GREENSBORO Guilford County Schools has made measurable progress on many different fronts over the last three years but not much when it comes to increasing the overall percentage of students scoring proficient or advanced on end-of-grade or course tests.

On Monday, the administration released its annual report on the progress made toward strategic goals. Officials have been working toward the 2016 goals since 2013.

Among the highlights, the district:

The district is also hovering within striking distance of its 2016 goal of 90 percent of students graduating from high school in four years. The graduation rate is 89.4 percent a district record up from 86.2 in 2012-13.

However, the report showed the district made what it called good progress on only one of its 12 End of Course or End of Grade proficiency goals. Specifically, the percentage of students scoring at college- and career-ready levels on end-of-grade tests in fifth- and eighth-grade science.

Since 2013-14 thats increased from nearly 50 percent of students scoring at advanced levels to nearly 58 percent still short of the 61.6 percent goal the district wanted.

On another goal, the district came up short. Grade-level proficiency in third through eighth grade reading has stayed right around 52 percent for the last three years despite a goal of 66.5 percent.

Today, our schools fall on a spectrum, with some excelling beyond state and national standards and others still struggling, Contreras, the districts new leader, wrote in her introduction to the report.

Interestingly, district leaders did point to progress on end-of-year tests but by a different measure. Proficiency which the state stresses measures the percentage of students scoring at grade level or at college and career levels on end-of-grade tests. But tests can also measure how much schools increase individual students knowledge and capabilities in a given year.

Thats known as growth and theres currently a raging battle in education circles about the relative merits of proficiency versus growth.

By using growth as a measurement, though, the district is succeeding. According to the report, almost 83 percent of all schools met or exceeded their expected growth in 2016. Thats up from about 80 percent of schools in 2015. Its also above the state average of 73.6 percent.

Reached by phone Monday, Contreras said the state emphasizes proficiency over student growth in how it evaluates schools and districts. Thats not her preference. She thinks measuring how much progress schools make in educating each student is a fairer method.

However, 80 percent of a schools letter grade from the state comes from proficiency and 20 percent from student growth.

I disagree with that, she said.

Asked whether the district is likely to keep the same goals for EOC and EOG tests given that they werent met Contreras said its premature for her to say. Shell make decisions about the next round of goals in cooperation with the countys board of education.

She said she and other district leaders are proud of where progress has been made. In addition to academic measures like the number of students taking or passing a college course, she pointed to a major increase in the number of students earning a service-learning certificate for the work theyve done in high school.

The district also blew away a goal for decreasing out-of-school suspensions. The goal was to decrease suspensions by 10 percent from the 2011-12 school year to 2015-2016. Instead, the number decreased by about 22 percent.

Contact Jessie Pounds at (336) 373-7002 and follow @JessiePounds on Twitter.

Continue reading here:

Guilford Schools annual report shows mixed results on progress - Greensboro News & Record (blog)

Ionis Pharmaceuticals will receive a $75 development milestone payment from Bayer, relating to the continued clinical development of the antisense drug IONIS-FXIRx and the start of a clinical program for a second antisense candidate, IONIS-FXI-LRx. Ionis says it plans to start a Phase IIb study with IONIS-FXIRX in patients with end-stage renal disease who are on hemodialysis. "We recently completed a Phase II study in patients with end-stage renal disease on hemodialysis, in which IONIS-FXIRxdemonstrated robust reductions in Factor XI activity and no treatment-related major bleeding, " stated B. Lynne Parshall, COO at Ionis Pharmaceuticals. The firm will also take IONIS-FXI-LRx through Phase I development. Under terms of the agreement with Bayer, once these studies have been carried out, and if Bayer decides to progress the programs, the German drugs giant will take over responsibility for all global development, regulatory, and commercialization activities for both drugs. Ionis will be eligible for development milestones, plus tiered royalties up to the high 20% range, on gross margins of both drugs combined.

IONIS-FXIRx and IONIS-FXI-LRx are antisense drugs designed to reduce the production of Factor XI. IONIS-FXI-LRx has been developed using Ioniss Ligand Conjugated Antisense (LICA) platform. We are pleased that Bayer has decided to expand our collaboration and initiate development of a LICA antisense drug targeting Factor XI," Parshall added. "Our LICA technology enables flexible, low, and infrequent doses and dose regimens, which may be preferred for a drug targeting broad indications."

Earlier this month Ionis earned a $5 million milestone payment from partner Biogen following the validation of a neurological disease target. Biogen and Ionis have a broad drug development collaboration in the field of neurological disorders. In December 2016, the FDA approved the firms' antisense drug SpinrazaTM for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy in pediatric and adult patients. During January of this year, Novartis agreed to a potentially $1B global option and collaboration agreement to develop the Ionis subsidiary Akcea Therapeutics's cardiovascular disease candidates AKCEA-APO(a)-LRx and AKCEA-APOCIII-LRx.

See original here:

Ionis Earns $75M Milestone from Bayer for Progress of Antisense Drug Program - Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News (press release)

For decades, the Department of Justice has been a key ally in protecting our most fundamental rights including voting rights, anti-discrimination protections, and due process.

As Attorney General Jeff SessionsJeff SessionsWith Flynn leaks, the White House shadow warriors draw first blood In civil liberties fight, never say never Chicago mayor visits White House to meet with Trump aides MORE takes the helm of the Justice Department, the civil rights community watches with great concern the impact his leadership will have on these very issues.

Prior to becoming attorney general, Jeff Sessions built a political career on staunch opposition to immigration reform, voting rights, LGBT protections, and womens rights. Sessions' views are clearly consistent with the anti-immigrant Trump movement, and he now has one of the most powerful platforms to make his vision a reality.

If the last twenty years in the Senate are any indication of how Sessions will run the Justice Department, the results for civil rights could be disastrous. Just within the last month of the Trump presidency, we have seen the administration target immigrant communities in an unprecedented way.

President Trumps executive orders on immigration have put a religious litmus test on immigrants from parts of the Muslim world, and his threat to punish sanctuary cities is an effort to dismantle the trust between the immigrant community and local law enforcement.

Given the attorney general often has a broad mandate over how the law is enforced, Sessions could begin to push his draconian vision of immigration reform to courtrooms and law enforcement agencies across the country.

Armed with President Trumps executive order that ramps up immigration enforcement and targets municipalities that refuse to cooperate with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Sessions already has the legal mechanisms in place to destroy the way of life for undocumented immigrants currently living in the country.

Specifically, Attorney General Sessions may attempt to take legal action against sanctuary cities in an effort to force them to effectively serve as immigration agents. Civil rights advocates are concerned that he will attempt to control immigration courts by limiting access to legal counsel programs and accelerating the immigration court backlog, which would dramatically increase the number of deportations.

If that happens, immigrant families will be torn apart and the good faith relationship that presently exists between immigrants and law enforcement will be finished, making our communities less safe.

The immigration raids that began last week across the country are the latest example in this administrations aggressive enforcement tactics.

From California to Georgia, hundreds of immigrants were detained.

Although the Trump administration has spoken of targeting only criminal immigrants, many of those apprehended were hardworking individuals who were here providing for their families. These immigrants may be some of the first victims of the Trump administration, and with Attorney General Sessions in charge of the enforcement of the law; we can expect things to get much worse.

Civil rights organizations like LULAC have stood against such anti-American policies in the past and we will continue to do so.

In fact, LULAC pledges to work with all civil rights organizations in an effort to call attention to the Trump administration's unlawful actions and make every effort to protect minority communities.

Brent Wilkes is the executive director of the League of Latin American Citizens, which advocates for the political, economic and educational rights of Hispanic Americas. Follow him on Twitter@BrentWilkes. Follow LULAC on Twitter @LULAC

The views expressed by contributors are their own and are not the views of The Hill.

See the rest here:

Jeff Sessions' appointment threatens decades of civil rights progress - The Hill (blog)

Forbes

How Travel Bans Can Impede America's Progress - Forbes Forbes While President Trump's travel ban was recently rejected by the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, there is ongoing concern that reinstatement of such a ban could ... and more »

Read more here:

How Travel Bans Can Impede America's Progress - Forbes - Forbes

New York Times

North Korea Claims Progress on Long-Range Goal With Missile Test New York Times SEOUL, South Korea North Korea said on Monday that it had successfully tested a new nuclear-capable intermediate-range ballistic missile, claiming important progress in being able to strike its enemies with long-range missiles tipped with nuclear ... North Korea trumpets missile tech progressNikkei Asian Review all 1,870 news articles »

Link:

North Korea Claims Progress on Long-Range Goal With Missile Test - New York Times

Progress Made, but Threat Lingers at California's Oroville Dam Wall Street Journal Tens of thousands of people living in the downstream area of Oroville Dam, in northern California, have been ordered to evacuate after an auxiliary spillway appeared in danger of failure. Photo: Josh F.W. Cook/Office of Assemblyman Brian Dahle/AP. By. and more »

Read more here:

Progress Made, but Threat Lingers at California's Oroville Dam - Wall Street Journal

Set aside Adele splitting her Grammy like Solomon; forget, for a moment, all the pre-ceremony analysis about the awards fraught history with race and taste and tradition. Based solely on the performances last night, viewers would need to be arguing about Adele vs. Beyoncits hard to think of a more meaningful distinction in popular music than the one between them.

Adele performed twice on darkened stages where the focus could be on nothing other than her singing. For her George Michael tribute, she flubbed some notes and started again, because otherwise what would the point have been? Beyonc meanwhile offered a floral golden swirl of performance art and video wizardry and spoken word, with holographic and real bodies evoking da Vincis Last Supper. Some people will worship it, and some people will mock it; either way, sans sound, Beyonces performance could survive as gifs and memes and mashup videos. Adeles meanwhile could be ripped to MP3 and lose nothing for lack of images.

The Biggest Moments From the 2017 Grammys

Adeles song-no-dance routine, while often impressive, creates less entertaining TV and less daring art than Beyoncs audiovisual spectacles do. But the Grammys have made clear which it considers the better approach to music. Adele won all five Grammys for which she was nominated, including the three big awards where she competed with Beyonc: Album of the Year, Record of the Year, Song of the Year. This extends a sweep of every category in which shes been nominated since 2011, resulting in a total of 15 Grammys.

If Adeles dominance seems unseemly to you, Adele sympathizes. Accepting Album of the Year with her team of producers and co-writers, she tearfully offered thanks and then pivoted: I cant possibly accept this award My artist of my life is Beyonc. Addressing Beyonc in the audience directly, Adele said that Lemonade was so monumental and so well thought-out and so beautiful, and that the way you make me and my friends feel, the way you make my black friends feel, is empowering. At the end, she broke her Grammy statue in twopresumably to split it with her idol.

Debates will now unfold about the optics of the moment, Adeles manners, the awkwardness of mentioning her black friends, and the parallels with Macklemores apology after beating Kendrick Lamar at the Grammys. But Adeles sincerity burns brightlyjust try to be cynical about her backstage testimony of being a Beyonc stan since she was 11 years old and now wondering what the fuck does [Beyonc] have to do to win Album of the Year?

Good question. A follow-up to the megaton musical engine 21, Adeles comparatively restrained 25 was a strong display of ability from a powerful singer; it sold well but got mixed reviews. As an artistic statement, Lemonade smokes it. Its not just that Beyoncs album had a fully realized video component; its not just that it played with juicy tabloid rumors; its that it told a story as it alchemized disparate sounds for seriously entertaining songs that no one but Beyonce could have made. It said something about its creator and its world, and it pushed at the boundaries of pop. It was progress.

But the Grammys arent, in the end, interested in progress. Adele could have pulled off last nights performances basically in any decade of the Grammys existence. Last years Album of the Year winner, Taylor Swifts 1989, was explicitly retro; Beck beat Beyonc in 2015 with a collection of folk rock that needed no timestamp; the only black artists to have won the Album of the Year prize in the last 14 years were septuagenarians performing covers.

Beyoncs display at last nights Grammys, by contrast, needed the now. Thats not only in a technological sense (I wasnt sure what was real and what was fakewere you?) but also an aesthetic and political one. Her forthright celebration of black sisterhood and maternity, her references to contemporary art, and, yes, her musicthe synth tapestry of Love Drought especiallyall reflect the moment. So does the notion of a singer who does more than sing, who disregards traditional notions of musical respectabilitythe ideal of a woman in a gown standing alone and beltingfor a broader sense of the mediums potential.

Black artists from Prince to Michael Jackson to Kanye West have been on the forefront of this sort of expansion of what pop music means. Maybe that fact has something to do with why they have mostly fared poorly in the Grammys general categories over the years even as they have served up exactly the kind of performances that make the Grammys worth watching at all. Or maybe its just a deeper sort of bias: With only three black women ever winning Album of the Year (Lauryn Hill, Natalie Cole, Whitney Houston), little in Grammys history suggests a non-white Adele would have the success of this white one. Beyoncs one televised win last night was for Best Urban Contemporary Albumfounded in 2013 surely to include more artists of color, but with the effect of highlighting how they are sidelined in the general categories.

The awards success of traditionalists like Adele, ultimately, comes across as a rejection of the forward thinkers, a rejection that stings especially when it fits a clear pattern of excluding black visionaries. Its not as if old-fashioned singers need the Grammys to defend them: 25 has moved more than 10 million copies, while Lemonade sales and streams figured out to 2.1 million units in 2016. Surely change is necessary when even the avatar of tradition, Adele, knows somethings amiss. By saluting Beyonc on stage, she joins a trend with Frank Ocean, Kanye West, and other influential stars pointing out how strange it is that the Grammys judgement of the best in music, year after year, looks about the same.

Go here to read the rest:

Adele, Beyonc, and the Grammys' Fear of Progress - The Atlantic

The team owned by IndyCar icon AJ Foyt has undergone a bigger change in the 2016/17 offseason than any of its rivals, switching from Honda to Chevrolet engines, replacing both its drivers and hiring a new technical director, Will Phillips. Unfortunately, it has coincided with IndyCar drastically reducing test time.

Although new recruits Carlos Munoz and Conor Daly finished the Phoenix open test 17th and 20th overall, the pair were sixth and seventh in the final Saturday evening session, making them the fastest of the Chevy-powered cars. However, Larry Foyt cautioned against reading too much into those test times.

He told Motorsport.com: There were a lot of guys in race trim in that final session, whereas we were in between qualifying and race trim for a little bit. We never did a true qualifying sim[ulation], but were truly only scratching the surface with the Chevy kit on ovals, and theres so much to learn. I just wish we had more time before the season starts; theres a lot of potential so we want to use it.

If you think about it, we are literally years behind the other Chevy runners, and it feels like it! It is a different animal and it needs a different mechanical setup to get the best out of it, compared with Honda. Were looking at just the basic stuff, so thats why were behind the guys whove had years to refine it, but like at our last Sebring test, we got a lot done, we made good progress.

Put it this way, Carlos and Conor have experience of the Honda package and Carlos at least was happy with where we ended up with the setup.

Daly suffered a loose oil line that caused his engine to dump oil around the track on Friday afternoons session, but he eventually clocked 201 laps over the course of the 12 hours of track time, compared with Munozs 239. However, given that teams were only given six sets of tires to use over the course of those 12 hours, Foyt said it wasnt a huge loss.

It was a shame to lose that running time, but we were tire-limited anyway, so it probably didnt cost us too much, he observed.

Looking at the evening times, its probably a bit misrepresentative, but I do feel we were gaining the whole time over the two days. And we have another test at Sebring before [the season-opener] St. Petersburg, so weve got to keep making progress there, too.

Continued here:

Foyt pleased with progress, regrets lack of time - Motorsport.com, Edition: Global

Dana Genshaft's, Chromatic Fantasy set to the music of Dave Brubeck's Chaconne from Chromatic Fantasy premiered Friday night at the NYU Skirball Center. Ms. Genshaft was looking - actually squinting - at the sun one day and saw all the colors of the rainbow wavering before her. The ensuing ballet and her search for the right music sprung from this moment. Six dancers - three men, three women - from the ABT Studio Company dressed in different chromatic colors weaved in and out of the music, at times with it and at others at a contrapuntal rhythm. Pairs swapped with ease and trios emerged only to dissolve quickly. The dance propelled, though there were quieter sections, and the colors flowed. A work of beauty and energy resulted. This work is Genshaft's first for ABT. Kevin McKenzie, the artistic director of ABT, to his and its credit, is making a concerted effort to commission new works by female choreographers. Last fall it premiered Jessica Lang's, Her Notes, set to the music of Fanny Mendelssohn, sister of Felix. It was a total success and has been added to the ABT repertoire. Other commissions by female choreographers are in the works at ABT, which is determined to smash the glass slipper. Genshaft more than proved her chops on a program that also featured such luminary choreographers as Frederick Ashton, Helgi Tomasson, Kenneth MacMillan and Liam Scarlett. That she was the only female choreographer is worthy of note only because usually there are none on the programs of any American ballet company. Genshaft was previously a soloist at San Francisco Ballet and teaches choreography in the school there. She is richly deserving of more commissions, including from her home company, which has yet to recognize her home grown talent. Kudos to Kevin McKenzie and ABT for doing so. And kudos also to ABT for commissioning its star, Marcelo Gomes, who gave the New York City premier of his ballet set to Kabalevsky Violin Concerto.

The gender disparity starts early in ballet. The Saturday afternoon performance was family friendly and there were, by my guess, over 100 children in attendance. I counted three boys. The rest girls. Change needs to come at all levels of ballet.

Note: the author is a trustee of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation, which funds commissions of choreographic works by emerging female choreographers.

See the original post:

Gender Progress in Ballet - Huffington Post

When Bill Parcells took over as the head coach of the Dallas Cowboys in 2003, he brought the idea of progress stoppers with him. Aptly named, progress stoppers prevent others from developing into even better players at a given position.

Often, these are typically older, veteran players who may have once been stars or solid contributors but are now on the tail-ends of their careers. But, even younger players can be progress stoppers if better replacements exist lower on the depth chart. The current Cowboys front office philosophy seems to ignore the second possibility, however.

Despite the worries about pass rush before the season, the Cowboysfront office rebuffed the idea of getting outside veteran help. Instead they argued their young players just needed time to develop and a veteran would only hinder that progress.

From the chart above, its pretty clear that Tyrone Crawford and Demarcus Lawrence are progress stoppers.Even though he had over 600 snaps, Crawford only managed 4.5 sacks on the year. Still, since he was third in sacks on the defensive line, it might seem odd to claim that Crawford is a problem.

The issue is revealed when you look at their average salaries. Paying Crawford for one year could cover the combined salaries of Jack Crawford, David Irving, Demarcus Lawrence, Maliek Collins, Terrell McClain and Benson Mayowa.

Sep 25, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive tackle Tyrone Crawford prior to the game against the Chicago Bears at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Furthermore, he doesnt really have a defined role. Collins proved himself at the 3-technique and has earned the right to enter the 2017 season as the starter. David Irving showed tremendous potential in limited snaps at left defensive end and nearly had as many sacks as Crawford on 139 less snaps. Playing Crawford ahead of either of the two only prevents the younger players from developing further.

Lawrence is problematic in a different way. Hes not particularly expensive and is still very young, only 24. However, the defensive end dissapointed last season. He managed only one sack on the year and was fairly ineffective. To make matters worse, 2017 will be the second season that he starts on the mend after back surgery.

Giving up completely on Lawrence doesnt make sense, but the team has to stop treating him as someone they can rely on. Until he can prove his back issues wont affect his performance as they did in 2016, the Cowboys should treat Lawrence as a rotational player at best. Continuing to pencil him in as a starting end each year only prevents players, like Mayowa and Irving, from getting more snaps to continue developing.

Oct 9, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys defensive end Demarcus Lawrence (90) prior to the game against Cincinnati Bengals at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew Emmons-USA TODAY Sports

Demarcus Lawrence is in the last year of his rookie deal and Crawford will cost over $10 million against the cap if cut this year. Thus, its unlikely either leave Dallas in 2017.However, to get this defensive line moving forward, the pair need to be relegated to rotational duties. If the two want their jobs back theyll have to show they deserve them.

The rest is here:

The surprising progress stoppers on the Dallas Cowboys defensive line - Cowboys Wire

5479911

Now three weeks into President Trumps administration, Congress has confirmed nine members of the Presidents cabinet and less than two percent of thenearly 700 key positionsrequiring Senate confirmation putting the cabinet several positions behind after Barack Obamasfirst weekon the job back in 2009. Outraged over the fact that Mitch McConnell didnt grant Obama a Supreme Court seat last year, Senate Democrats have now decided to slow walk seemingly any and every nominee they canregardless of the individuals qualifications and the effect it will have on the country.

On Tuesday, the war of attrition over staffing the federal government reached its most unprecedented proportions yet. To bring the bitter fight over making Betsy DeVos Secretary of Education to an end, Vice President Mike Pence had to step in and cast thefirst tie-breaking voteto confirm a cabinet secretary in our nations history. In fact, with the exceptions of Trumpsfavorite Marines Secretary of Defense James Mattis and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly the rest of President Trumps cabinet picks have been slammed by left-wing outlets and grilled by Democratic lawmakers, at least when those lawmakers have beenwilling to attendthe proceedings.

The irony here is that, as Democratic leaders will readily admit to themselves, the partys entire ethos is centered around the government functioning effectively. Under fire from a militant progressive movement and struggling to make themselves heard with what little power the American electorate has left them, the leadership has had to resort to theatrics, like committee hearing walkouts, and petty snubs to convince the base that they are taking a stand. By the standards of the august Senate, Schumers vote againstElaine Chao(McConnells wife) for Secretary of Transportation registers as scandalous.

These heroic last stands might be succeeding in sating the raw anger of the Democratic base, but they are also betraying the fundamental contract between the government and the voters by denying the American people a working government. While the vast majority of the news media hangs on President Trumps every tweet and taps into the White House rumor mill, the real cost of obstructionism on Capitol Hill is making itself felt. There are1.4 million federal employeesbut hardly anyone in place to monitor their work or implement a coherent policy agenda. All this begs the question: what is happening at these agencies that are working either undermanaged or entirely unsupervised?

The troubling answer is that nobody really knows. Government programs without direct oversight from the White House are currently muddling by as best they can, with political leadership now absent since President Obamas departure. Programs that provide critical services to millions of American citizens at agencies including Veterans Affairs, Housing and Urban Development, and Health and Human Services have been forced to make do without confirmed leadership. As a result, they remain either stalled while awaiting direction or stumbling ahead despite conflicts with the elected presidents agenda.

The VA, for one, already has a difficult time providing veterans with the care they earned in service to this country. How does delayingDavid Shulkin, an Obama appointee with a proven track record and President Trumps nominee to head the VA, make things any better? Similarly, how have mission-critical medical research programs and grant decisions been made at the NIH without the direction of the just-confirmed HHS Secretary? Despite theirgrandstanding, Democrats never had the votes to stop Rep. Tom Prices nomination to head the departmentand they knew it. At best, choosing these nomination battles as hills to die on accomplishes little more than throwing vital government programs into limbo for a few weeks longer than necessary.

Of all the confirmation battles yet to come, perhaps none will be more illustrative of out-of-control partisanship than the Senates deliberations over Neil Gorsuch. Gorsuch is, by any measure, athoroughly competentand qualified Supreme Court nominee who would sail through the confirmation process under anything approaching normal circumstances. A former Harvard Law classmate of Barack Obama and a veteran appeals court judge, Gorsuch has been endorsed by none other than Obama ethics czarNorm Eisenas a thoughtful and deliberate legal mind. In this poisonous political climate, however, the evenhanded judge is being portrayed as an extreme conservative by critics bothwithinandoutsidethe Senateseemingly because it was Donald Trump that made the pick.

These invectives against even the least controversial of nominees reveal that the Democratic establishment has still failed to learn a key lesson of its 2016 defeat. When you portray all of your opponents as reactionary zealots, it eventually becomes impossible to tell who holds views which are truly beyond the pale from those who simply disagree with you. The cries of wolf are, after much repetition, falling on deaf ears.

By engaging in tactics to halt his Cabinet from being assembled, the same lawmakers and protesters who criticize the President for ruling by executive order are inadvertently (or perhaps intentionally) forcing his administration to try and run the country without any political leadership, empowering the bureaucracy that no one elected. While the President draws his fair share of criticism, he also deserves the chance to govern that our Constitution dictates and as Hillary Clinton herself said in herconcession speechin November. Regardless of the partisan decide, the American public wants its governments to be successful for the good of the country. So long as Congress denies the administration a coherent staff, President Trump will be fighting unnecessary hurdles in trying to achieve that shared goal.

Go here to read the rest:

The Democrats' Strategy: Hindering Progress For Partisan Politics - Daily Caller

While Pittsburgh has done so much to bounce back from steels decline, progress in many nearby communities has been elusive. Lacking the citys health care institutions, universities and other advantages, towns along the Monongahela River, for example, have struggled to reinvent themselves. But they havent given up, as the good news out of Clairton last week showed.

After spending about 30 years as a distressed municipality under state oversight a designation it shed in 2015 Clairton is poised for an influx of investment. As the Post-Gazettes Joyce Gannon reported Friday, more than $3 million from public and private sources is expected for projects ranging from senior housing to a corner store to new single-family homes and staff to ride herd on development initiatives.

A group of officials and civic leaders has spent two years shepherding projects toward groundbreaking with the help of the Jefferson Regional Foundation, affiliated with Allegheny Health Networks Jefferson Hospital, and Economic Development South, best known for working with Route 51 corridor communities. Such collaboration is essential to ensuring that recovery plans stay on course for the long haul.

Special recognition goes to Speedway, which plans to build a gas station and store on State Street. One official said it would be the first new business in years. Other players include BNY Mellon and Highmark, which between them have committed nearly $2.9 million in donations and other investments. A nonprofit, GTECH, will work on new trails and parks a recognition that recreational amenities and healthy living are part of a new economy.

With more than 19 percent of its parcels vacant in 2014 and nearly 35 percent of them tax delinquent in 2013, according to data provided by the University of Pittsburghs University Center for Social and Urban Research, Clairton still has formidable challenges ahead. Its reputation for crime wont help. But Clairtons progress climbing out of about three decades of financial oversight alone is worth celebrating. Teamwork and tenacity appear to be paying off.

See original here:

Clairton works: Real progress is coming to the former steel town - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Stanley Johnson is averaging 4.2 points per game this season, down from 8.1 last season.(Photo: Clarence Tabb Jr / Detroit News)

Toronto Even after the regular practice session had ended and almost all of the other Pistons players had scattered, Stanley Johnson stuck around, his sweat-soaked shirt showing the badge for the extra labor he had put in.

Assistant coach Bob Beyer fed him passes and Johnson put up jump shot after jump shot, some clanging off the iron, but more swishing the nets.

Then came one bad miss.

Johnson, 20, was frustrated with himself.

Beyer reminded Johnson of his foot placement and prodded him to go again.

Plant. Shot. Swish.

Its a constant work in progress for Johnson, reaching for the must-have next level of his offense. Johnson is augmenting his all-too-often drives to the rim of his rookie season with a mid-range game that will add some versatility to his game and help him take the step forward in his second season that so many had projected from the brimming anticipation of his rookie year.

Its been slow to come along but its days like this one that are the rungs to the ladder of improvement. These are days with dozens of misses, but the scores of makes more than make up for the frustration and provide that glimmer of hope.

Hes gotten a lot better at making plays in there. The challenge in the paint is getting to shots and finishing more consistently, which will draw more people to him and open up more plays, coach Stan Van Gundy said. Hes gotten a lot better on his pull-up jumper and making plays.

Now, its a work in progress extending his range. Hes shot the corner 3 well all year, but hes got to do a better job on his long 3 and his finishes.

A look at Johnsons stats show that hes only scored in double figures three times this season only once since early November and hes not as aggressive on the offensive end. Hes averaging just 4.2 points, down sharply from last years 8.1.

But that quick glance can be a bit deceptive. A deeper delve shows that hes playing about 6 1/2 fewer minutes per game and although his overall field-goal percentage is about the same (39 percent), his percentage inside the arc is up about four percentage points.

He had his struggles this season, but looking away from the stats and using the eye test, Johnson is a different player now. Its a more-rounded version, more dangerous in passing the ball for an assist or just connecting the offense and what Van Gundy calls making the right plays.

Its been somewhat at the expense of his own game, but Johnson knows its a necessary step.

I just have to figure out a way to play my game within the system. Offensively, its a little tougher for me, Johnson said. Even last year, I feel like I found more shots within the system.

In the Pistons win over the 76ers last week, Johnson had eight points while shooting 3-for-9, but missed a couple shots. In retrospect, he realized that the defense was playing him a bit differently than he recalled.

Instead of playing him to drive all the way to the basket, the Sixers seemed to concede the lane and play him for the pass, likely studying game video and predicting his new-look game.

Now, its on him to make the next adjustment and make himself more of an offensive threat, with a polished mid-range game that has a dependable pull-up shot.

Were working on consistency with footwork and touch. Everything we do is simulating a game; it might not be the shots I shoot, but the footwork Id need if a certain shot is available, Johnson said. Im a player who can do a lot of things; if you put me on any team, I can figure out a way to help.

My biggest strengths are attacking the rim, shooting open 3s and playing transition and defending on the ball. I can find a way to be effective in games.

Hell add a bit more with some more work in the gym.

Pistons at Raptors

Tip-off: 6 Sunday, Air Canada Centre, Toronto

TV/radio: FSD/WMGC

Outlook: The Raptors (32-22) have slumped a bit, losing nine of their last 13 games. Thats dropped them from the No. 2 spot in the East to fourth. The All-Star backcourt of DeMar DeRozan (27.9 points) and Kyle Lowry (23 points) is one of the best duos in the league.

Rod.Beard@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @detnewsRodBeard

View original post here:

Pistons' Johnson making halting but definite progress - The Detroit News

Mary Hansen Staff Writer @maryfhansen

In 2015, City Water, Light and Power came to the Springfield City Council with a problem. The public utility was at risk of a technical default on its bonds and needed a quick infusion of cash.

The council eventually approved what amounted to a $4.4 million bailout for CWLP. City officials then went to work on refinancing the electric funds debt, renegotiating its coal contract and restructuring electric rates, which they see as largely successful efforts to turn around CWLPs finances.

With the city facing dropping revenues and a tough budget year, some aldermen say now its time for the utility to pay back at least some of that $4.4 million.

But utility and city officials warn that a transfer could set back the progress theyve made. City lawyers are looking intoif its legally possible.

The situation is in fact the reverse of what it was two years ago, said Ward 7 Ald. Joe McMenamin, who is pushing for the transfer of $1.3 million from CWLP to the citys main account, which is called the corporate fund and pays for most non-utility city services.

The electric division was suffering financially and the corporate fund was growing, he said. Now the electric division is very healthy and corporate fund is suffering because of a downturn in the local economy.

Worries about rating agencies

Mayor Jim Langfelder has often touted CWLPs turnaround, including its stable bond rating, as a key accomplishment for his administration and the council that took office in 2015. He has said a payback could send the wrong message to credit rating agencies.

Chief engineer Doug Brown echoed these concerns, saying the agencies would have a negative outlook on the transfer and it could lead to a credit downgrade. Credit ratings determine how much interest the utility pays on its bonds.

It will take a very long time to recover from this action and counter another negative outlook, Brown wrote in an emailed statement. Any ratings downgrade is an increase in costs to our customers, the citizens of Springfield.

CWLPs contracted financial analyst told the utility any transfer would trigger a credit review by an agency, according to spokeswoman Amber Sabin.

A spokesman for Moodys Investors Service declined to comment so early in the discussion on the proposal but said Moody's would be monitoring the situation.

In the fall of 2015, Moodys improved its outlook on the CWLP electric funds finances, changing it from negative to stable, just after the council voted change the way the utility charged customers.

In its report, the agency said that if officials stopped supporting improvements to CWLPs financial position, it could lead to a downgrade of the utilitys credit rating.

The $1.3 million transfer could be seen as weakening support, Sabin said.

But McMenamin argued that the transfer amount is relatively small compared to the utilitys more than $300 million budget.

I think the bond rating agencies are looking at broader trends than a $1.3 million transfer, he said. Theyll be looking at continued strength of the debt coverage ratio and continuing reserves of electric division, which is whats happening.

He pointed to a recent quarterly update from the utility that put its monthly reserves at $18 million in November.

Still, according to the utility, the standards set by rating agencies for utilities CWLPs size is having $33.9 million cash on hand.

Legal issues

McMenamin has introduced two measures to repeal the 2015-bailout ordinances, which the council could discuss Tuesday at its committee meeting.

At the time, the ordinances waived the utilitys payment in lieu of taxes, which is money CWLP pays into the corporate fund, and instituted a refund of previous payments if necessary to ensure that CWLP had enough money to meet its debt coverage ratio for the fiscal year.

Payments were waived or refunded enough for the utility to meet their obligations that year. But, Sabin warns, if the money was paid back, auditors could revise that fiscal years books, triggering a review and potential downgrade from rating agencies.

Plus, the first ordinance stated that the amount would not have to be repaid, Brown pointed out.

But the council has the power to change what the previous council passed and should do so because the financial situation has changed, McMenamin countered.

That should be an option on the table for the mayor, McMenamin said. There should be a full repayment if the electric division continues to grow more financially healthy and if there is a need.

-- Contact Mary Hansen: 788-1528, mary.hansen@sj-r.com, twitter.com/maryfhansen.

Read this article:

CWLP officials: Bailout repayment would set back progress - The State Journal-Register

executive summary

This mid-year progress report covers the period January through June 2016 and provides an update on results achieved as measured against the full range of indicators included in the Syria Regional Crisis Emergency Appeal (EA) for 2016. An annual report covering the whole of the year will be issued in April 2017.

Overview

In Syria, six years of armed conflict have precipitated a humanitarian crisis, resulting in thousands of civilian deaths, massive population displacement and untold deprivation. Of the estimated 450,000 Palestine refugees that remain inside the country, 280,000 are internally displaced and 45,000 are trapped in hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas. The first half of 2016 was marked by renewed political efforts to secure a cessation of hostilities, ensure unimpeded access for humanitarian deliveries and pave the way for the resumption of meaningful negotiations for a peaceful solution. Unfortunately, the fragile ceasefire, brokered in February 2016, resulted in only a temporary reduction in violence that was followed by a re-escalation in the conflict. Against this backdrop, humanitarian conditions continued to deteriorate. Approximately 95 per cent of Palestine refugees in Syria are in need of sustained assistance as they face profound humanitarian needs, severe protection threats and significant reversals in human development.

Adverse socioeconomic conditions also affect the estimated 47,000 Palestine refugees who have fled Syria and remain in neighbouring Lebanon and Jordan, where many have been pushed into a marginalized existence. In Lebanon, Palestinian refugees from Syria (PRS) are especially vulnerable due to their precarious legal status. Effectively denied access to most public services and facing restricted access to employment opportunities, many live in fear of forcible return and detention and are vulnerable to exploitation and abuse. In Jordan, a government policy of non-admission has posed a significant obstacle to PRS entering the Kingdom, with only 16,445 PRS officially residing in the country. Often without legal status, most PRS are prevented from securing employment, accessing public services and are exposed to protection threats, including the risk of arrest and forcible return. Compared to other refugees fleeing the conflict in Syria, PRS in both Lebanon and Jordan struggle with fewer coping mechanisms and exhibit signs of shrinking resilience and deepening poverty that is reflected in their continued reliance on United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) services to cover vital needs.

The UNRWA Response

During the first six months of 2016, UNRWA continued to provide life-saving assistance and protection to over 450,000 Palestine refugees affected by the Syria crisis, including inside Syria and in Lebanon, Jordan and Gaza. The Agency also extended basic health and quality and inclusive education services to Palestine refugees inside Syria and those forced to flee. In total, over 45,000 Palestine refugees were enrolled in UNRWA schools inside Syria, while over 5,300 PRS children were accommodated in Agency schools in Lebanon and 1,400 PRS and Syrians in Jordan. Primary health care was dispensed through 15 UNRWA health centres (HCs), 11 health points (HPs) and one mobile HP inside Syria. In Lebanon, care was provided to PRS through 26 HCs and one HP and in Jordan through 25 HCs and four mobile clinics. Though the Agencys Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programme, short-term courses and professional coaching services were offered in both Lebanon and Jordan to support 314 PRS and Palestine refugees in Lebanon (PRL) and a further 27 PRS in Jordan. UNRWA also continued to deliver potable water, maintain sewerage networks and provide solid waste management in seven accessible camps in Syria out of the nine official camps and three unofficial camps that were serviced prior to the conflict. A similar range of assistance measures to improve the urban camp environment was implemented in Lebanon.

Throughout the first half of the year, the UNRWA protection response was enhanced through increased coverage in Syria that expanded on gender-based violence (GBV) interventions to include general and child protection. In Lebanon, the Agency worked with local child protection actors and the national child protection system to strengthen responses in Palestine refugee camps, while in Jordan, teams of area-level protection social workers were deployed to facilitate direct intervention and referrals to specialized assistance. In addition, protection response training was delivered to front-line staff, while a case tracking and referral database was established to facilitate accurate and consistent data collection and analysis.

Impact of Underfunding

UNRWA would like to acknowledge the continued and generous support of its many donors that have allowed the Agency to extend emergency assistance to Palestine refugees in Syria and PRS in Lebanon and Jordan. The 2016 EA requires a total of US$ 413.9 million to cover the overall cost of the emergency interventions. As of 30 September 2016, however, only US$ 142,814,183 had been received, covering 35 per cent of needs and leaving a funding gap of US$ 271.1 million. This translates into a shortfall against need of 66 per cent in Syria, 61 per cent in Lebanon and 64 per cent in Jordan.

The EA funding gap prevented UNRWA from implementing the full range of emergency assistance measures planned for the first half of the year, particularly with regard to the provision of cash and food, shelter interventions, and the provision of livelihood support. During the reporting period, available resources in Syria were sufficient for two out of three rounds of cash assistance, covering only four months of need. In Lebanon, a rapid deterioration in the urban environment inside camps became more evident, while in Jordan, cash assistance was curtailed, affecting the Agencys ability to respond to basic needs, including the provision of winterization assistance. Moreover, the Agency had to delay the start of livelihood support in Syria and decrease the number of technical and vocational training courses offered in both Lebanon and Jordan. Across all three fields, requirements for the emergency shelter response were left unmet.

The emergency services provided by UNRWA constitute the minimum support necessary to meet the critical needs of Palestine refugees affected by the conflict in Syria. Any reduction in planned assistance could have further profound repercussions in terms of eroding household coping capacities and their ability to further withstand crisis situations. Anecdotal evidence already suggests shrinking household resilience and an increased reliance on damaging coping strategies, such as the selling of critical assets, withdrawing children from school and cutting back on nutritious foods and/or health care. Into the second half of 2016, ensuring minimum life-saving support to Palestine refugees affected by the Syria crisis will continue to be among the Agencys foremost resourcing priorities.

Read this article:

Syria Regional Crisis 2016 Emergency Appeal - Progress Report - Reliefweb

Jimmy Cheek, Guest column 3:00 a.m. ET Feb. 12, 2017

Jimmy Cheek is the outgoing chancellor of the University of Tennessee.(Photo: Courtesy of Jack Parker)

Its been a privilege to serve as the chancellor of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, the states flagship university. Simply said, its great to be a Tennessee Vol.

UT has always been a special place, but its an even better place today because of the hard work and dedication of our students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors and community partners. They believed in the journey.

Shortly after I arrived, then-Gov.Phil Bredesen challenged us to become a top 25 public research university. Many have asked why this challenge was so important; the short answer is because it gave us a common measurable goal. In everything we do, we keep the focus on our students, and we measure ourselves against the very best.

Are we there yet? No, were not its an ambitious goal. But are we better? Absolutely. Our progress allows us to better serve the state of Tennessee and its citizens. One of Gov.Bill Haslams top priorities is education, and UT is an important part of his initiatives. As the flagship, we set the standard.

Our students, 85 percent of whomare Tennesseans, are among the best and brightest in the nation. We began challenging them to graduate in four years, and we set up processes to help them overcome any hurdles. Our graduation rate has grown by a remarkable 10 percent, and weve been recognized nationally for our efforts.

When students graduate in four years, we can increase the size of our freshman class and serve more Tennesseans. Our two most recent classes have been among the biggest ever.

Through all these changes, we have never strayed from our mission of providing access to education. About 30 percent of our students are eligible for Pell grants, and its important to provide additional resources for our students who otherwise couldnt afford to attend UT. Fifty percent of our students graduate with no debt, far better than the national average.

These bright students deserve to learn from the very best faculty. The quality of our facultys teaching and research is at the heart of everything we have accomplished in our journey to become a top-tier university. Many departments across the university are currently ranked among the top 25 in their disciplines.

Such great work cant happen in outdated buildings. When I first walked into a lab on the UT campus, it looked just like the labs Id used in college and thats been a long time ago. It was critical to address our infrastructure issues.

With the help of Haslam, Bredesen, our state legislatorsand our donors, we have invested more than $1 billion into the transformation of our campus. If you havent walked across campus lately, youre in for a pleasant surprise. It looks great. We have six new academic buildings, new residence halls for the first time in 40 years, a new student union and new athletics complexes. We have created a campus thats friendlier to pedestrians and the environment.

All of these investments have led to tremendous growth in research. Our partnership with Oak Ridge National Laboratory uniquely positions us in the world of scientific discovery and innovation. Scientists from UT and ORNL work together on big ideas that are changing our world.

The impact of our research, engagement and discovery on the lives of Tennesseans is tremendous and can be measured in many ways, including dollars and cents. The latest study by the Boyd Center for Economic Research estimates that the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, generates $1.6 billion in annual income for the state and creates 33,000 jobs.

But most importantly, education changes lives. I was the first person in my family to attend college, and I know what a difference it made for me. We have worked hard to make a difference in the lives of our students and their families. We are turning out a highly qualified workforce and better citizens for the state of Tennessee and beyond.

I want to thank the greater community for its support of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and I ask you to continue to believe and invest in this wonderful university.

Jimmy G. Cheek is the chancellor of the University of Tennessee.

Read or Share this story: http://knoxne.ws/2kyEktX

Link:

Jimmy Cheek: UT chancellor appreciative of hard work, progress on journey - Knoxville News Sentinel

BEIRUT >> Turkish troops and allied Syrian opposition forces have managed to capture just one-tenth of a north Syrian town from Islamic State militants, a conflict monitoring group said Saturday, despite reaching its outskirts seven weeks ago.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group told the AP that nine-tenths of al-Bab remains under IS control. The Observatory receives its information from a network of contacts inside the war-torn country.

Meanwhile, Irans Supreme National Security Council authorized Russia to fly its fighters over Iranian airspace to support operations in Syria, the states semi-official Tasnim news agency reported.

In August, Iran confirmed that Russia bombers launched airstrikes from near the Iranian city of Hamedan, 280 kilometers (175 miles) southwest of the Iranian capital, Tehran to hit targets in eastern Syria. Iran is a stanch supporter of the Syrian government.

Battlefield reports from Syrian opposition forces corroborated the Observatorys al-Bab review.

The Turkish-backed Ahrar al-Sham militia announced Saturday on Twitter that opposition forces had taken the citys silos and sports complex in its southwestern districts. The coalitions operations room released a video on social media showing its fighters at the gates of the Hikma hospital. Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group also reported the hospitals capture.

But these amount to just marginal advances in the town, where some 100,000 residents lived before the start of the Syrian civil war, six years ago. Al-Bab lies about 30 kilometers (19 miles) from the Turkish border.

Turkey is leading Syrian opposition forces in a broad operation called Euphrates Shield against the Islamic State group and U.S.-backed Kurdish forces northern Syria.

Ankara wants to clear groups it says are terrorists away from its border, while Syrian opposition forces are looking to secure territory before rival government forces arrive from the south.

Turkey is the oppositions chief backer in Syrias multisided civil war. It has deployed troops, tanks and artillery inside the country as part of operation Euphrates Shield.

Turkeys Anadolu news agency began reporting Turkish troop fatalities in al-Bab on Dec. 21. That week, 16 Turkish soldiers were killed in clashes or ambushes by the Islamic State in the town.

Turkeys military announced Saturday the death of another soldier in the fighting in al-Bab. The death brings the total number of Turkish troops killed in the military operation in northern Syria to 65.

Advertisement

The fighting has exacted a civilian toll as well.

According to the Observatory, 267 civilians have been killed by Euphrates Shield artillery and airstrikes on al-Bab and two satellite villages since Dec. 21.

Turkish aircraft have pounded the town as well.

The IS groups Aamaq news agency reported that Turkish, American and Russian warplanes flew more than 80 sorties over the town on Friday and fired 150 artillery rounds.

The three powers are coordinating their aerial campaigns against the Islamic State group and other al-Qaida-linked factions in northern Syria.

Pro-government forces, meanwhile, backed by Russian airpower, are engaged with IS militants in the village of Tadif, about 1.5 kilometers (1 mile) south of al-Bab.

The Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Saturday that in the course of the battle in the area of Tadif, government forces destroyed 650 terrorists, two tanks and various vehicles fitted with arms and explosives. The figures could not be independently confirmed.

Associated Press writers James Heintz in Moscow and Amir Vahdat in Tehran, Iran contributed to this report.

Follow this link:

Marginal progress for Turkish-backed forces in north Syria - LA Daily News

The schedule gets interesting from here on out. The Nets play two more games, Monday and Wednesday, before the All-Star Break, then dont play again until February 24, the day after the trade deadline. The roster we see now may be changed dramatically ... or not at all.

So what about Jeremy Lin? Friday was the fifth anniversary of the high point of Linsanity, his 38-point explosion against the Lakers that had the Garden rocking and put Lin on the cover of Sports Illustrated ... twice.

Nothing, no date or anything, Atkinson replied when asked about a timetable. Hes working out on the court, but no timetable.

So does that mean we have to wait until the All-Star Break and trade deadline pass?

I wouldnt assume anything. Hes progressing. Hes working hard, improving every day, but were not going to put a date or a time on it, said Atkinson.

So we wait. The Nets said he would be out three-to-five weeks in this iteration of his rehab from a hamstring strain. Monday marks three weeks. Lin in interviews with Chinese media has been non-committal other than to say hes not coming back until hes 100 percent.

He is being constantly monitored. He spoke about it on CNBC last week when he was part of the introduction of the Nets jersey ad deal with INFOR, the enterprise software company.

For us, we track our sleep, we track our weight, everything how your muscles feel on a daily basis, he told CNBCs Andrew Ross Sorkin. Everyday, when were practicing or working out, we have these things that we wear that [provide] constant data: how fast youre moving, etc.

The Nets had high hopes for Lin and he had high hopes for himself. But hes now missed 42 games --more than half the season and the chances of even seeing what we missed appear slim. If the roster is revamped, hell be starting over with a new cast. And even if it isnt, he will have to get into basketball shape.

The Nets started 2-3, then 4-5, and there was hope with Lin. TV ratings were on the rise. So were the turnstile numbers that measure how many people actually come to Barclays, not just how many tickets were sold.

But injury put Linsanity II on hold. As Dodger fans yelled at Ebbets Field during the 1940s and 1950s, Wait till next year.

See the article here:

Jeremy Lin: Progress but no timetable - NetsDaily

Louisville City FC coach James O'Connor talks about the team's upcoming preseason trip to IMG Academy. Video courtesy of Jonathan Lintner, LCFC

Louisville City FC midfielder Niall McCabe kicks the ball away from Orlando City B midfielder Antonio Rocha as Louisville City takes on Orlando City B at Slugger Field during LouCity's 2-1 loss on Saturday, July 30, 2016.(Photo: David R. Lutman/Special to the CJ)Buy Photo

Louisville City FC midfielder Niall McCabe is nearing aclean bill of health.

McCabe underwent season-ending surgery last September to repair a lefthip labral tearbut according to Louisville City coach James O'Connor, the 26-year-old is recovering at a rapid pace.

"(He's) really good. Hes probably ahead of where we thought he would be," O'Connor said Friday ahead of the team's two-week trip to IMG Academyto kick off preseason training. "He did a 5K run the other night inside 20 minutes which was great, so hes in good (condition). He had a little bit of pain. For us its probably about trying to hold him back a little bit, to be honest, because hes probably going to want to get training all the time. We need to be a little bit careful with him. But again, hes a player that epitomizes what were all about. Great character, great team player, so we're really encouraged to see him looking so strong."

O'Connor added that it will likelybe teamathletic trainer Scott Ritter's decision on whether to hold McCabe out of certain sessions or let him fully participate with the team.

Well need to probably be a little sensible," O'Connor said."FromNialls standpoint he will want to train every day and it will probably be Scott to tell the two of us to go easy. (Niall) gets it. We just need to manage him. Once we get back from Florida, it will probably be a bit easier then."

The Irishman played 21 times in 2016 and scored two goals and four assists, battling through injuries during the season before being shut down in mid-August. McCabe is one of just six remaining players on the team from Louisville City's inaugural season in 2015.

McCabe hasbeen tweeting about his rehab process during the offseason, having chosen to remain in Louisville instead of return home to Ireland.

Fitness levels up to standard

Each returning Louisville City player was given a list of offseason fitness requirements to complete prior to arriving back in Louisville this week, and according to O'Connor, the team passed easily.

"Im really encouraged about how strong they look, and Ive been really pleased with their application in the offseason," O'Connor said."Its been fantastic to see. Really encouraged going into preseason."

O'Connor said that the two-week trip to the IMG Academy is mainly to build the team's fitness base, before delving into tactical and technical work back in Louisville.

Ballard, Spencer join club

Louisville City's invitation-only tryout in January yielded at least two signings so far: Richard Ballard and Luke Spencer.

Ballard, a midfielder/forward who joins after completing his redshirt senior season at Indiana, is a Louisville native and graduate of duPont Manual High School. Spencer is a Cincinnati native who starred as a forward at Xavier and was drafted in the 2013 MLS SuperDraft before successive knee injuries kept him off the field until 2016, when he signed withFC Cincinnati in its inaugural season.

The two players were both on the team's radar prior to the tryout.

"We first saw Richard back in our first year he scored against us at IU," O'Connor said."He had a strike from the edge of the box. Obviously with him being from Louisville he was someone that Id always monitored and watched. He did great at the individual tryouts, showed great athleticism and can strike a ball. Good attitude and team player.

Luke caught the eye last year when we were at IMG. He was someone we were aware of and we spoke to a lot of people who are with him and he came in and showed great character and attitude, and worked very hard in the invitational tryout. Hes something different to Cameron (Lancaster) and (Ilija Ilic)which I think is important. Were delighted to be able to sign both of the guys."

LouCity releases 2017 schedule LouCity to open season vs. Saint Louis LouCity commits to city with plan for stadium LouCity announces radio deal with iHeart Radio Sullivan | Rising costs a concern for LouCity FC Irish midfielder signs with LouCity FC LouCity signs 'sleeper' from arena league Q&A: John Neace on future of LouCity FC LouCity signs 'Speedy' midfielder

After four seasons as a midfielder, Indiana coach Todd Yeagley inserted Ballard into the starting lineup as a forward in 2016. Ballard scored four goals and set up two helpers last season, and adds more versatility to the Louisville City squad.

"Ive spoken to (IU coach) Todd (Yeagley)a lot about Richard, and with Richard hes got such great pace that the temptation is to play him up top. But he can play out wide and in a number of positions. When you have the pace he has and you can strike a ball like he can, you want him close to goal. But well see."

Team enjoys day out at paintball course

Before hitting the field ahead of the 2017 season, Louisville City got their adrenaline pumping in a different arena.

On Thursday, the team visited a local paintball course, enjoying a chance to bond as a team. Of course, as the coach, O'Connor was the favorite target of many of his players. "(It was) pretty painful to be honest," O'Connor joked.

O'Connor said the idea came at the end of last season from University of Louisville grad Paolo DelPiccolo.

"It was great," O'Connor said."I think for the new players to meet some of the older guys and to see them all together and have a bit of fun was great. For us it was a really important exercise and something were glad we did.

Trialists traveling to Florida

Louisville City will bring a pair of unsigned players with the team to Florida.

O'Connor confirmed that the team will take two unsigned goalkeepers to battle for the third and final goalkeeper position at the club. O'Connor did not disclose the identities of the players.

"We will sign a thirdgoalkeeper," O'Connor said."We experienced last year with Greg (Ranjitsingh) getting called up to have to call Scott (Goodwin) back, and its something we wanted this year to have an in-house third goalkeeper just in case that situation arises. Theres twolads that will come down with us and well see how play.

Read the rest here:

Louisville City notes: McCabe making progress - The Courier-Journal

Dive Brief:

Telemedicine has helped states increased access to care. Hospitals with telemedicine providers have also been able to reduce readmissions. Of the consumers recently surveyed by American well, 21%would switch primary care providers if they needed to in order to gain access to telehealthservices.Telemedicine services are becoming an expectation of consumers," Sarah Sossong,director of the Center for Telehealthat Massachusetts General Hospital, told Healthcare Dive.Sossongoffers seven different steps providers can take to set up a telemedicine practice, starting with aligning the approach to telemedicine adoption with a specific strategy.

Since the ATA's initial analysis in 2014, 10 states and D.C.have enacted telemedicine parity laws, bringing the total to 24.Telemedicine adoption and usage scores for Connecticut, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Rhode Island, Utah and West Virginia rose this year, compared with 2015, with Connecticut and Rhode Island going from F to B, according to the ATA.States rating an A include Hawaii, Maine, Mississippi, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Utah and Virginia.

The gaps analysis on physician practice standards and licensure shows a growing move away from restrictive requirements that limit telemedicine. For instance, state medical boards are developing regulations and guidance specifically for telemedicine versus in-person medical care.Texas, which found itself embroiled in a lawsuit with telehealth provider Teladoc over a statewide ban on prescribing controlled substances via telemedicine, continues to score worst in the nationthe only state with a composite grade of C.

Top image credit: Adobe Stock

Go here to see the original:

ATA: States show mixed progress with telemedicine | Healthcare Dive - Healthcare Dive