Window washer rescued 15 floors up in North Palm Beach condo – Palm Beach Post

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Eliot Kleinberg @eliotkpbp

MondayJul13,2020at1:34PM

A special Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue team rappelled down to the man.

A window washer dangled for close to an hour about 15 stories up at the Old Port Cove condo in North Palm Beach before firefighters rappelled down and rescued him, authorities said.

The man had been washing windows at the condo's 23-story Lake Point Tower, 100 Lakeshore Drive, when the line he used to move up and down came loose at about 10 a.m., North Palm Beach Fire Rescue District Chief Scott Freseman said.

Five North Palm Beach firefighters quickly were joined by colleagues at nearby Palm Beach Gardens and from two nearby Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue stations, including a county special operations team, Freseman said.

He said the man was not on a platform but instead was in a special basket-type seat harness.

Palm Beach County Fire-Rescue said the man was "yelling for help."

The county team dropped ropes from the roof, then rappelled down to the man and attached to him. The team and the man then lowered to the ground, Freseman said.

"The individual was able to make it to ground level with both feet on the ground," Palm Beach County FIre-Rescue said.

Freseman said the washer was looked over but didn't require medical attention.

"He was very thankful that we were able to respond so quickly and get him down," Freseman said.

Authorities said the man was about 55 but did not name him, citing medical privacy rules.

Freseman, whose been in the department since 2001, said the village has many high-rise condos but he believe an incident such as this hasn't happened in the village since some time in the 1990s.

ek@pbpost.com

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Window washer rescued 15 floors up in North Palm Beach condo - Palm Beach Post

‘X’ marks the spot: Musante Beach open with new precautions, fees – GazetteNET

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NORTHAMPTON Musante Beach officially opened this month, but it doesnt quite look the same. Brightly-colored Xs in the sand and yellow flags create spaces for groups to sit while remaining socially distant from other beachgoers.

Things are very different this year, said Brian Cannon, a lifeguard, while sitting at the beachs check-in table on Monday.

As of Monday, groups of up to five people must pay $15 if they are residents and $20 if they are non-residents and can reserve spots in advance or in person if they are available, according to the citys website. Beach spots are 12 square feet and are spaced out from each other, said Jim Miller, aquatics director of the Northampton Parks and Recreation Department.

Kate Kelly and her family have been very cautious about social distancing during the pandemic. She limits shopping to once a week and her kids, 4 and 7, are not having play dates. Kelly, a Florence resident, has asthma and before the pandemic worked as a nurse practitioner. They hadnt spent time with another family until they went to Musante Beach last week to meet up with two other families with similarly-aged kids. She strategically picked a weekday, hoping it would be less crowded.

Oh my gosh, it was so nice to see friends and have an in-person conversation, she said.

The safety precautions combined with the relatively lower case count in Massachusetts made her feel comfortable going.

Im not going to go every day if its $15 per day, she said, but she also said she understands that putting in new safety precautions is extra work, and she is happy the beach is open.

Im grateful to the rec department for even trying, Kelly said.

Between lost days at the start of the season and the cost of new safety protocols including hiring someone to sanitize the bathrooms daily the price of a day pass for a single person increased. Last year, it was $4 for a Northampton resident adult and $3 for a senior or youth, according to Miller. Later this week, Miller said the Parks and Recreation Department plans to change the fees to $5 for one resident, $10 for two, and $15 for 3 to 5 people. Some who come to the beach alone requested a change in the fee structure, Miller said.

This year, there are also no memberships, which last year cost $80 per year for families who are residents and $95 for those who are non-residents, Miller said.

With a family pass, you can come here and expect to have a spot on the beach, he explained. Nowadays with restricted spacing, we cant guarantee that people with a pass would have a spot.

The number of people who visit the beach fluctuates, but Miller said that on Sunday, there were about 70 or 80 people in the morning and the same number in the afternoon.

Only two groups of people were at the beach midday Monday. Leo Schapiro, 22 months old, was there with his mom, Catya Schapiro, and grandparents, Joan Wiener and Stan Schapiro. Its a good spot for kids, said Stan Schapiro.

Wiener worried about the fee at Musante Beach. I feel bad, she said. Its pretty steep. She added, There are so few places you can go swimming.

But the group felt safe with the new precautions at the beach. I think its great how they marked the spots, Wiener said.

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'X' marks the spot: Musante Beach open with new precautions, fees - GazetteNET

The unspoken problems at the beach – Martha’s Vineyard Times

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To the Editor:

The following letter was sent to Edgartown town administrator James Hagerty.

Please forward this email to Art Smadbeck, as the Edgartown selectman on the Dukes County Advisory Board, and to the two other select persons, Margaret Serpa and Michael Donaroma.

The purpose of this email is to alert you all to the dangerous situation that exists on County Beach, between the Bend in the Road and Little Bridge. Its dangerous to the health and safety of beach users and the environment in Sengekontacket Pond and the Atlantic Ocean.

By my count last summer, 500-plus cars are parked each day in summer on that stretch of county highway, which translates, conservatively, to more than 1,000 people using the beach daily without the availability of any nearby bathrooms, causing men, women, and children to urinate into the ocean and defecate where they can, which is often in the dunes along Sengekontacket Pond. I observed this 20 years ago, wrote letters to the editors of the Gazette and The MV Times, and was relieved when Edgartown put porta-johns at Katama, a state beach, but horrified when no porta-johns were put on Sylvia Beach in Edgartown or Oak Bluffs.

The logical place for porta-johns is at Bend in the Road, Big Bridge, and Little Bridge the number to be decided in each spot. The selling of food at Little Bridge adds to the problem. Food selling, especially liquids, is necessary for people spending all day at the beach, but when people eat, if their alimentary systems work properly, the urge to defecate follows. There is no provision at Sylvia Beach to allow beachgoers to relieve themselves. The result is very damaging to people and the environment.

My hope is that the Dukes County Advisory Board will take up this issue. I have spoken with Tristan Israel, chairman of the Dukes County commissioners, and he is in agreement with me that porta-johns are needed in the aforesaid areas. I plan to contact the Friends of Sengekontacket to get their thoughts on the issue. If necessary, I will also speak with the parks department, conservation commission, and board of health in both Edgartown and Oak Bluffs to see if some positive movement can be made in the direction Edgartown has already taken at South Beach/Katama.

Norma Norton HolmesEdgartown

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The unspoken problems at the beach - Martha's Vineyard Times

Galveston’s beaches will be open this weekend, but you may have trouble finding a parking spot – KHOU.com

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The move comes after the beaches were closed entirely for the July 4th weekend.

GALVESTON, Texas The City of Galveston is putting new parking measures in place for the weekend to prevent overcrowding during the coronavirus, city leaders announced Thursday.

Beginning Friday morning and continuing Saturday and Sunday, "parking will be blocked on the north side of Seawall Boulevard (the landward side) between 25th Street and 37th Street. This is to allow for public safety officer staging and to address some of the crowding issues that have occurred in this location in recent weeks."

The city goes on to state, "parking will also be restricted at Diamond Beach, at the west end terminus of the Seawall near Cove View Blvd. Parking will also be restricted at Fort San Jacinto, which is at the far east end of the Seawall. "

Unlike the July 4th weekend, the city stated its beaches are presently open and "a beach closure is not contemplated at this time."

"As a reminder, Gov. Greg Abbott issued a statewide mask mandate last Thursday requiring all people over the age of 10 to wear a mask when in public and unable to social distance. There are exceptions, such as when a person is consuming food or drink or when a person is exercising. We ask that all residents and visitors of Galveston please be mindful of the uptick in COVID cases and practice safe social distancing."

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Galveston's beaches will be open this weekend, but you may have trouble finding a parking spot - KHOU.com

Report: New PET radiotracer proven safe and effective in imaging malignant brain tumors – Tdnews

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IMAGE:Representative maximum-intensity projection PET images of a healthy human volunteer injected with 64Cu-NOTA-EB-RGD at 1, 8, and 24 hours after injection. Axial MRI and PET slices of glioblastoma patient injectedview more

Credit: Jingjing Zhang et al., Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China/Xiaoyuan Chen et al., Laboratory of Molecular Imaging and Nanomedicine, NIBIB/NIH, Bethesda, USA

A first-in-human study presented at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 2020 Annual Meeting has demonstrated the safety, favorable pharmacokinetic and dosimetry profile of 64Cu-EBRGD, a new, relatively long-lived PET tracer, in patients with glioblastomas. The radiotracer proved to be a superior, high-contrast imaging diagnostic in patients, visualizing tumors that express low or moderate levels of v3 integrin with high sensitivity.

Glioblastoma is the most common and most aggressive primary malignant brain tumor in adults, with 17,000 diagnoses annually. It is a highly diffuse and invasive disease that is personally devastating and virtually incurable. Once diagnosed, most patients survive less than 15 months, and fewer than five percent survive five years.

The 64Cu-EBRGD radiotracer presented in this study has several unique qualities. The peptide sequence Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) specifically targets the cell surface receptor v3 integrin, which is overexpressed in glioblastomas. To slow clearance, Evans Blue (EB) dye, which reversibly binds to circulating albumin, is bound to RGD, significantly enhancing target accumulation and retention. The addition of the 64Cu label to EBRGD provides persistent, high-contrast diagnostic images in glioblastoma patients.

This first-in-human, first-in-class study included three healthy volunteers who underwent whole-body 64Cu-EBRGD PET/CT. Safety dataincluding vital signs, physical examination, electrocardiography, laboratory parameters and adverse eventswere collected after one day and after one week. Regions of interest were drawn, time-activity curves were obtained and dosimetry was calculated. Two patients with recurrent glioblastoma also underwent 64Cu-EBRGD PET/CT. Seven sets of brain PET and PET/CT scans were obtained over two consecutive days. Tumor-to-background ratios were calculated for the target tumor lesion and normal brain tissue. One week after radiotracer administration, the patient underwent surgical treatment, and immunohistochemical staining of tumor samples was performed.

64Cu-EBRGD was well-tolerated in patients with no adverse symptoms immediately or up to one week after administration. The mean effective dose of 64Cu-EBRGD was very similar to the effective dose of an 18F-FDG scan. Injection of 64Cu-EBRGD to the patients with recurrent glioblastoma showed high accumulation at the tumor with continuously increased tumor-to-background contrast over time. Post-operative pathology revealed World Health Organization grade IV glioblastoma, and immunohistochemical staining showed moderate expression of the v3 integrin.

In this study, we have demonstrated a potential radiotheranostic agent that is safe, sensitive and highly selective in humans, which infers a future diagnostic tool and breakthrough targeted radiotherapy for glioblastoma patients, said Jingjing Zhang, MD, PhD, of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Beijing, China. We believe this innovative use of 64Cu-EBRGD will significantly improve therapeutic efficacy and patient outcomes.

64Cu-labeled EBRGD represents a viable model compound for therapeutic applications since 177Lu, 90Y or 225Ac can be substituted for 64Cu, said Deling Li, MD, of Beijing Tiantan Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China. We are currently studying the 177Lu homolog to treat glioblastoma and other v3 integrin expressing cancers, including non-small cell lung, melanoma, renal and bone, and hope to build on the current wave of radiotherapies like 177Lu-DOTATATE.

###

Abstract 349. First-in-Human Study of a 64Cu-Labeled Long-acting Integrin v3 Targeting Molecule 64Cu-NOTA-EB-RGD in Healthy Volunteers and GBM Patients, Jingjing Zhang, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China, and THERANOSTICS Center for Radiomolecular Precision Oncology, ENETS Center of Excellence, Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Bad Berka, Germany; Deling Li, Department of Neurosurgery Beijing, Tiantan Hospital, Beijing City, China; Gang Nu, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering (NIBIB), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Maryland; Richard Baum, THERANOSTICS Center for Radiomolecular Precision Oncology, ENETS Center of Excellence, Zentralklinik Bad Berka, Bad Berka, Germany; Zhaohui Zhu, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Peking Union Medic, Beijing, China; and Xiaoyuan Chen, NIBIB/NIH, Bethesda, Maryland. SNMMIs 67th Annual Meeting, July 11-14, 2020.

Molecular Targeting Technologies, Inc., received an exclusive worldwide commercialization license from NIH for rights that, in part, cover EBRGD radiotherapeutics using various radionuclides. Glioblastoma treatment is among its potential uses.

All 2020 SNMMI Annual Meeting abstracts can be found online at http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/61/supplement_1.toc.

About the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

The Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) is an international scientific and medical organization dedicated to advancing nuclear medicine and molecular imaging, vital elements of precision medicine that allow diagnosis and treatment to be tailored to individual patients in order to achieve the best possible outcomes.

SNMMIs members set the standard for molecular imaging and nuclear medicine practice by creating guidelines, sharing information through journals and meetings and leading advocacy on key issues that affect molecular imaging and therapy research and practice. For more information, visit http://www.snmmi.org.

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Report: New PET radiotracer proven safe and effective in imaging malignant brain tumors - Tdnews

We need leaders to affirm that Black Lives Matter, not exploit the phrase to divide us – USA TODAY

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Kevin Cokley, Opinion contributor Published 5:00 a.m. ET July 13, 2020 | Updated 9:25 a.m. ET July 13, 2020

Lawmakers have been trying to pass reparation bills for descendants of slaves. Here's why it's taken so long - and how it might work. USA TODAY

Racial disparities suggest that Black lives really have not mattered. Refusal to even say the words disregards the pain experienced by Black people.

President Donald Trump recently called Black Lives Matter a symbol of hate in response to New York Citys plan to paint Black Lives Matter on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower. Many view this as another attempt by Trump to exploit racial tensions in order to appeal to his base.

But he isnt the only one. Walmart received backlash for selling T-shirts that included the phrases All Lives Matter, Blue Lives Matter, Irish Lives Matter, and Homeless Lives Matter.

It is curious why such a simple, affirmative, and humane phrase would become so emotionally provocative and politically divisive.

The exploitation of Black Lives Matter, whether for political or economic gain, is another manifestation of what Black studies scholar kihana ross argues is anti-Blackness, societys disdain, disregard and disgust for Black existence.

The Black Lives Matter phrase is intended to affirm the humanity of all Black people in the midst of deadly oppression in a country where long-standing racial disparities would suggest that Black lives really have not mattered. Take for example the following health and criminal justice data:

African Americans have the highest mortality rate for all cancers combined compared with all races, are about50%more likelyto have a stroke compared with whites, and are nearlytwice as likely to diefrom diabetes as whites. African Americans have more than twice the infant mortality rate as whites, and Black mothers are more than twice as likely as white mothers to receive late or no prenatal care.

When it comes to criminal justice disparities, young, unarmed, non-suicidal male victims of fatal use of force are 13 times more likely to be Black than white. Nearly half of the people serving life sentences are African American, and Black people make up nearly42% of death row inmateswhile making up 13.4% of the population.

Black Lives Matter is painted on Fifth Avenue in front of Trump Tower on July 9, 2020, in New York City.(Photo: Mark Lennihan, AP)

These racial disparities and many more exist across education, housing, wealth and poverty. So it should be understandable that the phrase Black Lives Matter is said with such urgency. This is why it is so disturbing when certain elected leaders refuse to even say the words.

When Vice President Mike Pence was asked why he wont say Black Lives Matter, he indicated that he disagrees with what he characterizes as the radical left agenda, insisting he believes that all lives matter. In his mind, simply saying Black Lives Matter is a tacit endorsement of rioting and looting, rather than acknowledgement of the racism and anti-Blackness inherent in the lived experiences of Black people.

Pences rationalization is unconvincing given that Utah Sen.Mitt Romney, a Republican, is willing to march with protesters and say Black Lives Matter. Sadly, the politicization of the words Black Lives Matter has even reached children.

As my 11-year-old was grieving after watching the video of the police officer with his knee pressed into the neck of George Floyd, we had to have the talk one of the most emotional conversations a Black father could have with his Black son. Later, while playing the video game Fortnite with his white friends, one of them mentioned that there were protests on Fortnite related to George Floyds murder. When my son said that Black Lives Matter, one of his friends countered by saying, All Lives Matter. For reasons that my son was not able to fully articulate, his friend's' words upset him very much.

More: Ready to engage in real conversations about racism? Author Latasha Morrison can help.

After helping him to understand why he was feeling upset, my wife contacted his friends parents to express our anger and disappointment that their son would say this to our son. The parents were mortified, and after talking with their son, they wanted to talk with us. They apologized and explained that they had never said those words to their son, and when talking with him, it became apparent that he did not understand how those words could serve to negate or minimize the message of Black Lives Matter.

While a childs utterance of All Lives Mattermay likely be uttered in youthful naivete, I do not extend the same considerations to corporations such as Walmart or politicians such as Pence. The refusal to even say the words Black Lives Matter is a blatant disregard of the pain experienced by Black people and suggests a racial skepticism that will never heal the racial divisions in this country.

Kevin Cokley is the Oscar and Anne Mauzy Regents Professor of Educational Research and Development, professor of African and African Diaspora Studies, and director of the Institute for Urban Policy Research and Analysis at The University of Texas at Austin. He is also a Distinguished Psychologist member of the Association of Black Psychologists.

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Plan underway for Black Lives Matter mural to be painted on Worcester streets; Mural will be in the Major Tay – MassLive.com

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As Black Lives Matter murals began to be painted on streets and areas across the nation, people in Worcester began wondering when one in the city would materialize.

Calls were made to City Hall and councilors while others began to find a way to make it happen.

Eventually, through a Facebook page, the community gathered to share ideas, search for volunteers and look for Black and brown artists who could contribute.

Beginning this week, in the area of Major Taylor and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards, a mural will be painted on the streets.

Sean Rose, District 1 City Councilor in Worcester, said those from the Black, Indigenous and people of color communities were all thinking about coming together to do something.

Che Anderson, deputy cultural development officer for the city, said his office along with Mayor Joseph Petty and City Manager Edward Augustus Jr. also received calls from people asking what could be done as people across the country gathered in solidarity against racism and police brutality as protesters called for justice after the deaths of Black people including George Floyd, who was killed after a white Minneapolis police officer held his knee on Floyds neck for nearly nine minutes.

Augustus, Petty and Rose discussed the idea of having a mural come to life in the city. The project, however, needed to be led by the community.

Folks were seeing this happening in other cities and said they wanted to help, Anderson said. It kind of grew organically.

Rose and Anderson created a Facebook group so people could share ideas and coordinate volunteers. The group also wanted to have food ready for the volunteers and used the group to receive suggestions of where to buy food from a Black-owned business.

Its just been incredible to see the community come together in the spirit of this mural, Rose said.

The streets will be painted either Wednesday or Thursday, depending on the weather. The city will sweep the area beforehand and provide barricades to seal off the area as the artwork is created.

The area of Major Taylor and Martin Luther King Jr. boulevards is a fitting spot for the mural. King was an icon of the civil rights movement and Taylor was a Black cycling superstar who was the world cycling champion in 1899 and American sprint champion in 1900.

The streets are also in a visible part of the city in the heart of downtown.

We really couldnt think of a better place to put it, Rose said. Worcester is certainly a city that appreciates its culture and its diversity and the beauty of people coming together from the BIPOC community to organically create this I think makes it even more special.

For Anderson, he sees the painting of the mural as a way for the community to gather and heal in a time when many people have been separated due to the coronavirus pandemic.

This becomes, for me, a big community rallying opportunity, Anderson said. There is a lot that has happened in our city and around the country, so providing this opportunity for folks to come together and do something powerful that has a message, thats really kind of beautiful.

Murals have been painted across the country. Boston, Dallas, New York, Washington D.C. and Los Angeles are just some of the cities that have Black Lives Matter street murals.

The concept for the artwork in Worcester is still being designed with submissions being looked at by the members of the group.

Em Quiles, president PaLante Latinx Moving Forward, is one member of the group who is working to coordinate volunteers and reaching out to Black and brown artists so they can be part of the project.

She said people from as far as Lawrence and Springfield have volunteered to be a part of the event.

The group is working on putting out a call for donations and volunteers. Rose estimates the project will cost $10,000 to $15,000.

There have already been donations. The United Way of Central Massachusetts has donated $2,500; POW! WOW! Worcester has donated $1,000 and the Committee to Elect Sean Rose has donated $1,000.

Kimberly Salmon, The Hanover Insurance Groups assistant vice president of community relations, has also expressed a commitment to the project.

The DCU Center has agreed to open up the bathroom facilities for volunteers on the day the mural is painted and created.

People wishing to donate to the project can go to this webpage.

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Plan underway for Black Lives Matter mural to be painted on Worcester streets; Mural will be in the Major Tay - MassLive.com

Politics and the pandemic: have your say on this year’s high-stakes election – Stuff.co.nz

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OPINION: There are just ten weeks until the general election and the campaigning season is well under way. There will be controversial referendums on legalisation of recreational cannabis and on law that would allow euthanasia.

And this comes as the world is still in the grip of the worst pandemic since 1918.

Surely, your votes count more than ever this election. And, to us at Massey University and at Stuff, your opinions about government performance and policies are greatly valued.

Thats why we are running a pre-election survey that asks about the effects on you of the Covid-19 pandemic and numerous other topical matters.

READ MORE:* Labour starts election season with unity, purpose and a crushing lead* Budget 2020: Will $50b injection boost Jacinda Arderns re-election chances?* Cannabis referendum: Poll shows yes vote leading by 5 points

Dom Thomas/Pool

From the middle of last year until early this year, the National Party was leading Labour in the opinion polls.

In 2017, ahead of the last election, Stuff and Massey University conducted two similar online surveys. We wanted to hear your political opinions your hopes, fears and expectations.

At that time, political commentators were mainly chattering about the dual shocks of the Brexit referendum and the election of Donald Trump the year before. Populist politics was the big issue.

We wondered if there would be a similar voter backlash in New Zealand.

The 2017 survey asked how much people trusted (or distrusted) governments, and what the mood of the nation was. The results revealed a high level of discontent and desire for change.

Large majorities were concerned about poverty and inequality in New Zealand.

After that election, we witnessed a change of government to a Labour-led coalition with NZ First, supported by the Greens.

THE DETAIL/RNZ

New Zealanders have a democratic right to vote in the general election. This episode of RNZ's The Detail looks at what is stopping people from voting.

Since then, we have also witnessed horrific terrorist attacks on Muslims, the tragedy at Whakaari/White Island, a global pandemic, a strict national lockdown and, as if that werent enough, an economic recession.

Covid-19 is forging significant social and economic change. Public opinion has shifted dramatically in ways that we could not have anticipated a mere six months ago.

From the middle of last year until early this year, the National Party was leading Labour in the opinion polls, by up to seven percentage points.

The pandemic and the governments responses to it have turned that around, however. Labours polling sky-rocketed above 55 per cent between April and June, during the lockdown. National dropped as low as 26.5 per cent.

Such high polling for Labour is unlikely to last into the election. But public opinion these days is, to say the least, volatile.

FACEBOOK/NZ TAXPAYERS' UNION

Remember Jacinda-mania? The change of leader boosted Labour to 37 per cent at the last election.

So, Stuff and Massey are running another collaborative online survey, similar to those we did in 2017. The first round will be open for you to complete for the week beginning Sunday.

This pre-election survey will give you the opportunity to express your feelings on the present governments performance, on how lockdown has affected you, and on some key political issues.

You get to tell us how things look from your point of view. In return, we will feed back some key survey findings with expert commentary.

This will stimulate pre-electoral dialogue on the real needs, perceptions and aspirations of voters. It will reduce the space available for political point-scoring, misinformation and scandal.

The last election was a roller-coaster ride. In July 2017, Labour looked like it was heading south of 25 per cent support.

The second round of the Stuff/Massey survey ran during the same week in which Jacinda Ardern took over the leadership of Labour from Andrew Little just seven weeks out from the election. Labour supporters piled in to complete the survey.

Supplied

Associate Professor Grant Duncan teaches political theory and New Zealand politics at Massey University.

Many participants commented that they were switching their votes to Labour because of Ardern.

Remember Jacinda-mania? The change of leader boosted Labour to 37 per cent at the election, partly at the expense of the Greens who dropped to 6.3 per cent. Nationals result was 44.4 per cent.

No party had enough seats to form a government, however, and New Zealand First held the balance of power. So, we waited another four weeks while negotiations went on over the formation of a new government.

Looking back, the only thing that political pundits could have predicted was that things would be unpredictable.

And now, Covid-19 has introduced yet another level of unpredictability. It will have a big impact on the election result. But well just have to wait and see what that impact will be.

Elimination of the virus was one major challenge. Recovering from a sudden recession is another.

Two of our most important income-earning industries (tourism and export education) are in dire straits due to border controls.

In May, Budget 2020 predicted unemployment would rise to 9.8 per cent in September just as we go to the polls.

Many voters will be feeling understandably insecure and grumpy on polling day. How much will the government of the day get the blame? Do voters want change or continuity in government?

You can at least look forward to another unpredictable election. And, in the meantime, you can do the Stuff/Massey pre-election survey.

Associate Professor Grant Duncan teaches political theory and New Zealand politics at Massey Universitys Albany campus in Auckland.

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TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER: Grief, the loss of pets discussed in ‘Lost Companions’ – Goshen News

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The food bowl has been washed, and tucked away safe in a high cabinet.

No one asks you to roll a ball down the hallway anymore. The squeak of soft toys no longer interrupt your TV shows these days; in fact, its too quiet now and you hate it. Even worse, theres a reason why these things are so, and in Lost Companions by Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson, youll read thoughts on the loss of your pet.

What a miracle it is that we have pets: here we are, different species that feel a deep and ancient longing to be with one another. Such a thing delights Masson, perhaps because hes had animal companions his entire life.

The problem, as all animal lovers know, is that pets dont live as long as people do.

We know, the moment we get a new fluff, that were going to grieve that pet someday; just thinking about it is a grief all on its own. Masson believes that animals are also aware of their mortality, but we cant get inside their minds to know what they think about it and perhaps euthanasia is utilized too hastily.

When a pet dies, we are simply not prepared for this ... we want our beloved companions to live longer. We may be surprised at the depth of the raw emotion we feel; Masson quotes (and marvels at) several people who say they grieved harder at the loss of a pet than they did for a human. We should, therefore, never belittle the grief of others when it comes to pets, which includes when our pets exhibit grief and they do.

Says Masson, You could say grieving makes us human, or you could also say, grieving makes us just another animal.

Its awfully hard to determine the exact point of Lost Companions.

Yes, its about losing a pet, and the emotions you inevitably feel about it. But Masson also delves deeply into the deaths of wildlife, livestock, and humans, which are not at all the only off-topic topics. He also writes particularly gruesomely about dog-meat markets, and he touches upon veganism, and companion versus owner. To continue, the tedious, already-hashed-over subject of whether or not pets love us is brought forth again, and Masson argues strongly against The Final Kindness, saying he cant imagine it, but admitting that hes never witnessed it.

And yet ... (heavy sigh).

If youve ever lost a pet, you know you need to read this book, the on-point of which arrives with fewer than 100 pages to go. You know youve been there, and you might be there again, and that maybe, possibly, theres another way to ease your grief, some way you havent yet encountered. It might be here. It might.

Indeed.

This is a three-tissue book but Masson gives you room: its not a cry-fest until quite a ways in. Keep that in mind, and have your tear-wipes nearby: if youve recently lost a furry loved one, Lost Companions may bowl you over.

We are making critical coverage of the coronavirus available for free. Please consider subscribing so we can continue to bring you the latest news and information on this developing story.

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TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER: Grief, the loss of pets discussed in 'Lost Companions' - Goshen News

Conservationists raise concerns over state of care for grizzly cubs transferred to B.C. zoo – Haida Gwaii Observer

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Three orphaned grizzly cubs now on display at the privately-owned Greater Vancouver Zoo represent a disappearing opportunity for survival of a threatened species, says conservationists.

General manager of the zoo, Serge Lussier, said Wednesday, Theres two options for bears so young when the mother dies is euthanasia, or find an approved zoo.

The trio were found by Alberta Fish and Wildlife officers in Crowsnest Pass in April after their mother was killed by hunters.

They were sent for care away from the public at the Calgary Zoo, who ended up passing the responsibility to the Aldergrove zoo.

During that time, 104 signatories many B.C. and Alberta scientists or conservationists wrote a letter to the Alberta government, urging the rehabilitation and release of the cubs back into the wild, given that grizzly bears are a threatened species in Alberta, the letter reads.

More specifically, the age and health of these three cubs make them ideal candidates for the only grizzly cub rehabilitation program in North America, namely the Northern Lights Wildlife Shelter in Smithers, B.C.

The Ministry of Forest, Lands and Natural Resources sent an email statement to the Star, confirming the Smithers rehabilitation program was ruled out because it is a pilot, and not considered operational.

Formal best management practices for the facility are in the process of being developed. These are critical to standardize facility construction, humane care and handling and proof of concept, the statement continued.

Co-founder of the shelter, rehabilitationist Angelika Langen, has successfully released 22 bears into the wild during the 13 years the program has been in operation.

Everyone says we are still in a pilot project and they are awaiting results, yet they dont give us the cubs to prove it, she remarked.

Of the three six-month-old grizzly cubs at Greater Vancouver Zoo two of them are female.

Our efforts to prove long-term [grizzly bear] survival and re-integration into the wild population would have made a big step forward with the females, said Langen, noting their reproduction capabilities.

READ MORE: Red Panda dies at Greater Vancouver Zoo

As it stands, in Alberta there are only 700 surviving grizzly bears, according to the Alberta Wilderness Association. This, compared to 15,000 most recently recorded in B.C. by the Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations.

Of 25 cubs government approved for the Northern Lights Wildlife project, only three were female, Langen emphasized.

B.C. bear researcher/biologist and letter signatory, Wayne McCrory, said the zoos one-acre enclosure is not nearly large enough to house the cubs for the rest of their lives.

B.C. conservationist, Barb Murray, director of Bears Matter, corroborated McCrorys concerns about enclosure space for the cubs, them being fed dog food, and kept in captivity.

The cubs will outgrow that one acre so quickly, Murray said, also addressing claims made by the zoo that the cubs are not suitable for re-entry to the wild since they are human imprinted.

Until we have a definitive answer from a bear expert it is a question mark we just cant answer. Let them be assessed now before their fate is sealed, Murray responded.

READ MORE: Greater Vancouver Zoo animals suffer boredom and frustration, humane society says

Murray and McCory along with other signatories of the letter are in a race against time to have a bearrehabilitation expert examine the Greater Vancouver Zoos newest cubs and see if they are still candidates for the Smithersprogram.

We are prepared to pay the expert to fly in, Murray said. Six months isnt that old, only bear experts will know if the cubs are still viable for rehabilitation.

The Greater Vancouver Zoo, in Aldergrove, has previously been criticized for how it cares for its animals, particularly large species which have died in its care.

Lussier, the zoos general manager, insisted: We have the habitats, we have the experts, and were so proud to be a part of this.

READ MORE: Giraffes death shocks Greater Vancouver Zoo in Aldergrove

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Conservationists raise concerns over state of care for grizzly cubs transferred to B.C. zoo - Haida Gwaii Observer

I Adopted a Traumatized "Street Cat," and She’s Made My Life Infinitely Better – POPSUGAR

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When I rescued my cat, Hazel, she was 9 months old and had been at the Humane Society for six months. After being returned by a family due to biting behavior, Hazel had been left in the back room without being rotated into the adoption population for weeks. She was in a desperate situation, and at risk of euthanasia due to overcrowding. Hazel's time at the shelter was running out, and she needed to find a forever home. When I first saw her, my heart melted. She looked like a miniature tiger, and acted like one, too. I was so happy to take her home, and I knew we would have many adventures together. Hazel has taught me so much about life. Here are four of those lessons.

Hazel has undergone a remarkable transformation during our years together. She is the most feisty, loyal, and complicated cat I've ever known. The rejection she experienced was because of no fault of her own, and required lots of patience and understanding to overcome. I couldn't imagine my world without Hazel, and I'm so thankful to have had her teach me so much about love and life. I only hope I've done the same for her.

Image Source: Rachel Alger

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I Adopted a Traumatized "Street Cat," and She's Made My Life Infinitely Better - POPSUGAR

John Wayne exhibit to be removed by USC after student protests over actors racist comments – KTLA

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USCs School of Cinematic Arts will remove an exhibit dedicated to John Wayne after students called for its removal last year because of racist comments the late actor made in a 1971 Playboy magazine interview,the school announced Friday.

Citing a push to promote anti-racist cultural values, Evan Hughes, the assistant dean of diversity and inclusion, announced the change in a letter to the schools community.

Conversations about systemic racism in our cultural institutions along with the recent global, civil uprising by the Black Lives Matter Movement require that we consider the role our school can play as a change maker in promoting antiracist cultural values and experiences, Hughes said in the statement. Therefore, it has been decided that the Wayne Exhibit will be removed.

In December, the school said it would not remove the exhibit and instead create a space exploring the American West,according the Daily Trojan.A few months before,students protested the Wayne exhibit,stating that by keeping it, the school was endorsing white supremacy.

Read the full story on LATimes.com.

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‘Best job I could have ever asked for’: Manitowoc County ag agent retires after 33 years – Wisconsin State Farmer

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Scott Gunderson(Photo: Sevie Kenyon/UW-Madison CALS)

Scott Gunderson knew he wouldn't be a farmer at an early age.

He grew up in a family of five brothers on a small dairy farm of 10 cows. He had a passion for animals from the beginning, but one of his older brothers ended up taking over the farm before he could.

But his love for farms, dairy farming in particular, still kept him on the path to pursue a career in agriculture.He went to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and got a degree in agriculture education, then went on to Colorado State University for his Master's in animal science.

What he didn't expect, he says, was that he would become Manitowoc County's Extension ag agent, specializing in dairy, for the next 33years after he graduated with his second degree.

"I was 25 when I started this job," he said. "I really didn't know what the future held. ...I think it's the best job I could have ever asked for."

Since then, Gunderson has become one of the most well-known ag educators in the state. He co-founded the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center in 2018. He served as vice-chair of the Extension Department of Agriculture and Life Sciencefor nearly a decade. He was a mentor to new agents and educators across the state for 25 years.

Most of all, he helped hundreds of farms to streamline their dairy management, helping them run the best farm they could. Gunderson said one of the best parts of the job was sitting at a kitchen table on a farm, just getting to connect with people and help them improve both their business and their lives.

"I love to see people improve themselves," he said. "That doesn't mean, if you're a farmer, that you have to go from 100 cows to 1,000 cows. Absolutely not. I've always thought getting better before bigger is the key."

UW-Extension Agent Scott Gunderson of Manitowoc County checks out one of the interactive displays at the Farm Wisconsin Discovery Center.(Photo: Colleen Kottke/Wisconsin State Farmer)

Gunderson wasn't just borna good teacher - he said he also learned from the best. One of his most memorable mentors who helped him early in his career was James Crowley, a Ph.D. candidate at UW-Madison. Crowley's extensive experience in dairy nutrition, which Gunderson said was a very small field during the 1980s, helped him develop his own passion for specializing in dairy management.

Gunderson especially became interested in learning more about dairy herd improvementtesting. He helped work on a software called Badger Balance, which served as a virtual dietitian for cows by measuring butter fat and protein levels in milk samples and recommending diet plans based on the data.

"It all depends upon what the farm's needs are," he said. "You can see, over time, what the development is ... leading that successful transition from mom and dad to the next generation."

Carl Duley, Buffalo County's own extension agent, was the one to refer Gunderson to the job all those years ago. Gunderson was studying for his bachelor's degree in ag education at UW-River Falls when Duley was going for his Master's in the same field. Since then, they've been friends and colleagues.

Duley has served as the Buffalo County agent for 35 years and has joined Gunderson in ag education efforts from time to time. While the two have worked on opposite sides of the state for decades, Duley said Gunderson has always been his go-to person to call about anything dairy.

"He's always willing to help," Duley said. "Scott always had a good attitude. I think in today's world in agriculture, especially in the last ten years or so, it's been kind of hard to stay positive. But Scott always was."

Duley added that Gunderson is a good mentor to others, driven by his love for Wisconsin agriculture.

"He was able to keep his ideas, his teachings (and)his techniques fresh. I don't think he ever really got stale at his job," Duley said. "The State of Wisconsin is going to miss him."

Traveling and volunteering are on Gunderson's retirement to-do list. While traveling is made difficult right now due to the pandemic, he said he plans on getting more involved with volunteer work at the Wisconsin Farm Discovery Center. He's also considering volunteer consultation for some farms, but noted that those plans aren't set in stone.

He also wants to spend time in the great outdoors. One of Gunderson's favorite places to go fishing, hunting and logging is the Chippewa Falls area, he said. His father was a logger, cutting pulp for paper mills and stripping the bark off poplar trees,sohe said logging is "in his blood."

"I'm not going to retire to immediately go back to work, I'm going to check things out for now and see how I like it," he said. "We do have some plans though."

Scott Gunderson, center in yellow, at a Dairy After Hours event held at Meadow Brook Dairy Farms in Manitowoc in 2005.(Photo: Scott Gunderson)

Due to a hiring freeze in the UW system because of the coronavirus, Gunderson is unsure when his replacement will be hired. He said thinking about the future of his position is troubling because of budget cuts in the university system the administration is considering combining the Manitowoc County extension system with neighboring counties, he said, which may reducethe ability of the office to respond to local farmers with questions and concerns.

He said it's important to keep the Manitowoc County ag agent position dairy-specific, because Manitowoc County is always in the top five counties in milk production for Wisconsin and top 25 in the nation. He also said centralizing the office will make it harder to be involved in local committees, advisory boards and event planning. Gunderson served on

Regardless of the office politics, Gunderson said he's kept the same framed quote hanging in his office for the past 20 years: "Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life."

"I live by it ... andI truly believe that."

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'Best job I could have ever asked for': Manitowoc County ag agent retires after 33 years - Wisconsin State Farmer

Cold Plasma Market is projected to reach a market value of by US$ 51314.6 Mn by 2026 end – Jewish Life News

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With the advancing electronics and semiconductors industry, the demand for cold plasma (CP) has been on the rise. While the demand for applications such as coating and finishing, surface treatment, adhesion, and etching, associated with printed circuit boards (PCBs) is soaring, the market for cold plasma is also expected to benefit from a slew of applications arising in other end use industries. Moreover, increasing applications in food safety will also push the market for cold plasma further, over the next few years. As depicted in a recent research report published by Persistence Market Research (PMR), the US$ 1.4 Bn global cold plasma market is presumed to observe stellar growth over an eight-year projection period. Between 2018 and 2026, the cold plasma market will possibly expand at a CAGR of 16.3%, as indicated by PMRs globalcold plasma marketreport.

The potential applications of cold plasma technology traverse a wide range, including the extension of product shelf-life and environmental sustainability. Such applications have been attracting the scientific community towards cold plasma research, over the years. The CP technique has already been proven to be an economic and environment-friendly technology in the textile industry. Textile companies are increasingly adopting cold plasma technique in an effort to deliver improved textile finishing.

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Cold Plasma Technology Soon to Transform Wound Treatment Space

While cold plasma applications in sterilization and disinfection are currently accounting for maximum revenue in the cold plasma market, rapidly emerging applications in wound healing and adhesion will reportedly create lucrative opportunities for stakeholders.

Coldplasmatech GmbH, a German company, is looking forward to introduce a novel CP technology that could potentially revolutionize the wound care treatment platform, especially in emergency rooms in hospitals. The CP technology involves a patch of cold plasma made of silicone (as a part of the wound dressing), which can be used in treatment of chronic wound infections with the help of UV radiations and ions. This technology is presumed to provide a high-tech, efficient alternative to antibiotics, considering its ability to accelerate the wound healing process. If the trials based on the application of the cold plasma technology in faster wound healing deliver convincing and viable results, industry experts predict that the CP technology could become a widespread method for treatment of chronic wounds and infection, in near future.

Cold Plasma Technology to Win Preference over Conventional Processing Technologies

Among all end use industries generating demand for cold plasma, electronics and semiconductors are foreseen to reign supreme. Whereas, rising demand for cold plasma is expected to uplift the prospects for cold plasma in food processing and packaging, and plastics and polymers industries.

Advanced cold plasma technology is being widely used in the in-package decontamination of fresh foods. Shelf-life extension will also remain a key objective of fresh food industry participants, using cold plasma as a unit technology. With successful trials of the regulation of contaminants mediated by cold plasma, the applications of cold plasma in agriculture sector are expected to surge in near future. Additionally, research shows that it is possible to degrade the chemical residues of pesticides to relatively lesser toxic and safer structures, by using cold plasma. It also offers an excellent alternative to conventional fertilizers and pesticides.

As far as the processed and packaged food industry is concerned, cold plasma has been proven to hold immense potential as a safe and eco-friendly alternative to traditionally used chemical processes. Moreover, it is considered as a novel non-thermal technology for processing of foods, especially fruits and vegetables, and poultry and meat prominently attributed to the non-thermal nature, versatile design, and economic pricing of cold plasma. Research findings also confirm that cold plasma treatment poses no or minimal impact on a products chemical, physical, sensory, and nutritional attributes. However, it still remains to be seen whether cold plasma processing will completely replace the traditionally used processing technologies, as the research outcome is still in the pipeline and demands more extensive research in order to reach its potential.

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Cold Plasma Market is projected to reach a market value of by US$ 51314.6 Mn by 2026 end - Jewish Life News

In Search of the Fountain of Youth Healthy Aging | Maximum Wellness – WWLTV.com

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Aging, which is associated with a decline in an individuals physical and physiological capabilities, is part of life as in death and taxes.

NEW ORLEANS Based on research Calorie Restriction and Aging in Humans which appeared online in June of 2020 in the Annual Review of Nutrition over the past century, the average life span in higher- and lower-income countries has increased by 15 and 30 years, respectively.

Additionally, this (outcome) is the result of lessening mortality and morbidity from food shortage, malnutrition, and infectious diseases through improved food supply and quality, as well as, advances in health care.

Aging, which is associated with a decline in an individuals physical and physiological capabilities, is part of life as in death and taxes.

The speed and progression of age can be effected by such variables, as excess food consumption overweight and obesity, poor fitness less than 150 minutes of light to moderate weekly exercise, 75 minutes of moderate to vigorous weekly exercise, or a combination of both, or, the extent of an individuals exposure to disease all equaling secondary aging, added to or subtracted from (with prevention in place) the normal primary aging process.

According to the Annual Nutrition Reviews researchers from Pennington Biomedical Research Center, Louisiana State University, and Nutrition and Movement Sciences at Maastricht University in the Netherlands, advanced age is associated with increased mortality and susceptibility to disease. This increase is caused by a progressive decline in physiological function. The slope of this decline over time can be defined as aging, which, under an optimal scenario, may approach 120 years.

Primary aging, note the researchers, describes the inevitable age-associated decline in physiological and physical functions due to energy expenditure and oxidative stress. It appears that individuals with higher metabolic rates have shorter life spans - known as the rate-of-living theory - which the Pennington and Maastricht researchers say is, still a matter of discussion, and may only apply in species, and not between species.

It was also noted that average lifespan is reduced to 61 to 83 years an acceleration of this process reflects the interaction between innate aging and the extrinsic influences of the environment.

As aging applies to our functional capacity, Ive often commented to many of my athlete clients when my patience (with age) wears thin - discussing my strategic plan that age is mandatory, but maturity is optional.

Theyve also heard me explain from day one that my objective is to make them perform better than before with a higher quality of health in the years extending beyond their playing career.

I recognize three ages chronological age, what were given at birth, performance age, how successful we are at achieving our mental and physical objectives on and off the playing field, and health age, resistance to the effects of chronic fatigue and disease.

With the exception of our chronological age, being the constant, the goal from a health age perspective is to work toward a compressed morbidity, pushing illness to the shortest period of time late in life which is extended toward a higher quality.

The pillars of life extension slowing the aging process has to do with lengthening the telomeres - segments of DNA occurring at the ends of the chromosomes in eukaryotic cells (that containing a clearly defined nucleus), according to Britannica.com.

Notes the website, once telomeres have been reduced to a certain size, the cell reaches a crisis point and is prevented from dividing further. As a consequence, the cell dies. Thus, the processes of cell aging and cell death are regulated in part by telomeres.

Calorie restriction (CR) has been shown to increase life span from 1 to 5 years in animal studies - with some human support. However, for those over 60, the potential increase in life span may be offset by the potential for loss of lean muscle mass in light of sarcopenia the aging loss of muscle. Daily protein intake may need to increase from 0.8 grams per kilogram of body weight to 1.2 grams.

The nutrient resveratrol, found in red grape skins, peanuts, red wine, and in supplement form has been demonstrated to mimic CR, but the optimum dosage and administration is still being investigated.

The key to living a healthier, longer life is to practice healthy eating the Mediterranean eating style, exercise using the guidelines outlined earlier in this

column, stress control opting for meditation, controlled breathing, even prayer, laughing, associating with friends, giving and receiving love human or pet, and common sense during troubling times. Its not that hard.

Add, a dose of passion a life force that allows you to reinvent yourself on a daily basis, and you place yourself on the path toward the elisive fountain of youth.

Sign up for Mackie Mail, on mackieshilstone.com - my free, weekly wellness update with Fitness in Small Spaces 90-second videos Monday, my Maximum Wellness podcast and script on Wednesday, and, on Friday you receive my WWL/WUPL 3-minute Workout Wednesday segment. You can also contact spencer@mackienutrition.com should you desire nutrition product shipped or locally delivered to your door. My 4 locally operated GNC franchise stores are open, regularly sanitized with appropriate staff and customer safety in place. Check mackieshilstone.com for store locations and hours.

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Stay up-to-date with the latest news and weather in the New Orleans area on the all-new free WWL TV app. Our app features the latest breaking news that impacts you and your family, interactive weather and radar, and live video from our newscasts and local events. LOCAL & BREAKING NEWS * Receive r...

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Alex Ovechkin on a possible contract extension with the Capitals: I’m ‘not even talking, not even thinking about it’ – Russian Machine Never Breaks

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Alex Ovechkins historic 13-year, $124 million contract ends after the 2020-21 season. Monday, July 13, 2020, marked an important milestone for both Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Per the new NHL CBA, its the first official day Ovechkin could sign a new contract extension with the only team hes ever played for in the NHL.

After the first day of Phase 3 training camp, Ovechkin was asked if hes had any discussions with general manager Brian MacLellan about a new deal.

His answer was a hard no.

The Great 8 talks with media from Day One of Phase 3#ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/nqy70fpNrD

Washington Capitals (@Capitals) July 13, 2020

No. Like not even talking, Ovechkin said. Not even thinking about it because right now we have lots of things to do.

For Ovechkin, that means preparing for an unprecedented postseason that will see the Capitals enter a bubble away from their families and play playoff games in an empty Scotiabank Arena. The Capitals captain could be away from his wife Nastya and two sons, Sergei and Ilya, for months as he tries to win his second Stanley Cup in three years.

Every player wants to play for a Cup, right? Ovechkin said. We have that opportunity right now to go back and hope we going to win. Obviously, if you look at our roster, we have very good group of guys, experienced guys, and talented guys. Im looking forward to it.

Its possible the coronavirus pandemic could cost Ovechkin millions of dollars in a new deal. Last week after the new CBA was signed, the NHL announced that next seasons salary cap will remain flat ($81.5 million) and the cap will not go up in future years until revenue reaches $4.8 billion. Before the pandemic suspended the season, NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said the cap could be as high as $88.2 million for the 2020-21 season.

The Capitals, who are airtight against the current salary cap of $81.5 million right now, have several players coming off the books this fall. Braden Holtby ($6.1 million cap hit) and Radko Gudas ($2.35M) are unrestricted free agents along with trade deadline acquisitions Brenden Dillon ($1.64M) and Ilya Kovalchuk ($350k). Ovechkin is currently the teams only UFA in 2021.

Nicklas Backstrom, who re-signed with Washington in January, called himself lucky that his new five-year, $46 million deal was inked before the season was suspended.

Asked about re-signing in January (prior to the Covid mess), Backstrom cracked, "I've heard it from many, many people that I got lucky. Sometimes you got to be lucky." #Caps

Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) July 13, 2020

Ovechkin has signaled in past interviews that hed like to end his career in Washington. Ive been playing only for two teams in my life: Dynamo Moscow and the Caps, Ovechkin said in March 2019. I dont like too much to change teams.

In a September podcast interview, he pestered Nicklas Backstrom to re-sign with Washington so they could end their careers together.

You gonna sign six more years and then Ill sign for five more years, Ovechkin said.

According to Backstrom, Ovechkin asked him every day at practice if he had re-signed with the Caps. They hugged when the deal was finally done.

Capitals owner Ted Leonsis communicated in December that he expected both players to end their careers in DC.

Well work it out, Leonsis said. And I hope to build the organization so that carries over. I would expect an Alex, a Nick, they play here forever, then they retire and then theyre associated with us very, very closely through alumni, through who knows whatever kinds of relationships.

Hopefully, the realities of the COVID-19 pandemic hasnt changed those plans.

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Alex Ovechkin on a possible contract extension with the Capitals: I'm 'not even talking, not even thinking about it' - Russian Machine Never Breaks

Donald Trump, Ted Cruz back opposing candidates in TX-23 runoff – The Texas Tribune

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The race for Texas' 23rd Congressional District, a perennial November battleground, is never without drama. But the Republican nominating battle is especially delivering this time thanks lately to dueling endorsements by two of the biggest GOP names that could possibly get involved.

As early voting got underway two weeks ago, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz shook up the runoff by endorsing conservative underdog Raul Reyes and then three days later, President Donald Trump backed national GOP favorite Tony Gonzales. The whirlwind week set off a wave of speculation about behind-the-scenes machinations and recriminations, while Democrats watched the GOP fracture with glee.

Cruz's endorsement in particular complicated Gonzales' closing pitch that the former Navy cryptologist is the best choice to unify the party and keep the seat red in November. But in an interview after Trump's endorsement, Gonzales maintained he is still the strongest candidate to do that, and the president's backing only reinforces it.

"We have a lot of momentum," Gonzales said, "and its going to take everybody if we're gonna hold this seat, and Tony Gonzales is the only one who can hold this seat."

In the runoff's final hours, Trump's campaign is making sure voters know who his choice is. On Monday, the campaign sent a cease-and-desist letter to Reyes, citing a "misleading" mailer from Reyes featuring the president's image.

"So there is no doubt, let us be absolutely clear about this: President Trump and the Trump Campaign unambiguously endorse Tony Gonzales," top Trump staffer Michael Glassner wrote in the letter.

Later Monday, Gonzales' campaign released a robocall from Trump telling voters, "Tony will work for you in Congress, and by working for you, he's working for me."

Reyes, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, said Friday he "still very much love[s]" Trump despite the snub.

"We think hes made this endorsement in error, but its happened and its out there," Reyes said during an online interview with the GOP activist Duke Machado. "People are just going to have to decide: Do you want an establishment guy whos gonna pay lip service to keeping Texas red, or the guy from Del Rio who understands what youre saying about the problems we have here?"

Gonzales and Reyes are vying for the Republican nomination to replace retiring U.S. Rep. Will Hurd, R-Helotes, who has endorsed Gonzales along with the top Republican leaders in the House. The seat is national Democrats' best pickup opportunity this fall in Texas, and they are bullish about their already selected nominee: Gina Ortiz Jones, who lost to Hurd two years ago by a razor-thin margin.

On the Republican side, the high-level endorsement drama added to a runoff that had already been bitter for weeks, with Reyes attacking Gonzales as a GOP establishment tool and Gonzales hitting Reyes as a risky bet in the general election. The better-funded Gonzales has been blasting away at Reyes on TV and in mailboxes, though he avoided direct criticism during the interview, saying the contrast between the two is one of coalition-building.

"I've been able to bring people together that otherwise would not be together," Gonzales said.

Gonzales has had Hurd's endorsement since early in the primary, and Reyes has hammered at it while arguing that Gonzales would continue the legacy of the moderate lawmaker who occasionally splits with his party and Trump. Reyes was already challenging Hurd in the primary before the incumbent announced last summer he would not seek reelection.

"You want Will Hurd 2.0? My opponent is your guy," Reyes told Machado.

Gonzales finished first in the nine-way March primary 5 percentage points ahead of Reyes and has had a decisive financial advantage since the start of the race, raising well over $1 million. On their pre-runoff campaign finance filings covering April 1 through June 24 Gonzales reported raising nearly three times as much as Reyes did and spending more than twice as much. He ended the period with just under $400,000 cash on hand to Reyes' $59,000.

They are both far behind Jones, who easily won her March primary and entered July with $3 million in the bank, according to campaign figures.

National Republican leaders had signaled some support for Gonzales in the primary but made it official weeks into the two-man race, with Gonzales announcing endorsements from the top two Republicans in the House, Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Minority Whip Steve Scalise. But in an effort to show he was bringing the party together, Gonzales also secured and emphasized the support of people like Alma Arredondo-Lynch, the third-place primary finisher and a feisty Hurd critic. Like Reyes, she had also been running against Hurd prior to his retirement announcement.

Those had been some of the most notable endorsements in the runoff until the first week of early voting came around.

A few days before Cruz endorsed Reyes on June 30, the senator brought up the runoff at the end of an unrelated phone call with Trump, according to a person close to the senator who was granted anonymity to describe the private conversation. Cruz let Trump know he would be backing Reyes and told the president about comments that Gonzales made in late September saying he had not "fully developed a position" on the House's Trump impeachment inquiry, which was in its early stages then.

Gonzales' interest in a Trump endorsement was not a secret he had said during the primary that he hoped to eventually earn the president's support. And it looked like the stars were aligning on the first day of early voting, when Gonzales wrote on Facebook that he would have "HUGE news to share later this week."

A day later, Cruz made the Reyes endorsement official, saying the district "deserves strong conservative representation." He also tapped funds in his leadership political action committee to launch a six-figure TV ad buy for Reyes that vowed he would be a strong Trump ally if elected. A Hurd-led super PAC that had boosted Gonzales in the primary, the Future Leaders Fund, had already announced plans to spend six figures on TV in the runoff.

The all-in endorsement was a somewhat curious play by Cruz, who has built a reputation for going against party leaders' preferences but has largely stayed out of intraparty contests down-ballot this cycle in Texas. The only other competitive House nominating contest that Cruz waded into this year in Texas was the primary for the district where he lives in Houston and that was to back favorite Wesley Hunt, the top national GOP recruit challenging Rep. Lizzie Pannill Fletcher, D-Houston.

Cruz's Reyes endorsement was not entirely a mystery, though. If Reyes prevails Tuesday, it would set up a high-stakes test study of Cruz's longtime political theory that Republicans win when they run unapologetic conservatives who energize the base versus more moderate candidates who, in Cruz's view, fruitlessly chase independent voters.

Gonzales' campaign had a simpler explanation for Cruz's intervention, pointing out that Reyes also employs the main political consulting firm that works with Cruz, Axiom Strategies. Gonzales spokesperson Matt Mackowiak called Cruz's move a "catastrophic endorsement of a candidate who cannot win" in November and "strategically indefensible."

Two days after Cruz waded in, word of his conversation with Trump got out in a New York Times story, which noted it was "now unclear what the president will do."

Within 24 hours, Trump answered the question, tweeting his endorsement of Gonzales.

Gonzales and his team celebrated and moved quickly to get the endorsement in front of voters, cutting a new ad highlighting it.

On Friday, Reyes offered a theory for why Trump got involved.

"My best guess is Kevin McCarthy pulled in there and said, 'We've got to get this guy out of the fire,'" Reyes said, suggesting the House minority leader is less interested in helping the 23rd District than lining up candidates who would support him for speaker if they win in November.

McCarthy has not shied away from the runoff in the homestretch, starring in a robocall Wednesday that promoted Gonzales as "the only candidate who can win Texas 23." The call did not mention Reyes, but McCarthy said that if Gonzales loses Tuesday, "we'll be handing Nancy Pelosi a seat that Republicans once held."

As for Cruz, he reiterated his support for Reyes earlier Wednesday, including him in a new effort to raise over $100,000 each for 25 conservative candidates this cycle. The fundraising pledge is only for the general election. And on the eve of the runoff, Cruz is holding a tele-town hall with Reyes.

Things were already bitter and personal between the runoff candidates before Cruz and Trump got involved.

Gonzales has singled out the Reyes Cartel for attacking him, his campaign workers and even my own mother. Those tensions appear to go back to the primary, when Gonzales mom filed a police report accusing a Reyes supporter of surveilling her son.

One of Reyes top hits on Gonzales is that he is too cozy with the League of United Latin American Citizens, which Reyes has called an anti-Trump open borders group. Gonzales has said Reyes is making hay out of a "one-time donation that went to help underprivileged children."

Gonzales has seized on the circumstances of Reyes leaving an administrative job with Southwest Texas Junior College in 2017. A Gonzales TV ad claims Reyes was fired from the job, though Reyes says he resigned, and a spokesperson for the school confirmed that to The Texas Tribune last week.

Amid the back-and-forth Tuesday, Reyes issued a news release denouncing Gonzales losing, lying, liberal LULAC-loving campaign. And Reyes said Friday that a post-runoff reconciliation would be difficult.

"We intend to win, Duke, but if he does win, he's gonna wanna try and heal some things you cant come back from that," Reyes told the online interviewer, adding that there were "integrity issues" at play.

Even before Trump endorsed Gonzales, there was tension around the president's specter in the runoff. After Reyes sent out a mailer featuring images of Trump superimposed alongside him, a Trump campaign adviser, Katrina Pierson, took to Twitter to call the piece "misleading, and possibly unethical" and remind voters that the president had not endorsed in the runoff at that point.

The jockeying for Trump's support has been a boon to Democrats, who see the president as a general-election liability in the district, which he lost by 4 percentage points in 2016. Republicans figure Democrats will link whomever they nominate to Trump regardless of his endorsement and Jones has done little to disprove their suspicions.

"No matter who wins the Republican runoff for TX-23, the general election will be the same," she wrote in a fundraising email Thursday. "I'll face off against a Trump puppet who will support the Trump administration's extreme agenda regardless of how much it harms Texas families."

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Donald Trump, Ted Cruz back opposing candidates in TX-23 runoff - The Texas Tribune

It’s Trump’s Call on What the GOP Convention Will Look Like – Voice of America

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WASHINGTON - After months of insisting that the Republican National Convention go off as scheduled despite the pandemic, President Donald Trump is slowly coming to accept that the late August event will not be the four-night infomercial for his reelection that he had anticipated.

After a venue change, spiking coronavirus cases and a sharp recession, Trump aides and allies are increasingly questioning whether it's worth the trouble, and some are advocating that the convention be scrapped altogether. Conventions are meant to lay out a candidate's vision for the coming four years, not spark months of intrigue over the health and safety of attendees, they have argued.

Ultimately, the decision on whether to move forward will be Trump's alone.

Already the 2020 event has seen a venue change to more Trump-friendly territory in Jacksonville, Florida, from Charlotte, North Carolina and it has been drastically reduced in scope.

For technical reasons, the convention will be unable to formally adopt a new party platform. And what is normally a highlight of the convention the roll call of the states to renominate the president is set to be conducted through proxy votes in the original host city.

Still, Trump and his aides had pinned their hopes on creating the pageantry of a formal acceptance speech in Jacksonville, envisioning an arena of packed with supporters, without face masks. Outwardly, the White House and the RNC have said they're full-steam ahead with the revised plan.

"We're still moving forward with Jacksonville," White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said last week. "It'll be a safe event. It will be a good event."

But privately, concerns are mounting, and plans are being drawn up to further scale back the event or even shift it to entirely virtual. Officials who weeks ago had looked for the convention to be a celebration of the nation's vanquishing of the virus now see it as a potent symbol of the pandemic's persistence.

"There's a lot of people that want to do it. They want to be enthusiastic. But we can do that and we can do it safely," Donald Trump Jr. said. He told Fox News Channel's "Sunday Morning Futures" that "it's going to be an awesome event."

Jacksonville, whose mayor is a former Florida Republican Party chairman, issued a public mask order two weeks ago as virus cases in the area surged. That mandate is unlikely to be lifted before the convention. Also, Florida has limited facilities statewide to operating at 50% of capacity.

Organizers now plan to provide COVID-19 testing to all attendees daily, conduct frequent temperature checks and offer face coverings. Even so, Trump aides and allies fear that the entire spectacle will be overshadowed by attendee concerns and already heightened media scrutiny on the potential for the convention to be a "super-spreading" event.

Key decisions about the event, including precisely where or if Trump will appear, need to be made in the coming days to allow sufficient time for the build-out of the space.

Increasingly, aides are pushing Trump to move his acceptance speech outdoors to minimize the risk of virus transmission. But Trump has expressed reservations about an outdoor venue, believing it would lack the same atmosphere as a charged arena.

Despite the economic downturn, GOP officials insist they will have the financial resources needed to hold the convention. Vice President Mike Pence flew to Florida on Saturday to hold a fundraiser for the event.

"The convention is still a month and a half away, so there is time to adjust and make the most appropriate decisions regarding venue options and an array of health precautions that will allow us to have a safe and exciting event for all," RNC spokesman Mike Reed said. "We will continue to coordinate with local leadership in Jacksonville and in Florida in the weeks ahead."

The Trump team's worries were compounded after the president's embarrassing return to campaign rallies after a three-month hiatus caused by the virus.

The empty seats at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, brought about a shakeup to Trump's campaign and renewed fears that the president would not be able to return to his signature campaign events in their traditional form before Election Day in November.

A Saturday rally in New Hampshire that was meant to be the president's second attempt at a return to campaign travel was called off on Friday, ostensibly because of weather concerns from then-Tropical Storm Fay. But aides acknowledged they also were worried about attracting enough of a crowd to fill the Portsmouth aircraft hangar.

The challenge in Jacksonville may be more daunting. The administration's top health officials have demurred when pressed on whether the convention could be held safely. Many among the party's leadership and the donors who attend conventions are older, putting them in a higher-risk category for the coronavirus.

Already a half-dozen Republican senators have indicated they won't attend the convention. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has expressed reservations.

"I'm not going to go, and I'm not going to go because of the virus situation," 86-year-old Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said on a conference call with Iowa reporters last week.

Asked whether he'd want to limit the gathering if the state's coronavirus cases continue to rise, Trump replied that the decision "really depends on the timing."

"We're always looking at different things," Trump said during an interview on Gray Television's "Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren."

"When we signed a few weeks ago, it looked good," the president continued. "And now, all of a sudden, it's spiking up a little bit. And that's going to go down. It really depends on the timing. Look, we're very flexible."

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It's Trump's Call on What the GOP Convention Will Look Like - Voice of America

It’s Trump’s call on what the GOP convention will look like – The Associated Press

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WASHINGTON (AP) After months of insisting that the Republican National Convention go off as scheduled despite the pandemic, President Donald Trump is slowly coming to accept that the late August event will not be the four-night infomercial for his reelection that he had anticipated.

After a venue change, spiking coronavirus cases and a sharp recession, Trump aides and allies are increasingly questioning whether its worth the trouble, and some are advocating that the convention be scrapped altogether. Conventions are meant to lay out a candidates vision for the coming four years, not spark months of intrigue over the health and safety of attendees, they have argued.

Ultimately, the decision on whether to move forward will be Trumps alone.

Already the 2020 event has seen a venue change - to more Trump-friendly territory in Jacksonville, Florida, from Charlotte, North Carolina -- and it has been drastically reduced in scope. For technical reasons, the convention will be unable to formally adopt a new party platform. And what is normally a highlight of the convention the roll call of the states to renominate the president is set to be conducted through proxy votes in the original host city.

Still, Trump and his aides had pinned their hopes on creating the pageantry of a formal acceptance speech in Jacksonville, envisioning an arena of packed with supporters, without face masks. Outwardly, the White House and the RNC have said theyre full-steam ahead with the revised plan.

Were still moving forward with Jacksonville, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said last week. Itll be a safe event. It will be a good event.

But privately, concerns are mounting, and plans are being drawn up to further scale back the event or even shift it to entirely virtual. Officials who weeks ago had looked for the convention to be a celebration of the nations vanquishing of the virus now see it as a potent symbol of the pandemics persistence.

Theres a lot of people that want to do it. They want to be enthusiastic. But we can do that and we can do it safely, Donald Trump Jr. said. He told Fox News Channels Sunday Morning Futures that its going to be an awesome event.

Jacksonville, whose mayor is a former Florida Republican Party chairman, issued a public mask order two weeks ago as virus cases in the area surged. That mandate is unlikely to be lifted before the convention. Also, Florida has limited facilities statewide to operating at 50% of capacity.

Organizers now plan to provide COVID-19 testing to all attendees daily, conduct frequent temperature checks and offer face coverings. Even so, Trump aides and allies fear that the entire spectacle will be overshadowed by attendee concerns and already heightened media scrutiny on the potential for the convention to be a super-spreading event.

Key decisions about the event, including precisely where or if Trump will appear, need to be made in the coming days to allow sufficient time for the build-out of the space.

Increasingly, aides are pushing Trump to move his acceptance speech outdoors to minimize the risk of virus transmission. But Trump has expressed reservations about an outdoor venue, believing it would lack the same atmosphere as a charged arena.

Despite the economic downturn, GOP officials insist they will have the financial resources needed to hold the convention. Vice President Mike Pence flew to Florida on Saturday to hold a fundraiser for the event.

The convention is still a month and a half away, so there is time to adjust and make the most appropriate decisions regarding venue options and an array of health precautions that will allow us to have a safe and exciting event for all, RNC spokesman Mike Reed said. We will continue to coordinate with local leadership in Jacksonville and in Florida in the weeks ahead.

The Trump teams worries were compounded after the presidents embarrassing return to campaign rallies after a three-month hiatus caused by the virus. The empty seats at his rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, brought about a shakeup to Trumps campaign and renewed fears that the president would not be able to return to his signature campaign events in their traditional form before Election Day in November.

A Saturday rally in New Hampshire that was meant to be the presidents second attempt at a return to campaign travel was called off on Friday, ostensibly because of weather concerns from then-Tropical Storm Fay. But aides acknowledged they also were worried about attracting enough of a crowd to fill the Portsmouth aircraft hangar.

The challenge in Jacksonville may be more daunting. The administrations top health officials have demurred when pressed on whether the convention could be held safely. Many among the partys leadership and the donors who attend conventions are older, putting them in a higher-risk category for the coronavirus.

Already a half-dozen Republican senators have indicated they wont attend the convention. Even Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky has expressed reservations.

Im not going to go, and Im not going to go because of the virus situation, 86-year-old Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley said on a conference call with Iowa reporters last week.

Asked whether hed want to limit the gathering if the states coronavirus cases continue to rise, Trump replied that the decision really depends on the timing.

Were always looking at different things, Trump said during an interview on Gray Televisions Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren.

When we signed a few weeks ago, it looked good, the president continued. And now, all of a sudden, its spiking up a little bit. And thats going to go down. It really depends on the timing. Look, were very flexible.

___

Associated Press writer Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, contributed to this report.

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It's Trump's call on what the GOP convention will look like - The Associated Press

Why China Wants Donald Trump to Win – The Atlantic

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From Chinas standpoint, Trump is not so much tougher as he is different. Previous presidents tried to pressure China within the rules of the current global order; Trump prefers to act outside of that system. For instance, his predecessors turned to the World Trade Organization to challenge Chinas unfair trade practices, filing 21 complaints between 2004 and early 2017 (with a strong record of success). The Trump administration, openly disparaging of the WTO, has submitted only two complaints, one of which was a response to Chinas retaliation against Trumps own tariffs. Whereas previous presidents have sought to win over other powers, notably in Europe and East Asia, with similar interests in forcing China to play by the rules, this White House has alienated much of the European Union by threatening hefty tariffs, criticized NATO, and launched personal attacks on some of the Wests most influential leaders. In Asia, meanwhile, he withdrew from the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a pact aimed at solidifying American ties to its allies.

In that sense, a president with a more normal American foreign policyin which Washington works closely with its friends and stands behind international norms and institutionsisnt good for China. The Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, has already vowed to forge a coalition of countries to isolate and confront China. When we join together with fellow democracies, our strength more than doubles, Biden argued. China cant afford to ignore more than half the global economy. That, and not Trump, is the stuff of Chinese nightmares.

Whoever wins in November, policy toward China isnt likely to soften. A near consensus has formed in Washington, across the political aisle, that China is a strategic threat to the U.S., and there may be no way to turn back the clock to the more halcyon days of patient American engagement. There are far fewer doves left, even on the left, Poling, of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative, said. A Democrat who comes in now is not going to be an Obama Democrat when it comes to China. That is no longer politically possible.

Claremont McKennas Pei speculated that some in Beijing may still prefer a Biden victory, if only hoping for a pause in tensions as the Democrats, at least at first, focus on their domestic priorities. But the Chinese, he said, might also come to regret it. The Trump people believe that the U.S. alone can deal China a fatal blow, Pei said. Democrats would likely reach out to allies to form a much more united front against China. If the Democrats succeed, China would be in a much more difficult situation in the long run.

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Why China Wants Donald Trump to Win - The Atlantic