closer to production but based on thespecs released at the launch in 2018, the R1T is equipped with 4 electric motors, each with a 147 kW power capacity at the wheel, while the total power output can be configured to different levels from 300 kW to 562 kW (input to gearbox).

The different power levels match different choices of battery packs, which is another impressive feature since they have the highest capacity of any other passenger electric vehicle out there: 105 kWh, 135 kWh, and 180 kWh.

Rivian says that it will translate to 230+ miles, 300+ miles, and 400+ miles of range on a full charge.

Theyre talking about a charge rate of up to 160 kW at fast-charging stations and an 11-kW onboard charger for level 2 charging.

It has atowing capacity with a trailer weight rating of 5,000 kg thats 11,000 lbs.

Rivian announced that the vehicle will start at $69,000 before incentives, but after Tesla announced the Cybertruck with similar specs for much cheaper, the company saidit will lower its price.

A final price is also expected closer to production next year.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

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Rivian releases progress update with look at electric pickup prototypes, production, and more - Electrek.co

Grayson appears to have provided the Tri-State with some good news.

A protest on Sunday yielded what any protest would be proud to have accomplished: It brought two sides together to communicate.

It was the third demonstration in as many weeks in Grayson spurred by the Black Lives Matter movement. All three times drew armed, counter-protesters.

The scene at each protest was cause for concern for the safety of protesters on both sides.

While the first two (of those three) protests were heated and Sundays encounter had its share of quarrels what's important is the two sides made progress.

In any topic, there are at least two sides to be discussed, and in many cases, there will be quarrels. That's acceptable, as long as those involved remain nonviolent and make a case using honesty and a true desire to understand the other side and find common ground.

That sounds like what happened in Grayson.

In Mondays edition of The Daily Independent, Henry Culvyhouse reported the following:

As the discussion continued, counter-protesters and protesters began shaking hands some even hugged.

A few even followed the protesters back across the street to the pavilion. One took a picture with the protesters and stated he was with them 110%.

Perhaps it took three tries for protesters and counter-protesters to make some peace. So be it. The United States Congress has met regularly for more than 200 years, and some of those years, it didn't accomplish as much as was accomplished in Grayson on Sunday. The positive vibes that resulted are a testament to what honesty and willingness to listen can do.

It might seem like a only a little progress, but it was progress, and kudos to both sides for achieving it.

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.

See the rest here:

IN OUR VIEW Two sides together: Progress evident in Grayson - The Independent

pdf for download here

The above progress report is from Metros Recovery Task Force, formed this spring to develop a plan on how Metro can best serve the public moving forward from the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic. The progress report includes the 18 recommendations made thus far and the framework for the final recovery plan that aims to be issued in the early fall.

The first 12 recommendations are covered in this Source post. And here are the six recommendations from July. We also listed all of them at the bottom of the post.

Before we go further: we understand the terrible impacts the virus has had on people lives and on our local economy. Metro, too, has also been profoundly affected. Employees have fallen ill, ridership has plunged, bus and rail service has been reduced and our finances eroded.

But, like everyone else, we also have seen byproducts of the safer-at-home orders that have shown progress on some of our regions most intractable problems. Specifically, there has been far less traffic congestion, improved air quality and higher rates of walking and cycling.

The Task Forces mission is to help Metro respond to and recover from the pandemic while also finding ways to smartly preserve these gains and to help guide Metro on how to truly best serve those who need us the most. A final comprehensive report will eventually be issued by the Task Force.

This third progress report previews the types of recommendations that will be included in the Task Forces final recovery plan. In addition to early action items, the final report will contain core recommendations, which are important but less time-sensitive ideas to advance recovery. The Task Force will also recommend a small number of transformative recommendations, i.e. the kind of big ideas which could lead to major improvements in mobility and equity.

Decisions on whether and how to implement recommendations will be made by a combination of the Board of Directors, Metros Senior Leadership Team and responsible departments. The task force will track decisions and steps taken on these recommended early action items and will include updates in future progress reports.

Allow Mask Vending: Supplement mask distribution by licensing vendors to sell masks and potentially personal hand sanitizer at some of our stations. As a face covering is now required on Metro, it makes sense to make masks as available as possible to our riders.

Virtual Connections: Refresh, share and follow protocols for online public meetings and take wifi-hotspots to communities. In-person meetings will likely not resume for some time, so its important we make sure our riders and stakeholders can stay connected and informed.

Fresh Air, Safe Travel: Assess options to improve air-flow and filtering to reduce risk of COVID-19 transmission. This could include keeping bus windows open and enhanced cleaning and filtering of HVAC systems on vehicles, in stations and buildings.

More Biking: Promote quick roll-out of more bike infrastructure and bikes. Biking is a good way to get around and easily allows for social distancing.

Were Here For You: Communication campaign on safe use of services as Safer at Home orders are relaxed.

Customer Ambassadors: Deploy non-security staff at stations as customer service agents and ambassadors to encourage safe riding (mask usage, distancing, etc.). This aligns with Metros goal to reimagine safety and security on our system.

Survey Metro customers on their transportation needs and experiences. The idea is to get a handle on what ridership will look like in the coming months, figure out what customers want and best understand what would make customers feel safe using our services now and in the future.

Authorize cities that received 2020 Open Street Grants i.e. for events such as CicLAvia to use that money for projects to slow traffic and/or expand walking and biking opportunities on local streets. The Metro Board approved this in late May.

Test and implement new cleaning practices to help prevent the spread of Coronavirus and other germs on our transit system. Were currently relying heavily on disinfectants, but the agency will be looking at the use of ultraviolet light as well as cleaning frequencies.

Find ways to provide face masks to our riders. Were requiring face coverings to ride, and the vast majority of riders seem to be wearing them as far as we can tell. As long as the requirement is in effect, we want to help riders access masks to avoid enforcement becoming an issue.

Partner with local cities to accelerate projects that speed up buses for example, bus lanes or projects that help buses get quickly through intersections. The goal is to make transit more appealing and useful in the future so people dont feel they have to drive everywhere.

Matching our service levels with demand. Over the last few weeks, weve been running about 70 percent of our pre-pandemic service levels for about 30 percent of our pre-pandemic ridership. The plan is to restore bus and rail service in stages and keep rear door boarding on buses to improve service, allow for physical distancing and beyond the pandemic help reduce overcrowding. Once upon a time, that was a common complaint.

Begin engaging major employers to allow more telecommuting or to stagger work hours to reduce traffic. This includes modifying Metros telecommuting policy to set a good example. Pretty simple idea here: less traffic is good for everyone, including those who still must commute to work.

Put a contactless payment system in place as part of the Transit app the agencys official app. This is a good way to reduce touchpoints and make transit more convenient to use.

Re-imagine projects. It will be difficult for Metro to recover all the costs of the pandemic and our funding which is heavily dependent on sales tax revenues will likely be down for quite some time. The Task Force thinks this is a good time to take a look at the many projects in the planning phase at Metro and think about how they can cumulatively deliver the most positive impact to our region, while sticking within the parameters of the Measure M and R ordinances.

Study options to improve the Metro Bike Share program

Expand social services to help find housing for homeless who use the Metro system.

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Metro's Recovery Task Force issues third progress report - metro.net