Digital Alabama News

Police: 2 Dead, 6 Injured In Stabbings Along Las Vegas Strip https://digitalalabamanews.com/police-2-dead-6-injured-in-stabbings-along-las-vegas-strip/ An attacker with a large kitchen knife killed two people and wounded six others in stabbings along the Las Vegas Strip before he was arrested Thursday, police said.Three people were hospitalized in critical condition and another three were in stable condition, according to Las Vegas police, who said they began receiving 911 calls about the stabbings around 11:40 a.m. across the street from the Wynn casino and hotel.Yoni Barrios, 32, was booked on two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder late Thursday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.Barrios, who is not a Las Vegas resident, was detained by Sands security guards and Metropolitan Police Department officers while running on a Strip sidewalk, police said.“This was an isolated incident,” Metro Police Deputy Chief James LaRochelle said in a statement. “All evidence indicates Barrios acted alone and there are no outstanding suspects at this time.”Police said they were continuing to investigate the motive but do not believe there was an altercation before the attacks.The Clark County coroner’s office identified the victims who were killed as Brent Allan Hallett, 47, and Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30, both Las Vegas residents, the Review-Journal reported.The names of those wounded in the attack were not immediately released.Video below: Police provide update on Las Vegas stabbingsThe initial stabbing was unprovoked and on the eastern sidewalk of Las Vegas Boulevard. The suspect then headed south and stabbed others, LaRochelle said.The man fled and was followed by 911 callers before he was taken into custody, authorities said. Police recovered the “large knife with a long blade” believed to have been used, LaRochelle said, calling the case a “hard-to-comprehend murder investigation.”There were no other suspects in the case and “the Strip is secure,” Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said.“Locals and tourists are the victims of this crime,” Lombardo said.Witnesses told Las Vegas TV stations that some of the victims appeared to be showgirls or street performers who take pictures with tourists on the Strip.The suspect told a woman that he was a chef who wanted to take a picture with some of the showgirls with his knife, but he started stabbing people when the group declined the man’s offer, the woman told KTNV.Jason Adams told KLAS that he witnessed the attack on a showgirl.“This guy came, ran up, and started stabbing this lady in front of me and she ran around the escalators and she tried to get up under the bridge and her girlfriend was trying to help her,” Adams said, adding that the attack happened very quickly.Pierre Fandrich, a tourist from Canada, told KTNV that he did not see the stabbing suspect as he was walking along the Strip. But he said he thought he heard “three or four showgirls laughing,” and it turned out to be screaming.Fandrich said he saw “a lot of blood” as one woman ran across a bridge, one was on the ground, and another had a stab wound on her back as she tried to help the fallen woman.Fandrich also told KTNV that he thought one of the victims fell from the bridge because there was so much blood on the ground.Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak posted a message on social media saying, “Our hearts are with all those affected by this tragedy.”“At the State level, we will continue to work with partners in law enforcement to make resources available on the ground and ensure the Las Vegas Strip remains a safe and welcoming place for all to visit,” Sisolak said. CLARK COUNTY, Nev. — An attacker with a large kitchen knife killed two people and wounded six others in stabbings along the Las Vegas Strip before he was arrested Thursday, police said. Three people were hospitalized in critical condition and another three were in stable condition, according to Las Vegas police, who said they began receiving 911 calls about the stabbings around 11:40 a.m. across the street from the Wynn casino and hotel. Yoni Barrios, 32, was booked on two counts of murder and six counts of attempted murder late Thursday, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Barrios, who is not a Las Vegas resident, was detained by Sands security guards and Metropolitan Police Department officers while running on a Strip sidewalk, police said. “This was an isolated incident,” Metro Police Deputy Chief James LaRochelle said in a statement. “All evidence indicates Barrios acted alone and there are no outstanding suspects at this time.” Police said they were continuing to investigate the motive but do not believe there was an altercation before the attacks. The Clark County coroner’s office identified the victims who were killed as Brent Allan Hallett, 47, and Maris Mareen Digiovanni, 30, both Las Vegas residents, the Review-Journal reported. The names of those wounded in the attack were not immediately released. Video below: Police provide update on Las Vegas stabbings The initial stabbing was unprovoked and on the eastern sidewalk of Las Vegas Boulevard. The suspect then headed south and stabbed others, LaRochelle said. The man fled and was followed by 911 callers before he was taken into custody, authorities said. Police recovered the “large knife with a long blade” believed to have been used, LaRochelle said, calling the case a “hard-to-comprehend murder investigation.” There were no other suspects in the case and “the Strip is secure,” Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo said. “Locals and tourists are the victims of this crime,” Lombardo said. Witnesses told Las Vegas TV stations that some of the victims appeared to be showgirls or street performers who take pictures with tourists on the Strip. The suspect told a woman that he was a chef who wanted to take a picture with some of the showgirls with his knife, but he started stabbing people when the group declined the man’s offer, the woman told KTNV. Jason Adams told KLAS that he witnessed the attack on a showgirl. “This guy came, ran up, and started stabbing this lady in front of me and she ran around the escalators and she tried to get up under the bridge and her girlfriend was trying to help her,” Adams said, adding that the attack happened very quickly. Pierre Fandrich, a tourist from Canada, told KTNV that he did not see the stabbing suspect as he was walking along the Strip. But he said he thought he heard “three or four showgirls laughing,” and it turned out to be screaming. Fandrich said he saw “a lot of blood” as one woman ran across a bridge, one was on the ground, and another had a stab wound on her back as she tried to help the fallen woman. Fandrich also told KTNV that he thought one of the victims fell from the bridge because there was so much blood on the ground. Democratic Gov. Steve Sisolak posted a message on social media saying, “Our hearts are with all those affected by this tragedy.” “At the State level, we will continue to work with partners in law enforcement to make resources available on the ground and ensure the Las Vegas Strip remains a safe and welcoming place for all to visit,” Sisolak said. Read More…

COMMENTARY: The Cruelty Of Exploiting Vulnerable People For Political Advantage https://digitalalabamanews.com/commentary-the-cruelty-of-exploiting-vulnerable-people-for-political-advantage/ By Ben Jealous There is always a new low for Trump Republicans. And that is pretty frightening. Take the latest exercise in lawlessness, dishonesty, and cruelty from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. He chartered a plane to send dozens of mostly Venezuelan asylum seekers from Texas to Martha’s Vineyard, an island community off the coast of Cape Cod in Massachusetts. He clearly was gleeful about the idea of sticking it to liberals and gloating about it on right-wing media. It wasn’t even an original idea. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott had already been putting migrants on buses to cities like Wash., D.C., where they have been dropped off in front of Fox News and outside the Vice President’s residence—a giveaway that the purpose is publicity. The news of the DeSantis flight made it clear that he was exploiting vulnerable people for his own political advantage. And the more we learn, the worse it gets. A lawsuit filed on behalf of people deceived into taking the flight says the migrants were approached in San Antonio by people pretending to offer humanitarian assistance. They were promised that jobs, housing, and other assistance were waiting for them if they were willing to get on a plane. None of it was true. These vulnerable people were reportedly told lies about where they were going and given brochures with false information about help that would be waiting for them. Even worse, they may have unknowingly threatened their asylum claims by making it likely that they would miss court appointments scheduled far from where they had been flown. DeSantis and his henchmen hadn’t contacted government officials or nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts. It was a photo op. It was definitely political. And it was possibly illegal. The sheriff in Bexar County, Texas, has opened a criminal investigation into the false pretenses under which people were lured onto the planes. A lawsuit has been filed on the migrants’ behalf. White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre slammed DeSantis for “alerting Fox News and not city or state officials about a plan to abandon children fleeing communism,” calling it “a cruel, premeditated political stunt.” Of course, it’s not the first time that dishonorable politicians have exploited vulnerable people. In fact, racist white southerners who were resisting segregation in the early 1960s did almost the same thing to Black Americans 60 years ago. The Washington Post recently highlighted that history. A group of segregationists organized “Reverse Freedom Rides” in 1962 as retaliation for the Freedom Rides that carried civil rights activists throughout the South in 1961. According to the Post, “The plot was organized by white supremacist Citizens’ Councils in Arkansas, who bought radio ads and made fliers advertising the ‘opportunity’ to African Americans.” One Arkansas woman and nine of her children were dropped off on Cape Cod near the Kennedy family’s compound because she had been falsely told that Kennedy was going to greet them. Sounds awfully familiar, doesn’t it? Last year, journalist Adam Serwer published a book called “The Cruelty is the Point: The Past, Present, and Future of Trump’s America.” Serwer has made the point that Trump is a symptom, not the cause, of a cruel streak in American politics. There is a long history of backlash against progress, going back to the post-Reconstruction period in which white supremacists used violence to reverse the enfranchisement of Black people. DeSantis’s scheme to deceive, manipulate, and harm vulnerable people seeking asylum in our country is evidence that the cruelty wielded by Trump and embraced by so many of his followers will continue to poison our politics if Trump or DeSantis or someone of their ilk is the Republican presidential nominee in 2024. Recognizing this truth is important to understanding the work we have ahead of us. We must also recognize that the cruelty in our past and our present is not our whole story. Our story also includes good people in Hyannis in the 1960s and in Martha’s Vineyard this year who responded by mobilizing to welcome and support the arrivals. It includes the people of all colors and faiths who have repeatedly built movements to expand civil rights and promote human dignity, and who have given their time and treasure to elect political leaders who appeal to our national ideals rather than trash them. We should be outraged at the cruelty displayed by some of our leaders. Let us also be motivated, and optimistic, that we can out-organize and overcome them. Ben Jealous serves as president of People For the American Way and Professor of the Practice at the University of Pennsylvania. A New York Times best-selling author, his next book “Never Forget Our People Were Always Free”will be published by Harper Collins in December 2022. Read More…

Experts Say Trump, Election Deniers Eroding Trust In Democracy. Can It Be Restored? https://digitalalabamanews.com/experts-say-trump-election-deniers-eroding-trust-in-democracy-can-it-be-restored/ This story is part of the ABC News series “Democracy in Peril,” which examines the inflection point the country faces after the Jan. 6 attacks and ahead of the 2022 election. The nation’s democratic process has been dangerously tested after the 2020 presidential race and the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, polls show and experts warn, leaving many Americans with little faith in the election system. Heading into the consequential midterm elections, when voters will decide which party will control Congress next year, more than two-thirds of Americans think our democracy is in danger of collapse, according to a an August poll from Quinnipiac University. An ABC NewsWashington Post poll conducted in January — more than a year after the insurrection — found only 20% of those surveyed saying they’re very confident about the election system. Even fewer Republicans, just 13%, said they were very confident in the process. “After every election, especially a presidential election, there is some sense among the people who voted for the losing candidate that the election was not quite fair,” Barry Burden, the director of the Elections Research Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, told ABC News. “But 2020 is different,” Burden continued. “Republican voters have been stuck with very low levels of support.” That’s in large part due to Donald Trump, Burden and other elections observers said, as well as his GOP allies who continue to emphatically spread falsehoods about the integrity of the 2020 election. In fact, 60% of Americans will have an election denier on the ballot this November. Out of 541 total Republican nominees running for office, FiveThirtyEight found 199 who’ve fully denied the legitimacy of the 2020 election. So, what can be done to restore trust in the system? The path forward is unclear, experts ABC News spoke with said. “It’s a very hard problem,” Burden acknowledged. The most effective solution? What would be the most successful fix is also the thing least likely to happen: for Trump and his allies to change their message. “Donald Trump, as somebody who knows how to bring a crowd, whenever he leans into some of this election conspiracy stuff, he is tapping into a very, very animated part of the Republican base,” explained Eli Yokley, a senior reporter at the data firm Morning Consult, which also tracks confidence in U.S. institutions. Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 3, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly Andrew Kelly/Reuters Yokley said it will be “incumbent on policymakers not to lean into voters’ worst instincts” for trust to be restored. Because Republicans are also generally more skeptical of mainstream media and traditional news sources, it’s going to be most impactful for those lacking faith in the system to hear it straight from the former president and his closest associates. “Those kinds of authoritative voices for Trump’s followers have to be what’s going to deliver the message because other sources like the current president or the mainstream media or fact checkers just aren’t trusted in the same way,” Burden said. But Trump, as recently as Oct. 1, at a rally in the battleground state of Michigan, continued to call the 2020 election “stolen” and said Democrats “cheat like dogs” to win. “I don’t believe we’ll ever have a fair election again,” Trump said, prompting boos and shouts of agreement from his crowd. “I don’t believe it,” he repeated. Combatting disinformation While Trump and his allies continue to spread lies about the 2020 election, state and local elections offices are picking up the slack to combat disinformation. Arizona’s Maricopa County — the largest county in the battleground state and the site of intense scrutiny both during and after the 2020 election — launched a campaign in 2021 titled “Just the Facts” in response to the increase of misinformation spreading about elections administration. The website and an accompanying newsletter answers questions about how elections are administered, how officials build the ballot, how they count the ballots and ensure accuracy of the equipment used. This cycle, the campaign will also provide information about the upcoming races and how to participate successfully, according to Maricopa County Elections Department spokesperson Megan Gilbertson. “It’s imperative for election experts to provide a trusted source of information to voters about the you know, the facts about elections administration,” Gilbertson told ABC News. “And so I think that initiatives like this are attainable for elections offices.” The city of Atlanta has launched the Atlanta Votes initiative, a similar online tool aimed at educating voters and increasing turnout. The Connecticut legislature has provided $2 million for internet, TV and mail education efforts on the election process, and to hire an election information security officer. Colorado has also hired a team called the “Rapid Response Election Security Cyber Unit” to monitor sites for misinformation. A voter fills out their ballot at Bedford High School during the New Hampshire Primary on Sept. 13, 2022 in Bedford, N.H. Scott Eisen/Getty Images The U.S. Elections Assistance Commission, a national clearinghouse for information regarding election administration, similarly revamped the information on its site to make it more digestible to everyday Americans, Chairman Thomas Hicks told ABC News. “I always say that election officials are public servants,” Hicks said. “None of us are doing this to get rich, and so we’re doing this for the love of our country and for our democracy.” Hicks said the commission has also worked with other organizations and has spoken to Twitter and Facebook about combating misinformation. The tech platforms took some steps tackle misinformation in 2020 but some experts said the actions weren’t enough. YouTube, Google and TikTok have announced election plans for 2022 that include bolstering trusted news sources and flagging or removing posts containing falsehoods about the process. But it’s difficult to stop individuals who are spreading disinformation, Burden said. “We have the First Amendment in the United States that protects people’s right to say things they believe, even if they’re factually incorrect,” Burden said. “If they think they don’t trust the system, they’re certainly allowed to say that. So it’s a difficult problem to solve.” Read More…

Today In History: October 7, Fox News Channel's Debut https://digitalalabamanews.com/today-in-history-october-7-fox-news-channels-debut/ Published October 7, 2022 at 3:38 AM MDT Today in History Today is Friday, Oct. 7, the 280th day of 2022. There are 85 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On Oct. 7, 1991, University of Oklahoma law professor Anita Hill publicly accused Supreme Court nominee Clarence Thomas of making sexually inappropriate comments when she worked for him; Thomas denied Hill’s allegations and would go on to win Senate confirmation. On this date: In 1765, the Stamp Act Congress convened in New York to draw up colonial grievances against England. In 1916, in the most lopsided victory in college football history, Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland University 222-0 in Atlanta. In 1949, the Republic of East Germany was formed. In 1982, the Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical “Cats” opened on Broadway. (The show closed Sept. 10, 2000, after a record 7,485 performances.) In 1985, Palestinian gunmen hijacked the Italian cruise ship Achille Lauro (ah-KEE’-leh LOW’-roh) in the Mediterranean. (The hijackers shot and killed Leon Klinghoffer, a Jewish-American tourist in a wheelchair, and pushed him overboard, before surrendering on Oct. 9.) In 1989, Hungary’s Communist Party renounced Marxism in favor of democratic socialism during a party congress in Budapest. In 1992, trade representatives of the United States, Canada and Mexico initialed the North American Free Trade Agreement during a ceremony in San Antonio, Texas, in the presence of President George H.W. Bush, Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney (muhl-ROO’-nee) and Mexican President Carlos Salinas de Gortari. In 1996, Fox News Channel made its debut. In 1998, Matthew Shepard, a gay college student, was beaten and left tied to a wooden fencepost outside of Laramie, Wyoming; he died five days later. (Russell Henderson and Aaron McKinney are serving life sentences for Shepard’s murder.) In 2001, the war in Afghanistan started as the United States and Britain launched air attacks against military targets and Osama bin Laden’s training camps in the wake of the September 11 attacks. In 2003, California voters recalled Gov. Gray Davis and elected Arnold Schwarzenegger their new governor. In 2020, President Donald Trump returned to the Oval Office for the first time since he was diagnosed with COVID-19; he credited an experimental drug treatment with helping his recovery. Debating from behind plexiglass shields, Vice President Mike Pence and Democrat Kamala Harris zeroed in on Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, with Harris labeling it “the greatest failure of any presidential administration” while Pence defended the overall response. Ten years ago: Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez won re-election for the third time. (Chavez died in March 2013 at age 58 after a two-year battle with cancer; he was succeeded by Vice President Nicolas Maduro.) Five years ago: Country music star Jason Aldean, who had been on stage at an outdoor concert in Las Vegas less than a week earlier when a gunman opened fire on the crowd, paid tribute to the victims and to the late Tom Petty by opening “Saturday Night Live” with Petty’s song, “I Won’t Back Down.” Protesters rallied across Russia in a challenge to President Vladimir Putin on his 65th birthday; heeding calls from opposition leader Alexei Navalny to pressure authorities into letting him enter the presidential race. One year ago: Abortions quickly resumed in at least six Texas clinics after a federal judge halted the most restrictive abortion law in the nation. (A federal appeals court would allow the law to go back into effect the following day.) The Senate dodged a U.S. debt disaster, voting to extend the government’s borrowing authority into December and temporarily avert an unprecedented federal default. (The House would approve the extension days later.) Google said it would crack down on digital ads promoting false claims about climate change, in hopes of limiting revenue for climate change deniers and stopping the spread of misinformation. Today’s Birthdays: Author Thomas Keneally is 87. Comedian and talk-show host Joy Behar is 80. Former National Security Council aide Lt. Col. Oliver North (ret.) is 79. Rock musician Kevin Godley (10cc) is 77. Actor Jill Larson is 75. Country singer Kieran Kane is 73. Singer John Mellencamp is 71. Rock musician Ricky Phillips is 71. Russian President Vladimir Putin is 70. Actor Mary Badham (Film: “To Kill a Mockingbird”) is 70. Rock musician Tico Torres (Bon Jovi) is 69. Actor Christopher Norris is 67. Cellist Yo-Yo Ma is 67. Gospel singer Michael W. Smith is 65. Olympic gold medal ice dancer Jayne Torvill is 65. Actor Dylan Baker is 64. Actor Judy Landers is 64. Recording executive and TV personality Simon Cowell is 63. Actor Paula Newsome is 61. Country singer Dale Watson is 60. Pop singer Ann Curless (Expose) is 59. R&B singer Toni Braxton is 55. Rock singer-musician Thom Yorke (Radiohead) is 54. Rock musician-dancer Leeroy Thornhill is 53. Actor Nicole Ari Parker is 52. Actor Allison Munn is 48. Rock singer-musician Damian Kulash (KOO’-lahsh) is 47. Singer Taylor Hicks is 46. Actor Omar Miller is 44. Neo-soul singer Nathaniel Rateliff (Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats) is 44. Actor Shawn Ashmore is 43. Actor Jake McLaughlin is 40. Electronic musician Flying Lotus (AKA Steve Ellison) is 39. MLB player Evan Longoria is 37. Actor Holland Roden is 36. Actor Amber Stevens is 36. MLB outfielder Mookie Betts is 30. Actor Lulu Wilson is 17. Read More…

UNC-Miami: Opponent Preview https://digitalalabamanews.com/unc-miami-opponent-preview/ CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — Miami coach Mario Cristobal is sticking with Tyler Van Dyke as his team’s starting quarterback for this weekend’s matchup against North Carolina, despite pulling Van Dyke in favor of backup Jake Garcia in the Hurricanes’ last game. The Tar Heels (4-1 overall, 1-0 ACC) face a road test at Miami (2-2, 0-0) on Saturday at Hard Rock Stadium (4 p.m., ESPN2).  It’s the first conference game for the Hurricanes, who had a bye week after their surprising 45-31 loss to Middle Tennessee. The sophomore Van Dyke had a rough outing against Middle Tennessee. He threw interceptions on his first two passes of that game, finishing 16-of-32 for 138 yards and one touchdown. Miami might utilize the redshirt freshman Garcia on Saturday. He stepped in for Van Dyke during the third quarter of the Middle Tennessee game. Garcia went 10-of-19 for 169 yards with no touchdowns, but did lead the Canes on two touchdown drives. “Tyler has played great football here for a long time and you don’t turn on your quarterback because we had a bad day as a program,” Cristobal said this week. “You make sure you do things and install things and work on things that the quarterback and supporting cast feel comfortable with, and at the same time you recognize and acknowledge Jake did a great job and has a super bright future here at Miami.” The Hurricanes, in their first season under Cristobal, used their bye week to search for answers, while looking to bounce back from consecutive losses. Miami fell 17-9 at Texas A&M, before stumbling against Middle Tennessee and dropping out of the Top 25. The Canes enter Saturday with a three-game losing streak against UNC. Miami ranks third among ACC teams in total offense (453.5 yards per game), tied for fifth in scoring offense (35 points per game), fourth in passing (275 yards per game), and sixth in rushing (178.5 yards per game). Van Dyke was inconsistent in his last game against North Carolina, completing 20-of-45 passes for 264 yards, and recording three interceptions and one touchdown. The Tar Heels survived that day for a 45-42 victory. It marked Van Dyke’s first career start on the road. Miami’s offense will rely on shifty running back Henry Parrish Jr., who’s been a consistently efficient playmaker this season. Thus far, he has run for 359 yards and four touchdowns, averaging 5.9 yards per carry. The Ole Miss transfer, who’s among a number of transfer portal additions made by the Hurricanes, ranks 11th among all Power Five backs in missed tackles forced (20). Miami quarterback Tyler Van Dyke hands off to running back Thad Franklin Jr. (Photo: Al Diaz/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service, Getty) While tight end Will Mallory plays a role as an important member of Miami’s passing attack — 12 catches for 127 yards on the season — the Canes have lacked production at wideout. Top receiver Xavier Restrepo is out indefinitely with a foot injury and other available options, such as Brashard Smith, Michael Redding III and Key’Shawn Smith, only have shown flashes of explosiveness. Miami’s offensive line looks dependable with left guard Jalen Rivers and right tackle DJ Scaife Jr. leading the way to help the run game, with the latter only allowing three quarterback pressures on the season. On defense, Miami cornerbacks Daryl Porter Jr. and Tyrique Stevenson both sustained injuries against Middle Tennessee. If these players are healthy in time for Saturday’s game, they’ll be needed to combat Drake Maye and UNC’s potent passing attack. Stevenson been targeted 13 times in coverage this season, allowing five receptions, one of which went for a touchdown. He’s had some struggles, most notably when he fumbled a punt at Texas A&M that resulted in an Aggies touchdown. Miami safeties Kamren Kinchens and James Williams have been responsible for 33 combined tackles this season. Williams is a versatile player whose ability to float — from free safety to linebacker to in the box — makes him a key player the Tar Heels must watch with caution. Kinchens has played 202 defensive snaps this season, the most of all players on defense. He has registered 14 tackles and two interceptions, and also recovered a fumble. The Hurricanes, under veteran coordinator Kevin Steele (stops at Alabama, Clemson, LSU, Auburn through the years), rank No. 10 nationally in rushing defense, but No. 94 in pass defense, only eight spots ahead of UNC in that category. Miami defensive ends Jahfari Harvey and Akheem Mesidor could cause problems for the Tar Heels. Mesidor has yet to miss a tackle attempt on the year. He has recorded eight tackles, two tackles for losses, one sack, and nine pressures in three games. Harvey leads the Canes with 14 quarterback pressures, three tackles for losses, and two sacks. The Hurricanes’ defensive line has size with defensive tackle Darrell Jackson Jr., who checks in a 6-foot-6 and 300 pounds. The Maryland transfer has totaled six tackles with eight pressures. His sheer size makes him a potent weapon to disrupt North Carolina’s inconsistent run game and force UNC to depend on Maye. “They’re an elite passing attack,” Cristobal said of the Tar Heels. “A lot of juniors and seniors starting for them. (Maye) extends drives not only with his arm, but he sees the field very well. Tall guy. Gets the ball out on time, gets it out before time, so the pass rush doesn’t affect him much. He knows where to go with the ball. When protection breaks down, he’s extended some plays and made some unbelievable throws. He’s also done a great job with his legs. They run quarterback draw so many different ways and he’s a long, athletic body and he throws his body around, especially when they’re close to the goal line. Just doing everything possible to move the sticks. He’s an excellent football player and we need to be at our best to defend him.” “247Sports Read More…

Bill To Expand Paid Parental Leave In Ohio Would Impact Virtually No Families – Ohio Capital Journal https://digitalalabamanews.com/bill-to-expand-paid-parental-leave-in-ohio-would-impact-virtually-no-families-ohio-capital-journal/ The following article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. A bill meant to expand paid parental leave in Ohio won’t impact the vast majority of families in the state. Only 11 states currently offer total paid family and medical leave, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. Unsurprisingly, Ohio is not one of them. Some parents, like Kaitlin Perciak, are just asking for less than nothing. “When you go into the hospital room, you’re supposed to be excited and happy,” Perciak, a working mom from the Cleveland area, said. “And you just find out this tremendously awful situation just happened to you.” As she lay in her hospital bed after giving birth to her premature son, working mom Perciak said she got a shock from her company. “I only had two weeks’ worth of pay and I thought it was much, much more,” she said. She had carved out eight weeks to spend with her baby but said her then-employer had only covered the first two. Her husband had to get a second job to be able to help provide for the new family of three, which took away from his time with the baby, Perciak said. It’s been nearly 25 years since Ohio updated its leave policy for state workers. Most families, like Perciak’s, must rely on their private business employers to give them leave, but it is not required. In Ohio, certain state employees get four weeks of paid family leave. Technically, qualifying workers could get up to six weeks of time off, but two of the six are a “waiting period” that employers don’t pay for. Those two weeks are funded by the employee’s personal time off. State Sen. Theresa Gavarone (R-Bowling Green) said that isn’t nearly enough. “They increased it 12 weeks with no waiting period for federal employees under Donald Trump,” Gavarone said. “And I thought, you know what? Why are we so different at the state level?” Senate Bill 360 proposes to expand parental leave to twelve weeks for government-employee parents of newly born and adopted children. Parents could also get six weeks of paid leave if their child is stillborn. There would be no more two-week waiting period to get the benefits, as well. Although some parents are happy to see an increase, the bill didn’t live up to the expectations of other parents. A News 5 analysis of state and census data shows only around .06% of workforce-aged Ohioans will actually be able to utilize these six to 12 weeks of family leave. Right now, only specific state workers, such as legislative employees and those in Executive-branch offices, would qualify. “If you have a higher-up position in the government, then you probably will have more than other people,” Perciak said, adding that the guidelines should be fairer. “We’ll see what private businesses do in response,” Gavarone said. “But right now we’re sticking to the state employees and we’ll see how the conversation goes.” While Perciak says this is great for government employees she and other parents are dealing with inflation and economic struggles. Plus, abortion is no longer an option and more children will be born in Ohio. Gavarone wants her bill to help combat those stressors, she said. “You’ve got all these additional expenses from diapers and formula and clothes and medicine and doctor visits and all the things that go along with a new baby,” the senator said. “And so if we can, you know, help families… Help them bond, be strong, get a strong and healthy start, then I think that’s something we should support.” Perciak had planned to have another child but said she won’t be able to afford one anytime soon. From the mother’s perspective, the government is not looking at the actual lives of babies, mothers and their families. “It’s becoming almost impossible to want to make that decision to have kids because of these things that are not being touched on,” the mother said. “And that’s not fair to us.” Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on Twitter and Facebook. GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics. Read More…

GOP Steps Up Crime Message In Midterm’s Final Stretch https://digitalalabamanews.com/gop-steps-up-crime-message-in-midterms-final-stretch/ FILE – Suffolk County Congressman Lee Zeldin listens as he prepares to participate in New York’s Republican gubernatorial debate at the studios of CBS2 TV, June 13, 2022, in New York. Zeldin, the Republican challenging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in next month’s election, has delivered his anti-crime message while speaking at buildings and bodegas in diverse New York City neighborhoods. (AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews, File) NEW YORK (AP) — The graphic surveillance video shows a man on a sidewalk suddenly punching someone in the head, knocking them to the ground. With muted screams and gunshots in the background, the video stitches together other surveillance clips of shootings and punching on streets and subway trains as a voiceover says, “You’re looking at actual violent crimes caught on camera in Kathy Hochul’s New York.” That’s not exactly true. The ad from Rep. Lee Zeldin, the Republican challenging New York Gov. Kathy Hochul in next month’s election, included video of an assault in California. Some of the footage depicted crimes that took place before Hochul took office last year. While acknowledging a mistake, Zeldin’s campaign defended the ad and said the message was clear: violent crime is out of control. That’s a theme GOP candidates across the U.S. are sounding in the final month of the critical midterm elections. The issue of crime is dominating advertising in some of the most competitive Senate races, including those in Wisconsin, Pennsylvania and Nevada, along with scores of House and governors campaigns such as the one in New York. The rhetoric is sometimes alarmist or of questionable veracity, closely echoing the language of former President Donald Trump, who honed a late-stage argument during the 2020 campaign that Democratic-led cities were out of control. That didn’t help Trump avoid defeat, but experts say Democrats would be wrong to ignore the potency of the attacks. “When violence is going up, people are concerned, and that’s when we tend to see it gain some traction as a political issue,” said Lisa L. Miller, professor of political science at Rutgers University, who focuses on crime as a political issue in countries across the world. The FBI released annual data this week that found violent crime rates didn’t increase substantially last year, though they remained above pre-pandemic levels. The report presents an incomplete picture, in part because it doesn’t include some of the nation’s largest police departments. More broadly, rates of violent crime and killings have increased around the U.S. since the pandemic, in some places spiking after hitting historic lows. Non-violent crime decreased during the pandemic, but the murder rate grew nearly 30% in 2020, rising in cities and rural areas alike, according to an analysis of crime data by The Brennan Center for Justice. The rate of assaults went up 10%, the analysis found. The rise defies easy explanation. Experts have pointed to a number of potential causes from worries about the economy and historically high inflation rates to intense stress and the pandemic that has killed more than 1 million people in the U.S. There is a history of candidates relying on racist tropes when warning of rising crime rates. During the 1988 presidential campaign, supporters of George H.W. Bush released the so-called Willie Horton ad that has become one of the most prominent examples of race-baiting in politics. In this year’s elections, Republicans often blame crime on criminal justice reforms adopted after George Floyd’s killing by Minneapolis police, including changes to bail laws that critics had long contended disproportionately impacted communities of color, along with accusations that Democrats have not been sufficiently supportive of law enforcement. Some GOP candidates are trying to make their case in communities of color. Zeldin, for instance, has delivered his anti-crime message while speaking at buildings and bodegas in diverse New York City neighborhoods. In Pennsylvania, the Republican nominee for Senate, heart surgeon-turned-TV talk show host Dr. Mehmet Oz, has toured the state holding “safe streets” forums in Black communities. Asked by a reporter about his focus on crime, Oz pointed to a conversation he had with Black Republican ward leaders in Philadelphia that turned from economic issues to struggling Black-owned businesses. “The African Americans in the group said, ‘Well, the deep problem is … people don’t feel safe,” Oz said in an interview. Malcolm Kenyatta, a Democratic state lawmaker from Philadelphia, said Oz is using crime victims to get votes but rejects steps like limiting the availability of firearms that would reduce gun violence. “Oz does not live in a community that is struggling with this kind of crime and nobody, nobody believes that he actually cares and would actively advance policy solutions that would help deal with this problem,” Kenyatta said. Despite the GOP messaging, it’s not clear that crime is a top priority for voters. In an AP-NORC poll conducted in June that allowed U.S. adults to name up to five issues they consider most important for the government to be working on in the next year, 11% named crime or violence, unchanged since December and well below the percentage naming many of the other top issues for Americans. A September Fox News poll asking people to name one issue motivating them to vote this year found just 1% named crime, even as most said they were very concerned about crime when asked directly. Still, Democrats are responding to Republican efforts to portray them as soft on crime. Hochul in recent days announced the endorsement of several law enforcement unions and released her own ad with a public safety message titled, “Focused on it,” to remind voters that she toughened the state’s gun laws. During a debate last week in Colorado, Democratic Gov. Jared Polis responded to his Republican opponent Heidi Ganahl, who has repeatedly portrayed him as soft on crime, by suggesting her plan to cut taxes would “defund the police” by cutting prison and police budgets. Ganahl denied that, calling herself a “law-and-order girl,” and blamed Polis for rising crime rates. In Oregon, the Republican candidate for governor is making crime a top issue in a three-person race, where an independent candidate who is a former Democratic state lawmaker could take enough votes from the Democratic nominee to help the GOP win the top office in a blue state. Democrat Tina Kotek has joined her opponents in pledging to increase police funding but has also backed tougher gun laws as part of a plan to tackle crime. That approach is one embraced by gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety Victory Fund, which is spending $2.4 million combined on ads in Wisconsin and Georgia to convince voters that Republicans who don’t support tougher gun laws are actually the ones “soft” on crime. “We can reset this narrative and neutralize the GOP’s, what I would call, artificial advantage on the issue,” said Charlie Kelly, a senior political advisor to Everytown. In some states, candidates are raising alarm about crime rates that remain relatively low or have even fallen. Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont, a Democrat, said in a recent debate as he runs for reelection that the state’s crime is “going down despite some of the fearmongering you hear.” State data shows violent crime rates in Connecticut dropped 9% in 2021 from 2020, which Lamont pointed out in a recent debate with his Republican challenger, Bob Stefanowski, who has made “out of control” crime a central plank of his campaign. When asked how he can keep making the argument that crime is on the rise when the numbers tell a different story, Stefanowski said people are afraid of rising crime, but he denied stoking those fears. “If we weren’t highlighting this, we wouldn’t be doing our job. I can tell you when we’re out there, people are afraid. I’m not trying to make them afraid,” he said. “They’re coming to me afraid and saying, ‘What are you going to do about it?’” Newsletter Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. Read More…

Ex-Oath Keeper: Group Leader Claimed Secret Service Contact https://digitalalabamanews.com/ex-oath-keeper-group-leader-claimed-secret-service-contact/ This artist sketch depicts the trial of Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and four others charged with seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022. Shown above are, witness John Zimmerman, who was part of the Oath Keepers’ North Carolina Chapter, seated in the witness stand, defendant Thomas Caldwell, of Berryville, Va., seated front row left, Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes, seated second left with an eye patch, defendant Jessica Watkins, of Woodstock, Ohio, seated third from right, Kelly Meggs, of Dunnellon, Fla., seated second from right, and defendant Kenneth Harrelson, of Titusville, Fla., seated at right. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Rakoczy is shown in blue standing at right before U.S. District Judge Amit Mehta. (Dana Verkouteren via AP) WASHINGTON (AP) — Oath Keepers founder Stewart Rhodes told a member of the extremist group before the 2020 election that he had a contact in the Secret Service, a witness testified Thursday in Rhodes’ Capitol riot trial. John Zimmerman, who was part of the North Carolina chapter, told jurors that Rhodes claimed to have a Secret Service agent’s number and to have spoken with the agent about the logistics of a September 2020 rally that then-President Donald Trump held in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The claim came on the third day of testimony in the case against Rhodes and four others charged with seditious conspiracy for what authorities have described as a detailed, drawn-out plot to stop the transfer of power from Trump to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the election. Zimmerman could not say for sure that Rhodes was speaking to someone with the Secret Service — only that Rhodes told him he was — and it was not clear what they were discussing. Zimmerman said Rhodes wanted to find out the “parameters” that the Oath Keepers could operate under during the election-year rally. The significance of the detail in the government’s case is unclear. Rhodes, from Granbury, Texas, and and the others are accused of spending weeks plotting to use violence in a desperate campaign to keep Trump in the White House. Trump’s potential ties to extremist groups have been a focus of the House committee investigating the riot at the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Another Oath Keeper expected to testify against Rhodes has claimed that after the riot, Rhodes phoned someone seemingly close to Trump and made a request: tell Trump to call on militia groups to fight to keep him in power. Authorities have not identified that person; Rhodes’ lawyer says the call never happened. A Secret Service spokesperson said the agency is aware that “individuals from the Oath Keepers have contacted us in the past to make inquiries.” The agency said that when creating a security plan for events, it is “not uncommon for various organizations to contact us concerning security restrictions and activities that are permissible in proximity to our protected sites.” The others are trial are Thomas Caldwell of Berryville, Virginia; Kenneth Harrelson of Titusville, Florida; Jessica Watkins of Woodstock, Ohio; and Kelly Meggs of Dunnellon, Florida. The trial is expected to last several weeks. Authorities say the Oath Keepers organized paramilitary training and stashed weapons with “quick reaction force” teams at a Virginia hotel in case they were needed before members stormed the Capitol alongside hundreds of other Trump supporters. Jurors also heard testimony from a man who secretly recorded a Nov. 9, 2020, conference call held by Rhodes in which the leader rallied his followers to prepare for violence and go to Washington. The man, Abdullah Rasheed, said he began recording the call with hundreds of Oath Keepers members because Rhodes’ rhetoric made it sound like “we were going to war with the United States government.” Rasheed said he tried to get in touch with authorities, including the U.S. Capitol Police and the FBI, about the call but that no one called him back until “after it all happened.” An FBI agent has testified that the bureau received a tip about the call in November 2020, and when asked if the FBI ever conducted an interview, he said “not to my knowledge.” The man contacted the FBI again in March 2021, was interviewed and gave authorities the recording of the call. Rhodes’ lawyers have said the Oath Keepers leader will testify that his actions leading up to Jan. 6 were in preparation for orders he believed were coming from Trump, but never did. Rhodes has said he believed Trump was going to invoke the Insurrection Act and call up a militia to support his bid to hold power. The defense says the Oath Keepers often set up quick reaction forces for events but they were only to be used to protect against violence from antifa activists or in the event Trump invoked the Insurrection Act. Zimmerman, the former Oath Keeper from North Carolina, described getting a quick reaction force ready for the “Million MAGA March” in Washington on Nov. 14, 2020, in case Trump invoked the Insurrection Act. Thousands of Trump supporters that day gathered at Freedom Plaza along Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington to rally behind Trump’s false election claims. Zimmerman told jurors that the Oath Keepers stashed at least a dozen rifles and several handguns in his van parked at Arlington National Cemetery to serve as the quick reaction force. He said they never took the guns into Washington. Zimmerman wasn’t in the city on Jan. 6 because he was recovering from the coronavirus and he said that after the Nov. 14 event, the North Carolina Oath Keepers split from Rhodes. Zimmerman said the split came over Rhodes’ suggestion that the Oath Keepers wear disguises to entice antifa activists to attack them so the Oath Keepers could give them a “beat down.” Zimmerman said Rhodes suggested dressing up as older people or mothers pushing strollers and putting weapons in the stroller. “I told him ‘No, that’s not what we do,’” Zimmerman said. “That’s entrapment. That’s illegal.” In a separate case on Thursday, Jeremy Joseph Bertino of North Carolina became the first member of the Proud Boys extremist group to plead guilty to seditious conspiracy in the Jan. 6 attack. Three Oath Keeper members have also pleaded guilty to the charge. Newsletter Join thousands already receiving our daily newsletter. Read More…

A Suspect Is In Custody After 2 People Are Killed, 6 Others Wounded In Series Of Stabbings In Front Of Las Vegas Casino, Police Say | CNN https://digitalalabamanews.com/a-suspect-is-in-custody-after-2-people-are-killed-6-others-wounded-in-series-of-stabbings-in-front-of-las-vegas-casino-police-say-cnn/ CNN  —  A suspect is in custody after two people were killed and six others were wounded in a series of stabbings in front of a casino in Las Vegas on Thursday, police said. Three of the surviving six victims were taken to hospitals, where they were in critical condition, the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said in a news release. The remaining three victims were in stable condition. One victim died at the scene, and another was pronounced dead at a hospital, police said. The suspect, 32-year-old Yoni Barrios, was taken into custody on two counts of open murder with a deadly weapon and six counts of attempted murder with a deadly weapon, police said in the news release. The suspect has been booked into Clark County Detention Center. It is unclear if Barrios has legal representation. The incident took place near the Wynn hotel and casino in the 3100 block of South Las Vegas Boulevard shortly before noon. Police Capt. Dori Koren said it was too early to determine a motive. “The initial stabbing occurs on the sidewalk area. It appears unprovoked. There is no altercation beforehand,” Police Deputy Chief James LaRochelle said earlier Thursday. “That stabbing occurs quickly, and then the suspect subsequently goes southbound on the sidewalk area and stabs additional victims.” A large kitchen knife was found at the scene, police said. Sheriff Joseph Lombardo said the victims were a combination of locals and tourists, and police will provide information on them after their families have been contacted. The suspect doesn’t appear to be from the area and is believed to have acted alone, authorities said. “Our thoughts are with the victims of this senseless attack on the Strip today,” Clark County officials said in a statement posted on Facebook. “We are grateful for the quick response from our Clark County Fire Department, LVMPD and other first responders.” Read More…

Interview: Why Mastering Language Is So Difficult For AI https://digitalalabamanews.com/interview-why-mastering-language-is-so-difficult-for-ai/ The field of artificial intelligence has never lacked for hype. Back in 1965, AI pioneer Herb Simon declared, “Machines will be capable, within 20 years, of doing any work a man can do.” That hasn’t happened — but there certainly have been noteworthy advances, especially with the rise of “deep learning” systems, in which programs plow through massive data sets looking for patterns, and then try to make predictions. Perhaps most famously, AIs that use deep learning can now beat the best human Go players (some years after computers bested humans at chess and Jeopardy). Mastering language has proven tougher, but a program called GPT-3, developed by OpenAI, can produce human-like text, including poetry and prose, in response to prompts. Deep learning systems are also getting better and better at recognizing faces, and recognizing images in general. And they have contributed to the software behind self-driving vehicles, in which the automobile industry has been investing billions. “Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust” by Gary Marcus and Ernest Davis (Pantheon 288 pages). But scientist, author, and entrepreneur Gary Marcus, who has had a front-row seat for many of these developments, says we need to take these advances with a grain of salt. Marcus, who earned his Ph.D. in brain and cognitive sciences from MIT and is now a professor emeritus at New York University, says the field of AI has been over-reliant on deep learning, which he believes has inherent limitations. We’ll get further, he says, by using not only deep learning but also more traditional symbol-based approaches to AI, in which computers encode human knowledge through symbolic representations (which in fact was the dominant approach during the early decades of AI research). Marcus believes that hybrid approaches, combining techniques from both methods, may be the most promising path toward the kind of “artificial general intelligence” that Simon and other AI pioneers imagined was just over the horizon. Marcus’s most recent book is “Rebooting AI: Building Artificial Intelligence We Can Trust” (Pantheon, 2019), co-authored with Ernest Davis, a professor of computer science at NYU. Undark recently caught up with Marcus for an interview conducted by Zoom and email. The interview has been edited for length and clarity. Undark: Let’s start with GPT-3, a language model that uses deep learning to produce human-like text. The New York Times Magazine said GPT-3 writes “with mind-boggling fluency,” while a story in Wired said the program was “provoking chills across Silicon Valley.” However, you’ve been quite critical of GPT-3. How come? Gary Marcus: I think it’s an interesting experiment. But I think that people are led to believe that this system actually understands human language, which it certainly does not. What it really is, is an autocomplete system that predicts next words and sentences. Just like with your phone, where you type in something and it continues. It doesn’t really understand the world around it. And a lot of people are confused by that. They’re confused by that because what these systems are ultimately doing is mimicry. They’re mimicking vast databases of text. And I think the average person doesn’t understand the difference between mimicking 100 words, 1,000 words, a billion words, a trillion words — when you start approaching a trillion words, almost anything you can think of is already talked about there. And so when you’re mimicking something, you can do that to a high degree, but it’s still kind of like being a parrot, or a plagiarist, or something like that. A parrot’s not a bad metaphor, because we don’t think parrots actually understand what they’re talking about. And GPT-3 certainly does not understand what it’s talking about. UD: You’ve written that GPT-3 can get confused about very basic facts. I suppose if you ask it who the president of the United States is, it may be almost as likely to say Donald Trump as Joe Biden — just because it is, as you say, mimicking. I suppose in some sense it doesn’t really know that it’s currently 2022? GM: It may even be more likely to mention Donald Trump as president, because probably the database that it is trained on has more examples of Trump. He’s in the news more; he was in the news for longer; he was in office for longer. He continues to be in the news more than your average ex-president might be. And yes, the system does not understand what year we live in. And it has no facility for temporal reasoning. You know, as a function of temporal reasoning, that just because you were president doesn’t mean you’re president anymore. Just because you were alive doesn’t mean that you’re still alive. You can reason that Thomas Edison cannot be president anymore because he is dead; GPT-3 cannot make that inference. It’s astonishingly dumb in that regard. UD: In spite of these AI systems being dumb, as you put it, people are often fooled into thinking that they’re smart. This seems to be related to what you’ve called the “gullibility gap.” What is the gullibility gap? GM: It’s the gap between our understanding of what these machines do and what they actually do. We tend to over-attribute to them; we tend to think that machines are more clever than they actually are. Someday, they really will be clever, but right now they’re not. And you go back to 1965: A system called ELIZA did very simple keyword-matching and had no idea what it was talking about. But it fooled some people into discussing their private lives with it. It was couched as a therapist. And it was via teletype, which is sort of like text messaging. And people were taken in; they thought they were talking to a living person. And the same thing is happening with GPT-3, and with Google’s LaMDA, where a Google engineer actually thought, or alleged, that the system was sentient. It’s not sentient, it has no idea of the things that it is talking about. But the human mind sees something that looks human-like, and it races to conclusions. That’s what the gullibility is about. We’re not evolved nor trained to recognize those things. UD: Many readers will be familiar with the Turing Test, based on an idea put forward by computer pioneer Alan Turing in 1950. Roughly, you ask an unseen entity a series of questions, and if that entity is a computer, but you can’t tell it’s a computer, then it “passes” the test; we might say that it’s intelligent. And it’s often in the news. For example, in 2014, a chatbot called Eugene Goostman, under certain criteria, was said to have passed the test. But you’ve been critical of the Turing Test. Where does it fall short? GM: The Turing Test has a kind of incumbency: It’s been around the longest; it’s the longest-known measure of intelligence within AI — but that doesn’t make it very good. You know, in 1950, we didn’t really know much about AI. I still think we don’t know that much. But we know a lot more. The idea was basically, if you talk to a machine, and it tricks you into thinking that it’s a person when it’s not, then that must be telling you something. But it turns out, it’s very easily gamed. First of all, you can fool a person by pretending to be paranoid or pretending to be a 13-year-old boy from Odessa, as Eugene Goostman did. And so, you just sidestep a lot of the questions. So a lot of the engineering that has gone into beating the Turing test is really about playing games and not actually about building genuinely intelligent systems. UD: Let’s talk about driverless cars. A few years ago, it seemed like great progress was happening, and then things seem to have slowed down. For example, where I live, in Toronto, there are no self-driving taxis whatsoever. So what happened? GM: Just as GPT-3 doesn’t really understand language, merely memorizing a lot of traffic situations that you’ve seen doesn’t convey what you really need to understand about the world in order to drive well. And so, what people have been trying to do is to collect more and more data. But they’re only making small incremental progress doing that. And as you say, there aren’t fleets of self-driving taxis in Toronto, and there certainly aren’t fleets in Mumbai. Most of this work right now is done in places with good weather and reasonably organized traffic, that’s not as chaotic. The current systems, if you put them in Mumbai, wouldn’t even understand what a rickshaw is. So they’d be in real trouble, from square one. UD: You pointed out in Scientific American recently that most of the large teams of AI researchers are found not in academia but in corporations. Why is that relevant? GM: For a bunch of reasons. One is that corporations have their own incentives about what problems they want to solve. For example, they want to solve advertisements. That’s not the same as understanding natural language for the purpose of improving medicine. So there’s an incentive issue. There’s a power issue. They can afford to hire many of the best people, but they don’t necessarily apply those to the problems that would most benefit society. There is a data problem, in that they have a lot of proprietary data they don’t necessarily share, which is again not for the greatest good. That means that the fruits of current AI are in the hands of corporations rather than the general public; that they’re tailored to the needs of the corporations rather than the general public. UD: But they rely on the general public because it’s ordinary citizens’ data that they’re using to build their databases, right? It’s humans who have tagged a billion photos that help them train their AI systems. GM: That’s right. And that particular point is coming to a head, even as we speak, with respect to art. So systems like OpenAI’s DALL-E are drawing pretty excellent imagery, but they’re doing it...

Kelly Criticizes Biden, Masters Backtracks In Senate Debate – KESQ https://digitalalabamanews.com/kelly-criticizes-biden-masters-backtracks-in-senate-debate-kesq/ By JONATHAN J. COOPER Associated Press PHOENIX (AP) — Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly distanced himself from President Joe Biden on Thursday, calling the U.S.-Mexico border “a mess” and saying his party doesn’t understand border issues during his first and only debate against his Republican challenger Blake Masters. Masters, trying to back away from some of the hard-line positions he took during the bruising GOP primary, said there should be some limits on abortion but not a national ban, conceded after a few prompts that Biden was the legitimately elected president and acknowledged that he hadn’t seen evidence the 2020 vote count was rigged. For Masters, the debate was a chance for a reset in his first political campaign, with polls showing he’s trailing Kelly in a race that could help determine party control of the Senate. Kelly, seeking his first full term in office and cognizant of Biden’s faltering approval ratings, sought to portray himself as an effective senator who was working for solutions on the country’s immigration problem and Americans’ economic worries. On defense over an issue that Republicans have made a central plank of their bid to retake the Senate majority, Kelly said he’s stood up to his party when necessary to stem the flow of illegal immigration and drug trafficking. “When I got to Washington, D.C., one of the first things I realized was the Democrats don’t understand this issue,” Kelly said. “And Republicans just want to talk about it, complain about it but actually not do anything about it. They just want to politicize that.” He pointed to his opposition to Biden’s plans to end a pandemic-era program that allows for the speedy removal of immigrants in the name of public health. “When the president decided he’s going to do something dumb on this and change the rules, that would create a bigger crisis, I told him he was wrong,” Kelly said. The Arizona race is one of a handful of contests that Republicans targeted in their bid to take control of what is now a 50-50 Senate. Kelly, a retired astronaut and Navy pilot, first captured the seat in 2020, winning a special election to fill the remainder of the late Sen. John McCain’s term. Masters, a protégé of billionaire investor Peter Thiel, was endorsed by former President Donald Trump, who cited the candidate’s strident support of his lies about a stolen 2020 election. On Thursday night, Masters tried to pivot away from claims of a rigged election and instead blamed Trump’s loss on a conspiracy among powerful institutions. “I suspect President Trump would be in the White House today if big tech and big media and the FBI didn’t work together to put the thumb on the scale to get Joe Biden in there,” Masters said, claiming institutions conspired to bury news stories about material on a laptop owned by Hunter Biden, the president’s son. Under repeated questioning, he acknowledged that he hasn’t seen evidence that the vote count or election results were manipulated, as Trump has claimed. Numerous federal and local officials, a long list of courts, top former campaign staffers and even Trump’s own attorney general have all said there is no evidence of the fraud he alleges. Masters endeared himself to many GOP primary voters with his penchant for provocation and contrarian thinking. But since then, he has struggled to redefine his image for the more moderate swing voters he will need to win in November. Kelly drew from a pile of controversial statements Masters made during the primary to portray him as an extremist. He repeatedly hammered Masters’ earlier call to “cut the knot” and “privatize Social Security,” a plan that Kelly said would “send your savings to Wall Street.” Masters later scrubbed some controversial positions from his website. He now says he wants to protect Social Security for older and middle-aged workers while creating a private investment option for younger workers. On abortion, Masters said Thursday that he’s “pro-life as a matter of conscience” and believes states should be able to set their own laws on terminating pregnancies, but said he’d support federal legislation banning it after 15 weeks gestation. During the GOP primary, Masters said abortion was “demonic” and called for a federal personhood law that would give fetuses the rights of people. Kelly said abortion should be a personal decision and said he supports limits from Roe v. Wade, the U.S. Supreme Court decision overturned last summer that guaranteed a right to an abortion. “I think we all know guys like this, guys that think they know better than everyone about everything,” Kelly said, turning to Masters. “You think you know better than women and doctors about abortion.” Masters tried to pierce Kelly’s image as an independent moderate willing to work across the aisle. He said Kelly has failed to use his leverage to secure the border and is responsible for rising prices that are forcing families to make tough decisions. The Phoenix metro area has been the hardest hit nationally by inflation, according to an analysis by the personal finance website WalletHub. “Two years ago Mark Kelly stood right there and he promised to be independent,” Masters said in his opening statement, calling Kelly a reliable vote for Biden’s agenda. “But he broke that promise.” For Masters, the debate was a chance to go on the offensive against Kelly, whose popularity with independents helped him win two years ago in a state long dominated by Republicans. Thiel, who employed Masters for most of his adult life and bankrolled the candidate’s primary campaign, has not opened his wallet for the general election, though he has held fundraisers. A super political action committee controlled by Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has pared back its own spending commitments. That has left Democrats an opening to define Masters on their terms. Masters met Thiel when Masters took a class that the billionaire taught at Stanford University. They wrote a book together, Thiel hired him and Masters eventually rose to senior positions in Thiel’s foundation and his investment firm. The debate came less than a week before early and mail voting begins in the state, the methods chosen by at least 80% of voters in Arizona in recent elections. ___ Associated Press writer Bob Christie in Phoenix contributed to this report. ___ For more information on the midterm elections, go to: https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections Read More…

Austria's President Likely To Be Re-Elected As 'safe' Choice https://digitalalabamanews.com/austrias-president-likely-to-be-re-elected-as-safe-choice/ VIENNA — Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen, who held office through a period of domestic political instability, a global pandemic and the ongoing war in Ukraine, has campaigned for reelection by pitching himself as the stable option in unstable times. Voters are widely expected to hand Van der Bellen a second term. The main question is whether his victory will come when the country holds the first round of its presidential election on Sunday or if the election will go to a second-round runoff. Campaign posters in recent weeks featured the incumbent occupant of Vienna’s Hofburg presidential palace with a red-white-red background — representing the colors of the Austrian flag — and the slogan “The Safe Choice in Stormy Times.” Van der Bellen, who previously belonged to The Greens but is running as an independent, is one of seven candidates vying for the presidency. He has the implicit or explicit backing of most major parties in Austria, which is partly why his reelection is so likely. The Greens, the Social Democrats and the liberal Neos have endorsed him, and the conservative People’s Party declined to field a challenger. Of the five parties represented in the Austrian Parliament, only the far-right Freedom Party opted to run a candidate against him — its former parliamentary leader Walter Rosenkranz, a lawyer. Other candidates on the ballot include the left-leaning, satirical Beer Party’s Dominik Wlazny, known as Marco Pogo, as well as a handful of right-wing and conspiracy-minded candidates, such as Michael Brunner of the anti-coronavirus party People Freedom Fundamental Rights and Gerald Grosz, a former leader of the now-defunct, far-right party Alliance for the Future of Austria. Austrian presidents are elected for six-year terms and serve as the country’s head of state. Although the position on paper holds significant authority, including to sign off on legislation, dismiss government ministers and to dissolve the parliament and call for new elections, the powers are rarely used. Van der Bellen must receive 50% of the vote to avoid a runoff election in November. Opinion polling has consistently put him above that mark in recent weeks. Peter Hajek, head of the Vienna-based polling firm Public Opinion Strategies, said the most recent polls put Van der Bellen’s support well above 50%, meaning that he will likely reach that threshold even if there is low voter turnout. “Alexander Van der Bellen indeed holds all the trump cards,” Hajek said. As a result, the presidential campaign has been relatively subdued: Van der Bellen has opted for smaller events rather than large-scale rallies, and he declined to participate in televised debates with his opponents. Rosenkranz and other candidates, meanwhile, have used the race as an opportunity to get their messages and campaign rhetoric out despite the tough odds they face. Van der Bellen has said he is confident he can win outright in Sunday’s vote. “If things go well, I’m going to get more votes than all six of my competitors combined,” he said during an event at a Jewish community center this week. “If I don’t get my wish, well, then I’ll just win four weeks later. … I don’t want that. I want to win this Sunday.” Van der Bellen was first elected president in 2016 in a closely watched race between him and the Freedom Party’s Norbert Hofer. That year, the same one that produced the Brexit vote in the United Kingdom and Donald Trump’s election in the United States, Austria could have elected its first far-right head of state since World War II. This year, the Freedom Party has capitalized on inflation and rising energy prices to make modest poll gains in recent months. But it’s been unable to pose the kind of strong challenge to Van der Bellen that Hofer did six years ago. Early election projections should be available shortly after the polls close at 5 p.m. (3 p.m. GMT) Sunday. —— Philipp Jenne in Vienna contributed reporting. Read More…

LA Senior College, Auburn Library To Offer Class On Moroccan City Of Fez https://digitalalabamanews.com/la-senior-college-auburn-library-to-offer-class-on-moroccan-city-of-fez/ Connections increase font size The Lewiston Auburn Senior College Community Program, in partnership with the Auburn Public Library, plan to hold a class, “Inside the Medina of Fez, Morocco.” This class is scheduled for 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 13, at Auburn Public Library. This and all of the programs in this series are held in the Androscoggin Community Room on the ground floor of the library at 49 Spring St. This class will introduce the Moroccan city of Fez, and its oldest quarter, the Medina, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the only intact medieval city in the Arab world. Considered the imperial and spiritual capital of Morocco, the Fez Medina is a jewel of history, culture, artisan crafts, and architecture, according to a news release from Susan Brown, public relations with the senior college. People can learn about some of Fez’s famous citizens, including Fatima al-Fihri, who in 859 CE used her inheritance to found the Qarawiyyin Mosque and University, which still stands today. Kay Hardy Campbell, a midcoast Maine resident and lifelong student of Arabic language, culture, history and music, is the instructor. Campbell majored in Arabic at the University of Minnesota and earned a master’s degree from Harvard in Middle Eastern studies. She lived in Saudi Arabia for several years, and writes about Arab culture for Armco World Magazine. Her first novel, “A Caravan of Brides,” is set in the world of Saudi women. Campbell has published several articles about the folk music and folk dances of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, and is a director and co-founder of the Arabic Music Retreat. The Medina is the setting for Campbell’s novel, “The Sons of Fez: A Moroccan Time Travel Adventure.” For more information, call the library’s reference desk at 207-333-6640, ext. 4. Check out other upcoming area events! « Previous Read More…

Arizona Senate Race Debate: Democrat Mark Kelly, Republican Blake Masters Clash Over Immigration, Abortion https://digitalalabamanews.com/arizona-senate-race-debate-democrat-mark-kelly-republican-blake-masters-clash-over-immigration-abortion/ Arizona Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly and Republican challenger Blake Masters took to the debate stage in Phoenix Thursday evening, where the two clashed over President Joe Biden’s handling of the U.S. economy, border security, and reproductive rights. The candidates opened the debate by highlighting how high inflation has crippled consumer spending across the country. Masters specifically shared a story of how some parents are having to forgo meals so they can better afford to feed their children. “This crushing inflation is ruining people’s lives,” Masters told debate moderator Ted Simons. “I had parents come up to me two weeks ago to a campaign event. They said Blake, we don’t eat breakfast anymore. We drink coffee. We drink coffee so that we can afford to feed our kids breakfast. And that’s on you, sir. This is the Joe Biden-Mark Kelly economy.” Kelly, a former astronaut, was narrowly elected in 2020 to serve the remainder of late Republican Sen. John McCain’s term, said the COVID-19 pandemic, which he referred to as “something unprecedented,” was squarely to blame for the current economic crisis. ARIZONA SENATE SHOWDOWN: DEMOCRATIC SEN. KELLY AND GOP CHALLENGER MASTERS FACE-OFF IN THEIR ONLY DEBATE “Two and a half years ago, we went through something unprecedented. You know, COVID-19, schools had to shut down. Businesses shut down across Arizona,” he said. “Sometimes the federal government has to step in to save small business. You know, they have to step in to protect livelihoods.” Masters, a venture capitalist, who is backed by former President Donald Trump, rebutted, saying Biden continues to needlessly spend money, exacerbating the inflation problem. “Joe Biden is spending like a drunken sailor at every single opportunity. Mark Kelly just says yes. He can’t say no to [Senate Majority Leader] Chuck Schumer. He can’t say no to Joe Biden,” the Republican said. He added: “At least Senator Sinema stopped Build Back Better. My gosh, you were ready to vote for that. That would have just ruined our economy.” The candidates then tackled border security and immigration. While both candidates advocated for a more secure border, Kelly pointed to Washington’s — and Biden’s — failure to help alleviate an overwhelmed Border Patrol and to mitigate record levels of immigration. The Democrat was fighting for Arizonans though, he argued. “I’ve been strong on border security and I’ve stood up to Democrats when they’re wrong on this issue including the president,” Kelly said. “When the president decided he was going to do something dumb on this and change the rules, you know, that would create a bigger crisis.” KELLY UP IN ARIZONA SENATE RACE, HOBBS & LAKE BATTLE FOR GOVERNORSHIP The Democrat added: “You know, I told him he was wrong. So I pushed back on this administration multiple times. And I’ve got more money on the ground to increase Border Patrol staffing technology and where it makes sense to build more barriers.” Staying on message, Kelly again pointed to Washington and party leaders, including the president, for failing to secure the border. “Washington, D.C. has failed on the border,” Kelly continued. “Washington, D.C. has failed on this issue of border security and immigration for decades. And it’s been crisis after crisis. I’ve been focused on this since day one, you know, and I brought more resources here to the state of Arizona to deal with it.” Masters countered by saying Kelly was simply not doing enough to help protect Arizona from some of the dangers involved with not properly vetting those crossing into the country. He also pointed out that Kelly voted against an amendment that would have allowed the hiring of 18,000 more Border Patrol agents. “If this is the result of Senator Kelly being focused on the border, my gosh, he’s the most ineffective and worst senator of all time,” Masters said. “The border is wide open. People are walking through by the hundreds of thousands.” “Mark Kelly voted for more IRS agents not more Border Patrol agents,” the Republican added. The two candidates also clashed over abortion and reproductive care, an issue that has risen in popularity among potential voters after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade over the summer. THESE 11 SENATE RACES WILL DETERMINE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE MAJORITY Masters said he supports an abortion limit set at 15 weeks of pregnancy, matching a proposal from South Carolina Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham. “I support limits at the federal level,” the Republican said. “Senator Lindsey Graham has proposed a fifteen-week bill with the common exceptions and I support that. I believe in limits.” Masters said Kelly, who has advocated for codifying a constitutional right for women to have an abortion, believes in “no limits” regarding abortions. Kelly pushed back calling the high court’s decision “devastating” and “wrong” and argued Masters would completely roll back abortion procedures in the state. “Let me be perfectly clear. Arizona women have totally lost the right to make a decision about abortion. It’s devastating. It’s wrong. And it’s exactly what my opponent, Blake Masters, wants,” he said. The event was their only debate ahead of November’s midterm elections which are just over a month away. The debate was hosted by Arizona PBS and the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission and the two frontrunners were joined by Libertarian nominee Marc Victor. Read More…

Georgia Republican Says Herschel Walker Became The GOP's Senate Pick Because He Was A 'famous Football Player' Backed By Trump: 'We Didn't Ask Who Was The Best Leader' https://digitalalabamanews.com/georgia-republican-says-herschel-walker-became-the-gops-senate-pick-because-he-was-a-famous-football-player-backed-by-trump-we-didnt-ask-who-was-the-best-leader/ Georgia’s Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan slammed the process by which Herschel Walker became a Senate pick. Geoff said Republicans had just looked around to see who Trump supported to select their candidate. “Herschel Walker hasn’t earned my respect or my vote,” Duncan told CNN. Georgia’s GOP Lt. Gov. Geoff Duncan has criticized how Herschel Walker became the Republican Party’s pick in the state’s Senate race. During a CNN appearance on Thursday, Duncan said Republicans needed a representative in the Senate to gain control of the upper chamber. However, he slammed the choice of Walker as a GOP Senate candidate. “We didn’t ask who was the best leader. We didn’t ask who had the best resume. Unfortunately, Republicans looked around to see who Donald Trump supported,” Duncan said. “And he was a famous football player, and so he became our nominee, and now we’re paying the price for that.” When asked by CNN anchor Anderson Cooper if he would vote for Walker, Duncan said he would not despite having spent the last decade “championing some of the most conservative policies.” “I’m not voting for Raphael Warnock, and Herschel Walker hasn’t earned my respect or my vote,” Duncan said, referring to Walker’s Democratic opponent. “And, you know, I’m like hundreds of thousands of other Republicans here in Georgia. We’re confused. We don’t — we don’t really have anywhere to go right now,” he added. A spokesperson for Walker and the candidate’s legal representative did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment. Walker has been fending off a scandal following a bombshell report from The Daily Beast published this week. The outlet interviewed the mother of one of Walker’s children, who said Walker paid for her to have an abortion after getting her pregnant in 2009. The woman shared a $575 receipt from the abortion clinic, along with an image of a get-well card and a $700 check, both signed by Walker. Walker has denied that he ever paid a woman to get an abortion, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity on Monday that he sends money “to a lot of people.” In an opinion piece published on the CNN site on Thursday, Duncan also unloaded on Walker and the GOP for choosing him as the party’s Senate candidate. “If we want the American public to take us seriously, we need to take the first step by nominating candidates they should take seriously,” Duncan wrote. “That process goes beyond celebrity or fame. It requires leaders capable of winning elections by articulating a conservative vision for governing.” Read the original article on Business Insider Read More…

Riot Plea: Proud Boys Member Admits To Seditious Conspiracy https://digitalalabamanews.com/riot-plea-proud-boys-member-admits-to-seditious-conspiracy-2/ Far-right Proud Boys member Jeremy Joseph Bertino, second from left, joins other supporters of President Donald Trump who are wearing attire associated with the Proud Boys as they attend a rally at Freedom Plaza, Dec. 12, 2020, in Washington. Bertino pleaded guilty on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, to plotting with other members of the Proud Boys to violently stop the transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election, making him the first member of the extremist group to plead guilty to a seditious conspiracy charge. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez, File) WASHINGTON (AP) — A North Carolina man pleaded guilty Thursday to plotting with other members of the far-right Proud Boys to violently stop the transfer of presidential power after the 2020 election, making him the first member of the extremist group to plead guilty to a seditious conspiracy charge. Jeremy Joseph Bertino, 43, has agreed to cooperate with the Justice Department’s investigation of the role that Proud Boys leaders played in the mob’s attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, a federal prosecutor said. Bertino’s cooperation could ratchet up the pressure on other Proud Boys charged in the siege, including former national chairman Henry “Enrique” Tarrio. The guilty plea comes as the founder of the another extremist group, the Oath Keepers, and four associates charged separately in the Jan. 6 attack stand trial on seditious conspiracy — a rarely used Civil War era offense that calls for up to 20 years behind bars. Bertino traveled to Washington with other Proud Boys in December 2020 and was stabbed during a fight, according to court documents. He was not in Washington for the Jan. 6 riot because he was still recovering from his injuries, court papers say. Bertino participated in planning sessions in the days leading up to Jan. 6 and received encrypted messages as early as Jan. 4 indicating that Proud Boys were discussing possibly storming the Capitol, according to authorities. A statement of offense filed in court says that Bertino understood the Proud Boys’ goal in traveling to Washington was to stop the certification of Joe Biden’s victory and that the group was prepared to use force and violence if necessary to do so. On Jan. 6, Bertino applauded the insurrection from afar and sent messages encouraging other Proud Boys to keep pushing toward the Capitol. “DO NOT GO HOME. WE ARE ON THE CUSP OF SAVING THE CONSTITUTION,” he wrote on a social media account. That night, he messaged Tarrio, “You know we made this happen.” Bertino also pleaded guilty to a charge of unlawfully possessing firearms in March 2022 in Belmont, North Carolina. U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly agreed to release Bertino pending a sentencing hearing, which wasn’t immediately scheduled. Justice Department prosecutor Erik Kenerson said sentencing guidelines for Bertino’s case recommend a prison sentence ranging from four years and three months to five years and three months. A trial is scheduled to start in December for Tarrio and four other members charged with seditious conspiracy: Ethan Nordean, Joseph Biggs, Zachary Rehl and Dominic Pezzola. The charging document for Bertino’s case names those five defendants and a sixth Proud Boys member as his co-conspirators. Tarrio’s case is among the most serious charged in the attack, which sent lawmakers running and left dozens of officers bloodied and bruised. The indictment in Tarrio’s case alleges that the Proud Boys held meetings and communicated over encrypted messages to plan for the attack in the days leading up to Jan. 6. On the day of the riot, authorities say Proud Boys dismantled metal barricades set up to protect the Capitol and mobilized, directed and led members of the crowd into the building. Video testimony by Bertino was featured in June at the first hearing by the House committee investigating Jan. 6. The committee showed a clip of Bertino saying that the group’s membership “tripled, probably” after Trump’s comment at a presidential debate that the Proud Boys should “stand back and stand by.” Tarrio wasn’t in Washington on Jan. 6, but authorities say he helped put into motion the violence that day. Police arrested Tarrio in Washington two days before the riot and charged him with vandalizing a Black Lives Matter banner at a historic Black church during a protest in December 2020. Tarrio was released from jail on Jan. 14 of this year after serving his five-month sentence for that case. More than three dozen people charged in the Capitol riot have been identified by federal authorities as leaders, members or associates of the Proud Boys. Two — Matthew Greene and Charles Donohoe — pleaded guilty to conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, the Jan. 6 joint session of Congress for certifying the Electoral College vote. Proud Boys members describe the group as a politically incorrect men’s club for “Western chauvinists.” They have brawled with antifascist activists at rallies and protests. Vice Media co-founder Gavin McInnes, who founded the Proud Boys in 2016, sued the Southern Poverty Law Center for labeling it as a hate group. Nordean, of Auburn, Washington, was a Proud Boys chapter president and a member of the group’s national “Elders Council.” Biggs, of Ormond Beach, Florida, is a self-described Proud Boys organizer. Rehl was president of the Proud Boys chapter in Philadelphia. Pezzola is a Proud Boys member from Rochester, New York. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…

Biden Issues Federal Pardons For 'simple Possession' Of Marijuana https://digitalalabamanews.com/biden-issues-federal-pardons-for-simple-possession-of-marijuana/ Image source, Getty Images President Joe Biden has pardoned all Americans who have been convicted at the national level of possessing small amounts of marijuana. Officials estimate about 6,500 people with federal convictions for simple possession of marijuana will benefit. No-one is currently in federal prison solely for possession of marijuana. Most convictions occur at state level. But the federal pardons will make it easier for people to get employment, housing, and education, Mr Biden said. As a presidential candidate, Mr Biden promised to decriminalise cannabis use, as well as expunging convictions. “Sending people to prison for possessing marijuana has upended too many lives and incarcerated people for conduct that many states no longer prohibit,” Mr Biden said on Thursday. He added that non-white people were statistically far more likely to be jailed for cannabis. As a White House candidate, Mr Biden was criticised for writing a 1994 crime bill that stiffened penalties for drug crimes and led to more incarceration of minorities. Media caption, Cannabis boom: Why Oklahoma is a ‘wild wild west’ The Democratic president said he would call upon all state governors to issue their own marijuana pardons. He is also directing the Department of Justice and the Department of Health to review how cannabis is classified under federal law. “We classify marijuana at the same level as heroin – and more serious than fentanyl,” said Mr Biden. “It makes no sense.” Recreational marijuana is already legal in 19 states and Washington DC. Medical use is legal in 37 states and three US territories. However, the drug remains illegal at the federal level, even in states where it can be legally bought and used, meaning people there could still be convicted for possession in certain circumstances. The pardons come a month before November’s congressional mid-term elections, which will determine the power balance in Washington for the last two years of Mr Biden’s term. Life for Pot, a website advocating for the release of non-violent marijuana offenders, noted that there are no known federal prisoners that will be affected by Mr Biden’s measure, tweeting: “This is window dressing.” Cannabis company shares jumped on the stock market by around 20% with news of Mr Biden’s pardons. Mr Biden is not the first US president to pardon cannabis offenders. On his final day in office, Donald Trump pardoned 12 marijuana offenders, including some who had been jailed for life under the three-strikes rule created by Mr Biden’s 1994 crime bill. Read More…

Samsung’s Earnings Plummet In Warning Sign For Global Demand https://digitalalabamanews.com/samsungs-earnings-plummet-in-warning-sign-for-global-demand/ South Korean tech giant reports worse-than-expected 32 percent drop in quarterly operating earnings. Published On 7 Oct 20227 Oct 2022 Samsung Electronics Co has flagged a worse-than-expected 32 percent drop in quarterly operating earnings, as an economic downturn slashed demand for electronic devices and the memory chips that go in them. Estimated profit fell to 10.8 trillion won ($7.67bn) in July-September – the first year-on-year decline in nearly three years – from 15.8 trillion won a year earlier, the company said in a preliminary earnings release on Friday. The result was 8.5 percent below an 11.8 trillion won SmartEstimate from Refinitiv. Samsung’s memory chip shipments likely came in below already downgraded expectations and prices could fall further this quarter, analysts said, as customers react to rising inflation, higher interest rates and the effect of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Samsung, the world’s top maker of memory chips, smartphones and televisions, is a bellwether for global consumer demand and its disappointing preliminary results add to a flurry of earnings downgrades and gloomy forecasts. Companies and consumers have tightened their belts, with memory chip buyers such as smartphone and PC makers holding off on new purchases and using up existing inventory, driving down shipments and ushering in an industry downcycle. “Memory chip business is worse than expected, DRAM chip shipments may be down by higher-teens percentage versus second-quarter,” said Park Sung-soon, an analyst at Cape Investment & Securities. “Price negotiation trend seems to suggest customers’ demand rapidly worsened during the quarter.” Analysts expect memory chip prices to continue to plunge in the current quarter, causing a further dip in Samsung’s fourth-quarter profits. Demand is not expected to recover until early next year. Investment plans Rival Micron Technology last week became the first memory chip maker to officially cut its investment plans for next year, and larger rival SK Hynix has hinted at a possible investment cut. Chipmaker Advanced Micro Devices on Thursday provided third-quarter revenue estimates that were about $1bn less than previously forecast on weak PC demand, signalling the chip slump could be much worse than expected. Samsung is currently not discussing a memory chip production cut, an executive told reporters in the United States on Wednesday, according to Yonhap news agency. “Investors will be interested to hear whether Samsung considers a capex cut, or plans a lot of chip equipment maintenance, or pursues a strategy of profitability. This will signal chip supply conditions,” Park said. Samsung is due to release detailed earnings on October 27, when executives will also provide briefings for media and analysts. Its shares, which have fallen nearly 30 percent this year, rose 0.2 percent in morning trade, versus a 0.3 percent drop in the wider market. Counterpoint Research said estimated smartphone shipments by Samsung’s mobile business in the third quarter were about 66 million, a 5 percent drop on-year, as Samsung launched its new flagship foldable phones during the quarter. “High and premium-tier market is relatively resilient with solid demand despite the recent economic gloom,” said Liz Lee, associate director at Counterpoint. In the US, “the initial sales for the Galaxy Z4 series were higher than the Galaxy Z3 series sales”. Analysts have said Samsung remains overexposed to demand-dependent businesses such as mobile phones and memory chips that are vulnerable to economic downturns, in the absence of a larger share in long-term chip contract manufacturing. “Samsung needs product lines with a high share of long-term agreements, exclusive market dominance and a premium brand with high consumer preference, but it still needs time to get there,” said Greg Roh, head of research at Hyundai Motor Securities. Foldable display panels and advanced foundry processes were “important” for the company to become less exposed to economic downturns, Roh added. Quarterly revenue likely rose 3 percent from the same period a year earlier to 76 trillion won, Samsung said. Read More…

Foley Rallies Past Alma Bryant In 2nd Half https://digitalalabamanews.com/foley-rallies-past-alma-bryant-in-2nd-half/ Kolton Nero scored four touchdowns — three coming in the pivotal second half — as Foley withstood a gallant effort by Christian Mose and his Alma Bryant teammates and defeated the Hurricanes 55-32 in a Class 7A, Region 1 battle at Hurricane Stadium on Thursday night. Nero scored on runs of 1, 36, 1 and 1 yards and finished with 19 carries for 137 yards as Foley, which was still sky-high after defeating then No. 2-ranked Fairhope 39-38 last week, improved to 4-3 overall and 3-1 in region play. Mose rushed for a game-high 172-yards and five touchdowns as Alma Bryant dropped to 3-4 overall and 0-4 in the region. “Kolton has been that guy for us all year,” said Lions’ head coach Deric Scott. “He’s been the workhorse for us running the ball and really got things going. He got a lot of things going in the second half offensively, and he controlled the ball.” Foley got off to a quick start in the first quarter, getting a 43-yard touchdown run from Alabama junio commit Perry Thompson and a 29-yard fumble return on the ensuing kickoff by AJ Prim. But the Hurricanes battled back and made it a seven-point game when Mose scored on a 2-yard run. Nero scored on a 1-yard run in the second period, and while the point after was blocked, the Lions were up 19-6. But the Hurricanes tied the game with two more Mose touchdowns covering 6 and 3 yards, and on Bryant’s first possession in the third quarter, Mose’s 5-yard touchdown run put the Hurricanes up 26-19. After quarterback Reese Tynes scored on a 9-yard keeper to draw Foley to within 1, 26-25, Nero worked his second-half magic, bursting through the Alma Bryant defense on a 36-yard scoring scamper and converting the 2-point conversion run to put the Lions ahead for good, 33-26. Although the Hurricanes answered with a 42-yard scoring scamper by Mose, the extra point was blocked and the hosts still trailed by one. Nero and the Lions took control in the fourth quarter, with Nero scoring on a 1-yard run and scoring on a 2-point conversion run to make the score 41-32. After a Mose pass was intercepted by Thompson on the Hurricanes’ ensuing possession, Nero iced the game with another 1-yard touchdown run. Kenneth Franklin then intercepted another Mose pass and ran it 29 yards for the final Foley touchdown. “That’s what we depend on Kolton for,” Scott said. “That’s the type of player he is — he wants the ball and we’re going to give it to him.” Star of the game: No doubt it was Nero, who got the timely scores thanks to plenty of hard-nosed running. But give credit to Mose as he put on a strong performance running the ball in a losing effort. Play of the game: There were many, but one play which really stood out came from a player on the losing team — Alma Bryant’s Jordan James had a very long kickoff return from the 5-yard line, and after making contact with a couple of tacklers, tight roped his way down the right sideline all the way to the Foley 44. Key sequence: With about four minutes left in the third quarter and down by one, Foley started from its 27. Alma Bryant was assessed a penalty on a controversial pass interference call. It gave the Lions a first down at the 42, and Nero scored on his 36-yard run three plays later. It changed the momentum of the game. By the numbers: 3, number of fumbles lost by Foley; 5, total number of failed point after attempts and 2-point conversions for both teams combined; 87, total number of points scored; 190, total rushing yards for Foley; 223, total rushing yards for Alma Bryant. Key stats: For Foley, Tynes was 17-of-24 for 185 yards, Thompson had 9 receptions for 88 yards, and Harrison Knight had 5 receptions for 42 yards and 45 yards on four rushes. For Alma Bryant, Mose was 7-of-14 passing for 35 yards and two interceptions. Coachspeak: “I’m just happy for our young people to go out and represent our community, our school, and our program. Give kudos to Coach Sessions and his team; they’re very well coached and they played their tails off and we had to go and just get things going. Every win is big right now, and with Class 7A Region 1 still shaking out, everything we do matters and every game matters.” — Scott They said it: “Our kids played their guts out, and obviously we would have liked to have started a little cleaner with the mistakes that put us in a little bit of a hole. It was a testament for our kids to dig right out of it and take control of the game for most of the first quarter, the second quarter, and even into the third quarter. Halfway through the third quarter, we had control of the game.” — Alma Bryant head coach Bart Sessions. Up next: Both teams have region games next Friday night. Foley hosts Davidson, while Alma Bryant visits Fairhope. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Asia-Pacific Markets Fall Ahead Of U.S. Jobs Report https://digitalalabamanews.com/asia-pacific-markets-fall-ahead-of-u-s-jobs-report/ The logo of the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE), operated by Japan Exchange Group Inc. (JPX), is displayed at the bourse in Tokyo, Japan, on Friday, Oct. 2, 2020. Akio Kon | Bloomberg via Getty Images Shares in the Asia-Pacific fell on Friday ahead of the monthly U.S. jobs report, which is likely to guide the Federal Reserve’s monetary decision in November. Payrolls are expected to increase 275,000 in September, and unemployment is predicted to be steady at 3.7%, according to economists surveyed by Dow Jones. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index lost 1.13% and the Hang Seng Tech index shed 2.8%. The Nikkei 225 in Japan fell 0.6% and the Topix index slipped 0.66%. In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 fell 0.57%. South Korea’s Kospi gained fractionally while the Kosdaq dropped 0.38%. MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan fell around 1%. Markets in mainland China remain closed for a holiday. Overnight in the U.S., major indexes fell — the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 346.93 points, or 1.15%, to 29,926.94. The S&P 500 declined 1.02% to 3,744.52, while the Nasdaq Composite was 0.68% lower at 11,073.31. “Equities struggled as markets await the much-anticipated U.S. payrolls data … and as comments from Fed officials maintained a ‘more is needed’ vibe,” ANZ Research analysts wrote in a Friday note. Inflation could resurge if the Fed pivots too early, former Fed president says Former Kansas City Federal Reserve President Thomas Hoenig said the Fed could “reignite” inflation if it stops raising interest rates “too soon.” The Fed should not enter a rate-cutting cycle immediately after reaching the terminal rate, Hoenig told CNBC’s “Street Signs Asia.” Officials have signaled their intention to raise rates to 4.6% by 2023. Speaking of the Fed’s cycle of rate hikes, Hoenig said, “They need to stay there and not back off of that too soon to where they reignite inflation, say in the second quarter [of] 2023 or the third quarter.” “They have a very delicate and very difficult period ahead of them in terms of decision-making,” he said. — Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Fund manager says oil is in a multi-year bull market – and names 3 stocks to cash in Oil is in a bull market that’s going to last for at least six years, according to fund manager Eric Nuttall. The partner and senior portfolio manager at Ninepoint Partners, which manages more than $8 billion in assets, named three stocks for investors to cash in. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Malaysia set to announce its budget for 2023 Malaysia’s budget will carry an “even more pronounced” election focus now that speculation of a vote happening this year has grown, according to Mizuho. Economist Lavanya Venkateswaran wrote in a note, “higher allocations towards cash handouts and other social transfers” are expected, but the government also needs to balance that with the “reality of fading commodity tailwinds in 2023,” which will affect Malaysia’s tax revenues. “In walking a fine line between sticking to its fiscal consolidation agenda and playing up the election card, we suspect the governments’ scope to announce more medium-term tax reforms (diversifying the tax base away from oil, for example) is limited,” she wrote. “The underlying assumption is that the government sticks to its stated fiscal consolidation agenda of narrowing the deficit to 5.0% of GDP from 2022-2024; this implies a deficit of 4.5-5.0% of GDP in 2023,” the note said. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Tesla or Nvidia? One will dominate in A.I., analyst says, giving it 50% upside Tech’s next frontier — artificial intelligence — is still in its adolescence, but offers significant growth opportunities for suppliers and users alike, according to Truist Securities. Both Nvidia and Tesla offer ways to get exposure to AI, the analysts say, revealing their price targets on both stocks. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan Samsung posts decline in operating profit for the first time since late 2019 South Korean chipmaker Samsung Electronics announced a 31.7% drop in operating profit in the third quarter of 2022 compared with the same period a year ago, according to a preliminary earnings release. Demand for semiconductors has slowed, the release showed. Operating profit fell to 10.8 trillion Korean won ($7.65 billion), compared with 15.8 trillion won in the third quarter of 2021. That’s the first decline in quarterly profits since the fourth quarter of 2019, data from Refinitiv Eikon showed. Sales rose to 77 trillion Korean won in the July-to-September quarter, from 73.98 trillion won in the same period last year. Shares of Samsung Electronics fell as much as 1.95% in Asia’s morning. — Abigail Ng Read More…

NFL Thursday Night: Colts Beat Broncos In No-TD Game https://digitalalabamanews.com/nfl-thursday-night-colts-beat-broncos-in-no-td-game/ Four field goals were enough for the Indianapolis Colts to kick off Week 5 of the NFL season with a victory on Thursday night. That’s because the Denver Broncos managed only three field goals in a 12-9 overtime game. While the contest lacked touchdowns, it was not without drama at the end. The Broncos bypassed an attempt at a game-tying field goal with 2:38 left in overtime to go for it on fourth-and-1 at the Indianapolis 5-yard line on what turned out to be the final play of the game. MORE NFL: · LANDON COLLINS RETURNING TO THE NFL · NFL WEEK 5: SCHEDULE, TV, ODDS · CHRISTIAN HARRIS AMONG INJURED PLAYERS RETURNING TO PRACTICE Indianapolis cornerback Stephon Gilmore knocked away Denver quarterback Russell Wilson’s pass in the end zone to seal the victory. Gilmore intercepted a pass in the end zone to close the Broncos’ final possession in the fourth quarter. Each team had two turnovers, the Colts had four sacks and the Broncos six and the teams combined to convert six of the 31 third-down snaps. Neither team played with its top running back, with injuries keeping the Colts’ Jonathan Taylor and the Broncos’ Javonte Williams sidelined. Nine players from Alabama high schools and colleges played in the Indianapolis-Denver game: · Broncos linebacker Christopher Allen (Alabama) is on injured reserve and is not eligible to play. · Colts cornerback Tony Brown (Alabama) played but did not record any stats. · Colts defensive tackle Byron Cowart (Auburn) made one tackle. · Kareem Jackson (Alabama) started at strong safety for the Broncos. Jackson made seven tackles. · Jerry Jeudy (Alabama) started at wide receiver for the Broncos. Jeudy caught three passes for 53 yards. He had a 37-yard reception that moved Denver to the Indianapolis 14-yard line on the Broncos’ final possession. Jeudy also made a tackle after an interception. · Ryan Kelly (Alabama) started at center for the Colts. Kelly left the game in the first half because of a hip injury. · Braden Smith (Auburn) started at right guard for the Colts. Smith is in his fifth season as Indianapolis’ regular right tackle. But with the Colts dealing with injuries and ineptitude in their offensive line, Indianapolis shifted him to right guard for Thursday night’s game. · Patrick Surtain II (Alabama) started at left cornerback for the Broncos. Surtain made seven tackles and forced a fumble, which Indianapolis recovered. · Broncos punter Corliss Waitman (South Alabama) punted five times for a 45.8-yard average, with a net average of 41.4 yards. · Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington (Samford) had a 9-yard run, returned two punts for 6 yards and ran back a kickoff 20 yards. He also recovered his fumble on the kickoff. Indianapolis improved to 2-2-1 and will host the Jacksonville Jaguars on Oct. 16 in an AFC South game. Denver dropped to 2-3 and will visit the Los Angeles Chargers on Oct. 17 for the Week 6 Monday night game. Denver Broncos wide receiver Montrell Washington holds on to the football for a reception during an NFL game against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022, in Denver.(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey) FOR MORE OF AL.COM’S COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

Madison County High School – Westminster Christian Academy Football https://digitalalabamanews.com/madison-county-high-school-westminster-christian-academy-football/ 1 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Game action during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 2 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Braden Reed (33) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 3 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Brandon Musch (2) and Gavin Byers (8) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 4 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Mahrk Royar (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 5 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Brandon Musch (2) and Jayden Wiggins (40) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 6 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Amos Baldwin (15) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 7 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Game action during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 8 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Mahrk Royar (3) and (34) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 9 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football MCHS head coach Matt Putnam during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 10 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football The ball comes loose during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 11 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Mahrk Royar (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 12 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Xzavion Tinker (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 13 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Braden Reed (33) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 14 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Braden Reed (33) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 15 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Deaireton King (5) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 16 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Xzavion Tinker (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 17 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Brandon Musch (2) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 18 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Xzavion Tinker (3) and Joshua Pomnitz (7) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 19 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Brandon Musch (2) throws a pass during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 20 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Westminster head coach Louis Leblanc during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 21 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Brandon Musch (2) chases a fumble during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 22 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football The Tigers celebrate a fumble recovery during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 23 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Game action during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 24 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Jayden Wiggins (40) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 25 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Westminster head coach Louis Leblanc during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 26 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football MCHS head coach Matt Putnam during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 27 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Xzavion Tinker (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 28 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Game action during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) 29 / 29 Eric Schultz Madison County High School – Westminster Football Xzavion Tinker (3) during the Madison County High School – Westminster football game Thursday, Oct. 6, 2022 in Huntsville, Ala. (Eric Schultz/preps@al.com) Read More…

Masters Pummels Kelly Over Biden, Borders And Soaring Inflation In Testy Debate https://digitalalabamanews.com/masters-pummels-kelly-over-biden-borders-and-soaring-inflation-in-testy-debate/ Trump-backed Republican Blake Masterspummeled his Democratic rival over “open borders”, Joe Biden and the soaring cost of living in a bad-tempered debate in Arizona. A month before voters across the country go the polls in mid-term elections that will determine the control of Congress, Mr Masters laid into incumbent senator Mark Kelly, accusing him and Mr Biden of letting inflation surge out of control and failing to lock-down the nation’s borders. At times, particularly in the first half of the debate when Mr Masters appeared to have the momentum, Mr Kelly was saved by the intervention of Libertarian Mark Victor, who often denounced both Republicans and Democrats and claimed he had better ideas than both. “I want to speak up on behalf of the drunken sailor,” he said at one point, in what was likely the most memorable quote of the evening. Mr Masters 36, who is backed by tech billionaire Peter Thiel, said is opening remarks: “Two years ago Mark Kelly stood right there and he promised to be independent. But he broke that promise.” Mr Kelly, 58, a former Naval officer and astronaut, and the husband of former congresswoman Gabby Giffords, said the Republican held views that were “dangerous” for Arizona. “He celebrated when Arizona enacted a national ban on abortion. And he wants to privatise your Social Security,” he said. The event on Thursday in Phoenix, will be the only major debate held in Arizona this election cycle. The competing Senate candidates agreed to a single evening, while the debate for governor has been largely meaningless after Democratic candidate Secretary of State Katie Hobbs said she would not appear with Republican opponent, Kari Lake, who has repeated falsehoods that the 2020 election was rigged. Polls show the Senate race very close, with Real Clear Politics curating an average of around four points advantage to Mr Kelly. But other polls have suggested the race is all but tied, and with the Senate divided 50-50 – with Vice President Kamala Harris possessing a tiebreaker vote – Republicans would love to bag Arizona and in doing so win the upper chamber. Two years, ago Mr Biden managed to become the first Democrat to win there since Bill Clinton in 1996, but he beat Donald Trump by just 10,000 votes. On a state that border Mexico, issues such as immigration are also key issues. Mr Masters hammered away at Mr Kelly, blaming him and Mr Biden for allowing record number of migrants try to enter. Mark Kelly on his Senate victory Records show the authorities are set make more than 2.3 million arrests during the 2022 fiscal year. That will exceed last year’s record of more than 1.7 million arrests. Mr Kelly sought to place space between his actions and those of Mr Biden. “When the president decided he’s going to do something dumb on this and change the rules and create a bigger crisis, I told him he was wrong,” Mr Kelly said. Mr Masters retorted: “We have a wide open southern border, so if that’s the best you can do, I respectfully request you resign.” Mr Masters had previously repeated Mr Trump’s falsehoods that the 2020 election was rigged. He also backed a very conservative position on abortion. After winning the Republican primary and seeking to moderate his image for the kind of suburban voters he would need to win to his side, Mr Masters changed his website. Around one-third of registered voters in Arizona are independents. On Thursday he was confronted about these changes by the moderators. “I encourage people to go read my website now it is still the most pro life most detailed agenda of any Senate candidate running nationwide. I’m pro life. I’m proud to be pro life. I will never run from that,” he said, dodging the question. He was also asked if he recognised Mr Biden as the president. Blake Masters is seeking to oust Mark Kelly (Getty Images) “Joe Biden is absolutely the president. I mean, my gosh, have you seen the gas prices lately,” he replied. He was asked if he thought the election was “rigged”. “I suspect that if the FBI didn’t work with big tech and big media to censor the Hunter Biden infer or the Hunter Biden crime story,” he said. “I suspect that changed a lot of people’s votes. I suspect President Trump would be in the White House today, if big tech and big media and the FBI didn’t work together to put the thumb on the scale to get Joe Biden in there.” Mr Kelly also landed some blows. Looking at Mr Masters, he said: “I think we all know guys like this – guys that think they know better than every one about everything” He added: “You think you know better than women and doctors about abortion. You even think you know better than seniors about Social Security, and you think you know better than veterans about how to win a war.” He said: “Folks, we all know guys like this. And we can’t be letting them make decisions about us. Because it’s just dangerous.” Read More…

Authorities Arrest Man, Accusing Him Of Threatening To Hang Arizona Official https://digitalalabamanews.com/authorities-arrest-man-accusing-him-of-threatening-to-hang-arizona-official/ An Iowa man was arrested Thursday on charges that he left a pair of threatening voicemails for a local election official in Arizona and an official associated with the state attorney general’s office nearly a year after the 2020 election, the Justice Department said. Mark A. Rissi, of Hiawatha, Iowa, is accused of threatening to hang Clint Hickman, a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors. Rissi also allegedly left a threatening voicemail for an employee in Arizona Attorney General Mark Brnovich’s office. Rissi, 64, was charged with two counts of making a threatening interstate communication and one count of making a threatening telephone call, the Justice Department said. The case is part of the department’s Election Threats Task Force, which was launched in June 2021. It has charged people in numerous states. Hickman, a Republican who attended then-President Donald Trump’s final rally in the state just days before the 2020 election, was the chair of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, a Republican-controlled and -elected board that stood in staunch defense of the county’s 2020 election. Joe Biden narrowly won Arizona. Rissi is alleged to have left the voicemail for Hickman last September, accusing him of lying about the fairness of the 2020 election. The board of supervisors oversees elections in the county. “I am glad that you are standing up for democracy and want to place your hand on the Bible and say that the election was honest and fair,” he said, according to a Justice Department news release. “When we come to lynch your stupid lying Commie [expletive], you’ll remember that you lied on the [expletive] Bible, you piece of [expletive]. You’re gonna die, you piece of [expletive]. We’re going to hang you. We’re going to hang you.” The Justice Department, which redacted the expletives, said the call was made three days after the Cyber Ninjas, a cybersecurity firm, released a partisan review of Maricopa County’s 2020 election, which had been ordered by the GOP-controlled state Senate. Hickman confirmed Thursday that he listened to the voicemail. “I remember exactly where I was when I heard that voicemail. It was chilling. This wasn’t a prank call. This wasn’t protected speech. This was a serious threat to me and my family,” he said in a statement. “No one should be subjected to this kind of hatred,” he added. “And if we truly want to keep our country great, we will do everything we can to denounce threats against election workers and combat the disinformation that imperils our democracy.” Rissi is accused of leaving a separate voicemail with an official in Brnovich’s office on Dec. 8, claiming he was a “victim of a crime” that he described as “the theft of the 2020 election” and threatening hanging. “I’m a victim of a crime. My family is a victim of a crime. My extended family is a victim of a crime. That crime was the theft of the 2020 election,” Rissi is alleged to have said, suggesting that “conspirators” had deleted election fraud data from the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors computer system. If he is convicted, Rissi could face up to five years in prison for each count of making a threatening interstate communication and up to two years in prison for the threatening telephone call charge. Rissi could not be reached for comment. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Read More…

Ohio Launches Public Integrity Unit For Elections https://digitalalabamanews.com/ohio-launches-public-integrity-unit-for-elections/ COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s Republican elections chief has announced a new public integrity unit in response to what he called Americans’ “crisis of confidence” in the electoral process even while acknowledging the state’s reputation for secure voting. The unit, taking effect next week, will consolidate and highlight the Ohio secretary of state’s investigative work and eventually have one or more dedicated investigator, Secretary of State Frank LaRose said in a statement. Those investigators won’t start until after the General Election, however. He referenced a growing national trend “that indicates a crisis of confidence in the electoral process.” That crisis is largely a concern of Republican voters and stems from claims by former President Donald Trump about election fraud in the campaign won by Joe Biden. Numerous federal and local election officials in both parties, a long list of courts, top former campaign staffers and even Trump’s own attorney general have all said there is no evidence of the election fraud the former president alleges. For his part, LaRose initially said the 2020 election was secure and accurate, but as last spring’s primary neared — which LaRose won, defeating a 2020 election skeptic — he began to echo some of Trump’s talking points. LaRose claimed there were problems in other states and touted his office’s work to combat voter fraud. Trump endorsed LaRose, a longtime supporter. LaRose said his new division will help his office more efficiently and thoroughly do work it already does, such as voting system certification and investigation of election law violations, including a team dedicated at looking into rare cases of voter fraud or suppression and campaign finance violations, said LaRose, who is seeking a second term in November. “Our elections are being scrutinized like never before, and any lack of absolute confidence in the accuracy and honesty of those elections weakens the very foundation of our democracy,” LaRose said in a statement. He also referred to Ohio’s “strong national reputation for secure, accurate, and accessible elections.” LaRose’s announcement follows a decision in Florida in which lawmakers and Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis created a police force dedicated to pursuing voter fraud and other election crimes. Democrats called LaRose’s news a waste of taxpayer dollars aimed at bolstering his political aspirations. LaRose’s name is often mentioned as a possible 2024 U.S. Senate candidate. In a referral of 11 individuals for possible election fraud in August, LaRose identified just a single case of possible illegal voting, said party spokesperson Matt Keyes, making the new office “a taxpayer-funded solution to a problem that doesn’t exist.” In fact, in a series of referrals since 2019, LaRose identified at least 548 cases of potential election fraud violations it referred to prosecutors, his office said. LaRose has acknowledged that cases of election fraud are a tiny fraction of overall votes cast in Ohio. Chelsea Clark, LaRose’s Democratic opponent, questioned the timing of the announcement. She also noted LaRose’s efforts to keep his other opponent, independent candidate Terpeshore Maras, off the ballot. Clark called out LaRose for a “history of politicizing these investigations to punish opponents.” Maras is a conservative podcaster who embraces Trump’s lies about the 2020 election. Last month, the Ohio Supreme Court ruled her eligible to run for Ohio secretary of state this fall. In August, LaRose’s office had upheld a judge’s decision that a number of Maras’ petition signatures were invalid, and invalidated her candidacy, a move overturned by the state Supreme Court. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More…

Stock Futures Litte Changed Ahead Of September's Jobs Report https://digitalalabamanews.com/stock-futures-litte-changed-ahead-of-septembers-jobs-report/ Stock futures were flat on Friday morning as investors looked ahead to September’s jobs report for further clues into the Federal Reserve’s tightening campaign. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 12 points, or 0.04%, while S&P 500 futures dipped 0.09%. Futures tied to the Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.07%. Advanced Micro Devices’ stock fell in overnight trading after the chipmaker warned its third-quarter revenue would be lower than anticipated. Levi Strauss shares slipped following a cut to its guidance. Major averages closed lower during regular trading but are on pace to cap their best week since June 24 and finish about 4% higher. The Dow fell 346.93 points, or 1.15%, to 29,926.94, while the S&P 500 and Nasdaq Composite shed 1.02% and 0.68%, respectively. All major S&P sectors finished the session in negative territory, with the exception of energy. The sector rose 1.8% as oil prices gained and is on pace to close out the week 14.7% higher. Thursday’s downdraft comes as investors remain on edge ahead of September’s jobs report slated for release Friday. The findings could offer further certainty into the Fed’s tightening cycle, with a strong jobs market or upside surprise signaling that the Fed may need a tougher stance to slow the economy and tame surging prices. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones expect the data to show a 275,000 increase in nonfarm payrolls and unemployment to hover at 3.7%. “The environment is ripe for a crisis and if the Fed keeps its hawkish communication up I think we’re quite likely to have something break in the financial markets,” Scott Minerd, Guggenheim’s global chief investment officer said on CNBC’s “Closing Bell: Overtime” on Thursday. Minerd said the pace of tightening is beginning to create cracks in the financial markets and could force a Fed pivot in the coming weeks. “All the signs are there,” he said. “I can’t tell you exactly what will cause it, but the environment is ripe and when the Fed pivots, they’re not going to preannounce it, they’re not going to ring a bell.” A surprise to the downside occurring 75% of the time over the last 25 years in the September jobs report could lead investors to stage a rally, he added. Along with the big jobs report, wholesale inventories and consumer credit data are also due out Friday. Cannabis stock Tilray Brands, which rose Thursday as the White House announced marijuana pardons, will report earnings results. Inflation could resurge if the Fed pivots too early, former Fed president says Former Kansas City Federal Reserve President Thomas Hoenig said the Fed could “reignite” inflation if it stops raising interest rates “too soon.” The Fed should not enter a rate-cutting cycle immediately after reaching the terminal rate, Hoenig told CNBC’s “Squawk Box Asia.” Officials have signaled their intention to raise rates to 4.6% by 2023. Speaking of the Fed’s cycle of rate hikes, Hoenig said, “They need to stay there and not back off of that too soon to where they reignite inflation, say in the second quarter [of] 2023 or the third quarter.” “They have a very delicate and very difficult period ahead of them in terms of decision-making,” he said. — Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: Fund manager says oil is in a multi-year bull market – and names 3 stocks to cash in Oil is in a bull market that’s going to last for at least six years, according to fund manager Eric Nuttall. The partner and senior portfolio manager at Ninepoint Partners, which manages more than $8 billion in assets, named three stocks for investors to cash in. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong CNBC Pro: Tesla or Nvidia? One will dominate in A.I., analyst says, giving it 50% upside Tech’s next frontier — artificial intelligence — is still in its adolescence, but offers significant growth opportunities for suppliers and users alike, according to Truist Securities. Both Nvidia and Tesla offer ways to get exposure to AI, the analysts say, revealing their price targets on both stocks. CNBC Pro subscribers can read more here. — Weizhen Tan Levi Strauss slumps on revenue miss, outlook cut Shares of Levi Strauss shed 6.5% in extended trading Thursday despite an earnings beat. The company missed revenue estimates for the recent quarter and cut its guidance, dragged down by the U.S. dollar’s strength. Levi Strauss posted earnings of 40 cents a share on revenues of $1.52 billion. Analysts expected earnings of 37 cents a share on $1.60 billion in revenue. — Samantha Subin Exxon on pace for best week since October 1974 Exxon Mobil shares are on track to finish their best week since October 1974. The energy stock rose about 3% in regular trading Thursday as oil prices gained, putting Exxon on track to close out the week 17% higher. Energy was the only S&P 500 sector finishing in positive territory on Thursday, rising nearly 2%. It’s on track to finish the week about 15% higher and close out its best week since November 2020. As of Thursday’s close, energy was also the only sector positive for the year. Shares of Marathon, Halliburton and Devon Energy are on track to finish the week higher by roughly 20% or more. — Samantha Subin, Gina Francolla Advanced Micro Devices falls on disappointing preliminary third-quarter results Advanced Micro Devices‘ stock fell 3.9% in extended trading as the company preannounced results for the third quarter that came in below its previous guidance. The semiconductor company shared preliminary revenue of $5.6 billion for the period, down from the expected $6.7 billion. It blamed the cut on a weakening PC market and supply chain issues. AMD also said it expects a non-GAAP gross margin of roughly 50%, previously expecting gross margins would range closer to 54%. — Samantha Subin Stock futures open lower Stock futures opened lower in overnight trading Thursday. Futures tied to the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 57 points, or 0.19%. S&P 500 futures dipped 0.36%, while futures tied to the Nasdaq 100 slipped 0.49%. — Samantha Subin Read More…

Orlando Free Fall To Be Torn Down Following Teen's Death https://digitalalabamanews.com/orlando-free-fall-to-be-torn-down-following-teens-death/ The Orlando Free Fall will be torn down, officials announced Thursday. Tyre Sampson, 14, died in March after falling from the Free Fall ride about halfway down the 400-foot drop. The Orlando Free Fall ride has been shut down since March when Sampson fell to his death after he slipped out of his seat.In April, investigators found that safety sensors on Sampson’s seat had been modified to open wider than the other seats. The investigation into who is responsible is ongoing.Sampson’s death sparked a public outcry for the ride to be taken down.On Thursday, the ride’s operator, the Orlando SlingShot, released a written statement:”We are devastated by Tyre’s death. We have listened to the wishes of Tyre’s family and the community and have made the decision to take down the Free Fall. In addition, Orlando SlingShot will honor Tyre and his legacy in the classroom and on the football field by creating a scholarship in his name.”ICON Park released a statement supporting the decision. “Tyre’s death is a tragedy that we will never forget. As the landlord, we welcome and appreciate the decision to take down the ride,” the statement read.The attorney for Nekia Dodd, Sampson’s mother, said Dodd was too emotional today to speak with WESH 2 News, but he said she is relieved to know the ride will soon be torn down.”With the tremendous grief that she’s enduring every day, it’s some measure of closure knowing that that will never happen again with another child and that her son’s legacy will be that,” said Dodd’s attorney Michael Haggard.Tourists familiar with the tragedy also said the dismantling of the ride is the right thing to do.”I think it’s a good idea,” Amy Buckley said. “Who would want to get on it after a tragedy like that? I think it would just be an insult to the family, so I think it’s a good idea that they’re gonna take it down.”Orlando SlingShot did not provide a timeline for the ride’s dismantling, saying it was pending approval from all the parties involved and state regulatory agencies which are still investigating the March incident.The state is still investigating Sampson’s death. In a statement, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried said in part: “While the investigation is ongoing, I hope this news brings a measure of comfort to Sampson’s family.”Ken Martin is an amusement ride safety consultant and analyst.”What surprises me is no one – no one is being charged criminally with anything in this case. And this was not an accident. People were responsible for this,” he said. Martin has been critical of how the state handled the inspection of Free Fall when it opened. “Part of this boils down to the issue that no two states regulate amusement ride safety the same way. And it should be that way. Florida should not be exempt to fix the amusement park. I mean, my goodness we’re talking about children here,” he said.Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed by Sampson’s parents against several businesses, including Orlando SlingShot, is set to go to trial next year. Tyre’s father, Yarnell Sampson, and Attorney Ben Crump have continuously called for the ride to be taken down. “How would you feel? You send your kid to vacation, they’re going to have fun. Next thing you know, they don’t come home,” Yarnell Sampson said. “This is a reminder. It needs to come down. It needs a permanent memorial.”Rep. Geraldine Thompson has announced plans to draft legislation in Sampson’s name.”It was out of the ordinary that the signs in regard to height and weight requirements were not posted so that Tyre could make his own decision,” Thompson said. “His life was taken during spring break because of the things that happened here that were out of the ordinary, but we’re going to correct that with the Tyre Sampson law that is going to be filed on the very first day of the legislative session, and I will be the author of the Tyre Sampson bill.”Orlando SlingShot didn’t give a timeline as to when the ride will be taken down but said it was waiting for approval from everyone involved. ORLANDO, Fla. — The Orlando Free Fall will be torn down, officials announced Thursday. Tyre Sampson, 14, died in March after falling from the Free Fall ride about halfway down the 400-foot drop. The Orlando Free Fall ride has been shut down since March when Sampson fell to his death after he slipped out of his seat. In April, investigators found that safety sensors on Sampson’s seat had been modified to open wider than the other seats. The investigation into who is responsible is ongoing. Sampson’s death sparked a public outcry for the ride to be taken down. On Thursday, the ride’s operator, the Orlando SlingShot, released a written statement: “We are devastated by Tyre’s death. We have listened to the wishes of Tyre’s family and the community and have made the decision to take down the Free Fall. In addition, Orlando SlingShot will honor Tyre and his legacy in the classroom and on the football field by creating a scholarship in his name.” ICON Park released a statement supporting the decision. “Tyre’s death is a tragedy that we will never forget. As the landlord, we welcome and appreciate the decision to take down the ride,” the statement read. The attorney for Nekia Dodd, Sampson’s mother, said Dodd was too emotional today to speak with WESH 2 News, but he said she is relieved to know the ride will soon be torn down. “With the tremendous grief that she’s enduring every day, it’s some measure of closure knowing that that will never happen again with another child and that her son’s legacy will be that,” said Dodd’s attorney Michael Haggard. Tourists familiar with the tragedy also said the dismantling of the ride is the right thing to do. “I think it’s a good idea,” Amy Buckley said. “Who would want to get on it after a tragedy like that? I think it would just be an insult to the family, so I think it’s a good idea that they’re gonna take it down.” Orlando SlingShot did not provide a timeline for the ride’s dismantling, saying it was pending approval from all the parties involved and state regulatory agencies which are still investigating the March incident. The state is still investigating Sampson’s death. In a statement, Florida Commissioner of Agriculture, Nikki Fried said in part: “While the investigation is ongoing, I hope this news brings a measure of comfort to Sampson’s family.” Ken Martin is an amusement ride safety consultant and analyst. “What surprises me is no one – no one is being charged criminally with anything in this case. And this was not an accident. People were responsible for this,” he said. Martin has been critical of how the state handled the inspection of Free Fall when it opened. “Part of this boils down to the issue that no two states regulate amusement ride safety the same way. And it should be that way. Florida should not be exempt to fix the amusement park. I mean, my goodness we’re talking about children here,” he said. Meanwhile, a lawsuit filed by Sampson’s parents against several businesses, including Orlando SlingShot, is set to go to trial next year. Tyre’s father, Yarnell Sampson, and Attorney Ben Crump have continuously called for the ride to be taken down. “How would you feel? You send your kid to vacation, they’re going to have fun. Next thing you know, they don’t come home,” Yarnell Sampson said. “This is a reminder. It needs to come down. It needs a permanent memorial.” Rep. Geraldine Thompson has announced plans to draft legislation in Sampson’s name. “It was out of the ordinary that the signs in regard to height and weight requirements were not posted so that Tyre could make his own decision,” Thompson said. “His life was taken during spring break because of the things that happened here that were out of the ordinary, but we’re going to correct that with the Tyre Sampson law that is going to be filed on the very first day of the legislative session, and I will be the author of the Tyre Sampson bill.” Orlando SlingShot didn’t give a timeline as to when the ride will be taken down but said it was waiting for approval from everyone involved. Read More…

Thursday Football Roundup: Check Out Some Key Statewide Highlights https://digitalalabamanews.com/thursday-football-roundup-check-out-some-key-statewide-highlights/ Gordo’s defense recorded two interceptions – one of which was returned 60 yards – as the Green Wave rolled past Fayette County 35-0 on Thursday night. Gordo improved to 7-1 with its sixth straight win. Gus Smith’s team is 5-0 in Class 3A, Region 5 play. Fayette County fell to 6-1, 3-1 with its first loss of the season. Max Stephenson’s 60-yad interception return set up an easy score by QB Brax Garrison with 2:30 left in the second quarter. “I feel great about the defense. I think they are confident in what we are doing,” said Smith, in his first year as Gordo’s head coach. Garrison accounted for four of Gordo’s five scores with three rushing touchdowns and a 47-yard touchdown pass to Willie Fonville. Garrison finished the night 12-of-18 for 138 yards. He threw one touchdown pass and was intercepted once. He also had 59 yards and 3 TDs on 13 carries. “I feel like I’ve improved my rushing game,” he said. “I feel like I’ve put a lot of work in the weight room getting faster and stronger, and it’s starting to show now.” Chrisjavion Lark scored Gordo’s other TD, a 27-yard touchdown with 4:54 left in the game. In addition to the two interceptions, Gordo also forced a fumble on a kickoff return, which set up Lark’s score. Fayette County running back Charles Grant carried the load for the struggling offense with 15 carries for 88 yards. Fayette County used two quarterbacks, Blake Johnson and Dylan Schloerb. They were a combined 6-of-16 for 59 yards with two interceptions. Gordo’s defense had three players with double digit tackles. Stephenson had 10 tackles with the interception. Blane Chandler led the Green Wave with 14 tackles. Cameron Lark recorded 12 tackles and a sack. Gordo finished with 288 total yards of offense. Fayette County had 188. Starting Gordo WR Caleb Jennings was carted off the field following a scary injury with 8:26 left in the game. He was carted off with a large brace on his left leg. — Nick Robbins St. Michael 49, Wilcox Central 6 Josh Murphy threw three touchdown passes as St. Michael won on the road. The Cardinals (5-3 overall, 4-1 Class 4A, Region 1) earned their fourth win in five games and have region games against Jackson and T.R. Miller remaining. Murphy finished 7-of-9 passing for 83 yards. Gunner Rivers, the son of coach Philip Rivers, finished 11-of-12 passing for 142 yards and a TD. Cooper Helper, Martin Corte, Ezra Sexton and Sam Murray all caught TD passes. Sexton and Nick Rousso scored rushing TDs. Wilcox Central fell to 0-6, 0-5. Homewood 31, Chilton County 10 Woods Ray threw for a touchdown and ran for another to lead Homewood to a road win at Clanton to improve to 4-0 in Class 6A, Region 3 play. The Patriots are 5-2 overall and dropped Chilton County to 3-5, 0-5. The senior Ray completed 10-of-12 passes for 152 yards and connected with Jackson Parris for a TD. Ray ran 6 times for 77 yards and a score. Homewood also got a rushing touchdown from Mondrell Odell and Parker Sansing had an 87-yard interception return. Charles Reeves caught 3 passes for 70 yards to lead Homewood and Owen Isenhower ran 6 times for 40 yards. The Patriots finished with 340 total yards – 183 on the ground – and held the Tigers to 168 total yards. Homewood plays at Pelham next week in a key region game. Chilton County is idle next week before hosting Pelham on Oct. 21. Central-Phenix City 55, Lee-Montgomery 20 Fourth-ranked Central-Phenix City set up a matchup with undefeated and No. 1 Auburn next week with an easy win. Jaylen Epps completed 6-of-9 passes for 76 yards and a TD. Max Johnson also threw a touchdown pass. Romello Green ran for two TDs. Tristan Williams, Zack Simmons and Johnson also scored on the ground. Karmello English and Collin Freiberg caught one touchdown pass apiece. The Red Devils improved to 5-2 overall and 4-1 in Class 7A, Region 2 play. Lee fell to 0-6, 0-4. Central will host Auburn (7-0, 5-0) next Friday. Gulf Shores 49, Elberta 3 J.R. Gardner rushed for 151 yards and 2 TDs on just nine carries as Class 5A No. 6 Gulf Shores won at home. The Dolphins improved to 7-1 overall with their fourth straight victory. Mark Hudspeth’s team is now 5-1 in Region 1 play. They are idle next week. Gulf Shores led 49-0 at the half and racked up 460 total yards to Elberta’s 99 for the game. Ronnie Royal rushed for 56 yards and 4 TDs on just six carries. Brendon Byrd was 4-of-7 passing for 121 yards and a TD. He also rushed four times for 53 yards. Cameron Cooper led the Dolphins’ defense with 5 tackles and 2 interceptions. Elberta fell to 1-6, 1-4. This post will be updated If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…

1-Year-Old Baby In ICU Suffering From Severe Burns, Child’s Father Allegedly Poured Boiling Water On Her https://digitalalabamanews.com/1-year-old-baby-in-icu-suffering-from-severe-burns-childs-father-allegedly-poured-boiling-water-on-her/ MOBILE, Ala. (WALA) – Disturbing details coming out on child abuse allegations involving boiling water. The details are very disturbing. Niktoria Lett says her 1-year-old daughter, Royalty, is at USA’s Children’s and Women’s hospital suffering from severe burns. “19% of her head is burnt up, like all this is gone,” Lett said. “And my baby just in the hospital fighting for her life.” Investigators are alleging the baby’s father 23-year-old Eugene Sneed, poured boiling water down the child’s throat. “I get in the apartment and my whole my, my baby face is just messed up,” Lett explained. “Her whole head, her left shoulder is just like ooh!” Lett says she’s angry and wants the person responsible for hurting her child, locked up. She says she left the house to go to an event Sunday but when she got back home she couldn’t recognize her daughter. “I couldn’t even stand to look at her. I couldn’t even keep calm. I couldn’t even maintain my body for real, for real. So we rushed her to the hospital and from there, her injuries just started worsening,” she said. Lett says Royalty was left alone with the child’s father, Eugene Sneed. Court documents show what allegedly happened. According to the documents, on Sunday Sneed allegedly poured boiling water down the throat of the child causing internal injuries. As well as multiple burns to the child’s face. “Who would do something like this to an innocent baby? It’s not right,” Royalty’s Aunt Kiara Lett said. “That baby was there, she thought she was in a safe home with her father. It wasn’t right what he did to our baby. He messed up our life with this she was just an innocent child.” As Royalty continues to fight in the ICU her mother wants justice. “Her lungs critical, everything critical. That’s how they know it was done purposely,” Lett said. “They said it was an intentional thing that he did. Justice for royalty! That’s all we want, that’s all we want.” The Mobile County DA’s Office filed a motion late Thursday afternoon asking a judge to revoke Sneed’s bond. He was scheduled to go on trial later this month on a domestic violence charge. As of now, Sneed has not been taken into custody. Court documents say he’s being charged with aggravated child abuse. — Download the FOX10 Weather App. Get life-saving severe weather warnings and alerts for your location no matter where you are. Available free in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. Copyright 2022 WALA. All rights reserved. Read More…

Tremell Washington Leads Ramsay To 56-7 Win Over John Carroll https://digitalalabamanews.com/tremell-washington-leads-ramsay-to-56-7-win-over-john-carroll/ Ramsay quarterback Tremell Washington threw four first-half touchdown passes and ran for another as the Class 5A fifth-ranked Rams ran away with a 56-7 victory over John Carroll on Thursday at Birmingham’s Legion Field. “This is his second start and he’s coming into his own now,” Ramsay coach Ronnie Jackson said. “He’s reading defenses better and he’s taken charge as the quarterback. He’s been a great leader and extremely proud of the way he’s been playing.” The Cavaliers were confused early on the first possession of the game, but converted a long third-down pass to keep the drive on track. Carson McFadden capped the 10-play, 82-yard drive with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Seth Seidenfaden, but John Carrol was held to six straight three-and-outs the rest of the first half. Ramsay (6-2, 5-0) struck back with a vengeance, tying the game on a 41-yard touchdown run by Washington and scoring the go-ahead touchdown on a 54-yard pass to Jalen Jones. Ashton Ashford put Ramsay up 21-7 on the next Rams possession, scoring on a 5-yard run, and Dekoriae Foster extended the lead to 28-7 on a 2-yard plunge early in the second quarter. Washington threw two more touchdowns to put the Rams up 42-7 near the end of the first half, a 6-yard pass to Kristian Stinson and 3-yard pass to Montez Dunson, and capped the offensive scoring with a screen pass to Ashford, who weaved through traffic for a 35-yard touchdown. With only five seconds remaining in the opening half, James Jones stripped John Carroll’s Mitchell Nutter on the ensuing kickoff and returned it 22 yards for a touchdown as time expired, bringing the lead to 56-7 at the break. The second half began with a running clock and the Cavaliers forcing a fumble on the second play of Ramsay’s opening drive. John Carroll (1-6, 1-4) went three-and-out on the ensuing possession, but did gain two first downs on its final drive of the game. Ramsay deployed the bench after the break and turned the ball over on both of its second-half drives. Star(s) of the game: Washington. The sophomore scatback-turned-quarterback finished 13-of-15 passing for 239 yards and 4 touchdowns. He completed his first 8 passes of the game and added 81 yards and a score on the ground. “It was a big change and I had to step up when my brother (Kameron Keenan) went down. It’s a different mode, we can move more and I can run more to get more time in. It’s just new. I haven’t played quarterback since eighth grade, but I’m learning faster, getting smarter and better every day,” he said. By the numbers: 14, the number of first downs by the Ramsay offense. …3, the number of sacks by the Ramsay defense, 2 sacks by Caleb Patterson. …1, the number of third-down conversions in 10 attempts by the John Carroll offense. Stat sheet: Ramsay – Ashford led the rushing attack, amassing 77 yards and a touchdown on 4 attempts and adding 56 yards and a score through the air, and Dekoriae Foster had 3 carries for 7 yards and a touchdown. (Jalen) Jones was the top receiver for the Rams, pulling down 3 receptions for 71 yards and a touchdown, and Stinson finished with 3 catches for 39 yards and a score. Jacob Andrews had 4 receptions for 73 yards and Dunson had a 3-yard touchdown catch on a back-shoulder fade. John Carroll – McFadden finished 9-of-19 passing for 91 yards and a touchdown and Seidenfaden had 2 catches for 42 yards and a score. Nutter finished with 14 carries for 43 yards and KJ Beck added 3 catches for 43 yards. Coachspeak: “We hang our hats on our defense. Our defense sets the tone and we feed off our defense. If they come out lights out, we’re going to have a great game.” — Ramsay’s Ronnie Jackson He said it: “Coming down, running our lanes, we practice stripping the ball and recovering it. In that moment, I saw the ball and went for it, because it’s an instinct, and I picked the ball up and ran. You have to have the mentality that you’re playing the best team in the state and that the uniform on the other side doesn’t matter.” — Patterson on fumble return score What’s next? The Rams play host to Hayden while John Carroll plays host to Jasper. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More…