Monthly Archives: March 2021

March 30 would have marked the 29th birthday of the late Aaron Massengill, an apparent murder victim whose lifeless body was found in February along Ferguson Ridge Road in Tazewell. His Mom, Sharon Massengill, is asking that his birth date be celebrated with random acts of kindness in memory of all her son stood for and gave during his short life.

Following is a message Sharon Massengill posted on the Searching for Justice for Aaron Massengill Facebook page explaining the request in full:

Attention: Call to Action for Aarons Army

First I would like to ask for your patience in reading this post. I realize I have been MIA on here, to say this has been a difficult time would be the biggest understatement known to mankind. Once again I must say thank you to everyone for the continued support. Family, friends, community and this group have been a light to us in our darkest hours. So please forgive me if I ramble a bit, I will try to be concise with this post.

We have all had a shock with the preliminary hearing and I think its fair to say, we are shocked by the actions and inactions of people. However, that is not what I want to focus on, so please refrain from posting anything regarding that hearing or the individuals whom testified on this post. These persons have gotten enough attention, quite frankly, Im exhausted with all of it. We still desire justice for Aaron, and we will attempt to stay strong through that process. So all prayers and thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

Not sure if all of you realize but Aarons birthday is March 30th. I catch myself wondering how I will get through that day and how I can summon the strength to endure the pain of not having my son on the day typically reserved to celebrate his birth and life. So once again everyone, I am asking for your help.

Let us , Aarons Army, take the focus off bad people and show this community and all communities, that there are far more GOOD people in this world than bad.

So here is my request: I would like to have a Random Day of Kindness on Aarons birthday (March 30th). It will be a Pay it Forward event. So I ask each and everyone of you to do an act of kindness in remembrance of Aaron, then post your act here. It doesnt have to be anything extravagant; it could be buying someone a cup of coffee, paying for someones meal, calling a friend or family member to tell them you love them, plant a tree or flower, etc. It doesnt matter if you are from this area, these acts can be done anywhere.

Anyone who knew Aaron, knew he would always show up to help. Things he considered just normal acts were unseen because he didnt consider them out of the normal. Whether, he was helping someone broke down on the side of the road, helping work on a house or vehicle, offering to pay the person in front of him remainder of a bill because they were a little shortno one knew these things because to him it was just another day and it was normal. Let us honor that, let us remind everyone there are really good people in this world.

On a personal note, one of the best things about this page was when people shared how they met Aaron. It was heart warming to me and his other family members to read these stories. So this Kindness day will serve many purposes. It will take the focus off negative, honor Aaron, brighten peoples day, and it will comfort us, his family to read what you have done to spread kindness in his memory. Ive heard it said the brightest lights shine in the darknesswe his family are in the dark, please be our and Aarons light. Come on Army, show us how bright we can all shine!!!!!!!

We (Aarons family) will be going to businesses and pre-paying for things and leaving Acts of Kindness cards to be given to the recipients. This is possible because of you all and the generosity you have shown us. We would also like to ask anyone that receives an act of kindness to come here and post as well.

Again, I can never ever express the deep appreciation we have for each of you. I only hope this post makes sense..if not feel free to ask questions and I will do my best to clarify.

Forever Aarons Mom

Sharon

Original post:

Massengill to be remembered with random acts of kindness - Claiborne Progress - Claiborne Progress

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SCOTTSDALE It was expected, but devastating just the same.

Dedniel Nunez will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Gabe Kapler announced Friday. The Rule 5 pick has a UCL sprain that has to be repaired, and San Francisco moved him to the 60-day injured list Thursday. He was having a solid camp and showing stuff that was harnessed enough to give belief that he could stick as a righty bullpen arm the whole season.

Kapler said he has empathy for the person, who hadnt even risen to Double-A with the Mets before getting plucked in the draft, and acknowledged its a blow to the bullpen.

Nunez was throwing the ball so well, Kapler said of the Dominican Republic native, who has an upper-90s fastball and excellent sider. We really started to see him as a key piece of our bullpen this year.

After the surgery, the details of which are still being hammered down, Nunez will be able to rehab with the Giants. He could return next year under the same Rule 5 rules.

There were plenty of injury updates around the Giants now under two weeks before Opening Day:

Buster Posey (hip) could play as early as Sunday. Hell be doing baseball activities Friday, and the Giants want to see how their star catcher comes through.

Alex Wood (a Tuesday ablation procedure for nerves in his lower back) is set to play catch Friday and is feeling better, Kapler said. The Giants will know more and whether he has a chance to be ready the first week of the season after he throws.

He hasnt missed too much time, so he hasnt been down for too long, Kapler said. Theres still a nice foundation there.

Evan Longoria (plantar fasciitis) is building up and should play catch at 75 feet and then 90 feet. He could be playing the field in games by the middle of next week. Hes only been designated hitter thus far.

Brandon Belt (mono, offseason heel surgery) is going to run bases Sunday. Theyd like him to do that two or three times.

Its not out of the question that he would be in a game around the end of next week, Kapler said.

Outfield prospect Hunter Bishophas ankle soreness.

Go here to read the rest:

Giants prospect to have Tommy John; Posey, Wood make progress - KNBR

Governor Kristi Noem has made a decision on one of the most controversial bills to come out of the 2021 legislative session. That decision is to send it back. House Bill 1217 made national headlines because of the impact it would have on transgender athletes in South Dakota. Susan Williams, the founder of theTransformation Advocacy Projectsays, despite the changes Governor Noem is suggesting, the bill is still discriminatory. The bill has been branded as an act to promote fairness in womens sports. In her letter to legislators, Noem says her changes would protect womens sports while also showing empathy to kids struggling with quote what they understand to be their gender identity. She goes on to say showing empathy does not mean a biologically-female-at-birth woman should face an unbalanced playing field.

Another big donation by Billionaire T. Denny Sanford went to Sanford Health. Today the health group announced they are receiving $300 million from the man who started Premier Bank. Back in 2007, it was Sanfords initial gift of $400 million that transformed Sioux Valley Hospital into the Sanford Health System we know today. Now, Gassen says this $300 million gift cements the future of Sanford Health.

The rest is here:

KOTG: Major drug bust in Sioux Falls; Ben Reifel Middle School progress; 50 years of The Town and Country Shopper - KELOLAND.com

Red Wings forward Adam Erne scored a pair of power-play goals in Tuesday's 4-2 win over the Hurricanes. The Detroit News

Detroit On nights like these you, again, can see how the Red Wings are making some progress.

It may not be the huge steps some fans want to see. It's gradual and doesn't come with a long, consistent string of victories.

But its there, proven Tuesday in a 4-2 victory over Carolina.

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With victories over Carolina and defending Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay in the last three games - the Wings earned five of a possible eight points against the two powerhouses - the Wings showed progress against the elite of theNHL.

"They're obviously two of the best teams in the league," coach Jeff Blashill said. "That played out last year and it'll play out this year, so to get five points is a good step for us as a hockey team.

"Tonight was one of our better games of the season. We played fast, hard, and managed the puck pretty well. We weren't without mistakes, but we created a lot of chances and we played the way real hockey teams have to play. It was a good step."

Furthermore, the Wings are now 2-3-0 against the Hurricanes this season, competitive against one of the NHL's best teams.

So, theres some progress. Playing well enough to compete, and occasionally win, against some of the NHL's best.

Detroit Red Wings left wing Adam Erne (73) celebrates his goal against the Carolina Hurricanes in the first period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Detroit.(Photo: Paul Sancya, AP)

"We felt pretty good about ourselves, the way we played," said Adam Erne, who had two first period power-play goals to ignite the Wings. "That's the way we want to play every night, and hopefully we can continue to do that. It led us to beating some of the better teams in the league."

Erne's had his two goals, and Robby Fabbri, off a brilliant end-to-end dash from Dylan Larkin, scored for the Wings (9-17-4) while Filip Hronek clinched things with an empty net goal with 25 seconds left (Hronek's first goal this season, and first goal in 47 games).

Larkin was a game-time decision to play, but looked more than fine, particularly on that play.

Larkin got a pass from Marc Staal, then gained steam as he roared down the ice, before finding Fabbri near the hashmarks. It was Fabbris sixth goal, at 12:28 of the second period, giving the Wings a 3-2 lead.

"It was a point in the game where it's a huge goal," Blashill said. "It kind of showcased what he (Larkin) is real good at, transporting the puck and he can do a real good job transporting the puck up the ice. It was a big goal at a big moment."

Goaltender Jonathan Bernier made 34 saves for the victory.

Nino Niederreiter (power play) and Sebastian Aho scored for Carolina. The Hurricanes (20-7-1) saw their eight-game win streak come to an end.

Carolina Hurricanes right wing Andrei Svechnikov (37) skates with Detroit Red Wings center Luke Glendening (41) in the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, March 16, 2021, in Detroit.(Photo: Paul Sancya, AP)

When the Wings have had close to a full roster, they've shown they can be a decent hockey team.

Eliminate an 0-6-2 stretch early in the season when the Wings were ravaged with COVID-19, and the Wings have been 9-11-2 with a mainly healthy roster.

"We think we have a chance to win every game," Erne said. "We're playing with confidence and it's a huge thing for us. It's good to come way with one-goal games (victories) and we just need to continue to do that."

Aho tied the game 2-2 at 1:50 of the second period, with his 11th goal. Martin Necas made a nifty stickhandling play just inside the circle, then threaded a pass across the seams to Aho, who one-timed a shot past Bernier from the dot.

Detroit center Robby Fabbri passes the puck away from Carolina right wing Jesper Fast during the first period during a game between the Detroit Red Wings and the Carolina Hurricanes, at Little Caesars Arena, in Detroit, March 16, 2021.(Photo: David Guralnick, Detroit News)

Erne got the Wings going with the first two power-play goal game of his career.

After Carolina had taken a 1-0 lead on Niederreiter's power-play goal, Erne tied it just over a minute later.

Erne got to a rebound near the hashmarks and snapped a shot past Reimer at 3:35, taking some of Carolina's momentum from the early goal.

Then, later midway in the period, Erne snapped the tie with his fifth goal.

Larkin found Erne alone between the hashmarks, and Erne one-timed a shot past Reimer at 12:11, giving the Wings a 2-1 lead.

"Adam has done a real good job this season of taking the opportunities he's had and making the most of them," Blashill said.

ted.kulfan@detroitnews.com

Twitter: @tkulfan

Read the original post:

'We're playing with confidence:' Red Wings show progress in 4-2 victory over Hurricanes - The Detroit News

Casey Mize shows Spring Training progress

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Im going to take the positives and really be happy with the work I put in and know the progression Im making. And then Ive got to look at the negative stuff and try to do the same with that and try to flip the script there.nn**Turnbull out due to COVID protocols** nWhat looked like the countdown to a potential Opening Day start for Spencer Turnbull is now a wait to get the Tigers' right-hander back to pitching again.nnTurnbull was in line to pitch again this weekend, but he is now being held out of the Tigertown complex due to COVID-19 protocols.nnHes not at the facility today, and he wont be here for the coming days due to COVID protocols, Hinch said Friday morning.nnTurnbull is the third Tiger known to have left the facility temporarily due to protocols; reliever Bryan Garcia and Zack Short were out earlier this month. 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Hes just, you know, were adhering to the protocols that are put in front of us, and he cant come to the complex right now.nnHinch didnt specify a timetable for Turnbulls return, saying he wont be in camp for the coming days. Short was out for five days and missed a week of action. Garcias inning of work Tuesday against the Yankees was his first game appearance in 11 days.nnIf Turnbull follows a similar schedule, he should be ready in time for the season. Whether hell be ready for one of the first couple of games is another matter.nnWere not sure yet, Hinch said. Obviously hes not here at the workouts and not doing his 'pens and not pitching in this rotation. So were going to have to navigate that on a day-by-day basis.nn**Welcome back, fans** nThe state of Michigans announcement that sports teams including the Tigers could have up to 20 percent capacity in outdoor stadiums was welcome news for players and coaches who played last season in a virtually empty Comerica Park.nnIm really excited for my team, for the fans in Detroit. They deserve this, Jeimer Candelario said. I will say were going to enjoy the most that we can, and we want to put a really good performance for our fans, for the teams, so they can enjoy it.","type":"markdown","__typename":"Markdown"},"$ROOT_QUERY.getForgeContentBySlug({"locale":"en-us","slug":"casey-mize-shows-spring-training-progress","type":"story"}).parts.13.data":{"html":"

March 19th, 2021

Casey Mize didnt need a scouting report on Blue Jays prospect Josh Palacios before his start Friday. They were teammates and good friends during Mizes freshman year at Auburn, so Mize knew Palacios liked to jump first pitches.

Before I go out there, Im talking to [pitching coach Chris Fetter], Mize said. Im like, Hey, hes an aggressive guy. Hes always been aggressive against me. I want to throw him a first-pitch breaking ball.

At the same, Mize didnt want to fall behind hitters like he has often done this spring. So he threw Palacios a curveball in the zone, hoping hed be looking for a fastball. As Palacios sent Mizes first pitch of the fourth inning 428 feet to right field, complete with a 108.6 mph exit velocity, Mize would be excused if hed cursed his luck.

Hes going to be texting me after the game for sure, which sucks, Mize said. My plan obviously didnt work, but I executed it, which is just frustrating. But it is what it is. If it had to be anybody, I guess, Im glad it was Pilo.

The leadoff homer in the fourth came two innings after 5-foot-8 catcher Alejandro Kirk turned an 0-2 fastball up and out of the zone into an opposite-field home run to right.

This is the conundrum with Mize, the No. 2 prospect on MLB Pipelines just-updated Tigers list, and the former No. 1 Draft picks frustrating Spring Training. After walking three batters in each of his first three starts, Mize pounded the strike zone against an aggressive Blue Jays lineup. He paid for it with three first-pitch hits, accounting for nearly half his eight hits allowed.

As manager A.J. Hinch went to the mound to take the ball with two outs in the fourth inning, four runs in and another in scoring position, he gave the young right-hander some words of encouragement.

I did tell him on the mound: I dont think the results matched the stuff today, Hinch said after the Tigers 8-1 loss. I thought his stuff was really, really good. There were some positive things; steps forward. A couple of bad-ball base hits, both the home run and the last hitter, I think both were balls that he threw that ended up being damage. And quite honestly, I dont think we played good enough defense behind him. We didnt finish plays.

Mizes numbers would have been worse if not for a good example of damage control in the third. After two singles and a walk loaded the bases with nobody out, Mize battled Rowdy Tellez for eight pitches, culminating in a 98.7 mph sinker -- his hardest pitch this spring -- for a sacrifice fly to left. He followed with a first-pitch sinker that Kirk took, then came back with a slider that Kirk grounded for an inning-ending double play.

Mizes numbers for the spring are similar. He has 12 strikeouts in 10 innings, but also 10 walks. He has allowed 11 runs on 12 hits, including four homers in his last two starts, for a 9.90 ERA.

Im going to look at it from two different standpoints, Mize said. Im going to take the positives and really be happy with the work I put in and know the progression Im making. And then Ive got to look at the negative stuff and try to do the same with that and try to flip the script there.

Turnbull out due to COVID protocolsWhat looked like the countdown to a potential Opening Day start for Spencer Turnbull is now a wait to get the Tigers' right-hander back to pitching again.

Turnbull was in line to pitch again this weekend, but he is now being held out of the Tigertown complex due to COVID-19 protocols.

Hes not at the facility today, and he wont be here for the coming days due to COVID protocols, Hinch said Friday morning.

Turnbull is the third Tiger known to have left the facility temporarily due to protocols; reliever Bryan Garcia and Zack Short were out earlier this month. Like Garcia and Short, Hinch cautioned that Turnbulls situation was by no means his fault.

He didnt break a protocol or anything like that, Hinch said. Hes just, you know, were adhering to the protocols that are put in front of us, and he cant come to the complex right now.

Hinch didnt specify a timetable for Turnbulls return, saying he wont be in camp for the coming days. Short was out for five days and missed a week of action. Garcias inning of work Tuesday against the Yankees was his first game appearance in 11 days.

If Turnbull follows a similar schedule, he should be ready in time for the season. Whether hell be ready for one of the first couple of games is another matter.

Were not sure yet, Hinch said. Obviously hes not here at the workouts and not doing his 'pens and not pitching in this rotation. So were going to have to navigate that on a day-by-day basis.

Welcome back, fansThe state of Michigans announcement that sports teams including the Tigers could have up to 20 percent capacity in outdoor stadiums was welcome news for players and coaches who played last season in a virtually empty Comerica Park.

Im really excited for my team, for the fans in Detroit. They deserve this, Jeimer Candelario said. I will say were going to enjoy the most that we can, and we want to put a really good performance for our fans, for the teams, so they can enjoy it.

Hinch said hes thankful the state looked into the situation after originally setting the capacity at 1,000 fans. The Tigers have played Spring Training home games at Joker Marchant Stadium in front of about 2,000 fans, or 20 percent capacity.

Were showing down here that we can play in front of fans and do it safely, Hinch said. Weve got a lot of work to do to ensure that continues, but what a great breath of fresh air for us to know that Tigers fans are going to get to come to the ballpark and enjoy some normalcy as we build back to completely normal hopefully sometime this summer.

Quick hits Reliever Gregory Soto hit or topped 100 mph on at least four pitches in a clean 13-pitch inning Friday, striking out one batter and inducing two groundouts. Hes really incredible, Hinch said. He beats people in the strike zone, and then when he gets ahead, he beats people out of the strike zone.

Hinch said the Tigers have made note of their offensive struggles after recording four hits and 14 strikeouts Friday. Theyve scored two runs or fewer against the opposing starter in each of their past 11 games. It looks like were in between pitches, Hinch said. Our situational hitting has been less than perfect, and were getting beat late in counts that we want to be a little bit better at. I dont know that its a red alarm yet, but its something that we need to obviously address.

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Mize has better 'stuff' than results vs. Jays - MLB.com

Progress Software (PRGS) is expected to deliver a year-over-year decline in earnings on higher revenues when it reports results for the quarter ended February 2021. This widely-known consensus outlook gives a good sense of the company's earnings picture, but how the actual results compare to these estimates is a powerful factor that could impact its near-term stock price.

The earnings report, which is expected to be released on March 25, 2021, might help the stock move higher if these key numbers are better than expectations. On the other hand, if they miss, the stock may move lower.

While the sustainability of the immediate price change and future earnings expectations will mostly depend on management's discussion of business conditions on the earnings call, it's worth handicapping the probability of a positive EPS surprise.

Zacks Consensus Estimate

This business software maker is expected to post quarterly earnings of $0.75 per share in its upcoming report, which represents a year-over-year change of -1.3%.

Revenues are expected to be $121.8 million, up 7.1% from the year-ago quarter.

Estimate Revisions Trend

The consensus EPS estimate for the quarter has remained unchanged over the last 30 days. This is essentially a reflection of how the covering analysts have collectively reassessed their initial estimates over this period.

Investors should keep in mind that the direction of estimate revisions by each of the covering analysts may not always get reflected in the aggregate change.

Price, Consensus and EPS Surprise

Earnings Whisper

Estimate revisions ahead of a company's earnings release offer clues to the business conditions for the period whose results are coming out. This insight is at the core of our proprietary surprise prediction model -- the Zacks Earnings ESP (Expected Surprise Prediction).

The Zacks Earnings ESP compares the Most Accurate Estimate to the Zacks Consensus Estimate for the quarter; the Most Accurate Estimate is a more recent version of the Zacks Consensus EPS estimate. The idea here is that analysts revising their estimates right before an earnings release have the latest information, which could potentially be more accurate than what they and others contributing to the consensus had predicted earlier.

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Thus, a positive or negative Earnings ESP reading theoretically indicates the likely deviation of the actual earnings from the consensus estimate. However, the model's predictive power is significant for positive ESP readings only.

A positive Earnings ESP is a strong predictor of an earnings beat, particularly when combined with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy), 2 (Buy) or 3 (Hold). Our research shows that stocks with this combination produce a positive surprise nearly 70% of the time, and a solid Zacks Rank actually increases the predictive power of Earnings ESP.

Please note that a negative Earnings ESP reading is not indicative of an earnings miss. Our research shows that it is difficult to predict an earnings beat with any degree of confidence for stocks with negative Earnings ESP readings and/or Zacks Rank of 4 (Sell) or 5 (Strong Sell).

How Have the Numbers Shaped Up for Progress Software?

For Progress Software, the Most Accurate Estimate is the same as the Zacks Consensus Estimate, suggesting that there are no recent analyst views which differ from what have been considered to derive the consensus estimate. This has resulted in an Earnings ESP of 0%.

On the other hand, the stock currently carries a Zacks Rank of #3.

So, this combination makes it difficult to conclusively predict that Progress Software will beat the consensus EPS estimate.

Does Earnings Surprise History Hold Any Clue?

While calculating estimates for a company's future earnings, analysts often consider to what extent it has been able to match past consensus estimates. So, it's worth taking a look at the surprise history for gauging its influence on the upcoming number.

For the last reported quarter, it was expected that Progress Software would post earnings of $0.77 per share when it actually produced earnings of $0.91, delivering a surprise of +18.18%.

Over the last four quarters, the company has beaten consensus EPS estimates three times.

Bottom Line

An earnings beat or miss may not be the sole basis for a stock moving higher or lower. Many stocks end up losing ground despite an earnings beat due to other factors that disappoint investors. Similarly, unforeseen catalysts help a number of stocks gain despite an earnings miss.

That said, betting on stocks that are expected to beat earnings expectations does increase the odds of success. This is why it's worth checking a company's Earnings ESP and Zacks Rank ahead of its quarterly release. Make sure to utilize our Earnings ESP Filter to uncover the best stocks to buy or sell before they've reported.

Progress Software doesn't appear a compelling earnings-beat candidate. However, investors should pay attention to other factors too for betting on this stock or staying away from it ahead of its earnings release.

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Progress Software Corporation (PRGS) : Free Stock Analysis Report

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Earnings Preview: Progress Software (PRGS) Q1 Earnings Expected to Decline - Yahoo Finance