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United Facts Of America’s Focus Turns To Disinformation In Health Care And Online – Poynter https://digitalalabamanews.com/united-facts-of-americas-focus-turns-to-disinformation-in-health-care-and-online-poynter/ The three-day United Facts of America: A Festival of Fact-Checking, heads into its final day, Sept. 29, with a full slate of online presentations, headlined by a discussion of disinformation linked to health care. Poynter is presenting the conference with PolitiFact, its Pulitzer Prize-winning enterprise. During the COVID-19 pandemic, debates about whether to get, or skip, vaccines pushed physicians to the forefront and emphasized their critical role in fighting misinformation. (PolitiFact has posted dozens of fact checks related to the pandemic, frequently tapping medical experts to sort facts.) On Sept. 29, American Medical Association President Dr. Jack Resneck will join Kaiser Health News partnerships editor and senior correspondent Mary Agnes Carey to discuss health care disinformation. Resneck, a practicing dermatologist and health care policy expert, joined the American Medical Association board of trustees in 2014 and was its chair from 2018 to 2019. He became association president in June 2022. Beyond debunking health care-related falsehoods, Sept. 29’s conference slate will include two talks on online disinformation. CNN correspondent Donie O’Sullivan and PolitiFact editor-in-chief Angie Drobnic Holan will present “The Real World Of Online Misinformation,” a discussion of how social media platforms, Congress, and the American intelligence community are responding to online disinformation and trolls. O’Sullivan, who covers the intersection of politics and technology, has reported nationally on conspiracy theories’ effect on voter attitudes about the U.S. response to COVID-19 and the 2020 presidential election. He also reported live from the U.S. Capitol during the Jan. 6, 2021, riots. In a second talk, Reuters’ Christina Anagnostopoulos, Agence France-Presse’s Arthur MacMillan and USA Today’s Martina Stewart will form a panel with Alex Mahadevan, director of Poynter’s MediaWise digital literacy project, to discuss how news consumers can examine news critically and better spot disinformation. See the full schedule. Register here. Sept. 28’s highlights included PolitiFact managing editor Katie Sanders’ headlining discussion with PBS NewsHour anchor and managing editor Judy Woodruff about the 2022 midterm elections and related misinformation. When asked how she keeps her composure when reporting about false, sometimes outlandish, information, Woodruff said she relies on a bedrock principle she has kept for five decades in journalism — keeping her opinions to herself and focusing on the facts. “I understand that I have an obligation as the face of the NewsHour to hold it together … and not to get carried away in any direction,” she said, later adding, “I don’t remember a time when it was more important to be focused on the facts and not to let it all make us … emotionally charged by what’s going on.” Sept. 28 also featured a discussion with former Fox News political editor Chris Stirewalt, who called Arizona for Joe Biden during the 2020 election, angering then-incumbent President Donald Trump and drawing backlash from Trump’s supporters. In his UFA discussion, Stirewalt talked about his January 2021 dismissal by Fox News and whether there’s a distinction between “opinion journalism,” which reflects reporters’ viewpoints, and neutral, straight-ahead coverage. “Good opinion journalism is journalism,” he said, citing editorial pages from The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and The Washington Post. “I think that sophisticated consumers know the difference between opinion and reporting, and the shady space where I operate, analysis.” Read More…

Trump's Legal Team Says That Vendors Don't Want To Work With Them For Special-Master Review Because 'seasoned IT Professionals' Can't Handle The Government's 11,000 Files And Strict Deadlines https://digitalalabamanews.com/trumps-legal-team-says-that-vendors-dont-want-to-work-with-them-for-special-master-review-because-seasoned-it-professionals-cant-handle-the-governments-11000-files/ Former President Donald Trump speaks during a “Save America” rally in Anchorage, Alaska, on July 9, 2022.Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Following the Mar-a-Lago raid, Trump asked for (and was granted) a special master to review government docs. In a new filing, his attorneys argued that vendors don’t want to work with them because of the volume of documents. In the filing, they said that “seasoned IT professionals” can’t meet the DOJ’s rigid deadlines. Trump’s legal team in a new filing is arguing that they can’t retain a vendor to digitize the documents to be handed over to a special master for review because there are simply too many files, and too tight of a deadline. The filing was in response to the government’s filing on Tuesday, where the Department of Justice said that the vendors simply refused to be engaged by Trump’s team. But in their filing asking special master Raymond Dearie to consider new, longer deadlines in the digitization and turnover of the documents, Trump’s legal team said it was more complex — and that they needed until mid-October to get the job done. In August, the FBI executed a search warrant at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and retrieved close to 11,000 White House documents that he had taken with him. The Justice Department is looking into whether Trump broke several laws by holding onto White House documents, including classified documents. Trump had denied wrongdoing. Following the raid, Trump’s team sued the DOJ asking for a third party, or special master, to review the documents. Dearie, a retired senior federal judge, was chosen on September 16 and has a deadline of November 30. The first step is to digitize the documents retrieved by the FBI for Dearie, but there are already delays. “The problem is compounded by the fact that when Plaintiff’s counsel referred to either 11,000 pages or even 11,000 documents during the status conference (we are still awaiting the transcript), the Government chose not to interject with an accurate number,” Trump’s counsel wrote. “In conversations between Plaintiff’s counsel and the Government regarding a data vendor, the Government mentioned that the 11,000 documents contain closer to 200,000 pages.” The former president’s legal team said that the number of pages and the timeframe to scan them was too short, claiming that was the uniform reason why all vendors declined to work with Trump. “That estimated volume, with a need to operate under the accelerated timeframes supported by the Government, is the reason why so many of the Government’s selected vendors have declined the potential engagement,” Trump’s lawyers wrote. “In short, seasoned IT professionals who routinely work on large-scale document productions with the Government cannot meet the Government’s proposed schedule.” On Tuesday, the DOJ asked special master Raymond Dearie for an additional day to turn over nonclassified documents in the investigation. Federal prosecutors said they needed until Wednesday because none of the five vendors they suggested to digitize the cache of documents “were willing to be engaged by Plaintiff.” Dearie, so far, has pushed back on several of Trump’s legal team’s claims in the case. Recently, Dearie appointed an aide whom Trump is set to pay $500 an hour and has asked the Trump team to provide proof that the FBI planted evidence during its search of Mar-a-Lago, which Trump has claimed. Read the original article on Business Insider Read More…

Vice President Harris To Visit DMZ After North Korean Missile Tests https://digitalalabamanews.com/vice-president-harris-to-visit-dmz-after-north-korean-missile-tests/ SEOUL, South Korea — U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris is capping her four-day trip to Asia with a stop at the heavily fortified Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula as she tries to demonstrate the U.S. commitment to the security of its Asian allies. The visit on Thursday comes on the heels of North Korea’s latest missile launches and amid fears that it may conduct a nuclear test. Visiting the DMZ has become something of a ritual for American leaders hoping to show their resolve to stand firm against aggression. North Korea fired two short-range ballistic missiles on Wednesday, while Harris was in Japan, and had fired one before she left Washington on Sunday. The launches contribute to a record level of missile testing this year. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, right, arrives at Osan Air Base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, Thursday, Sept. 29, 2022. Jung Yeon-je/Pool Photo via AP Before going to the DMZ, Harris met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol at his office in Seoul and praised the alliance between the countries as a “linchpin of security and prosperity.” Yoon, a conservative who took office in May, called her visit “another turning point” in strengthening ties. Harris and Yoon were expected to discuss the growing North Korean nuclear threats and the U.S. commitments to defend the South. They were also expected to discuss expanding economic and technology partnerships and repairing recently strained ties between Seoul and Tokyo to strengthen their trilateral cooperation with Washington in the region. Harris earlier spent three days in Tokyo, where she denounced North Korea’s “illicit weapons program” during a speech on an American destroyer at a naval base and attended the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. In Washington, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the latest missile tests would not deter Harris from the DMZ and that she wanted to demonstrate America’s “rock-solid commitment” to regional security. “As you know, North Korea has a history of doing these types of tests,” Jean-Pierre said, calling it “not unusual.” Yoon had anchored his campaign with vows to deepen Seoul’s economic and security partnership with Washington to navigate challenges posed by the North Korean threat and address potential supply chain risks caused by the pandemic, the U.S.-China rivalry and Russia’s war on Ukraine. But the alliance has been marked by tension recently. A new law signed by President Joe Biden prevents electric cars built outside of North America from being eligible for U.S. government subsidies, undermining the competitiveness of automakers like Seoul-based Hyundai. South Koreans have reacted with a sense of betrayal, and Harris acknowledged the dispute in a conversation with the country’s prime minister, Han Duck-soo, on Tuesday in Tokyo. “They pledged to continue to consult as the law is implemented,” the White House said of the meeting. Scott Snyder, a senior fellow for Korea studies at the Council on Foreign Relations, said the dispute over electric vehicles has swiftly become a firestorm that U.S. officials cannot ignore, although there may not be a simple solution. “It’s taking on a level of urgency that’s making it into a political problem that requires management,” Snyder said. “I don’t know that it’s going to be easy for the Biden administration to do that.” Ilaria Mazzocco, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said it’s a question of whether the Inflation Reduction Act was intended to create American jobs or move supply chains out of China — “onshoring” versus “friendshoring.” “It’s very tricky for U.S. policymakers. It’s tough to sell to voters that the U.S. is stronger when partner countries are stronger. But that’s the truth,” she said. There could be more tension over gender issues during Harris’ visit to South Korea. Harris, the first woman to serve as U.S. vice president, planned to hold a roundtable with female leaders on gender equity issues. Yoon has faced criticism for the lack of female representation in his government. As they did in Japan, however, regional security issues were likely to dominate the final day of Harris’ trip. There are indications that North Korea may up the ante in its weapons demonstrations soon as it attempts to pressure Washington to accept the idea of the North as a nuclear power. South Korean officials said last week that they detected signs North Korea was preparing to test a ballistic missile system designed to be fired from submarines. The U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan was to train with South Korean and Japanese warships in waters near the Korean Peninsula on Friday in the countries’ first trilateral anti-submarine exercises since 2017 to counter North Korean submarine threats, South Korea’s navy said Thursday. U.S. and South Korean officials also say North Korea is possibly gearing up for its first nuclear test since 2017. That test could come after China holds its Communist Party convention on Oct. 16 but before the United States holds its midterm elections on Nov. 8, according to South Korean lawmakers who attended a closed-door briefing from the National Intelligence Service. The spy agency repeated its earlier assessment, shared by U.S. intelligence, that North Korea had restored an underground tunnel at its nuclear testing facility as part of its preparations. North Korea has used Russia’s war on Ukraine to accelerate its arms development. It has tested dozens of weapons, including its first long-range missiles since 2017, exploiting a divide in the U.N. Security Council, where Moscow and Beijing have blocked Washington’s attempts to tighten sanctions on Pyongyang. Missile tests have been punctuated by repeated threats of nuclear conflict. Pyongyang’s rubber-stamp parliament also authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons in a broad range of scenarios where its leadership comes under threat. South Korea and the United States this year resumed large-scale combined military exercises that had been downsized or suspended under President Donald Trump to support his ultimately fruitless nuclear diplomacy with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Senior U.S. and South Korean officials met in Washington this month for discussions on improving the allies’ deterrence strategies, but some experts said the meeting failed to produce anything new and exposed a lack of ideas on how to deal with the North’s evolving threat. Some South Koreans have expressed interest in the redeployment of U.S. tactical nuclear weapons after their removal from South Korea in the 1990s and even for the country to pursue its own nuclear weapons program. Yoon, during a news conference in August, said his government had no plans to pursue its own deterrent and called for North Korea to return to nuclear diplomacy, which imploded in 2019 over disagreements on exchanging the release of crippling U.S.-led sanctions against the North and the North’s disarmament steps. Associated Press writers Tong-hyung Kim and Hyung-jin Kim contributed to this report. Invalid username/password. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Use the form below to reset your password. When you’ve submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. « Previous Read More…

Climate Migration: Blind And Homeless Amid Somalia’s Drought https://digitalalabamanews.com/climate-migration-blind-and-homeless-amid-somalias-drought/ DOLLOW, Somalia (AP) — Blindness heightens the remaining senses. The thud of a toppling camel is more jarring, the feel of tightening skin more acute, the smell of death thicker after weeks and months and then years without the rain that’s needed to survive. Perhaps, as panic rose with the wind, Mohamed Kheir Issack and Issack Farow Hassan could even taste the coming famine. Issack is 80, Hassan 75. The two men are friends and as close as brothers, gripping each other’s hands in their mutual darkness as tightly as they hold their canes. Near the end of their lives, the most alarming drought in more than half a century in Somalia has stripped them of their animals and homes. The Associated Press first met them crouching together in the dust. They were among hundreds of people who had arrived in this border town in recent days, part of an unwilling migration that has seen more than 1 million hungry Somalis flee. ___ EDITOR’S NOTE: This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting. This story is part of an ongoing series exploring the lives of people around the world who have been forced to move because of rising seas, drought, searing temperatures and other things caused or exacerbated by climate change. ___ Somalia has long known droughts, but the climate shocks are now coming more frequently, leaving less room to recover and prepare for the next. Pastoralists and farmers who have known for generations where to take cattle, goats and camels when the usual water sources run dry have been horrified by this drought that has seen four straight rainy seasons fail. “Droughts before were not like this. We were able to withstand them,” Issack said. When rain does fall, more unpredictably now, hotter temperatures mean it evaporates faster, leaving meager amounts for farming or drinking. East Africa is the world’s hardest-hit drought region, according to the U.N.’s desertification agency. Experts say forecasts indicate that the fifth rainy season now underway will fail, too, and even the sixth one set for early next year. With that, Somalia will be in uncharted lands beyond the memories of even Issack, Hassan and their age-mates. The two men had always lived in their southern community of Ufurow, about 300 kilometers (186 miles) away, and had never moved from it until now. Somalia is now said to have the world’s fastest urbanization rate as so many people like them emerge from rural areas and cluster around potential sources of aid. “They know before we do that their way of life is over,” U.N. humanitarian chief Martin Griffiths has said. Here outside the southern town of Dollow, Issack and Hassan waited patiently in the late afternoon light, a wall of children and slender mothers behind them. Long strings of prayer beads were around their necks, a battered mobile phone in a pocket. On the edge of the rapidly growing camp for displaced people, an official was drawing lines in the dust. He was marking squares, a hopscotch of future homes for the waiting families. What they would build on the spaces little bigger than a king-sized bed, and where they would find the materials, would be their problem. For Issack, Hassan and the rest, the huts would be better than sleeping under the stars, with thorn bushes giving no protection from the mosquitoes and grit flung by the wind. Families hurried in the last hour before sunset to occupy their squares, digging with twigs to make holes for poles of stripped branches. Twenty-four hours later, their section of the camp looked like any other, with plastic sheeting and fabric, even strips of mosquito nets and clothing, stretched around the branches. Issack lived in one hut built by his wife, Hassan in another built by his sister. As fragile as their new existence was, Hassan pounded the dust with his metal cane when asked if they could ever go home again. Absolutely not. That’s in part because their area of Somalia is controlled by an extremist group, al-Shabab, which other people who fled described as having little pity as crops withered and livestock died by the millions. The extremists, affiliated with al-Qaida, continued to heavily tax residents by asking up to half of their harvest, even as people began to starve. Because al-Shabab makes it almost impossible to reach areas under their control with humanitarian assistance, their presence has played an especially deadly role in droughts. An estimated quarter-million people died in the famine declared in Somalia in 2011, many because al-Shabab wouldn’t allow most aid in or, often, suffering people out. This time, those arriving told the AP that the extremists are allowing some of the mothers, children and elderly who have lost everything to flee. The fighters stopped and checked the small vehicle carrying Issack and Hassan from Ufurow, then let them pass for their three-day journey here. “They didn’t want us,” Issack said. The men know that as blind and elderly they are among the most vulnerable, used to being left behind even in normal times. While the camp growing around them is roughly organized around the communities that people fled, and Ufurow residents remain their neighbors, the frame of reference has shattered. “The problem is, we can’t see who’s here from home or how many of them,” Issack said. It will take time to build a mental map of their surroundings, of whose child wanders by, wailing, or who might be coughing in the hut a few meters away. “We don’t know what’s happening around us,” he said, an extreme of the sentiment the thousands of displaced people in this town are feeling, too. Their new neighbors gave the men materials to help build their huts. They had arrived with little but utensils and their clothes. The day before moving in, they managed to find a little food and cooked it. It’s a step forward from just tea, the meal for many as the aid that had been rumored here is delayed or lacking. Everything in this new home is unsettling, even undignified. “We have no toilets,” Hassan said, and described having to go inside the hut while others collected his feces. “Today, at least we have this,” Issack said, sitting on a foam mattress in a living space he could almost span by reaching out both hands. A loaded donkey cart arrived nearby, full of boys, the oldest with the reins. Their mothers walked beside it, carrying babies. As newcomers, they’ll sleep on the ground until they, too, receive a square drawn in the dust. They were among 77 households who arrived at the camp on a single day. The two old men agreed that life and death are in the hands of Allah, and they will die when the time comes. Unlike others in the camp, they are unable to work for themselves. If they want to walk to the registration center to seek help, someone must take them by the hand and guide them. Their families and friends from home have scattered. The drought has made everyone leave. Some went to Baidoa, a grim choice as the city swells with an even larger number of people fleeing nearby areas where the U.N. has warned that famine could occur as early as October. Issack and Hassan’s links to those friends and family facing the worst of Somalia’s drought are frailer than most. Hassan’s phone is at hand, but use of it is limited. “I cannot dial,” he said, frowning slightly at the ground, “but I can answer.” ___ Associated Press climate and environmental coverage receives support from several private foundations. See more about AP’s climate initiative here. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Read More…

Live Updates: Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall In Florida https://digitalalabamanews.com/live-updates-hurricane-ian-makes-landfall-in-florida/ 1 min ago Photo shows damage to theatre in Venice, Florida From CNN’s Elizabeth Wolfe and Amy Simonson Damage to Venice Theater is seen on September 28. (City of Venice, Florida) The city of Venice, Florida, posted a picture of the storm damage to its award-winning Venice Theatre, which has operated since the 1950s, according to the theatre website. The performing arts facility hosts two stages, a 432-seat main venue and a 90-seat theatre. The theatre canceled show performances, rehearsals and classes through Thursday due to the storm, according to its website. 14 min ago “We will hunt you down,” sheriff says to those thinking of looting during storm From CNN’s Amy Simonson Any individual who is thinking of looting a business or residence will be caught by police and sent to jail, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno warned Wednesday night. “The one thing I do have is absolute, and that is a message that’s very clear for any of those individuals that think they’re going to go out there and loot or prey on people during this horrific event: you better think twice,” Marceno said at a news conference. “When I say zero tolerance, zero tolerance means we will hunt you down, track you down and you’re going to jail if you’re lucky,” he said. An incident of someone trying to loot a gas station was reported and police will not tolerate such behavior, the sheriff said. Calls are also coming in for people to rescue them, but officers will not be able to go out until the winds die down to less than 45 mph, Marceno said. “Obviously, there are a lot of challenges that we face. We don’t even know exactly what we face just yet. We know we’ve been hit very hard,” he said. Reports are coming in of damaged buildings as well as vehicles floating to the ocean, but until deputies can get out to assess they are unable to give specific details, he said. “We don’t know exactly what’s out there. There are residents that are desperate for help. Their homes are compromised, businesses are compromised. We have water issues,” he said. Officials are asking residents to stay off the roadways in the meantime, he said. 24 min ago Sarasota first responders will clear emergency routes once winds decrease to under 45 mph From CNN’s Amy Simonson Once winds decrease to under 45 mph, Sarasota County’s Tactical First-In teams will begin clearing emergency routes so that authorized staff can begin conducting damage assessments, the county said in a statement. “We will also be evaluating our county infrastructure, like water and wastewater systems. Please be patient with this process as we do not know how long this will take,” the statement said. Residents are urged to stay off the roadways until local officials say they are clear. Sarasota schools are also closed through Friday and schools will be assessed for any damage, the county said in a separate statement. 33 min ago Charlotte County hopes to start answering emergency calls Thursday morning, official says From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch Emergency crews in Charlotte County are not able to respond to 911 calls due to dangerous storm conditions, the county emergency director told CNN. “Unfortunately our dispatch continues to receive calls – our 911 center – and just like every other county, our emergency response agencies cannot safely operate,” Charlotte County Emergency Management Director Patrick Fuller told CNN’s Anderson’s Cooper Wednesday night. “We are receiving calls about water in homes, other situations, but until the hazards conditions end, they won’t be able to answer those calls,” he added. Overnight damage and storm surge levels are still unclear, but the department hopes to resume emergency services Thursday morning, Fuller said. “We do fear that there is some catastrophic damage out there that we are going to see come morning time and come when the winds abate,” he said, adding, “I hope it did not reach that catastrophic worst-case scenario. I fear, we are preparing for that regardless.” The majority of the county is without power, Fuller said.   36 min ago Hurricane Ian weakens to a Category 1 storm From CNN’s Taylor Ward Hurricane Ian has weakened to a Category 1 hurricane as it moves across central Florida, the National Hurricane Center said late Wednesday. The storm’s sustained winds are down to 90 mph.  Ian is now centered about 70 miles south of Orlando. East-central Florida, including Orlando, is also under a tornado watch through 1 a.m. ET Thursday. Overnight, widespread tropical storm-force winds with gusts above hurricane force will continue to impact central Florida, the hurricane center said.  “Hurricane conditions are expected along the east-central Florida coast overnight through early Thursday,” the hurricane center said. The storm will also bring a continued threat of heavy rain into Thursday. “Widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flooding, with major to record river flooding, will continue across portions of central Florida tonight,” the hurricane center said, also warning of “considerable flooding in northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and eastern South Carolina” through the end of the week. 52 min ago More than a foot of rainfall has been recorded in some areas, preliminary totals show From CNN’s Gene Norman As Hurricane Ian continues to cross the Florida peninsula, some areas are reporting more than a foot of rainfall. Here are some preliminary rainfall totals from Ian, as reported by the National Weather Service in Tampa as of Wednesday night: Lehigh Acres – 14.42” Warm Mineral Springs – 11.05” Ding Darling – 8.71” Frostproof – 8.34” North Port – 8.24” 58 min ago Roof of ICU in hospital housing 160 patients blew off mid-storm, doctor says From CNN’s Jamiel Lynch The roof above an ICU at a hospital in Port Charlotte was torn off by the storm, Dr. Birgit Bodine, an internal medicine specialist at the facility, told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. “Unfortunately, today we had about 160 patients in-house and our roof blew off, part of the roof above the ICU. So, of course, we had torrential rains coming in which then went down the stairwell, which then went onto other floors,” Bodine said. The staff worked together to move patients to a safe place but they can’t evacuate yet because of the conditions outside, the doctor said. Some rooms that are built for two people are now housing three and four patients, she said. “It’s actually pretty terrible. I’m actually still in the hospital. We still have not been able to leave,” she said. They hope to be able to evacuate patients in the morning, she said. While the air conditioner is not working, the hospital is running on backup generators and all other vital systems are working, Bodine said. 1 hr 15 min ago More than 2 million customers are without power across Florida From CNN’s Virginia Langmaid More than 2 million energy customers were in the dark Wednesday night, according to the tracker PowerOutage.us. In the hardest-hit southwestern region, 10 counties reported that more than 50% of tracked customers were without power. Eight more counties in southwest, central and northeast Florida reported more than 10,000 customers had no electricity. 1 hr 2 min ago Fort Myers is almost entirely without power as some remain trapped in their homes, mayor says From CNN’s Amy Simonson Guests look out of hotel windows as Hurricane Ian has made landfall in Fort Myers, Florida, US, on Wednesday, Sept. 28. (Eva Marie Uzcategui/Bloomberg/Getty Images) Approximately 96 percent of Fort Myers is without electricity as thousands occupy the city’s shelters and some residents are unable to evacuate their homes, according to the city’s mayor. The city’s downtown streets were flooded with almost four feet of water Wednesday, with flooding so high that it could be seen covering a fire hydrant, Mayor Kevin Anderson told CNN’s Anderson Cooper. Every business in the core of downtown was impacted, the mayor said. The water level has begun to subside and Anderson urged people to stay indoors. Help will be sent for those still trapped in their homes as soon as it is safe to do so, he said. “They’re going to have to be patient,” the mayor said. “You know, we did evacuation orders. They chose not to follow them. This is what comes with it. We will get to them as soon as we can as soon as the winds die down, the water subsides and the roads are cleared.” “There’s no telling what’s in those waters, they are not safe,” he said. The mayor said that if people have a medical emergency they should still call 911, and emergency personnel may be able to provide guidance over the phone. Read More…

Alabama Inmates Strike, Denouncing Prison Conditions https://digitalalabamanews.com/alabama-inmates-strike-denouncing-prison-conditions/ The exact size of the protest, which began on Monday, was not immediately clear. But advocates say thousands of inmates would forgo their usual jobs as cooks and cleaners. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. Elmore Correctional Facility in Elmore, Ala.Credit…Brynn Anderson/Associated Press Sept. 28, 2022Updated 10:55 p.m. ET Thousands of Alabama inmate workers began a labor strike this week to protest poor prison conditions across the state, where facilities are overcrowded, understaffed and notoriously dangerous. The protest, which also calls for broader criminal justice reforms, began on Monday. Diyawn Caldwell, the president of Both Sides of the Wall, an advocacy group, said the organization is coordinating the strike with inmates across the state and predicted that about 80 percent of the roughly 25,000 people in prison would participate in the strike, forgoing their usual jobs as cooks and cleaners. The strike, an uncommon occurrence in prisons, is intended to draw attention to the overcrowding crisis in Alabama prisons that has long shadowed governors and correctional officials. It also threatens to disrupt the prison system as officials take on the work that inmates usually do. Ms. Caldwell’s husband, Cordarius Caldwell, 34, who is incarcerated at Ventress Correctional Facility on a murder offense, said by phone on Tuesday that inmates had received two sack lunches on Monday and Tuesday, rather than the normal three meals. The Alabama corrections system has drawn the scrutiny of the Justice Department, which released a report in 2019 that outlined “severe, systemic” conditions across the state’s prisons that violated constitutional protection from cruel and unusual punishment because they were in danger of being raped or murdered. The report found that major prisons were at 182 percent of capacity, and that prisoners in the Alabama system endured some of the highest rates of homicide and rape in the country. The Alabama Department of Corrections did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Tuesday. The department told The Montgomery Advertiser that officers had deployed “security measures” since the start of the strike, but it did not share more details. John Hamm, the commissioner of the Alabama Department of Corrections, told The Advertiser that “all facilities are operational and there have been no disruption of critical services.” Willie Williams, an inmate at the Staton Correctional Center in Elmore County, Ala., said by phone on Tuesday night that he and dozens of other inmates were tired of the “inhumane” conditions at the prison, which he described as a “filthy place” that was covered by mold and overcrowded. Inmates and activists had been planning the strike since late June, he said, because of a blunt realization: “There is nothing good that comes from” the state corrections department. “There’s no rehabilitation. There’s no compassion.” (Mr. Williams is serving a life sentence for a rape offense, which he said he did not commit.) Ms. Caldwell said the strike would continue until officials met their demands, including improved living conditions and creating a more transparent and streamlined parole process. The prisoners are calling for creating a review board to oversee the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Paroles and repealing the Habitual Felony Offenders Act, a law that results in longer prison sentences. “Alabama fails over and over and over again to address the crisis that’s going on,” Ms. Caldwell said by phone on Tuesday night. Advocates from Alabama Prison Advocacy and Incarcerated Families United and other groups had been scheduling Zoom calls with inmates since late June, asking them to persuade other incarcerated people to participate in the strike, Ms. Caldwell said. The calls were mostly with inmates who had influence among prisoners. “We set a date and, you know, got the message out and got it clear that, ‘Hey, this is what we’re going to do; if you guys want freedom, you know, you have to walk in unison,’” she added. The strike comes a week after photos of an emaciated inmate, Kastellio Vaughan, captured the attention of thousands online. His sister posted the photos on Facebook, writing, “Get Help.” The Alabama Department of Corrections said in a statement on Tuesday that Mr. Vaughan had surgery for an obstructed bowel in August, after a gunshot injury. In September, he was again hospitalized because of complications. The department said he opted to be discharged both times against medical advice and has refused medical treatment or attention since Sept. 7. Lee Merritt, a lawyer who is representing Mr. Vaughan and his relatives, said in a statement on Tuesday that the family was trying to get him transferred to a hospital outside of prison. Mr. Vaughan’s sister, Kassie, wrote on Facebook that if he did refuse medical help, it was because he was in a “delirious state.” Though Mr. Vaughan’s case did not ignite the strike this week, Ms. Caldwell said, it did attract support from hundreds of Alabamians who protested outside the department’s headquarters in Montgomery on Monday. Gov. Kay Ivey’s office did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment on Tuesday. Ms. Ivey and her fellow Republican lawmakers approved a plan last year to build two new prisons to relieve overcrowding. But opponents of her plan, including Ms. Caldwell, say that building more prisons will not address the need for criminal justice reforms like those happening in other states and at the federal level. “Alabama can’t build themselves out of the crisis that’s going on in the prison system,” Ms. Caldwell said. She added: “We are not saying that we’re trying to let every murderer or rapist or even serial killer out of prison. We’re asking to give these people a fighting chance.” Mr. Caldwell said that it had been easy to persuade inmates to participate in the strike because of the poor conditions in the prison: Moldy bathrooms, congested spaces and a dangerous lack of security. “We’re doing this for us,” he said. “I’m doing this for me. I’m doing this for you.” Read More…

First On CNN: European Security Officials Observed Russian Navy Ships In Vicinity Of Nord Stream Pipeline Leaks | CNN Politics https://digitalalabamanews.com/first-on-cnn-european-security-officials-observed-russian-navy-ships-in-vicinity-of-nord-stream-pipeline-leaks-cnn-politics/ CNN  —  European security officials on Monday and Tuesday observed Russian Navy support ships in the vicinity of leaks in the Nord Stream pipelines likely caused by underwater explosions, according two Western intelligence officials and one other source familiar with the matter. It’s unclear whether the ships had anything to do with those explosions, these sources and others said – but it’s one of the many factors that investigators will be looking into. Russian submarines were also observed not far from those areas last week, one of the intelligence officials said. Three US officials said that the US has no thorough explanation yet for what happened, days after the explosions appeared to cause three separate and simultaneous leaks in the two pipelines on Monday. Russian ships routinely operate in the area, according to one Danish military official, who emphasized that the presence of the ships doesn’t necessarily indicate that Russia caused the damage. “We see them every week,” this person said. “Russian activities in the Baltic Sea have increased in recent years. They’re quite often testing our awareness – both at sea and in the air.” But the sightings still cast further suspicion on Russia, which has drawn the most attention from both European and US officials as the only actor in the region believed to have both the capability and motivation to deliberately damage the pipelines. US officials declined to comment on the intelligence about the ships on Wednesday. Both Denmark and Sweden are investigating, but a site inspection has yet to be done and details on exactly what caused the explosions remains sketchy. One European official said that there is a Danish government assessment underway and it could take up to two weeks for an investigation to properly begin because the pressure in the pipes makes it difficult to approach the site of the leaks — although another source familiar with the matter said the probe could begin as soon as Sunday. The prime ministers for both Denmark and Sweden said publicly on Tuesday that the leaks were likely the result of deliberate actions, not accidents, and Sweden’s security service said in a statement Wednesday that it cannot be ruled out “that a foreign power is behind it.” US national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Tuesday evening also called the leaks “apparent sabotage” in a tweet. But senior Western officials have so far stopped short of attributing the attack to Russia or any other nation. The Kremlin has publicly denied striking the pipelines. A spokesman called the allegation “predictably stupid and absurd.” CNN has reached out to the Russian Ministry of Defense for comment on the presence of the ships. The Danish government is taking the lead on the investigation and has put in place an exclusion area of five nautical miles and a 1 kilometer no-fly-zone, according to European sources familiar with the matter. Other than Sullivan, US officials have been far more circumspect than their European counterparts in drawing conclusions about the leaks. “I think many of our partners have determined or believe it is sabotage. I’m not at the point where I can tell you one way or the other,” a senior military official said Wednesday. “The only thing I know there is that we think the water is between 80 and 100 meters [deep] at that location where the pipeline is. Other than that, I don’t know anything more.” But one senior US official and a US military official both said Russia is still the leading suspect – assuming that the European assessment of deliberate sabotage is borne out – because there are no other plausible suspects with the ability and will to carry out the operation. “It’s hard to imagine any other actor in the region with the capabilities and interest to carry out such an operation,” the Danish military official said. Russia has requested a UN Security Council meeting on the damaged pipeline this week – something the senior US official said is also suspicious. Typically, the official said, Russia isn’t organized enough to move so quickly, suggesting that the maneuver was pre-planned. If Russia did deliberately cause the explosions, it would be effectively sabotaging its own pipelines: Russian state company Gazprom is the majority shareholder in Nord Stream 1 and the sole owner of Nord Stream 2. But officials familiar with the latest intelligence say that Moscow would likely view such a step as worth the price if it helped raise the costs of supporting Ukraine for Europe. US and western intelligence officials believe Russian President Vladimir Putin is gambling that as electricity costs rise and winter approaches, European publics could turn against the Western strategy of isolating Russia economically. Sabotaging the pipelines could “show what Russia is capable of,” one US official said. Russia has already taken steps to manipulate energy flows in ways that caused itself economic pain, but also hurt Europe. Russia slashed gas supplies to Europe via Nord Stream 1 before suspending flows altogether in August, blaming Western sanctions for causing technical difficulties. European politicians say that was a pretext to stop supplying gas. “They’ve already shown they’re perfectly happy to do that,” one of the sources said. “They weight their economic pain against Europe’s.” The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had yet to enter commercial operations. The plan to use it to supply gas was scrapped by Germany days before Russia sent troops into Ukraine in February. US, European and Ukrainian officials have been warning for months, however, that critical infrastructure – not only in Ukraine but also in the US and Europe – could be targeted by Russia as part of its war on Ukraine. The US warned several European allies over the summer, including Germany, that the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines could face threats and even be attacked, according to two people familiar with the intelligence and the warnings. The warnings were based on US intelligence assessments, but they were vague, the people said – it was not clear from the warnings who might be responsible for any attacks on the pipelines or when they might occur. The CIA declined to comment. Der Spiegel was the first to report on the intelligence warnings. Read More…

Birmingham Water Works Customers React To A Potential 8.3% Rate Hike In 2023 https://digitalalabamanews.com/birmingham-water-works-customers-react-to-a-potential-8-3-rate-hike-in-2023/ BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) – If you’re a Birmingham Water Works customer, you may soon see a significant jump in your bill. The Water Works board is considering raising your rates by an average of 8.3% for next year and it could be an even higher rate for some households. “That is kind of a steep increase,” Customer Andrew Webber said. “I wouldn’t exactly enjoy paying that out of pocket.” The proposed 8.3% rate increase is nearly double the rate increase from last year. “That is pretty high, it doesn’t sit right,” Customer McKenzie Foxall said. “I would try and consider using less water, doing less loads of laundry or things like that.” Some households that use a lot of water could pay up to a 19% increase, depending on the BWWB’s tiered rate structure. “It would make it more difficult in terms of everything else already going up, so if water goes up too, we may have less money for groceries or gas and stay home more,” Customer Juan Granados said. The proposed rate increase is a part of the board’s attempt to raise next year’s budget by almost 11%. They are asking for $128 million, even though they project a nearly 3% decrease in demand for water. After overcharging some customers earlier this year, Jefferson County Commissioner Shelia Tyson said she doesn’t know how they could justify this type of increase. “The customers have yet to get a bill that has been correct in a whole year,” Tyson said. “With an increase, that is not going to help them at all. They have not adjusted the bills enough to justify any type of increase.” BWW said the new budget would include looking at automated meter readers, replacing old pipe, and hiring more employees. But, customers said with a rate hike that high, they want more. “If they are able to actually improve their facilities using the revenue that comes from this increase, then that makes sense,” Granados said. “However, if they just use it to make more money for themselves and not give back to the people in any way with improved water quality, then that’s not worth it.” “I want an itemized budget on what exactly are you going to do with the raise that you’re getting from the rate payers,” Tyson said. The proposed rate hike is still being vetted by the board and won’t likely be voted on until late November. CLICK HERE TO GET THE WBRC FOX6 NEWS APP Subscribe to our WBRC newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email. Copyright 2022 WBRC. All rights reserved. Read More…

MacKenzie Scott, Billionaire Philanthropist, Files For Divorce https://digitalalabamanews.com/mackenzie-scott-billionaire-philanthropist-files-for-divorce/ Less than two years after announcing the marriage and their intent to give money away together, Ms. Scott has parted ways with her second husband, a teacher. Send any friend a story As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Anyone can read what you share. MacKenzie Scott married Dan Jewett early last year.Credit…Evan Agostini/Invision, via AP Sept. 28, 2022 Less than two years after announcing their intention to give away a vast fortune together, the billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott and her husband, Dan Jewett, a former science teacher, are parting ways. Ms. Scott filed a petition for divorce in the King County Superior Court in Washington State on Monday, according to a copy of the filing. The breakup punctuates an eventful period for Ms. Scott, who in less than four years got divorced from her longtime husband, the Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, gave away more than $12 billion to nonprofits and married an instructor at the prestigious school attended by her children. Court records show Mr. Jewett did not contest the divorce. The petition says any division of property is laid out in a separation contract, agreed to by the couple, which is not public. Both still live in King County, the filing says, which includes the city of Seattle. Their marriage, which garnered significant public attention after Ms. Scott’s divorce from the world’s richest man, had also been a philanthropic partnership, with Mr. Jewett publicly promising to join her in donating their enormous fortune to good causes. But there were recent signs that the partnership was no more. Previously, grateful nonprofits that had received grants from Ms. Scott and Mr. Jewett thanked them both, but recent recipients thank her alone. In the past week his name vanished from her philanthropic endeavors. On the site for the Giving Pledge, where billionaires promise to give away half of their wealth before they die, his letter no longer appeared with hers. Without fanfare, his name was recently edited out of a Medium post Ms. Scott had written last year about their gifts. Ms. Scott, a novelist, also deleted Mr. Jewett from her author bio on Amazon, the online retailer that is the source of her vast wealth. She rocketed to global attention as she began giving away money at a pace rarely seen in the philanthropic world. After her divorce from Mr. Bezos, Ms. Scott assembled a team of advisers and began quietly making multimillion-dollar donations to nonprofit groups that totaled more than $12 billion in just three years. In her May 2019 letter on the Giving Pledge, Ms. Scott promised to “keep at it until the safe is empty.” Bloomberg has estimated her net worth as high as $62 billion, but between her billions of dollars in contributions and the decline in the stock market, it now gauges her fortune at $27.8 billion. Two years later, in his own Giving Pledge letter, Mr. Jewett sounded full of enthusiasm. “I am married to one of the most generous and kind people I know — and joining her in a commitment to pass on an enormous financial wealth to serve others,” he wrote. Yet he also noted that he had not previously considered making any kind of public statement about his charitable priorities because he had “never sought to gather the kind of wealth required to feel like saying such a thing would have particular meaning.” As recently as last week, according to the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine, which preserves old versions of web pages, his letter was still twinned with hers on the site, accompanied by a photo of the two of them looking as though they were out for a hike together. Today there is just a headshot of Ms. Scott, along with her letter. Ms. Scott has refused to speak publicly about her giving, declining repeated interview requests from news organizations including The New York Times. Her lawyer did not respond to requests for comment on Wednesday. Attempts to reach Mr. Jewett through friends, family and former colleagues and at an address associated with him in Seattle were unsuccessful. His lawyer declined, through a legal assistant, to comment on the divorce. Ms. Scott made her charitable announcements in long posts on Medium that listed the names of organizations that received billions of dollars cumulatively. Last month, Ms. Scott gave two homes in Beverly Hills, valued at a combined $55 million, to the California Community Foundation. The foundation’s affordable housing grant-making functions will receive 90 percent of the value of the properties. Mr. Jewett’s name, which had been in recent gift announcements, was nowhere in the news release. The Health Forward Foundation in Kansas City, Mo., announced on Tuesday that it had received a $15 million gift from Ms. Scott. The Episcopal Health Foundation in Houston also recently announced that it had received a $20 million grant from Ms. Scott. Neither announcement mentioned Mr. Jewett. Mr. Jewett taught at the Lakeside School, the prestigious Seattle private school attended by the Bezos children, where he was popular among students and fellow teachers alike. “He’s earnest, not very edgy,” said Angela Loihl, who met Mr. Jewett through a mutual friend. Ms. Loihl, who spent weeks in 2014 with Mr. Jewett driving in a small-motored car from London to Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, recalled how that mutual friend had told her years later, after he married Ms. Scott, “He’s the perfect person to end up with this money to give away — no sense of greed at all.” According to the divorce filing, the couple married in California in 2021. The news of their marriage took even Mr. Jewett’s friends and colleagues by surprise — producing a whirlwind of news coverage far beyond his expectations, as reporters even appeared on the Lakeside campus. Though he finished the term there, Mr. Jewett felt his presence on campus was a distraction. His new wife had become arguably the most influential philanthropist in the world with an approach that emphasized huge grants — often the largest single gift a group had received — with no strings attached. In his Giving Pledge letter published in March 2021, Mr. Jewett wrote that he was “grateful for the exceptional privilege it will be to partner in giving away assets with the potential to do so much good when shared.” In June 2021, Ms. Scott posted about her giving on Medium, where she wrote: “Me, Dan, a constellation of researchers and administrators and advisers — we are all attempting to give away a fortune that was enabled by systems in need of change.” Sometime in the past week, searches on the Internet Archive showed, the post was edited, and Mr. Jewett’s name removed from there as well. Kitty Bennett contributed research. Read More…

Trump Refuses To Delay Florida Deposition In Phone-Fraud Case Despite Hurricane https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-refuses-to-delay-florida-deposition-in-phone-fraud-case-despite-hurricane/ Former President Donald Trump’s deposition in an investors’ class-action fraud lawsuit over his promotion of a failed desktop video phone was delayed by Hurricane Ian that’s ravaging large parts of Florida. The investors’ lawyer sought a postponement saying the Category 4 hurricane that slammed the west coast of Florida Wednesday made questioning Trump under oath unsafe at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump opposed the delay. Copyright 2022 Tribune Content Agency. TORONTO — After seven games and eight days without a home run, Aaron Judge made history Wednesday. Coolio, the rapper whose smash hit “Gangster’s Paradise” sent him to international stardom, died Wednesday, according to a report. He was 59. Former President Donald Trump’s deposition in an investors’ class-action fraud lawsuit over his promotion of a failed desktop video phone was delayed by Hurricane Ian that’s ravaging large parts of Florida. Coolio, the rapper who was among hip-hop’s biggest names of the 1990s with hits including “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” has died. Manager Jarez Posey tells The Associated Press that Coolio, whose legal name was Artis Leon Ivey Jr., died at the Los Angeles home of a friend on Wednesday. The cause was not immediately clear. Coolio was 59. He won a Grammy for best solo rap performance for “Gangsta’s Paradise,” the 1995 No. 1 hit from the soundtrack of the Michelle Pfeiffer film “Dangerous Minds” that sampled Stevie Wonder’s 1976 song “Pastime Paradise.” Orlando’s training camp schedule is no match for Hurricane Ian. The Magic could not practice on Wednesday because the storm was looming, and called off their practice on Thursday as well because Ian was forecast to seriously affect the Orlando area with its rain and wind. Hurricane Ian, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded in the U.S., made landfall in southwest Florida on Wednesday afternoon, bringing massive amounts of rain — more than a foot in some cases — and knocking out power to 1.8 million people. Operation Shutdown began for the Chicago White Sox on Sept. 21, one day after a crushing loss to the Cleveland Guardians virtually ended their postseason dreams. Mexico has become the deadliest place in the world for environmental and land defense activists, and the Yaqui Indigenous people of northern Mexico are still mourning the killing of water-defense leader Tomás Rojo found in June 2021. The murder of Indigenous land defenders often conjures up images of Amazon activists killed deep in the jungle. But while Colombia and Brazil still account for many of the deaths, according to a report by the nongovernmental group Global Witness, Mexico saw 54 activists killed in 2021, compared to 33 in Colombia and 26 in Brazil. Two hundred activists were killed worldwide in 2021. Latin America accounted for over two-thirds of the murders in 2021. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit the Demilitarized Zone dividing the Korean Peninsula during the final stop on her four-day trip to Asia. The visit to the DMZ on Thursday comes amid tensions over new North Korean missile tests. Harris’ trip was anchored by her attendance at the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but security concerns in Asia have dominated discussions. Harris denounced North Korea’s “illicit weapons program” and she accused China of trying to intimidate its neighbors. Before visiting the DMZ, Harris will meet with South Korean’s president and hold an event focused on gender equity. During training camp, Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Mack Hollins called himself the “weird guy” in the locker room. For his teammates, he’s much more than the guy who is into snakes, cleaning up the environment, conditioning by running more than the length of 16 football fields, and who enjoys running to the team facility rather than driving to it And that includes uplifting a winless team. With the Raiders (0-3) in search of their first win heading into their Week 4 matchup against division rival Denver, Hollins’ eccentric personality provides the type of positive vibe that’s been undefeated since his arrival. Water drained from Tampa Bay as Hurricane Ian approached Florida’s Gulf Coast. The storm eventually made landfall Wednesday near Fort Myers, about 100 miles to the south of the bay. A number of people posted photos on social media of themselves and others walking out onto the silty bay floor, despite warnings from lofficials. Experts say the bay also emptied in 2017 when Hurricane Irma caused a negative surge. Because a tropical storm’s winds blow counterclockwise, the winds at the northern edge of Hurricane Ian were blowing from east to west with so much force that they pushed bay water ito the Gulf of Mexico. Water eventually refilled the bay. Aaron Judge tied Roger Maris’ American League record of 61 home runs in a season, going deep for the New York Yankees against the Toronto Blue Jays. The 30-year-old slugger drove a full-count pitch from Tim Mayza over the left-field fence in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Judge moved past the 60 home runs Babe Ruth hit in 1927, which had stood as the major league mark until Maris broke it in 1961. All three stars reached those huge numbers playing for the Yankees. In the southwest end zone at Lucas Oil Stadium, a football stuck in the hands of rookie tight end Jelani Woods, a touchdown that supplied the Indianapolis Colts a three-point lead. HARTFORD, Conn. — The mother of one of the murdered Sandy Hook children described Wednesday how her life and her husband’s changed a decade ago when deniers of the school shooting twisted and abused her husband’s attempt to record what was intended to be a tender remembrance of their murdere… HONG KONG–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Sep 28, 2022– BOSTON — When Malcolm Brogdon was on the verge of being traded this summer, the Pacers gave the guard a few options to pick from before he ultimately decided on the Celtics. Tyler Williams’ job this week is to essentially trick the body clocks of 53 Vikings players and their coaching staff into thinking a game in London is business as usual for not only this week but next week when the team won’t have the typical bye that follows an overseas game. COSTA MESA, Calif. — The hits keep coming for the Chargers, who revealed Wednesday that edge rusher Joey Bosa would undergo surgery to mend a groin tear suffered in the first quarter of their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. The Chargers expect him back on the field before the sea… LOS ANGELES — Bill Cosby was denied a new trial in a civil lawsuit in which a jury found that he sexually abused Judy Huth when she was a teenager in 1975. In June, she was awarded $500,000 in damages. The Green Bay Packers’ defense is meeting offseason expectations and giving this storied franchise a new look. A team that has relied on Hall of Fame-caliber quarterback production for the past three decades is winning primarily because of its defense. The Packers are scoring just 16 points per game thus far as reigning MVP quarterback Aaron Rodgers adapts to a receiving group without two-time All-Pro Davante Adams. It hasn’t mattered because Green Bay’s defense has been so good. After a Willem de Kooning painting worth millions was brazenly stolen in 1985 from an Arizona museum, the staff clung to the hope that it would turn up one day. But nobody could have predicted “Woman-Ochre” would find its way back through the kindness of strangers in a neighboring state. The 1955 oil painting by the Dutch American abstract expressionist is finally back home. It will be the centerpiece of an entire exhibition opening Oct. 8. The whole ordeal of the theft and its return via New Mexico will be chronicled in the show. The painting will be in the same spot it was stolen from — but under a case. LOS ANGELES — A week after he was accused of raping two women, DeMario Jackson has broken his silence. MIAMI — Lara Trump is in some hot water over a social media post about … warm water. Looking back on how his career started and the opportunity that was given has only strengthened the feelings Quandre Diggs has for the Detroit Lions. Maybe not so much the coaching regime that decided Diggs was expendable that led to his trade to Seattle. But in terms of the organization as a whole, Diggs still has a deep appreciation for Detroit. Diggs will make his first return to Detroit on Sunday when the Seahawks and Lions clash. Diggs was a sixth-round pick by the Lions in 2015 and grew into being a starter for Detroit most of his final three seasons. He was traded to Seattle midway through the 2019 season and has thrived in his time with the Seahawks. SAN DIEGO — It’s probably still more of a hope than a guarantee at this point, but the Dodgers’ playoff rotation plans appear to be finally coming into focus. PHILADELPHIA — Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts was at “a loss of words” upon hearing about the shooting at Roxborough High School on Tuesday, which left four teenagers wounded and one 14-year-old boy dead. The shooting occurred at the conclusion of a football scrimmage involving three local h… At conference short on GOP voices, Biden says US can end hunger Read More…

Myanmar Beauty Queen Who Decried Junta Seeks Asylum In Canada https://digitalalabamanews.com/myanmar-beauty-queen-who-decried-junta-seeks-asylum-in-canada/ A Myanmar beauty queen who publicly criticized her country’s military junta, and later became stranded at the Bangkok airport, arrived Wednesday in Canada, where she is seeking asylum. Thaw Nandar Aung, also known as Han Lay, landed in Toronto and said she was going to live on Prince Edward Island, a province off Canada’s Atlantic coast, Reuters reported. It was unclear what her status was, but Han Lay, 23, told Radio Free Asia she was granted permission to stay with the help of Canadian officials and the U.N. refugee agency. “Everything happened so fast, and I only have a few pieces of clothing,” she told the broadcaster before departing for Canada. But, she said, “I have spoken out for Myanmar wherever I go. Since Canada is a safe place for me, I will have more opportunities to speak out on the issue.” Han Lay first garnered worldwide attention last year when, at the Miss Grand International beauty pageant in Thailand, she used her time on the stage to speak out against Myanmar’s military rulers. At the time, the junta, known as the Tatmadaw, had just seized power and anti-military protests were raging. The military and police confronted demonstrators with deadly force. On one particularly bloody day, March 27, security forces killed over 160 protesters. That same day, Han Lay was on a stage in Bangkok wearing a traditional white gown as one of 20 finalists in the pageant. “Today in my country, Myanmar, while I am going to be on this stage, there are so many people dying; more than 100 people died today,” she told the audience and cameras, wiping away tears. “I am deeply sorry for all the people who have lost their lives.” “Every citizen of the world wants the prosperity of their country and the peaceful environment,” she added. “In doing so, the leaders involved should not use their power and selfishness.” The speech put Han Lay in the spotlight and also drew condemnation and threats on social media, she said. After the pageant, she stayed in Thailand to avoid potential arrest in her home country, where thousands have been injured or killed since the military takeover. Thousands more are in prison, and in July the military junta executed four pro-democracy activists, including two of the resistance’s most prominent leaders. But on Sept. 21, after a brief trip to Vietnam, Han Lay was denied entry at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport. Thai officials said her Myanmar-issued travel documents were invalid, Reuters reported. She wrote on Facebook the next day that Myanmar police officials were also at the airport and had attempted to reach out to her. “I will refuse to meet with the Myanmar police by using my human right,” she wrote, adding that she had requested help from Thai authorities and the United Nations. According to Human Rights Watch, the move was “a deliberate political act by the junta to make her stateless.” “There is no doubt that what transpired was a trap to try to force Han Lay to return to Myanmar, where she would have faced immediate arrest, likely abuse in detention, and imprisonment,” the group’s deputy Asia director, Phil Robertson, said in a statement Wednesday. He said that governments should be “on guard” against attempts by Myanmar’s military junta to use “similar tactics against overseas dissidents traveling on Myanmar passports in the future.” “This is hardly the first time repressive Burmese military dictatorships have sought to use their control over Myanmar passports as a weapon against their own people’s rights to travel internationally,” Robertson said. Read More…

Coolio, Rapper Of ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ And ‘Fantastic Voyage’ Dead At 59 https://digitalalabamanews.com/coolio-rapper-of-gangstas-paradise-and-fantastic-voyage-dead-at-59/ Alabama Life & Culture Updated: Sep. 28, 2022, 8:13 p.m.| Published: Sep. 28, 2022, 8:09 p.m. Coolio rocks some Alabama football gear while performing at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater with the “I Love the 90s” tour on Friday, May 21, 2016. (Ben Flanagan/AL.com) Coolio, the rapper best known for hits like “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “Fantastic Voyage,” has passed away. He was 59. TMZ reports he died while visiting a friend in Los Angeles Wednesday afternoon. Born Artis Leon Ivey Jr., Coolio emerged as a mainstream success in the mid-1990s with the albums “It Takes a Thief,” “Gangsta’s Paradise” and “My Soul,” featuring hits like “Fantastic Voyage,” “Gangsta’s Paradise,” “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New)” and “C U When U Get There.” He also performed the opening track “Aw, Here It Goes!” for the 1996 Nickelodeon series “Kenan & Kel.” The Pennsylvania native peaked at number three on the Billboard Hot 100 with “Fantastic Voyage” in 1994. He would reach the top of the charts with “Gangsta’s Paradise,” a song famously featured on the soundtrack for the Michelle Pfeiffer film “Dangerous Minds” in 1995. He also won a Grammy for Best Rap Solo Performance for the record. Coolio rocked an Alabama football hat and sweatshirt while performing at the Tuscaloosa Amphitheater with the “I Love the ‘90s” tour May 2016, sharing the bill with Vanilla Ice, Salt-N-Pepa, Color Me Badd, All 4 One and Young MC. It marked his first performance in Tuscaloosa since a University of Alabama Welcome Back concert in August 2005. He and his colleagues decked out in crimson Alabama football gear, the rapper wasted no time with a flurry of hits including “Fantastic Voyage,” “C U When You Get There” (dedicated to Prince), “1, 2, 3, 4 (Sumpin’ New) and his set closer “Gangsta’s Paradise.” “We roll with the tide!” they said as they led another big “Roll Tide!” cheer. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Potbellied Pig Spotted In Mobile Neighborhoods, Proving Hard To Catch https://digitalalabamanews.com/potbellied-pig-spotted-in-mobile-neighborhoods-proving-hard-to-catch/ MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) — A big potbellied pig has been on the loose since Friday, with many spotting the pig running through neighborhoods in Mobile. In a video taken by neighbors who live off Shenandoah Road, they found the pig in front of their homes. Neighbors said the pig had great speed and outran a lot of people trying to catch it. Some people asked where in the world did this pig come from? “I just thought where the heck did this pig come from?” said Mimi Bovenizer, a neighborhood resident. “Is it somebody’s pet? Is it an escape from a farm?” Her husband, George Bovenizer was really surprised by how fast the pig was running. “That was the first thing I thought, this thing can move,” said Bovenizer. “This beast can bust it! Our neighbor Eric was chasing it, and poor Eric, he stood no chance.” Other neighborhoods off Airport and University Boulevard found the pig in their area. David Rogers, who lives off Falls Church Road said the pig was running in his neck of the woods and had found a bite to eat. “I seen a black potbelly pig running in one of these yards,” said Rogers. “I don’t know which one it was. It had a big red apple in its mouth, he looked like he was eating pretty good to me.” The City of Mobile Animal Control was out canvassing neighborhoods trying to find the pig, but they had no luck. Ultimately, all the neighbors want to make sure the big returns to its rightful owner safely. “We all just want the pig to end up safely,” said Mimi Bovenizer. “We don’t want it to end up as bacon.” “Long live the pig!” said George Bovenizer. Currently, the pig has not been captured by the City of Mobile Animal Control. They tell WKRG News 5 that they and the owner are still looking for the pig. Read More…

'Do Not Bet': China's Central Bank Warns Against Yuan Speculation https://digitalalabamanews.com/do-not-bet-chinas-central-bank-warns-against-yuan-speculation/ The Chinese yuan weakened past the closely-watched 7.2 level against the greenback this week. Getty Images BEIJING — The People’s Bank of China has warned against betting on the yuan, after its rapid decline against the U.S. dollar this week. “Do not bet on a one-sided appreciation or deprecation of the renminbi exchange rate,” the central bank said in a Chinese statement on its website late Wednesday, according to a CNBC translation. That’s based on a readout of a speech by vice governor Liu Guoqiang at a video conference meeting on foreign exchange that day. The renminbi, or the yuan, crossed the 7.2 level against the greenback Wednesday, falling to its weakest since 2008. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the dollar against major global currencies, has climbed to two-decade highs as the U.S. Federal Reserve aggressively raised interest rates this year. The PBOC’s statement, with its requirement for banks to maintain stability in the foreign exchange market, is “verbal guidance against the recent rapid depreciation of the currency,” Goldman Sachs analyst Maggie Wei and a team said in a note. However, the yuan’s crossing of the 7.2 mark “suggests Chinese policymakers are not necessarily defending a particular level of the exchange rate,” the report said. The “statement from the PBOC might slow the pace of CNY depreciation on the margin.” The onshore-traded yuan has weakened against the dollar by 1.9% so far this week, according to Wind Information. The Chinese central bank has made other moves to support the yuan this month, including reducing the amount of foreign currency banks need to hold. Read more about China from CNBC Pro Read More…

'The Amazing Race' Season 34: 1 Couple Got Engaged After The Show https://digitalalabamanews.com/the-amazing-race-season-34-1-couple-got-engaged-after-the-show/ What better way to find out if you and your significant other are compatible than to race around the world together for $1 million? The Amazing Race has featured many sweet and endearing couples over the years, and some who relentlessly butted heads. And one romantic pair from The Amazing Race Season 34 took their relationship to the next level after filming ended. ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34 cast | Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS The cast of ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34 features many couples The cast includes: Aastha Lal (33) and Nina Duong (34), an engaged couple from Marina Del Ray, CA Abby Garrett (24) and Will Freeman (25), childhood sweethearts from Birmingham, AL Aubrey Ares (29) and David Hernandez (29), ballroom dancers from Los Angeles, CA Derek Xiao (24) and Claire Rehfuss (25), a reality romance from Los Angeles, CA Emily Bushnell (36) and Molly Sinert (36), long-lost twins from Ardmore, PA, and Palm Beach Gardens, FL, respectively Glenda (41) and Lumumba Roberts (41), newlyweds from Norcross, GA Luis Colon (34) and Michelle Burgos (34), a married couple from Miami, FL Linton (50) and Sharik Atkinson (23), father and daughter from Brooklyn, NY Marcus (38) and Michael Craig (30), military brothers from Richmond Hill, GA, and Alamogordo, NM, respectively Quinton Peron (29) and Mattie Lynch (27), former Los Angeles Rams cheerleaders from Pasadena, CA, and Vista, CA, respectively Tim Mann (40) and Rex Ryan (59), golf buddies from Brentwood, TN Rich Kuo (32) and Dom Jones (35), motivational speakers from Huntington Beach, CA ” title=”The Amazing Race 34: Aastha and Nina Exit Interview” width=”1320″ Aubrey and David got engaged before the season premiered Aubrey Ares and David Hernandez spoke with Us Weekly prior to the premiere of The Amazing Race Season 34. The article revealed that David proposed to Aubrey in the days following the interview, and she said yes. David told the publication, “Aubrey and I are extremely excited to start this new chapter of our lives together! We are ready to dance down the aisle!” Fans can watch the proposal on Aubrey’s Instagram page. Before their engagement, Aubrey told Us Weekly, “We were tested to points that we had never been tested before [in The Amazing Race]. We were under stress together. I have stress at my job. He has stress at his job, but we’ve never had to work through stressful times together.” “And us being three years into our relationship, we’re in that point in our relationship where it’s like, ‘OK, are we ready for the next step? Are we ready to get married and start a family together?’” Aubrey added. “I think the race definitely grew us stronger. We came back understanding each other better. And I think more in love.” The duo revealed that they were alternates for ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34 During their Us Weekly interview, Aubrey and David shared that they were initially alternates for The Amazing Race Season 34. They got the call that they had made the cast only a few hours before leaving for Germany to film the show. After rushing to get their affairs in order, it wasn’t until they landed in Munich that they could process what had just happened. And Aubrey and David realized that being alternates was an advantage. “We were automatically the underdogs,” Aubrey said. “We had to come in and kind of catch up throughout the entire process. So that was definitely one of our strategies through the show.” A new episode of The Amazing Race Season 34 airs Wednesday, Sept. 28, at 9:30 p.m. ET on CBS. RELATED: ‘The Amazing Race’ Season 34: Are Derek and Claire Still Together? Read More…

Oakland School Shooting Leaves 6 Adults Injured, Police Searching For Suspect https://digitalalabamanews.com/oakland-school-shooting-leaves-6-adults-injured-police-searching-for-suspect/ Six people were injured in a school shooting Wednesday in Oakland’s Eastmont Hills, police said. Oakland police officials said the shooting took place at the King Estate campus on Fontaine Street, which houses multiple schools. Officers are looking for at least one shooter, but add other suspects might be involved. “Today’s gun violence at Sojourner Truth school shocks the soul,” Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf said in a tweet. “Our schools are sanctuaries for our children.” Today’s gun violence at Sojourner Truth school shocks the soul — our schools are sanctuaries for our children. Our investigators report all six victims are adults + being treated for injuries at hospitals now. The school is now clear + all children being reunited w/ families. — Libby Schaaf (@LibbySchaaf) September 28, 2022 The school has since been cleared by police. Highland Hospital in Oakland confirms it is treating three of the victims, who all are in critical condition with gunshot wounds. The other three victims were transported to Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, according to the hospital. Police in a late afternoon briefing said all victims are adults affiliated with the school and provided the following updates on their conditions: two are suffering from life-threatening injuries one victim has been released from the hospital two victims are pending release from the hospital one victim has injuries that are non-life threatening Aerial coverage from NBC Bay Area’s SkyRanger showed students being evacuated from the campus and a heavy police presence, with some officers canvassing the complex. “I just hear the shooting and I saw this lady getting out from the car and she was running inside the school and I was thinking the worst,” witness Alejandra said in an interview with NBC Bay Area. Six people were injured in a school shooting Wednesday in Oakland, police said. The Oakland Unified School District provided the following statement Wednesday afternoon: “There was an incident today at the King Estate campus on Fontaine Street, which houses the co-located Rudsdale Continuation and Newcomer high schools, BayTech Charter School, and the headquarters of Sojourner Truth Independent Study, which has no students at the site. The campus is near Oakland Academy of Knowledge (OAK), but it is important to note the incident was NOT at OAK, nor did it have anything to do with that elementary school. We currently do not have any information beyond what Oakland Police are reporting.” California Gov. Gavin Newsom called the shooting “a horrifying act of violence that has grown too familiar.” The governor in a tweet added “This cannot continue — gun violence has taken too much from our communities.” Today’s shooting at an Oakland school was a horrifying act of violence that has grown too familiar. Yet again, our kids were in the crossfire. This cannot continue — gun violence has taken too much from our communities. — Office of the Governor of California (@CAgovernor) September 28, 2022 Parents were asked to meet their children at the church on Mountain and Fontaine for reunification. The California Highway Patrol also shut down both eastbound and westbound Keller Avenue off-ramps in Oakland while police responded to the scene. NBC Bay Area’s Pete Suratos has the latest on the Oakland school shooting investigation, including what a 10-year-old student, from a nearby elementary school, experienced. NBC Bay Area’s Velena Jones speaks with Oakland Councilmember Treva Reid, who provides an update on the shooting that occurred at a complex that houses multiple schools. NBC Bay Area’s Elizabeth Campos, Brendan Weber, Cheryl Hurd, Christie Smith, Pete Suratos, Diana San Juan and Stephanie Guzman contributed to this report. Read More…

Scott Rabalais: Auburn Coach Bryan Harsin Is In Trouble. It https://digitalalabamanews.com/scott-rabalais-auburn-coach-bryan-harsin-is-in-trouble-it/ There are coaches on hot seats, and then there is Auburn’s Bryan Harsin. His lame duck already appears to be cooked. It’s just a question of when the chef (in this case, the Auburn brass) dishes him onto a plate and rings for the waiter. “It’s a matter of time,” Al.com sports columnist Joseph Goodman said via phone. A report from The Athletic going into last week’s Missouri game said Harsin could be fired as early as Sunday if Auburn were to lose. It didn’t, as Missouri missed not one but two point-blank shots to win — a 26-yard field goal at the end of regulation, then a fumble into the end zone for a touchback to seal Auburn’s 17-14 overtime victory. Still, the website BetOnline.ag this week makes Harsin the co-favorite (if you could call him that) to be the next college coach fired, along with Colorado’s Karl Dorrell. If Auburn were to lose to LSU on Saturday night — LSU is a whopping 9-point favorite — Harsin could be gone this Sunday. I spoke to several people who cover Auburn this week, and none of them expect Harsin to last the season, maybe not even past Auburn’s Oct. 22 open date. It is worth remembering that although Auburn has looked bad so far this season, it has the same record as LSU (3-1, 1-0 Southeastern Conference). And Harsin is just in his second season. So what gives? Harsin apparently wasn’t a popular choice before last season, when then-Auburn athletic director Allen Greene (he’s already gone) hired him from Boise State. Harsin did little to endear himself to the boosters and local gentry, then lost his final five games, including a four-overtime loss to Alabama, to finish 6-7. In the offseason, assistant coaches and players started leaving the program faster than you can say “Iron Bowl.” Former Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason took a $400,000 pay cut to leave Auburn as defensive coordinator and take the same post at Oklahoma State. Auburn launched an in-house investigation. No major, Will Wade-like shenanigans were uncovered, but to say Harsin was left on thin ice would be a royal understatement. Add to that recruiting is in the tank: 247Sports.com ranks Auburn’s 2022-23 class 13th in the 14-team Southeastern Conference ahead of only Mizzou. So here we are again, on the eve of another LSU-Auburn game in which at least one of the coaches is in deeeeeep trouble. Remember 2016? It was a “loser leaves town” match between LSU’s Les Miles and Auburn’s Gus Malzahn. Auburn won 18-13 because LSU lost in the most Les Miles-like way imaginable, scoring the winning touchdown but having snapped the ball after the clock hit zero. Miles was fired the next day. Already, whispers have begun that Auburn wants to make a big, splashy hire. You’ve probably heard some of the candidates: Lane Kiffin, Deion Sanders, even Hugh Freeze. All are big names. All have issues. Why is Auburn the way it is? Goodman said, “They’re stuck between the two most dominant teams in the country right now (Alabama and Georgia). For a program that sees itself like should be on that level, it’s hard to accept mediocrity. It creates a constant state of insecurity at all times.” In other words, it’s a typical LSU-Auburn game. The Mulkey-Griner saga redux It’s been nine years since Brittney Griner played for current LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey at while they were at Baylor, but their tangled story never seems to end. A reporter at Mulkey’s preseason news conference Monday asked about not seeing a comment from her about Griner’s imprisonment in Russia. “And you won’t,” Mulkey said, before answering another part of his question about LSU’s current team. Rarely have three words caused such a dust-up. Immediately, folks started chiming in — including former Mulkey players at Baylor like Chloe Jackson — a former LSU point guard who transferred to Baylor and helped Mulkey’s 2019 team win an NCAA title. “And I will say it again. Silence speaks volumes,” Jackson tweeted. Mulkey has been consistent about Griner since the WNBA star’s arrest in Russia earlier this year for possession of illegal cannabis oil. I asked Mulkey about Griner last season and asked her about it again during a one-on-one interview last week. Both times she said little to nothing for public consumption. It is clear Mulkey and Griner’s relationship has been strained since they parted ways. That includes reasons Mulkey does not air publicly. Just say there are two sides to every story. Mulkey is used to being vilified for her views and comments. She rarely if ever seems deterred by that. I don’t know if I’ve ever covered someone with more faith in their convictions. Another sportswriter asked in a tweet why anyone would play for Mulkey. He should have asked all but one of her staff members who followed her from Baylor to LSU (the one assistant, Bill Brock, stayed in Waco for family reasons and became a junior college head coach). He should ask Alexis Morris, who Mulkey kicked off the team at Baylor, why she pleaded for a chance to play for her at LSU. He should ask the No. 1 transfer in the country on this year’s team, Angel Reese from Maryland, and the No. 1 recruit in the nation committed to next year’s team, Bossier City Parkway guard Mikaylah Williams, why they picked LSU. Everyone, including Mulkey, wishes for Griner to be freed. Her nine-year sentence doesn’t fit the crime. Neither does Mulkey’s sentence for not wishing to comment about Griner’s case. Read More…

Donald Trump Seeks End To Rape Accuser https://digitalalabamanews.com/donald-trump-seeks-end-to-rape-accuser/ Please try another search World 18 minutes ago (Sep 28, 2022 07:41PM ET) © Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks during a rally in Youngstown, Ohio, U.S., September 17, 2022. REUTERS/Gaelen Morse/File Photo By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump is seeking a quick end to the defamation lawsuit by an author who claims he raped her more than a quarter century ago. A lawyer for the former U.S. president asked a federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday to substitute the United States as the defendant in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit, a move that would end her case because the government cannot be sued for defamation. The request came one day after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Trump was a federal employee when he branded Carroll a liar, but left it to a Washington, D.C., appeals court to decide whether Trump acted as president when he spoke. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said the decision meant the government “must be substituted as a defendant.” She also asked to put the case on hold, saying it would be “highly prejudicial” for Trump to spend time and money preparing for trial if the Washington court ruled in his favor. Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Carroll, said “nothing has changed” and the case should proceed. “The parties have been cooperatively engaged in discovery at Donald Trump’s request, and nothing has happened that should change that,” she said in an interview. “There has been no final determination by an appellate court that the government should be substituted in.” Carroll sued Trump in November 2019, five months after he denied raping her in a dressing room of department store Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s and said “she’s not my type.” The former Elle magazine columnist still plans to sue Trump for battery and inflicting emotional distress in a separate lawsuit in November. Carroll plans to invoke a new state law giving accusers a one-year window to sue over alleged sexual misconduct even if the statute of limitations expired long ago. Tuesday’s decision set aside Kaplan’s ruling that Trump was neither acting as president when discussing Carroll, nor a federal employee for purposes of her case. The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311. Related Articles Read More…

Donald Trump Seeks End To Rape Accuser's Defamation Lawsuit https://digitalalabamanews.com/donald-trump-seeks-end-to-rape-accusers-defamation-lawsuit/ By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK (Reuters) – Donald Trump is seeking a quick end to the defamation lawsuit by an author who claims he raped her more than a quarter century ago. A lawyer for the former U.S. president asked a federal judge in Manhattan on Wednesday to substitute the United States as the defendant in E. Jean Carroll’s lawsuit, a move that would end her case because the government cannot be sued for defamation. The request came one day after the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said Trump was a federal employee when he branded Carroll a liar, but left it to a Washington, D.C., appeals court to decide whether Trump acted as president when he spoke. In a letter to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in Manhattan, Trump’s lawyer Alina Habba said the decision meant the government “must be substituted as a defendant.” She also asked to put the case on hold, saying it would be “highly prejudicial” for Trump to spend time and money preparing for trial if the Washington court ruled in his favor. Roberta Kaplan, a lawyer for Carroll, said “nothing has changed” and the case should proceed. “The parties have been cooperatively engaged in discovery at Donald Trump’s request, and nothing has happened that should change that,” she said in an interview. “There has been no final determination by an appellate court that the government should be substituted in.” Carroll sued Trump in November 2019, five months after he denied raping her in a dressing room of department store Bergdorf Goodman in the mid-1990s and said “she’s not my type.” The former Elle magazine columnist still plans to sue Trump for battery and inflicting emotional distress in a separate lawsuit in November. Carroll plans to invoke a new state law giving accusers a one-year window to sue over alleged sexual misconduct even if the statute of limitations expired long ago. Tuesday’s decision set aside Kaplan’s ruling that Trump was neither acting as president when discussing Carroll, nor a federal employee for purposes of her case. The case is Carroll v Trump, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 20-07311. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Leslie Adler) Read More…

Goldberg: Why RINOs Would Fare Better In The Senate Midterms https://digitalalabamanews.com/goldberg-why-rinos-would-fare-better-in-the-senate-midterms/ I’m a fan of ironic nicknames: big men named “Tiny,” bald dudes who go by “Curly,” etc. But in politics there’s no nickname more ironic than RINO, short for “Republican in Name Only.” Originally it was supposed to describe Republicans who went along with Democrats for political expediency. In the 1990s, when RINO really took off  as a conservative epithet, it was usually aimed at either liberal Republicans like Pennsylvania Sen. Arlen Specter or obnoxious Republicans who relished opportunities to break party ranks, also like Arlen Specter. Today it basically just means “not MAGA” or “insufficiently Trumpy.” And that’s the irony, because the so-called RINOs are pretty much the only politicians who actually care about the Republican Party. The hopes of the GOP in retaking the U.S. Senate in November depend entirely on a handful of first-time candidates: celebrity TV doctor Mehmet Oz in Pennsylvania, former football star Herschel Walker in Georgia, retired general and active crank Donald Bolduc in New Hampshire and, in Arizona, Blake Masters, a former libertarian minion of billionaire Peter Thiel. Aside from being hand-picked by former President Trump, what they all have in common is not just little-to-no political experience but also shallow roots in the Republican Party. And yet, they all vow to take on the RINOs controlling the GOP, and the RINO-in-Chief, Sen. Mitch McConnell. McConnell is a lifelong Republican who beat Bob Dole’s record as the longest-serving GOP Senate floor leader. He has earned Democratic animosity for decades, not least for orchestrating the conservative takeover of the Supreme Court. But in MAGA land  he’s a liberal stooge . Stop laughing. Meanwhile, Trump, a former Democrat and Reform Party presidential wannabe , had to be talked out of leaving the GOP  to start his own party. He’s never put the needs of the party ahead of his own. He uses the term RINO to describe any Republican who crosses him — on impeachment, on his election lies, whatever. He says  “ ‘Giveaway’ Mitch McConnell” is a RINO “who gives the Dems everything, and gets NOTHING for it — Never fights for Republicans!” But the obsession with RINOs goes beyond Trump. In a recent interview  with MAGA mogul Steve Bannon, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Georgia) said that if Masters wins, he won’t vote for McConnell as leader, and that will amount to “cutting the head off the snake” by “defeating Mitch McConnell, the RINO that has controlled the Senate for years now.” Indeed, Greene believes that was the real reason McConnell’s super PAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, was pulling  nearly $10 million worth of ad buys out of Arizona: “Because Blake Masters is not the type of senator Mitch McConnell wants in Washington.” Of course, it couldn’t be that the race is getting away  from Masters, and McConnell is opting to support salvageable races elsewhere, including in Ohio where J.D. Vance, another newbie handpicked by Trump and Thiel, is struggling to win what should be an easy race. The Senate fund last month announced an infusion  of $28 million to support Vance’s effort. Trump has more cash on hand , $99 million, in his Save America PAC than the $80 million the Democratic National Committee and Republican National Committee have combined. Trump spent some money in the primaries to take out incumbent Republicans who were insufficiently loyal to him, but since then Save America has given a total of $757,000 to federal candidates and $150,000 to the Republican Party, according to Open Secrets . In August alone , it spent $3.9 million on Trump’s legal fees. McConnell’s Senate Leadership Fund is spending 10 times  that in Georgia alone, to drag Walker across the finish line (On Friday, Trump allies announced  a new super PAC — MAGA Inc. — that will allegedly give more money in the midterms, but the real goal is to create a new vehicle to fund a 2024 bid.) In all of these Senate races, a RINO would have fared better. Arizona and New Hampshire Govs. Doug Ducey and Chris Sununu would have won in a cakewalk but balked at the idea of running amid Trump’s wreckage. Oz barely beat David McCormick in Pennsylvania’s Senate primary, thanks to Trump’s help, but McCormick would have been the better general election candidate. And pretty much any Republican capable of speaking in complete sentences would surely be doing better than Walker is doing right now in Georgia. But Trump put his own needs ahead of the party’s. Trump accuses McConnell of being a “a pawn for the Democrats ,” but Democrats benefit when Trump is in the news, which is why President Biden and the Democrats are trying to make the midterms all about Trump and “MAGA Republicans.” It makes you wonder: Who’s the real pawn? Jonah Goldberg is editor-in-chief of The Dispatch and the host of The Remnant podcast. His Twitter handle is @JonahDispatch . Read More…

Hurricane Ian Weakens To Category 3 Storm After Slamming Florida; 1 Million Without Power: Live Updates https://digitalalabamanews.com/hurricane-ian-weakens-to-category-3-storm-after-slamming-florida-1-million-without-power-live-updates/ Editor’s note: Is your power out? Click here for a lite version of this page with a quicker load time. Hurricane Ian was downgraded to a Category 3 storm Wednesday night after slamming into Florida’s southwestern coast and making landfall near Cayo Costa, the National Hurricane Center reported.  The “extremely dangerous” hurricane landed as a major Category 4 storm with maximum sustained winds near 150 miles per hour Wednesday afternoon. It slowed to a Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph winds around 7 p.m. ET, according to the center.  Floodwaters raced down streets and enveloped lawns along Florida’s southwest coast as heavy rains and high winds from historic Hurricane Ian roared. Tornadoes tore apart homes and buildings while storm surge flooded communities. “It is going to have major, major impacts in terms of wind, in terms of rain, in terms of flooding,” Gov. Ron DeSantis warned in a briefing Wednesday. “So this is going to be a nasty, nasty day, two days.”  As of 7 p.m., the storm’s center was located 25 miles northeast of Punta Gorda, Florida — about 100 miles south-southwest of Orlando. The storm was moving north-northeast at 8 mph with maximum sustained winds at 125 mph, according to the hurricane center. Ian will continue to move slowly, slamming much of the state with life-threatening storm surge, catastrophic winds and flooding, the National Hurricane Center said.  “We are now forecasting a catastrophic storm surge of 12 to 16 feet from Englewood to Bonita Beach,” the hurricane center advisory warned. When the storm made landfall with 150 mph winds, Ian was within 7 mph of Category 5, the highest status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale of Hurricane Intensity. • Hurricane tracker: Where is Ian headed? See the map. • Forecast: Ian likely to spend days dumping rain on Florida. Here’s the outlook. 1 million without power in Florida. Restoring it could take days, weeks More than 1.1 million Floridians were without power as of 6 p.m. ET, DeSantis said in a Wednesday evening press conference. “That number is going to grow,” DeSantis said. “You’re going to get more power outages.” The massive hurricane could force Florida Power & Light (FPL) to do a “complete rebuild” in some parts of Florida’s west coast, which could take days or weeks, the utility company told CNN. “What we’re seeing already just from some of the early visuals, we expect that there are going to be parts of our system on the West Coast, which will need to be rebuilt and that is going to take longer — could be a number of days, could be a matter of weeks, depending on the nature of the damages,” said Dave Reuter, chief communications officer for Florida Power & Light. More customers, he said, will be losing power as the path of the storm crosses central Florida. Ian larger than 2004 Hurricane Charley that caused 31 deaths Hurricane Ian is following an eerily similar path to the strongest recorded hurricane to hit Southwest Florida — and it is nearly three times its size.  Hurricane Charley ravaged Southwest Florida in August 2004, and 31 people died in relation to the hurricane, the CDC said.  But despite its damage, Charley was a relatively small hurricane: it was fairly contained to a limited area in its swath across Florida. The worst storm surge was around seven feet in a small area of the state’s west coast.  Hurricane Ian is much larger. As of Wednesday morning, its area of hurricane-force winds was nearly three times larger than Charley’s, up to 45 miles from the center, and its area of tropical-storm-force winds extended outward up to 175 miles. “This is way, way, way bigger than Charlie,” DeSantis said during a press conference Wednesday.  Ian’s winds prompt rare ‘extreme wind warning’ An extreme wind warning was in effect was in effect for portions of southwest Florida for extremely dangerous hurricane winds as Ian came ashore. “Treat these imminent extreme winds as if a tornado was approaching and move immediately to an interior room or shelter NOW!,” the National Weather Service warned. Storm slowing down means 24 hours of ‘wind pushing water’ National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said the storm was moving at 9 mph and was slowing down. It will take 24 hours or more to cross the state, he said – “24 hours of rainfall, 24 hours of wind pushing the water.” Some areas will see 24 inches of rain, some will see storm surge of 18 feet, he said. “This is a devastating storm for parts of Florida, not just on the southwest coast but inland,” he said. “This is going to be a storm we will talk about for many years to come. It’s a historic event.” Georgia, South Carolina to see Ian’s fury Ian was expected to weaken after landfall, the hurricane center said, but the storm could remain near hurricane strength when it moves over Florida’s east coast Thursday. And could still hold its power as it approaches the northeastern Florida, Georgia and South Carolina coasts late Friday. Heavy rainfall will spread across the Florida peninsula through Thursday. “Widespread, life-threatening catastrophic flooding is expected across portions of central Florida with considerable flooding in southern Florida, northern Florida, southeastern Georgia and coastal South Carolina,” the service said in an advisory. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp issued a state of emergency order for the entire state and said up to 500 National Guard troops were preparing to be called up if needed.  FEMA: Storm surge, flooding biggest concerns Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Deanne Criswell says her biggest concern is the expected storm surge and inland flooding from heavy rains as the storm crawls across Florida over the next two days. She urged residents across the state to heed the warnings of local officials for the “historic and catastrophic impacts that we are already beginning to see.” “Water is dangerous, period,” Criswell said at a briefing Wednesday. “From coastal storm surge to inland flooding, the majority of the state of Florida is in Ian’s crosshairs.” PREPARE YOUR POOL FOR A HURRICANE: Pool owners guide Even Waffle Houses are shutting down The Waffle House chain, known for its waffles, smothered hash browns and always-open doors, said it had closed 21 restaurants in Florida due to Ian.  The Waffle House Storm Center, a team that mobilizes during extreme weather, has been monitoring the storm’s path since Ian was a named storm, said Waffle House Vice President of Public Relations Njeri Boss. The chain was working with local governments and emergency responders around the clock to see if other outlets must close, he said. “We do have closures in mandatory evacuation zones and areas within low-lying areas that are subject to severe flooding,” Boss told USA TODAY Wednesday. Social media took notice. Twitter user Ted Vician posted that “everything else is foreshadowing. Closed Waffle House means stuff is about to get real.” – Natalie Neysa Alund, USA TODAY WAFFLE HOUSE OUTLETS BOW TO IAN: How bad will hurricane hit Florida? Waffle House closures forecast a powerful blast from Ian Too late to flee for some DeSantis warned the highest risk was along the west coast counties of Collier, Lee,  Charlotte and Sarasota. Landfall is forecast for Charlotte County.  “If you are in any of those counties, it’s no longer possible to safely evacuate,” DeSantis said. “It’s time to hunker down and prepare for this storm.” WHAT IS STORM SURGE?: Explaining a hurricane’s deadliest and most destructive threat Hurricane Ian tracker Tornadoes strike Florida Tornadoes also were a risk. Twisters were possible through Wednesday night across central and south Florida, the hurricane center said. CBS4-TV reported that least 10 mobile homes were damaged by a possible tornado Tuesday in Davie, a Broward County city of 110,000 people 25 miles north of Miami. Another possible tornado also was reported in Broward County. The Storm Prediction Center said Wednesday that “the risk of a few tornadoes should gradually increase across parts of central and east-central Florida this afternoon, with a potential focus from Lake Okeechobee northward to near Orlando during the next few hours.” WHAT IS THE SAFFIR-SIMPSON HURRICANE WIND SPEED SCALE?Breaking down the hurricane category scale CUBA DEVASTATION: ‘Apocalyptic’ photos show Cuba plunged into darkness after Hurricane Ian triggers outage Ian puts Cuba in the dark Cuba remained in the dark early Wednesday after Hurricane Ian knocked out its power grid and devastated homes, businesses and valuable tobacco farms when it hit the island’s western tip Tuesday as a Category 3 storm. Authorities were working to gradually restore service to the country’s 11 million people, Cuba’s Electric Union said in a statement.  “The damage is great, although it has not yet been possible to account for it. Aid is already pouring in from all over the country,” Cuban President Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez said on Twitter. “Rest assured that we will recover.” Airports, transit, theme parks brace for storm Airports in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Key West were closed Wednesday. Orlando International was scheduled to shut down at 10:30 a.m., and at least 700 flights in and out were canceled by early Wednesday. Miami-Dade County suspended Metrobus, Metrorail and other transit services “until further notice.”  Disney World theme parks and Sea World in Orlando all closed ahead of the storm. A couple from England on vacation in Tampa found themselves faced with riding out the storm at a shelter. Glyn and Christine Williams of London were told to leave their hotel near the beach when evacuations were ordered. Because the airport shut down, they could get no flight home. “Unfort...

AL Lawmaker To Bring Bill Targeting Occupational Taxes Next Session https://digitalalabamanews.com/al-lawmaker-to-bring-bill-targeting-occupational-taxes-next-session/ MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) — While it’s still months away, state lawmakers are preparing for next legislative session with bills they hope will improve Alabama. That includes one to remove municipalities’ occupational taxes over time. Right now, if your employer is based in one of about 25 cities in the state, you’re paying an occupational tax to that city, even if you don’t live there. With the rise of remote work and other concerns, Sen. Andrew Jones (R, Centre) wants to eliminate those taxes. “We’re trying to get people to work. We don’t want to tax them for being employed,” Jones said. Jones says it’s not just an issue with remote work but for emergency workers who are called in to help. “It’s just baffling that anybody would be opposed to folks coming in in a time of emergency not having to pay occupational taxes in that municipality,” Jones said. Jones plans to reintroduce a bill next session phasing out occupational taxes by one tenth of a percent every year until they’re gone. For a city like Birmingham with a 1% rate, that reduction would happen over ten years. But not everyone is on board. Alabama League of Municipalities President Greg Cochran says for places that collect that tax, the money makes up 15% to 30% of their revenue in some cases. That revenue goes toward essential services. “Law enforcement, firefighting, the delivery of clean drinking water, removal of wastewater, making sure that our streets are paid, looking at broadband infrastructure,” Cochran said. Cochran says should the issue come up next session, he plans to voice the concerns of the communities with that tax, and hopes lawmakers listen. “It’s been an important revenue stream for them to provide those services, and we would prefer the legislators working together with those local officials instead of hindering them,” Cochran said. The next legislative session starts in March, and Jones says he’s optimistic his bill gets through this time. Last session it didn’t make it out of the Senate. Read More…

Current Tide Road Demeanor Different From Past Teams https://digitalalabamanews.com/current-tide-road-demeanor-different-from-past-teams/ MICHAEL CASAGRANDE al.com Rolando McClain didn’t mind being the bad guy. Stepping out of a cramped locker room in a hostile SEC stadium splashed gas on an already-famously combustible mindset. Fourteen years after one particular trip to LSU evokes vivid memories of a rocking bus pulling into the stadium and the live tiger waiting at the locker room door. The alpha linebacker from Nick Saban’s first Crimson Tide act embraced the target Alabama carried to places like Baton Rouge, Fayetteville and Oxford. And when Nick Saban used his radio show to reminisce about previous generations of “hateful competitors” he’d like this group to emulate, it’s hard to imagine McClain outside that list. There’s been something intangible missing from several road games the past few years – whether narrow escapes at Florida, Auburn and Texas or a loss at Texas A&M. “We used to play better on the road than what we played at home,” Saban said Sept. 15 after a 20-19 win at unranked Texas. “Because we had some hateful competitors on our team and when they played on the road, they were mad at 100,000 people and not the 11 guys they were playing against. And they wanted to prove something to everybody.” Just winning was good enough, Saban observed as the current mentality, one that’s shifted from the days of McClain and continued through the likes of Reuben Foster, Ryan Anderson and A’Shawn Robinson. Alabama won, but unlike Saban’s early-Alabama mantra, made nobody’s ass quit. “When the competition got hot, we wanted to be in the fire,” McClain said in a recent phone interview with AL.com. “So that’s what made us, us.” In the two weeks since Saban’s hateful competitor remark, current players have faced questions about where they fall on the antagonist spectrum. Nearly everyone said the needle was in the red, but the next three weeks will put that meddle to the test. It’ll travel to face ranked teams Arkansas and Tennessee, neither of whom have a win over Alabama since 2006, but both figure to have the best shot in years to snap those skids. Neither stadium is known for hospitality on bad years so Saturday’s trip to Fayetteville and the Oct. 15 game in Knoxville figure to be absolutely snake pits. “Yeah,” McClain recalled, “Arkansas was crazy.” Alabama won all eight true road games in McClain’s sophomore and junior seasons. And from 2015-20, the Crimson Tide went 23-2 in opposing stadiums. Only Auburn in 2017 and 2019 kept Alabama from a perfect run in that six-year span that overlapped with linebacker Christian Miller’s career. Saban didn’t need colorful adjectives to assess the level of road hatred for those teams. Miller, now a sideline reporter on Alabama football radio broadcasts, said teammates like Foster, Ronnie Harrison and Jonathan Allen set the tone in the locker room. He said they embraced the villain role, built more on action than words. “It was more of an attitude ‘We are Alabama,’” Miller said recently, “‘and by the time we leave here, you’re going to know why we’re Alabama.’” Another factor in that era spanning from Saban’s arrival until 2020 was then-strength and conditioning coach Scott Cochran. No slight was too minor for Cochran to spotlight with signs plastered around the football complex. Vanderbilt’s Nifae Lealao “Alabama, you’re next” proclamation before a 2017 trip to Nashville ended with a 59-0 Crimson Tide win. “I heard one of the guys say a word like he didn’t even want to play anymore,” Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough said afterward. “But we wanted to keep our foot on the pedal and keep gassing them on every play and every down.” Like McClain, Miller recalls the most specific details of pregame instigation. In 2015, Alabama traveled to Georgia for a top-10 showdown that came with a scuffle during warmups. The boos rained just as hard as hurricane remnants that soaked Sanford Stadium that afternoon. And three years later, pregame bluster at LSU included Tiger players whipping 100,000-plus into a pre-kickoff frenzy. “I was like ‘who do they think they are?’” Miller recalls. “We’re about to play.’ Next thing you know, crickets.” That night in Baton Rouge ended with a 29-0 Alabama over No. 6 LSU, equally convincing as the 38-10 pounding of No. 8 Georgia in 2015. Docile decibel meters were the goal. In a way, Miller said he preferred road games to afternoons in Bryant-Denny simply because of the satisfaction they got from emptying stadiums in the second half. Terrell Lewis, a former linebacker teammate who played at Alabama from 2016-19, agreed. “Just the fact that the crowd is always hyped and then you can sense the energy change as you keep beating them,” Lewis said in 2019. “They’re loud, loud, loud and then you start to see people get quiet and you start to see people leave. It’s fun, because you know you dominated your opponent.” A’Shawn Robinson, an Alabama defensive lineman from 2013-15, took it a step further. “It’s a dog-eat-dog world, so in our mind we’re trying to feast,” Robinson said in 2015. “It’s like a pack of wolves out there on the line, and we’re just trying to go out there and dominate and get after whoever is back there. In our mindset, we see blood, and we try and get the blood.” The question of how that mentality translates to 2022 remains. McClain’s been away from the program long enough that he said it’s hard to say if this generation has that same intangible. Miller had a front-row view of the last two home games on the Alabama radio crew and he chuckled discussing his perspective. “It’s definitely a different kind of group, whether it’s a new generation of kids coming up. I know I’m not that old to say something like that,” said Miller, 26, who finished his Alabama career in 2018, “but realistically it is a little bit different between NIL and social media, things are just a little bit different. But these guys have it.” He said he sees it in leaders like Bryce Young and Will Anderson. “I just think it’s a matter of getting the rest of the guys around them to get that attitude and swagger about them to say ‘Hey, we’re Alabama football. There’s a standard we have to live up to.’ And they’re more than capable of doing that,” Miller said. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More…

Former Captive Alex Drueke Speaks To WBRC FOX6 News Following Release https://digitalalabamanews.com/former-captive-alex-drueke-speaks-to-wbrc-fox6-news-following-release/ TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (WBRC) – Back home and free. That’s been the story for Alabamians Alex Drueke and Andy Huynh as they get reacquainted with their loved ones after being held captive by Russian forces since early June. Drueke and Huynh left the United States and volunteered to help the Urkrainian military fight the Russians. Alex Drueke says his homecoming feels ‘surreal,’ as he spends his newfound freedom with his mom, resting and healing. Drueke also added he has no regrets after all he and Andy Huyhn endured. In his mother’s home on a quiet street in Tuscaloosa County the coffee never tasted so good for Alex Drueke and his mom, Bunny. “It’s still very surreal, sometimes I feel like I am just here for my two-week R&R, sometimes I feel like I’ve been gone for years, and sometimes I feel like I never left home,” Drueke said. But Alex Drueke did leave home, left the country to volunteer his training as a former military man, to help Ukrainian forces fight Russia. Drueke’s friend Andy Huyhn volunteered as well. On June 9 both men encountered a ‘violent’ capture, according to Drueke, but how they were captured by Russian forces is something Drueke couldn’t talk about right now. “We’re waiting on that for the time being. We know our perspective on the situation and we need to get debriefed by our government agencies before we get into that,” said Drueke. Bunny Drueke recalled the very moment she laid eyes on her son for the first time in months in New York, their first stop on American soil before coming home to Alabama. “All of a sudden I felt a hand on my shoulder and I heard ‘Hey, momma.. and I turned around and ran into Alex’s arms.. I got the hug before I could see what he looked like,” Bunny Drueke said with a laugh. There is laughter and relief these days in the Drueke home. But it wasn’t always so for the men in captivity. There were many dark days. Alex Drueke turned 40 years old during captivity. “I couldn’t even tell you there were a lot of them…. We played the delicate balance you’re down in the dump, I gotta be up. Our favorite thing was we made a checkerboard out of trash. We used matchsticks.. played a lot of chess,” Drueke remembered. Just a few days removed from captivity, Alex Drueke is 30 pounds lighter but overall in good shape. He learned something about himself through the ordeal. “I’m pretty darn tough,” he said. Far tougher than he realized. Alex Drueke says Andy Huyhn is doing fine with his family up in North Alabama, and yes, they’ve had preliminary discussions about writing a book. CLICK HERE TO GET THE WBRC FOX6 NEWS APP Subscribe to our WBRC newsletter and receive the latest local news and weather straight to your email. Copyright 2022 WBRC. All rights reserved. Read More…

McDonald's Owners Group Says Company Rejected Request To Delay Big Changes To Franchise System https://digitalalabamanews.com/mcdonalds-owners-group-says-company-rejected-request-to-delay-big-changes-to-franchise-system/ A customer places an order September 24, 2022 at a McDonald’s Restaurant along the New York State Thruway in Hannacroix, New York. Robert Nickelsberg | Getty Images News | Getty Images A group representing McDonald’s owners said the company rejected its request to delay changes to franchising policies, including updated standards and adjustments to how the company evaluates potential new restaurant operators, according to a letter seen by CNBC. The National Franchisee Leadership Alliance said in a letter to owners Wednesday that McDonald’s denied its request to make the changes in June 2023 instead of Jan. 1. related investing news The leadership group represents McDonald’s owners across the country. As of the end of last year, according to the company, there there were more than 2,400 franchise owners. Franchisees run some 95% of McDonald’s locations. The company declined to comment on the changes or the NFLA’s letter and its request to delay the adjustments. McDonald’s unveiled new policy changes during the summer, sparking tensions between some operators and the company. Several owners unhappy with these changes expressed a lack of confidence in the company’s CEO, Chris Kempczinski and its U.S. president, Joe Erlinger, in a poll taken by a separate group, the National Owners Association. The NFLA is seeking more clarity and education from the company on what it calls “McDonald’s Values,” as it pushes to hold franchise owners accountable for how they represent the brand online and in person. McDonald’s says its values are: “Serve, Inclusion, Integrity, Community and Family,” and the update is meant to reflect how these should be incorporated into owner and operator standards, according to a previous document obtained by CNBC. The new policies also call for evaluating potential new operators equally, instead of giving preferential treatment to spouses and children of current franchisees. McDonald’s is also separating how it renews leases, which are given in 20-year terms, from assessments of whether owners can operate additional restaurants – meaning, a lease renewal would not automatically make an owner eligible to operate additional locations. In a previous message to owners about the changes that was viewed by CNBC, the company said: “This change is in keeping with the principle that receiving a new franchise term is earned, not given.” The company has been actively working to recruit new and more diverse owners, underscored in a message to franchisees from Erlinger that was viewed by CNBC earlier this summer. “We’ve been doing a lot of thinking about how we continue to attract and retain the industry’s best owner/operators – individuals who represent the diverse communities we serve, bring a growth mindset and focus on executional excellence, while cultivating a positive work environment for restaurant teams,” he said. In December, McDonald’s pledged to recruit more franchisees from diverse backgrounds, committing $250 million over the next five years to help those candidates finance a franchise. The company has yet to reveal how its recruitment effort is going. “Several of these internal changes in my opinion may further limit the marketplace, reduce demand and strain the financial capability for sales between owners beyond the external factors that presently exist today,” NFLA chair Mark Salebra wrote in the letter. It goes on to underscore other challenges facing operators today including legislative changes at the state level, likely alluding to a newly signed law, A.B. 257 in California, which would regulate the fast food industry’s pay and conditions. The law was championed by the AFL-CIO, the biggest federation of unions in the United States, and condemned as “radical” by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the nation’s largest business advocacy group. McDonald’s is also rolling out a new grading system for restaurants in 2023. Owners said they were concerned about alienating workers as employers fight to lure and retain employees. The letter said that given all of these factors, “a consideration to delay (not change or renegotiate) the implementation felt appropriate and warranted.” It added that the company has provided more than 20 documents on the changes and educational sessions are forthcoming for further clarity. Read More…

Huntsville Animal Shelter Reaches Over Capacity https://digitalalabamanews.com/huntsville-animal-shelter-reaches-over-capacity/ Huntsville Animal Services needs your help as their shelter starts to fill up. “We reach capacity just about every day,” supervisor Dr. Karen Buchan said. On Wednesday afternoon, there were about 64 cats and 70 dogs at Huntsville Animal Services when their capacity is 50 to 55. However, those numbers keep going up. “We are constantly overwhelmed with dogs, cats, kittens and puppies,” Dr. Buchan said. No Kill Huntsville is worried about what the shelter may do next. “We don’t want the city to get to a point where they start destroying healthy and treatable animals because they don’t have any more room,” Aubrie Kavanaugh said. Dr. Buchan says that won’t happen. “We’re not going to euthanize an animal just because the animal comes through our door and we don’t have space,” Dr. Buchan explained. “We have those situations like behavioral, medical. That would be a situation where we would have to euthanize an animal depending on the situation.” Dr. Buchan says they do have ways to increase capacity at the shelter by limiting space in the kennels. They’re also working to help struggling pet owners. “We try so hard to help people, especially people that cannot keep their animals for whatever reason. We try to find resources for them,” Dr. Buchan said. You can find some of those resources here and here. If you’re interested in adopting or fostering a pet, you can visit Huntsville Animal Services or click here. If you’ve recently lost your pet, you can use this map to try to see if they’re in the shelter. Have a news tip, question or correction? Email us at newsroom@waaytv.com Read More…

Mobile Man Convicted Of Shooting Clerk – His Sixth Felony – Gets Life In Prison https://digitalalabamanews.com/mobile-man-convicted-of-shooting-clerk-his-sixth-felony-gets-life-in-prison/ MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Reginald Thadeous Blevins walked into court in handcuffs and stood passively as a judge pronounced the only sentence he could for a 2020 robbery and shooting of a convenience store clerk – life in prison. That life sentence – without possibility of parole – was automatic because the defendant’s five prior felony convictions tagged him as a “habitual offender.” That includes murder in the 2013 shooting death of Joey O’Brien. “Mr. Blevins, the only sentenced I can impose, by law, is life without parole,” Mobile County Presiding Circuit Judge Michael Youngpeter told the defendant. Blevins, 36, already is serving a 17-year sentence on the 2013 murder. He was on probation for that when he shot a clerk at the CEFCO station on Spring Hill Avenue on Jan. 17, 2020. A judge revoked it after his arrest on the new charge. Blevins pleaded guilty in 2017 to the murder of Joey O’Brien. The victim’s sister. Kelly Poole, said her brother was in the wrong place at the wrong time, riding his bicycle on Spring Hill Avenue. She said she takes some comfort knowing her brother’s killer is finally going away for life. “I would say some relief that he is gonna be accountable for his actions and relief that he is not on the street to hurt other people,” she said. In addition to that that murder, defendant’s rap sheet include four other convictions – guilty pleas in 2015 to second-degree assault, shooting into an occupied vehicle and third-degree robbery; and a 2014 guilty plea to possession of drugs. Surveillance video from the CEFCO holdup shows a robber walking inside trying to steal 12-packs of Bud Light. The clerk tries to block him from leaving, and he shoots her before running away from the store. At a trial last month, a Mobile County Circuit Court jury decided the robber from the surveillance video was Blevins. Prosecutors presented evidence that Blevins previously tried to steal beer from the same gas station and that he carried out beer without paying at a store in Daphne just days before the shooting. “Today’s sentence by Judge Youngpeter ensures that Reginald Blevins will no longer torment the citizens of Mobile County,” Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Reginald Blevins said in a statement. “While this sentence will never fully relieve the victims of Blevins’ numerous crimes over the years, I hope today’s sentence provides at least some closure, not only for the victims, but for the citizens of Mobile County.” Defense attorney James Byrd objected to his client’s prior convictions being entered into the record since prosecutors had not presented certified copies. The judge overruled him, noting that the defendant, himself, acknowledged the convictions during his testimony at trial. Byrd told FOX10 News that he objected to preserve it as an appeal issue. “Sometimes, there’s errors in the record,” he said. “There wasn’t an attorney present; they didn’t properly advise him of his rights – some issue that in the paperwork or in the records could exist. But they didn’t have any of the paperwork or the records here. They just relied upon the case numbers and said they were valid.” Blevins’ parents were present for Wednesday’s sentencing hearing. “They’ve suffered many years with Reginald,” Byrd said. “And they love him tremendously, but they can’t seem to change him.” — Download the FOX10 Weather App. Get life-saving severe weather warnings and alerts for your location no matter where you are. Available free in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Copyright 2022 WALA. All rights reserved. Read More…

15-Year-Old Girl Killed In Hesperia Shootout Had Been Staying With Father Before Mother's Slaying https://digitalalabamanews.com/15-year-old-girl-killed-in-hesperia-shootout-had-been-staying-with-father-before-mothers-slaying/ HESPERIA, Calif. (KABC) — A man who was accused of killing his estranged wife in Fontana and abducting their 15-year-old daughter had been living with the teenager out of his pickup truck and hotels for weeks before the violence, authorities said Wednesday. Anthony John Graziano and his daughter, Savannah Graziano, were killed Tuesday in a shootout with law enforcement on a highway in the high desert after a 45-mile chase. The girl, wearing a tactical helmet and military-style vest that can hold armored plates, ran toward deputies amid a hail of gunfire. Authorities are investigating whether she was shot by deputies or her father, or both. While many questions remain regarding Tuesday’s gunbattle, police in Fontana – where Graziano’s wife, 45-year-old Tracy Martinez, was killed Monday – offered some details about the family’s life before the bloodshed erupted this week. Graziano, 45, had moved out of the family’s home a month or two before the mother’s killing, as the couple went through a divorce, Fontana police Sgt. Christian Surgent told The Associated Press and confirmed to ABC7. Savannah Graziano left with her father, while her younger brother stayed with their mother. Police issued an Amber Alert after Martinez’s killing, saying Savannah Graziano had been abducted by her father. Now, detectives are trying to determine whether or not she was coerced into leaving Fontana. “Did she go willingly?” Surgent said. “Or was she actually abducted? We haven’t been able to prove that just yet.” Fontana police had not received any reports of domestic violence at the home before the slaying, Surgent said, and child services had not been involved with the family. Neither parent was on probation or parole at the time and investigators believe Savannah was being home-schooled while she lived with her father, whom police said liked to camp out in the desert and mountains in his pickup truck. On Monday, witnesses saw Martinez walking in Fontana when Graziano picked her up in his truck. Surgent said it was not clear whether she was forced into the vehicle or got in on her own. “And immediately that’s when they started arguing and yelling and domestic violence was occurring,” he said. Martinez got out of the truck – potentially to escape – and Graziano opened fire on her with a handgun, striking her multiple times, Surgent said. The shooting on the street near an elementary school during morning drop-off forced students and parents to duck for cover. “The man just came down the street shooting. He started shooting in that direction,” neighborhood resident Andy Davis told ABC7. “Hit those trees, houses across the street. They say the bullets were skipping off the street, and the woman was trying to run for her life, and unfortunately she was hit. Once she was hit I guess he shot at her a few more times.” Graziano fled the scene and drove to get Savannah, who had been somewhere else at the time – likely wherever they had been staying that day, Surgent said. The son was at the family’s home at the time and was not involved. The next day, a 911 caller reported seeing the suspect’s Nissan Frontier around Barstow. Deputies located the pickup truck and chased it on the highway for around 45 miles to Hesperia. Throughout the pursuit, Graziano – and possibly his daughter as well – was “constantly shooting back at the deputies” with a rifle through the truck’s rear window, San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus said Tuesday during a news conference. The pickup truck became disabled on the shoulder of a highway in Hesperia, and a firefight ensued, with dozens of bullets flying. Savannah ran toward deputies – who did not realize it was her – in the chaos and went down amid the gunfire. She was taken to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly before noon. Her father was found in the driver’s seat and pronounced dead at the scene. Although the only weapon found — a rifle — was in the truck with Graziano, detectives said it was possible that his daughter was also firing. “There may be some information that the passenger was involved in firing back at the deputies and we’re still trying to confirm that at this point,” Dicus said. One deputy was injured by shrapnel during the firefight, Dicus said. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright © 2022 KABC Television, LLC. All rights reserved. Read More…

Virgin Atlantic Says Men Can Wear Skirts, Updates Gender Policy https://digitalalabamanews.com/virgin-atlantic-says-men-can-wear-skirts-updates-gender-policy/ British airline Virgin Atlantic on Wednesday updated its gender policy and uniform requirements, allowing male employees to wear skirts. Under the airline’s new policies, there will no longer be a “requirement for its people to wear gendered uniform options,” Virgin Atlantic said in a press release. The airline’s crew, pilots and ground team members will now get to pick which uniform they want to wear regardless of gender. Virgin Atlantic’s crew, pilots and ground team members will now get to pick which uniform they want to wear regardless of gender. (Reuters/Phil Noble / Reuters) VIRGIN ATLANTIC RELAXES EMPLOYEE TATTOO POLICY Virgin Atlantic previously changed a policy related to uniforms in June, amending its tattoo policy so that employees no longer had to hide their ink while in uniform. That change came several years after the airline started allowing female cabin crew members to decide how much makeup to put on as well as to wear pants and flat shoes. Virgin Atlantic recently relaxed its tattoo policy for employees. (Virgin Atlantic) Virgin Atlantic on Wednesday also launched optional pronoun badges for employees and customers. Passengers can ask for them at the check-in desk or in one of its lounges, the airline said. Additionally, the airline’s ticketing systems have been updated so that passengers with gender-neutral passports can select “U” or “X” as their gender code and “Mx” as their title when booking, according to the release. TSA IMPLEMENTING NEW GENDER-NEUTRAL SCREENING PROCESS AT CHECKPOINTS “At Virgin Atlantic, we believe that everyone can take on the world, no matter who they are,” the airline’s chief commercial officer, Juha Jarvinen, said in a statement. “That’s why [it’s] so important that we enable our people to embrace their individuality and be their true selves at work. It is for that reason that we want to allow our people to wear the uniform that best suits them and how they identify and ensure our customers are addressed by their preferred pronouns.” Virgin Atlantic said it plans to roll out mandatory inclusivity training for its employees and to offer inclusivity “learning initiatives” for tourism partners and hotels. (Reuters/Phil Noble / Reuters) Virgin Atlantic said it plans to roll out mandatory inclusivity training for its employees and to offer inclusivity “learning initiatives” for tourism partners and hotels. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE ON FOX BUSINESS Read More…

Tuscaloosa News Obituaries In Tuscaloosa, AL | Tuscaloosa News https://digitalalabamanews.com/tuscaloosa-news-obituaries-in-tuscaloosa-al-tuscaloosa-news-6/ Kathryn Haskell Smith, 91, passed away peacefully on September 26th, 2022, surrounded by her family. She was born on May 10, 1931, and raised in Omaha, NE where she married her high school sweetheart, Homer Smith, in 1952. Kathy was an elementary school teacher after graduating from the University of Nebraska where she was a member of Kappa Alpha Theta. As a mom, she always helped at her daughter’s childhood activities and later in life she served as a reading volunteer. She was tremendously dedicated and loyal to her family, friends, and church communities. She was one who always made you feel she was happy to see you and cherished the time she spent with you. She loved to sew and knit and made dozens of beautiful handmade items for her family. As a college football coach’s wife over a span of 42 years, her dedication and support were unsurpassed. She lovingly established 15 beautiful homes in the many moves they made, entertained coaches and players, typed Homer’s books and manuals, and became quite an expert on the game. She loved following her favorite sports teams. She is predeceased in death by her husband of 59 years, Homer Smith; parents John and Grace Haskell of Omaha; sister Carolyn Hallquist of Omaha; and an infant daughter. She is survived by her daughters Kim (Leamon) Hall, Johns Creek, GA, and Cari (Wayne) Carpenter, Wilbraham, MA; grandchildren Taylor (Natalie) Hall; Shelby (John) Ullman of Grand Rapids, MI; Maddy Carpenter (Seth), Holden, MA; Thomas Carpenter of Wilbraham, MA; great-granddaughter Lindsay Kate Hall; and many beloved cousins, nieces, and nephews. A memorial service will be held in Johns Creek, GA at a later date. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Johns Creek United Methodist Church, 11180 Medlock Bridge Road, Johns Creek, GA 30097; First United Methodist Church Tuscaloosa, 800 Greensboro Ave. Tuscaloosa, AL 35401; or Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University, in appreciation of Dr. Ajay Tadepalli, 1762 Clifton Road, Suite 1400, Atlanta, GA 30322. Posted online on September 28, 2022 Published in Tuscaloosa News Read More…