Former FBI Assistant Director Says Trump Is Getting 'increasingly Cornered' And That His Embrace Of QAnon Is The 'last Act Of A Desperate Man'
Former FBI Assistant Director Says Trump Is Getting 'increasingly Cornered' And That His Embrace Of QAnon Is The 'last Act Of A Desperate Man' https://digitalalabamanews.com/former-fbi-assistant-director-says-trump-is-getting-increasingly-cornered-and-that-his-embrace-of-qanon-is-the-last-act-of-a-desperate-man/
Donald Trump.Kyle Mazza/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Former FBI official Frank Figliuzzi said Trump is drawn to QAnon like a moth to a flame.
Figliuzzi said Trump is embracing the movement because he feels “increasingly cornered.”
Figliuzzi warned that violence could ensue if the QAnon movement felt threats to its leader.
A former FBI official said former President Donald Trump is likely feeling cornered and embracing the QAnon movement out of desperation.
Frank Figliuzzi, a former FBI assistant director, was weighing in on Trump’s links to the QAnon movement during a Monday appearance on MSNBC’s “Deadline: White House.” Host Nicolle Wallace asked Figliuzzi if he thinks Trump knows just how dangerous the movement is to the US.
“Oh, not only do I think he knows it, but I think that’s what attracts him to this. It’s like a moth to the flame,” Figliuzzi said.
“And the thing is, he knows that he’s increasingly cornered,” Figliuzzi added. “He’s in trouble on so many legal fronts, even criminal fronts now, that this is, kind of, the almost last act of a desperate man.”
Figliuzzi referenced Trump’s rally in Youngstown, Ohio, where a QAnon song played during Trump’s speech. During the rally, Trump’s supporters were seen pointing their fingers to the sky in a strange, one-finger salute, which experts say might have been a nod to the movement’s slogan, “where we go one we go all.”
While the stadium in Ohio was not fully filled, and thus a sign that Trump may be losing support from his base, Figliuzzi said there’s still a significant threat from Trump and the QAnon movement.
“What is extremely dangerous based on past histories of cults, is that as they come near the end, as the leader is threatened, they get more and more dangerous,” Figliuzzi said. “And they do something cult experts call ‘forcing the end.'”
This could happen if the movement’s leader “calls for the violence” or is “taken out,” Figliuzzi said.
“The members take a step up and force the ending — whatever that could be,” Figliuzzi said. “That’s what concerns me and we’ve learned from January 6, it only takes a small number of people to do that.”
The Trump rally in Ohio is just one of many recent instances in which the former president appeared to embrace QAnon — a movement that claims without basis that Trump is fighting a deep-state cabal of pedophiles. In a stream of messages after the FBI’s raid of Mar-a-Lago, Trump shared over a dozen posts on his Truth Social account, some of which referenced QAnon and contained baseless conspiracy theories about the FBI. Other posts by the former president on the Truth Social platform in September included a reposted image of himself sporting a “Q” lapel pin, along with the movement’s “where we go one we go all” slogan.
Figliuzzi and a representative at Trump’s post-presidential press office did not immediately respond to Insider’s requests for comment.
Read the original article on Business Insider
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20 Things To Do In Birmingham AL https://digitalalabamanews.com/20-things-to-do-in-birmingham-al/
Birmingham is Alabama’s largest city by metro area and remains one of the state’s best places to live and travel. Situated almost exactly in the heart of Alabama, Birmingham is a two-hour drive from Atlanta and a three-hour drive from Nashville.
Despite its convenient location near two of the largest cities in the south, there are many interesting things to do in Birmingham and you don’t need to leave the city to have fun. From impressive sports and aviation museums to the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute to the Talladega Superspeedway, Birmingham has a blend of culture, history, nature and sports to make any trip to the city a fantastic experience all year long.
Birmingham, Alabama
20 Things To Do In Birmingham
1- Smell The Flowers At The Botanical Gardens
Smelling the flowers in the Botanical Garden is one of the relaxing things to od in Birmingham AL.
Covering nearly 70 acres (28 ha), the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is an oasis filled with stunning arrays of trees and flowers, which visitors can enjoy free of charge.
Open every day of the week, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens was first opened in 1963 and is at the foothills of the Red Mountains.
A fantastic place to visit with scenic views across this picturesque urban refuge, the Birmingham Botanical Gardens is one of Birmingham’s top nature attractions.
Birmingham Botanical Gardens is at 2612 Lane Park Rd, Birmingham, AL 35223. Buy the Birmingham Attraction Ticket for entry to 14 attractions.
2- Visit The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame
Looking for things to do in Birmingham AL? Here’s our list of the top 20.
The Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is a must-visit destination for all sports fans visiting Birmingham.
Opened in 1967, the museum honours and displays the incredible feats achieved by Alabama athletes, sportsmen and sportswomen.
The collection is one of the USA’s largest, exhibiting all sorts of sports memorabilia and artefacts across its vast floor space.
With artefacts of Alabama sporting legends such as Bo Jackson, Mike Donahue, and Jimmy Hitchcock on display to the public, be sure to make an eventful stop at the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum.
Alabama Sports Hall of Fame and Museum is at 2150 Richard Arrington Jr Blvd N, Birmingham, AL 35203. Save money with the Birmingham Attraction Ticket here, as it will give you access to this attraction and others.
3- Watch A Game At Regions Field
Watching a minor league baseball game is a fun thing to do in Birmingham, Alabama.
Even though it’s the largest city (by population) in Alabama, Birmingham does not have any professional sports teams in any of the top four sports in the United States.
Regions Field is the official home of the Birmingham Barons, the city’s minor league baseball team.
Seating up to 8,500 people at any given time, Regions Field might not be a major league stadium, but the arena sure has a lively atmosphere.
A fun spot to visit if you’re a fan of live sports and want to get a glimpse of baseball’s future stars, Regions Field is a great option for a Birmingham sporting experience.
Regions Field is at 1401 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233.
4- Admire Vintage Vehicles At Barber Museum
If you’re looking for things to do in Birmingham, you’ll find plenty both day and night.
Housing and displaying an immaculate collection of over 1,200 cars and motorcycles, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum’s displays include some of the rarest and most sought-after vehicles worldwide.
Specialising in racing vehicles, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum regularly restores and races some of its display vehicles on the museum’s outdoor track.
With a collection stretching from the late 19th century to the present, the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is heaven for car enthusiasts and motorsports fans.
Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum is at 6030 Barber Motorsports Parkway, Birmingham, AL 35094. Save money with the Birmingham Attractions Ticket for entry to this museum and other attractions.
5- See The Statue Of Liberty
10 miles (16 km) from Downtown Birmingham, Vestavia Hills is a beautiful Birmingham suburb with an abundance of trees, parks, and cosy restaurants.
The town’s biggest attraction can be found in Liberty Park, where a 1/5 scale replica of the Statue of Liberty stands tall over the city of Birmingham.
Standing 36 feet (11 m) tall, the statue can be seen from all over the park and is a fantastic setting for an afternoon picnic or a jog.
Liberty Park is at 516 Liberty Pkwy., Birmingham, AL 35242.
6- Shop At Pepper Place Saturday Market
Shopping at the local farmer’s market is one of the best things to do in Birmingham (Alabama) for foodies.
Opened in 2000, the year-round Pepper Place Saturday Market was originally established to connect local Birmingham farmers to shoppers eager for fresh produce.
Pepper Place Saturday Market has over 100 stalls spread across canvas tents and an indoor marketplace.
Selling all sorts of produce, baked goods, artworks, and tasty meals, the Pepper Place Saturday Market is one of Birmingham’s best free places to visit, charging no entrance fee.
Pepper Place Saturday Market is at 2829 2nd Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35205.
7- Step Back In History At Sloss Furnaces
One of the unusual things to do in Birmingham is to explore the Sloss Furnaces, which is a historical landmark in the city.
The Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark started as an iron blast furnace production facility in 1882 and remained in operation until 1971.
Following its closure, Sloss Furnaces was renovated and introduced as a National Historic Landmark in 1981.
Today, the Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark is a fully-fledged museum exhibiting various artefacts of Birmingham’s iron roots, including two 400-ton (881,849 lbs) blast furnaces and over 50 buildings and structures open to the public.
Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark is at 20 32nd St N, Birmingham, AL 35222. The Birmingham Attraction Ticket provides entry to 14 attractions, including Sloss Furnaces.
8- Explore Railroad Park
One of the things to do in Birmingham is to enjoy the skyline from Railroad Park.
Spread across nearly 20 acres (8 ha) around Downtown Birmingham, the Railroad Park blends Birmingham’s rich industrial heritage with nature in a spectacular fashion.
Railroad park has over 600 trees throughout its boundaries, as well as many flowers, shrubbery, and various other verdant plant species.
The park’s centrepiece is its 9-acre (3.6 ha) open lawn in the heart of the park, where families and couples can be seen picnicking and having a good time out in nature on weekends.
Railroad Park is at 1600 1st Ave S, Birmingham, AL 35233.
9- Stimulate Your Creative Side At The Museum of Art
There are plenty of things to do in Birmingham AL at night too!
The sprawling Birmingham Museum of Art houses one of the most extensive art collections in the American Southeast region, with well over 20,000 individual art pieces on display.
Opened in 1951, the Birmingham Museum of Art is a global hub for impressive art from every part of the world, including some prominent American icons such as Andy Warhol, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Georgia O’Keeffe.
Complete with an in-house restaurant and gift shop, this fully interactive museum is an excellent destination for art lovers and families visiting with kids.
Birmingham Museum of Art is at 2000 Reverend Abraham Woods Jr Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203.
10- Relax In Oak Mountain State Park
Oak Mountain State Park covered an area of roughly 940 acres (380 ha) when the park was first established in 1927 but has since expanded to a total area of 11,632 acres (4,707 ha) to become Alabama’s largest park.
It has an impressive variety of plant species and is less than 30 minutes from Downtown Birmingham.
The park’s 50 miles (80 km) of hiking and biking trails, an 18-hole golf course, lakes for fishing and a beach, makes it a perfect place to relax for the day.
Oak Mountain State Park is at 200 Terrace Dr, Pelham, AL 35124.
11- Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
Exploring the city on foot is one of the things to do in Birmingham (al) to get your bearings.
Commemorating the Civil Rights movements of the 50s and 60s in Alabama, the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and its vast collection of items and memorabilia aim to educate and celebrate guests, young and old.
The modern centre has several unique exhibitions, such as the jail cell of Martin Luther King Jr., replicas of a segregated city and a Freedom Riders bus.
Visiting the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is one of the most eye-opening things to do in Birmingham and is definitely worth a visit.
Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is at 520 16th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203. Save money on an entry ticket here or join the intriguing Birmingham Civil Rights Tour to learn more about this fascinating history.
12- McWane Science Center
Birmingham, Alabama map.
A state-of-the-art science museum in Downtown Birmingham, the McWane Science Center opened its doors in 1998.
It’s a fully interactive and engaging venue where guests are encouraged to learn and discover around every bend.
Some of the attractions at the McWane Science Center include an I-MAX Dome theatre and an aquarium, including various interactive exhibits about biology, science and nature.
An excellent destination to visit for families with children, visiting the McWane Science Center is one of the fun things to do in Birmingham for kids.
McWane Science Center is at 200 19th St N, Birmingham, AL 35203. The Birmingham Area Family Fun Ticket is a great way to save money and see all the attractions the kids will love.
13- See The Statues At Kelly Ingram Park
Situated right in the heart of Downtown Birmingham, the four-acre (1.6 ha) Kelly Ingram Park is famous for its Civil War statues and for being the s...
Lawyers Seek Data In Georgia Election Equipment Breach
Lawyers Seek Data In Georgia Election Equipment Breach https://digitalalabamanews.com/lawyers-seek-data-in-georgia-election-equipment-breach/
Coffee County via AP, File
In this image taken from Coffee County, Ga., security video, Cathy Latham, bottom, chair of the Coffee County Republican Party, greets a team of computer experts from data solutions company SullivanStrickler at the county elections office in Douglas, Ga., on Jan. 7, 2021. Lawyers investigating a breach of voting system data that potentially has put Georgia’s election system at risk are asking a judge to order former Republican Party chair Latham to turn over data from her personal devices, which they say could help determine what happened to the breached data and who orchestrated the scheme.
By Kate Brumback, Associated Press
Monday, Sept. 19, 2022 | 11:19 p.m.
ATLANTA — A former Republican Party official in Georgia who was a fake elector in 2020 misrepresented her role in an alleged breach of voting equipment at a rural elections office two months after the last presidential election, according to a court filing.
The filing late Monday is part of a broader lawsuit challenging the security of the state’s voting machines that has been drawn into a separate investigation of former President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn his loss in Georgia.
According to the latest filing, Cathy Latham helped coordinate the arrival of a computer forensics team at the Coffee County elections office on Jan. 7, 2021, welcomed them upon arrival and spent nearly all day there instructing them what to copy. That turned out to be “virtually every component of the voting system,” the court filing says. That directly refutes her testimony in a sworn deposition and her representations in filings with the court, the document states.
The filing comes in response to Latham’s attorneys’ attempt to quash subpoenas for her personal electronic devices, including any cellphones, computers and storage devices.
Robert Cheeley, an attorney for Latham, did not respond to an email seeking comment. He previously said his client doesn’t remember all the details of that day. But he said she “would not and has not knowingly been involved in any impropriety in any election” and “has not acted improperly or illegally.”
Latham said in a deposition last month that she moved to Texas over the summer. In January 2021, she was chair of the Coffee County Republican Party and was the state party caucus chair for more than 125 of Georgia’s smaller counties. Latham also was one of 16 Georgia Republicans who signed a certificate in December 2020 falsely stating that Trump had won the state and declaring that they were the state’s “duly elected and qualified” electors.
Trump in fact lost Georgia by nearly 12,000 votes to Democrat Joe Biden. The investigation into Trump’s efforts to change the results includes a phone call he made to the Georgia secretary of state suggesting he could “find” just enough votes to make Trump the winner.
The Georgia secretary of state’s office has described the copying of data from Coffee County’s election system as an “alleged unauthorized access.” It’s the latest of several suspected breaches of voting system data around the country tied to Trump allies since his election loss.
Attorney Sidney Powell and other Trump allies were involved in arranging for the copying of the election equipment in Coffee County — it is home to 43,000 people and voted overwhelmingly for Trump — as part of a wider effort to access voting equipment in several states, according to documents produced in response to subpoenas in the long-running lawsuit over Georgia’s voting machines.
Latham’s “data likely will reveal additional details about the work performed and information obtained in the breach, what was done with the compromised software and data, and the people involved in planning and orchestrating the breach, which puts voters and future elections at enormous risk,” the filing says.
An exhibit attached to the Monday filing juxtaposes quotes from Latham’s deposition with images pulled from security camera footage that appear to directly contradict her statements.
Latham said that she went to her job as a high school teacher and stopped by the election office briefly that afternoon. But the video image shows her arriving at 11:37 a.m. while time stamps on other images show her there throughout much of the day. She also said she didn’t see specific people and saw others only briefly, but the video images show otherwise.
The lawsuit that includes the fight over Latham’s personal electronic devices was originally filed several years before the 2020 election by individual voters and the Coalition for Good Governance, an election security advocacy group. It alleges that Georgia’s touchscreen voting machines are not secure and seeks to have them replaced by hand-marked paper ballots.
The Monday filing said the plaintiffs have identified multiple specific documents that Latham failed to produce in response to a previous subpoena. It seeks to have a third party make a temporary forensic copy of her devices and search for responsive documents.
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Bridgestone Joins Teledyne Lunar Terrain Vehicle Development Team
Bridgestone Joins Teledyne Lunar Terrain Vehicle Development Team https://digitalalabamanews.com/bridgestone-joins-teledyne-lunar-terrain-vehicle-development-team/
Huntsville, AL September 18, 2022– Teledyne Brown Engineering announced today that Bridgestone Corporation is joining its team looking to design and build the crewed lunar terrain vehicle (LTV) for NASA to support future exploration on the moon.
As NASA’s mission is to reach new territory in space development, there is a need for a crewed and autonomous vehicle to navigate unexplored areas on the moon. The LTV will be expected to endure extreme temperatures and harsh environments over long periods of time to support crew mobility and research efforts. To deliver the needed technology, Teledyne has built a robust team that includes industry champions such as Nissan North America, Sierra Space, Textron and now Bridgestone Corporation, a global leader in tires and rubber.
Bridgestone Corporation has signed an exclusive Teaming Agreement with the Teledyne Team to provide lunar tires for the NASA LTV program. The company has extensive knowledge and experience in development of tires, which has supported the evolution of mobility from the ground up throughout more than 90 years of history since its foundation in 1931. This international partnership shows strong commitment to NASA and its mission to further explore the moon and beyond.
“This partnership helps further solidify the strength of our team and the durable vehicle that will be a product of its collaboration,” stated Scott Hall, President of Teledyne’s Engineered Systems Segment. “The experience and reputation of Bridgestone is unparalleled and a tremendous asset for our vehicle in its journey to and on the moon’s surface.”
Bridgestone has continued to drive tire technology innovation to support safety and peace of mind for a mobility society and to keep people and the world moving ahead. In 2019, the company embarked on a new challenge to research tires for crewed lunar vehicles. To ensure tire function and safety under difficult operating conditions (rocky and sandy desert with exposure to extreme temperatures and cosmic ray radiation) the company is developing and validating metal airless tire concepts. Bridgestone is leveraging its “mastering road contact” technology that is a core-competency acquired from various experiences on roads around the world.
“This project is a bold new challenge for humanity, and we are honored to be joining the Teledyne Team. This project will help us fulfill the “Extension: Committed to nonstop mobility and innovation that keeps people and the world moving ahead” stated in our corporate commitment, the Bridgestone E8 Commitment,” said Makoto Ishiyama, Executive Director, Next Generation Technology Development, Bridgestone. “Through co-creation with new partners, the Bridgestone Group is dedicated to realizing the dream of humankind with mobility innovation.”
About Teledyne Brown Engineering Teledyne Brown Engineering is an industry leader in full-spectrum engineering and advanced manufacturing solutions for harsh environments in space, defense, energy, and maritime industries. For almost seven decades, the company has successfully delivered innovative systems, integration, operations and technology development worldwide. For more information about Teledyne Brown Engineering visit: www.tbe.com.
About Teledyne Technologies Incorporated Teledyne Technologies is a leading provider of sophisticated instrumentation, digital imaging products and software, aerospace and defense electronics, and engineered systems. Teledyne Technologies’ operations are primarily located in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Western and Northern Europe. For more information, visit Teledyne Technologies’ website at www.teledyne.com.
About Bridgestone Corporation Bridgestone is a global leader in tires and rubber building on its expertise to provide solutions for safe and sustainable mobility. Headquartered in Tokyo, the company employs approximately 130,000 people globally and conducts business in more than 150 countries and territories worldwide. Bridgestone offers a diverse product portfolio of premium tires and advanced solutions backed by innovative technologies, improving the way people around the world move, live, work and play.
Media Contact: Jessica Sanders Jessica.Sanders@teledyne.com
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Republicans Will Try To Impeach Biden every Week Adam Kinzinger Says
Republicans Will Try To Impeach Biden ‘every Week’, Adam Kinzinger Says https://digitalalabamanews.com/republicans-will-try-to-impeach-biden-every-week-adam-kinzinger-says/
Republicans will try to impeach Joe Biden every week if they retake the House in November, a rare anti-Trump Republican congressman predicted.
Remembering repeated attempts to defund the Affordable Care Act under Barack Obama, Adam Kinzinger of Illinois said: “That’s going to look like child’s play in terms of what Marjorie Taylor Greene is going to demand of Kevin McCarthy.
“They’re going to demand an impeachment vote on President Biden every week.”
Kinzinger was speaking to David Axelrod, a former Obama adviser, on his Axe Files podcast.
Kinzinger is one of two Republicans on the House committee investigating the Capitol attack Trump incited. He will retire in November. The other, Liz Cheney of Wyoming, lost her primary to a Trump-backed challenger.
Greene, from Georgia, is among far-right Republicans who have already introduced or threatened impeachment articles against Biden, on issues including Covid, immigration, Afghanistan and the alleged misdemeanors of Hunter Biden, the president’s surviving son.
If McCarthy is to be speaker in a Republican House, the expected outcome of the midterms in November, he must corral his unruly party.
Kinzinger said: “I think it’ll be a very difficult majority for him to govern unless he just chooses to go absolutely crazy with them. In which case you may see the rise of the silent, non-existent moderate Republican that may still exist out there, but I don’t know.”
Democrats impeached Trump twice. Kinzinger voted against the first impeachment, over the blackmail of Ukraine for political purposes, but for the second, over the Capitol attack. He told Axelrod he regretted the first vote.
“You can always look back 12 years, there’s different regrets, different votes. That’s my biggest.
“At the time, I’ll say to my shame, you’re looking for a way out. It is tough to take on your party. It is tough to know you’re gonna get kicked out of the tribe. And it’s tough to make a decision that you know will cost you re-election.
“And so I was looking for a reason out. There were moments where I was like, ‘I may end up voting for this first impeachment.’ And then I found a reason out.”
At the time, he said: “Since the day President Trump was elected, many Democrats in Congress have been searching for any means by which to delegitimise and remove him from office.
“And since then, we’ve seen them jump head first from one investigation to another hoping something so treacherous would be uncovered that we’d have no choice but to throw him out. And at that they’ve failed miserably.”
Nine other House Republicans voted for Trump’s second impeachment, making it the most bipartisan in history. At trial in the Senate, seven Republicans found Trump guilty, not enough for conviction.
Discussing Kinzinger’s work on the January 6 committee, Axelrod pointed to a recent poll which said 72% of Republican voters still back Trump’s lie about election fraud and say Biden is not the legitimate president.
“Tribalism is deeply ingrained,” Kinzinger said, adding: “I think people, in many cases, more than they fear death, they fear being kicked out of the tribe.”
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Ukraine Marches Farther Into Liberated Lands Separatist Calls For Urgent Referendum
Ukraine Marches Farther Into Liberated Lands, Separatist Calls For Urgent Referendum https://digitalalabamanews.com/ukraine-marches-farther-into-liberated-lands-separatist-calls-for-urgent-referendum/
Ukraine says its forces capture village near Lysychansk
Separatist leader calls for referendum to join Russia
“Occupiers are clearly in a panic,” Zelenskiy
Russia relocates some Black Sea submarines- UK
IZIUM, Ukraine, Sept 20 (Reuters) – Ukraine said its troops have marched farther east into territory recently abandoned by Russia, paving the way for a potential assault on Moscow’s occupation forces in the Donbas region as Kyiv seeks more Western arms.
“The occupiers are clearly in a panic,” Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in a televised address late on Monday, adding that he was now focused on “speed” in liberated areas.
“The speed at which our troops are moving. The speed in restoring normal life,” Zelenskiy said.
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The Ukrainian leader also hinted he would use a video address to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday to call on countries to accelerate weapons and aid deliveries.
“We are doing everything to ensure Ukraine’s needs are met at all levels – defence, financial, economic, diplomatic,” Zelenskiy said.
Ukraine’s armed forces had regained complete control of the village of Bilohorivka, and were preparing to retake all of Luhansk province from Russian occupiers, provincial Governor Serhiy Gaidai said. The village is only 10 km (6 miles) west of Lysychansk city, which fell to the Russians after weeks of grinding battles in July.
“There will be fighting for every centimeter,” Gaidai wrote on Telegram. “The enemy is preparing their defence. So we will not simply march in.”
Luhansk and the neighbouring province of Donetsk comprise the industrialised eastern region of Donbas, which Moscow says it intends to seize as a primary aim of what it calls the “special military operation” in Ukraine.
Ukrainian troops have begun to push into Luhansk since driving Russian forces out of northeastern Kharkiv province in a lightning counter-offensive this month.
In a sign of nervousness from a Moscow-backed administration in Donbas about the success of Ukraine’s recent offensive, its leader called for urgent referendums on the region becoming part of Russia.
Denis Pushilin, head of the Moscow-based separatist administration in Donetsk, called on his fellow separatist leader in Luhansk to combine efforts toward preparing a referendum on joining Russia. read more
The Ukraine general staff said fighting in the past 24 hours had been limited to the Donetsk region, and Russian attacks had been repelled near Mayorsk, Vesele, Kurdyumivka and Novomykhailivka settlements.
In the south, where another Ukrainian counter-offensive has been making slower progress, Ukraine’s armed forces said they had sunk a barge carrying Russian troops and equipment across a river near Nova Kakhovka in the Kherson region.
“Attempts to build a crossing failed to withstand fire from Ukrainian forces and were halted. The barge … became an addition to the occupiers’ submarine force,” the military said in a statement on Facebook.
Reuters could not independently verify either side’s battlefield reports.
Increased Ukrainian long-range strike capability had likely forced Russia’s Black Sea fleet to relocate some of its submarines from the port of Sevastopol in Crimea to Novorossiysk in Krasnodor Krai in southern Russia, the British military said on Tuesday. read more
Ukrainian servicemen ride on Armoured Personnel Carrier (APC) and a tank, as Russia’s attack on Ukraine continues, near the town of Izium, recently liberated by Ukrainian Armed Forces, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Gleb Garanich
GRIM GRAVES
Ukraine is still assessing what took place in areas that were under Russian control for months before a rout of Russian troops dramatically changed the dynamic of the war earlier this month.
At a vast makeshift cemetery in woods near the recaptured town of Izium, Ukrainian forensic experts have so far dug up 146 bodies buried without coffins, Kharkiv regional governor Oleh Synehubov said on Monday. Some 450 graves have been found at the site, Zelenskiy has said read more
Fanning out in groups beneath the trees, workers used shovels to exhume the partially decomposed bodies, some of which locals said had lain in the town streets long after they died before being buried.
The government has not yet said how most of the people died, though officials say dozens were killed in the shelling of an apartment building, and there are signs others were killed by shrapnel.
According to preliminary examinations, four showed signs of torture, with their hands tied behind their backs, or in one case a rope tied round their neck, Serhiy Bolvinov, the head of investigative police in the Kharkiv region, told Reuters at the burial ground.
Bolvinov said the great majority of the bodies appeared to be civilians. Locals have been identifying their dead by matching names to numbers on flimsy wooden crosses marking the graves. read more
“Soldiers had their hands tied, there were signs of torture on civilians,” Bolvinov said. Ukraine says 17 soldiers were in a mass grave at the site. read more
Reuters could not corroborate Ukraine’s allegations of torture.
The Kremlin denied on Monday that Russia was to blame for atrocities that Ukraine says it has uncovered in the recaptured territory.
“It’s a lie, and of course we will defend the truth in this story,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, comparing the allegations to incidents earlier in the war where Russia claimed without evidence that atrocities were staged by Ukrainians.
ALARM OVER NUCLEAR PLANT
Ukraine accused Russian forces on Monday of shelling near the Pivdennoukrainsk nuclear power plant in the country’s southern Mykolaiv region.
A blast occurred 300 metres (yards) away from the reactors and damaged power plant buildings shortly after midnight on Monday, Ukraine’s atomic power operator Energoatom said in a statement.
The reactors were not damaged and no staff were hurt, it said, publishing photographs showing a huge crater it said was caused by the blast.
“Russia endangers the whole world. We have to stop it before it’s too late,” Zelenskiy said in a social media post.
The strikes will add to global concern over the potential for an atomic disaster, already elevated by fighting around another nuclear power plant in the south, Zaporizhzhia, captured by Russian forces in March.
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Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Rami Ayyub and Michael Perry; Editing by Stephen Coates
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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New Footage Confirms Fake Trump Elector Spent Hours Inside Georgia Elections Office Day It Was Breached
New Footage Confirms Fake Trump Elector Spent Hours Inside Georgia Elections Office Day It Was Breached https://digitalalabamanews.com/new-footage-confirms-fake-trump-elector-spent-hours-inside-georgia-elections-office-day-it-was-breached/
Washington (CNN)A Republican county official in Georgia and operatives working with an attorney for former President Donald Trump spent hours inside a restricted area of the local elections office on the day voting systems there were breached, newly obtained surveillance video shows.
The video reveals for the first time what happened inside the Coffee County elections office on January 7, 2021, the same day its voting systems are known to have been compromised. Among those seen in the footage is Cathy Latham, a former GOP chairwoman of Coffee County who is under criminal investigation for posing as a fake elector in 2020.
CNN previously reported that Latham escorted operatives working with former Trump lawyer Sidney Powell through the front door of the elections office on January 7, 2021. The new footage appears to undercut previous claims by Latham that she was not “personally involved” in the breach.
The new video, obtained as part of a years-long civil lawsuit in Georgia related to the security of voting systems there, shows Latham remained in the office for hours as those same operatives set up computers near election equipment and appear to access voting data.
The footage also features the two men Latham escorted into the building earlier that day, Scott Hall and Paul Maggio, both of whom have acknowledged they were part of a team that gained access to Coffee County’s voting systems.
Maggio did not respond to CNN’s request for comment. The data firm he works for, SullivanStrickler, which court documents show was hired by Powell, previously said in a statement to CNN that it was “directed by attorneys to contact county election officials to obtain access to certain data” in Georgia and also “directed by attorneys to distribute that data to certain individuals.”
In an August 29, 2022 email, an attorney for SullivanStrickler acknowledges that Latham was the “primary point of contact” in coordinating the team’s visit to Coffee County.
The firm said it had no reason to believe these attorneys would ask or direct it to “do anything either improper or illegal.”
A lawyer representing Latham pushed back on the claim she was the primary point of contact for the SullivanStrickler team, telling CNN that the calls she can be seen in the video making are not with anyone from the firm.
“There is no evidence of which we are aware that Mrs. Latham spoke to Ms. Powell or to anyone at SullivanStrickler on or before January 6, 2021. And indeed there is no evidence of which we are aware that Mrs. Latham spoke to Ms. Powell or to anyone at SullivanStrickler on or before January 6, 2021,” the lawyer added.
A second lawyer representing Latham, Bob Cheeley, previously told CNN, “Cathy Latham has dedicated significant time and effort over many years protecting the integrity of elections in Coffee County, Georgia. She would not and has not knowingly been involved in any impropriety in any election.”
Hall, an Atlanta bail bondsman and Fulton County Republican poll watcher, did not reply to repeated requests for comment from CNN.
The new video also shows a third operative, Jeffery Lenberg, entering the restricted server room inside the Coffee County elections office more than two weeks later on January 26. Lenberg is under criminal investigation by the Michigan state attorney general in connection to a series of voting system breaches there.
Also gaining access to the Coffee County elections office in late January 2021 was Cyber Ninjas CEO Doug Logan, who oversaw the partisan election audit in Maricopa County, Arizona, and is also a target of the Michigan criminal investigation.
According to court documents, Logan and Maggio are part of a team that gained access to voting systems in Antrim County, Michigan at the end of 2020 — ultimately leading to a since-debunked report on Dominion voting system vulnerabilities that remains at the center of baseless claims about widespread voter fraud pushed by Trump and his allies.
Surveillance video from the exterior of the building shows Logan visited the Coffee County elections office more than once in January 2021, roughly two weeks after the breach took place. CNN has reached out to attorneys for Logan.
Lenburg has not denied visiting the Coffee County elections office but claimed on an internet show last week that he and Logan only helped “direct” the “testing” of voting systems there.
“We didn’t do the testing. We just helped direct it. We actually didn’t touch the equipment. Doug Logan and I,” he said, adding that they just provided instructions to two Coffee County elections officials who handled the equipment at their direction.
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Patricia Ann Vasko Obituary (2022) https://digitalalabamanews.com/patricia-ann-vasko-obituary-2022/
Funeral services for Mrs. Patricia Ann Vasko, of New Hebron, will be conducted at 11:00 AM Wednesday, September 21, 2022, at New Hebron Baptist Church with her Pastor and former Pastor, respectively, Rev. Mike Grenn and Rev. Earl Clark officiating.
Interment will be at 1:30 PM Thursday, September 22, 2022 at the Alabama State Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Spanish Fort, AL. Mrs. Vasko, age 74, entered into the eternal rest of her Lord Saturday, September 17, 2022, at the Bedford Care Center in Mendenhall.
The family will receive friends Wednesday morning from 10:00 AM until the hour of service at 11:00 AM at New Hebron Baptist Church.
Patricia Ann Vasko was born on February 26, 1948 in Mobile, AL. It was at a ballgame that Pat and Joe’s story would begin. Shortly after meeting, they would marry and enjoy 56 years of wedded bliss. It was to this union that 2 daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren and a great-granddaughter would be added. Pat was a member of New Hebron Baptist Church where she enjoyed being a former member of the Handbell Choir; in addition, she was also a member of the Ladies Quilting Group and headed up the church hospitality team for 17 years. Pat loved her Lord and was a student of his Word, evidenced by her well worn Bible with its tattered page, full of markings in its margins. One of the highlights of Pat’s life was going on numerous missions trips all over the United States, where she and her husband, along with fellow church members, would build churches and organize backyard bible schools for children.
In her pastime, besides sewing and crafting, Pat also enjoyed reading romance novels as well as murder mysteries. Pat will be remembered as not only a devoted wife, but also a loving mother and grandmother. Whether it was at ballet or a softball game, she was always in involved in the activities of her girls and grandchildren. Pat was also a devoted Alabama Crimson Tide fan. She will be missed by not only her family, but also by the many people she called “friend” on this earth.
Pat was preceded in death by her mother, Ann Scoggins Nichols.
Her memory will forever be cherished by her husband of 56 years, Joseph Vasko of New Hebron; 2 daughters, Joanie Vesko Verinder (Mike) of Allen, TX, Donna Vesko Roberts (the late Redmond) of Canton; 1 sister, Gloria Jean Houston of Mobile, AL; 1 brother, Raymond Nichols, Jr of Picayune; her father, Raymond Nichols, Sr. of Stapleton, AL; The legacy of their MawMaw will also live on through her granddaughter, Cammie Jo Roberts; her grandsons, Brooks Michael Roberts (Kayla), Caleb Riley Verinder and a great-granddaughter, Harper Kay Roberts.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the New Hebron Baptist Church Building Fund.
Online condolences and a guest registry are available at www.saultersmoorefuneralhome.com
To plant Memorial Trees in memory of Patricia Ann Vasko, please click here to visit our Sympathy Store.
Published by Saulters-Moore Funeral Home – Prentiss on Sep. 20, 2022.
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Mary Ann Crump Obituary (2022) https://digitalalabamanews.com/mary-ann-crump-obituary-2022/
Funeral Service for Mary Ann Jones Crump, 93, will be held at 2pm on Saturday, September 24, 2022 at KL Brown Memory Chapel in Golden Springs with Reagan Amos and Dr. Vance Moore officiating. Burial will follow at Forestlawn Gardens. The family will receive friends from 1-2pm at the funeral home on Saturday. Mary Ann passed away peacefully on September 17, 2022, after a five week stay at NHC of Anniston.
Mary Ann was born in Fayette, Alabama on September 11, 1929. In 1949, Mary Ann met Robert W. Crump, her husband of 49 years. They made their way across the state to settle in Anniston, where they called home and established lasting and meaningful relationships with many friends. In 1950, Mary Ann was employed as an operator for BellSouth Telephone/AT&T. Later, she was promoted to group manager where she retired in 1986, after 36 and a half years of service. After her retirement, she worked tirelessly in support for her passion, Rainbow Omega. In 1991, she became one of the founding board members to the non-profit Christian organization that provides full-time residential care and vocational programs for 88 adults with developmental disabilities. Many of these 30 years as board member, she served as treasurer and on various committees. While fulfilling her love for these gifted and lovable residents, in 2001 she contributed and furnished The Crump House at Rainbow Omega, which cares for the housing of eight residents and two house managers.
In addition to Rainbow Omega, her life was devoted to family, friends, and many hobbies; such as reading, creating homemade Christmas ornaments, needlepoint, sewing, quilting, baking, and gardening where the Beautification Award “Yard of the Month” was won numerous times. She had a love for the Christmas season where she would bake over 50 pecan pies for her community.
Mary Ann was a long term member of Oxford Church of Christ, where she loved and appreciated her Church family. She was a generous, loving, caring, kind lady – always helping others and known for her hardworking energetic enthusiasm. She possessed a true spirit of southern hospitality to all she encountered. She made people feel welcome and comfortable as she was a master at initiating conversations. Those who were blessed to know her are truly touched and impacted for a lifetime. She was a special lady that will be deeply missed.
Mary Ann is survived by a son, Mervin Curtis Finch of Miami, FL, whom she loved and adored; two step-daughters, Paula Crump Ballard of Virginia Beach, VA and Lynda Crump Phillips of Birmingham, AL; grandchildren, Hunter and Adrienne Ballard of Virginia Beach, VA, Lisa Knight Cotton (Brian) of Brilliant, AL, Donna Knight Smith (Robby) of Birmingham, AL, and Matt Phillips of Pelham, AL; two special nieces, Carolyn Crump Markham of Hoover, AL, and Wanda Crump Hughes of Beaverton, AL. She is preceded in death by her husband of 49 years, Robert W. Crump; parents, Fred and Lona Jones; and brother, Fred Curtis Jones.
Pallbearers will be Derek Burnett, Buddy Cranmer, Jackie Griffith, Gerald Grizzard, Ronnie Hubbard, Glenn Hughes, Justin Hughes, Eli Magnusson, Dr. Vance Moore, and Casey Souders.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Rainbow Omega, PO Box 740, Eastaboga, AL 36260-0740.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Mary, please visit our floral store.
Published by K.L. Brown Memory Chapel – Anniston on Sep. 20, 2022.
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At 45% Biden Beats Trump's And Regan's Approval Rating On The 609th Day Of His Presidency
At 45%, Biden Beats Trump's And Regan's Approval Rating On The 609th Day Of His Presidency https://digitalalabamanews.com/at-45-biden-beats-trumps-and-regans-approval-rating-on-the-609th-day-of-his-presidency/
The malarkey is that Biden isn’t in the driver’s seat, but he sure as heck is!
This is a very brief diary, with an uplifting point that I haven’t read in other headlines. On the 609th day of Biden’s presidency, September 18, 2022, Biden’s approval rating was higher than both Trump’s and Regan’s on this day. Why doesn’t the MSM mention this? They do write about Biden’s new approval rating, but for weeks as it has risen, they still categorized it as dismal. And, I don’t remember them harping on it to this degree with other presidents.
According to an NBC News poll, 45% of Americans now approve of President Biden, and yes, I have read that. But, according to FiveThirtyEight, which is only showing Biden’s approval rating at 42.3%, he still has beaten Trump and Regan. These are the percentages on the 609th day of the following presidents. I’m using the FiveThirtyEight stats on Biden because they provide all the rest.
Biden: 42.3 (According to FiveThirtyEight, but 45.0 according to NBC News)
Trump: 40.5
Obama: 45.6
GW Bush 65.5
Clinton: 42.5
GWH Bush 72.8
Regan 42.0
Carter 44.6
Ford 48.5
Nixon 56.9
Johnson 65.8
Kennedy 67.8
Eisenhower 62.7
Truman 34.0
There are lots of other polling numbers, which I’m not including. The truth is that I’m not big on polling numbers. But, for most of the year, the story was that Biden’s “dismal” approval rating was going to affect all the other races, which we must now consider to be malarkey, And, if we use the NBC poll number of 45%, Biden’s polling on the 609th day of his presidency is higher than Trump’s, close to Obama’s, higher than Clinton’s, Regan’s, Carter’s, and Truman’s.
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Trump's Lawyers Argue Against Explaining Declassification Of Mar-A-Lago Documents Mountain Top Media
Trump's Lawyers Argue Against Explaining Declassification Of Mar-A-Lago Documents – Mountain Top Media https://digitalalabamanews.com/trumps-lawyers-argue-against-explaining-declassification-of-mar-a-lago-documents-mountain-top-media/
Trump’s lawyers argue against explaining declassification of Mar-a-Lago documents
mountain top media
Article Updated: September 20, 2022
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Lawyers for Donald Trump pushed back against disclosing information related to the declassification of documents seized last month from the former president’s Mar-a-Lago home.
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GOPs Election-Year Standing With Independents At Risk
GOP’s Election-Year Standing With Independents At Risk https://digitalalabamanews.com/gops-election-year-standing-with-independents-at-risk-2/
Dilaine Noel, from politically competitive Columbia County, Wisconsin, talks in a downtown park in Lodi, Wis, on Sept. 12, 2022. The 29-year-old data analyst and political independent says the June U.S. Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade is forcing her to vote Democratic this fall “by default.” She is among independent voters nationally who have drifted toward supporting Democrats in November in light of the court decision and mixed messaging from Republicans over the summer. (AP Photo/Thomas Beaumont)
COLUMBUS, Wis. (AP) — Sarah Motiff has voted for Sen. Ron Johnson every time his name appeared on the ballot, starting in 2010 when the Wisconsin Republican was first elected as part of the tea party wave. Fond of his tough views on spending, she began the year planning to support his reelection again.
She became skeptical this summer as the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection reported his office discussed giving then-Vice President Mike Pence certificates with fake presidential electors for Donald Trump from Wisconsin and Michigan, part of a broader push to overturn Joe Biden’s victory. Johnson has downplayed the effort and the certificates were never given to Pence, but Motiff, a political independent, wasn’t convinced.
“I’m not going to lie when I say I’ve had some concerns about some of the reports that have come out,” the 52-year-old nonpartisan city councilwoman from Columbus, Wisconsin, said. “It just put a bad taste in my mouth.”
Nudged further by the June U.S. Supreme Court decision invalidating a woman’s constitutional right to an abortion, Motiff is opposing Johnson and supports his Democratic challenger, Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes, in one of the most fiercely-contested Senate races this year.
“Which was really a hard decision for me because I do think he’s done good things in the past,” Motiff said of Johnson. “But this is pretty damaging.”
Motiff’s evolution represents the challenge for Republicans emerging from a tumultuous summer, defined by the court decision, high-profile hearings on former President Donald Trump’s actions during the insurrection and intensifying legal scrutiny of his handling of classified information and efforts to overturn the election. Now, a midterm campaign that the GOP hoped would be a referendum on President Joe Biden and the economy is at risk of becoming a comparison of the two parties, putting Republicans in an unexpectedly defensive position.
In politically-divided Wisconsin where recent elections have been decided by a few thousand votes, the outcome could hinge on self-described independent voters like Motiff.
“Having former President Trump so prominently in the news in so many ways makes it easier for Democrats to frame the midterm as a choice between two competing futures as opposed to a referendum on the Democrat governance,” said Republican pollster Whit Ayres. “That’s hurting Republicans. It’s distracting from the referendum message and allowing more of a focus on a choice of two different parties.”
That tension is playing out in Columbia County, Wisconsin, a constellation of tidy small towns surrounded by rolling dairy farm country, all within commuting distance of Madison.
Statewide, top-of-the-ticket candidates have won by barely a percentage point in the past three elections. Trump won Columbia County by a little more than 500 votes out of 33,000 cast in 2020.
In interviews with more than a dozen independent voters here over two days last week, many were rethinking their support of the GOP this fall.
Steve Gray, a self-described Republican-leaning independent “but never a Trump fan,” opposed the June court decision, because he backs abortion rights. But the 61-year-old school maintenance manager also resented what he saw as an unwelcome political power play by out-of-power Republicans.
“Trump stacked the Supreme Court. We all knew he wanted to overturn Roe,” said Gray, of small-town Rio, where Trump won by two votes in 2020. “That decision was a partisan hand grenade Trump threw into this election.”
The court decision “upended the physics of midterm elections,” said Jesse Stinebring, a pollster advising several Democratic campaigns.
It gave voters the rare opportunity to judge a policy advance backed by the minority party, distracting them from a pure up-or-down vote on majority Democrats, he said.
“The backlash from a political perspective isn’t directed at the traditional party in power, but is actually reframed in terms of this Republican control of the Supreme Court,” Stinebring said.
The decision made Dilaine Noel’s vote automatic.
The 29-year-old data analytics director for a Madison-area business said she had never affiliated with either party.
Despite her grievances about Democrats’ warring moderate and liberal wings, her support for abortion rights gave her no choice than to vote for the party’s candidates this fall.
“By default, I have to move in that direction,” said Noel, from small-town Poynette in the Wisconsin River valley. “I’m being forced to.”
Mary Percifield is a lifelong independent voter who says the abortion decision motivated her to vote Democratic because she worries the court might overturn other rights.
“A right has been taken away from us,” the 68-year-old customer service representative from Pardeeville, said. “I question if a woman’s right to vote will be taken away. A woman’s right for birth control.”
Independent voters who lean neither Democrat nor Republican nationally preferred Biden over Trump, 52% to 37% in 2020, and preferred Democrats over Republicans in U.S. House races by a similar margin in the 2018 midterms, according to AP VoteCast. Independents who lean neither Democrat nor Republican made up 5% of the 2020 electorate and 12% in 2018.
Independents had moved toward Republicans by early this year, seeking answers on the economy, said Republican pollster David Winston, a senior adviser to House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy. But they have drifted back toward Democrats as efforts by GOP leaders to focus on the economy have clashed with Republican attacks on the Justice Department and Trump’s continuing complaints about the 2020 election.
“Everything is suddenly back in the context of Trump,” Winston said in light of Trump’s prominent endorsement of Senate candidates and protests of the federal investigation into classified documents recovered from his Florida home. “It’s not that Democrats are gaining. It’s that Republicans over the summer were off talking about a variety of things. And independents are thinking, ‘If you’re not talking specifically about the problems that I’m concerned about, why am I listening?’”
Republicans remain optimistic about their chances in November, particularly about netting the handful of seats they need to regain the U.S. House majority. Inflation remains high and, despite a recent uptick, approval of Biden is still low for a party hoping to maintain its hold on power.
The economy remains the most effective message and one that breaks through others, GOP campaign officials say.
“Prices and things are so front-of-mind to people,” said Calvin Moore, the communications director for Congressional Leadership Fund, a superPAC supporting Republican U.S. House candidates. “It’s not just something that’s on the news. It’s something they are experiencing every day in their daily life. It’s something they face themselves every day when they go to the grocery store.”
A shift by independents is particularly meaningful in Wisconsin, as Republicans work to overtake Democrats’ one-seat majority in the Senate.
Johnson, among the most vulnerable Republicans running for reelection this fall, is locked in a tight race with Barnes, Wisconsin’s lieutenant governor. Of the most competitive Senate seats this year, his is the only one held by a Republican.
Though Johnson dismissed testimony about fake electors as staff work which never reached him, it reminded Christian Wood, an independent voter from Lodi, of Johnson’s opposition to certifying the election before Jan. 6. Johnson reversed course after the riot.
“It’s absolutely scary,” said Wood, who has often voted Republican. “To me that’s the most existential threat to our democracy. And to think he was even considering it makes him a non-starter.”
There’s time for an economic message to win out, but it will require news about Trump fading, GOP pollster Ayres said.
Meanwhile, Trump has a full schedule of fall campaign travel for candidates he has endorsed.
“Any distraction from that focus undermines the best Republican message,” he said.
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Auburn Reaches Double Digits Recruits In 2023 With 3-Star OL
Auburn Reaches Double Digits Recruits In 2023 With 3-Star OL https://digitalalabamanews.com/auburn-reaches-double-digits-recruits-in-2023-with-3-star-ol/
Auburn Football
Updated: Sep. 19, 2022, 7:24 p.m.|
Published: Sep. 19, 2022, 7:11 p.m.
Though the outlook on the 2022 season remains in question following the loss to Penn State, Auburn is picking up momentum on the recruiting trail.
The Tigers landed a second recruit two days after Saturday’s game, this time picking up a three-star at a major position of need. Gernorris Wilson, an offensive lineman from Lakeland (Fla.) High, announced his commitment on Monday night.
Wilson is a part of a Dreadnaughts team that’s 3-0 in Florida’s Class 4S. Last year at Lake (Fla.) Gibson, Wilson helped produce 231.4 rushing yards a game and over 3,000 yards.
On Sunday, Auburn landed another trench player, three-star defensive tackle Jamarrion Harkless. His and Wilson’s commitment continued a run that started with four-star receiver Adam Hopkins on Thursday.
Wilson’s decision and timing are a particular win for his future position coach, Will Friend. Wilson was on campus this past weekend and saw enough of a future in the Plains to pull the trigger on his verbal following his lone official visit. He previously visited Auburn in July.
Wilson had 17 offers, including Georgia Tech, Oregon and North Carolina, among others. He took an unofficial to Florida on Sept. 10 and watched the Gators lose to Kentucky.
Auburn now has 10 recruits in the class of 2023 with the addition of the 6-foot-5, 285-pound interior offensive lineman. Wilson is the second lineman in the class and third player from Florida to join Bryan Harsin’s class.
The other interior lineman is Auburn High’s Bradyn Joiner, the first player to pledge his future to the Tigers. The Sunshine State products that’ll join Wilson are receiver Daquayvious Sorey and defensive lineman Wilky Denaud, both four stars.
Harsin’s class is now ranked 54th overall, per 247Sports team composite ranking. The Tigers have raised 10 spots over the last week and have jumped Missouri as 13th in the Southeastern Conference.
More Tigers football: Grading Auburn’s 41-12 loss to Penn State
Talty: Auburn should get Lane Kiffin because Bryan Harsin isn’t the guy
What went wrong for Auburn’s offensive line against Penn State? ‘We lost our fundamentals’
Nick Alvarez is a reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @nick_a_alvarez or email him at NAlvarez@al.com
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
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Disgraced Crypto Founder Says Hes Not On The Run. But No One Knows Where He Is.
Disgraced Crypto Founder Says He’s Not On The Run. But No One Knows Where He Is. https://digitalalabamanews.com/disgraced-crypto-founder-says-hes-not-on-the-run-but-no-one-knows-where-he-is/
The person most closely associated with last spring’s crypto crash appears to be on the run after an arrest warrant was issued for him — and investigators have asked for Interpol’s help to track him down.
Do Kwon, the South Korean developer of the TerraUSD and Luna cryptocurrencies, is believed to have been in Singapore since at least the spring, when those coins lost nearly all of their value. But Singapore authorities said this weekend he is no longer there, and South Korean investigators have reportedly asked Interpol to issue a “red notice” that would allow officers in member countries to provisionally arrest Kwon pending extradition if they find him.
Last Wednesday the Seoul Southern District Prosecutors Office issued an arrest warrant for Kwon and five other people who worked on both the currencies and Terraform Labs, the company that Kwon co-founded. Prosecutors did not list the charges, but investors have said he defrauded them in promoting the coins. TerraUSD — which used a computer program that claimed to peg its value to the U.S. dollar — and a related token known as Luna both took off in the past year, with each multiplying in value dozens of times over before crashing in May.
A Terra spokesman did not reply to a request for comment. Kwon also did not reply to a request for comment. He said on Twitter Sunday that “We are in the process of defending ourselves in multiple jurisdictions – we have held ourselves to an extremely high bar of integrity, and look forward to clarifying the truth over the next few months.”
The red-notice request was originally reported by the Financial Times.
The Kwon case is being watched closely as a sign of how aggressively law enforcement will pursue those engaged in allegedly illegal activities in the crypto space. Last month the Treasury Department issued sanctions on Tornado Cash, which helps anonymize crypto transactions, in a strong example of a crackdown on tech-based financial tools.
But the pursuit of individuals in crypto is much rarer, and Kwon’s case could be a bellwether for how other projects that lost large sums of value could be targeted in the courts — and if, eventually, some investors might claw their money back.
The 31-year-old Kwon graduated from Stanford University and briefly worked at Apple before returning to his home country several years ago to found a number of crypto projects, including Luna. Before the spring crash, Kwon was hailed as a visionary and even attracted a cult of everyday fans known as “Lunatics.”
Nor was it just retail traders — Terraform also raised money from respective financiers such as Silicon Valley VC firm Lightspeed Venture Partners.
But in May a quick sell-off began for still-unclear reasons, prompting the loss of more than $40 billion in value, according to analysis firm Elliptic, as the price of Luna plunged to nearly zero and TerraUSD went from $1 to $0.11. The collapse helped trigger a broader crypto crash that affected dozens of other assets and companies.
Bitcoin has gone from nearly $40,000 to under $20,000 since the Terra collapse, and the total market value of crypto has plummeted by more than a trillion dollars in just a few months.
Kwon made an attempt to relaunch Luna shortly after, to the outrage of many investors.
Law-enforcement experts said that they believed prosecution of the entrepreneur was possible but challenging given the vagaries of crypto, with the line in the industry between fraud and risky investment often blurry.
“If someone walks into a bank and holds it up for a lot of money with a videotape of the whole thing, well that’s a pretty clear-cut case,” said William Callahan III, a former Drug Enforcement Administration special agent who now serves as director of government and strategic affairs for a crypto company called the Blockchain Intelligence Group. “Investigating and prosecuting something like this requires a much more unique set of skills.”
He said the case against Kwon would likely turn on whether it can be proved he knowingly misled investors in stumping for the coins or was mounting a good-faith campaign for a risky-but-legal-venture.
Some evidence gathered by South Korean investigators so far, according to local media, includes allegations that Kwon and other Terraform executives decided to close their South Korea offices just a week before the currencies crashed. Kwon has said the shuttering was long in the works.
On Sunday the pursuit of Kwon took a surreal social-media turn when Kwon, outspoken on Twitter, took to the platform to deny he is a fugitive.
“I am not ‘on the run’ or anything similar – for any government agency that has shown interest to communicate, we are in full cooperation and we don’t have anything to hide,” he posted.
But the Seoul prosecutors quickly denied it. He is “obviously on the run,” the office said in a statement, according to local news media agency Yonhap.
Kwon quipped that he would only give away his coordinates if “1) we are friends, 2) we have plans to meet 3) we are involved in a gps based web3 game.”
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Cheney Says GOP Leaders Are Treating Trump Like A king By Defending Him In Mar-A-Lago Probe
Cheney Says GOP Leaders Are Treating Trump Like A ‘king’ By Defending Him In Mar-A-Lago Probe https://digitalalabamanews.com/cheney-says-gop-leaders-are-treating-trump-like-a-king-by-defending-him-in-mar-a-lago-probe-2/
WASHINGTON — Rep. Liz Cheney launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and his allies Monday, accusing Republican leaders of treating the former president like a “king” by defending him at every turn in a federal investigation into classified documents stored at his Florida estate.
“Those who are protecting Donald Trump — elected leaders of my party — are now willing to condemn FBI agents, Department of Justice officials, and pretend that taking top-secret SCI documents and keeping them in a desk drawer in an office in Mar-a-Lago, or in an unsecured location anywhere, was somehow not a problem. They are attempting to excuse this behavior,” Cheney, R-Wyo., said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank. (SCI is short for “sensitive compartmented information.”)
“Bit by bit, excuse by excuse, we’re putting Donald Trump above the law. We are rendering indefensible conduct normal, legal and appropriate — as though he were a king,” Cheney added, citing what she said was the willingness of some elected GOP officials to defend allegations of actions that touch on obstruction of justice.
Cheney, a vocal Trump critic and the vice chairwoman of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, has been shunned in some conservative circles. But on this day, she was the keynote speaker at the AEI’s annual Constitution Day lecture, where she got a standing ovation and laughter when she told a story about how a House GOP colleague had mocked Trump as “orange Jesus.” Cheney did not reveal the colleague’s name.
Both of Cheney’s parents — former Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynn Cheney — attended Monday’s speech, as did Bush-era conservatives like Peter Wehner and Paul Wolfowitz, as well as Jeffrey Rosen, the former acting attorney general who refused Trump’s order to help him overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Cheney, who lost her primary for another House term and is flirting with a 2024 presidential bid, warned that Trump is encouraging his supporters to turn to violence “to prevent his prosecution.”
“It is hard to see this as anything but a direct threat to our Constitution, to our republic — and a credible one at that,” she said. “One can only wonder, is this where the Republican Party will go next? That prosecution is inappropriate, because MAGA will violently oppose it?”
Shortly before her speech, Cheney introduced election reform legislation with Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., aimed at preventing another Jan. 6 attack or a future attempt to overturn a presidential election.
The Presidential Election Reform Act would overhaul the Electoral Count Act, the archaic 1887 law that governs the counting of electoral votes, which Trump and his allies tried to halt in a bid to stay in power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The House could vote on the bill this week.
But Cheney made it clear in her speech that the legislation is not meant to take the focus off Trump’s action’s.
“No one should take our effort to reform the electoral count as any indication that Donald Trump did not violate the existing law or did not violate the Constitution,” she said.
As she has done repeatedly over the past two years, Cheney knocked Trump for not calling off a mob of his supporters who were attacking police officers and hunting down members of Congress and Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6.
She praised Pence for his actions that day; he called Defense Department officials for help and returned to the Capitol to finish certifying the election results.
“Mike Pence was essentially the president for most of that day,” Cheney said. “White House staff knew it, and so did every other Republican and Democratic leader in Washington. How could Donald Trump’s refusal to act, his betrayal of our republic, of our Constitution, of our principles, come with no cost?”
In a previously untold story, Cheney recounted how, on Jan. 6 before the violence, she was in the Republican cloakroom just off the House floor watching her GOP colleagues sign sheets of paper to object to the 2020 election results for states like Arizona and Pennsylvania.
“And as I was sitting there, a member came in and he signed his name on each one of the state’s sheets. And then he said under his breath, ‘The things we do for the orange Jesus,’” Cheney said, sparking some laughter from the audience. “And I thought, you know, you’re taking an act that is unconstitutional.”
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
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Hurricane Fiona Seen Intensifying After Slamming Dominican Republic Puerto Rico
Hurricane Fiona Seen Intensifying After Slamming Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico https://digitalalabamanews.com/hurricane-fiona-seen-intensifying-after-slamming-dominican-republic-puerto-rico/
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico/Santo Domingo, Sept 19 (Reuters) – Hurricane Fiona was churning north on Monday evening after bringing torrential rain and powerful winds to the Dominican Republic and triggering a total power outage in neighboring Puerto Rico, where at least two people died.
The Category 2 hurricane will likely become a Category 3 as it moves across warm Caribbean waters toward the Turks and Caicos. Fiona was upgraded to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (169 kph) by the National Hurricane Center on Monday evening.
On Tuesday, the center of Fiona is expected to pass near or to the east of the archipelago, which is subject to a current hurricane warning, the U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. Tropical storm conditions were also expected in the Bahamas.
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After strafing Puerto Rico, Fiona made landfall in the Dominican Republic near Boca Yuma at 3:30 a.m. local time, according to the NHC. The center of the storm reached the northern coast of Hispaniola before noon.
It is the first hurricane to score a direct hit on the Dominican Republic since Jeanne left severe damage in the east of the country in September 2004.
Fiona caused severe flooding, leaving several villages isolated, and some 800 evacuees and more than 11,000 people without power in the eastern region of the country.
“The damage is considerable,” said Dominican Republic President Luis Abinader. He plans to declare a state of disaster in the provinces of La Altagracia, where the famed resort of Punta Cana is located, El Seibo and Hato Mayor.
In La Altagracia, in the extreme east of the country and where the hurricane made landfall Monday morning, the overflow of the Yuma River damaged agricultural areas and left several towns isolated.
Electric and water utilities are working to restore services in affected areas.
In Puerto Rico, a territory of the United States, residents were still facing strong winds, frequent lightning and heavy rain.
Fiona made landfall there on Sunday afternoon, dumping up to 30 inches (76.2 cm) of rain in some areas.
The storm comes five years after the Puerto Rico was ravaged by Hurricane Maria, which triggered the worst power blackout in U.S. history.
U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi on Monday, promising to increase the support personnel sent to the island over the next few days.
“The President said that he will ensure that the Federal team remains on the job to get it done,” according to the White House.
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Administrator Deanne Criswell will travel there on Tuesday.
Jeannette Rivera, 54, a public relations worker in Orlando, Florida, said she had not spoken with her family since a spotty phone call early Sunday.
A view of destroyed buildings in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, September 19, 2022. REUTERS/Ricardo Rojas
She fears for her parents’ safety and the health of her 84-year-old father, who had just contracted COVID-19 and was running a fever.
“My worry is that if they need help, there’s no way to communicate,” Rivera said.
WITHOUT POWER
Nearly 90% of Puerto Rico remained without power on Monday, according to Poweroutage.us. Officials said it would take days to reconnect the whole island of 3.3 million people.
Many roads were left impassable due to downed trees and mudslides. Images on social media depicted submerged cars, people wading in waist-deep water and rescue boats floating down swamped streets. Just 30% of drinking water customers have service.
Crews rescued some 400 people from flooding in Salinas, a town in the south where rain has turned to a drizzle. The south and southeast regions were the hardest hit.
Puerto Rico’s power grid remains fragile despite emergency repairs after Maria, according to Center for a New Economy, a Puerto Rican think tank.
Maria, a Category 5 storm in 2017 which killed more than 3,000 people, left 1.5 million customers without electricity and knocked out 80% of power lines. Thousands of Puerto Ricans still live under makeshift tarpaulin roofs.
While the National Weather Service lifted its hurricane warning for Puerto Rico on Monday, officials warned that rainbands could follow the storm system for hundreds of miles.
A 70-year-old man in the northern town of Arecibo is the first known casualty in Puerto Rico. He was trying to start his electric generator when the machine exploded, killing him instantly, police said.
A second man drowned in the afternoon. Police said an 88-year-old woman died of a heart attack at a shelter.
Hundreds of responders were assisting in recovery efforts after Biden declared an emergency for the island, allowing FEMA to coordinate disaster relief and provide emergency protective measures.
Pierluisi said the government’s response has been much more efficient than during Hurricane Maria, which became highly politicized with former President Donald Trump’s administration criticized for being too sluggish in providing disaster relief. Trump refuted that.
The government has not estimated the damages, since it is still in the response period, though the governor said damages were in the millions.
For most of the five years since Maria struck Puerto Rico, the debt-laden government and the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority were mired in bankruptcy and island finances were managed by a federally appointed oversight board.
(This story corrects year that Hurricane Jeanne struck Dominican Republic to 2004, not 2018, in 5th paragraph)
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Reporting by Ivelisse Riveria in San Juan and Ezequiel Abiu Lopez in Santo Domingo; Additional reporting by Tyler Clifford, Rich McKay, Trevor Hunnicutt, Mica Rosenberg, Christian Plumb and Tim Reid; Writing by Tyler Clifford and Costas Pitas; Editing by Frank McGurty, Mark Porter, Richard Chang and Leslie Adler
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
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Trump Mocks Biden For Being Seated At Back Of Queens Funeral
Trump Mocks Biden For Being Seated At Back Of Queen’s Funeral https://digitalalabamanews.com/trump-mocks-biden-for-being-seated-at-back-of-queens-funeral/
Donald Trump has ridiculed President Joe Biden for where he was seated at Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral on Monday.
The President and First Lady were placed a whole 14 rows behind King Charles III, towards the back of Westminster Abbey.
Taking to his social media platform, Truth Social, the 45th president claimed America has lost respect on the international stage under Mr Biden’s leadership.
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He also took the opportunity to suggest his successor should get to know the leaders of “Third World” nations.
“This is what’s happened to America in just two short years. No respect,” he wrote.
“However, a good time for our President to get to know the leaders of certain Third World countries.
“If I were president, they wouldn’t have sat me back there – and our country would be much different than it is right now!”
He then followed up with another post highlighting the importance of location, adding: “In real estate, like in politics and in life, LOCATION IS EVERYTHING!!!”
Mr Biden was also forced to wait because he turned up at Westminster ten minutes after foreign leaders were designated to arrive.
He and wife Jill arrived shortly after 10am, ten minutes after the cut-off period of 9.35am to 9.55am when the international leaders were expected to be seated.
They then had to make way for the arrival of Victoria and George Cross holders and were only allowed to enter Westminster Abbey after that procession had concluded.
After Her Majesty’s death on September 8, Mr Trump paid tribute to her life by saying she left behind a tremendous legacy.
“Queen Elizabeth’s historic and remarkable reign left a tremendous legacy of peace and prosperity for Great Britain,” he said.
“Her leadership and enduring diplomacy secured and advanced alliances with the United States and countries around the world.”
The diplomatic contingent which included heads of state and dignitaries comprised 500 of the 2,200-strong guestlist crammed into Westminster Abbey for one of the most anticipated global events in recent history.
Mr Trump – and the other four living presidents – were not invited given they are not current heads of state.
All five were however invited to a memorial service in Washington to honour Her Majesty this Wednesday.
The exclusive event at the National Washington Cathedral will feature an honour guard by the Queen’s Colour Squadron which is a unit of the Royal Air Force.
The Cathedral’s bell tolled 96 times after Her Majesty’s death to give thanks for her lifetime of devotion.
It also held a memorial service in 1965 for former British prime minister Winston Churchill.
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Ron DeSantis: I Wasnt Actually Responsible For Creating That Migrant Stunt
Ron DeSantis: I Wasn’t Actually Responsible For Creating That Migrant ‘Stunt’ https://digitalalabamanews.com/ron-desantis-i-wasnt-actually-responsible-for-creating-that-migrant-stunt/
Fox News
On Hannity Monday night, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis attempted to dismiss accusations that he engaged in a stunt when he flew about 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard last week, instead claiming that President Joe Biden engaged in “the biggest stunt” by not going along with his predecessor’s immigration policies.
While some have accused the governor of “political human trafficking,” Sean Hannity helped DeSantis portray his actions as acceptable to the public at large and welcomed by the migrants themselves.
“Just for the record: this was voluntary. All migrants were put up in hotels, given accommodations, they were fed, they were showered, they were offered haircuts and any other services that were needed, correct?” Hannity asked.
“Yeah,” DeSantis replied briskly. “And not only that — they all signed consent forms to go. And then the vendor that is doing this for Florida provided them with a packet that had a map of Martha’s Vineyard. It had the numbers for different services on Martha’s Vineyard. And then it had numbers for the overall agencies in Massachusetts that handle things involving immigration and refugees. So it was voluntary. And all of the other nonsense you’re hearing is just not true.”
The “nonsense” DeSantis is referring to could be allegations from migrants that they were transported under false pretenses. Some Democrats have also supported investigations into possible civil rights violations and kidnapping.
DeSantis pointed to the U.S.-Mexico border to defend his decision, which Hannity and other Fox hosts had a field day with last week, as Martha’s Vineyard is a frequent destination for former President Barack Obama.
“I think what we’ve been able to do is show that this border is a disaster. Biden failed on this as much or more than on any other policy, and now people are talking about it,” DeSantis said, later praising former President Donald Trump’s border policies. (Trump, meanwhile, has reportedly bristled at DeSantis’ move, claiming he’s trying to steal his thunder when it comes to policies targeting immigrants.)
Speaking of those in the opposite party, DeSantis continued: “They accused the governors of Arizona, Texas and me of political stunts dealing with illegal immigration.”
“But the biggest stunt was Biden coming into office and reversing Trump’s policies, not because Trump’s policies were not working — he reversed them because he wanted to virtue-signal to his base and he wanted to show that he thought Donald Trump was bad,” DeSantis claimed, adding that Biden knew “what would end up happening.”
“And so he has done — he has pulled the biggest political stunt.”
Read more at The Daily Beast.
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Bexar County Sheriff Announces Investigation Into How Migrants Went From Texas To Martha's Vineyard
Bexar County Sheriff Announces Investigation Into How Migrants Went From Texas To Martha's Vineyard https://digitalalabamanews.com/bexar-county-sheriff-announces-investigation-into-how-migrants-went-from-texas-to-marthas-vineyard/
(CNN)A Texas sheriff said Monday evening his agency will open an investigation into the transportation of 48 Venezuelan migrants from the state to Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.
Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar, a Democrat, told reporters at a Monday news conference that his understanding was that on Wednesday a Venezuelan migrant was paid a “bird dog fee” to recruit 50 migrants from a resource center in San Antonio.
The sheriff said he believes laws were not only broken in Bexar County in transporting nearly 50 migrants to Martha’s Vineyard but that parallel laws were also broken on the federal side.
A total of 48 migrants were “lured” to a hotel where they were housed for two days, according to Salazar.
The migrants were flown to Florida and then later transported to Martha’s Vineyard under “false pretenses,” he said.
The sheriff said they were flown to Martha’s Vineyard for “a photo-op and stranded.” He believes the migrants were “exploited and hoodwinked” into making the trip for political posturing.
The sheriff has been speaking with an attorney who represents some of the migrants for first-hand accounts of what took place, Salazar told reporters.
The allegations that he has heard thus far are “disgusting and a violation of human rights,” he said.
Salazar said he believes there needs to be accountability for what happened.
DeSantis says migrants were treated well, signed forms
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has claimed credit for flying the migrants to Martha’s Vineyard. In an interview with Fox News on Monday night, DeSantis defended his decision.
“They all signed consent forms to go and then the vendor that is doing this for Florida provided them with a packet that had a map of Martha’s Vineyard, it has the number for different services that are on Martha’s Vineyard,” DeSantis said.
“Why wouldn’t they want to go, given where they were? They were in really, really bad shape and they got to be cleaned up, everything, treated well,” he added.
When asked earlier about the investigation, DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske gave CNN the following statement: “Immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless, and ‘left to fend for themselves.’
“Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered greater resources for them, as we expected. Unless the MA national guard has abandoned these individuals, they have been provided accommodations, sustenance, clothing and more options to succeed following their unfair enticement into the United States, unlike the 53 immigrants who died in a truck found abandoned in Bexar County this June. “
Attorneys for many of the migrants said Monday that brochures given to their clients were “highly misleading” and “used to entice (their) clients to travel under the guise that (resettlement) support was available to them.”
The brochure lists refugee services, including cash and housing assistance, clothing, transportation to job interviews, job training and assistance registering children for school, among other resources.
One Venezuelan migrant, who spoke to CNN on the condition of anonymity for fear of negative impacts on their immigration case, shared images of the brochure. They said migrants were told that the brochure had information on the assistance they would receive in Massachusetts, but they were not told about the differences in programs for refugees and asylum seekers.
Migrants are, in many cases, asylum seekers, not refugees. Refugees apply for protection overseas and are admitted through the refugee admissions program, whereas asylum seekers apply within the United States.
Sheriff would welcome federal help
Salazar told reporters he will be working with federal agencies and welcomes White House assistance.
“Absolutely parts of this case are going to have to go federal, and there’s going to have to be some coordination that goes along with that,” he said. “So absolutely, I would welcome the White House or anybody else from the federal side to give us a call and help us out with whatever they can,” he said.
President Joe Biden met Friday with members of his administration to talk about immigration issues.
A White House official said the meeting had been planned before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent two busloads of migrants to Vice President Kamala Harris’ residence in Washington on Thursday and DeSantis sent two planes carrying migrants to Martha’s Vineyard.
Biden has accused the Republicans of “playing politics with human beings” and “using them as props” in response to those stunts.
CNN’s Carolyn Sung, Jamiel Lynch, Steve Almasy, Maria Santana, Polo Sandoval, Priscilla Alvarez and Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report.
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Dr. Brian Capogna Celebrates 4th Year As An Orthopedic Surgeon Digital Journal
Dr. Brian Capogna Celebrates 4th Year As An Orthopedic Surgeon – Digital Journal https://digitalalabamanews.com/dr-brian-capogna-celebrates-4th-year-as-an-orthopedic-surgeon-digital-journal/
Dr. Brian Capogna, M.D. celebrates 4th year as an Orthopedic Surgeon. Dr. Brian specializes in orthopedic surgery with a particular focus on joints i.e., shoulder, knee, hip, and elbow injuries. The doctor performs a wide range of sports procedures. The rotator cuff repair is performed to restore function and flexibility and provide relief to the shoulders. Cutting edge techniques include traditional open repair, arthroscopic repair, and mini-open repair techniques. The shoulder labral repair/ stabilization surgery is performed to treat labrum tears. Labrum tears, peeling, and stretching can lead to shoulder instability. Dr. Brian received specialized training in hip arthroscopy and conducted detailed research to address Femoroacetabular impingement (FAI) AND labral tears.
Dr. Brian Capogna, MD
Dr. Brian Capogna performs Tommy John Ligament (UCL) reconstruction and Tommy John Ligament repair technique pioneered by Dr. Jeffrey Dugas in Birmingham, AL. He was also selected to attend a fellowship in Sports Medicine at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Clinic in Birmingham, AL. At the center, he receives specialized training in diagnosing, managing, and treating sports injuries under the guidance of eminent surgeons such as Dr. James Andrews, Dr. Jeffrey Dugas, Dr. Lyle Cain, and Dr. Benton Emblom. Dr. Capogna has experience working as the assistant team physician for NCAA Division Troy Trojans and took care of athletes from Auburn University, University of Alabama, professional wrestlers from WWE, and the Birmingham Barons Minor League baseball team.
Biceps tendon repair is also conducted for active individuals who have injured biceps in their dominant arms. Athletes and those involved in physical labor will benefit from this treatment as they must recover completely. The doctor also offers several treatments and procedures which include UCL reconstruction and repair, elbow arthroscopy, tennis elbow debridement/ repair, hip arthroscopy with labral repair, endoscopic proximal hamstring repair, endoscopic gluteus medius, and minimus repair, meniscus repair, cartilage injury and OCD surgery, ACL and PCL reconstruction, MCL repair and reconstruction, LCS reconstruction, and total and partial knee replacement.
Dr. Brian Capogna has nothing but rave reviews and ratings for his services. Patients have expressed deep satisfaction in choosing Dr. Capogna over other specialists. The doctor takes time to conduct a complete diagnosis, and examine and explain the injury and the options available. The doctor is always available to answer any queries and helps the patients feel comfortable, relaxed, and confident in the process right from pre-op to surgery and post-op to recovery.
To learn more visit https://briancapognamd.com
About Dr. Brian Capogna
Dr. Brian Capogna, M.D. was born and raised on Long Island. He graduated with distinction in Orthopedic Research from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. He was a member of Alpha Omega Alpha medical honor society and an executive chief resident at the NYU hospital. Dr. Brian also attended a sports medicine fellowship at the Andrews Sports Medicine & Orthopedic Clinic in Birmingham, AL. He specializes in training and research in hip arthroscopy to address FAI and labral tears.
###
Contact
Dr. Brian Capogna, MD
Clinic: 600 Northern Blvd. Great Neck, NY 11020
Appointments: 516-627-8717
Website: https://briancapognamd.com
newsroom: news.38digitalmarket.com
Release ID: 380965
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Former Auburn Guard Going To NBA Training Camp https://digitalalabamanews.com/former-auburn-guard-going-to-nba-training-camp/
Sports
Published: Sep. 19, 2022, 7:26 p.m.
Atlanta Hawks guard Sharife Cooper drives to the basket during an NBA 2K23 Summer League game against the Miami Heat on July 12, 2022, in Las Vegas.(AP Photo/John Locher)
Former Auburn guard Sharife Cooper will go to training camp with the Cleveland Cavaliers later this month.
While the NBA team has not announced the signing, after the Athletic reported the news on Monday, Cooper tweeted: “Let’s work. #cavs” accompanied by the praying-hands emoji.
Cooper had been without a team since July 25, when the Atlanta Hawks waived him three days after the team signed him to a two-way contract.
The Cavaliers are expected to open training camp on Sept. 27.
Before adding Cooper, Cleveland had 18 players on its roster, with 12 on fully guaranteed contracts, including former Auburn standout Isaac Okoro. Those numbers suggest the possibility of training camp/preseason competition for the final spots on the regular-season roster.
Cleveland’s four-game preseason schedule starts on Oct. 5 against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Cavaliers will tip off the NBA’s 2022-23 season on Oct. 19 on the road against the Toronto Raptors.
RELATED: HEALTHY COLLIN SEXTON THROUGH WAITING
Cooper played for Atlanta on a two-way contract during the 2021-22 season after the Hawks selected him with the 48th choice in the 2021 NBA Draft. Each NBA team can have two players on two-way contracts, which allows them to be moved between the NBA roster and an NBA G League affiliate without going through waivers.
Last season, Cooper averaged 16.3 points and 6.7 assists in 22 games for the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate.
Cooper played in 13 NBA games as a rookie. He had seven points, five rebounds and five assists in 39 minutes for the Hawks in the 2021-22 season.
In the NBA 2K23 Summer League in July, Cooper averaged 4.4 points, 1.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists for Atlanta’s entry in the Las Vegas event. Cooper scored 15 of his 22 total points in one game. He had trouble getting his shot to fall, going 7-of-37 overall and 2-of-11 from 3-point range.
Cooper’s only season at Auburn got off to a late start because of eligibility concerns and ended early because of an ankle injury. In the 12 games in between, Cooper averaged 20.2 points, 8.1 assists and 4.3 rebounds.
Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.
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Adnan Syed Featured In Serial Podcast Released From Prison
Adnan Syed, Featured In ‘Serial’ Podcast, Released From Prison https://digitalalabamanews.com/adnan-syed-featured-in-serial-podcast-released-from-prison/
Adnan Syed, whose murder case captivated the nation after it was featured on the true-crime podcast “Serial,” was freed from prison Monday after 23 years, his conviction vacated — at least for now — by a judge who found deficiencies in how prosecutors had turned over evidence to defense attorneys decades ago.
Acting on a request from Baltimore City State’s Attorney Marilyn Mosby, Circuit Judge Melissa Phinn ordered Syed unshackled in the courtroom and sent home while he waits to find out whether prosecutors will seek a new trial or drop their pursuit of him.
Now 42 years old, Syed emerged from the courthouse to a roaring crowd. Dressed in white with a blue tie, he smiled and waved before he was ushered into a car and driven away.
But his continued freedom is not guaranteed.
Phinn said prosecutors have 30 days to decide whether they will retry Syed in the killing of his ex-girlfriend, 18-year-old Hae Min Lee. Mosby, the state’s attorney for Baltimore City, said after the Monday decision that her office had not yet declared him innocent but that he was entitled to a new trial “in the interest of fairness and justice.”
Maryland Attorney General Brian E. Frosh (D) — whose office has previously defended the handling of Syed’s case in court proceedings — blasted the Baltimore prosecutor for acting without consulting his office, and he called the allegations that prosecutors did not hand over evidence to Syed’s defense as they should have “incorrect.”
“Neither State’s Attorney Mosby nor anyone from her office bothered to consult with either the assistant state’s Attorney who prosecuted the case or with anyone in my office regarding these alleged violations,” Frosh said. “The file in this case was made available on several occasions to the defense.”
While he awaits prosecutors’ next move, Syed will be under GPS supervision, Phinn said.
Syed has maintained his innocence since he was arrested for Lee’s murder in February 1999, when he was a 17-year-old in high school. Investigators at the time determined that she died by strangulation, and Syed was convicted of murder in 2000 and sentenced to life behind bars. He had long sought to overturn his conviction and get a new trial, but until recently, he had faced opposition from prosecutors.
Syed’s case was featured on “Serial,” which had its first season in 2014. Host Sarah Koenig detailed the events surrounding the death of Lee, raising questions about the handling of the investigation, the conduct of Syed’s defense and whether Syed might have been innocent.
Over a decade after his conviction, Syed started to see some hope that he would get new legal proceedings.
In 2016, a circuit court vacated Syed’s conviction, citing the “ineffective assistance” of a former attorney who failed to investigate an alibi witness, and in March 2018, the Court of Special Appeals upheld the ruling granting Syed a new trial. But in March 2019, Maryland’s highest court reinstated Syed’s murder conviction.
Then on Wednesday, the Baltimore City state’s attorney office said in a motion in circuit court that it wanted the conviction tossed and Syed released. The office said its own nearly year-long investigation into the case, which was conducted with Syed’s defense, had found new evidence of potential suspects, as well as materials that should have been handed over to defense attorneys that were not.
The move drew widespread praise from supporters of Syed, who have long waged a public and legal campaign for his freedom.
C. Justin Brown, a former attorney for Syed who began representing him in 2009, released a statement that celebrated the ruling, but expressed concern at how long it took to arrive at this decision.
“It has now been revealed that prosecutors were aware of another viable suspect in Hae Min Lee’s murder, but that they sat on that information for more than 20 years,” Brown’s statement said. “While we do not know how this happened, nor whether it was intentional, we do know it is inexcusable.”
But that feeling was not universal.
Young Lee, Hae Min Lee’s brother, said at the hearing Monday that prosecutors’ motion to vacate the conviction left him feeling “betrayed.”
“That’s really tough for me to swallow, and especially for my mom,” he said.
Young Lee said he was “not against investigation or anything of that sort,” adding, “knowing that there could be someone out there free for killing my sister — it’s tough.”
“I ask that you make the right decision,” he said to the judge.
After the hearing, Steven J. Kelly, an attorney for the family, said in a statement: “For more than 20 years, no one has wanted to know the truth about who killed Hae Min Lee more than her family. The Lee family is deeply disappointed that today’s hearing happened so quickly and that they were denied the reasonable notice that would have permitted them to have a meaningful voice in the proceedings.”
Mosby said DNA analysis will help determine whether Syed’s case will be dismissed or if prosecutors will seek a new trial. She said she understands Lee’s brother’s feeling, but that Syed is entitled to fairness in the criminal justice system.
“You have some sort of resolution and believe that you have closure, and the case comes back up and it rips a whole new wound that you think has healed,” Mosby said. “I understand his frustration.”
Prosecutors have not disclosed the identities of the other potential suspects. But Becky Feldman, chief of the state’s attorney’s office Sentencing Review Unit, on Monday described them as “credible, viable suspects.”
According to court filings, one had threatened to make Lee “disappear” and “kill her,” she said, and alleged one of them “engaged in multiple instances of rape and sexual assault.” One had relatives who lived near the area where Lee’s car was found.
Feldman said authorities at the time “improperly cleared” one suspect by relying on a polygraph test that was “not reliable.”
Prosecutors’ filing said the suspects “may be involved individually or may be involved together,” and made references to them throughout the motion as “one of the suspects,” without clarifying which person they were referring to.
The state’s attorney’s investigation also determined that a key witness in the case, Jay Wilds, was inconsistent in his accounts to police. For example, Wilds testified that he had helped Syed bury Lee’s body. But he gave two different accounts to authorities about where he saw the body and a third to the media, according to the motion. Wilds was an important character in the “Serial” podcast.
The investigation also found that the data prosecutors used to corroborate Wilds’s account could have also been misleading or inaccurate. Attorneys used data from incoming calls to place Syed at the site of Lee’s body, but the state’s attorney’s office said in the motion that type of cellphone data “would not be considered reliable information for location.”
“If that evidence had been disclosed, perhaps Adnan would not have missed his high school graduation or 23 years of birthdays, holidays, family gatherings, community events, everyday moments of joy,” said Erica Suter, Syed’s attorney, outside the courthouse on Monday. “Perhaps the real killers would have been brought to justice.”
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Fairlee And Other Vermont Municipalities Asked To Inspect 2020 Ballots
Fairlee And Other Vermont Municipalities Asked To Inspect 2020 Ballots https://digitalalabamanews.com/fairlee-and-other-vermont-municipalities-asked-to-inspect-2020-ballots/
Published: 9/19/2022 9:37:26 PM
Modified: 9/19/2022 9:37:30 PM
At least three Vermont municipalities received requests to inspect ballots from the 2020 election in the past month in what appears to be part of a national movement by election deniers.
The three towns that have received such requests are Bennington, Fairlee and Montpelier.
Federal law requires states to provide the ballots if requested within 22 months of an election. After the so-called retention deadline, the ballots can be discarded.
The 22-month period for the most recent presidential election — which took place on Nov. 3, 2020 — passed earlier this month.
Last week in Montpelier, a small group of people inspected that city’s ballots from the 2020 election, according to Eric Covey, chief of staff in the Secretary of State’s Office.
Covey said that he could not speak to the specific motivations of the Vermonters who requested the ballots, but he did describe a national movement of election deniers who falsely believe Donald Trump beat President Joe Biden.
“The trends that we’re seeing nationally is that election deniers, who — despite the inability to provide any evidence that there was any sort of widespread fraud or rigging of the 2020 election — continue to make baseless claims, lies and conspiracy theories about the 2020 election,” Covey said. “As a result, you are seeing some renewed call for individuals to examine certain aspects of the election process.”
Montpelier Town Clerk John Odum agreed. “I suspect, though I can’t say for sure, that they were responding to a national call for such actions,” he said.
Covey emphasized that the event in Montpelier fulfilled a public records request and was not a recount.
“What we’re experiencing now is a request from individuals to inspect certain records of that election — in this case, to inspect the ballots themselves,” he said.
Odum said the request in that city came about a week before the retention deadline.
One of the people who inspected the ballots in Montpelier may have claimed to find a discrepancy in 14 of the 5,216 votes cast, according to the Montpelier Bridge. That would amount to a fraction of a percent.
According to the election archives maintained by the Secretary of State’s Office, Biden won 4,576 votes in Montpelier, while Trump garnered 468 votes and other candidates picked up the balance.
Regardless, the ballot inspection would have had no real effect on the results of the 2020 election, Covey said.
“The election was held securely in 2020,” he said.
Officials expect that the timing of the requests was no coincidence. The Washington Post recently reported an “unprecedented wave of public records requests in the final weeks of the summer.”
The article pointed toward leading election deniers such as MyPillow founder Mike Lindell as having instigated this wave. Lindell called on supporters to request records from their local election offices before the 22-month retention period ended.
The Post also reported on speculation that the records requests were made not in an attempt to gain information about the 2020 election, but to disrupt the upcoming general election in November.
“The timing is rather unfortunate, on the one hand, in terms of workflow,” Odum said, referring to the fall election. “On the other hand, these are folks who were well within their right to want to examine the process.”
Both Odum and Covey indicated that misinformation is likely the biggest threat to elections.
Still, Odum said he respected any ballot inspection request, “especially since it was done very civilly and cooperatively.”
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Judge Holds Gun Ban For Felony Defendants Unconstitutional
Judge Holds Gun Ban For Felony Defendants Unconstitutional https://digitalalabamanews.com/judge-holds-gun-ban-for-felony-defendants-unconstitutional/
PECOS, Texas (AP) — A U.S. law banning those under felony indictments from buying guns is unconstitutional, a federal judge in West Texas ruled Monday.
U.S. District Judge David Counts, whom then-President Donald Trump appointed to the federal bench, dismissed a federal indictment against Jose Gomez Quiroz that had charged him under the federal ban.
According to Counts’ ruling, Quiroz was under a state burglary indictment when he tried to buy a .22-caliber semiautomatic handgun and challenged the ensuing federal charge.
In a 25-page opinion filed in Pecos, Texas, Counts acknowledged “this case’s real-world consequences — certainly valid public policy and safety concerns exist.” However, he said a Supreme Court ruling this summer in a challenge brought by the New York Rifle & Pistol Association “framed those concerns solely as a historical analysis.”
“Although not exhaustive, the Court’s historical survey finds little evidence that … (the federal ban) — which prohibits those under felony indictment from obtaining a firearm — aligns with this Nation’s historical tradition.”
Hence, he ruled the ban unconstitutional as the “Second Amendment is not a ’second class right,” as noted in a 2008 Supreme Court ruling. ”No longer can courts balance away a constitutional right,” Counts wrote. After the New York case, “the Government must prove that laws regulating conduct covered by the Second Amendment’s plain text align with this Nation’s historical tradition. The Government does not meet that burden.”
In the New York case, the high court held by a 6-3 vote, with conservative justices forming the majority, that Americans have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. The June 23 ruling, written by Justice Clarence Thomas, was seen then as likely to lead to more people being legally armed.
A message to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Texas did not immediately return a message seeking comment.
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Cheney Says GOP Leaders Are Treating Trump Like A king By Defending Him In Mar-A-Lago Probe
Cheney Says GOP Leaders Are Treating Trump Like A ‘king’ By Defending Him In Mar-A-Lago Probe https://digitalalabamanews.com/cheney-says-gop-leaders-are-treating-trump-like-a-king-by-defending-him-in-mar-a-lago-probe/
WASHINGTON — Rep. Liz Cheney on Monday launched a blistering attack on Donald Trump and his allies, accusing GOP leaders of treating the former president like a “king” by defending him at every turn in a federal investigation into classified documents stored at his Florida estate.
“Those who are protecting Donald Trump — elected leaders of my party — are now willing to condemn FBI agents, Department of Justice officials, and pretend that taking Top Secret SCI documents and keeping them in a desk drawer in an office in Mar-a-Lago, or in an unsecured location anywhere was somehow not a problem. They are attempting to excuse this behavior,” Cheney, a Wyoming Republican, said in a speech at the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative think tank.
“Bit by bit, excuse by excuse, we’re putting Donald Trump above the law. We are rendering indefensible conduct normal, legal and appropriate — as though he were a king,” Cheney added, citing what she called a willingness by some elected GOP officials to defend alleged actions that touch on obstruction of justice.
Cheney, a vocal Trump critic and member of the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, has been shunned from some conservative circles. But on this day, she was the keynote speaker at AEI’s annual Constitution Day lecture, receiving a standing ovation from the crowd and laughter when she told a story about how a House GOP colleague had mocked Trump as “orange Jesus.” Cheney did not reveal the colleague’s name.
Both of Cheney’s parents — former Vice President Dick Cheney and Lynn Cheney — attended Monday’s speech, as did Bush era conservatives like Peter Wehner and Paul Wolfowitz, and Jeffrey Rosen, the former acting attorney general who refused Trump’s order to help him overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Cheney, who lost her primary for another House term and is flirting with a potential 2024 presidential bid, warned that Trump is encouraging his supporters to turn to violence “to prevent his prosecution.”
“It is hard to see this as anything but a direct threat to our Constitution, to our republic — and a credible one at that,” she said. “One can only wonder, is this where the Republican Party will go next? That prosecution is inappropriate, because MAGA will violently oppose it?”
Cheney’s speech came just hours after she unveiled election reform legislation with Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., aimed at preventing another Jan. 6 attack or future attempt to overturn a presidential election.
The Presidential Election Reform Act would overhaul the Electoral Count Act, the archaic 1887 law that governs the counting of electoral votes, which Trump and his allies tried to halt in a bid to stay in power after he lost to Democrat Joe Biden. The House could vote on the bill this week.
But Cheney also made clear in her speech that the legislation is not meant to take the focus off Trump’s action’s.
“No one should take our effort to reform the electoral account as any indication that Donald Trump did not violate the existing law or did not violate the Constitution,” Cheney said.
As she has done repeatedly over the past two years, Cheney knocked Trump for not calling off a mob of his supporters who were attacking police officers and hunting down members of Congress and then-Vice President Mike Pence on Jan. 6.
But she praised Pence for his actions that day; he called Defense Department officials for help and returned to the Capitol to finish certifying the election results.
“Mike Pence was essentially the president for most of that day,” Cheney said. “White House staff knew it and so did every other Republican and Democratic leader in Washington. How could Donald Trump’s refusal to act, his betrayal of our republic, of our Constitution, of our principles, come with no cost?”
In a previously untold story, Cheney recounted how, on Jan. 6 before the violence, she was in the Republican cloakroom just off the House floor, watching her GOP colleagues sign sheets of paper to object to the 2020 election results for states like Arizona and Pennsylvania.
“And as I was sitting there, a member came in and he signed his name on each one of the state’s sheets. And then he said under his breath, ‘The things we do for the orange Jesus,’” Cheney said, sparking some laughter from the audience. “And I thought, you know, you’re taking an act that is unconstitutional.”
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Her Majesty’s Last Broadcast https://digitalalabamanews.com/her-majestys-last-broadcast/
Critic’s Notebook
The funeral for Queen Elizabeth II honored a seven-decade public life. It also felt like a capstone to the mass TV era that defined her reign.
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The long reign of Queen Elizabeth II began on television, and on Monday a global audience watched her coffin reach its final resting place, at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor Castle. The hearse was designed to allow spectators to see the coffin as it passed by.Credit…Molly Darlington/Getty Images
Sept. 19, 2022Updated 9:27 p.m. ET
Television introduced Queen Elizabeth II to the world. It was only fitting that television should see her out of it.
The queen’s seven-decade reign almost exactly spanned the modern TV era. Her coronation in 1953 began the age of global video spectacles. Her funeral on Monday was a full-color pageant accessible to billions.
It was a final display of the force of two institutions: the concentrated grandeur of the British monarchy and the power amassed by television to bring viewers to every corner of the world.
“I have to be seen to be believed,” Elizabeth once reportedly said. It was less a boast than an acknowledgment of a modern duty. One had to be seen, whether one liked it or not. It was her source of authority at a time when the crown’s power no longer came through fleets of ships. It was how she provided her country reassurance and projected stability.
The last funeral service for a British monarch, King George VI, was not televised. For one last time, Elizabeth was the first. She entered the world stage, through the new magic of broadcasting, as a resolute young face. She departed it as a bejeweled crown on a purple cushion, transmuted finally into pure visual symbol.
Americans who woke up early Monday (or stayed up, in some time zones) saw striking images aplenty, on every news network. The breathtaking God’s-eye view from above the coffin in Westminster Abbey. The continuous stream of world leaders. The thick crowds along the procession to Windsor, flinging flowers at the motorcade. The corgis.
Viewers also saw and heard something unusual in the TV news environment: long stretches of unnarrated live action — the speaking of prayers, the clop of horse hooves — and moments of stillness. This was notable in the golf-whisper coverage on BBC World News, which let scenes like the loading of the coffin onto a gun carriage play out in silence, its screen bare of the usual lower-thirds captions.
The commercial American networks, being the distant relations at this service, filled in the gaps with chattery bits of history and analysis. News departments called in the Brits. (On Fox News, the reality-TV fixtures Piers Morgan and Sharon Osbourne critiqued Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s media ventures.) “Royal commentators” broke down points of protocol and inventoried the materials and symbolism of the crown, scepter and orb like auction appraisers.
But even American TV fell still during the funeral ceremony. The cameras drank in the Gothic arches of Westminster Abbey, bathed in the hymns of the choirs, goggled at the royal jewels, lingered on the solemn face of Charles III during the performance of — it still sounds strange — “God Save the King.” Finally, we watched from above as bearers carried the coffin step by step across the black-and-white-diamond floor like an ornate chess piece.
The quiet spectating was a gesture of respect but also a kind of tourist’s awe. We had come all this way; of course we wanted to take in the sights.
Some Key Moments in Queen Elizabeth’s Reign
Card 1 of 9
A historic visit. On May 18, 1965, Elizabeth arrived in Bonn on the first state visit by a British monarch to Germany in more than 50 years. The trip formally sealed the reconciliation between the two nations following the world wars.
First grandchild. In 1977, the queen stepped into the role of grandmother for the first time, after Princess Anne gave birth to a son, Peter. Elizabeth’s four children have given her a total of eight grandchildren, who have been followed by several great-grandchildren.
Princess Diana’s death. In a rare televised broadcast ahead of Diana’s funeral in 1997, Queen Elizabeth remembered the Princess of Wales, who died in a car crash in Paris at age 36, as “an exceptional and gifted human being.”
A trip to Ireland. In May 2011, the queen visited the Irish Republic, whose troubled relationship with the British monarchy spanned centuries. The trip, infused with powerful symbols of reconciliation, is considered one of the most politically freighted trips of Elizabeth’s reign.
Breaking a record. As of 5:30 p.m. British time on Sept. 9, 2015, Elizabeth II became Britain’s longest-reigning monarch, surpassing Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother. Elizabeth was 89 at the time, and had ruled for 23,226 days, 16 hours and about 30 minutes.
Marking 70 years of marriage. On Nov. 20, 2017, the queen and Prince Philip celebrated their 70th anniversary, becoming the longest-married couple in royal history. The two wed in 1947, as the country and the world was still reeling from the atrocities of World War II.
Elizabeth’s reign was marked by unprecedented visibility, for better or worse. Her coronation in 1953 spurred the British to buy television sets, bringing the country into the TV age and inviting the public into an event once reserved for the upper crust.
This changed something essential in the relation of the masses to the monarchy. The coronation, with its vestments and blessings, signified the exclusive connection of the monarch to God. Once that was no longer exclusive, everything else in the relationship between the ruler and the public was up for negotiation.
Image
The queen was the first British monarch to have a televised coronation, in June 1953.Credit…AFP via Getty Images
The young queen resisted letting in the cameras. The prime minister Winston Churchill worried about making the ritual into a “theatrical performance.” But Elizabeth could no more stop the force of media than her forebear King Canute could halt the tide.
TV undercut the mystique of royalty but spread its image, expanding the queen’s virtual reach even as the colonial empire diminished. There were other surviving monarchies in the world, but the Windsors were the default royals of TV-dom, the main characters in a generational reality-TV soap opera. They became global celebrities, through scandals, weddings, deaths and “The Crown.”
The coronation had worldwide effects too. It began the age when TV would bring the world into your living room live — or at least close to it. In 1953, with live trans-Atlantic broadcasts still not yet possible, CBS and NBC raced to fly the kinescopes of the event across the ocean in airplanes with their seats removed to fit in editing equipment. (They both lost to Canada’s CBC, which got its footage home first.)
The next day’s Times heralded the event as the “birth of international television,” marveling that American viewers “probably saw more than the peers and peeresses in their seats in the transept.” Boy, did they: NBC’s “Today” show coverage, which carried a radio feed of the coronation, included an appearance by its chimpanzee mascot, J. Fred Muggs. Welcome to show business, Your Majesty.
The one limit on cameras at Elizabeth’s coronation was to deny them a view of the ritual anointment of the new queen. By 2022, viewers take divine omniscience for granted. If we can think of it, we should be able to see it.
So after Elizabeth’s death, you could monitor the convoy from Balmoral Castle in Scotland to London, with a glassy hearse designed and lit to make the coffin visible. You could watch the queen’s lying-in-state in Westminster Hall on live video feeds, from numerous angles, the silence broken only by the occasional cry of a baby or cough of a guard. The faces came and went, including the queen’s grandchildren joining the tribute, but the camera’s vigil was constant.
After 70 years, however, television has lost its exclusive empire as well. Even as it broadcast what was described — plausibly but vaguely — as the most-watched event in history, traditional TV shared the funeral audience with the internet and social media.
Elizabeth and the medium that defined her reign were both unifiers of a kind that we might not see again. Though not all of the British support the monarchy, the queen offered her fractious country a sense of constancy. TV brought together disparate populations in the communal experience of seeing the same thing at once.
Now what? Tina Brown, the writer, editor and royal-watcher, asked on CBS, “Will anyone be loved by the nation so much again?” You could also ask: Will Charles’s coronation next year be nearly as big a global media event? Will anything? (You could also ask whether an event like this should be so all-consuming. While American TV news was wall-to-wall with an overseas funeral, Puerto Rico was flooded and without power from Hurricane Fiona.)
Monday’s services felt like a capstone to two eras. For one day, we saw a display of the pageantry that the crown can command and the global audience that TV can.
American TV spent its full morning with the queen. (Well, almost: CBS aired the season premiere of “The Price Is Right.”) The day’s pomp built toward one more never-before-broadcast ceremony, the removal of scepter, orb and crown from the coffin, which was lowered into the vault at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor. Then followed something almost unimaginable: A private burial service, with no TV cameras.
Television got one final spectacle out of Elizabeth’s reign. And the queen had one final moment out of the public eye.
Read More…
Sick Fox Spotted In Mountain Brook Raises Concerns
‘Sick’ Fox Spotted In Mountain Brook Raises Concerns https://digitalalabamanews.com/sick-fox-spotted-in-mountain-brook-raises-concerns/
Birmingham Real-Time News
Published: Sep. 19, 2022, 8:03 p.m.
A picture of a sickly looking fox spotted in Mountain Brook that has made the rounds on social media has raised concerns among neighbors.
A picture of a sickly looking fox spotted in Mountain Brook that has made the rounds on social media has raised concerns among neighbors.
“I saw this sick fox on [Overhill Road] near Watkins Road today,” Virginia Karle posted to the What’s Happening in Mountain Brook page on Facebook last week.
The photo had several hundred reactions and nearly 100 comments as of Monday as residents urged their neighbors to avoid the animal.
“We called Animal Control to report it but it’s behaving oddly so please be careful until someone can get the fox,” wrote Mary Katherine Bridges.
AL.com reached out to Animal Control and the Greater Birmingham Human Society but efforts were unsuccessful.
It remained unclear whether the fox had been captured or if a diagnosis was made.
Several Facebook commenters surmised that the fox had a case of mange.
“Do not get near, probably needs wildlife rescue for help. Looks mange or something,” wrote Janet Collinge Williamson.
“It will not kill it but it can spread so, if you want to do the most humane thing then get some Bravecto from your vet & set it out when you see it. It’s an edible tablet that is yummy for animals,” added Casey Sandkuhl.
Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission.
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Ford Stock Drops More Than 4% As Supply Costs To Jump By $1 Billion Parts Shortages To Leave More Cars Unfinished
Ford Stock Drops More Than 4% As Supply Costs To Jump By $1 Billion, Parts Shortages To Leave More Cars Unfinished https://digitalalabamanews.com/ford-stock-drops-more-than-4-as-supply-costs-to-jump-by-1-billion-parts-shortages-to-leave-more-cars-unfinished/
Ford Motor Co. shares dropped more than 4% in the extended session Monday after the company said inflation and parts shortages will leave it with more unfinished vehicles than it had expected, reminding Wall Street supply-chain snags are far from over for auto makers.
Ford F, said it expects to have between 40,000 and 45,000 vehicles in inventory at the end of the third quarter “lacking certain parts presently in short supply.”
The auto maker also said that based on its recent negotiations, payments to suppliers will run about $1 billion higher than expected for the quarter, thanks to inflation. The company reaffirmed its outlook for the year, however.
Ford’s warning “is evidence that auto parts shortages and supply-chain issues are still ongoing,” CFRA analyst Garrett Nelson told MarketWatch.
Many investors had started to believe “these problems were in the rearview mirror with inventories starting to recover from the record lows of the last year or so,” Nelson said.
The unfinished vehicles include high-demand, high-margin models of popular trucks and SUVs, Ford said. That will cause some shipments and revenue to shift to the fourth quarter.
“Ironically, Ford may have become a victim of its own success in that its recent U.S. sales growth has outperformed peers by a wide margin,” Nelson said. Its third-quarter production “apparently wasn’t able to keep pace with demand.”
Ford reiterated expectations of full-year 2022 adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of between $11.5 billion and $12.5 billion, despite the shortages and the higher payments to suppliers, it said.
Ford called for third-quarter adjusted EBIT of between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion.
Shares of Ford ended the regular trading day up 1.4%. The company has embarked on a reorganization to pivot to electric vehicles, and last month confirmed layoffs in connection with its new structure.
Ford is slated to report third-quarter financial results on Oct. 26, when it said it expects to “provide more dimension about expectations for full-year performance.”
Analysts polled by FactSet expect the auto maker to report adjusted earnings of 51 cents a share, which would match the third-quarter 2021 adjusted EPS, on revenue of $38.8 billion.
The quarterly sales would compare with $35.7 billion in revenue in the year-ago period.
Shares of Ford slid 4.4% after hours, and have lost 28% so far this year, compared with losses of 18% for the S&P 500 index SPX, .
The news comes a week after FedEx Corp. FDX, roiled markets and raised fears of an economic slowdown by withdrawing its outlook for the year and warning that the year was likely to become worse for the business.
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Admitted Mobile Killer Got Sweetheart Deal; Now He Faces 20 Years On Probation Revocation
Admitted Mobile Killer Got Sweetheart Deal; Now He Faces 20 Years On Probation Revocation https://digitalalabamanews.com/admitted-mobile-killer-got-sweetheart-deal-now-he-faces-20-years-on-probation-revocation/
MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – The triggerman in a 2015 murder-for-hire plot is back in jail.
Adam Miller took a plea deal from Mobile County prosecutors in 2019, admitting that he fatally shot Ke’lei Morris and agreeing to testify against co-defendant Steven Mason in exchange for a split 20-year sentence that included three years behind bars and probation.
But Miller’s good fortune came with an important caveat. After the three years in prison, he had to live up to the terms of probation. Prosecutors accused him of breaking that promise in July during a domestic disturbance at his home.
The maximum penalty on the misdemeanor domestic violence-harassment charge is only a year, but based on that arrest, Mobile County Circuit Judge Jay York last week revoked Miller’s probation and ordered him to serve the full 20 years on the murder charge.
Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Walsh said Miller’s testimony was crucial in obtaining a capital murder conviction against Mason, who is serving life in prison without possibility of parole. But she added that prosecutors had zero tolerance for an additional violent transgression.
“It’s good justice for the family of Ke’lei Morris, who he did kill, and who he admitted to killing as part of his of his plea agreement,” Mobile County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Walsh said. “We submit that this is justice getting served.”
Mobile police responded to a call from Miller’s wife and arrested him. The charge is pending in Mobile Municipal Court. He is scheduled to be arraigned on that charge next month.
Walsh said Miller’s wife was a reluctant witness who downplayed the alleged incident. But she said she introduced body cam footage from the responding officer showing that the woman had told police at the time that Miller pushed her.
“It was a particularly egregious case that he was on probation for,” she said. “And now we’re seeing him commit violence against yet another woman, and that’s obviously more than appropriate for a full revocation in this case.”
The revocation drew praise from Mason’s wife, April Mason, who married him after he went to prison and maintains his innocence.
“There’s nothing we can do to go back,” she told FOX10 News. “But for him (Miller) to get only three years, that’s not justice for me.
Setting aside Mason’s belief that her husband is innocent, she said, basic fairness dictates equitable punishment for the offense.
“They both should have gotten the same sentence,” she said.
—
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Northport Adopts $41.3M General Fund Budget $11M Sewer & Water Budget For FY23
Northport Adopts $41.3M General Fund Budget, $11M Sewer & Water Budget For FY23 https://digitalalabamanews.com/northport-adopts-41-3m-general-fund-budget-11m-sewer-water-budget-for-fy23/
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NORTHPORT, AL — The Northport City Council on Monday unanimously approved the adoption of its general fund operating budget, in addition to its water and sewer fund for the coming fiscal year.
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The budget passed on Monday anticipates that the city will collect $41,331,600 in revenue for fiscal year 2023, which marks an increase of approximately $3.8 million from the current fiscal year’s general fund operating budget approved last September.
Find out what’s happening in Tuscaloosawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Additionally, the approved budget projects collections totaling $11,036,000 for its separate water and sewer enterprise fund in the coming year.
Here are some out our biggest takeaways for the FY23 budget passed on Monday.
Find out what’s happening in Tuscaloosawith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Key Revenue Collections
Business licenses: $6 million
City Sales Tax: $21 million
County Sales Taxes: $4.9 million
Property taxes: $3.9 million
Garbage collection fees: $1.88 million
Water sales: $5.7 million
Wastewater sales: $4.51 million
Department budgets
Mayor & Council: $130,800
Administrative Department: $3 million
Legal Department: $558,453
Municipal Court: $1.9 million
IT Department: $1.25 million
Finance Department: $799,818
Human Resources Department: $1.39 million
Planning Department: $1.26 million
Northport Police Department: $8 million
Northport Fire Rescue: $7.7 million
Public Works Department: $6.82 million
Salaries represent the large individual line item for Northport’s $11 million Water & Sewer General Fund Budget at $2.6 million.
Outside Agency Funding
Tuscaloosa Public Library: $125,000
Kentuck Art Center: $75,000
Tuscaloosa Metro Animal Shelter: $201,939
FOCUS 50+: $30,000
Tuscaloosa County Industrial Development Authority: $30,000
Friends of Historic Northport: $10,000
Warrior Baseball: $25,000
Fine Arts Initiative – Arts Council: $80,000
Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority: $236,000
Tuscaloosa County EMA: $90,000
Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports: $25,000
West Alabama Food Bank: $25,000
Incentives:
Mercedes Benz Project Crimson: $150,000
Northport Corners LLC: $187,000
North Square Property: $40,000
Have a news tip or suggestion on how I can improve Tuscaloosa Patch? Maybe you’re interested in having your business become one of the latest sponsors for Tuscaloosa Patch? Email all inquiries to me at ryan.phillips@patch.com
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