Seacat Weatherly Heads Straight to Work – Offshore WIND

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The UK-based offshore energy support vessel operator Seacat Services has added Seacat Weatherly to its fleet.

Following her completion at the Diverse Marine shipyard in Cowes and successful sea trials, Seacat Weatherly heads straight on to her first charter contract at a major UK offshore wind project, the operator said.

Seacat Weatherly is the first next-generation Chartwell 24 catamaran designed by naval architect Chartwell Marine to enter operational service.

The vessel is said to be the culmination of a long-term collaboration between Seacat Services, Chartwell Marine and shipyard Diverse Marine, and the product of an industry-wide drive to refine the formula for offshore wind vessel support.

The first of a two-vessel order, Seacat Weatherly features advanced engine and hull design, a large foredeck, and safety features such as step-free access, sliding handrails, and unrestricted visibility from the wheelhouse, Seacat Services said.

Seacat Weatherly is a fine addition to the fleet, capitalising on all of the core attributes that have defined the Seacat Services offering to date. Refining vessel designs is vital to meeting the changing needs of the offshore wind sector and Seacat Weatherly ensures that our crews can bring maximum operational value to our customers from day one, Andrew Calderbank-Link, Operations Director at Seacat Services, said.

Seacat Weatherlys sister vessel, Seacat Rainbow, is currently under construction at the Diverse Marine yard in Cowes and is scheduled for acceptance in September.

Ben Colman, Director at Diverse Marine, said: It is testament to the resolve and versatility of our team and the strength of our ongoing collaboration with Seacat Services and Chartwell Marine that weve successfully brought this vessel build to fruition despite current supply chain disruption and working restrictions. This is a huge collective achievement and bodes well for the future of British boatbuilding and naval architecture as we set a new standard for the global offshore wind market.

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Suspected offshore Covid-19 cases continue to fall, OGUK says – News for the Oil and Gas Sector – Energy Voice

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A leading industry body has revealed suspected Covid-19 cases offshore have continued to fall due to effective industry-wide measures.

Oil and Gas UK confirmed the number of Category C flights, which covers the medevac of a patient with non-life threatening symptoms, made up just 0.03% of the total number of people on offshore installations at the end of last week.

The figures come ahead of an OGUK webinar later this week, which will reflect on lessons learnt from the coronavirus pandemic.

The event, which is entitled Covid-19: A retrospective and look ahead, will bring together a panel of experts to outline their experiences of the pandemic and its impact.

Trevor Stapleton, OGUKs health, safety and environment director, said: The reduction in c-med flights is a recognition of both industry-imposed barriers and UK measures being effective.

As we move into the recovery phase which will mean increasing POB offshore a missing piece of the jigsaw is still asymptomatic testing for our offshore workforce, carried out using the NHS UK test centres and we continue to make the case for this with both the UK and Scottish governments.

It is worth noting that a Cat-C passenger is only symptomatic of Covid-19 and may not be a positive case, therefore the percentage figure is the worst-case scenario.

However, now is not the time for us to become complacent and we will be paying close attention to the figures going forward.

The coronavirus pandemic is of a scale and severity which none of us have seen before, but we shouldnt take for granted the true value of the UKs offshore oil and gas industrys culture of safety.

The webinar will also look ahead to the rest of the year to consider what steps can be taken in terms of navigating the operational impact of COVID-19, preparations for winter flu season and the foreseen impacts.

Mr Stapleton added: The open and continuous sharing of our experiences within our industry, with other sectors and with government, will be critical as we look to the future. While we must now start working on how to bring this essential industry back on its feet, we must also take the time to learn and reflect.

The upcoming webinar will give an opportunity to understand potential future risks and how this could impact business and allow us to further improve workforce safety and engagement.

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Suspected offshore Covid-19 cases continue to fall, OGUK says - News for the Oil and Gas Sector - Energy Voice

4 Teen Kayakers Who Went Missing Near Rogers Park Rescued 7 Miles Offshore – Block Club Chicago

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ROGERS PARK A group of teenage kayakers who went missing near Rogers Park Sunday were rescued by the U.S. Coast Guard 7 miles offshore, according to authorities.

The teens launched two inflatable kayaks into Lake Michigan from Leone Beach in Rogers Park between 5 and 8 p.m. Sunday, Chicago Police said.

When the group did not return after several hours, authorities launched a search using the polices Marine Unit and helicopter, Chicago Fire Department divers and U.S. Coast Guard personnel.

The search extended into the early hours of Monday. About 1 a.m., the Fire Department tweeted the kayakers were found by the Coast Guard about 7 miles from the shoreline.

The teens two 19-year-old women, a 19-year-old man and a 13-year-old boy were found safe and did not require medical treatment, police said. They were reunited with family near Montrose Harbor.

Update for the person in the water at 1222 W Touhy- a search of the area was completed with negative results. The scene has been released to CPD. CFD is departing the scene. NFI 4-1-8.

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4 Teen Kayakers Who Went Missing Near Rogers Park Rescued 7 Miles Offshore - Block Club Chicago

Spain Sees Thaw in Europe-Turkey Tensions on Mediterranean Offshore Exploration 3 hours ago Spain’s foreign – Offshore Engineer

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Spain's foreign minister said that talks in Turkey on Monday had helped to reduce tensions between some European Union members and Ankara over Turkish energy exploration in the Mediterranean, adding that a one-month pause in drilling was possible.

Foreign minister Arancha Gonzalez Laya, at a news conference in Ankara with Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu, said an "inflection point" had been reached on the dispute over drilling for oil and gas in the eastern Mediterranean Sea.

Turkey is at loggerheads with Greece and Cyprus over overlapping claims for offshore reserves and the two EU members, along with France, have rejected Turkey's plan to explore between Cyprus and Crete.

Paris and Athens have called for sanctions against Turkey for what they view as an encroachment on Greek and Cypriot waters, while Berlin has warned Ankara to cease "provocations". Turkey has rejected the criticism and said it is abiding by international law.

The Turkish lira has, meanwhile, slipped to near a record low versus the euro.

"We have reached some inflection point mainly on the drilling in the eastern Mediterranean and this was a useful dialogue with Mevlut to deescalate tensions that exist," Gonzalez Laya said.

"I think his will to pause exploration for at least a month to give space to dialogue between parties is a signal of confidence," she said.

Cavusoglu did not mention any plans to pause, and Turkey's foreign ministry was not immediately available to comment.

Last week Turkey's navy issued an advisory for seismic surveys at sea in a move Greece said was an attempt to encroach on its continental shelf. The Turkish research ship is still anchored outside Antalya.

Ibrahim Kalin, chief adviser to Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, said last week that threatening sanctions "will never fly here and will have no impact on Turkey's sovereignty or determination in pursuing the national interest."

Last week, French President Emmanuel Macron said the EU should also take action against Turkey over its role in Libya's conflict.

(Reporting by Inti Landauro and Ece Toksabay; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Pravin Char)

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Spain Sees Thaw in Europe-Turkey Tensions on Mediterranean Offshore Exploration 3 hours ago Spain's foreign - Offshore Engineer

Saipem Scores Offshore Wind Hat-Trick – Offshore WIND

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Saipem revealed on 22 July that it won three contracts for offshore wind farms in Europe Dogger Bank A and B, Seagreen, and Saint Brieuc valued at more than EUR 90 million in total.

With the Equinor-SSE Renewables join venture Dogger Bank Offshore Wind Farms, Saipem inked a deal for the transportation and installation of two offshore HVDC offshore substations for Dogger Bank A and Dogger Bank B.

Each of the Dogger Bank two 1.2 GW platforms, to be installed some 130 kilometres off the North East coast of England, will comprise a 2,900-tonne jacket and a 8,500-tonne topside.

For the 1,075 MW Seagreen offshore wind farm in Scotland, owned by Total and SSE Renewables, Seaway 7 awarded Saipem with a contract for the installation of 114 wind turbine foundations.

In France, Saipem will transport and install the offshore substation jacket and topside for the Saint-Brieuc offshore wind farm, developed by Ailes Marines, part of the Iberdrola group.

The company will carry out the offshore installation projects by using its crane vessel Saipem 7000.

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Global Offshore Wind Pipeline Grows by 37 GW in a Year – Offshore WIND

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The global pipeline of offshore wind energy projects which are operational, under construction, consented, or being planned has grown by 37 GW in the last twelve months, new research published by RenewableUK shows.

This is an annual increase of 30%, from 122 GW twelve months ago to 159 GW now, RenewableUKs latest Offshore Wind Project Intelligence report shows.

The UK has retained its top spot with a pipeline of 38.9 GW, a quarter of the global total.

China has moved up from fourth to second place with 19.3 GW, an increase of 7.3 GW, up 60%.

The USA stays in third place, up from 15.7 GW to 17.8 GW, an increase of 13%, while Germany has dropped from second to fourth place as its total of 16.5 GW has remained almost the same over the last twelve months, adding just 68 MW. Taiwan stays fifth with its project pipeline growing by 28% from 8.9 GW to 11.4 GW.

In sixth place, the Netherlands has risen from 6.5 GW last year to 11.3 GW, an increase of 74%. Ireland has witnessed a growth from 3.2 GW last year to 8.2 GW this year, climbing to number seven with an increase of 156%. Poland is eighth with 6.2 GW, Denmark ninth at 4.7 GW, and Vietnam is tenth with 3.6 GW.

In the current economic crisis, these new figures show that offshore wind is one of the major growth opportunities worldwide. In the UK alone, we estimate that next years auction for renewable power could secure over 20bn of new investment. Our latest Offshore Wind Project Intelligence report highlights the global potential for offshore wind to drive a green economic recovery, RenewableUKs Deputy Chief Executive Melanie Onn said.

The top five countries represent 65% of the total global pipeline, with 104 GW of capacity between them. Europe has 60% of the pipeline with 96 GW.

In terms of operational capacity, the UK still leads the world with 9.7 GW, Germany is second at 7.5 GW, China third with 3.3 GW, Belgium fourth at 1.8 GW, and Denmark fifth with 1.7 GW.

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Global Offshore Wind Pipeline Grows by 37 GW in a Year - Offshore WIND

Howie Carr: Alt-left media still cling to their Big (Russia) Lie – Boston Herald

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When are The New York Times and the Washington Post going to give back their 2018 Pulitzer Prizes for their coverage of a hoax the Trump-Russian collusion which never occurred?

With every Friday-night document dump, it becomes more indisputable that this whole thing Russiagate, Spygate, Obamagate, whatever you want to call it was a complete fraud, a failed slow-motion coup detat against the president of the United States.

And yet the alt-left media still cling to their Big Lie, and the august awards that they gave one another for reporting Very Fake News. Their defense is they were just reporting what their sources told them. How were they to know it was utter nonsense?

Its the old George Costanza defense: Its not a lie if you believe it.

And boy, did all these Democrat operatives with press passes want to believe it. As the old-timers in the city room used to say, some stories are just too good to check out.

Heres the citation on the comrades Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting:

For deeply sourced, relentlessly reported coverage in the public interest that dramatically furthered the nations understanding of Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and its connections to the Trump campaign.

Only one problem: There were no connections, at least between the Russians and the Trump campaign.

So in the end, this whole thing was a monstrous scam, the biggest political and journalistic scandal in American history.

The Russians, however, were deeply involved with the Hillary Clinton campaign, through the so-called Steele dossier, which was bought and paid for by the Democrats, through two cutouts, a Deep State law firm and a Democrat dirty-tricks opposition research firm.

The latest egg-in-the-face for the elite media came, as it almost always does, on a Friday night. The Republicans in the Senate released a bunch of FBI documents from the witch hunt, one of which dealt with this Pulitzer Prize-worthy February 2017 effort from the Times:

Phone records and intercepted calls show that (Trump and his crew) had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election.

Uh, actually, no. There was no such evidence, none whatsoever.

Everyone has known for years that this NYT bombshell, along with so many others across the alt-left media since 2016, was pure BS.

The crooked Comey said so under oath, the inspector general debunked it, as did the sainted special counsel Mueller.

But this time the Senate also declassified the notes of Peter Strzok, the rabid Trump-hating FBI paper-shuffler who has since been fired for breathtaking corruption.

Even Strzok dumped on the Times story: We are unaware of any Trump advisors engaging in conversations with Russian intelligence officials.

Remember, this was a guy who told his mistress that Hillary Clinton should win 100,000,000-to-nothing, that he could smell Trump supporters and that he had an insurance policy to stop Trump from becoming president.

Even Strzok knew the Times had lost its collective mind.

The Times, as it always does when busted for Very Fake News, had a spokesman issue this pro formal statement: We stand by our story.

Just as the Times stood by Walter Duranty, another Pulitzer Prize winner, a stooge of Stalin who reported that there was no famine in Ukraine, as millions died. Just as the Times stood by Herbert L. Matthews, who slobberingly reported that Fidel Castro was not a Communist, even as he turned Cuba into a Caribbean gulag.

The Times defense and that of the Post, CNN, NBC, ABC and all the rest is that they were just reporting what their sources told them.

Okay, lets use that logic, that you can feel free to print whatever your sources tell you. Your anonymous sources, which is even better, because if you have to, you can just plain make it up, like the columnists at the Globe.

Once theyve unmoored themselves from reporting the facts, whats to stop them from next deciding that theyre going to prove, say, Sasquatch lives, or that theyre going to finally locate Ponce de Leons Fountain of Youth?

The Rosetta Stone of the collusion hoax is the Steele dossier, compiled by a clownish Maxwell Smart-like spy who just lost a defamation case in the UK brought by two Russians he put into his bogus report.

Somebodys gotta go to prison for this. It was a conspiracy to overthrow the Republic. The FBI obstructed justice by using documents that they knew were made-up Hillary oppo research. Everyone knew it was crap, and yet they kept shoveling it, for three years, lying under oath.

Will the Deep States media accomplices give their Pulitzer Prizes back? Nah.

Sasquatch will be above the fold on the front page before these hacks admit that they tried to frame the president of the United States.

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Howie Carr: Alt-left media still cling to their Big (Russia) Lie - Boston Herald

This book is the new ‘Moneyball’ (and every investor should read it) – The Australian Financial Review

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She adds: "If he could figure out how to disentangle the chance from the skill, how to maximise the role of the latter and learn to minimise the malice of the former, he believed he would hold the solution to some of life's greatest decision challenges."

Spoiler alert: Over the course of the year and a half the book spans, Konnikova goes from being a rank novice who doesn't know a straight from a flush to an accomplished pro who gets to final tables in tournaments sometimes winning and makes serious money $US350,000 ($489,000) and counting, she told an interviewer. She even had a sponsor for a time.

How does she do it? First, she finds the perfect teacher in Erik Seidel, a poker legend who's a kind of Delphic presence in the book. He tends to guide her towards knowledge rather than imposing it, so that her poker breakthroughs feel like her own discoveries at least as much as his teachings.

Second, she goes all-in, devoting herself fully to the task at hand, even though there are many discouraging moments along the way moments when her lack of poker smarts allow better players (usually men) to goad her into making mistakes.

And third and this is the part that truly grabbed me she learns a mode of thought that is vital to winning poker. This is where The Biggest Bluff intersects with Moneyball. What Konnikova has to say about thinking can also be applied to investing. "It's all about thinking well," Seidel tells her during one of their first meetings. "The real question is can good thinking and hard work get you there?"

In one of her few direct references to stock picking, she quotes the Nobel laureate Daniel Kahneman: "For a large majority of fund managers, the selection of stocks is more like rolling dice than like playing poker."

He continues: "The successful funds in any given year are mostly lucky; they have a good roll of the dice. There is general agreement among researchers that nearly all stock pickers, whether they know it or not and few of them do are playing a game of chance."

Thinking like a poker player could well be an important way to minimise the element of chance in investing, and heighten the element of skill.

Konnikova's first lesson and it's a painful one is that she's going to need to lose to get better. "The benefit of failure is an objectivity that success simply can't offer," she writes. "If you win right away if your first foray into any new area is a runaway success you'll have absolutely no idea to gauge if you're really just that brilliant or it was a total fluke and you got incredibly lucky."

Lesson No. 2: How do you react to losing? She quotes Dan Harrington, the author of several widely read poker strategy books: "Everyone plays well when they're winning. But can you control yourself when you're losing? And not by being too conservative, but trying to still be objective as to what your chances are in the hand. If you can do that, then you've conquered the game."

And so it goes: A good poker player has to be comfortable with uncertainty just like a good investor. She has to have a good reason for every single decision she makes. She has to be able to acknowledge mistakes and adjust accordingly. She has to be able to shut out all the white noise while searching for meaningful patterns. She can't get too high when she wins a big pot or too low when she's on a losing streak. A player who is self-aware enough to clearly see her own strengths and weakness has a big advantage. All of these attributes are important for good investing as well.

Konnikova stresses the importance of not dwelling on bad luck those times when you have a good hand that you played correctly but lost because your opponent got lucky when the last card was turned over. What matters is whether your decision was sound.

At one point, when she is complaining about a hand she lost, Seidel tells he doesn't want to hear the result of her hands any more. He just wants to hear her explain her decision-making. "When you're telling me hands, don't even say how it ended," he says. "I want you to do your best to forget how it ended yourself. That won't help you."

"Poker taught me not to be focused on the outcome, but on the process," Konnikova told me when we spoke a few days ago. "And that has been liberating in everyday life. It feels nice to wallow when things go wrong. Give me some sympathy! Poker just knocked that out of me. You are just wasting valuable emotional resources. It serves no purpose."

More than just about anything, Konnikova learns how to take emotions out of her decision-making. That may be the single most important thing Seidel and several other mentors taught her.

What surprised me the most is the idea that you can be taught to think in a less emotional, more rigorous way. You don't see many adults changing their thought process and I asked Konnikova if it were really possible on a wide scale. After all, not everyone has a doctorate in psychology like she does or undertakes a task they will fail if they don't learn to think differently.

Yes, she replied, she was convinced that modes of thought could be taught. "My graduate adviser was Walter Mischel," she said. Mischel was a psychologist who conducted one of the world's most famous experiments: the marshmallow test.

That's the delayed gratification test in which children were put in a room with a treat (often but not always a marshmallow), which they could either eat right away or hold off, knowing their reward for doing so will be a second marshmallow. The marshmallow tests were conducted in the 1960s, and Mischel then followed the subjects for decades afterwards. He found that those who were able to hold off eating the first marshmallow fared better in life than those who lacked that self-control.

"There were actually two other fascinating trajectories that no one talks about," Konnikova said. "There were children who couldn't wait to eat the marshmallow, but learnt self-control later in life. And there were some who did wait for the second marshmallow but whose self-control ended up deteriorating."

Guess what? Those who were taught self-control had the same life outcomes as those who had that mindset at the start and never lost it. "A lot of these skills can be taught," she said "And the same is true of critical thinking."

Maybe it's time for investors to start learning how to play poker.

Joe Nocera is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering business. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and The New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. His latest project is the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast The Shrink Next Door.

Bloomberg

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This book is the new 'Moneyball' (and every investor should read it) - The Australian Financial Review

Negro Island is now Oak Island – Boothbay Register

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Dear Editor:

On Sunday, July 19, 2020, during a special meeting of the Negro Island Property Owners Association, the owners, listed below, unanimously voted to change the name of the island. The new name is Oak Island.

The 15-acre island is located at the mouth of Linekin Bay and just west of Ocean Point. There are currently five cottages on the island. While Negro Island appears on charts as far back as the mid 1700s, over the years, we have been increasingly uncomfortable with the name.

The new name is in recognition of the large number of oak trees on the island, and one in particular that is a significant landmark when seen at a distance. We embrace the new name as a symbol of strength, endurance and serenity.

John and Sarah Giles

Stuart and Bonnie Bennett

Neil and Maggie Newton

Scott and Catherine Stecher

David and Kristin Brett

Graham and Alison Bennett

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Ideas for Sewall’s Island redevelopment soon will be unveiled – NNY360

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WATERTOWN For months, city officials have waited for a team of landscape engineers from Ohio to put together their ideas on how to redevelop Sewalls Island.

They will soon find out as the consultants, MKSK Studios, Ohio, are finishing up those efforts and will present their report to City Council during a work session on Aug. 10.

Were very excited to see what theyve done, said Jennifer Voss, the senior planner in the city Planning Department.

The folks at MKSK also were given the task about redeveloping the nearby Factory Square neighborhood, once the hub of the citys manufacturing district a century ago.

To get to this point, a long-awaited $1.5 million environmental cleanup of Sewalls Island was finally completed last year before any kind of development could proceed.

Since last winter, the Planning Department has worked closely with the consultant, but the coronavirus made it a little more difficult to get input from the public on what it would like to see on the island, once the home of the massive Black Clawson Co.

In January, the consultants gathered with about 10 interested residents to get some of their ideas. Those in attendance envisioned hiking and biking trails and some green space.

The consultants were going to come back in March and June to discuss their findings but the pandemic prevented them from returning. Instead, a public survey was completed.

With the pandemic still going on, the consultants will make their Aug. 10 presentation virtually through a Zoom meeting.

Councilwoman Lisa A. Ruggiero thinks the island has potential to be a focal point of the city once again.

Its going to be nice to see what theyve come up with, she said.

The city owns 18.6 acres of the 28.7-acre island property on the Black River, about 10 acres of which can be developed.

About 5.6 acres of the island can be designated only for park development after 2 feet of new soil was deposited there during the cleanup, while another section can be developed for commercial purposes after a foot of topsoil was added.

Theres been talk about making improvements to a pair of railroad bridges for pedestrian and bike use on the island and connect them with other city trails.

Over the years, the former Black Clawson site has been the source of complaints because of its unsightly condition, with piles of debris, parts of the building foundation and a long section of chain-link fencing that fronts Pearl Street visible.

The city obtained the property through back taxes from Black Clawson, which closed its foundry in 1991. The massive complex was destroyed in a fire in 1999.

The buildings were demolished in 2001, leaving remnants of concrete foundations that cover about 25 percent of the reusable site. Soil contaminants remain underneath.

The Factory Square area of downtown contains a series of industrial buildings along the river, some commercial businesses and a small park, where the city had once planned to create a dog park. For years, its been a goal of city officials to spruce up the neighborhood.

Brookfield Renewable Energy Partners operates a hydroelectric plant on the island. That section of the island was not part of the remediation project.

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Another Staten Island slight from de Blasio (opinion) – SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Mayor Bill de Blasio was at it again last week, making Staten Island feel like its not part of New York City. At least not a valued part.

How many times have we felt that way since de Blasio became mayor in 2014?

This time it had to do with funding for New York City Housing Authority community centers.

Last Tuesday, de Blasio said that $22 million shifted from the NYPD would go to NYCHA centers in every borough.

Except, it turns out, on Staten Island.

City Hall at first had no explanation for the oversight. Later, the mayors office said that the funding was allocated based on vacant or shuttered NYCHA centers in need of renovation.

That took care of facilities in Manhattan, Brooklyn and the Bronx. And a center in Queens was given expense money for programming.

City Halls justification changed nothing: It was a four-borough effort in a five-borough city.

All this is happening while a planned $5.7 million renovation to a community center in Mariners Harbor remains stuck in limbo.

Its the second time lately that the Island was left out of a City Hall initiative. De Blasio also neglected to include Staten Island in his cool streets plan, which added spray caps to hydrants around the city in an order to help New Yorkers beat the heat.

Streets on Staten Island were included only after the Advance highlighted the oversight.

Do the maps used by City Hall include all five boroughs? For an avowedly political animal, de Blasio can be positively clueless when it comes to simple political optics.

City Hall couldnt find an Island community center that needed some upgrading? He didnt think we needed any cool streets here? Just how do these decisions get made?

Sadly, were getting used to this kind of dismissive treatment during the coronavirus pandemic.

Back in April, as the worst of the pandemic was taking hold here, we learned that Staten Island would receive none of the military medical personnel sent to the city by the federal government.

De Blasio had asked the Trump administration for doctors, nurses and other medical personnel to help us deal with the growing virus problem.

But the personnel that the feds sent were ticketed for city Health + Hospitals facilities. Staten Island is the only borough without an H+H hospital, so we received none of those resources.

We were also left wanting when the city sent more of its own resources to stressed H+H hospitals. City hospitals got more beds, more personnel, and free COVID testing for staff.

But, again, Staten Island received nothing because we dont have a city hospital here.

You see how that keeps snowballing?

De Blasio and the city Department of Transportation also used the cover of the pandemic to cut back on overnight Staten Island Ferry service, even though service every 30 minutes is mandated by city law.

The schedule has been beefed up recently as the city has come back to life, but heres no telling when the full schedule will be returned to us. The city also took away lower-level boarding of the boats during the pandemic, even though that can cause more crowding when loading the boats.

If you didnt know any better, youd think that the city was using the pandemic to give the Island a final kiss-off. Although, yes, de Blasio did close streets to traffic here so that pedestrians and cyclists could use the roads. And we did get some personal protective equipment from the city. And the mayor did come here to help paint a Black Lives Matter tribute on the street near the 120th Precinct stationhouse.

So de Blasio does have his priorities. Its just that Staten Island isnt often among them.

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Is it luck? Genetics? An Italian island has been spared from coronavirus outbreak – KCRA Sacramento

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Stranded on a tiny Italian island, a cancer researcher grew increasingly alarmed to hear that one, and then three more visitors had fallen ill with COVID-19.Paola Muti braced for a rapid spread of the coronavirus to the 800 closely-knit islanders, many of whom she knows well. Her mother was born on Giglio Island and she often stays at the family home with its charming view of the sea through the parlors windows.But days passed and none of Giglios islanders developed any COVID-19 symptoms even though the conditions seemed favorable for the disease to spread like wildfire.The Gigliesi, as the residents are known, socialize in the steep alleys near the port or on the granite steps that serve as narrow streets in the hilltop Castle neighborhood, with densely packed homes built against the remnants of a fortress erected centuries ago to protect against pirates. Dr. Armando Schiaffino, the islands sole physician for around 40 years, shared Mutis worry that there would be a local outbreak.Every time an ordinary childhood illness, like scarlet fever, measles or chicken pox strikes, within a very few days practically all get infected on Giglio, he said in an interview in his office near the port.Muti, a breast cancer researcher at the University of Milan where she is an epidemiology professor, decided to try to find out why it wasnt happening this time.Were residents perhaps infected but didnt show symptoms? Was it something genetic? Something else? Or just plain luck?Dr. Schiaffino came to me and told me, Hey, look, Paola, this is incredible. In this full pandemic, with all the cases that came to the island, nobody is sick. So I said to myself: Right, here we can do a study, no? I am here, Muti said.Related video: Hawaii discussing concept of tourists abiding by geofence while in quarantine By then, Muti was trapped on the island by Italys strict lockdown rules. What was especially puzzling to her was that many of the islanders had had close contact with the visitors.Giglios first known COVID-19 case was a man in his 60s who arrived on Feb. 18 a couple of days before Italys first native case would be diagnosed in the north. The man came to Giglio for a relatives funeral, and had been coughing all the way though the service, Muti said.The virus is mainly spread through droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. The man headed back on the ferry the same day to the mainland and died three weeks later in a hospital.On March 5, four days before the national lockdown was declared, three more visitors came from the mainland and would test positive on the island. One of them was a German man from northern Italy, the initial epicenter of Europes outbreak. He socialized for several days with longtime friends in Giglio, including in public eateries. After a week, due to a bad cough, he was tested on the island and the result was positive. He self-isolated in a house on Giglio.There were other known cases, including an islander who had lived in Australia for two years before slipping back onto Giglio in mid-March during lockdown to see his parents. Three days after arriving on Giglio, he developed a mild fever and tested positive, Muti said. He self-isolated at his parents home.No other case has surfaced on Giglio, including since lockdown was lifted in early June, and tourists from throughout Italy have been arriving.Giglio is part of Tuscany, and its health office quickly sent over kits to test for antibodies to see if others may have had COVID-19. In late April, just before the first lockdown travel restrictions would be eased, the islanders had their blood tested, lining up outside the islands school and doctors office.Of the 800 or so year-round residents, 723 volunteered to be tested.We all wanted to do it, to be tranquil about any possible infection, but also to help science, said Simone Madaro, who had been working at the cemetery while the infected man had gathered with fellow mourners.The Rev. Lorenzo Pasquotti, the priest who conducted the service for around 50 mourners, and who himself was tested recalled: After the funeral, there were greetings, hugging and kissing, as is the custom. Then came the procession to the cemetery, where there were more hugs and kisses.Of the islanders tested, only one was found to have antibodies, an elderly Gigliese man who had sailed on the same ferry to the island with the German visitor, Muti said.Intrigued about why the virus didnt seem to interact with the islands native population, Muti hadnt reached any conclusions by the time she was preparing to leave the island this month. She plans to write up up her study for eventual publication.Its possible, Muti guessed, that islanders werent exposed to enough COVID-19 to get infected.That possibility was also voiced by Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious diseases at Romes Tor Vergata hospital. He noted some patients are simply less capable of spreading the disease for reasons that are still unclear.Chance might have played a role, said Daniel Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London. It could be something more or less trivial nobody got infected because through good luck there was little contact, he said in an email exchange.Or, Altmann also noted that it could be something important and exotic, such as a genetic variant common among the islands population.With many of the Gigliesi intermarrying through generations, Muti would like to do a genetic study someday if she could obtain funding.Giglio lies in pristine waters in a protected regional marine sanctuary, and the islanders voice relief that they live in a natural environment they like to think is good for health, whatever Mutis study might determine.As an island, as the environment goes, were OK, no? said Domenico Pignatelli, as the elderly man kept company with friends in chairs placed on a stony street atop Giglio.

Stranded on a tiny Italian island, a cancer researcher grew increasingly alarmed to hear that one, and then three more visitors had fallen ill with COVID-19.

Paola Muti braced for a rapid spread of the coronavirus to the 800 closely-knit islanders, many of whom she knows well. Her mother was born on Giglio Island and she often stays at the family home with its charming view of the sea through the parlors windows.

But days passed and none of Giglios islanders developed any COVID-19 symptoms even though the conditions seemed favorable for the disease to spread like wildfire.

The Gigliesi, as the residents are known, socialize in the steep alleys near the port or on the granite steps that serve as narrow streets in the hilltop Castle neighborhood, with densely packed homes built against the remnants of a fortress erected centuries ago to protect against pirates.

Dr. Armando Schiaffino, the islands sole physician for around 40 years, shared Mutis worry that there would be a local outbreak.

Every time an ordinary childhood illness, like scarlet fever, measles or chicken pox strikes, within a very few days practically all get infected on Giglio, he said in an interview in his office near the port.

Muti, a breast cancer researcher at the University of Milan where she is an epidemiology professor, decided to try to find out why it wasnt happening this time.

Were residents perhaps infected but didnt show symptoms? Was it something genetic? Something else? Or just plain luck?

Dr. Schiaffino came to me and told me, Hey, look, Paola, this is incredible. In this full pandemic, with all the cases that came to the island, nobody is sick. So I said to myself: Right, here we can do a study, no? I am here, Muti said.

Related video: Hawaii discussing concept of tourists abiding by geofence while in quarantine

By then, Muti was trapped on the island by Italys strict lockdown rules. What was especially puzzling to her was that many of the islanders had had close contact with the visitors.

Giglios first known COVID-19 case was a man in his 60s who arrived on Feb. 18 a couple of days before Italys first native case would be diagnosed in the north. The man came to Giglio for a relatives funeral, and had been coughing all the way though the service, Muti said.

The virus is mainly spread through droplets when someone coughs, sneezes or talks. The man headed back on the ferry the same day to the mainland and died three weeks later in a hospital.

On March 5, four days before the national lockdown was declared, three more visitors came from the mainland and would test positive on the island. One of them was a German man from northern Italy, the initial epicenter of Europes outbreak. He socialized for several days with longtime friends in Giglio, including in public eateries. After a week, due to a bad cough, he was tested on the island and the result was positive. He self-isolated in a house on Giglio.

There were other known cases, including an islander who had lived in Australia for two years before slipping back onto Giglio in mid-March during lockdown to see his parents. Three days after arriving on Giglio, he developed a mild fever and tested positive, Muti said. He self-isolated at his parents home.

No other case has surfaced on Giglio, including since lockdown was lifted in early June, and tourists from throughout Italy have been arriving.

Giglio is part of Tuscany, and its health office quickly sent over kits to test for antibodies to see if others may have had COVID-19. In late April, just before the first lockdown travel restrictions would be eased, the islanders had their blood tested, lining up outside the islands school and doctors office.

Of the 800 or so year-round residents, 723 volunteered to be tested.

We all wanted to do it, to be tranquil about any possible infection, but also to help science, said Simone Madaro, who had been working at the cemetery while the infected man had gathered with fellow mourners.

The Rev. Lorenzo Pasquotti, the priest who conducted the service for around 50 mourners, and who himself was tested recalled: After the funeral, there were greetings, hugging and kissing, as is the custom. Then came the procession to the cemetery, where there were more hugs and kisses.

Of the islanders tested, only one was found to have antibodies, an elderly Gigliese man who had sailed on the same ferry to the island with the German visitor, Muti said.

Intrigued about why the virus didnt seem to interact with the islands native population, Muti hadnt reached any conclusions by the time she was preparing to leave the island this month. She plans to write up up her study for eventual publication.

Its possible, Muti guessed, that islanders werent exposed to enough COVID-19 to get infected.

That possibility was also voiced by Massimo Andreoni, head of infectious diseases at Romes Tor Vergata hospital. He noted some patients are simply less capable of spreading the disease for reasons that are still unclear.

Chance might have played a role, said Daniel Altmann, a professor of immunology at Imperial College London. It could be something more or less trivial nobody got infected because through good luck there was little contact, he said in an email exchange.

Or, Altmann also noted that it could be something important and exotic, such as a genetic variant common among the islands population.

With many of the Gigliesi intermarrying through generations, Muti would like to do a genetic study someday if she could obtain funding.

Giglio lies in pristine waters in a protected regional marine sanctuary, and the islanders voice relief that they live in a natural environment they like to think is good for health, whatever Mutis study might determine.

As an island, as the environment goes, were OK, no? said Domenico Pignatelli, as the elderly man kept company with friends in chairs placed on a stony street atop Giglio.

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Is it luck? Genetics? An Italian island has been spared from coronavirus outbreak - KCRA Sacramento

Staten Island obituaries for July 26, 2020 – SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published on SILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be found here.

Joan A. Conanan (nee Driscoll), 75, of Travis, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2020. Mrs. Conanan was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Bay Ridge High School. She relocated to Staten Island in 1970, settling in Travis.

Victor DeMarco, 73, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home at the age of 73. He was a Staten Island native, a loving husband, and the best father a son could ask for.

Joanne Naomi Fendt, 80, of Venice, Fla., a devoted wife and mother; operated Florida resort and marina, died July 16, 2020. Joanne was born in 1939 in Hoboken, N.J., and grew up in South Beach, Staten Island, N.Y. She was a graduate of New Dorp High School and Indiana University.

Kevin McPadden, 62, a proud native Staten Islander who was a beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2020. Kevin is a graduate of New Dorp High School, where he won MVP in Track and Field in 1972 for the 880 yards long distance run.

Mildred Wells died peacefully on July 19, 2020, in her home in Boynton Beach, Fla., at age 94. Mildred retired as a physical education teacher in the mid-80s. The schools that she taught at included I.S. 24, I.S. 27 and P.S. 45 on Staten Island, N.Y. Following her retirement, Mildred volunteered to provide help to victims of rape.

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Staten Island obituaries for July 26, 2020 - SILive.com

Staten Island obituaries for July 27, 2020 – SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The following is a roundup of obituaries published onSILive.com. Viewing times and guestbooks can be foundhere.

Hector Reyes, 70, who loved playing sports and was a member of the Staten Island touch tackle league, and had retired from Resurrection Cemetery after 25 years, died July 10, 2020.

Agnes M. Tarasovis, 95, a Staten Island resident since 1930 who was a bookkeeper for Triangle Plumbing & Heating Supply Co. for 33 years and volunteered for many years with Pax Christi Hospice, died July 25, 2020.

YESTERDAYS OBITUARIES

Joan A. Conanan(nee Driscoll), 75, of Travis, passed away peacefully on July 23, 2020. Mrs. Conanan was born and raised in Brooklyn and graduated from Bay Ridge High School. She relocated to Staten Island in 1970, settling in Travis.

Victor DeMarco, 73, passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2020, at Carmel Richmond Nursing Home at the age of 73. He was a Staten Island native, a loving husband, and the best father a son could ask for.

Joanne Naomi Fendt, 80, of Venice, Fla., a devoted wife and mother, who operated a Florida resort and marina, died July 16, 2020. Joanne was born in 1939 in Hoboken, N.J., and grew up in South Beach, Staten Island. She was a graduate of New Dorp High School and Indiana University.

Kevin McPadden, 62, a proud native Staten Islander who was a beloved husband, stepfather, grandfather, uncle and friend, passed away peacefully on July 24, 2020. Kevin was a graduate of New Dorp High School, where he won MVP in Track and Field in 1972 for the 880-yard long distance run.

Mildred Wellsdied peacefully on July 19, 2020, in her home in Boynton Beach, Fla., at age 94. Mildred retired as a physical education teacher in the mid-80s. The schools where she taught included I.S. 24, I.S. 27 and P.S. 45 on Staten Island. Following her retirement, Mildred volunteered to provide help to victims of rape.

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Staten Island obituaries for July 27, 2020 - SILive.com

Staten Island Home of the Week: Builders own, elevator access on three floors, Tottenville, $2M – SILive.com

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STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- Nestled on a quiet cul-de-sac, this single-family home is located at 15 Elizabeth Court in Tottenville, as listed on SILive.com

It is priced at $1,998,000.

Features include vacation, oasis-style backyard with saltwater in-ground pool, elevator access on three floors, and a six-car garage, according to the listing on Staten Island Multiple Listing Service at SIBOR.com.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom home has more than 8,000 square feet of interior space, as listed.

Jorge Mendoza of United National Realty is the listing agent.

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Staten Island Home of the Week: Builders own, elevator access on three floors, Tottenville, $2M - SILive.com

Tom Sawyer Island Altercation Heard Across Magic Kingdom – Inside the Magic

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A loud, expletive-filled argument reportedly took place on Tom Sawyer Island at Magic Kingdom this afternoon. Guests reported hearing the altercation from several locations in the theme park.

According to an update shared on a Walt Disney World Annual Passholders group on Facebook, Guests reported that a loud altercation took place on Tom Sawyer Island, which is located in the center of the Rivers of America near Frontierland in Magic Kingdom park.

The Facebook post said that a male Guest was heard repeatedly shouting expletives. Other Guests noted that the mans voice was so loud that his foul language could be heard from several locations throughout the park, including the entrance of the Pirates of the Caribbean attraction in Adventureland, Liberty Tree Tavern in Liberty Square, and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad and Pecos Bill Tall Tale Inn and Cafe in Frontierland.

Related: List of Outdoor Activities at Magic Kingdom

Guests reported on social media that Cast Members gathered on the main land and waited for Magic Kingdom security to arrive on the scene. According to the original post on Facebook, Disney staff dealt with the situation as soon as possible.

At the time of this articles publication, it is not known what happened to the Guest who was reportedly involved in the altercation. It also has not been reported whether the incident ever turned physical or if it was only a verbal dispute. One witness reported that the altercation at one point involved the male Guest screaming in a womans face.

It is important to note that even though Walt Disney World is the Most Magical Place on Earth, it is not immune to real-world issues. Altercations involving Guests are not uncommon. However, Disney Cast Members and security officials are at the theme parks in order to maintain a safe, happy, and healthy environment as much as possible.

If you ever witness activity like this or you are uncomfortable or concerned when visiting one of the Disney Parks, be sure to find the nearest Cast Member or report your issue with Guest Relations, located in each of the Disney Parks.

We will update Inside the Magic as more information regarding this incident becomes available.

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Tom Sawyer Island Altercation Heard Across Magic Kingdom - Inside the Magic

Firefighters battle 91 acre wildfire on Sauvie Island – KPTV.com

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'); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append('"+val.ihtml+""); $("#expandable-weather-block .weather-index-alerts").show(); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body h2").css({"font-family":"'Fira Sans', sans-serif", "font-weight":"500", "padding-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body p").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body span.wxalertnum").css({"float":"left", "width":"40px", "height":"40px", "color":"#ffffff", "line-height":"40px", "background-color":"#888888", "border-radius":"40px", "text-align":"center", "margin-right":"12px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body b").css("font-size", "18px"); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body li").css({"font-size":"14px", "line-height":"18px", "margin-bottom":"10px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body ul").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body pre").css({"margin-bottom":"24px"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body img").css({"width":"100%", "margin-bottom":"20px", "borderWidth":"1px", "border-style":"solid", "border-color":"#aaaaaa"}); $("#expandable-weather-block .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).css({"borderWidth":"0", "border-bottom-width":"1px", "border-style":"dashed", "border-color":"#aaaaaa", "padding-bottom":"10px", "margin-bottom":"40px"}); }); } function parseAlertJSON(json) { console.log(json); alertCount = 0; if (Object.keys(json.alerts).length > 0) { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").empty(); } $.each(json.alerts, function(key, val) { alertCount++; $("#mrd-wx-alerts .alert_count").text(alertCount); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body ").append(''); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(""+val.title+""); // if (window.location.hostname == "www.kmov.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kctv5.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.azfamily.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.kptv.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.fox5vegas.com" || window.location.hostname == "www.wfsb.com") { if (val.poly != "" && val.polyimg != "") { $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } else if (val.fips != "" && val.fipsimg != "") { // $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(''); } // } //val.instr = val.instr.replace(/[W_]+/g," "); $("#mrd-wx-alerts .modal-body #mrd-alert"+ alertCount).append(val.dhtml+"

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Firefighters battle 91 acre wildfire on Sauvie Island - KPTV.com

Plum Island parking closed to nonresidents every weekend through Labor Day – Boston.com

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Beginning this weekend, beach parking is restricted at Plum Island due to concerns about overcrowding during the coronavirus pandemic.

Newburyport Mayor Donna D. Holaday announced Wednesday that the Plum Island Point Public Lot is now reserved for residents every weekend through Labor Day. Residents with an active city of Newburyport resident parking pass, city yard waste sticker, or Plum Island Parking Lot 2020 sticker can park in the lot on weekends at a discounted resident rate of $12 per day.

In addition, parking will not be allowed on Northern Boulevard, parking rules on all streets off Northern Boulevard will be strictly enforced, and violators will be ticketed and towed, Holaday said.

With summer in full swing, its understandable that more people are looking to enjoy the outdoors during this beautiful time of year, Holaday said in a statement. However, its important to remember that we must still be following the necessary guidelines to prevent any further spread of COVID-19. Thank you for your continued patience and understanding.

To reduce traffic congestion and improve public safety, between July 25 and Sept. 6 the paved area at the entrance of the public lot will be designated a turn-around area, electronic signs warning that the beach lot is open only to residents will be placed on Northern Boulevard at 51st Street and on the Plum Island Turnpike, and No Parking, No Beach Access signs will be placed on the ocean side streets off Northern Boulevard.

Earlier this month, the city of Gloucester closed the parking lotsat Stage Fort Park, Good Harbor Beach,and Wingaersheek Beach to non-residents after complaints of excessive traffic, illegal parking, and littering, and concerns over social distancing due to COVID-19. Beginning this weekend, the lots will open again in a limited capacity.

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Plum Island parking closed to nonresidents every weekend through Labor Day - Boston.com

Brexit was ‘start of the end for EU and pandemic has sparked surge in Euroscepticism – Express

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The Brexit activist told Express.co.uk the EU's flaws have been exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Conservative Party member added the consequences of the coronavirus crisis will chip away at support for the European Union in countries whereEuroscepticism is already growing.

Ms Hewertson said: "The pandemic has definitely exposed the flaws of the EU.

"There was always a bit of Euroscepticism in countries such as Italy, I think this has really perpetuated it.

"It just shows really that the EU isnt this great reliable friend that it claims to be.

"I think the UK leaving was really the start of the end for the EU.

READ MORE:Boris 'trump card' in EU talks exposed different to predecessor May

"I think things like this will just chip away at countries like Italy where there is already growing Euroscepticism."

During the same interview, MsHewertson also slammed the European Union's "take" approach after the trade bloc failed to support some of its nations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Tory supporter told Express.co.uk that the European Union only serves its own self-interests and highlighted the lack of support Italy received during the coronavirus pandemic.

Ms Hewertson stated Italy was put in an appalling position by the EU and that the nation was not given help when it desperately needed it.

Ms Hewertson said: "What COVID has exposed for the EU is that when you need the EU they wont give.

"However, when the EU needs you, they will take, take, take.

"I think we have really seen that in Italy.

"Italy was put in an appalling position by the EU, when it really needed help from EU nations it just wasnt given it.

DON'T MISSIain Dale warns of massive impact tariffs will have on Brexit trade[ANALYSIS]Underestimating the importance of fishing 'devastated' UK towns[INSIGHT]Michael Gove slaps down Channel 4 News reporter's Brexit probe[VIDEO]

"Germany was essentially hoarding ventilators, while thousands of Italians were dying.

"It was absolutely shocking and I think it does show that the EU does work on its own interests."

In June 2016 the UK voted to leave the European Union. The UK officially left the European Union at the end of January this year.

Britain is currently in a transition period until the end of 2020 with the EU while the government negotiates a free trade deal with the bloc.

Boris Johnson has ruled out extending the transition period, despite the ongoing coronavirus crisis.

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Brexit was 'start of the end for EU and pandemic has sparked surge in Euroscepticism - Express

Ryanair deals with coronavirus woes while Brexit waits in the wings – The Irish Times

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The severe losses and collapse in traffic reported by Ryanair for the three months ended June 30th should come as no surprise, given that the period covers the worst of the Covid-19 lockdown, which grounded air travel around Europe.

Ryanair lost 185 million during the period, the first of its 2021 financial year, as passenger numbers fell by 99 per cent to 500,000 people from 41.9 million during the same three months in 2019. Revenue fell by almost 2.2 billion or 95 per cent to 125 million. Chief executive Michael OLeary called it the most challenging in the airlines 35-year history.

However, the companys statement made it clear that there are plenty more challenges to come. The airline would not give markets any guidance for its full year, but did say that losses would abate in the current quarter as it resumed flying part of its schedule on July 1st.

Not surprisingly, the airline groups biggest fear remains a second coronavirus wave to coincide with the autumn-winter flu season. It argues that the only way to avoid further lockdowns and restrictions is for countries, airlines and passengers to follow EU guidelines for safe air travel.

While Covid-19 has dwarfed any other issue in aviation, Ryanair noted that Brexit has not gone away. The group hopes that the UK and EU will have worked out a deal allowing for air travel to continue before the current transition period ends in December.

Its statement on Monday stressed that it has taken steps to ensure it would remain majority EU-owned in the event of a hard Brexit, allowing its airlines here, in Austria, Malta and Poland to continue operating.

As it has a UK airline operators certificate, Ryanair also expects to benefit from any bilateral air travel agreements negotiated by the British government with non-EU countries. Nevertheless, the airline expects some adverse trading consequences from Brexit.

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Ryanair deals with coronavirus woes while Brexit waits in the wings - The Irish Times