Firefighters report significant progress in slowing the advancement of the 32,412 acre Apple Fire. The blaze, which was sparked on July 31 by an automobile exhaust system, has burned four structures and injured two firefighters. As of early Saturday afternoon, the fire was 35% contained, up from 30% on Friday. Just over 2800 firefighters and support staff remain on the blaze. Ground crews are being aided by 18 water dropping helicopters, 276 engines, 24 bulldozers, and 40 water tenders.

As of Saturday morning, Cal Fire said they will be concentrating on shoring up lines on the eastern flank of the massive blaze. It was on that eastern flank where a series of back fires were set on Friday, creating the largest smoke plume yet in the eight day firefight. By comparison, only light smoke was visible Saturday afternoon looking northward from the Coachella Valley. Those back fires reduced fuel in advance of approaching flames.

Cal Fire reports the fire has stayed in place in the San Gorgonio Wilderness to the north. Sunday, two teams of firefighters will be flown to the area and will begin to build perimeter control lines around the northeast portion of the fire, primarily in the wilderness.

The southern portion of the fire remains in patrol status.

Despite the progress, evacuation warnings remain in effect in Riverside County for all areas east of Potrero Road, north of Morongo Road, west of Whitewater Canyon and south of the San Bernardino County Line, and all areas west of Highway 62, north of Interstate 10, South of the San Bernardino county line and east of Whitewater Canyon. In San Bernardino County, evacuation warnings are in effect for residents ofForest Falls, Pioneertown, Rimrock, the community of Morongo Valley, including both sides of Highway 62

Smoke from the Apple Fire has impacted communities to the east including Morongo Valley, Yucca Valley, Joshua Tree, and Twentynine Palms. Unhealthful air quality can result in the exacerbation of some medical issues, especially lung problems. Residents with medical issues affected by smoke are encouraged to stay indoors and avoid strenuous activity is smoky conditions.

Warmer and drier weather is forecast with lower humidity, however winds are expected to be lighter than the have been the past several days. Expected control of the fire is still more than a week away.

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Significant progress in halting Apple Fire NBC Palm Springs News, Weather, Traffic, Breaking News - NBC Palm Springs

KINGMAN Mohave County is experiencing a reduction in the number of new cases of COVID-19, Mohave County Public Health Director Denise Burley told the county board of supervisors on Thursday, Aug. 6.

She spoke about some signs of progress, and said shes cautiously optimistic and that the positive trend will continue.

That said, Mohave County is still in the red zone, Burley added.

In the future, the public will experience a one-day delay in receiving updated COVID-19 statistics from the Mohave County Department of Public Health.

District 3 Supervisor Buster Johnson tried to stop the change from happening but did not find an ally on the board.

The change will be implemented starting Monday, Aug. 10.

The supervisors will receive their daily report by 11 a.m. each day, then the information will be delivered to the county communication director, who will release it to the media.

Soon, the countys coronavirus response hub on its website, mohavecounty.us, will be more visually appealing, Burley said, presenting a demo of the new look.

She also mentioned her department has hired a nurse and one more investigator the eleventh in what is expected to be a team of 12.

Burley praised the investigators work. They completed 400 investigations in two weeks, helping address a backlog of cases from a spike last month, she said.

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Mohave County health director sees signs of progress in battle against COVID-19 - Kdminer

Dr. Joy Shuaibu, program director of Sightsavers in Nigeria, a group focused on eliminating some serious, neglected tropical diseases, has seen her work stalled since March as a result of the coronavirus.

Its worrisome on many different levels, she says and on the ground, its made it hard to get much-needed medications to people with diseases such as lymphatic filariasis, which causes massive swelling and trachoma and can lead to blindness.

Related:UN climate chief on coronavirus and climate change: We must address these two fundamental, existential crises together

There are lots of medications, and on account of COVID-19, some of those medications are about to expire, Shuaibu said. Its kind of a difficult situation we find ourselves in.

Shuaibu says her work hit pause in March in response to safety guidelines issued by the World Health Organization in response to concerns that outreach efforts by groups like hers could further the spread of COVID-19. As a result, groups are limiting their work to case management and vector control to curtail transmission.

Although the pandemic shows no signs of letting up anytime soon, with cases surging and most of the world still susceptible, concerns are mounting over the singular focus on COVID-19; it could set back years of progress in efforts to stem the spread of other, long-standing communicable diseases.

Im afraid that if we do not find a balance between meeting the needs of people with neglected, tropical diseases in a safe way, we may lose the gains that we have made.

Im afraid that if we do not find a balance between meeting the needs of people with neglected, tropical diseases in a safe way, we may lose the gains that we have made, Shu-aibu said.

A modeling study recently published in The Lancet journal projected a big impact of COVID-19 on diseases like HIV, tuberculosis and malaria in low- and middle-income countries.

Its important for countries not just to focus on the imminent crisis, said Britta Jewell, researcher and co-author of the modeling study at Imperial College London.

Related:Israel's hurried school reopenings serve as a cautionary tale

Jewells group estimates that COVID-19s adverse impact could mean deaths from HIV, tuberculosis and malaria increase by as much as 10%, 20% or 36%, respectively, over the next five years, compared to if there were no pandemic.

If countries choose to focus completely on the COVID-19 epidemic and neglect maintaining essential prevention and treatment services for HIV, TB and malaria, we could see deaths that are on the same order of magnitude of those that would be caused by COVID-19 itself, Jewell said.

Her projections, in part, come from potential interruptions in HIV treatments, which help suppress the disease and its spread, missed early detection and treatments for TB, and halts to critical mosquito bed net campaigns that can prevent malaria.

Similarly, another modeling study published in the journal Nature this past week found that if nothing is done, the six-month impact of COVID-19 on malaria efforts in sub-Saharan Africa could lead to a sharp rise in deaths.

An estimated one-sixth of the worlds population suffers from a mix of neglected tropical diseases, which are found in tropical and subtropical regions. Organizations like Sightsavers work to contain them by offering medications, testing and preventive care.

Dr. Yaya Coulibay, a senior researcher at the University of Bamako in Mali, says his work, too, overseeing some neglected tropical disease programs, has been held up. Mass drug administration programs have stopped for many of these parasitic and bacterial diseases, he said.

Related:The pandemic has disrupted how we grieve. The effects could be long-lasting.

The timing is troubling, he says, as the rainy season approaches.

To eliminate or stop the transmission [of these diseases], before the peak of high vector [insect] density, you need to treat people to help get the parasite load as low as possible. So, when vectors come and bite people, they have less chances to get infected and infect other people.

To eliminate or stop the transmission [of these diseases], before the peak of high vector [insect] density, you need to treat people to help get the parasite load as low as possible, Coulibay said. So, when vectors come and bite people, they have less chances to get infected and infect other people.

Diverting resources from other communicable diseases to fight COVID-19 is one tension, but another is the fear that people avoid getting health care altogether to stay away from places where they think theyll get infected, according to Dr. Alpha Mahmoud Barry, a public health specialist and epidemiologist who is a member of a coronavirus control committee in Guinea.

Related:Africa must invest 'in human capital' to fight the coronavirus, says Africa CDC director

As the director of the health nongovernmental organization Sant Plus in Guinea, Barry has worked in HIV and AIDS for years and has seen this happen before.

Like when we had Ebola, people are afraid of going to the hospital, he said, referring to the West Africa Ebola outbreak in 2014 when many people avoided the hospital at all costs for fear of winding up in the Ebola wards.

Studies found that deaths from other diseases, like malaria and HIV, actually went up at that time, even eclipsing the number of deaths caused by Ebola.

Barry, who is based near a major health center in the capital, Conakry, said he is already seeing signs that this could happen again amid COVID-19. Its almost like people think malaria and HIV have gone away, he said.

We are not talking about them anymore; its like we think HIV is already eradicated, said Barry, who is in the middle of a study to find out how widespread HIV is among women and children in the country.

HIV has not been eradicated, and it could start to spread faster if efforts to contain it arent ramped up again soon.

A report from the Global Fund projects that nearly $30 billion will be needed to effectively respond to COVID-19 and the ongoing threat of diseases like HIV, TB and malaria. As US Congress debates its latest supplemental funding for COVID-19, global aid advocates are pushing for more support, which has been absent from previous relief bills.

The dilemma, though, is also pushing community and global health leaders alike to reassess how to keep up critical work on non-COVID-19 diseases while continuing to fight the pandemic, according to Claire Standley, a professor at the Center for Global Health and Security at Georgetown University.

How can these services coexist with the realities of COVID-19? Are these opportunities that these control programs can use to rethink how preventive services are delivered? I think thats the question that needs to be asked rather than, OK, were stopped, so these services cant happen.

How can these services coexist with the realities of COVID-19? Standley said. Are these opportunities that these control programs can use to rethink how preventive services are delivered? I think thats the question that needs to be asked rather than, OK, were stopped, so these services cant happen.

For Shu'aibu, whose neglected tropical disease programs have essentially been on hold in Nigeria since March, figuring out how to adapt is key. She is focusing on how to deliver medicationsdoor-to-door to avoid mass distribution drives that require large gatherings.

Theres a lot of work that has gone into the past three to four months, lots of tools have been developed, operation procedures modified so when the time comes for resumption were doing that safely, ensuring we do not cause any harm, Shuaibu said.

That work also includes setting up training for health workers and trying to get personal protective equipment for them.

Shuaibu hopes they act fast so that years ofrelentless work to containother diseases dont take major steps backward, and that those medicines sitting on the shelf get to people who need them before the end of the year.

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COVID-19 threatens global progress in fight against other communicable diseases - The World

Editorial: Legislature should follow up by moving forward a constitutional amendment that guarantees voting rights to all residents who are not incarcerated, regardless of their criminal history

Kudos to Gov. Kim Reynolds for signing an executive order restoring voting rights to many Iowans with felony convictions.

The people of this state should be proud of her.

They should thank her.

They should recognize she stepped up and took action after the GOP-controlled Iowa Legislature refused to move forward a constitutional amendment to restore felon voting rights.

Iowa ultimately needs a clean, simple constitutional amendment. A persons right to cast a ballot should not depend on who resides in the governors office. Former Gov. Tom Vilsack used an executive order to restore felon voting rights in 2005 before former Gov. Terry Branstad rescinded the order in 2011.

The way to avoid the flip-flopping, politicized and confusing policy changes is by amending the state constitution.

Starting that process should be a priority In the next legislative session.

So should repealing a new law that mucks up any future constitutional amendment by requiring felons to repay restitution before rights are restored. That amounts to a poll tax.

Reynolds' executive order does not include a stipulation requiring repayment of crime-related debt. She was right to craft the order that way, which required political courage to resist pressure from some members of her party.

The bottom line: Every Iowan who is not incarcerated should be able to vote.

People who are free to live and work in our democracy should be free to participate in our democracy. Criminal history should not prevent anyone from having a voice. Voting helps to encourage civic engagement and rehabilitation, which should be the goal of all leaders.

"It boils down to our belief in redemption and second chances," said Reynolds at the executive order signing Wednesday.

Unfortunately, her order is not blanket. Voting rights restoration will not be automatic for everyone. Probation, parole and special sentences associated with sex offenses need to be completed first. The order does not apply to people convicted of murder, manslaughter and other offenses listed in Iowa Code 707.

Those individuals still will need to seek permission from the governor for restoration.

And they should.

Its only August. Iowans have time to do everything they can to ensure they are able to vote in November. Election officials must quickly get the states felon voter database cleaned up. It is riddled with errors, and the names of people now eligible to vote under this order should be removed.

Until Reynolds acted this week, Iowa shamefully was the only state in the country that permanently banned felons from voting unless they sought and received approval from the governor to have their rights restored. Tens of thousands of Iowans have been disenfranchised. The ban disproportionately affected Black and Latino Iowans, because of their disproportionate incarceration rate.

So the executive order is welcome progress. The Iowa-Nebraska NAACP State Area Conference estimates that it will allow over 40,000 people to vote and run for office and that about 4,000 individuals each year will have their rights automatically restored.

They should immediately register to vote and cast ballots for candidates in November who will move forward a clean constitutional amendment that grants automatic restoration of voting rights for all felons when they are released from prison.

Des Moines Register

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Reynolds executive order on voting is progress - Boone News-Republican

Eversource reports that about 58% of New Canaan customers remain without power at this time, down from 75% this morning.

Eversource crews in town have made real progress working with our Public Works crews to reduce the number of blocked roads to 13 from 30 earlier today.

As reported earlier, Eversource is estimating that the vast majority of its now 380,000 customers in CT without power will be restored by midnight next Tuesday with many customers being restored sooner.

Residents using Optimum phone and internet service remain without service in many parts of town due to lack of power, and AT&T mobile service at the Country Club tower is expected to be restored by early evening.

Residents can find free Internet access and phone charging this weekend outdoors at the Library, indoors and around Town Hall and Lapham Center (for seniors only) on Saturday from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and on Sunday from 11:00 am to 4:00 pm.In addition, free Internet access is available outdoors around the Vine Cottage at 61 Main Street and on the patios surrounding Waveny House as well as at the New Canaan High School parking lot.Please be sure to wear your masks and maintain social distancing when indoors at these locations.

For residents in need, the Waveny Pool showers will be available from 8:00 am to 11:00 am and 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm this weekend.Please bring your own towels and wear yours masks when entering.

Potable water is available at the Fire House at 60 Main Street and at the South parking lot side of the YMCA on South Avenue.

If you need information or other assistance please call the Emergency Operations Center at 203-594-4100 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm on Saturday and Sunday, or call the Police Department after hours at 203-594-3500.If you have an emergency please call 9-1-1.

Remember that downed electric power wires are very dangerous and should not be walked or driven over and please do not cross barriers.

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Good Progress in New Canaan Today! Blocked Roads Now at 13, 58% of Town Without Power (Down from 75% this Morning) - HamletHub

Mike Mikos' up close and personal encounter with Tropical Storm Isaias was a little too close for comfort.

Mikos, who lives on Selma Boulevard in Chester Township and works as a controller in Bridgewater, left work late Tuesday morning when it appeared the storm was moving faster than initially reported.

As he recounted, he was almost safety home when, near the Black River Wildlife Management Area on Ironia Road, the tip of a tree limb pierced the passenger side of his 2010 Jeep Liberty's windshield before being sucked back out into the storm.

"I first heard a bump on my roof, and then 'bam!'" he said. "I was literally 30 seconds from my driveway."

Luckily, Mikos wasn't injured in the encounter. He also had the good fortune that his insurance company quickly responded, and the windshield was replaced Friday.

Meanwhile, towns in Morris County reported slowly getting back to normal after the storm, which produced drenching rains and wind gusts of up to 75 mph on Tuesday afternoon.

But not soon enough for Morris County Freeholder Tayfun Selen of Chatham Township, who on Saturday issued a statement airing his frustrations with the time it was taking Jersey Central Power & Light to restore power.

"Im as fed up with JCP&L as you are," he said. "On Tuesday, a tropical storm impacted 150,000 Morris County customers. Five days later, there are still 31,000 customers in Morris County without power.

"Yes, it was a bad storm. But this is unacceptable and people must be held accountable."

JCP&L reported that there was great damage to the transmission lines, the lines moving power to the substations, due to falling trees during the storm. Fixing those lines was the focus during the first 24 hours of recovery, with much of the work being done by helicopter.

The utility then focused on attending to the substations that feed several towns. While that was happening, JCP&L had been summoning power restoration crews from other parts of the country to help with the outage. On Saturday, crews from as far away as West Virginia and southern Georgia were at work throughout the area.

However, JCP&L also reported that COVID-19 has also slowed repairs down. It limits the number of people in trucks and large groups working together.

Those still suffering outages or see lines down are asked to call 1-888-544-4877 (1-888-LIGHTSS) to report it.

JCP&L repaired another 1,987 homes in Washington Township on Friday, leaving 2,156 homes remaining or 30 percent of the homes as of 7 p.m. Friday night. The utilitys goal is to restore 90 percent of homes in the Township by Sunday.

The Township has at least 10 roads closed including the length of Wehrli Drive. However, major roads Schooleys Mountain Road, East and West Springtown, East and West Mill Road, Middle Valley Road, Naughright Road, Flocktown and Green Hill Roads are either open or passable through detours.

As of 6:30 p.m., Chester police reported that most major roads and several minor ones have been opened. Cora Lane remained closed at Dogwood, Linabury Lane was closed at 6 Linabury Lane, Old Mill Road was closed between Forest View Drive and Bridge. Pleasant Hill Road is closed between Hillside Road & Valley View.

Mayor Marcia Asdal said there were about 1,000 Township customers out of power as of Friday night.

JCP&L is estimating that 275 will be restored overnight with another 224 coming back on Saturday, 100 on Sunday and 62 on Monday.

Potable water and charging stations are being provided at the Highlands Ridge Barn. However, due to COVID requirements the barn itself is not open.

The Borough still has just over 400 homes or businesses without power, but nearly all streets are open. Pleasant Hill between Hillside and Valley View was the only closure as of Saturday morning. More restaurants and stores along Main Street have had power restored as well.

As of 4 p.m., Friday, JCP&L reported there were still 1,217 customers without power. That represents 63 new buildings that have recovered since Thursday night and an improvement of 900 from Wednesday.

On Friday night, Mayor Christine Glassner implored residents to report their outages to JCP&L.

We are aware that there has been more outages and we have reached out to our JCP&L officials that are saying that they are having difficulties with the substation, Glassner stated. We are continuing to monitor the situation but you need to report your outages immediately to JCP&L.

The OEM Team and Fire Department are also asking residents to call 911 if an alarm of any type goes off in your home when power returns. The re-powering of buildings has been triggering alarms.

The Mendham Borough Fire Department is prepared to handle these calls and will be fully staffed on Friday night. The Garabrant Charging Center is operating and will stay open.

Tempe Wicke Road is still fully closed East of Corey Lane. Other roads are partially closed however local traffic to residences can get in and out. Township police warn motorists not to drive around barricades, wires or cones. JCP&L has been able to restore some power and put a dent in the 1,575 customers that were noted to be without power as of 10 a.m. on Friday.

Charging stations have been set up at the Brookside & Ralston Firehouses where residents can come charge their electronic devices from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. If access to non-potable water is necessary, there is a hose available for public-use at both firehouses 24 hours a day.

JCP&L is providing free ice and water at the Kings in Mendham and the Shop Rite in Chester as well as other grocery stores in the area.

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ISAIAS UPDATE: Progress is made but many local homes and businesses still without power - New Jersey Hills

(MENAFN - Gulf Times) It is always worth remembering that in the grand sweep of history, we are the fortunate ones. Thomas Hobbes's description of life as 'solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short was apt for most of human history. Not anymore. Famines and hunger have become rarer, living standards for most people have risen, and extreme poverty has been reduced substantially over the past few decades. Average life expectancy at birth even in the least healthy parts of the world is above 60 years, whereas a British person born in the 1820s would have expected to live to around 40.But, these fantastic improvements have been accompanied by catastrophic risks. Even if Covid-19 has shaken us from our complacency, we have yet to grapple with the dangers still facing us.The improvements of the past 200 years are the fruits of industrialisation, made possible by our acquisition of knowledge and mastery of technology. But this process involved trade-offs. Driven by the desire for wealth, firms and governments sought to reduce costs and boost productivity and profits, which led to disruptions that sometimes left hundreds of millions of people impoverished and unemployed.For decades, workers in mines and factories were brutally coerced to eke out ever more output, until they managed to organise and secure some political power for themselves. And, of course, the early industrial age encouraged slavery and the quest for access to natural resources, which led to massive wars and brutal forms of imperialist rule.These excesses were neither an aberration nor inevitable. Many have since been corrected through the market economy, labour-relations reforms, state regulation, and new (often democratic) institutions. But other significant unintended consequences of industrialisation have yet to be addressed, because no organised political constituency emerged to address them. The most pressing concern is catastrophic global risks, the most obvious being anthropogenic climate change a prime example of how a process of enrichment can create an existential threat.A second, somewhat related problem is biodiversity loss. The estimated rate of species extinction today is anywhere from 100 to 1,000 times that of the pre-industrial era, yet there is still very little recognition of the risks created by such a radical destabilisation of nature.The third global risk is nuclear war. Splitting the atom exemplifies both our mastery over nature and the potential for profound misuse of science and technology. Though nuclear technology has many peaceful applications (and may have a short-term role to play in addressing climate change), its most important consequence has been to inaugurate an era of mutually assured destruction. As with climate change and biodiversity loss, we still do not appreciate the risks that nuclear technology poses to humanity; in fact, countries that have nuclear arsenals are now rebuilding and expanding them.A fourth major risk is artificial intelligence, which could lead to technologies that we cannot control. In addition to the risk that superintelligent algorithms wipe out humanity, AI also has the potential to be deployed as an instrument of surveillance and repression, paving the way to a new kind of serfdom. And governments are already developing AI and autonomous weapons that could be put to all kinds of nefarious uses, especially if they end up in the wrong hands.Though no one can deny these risks, most people's first instinct is to discount steeply the likelihood of a catastrophic scenario. But this is misguided. During the 20th century, the world came close to nuclear war on multiple occasions. Because we were lucky, we now assume retrospectively that the risk was never as high as it seemed.But consider the counterfactual scenario. Where would we be today if all-out nuclear war had not been averted by the actions of Vasili Alexandrovich Arkhipov, a lone Second Captain who, at the height of the Cuban Missile Crisis, urged restraint when the other commanders aboard his Soviet nuclear B-59 submarine mistakenly believed they were under attack by the United States? We certainly wouldn't be reading books about the supposed decline in violence over time.On the other hand, those who do recognise the dangers posed by climate change and AI too often jump to the conclusion that economic growth itself is the problem. They argue that reducing emissions, preserving nature, and preventing the misuse of technology requires a deceleration or reversal of production, investment, and innovation.But pulling back from growth and technological progress is neither realistic nor advisable. The world is still a long way from ending poverty, and what people in both rich and poor countries need most right now are good jobs that leverage technology in the interest of workers themselves. Without secure employment and income growth, US President Donald Trump and British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will not be the last right-wing demagogues to threaten established democracies.The only responsible option is to forge a new growth strategy that emphasises the kind of technological innovation needed to address global threats. The goal should be to create a regulatory environment that encourages firms and entrepreneurs to develop the technologies we actually need, rather than those that merely increase profits and market share for a narrow few. And, of course, we need a much greater focus on shared prosperity, so that we do not repeat the errors of the last four decades, when growth became decoupled from most people's lived experience (at least in the Anglo-Saxon world).Although our track record in combating climate change is poor, we can embrace the fact that once-costly forms of renewable energy are now competitive with fossil fuels. This did not happen because we turned our back on technology. Rather, it is the outcome of technological advances brought about by a regulated market economy in which firms responded to carbon pricing (especially in Europe), subsidies, and consumer demand.The same recipe can work against other catastrophic risks. The first step is to acknowledge that these risks are real. Only then can we get on with the business of building better institutions and re-empowering the state to shape market outcomes with humanity's shared interests in mind. - Project Syndicate

* Daron Acemoglu, Professor of Economics at MIT, is co-author (with James A Robinson) of The Narrow Corridor: States, Societies, and the Fate of Liberty.

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Minding the perils of technological progress - MENAFN.COM

by: Tracy Bloom, Tim Lynn

Firefighters stopped the forward progress of a brush fire that threatened structures and prompted evacuations in the Saugus area on Thursday afternoon.

The blaze, dubbed the Texas Fire, broke out in the 30500 block of Bouquet Canyon Road around 1:50 p.m. Approximately 200 firefighters responded to the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Ground crews were aided from above by water-dropping helicopters and larger air tankers.

After racing up the mountain, the blaze quickly grew to 50 and then 130 acres.

But an hour after flames erupted, firefighters already appeared to have gained the upper hand, extinguishing hotspots that popped up along the charred hillside, the aerial video showed.

The blaze ultimately spread to 150 acres before forward progress was halted shortly before 4:30 p.m.

An aggressive and decisive ground and air attack has grown the containment to 10% and allowed us and @LACoFDPIO to get the upper hand on this fire, a tweet from the Angeles National Forests account stated.

Several structures were threatened at one point, and an evacuation order was issued for Bouquet Canyon Road between Vasquez Canyon and Spunky Canyon roads, fire officials said. The stretch of road was also closed.

Conditions in the area were relatively cool during the afternoon, with moderate humidity both generally favorable for firefighters. The fire was able to spread quickly because of very dry fuels and onshore winds, according to the National Weather Service.

The cause of the blaze was not immediately known.

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Texas Fire: Forward progress stopped on 150-acre blaze that threatened structures in Saugus area, prompted evacuations - KTLA Los Angeles

By Yasin Ebrahim

Investing.com Wall Street struggled on Friday, as better-than-expected job gains were cast aside by a lack of progress among lawmakers on the next round of coronavirus stimulus and souring U.S.-China trade relations.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.26 %, or 69 points. The S&P 500 slipped 0.30%, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 1.21%.

The US economy added a better-than-forecast 1.76 million jobs in July, reinforcing investor expectations that the labor market remains steady despite recent data including a weaker jobless claims report earlier this week suggesting otherwise.

But a lack of progress among lawmakers on another pandemic stimulus relief, which is key to sustaining the U.S. economic recovery, prompted investors to rein in their bullish bets.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reportedly said an offer to reduce the $3.4 trillion package by $1 trillion was rejected by the White House, marking a blow to hopes of lawmakers meeting a self-imposed Friday deadline to resolve key sticking points.

As well as the slow pace of negotiations on Capitol Hill, rising U.S.- China trade tensions - in the wake of President Trump's decision to target Chinese tech - weighed on investor sentiment.

President Donald Trump on Thursday issued executive orders against Chinese tech firms TikTok and WeChat, which he claimed would curb the "threat" they pose to U.S. national security.

The sluggish day on Wall Street was exacerbated by weakness in tech stocks, which have led much of the rally since the recent lows seen in March.

Facebook (NASDAQ:FB) sidestepped the broader market weakness, while the rest of the of the so-called Fab 5 floundered, with Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOGL), Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN), Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL), and Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) nursing losses.

Energy also played its role in pressuring the broader market, falling 1% as oil prices look set to the end the day in the red as U.S.-China tensions added a layer of uncertainty to the crude demand outlook.

On the earnings front, Uber Technologies (NYSE:UBER) slumped more than 5% following a wider-than-expected loss in the second quarter as its core ride sharing business saw bookings plummet 73% amid pandemic-led weakness.

T-Mobile US (NASDAQ:TMUS) popped 6.5% to hit new 52-week highs after the wireless provider delivered better-than-expected quarterly earnings and said it had usurped AT&T (NYSE:T) as the second biggest mobile carrier in the U.S.

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Dow Struggles as Bears Find Joy on Stalling Stimulus Progress - Yahoo Finance

SPRINGFIELD Local officials said Thursday they are pleased with progress in the recovery from Tropical Storm Isaias, and are assessing costs to pursue emergency aid.

The officials, including Mayor Domenic J. Sarno and U.S. Rep. Richard E. Neal, D-Springfield, gathered at Forest Park, with a backdrop of downed trees and branches.

They discussed and praised the ongoing cleanup from Tuesdays storm that knocked down countless trees, branches and power lines.

Sarno had declared an emergency in Springfield on Wednesday after a large area of Springfield was left without power, water and cell phone service. The declaration precedes formal requests for federal and state assistance.

Neal, who chairs the House Ways and Means Committee, said the storm was devastating, with 250,000 households left without power in Massachusetts and a lot of tree damage, everywhere.

I hope that once we compile all the data and numbers, we will submit them to FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency), and see if they can offer some relief to these communities, Neal said.

On Thursday, Sarno was hopeful that most customers would have power restored by midnight. He praised the efforts by city departments, in-house and hired forestry crews, and the Hampden County Sheriffs Department.

Its all about team and its all about relationships, Sarno said. Hundreds and hundreds of trees came down which made some very dangerous situations.

The Police and Fire Departments responded to a deluge of calls, he said.

Every inch of this city, everyone has been affected by this storm, said Patrick Sullivan, the citys director of parks, buildings and recreation management.

Sullivan and other city officials said that it is not just the trees ad power lines that pose a threat to the public, but also the hanging, damaged branches and wood debris. The downed branches and brush can create a fire hazard, he said.

The city will seek assistance from the states Urban and Community Forest Program from its urban forest service strike teams to help assess the damage and long-term resources, Sullivan said.

The storm brought sustained winds of 40 miles per hour in some areas and wind gusts up to 65 miles per hour, according to reports.

Making matters worse, a 36-inch diameter water main break occurred Wednesday morning on East Columbus Avenue, at York Street, A Springfield Water and Sewer Commission crew responded to the water break shortly before 6 a.m., and water was restored at approximately 9:45 a.m.

Sarno thanked residents and the business community for their patience as we work together with all of our community partners to clean and clear up our parks, open space and woodland areas, and restore all of of our power and water outages we experienced.

Those who gathered at Forest Park for the storm update and to view some of the damage also included Park Commission Chairman Brian Sullivan, City Forester Alex Sherman, Fire Commissioner Bernard J. Calvi, David Bloniarz from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service, and Patrick Carnevale, who serves as director of Gov. Charlie Bakers Western Mass. office.

In addition, those at the storm update included officials from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency and Sheriffs Department.

Original post:

Springfield officials pleased with progress, assess recovery costs from Tropical Storm Isaias - MassLive.com

Switzerland-based Blackstone Resources AG announced that it has achieved a series of important milestones for producing any kind of printed battery cells.

The company has been investing in the next generation of battery technology through its German subsidiary Blackstone Technology GmbH. This includes patented 3D-printing techniques and research into the mass production of solid-state batteries: these can offer greater energy density and a higher number of charging cycles.

The first functional battery cells using printed electrodes has been successfully tested.

Battery factories being built today produce one battery cell form factor. These assembly systems are very special and expensive. The manufacturing process of the electrodes is energy-intensive and dangerous solvents are used.

Blackstone is offering a more flexible and cost-effective production technology based on printing batteries. It covers a wide range of cell formats using different cathode and anode chemicals. Consequently, every second a finished battery cell could be made in an automotive format and leave the production line.

Blackstone views this printing technology represents the cornerstone for the future production of all solid-state batteries. It sees tremendous potential for printing complete battery modules and battery systems. This will further reduce production costs considerably.

In July, the first functional battery cells were manufactured with thick, printed electrodes (C/LFP) and successfully tested. This enables the energy density for all common cathode chemistries to be increased by approximately 20%.

These electrodes were created using environmentally friendly, water-based binder systems. The production of the electrodes is completely free of pollutants and reduces production costs over the long term.

The production step of the calendaring of electrodes is no longer necessary. The necessary porosity is simply adjusted for during printing.

The short-term goal is to establish series production and thus prove the suitability for mass production. The planning of a first production plant has already begun. The printing of solid-state battery cells is also being tested in parallel. In the medium term, Blackstone Technology will print complete battery cells, including housings, at extremely high speed.

Holger Gritzka, CEO of Blackstone Technology GmbH

Blackstone Resources is a Swiss Holding Company, with its legal domicile in Baar, Kanton Zug and is concentrating on the battery metals market as primary metals. In addition, it sets up, develops and manages refineries used for gold and battery metals. These include cobalt, manganese, molybdenum, graphite and lithium. In addition, Blackstone Resources has started a research program on new battery technologies.

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Blackstone announces progress with printed battery cells - Green Car Congress

WEST CALDWELL TWP. The virtual Peaceful Poetry Reading Series, hosted by the West Caldwell Public Library and featuring 15 poets from throughout Essex County, continues at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 13.

Each poet will read some of his or her favorite poems, which are intended to offer tranquility and peace of mind during coronavirus pandemic.

The reading Thursday will feature poet and English teacher Susan Rothbard of Fairfield, who will read some of her new poems about two of her passions: birds and food.

Her poetry has appeared in the Literary Review, Poet Lore, The Cortland Review, Pif Magazine, the National Poetry Review, Comstock Review, Paterson Literary Review and other journals. It also has been featured in Ted Kooser's American Life in Poetry and on Verse Daily.

In 2011, she won the Annie Finch Prize for Poetry. She earned a master's in fine arts degree in creative writing from Fairleigh Dickinson University in Florham Park and a Doctor of Letters from Drew University in Madison.

She teaches English and creative writing at Livingston High School, where she was named Teacher of the Year in 2019.

The Peaceful Poetry Reading Series will conclude Thursday, Aug. 20, when Susanna Rich of Blairstown will offer a poetry reading.

Other poets in the series included series organizer Diane Lockward and Michael Mandzik, both of West Caldwell; Rick Mullin of Caldwell; Elinor Mattern of Bloomfield; Theresa Burns of South Orange; and Marilyn Mohr of Verona.

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Poetry-reading series continues Thurday | The Progress Lifestyles - New Jersey Hills

Employers in the U.S. are continuing to add to headcounts as demand slowly returns, while the U.K. central bank sees its countrys jobless rate rising to 7.5% by year-end. Meanwhile, Vietnam, China and Taiwan are seen as the brightest economies in Asia.

Here are some of the charts that appeared on Bloomberg this week, offering insight into the latest developments in the global economy:

Sources: Bloomberg surveys as of July 27; national statistics agencies

Almost all of the 60 economies surveyed for the Bloomberg Misery Index, which tallies inflation and unemployment outlooks, are projected to be more miserable this year amid Covid-19, with analysts expecting increased joblessness and tepid growth. The U.S. is projected to see the worst reversal of fortune this year in the ranking.

Americas job market continued to regain ground in July, though at a slower pace, indicating the economic rebound is still making headway despite a surge in coronavirus infections. Payrolls are still down 13 million from pre-pandemic levels.

The latest survey of manufacturers by the Institute for Supply Management showed lean inventories may be more commonplace throughout the economy, which could help underpin production. The share of purchasing managers at factories who say their customers stockpiles are too low was the second-highest in a decade.

The BOE is less pessimistic about unemployment than the fiscal watchdog

Source: Office for Budget Responsibility, Bank of England

U.K. unemployment is set to reach 7.5% by year-end after government wage subsidies keeping millions of workers in their jobs are phased out, according to the Bank of England. But the central bank is less pessimistic than the Office for Budget Responsibility, the fiscal watchdog.

Most Executive Board appointments have gone to the biggest members

Source: European Central Bank

The vacancy on the six-person Executive Board of the European Central Bank the departure of Luxemburgs Yves Mersch will create in December will be the last until 2026. With citizens of all four of the regions biggest economies already on the board, Merschs exit offers a rare prize to the rest.

Chinas inflation is set to drift down in the months ahead as food prices cool and slack household demand saps strength from prices of goods and services. Bloomberg Economics thinks CPI will be around zero by end-2020 on a year-over-year basis.

Most of Asia seen suffering full year contractions, except Vietnam, China and Taiwan

Source: Bloomberg

Only three economies across Asia -- Vietnam, China and Taiwan -- are expected to see growth this year, according to median economist estimates in a Bloomberg survey.

Activity at the beginning of August remained 35% below the pre-virus level

Source: Bloomberg Economics, Google, Moovitapp.com, Bloomberg NEF, Shoppertrak.com, Opportunity Insights

Activity in emerging markets excluding China remained 35% below the pre-virus level at the beginning of August, according to Bloomberg Economics gauges that integrate high-frequency data such as credit-card use, travel and location information.

With assistance by Bjorn Van Roye, David Qu, Andrew Atkinson, Sophie Caronello, Michelle Jamrisko, Cynthia Li, Catarina Saraiva, and Piotr Skolimowski

Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal.

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Charting the Global Economy: U.S. Job Market Makes More Progress - Bloomberg

In the 6th edition of Pig Progress we visit a farm in the Netherlands where prioritising pig welfare proves to be profitable. We take a closer look at the ASF outbreak in Belgium and Poland and discuss the growing number of feral pigs (wild boar) in the US and Canada, where control of the population is a challenge.

There is an enormous, growing population of feral pigs in the US and Canada, and while African Swine Fever has not yet been detected in North or South America, just one case could spread very quickly. Control of the population in both countries has proven fruitless so far. Page 6

These massive feral pigs (or wild boar) often live in groups and their individual weights can exceed 270kg (about 600 pounds). Photo: Dr Ryan K. Brook

Belgium hopes that by autumn 2020, the country can declare a free from ASF status. African Swine Fever took Belgium by surprise in September 2018 when it was detected in wild boar. Page 8

Many kilometres of fencing were installed in Belgium in an effort to contain the ASF outbreak in the country. Photo: Twan Wiermans

The number of cases of African Swine Fever continues to rise in Poland, a country struggling to get to grips with the virus. The current situation poses a serious threat for the rest of northwestern Europe. Page 12

Between November 2019 and July 2020, the number of places where infected wild boar had been found had risen to 961, with 1,826 victims. Photo: Iwana Markowska Daniel

The EU PiG Innovation Group aims to discover and share best practices and innovations in swine production in Europe. In this episode we look at the 5S Lean Programme, a simple innovation that can have a significant impact. Page 15

Some of the best innovations are the simplest, and this is one of them. Photo: OKeeffe Piggeries

Owner of Ten Have farm in the Netherlands, Annechien ten Have-Mellema, has embarked on a journey to disprove the theory that consumers will always choose cheap pork over premium pork. Page 18

Pigs at the Ten Have farm are kept on straw when they are indoors. They are free to wander outside, too. Photo: Koos Groenewold

Researchers at a university in China have found supplementing piglet diets with oyster mushrooms resulted in a better immune response and a healthy gut, contributing to a reduction in the incidence of diarrhoea. Page 22

Mushrooms have high fibre content and these dietary fibres may decrease intestinal transit time, thus promoting better nutrient digestibility. Photo: Michel Zoeter

In 2014, it became known that viruses were being transmitted in feed. In this article we look at what has been discovered and awareness to action. Page 24

The worlds feed industry has become very aware of how viruses can survive in and be transported in feed ingredients. Photo: Ruben Keestra

Genetic selection has caused an ever-growing increase in the number of pigs born alive. Other important factors in pig production have, however, been overlooked, including pre-weaning mortality, and Hernias and other genetic defects. Is it time for a fundamental rethink? Page 26

A hernia umbilicalis in a piglet a common genetic defect. Photo: Robin Britstra

A 2016 survey revealed that more than 80% of male pigs are castrated, and only 5% of this castrated population received anaesthesia and analgesia. We would like your input. Page 30

To read the full articles, simply click on the digital magazine section and then on Pig Progress 2020-6. Registration is free.

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Pig welfare, feral pigs and ASF in Pig Progress 6 - Pig Progress

Days 49 through 53 of this years 60-day legislative session concluded July 31. Though real progress during the second half of this session has been hard to come by, senators took some steps last week that will make a difference.

LB 1053, a priority bill by the Health and Human Services Committee, which I am a member of, advanced on a 47-0 vote. This bill changes reimbursement rates for hospitals and nursing facilities.

It also included a bill I introduced, LB 1043, that would change how nursing homes are placed into receivership by the state. Facilities are placed into receivership when they can no longer operate for any number of reasons, but often because of financial difficulty. This bill prioritizes patient safety by making sure that companies taking control of these facilities are held to higher standards than they were previously. Our office receives regular questions about supporting nursing homes in Legislative District 16 and Im happy to have sponsored this bill.

Another bill I introduced, LB 1044, was included in a bill prioritized by Sen. Bruce Bostelman of Legislative District 23. My portion of the bill helped fix a problem that may have held up food for medical patients by clarifying that nutrition therapists may order patient diets with their own authority when working in consultation with physicians.

The debate became quite heated when a bill introduced by Sen. Suzanne Geist of Lincoln to prohibit dismemberment abortions came up on the floor. The bill, LB 814, would outlaw the practice of dismemberment abortion in the state of Nebraska. The bill, however, failed to come up for a vote after a filibuster by pro-abortion senators.

This is by far the bill Ive heard about most from constituents. Through calls, emails and Facebook messages, constituents in LD 16 have made their voices heard that they do not support this practice and want to see it ended in Nebraska. As a co-sponsor of the bill, along with more than 20 other senators, I fully intend to bring this bill to a vote and end this horrendous practice.

Ive also heard from many constituents about LB 720, the ImagiNE Nebraska Act. This bill would sunset our current business incentive program, Nebraska Advantage, and implement a new program. Our region has benefited greatly from business incentives that are needed to attract and retain large employers in the area. Though there have been issues with Nebraska Advantage in the past, this new program would provide more incentives to small businesses. This bill has been tied together with property tax relief for much of the session and I agree that it should be. I see the value of LB 720 and will vote for it when property tax relief is delivered to the people who need it most.

As always you can contact me at bhansen@leg.ne.gov or contact the office to speak with my

Administrative Assistant Ellie Stangl or my Legislative Aide Jacob Campbell. To read all

introduced legislation please visit nebraskalegislature.gov. You may watch the live stream of the

session when available at netnebraska.org.

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Steps toward progress in the Legislature - Blair Enterprise Publishing

FAYETTEVILLE On Thursday during a Zoom conference, Sam Pittman talked about how the quarterbacks and offensive line have looked thus far.

The Razorbacks started five quarterbacks last season. This season, they have seniors Feleipe Franks and Jack Lindsey, sophomore John Stephen Jones, redshirt freshman KJ Jefferson and true freshman Malik Hornsby competing for the job. Franks brings obvious experience to the competition following a very good career at Florida. He was asked about how the quarterbacks are looking so far.

Well, we havent been able to anything full speed, were not allowed to do there, Pittman said. Im not positive how theyre throwing the football, but how theyre running the offense, all of them have done a really good job. Ive been really pleased with how KJ Jefferson has picked up the offense and sees where hes supposed to go with the ball and things of that nature. Of course, were happy Feleipe Franks is here. Hes doing a really good job. You look at Malik and John, I think were doing pretty good up there, and Jack Lindsey. Kendal Briles offense is not that hard to learn, its just fast. You have to know the ins and outs of everything, because hes going to snap the football and you need to understand where youre supposed to go pretty fast.

Pittman talked about how Franks has approached the practices so far.

Hes approaching it like a guy whos been an SEC starter for two-plus years, Pittman said. Hes a grown man. Hes mature. Hes approaching it like hes been there before. I think thats very important for us, especially because we didnt have spring ball. But we have a guy on our football team thats played a lot of football at quarterback and won a New Years Day bowl as the starting quarterback. We have a veteran guy and I think thats important. I didnt not just say that hes won the starting job. How can do you do that in walk-throughs? But I did say that were awful glad that hes on our football team.

Some have speculated Franks could get another year at Arkansas if he applied for it though some sources have indicated to this reporter its very unlikely he tries for that.

Possibly. I think if he has a good year, which we anticipate him doing, that hell be gone, Pittman said. In all honesty, Im planning on him, if he wins the starting job, to have such a good year that we cant keep him. Thats my plan.

As far as the offensive line, Pittman did offer an interesting scenario possibly unfolding at center. Sophomore Ricky Stromberg started at offensive guard last season, but is competing with senior Ty Clary at center right now as well.

Tys playing center for us, and we havent put the pads on, so, Pittman said. Were trying to put the five best players on the offensive line, and then number six and number seven, all that. But you cant have your third- or second-best player playing behind your best player just because he plays left tackle. I mean, doesnt make any sense. So, were trying to find our five best, and the hardest place to play on the O-line is center, so were trying to develop at least three centers. If we can get more in the top 10, we would do that too, but were trying to at least be able to travel and three deep at center. Therefore, we started looking at Ricky at center, and hes played a lot of it in these walk-throughs for us. And Ty obviously has played center, as well. So, Im sure if that was the case that they both would stay at center, and theyd have a competitive battle there, and then youd have to see if the one who didnt win the center spot, is he in our top five to play for us.

Pittman was asked about a timeline for knowing who the five best on the offensive line are and then the next five?

Well, with your first five, youd probably like to do that no later than two and a half weeks before your first game, Pittman said. The other guys, 6, 7, 8, theyll always swing. Until you can get 10 good offensive linemen, youll have your third tackle and youll have your third guard and youll have your second center-guard combination. All those things. Id like to settle in maybe two, two-and-a-half weeks before the first game with exactly what were going to do. And of course you know injuries disrupt all that. So therefore you have to have your third-best tackle that can play both sides and etc. I hope I answered your question.

Pittman did have praise for two offensive linemen who redshirted last year. Noah Gatlin tore his ACL on the first day of preseason drills and Luke Jones transferred in from Notre Dame.

Gatlin has done well, Pittman said. Ive been impressed with Luke Jones. I dont know if he redshirted; I think he was more of a transfer. He redshirted, he transferred.

Pittman did say junior Dalton Wagner and senior Myron Cunningham have been good leaders on the offensive line.

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Arkansas Quarterbacks, Offensive Line Making Progress According to Sam Pittman - KNWA

More than 271,000 Long Island homes and businesses are still without power this morning, according to PSEG-Long Island, which continues its work to restore power to the hundreds of thousands of customers knocked out by Tropical Storm Isaias Tuesday.

The power companys online outage map, depicting active outages, customers affected, repair status and estimated restoration times, shows nearly 5,000 customers in Riverhead and across the North Fork were still without power as of 6:30 this morning. The numbers were actually up from the outages reported online by PSEG-LI at 4 p.m. yesterday.

The map shows 271,352 affected customers as of 6:32 a.m. PSEG-LI said in a press release issued at 10 oclock last night that number had shrunk to about 160,000.

The map reflects everything that is happening, so it will continue to change as the crews work on the system. Many times as they restore power we need to take additional outages to safely restore the power, PSEG-LI spokesperson Elizabeth Flagler said in an email last night in response to an inquiry about the fluctuations.

PSEG-LI said in a press release last night it estimates 85% of customers will be restored by end of day Friday.

More than 2,000 line workers, tree trimmers and other personnel are working around the clock, in 16-hour shifts and will continue to do so until every customer is restored, PSEG-LI said in the press release.

Riverhead Highway Superintendent George Woodson said this morning that the only trees and large limbs still blocking roads or travel lanes on town roads are those tangled up or resting on power lines. Highway crews have to wait for PSEG-LI crews to arrive in order to clear those conditions, he said.

There are still a few spots across town where trees and large limbs are down with power lines involved and the town is waiting for PSEG-LI crews to address the situation.

In last nights press release, the company reiterated that the breakdown in customer communications during and after the storm Tuesday did not affect PSEG-LI restoration efforts.

We have still been able to assess the full extent of the damage and dispatch crews to the impacted areas, the company said in the press release.

PSEG Long Island understands how critical it is to share accurate and timely information with our customers. We have overcome many of the issues with Verizon that affected our call center operations yesterday, and we are working diligently to improve all of our systems to fully resolve these issues, PSEG-LI said.

The company urged customers to use its automated voice response system whenever possible by calling 1-800-490 0075.

Yesterday, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced he had directed the State Department of Public Service to investigate what he called the failed storm response of several utilities, including PSEG-LI and Verizon.

PSEG-LI also announced the opening of four drive-through distributions of ice and water, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., or until supplies run out, at the following locations:

We need your help.Now more than ever, the survival of quality local journalism depends on your support. Our community faces unprecedented economic disruption, and the future of many small businesses are under threat, including our own. It takes time and resources to provide this service. We are a small family-owned operation, and we will do everything in our power to keep it going. But today more than ever before, we will depend on your support to continue. Support RiverheadLOCAL today. You rely on us to stay informed and we depend on you to make our work possible.

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Isaias update: outages, restoration progress and lingering road closures - RiverheadLOCAL

San Diego is giving developers new incentives to construct housing for middle-income residents like nurses and firefighters, just as a new report shows other efforts to address the citys housing crisis might be starting to pay off.

The City Council last week approved the long-awaited middle-income density bonus, which aims to help developers focus on San Diego residents who dont earn enough to afford luxury housing but who make too much to qualify for subsidized housing.

These are important people to the fabric of our city were talking about teachers, police officers, firefighters and nurses, Councilwoman Vivian Moreno said. We need to make sure we have housing opportunities in the communities where they live and work.

Meanwhile, the citys third annual housing inventory report shows an increase in the number of projects where construction began in 2019 and a spike in the number of subsidized low-income units built last year.

Despite that good news, the report shows San Diego is still far behind the number of units that need to be constructed annually to meet local demand for housing.

There also was a decrease in 2019 in the number of projects that got final approval for future construction and a drop in the number of subsidized housing units that were either preserved or rehabilitated.

The middle-income density bonus defines middle income as households making up to 120 percent of the areas median income, which rose to $92,700 this spring.

It also stacks the incentive on top of a separate program approved in 2016 to encourage developers to build housing for low-income residents.

Without the stacking, some developers might have opted for the middle-income incentive instead of the low-income one. Under the adopted policy, developers who want to use the middle-income incentive must use both incentives.

Once a project maximizes the low-income incentive, which allows for a 50 percent spike in the number of units a developer can build, the project can then use the new moderate-income incentive for an additional 25 percent increase in units.

This new program will spur more housing for working San Diegans who want to live near transit and job centers Mayor Kevin Faulconer said. As we continue to implement reforms, were making it easier to build and incentivizing the production of housing for those with low or moderate income.

Middle-income housing is arguably the citys most glaring need. The citys Regional Housing Needs Assessment called for 15,462 middle-income units to be built from 2010 to 2020, but only 34 had been constructed through 2019.

Thats bad news from 2019, but the citys third annual housing inventory also included some significant progress last year.

The number of housing projects that began construction last year was 5,221, significantly more than 3,895 in 2018 and slightly more than 5,020 in 2017.

The neighborhoods most responsible for the strong numbers are downtown, with 910 new units; Mission Valley, with 493, and Kearny Mesa, with 442.

The numbers were even more impressive for subsidized low-income projects, where 940 units were constructed in 2019. Thats more than double the subsidized units built in 2018 and about 50 percent more than 2017.

Faulconer said some of the credit should go to legislation he has promoted in recent years.

Now were starting to see promising progress with affordable housing production doubling in the city as builders take advantage of the new opportunities we created with our housing reforms, he said.

Those efforts have included eliminating parking requirements for new housing near transit, fee waivers, allowing ground-floor housing in commercial areas, looser rules for mixed-use projects and incentives for granny flats.

The new 15-page inventory report also has some bad news, particularly regarding the citys efforts to meet state housing goals and local demand.

City officials say the number of units built each year will need to triple for San Diego to meet a state-mandated goal of 108,000 new housing units by 2029.

Meeting the state-mandated target will require an average production of 13,500 units per year, which is much more than the 4,100 average units built in the city each year since 2010.

Additional bad news is that the number of housing projects approved during 2019 for future construction dropped to 3,835 last year. The number of units approved in 2018 was 5,914 in 2018 and 5,865 in 2017.

There also was a drop in 2019 in the number of subsidized low-income units that the city either rehabilitated or lengthened the number of years the units would remain subsidized.

The number of subsidized units preserved or rehabilitated last year was 707, down from nearly 1,200 in 2018 and just over 1,000 in 2017.

Scarcity of open land is a key hurdle San Diego faces in solving the citys housing crisis.

The citys second annual housing inventory report, released last year, said the number of housing units built in San Diego in the 1970s decade was more than 100,000, followed by about 90,000 in the 1980s.

But as the city ran out of large, empty tracts of land, that dipped sharply to about 50,000 in each of the next two decades, and has slowed even further since 2010.

Because of that long pattern of slowing construction, 80 percent of the citys housing stock was built more than 30 years ago, that report said.

Link:

San Diego OKs middle-income incentive as new analysis shows some progress on local housing crisis - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Each day this week, the Giants have been able to spend some time together on the field. After such a long layoff, the initial reaction to even the slightest resemblance to actual football must have been met with joy and elation. And as they go through their walkthroughs events that Joe Judge said doesnt look tempo-wise anything like what you would expect practice to look like there has been a deep sigh of relief to be back.

But coupled with that pleasure is undoubtedly a sense of terror. Because while each day on the field is a step forward, it is also another box on the calendar that gets crossed off before the Giants are scheduled to open their season. In about five-and-a-half weeks theyll be facing the Steelers in a game that counts.

They are, in other words, a team currently moving in slow motion with a season that is fast approaching.

The Giants have been focusing on the very basics at this point calling plays, breaking huddles, recognizing formations and its all new. Judge even noted that second-year quarterback Daniel Jones is beginning from ground zero in the new system and trying to find a rhythm with receivers even those he has worked with in the past and spent time with during unsanctioned practices in the offseason.

Were going to work obviously at a much slower pace, a much more controlled pace, Judge said in a virtual newsconference on Wednesday. The fundamentals that we are teaching, were giving them a chance to walk through them at a slow pace.

Agility drills, when the players are broken up into three groups to allow for social distancing, are about the only time they can go full speed. Often those drills are designed to emphasize whatever lessons were taught in the previous days walkthrough.

Were getting some group time where we work multiple positions together, whether that be a quarterback with receivers or tight ends next to tackles talking about different block combinations, Judge said. A great deal of this is being run on air. On defense theyre lined up across from trash cans or maybe coaches posing as players to give us a sense of a formation that they can line up and make checks against.

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Remember: Five-and-a-half weeks. Tick tock, tick tock.

For Jones, Judge said, the most important part of this phase of training camp is actually being on the field and in the huddle with teammates, no matter how slow the action is.

With a quarterback its such a mental game, its really the grasping and the understanding, Judge said. If it was somebodys second year in the same offense, youd want to see their command of that offense on the field. For Daniel, to be fair, this is a new offense. Its a new system, new scheme for him. Hes had a limited number of walkthroughs of actually being on the field and able to do this. At this point Im just looking to see his progress day by day and not compare him to where he was last year Its important for everyone to understand that were starting completely over right now and weve got to start from ground zero.

Despite the lack of full-speed football that is undoubtedly driving Judge bananasyou may recall his introductory newsconference when he promised to add physicality and even full tackling to Giants training camp practices but now must adapt to these pandemic-modified rules and paces the head coach said he is pleased by what he has so far seen from the team.

We have a lot of guys who have already reached out to coaches on their own for extra help, weve had players in meeting rooms doing extra together, and you can see the things you want to go ahead and breed within your culture coming together already, Judge said. Thats important. Now that has to sustain over the test of time. A few days together doesnt solve all of the problems. But as far as the starting point, Im very pleased with that and the direction that were going.

There is an urgency to improve, there is an urgency to learn, he said.

With five-and-a-half weeks, thered better be.

Sam Beal was supposed to be one of the possibilities to replace DeAndre Baker at starting cornerback this season. Now the Giants have to replace Beal.The third-year corner became the third Giants player to opt out of the upcoming season due to concerns about the coronavirus, according to the leagues transaction wire. Beal, selected in the 2018 supplemental draft, was entering his third NFL season but had played in just six games due to various injuries.

With Baker on the commissioners exempt list and facing eight felony charges in Florida, the Giants were hoping Beal might be able to step in as a starter opposite free agent pickup James Bradberry. Now that job will be up for grabs among Corey Ballentine, Grant Haley and Montre Hartage, 2020 draft choices Darnay Holmes (fourth round) and Chris Williamson (seventh),and perhaps second-year pro Julian Love.The Giants could also add a veteran free agent at the position, but that will require nearly a week of COVIDtesting and quarantine before any such player can be on the field with the Giants.

NFL players have until 4 pm on Thursday to opt out of the season. Beal is the third to take advantage of that option, following LT Nate Solder and WR DaMari Scott.

Tom Rock began covering sports for Newsday in 1996 and has been the Giants beat writer since 2008.

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Training camp is slow motion in progress for Giants - Newsday

Igor Stravinskys 1951 The Rakes Progress, his only full-length opera, manages to the both accessible and thorny all at once. Its Neoclassical musical vocabulary is winkingly Mozartian and its libretto by celebrated poets W.H. Auden and Chester Kallman uses richly ironic verse to sift and infer a narrative arc from William Hogarths series of eight paintings-cum-engravings that detail the rise and ruin of fictitious English spendthrift Tom Rakewell in Georgian London. But even for a new listener, this masterpiece yields its greatest pleasures when its arch aesthetic and absurdist philosophical underpinnings are embraced, interrogated and decoded. And the iconic 1975 production from the Glyndebourne Festival, restaged in 2010, is available for streaming through Sunday, showing that making sense of The Rakes Progress is both easier and more rewarding than it might sound.

The opera is practically in Glyndebournes DNAthespian and festival co-founder Carl Ebert served as the director of the first-ever Rakes Progress at the Venice Biennale and mentored John Cox, whose production is seen here in a pristine 2010 revival. However, its greatest innovation is its stage design, executed entirely and meticulously by English artist David Hockney, which sources the visual world of the opera entirely from Hogarths prints.

Working within a limited color palette of black, white, red, blue and green, Hockney renders every set, costume and prop using the bold and crosshatched lines of the etchings. And when the stage is populated, both the prints and the lore that the composer and librettists cast onto them come alive. The effect augments the elegant restlessness of the score (so energetically and precisely given voice here by conductor Vladimir Jurowski) and answers back to the librettos sarcastic philosophizing. The bold lines both affirm and challenge the operas backwards-looking aestheticthey are immediate, clever, eminently modern and visually striking.

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The singers uniformly rise to meet the challenge of inhabiting the operas spaces and times, with Finnish tenor Topi Lehtipuu leading the pack as the titular rake. His Tom, sensitively acted and sung with cleanly drawn Mozartian ardor and ringing high notes for the entirety of the marathon role, reads as a reluctant but abstruse libertine from the first scene. It only takes the intervention of Nick Shadow, a stand-in for the devil posing as a valet, to tempt Tom to London and away from the angelic Anne Trulove in pursuit of an inheritance. Bass Matthew Rose as Nick, though sometimes a bit pedantic in his villainy, is equal parts devilish and demonic in his persuasion with a voice both suave and forceful.

While Tom is gradually corrupted by the profligate immorality of London, Anne waits patiently at her fathers country home before finding the resolve in herself to track down Tom and rescue him from peril. Its the operas most famous moment and a glorious showcase for soprano Miah Persson whose cool, pliant voice spins silky musical filaments out of the scene. Anne departs, and upon arrival in London, she is devastated to learn that Tom has renounced her and instead taken an illustrious but mercurial bearded-lady sideshow performer, Baba the Turk, as a wife. Elena Manistinas vinegary tone somewhat undercuts the imperiousness that can make Baba such a scene-stealing role, though her sound remains resonant and she wields her beard with style.

Ultimately manipulated into his most irresponsible behavior by Nick, Tom ends up destitute, then hospitalized in the famous Bedlam asylum as Anne looks on, mournful and powerless. But right as the curtain falls on his pitiful death, the characters spring to life again to deliver the pieces moral directly to the audience: For idle hands and hearts and minds, the devil finds a work to do. Its a philosophy that invites criticism; its a little Puritanical for one and two, it doesnt resonate as well in times of tedious self-quarantine. But such critiques, asked by both by the creators and the audience, remain firmly within the spirit of the piece and make The Rakes Progress the provocative and progressive classic that it is. As is always mysteriously the case with an opera now approaching 70, the old has never felt so new.

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David Hockneys Artistic Staging of The Rakes Progress Dazzles Even On-Screen - Observer