Originally atop the Capitol, Goddess of Liberty undergoing restoration – TWC News

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AUSTIN, Texas It's stood tall over the Texas State Capitol building for nearly 100 years, and, now, the Goddess of Liberty statue is getting some TLC at its new home in the Bullock Museum.

The Goddess of Liberty was first installed on top of the Capitol building back in 1888, just short of 100 years later (98 years to be exact), it was taken down and replaced with a replica.

Before rising to the dome in 1888.

According to the Bullock, workers repainting the Capitol dome in 1983 noticed significant deterioration along the back of the Goddess's arms and right hand, as well as her sword.

After being perched on the dome for nearly 100 years, pollution, lightning, temperature changes, and wind had taken their toll on the statue's impure original materials.

The State Preservation Board removed the original statue from the dome by helicopter in 1985 and placed it carefully on the south lawn.

She's 16 feet tall, 4.5 feet wide, 3,000 pounds and made mostly of iron and zinc.

1983 photograph showing the original Goddess's significant deterioration. Image courtesy of Texas State Library and Archives Commission.

Her move and restoration is the result of $20,000 grant to Texas State History Museum Foundation from Bank of America Art Conservation Project.

The restoration will be taking place through July 17. Curators are working daytime hours so visitors can check it out, get a sense of what goes into conservation.

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Originally atop the Capitol, Goddess of Liberty undergoing restoration - TWC News

Launching Liberty Plaza Park; Ribbon cutting set for July 20 – Branson Tri-Lakes news

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Live music, history and ice cream will mark the official debut on July 20 for a new event space in downtown Branson.

Liberty Plaza Park, phase two of a Downtown Streetscape project, opened as a parking lot for the Liberty Light Up on July 3, and will have an official ribbon-cutting July 20.

Were excited, said Cindy Shook, director of parks and recreation for the city. We think this is a wonderful amenity for the city, a wonderful amenity for the public and downtown.

Liberty Plaza will add 23 parking spaces to downtown Branson, as well as an additional trolley stop. Shook said the plaza will function just like a city park and will be able to host a variety of events.

We definitely see wedding receptions, she said. The stage will be perfect for music, downtown has some ideas of what theyd like to do in here. Really wed like to encourage people to come here and check it out.

Branson Alderwoman Chris Bohinc said the plaza will add another option for hosting events in downtown Branson.

We have the beautiful Branson Landing, but the downtown used to originally have events down at the lakefront, Bohinc said. So now weve got the Landing and the downtown. We still have our historic flavor and our newer fun flavor with the Branson Landing, but this gives an identity back for an event space in the downtown.

In addition, Liberty Plaza will feature a fountain and monument honoring veterans of the United States Armed Forces. City Engineer David Miller said the fountain can be customized depending on the event.

The fountain has some color changing features, Miller said. (It) should make for a nice space for weddings and other events besides the big days downtown.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony will feature musical performances from Family Anthem and Prince Ivan. There will be an ice cream and sweet treat social for National Ice Cream Month and Dicks 5&10 will be celebrating the stores 56th anniversary.

Bohinc said the look and feel of Liberty Plaza is trying to evoke the feeling of the history of downtown Branson. The name for the space is inspired by the Liberty Tree, which was a long-time landmark in downtown Branson.

The opening of Liberty Plaza will also mark the end of phase two and portions of phase three of the downtown project. According to Miller, many of the major improvements will be invisible to the visitors downtown, but will have a major impact.

We have new water lines, better fire protection, new storm sewers to eliminate flooding, and the sidewalks have been rebuilt and will last for decades longer, Miller said. A lot of the costs are underground, so nobody will see what weve really accomplished .

To reserve a space at Liberty Plaza Park after the ribbon-cutting on July 20, Shook said to contact the Branson Parks and Recreation Department at 417-335-2368.

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Launching Liberty Plaza Park; Ribbon cutting set for July 20 - Branson Tri-Lakes news

Judge upholds law stifling Libertarian ballot presence | The Verde … – Verde Independent

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PHOENIX -- A federal judge has rebuffed a bid by the Libertarian Party to kill an Arizona law even its sponsors concede was designed to make it harder for minor party candidates to get on the general election ballot.

Judge David Campbell acknowledged Monday the 2015 law sharply increases the number of signatures that Libertarian candidates need to qualify for ballot status. In some cases, the difference is more than 20 times the old requirement.

The result was that only one Libertarian candidate qualified for the ballot in 2016, and none made it to the general election. By contrast, there were 25 in 2004, 19 in 2008 and 18 in 2012.

But Campbell said the new hurdle is not unconstitutionally burdensome. And the judge accepted the arguments that the higher signature requirements ensure that candidates who reach the November ballot have some threshold of support.

But Libertarian Party Chairman Michael Kielsky said the judge ignored not just the higher burden but the games that the Republican-controlled legislature played in making 2015 the change for their own political purposes.

The Republicans set out to get the Libertarians off the ballot and the Republicans succeeded, Kielsky said. And now, Judge Campbell has said, Thats OK.

Kielsky is not just spouting party rhetoric.

In pushing for the change, GOP lawmakers made no secret they do not want Libertarian Party candidates in the race, contending that a vote for a Libertarian is a vote that would otherwise go to a Republican. As proof, some cited the 2012 congressional race.

Republican Jonathan Paton lost the CD 1 race to Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick by 9,180 votes. But Libertarian Kim Allen picked up 15,227 votes -- votes that Rep. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, argued during floor debate likely would have gone to Paton.

And in CD 9, Democrats Kyrsten Sinema defeated Republican Vernon Parker by 10,251 votes, with Libertarian Powell Gammill tallying 16,620.

And if the point was lost, Mesnard made the issue more personal for colleagues, warning them that they, too, could find themselves aced out of a seat if they dont change the signature requirements.

I cant believe we wouldnt see the benefit of this, he said during a floor speech.

The way the legislature accomplished this was to change the rules.

Prior to 2015, would-be candidates qualified for the ballot by getting the signatures of one-half of one percent of all party members within a given area. So for a Republican seeking statewide office, that translated out to 5,660 signatures.

The new formula changed that to one-quarter of a percent -- but for all people who could sign a candidates petition. That adds political independents, who outnumber Democrats and are running neck-in-neck with Republicans, to the equation.

Under the new formula, a Republican statewide candidate in 2016 needed 5,790 signatures.

But the effect on minor parties is more profound,

Using that pre-2016 formula, a Libertarian could run for statewide office with petitions bearing just 134 names, one-half percent of all those registered with the party. But the new formula, which takes into account all the independents, required a Libertarian trying to get on a statewide ballot to get 3,023 signatures.

To put that in perspective that is closed to 12 percent of all registered Libertarians. By contrast, the statewide burden for a GOP candidate, based on the number of registered Republicans, remains close to that one-half of one percent of all adherents.

Its B.S., Kielsky said. Its completely perverse.

But Campbell said there is nothing unconstitutional about the higher requirement to limit the field to bona fide candidates who had some chance of actually winning.

If a candidate was not required to show any threshold of support through votes or petition signatures, she could win her primary and reach the general ballot with no significant modicum of support at all, Campbell continued. And in the case of Libertarians, who often run unopposed in their partys primary, a candidate could win a spot on the general election ballot with only one vote in such a primary.

Anyway, the judge said, Libertarian candidates can now seek out support to get on the ballot from independents, a pool totaling more than one million voters in Arizona.

Kielsky said that misses the point.

That means we have to appeal to things that the independents care about -- but not necessarily the Libertarians care about -- to be a Libertarian candidate, he said. The distinction of being a Libertarian is diluted, if not lost.

And Kielsky called the requirement for a modicum of support a red herring. He said if Libertarians were not picking up significant votes, the GOP-controlled legislature would not have changed the law to keep them off the ballot.

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Judge upholds law stifling Libertarian ballot presence | The Verde ... - Verde Independent

Libertarians earn spots on ’18 ballot, urge better access – Arkansas Online

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For the fourth consecutive election cycle, the Libertarian Party of Arkansas has been declared a "new political party."

Secretary of State Mark Martin's office certified in a letter Monday that the party collected enough valid signatures to qualify for ballot access statewide.

The state Libertarian Party has never met a threshold set in Arkansas law to automatically retain ballot access -- as have the state Republican and Democratic parties -- and avoid a petition process.

Michael Pakko, chair of the Libertarian Party of Arkansas, would like to see the state's process change.

"As far as ballot access goes, we really haven't made much progress there," he said. "I think the weakest part of the whole system of ballot access is it's limited to one single office. If you don't get 3 percent of the vote at the top of the ticket, then you're not a political party."

In Arkansas, a party needs to obtain 3 percent of the total votes cast for the office of governor or nominees for presidential electors at the first general election after certification to retain ballot access.

In 2016, the party's candidate, former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson, received 2.6 percent of the vote in Arkansas. In 2012, he received 1.5 percent of the vote.

So last month, the party submitted more than 15,000 signatures to the secretary of state's office to become a "new political party." The office's certification means that at least 10,000 were valid -- the requirement for starting any new political party.

Pakko said collecting the signatures through paid canvassers cost about $30,000 this year.

Nationally, the Libertarian party now has ballot access in 38 states. Among states bordering Arkansas, the party currently lacks access only in Tennessee, according to the national party's website.

Pakko said the national party had automatic ballot access in 35 states immediately after the 2016 election, but it failed to meet various requirements in 15 others, including Arkansas.

Libertarians won recognition as an official Arkansas political party for the first time in 2011 after collecting more than 16,000 signatures.

Now that the party is certified, Pakko said its attention will shift to recruiting candidates. The party plans to hold a convention in late February.

"We are a party that believes in limited government, that individuals should have the right to live their lives the way they see fit without interference of government -- so long as you're not imposing on someone else," Pakko said. "It's a very live-and-let-live approach to government. If people believe in that kind of outlook, well, we welcome them to join the Libertarian party."

Mark West, a pastor in Batesville, announced last month that he is running for governor as a Libertarian next year.

Information for this article was contributed by Michael R. Wickline of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Metro on 07/12/2017

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Libertarians earn spots on '18 ballot, urge better access - Arkansas Online

Scoot: Are you Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian? – WWL First News (blog)

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Its not surprising that the number of registered Democrats in the state of Louisiana has decreased over the past 16 years. A new analysis from JMC Analytics shows that there has been a significant decrease in the number of registered white Democrats while the number of registered white Republicans has risen.

In 2001, when President George W. Bush took office, white Democrats made up 35% of the registered voters, but today that number has fallen to 18%. Over the same period, the number of Republicans increased from 22% to 30% and Independents increased 8%.

From 2001 to today, black voters in the state rose from 29% to 31%, but Hispanic and Asian voters, combined, increased 66%.

Today, Democrats account for 44% of the voters in the state of Louisiana, while Republicans account for 30% and Independents 26%.

But how many registered Republicans and Democrats are true Republicans or Democrats? There are Democrats that oppose new gun control legislation and Republican that support same-sex marriage. Does support for gun rights define a voter as a Repubican? Does support of same-sex marriage render a voter a Democrat?

The world of political issues is complicated and seemingly not as clear cut as it was in the past. Hypocrisy reins supreme with both Democrats and Republicans. Perhaps the Independents are more respected for having views that seem to conflict with the strict Republican and Democratic Party ideology.

Many people find security in belonging to a group that helps define who they are. Many how identify themselves as Republicans or Democrats do not agree with the strict definition of what it means to be Republican or Democrat, but they gain a stronger sense of identity by adhering allegiance to one party or the other.

The majority of voters in the state of Louisiana, as well as the majority of voters across America, are not truly Republican or Democrat. And these are the voters that decide the outcome of elections.

Look at the breakdown of registered voters in Louisiana 44% are Democrats, 30% are Republicans and 26% are Independents. Based on the breakdown of voters, in a two-candidate race, a Republican or a Democrat would need the support of Independents to win an election.

During the campaign, Donald Trumps appeal stretched beyond the base of the Republican Party. Now as president, Trump appears to be pandering more to his base, which will not be strong enough for reelection in 2020.

On my radio show, I have always emphasized the importance of a candidate projecting an image more moderate than the core of either party. George W. Bush brilliantly used the slogan, Compassionate Conservative to win. Barack Obama presented a more moderate, or populist, position during his two campaigns. Once in office, candidates tend to feed their base voters. That changes toward reelection time. There are those who will vote for the Republican or the Democrat no matter what circumstances surround a campaign, but it is the moderates and the Independents that determine an elections outcome.

In a world where Americans are so quick to label each other -conservative, liberal or whatever - we should all be honest about the reality that most are not as politically pure as the image of either party.

And thats the reason we should not be so quick to label or judge each other.

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Scoot: Are you Republican, Democrat, Independent, Libertarian? - WWL First News (blog)

The best islands in the world, according to travellers – The Independent

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Every year, Travel + Leisure releases a ranking of hotels, cities, cruise ship lines, islands, and other travel categories, dubbing a select few the world's best.

This year, the 22nd annual awards list revealed that Palawan in the Philippines is the top island in the world for 2017.

The ranking is based on the results of a reader survey, in which participants rate their travel experiences. This year, the list includes three islands in the US, (Hilton Head, South Carolina, and Maui and Kauai, Hawaii) and two in the Philippines (Palawan and Boracay).

Keep reading to see the 10 best islands in the world, according to travellers.

10. Bali, Indonesia

Aside from relaxing on its gorgeous beaches, visitors can explore Bali's rich history and culture.

9. Hvar and the Dalmatian Islands, Croatia

Hvar's red-roofed homes overlooking the Adriatic give the island a classic Mediterranean feel.

8. Ischia, Italy

Located in the Gulf of Naples, Ischia is a volcanic island known for its thermal hot springs.

7. Kauai, Hawaii

Kauai is known as Hawaii's island of discovery.

6. Maui, Hawaii

One of the famous black sand beaches on the island of Maui.

5. Santorini, Greece

Santorini is famous for its whitewashed, cliffside homes.

4. Galpagos Islands, Ecuador

Sea lions on Punta Carola beach in the Galpagos Islands.

3. Boracay Island, Philippines

Boracay is only 4.5 miles long, but it has no shortage of white sand beaches.

2. Hilton Head, South Carolina

With 12 miles of beaches, 24 golf courses, and 350 tennis courts, Hilton Head is a resort lover's dream.

1. Palawan, Philippines

Palawan was named not only Travel + Leisure's top island in Asia, but also the top overall island for 2017.

Apples next iPhone could cost $1,200 or more Most people blow 70% of their money on these three things Hitler's three-mile-long abandoned Nazi resort is being transformed into a luxury getaway

Read the original article on Business Insider UK. 2016. Follow Business Insider UK on Twitter.

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Palawan Philippines Is Travel + Leisure World’s Best Island | Money – Money Magazine

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For the second year in a row and the third time since 2013, Palawan, Philippines, has won the Travel + Leisure award for best island in the world.

The long narrow Palawan island , which is located on a province of 1,780 islands , is lined with sugar-white sand beaches and hidden coves, according to its tourism website . Palawan is filled with species unique to the region, with over 200 bird species and 600 butterfly species, according to the government's website . It contains the worlds largest navigable underground river, flowing five miles under a limestone cave out to sea, which visitors can tour by canoe, Travel + Leisure reports .

The sparsely populate island is also home to underwater shipwrecks and coral reefs filled with tropical fish that attract scuba diving or snorkeling visitors, according Travel + Leisure. The abundant wildlife on land and sea, as well as crystal-clear waters give Palawan breathtaking sights, especially viewed from the tops of its lush mountains, Travel + Leisure reports .

For the magazine's annual survey, readers rated experiences across 86 categories on a secure website, and scores were averaged in order to determine the Travel + Leisure awards for 2017. See the other top islands on the world's best islands list here .

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Palawan Philippines Is Travel + Leisure World's Best Island | Money - Money Magazine

10 best islands for a Malaysia holiday – CNN

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(CNN) From the cosmopolitan charm of Penang to the hippie getaway of the Perhentians, a diverse array of islands offer a huge variety of Malaysia holiday options.

Here, in no particular order, we present our top 10. Disagree? Share your favorite Malaysian island in the comments box below.

While many backpacker haunts have become gentrified over time, the Perhentians have managed to retain their low-key vibe.

They might not be easy to get to, but the Perhentian islands off the northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia have achieved iconic status on the backpacker trail.

And for good reason -- the waters are so clean that you can snorkel right off the beach and still see a diverse array of aquatic life.

Fishermen turned tour guides will also take you out in their small boat for a day trip to swim with sharks and turtles.

In the evening, beach bars set up cushions on the sand as wandering fire artists do their thing.

Getting there: Regular buses leave from Hentian Putra bus station in Kuala Lumpur, taking nine hours. Alternatively, fly from Kuala Lumpur's LCCT airport to Kota Bharu, and then catch a taxi to the port town of Kuala Besut.

The island of Tioman and the waters surrounding it are protected nature reserves, which has helped it retain its wild vibe.

Although part of the Malaysian state of Pahang, Tioman is actually reached from the Johor town of Mersing. There's also a direct ferry from Singapore.

This popular Malysia holiday island has two claims to fame that continue to be hyped by media and marketers. One, the dramatic topography of this teardrop-shaped isle in the South China Sea was (supposedly) used as a backdrop for the 1958 movie "South Pacific," while Time magazine named it one of the world's most beautiful islands in the 1970s.

Though it's now a firm fixture on the tourist trail and has lost a little of its exotic mystique, it retains --- where many of its Southeast Asian contemporaries have lost theirs --- the natural environment and wildlife that first made it famous.

First among animals, on land at least, are the giant monitor lizards that roam among the kampungs (Malay for villages) in search of food. Don't worry, they avoid humans. Most of the time.

Don't worry, Lankawai has the same stunning beaches as the rest of these islands. We just thought you might be tired of looking at white sand.

Located right by the border with Thailand, Langkawi is part of the Malaysian state of Kedah, not Perlis which is in fact directly adjacent.

Famously, the Malaysia island was believed to have been cursed in 1819, when a woman named Mahsuri, was put to death for alleged adultery. Before she died, she uttered the words, "There shall be no peace and prosperity on this island for a period of seven generations."

Two years later Langkawi fell to the invading Thais, with much of its population subsequently dying from starvation. The island was then indeed barren for a long time, before Prime Minister Mahatir Mohamed --- the colossus of Malaysian politics who also built Kuala Lumpur's Petronas Towers and the Sepang F1 circuit --- decided to turn it into a resort island in 1986.

He declared it a duty-free island, and ever since then Langkawi's growth has been nothing short of spectacular, with high-profile resorts dotting its sandy shores to make it a Malaysia holiday star.

The best way to take it all in is on the 2,200-meter-long cable car, which rises some 710 meters above sea level. Interestingly, Mahsuri's husband and son moved to Phuket after the Thai invasion, and it was on that island that her seventh generation descendant was born --- in the year 1986. Coincidence?

Getting there: Langkawi has by far the best flight connections of any Malaysian island, with dozens of daily flights to Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Penang.

Historic Georgetown is a highlight of Penang.

The Pearl of the Orient has a long and illustrious history. "Discovered" by Captain Francis Light in 1786, Prince of Wales Island, as it once was known, was for a long time one of the jewels of the British empire.

Alongside Melaka and Singapore it was known as one of the Straits Settlements, a string of outposts that dominated the sea trade between India and the rest of Asia.

However, its importance gradually waned over the centuries, before it was rediscovered as a Malaysia holiday destination and reinvented as an IT hub.

Today, under the close eye of Malaysian opposition and Penang Chief Minister Lim Guan Eng, the island is proudly parading its past --- the UNESCO status granted to historic Georgetown in 2008 guarantees that.

But its greatest attraction is its street food --- from Penang laksa off Macalister Road to banana leaf in Little India to seafood on Gurney Drive --- you'll find it all here.

Alongside a raft of improvements designed to attract even more visitors, including investment in public transport, a tree planting program, pedestrianization schemes and a schedule of new cultural festivals and fairs, this magnificent island --- only slightly smaller than Singapore --- is once again making its mark on the world stage.

Clear waters, white sands and offshore banks. What everyone looks for in an island.

Located off the coast of East Malaysia, sandwiched between Sarawak and Sabah, Labuan is one of three Federal Territories (the others are Kuala Lumpur and Putrajaya).

Its special status as an international offshore financial centre and free trade zone has allowed it to attract outside investment from the financial sector (some 6,500 offshore companies are based here).

Long-term, the Malaysian government envisions the island as becoming one of the world's major offshore business centres, akin to the Middle Eastern hubs of Dubai or Bahrain.

While it has some way to go to achieve similar status, the nation has a track record of dreaming big and making it happen -- the Petronas Towers and annual F1 race attest to that.

If you're not involved in the financial services, there are other reasons to visit such as wreck diving. Over the years, numerous ships were sunk in the shallow waters off Labuan, making it ideal for novice divers. These are simply known as the American, Australian, Blue Water and Cement Wreck.

There is also a well-tended War Cemetery, where an annual remembrance ceremony is held for some 3,900 Allied soldiers who died during in World War II.

Getting there: There are daily flights to Labuan Airport from Kuala Lumpur, Miri in Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu in Sabah. There is also an air-conditioned ferry to Brunei.

Would you call this an island? Layang-Layang's isolation makes it one of Asia's best diving experiences.

Little more than a coral reef with a runway, the tiny island of Layang-Layang is located some 300 kilometers northwest of the Sabah capital of Kota Kinabalu (KK), the state to which it belongs.

A creation of the Malaysian Navy, which reclaimed land from the sea in order to state the nation's sovereignty over the Spratlys, that South China Sea island group also claimed whole or in part by China, Taiwan, Vietnam and the Philippines.

Surrounded by pristine waters that drop to 2,000 meters, Layang-Layang is often ranked as one of the top 10 dive sites in the world due to its remarkable array of marine life.

Due to the Navy's presence, the coral reef has been spared the explosive damage caused by dynamite fishing and other destructive practices, leading to underwater visibility of more than 40 meters.

Particularly of note are the schools of scalloped hammerhead sharks, which can sometimes number in the hundreds, though you can also expect to see manta rays, dolphins, barracuda and turtles.

Getting there: The only way in and out of this Malaysia island is on a charter flight from Kota Kinbalu, with the price included in the various packages offered by the only place to stay on the island.

In his 1989 film "Borneo: The Ghost of the Sea Turtle," famed underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau said, "I have seen other places like Sipadan, 45 years ago, but now no more. Now we have found an untouched piece of art."

At the end of 2002, following a long dispute with Indonesia, the International Court of Justice ruled that the island of Sipadan was Malaysian.

The country, and the state of Sabah which it is part of, have reason to be relieved. Sipadan is often rated as the world's best dive site, with a location in the centre of the planet's most bio-diverse marine habitat.

In order to protect the fragile ecosystem of this Malaysia holiday destination, in 2004 the government ordered all of the dive resorts off the island, banned night dives and set a limit of 120 divers per day.

The move worked, as the surrounding waters continue to teem with life. It's home to 3,000 species of fish, hundreds of species of coral, an abundance of rays and sharks and large populations of green and hawksbill turtles --- so much so there is a famous turtle tomb, an underwater labyrinth that has drowned many of the unfortunate sea creatures.

Getting there: It's a 55-minute flight from Kota Kinbalu to the town of Tawau, an hour's drive to the even smaller township of Semporna, and then a 40-minute speedboat ride.

If you get tired of white beaches, Redang has plenty of wildlife, including monkeys, deer and monitor lizards.

The Redang archipelago actually consists of nine islands, namely Lima, Paku Besar, Paku Kecil, Kerengga Besar, Kerengga Kecil, Ekor Tebu, Ling, Pinang and Redang itself.

Together, they form a marine park situated 45 kilometers off the east Peninsular Malaysia state of Terengganu.

Unlike its close cousins, the backpacker-filled Perhentian islands to the north, Redang is very much an upmarket destination, with mostly resort accommodation on offer.

Accordingly, the island also has its own airport, served by Berjaya Air, which since 2004 has flown daily to Kuala Lumpur's Subang Airport and Singapore's Changi.

With excellently preserved coral, the main attractions of Redang are snorkeling, diving and the crystal clear waters.

You'll need to stick close to the shoreline regardless, as the interior is mostly impassable, apart from a road that connects the airport with the coast.

In 2000, the Malaysian island was the setting for Hong Kong movie "Summer Holiday," which featured Cantopop star Sammi Cheng and Taiwanese heartthrob Richie Ren. The success of the film led to a sudden influx of tourists.

Getting there: If you don't want to pay to fly in directly, the alternative is to fly to Kuala Terengganu, and then continue by car and take a ferry from the port of Merang.

Not all of us have opportunities to stay in a sultan's lair. Rawa is the next best thing.

There aren't many chances to stay on a Sultan's private island. Rawa is one. Owned by the family of the Sultanate of Johor, Rawa is a small island 16 kilometers off the east coast of Peninsula Malaysia.

Only two resorts hug its white-sand fringed west coast, which is accessible by boat from the mainland port of Mersing (also the departure point for more distant Tioman).

Because of this exclusivity, Rawa attracts tourists looking for a more secluded vacation. While the west coast is postcard perfect, the rest of the shoreline consists of inaccessible, dramatic rocky cliffs that plunge directly into the sea.

To check these out, take the easy way and rent a canoe or hike up steep steps to the summit of the island, from where you have vantages of the eastern shore, the coast of Johor and the other 12 small islands that make up the Johor Marine Park.

As your choice of accommodation is limited -- it can often fill up quick with young Singaporeans looking for a weekend getaway -- so book up early.

Getting there: From Kuala Lumpur, catch a bus or drive to Mersing, from where regular ferries depart. Note that during low season (November to March), ferry frequency can drop sharply.

Tiny Pulau Pangkor lies off Perak on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia.

Despite measuring just eight square kilometres, Pulau Pangkor (pulau is the Malay word for island) is one of the most popular beach getaways in Malaysia -- among locals, that is.

Pangkor is one of the country's most accessible islands, yet it is overwhelmingly the preserve of Malaysians, who head there every long weekend for a little rest and relaxation.

There is little in terms of nightlife but instead you'll find uncrowded sandy beaches, a huge variety of amazing local cuisine and friendly people.

Getting there: There are direct flights to the island from Subang's Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport via Kuala Lumpur, or it's a 30 minute ferry ride from the town of Lumut.

Editor's note: This article was previously published in 2012. It was reformatted and republished in 2017.

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Corps studies plans to create Lake Pepin islands – Post-Bulletin

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RED WING The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on Tuesday brought another plan for Pool 4 of the Upper Mississippi River District. This one is designed to help reduce erosion and improve water quality in Lake Pepin, said study planner Sierra Keenan with the Corps.

"We're in the early stages of this study," Keenan said. The Corps is developing a plan that would place islands on the north side of Lake Pepin to provide habitat and help environmental stability in the lake. "The objectives we have are to improve habitat for waterfowl and aquatic vegetation."

Other goals of the project would be to dredge a route for motorboats to Bay City, Wis., dredge the backwaters to improve habitat for overwintering fish and improve or create new islands along the north side of Lake Pepin.

Tuesday's meeting at the Red Wing Public Library was designed to introduce the concept and gather public input. Keenan emphasized that the plan for islands in Upper Pool 4 was not related to the dredge material management plan for Lower Pool 4. The Upper Pool 4 plan would, at most, use about 1 million cubic yards of dredge material, while the Lower Pool 4 plan will need to move more than 10 million cubic yards over 40 years.

Of the 80-plus individuals who attended the meeting, several spoke up about the problems with retreating shorelines along the lake. Delbert Johnson, who lives along the lake, said the dredging usually is followed by shoreline erosion as the sand along the banks unsettled by passing boats moves to fill in the low spots.

Johnson suggested the lake needed a no-wake zone to prevent large waves from washing into the shoreline and eroding the sand.

Tom Novak, project manager with the Corps, said the no-wake zone was not likely due to the speed of barge traffic. He also said that building up the shoreline with dredge material would not be possible under the scope of the project.

As for the islands, he said it was likely two to five islands would be built in Lake Pepin along the north end.

"It's really shallow there," he said. "The islands knock the waves down. Over time, trees on the islands would knock the wind down, so you get a quiet area behind there."

Keenan said the next step was to develop a draft plan, conduct more public meetings to review the concept in 2018 and begin work in 2019.

Have some regional news from Houston, Goodhue, Wabasha or Winona County that you'd like to share? Contact Brian at 507-285-7715, or by email at btodd@postbulletin.com.

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Arunachal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands get exemption from SC highway liquor ban – The Hindu

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Arunachal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands get exemption from SC highway liquor ban
The Hindu
The Supreme Court on Wednesday allowed Arunachal Pradesh and Andaman and Nicobar Islands to join the club of Sikkim and Meghalaya, both of which enjoy full exemption from the court's ban on sale of liquor within 500 metres of National and State ...
SC exempts Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands from liquor sale banLivemint
SC relaxes 500-metre highway liquor ban for Arunachal Pradesh, Andaman and NicobarScroll.in

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Arunachal, Andaman and Nicobar Islands get exemption from SC highway liquor ban - The Hindu

Island hopping in Thailand – CNN

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(CNN) Volumes have been published about Thailand's palm-peppered islands and sugar-coated beaches, their writers waxing lyrical about pillow-soft sand and crystalline waters.

But with so many coastal choices, it can be a challenge to pick the perfect stretch of sand.

Seasonal weather definitely has a bearing on destination decisions.

The best bet for sunshine on the west coast (Andaman Sea) is November to April; while on the east coast (Gulf of Thailand), it's January to September.

Veteran Thai travelers always check ahead before heading to lesser-visited destinations -- many hotels, resorts and restaurants in non-A-list places close for the low season.

Choosing a full-service beachside base camp to begin a journey is a smart approach.

You can strike out from any number of such bases by using the network of ferries that connect Thailand's islands.

Stunning sandy beaches at Koh Rawi.

Beautiful but isolated Koh Rawi is located about 40 kilometers west of Tarutao.

Radial islands: Tarutao National Marine Park, Petra National Marine Park, Koh Mook, Koh Ngai, Koh Kradan

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The dramatic Morakat Cave.

Koh Mook's Tham Morakot (Morakot Cave) can be accessed only through an 80-meter-long tunnel during low tide, which leads to an open-air chamber surrounded by overgrown cliffs.

To fully appreciate the white sand inside the sea cave and for the emerald green of the pool to really dazzle, visit on a sunny day.

Activities include dugong sighting trips off Koh Libong; island-hopping and stopping off to see the iconic stone arch at Koh Kai; visiting Koh Hin Ngam, a tiny island covered with polished black stones, where a sign warns that a curse will fall on those who remove any pebbles.

There are waterfalls on Koh Adang and Koh Tarutao, the latter with two prison ruins. Trekkers can hit the trails through the interiors of Koh Ngai (aka Koh Hai) and Koh Sukorn.

For rock climbing and bouldering -- previously only associated with Krabi -- Koh Lao Liang is starting to attract enthusiasts with operators such as Andaman Adventures offering personalized itineraries.

Chill

Tartutao National Marine Park encompasses 51 islands in Southern Thailand.

The islands of the Petra archipelago are split between Trang and Satun provinces, and include Koh Libong, Koh Bulon Lae and the twin islands of Koh Lao Liang.

Between them, the two marine national parks include more than 80 islands with countless beaches to discover.

With most of the islands protected under national marine park status, visitors have their pick for scuba diving, snorkeling or just plain lazing on the sand.

It should be noted that the overall lack of tourist development means most of the islands don't have electricity around the clock, nor ATMs, but they do come with bucket-loads of tropical idyll.

Party

There really isn't a nightlife scene to speak of on the offshore islands of the coastal provinces of Satun and north-bordering Trang, with the exception of perhaps Pattaya Beach on Koh Lipe.

Stay

Basic national park accommodation on Koh Tarutao, Koh Adang and Koh Petra, starting from $15 (500 baht) per night, can be booked 60 days in advance through the Department of National Parks website.

It's too bad they don't give out awards for bad travel puns. 'Cause we've got a winner, folks: "Feeling crabby? Go to Krabi."

Radial islands: Koh Lanta, Koh Phi Phi, Koh Yao Yai/Noi, Koh Racha, Koh Hae (Coral Island). Regular ferries and speedboats run from Phuket and Krabi to these outlying islands and can be booked through most hotels.

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Water activities abound at all the main beaches in Phuket, be it parasailing, jet skiing, or even kitesurfing off Kata Beach.

From scuba diving around the Similan Islands (one of the best locations in Asia) to snorkeling day trips to Koh Hae, the underwater scenery in Andaman waters can be spectacular if you know where and when to look.

During the November to April high season, snorkelers can explore the coral right off the shores of Kata Yai beach in Phuket.

During the rainier "green" season, the waters around nearby Koh Racha provide better clarity.

Dotted with limestone outcrops, Ton Sai and Railay are popular rock climbing destinations. The island of Koh Yao Noi follows close behind for vertical rock face escapades. These places offer a different vantage point on Krabi's theatrical seascape.

And, of course, "The Beach" was filmed at Koh Phi Phi. To get that quintessential tourist shot, walk up to the viewpoint on Phi Phi Don and snap a few frames of the double-crescent beaches.

Keep in mind Similan Islands National Park is closed from May to November each year, making it off limits to tourists.

Chill

Phuket beaches include Kata Noi and Karon beach.

Especially during high season, local Thai families head to Sirinath National Park along Nai Yang Beach to picnic beneath the shade of the casuarinas trees and escape Phuket's crowded beaches.

The relative difficulty of reaching Haad Hin Kluay (aka Banana Beach) via a narrow and steep-ish dirt road (400 or so meters from luxury resort Trisara) makes it a viable option for those wanting to chill on the beach.

If you want to spend your whole vacation in quiet surroundings, Koh Lanta, Koh Yao Yai/Noi or even Phang Nga province are interesting alternatives.

Another easy option is to charter a long-tail boat for the day and ask the captain to take you to a secluded beach on one of the smaller uninhabited islands in the Andaman Sea.

Party

Phuket is Thailand's largest island and has several nightlife enclaves.

Bangla then crosses Rat-u-thit Road, also home to a few places to frolic. For a lower key night without the distraction of professional ladies, Phuket Town's popular watering holes include Sanaeha and Ka Jok See.

During high season, the nocturnal scene at Railay, just south of Ao Nang on the other side of the limestone outcrops, picks up with versions of full moon, half moon, and black moon parties complete with fire dancing. Most of the action takes place on Railay East.

Stalkers take note. The odd global celeb has been known to check into Phuket's Sri Panwa.

Stay

Baan Krating on Ao Sane Beach effectively has a private stretch of beach, but if you want to drop big bucks for the chance to rub shoulders with the jet set, Amanpuri and Sri Panwa are prime choices.

Useful links: Krabi ferry schedule, Phuket ferry schedule

Radial islands: Koh Phan Ngan, Koh Tao, Koh Nangyuan, Angthong Archipelago

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The ubiquity of bronzed bodies stuffed in wet suits gives it away -- Koh Tao is a PADI paradise, reportedly overshadowed only by Australia's Cairns when it comes to issuing the most dive certifications in the world.

Though kayaking is a run-of-the-mill sport in this part of the world, the experience of paddling through the 42-island maze of the Mu Ko Ang Thong National Park is unbeatable.

There are a few fanned bungalows via the Department of National Parks on the archipelago's headquarters on Wua Talap. Unless you're honing your mosquito-whisperer skills, however, a day trip would more than suffice.

For visitors preferring to stay dry, Bophut on Koh Samui has the liveliest of the island's walking streets, with vendors vying for attention alongside the gamut of restaurants and bars down the cute sea-fronting Fisherman's Village street.

Chill

The clear seas of Koh Nangyuan.

With clear water lapping up on both sides of the sandbank connecting the three islets that collectively make up Koh Nangyuan, "nothing" is usually the order of the day, with lazy snorkeling right off the alabaster shoreline just about the only activity.

On Koh Phan Ngan, Haad Yuan on the eastern coast is a quiet stretch of beach that backs onto forested hills, fronted by comfortably swimmable shores.

A sprinkling of bungalows and resorts have sprung up in recent years, but with rocky outcroppings on both ends of the beach, it remains fairly tranquil, accessible only by boat and a not oft-used mountain footpath.

Party

Chaweng on Koh Samui is the epicenter of sea, sand and shopping during the day, and also where debauchees descend at night.

Ground zero is the Green Mango strip, where there's plenty of space in the clubs to move, with the nearby and unassuming Hendrix Bar on Soi Solo the preferred spot to de-bass and re-hydrate till the light hours of the morning.

Over on Koh Phan Ngan, the full moon parties with their cult-like notoriety, need little introduction. Once a month, hedonists and the plain mad numbering in the tens of thousands flock to Haad Rin beach to party as though tomorrow has been cancelled.

For less mainstream revelry -- considered by some to rival the full mooners -- Ban Tai hosts fortnightly half moon parties, held a week before and after the full moon shindigs.

Stay

Koh Samui is a great spot for accommodation.

As the country's third largest island, Koh Samui has by far the most varied options for accommodation.

Both of Koh Phan Ngan's fancy digs --- Rasananda Anantara and Santhiya --- are located at the beautiful Thong Nai Pan beach on the northeast coast.

The small but stunning Koh Mak.

Koh Mak is so small you can walk around the entire island in a few hours.

Radial islands: Koh Mak, Koh Kood, Koh Wai, Koh Rang, Koh Chang archipelago

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From the privately owned Koh Rayang to the flat Koh Kradat, booking an island-hopping tour is a good way to see this oft-overlooked section of the Gulf of Thailand.

For divers and snorkelers, the water around the Koh Rang islands are best, with idyllic beaches also found on Koh Kra and Koh Rang Yai, both part of the archipelago.

With a low-key, local feel, Koh Mak is small enough to walk around in a few hours. Just off the northwest coast is Koh Kham, which can be easily reached by kayak or on foot via a sandbar during low tide.

There are also a number of waterfalls hidden amid the forested interior of these islands, best visited during the rainy low season. Among the more popular cascades (Koh Chang Archipelago National Park; entrance fee applicable) are Than Mayom and Klong Phlu on Koh Chang, and Klong Chao on Koh Kood.

Chill

Just off the bottom tip of Koh Chang is Koh Wai, a small island with a smattering of bungalows along its northern shore.

From the pier near Good Feeling Resort, the beach stretches in both directions. It can get relatively busy with visitors from other islands.

Koh Kood, the fourth largest island in Thailand and the furthest east in the province of Trat's waters, has been bestowed with the moniker, "Maldives of Thailand."

In recent years, a couple of high-end resorts have moved in, but due to the distance from the mainland, the island's beaches remain empty.

Party

Don't miss the Koh Chang Archipelago National Park.

As the largest of some 52 islands in the Koh Chang Archipelago National Park, and second largest island in Thailand, Koh Chang is where the local party is found, namely on White Sand Beach (Haad Sai Khao) and the misleadingly named Lonely Beach (Haad Tha Nam).

The always happening Sabay Bar features a live band and fire shows on the beach, while Oodies Place is usually abuzz with blues aficionados and regular patrons looking for a jamming night out.

Further down along the west coast, a distinctive bohemian vibe can still be felt at Lonely Beach (think bungalows and buckets), with nightly parties all down the block.

Among the most popular venues are Siam Hut, Ting Tong Bar and monthly black moon parties hosted by Om-Bar.

Stay

Lonely Beach, better than its name implies.

Bhumiyama and Siam Hut, both on Lonely Beach, showcase the diversity of hotels on Koh Chang.

Over on Koh Mak, Coco Cape offers a range of accommodation within the same resort, including the stilted Baan Chom Klurn, with its large wooden sundeck that cantilevers over the water.

Editor's note: This article was previously published in 2012. It was reformatted, updated and republished in 2017.

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Island hopping in Thailand - CNN

New study pinpoints sea rise hot spots, with Edisto and Kiawah islands caught in the crosshairs – Charleston Post Courier

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A new study predicts more "nuisance floodingin coastal areas across the United States, including Edisto and Kiawah islands. Kyle Simmons wades through water to check on the home of his grandmother following Hurricane Matthew on Edisto Island on Oct. 9, 2016. File/AP

In just 18 years less than the life of some mortgages rising seas will cause disruptive flooding in about 170 coastal communities across the United States, including Edisto and Kiawah islands, a new analysis says.

Prepared by the Union of Concerned Scientists, the study is said to be the first nationwide attempt to identify tipping points times and places where flooding is so frequent that residents abandon their land or pump big bucks into projects to hold back the ocean.

No stranger to high water, Charleston already sees regular nuisance floods at seasonal high tides, though the problem has grown worse in recent years. Charleston averaged four days of tidal flooding 50 years ago. Last year, the city had a record 50 flooding days, many when the sun shined.

Even so, the city has yet to reach a chronic inundation threshold when 10 percent or more of its usable, non-wetland area floods at least 26 times per year, according to the Union of Concerned Scientists report.

That will change within a couple of generations.

The Union of Concerned Scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet's most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe, and sustainable future.

Source:ucsusa.org

By 2060, under moderate sea-rise scenarios, the group predicts 16 percent of peninsular Charleston will see debilitating floods at an average rate of every other week.

By then, chronic floods also will affect roughly:

The situation only grows worse after that, the report said.

By 2100, rising waters could swallow or routinely flood nearly 87 percent of Kiawah Island, 57 percent of Edisto Island, 40 percent of James Island, and about one-third of the Charleston peninsula and Mount Pleasant. This assumes that sea levels increase by 4 feet by the end of the century, which is in the mid-range of current scientific estimates.

With its low elevation and expansive marshes, the South Carolina Lowcountry is well-named. Even relatively small rises in the sea level can move water far inland.

In Lowcountry on the Edge, The Post and Couriers climate change series, the newspaper reported how 1 foot of rising water could flood 204,000 acres of marsh and 64,000 acres of land in Charleston County alone. This would affect nearly 1,000 homes, offices and other buildings, according to a College of Charleston geology department report.

Locally, the city of Charleston is spending or plans to spend about $300 million on drainage work and a future seawall in peninsular Charleston.

"We're already concerned" about sea rise, said Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, adding that he hasn't seen the report.

In addition to the drainage and seawall project, the city has been working on more specific sea-rise adaptation plans. Recommendations may be discussed at a public workshop later this month. He said the city likely will need to prioritize which land in the city should be protected from rising waters and which should be left to the waves.

You dont want create another flood problem by building in a flood plain.

South of Charleston, Kiawah Island Mayor Craig Weaver said the October 2015 storm and Hurricane Matthew in 2016 helped spur what he described as a low-key look at the islands vulnerabilities to sea rise. The town established a citizens committee earlier this year that should make recommendations later in 2017.

He said he didnt consider sea rise an urgent issue, adding that we are not wading into the broader political debate about global warming or its causes.

"They understand that if we fail to limit warming, were committing a great many people to a future of flooding and inundation."

- Rachel Cleetus, lead economist and climate policy manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists

The Lowcountry is by no means alone in its sea-level struggles.

About 270 communities face chronic flooding and possible retreat by 2060, the Union of Concerned Scientists report said. The report is called When Rising Seas Hit Home and was published Wednesday in the scientific journal Elementa.

Coastal Maryland and Virginia will be especially hard hit. In addition to rising sea levels, land there is subsiding sinking downward because of movements in the earth's tectonic plates. Louisiana's situation is even worse. Land there is subsiding in part because of efforts to reroute the Mississippi River. A football field of land in Louisiana now washes away every hour, scientists say.

Wednesdays analysis by the nonprofit comes at a time of high political tension about how to address a climate thats changing at a rapidly increasing pace.

The Trump administration recently pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord, the international agreement to reduce greenhouse gases. Meantime, new reports have trickled out during the past month about potentially devastating melting trends in GreenlandandAntarctica.

The reports authors said that hundreds of coastal communities could be spared if world leaders follow the Paris accords guidelines to reduce carbon emissions and other greenhouse gases.

Despite the Trump administrations opposition, states and cities have vowed to uphold the Paris agreements goals in their jurisdictions.

They understand that if we fail to limit warming, were committing a great many people to a future of flooding and inundation, said Rachel Cleetus, lead economist and climate policy manager at the Union of Concerned Scientists.

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New study pinpoints sea rise hot spots, with Edisto and Kiawah islands caught in the crosshairs - Charleston Post Courier

Island Hopping: The Best Art Shows to See in the Greek Islands This Summer – artnet News

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In the wake of the worst heat wave in more than a decade, Athenians are decamping, as ever, to the Greek islands for the rest of the summerand so is a good slice of the jet-setting art world. Cypriot collector Dakis Joannou pioneered a new trend by opening the DESTE Foundation space on Hydra in 2009, and new contemporary art projects have since been popping up all around the Aegean archipelago, providing compelling reasons not to miss the boat.

That also means that last-minute visitors to documenta 14 in its closing days have plenty of options for a seaside holiday with the excuse of seeing international art exhibitions on a number of alluring isles. Here are a few of the most captivating destinations to check out if youre in the hood (or to dream about if youre not).

Kubricks Space Odyssey 2001 screened at last years drive-in event by Myrto Tzima, at Syros International Film Festival

Your first stop might be the Syros International Film Festival(July 14-19), co-founded in 2013 by young Americans Jacob Moe and Cassandra Celestin to occupy a distinctive niche among the art, music, and film genres. Curated around various meanings of the term Cracking Up, both comedic and tragic, this years program includes a drive-in double feature of Michael Powells Peeping Tom and Nightmare, by Errikos Andreou; live scores for 1920s films performed by DJ Yves Tumor in a former tannery; an audiovisual performance by ElektronikMeditation; and a workshop by filmmakerMartha Colburn, all in traditional and unconventional sites around the elegant neoclassical city Hermopolis, capital of the Cyclades. The festival will close with a Balinese-themed celebration in a quarry, where avant-garde musician Mike Cooper and the Syros Gamelan Orchestra will contribute to a multimedia extravaganza.

Joe Bradley, Sculpture for Billy Hand, Installation view at Neokastro, Antiparos. Courtesy Eva Presenhuber

From Syros, a one-hour ferry ride to nearby Paros and a five-minute boat from Pounda will take you to serene Antiparos.Tom Hanks is a resident of the island, and Madonna is reported to be a fan, and yet the tiny island remains tranquil and unpretentious.

Swiss dealer Eva Presenhuber runsa space there calledKastro, locatedin the old town, that has hosted shows of artists Joe Bradley, Oscar Tuazon, and Sam Falls since 2014. This year the gallery presents five works playing out variations on a theme in different mediums by American artist Wyatt Kahn (July 23-August 31).

In Parikia, the port town of Paros, the Archaeological Museum will host the contemporary art exhibition Orange Water 3, curated by Apostolis Zolotakis, with works by Greek and Dutch artists Ad Arma, ngelika Vaxevanidou, Katerina Kaloudi, Eugenia Coumantaros, Jan Mulder, Gert van Oortmerssen, Apostolos Fanakidis, and Dimitra Chanioti (July 16-October 21).

Guests at the opening of Kara Walkers Figa at DESTEs Project Space, in Hydra. Photo Maria Markezi

Immortalized in Henry Millers travelogue The Colossus of Maroussi, Hydra has been a cosmopolitan cultural outpost since the 1950s, associated with longtime residents such as the late musician Leonard Cohen and painter Brice Marden as well as native artist Nikolaos Chatzikyriakos-Ghika, whose work is being shown in documenta 14.

Collector Pauline Karpidas has organized art shows on Hydra since 1996. This summer, the harborside Hydra Workshop presents six vivid new paintings by American artist Jamian Juliano-Villani, in the latest of many shows organized by Sadie Coles (on view July 22 to mid-September). If you make your way uphill on the winding stone streets, you will find the Hydra School Project, a former high school where artist Dimitris Antonitsis curates international group exhibitions every summer. (This years show, Gestalt, runs until the end of September.)

It was DESTE Foundations annual exhibitionsmounted around a former slaughterhouse overlooking the sea and opening with a post-Art Basel gala for art-world luminaries including Jeffrey Deitch, Massimiliano Gioni, and Jeff Koonsthat established the island as an international art mecca. The very first project, Matthew Barney and Elizabeth Peytons unforgettable Blood of Two, required a sunrise hike to watch a glass vessel full of pencil-and-blood drawings of mythical animals being dredged from underwater and carried by fisherman to the slaughterhouse in a ritual procession, where a dead shark was barbecued. This was followed up with shows by the likes of Maurizio Cattelan, Doug Aitken, Urs Fischer, Pawel Althamer, Paul Chan, and this summer Kara Walkers Figa: the disembodied hand of the sphinx-like sculpture A Subtlety, made for Brooklyns Domino Sugar Factory, tellingly reformed in a pointed gesture of the thumb, to be interpreted as spiritual or provocative (until September 30).

The rooftop terrace of Dio Hora, Mykonos

In 2015 Marina Vranopoulou, the coordinator of DESTEs Hydra platform, started up Dio Horia, a residency and gallery space tucked among the designer shops in the main town of Mykonos, notorious for its gay party scene and notable for its proximity to the ruins of sacred Delos. In late July, summer resident Aurel Schmidt will show her filigreedrawings, alongside an exhibition by David Adamo and Margarita Myrogianni, and Build Your Own Home, a structure by artist Jannis Varelas that will house works by other artists including Alex Da Corte, Oliver Laric, Alex Eagleton, Atelier van Lieshout, Carly Mark, Danai Anesiadou, and Sue Williams (July 28-August 22).

Artist Alyssa Moxley in the green marble quarries. Photo by Petros Touloudis

Culturally rich Tinos, a Christian pilgrimage site next to Mykonos, was the home of late sculptor Yannoulis Chalepas, whose house is now a museum. In 2015, the artist-run Tinos Quarry Platformalso opened on the eponymous island.Every summer the Platform hosts several artists in the village of Isternia to develop work related to the local context, culminating in an exhibition. This years Reassembly responds to the restricted movement of our paranoid era through immaterial artworks that employ musical notation and are digitally portable. The show features works by its curators, Petros Touloudis and G. Douglas Barrett, along with pieces by artists Adel Abidin, Francesco Gagliardi, Giorgos Koumendakis, Alyssa Moxley, Tao G. Vrhovec Sambolec, Hong-Kai Wang, and Samson Young, among others (Cultural Foundation of Tinos, July 5-October 31).

In the village of Loutra, the Convent of the Ursulines will host the Serviam Project, a show of Greek contemporary artists including icon painter Konstantinos Ladianos, whose works will activate the history and spaces of the complex and nearby ancient baths (July 15-September 4).

Greg Haji Joannides, founder and artistic director of Sterna Art Project, photo Nyssos Vasilopoulos 2015

The geologically spectacular Nisyros, a volcanic island in the Dodecanese archipelago near Turkey, is home to the Sterna Art Project, a residency program run by artist Greg Haji Ioannides. Living in a crater provokes strong emotions, feelings, thoughtsoffering great ground to create, he says. I wanted to share this with artists from around the world and see how each responds to this extraordinary environment. This years project, Paradoxically Paradox, kicks off the evening of July 27 with a violin performance by Michalis Hazoglou in the medieval Castle of Emporeios. The exhibition comprises site-specific interventions by Jason Karaindros and Virginia Mastrogiannaki in the suggestive ruins of Loutra Mandrakioua bathhouse set for subsequent restorationthat play with perception of the unnatural triggered, or echoed, by elements of physical space (July 30-August 25).

Art Space Pythagorion the Schwarz Foundations exhibition space on the Greek island of Samos at the port of Pythagorion

The islands along the Turkish coast are in fact where its at in August, when Samoss Art Space Pythagorion will host Summer of Love, curated by Katerina Gregos to reflect on the year 1967, when love entered into politics, and how we have strayed since. The show featuresnew work by artists including Mikhail Karikis, Marko Metamm, Marge Monko, and Uriel Orlow. Established by the Munich-based Schwarz Foundation in a retrofitted hotel on the harbor of Pythagoreio, the space inaugurated in 2012 with Between Eye and Hand, a first-rate survey of politically charged videos by Harun Farocki.

Nicolas Vamvouklis, artist and director of K-Gold Temporary Gallery

The third largest island in Greece, Lesvos (aka Mytilene) is the birthplace of the poet Sappho and, more recently, the site of Ai Weiweis controversial work on the refugee crisis.

At the Municipal Gallery of Mithymna on Lesvos, K-Gold Temporary Gallery, a nomadic exhibition project initiated by artist Nicolas Vamvouklis in 2014, will present Body Is Victory and Defeat of Dreams. The show is curated by Athena Hadji with work by artists Orestis Lazouras, Alix Marie, Lito Kattou, Lydia Dambassina, Christos Mouchas, and HOPE (August 11-September 10). The hill town overlooking the sea is also home to the Athens Fine Art School residency, housed in an Ottoman mansion just below the castle that is worth visiting for its stunning period frescoes.

Dancer Lenio Kaklea performed sections of Arranged by Date Alphabet at unannounced locations such as a distant rooftop, executing the whole only once. Photo by Cathryn Drake

The biennial project Phenomenon, a residency and exhibition organized by Parisian collectors Piergiorgio Pepe and Iordanis Kerenidis, is well worth planning ahead for. Anafi, a remote island in the Cyclades, has evolved from a place of penance, as an exile outpost from ancient Roman to modern times, to a contemporary paradisea rare retreat from the drudgery of daily life. With only 270 inhabitants, there is a sense of isolation and silence, with only the whoosh of the high winds through the empty streets of whitewashed dwellings, the sun so bright you cant possibly see your electronic screen.

In its second edition this summer, the program considered the constant renegotiation of historical narratives through physical and ephemeral fragments that appear and disappear in a week of presentationssuch as Christodoulos Panayiotous ever-evolving performance Dying on Stage, a moving consideration of tragic ironyand a surprisingly cohesive research-based show at the schoolhouse, along with site-specific installations (many produced in collaboration with residents) that will remain until they vanish naturally in the elements. The program runs through July 16, yet if you come later in the summer you will still find relics left behind or returned: Mario Garca Torress Once remembered is a postcard, now for sale in local shops, depicting an ancient statue taken from the island and exhibited in the Louvre. Julien Ndlec has painted a giant Z on a building as a tribute to the letter that disappeared from the Roman alphabet for two centuries.

View of Julien Ndlec, Dark Chaos, (2017). Photo by Cathryn Drake

Anafi, whose name derives from , or to reveal, is the perfect place to contemplate the wonders of life. Or naturethe islands austere peninsular monolith, Mount Kalamos, is second largest in Europe to the Rock of Gibraltar.

If you need more convincing on where to spend your summer, I conclude with an observation from Millers Greek travelogue: The light of Greece opened my eyes, penetrated my pores, expanded my whole being.

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Island Hopping: The Best Art Shows to See in the Greek Islands This Summer - artnet News

Dr. Beaudet recognized for leadership in genetics – Baylor College of Medicine News (press release)

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The American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) has honored Dr. Arthur L. Beaudet, Henry and Emma Mayer Professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor College of Medicine, with the 2017 Victor A. McKusick Leadership Award.

This award, named in honor of the late Dr. Victor A. McKusick, recognizes individuals whose professional achievements have fostered and enriched the development of human genetics as well as its assimilation into the broader context of science, medicine and health.

It is an honor to accept the 2017 McKusick Award, said Beaudet, who also is a Professor in the Department of Pediatrics at Baylor and physician at Texas Childrens Hospital. The American Society of Human Genetics is a prominent organization for genetics specialists all over the world, and I am proud to join the ranks of past award winners, all of whom have contributed significantly to the field.

In the 1980s, Beaudet and colleagues were the first to document uniparental disomy, a phenomenon in which a person receives two copies of a chromosome from one parent and zero from the other. In the following years, they drew an important distinction between genetic and epigenetic diseases that both lead to altered expression of the same genes and identified ways to study these and better understand the conditions they caused. Currently, his research focuses on neuronal carnitine deficiency as a risk factor for autism; the role of genomic imprinting in diseases such as Prader-Willi syndrome, Angelman syndrome and autism; and prenatal genetic diagnosis based on fetal cells isolated from maternal blood.

In addition to his scientific leadership, ASHG also honors Beaudets contributions to the Society as well as the broader research community. A longtime member of ASHG, he belonged to its Program Committee from 1984-86, its Board of Directors from 1987-90, and its Awards Committee from 2010-12, and served as President in 1998. He received the Societys William Allan Award in 2007, and belonged to the Editorial Board of the ASHG-published The American Journal of Human Genetics from 1986-1989. In addition, he was awarded the Texas Genetics Society Barbara H. Bowman Award in 1999 and the March of Dimes Colonel Harland Sanders Award for Lifetime Achievement in Genetic Research and Education in 2002. He has published more than 350 articles in scientific literature.

Dr. Beaudets outstanding leadership in human genetics has transcended all aspects of the academic mission from clinical care, education and training, to basic and translational research, said Dr. Brendan Lee, the Robert and Janice McNair Endowed Chair and professor of molecular and human genetics, chair of the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor and ASHG Executive Committee member.

ASHG will present the McKusick Award, which will include a plaque and $10,000 prize, to Beaudet on Tuesday, Oct. 17, during the organizations67th Annual Meetingin Orlando, Fla.

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Dr. Beaudet recognized for leadership in genetics - Baylor College of Medicine News (press release)

Health care state of play: The votes aren’t there yet. But there will (probably) be a vote – CNN

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Health care discussions were overtaken by the latest Russia bombshell, and members coming out of the Tuesday luncheon made clear that the votes still aren't there, and more importantly, that it's not yet clear how this bill will pass.

But despite the continued confusion and skepticism, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell is moving full steam ahead. In fact, he is raising the stakes: he's delayed the start of August recess precisely for the stated purpose of tackling important legislative priorities "once the Senate concludes its work on health care reform."

Thursday: Draft bill(s) released.

Early next week: CBO score(s) released.

Mid-next week: Vote on motion to proceed.*

*This is not to be confused on a vote on the bill itself. This is just the first procedural step that would start debate on the bill.

And an important reminder on this: If this bill looks like it's going to fail, the "no" Republicans will want to kill it on the motion to proceed. This will save them from going through the vote-a-rama, when Democrats offer many politically tough amendments for Republicans to vote on.

Senators walked out of their Tuesday lunches believing that they could be seeing double.

On Thursday, it's possible that there will be two draft bills released -- one with Ted Cruz's amendment (which conservatives like), and one without, according Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee. The Cruz amendment would allow insurers that offer Obamacare policies to also offer cheaper, stripped-down policies unregulated by the law.

Similarly, early next week, we could get two Congressional Budget Office scores: one with the Cruz amendment, and one without, according to Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

Prior to July 4 recess, various bills were submitted to CBO for scoring (so that the office would be ready to release an updated score as quickly as possible). What was less expected, however, was the possibility that leadership could be undecided between two bills so close to a vote, and present the conference with multiple versions.

Cruz amendment aside, here's what else we know about what's expected to be in the new bill:

Apparently, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is working on an "alternative" health care plan of his own. He told reporters Tuesday that he is developing a proposal with several of his colleagues -- and even trying to woo Democrats -- though he wouldn't share what exactly that proposal looks like.

"I want to do the best I can and I think the best we can is not on the table right now," he said.

He noted it would likely be an amendment to the current bill, rather than a new bill. A Democratic aide says he's also reached out to senators across the aisle to discuss this.

What are the Democrats conveying to Graham? "Abandon the repeal bill that cuts taxes for the wealthy and Medicaid, and we're eager to work with you," a senior Democratic aide said.

If Graham is working on an amendment, that means we're still talking about the reconciliation process, which requires just a simple majority (50) for passage. Congressional observers should still be skeptical about the bipartisan talk around this Graham bill. Democrats have been very, very clear: they will not work with Republicans on anything resembling an Obamacare repeal bill. Anything that's a bipartisan health care effort will have to go through regular process (committee hearings, debate, requiring 60 votes) -- and if Graham is working on an amendment to the current bill, this is not that.

Here's where it looks like we are headed as of now. There still are not 50 votes in sight. Conservatives have demands, moderates like Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski have demands, and Sen. Rob Portman is fighting back against the decision to make major cuts to Medicaid in the long term. None of those problems have been solved yet and assuaging the concerns of one faction only alienates another.

Here are the ways this could end:

It's Byrd Bath time. This process has been ongoing, but Republicans and Democrats are debating behind closed doors what actually can be included in the health care bill under those special set of reconciliation rules.

Remember, reconciliation is the process that lets Republicans pass the health care bill with just a simple majority. But, there are rules attached. Basically, staff is debating the merits of each provision before this bill goes to the floor.

Things that could come out of the GOP health care bill during this process? Two things everyone is talking about are the Planned Parenthood defund and any regulatory changes. Also a hot topic is whether Cruz's amendment is allowed under Byrd.

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Health care state of play: The votes aren't there yet. But there will (probably) be a vote - CNN

Healthcare industry at odds over Senate proposal – The Hill

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The Senates ObamaCare repeal bill has turned the U.S. healthcare industry against itself.

Hospitals and doctors have mobilized aggressively against the bill, sending letters to Republican Senate leaders and flooding Capitol Hill with lobbyists. Providers are primarily concerned about the $772 billion the bill would cut from Medicaid.

On the other side of the debate are large insurers and their lobbying group, Americas Health Insurance Plans. The Senate bill has some policies the insurers like: $140 billion in tax cuts and $50 billion over the first four years to stabilize ObamaCares insurance markets. The bill also contains more than $60 billion to help insurers cover high-cost patients.

Anthem was one of the first insurers to endorse the Senate bill.

We believe the Senate discussion draft will markedly improve the stability of the individual market and moderate premium increases because it appropriates billions of dollars in short-term funding to shore up the exchanges, provides cost-sharing reduction funds and eliminates a tax on health insurance plans, Anthem said in a statement.

The BlueCross BlueShield Association also endorsed the stabilization funds in the bill.

We are encouraged that the draft Senate legislation funds cost-sharing reductions, which help those who need it most with out-of-pocket costs, so they can access care, the group said. The state stability and innovation program will also go a long way in helping to cover the costs of caring for those with significant medical needs.

Some Senate Republicans were quick to seize on the industrys support. But others, like Sen. Rand PaulRand PaulRand Paul: Senate bill 'does not repeal Obamacare' Healthcare industry at odds over Senate proposal Senate GOP to offer new healthcare bill on Thursday MORE (R-Ky.), decried the bills bailouts to the insurance industry and demanded the legislation be changed.

The divide within the medical community over the healthcare bill is a striking departure from the debate over the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

Seeking to neutralize industry opposition, the Obama administration sought to bring payers and providers together in support of the Democratic legislation and largely succeeded.

All the major players made sacrifices, but they all got something in return. Hospitals and doctors were able to decrease their uncompensated care, while insurers gained access to a larger population of customers who could buy coverage with a government subsidy.

But the debate over the Senates Better Care Reconciliation Act has shattered that detente within the industry.

Although they are at loggerheads now, payers and providers had made progress under the ACA, said Andrew Selesnick, an attorney at the law firm Buchalter in Los Angeles. There are always going to be divergent views and always tensions that exist [between payers and providers], but this new bill just exacerbates it.

Selesnick said the divisions between payers and providers significantly decreases the changes of success for the bill. People in the industry have a much different view of healthcare than Republicans, he said.

Jeff Myers, president and CEO of Medicaid Health Plans of America, said hes not surprised there are such divisions among the healthcare sector. He said the limitations of the reconciliation process, which Republicans are using to pass the bill, makes it almost impossible to make sure the needs of every industry are addressed.

Reconciliation makes that kumbaya moment very hard, Myers said, because under reconciliation, changes have to be budget neutral.

While everyone was giving up something [during the ObamaCare debate], there was some value in the creation of new opportunities. But theyre not passing out candy here, Myers said.

The insurers dont necessarily like the Medicaid cuts in the Republican bill, but on balance, their plans would benefit more from the tax cuts and the market stabilization money the legislation would provide.

Hospitals and doctors, on the other hand, have been campaigning vocally against the legislation.

The opposition from hospitals has been particularly strong. ObamaCare resulted in millions of people gaining insurance coverage, and the Senate bill would undo a lot of those gains. Hospitals still have to treat people, even if they dont have coverage, so those reductions in uncompensated care would likely disappear.

When the bill was introduced, the American Hospital Association (AHA) urged senators to go back to the drawing board.

From the onset of this debate, Americas hospitals and health systems have been guided by a set of key principles that would protect coverage for Americans, AHA President and CEO Rick Pollack said in a statement.

In an interview on C-SPAN last week, Pollack took a veiled swipe at the insurance industry.

Some sectors of the healthcare field have different types of concerns, because a lot of their concerns have to do on the tax side, and [they] want to see different types of taxes repealed, Pollack said.

The American Medical Association (AMA) said the bill would violate medicines do no harm principle.

Medicine has long operated under the precept of Primum non nocere, or first, do no harm. The draft legislation violates that standard on many levels, AMA Executive Vice President and CEO James Madara said.

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Healthcare industry at odds over Senate proposal - The Hill

Senate may vote on revised healthcare bill next week – Reuters

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Senate Republicans said Tuesday they will seek to bring their healthcare overhaul to the Senate floor next week after a lengthy intraparty struggle, but it remained unclear whether they had the votes to pass the measure or even what form it would finally take.

With his reputation as a master strategist on the line, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell laid out a timetable for Senate consideration of legislation to fulfill President Donald Trump's campaign promise to dismantle the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

In a departure from Republican orthodoxy on tax-cutting, the legislation likely will retain some of the taxes that were imposed on the wealthy under Obamacare, Senate sources said.

But it was unknown whether a revised version of the bill to be announced on Thursday morning can satisfy both moderates and hard-line conservatives in the Republican majority who voiced opposition to a draft unveiled last month on very different grounds.

With Trump urging the Senate to act before taking the August break, McConnell pushed back the Senate's planned August recess by two weeks to allow senators more time to tackle the measure that would repeal key parts of Obamacare, as well as pursue other legislative priorities.

McConnells announcement drove a turn-around in stock prices in afternoon trading on Wall Street after an earlier sell-off, on hopes that a shortened recess could mean progress on the stalled Republican legislative agenda.

A dark mood lingered among some Republicans over the healthcare subject, with party leaders appearing to act because of the need to dispense with healthcare and turn to other issues, among them increasing the U.S. debt ceiling.

"I think we've narrowed down now to where we know where the decision points are, and we just have to make those decisions," Senator John Thune, a junior member of the Republican leadership, told reporters. Leaders were still trying to "figure out how we get to 50" votes, he said.

Republicans, who hold 52 seats in the 100-seat Senate, would need 50 votes to pass the bill, with Vice President Mike Pence providing the tie-breaking vote.

"I am very pessimistic" about the prospects for Republican healthcare legislation, Chuck Grassley, a senior senator, told Fox News on Tuesday. Another Republican senator, Lindsey Graham, was working on his own healthcare proposal and will unveil it this week, a Graham aide said.

McConnell said the plan was to vote on the healthcare bill next week, and said he hoped to have a fresh analysis of the bill from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office at the start of the week. He did not reveal any of the planned changes to the draft, on which he postponed action last month after it failed to gather enough support.

But Senate sources said it is likely that two Obamacare taxes on the wealthy will be kept in place - a 3.8 percent net investment tax and a 0.9 percent payroll tax that helps finance Medicare - which would appeal to moderates who have balked at the prospect of cutting taxes for the wealthy while reducing benefits for the poor.

"Obviously that's the direction I think that a lot of our members want to move, is to keep some of those (taxes) in place and be able to use those revenues to put it into other places in the bill," Thune said, while stressing that no decisions were final.

Republicans could also retain Obamacare's limit on corporate tax deductions for executive pay in the health insurance industry, one Senate source said.

It was unclear whether the bill would include a proposal by conservative Republican Ted Cruz that would allow insurers to offer basic low-cost healthcare plans that do not comply with Obamacare regulations.

Cruz argues it would help to lower premiums, but critics say it would allow insurers to offer skimpier plans that may not cover essential health benefits while also charging more for more comprehensive, Obamacare-compliant plans.

The Senate Republican healthcare bill unveiled last month would phase out the Obamacare expansion of Medicaid health insurance for the poor and disabled, sharply cut federal Medicaid spending beginning in 2025, repeal many of Obamacare's taxes, end a penalty on individuals who do not obtain insurance and overhaul Obamacare's subsidies to help people buy insurance with tax credits.

Democrats are united in opposition to the bill and at least 10 Republicans have said they oppose the existing draft. The House of Representatives passed its own version in May.

Moderate Republicans are uneasy about the millions of people forecast to lose their medical insurance under the draft legislation, and hard-line conservatives say it leaves too much of Obamacare intact.

Democrats call the Republican legislation a giveaway to the rich that would hurt the most vulnerable Americans.

Additional reporting by David Morgan and Amanda Becker; Writing by Susan Cornwell and Tom Brown; Editing by Mary Milliken and Leslie Adler

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Senate may vote on revised healthcare bill next week - Reuters

3 Ways the Senate Health Care Bill Would Devastate Communities of Color – Center For American Progress

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Last August, then-candidate Donald Trump tried to court voters of color by asking, What the hell do you have to lose? When it comes to health care, the answer is clear: everything. Senate Republicans are poised to vote for the Better Care Reconciliation Act (BCRA), which would strip coverage, reduce access to care, and cause a spike in premiums for millions of people of color. Trump pledged to be president for all Americans, but the plan he endorses will disproportionately hurt people of color while giving a massive tax break to the wealthiest Americans. If he succeeds, thousands of people will die and millions more will suffer. Here are three things you need to know about the Senate health care bill and communities of color.

Planned Parenthood provides health servicessuch as physicals, cancer screenings, and contraceptive careto nearly 1 million people of color, and this number is increasing. For example, in the past decade, the number of African American patients increased by 12 percent. Furthermore, according to a recent survey, 1 in 4 Planned Parenthood clients reported that it was the only place they could get the services they need. Without Planned Parenthood health centers, many women of color will be unable to find and receive high-quality, affordable health care.

The age tax is an attack on one of societys most vulnerable populations and will disproportionately hurt people of color. Today, the poverty rate for Asian American seniors is nearly double that of white seniors7 percent versus 13 percent. For certain Asian American subgroups, such as Cambodian American seniors, poverty rates are as high as 23 percent. African American and Hispanic seniors experience poverty rates of 18 percent and 20 percent, respectively, and according to Demos, Ninety percent of Latino and 83 percent of African-American seniors have insufficient retirement assets to last through their expected lifespans. Elderly American Indians and Alaska Natives are already five times more likely to forego medical care due to cost than the average American senior. Forcing the near-elderly to pay significantly more for health insurance would undermine retirement planning and diminish outcomes for people of color.

People of color experienced historic increases in coverage under the Affordable Care Act. Between 2013 and 2015 alone, the uninsured rate for Asian, Hispanic, and black populations declined by 7, 9, and 5 percentage points, respectively. However, the Senate health care bill seeks to undo this progress by stripping coverage from 10.6 million people of color in 2022. The effect on coverage would get even worse in 2025, when deeper cuts to Medicaid funding would kick in. People of color make up 58 percent of Medicaid enrollees and suffer disproportionately from a range of health disorders, including asthma, diabetes, and heart disease. Without health coverage, these families will face impossible decisions and tragic consequences.

If passed, the Senate health care bill would devastate communities of color. Instead of advancing legislation that will undermine the health of our countrys most vulnerable populations, the Trump administration should work across the aisle to find ways to improve the Affordable Care Act.

Michele Jawando is the vice president for Legal Progress at the Center for American Progress.Connor Maxwell is the research associate for Progress 2050 at the Center.

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3 Ways the Senate Health Care Bill Would Devastate Communities of Color - Center For American Progress

Scared of tech stocks? Health-care shares are cheaper and rallying – MarketWatch

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Some investors are growing concerned over the seemingly endless bull market in stocks, which is being powered by technology companies. They may want to explore health-care shares, whose price-to-earnings valuations have declined over the past two years even as their prices have risen 16% this year, right behind tech stocks ascent.

Well list analysts favorite health-care stocks below. First, heres how the sectors of the S&P 500 Index SPX, +0.66% have performed over the past 10 years, leaving out the real estate sector, which was carved out of the financial services sector in September:

Health care has run a very close second to tech in the past 10 years. Over two years, the tech sector has returned 43%, while health care has risen only 9%.

This chart shows the changes in forward price-to-earnings ratios (based on consensus earnings estimates among analysts polled by FactSet for the next 12 months) for the two sectors and the index over the past two years:

So far this year, the tech sector has returned 19%, while health care has risen 16%. Long-term prospects for both sectors are excellent, with continued innovation for tech and demographic trends, innovation and government subsidies for health insurance all favoring the health-care sector.

But health care has been overlooked by some investors, who understandably focus on tech-related companies with the largest market values among the S&P 500: Apple Inc. AAPL, -0.13% Alphabet Inc. GOOG, +1.06% Microsoft Corp. MSFT, +1.34% Amazon.com Inc. AMZN, +0.97% and Facebook Inc. FB, +1.87%

Heres a list of the 10 S&P 500 health care stocks with majority buy ratings from analysts and the most upside implied by analysts price targets:

None of the stocks are rated sell by any sell-side analyst polled by FactSet.

You can click the tickers for additional information on each company, including news, valuation ratios, financial statements and filings.

Dont miss: Hedge fund manager who scored a 78% annual return with Apple and Amazon is short-selling Netflix

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Scared of tech stocks? Health-care shares are cheaper and rallying - MarketWatch

Houston hospitals deal with shifting health care landscape – STLtoday.com

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HOUSTON (AP) After Michael Covert submitted his resignation as CEO of the St. Luke's Health System in June, the initial announcement came not from his Houston bosses, but from the Colorado headquarters of its owner, Catholic Health Initiatives.

The Houston Chronicle reports the internal email, sent to Catholic Health CEOs around the nation and absent customary expressions of thanks, widely was interpreted as evidence the move was driven by the national office, unhappy about St. Luke's multimillion dollar losses.

Around the country, health care system governing boards increasingly are losing patience as their hospitals struggle to adjust to a rapidly shifting health care landscape one characterized by declining insurance reimbursements, a push to get patients into outpatient clinics, policy uncertainty in Washington and the replacement of the old fee-for-service model with value-based care. The combined forces have resulted in a sharp downturn in the operating margins of hospitals.

The logical fall guy: the CEO.

In just the last six months, the CEOs of 30 medium- to large-sized hospitals around the nation have departed, according to Dr. Janis Orlowski, chief health care officer for the Association of American Medical Colleges. Some were due to retirements and career advancements, but many were involuntary.

"That's an increase in turnover, probably a reflection of the current volatility of the health care market," said Orlowski. "Many hospitals are losing money now and the future only looks rockier, with more uninsured and less Medicaid support. Boards want the right person to lead them into such turbulent times."

Nowhere has there been more change at the top than Houston home to the world's largest medical complex where not just Covert, but MD Anderson Cancer Center's Dr. Ron DePinho and Memorial Hermann Health System's Dr. Benjamin Chu also recently left unceremoniously. A fourth CEO, the Texas Medical Center's Dr. Robert Robbins, also stepped down in April but it was to become the president of the University of Arizona.

The shake-ups demonstrate the challenges and pressures CEOs face from board members who, in addition to watching the bottom line, now feel more pressure to stay engaged and ahead of change. Harvard University health-policy professor Ashish Jha said CEOs are "likely to struggle if they're still operating under the assumptions of the hospital industry of 10 years ago."

The Houston departures also show the difficulties outsiders Chu, Covert and DePinho all came from outside the state face navigating the Texas Medical Center, known for its tricky geopolitics. Baylor College of Medicine President Dr. Paul Klotman, one of the few to succeed, calls it the "most complex political environment I've ever been in, including New York City a product of 57 institutions next to each other, competing and collaborating."

Houston's turnover was big news not just locally but nationally, where more than one observer invoked the phrase "dropping like flies" to describe the city's recent spate of departures. The moves drew attention because DePinho and Chu, in particular, are nationally known figures.

The Houston CEOs and representatives of their boards all declined interview requests or were not available, spokespeople said.

"It's kind of unusual to have so many prominent people disappear that quickly in one city," said Jeff Goldsmith, professor of public health sciences at the University of Virginia. "Lots of health care institutions are hitting the concrete right now, but most are scattered around the country."

Goldsmith and others said they were most surprised by the June 19 exit of Chu, considered a big-time hire by Memorial Hermann in 2016. Modern Healthcare magazine ranked him No. 8 on its 2017 list of the nation's Most Influential Physician Executives and Leaders, a testament to his reputation as a leading thinker about the changes in the industry.

Memorial Hermann layoffs were part of Chu's short tenure, about 110 in the spring, 350 the week after his departure. System officials insist there was no connection between the two, noting its financial challenges and initiative to become more efficient predated Chu's hiring.

Instead, Chu and Memorial Hermann turned out to be a poor fit, said people familiar with the situation a first-time CEO whose experience at a long-established managed-care consortium in California did not prepare him for a sprawling health system relatively new to such reform. Chu struggled, they said, to adjust to the new role and the culture change.

So did DePinho, whose 5-year tenure was full of tumult, including financial difficulties that led to the layoffs of 778 employees in January. Financial experts said MD Anderson's problems it lost more than $460 million over 16 months came as a surprise because cancer care is considered so lucrative in the health care industry.

In his resignation speech, DePinho, whose background primarily is as a laboratory scientist, made reference to the challenges faced by today's hospital leaders when he noted that it had become clear to him that MD Anderson needs "a new president who will inspire greater unity and a sharp operational focus on navigating the tectonic changes in health care delivery and economics."

Covert's resignation came as much a surprise locally as Chu's the week before. The St. Luke's board of directors did not request it nor see it coming, said Klotman, a board member.

In retrospect, the departure may have been inevitable.

St. Luke's and two sister systems of CHI hospitals in Texas reported a $51 million decline in a key measure of operating income between July 2016 and March 2017, compared to the same period the year before, according to CHI financial reports. During that period the Texas division laid off 810 employees and cut its payroll by 1,295 jobs, most of them at St. Luke's.

CHI made no secret of its disappointment, including at an investor presentation in February.

"The Texas division financial results for the fiscal year to date (are) behind expectations," according to the slide presentation made to investors by CHI officials. "Volumes and service line mix have deteriorated and labor costs have increased."

In that respect, Orlowski suggested, Covert's departure was not surprising.

"Covert got three years, a typical time frame at which CEOs lose their jobs if boards don't see a bounce back from significant financial struggles," she said, "Boards commonly make a change at that point if there's not a quick turnabout."

Orlowski added that boards are moving even quicker these days to remove CEOs if the finances are bad.

Orlowski said Covert was "very well respected, which only shows what a tough job the CEO position will be for whoever comes in next."

Rating agency S&P Global's report gave St. Luke's credit for reining in expenses after the layoffs, but the system remains well behind Houston Methodist and Memorial Hermann in the race for area patients. Orlowski wondered if it will "need to make fundamental changes in what they're doing, become smaller or find new niches."

The financial struggles of MD Anderson and St. Luke's have attracted significant attention, but they hardly are unique. Goldsmith noted that Partners Healthcare in Boston reported a $214 million drop in operating income in its last two fiscal years; the Cleveland Clinic had a 68 percent decline in earnings in 2016; and western U.S.-focused Providence Health & Services, one of the strongest Catholic systems, lost $562 million over 15 months.

The struggles somewhat puzzle Goldsmith, who noted they have come absent cuts in Medicare or Medicaid funding and added that the increase in Medicare beneficiaries should not have surprised anyone. He blamed hospital boards for not demanding more operational discipline, for allowing management to grow their expenses faster than their revenue.

Jha, however, said it would be a mistake to underestimate "these tumultuous times for the industry."

"A lot's changed," Jha said. "You've got the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and uncertain policy ahead, you've got changes in how hospitals are getting paid and what's rewarded and you've got changes in what we expect from hospitals, the pressure to improve health for entire populations and the need to provide care beyond what happen between the four walls of the hospital.

"It requires a different set of skills than those previously held by hospital CEOs and a different set of resources than those to which hospitals are previously accustomed. It's probably why you're seeing so much turnover these days."

Information from: Houston Chronicle, http://www.houstonchronicle.com

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Houston hospitals deal with shifting health care landscape - STLtoday.com