Monthly Archives: August 2022

A wide-ranging economic development bill thats been floating in legislative limbo for weeks on Beacon Hill includes millions for local projects, tax relief provisions, and one-time tax rebates.

But also buried in the thousands of lines of text is an extension and funding request for a commission tasked with recommending a new Massachusetts seal and motto. The groups mandate is set to expire on Dec. 31, a timeline that offers only four more months to solidify their ideas.

At a Tuesday meeting, Co-Chair Brian Boyles said the group is facing a challenging situation after requesting an extension for good reason.

Theres quite an ample amount of work ahead of us, Boyles said. ... At this point, we are speaking with some legislators, but really I think waiting, as they are, to find out if that economic development bill will be resurrected, and/or if either of these requests needs to be broken out into their own separate requests of the Legislature over the next couple of months.

Lawmakers in both branches approved separate versions of a $4 billion economic development bill earlier this year, sending it to a six-member panel of lawmakers tasked with working out a compromise version. But as the end of formal lawmaking for the 2021-2022 session came and went in July, the bill sat languishing.

The sudden rise of a 1986 tax revenue cap law threw a wrench into lawmakers plans for offering about $1 billion in one-time tax rebates and tax relief in the bill. And since the July 31 end of formal sessions, top legislative leaders have struggled to find a compromise and move the legislation forward.

The Seal and Motto Commission was originally tasked with submitting recommendations by Oct. 1, 2021. Lawmakers extended that to July 31, 2022, in a COVID-19 recovery bill signed into law in December 2021. The deadline was extended again to Dec. 31, 2022, in the fiscal year 2022 state budget.

The Senates version of the economic development expanded the commissions life to March 31, 2023, and set aside $100,000 for staffing and administrative expenses. Boyles said the funding request would help facilitate more public input on the seal and motto design and an educational program on the history and meaning of the seal and motto.

At Tuesdays meeting, commission member Micah Whitson asked whether the funding could be used to execute some level of this work from, lets say, an illustration standpoint? Boyles said the money could be used for an initial design.

When weve talked about an [request for proposal], and then how we might respond to anybody who has a good proposal, we knew that we needed money, even for an initial design. Clearly, there may be more funds that are needed to actually finish the job, he said. Theres quite a lot of expenses we could consider, but that funding request was, yes, to do some of the design work in response to an RFP, to do some public input, and do some work on the education side.

As far as progress updates on the economic development bill are concerned, Senate President Karen Spilka said last week that her proposed solutions were all refused. House Speaker Ronald Mariano said the legislation is a long way from being finalized.

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Gov. Charlie Baker said the bill is important for those populations who would benefit from it, most of which are hard-working, low-income populations who could absolutely, positively use the relief for all kinds of reasons.

August is a tough time with respect to the Legislature, he said at an unrelated press conference. They just finished their session on the 31st of July. But there is ongoing conversation between them and us about the tax pieces and about some of the other elements of the eco dev bill that have a certain amount of what I would call urgency.

Theres agreement on the importance of the bill, but little public progress has been made in the weeks since formal sessions have ended for the year. Legislative leaders have expressed an appetite to move some parts forward during informal sessions, where any one lawmaker can object to proceedings.

In the meantime, the commission set out a rough timeline for work that can be accomplished through the end of the year.

Slides presented at the Tuesday meeting show the commission confirming their recommendations, symbols and elements for a new design, and a proposed education program in December, while a meeting in September could see members decide whether human figures should be among possible symbols.

This is, I think, the bones of a plan, Boyles said. Last thing I would say is it does have a Dec. 31 deadline in mind, just in case. There is an option in there that might cost us money but I tried to put this together in a way that assumes that neither of those requests is acted on. I hope that we get better news than that. But I think its probably smart to look at this scenario, given the short amount of time we currently have.

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An extension request for a group studying a new state seal and motto is stuck in legislative limbo as a Decem - MassLive.com

August 16, 2022 Miami, Florida

This exclusive NFT series will each come with special unique digital and physical mementos as well as digitally paired with personal experiences with both Chesney and Melnick and will be directly offered from their digital wallets to anyone who wishes to participate.

Chesney served as a SEAL team operator and handler for Military Working Dog (MWD) Cairo, the only dog on the team that executed Operation Neptune Spear. This infamous operation resulted in the elimination of Osama Bin Laden and ended an eight-year campaign to capture or terminate the renowned terrorist.

Chesney, who served as both an assaulter and dog handler at NSW DEVGRU (SEAL team six) is also the recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart as well as the author of the best-selling book No Ordinary Dog, published through St. Martins Press.

While this gripping and emotional memoir details Chesneys working relationship with Cairo through multiple deployments, it also memorializes how Cairo saved Chesneys life in more ways than one. Chesney now works to help veterans who have suffered from traumatic brain injury.

Chesney said,

I always knew I wanted to serve, and serving in the SEAL Teams was my lifes goal. I never dreamt Id be lucky enough to become a dog handler in the teams. My dog Cairo was a special animal with a special soul he truly was part of our team just like any other operator.

To be able to continue to tell his story in a variety of ways and help others is the best way I know how to honor his life. While NFTs are new to me, it clearly provides a platform for me to do just that help others and continue Cairos legacy.

Partnering with Chesney is CBS SEAL Team actor Justin Melnick, who has also served his community as a police officer prior to his career in television. On the show, Justin plays the role of Brock, the teams dog handler, alongside his Belgian Malinois named Dita.

Melnick has spent many of his recent years contributing time and personal resources to several veteran causes and has also worked closely with Chesney on different training exercises with their Malinois.

Melnick said,

Playing Brock on SEAL Team has given me an even deeper perspective of our incredible heroes. My admiration for what they do is beyond measure. Theyve given so much to this country, and Im proud to play one of these heroes on TV.

I cant be more excited to launch this NFT series with Will, and look forward to connecting with like-minded people who also want to show their support for our heroes.

Launch details on this exclusive NFT hero series will be forthcoming in September along with the series release date.

RBX is the first open-source decentralized NFT-centric blockchain that enables true peer-to-peer operability for the minting and trading of NFTs with or without the need for a centralized authority.

With an ecosystem that provides a full suite of on-chain tools, RBX reduces common frictions and burdens by providing an environment for anyone and everyone to participate with transparent trustless features all through a core wallet or web wallet by either validating on the network and/or writing a smart contract without the need-to-know code whatsoever. The RBX network is currently in mainnet beta.

Website | Discord | Twitter | Instagram | Github

For more information on Chesney and Melnick, visit the links below.

Instagram @willcheeeseand @noordinarydogbook

Instagram @justinmelnickand @ditathehairmissle

Chelsea Oliver, Optimist Consulting

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Former Navy SEAL and Author Willard Chesney Joins CBS SEAL Team Actor Justin Melnick With NFT Collection Re... - The Daily Hodl

If youre unsure what your Bank Holiday weekend looks like, we have some inspiration for your plans.

To take the guessing work out of whats happening in and around Chester, weve put together a list of some of theeventsand activities to keep you occupied.

You can also take a look at Chester Standards Local Events listings to stay in the loop.

Heres a round up of some of the events happening near Chester between Friday, August 26 and Bank Holiday Monday on August 29.

Summer Maze at Bolesworth

Date: August 20 September 4

Location: Bolesworth Castle, Tattenhall, Cheshire, CH3 9HQ

If youre up for a challenge this bank holiday, navigating yourself through the maze could be the ideal activity for you.

Youll also be able to pick your own sunflowers, taking home a souvenir from your Bolesworth Castle trip.

Find out more about the event via the Visit Cheshire website.

Tatton Park

Date: July 26 - August 26

Location: Tatton Park, Knutsford, WA16 6SG

Enjoy activities on the farm with the family including milking demos, sheep racing, storytelling and more.

If this sounds like the perfect way to spend part of the bank holiday weekend, you can go to the Visit Cheshire website to find out more.

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Chester Zoo

Location:Moston Road, Upton, Chester, CH2 1EU

This bank holiday, you can spend a day at Chester Zoo with your loved ones.

To book tickets for your day out, you can visit the Chester Zoo website.

Chester FC vs Fylde

Date: August 27

Location: Deva Stadium, Bumper's Lane, Sealand Industrial Estate, Chester, CH1 4LT

Football fans can head to Deva Stadium to cheer Chester on as they take on Fylde at 3pm.

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August Bank Holiday 2022: 4 things to do near Chester | Chester and District Standard - Chester and District Standard

During a recent interview with The Sun, Taylor Kitsch explained the one particular element thatcaught him off-guard while preparing for the role of Ben Edwards on "The Terminal List." Kitsch said that he thought he was ready and adequate when it came to tactical gun training, but with "The Terminal List," it was different. "It's funny, I thought I was like really good with gun work, like really, and then I had to do a shotgun in this, and I was just terrible," he admitted. Pratt would come to his support, saying that he wasn't bad at all, although they would both agree that at the beginning, Kitsch struggled a little. Kitsch said he was given a shotgun with empty shells at his house to work on "combat loading" the gun over and over, and was caught off-guard by the difficulty after coming into "The Terminal List" a little cocky about it all.

It wouldn't be surprising that Kitsch would come in cocky, however, as he has been part of multiple projects in the past that have required gun training. Whether it was "American Assassin," "Lone Survivor," "Battleship," "True Detective," or "21 Bridges," Kitsch has certainly had to learn gun work before (via IMDb). Kitsch explained during a 2019 interview for "21 Bridges" that he had also never grown up around guns, but after "Lone Survivor," he was trained by the best and feels comfortable around dangerous weapons (via Associated Press).

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The Real Reason Taylor Kitsch Was Caught Off-Guard When Preparing For The Terminal List - Looper

Built in the UKs Dumbarton Shipyard in 1940s, a paddle steamer PS Bhopal is likely to make a comeback on the Hooghly river soon and is expected to give a fillip to the Kolkata ports heritage tour programme, officials said on Sunday.

The makeover of the 62.6-metre long and 2.4-metre wide vessel is being done in a private yard near the eastern metropolis.

The renovation of the vessel is almost complete and it is expected to sail on the Hooghly river soon, maybe in the next couple of months. Once the steamer starts operation, it will give an impetus to our heritage tour programme as the new-look PS Bhopal will accommodate more heritage enthusiasts than the existing ship, used for such tours, Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, Kolkata Chairman Vinit Kumar told PTI.

The private party involved in renovating and operating the heritage vessel will use it for commercial purposes in lieu of a royalty payment of Rs 50,000 to the port authorities, he said.

The overhaul of the 80-year-old vessel is being executed at a cost of over Rs 3 crore, he said.

PS Bhopal was part of a flotilla of steamers that were brought from the UK during the British period and deployed mostly on rivers of the undivided Bengal to pull cargo boats, and many of these vessels are still available in neighbouring Bangladesh, said Goutam Chakraborty, honorary heritage advisor of SMP, Kolkata.

The paddle ship which had two large paddles on either side driven by steam engines, had sailed on the Hooghly river for years before it was turned into a training ship, he said.

In a bid to restore the historic value of the ship, the authorities of the riverine port decided to keep the paddle and old machines as artefacts in the renovated vessel but steam engines will no longer be used, Chakraborty said.

The operator has modernised the steamer and retained the heritage features of it. There will be a small museum in it, encompassing the history of the ship and this will also be ready soon. The vessel will be provided to us for 3-4 days a month for conducting the heritage tour, Kumar said.

Apart from the museum, the renovated ship will have a dining space, an auditorium and a special gallery for port-related artefacts, Chakraborty said.

The Kolkata Port Trust, rechristened as the Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port, had in 2020 deferred the plan to bring back the heritage paddle ship due to Covid-19.

Kolkata port among the major ports in the country was the pioneer of introducing heritage tour programme in 2018 and has conducted around 28 such trips, Chakraborty claimed.

The port authorities have been using Sea Land for the heritage trips but this ship can accommodate 25-30 people for each tour and has some inadequacies such as movement of vessel during high tide. So we have some restrictions and have been planning these tours keeping the weather condition in mind.

But the PS Bhopal, the only one of its kind in India, will not only allow us to accommodate over 100 people but also give the authorities more flexibility to plan heritage trips as it is more powerful than the existing one, Chakraborty said.

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Heritage paddle steamer to make a comeback on the Hooghly in new 'Avatar' - The Indian Express

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SAVANNAH, Ga., Aug. 18, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, in partnership with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution deployed a second acoustic monitoring buoy, aptly named CMA CGM Sea Guardian-Savannah, 39 miles off the coast of Savannah, Ga. The first was launched off the coast of Norfolk, Va., last month.The buoys are designed to increase North Atlantic right whale detection efforts along this heavily trafficked route and will thus help protect the critically endangered species.

CMA CGM Sea Guardianto aid in the survival of one of the world's most endangered animalsand preserve marine biodiversity on the U.S. East Coast

Although North Atlantic right whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act, serious threats to their survival abound with only approximately 336 of these great whales remaining on the planet. The installment of the buoys aims to aid in right whale's survival and will fill a critical gap in monitoring along the East Coast.

The Norfolk and Savannah locations were chosen for the new systems because the ports are among the busiest in the United States, which often puts ships directly in the path of migrating whales. The Port of Savannah is one of the largest and fastest-growing container terminals in North America and a key strategic partner in the Group's East Coast operations.

CMA CGM and WHOI to develop industry consortium for enhanced protection of marine mammals

In addition to the assembly and deployment of the new buoys to alert mariners of the presence of whales near critical U.S. ports, CMA CGM and WHOI will lead the development of an industry consortium focused on reducing risks to right whales from vessels and supporting the continued operation of the WHOI-developed digital acoustic monitoring buoys. This unique collaboration, started in the United States, aims to have a global impact by significantly improving marine mammal protection.

A Group committed to preserving biodiversity in the U.S. and around the world

These buoy launches reaffirm CMA CGM's commitment to preserve marine biodiversity in the United States and worldwide. On the East Coast of the United States and Canada, CMA CGM requires its vessels to reduce their speed to a maximum of 10 knots in certain areas recognized as breeding grounds for cetaceans. On the West Coast, CMA CGM has voluntarily committed to the "Green Flag" speed-reduction program that was introduced in the sanctuary near the Santa Barbara Islands. Wherever possible, the Group strives to lower its speeds and thus limit the risk of collision in these cetacean-protection sanctuaries.

In addition to speed-reduction programs, the CMA CGM Group is participating in a variety of projects designed to revolutionize marine mammal protection through the development of innovative technology. Examples include:

The CMA CGM Group, as part of its sustainability commitment, no longer carries plastic waste on board any of its ships, since June 2022. Through its partnership with WHOI and others, the CMA CGM Group continues to make conserving biodiversity one of the top priorities of its CSR policy and to develop trade that is more responsible and fairer for everyone and for the planet.

Heather Wood, CMA CGM Head of Sustainability-North America, said, "At CMA CGM, we act for the planet with a focus on advancing decarbonization and increasing biodiversity within the oceans. The launch of our two CMA CGM Sea Guardian buoys is yet another step in the Group's roadmap to preserve the health of the ocean and to slow climate change ensuring that future generations of terrestrial and aquatic species will be able to call the planet home."

Mark Baumgartner, project principal investigator and WHOI marine ecologist, said, "This buoy deployment is a great addition to the network of buoys along the East Coast that strive to protect marine life, including the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. Savannah being a highly trafficked route makes it an important location to use this technology to avoid collisions and to protect the species."

Joanne Caldwell, director of risk management and sustainability for Georgia Port Authority, said, "Protecting our biodiversity in Georgia is paramount to sustaining the natural resources we enjoy. Georgia Ports commends the CMA CGM Group and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for their work to protect critically endangered right whales. Georgia Ports is proud to be a part of the industry consortium that is focused on reducing risk to right whales."

About CMA CGM

Led by Rodolphe Saad, the CMA CGM Group, a global player in sea, land, air and logistics solutions, serves more than 420 ports around the world across 5 continents, with a fleet of 580 vessels. The Group transported 22million TEU containers (twenty-foot equivalent units) in 2021. With its subsidiary CEVA Logistics, a global logistics player which transported 474,000 tons of air cargo and more than 21million tons of inland freight, and its air cargo division CMA CGM AIR CARGO, the CMA CGM Group is constantly innovating to provide customers a comprehensive and increasingly efficient offering, thanks to new shipping, inland, airfreight and logistics solutions.

Firmly committed to the energy transition in shipping and a pioneer in its use of alternative fuels, the CMA CGM Group has set a Net Zero-Carbon target for 2050.

Each year, via the CMA CGM Foundation, the Group supports thousands of children as part of its efforts to promote education for all and equal opportunities. The CMA CGM Foundation also intervenes in humanitarian crises requiring an emergency response by calling on the Group's shipping and logistics expertise to deliver humanitarian supplies around the world.

Present in 160 countries through its network of more than 400 offices and 750 warehouses, the Group employs 150,000 people worldwide, including 2,900 in Marseille where its head office is located.In the United States, CMA CGM, which is headquartered in Norfolk, Va., employs more than 22,000 people. Its subsidiary, American President Lines (APL), operates a fleet of U.S.-flagged vessels and supports U.S. territories and American military stationed around the world.

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Follow the CMA CGM Group on:

https://twitter.com/cmacgmhttps://www.linkedin.com/company/cma-cgmhttps://www.facebook.com/cmacgmhttp://instagram.com/cmacgm/https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAMAVVaqikbzeE3znzw6lVQ

About Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is a private, non-profit organization on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, dedicated to marine research, engineering, and higher education. Established in 1930, its mission is to understand the ocean and its interactions with the Earth as a whole, and to communicate an understanding of the ocean's role in the changing global environment. WHOI's pioneering discoveries stem from an ideal combination of science and engineeringone that has made it one of the most trusted and technically advanced leaders in fundamental and applied ocean research and exploration anywhere. WHOI is known for its multidisciplinary approach, superior ship operations, and unparalleled deep-sea robotics capabilities. We play a leading role in ocean observation and operate the most extensive suite of ocean data-gathering platforms in the world. Top scientists, engineers, and students collaborate on more than 800 concurrent projects worldwideboth above and below the wavespushing the boundaries of knowledge to inform people and policies for a healthier planet. Learn more at whoi.edu.

SOURCE CMA CGM

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CMA CGM Group and WHOI launch acoustic monitoring buoy off the coast of Savannah, Ga., to increase whale monitoring efforts - PR Newswire