Monthly Archives: October 2019

The Rutgers womens basketball will travel to the Rose Hill Gym in the Bronx this weekend to play Fordham in an exhibition game to benefit hurricane relief in the Bahamas. The game is this Saturday at 1 p.m. and you can contact the Fordham ticket office here. All proceeds will provide direct support to Bahamas Red Cross as that country recovers from Hurricane Dorian and you can also donate directly on this link.

The two programs were scheduled to play a closed scrimmage on this date, but they were able to reschedule as an exhibition due to it benefiting charity per NCAA rules. From the press release:

This transcends basketball, said head coach C. Vivian Stringer. We have a great opportunity to come together and do something meaningful. Our players are in a wonderful position to give back to our community whenever they can, and now, to help a community in need miles from our home. We appreciate this chance to use basketball in the spirit of coming together as one and making a difference in the world.

Rutgers is scheduled to play in Bimini, Bahamas for the Junkanoo Jam during Thanksgiving weekend with a field including Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and Seton Hall.

In addition, Stringer announced several staff changes this week. Tim Eatman, who did a great job last season filling in for Stringer during her medical leave, has been promoted to associate head coach. Michelle Edwards, who was Big Ten Player of the Year at Iowa playing for Stringer, has been on her staff in various capacities the past 16 years. She returns to the bench as an assistant coach, joining Eatman and Nadine Diamond, who returns for her fourth season in that role.

Other staffing moves include Betsy Yonkman becoming Director of Program Administration, Operations and Scouting, Brian Shank as Director of Video/Assistant Director of Basketball Operations, Will Abrams promoted to Director of Player Development, and Geoffrey Lanier joins the staff as Recruiting Coordinator.

The Scarlet Knights were not chosen this week as one of the top five teams in the Big Ten preseason polls conducted by the coaches and media. There is no preseason poll listing all fourteen teams in the conference. RU finished in third place last season, the best finish for the program since joining the conference five years ago. While leading scorer and rebounder Stasha Carey has graduated, as well as Charise Wilson and Victoria Harris, second leading scorer Arella Guirantes returns. Also returning are Tekia Mack, Noga Peleg Pelc, Zippy Broughton and back from missing all of last season due to injury, KK Sanders. In addition, Baylor transfer and former McDonalds All-American Alexis Morris, St. Bonaventure transfer Danielle Migliore, 5-star forward Maori Davenport and 3-star forward Joiya Maddox are on this seasons roster. Morris will be eligible to play in the second semester beginning on January 5th at Purdue due to transferring mid-season last year.

Rutgers will have an opportunity to prove the doubters wrong and begin their quest for a second consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance with the season opener on the road against South Alabama on November 5th. We will have a full season preview coming soon.

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Rutgers Womens Basketball to play exhibition to Benefit Bahamas Hurricane Relief - On The Banks

TEMPLE TERRACE, FL After learning that its fire station and all of its equipment was destroyed by Hurricane Dorian, the City of Temple Terrace and the Temple Terrace Fire Department are donating a retired fire engine to the Abaco Islands in the Bahamas.

Temple Terrace Fire Chief Ian Kemp will hand off the vehicle to representatives from the Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue at Fire Station #1, 124 Bullard Parkway, in Temple Terrace on Thursday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. The Marsh Harbour personnel will oversee the transport by freight and barge to the Abaco Islands.

The Abaco Islands were among the hardest hit islands in the Bahamas when the Category 5 hurricane struck Sept. 8. Fifty people have been confirmed dead in the Bahamas, most of them in the Abaco Islands where 17,000 people live.

"When a storm or other emergency threatens the City of Temple Terrace, residents, city staff and elected officials look to the fire department and four first responders to keep our community safe both during and in the aftermath of disaster," said Kemp. "But what if the fire department also was impacted? Such was the case in Abaco, Bahamas. Knowing that we had a truck in our fleet that has been replaced, City Manager Charles Stephenson suggested, and I wholeheartedly agreed, that it could be put to good use in the Bahamas."

"We suffered major damages in Abaco with results to our fire department trucks, equipment and building losing just about everything we had," said Marsh Harbour Volunteer Fire & Rescue Chief Danny Sawyer. "We were extremely delighted to hear from Chief Kemp."

Keith Chapman, president of Ten-8 Fire Equipment in Bradenton, also is donating four MSA Fire Hawk Self-Contained Breathing Apparatus and 4,500 PSI / 60 min air cylinders, valued at more than $4,000 each, along with some hose. Alan Davies, of Hydro Dynamic Solutions, is helping to coordinate the shipment of the truck to the Bahamas.

On Thursday, Kemp will transfer title of the vehicle to a representative from the Marsh Harbour Fire Department during a brief ceremony. Temple Terrace fire personnel also will offer training on some of the donated equipment to one of the Bahamian firefighters.

The engine then will be transported by Deberardini Heavy Haul to the Riviera Beach port in Palm Beach County, from which it will be dispatched by United Abaco Shipping to the island. The expected arrival date in Marsh Harbour is Oct. 28 or 29.

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Temple Terrace Donates Fire Truck To Ravaged Station In Bahamas - Patch.com

NEW YORK Karl-Anthony Towns has poked and prodded at the figurative bear all offseason, dropping not-so-subtle hints about his disapproval of how things were done here in the past and his conviction that the Timberwolves are now on the right path.

Then he stood at his locker after a dominant performance in a season-opening win at Brooklyn and stated emphatically what the difference was that allowed the Wolves to take a punch from the Nets and then charge right back.

I love how Im getting asked this question like I havent answered it all offseason, Towns said when asked about the teams resilience in a 127-126 overtime win Wednesday over the Nets. I told you this, you thought it was bullshit. Unity, cohesiveness.

Bahamas was not a joke. This is something that was real. You wanna do great things, winning things, be a winning team, you gotta do great things. You gotta do winning team stuff. We bonded, and you...

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'Bahamas was not a joke': KAT and his unified Wolves open with a stirring win - The Athletic

Elk Grove Village has formally approved plans for a Love's gas station -- the first bricks-and-mortar example of a business attracted to town through the village's unconventional sponsorship of a college football game

The 7,600-square-foot store and fueling station with nearly two dozen pumps will be built on four acres it's leasing at the northwest corner of Busse Road and Pratt Boulevard, in the village's sprawling industrial park. Construction is scheduled to start next spring.

Marketing the six-square-mile business park -- the nation's largest -- was the aim behind Elk Grove's $300,000 sponsorship of the Makers Wanted Bahamas Bowl last December in Nassau, Bahamas.

And it was because a Love's executive was watching the game on ESPN that he says he first learned of the town and started to take a serious look at opening a location there.

Chad Bruner, the real estate project manager for the Oklahoma City-based gas station chain, was back in Elk Grove Tuesday night to get sign variations and special use approval from the village board to operate the 24-hour gas station and convenience store.

He said most Love's locations are located along highways -- like the one in Hampshire along the Jane Addams Tollway -- but now the company plans to expand into urban areas.

The Elk Grove location along Busse Road is heavily traveled by cars and trucks, which has local officials pleased for what the business could mean for sales tax revenues. They've estimated the gas pumps and in-store sales could generate millions in taxes in the first few years.

"That's a lot of trucks. That's a lot of potential business," said Mayor Craig Johnson. "Love's is picking up on that."

Bruner said the gas pumps will be open 24/7, and the convenience store will also offer those hours initially, though it may cut back on overnight hours depending on business. The store will have its standard coffee bar and hot dog rollers, but also offer branded fast food offerings: Chester's Chicken and Godfather's Pizza.

The location will employ as many as 40 full- and part-time workers.

Bruner said the company will submit detailed plans to the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago and Illinois Department of Transportation for review and approval.

Love's plans to open by the end of next year.

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New gas station -- result of Bahamas Bowl sponsorship -- coming to Elk Grove - Chicago Daily Herald

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The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

Erin Brett

The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

Erin Brett

Erin Brett

The Marsh Harbour Port serves as a logistics port in Abaco as part of emergency response efforts following Hurricane Dorian.

The houses were flattened. Trees appeared more like sticks or twigs, all broken in two. Boats and shipping containers were strewn around the island, many far from the shore. Hurricane Dorian had devastated Abaco, a group of islands in the Bahamas. The storm surge there was estimated to be over 20 feet, bringing water and everything else with it.

Things just moved, Mercer alumna Erin Brett said.

Brett and her colleagues at the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot, a section of the World Food Programme that provides logistics support for non-food items during crises, were in the Bahamas to facilitate the movement of cargo from island to island.

I really enjoyed being on the ground and seeing how the work that we do in the office in Italy translates into the field, Brett said.

Elio RujanoErin Brett serves with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot aiding in Hurricane Dorian relief efforts in the Bahamas.

This was Bretts first humanitarian response, but she had worked with UNHRD and WFP before.

At Mercer in 2015, Brett became the first Mercer student to intern at UNHRD and facilitated communication between her university and the program.

Michael MacCarthy, Bretts internship advisor, said that she was shy yet personable, and the kind of person that leads from behind.

Shes not the first person to speak up, but she seems to take everything in, MacCarthy said.

While in Brindisi, Italy, where one of the UNHRD hubs resides, she was learning how the program worked and completing a few projects, but Brett said she was mostly floating around, doing whatever they needed her to do.

This was not her first time serving abroad. Brett went on two Mercer On Mission trips with Laura Lackey, dean of the department of environmental engineering. In Uganda, they tested potential causes and solutions for the excess of iron in the water supply. In Kenya, they worked on water filters for the community.

As a parting gift, Brett had left Lackey a small photograph of the two of them that now rests in her office on the bookshelf near the door.

Lackey remembers Brett fondly.

Her kindness is infectious, Lackey said. Thats like her biggest gift.

Now working with UNHRD full time, Brett is able to continue the work she started at Mercer.

I cant pinpoint exactly thats one thing that really like influenced it all, but it was the combination of everything, Brett said. The environment and the atmosphere. The quality of people that are at Mercer and those who are teaching you. Theyre actually invested. All my professors are invested in me or my coaches are invested in it. So its easy to learn when youre in that type of environment.

Brett is back in Italy now, but is hopeful for the Bahamas.

Theyll rebuild, she said. Itll take time, but theyll get back to it.

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Mercer alumna helps the Bahamas with the United Nations Humanitarian Response Depot - The Cluster

The 13th annual SITE Classic concluded at Grand Hyatt, Baha Mar with 300 incentive travel professionals in no doubt as to the incentive appeal of The Bahamas despite the recent ravages of Hurricane Dorian.

For three days attendees connected and built their professional networks, learned career enhancing new skills and discovered the pulse and beating heart of a truly stunning host destination while raising over $250,000 for SITE Foundation projects on research, education and advocacy.

Weve had Baha Mar on our radar for some time now, said John Iannini, CIS, CITP, President of the SITE Foundation, so anticipation amongst our attendee community was almost at fever pitch. Hurricane Dorian did cause problems but once it passed, and the health and safety of our attendees was secure, we were determined to be part of the solution by bringing SITE Classic here and channelling the good news that The Bahamas is very much open for business.

Hurricane Dorian was a prime example of how a threat can be turned into an opportunity. We leave The Bahamas personally and deeply enriched as a result of being able to play a small part in the Hurricane Relief program. Our DMC partner in The Bahamas, Cacique International used their unparalleled local connections to create an extensive, meaningful CSR activity where our attendees could get involved and make a difference. We feel privileged to have had this opportunity, said Anne DiGregory, CITP, Vice President Fundraising and Events.

Besides a full afternoon of activities in support of hurricane relief on day three of the event, on day two attendees choose from eight options that included an opportunity to take the Certified Incentive Travel Professional (CITP) designation. Highly popular, too, were destination-specific experiences particularly flexing with the flock, an outdoor yoga class in the presence of the graceful pink flamingos.

From a fundraising perspective SITE Classic was a resounding success with silent and live auctions raising a combined $250,000 + for SITE Foundation. SITE Classic is our flagship fundraising event. Its success is down to our incredible sponsors who donate amazing bucket-list travel packages and our patrons and supporters who dig deep to buy them! Its fitting too that we raise money in and through extraordinary travel experiences that is, of course, the essence of incentive travel, said Didier Scaillet, CIS, CITP, CEO of SITE & SITE Foundation.

SITE Classic 2020 will take place in Seattle from 27 to 30 September 2020.

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SITE Classic brings 300 Incentive Travel professionals to the Bahamas - Travel Daily News International

NASSAU, BAHAMAS The government signed a Heads of Agreement today for a $64 million project to bring a new medical university to Grand Bahama.

Prime Minister Dr Hubert Minnis underscored the deal withWestern Atlantic University of Medicine to operate a University School of Medicine in Freeport, represents a significant investment with 150 jobs at peak construction and 200 permanent jobs.

The new university is projected to bring $200 million in revenue for the hurricane-ravaged island within the first decade of operation.

This major development will inject hundreds of millions of dollars into the local economy over time, and provide direct and indirect opportunities for scores of residents, Minnis said.

The development will include university-owned housing for faculty, staff and students on campus. It will also encompass: on-campus businesses, including a bookstore, cafeteria and a student center providing music, food, beverages, a copy center and related services.

Western Atlantic intends to build its own campus on land to be leased from the Public Hospitals Authority, according to a press statement issued by the Office of the Prime Minister.

A maximum of 50 acres will be leased in three tranches, based upon the Universitys satisfaction of certain deliverables.

The campus will be developed in multiple phases over the next 10 years. The first three phases represent an investment of $64 million dollars.

It will involve the construction of 98,000 square feet of classrooms, offices, lab facilities, maintenance, security and related spaces.

Construction will begin on the first phase by the end of this year.

During the construction phase, Western Atlantic has agreed to aim for an overall ratio of 80 percent Bahamian workers to 20 percent non-Bahamian workers.

Under the agreement, Western Atlantic will also work closely with the Government and local communities to develop training and professional development programs for Bahamians who want to work during the operation of the campus.

Approval to operate the campus will be contingent on the University obtaining accreditation from the Caribbean Accreditation Authority for Education in Medicine and other Health Professions (CAAM-HP), or an equivalent body.

Western Atlantic will also work toward receiving accreditation for its students to be able to practice medicine in the US, Canada and The Bahamas.

This development has the potential to attract global talent and build international connections, said Minnis.

It also represents another opportunity to diversify our economy.

Minnis pointed to signs of recovery progress on Grand Bahama, including the reopening of the Grand Lucayan hotel and Port Lucaya, the return of cruise ship visitors and the restoration of essential utilities.

We have a long road ahead of us for recovery and reconstruction, but we are making progress, said Minnis.

Todays signing is yet another indication of the progress we are making together.

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Govt. signs Heads of Agreement for new medical university in Grand Bahama - EyeWitness News

The global body leading the fight against terror financing have retained the Bahamas, Pakistan, Panama, and Trinidad and Tobago as jurisdictions with strategic anti-money laundering (AML) deficiencies and added Iceland to the grey list.

Iceland, Mongolia and Zimbabwe were also added to the grey list. At the same time, Ethiopia, Sri Lanka and Tunisia were removed from the list, after having improved their anti-money laundering policies.

FATF is an intergovernmental organization, founded in 1989 to develop policies to combat money laundering. In 2001 its mandate expanded to include terrorism financing.

[Panama must] continue working on the implementation of its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies"

The global body said Panama had taken steps to improve its cooperation in the fight against money laundering, but that it needs to do more to be removed from the grey list.

"Since June 2019, when Panama assumed the political commitment to work with the FATF ... it has taken the first steps towards improving" cooperation in this area, said the Paris based financial institution . However, it must "continue working on the implementation of its action plan to address its strategic deficiencies," according to a FATF document.

This international institution that fights against money laundering included Panama on its list in 2014. Two years later, the country was removed from the list, after committing to make several changes to its legislation.

The group reinstated it to the grey list in June 2019 after assessing whether those commitments had been fulfilled and if they were effective in the fight against money laundering.

The Paris-basedFinancial Action Task Force (FATF)failed Pakistan on 22 out of its 27 parameters, cautioning that blacklisting could follow in February 2020 if Islamabad fails to curb the flow of funds to terrorist groups.

"The FATF again expresses serious concerns with the overall lack of progress by Pakistan to address its TF (terrorist financing) risks, including remaining deficiencies in demonstrating a sufficient understanding of Pakistan's transnational TF risks, and more broadly, Pakistan's failure to complete its action plan in line with the agreed timelines and in light of the TF risks emanating from the jurisdiction," the 36-member grouping said in a statement.

The FATF is currently headed by China's Xiangmin Liu, who warned that "if by February 2020, Pakistan doesn't make significant progress, it will be put on the black list," an ANI report said. China is seen as Pakistan's all-weather friend and has previously bailed Islamabad out when pressure has mounted on it at various international forums.

Foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said the Pakistan government will achieve all targets sets by FAFT before the deadline. If blacklisted, it would join Iran and North Korea.

Though the move does not amount to international sanctions, countries will be wary of investing in Pakistan knowing that it is not a jurisdiction seen as compliant with FATF rules.

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FATF keeps Panama and Bahamas on the grey list and adds Iceland - International Investment

NASSAU, BAHAMAS -The Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC) said yesterday that it is working on innovative renewable energy solutions to repower East Grand Bahama having safely restored power to 90 per cent of customers following the passing of Hurricane Dorian in early September.

The GBPC said in a statement yesterday, With 80 linemen from GBPC, Tampa Electric our Emera affiliate and a compliment of local and off island contractors the first wave of customers was restored less than a week following the passing of Hurricane Dorian.

It added, GBPCs tested and tried emergency storm response plan allows the company to be prepared for events such as this. While the northern and eastern ends of the island sustained unprecedented flooding and damages as a result of Hurricane Dorian, GBPC was able to focus restoration efforts on areas that were not as adversely impacted and quickly yield results.

Our emergency response plan and drill allowed us to be one step ahead of the storm, explains Nikita Mullings, Director of Customer Operations. Our teams worked to ensure that inventory levels were stocked and 30+ staff rode out the storm at our generation and T&D locations to ensure that we were able to respond immediately following the passing of the storm.

The power company noted that it was not immune to the impacts of Hurricane Dorian. The storm flooded the Peel St. Generating plant which accounts for over 40MW of capacity, a number of critical substations and 70 plus vehicles that were submerged. The Energy Team is working relentlessly to bring our generation capacity back to normal levels. As we assess equipment impacted by floodwaters, GBPC has procured supplemental generation assets to ensure that impacts to customers are minimized as a result of the unavailability of the PSP engines.

The company noted that restoration continues, with a significant number of customers still working to remediate their homes and businesses from flood and structural damage. GBPC continues to work with GBPA and the Ministry of Works to safely restore power to customers as their premises are deemed safe to restore. GBPC is also working on innovative renewable energy solutions to repower East Grand Bahama as people there rebuild their homes and lives. GBPCs continued commitment to exceptional customer service has one again shown through in the aftermath of Dorian, the company said.

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Grand Bahama Power working on 'innovative' renewable energy solutions - EyeWitness News

WEBVTT SCHEDULED TO OPEN AUGUST 28. JUST SHORTLY AFTER THE BIG TOURNAMENT BEGINS ON SEPTEMBER 2. THE ROYAL RETURN FOR THE GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS. THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN SHIP SAILED BACK INTO BALTIMORE TONIGHT SIX WEEKS AFTER A FIRE ON BOARD STRAND OF PASSENGERS IN THE BAHAMAS. ROB ROBLIN TOWARD THE REPAIRED SHIP TODAY AND HE IS LIVE AT THE PORT OF BALTIMORE WITH MORE. AS YOU CAN SEE BEHIND ME, THE GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS LOOKS BEAUTIFUL AND YOU LOOK AT IT CLOSE-UP FROM A DISTANCE, YOU WOULD NEVER HAVE KNOWN THERE WAS A FIRE. IT'S GOING TO BE GOING OUT PRETTY SOON IN THE NEXT FEW MINUTES ON A SPECIAL ONE-DAY CRUISE. BY LOOKING, ONE WOULD NEVER KNOW THERE WAS A FIRE ON BOARD THE SHIP. EVERYTHING LOOKS NEW AND SHINY. IT WAS JUST SIX WEEKS AGO WHEN THERE WAS A FIRE ONBOARD ROYAL CARIBBEAN'S GRANDEUR OF THE SEAS. WE DID A LOT OF WORK STARTING ON DECK TWO AND GOING THROUGH FIVE. THAT IS WHERE ALL OF THE DAMAGE FROM THE FIRE OCCURRED. A LOT OF STEEL WAS DAMAGED. AS FOR PUBLIC SPACES, NOT VERY MANY WERE EFFECTED. THE WORK TO REPAIR THE SHIP WAS DONE AT THE GRAND BAHAMA SHIPYARD AND THEY SAY THE SHIP IS READY TO SAIL. THE DIRECT DAMAGES BECAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE THE AREAS OF DAMAGE LIKE WATER, THREE DECKS. IT IS NOT TOO BIG, SO IT IS MORE PERSONALIZED THAN THE BIG SHIPS. TONIGHT, AN EXCLUSIVE ONE NIGHT SALE THAN MOST OF THOSE ON BOARD OUR TRAVEL AGENTS. PEOPLE ARE EXCITED. ROYAL CARIBBEAN HAS THE RUN REPUTATION. THEY DON'T MIND. THEY WILL TAKE CARE OF THEM. IT'S A GOOD CRUISE SHIP. THEY DID AN AMAZING JOB KEEPING THE PEOPLE HAPPY AND SAFE AND THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING. THEY DID HELP TO BOOST PEOPLE TRAVELING IN CRUISING. TOMORROW, THE SHIP RESUMES ITS REGULAR SCHEDULE AS IT SAILS

Royal Caribbean: Grandeur of the Seas to leave Baltimore

Updated: 1:46 PM EDT Oct 23, 2019

It's a changing of the ships in Baltimore's cruise terminal.Royal Caribbean International announced that the Grandeur of the Seas will leave the company's fleet in spring 2021 and join sister brand Pullmantur Cruises.Grandeur of the Seas sails from Baltimore for itineraries in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and New England. After 23 years, its final sailing will be on March 26, 2021.The Enchantment of the Seas will replace the Grandeur in Baltimore for the 2021 season beginning in late April, RCI announced.According to RCI, Enchantment offers amenities that include whirlpools and pools, a Diamond Club and a bungee trampoline.

It's a changing of the ships in Baltimore's cruise terminal.

Royal Caribbean International announced that the Grandeur of the Seas will leave the company's fleet in spring 2021 and join sister brand Pullmantur Cruises.

Grandeur of the Seas sails from Baltimore for itineraries in the Bahamas, the Caribbean, Bermuda, Canada and New England. After 23 years, its final sailing will be on March 26, 2021.

The Enchantment of the Seas will replace the Grandeur in Baltimore for the 2021 season beginning in late April, RCI announced.

According to RCI, Enchantment offers amenities that include whirlpools and pools, a Diamond Club and a bungee trampoline.

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Royal Caribbean: Grandeur of the Seas to leave Baltimore - WBAL TV Baltimore