A former board chairman of Santa Clara Waste Water Co. pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges. Steve Byerly

Attorneys on Tuesday petitioned a judge to lift an order halting progress of more than a dozen lawsuits against Santa Clara Waste Water Co. over a 2014 explosion at its facility near Santa Paula.

Now that the criminal case stemming from the incident is nearly closed, plaintiffs seeking to recover costs and damages want their day in court.

The Nov. 18, 2014, blast at the plant on Mission Rock Road injured dozens of first responders and employees. It also affected county entities, local businesses and insurance companies and resulted in numerous civil lawsuits being filed in the years after the incident.

Also in the news:

At a scheduled status conference Tuesday in Ventura County Superior Court, Judge Vincent ONeill lifted the stay in one lawsuit involving Santa Clara Waste Water, 805 Trucking Inc. and Allied World National Assurance Co.

But many of the attorneys in the remaining array of litigation also wanted an end to the stay in their cases. Many agreed it should be soon after the last two remaining defendants in the criminal case are sentenced in November.

Several employees were indicted by a grand jury in connection with the blast, which occurred as sodium chlorite reacted with other chemicals when vacuumed into a truck, court documents show. Santa Clara Waste Water and its parent organization, Green Compass Environmental Solutions were also facing criminal charges.

Smoke billows above the scene of an explosion at the Santa Clara Waste Water Co. plant on Nov. 18, 2014(Photo: Star file photo)

A handful of these same defendants were also indicted in a separate case involving the storage of a chemical called Petromax at the facility. The chemical was not disclosed to state regulators as required under the law.

Early on, however, the civil litigation was put on hold so as not to intervene with the Fifth Amendment rights of the defendants accused in the criminal case. Some of those employees are also named as defendants in the civil cases.

All of the criminal defendants have pleaded either guilty or no contest.

ONeill set a court date of Dec. 9 to continue arguments about the future of the other civil suits. The status conference is about three weeks after the final two criminal defendants are set to be sentenced.

Health: Hospitals face penalties for readmission of Medicare patients

Megan Diskin is a courts and breaking news reporter with The Star. Reach her at megan.diskin@vcstar.com or805-437-0258.

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Lawyers push for progress on suits over 2014 explosion near Santa Paula - VC Star

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 21: Pedro Severino #28 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates with Hanser Alberto #57 after scoring in the second inning against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 21, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.

The Baltimore Orioles lost 100 games in consecutive seasons for the first time since arriving in Baltimore in 1954.

Attendance was down almost 19 percent from last year and the lowest for a non-strike shortened season since 1978.

Those setbacks have not dampened the spirits of Orioles executive vice president/general manager Mike Elias.

He has seen progress over the first year of a complete rebuild. Elias said the franchise is in position to edge forward with its plan to become a perennial playoff contender.

Weve got a lot of areas to get better in, Elias said prior to the teams home finale against the Seattle Mariners. I think thats no secret, but overall when we sit back and look at what happened around the organization this year, it was a very positive year, a lot accomplished across the organization.

When we came in here, the big league team had the worst record in the league last year. The farm system was ranked in the 20s, the low 20s, depending on where you were reading. We had no real international scouting function, a minimalist analytics group. All of thats changed.

The Orioles enter the final week of the season 51-105. Baltimore, however, will not earn the first overall selection in the Major League Baseball Draft for a second consecutive year. The Orioles selected Oregon State catcher Adley Rutschman with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 Major League Baseball draft. The Detroit Tigers will likely have that honor of choosing first with the leagues worst record at 46-109.

The Orioles struggles over the past two seasons have dampened interest among the fans. The club drew 1.3 million fans to Camden Yards this season, compared to 1.6 million last year.

Still, franchise has done a solid job infusing the minor-league affiliates with young talent. the Double-A Bowie Baysox and Single-A Delmarva Shorebirds each qualified for the postseason. The Rookie-level Gulf Coast League team also made the playoffs before the season was cut short because of Hurricane Dorian.

Weve got our program going internationally, Elias said. Were signing players, were competing for players out there. Were building towards a bigger analytics staff. The farm systems taking a huge jump this year. Some of that was the draft with the No. 1 pick. Most of it was what happened with players already in the system, the player development improvements that we made, the changes that, the step forward we continue to take.

Elias said the 2019 season was devoted to evaluating talent, rather than wins and losses. Several players, such as outfielder Anthony Santander, infielder Hanser Alberto and starting pitcher John Means, took advantage of their extended playing time and are in position to make a bigger impact in 2020.

BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 22: Chris Davis #19 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrates a solo home run in the eighth inning during a baseball game against the Seattle Mariners at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 22, 2019 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Slugger Chris Davis had another disappointing season, but he will also have an opportunity to turn things around next season and regain the form that made him a two-time home run champion.

The Orioles likely wont be competing for a division title next season, but Elias sees progress and is confident the franchise is on the right track for future success.

Here at the big league level, were still losing games, way more than we want to, Elias said. This is not fun. Its not easy to crawl out of. Almost all the players that were on the team last year got better this year. I think this team has played its butt off all year.

Continued here:

Orioles See Progress Amid Another 100-Loss Season - Forbes

PENDLETON Last week, Umatilla County Commissioner George Murdock joined roughly a dozen members of the National Association of Counties Immigration Reform Task Force on a visit to the United States southern border.

The trip allowed Murdock and several others to see inside of United States Border Patrol facilities in El Paso, Texas, as well as a refugee center in Juarez, Mexico, just across the border. Murdock, who returned last Thursday, spoke of the visit as a transformative experience, saying that the visit changed his perceptions of the border crisis for the better.

If 50 people suddenly showed up at your front door and you had to take care of them, it would be overwhelming and would certainly take time to make necessary adjustments, said Murdock. That was the situation in March. It is not the situation six months later.

On his first day in El Paso, Murdock recalls watching a pair of families give themselves up to U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agents after crossing the Rio Grande River from Mexico into the United States.

Forty-five minutes later we encountered the Honduran mother and her three children at a processing center, Murdock said. As we passed, they smiled and waved.

Murdock said that his perceptions going into the week aligned predominantly with those he had seen in the news last March highly publicized scenes of terrible conditions and disorganization. Six months later, Murdock says that the facility they visited seemed much more organized; those seeking asylum spent no more than 30 to 36 hours in a holding facility before being turned back to Mexico to await an appearance before a U.S. judge who would determine the result of their request for asylum.

During their visit, the task force members encountered a group of unaccompanied children detained at the Border Patrol station at Del Norte crossing. According to Murdock, the children, ages 3 to 16, slept on portable beds and some watched cartoons as agents cared for them. The ability to provide food and clothing to detained youth marks a substantial improvement to the conditions that Murdock had seen in the media months earlier.

There is still trauma that people are experiencing, said Murdock. But that trauma is not a result of the conditions of the facilities.

Following a tour of the U.S. facility, Murdock and his fellow visitors crossed the border to visit the Leona Vicario Federal Refugee Center in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. The center, a former concert hall that is capable of housing 1,700 people, housed approximately 600 people at the time of the commissioners visit. The difficulty, Murdock said, is that Ciudad Juarez is a very poor city where the high numbers of refugees are forced to vie for jobs and opportunities alongside the other 1.3 million residents of the city while awaiting a response from the U.S. government a process that can take months.

If it were left to me, I dont know that I agree with putting them at that facility, Murdock said. I think I would feel more comfortable if the United States government were in charge of the center.

Later this week members of the NACo task force will meet to further debrief the visit and discuss policy initiatives that they hope will aid in the issues faced at the border. Murdock, the lone Oregonian on the 54-member task force, said that he hopes to find solutions to improve the number of migrant workers in Umatilla County. Murdock explained that the county relies on between 8,000 and 10,000 Hispanic workers across multiple industries with the majority of those jobs being in agriculture.

Unfortunately, immigration has become a political football of sorts, said Murdock. There are solutions to be had and it should be a nonpartisan issue, but one side is always afraid to compromise.

While Murdock says that he is still processing the trip and that it will take him awhile to fully unpack the details of it, he is comforted to see the improvements that have been made over the past few months to benefit both refugees and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol personnel.

Link:

Murdock sees progress but still more room for improvement on southern border visit - East Oregonian

New York

Sam Darnold is on the road to recovery and he believes the Jets will soon be, too.

That might be tough to imagine at the moment, particularly with New York sitting at 0-3 and coming off an ugly loss in New England. But the second-year quarterback insists better days are ahead.

"We're going to go on a little run here," Darnold said Monday. "It's going to be fun, but it's going to take a lot of work."

Darnold simply wants to be able to take the field, something he hasn't done the past two games because he's recovering from a bout with mononucleosis. There remains hope he could return after the bye-week break and practice next week, and then play at Philadelphia on Oct. 6.

Coach Adam Gase said Darnold is feeling better, looking better and trending in the right direction, but added that he doesn't "want to jinx it."

Because, of course, it has been one of those seasons.

Darnold had tests Monday and the plan is to have him start cardio work later this week. He'll have additional medical tests next Monday, and those will give the quarterback and the Jets a good sense of what his immediate availability will be.

"My spleen right now isn't where it needs to be in terms of coming back full-go," he said. "It did go down a little bit and it did shrink a little bit, so I'll be able to do some light cardio and hopefully throughout this week, it gets a little bit lower."

Another positive sign for Darnold's potential return: The Jets cut backup quarterback David Fales and signed wide receiver Vyncint Smith from Houston's practice squad.

That would be a big boost to an offense that has been lackluster through three games, scoring a total of 11 points during that span with Darnold, Trevor Siemian and then Luke Falk under center. Gase called the offense's performance in the Jets' 30-14 loss Sunday "atrocious," and he didn't change his tune 24 hours later.

"We didn't coach well enough, we didn't play well enough, we didn't execute well enough," Gase said.

Steelers: Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger had surgery to repair his right elbow on Monday. Team spokesman Burt Lauten said Roethlisberger underwent the procedure at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles. The surgery was performed by Dr. Neal ElAttrache in consultation with team physician Dr. Jim Bradley. The 37-year-old Roethlisberger left at halftime of a 28-26 loss to Seattle on Sept. 15 after complaining of elbow pain. The team placed him on season-ending injured reserve the following day but has not detailed the exact nature of Roethlisberger's injury. Roethlisberger will begin rehabilitation when he returns to Pittsburgh and plans to return to the field in 2020. The two-time Super Bowl winner signed a contract extension in the spring that runs through the 2021 season. The Steelers, with Mason Rudolph taking over at quarterback, dropped to 0-3 with a loss to San Francisco on Sunday.

Patriots: New England placed fullback James Develin on injured reserve with a neck injury, making him the third offensive player New England has placed on the list this season. Develin played in the Patriots' first two games, but sat out Sunday's win over the Jets. Rookie receiver N'Keal Harry (ankle) and left tackle Isaiah Wynn (foot) were previously placed on injured reserve.

Cardinals: Arizona released veteran receiver Michael Crabtree after he played just two games. The 11-year veteran was signed by the Cardinals on Aug. 21. He didn't play in the first game of the season while learning the offense and then caught four passes for 22 yards over the next two weeks against Baltimore and Carolina.

Falcons: Keanu Neal will miss the remainder of the season with a torn left Achilles tendon, taking the strong safety away from Atlanta's defense for the second straight season. Neal suffered a season-ending knee injury in the 2018 opening game. He worked most of the year in rehab before suffering another crushing injury Sunday.

Colts: Coach Frank Reich says safety Malik Hooker suffered a knee injury during Sunday's 27-24 victory over Atlanta. Hooker is expected to miss four to six weeks with a torn meniscus.

Panthers: Kyle Allen will make his second straight start Sunday when Carolina visits the Houston Texans. Carolina coach Ron Rivera wasted no time Monday ruling out quarterback Cam Newton for a second straight game due to a lingering mid-foot sprain. Rivera said there is "no timetable" for Newton's return and that the 2015 league MVP will continue to receive treatment.

NFL: Pittsburgh Steelers owner Art Rooney II will chair the NFL's compensation committee, which among other things negotiates the salary of top league executives, including commissioner Roger Goodell. Rooney replaces Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank.

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Darnold making progress - Albany Times Union

Despite the statewide increase cited in the report, some local districts noticed decreases. While graduation rates in Johnson City Schools increased by 1.3% to 93.1% from the 2016-17 school year to the 2017-18 school year, the district recorded a rate of 92.1% in 2018-19.

Johnson City Schools Supervisor of Secondary and Instructional Technology David Timbs said Science Hill High School will continue to work toward maintaining high graduation rates and another increase next year.

In our district, we are continually exploring new paths to graduation for our students. A high school diploma is one of the most valuable things that we can equip our students with, and we have a variety of options for our students to achieve this goal. Our high school counselors and administrators seek to individualize student experiences. We offer traditional diploma routes, blended options and fully online paths for our students, he wrote in an emailed statement to the Press. We are willing to explore and adopt these flexible options for students because of the lasting impact a diploma can have on their lives.

Washington County Schools had a record-high graduation rate for the 2018-19 school year at 94.5%, according to the report.

Thats the highest in at least 10 years, and almost certainly an all-time record for Washington County Schools, Director Bill Flanary said in August ahead of the reports release.

Unicoi County recorded a graduation rate of 91.7%; Carter County reported 88.8%; Elizabethton had a rate of 88.9%; and Johnson County recorded 96.3%.

While 67 districts improved their graduation rates from 2018 to 2019 with four districts improving by 5% or more and 49 districts recording rates at or above 95% Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn said more work needs to be done.

Ultimately, I would like to see all 130 districts that serve high school students have a 90 percent graduation (rate) or better. Thats something my team will be very focused on over the next four years, along with making sure those students have a career or college path in mind the day they walk across the stage to get that diploma, she said.

To take a look at the full report, visit http://www.tn.gov/education.

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State report points to progress in graduation rates, mixed results locally - Johnson City Press (subscription)

Welcome to the Guardians weekly Brexit briefing. If youd like to receive this as a weekly email, sign up here. You can also catch our latest Brexit Means podcast here, and for daily updates, head to Andrew Sparrows politics live blog.

Brexit is just over a month away and despite repeated claims by the government that progress is being made on changes to the withdrawal deal that might somehow make it acceptable to MPs, theres still no evidence to suggest thats actually the case.

In a speech in Strasbourg the president of the European commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, demanded operable proposals, in writing, from the UK on replacing the Irish backstop and warned a no-deal exit was now a palpable risk.

Finland, which holds the rotating presidency of the Council of the European Union, and France said whatever Britain did come up with would have to be tabled within a fortnight so it could be properly discussed by the EU27 before next months summit.

But it emerged that Boris Johnson had been taken aback during his meeting with Juncker last week at the scale and complexity of the potential problems on the border, and the extent to which Britains sketchy ideas have failed to address them.

In a speech in Madrid that went down like a lead balloon, Brexit secretary Stephen Barclay said the purist EU would have to take risks with the Irish border for a deal to be struck, demanding more flexibility and compromise from the bloc.

The government said it would present its plans when it was ready, and then angered the EU27 by insisting that the papers it finally submitted dismissed in Brussels as still very far from what was required must not be circulated.

The EUs chief negotiator, Michel Barnier, later described the British solution for replacing the backstop as unacceptable, adding that the UK governments position would have to change for there to be any hope of success.

Meanwhile, the supreme court heard arguments in London for and against Johnsons decision to suspend parliament until 14 October, including allegations that the mother of parliaments had been shut down by the father of lies and that the governments stated reasons for the prorogation were misleading.

No 10 said it could not rule out proroguing parliament again if it loses the potentially explosive case, while the judges were urged to encourage the speakers of the Commons and Lords to reconvene the parliamentary session. The verdict should come on Tuesday morning (see below).

As the prime minister headed to a UN climate summit in New York, where he was due to meet European leaders saying he was cautiously optimistic he could negotiate a deal with EU leaders, Labour continued to tear itself to pieces over its Brexit policy.

Jeremy Corbyn wanted to stay neutral and let the people decide in a referendum; activists pushed for a campaign to remain; the party conference was plunged into Brexit disarray and then into downright chaos.

In the end, Corbyn won: delegates rejected a motion that would have obliged Labour to adopt an out-and-out remain position before a general election.

In the short term, all eyes are on the supreme court, whose verdict on whether Johnsons decision to prorogue parliament for five weeks was lawful or not is expected on Tuesday morning.

A ruling against the government could trigger a constitutional eruption of volcanic proportions, one legal expert said, with much depending on how the court framed such a decision particularly if it determines that Johnson misled the Queen.

Past that, the crucial problem facing the prime minister is whether or not he can solve the riddle of the Irish backstop and thus wring a deal from the EU (he would then have to get it through parliament, of course, but thats for another day).

At the moment the two sides have starkly different visions of what the withdrawal agreement and the Irish protocol need to guarantee.

Britain has proposed Northern Ireland stays under EU rules for agri-food but that otherwise there be two regulatory zones on the island, with some checks on goods necessary albeit facilitated by technology. The EU wants to secure full frictionless trade across the island in order to maintain the status quo.

At present, there is little sign of any meaningful rapprochement.

In the Guardian, Jonathan Lis argues that the language of Brexit betrayal is poisoning politics:

Our fundamental problem is we have lost the ability to distinguish between compromise and betrayal. We now confront a situation in which language proves as dangerous as policy.

Politicians can no longer merely disagree. They must be acting in bad faith, or subverting democracy, or betraying the electorate. This finds its extreme form in the word treason, which now peppers and pollutes the language of rightwing politicians and commentators. But it has also insinuated itself into the way we address Brexit altogether.

The essential toxin here is the requirement for political purity. This is partly driven by the increasing radicalism of our mainstream political parties and partly by the appetite for nationalism unleashed by the referendum and now rapidly advancing.

Britain is no longer just riven politically and economically, but fully entrenched in a culture war which demands rigid and extreme conceptions of identity. This new polarisation necessitates an all-or-nothing stance not just on Brexit, but on politics altogether. When we join battle on those lines, we leave no room for anything in between or any obvious route to heal afterwards.

A left-leaning journalist despairs at Labours Brexit policy contortions:

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Brexit weekly briefing: no evidence of progress on deal despite claims - The Guardian

18 September 2019: A path exists to 1.5C, but the window for achieving it is declining rapidly, concludes a joint report by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) and UNFCCC, which assesses whether the Paris Agreement is working. Titled, The Heat is On: Taking Stock of Global Climate Ambition, the report seeks to contribute to increased ambition, acceleration and mobilization of climate action by 2020.

The report was launched ahead of the UN Secretary-Generals Climate Action Summit, which took place on 23 September.

Five years since the launch of a joint UNDP/UNFCCC support programme for countries in developing their Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), the 2019 NDC Global Outlook Report assesses progress under the two broad trajectories adopted by countries to fulfill their Paris Agreement targets: revision of existing climate plans to 2025 or 2030 by around 112, primarily developing, States, which represent 53% of global GHG emissions; or preparing longer-term strategies to decarbonize the economies of 53, mostly industrialized, countries by 2050.

The report highlights some positive trends since 2015, including: the increased recognition by governments that climate is inseparable from wider societal goals to eradicate poverty and hunger and reduce inequality; a focus on strengthening systems and putting in place the required NDC architecture for successful implementation; and a higher priority for climate policies in national planning. It also highlights as important elements in building momentum for change the growing engagement of diverse non-state actors and the leadership of young climate activists who are demanding system change and more accountability from carbon-intensive industries.

However, the report also identifies a number of bottlenecks, stating that despite a 17% increase in climate-related finance flows in the wake of the Paris Agreement on climate change, reaching USD 681 billion in 2016, finance remains the most critical factor limiting raised ambition in developing countries. Other barriers in developing countries include the lack of awareness about climate change, unreliable data and the need for better linkages between climate targets and existing policies, strategies, plans and budgets.

Either we wave goodbye to our carbon dependence and build a future to be proud of, or we go over the edge.

The report further expresses concern about the lack of firm commitments by 71 countries, including most developed nations who represent 21% of global GHG emissions. It notes that 41 countries are still deciding how they intend to approach their NDC revisions and 10 did not provide any information on their intentions, while the remaining 20 countries intend to submit revised NDCs but are still seeking the means to do so. It calls on these countries to fulfill a pledge made at the Group of 20 (G20) summit in Japan in June 2019 to communicate, update or maintain our NDCs [by 2020], taking into account that further global efforts are needed.

Citing UNFCCC analysis, the report states that, at current ambition levels, existing NDCs set the world on track for a rise in emissions of about 10.7% above 2016 levels by 2030, which is starkly at odds with the UN Secretary-Generals call for governments to come to the 2019 Climate Summit with pledges consistent with reducing global GHG emissions by 45% by 2030 and achieving net zero emissions by 2050, in order to meet the 1.5C temperature goal.

In her opening remarks at the launch event, UN Deputy Secretary-General Amina Mohammed described the report as the most comprehensive snapshot to date of whether the world is on track. She expressed hope that the findings spur those countries who have not yet decided on their course of action, particularly the big-emitting countries, to be ambitious.

UNDP Administrator Achim Steiner stressed that this years Climate Summit must mark a key turning point where humanity waves goodbye to its carbon dependence to build a future to be proud of, or go over the edge. Welcoming increased ambition from 75 countries representing 37% of global GHG emissions that include those countries most vulnerable to and least responsible for rising temperatures, he noted that half the worlds population is engaged in a proactive transformation of their economies to low carbon.

Steiner introduced UNDPs Climate Promise, which aims to scale up support for enhanced national climate pledges by 2020. Implemented in the framework of the UN System Joint Approach on NDCs and in collaboration with key partners, the initiative commits USD 25 million to support 100 countries to accelerate the enhancement of national climate pledges by 2020, building on existing support to NDCs in over 140 countries.

The launch event concluded with a preview of Mission 1.5, an interactive digital media experience that aims to contribute to increased mobilization of citizens in the next generation of climate action. [Publication: The Heat is On: Taking Stock of Global Climate Ambition] [UN News Story] [UNDP Press Release] [UNFCCC Press Release] [UN Deputy Secretary-Generals Statement] [UNDP Administrators Statement] [SDG Knowledge Hub Story on UNDP Support for Accelerated Action on the SDGs and Paris Agreement]

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UNDP, UNFCCC Global Outlook Report Assesses Progress Ahead of Five-year Paris Milestone | News - IISD Reporting Services

In a television interview near the end of his life, Roy Cohn predicted that his obituaries would lead with Senator Joseph McCarthy. He wasnt wrong. Thanks partly to the televised Army-McCarthy hearings, Cohns role as the Wisconsin senators youthful counsel was imprinted on the public memory and seemed, when Cohn died of AIDS in 1986, to be the most significant episode in a contentious public career.

Lately, the emphasis has shifted, in part thanks to Cohns association, in the 70s and 80s, with the New York real estate developer who is now the president of the United States. Matt Tyrnauers compact and informative new documentary, Wheres My Roy Cohn?, quotes President Trump in its title. The films answer to the question suggests that Cohn is among the threads that link the politics of the Red Scare with whatever it is were living through now. Hes still around.

As one of the principal characters in Tony Kushners great play Angels in America an embodiment of hubris and shame, not without a tragic dimension Cohn has been posthumously played by a handful of first-rate actors, including Al Pacino, Nathan Lane and F. Murray Abraham. The man himself, reanimated by Tyrnauer (a former writer for Vanity Fair) in newsreels and video clips, evidences a certain slippery charm, a relish for verbal combat, and what can only be called a passionate disdain for the truth.

Cohns personality and career are fleshed out by the testimony of accomplices and witnesses, lawyers and journalists (including Sam Roberts of The New York Times). The story they tell zigzags a bit on its way from an unhappy, privileged childhood through precocious success to disbarment and death. Its the chronicle of a closeted gay mans fate in a hostile environment and also, contrapuntally, of an unscrupulous fixers progress.

The people who reveal the worst about Cohn are the ones who knew him best friends, family members, a former lover and a handful of colleagues. Some are well known, like Roger Stone, Cohns protg in the dark arts of political manipulation. Others, like two of Cohns younger cousins, are private citizens who give an intimate account of their relatives public corruption.

Nearly all of their reminiscences are tinged with the kind of astonishment that can start to sound like admiration. The chutzpah! The ambition! The nerve!

Wheres my Roy Cohn? offers a critical account of its subjects ethically dubious behavior, early and late. As part of the team prosecuting Julius and Ethel Rosenberg for espionage, he made ex parte phone calls to the judge urging that the couple be sentenced to death. Later, he defended organized crime bosses and cooked his own books.

Through it all, he was a fixture of New York society and a welcome guest in Washington power circles. He counted Ronald and Nancy Reagan among his friends, and friendship was a crucial tool in his arsenal. He was good at knowing when favors needed to be done and when they needed to be called in. He made a great show of loyalty, and received it in return.

Television interviewers, even when they made a show of asking Cohn tough questions, tended to fawn over his intelligence and connections. There is no doubt that he was a fascinating and important character, but Wheres My Roy Cohn? is most interesting for the questions it doesnt explicitly ask.

Those have to do not with Cohns blatant amorality, but with the moral compromises of the elite who tolerated his company and found uses for his talents. Its not that any of the high-minded, good-doing, often professedly liberal people who invited him to parties and accepted his favors necessarily approved of him, any more than they approved of, say, Harvey Weinstein or Trump himself. But they kept him around, out of some combination of cynicism, self-interest and curiosity that remains an underexamined and toxic force in the history of our time.

Wheres My Roy Cohn?

Rated PG-13. Nothing nice. Running time: 1 hour 37 minutes.

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Wheres My Roy Cohn? Review: A Fixers Progress - The New York Times

Since President Trumps first day in office, and from my first day as his health secretary, our countrys opioid crisis has been one of our most challenging missions. But there were always sources of inspiration: We heard from the Americans on the front lines of the fight against addiction, and we set about bringing them what they needed to continue the fight.

Today, thanks to President Trumps leadership and the hard work of so many, there are clear signs that we are beginning to turn the tide. According to provisional data, total drug overdose deaths in the United States dropped 5 percent from 2017 to 2018the first drop in more than two decades.

Our united efforts are succeeding. From the federal governments work to the inspiring efforts of communities, families, and individuals across America, we are making real progress and lives are being saved every day.

But we are still far from declaring victory. Deaths from drug overdoses remain at historically high levels, and the Trump Administration will not let up in this fight. Thats why, this month, President Trump announced $1.8 billion in new grants to state and local governments, including $78.1 million being sent to Ohio.

One grant program, issued by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, provides flexible funding to state governments to support prevention, treatment, and recovery services in the ways that meet their needs. We have ensured that this grant program, made possible by funding President Trump secured from Congress, is focused on providing evidence-based treatment, including the gold standard for treating opioid addictionmedication-assisted treatment. We are making real progress in this regard: Administration estimates suggest that approximately 1.27 million Americans are now receiving medication-assisted treatmentup from 921,000 in 2016out of about 2 million Americans with opioid use disorder.

The other set of grants being awarded, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, help state and local governments track overdose data as closely to real-time as possible and support them in work to prevent overdoses and save lives. Septembers grants come on top of nearly $400 million in grants issued last month to community health centers, rural organizations, and academic institutions to help them establish and expand access to substance abuse and mental health servicesfor opioid addiction and other challenges. Altogether, since the start of the Trump administration, HHS has disbursed almost $9 billion in grants to states and local communities to help increase access to treatment and prevention services.

But defeating addiction takes a lot more than just money. It requires building a healthcare system that cares for each patient, as a whole person, and works to reduce the stigma surrounding addiction. Thats one of the reasons why, earlier this month, the Trump Administration proposed to modernize regulations that can pose significant barriers to caring for Americans struggling

with substance use disorders, like opioid addiction, to make sure they get the effective, coordinated care they need.

We have also issued Medicaid waivers to 25 states to expand access to in-patient treatment for substance use disorder, moving us toward a healthcare system that pays for the right kind of behavioral health treatment for each patient. We have also worked to prevent opioid addiction by promoting the responsible prescribing of opioid painkillers, yielding a 31 percent decrease in the total amount prescribed since President Trump took office.

President Trumps sustained focus on opioid addiction and substance abuse is yielding real results. But we also know that this crisis developed over several decades, and it will not be solved overnight. As we begin to turn the tide on opioid addiction, the President will remain committed to helping communities across America continue to battle drug addiction, save lives, and help everyone struggling with addiction to find the road to recovery.

Alex M. Azar II is the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

Visit link:

Progress on the opioid crisis - Portsmouth Daily Times

(BIVN) The Office of Hawaiian Affairs Board of Trustees heard about the ongoing Klauea eruption recovery effort during its recent meeting in Hilo.

One year ago, the 35 year-long eruption of Klauea came to an end, after a destructive finale in the summer of 2018 that destroyed over 700 structures in Puna.

The Kua O Ka L Public Charter School was one the buildings taken by lava. The Head of School, Susie Osborne, told the OHA Trustees the school is currently using the Nani Mau Gardens in Hilo, and working on the long-term recovery goal of finding a permanent facility.

Were furiously working with all the agencies, said Osborne, At some point, when our charter contract goes in for renewal, I might need to ask the building department chair for a letter saying that everythings in process. Im just not sure how thats going to play out, but it could mean the difference of staying open or closing for the school.

Robert Agres of the Hawaii County recovery team spent minutes explaining the recovery process and the work of the Puna Community Development Plan Action Committee.

Its a unique opportunity that this gift that Tutu Pele provided to us gives us a chance to step back, and again, to bounce forward, Agres said. To push on stuff that we never could before, because theres resources like weve never seen.

We are very cognizant of the Community Development Plans for Puna, Lee loy said, along with a tool coming forward in our general plan that we can begin to start truly recovering Puna.

Lee Loy said there may be opportunities for OHA to fill in the gaps where private sector government or community really cannot fill.

Yes, the thousand homes is a lot, said Mayor Harry Kim, talking about the destruction of the entire 35 year eruption. Yes, thousands and thousands of acres is a lot. But to me, what was more important, is a lifestyle that I dont think can ever be recovered.

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VIDEO: OHA Hears About Puna's Kilauea Eruption Recovery Progress - Big Island Video News

Its been just over a year since the City of Los Angeles launched its first bridge housing site at El Pueblo. The 45-bed facility, dubbed El Puente, has managed to care for and house a little more than double its capacity in that time, matching people with services and housing, but its operator says the lack of permanent supportive housing in Los Angeles is making it hard to meet expectations.

One year in and El Puente (Spanish for The Bridge) is seeing results but John Maceri, CEO of The People Concern, the nonprofit that operates the facility, said that the site (at 711 N. Alameda St.) is tracking slightly behind goals in linking people with permanent supportive housing.

A total of 92 people have received service since the shelter opened, 13 of which were moved into permanent supportive housing. Maceri said that in some cases people have gone to other interim housing spaces, while others went into sober living for health reasons. One person was taken to a medical space for more serious health concerns.

We have several others in the housing search, several who have gone back to work full time, such as at the museums in El Pueblo, and weve had several residents who have reunited with family and friends and have been able to return home, Maceri told Los Angeles Downtown News.

Although there is no time limit for shelter stays and no one is forced out after a certain period, the El Puente shelter launched with the goal of having people remain at the shelters for three-six months, before moving into permanent supportive housing. However, despite the shelter serving twice its capacity over the past 12 months, the amount of people transitioning into new homes has been impacted by a lack of permanent supportive housing.

The El Puente shelter opened on a city-owned parking lot on Sept. 7, 2018 and is the first outpost of Mayor Eric Garcettis A Bridge Home program. The program, first announced last year, is meant to provide transitional housing, matched with services, where people could get help before moving into permanent supportive housing. The idea is to open at least one shelter in every City Council district, however only Council Districts One, Four, Eight, 13 and 14 have opened shelters since the start of the program.

The People Concern operates the El Puente space, while outreach teams from the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority canvas the area around El Pueblo for people who need the services. The first year of operations was budgeted at $2.4 million, while the next two years are each budgeted at $1.3 million.

A spokesman for LAHSA said that the agency is currently reviewing its findings from the first year of operations.

Maceri noted that many of the housing programs run by LAHSA have a low vacancy, due to high demand given the homelessness crisis in the city and county.

The past year has seen homelessness increase at a startling rate. LAHSAs annual homeless count found a 16% increase over last year in the city, with a 12% rise in the county.

Many permanent supportive housing projects funded by Proposition HHH, a $1.2 billion bond passed by voters in 2016, are in construction or planning stages, but have been slow to open while rental costs has gone up across the city.

Amy Perkins, director of interim housing strategies for the Mayors Office, acknowledged the slow arrival of HHH-funded units. Perkins said although the system for moving eligible people into El Puente as soon as a bed opens works, the overall lack of long-term housing is slowing down the turnover of beds.

If anything, its just cemented that we need tons more affordable housing options, she said. Even when our system is working so beautifully, with on-site cases being operated and services offered, its a slow process.

Low Barrier

One of the main strategies behind the A Bridge Home program is that each shelter is meant to have a low barrier for entry, meaning people do not need to be sober to enter and receive services. Maceri said that a year into operations, El Puente is maintaining that low threshold, however that too poses challenges.

The challenge with that is that sometimes people are not ready to engage in treatment, or engage in medication, he said. In those cases we have to work to manage that in the context of a community living project, which is true in all of our interim housing programs. It is much easier to work with people who are in treatment or are medically compliant.

LAHSAs outreach teams also remain in weekly contact with the homeless community and maintain a waitlist, so that when a bed opens up, someone is ready to take it that day. Maceri said that the wait list is still there, although other shelters and programs run by LAHSA mean that there are more options for those waiting, so the list isnt as long.

In the year since El Puente started operations, The People Concern has adapted some of its approach. Maceri said that the goals are the same, but the nonprofit has increased its staff to provide for more mental health services and provide more activities for the shelters residents.

The shelter operates a number of activities and wellness programs alongside providing housing, to help the formerly homeless individuals recovery mentally and prepare for jobs and new homes. Maceri said those programs have been extremely beneficial to residents. Chris Espinosa, general manager for El Pueblo, said his department has been involved in helping with art workshops for residents and that those activities are also benefitting the wider El Pueblo area.

Cleanings and Security

One fear voiced by critics when A Bridge Home launched was that each site would attract more homeless individuals to the area. Although there is more support for El Puente now than when it launched, Espinosa said that many of the merchants are concerned about having the shelter at the El Pueblo parking lot, as they had to deal with the increase in the number of homeless encampments around El Pueblo in recent years before the facility opened.

Perkins said that the merchants fears have not come to pass. Thats largely due to the special enforcement zone set up around each facility. Within those zones, which launch 30 days after a bridge housing site opens, are sidewalk cleanings every weekday, including a comprehensive cleaning on Tuesdays. There are also specialized LAPD patrols that enforce a prohibition on sidewalk tents from 6 a.m.-9 p.m. Those patrols are also coupled with LAHSA outreach teams.

For El Puente, the enforcement zone area is bordered by Broadway, and Arcadia, Alameda and Spring streets. There are two storage spaces set up in Paseo Luis Olivares to the immediate west of El Pueblos main plaza where people can put their belongings during the day.

Homeless advocacy groups such as the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles have been critical of such rules, criticizing sweeps and the costs of those programs.

Espinosa said that in the last year there has been a noticeable increase in cleanliness around the area, which regularly draws in tourists. He also noted that the increased LAPD presence has calmed some concerns from merchants.

In a statement to Los Angeles Downtown News, City Councilman Jos Huizar, whos 14th District includes El Pueblo, said that El Puente is moderately successful based on the data his office has seen.

However, we havent been able to realize the full potential of the site because the area continues to be inundated daily with newly arriving people experiencing homeless, Huizars statement continued. This bridge housing shelter is working, but to truly combat the homeless issue in Los Angeles, we will need more facilities like this one implemented citywide to treat people in their own neighborhoods.

The push for more shelter space seems to be picking up momentum in Downtown. A 25-bed shelter specifically aimed for women opened at the Downtown Womens Center on Skid Row in August and the city is currently developing another site at 1426 S. Paloma St. The city is also considering converting the former Childrens Museum at 310 N. Main St. into a bridge housing site.

The El Puente site was set up to run for three years but the Mayors Office and The People Concern said they have no set plans for what happens after that period. With the first year at El Puente complete, they plan to continue with the current operations. Maceri noted that there are many more people around El Pueblo who still need support.

nslayton@timespublications.com

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One Year In, El Pueblo Shelter Sees Steady Progress - LA Downtown News Online

PALO ALTO, CA SEPTEMBER 21: Justin Herbert #10 of the Oregon Ducks drops back to pass against the Stanford Cardinal during the fourth quarter of an NCAA football game at Stanford Stadium on September 21, 2019 in Palo Alto, California. Oregon won the game 21-6. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Nearly a calendar year after falling to Stanford in an overtime thriller last season, Justin Herbert and the Oregon Ducks avenged their loss with a 21-6 victory on the road.

Herberts box score looked good, completing 19 of his 24 attempts for 259 yards and three touchdown. His performance was solid as a whole, but he did reveal a few things he needs to continue to work on.

Herbert was asked to do a little more in the intermediate passing game in this matchup and he found success doing so. He completed seven of his nineattempts of 10 yards or more yards, and three of those went for a touchdown. He placed the ball well, but he did miss two straight 12-yard outs on passes that were low and in front of his target.

Ive beenoutspoken regarding Oregons conservative play-call in the Auburn game, and while itd be nice to see more than one throw 20+ yards down the field, this was a good opportunity to see how Herbert fared throwing further than the line-of-scrimmage. His lone deep attempt came when he sold both the safety and corner on a pump fake, opening up a wide open receiver for a 24-yard touchdown down the left sideline in the fourth quarter.

He was efficient on third-down, completing all five of his attempts while taking two sacks. Most of the third down play-call consisted of shorter throws where he was able to set up his receivers effectively for yardage after the catch.

While there were many positives, there are a few things that cause concern.

He has yet to throw an interception this season, but he did have two sack-fumbles that were recovered by his teammates. This has been an issue in the past and he needs to continue to work on securing the ball when he senses pressure in the pocket.

Herberts ability to process the entire field remains a question and it really stuck out on a specific play early in the fourth quarter.

On the third down play directly following his 2nd fumble,Herbert glued his eyes to the right side of the field, missing his open left slot receiver running a hook. By the time he progressed to the left side, a looping defender flushed him out of the pocket and took him down after he was able to rush for three yards.

While this play didnt ultimately impact the result of the game, it was a microcosm of something he got away with all game.

Herberts arm talent and physical tools are apparent, but the mental aspect tends to trip up most young quarterbacks. The Ducks call a fair amount of one-read throws designed to take advantage of their speed after the catch, but Herbert will have times where he has to sit back and pick apart a defense from the pocket. The flashes are there, its just up to Herbert to build consistency and use his eyes to his advantage.

He has a chance to build on this performance against a Cal secondary that is ranked 81st against the pass, although they can get after the quarterback. If hes able to keep things tight and produce at the same level he has all season, Herbert is going to see his stock solidified as a top 5 pick.

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2020 NFL Draft: Justin Herbert Continues to Progress - With the First Pick

SpaceX is getting closer to its making its next big leap with the Starship super-heavy launch system. With hover tests now complete, the public is eagerly awaiting the completion of the full-scale prototypes and for orbital testing to begin. Never one to disappoint, Elon Musk has been posting regular updates on Twitter showcasing the latest progress of the Starship Mk.1 and Mk.2.

The latest images which were shared on Tuesday, Sept. 17th show the orbital-class test vehicles being assembled at the companys facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, and Cape Canaveral, Florida. In the first image, which Musk caption with a Star Wars reference (Droid Junkyard, Tatooine), we see the stainless steel Starship standing tall amid a whole lot of construction equipment and material.

In the second image, Musk showed a section of the prototype Starship being lowered onto the main body. Playing on the saucer-like appearance of the section and the little dome on top (not to mention the way the Boca Chica facility has drawn comparisons to a certain secret military testing facility in Nevada) he captioned this tweet with the words Area 51 of Area 51.

Once assembled, the Mk.1 and Mk.2 will conduct free-flight testing that will see them reach suborbital altitudes and then return to Earth under their own power. According to recent filings with the FAA (Sept. 9th, 2019), this test will take place at Boca Chica and will consist of an Experimental launch, landing, and recovery of the Starship suborbital test vehicle from Boca Chica TX.

According to these same filings, launch tests using the full-scale prototype could begin as early as October 13th, with an end date of April 13th, 2020. These tests will validate the launch system and bring the company closer to conducting commercial flights with the Starship and Super-Heavy, which Musk hopes to commence by 2021.

As Musk previously indicated, he hopes that the Starship will also be able to conduct an uncrewed lunar mission as well in that same year, followed by a crewed mission a year or two later. If successful, SpaceX will have sent people to the lunar surface a year before NASA, which is currently planning on sending astronauts back to the Moon by 2024 (as part of Project Artemis).

But of course, the long-term goal of the Starship is to make regular trips to Mars a reality, which Musk has said will lead to the creation of a base (Mars Base Alpha by 2028) and a full-fledged colony someday. This would fulfill the purpose for which SpaceX founded back in 2002, which was to reduce the cost of space launches, reinvigorate interest in space exploration, and enable the colonization of Mars.

Two down, one to go!

Further Reading: Digital Trends

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Musk Shares the Latest Progress on the Starship Prototypes - Universe Today

Nothing has summed up the Browns 2019 season quite as well as what they did on their third-to-last possession in Sunday nights game against the Rams. Down 17-13 with 9:19 left in the fourth quarter, Cleveland faced a fourth-and-9 on L.A.s 40-yard line. Since the team needed a touchdown to take the leadand a field goal try from that spot would be from 57 yardsthe Browns went for it. But, somehow, the team that took Baker Mayfield no. 1 overall and traded for Odell Beckham Jr. in the offseason ran a draw play. Running back Nick Chubb picked up 2 yards.

This had absolutely no chance:

Cleveland went on to lose, 20-13, and its now clear that the squad that entered 2019 with as much fanfare as any team in the NFL is still very much a work in progress, particularly on offense, as evidenced by that egregious play call. On a night when the Rams put up a Super Bowlesque three points in the first half and looked off their game offensively, Cleveland could not capitalize and fell to 1-2. Itll only get harder from here, too: The Browns next four opponents (the Ravens, 49ers, Seahawks, and Patriots) all have winning records.

There were other coaching issues outside of the draw play. Faced with a fourth-and-goal from L.A.s 4-yard line with 33 seconds left, Freddie Kitchens called a timeout to regroup and set up their next play. This might seem like normal game management, but it was a disastrous error: With all three timeouts, Cleveland would have been able to stop the clock three consecutive times and potentially force a Rams punt should their fourth-down attempt not be successful. But by going down to two, a failure on fourth down meant the Rams would be able to burn out the clock. And thats exactly what happened.

But the Browns didnt lose this game because of a couple of poor coaching decisions. Once again, quarterback Baker Mayfield spent the bulk of his night evading defenders, facing pressure on 46 percent of his dropbacks, per Next Gen Stats, and taking three sacks. And while some of that was his fault (he frequently bailed from the pocket even on plays when his protection was competent), Aaron Donald and the Rams defensive line broke through enough to make Mayfields jitters understandable. It all adds up to the same underwhelming performance for the second-year quarterback: He attempted just two deep passes (more than 20 yards downfield) on the night and completed only 50 percent of his total passes: 18 of 36 for 195 yards (5.4 yards per attempt), one touchdown, and one interception.

The pressure that defined Mayfields night was especially apparent on the aforementioned fourth-down play that decided the game. Mayfield never really had much of a shot of converting this:

Theres a chance that he could have stepped up into the pocket and maybe even scrambled down the field, but its hard to blame him for trying to evade the defenders who had been in his face all night. Every quarterback is better when kept clean than when under pressure, but whats odd is that Mayfield has been pretty good in both scenarios up to this point. Going back to college, Mayfield has been incredibly effective when pressured. In his rookie season he was roughly middle-of-the-pack in those situations, but this year hes been among the worst in the league:

Given Mayfields history of excellent play under pressure, Browns fans should have hope that their quarterbacks recent play is just a small-sample-size fluke, and that he can bounce back down the stretch.

The Browns do deserve some credit for keeping this game close, and especially for knocking the Rams off their offensive game. Cleveland came into the game with its entire starting secondaryboth corners and both safetiesinactive. Yet Jared Goff finished a fairly pedestrian 24-of-38 for 269 yards (7.1 per attempt), two touchdowns, and two picks. The Rams normally lethal outside zone running game was held in check: Todd Gurley and Malcolm Brown combined for 50 yards on 17 carries, an average of just 2.9 per tote.

If the Browns had had their starting secondary or had strung together one or two more successful drives, they could have walked away with a win over the defending NFC champions. Even with their struggles, the Browns still had that chance to get a touchdown and potentially tie or take the lead late. Mayfield echoed that after the game:

But with just one win over the lowly Jets, the Browns look far from being contenders. Theres a lot to fix.

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The Cleveland Browns Are a Work in Progress - The Ringer

The Twins have just one week left in the regular season and less than two weeks until the American League Division Series begin. As they inch toward clinching a spot in the playoffs, two important players are inching closer to a return.

Max Kepler hasnt had an at-bat in nine days, not since the previous Saturday against the Indians, but the outfielder pinch ran on Saturday at Target Field and has been recovering from the rhomboid strain that has kept him sidelined for much of the month. He has started just two games the doubleheader against Cleveland on Sept. 14 since Sept. 8, when he exited a game early with the issue.

I think our goal was to keep him swinging in the cage and now get him outside, manager Rocco Baldelli said. Hopefully get him hitting off the velo machine a little bit, start testing him out a little bit. Im not sure which day were doing it, but I think thats coming up early this week.

Infielder Ehire Adrianza also has had positive developments as he works to recover from an oblique strain that has sidelined him since Sept. 12. He went through infield work on Saturday, and though Baldelli has said he is not close to returning, he is progressing in the right direction.

From everything I heard, if you watched him, you probably wouldnt even know that he had an issue, Baldelli said.

Mitch Garver left Sundays 12-8 victory over Kansas City with what the Twins termed as right hip tightness. The move was precautionary, they say, and Garver is day to day.

Garver said he has been dealing with the issue since high school, but this week hes had a heavier workload than normal. He said he could have stayed in and finished the game, but he said they were looking towards one week from now, not necessarily right now.

Mitch is going to be OK. Were going to probably take a little bit of a deeper look to make sure hes fine, but its mainly precautionary. Hes been out there a good bit lately, Baldelli said. Hes been playing well. Its just something that started barking a little bit, and hes a little sore, but I think hes going to be fine.

Jorge Alcala had been waiting patiently in the Twins bullpen for more than a week to get intp his first Major League game. When he finally did, the Twins threw him in a pressure-packed situation, but were pleased with how he handled it, given the circumstances.

The Twins called Alcala up on Sept. 14, but he didnt debut until Saturday night, entering with the bases loaded in the ninth inning after Taylor Rogers and Trevor Hildenberger already had pitched.

Baldelli said he would have preferred to have had at least one base open for Alcala, but was a situation that made sense to get him into.

He still found a way to throw strikes. He gave us a chance, Baldelli said. They put the ball in play and a couple of things happened, but I thought he threw the ball well, and I think he should be very happy with his debut.

Alcala got the Twins out of the inning, though he did give up a couple of inherited runs.Alcala said he was a little anxious and nervous because of the situation with the bases loaded, but he tried his best to calm himself down so he could produce.

I wasnt expecting it to be that way, but you just have to be ready, he said. When my name got called in the bullpen, I was ready to go. As ready as possible.

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Injured Twins Max Kepler, Ehire Adrianza making progress - St. Paul Pioneer Press

Purdue coach Jeff Brohm said quarterback Elijah Sindelar is improving from the concussion he suffered more than two weeks ago, but he still hasnt cleared the concussion protocol.

For that reason, Purdues starting quarterback for this Saturdays game against Minnesota remains in question.

Really, last week, we thought he was making progress Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday. It wasnt until Thursday where some things popped up again.

With a bye, Purdue didnt play last week, but he did miss the previous game against TCU on Sept. 14. Sindelar suffered his concussion in Week 2 against Vanderbilt.

Before exiting that game, Sindelar had amassed 932 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Plummer started in place of Sindelar this past Saturday.

Purdue will host Minnesota this Saturday at 3:30 p.m. ET in the Boilermakers first Big Ten game of the year.

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Purdue coach Jeff Brohm says QB Elijah Sindelar is making progress in concussion recovery - Saturday Tradition

Its been a long and trying season at Camden Yards, a fact not lost on Orioles leadership.

Prior to the home finale Sunday afternoon, manager Brandon Hyde met with the media for his usual pregame availability. He answered each question, explained a few decisions he had been made, and sprinkled in a few jokes. It was a typical press conference.

Then, when all the questions were done, Hyde stopped everyone getting up to leave, asking to say a few words.

The energy in the ballpark last night was fantastic, Hyde began. Im looking forward to the day when its like that all the time. I appreciate the way the fans showed up.

Of course, that fan support came in what was ultimately a losing effort for the Orioles. Its a pattern thats been prevalent all season long in Baltimore.

Its been hard, the manager continued. Been a trying process, I totally understand the frustrations. But it will get better.

It did get better, at least for a day, as the Orioles held off the Mariners 2-1 in a breezy Sunday afternoon affair.

Most of the players impacting Sundays win may not be around the next time the Orioles are competitive, but the starting pitcher certainly caught the eye of Mike Elias this season.

I think the team has played its butt off all year, the general manager praised before the game. Its battled, and I think we can all go with the individual success stories. You know, Means, Santander, Severino, Mancini having a huge year. I mean, theres too many to go through right now. Not everything goes perfectly in a baseball season, but I think the positives this year far outweigh the negatives, and our organization is positioned so much better for the future than it was this time last year.

The general praise continued from the man leading the Orioles' rebuild, though he is quick to recognize the reality of the franchises situation.

Weve got a lot of areas to get better in, I think thats no secret, Elias admitted. But overall we sit back and look around at whats happened in the organization and it was just a very positive year. Got a lot accomplished across the organization...The farm systems taken a huge jump this year. Some of that, obviously, is the draft with the number one pick. But I would argue most of it is what happened with the players that were already in the system. Some player development improvements that we made, the changes and the steps forward the group took. Here at the big league level, look. I mean were still losing games way more than we want to. This is not fun, its not easy to crawl out of.

Elias is right. The Orioles finished 61 games out of first place in 2018. Even with Sundays win, they are currently 50 games behind the Yankees in the AL East in 2019.

This is a huge hole, and a better year than last doesnt mean the Orioles are close to competing. Yet.

While Elias and the rest of the front office appreciate the fan support the team has received in 2019, he knows its all relative to the on-field success of the organization.

I cant ask anyone to embrace losing the way we have. Our record last year was historically bad, this year its not going to be a ton better. Nobody wants to do this. We never want this to happen again, Elias told reporters emphatically. Theres a long way to go, a lot to be done. I think the support has been tremendous. The people coming out here, they love this team. The people of the city love this team, they know that this needs to be done. And Im confident that theyre going to come back, and theyre gonna come back in a big way.

At least one pregame request from Hyde came true Sunday, as he hoped fans would show appreciation for both Chris Davis and Mark Trumbo, two Orioles who have experienced rough years for different reasons.

The Camden Yards faithful responded, showering Davis with thunderous applause after his home run in the seventh inning gave the Os their 2-1 lead. Of course, any player homering in that scenario would receive an ovation. But that doesnt make it any less nice to see it come Davis way.

Hyde also put out a second plea to Orioles fans pregame.

Im asking for everybodys patience. I want fans to feel good about the start of the process, and trust that its going to get better.

The confidence from management has not wavered, and for now, it hasnt wavered from most fans either. If Hyde and Elias are to be believed, even a 100-loss season can signal a positive step forward, and the Orioles firmly believe theyre on the right track.

This time in 2018, the Orioles were a franchise in disarray, with a lame-duck leadership team and a bleak future.

Its hard to believe what a difference a season can make.

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Orioles front office pleased with progress, fan support during trying season - NBCSports.com

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The Patriots didnt have fullback James Develin available for Sundays win over the Jets, so they reached down to their practice squad to bring Jakob Johnson into the lineup.

Johnson played a handful of snaps on special teams and was on the field for kneeldowns at the end of the 30-14 victory, which was a development that would have shocked Patriots head coach Bill Belichick a few months ago. Johnson, who was born in Germany and played at Tennessee, signed with the Patriots through the International Pathway Program and Belichick said Monday that Johnson started out as the 91st player on the roster.

Players in that program get a roster exemption, so Johnson got time to progress and make a positive impression on Belichick. Belichick said Johnsons physicality and toughness showed up in preseason games and the coach said hes continued to make positive strides while on the practice squad.

What hes done has been remarkable and in a relatively short period of time, Belichick said, via WEEI.com. But he works extremely hard. Hes one of the first players here every morning. He studies his notecards. You see him in the dining room just studying notecards, going over his plays. He puts literally every ounce of energy he has into this job and into our team. Hes totally earned everybodys respect for that. Hes a young player. He has a long way to go. There is a lot of room for improvement, but he works very hard at it.

Develins return to health or a shortage of players at another position could cost Johnson his spot on the 53-man roster, but it sounds like Johnsons work ethic should keep him in the mix for a roster spot.

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Bill Belichick: Jakob Johnsons progress has been remarkable - NBCSports.com

DETROIT At spring training, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson shared his goals for the season. He said he planned to be more consistent and disciplined at the plate. He also wanted to commit fewer errors in the field.

Anderson accomplished the first goal and then some, but his defense remains a weak part of his game.

He owns a league-leading .336 batting average, a major improvement from his .240 mark last season. In the fifth inning Saturday, he hit his 18th homer of the season and fourth in September. The Sox have hit at least one home run in 15 of their last 17 games.

But Anderson leads the league in another stat: errors. Despite missing a month because of an ankle injury, Anderson has committed 25 errors, five more than he had in 2018.

Anderson has the tools to be an elite shortstop. His range and athleticism are top notch.

So what gives?

Manager Rick Renteria believes its a matter of staying focused and being committed to completing plays.

Anderson knows he needs to shore up his defense if he wants to be a top-tier shortstop.

Weve got more work to do, Anderson said. This offseason, Im going to continue to work and get better and try to do it all over again.

If Anderson can minimize his errors next season while maintaining his offensive production, could he become the best shortstop in the game?

Yeah, thats possible, Anderson said. I already feel like that.

Renteria believes so, too. The skipper thinks Anderson could be as good as four-time All-Star Francisco Lindor.

My hope for him is we cut those [errors] in half, which would put him in a pretty elite class of shortstops, especially with his offense, Renteria said. Its possible for him to do it, and hes still going to get better.

Eloy making an impression

Theres a lot to appreciate about rookie Eloy Jimenez, who hit his second career grand slam Friday. Along with his fun-loving personality, Jimenez slashed .268/.317/.509 with 29 homers and 75 RBI in 116 games entering Saturday.

But what has impressed Renteria the most has been the way Jimenez has controlled his emotions in the spotlight.

The best way to describe it is hes a young man whos taken the ups and downs of this season and not allowed it to affect him in a grand scheme, Renteria said of the 22-year-old.

Hes continued to do work, hes trying to understand exactly whats going on with him at the plate in terms of how guys are attacking him, and hes continuing to push and persevere.

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White Sox SS Tim Andersons defense continues to be work in progress: Weve got work to do - Chicago Sun-Times

There were 5.5 days suitable for fieldwork during the week ending Sept. 22.

Statewide, the average temperature was 74.4 degrees, 10.2 degrees above normal. Precipitation averaged 0.80 inches, 0.04 inches below normal.

Topsoil moisture supply was rated at 11% very short, 22% short, 59% adequate, and 8% surplus. Subsoil moisture supply was rated at 8% very short, 23% short, 62% adequate, and 7% surplus.

Corn dough was at 97%. Corn dented was at 77%. Corn mature was at 26%. Corn harvested for grain was at 2%, compared to 26% last year and 16% for the five-year average. Corn condition was 4% very poor, 14% poor, 37% fair, 39% good, and 6% excellent.

Soybeans setting pods was at 96%. Soybean coloring was at 53%, compared to 92% last year and 83% for the five-year average. Soybeans dropping leaves was at 14%. Soybean condition was 4% very poor, 14% poor, 39% fair, 36% good, and 7% excellent. Winter wheat planted was at 1%.

Source: USDA, National Agricultural Statistics Service, Heartland Regional Field Office.

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Illinois Crop Progress for week ending Sept. 22 | News - Agri News