Good Afternoon News: Two Thorns Execs Fired A Mysterious Police Shooting On Grand And Putin's Ridiculous Annexation Plan
Good Afternoon, News: Two Thorns Execs Fired, A Mysterious Police Shooting On Grand, And Putin's Ridiculous Annexation Plan https://digitalarkansasnews.com/good-afternoon-news-two-thorns-execs-fired-a-mysterious-police-shooting-on-grand-and-putins-ridiculous-annexation-plan/
The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!
GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! Hmmm… you look hungry. So maybe you should rush out to try one of 27 (!) plates of $6 wings (!!) as part of the Mercury‘s absolutely delicious WING WEEK! But hurry, hurry… the fun ends on Sunday! And now, I hope you’re hungry for some NEWS.
IN LOCAL NEWS:
• The local fallout over the NWSL’s report into abuses within women’s soccer continues: Today Thorns/Timbers owner Merritt Paulson announced he’s fired his top two executives after a report uncovered their role in enabling abuse against players. But infuriatingly enough, no word yet on whether he’ll listen to the growing chorus of demands to sell the clubs. Our Abe Asher has the latest!
• Also, ICYMI:
Portland Thorns & Timbers supporters with @107ist sever ties with front office officials after US Soccer report reveals mgmt lied to them. @abe_asher reports:https://t.co/U5zHnTy4iA
— Portland Mercury (@portlandmercury) October 5, 2022
• At least one Multnomah County Sheriff’s Deputy opened fire and shot a member of the public on Northeast Grand in the Lloyd District this afternoon… but no word yet on what led to the situation, and details are extremely scant.
Here’s what we know so far: https://t.co/pk9UydPnJe
— Alex Zielinski (@alex_zee) October 5, 2022
• Two of the crybaby opponents of charter reform who loudly announced they would not attend an “unfair” City Club debate on the measure have apparently changed their crybaby minds, and WILL debate supporters after organizers convinced them they’d get “a fair shake.” (Who’s supplying the pacifiers?)
• Aminé is playing with the Oregon Symphony, there’s a new round of the super fun Rontoms Sunday Sessions, and… what’s this? Hocus Pocus Drag?? All that and more in the latest edition of Jenni Moore’s HEAR IN PORTLAND!
IN NATIONAL/WORLD NEWS:
• OPEC and Russia are teaming up to cut oil output to the west (to the tune of 2 million barrels a day), which could once again cause gas prices to skyrocket and substantial problems for the upcoming November election.
Hurricane Ian caused widespread damage in Southwest Florida, one of the state’s most politically conservative regions.
Republicans in Lee County are now assessing how the storm will affect voter turnout, with some insisting they’ll do just fine 2022.https://t.co/LBk3duRGEy
— POLITICO (@politico) October 5, 2022
• Meanwhile Putin signed the final papers that he hopes will make everyone believe he’s annexed four regions of Ukraine—even as his own troops are retreating and Ukraine is quickly yoinking their land back from him.
• Whoopsy-daisy! Despite a judge ordering them to be sealed, a log documenting details of 200,000 pages of documents taken from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence by the FBI were publicly (accidentally?) posted on the court’s docket. And they are spicy.
NEWWW : Secret Service had a motorcade accident — with @VP Harris inside — but at first obscured what really happened. Accident disturbed USSS Director and Veep — and revived worries about the @SecretService history of hiding the truthhttps://t.co/xGRCqTgvel
— Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) October 5, 2022
• In a new court filing, Angelina Jolie accuses ex-hubby Brad Pitt of grabbing her by the head, shaking her, and then striking one of their children during an argument while aboard a 2016 flight.
• And finally… hey, look! It’s concussion ping pong!
Fantastic… pic.twitter.com/cO7ylJyaqe
— Figen… (@TheFigen_) October 5, 2022
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Court Filing Reveals More Details About What FBI Seized From Mar-A-Lago | CNN Politics
Court Filing Reveals More Details About What FBI Seized From Mar-A-Lago | CNN Politics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/court-filing-reveals-more-details-about-what-fbi-seized-from-mar-a-lago-cnn-politics/
Washington CNN —
Among the items seized by the FBI at Mar-a-Lago were clemency requests, health care documents, IRS forms and paperwork that appears to be related to the 2020 election, according to a Justice Department list made public this week.
The collection also included apparent communications about former President Donald Trump’s business connections, including what’s described as a confidential settlement agreement between PGA and Trump Golf, as well as an email accepting Trump’s resignation from SAG, or the Screen Actors Guild.
Full details of the documents aren’t available, but taken together, the newly public list offers a glimpse into a handful of the thousands of documents Trump was keeping at his Florida residence and resort after his presidency, and which the FBI removed from the beach club.
On Tuesday night, Bloomberg News made the list public by posting the court record of it online. The news outlet reported that the list was briefly – and apparently inadvertently – posted to the public court docket.
The list was made by a “Privilege Review Team” used by the Justice Department to filter out materials seized at Mar-a-Lago.
In all, the list identified 64 sets of materials, or about 520 pages, that the Justice Department’s privilege reviewers thought may need to be filtered out from the investigation and kept private.
In the items listed that appear to pertain to the 2020 election, the team filtered out emails from a Republican lawyer to the White House regarding a lawsuit in Georgia, as well as a sticky note that said “Joe Digernova Appoint Special Councel [sic],” a possible reference to Joe diGenova, a lawyer assisting Trump in efforts to sow doubt in the 2020 election result.
Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich, businessman Ted Suhl and several people only identified by initials are named in the document list regarding the then-President’s consideration of clemency grants.
Several other records on the list pertained to legal work for Trump, lawsuits and other legal disputes.
The privilege review team was the initial bulwark the DOJ put in place so as not to breach attorney-client or presidential privileges, but a federal judge has now appointed a third-party “special master” to go through the documents again alongside the DOJ and Trump’s team.
The team’s list made public by Bloomberg News was submitted to a federal court, marked sealed, and stamped for authenticity. A shorter portion of the record is still publicly available but does not include the inventory list.
Previously, the DOJ had written in its public filings that the privilege review team pulled out from investigators’ access: an email between a baseball coach from the Air Force Academy and the White House; a box of documents that included one paper containing a law firm’s letterhead “comingled with newspapers”; what appeared to be pages of “The President’s Calls”; and a message from a “Rudy,” likely the attorney Rudy Giuliani, that didn’t appear to be legal advice.
A spokesman for the Justice Department, which submitted the entire document to the court on August 30, didn’t immediately have a comment.
Also this week in the Mar-a-Lago document review process, the Justice Department on Wednesday announced in a court filing it and Trump’s team had contracted with third-party vendors to host the thousands of pages of documents seized, so the special master and the Trump team could review them electronically.
This was an expected part of the special master review process, where Trump’s team can try to argue to a third-party appointee that some records should not be able to be used by the Justice Department investigators because they are confidential.
The special master’s work continues, even while the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals considers a challenge from the DOJ to the special master on the whole.
Read More Here
Court Declares DACA Program Illegal But Leaves Policy Intact For Nearly 600000 Immigrant
Court Declares DACA Program Illegal, But Leaves Policy Intact For Nearly 600,000 Immigrant https://digitalarkansasnews.com/court-declares-daca-program-illegal-but-leaves-policy-intact-for-nearly-600000-immigrant/
A federal appeals court on Wednesday said the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy violates U.S. immigration law, dealing a blow to an Obama-era program that provides deportation protection and work permits to nearly 600,000 immigrant “Dreamers” who lack legal status.
A three-judge panel for the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals concluded the Obama administration did not have the legal authority to create DACA in 2012, affirming a July 2021 ruling from a federal judge in Texas who barred the Biden administration from enrolling new immigrants in the decade-old program.
Despite its conclusion, the appeals court did not order the Biden administration to shut down DACA completely or stop processing renewal applications, deciding instead to leave in place an order from U.S. Judge Andrew Hanen that left the policy intact for current beneficiaries. The government, however, will continue to be prohibited from approving first-time DACA applications.
The appeals court sent the case back to Hanen, tasking him with reviewing regulations that the Biden administration unveiled in August to address the legal challenges over the Obama administration’s decision to create DACA through a memo, instead of a rule open to public comments. The regulations are currently slated to go into effect on October 31.
The Justice Department, which represents the federal government in lawsuits, did not immediately say whether it would ask the Supreme Court to pause Wednesday’s ruling. The Biden administration is likely to file a formal appeal, paving the way for the conservative-leaning high court to issue a final decision on DACA’s legality next year.
In its ruling Wednesday, the three-judge panel concluded that DACA had the same legal defects as another Obama-era program that would have offered deportation protection to the unauthorized immigrant parents of U.S. citizens and green card holders. The program, known as the Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA), was blocked in court and was never implemented.
“Like DAPA, DACA “is foreclosed by Congress’s careful plan; the program is ‘manifestly contrary to the statute,'” the ruling said.
Like Hanen, the Texas judge who declared DACA unlawful last summer, the appeals court expressed sympathy for immigrants currently enrolled in the program in justifying its decision to allow the government to continue accepting renewal applications.
“We also recognize that DACA has had profound significance to recipients and many others in the ten years since its adoption,” the court said.
As of June 30, 594,120 immigrants who were brought to the U.S. as children were enrolled in DACA, half of whom live in California, Texas and Illinois, according to data published by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the agency that administers the program.
Wednesday’s court ruling stems from a lawsuit filed in 2018 by Texas and other Republican-controlled states that have argued DACA was an overreach of the federal government’s immigration powers.
While DACA allows beneficiaries to live and work in the U.S. legally without fear of deportation, it does not qualify them for permanent legal status or citizenship. Those enrolled in DACA had to prove they arrived in the U.S. by age 16 and before June 2007, studied in a U.S. school or served in the military, and lacked any serious criminal record.
The court ruling could create a renewed sense of urgency in Congress to pass legislation that places the program’s beneficiaries on path to citizenship, a proposal with robust bipartisan support among lawmakers and the American public.
For over two decades, however, proposals to legalize Dreamers have died in Congress amid intense partisan gridlock over other immigration issues. In the current Congress, Democrats would likely need to accept border security measures to secure the necessary number of Republican votes to pass such a legalization bill.
Camilo Montoya-Galvez
Camilo Montoya-Galvez is the immigration reporter at CBS News. Based in Washington, he covers immigration policy and politics.
Read More Here
Bikers From Around The Country Arrive For Bikes Blues & Barbecue
Bikers From Around The Country Arrive For Bikes, Blues & Barbecue https://digitalarkansasnews.com/bikers-from-around-the-country-arrive-for-bikes-blues-barbecue/
PEOPLE, SIGHTS, AND SCENES FROM DAY ONE OF THE ANNUAL EVENT. BIKERS STARTED TO TAKE OVER THE ROADS IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS TODAY. THEY’RE HERE FOR THE BIKES BLUES AND BARBECUE EVENT THAT STARTED NEARLY 20 YEARS AGO. THIS YEAR, THE EVENT IS CENTERED IN ROGERS INSTEAD OF FAYETTEVILLE. TERRY SHORT // MOTORCYCLE RIDER FROM NEBRASKA. “I like the new format. We didn’t really care for Fayetteville much.” THE NEW FORMAT ALLOWS RIDERS TO BE CLOSER TO THE ACTION IN ROGERS. JACOB MURPHY // 40/29 NEWS “Thousands of riders from all around the country come into town for bikes blues and barbecue, today I caught up with riders from Missouri, Kansas, and Nebraska.” EACH OF THOSE RIDERS TOOK A DIFFERENT WAY INTO TOWN. INCLUDING THROUGH MISSOURI. “We love the riding Arkansas hills and Missouri hills are beautiful.” KANSAS AND OKLAHOMA. JAMES WANDRA // MOTORCYCLE RIDER FROM KANSAS. “The rides, the roads out here are awesome.” “We’ve been coming down here for the last five or six years. Just having a great time.” AND EVEN THE BACK ROADS. MIKE THOMPSON // MOTORCYCLE RIDER FROM MISSOURI “Roads are all pretty good and smooth and nice curves and hills, but it is all back roads. We try to avoid the interstates as much as possible.” WHATEVER ROADS YOU’RE ON IN NORTHWEST ARKANSAS KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THOSE BIKES. REPORTING IN ROGERS, JACOB MURPHY, 40/29 NEWS. AND LOOKING AHEAD TO BIKES BLUES AND BARBECUE EVENTS STARTING AT 9 TOMORROW, PEOPLE CAN SEE DEMO RIDES AT THE ROGERS CONVENTION CENTER. LIVE MUSIC AND SHOWS WILL START AT NOON AND RUN THROUGH 9PM. THERE’S A SIMILAR SCHEDULE FOR FRIDAY AND SATURDAY — THE LAST DAY OF THIS EVENT, THERE’S A C
Bikers from around the country arrive in Rogers for Bikes, Blues & Barbecue
Bikes, Blues, & Barbecue officially kicks off
Bikes, Blues & Barbecue officially kicked off on Wednesday morning at the Rogers Convention Center with vendors, test rides, and more. Riders from all around the country made their way into Rogers for the festivities. Terry Short traveled from Omaha, Nebraska, on his bike to be at the event. “We come down here every year for the bikes blues and barbeque and the ride, which is awesome,” Short said. Thousands of bikers are expected to be in Northwest Arkansas over the next several days. “It’s awesome to have all kinds of bikers,” James Wondra said. “It’s it’s like a one great big family everybody waves at each other and just has a great time.”Wondra traveled from Kansas to be at the event. “We’ve been coming down here for the last five or six years,” Wondra said. “Just having a great time.”Events will be going on throughout Northwest Arkansas from Oct. 5 to 8.
ROGERS, Ark. —
Bikes, Blues & Barbecue officially kicked off on Wednesday morning at the Rogers Convention Center with vendors, test rides, and more.
Riders from all around the country made their way into Rogers for the festivities.
Terry Short traveled from Omaha, Nebraska, on his bike to be at the event.
“We come down here every year for the bikes blues and barbeque and the ride, which is awesome,” Short said.
Thousands of bikers are expected to be in Northwest Arkansas over the next several days.
“It’s awesome to have all kinds of bikers,” James Wondra said. “It’s it’s like a one great big family everybody waves at each other and just has a great time.”
Wondra traveled from Kansas to be at the event.
“We’ve been coming down here for the last five or six years,” Wondra said. “Just having a great time.”
Events will be going on throughout Northwest Arkansas from Oct. 5 to 8.
Read More Here
WATCH LIVE: Little Rock Mayoral Debate To Start At 6 P.m.
WATCH LIVE: Little Rock Mayoral Debate To Start At 6 P.m. https://digitalarkansasnews.com/watch-live-little-rock-mayoral-debate-to-start-at-6-p-m/
A Little Rock mayoral candidate forum will be held at 6 p.m. in the southwest part of the city.
The event, which is open to the public, is scheduled to run until 7 p.m. at the Southwest Community Center, 6401 Baseline Road.
Four people are running for the city’s highest elective office — Mayor Frank Scott Jr. and challengers Greg Henderson, Steve Landers Sr. and Glen Schwarz.
Southwest Little Rock Community & Business, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc. and Beta Pi Omega Chapter is presenting the candidate forum. Attorney Brenda Stallings will be the moderator.
Watch the live video here: https://fb.watch/fZNZiD50_G/
Read More…
In Rebuke To West OPEC And Russia Aim To Raise Oil Prices With Big Supply Cut
In Rebuke To West, OPEC And Russia Aim To Raise Oil Prices With Big Supply Cut https://digitalarkansasnews.com/in-rebuke-to-west-opec-and-russia-aim-to-raise-oil-prices-with-big-supply-cut/
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A refinery in Italy owned by Lukoil, the Russian oil company. The European Union is seeking to curb the revenue that Russia earns from oil sales. Credit…Gianni Cipriano for The New York Times
Oct. 5, 2022Updated 7:03 p.m. ET
Saudi Arabia and Russia, acting as leaders of the OPEC Plus energy cartel, agreed on Wednesday to their first large production cut in more than two years in a bid to raise prices, countering efforts by the United States and Europe to choke off the enormous revenue that Moscow reaps from the sale of crude.
President Biden and European leaders have urged more oil production to ease gasoline prices and punish Moscow for its aggression in Ukraine. Vladimir V. Putin, the Russian president, has been accused of using energy as a weapon against countries opposing its invasion of Ukraine, and the optics of the decision could not be missed.
The White House was not happy. “The president is disappointed by the shortsighted decision by OPEC Plus to cut production quotas while the global economy is dealing with the continued negative impact of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine,” Brian Deese, the director of the National Economic Council, and Jake Sullivan, the national security adviser, said in a statement.
The cut of two million barrels a day represents about 2 percent of global oil production.
By reducing output, OPEC Plus was also seeking to make a statement to energy markets about the group’s cohesion during the Ukraine war and its willingness to act quickly to defend prices, analysts say.
At a news conference after the meeting, the Saudi energy minister, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, said OPEC Plus was acting amid signs of a downturn in the world economy that might cause demand for oil to weaken and prices to fall.
“We would rather be pre-emptive than be sorry,” he said.
The move appeared to have the desired result: The price of Brent crude, the international benchmark, which had slumped during the summer, rose more than 1.5 percent after the meeting, extending the gains recorded in recent days and bringing prices back to levels last seen in mid-September. The average price of gasoline in the United States recently began to rise again, tracking the price of oil.
In response to the OPEC Plus announcement, Biden administration officials said the president would order the Energy Department to release 10 million additional barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve in November. Earlier this week, the administration said it had no plans to extend a six-month effort to release one million barrels a day, which was scheduled to finish at the end of this month.
The State of the War
Russia’s Retreat: After significant military gains in eastern cities like Lyman, Ukraine is pushing farther into Russian-held territory in the south, expanding its campaign in yet another direction as Moscow struggles to mount a response and hold the line.
Annexation Push: After Moscow’s proxies conducted a series of sham referendums in the Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk, President Vladimir V. Putin declared the four territories to be part of Russia. Western leaders, including President Biden in the United States, denounced the annexation as illegal.
Putin’s Nuclear Threats: For the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, top Russian leaders are making explicit nuclear threats and officials in Washington are gaming out scenarios should Mr. Putin decide to use a tactical nuclear weapon.
Fleeing the Draft: Tens of thousands of men have left Russia to avoid being drafted to fight in Ukraine. Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet territory long seen in Russia as a source of cheap labor and backward ways, has provided a welcoming haven.
Hours before the OPEC Plus meeting, the European Union pushed ahead with an ambitious plan promoted by the Biden administration to cap the price of Russian oil, in coordination with Group of 7 nations and others.
The European Union cap is intended to set the price of Russian oil lower than where it is today but still above the cost of producing it. The U.S. Treasury Department estimates that the program could deprive the Kremlin of tens of billions of dollars annually. But some analysts say the cap would make the logistics of the oil trade more difficult, driving prices higher. And it relies on the participation of non-E.U. nations that are still buying Russian oil.
In China, one of the biggest consumers of Russian oil this year, the foreign ministry has criticized the concept, warning last month that oil is too important to the global economy to be subject to the planned price controls.
“Oil is a global commodity — ensuring global energy supply security is vitally important,” Mao Ning, a foreign ministry spokeswoman, said on Sept. 5.
And the European Union proposal, aimed at pushing down prices, would seem to compete against OPEC Plus’s action to seek to raise oil prices.
But there is uncertainty about how deep the cut in oil production will go. Because of a lack of investment, most members of OPEC Plus regularly fall short of their production quotas and will not need to trim production much if at all. Richard Bronze, the head of geopolitics at Energy Aspects, a research firm, estimates that the actual cut will be only about one million barrels a day.
And the weakening global economy could undermine the Russian and Saudi-led effort to drive up prices. As economic growth slows, demand for oil would slacken.
Wednesday’s meeting was in person, at the headquarters of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries in Vienna, for the first time since March 2020 — a sign of the significance of the announcement. Among those attending was Russia’s deputy prime minister, Alexander Novak, who has played a key role in fostering cooperation with other major oil-producing countries.
The presence of Mr. Novak, who is subject to U.S. sanctions, could come as an embarrassment to officials in Europe when their citizens face what could be a tough winter because of higher energy prices linked to Russia’s war in Ukraine.
The production cut by OPEC Plus is a major turnabout in the approach of the 23-member group. After a deep reduction in output in the early days of the pandemic, the group gradually restored production over the next two years. Recently, though, Prince Abdulaziz, who chairs OPEC Plus with Mr. Novak, began to shift the group’s direction as prices came under pressure.
Last month, the group signaled concerns about the markets with a nominal cut of 100,000 barrels a day. When markets shrugged off that move and oil prices slipped below $80 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate, the American benchmark, the Saudis appear to have decided that a much bolder signal was required.
Analysts said the increasing intervention in the markets by Washington and the European Union, such as the move to set a price cap for Russian oil, might be pushing OPEC Plus into more aggressive moves. Russia wants a higher price to offset the steep discounts it has had to give to sell its oil.
Some oil producers may see the price cap as a precedent that “might be an attempt to drive down prices more generally,” Mr. Bronze said. Such worries may explain why OPEC Plus “is willing to take such a big step and one that will be so unpopular in Washington,” he added.
At the news conference, Prince Abdulaziz denied any collusion with Russia, portraying OPEC Plus as a “band of brothers” interested only in preserving the stability of markets. “Where is the act of belligerence?” he asked.
At one point he instructed an assistant to display a chart showing that crude oil has edged up in price only by a single-digit percentage since January, before Russia invaded Ukraine, while the prices of other energy sources, like natural gas in Europe and coal, have soared.
The group also agreed to extend for one year the agreement that created OPEC Plus, a combination of OPEC with Russia and its allies. The alliance, which started in 2016, had been scheduled to expire in December.
In the push for higher oil prices, the Kremlin may be using OPEC’s de facto leader, Saudi Arabia, whose leaders want future cooperation from Moscow on energy matters, to make it more costly for the West to take measures against Russia.
“To the extent that prices rise, it will make it that much more challenging for Europe to proceed with its sanctions on Russian oil in December,” said Bhushan Bahree, an executive director of S&P Global Commodity Insights.
Jim Tankersley contributed reporting from Atlanta, Keith Bradsher from Beijing, and Matina Stevis-Gridneff from Brussels.
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Trump Headlines Miami Hispanic Conference 'Stranger Things' Store
🌱 Trump Headlines Miami Hispanic Conference + 'Stranger Things' Store https://digitalarkansasnews.com/%f0%9f%8c%b1-trump-headlines-miami-hispanic-conference-stranger-things-store/
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Hello all. Carlos Hernandez here with your fresh copy of the Miami Daily, full of all the things you need to know about what’s happening locally. Including updates on…
🍽️ A Texas-based restaurant group expanding into Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood.
📺 “Stranger Things”: The Store coming this fall to Aventura Mall.
🎤 A Hispanic conservative conference in Miami headlined by former President Donald Trump.
Today is World Cerebral Palsy Day. It is a reminder that over 17 million people are impacted by this disorder
But first, today’s weather:
Find out what’s happening in Miamiwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
A brief shower or two. High: 85 Low: 75.
🏡 Attention, real estate pros in Miami! We’re now offering an exclusive sponsorship opportunity for an agent interested in attracting local clients and standing apart from the competition. Click here to learn more.
Find out what’s happening in Miamiwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Here are the top stories in Miami today:
1. “Stranger Things”: The Store is coming to South Florida’s Aventura Mall at 1501 Biscayne Blvd. on Oct. 26 for a limited-time. The Netflix-owned store opening comes ahead of Halloween and “Stranger Things” Day. Tickets to the store and free, but limited. (Miami Patch)
2. Houston-based hospitality company, Clé Group, is opening its first restaurant outside of Texas in Miami’s Wynwood neighborhood. The decision comes as concepts from out-of-state flood the market. The 14,000 square foot concept will be called Kiss. (The Real Deal – Miami)
3. Broward County residents at Windmill Lakes in Pembroke Pines are complaining about their property management company, BDM Property Management LLC, and a lack of communication leading to unanswered concerns. Some residents recently discovered the property insurance of one section was allegedly canceled for nonpayment and that is just one of many spiraling problems they say are happening. (WSVN)
4. South Florida farmers in Davie and Cooper City need volunteers to help clear out debris leftover from Hurricane Ian. “Really, volunteers is the biggest thing to be able to rebuild,” said Leysi Espinel of Fragata Family Farm. (WPLG Local 10)
5. Former President Donald Trump headlined a Hispanic conservative conference in Miami on Wednesday. One supporter said, “he believes in values and family in leadership community and Latinos who work hard.” (WPLG Local 10)
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Today in Miami:
Hack SoFlo. (9 a.m.)
Miami-Dade Business Navigator Resource Fair at Kendale Lakes Branch. (1 p.m.)
Frames That Speak at University Of Miami College Art And Culture. (1 p.m.)
R&B Thursday On South Beach at Uncut Miami. (8 p.m.)
Bar Crawl Miami at Pilo’s Tequila Garden. (10 p.m.)
From my notebook:
Miami Dade College‘s cybersecurity and data analytics enrollment numbers are surging compared to four years ago. Over 600 people are have enrolled this year in the school’s cybersecurity program. (Miami Today)
Shops at Merrick Park in Coral Gables is hosting a Fall Celebration and Food Drive on Saturday, Oct. 29 and Sunday, Oct. 30, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Families are encouraged to bring non-perishable Thanksgiving food for donations to Branches nonprofit. (The Boca Raton Observer)
Miami Police Department shared, “We have unveiled our new Breast Cancer Awareness vehicle which will now be driving the streets in the City of Miami.” (Miami Police Department via Facebook)
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Events:
Miami Carnival Jr. Panorama Set for October 7, 2022 (October 7)
Miami Carnival Parade of Bands and Concert Set for October 9, 2022 (October 9)
Gospel Jam Sessions With Pastor Marc Cooper & Friends Set for October 9, 2022 (October 9)
S.H.I.N.E. Bright Ball- YOU INSPIRED! An Invitation to our biggest event of the year to S.H.I.N.E.! (October 16)
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Now you’re in the loop and ready to start this Thursday off right! I’ll see you soon.
— Carlos Hernandez
About me: Hello my name is Carlos Hernandez and I am a food writer with over 10 years of experience in the industry. I write the food blog Carlos Eats (http://www.carloseats.com) and also contribute to several newspapers and magazines with food-related blogs and articles.
Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Miami Daily? Contact me at carlosreportsnews@gmail.com
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Appeals Court Orders Another Review Of Revised 'DACA'
Appeals Court Orders Another Review Of Revised 'DACA' https://digitalarkansasnews.com/appeals-court-orders-another-review-of-revised-daca/
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — A federal appeals court Wednesday ordered a lower court review of Biden administration revisions to a program preventing the deportation of hundreds of thousands of immigrants brought into the United States as children.
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said a federal district judge in Texas should take another look at the program following the revisions adopted in August. The ruling, for now, leaves the future of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals up in the air.
“It appears that the status quo for DACA remains,” said Veronica Garcia, an attorney for the Immigrant Legal Resource Center, an advocacy organization.
DACA was adopted by former President Barack Obama’s administration and has had a complicated ride through federal court challenges.
Texas-based U.S. District Judge Andrew Hanen last year declared DACA illegal. He found that the program had not been subjected to public notice and comment periods required under the federal Administrative Procedures Act. But he left the program temporarily intact for those already benefiting from it, pending the appeal.
Wednesday’s ruling by three judges of the New Orleans-based 5th Circuit upholds the judge’s initial finding. But it sends the case back to him for a look at a new version of the rule issued by the Biden administration in late August. The new rule takes effect Oct. 31.
“A district court is in the best position to review the administrative record in the rulemaking proceeding,” said the opinion by Chief 5th Circuit Judge Priscilla Richman, nominated to the court by President George W. Bush. The other panel members were judges Kurt Engelhardt and James Ho, both appointees of President Donald Trump.
The new rule’s 453 pages are largely technical and represent little substantive change from the 2012 memo that created DACA, but it was subject to public comments as part of a formal rule-making process intended to improve its chances of surviving legal muster.
In July arguments at the 5th Circuit, the U.S. Justice Department defended the program, allied with the state of New Jersey, immigrant advocacy organizations and a coalition of dozens of powerful corporations, including Amazon, Apple, Google and Microsoft. They argued that DACA recipients have grown up to become productive drivers of the U.S. economy, holding and creating jobs and spending money.
Texas, joined by eight other Republican-leaning states argued that they are harmed financially, incurring hundreds of millions of dollars in health care, education and other costs, when immigrants are allowed to remain in the country illegally. They also argued that the White House overstepped its authority by granting immigration benefits that are for Congress to decide.
DACA is widely expected to go to the Supreme Court for a third time. In 2016, the Supreme Court deadlocked 4-4 over an expanded DACA and a version of the program for parents of DACA recipients, keeping in place a lower court decision for the benefits to be blocked. In 2020, the high court ruled 5-4 that the Trump administration improperly ended DACA by failing to follow federal procedures, allowing it to stay in place.
DACA recipients have become a powerful political force even though they can’t vote, but their efforts to achieve a path to citizenship through Congress have repeatedly fallen short. Any imminent threat to lose work authorization and to expose themselves to deportation could pressure Congress into protecting them, even as a stopgap measure.
The Biden administration disappointed some pro-DACA advocates with its conservative legal strategy of keeping age eligibility unchanged. DACA recipients had to have been in the United States in June 2007, an increasingly out-of-reach requirement. The average age of a DACA recipient was 28.2 years at the end of March, compared to 23.8 years in September 2017.
There were 611,270 people enrolled in DACA at the end of March, including 494,350, or 81%, from Mexico and large numbers from Guatemala, Honduras, Peru and South Korea.
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Ian Is Probably Floridas Deadliest Hurricane Since 1935. Most Victims Drowned.
Ian Is Probably Florida’s Deadliest Hurricane Since 1935. Most Victims Drowned. https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ian-is-probably-floridas-deadliest-hurricane-since-1935-most-victims-drowned/
FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. — The water was rising quickly, so the women ran to the top floor of the vacation house they had rented for Nishelle Harris-Miles’s 40th birthday and huddled together on a bed.
But Hurricane Ian’s storm surge gushed through the floor, lifting the mattress higher and higher until the four were smashed against the ceiling. Then the roof collapsed, lodging a nail into the neck of the woman they affectionately called Nene.
“Nene died right there with us,” said Chanel Maston, 48, sobbing as she recounted the ordeal. “She took her last breaths with us.”
As stories of death emerged from the destruction in southwest Florida, President Biden, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and local authorities have clashed over Ian’s casualty toll. Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno told “Good Morning America” that deaths could range into the hundreds. Biden warned that Ian could be the “deadliest hurricane in Florida’s history.” The governor has downplayed deaths in daily briefings, saying the tropical cyclone’s numbers will not come near the 1928 hurricane that killed a record 2,500.
Yet Ian already is shaping up to be the deadliest storm to pound Florida since 1935. State authorities have documented 72 deaths thus far — slightly under Hurricane Irma’s toll in 2017, according to the National Hurricane Center. County sheriffs have reported dozens more, pushing the total to at least 103. That makes Ian more fatal than Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Ian’s storm surge has claimed the most lives, according to the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, which is tallying direct and indirect deaths. Slightly more than half of Ian’s victims drowned, the latest data shows, underscoring what experts call a frequently overlooked reality: Water usually kills more people than wind.
Storm surge as high as 18 feet blasted through homes, trapping some people inside while sweeping others into brownish rivers. One woman was found tangled below her house in wires. Many of those who drowned were elderly.
“I don’t want to scare people, but they need to understand: The leading cause of death is going to be drowning,” said W. Craig Fugate, former head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Florida Division of Emergency Management. “Storm surge doesn’t sound inherently deadly unless you understand it.”
One week after landfall, rescue teams continue to wade through wrecked communities — often with only a vague idea of who might be buried in the rubble. Lee County Manager Roger Desjarlais admitted at a news conference Monday that officials do not know how many people they are searching for. First responders are relying on cadaver dogs.
“We don’t have anything,” Virginia Task Force 2 leader Brian Sullivan said Tuesday as his team scoured Red Coconut RV Park in Fort Myers Beach, the storm’s ground zero. “The sheriff’s office was trying to work to compile a missing persons list. We haven’t received any information regarding that area.”
Counting the dead is an imprecise science — there is no certain tally from Hurricane Katrina, for instance — and throughout the years, officials have debated what qualifies as a storm death. Hurricane Maria’s toll was initially in the dozens, with officials including only drownings and blunt force trauma. But an analysis of excess deaths later pushed the total into the thousands. Many elderly people died in Puerto Rico as the island’s blackout continued for months and medical care was hard to reach.
DeSantis at first indicated that indirect deaths might not be counted.
“For example, in Charlotte County, they recorded a suicide during the storm,” he said the day after the storm. “They also had somebody pass away from a heart attack because you don’t have access to emergency services.”
But the agency tasked with cataloguing the deaths, the Florida Medical Examiners Commission, adheres to a broader definition.
“We include motor vehicle accidents if someone is trying to evacuate and they hydroplane,” spokeswoman Gretl Plessinger said. “If someone had a heart attack when medical services were down. … If there was any suspicion it was related to a hurricane, that’s a storm death.”
Water — storm surge, rainfall, inland flooding and surf — directly cause 90 percent of tropical cyclone deaths in the United States, according to the National Hurricane Center. The top indirect killers: car wrecks, carbon monoxide poisoning, electrocution and heat. And the lethal danger persists after the skies have cleared, said Jay Barnes, a hurricane historian in North Carolina.
“Deaths often occur during cleanup,” he said. “Everything from carbon monoxide poisoning and chain-saw victims to people falling off roofs.”
Many Americans underestimate the power of hurricane torrents, disaster experts say. They tend to picture powerful gusts and falling trees — perhaps because the nation’s best-known categorizing scale measures wind. Some in harm’s way choose to hunker down at home. Critics have slammed Lee County authorities for not ordering Fort Myers Beach residents to evacuate more swiftly.
“There’s a saying in the industry that you run from water and hide from wind,” said John Renne, the director of the Center for Urban and Environmental Solutions at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. “We need to do a much better job of conveying the risk in storm-surge areas.”
Mitch Pacyna, 74, a resident of Fort Myers Beach, had weathered 27 years of tropical storms. His social life was so packed that Pacyna’s friends jokingly referred to him as “the mayor.”
On Facebook, he documented the storm’s approach, noting that the forecast had suggested Ian would veer toward Tampa. When county officials ordered his barrier island to empty before the hurricane struck, Pacyna opted to stay behind.
“Oh my God … wrong decision,” he lamented in a video as water swept his street. Soon enough, the tide crashed into the home he shared with his partner, Mary, and wiped away the bar he’d built in his garage.
Pacyna’s last post: “WE’RE TERRIFIED.”
His family announced his death the next day.
“Everyone loved him,” said Scott Safford, co-owner of the Sea Gypsy Inn, a lemon-yellow hotel that once stood near Pacyna’s home. Now it doesn’t exist.
For rescue crews, the search for victims is stymied by a lack of information on who stayed behind and where the storm surge might have carried them.
The Red Coconut RV Park, once a beachfront oasis, was crushed into pieces of roof, walls and knickknacks. Dozens of members of Virginia Task Force 2, one of the urban search-and-rescue teams deployed to Florida, dug through the debris Tuesday as three cadaver dogs detected a possible human scent. They found only household items, including an errant refrigerator filled with beer.
“It’s just total destruction,” said Sullivan, the team’s leader.
There was little left of the vacation house that Nishelle Harris-Miles’s friends and family had booked for her birthday.
The women from Dayton, Ohio, had heard Ian was barreling toward Tampa Bay and figured the airline or rental owner would cancel on them if the storm posed a real threat to Fort Myers Beach.
They had arrived the Tuesday before Ian struck and tried to make the most of it: dancing indoors, snapping silly photos, singing “Happy Birthday.”
“We were smashed against the ceiling,” Maston said of what came next. “We were fighting the ceiling, and there was water everywhere. Next thing you know, the roof went down, and we went with it.”
They were stranded in the debris for 14 hours, she estimated. Eventually, someone heard their cries, built a makeshift plank and pulled them out. A rescuer who descended from a helicopter confirmed what Maston already knew: Nene was dead.
“We didn’t want to leave her behind,” she said.
Nene was the mother of two sons and two daughters. A home health aide who cared about her patients. A tourist who had saved up for that trip.
“We could never have imagined,” Maston said. “I saw bodies hanging out of windows. I’d never seen stuff like this — only on TV.”
She wept.
“We didn’t know,” she said. “We just didn’t know.”
Lenny Bernstein contributed to this report. Paquette reported from Washington.
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Court Agrees To Expedite Justice Department Appeal In Trump Special Master Case Mountain Top Media
Court Agrees To Expedite Justice Department Appeal In Trump Special Master Case – Mountain Top Media https://digitalarkansasnews.com/court-agrees-to-expedite-justice-department-appeal-in-trump-special-master-case-mountain-top-media/
Court agrees to expedite Justice Department appeal in Trump special master case
mountain top media
Article Updated: October 5, 2022
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A federal appeals court agreed to fast-track the Justice Department’s appeal of a lower court order requiring a third-party special master review hundreds of documents seized from former President Donald Trump’s home.
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Gun Drugs Reported In Backpack Of Little Rock Central Student
Gun, Drugs Reported In Backpack Of Little Rock Central Student https://digitalarkansasnews.com/gun-drugs-reported-in-backpack-of-little-rock-central-student/
FILE — A Little Rock Police Department vehicle is shown in this Jan. 26, 2021 file photo.
A student at Little Rock Central High School was arrested Wednesday after, the principal said, drugs and a gun were discovered off-campus in his backpack.
The 17-year-old student was not named in the email from Principal Nancy Rousseau announcing the arrest.
A bus driver had reported that a student on the bus was using marijuana, Rousseau wrote in the email. That report led to four students being detained and searched, and Rousseau wrote that the weapon was found in a backpack during that search.
The student was arrested and never made it onto campus, Little Rock police spokesman Mark Edwards said. Edwards did not know Wednesday afternoon what charges would filed.
Rousseau’s email, which was sent just after 2:40 p.m., did not say when the incident occurred, and Edwards was not immediately able to say when it happened.
The teen “will be disciplined according to the handbook and the law,” Rousseau wrote.
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Trump Forced Aide To Play Fox News Clip Where He Was Called 'the Most Masculine Person' Over And Over: Book
Trump Forced Aide To Play Fox News Clip Where He Was Called 'the Most Masculine Person' Over And Over: Book https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-forced-aide-to-play-fox-news-clip-where-he-was-called-the-most-masculine-person-over-and-over-book/
New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman released her new book “Confidence Man,” a 600-plus-page volume of the decades she spent reporting on former President Donald Trump.
MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace, speaking to Haberman, noted that there were several anecdotes in the book.
One Haberman recalled was an illustration of Trump’s obsession with his manliness and his intelligence. She explained that Trump gets mad when people talk about how much he watches television because he interprets it as a slight on his intellect.
In another incident, she recalled Trump obsessing over his virility, as the accusation by adult film star Stormy Daniels about the appearance of his genitals was a serious issue to him.
READ MORE: ‘No other president has been harassed and persecuted!’ Trump delivers angry rant at Hispanic Leadership Conference
Trump’s obsession with manliness cropped up again after the January 6th Capitol riots when Fox News asked spokesman Hogan Gidley if he felt “emasculated” after having his Twitter account suspended.
“I wouldn’t say emasculated,” Gidley replied. “The most masculine person, I think, to ever hold the White House is the president of the United States.”
According to Haberman, this thrilled Trump.
“Trump called his former adviser to tell him he was correct, and had aides play the video of Gidley speaking several times,” Haberman writes.
Another incident in the book recalls Trump’s obsessive display of manhood on full display as he would “him brandishing photos of scantily clad women with whom he claimed to have been involved,” former employees told Haberman. “He appeared to keep the photos on hand to illustrate his boastful rendering of masculinity.”
See Haberman’s take below and read more about Haberman’s book here.
Trump’s obsession with masculinity www.youtube.com
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Elon Musks Twitter Reversal Revives Takeover Bid For A Now-Weaker Firm
Elon Musk’s Twitter Reversal Revives Takeover Bid For A Now-Weaker Firm https://digitalarkansasnews.com/elon-musks-twitter-reversal-revives-takeover-bid-for-a-now-weaker-firm/
Twitter will become a private company if Elon Musk’s $44 billion takeover bid is approved. The move would allow Mr. Musk to make changes to the site. WSJ’s Dan Gallagher explains Mr. Musk’s proposed changes and the challenges he might face enacting them. Illustration: Jordan Kranse
Updated Oct. 5, 2022 5:18 pm ET
Elon Musk’s latest about-face over his $44 billion deal to buy Twitter has him poised to take over a company that is weaker than it was before he tried to abandon the agreement—thanks in part to his own actions.
Broad economic concerns have intensified since July 8, when Mr. Musk made public his intention to terminate the deal. The Federal Reserve has raised interest rates by 0.75 percentage point at a second and third straight meeting, the Dow Jones Industrial Average last week fell into what investors call a bear market, and Twitter’s social-media rival Snap Inc. is slashing jobs.
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Putin Seizes Europe https://digitalarkansasnews.com/putin-seizes-europe/
Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree Wednesday claiming ownership of the beleaguered Zaporizhzhia power plant, even as the director of Ukraine’s nuclear power company said he would assume operations of the plant, which is Europe’s largest nuclear facility.
The announcement came hours after Putin signed laws annexing the Zaporizhzhia region. Earlier in the day, Energoatom chief Petro Kotin said he would be running the Russian-held plant from the capital, Kyiv.
The plant has been the focus of deep global concern. Both sides blame each other for bombings that have damaged parts of the plant and threaten to trigger a catastrophe, international nuclear experts warn.
“The need for a Nuclear Safety and Security Protection Zone (NSSPZ) around #Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant is now more urgent than ever,” tweeted Rafael Grossi, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
The plant’s Ukrainian director was kidnapped Friday and released this week by Russian forces who occupy the facility. Ukrainian workers continue to operate the plant, which halted power generation last month.
TURNING POINT?: As Russia admits defeat in Kharkiv, Ukraine regains land, confidence
Other developments:
►A former Russian state TV journalist charged with spreading false information after staging an on-air protest against the war said in a Facebook post Wednesday that she has released herself from house arrest. Marina Ovsyannikova’s ex-husband says she fled with her young daughter.
►Russian troops used six Iranian drones to strike the town of Bila Tserkva in the Kyiv region, leaving one person wounded, Ukraine’s presidential office said. The strikes were the first on the town since March, when the Russians retreated from the area around the Ukrainian capital.
UKRAINE DRIVES RUSSIANS FROM MORE VILLAGES:Elon Musk peace plan sparks outrage; Biden, Zelenskyy talk:
Putin signs law annexing Ukraine land despite military setbacks
Putin, ignoring international outrage and the struggles of his military, signed laws Wednesday ratifying the annexation of four Ukraine regions, including two that make up the crucial Donbas region he has targeted since the war began.
“I want the Kyiv authorities and their real masters in the West to hear me, so that everyone remembers this – people living in Luhansk and Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia become our citizens forever,” Putin said.
The paperwork is vague on the boundaries of the land Russia is claiming, but Russian media said Putin annexed about 43,000 square miles. Ukraine, almost the size of Texas, estimates about 15% of its territory was annexed.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters the land grab might not be done, saying “certain territories will be reclaimed, and we will keep consulting residents who would be eager to embrace Russia.”
Some of the territory has already been retaken by Ukrainian forces in recent weeks, and most of the world does not recognize the annexations.
“The worthless decisions of the terrorist country are not worth the paper they are signed on,” Andriy Yermak, head of the Ukraine President’s Office, said on Telegram.
Reduced oil production by OPEC+ benefits Russia
Wednesday’s decision by an alliance of oil-exporting countries to significantly reduce production could boost Russia’s war efforts, as the expected rise in oil prices helps replenish the country’s coffers and blunts the impact of efforts by the U.S. and its allies to cut into the Kremlin’s leading source of revenue.
The move by OPEC+ will also make it easier for member Russia to withstand a European ban on most of Moscow’s oil due to start in December, though only to a certain extent because countries in the oil cartel already can’t meet their quotas.
President Joe Biden called the decision “short-sighted’’ in light of the negative effects Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has had on the global economy, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, who added: “It’s clear that OPEC+ is aligning with Russia with today’s announcement.”
The European Union agreed Wednesday on new sanctions that are expected to include a price cap on Russian oil, meant to diminish the funding President Vladimir Putin has available for his war machine. But with tighter oil supplies on the market, major buyers like China and India could be less likely to join the effort, limiting its impact.
Increasing signs of torture in liberated towns
The continued liberation of towns in the east and south of the country is reason to celebrate for Ukrainian troops. What they find is not.
Retreating Russian troops are not only leaving behind barren, destroyed communities, but also disturbing signs of abuse and torture.
Serhiy Bolvinov, who heads the investigative department of the national police in the northeastern Kharkiv region, said authorities are investigating an alleged Russian torture chamber in the village of Pisky-Radkivski. He posted a photo of a box with what looked like teeth and dentures, presumably extracted from those held at the site.
Andriy Kostin, Ukraine’s prosecutor general, told The Associated Press four bodies had been found in Kharkiv towns with signs of torture. Authorities were trying to confirm whether they were civilians. All four had their hands bound or linked by handcuffs. Kostin also said the bodies of 24 civilians, including 13 children and one pregnant woman, were found in six cars near Kupiansk, also in Kharkiv.
Russian military struggles could topple Belarusian leader
Belarus’ opposition leader says she believes that Russian military setbacks in Ukraine could shake Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko’s hold on power. Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya said Wednesday at a security conference in Warsaw that Russia appears to be “about to lose this war.” That could make it impossible for Putin to prop up Lukashenko, Putin’s closest global ally, she said.
Tsikhanouskaya fled to Lithuania after Lukashenko claimed victory in August 2020 elections that were decried in the West as fraudulent.
In annexed Luhansk, Ukrainian leader says de-occupation has begun
Ukrainian troops have begun driving Russian troops out of the Luhansk region and are “raising the Ukrainian flag” in some settlements, regional Gov. governor Serhiy Haidai announced on social media. Russia had taken almost complete control of the crucial province and had seized half of neighboring Donetsk before the Ukrainian counteroffensive began a month ago. About one-third of Luhansk was controlled by Russian-backed militias before the war began. Militia leaders tried to form the Luhansk People’s Republic, but only Russia and a few other nations recognized the republic.
EU approves 8th round of Russian sanctions
The European Union, citing the annexations, agreed Wednesday to impose new sanctions on Russia, including an expected price cap on Russian oil. Details of the sanctions were expected to be released as soon as Thursday, but curbs on EU exports of aircraft components to Russia and limits on Russian steel imports are expected to be included in the package.
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced the eighth round of sanctions, saying Europe is “determined to continue making the Kremlin pay” for invading Ukraine.
Contributing: The Associated Press
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Gean Elected Chair Of Sebastian County Election Commission Talk Business & Politics
Gean Elected Chair Of Sebastian County Election Commission – Talk Business & Politics https://digitalarkansasnews.com/gean-elected-chair-of-sebastian-county-election-commission-talk-business-politics/
Cara Gean, who continues to refuse to explain her vote against a voting site at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith, is the new chair of the Sebastian County Election Commission. She was elected to the post at Wednesday’s (Oct. 5) commission meeting.
Gean nominated Randy McFadden, the newest member of the commission, to serve as chairman at the start of Wednesday’s meeting, but Commissioner Lee Webb said he could not second the motion because McFadden had not yet completed training. The Arkansas State Board of Election Commissioners is required to train and test county election commissioners and county election coordinators, according to the State Board of Commissioners website.
The State Board provides each member of the county board of election commissioners with a copy of this comprehensive procedures’ manual and each county election commissioner is required to attend training provided by the SBEC prior to the preferential primary election.
“Following this training, the commissioner must take a test covering the essential skills and knowledge associated with being a county election commissioner,” the website states.
If the commissioner passes this test, he or she is certified. Election commission chairs must be properly certified members. Webb said he did not have any objection to McFadden serving as chair, but couldn’t legally do so until he had passed the test and was certified. McFadden said he was told he was trained prior to Wednesday’s meeting, but he did not specifically ask anyone if he was certified. He said in the meeting he would not be able to be tested until next year.
McFadden, 63, of Greenwood was sworn in as one of the two Republican members of the commission on Sept. 16. He replaced Jason Vineyard. Vineyard, who was the former chair of the commission, was removed from the election commission Sept. 12 following notice from the Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office that his voter registration should be canceled because of an outstanding felony conviction.
Vineyard was charged in 2002 with felony overdraft after writing more than $20,000 in hot checks. The court records show he was ordered to pay restitution, court cost and other fees. However, Vineyard has not fully paid restitution and other fines, and his case remains active. Sebastian County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Shue said the court withheld imposition of sentence for a period of 10 years based on condition of good behavior and the payment of restitution.
Larry Bishop, chairman of the Sebastian County Republican Committee, said the committee selected McFadden to replace Vineyard on Sept. 15.
Wednesday, Gean suggested selecting a new chairman of the committee should be tabled until it was confirmed whether McFadden is certified. Sebastian County Election Coordinator Meghan Hassler said a chairman had to be selected before any further business could be conducted. McFadden nominated Gean. Webb seconded the motion.
Gean would not comment on becoming the new election commission or answer any questions from reporters on any topic following the meeting. She would not respond to why she would not answer questions, except to say, “I am not answering any questions.” McFadden also did not answer questions Wednesday.
According to the State Board of Election Commissioners website, county election commissioners are responsible for: Altering the boundaries of existing election precincts; Establishing new election precincts; Establishing a polling site for each election precinct; Selecting and appointing election officials; Providing public notice of the time and polling sites for holding elections; Providing public notice of the candidates and offices to be elected; Providing ballots for absentee and early voting and voting on election day; Providing election supplies to the election officials; Completing a canvass of the returns of any election; Certifying the results of elections; and Providing a recount of the returns upon the petition of a candidate.
The commission also signed the notice of election and approved the list of election workers at the meeting Wednesday.
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After 2020 Drama Experts Call On State Canvassers To Do Their Job After Nov. 8 Election Michigan Advance
After 2020 Drama, Experts Call On State Canvassers To Do Their Job After Nov. 8 Election ⋆ Michigan Advance https://digitalarkansasnews.com/after-2020-drama-experts-call-on-state-canvassers-to-do-their-job-after-nov-8-election-%e2%8b%86-michigan-advance/
The nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Michigan and longtime election experts hosted a press conference Wednesday as a reminder before the Nov. 8 election that certifying results doesn’t need to be complicated — despite what we’ve seen since the 2020 election.
In Michigan, election results are certified by county boards and the State Board of Canvassers gives final approval.
“We’re sort of the last step in the process, and we sort of say if everything’s done well,” said Julie Matuzak, former Democratic member of the Board of State Canvassers. “And if the numbers add up, and the poll books add up and the votes add up, then we should certify. That’s how it worked until the last one. The last one was more difficult.”
The “last one” Matuzak is referring to is the 2020 presidential election, with drama dragging on long past the official results were tallied and President Joe Biden was declared the winner over former President Donald Trump. The results were challenged in every key state in the country, with lengthy hearings, audits, protests and eventually the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol after Trump stoked fears of election fraud.
Despite Biden winning 154,000 more votes in Michigan than Trump did, Trump’s claims of election fraud gained traction among Republicans and created months of chaos.
The Board of State Canvassers did certify results after a long meeting in late November, but one GOP member, Norm Shinkle, abstained. Shinkle has resigned and is now running as a Republican for the 73rd House District against Rep. Julie Brixie (D-Meridian Twp.).
Trump’s campaign directed 16 fake Electoral College delegates in Michigan to submit a false certificate at the state Capitol on Dec. 14, when the Electoral College met to certify the state’s election results for Biden. The false delegates were denied entrance to the Capitol building by security and their plan ultimately failed.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer at the Electoral College vote, Dec. 14, 2020 | Whitmer office photo
Looking ahead to how future elections, including the one on Nov. 8, will play out, former Republican state canvasser Jeff Timmer said his “crystal ball is dark and cloudy.”
“I think that we are in for … more of what we saw in 2020. I think what we saw in 2020 was a planned effort to throw a wrench into the certification outcome process,” Timmer said. “Especially when we look at the positions, platforms and the declarations that many candidates here in Michigan and across the country have made.”
Timmer is now a consultant with the anti-Trump Lincoln Project and Democratic Attorney General Dana Nessel’s campaign.
GOP gubernatorial nominee Tudor Dixon, Secretary of State nominee Kristina Karamo and Attorney General nominee Matt DePerno, the top Republicans on the ballot next month, have all questioned or denied the results of the 2020 election.
“I think we have to take them at their word that they’re approaching this from a different philosophy, a different reality, with the intent of undermining the faith in the outcome. It’s toxic. It’s dangerous to the very foundations of democracy, and that’s not hyperbolic,” Timmer added.
Dixon faces Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer; DePerno is running against Nessel and Karamo is up against Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson.
Matuzak said if far-right election deniers weren’t organized for the 2020 election, they are now.
“[Partisan groups] have specifically recruited people to be on the board of canvassers locally and they’re specifically training poll workers. It’s not the clerk training the poll workers, but it’s the local party organizations or sub-organizations within parties that are training poll workers,” she said before adding that she is concerned about how this will play out in the upcoming election.
Prior to 2020, Chris Thomas, a current fellow with the Bipartisan Policy Center and former Michigan Director of Elections, said partisanship would interfere with some parts of the election process, like challenging petition language or rejecting signatures.
“But the only time where I ever felt chastened or uncomfortable was when … members of our own partisan tribes put pressure on us to do something that we knew wouldn’t ultimately fly,” Thomas said.
Panelists called on the Board of State Canvassers to move away from partisanship and focus on the ministerial position of the board.
“This is really an accounting procedure. Certifying an election is an accounting procedure. How many people signed or how many ballots were cast, It adds up or it doesn’t add up. That’s sort of the bottom line. And I hope that members of local boards of canvassers know that and honor that,” Matuzak said.
Our stories may be republished online or in print under Creative Commons license CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. We ask that you edit only for style or to shorten, provide proper attribution and link to our web site. Please see our republishing guidelines for use of photos and graphics.
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Biden Says It Will Be Years Before Florida Recovers From Hurricane Ian Devastation
Biden Says It Will Be Years Before Florida Recovers From Hurricane Ian Devastation https://digitalarkansasnews.com/biden-says-it-will-be-years-before-florida-recovers-from-hurricane-ian-devastation/
President Joe Biden is focused on rebuilding Florida after he surveyed damage from Hurricane Ian, and he said he expects the fallout to affect the state for years to come. “You can’t go back to what it was before. You got to build back better,” he said from hurricane-ravaged Fort Myers. The president and the first lady were in town Wednesday to survey storm-ravaged areas via helicopter en route to Fisherman’s Wharf. Biden was briefed on recovery efforts from local officials, and he has met with small-business owners and residents impacted by the storm.According to the president, it’s going to take federal, state and local groups working together to help rebuild the state.Biden touted that search and rescue teams have knocked on over 70,000 doors and carried out more than 3,800 rescues.”We have one job and only one job … to make sure the people of Florida get everything that they need to fully, thoroughly recover,” Biden said. Biden also brought up how he thought climate change played a role in the storm’s impact.”I think the one thing this has finally ended is the discussion about whether or not there’s climate change and we should do something about it,” the president said. Biden said the process to rebuild Florida is going to “take a lot of time” because crews must start from scratch. And it will take “not weeks or months, but years” for Florida to recover from the devastation caused by after Hurricane Ian.With the midterm elections just a month away, the crisis had the potential to bring together political rivals in common cause at least for a time.Joining Biden in Florida were two of his most prominent Republican critics: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott. But DeSantis praised Biden’s response to Hurricane Ian.”We are cutting through the red tape. And that’s from local government, state government, all the way up to the president,” DeSantis said.White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested Tuesday that it would be inappropriate for them to focus on political differences.“There will be plenty of time, plenty of time, to discuss differences between the president and the governor — but now is not the time,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a White House briefing. “When it comes to delivering and making sure that the people of Florida have what they need, especially after Hurricane Ian, we are one. We are working as one.”Biden typically waits to visit the scene of a natural disaster, to ensure his presence and the fleet of vehicles that accompany him will not hinder the rescue efforts.Before the storm hit, the president had intended to visit the Florida cities of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale last week, where he planned to stress his efforts to strengthen Social Security and Medicaid. Biden has accused Scott of wanting to end both programs by proposing that federal laws should expire every five years, although the Florida senator has said he wants to preserve the programs.Biden and DeSantis have had a multitude of differences in recent years over how to fight COVID-19, immigration policy and more. In recent weeks, they tussled over the governor’s decision to put migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds, a practice that Biden has called “reckless.”The hurricane changed the purpose and tone of Biden’s first trip to Florida this year.DeSantis confirmed Tuesday he’d be meeting with Biden in the hurricane zone and he praised the administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency for declaring an emergency before Ian made landfall.“That was huge because everyone was full steam ahead. They knew they had the ability to do it,” DeSantis said. “We appreciate it. I think FEMA’s worked very well with the state and local.”The White House message of bipartisan unity marks a difference from Biden’s predecessor, Donald Trump, who at times threatened to withhold aid to Democratic officials who criticized him, including Govs. Gavin Newsom of California and Andrew Cuomo of New York. At other times, Trump appeared insensitive or clumsy in his response to people’s suffering.Trump threatened to withhold federal money from California after wildfires, saying its state officials were to blame for the deadly conflagrations, tweeting in 2018: “Billions of dollars are given each year, with so many lives lost, all because of gross mismanagement of the forests. Remedy now, or no more Fed payments!”Politicians’ responses to natural disasters have the power to make or break political careers.As Florida’s governor for eight years, Jeb Bush maintained a steady response to a parade of hurricanes and was rewarded with sky-high approval ratings. President George W. Bush and Louisiana lawmakers’ more troubled response to Hurricane Katrina in 2005 still hangs over their legacies.Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, the Republican who welcomed President Barack Obama to his state to survey Hurricane Sandy damage just days before the 2012 general election, said that during natural disasters “the best political strategy is to have no political strategy, to do your job.”Christie ended up the target of some in his own party who believed that his warm welcome for Obama helped cement the Democrat’s reelection, but he has no regrets.“At core this is what government is there for, it’s to protect the safety and the welfare of the people,” Christie said in an interview Tuesday. “The only thing that should be on the president’s mind, on Gov. DeSantis’s mind, on (Sen.) Marco Rubio’s mind is the turmoil and the tragedy that’s happened to people’s lives and how we can make it better.”Christie noted that the comparisons to Sandy aren’t exact — Biden is two years away from being a candidate himself, and DeSantis is weeks, not days, from facing voters in his reelection bid. But Christie said any attempts to score political points would be admonished at the polls.“Playing games is not what this is about,” Christie said. “This is a pretty transparent time and people will get it — that’s not what they want, and they’ll punish you for it.”
FORT MYERS, Fla. —
President Joe Biden is focused on rebuilding Florida after he surveyed damage from Hurricane Ian, and he said he expects the fallout to affect the state for years to come.
“You can’t go back to what it was before. You got to build back better,” he said from hurricane-ravaged Fort Myers.
The president and the first lady were in town Wednesday to survey storm-ravaged areas via helicopter en route to Fisherman’s Wharf. Biden was briefed on recovery efforts from local officials, and he has met with small-business owners and residents impacted by the storm.
According to the president, it’s going to take federal, state and local groups working together to help rebuild the state.
Biden touted that search and rescue teams have knocked on over 70,000 doors and carried out more than 3,800 rescues.
“We have one job and only one job … to make sure the people of Florida get everything that they need to fully, thoroughly recover,” Biden said.
Biden also brought up how he thought climate change played a role in the storm’s impact.
“I think the one thing this has finally ended is the discussion about whether or not there’s climate change and we should do something about it,” the president said.
Biden said the process to rebuild Florida is going to “take a lot of time” because crews must start from scratch. And it will take “not weeks or months, but years” for Florida to recover from the devastation caused by after Hurricane Ian.
With the midterm elections just a month away, the crisis had the potential to bring together political rivals in common cause at least for a time.
Joining Biden in Florida were two of his most prominent Republican critics: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Sen. Rick Scott. But DeSantis praised Biden’s response to Hurricane Ian.
“We are cutting through the red tape. And that’s from local government, state government, all the way up to the president,” DeSantis said.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre suggested Tuesday that it would be inappropriate for them to focus on political differences.
“There will be plenty of time, plenty of time, to discuss differences between the president and the governor — but now is not the time,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at a White House briefing. “When it comes to delivering and making sure that the people of Florida have what they need, especially after Hurricane Ian, we are one. We are working as one.”
Biden typically waits to visit the scene of a natural disaster, to ensure his presence and the fleet of vehicles that accompany him will not hinder the rescue efforts.
Before the storm hit, the president had intended to visit the Florida cities of Orlando and Fort Lauderdale last week, where he planned to stress his efforts to strengthen Social Security and Medicaid. Biden has accused Scott of wanting to end both programs by proposing that federal laws should expire every five years, although the Florida senator has said he wants to preserve the programs.
Biden and DeSantis have had a multitude of differences in recent years over how to fight COVID-19, immigration policy and more. In recent weeks, they tussled over the governor’s decision to put migrants on planes or buses to Democratic strongholds, a practice that Biden has called “reckless.”
The hurricane changed the purpose and tone of Biden’s first trip to Florida this year.
DeSantis confirmed Tuesday he’d be meeting with Biden in the hurricane zone and he praised the administration’s Federal Emergency Management Agency for declaring an emergency before Ian made landfall.
“That was huge because everyone was full steam ahead. They knew they had the ability to do it,” DeSantis said. “We appreciate it. I think FEMA’s worked very well with the state and local.”
T...
Here Are The Nuclear Weapons Russia Has In Its Arsenal
Here Are The Nuclear Weapons Russia Has In Its Arsenal https://digitalarkansasnews.com/here-are-the-nuclear-weapons-russia-has-in-its-arsenal/
October 5, 2022 at 12:57 p.m. EDT
Video released by Russia in early 2022 shows drills by its strategic nuclear forces including intercontinental ballistic missiles and cruise missile tests. (Video: The Washington Post)
As Russia’s military retreats on the battlefield, Vladimir Putin’s rhetoric about using nuclear weapons is escalating.
Russia’s president has been warning of nuclear consequences with increasing intensity since the first week of his war in Ukraine — when he put his arsenal on higher alert. Now he is threatening to use nuclear weapons to defend the Ukrainian territory that Russia has illegally annexed.
“This is not a bluff,” he warned the West. “And those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the weather vane can turn and point toward them.”
What if Putin isn’t bluffing? What sort of nuclear strike is Russia, the country with the world’s largest stockpile of nuclear weapons, capable of — and what kind of destruction might it wreak in Ukraine and beyond?
“Nuclear weapons, they’re unlike any other weapon,” said Joe Cirincione, a nuclear weapons expert who previously served as president of the Ploughshares Fund. “And that’s just the explosive part — not to mention the thermal effects and the temperatures that are produced.”
It is very unlikely that Russia would use its most powerful nuclear weapons to settle scores with Kyiv; Moscow is far more likely, experts agree, to use a smaller nuclear weapon in the hopes of achieving a specific battlefield objective. But, those same experts caution, once a nuclear weapon is unleashed, controlling what happens next is difficult.
“Once you start talking nukes, all bets are off,” said Hans Kristensen, the director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists. “So it’s not clear how far this will go.”
The first and most basic question about the Russian nuclear arsenal is: How many of the weapons does Russia have? It is a difficult one to answer.
Nuclear weapons are commonly divided into two categories: strategic weapons — those being the longer-range missiles that can cross oceans and threaten rival superpowers — and tactical weapons, those that have a more limited capacity and arguably could serve a more limited function.
The United States has a good count of Russia’s strategic weapons, because Washington and Moscow are required to disclose this under the terms of New START, the last remaining arms control treaty. That count of strategic weapons is split among those deployed on intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs), submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBMs) and those launched from bombers.
But when it comes to the tactical weapons, the U.S. intelligence community can only offer its best guess, and different agencies have differing estimates. The ballpark figure they have settled on is between 1,000 and 2,000 tactical weapons (which, it should be noted, can be launched from ground launchers, ships and bombers but are not pre-deployed). After careful study, the Federation of American Scientists put its estimate at 1,912 — although it cautions that this could include weapons being retired or taken offline.
How powerful are these weapons?
The power of a nuclear weapon is its yield, and yield is measured as a TNT equivalent. The U.S. Department of Energy estimates that the American bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki had yields of 15 and 21 kilotons, respectively — so equivalent to 15,000 tons and 21,000 tons of TNT.
Modern strategic nuclear weapons have enormous power. Standard ones can have yields of 500 kilotons, 800 kilotons and even 1 megaton — equivalent to 1 million tons of TNT. Russia holds the record for the most powerful weapon ever exploded: In 1961, it tested a bomb of at least 50 megatons, nicknamed “Tsar Bomba” — or the tsar of all bombs.
In 2020, Russia released classified footage of the world’s largest nuclear explosion, caused when the Soviet Union detonated the “Tsar Bomba” in October 1961. (Video: Reuters)
Modern tactical weapons usually have a capacity of 10 to 100 kilotons, which still makes the average tactical weapon potentially more destructive than the bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Russia and the United States also have “low-yield” nuclear weapons that pack a “light” punch, even dipping below 1 kiloton. But even the least-powerful nuclear bomb — with a yield of about 0.3 kilotons — has about the same explosive power as the 2020 Beirut port explosion.
What weapons would Russia be most likely to use?
Russia has various kinds of tactical nuclear weapons. Some are designed for use by the navy, some to be used by the air force and others to be used by the army, either in surface-to-surface short-range missiles or in surface-to-air air defenses. The yield varies by purpose, since it takes more power to penetrate, say, an underground bunker than it does to stop an incoming warplane.
Russia has different-size stocks of all these weapons. For example, the Federation of American Scientists believes Russia has about 500 tactical air force nuclear weapons, a figure that includes gravity bombs and air-to-surface cruise missiles. Many of those would be delivered by aircraft that we have seen on conventional bombing missions in Ukraine. These planes include the Tu-22 “Backfire” bomber that Russia has used to strike Ukraine and the Su-34 “Fullback,” one of which Ukraine claimed to have shot down last month. But experts do not think the Russians are necessarily going to use those.
The Russian Defense Ministry released footage on June 14 it says shows an Iskander missile system engaged in conventional battle in Ukraine. (Video: Associated Press)
A far more likely candidate is the 9K720 Iskander missile system, classified by NATO as the SS-26, which is a ground-based ballistic missile. But according to Kristensen of the Federation of American Scientists, there are far fewer of these in Russia’s arsenal — only about 100 weapons. So why would Iskander be the nuclear delivery system of choice?
“Simply because it’s the most reliable, and the one that would have the best chance of making it to its target,” Kristensen said. “Not being shot down, not failing.”
A ‘small’ nuclear missile
The 9K720 Iskander missile system, known to NATO forces as the SS-26, is capable
of delivering “tactical” nuclear weapons
as well as standard explosive warheads.
The Russians appear to have Iskanders deployed in Ukraine.
MZKT launch/support truck
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;
U.S. Department of Defense; GlobalSecurity.org
A ‘small’ nuclear missile
The 9K720 Iskander missile system, known to NATO forces as the SS-26, is capable of delivering “tactical” nuclear weapons as well as standard explosive warheads. The Russians appear to have Iskanders deployed in Ukraine.
9M723 Ballistic Missile
Range: Approx. 300 miles
The booster rocket stage
and the warhead are both maneuverable in flight
for precise targeting
MZKT launch/support truck
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;
U.S. Department of Defense; GlobalSecurity.org
A ‘small’ nuclear missile
A ‘small’ nuclear missile
The 9K720 Iskander missile system, known to NATO forces as the SS-26, is capable of delivering “tactical” nuclear weapons as well as standard explosive warheads. The Russians appear to have Iskanders deployed in Ukraine.
The 9K720 Iskander missile system, known to NATO forces as the SS-26, is capable of delivering “tactical” nuclear weapons as well as standard explosive warheads. The Russians appear to have Iskanders deployed in Ukraine.
9M723 Ballistic Missile
Range: Approx. 300 miles
The booster rocket stage and the warhead
are both maneuverable in flight for precise targeting
MZKT launch/support truck
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;U.S. Department of Defense; GlobalSecurity.org;
Alex Wellerstein’s “Nukemap” simulator at nuclearsecrecy.com
How much destruction can these weapons cause?
The first metric to pay attention to when estimating the destructive capacity of a nuclear weapon is its yield. If the kilotons number is bigger, the blast is going to be bigger, all else being equal. But all else is usually not equal. Terrain can be a factor — if there are hills in the area of the blast, they can buffer some of the radiating effects of the blast. If the target and the blast occur underground, the ground itself can absorb some of the blow. And whether the weapon is detonated on a surface or a just above the surface can also make a huge difference.
‘Tactical’ nuke could still
wreak grievous destruction
Using the District of Columbia as a rough guide, comparing the blast radius of a hypothetical tactical nuclear strike centered on the National Mall with the blast of an atomic bomb the size of the one used on
the city of Hiroshima in World War II.
Heavy damage/
casualties radius
for a 16-kiloton (Hiroshima-bomb-size) nuclear detonation
Heavy damage/
casualties radius for a 5-kiloton (“tactical”) nuclear detonation
Note: A target’s weather, terrain and other factors can affect the radius and damage of a blast in ways this diagram does not reflect.
Sources: Federation of American Scientists;U.S. Department of Defense;
GlobalSecurity.org; Alex Wellerstein’s “Nukemap” simulator
at nuclearsecrecy.com
WILLIAM NEFF/THE WASHINGTON POST
‘Tactical’ nuke could still
wreak grievous destruction
Using the District of Columbia as a rough guide, comparing the blast radius of a hypothetical tactical nuclear strike centered on the National Mall with
the blast of an atomic bomb the size of the one
used on the city of Hiroshima in World War II.
Heavy damage/
casualties radius for a 16-kiloton (Hiroshima-bomb-size)
nuclear detonation
Heavy damage/
casualties radius for a 5-kiloton (“tactical”) nuclear detonation...
A Student Was Killed In A Purdue University Residence Hall. His Roommate Has Been Arrested.
A Student Was Killed In A Purdue University Residence Hall. His Roommate Has Been Arrested. https://digitalarkansasnews.com/a-student-was-killed-in-a-purdue-university-residence-hall-his-roommate-has-been-arrested/
A Purdue University student was arrested on a murder charge Wednesday after he allegedly killed his roommate in a residence hall on the Indiana campus, according to the school’s police chief.
Ji Min “Jimmy” Sha, a junior cybersecurity major and international student from Korea, called 911 around 12:45 a.m. to alert police about the death, Purdue University Police Chief Lesley Wiete said during a news conference Wednesday morning.
Details of that call were not disclosed, but authorities said the incident unfolded in a room on the first floor of McCutcheon Hall.
The police chief and the Tippecanoe County Coroner’s Office identified the slain student as Varun Manish Chheda, a 20-year-old senior from Indianapolis who was studying data science.
Chheda died of “multiple sharp force traumatic injuries” and the manner of death was a homicide, according to preliminary autopsy results.
McCutcheon Hall, where a Purdue University student is alleged to have killed his roommate.Noe Padilla / USA Today Network
The final autopsy findings are pending toxicology, the coroner’s office said.
Wiete said Sha, 22, was taken into custody minutes after the 911 call and transported to the police station for further investigation. He was in the Tippecanoe County Jail on Wednesday afternoon on a murder charge, according to jail records. There was no bond set for him, records said.
Following Chheda’s death, school officials said there was no threat to the community.
Wiete did not discuss a motive or details about potential weapons, but said that the 911 call came from the room and only Chheda and Sha were in it at the time.
“I believe this was unprovoked and senseless,” she said, noting neither roommate was asleep when the incident happened.
School in mourning
Chheda’s death marked Purdue’s first on-campus homicide in more than eight years, police said.
Andrew F. Boldt, 21, of West Bend, Wisconsin, was fatally shot Jan. 21, 2014, in the basement area of the electrical engineering building, according to a statement the school released after the incident. A student was arrested in connection with the shooting.
Purdue President Mitch Daniels called Chedda’s death “as tragic an event as we can imagine happening on our campus and our hearts and thoughts go out to all of those affected by this terrible event.”
Purdue has about 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students enrolled for the fall semester, according to its website.
Staff at residence halls and clinicians with the school’s counseling and psychological services are providing support to students in need, he said in a statement Wednesday morning.
Daniels assured everyone that the campus is a safe. “Compared with cities of Purdue’s population (approximately 60,000 in all), we experience a tiny fraction of violent and property crime that occurs elsewhere,” he said.
“Such statistics are of no consolation on a day like this,” he added. “A death on our campus and among our Purdue family affects each of us deeply.”
Remembering Chheda
Sumeeth Guda, a senior studying mathematics and statistics at Purdue University, told NBC News he wasn’t close to Chheda but worked with him on a final group project during the spring 2022 semester.
He remembered him as “a serious student, definitely had an eye for detail and was determined to produce the best deliverable.”
“Aside from that, he was a good guy, friendly, and open to helping the rest of us teammates,” Guda said.
“I’m just still a bit shocked that this incident happened,” he said. “And more importantly, I feel extremely sad for his parents, especially his mother.”
Guda said it’s been encouraging to see the school community come together and support each other, but many questions as to what happened remain.
“Honestly, I think everyone is just waiting for the official police statements to come out to get the truth straight from the source about what actually happened,” he said. “And the motives of the suspect.”
Chheda graduated from Park Tudor School, a private school in Indianapolis, Dennis Bisgaard, the school’s interim head, confirmed.
“The entire Park Tudor community is incredibly saddened by the tragic loss of Varun Chheda, Park Tudor class of 2020. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this difficult time,” he said.
Marlene Lenthang
Marlene Lenthang is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
Rania Soetirto
Rania Soetirto is a researcher for NBC News’ social newsgathering team
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Arkansas Storm Team Weather Blog: Desperate For Rain? Heres When Arkansas Could See Some
Arkansas Storm Team Weather Blog: Desperate For Rain? Here’s When Arkansas Could See Some https://digitalarkansasnews.com/arkansas-storm-team-weather-blog-desperate-for-rain-heres-when-arkansas-could-see-some/
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – It’s no secret it’s been very dry the last few weeks. Most counties ended September around 1-2 inches below average for rainfall, after a mostly dry August.
Our current drought monitor shows severe drought across most of central Arkansas, with moderate drought around northern Arkansas. Much of southern Arkansas is experiencing abnormally dry conditions.
While the forecast for next week looks dry, there are signs that rain could be on the horizon. Some long-range models suggest that rain will return to the forecast beyond the 7-day forecast.
Below is a look at the European model. This model shows rain chances increasing on Thursday, October 13th. The heaviest rain on this future track is across eastern Arkansas.
Potential forecast track: European model
The European model shows the possibility of some beneficial rain falling late next week. Rainfall totals are currently expected to be around half an inch to an inch total.
Rainfall Forecast: European model
The GFS model also shows rain chances on Thursday the 13th, however not quite as widespread and heavy.
Potential forecast track: GFS model
The GFS only shows a few tenths of an inch of rain total now through next Saturday the 15th. Most areas are expected to stay under half an inch.
Rainfall forecast: GFS model
For the immediate next 7 days, the rain chances look to be pretty slim. However, a few isolated showers look possible early next week across mainly northern Arkansas. The Weather Prediction Center shows some slight rain chances for the next 7 days.
Weather Prediction Center 7-day precipitation forecast.
A bit farther in the future, covering the next 6-10 days, the climate prediction center has all of Arkansas receiving average rainfall. This is valid for October 10th-14th.
Climate Prediction Center 6-10 day Precipitation Outlook.
Just about the same goes for the next 8-14 days. This is for October 12th-18th. Only far western Arkansas has the chance of slightly above-average precipitation.
Climate Prediction Center 8-14 day Precipitation Outlook.
Overall, current rain chances don’t look overwhelming for the natural state, however, there are signs that some may see some much-needed rain. The models discussed in this article are long-range models. These give meteorologists an idea of future trends and potential forecasts, however, they will likely continue to change as the forecast grows closer.
Stick with the Arkansas Storm Team over the next few days as we continue to monitor rain chances amid the drought.
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New Businesses, Relocations Announced For October https://digitalarkansasnews.com/new-businesses-relocations-announced-for-october/
The southern section of the county is getting much attention, with several new businesses, an industrial park and a housing complex being announced.
Paula Thompson, executive director of the London Laurel County Economic Development Authority, outlined many of the new offerings coming to the county in her September economic update — a total of 26 announcements.
The new industrial park will be located in the Lily community on a 40-acre area near Aisin Automotive, off U.S. 25.
Also in Lily is a proposed housing development to be known as The Crossings at Fariston Station. This area will offer building lots, several 8-plex apartments and duplex rentals near the intersection of Fariston Road and Byble Road. A spring construction date is planned.
New businesses at Exit 29 continue to increase.
• Go Time, a convenience store and gas station, is opening this week. It is across from Pilot on the West Cumberland Gap Parkway and will offer gourmet coffee drinks, Chester Chicken and has multiple gas pumps.
• Next to Go Time will be Moe’s Southwest Grill, which will open in mid-October and will offer “Mexican with a twist.”
• The Shell Station, also on West Cumberland Gap Parkway, is currently closed but will reopen under new management in a few weeks.
• L&N Federal Credit Union opened a new branch at 360 West Cumberland Gap Parkway last week. The same customer service and banking services at their other branches will continue at their new location.
Several vacant buildings in the area will soon have new occupants.
The former Wildcat Flea Market off Hal Rogers Parkway, behind Wildcat Harley Davidson, closed earlier this year but will reopen as H.T. Warehousing North. This will be H.T. Warehousing’s second location in the area.
The former Clay Building Supply facility off KY 192 Bypass will be occupied again soon by Maple Crest Farm Fall Market. There you can purchase mums, regular and stackable pumpkins and other seasonal items. They are open Sunday through Thursday from noon to 6 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, call 606-598-8275.
In downtown London, the long-vacant Cook Brothers building will also see new life. Green & Grow Company specializes in yard fertilization, weed control, aeration and seeding, lawn care and mosquito, flea and tick control. They can be reached at 606-864-4196.
RV parks will also soon be part of the London/Laurel landscape.
Laurel Breeze RV Campground will be located on the former Dairy Dart and stockyard property on South Main Street. This facility is for short-term stays and will offer a pet park, splash pad, putt-putt golf, playground and dump station. This facility will accommodate those campers who wish to stay for some of the county’s many activities.
A 25-acre field off County Farm Road and Mitchell Creek Road will soon be transformed into an upscale resort that will host 125 RV stations as well as a manmade lake and pavilion.
Other new businesses and relocations include:
• If a fresh new look is what your business needs, Mullinex Design can help create unforgettable brands. With 17 years of experience, Rick Mullinex is a multidisciplinary graphic designer in the print industry and freelance graphic designer. Whether you need a new logo or website design or T-shirts or social media graphics and branding, contact them for your individual needs. Their Facebook page is Mullinex Designs or email address is rick@mullinexdesign.com.
• Slim Chickens Southern Restaurant is under construction beside Starbucks off KY 192. Slim Chickens offers chicken delights ranging from tenders to wings, sandwiches and wraps and southern sides and salads. A November opening is planned.
• London Academy of Cosmetology is a new private school with state accreditation located at 1106-B South Main Street, across from A.R. Dyche Cemetery.
• Breakfast and lunch options have a new twist with the opening of Java Cafe at 1990 North Laurel Road in the Pittsburg community. Breakfast and lunch sandwiches, donuts and coffee, latte, espresso, smoothie or protein shake are available to get your day off to a great start or a an afternoon treat.
• Also joining the North Laurel Road businesses is Deaton Veterinary Clinic, located at 2074. The grand opening is scheduled for Oct. 24, although scheduling for appointments can be done from Oct. 17. Plan your visit now for wellness appointments, vaccinations, emergency visits, spay and neuter, sick visits and boarding. Call 878-5555 to book an appointment.
• Fantasy Workshop & Escape Rooms is the newest haven for those just wishing to take a break. Unique escape rooms are offset by a retail shop with collectibles, handmade items, custom digital art, oil and water paintings and more to challenge your inner senses. They are open Sundays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Contact them at 606-401-3116.
• Commonwealth Hand and Physical Therapy is opening their fourth location in Kentucky in London at The Shoppes at Center Target. Care for upper extremity conditions involving the hands, wrists, shoulders and elbows and physical therapy for the neck, back, hip and lower extremities are available. Construction is underway now.
• Also in The Shoppes at Center Target will be Sonick’s Nails, planned to open in early winter. They will be located next to Masa restaurant.
• Blanton’s Land Surveying has moved to 202 West 7th Street, Suite 113. The same professional services offered previously has followed them to their new location. Call them at 606-260-8169.
• Frontier Cabins has also moved to 1936 Hwy. 192-East near Hal Rogers Parkway. They offer quality, Amish built cabins, barndominiums, tiny homes and more. Call them at 606-309-0330.
• For a new feel to your car, Mu Shine Detailing Services are here to detail your vehicle and boats. Schedule an appointment by calling 606-224-3301.
• C & C Excavation LLC is a local veteran, family owned and operated business that is ready to assist in your needs. Whether it be excavation, land clearing, demolition, drain system installation or other services, they promote their business as “on time and on grade.” C & C Excavation is fully licensed and insured. Call them at 606-767-2110.
The south end of town is also a target for new businesses.
• Hampton Monument Services has opened at 1482 South Laurel Road next to Ruby Market. Onsite name and date cutting for existing monuments, new monument designing installation, leveling, cleaning and sandblasting are performed for your needs. Message them on their Facebook page or call 606-682-9490.
• Rite-Way Glass has moved to 2875 South Laurel Road near Day Brothers RV. Replace your glass the Rite-Way by calling them at 606-729-8141.
• Pyles’ Concrete has undergone new ownership with Irving Materials Inc. and is now known as imi Concrete. With over 160 plants in a six-state area, imi is your local concrete supplier at 2525 in the Fariston community. They are open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday, and can be reached by calling 606 864-1120.
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A Strong Dollar Is Wreaking Havoc On Emerging Markets. A Debt Crisis Could Be Next.
A Strong Dollar Is Wreaking Havoc On Emerging Markets. A Debt Crisis Could Be Next. https://digitalarkansasnews.com/a-strong-dollar-is-wreaking-havoc-on-emerging-markets-a-debt-crisis-could-be-next/
Low-income countries, like Ghana and Pakistan, were already struggling during the pandemic. The dollar’s strength is adding to their woes.
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Ghanaians have seen major increases in food prices since the start of the pandemic, prompting the distribution of free meals to vulnerable communities.Credit…Francis Kokoroko/Reuters
Oct. 5, 2022Updated 2:15 p.m. ET
The average household in Ghana is paying two-thirds more than it did last year for diesel, flour and other necessities. In Egypt, wheat is so expensive that the government has fallen half a billion dollars short of its budget for a bread subsidy it provides to its citizens. And Sri Lanka, already struggling to control a political crisis, is running out of fuel, food and medical supplies.
A strong dollar is making the problems worse.
Compared with other currencies, the U.S. dollar is the strongest it has been in two decades. It is rising because the Federal Reserve has increased interest rates sharply to combat inflation and because America’s economic health is better than most. Together, these factors have attracted investors from all over the world. Sometimes they simply buy dollars, but even if investors buy other assets, like government bonds, they need dollars to do so — in each case pushing up the currency’s value.
That strength has become much of the world’s weakness. The dollar is the de facto currency for global trade, and its steep rise is squeezing dozens of lower-income nations, chiefly those that rely heavily on imports of food and oil and borrow in dollars to fund them.
“We are living in a world with little fires everywhere,” said Mohamed El-Erian, president of Queens’ College, part of Cambridge University, and former chief executive of PIMCO, the $2 trillion bond manager. “If we don’t pay attention, these little fires could become much bigger.”
Higher food and energy costs resulting from Russia’s war with Ukraine were already hurting some emerging market countries. The rising dollar, whose strength is measured against a basket of currencies representing America’s major trading partners, has exacerbated those problems by making it even more expensive to import vital commodities using weaker currencies.
A strong dollar forces countries to use more of their own currency to buy the same quantity of goods. That higher price means they are inadvertently importing more inflation along with their grain and fuel. And because they borrow in dollars, they have to pay interest in dollars, which adds to their financial distress.
Some countries are already in default. Others are teetering on the brink. A sovereign debt crisis could soon spread, derailing the fragile recovery from the pandemic and amplifying the likelihood of a severe global downturn.
“Things are looking a little shaky at the moment,” said Leland Goss at the International Capital Markets Association, a trade body. “There does seem to be a consensus that we could face for the first time in a while not one but a whole raft of countries going into restructurings.”
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A baker in Cairo in September. Over the past month, Egypt, Pakistan and Ghana have all reached out to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout as they struggle to meet their debt financing needs.Credit…Khaled Elfiqi/EPA, via Shutterstock
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Lebanese locals lined up outside a bakery in Beirut in July to receive subsidized bread. S&P Global Ratings identified Lebanon as being in “severe stress.”Credit…Joseph Eid/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Four emerging market countries have defaulted on their debts so far this year, according to S&P Global Ratings — Russia, Sri Lanka, Belarus and Ukraine. Ten others are in “severe stress” — Argentina, Lebanon, Ghana, Suriname, Zambia, Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, the Republic of Congo, Mozambique and El Salvador, according to the ratings agency. Of the 94 emerging market sovereigns S&P rates around the world, over a quarter rank as B-minus, a low-quality rating indicative of a high-risk investment.
The bleak situation is part of the collateral damage from Russia’s war with Ukraine and the Fed’s fight against inflation, and it highlights the global connections that have left the fate of countries around the world inextricably linked to decisions made in Moscow and Washington.
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“We are in a fragile situation,” Mr. El-Erian said. “Country after country is flashing amber, and some are already flashing red.”
Many lower-income countries were already struggling during the pandemic.
Roughly 22 million people in Ghana, or a third of its population, reported a decline in their income between April 2020 and May 2021, according to a survey from the World Bank and UNICEF. Adults in almost half of the households with children surveyed said they were skipping a meal because they didn’t have enough money. Almost three-quarters said the prices of major food items had increased.
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Devastating floods in Pakistan have displaced millions of people, destroying homes and harvests and adding to the country’s financial distress.Credit…Kiana Hayeri for The New York Times
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A produce market in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in July. Already struggling to control a political crisis, Sri Lanka is also running out of fuel, food and medical supplies.Credit…Atul Loke for The New York Times
Then came Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The war between two of the world’s largest exporters of food and energy led to a big surge in prices, especially for importers like Ghana. Consumer prices rose 30 percent for the year through June, according to data from the research firm Moody’s Analytics. For household essentials, annual inflation has reached 60 percent or more this year, the S&P data shows.
To illustrate this, consider the price of a barrel of oil in dollars versus the Ghanaian cedi. At the beginning of October last year, the price of oil stood at $78.52 per barrel, rising to nearly $130 in March before falling back to $87.96 at the beginning of this month, a one-year increase of 12 percent in dollar terms. Over the same period, the Ghanaian cedi has weakened over 40 percent against the dollar, meaning that the same barrel of oil that cost roughly 475 cedi a year ago now costs over 900 cedi, almost twice as much.
Adding to the problem are large state-funded subsidies, some taken on or increased through the pandemic, that are now weighing on government finances.
Ghana’s president cut fuel taxes in November, losing roughly $22 million in projected revenue for the government — the latest available numbers.
In Egypt, spending on what the government refers to as “supply commodities,” almost all of which is wheat for its long-running bread subsidy, is expected to come in at around 7 percent of all government spending this year, 12 percent higher — or more than half a billion dollars — than the government budgeted.
As costs ballooned throughout the pandemic, governments took on more debt. Ghana’s public debt grew to nearly $60 billion from roughly $40 billion at the end of 2019, or to nearly 80 percent of its gross domestic product from around 63 percent, according to Moody’s.
It’s one of four countries listed by S&P, alongside Pakistan, Nigeria and Sri Lanka, where interest payments alone account for more than half of the government’s revenues.
“We can’t forget that this is happening on the back end of a once-in-a-century pandemic in which governments, to try and support families as best they could, did borrow more,” said Frank Gill, an analyst at S&P. “This is a shock following up on another shock.”
In May, Sri Lanka defaulted on its government debt for the first time in its history. Over the past month, the governments of Egypt, Pakistan and Ghana have all reached out to the International Monetary Fund for a bailout as they struggle to meet their debt financing needs, no longer able to turn to international investors for more money.
“I don’t think there is a lot of appetite to lend money to some of these countries,” said Brian Weinstein, co-head of credit trading at Bank of America. “They are incredibly vulnerable at the moment.”
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A protest outside the prime minister’s office in Sri Lanka in July. The demonstrations led to the resignations of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.Credit…Atul Loke for The New York Times
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Protests over economic hardships, in Accra, Ghana, in June. Demonstrators denounced rampant inflation and other government economic policies.Credit…Francis Kokoroko/Reuters
That vulnerability is already reflected in the bond market.
In 2016, Ghana borrowed $1 billion for 10 years, paying an interest rate of just over 8 percent. As the country’s financial position has worsened and investors have backed away, the yield — indicative of what it would now cost Ghana to borrow money until 2026 — has risen abo...
DHS Publishes New Final Rule Ending Trump-Era Public Charge Restrictions | JD Supra
DHS Publishes New Final Rule Ending Trump-Era Public Charge Restrictions | JD Supra https://digitalarkansasnews.com/dhs-publishes-new-final-rule-ending-trump-era-public-charge-restrictions-jd-supra/
On September 9, 2022, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a lengthy Final Rule concerning the implementation of the public charge ground of inadmissibility[1] after several years of federal court litigation. This Final Rule will be effective on December 23, 2022, and apply to applications postmarked (or electronically submitted) on or after that date. Until December 23, 2022, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will continue to apply the USCIS 1999 Interim Field Guidance (1999 Field Guidance).[2] USCIS provides both a Public Charge webpage and a resources page with extensive FAQs for reference.
Noncitizens who apply for visas, admission to the United States (U.S.), or permanent residence must prove that they are not “likely at any time to become a public charge” unless Congress has specifically exempted them from the public charge ground of inadmissibility or allowed them to apply for a discretionary waiver of inadmissibility.
This Final Rule restores the historical approach taken by USCIS and confirms that USCIS will not penalize individuals for choosing to access the health benefits and other supplemental government assistance legally available. Under the currently applied 1999 Field Guidance and the new Final Rule, when implemented, a noncitizen would be considered “likely to become a public charge” if USCIS determines that they are “likely to become primarily dependent on the government for subsistence.” The determination will be based on the following:
Age, health, family status, assets, resources, financial status, education, and skills of the noncitizen.
Filing of Form I-864, Affidavit of Support under INA §213A, if required; and
Prior or current receipt of Supplemental Security Income (SSI); cash assistance for income maintenance under Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF); State, Tribal, territorial, or local cash benefit programs for income maintenance (often called “General Assistance”); or long-term institutionalization at government expense.
USICS confirms that the following WILL NOT be considered:
Receipt by the noncitizen of certain non-cash benefits for which noncitizens may be eligible. These benefits include: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) or other nutrition programs, Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), Medicaid (other than for long-term institutionalization), housing benefits, any benefits related to immunizations or testing for communicable diseases, or other supplemental or special-purpose benefits.
In addition, applicants and petitioners are not required to provide information or evidence related solely to the Public Charge Final Rule. Thus, applicants for adjustment of status should not submit Form I-944, Declaration of Self Sufficiency, or any evidence or documentation required by Form I-944 when they file their Form I-485 adjustment application. Applicants and petitioners for extension of nonimmigrant stay and change of nonimmigrant status also should not provide information related to the receipt of public benefits on Form I-129 (Part 6), Form I-129CW (Part 6), Form I-539 (Part 5), and Form I-539A (Part 3).
I. WHAT PRIOR CHANGES DID THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MAKE TO THE PUBLIC CHARGE RULE?
On August 24, 2019, DHS issued a Final Rule entitled “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds” (2019 Public Charge Final Rule), [3] which amended previous regulations by prescribing how DHS determined whether a foreign national applying for admission or adjustment of status is inadmissible to the U.S. under INA §212(a)(4). This final rule provided new key definitions, including “public charge” and “public benefits,” and a multi-factor framework with evidentiary requirements to determine admissibility on public charge grounds. The 2019 Public Charge Final Rule expanded the definition of “public charge,” imposing a heavy paperwork burden on both applicants and DHS officers, while also creating a widespread collateral effect on immigrants and their families.
Under this approach, an individual receiving or relying on non-cash benefits, including SNAP and Medicaid, could be deemed a public charge, resulting in an inadmissibility determination. Critics of the 2019 regulations argued that the regulation had a “chilling effect,” resulting in immigrants forgoing public benefits, including Medicaid and SNAP, due to feared immigration consequences. Analysis of state-reported data showed that the announcement of public charge regulations was associated with an 18% drop in Medicaid participation and a 36% drop in SNAP participation.[4] Studies also showed an increased number of immigrants avoiding preventative care, resulting in exacerbated medical conditions, sicker patients, and greater reliance on hospital emergency rooms, which subsequently raised costs for all residents. The 2019 Public Charge Final Rule was set to take effect on October 15, 2019, but was immediately challenged by numerous Plaintiffs in five district courts across four circuits.[5]
On November 2, 2020, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois vacated the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule nationwide; this decision was stayed by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. On March 9, 2021, the Seventh Circuit lifted its stay, and the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois’ order vacating the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule went into effect. USCIS stopped applying the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule and returned to the 1999 Interim Field Guidance approach of considering statutory minimum factors in the totality of the circumstances to determine if an individual would likely become a public charge.
On February 2, 2021, President Biden signed three Executive Orders (EOs) on immigration reform, including one entitled “Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds.” This EO ordered the Secretary of State, U.S. Attorney General, Secretary of Homeland Secretary, and the heads of other relevant agencies to review all agency actions related to the implementation of the Public Charge rule and examine the effects of the previous administration’s harmful changes to the rule. The EO also ordered that they consult with the heads of relevant agencies, including the Secretary of Agriculture, Secretary of Health and Human Services, and Secretary of HUD, in considering the effects and implications of public charge policies. The EO also clarified that the 2019 Public Charge Rule would not apply to testing, screening, or treating infectious diseases, including COVID-19.
II. HOW DOES THE NEW PUBLIC CHARGE FINAL RULE AFFECT DOCUMENTS AND INFORMATION PROVIDED TO USCIS?
Applicants and petitioners for extension of nonimmigrant stay and change of nonimmigrant status should not provide information related to the receipt of public benefits on Form I-129 (Part 6), Form I129CW (Part 6), Form I-539 (Part 5), and Form I-539A (Part 3)
Suppose an applicant or petitioner has already provided information related solely to the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule, and USCIS adjudicates the application or petition on or after March 9, 2021. In that case, USCIS will not consider any information that relates solely to the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule. Any other information, however, will be evaluated consistent with the statute, regulations, and policies in effect at the time of adjudication.
If an applicant received a Request for Evidence (RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) requesting information that was solely required under the 2019 Public Charge rule, including but not limited to Form I-944, and a response is due on or after March 9, 2021, the applicant does not need to provide that information. Applicants must still respond to the aspects of the RFE or NOID that otherwise pertain to their eligibility for the immigration benefit(s) sought.
III. WHAT IF USCIS DENIED MY CASE UNDER THE 2019 PUBLIC CHARGE FINAL RULE BEFORE THE VACATUR OF THE RULE WENT INTO EFFECT?
USCIS did not re-adjudicate benefit requests denied under the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule before that rule was vacated on March 9, 2021. However, eligible Applicants may file a new application or petition and USCIS will adjudicate the new application or petition under the 1999 Interim Field Guidance (in the case of an application for admission or adjustment of status) or under regulations that existed before the 2019 Public Charge Final Rule (in the case of an application or petition for an extension of stay or change of status).
[1] §212(a)(4) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended (INA).
[2] See Field Guidance on Deportability and Inadmissibility on Public Charge Grounds, 64 FR 28689, 28692 (May 26, 1999)
[3] 84 Fed. Reg. 41292 (August 14, 2019).
[4] Randy Capps et al., “Anticipated `Chilling Effects’ of the Public-Charge Rule Are Real: Census Data Reflect Steep Decline in Benefits Use by Immigrant Families,” Migration Policy Institute (Dec. 2020), https://www.migrationpolicy.org/news/anticipated-chilling-effects-public-charge-rule-are-real
[5] CASA de Maryland, Inc., et al. v. Trump, 19-cv-2715 (D. Md.); City and County of San Francisco, et al. v. DHS, et al., 19-cv-04717 (N.D.Ca.); City of Gaithersburg, et al. v. Trump, et al., 19-cv-02851 (D. Md.); Cook County et al. v. McAleenan et al., 19-cv-06334 (N.D. Ill.); La Clinica De La Raza, et al. v. Trump, et al., 19-cv-4980 (N.D. Ca.); Make the Road New York, et al. v. Cuccinelli, et al., 19-cv-07993 (S.D.N.Y.); New York, et al. v. DHS, et al., 19-cv-07777 (S.D.N.Y.); State of California, et al. v. DHS, et al., 19-cv-04975 (N.D. Cal.); State of Washington, et al. v. DHS, et al., 19-cv-05210 (E.D. Wa.).
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Appeals Court Will Expedite Review Of Special Master Appointment In Trump Documents Case
Appeals Court Will Expedite Review Of Special Master Appointment In Trump Documents Case https://digitalarkansasnews.com/appeals-court-will-expedite-review-of-special-master-appointment-in-trump-documents-case/
The Eleventh Circuit Court has agreed to expedite the Justice Department’s appeal of District Court Judge Aileen Cannon’s order appointing a special master to review documents seized by the FBI at former President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate.
The Justice Department opposes the appointment of an independent special master to review the seized documents, as well as Cannon’s order that paused federal investigators from reviewing the documents seized and marked as classified. Cannon’s order effectively paused the Justice Department’s ongoing criminal probe into Trump’s handling of classified records.
The Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals released an order Wednesday saying the matter will be reviewed on the merits sometime after November 17.
The Eleventh Circuit Court has agreed to expedite the Justice Department’s appeal of District Court Judge Aileen Cannon’s order appointing a special master to review documents seized by the FBI at former President Trump’s Mar-A-Lago estate.
A separate 11th Circuit panel had earlier ruled against Trump’s request to have the special master review about a 100 seized documents with classified markings, for executive and attorney-client privilege. Trump’s legal team Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to separately review that aspect of the case.
Trump’s legal team, meanwhile, has elevated its legal battle to the Supreme Court, requesting that Justice Clarence Thomas, who has jurisdiction over the 11th Circuit, vacate the stay, which allowed the Justice Department to continue its review of classified documents seized during the FBI’s unprecedented raid of Mar-a-Lago.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
Brooke Singman is a Fox News Digital politics reporter. You can reach her at Brooke.Singman@Fox.com or @BrookeSingman on Twitter.
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Pastor Robert Jeffress: Rotting Decay Of Culture Will Lead To Historic Conservative Turnout At Midterms
Pastor Robert Jeffress: ‘Rotting Decay Of Culture’ Will Lead To ‘Historic’ Conservative Turnout At Midterms https://digitalarkansasnews.com/pastor-robert-jeffress-rotting-decay-of-culture-will-lead-to-historic-conservative-turnout-at-midterms/
Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons” href=”https://churchleaders-eszuskq0bptlfh8awbb.stackpathdns.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/Robert-Jeffress.jpeg”
Oct. 7, 2011. Robert Jeffress speaking at the Values Voter Summit in Washington, DC. Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Dallas church in Dallas, Texas, believes that conservative Christians will turn out to vote in record numbers at the upcoming midterms this November. Jeffress appeared this week on “Fox & Friends First,” where he said the high turnout he anticipates will be in reaction to what conservatives see as “the rotting decay of the culture.”
“There is a level of concern I’ve never seen before about what [conservative Christians] perceive to be the rotting decay of the culture,” said Jeffress, “specifically the leftist agenda that liberals are trying to cram down the throats of Americans and especially American children.”
Robert Jeffress Predicts Record Numbers
Pastor Robert Jeffress is a contributor to Fox News and has been a vocal supporter of former president Donald Trump. On Sunday, Dec. 20, 2021, Trump spoke at First Baptist Dallas after Jeffress concluded his sermon. Congregants gave the former president a standing ovation at the end of his speech, with some chanting “U.S.A! U.S.A.!” Afterward, the church’s executive pastor gave a disclaimer stating that First Baptist does not endorse any particular political candidate.
RELATED: Ed Stetzer: The Church and Donald Trump: We Need Christ at the Center of Our Services, Not Democrats, Republicans or Any Other Politician
When asked on “Fox & Friends First” about the Biden administration’s Task Force on Reproductive Healthcare Access and what roles abortion and religion will play in the upcoming midterm elections, Jeffress said that voters tend to be most concerned about issues that impact their daily lives. Such concerns include gas prices, interest rates, crime and the border.
The pastor does believe, however, that “conservative Christians are interested in some other things too,” namely the moral decline they see in the United States. “And I believe they’re going to turn out in record numbers during the usual sleepy midterms,” said Jeffress, “not because they love the Republican Party, but because they hate the godless agenda of the Left.”
In July of this year, Jeffress said that the moral decay evident in our country is a result of the separation of church and state. Some politicians, such as Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert, have recently been vocal about criticizing the concept of separation of church and state.
During the interview, Jeffress discussed his new book, “,” and also shared his thoughts on the suffering people are experiencing in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. In such times, people wonder why a loving God would allow so much destruction, but the pastor explained that “hurricanes, devastation, death” were never something God wanted for this world and won’t be part of “the next world that awaits Christians.”
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UAPB Men Cross Country Freeman Finishes Top 10; UAPB Finishes Top 15 At Chile Pepper Festival Deltaplex News
UAPB Men Cross Country Freeman Finishes Top 10; UAPB Finishes Top 15 At Chile Pepper Festival – Deltaplex News https://digitalarkansasnews.com/uapb-men-cross-country-freeman-finishes-top-10-uapb-finishes-top-15-at-chile-pepper-festival-deltaplex-news/
Fayetteville, AR – The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff Men’s Cross Country team had a successful outing at the Chile Pepper Festival held at the University of Arkansas.
UAPB tied 12th out of nearly 40 teams with 365 points in the 8K Open Run.
Senior Baron Freeman posted the best time for the Golden Lions finishing 10th out of with a time of 25:56.5. Sophomore Terrance Johnson recorded a time of 26:46.4, placing 45th and senior Tarik Xavier came in 91st with a time of 27:41.
UAPB Men’s Individual Results (8K)
10th Baron Freeman 25:56.5
45th Terrance Johnson 26:46.4
91st Tarik Xavier 27:41.1
109th Rio Williams 28:03.3
129th Ryan Longmire 28:18.5
155th Genesis Joseph 28:38.3
Next Run
UAPB will be back in action at the Lois Davis Invitational, hosted by Southern Arkansas University on Friday, Oct. 14.
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U.S. Believes Ukrainians Were Behind An Assassination In Russia
U.S. Believes Ukrainians Were Behind An Assassination In Russia https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-s-believes-ukrainians-were-behind-an-assassination-in-russia/
American officials said they were not aware of the plan ahead of time for the attack that killed Daria Dugina and that they had admonished Ukraine over it.
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Daria Dugina’s memorial service in Moscow in August. U.S. intelligence agencies believe that parts of the Ukrainian government authorized the attack that killed her.Credit…Kirill Kudryavtsev/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
Oct. 5, 2022Updated 1:59 p.m. ET
WASHINGTON — United States intelligence agencies believe parts of the Ukrainian government authorized the car bomb attack near Moscow in August that killed Daria Dugina, the daughter of a prominent Russian nationalist, an element of a covert campaign that U.S. officials fear could widen the conflict.
The United States took no part in the attack, either by providing intelligence or other assistance, officials said. American officials also said they were not aware of the operation ahead of time and would have opposed the killing had they been consulted. Afterward, American officials admonished Ukrainian officials over the assassination, they said.
The closely held assessment of Ukrainian complicity, which has not been previously reported, was shared within the U.S. government last week. Ukraine denied involvement in the killing immediately after the attack, and senior officials repeated those denials when asked about the American intelligence assessment.
While Russia has not retaliated in a specific way for the assassination, the United States is concerned that such attacks — while high in symbolic value — have little direct impact on the battlefield and could provoke Moscow to carry out its own strikes against senior Ukrainian officials. American officials have been frustrated with Ukraine’s lack of transparency about its military and covert plans, especially on Russian soil.
Since the beginning of the war, Ukraine’s security services have demonstrated their ability to reach into Russia to conduct sabotage operations. The killing of Ms. Dugina, however, would be one of the boldest operations to date — showing Ukraine can get very close to prominent Russians.
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In a handout photo released by the Investigative Committee of Russia, investigators worked at the scene of the car blast that killed Ms. Dugina.Credit…Investigative Committee Of Russia, via Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Some American officials suspect Ms. Dugina’s father, Aleksandr Dugin, a Russian ultranationalist, was the actual target of the operation, and that the operatives who carried it out believed he would be in the vehicle with his daughter.
Mr. Dugin, one of Russia’s most prominent voices urging Moscow to intensify its war on Ukraine, has been a leading proponent of an aggressive, imperialist Russia.
The American officials who spoke about the intelligence did not disclose which elements of the Ukrainian government were believed to have authorized the mission, who carried out the attack, or whether President Volodymyr Zelensky had signed off on the mission. United States officials briefed on the Ukrainian action and the American response spoke on the condition of anonymity, in order to discuss secret information and matters of sensitive diplomacy.
U.S. officials would not say who in the American government delivered the admonishments or whom in the Ukrainian government they were delivered to. It was not known what Ukraine’s response was.
The State of the War
Russia’s Retreat: After significant military gains in eastern cities like Lyman, Ukraine is pushing farther into Russian-held territory in the south, expanding its campaign in yet another direction as Moscow struggles to mount a response and hold the line.
Annexation Push: After Moscow’s proxies conducted a series of sham referendums in the Ukrainian regions of Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, Luhansk and Donetsk, President Vladimir V. Putin declared the four territories to be part of Russia. Western leaders, including President Biden in the United States, denounced the annexation as illegal.
Putin’s Nuclear Threats: For the first time since the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, top Russian leaders are making explicit nuclear threats and officials in Washington are gaming out scenarios should Mr. Putin decide to use a tactical nuclear weapon.
Fleeing the Draft: Tens of thousands of men have left Russia to avoid being drafted to fight in Ukraine. Kyrgyzstan, a former Soviet territory long seen in Russia as a source of cheap labor and backward ways, has provided a welcoming haven.
While the Pentagon and spy agencies have shared sensitive battlefield intelligence with the Ukrainians, helping them zero in on Russian command posts, supply lines and other key targets, the Ukrainians have not always told American officials what they plan to do.
The United States has pressed Ukraine to share more about its war plans, with mixed success. Earlier in the war, U.S. officials acknowledged that they often knew more about Russian war plans — thanks to their intense collection efforts — than they did about Kyiv’s intentions.
Cooperation has since increased. During the summer, Ukraine shared its plans for its September military counteroffensive with the United States and Britain.
U.S. officials also lack a complete picture of the competing power centers within the Ukrainian government, including the military, the security services and Mr. Zelensky’s office, a fact that may explain why some parts of the Ukrainian government may not have been aware of the plot.
When asked about the U.S. intelligence assessment, Mykhailo Podolyak, an adviser to Ukraine’s president, reiterated the Ukrainian government’s denials of involvement in Ms. Dugina’s killing.
“Again, I’ll underline that any murder during wartime in some country or another must carry with it some kind of practical significance,” Mr. Podolyak told The New York Times in an interview on Tuesday. “It should fulfill some specific purpose, tactical or strategic. Someone like Dugina is not a tactical or a strategic target for Ukraine.
“We have other targets on the territory of Ukraine,” he said, “I mean collaborationists and representatives of the Russian command, who might have value for members of our special services working in this program, but certainly not Dugina.”
Though details surrounding acts of sabotage in Russian-controlled territory have been shrouded in mystery, the Ukrainian government has quietly acknowledged killing Russian officials in Ukraine and sabotaging Russian arms factories and weapons depots.
A senior Ukrainian military official who declined to be identified because of the sensitivity of the topic, said that Ukrainian forces, with the help of local fighters, had carried out assassinations and attacks on accused Ukrainian collaborators and Russian officials in occupied Ukrainian territories. These include the Kremlin-installed head of the Kherson region, who was poisoned in August and had to be evacuated to Moscow for emergency treatment.
Countries traditionally do not discuss other nations’ covert actions, for fear of having their own operations revealed, but some American officials believe it is crucial to curb what they see as dangerous adventurism, particularly political assassinations.
Still, American officials in recent days have taken pains to insist that relations between the two governments remain strong. U.S. concerns about Ukraine’s aggressive covert operations inside Russia have not prompted any known changes in the provision of intelligence, military and diplomatic support to Mr. Zelensky’s government or to Ukraine’s security services.
In a phone call on Saturday, Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken told his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, that the Biden administration “will continue to support Ukraine’s efforts to regain control of its territory by strengthening its hand militarily and diplomatically,” according to Ned Price, the State Department’s spokesman.
Officials from the State Department, National Security Council, Pentagon and C.I.A. declined to comment on the intelligence assessment.
The war in Ukraine is at an especially dangerous moment. The United States has tried carefully to avoid unnecessary escalation with Moscow throughout the conflict — in part by telling Kyiv not to use American equipment or intelligence to conduct attacks inside of Russia. But now, the recent battlefield successes by Ukraine have prompted Russia to respond with a series of escalatory steps, like conducting a partial mobilization and moving to annex swaths of eastern Ukraine.
Concern is growing in Washington that Russia may be considering further steps to intensify the war, including by renewing efforts to assassinate prominent Ukrainian leaders. Mr. Zelensky would be the top target of Russian assassination teams, as he was during the Russian assault on Kyiv earlier in the war.
But now, American officials said Russia could target a wide variety of Ukrainian leaders, many of whom have less protection than Mr. Zelensky.
The United States and Europe had imposed sanctions on Ms. Dugina. She shared her father’s worldview and was accused by the West of spreading Russian propaganda about Ukraine.
Russia opened a murder investigation after Ms. Dugina’s assassination, calling the explosion that killed her a terrorist act. Ms. Dugina was killed instantly in the explosion, which occurred in the Odintsovo district, an affluent area in Moscow’s suburbs.
After the bombing, speculation centered on whether Ukraine was responsible or if it was a false flag operation meant to pin blame on Ukrainians. The bombing took place after a series of Ukrainian strikes in Crimea, part of Ukraine that Russia seized in 2014. Those strikes had ...
