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Fights Over Political Lines Have Fueled The Aging Of America's Government. But That May Be Changing. https://digitalalabamanews.com/fights-over-political-lines-have-fueled-the-aging-of-americas-government-but-that-may-be-changing/ Redistricting and fights over political lines have fueled the aging of America’s government.   More often than not, older members of Congress win in primaries between two incumbents. But polarization and partisanship are enabling younger members to knock out their elders. Read more from Insider’s “Red, White, and Gray” series. Loading Something is loading. Every 10 years, a new US Census forces states to redraw their political maps through redistricting. Whenever a state loses a House seat in the process, incumbent members of Congress are forced to run against each other — and younger, less experienced incumbents often end up on the chopping block.  An Insider analysis, based on data compiled by Bloomberg’s Greg Giroux, found that in 20 incumbent-on-incumbent contests since 1992 where there was an age difference of at least two years between the candidates, 12 were won by the older member and eight by the younger member.  The dynamics of member-on-member contests have favored older incumbents and reinforced the gerontocracy in American politics as we know it. Since the 1990s, the age of Congress has significantly increased compared to the baseline growth seen over the 20th century — and redistricting has only hastened that trend.  “It doesn’t surprise me that age would make a difference on the margins,” Jamie Carson, a political scientist at the University of Georgia who studies congressional elections, told Insider of member-on-member races. “It brings a bit more experience, better fundraising prowess, and maybe they know the district better.”  The 2012 cycle, where the more senior representative won eight of 11 such contests following redistricting, was particularly brutal for younger incumbents.  In New Jersey, then 75-year-old Bill Pascrell easily dispatched 59-year-old Democratic Rep. Steven Rothman by 22 points when the two ran in the same district in 2012.  Fifty-year-old Rep. David Schweikert narrowly ousted the one-term 35-year-old Ben Quayle, the son of former Vice President Dan Quayle, in the Phoenix suburbs. Sixty-nine-year-old John Mica, who had served in Congress for nearly 20 years, knocked out 55-year-old Sandy Adams, who served one term, in suburban Central Florida. And 60-year-old Janice Hahn defeated fellow Democrat Laura Richardson, 50, in the general election for California’s 44th District by a resounding 20 points. GOP Rep. Alex Mooney, left, and Rep. David McKinley, right, are facing off in a member-on-member primary in West Virginia. AP Photo/Chris Tilley, File, AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File Youth movement — fueled by partisanship? But that trend is changing. Accelerating partisanship and polarization, in particular, are shaking up the game — and increasingly empowering younger lawmakers to knock out their more senior rivals.  In 2022, the 75-year-old, five-term Rep. David McKinley, a West Virginia Republican, had some key advantages on his side when reapportionment put him in the same district as 50-year-old Rep. Alex Mooney.  McKinley, endorsed by both Virginia’s Republican governor and its powerful Democratic senator, Joe Manchin, was able to tout his role in the passage of a landmark bipartisan infrastructure bill that provided much-needed funds for his state. But an endorsement from President Donald Trump and hundreds of thousands in outside spending from conservative groups boosted Mooney to win the day.  Younger candidates have won four out of six member-on-member primaries of the 2022 cycle, though in one case, Rep. Jerry Nadler of New York, who’s 75, was younger by just a few months than Democratic rival, Rep. Carolyn Maloney. And in the cases of the two older incumbents who came out on top in their races, age and tenure in Congress weren’t the deciding factors. Republican Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois outside a January 6 committee hearing on June 13, 2022. Drew Angerer/Getty Images State lawmakers have expertly wielded their redistricting pens to kneecap their opponents — and hurt younger candidates  Over the decades, intentional partisan gerrymandering — and the inevitable reshuffling that comes along with states losing districts and redrawing their lines — have dashed many congressional careers and aspirations. Partisan gerrymandering and internal party struggle over district lines can also prevent young candidates or candidates from diverse backgrounds from getting elected to Congress in the first place.  “Wisconsin’s 7th District is very gerrymandered, so that was already a challenge that, going in, I knew,” Tricia Zunker, who ran as a Democrat in a special election in a rural, Republican-leaning north-central Wisconsin district in spring 2020, told Insider in an interview. Partisan gerrymandering, the redrawing of political district lines to favor one political party over the other, has gotten increasingly tactical. State lawmakers, in addition to utilizing the process to kneecap the opposing party, also make strategic choices about which members of Congress to sacrifice.  In 2002, Republican state lawmakers in Michigan, who then controlled the redistricting process, drew two Democrats into the same blue district to make the surrounding districts safer for their party, a gerrymandering tactic known as packing. The new map put then 45-year-old Rep. Lynn Rivers in the same district as Rep. John Dingell, a scion of Michigan politics who still holds the mantle of the longest-serving member of Congress in history. Rivers mounted a competitive challenge — but still lost the race by 18 points. And she’s not the only one who saw her time in Congress come to an end after partisan gerrymandering pitted her against a colleague.  After the 2020 Census, Republican lawmakers in Georgia took the opportunity to force out one of the two Democratic women who had won seats in the blue-trending Atlanta suburbs, pushing Reps. Lucy McBath and Carolyn Bourdeaux into the same safely Democratic district.  In Illinois, which lost one House seat after 2020, a map drawn by Democrats in the state legislature pitted two sets of Republican incumbents against each other in northern and central Illinois. Rep. Rodney Davis lost to freshman Rep. Mary Miller in one of those races. In the other, Rep. Adam Kinzinger decided to retire rather than run against Rep. Darin LaHood.  “Through a strategic lens, it’s a chance to knock out an incumbent and make that seat more vulnerable,” Carson, the political scientist, said of gerrymandering. The game of political musical chairs set off by a state losing a seat in Congress can also box out young, upstart candidates hoping to break in.  Lourin Hubbard, a 33-year-old water-quality-control manager in California’s Central Valley, ran as a Democrat in a June 2022 special election after a top GOP representative, Devin Nunes, left Congress early to run the Trump Media & Technology Group, the company behind the former president’s Truth Social platform. Hubbard, who lost to the 71-year-old Republican Connie Conway, considered running for a full term in Congress. But California’s new commission-drawn congressional map, which will fully take effect come January 2023, dissolves Nunes’ old district and splits it up into four new ones — including one held by Democratic Rep. Jim Costa.  Hubbard told Insider that local county Democrats discouraged him from running for a full term in Congress against Costa, who now holds a safely Democratic Fresno-based seat.      The new map “created some tension and conflict” within the county Democratic Party. “And to avoid that conflict altogether, I was like, ‘I’ll just run in the special,'” he said.  Democratic Rep. Andy Levin of Michigan at a press conference on Capitol Hill on February 9, 2022. Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call via Getty Images Partisanship and parochial factors are shaking up member-on-member primaries Incumbency is the best predictor of whether a candidate wins an election.  Challengers, Carson noted, have the best shot at unseating incumbents if they have prior political experience, money, or are up against an incumbent with particular weaknesses or a scandal. “Even if you don’t like the incumbent, that’s not enough,” Ryan Williamson, a resident fellow for governance at the R Street Institute, a Washington DC-based policy think tank, told Insider. “You have to actively dislike the incumbent and mobilize around unseating them, which is a much higher burden.” But the rare contests where incumbents are pitted against each other are “idiosyncratic,” Carson said, and don’t follow predictable patterns — especially in the 2022 cycle.         Two decades after the Dingell-Rivers race, another primary fight between two Michigan Democrats shows how partisanship and money can eclipse age, experience — and even membership in a political dynasty — in member-on-member races.  Rep. Haley Stevens, 39, could have had an uphill battle against Rep. Andy Levin, 61, when he decided to run against her in her suburban Detroit district, which became more safely Democratic under new lines drawn by a citizen-led commission.  Like Dingell in 1955, Levin took over the House seat held for decades by his father, Sander Levin, in the 2018 midterm elections, following both his father and his uncle, former Sen. Carl Levin, to Washington.  But Levin took a risk by choosing to run in the safely blue 11th District instead of the more Republican 10th District where he lived, planting himself on largely unfamiliar turf where he represented just a quarter of the electorate.  The explosion in outside campaign spending since 2002 has shaken up the dynamics of all House primaries and heavily factored into the 11th District contest. A slew of pro-Israel, women’s, and progressive organizati...

GOP Strategy Elevates Clashes Over Crime, Race In Midterm Battlegrounds https://digitalalabamanews.com/gop-strategy-elevates-clashes-over-crime-race-in-midterm-battlegrounds/ One Republican commercial casts Mandela Barnes as a “different” Democrat, and points out his push to end cash bail. Another shows his face on a wall with his last name sprayed in graffiti-style script and highlights a comment he made about reallocating police funds. A third labels him “dangerously liberal on crime.” Republicans have said the ads are part of a broader strategy of calling out Democrats on crime, an argument they believe will be potent in the closing stage of this year’s midterm elections. But some allies of Barnes, who would be Wisconsin’s first Black Senator, have derided the attacks as racist messages that feed on stereotypes. As he faces a torrent of negative ads, Barnes has launched spots seeking to assure voters he will fight crime and support law enforcement. Yet some Democrats said they fear his response has been ineffective. The tensions playing out in Wisconsin mark one of the starkest examples of a trend that has swept across the midterm landscape with about six weeks left until Election Day: Republicans are increasingly centering their pitch to voters on crime, casting Democrats as weak and ineffective buffers against violent criminal conduct. As Republicans advance that argument, they are drawing growing accusations from Democrats that they are engaging in a pattern of stoking racial divisions, a charge they reject. At the same time, Democrats worry the attacks could resonate amid the rise in violent crime that has taken place with their party in power at the federal level and in many cities. Some candidates are scrambling to distance themselves from slogans such as “Defund the police” that were popular among left-wing activists after a reckoning on racial justice and policing two years ago, but have complicated the party’s image more broadly since that time, according to strategists across the political spectrum. Homicide rates in the country’s cities have spiked over the past two years, with officials pointing to pandemic-related changes to the criminal justice system and, in some cases, less stringent policing policies. Now, from the Senate battlegrounds of Wisconsin and Pennsylvania to key House races across the Midwest and beyond, Republicans are ramping up attacks highlighting incidents of deadly violence, sometimes in grisly detail, in ads and speeches. “I have been trying to be quiet about it for a long time because I would hate for the Democrats to figure it out, but I think the cat, it’s out of the bag,” said Curt Anderson, a top strategist for National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman Rick Scott (R-Fla.) “For the last eight or nine months I could just see it [crime] coming as the worst issue for the party in power.” He signaled that Republicans would attempt to hit on the issue more sharply in Georgia, where there is another battleground Senate race. The rationale for the strategy is apparent in public polling. Republicans have a 22-point advantage on handling crime, with 56 percent of registered voters saying they trust Republicans more while 34 percent say they trust Democrats more on the issue, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Just as Democrats have put many Republicans on defense over abortion in the wake of the Supreme Court decision to reverse Roe v. Wade, the GOP is now seeking to go on offense over crime. After spending much of this election cycle with a clear advantage in the midterms, the GOP appeared to lose some ground over the summer in the battle for Congress, and party strategists hope running on crime will help them regain their footing in the final weeks. During the first three weeks of September, the Republican candidates and allies aired about 53,000 commercials on crime, according to AdImpact, which tracks political spots on network TV. That’s up from the 29,000 crime ads they aired in all of August. Nearly 50 percent of all Republican online ads in battleground states have focused on policing and safety since the start of the month, according to data from Priorities USA, a group focused on electing Democrats. The Republican messaging often seeks to tie Democratic candidates to calls to “defund the police” and abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, even as most nominees do not subscribe to those views. In other cases, Republicans single out policies promoted more directly by Democratic candidates, including limiting or redirecting police funding and changing the way bail regulations work. One ad from the Congressional Leadership Fund, a super PAC aligned with the House GOP leadership, asserts that Democratic candidate Liz Mathis, running in Iowa’s 2nd Congressional District, is “not an ordinary Democrat” and associates her with the “Defund the Police” movement, saying she once marched with a group that supports the cause and employed a campaign staff member who has backed it. In an interview, Mathis said she anticipated the attacks that she’s soft on crime even though she has voted repeatedly to increase funding for law enforcement, and prerecorded a rebuttal advertisement that features two local sheriffs vouching for her and rejecting “Defund the Police” calls. The ad went up the day after the attacks began, she said. In the Senate race in Florida, incumbent Marco Rubio (R) launched ads featuring local law enforcement officers who claim that his opponent, Rep. Val Demings (D-Fla.), “turned her back on law enforcement.” Before she was elected to Congress, Demings served as chief of the Orlando Police Department. She retorted with her own ads that highlight her nearly three decades working in the police force. “In the Senate, I’ll protect Florida from bad ideas like defunding the police. That’s just crazy,” Demings says in the spots. While the crime attacks are not wholly new, to an extent, the GOP emphasis on the issue marks a reorientation of the party’s predominant midterm message beyond the economy and inflation. Rising costs remain part of the GOP pitch, but several Republican strategists noted that falling gas prices makes the issue less urgent and pointed to crime as highly effective, particularly in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. Republicans said they believe they can use the issue to motivate their base and persuade undecided and independent voters to cast ballots for GOP candidates. Some Democrats said they see a more sinister strategy reminiscent of past elections, involving racial stereotypes and playing on voters’ worst instincts. In Wisconsin on Wednesday, a group of activists and lawmakers called on the GOP to remove its ads targeting Barnes on crime. “We’re out here standing up for the truth demanding that these divisive, racist ads be taken down,” said state Sen. Chris Larson (D), describing them as “a blatant attempt to gin up fear.” Some of the ads, including from the Senate Leadership Fund super PAC, seek to connect Barnes’s authorship of a measure to end cash bail to the driver of a vehicle who killed six at Christmas parade in Waukesha. The man charged in that case had been released on a $1,000 bond before driving an SUV through the crowd. The trial in that case is set to begin in early October. Barnes rejects the assertion that his plan would have freed the suspect, noting that his initiative would require judges to hold defendants if there is “a substantial risk” that the defendant could “cause serious bodily harm” to people in the community. Cornell Belcher, who was a pollster for Barack Obama’s presidential campaigns and watched some of the ads against Barnes, said they play “in the continuum of the politics of victimization.” “This is Willie Horton 2.0,” Belcher added, referring to a 1988 GOP ad intended to paint then-Democratic presidential nominee Michael Dukakis as soft on crime. It featured a Black man who was released from a Massachusetts prison on a furlough program and went on to rape a White woman. When shown a different ad from the NRSC attacking Barnes that features his name scrawled in graffiti, Belcher, who is Black, was uncharacteristically at a loss for words. “The imagery of that ad to me is just as important as the words in that ad,” Belcher said. “They’re attempting to ghettoize him.” Chris Hartline, a spokesman for the NRSC, rejected that the advertisements play on racial tropes. “Crime destroys all people, regardless of race,” Hartline said in a statement. “And Mandela Barnes has supported a radical, soft-on-crime agenda.” The crime ads, and other attacks against Barnes, ramped up in the end of August. As they’ve hit the airwaves, the share of voters with an unfavorable impression of Barnes has risen, according to polling from Marquette Law School. Charles Franklin, director of the Marquette Law School poll, said the ads against Barnes have come “fast and furious” and have probably contributed to the worsening of his numbers. In a statement, Barnes spokeswoman Maddy McDaniel said Sen. Ron Johnson, the GOP incumbent, and his allies “have resorted to lying” about Barnes’s record. She characterized the Republican ads as “desperate attacks and outright lies.” Barnes has tried to counter some of the GOP ads more directly with his own commercials. He recently released one that features a retired law enforcement officer vouching for him. In another, Barnes stands in a kitchen unloading groceries and says Republicans are lying when they say he wants to “Defund the Police” and “Abolish ICE.” Barnes was once photographed posing with a red T-shirt emblazoned with the phrase “Abolish ICE” and subsequently distanced himself from the slogan. In the past he has suggested using money from what he called “over-bloated budgets in police departments” to pay for neighborhood services, though his campaign maintains he does not support defunding the police. Still, some Democrats with ties to th...

Capitol Rioter From Iowa Called ‘leader Of The Mob’ By Police Did Not Testify In His Trial https://digitalalabamanews.com/capitol-rioter-from-iowa-called-leader-of-the-mob-by-police-did-not-testify-in-his-trial/ Iowan Doug Jensen did not testify and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense as he stands trial for his role in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday and then the federal jury in the District of Columbia is expected to begin deliberations after the weeklong trial. U.S. Capitol Police Inspector Thomas Lloyd, who testified at the trial this week, described Jensen as “leader of the mob” headed into the Capitol during the 2021 riot. Jensen, of Des Moines, became a widely recognized figure when video circulated on social media of him, wearing a “Q” T-shirt, at the front of a mob pursuing a U.S. Capitol police officer up a staircase. Defense attorney Christopher Davis said Tuesday in his opening remarks that no one is contesting that Jensen participated in the insurrection. But Jensen was not violent and did not damage federal property, he said. “This is not a whodunit case,” Davis said. “Literally, the whole case is on video.” Jurors were shown multiple well-known photos and videos of Jensen’s participation in the U.S. Capitol, including footage of him climbing up the side of an outside staircase as protesters attempted to break into the building. Another video showed him advancing through a cloud of spray erupting from a ruptured fire extinguisher. The trial also featured two concurrent video recordings of the altercation when Jensen was seen running up stairs in pursuit of a Capitol police officer. That officer, Eugene Goodman, testified at the trial. He told jurors Wednesday about his assignment at the Capitol rotunda that day, which was to guard U.S. senators and House members moving between chambers as they certified the results of the 2020 presidential election. Goodman was stationed outside for part of the day, where he was hit with bear spray and tear gas deployed by law enforcement, he told jurors. He went inside and vomited in a bucket once back-up officers had arrived, he said, before returning outside. When the mob broke into the Capitol, he went inside to direct politicians, including U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, away from the crowd. As the rioters approached, Goodman said he was prodded with a Confederate flag. By the time of his confrontation with Jensen, he had “no out” except going up the stairs, he said. “I felt like they were going to rush at any time,” Goodman said. FBI Special Agent Tyler Johnson testified Thursday, describing the “Q-Anon” shirt Jensen wore and the 3-inch pocket knife he carried that day. As one of the people who interviewed Jensen when he turned himself in, Johnson answered questions from the defense saying that Jensen was “coherent” during his interview, and was not verbally aggressive. Jensen was one of the first of many arrested and charged for their actions at the U.S. Capitol that day, where supporters of former President Donald Trump gathered to contest President Joe Biden’s victory in the 2020 election. Many of the participants were followers of the “QAnon” conspiracy theory, believing that Trump had plans to reveal and punish a child sex trafficking ring among the wealthy and influential. Nearly 900 people have been charged for federal crimes in relation to the riot, and roughly 400 have pleaded guilty. Jensen, one of eight Iowans charged in relation to the event, did not yet have any warrants out for his arrest when he walked to a police station and turned himself in the day after he returned from Washington, D.C. He has been in custody for nearly the entire 18 months since his arrest. Jensen faces charges of civil disorder, resisting or impeding officers and obstruction of an official proceeding. None of the defendants involved in the insurrection have been acquitted of their charges in jury trials. Iowa Capital Dispatch is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Iowa Capital Dispatch maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Kathie Obradovich for questions: info@iowacapitaldispatch.com. Follow Iowa Capital Dispatch on Facebook and Twitter. Read More…

Tropical Storm Ian About To Have ‘rapid Intensification,’ Florida Track Is Uncertain https://digitalalabamanews.com/tropical-storm-ian-about-to-have-rapid-intensification-florida-track-is-uncertain/ Tropical Storm Ian is expected to have “rapid intensification” today, grow into a major hurricane in the next 48 hours and eventually hit Florida – but many questions remain including when, where and how strong the storm will be at the time of landfall. In its 5 a.m. Sunday update, the National Hurricane Center said Tropical Storm Ian had maximum-sustained winds of 50 mph. The storm was located about 345 miles south-southeast of Grand Cayman and moving to the west-northwest at 12 mph. A hurricane warning is in effect for Grand Cayman and a hurricane watch is in effect for parts of Cuba. “The NHC intensity forecast calls for rapid intensification to begin later today, and forecasts Ian to be a major hurricane when it nears western Cuba in about 48 hours,” the NHC said in its early Sunday update. By Tuesday, the storm is expected to become a Category 3 hurricane with winds of 120 mph and a Category 4 on Wednesday with winds of 140 mph. Computer forecast models agree Ian will hit Florida, but don’t agree on where. “There are still significant differences regarding the exact track of the storm, especially after 72 hours,” the NHC cautioned. Two models, the UKMET and ECMWF, show the storm will make landfall in west-central Florida. Two other models, the GFS and HWRF, show the storm moving more west and take Ian into the central or western Florida panhandle. This early Sunday morning satellite image shows Tropical Storm Ian spinning south of Cuba. (NOAAA/National Hurricane Center) The hurricane center’s current forecast track for the storm basically splits the difference between the different models with the NHC’s best guess. “It cannot be overstated that significant uncertainty remains in Ian’s long-range prediction,” the NHC cautioned. “Regardless of Ian’s exact track and intensity, there is a risk of dangerous storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall along the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle by the middle of the week, and residents in Florida should ensure they have their hurricane plan in place, follow any advice given by local officials, and closely monitor updates to the forecast,” the hurricane center said. Across Central Florida, residents were spending part of the weekend preparing for Ian’s possible arrival. A Target store near Millenia had very few gallon bottles of water left on Saturday, as signs on the shelves limited purchases to four cases or bottles per customer. 5AM Update | Uncertainty in the long-term track & intensity forecast of TS Ian is higher than usual. Direct impacts to E central FL remain uncertain, but windy conditions & heavy rainfall will be possible into the middle of next week. Continue to monitor the forecast for updates. pic.twitter.com/e9uA7j42D9 — NWS Melbourne (@NWSMelbourne) September 25, 2022 “This is the third store I visited today,” said Maritza Osorio, who was leaving Target for a fourth location. “If not, we’ll have to try again tomorrow.” There was fewer foot traffic through a Home Depot in the same plaza, with many people carrying water in their carts as others shopped for slabs of plywood to be used as shutters, along with other items. The National Hurricane Center’s key messages for Tropical Storm Ian and its impact on Florida and elsewhere. (NOAA/National Hurricane Center) Though it’s not yet clear whether, or how strongly, Ian will hit if it strikes Central Florida, people like Gary Wilson aren’t taking any chances. He’s had his hurricane kit ready with supplies weeks into the beginning of the season and was at Home Depot for final preparations, just in case. [ What supplies should you have in your hurricane prep kit? ] “If anything happens, I’m ready,” Wilson said. On Saturday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis issued a state of emergency order for all of the Sunshine State – expanding an order he issued Friday that declared in an emergency in two dozen counties. DeSantis also mobilized the National Guard to assist with storm prep and recovery. The earliest reasonable arrival of tropical-storm-force winds from Ian. (NOAA/National Hurricane Center.) “This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations,” DeSantis said in a statement. “We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm.” President Joe Biden also declared an emergency for the state, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to coordinate disaster relief efforts and provide assistance to protect lives and property. The president postponed a scheduled Sept. 27 trip to Orlando due to the storm. Cristóbal Reyes of the Sentinel staff and the Associated Press contributed to this report Read More…

GM Shifts Course, Will Call Workers Back To Office https://digitalalabamanews.com/gm-shifts-course-will-call-workers-back-to-office/ GM employees who have been working remotely due to the pandemic will be required to return to the office at least three days a week, starting later this year, the automaker confirmed Friday. An internal message to employees, first obtained by Automotive News and confirmed by GM on Friday, attributed the shift in GM’s Work Appropriately policy to the progress made against the pandemic, saying “the COVID-19 situation has dramatically improved.” “As the COVID landscape has dramatically improved, and as we accelerate our transformation and enter a rapid launch cycle, we are evolving Work Appropriately to drive the best collaboration, enterprise mindset and impact. Effective later this year, employees who transitioned to working remotely some or all of the time during the pandemic will pivot to a more regular in-person work cycle, and they will now be expected to work three days on-campus each week,” GM spokesperson Maria Raynal said in a statement via email Friday. “We’re committed to maintaining flexibility to ensure our employees can attend to personal commitments, and we will share details with them in the coming weeks.” More:GM to reinstate a dividend and start stock buybacks, signaling confidence More:GM’s joint venture considers location near Michigan border for 4th battery plant According to an article in Crain’s Detroit business, GM’s message to employees was attributed to “the senior leadership team,” listing CEO Mary Barra, President Mark Reuss and 12 other top executives. The message, which also cited the desire to encourage more collaboration moving forward did not say specifically when the new policy would take effect. On April 20, 2021, GM laid forth a new philosophy that signaled a culture shift for the 113-year-old automaker called Work Appropriately. Work Appropriately gave many salaried employees flexibility to work wherever they could best do their job. GM viewed it as a hiring and retention tool because GM has more access to talent by not requiring all its employees to move to Michigan or make daily commutes. GM’s new return-to-office plan couldn’t come fast enough for the Renaissance Center. The site of GM’s headquarters effectively became a ghost town when COVID-19 sent office workers packing to work from home. Among them: roughly 5,000 GM employees. GM has been unable to provide any figures on how many employees show up to RenCen offices daily because Work Appropriately means the number fluctuates daily. Without them, it was quite quiet. Back in June, it was questioned about what was going to happen to the RenCen because of how empty it became, plus GM owns part of the building. Since the pandemic, RenCen lost Deloitte LLP as a tenant, and Blue Cross Blue Shield moved about 50 of its 2,000 workers to a smaller office in Detroit. Free Press staff writer Jamie Lareau contributed. Free Press staff writer JC Reindl contributed. Read More…

Mark Edwards: This Young Gun Receiver Looks Ready To Do More For Crimson Tide https://digitalalabamanews.com/mark-edwards-this-young-gun-receiver-looks-ready-to-do-more-for-crimson-tide/ TUSCALOOSA — Maybe Alabama’s next great receiver isn’t somebody who came out of the transfer portal or a five-star from the Class of 2023? Maybe it’s somebody who signed with Alabama a couple of years ago. Maybe it’s Ja’Corey Brooks, who injected some early excitement into Saturday’s typically ho-hum beatdown of luckless Vanderbilt, the guys who seem like the type that stands in the corner at every Southeastern Conference party and don’t talk to anybody. A former five-star prospect from Florida, Brooks caught a couple of early touchdown passes in the second-ranked Crimson Tide’s 55-3 win, picked up more than 100 receiving yards for the first time in his career, and continued stepping up whenever Alabama bothers to look his way. Perhaps Nick Saban signs so many five-stars that some of them actually arrive on campus rather anonymously. That’s the only reason I can think of why we weren’t paying close attention to Brooks from Day One. If you were on to him early, good on you, because I can’t say the same. Brooks stands a rangy 6-foot-2 with long arms and good hands. He’s a bit on the thin side, which means he’s built like all the recent top receivers Alabama has had in the past decade or so — although a bit taller. After leading Booker T. Washington High to a Florida state championship in 2019, he spent 2020 at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The 247sports.com composite rankings had him as the No. 2 receiver in the country. No. 1 was Emeka Egbuka who is figuring it out at Ohio State after not playing much last season. As a true freshman last year, Brooks didn’t play much until the end of the season. When eventual first-round draft choice Jameson Williams got tossed out early in the Auburn game because of targeting, Brooks got the call. He had caught only two passes all year, until he latched onto two more on the last drive of regulation, including the tying touchdown. After that, either John Metchie or Williams or both were hurt, and Brooks got targeted more often by Heisman-winning quarterback Bryce Young. But in the offseason, Alabama raided the transfer portal for Jermaine Burton from Georgia and Tyler Harrell from Louisville. In addition, running back Jahmyr Gibbs, an ace pass-catcher out of the backfield, came from Georgia Tech. So, we didn’t see Brooks much anymore. He didn’t catch a pass in the season-opener. Heck, on the depth chart Alabama provides, Brooks isn’t even first team at the Z receiver position. That belongs to Traeshon Holden. Burton and freshman Kobe Prentice hold down the X and H receiver spots. But when Alabama fell behind Texas, we saw Brooks again. He’s especially good in the clutch. He caught two passes on the go-ahead touchdown drive and one on the winning field goal drive. Those were his only three catches of the day. On Saturday against Vanderbilt, he finished with six catches for 117 yards — all in the first half. After that, we didn’t see him much more. Go figure. Maybe we think great receivers have to look great right from the start. They’re supposed to take over right away and establish themselves from the get-go. Like Jaylen Waddle, a future first-round draft choice. He caught 45 balls as a freshman. But, sometimes they’re like Jerry Jeudy, also a first-round choice, who had only 14 catches as a freshman. DeVonta Smith, the 2020 Heisman winner, had only eight catches as a freshman in 2017. One beat Mississippi State, and another beat Georgia in the national title game, of course. Hammering Vanderbilt isn’t the same as that, but Brooks is a pretty good receiver. And, Alabama needs a guy like Brooks. The running game isn’t dominant. There’s no power back in the Tide rotation, and the offensive line is serviceable but not overwhelming. Like last year, this team will rely heavily on Bryce Young and the receivers he targets.  And, as the games get tougher — like road trips to Arkansas, Tennessee, LSU and Ole Miss — guys like Brooks who can make big plays at critical times will play a huge role. Read More…

Sunday’s Letters To The Editor https://digitalalabamanews.com/sundays-letters-to-the-editor/ Assistance to retirees Dear editor: To the members of the Arkansas Teachers Retirement System: Over 80 local retired education personnel attended the Sept. 16 meeting of the Garland County Retired Teachers Association (GCRTA) at the Garland County Library. The speaker represented the Arkansas Retired Teachers Association’s Medicare Division; GCRTA is a branch of ARTA. He presented information about the Employee Benefits Division changes in the retired school employees’ insurance policy, changes that were instituted last spring and have caused much confusion and dismay among the ranks of those who have the EBD health care. The state is encouraging members to switch to a Medicare Advantage program and has made the new provider the default in the switch rather than the provider retirees currently have. In other words, a retired employee must “opt out” of the new plan. To keep their current policy, which most are very satisfied with, retirees must download a form during the month of October and send it back to the state in the month of November. To many retirees, the word download might as well be in a foreign language. For those who cannot and do not have someone to help them, the simple task of keeping the insurance they have and are happy with will end with their being switched to the Medicare Advantage plan where they may not be able to see the providers they have seen in the past and must navigate new territory of copays and billing that will be confusing. Of course, the Advantage plan is less expensive, but it will not provide the coverage retirees currently have. The list of exemptions alone in the policy book would give one pause. And the company has assured retirees they can go out of network — if they are willing to file their own claims and if those claims will be accepted. GCRTA is offering assistance to retirees who are currently on the current insurance and wish to stay on it but need help. GCRTA members will be at the library on Oct. 14 at 9 a.m. We will download the form for you, help you fill it out, and put it in a stamped envelope to be mailed promptly on Nov. 1. Educators and all school personnel, please be mindful of retirees who don’t have email, don’t read the paper on an iPad, and have only the letter the EBD sent in July to explain this change. Reach out to those in assisted living communities and nursing homes and help them keep what they have come to depend on as an excellent health care policy. And for all those at ATRS and the EBD and all our legislators, this process has been wrong from the moment it was introduced. We didn’t stay in education because of the great salaries, but we have benefited from the good stewardship of ATRS. Until now … shame, shame. Golden Lloyd Past president, GCRTA Brenda Seiz Vice president, GCRTA A ‘rubber stamp’ Dear editor: I sympathize with local business owner Dragan Vicentic over the recent property tax appraisal of his business, which was evaluated at a 27.5% increase since 2020. The evaluation was done by Arkansas CAMA Technologies, which apparently also operates under the acronym ACT. An important note to all Garland County taxpayers is that ACT, or whatever name they operate under, is a private entity subcontracted by the county. At no point are you obligated to let them onto, or in, your property, for appraisal purposes. Mr. Vicentic had done his homework, correctly pointing out that an almost identically sized property less than half a mile from him, and owned by Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, had been evaluated at a much lower rate. I don’t know how long Mr. Vicentic has lived or operated in Hot Springs, but he’ll learn soon enough, that when it comes to dealing with the city, Oaklawn gets to play by different rules. Which begs a question: Like so many other things, why is the county contracting a for-profit private enterprise to do the job we supposedly have paid county employees to do? According to the article, ACT claims that during a five-year period, property value in Garland County has increased from $8.9 billion to $12.9 billion. Which, having been hired by the county, would benefit them and the county by assessing higher values, while punishing property owners. I was unaware until I read the article that Garland County had an “equalization board,” which apparently is the first step in disputing a property tax evaluation. It would be interesting to know what real estate and property evaluation background equalization board members Brenda Short, Rodney Bottoms, Larry Griffin, and Sean Edds have on their resumes. Based on the responses in the Sept. 17 article, I suspect they are nothing more than a rubber stamp for ACT’s evaluations. Once they deny a property owner’s appeal, the homeowner can then take the matter to court for a judge, then appeal that to a higher court, which most homeowners won’t do. I would urge all Garland County residents to appeal their evaluations if they feel, as did Mr. Vicentic, that the increases in property tax are egregious. Tie up the court system; otherwise, they are going to continue these increased evaluations on behalf of the county trying to take in more and more taxpayer funding. Like many other recent letter writers, as a taxpayer, I don’t mind paying as long as I see my money going toward something. But the condition of our city streets, the crumbling infrastructure of our drainage systems, and the pet projects that benefit the 1% of the citizens have led me to believe that my tax dollars go toward nothing but the patronage jobs and bloated contracts to private companies like ACT that serve only the city government, not the citizens of the city. Anthony Lloyd Hot Springs Faces Foundation ‘thanks’ Dear editor: On behalf of the Faces Foundation, Dr. Daron Praetzel and Ernie Hinz would like to thank all the individuals, businesses and community organizations that supported this year’s Gowns & Boots Ball fundraising event. A special thank you to our sponsors and volunteers, without whom this record-breaking evening would not have been possible. An event like this could not come to fruition without community involvement and we would like to thank groups and individuals including: Todd Green and Relyance Bank, Bob Edmonds, Larry Wilson, Dorothy Morris, Dr. Ethan Erwin and Smile Hot Springs, John Hoefl and Aspire Wealth, Dr. and Mrs. Earl and Suzanne Babbie, Porter Dental, Zeiser Wealth Management, Justin Nicklas and Gross Funeral Home, Tim and Mary Metcalf and McGraw Realtors, Roger Crawford and Amy Wiltrout and “Your CBD Store,” Brandon Puckett and Puckett’s Pressure Washing, Brad and Stacy Hudgens, John and Sarah Regenhardt, John Grant, Jim and Jane Randall, Carolyn Russell, Les Warren and Hot Springs Title, Kanopsic family, Dr. Ross Atkinson, Dr. David Peppers, Chris and John Hudon, Marietta Tucker, Community First Trust, Vance Dobyns, Phil Kastner and Knollwood Lodge, Josh Gossage and Saint Sebastian’s Archery Co., Dale Horn and Horn’s Outdoors, Signature Events and Double C Entertainment. The evening was highlighted by some of the best in culinary offerings available anywhere in the state. A special thank you to the chefs and restaurants for offering the attendees an amazing selection of delicious food. Our thanks to Chef Rosario and Rosario’s Personal Chef & Catering, Chef Andrew Disney and Vault, Chef Joe and Penny Gargano and The Porterhouse, Chef Josh Garland and Best Café, Chef Dave and Amanda and Steinhaus Keller, and Brandy Clay and Sugar Momma’s Cakery. Our heartfelt appreciation goes out to our generous sponsors for this event. Thank you to Scott Dews and First Security Bank, Anita Cabe and the Cabe Foundation for your ongoing patronage and contributions to the Foundation. The level of support from Lara Pranter of Lara’s Jewelry & Design and the Bradley Family and Crystal Ridge Distillery is incalculable and so very appreciated. The incredible support received from Suellen Hales is immeasurable and was a contributing factor to the overall record setting Gowns & Boots Ball event. Thank you, Suellen. A well-deserved appreciation goes out to our volunteers. An event like this cannot be organized and implemented without individuals willing to transform an idea into a successful fundraising event. Because of their dedication, input, hard work and overall willingness to devote significant hours of their time to the Gowns & Boots Ball has become one of the most sought-after affairs to attend each year. Thank you to this amazing group of volunteers for sharing your “minds and backs” for the Faces Foundation and helping us “Change Lives One Face at a Time.” Thank you to Aaron Varney and Diamond Networks, Vance Dobyns, Vicki Hinz, Rollin Caristianos, Jared Zeiser, Steve Fulenwider, Sean Coakley, Sherry Vaughn, Trudy Hoskins and a special thank you to Jennifer Vaughn-Varney for her willingness to take on many of the lead responsibilities and subsequently becoming one of the main catalysts to the overall success of the event. Thank you everyone in the community that helped make this possible. Faces Foundation Dr. Daron Praetzel Ernie Hinz A lack of common sense Dear editor: Mr. Navarrette, it’s obvious you are not an investigative reporter. As a detective, you would make inspector Clouseau look like Sherlock Holmes. Do you get your facts from Twitter? GOP used to be pro-immigrant? We still are just anti-illegal immigrant. Do you see us protesting legal immigration? Still pro-free trade, just not with countries that played us for suckers for decades. Not pro-cop? Who is protesting defunding the police? Imagine you are referring to Jan 6. Did you see the video showing one of the leaders of BLM inside the Capitol? Do you really believe he was there by himself? He brought many white members with him. Anyone can get a MAGA hat and placards. Did you see the protesters being ushered into...

Winner And Loser Of The Week In Florida Politics — Week Of 9.18.22 https://digitalalabamanews.com/winner-and-loser-of-the-week-in-florida-politics-week-of-9-18-22/ The gap between registered Republicans and Democrats increased in the GOP’s favor. President Joe Biden will visit Orlando on Tuesday, and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Charlie Crist will be there to greet him. However, Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Val Demings doesn’t plan to attend, even though the rally is in her hometown. That’s interesting but not necessarily unexpected. Democratic candidates around the country have had to decide whether they want to provide video clips of them with a President struggling with approval ratings. In Florida, a FOX 35 poll in Orlando showed only 43% of Florida voters approve of the President, while 54% do not. “Val Demings doesn’t need the money and attention that Charlie Crist does. So, therefore, she could look at polling and say, ‘I need to get crossover voters, and Joe Biden’s underwater,’” Democratic pollster Steve Vancore told NBC News. Demings’ spokesperson Christian Slater told the Orlando Sentinel that she would be in Washington during the President’s visit. A Suffolk University poll showed Demings trailing Marco Rubio 45%-41%. She has picked up 4 points on him since January. The same poll showed Crist trailing Gov. Ron DeSantis by 7 points, a large gap for this late in the race. Crist has never shied away from supporting the President, and, given DeSantis’ vast advantage in money, Crist needs all the free exposure he can get. “Florida is on the front lines in the fight to protect women’s freedoms and preserve our democracy,” he told the Sentinel. “President Biden knows that, which is why he is coming and why I’m proud to welcome him.” Now, it’s on to our weekly game of winners and losers. Winners Honorable mention: Laurel Lee. She seems to be solidifying her lead over Democrat Alan Cohn in their race to represent Florida’s 15th Congressional District. A Floridians for Economic Advancement poll shows 41% of the district voters prefer Lee to 34% for Cohn. The wild card, however, is that 24% of the voters say they haven’t made up their minds. If the poll is accurate — and Cohn’s side said it is not — Cohn would need to capture about two-thirds of that group to have a legitimate shot. “Laurel Lee is desperate to change the subject away from her refusal to answer questions on the Republican national abortion ban and her party’s support for a total government takeover of women’s health care,” Cohn spokesperson Phil Swibinski said. “That must be why she’s spreading around a poll that, even with dubious methodology, shows a tight race within the margin of error. The fact is the more voters learn about Lee’s extreme position on abortion, the more they will reject her.” Almost (but not quite) biggest winner: Black-owned business. It was a big deal when the Florida Department of Health’s Office of Medical Marijuana Use announced it issued a license to Terry Gwinn to grow and sell medical marijuana. Gwinn is part of a group of Black farmers. They become the first Black-owned business to receive this license. “To say this has been a long time coming is more than an understatement,” said Taylor Biehl, vice president of the Medical Marijuana Business Association of Florida. “It is our hope that the Department will move forward with opening an application window for the remaining 22 licenses available for bid, given the Supreme Court’s ruling 14 months ago.” The biggest winner: GOP voter registration. The Republican Party of Florida pulled ahead of the Democrats in the number of registered voters by almost 270,000. That’s a pickup of about 40,000 new registrations since the end of July. According to data from the Florida Division of Elections, as of Aug. 31, Republicans have 5,233,366 registered voters to 4,963,722 for Democrats. While that’s good news for the GOP, which has steadily widened its advantage since passing Democrats last year, it’s not a knockout punch. Florida has 3,939,389 registered voters with no party affiliation. In close elections, they can make a difference. Losers Dishonorable mention: Joe Martinez. He’s the embattled Miami-Dade Commissioner arrested on Aug. 30 on felony charges. DeSantis suspended Martinez, a Republican, on Sept. 20. He is the sixth elected official suspended by DeSantis in the last two months, and the first Republican. Prosecutors charged Martinez with two felonies related to a $15,000 payment from a business owner who would have benefited from legislation the Commissioner proposed in 2017. The Miami Herald reported that Martinez withdrew the legislation shortly after filing it, and the proposed ordinance never advanced. Martinez said the payments in question were related to consulting work he did before taking office in 2016. Martinez is a retired county police lieutenant and has held his Commission seat since 2016. Almost (but not quite) biggest loser: Karla Hernandez. Crist’s running mate in the Democratic gubernatorial race isn’t doing the ticket any favors. Hernandez, a special education teacher, stepped in it with a flippant remark that demeaned special needs students. “I’m a sp-ed (special education) teacher, so my major is emotionally handicapped education, OK?” Hernández said at what appeared to be a gathering at someone’s home. “That by itself qualifies me to deal with a dysfunctional Legislature.” There was a video of the quip, and Fox News Digital got hold of it. You can guess what happened next. First Lady Casey DeSantis tweeted, “Sickened by callous words from someone who claims to be an advocate for our children. … I will make it my mission to let all parents know of the ‘hate in your heart.’” This has to annoy Crist, who wants to keep the heat on Gov. DeSantis’ controversial migrant flights to Martha’s Vineyard. It isn’t the first time in the campaign that Republicans pounced on Hernandez. She had to defend a 2016 tweet where she said that “many in Cuba mourn the death of Fidel Castro.” The biggest loser: Donald Trump. The Mar-a-Lago Menace reached new heights of lunacy when he suggested to Sean Hannity on Fox that he could declassify documents “even by thinking about it.” How can Republicans continue to grovel before this clueless, crass and now-cornered BS artist? But while questions like that remain unanswered, we’re getting more clarity about what’s in Trump’s immediate future. Two words: billable hours. The man notorious for not paying his debts will need lots of expensive legal help in the coming months. Not only does he face potential criminal exposure for docu-gate, but the New York State Attorney General slapped him with a lawsuit alleging Trump engaged in widespread fraudulent business practices for at least a decade. POLITICO noted the lawsuit also alleges “billions of dollars in falsified net worth.” The suit charged that Trump inflated the size and value of his real estate holdings to secure tax breaks and favorable insurance rates. Three of his adult children — Donald Trump Jr., Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump — also are named in the suit. But wait, there’s more! New York Attorney General Letitia James also sent a criminal referral to federal prosecutors in Manhattan and a tax fraud referral to the IRS, each related to the business allegations. Presidential historian Michael Beschloss noted on Twitter, “Have never seen anything like this in the history of the American Presidency.” That about sums it up. Post Views: 0 Read More…

Who’s Funding Tim Ryan And J.D. Vance In Ohio’s U.S. Senate Race? https://digitalalabamanews.com/whos-funding-tim-ryan-and-j-d-vance-in-ohios-u-s-senate-race/ COLUMBUS, Ohio – Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan’s huge fundraising edge over J.D. Vance, his Republican opponent in Ohio’s U.S. Senate race, largely is thanks to a wave of small-dollar donations from around the country. Vance, meanwhile, has struggled to keep up financially, not launching general election campaign ads until last month. But backing from a single donor famously helped him win the Republican primary in May. The unusual fundraising dynamic has helped give Ryan an opening in what was considered Republicans’ seat to lose. Airing uncontested ads, Ryan has attempted to brand himself in the eyes of voters who might be skeptical of Democrats as a political independent. The result has been, on paper, a Senate race that appears closer than expected in a state ex-President Donald Trump won twice. National Republicans recently responded with a massive cash influx funding tens of millions of dollars in anti-Ryan attack ads. Vance has tried to boost his fundraising, and Republicans say they remain confident about the race, but time will tell. Data provided to cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer by a political ad-tracking source tells the story of how each candidates’ ads are being funded. From September through the Nov. 8 election, Ryan and his allies have reserved $13.6 million in TV ads throughout the state. Ryan’s campaign funded the vast majority – about 83% – with the rest coming from outside groups, including Save America Fund, a pro-Ryan group. Meanwhile, Vance and his allies have spent about $30.6 million on ads. Ninety-two percent of that is coming from outside groups, nearly all of which is from Senate Leadership Fund PAC, which has close ties to Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell. About $2.4 million is coming directly from Vance’s campaign. Even though Vance and his allies are spending almost three times as much as Ryan, they’re only getting about 20% more airtime. That’s largely because candidates, under federal law, get much better prices compared to outside PACs. “Vance is lucky that he’s got somebody bailing him out,” said Jeff Rusnak, a Cleveland-based Democratic strategist. But to get an idea of who’s actually been paying for the ads, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer reviewed both candidates’ campaign-finance reports, documenting all campaign spending through June, as well as analyses prepared by Political Moneyline, a campaign-spending subscription service, and The Center for Money in Politics, also known as OpenSecrets.org. Both candidates are expected to report new campaign-finance numbers, reflecting activity from July through September, on Oct. 15. Those reports will show whether Vance has made progress in closing the fundraising gap. Until then, here is a breakdown of both candidates, as well as the outside groups backing them. Federal campaign finance records show Ryan reported he had raised $21.7 million through June for his Senate campaign, and had spent almost $18 million, much of which went toward ads. Of the money Ryan raised, $8.7 million came from small-dollar donors who gave $200 each or less. The rest came from larger donors and committee transfers – money sent to the campaign from affiliates and the like. Ryan likes to plug the low-dollar contributions he says are fueling his campaign as a way to contrast himself with Vance, whose Republican primary campaign was almost singlehandedly bankrolled by Peter Thiel, the billionaire PayPal co-founder. “I don’t have a billion-dollar donor here to fund me,” Ryan said during an interview on MSNBC earlier this month. “I need the low-dollar people who can go to TimForOH.com and chip in a couple of bucks and help us put this extremist to bed, so we can move on with being Americans again.” Vance has countered with his own shots against Ryan’s reliance on ActBlue, the national Democrats’ small-dollar fundraising software platform, when he’s been asked about Ryan’s fundraising advantage. “We’ve been outspent by a massive margin from all of the national Democratic money that’s coming into the race, and Tim Ryan has presented a picture of himself that’s a false moderate,” Vance said during an interview earlier this month with WTVN, a Columbus radio station. “And we’re going to be in a position in the next two months where we’re actually matching Tim Ryan’s firepower with our own. And what that means is he’s not going to have the airwaves to himself. He’s not going to be able to continue to tell dishonest things to the American people. And because of that, I think we’re going to have a good shot.” Most of Ryan’s smaller contributions came through that platform, but most are well below the legal threshold to qualify as small-dollar contributions. About three-fourths of the more than 70,400 contributions Ryan received through ActBlue were for $50 or less. Under federal campaign-finance rules, campaigns don’t have to report information about small-dollar donors. But OpenSecrets tracks where the other contributions come from. In Ryan’s case, OpenSecrets’ analysis shows about a third of those contributions came from Ohio donors, with the rest coming from out of state. The national political climate appears to have been key to Ryan’s fundraising too. Five of Ryan’s top 10 days for fundraising came in the week after the U.S. Supreme Court voted to strike down national legal protections for abortion in late June. Ryan raised $777,827 across those five days. That was more than the $718,422 he raised the day after he announced his candidacy in April 2021, and compares to the $285,233 he raised the day after he won the Democratic primary in May. The bulk of Ryan’s fundraising, though, has come from contributors who gave more than the $200 small-dollar threshold. At least 324 different contributors gave Ryan the $5,800 maximum allowed by law. Among Ryan’s maximum contributors were: Bruce Zoldan, a Youngstown-area fireworks executive who hosted a Ryan fundraiser on Friday featuring Paul Simon, the folk singer Reid Hoffman, the LinkedIn co-founder from California who’s recently become one of the largest donors to Ohio politicians. Richard Rosenthal, a Cincinnati philanthropist who’s been one of the largest Ohio-based Democratic donors for years. Ron & Ann Pizzuti, Columbus developers who also have donated to Republicans in recent elections. George, Jonathan and Jennifer Soros, the liberal billionaire financier and his son and daughter-in-law. Ryan also got $918,000 in contributions from Political Action Committees, including at least $214,700 from PACs affiliated with organized-labor groups. More than half of Ryan’s PAC contributions were from single-issue groups – such as NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio, which advocates for abortion rights and gave Ryan $7,500, and the National League of Conservation Voters, an environmentalist group that gave $5,900, according to Political Moneyline. Officially, national Democratic money largely has sat on the sidelines in Ohio’s Senate race, as Democrats either prioritize holding Democratic-held seats in states like Arizona, Georgia, New Hampshire and Nevada, or strive to pick up Republican-held seats in states deemed as more winnable, like Pennsylvania and Wisconsin. But one national Democratic group has spent in Ohio. The Future Forward PAC, which is part of a California-based network of progressive political groups, spent $2.8 million on ads that aired in July attacking Vance for his near-absolute position opposing abortion, federal campaign finance records show. The group’s donors include Stephen Mandel, a hedge fund manager from Massachusetts known for giving to Democrats. Mandel gave Future Forward PAC $5 million in April. Six months before that, he also gave the maximum $5,800 to Ryan’s campaign committee. Save America Fund, a pro-Ryan Super PAC, has spent $1.3 million on ads that scheduled to disappear from the air at the end of this month. More information about the group’s funding wasn’t immediately available, but it’s run by Eric Hyers, a Democratic operative who specializes in working in red states who worked on former Cincinnati mayor John Cranley’s unsuccessful campaign for governor earlier this year. The group is semi-sanctioned by the Ryan campaign. Dave Chase, Ryan’s campaign manager, gave the group his stamp of approval in a Twitter post in June. Vance’s fundraising problem is apparent at the top of his campaign’s reports. Ryan has raised seven times as much as Vance, who reported $3.6 million in contributions since June. But Vance also spent $2.6 million on the path to winning the bitterly contested Republican primary in May – while Ryan defeated two lesser-known opponents with relative ease – leaving Vance with less money in his own campaign war chest to use in the general election. In the primary, Vance was able to rely on Thiel’s backing. But that has dried up in the general election. Thiel gave $15 million to Protect Ohio Values, a pro-Vance Super PAC that bought pro-Vance ads, conducted polling and otherwise aided his campaign. Protect Ohio Values has been less active since the primary, although it recently spent $500,000 on digital and text ads boosting Vance. Vance’s fundraising lagged in the weeks following the primary, with Republicans chalking it up in part to the expectation that Thiel might write another eight-figure check. But Vance has taken steps to shore things up, including hiring staff from other Republican Senate campaigns. There have been increasing signs of traditional Republican donors backing Vance. For instance, Cleveland Browns co-owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam have scheduled a pair of fundraisers for Vance – one earlier this month in Columbus, and the other on Oct. 12 at the Haslams’ home in Bratenahl. The event’s host committee includes a who’s who of Cleveland GOP donors, including a ...

Philippines On Red Alert As Super Typhoon Noru Approaches | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/philippines-on-red-alert-as-super-typhoon-noru-approaches-cnn/ CNN  —  The Philippines has issued an extreme emergency alert as Super Typhoon Noru approaches. The storm, known locally as Super Typhoon Karding, reached super typhoon status early on Sunday morning local time in the Philippines after suddenly intensifying. “The highest emergency preparedness and response protocol has been activated in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Bicol region,” said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. It urged the public to take care, adding strong winds are expected to hit within the next 18 hours The typhoon is expected to make landfall in the northern part of Quezon or the southern part of Aurora in the evening, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) on a live hourly television bulletin. It said it does not rule out an earlier landfall in Polillo Islands in the afternoon. Schools in multiple cities including Muntinlupa City and Aurora suspended classes for Monday, September 26, due to the approaching storm. According to CNN Weather, Noru now has winds equal to a category 5 US hurricane. It is expected to bring large waves and storm surge, torrential rains, and winds in excess of 200 kph (124 mph) to Luzon over the next 24 hours. PAGASA issued a signal warning level four for the Polillo Islands in anticipation of extensive damage that could be caused by the storm. The warning comes after the storm rapidly intensified in the early hours of Sunday. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said it had strengthened from a 140 kph (85 mph) typhoon to a 250 kph (155 mph) super typhoon in just six hours. PAGASA also issued level two and three warnings for much of Luzon, including metro Manila. Meanwhile, authorities in Japan said Sunday that two people had been killed in landslides caused by Tropical Storm Talas. One person is missing after his car fell into a river, Shizuoka Prefecture government reported. The prefecture saw its heaviest daily rainfall on record, including a record rainfall of 416.5 mm (over 16 inches) in Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. During the downpour, the prefecture urged 1,200,000 households – approximately 3 million people – to evacuate. More than 1,000 houses and a large number of roads in the prefecture were flooded, it said, adding that multiple bridges have collapsed. Read More…

AP News Summary At 4:27 A.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-427-a-m-edt/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Florida monitors a growing Tropical Storm Ian in Caribbean TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Authorities and residents in Florida are keeping a cautious eye on Tropical Storm Ian as it rumbles through the Caribbean, expected to continue gaining strength and become a major hurricane in the coming days on a forecast track toward the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a statewide emergency, expanding an order from Friday that had covered two dozen counties. He is urging Floridians to prepare for a storm that could lash large swaths of the state. Some residents have begun stocking up on supplies such as water, plywood and generators. President Joe Biden has also declared an emergency for the state. Flashes of bold UN talk on feminism, masculinity, patriarchy Few men in power have delved deeply into gender equality on the main stage of the United Nations this month. But the ones who did went there boldly. They claimed feminist credibility, sold “positive masculinity” and resolutely demanded an end to The Patriarchy. Gender equality is as one of the U.N.’s primary goals. It has long been a safe talking point for world leaders, and there were many brief and polite mentions of progress made toward female empowerment. There were also some leaders who did not say the words “women” or “girls” at all during their time on stage. At other times, a a word considered a dirty word by many for generations was used proudly. Feminism. Canadian military to help clean up Fiona’s devastation TORONTO (AP) — Canadian troops are being sent to assist the recovery from the devastation of storm Fiona, which swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power across the country’s Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean as a hurricane, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves. Defense Minister Anita Anand says troops will help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She hasn’t specified how many troops will be deployed. No fatalities or serious injuries have been confirmed, though police say a woman is listed as missing. Poverty and inflation: Egypt’s economy hit by global turmoil DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For decades, millions of Egyptians have depended on the government to keep basic goods affordable. But a series of shocks to the global economy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have endangered the social contract in the Middle East’s most populous country, which is also the world’s biggest importer of wheat. It is now grappling with double-digit inflation and a steep devaluation of its currency, prompting oil-rich Gulf Arab countries to once again step in with financial support as talks with the International Monetary Fund drag on. The possibility of food insecurity has raised concerns. Italians vote in election that could take far-right to power ROME (AP) — Italians are voting in a national election coming at a critical time for Europe. Soaring energy bills, largely caused by the war in Ukraine, have households and businesses fearful they can’t keep the heat or lights on this winter. Sunday’s balloting for Italy’s Parliament might yield the nation’s first government led by the far right since the end of World War II. Opinion polls had indicated Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party, with its neo-fascist roots, would be the top vote-getter. Polls opened at 7 a.m. The counting of paper ballots is expected to begin shortly after they close at 11 p.m. (2100 GMT), with projections based on partial results coming early Monday morning. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More…

And, Of Course, Wives Are Always Right https://digitalalabamanews.com/and-of-course-wives-are-always-right/ It all started in a joking way … I carried two glasses of iced tea outside to a table, then my husband came up a minute later and asked, “Which one is mine?” (I add a little sugar to mine, he likes his tea plain.) I flippantly replied, wives are always right — so my tea is on the right.” Now I often jokingly add this expression as we are ending a “discussion.” But this is what happened one late-August morning as we were finishing an early breakfast. He looked out the glass door and exclaimed, “There’s a bloom on that Clematis vine by the deck!” I looked where he was pointing, but did not see any bloom and said, “You must be looking at a funny-shaped leaf because that particular Clematis blooms in April — the dark purple ones on the other side of the yard are the only ones that bloom all summer. “ He insisted — so I opened the door, walked out on the deck and looked carefully  — and I came back in and announced, “No blooms. Wives are always right.” Then … we both marched out — and he pointed out one actual, but almost-invisible bloom. Now, why did I miss it? It was quite understandable — and could easily happen to anyone. I even took photos from several different angles to indicate how easy it was to be deceived. I listed the reasons I was fooled: Early morning light on an overcast morning was very dim.
2. The flower was “pointed” away from me, so that I was looking at the underneath side of the petals, which were a pale green like the leaves, rather than being a light purple like the upper side. “Everyone knows” that this Clematis (which looks almost exactly like the wild variety so common around here) blooms in early spring, and the label on this plant from Moose Valley even said, “blooms in early spring.” Now it was late August. 4. And, of course, wives are always right. OK, so I was mistaken. Now … have you ever been fooled? Take a deep breath, sit down and think hard before asking yourself the next question: “Who won the 2020 presidential election?” Note that this question has nothing to do with motives as to why President Trump claimed victory. Was he given bad information? Was it wishful thinking? Etc.?  We can almost never determine another person’s thinking — but that is not the question here. So just look at the two entities most likely to know all the intricate workings of an election, to see what actually happened. We, the on-the-ground voters in rural Idaho, were not there to oversee the tabulating of votes — but first our Department of Justice, and second, our court system, both have the ability to investigate any irregularities in the system — which both groups repeatedly did. Both United States Attorney General William Barr (appointed by President Trump) and over 60 court cases (many of them tried before federal judges appointed by President Trump) determined that the election was legitimate. Surely Attorney General William Barr and the federal courts knew what was really happening? I also checked the well-known information-organization — Snopes.com — to make sure those last statements are accurate — but please check out any non-biased sources for yourself, on your own, and let me know if you find anything different. So, how did so many people in our country get fooled? Stated in a generalized way, I was fooled about the clematis blossom because of: Various factors can make it very difficult to discern reality (in my specific case: dim light, plus leaves and underneath-side of petals being similar in color, etc.) Looking at situation from only one angle, from a distance. Relying on everyone’s “common knowledge.” Seeing with my own eyes, but already convinced I was 100% right. Some of the above four generalized factors which led me to be deceived about the clematis can perhaps also affect decisions which others make when answering the question of “Who won the 2020 Presidential election?” It took me three “looks” to see the clematis bloom — so others may want to take more “looks” at the 2020 Presidential election. As Mark Twain reportedly said, “It’s a lot easier to fool people —than it is to convince them that they have been fooled.” But take heart, all of us are fooled some of the time. The important thing is to pick ourselves up … and to check out the facts … and to keep on “looking.” (Personally, I think that President Trump legitimately lost the 2020 presidential election because there is no evidence to the contrary.) 
JO LEN EVERHART Boundary County Read More…

Hochul’s Inner Cuomo: She’s Agreeing To Just One Debate Just Days Before The Election https://digitalalabamanews.com/hochuls-inner-cuomo-shes-agreeing-to-just-one-debate-just-days-before-the-election/ The headline in another newspaper last August, days after she’d taken over as governor, read: “Kathy Hochul Wants to Make One Thing Clear: She Is Not Cuomo.” The even-keeled, collaborative woman who succeeded the domineering, sometimes vindictive man promised to run New York differently. Unfortunately, in at least one key area, Hochul seems to have taken close notes from her predecessor. Like Andrew Cuomo four and eight years ago — who was also guarding a large lead in the polls and a huge fundraising advantage — she’s rebuffed her opponent’s attempts to debate more than once before the election. While politically understandable, that deprives many voters of the close-up compare-and-contrast that’s crucial to their final decision. Wednesday, Hochul finally agreed to debate GOP Rep. Lee Zeldin on Oct. 25, which is four days before early voting begins and two weeks before Election Day. Better late than never, but late — and set for cable’s NY1 rather than broadcast. Zeldin, holding out for multiple debates across the state, has yet to agree. Hochul should give Zeldin more than one debate. (AP) In 2014, Cuomo assented to just one one-on-one debate with Rob Astorino — on radio — and in 2018 played more games, trying to put as many candidates as possible on stage before participating in a broadcast debate against Marc Molinaro two weeks before the election. We understand that no incumbent who’s the odds-on favorite is going to commit to a half-dozen debates, but voters deserve better than one measly opportunity to see the two contenders for our state’s top job compare their visions and resumes in an unscripted forum. Indeed, Hochul should jump at the chance to contrast her views on gun safety, reproductive rights and immigration to Zeldin’s, which are retrograde. For 35 years, the U.S. Commission on Presidential Debates has overseen a series of informative faceoffs between general election foes. Donald Trump whined and complained, as he always does, but even he participated. Instead of returning to square one every four years, why can’t New York figure out something similar? Read More…

3 People, Including 15-Year-Old, Shot At Kennywood https://digitalalabamanews.com/3-people-including-15-year-old-shot-at-kennywood/ Allegheny County police said three people were shot, including a 15-year-old, at Kennywood in West Mifflin Saturday evening. According to police, the shooting was the result of an altercation between two groups inside the park in front of the Musik Express ride.Police are now searching for a suspect. Officials describe him as a teenage male wearing a black hoodie and a COVID-style mask at the time of the shooting. Officers recovered a handgun inside the Park.The three victims include a 15-year-old who was shot in the thigh, a 39-year-old who was shot in the leg, and officials say a second juvenile arrived at a hospital with a graze wound. Several other people were treated for “trampling style” injuries, police said.Kennywood will be closed on Sunday, September 25th, according to the park’s website. “The park is closed Sunday, Sept. 25. Any dated tickets for today will be valid any other Phantom Fall Fest date. We will reopen on Friday, Sept. 30.” the website said.In a statement on Twitter Saturday night, Kennywood said “The park is closed for the night and all guests have exited. We are aware of a situation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement. The safety of our guests and Team Members are our top priority. Members of the park’s security, Allegheny County, and West Mifflin police departments were already on site and immediately responded.” A WTAE photojournalist saw multiple police markers in front of the Musik Express, near the entrance to the Phantom’s Revenge.Multiple agencies responded to the park around 10:49pm Saturday evening after initial reports of shots fired. By 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Kennywood Boulevard had reopened to traffic.This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news. WEST MIFFLIN, Pa. — Allegheny County police said three people were shot, including a 15-year-old, at Kennywood in West Mifflin Saturday evening. According to police, the shooting was the result of an altercation between two groups inside the park in front of the Musik Express ride. Police are now searching for a suspect. Officials describe him as a teenage male wearing a black hoodie and a COVID-style mask at the time of the shooting. Officers recovered a handgun inside the Park. The three victims include a 15-year-old who was shot in the thigh, a 39-year-old who was shot in the leg, and officials say a second juvenile arrived at a hospital with a graze wound. Several other people were treated for “trampling style” injuries, police said. Kennywood will be closed on Sunday, September 25th, according to the park’s website. “The park is closed Sunday, Sept. 25. Any dated tickets for today will be valid any other Phantom Fall Fest date. We will reopen on Friday, Sept. 30.” the website said. In a statement on Twitter Saturday night, Kennywood said “The park is closed for the night and all guests have exited. We are aware of a situation that occurred this evening and are working with local law enforcement. The safety of our guests and Team Members are our top priority. Members of the park’s security, Allegheny County, and West Mifflin police departments were already on site and immediately responded.” A WTAE photojournalist saw multiple police markers in front of the Musik Express, near the entrance to the Phantom’s Revenge. Multiple agencies responded to the park around 10:49pm Saturday evening after initial reports of shots fired. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. More: 15 year old shot in thigh, 39 year old shot in leg, another juvenile showed up at hospital with graze wound. Police say shooting was preceded by altercation between two groups. @WTAE — Mike Valente (@ValenteWTAE) September 25, 2022 This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. Suspect is described as teenage male, with black hoodie and “COVID style” mask. @WTAE — Mike Valente (@ValenteWTAE) September 25, 2022 By 1:50 a.m. Sunday, Kennywood Boulevard had reopened to traffic. This is a developing story. Stay with Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 for updates. Download the WTAE mobile app to stay connected with breaking news. Read More…

Historian Wayne Flynt's New Book Reveals Personal Side Of Author Harper Lee https://digitalalabamanews.com/historian-wayne-flynts-new-book-reveals-personal-side-of-author-harper-lee/ To the world, Harper Lee was aloof to the point of being unknowable, an obsessively private person who spent most of her life avoiding the public gaze despite writing one of the best-selling books ever, “To Kill a Mockingbird.” To Wayne Flynt, the Alabama-born author was his friend, Nelle. Flynt, a longtime Southern historian who became close friends with Nelle Harper Lee late in her life, has written his second book about the author, “Afternoons with Harper Lee,” which was released Thursday with Flynt signing copies at a bookstore in suburban Birmingham. Based on Flynt’s notes from dozens of visits with Lee over a decade before her death in 2016, the book is like sitting on a porch and hearing tales of Lee’s childhood and family in rural Alabama, her later life in New York and everything in between. That includes the time a grandfather who fought for the Confederacy survived the Battle of Gettysburg despite heavy losses to his Alabama unit, according to Flynt. “I told her, ‘You know, half the 15th of Alabama was either killed or wounded or captured, and he got away? Is that just luck or the providence of God? What in the world is that?’” Flynt said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And she said, ‘No, it’s not the providence of God. He could run fast.’” The public perception of Lee as a hermit is wrong, Flynt, a former history professor at Auburn University, said. No, she didn’t do media interviews and she guarded her privacy zealously, but she also was warm and kind to friends that included a former first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, Flynt said. And Lee was “deeply religious” in a way many people aren’t, he said. “It’s an attempt to tell the story of the authentic woman, not the marble lady,” Flynt said. The book also is a tribute to Flynt’s late wife Dartie, who died in 2020. Lee, who suffered a stroke in 2007, seemed to identify with the physical travails of Dartie Flynt, who had Parkinson’s disease, Flynt said. “I think she tolerated me because she loved Dartie,” he said. Born in 1926 when the South was still racially segregated by law, Lee grew up in the south Alabama town of Monroeville, the daughter of a lawyer who served as a model for attorney Atticus Finch in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a story of race, injustice and the law during the Jim Crow era. The town itself became Maycomb, the book’s setting. Preferring football, softball, golf and books to small-town social affairs or college sororities, Lee’s well-known desire for privacy may have come in part from a feeling of being different from others growing up around her in the South, Flynt said. “I think she occupied a world where she felt she was not like other girls,” he said. A childhood friend of fellow author Truman Capote, Lee was rarely heard from in public after her partly autobiographical “Mockingbird” won the Pulitzer Prize in 1961 and was made into a hit movie. She mostly lived in an apartment in Manhattan, where it was easier to blend in than back home until the stroke left her partially paralyzed. Flynt and his late wife knew Lee’s two sisters, and they became close to the author after she returned to Alabama for good following the stroke. They visited her at a rehabilitation center in Birmingham and then at an assisted living home in Monroeville, where she spent years before her death. Lee died just months after the release of her novel “Go Set a Watchman,” which actually was an early version of “Mockingbird.” The book doesn’t get into the most private aspects of Lee’s life; Flynt said they simply didn’t discuss such things. But it does recount her worsening isolation from deafness and blindness toward the end of her life; her love of gambling; the furor over “Watchman;” and her authorship of a still-unpublished manuscript about a bizarre murder case in central Alabama. Lee was steeped in literature and religion, Flynt said. She preferred the King James Version of the Bible to all others for its lyrical language, he said, and her favorite authors included Jane Austen and C.S. Lewis. “When she died, on her ottoman in her little two rooms, was the complete anthology of all of C.S. Lewis’ books. It must have weighed 50 pounds,” he said. “Afternoons With Harper Lee” is a followup to Flynt’s “Mockingbird Songs: My Friendship with Harper Lee.” While the first book was based on letters between the two, the new book is more meandering and conversational than the first in the tradition of Southern storytelling. “The letters are lifeless compared to the stories,” he said. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More…

Russian Gas And Chinese Raw Materials – The EV Shift Will Demand Complex Choices https://digitalalabamanews.com/russian-gas-and-chinese-raw-materials-the-ev-shift-will-demand-complex-choices/ There’s a famous video of Donald Trump warning Germany about Russian gas circulating on the internet for quite some time. If you have never seen it, it’s embedded below. Everything happened at the 2018 United Nations (UN) General Assembly during the then-POTUS speech. German diplomats laugh at him. Whatever you think about the man, what he said could have spared Germany from the issues it is now facing with the Russian invasion of Ukraine. That may hold some lessons about the EV shift. Although it may seem that these two situations have nothing in common, more context will make it clear. It was not only Trump who warned Germany that it was not wise to depend on Russia for energy. Bruno Maçães, a former Secretary of State for European Affairs in Portugal, said they discussed building connectors between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe to replace Russian gas in 2015. The answer was: “No need. We know Russia better than you.”  The concern was evident. Russia was ruled by Vladimir Putin for many years. Anyone with any chances of beating him in elections showed up dead. Russian forces invaded Crimea in 2014. People feared that Russia would weaponize energy. Despite that, Germany signed the contract for Nord Stream 2 in 2015… Those who favored buying Russian gas did not think the country would jeopardize its primary income source. We all know what happened. So does Germany, even if it does not admit the full extent of its error. It is even making it worse by shutting down nuclear plants in an energy crisis. So what transport electrification has to do with that? Like Russia, China pretends to be a democratic country. The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) rules everything, and there is no room for challenging lockdowns in entire cities for weeks. The internet is censored, and those criticizing the government can go to jail. Have you ever heard about the Uyghur people? Exactly. Before the UK returned Hong Kong to Chinese rule in 1997, the CCP promised to allow the region political autonomy for 50 years. It has since arrested critics, closed newspapers, and jeopardized Hong Kong’s financial hub status. As Andreas Steno Larsen warned on Twitter, this is the country that dominates the raw materials supply chain for electric cars. China is the most important producer of rare earths, a crucial component of electric motors. Although it is not as relevant in mining copper, nickel, cobalt, or lithium, all these minerals go to China to be processed. The country developed this manufacturing infrastructure because Chinese cities had a massive public health problem with ICE cars in regions with more than 30 million inhabitants. I have no idea if that advantage was developed with geopolitical intentions, but the fact is that it can be used that way, especially when batteries become more necessary than today. That is what the Inflation Reduction Act intends to change by incentivizing electric cars made in the U.S. with local components. World Trade Organization (WTO) threats will probably make no difference for the American government when what is at stake is to avoid depending on the CCP. That involves more than developing the skills and industrial infrastructure necessary to produce the batteries that electric cars need. It also relies on creating a relevant market for these vehicles, which explains why the Inflation Reduction Act focuses on more affordable automobiles. That may solve the problem for the U.S., but Europe has proposed no solution to process the raw materials its several battery factories will need when they are ready. Some of these processing steps are energy-intensive, making it an even bigger issue for a continent that used to rely massively on Russian gas. Despite that, European countries keep ruling out combustion-engined vehicle sales and shutting down nuclear plants – the only ones apart from hydropower plants with constant energy production and the potential to be carbon-neutral. Solar and wind power plants need sun light and wind to work. In a connected world, it is a fantasy to believe a given country or continent will be able to manufacture everything it needs. However, it is possible to choose where you will buy these things and who will sell them to you. You may need natural gas, but you’d better buy it from Norway, Algeria, or countries that do not intend to invade others. You may also need raw materials for batteries, but buying them from the government that suffocated Hong Kong, wants to do the same with Taiwan, and holds the Uyghurs in concentration camps in Xinjiang does not feel wise. Suppose China decides not to sell raw materials abroad anymore. What will carmakers do? Where will they get the cells they need worldwide? What about the brands committing to selling 100% of electric cars by 2030 or even earlier? Remember how many people carmakers employ worldwide (directly and indirectly). Now calculate how much power a country concentrating raw materials for cell production has in a world that only buys battery electric cars. That does not mean that we should stick with combustion engines. Fossil fuels have a limited reserve, combustion engines turn most chemical energy into heat and fumes, and electric motors are unbeatable in energy efficiency and emission-free when operating. Transport will be electric, and that is unavoidable. What is still up to debate is the pace to get there, the means to achieve this goal (batteries, fuel cells, or a mix of both), and which partners will help us get there. Ruling out dictatorships is a no-brainer: we do not have to repeat Germany’s mistake with energy when it comes to electric cars, do we? — AndreasStenoLarsen (@AndreasSteno) September 19, 2022 Talking to German officials in 2015: if we build connectors between Iberian peninsula and rest of Europe, renewables together with Algerian gas and then LNG into 7 terminals we have, enough to replace all Russian gas German officials: no need, we know Russia better than you — Bruno Maçães (@MacaesBruno) April 7, 2022 Read More…

AP News Summary At 3:29 A.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-329-a-m-edt-2/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. Flashes of bold UN talk on feminism, masculinity, patriarchy Few men in power have delved deeply into gender equality on the main stage of the United Nations this month. But the ones who did went there boldly. They claimed feminist credibility, sold “positive masculinity” and resolutely demanded an end to The Patriarchy. Gender equality is as one of the U.N.’s primary goals. It has long been a safe talking point for world leaders, and there were many brief and polite mentions of progress made toward female empowerment. There were also some leaders who did not say the words “women” or “girls” at all during their time on stage. At other times, a a word considered a dirty word by many for generations was used proudly. Feminism. Canadian military to help clean up Fiona’s devastation TORONTO (AP) — Canadian troops are being sent to assist the recovery from the devastation of storm Fiona, which swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power across the country’s Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean as a hurricane, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves. Defense Minister Anita Anand says troops will help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She hasn’t specified how many troops will be deployed. No fatalities or serious injuries have been confirmed, though police say a woman is listed as missing. Poverty and inflation: Egypt’s economy hit by global turmoil DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For decades, millions of Egyptians have depended on the government to keep basic goods affordable. But a series of shocks to the global economy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have endangered the social contract in the Middle East’s most populous country, which is also the world’s biggest importer of wheat. It is now grappling with double-digit inflation and a steep devaluation of its currency, prompting oil-rich Gulf Arab countries to once again step in with financial support as talks with the International Monetary Fund drag on. The possibility of food insecurity has raised concerns. Italians vote in election that could take far-right to power ROME (AP) — Italians are voting in a national election coming at a critical time for Europe. Soaring energy bills, largely caused by the war in Ukraine, have households and businesses fearful they can’t keep the heat or lights on this winter. Sunday’s balloting for Italy’s Parliament might yield the nation’s first government led by the far-right since the end of World War II. Opinion polls had indicated Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party, with its neo-fascist roots, would be the top vote-getter. Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0500GMT). The counting of paper ballots was expected to begin shortly after they close at 11 p.m. (2100 GMT), with projections based on partial results coming early Monday morning. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More…

AP News Summary At 3:29 A.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-329-a-m-edt/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. Flashes of bold UN talk on feminism, masculinity, patriarchy Few men in power have delved deeply into gender equality on the main stage of the United Nations this month. But the ones who did went there boldly. They claimed feminist credibility, sold “positive masculinity” and resolutely demanded an end to The Patriarchy. Gender equality is as one of the U.N.’s primary goals. It has long been a safe talking point for world leaders, and there were many brief and polite mentions of progress made toward female empowerment. There were also some leaders who did not say the words “women” or “girls” at all during their time on stage. At other times, a a word considered a dirty word by many for generations was used proudly. Feminism. Canadian military to help clean up Fiona’s devastation TORONTO (AP) — Canadian troops are being sent to assist the recovery from the devastation of storm Fiona, which swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power across the country’s Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean as a hurricane, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves. Defense Minister Anita Anand says troops will help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She hasn’t specified how many troops will be deployed. No fatalities or serious injuries have been confirmed, though police say a woman is listed as missing. Poverty and inflation: Egypt’s economy hit by global turmoil DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — For decades, millions of Egyptians have depended on the government to keep basic goods affordable. But a series of shocks to the global economy and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have endangered the social contract in the Middle East’s most populous country, which is also the world’s biggest importer of wheat. It is now grappling with double-digit inflation and a steep devaluation of its currency, prompting oil-rich Gulf Arab countries to once again step in with financial support as talks with the International Monetary Fund drag on. The possibility of food insecurity has raised concerns. Italians vote in election that could take far-right to power ROME (AP) — Italians are voting in a national election coming at a critical time for Europe. Soaring energy bills, largely caused by the war in Ukraine, have households and businesses fearful they can’t keep the heat or lights on this winter. Sunday’s balloting for Italy’s Parliament might yield the nation’s first government led by the far-right since the end of World War II. Opinion polls had indicated Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party, with its neo-fascist roots, would be the top vote-getter. Polls opened at 7 a.m. (0500GMT). The counting of paper ballots was expected to begin shortly after they close at 11 p.m. (2100 GMT), with projections based on partial results coming early Monday morning. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More…

Shocking New Torture Methods Revealed In Russian Horror Chamber https://digitalalabamanews.com/shocking-new-torture-methods-revealed-in-russian-horror-chamber/ BALAKLIYA, Eastern Ukraine—“Our father who art in heaven,” begins the words of the Lord’s Prayer scratched into the side of a wall in a police station turned torture chamber in the recently liberated city of Balakliya. The floors of the cells are still stained with blood, and the stench of human waste and rotting food is overwhelming. At the top are a series of scratches marking the days passed, and next to them, a simple cross. For six months, this police station, as with many others in the region, was the center of a brutal Russian occupation regime based on violence and fear. Ukrainian officials claim to have found at least 10 of these interrogation centers spread throughout the liberated territory. The Lord’s Prayer carved into holding cells in the police station turned torture chamber in Balakliya. Tom Mutch One former detainee, Artyum—who didn’t want to be named for fear the Russians might return—told The Daily Beast that he was brought in for questioning because he had a Ukrainian flag on his wall at home. “They asked me why I would have a Ukrainian flag. I told them ‘Because this is Ukraine! Should I have had the Japanese flag instead?’” The Ukrainians allege that for several weeks they kept dozens of men and women cooped up in tiny filthy cells, demanding answers on who was in the military, and who was likely to be giving the Ukrainian military information on Russian positions in the area. “We didn’t want to leave our houses, because any time you left the street, they would check your phone. If they found you’d written anything rude about Russian people, or the Russian army, that was the only excuse they needed to arrest you,” said Artyum. He could regularly hear detainees being tortured with electricity, although says that it was never used on him. Gas masks used for torture in Izyum police station. Tom Mutch The worst punishments were allegedly reserved for prisoners of war from the Ukrainian army. “They detained and tortured every service person they could find,” said Oleksandr, a Ukrainian police investigator as he showed The Daily Beast around another chamber of horrors in a police station in the neighboring city of Izyum. “I don’t know a single Ukrainian serviceperson who was arrested but not tortured.” The entrance to the Izyum police station used as a torture chamber. Tom Mutch The destroyed rooms ransacked by Russian soldiers in the Balakliya police station. Tom Mutch In the station, there were electrical wires used to shock detainees. There were gas masks, modified so that the wearer would suffocate. On the ground were bloodied ropes that had been used to strangle detainees, as well as wooden sticks and police truncheons used to beat them. Police had so far identified 20 people who were held prisoner there, but noted that it was the first day of their work, and they expected to rapidly find more. The police stations themselves are ransacked, with the floors covered in papers, disused filing cabinets and shards of glass from the destroyed windows. The occasional sandbag or piece of barbed wire is stacked up against the walls. These small cities in the Kharkiv region of eastern Ukraine were captured by Russia after heavy fighting in March, following their initial failure to capture the city of Kharkiv itself in the early days of the war. The city of Izyum in particular was a key source of Russian logistics for their push on the northern part of the Donbas region, Putin’s key objective after he failed to take Kyiv. Now, his army in the east also looks to be falling apart. In the last two weeks, Ukrainian forces have liberated around 8,500 square kilometers of their territory, and have routed Russian forces in the region. The roads in the region are littered with military vehicles including tanks and armored personnel carriers, all marked with the infamous Z sign. But unlike the vehicles seen in the Kyiv region, which are all burned-out husks, many of these vehicles seem to have been abandoned in perfect working order. A destroyed Russian armoured vehicle on the road to Izyum. Tom Mutch The remains of a Russian anti-aircraft gun on the road to Izyum. Tom Mutch One joke going around Ukrainian social media was that Russia was quickly overtaking the United States to become the biggest donor of military aid to Ukraine. It is these continuing defeats that have forced Putin to begin what he calls a “partial mobilization” of troops in the Russian reserve, spurring the biggest anti-war protests in Russia since the invasion began in February. In most of the region, life is beginning to get back to normal, although heavy fighting has continued in Kupyansk, the easternmost city on the Oskil river, which is the new frontline in the region. Ukrainian forces now appear poised to retake major parts of the Luhansk region, which Russia spent enormous amounts of blood and treasure to capture over the summer. “ Many have died, please help their relatives to take some solace. ” Outside, in the main square in Izyum, residents are starting to emerge from their six-month nightmare. A small group of children were playing hopscotch next to a rose garden, while their parents reclined on benches beside them. The idyllic scene was broken by the sight of the buildings lining the square, all of which had been wrecked by shelling. Ukrainian authorities believe that over 80 percent of the buildings in Izyum were damaged during the fighting. Hundreds of residents have been found buried in a mass grave just outside the city limits, most of whom are believed to have died from artillery or airstrikes during Russia’s assault on the city in March. Civilians line up to receive humanitarian aid supplies in Izyum. Tom Mutch A local Christian charity had arrived to deliver aid to the fifty or so people lining up in the square when The Daily Beast arrived this week. The provisions were simple fare: a bottle of Pepsi, a few cans of luncheon meat and packets of dry pasta each. With most shops and supermarkets damaged or destroyed, and no power throughout the city, many residents are reliant on this to survive. But before they distributed the provisions, a priest was called on to lead the group in prayer. “Our father who art in heaven,” he began, as he led the crowd in a recitation of the Lord’s Prayer in a chilling echo of the words scratched into the cell wall. He goes on to deliver a short sermon to the long line of haggard-looking Ukrainian civilians. “I thank you, God, that you had mercy on these people. Many have died, please help their relatives to take some solace.” Read More…

Jimmy W. Ramsey Obituary (2022) The Albany Herald https://digitalalabamanews.com/jimmy-w-ramsey-obituary-2022-the-albany-herald/ Mr. Jimmy W. Ramsey, 86, of Albany went home to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus on Thursday, September 22, 2022. Visitation will be held on Monday, September 26, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. at Hall and Hall Funeral Home. The funeral service will follow in the chapel at 11:00 a.m., with Pastor Tim Bass and Rev. Jimmy Black officiating. Following the service Mr. Ramsey will be laid to rest beside his first wife, Kay Ramsey in Floral Memory Gardens. Born April 1, 1936, he was the son of the late Benjamin F. Ramsey and Delia Wingate Ramsey. He proudly served our country in the Army National Guard and later went to work for the City of Albany where he retired as the manager of the print shop. Mr. Ramsey was a lifelong member of Acree First Baptist Church where he served as a Deacon. He enjoyed camping, fishing, gardening and loved to share his vegetables with family and friends. He also was a talented wood worker who liked to make wooden toys for children. A loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, and friend he will be greatly missed until we meet again. In addition to his first wife, Mr. Ramsey was preceded in death by his siblings, Billy Ramsey, Daisy Smith, Dimple Wills, and Estelle Kelly. Survivors include his wife, Mary Frances Ramsey of Albany; children, Mark Ramsey of Leesburg, and Michael Ramsey and Amy of Hendersonville, NC; stepchildren, Fran Dekle and Kerry, and Chris Perdue and Heather all of Birmingham, AL; two brothers, Ben Ramsey and Carolyn, and Bruce Ramsey and Alice all of Albany; sister’s-in-law, Ludie Ramsey, and Morrell Anderson; and seven grandchildren. In lieu of flowers you may send memorial contributions to Acree First Baptist Church at 110 Old County Line Rd. Sylvester, GA 31791 or to the charity of your choice. Condolences and memories may be shared at www.hallandhallfh.com. Hall and Hall Funeral Home has been entrusted with the care of the Ramsey family. Published by Albany Herald from Sep. 25 to Sep. 26, 2022. Read More…

Ronald William Goolsby Obituary (2022) https://digitalalabamanews.com/ronald-william-goolsby-obituary-2022/ Ronald “Ronnie” William Goolsby, 68, of Montgomery, Alabama, died peacefully at home surrounded by family on Thursday, September 22, 2022. Funeral services will be at 2:00pm on Monday, September 26, 2022, at Green Hills Funeral Home with visitation one hour prior. Burial will follow at Green Hills Memorial Cemetery. Rev. Kenneth Baggett officiating. Pallbearers are Dale Goolsby, Mathew Goolsby, Donald Goolsby, Ian Guerrero, Steve Fulton, and Danny Sanders. Ronnie was born on January 22, 1954 in Pensacola, Florida to the late Elsie Mae McPherson Goolsby and Willie George Goolsby. He graduated from Crestview High School in 1972 where he played football and baseball. He later attended Troy State University where he was a member of the Troy State Band Color Guard. Ronnie’s first vocation was as an insurance salesman where he was very successful and won many awards. A few years later he embarked on a new career as co-owner of Vaughn Woods Nursery where he could indulge his love of landscaping and being outdoors. Before retiring, Ronnie spent many years working at Sam’s Club where he was known for his hard work and friendly personality. Ronnie was always on the go and was often described as a man who never sat still. He was a natural athlete, and he coached little league for many years when his son Justin was growing up. He loved to play golf whenever he could find the time, and he looked forward every year to Alabama Football. Roll Tide! Ronnie was a natural born charmer who never met a stranger. He met new friends everywhere he went. While he loved to tease, he was a good man who was always ready to lend a helping hand. Ronnie was beloved by his family and friends. He was a wonderful son, brother, husband, father and grandpa. Ronnie is survived by his wife of 46 years, Brenda Kay Sanders Goolsby; his sister Betty (Ron) Guy; his son, Christopher Justin (Monica) Goolsby; his daughter, Heather Liane (Jose) Guerrero; his grandchildren, Daniella Nicole Goolsby, Mathew Christopher Goolsby, Ian Juaquin Guerrero, Madelyn Penelope Guerrero, Logan Kane Guerrero; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his daughter, Julianne Goolsby. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the American Lung Association. Published by Green Hills Funeral Home – Troy on Sep. 25, 2022. Read More…

Liz Cheney On If She Prefers Democrats Hold House Majority: 'It's A Tough Question' https://digitalalabamanews.com/liz-cheney-on-if-she-prefers-democrats-hold-house-majority-its-a-tough-question/ AUSTIN, Texas – Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., said that she was unsure whether she would prefer Democrats hold their majority in the House of Representatives during the upcoming midterm elections, arguing that the threat posed by some Republicans who challenged the 2020 presidential election may outweigh her policy differences with the left. “It’s a tough question. I think that the policies of the Biden administration, there are a lot of bad policies, for example – what we’re seeing now with inflation, what we’re seeing with respect to government spending,” Cheney said at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday. “I think it’s really important though, as voters are going to vote, that they recognize and understand what the Republican Conference consists of in the House of Representatives today, and how much power the election deniers, the people like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert and Jim Jordan, how much power those people will have in a Republican majority.” REUTERS/David Stubbs” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/j5785Slxrh5DYRA0IzZ16Q–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTM5Nw–/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/hvL2soMEhbzQsxm0Ty7J1g–~B/aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/fox_news_text_979/87111ef7d38dd14cdff8186aa5cd0f08″ Rep. Liz Cheney looks on during her primary election night party in Jackson, Wyoming, Aug. 16, 2022. REUTERS/David Stubbs Cheney, who was one of 10 House Republicans to vote for Trump’s impeachment and is now the vice chair of the Jan. 6 committee, was defeated in the Republican primary last month by Harriet Hageman. Trump and other top GOP officials had endorsed Hageman, a longtime figure in Wyoming politics. DOJ ISSUES MORE THAN 30 SUBPOENAS TO TRUMP ASSOCIATES: SOURCE Republicans are expected to take a 13-seat majority in the upcoming midterm elections, according to the latest Fox News Power Rankings. House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy confidently predicted last month that the GOP will win the majority and that he will be the next Speaker of the House. Natalie Behring/Getty Images” data-src=”https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/l5aztwf55SbmOniEmuUeeQ–/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTcwNTtoPTQ3MA–/https://s.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/nuhM9i0fDRBShWZEWTQ_bw–~B/aD04NTM7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u/https://media.zenfs.com/en/fox_news_text_979/ed48e904fdc4092b387eea238a725326″ Republican congressional candidate Harriet Hageman speaks at a campaign event in Wyoming. Natalie Behring/Getty Images Cheney also railed against other Republican candidates for statewide office who have questioned the results of the 2020 election, such as Pennsylvania gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano and Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake. “Partisanship has to have a limit,” Cheney said Saturday, adding that she would campaign for Democrats if necessary. “There’s got to be an end.” AFTER LANDSLIDE PRIMARY DEFEAT, LIZ CHENEY ANNOUNCES NEW ANTI-TRUMP GROUP, SAYS SHE’S ‘THINKING ABOUT’ WH BID Her comments came days after the House passed Cheney’s Presidential Election Reform Act, which would amend the Electoral Count Act of 1887 to make clear that the vice president only plays a ministerial role in certifying electoral college votes. The bill was in response to Trump’s failed attempt to convince then-Vice President Mike Pence to challenge the electoral vote count on Jan. 6, 2021. Cheney declined to elaborate on what she plans to do once her time in Congress is up, including whether she’ll mount a presidential bid in 2024, but did say her attention will shift to keeping Trump out of the White House. “I’m going to make sure Donald Trump, I’m going to do everything I can to make sure he is not the nominee, and if he is the nominee, I won’t be a Republican,” she said. Read More…

GoLocalProv | Politics | Primaries End With Calm Before Political Storm – “The Sunday Political Brunch” – September 25, 2022 https://digitalalabamanews.com/golocalprov-politics-primaries-end-with-calm-before-political-storm-the-sunday-political-brunch-september-25-2022/ Sunday, September 25, 2022 View Larger + Former President Donald Trump PHOTO: file Okay, the primaries are over for 2022, and today marks 44 days until Election Day, November 8th. The trends are not boding well for the party in power, but is there enough time to turn the tide? Let’s “brunch” on that this week! “Primary Lessons” – If I’ve learned one lesson over and over in the five decades I covered American politics, it’s that economic conditions trump all other issues. Economic decline put Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, and George H.W. Bush out of the Oval Office, and a severe downturn prevented John McCain from winning the White House. This past week the Federal Reserve raised interest rates by three basis points for the third time this year. Inflation, while declining over the past two months, remains at a near 40-year-high. The inflation report due out on October 13th will be the last one before Election Day. It will be crucial and decisive. GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE — SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST “And There’s More Bad Economic News” — Gas prices I paid this week were at $3.49, down sharply from the $5.00 a gallon in June, but still well above the $2.53 average when President Joe Biden took office. So, things have improved marginally in the past few months, but probably not enough to help Democrats who control both chambers in Congress as we approach the midterms. Fair or not, the party in power usually bears the brunt of the blame. “Manchin in the Middle, AGAIN!” – This should be a surprise to no one. Senator Joe Manchin is in the middle of the effort to pass a CR, or Continuing Resolution, to prevent a government shutdown on October 1st. For his part, Manchin wants permitting for the completion of the Mountain Valley Pipeline which is set to run from the rich natural gas fields of West Virginia to a facility near Roanoke, Virginia, and then off to domestic and foreign markets. One goal is to cut spiking natural gas prices, Manchin said. “So, when do you ever see that we’re going to change the permitting, so we can have the American people get relief from the high cost?” Manchin pondered.  “When you take a pipeline, the Mountain Valley Pipeline, nothing puts more product into the market quicker and helps relieve the shortages that we have right now,” Manchin added. “Not So Fast, say Environmentalists” – The Mountain Valley Pipeline, or MVP, is only 20-miles from completion. Environmentalists worry about pollution and even went to federal court to get the project shut down for a time. Senator Bernie Sanders (I) Vermont, and Senator Elizabeth Warren (D) Massachusetts, are among the biggest critics in Congress. “Mister President, I rise this morning to express my strong opposition to the so-called ‘side-deal’ that the fossil fuel industry is pushing to make it easier for them to pollute the environment and destroy the planet,” Sanders said on the Senate floor. The problem for Sanders and other environmentalists is that Manchin has the support of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and President Biden, who needed Manchin’s support to pass the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. Like it or not, that’s how business often gets done in the Capitol. “The Dynamics of a Government Shutdown” – Another problem for Democrats is the Mountain Valley Pipeline deal is part of the proposed Continuing Resolution to prevent a federal government shutdown on October 1st. Not only are key liberal Senate Democrats against the deal, more than seventy House Democrats also consider it a poison pill and may oppose the CR to keep the government open. Right now, if the government shuts down over this single issue, it will be easy for the Republicans to blame Biden, Schumer, and Manchin for crafting the provision. I predict the pipeline gets pulled from the CR at the 11th hour. “Trump’s Troubles” – This past week, Attorney General Letitia James (D) New York, filed a $250 million dollar lawsuit against former President Donald Trump, and his three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka, and Eric. James said the Trumps inflated their personal wealth to get larger loans for which they would otherwise not qualify. The AG called the Trumps’ actions, “persistent and repeated business fraud.” In addition to the fines, she wants the Trumps banned from operating any businesses in New York State. “The Potential Fallout” – Now that the primary season is over for 2022, we can repeat the analysis of the Washington Examiner, which reported of 236 Trump-endorsed candidates nationwide, 217 won and just 19 lost. That’s a 93 percent success rate. I mention this because I spoke with a candidate who was expecting a Trump endorsement soon for the November general election. “Now I don’t know if I want it,” he told me. “What if Trump gets indicted?” he pondered. Trump’s troubles have emboldened other GOP candidates, especially after the raid on Mar-a-Lago that many Republicans – both Trump supporters and critics – felt was highly politicized and unfair. Will a backlash motivate Republican and independent voters in November? Or will some Trump-backed candidates face “guilt by association?” Stay tuned! “Trump Candidate Gets Trumped” – In the internet age, it’s easier than ever to track down public records on just about anyone. That’s why people (especially candidates) need to be careful about “resume padding.” A classic case in point, is Ohio Congressional candidate J.P. Majewski, who campaigned on being a combat veteran during the War on Terror. Now, according to the Associated Press, Majewski was in fact in the Air Force servicing U.S. aircraft based in Qatar, an ally nation where we staged our planes. Look, that’s noble enough service that would earn the respect of voters. You signed up, wore the uniform, and did your job. People would salute that, even if you did not serve in combat. This Trump-backed candidate had a real shot to defeat a longtime Democrat incumbent, but that hope may vanish. In a House where the majority may be decided by a single vote, this was an epic fail. Mark Curtis, Ed.D., is Chief Political Reporter for the seven Nexstar Media TV stations serving West Virginia, its five neighboring states and the entire Washington, DC media market. He is also a MINDSETTER contributing political writer and analyst for www.GoLocalProv.com and its affiliates. 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‘Treat Iran Like Pariah:’ Haley Hits Biden Team For Relentless Pursuit Of Nuclear Deal – J-Wire https://digitalalabamanews.com/treat-iran-like-pariah-haley-hits-biden-team-for-relentless-pursuit-of-nuclear-deal-j-wire/ Browse Home / Featured Articles / ‘Treat Iran like pariah:’ Haley hits Biden team for relentless pursuit of nuclear deal – J-Wire September 25, 2022 by David Isaac Read on for article Former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley sharply criticised the Biden administration for its failure to confront the Iranian regime during a special press conference held Wednesday in New York City on the sidelines of the 77th U.N. General Assembly. Nikki Haley, former ambassador to the U.N., speaking at the United Against Iran (UANI) conference in New York City, Sept. 21, 2022. Photo: Courtesy of Stand for America. Speaking to the media at the sixth annual conference of United Against Iran (UANI), an organisation dedicated to educating the public and policymakers about the dangers posed by the Islamic Republic, Haley lamented the Biden administration’s continued efforts to revive the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), or 2015 Iran deal. Haley was one of the key officials in the Trump administration who urged then-President Donald Trump to exit the JCPOA. She travelled to Vienna to visit the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in 2017, which was monitoring Iran’s nuclear program. “Let me ask them the questions about the deal. And let me come back and make the case for why you should get out of the deal,” she told Trump. When she visited the IAEA, she asked if they inspected universities, where nuclear research took place, or military installations. The IAEA said it inspected neither. “So I said, ‘OK, what is it exactly that you inspect?’” They told her that they inspect a site if there’s suspicious activity after giving the Iranians 90 days warning. “You can clear out a warehouse in 90 days, no problem. That’s when I came back, and I told President Trump, ‘We have to get out of the Iran deal,’” Haley said. Trump abandoned the deal in May 2018. Haley deplored the White House’s decision to issue a visa to let Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi into the U.S. to address the U.N. given Iran’s continued “bad behaviour,” including calls of “Death to America,” ongoing violations of U.N. resolutions, and missile strikes against military bases housing U.S. soldiers. Raisi addressed the General Assembly on Wednesday. Haley spoke of the Sept. 16 death of Mahsa Amini, 22, beaten to death by Iran’s “morality police” for the incorrect wearing of a hijab, a Muslim head covering. Amini’s death has sparked widespread protests throughout Iran in which at least nine have been killed by the authorities. Haley said that instead of letting Iran’s president deliver a speech at the U.N., the U.S. should be publicising the stories of the anti-regime protesters. “The protests we’re seeing from the Iranian people are heroic. We need to get their stories out. They don’t want a regime that treats them like this.” Referring to Raisi’s insistence at the U.N. that Iran wasn’t seeking a nuclear bomb and its nuclear program was “peaceful,” Haley said, “When in Iran’s history, have we ever seen them do anything in the name of peace? They don’t. So it’s time for everyone to stop being naïve.” Asked by JNS why the Biden administration insists on reviving the Iran deal despite the Islamic Republic’s flagrant violations of the agreement’s provisions, Haley said, “That the Biden administration is falling all over itself to get back into the Iran deal shows this is nothing more than ego.” The Biden team, made up of many Obama administration holdovers, “can’t accept that they got it wrong … They look at it as a political win, instead of looking at it as a national security risk that we’ve got to get right for the American people,” she said. “You can’t stop a corrupt regime from being corrupt. You can’t stop a terrorist regime, the number one state sponsor of terror, from wanting to destroy anyone that comes in its way who doesn’t agree with it. You can’t change that culture,” she said. In the weeks leading up to the General Assembly, Haley took to media channels to warn against letting Raisi into the country, particularly in light of Iran’s attempted assassinations of high-level American officials, including John Bolton, former national security advisor in the Trump administration. U.S. officials say Bolton was likely targeted in retaliation for the killing of Islamic Revolutionary Guards Commander Qassem Soleimani in January 2020. Haley said Iran’s leaders have “done nothing to show that they want to be good actors. It’s time for us to walk away from that deal and start dealing with them like the enemy that they are. We should isolate them. We should treat them like the pariah that they are.” Visit J-Wire’s main page for all the latest breaking news, gossip and what’s on in your community. Read More…

QAnon Follower Who Chased Officer On January 6 Convicted Of Felonies https://digitalalabamanews.com/qanon-follower-who-chased-officer-on-january-6-convicted-of-felonies/ A QAnon conspiracy theorist who led a pack of Donald Trump supporters that chased a solitary police officer around the US Capitol on the day of the January 6 attack has been found guilty of several felonies. Douglas Jensen – the bearded 43-year-old Iowa man who appeared in several media photos of the attack while wearing a black T-shirt with a large “Q” – could in theory face more than 50 years in prison after a federal jury in Washington DC convicted him on Friday, US justice department prosecutors said in a statement. However, it is rare for convicts in US district court to receive the harshest available punishment, even if they chose to withstand trial rather than plead guilty in advance. And the harshest sentence handed out so far to anyone found guilty of having a role in the deadly Capitol attack has been seven years and three months. Prosecutors alleged that Jensen formed part of the mob of Trump supporters who gathered at the Capitol on the day in early 2021 that Congress was meeting to certify Joe Biden’s victory over Trump in the previous year’s presidential election. Clad in a navy blue knit cap and the T-shirt paying homage to QAnon, the conspiracy myth that Trump is locked in secret combat against a cabal of leftist pedophiles and its deep state allies, Jensen scaled a wall at the Capitol, watched as fellow mob members broke the Senate wing entrance’s windows and doors, and was among the first 10 people to invade the facility, according to prosecutors. Jensen went around a few corners and joined a crowd that encountered a lone Capitol police officer near a stairwell, prosecutors said. Jensen squeezed his way to the front of the group, essentially came face to face with the officer, Eugene Goodman, and helped chase him up the stairs to a hallway just outside the Senate chamber. Trump supporters, including Douglas Jensen, center, confront US Capitol police. Photograph: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP Prosecutors said that Jensen – carrying a knife with a three-inch blade in his pocket – barked at Goodman as well as other officers to “back up” and ordered them to arrest Trump’s vice-president, Mike Pence, whom the mob was threatening to hang if he didn’t halt the certification of Biden’s electoral college win. After 40 minutes, Jensen was made to exit, briefly re-entered another section of the Capitol and was forced out again, prosecutors said. Authorities arrested him two days later, after he returned to Iowa. At Jensen’s trial, concluding Friday, his defense attorney portrayed him as “a terribly confused man” whose mind was even more twisted by QAnon as well as Covid lockdowns. Jensen’s attorney also claimed his client had never physically hurt anyone during his time at the Capitol. But jurors needed just four hours to convict Jensen as charged of assaulting police, obstructing a congressional proceeding, interfering with law enforcement, entering a restricted building and disorderly conduct with a dangerous weapon, which are all felonies. Jensen was also found guilty of a pair of misdemeanors: picketing in the Capitol and disorderly conduct in that facility. Goodman testified during Jensen’s trial, describing how he had felt cornered and threatened by the mob. Prosecutors showed video of Goodman leading the mob away from the Senate floor while defensively holding up a baton with one of his hands. The Senate awarded Goodman a congressional Gold Medal, saying that the officer had led the violent mob away from lawmakers who ultimately did certify Trump’s defeat in the 2020 election. A bipartisan Senate report linked seven deaths to the Capitol attack and said it had left more than 140 police officers injured. As of this week, more than 870 people had been charged with roles in the insurrection. Read More…

Iran Pledges ‘decisive Action’ As Mahsa Amini Protests Continue https://digitalalabamanews.com/iran-pledges-decisive-action-as-mahsa-amini-protests-continue/ Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi has pledged to deal “decisively” with the protests that have swept the country since the death of a woman who was detained by the Iranian morality police. Raisi’s comments on Saturday came as protesters took to the streets for a ninth consecutive night, defying a crackdown in which at least 41 people have been killed, according to state television. It said the toll was based on its own count and official figures were yet to be released. Hundreds of people have also been arrested, with protests reported in most of the country’s 31 provinces. State media said Raisi on Saturday spoke to a relative of the Basij paramilitary member who had been killed while taking part in a crackdown in the northeastern city of Mashhad. It quoted the president as saying that Iran must “deal decisively with those who oppose the country’s security and tranquillity”. The president “stressed the necessity to distinguish between protest and disturbing public order and security, and called the events … a riot,” state media reported. The protests broke out in northwestern Iran a week ago at the funeral of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died after falling into a coma following her detention in Tehran by morality police enforcing hijab rules on women’s dress. Her death has reignited anger over issues including restrictions on personal freedoms in Iran, the strict dress codes for women, and an economy reeling from sanctions. Women have played a prominent role in the protests, waving and burning their veils. Some have publicly cut their hair as furious crowds called for the fall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. The protests have been the largest to sweep Iran since demonstrations over fuel prices in 2019 when the Reuters news agency reported 1,500 people were killed in a crackdown on protesters – the bloodiest confrontation in the country’s history. On Friday, state-organised rallies took place in several Iranian cities to counter the anti-government protests, and the army promised to confront “the enemies” behind the unrest. State television in Iran, which has accused armed exiled Iranian Kurdish dissidents of involvement in the unrest, said the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps had fired artillery on bases of Kurdish opposition groups in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq. ‘Spiralling deadly response’ At least three times this week, mobile internet has been disrupted in Iran, the NetBlocks watchdog has reported. Activists say the move is intended to prevent video footage of the violence from reaching the world. On Saturday NetBlocks said Microsoft’s Skype video calling app was now restricted, the latest such measure after platforms including Instagram, WhatsApp and LinkedIn were targeted. In an effort to help sustain internet connection, the United States is making exceptions to its sanctions regime on Iran – a move Tehran said on Saturday was in line with Washington’s hostile stance. Rights group Amnesty International said protesters face a “spiralling deadly response from security forces” and called for an independent United Nations investigation. On the night of September 21, shootings by security forces left at least 19 people dead, including three children, it said. “The rising death toll is an alarming indication of just how ruthless the authorities’ assault on human life has been under the darkness of the internet shutdown,” Amnesty said. State television showed footage purporting to show calm had returned to many parts of the capital Tehran late on Friday. “But in some western and northern areas of Tehran and certain provinces, rioters destroyed public property,” it said, carrying footage of protesters setting fire to rubbish bins and a car, marching, and throwing rocks. The activist Twitter account 1500tasvir carried videos of protests in Tehran’s western district of Sattarkhan showing protesters gathered at a square chanting: “Don’t be afraid, we are all in this together,” late on Saturday with a motorcycle apparently belonging to riot police burning in the background. Another video, purportedly from Saturday evening, showed a woman defiantly swinging her headscarf above her head as she walked in the middle of a Tehran street. Protests also took place in the northern city of Babol in Mazandaran province, according to footage on social media, with youths trying to tear down portraits of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic of Iran, from a university’s gate while bystanders cheered them on and shouted: “Death to the dictator.” Protests also reportedly continue in the city of Rasht in Gilan province, where the police chief has announced the “arrest of 739 rioters, including 60 women” in that province alone. Other videos showed crows gathering in Sanandaj, the capital of Kurdistan province, late on Saturday, despite a heavy police presence. The videos could not be verified independently. Demonstrators also took to the streets of cities in Iraq, Germany, Greece, Sweden, the United Kingdom and the US on Saturday to express solidarity with Iranian protesters. In Iraq, dozens of Iraqi and Iranian Kurds rallied outside the UN compound in the northern city of Erbil, carrying placards with Amini’s photograph and chanting: “Death to the dictator,” referring to Khamenei. Read More…

‘Friendship Set To Music’ — The Call Of Square Dancing https://digitalalabamanews.com/friendship-set-to-music-the-call-of-square-dancing/ AUBURN — Box the gnat. Weave the ring. Sashay, circle, swing. Yeah: square dancing. You probably did it in middle school phys ed classes. Your parents, grandparents, great-grands and great-greats probably did it. But they probably didn’t do it to rock, jazz, disco or hip-hop music, or learned the simpler way it’s taught today. But we’re getting ahead of ourselves. Square dancing can be traced to 15th-century Europe, influenced by dance moves from England, France, Scotland, Scandinavia and Spain. Modern dancers who attended a recent session at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn say they do it for fun, exercise, and friendship. The session was led by Al Hipkins of Auburn, a professional caller who leads dances in Lewiston-Auburn and Brunswick. “It’s primarily an activity for fun, not competition,” he said. Once people had gathered in the school cafeteria, he picked up a microphone and crooned into it, with a bit of a twang. Singsong. “Allemande left, right grand, left grand, ladies chain, ladies center and men sashay, promenade.” Four couples were positioned in a square, two people on each side facing the center. They bowed, joined hands, circled, changed partners, sashayed, promenaded, met in the middle, called “Whoo!” and eventually rejoined their partners. “I mix them up and then I put them back in order,” Hipkins said. Partners Cam and Edy Churchill of Auburn have been dancing together since 1983 when they met here at Sherwood Heights. They got married the following year. “She was so fun to watch, always smiling and laughing,” Cam said. She arrived that first time without a partner. Everyone else was matched up, he said. “But she never sat out a dance.” Back then, Cam said, the dances would draw 40 or 50 people. On this evening, about a dozen people attended, enough for one square. Back in the day, “we’d have eight or nine squares,” Cam said. “Now it’s mostly us old folks who’ve been dancing a long time. Some of us are a little rusty.” But the Churchills still love dancing. “Oh, my, yes,” Edy said, just off the dance floor and a bit out of breath. “It keeps the mind sharp,” Cam said. Indeed, one novice had a difficult time following some basic steps on her first try. It wasn’t so much complicated as fast paced. But truly fun. “In one evening of dancing, you can get 5,000 to 8,000 steps without ever thinking about exercise,” according to Hipkins. “Dancing engages your mind, relieves stress, and includes you in a larger community.” Wally Vickerson, like many others, wore a Twin City Spinners nametag and a badge he earned when he graduated from a 20-week course in 2012. The draw for him is friendship, he said, and “you get to use your mind as you get older.” He met his wife, Carol Vickerson, at a square dance five years ago. She’d been widowed for seven years. “Wally was very kind,” she said. “It’s nice to have a companion.” Square dancers move in a circle during a session Sept.15 at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal THE ORIGINS OF SQUARE DANCE Before square dancing came to the U.S., it was a folk fad in Europe, according to sanjuan.edu’s “History of Square Dance.” “In England around 1600, teams of six trained performers — all male, for propriety’s sake, and wearing bells for extra oomph — began presenting choreographed sequences known as the Morris dance.” This was thought to have inspired English country dance, in which couples lined up on village greens to practice weaving, circling and swinging moves reminiscent of modern-day square dancing. When Europeans settled the first colonies here, they brought this tradition with them. Over the generations, it became less popular in most places, but it caught on in Appalachia in the 19th century. “Instead of memorizing each and every step, participants began relying on callers to provide cues — and as square dance calling became an art form in its own right, humor and entertainment,” according to the “History of Square Dance.” The practice got another boost in 1923 when Henry Ford sponsored a dance program for the Dearborn, Michigan, public schools. He later sponsored a Sunday radio program in which a professional would call dances that had been printed in the newspaper the previous week. Ford’s friend Thomas Edison began to produce 78-rpm square dance records. “Old-fashioned square dancing became the rage,” according to the website. Folk dancing also received a major boost in the 1920s when the New York City public schools, the first major school system to do so, made folk dancing a required activity. Square dancing expanded rapidly after 1939. The dance especially grew in the decade following World War II. Many American GIs had been introduced to square dancing at USO cantinas. Today, thousands of clubs have been established in communities across the country. Square dancing has been the country’s “official national folk dance” since President Ronald Reagan signed an act of Congress in 1982. And the U.S. has a National Square Dance Day: Nov. 29 “At bottom, it remains a solid and enduring piece of American folk tradition. As dancers themselves are fond of saying, ‘Square dancing is friendship set to music,’” according to the “History of Square Dance.” Square dancer caller Al Hipkins calls out the steps to a square dance Set. 15 during an open session at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal ‘A NEW TREND’ The Sept. 15 dance at Sherwood Heights was an introduction to a 12-week course Hipkins is offering. He said “social square dancing” is a “new trend in the U.S.” Social Square Dance was developed in 2016 by Callerlab, an international organization of square dance callers, as a way to “ring in” new dancers by offering a simpler, easier-to-learn system of calls. The system is designed to create a 50-call entry program that can be quickly taught in 12 to 14 weeks, “and yet serve as a realistic destination for long-term square dancers,” according to callerlab.org. “Dancers are encouraged to dance that program, and to recruit their friends, with no pressure to move up to higher programs.” Hipkins said the difference between traditional and modern square dancing is that traditional dance is done in contradances and can be taught and danced in one night. “Each song in traditional dance has a prescribed choreography, which does not change,” he said. “Modern square dancing changes with each dance as the caller makes up the sequence to dance every time.” Square dance traditionally includes seven call list programs, beginning with mainstream (69 calls), according to Wikipedia. Level 7, the third of three “challenge” tiers, includes 429 calls and concepts. Learning all this can take years. But you don’t have to do that in social square dancing. “It’s time to erase the old image of square dancing from school days and television,” Hipkins said in a news release announcing the new course. The music is one of the biggest surprises for new dancers, he noted “Today’s dancing is done to great music from the best of rock, disco, jazz and hip-hop, as well as country and bluegrass,” he said. Hipkins started square dancing in 1972 with the Susquehanna Swingers in Havre de Grace, Maryland. He was hooked. After moving to Maine, he was recruited as a caller in 2006 by Sage Swingers Square and Round Dance Club in Brunswick. “Once they found out I could sing, they asked me if I wanted to learn calling,” he said. “Being able to sing meant people enjoyed hearing me.” In September 2011, he started Twin City Spinners Square and Round Dance Club in Lewiston-Auburn. In addition to singing out calls at the Sherwood Heights dance, he sang a song called “Good to Be Alive” by American singer-songwriter Andy Grammer while calling steps. The dancers kept pace, and some sang along. If you’ve seen square dancing on television or at your local town hall, you’d be expecting to see women in frilly dresses with crinoline petticoats and men in embroidered shirts and cowboy boots. But not here. These dancers wore jeans or khakis and comfortable shoes. “Newer dancers are not as interested in fancy dresses,” Hipkins said. One reason is because unless you make your own outfits, one dress and a man’s suit can cost as much as $2,000, he said. So, come as you are. Twin City Spinners will hold an open house at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Sherwood Heights. New classes will begin Oct. 20 and run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The cost is $5 per person each night, or you can prepay and get 10 classes for the price of 12. Hipkins can be reached at (207)-841-7959 or [email protected] He will be there with folksy flair. Expect fun. “The teamwork necessary to be successful at square dancing transcends all other concerns and helps people forget their troubles and enjoy an evening in the company of other people who also come to have fun,” he said. Edy Churchill and Roy Blier complete their spin on the right during a square dance session Sept. 15 at Sherwood Heights Elementary School in Auburn. Lorraine Boilard and Rick Fortier turn toward them on the left. In square dancing, partners change several times during the course of a single dance, eventually finding their way back to their main partners. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal 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 Next » Read More…

Why We’ll Be Voting Straight Republican https://digitalalabamanews.com/why-well-be-voting-straight-republican/ DEAR EDITOR: Millions of illegal immigrants allowed to enter the United States on President Joe Biden’s watch will cost American taxpayers more than $20 billion per year. Almost 5 million illegals crossed the U.S. border in the first 18 months of the Biden presidency, including an estimated 1 million getaways, according to Customs and Border Protection figures. Many are allowed to remain. It’s still a few weeks away from the November election, but it’s time to research what socialist Democrats are doing to America. The border crisis is just one example. My wife, Charlene, and I have been registered Democrats for years. She was a Democrat precinct committee woman when we lived in Youngstown. Both of us will vote straight Republican in November! Besides border issues, here are some other reasons: 1. The highest rate of inflation in many years. 2. Gas prices still sky high even after coming down about $1.50 locally in recent weeks. (What happens when our strategic oil reserves are depleted by the Democrats? What about pipeline workers who lost their jobs so the Democrats — the working man’s friends — can force electric vehicles on us? And did you know more air pollution is created during the manufacturing of electric car batteries than is created by all the millions of gasoline-powered vehicles on roads today?) 3. Student loans being forgiven. 4. We’re not opposed to abortion under certain medical conditions: health of mother and baby, rape, etc. We are against abortion on demand. 5. Biden and Democrats want to tax your investments. Can you afford to give our government even more of your money? 6. Democrat-controlled cities are overrun with drug addicts, drug dealers, homeless, etc., costing taxpayers millions of dollars. 7. Grocery bills through the roof and still climbing. 8. Never-ending supply chain problems. Biden is nothing more than a puppet, whose strings are pulled by socialist left. Make no mistake, Democrats don’t want America to be world’s leader. The plan is to bring us down to third-world status, to do away with the middle class while Nancy Pelolsi, Chuck Schumer, Tim Ryan and the rest of the elitists get richer at our expense. The Republicans have their own issues, but we’ll take J.D. Vance over Ryan, a shameless liar who has never had a real job; Dr. Oz over John Fetterman, a conservative Republican turned socialist Democrat, a man who barely can communicate because of a catastrophic stroke. One of few protesters at the recent Vance-Donald Trump rally in Youngstown was quoted as saying socialism is a good thing. Really? Adolph Hitler was a socialist. Please think about who you want to vote for. See you at the polls. REA TAICLET Hubbard Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…

AP News Summary At 11:39 P.m. EDT https://digitalalabamanews.com/ap-news-summary-at-1139-p-m-edt-2/ Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin’s order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine “this farce.” He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraine’s presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) — Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of  Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It’s expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. ‘Fighting fit’: Trial to show Oath Keepers’ road to Jan. 6 It’s been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution’s case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn’t a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation’s capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) — How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraine’s battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. There’s no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putin’s intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: ‘Iranian women are furious’ over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) — Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages she’s been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young woman’s death in police custody over a violation of the country’s strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for women’s rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back  to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless it’s necessary to save the mother’s life. Saudi Arabia’s triumphant week reclaims the West’s embrace NEW YORK (AP) — Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabia’s busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the country’s national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown prince’s ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri’s hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) — The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency’s 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show MILAN (AP) — Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! Read More…

Fall Brings Lots Of Newspaper Events https://digitalalabamanews.com/fall-brings-lots-of-newspaper-events/ Somehow, summer ended last week, and at my house, we almost immediately started sleeping with the windows open again. And in a little more than two weeks, early voting will begin in the election that we’ve been hearing about and contemplating for more than a year now. Here’s a friendly reminder: If you plan to vote in the upcoming Nov. 8 General Election, you have until Oct. 11 to register. Visit your local elections board office or go to their websites. In my business, September and October bring our usual process of interviewing political candidates who are seeking local offices, and then sharing stories about their positions on important issues and even our endorsement selections in some of the races. We’ll cover various candidate nights, debates or forums as a service to voters who are unable to attend. At the very least, we’ll be publishing lists and boxes of the contested local races, issues and liquor options as early voting and Election Day approach. Our politics reporter David Skolnick already has been in high gear, covering developing stories, area campaign visits by big names like former President Donald Trump and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. We now expect U.S. Senate candidate debates and stories about the campaigns and polling that likely will show rises and falls of candidates’ popularity. Undoubtedly, readers will be writing letters to the editor about why they like or dislike particular candidates. Additionally, many candidates likely will share their pledges and qualifications in paid advertisements on these pages. All this information is excellent when it comes to educating yourself before heading to the polls. Indeed, this is crunch time for the candidates, but it’s also similarly busy for those of us in the business of covering the candidates. Election season isn’t all that’s going on in my newsroom. Along with the quickly approaching October and November months, you’ll find many promotions, events and special sections in your daily newspaper. Here are a few things you’ll be able to expect. On Saturday, Oct. 1, you’ll open your morning paper to find we’ve gone pink. As usual, we will be turning our newspaper logos pink in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. You’ll find interesting stories about survivors, programs and upcoming fundraising events in that day’s paper. Additionally, on our regular Tuesday Health Page covers throughout October, we will feature uplifting and informative breast cancer survivor stories. If you know someone who is a breast cancer survivor from Mahoning or Trumbull County and who has an interesting story of courage to share, please contact our Features Editor Burton Cole at 330-841-1738 or email him at bcole@tribtoday.com. In mid-October, we will be publishing our annual salute to area firefighters in honor of National Fire Prevention Week. We also will be recognizing this year’s local Firefighter of the Year, chosen from among nominations from fellow firefighters and the public. We soon also will start inviting readers to send us their short commentary about what they are most thankful for. Regular readers know this is a longtime newspaper tradition in which we invite local folks to submit what they are most thankful for. We then share those thoughts — every one of them — with our readers, free of charge, on Thanksgiving Day. As we prepare those stories for publication, we also peruse them for interesting comments that we can turn into feature-length stories for Thanksgiving Day papers. Keep watching the newspaper for more information on how and when to send your thankful thoughts! Of course, on Veterans Day we will, as always, publish a commemorative edition reprinting all the weekly veteran stories we have been publishing since Memorial Day. The special section will be included in your Nov. 11 newspaper. In Warren, we also sponsor and coordinate the Trumbull County Veterans Day parade. Keep watching the newspaper. We soon will be calling for parade participants to sign up. There’s much more to come in December, but I’ll save some of that info for later. For now, grab a pumpkin spice latte, and sit back and enjoy today’s paper. blinert@tribtoday.com Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…