Digital Arizona News

East Valley Communities Urge Residents Not To Overseed Their Lawns https://digitalarizonanews.com/east-valley-communities-urge-residents-not-to-overseed-their-lawns/ SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) — Scottsdale, like Mesa, has urged residents not to overseed this year. It’s part of a growing trend of Valley communities asking families to be more mindful of the water supply. Overseeding is adding grass seeds to a lawn during the fall, typically ryegrass, so that the grounds will be green instead of dormant brown grass in the wintertime. Unfortunately, the process uses a lot of water. Tie in the current drought, and it’s pushing cities to urge people not to overseed this year. In Scottsdale, about 60% of the water bill for a single-family home is from outside watering. “A lot of folks who will overseed their front yard it’s more of an aesthetic thing than a functional thing. We ask them to save water by having that conversation with your household on if you should overseed or not,” said Gretchen Baumgardner, Scottsdale’s water policy manager For those who live in an HOA that makes you overseed, Scottsdale recently passed a city ordinance that goes into effect next month that allows homeowners to ignore their HOA’s overseeding policy. No matter where you live, water experts recommend homeowners get their irrigation around this time of the year to help save water. “What most everyone doesn’t realize is right now this is a decent potential for an irrigation leak, and you don’t even know about it or maybe you don’t even understand your irrigation timer. As we get into the cooler weather check your irrigation timer. It doesn’t need to go off as much as it does in the summer,” said Baumgardner. Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved. Read More Here

The British Pound Just Plummeted: What It Means For The U.K., Tourists https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-british-pound-just-plummeted-what-it-means-for-the-u-k-tourists/ The British pound plunged to a record low against the soaring dollar on Monday, spurring concerns of even higher inflation and prompting social media users to share defeatist memes about the world’s sixth-largest economy. The country, already reeling from the death of its longest-ruling monarch and the recent ousting of Boris Johnson as prime minister, is in the throes of an “even more severe cost-of-living crisis” due to the plummeting pound, said Barry Eichengreen, a professor of economics at the University of California at Berkeley. “Recovery is not on the horizon” for the foreseeable future, he added. The pound has been on a downward trajectory against the dollar since Britain voted to exit the European Union in 2016. But it is not the only currency to have shed value recently: The South Korean won tumbled to a 13-year low against the dollar this month, while the Japanese yen fell to a 24-year low. In July, the euro sank to even with the dollar for the first time in nearly two decades. Read More Here

The Relationship Between Waist Circumference, Liver Disease https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-relationship-between-waist-circumference-liver-disease/ In this video, Naim Alkhouri, MD, speaks about the relationship between waist circumference and NAFLD/ NASH, including the risk for NAFLD and fibrosis in people with HIV compared with the general population, the relationship between visceral fat and the liver, and why clinicians should use waist circumference to identify their patients most at risk for NAFLD and metabolic disease. For more HIV infection content, visit the Resource Center. Naim Alkhouri, MD, is the Chief Medical Officer and Director of the Fatty Liver Program at Arizona Liver Health (Phoenix, Tucson, AZ). TRANSCRIPTION: Naim Alkhouri, MD: Hi, this is Dr Naim Alkhouri. I’m the Chief Medical Officer and the Director of the Fatty Liver Program at Arizona Liver Health in Phoenix and Tucson, Arizona. Consultant360: What is the risk for NAFLD and fibrosis in people with HIV compared with the general population? Dr Alkhouri: Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, or NAFLD, affects about 25% of the general adult population in the United States. But unfortunately, patients or people living with HIV have a higher risk. Previous studies showed that approximately 35% of patients with HIV may have evidence of NAFLD, and they tend to progress faster in terms of fibrosis stages, and that can lead to complications, including the development of cirrhosis, and potentially liver cancer. So, patients with HIV have a higher risk of developing fatty liver disease and progressing to more advanced forms of fatty liver. C360: What is the relationship between visceral fat and the liver? Dr Alkhouri:  When we think about different types of fat, we think about visceral fat, or visceral adipose tissue vs subcutaneous adipose tissue, and visceral adipose tissue is more metabolically active, and it can cause actually more fat deposition and to deliver through the release of fatty acids through the portal circulation, and these free fatty acids can deposit in the liver cells and lead to the formation of triglycerides and lipid droplets. And this is really the beginning of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease that can lead to further liver inflammation, liver cell injury, and eventually the development of liver fibrosis. C360: How much weight should a patient lose to help with fatty liver disease? How do you recommend patients do that? Dr Alkhouri:  Several studies showed that in patients living with HIV, having more visceral adiposity and higher waist circumference is actually predictive of the presence of fatty liver disease, and also more progression to significant liver fibrosis. So you can have two patients with the same weight and same BMI, body mass index, but one with visceral adiposity, the other one with less visceral adipose tissue, the patient with more visceral or central adiposity would be at higher risk for NAFLD and significant fibrosis. C360: Given its relationship to visceral fat, how predictive is waist circumference for NAFLD and fibrosis? Dr Alkhouri: So, in one study that followed patients over one year, there was progression by one fibrosis stage in 38%. In that study, they looked at factors that predicted fibrosis progression, and there was really no association between body mass index, not even the percentage of liver fat. The only predictor was actually the visceral adipose tissue area. So that implicates visceral adipose tissue and central adiposity with fibrosis progression in patients with HIV and NAFLD. C360: How much weight should a patient lose to help with fatty liver disease? How do you recommend patients do that? Dr Alkhouri: Weight loss is the mainstay of managing fatty liver disease. Any weight loss is good, so even losing as little as 3 to 5% may be associated with reduction in liver fat. But if we want to achieve what we call NASH resolution, which is really the resolution of liver cell injury and minimal inflammation, you need to lose about 7% of your total body weight. And then studies have shown that if you want to achieve fibrosis regression, that probably the goal should be around 10% of the total body weight. So, in my clinical practice, this is what I recommend for my patients, is to try to achieve that 10% total body weight loss. To simplify it, if the patient is at 200 pounds, we recommend a 20-pound weight loss, and we do this gradually over a period of six to 12 months, and this should be associated with improvement in NAFLD liver inflammation, and hopefully also liver fibrosis. C360: How does waist circumference perform as a NAFLD risk factor specifically in people with HIV? Dr Alkhouri: In a study that included over a thousand women mainly living with HIV, but also had some seronegative women, they did a FibroScan test and calculated a score called the FAST score. This includes three measurements: one is liver stiffness on FibroScan, the other one is the CAP score, which estimates liver fat, and the third one is a blood test called AST, that estimates liver inflammation. So in that study, we looked at the percentage of women with a FAST score more than 0.35, and found that this percentage was definitely higher in women with HIV compared to seronegative women. And then when we looked at the predictors, waist circumference was associated with higher chances of having a high FAST score. The FAST score indicates the presence of NASH and significant fibrosis, and per 10-centimeter increase in waist circumference, the chances of having a high FAST score increased by 65%, and this was statistically significant. It is important to highlight that in women with HIV, the prevalence of a high FAST score was at 6.3% compared to only 1.8% in seronegative women. C360: What other health outcomes are associated with elevated waist circumference? Dr Alkhouri: Elevated waist circumference is a predictor of poor metabolic health, so in addition to fatty liver disease, it has been associated with metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, prediabetes, and dyslipidemia. And there’s also a concept of what we call lean NAFLD or skinny NAFLD, so individuals that are considered lean based on their BMI, but then they have that central adiposity, and this is associated again with NAFLD and metabolic syndrome, and type 2 diabetes insulin resistance. C360: Should clinicians use waist circumference to identify their patients most at risk for NAFLD and metabolic disease? Dr Alkhouri: I think waist circumference should be measured routinely in clinics if time allows, and given the recent data on the prevalence of NAFLD in people living with HIV, my practice is to actually screen for NAFLD in all HIV-infected individuals. And if you have access to a FibroScan machine, this is a very cost-effective way to screen for NAFLD, where you actually determine the amount of fat and the presence of fibrosis. But if this is not available, there are simple scores that can be calculated in the clinic, including the FIB-4 Index, where you need just AST, ALT, platelet count, and age. And there are some also commercially available scores that can screen for the presence of fibrosis in patients with NAFLD. A simple liver ultrasound can show you also fatty liver. So I think you need to utilize the tools available to you to screen for fatty liver disease in people living with HIV, and my approach has been to screen everyone. There is cost-effectiveness analyses today showing that it’s cost-effective to screen patients with type 2 diabetes, for example, starting at the age of 45, and I think it is time to start considering doing a routine screening for NAFLD in all subjects living with HIV. Dr Alkhouri: Thank you for watching this video. It’s been a pleasure, and I hope the take-home message has been clear, that people living with HIV are at high risk for NAFLD and progression to more advanced fibrosis. So please think about it and screen where indicated, and utilize the tools available to you in your clinical practice. Thank you. Read More Here

Appeals Court Hands Trump Victory In Defamation Suit Filed By Rape Accuser https://digitalarizonanews.com/appeals-court-hands-trump-victory-in-defamation-suit-filed-by-rape-accuser/ Former President Trump may be immune from a defamation lawsuit filed against him by a woman who said he raped her decades ago in a New York City department store, a federal appeals court ruled on Tuesday. But the court stopped short of dismissing the case altogether, instead asking a D.C. appeals court to decide whether the United States can be substituted as a defendant for Mr. Trump.   In a 2-to-1 decision, the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan reversed a lower court ruling that concluded Mr. Trump had to face the lawsuit filed by columnist E. Jean Carroll. The 2nd Circuit said Ms. Carroll’s suit may be barred by a federal law that protects government employees from being sued over actions that relate to the job requirements. However, the ruling did not resolve whether Mr. Trump’s public statements denying Ms. Carroll’s rape claims occurred within the scope of his employment as president. “If Trump is an ‘employee of the government,’ he is not subject to Carroll’s defamation suit, providing he was acting within the scope of his employment. If he is not an employee, he may be personally answerable,” the 2nd Circuit ruled in its 80-page decision. The decision reverses a lower court’s ruling that Mr. Trump doesn’t qualify as an employee of the federal government under a law known as the Westfall Act, which shields government employees from lawsuits while acting in their job capacity. SEE ALSO: Anti-Trump legal group targets Republican AGs in ethics complaint over 2020 election lawsuit Whether his comments were within the scope of his employment is an issue for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit to decide, the 2nd Circuit ruled. The ruling is a much-needed legal win for Mr. Trump, who has been battered by the courts in recent weeks. He is fending off attacks on multiple fronts, including a criminal investigation into whether he mishandled classified documents, a civil lawsuit alleging corrupt business practices filed by the New York attorney general, and a probe into the events surrounding the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. It is also a win for the Biden administration, which caused shockwaves when the Department of Justice in 2021 decided to back Mr. Trump’s claims that presidents have broad protections under the Westfall Act. The decision also effectively ends the defamation suit if Mr. Trump scores a victory in the Washington appellate court. If he wins, Ms. Carroll will have to replace Mr. Trump with the U.S. as the defendant in the lawsuit. Since the U.S. cannot be sued for defamation, the case would likely be dismissed. Fears of ending the case sparked Judge Denny Chin’s dissenting opinion. “If the government is correct that the United States must be substituted for Trump in the case under the Westfall Act, then Carroll is left without any remedy, even if Trump indeed defamed her,” wrote Judge Chin, who was appointed by President Clinton. Ms. Carroll sued Mr. Trump saying his public comments after she wrote in a 2019 book that he raped her amounted to defamation. She said the incident took place during a random encounter in the mid-1990s at a New York department store. Mr. Trump has repeatedly denied the rape claims and questioned Ms. Carroll’s credibility and motivation for coming forward.   Alina Habba, a lawyer for Mr. Trump, hailed the 2nd Circuit’s ruling, saying it will protect the ability of future presidents to “govern without hindrance.”  “We are confident that the D.C. Court of Appeals will find that our client was acting within the scope of his employment when properly repudiating Ms. Carroll’s allegations,” she said in a statement. Read More Here

Liz Cheney Says She May Leave The GOP If Trump Is The Nominee https://digitalarizonanews.com/liz-cheney-says-she-may-leave-the-gop-if-trump-is-the-nominee/ AP Sep 27, 2022 18 min ago 0 CBS News reports that on Sept. 25, Cheney told Texas Tribune CEO Evan Smith, “If [Trump] is the nominee, I won’t be a Republican”. Tags Dcc Wire Lvs Nation-world Oval-office White-house Gop Interview Leave Donald-trump Quit United-states Nominated América Texas-tribune Liz-cheney Run-for-president Videoelephant Latest video Russia will boycott the Oscars Liz Cheney says she may leave the GOP if Trump is the nominee Sylvester Stallone and Jennifer Flavin are reportedly back together RAW: (LKLV) HURRICANE IAN TARGETS FLORIDA (12pET) RAW: FL: HURRICANE IAN STORM SURGE FORECAST 11AM ET (DNT) HURRICANE IAN TARGETS FLORIDA (12pET) (PKG) HURRICANE IAN TARGETS FLORIDA (12pET) Protests in Russia as anger grows over partial mobilization 0 Comments Read More Here

A Top Member Of The Oath Keepers Texted With Rudy Giuliani's Son About The 2020 Election, Report Says https://digitalarizonanews.com/a-top-member-of-the-oath-keepers-texted-with-rudy-giulianis-son-about-the-2020-election-report-says/ A top member of the Oath Keepers texted Andrew Giuliani about election issues, per NBC News. Attorney Kellye SoRelle communicated with Giuliani in November 2020, per the report. Ex-GOP Rep. Denver Riggleman told NBC News it’s “so important” for the public to know about such links. Loading Something is loading. A top member of the far-right Oath Keepers organization who is facing charges related to the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021, sent text messages to former Trump White House aide Andrew Giuliani regarding election issues, according to NBC News. The member, attorney Kellye SoRelle, sent the messages to Giuliani – the son of former Trump lawyer and ex-New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani — in November 2020, per the report. SoRelle — the general counsel for the group — also attempted to text a White House phone number on December 20, 2020, according to a newly-released book from former Republican congressman Denver Riggleman of Virginia and coauthored with journalist Hunter Walker. Since the message was sent to a switchboard line at the White House, it was undeliverable. Riggleman — who was elected to the House in 2018 but lost renomination to his seat in 2020 to now-Rep. Bob Good — was an advisor for the January 6 committee from August 2021 to April 2022. The former congressman informed NBC News that he revealed information about the text messages in his book, “The Breach,” so “reporters would follow up on some of the crucial evidence that had not been made public.” He also told the news organization that he wishes he “could say I was surprised” by the connection between Andrew Giuliani and SoRelle. “The phone data my team compiled makes clear the militant aspect of the Capitol attack and high-level associates of the former president were inextricably linked together,” Riggleman said. “It is so important for the American people to be aware of the direct links between the Trump White House and militant groups including this newfound connection between Kellye Sorelle and a former White House aide.” SoRelle told NBC News that she reached out to Andrew Giuliani, a public liaison assistant under former President Donald Trump, but could only remember being in contact with him in November 2020. Per the NBC News report, SoRelle said she couldn’t verify whether she reached out to Andrew Giuliani beyond November due to the FBI confiscating her phone in September 2021.  Andrew Giuliani — who earlier this year ran unsuccessfully for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in New York — was on leave from his role in the latter part of 2020 to focus on election issues. He left his position in January 2021. Andrew Giuliani told NBC News that he last communicated with SoRelle on November 20, 2020. “Until you mentioned her, until I looked it up, it didn’t really ring a bell,” Giuliani told the news organization.  Beginning this week, Oath Keepers leader Stewart Rhodes and four additional members will go on trial for seditious conspiracy in the Capitol riot. Read More Here

DoJ Pushes Back On Trump’s Claims It Planted Evidence At Mar-A-Lago https://digitalarizonanews.com/doj-pushes-back-on-trumps-claims-it-planted-evidence-at-mar-a-lago-2/ The Department of Justice has pushed back on the unsubstantiated claims from Donald Trump that the agency planted evidence during its search of Mar-a-Lago, submitting a slightly amended list of seized materials and an affidavit that the list reflects what was taken during the 8 August search. The FBI submitted a first version of the inventory list several weeks ago. It only had one business day to compile the first list but had more time to submit the most recent version, reported CNN. The agency also said that, in the updated version, it filtered out potentially privileged items. “I am not aware of any documents or materials seized from the Premises on that date by the FBI that are not reflected in the Revised Detailed Property Inventory … other than materials that the Privilege Review Team has not provided to the Case Team,” wrote an FBI agent in the affidavit. The unnamed agent noted that changes between the two versions were “minor”. Judge Raymond Dearie, the special master appointed to review the documents case, requested that the FBI submit an inventory to provide a “full and accurate” picture of what was obtained in the search. Dearie’s request came after Trump and several allies claimed, without evidence, that the FBI planted items during its search of the Florida mansion. Dearie has given Trump’s lawyers until Friday to provide any evidence to back up the accusation that the agency is “incorrectly describing” any materials. “This submission shall be Plaintiff’s final opportunity to raise any factual dispute as to the completeness and accuracy of the Detailed Property Inventory,” Dearie wrote. Read More Here

Jan. 6 Sedition Trial Underway For Oath Keepers Leader https://digitalarizonanews.com/jan-6-sedition-trial-underway-for-oath-keepers-leader/ WASHINGTON — Jury selection began Tuesday in the trial of the founder of the Oath Keepers extremist group and four associates charged with seditious conspiracy, one of the most serious cases to emerge from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol. Stewart Rhodes and the others are the first Jan. 6 defendants charged with the the rare Civil War-era offense to stand trial for what authorities allege was a serious, weekslong plot to violently stop the transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. The case against Rhodes and his Oath Keeper associates is the biggest test yet for the Justice Department in its massive Jan. 6 prosecution and is being heard in federal court not far from the Capitol. Seditious conspiracy can be difficult to prove, and the last guilty trial verdict was nearly 30 years ago. Jury selection could take several days and the trial is expected to last five weeks. Attorneys for the Oath Keepers have pushed unsuccessfully to get the trial moved, arguing they can’t get a fair jury in Washington. The court has already dismissed several potential jurors based on their answers to a questionnaire, which asked them about their feelings about Jan. 6 and other matters. Those already dismissed include a journalist who has covered the events of Jan. 6. and someone else who described that day “one of the single most treasonous acts in the history of this country.” Hundreds of people have already been convicted of joining the mob that overran police barriers, beat officers and smashed windows, sending lawmakers fleeing and halting the certification of Biden’s electoral victory. Prosecutors will try to show that an Oath Keepers’ plot to stop Biden from becoming president started well before that, in fact before all the votes in the 2020 race had even been counted. Authorities say Rhodes, a former U.S. Army paratrooper and a Yale Law School graduate, spent weeks mobilizing his followers to prepare to take up arms to defend Trump. The Oath Keepers repeatedly wrote in chats about the prospect of violence, stockpiled guns and put “quick reaction force” teams on standby outside Washington to get weapons into the city quickly if needed, authorities say. The day before the riot, authorities say, Rhodes met with the leader of another far-right extremist group, then-Proud Boys Chairman Enrique Tarrio, in an underground parking garage in Washington, though little is known publicly about what they discussed. Tarrio is charged separately with seditious conspiracy alongside other Proud Boys and is scheduled to stand trial in December. Daywatch Weekdays Start your morning with today’s local news On Jan. 6, Oath Keepers wearing communication devices, helmets and other battle gear were captured on camera storming the Capitol in military-style “stack” formation. Rhodes isn’t accused of going inside the Capitol, but phone records show he was communicating with Oath Keepers who did enter around the time of the riot and he was seen with members outside afterward. Thomas Caldwell of Berryville, Va., a defendant charged with seditious conspiracy in one of the most serious cases to emerge from the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol, arrives at federal court, Tuesday, Sept. 27, 2022, in Washington. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP) On trial with Rhodes, of Granbury Texas, are Thomas Caldwell, of Berryville, Virginia; Kenneth Harrelson, of Titusville, Florida; Jessica Watkins of Woodstock, Ohio, and Kelly Meggs of Dunnellon, Florida. Conviction for seditious conspiracy calls for up to 20 years behind bars. The last time prosecutors secured a seditious conspiracy conviction at trial was in 1995 in the case against Islamic militants who plotted to bomb New York City landmarks. Three of Rhodes’ Oath Keepers followers have pleaded guilty to the charge and are likely to testify against him at trial. Rhodes’ lawyers have claimed those Oath Keepers were pressured into pleading guilty and are lying to get a better sentencing deal from the government. Rhodes’ attorneys have suggested that his defense will focus on his belief that Trump would invoke the Insurrection Act and call up a militia to support his bid to stay in power. Defense attorneys say Rhodes’ actions in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6 were in preparation for what he believed would have been lawful orders from Trump under the Insurrection Act, but never came. The defense has said that Oath Keepers were dressed in battle gear to protect themselves from possible attacks from left-wing antifa activists and that the “quick reaction force” outside Washington was meant for defensive purposes if Trump invoked the Insurrection Act. Nearly 900 people have been charged so far in the Jan. 6 riot and more than 400 have pleaded guilty or been convicted at trial. Sentences for the rioters so far have ranged from probation for low-level misdemeanor offenses to 10 years in prison for a retired New York City police officer who used a metal flagpole to assault an officer at the Capitol. Read More Here

Jury Selection Begins In Oath Keepers' Jan. 6 Conspiracy Trial https://digitalarizonanews.com/jury-selection-begins-in-oath-keepers-jan-6-conspiracy-trial/ Jury selection is underway Tuesday in one of the most complex and crucial cases being brought by the Justice Department in connection with the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, as five members of the Oath Keepers anti-government group — including its founder Stewart Rhodes — stand trial on charges that they conspired together to oppose by force the lawful transition of presidential power. The trial, which is expected to last over a month, could prove to be the toughest test yet for prosecutors in the DOJ’s sprawling investigation of the Jan. 6 attack, which has so far resulted in federal charges against nearly 900 defendants. Failing to secure convictions against Rhodes or others in the case with the rarely-brought seditious conspiracy statute, experts say, could prove to be a significant setback to the department’s ongoing efforts to target alleged domestic extremist groups driven to carry out acts of violence against the government. Rhodes, Thomas Caldwell, Kelly Meggs, Kenneth Harrelson and Jessica Watkins are among the first group of Oath Keepers to go to trial for seditious conspiracy and multiple other felony charges connected to their alleged actions surrounding the Capitol attack. Four other members of the group are scheduled to go to trial in late November. The government has already secured three guilty pleas for seditious conspiracy from Oath Keepers Joshua James, William Todd Wilson and Brian Ulrich, all of whom admitting they joined the group with the goal of using force to stop the peaceful transfer of power from then-outgoing President Donald Trump to President Joe Biden. The group is alleged to have stashed firearms and ammunition at hotels surrounding Washington, D.C., on Jan. 6, 2021, and used encrypted communications to coordinate their actions breaching the Capitol and seeking out lawmakers involved in the certification of Biden’s election win. Prosecutors say images they have submitted in court filings filings show members of the group, clad in tactical gear, moving through the pro-Trump mob up the Capitol steps in a military-style “stack” formation to enter the building. Members of the Oath Keepers militia group, including Jessica Marie Watkins, left, who has since been indicted by federal authorities for her role in the siege on the Capitol, stand on the east front steps of the U.S. Capitol, Jan. 6, 2021, in Washington. Jim Bourg/Reuters Prosecutors allege that multiple members of the group remained back at a Ballston, Virginia, hotel during the attack as part of a “Quick Reaction Force” that was tasked with rapidly transporting weapons to D.C., possibly by ferrying them up the Potomac River, if they were called up by Rhodes. While Rhodes is not alleged to have entered the Capitol building itself, prosecutors have singled him out as a lead coordinator in calling on various chapters of the group around the country to come to Washington, and calling on members to ready themselves for a potential “civil war” to keep Trump in office. The trial, in D.C. district court, is expected to feature testimony from dozens of witnesses, with prosecutors planning to introduce thousands of private messages sent between members of the group leading up to and following the Jan. 6 attack that detail their alleged plans to keep Biden from taking office. The federal judge overseeing the case, Amit Mehta, recently rejected a last-minute effort from Rhodes to delay the trial and replace the legal team that had represented him since his arrest in January of this year. Mehta has similarly rejected requests from other members of the group to delay the trial, as they argued that potential public hearings or the release of an interim report by the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack would serve to taint any jury impaneled in the case. Read More Here

DoJ Pushes Back On Trump’s Claims It Planted Evidence At Mar-A-Lago https://digitalarizonanews.com/doj-pushes-back-on-trumps-claims-it-planted-evidence-at-mar-a-lago/ The Department of Justice has pushed back on the unsubstantiated claims from Donald Trump that the agency planted evidence during its search of Mar-a-Lago, submitting a slightly amended list of seized materials and an affidavit that the list reflects what was taken during the 8 August search. The FBI submitted a first version of the inventory list several weeks ago. It only had one business day to compile the first list but had more time to submit the most recent version, reported CNN. The agency also said that, in the updated version, it filtered out potentially privileged items. “I am not aware of any documents or materials seized from the Premises on that date by the FBI that are not reflected in the Revised Detailed Property Inventory…other than materials that the Privilege Review Team has not provided to the Case Team,” wrote an FBI agent in the affidavit. The unnamed agent noted that changes between the two versions were “minor”. Judge Raymond Dearie, the special master appointed to review the documents case, requested that the FBI submit an inventory to provide a “full and accurate” picture of what was obtained in the search. Dearie’s request came after Trump and several allies claimed, without evidence, that the FBI planted items during its search of the Florida mansion. Dearie has given Trump’s lawyers until Friday to provide any evidence to back up the accusation that the agency is “incorrectly describing” any materials. “This submission shall be Plaintiff’s final opportunity to raise any factual dispute as to the completeness and accuracy of the Detailed Property Inventory,” Dearie wrote. Read More Here

Obituary: William “Bill” Jacobs https://digitalarizonanews.com/obituary-william-bill-jacobs/ William “Bill” Jacobs Provided Photo October 15, 1934 – September 24, 2022 William Thomas “Bill” Jacobs I., age 88 of Craig, CO passed away on September 24, 2022 at his home surrounded by his family. He was born on October 15, 1934 to Aubrey and Susan Jacobs in Williams, Az. After high school graduation at the age of 17 years old, Bill joined the Navy and served as a gunner’s mate on the USS Essex CVA-9 Aircraft Carrier during the Korean War and was honorably discharged on June 22, 1955. On October 21, 1952 Bill married Billie A. Adams in Kingman, Az. To this union they had four children. After the Navy, Bill worked in Southern California building bridges for his father-in-law Jack Adams Construction Company. Upon the death of his brother-in-law Jackie Adams, who was running the family ranch in Wilcox, Arizona, Bill and Billie moved to the ranch in 1965 to continue operations. He transitioned from ranching and farming to mine management in 1974. Over his mining career he managed multiple gold, silver, gypsum, coal and clay mines in Nevada, Colorado and Arizona. Bill is survived by his wife, Billie, of 69 years; his brother Jake Jacobs of Las Vegas, NV; Elma Penhallegon of Mesa, AZ; his children Sherry Jacobs of Tucson, AZ; Tom (Terry) Jacobs of Goldfield, NV; Tim (Teresa) Jacobs of Amargosa Valley, NV; Robbie Frentress of Craig, CO; grandchild Tinneal (Wade) Gerber; Billy (Shavonne) Jacobs; Josh Jacobs; Dollie (Cory) Rose; Shawna (Chris) Bennett; Timesha Sargent; 12 great-grandchildren and one great-great grandchild on the way. He was preceded in death by his parents Aubrey and Susan; his sister Sandy Archer; his brother James; his brother Lewis; son-in-law Kimble Frentress; and great-granddaughter Makayla Gerber. A Trisagion Service will be held at Grant Mortuary in Craig, CO on September 27, 2022 at 7:00 PM. Memorial services will be held on September 28, 2022 at St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made payable to St. John’s Greek Orthodox Church or Northwest Colorado Health Hospice in care of Grant Mortuary. Read More Here

Stock Market Today: Dow Gains Slightly After Lowest Close Since 2020 https://digitalarizonanews.com/stock-market-today-dow-gains-slightly-after-lowest-close-since-2020/ About this page Last Updated: Sep 27, 2022 at 11:30 am ET Follow The Wall Street Journal’s full markets coverage, a day after the Dow fell into a bear market. Read More Here

Live Updates: Ian Makes Landfall In Cuba As Powerful Category 3 Hurricane https://digitalarizonanews.com/live-updates-ian-makes-landfall-in-cuba-as-powerful-category-3-hurricane/ When disaster strikes, household pets’ lives are among the most vulnerable. Evacuating animals during any type of emergency — whether a hurricane, wildfire or earthquake — adds a layer of stress in a turbulent situation. However, experts with animal-advocacy organizations say that taking care of our furry, purry, feathered and scaly housemates is an imperative lifesaving effort that can be conducted smoothly with advance planning. Every attempt should be made not to leave animals behind, the advocates say. You might not be able to return home for longer than you anticipate, and abandoning pets can have “devastating consequences,” said Kelly Donithan, director of animal disaster response for the Humane Society of the United States. “If you’re leaving for any reason, don’t think that it’s safe to leave them behind,” Ms. Donithan said. Experts emphasized that successfully evacuating with your pets depends on actions you can take well before the threat of an emergency is imminent. “Every story is going to be unique,” said Dr. Lori Teller, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association. “Planning ahead definitely makes the whole ordeal a lot easier.” Prepare to leave. Ensure your pets are wearing collars with clear, current identification and your contact information. A GPS collar could also come in handy, especially if you have a fearful pet that is prone to making escape attempts in stressful situations, said Jason Cohen, a dog trainer based in New York City. You’ll need a sturdy leash and a pet carrier or crate labeled with your contact information. Consider getting a backup attachment for your pet’s collar, such as a metal carabiner or double-clip accessory, for added security if a collar accidentally comes off. Your pets might not be accustomed to traveling, so building their familiarity with different modes of transportation could help. Know the various evacuation routes and practice them in advance. “If you know where you are going to go, if you know your routes, if you have all the supplies you need, that’s the best-case scenario,” Ms. Donithan said. Assemble a disaster kit for your pet. Emergencies can happen at any time, so this kit should be updated regularly and kept in a convenient, easily accessible place in your home, advocates said. The kit should include enough nonperishable food and water to last at least a week. It should also contain: food and water receptacles a first-aid kit a couple of weeks’ supply of medications, if needed a printed document or USB stick with medical records, such as a rabies vaccine certificate, key details about your pet’s diet, any behavioral issues and contact information for your veterinarian, all enclosed in a waterproof container a toy or two for those idle hours hygiene supplies such as poop bags or a litter box a current picture of you and your pet, in case you later need to prove ownership or reclaim it Consult with your vet. Microchips, small transponders embedded into a pet’s skin that are linked to identification and the owner’s contact information, can later be scanned if the pet is lost. Getting your pet microchipped by a veterinarian is a must, experts said. It doesn’t end there. You’ll have to register this information with an online database and verify that the registration is linked to your name and phone number. Once registered, microchip numbers can be searched here. To help ease your pet’s anxiety, there are a variety of supplements available, some by prescription. You could consider speaking to your vet about what might be appropriate for your pet, Dr. Teller said. Potential remedies include medications such as trazodone and hemp-based CBD products. These aids should be tested out before an emergency, especially if you already know your pet is anxious in certain situations, such as traveling, Ms. Donithan added. Keep vaccinations current and consider obtaining pet insurance. Find accommodations for your pet. Ideally, you’ll be able to stay with your pet during a disaster, and there are many hotels that allow pets. Emergency shelters in your municipality may not permit pets, so ask local safety officials about their general policies. If you can’t secure accommodation with your pet, create a backup housing plan by assessing nearby shelters, boarding kennels or out-of-town family members or friends with whom your pet could temporarily stay. Brush up on training. Steps such as crate training, which consists of preparing your pet to spend some quiet time in its kennel, could be “a lifesaver in emergency situations,” Mr. Cohen said. “If a dog is comfortable in a crate, it will help keep them safe and not add more stress,” Mr. Cohen added. And it goes beyond dogs. Many animals, including ferrets, pigs and rabbits, can be crate-trained, Ms. Donithan said. To help your pets get used to spending time in the crate, you could regularly feed them meals inside it, which will build comfort and positive connections with their portable home. You can also toss treats in and out of the crate to help them develop their ease with entering and exiting a pet carrier, Mr. Cohen said. It could also be useful to brush up on the “come” command and good walking practices, and to identify your pet’s hiding spots at home. Know what to do when disaster strikes. Don’t wait for the mandatory evacuation order to leave. Stay informed by monitoring different websites, including ready.gov, and opting into receiving emergency alerts through your smartphone settings. You should also monitor updates from your local municipality and emergency responders. Then, evacuate as early as possible. It will give you more flexibility and keep you and your pets calmer. You can do most of the work before actually evacuating, Ms. Donithan said. In an active emergency, it’s about implementing the plan you’ve already made. “When it’s happening, it’s going to go as well as you’ve practiced or how well-prepared you are,” Ms. Donithan added. You’ll want to contact your local emergency management office to see if they have temporary housing options for you and your pet. If not, rely on your alternatives. Certain pets will require extra care. For birds, depending on the weather, you’ll need a blanket to cover the carrier and trap heat or a spray bottle to moisten feathers. If you have a reptile, you’ll need a sturdy bowl for your pet to soak in and something to warm it with. Snakes can be transported in a pillowcase. There are also special considerations for livestock and horses. The experience could be traumatic for both you and your pet. Some signs of distress your pet might exhibit, such as panting, moderate nausea and shaking, could be normal. But other indicators — excessive vocalization or dangerous attempts to break out of confinement — might require medical attention, Dr. Teller said. Having a grasp of the basics of pet first aid with an app like this one from the Red Cross can help. And if you must leave your pets behind, take the appropriate actions. Leave out plenty of food and fresh water and do not restrain your pet. Boost awareness of your pet’s location by notifying local law enforcement, animal control officials, and animal shelters. Also, post a note outside your home, where rescue teams can see it, indicating that you have a pet and where it is, and listing your contact information. You can order an emergency sticker to affix to your window or door from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. If flooding is expected, you should place your pet at the highest point in your residence. Adjust back to normal. If your pet is lost, contact your local animal shelters and seek help from neighborhood social media groups. You can also post a notice on microchip databases or print fliers and offer a reward for your pet. Once you do return home, remember that the transition will not be seamless. The environment, including scents and appearances, may no longer be familiar to your pet. Supervise your pet carefully and help it ease into the home with patience. Read More Here

Obituaries In Petoskey, MI | The Petoskey News-Review https://digitalarizonanews.com/obituaries-in-petoskey-mi-the-petoskey-news-review/ Gentry Thomas Peevyhouse, 91 of Charlevoix, Michigan, and Scottsdale Arizona, passed away at home in Charlevoix on Wednesday, September 21, 2022. Born on April 19, 1931 in Dyer, Tennessee, he was the son of Clyde and Lucille (Davidson) Peevyhouse. As a child he moved with his family to Gilbert, Arizona during the Great Depression. Those were difficult years and Gentry learned the value of hard work at a very young age. Gentry graduated from Gilbert High School in 1949. The following year he founded Saguaro Drywall in Phoenix, having learned the drywall trade from a relative. He worked hard for many years, building a successful business which he later sold to his sons. The business has recently passed to the third generation of the Peevyhouse family, Gentry’s grandsons. After retiring, Gentry moved to Charlevoix where he purchased the well-known Lake Charlevoix Farm on Lake Charlevoix. His hard work ethic paid off again as he spent many hours fixing up the neglected property. On November 29, 1997, Gentry and his wife, AmyLou “Roxie” were married. Their meeting was chance and destiny, as they met when her car broke down on the road in front of the farm. They were able to enjoy more than 25 years together, several of which were spent at the Lake Charlevoix Farm in the summer months and in Scottsdale in the winter. Gentry and Roxie enjoyed many good times together, making memories while entertaining friends at the farm. He was an excellent cook and entertainer, and they enjoyed sharing that with others. They were particularly known for their corn parties at the lake and time around the beach house. He became well known in the Lake Charlevoix area for his annual entries in the Horton Bay parade, where he once ran for “Horton Bay King”. Gentry enjoyed collecting antiques, Farmall tractors, boating and spending time at the lake. His custom paddlewheel pontoon complete with a grill and a diving board was always a source of enjoyment. Gentry will be remembered as a man who liked to have fun with his family and friends, but especially for the solid, honorable, trustworthy man he was. Gentry is survived by his loving wife, AmyLou “Roxie”; his children, Patricia Meyer of Show Low, AZ, David (Kathy) Peevyhouse, Max (Margie) Peevyhouse and Len (Heather) Peevyhouse all of Phoenix, AZ; 11 grandchildren and many great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; and a sister, Eleanor Pratt. Arrangements for memorial celebrations of Gentry’s life will be held in Charlevoix, Michigan and Phoenix, Arizona. Details will follow soon. Arrangements are by Gaylord Community Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Please share your memories and personal messages with the family at www.gaylordfuneralhome.com Posted online on September 27, 2022 Published in Charlevoix Courier Read More…

Which American City Has The Most Vegan Food? These 5 Cities Were Just Named The Best. https://digitalarizonanews.com/which-american-city-has-the-most-vegan-food-these-5-cities-were-just-named-the-best/ Ever wonder which American city has the most vegan food? Among the 100 largest cities in the United States, Scottsdale, AZ ranks best for its percentage of vegan options at restaurants, according to a new report by financial website WalletHub. Based on information provided by the travel website TripAdvisor, approximately 16 percent of restaurants in Scottsdale offer vegan options. Comparatively, the city with the lowest percentage of vegan restaurant options is North Las Vegas, NV, which had 20 times fewer offerings at 0.83 percent. The cities that fill out the top five list of cities with the highest percentage of vegan restaurant options are St. Petersburg, FL (at nearly 14 percent); Washington, DC (13 percent); New Orleans, LA (12 percent); and New York, NY (12 percent).  Freya’s Diner When it comes to vegetarian options, the report notes that Plano, TX has the highest share of restaurants serving vegetarian options (nearly 64 percent), which is 21.6 times higher than in Laredo, TX, the city with the lowest at just about three percent.  America’s most vegan-friendly city WalletHub also ranked the best cities overall for vegans and vegetarians, and, not surprisingly, Portland, OR came in first. Portland ranked well for its organic farms, community gardens, and restaurant options, but the study found it has higher grocery costs for vegans and vegetarians than most other cities.  Portland is well-known for its plant-based food scene, including various all-vegan carts scattered around the city with options ranging from budget-friendly falafel to high-end gourmet fare. Its beloved restaurant offerings include Homegrown Smoker BBQ, Blossoming Lotus, and The Bye-and-Bye. And then there’s the country’s first vegan mini mall, which opened in Portland in 2007 and features a bakery, a grocery store, a clothing shop, and a tattoo parlor.  The cities that follow Portland for the top scores include Orlando, FL; Los Angeles, CA; Phoenix, AZ; and Austin, TX. To determine the best and cheapest places for vegans and vegetarians, WalletHub compared the 100 largest cities across three key dimensions—affordability, diversity, accessibility and quality, and vegan/vegetarian lifestyle—and evaluated those dimensions using 17 relevant metrics of vegan- and vegetarian-friendliness,  ranging from the share of restaurants serving meatless options to the cost of groceries for vegetarians to salad shops per capita. Leguminati Each metric was graded on a 100-point scale, with a score of 100 representing the most favorable conditions for vegans and vegetarians. Finally, WalletHub experts determined each city’s weighted average across all metrics to calculate its overall score and used the resulting scores to rank-order its sample.  Similar results came up in WalletHub’s 2019 report, in which Portland got top spot, with Los Angeles and Orlando not far behind. Notably, Scottsdale, AZ also had the highest share of restaurants serving vegan options (11 percent) which was 26 times higher than in Newark, NJ, the city with the lowest options at 0.4 percent. What’s the best vegan city in the world? Last year, a ranking by professional chefs website resource Chef’s Pencil ranked Portland the most popular city for vegans in the entire world, based on Google search data in 2020. Portland reclaimed its title as the vegan capital of the world after being outranked by Bristol in the United Kingdom for the previous two years.  Blossoming Lotus For Portland, Google data showed that eating out at vegan restaurants was down in 2021, with search levels for restaurants dropping by a quarter year-on-year. However, the drop in restaurant visits was offset by a surge in searches for vegan recipes and vegan food such as cheese and ice cream. Google Trends allows you to benchmark the popularity of veganism across the world by providing popularity scores for various topics. For example, Portland, OR had a veganism popularity score of 100 and Berlin, Germany had a score of 86, which means that a higher percentage of Portlanders searched for vegan foods and products compared to Berliners. Though Portland received the top spot in 2021 and previous years as the best in the world for vegans, the Chef’s Pencil’s 2022 ranking, however, shows the seaside town of Brighton, UK is the new vegan capital of the world. It’s the first time that any city other than Portland or Bristol has taken the top spot. Nicole Axworthy is the News Editor at VegNews and author of the cookbook DIY Vegan.  Read More Here

News: Exhumed Release Video For Track 'Carbonized' https://digitalarizonanews.com/news-exhumed-release-video-for-track-carbonized/ The mighty Exhumed have released a smokin’ hot video for the track “Carbonized” from their forthcoming album To The Dead. Exhumed’s latest platter of bloody mayhem is set to be released October 21 via Relapse Records, just in time to usher in Halloween. Matt Harvey states: “For me, the most exciting thing about ‘To The Dead’ is that it’s the most collaborative record we’ve ever done. Our own six-string slime-slinger Sebastian Phillips disgorged the riffs for ‘Carbonized,’ the disgusting little ditty we’ve selected as the second single from the album. Then Ross, Mike, and I worked out the lyrics, so this ode to cerebral incineration is truly a group effort—which takes some of the blame away from yours truly if you guys hate it! For the optimal carbonizing experience, turn out the lights; crank up the volume; spark a bowl, and this tune will vaporize what’s left of your senses and sanity!” Do you think you have the intestinal fortitude to survive an Exhumed show? Well, the boys are on tour this fall so pick a gig near you—if you dare! Exhumed w/ Hulder, Vitriol, and Molder. 11/10/2022 Dante’s – Portland, OR 11/11/2022 Substation – Seattle, WA 11/12/2022 The Shredder – Boise, ID 11/13/2022 Ace’s High Saloon – Salt Lake City, UT 11/14/2022 HQ – Denver, CO 11/16/2022 Reverb Lounge – Omaha, NE 11/17/2022 Lefty’s – Des Moines, IA 11/18/2022 Reggies – Chicago, IL 11/19/2022 Club Garibaldi – Milwaukee, WI 11/20/2022 Sanctuary – Detroit, MI 11/21/2022 Legends – Cincinnati, OH 11/22/2022 No Class – Cleveland, OH Exhumed w/ Hulder, Vitriol, Castrator: 11/23/2022 Cattivo – Pittsburgh, PA 11/25/2022 Sonia – Boston, MA 11/26/2022 Johnny Brendas – Philadelphia, PA 11/27/2022 The Meadows – Brooklyn, NY 11/29/2022 Metro Gallery – Baltimore, MD 11/30/2022 Norfolk Taphouse – Norfolk, VA 12/01/2022 New Brookland Tavern – Columbia, SC 12/02/2022 Bogg’s – Atlanta, GA 12/03/2022 Will’s Pub – Orlando, FL 12/04/2022 Brass Mug – Tampa, FL 12/07/2022 White Oak – Houston, TX 12/08/2022 Come And Take It Live – Austin, TX 12/09/2022 Amplified – Dallas, TX 12/10/2022 Rock Box – San Antonio, TX 12/12/2022 The Launchpad – Albuquerque, NM 12/13/2022 Nile Underground – Mesa, AZ 12/14/2022 Brick By Brick – San Diego, CA 12/15/2022 Constellation – Santa Ana, CA 12/16/2022 Don Quixote – Los Angeles, CA 12/17/2022 Eli’s Mile High – Oakland, CA Preorder physical copies of To The Dead here. Preorder digital copies of To The Dead here. Read More Here

New Texts Show Meadows Communicating With GOP Operative Who Plotted To Seize Voting Machines: Report https://digitalarizonanews.com/new-texts-show-meadows-communicating-with-gop-operative-who-plotted-to-seize-voting-machines-report/ This article originally appeared on AlterNet. After Donald Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Joe Biden, then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows was among the many MAGA Republicans who aggressively promoted the Big Lie — claiming that the election had been stolen from Trump and aggressively looking for possible ways to keep Trump in the White House. One of the fellow Trump supporters Meadows worked with during that period, according to CNN reporter Zachary Cohen, was Republican operative Phil Waldron. “As allies of then-President Donald Trump made a final push to overturn the election in late-December 2020, one of the key operatives behind the effort briefed then-White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows about his attempts to gain access to voting systems in key battleground states, starting with Arizona and Georgia, according to text messages obtained by CNN,” Cohen reports in an article published by CNN’s website on September 26. “Phil Waldron, an early proponent of various election-related conspiracy theories, texted Meadows on December 23 that an Arizona judge had dismissed a lawsuit filed by friendly GOP lawmakers there. The suit demanded state election officials hand over voting machines and other election equipment, as part of the hunt for evidence to support Trump’s baseless claims of voter fraud.” Cohen continues, “In relaying the news to Meadows, Waldron said the decision would allow opponents to engage in ‘delay tactics’ preventing Waldron and his associates from immediately accessing machines. Waldron also characterized Arizona as ‘our lead domino we were counting on to start the cascade,’ referring to similar efforts in other states like Georgia. ‘Pathetic,’ Meadows responded.” According to Cohen, those previously unreported text messages “shed new light on how Waldron’s reach extended into the highest levels of the White House and the extent to which Meadows was kept abreast of plans for accessing voting machines — a topic sources tell CNN, and court documents suggest, is of particular interest to state and federal prosecutors probing efforts to overturn the 2020 election.” Cohen describes Waldron as a “retired” U.S. Army colonel with ties to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. According to Cohen, Waldron has “emerged as a key figure in the broader scheme to overturn the election and was the architect of several extreme proposals for doing so” — including “a PowerPoint presentation.” “Waldron also helped draft language for an executive order directing the Pentagon and Department of Homeland Security to seize voting machines on behalf of the White House,” Cohen reports. “Trump never signed the order, siding with White House lawyers who insisted the idea was legally perilous. But there is evidence that his closest allies, including Meadows, continued to entertain similar pitches from Waldron in the lead-up to January 6, (2021) as they sought to validate conspiracy theories about foreign election interference.” Trending Articles from Salon Read More Here

Seth Meyers Questions What Republicans Could Even Impeach Biden For: ‘Not Stealing Classified Documents?’ (Video) – IMDb https://digitalarizonanews.com/seth-meyers-questions-what-republicans-could-even-impeach-biden-for-not-stealing-classified-documents-video-imdb/ Seth Meyers Questions What Republicans Could Even Impeach Biden For: ‘Not Stealing Classified Documents?’ (Video) 27 September 2022 by Andi Ortiz The Wrap As the midterms get closer, more and more Republicans seem to be floating the idea of impeaching President Joe Biden in the event that their party takes control of the House once more. But Seth Meyers is having a pretty hard time figuring out what Biden could even be impeached for, mocking the idea on Monday night’s episode of “Late Night with Seth Meyers.” During his “A Closer Look” segment, Meyers touched on the fact that an appeals court recently ruled that the federal criminal investigation into twice-impeached former president Donald Trump’s handling of classified documents that he stole from the White House could proceed in the coming weeks. “And yet, oddly, there’s only one current or former president Republicans seem focused on impeaching, and it’s not the one facing multiple criminal investigations and civil suits, who stole classified documents from the White House and fomented See full article at The Wrap » IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb’s opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy. Read More Here

Hurricane Ian Makes Landfall In Cuba As Category 3 Storm; Florida On Alert https://digitalarizonanews.com/hurricane-ian-makes-landfall-in-cuba-as-category-3-storm-florida-on-alert/ Hurricane Ian made landfall over western Cuba early Tuesday as a Category 3 storm, bringing with it “significant wind and storm surge impacts” as it strengthened on its way toward Florida, forecasters said. Residents of coastal communities around the Tampa Bay region have been ordered to evacuate and urged to go even short distances to avoid the worst of the storm. Ian is expected to move into the Gulf of Mexico in the late morning, passing west of the Florida Keys later Tuesday and heading for the west coast of Florida as a major hurricane by Wednesday night, the National Hurricane Center said in its most recent advisory. The storm intensified overnight to become a Category 3 hurricane, with maximum winds estimated at more than 115 mph at its core before it made landfall near La Coloma in the Pinar Del Rio Province of Cuba. The National Hurricane Center warned that life-threatening storm surges, hurricane-force winds, flash floods and mudslides were expected in western Cuba overnight and into Tuesday, urging residents to move quickly to evacuate and protect property. By 8 a.m. Tuesday, Ian had gained even more force, with 125 mph maximum sustained winds as it moved north at 12 mph, about 130 miles southwest of Dry Tortugas National Park near the Florida Keys. The challenge of pinning down Ian’s track meant difficult decisions for residents on whether to evacuate or stay, according to researchers who study hurricanes and evacuations. “The public is demanding precision in hurricane forecasts that we are able to give them in most storms,” said Jason Senkbeil, a professor in the geography department at the University of Alabama. But with Ian, he said, “it’s frustrating.” On Monday, when jurisdictions in the Tampa Bay region began handing down evacuation orders, for example, it was clear Ian would eventually arrive as a strong storm, but plausible variations in its forecast track could mean the difference between relatively brief hurricane force winds and “a huge rainfall and surge event,” Senkbeil said. “I just don’t know if people can pick up on those differences,” he said. Jennifer Collins, a geosciences professor at the University of South Florida who lives in the Tampa region, said her neighbors have been peppering her with questions about storm threats and whether to evacuate. While they weren’t in an evacuation zone, there are still risks that may be too great for some to stay behind, she explained. “They still focus on the center of the cone and not the edges of the cone,” Collins said. “You can get significant impacts outside of the cone. It’s kind of frustrating to me that they do that. At some stages they have been saying, ‘Oh, we’re okay,’ and I’m like, ‘I don’t know why you think we’re okay; we’re not. We should be getting prepared.” Melissa Thomas, 31, was studying meteorology at Florida State University when Hurricane Michael arrived in 2018. Her parents chose to stay in their home and, as she watched the storm approach, “I thought, ‘Am I watching my parents die on the radar?’ I’ll never forget that thought.” Thomas worked as an on-camera meteorologist before deciding to become a teacher — now at a high school in Bay County. She now offers forecasts through social media, and as Ian has developed this week, she noticed anxiety building among some Panhandle residents who lived through that earlier storm and fear enduring another. “The mere fact we’re even in the conversation for possible landfalls is really heightening people’s awareness of their own stress of being in the cone of uncertainty,” Thomas said. Even if Ian makes landfall elsewhere, she added, “it’s still very scary to even be being talked about on the periphery of a storm like that.” Ian threatens to bring severe flooding and damaging winds to Florida’s Gulf Coast, appearing bound for landfall somewhere between Naples and the west coast’s Big Bend area between Wednesday and Thursday. It is forecast to become a Category 4 storm with 140 mph winds by late Tuesday, which would make it the strongest September hurricane in the gulf since Rita in 2005. The storm is then expected to weaken slightly as it approaches Florida, striking land as a Category 3 with maximum sustained winds of 125 miles per hour. Hurricane warnings were issued across the Tampa Bay region Monday evening, along with storm surge warnings, and on Tuesday the National Hurricane Center extended it southward to Bonita Springs, south of Fort Myers and Cape Coral. That is because weather forecasting models were increasingly suggesting Ian will make landfall toward the southern zone of earlier predictions, close to Tampa Bay or even just to its south. The hurricane’s biggest threat may be the storm surge — a rise in ocean water over normally dry land caused by low air pressure and winds. The National Hurricane Center predicts Ian could send as much as 5 to 10 feet of storm surge onto Florida’s coastline, a hazard that can be deadly and destructive. The gentle slope of the ocean bottom along the Florida coastline means that even a minor hurricane or tropical storm can be capable of causing serious coastal inundation. The storm’s expected slow movement as it approaches Florida also probably means flooding rains, with 10 to 20 inches or more possible in some areas. Ian comes as part of a surge of late-season tropical activity in the Atlantic basin where, for the first time in 25 years, no named tropical cyclones formed during August. While meteorologists had been watching as many as five tropical systems in recent days, including a nascent Ian, the storm is now one of two under surveillance. The other, several hundred miles west of the Cabo Verde Islands, could soon become Tropical Storm Julia. Brittany Shammas in Key West, Fla., Annabelle Timsit and Jason Samenow contributed to this report. Read More Here

Secret Service Seizes 24 Phones From Agents In Jan. 6 Probe: Report https://digitalarizonanews.com/secret-service-seizes-24-phones-from-agents-in-jan-6-probe-report/ The Secret Service has reportedly seized 24 phones from agents in connection with a controversial investigation by the Department of Homeland Security inspector general into the storming of the Capitol on Jan. 6. The two dozen agents’ phones, which are not believed to include messages from Jan. 6, were handed over to DHS IG Joseph Cuffari in July shortly after he opened a probe into missing text messages from the day of the attack, NBC News reported Tuesday. It’s not clear what information if any Cuffari, a Trump appointee who previously worked for Republican officials in Arizona, has gleaned from the agents’ phones, which are government property. Then-President Donald Trump, center, surrounded by members of the Secret Service, walks across the tarmac to begin to greet supporters during his arrival at Palm Beach International Airport, in West Palm Beach, Fla., April 18, 2019. (Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP) The revelation about the phone seizures does little to clear up puzzling questions about Cuffari’s probe and his oversight over the Secret Service in the months since the attack. He revealed over the summer that text messages from Secret Service agents involved in the response to the Jan. 6 attack were mostly scrubbed in what the agency has described as a pre-planned tech upgrade coinciding with the incoming administration of President Biden. Cuffari’s office apparently knew about the lost messages for more than a year before notifying the congressional committee investigating the attack, a delay that has infuriated lawmakers. [ ‘Pretty crazy’: Jan. 6 committee members not happy about scrubbed texts from agents ] Any texts sent by agents on Jan. 6 and the run up to the attack on the Capitol are of obvious interest to investigators, raising serious questions about the decision by Secret Service brass to scrub the phones just days after the historic effort to prevent the peaceful transfer of power to Biden from former President Donald Trump. Violent insurrectionists loyal to then-President Donald Trump, storm the Capitol in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021. (John Minchillo/AP) The messages took on even greater importance in June when former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson told a Jan. 6 committee hearing that Trump physically accosted a Secret Service agent when he refused to drive Trump to the Capitol to lead the insurrection in person. [ Cassidy Hutchinson delivers bombshell testimony about Trump’s dangerous behavior on Jan. 6 ] Hutchinson said she was told about the incident, which Trump has denied, by Deputy White House Chief of Staff Tony Ornato and the agent who was leading presidential security that day. Ornato, a staunch Trump loyalist and former veteran Secret Service agent, insisted he would contradict Hutchinson’s account under oath, but has since refused to do so. He recently announced his retirement but insisted it was long planned. Read More Here

Tuesday, September 27, 2022 | TALKERS Magazine – Talk Media Trade https://digitalarizonanews.com/tuesday-september-27-2022-talkers-magazine-talk-media-trade/ Salem Tampa Bay Prepares for Hurricane Ian. Pictured above is Salem Media Group Tampa chief engineer Robert Hailey (right) leading his engineering team installing plywood panels over doors and windows at the company’s Tampa radio stations – the home base for the Salem Radio Network nationally syndicated “Mike Gallagher Show” – as they prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Ian. Deni Lang Named Promotions and Marketing Director for SummitMedia Richmond. Radio pro Denise “Deni” Lang is named promotions and marketing director for SummitMedia LLC’s Richmond station group that includes sports talk WURV-HD2 “ESPN Richmond” and four music brands. Summit VP of events and promotions Justin Ragland says. “We are fortunate that Deni is both a radio pro and has a proven track record of success in this market. Her relationships in Richmond run deep and her experience promises to bring an exciting future of innovative radio promotions for our team.” Lang joins SummitMedia from Audacy’s crosstown CHR WRVQ-FM where she served as brand manager. She says, “I’m excited to join SummitMedia and work with an incredible group of people that genuinely loves radio and has a passion to work hard. I plan to build upon the achievements of this team and help drive ratings and revenue for this amazing cluster.” Paul Gallant Goes Solo on KFNC-FM, Houston. Houston sports talk personality Paul Gallant is now hosting the 10:00 am to 12:00 noon show on Gow Media’s KFNC-FM/K223CW “ESPN 97.5 & 92.5.” He’d been co-hosting the program with Vanessa Richardson since February of this year, but she exits KFNC to focus on her role with regional network AT&T SportsNet, where she’s been hosting pre- and post-game shows for Houston Astros broadcasts. KFNC general manger Todd Farquharson says, “We’re excited to have Paul host his own show. He’s super creative, energetic, and likeable. He’ll get the audience involved and have fun.” Gallant comments, “You know what I’ve always loved about sports/talk radio? That it’s interactive. Whether through a phone call, text message, tweet or on Twitch, it’s the best place for sports fans to come together and celebrate…or vent. And that’s what ‘The Paul Gallant Show’ is going to be… Houston’s platform to talk about its teams. THE most interactive sports talk show in Houston.” Suspect in Death of WWJ, Detroit Anchor Jim Matthews Arraigned. According to a report by WJBK-TV, Detroit “FOX2 News,” the suspect in the murder of WWJ-AM, Detroit overnight news anchor Jim Matthews was arraigned on one count of first-degree homicide, homicide felony murder, two counts of intent to murder, and three counts of unlawful imprisonment. Although described as someone who was “welcomed in as a guest in the home” of Matthews, 55-year-old Arthur Williamson has a lengthy criminal record, including convictions for assaulting police, assault with intent to commit murder, and kidnapping. He was previously released from prison in 2018. In addition to Matthews’ death, a 10-year-old child is still in critical condition due to blunt force trauma and Matthews’ girlfriend Nichole Guertin is in stable condition after suffering stab wounds. The couple’s five-year-old daughter was unharmed. Authorities say they are “still piecing together the timeline,” and say there is “limited clarity” because the victims are still hospitalized. The Economy/Inflation, Trump Legal Issues, Midterms/2024 Presidential Race, Immigration, Hurricane Ian Aims for Tampa, Russia-Ukraine War, European Politics, and NASA’s DART Mission Among Top News/Talk Stories Yesterday (9/26). Inflation, the sell-off on the world’s financial markets, and threats of a recession; former President Donald Trump’s New York civil suit and the DOJ’s documents investigation; the November midterm elections and the potential nominees for president in 2024; the Biden administration’s immigration policy and the transporting of migrants; Hurricane Ian hits western Cuba and threatens the Tampa Bay area; Vladimir Putin’s threat of nuclear force in the Ukraine war; concerns about a neo-fascist trend in European politics after Giorgia Meloni leads the conservative alliance to victory in Italian elections; and NASA’s DART mission hits an asteroid in an attempt to change its course were some of the most-talked-about stories on news/talk radio yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine. KWAM Seeks News Staffers. KWAM, Memphis “The Mighty 990” is expanding its local news coverage. KWAM has promoted Ben Deeter – executive producer of “Wake Up Memphis” – to full-time news anchor and anchor of the radio station’s political coverage. KWAM owner Todd Starnes says there are plans to add more reporters and anchors. Email resumes to: info@kwamradio.com. FOX News Media Seeks Freelance Radio Anchor. This onsite position in either Los Angeles, Chicago or New York is a freelance radio anchor for the FOX News Audio family as on-air talent for FOX News Radio Network/FOX News Headlines 24/7 Sirius XM Channel 115. In this position, you will work under tight deadlines and deliver top-notch newscasts. You have a passion for breaking news and the flexibility to work on a day’s notice. Learn more about this position here. Reporter Position Open at FOX News Media in Washington, DC. For this onsite reporter position FOX News Media is looking for an experienced, full-time reporter to join the Washington DC team. You will cover a wide range of political, government, and Congressional stories for FOX News Audio (FOX News Headlines 24/7 and FOX News Terrestrial Radio). You possess strong journalism skills and thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment.  Most importantly, you have great editorial judgment and the ability to break important news stories. Learn more and apply here. Freelance Producer/Editor Opportunity at FOX News Media. This exciting opportunity is based in New York for a freelance producer/news editor to supervise the staff for our network radio news operations (terrestrial and FOX News Headlines 24/7 – Channel 115 on SiriusXM Radio). In this role you are our editorial leader, working with news anchors to craft the content and structure of a 24/7 news operation. This is fast-moving news environment! Your ability to thrive in a fast-paced, deadline-driven newsroom allows you to deliver top-quality segments/newscasts. You excel at multi-tasking and pay close attention to details. Your writing and editing skills are excellent and your editorial judgment is first-rate. Find out more here. Tags: arraigned, Arthur Williamson, AT&T SportsNet, Audacy, Deni Lang, Detroit, Hurricane Ian, Jim Matthews, Justin Ragland, Mike Gallagher, news/talk radio, Nichole Guertin, Paul Gallant, Robert Hailey, Salem Media Group, Salem Radio Network, SummitMedia, Talkers Magazine, Tampa, Todd Farquharson, Vanessa Richardson, WWJ Category: Front Page News, Industry News Read More Here

DeSantis Privately Calls Trump A ‘moron’ And Vents About Him Running For President https://digitalarizonanews.com/desantis-privately-calls-trump-a-moron-and-vents-about-him-running-for-president/ Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has privately vented to staffers that Donald Trump, a likely contender for the Republican presidential ticket in 2024, is a “moron” and has no business running for the Oval Office for a second time. The revelations about the inside murmurings from the Republican governor arrive from a deeply reported Vanity Fair profile, which tracks the firebrand Florida politician’s rise from a controversial figure in the GOP to a likely challenger in the 2024 presidential election. Though the governor has been mum publicly about any animus he holds towards the former president, behind closed doors it’s apparently a different story. Former staffers for the Florida Republican reportedly told Vanity Fair that, “[DeSantis] calls him a TV personality and a moron who has no business running for president”. Elsewhere in the report, donors for Mr DeSantis describe how the man who seems to have successfully taken up the mantle of being a champion for MAGA Republicans plans to go on a “full frontal attack” should he be forced to face off with the man who birthed the movement in 2015. “DeSantis says the only way to beat Trump is to attack him head-on,” one GOP source briefed on conversations told Vanity Fair. “He says he would turn to Trump during a debate and say, ‘Why didn’t you fire Fauci? You said you would build the wall, but there is no wall. Why is that?’” The revelations about Mr DeSantis sniping at Mr Trump, who credits himself for landing the firebrand politician in the governor’s mansion in Florida, arrive as a separate report found that the one-term president can also be rather two-faced when it comes to discussing his potential 2024 rival. According to a new book from New York Times journalist Maggie Haberman, Mr Trump has reportedly described Mr DeSantis as “fat,” “phony” and “whiny”. Former Trump aides confided in the veteran White House reporter for her upcoming book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, claiming that they’d overheard conversations where the president painted his potential 2024 rival in unflattering terms while simultaneously credited himself for delivering him an election victory in the governor’s race. Ron DeSantis is the second most popular Republican leader. Donald Trump has noticed. (AP) “I heard that Trump was describing Florida Governor Ron DeSantis in similar terms, calling him ‘fat,’ ‘phony,’ and ‘whiny,’ while claiming credit for making his candidacy in 2018,” Ms Haberman writes. During an appearance on the right-wing Newsmax channel in the summer, Mr Trump was asked by the host what his thoughts were on the Florida governor making a run for commander-in-chief on the GOP ticket, a matchup that the former US president has indicated he would surely win if he did decide to run. “Well, I don’t know that he wants to run, you know, I have a good relationship with Ron,” the one-term president began, before adding: “But I was very responsible for him getting elected, as you know,” he said. Neither Mr Trump nor Mr DeSantis have announced their bids for the White House, but it has been widely speculated that both men have been soft launching their campaigns for the past few months as they engage in national profile-raising activities. For Mr DeSantis, that has looked like sending two planes of migrants from the US southern border and dropping them in Martha’s Vineyard, despite not telling the people onboard where they were actually headed. As for Mr Trump, the past few months have been spent stumping for MAGA Republicans he’s endorsed for various midterm races across the country, using the public events as pseudo-Trump rallies evocative of his runup to the 2016 election. Read More Here

Canadians Think The Call Came From Inside The White House: Jan. 6 Hearings To Resume – World News https://digitalarizonanews.com/canadians-think-the-call-came-from-inside-the-white-house-jan-6-hearings-to-resume-world-news/ Photo: The Canadian Press A new poll suggests one in three Canadians have been keeping close tabs on the Jan. 6 hearings in the United States — and that nearly three in four blame Donald Trump for the riots. Leger’s online poll, conducted in August for the Association for Canadian Studies, found 37 per cent of respondents in Canada and 44 per cent in the U.S. were watching the hearings closely. Just over half the American respondents, 54 per cent, said the former president is responsible for the Capitol Hill riots, compared with 72 per cent in Canada. The select committee investigating Jan. 6 is set to hold its next hearing Wednesday, likely the last before the midterms in November. The poll, which surveyed 1,509 respondents in Canada and 1,002 in the U.S. shortly after the hearing in July, does not carry a margin of error because online surveys are not based on random samples. A final report on the committee’s findings is expected before the end of the year, but it’s unclear if it will be released before election day Nov. 8. The level of Canadian interest in the hearings is likely more to do with a persistent fascination with Trump and his ever-evolving legacy than anything else, said association president and CEO Jack Jedwab. The former president “has left a lingering bad feeling for most Canadians,” who were by and large not supportive of his presidency or its impact on Canada-U.S. relations, Jedwab said. “Trump is seen as someone who soured relations between the two countries and as the object of considerable mistrust.” The poll, which was conducted before Pierre Poilievre claimed the leadership of the Conservative party, also broke down the Canadian participants by party affiliation. Maxime Bernier’s hard-right People’s Party of Canada was the only party where a majority — 57 per cent — said they want to see Trump run for president again in 2024, with 25 per cent opposed and 18 per cent refusing to say. Among Conservatives, 28 per cent said they would support Trump for the nomination, compared with 64 per cent who disagreed. Opposition to a Trump candidacy ran close to 90 per cent among Liberal, NDP and Green Party supporters, and reached 95 per cent among backers of the Bloc Québécois. Ever since the hearings began in June, the committee — led by Mississippi Democrat Rep. Bennie Thompson and Wyoming Republican Rep. Liz Cheney — has unspooled a narrative tying the riots to the Trump White House. That link got a boost Sunday when former committee staffer Denver Riggleman told “60 Minutes” of a phone call on Jan. 6 between one of the rioters and someone in the White House. “You get a real ‘Aha’ moment when you see that the White House switchboard had connected to a rioter’s phone while it’s happening,” Riggleman said. The identity of who was on the phone in the White House remains a mystery, he added. “The American people need to know that there are link connections that need to be explored more.” Committee member Rep. Jamie Raskin acknowledged that evidence Sunday, calling it just one of many clear links between the White House and the people who stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6. “We’re interested in telling the big story, which is this was an organized, premeditated, deliberate hit against the vice-president and the Congress to overthrow the 2020 presidential election,” Raskin told “Meet the Press.” “What we’re going to do on Wednesday is fill in those details that have come to the attention of the committee over the last five or six weeks.” The committee could also spell out what, if anything, it has learned from former Republican speaker Newt Gingrich and his role in promoting the defeated president’s persistent claims of election fraud. Thompson wrote to Gingrich earlier this month about evidence that he said shows Gingrich “was involved in various other aspects of the scheme to overturn the 2020 election and block the transfer of power,” including after Jan. 6. The riots, which grew out of a sprawling protest among Trump supporters on the very day Congress was certifying Joe Biden’s election win, provided a dramatic and deadly exclamation point for the most turbulent presidency in modern history. And the hearings, having exploded the notion that the chaos was simply a protest that got out of hand, have proven an unlikely summer blockbuster, thanks to the help of former ABC News president James Goldston. The committee heard how Pence averted a constitutional crisis by ignoring Trump’s demands to reject the election results, and remained on the congressional grounds even as protesters cried out for his violent ouster. Members listened to former White House counsel Pat Cipollone’s account of a chaotic meeting of Trump’s fringe advisers, who were desperate for a way to keep the president in power, the night before. That meeting included a draft executive order that would have made Trump campaign lawyer Sidney Powell a special counsel with the power to order the U.S. military to seize voting machines from across the country. After the meeting dissolved into frustration, the president issued his fateful late-night tweet luring supporters to D.C.: “Will be wild,” he wrote. And Cassidy Hutchinson, an aide to Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows, told the committee how the president urged the Secret Service to stop screening protesters for weapons, saying, “They’re not here to hurt me.” And she described hearing of an infuriated Trump lunging for the steering wheel of his SUV when members of his Secret Service detail refused to take him to the Capitol. Read More Here

Nord Stream Pipelines Hit By Suspicious Leaks In Possible Sabotage; Russia Says It Has 'a Right' To Use Nuclear Weapons https://digitalarizonanews.com/nord-stream-pipelines-hit-by-suspicious-leaks-in-possible-sabotage-russia-says-it-has-a-right-to-use-nuclear-weapons/ Wheat rises on concern over Russian crops Wheat is loaded aboard a cargo ship in the international port of Rostov-on-Don to be shipped to Turkey, on July 26, 2022. Stringer | AFP | Getty Images Chicago wheat futures climbed, supported by concern over Russian supplies as some farmers are called to the army, while corn and soybeans rose from the previous session’s near two-week low due to a slower-than-expected U.S. harvest. Wheat prices gained 1.5% and were set to snap a two-session losing streak. “Agricultural markets have faced pressure in the last few sessions due to concerns over global recession,” said a Singapore-based trader. “But we have a slight strength today as the U.S. harvest is slow.” The Chicago Board of Trade (CBOT) most-active corn contract was up 0.4% at $6.69 a bushel, as of 1130 GMT, and soybeans added 0.7% to $14.21-1/2 a bushel. Wheat gained 1.5% to $8.70-1/2 a bushel. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said the corn harvest was 12% complete, as of Sunday, behind the average analyst estimate of 13% and the five-year average of 14%. The soybean harvest was 8% complete, lagging the average analyst estimate of 11% and the five-year average of 13%, the agency reported after the market closed on Monday. — Rueters Nord Stream leaks ‘a severe safety and environmental hazard,’ analysts say Workers are seen at the construction site of the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline, near the town of Kingisepp, Leningrad region, Russia, June 5, 2019. Anton Vaganov | Reuters Suspicious leaks reported on the Nord Stream pipelines from Russia to Germany represent a “severe safety and environment hazard,” according to experts at the Eurasia Group. Nord Stream operator Nord Stream AG reported Tuesday that both the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have sustained “unprecedented” damage via three known leaks, adding it was impossible to estimate when the gas network system’s working capability would be restored. Danish and Swedish authorities declared a no-shipping zone around the location of the suspected leak in their maritime zones while Denmark raised its power and gas safety alert level. Henning Gloystein, director of energy, climate and resources and senior analyst Jason Bush, both at Eurasia Group, said in a note Tuesday that while German and Danish authorities said the cause of the leaks was unknown, “unplanned leaks to undersea pipelines are rare as they are designed to avert accidental damage.” “Several EU sources said sabotage seemed likely. Neither pipeline was delivering commercial gas at the time of the leaks, yet given both lines were still pressured and each has the capacity to pipe around 165 million cubic metres of methane-heavy gas per day,” they said, adding: “Leaks of this size are a severe safety and environmental hazard, especially should Russia not stop pumping gas into the system.” The Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have centered heavily in the breakdown of relations between Europe and Russia because of the war in Ukraine. The new Nord Stream 2 pipeline had not even opened when the German government refused to certify it for commercial operations after Moscow’s invasion of Ukraine. Meanwhile, the functional Nord Stream 1 pipeline is currently not being used to deliver Russian gas to Europe after Gazprom, the Russian gas giant, said there was a technical fault with a turbine that could not be fixed due to Western sanctions. The latest report of leaks make it even less likely that gas supplies to Europe will resume before the winter, analysts now say. “Depending on the scale of the damage, the leaks could even mean a permanent closure of both lines,” Eurasia Group said. Gazprom declined to comment when approached by Reuters. Mystery leaks hit Russian undersea gas lines, raising European suspicions European countries on Tuesday raced to investigate unexplained leaks in two Russian gas pipelines runningunder the Baltic Sea near Sweden and Denmark, infrastructure at the heart of an energy crisis since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Experts and also Russia, which built the network, said the possibility of sabotage could not be ruled out, Reuters reported Tuesday. Sweden’s Maritime Authority issued a warning about two leaks in the Nord Stream 1 pipeline, shortly after a leak on the nearby Nord Stream 2 pipeline was discovered that had prompted Denmark to restrict shipping in a five nautical mile radius. Both pipelines have been flashpoints in an escalating energy war between European capitals and Moscow that has pummelled major Western economies, sent gas prices soaring and sparked a hunt for alternative energy supplies. “There are some indications that it is deliberate damage,” said a European security source, while adding it was still too early to draw conclusions. “You have to ask: Who would profit?” Russia also said the leak in the Russian network was cause for concern and sabotage was one possible cause. “No option can be ruled out right now,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. On Friday, Russian energy supplier Gazprom said it would not resume its supply of natural gas to Germany through the key Nord Stream 1 pipeline, blaming a malfunctioning turbine. Hannibal Hanschke | Reuters Neither pipeline was pumping gas to Europe at the time the leaks were found amid the dispute over the war in Ukraine, but the incidents will scupper any remaining expectations that Europe could receive gas via Nord Stream 1 before winter. “The destruction that occurred on the same day simultaneously on three strings of the offshore gas pipelines of the Nord Stream system is unprecedented,” said network operator Nord Stream AG. “It is not yet possible to estimate the timing of the restoration of the gas transport infrastructure.” Although neither were in operation, both pipelines still contained gas under pressure. Denmark’s energy minister Dan Jorgensen said in a written comment leaking gas had been detected in Nord Stream 2 on Monday between Russia and Denmark. Gazprom, the Kremlin-controlled company with a monopoly on Russian gas exports by pipeline, declined comment. — Reuters Kazakhstan to hold talks with Moscow after influx of Russians fleeing the draft Kazakhstan is to discuss an influx of Russians to the country following President Putin’s partial military mobilization last week. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev told Russian news agency Interfax that there is “neither crisis nor panic” in the country in connection with the influx of Russians, but called the situation “difficult.” “We will hold talks with the Russian side and will solve this problem in the interests of our country,” he said. “We do not have a crisis or panic. The government must do its job. Visitors from abroad will be assisted, but they will not receive any preferences” the president said, adding that it was important for Kazakhstan to maintain good relations with its Russian neighbor. “The most important thing is that we maintain agreement with neighboring countries. We will not lose anything from this. In recent days, many people from Russia have been coming to us. Most of them are forced to leave due to the current hopeless situation. We must take care of them and provide their security. This is a political and humanitarian issue. I instructed the government to take the necessary measures,” Tokayev said. On September 23, the border service of the National Security Committee of Kazakhstan reported that it was registering an increase in the number of foreigners entering the border with Russia. That came a day after President Putin announced the call-up of 300,000 military reservists to fight in Ukraine, prompting a mass exodus from the country as men tried to escape the draft. Russia says it has right to use nuclear weapons if territory threatened, top official says Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons if Moscow deems it necessary, and if it deems its territory is under threat from conventional weapons. Medvedev is seen as a close ally of President Putin and is currently the deputy chair of Russia’s Security Council. During the war he has infrequently taken to Telegram to issue aggressive anti-Western and pro-war statements. On Tuesday, he wrote on the social media site, “Our enemies love to make grandiloquent statements [and] operate with the terms ‘freedom’, ‘democracy’, ‘mission’. In fact, this is just ritual verbal diarrhea,” he said, with the “topic of recent days is the Russian nuclear threat.” “I have to remind you again … Russia has the right to use nuclear weapons if necessary. In predetermined cases. In strict accordance with the fundamentals of state policy in the field of nuclear deterrence [or] if we or our allies are attacked using this type of weapon. Or if aggression with the use of conventional weapons threatens the very existence of our state,” he wrote. Russian and PM Dmitry Medvedev and President Vladimir Putin arrive at a meeting at Novo-Ogaryovo State Residence on July 28, 2017 outside of Moscow, Russia. Mikhail Svetlov | Getty Images There are heightened concerns that Russia could resort to using a nuclear weapon in Ukraine after it annexes more territory in the country — a move it is expected to announce later this week after a series of sham referendums in occupied parts of the country on joining Russia. Despite the illegitimacy of the votes, which are widely regarded as rigged and coercive, Russia is expected to announce the annexation of four regions of Ukraine into the Russian Federation. There are concerns that Russia could resort to using nuclear weapons, justifying it on the grounds of defending Russian territory. Russia ha...

NSHSS Recognizes 18 Remarkable Students Under 18 For Outstanding Leadership https://digitalarizonanews.com/nshss-recognizes-18-remarkable-students-under-18-for-outstanding-leadership/ NSHSS is one of the first organizations to award an 18 Under 18 Scholarship and is proud to recognize these exemplary students for their compassion and achievements. ATLANTA (PRWEB) September 27, 2022 National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS) awarded 18 of the nation’s stand-out students under the age of 18 with the second annual 18 Under 18 Scholarship. Applicants created short videos detailing their passions and contributions to society, what makes their leadership styles effective within their communities, and how they plan to utilize their passions to further effect positivity and change. “As one of the first organizations to award an 18 Under 18 Scholarship, we are proud to recognize these students for their exemplary achievements,” said NSHSS Co-founder, James Lewis. “Most students begin applying for scholarships their senior year in high school, when they are already 18, but NSHSS encourages young students, like these 18 recipients, to recognize they don’t have to wait until then to apply for scholarships that will defray their college costs.” Eighteen top students from across the country were chosen by NSHSS to be awarded a $1,000 scholarship. The recipients are: Sanaa Akesson – Brooklyn, NY Sanaa is passionate about wildlife conservation. As founder and president of her school’s animal club, she helped the club raise enough money to buy their first-ever class pet, a bearded dragon named Victor that they adopted. Throughout college, she will continue to spread awareness for wildlife conservation to people of all ages. Sophia Baig – Utica, MS While Sophia has had many leadership opportunities, her favorite has been helping lead in her church’s vacation bible school (VBS). In last year’s VBS, Sophia was a small group leader for several special needs children. She has also interned for the past four years with her local ballet academy, where she helped lead classes and taught some on her own. She was named an intern leader from 2020-2021. Mobis Bassir – The Woodlands, TX Mobis regularly volunteers at a local food bank, iron man races, and her church. Within her church, she helps instill a passion for service in young kids and wants to continue this line of work through college. Malini Chawla – Chandler, AZ Malini was recently elected president of her school’s Unified Sports team, an organization that provides athletes with intellectual disabilities the opportunity to participate in sports alongside their classmates. Through Unified Sports, Malini realized she has a passion for helping others find their potential – just like this organization helped her when she was young. Christopher Dean – Coon Rapids, MN As part of Man Up Club, a nonprofit that focuses on mentorship programs for young Black men, Christopher helps teach younger kids social and life skills, civic responsibilities, and academic discipline. In the Leaders In Training (LIT) Club, he teaches children how to become leaders, and in Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID), he teaches them how to work with others and show cooperation to adapt to others’ ideas. Amie Donathan – McKinney, TX An amputee herself, Amie traveled to Sierra Leone to help other amputee women find a community through soccer. In her hometown, Amie volunteers with TOPSoccer, an organization that helps kids with cognitive, emotional, and physical disabilities play. Gabrielle du Vair – Weston, WI Gabrielle’s hockey team voted her to be a senior captain, and she helped lead them to a state championship. She ensured everyone on the team felt welcome and comfortable. As a result, she was awarded the 2021-2022 CW Storm Captain Award. Nabeel Hakeem-Olowu – Harrisburg, PA Nabeel’s goal is to eradicate poverty in Harrisburg, so he started volunteering with TriCounty Community Action to help. He has assisted the organization in helping more than 7,000 households with utility assistance and educating more than 200 people in becoming successful first-time home buyers. Jaelyn Holmes – Victorville, CA During her sophomore year of high school, Jaelyn was one of the original members of a nonprofit called Moore Truth More Change, which raises awareness for social justice issues – from local to a national level. She runs the organization’s social media channels, creates educational videos, and sets up community clothing and book drives. Russell Ireland – Ontario, CA Russell is involved with the Civil Air Patrol, a direct auxiliary of the United States Air Force. Russell works with the group’s mobile food bank and joins in flag planting, where he goes to veterans’ cemeteries to plant flags at their graves in honor of their service. Lyndi Jones – St. Louis, MO Lyndi is an active member of a local nonprofit that helps build community in the St. Louis area. With the group, she has helped run in numerous events like back-to-school expos, food drives, and more. She also participates in her church’s chess club, which gets young, at-risk kids into a new learning environment. Mary Karlsson – Cave Creek, AZ Mary is a co-founder of Hug Your Head Foundation, a 501 (c) (3) nonprofit she established with her brother, a traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivor. Together, they created this organization to educate the public on the importance of protecting the head from injury and to provide support to other TBI survivors and their family members. Iaslyn Lewis – Thomaston, CT As stage manager of her school’s and community’s theater productions, Iaslyn acts as the main point of communication. Her job is to make sure each show runs smoothly – ensuring all scenes are rehearsed, sets are made, costumes and props are in place, and that the curtain goes up. Parth Nikumbh – Katy, TX Parth started a nonprofit, ThinkBeyond, which aims to encourage and motivate students to consider and explore careers in the medical field through various workshops. He also volunteers at a local speech and debate institute where he coaches students and helps them build public speaking skills. Isabella Sells – Gilroy, CA Isabella connects her leadership style to creativity and art. Her goal in college is to reach a wider audience in her art and portray more diverse characters in visual media to spur change through storytelling. This summer, she released her first of many webtoons. Kinley Simmons – Millers Place, NY As a rising tenth grader, Kinley has an extensive leadership and community service background. She recently packed 3,000 meals in partnership with nonprofit Rise Against Hunger and donated & packed backpacks full of school supplies for young students in need. She has also led webinars and events where she speaks about the effects of smoking and vaping and encourages senators to support bills protecting kids from tobacco. Amrita Talwar – Gainesville, VA Amrita has been her school’s Women in STEM Club president for two years and leads group activities and discussions. She has also co-founded Women Talk Tech, an organization successful in bringing STEM and coding to local elementary and middle school girls. Jordan Yen – Pacifica, CA Jordan was elected secretary of his high school’s Associated Student Body (ASB) his freshman year and president his sophomore and junior year. As president, he organized and supervised fundraisers and class activities, including a Career Day. He was elected the overall ASB school president for his upcoming senior year. About National Society of High School Scholars (NSHSS): NSHSS is the premier honors and scholarship program co-founded by Claes Nobel, the senior member of the Nobel Prize family, and James Lewis. NSHSS offers a lifetime of benefits, pairing the highest performing students worldwide with high school and college scholarships, events, connections, internships, and career opportunities that begin in high school and carry on through college and careers. For more information, visit https://www.nshss.org/. Read More Here

Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders Celebrate Victory, Sad Giants Fan & Bama Fan Willie Is Fired Up Over Ohio State Joke https://digitalarizonanews.com/dallas-cowboys-cheerleaders-celebrate-victory-sad-giants-fan-bama-fan-willie-is-fired-up-over-ohio-state-joke/ Best Buy is now asking for tips at checkout Just when you thought you’d heard it all from the world of tipping, along comes Andy from Knoxville to share a story with us about a trip to Best Buy. Andy from Knoxville here, still recovering from the Vols victory over the Gators.  I’ve watched every game since I was a freshman at Tennessee back in 1994 and was glad for the win.  But watching Tennessee run 3 plays up the gut when they had it 1st and 5 felt like Fulmer was still coaching.  All you have to do is get a first down to win the game! Why do coaches forget about doing what got them to this point?  Keep your foot on the gas!  So glad they got the win, but man, if Tennessee had lost it would have been the latest in a long string of awful loses to the hated Florida Gators. Anyway, I wanted to weigh in on how bad the tipping situation has gotten.  I went to Best Buy this weekend and got a Blu-Ray (yes, physical media is still important…the wokes can’t digitally change the versions that you one).  When I checked out, the salesperson asked if I would like to make a donation to their Tech Team, and I looked down at the screen and there were options to add money on to the sale just like at a restaurant.  No, I would not like to add a donation or a tip for you doing your job at Best Buy.  I know Bidenflation is rough out there and we are all doing our best to scrape by, but Best Buy asking for tips is next-level intrusive and annoying. Keep up the great work with Screencaps, it’s the best community on the internet. GO VOLS! A quick search reveals some chatter about Best Buy and tipping, which indicates this might be a new approach the company is using as a pay raise. One of you must know about the racket that’s going on here. Are these companies taking a percentage of that tip? Is the POS system taking a percentage of the tip? If so, I want in on POS systems. Let’s start a Screencaps POS system and make a few dollars. Based on the LinkedIn friend requests I receive from senior VPs, one of you must be doing business in this world. Let me know. As always, you’ll be anonymous. Email: joekinsey@gmail.com What’s the best way to build a woodpile? • Sean K. brings up a topic that is guaranteed to get a reaction out of woodpile experts like Guy G. in western New York: Good morning Joe! It’s fantastic reading Screencaps 7 days a week now. It’s now providing a weekend break from the daily insanity happening in and around this country. The craft vs. mass-produced beer battle has been fun to watch from the sidelines; full disclosure, I’ll drink any beer in the fridge except for Scahefer, if it’s even still made (owing to a VERY bad college experience with it).  So a very basic question for the Screencaps community: what is the best way to build a woodpile? I am getting a 1/2 cord of wood for the winter to help heat the house (thanks again, President Brandon, for driving up energy prices across the board. Burning trees to stay warm; didn’t we do that in medieval times?)  So, the question is, what’s the best woodshed design for it? Does the woodpile need a roof over it? Or would a simple wood rack open to the elements suffice? There are the yard aesthetics to consider, as I don’t want it to become an eyesore in my suburb. So I figure there are some savvy TNML members out there who have a simple shed design that they built themselves that is easy to mow around, easy to stack and unstack wood from, and adds to the ‘charm’ of the yard.  Final thought: Are we really arguing about Hildee’s belly button here? That’s sort of like arguing about the shape of a Rolls Royce’s hood ornament – as in it’s the lovely super sleek car that matters, not the hood ornament! Oh, and I forgot her name, but props to the young IG model from Provo Utah who wore a ‘Metallica’ T-shirt in one series of photos. I’ve never seen a model sport a heavy-metal tee before. Way to go.  As always, keep doing what you are doing. Good lord us regular guys (and gals) need a place like Screencaps to gather.  First-time emailer and he’s a millennial…Screencaps & OutKick are evolving Now, so we’re all on the same page, millennials are defined as being born between 1981 & 1996. As I’ve mentioned here multiple times over the last 6-8 weeks, we’re seeing a surge in millennials who are transitioning from the millennials that the Baby Boomers rip on to millennials who are maturing into tax-paying adults facing big boy issues. Today we hear from millennial Griff from Minneapolis: Good morrow Joe!  I greet you with great fervor and tidings as a reader of this fine column; it would seem I am besieged with feelings of good fortune to have managed to stumble upon by happenschance this glorious merchant called ScreenCaps.  Alas!  Let us bask in its glow for fortnights on end!  The bodega cats shall live past their ninth lives!  Praise King Earnhardt as we no longer have to search the faces of the Gods for our treasured coffers! First timer here.  Millennial.  I wasn’t sure when I would ever enter the conversation but the IG model talk provided an opening.  I catch the column because I enjoy learning about new things and hearing from great Americans living in our heartland.  I’ve learned a lot from the fine men and women of ‘Caps…things like grilling, striping, various recipes, vacation spots…I was at my parents a few weekends ago and the next-door neighbor was mowing (on a Saturday).  I laughed and shook my head.  Have we learned nothing people?  I don’t own a house but I hope to someday and I will try to stripe the absolute s*** out of my yard and have a garage fridge of all garage fridges.  I don’t have kids yet but I enjoyed reading about the cellphone for kids topic.  I hope to learn how to do hard things.  The column is fun and the community is filled with people I def. can relate to.  We mortals are but shadows and dust.  Shadows and dust Maximus! My one criticism about the column is glorifying IG models as I think it goes against doing hard things.  Perhaps there’s an exception to the influencers who are police officers, hunters, anchors, or even the Hooters girls (I worked in the restaurant industry and can confirm its a tough job).  They are out there contributing to our society, doing said hard things and making a difference.  The basic IG model is not and serves no purpose to our hard-working country while simultaneously teaching our young women that they, too, can be entitled to such riches and rewards by simply posting pictures of themselves online.  Like Michael Bolton said, if everyone had a million dollars we wouldn’t have janitors because no one would clean s*** up if they had a million dollars.  I just find absolutely nothing interesting about “Hildee” and could not possibly care less about the woman’s belly button.  We can’t keep giving our clicks to people who do basically nothing and get paid for it.  I mean come on…do we need more Kardashians and Paris Hiltons in this world?  I vote no, we do not.   Regardless, I love the column and everyone’s contributions to it; always look forward to learning about new stuff from yall.  And even despite all of that, I am entirely willing to admit that maybe one day when I’m a retired old guffer, I’ll have learned everything this fine earth has to offer; Ill be exhausted from life and all I’ll want to do is scroll Hildee’s page all day.  To which in that case, Godspeed Screencaps. I hear you, Griff. The Instagram model topic is an absolute lighting rod for the community. Trust me, I reject numerous IG models recommended by readers because they seem soulless. Yes, some slip through the cracks, but it’s limited. Sometimes I find myself weak and unwilling to tell an IG model to take a hike and she gets in. As for finding nothing interesting about Hilde, I need Griff and those who share Griff’s feelings to remember not to take everything in Screencaps as literal. This column is like a soap opera for guys. We have readers trying to predict via their text groups which IG models will pop up. We have running jokes about Hilde being BACK. The origins of Screencaps date back to being about absurdity. Stick with me, Griff. I will transform an entire generation of millennials. Is Battery Daddy the Christmas gift of the year for guys who have everything? The big talk on group text Monday centered on the Battery Daddy storage system that appears to be all the rage as we head into the Christmas buying season. My buddy Diesel showed off his Battery Daddy, which was followed by Canoe Kirk sending a screenshot of a Battery Daddy commercial on the TV in his hotel room in Boston, and that was followed by my trip to Costco where I ran into Battery Daddy sitting on top of an air hockey table. Needless to say, there was some Battery Daddy synergy going on within the group. This should serve as a lesson to the wives out there who think their husbands are on despicable group text chains. Ladies, this is the stuff we talk about. Nothing gets the motor charged up like a battery storage system that will eventually end up on a garage shelf. By the way, ladies, go ahead and get one of these for us. Or two. Where will they play the Chiefs-Buccaneers game? • Chris N. writes via the Instagram DMs: I see there is talk of moving the Tampa game to the Midwest. How huge would it be to get the game moved to the big house? I’m an Illinois fan but still think it would be incredible to have Brady play in Ann Arbor one last time!! Ratings thru the roof? Odds & Ends & Hilde’s Belly Button • Caleb in Pennsylvania writes: Joe—I hope you are doing well. There have been some EXTREMELY spirited debates in screencaps lately. Fantastic! I’d love to weigh in on them all, but to pre...

Scottsdale Tech Startup Equipifi Subleases Office Space Amid Growth – The Business Journals https://digitalarizonanews.com/scottsdale-tech-startup-equipifi-subleases-office-space-amid-growth-the-business-journals/ Scottsdale tech startup Equipifi subleases office space amid growth  The Business Journals Read More Here

Home Prices Cooled In July At The Fastest Rate In The History Of S&P Case-Shiller Index https://digitalarizonanews.com/home-prices-cooled-in-july-at-the-fastest-rate-in-the-history-of-sp-case-shiller-index/ A ‘for sale’ sign is displayed outside a single family home on September 22, 2022 in Los Angeles, California. Allison Dinner | Getty Images U.S. home prices cooled in July at the fastest rate in the history of the S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller Index, according to a new report out Tuesday. Home prices in July were still higher than they were a year ago, but cooled significantly from June gains. Prices nationally rose 15.8% over July 2021, well below the 18.1% gain in the previous month, according to the report. The 10-City composite rose 14.9% year over year, down from 17.4% in June. The 20-City composite gained 16.1%, down from 18.7% in the previous month. July’s year-over-year gains were lower compared with June in each of the cities covered by the index. “July’s report reflects a forceful deceleration,” wrote Craig J. Lazzara, managing director at S&P DJI in a release, noting the difference in the annual gains in June and July. “The -2.3% difference between those two monthly rates of gain is the largest deceleration in the history of the index.” Tampa, Miami and Dallas saw the highest annual gains among the 20 cities in July, with increases of 31.8%, 31.7% and 24.7%, respectively. Washington, D.C., Minneapolis and San Francisco saw the smallest gains but were still well above year-ago levels. Another report from the National Association of Realtors showed home prices softening dramatically from June to July. Prices usually fall during that time, due to the strong seasonality of the housing market, but the decline was three times the average decline historically. The share of homes with price cuts reached about 20% in August, the same as in 2017, according to Realtor.com. “For homeowners planning to list, today’s market is significantly different than the one from even 3 weeks ago,” said George Ratiu, senior economist & manager of economic research for Realtor.com. Home prices are dropping because affordability has weakened dramatically due to fast-rising mortgage rates. The average rate on the popular 30-year fixed mortgage started this year around 3%, but by June had briefly surpassed 6%. It remained in the high 5% range throughout July and is now edging toward 7%, making the average monthly payment about 70% higher than it was a year ago. “As the Federal Reserve continues to move interest rates upward, mortgage financing has become more expensive, a process that continues to this day. Given the prospects for a more challenging macroeconomic environment, home prices may well continue to decelerate,” Lazzara said. Read More Here

New 45,000 SF Medical Office Building Takes Shape At Mercy Medical Commons In Gilbert, Arizona https://digitalarizonanews.com/new-45000-sf-medical-office-building-takes-shape-at-mercy-medical-commons-in-gilbert-arizona/ GILBERT, Ariz., Sept. 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Scottsdale-based healthcare contractor Venn Construction, in partnership with Pacific Medical Buildings LLC (PMB), tilted the first frame panels this week for Dignity Health‘s third Medical Office Building at the Mercy Gilbert Medical Commons in Scottsdale, Arizona – keeping the project on schedule for its March 2023 completion. Click here for images. At the time of tilt, this facility has been fully leased and programmed with Dignity Health’s East Valley’s graduate medical education program and supporting medical imaging services via Arizona Diagnostic Radiology. “This is an important milestone for the Mercy Gilbert 3 Medical Office Building because it reflects the hard work and collaboration put forth by the tenants, contractor, and developer,” said Jake Dinnen, Partner|Executive Vice President, Development of PMB. “I can’t express enough praise and gratitude to all those involved for keeping the project on schedule and on-budget in today’s challenging delivery environment.” The Mercy Gilbert Medical Center Medical Office Building III is a new, two-story 45,0000 SF facility located at 3477 South Mercy Road Gilbert, AZ. The project is the third medical office building at the Mercy Medical Commons, built in partnership with Dignity Health and Pacific Medical Buildings, utilizing Venn Construction as the General Contractor. “We’re grateful for the hard work and constant communication between our project teams and local subcontractors to keep this project moving according to schedule,” said Nick Veldman, Owner of Venn Construction. “Our earthwork and concrete partners have played a critical role in the building taking shape on schedule and within budget.” Venn Construction, PMB, and local trade partners have successfully navigated rapidly increasing construction costs and increasing interest rates to maintain project feasibility and start construction quickly to meet critical deadline requirements. The architect for the project is Phoenix, Arizona-based Orcutt-Winslow. The project is estimated to be completed in March 2023. Contact Information: Matthew Ferguson Marketing Manager, Venn Companies matthew.ferguson@venncompanies.com 5038869749 Related Images This content was issued through the press release distribution service at Newswire.com. Venn Construction Sunrise at Mercy Gilbert MOB III Venn Construction Sunrise at Mercy Gilbert MOB III Venn Construction Sunrise at Mercy Gilbert MOB III Read More Here

Phoenix Native Nick Wetta Bootstraps His Own Western Wear Company https://digitalarizonanews.com/phoenix-native-nick-wetta-bootstraps-his-own-western-wear-company/ Phoenix native Nick Wetta has always had a fondness for the desert Southwest aesthetic, including Western shirts. But it wasn’t just cowboys and cactus that hooked him. “I didn’t grow up on a ranch; I don’t know how to ride a horse,” he says in an interview with Phoenix New Times on September 15 at Cave + Post Trading Co. “I grew up playing music.” After starting to play drums as a kid and getting into classic rock, he noticed a lot of the musicians wore Western shirts. “George Harrison on Abbey Road wore a Western shirt,” Wetta notes of the late Beatles guitarist. When Wetta tried to emulate his idols, though, it wasn’t easy. “I’d find these great vintage shirts in these thrift shops from the ’70s,” he says, “but I felt like there weren’t any brands today making them with the same look and vibe and style as these old vintage shirts. So that was the seed of the idea.” Wetta adds, “These are such cool shirts and they originate from the culture here,” though he was disappointed that it’s rare to find any made in the U.S. The love of the Western look and the goal of preserving iconic American fashion led Wetta to start his own company, West Major, in 2019. The shirts are cut and sewn in the U.S. with top-quality fabric imported from around the world. “There are virtually no fabric mills left” in this country, Wetta explains. “The long-long-term pipe dream vision is to build our own factory here in the Southwest and eventually mill our own fabric, too. There’s all this cotton grown here. So I think it’s doable.” He adds, “This is Arizona — shouldn’t there be some Western brands here?” Nick Wetta displays one of his shirts at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix.   Geri Koeppel” href=”https://media2.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/original/14519147/west_major_7.jpeg” rel=”contentImg_gal-14518911″ title=”Nick Wetta displays one of his shirts at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix. – Geri Koeppel” click to enlarge Nick Wetta displays one of his shirts at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix. Geri Koeppel Wetta bootstrapped the brand from money he saved bartending, with no financing or investors. West Major only has two styles of men’s shirts — long and short-sleeved — in a variety of colors and fabrics now, but he eventually plans to add denim jackets and a women’s line. The shirts are understated and contemporary, not flashy, with a classic Western cut. West Major sells online and in a handful of stores in Arizona and Texas, including Cave + Post and Grass Clippings in Phoenix, and Rooster Bus in Scottsdale. Patrick Burch, who owns Cave + Post with his wife Mary, says the fact that West Major shirts are designed in Phoenix and made in America “fits perfectly with the style of our aesthetic in the store,” which hews toward classic Americana. Patrick Burch adds, “They’re kind of timeless, but at the same time, fit into what’s cutting edge right now. Chambray, denim, pearl snaps are always a timeless look, whether it be Western or hip and new and current.” Wetta partially attributes the success of his brand to the resurgence in the past few years of “great alternative country, folk music, blues,” he says. West Major references both Western culture and the musical scale, making a harmonious connection to Western wear. Classic country music has been reaching new audiences with younger artists like Tyler Childers, Luke Combs, Carly Pearce, Colter Wall, and many more. This year’s release of Wilco’s Cruel Country is another nod to the growing interest in the genre. Then again, West Major’s shirts appeal to a wide demographic. “Rock bands, metal bands, rap artists all wear Western wear today,” Wetta notes. “I think Western shirts and Western wear and the West as a theme in general represent freedom, freedom of expression, self-reliance, individuality.” Also, Wetta admits, “I’m not into super-loud stuff, and I think some of the Western wear out there can look a bit tacky.” His shirts, on the other hand, are “very wearable for the average guy.” One loyal customer, Alex Johnson of Phoenix, says, “You literally can’t leave the house with that shirt on without getting a compliment.” Johnson says the versatility is a draw: “I like to wear things that I can wear to work that I can wear to dinner with my wife on the weekend.” He adds that the shirts are “visually appealing, it fits well; the fabric and materials are so comfortable, so thoughtful.” Timeless touches like pearl snaps are a hallmark of West Major shirts.   West Major” href=”https://media1.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/original/14519144/west_major_4.jpg” rel=”contentImg_gal-14518911″ title=”Timeless touches like pearl snaps are a hallmark of West Major shirts. – West Major” click to enlarge Timeless touches like pearl snaps are a hallmark of West Major shirts. West Major Despite his devotion to apparel, Wetta has no background in fashion. He graduated from Arcadia High School in Phoenix, and attended San Diego State University, earning a business degree in 2012. Initially, he worked in software sales, then moved to Los Angeles with the goal of getting into documentary filmmaking, but ended up working in reality television. Wetta’s credits include executive assistant on Chasing Destiny, Greatest Party Story Ever, and This Is Mike Stud. “By the time I was in my late 20s, I was getting burned out on that and wanted to start my own business, and the Western shirt thing was still top of mind for me,” Wetta says. His friend Steven Borrelli had just started Cuts Clothing and gave Wetta guidance, telling him to hire a pattern maker. He worked with a contact on the fit and design, and she helped him source fabric. “One of the places I got fabric from said, ‘Hey, I know a factory,'” Wetta recalls. “One connection led to the next to the next.” At age 29, Wetta began working as a barback at The Misfit in Santa Monica, California, so he could earn money at night and pursue his passion for Western wear during the day. After nine months, he moved back home on his 30th birthday (September 15, 2019), “which was a terrifying experience,” he concedes. “Not really what you want to be doing at 30.” After selling all of his inventory in 2019, Wetta ordered a bunch of fabric, expecting to have another huge year. Then COVID-19 hit and he “pretty much had to close and hang on,” says Wetta, now 33. Although Wetta lost money in 2021, his gross sales hit six figures, and he quit his job at The Vig Fillmore restaurant this June to work on West Major full-time. At $130 to $150, the shirts don’t come cheap, but Wetta explains, “They’re all made here and we do free shipping, returns, exchanges, and repairs. It’s more expensive, but you can buy it with confidence knowing if something happens to this, this company will take care of me.” And the shirts are made to last, according to Wetta. “You could wear it today or 50 years from now, and it’ll still look good with a pair of jeans,” he says. “I want this stuff to end up in a thrift shop when people are done with it.” Wetta adds, “Every guy has a favorite shirt. That’s what we’re trying to do is create your next favorite Western shirt.” West Major founder Nick Wetta, shown at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix, designs versatile Western shirts that are made in the U.S.   Geri Koeppel” href=”https://media1.phoenixnewtimes.com/phx/imager/u/original/14519148/west_major_8.jpeg” rel=”contentImg_gal-14518911″ title=”West Major founder Nick Wetta, shown at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix, designs versatile Western shirts that are made in the U.S. – Geri Koeppel” click to enlarge West Major founder Nick Wetta, shown at Cave + Post Trading Co. in Phoenix, designs versatile Western shirts that are made in the U.S. Geri Koeppel Read More…