Monthly Archives: January 2020

ASHTABULA TOWNSHIP A woman returned home for a lunch break Thursday to find strangers in her house eating.

Mackenzie Green, 32, and Daniel Skee Ball Anderson, both of Ashtabula, were charged with burglary, court records state. Anderson, who was arrested on an outstanding warrant, was arraigned Thursday in Ashtabula Municipal Court and Green is due in court for arraignment Thursday.

The homeowner, 74, came to her home in the 3900 block of State Road from work for a lunch break when she found a bald-headed male and two girls, eating in her house, the report states. A window next to her door was busted out so that the door could be unlocked, the report states.

Anderson ran from the residence and the homeowner, fearful, drove around the block and called for help, the report states.

Green was found by the homeowner hiding in an upstairs closet crying and clutching some of Andersons clothing. A deputy found Anderson across the street at his friends home where he was arrested on a warrant, the report states. The third woman, known only as Erica, was not located.

The homeowner did not report finding anything missing from her residence.

Originally posted here:

Lunch break reveals a burglary in progress | Local News - The Star Beacon

January 16, 2020, 10:13 AM

5 min read

While the Affordable Care Act ushered in huge improvements in access to health care for black and Hispanic adults in the United States, that progress appears to have stalled, according to new research.

Between 2013 and 2016, the uninsured rate dropped from 24.4% to 13.7% among black adults, and from 40.2% to 25.5% among Hispanic adults, according to a report published Thursday by the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research foundation. Uninsured white Americans dropped from 14.5% to 8.2% during the same period.

Those gains narrowed the gap in insurance coverage between Americans of color and white Americans until 2016. Beginning that year, that progress came to a halt, with the gap increasing slightly for blacks and only decreasing slightly for Hispanics by 2018.

Uninsured rate among adults

The study examined federal survey data between 2013 and 2018 from adults ages 18 to 64, to determine how the ACA affected racial and ethnic disparities in health care.

"Historically, black and Hispanics in the U.S. have been far less likely to have health insurance," said Sara Collins, vice president of health care coverage and access at the Commonwealth Fund. She pointed to the changes in insurance rates since the ACA went into effect, which made it easier for people, especially low-income Americans, to get health care.

While disparities between black and white adults decreased, there's been "no improvement in this gap since 2016," she stressed.

That turning point can be linked to in part to congressional inaction, according to the researchers. Since 2010, there's been no federal legislation to enhance the health care law and myriad efforts to dismantle it. Weakening efforts include repealing the individual mandate penalty for having health care coverage and loosening restrictions on plans that don't comply with ACA guidelines.

In this June 26, 2018, file photo, demonstrators hold signs as Democratic leaders speak with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC.

In addition to examining the rate of uninsured adults, a key measure of health care access, the researchers also looked at Americans who went without health care because of cost during the previous year, as well as whether or not survey respondents said they had a regular health care provider.

In both cases, the researchers found improvements in the years after the ACA was implemented. Fewer adults in every racial group reported avoiding health care because of high costs between 2013 and 2018, and more adults reported having a regular health care provider during the same time frame. Similar to insurance rates, however, adults reporting consistent provider care tapered off after 2016, and by 2018 had decreased slightly.

One key driver of what Collins called "historic improvements" in health care access was Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act. But while all states had the option to expand the program, many have chosen not to do so.

In states that did expand, black and Hispanic Americans benefited the most of any racial group, the report found. In turn, in states that did not expand their Medicaid programs, those groups suffered more from the decision. Expanded Medicaid isn't available to "nearly half of black adults and more than a third of Hispanics," who disproportionately live in non-expansion states, according to the report.

"This means that the failure to expand Medicaid in the remaining 15 states has a larger impact on black and Hispanic populations," said Jesse Baumgartner, a research associate at the Commonwealth Fund.

Read the original here:

Progress stalled on closing health insurance gap between races - ABC News

Earlier this week, Showtime announced the renewal of The L Word: Generation Q and Work in Progress, both of which will return to the network for their second seasons.

The L Word: Generation Q serves as the sequel series to The L Word, which aired on Showtime from 2004 to 2009. The original focused on the lives of a group of friends living in West Hollywood. Not only that, but the show introduced television to an all-lesbian ensemble cast for the first time.

The sequel series takes place a decade after The L Word and introduces a new, younger set of characters, along with some of the main cast from the original series. A large part of the series showcases how the two generations come together to share their experiences of love, work, success, loss and joy.

Work in Progress focuses on Abby, a middle-aged lesbian who originally planned on taking her life before getting into an unexpected relationship with Chris, a transgender man. Like Generation Q, the show focuses on different generations seen in the LGBTQ+ community and how they communicate with each other.

The renewal of Generation Q and Work in Progress is definitely a win for the LGBTQ+ community. Not only that, but there are more LGBTQ+ characters on television now more than ever.

According to GLAADs Where We Are on TV report, 10.2% of series regulars on television were LGBTQ+ identifying, jumping from 8.8% in the previous TV season. GLAAD reports these statistics as the most LGBTQ+ characterization found since they began tracking it 24 years ago. There has also been an increase of LGBTQ+ people of color shown on television, where they outnumber white LGBTQ+ people, 52% to 48%.

LGBTQ+ representation in the media is the most important it has ever been. Shows like Orange is the New Black, Pose, Killing Eve, One Day At a Time, and more can help represent those who may be struggling with their identity. By seeing characters portray what they may be going through, it gives those viewers a sense of comfort. Not only that, but these shows may also help the viewers become confident enough to be their true selves.

See the original post:

Showtime Renews 'The L Word: Generation Q' and 'Work in Progress' - Grit Daily

If you can resist the urge to sleep in Saturday, you can look to the east.

To watch SpaceX blow stuff up.

SpaceX will test its Crew Dragons abort system, which must be proven to protect astronauts in case of launch failure before it can start transporting them to the International Space Station later this year.

During a four-hour launch window that opens at 8 a.m. Saturday, the anticipated launch time at Launch Complex 39A at Kennedy Space Center, NASA and SpaceX will intentionally cause a problem with the Crew Dragon within 90 seconds of the launch. Should it go as planned, it will trigger the craft to perform a launch escape, using thrusters to send the capsule away from the rocket and land in the Atlantic Ocean using parachutes. Its goal: to test the spacecrafts emergency escape system.

This test will likely destroy the previously-used launch rocket, breaking apart during descent, but like eggs must be broken to make an omelette, the test must be completed to receive the NASA go-ahead to eventually launch astronauts. Thus far, SpaceX has launched the Crew Dragon to the International Space Station without astronauts, and brought it back via splashdown.

Originally posted here:

SpaceX will cause a problem Saturday - in the name of progress - positivelyosceola.com

Now in its eighth year, Utah intergenerational poverty initiatives have seen progress throughout the state; most recently through county pilot programs. The Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission and Advisory Committee met Thursday, Jan. 9 to discuss these changes and look to the future, according to a statement from Utah Department of Workforce Services.

Im thrilled about the incredible progress taking place in our pilot counties, said Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox, chair of the Intergenerational Welfare Reform Commission. Our commission is anxiously looking forward to these programs continuing to make improvements to the lives of those experiencing intergenerational poverty, and were uplifted by what this could mean for our state as a whole moving forward.

Seven counties across the state, ranging from urban to rural, received a grant two years ago as part of the pilot group to create their own innovative programs to address intergenerational poverty. Two of these counties reported on their success in the Jan. 9 meeting. These programs were each created to meet the unique needs of individuals in their communities, officials said. They range from coordinating and centralizing resources from partner organizations to providing pathways to education after individuals interact with the criminal justice system. After experiencing success with these programs, many of the counties are dedicated to continuing their efforts despite the end of their grant.

Additionally, research efforts will be expanded to better understand and address intergenerational poverty through the work of numerous state research partners. The 2019 annual report revealed that the number of individuals experiencing intergenerational poverty has decreased since the initiative began by providing the first progress analysis of the initial research cohort from 2012. The report also highlights success in closing the graduation gap with 74% of students experiencing intergenerational poverty graduating in 2018 and an increase in child readiness for kindergarten through preschool programs.

The momentum and collaboration were seeing right now in Utah around intergenerational poverty is critically important for the lives of children and families whose reality this is, said Tracy Gruber, senior advisor to the commission. The more counties and leaders that come together and the more insight we gather through expanded research efforts, the greater the impact this initiative will continue to have on the lives of Utahns.

For more information on the initiative, visit intergenerationalpoverty.utah.gov.

Related

Go here to see the original:

Utah making progress in fight against intergenerational poverty - The Times-Independent

Military leaders have incentive to lie on Afghanistan progress - special IG John Sopko, the special inspector general on reconstruction in Afghanistan, said commanders in Afghanistan have a 'disincentive' to tell the truth about the progress they're making in the country, thwarting efforts there. He also called the Afghanistan military and police a "hopeless nightmare." (U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee)

The sunny outlooks reported by senior leaders in Afghanistan over the last two decades created a vicious cycle, a Defense Department special inspector general told lawmakers on Wednesday, because each successive rotation of troops was expected to produce results.

In an exchange with the chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction John Sopko explained his response to allegations in the Washington Posts Afghanistan Papers report.

The problem is, theres a disincentive, really, to tell the truth, said John Sopko, special inspector general for Afghanistan reconstruction. We have created an incentive to almost require people to lie.

Its an issue of mendacity and hubris, he added, which snowballed into years of continued deployments and aid to Afghanistan, without an exit strategy.

There was a disconnect, almost from my first trip over there, between what [the United States Agency for International Development], State and DoD said was going on, and what I saw and what my staff were seeing on the ground, Sopko said.

And yet optimistic reports always found their way to the people in charge of funding the efforts.

Year after year we heard, quote: Were making progress. Year after year we were told, quote: Were turning a corner, committee chairman Rep. Eliot Engel, D-N.Y., said. While presidents and military officials were painting a rosy picture, the reality on the ground was a consistently deepening quagmire with no end in sight.

Get the military's most comprehensive news and information every morning

(please select a country) United States United Kingdom Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Congo, The Democratic Republic of The Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'ivoire Croatia Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guinea Guinea-bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and Mcdonald Islands Holy See (Vatican City State) Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran, Islamic Republic of Iraq Ireland Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federated States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory, Occupied Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand Timor-leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States United States Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Viet Nam Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, U.S. Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe

Subscribe

By giving us your email, you are opting in to the Early Bird Brief.

But deployments only offer a snapshot in time, and while there may be some small steps made during that period, they were never enough to string together major sea change over the long term.

You create from the bottom up, an incentive, because of short timelines youre there for six months, nine months or a year to show success, he said. That gets reported up the chain, and before you know it, the president is talking about a success that doesnt exist.

Simply put, each commander on the ground wanted to justify his efforts.

Im not going to name names but I think everybody has that incentive to give happy talk to show success, Sopko said. Maybe its human nature to do that. I mean most of the lying is lying to ourselves. We want to show success.

One former commander of U.S. forces in Afghanistan is now the chairman of the joint chiefs.

This army and this police force have been very, very effective in combat against the insurgents every single day. And I think thats an important story to be told across the board, then-Lt. Gen. Mark Milley said in a 2013 briefing from Kabul.

When asked whether he ever misrepresented the situation on the ground, Milley told reporters at a briefing in December that he had never deceived anyone.

I could not look myself in the mirror,"he said. I couldnt answer myself at two to three in the morning when my eyes pop open and see the dead roll in front of my eyes.

Despite conclusions across the board that the Afghanistan situation would not be solved by the military, Engel said, President Trump in 2017 surged troops to the country.

Though the president shut down peace talks in September, negotiations seemed to rekindle later in the year, as Trump visited Afghanistan over Thanksgiving, and the Zalmay Khalilzad, U.S. envoy for reconciliation in Afghanistan visited Kabul to sit down with leaders in December.

Sopko offered a warning, should all sides finally reach an agreement.

In light of the ongoing peace negotiations, Congress should ensure that the administration has an actionable plan for what happens the day after peace is declared, Sopko said.

See more here:

There is a 'disincentive' to tell the truth about progress in Afghanistan, Pentagon official says - Military Times

Progress-Index Staff

FridayJan17,2020at4:17PM

Suspect is charged with second-degree murder in a Jan. 12 shooting death in the City Point area

HOPEWELL Police have made an arrest in connection with the citys second homicide of the year.

Nathaniel Romeo Arrington, 20, of Hopewell, has been charged with second-degree murder and murder and use of a firearm in the commisssion of a felony. Police Lt. Michael Langford said Arrington was arrested without incident Friday by the U.S. Marshals Fugitive Task Force.

Police allege Arrington shot and killed Christopher Shawn Barron, 49, Jan. 12 at a residence on Ramsey Avenue in Hopewells City Point area. Officers found Barron while answering a call for a disturbance in the neighborhood.

He died at the scene.

Arrington is being held without bond at the Riverside Regional Jail in Prince George County.

In a statement announcing the arrest, Police Chief Kamran Afzal said the task force, of which Hopewell is a member, has proven again to be a valuable asset in locating and apprehending fugitives.

Read the original post:

Arrest made in Hopewells second homicide of 2020 - Progress Index

BROWARD (CBSMiami) As we come upon two years since the deadly school shooting in Parkland, the Broward School District has made major progress towards opening a new building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

It was a show and tell Thursday, with school officials giving an inside look at the ongoing construction of the replacement building.

It is one more step we are taking to heal and to move forward from the tragedy of February 14th 2018, said Lori Alhadeff, who lost her daughter Alyssa in the shooting.

The 1200 Building is considered a crime scene. It is being preserved by the Broward State Attorney as evidence to be used in the trial of accused shooter Nikolas Cruz.

RELATED: Renderings Of New Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Building Released

After the trial, the 1200 Building will be torn down and the space will remain empty. MSD students who will occupy the new building have been taught in portable classrooms.

We are looking into creating a water feature as a tranquil reflection near the new building, said Alhadeff.

The new 44,000 square foot, two-story building will house 30 classrooms, cost $18 million and targeted to be completed in August of this year.

We have changed our approach to the design and construction of the building and the safety components of that are taken into construction with advice of consultants, said Superintendent Robert Runcie.

Runcie, who was tight lipped about specific security features, touted an increase in security personnel and equipment.

We have increased the number of video surveillance cameras in the district from 10,000 to 13,000. We have made these cameras available in real time to the sheriffs office, he said.

Read more:

One More Step We Are Taking To Heal: Progress Being Made On Construction Of New MSD Building - CBS Miami

MILL HALL Prior to Thursday nights Keystone Central school board meeting, representatives from the Keystone Central School District and Sugar Valley Rural Charter School reported a positive initial dialogue regarding a charter extension for SVRCS.

In an email sent to media outlets early Thursday morning, a news release stated that there was a Wednesday meeting between the two parties. Although the email was sent from a KCSD address, it stated that it was sent on behalf of KCSD superintendent Jacquelyn Martin and SVRCS CEO Tracie Kennedy.

The news release read: Last evening representatives from SVRCS and KCSD met to discuss revisions to the 20-year-old charter. The conversation between the two has been positive and productive thus far. Further meetings have been scheduled to meet the common goal of charter revisions that could be approved by both the KCSD Board of Directors and SVRCS Board of Trustees.

At last weeks KCSD school board meeting, there was a special voting session that took place following the work session. During the voting session, the board unanimously approved an agreement with SVRCS for talks to proceed in an effort to resolve differences so a new five-year agreement between the schools can be negotiated.

The settlement negotation agreement is broken down into several segments:

Scope The Parties agree that in efforts to potentially avoid litigation in connection with the proceedings, the parties will attempt to negotiate a resolution. To accomplish this, the Parties agree to the several terms and conditions related to attempting to negotiate a resolution.

Settlement discussion process The Parties recognize that they are both public entities that may officially act only through their governing boards, and within the context of an opening meeting. Prior to considering or agreeing to any settlement, each Party has the right to hear from its administration and/or attorneys as to the relevant factual and legal background pertaining to settlement of the Proceedings, for purposes of both legal and expert advice on the advertisement of the potential settlement. Each Party has the right to hold any such discussions confidentially and within executive session(s), and at the exclusion of the other party.

Duration Any Party may give written notice through its Solicitor by mail or email to the other Partys Solicitor that the Agreement is terminated. In the event this Agreement is terminated, the Proceedings shall continue as if no settlement discussions had occurred. Other than the obligation to negotiate through settlement discussions, the Parties obligations under the Agreement shall survive any termination, to include, without limitation, the provisions of paragraphs 2, above.

No waiver or obligation The Parties expressly recognize and agree that entering into this Agreement (a) does not constitute an admission of liability of any wrongdoing by any party or that the Charter Schools renewal application, or the School Districts proposed causes for non-renewal, lack merit (b) is not a waiver of any arguments, claims, positions, or defenses in connection with the Proceeding, except the express waivers and releases otherwise provided for within the Agreement, and (c) does not obligate the Parties to reach a settlement relative to the Proceedings.

Rule of Construction Each party, through its legal counsel, has reviewed and participated in the drafting of the Agreement; and any rule of construction to the effect that ambiguities are construed against the drafting Party shall not apply in the interpretation or construction of the Agreement.

Martin said that she would like see the charter which has not been revised in more than two decades amended to meet present-day budget requirements.

MILL HALL A request to rezone 103 acres of land in Bald Eagle Township is on the agenda prior to next Monday ...

LOCK HAVEN The Clinton County Commissioners have decided to consider keeping local history alive by maintaining ...

MILL HALL At Thursday nights Keystone Central school board meeting, the board heard from representatives ...

LOCK HAVEN A Mill Hall man accused of raping a woman in the early morning hours of Oct. 7, 2019, was held for ...

Continued here:

'Positive' progress in talks on charter renewal | News, Sports, Jobs - Lock Haven Express

Could the Pittsburgh Steelers be a legitimate Super Bowl contender in 2020? If your answer to that question is yes, it should immediately be followed by, as long as Ben Roethlisberger comes back healthy.

The Steelers franchise quarterback is coming off a season-ending elbow injury which ended his 2019 campaign after just 6 quarters. Since Roethlisbergers surgery, news on his progress, or lack thereof, has been minimal.

At his end of the season press conference, Mike Tomlin spoke about the timeline for Roethlisbergers next step in his rehab process in February, and what it was like playing almost a full season without the only franchise quarterback he has known since taking over the head coaching position in 2007.

We live by the clich that the standard is the standard. Incidents like the loss of Ben gives us the opportunity to live that out. I dont know that our mentality changed in terms of what our intentions were. It was an opportunity for us to roll our sleeves up and make that a reality. Tomlin said to media. Our focus was there. Our focus was individually doing what was required to get in and out of stadiums with wins. I didnt spend a lot of time crying about it. I still havent. Maybe I will gain a better perspective as I gain some distance. In the process, there is a certain urgency to respond to the next challenge that doesnt give you a time to wallow in it.

On Wednesday, Steelers Team President Art Rooney II met with local media and discussed Roethlisbergers progress to date, and what he had to say was positive.

This via Mark Kaboly of The Athletic:

While things have been positive in Roethlisbergers physical rehabilitation, and his mental status after having to watch nearly the entire 2019 season, there is a lot left for Roethlisberger to do before fans should get excited for the 2020 season with the same No. 7 under center they have enjoyed watching since 2004.

In fact, there is a reason why Rooney II used the word anxious to describe the way the team is viewing Roethlisbergers return to the field. The hope is Roethlisberger is healed, and moves smoothly through the process of getting himself back into shape as a quarterback in the NFL. But there is always the chance that after all the years of hits, throws and wear and tear on his body that Roethlisberger doesnt return to the same quarterback he was prior to the injury. If that is the case, the Steelers would find themselves in quite a bind heading into the offseason, the new league year and the 2020 NFL Draft.

There are still a lot of hoops which need to be jumped through before the team even knows the status of Roethlisberger, and you better believe the fans echo Rooneys anxiety level when it comes to the future of the team being wrapped around No. 7s overall availability this upcoming season.

Be sure to stay tuned to BTSC for the latest news and notes surrounding the black-and-gold as they embark on yet another lengthy offseason.

See the rest here:

Art Rooney II anxious to see Ben Roethlisbergers progress - Behind the Steel Curtain