Odubel Herrera led off the inning each of the first three times he came to the plate for the Phillies on Friday. The first time he struck out swinging at a breaking ball in the dirt.

But the next two times, he provided a blueprint of how he can become the leadoff hitter the Phillies need. The center fielder finished 2 for 4 with a triple, a single and two of the teams four runs.

After each of his teammates had gone down in order through the first three innings, Herrera led off again in the fourth. The bat stayed on his shoulder as Arizona Diamondbacks lefthander Patrick Corbin pulled ahead 0-2.

This time, Herrera watched the fastball high and away and the slider in the dirt. He fouled off another breaking ball and then pushed the count full.

Finally, he stroked a 3-2 slider to the opposite field for a leadoff triple and later scored on a groundout to second base.

Thats always what I look for. I try to get something going, Herrera said through interpreter Diego Ettedgui. If its an extra-base hit, thats even better. But what I really want to do is get on base.

He did so again in the sixth. By then, the Phillies had tied the game, and Herrera was facing Corbin for a third time. He saw mostly fastballs until another 3-2 slider down in the zone. This time, he smacked a grounder off Corbins mitt and beat out an infield single.

On the bases, Herrera slid into second on a fly ball to the warning track and moved to third, where nobody was covering, on a ground ball there. He scored on Maikel Francos double.

Im actually working on the little things because I know I have to get better on running the bases and stuff like that, Herrera said, crediting help from first-base coach Mickey Morandini and third-base coach Juan Samuel. Thats the idea, to go the extra mile to make something happen.

By the end of that inning, Herrera had seen 17 of Corbins 84 pitches, and the Phillies chased the Diamondbacks starter. Herrera has struggled in the leadoff role, hitting .212 with a .501 OPS in that spot. He said it does not matter to him where he hits. But asked if being trusted with that position gives him confidence, he said, Claro of course.

Herrera came up one more time Friday. With two men on in the seventh, he struck out on three pitches a slider, a fastball and that pesky slider in the dirt again and the Phillies lost, 5-4. Herrera, like the team, is inconsistent. But he showed some progress on Friday.

He needs to keep that discipline, and hes going to have the kind of season that he had when we were in Atlanta, where he was really hitting the ball well, manager Pete Mackanin said. Hell get back there.

Pat Neshek continues to thrive in any role for Phillies Jun 16 - 8:03 PM

Phillies' Aaron Altherr showing progress from last year Jun 16 - 7:44 PM

Diamondbacks rally to beat Phillies, 5-4 Jun 16 - 11:37 PM

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Published: June 17, 2017 3:01 AM EDT

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Herrera is a work in progress as Phillies leadoff hitter - Philly.com - Philly.com

As Lafayette High School seniors prepared to walk across the stage at Kaplan Arena, shake Principal Anita Swintons hand and receive their diplomas, McKayla Mills told her classmates to slow down.

During her remarks at Lafayettes Saturday afternoon ceremony at the College of William and Mary, she told them to not rush into the world.

We need to slow down and savor our careless days, Mills said.

Mills sat onstage with fellow student speaker Kane Hurt, who was also a co-valedictorian. Swinton recognized Hurt and his co-valedictorian Megan Roberts, and the co-salutatorians Brooke Crookston and Kimberly King during the ceremony.

Hurt, who is entering the Naval Academy next fall, told his classmates theyre ready to enter the adult world.

If theres one thing (Lafayette) did teach us, its courage in the little things, every single day, Hurt said.

Before calling names, shaking hands and passing out diplomas, Swinton congratulated the seniors on choosing the path that led to graduation.

You have earned the right to boldly proclaim that you are a graduate of the best high school in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Swinton said. Make sure (you choose) the path that will lead to progress, productivity and success.

Swinton said Lafayette seniors accumulated more than $6 million in scholarships and grants.

Williams can be reached by phone at 757-345-2341.

Total enrollment: 1,162

Class of 2017: 280

Student speakers: Co-Valedictorian Kane Hurt and senior McKayla Mills

Continued here:

Lafayette principal tells graduates to choose path of progress - Virginia Gazette

Conservative author and commentator Ann Coulter criticized President Trump in a series of tweets Friday over what she said is the lack of progress on the border wall.

Coulter used Trumps Friday speech in Miami rolling back Obama rules opening up the U.S. economic relationship with Cuba to criticize the president for not being focused on the United States.

I thought with Trump wed finally have a president helping OUR country. So far: Syria, Saudi Arabia, Israel, Italy, China, N Kor. Today: Cuba, she tweeted.

At least Cubas in our hemisphere, she Tweeted. How long can it be before he gets to America?

At least Cuba's in our hemisphere. How long can it be before Trump gets to America? https://t.co/vTf5osrr15

An early supporter of Trump in the 2016 presidential race, Coulter compared her loyalty to Trump to the way the people of North Korea worship their Dear Leader blind loyalty.

In another Tweet on Friday, Coulter said Anyone in a Southwestern state who strolls to the border & drops a brick will have done more to build the wall than [Trump].

Anyone in a Southwestern state who strolls to the border & drops a brick will have done more to build the wall than @realDonaldTrump.

Today's BORDER WALL CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: Miles completed yesterday--Zero; Miles completed since Inauguration--Zero. NEXT UPDATE TOMORROW.

Coulter cited Trumps calls for the construction of a border wall and immigration restrictions as a major bastion of her support for then Republican nominee Trump.

Despite her early and ardent support for Trump in the 2016 campaign, Coulter has at times signaled her frustrations with his presidency.

In May, Coulter told the Daily Caller that Im not very happy with what has happened so far.

See original here:

Coulter bashes Trump on border wall progress - The Hill

Phillies outfielder Aaron Altherr is approaching the number of at-bats he totaled all of last season, and the difference has been significant.

Altherr began last season on the 60-day disabled list after suffering a torn tendon in his left wrist while diving for a ball in spring training. He underwent surgery on March 9 and didnt make his regular season debut until July 28.

Altherr, 26, hit .197 in 198 at-bats last season. Entering Fridays game against the visiting Arizona Diamondbacks, he was hitting .281 with team highs in both home runs (11) and RBIs (36) in 192 at-bats. He was eighth among National League outfielders with an .897 OPS.

I have been more relaxed at the plate, Altherr said before Fridays game.

He said working with first-year hitting coach Matt Stairs has been a major benefit.

I have a new approach to my swing, said Altherr, who made his Major League debut three years ago Friday, on June 16, 2014, by going 0 for 1 in a pinch-hitting situation against Atlanta.

Its a swing that he has cut down.

It is shorter now, which produces better results, Phillies manager Pete Mackanin said. If he continues staying short to the ball, going right to the ball like he has been doing, he is going to be fine, and I think he will have a heck of a year.

The fact that he has been healthy is the biggest key. The other was that Altherr, with his new swing, saw immediate success in spring training, when he hit .303 with four home runs and 11 RBIs and a .986 OPS in 66 at-bats.

Doing well in spring training helped with my confidence going into the regular season, Altherr said. I am glad I have been able to get such great help from Stairs.

Velasquez update

Righthander Vince Velasquez, who was placed on the disabled list on May 31 with a right flexor strain, is progressing at a moderate pace.

We are not going to rush him, Mackanin said. We want to make sure he is 100 percent.

According to Mackanin, Velasquez threw from 90 feet on Friday and is scheduled for 120 feet on Sunday and a bullpen session on Thursday.

Pitching tidbits

The Phillies wont be dismayed when they miss seeing Arizona righthander Zack Greinke, who is 7-1 with a 2.89 ERA over his last 10 starts. ,.. Against the Phillies, Greinke has a career record of 7-1 with a 2.54 ERA in 10 games, including nine starts. Jerad Eickhoff (0-7, 5.09 ERA) will pitch for the Phillies on Saturday, with Ben Lively (1-1, 3.00) going on Sunday. Arizona will pitch righthander Zack Godley (2-1, 2.44) on Saturday and all-star candidate lefthander Robbie Ray (7-3 2.62) on Sunday. Eickhoffs last win came on Sept. 21, an 8-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox.

Published: June 16, 2017 3:01 AM EDT | Updated: June 16, 2017 7:44 PM EDT

We recently asked you to support our journalism. The response, in a word, is heartening. You have encouraged us in our mission to provide quality news and watchdog journalism. Some of you have even followed through with subscriptions, which is especially gratifying. Our role as an independent, fact-based news organization has never been clearer. And our promise to you is that we will always strive to provide indispensable journalism to our community. Subscriptions are available for home delivery of the print edition and for a digital replica viewable on your mobile device or computer. Subscriptions start as low as 25 per day. We're thankful for your support in every way.

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Phillies' Aaron Altherr showing progress from last year - Philly.com

These mugs have not undergone peer review.

New discoveries are demolishing one of sciences most iconic images: that of man evolving from a knuckle-dragging ape through progressively upright stages to become a trim, spear-carrying hunter. Scientists have long complained that this image is misleading, but recent developmentspaint a completely different picture of our backstory -- one that, unfortunately, doesnt lend itself well to novelty T-shirts.

Scientists are finding that different aspects of human physiology and behavior emerged in different groups living in different parts of Africa over the last 2 million years. Until the last 40,000 years or so, the world accommodated multiple versions of humanity at the same time. Some met. Some mingled.

The evidence is in the fossil records. In April, scientists announced that a small-brained, primitive-looking version of humanity called Homo naledi lived relatively recently -- between 236,000 and 335,000 years ago. Then last week, scientists announced a newly dated cache of fossils that pushes back the origin of our own species, Homo sapiens, to 300,000 years ago -- makingus 100,000 years older than previously thought. Taken together, the two findings showthat these different species overlapped in time.

So instead of a linear progression, as implied by that iconic symbol of Darwinism, human evolution proceeded along many branches. Paleoanthropologist John Hawkslikensit to a river delta with different streams that sometimes peter out and sometimes rejoin.

Consider Neanderthals, long thought to have been a genetic dead end. A few years ago, scientists reading DNA scraped from fossils made the surprising discovery that many living people carry up to 5 percent Neanderthal genetic material. How did it get there? Apparently, Neanderthals diverged from the main human lineage about 400,000 years ago, but when the two met during the last 70,000 years, some mated. Other analyses suggest this kind of mixing happened many times with other kinds of humans that coexisted in Africa.

Last weeks announcement showed there was a long window of opportunity for the mixing to take place. The findings came from human remains discovered at a site called Jebel Irhoud, in Morocco. Dating techniques revealed these people lived around 300,000 years ago. Until now, it had looked like our species originated only 200,000 years ago, in East Africa. But the Jebel Irhoud specimens were not exactly like us. They were distinct from Neanderthals, but their skulls were more elongated than modern humans, suggesting their brains had a more primitive shape. They also had no appreciable chins.

Taken alone, this finding seems to do little more than shift dates and geography, but it becomes a lot more provocative when you look at it along with the news that Homo naledi is so much younger than expected. Scientists had been struggling to pin a date on this newly discovered species, whose remains had turned up in 2013 in a deep cave in South Africa. Homo naledi, after all, was what scientists call primitive, said Hawks, who was on the team making the discovery. Their legs were long; their bodies built for upright walking; their hands agile-looking, as if adapted to making tools -- but their brains were only about a third the size of ours.

But dating techniques revealed a surprisingly young age. Hawks said their lineage probably diverged from ours as early as 2 million years ago, and they somehow hung on, perhaps relatively unchanged, for hundreds of thousands of years. Why they eventually went extinct remains a mystery. Maybe they couldnt compete with an expanding population of Homo sapiens, or maybe it was something else -- a disease, or bad luck.

Its not unusual for many species of the same genus of animal to live at the same time -- multiple species of alligators, ducks, bears and squirrels coexist now. Whether these other branches on the great river delta qualify as human depends on how you define it. The name of our larger taxonomic grouping -- homo -- is Latin for human, and indeed, many species of homo exhibited human characteristics.For example, theres evidence that Neanderthals used pigments, feathers and shells to decorate themselves and make artwork, and they shared with us a distinct anatomy of the vocal tract and inner ear, suggesting they were adapted to speech.

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Similarly,Homo erectus, Homo habilis, Homo ergasterand other homo species left behind complex stone tools and, in some cases, evidence that they had tamed fire. The human qualities of the small-brained Homo naledi are more in dispute, but some argue that the presence of dozens of bodies in a deep cave indicated that they deliberately chose the spot to bury their dead -- a behavior that mayindicate a distinctively human type of symbolic thought.

Their presence shows that there was no imperative for humans to evolve toward modern anatomy and brain size. Different environmental conditions spurred different branches of the human family to evolve in different directions. Today members of our lonely species now look to the cosmos and ask, Are we alone? But until about 40,000 years ago, wed always had company.

This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners.

To contact the author of this story: Faye Flam at fflam1@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Tracy Walsh at twalsh67@bloomberg.net

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Archaeology Marches Away From the 'March of Progress' - Bloomberg - Bloomberg

Phil Steele

One national publication expects the Iowa State football program to show significant progress under second year coach Matt Campbell. Phil Steeles College Football Preview predicts the Cyclones will easily top last years win total of three.

In fact there are five units that rank in my top units in the front of the magazine, said Steele. I think that is the first time I have said that about Iowa State in quite some time.

Jacob Park takes over at quarterback and Steele says with weapons like running backs Mike Warren and David Montgomery along with receiver Allen Lazard, the offense should continue the progress it made in the second half of 2016.

The key will be the development of the offensive line and getting off to a good start in non-conference play.

The schedule is not easy but there are winnable games in there, added Steele. I think three wins will be topped and the big question is can they get to six? The potential is there. Matt Campbell did a great job at Toledo and I think he will continue to do a good job at Iowa State.

Phil Steeles College Football Preview his the newsstand on June 27.

Link:

Significant progress expected for Iowa State - Radio Iowa

June 15, 2017 | :

We dont have any of those students.

Shane Windmeyer

The privilege and ignorance that accompanies this statement is dumbfounding. The notion that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) youth do not exist on a college campus demonstrates real prejudice. And the fact that these words, as well as the biased belief behind it, are still present in the action (or inaction) of faculty, staff and administrators on college campuses across the country is even more disturbing.

As the executive director and founder of Campus Pride, the nations leading nonprofit advocating for LGBT students on college and university campuses, I have witnessed firsthand both the progress made by and challenges facing people striving for LGBT inclusion in higher education for the last 20 years. I have also seen how progress has been limited by factors such as political climate, financial resources, bigoted religious teachings, region of the country, institutional commitment and ultimately campus officials who lack understanding and are unwilling to recognize LGBT youth as part of the community.

During the early 90s, when I went to college in Kansas, I knew all about being invisible and how isolating it was to come out as a gay man. It felt like my whole world was going to end, and yet I found a sense of liberation in the fear. I was lucky in that I had friends and fraternity brothers to stand beside me, as I grappled with my sexuality in those early days.

There were also a few key staff and faculty members who recognized that their job should be to support gay students, similar to how they might support other student populations. As a result of LGBT students coming out in the 90s, my alma mater was among the first in the state of Kansas to have a nondiscrimination statement that included sexual orientation as a protected class. We were also among the early Safe Zone programs to create safe spaces for LGBT students. Indeed, I was fortunate.

Related: We Have Come a Long Way on Racial Issues, But We Have a Long Way to Go

Today the bulk of the work is being carried out by out LGBT students, faculty and staff, who are responsible for their own safety. These individuals often lack resources and are doing the work in addition to their jobs and/or as volunteers.

Some institutions are beginning to pay for LGBT support staff. However, there are currently only 229 campuses that have a dedicated office or resource center for LGBT students, with full-time or part-time paid staff members. And, when it comes to LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination clauses, only 26 percent of campuses nationally prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and less than 16 percent include gender identity and expression.

Last year, Campus Pride published The Shame List, which consists of 104 campuses that applied to the U.S. Department of Education and received Title IX exemptions to openly discriminate against LGBT youth based on anti-LGBT religious beliefs.

To be clear, the bag is mixed for LGBT issues in higher education.

Progress is relative and the challenges depend on the eye of the beholder. When an LGBT student arrives at college, there is no guarantee of a safe, welcoming environment to learn, live and grow. The Campus Pride 2010 State of Higher Education for LGBTQ People study shows that half of all students, faculty and staff hide being LGBT to avoid intimidation on campus.

The region of the country and the type of campus also plays a large role in LGBT progress and the challenges faced by LGBT students, faculty and staff. When you look at LGBT inclusive work that is most visible, it is often successful in more LGBT progressive areas or where there have been significant financial resources to assist with LGBT work. Southern campuses, rural campuses and two-year colleges have uphill battles and often lack the support for necessary LGBT changes.

Related: Expert Panels Lay Out Legal Framework for Michigan Case

I do believe campus officials and the majority of colleges want to be seen as LGBT-friendly. It is not only good for business, but I also believe most youth and their families want to support campuses that celebrate difference and human diversity. This is evident in the 300-plus campuses that openly recruit LGBT students and participate annually in the Campus Pride LGBT-friendly National College Fair program. This number has grown two-fold in the last three years.

In the end, whether or not a campus is successful in improving campus climate for LGBT students really depends on institutional commitment. Remember, it doesnt just get better. We have to do better.

Shane Windmeyer is the executive director and founder of Campus Pride.

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LGBT Inclusion: A Work in Progress - Diverse: Issues in Higher Education

The recent passage of the American Health Care Act through the House of Representatives, though contentious, proves one point definitively: This government is fully capable of making progress when it puts its mind to it.

Now, with meaningful strides being made in such fields as healthcare and tax reform, it's high time lawmakers look ahead to the next major legislative task. And to my mind, there is no system in greater need of reform than the welfare system.

The welfare system has remained largely unchanged since the sweeping bipartisan reforms of 1996 made under former President Bill Clinton, but in the intervening years, we seem to have lost sight of why those reforms were enacted. The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act was meant to transform welfare programs into a temporary safety net that gave impoverished families the help they needed to become self-sufficient again by incentivizing full-time employment and financial literacy.

However, the reality is that our current system discourages, prevents, and blocks any attempt at upward mobility. In the 20 years since the Clinton reforms, federal spending on welfare has tripled, yet poverty rates are almost unchanged. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that there are 5.7 million job openings around the country, yet 6.9 million people remain unemployed. The number of food stamp recipients has ballooned astronomically from 17.2 million in 2000 to 44.2 million in 2016. The nation is spending more than $1 trillion a year on more than 90 federal welfare programs, yet these policies clearly continue to fail the most vulnerable members of our society, leading them into cycles of unemployment and government dependency.

We must take a comprehensive look at means-tested welfare expenditures to figure out what works and what doesn't. Just throwing money at the problem won't solve anything. We need vocational training and job search programs that enable welfare recipients to develop and apply the skills necessary to succeed and thrive in professional environments.

Most importantly, we need to strengthen and reinforce work requirements that get people out of the house and into the labor force. A 2014 study by the American Enterprise Institute found that "Having a job is the surest way out of poverty Welfare programs that incentivize work have been far more successful in boosting incomes and mobility than simple cash assistance programs."

Such solutions work not just in theory but in practice. In Maine, Republican Gov. Paul LePage enacted in 2014 a series of reforms that required all able-bodied adults without dependents (ABAWDs) to hold a job, participate in state-sponsored vocational training, or do community service in order to receive food stamp benefits.

The results were immediate and exemplary: Just three months after the work policy went into effect, the ABAWD caseload in Maine had dropped by a staggering 80 percent, from 13,332 in December to 2,678 in March. This is just one of the many significant successes state governments have seen with their welfare reform initiatives, and there is no reason to believe similar federal policies wouldn't pay the same dividends for the 4.7 million ABAWDs on food stamps nationwide.

It is imperative that our legislators seize this critical moment and do not allow complacency to erode the dedication that has brought them to this point. Congress needs to push forward on legislation like that proposed by Rep. Warren Davidson, R-Ohio, and deliver substantive reform on the national level. The road ahead certainly isn't easy, but lawmakers are now in a prime position to strike while the iron is hot and craft a welfare system that actually raises helpless citizens out of the depths of poverty. The sooner they can start, the better for the poor, for the economy, and for the country.

Adam Brandon (@adam_brandon) is a contributor to the Washington Examiner's Beltway Confidential blog. He is president and CEO of FreedomWorks.

If you would like to write an op-ed for the Washington Examiner, please read ourguidelines on submissions here.

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Let's make real progress on welfare reform - Washington Examiner

Andrew Wulfeck, WTLV 12:35 AM. EDT June 16, 2017

Jacksonville Landing (Photo: Roger Weeder)

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Hours after the owner of the Jacksonville Landing released a letter that warned the retail landmark was at a crossroads for redevelopment, the mayors office responded with a blistering statement identifying Sleiman Enterprises as an obstacle and claimed the Landing suffered from mismanagement.

The Jacksonville Landing has been a landmark in Jacksonville since opening in 1987 and has tried to take part in the conversation concerning the Northbanks redevelopment.

During the spring of 2015, First Coast News reported about the most recent plan by a Georgia-based company to attract more people to The Landing. The plan included apartments to aide in foot traffic at the riverfront property but so far no visible changes have resulted from workshops with the firm.

A complication with any type of redevelopment is that city would need to agree on the terms, sinceSleimanEnterprises owns the buildings at the Landing andthe city owns the land the buildings sit on.

Sleiman Enterprises has argued that a full redevelopment of the Landing is crucial for the retail centers success but says none of the previous plans regarding revitalization have taken place because of lip service by city leaders.

First Coast News reached out to the mayors office statement and received the following response: Since taking office, Mayor Lenny Curry has continued to demonstrate his commitment to the development and improvement of downtown Jacksonville. As a notable and recognized landmark, the Landing should be flourishing and contributing to the areas economic growth and success. The mayor and his administration have met with Mr. Sleiman on several occasions to discuss opportunities and options for improvement. Sleiman Enterprises has demonstrated no interest in our offer and solution. Sleiman Enterprises is the obstacle. It is clear that the Landing is being mismanaged. The Mayor will not ask taxpayers to bail out a mismanaged development. Because there is pending litigation, there is no additional information to provide at this time.- Marsha Oliver, Director, Public Affairs

Full letter by Sleiman Enterprises: Nearly 15 years ago when Sleiman Enterprises bought the Jacksonville Landing, there was all kinds of excitement. While were still excited about Jacksonvilles iconic venues potential, our hands are tied by politics and external forces that dont want progress.

We are now at a critical point in the Landings life cycle. We must either undertake a complete redevelopment of the property or enter into new long-term leases of the current facilities to maintain the Landings economic viability. The two options are incompatible with one another.

We agree with most civic leaders that a complete redevelopment of the Jacksonville Landing is best for our city and for the Landing. However, without the support of the city of Jacksonville, no redevelopment can take place. Since the city owns the land and we lease the building, we must collaborate.

For 15 years, weve worked with the city to try to make the Jacksonville Landing great. While downtown is always an administrative priority, the Landing seems to get more lip service than actual support.That lack of political support is the reason that the original developer, Rouse, sold us the Landing for pennies on the dollar.

Our company, Sleiman Enterprises, has invested more than $1.5 million in past redevelopment efforts. We even supported the city's most recent 2015 redevelopment plans.

In our companys 60 years of history, weve made significant contributions to our local retail industry and economic development. We want to do the same thing at the Landing.

If the public agrees that a full redevelopment of the Jacksonville Landing is best for the city, we ask that people communicate that to their city council representatives. If the city does not get behind redevelopment right away, the opportunity will be lost for another 1015 years because signing new long-term leases will prevent redevelopment.

Sincerely, Toney, Eli and Joe Sleiman, Partners Sleiman Enterprises, Jacksonville

2017 WTLV-TV

WTLV

Great Expectations: The Jacksonville Landing

WTLV

'Science, not silence.' Hundreds gather at Jacksonville Landing for March for Science

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City labels Landing owner as obstacle for progress - First Coast News

The Trump administration released an executive order authorizing the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) to move forward with efforts to permit third partiessuch as industry groups, trade associations, companies, and other nonprofit and for-profit providersto certify Registered Apprenticeship programs. This executive order comes on the heels of former President Barack Obamas unprecedented $265 million investment aimed at developing high-quality Registered Apprenticeship programs, and will seriously undermine recent bipartisan efforts to increase workers access to good, well-paying jobs through apprenticeship.

Apprenticeship is an earn-and-learn training strategy whereby apprentices participate in structured, on-the-job training, while earning a wage. Apprenticeship programs are registered with the DOL, and registration signifies to both workers and employers that the program meets certain standards. The so-called industry-recognized apprenticeships that the Trump administration will create could sidestep long-held labor standards that define Registered Apprenticeship, which is well known for good wages and quality skill development, and is well-regarded by workers, employers, and policymakers alike.

Rather than helping workers access quality, well-paying jobs, President Trumps deeply misguided proposal would make workers vulnerable to low-quality programs that dont offer the skills or wages apprenticeship programs for which apprenticeship programs are known. Indeed, the presidents proposalwhich comes on the heels of his budget proposal that would gut job training programswould make it easier for low-quality providers to access already limited federal funds. Once again, the president is putting the needs of workers last.

Angela Hanks is the associate director for Workforce Development Policy on the Economic Policy team at American Progress.

Read more from the original source:

How Trump's Executive Order Would Undermine Quality Apprenticeship - Center For American Progress

MOSCOW (AP) Russia has made progress fighting soccer racism ahead of next years World Cup, but players, coaches and fans still risk abuse, a new report says.

There were 89 racist and far-right incidents at Russian games in the 2016-17 season, slightly below the two previous seasons, according to Thursdays report by European anti-discrimination group FARE and Russia-based SOVA.

In one case, an African player complained of racist abuse by an opponent during a Russian Premier League game. In another case, a hardline fan group segregated part of a stadium for people of Slavic appearance, the report alleges. Fans of Russian champion Spartak Moscow flew anti-Semitic banners.

The Russian Football Unions disciplinary committee, however, has said it didnt detect a single racist incident in any of the top three divisions this season.

The report comes ahead of the Confederations Cup, starting Saturday, and a year ahead of the World Cup.

The Russian football authorities and the government authorities have realized the way both of these competitions will be tarnished by the fear of racism occurring and theyve taken some quite strong measures, FAREs executive director Piara Powar told The Associated Press in a telephone interview. There still remains the danger of some isolated incidents taking place.

Russian authorities have taken measures to blacklist at least 191 fans from attending sports events, while the RFU ejected an influential fan leader, Alexander Shprygin, from its organization. He was deported twice from France last year following violence around Russias match with England at the European Championship, and has been accused of posting far-right symbols on social media, a charge he denied.

Shprygin was dragged out of a bathroom at an RFU conference in September by police and detained, reportedly in connection with an investigation into fan violence.

FARE says Russia has made some progress, and that it didnt observe monkey chants or openly Nazi flags in any top-flight games this season. However, it warns far-right fans instead fly banners with concealed messages such as runes and number codes used by Nazi and ultranationalist groups.

The RFU punished two clubs in the 2015-16 season for such banners, but didnt pursue any such cases this season something which Powar says indicates it may be turning a blind eye.

That was despite cases of anti-Semitic banners being flown by Spartak fans, including taunts aimed at rival CSKA Moscow, whose club president and then-coach are both Jewish. Another Spartak banner showed a Russian rock singer caricaturized as an Orthodox Jew, accompanied by personal abuse.

CSKA fans also targeted their own coach, Leonid Slutsky now at Englands Hull City with a banner linking his Jewish faith to poor results.

FARE says the number of violent racist incidents fell from five to two last season compared to the year before. There was also no repeat of large-scale violent attacks on foreign fans, such as those which took place between Russian and English fans in Marseille a year ago during the European Championship.

However, there are indications that football-related violence between different ethnic groups in Russia is becoming more entrenched, with fans from Russias largely Muslim regions in the North Caucasus forming fan groups which adopt football hooligans rules and initiate fights with Moscow teams.

In another case last month at a playoff game for a place in the Russian Premier League, one fan group from the Yenisei Krasnoyarsk team issued a statement on social media saying that its sector of the stadium was only available to fans of Slavic appearance.

A member of the group, Artyom Kirillov, suggested the group had been misunderstood. A lot was made up in local media reports of the incident, he told the AP. We are loyal to all Russian citizens.

FIFA said Wednesday that Confederations Cup games will use a three-stage process in the event of fan racism. Referees will first request a public announcement, then suspend the game if the behavior doesnt stop. If racist incidents still persist, they can stop the game.

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Russia making progress on racism before World Cup report - FOXSports.com

DeSmog (blog)

Cities Can Jump-start Climate Progress by Plugging in Their Vehicles DeSmog (blog) President Donald Trump's decision to exit the Paris climate agreement reaffirmed what was already clear: The federal government is no longer leading American efforts to shrink our carbon footprint. But many state and local governments along with ... and more »

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Cities Can Jump-start Climate Progress by Plugging in Their Vehicles - DeSmog (blog)

Senate President Pete Kelly gives a statement on the budget on Thursday. Kelly wants legislative leaders to focus on the budget. (Photo by Andrew Kitchenman/KTOO and Alaska Public Media)

Leaders from both chambers of the Legislature met behind closed doors Thursday as they tried to reach a budget agreement.

But there was little public progress.

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The 30-day special session will end Friday and the House and Senate majorities remained far apart.

Fairbanks Republican Senate President Pete Kelly saidleaders should focus on the budget.

The highest priority we have in the Senate is to avoid a government shutdown and that means we have to pass an operating budget, Kelly said. The consequences of a government shutdown are devastating. A lot of people think it just affects the public sector, but thats not true. Its the private sector as well.

Kelly singled out the states fishing industry as an example of an important business sector likely to be damaged by a shutdown.

Dillingham Democratic House Speaker Bryce Edgmon was in a caucus meeting Thursday afternoon. On Wednesday evening, he said the House majority wanted to reach an agreement on a long-term plan to balance the amount the state government spends with what it receives.

Our caucus has taken a very difficult, but we think appropriate, position in that we want to get a responsible budget in place this year, Edgmon said. We do not want a shutdown. But we also do not want to be back in this situation again next year.

Kelly saidits still possible to reach an agreement tonight and tomorrow.

If that doesnt happen, Gov. Bill Walker is likely to call lawmakers into another special session. The Legislature must pass a budget before July 1 to prevent a shutdown.

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With one day left in special session, little public progress on budget - Alaska Public Radio Network

NBCUniversal, Fox Networks Group and ABC are making progress in the early stages of the annual haggling over upfront advertising sales, according to people familiar with the discussions.

The companies have all begun to sell ad inventory during the period in which U.S. TV networks seek to obtain commitments for the bulk of their commercial inventory for the upcoming season. Executives on both sides of the table caution that talks remain in their nascent stages and that buyers and TV networks continue to wrangle over pricing terms.

The major networks made initial requests for rate increases that buyers say they hope to resist. CBS and NBCUniversal initially sought increases in the cost of reaching 1,000 viewers a metric known as a CPM that is central to these annual talks between TV networks and Madison Avenue in the low double-digit percentage range for primetime inventory, according to people familiar with the talks. Fox and ABC have been seeking CPM hikes in the high-single-digit percentage range for primetime, sources said.

CBS and some cable companies have also begun to sell advance advertising commitments for their schedules. CBS has been asking for mid-to-high single-digit percentage increases, with cable networks working to tuck underneath what executives perceive broadcast networks are getting.

The nations five English-language broadcast networks last year secured between $8.41 billion and $9.25 billion in advance commitments for primetime in the upfront, according to Variety estimates the first time in three years they managed to break the $9 billion mark. The figures, of course, represent indications of advertisers intent to spend, not cold, hard cash. The final numbers typically show up in some form in year-end earnings reports.

Among negotiators, its generally understood that everything is flexible until significant deals are struck. The networks sought to force big rate increases that were quickly rejected by buyers. Everyone came out high with rate increases, said one top media buyer. Theres not a buyer who will stand for that.

The industry remains focused on NBCUniversal. As the company that has so many of TVs top-rated properties Sunday Night Football and This Is Us, for example NBC has a lot of the audience advertisers covet most. NBCU is also selling ads for the Super Bowl, the Winter Olympics and Telemundos broadcasts of the World Cup.

As such, the rates NBCU accepts could influence what sorts of CPM hikes rivals are able to negotiate. There is no clarity on NBCU, and the ceiling they may be setting, said another buying executive. Once that matter is resolved, buyers suggested, the market could move more significantly.

Everyone wants to pay less than a year ago, but the question is how much less, this buyer said.

Fox Networks is seeing early interest in its FX cable network, according to one person familiar with talks and in a suite of new ad products the company unveiled at its May presentation. At that time, Joe Marchese, president of ad revenue for the 21st Century Fox-owned unit, called attention to Open A.P., a joint ad sales venture with Viacom and Turner that helps advertisers cut deals based on targeted audience segments sold across the three conglomerates, as well as promoting new commercial formats for programs offered via VOD.

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NBCUniversal, Fox Networks Group, ABC Make Early Progress in TV's Upfront Market - Variety

New York Times

Officer's Journey to Gay Pride Honoree Marks a Town's Progress New York Times Barney Frank, the former congressman from Massachusetts, at Glen Rock's pride celebration this month. In a town like this, this is a major example of the progress we are making, he said. Credit Fred R. Conrad for The New York Times. Officer Stanislao ...

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Officer's Journey to Gay Pride Honoree Marks a Town's Progress - New York Times

When the Browns drafted DeShone Kizer this past spring, they raved about his arm talent, prototypical size and willingness to learn.

But perhaps most of all, the former Notre Dame quarterback struck Cleveland with an unusual degree of self-awareness not commonly found in a 21-year-old.

One of the things that we found in talking with him was that he had really been self-reflective on some of the things that he wanted to improve upon, executive vice president of football operations Sashi Brown said in April, and hes already working on those things and has been through the offseason. Thats one of the things you want to see in a young quarterback.

That introspection was again on display Wednesday as Kizer spoke publicly for the last time before the Browns break for summer.

When the team returns in late July, hell have a chance to earn the starting quarterback job over veteran teammates Cody Kessler, Brock Osweiler and Kevin Hogan.

Im pretty happy with where I am right now, in the sense that this whole OTA experience and now veteran camp was just an opportunity for me to put myself in a position to potentially compete when it comes training camp time, he said. Once again, Im not in a position to even consider myself in that competition, but now after getting this base and getting the reps I have gotten in the last couple weeks, I think that by the time training camp comes aroundwith a little more work over this month offI'll be ready to compete with these guys and see what I can do.

Kizer, who passed for 5,809 yards and 47 touchdowns in two seasons with the Fighting Irish, took reps with the first-team offense on Day 1 of minicamp as coach Hue Jackson evaluates the roster from top to bottom.

Thats the way its been since OTAs have started. You guys just had an opportunity to see it, so I think the players will tell you nothing has changed, he said. We are just mixing and matching and giving guys opportunities. As I told you, Im going to find out about our guys. Thats what I have to do over these next couple of days before we go to training camp and as we get into training camp.

At his introductory news conference, Kizer spoke of wanting to start as fast as possible. Presented with those comments Wednesday, he shook his head and smiled.

That draft day comment was quickly taken back as soon as I figured out where I need to go, he said laughing. Theres so much that I have to learn. Im still in the same position I was last time we talked, and thats just trying to put myself in the position to compete one day.

I dont know if that day is nowit is up to (the coaching staff) on when they decide to start comparing us, he continued, but for me, its all about learning as much as you can and becoming as comfortable as you can, so that I can compete one day for that starting job.

Read the rest here:

Introspective DeShone Kizer happy with offseason progress, ready to compete at training camp - ClevelandBrowns.com

Facebook researchers say they have made progress in training chatbots to negotiate.

The social networking giant's Facebook AI Research (FAIR) group published a paper to show how bots can be used to plan ahead in a conversation and adapt negotiation strategies.

Facebook's overall goal is to create chatbots that can reason, converse, and negotiate so its personal assistant can compete with rivals such as Google (Google Assistant), Amazon (Alexa), Apple (Siri) and Microsoft (Cortana) to name just a few.

How to Implement AI and Machine Learning

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In a blog post, Facebook noted that chatbots can hold short conversations and carry out simple tasks. But meaningful conversations is a challenge because the chatbot has to combine its knowledge of the world while understanding the conversation.

Facebook, which open sourced its code and published a paper, is hoping the research leads to better negotiations, intelligent compromises and novel sentences. Facebook, which in April rolled out a limited version of its bot, noted:

In order to train negotiation agents and conduct large-scale quantitative evaluations, the FAIR team crowdsourced a collection of negotiations between pairs of people. The individuals were shown a collection of objects and a value for each, and asked to agree how to divide the objects between them. The researchers then trained a recurrent neural network to negotiate by teaching it to imitate people's actions. At any point in a dialog, the model tries to guess what a human would say in that situation.

Unlike previous work on goal-orientated dialog, the models were trained "end to end" purely from the language and decisions that humans made, meaning that the approach can easily be adapted to other tasks.

Read also: MasterCard sees Facebook Messenger as a commerce, bot vehicle for Masterpass

Facebook's chatbot paper lands just as some analysts are questioning whether the company's AI efforts are actually making it into products. For instance, Edison Investment Research analyst Richard Windsor said in a research note that Facebook's digital assistant lacks AI in production. Windsor said:

Facebook M has been in beta for over 18 months and has comprised of a combination of automated responses and human interactions where the vast majority of the tasks have been carried out by humans. The problem with using humans of Digital Life services is that it is very expensive to scale the service for 2 billion users especially when the service will be funded by advertising. This why Facebook is working as quickly as it can to develop its in house expertise and while it remains a laggard in AI, it has shown some progress.

For example, at its developer conference, it showed some good progress on machine vision enabling its apps to recognize the world they can see through the smartphone camera. It also made Facebook M available to US users and most recently in Spanish to users in Mexico and US.

However, what has gone live is only a small part of the grand plans that were announced in 2015 which had an always on, all knowing bot with which the user could do almost anything.

In a nutshell, Facebook's research team is working toward that do-it-all bot, but it has some work to do.

See the article here:

Facebook researchers progress on teaching AI chatbots to negotiate - ZDNet

June 13, 2017 by Chris Gebhardt

Roscosmos has launched the Progress MS-06 resupply mission to the International Space Station. Liftoff occurred at 15:20:13 local time (05:20:13 EDT) from the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on Wednesday, 14 June 2017 with docking following on Friday. This mission was tomark the first time a major element of the ISS will be deorbited. However, the Pirs docking compartment removal has been delayed to next year.

Progress MS-06 launch preparations:

Given the launch campaigns of late for Roscosmos to the International Space Station, processing of the MS-06 Progress mission has been relatively uneventful and quite smooth.

In all, Progress MS-06 is the 158th Progress mission since the program began in 1978 for resupply efforts of the Salyut 6 space station and the 69th Progress mission to the ISS, counting the two Progress flights that were not designated as resupply missions because they delivered module elements to the Station.

One of those two Progress non-resupply flights occurred in 2001, when a modified Progress delivered the Pirs docking compartment to ISS.

Including this launch, 69 Progress missions have launched to ISS to date, with Progress MS-06 (or Progress 67 as it is known to NASA) the 66th attempt of a Progress family vehicle to successfully reach the Station, following the Progress 44 launch failure in August 2011, the Progress 59 launch mishap in April 2015, and the Progress 65 launch failure in December 2016.

Following retirement of the Soyuz-U carry a rocket in February, Progress MS-06 as a few previous Progress missions have utilized the Soyuz-2.1a rocket for lift off.

Following various construction milestones, system checkouts, and cargo loading, the Progress MS-06 vehicle was fueled with its propellants and compressed gases at the filling station at Baikonur on 31 May 2017.

After fueling operations were complete, technicians transferred the vehicle to the Spacecraft Assembly and Testing Facility (SC ATF), where was installed onto the assembly jig for final pre-launch processing.

In the SC ATF, engineers successfully mated Progress MS-06 to its support structure mount that will allow it to ride safely atop the third stage of the Soyuz 2.1a rocket.

Following the Designers Inspection, which clears the way for final launch processing, Progress was encapsulated into its payload fairing on 7 June.

On 9 June, engineers transported the encapsulated Progress to the Launch Vehicle Integration and Test Facility (LV ITF), where Progress was mated atop its Soyuz rocket.

The entire vehicle rolled out to launch pad 31/6 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan via rail transport on 11 June.

Progress MS-06 launched at 09:20:13 GMT (05:20:13 EDT 15:20:13 local time at Baikonur) on Wednesday, 14 June 2017.

After an 8 minute 45 second ascent, the Soyuz-2.1a rocket delivered Progress MS-06 into its initial orbit to begin a two-day, 34 orbit rendezvous with the ISS.

At the time of writing, NASASpaceflight.com has not been able to confirm why Progress MS-06 is conducting a two-day rendezvous instead of the fast track, four orbit docking profile used again since earlier this year after confirmation that the new ground communications tracking center at the Vostochny Cosmodrome was completed.

Most likely, however, the two-day rendezvous is part of an overall effect of crew compliment reduction on the ISS now that the number of people onboard Station has been reduced to three for the next two months.

MS-06 and the two-day ISS rendezvous:

Once Progress MS-06 is deposited into its initial orbit, the vehicle will perform primary health checks with the Vostochny Cosmodrome in eastern Russia before passing out over the Pacific.

If all is well aboard Progress, the vehicle will perform its first orbit raising maneuver, the DV1 burn, at 08:53:03 EDT (12:53:03 GMT) on 14 June.

The DV2 burn will follow shortly thereafter at 09:31:30 EDT (13:31:30 GMT).

The two burns will cumulatively change Progress MS-06s velocity by 62.03 m/s and raise and circularize Progress orbit to better match that of the International Space Stations.

A third burn, DV3, will follow on Thursday morning at 06:55:09 EDT (10:55:09 GMT) and will finalize Progress orbit via a delta-V shift of 4.00 m/s.

On Friday morning, docking operations will commence when the SCAN S-bd / C2V2 / HTV PROX / Cygnus PROX / Cygnus S-bd GS / Dragon S-bd GS rendezvous systems of the USOS (United States Operating Segment) are taken to inhibit to prevent any interference with Progress automated docking system and its communication with the RS (Russian Segment) of the ISS.

Inhibiting those systems will occur at 01:20 EDT (05:20 GMT) on 16 June while Progress MS-06 is 2,700 km from Station.

Progress will then initiate its automated docking sequence three hours later at 05:19:06 EDT (09:19:06 GMT), with the Impulse 1 burn of 15.147 m/s at 05:42:44 EDT.

Impulse 1 will change Progress trajectory to prepare the craft for proximity ops with ISS and to begin aligning it properly for the flyaround maneuver late in the approach timeline.

Further preparations on Station will continue with the handoff from the USOS Motion Control System (MCS) to the RS MCS at 05:54 EDT.

Impulse 2, delta-V: 1.575 m/s, from Progress will follow at 06:04:13 EDT (10:04:13 GMT).

The ISSs three person crew will then activate the Zvezda Service Modules (SMs) Kurs-P communication system at 06:07 EDT, followed by activation of the Kurs-NA system on Progress at 06:08 EDT.

Progress will then perform the Impulse 3 burn (delta-V: 25.01 m/s) at 06:27:11 EDT (10:27:11 GMT).

The SMs Kurs-P system will begin tracking Progress range from the ISS when the two craft are separated by 45 km which should occur at 06:37 EDT.

A final Kurs system communications check between the ISS and Progress MS-06 will follow at 06:50 EDT once Progress has closed to 15 km.

The SMs VHF-2 transmitter will be activated at 06:55:46 EDT for TORU (Teleoperated Mode of Control) command link when Progress is 9 km from ISS, with Progress VHF receiver turned on at 07:05:56 EDT for TORU command link at a range of 3 km from Station.

TORU is the backup, manual docking system that Fyodor Yurchikhin, Expedition 51 Commander, will use to dock Progress MS-06 to the Station should the crafts or Stations automated Kurs docking system fail.

Progress will then perform the Impulse 4 maneuver, imparting a delta-V shift of 5.396 m/s at 07:07:37 EDT (11:07:37 GMT).

TORU command link test between ISS and Progress will follow seconds later at 07:07:56 EDT.

The ballistic targeting point will be established at 07:09 EDT.

Impulse 5 is scheduled for 07:11:59 EDT, altering Progress speed by 5.633 m/s, followed by Impulse 6 (delta-V: 1.564 m/s) at 07:14:58 EDT.

Progress will then begin its flyaround maneuver of the ISS to align itself with the aft docking port of the Zvezda SM at 07:17:43 EDT (11:17:43 GMT).

The flyaround will end at 07:26:44 EDT, at which point Progress MS-06 will perform stationkeeping (maintaining relative position with Station) as the crew and Mission Control Moscow review all data points from MS-06 and verify its alignment with SMs aft docking port.

Under the pre-established timeline, Progress MS-06 will pulse its thrusters at 07:32:21 EDT (11:32:21 GMT) to begin the final 10 minute 9 second approach sequence.

Using its onboard computers, automated docking systems, and navigational aides, Progress MS-06 will guide itself to a planned docking at 07:42:30 EDT (11:42:30 GMT).

At the moment of docking, the RS of the Station will inhibit ISSs attitude control, placing the Station in free drift to help equalize dispersions between Progress and the ISS created by the energy of Progress contact with the docking mechanism.

Those dispersions should dissipate in time for all the hooks on Progress to drive into the ISS at 07:56 EDT creating a hard dock between the two craft.

The ISS will then be taken out of free drift and will reorient to its nominal attitude before the RS hands back motion control to the USOS at 08:35 EDT.

Eventual farewell to Pirs, preparing for the MLM Nauka lab:

While Progress MS-06 will dock to the International Space Station on the aft end of the Zvezda Service Module, the original plan was for the vehicle not spend all of its time at the ISS at that port.

Once Progress 2,398 kg (5,286 lb) of payload which consists of crew supplies, equipment and several satellites, two of which were built by schoolchildren hadbeen removed and the Stations disposal equipment packed inside, the ISS crew was to close and seal the hatches between Progress MS-06 and the Station and prepare it for undocking.

The original plan called for the vehicle to be undocked from the aft portion of this Zvezda Service Module and re-dock over the course of a couple of hours to the Progress docking port on the Pirs docking compartment.

However, this redock plan has been moved to a later flight, namely Progress MS-09 at the end of 2018.

The maneuverrelates to the plan to remove the Pirs module from ISS in order to make room for the MLM (Multipurpose Laboratory Module) Nauka for Russia, which has been heavily delayed the latest delay relating to a contamination concern.

Nauka Russias primary research lab for the Station requires the docking port Pirs is currently using.

Nauka is tentatively scheduled to launch in 2018 aboard a Proton-M rocket.

Pirs itself was delivered to ISS in 2001 via a modified Progress vehicle and is currently attached to the nadir port of Zvezda.

For its eventual removal, the now-future Progress will begin a process that no other spacecraft has yet performed the removal for destructive deorbit of a permanent module of the International Space Station.

At the end of its mission, the future Progress mission will pulse its thrusters, while keeping its docking clamps firmly latched onto Pirs, and will pull the docking compartment away from the International Space Station.

In this manner, Pirs itself will undock from the Station, with Progress acting more like a tugboat to safely maneuver the module away from the vicinity of the ISS.

Progress will then maneuver, with Pirs still attached, toward a destructive reentry into Earths atmosphere that will see the first major element of the International Space Station deorbited.

The reason Roscosmos has chosen to remove Pirs from the Station has nothing to do with the compartments overall life expectancy, usefulness, or performance.

It was entirely related to making room for the much-delayed MLM.

(Images: Roscosmos, NASA)

Link:

Progress MS-06 launches; mission to remove Pirs module delayed - NASASpaceflight.com

Business deals gone wrong

In 2006, President Donald Trump and Los Angeles-based real-estate development company Irongate announced plans to develop a Trump-branded resort in northern Baja, Mexico, to be called Trump Ocean Resort Baja Mexico. Trump and the developers spent two years marketing the resort and selling units. In short order, more than 80 percent of the condo units were sold, collecting a total of $32.5 million in buyer deposits. However, the resort was never built, although the Trump Organization still reportedly collected $500,000 in licensing fees.

As the Los Angeles Times reported, every bit of [the deposits was] spent by the time Trump and his partners abandoned the project in early 2009 as the global economy was reeling. As a result, many of the condo buyers sued Trump and his partners for fraud, with most of them accusing Trump and two of his adult children, Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr., of duping them into believing that Trump was one of the developers, giving them the confidence that it was safe to buy unbuilt property in Mexico, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The Trumps have denied any wrongdoing, and in 2013, they settled the fraud lawsuit against them, the terms of which are confidential. Trump Organization Chief Legal Officer Alan Garten called claims that buyers were deceived Categorically untrue. For their part of the fraud suit, the developers agreed to pay condo buyers at least $7.25 million and likewise admitted no wrongdoing.

Related to this failed resort, in October 2016, a Mexican government official and former congressman, Jaime Martnez Veloz, filed a criminal tax fraud complaint with the Mexican federal government against Trump and the Baja resort developers. The complaint alleges that Trump and his partners avoided paying Mexican taxes on their $32.5 million predevelopment sales revenue.

In January 2017, on the same day President Trump signed an order to speed up the U.S.-Mexico border wall construction, Reuters reported that Martnez broadened the complaint to include allegations that Trump violated Mexican law by, as a foreigner, seeking to buy property within 31 miles (50 km) of the U.S. border to develop the Trump Ocean Resort Baja project and to question whether Trump was issued a visa in relation with the project, in compliance with Mexican immigration laws. Mexicos attorney generals office confirmed that it was investigating the complaint, and neither the Trump Organization nor the White House responded to Reuters requests for comment.

In another deal, this one in 2007, Trump signed an agreement with Mexican businessmen Pedro Rodriguez and Rodolfo Rosas Moya to bring the Miss Universe pageant to Mexico. The business arrangement was worth millions of dollars, but Trump claimed that he was not fully paid according to the agreement, believing he was owed $12 million. Trump reportedly sued Rosas Moya and won but was unable to recoup the lost cash, which has been a source of considerable anger for him.

In 2015, in a series of tweets, Trump noted, The Mexican legal system is corrupt, as is much of Mexico. Pay me the money that is owed me nowand stop sending criminals over our border. In addition, Trump called on people: Dont do business with Mexico! As reported by the Daily Beast, [Trump] seemed to connect his own legal problems with his desire to build a giant barrier between the United States and Mexico, writing Mexicos court system corrupt. I want nothing to do with Mexico other than to build an impenetrable WALL and stop them from ripping off U.S.

This interactive map of the world spells out President Donald Trumps and his familys conflicts of interest in 25 countries around the globe.

In February 2016, on the same day that Trump gave a speech at a campaign rally in South Carolina in which he excoriated Mexico for the loss of American jobs and businesses, a law firm in Mexico City filed trademark applications on behalf of the Trump Organization. In October 2016, the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property approved one of the trademarks, and about a month after Trumps inauguration, it approved three more trademarks. According to reporting by the Associated Press, The Mexican trademarks cover a broad range of business operations that can roughly be broken down into construction; construction materials; hotels, hospitality and tourism; and real estate, financial services and insurance. They are all valid through 2026.

Trump previously held the same four trademarks, but those expired in 2015, and in total, Trump has at least 20 trademarks in Mexico. In speaking with the Associated Press about the trademarks, Trump Organization chief counsel Alan Garten said that the Trump Organization was not being granted anything we didnt have before, as the original trademarks came years before [Trump] even announced his candidacy. Garten went on to say that the trademarks, which were originally intended to pave the way for business in the country and to prevent others from trademarking the name and using it for their own gain, are now purely for the latter defensive purpose.

According to both Trumps July 2015 and May 2016 financial disclosure formsneither of which were verified by regulators and therefore may not include all of his foreign deals or assetsTrump owned, had ownership interest in, or was a managing member of several companies related to business in Mexico, including the following:

Mexico demonstrates that, again, because of Trumps many conflicts, his foreign policy views and positions continue to be influenced by his business interests. President Trump seems to want to build a wall on the U.S. border with Mexico at least in part because he believes that he is owed money. The fact that such a wall would be wildly impractical, cost tens of billions of dollars, and potentially spark a trade war that could cause the loss of thousands of American jobs doesnt seem to register with him even as an afterthought.

Carolyn Kenney is a policy analyst on the National Security and International Policy team at the Center for American Progress. John Norris is a senior fellow at the Center.

Excerpt from:

Trump's Conflicts of Interest in Mexico - Center For American Progress

BLOOMINGTON Its been in development for six months, but the proposed Jefferson Street Community House will officially open Friday as a work in progress, said the director of resource development and community engagement for Mid Central Community Action.

A grand opening event for the joint project among the Bloomington Police Department, Community Action, and the West Bloomington Housing Collaborative is scheduled from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday, said Matthew Drat.

When we talk about it being a work in progress, we mean two things, he said. First, we still have to make the house ADA compliant. We have to finish the restroom and we will be installing a ramp. So, there is still work to be done. But more importantly, it is another step toward working with the neighborhood to improve the community as a whole and we think we have seen great strides in that during the last six months.

We are very happy that the house is open and it will serve and strengthen our community relations with people at a neighborhood level, said Bloomington Police Chief Brendan Heffner. We will be there to hear issues and concerns and to focus on crime prevention by speaking to neighbors on a regular basis so the neighborhood kids can see us in an everyday, human light.

Bloomington Mayor Tari Renner said the house will serve the purpose for which city officials intended.

This will prove to be an exciting project and asset to the west side, Renner said. I think it will do really great things to improve our relationship between our police and the neighborhood. Its a form of community policing and everybody gets to know everybody.

To help alleviate those concerns, the Jefferson Street Community House Advisory Council was formed. The group included a number of neighbors who provided input on the project.

We learned a great deal from that and much more than just what the house should be for the community, Drat said. We learned from neighbors about their needs for transportation and health care and the everyday problems they face. There are individuals who live and work in the community and they need to have their voice heard and so already, through this project, I think we have accomplished that and will continue to hear those voices as we go forward.

While several neighbors originally opposed the project, others said they think the mood has changed since the project was originally announced.

I think some people jumped to some conclusions and thought it was going to be different than what it turns out it is going to be, said Millie McMillian, who lives in the 600 block of West Jefferson. There were worries that the police were going to be jailing people there, but from what I hear, its just going to be a place for community events and neighbors to interact with police officers.

Fridays event is open to the public and will have games, youth activities and food, Drat said.

Follow Kevin Barlow on Twitter: @pg_barlow

Continue reading here:

Community House opening as 'work in progress' - Bloomington Pantagraph