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‘Clyde’s Spot,’ a new storm on Jupiter, discovered by amateur astronomer (photos) – Space.com

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

NASA's Jupiter-orbiting Juno probe has captured gorgeous imagery of a storm that recently cropped up on the giant planet and was spotted by an amateur astronomer.

Juno snapped a series of photos of the feature, dubbed "Clyde's Spot" named after its discoverer Clyde Foster of South Africa on the morning of June 2, 2020. At the time, the probe was flying between 28,000 miles and 59,000 miles (45,000 to 95,000 kilometers) above Jupiter's cloud tops, at latitudes ranging from 48 degrees south to 67 degrees south, NASA officials said.

Clyde's Spot swirls not too far from Jupiter's huge Great Red Spot. But unlike that famous latter storm, which has been raging for centuries, Clyde's Spot popped up not long ago.

Related: In photos: Juno's amazing views of Jupiter

The new storm was first spotted on May 31 by amateur astronomer Clyde Foster of Centurion, South Africa (hence the name). The timing worked out well for Juno, which was scheduled to make its 27th close flyby of Jupiter just a few days later. (Juno loops around Jupiter on a highly elliptical orbit, gathering most of its science data during close passes that occur every 53.5 Earth days.)

The June 2 flyby also happened to take Juno relatively close to Clyde's Spot close enough to image it with its onboard JunoCam instrument, anyway.

"The feature is a plume of cloud material erupting above the upper cloud layers of the Jovian atmosphere," NASA officials wrote in a description of the new imagery. "These powerful convective 'outbreaks' occasionally erupt in this latitude band, known as the South Temperate Belt (JunoCam observed another outbreak at this latitude back on Feb. 7, 2018)."

NASA makes JunoCam data available to the public, for both perusal and processing. Citizen scientist Kevin Gill processed five JunoCam images of Clyde's Spot into the striking view you see above. (Gill is a prolific and talented image processor with many such beauty shots under his belt.)

The $1.1 billion Juno mission launched in August 2011 and arrived at Jupiter on July 4, 2016. The probe's observations are helping scientists better understand the gas giant's composition, structure, formation and evolution, mission team members have said. Juno will continue studying Jupiter through at least July 2021, provided the probe remains healthy.

Mike Wall is the author of "Out There" (Grand Central Publishing, 2018; illustrated by Karl Tate), a book about the search for alien life. Follow him on Twitter @michaeldwall. Follow us on Twitter @Spacedotcom or Facebook.

'Clyde's Spot,' a new storm on Jupiter, discovered by amateur astronomer (photos) - Space.com

Astronomers Finally Have Important Details on What The Centre of Our Galaxy Looks Like – ScienceAlert

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

The center of our very own galaxy might be one of the Universe's most mysterious places. Astronomers have to probe through thick dust to see what's going on there.

All that dust makes life difficult for astronomers who are trying to understand all the radiation in the center of the Milky Way, and what exactly its source is.

A new study based on 20 years of data and a hydrogen bubble where there shouldn't be one is helping astronomers understand all that energy.

It's an astronomical peculiarity that in some ways we know more about other galaxies than we do about our own. Scientists have examined the energy coming from the center of thousands of other spiral galaxies in visible light. But for our own Milky Way, that knowledge is blocked by thick clouds of gas and dust.

A team of researchers examined decades of data from the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper telescope (WHAM) for clues about the Milky Way's energy. Their results are in a paper titled "Discovery of diffuse optical emission lines from the inner Galaxy: Evidence for LI(N)ER-like gas."

The lead author is Dhanesh Krishnarao from the University of Wisconsin. The paper's published in the journal Science Advances.

There's an enormous amount of hydrogen near the center of the Milky Way. That hydrogen is ionized by the energy from the galactic center. As an ionized gas, it's had its electrons stripped away.

The WHAM telescope is designed to see the ionized hydrogen, which appears red when viewed with the 'scope.

It's not just that the hydrogen is ionized. After a gas is ionized, the ions usually recombine to neutrality in a short period of time. The fact that all of this hydrogen is continually ionized by a source of energy is the link between the WHAM data and the energy at the center of the Milky Way.

Astronomers have thought that the source of energy for this ionization is star formation, but that's not conclusive.

WHAM is tailor-made to study ionized gas. The Milky Way contains a thick layer of it, called the Warm Ionized Medium (WIM), which is a distinct and major component of the galactic interstellar medium. The WIM is WHAM's primary target.

"Without an ongoing source of energy, free electrons usually find each other and recombine to return to a neutral state in a relatively short amount of time," explained co-author L. Matthew Haffner of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, in apress release.

"Being able to see ionized gas in new ways should help us discover the kinds of sources that could be responsible for keeping all that gas energized."

It all started when co-author Bob Benjamin, UWWhitewater Professor of Astronomy, was reviewing WHAM data a couple years ago.

The data came from observations of ionized hydrogen across the Milky Way. Benjamin found what he called a "red flag." Protruding from the Milky Way's dusty center was a bubble of ionized hydrogen with an odd shape.

Astronomers call this feature the "Tilted Disk." Its odd shape can't be explained by physical causes like the rotation of the galaxy. Something else is behind it.

The researchers realized that this was a rare opportunity: the disk was protruding out from its usual cover of thick dust. They could now study it in optical light, thanks to WHAM.

Normally, the Tilted Disk is only visible in infrared or radio, because of the dusty veil. That allowed the researchers to compare the center of the Milky Way with visible light observations of other spiral galaxies.

"Being able to make these measurements in optical light allowed us to compare the nucleus of the Milky Way to other galaxies much more easily," Haffner said.

"Many past studies have measured the quantity and quality of ionized gas from the centers of thousands of spiral galaxies throughout the Universe. For the first time, we were able to directly compare measurements from our galaxy to that large population."

There are existing scientificmodels of the ionized gasthat makes up the WIM. In this new research, lead author Dhanesh Krishnarao used one to predict how much ionized gas should be in the red flag region spotted by Benjamin.

He refined those predictions with WHAM's raw data, and came up with an accurate three-dimensional image of the bubble structure. Using spectroscopy, the researchers identified how much nitrogen and oxygen were present, giving them more clues to the structure's overall composition.

The results show that 48 percent of the gas in the Tilted Disk feature is ionized by an energy source that's unknown. As lead author Krishnarao says, "The Milky Way can now be used to better understand its nature."

Prior to this work, scientists only knew about neutral, or non-ionized gas in the central region. Now, they have a better understanding of the ionized gas, and they also know it changes as it moves away from the galactic center. This is a critical finding, because it shows for the first time that the Milky Way is similar to other spiral galaxies called LINERs.

"Close to the nucleus of the Milky Way," Krishnarao explained, "gas is ionized by newly forming stars, but as you move further away from the center, things get more extreme, and the gas becomes similar to a class of galaxies called LINERs, orlow ionization (nuclear) emission regions."

LINERs are galactic cores identified by their spectral line emissions, which show the presence of weakly ionized or neutral atoms like O,O+,N+, andS+. About one-third of nearby galaxies are LINERs. They're more radiative than galaxies whose only source of energy is star formation, but less radiative than galaxies that have an actively-feeding supermassive black hole.

Now that we know that our very own Milky Way galaxy is a LINER, it means astronomers can now study a LINER up close and personal.

"Before this discovery by WHAM, the Andromeda Galaxy was the closest LINER spiral to us," said Haffner.

"But it's still millions of light-years away. With the nucleus of the Milky Way only tens of thousands of light-years away, we can now study a LINER region in more detail. Studying this extended ionized gas should help us learn more about the current and past environment in the center of our Galaxy."

There are still many questions of course. Even though we now know that the Milky Way is a LINER, and that the bubble structure Benjamin spotted that started all this only appears to be moving towards us because of its elliptical orbit, the key question remains unanswered: what is the source of energy that's driving all this ionization?

That question may need to wait for WHAM's successor, planned but unnamed as of yet.

"In the next few years, we hope to build WHAM's successor, which would give us a sharper view of the gas we study," Haffner said.

"Right now our map `pixels' are twice the size of the full moon. WHAM has been a great tool for producing the first all-sky survey of this gas, but we're hungry for more details now."

This article was originally published by Universe Today. Read the original article.

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Astronomers Finally Have Important Details on What The Centre of Our Galaxy Looks Like - ScienceAlert

A backyard astronomy book and other literary events for the week of July 12 – TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

GRETCHEN ANTHONY: Minnesotan discusses her new novel The Kids are Gonna Ask, about teenage twins who set out to find their birth father through their podcast, opening themselves to media coverage and celebrity they arent sure how to handle. 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 18, livestreamed on Magers & Quinn Facebook page.

DAVID DICKINSON: Presents The Backyard Astronomers Field Guide: How to Find the Best Objects the Night Sky has to Offer. 4 p.m. Monday, July 13, livestreamed on Magers & Quinn Facebook page.

HEALING WORDS: The Power of Stories to Heal is the theme of a reading and discussion with Wendy Brown-Baez, Michael Kiesow Moore and Pamela Fletcher Bush. 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, presented by SubText Books. Free, but registration required. Go to subtextbooks.com.

ANNETTE RUGOLO:Practitioner of Maria Diamonds Diamond Methods of Enlightenment and owner of the company Conscious Life Resources signs copies in person of her book Soul Whisperer: Releasing Lost Souls. 10-11:30 a.m. Friday, July 17; Lake Country Booksellers, 4766 Washington Square, White Bear Lake.

ROBIN WASSERMAN: Discusses her new novel Mother Daughter Widow Wife, with bestselling young adult author Maureen Johnson. 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, livestreamed on Magers & Quinn Facebook page.

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A backyard astronomy book and other literary events for the week of July 12 - TwinCities.com-Pioneer Press

The fastest spinning star in the galaxy – SYFY WIRE

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

An astronomer has found the fastest spinning star known in our galaxy and it's a doozy. It's rotating at the dizzying speed of at least 540 kilometers per second. In fact, if it were spinning much faster, it would tear itself apart!

The star is called LAMOST J040643.69+542347.8, but let's call it J0406 for short. It's located about 30,000 light years from us, toward the outer edge of the galaxy. LAMOST is a sky survey being done in China that looks at wide areas of the sky and takes low-resolution spectra of astronomical objects. That means it breaks the light up into thousands of individual slices of color, which in turn can tell us a lot about the object's properties: How fast it's moving toward or away from us, how hot it is, what it's made of, and crucially in this case how rapidly it spins.

In this case, the astronomer was looking for a special kind of star when they noticed one star had an odd spectrum, with unusual features in it associated with rapid spin. Careful measurement indicated that the star has the phenomenal rotation speed of 540 kilometers per second.

That's fast. The Sun's rotation at its equator is 2 kilometers per second, so this star is spinning at a speed 270 times faster than the Sun!

I should note that a couple of stars in a nearby galaxy have been found to rotate at more than 600 kilometers per second, but J0406 is the fastest spinner known in the Milky Way, our galaxy. [Note (added 16:00 UTC 08 July 2020): My colleague Scott Manley points out that neutron stars spin faster as well. I wasn't counting them because I was thinking of "normal" stars, ones like the Sun that are still fusing elements in their cores; neutron starsare the cores of massive stars that have exploded. They can spin close to the speed of light at their equators! SoI should be clear: J0406 is the fastest spinning star like the Sun in the galaxy.]

J0406 is what we call an O star, one of the most massive and hot stars there is. Its mass and size aren't known but a decent (though very rough) estimate is that it's 20 times the Sun's mass and 10 times the size. Given that, at that speed it would take just under a day to spin once. The Sun takes nearly a month! So this star is whizzing around.

In fact, it's spinning so rapidly that the centrifugal force at the equator is very strong. Playing with the numbers (and again acknowledging I'm guessing at the size and mass), the force outward due to spin is a substantial fraction of the force inward due to gravity. That means the star must be significantly flattened, much narrower through the poles than across its equator; what we call oblate. Our Sun is nearly a perfect sphere, but this star must look like a beach ball someone has sat on.

There's subtle evidence of this in the spectrum too, indicating that the gravity at the poles is higher than at the equator. This also causes an effect called gravitational darkening: The higher gravity at the poles compresses the gas there, heating it up and making it shine more brightly. If you were close to this star, what a sight it would be! Egg-shaped, and darker around the middle than at the poles. Weird.

Incidentally, this star probably can't spin much faster than this. If it did, the force outward at the equator would be stronger than gravity, and material there would fly off. It would quite literally spin itself apart.

The question is, how did this star get to spin so rapidly? The most likely answer is that it has or had a binary companion, another star orbiting it very closely. In that case tides might spin up the two stars, as the orbital energy of the companion is transferred to the star. If the stars are very close, matter from one can get transferred to the other, and as it spirals in it would speed up the star's rotation as well.

However, despite looking, no evidence for a companion star was found. This part is cool though: More massive stars age more rapidly than less massive ones. The more massive star in a close binary would expand into a red supergiant and dump a lot of matter on the second star, then explode as a supernova. When that happens the second star would've been flung away like a rock from a sling, sending it moving through space at high speed. As it happens, the spectrum of J0406 reveals it is indeed moving very rapidly through the galaxy, just as you'd expect if it once had a massive companion that blew up.

So all the pieces fit. It's funny: By eye it's just another star lost among thousands of others in a picture of the sky. But by spectrum, well, it's a very different story. That's true for every star; they all have their story to tell. In this case, though, it's a story of long-dead exploded companion, a cannonball screaming through the galaxy, and a spin so strong the star is hugely flattened and weirdly darkened at the equator.

The Universe is such a strange place. That's one reason it's so much fun to explore.

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The fastest spinning star in the galaxy - SYFY WIRE

F.A.Q. Fundamental Beliefs | Church of Satan

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Why do Satanists worship The Devil?

We dont. Satanists are atheists. We see the universe as being indifferent to us, and so all morals and values are subjective human constructions.

Our position is to be self-centered, with ourselves being the most important person (the God) of our subjective universe, so we are sometimes said to worship ourselves. Our current High Priest Gilmore calls this the step moving from being an atheist to being an I-Theist.

Satan to us is a symbol of pride, liberty and individualism, and it serves as an external metaphorical projection of our highest personal potential. We do not believe in Satan as a being or person.

No. We are atheists. The only people who perform sacrifices are those who believe in supernatural beings who would consider a sacrifice to be some form of payment for a request or form of worship. Since we do not believe in supernatural beings there is no reason for a Satanist to make a sacrifice of any sort.

Satanism has strong rules prohibiting sexual activity with children and non-human animals. In fact, if a Church of Satan member abuses children sexually or otherwise, his membership is automatically terminated without possibility for re-instatement. The Church of Satan also does not accept anyone who is not legally adult as an Active Member. In Satanism, sexual activity is only advocated between consenting adults.

No. Our ritual is basically a form of self-therapy and is most often done in private. The three basic rituals are presented in The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor LaVey and these do not demonstrate any type of abusive behavior.

There is no such thing. People who believe in some Devilish supernatural being and worship him are Devil-worshippers, not Satanists. Anton LaVey was the first to define Satanism as a philosophy, and it is an atheist perspective. Theistic Satanism is an oxymoronic term and thus absurd. In Satanism each individual is his or her own godthere is no room for any other god and that includes Satan, Lucifer, Cthulhu or whatever other name one might select or take from history or fiction.

When LaVey refers to an idea, concept, or quote derived or taken from someone else, he often cites the author, either in the paragraph or in the indexes of his books. If anything LaVey wrote seems similar to past concepts, oftentimes, he augmented it with modern circumstances as well as his own thoughts. Seeing that Satanism is a work in progress, an attempt for melding science with philosophy, we are fully justified in choosing the concepts of old, working with them in our context and taking them into the future. (If we didnt, who else would?) This is the same process used by scientists, doctors, psychologists, and many other professionals. Nothing would get done if individuals merely went along with established thought and never added to it. Its evolution, pure and simple.

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F.A.Q. Fundamental Beliefs | Church of Satan

Bahamians drive Out Island tourism restart – Bahamas Tribune

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

By YOURI KEMP

Tribune Business Reporter

ykemp@tribunemedia.net

Bahamians are driving the "slow" resumption of hotel bookings in the Family Islands as the country gradually re-opens following the COVID-19 lockdown.

Leslie Kennedy, general manager of the Pigeon Cay Beach Club on Cat Island, told Tribune Business: "It's quite slow, but that's OK. I think we should take it slow and gradually get back to taking people. We can only be at 50 percent capacity, and I only have eight cottages."

Ms Kennedy said 12 persons have booked their vacation with her since the July 1 reopening, with domestic tourism leading the way. She added: "I had some folks come in when the domestic travellers were allowed to come after June 15. I did have some come, but just for a couple of houses.

"I still think people are still a little leery of travel, but we have seen more domestic visitors because they don't want to go to the US, which is totally understandable.

"Everybody understands, and we let everybody know what the protocols are prior to coming. We have our signage up that we are required to do, informing people of the importance of wearing face masks and social distancing. Everybody is really respectful of that, which is great."

Albert Archer, owner of the Island Seaside Suites in Eleuthera, said: "Personally, for my place, I've had quite a number of bookings, but my bookings are principally Bahamians, or Bahamians principally out of New Providence. This week I have a Bahamian family out of Atlanta.

"But based on my experience, the bulk of the tourist business works against Bahamians as the bulk of the business goes to the winter residents. The winter residents by and large have that market sewn up, and Bahamians like myself are really struggling. But since Eleuthera reopened, my bookings have been relatively good thanks to the Bahamian market."

Mr Archer said his guests are having no problems adjusting to the COVID-19 heath protocols, and added: "Generally speaking you are just trying to be careful as far as bacteria is concerned. Now you just have to combine that with a virus. I haven't found it taxing.

"Since I have reopened I have had four bookings, and that is better than what I would normally have. There is a resurgence in domestic tourism."

Janice Tolas, general manager of Greenwich Creek Lodge, Long island, said: "Things are very, very slow. I had a couple of guests come in over the last weekend and they were all Bahamians. All local.

"We had a booking for July 13 from a foreigner, and they cancelled because they said they have to quarantine when they go back home. It is fine coming this way, but when they go back they have to self quarantine - they are Americans."

Ms Tolas added: "Everything else is good. It's just the issue with people having to quarantine when they go back, because when they go back they don't get paid because they are doing that on their own, they are making the decision to travel on their own. Other than that I don't have any other issues.

"There is a lot of interest in the Bahamian 'two fly free' programme that the Bahamas Out Island Promotion Board has out. There are a lot of people calling about that. Not confirmations, but people asking about it. That's working."

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Bahamians drive Out Island tourism restart - Bahamas Tribune

Taste Key West restaurant brings flavor of islands to Harrisburg – pennlive.com

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Island breezes and sunny flavors of Key West are blowing into Harrisburg.

On July 11, Taste Key West arrives at 31 N. Second St., replacing Taste Buffalo Wing It & Fling It.

Owner Ron Kamionka said initially the restaurant will be open for outdoor seating during Saturday Nights in the City. The alfresco dining events are held 5-10 p.m. Saturdays along several city streets including North Second Street closed to traffic.

Last year Kamionka opened Taste as a rotating taste room where the concept will change twice a year. He kicked it off with a taco and tequila theme.

Taste Key West will play off the eclectic feel of Floridas most southern point. Along with margaritas and rum drinks, Taste Key Wests menu is heavy on seafood with steam pots, conch fritters, crab legs and key lime pie.

We are trying to keep the cool island vibe going, Kamionka said.

To kick off the opening on Saturday, the restaurant is hosting a sunset sidewalk chalk contest with 24 artists competing. Diners will vote with dollars for their favorite drawings with proceeds donated to the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank.

In the coming weeks, Tastes entertainment lineup includes lawn concerts with a Jimmy Buffet tribute band and reggae group from Washington, D.C. scheduled. Kamionka said the restaurant theme continue at least through New Years Eve with festivities to ring in 2021.

Kamionka is also in the process of relocating Anna Rose Bakery & Coffee Shop to the former Pita Pit at North Second and Walnut streets in Harrisburg. He also owns several businesses in the city, including Sawyers, Bourbon Street Saloon and Hops and Vines & Spirits Tasting Room.

Taste Key Wests phone number is 717-681-3000.

Thanks for visiting PennLive. Quality local journalism has never been more important. We need your support. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work.

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Taste Key West restaurant brings flavor of islands to Harrisburg - pennlive.com

Martha’s Vineyard News | Round the Island Race Set for August 1 – The Vineyard Gazette – Martha’s Vineyard News

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Sailors from around New England are expected to convene for the Edgartown Yacht Clubs annual Round the Island race on August 1.

The yacht clubs annual regatta and other sailing events have been canceled this year, but the 52.5-nautical mile race around the Island will go on as planned, club organizers said.

Starting in the Edgartown harbor, the race course runs around Cape Pogue, then Wasque, and then along the south shore before turning at the Gay Head Cliffs to traverse Vineyard Sound and cross the finish line back in the Edgartown Harbor. The race is an annual Island event that dates to 1938, missing only a few years during World War II.

Race co-chairman Alex Nugent said about 50 boats have signed up so far. Mr. Nugent said many teams are returning sailors, but there are some newcomers. We have a good mix, its a lot of local, southeastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island teams, he said.

Its going to feel very different this year, Mr. Nugent also said. Were keeping everything isolated to the boats. Its really about keeping the safety of the folks of the Island in mind. This year theres really not much to it on our end. Were setting the starting line and then giving people an opportunity to race.

The course passes seven lighthouses, starting with the Edgartown Light, then Cape Pogue, Gay Head, Tarpaulin Cove, Nobska, West and East Chop. Race participants have the option to either sail around Nomans or cut between it and Marthas Vineyard, depending on wind and tides.

Mr. Nugent, who grew up summering on the Vineyard and learned to sail at the Edgartown Yacht Club, has raced around the Island before. He said the most challenging part of the course is the turn around Wasque.

It depends on the breeze. When its super light, the current off Wasque can pull people into the shoals and that gets really tricky. Its caused issues in the past. In a light breeze thats a top concern for people, he said.

After the race, a virtual ceremony will be held to award six different trophies.

Registration is still open. To register and for more information, visit edgartownyc.org.

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Martha's Vineyard News | Round the Island Race Set for August 1 - The Vineyard Gazette - Martha's Vineyard News

AAU Sunday: Grand Island’s Isaac Traudt and Omaha Bryan’s Lam Kuany have big days – Omaha World-Herald

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

World-Herald prep recruiting specialist Mike Sautter was at the Jammin In July showcase at the Jensen Fieldhouse in Ames, Iowa, on Sunday.

Here are results from his featured games of the day:

17U

South Dakota Network 61, Lincoln Supreme 17U 59: Network opened the game on a 7-0 run. Supreme would claw back thanks in part to Lincoln North Star senior Kwat Abdelkarim. His second 3-pointer of the half gave Supreme their first lead, 28-26 with 3:30 left in the first half. Lincoln East senior Carter Glenn connected on a 3-pointer with 16 seconds left in the half to give Supreme a 33-30 lead at the break. Abdelkarim scored five straight points in the middle of the second half and gave Supreme the largest lead by either team at 56-44. Network would answer with a run of their own and take a 59-56 lead with under a minute to play. Lincoln Southeast junior McGinness Schneider connected on a corner 3-pointer with eight seconds left in regulation to send the game into overtime. Supreme had opportunities but didnt score in the overtime period falling 61-59. Abdelkarim led the team in scoring with 18 and Glenn finished with 11.

Minnesota Select 17U - Ohnstad 59, Team Factory 17U Gold 57: Factory led 33-27 at the break thanks to Creighton Prep senior guard Justin Sitti and Omaha Skutt senior Charlie Fletcher both scoring seven points in the first half. The second half didnt start as well as the first half. Factory scored only five points in the first eight minutes and their third basket of the half came roughly 10 minutes into the second half. Trailing by six late in the game Millard Souths Jack Cooper made back-to-back 3-pointers to send the game into overtime. Select would get the first and only basket in the extra session winning 59-57. Fletcher led the team in scoring with 13 and Cooper finished with 10.

All Iowa Attack 11th Red 60, Team Factory 17U UAA Rise 43: A slow start and missed 3-pointers doomed Factory. Attack opened the game with more energy and a 10-3 lead early and Attack led 38-25 at the half. Glenwood, Ia senior Ryan Blum led Factory with 14.

16U

Lincoln Supreme 16U National 70, All Iowa Attack 10th Red 57: Ashland-Greenwood junior Cale Jacobsen led Supreme with nine points in the first half. His biggest play wasnt scoring but an assist to Lincoln East junior guard Brayden McPhail for a 3-pointer as time expired in the half. Giving Supreme a 39-30 halftime lead. Grand Island junior Isaac Traudt took over in the second half scoring 15 straight Supreme points including two contested 3-pointers. Traudt finished with 22 points and Jacobsen 12 in the win. Supreme won their second game later in the day 69-35 over Minnesota Rise to finish the weekend 4-0.

Team Factory 16U UAA Rise 85, South Dakota Attack 51: Omaha Westside junior Chandler Meeks scored nine of his 13 points in the first half to give Factory a 55-37 halftime lead. Millard North junior Jasen Green had 14 and Omaha South junior Dontryl Love scored 12.

Team Factory 16U UAA Rise 69, All Iowa Attack 10th Red 51: Omaha Bryans Lam Kuany led Factory with 16 points scoring eight in each half. A 35-27 Factory halftime lead quickly turned into a double digit lead early in the second half. Factory cruised to the win and Omaha Central junior Jay Dawson scored 10.

AAU Sunday: Grand Island's Isaac Traudt and Omaha Bryan's Lam Kuany have big days - Omaha World-Herald

Big Island Mayor’s Race Could Hinge On Winning The Leeward Vote – Honolulu Civil Beat

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

In a crowded field where name recognition alone might not be enough to separate from the pack, several Big Island mayoral candidates are touting west side projects in an attempt to earn the leeward vote.

On Hawaii island, west side support can be the difference between success or failure.

Unless one of the candidates earns more than 50% of the vote during the Aug. 8 primary, the top two of the 14 candidates will advance to the general election in November, meaning every vote on an island with a population of 200,000 will be coveted.

But on the Big Island, the division between east and west is as real as it is symbolic.

The drier, sunnier Kona side in the west is a tourist and luxury-home haven that comprises 70% of the countys property tax base every year. Yet, residents often feel overlooked when it comes to projects and resources compared to the eastern side of the island, where Hilo, the more populous governmental capital, is located. Its also not lost on residents that the island has never had a west side mayor, either.

A pair of Kona-side candidates have some name recognition this year former county parks director and football coach Bob Fitzgerald chief among them but the betting favorites all hail from the east once again.

Still, theyre all pledging big projects for the west side should they get elected.

Manini Beach Park at Kealakekua Bay on the Kona side of Hawaii island. Winning the mayors race means securing the leeward vote and not just focusing on the population center in Hilo.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Prosecutor Mitch Roth, incumbent Mayor Harry Kim, community organizer Ikaika Marzo and former Hawaii County Councilman Stacy Higa are some of the early favorites.

They say that developing a $75 million Kealakehe Wastewater Treatment Plant in West Hawaii is a top priority.

Design plans for the upgraded plant are on hold, however, while the county wrestles with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in a similar case on Maui. At issue is whether the plant needs discharge permits, which the county is seeking lest it get hit with fines, because it releases treated sewage into the ground below adjacent Honokohau Harbor.

In the meantime, the county is trying to construct a system to reuse the treated, R-1 recycled water for things such as irrigation.

Candidates say developing a reuse plan and tackling the project is of utmost importance.

Theres no money out there that scares me no number you can tell me, Higa said of the price tag to upgrade the treatment plant. Because if we dont do it, the amount of fines and the amount of damage were going to do to our communities, to our ocean and our environment, its billions.

Higa, of Hilo, is CEO of Na Leo TV, a community education station. He touted his small business experience during a mayoral forum June 25 that the stations book value has increased by $5 million during his five-year tenure.

He was also County Council chairman from 2004 to 2006 and ran unsuccessfully for mayor in 2008.

Born and raised on the Big Island, Higa, 57, said he also has governmental experience to push through on projects that have languished on the west side, which are many. Examples of those, he said, are adding and fixing roads.

Traffic congestion is a huge topic out west. While plans for additional connector roads, such as Alii Parkway, have been studied since his time on council, Higa said his administration will pick those up as quickly as possible, once elected.

Talk, talk, talk, Im a business guy, I just want to get them done, Higa said, describing county decision-making as analysis by paralysis.

Do it or get off the pot, he said.

One idea that Higa is championing that differs from his competitors is that he would divide his Cabinet staff with autonomous, west side representation.

Hilo lies about 80 road miles from Kona. Higa said a majority of his departments would have east and west side directors and that those Kona-based leaders would be granted wide discretion when it comes to decisions that affect the west side, contingent upon mayoral approval.

In other words, west side decisions are going to be made on the west side of the island, Higa said. I understand that 70% of the tax base is generated out there and that you guys get 30 percent of the return. Im going to shift that. Im going to shift that big time.

Roth, however, thinks that plan is problematic.

The county prosecutor credits the west side of the island with carrying him to office in 2012, but that providing too much autonomy to certain positions could run counter to governing rules.

One of our problems right now in this county is that we are inconsistent on how we are interpreting the rules and laws. That would just add to the inconsistency, Roth said. Its a nice-sounding promise, but I think its important we have consistent rules and theyre interpreted consistently. I think that makes it difficult to run two separate counties.

Roth, 55, stressed the importance of improving roads and upgrading the treatment plant plan as top priorities as well. A solution to the treatment plant, he pointed out, would also relieve the burden on Konas at-times strapped water wells.

When it comes to representing leeward interests, he pointed to his track record as a deputy prosecutor and prosecutor.Roth established numerous block watches and public safety programs out west, such as the Shattered Dreams anti-drunk driving program at Kealakehe High School that reduced DUI fatalities after it was created.

Hes also the only prosecutor to tap a Kona resident as his top deputy prosecutor, Dale Ross. And one of his biggest priorities is combating homelessness, a big issue in Kona.

More specifically, Roth wants to attack the root causes of homelessness, which can be triggered by what the judicial and medical communities classify as adverse childhood experiences. Domestic violence is a major ACE factor and can contribute to high homeless, suicide and drug abuse rates, as do mental health issues.

Instead of implementing sit-lie bans a rule against the homeless implemented in Honolulu which the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals rejected and other candidates, such as Higa, said they would explore Roth is pushing for more substance and domestic violence treatment and prevention.

Those initiatives hed implement inside Konas Village 9 project, the emergency, transitional and affordable housing project also known as Kukuiola.

This is probably one of the biggest community issues that there is, Roth said. Unfortunately, I dont see a lot of the other candidates who are getting involved trying to be proactive rather than reactive.

Roth has outraised all the other candidates as well.

According to the latest financial disclosure reports filed Thursday with the state Campaign Spending Commission, Roth has raised $150,815 this election period. Hes spent $78,407, leaving him with $21,887.

Higa is second. Hes raised $80,993 and spent $71,929 so far.

Neil Azavedo, Hawaii Countys division chief in Public Works for the Highways Division, is third. The Hilo resident has raised $48,891 and spent $30,690.Hes followed by Marzo, who has raised $45,564 and spent $23,677.

Tante Urban, former Kailua-Kona restaurateur and businessman, has raised $8,000, good for fifth, and spent $8,780, leaving him $780 in the red.

Kim, the incumbent, has raised $2,846 and spent $1,266 this election season.

Old Kona Airport State Recreation area was turned into a temporary homeless shelter recently.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

Kim points to Village 9 as a project he is proud of on the west side of the island.

A collaboration with the state through Ohana Zones funding, its actually just one part albeit it a big part of a drive for more transitional and affordable housing for the area.

Housing and homeless issues have been consistently at the top of the local Chamber of Commerces legislative priorities every year and Kims administration has recognized that.

Just last week a temporary homeless shelter was constructed at Old Kona Airport Park for up to 30 people thanks to county, state and federal funding.

Not too far away, the Ulu Wini affordable housing complex was completed a couple of years ago, and occupant capacity was reached shortly after it opened.

Kim, 81, pledged more support for such projects should the longtime civil servant receive a fourth term, including finishing what he started with Kukuiola. Spread over 35 acres, the plan is underway although build-out is still years out.

Im proud of Village 9. Im sure people wanted it faster, God knows we did too, Kim said. Id sure like to see that through. And it will go through.

Mayor Harry Kim has no shortage of candidates trying to prevent him from winning another term.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

He also pointed to work on Konas Ane Keohokalole Highway as roadwork that was started under his administration that would continue. The major thoroughfare is expected to ease traffic congestion once completed.

The last four years have been busy for the mayor. He dealt with disasters from the get-go: the Kilauea eruption, Hurricane Lane, protests on Mauna Kea, and now, the COVID-19 pandemic.

His administration tackled major island-wide issues in that time, too, implementing short-term vacation rental regulations, cleaning up county hiring practices that played favorites internally, and is currently trying to rewrite and simplify the county building permitting process an issue that nearly every candidate says needs to be addressed.

Im proud of those changes because it goes with a theme I want and that was openly said from Day One, Kim said. I want to be part of a county government that the people are proud of.

But the mayor has also had to defend increasing a number of taxes and fees in the last four years, an increased budget, as well as concerns about the perceived lack of attention he spends on priorities outside of Hilo.

He was asked at the June 25 forum whether he felt he spent enough time in Kona, to which he answered he should be judged on the job hes done, not from where hes done it.

If you could turn things back, I would have answered it differently, Kim said of the Kona question.

Its a question he says he fields often, from practically every district outside of Hilo. He said the truth was that once the disasters started, he didnt have enough time to travel to other districts as much as he would have liked.

I should have answered that way, but I didnt, he said.

Marzo, 36, has been perhaps the most vocal about the response of Kims administration during the lava crises.

Although hes never run for office, the president of Kalapana Cultural Tours created a large following during the 2018 Kilauea eruption by posting daily updates of the lava flow online.

Lava approaches Pahoa Road, bottom frame in this file image from 2014.

Cory Lum/Civil Beat

He and several others formed a grassroots community center known as the hub that distributed meals, donations and emergency items to the affected community during that time.

Marzo said the incumbents team should have been better prepared and quicker to communicate during the crisis.

We need to expect volcanic eruptions and other disasters like hurricanes based on the islands history, he said. Disasters here are not an excuse for a lack of transparency, communication, or listening to the public.

But besides the crisis response, Marzo graded the administration a C when it came to representing west side interests during the last four years something he said would change under him.

Along with sewer, road, homeless and housing improvements, Marzo said police officer retention needs to be addressed out west. More parks and keiki programs need to be added, too. Half of the mayors cabinet should be from or reside in West Hawaii, he added, and the under-used West Hawaii Mayors Office should be occupied at least weekly.

Equal representation of all districts is extremely important to me, and part of that is correcting past inequality such as West Hawaii being underrepresented for generations, he said. Kona has more people and deserves more attention than ever.

Of the four Kona-side candidates, Fitzgerald carries perhaps the most in terms of name recognition combined with governmental service.

The former Konawaena High School football coach won a slew of league football championships including at the hands of other candidates. The 67-year-old was former director and deputy director of the Parks and Recreation Department under then-Mayor Billy Kenoi from 2008-14.

Hes promoting road and wastewater improvements like the other candidates, but also specific park projects for downtown Kailua-Kona. He wants to vastly improve Old Kona Airport Park and Kealakehe Regional Park, a giant greenspace adjacent to the Village 9 housing project thats getting off the ground.

Thats one of the reasons I ran, Fitzgerald said of transforming the parks. The mayor has really let that slide.

Old Airport could be a beach park akin to Honolulus Ala Moana Park. The Kealakehe park has an estimated $80 million price tag, but that doesnt mean it has to cost that much, he said. Plans for improving both have been discussed for a long time and should be further down the line by now.

Thats one of the things Im frustrated with, said Fitzgerald, who had raised about $5,700 according to the latest campaign finance report. I thought it was real close when I retired from the county and now things are just on a standstill.

But will west-side related projects resonate island-wide? Kailua-Konas population was roughly 12,000 at the last Census, whereas Hilos was 46,000.

Itll take a candidate with name recognition that earns respect across the island, Fitzgerald said. He said his coaching, government, family and senior softball ties give him that.

It will also take voter turnout. If the Hilo-based candidates split up the eastern vote, and the western block supports one of their own, it could land a leeward candidate in the runoff election after the primary.

I really need the west to come out and vote, Fitzgerald said. Traditionally, they dont.

The other candidates are: Robert Greenwell; Mike Ruggles; Tante Urban; Wendell Kaehuaea; Ted Shaneyfelt; Yumi Kawano; Michael Mikey Glendon; Paul Bryant; and Lahi Verschuur.

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Big Island Mayor's Race Could Hinge On Winning The Leeward Vote - Honolulu Civil Beat

‘Our Irish island is the last stop before America’ – BBC News

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

A couple from Dublin has left city life behind to take up residence on one of Irelands most remote Islands.

The Great Blasket Island is off the coast of County Kerry and is the most westerly point in the country.

In recent years a number of the houses have been restored and tourists have been welcomed back to the island.

An advertisement for two vacancies as caretakers attracted more than 23,000 applications from around the world.

The successful candidates were Eoin Boyle and Annie Birney from Dublin.

Ms Birney says its still sinking in.

Every morning we wake up and there is a massive seal colony on the beach right on our doorstep and the next thing you look out your window and a donkey is walking past, you dont know what youll see next.

The couple will live in accommodation on the island until October and run the island's coffee shop and private cottages.

Video journalist: Niall McCracken

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'Our Irish island is the last stop before America' - BBC News

MP calls for Highlands and Islands Enterprise to be scrapped and replaced – Press and Journal

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

The norths longest serving MP is calling for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to be scrapped and replaced with a body that can better respond to the economic damage caused by the pandemic.

Former Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael claims the Inverness-based agency is now a shadow of its former self and there is an urgent need for an organisation with the reach and influence required.

Writing exclusively in The P&J today, the Liberal Democrat MP for Orkney and Shetland says he would support a return to the model of HIEs predecessor agency, the Highlands and Islands Development Board (HIDB).

Mr Carmichael makes the call amid concern that the severe economic impact of the coronavirus crisis on tourism-dependent rural areas could hasten a return to the Highland problem of depopulation.

HIE has recently faced cuts to its budget while also attempting to repair the Cairngorm funicular railway and create the UKs first vertical-launching spaceport near Tongue.

The Lib Dem chief whip writes: There is an urgent need now for a Highlands and Islands Development Board for the 21st century.

We do not need to re-invent the wheel here. The history of the last 55 years can tell us what will work.

We need a body with the reach and influence that characterised the HIDB the reach in our business communities and the influence in government to deliver for them.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise as we currently know it has had its day. It needs to be replaced with a body that can do what we need.

In 1965, the HIDB was created to try to stem a trend of depopulation that had begun with the Highland Clearances.

The board, which was well funded and had operational freedom, was replaced by HIE in 1991, including 10 local enterprise companies, which were subsequently axed by the SNP government in 2008.

In 2016, the Scottish Government faced heavy criticism after announcing plans to scrap HIEs dedicated board and replace it with a new panel overseeing all of Scotlands skills and enterprise agencies.

Opposition parties united against the move and a series of former bosses of the agency backed the Press and Journals Keep HIE Local campaign, which eventually forced a U-turn.

But Mr Carmichael says: Today the economic fallout of the Covid pandemic risks taking us back to the same Highland Problem identified by Russell Johnston and Wille Ross in the 1960s.

The need for a renewed vision of economic development with a political and social purpose is every bit as great today as it was then.

The people who know best what will help business to thrive are the people who run the businesses themselves.

The people who know best what is good for the community in places as diverse as Shetland, Orkney, Tain, Portree or Islay (to pick a few at random) are the people who live there.

Remote control from Edinburgh (or even from Inverness) has failed these communities for years. Continue to do that and we shall continue to fail. The only difference will be the speed at which we decline.

However, a spokesman for Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: Other than expressing general criticism its not at all clear what Mr Carmichael is suggesting by way of reform.

Through its area offices across the Highlands and Islands, HIE continues to play a critical role in helping businesses, creating economic opportunities and supporting communities as we emerge from the global coronavirus pandemic.

The Scottish Government has targeted funding at businesses in the tourism, hospitality and culture sectors which are so important to the economy of the Highlands and Islands, part of a support package worth over 2.3 billion.

We are investing up to 135 million in the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, 25 million in the Argyll and Bute Deal and 32.5 million in the Moray Growth Deal and are also committed to a deal for the Islands.

HIE vows to continue making positive impact after criticism from MP

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MP calls for Highlands and Islands Enterprise to be scrapped and replaced - Press and Journal

My Quarantine Experience on Yeongjong Island in South Korea – The National Interest

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

A stern robotic voice came over the in-room speakers of the Royal Emporium Hotel, in Incheon, Republic of Korea, at about 7 a.m. on July 10 in five different languages. It almost sounded like a female version of Hal 9000: If you are in the hall now, you should enter the room immediately. As I have repeatedly told you, you cannot leave the room during isolation.

I just arrived in Korea the night before and, after having been run through a gauntlet of extra immigration checks, filling out piles of what seemed to me to be redundant and Kafkaesque forms, and then being herded through the airport onto a bus with other travelers from half a dozen countries, I was inside my home for the next fourteen days.

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic this spring, most countries shut their borders. Now, with over twelve million confirmed cases in the world, China and Japan are still closed to almost all foreign travelers in the world. When the European Union began allowing travel again, Americans were among those still banned from entry. South Korea is one of the only countries that never enacted such wide-ranging bans.

Instead, new arrivals must quarantine for fourteen days with their cell phones tracking their symptoms and their whereabouts. This isnt some unenforced self-isolation like New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo suggests to visitors to his state. The quarantine regime in Korea is strict and closely monitored.

No one is allowed to exit their room at any time to stroll outside, buy something from the convenience store, or even wander the halls, and the cameras are closely monitored (those warning announcements come on three times today when other people entered the hallway). We are only allowed to open our doors briefly four times a day: to pick up three meals throughout the day and leave trash outside every night in double-bagged orange biohazard bags. Even the retractable windows are sealed with a layer of plastic tape.

Full-time residents of Korea with a permanent address and close family members of citizens can stay at their home or that of their spouse or parents. But for people like me, who are not a resident and dont have a Korean family, we must be taken to designated quarantine hotels, a policy put into force on April 1.

The process begins upon arrival at the airport (most likely the Incheon International Airport if youre flying from the United States). Before getting to the customs line, travelers have to pass through a new quarantine checkpoint. The checkpoint is divided into lines for long-term, full-time residents with addresses and those, like me, without one.

The quarantine line was short, especially for quarantine in a government facility. But a problem soon emerged when the officer asked where I would be staying. On the form, I had simply written Quarantine. (Korea Tourism Organization numbers indicate that month-on-month global entries to Korea were down 90 percent in May.)

I didnt know what my address was, I said. Isnt that the point of the governments quarantine facilities? They are for those who dont have addresses. The hotels are assigned by the government without the travelers input.

I was told to list a friends address. After calling a friend over Kakao Chat, I had a proxy address and phone number to use. Later, I reviewed the accounts of other Americans who had quarantined in Korea and found many of them also had to list a local address.

Next, I went towards the customs line but before I could get there, I had to pass through a zigzagging maze of stanchions, with almost no people in line, before I could get to a table where I sat down across from a man wearing ROK Army garb separated from me by a transparent wall. At that point, he checked my phone and found that I had already downloaded the old health-tracking app. (Later, at the hotel, they would tell us to delete that app and download a new version.)

Officials took my fingerprints and picture, which is an ordinary part of entering Korea, but then I was taken into an immigration and customs office room and where they asked me more of the same questions and took my fingerprints and photo taken again. That is where the officer explained to me the cost of quarantine (~1,600,000 won) and the strictness of the regulationstopics I was already familiar withbefore putting a red sticker on my passport and allowing me to pass through into baggage claim.

In baggage claim, I was briefly free for unsupervised interactions with the land and culture of Korealike taking a selfie in front of the display of K-pop group Blackpink saying Welcome to Korea. After picking up my bag, I was quickly ushered through the customs declaration checkpoint, where I had to put a lanyard around my neck, and joined a group of two dozen or so foreigners headed for the quarantine facility.

I had no idea where we were going but a fellow traveler had heard it was the Royal Emporium Hotel, a three-star hotel amongst a clump of other hotels on the eastern edge of Yeongjong Island. The Incheon Airport is on the same island. The drive was no more than twenty minutes, and the island is sparsely populated compared to urban Incheon and Seoul. (Just one thousand people per square kilometer in the Jung District, compared to sixteen thousand in Michuhol, the historic city center.) The popular Eurwangni Beach is on the opposite side of the island. In short, this would seem to be a pretty good location if the government wanted to keep the quarantined travelers away from population centers and young partiers away from the temptation to try to escape to a club.

But that hasnt stopped locals from protesting. When the decision to consider the Royal Emporium Hotel as a quarantine facility was announced in May, some residents opposed it, saying there were schools and apartments in the vicinity.

This morning, another announcement came on the speaker informing us that there were protesters outside and we should put our curtains over our windows and avoid doing anything to antagonize them. There was just one elderly man outside my window holding a sign and a police officer quickly told him to move. There may have been more protesters protesting in front of the hotel; my room is in the back of the hotel, and I sure wasnt going to go outside to look.

Outside my window, there is a blue tent, the kind you often used by Korean protesters, set up in a field of gravel but there has not been anyone at the tent all day. The sign on the tent reads:

, !!

No measures for residents safety, No measures for commercial safety, Awaken the government!!

Theres probably nowhere in the Seoul Capital Area that isnt within walking distance of schools, apartments, and businesses. It is one of the most dense and sprawling metropolises in the world, home to half of South Koreas entire population. However, the residents of the Royal Emporium and the other quarantine hotels are kept inside all day for fourteen days under the watchful eyes of security cameras, cell phone tracking, and an army of workers. It would not be easy for the virus to escape the quarantine area no matter where it is located.

The Ramada by Wyndham Yongin in Jeongdae, about an hour south of Seoul, has been the site of the most raucous protests. For the past week, protesters have been banging on drums and blasting music from loudspeakers as they do in Gwanghwamun, according to the New York Times. One quarantined guest quoted in the article asked to be moved to another room farther away from the ruckus only to be told that the entire hotel was full.

Business owners and locals of Jeongdae say that domestic tourism traffic to the Everland theme park and its related businesses nearby has decreased since it was reported one of the three hundred foreign travelers at the Ramada tested positive.

There have been 736 new coronavirus cases in Korea in the past two weeks, 38.2 percent of which have been imported cases. In all, there have been 1,791 imported cases recorded, but 72.6 percent of those came from Korean citizens, who are not subject to quarantine at designated hotel facilities. Moreover, the policy of quarantining all arrivals should significantly decrease the possibility that such imported cases are later spread to others.

It cannot be said, however, that Korean protesters are xenophobic. In January, protesters in other cities in the Seoul suburbs threw eggs at officials tasked with evacuating Korean citizens from Wuhan. (The alternatives would have been to either leave their fellow countrymen in Wuhan indefinitely or to let them go free and spread the virus throughout Korea?)

As for me, I will not know for sure whether or not I have coronavirus until I check outthe results of the nasal swab and saliva samples taken in the hotel lobby are announced then. Having a six-inch Q-tip-like thing twisted around up your nose is just as weird as it sounds. It is not painful, really, but it is extremely uncomfortable and leaves a sensation that lasts for a good fifteen minutes after its removed.

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My Quarantine Experience on Yeongjong Island in South Korea - The National Interest

A Maine island is being billed as a private pandemic playground for the wealthy elite – Bangor Daily News

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

The BDN is making the most crucial coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic impact in Maine free for all readers. Click here for all coronavirus stories. You can join others committed to safeguarding this vital public service by purchasing a subscription or donating directly to the newsroom.

PORTLAND, Maine A private island in Casco Bay once used as a federal quarantine facility during the last pandemic 100 years ago is now being marketed as a virus-free safe zone for wealthy tourists from New York and Washington, D.C., where they can do most anything as long as its legal.

Portland entrepreneur Noah Gordon bought 12 acres on the north end of House Island in November for $4.5 million. He hoped to rent it as a luxury wedding and events venue. But with COVID-19 raging, hes now offering it as a high-priced pandemic playground for those who can afford it.

The weekly rental price for the north end is $250,000 per week, plus expenses, according to a June press release.

It states staff at the island will follow health protocols ensuring a safe haven bubble of privacy, safety and security where guests can socialize, party and play.

Its not that safety is the new luxury. Safety is luxury, Gordon said.

The islands website states, You can be wheels up on a jet out of New York or D.C., land in Portland and arrive on island with your first cocktail in hand in less than two hours. New Yorkers can get to House Island faster than they can get to the Hamptons, Marthas Vineyard and Nantucket.

House Island sits just offshore, between South Portland and Peaks Island. It consists of two distinct lobes connected by a narrow isthmus. The southern half is larger, at nearly 16 acres, and is owned by Stefan Scarks, of Fortland LLC. In March, Portlands Zoning Board of Appeals approved a conditional permit for a 21-site campground there, which includes the remains of the pre-Civil War Fort Scammell.

MaineBiz magazine reported that Gordon spoke in favor of his neighbors plan.

Gordons end of the island boasts five beaches and three buildings for visitor accommodation. The five-bedroom Cappys Lodge and three-bedroom Christinas World, were both built in 1908 and can sleep a total of 32 guests. A third building, the Sunshine Cottage, sleeps 14.

In 2015, Portland designated the island a local historic district because of the fort at the south end and the norths connection to immigration.

It was the site of the citys inspection and quarantine station between 1907 and 1937. Known as the Ellis Island of the North, it was the main port of entry for European immigrants coming to New England. During its 30 years in operation including the influenza pandemic of 1918 its quarantine facility served as an alternative to the heavily used facilities in Boston and New York.

Real estate agent Dylan Eckardt of the upscale boutique agency Nest Seekers is marketing the island for Gordon. Vanity Fair magazine has called Eckardt a party boy, and real-estate agent to the stars in addition to the man who ate Montauk for his aggressive, high-end marketing of the once blue-collar town.

That f-ing place is rad, Eckardt said. Theres nothing like it on the east coast, in the northern hemisphere. You can do what you want to do. I dont care if you want to bring the f-ing Rolling Stones and rock out there.

He went on to tout the islands privacy.

If you want to go to the Hamptons and be seen while pretending to be hiding, thats one thing, Eckardt said. But when you just want to get away and take your top off and run free, then you rent House Island and everything I touch turns to sold, anyway.

The House Island website makes it clear that the island is self-contained with its own water supply from the mainland and independent sources of power. It also has excellent cell phone reception, three helicopter landing sites and is close to area hospitals.

Transportation via boat and ambulance is 15 minutes, or just a few minutes by helicopter, it states.

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A Maine island is being billed as a private pandemic playground for the wealthy elite - Bangor Daily News

Volunteers net tons of nets – Thegardenisland.com

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

LIHUE With a depleted group of volunteers because of COVID-19, the Surfrider Foundation continues to conduct giant Net Patrols every Wednesday.

Consisting of a core group of eight to 12 volunteers who work with five Jack Harter Helicopters employees when they are not flying helicopters, their Net Patrols range from three to 20, depending on individual availability.

The group, which started back the first Wednesday in June after stopping due to COVID-19 restrictions, gathers at the south side of Moloaa Bay for three hours of work together to make this happen.

They collect nets and other debris using Super Sacks six feet tall and four feet wide. Since January, they have removed 82,189 pounds of debris, which is sent to the Garden Isle Disposal in Nawiliwili.

It includes derelict fishing nets abandoned from coastal regions such as Alaska, Asia, Japan and Seattle.

They collect about 35 Super Sacks each time they journey to the shoreline. Each weighs anywhere from 100 to 250 pounds.

The Surfrider Foundation volunteers work with Jack Harter Helicopters employees. The company has paused island tours due to the COVID-19 shutdown.

The Surfrider Foundation Kauai Chapter and Executive Member Scott McCubbins, partnering with Barbara Wiedners Net Patrol group, are literally on call if someone contacts them on the support hotline.

Found in the nets are items that take decades, if not hundreds of years, to decompose. If someone sees a net, we will go on patrol right on the spot, McCubbins said.

We will remove the net if we can access it. The crew has found objects such as plastic pipes, fishing baskets, and buckets mostly produced from the fishing industry, according to Wiedner.

The Global Ghost Gear Initiative recently reported on its Facebook page that the Surfrider Foundation is part of an international group. A significant percentage of the 100,000 pounds of debris removed annually, 80% to 85% of it, comes from the fishing industry.

Other non-biodegradable material includes toothbrushes. During a recent cleanup, Wiedner said her crew picked up a total of eight toothbrushes, a bio-hazard because of the type of plastic that can take hundreds of years to decompose.

Of that 100,000 pounds of debris removed every year, 50% of that weight is plastic buoys, jugs, bins and heavy plastic fishing traps and oysters spacers, Wiedner said.

The fishing nets arent just harmful to the environment, but also marine life that patrols the delicate ocean ecosystem.

We are removing plastics, and they will be less if we can get it off the beach, Wiedner said. A high tide cant take a net out. It can affect fish and birds, who think they are food. Dolphins, turtles and monk seals can all get tangled in those nets.

One way Wiedner said people can help reduce the amount of non-biodegradable plastics floating in the ocean is by reducing the amount of plastic consumed.

We pick up stuff, and we dont even know how long it has been in the ocean, Wiedner said. Ive picked up bottles from the mid-80s, and it was faded, but was completely intact inside the Styrofoam. It doesnt go away.

For more information on the Surfrider Foundation or volunteer opportunities, contact Wiedner at 635-2593.

Jason Blasco, sports reporter, can be reached at 245-0437 or jblasco@thegardenisland.com.

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Volunteers net tons of nets - Thegardenisland.com

B.C. offers $300K to help Vancouver Island farmers with climate change – CTV News

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

VICTORIA -- The B.C. government is providing $300,000 to help Vancouver Island and Southern Gulf Islands farmers adapt to the effects of climate change on the agricultural industry.

The funding will go towards 11 projects that will help local farmers respond to changing environmental conditions.

The B.C. government says that the nearly one-dozen projects were identified through the Vancouver Island Adaptation Strategies plan, which was developed by several focus groups that were comprised of 90 farmers, six Vancouver Island regional districts and multiple provincial and federal agencies.

Some of the challenges that the projects address include warmer and drier summer conditions, an increase in the variability of weather and food sustainability, an increase in precipitation and extreme precipitation events on the island and changes to local pests and insects.

Terry Michell, owner of Michell Farms, says that Vancouver Island has been struck by unusual weather patterns over the past few years.

Well, over the last several years its been extremely dry throughout the summer months, he said. So, weve prepared as much as possible in saving water early in the year for the driest months that we seem to be getting more and more often.

The B.C. government says that a group of up to 20 representatives from the agricultural industry and regional and provincial governments will help develop the 11 priority projects.

The provincial governments Agriculture and Food Climate Action Initiative will then handle the implementation of the projects.

These strategies, specifically designed for farmers on Vancouver Island and the Southern Gulf Islands, will help them adapt so they can continue contributing to our economy and providing the fresh local food our communities depend on, said Lana Popham, B.C. Minister of Agriculture, in a release Monday.

As of 2016, more than 7,500 people were employed in the agricultural industry on Vancouver Island.

Meanwhile, as of 2016, more than 50,000 hectares of land on Vancouver Island were considered active farmland.

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B.C. offers $300K to help Vancouver Island farmers with climate change - CTV News

Island Heights, N.J.: A Magical Place Thats a Step Out of Time – The New York Times

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Mr. Doyle, who has summered here each year since he was a boy, moved to his familys Victorian house full time upon retiring in 2016, a transition many of the boroughs residents have made.

Founded in 1878 as a Methodist camp meeting site, Island Heights has long served as a summer retreat, especially for those from the Philadelphia area. And while full-timers now outnumber summer-only residents, occasional rifts arise among the various constituent groups, said Harry Bower, who bought an 1890s farmhouse here for $175,000 in 1987.

You have the townies, who want no change, and the yachties, who are just here for the summer, so they dont care, said Mr. Bower, 68, an art teacher and curator of the John F. Peto Studio Museum. But in the last 10 years, weve seen new people, younger families moving here, who really appreciate the towns charm.

One of those appreciative newcomers is Therese Heimbold, 52, a commercial director at the US Pharmaceutical Corporation, who remembered her father talking about this magical place where he used to spend his summers. In 2017, she sold her house in Haddonfield, N.J., and bought one of Island Heights original camp meeting houses, a two-bedroom cottage, for $225,000.

Returning from her job in Philadelphia in the evening, Ms. Heimbold said, she finds her stress dissipates upon arrival: I drive into town along River Road, and I see all the sailboats, and its pure serenity.

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Island Heights, N.J.: A Magical Place Thats a Step Out of Time - The New York Times

Update: Island confirmed cases rise to 44 – Martha’s Vineyard Times

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Updated July 13 @ 9:15 am

The Island boards of health are reporting two new positive COVID-19 cases bringing the Islands total cases to 44, according to a release issued Saturday.

TestMV, the testing site at the Marthas Vineyard Regional High School testing asymptomatic individuals, reported two new confirmed cases Friday. That site has tested 4,071 individuals, 11 have tested positive, 3,866 negative, and there are 194 pending results.

The boards of health have also linked 23 of the confirmed cases to another case among eight different household groups.

On Friday, the hospital reported no new cases. In total, the hospital has tested 1,946 patients. Of those, 30 tested positive, 1,869 tested negative, and 47 are pending results. The hospital is no longer releasing results on the weekends.

The town of Aquinnah has tested 34 people with 30 negative and four pending results.

There are 44 confirmed cases of COVID-19 on Marthas Vineyard, according to the Marthas Vineyard boards of health.

The Marthas Vineyard Hospital, town of Aquinnah, boards of health and TestMV, the testing site at the Marthas Vineyard Regional High School each report their own testing numbers. Those numbers are then all compiled by the boards of health.

The actual number of cases can be difficult to count due to lag time and overlaps in testing each day.

Of the 44 cases, 26 are female, and 18 are male. Of those, 13 of the cases are aged 50-59 years old, nine are 20-29 years old, seven cases are 60-69 years old, six are 30-39 years old, four are 20 years old or younger, three are 40-49, and two are 70 years or older.

The boards of health have also started reporting on probable cases. On Saturday, the Islands total number of presumed positives was 18, of which 15 were positive antibody tests, and three were symptomatically positive.

Of those, 11 are female and eight are male. Of the 19 presumed positive cases, six are aged 60-69, four are aged 50-59, three are aged 40-49, three are aged 20-29, two are under 20 years old, and one is over the age of 70.

At the state level Saturday, there were 167 new confirmed cases, bringing the state total to 105,457. In total, 14 new deaths brought the total number of deaths to 8,095. There have been 940,393 tests conducted across Massachusetts.

Updated with information on new cases and to correct number of female and male cases. Ed.

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Update: Island confirmed cases rise to 44 - Martha's Vineyard Times

How a Tiny Indian Ocean Island Could Force a US-UK Rift – Defense One

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

Will the U.S. choose its closest ally over the international rule of law?

Mauritius does not usually make headlines in the United States, but this small island state off the east coast of Africa could force the U.S. to rethink operations in the Middle East and Asia and strategic policy around theglobe.

The country has recently notched victories at the International Court of Justice and UN General Assembly in its battle to take from Britain its sovereignty of the Chagos Archipelago. The largest of these islands, Diego Garcia, has for decades been a key logistics, reconnaissance, and operational base for U.S. forces. While many factors are at play, including discussion about the Chagossian people, the Diego Garcia case reveals two critical dimensions that warrant attention by U.S. policymakersnow.

The first is alliance management. The UK is arguably the United States closest alliance partner, given their strong diplomatic, military, and intelligence ties. So far, the Chagos dispute has been framed by the UK and U.S. governments as a bilateral dispute between the UK and Mauritius. The UK, which has claimed sovereignty over Diego Garcia and the wider Chagos Archipelago since 1814, recently reasserted this through a statement by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Washington supports its allys sovereigntyclaim.

However, a UN General Assembly resolution in May 2019 found the UK, U.S. and a handful of other countries in a striking minority of world opinion on the issue. By a 116-6 margin, the UN General Assembly voted to support the ICJ advisory opinion that the UK leave the ChagosArchipelago.

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While the U.S. has many bilateral basing arrangements with allied and partner countries globally, the UKs role in Diego Garcia is a complicating factor and has important implications for Washingtons management of its special relationship. Given the U.S. national interest in this strategically important military base, U.S. policymakers should consider whether there is a tipping point at which Washington would withdraw support for its closest allys colonial-era sovereignty claim and choose instead to work withMauritius.

Indeed, the Mauritian government has offered terms to persuade the United States to do just that. At a recent event organized by CNA, Ambassador Jagdish Koonjul, permanent representative of Mauritius to the United Nations, announced that his country would permit the U.S. military to remain in Diego Garcia after a withdrawal by the UK. He even offered to lease the base to the United States for 99 years, far longer than the current deal for access through2036.

The second critical dimension to this issue concerns U.S. support for international institutions and legal norms. The ICJ advisory opinion asserts that efforts to ensure Mauritiuss decolonization fall within the remit of the UN General Assembly, while the UN General Assembly resolution demands that the UK withdraw from the Chagos Archipelago by the end of 2019. But the UK has neither renounced its claims nor left. This stance raises doubts about the utility of international institutions, especially in an era of great power competition where there are concerns about Chinas and Russias respect for the rule oflaw.

Washington will need to avoid the appearance of inconsistency in its commitment to the rule of law. In 2019, the State Department questioned the jurisdiction of the ICJ to decide cases where one state is not a participant. However, this position is possibly at odds with the State Departments expression of strong support in 2016 for the rule of law in efforts to resolve disputes in the South China Sea, including through international arbitration, after a Hague decision in favor of the Philippines over China, even though China chose not to participate. Avoiding the appearance of such inconsistencies is vital for the U.S. to retain credible global leadership and contrast its behavior with great power rivals China andRussia.

At present, both Mauritius and the UK appear determined to stick to their positions. Recently, the UN updated its map to no longer list UK control of the Chagos Archipelago. Given this and other legal developments, U.S. policymakers should adopt a strategic approach to Diego Garcia that carefully considers U.S. national interests with regard to global basing posture, alliance management with the UK, and the role of democratic norms and the rule of law in an era of great power competition. Beyond harnessing its military capabilities, the United States will need to advocate in the coming decades for its political, economic, and social model as superior to that of its great power competitors. Policy decisions that appear self-serving or unfair to minority populationsfor which the U.S. has criticized both China and Russiarisk eroding the case for the primacy of the U.S.model.

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How a Tiny Indian Ocean Island Could Force a US-UK Rift - Defense One

NSA Ram Sales in East and South West to go ahead – FarmingUK

Posted on July 13, 2020 by Danzig

NSA Ram Sales in East and South West are set to go ahead in August and September

NSA Ram Sales in the East and South West of England will continue despite the Covid-19 constraints, organisers have said.

The National Sheep Association (NSA) has announced the confirmed dates of its ram sales in its Eastern Region and South West Region.

The Eastern Region sales will take place at Rugby on 28 August, and the sale at Melton Mowbray will take place on the revised date of 18 September 2020.

Meanwhile, NSA South West Regions sale is continuing to make pace at Exeter and will be held on 19 August.

NSA Eastern Region Ram Sale organiser, Jonathan Barber said: It is wonderful to be able to work with both groups of auctioneers to keep our Eastern Region Ram sales going, they have worked extremely hard to allow this to happen."

However, he warned: "We must remain aware there will still be constraints and social distancing at all times.

NSA South West Regional Manager, Ian May highlighted the importance of following social distancing rules.

South West Region is pleased to be able to continue with the sale at Exeter but emphasise the need to follow social distancing rules and register in advance of the sale.

"While these are extra constraints, they are necessary to allow the sale to go ahead, which is the region's priority, Mr May said.

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NSA Ram Sales in East and South West to go ahead - FarmingUK

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