London (AFP) - Manchester City may not be playing at the level they were last season but will still provide a good test for Everton to establish how genuine their revival is, manager Carlo Ancelotti said on Tuesday.

The 60-year-old Italian -- one of only three managers to have won the Champions League three times -- has guided Everton to two wins in his first two matches in charge since replacing Marco Silva, who was sacked in early December after they slipped into the bottom three.

However, Ancelotti says City will provide a more realistic barometer on where Everton stand despite the welcome wins over Burnley and Newcastle.

"Against City this is a fantastic test to see where we are at," Ancelotti said at his pre-match press conference.

"They are a really strong team but we can have confidence to do our best.

"I think at this moment it is good to have this kind of test."

Ancelotti, who won the domestic double with Chelsea in 2010 during his previous stint in England, said City remained a formidable opponent even if their defence of the league title has gone awry and they trail leaders Liverpool by 14 points.

"Maybe City aren't at the same level as last year but they still remain a fantastic team with fantastic players and a fantastic manager," he said.

"It will be really tough to compete with them, but we need to have the confidence to compete and to be focused on our football.

"We don't have to look too much to the opponent because they are really strong so it's better to be focused on our idea of football."

Ancelotti, a two-time European Cup winner as a player with the outstanding AC Milan side of the late 1980s and early 1990s, heaped praise on City manager Pep Guardiola, who he replaced as Bayern Munich manager when the Spaniard left to take over City in 2016.

"Pep is a fantastic manager," said Ancelotti.

"We've met some times, not a lot in games, but I have a really good relationship (with him) and a lot of respect for him.

"He is a genius; he's always tried to do something special on the pitch."

Originally posted here:

City clash will be good barometer of Everton's progress: Ancelotti - Yahoo Sports

To provide you with a snapshot of where our economy stands today, it is important to look back at where we were not all that long ago.

In the winter of 2010, our unemployment rate hovered around 13.5%, there was little investment being made on any level, and our communitys general attitude reflected that.

Understandably, the counties surrounding Alpena were in even worse shape, as that is how the trends flow. If Northeast Michigan was a stock, it wouldve been classified at that time as a hold or a sell.

Through the work of many people, our economy has improved dramatically over the past eight years. Keep reading to learn how we have gotten to where we are currently.

Prior to 2011, most of the economic development efforts that were conceived and implemented relied on ideas from outside organizations and regional initiatives but didnt focus on the engine. Alpena is the engine that provides for the health and wellbeing of a large swath of geography in Northeast Michigan. How Alpena goes, so goes the rest of the region.

Localized strategies were conceptualized, designed, and put into motion, which focused on improving the health of the engine and, if successful, would in turn drive improvement through the entire economic trade area that we serve, and for the long term.

What really got the ball rolling was the unofficial coordination of the activities amongst many stakeholders. That included the Chamber of Commerce, Convention and Visitors Bureau, Downtown Development Authority, along with the unwavering support of our businesses and local government entities. It also included growing our industrial presence, our commercial presence, our tourism industry, and our entrepreneurial support ecosystem.

There are a lot of extensions from each word in that last sentence, but it was the start of something remarkable. Our strengths were marketed to a thirsty world, weve reinforced our position as the economic hub of the region, and we invested heavily in the engine that is Alpena.

Wins started stacking up. Our undercapitalized or vacant buildings and empty lots started being developed or redeveloped, more people were finding opportunities for employment, visitor imaginations were being stirred, new small businesses began to emerge, and a concerted effort was made to align and improve upon our sense of place and our workforce development initiatives with the talent needs of our major employers.

While some may see the reemergence of our sense of place and self as a localized initiative, the impact isnt. Throw a rock in the water and watch the ripples from the impact move outward thats a good visual of our strategy.

Unemployment is just one of many measuring sticks, but it can show us how far weve come in just nine years:

Alcona County: January 2010, 22.6%; August 2019, 6.8%

Alpena County: March 2010, 11.5%; August 2019, 4.8%

Montmorency County: March 2010, 23.8%; August 2019, 6.5%

Presque Isle County: February 2010, 15.5%; August 2019, 5.8%

Each passing year has brought increasing investment to our community, and, with it, more opportunities to Alpena and our surrounding counties. Our work isnt confined to Alpena and we are both cognizant and motivated to make certain that opportunities arent missed in our adjacent counties.

The improvement in economic conditions in Alpena and Northeast Michigan have undoubtedly placed higher demands on our employers and our workforce. The ability for any employer to diversify, expand, or grow, is directly linked to the available workforce and that can be summed up in one word competency.

Is there an ample current and future supply of competency in specific disciplines which will help accelerate business diversification and growth? No, not yet. But are we getting better? Yes.

The Alpena Chamber of Commerce, along with economic development, our businesses, schools, and Alpena Community College, are working together and have made concerted efforts and developed coordinated programs designed to better serve both the futures of the students and the talent needs of our employers and are used as a model for other communities to follow.

Sometimes, when youre standing waist-deep in something, its hard to gauge where youre standing. Over the past few years, weve had visits from numerous communities from across the state asking us what our recipe is and if we could help them or perform community assessments for them. The fact that they are taking notice of our progress certainly validates our work.

Recently, we had an out-of-region developer with a long history of working with our community in town for a tour. And he said it best when he said, Your stock is no longer a hold or sell, youre considered a buy.

Jackie Krawczak is president and CEO and Jim Klarich is the former economic development director of the Alpena Area Chamber of Commerce.

A handgun found in a lunch bag in the woods has led to an inquiry by the Michigan State Police-Alpena Post, ...

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PROGRESS 2019: The state of the economy today? Alpena's stock is rising | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News

News Photo by Jonny ZawackiAlison and Steve Jakubcin stand in front of a water tower in Alpena near the skate park, while displaying a United Way banner. The Jakubcins have both been an instrumental part in giving back to the community of Alpena through United Way of Northeast Michigan.

ALPENA It is safe to say that Alpena has its own power couple.

Though maybe not as famous as they want to be, Steve and Alison Jakubcin are accomplished and well-known not just around Alpena, but all of Northeast Michigan and for all the right reasons.

The Jakubcin family has been a driving force behind the ongoing success that is the United Way of Northeast Michigan, a nonprofit responsible for coordinating and fundraising money to help other various nonprofits make the area a better place.

Both Steve and Alison were once co-chairs and got involved with United Way four years ago.

The community has always been very supportive of us and I feel like its a great community, Alison said. Theres so many great people, and we just wanted to be a small part in helping Northeast Michigan grow and help these agencies that United Way supports thrive a little more.

The Jakubcins have helped raise hundreds of thousands of dollars while working with United Way and giving back to the community.

Not only does the couple enjoy giving back, but their work with United Way gave them an opportunity be a part of fundraisers of all different kinds, meet new people, and raise money for a community with which the couple loves being so heavily involved.

I think we make a pretty good team, Alison said. Weve been able to feed off of each other and be supportive. Its really nice to have a partner going into it that is as passionate about it as you are. I feel like (Steves) connections and my connections are what made it really successful for us.

The Jakubcins were both busy, yet flexible with their daily schedules and received tremendous support from their employers, which made being such a big part of United Way possible.

Steve is employed by Cliff Anschuetz Chevrolet in Alpena, and Alison works for the Alpena Alcona Area Credit Union. Despite busy work schedules and the involvement with United Way taking up much of their time, the Jakubcin family always makes time for different events going on the community and taking time to travel and support the rest of their family in the process.

We both have the backing of our employers that is huge, Steve said. Not everyone has that, so were able to be flexible with us and both of our employers are also heavily involved with United Way of Northeast Michigan, which makes it that much more special for us. Its great to know that not only do we as a couple have each others back, but our employers are behind us and support us. It does get busy, it does get hectic, but the responsibility never gets lost in that.

There has never been a goal or an amount of money that needed to be raised that the Jakubcin family couldnt reach. In fact, more often than not, Steve and Alison went above and beyond the goal that was set for them.

There was pressure on us, and it could have been easy for the goals to remain the same, but we always felt like we wanted to improve and do the absolute best we could, Steve said. All were doing when we go beyond our set goals is raising more money for our agencies. Were competitive and took making a difference in this community we love a big deal.

The biggest enjoyment that the Jakubcin family gets out of being such an important part of United Way is the fact that theyre helping everyone in the community, from senior citizens, children, and people in need.

Along with Alpena, the Jakubcins work has made an impact in Alcona and Montmorency counties. The couple has also helped with mini grants in Presque Isle County, and they will help communities outside of those areas and get support for many other surrounding counties, as well.

The biggest benefits from working with United Way has been the people weve met, stories we heard and the impact its made, Alison said. Weve met some of our good friends through getting involved.

The Jakubcin family believes it is important to stay involved not only because they are making a difference through their involvement with United Way, but because the couple believes in Alpena.

We really, honestly believe in Alpena, Steve said. And its not just the fun events, but its just these crazy little things that people are trying to do that make our community just a little bit better. It makes it fun for us to support all of our friends and all of the different people around town that are trying to make Alpena a better place. Its easy to support a community that supports you.

Were both very invested in our community, Alison said. Its a special place. Our families are from here, we found each other here, and its just a great place to live and its important for us to get involved and give back. Were so fortunate to be a reason why the community of Alpena is such a special place.

To provide you with a snapshot of where our economy stands today, it is important to look back at where we were not ...

A handgun found in a lunch bag in the woods has led to an inquiry by the Michigan State Police-Alpena Post, ...

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PROGRESS 2019: Going above and beyond | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News

News Photo by Steve Schulwitz Over the years, the Townsend company has morphed from a coal business to be an industry leading distributor of plumbing, heating and air conditioning products. Its current location is on Bagley Street, but there also showrooms in Burton and Warren.

ALPENA Family, hard work, and the ability to adapt to changing market trends have been the recipe for success for R.A. Townsend in Alpena, which is quickly closing in on its 100th anniversary in business.

It has been a long road for the Townsend family, which grew its business from a meager beginning as a small coal delivery company to a large distributor of plumbing, heating, and air conditioning products from various locations in Michigan.

The story began in 1928, when Russell Ambrose Townsend Sr. established the R.A. Townsend Coal Co., which delivered coal to residents and businesses from its shop at the corner of 9th Avenue and Ripley Boulevard. From there, the business was moved near the Thunder Bay River to the end of 3rd Avenue, near where the Holiday Inn Express & Suites is today. The move allowed ships easy access to the business and easy unloading of the coal.

In 1947, Russ Townsend Jr. took the reins of the company and, later that decade, the company began offering contracted services for heating, in addition to coal delivery.

In the 1950s, Townsend, his family, and brother-in-law Bernie Lamp realized there was a change in the way people were heating their homes. So they decided to transition from a coal business and heating retail service to become a wholesale business. In 1962, the company officially became incorporated and the coal business was abandoned all together.

Today, the family has locations in Alpena, Saginaw, Burton, and Warren.

Co-owner Tom Townsend said both his grandfather and dad were versatile businessmen, even during times of economic uncertainty, and were always looking for a way to change and adapt when needed. He said their foresight helped the business grow.

One thing our father was was always early on the scene, and a real visionary, Tom Townsend said. Sometimes, the changes were made too quick and before any of us were ready to do things.

Jim Townsend said he and his brother, Tom, and sister, Therese Shaw, all were raised learning about the business and every aspect of its operations, which benefits the company today. From the warehouse to the administrative offices, his father wanted to be sure they learned the importance of each job and the benefits of hard work, he said.

That practice is still utilized today with all of Townsend employees.

We always start people in the warehouse, just like we did, Jim Townsend said. That is a great way to learn the product and business. They learn every aspect of this building, from purchasing, to the counter, inside sales, outside sales. They all started there in the warehouse.

Tom Townsend said the business is still very family-oriented and that Bernie Lamp is still regularly at the facility, making sure things are in order. Over the years, a staff has been created that has lots of experience, which will help move the company into the future.

We have a really good group of young people who are working with us now, and they have consistently grown in what they can do, and we continue to challenge them, Tom Townsend said. A few of them started here 20 or 25 years ago, when they were 18 years old, working part-time while going to Alpena Community College. We also have fifth-generation family working here, so family will still be involved.

To ship product farther than they are able to now, Jim Townsend said more locations would need to be open.

He said that is a future goal.

That has to be one of our goals, and that is where our future growth will come from, he said. I think having more operations in other parts of the state will make up our future growth.

Shaw said there are no plans to move far from Alpena when the business expands. Unlike her two brothers, who moved away from home for a period before returning home, she said there is one main reason she hasnt.

Family, she said. We have nine kids in our family and eight live here. I was born and raised here, love the area. I cant fathom living anywhere else.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 at sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ss_alpenanews.com.

To provide you with a snapshot of where our economy stands today, it is important to look back at where we were not ...

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PROGRESS 2019: All in the family | News, Sports, Jobs - Alpena News

By MARK MAYNARD, Kentucky Today

The year 2019 was one of transition and forward progress for the Kentucky Baptist Convention.

The commonwealth's largest protestant denomination welcomed a new executive director-treasurer in a year where Kentucky Baptist churches redoubled their evangelistic efforts to introduce communities to Jesus, planted churches in record numbers and generously gave in abundance to the Cooperative Program.

Gray to lead KBC

Todd Gray became the new executive director-treasurer in July following a seven-month search. He came in with a passion for evangelism and has stressed to the more than 2,500 churches in the KBC to engage with the lost and reach every home in the commonwealth with the gospel.

Were commanded to go anywhere we can go with the good news of the gospel, he said. Take the gospel of Jesus Christ to those who are lost. Weve been found because we know the Savior. We know how a lost person can become a found person. So the onus is on us to take that message.

Gray led by example by traveling to communities and knocking on doors with pastors from small churches and big churches throughout Kentucky. Regional consultants were actively on the road, visiting pastors and helping churches with next steps in the process of starting a new program, finding staff or dealing with controversial issues.

An emphasis on church planting

The KBC partnered with local churches and associations to work with more than 60 church planters across Kentucky. The group effort is striving to see churches into planted and revitalized in more communities than ever. One great example is Highview Baptist in Louisville as they recently launed their Valley Station campus an autonomous church.

Record-setting Cooperative Program giving

It became a year where Cooperative Program giving set records as churches gave more money than was expencted to the partnership effort. Half of the money given by churches to the Cooperative Program stays in Kentucky. The other half is forwarded to the Southern Baptist Convention for efforts such as the North American Mission Board and International Mission Board.

Sunrise reaches milestone in adoptions

Sunrise Children's Service, an agency of the Kentucky Baptist Convention, celebrated their 500th adoption. The agency has been serving children and families in Kentucky since 1869. Sunrise serves Kentucky through adoption, foster care, therapeutic residential care for children and more.

More than 600 lives transformed by the Gospel at Hillvue Heights

Hillvue Height Church in Bowling Green shared in God's faithfulness as they baptized more than 600 people in the fiscal year that ended in 2019. Pastor Steve Ayers said the congregation set and prayed toward a goal that only God could achieve.

Kentucky Baptist DR continues to lead the way

Kentucky Baptist Disaster Relief work remained the gold standard in the country and brought relief both in the United States and abroad behind able director Coy Webbs guidance. Hundreds of people received prayer, food and more through the work of KBC DR workers in 2019. Dozens came to a saving faith in Jesus Christ through the compassion of the ministry.

KBC Church takes on drug epidemicLed by Pastor Casey Carver, Inez Baptist Church stood up to the drug epidemic plaguing the eastern Kentucky community. Carver helped the church launch a Christian-based drug rehab facility in a local hotel that was once a hot-spot for drug dealers.

Tent revival on the banks of the Ohio

Members of Pleasant Valley Church prayed and planned a tent revival on the banks of the Ohio River in Owensboro. Little did they know how God was going to move. Church leaders say God used the multi-night event in September to bring dozens of people to faith in Jesus Christ.

Seven years of debt eliminated in just 24 months

The members of Versailles Baptist Church initially planned to take down their $1.6 million debt over seven years. God has different plans. Through the faithful and generous giving of church members, the debt was eliminated after 24 months in April.

Patterson to lead KBC's evangelism team

When Todd Gray became the executive director-treasurer of the KBC there was a need for someone to lead the KBC's Evangelism Team. The position was filled in December by Rob Patterson, a former IMB missionary, associate pastor at a number of churches and, most recently, as the KBC's regional consultant in central Kentucky. He officially begins in the role on January 1. One of Patterson's first roles will be to help facilate a major outreach event in Owensboro in November in connection with the Crossover events prior to the 2020 KBC Annual Meeting there.

To learn more about the work of the Kentucky Baptist Convention and her 2,350 churches, find them online here.

Read more from the original source:

A year of transition and progress for the KBC in 2019 - Kentucky Today

This past year was a whirlwind of Rogers County news.

Below is a breakdown of the most-read stories on claremoreprogress.com for the year.

"NO REMORSE: State says Barrett showed no remorse for murder"

In January, the Rogers County District Attorney submitted evidence and testimony with suggestions that Chance Barrett "is never released from prison." Barrett, who was 19 at the time of arrest, was accused of murdering Helen Pasdach in cold blood, in her home, on Aug. 21, 2017.

"Couple arrested after infant tests positive for amphetamines"

Jared and Kyley Spears were arrested after their infant displayed symptoms, then tested positive for amphetamines. Police described details of unsafe living expenses with drugs, drug paraphernalia, and sex toys scattered across the baby's bed.

"Woman whose father traveled Trail of Tears turns 100"

Geraldine Henson Birdsbill turned 100 in March of 2019. In sharing memories of her life, she talked about her father's experience on the Trail of Tears and the life that followed.

"Man arrested on rape charges tells cops 'stop doesn't always mean stop'"

Investigators report that Travis Carl Condry's cell phone contained over five minutes of audio from a reported rape. First degree rape charges were filed April 12 and Condry, 26, of Claremore, was arrested on the charges days later.

"A SMALL FORTUNE: Claremore man offers $10,000 for rare penny"

Claremore businessman Richard McPheeters sent the town into a frenzy when he announced he was willing to pay as much as $10,000 to the person who can help him complete his rare coin collection.

"Rogers County residents should take flood precautions now"

It was a severe weather event that rocked the entire county. In May, those living around the Verdigris River were urged to take flood precautions including evacuation.

"SUBMERGED: Claremore homes engulfed in Verdigris River"

On the far west end of Blue Starr Drive, the property of Melinda Knight, her daughter Brandi Gatzemeyer and her brother Larry Washom were submerged beneath the crest of the Verdigris River. All the while, the family business and Claremore staple, Dot's Cafe, remained open.

"Police: Woman strikes boyfriend with car, arrested"

Claremore Police Department arrested Raychel Higeons for striking her boyfriend with a vehicle in the Ne-Mar shopping center parking lot

"$2M investment at Cedar Point will give north Claremore a face lift"

Cedar Point Lead Pastor Rick Burke said that over the next two years the church will be renovated in two phases, costing approximately $2 million. They said they hope to have phase 1 complete by Easter of 2020.

"Walkingstick:Citizens should be deeply disturbed by Cherokee Nation pay hikes"

Cherokee Nation Tribal Councilor David Walkingstick released a statement in response to the nation's proposal to provide pay raises of elected officials.

"40 Under 40 honorees announced"

Once again the Claremore Progress and community celebrated forty Rogers County residents who were nominated as being top in their field or a shining star in the community.

"Suspect arrested in Claremore armed robbery"

Police arrested 25-year old Joshua Jones in connection to a Quick Mart robbery that took place in Claremore on Sept. 8

"City returns $1.2 million in electric credits"

In September, Claremore city leaders announced that credits would be made to all customers during the months of October and November totaling some $1.2 million as a result of electric overpayment.

"Stage closing, converting to Gordman's Department store"

The Ne-Mar shopping center announced plans to convert Stage to a Gordman's Department store in the spring of 2020.

"Injury accident forces vehicle through wall at Pixleys"

An accident at the intersection of Owalla Avenue and Will Rogers Boulevard forced a vehicle through the wall and into a meeting room at Pixley Lumber on Oct. 25. The driver and passenger sustained minor injuries.

"'I came back different': Governor signs pardon for Rhonda Bear"

The community turned out in full support of She Brews owner Rhonda Bear as Governor Kevin Stitt made the trip to Claremore to sign her pardon nearly 20-years after she was released from prison.

"Police: High speed pursuit ends in drowning"

Zeth Patrick Daly, 23, from Claremore, drowned while attempting to flee from police, according to police records. The driver of the vehicle, Nazra Daly, was arrested for second degree murder and possession of a stolen vehicle.

"Chelsea trash service loses entire fleet"

Chelsea-area trash service, Johns Refuse Service LLC, lost all but one of their trash trucks in a fire over Thanksgiving weekend. The family-owned business has been in operation for over 40 years.

"RCSO, FBI search for possible body in Oologah"

An 18-person FBI team, along with Rogers County Sheriff's Office searched a pond on a residential Oologah property for a possible dead body after receiving a tip on an

Continued here:

Progress' 19 most read stories of ' - Claremore Daily Progress

CLEVELAND A NFL team never looks as bad as it does when it fires a head coach after one season.

But keeping him and firing him in his third season after hes jumped in the lake to pay off a betwe can say from experienceisnt exactly a reputation saver either.

The Haslams still dont appear to have any earthly idea how to build an organization, but theyre closer Monday than they were Sunday to at least not letting one wallow in the shallow hope that continuity alone is the answer.

So maybe there was residual value to the Hue Jackson mistake, mainly a realization that the biggest blunder was keeping him for as long as they did.

Freddie Kitchens wont get a second year not because the Haslams are suddenly smarter about what they want in a coach. We dont have that answer yet, and if they throw this decision open and create a power struggle between GM John Dorsey and VP Paul DePodesta we may not get the answer then, either.

But they recognized Kitchens wasnt what they hoped for, and wasnt going to become what this team needs just because he was likable inside the building.

Conclusions are never hard and fast in Berea, partly because the shifting seat of power belongs to whomever was not proven wrong most recently (In this competition, DePodesta might have an edge).

But for now, moving on from Kitchens passes for progress.

Firing him Sunday wasnt nearly the stretch hiring him based on a three-month apprenticeship as offensive coordinator was last year. They thought it made sense to put him in charge of a team ready to win, even though he wasnt prepared to do anything more than give Baker Mayfield confidence operating the offense.

When that even failed to materialize, when Mayfield significantly regressed, there wasnt much to recommend the Kitchens hire.

The offense and quarterback were worse than last year despite far better talent (offensive line excluded) in the huddle. Kitchens didnt exactly impress as a CEO or as a game manager.

What else did that leave? Not enough.

Cleveland Browns head coach Freddie Kitchens answers questions during a news conference after the Bengals defeated the Cleveland Browns 33-23 in an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019, in Cincinnati.

Bryan Woolston/AP

His Browns were undisciplined, sometimes unprepared. It couldnt have helped that so late in the season they took a delay of game penalty after an Arizona kickoff three weeks ago, melted down at halftime against Baltimore and then allowed a Cincinnati rushing touchdown with only 10 defenders on the field Sunday.

The statement the Haslams' released carried telling words about the need for a "strong head coach" and an "exceptional leader." Kitchens might be inclined to throw those words right back at the Haslams, who blow with the wind as owners and dont stand for anything identifiable all these years later.

But its hard to argue with the line in the statement about the belief Kitchens didnt offer "opportunities for improvement."

If this first head coaching job was about a learning curve, we wouldve seen more sustained improvement, however small. Other than special teams and a mid-season stretch of reduced penalties, there wasnt much else.

Better game management as the season went along wouldve helped his case. A player-coach dynamic that didnt make him look as if he were herding cats wouldnt have hurt either.

A change was necessary. If players dont say it, that doesnt mean they dont believe it.

What happens next is a guess. Since its Berea, throw in some prayers just to be safe.

The Haslams were right to admit a mistake.

The hard part for them, though, never changes: Fixing it.

JIMMY'S TAKE: 'What a difference a year makes' as Browns fire Freddie Kitchens

RELATED: Social media reacts to Browns firing Freddie Kitchens

RELATED: Candidates for Browns' 2020 head coaching search

RELATED: Mike McCarthy the betting favorite to be next Browns head coach

RELATED: Browns will have No. 10 pick in 2020 NFL Draft

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Cleveland Browns ownership admits a mistake, & thats what passes for progress in BereaBud Shaws Sports Spin - WKYC.com

When we look at back at the biggest changes in our industrys regulatory and legislative landscape in 2019, the headline items will no doubt be the SECs Regulation Best Interest and passage of the SECURE Act.

We are pleased to have worked with the SEC to help shape Reg BI, which increases transparency and protection for investors while maintaining advisers ability to effectively serve their clients.

More recently, the passage of the SECURE Act is a testament to the power of grassroots engagement. This crucial victory for Main Street Americans was achieved after a year-long engagement with lawmakers, during which our members met with their legislators to underscore the importance of this measure for their clients.

With these victories capturing so much attention, it would be easy to think of other regulatory and legislative developments in 2019 as footnotes. We are continually mindful, however, that laws and rules passed by state lawmakers and regulators have just as profound an impact on our industry as the measures that grab the biggest headlines.

With that in mind, we are pleased to report meaningful progress on the following issues in 2019:

Independent contractor status. Educating policymakers on the centrality of the independent contractor model to our industry is constantly ongoing, as new legislators are elected and court rulings create shifts in various independent contractor standards.

Our effectiveness in this mission of education was on display this year in the battle over Californias Assembly Bill 5, which will reclassify hundreds of former contractors in the state as full-time employees in 2020. Thanks to our productive dialogue with legislators and our members engagement, we secured a carve-out in the legislation for independent financial advisers.

State fiduciary rules. Several states advanced rules this year that demonstrated the damage that could occur if advisers are subjected to an inconsistent and confusing patchwork of different standard-of-care obligations across the country. Such an outcome would severely restrict investors access to financial advice and cause excessive complications and uncertainty for advisers.

Massachusetts Securities Division has proposed a rule requiring advisers to make only the best available recommendations to clients based on currently available information without providing clear definitions and standards for such recommendations, nor identifying which body will make these determinations.

New Jersey is moving ahead with a rule that would create a fiduciary obligation for advisers who provide even a single recommendation to an investor, even for nothing more than a one-time transaction.

We remain dedicated to combating these proposals, and we were pleased to help defeat a similar rule this year in Maryland.

Pushing back against regulation by enforcement. The SECs Share Class Selection Disclosure initiative represented the most harmful example of a trend that has been building for years the tendency of the SEC and other regulators to substitute ad hoc enforcement actions for transparent and consistent rule-making procedures.

This practice makes effective planning and compliance vastly more difficult for advisers and firms across the country. We are leading the charge to end regulation by enforcement through ongoing constructive dialogue with regulators and by educating members of Congress on the threat it represents to our members businesses.

[More: Working to get Reg BI implemented]

Dale Brown is president and CEO of the Financial Services Institute.

See original here:

Looking back on a year of great progress for our industry - InvestmentNews

Ichi! ... Ni! ... San! ... Shi ...

As karate sensei Chad Merriman barked out the numbers one through four in Japanese, Ted Phillips let go of a cane in his left hand and lurched barefoot across a rubber mat.

... Ku! ... Juu! After calling out nine and 10, Merriman paused while Phillips caught his breath.

OK, now we go backwards, Merriman directed.

Eyes focused like laser beams, Phillips set his jaw, slowly elevated his left leg, swung it a few inches behind him, and gently lowered the limb. He then halted, repeated the motion with his right leg, and began shuffling heel first.

Excellent! Excellent! Merriman exclaimed.

Just then Phillips stumbled and would have toppled if trainer Rich Cochrane, poised alongside, hadnt grabbed his arm. A moment later, Cochrane released his grip and Phillips resumed trudging across the padded floor of Merrimans Niantic dojo.

In many ways, the December workoutreflects Phillipss slow, labyrinthine route to rehabilitation after he suffered a hemorrhagic stroke on July 15, 2017: Sometimes forward, sometimes backward, with a few missteps along the way, including a fractured hip from a tumble this past July but always with fierce determination.

Its tough, he said after the 45-minute karate session, but I just keep going.

Phillips, 78, once attained a black belt in karate. He also ran marathons, played the bagpipes, guitar, mandolin and a veritable orchestra of other instruments, competed in a vintage baseball league (no gloves), earned a doctorate and spoke several languages.

We called him the renaissance man because he did a number of things, all of them well, Tom Amanti, a retired principal at Montville High School, where Phillips had served as head of the counseling department, told The Day a year ago.

Now, Ted continues putting the pieces of his life back together, relying on a method that has always served him well.

I study, study, study. Work, work, work, he said.

During the past year Ted and his wife, Pat, have continued supplementing regular doctor visits with an exhaustive regimen of treatments and therapies, many of which have morphed from such sports as swimming, weightlifting, cardio training, treadmill workouts, bike riding and even boxing. He also has incorporated music classes, tai chi, acupuncture, hypnosis and speech therapy into his ever-evolving routine. Some appointments are in southeastern Connecticut, others are more than an hours drive away.

Ted and Pat additionally are considering therapeutic horseback riding, and this past summer acquired a three-wheeled bicycle that Ted can pedal, a battery-powered arm brace controlled by Teds neurological impulses, and a Rube Goldberg-like contraption that attaches to a shoelace, allowing Ted to strum a guitar by tapping his foot.

Initially Teds medical insurance helped pay for much of this treatment and equipment, but when some coverage lapsed the family got busy. Pat, along with sons Brennan and Simon, lined up free and lower-cost treatment provided by the University of Connecticut, local and state governments, and such institutions as Gaylord Specialty Healthcare in Wallingford, which Ted regularly visits for pool therapy, and treadmill and stationary bike exercises.

Although Ted has shown steady progress with mobility, cognitive function and speech, the slow pace occasionally hasproved frustrating for him and Pat, a gregarious couple whose default attitude has always been upbeat.

If you had told me wed only be this far along after two-and-a-half years, Im not sure ... Pat said, her voice trailing off.

Then she broke into a smile, not needing to finish her thought. She would have responded exactly the same way: with love for and devotion to the man she married 48 years ago, while applying skills developed from her background in special and early education.

A former teacher and assistant principal in the East Lyme public school system, Pat, 72, received a doctorate in educational administration and served as head of the preschool program at Mitchell College in New London before retiring to help care for her husband.

The stroke also forced Ted in 2017to leave his jobas a guidance counselor at St. Bernard School in Montville. Previously he had been a Spanish instructor at Mitchell College, taught English and then became a guidance counselor at East Lyme High School, and served as headmaster of Waterford Country School before taking the position at Montville High School.

Though Teds recovery has been gradual, his improvement is readily apparent to a visitor who hadnt seen him in several months.

His gait, though halting, is more assured; his smile, broader, his speech more fluid. Teds struggle to articulate the stroke created lesions in his brains left hemisphere, resulting in a communication disorder known as aphasia has been one of his most nettling challenges.

You can see by looking in his eyes that Ted knows what he wants to say, but cant always get the words to come out.

Hearing this observation, Teds face brightened, and he took a moment to formulate a response.

Thats it! Exactly! he blurted.

He can be full of surprises. This past summer, he stunned guests at a family wedding by reciting from memory Lewis Carrolls poem Jabberwocky, which has nonsensical verses capable of twisting the tongue of even those without speech limitations:

Twas brillig, and the slithy tovesDid gyre and gimble in the wabe:All mimsy were the borogoves,And the mome raths outgrabe ...

Merriman, whose weekly one-on-one karate classes began about a month ago, said Teds relentless drive is tempered by the methodical approach of a longtime educator.

He gets mad at himself, but then he works through it, he said.

Merriman, a seventh-degree black belt, is the son of karate legend Chuck Merriman, who started teaching in New London in 1970 before moving to Niantic, went on to attain the disciplines highest level, 10th-degree, served as head coach of the AAU National Karate Team, and is credited with helping popularize karate throughout the Western world.

Chuck Merriman, now 86 and living in Arizona, was among the first people to call Ted after his stroke. His simple message: You can get through this.

Tami McGunnigle, an occupational therapist with the Visiting Nurse Association of Southeastern Connecticut in Waterford, was one of Teds first caregivers after his stroke.

I could tell right away he was going to be a fighter, McGunnigle recalled. He and Pat, working as a team, really stood out. You just want to help them.

McGunnigle also treated Ted after he fell and fractured his hip. It was heartbreaking at first, she said, upon seeing Ted back in the hospital after he had made so much initial progress.

But he overcame it, she added.

In 30 years of helping patients recover from devastating injuries and medical events, McGunnigle has never treated anyone quite like Ted, she said. He is among the rare patients who refuse to give in to disability, who dont accept thats the way life is going to be.

Originally posted here:

Ted Phillips' slow recovery from a stroke: Some bumps in the road, but steady progress - theday.com

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. Jamal Woods had a choice. Take the long trip home and spend a few days with his family in Alabama, or take a short car ride from Champaign and visit Illini teammate Bobby Roundtree at his rehabilitation center in downtown Chicago before traveling to California for the Redbox Bowl.

So I went up there with Bobby, Woods told Illini Inquirer between quarters of watching the Golden State Warriors take on the Phoenix Suns on Friday. And he looked really good.

Woods and several of his teammates (Kenyon Jackson, Tymir Oliver and Dele Harding) passed on a rare opportunity to head home to see their families on Christmas so Roundtree who suffered a severe spinal injury last spring in a swimming accident near his hometown of Largo (Fla.) would feel closer to family during the holidays.

Hes far away from Florida, so he aint really got much family up here either, said Woods, who used to be Roundtrees roommate. We are his family. I just wanted to go up there and spend Chrismas with him. We help him out with his rehabilitation period, and it was really very good.

Roundtree, a star defender for Illinois during his 2018 sophomore season, had kept his arduous recoveryfrom his unfortunate May injury mostly private duringthe last year. But he recently has publicized his progress. He made his first return trip to campus during the Illinis final game of the regular season on Nov. 30.

Since then, the usually effervescent Roundtree has been more boisterous on social media. On Dec. 20, he showed a video of him doing push-ups. The video received more than 3,000 likes on Twitter. The following day, he shared a video of him exercising with ropes, which also received more than 3,000 likes on Twitter.

Woods said he and Roundtree discussed a few weeks ago that he should share his journey with the public and provide inspiration to others who are going through similar physical struggles. Roundtree plans to start a YouTube channel toshare his journey.

Hes more open now than what he was in the past, Woods said. He listened to what I said.

Woods and the Illini hope they give Roundtree extra energy and motivation in his rehab. When Woods visited Roundtree on Christmas, Woods saw the same energy and competitive fire Roundtree brought on the field.

We went to the hospital with him a few days ago, and they said we could watch him do rehab. We could watch him or we could help him out, Woods said. We just want to do whatever we can to help him out. Hes so competitive. He was doing some weights, and the lady was trying to hold him back with how much he could do. He was like, No, lets add five more pounds. Then lets add 10 more pounds."

Woods said he's seen Roundtree's positivity increase during the last few weeks as his body, especially his upper-body strength, has shown improvement.

When it first happened, he has that hard-working mentality, but I know he was down when it first happened," Woods said. "But so much progress is being brought forth upon him, and hes just taking it to the next level. He already knows the outcome is going to be what he wants, so he just knows he has to work hard every day and the results will come to him.

Illinois plans to bring Roundtree back to the Illinois campus in January to continue his recovery and studies. Hes come a long way since Woods received that devastating May phone call.

Bobbys been my roommate since freshman year. When coach told me, I broke down in tears, Woods said. I was at home watching TV in the living room. I broke down in tears. But now, Bobby knows everything is going to be all right. So Im uplifting with him. Im happy about how his progress is going. Everything is going to be all right.

The Illinis visits to Roundtree provide healing for not only Roundtree but also for themselves. That makes the choice to make the trip even easier.

Going up to see Bobby, man, every time it brings joy to me, Woods said. It also brings joy to him.

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Teammates see Roundtree 'more open' with recovery, progress - 247Sports

The nature of Rangers success over Celtic continues to resonate more than the fact it transpired at all. Steven Gerrards team were comprehensive in their dismissal of Celtic away from home, too in an encounter which has fuelled theories of Rangers claiming a first top-flight title since 2011.

For Gerrard this marked a significant moment, arriving a season and a half into his management career. The former Liverpool captain has revealed detail of the message delivered to his players at half-time at Celtic Park, with the game level at 1-1.

I just said to them to go and play the second 45 minutes and reward yourself for the last six months of hard work, Gerrard said. Go back to the first day of pre-season and how do you want to feel walking out of this stadium? Do you want to reward yourself for six months of real hard graft and get a result that the majority of the first half deserved? And that the previous 90 minutes against this team deserved. I think they went out and delivered.

Gerrard resisted calls to declare his team as potential champions. Instead he insisted progressing to the next round of the Scottish Cup, which will be Rangers task after the winter break now under way, is a priority. The 39-year-old admits, though, that his team have progressed.

The plan is to try and make it go the distance; that is the plan, Gerrard said of the league. But there is a lot of football to be played and a lot of challenges, big challenges, home and away. There are two other competitions in amongst that and that is for me to try and navigate through with the players and try and do the best we can. But the plan is to try and put in the best fight we can until the end.

What Gerrard cannot affect, of course, is Celtics response. Rangers are now two points behind their oldest foes with a game in hand. Celtic, though, are expected to invest to a higher degree than their rivals during the transfer window.

Listen, the fans are going to be the fans, Gerrard said. I can only say that by no way, shape or form do we in that dressing room think that we have achieved anything [against Celtic] besides a big three points and a big win. We deserve credit for that and we will enjoy that, but that is all it is. We respect the challenge.

I have got characters. The team needed a spine, a lot of change, it needed big players who werent scared of the big occasion. It had some and it had a few that were coming to the end that I wished were 10 years younger, like Kenny Miller. But there were a lot of changes that needed to happen. We had to virtually wipe it clean over two or three transfer windows. We are still not finished. We need to keep building, keep getting stronger, keep learning. But now I look at this team and it is different from the one I inherited by a long way.

Gerrard defended the actions of Michael Beale, his first-team coach, who was sent off in stoppage time after an altercation with the Celtic assistant manager, John Kennedy. I think you have got to respect the position that we are in as well, Gerrard said.

It is an emotional game; the referee ends up playing more than the four minutes that were on there. We get a red card [for Alfredo Morelos] and there is one [against Morelos] that was blatant. Understand being in our shoes, it is an emotional time. I am not going to make any apologies. This is new to some of us so we are not going to get everything perfect, not going to get everything right. My staff and my players have been fantastic and that is all I want to say.

The fallout from Moreloss sending off continued on Monday as Rangers, while also repeating calls for VAR to be introduced in Scotland, hit out at alleged racist abuse of the striker. We believe Alfredo was racially abused and we would expect now that all measures will be taken to identify and deal with those responsible.

Celtic responded with a statement which read: We are aware of the gestures made by the player towards Celtic supporters. We have received no reports of any racial abuse but would fully investigate any should these be brought to our attention.

Morelos made some gestures with his hand across his throat as he made his way off and up the tunnel. Rangers insisted the strikers actions had been misinterpreted.

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Victory at Celtic shows the progress made by Steven Gerrards Rangers - The Guardian

AMHERST One year into the Town Council becoming Amhersts legislative body,goals to confrontclimate change have been adopted, projects to provide more affordable housing are in progress and the foundation for a series of municipal building projects is set.

Even with these successes highlighted in her state of the town address earlier this month, Council President Lynn Griesemer didnt shy away from observing that a significant challengeconfronts the councilas 2020 nears: making the councilors jobs more manageable.

For both those who supported and opposed adopting the charter crafted by the Charter Commission, there is agreement that the amount of timethe 13 councilors are spending on town affairs needs to be addressed. The first-ever Town Council was sworn in on Dec. 2, 2019.

Mandi Jo Hanneke, the only commissioner whoran for and won a seat on the Town Council,said she expected significant work, understanding that the jobwould be to keep the town running, adopting budgets and making decisions on spending while also setting up the processes for operating the council fairly, effectively and efficiently.

My personal experience as a councilor has generally been what I imagined it might be when I was on the Charter Commission, Hanneke said.

As Lynn mentioned, many councilors, including myself, want to work towardmaking the time commitment more manageable, Hanneke added. This is an especially important goal for me, due to my work on the Charter Commission.

Thecommissioners, Hanneke said, hoped that any resident would be willing and able to serve, including those with full-time jobs or young children at home.

I still believe that as the council moves beyond setting up its operating structures, we will be able to achieve that goal, Hanneke said.

Former commission member Meg Gage, who opposed the charter and replacingrepresentative Town Meeting, said she feels the council hasnt done much over the past 12 months, in part because of how time-consuming its work has been.

As should have been expected, setting things up has dominated all the council does, Gage said. We need people to run for reelection for continuity, and its a real concern that people may not want to run.

A Town Meeting member who opposed the charter,Maurianne Adams said the results have not met what she described as overly optimistic predictions, though she said its not forlack of working hard.

It has turned out to be far more daunting than the proposers had suggested to create a new council while also trying to divvy up executive-legislative roles, and all of this while running the government, meeting needs and deadlines, and making difficult decisions, Adams said.

Former commissioner Nick Grabbe said he worries about regular meetingsdragging on for four to five hours, though he still supports the charter and new form of government because of the accountability it brings.

We want councilors to seek reelection so voters can decide if theywant to keep them or not, Grabbe said.

Michael Greenebaum, another former Town Meeting member opposed to the charter, said the length of meetings is denying residents the chance to fully participate. Thats an inadvertent way of separating the council from the public, which is disturbing to me, Greenebaum said.

Andy Churchill, who chaired the Charter Commission, said the analogy of building the airplane while flying it is appropriate.

They are trying to establish procedures at the same time as they are trying to run the town, thats going to be more work, Churchill said.

Town Manager Paul Bockelmanpraises the councilors for their commitment.

Its more workbecause its a new entity finding its pathway. Its a lot of time for the council to determine the process for making decisions, Bockelman said.

He also praised town staff and the more rigorous analysis and improved presentations demanded.

Its forced all of us toup our gameto meet expectationsof the council, Bockelman said.

Aside from the workload, supporters are pleased with just how will the council has functioned.

Katherine Appy, a leader of the Amherst Forward political action committee that endorsedcandidates, said the past year has seen an incredible effort to get structures in place and to govern.

Across the board, they have shown themselves to be responsive to community needs while keeping the big picture in sight for what's best for the town, Appy said.

Thenext challenges are clear for the council,Appy said, which is to develop and enact a strategic capital plan.

Hanneke, too, said she believes that residents have been well served by thecharter, with easy access to councilors and a government that is flexible enough to act, pointing to the recent decision on spending for a playground at Kendrick Park. Under Town Meeting, providing such a match for a state grant would have been almost impossible due to timing issues.

Churchill said the government model is akin toa CEO and board of directors, and from that view, the council has done exactly what was anticipated

I feel like theyve done a pretty good job representing the perspectivesof the town and working together, Churchill said.

Gage agreed with that. Im very impressed with the cohesion that seems to exist and the general respect everyone has for everyone else, Gage said.

Greenebaum said thediversity of the council has been demonstrated in the few unanimousvotes it has taken.

Grabbesaid the new government means residents know and elect their councilors.

It is wonderful that the decision-makers in Amherst, all of them now have accountability to voters, Grabbe said. For me, its all about democracy. Town Meetingwasnt democratic and didnt legitimately have accountability to voters.

People feel theyknow who to call to be responsive, Churchill said.

Griesemer said this is the compliment she hears the most, that residents can easily get in touch with their district representatives to make their views known.

Gage, though, said she has seen a council focused on neighborhoods rather than the full town, pointing to the decision to install a temporary bridge on Station Road after District 5 residents putpressure on the council.

Im worried that people are participating around neighborhood issues rather than whats best for the whole town, Gage said.

Many of the fears opponents expressed, such as that the council would cause rampantdevelopment to take place in town due to developers buying elections, has not come to pass, Grabbe said.

Still, Greenebaum said heworries about the northern end of downtown where long-established businesses like The Pub and Cousins Market may be closing to make way for a new project.

Im in great distress with whats happening in town and would like the council to indicate how it feels about that, Greenebaum, said.

One area that Hannekesaid has been less successful and will need work to match the ideals in the charter isthe annual public forums on the schools, master plan, and town budget.

While they haven't been as well attended as the commission had hoped, they have served their purpose for those individuals that came out, Hanneke said. The council has a lot more work ahead of it to make these events into the robust discussions the commission envisioned.

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Amherst's new form of government a work in progress - GazetteNET

Despite stiff fines leveled by the city and promises from a prominent local musician, the historic Central City home of legendary jazz pioneer Buddy Bolden continues to molder though restoration work may finally begin soon.

On Thursday, the city issued a construction permit for repairs to the house at 2309-11 First St. Work could begin this coming week, according to Brandin Campbell, a spokesman for the Buddys House Foundation, an organization founded to preserve the historic site.

The permit for the modest double shotgun house with peeling paint calls for repairs to the siding, window trim and stucco, the replacement of missing roof shingles and the demolition of a sagging laundry room that may have been a later addition to the 19th century building.

A little more than a century ago, the house was occupied by Bolden, a hugely talented though troubled trumpeter. Born in 1877, he was a star of the Crescent City music scene, and his fiery style of playing influenced a generation of horn men.

Some consider him the first bona fide jazz musician, yet he remains a mysterious figure, with only two remaining images and no known audio recordings. Boldens career was cut short in 1907 due to apparent mental illness. He died in 1931.

The recent history of the house has been contentious.

Since 2008, the property has belonged to the Greater St. Stephen Full Gospel Baptist Church. Among jazz fans and New Orleans history buffs, the house is a landmark, but according to a previous interview with executive pastor Donna Williams, the leadership of St. Stephen had no idea that Bolden grew up there when the church acquired the property.

On March 23, City Hall cited Greater St. Stephen for allowing the house to become so rundown that it was in jeopardy of demolition by neglect. According to a city spokesperson, the church was fined $2,705 on March 26.

Repairs made in the following months were apparently insufficient, because on Nov. 18 the city leveled a $100-a-day fine on the church to compel it to begin repairs within 30 days.

Devon Hulbert, one of the citys code violation case specialists, said the owners may have put some lipstick on the front of the house but had failed to begin the substantial repairs required by the city.

The modest Buddy Bolden house may have been the home of the world's first bona fide jazz musician.

Despite a month of daily fines, as of Dec. 19 the boarded-up, unoccupied house hadnt undergone any noticeable work. A city spokesman said that the owners had been assessed $3,205 for continued code violations, in addition to the original $2,705 fine. Those charges remain unpaid, according to the city.

In an email, a city representative explained that if repairs arent begun, the next step in the process could be the forced sale of the house following a one-month period during which the church can appeal. The sheriff sale process generally takes six months to a year, the representative wrote.

An official city notice posted on the house alerted the owner to another administrative hearing called for Dec. 18 by the citys watchdog Historic District Landmarks Commission, at which further fines could be imposed. The hearing was later canceled, according to a city representative.

The Buddy Bolden house is visible from Simon Bolivar Avenue in Central City, Dec. 19, 2019

Despite an outcry from preservationists fearful the house will be lost, renovation of the boarded-up property has never been a priority for Greater St. Stephen. The former church building on nearby South Liberty Street was ruined by a catastrophic fire in the same year that the church acquired the Bolden property. The church has two other locations in Uptown New Orleans and New Orleans East.

For the past several months, the churchs plans for the Bolden house have rested with Grammy-winning pianist PJ Morton. In addition to his solo career, Morton is the keyboardist for the nationally known band Maroon 5. He is also the son of St. Stephens senior pastors, Bishop Paul S. Morton and Dr. Debra B. Morton.

Though the house was still the property of the church, in March, PJ Morton announced plans to form the Buddys House Foundation to begin an extensive renovation, with advice from the nonprofit Preservation Resource Center. Morton has said he hopes the house, and a similar house beside it, will become a museum to Boldens memory, with a replica of Boldens home as it might have looked in the early 20th century and a community-access recording studio.

New Orleans-born Grammy winner PJ Morton invites you to join him at a block party from 4 to 7 p.m. at 2309 First St. on Thursday (May 2). The

Campbell, the Buddys House Foundation spokesman, said that Morton has applied for federal tax-exempt status for the foundation, which was registered with the state in March. He said hes unsure of the budget for the remediation or ultimate restoration of the First Street properties.

Campbell said that since the houses are of historic significance, planning the construction took longer than it might have with ordinary properties. He said he hopes that when repairs are made, the city will consider forgiving the fines.

The sagging laundry room at the rear of the Buddy Bolden house, Dec. 19, 2019

Nathan Lott, the Preservation Resource Centers public policy research director, said that, based on a tour of the inside of the Bolden house in October, the old shotgun is not in any danger of collapse. The floors were solid, he said, and the oldest part of the house seemed reasonably stable. However, he said, the newest part of the house the rear laundry room, which was probably added when indoor plumbing became available is in worse shape.

Lott said the empty house is always in jeopardy from fire and maybe termites, but otherwise its not going to blow down in a strong wind.

Continued here:

No progress visible at the blighted Buddy Bolden house, but work may begin soon - NOLA.com

PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) A year and a half ago, a youth sports task force found that only one in five Philadelphia middle schoolers was getting the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity a day. That launched an effort that's increased participation, at least a little bit.

"Two years ago, there was nothing happening at this school after school," said Salvatore Sandone as he watched four fourth and fifth grade girls showing off their martial arts skills at an after-school program at Locke Elementary, in West Philadelphia, with a sense of pride. His martial arts studio, Zhang Sah, brought the program there but, also, as a founding member of the Philadelphia Youth Sports Collaborative, he believes it's teaching them so much more than the physical moves.

"Sport can be utilized to have a different place in the lives of children and youth," Sandone explained. "They're something that can transform a child physically, cognitively that ultimately can help them out in a lot of different trajectories in their life."

The girls didn't quite see that. "I thought it was going to be fun and I could defend myself when I have a problem," said London. Angel said she liked fighting, and Assata shared how she felt more confident, while Layla talked about learning new kicks and punches. Did she see herself having to use them?

"Maybe on self-defense," she answered. "You never know when someone's going to come out of nowhere.

Locke students also have access to classes in tennis and hip-hop, and sometimes Zumba and soccer.

The Collaborative sponsors programs in three other schools too, and the city's Out of School Time initiative is in others. The ultimate goal is to provide the opportunity for every child in the city.

That is obviously a long-term goal, and it takes a lot of partners, but Sandone says the success at Locke shows it can be done. "For the past two years, there's been a lot of good things happening here at Locke," he said. "And we're happy to be part of it."

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Efforts to boost after-school activity participation see progress - KYW Newsradio 1060

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}, error : function(){ console.log("Error loading video"); } }); } }); } }; WVM.setupAccordionButton = function(fullVideoId){ var deviceName = 'desktop'; $('#next-dropdown-accordion-button-' + fullVideoId).on('click', function(){ if($(this).find('i').hasClass('fa-chevron-up')){ //hide $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-down'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideUp(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); } var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); //playerId, mediaId, fieldName var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //alert("Getting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }else{ //expand $(this).find('i').addClass('fa-chevron-up'); $(this).find('i').removeClass('fa-chevron-down'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); if(deviceName == "desktop" && !$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').css('display', 'block'); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').hide(); if(!WVM.player_state111904['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } }else{ $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.mobile-list-wrapper').slideDown(); $('#media-container-' + fullVideoId + " " + '.page-carousel-wrapper').hide(); if(!$('#media-container-' + fullVideoId).hasClass('floating-video')){ if(!WVM.player_state111904['CAROUSEL_INIT']){ WVM.setupCarousel(fullVideoId); } } } $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'none'); } }); var currVideoId = WVM['player_state' + fullVideoId]['VIDEO_ID']; //console.log("current Video " + currVideoId); var nextVideoId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currVideoId); var myTitle = WVM.getPlaylistData(fullVideoId, nextVideoId, 'noprefixtitle'); //console.log("setting title " + myTitle); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).css('display', 'inline'); $('#video-slider-nexttitle' + fullVideoId).html(myTitle); }; WVM.sendbeacon = function(action, nonInteraction, value, eventLabel) { var eventCategory = 'Video'; if (window.ga) { //console.log("sending action: " + action + " val: " + value + " label " + eventLabel); ga('send', 'event', { 'eventCategory': eventCategory, 'eventAction': action, 'eventLabel': eventLabel, 'eventValue': value, 'nonInteraction': nonInteraction }); } }; WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex = function(mediaId, returnArrayIndex){ var currId = null; if(mediaId == null){ return null; } for(var x =0; x 20){ if(fullDuration > 1 && ((fullDuration - fullCurrent) > 1) && !$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ console.log("hiding spinner"); $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner'); } } var duration_time = Math.floor(this.duration()); //this is a hack because the end video event is not firing... var current_time = Math.floor(this.currentTime()); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 10) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ if('desktop' == "iphone" && playerState.AD_ERROR){ console.log("skipped timeupdate end"); }else{ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } } if(!playerState.START_SENT){ WVM.sendbeacon('start', true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); playerState.START_SENT = true; } var currentTime, duration, percent, percentPlayed, _i; currentTime = Math.round(this.currentTime()); duration = Math.round(this.duration()); percentPlayed = Math.round(currentTime / duration * 100); for (percent = _i = 0; _i = percent && __indexOf.call(playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'], percent) 0) { playerState['PERCENTS_TRACKED'].push(percent); } } } }); //player.off('ended'); player.on('ended', function(){ console.log("ended"); playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; WVM.sendbeacon("complete", true, playerState.VIDEO_ID, playerState.VIDEO_TITLE); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }else{ console.log("Playlist complete (no more videos)"); } }); //player.off('adserror'); player.on('adserror', function(e){ //$('#ima-ad-container').remove(); WVM.lastAdRequest = new Date().getTime() / 1000; console.log(e); console.log("ads error"); var errMessage = e['data']['AdError']['l']; playerState.AD_IS_PLAYING = false; playerState.IS_PLAYING = false; // && errMessage == 'The VAST response document is empty.' if(!playerState.AD_ERROR){ var dTime = new Date().getTime(); WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = WVM.getFirstPrerollUrl(); console.log("calling backup ad tag url: " + WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl); WVM.activePlayer.ima.changeAdTag(WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl + "?" + dTime); WVM.activePlayer.ima.requestAds(); //WVM.activePlayer.src({ // src: masterSrc, // type: 'video/mp4' //}); //WVM.firstPrerollTagUrl = ""; } playerState.AD_ERROR = true; }); //player.off('error'); player.on('error', function(event) { if (player.error().code === 4) { player.error(null); // clear out the old error player.options().sources.shift(); // drop the highest precedence source console.log("now doing src"); console.log(player.options().sources[0]); player.src(player.options().sources[0]); // retry return; } }); //player.off('volumechange'); player.on('volumechange', function(event) { console.log(event); var theHeight = $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .vjs-volume-level').css('height'); var cssVolume = 0; if(theHeight){ cssVolume = parseInt(theHeight.replace('%', '')); } var theVolume = player.volume(); if(theVolume > 0.0 || cssVolume > 0){ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'none'); }else{ $('#media-container-' + playerState.ORIGINAL_ID + ' .mute-overlay').css('display', 'block'); } }); WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); setInterval(function(){ WVM.reinitRawEvents(playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); }, 2000); } if(!WVM.rawCompleteEvent){ WVM.rawCompleteEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state111904']; console.log("firing raw event due to all other events failing"); var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); //if(playerSettings.autoplay_next && newMediaId){ if(newMediaId){ WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } }; } if(!WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent){ WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent = function(e){ var playerState = WVM['player_state111904']; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + playerState['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); var fullCurrent = rawVideoElem.currentTime * 1000; var fullDuration = rawVideoElem.duration * 1000; var current_time = Math.floor(rawVideoElem.currentTime); console.log("raw timeupdate: " + fullCurrent + " out of " + fullDuration); if ( current_time > 0 && ( fullCurrent >= (fullDuration - 50) )){ var currId = playerState.VIDEO_ID; var newMediaId = WVM.getNextPlaylistIndex(currId); if(newMediaId){ console.log("loading new video from rawtimeupdate"); WVM.load_video(newMediaId, true, playerState.ORIGINAL_ID); } } if(!$('.vjs-loading-spinner').hasClass('badspinner')){ $('.vjs-loading-spinner').addClass('badspinner') } }; } WVM.reinitRawEvents = function(playerId){ var playerState = WVM['player_state' + playerId]; var rawVideoElem = document.getElementById('html5-video-' + WVM['player_state' + playerId]['ORIGINAL_ID'] + '_html5_api'); //COMPLETE EENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawCompleteEvent, false); //TIME UPDATE EVENT if( WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT){ rawVideoElem.removeEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); } rawVideoElem.addEventListener('ended', WVM.rawTimeupdateEvent, false); WVM['player_state' + playerId].COMPLETE_EVENT = true; WVM['player_state' + playerId].TIMEUPDATE_EVENT = true; };

WISCONSIN (CBS 58) -- Attorney General Josh Kaul's first year in office has been marked by fighting lame duck laws affecting his office, as well as issues facing Wisconsin for years.

Looking back on 2019, he has both areas of pride and areas of disappointment.

"Unfortunately,, it's played out like a lot of us expected it would," he said.

Before Kaul took office, he was facing hurdles in the form of lame duck laws that limited the powers of the Attorney General, something that he says has complicated matters unnecessarily.

"It's led to expensive litigation, it's been a waste of state resources and it's pretty clear the process isn't working."

Another battle Kaul has faced with the Republican-controlled legislature is on the topic of gun safety proposals -- including those that he has advocated for but haven't been taken up for a vote or even a debate.

"I think these measures can make our communities safer and they're ones that can respect people's second amendment rights, so I'd like to see us move forward with it," he said.

But despite challenges in his first year, Kaul also believes progress has been made in important areas, including a backlog of sexual assault kits.

"We had announced that we had completed testing of the kits from the backlog. It shows the importance of continuing to pursue justice in these cases. Wisconsin is one of five states that has filed against Purdue pharma entities."

Kaul has also continued the fight against the opioid epidemic plaguing the state, including legal action against pharmaceutical manufacturers.

"Getting accountability to the extent that companies contributed to the epidemic through unlawful conduct is important -- bust most fundamental is getting resources to communities across the state to help address the epidemic," Kaul said.

While much of the focus for the Department of Justice is on opioids, Kaul says he's concerned about another issue -- the growing meth problem in Wisconsin.

The Attorney General says it has his western and northern Wisconsin particularly hard, but southeastern Wisconsin is not immune to the issue that he believes needs more attention.

"This year Milwaukee County is the third highest in terms of case submissions to the crime labs through the end of September in meth cases, so it's impacting a lot of communities."

In 2020, Kaul wants to continue gaining ground on the challenges facing the state.

Other areas that Kaul wants to see progress in is in recruitment and retention of officers at the local level throughout the state as well as addressing emergency detention issues affecting the state.

More here:

Attorney General Josh Kaul weighs in on progress made in 2019 - WDJT

Private space flight pioneer Elon Musk shared a video Friday of the tangible progress being made on SpaceX's newest craft, the Starship.

"Was up all night with SpaceX team working on Starship tank dome production (most difficult part of primary structure)," Musk tweeted. "Dawn arrives...."

"Still going," Musk can be heard to say as the video shows workers putting together the shiny dome at the construction site in Boca Chica, Texas. SpaceX is also building spacecraft in Cocoa, Florida.

Progress is being made on the Starship despite recent setbacks, such as the top of the Starship exploding during a November cryogenics test in Texas. Fire also destroyed a welding shed in Cocoa in July, although SpaceX claims neither accident delayed its production schedule.

"Starship will be the world's most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, with the ability to carry in excess of 100 metric tonnes to Earth orbit," according to the SpaceX website. "Drawing on an extensive history of launch vehicle and engine development programs, SpaceX has been rapidly iterating on the design of Starship with orbital-flight targeted for 2020."

"Part of [SpaceX's] appeal and success has been in not having a big standing army like we're used to with government programs. They're lean, they're agile, they work their people very hard." Space Florida executive Dale Ketcham told WOFL. "And they actually do stuff. They don't talk about [how] they're going to build stuff in five years. They start building."

"They clearly over the last decade have been the most disruptive force in space flight for a generation, if not ever," Ketcham added.

SpaceX was founded in 2002 with the stated purpose of enabling "humans to become a spacefaring civilization and a multi-planet species by building a self-sustaining city on Mars."

Since then the company has made tremendous strides in the field of reusable rockets, landing three of its Falcon Heavy booster rockets back on earth in one piece after its first commercial launch in April 2019. SpaceX has also placed 60 Starlink satellites into low-Earth orbit, designed to provide worldwide internet service.

During its maiden voyage, the Falcon Heavy delivered a payload consisting of a red Tesla Roadster with a spacesuit-clad dummy named Starman behind the wheel.

SpaceX founder Musk was also the co-founder of PayPal and the mapping service Zip2. He is also the co-founder and CEO of the electric products manufacturing company Tesla.

Tesla recently unveiled its Cybertruck, an electric pickup fitted with "armor glass" designed to resist breakage. However, during a live-streamed demonstration, lead designer Franz von Holzhausen was able to fracture both the driver's side and rear passenger side windows by throwing a steel ball.

"[The ball] didn't go through," Musk said. "Ah, not bad. A little room for improvement."

Read the original:

Elon Musk Shares Video Of Starship Tank Dome Progress After Pulling All Nighter With SpaceX Team - Newsweek

Cultural and familial traditions are as numerous as they are diverse. Sometimes, the longer the practice of a tradition, questions about its relevance begin to emerge.

In an age of technology and speedy progress, traditions can even be seen as a roadblock towards change and societal growth.

But according to the speakers of this talk, traditional storytelling is a key asset to forward, progressive thinking.

In this episode, Native artists from around the Pacific Northwest not only share tales of folklore, but their thoughts on how storytelling is another "information tool" for the modern world. They also inform a Seattle audience on how traditional stories are truly relevant when promoting practical wisdom, community building tactics and future progress.

The artists present a cross-generational collection of spoken tales featuring the creation of humankind, mischievous talking animals, shape-shifting forest creatures and more. The storytellers also discuss the usage of myths and folklore to bridge cultural understanding gaps of indigenous identity, community and culture.

This event was presented by the Town Hall Seattles Short Stories Live series titled "Ancient Voices, Modern World."

The events speakers were:

This event took place at Town Hall Seattle on November 17.

Read the original post:

Tradition is the key to progress for these Native storytellers - KUOW News and Information

Making Progress on the Global Threat of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Growing Armamentarium

Many audience members were aware of risk factors (hepatitis B, hepatitis C, alcohol consumption, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis, and aflatoxin exposure) and this cancers pathophysiology. Dr Sessions presented a concise treatment overview using a flowchart, separating patients by those who are potentially curable and those who probably will not be cured by current therapy. She also presented a timeline of FDAwith sorafenib and have drastically expanded in the past 2 years, emphasizing that there has been significant progress made in both the number and type of available agents.

She went on to emphasize the novel targeted therapies that have proven efficacy in HCC, including agents targeting vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and the programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors. She reviewed the evidence behind first-line agents, sorafenib and lenvatinib, administration pearls for their use, and also emphasized monitoring considerations. For example, patients being treated with any of the VEGF inhibitors should avoid strong CYP3A4 inducers, and the oncology team should recommend holding administration of these agents if a patient needs a major surgical procedure. She also presented a list of conditions under which these agents need to be temporarily or permanently discontinued (cardiac ischemia, myocardial infarction, hemorrhage, persistent hypertension, gastrointestinal perforation, QTC prolongation, drug-induced liver injury).

Next, using a case-based presentation, she discussed second-line options for patients with advanced HCC. These options consist of oral and infusion therapies. In the former category are regorafenib, cabozantinib, and sorafenib (if the patient received lenvatinib as first-line treatment). In the latter category are the VEGF inhibitor ramucirumab and the PD-1 inhibitors nivolumab and pembrolizumab.

Here, too, she described the evidence behind each of these agents, and talked about some unique concerns. She shared specific considerations for selection of second-line options. For example, patients who are taking regorafenib need to consume low-fat meals, and she explained that this means that the meal needs to have fewer than 600 calories and less than 30% fat. She also stressed that the PD-1 inhibitors should not be used in patients who have had a liver transplant.Dr Sessions provided an education checklist that walked audience participants through significant items that need to be covered. In addition to the drug-specific items and adherence and persistence planning that all pharmacists educate patients about, patients with cancer need to understand how to dispose of their medication, what their monitoring plan is, and have contact numbers so they can reach an oncology clinician at all times. She shared specific details on how to help patients receiving VEGF inhibitors manage hand-foot skin reaction, diarrhea, and hypertension.

Dr Sessions summed up the presentation by indicating that pharmacists who use systematic approaches can provide effective education and monitoring that improve medication adherence, effectiveness, and tolerance.

Read the original:

Making Progress on the Global Threat of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Growing Armamentarium - Pharmacy Times

Families across South Dakota have started taking down Christmas trees and kids are getting ready to start a new semester at school. With another holiday season nearly behind us, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many things weve accomplished this year.

In 2019, we expanded internet connection to 4,800 households and more than 100 businesses. Progress in this area means producers can access cutting-edge technology that requires high-speed broadband capabilities, students can quickly upload and download assignments for advanced online courses, and folks in remote areas can pursue online business opportunities, allowing them to hire locally while selling globally.

We also launched a new meth campaign that has sparked thousands of conversations about meth around our state and nation. Ive heard story after story of families who say that because of our ads, theyve been able to talk with their kids about the dangers of meth for the first time. Since we started the campaign, nearly 100 people have called or texted our hotline and more than a dozen have been referred to treatment through the hotline.

This year, we saw more families getting outside together to learn about our outdoor traditions. One area of growth that we were pleased to see was an increase in trapping numbers. People are recognizing the need to protect our strong outdoor heritage, participating in our efforts to create wildlife habitat, providing public access, and introducing kids to the adventure of the outdoors.

In 2019, we also focused more attention on mental health. I allocated roughly $500,000 to mental health initiatives, some of which will be used to increase care coordination services available to local school districts. Were also moving forward to fund a mental health court in southeastern South Dakota, which will focus on clients with mental health needs, providing them both treatment and care coordination services. My hope is to get to the root of mental health issues early on so youth and adults can transition out of the justice system.

On these issues and many others, I relied on your input and am so grateful for those who have called, written, or emailed me with their thoughts. In an effort to be the most connected and transparent governor South Dakota has ever had, my office has made thousands of phone calls and written countless emails and letters to South Dakotans this year.

It truly has been an honor to serve you in 2019, and I look forward to tackling new challenges in the year to come.

On behalf of my entire family, I wish you all the best in 2020!

Read more:

A year of progress - Brookings Register

Progresslands most famous holiday duo Rudolph and his cousin Little Rudy have returned to the North Pole to await a return for the Christmas 2020 season.

Jim and Holly Frame Brown shared some details about the well-known pair in a recent interview with The Progress.

Holly Browns father, Gil Frame, a former employee in The Progress display advertising department, served as their escort from the first day they came to Clearfield in 1964 a job he held through 1968.

According to a previously published article, The Progress publisher and owner W.K. Ulerich and Frame were looking for an action plan to get war-weary and dispirited county residents exited about the upcoming holiday season. The tale states the pair consulted with long-time ally, S. Claus of the North Pole for assistance, with the strategy to return Christmas cheer.

After dismissing sending elves to Clearfield, Claus suggested reindeer, in keeping with a reindeer piloting program he was testing out, with none other than Rudolph.

Holly Brown portrayed Rudolph during the time her father served as the escort. She said it was not a job she necessarily wanted but said she was encouraged by her father to do so. She said as she recalls, only Rudolph made the trip to Clearfield the first year and cousin, Little Rudy, played by her brother, Gilbert II, accompanied Rudolph the following year.

Jim Brown said his father-in-law told him he accompanied the reindeer through the streets of Clearfield on Friday and Saturday evenings when residents were about their holiday errands, greeting shoppers and passing out candy canes from a newspaper delivery bag.

Holly Brown remembered having a sweet tooth and the minty-sweet treat often proved too much for her to resist.

There were always plenty of candy canes in the bag, and I just had to have one or two, she explained.

Holly Brown said she recalls underneath the fur costume, her hair was done up in rollers so her tresses would look their best for the Friday night dance. She would attend after she was released from duty at the Clearfield YMCA.

I always felt kind of goofy playing Rudolph. My Dad wanted me to do it, so I did. I just wanted to go to the dance at the Y. My brother, he was pumped about it. He enjoyed it, she said.

Friday and Saturday nights used to be the big shopping nights in Clearfield. The town would be packed, she said. Shoppers looked forward to seeing the furry pair making their way up and down the downtowns sidewalks.

During the offseason, the costumes were stored for several years in a closet in the Frame home, Holly Brown said.

Jim Brown said he met Holly in 1968 and she never revealed to him she was the one behind the famous persona.

She kept it a secret from me. he said. He recalled he found out one evening when he was at his mothers place of employment, Jacobson and Etzweiler, and Gil Frame and the reindeer strolled in. I said Hi Gil and looked at Rudolph and knew it was Holly. I said Hi Holly she just kept right on walking like she hadnt even heard me.

He went on to say they eventually married, had two children and now have four grandchildren.

Gil Frame left The Progress in 1969 to sell Prudential insurance.

Holly Brown said for a while, The Progress also had an Easter rabbit costume with a similar mission.

I was the rabbit and my friend Susan Lowell handed out candy, she said.

When asked if she ever thought in 1964 Rudolph would go on to be the local celebrity he is, Holly Brown said, I never thought it would last. Whenever I see Rudolph and Little Rudy in The Progress I think, Wow, thats still going on. Its really neat to think that is has continued all these years. Obviously people still get a lot of joy out of it.

Link:

Local couple shares history of The Progress' famous pair - Clearfield Progress