Monthly Archives: May 2021

While many gamers have a favorite platform to play on, we dont play games on just one. My TV stand is crowded with many different consoles and we have PC and our mobile apps as well. Xbox is proud to announce that Halo: Infinite will be supporting not just multiplayer cross-play, but cross-progression as well. The game will be released later this year. You will be able to play with friends on either PC or Xbox consoles, but now, your progress will follow you across those platforms.

On Xbox Wire, they said:

We have been working closely with the PC community to ensure that Halo: Infinite offers a premier PC experience, including highly desired features such as support for ultrawide and super ultrawide screens, triple keybinds, a wide variety of advanced graphics options and more. We want to make sure that Halo is serving the PC community. Were also using the cloud to make console gaming accessible on even more PCs. While not meant to replace native PC gaming, Xbox Cloud Gaming allows Xbox Game Pass Ultimate members to play over 100 console games on a wide range of computers, from lower-spec, entry-level machines to older devices that otherwise couldnt handle games that require more power.

The first Halo was released in 2001 called Halo: Combat Evolved. Halo has become one of the largest gaming franchises of all time.

Are you excited about the new cross-progression for Halo: Infinite? Leave us a comment.

Source: Xbox Wire Twitter

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Halo: Infinite Will Get Cross-Progress Between Xbox And PC - LRM Online

As nearly 100 people gathered at Manufacturers Village in East Orange for the unveiling of the citys Black Lives Matter mural Sunday, Malcolm Rolling, the projects lead artist, spoke to the crowd about the magnitude of the moment.

I (want) to talk about the liberation of African people and thats normally my theme, when we talk about why we do art, public art and why we put Black faces up everywhere, Rolling said. This is something special.

The mural, nearly 9,000 square feet in size, made its grand debut just a few days after the conclusion of the trial for Derek Chauvin, a Minnesota police officer who was found guilty on all counts of killing George Floyd, an unarmed Black man. The case has reinvigorated the Black Lives Matter movement. The guilty verdict, although an outlier, was seen as a sign of hope and validation for many in the Black community a rare occasion in which a U.S. police officer had been convicted of killing an unarmed Black man.

Nearly two dozen artists, all professionals, turned an empty parking lot on Glenwood Avenue into their canvas, creating one of the more elaborate depictions of the public arts project that has blossomed nationwide. Each letter, a unique painting in and of itself.

Rolling painted the letter M in the word matters. His design is characterized by a deeply personal display of extravagant cherry blossoms drawn inside.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. The letter 'M; was painted by lead artist Malcolm Rolling April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Really, its an altar for those who have passed, Rolling said. When we hold vigils, we put flowers and candles down to give praise to those who passed (away) and thats what this is. I chose cherry blossoms because its our state flower.

The unveiling ceremony attended by public officials, the citys police chief and other members of the community was jubilant, a celebration of the East Orange arts community and of what many called progress as a society.

I know I was (watching) CNN everyday, watching that trial... East Orange Mayor Ted Green said. Although...we got justice, we still have a long way to go.

But even as the fight for social justice wages on, there is still positivity in predominately Black communities, like East Orange, a sense that change can happen when people come together, many at the event said.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

The only reason why I make things, why I paint things, is to be able to see joy on Black peoples faces, including myself, said muralist, Sunah Nash.

On the local police departments involvement in Sundays festivities, Rolling said it was a good start to mending the relationship between police officers and the Black community, but he said there was more work to be done.

I grew up in East Orange at a time when the police were very integral in the development of the youth, Rolling said. They used to fund programming, fund football programs, boxing, karate...they did a lot of stuff with the policing budget that other cities didnt.

The space for the project was provided by the Hubert-Seabury family, which owns the property at Manufacturers Village. Project artists were compensated for their work through crowdfunding donations.

For more information about the mural and to learn more about the artists, click here.

Manufacturers Village Artists unveil 9,000 Square-Foot Black Lives Matter Mural at Manufacturers Village in East Orange, N.J. April, 25, 2021Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supportingNJ.comwith a voluntary subscription.

Tennyson Donya may be reached at tcoleman@njadvancemedia.com.

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Massive Black Lives Matter mural is a symbol of hope and progress, artists say - NJ.com

When the Cincinnati Reds ended a seven-year playoff drought last season, they relied on the strength of their pitching staff. It carried the teams struggling offense.

Through the first month of the 2021 season, the pitching staff has been much more of a mixed bag.

The Reds have a third-highest ERA (4.73) in the Majors, with a large split between the starting rotation (4.07) and the bullpen (5.57). The rotation rates in the middle of the pack and the bullpen had its notable struggles. The Reds have issued more walks than any team other than the Chicago Cubs, and they rank in the top-10 in strikeouts.

[ Series Wrap: What we learned about the Cincinnati Reds' offense in wins over Dodgers]

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Luis Castillo (58) is visited at the mound by catcher Tucker Barnhart (16) and pitching coach Derek Johnson in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The Diamondbacks led 3-2 after five innings. (Photo: Sam Greene)

The rocky start wasnt a surprise to pitching coach Derek Johnson. In fact, he predicted it. He knew the staff would have to scrap in the first few weeks because of injuries.

I feel kind of like I had a little bit of a crystal ball there because it happened in a lot of ways, Johnson said. Ive seen some good things, some things that I think we can draw from. I think some guys are taking some small steps toward good progress. Obviously, we have taken a couple of lumps too, which I thought was going to happen and it did.

Were probably about exactly where we should be, maybe exactly where I thought we would be. Again, still hopeful for what we have yet to come.

The Reds were down two starters at the beginning of the season, Sonny Gray and Michael Lorenzen, and had three relievers who barely had enough time to make the Opening Day roster after injuries (Tejay Antone, Lucas Sims and Amir Garrett).

[ How Sonny Gray predicted his impressive start before Reds loss to Dodgers]

Then the club had a lot of pitchers in new roles. Trevor Bauer and Anthony DeSclafani were gone, so it meant Jeff Hoffman needed to step up in the rotation. Closer Raisel Iglesias and reliever Archie Bradley were jettisoned to lower player payroll in the offseason, so it meant more inexperienced arms in the bullpen.

So, what does Johnsons crystal ball look like for the rest of the season?

This is going to be one of those years where theres going to be sort of a constant feel, he said. Were going to be working with guys as hard as we possibly can pretty much every day. Not that you dont do that during a normal season, but I do think that you end up getting guys right and you sort of leave them alone for a while, let them kind of do their thing.

This one feels to me a little bit like the boy clogging the holes in the dam. There is just going to be anotherhole in the dam that were going to have to plug.

Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Jeff Hoffman (23) is visited at the mound by pitching coach Derek Johnson and catcher Tyler Stephenson in the third inning of the MLB Interleague game between the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Friday, April 16, 2021. The Reds led 7-1 after the third inning. (Photo: Sam Greene)

Johnson likes the potential of the staff. Its just a lot of pitchers who are a work-in-progress. Hoffman frequently talks about the incremental changes hes making with Johnson between his starts. Jos De Len racks up strikeouts, but hes been inconsistent. Lefty Cionel Prez, who was sent down to the alternate site last week, has an electric arm, but hes walked too many batters.

Theyre working at it, Johnson said. I think theyre open for anything that can help them be better. I just think its going to be a process and its going to take a while.

Some of the drills that Hoffman does in his bullpen sessions includepitching without a glove. Sometimes, he will hold a baseball in each hand. Its designed to help him synchronize his delivery.

Lucas Sims was throwing a pitch in a side session Monday where Johnson stood in front of him until ducking out of the way at the last second.

There are other things that I have done for a long time and I do feel like they work and they're a little bit out there, Johnson said. I can't name any of those off the top of my head simply because I've been doing this for a long time and I've got a lot of weird drills.

Its a different team and a different type of staff from last year. There might be some growing pains, but some guys have seen progress throughout the first month. Tyler Mahle and Wade Miley have been key to the teams success. Tejay Antone looks like a star and Sims has been excellent.

The key will be developing pitchersthroughout the season, even if it involvesweird drills.

Jeff happens to be a kid who likes it, who needs it, Johnson said. It helps him understand maybe a little bit better and helps him feel it a little bit faster. If we can do that just a little bit faster, get that pitcher there a little bit faster, then I'll stand on my head in front of them if I have to. That's just the way it's got to be.

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Derek Johnson on the Cincinnati Reds' pitching staff: 'It's going to be a process' - The Cincinnati Enquirer