Daily Archives: April 19, 2017

Pirates 5 TV Spot Sets Out on the High Seas – ComingSoon.net

Posted: April 19, 2017 at 10:26 am

Walt Disney Pictures has released a new TV spotforPirates of the Caribbean:Dead Men Tell No Talesfeaturing young Jack Sparrow and more. Check out the Pirates 5 TV spot below!

Johnny Depp returns to the big screen as the iconic, swashbuckling anti-hero Jack Sparrow in the all-new Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales. The rip-roaring adventure finds down-on-his-luck Captain Jack feeling the winds of ill-fortune blowing strongly his way when deadly ghost sailors, led by the terrifying Captain Salazar (Javier Bardem), escape from the Devils Triangle bent on killing every pirate at seanotably Jack. Jacks only hope of survival lies in the legendary Trident of Poseidon, but to find it he must forge an uneasy alliance with Carina Smyth (Kaya Scodelario), a brilliant and beautiful astronomer, and Henry (Brenton Thwaites), a headstrong young sailor in the Royal Navy. At the helm of the Dying Gull, his pitifully small and shabby ship, Captain Jack seeks not only to reverse his recent spate of ill fortune, but to save his very life from the most formidable and malicious foe he has ever faced.

Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales also stars Kevin R. McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Golshifteh Farahani as the sea-witch Shansa, David Wenham as Scarfield, Stephen Graham as Scrum, and Geoffrey Rush as Captain Hector Barbossa.

Directed byNorwegian filmmakersEspen Sandberg and Joachim Rnning (Kon-Tiki),Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Taleswill debut in theaters onMay 26, 2017.

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Banning Transshipment at-Sea Necessary to Curb Illegal Fishing, Researchers Conclude – NYU News (press release)

Posted: at 10:26 am

Banning transshipment at-seathe transfer of fish and supplies from one vessel to another in open watersis necessary to diminish illegal fishing, a team of researchers has concluded after an analysis of existing maritime regulations.

This practice often occurs on the high seas and beyond the reach of any nations jurisdiction, allowing ships fishing illegally to evade most monitoring and enforcement measures, offload their cargo, and resume fishing without returning to port, explains Jennifer Jacquet, an assistant professor in New York Universitys Department of Environmental Studies and one of the papers co-authors. Its one way that illegal fish are laundered into the seafood market.

More significantly, transshipment at-sea can facilitate trafficking and exploitation of workers who are trapped and abused on fishing vessels because there is simply no authority present to protect those being exploited, adds Chris Ewell, an NYU undergraduate at the time of the study and the papers lead author.

The paper, which appears in the journal Marine Policy, may be downloaded here.

In their study, the researchers focused on the regulation of transshipment, which the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) defines as the act of transferring the catch from one fishing vessel to either another fishing vessel or to a vessel used solely for the carriage of cargo.

Specifically, they examined transshipment at-sea regulations across 17 Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs)multi-national entities responsible for regulating fisheries on the high seasto create a scorecard on the permissibility of this practice around the globe.

The researchers note that transshipment at-sea regulations have become increasingly strict in most RFMOs since the late 1990s. However, in 2015, the year of study, only five RFMOs had mandated even a partial ban and only one RFMO, the South East Atlantic Fisheries Organization (SEAFO), has mandated a total ban on transshipment at-sea.

A total ban on transshipment at-sea on the high seas would support the ability of oversight and enforcement agencies to detect and prevent illegal fishing and also likely reduce human trafficking and forced labor on the high seas, the studys authors recommend.

The studys other authors included Mikaela Ediger, a fellow at NYU School of Laws Institute for International Justice and Law, Dana Miller, currently a marine scientist at Oceana and a postdoctoral researcher at the University of British Columbia at the time of the study, and John Hocevar, oceans campaign director at Greenpeace USA.

The research was supported, in part, by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts, as well as by an undergraduate research grant from NYU.

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Parliassam – MicroWiki – micronations.wiki

Posted: at 10:26 am

The Parliassam of the Essian Commonwealth, sometimes referred to informally as the Royal Council or even Parliament of the Commonwealth, is the official advisory body to the Essian Monarchy in the Essian Commonwealth. The Parliassam is given few political powers and duties, however is still considered the micronation's legislature, at least to some degree. The Parliassam is entirely appointed by the Monarch, and its powers and duties are defined by decree established by different monarchs.

In the Parliassam, each County is assigned a Warden to administer and represent the County in the Parliassam of the Essian Commonwealth. None of these offices require election, however Monarchs reserve the right to delegate the power of the appointment in the form of an election. Under this rule, all Parliassames serve at the pleasure of the Monarch, and may as such be removed by the Monarch at any time.

The Parliassam is considered the second most powerful body in the Essian Commonwealth, behind only the Essian Monarchy. It's authority is generally accepted through precedent of the Constitution, and all other powers and duties are individually allotted by royal decree from the Monarch of the Essian Commonwealth. The following is the bulk of the defined authorities of the Parliassam in the Constitution.

The Lordship, nor any Representative, is required to make public what advice was tendered between the Lordship, even despite an inquiry from court.

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Senior community in California bans bird feeders – The Mercury News – The Mercury News

Posted: at 10:25 am

DEAR JOAN:I live in a senior community where they have now decided that feeding the birds including hummingbirds, I presume violates a new rule that bans feeding wild animals.

By the way,I will not adhere to this latest draconian edict. I love my birds, clean up after them and even provide them with a spa birdbath for drinking and splashing.

Bird Lover,Hayward

DEAR BIRD LOVER: Yes, birds are legally considered wild animals and feeding them is illegal under California law, although Id be among the thousands of backyard feeders that would be convicted if the lawwas strictly enforced.

The statetends to look the other way unless there are reasons not to. Meanwhile, there are hundreds of businesses that sell bird feeders, houses, birdbaths and food, which gives a sort of tacit approval to those who feed birds in their backyards.

The law in intended to protect wildlife from human predators, as well as those who unintentionally do harm by trying to help. Let me try to explain.

Heres what the law says: no person shall harass, herd or drive any game or nongame bird or mammal or fur-bearing mammal. For the purposes of this section, harass is defined as an intentional act that disrupts an animals normal behavior patterns, which includes but is not limited to, breeding, feeding or sheltering.

I believe the heart of the no feeding portion of the law is to prevent unethical hunters and poachers from luring an animal to a baited trap so that it can be captured or killed. However, whether we like to think about it or not, we are disrupting a birds normal behavior patterns with our feeders.If they werent coming to our yards for food, they would be out in the wild, fending for themselves.

When the birds congregate at feeders, they are at greater risk of contracting diseases and more vulnerable to predators. Every year, thousands of birds die because of this.

However, because we have removed or destroyed a lot of the birds habitats as weve built up our communities and developments, I believe we have an obligation to provide supplemental food and shelter for them, and to keep feeders clean and the areas safe.

As for the management of yourcommunity, I suspect they have a rationale for their new rule. Bird seed attracts rats, which most people dont want around their homes. Not everyone is as aware and responsible as you are, and so management companies often issue these blanket bans.

I havent seen your community, but Im guessing it has plenty of elements that are equally as attractive to rodents, such as thick ground cover and water sources, so banning bird feeders wont do the whole job.

I dont believe hummingbirds have any part in attracting rats, although they might draw a few ants. If you want to defy management and not risk getting evicted or fined, then grow some California native plantsin your yard forall of the birds.

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A decade on, human space flight not in priority list of India – Economic Times

Posted: at 10:24 am

HYDERABAD: More than a decade after an eminent group of scientists gave the green signal for India to undertake a human space flight, the ambitious venture is nowhere near take-off in the absence of government approval.

In November 2006, at a meeting convened by the Indian Space Research Organisation, scientists were highly appreciative of the study undertaken by the space agency on such a mission, and were unanimous in suggesting that the time is appropriate for the country to undertake the venture.

But the mission seems to have fallen off the priority list of the Bengaluru-headquartered ISRO since then.

"We need to get the approval for that programme, till that comes we are working on some critical technologies, like environmentally-controlled laboratory, flight suite," ISRO Chairman A S Kiran Kumar told PTI.

"We have also done some re-entry experiment. Certain technology elements we will continue to develop until the country is ready for taking up this as a full-fledged programme," he said.

"For this (the human space flight programme), the requisite priority has to be there, funding has to be there, then only activities will happen.".

Kiran Kumar said ISRO's immediate priority is to meet the basic needs of communication, navigation and remote sensing.

"First, we have to ensure all this is done adequately, there itself, we are trying to push the envelope and then (we have to undertake) more frequent launches so that we provide the requisite number of satellites in orbit for meeting all these requirements," he said.

"So, that is still happening, not yet happened. That will remain the bigger priority," he said.

According to him, work towards such a mission would continue.

"As and when the approval etc. comes, then we will take it up in a bigger way. At this point, priority is not that," Kiran Kumar said.

Nearly 80 scientists from across the country had participated in the November 7, 2006 meeting to discuss the issues related to the mission, an ISRO press release at that time said.

The ISRO had conducted studies for four years from 2002 to examine the technological challenges of such a mission and the Indian capability to undertake it.

The concept for the venture included development of an autonomous orbital vehicle which could be launched by India's Geo-synchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, GSLV-Mk II or GSLV- Mk III, the release had said.

Studies highlighted that the ISRO has maturity in many technologies required for the mission. However, new developments are required in life support systems, improved reliability and safety and crew escape system, among others.

The meeting was attended by eminent scientists like U R Rao, Yash Pal, R Narasimha, R M Vasagam, N Pant, P S Goel, N Balakrishnan, A R Upadhya, T S Prahlad, S Vasantha and Avinash Chander, then ISRO Chairman G Madhavan Nair and Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma, the first Indian to travel in space.

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Scientists Aim to Protect Astronauts from Deadly Space Radiation – Newsweek

Posted: at 10:24 am

Radiation. Its everywhere, from the fallout of nuclear weapons to medical X-rays. Its a cause of cancer, but its also one of the preferred forms of cancer treatment. Theres also a lot of it in space, and if we want to send astronauts to Mars safely, thats a problem.

The charged particles commonly called radiation are a serious threat to anyone traveling in space, whether its a stay on the International Space Station or beyond. The Earths magnetic field protects people on the planet from radiation by trapping the particles in radiation belts that surround the globe. These doughnut-shaped areas in space, called Van Allen belts, lie up to 36,000 miles from the Earths surface. Within Earths orbit, astronauts are protected, but you cant get to the moon, Mars or beyond without venturing past them. Once astronauts travel through and beyond the Van Allen beltshazards in and of themselves because they trap these harmful particlestheir bodies become vulnerable.

Deep space astronauts have to contend with two types of radiation. The first is composed of galactic cosmic rays, high-energy particles that travel at close to the speed of light. These cosmic rays, which are mostly protons but can also be composed of heavier elements, can damage human DNA, trigger mutations and change gene transcription. When gene transcription occurs, DNA produces RNA, which carries the instructions from DNA to the cells in the body. When that process is changed, RNA carries imperfect instructions to the cells. Over the medium and long term, these errors can become permanent mutations.

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A woman wearing a prototype of Stemrad's new protective vest, Astrorad, sits inside the Excalibur-Almaz Space Capsule during a demonstration at the National Museum of Science Technology and Space in Haifa, Israel on February 23. Amir Cohen/Reuters

It seems inevitable that humans are going to Mars, so both public and private companies are testing and retesting every aspect of that journey. But unless they figure out the radiation problem, all that preparation will be moot.

Scientists at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine just wrapped up a NASA-funded study that examines the effects radiation from a Mars mission might have on astronauts. The team focused on the hematopoietic system, which is primarily composed of bone marrow, the spleen, the thymus and lymph nodes. We know from studies on the atomic bomb survivors that the hematopoietic system is one of the more sensitive tissues in the body to the effects of radiation, says Christopher Porada of Wake Forest University, a senior researcher on the project. Leukemia, unlike many other types of cancer, can develop quickly. It would actually compromise both the mission and the astronauts health during that two-year period of time, Porada says.

Galactic cosmic rays have a low radiation dose rate; during shorter trips, its not as serious an issue. Going to the moon, astronauts received very minimal radiation, Porada says. But its cumulative effect means that during a longer Mars mission (a minimum of two years, round trip), radiation is a much larger and more present threat.

A solar flare is photographed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory on June 7, 2011. Particles discharged by space weather events, such as solar flares, can affect astronauts acutely in the short term, damaging the central nervous system and resulting in impaired motor function and cognitive function. NASA/SDO/Reuters

But the news isnt all bleak: The same team posits that a daily oral vitamin might be able to protect astronauts from space radiations harmful effects. Weve found a dietary supplement that appears to restore about 75 percent of the potential of the cells, if we put them on the cells before we expose them to the radiation, says Porada. The pill isnt absorbed well orally, so the team is working on a way to improve the supplements solubility.

If we cant protect from within, how about from without? StemRad, an Israeli company based in Tel Aviv, specializes in radiation protection for nuclear workers and first responders. Now it has designed a vest that will protect astronauts from space radiation. Organs, tissues and stem cells are particularly vulnerable to radiation, and the vest was designed to specifically shield those delicate areas. The vests come with a pretty big caveat: Astronauts would have to wear them around the clock. StemRads aim is to tailor each vest to each astronaut for maximum comfort and flexibility.

The company announced on March 3 that the vest will be on Exploration Mission-1, the unmanned test of NASAs new space vehicle Orion, currently scheduled for a late 2018 launch. Two dummies will fly aboard the capsule on its circumlunar flight. Only one dummy will wear StemRads vest. Upon their recovery, NASA will perform tests on both dummies to determine the effectiveness of the vests radiation protection. (Its also possible NASA will decide to put a human crew on EM-1; it is conducting a feasibility study. No word on whether a human would don the vest.)

Unfortunately, theres a second type of radiation NASA needs to worry about: solar radiation. Solar proton events, or solar particle events, are energetic particles that are emitted by the sun, says Elsayed Talaat, a discipline scientist in NASAs heliophysics division. Particles discharged by space weather events, such as solar flares, can affect astronauts acutely in the short term, damaging the central nervous system and resulting in impaired motor function and cognitive function. In the long term, these particles increase their cancer risk.

In 2013, NASA's probes discovered Van Allen radiation belts around Earth. NASA/SDO/AIA/Goddard/Rex/AP

NASA is testing various methods to protect Mars astronauts from solar radiation. The Orion spacecraft will be equipped with radiation sensors, the crew will be notified if a solar flare or other radiation event occurs, and the crew will have timebetween 30 minutes and a few hoursto take shelter in the spacecrafts cargo area, protecting themselves from the bulk of the radiation.

But what if scientists could predict these explosions and whether one would trigger a radiation event? Our ultimate goal is predictability of these space weather effects, says Talaat. That is hopefully the endgame of physical understanding, if youre able to predict the phenomena.

Its clear that the answer to protecting astronauts from space radiation lies in a balancing act: outer versus inner, prediction versus protection. Regardless of how NASA does it, the radiation problem is one we need to solve. Otherwise, were looking at a long future of going nowhere at all.

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Q&A with the Danish dynamo who brought Singularity University to the Nordics: It’s a killer cocktail – Business Insider Nordic

Posted: at 10:24 am

Singularity University, the famed think tank and tech education program in Silicon Valley, recently opened a Danish branch, marking the first major foreign expansion. SingularityU Denmark's founder and CEO Laila Pawlak sees a step-change in the regions tech and social impact on the horizon. Frankly a killer cocktail.

Shortly after announcing the world's first tech ambassadorship, Denmark landed another major milestone when, 1st of March, a new branch of Singularity University (SU) opened in the country.

SU's mission is to bridge the gap between global challenges and technological solutions.The Silicon Valley program has attracted tech executives and entrepreneurs from around the worldsome of them 150 from the Nordics.

One of them is entrepreneur Laila Pawlak, the Danish organisation's founder and CEO.Pawlak later worked as faculty in Silicon Valley before taking on the commitment to bring it to the Nordics, together with her partner,Kris Ostergaard, also a former SU faculty.

Pawlak likens the effect of the SU education with "eating the red pill" ( la Matrix), and seeing the opportunity of using technology in a whole new light.

Housed in a 5000 sqm campus, SingularityU Denmark will offer various educational and innovation programmes that combine the latest within exponential technology with future business areas.Key subjects are artificial intelligence, computing, biotech and robotics, as well as Global Grand Challenges which will be part of all programs.

While the Danish branchs intention according to Pawlak is to democratize access to the insights and activities that were previously only anchored in Silicon Valley, she points out its not going to be a copy paste of the original, with many original initiatives in the pipeline.

Pawlak, who drew on her experience founding innovation network DARE2mansion, adds that bringing SU to Denmark was an 18-month long, olympic process that wouldn't have been possible without local support in Denmark.

Theres been massive support from near and far - its really extraordinary.

So what is the true purpose of Singularity University?

We believe there are big global challenges that affect one billion people or more, and that these challenges can be solved, and provide huge opportunities for businesses.

What we focus on is these big problems that a lot of people suffer from, where business and technology can actually make an impact. We believe the best way to impact the world is leveraging exponential technologies. Thats the foundation of everything we do.

We encourage startups to think bigger, to think more impact. So that the technologies they are working with can be used in much bigger contexts.

And you are going to host startups in Copenhagen?

We already have about 200 people from a number of startups occupying our offices and more will be moving in. Weve had more than 100 startups reach out to us within the first week. And were already negotiating 2000 sqm more space.

Tell us what was your vision of bringing SU to the Nordics?

Even though we are going to be based out of Denmark, it is quite natural to think of us in terms of a Nordic SU branch. For one, weve just brought in the first eight mindblowingly awesome faculty, who have been recruited from all the Scandinavian countries.

From a Nordic perspective Im extremely excited, because weve been working on this in stealth mode for a year and a half, day and night. We played all the cards for Scandinavia that we have a lot of things going for us, the rising startup environment being one of them. Were stable countries that have come a long way to figure out a societal model that takes care of people, but at the same time is at the technological forefront; and takes care of the environment while also growing businesses.

So one of the reasons I made this my full-time commitment, and sat up night after night, is that I honestly truly believe that in the Nordics, we have the potential of showing the world how to do this in the right way. And I want to be part of making that happen.

We can show the world that we can foster prosperity and growth and happiness and positive impact, while at the same time doing it in a decent, right way. If we leverage all the strengths of our history, competences and education, and we add on top of that a strong technological insight and engagement, then were unbeatable. I genuinely believe this.

What I see in Silicon Valley is enthusiasm and optimism - hey lets try it out. And I really want to bridge that, and combine it with all of the strengths we have in the Nordics that they dont have in Silicon Valley. Then we have this killer cocktail to bring us to the next level. And we can truly be a role model to the rest of the world.

What are some of the challenges that Nordics have in doing this?

Weve kind of had an industrial way of looking at success. It is traditionally having a lot of employees in a company. But perhaps thats not the right way to measure success, maybe it should instead be how many people you positively impact.

For example, it could be a smartwatch for ADHD children to help them work from home and cope with their daily life. It might not be the best financial business ever, or have as many employees, but is that not at least equally - or an even more successful company?

The notion is that we can create companies that have a sustainable business and a lot of impact. Thats what were going to look at. I think we need to create new measures for what is a successful business.

What are some ideal outcomes from establishing SU in Denmark?

For me its all about impact. My dream scenario is startups being extremely successful impacting millions of people around the world. It is startups that met at the hub. Corporates that change their business model to positively impact people around the world. It is students being inspired to create a dream where they are technologically inspired to go out and start new businesses.

Impact is what we get measured on. Its all about that moment when people come back to you: the reason we are doing this, is because we met through this program and were inspired.

What was your own best experiences from SU?

I want to use a Matrix analogy. Participating in an SU program, its kind of taking the red pill. You see the world in a whole new light. And when you start seeing these possibilities, and understand what technology can do, then theres no going back.

I had moments when I discovered biotech. Suddenly, I had this feeling of a whole new world opening up to me. I think everybody, no matter what perspective or background they enter SU with, theres an area they dont know lot about, and suddenly all of these technologies converge. If Im in pharma, then I may be looking into AI. If Im in networks and computing I might look into biotech. I discovered all these new tech opportunities.

The second is the sense of community, of finding my tribe. I instantly felt like this is where I belong. A lot of people thought I had been crazy talking about purpose and profit, and scalable, positive impact. But when I came to SU, people just said yes, this is how we roll. Afterwards I felt committed to the responsibility of sharing that with more people.

Singularity hints at the point when robots will have surpassed human intelligence. Whats your personal view, are you afraid of robots?

I dont believe in the terminator scenario. For me its all about people.

How can we make a positive change for people? If we can leverage tech and robots to create a better life for people people that need help walking, lifting, whatever they need help with by all means, lets do it.

There are people that have an untapped potential that we dont see, because theyre doing things that robots are soon going to be able do. I dont think that potential has been fully tapped. If we play our cards right, in the Nordics and as a whole, I think we can set free that potential, and create a lot of entrepreneurships and creativity to create even more potential.

So we need to educate people to be enthusiastic about technology and understand it, so that people are not afraid of it.

So young entrepreneurs who want to get ready for the future might find something interesting at SU Denmark?

I would figure so! By the response weve had, it seems that a lot of people can strongly connect with our mission, and that makes me really proud.

And we want to make sure we target people in all levels of the organization. Many executives who have gone to SU in Silicon Valley, and try to bring their ideas home are met with resistance. We have high-level education executive level, but also at other levels.

Thank you!

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Can An Object Ever Give Rise to a Naked Singularity? – TrendinTech

Posted: at 10:24 am

Black holes have always been objects of mystery and in some ways, they probably always will be. They form at times when the center of massive stars collapse in upon itself and are so dense that nothing has the possibility of escaping its gravitational pull. Even if something were lucky enough to get past the event horizon, it then faces the challenge ahead of the singularity an infinitely small region of infinite density.

Naked singularities that are not wrapped inside an event horizon are problematic because when its faced with an infinitely dense region, it breaks down. The problem is that two of the laws that govern our understanding of the Universe (quantum mechanics and relativity) predict an outcome which is different and incompatible to one another. When it comes to black holes, they have a shield in the form o an event horizon that prevents anyone outside from observing the infinity of singularity. But, if a naked singularity were to exist, not only would it distort space-time, but it would also screw up the laws of physics and lead to a catastrophic loss of predictability.

So then, in that case, is it even possible for such objects to exist in nature? In a recent study published in the Physical Review Letter, a team of researchers suggests not. Their argument for stating this is because when quantum mechanical effects are included in the description of singularities, they warp space-time in such a way that some of the problematic features stemming from general relativity are removed.

According to the researchers conclusion from the study, quantum gravity will always lead to the formation of a horizon where singularity is shielded from the rest of the cosmos. If, by some evil means, somebody created a naked singularity it would quickly cease to exist. These quantum fields would very quickly turn the naked singularity into a black hole, said study lead Marc Casals from the Brazilian Center for Research in Physics in Rio de Janeiro.

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New Ascension Parish economic development head gears up in new role – The Advocate

Posted: at 10:19 am

Kate MacArthur estimates she's met three to four people a day, from public office, industry, real estate, tourism and just about every association in the parish, in her first 30 days as the head of the Ascension Economic Development Corp.

"It's helping me understand the pulse and the needs of the community and how everyone works together," said MacArthur, who began on March 20 as president and chief executive officer of the economic development group.

Her takeaway so far: "Everyone is working on making Ascension grow. They're all focused on the same mission."

MacArthur, who has previously worked with the Zachary Chamber of Commerce and the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, replaces Mike Eades, who left last fall for a new position in South Carolina.

Kate MacArthur, the executive director of the Zachary Chamber of Commerce, has been named pr

The nonprofit Ascension Economic Development Corp. is funded by the Ascension Parish government, the city of Gonzales, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the Industrial Development Board of Ascension Parish to help promote and assist business development.

One of MacArthur's first goals, she says, is to develop a strategic marketing plan for 17,000 contiguous acres of undeveloped land on the west bank of the parish with more than nine miles of Mississippi River frontage.

The Ascension Parish Council has created an industrial overlay district for the land that enables heavy, medium and light industrial uses, along with limited commercial and residential uses, for the 17,000 acres collectively called the River-Plex Mega-Park of Louisiana.

With a dock and rail feasibility study already in hand, funded by the AEDC, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the Louisiana Economic Development department, the next step is marketing, MacArthur said.

"We'll be putting together an international marketing plan" over the next few months, she said.

MacArthur came to the AEDC from the Zachary Chamber of Commerce, which she headed for four years. Before that, she was director of business intelligence for five years for the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, recruiting and retaining businesses in the nine-parish metro area.

A native of the Philadelphia area, with a master's in economic development from the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg, MacArthur has also worked with the Myrtle Beach Regional Economic Development Corp. in South Carolina as director of marketing and existing industry and as a business analyst for the Area Development Partnership in Hattiesburg.

In Ascension Parish, MacArthur said, she's learned that one of the top concerns for officials and residents is traffic specifically, La. 30, the mostly two-lane state highway off Interstate 10 that's home to numerous industrial plants as well as the Tanger Outlet shopping center.

"We will keep trying to figure out how to get this higher on the DOTD (Department of Transportation and Development) list" of highway improvement projects, she said.

The Ascension Economic Development Corp. will also be closely following the legislative session, which opened April 10, to "monitor anything that might have an economic impact," MacArthur said.

A top concern of local industry leaders is the tax climate of the state and "what's going to shake out" of the legislative session, she said.

"Businesses that are looking to move to Louisiana are also concerned" about what may be coming down the pike as the state seeks to solve its budget problems, she said.

"We hope we'll have some direction by the end of the year," MacArthur said.

Follow Ellyn Couvillion on Twitter, @EllynCouvillion.

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Once childhood buddies: Tuesday shooting ends life of Gonzales man, lands Prairieville friend in custody – The Advocate

Posted: at 10:19 am

GONZALES A Prairieville man drove up to a mobile home in Ascension Parish late Tuesday morning, got into an argument with a childhood friend with whom he had shared a family dinner recently and shot him dead on the front porch, sheriffs deputies said.

Investigators are still trying to determine why Donovan Darville shot Clarence Harvey, 27, in front of the mobile home in the Country Ridge subdivision,Chief Sheriffs Deputy Bobby Webre said Tuesday afternoon.

I think they were together a few days ago, and everything was OK, Webre said in an interview.

Webre said witnesses saw Darville and Harvey get into an argument after Darville and second man drove to the home about 11:30 a.m.

Darville, 27, 39248 Germany Road, Prairieville, got out of the car and fired four or five shots at Harvey. As Darville fired, Harvey was heading back to the porch of the mobile home in the 39000 block of Country Drive north of Gonzales.

Clarence was walking toward the porch and got on the porch and one of the shots struck him and killed him, Webre said.

By mid-afternoon Tuesday, sheriffs deputies had a portion of Country Drive cordoned off with yellow police tape while crime scene investigators milled about the property taking measurements.

Darville remained at large for a few hours but was found Tuesday 4:15 p.m. walking on Airline Highway in Prairieville near the Wal-mart store, Webre said.

He said Darville was expected to be booked on a count of second-degree murder.

Deputies said Tuesday evening they were still looking for Jerald Wall, 31, the Gonzales man who allegedly was riding with Darville in a maroon 2011 Honda Accord at the time of the shooting

Webre said Wall, who is only wanted for questioning at this time, was last seen driving the four-door Accord with Louisiana license plate XKS974. Deputies provided pictures of Wall and of the back of the car to the media.

The slaying stunned the mother and sister of Harvey, who watched with other family and friends Tuesday afternoon in lawn chairs on a friends nearby property as sheriffs deputies investigated the scene of the shooting.

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Rhona Harvey, Harveys mom, said her son had known Darville since they were young children and attended East Ascension High School together. She said Darville was at her house earlier this month for her grandson's birthday party.

"Donovan, you just came to the house. I just fed you. Why you took his life, Donovan? Why? Why," Harvey, 53, said Tuesday afternoon in an interview.

Rhona Harvey said the men had gotten into an argument recently, possibly over a woman, but she didn't think it was that serious.

She said detectives had questioned a woman who drove a red sedan parked Tuesday afternoon in the driveway of the mobile home where Clarence Harvey was shot. Rhona Harvey said her son was a friend of that woman.

Lt. Col. Ward Webb, sheriffs chief of operations, said detectives were interviewing witnesses who were present at the mobile home at the time of the shooting but he did not have information on their identities or their relationship to Clarence Harvey.

Deputies were unable immediately to provide criminal histories on Darville and Wall, but Ascension Parish court records show both men and the victim, Clarence Harvey, had had past run-ins with the law.

Online jail records and Ascension court minutes show that Darville was released from Ascension Parish Prison on March 13 after finishing his jail time for two misdemeanor simple battery convictions.

Wall has had various drug arrests and convictions, some as recent as 2014, while Harvey had been convicted of unauthorized entry of an inhabited dwelling, drug possession and burglary as recently as 2012.

But Harveys mother and sister said he had turned his life around, was trying to live right and be the funny, smart and supportive guy they knew.

He was no longer the person he was five years ago. He changed. He changed. He changed for the better, said his sister, Martha Harvey, 25.

Rhona Harvey said the loss of her son, the second oldest of six children, hurts all the more because she had recently given thanks on Facebook that all her children were still living.

"You see stuff like this on TV, who would think that'd be my son laying up in there," she said. "I just got off Facebook thanking God that all six of my kids was still living and all my grand kids. Now I got five."

Anyone with information on the shooting or Darvilles whereabouts is asked to contact the Ascension Parish Sheriffs Office at (225) 621-4636 or Crimestoppers at (225) 344-7867.

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Follow David J. Mitchell on Twitter, @NewsieDave.

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Once childhood buddies: Tuesday shooting ends life of Gonzales man, lands Prairieville friend in custody - The Advocate

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