Digital Arkansas News

National Drive Electric Week Aims To Educate People About Driving Electric Vehicles https://digitalarkansasnews.com/national-drive-electric-week-aims-to-educate-people-about-driving-electric-vehicles/ MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) – This week is National Drive Electric Week, which works to raise awareness about the benefits of electric vehicles. Alabama’s first-ever electric vehicle summit is taking place in Birmingham Thursday to provide important information about EV-related topics. The Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition is a partner in organizing the Drive Electric Summit and promoting the state’s Drive Electric Initiative, along with coordinating advanced technology vehicle activities in Alabama. “People have a lot of questions about EVs and what you read on the internet, or what you see every day on the news may not really be how that translates for you and your own situation,” said Michael Staley, President of the Alabama Clean Fuels Coalition. “And when we hold events, like during National Drive Electric Week, it gives citizens the opportunity to come out and learn from the best teachers who are EV owners themselves, about what it’s like to actually own an EV in Alabama.” Earlier this year, the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs launched the “Drive Electric Alabama” initiative because the state recognized more and more auto manufacturers are making significant investments in electric vehicles, that more people are buying them and driving them, and it must take steps to make sure those cars have a place to recharge on the road. Alabama also recognizes how recruiting more electric vehicle drivers could have big pay-offs in the end. “It has benefits for our state from a manufacturing perspective. When these EVs are successful, our automakers are going to be successful. And that’s going to lead to more jobs and better economic opportunities for communities across the state. Also, when someone stops to charge their car while they’re driving, they also spend money. And when they spend money, they leave behind that revenue that we depend on two basic functions of government are supported by that revenue. And that’s really important for people to understand that the number of EVs that are driving through the state is just as important as the number of EVs registered in the state,” Staley said. “I would also think it’s important for people to know that when Mercedes announced that they were going to manufacture EVs in Alabama and make batteries in Bibb County, that was 240 days into President Trump’s presidency,” Staley added. “So, sometimes people feel like this is a politically angled endeavor and that it’s only because of the Biden administration. I think it’s important for people to know that, you know, even President Trump was supportive of the automotive manufacturing transformation to EVs and all of our nation’s manufacturers are really heavily invested in this technology.” Staley went on to say if you really have questions about driving and buying an electric vehicle, don’t just take the information you hear on a newscast. Find information about events and opportunities to see them and talk to people who already own them, and read up on the state’s electric vehicle infrastructure plan. You can find all of that information at this website. Not reading this story on the WSFA News App? Get news alerts FASTER and FREE in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store! Copyright 2022 WSFA. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Geography, History Come Into Play On Football Nights https://digitalarkansasnews.com/geography-history-come-into-play-on-football-nights/ Hot Springs’ TJ Brogdon (0) evades a tackle by Little Rock Southwest’s Marquise Roberts (7) at Joe C. Reese Stadium Friday. – Photo by Lance Porter of The Sentinel-Record Every Friday night of the season, my heart goes out to Arkansas sports writers who cover games between teams they know little about at locations for which they might need a map. And then to have some editor (probably the one who made the assignment) harp on confusing the mascots, not everyone knowing a Sand Lizard from a Blue Devil. Heaven help when two sets of Tigers are playing and both coaches, from whom one might glean most of the information, are named Smith or Jones. A former high school writer for the state newspaper — from Illinois, if my memory be accurate — once explained his plight in print, confessing to his readers, “I don’t know Dollarway from Safeway.” Even, I guess, if one gives green stamps to its customers and the other doesn’t. This came to mind when Little Rock Southwest played at Hot Springs last week. Competitive aspects were over by halftime, Hot Springs leading 35-6 en route to a 61-30 victory. Hot Springs, I read, came after Southwest with a phenomenal air attack like B-17s. They played on what was known in my time as Tommy Holt Memorial Field, Southwest’s coach (Daryl Patton) with a championship background, which opposite number Darrell Burnett noted during the week. The Gryphons were overmatched against a team playing at home and stinging, after an open date, from a one-point loss to Arkadelphia, which might be playing in December. Southwest was coming off only the second victory in the program’s three-year history (30-29 over Rogers Heritage) and clearly still in the building stages. The hometown Trojans can expect a clearer picture tonight when another Little Rock team, Parkview, comes to town. Though losing 28-27 in two overtimes Friday night, Parkview went against North Little Rock, which usually has something to say about the Class 7A title, though Bryant has won four straight championships in the state’s largest division. The Parkview-Hot Springs game shapes up as a keepsake between schools with past glories, the Patriots under teams coached by Sam Goodwin and the Trojans in a program unearthed by Bobby Hannon and continued by Joe Reese. Burnett has Hot Springs on the move and the Bolding brothers, Buzz and Bobby, lead Parkview. Why the statewide newspaper did not include it in its best games of the week is a puzzler. Hot Springs vs. Southwest carried no such gloss, though that surely would have been different if Cedric Cobbs and Wallace Snowden still played. Cobbs excelled at Arkansas after a glorious career at Little Rock Fair and Snowden, another Hot Springs player the Razorbacks couldn’t quite add to the roster, landed at Missouri, Wallace later doing some part-time work for this newspaper. Fair and McClellan high schools — the McClellan Crimson Lions defeating Hot Springs in a 1970s state final — merged in 2020 to form Southwest High. Any progress the Gryphons, as they call themselves, make will be duly noted with Central and Hall, long the big names in Little Rock prep football, becoming basketball enclaves. Another local game this week sends Siloam Springs to Lake Hamilton. Connect the dots on a map for an idea of the expenses required for a trip from Benton County to Wolf Stadium. The Arkansas Activities Association, for which a geography degree is not needed for membership, calls Lake Hamilton vs. Siloam Springs a conference game. At least they’re in the same state. Read More…

Nevada Candidate: Outcome Of SOS Race Could Affect Presidential Election In 2024 https://digitalarkansasnews.com/nevada-candidate-outcome-of-sos-race-could-affect-presidential-election-in-2024/ Francisco Aguilar is running as the Democratic nominee for Nevada secretary of state By Casey Harrison (contact) Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 | 2 a.m. Two candidates running to be Nevada secretary of state offered starkly different visions of the approach to the job as the state’s top elections administrator in a Time magazine article. The story, “Conspiracy Theorists Want to Run America’s Elections. These Are the Candidates Standing in Their Way” was published Tuesday on time.com. It highlights a large swath of Republican hopefuls running for office who subscribe to former President Donald Trump’s view that the 2020 election (which he lost by 74 electoral votes to Democrat Joe Biden) was “stolen” through widespread voter fraud despite multiple judges nationwide dismissing court cases claiming election fraud. Experts warn that electing candidates who deny the legitimacy of the 2020 presidential election to oversee future ones could imperil democracy itself, according to the story. That includes Jim Marchant, the Republican nominee facing Democrat Francisco “Cisco” Aguilar in November to replace outgoing Nevada Secretary of State Barbara Cegavske, a Republican who is term-limited. Marchant, who in 2020 was defeated in a congressional bid, has appeared at various events around the country with Trump allies to cast doubt on the last presidential election. “Computers are very, very hackable, and we just can’t trust ‘em,” Marchant told Time, alluding to a repeatedly debunked theory that voting machines were manipulated to change votes in favor of Trump to Biden. Marchant was pressed about multiple audits that have disproved that claim, retorting that “those aren’t audits in the way that you can trust.” Aguilar, a former member of the Nevada Athletic Commission and first-time office seeker, by contrast said defeating his rival was paramount because Nevada’s top election official should not have the power to sway a presidential election, he said. Aguilar initially ran to streamline business licensing and enhance voter protections, but after Marchant won his party’s primary in June, the race would take on a different meaning, he told Time. “This is now real,” Aguilar said. “This is no longer rhetoric. This is so serious that if I don’t win this election, it could affect the (presidential election) outcome in 2024.” Neither Marchant nor Aguilar’s campaigns immediately responded to requests for comment about the Time article. County election offices in Nevada identified between 93 and 98 potential cases of voter fraud during the 2020 campaign, less than 0.3% of Biden’s margin of victory of about 30,000 votes in the Silver State, according to an investigation by The Associated Press. Cegavske repeatedly said she found no evidence of widespread voter fraud that would have affected the outcome of the Nevada vote in the 2020 presidential election.That earned her a rebuke from the Nevada Republican Party, which in April 2021 voted to censure Cegavske, accusing her of failing to fully investigate allegations of fraud in the 2020 election. Along with holding events across the country, Marchant helped organize the “America First Secretary of State Coalition,” a group of candidates running to be their state’s top election official who have repeated Trump’s false claims about the 2020 election. Marchant also has been working to persuade local officials to toss out voting equipment and instead require that all ballots be filled outand counted by hand. Hand-counting all ballots is not only unreliable, labor-intensive and time-consuming, but also unnecessary, according to election experts. Testing before elections and audits afterward is intended to ensure that votes are recorded accurately and that any problems are identified before election results are certified. The federal government’s leading security experts declared the 2020 presidential election “the most secure in American history.” Even Trump’s attorney general at the time said there was no fraud that would have altered the results. There has been no concrete evidence to suggest Trump was cheated out of a second term. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read More Here

Imagine If White Vigilantes, ‘illegals’ United For Common Cause https://digitalarkansasnews.com/imagine-if-white-vigilantes-illegals-united-for-common-cause/ By Jean Guerrero Thursday, Sept. 22, 2022 | 2 a.m. The first year of Donald Trump’s presidency, I interviewed a 78-year-old man who regularly patrolled his border-adjacent property in the rural California town of Boulevard, wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying an AR-10. “It is my duty to protect my country from people invading it,” Bob Maupin said. The retired mechanic and self-described “vigilante” told me that if Trump hadn’t won in 2016, he was planning to take part in an insurrection. “I’m gonna die, and I don’t care how,” he said. “Except I’m not going to die a slobbering old man in a rest home pushing a walker. I’m going out in a firefight.” He died (not in a firefight, but of cancer) a year before hundreds of insurrectionists stormed the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. But I remembered him that day. I remembered how, after the videographer stopped recording him, Maupin’s eyes had locked on mine as he deadpanned: “I might have to kill you.” I couldn’t reconcile his danger with my empathy for him: a man desperate for purpose in a conspiratorial underworld, not entirely unlike my father, a Mexican immigrant. Maupin and I had more in common with each other than either of us would with Trump or any other tax-dodging billionaire who pits people against one another: white against Black against brown. Imagine Latina matriarchs and other guerreras teaming up with white vigilantes like Maupin in a common struggle. Such a class-based multiracial coalition would be unstoppable. And strange as it might sound, the constituent groups’ main goals would be compatible. A bill introduced by Rep. Zoe Lofgren, D-Calif., to provide green cards for millions of undocumented people who’ve lived here for years is a critical step toward creating such a coalition. But it needs GOP support, which won’t happen without a takedown of the Trumpist fiction that frames “amnesty” as damaging to white and native-born workers. The opposite is true. Green cards for undocumented people would allow them to demand higher wages and report employer abuses they might otherwise tolerate because they fear deportation. It would be a victory for labor, making it harder for employers to bust unions and exploit with impunity by invoking Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “The more people can stand up for themselves and make sure that wages are not undercut, then the better off anyone is,” Lofgren says. One central complaint of alienated white factions echoes that of undocumented workers: feeling, and being, shut out of the American dream. An empowered workforce would tear down elites’ walls to that dream. Renewing Immigration Provisions of the Immigration Act of 1929, or House Resolution 8433, would update existing law so people with “good moral character” who’ve been here at least seven years could apply for green cards. It would protect as many as 8 million people by updating what’s called the “registry date,” changed four times since the law was created. The last time the date was updated was in 1986, to 1971: If you arrived before then, you can register for a green card. But millions have come since. Many are “essential workers.” Many are parents of U.S. citizens. The bill is short and simple, creating a rolling seven-year window for green card registry, and should be passed after the midterm elections. Green cards for undocumented Americans would boost gross domestic product by hundreds of billions of dollars and expand on the tens of billions in taxes these workers already pay. GOP politicians were once open to protections for undocumented people; the last major legalization bill was passed under the Reagan administration. But these days, most Republicans would rather be labeled racist than “pro-amnesty.” On the right, support for immigrants has become synonymous with out-of-touch elitism, a cavalier approach toward working Americans. The portrayal distorts the truth: that raising the floor for the most abused workers benefits all workers. Some employers do use immigrants to undercut wages, but that’s a problem with the current situation, not an argument against granting legal status. The employers’ tactics work only because so many immigrants live in fear. There was a time when the labor movement viewed immigrants as strikebreakers and job stealers, because that’s how abusive employers had used them. But in 2000, the AFL-CIO changed its position, calling for the legalization of millions of workers. The success of the Service Employees International Union’s Justice for Janitors campaign in the preceding decade showed that undocumented people are eager to link arms with fellow workers in the fight for dignity. The registry law bill could unlock workers’ full organizing potential. But a corporate class in the Democratic Party has long conspired with the GOP to avoid that outcome, pursuing “guest worker” and other precarious labor programs rather than emancipation for those with deep roots here. MAGA patriots have been led to perceive undocumented Americans as enemies. But as Lorena Gonzalez, head of the California Labor Federation, told me: “A construction worker or electrician making six figures has more in common with an undocumented farmworker than they do with a guy trying to get to Mars.” Politicians should be shouting this from the rooftops, on talk shows, during campaign events and on social media. Green cards for undocumented workers would set all workers free. Jean Guerrero is a columnist for the Los Angeles Times. Read More Here

Complaint Accuses Rutledge, 14 Other Attorneys General Of Bolstering Claims Of 2020 Election Fraud https://digitalarkansasnews.com/complaint-accuses-rutledge-14-other-attorneys-general-of-bolstering-claims-of-2020-election-fraud/ Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge gives a press conference in this Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2020 file photo. A bipartisan accountability group has filed an ethics complaint against Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge, accusing Rutledge of using her office to bolster claims of fraud in the 2020 election. The 65 Project on Wednesday filed 15 complaints against state attorneys general, contending they tried to overturn the election results in 2020. The complaint against Rutledge requests that the Office of the Committee on Professional Conduct in Little Rock review her actions for lending the legal profession’s credibility to amplify false assertions and frivolous claims in regards to the election. “Specifically Ms. Rutledge joined with other attorneys general and submitted a brief in support of the State of Texas’s Bill of Complaint in Texas v. Pennsylvania before the United States Supreme Court,” the complaint states. “The importance of so many attorneys general providing their support for the bogus effort cannot be overstated.” The complaint states the filing Rutledge joined was an example of political propaganda masquerading as analysis. Amanda Priest, spokeswoman for the Arkansas attorney general’s office, said Wednesday that the office was aware of the complaint filed against the 15 attorneys generals. Complaints also were filed against attorneys general in Alabama, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Utah and West Virginia. The attorneys general’s positions in the Republican Attorneys General Association and its fundraising arm, the Rule of Law Defense Fund, also should draw the bar associations’ scrutiny since those organizations played a role in encouraging the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol, the accountability group said in a news release. [65 PROJECT: Read the letter seeking action against Rutledge » arkansasonline.com/922project65/] “Lawyers take an oath to stand as officers of the court and must follow a code of conduct and ethical requirements,” said Michael Teter, managing director of The 65 Project. “That obligation does not end when holding public office. Just the opposite. “State attorneys general have an even greater responsibility to abide by the rules of our profession. These lawyers tried to help Trump cling to power by spreading falsehoods and lies in court filings. They must be held accountable.” The complaint states Rutledge’s leadership in an organization that encouraged “patriots” to join with them to “march to the Capitol building and call on Congress to stop the steal” on Jan. 6, 2021, and to “fight to protect the integrity of our elections” warrants further scrutiny. “In fact, evidence suggests that Ms. Rutledge’s official staff participated in ‘War Games’ strategy sessions held by these outside political groups, likely doing so while on government time,” the complaint states. “A full investigation by your office will demonstrate the egregious nature of Ms. Rutledge’s actions, especially when considered in light of her purposes and the direct and possible consequences of her behavior.” The group is called The 65 Project after the initial 65 lawsuits that sought to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 election. The organization states the lawyers who brought these suits abused the legal process and violated their professional duties to push the “Big Lie” narrative of former President Donald Trump to discredit current and future elections. The senior advisor for the 65 Project is Melissa Moss, who previously served as a political appointee in the Clinton Administration and was the finance director of the Democratic National Committee. Read More Here

Russia, Ukraine Announce Major Surprise Prisoner Swap https://digitalarkansasnews.com/russia-ukraine-announce-major-surprise-prisoner-swap/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com KYIV/RIYADH, Sept 21 (Reuters) – Russia and Ukraine carried out an unexpected prisoner swap on Wednesday, the largest since the war began and involving almost 300 people, including 10 foreigners and the commanders who led a prolonged Ukrainian defence of Mariupol earlier this year. The foreigners released included two Britons and a Moroccan who had been sentenced to death in June after being captured fighting for Ukraine. Also freed were three other Britons, two Americans, a Croatian, and a Swedish national. The timing and magnitude of the swap came as a surprise, given Russian President Vladimir Putin had announced a partial troop mobilisation earlier in the day in an apparent escalation of the conflict that began in February. Pro-Russian separatists had also said last month that the Mariupol commanders would go on trial. read more Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the swap – which involved help from Turkey and Saudi Arabia – had been under preparation for quite a long time and involved intense haggling. Under the terms of the deal, 215 Ukrainians – most of whom were captured after the fall of Mariupol – were released. In exchange, Ukraine sent back 55 Russians and pro-Moscow Ukrainians and Viktor Medvedchuk, the leader of a banned pro-Russian party who was facing treason charges. “This is clearly a victory for our country, for our entire society. And the main thing is that 215 families can see their loved ones safe and at home,” Zelenskiy said in a video address. “We remember all our people and try to save every Ukrainian. This is the meaning of Ukraine, our essence, this is what distinguishes us from the enemy.” Zelenskiy thanked Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan for his help and said five senior Ukrainian commanders would remain in Turkey until the end of the war. Kyiv had a long and difficult fight to secure the release of the five, he said. Prisoners of war (five British citizens, one Moroccan, one Swede, one Croat, and two Americans) are seen in the tarmac after arriving, following successful mediation efforts by Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, from Russia to King Khalid International Airport, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, September 21, 2022. Saudi Press Agency/Handout via REUTERS They include Lieutenant Colonel Denys Prokopenko, commander of the Azov battalion that did much of the fighting, and his deputy, Svyatoslav Palamar. Also freed was Serhiy Volynsky, the commander of the 36th Marine Brigade. The three men had helped lead a dogged weeks-long resistance from the bunkers and tunnels below Mariupol’s giant steel works before they and hundreds of Azov fighters surrendered in May to Russian-backed forces. “We’re proud of what you’ve done for our nation, proud of each and every one of you,” Zelenskiy said in a video call with the five which was released by his office. There was no immediate comment from Moscow about the deal and why it had freed men who Russian-backed separatists said would go on trial later this year. Saudi Arabia brokered an arrangement whereby the 10 foreigners were flown to Saudi Arabia. The mediation involved Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has maintained close ties with Putin. The freed prisoners included U.S. citizens Alexander Drueke, 39, and Andy Huynh, 27, both from Alabama, who were captured in June while fighting in eastern Ukraine. Also freed were Britons Aiden Aslin and Shaun Pinner and Moroccan Brahim Saadoun, who were all sentenced to death by a court in the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic. Large numbers of foreigners have travelled to Ukraine to fight since Russia’s Feb. 24 invasion. The head of the U.N. human rights mission in Ukraine said earlier this month that Russia was not allowing access to prisoners of war, adding that the U.N. had evidence that some had been subjected to torture and ill-treatment that could amount to war crimes. read more Russia denies torture or other forms of maltreatment of POWs. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Valentyn Ogirenko in Kyiv, Aziz El Yaakoubi in Riyadh and David Ljunggren in Ottawa Editing by Rosalba O’Brien Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

Fed Goes Big Again With Third-Straight Three-Quarter-Point Rate Hike | CNN Business https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fed-goes-big-again-with-third-straight-three-quarter-point-rate-hike-cnn-business/ Featured Fear & Greed Index Something isn’t loading properly. Please check back later. Markets and Investing After making history by approving a third consecutive 75-basis-point hike, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell held a press conference on the plan to get inflation down to 2%. ” data-duration=”00:40″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Powell says job market will have to suffer for inflation to fall” data-index=”idx-0″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_1830aa93de6192fcc939da49b328ac66-h_60b41ec196c06611beb22712abf3056a@published” data-video-id=”business/2022/09/21/powell-inflation-job-market-rate-hike-vpx.cnn” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_1830aa93de6192fcc939da49b328ac66-h_60b41ec196c06611beb22712abf3056a@published” Now playing Powell says job market will have to suffer for inflation to fall It’s no secret the market is in turmoil right now with some fearing equities are headed for new lows. David Bailin, chief investment officer at Citi Global Wealth Investments, gives three pieces of advice for smart investors. ” data-duration=”00:57″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Investor shares 3 things you should do right now in this market” data-index=”idx-1″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_7ef426c92057763d013f1ce94b13cbb2″ data-video-id=”business/2022/09/21/3-investing-tips-for-market-turmoil-david-bailin-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_7ef426c92057763d013f1ce94b13cbb2″ Now playing Investor shares 3 things you should do right now in this market Home prices remain high despite record inflation and high mortgage rates. Danielle Hale, chief economist at realtor.com, explains what home sellers can expect going forward and how buyers might be able to get a lower price. ” data-duration=”02:28″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Buying or selling a home? Hear what this economist has to say about prices” data-index=”idx-2″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_fb8593608b89d8f627b1db7ead4d3d03″ data-video-id=”business/2022/09/21/home-prices-forecast-realtor-danielle-hale-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_fb8593608b89d8f627b1db7ead4d3d03″ Now playing Buying or selling a home? Hear what this economist has to say about prices CNN’s Chief Business Correspondent Christine Romans explains what corporate America can tell us about the health of the US economy going forward. ” data-duration=”01:16″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Is a recession coming? Look to corporate earnings” data-index=”idx-3″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_bebd966ad5b157786ff278793b72890e” data-video-id=”business/2022/09/20/recession-corporate-earnings-mc-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_bebd966ad5b157786ff278793b72890e” Now playing Is a recession coming? Look to corporate earnings Can the Twitter whistleblower save Elon Musk from buying Twitter for $44B? Dan Ives, senior director at Wedbush Securities, explains 4 possible scenarios for how Twitter and Musk’s legal battle could play out in court. ” data-duration=”01:40″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”4 ways Twitter and Musk court battle could end, explained” data-index=”idx-4″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_2e5bc78668d9a5d703de2bcb080d85f6″ data-video-id=”business/2022/09/14/twitter-elon-musk-4-court-case-scenarios-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_2e5bc78668d9a5d703de2bcb080d85f6″ Now playing 4 ways Twitter and Musk court battle could end, explained David Rubenstein, author of “How to Invest: Masters on the Craft” tells CNN’s Matt Egan how the best investors approach their portfolios during times of volatility. ” data-duration=”02:28″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Billionaire businessman explains how to invest like the best” data-index=”idx-5″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_36738c56b688575e740604ede0aa875d” data-video-id=”business/2022/09/02/david-rubenstein-investing-advice-jg-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_36738c56b688575e740604ede0aa875d” Now playing Billionaire businessman explains how to invest like the best B. Riley Financial’s Chief Market Strategist Art Hogan tells CNN’s Alison Kosik that a recession in 2023 is likely, but it’s still possible for the Federal Reserve to pull off a “soft landing.” ” data-duration=”01:41″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Strategist: Here’s why the Fed could still pull off a ‘soft landing'” data-index=”idx-6″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_81f15e66174a7ae7e3fff3fa5b28e276″ data-video-id=”business/2022/09/07/markets-now-art-hogan-federal-reserve-soft-landing-recession.cnn” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_81f15e66174a7ae7e3fff3fa5b28e276″ Now playing Strategist: Here’s why the Fed could still pull off a ‘soft landing’ Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski tells CNN’s Alison Kosik how the company is responding to a slashed valuation and why Apple entering the market is confirmation “buy now, pay later” is a good business. ” data-duration=”02:19″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Klarna CEO on ‘buy now, pay later’ competition from Apple” data-index=”idx-7″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_3c30bd7fcd468c30838aef72bed1055a” data-video-id=”business/2022/08/31/klarna-sebastian-siemiatkowski-buy-now-pay-later-apple-orig.cnn” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_3c30bd7fcd468c30838aef72bed1055a” Now playing Klarna CEO on ‘buy now, pay later’ competition from Apple The stock market’s summer rally has run into trouble recently. Despite the rumbles, Anastasia Amoroso, Chief Investment Strategist at iCapital, explains why long-term investors should buy stocks especially when the market feels terrible. ” data-duration=”01:46″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Strategist explains why you should ‘buy stocks when it feels terrible'” data-index=”idx-8″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_bc082d8138c8d86929499e177ae1586e” data-video-id=”business/2022/08/24/stock-buying-strategy-risk-reward-scenario-anastasia-amoroso-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_bc082d8138c8d86929499e177ae1586e” Now playing Strategist explains why you should ‘buy stocks when it feels terrible’ Subway sandwiches could soon be on your list of monthly subscription services. Subway CEO John Chidsey explains to CNN’s Alison Kosik how the subscription program will work and what consumers can expect from food prices. ” data-duration=”00:59″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Your next subscription could be to Subway. Its CEO explains how it’ll work” data-index=”idx-9″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_dce254a0279bf90dbf73360d6f07e4b9″ data-video-id=”business/2022/08/24/subway-subscription-pass-ceo-interview-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_dce254a0279bf90dbf73360d6f07e4b9″ Now playing Your next subscription could be to Subway. Its CEO explains how it’ll work Cowen’s Senior Retail Analyst Oliver Chen breaks down why Walmart beat quarterly earnings expectations whereas Target missed. ” data-duration=”02:19″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Walmart vs. Target: A tale of two retail results” data-index=”idx-10″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN Business” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_7ff9435f5d922c9bc5c42b3dfdd1a9bd” data-video-id=”business/2022/08/17/target-walmart-quarterly-earning-results-markets-now-orig.cnn-business” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_7ff9435f5d922c9bc5c42b3dfdd1a9bd” CNN Business Now playing Walmart vs. Target: A tale of two retail results Inflation may be slowing, but Dana Peterson, Chief Economist at The Conference Board, says the Federal Reserve may still raise rates aggressively. Here’s why. ” data-duration=”02:31″ data-editable=”settings” data-headline=”Economist: Recent inflation data may not change Fed’s plan” data-index=”idx-11″ data-show-name=”” data-show-url=”” data-source=”CNN” data-uri=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_c4750dbc5c0a02356fe9a5a7d2869c5e” data-video-id=”business/2022/08/10/shallow-recession.cnn” data-video-instance=”archive.cms.cnn.com/_components/video-resource/instances/h_c4750dbc5c0a02356fe9a5a7d2869c5e” Now playing Economist: Recent inflation data may not change Fed’s plan During the pandemic, Netflix’s stock skyrocketed off of superb subscriber growth. Now that the market cap has fallen along with s...

Commission Will Ask Arkansas Legislators To Consider Recurring Funding For School Safety Upgrades https://digitalarkansasnews.com/commission-will-ask-arkansas-legislators-to-consider-recurring-funding-for-school-safety-upgrades/ Cheryl May, director of Arkansas’ Criminal Justice Institute, leads a discussion during a meeting of the Arkansas School Safety Commission in the state Capitol on Wednesday. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Stephen Swofford) The Arkansas School Safety Commission will ask state legislators to consider recurring funding that would allow for school districts to implement recommendations made by the commission. Commission members on Wednesday unanimously approved the recommendation by Dr. Cheryl May, director of the Criminal Justice Institute and head of the safety commission, to request that state legislators consider recurring funding for school districts to implement the recommendations. “Just me personally,” May said, “I don’t think we can walk away from this table without trying to get our schools some additional financial help, because we are asking them to do a lot.” The commission also unanimously approved additional recommendations from its five subcommittees. The recommendations include: • Implementing best practices for cyber security preparedness. • Establishing a statewide school safety sharing program for cyber security incidents and threats. • Implementation of routine vulnerability scanning and testing. • Developing a cyber security component in school districts’ Continuity of Operations plan. • Adopting Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response training and protocols to teach community members and staff what to do when presented with an active attack situation. • Collaboration between the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, school health services and the Division of Aging, Adult and Behavioral Health Services to create a work group to address gaps in mental health services for students. • Formation of a school safety unit at the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education to better ensure school districts are implementing school safety-related laws, providing support to districts implementing safety recommendations, and helping districts to identify gaps and finding the resources to fill those gaps. Gov. Asa Hutchinson reinstated the School Safety Commission in June in the aftermath of several mass shootings across the nation. Hutchinson has said he hopes school districts will use the updated recommendations when making requests for funding. Legislators approved a $50 million grant program during a special session in August that will be used to address recommendations made by the commission. The state’s original school safety commission, created in March 2018, submitted 30 recommendations in its 124-page report. Some schools have implemented portions of the original recommendations, but schools are not mandated to follow the recommendations. Under the governor’s executive order, the current commission is charged with reviewing the previous commission’s report and providing an update on the status of school safety across Arkansas. Commission members spoke for more than an hour Wednesday about the need to find recurring funding options for districts that might not be able to afford the recommendations. “This commission has done outstanding work, but I am slightly concerned for those districts that don’t have the funding for these recommendations,” said Bill Hollenbeck, chief of police for Fort Smith Public Schools. “So creating this funding mechanism is vitally important and a needed conversation.” May requested that Greg Rogers, assistant commissioner of Fiscal and Administrative Services for the Division of Elementary and Secondary Education at the Arkansas Department of Education, speak to the commission about ways to set up a recurring fund for school districts and have it limited to implementing school safety recommendations. Rogers said limiting the funding by attaching words such as “shall” to recurring funding requests or by making something a “requirement” could potentially cause difficulty for school districts to get federal funds. “It limits what funds they can use and creates a gray area with federal funds,” Rogers said. “If you left it as a recommendation, then it would be fine, but if it goes into law requiring these things then you might have a problem.” Rogers also said if funds were sent to districts using the basic matrix system that provides funding based on student population, the funds wouldn’t have restrictions placed on them. The concern of commissioners, May said, was creating a pot of money with no requirements attached to it would allow for schools to use the funds on anything they choose. “We don’t want them to just be given money that is not tied to school safety,” May said. Rogers said if it went through the matrix system legislators would be able to see how the funds were spent every two years during the adequacy study. “That is one part of accountability, where if they are not spending it on school safety then they will have to answer questions for it,” Rogers said. “It’s still unrestricted funding, but there is a time period where expenditures are reviewed. But, once again, it’s unrestricted and there is no assurance that it will be spent in that direction.” A.J. Gary, director of the Division of Emergency Management and the Arkansas Department of Public Safety, questioned if it were possible to instead create a continuous grant where schools could apply yearly to fund needed safety recommendations like school resource officers. Hollenbeck said that option probably couldn’t work because it would require schools and the school resource officer to go into each year unsure of whether the officer would have a job the next school term because of the application process. Rogers said also it might be a burden to the Department of Education to come up with that much money yearly for each district to have resource officers on campus. Read More Here

U.S. Appeals Court Says Trump Criminal Probe Can Resume Classified Records Review https://digitalarkansasnews.com/u-s-appeals-court-says-trump-criminal-probe-can-resume-classified-records-review/ Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com WASHINGTON, Sept 21 (Reuters) – The U.S. Justice Department can resume reviewing classified records seized by the FBI from former President Donald Trump’s Florida home pending appeal, a federal appellate court ruled on Wednesday, giving a boost to the criminal investigation into whether the records were mishandled or compromised. The Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted a request by federal prosecutors to block U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon’s stay barring them from using the classified documents in their probe until an independent arbiter, called a special master, vets the materials to weed out any that could be deemed privileged and withheld from investigators. The appeals court also said it would agree to reverse a portion of the lower court’s order that required the government to hand over records with classification markings for the special master’s review. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com “We conclude that the United States would suffer irreparable harm from the district court’s restrictions on its access to this narrow—and potentially critical—set of materials, as well as the court’s requirement that the United States submit the classified records to the special master for review,” the three-judge panel wrote. The decision is “limited in nature,” the panel wrote, as the Justice Department had asked only for a partial stay pending appeal, and that the panel was not able to decide on the merits of the case itself. The three judges who made the decision were Robin Rosenbaum, an appointee of Democratic former President Barack Obama, and Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher, both of whom were appointed by Trump. Trump’s lawyers could potentially ask the U.S. Supreme Court, whose 6-3 conservative majority includes three justices appointed by him, to intervene in the matter. In filings on Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers urged the court to keep the stay in place and to allow them under the supervision of the special master, U.S Judge Raymond Dearie, to review all of the seized materials, including those marked classified. A Justice Department spokesperson did not have an immediate comment. Attorneys for Trump could not be immediately reached for comment. In an interview on Fox News Wednesday night, Trump repeated his claim without evidence that he declassified the documents and said he had the power to do it “even by thinking about it.” Former U.S. President Donald Trump attends a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, U.S., September 3, 2022. REUTERS/Andrew Kelly The FBI conducted a court-approved search on Aug. 8 at Trump’s home at the Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, seizing more than 11,000 documents including about 100 marked as classified. The search was part of a federal investigation into whether Trump illegally removed documents from the White House when he left office in January 2021 after his failed 2020 re-election bid and whether Trump tried to obstruct the probe. Cannon, a Trump appointee herself, appointed Dearie to serve as special master in the case at Trump’s request, despite the Justice Department’s objections about a special master. Cannon tasked Dearie with reviewing all of the materials, including classified ones, so that he can separate anything that could be subject to attorney-client privilege or executive privilege – a legal doctrine that shields some White House communications from disclosure. However, Trump’s lawyers have not made such claims in any of their legal filings, and during a hearing before Dearie on Tuesday, they resisted his request to provide proof that Trump had declassified any records. read more Although the appeals court stressed its ruling was narrow in scope, it nevertheless appeared to sharply rebuke Cannon’s ruling from top to bottom and many of Trump’s legal arguments. “[Trump]has not even attempted to show that he has a need to know the information contained in the classified documents,” the judges wrote. “Nor has he established that the current administration has waived that requirement for these documents.” The Justice Department previously also raised strong objections to Cannon’s demand that Dearie review the seized records for documents possibly covered by executive privilege, noting that Trump is a former president and the records do not belong to him. While it voiced disagreement, however, the Justice Department did not appeal that portion of Cannon’s order. It is not clear if prosecutors may separately seek to appeal other parts of Cannon’s ruling on the special master appointment. “We decide only the traditional equitable considerations, including whether the United States has shown a substantial likelihood of prevailing on the merits, the harm each party might suffer from a stay, and where the public interest lies,” the appeals court said. Register now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Reporting by Sarah N. Lynch; additional reporting by Eric Beech, Mike Scarcella and Jacqueline Thomsen; Editing by Leslie Adler & Shri Navaratnam Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. Read More Here

AP News Summary At 3:48 A.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-348-a-m-edt/ Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lays out his case against Russia to UN UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Ukraine’s president has laid out his case against Russia’s invasion at the United Nations and demanded punishment from world leaders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech was delivered just hours after Moscow made an extraordinary announcement that it would mobilize some reservists for the war effort. Buoyed by a counteroffensive that has retaken swaths of territory that the Russians had seized, Zelenskyy vowed in a video address that his forces would not stop until they had reclaimed all of Ukraine. Video addresses by Zelenskyy in an olive green T-shirt have become almost commonplace. But this speech was one of the most keenly anticipated at the U.N. General Assembly, where the war has dominated. Ukraine’s Mariupol defenders, Putin ally in prisoner swap KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has completed a high-profile prisoner swap with Russia, the culmination of months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in the port of Mariupol during a months-long Russian siege. In exchange, Ukraine gave up an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin it was holding. President Volodymr Zelenskky says his government won freedom from Russian custody for 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens. He says many were soldiers and officers who had faced the death penalty in Russian-occupied territory. Of the total, 200 Ukrainians were exchanged for just one man — pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk. The 68-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest in Ukraine several days before Russia’s invasion Feb. 24 but was recaptured in April. Trump docs probe: Court lifts hold on Mar-a-Lago records WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has lifted a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified records seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling Wednesday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta clears the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they evaluate whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of top-secret government records at Mar-a-Lago. The court notes that Trump presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records. And it is rejecting the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents marked as classified. Powell’s stark message: Inflation fight may cause recession WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve delivered its bluntest reckoning Wednesday of what it will take to finally tame painfully high inflation: Slower growth, higher unemployment and potentially a recession. Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged what many economists have been saying for months: That the Fed’s goal of engineering a “soft landing” — in which it would manage to slow growth enough to curb inflation but not so much as to trigger a recession — looks increasingly unlikely. “The chances of a soft landing,” Powell said, “are likely to diminish” as the Fed steadily raises borrowing costs to slow the worst inflation in four decades. AP PHOTOS: Backbreaking work for kids in Afghan brick kilns KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Aid agencies say the number of children working in Afghanistan is growing ever since the economy collapsed following the Taliban takeover more than a year ago. Nowhere is it clearer than in the brick factories outside of the capital, Kabul. Children as young as four or five labor alongside their parents from early in the morning until late at night, doing backbreaking tasks like hauling wheelbarrows full of bricks. Their families say they have no choice, the work is needed to put food on the table. A recent survey by Save The Children estimated that half of Afghanistan’s families have had to put their children to work. In Ukraine’s retaken battlefields, soldiers recover bodies PRUDYANKA, Ukraine (AP) — Only now are Ukrainian soldiers able to retrieve the bodies of dead soldiers from a region near the Russian border that was the scene of fierce fighting for months over the summer. Ukrainian forces retook the area and have pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, making the recovery of the battlefield dead, both Ukrainian and Russian, possible. The area was of strategic importance as its high ground is one of the positions where Russian artillery could easily strike Ukraine’s hard-hit second-largest city of Kharkiv. On Monday, the bodies of seven Ukrainian soldiers were recovered, along with the severed hand of a Russian found among discarded Russian body armor and backpacks. 6.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Mexico, 1 dead MEXICO CITY (AP) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has caused buildings to sway in Mexico’s capital and left at least one person dead. The earthquake struck early Thursday, just three days after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook western and central Mexico, killing two people. The U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday’s earthquake, like Monday’s, was centered in the western state of Michoacan near the Pacific coast. Michoacan’s state government said the quake was felt throughout the state, but did not immediately report damage. Mexico City’s mayor said via Twitter there were no immediate reports of damage. Residents were huddled in streets as seismic alarms blared. Khmer Rouge tribunal ends work after 16 years, 3 judgments PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal on Thursday rejected the appeal of a genocide conviction by the communist group’s last surviving leader in what is expected to be the special court’s last session. The historic international court issued its ruling on an appeal by Khieu Samphan, who served as head of state in Cambodia’s 1975-79 Khmer Rouge government. He was convicted in 2018 of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced to life in prison. The tribunal spent $337 million and 16 years to convict just him and two other defendants in connection with a reign of terror that caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people. Climate Migration: Indian kids find hope in a new language BENGALURU, India (AP) — A flood in 2019 in an Indian state started eight-year-old Jerifa, her brother Raju, 12, and their parents on a journey that led the family from their Himalayan village to a poor neighborhood in Bengaluru. They are now among the millions of climate migrants in India, forced to move because of disasters made worse by global warming. The two kids are now learning a new language to be able to go to school, and their parents hope that this new life in a new city will help them provide opportunities for the children that they themselves didn’t have. Fugitive in massive Navy bribery case caught in Venezuela SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” who orchestrated one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history has been arrested in Venezuela. The U.S. Marshals Service says Leonard Glenn Francis was arrested Tuesday as he was about to board a plane in Caracas. Francis was under home arrest in San Diego when he cut off his GPS ankle bracelet and escaped on Sept. 4, prompting an international manhunt. Francis was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in 2015 to bribing Navy officers to help his ship servicing company, then overcharging the military at least $35 million. Dozens of Navy officers were convicted for the scheme. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Jimmy Kimmel Discovers The “Sweet” Hint That Trump Is Getting Ready For Jail https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jimmy-kimmel-discovers-the-sweet-hint-that-trump-is-getting-ready-for-jail/ The late-night show host pondered the meaning of the ex-latest president’s online rant. Jimmy Kimmel joked that Donald Trump’s latest online rant might provide a clue as to where the former president will be living in the future as he attempted to decipher it. It’s also not the president’s private retreat at Mar-a-Lago. President Trump lashed out in a tweet at New York Attorney General Letitia James, who on Wednesday filed a civil lawsuit against him and several members of his family, accusing them of a “staggering” amount of fraud. Of course,” Kimmel remarked. There’s no mistaking the fact that he’s a con man. Comparing Donald Trump to the rapper Lizzo and accusing him of using “Juice” is a fraud. His very being is that. James was referred to as “Peekaboo” in Trump’s message. Kimmel responded, “No idea.” I did an exhaustive online search, and I still can’t figure out why he calls her “Peekaboo.” Trump’s final message was just as peculiar, saying “Bye, bye.” Kimmel kept saying, “Peekaboo and bye, bye.” Before going to jail, he’s probably visiting his granddaughter. In a sweet way. Related Article: Ivana Trump’s Net Worth 2022: What Businesses Did Ivana Trump Own? Read More Here

AP News Summary At 3:48 A.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-348-a-m-edt-2/ Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lays out his case against Russia to UN UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Ukraine’s president has laid out his case against Russia’s invasion at the United Nations and demanded punishment from world leaders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech was delivered just hours after Moscow made an extraordinary announcement that it would mobilize some reservists for the war effort. Buoyed by a counteroffensive that has retaken swaths of territory that the Russians had seized, Zelenskyy vowed in a video address that his forces would not stop until they had reclaimed all of Ukraine. Video addresses by Zelenskyy in an olive green T-shirt have become almost commonplace. But this speech was one of the most keenly anticipated at the U.N. General Assembly, where the war has dominated. Ukraine’s Mariupol defenders, Putin ally in prisoner swap KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has completed a high-profile prisoner swap with Russia, the culmination of months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in the port of Mariupol during a months-long Russian siege. In exchange, Ukraine gave up an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin it was holding. President Volodymr Zelenskky says his government won freedom from Russian custody for 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens. He says many were soldiers and officers who had faced the death penalty in Russian-occupied territory. Of the total, 200 Ukrainians were exchanged for just one man — pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk. The 68-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest in Ukraine several days before Russia’s invasion Feb. 24 but was recaptured in April. Trump docs probe: Court lifts hold on Mar-a-Lago records WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has lifted a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified records seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling Wednesday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta clears the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they evaluate whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of top-secret government records at Mar-a-Lago. The court notes that Trump presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records. And it is rejecting the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents marked as classified. Powell’s stark message: Inflation fight may cause recession WASHINGTON (AP) — The Federal Reserve delivered its bluntest reckoning Wednesday of what it will take to finally tame painfully high inflation: Slower growth, higher unemployment and potentially a recession. Speaking at a news conference, Chair Jerome Powell acknowledged what many economists have been saying for months: That the Fed’s goal of engineering a “soft landing” — in which it would manage to slow growth enough to curb inflation but not so much as to trigger a recession — looks increasingly unlikely. “The chances of a soft landing,” Powell said, “are likely to diminish” as the Fed steadily raises borrowing costs to slow the worst inflation in four decades. AP PHOTOS: Backbreaking work for kids in Afghan brick kilns KABUL, Afghanistan (AP) — Aid agencies say the number of children working in Afghanistan is growing ever since the economy collapsed following the Taliban takeover more than a year ago. Nowhere is it clearer than in the brick factories outside of the capital, Kabul. Children as young as four or five labor alongside their parents from early in the morning until late at night, doing backbreaking tasks like hauling wheelbarrows full of bricks. Their families say they have no choice, the work is needed to put food on the table. A recent survey by Save The Children estimated that half of Afghanistan’s families have had to put their children to work. In Ukraine’s retaken battlefields, soldiers recover bodies PRUDYANKA, Ukraine (AP) — Only now are Ukrainian soldiers able to retrieve the bodies of dead soldiers from a region near the Russian border that was the scene of fierce fighting for months over the summer. Ukrainian forces retook the area and have pushed Russian troops back across the border in a blistering counteroffensive, making the recovery of the battlefield dead, both Ukrainian and Russian, possible. The area was of strategic importance as its high ground is one of the positions where Russian artillery could easily strike Ukraine’s hard-hit second-largest city of Kharkiv. On Monday, the bodies of seven Ukrainian soldiers were recovered, along with the severed hand of a Russian found among discarded Russian body armor and backpacks. 6.8 magnitude earthquake shakes Mexico, 1 dead MEXICO CITY (AP) — An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 6.8 has caused buildings to sway in Mexico’s capital and left at least one person dead. The earthquake struck early Thursday, just three days after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake shook western and central Mexico, killing two people. The U.S. Geological Survey said Thursday’s earthquake, like Monday’s, was centered in the western state of Michoacan near the Pacific coast. Michoacan’s state government said the quake was felt throughout the state, but did not immediately report damage. Mexico City’s mayor said via Twitter there were no immediate reports of damage. Residents were huddled in streets as seismic alarms blared. Khmer Rouge tribunal ends work after 16 years, 3 judgments PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) — Cambodia’s U.N.-backed Khmer Rouge tribunal on Thursday rejected the appeal of a genocide conviction by the communist group’s last surviving leader in what is expected to be the special court’s last session. The historic international court issued its ruling on an appeal by Khieu Samphan, who served as head of state in Cambodia’s 1975-79 Khmer Rouge government. He was convicted in 2018 of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes and sentenced to life in prison. The tribunal spent $337 million and 16 years to convict just him and two other defendants in connection with a reign of terror that caused the deaths of an estimated 1.7 million people. Climate Migration: Indian kids find hope in a new language BENGALURU, India (AP) — A flood in 2019 in an Indian state started eight-year-old Jerifa, her brother Raju, 12, and their parents on a journey that led the family from their Himalayan village to a poor neighborhood in Bengaluru. They are now among the millions of climate migrants in India, forced to move because of disasters made worse by global warming. The two kids are now learning a new language to be able to go to school, and their parents hope that this new life in a new city will help them provide opportunities for the children that they themselves didn’t have. Fugitive in massive Navy bribery case caught in Venezuela SAN DIEGO (AP) — A Malaysian defense contractor nicknamed “Fat Leonard” who orchestrated one of the largest bribery scandals in U.S. military history has been arrested in Venezuela. The U.S. Marshals Service says Leonard Glenn Francis was arrested Tuesday as he was about to board a plane in Caracas. Francis was under home arrest in San Diego when he cut off his GPS ankle bracelet and escaped on Sept. 4, prompting an international manhunt. Francis was awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty in 2015 to bribing Navy officers to help his ship servicing company, then overcharging the military at least $35 million. Dozens of Navy officers were convicted for the scheme. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Read More Here

Trump Plays Sad Old Hits At Mar-A-Lago As Spies Descend On The Resort https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-plays-sad-old-hits-at-mar-a-lago-as-spies-descend-on-the-resort/ To the cavalcade of terrors that is each new report from Mar-a-Lago, let us add the nightly dance floor rein of one DJ Donald Trump. A new report from The Guardian quotes a member of the former president’s private Palm Beach club cum spy magnet, whose eyewitness account of 45’s penchant for playing social director paints a scene somewhere between My Super Sweet Sixteen, the Stanford Prison Experiment and the “It’s a Good Life” episode of The Twilight Zone. “At about 9.30pm every night, he’s sitting at his table, whether on the patio or inside, and they bring a laptop over and he starts picking songs, and he starts being a DJ for the night,” says the club member. “But it’s sort of funny because he picks like the same 10 songs every night.” The member described Trump’s shift towards dance commander as a relatively new development, though the likely same ten songs selections rhyme with the regressive drift he brought our politics: Whitney Houston’s “The Greatest Love of All,” some pre-gay Elton John, the inevitable Village People “YMCA,” and other songs from mid-to-late-period Studio 54, which the maestro frequented when he was but an heir to a modest real-estate fortune, stacking up bankruptcies like Whitney stacked hits. “Sometimes he dances to it,” the lucky witness says of “YMCA.” “He will be at his table and he’ll dance while sitting.” Free free to take a moment with that. Later in the evening, DJ Trump’s set waxes maudlin and then ends with his perennial closer “How Great Thou Art,” a hymn popularized by Elvis Presley and a noted favorite of Trump’s dad, Fred Trump, whose own father changed the family name from Trumpf after emigrating from Bavaria, site of that era’s Mar-a-Lago, sprawling chalet The Berghof. Fave music of presidents is a matter of record—from Kennedy’s damn Stravinsky to Obama’s oddly sucker-free playlists—but no one generated the chilling accounts of listening habits that emerge from the Trump White House. Such as former press secretary Stephanie Grisham’s recent tell-all which describes a staffer called “The Music Man” (later revealed to be Max Miller) who was assigned to play show tunes to soothe an aggrieved POTUS, including his, favorite “Memory” from Cats. While the proprietor dances in his seat, Mar-a-Lago draws foreign spies like Aqua Net draws flies, experts say. “[Trump]’s brought in really questionable people with various skeletons in their closets, financial or personal or political, who have vulnerabilities a foreign intelligence service could exploit,” 34-year CIA clandestine service vet Douglas London told The Guardian. And beyond the chill ambience of the dance floor, as buzzed guests wander to and fro, any number of top-secret government documents might drift in and out with them, the crooning of The Village People echoing through Spanish-Moorish tiles. “Without any question, the former president, and those in his circle will be very important targets for any foreign intelligence service,” London said. “They will be looking at: how do we get into that circle?” Stay on top of the latest in L.A. food and culture. Sign for our newsletters today Read More Here

Calls To Oust Trump-Appointed World Bank Chief After Vague Answers On Climate Change https://digitalarkansasnews.com/calls-to-oust-trump-appointed-world-bank-chief-after-vague-answers-on-climate-change/ David Malpass dodged questions on climate change and the effect of burning fossil fuels David Malpass, president of the World Bank, was nominated to his five-year term in 2019 by US president Donald Trump. Reuters Beta V.1.0 – Powered by automated translation Pressure to oust World Bank president David Malpass is increasing after he dodged questions on climate change and the effects of burning fossil fuels. The controversy kicked off on Tuesday when former US vice president Al Gore labelled him a climate denier and called for a change of leadership. Asked about the criticism during the same event in New York, Mr Malpass, installed three years ago by president Donald Trump, avoided questions on the effects of man-made emissions on climate change before saying: “I don’t know. I’m not a scientist.” Activists and Wall Street were already calling on the World Bank and other multilateral lenders, including the International Monetary Fund (IMF), to do more to accelerate clean energy ventures and halt funding for fossil fuel projects, because burning oil, gas and coal unleashes heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change. “You don’t need to be a scientist to understand climate science — the facts are clear, and there’s no alternative but to act,” said Sonia Dunlop, who is with E3G, an environmental research group. “The World Bank is critical to the global fight against climate change.” Mr Malpass’s comments contrast with a stronger climate stance from President Joe Biden’s administration. The US is the World Bank’s biggest shareholder and most influential voice when it comes to choosing the bank’s leadership. “We expect the World Bank Group to be a global leader of climate ambition and the mobilisation of significantly more climate finance for developing countries,” the Treasury Department said in a statement on Wednesday. “We have — and will continue — to make that expectation clear to World Bank leadership. The World Bank must be a full partner in delivering on this global agenda.” Quote We expect the World Bank Group to be a global leader of climate ambition and the mobilisation of significantly more climate finance for developing countries US Treasury Department A senior administration official on Wednesday night said reports of Mr Malpass’s climate change stance raised eyebrows in the White House and that the administration was planning to look more closely at the matter. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen has labelled climate change an “existential threat” and called on US regulators to address the risk it poses to financial markets. She has championed the newly enacted climate law signed by Mr Biden last month, saying it will help the US meet its emissions reduction goals. Earlier this year, Ms Yellen called on the World Bank to step up its efforts to fight climate change. Tensions between the Biden administration and Mr Malpass come down to politics as much as climate science. Mr Malpass, a former Treasury official and World Bank critic, was nominated to his five-year term in 2019 by Mr Trump. By tradition, the US chooses the head of the World Bank, while Europe selects the head of the IMF, a custom dating to the origins of the twin Bretton Woods institutions. The World Bank on Tuesday released a statement defending Mr Malpass’s record. The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment. For Mr Malpass to be dismissed before his term ends in 2024, he would either need to be removed by the board, which has never happened, or he could potentially be forced to step down if his position became untenable. “Having a climate denier at the helm of one of the world’s most powerful international financial institutions is unconscionable,” said Luisa Abbott Galvao, a senior international policy campaigner with Friends of the Earth. The group, along with other activists, said they plan to unveil a banner calling for Mr Malpass to be replaced at the World Bank’s headquarters in Washington. “President Biden and other shareholders must push the board to fire him immediately,” she said. Updated: September 22, 2022, 6:37 AM Read More Here

AP News Summary At 2:25 A.m. EDT https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ap-news-summary-at-225-a-m-edt/ Ukraine’s Zelenskyy lays out his case against Russia to UN UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Ukraine’s president has laid out his case against Russia’s invasion at the United Nations and demanded punishment from world leaders. Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s speech was delivered just hours after Moscow made an extraordinary announcement that it would mobilize some reservists for the war effort. Buoyed by a counteroffensive that has retaken swaths of territory that the Russians had seized, Zelenskyy vowed in a video address that his forces would not stop until they had reclaimed all of Ukraine. Video addresses by Zelenskyy in an olive green T-shirt have become almost commonplace. But this speech was one of the most keenly anticipated at the U.N. General Assembly, where the war has dominated. Steel plant defenders, Putin ally exchanged in prisoner swap KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine has completed a high-profile prisoner swap that culminated months of efforts to free many of the Ukrainian fighters who defended a steel plant in the port of Mariupol during a months-long Russian siege. In exchange, Ukraine gave up an ally of Russian President Vladimir Putin it was holding. President Volodymr Zelenskky says his government won freedom from Russian custody for 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens. He says many were soldiers and officers who had faced the death penalty in Russian-occupied territory. Of the total, 200 Ukrainians were exchanged for just one man — pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk. The 68-year-old oligarch escaped from house arrest in Ukraine several days before Russia’s invasion Feb. 24 but was recaptured in April. Trump docs probe: Court lifts hold on Mar-a-Lago records WASHINGTON (AP) — A federal appeals court has lifted a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified records seized from former President Donald Trump’s Florida estate in its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling Wednesday from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta clears the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they evaluate whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of top-secret government records at Mar-a-Lago. The court notes that Trump presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records. And it is rejecting the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents marked as classified. Powell’s stark message: Inflation fight may cause recession Read More Here

LIVE MUSIC IN ARKANSAS: Groundbreaking Paisley Fields Plays LR Tavern https://digitalarkansasnews.com/live-music-in-arkansas-groundbreaking-paisley-fields-plays-lr-tavern/ Active since 2013, Paisley Fields is a singer, songwriter, and bandleader splitting time between Brooklyn, N.Y. and Nashville, Tenn. He is a touring member of the newly reformed gay-country icons Lavender Country, who also played keyboard on their 2022 album “Blackberry Rose.” Touring in support of the album “Limp Wrist,” Paisley draws inspiration from gay icon Andy Warhol and myriad drag artists with whom he has collaborated. His years of experience in Manhattan piano bars did not diminish his love for country music, and he has already released two albums that pay homage to the music of his youth, according to the paisleyfields.com. Fields and Andy Sa, “cowboy crooner,” perform tonight at White Water Tavern starting at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale for $10 at whitewatertavern.com. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Sammy Hearn) ■  ■  ■ TODAY ■  ■  ■ LITTLE ROCK Charlee’s Good Time Drinkery, 500 President Clinton Ave.; (501) 747-1246; charleesgoodtime.com 9 p.m.-12 a.m.: Townsend The Hall, 721 W. Ninth St.; (501) 406-1364; littlerockhall.com 8 p.m.: The Front Bottoms, with The Joy Formidable, Mobley $27.50-$50) [RELATED: Joy Formidable opens Hall show] Rev Room, 300 President Clinton Ave.; (501) 398-1323; revroom.com 8 p.m.: Reckless Kelly ($25) White Water Tavern, 2500 W. Seventh St.; (501) 375-8400; whitewatertavern.com 4-7 p.m.: Jam Session with Gil Franklin & Tommy Branch Jr. (free) 8 p.m.: Paisley Fields, with Andrew Sa ($10) NORTH LITTLE ROCK Simmons Bank Arena, 1 Simmons Bank Arena Drive; (501) 975-9000 7:30 p.m.: Jason Aldean, with Travis Tritt, John Morgan ($s49.75-$149.75) BENTON Valhalla, 226 W. South St.; (501) 316-4082 6-9 p.m.: Randall Shreve BENTONVILLE Momentary Green, 507 SE E St.; (479) 367-7500 8 p.m.: The War on Drugs, with Finom (formerly known as Ohmme) ($15-$48) CAMDEN Native Dog Brewing, 125 Madison Ave. SE; (870) 231-3451; nativedogbrewing.com 7 p.m.: West Miller EL DORADO Mulekick at MAD, 101 E. Locust St.; (870) 444-3008; mulekickatmad.com 7 p.m.: Jon Brakefield EUREKA SPRINGS Chelsea’s, 10 Mountain St.; (479) 253-8231 9:30 p.m.-12:30 a.m.: Divas on Fire ($5) Wanderloo Lodge, 216 W. Van Buren; (479) 363-6755 5 p.m.: Los Roscoes FORT SMITH The Majestic, 817 Garrison Ave.; (479) 551-2424; majesticfortsmith.com 7 p.m.: Chris Knight ($20-$25) HOT SPRINGS Jose’s Mexican Grill & Cantina, 5361 Central Ave.; (501) 525-9797; josesmexicangrill.com 6-9 p.m.: Jacob Flores J&S Italian Villa, 4332 Central Ave.; (501) 525-1121; jandsitalian.com 6-9 p.m.: Gavin Harper Ohio Club, 336 Central Ave.; (501) 627-0702; ohioclub.com 7-10 p.m.: Clyde Pound Trio Rolando’s Restaurante, 210 Central Ave.; (501) 318-6054 5:30 p.m.: Christine DeMeo South Haven Tavern, 5590 Central Ave.; (501) 701-4283 8 p.m.-12 a.m.: Pleasantly Blue ■  ■  ■ FRIDAY ■  ■  ■ LITTLE ROCK Cannibal and Craft, 307 President Clinton Ave.; (501) 414-8870; cannibalatondcraftlr.com 9 p.m.: Nicky P. (downstairs) 10 p.m.: DJ G Force (upstairs) Charlee’s Good Time Drinkery 9 p.m.-12 a.m.: Juicebox Jake & the Lunchables First Security Amphitheater, 400 President Clinton Ave.; (501) 514-1717; rivermarket.info 7 p.m.: Whiskey Myers, with the Read Southall Band & The Weathered Souls ($25-$65) JJ’s Grill, 12111 W. Markham St.; (501) 414-0848; jjsgrill.com 6-8 p.m.: John Calvin Brewer Midtown Billiards, 1316 Main St.; (501) 372-9990 1 a.m.: Nickel & Dime Band Old State House lawn, 300 W. Markham St.; (501) 324-9685 6-8 p.m.: Cliff & Susan South on Main, 1304 Main St.; (501) 244-9660; southonmain.com 8-10 p.m.: Diamond State Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack, 107 River Market Ave.; (501) 372-7707; stickyz.com 8 p.m.: Adam Hood ($12; $10 advance SRO; $12 at the door SRO) Sullivan’s Steakhouse, 17707 Chenal Parkway; (501) 817-3971 6-9 p.m.: Ed Smith Trio Vino’s, 923 W. Seventh St.; (501) 375-8466; vinosbrewpub.com 7-11 p.m.: Lazer Boogie Suicide, Tan the Terrible, Scorched Earth, Freddie Bunz, Kris Pierce White Water Tavern 8 p.m.: The Screaming Mimes, with The Salty Dogs, the Rev. Greg Spradlin, DJ Nathan Howdoshell ($10) NORTH LITTLE ROCK Argenta Vibe Music Series (Acansa), 510 Main St.; (501) 663-2287 7-9 p.m.: Big Piph and Tomorrow Maybe (free; $50 VIP) St. Joseph Center of Arkansas, 6800 Camp Robinson; (501) 482-1908 6-9 p.m.: The Gravel Yard ($65-$75) MAUMELLE Tavern Round the Bend, 26611 Arkansas 365 9 p.m -1 a.m.: Mama Tryde AMITY Fox Pen Coffee Co., 106 E. Thompson St.; (907) 980-1610 8 p.m.: Hayden Powell ARKADELPHIA Festival of the Arts, Southwest Auto Collection stage, Clark Park, 700 Clay St.; (870) 260-4562; arkadelphiafestivalofthearts.org 5 p.m.: Jon Bailey & The Heathen Revival; 6:30 p.m.: Posey Hill; 8:30 p.m.: Lil’ Skinny (free) CADDO VALLEY Betty’s Big Country Dance Hall, 102 Crystal Palace Drive; (870) 403-0373; bettysbigcountrydance.com 9 p.m.: East End Band CAMDEN Native Dog Brewing 7 p.m.: Sam Allbright & the Southern Heat CONWAY JJ’s Grill, 1010 Main St.; (501) 336-0100; jjsgrill.com 8:30 p.m.: Zack McKenzie Band King’s Live Music, 1020 Front St.; (501) 205-8512; kingslivemusic.com 8:30-11:30 p.m.: Jason Campbell & Dem Boys ($5) Skinny J’s, 2235 Dave Ward Drive; (501) 358-6586; skinnyjs.com 7-10 p.m.: Markus Pearson TC’s Midtown Grill, 1611 Oak St., Suite 19; (501) 205-0576 9 p.m.: Karla Case Band TGI Friday’s, 1105 E. Oak St.; (501) 329-8300 7 p.m.: Steve Boysterus EL DORADO Mulekick at MAD 7 p.m.: Derrick McLendon EUREKA SPRINGS Wanderloo Lodge 7 p.m.: Neon Moon FORT SMITH Temple Live, 200 N 11th St.; (479) 222-6186 8 p.m.: Reckless Kelly ($20-$25) HOT SPRINGS 420eats, 420 Malven Ave.; (501)420-3286 6-9 p.m.: Steve Boyster Arlington Hotel, 239 Central Ave.; (501) 623-7771 7:30-11:30 p.m.: S2 The Big Chill, 910 Higdon Ferry Road; (501) 624-5185; chillhotsprings.com 9 p.m.: Kim Donnette Band Big Steam Music Festival, Hill Wheatley Plaza, 605 Central Ave.; bigsteammusicfestival.com 4:45-5:45: Port City Blues Society; 6-7 p.m.: Charlotte Taylor & Gypsy Rain; 7:15-8:15 p.m.: Trey & Jason; 8:30-10 p.m.: Anthony Gomes (Free) El Padrino’s Mexican Grill & Cantina, 1607 Albert Pike Road; (501) 623-2406 6-9 p.m.: Mason Halstead and Blackstrap Ohio Club 8 p.m.-12 a.m.: Christine DeMeo Pop’s Lounge at Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort, 2705 Central Ave.; (501) 363-4784; oaklawn.com 9 p.m-1 a.m.: Pamela Hopkins Band Oaklawn Event Center 7 p.m.: Lorrie Morgan ($25-$40) The Rooftop Bar, 340 Central Ave.; (501) 321-0001 6:30-9:30: Jacob Flores South Haven Tavern 8 p.m.-12 a.m.: Tripswitch HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE The Beehive, 220 Minorca Road; (501) 777-8176; beehivehsv.com 7-9 p.m.: Feelin Groovy MAGNOLIA Mulekick, 2158 N. Jackson; (870) 562-2800; mulekickmag.com 7-10 p.m.: Han Duo MORRILTON Cedar Lounge Bar and Grill, 1222 E. Broadway St. (U.S. 64); (501) 354-8937 8 p.m. Mister Lucky ■  ■  ■ SATURDAY ■  ■  ■ LITTLE ROCK Bernice Garden, 1401 Main St.; (501) 410-3938; thebernicegarden.org 10-11 a.m.: Acoustic Music Mornings; musical instruments and chairs welcome. Cannibal and Craft 9 p.m.: Funkin Gonuts 10 p.m.: BJ the DJ Charlee’s Good Time Drinkery 9 p.m.-12 a.m.: John Lefler Fassler Hall, 311 E. Capitol Ave.; (501) 246-4757; fasslerhall.com 8 p.m.: DudeCalledRob JJ’s Grill 6-8 p.m.Chuck & Justin Library Kitchen + Lounge, 313 President Clinton Ave.; (501) 916-9826; thelibrarylr.com 12-3 p.m.: Jake Peterson Duo 9 p.m.-12 a.m.: DJ/VJ G Force Midtown Billiards 1 a.m.: Family Dog The Rail Yard (Acansa), 1212 E. Sixth St.; (501) 663-2287 7:30 pm.: Stuart Montez Rev Room 8:30 p.m.: Indie Music Night($10) River Bottom Winery at Bobrook Farms, 13810 Combee Lane, Roland; (501) 519-5666; bobrookfarms.com 4-6 p.m.: Buh Jones South on Main 8-10 p.m.: The Dilemma ($5) Stickyz Rock ‘n’ Roll Chicken Shack 8:30 p.m.: Anthony Gomes ($20; $12 at the door SRO) White Water Tavern 8 p.m.: Daniel Romano’s Outfit, with Carson McHone ($15) JACKSONVILLE FestiVille, Dupree Park, 1705 S. Redmond Road; (501) 982-4171 2:45 p.m.: Chad Marshall Band ARKADELPHIA Festival of the Arts, Southwest Auto Collection stage 3 p.m.: Chris DeClerk; 4 p.m.: Monsterboy Lives; 5 p.m.: Whistlin’ Dixie; 6:30 p.m.: Kylie Frey; 8 p.m.: Dalton Dover; 10 p.m.: Dazz & Brie (free) CADDO VALLEY Betty’s Big Country Dance Hall 9 p.m.: East End Band Kings Live Music 8:30-11:30 p.m.: Bree Ogden ($5) Skinny J’s 7-10 p.m.: Summer Time Jazz TC’s Midtown Grill 9 p.m.-1 a.m.: Mama Tryde CALICO ROCK Juniper’s Back Door, 131 Main St.; (870) 916-2220 7-9 p.m.: Blayd Law EL DORADO Mulekick at MAD 7 p.m.: Sam Albright EUREKA SPRINGS Wanderloo Lodge 7 p.m.: Jerod Goodman FORT SMITH Temple Live 8 p.m.: Henry Rollins ($29-$39) HOT SPRINGS The Big Chill 9 p.m.: Rockey Don Big Steam Music Festival 4:45-5:45 p.m.: Chad Marshall Band; 6-7 p.m.: Akeem Kemp; 7:15-8:15 p.m.: Tullie Brae; 8:30-10 p.m.: Bernard Allison (free) Ohio Club 8 p.m.-12 a.m.: Christine DeMeo Pop’s Lounge at Oaklawn 9 p.m-1 a.m.: Pamela Hopkins Band HOT SPRINGS VILLAGE The Beehive 7-10 p.m.: Bad Habit Village Fall Homefest 2022, 4650 N. Arkansas 7; (832) 470-2467 1 p.m.- 5 p.m.: Brass Tacks, Jacob Flores MAGNOLIA Mulekick 7-10 p.m.: Han Duo MOUNT IDA Front Porch Stage, Montgomery County Courthouse, 105 U.S. 270 East; (870) 867-3521; frontporchstage.org 7-10 p.m.: Mike Mayberry and the Slow Hands MOUNTAIN HOME Rapp’s Barren Brewery, 601 S. Baker St.; (870) 424-7277; rappsbarrenbrewing.com 7-9 p.m.: Erik Edwards WINSLOW Ozark Folkways, 22733 N. U.S. 71; (479) 634-3791 7 p.m.: Jesse Dean and Mark Bilyeu ■  ■  ■ SUNDAY ■  ■  ■ LITTLE ROCK Brandon House Cultural & Performing Arts Center, 12120 Colonel Glenn Road, Plaza II, Suite 1000; (501) 725-5757 1-4 p.m. Jazz B...

MUSIC: Joy Formidable Opens Hall Show https://digitalarkansasnews.com/music-joy-formidable-opens-hall-show/ Rhydian Dafydd and Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan of Welsh band Joy Formidable will open for Front Bottoms tonight at The Hall in Little Rock. (Special to the Democrat-Gazette/Joy Formdiable) It’s late August and Joy Formidable singer-songwriter-guitarist Rhiannon “Ritzy” Bryan is at a Los Angeles storage unit digging through the band’s equipment. Bryan and her band mates — bassist Rhydian Dafydd Davies and drummer Matthew James Thomas — are preparing for a tour that brings them to The Hall in Little Rock tonight opening for Front Bottoms. It has been a while since the band, which was founded by Bryan and Dafydd in 2007 in their Welsh hometown of Mold, has laid eyes on some of this stuff. “Because of the pandemic and having to postpone dates, we are in our storage locker seeing our U.S. gear for the first time in three years,” Bryan says with a chuckle. The group had a little taste of performing at a couple of summer festivals, but this is the first time since the pandemic forced the cancellation of a 2020 tour that the band is on the road for multiple dates. “It’s been a minute, but it’s going to be really exciting to get back to it,” Bryan says. This is also the first time the band has been able to tour its 2020 album “Into the Blue,” which was reissued Sept. 14 with two new tracks, “Adored or Bored” and “Csts.” The album, the band’s fifth, follows 2018’s well-received “AAARTH” and showcases Joy Formidable’s skill at crafting big, dramatic, alt-rock songs with flourishes of electronica and pop. While they may have been off the road, the band stayed in touch with fans through its successful TJF Music Club, which offers special perks to members like access to new music and livestreams. “It’s like a new and modern version of fan clubs where you can share special things with your fanbase,” Bryan says. “We love it, and I’m really glad some of the shows and songs and covers we’ve put up exist. It’s brought a different vibe of creativity for us.” Bryan is the only child of music-loving parents, and grew up with records and instruments around. [RELATED: Groundbreaking Paisley Fields plays LR tavern] “I was very lucky,” she says. “Our house was kind of on its own with a lot of greenery and lush, rolling hills. It was quiet, but I had parents who collected a lot of records so I had a lot of nice vinyl records to enjoy.” There was a concert venue not too far away where touring bands like Radiohead and Welsh acts Super Furry Animals and Gorky’s Zygotic Mynci played, she says. “That was really influential in those early days, seeing shows, because there wasn’t much else going on. And my parents were into it, so we got to go see shows in Manchester and Liverpool.” She started writing songs at a young age. “There were a lot of instruments in our house. I was in elementary school, I think, when I started guitar lessons … I started playing classical guitar and going through the classical system. I also loved how mobile the guitar was. I could take it to school and be in bands and make friends.” By her teens, she says, she started branching out from the classical, technical side of the instrument and got into using pedals and other effects to coax different sounds from her guitar. “I’ve definitely come from a background of experimenting. I probably enjoy that more than how fast I can shred or solos or anything. The construction of songs, that’s what I get really excited about.” Bryan has lived off and on in Utah for almost a decade, but says she might be up for a change of scenery. Guess where she’s thinking of moving. “I really love Arkansas,” she says with a laugh. “I’ve been on vacation there a lot. Honestly! I like coming to Little Rock, and everyone has always been so warm and friendly. And I love Hot Springs. In fact, I’ve been having moments of thinking I should go live in Arkansas. I’m super excited to come back [on this tour]. I was like, maybe I could look around and see if I could find a little studio space for myself.” Front Bottoms Opening act: Joy Formidable 8 p.m. at The Hall, 721 W. Ninth St., Little Rock Admission: $27.50-$50 Information: (501) 406-1364 | littlerockhall.com Read More…

Hurricane Fiona Intensifies To Category 4 As Puerto Rico Contends With Aftermath https://digitalarkansasnews.com/hurricane-fiona-intensifies-to-category-4-as-puerto-rico-contends-with-aftermath/ Hurricane Fiona intensified into a Category 4 storm overnight after battering the Turks and Caicos Islands and leaving major destruction in its wake in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, a new tropical storm, Gaston, gained strength in the Atlantic Ocean, with maximum sustained winds increasing to nearly 50 mph with higher gusts as of early Wednesday. The National Hurricane Center warned that swells generated by Gaston could affect the Azores, an archipelago in the mid-Atlantic, later this week, causing life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. By late Wednesday, Fiona was about 550 miles southwest of Bermuda, and is expected to pass to the west of the British island territory Thursday night, according to the hurricane center. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 130 mph and was moving north at 10 mph, it said. A hurricane watch and tropical storm warning is in effect for Bermuda, which could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, the center said in an update late Wednesday. “A storm surge will cause elevated water levels along the coast of Bermuda in areas of onshore winds beginning Thursday night,” the center said. “Near the coast, the surge will be accompanied by large and destructive waves.” Multiple deaths have been reported so far in Fiona’s wake, as Puerto Rico continues to grapple with widespread devastation, including sweeping power outages and water supply issues. A 78-year-old man was found dead and a 70-year-old woman was apparently affected by gas emitted from a generator in a home in the Las Granjas neighborhood, a fire department on the island said in statements. A dead dog was also found on scene, officials said. The home, officials said, had all of its windows and a canopy gate closed. As of late Tuesday, more than 1.1 million customers across the U.S. territory were still without power, according to the online tracker Poweroutage.us. That’s almost a third of the population. Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said during a news conference Tuesday that he expected a steady and gradual improvement of power restoration throughout the island. He warned, however, that more rain had increased the likelihood for some areas to see additional flooding and landslides. On average, he said, the island had seen 10 to 16 inches of rainfall, with the hardest-hit areas seeing more than 25 inches. Pierluisi said he had signed an executive order so residents would have access to food all over the island. The devastating impact of the storm came as Puerto Rico marked the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Maria, the deadliest natural disaster on U.S. territory in a century, from which the island is still recovering. It also unfolded on the anniversary of Hurricane Hugo, which hit Puerto Rico 33 years ago as a Category 3 storm. As the territory now grapples with the aftermath of a new storm, some residents have expressed concerns about the response effort. “Puerto Rico is not prepared for this, or for anything,” Mariangy Hernández, a 48-year-old homemaker, told The Associated Press. She said she had doubts her community of some 300 would receive long-term support from the government, despite ongoing efforts to clear streets and restore power. “This is only for a couple of days and later they forget about us,” she said. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has been assisting with the response to Fiona after President Joe Biden declared a federal emergency for Puerto Rico on Sunday.The head of FEMA visited the territory Tuesday to survey the damage as the agency announced it would be sending hundreds more personnel to supplement response efforts. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency on the island as it dispatched teams to the territory. Read More Here

How AOC Inadvertently Sparked The New York Attorney General’s Trump Lawsuit https://digitalarkansasnews.com/how-aoc-inadvertently-sparked-the-new-york-attorney-generals-trump-lawsuit/ On Wednesday, New York Attorney General Letitia James announced her $250m civil lawsuit against former president Donald Trump, she specifically cited former Trump attorney Michael Cohen’s testimony in 2019 where he revealed that the former president fraudulently inflated the value of his assets. “I will remind everyone that this investigation only started after Michael Cohen, the former lawyer, his former lawyer testified before Congress shed light on this misconduct,” she said. The question that triggered Mr Cohen’s response came in 2019 from Ms James’s fellow New Yorker, Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. In 2019, Mr Cohen testified against his former before the House Oversight & Government Reform Committee. At the time, Ms Ocasio-Cortez, who the previous year had beaten former House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley in a primary in New York’s 14th District, asked questions about whether Mr Trump ever provided inflated assets to an insurance company. “Yes,” Mr Cohen said in response. When Ms Ocasio-Cortez asked who else knew that Mr Trump did this, he said “Allen Weisselberg, Ron Lieberman and Matthew Calamari.” The lawsuit also named Mr Lieberman, the former chief financial officer for the Trump Organization. Specifically, it said that Mr Weisselberg helped Mr Trump make fraudulent statements of financial condition regarding his properties. “Mr Trump made known through Mr. Weisselberg that he wanted his net worth on his statements to increase every year, and the statements were the vehicle by which his net worth was fraudulently inflated by billions of dollars year after year,” Ms James’s office said in a statement. “And where would the committee find more information on this, do you think we need to review his financial statements and his tax returns,” she said. “Yes, and you’d find it at the Trump Org,” Mr Cohen said. The lawsuit alleges that Mr Trump fraudulently inflated his net worth by millions of dollars so that banks could lend him and his businesses money on more favorable terms that would otherwise not be available. Read More Here

Trump Accused Of Vast Fraud In Suit By NY Attorney General https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-accused-of-vast-fraud-in-suit-by-ny-attorney-general-2/ FILE – Donald Trump, right, sits with his children, from left, Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr., and Ivanka Trump during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Trump International Hotel on July 23, 2014, in Washington. New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci, File) NEW YORK — New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company for fraud on Wednesday, alleging they padded his net worth by billions of dollars by lying about the value of prized assets including golf courses, hotels and his homes at Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago. Attorney General Letitia James dubbed it: “The art of the steal.” James’ lawsuit, filed in state court in New York, is the culmination of a three-year civil investigation of Trump and the Trump Organization. Trump’s three eldest children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, were also named as defendants, along with two longtime company executives, Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney. The lawsuit strikes at the core of what made Trump famous, taking a blacklight to the image of wealth and opulence he’s embraced throughout his career — first as a real estate developer, then as a reality TV host on “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” and later as president. James wants Trump and the other defendants to pay at least $250 million, which she said was the approximate worth of the benefits it got through fraudulent practices. James, a Democrat, announced details of the lawsuit at a news conference on Wednesday. She said her office filed the case — which is civil, not criminal in nature — after rejecting settlement offers made by lawyers for the defendants. The alleged scheme was intended to burnish Trump’s billionaire image and the value of his properties when doing so gave him an advantage, such as in obtaining favorable loan terms, while playing down the value of assets at other times for tax purposes, James’ office said. “This investigation revealed that Donald Trump engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth, to deceive banks and the people of the great state of New York,” James said at the news conference. “Claiming you have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal.” James said her investigation uncovered potential criminal violations, including falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, insurance fraud, conspiracy and bank fraud. She said her office is referring those findings to federal prosecutors and the Internal Revenue Service. In a statement posted to his Truth Social platform, Trump called the lawsuit “Another Witch Hunt by a racist Attorney General” and called James, who is Black, “a fraud who campaigned on a ‘get Trump’ platform, despite the fact that the city is one of the crime and murder disasters of the world under her watch!” Trump lawyer Alina Habba said the lawsuit “is neither focused on the facts nor the law — rather, it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda,” accusing James of abusing her authority “by prying into transactions where absolutely no wrongdoing has taken place.” Habba said the allegations in the lawsuit are “meritless.” James is seeking to remove the Trumps from businesses engaged in the alleged fraud and wants an independent monitor appointed for no less than five years to oversee the Trump Organization’s compliance, financial reporting, valuations and disclosures to lenders, insurers and tax authorities. She is seeking to replace the current trustees of Trump’s revocable trust, which controls his business interests, with independent trustees, to bar Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into commercial real estate acquisitions for five years, from obtaining loans from banks in New York for five years and permanently bar Trump and three of his adult children from serving as an officer or director in any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State. She also seeks to permanently bar Weisselberg and McConney from serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State. James’ lawsuit comes amid a swirl of unprecedented legal challenges for a former president, including an FBI investigation into Trump’s handling of classified records and inquiries into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The Trump Organization is set to go on trial in October in a criminal case alleging that it schemed to give untaxed perks to senior executives, including its longtime finance chief Weisselberg, who alone took more than $1.7 million in extras. Weisselberg, 75, pleaded guilty Aug. 18. His plea agreement requires him to testify at the company’s trial before he starts a five-month jail sentence. If convicted, the Trump Organization could face a fine of double the amount of unpaid taxes. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been conducting a parallel criminal investigation of the same business practices at the heart of James’ civil lawsuit. That probe lost momentum earlier this year after Bragg raised questions internally about whether a criminal case was viable, but the Democrat has said it has not been abandoned. At the same time, the FBI is continuing to investigate Trump’s storage of sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and a special grand jury in Georgia is investigating whether Trump and others attempted to influence state election officials. All of the legal drama is playing out ahead of the November midterm elections, where Republicans are trying to win control of one or both houses of Congress. James’ office could also seek to ban Trump from being involved in certain types of businesses, as happened in January when a judge barred ex-drug company CEO Martin Shkreli from the pharmaceutical industry for life. In a previous clash with Trump, James oversaw the closure of his charity, the Trump Foundation, after her predecessor in the attorney general’s office, Barbara Underwood, filed a lawsuit alleging he misused its assets to resolve business disputes and boost his run for the White House. A judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million to an array of charities to settle the matter. James, who campaigned for office as a Trump critic and watchdog, started scrutinizing his business practices in March 2019 after his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements provided to Deutsche Bank when he was trying to obtain financing to buy the NFL’s Buffalo Bills. Since then, James’ office and Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly sparred over the direction of the investigation and Trump’s unwillingness to comply with subpoenas for his testimony and records. Trump spent months fighting the subpoena that led to his August deposition, his lawyers unable to convince courts that he should be excused from testifying because his answers could be used in Bragg’s criminal probe. In May, Trump paid $110,000 in fines after he was held in contempt of court for being slow to respond to a subpoena James’ office issued seeking documents and other evidence. The contempt finding was lifted in June after Trump and his lawyers submitted paperwork showing they had made a good faith effort to find relevant documents. Today’s breaking news and more in your inbox Read More Here

Trump Docs Probe: Court Lifts Hold On Mar-A-Lago Records https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-docs-probe-court-lifts-hold-on-mar-a-lago-records-2/ A page from a U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit in Atlanta ruling that lifts a judge’s hold on the Justice Department’s ability to use classified documents seized by the FBI at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate, is photographed Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. The ruling clears the way for the department to immediately resume its use of the documents in its investigation. (Jon Elswick/AP) WASHINGTON — In a stark repudiation of Donald Trump’s legal arguments, a federal appeals court on Wednesday permitted the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from the former president’s Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation. The ruling from a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit amounts to an overwhelming victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for investigators to continue scrutinizing the documents as they consider whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of of top-secret records at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House. In lifting a hold on a core aspect of the department’s probe, the court removed an obstacle that could have delayed the investigation by weeks. The appeals court also pointedly noted that Trump had presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records, as he maintained as recently as Wednesday, and rejected the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents with classification markings that were seized by the FBI in its Aug. 8 search of the Palm Beach property. The government had argued that its investigation had been impeded, and national security concerns swept aside, by an order from U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that temporarily barred investigators from continuing to use the documents in its inquiry. Cannon, a Trump appointee, had said the hold would remain in place pending a separate review by an independent arbiter she had appointed at the Trump team’s request to review the records. The appeals panel agreed with the Justice Department’s concerns. “It is self-evident that the public has a strong interest in ensuring that the storage of the classified records did not result in ‘exceptionally grave damage to the national security,'” they wrote. “Ascertaining that,” they added, “necessarily involves reviewing the documents, determining who had access to them and when, and deciding which (if any) sources or methods are compromised.” An injunction that delayed or prevented the criminal investigation “from using classified materials risks imposing real and significant harm on the United States and the public,” they wrote. Two of the three judges who issued Wednesday’s ruling — Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher — were nominated to the 11th Circuit by Trump. Judge Robin Rosenbaum was nominated by former President Barack Obama. Lawyers for Trump did not return an email seeking comment on whether they would appeal the ruling. The Justice Department did not have an immediate comment. The FBI last month seized roughly 11,000 documents, including about 100 with classification markings, during a court-authorized search of the Palm Beach club. It has launched a criminal investigation into whether the records were mishandled or compromised, though is not clear whether Trump or anyone else will be charged. Cannon ruled on Sept. 5 that she would name an independent arbiter, or special master, to do an independent review of those records and segregate any that may be covered by claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege and to determine whether any of the materials should be returned to Trump. Raymond Dearie, the former chief judge of the federal court based in Brooklyn, has been named to the role and held his first meeting on Tuesday with lawyers for both sides. The Justice Department had argued that a special master review of the classified documents was not necessary. It said Trump had no plausible basis to invoke executive privilege over the documents, nor could the records be covered by attorney-client privilege because they do not involve communications between Trump and his lawyers. It had also contested Cannon’s order requiring it to provide Dearie and Trump’s lawyers with access to the classified material. The court sided with the Justice Department on Wednesday, saying “courts should order review of such materials in only the most extraordinary circumstances. The record does not allow for the conclusion that this is such a circumstance.” Trump has repeatedly maintained that he had declassified the material. In a Fox News Channel interview recorded Wednesday before the appeals court ruling, he said, “If you’re the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying ‘It’s declassified.'” Though his lawyers have said a president has absolute authority to declassify information, they have notably stopped short of asserting that the records were declassified. The Trump team this week resisted providing Dearie with any information to support the idea that the records might have been declassified, saying the issue could be part of their defense in the event of an indictment. The Justice Department has said there is no indication that Trump took any steps to declassify the documents and even included a photo in one court filing of some of the seized documents with colored cover sheets indicating their classified status. The appeals court, too, made the same point. “Plaintiff suggests that he may have declassified these documents when he was President. But the record contains no evidence that any of these records were declassified,” the judges wrote. “In any event, at least for these purposes, the declassification argument is a red herring because declassifying an official document would not change its content or render it personal.” Colvin reported from New York. Read More Here

Ohio GOP House Candidate Has Misrepresented Military Service https://digitalarkansasnews.com/ohio-gop-house-candidate-has-misrepresented-military-service/ WASHINGTON (AP) — Campaigning for a northwestern Ohio congressional seat, Republican J.R. Majewski presents himself as an Air Force combat veteran who deployed to Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, once describing “tough” conditions including a lack of running water that forced him to go more than 40 days without a shower. Military documents obtained by The Associated Press through a public records request tell a different story. They indicate Majewski never deployed to Afghanistan but instead completed a six-month stint helping to load planes at an air base in Qatar, a longtime U.S. ally that is a safe distance from the fighting. Majewski’s account of his time in the military is just one aspect of his biography that is suspect. His post-military career has been defined by exaggerations, conspiracy theories, talk of violent action against the U.S. government and occasional financial duress. Still, thanks to an unflinching allegiance to former President Donald Trump — Majewski once painted a massive Trump mural on his lawn — he also stands a chance of defeating longtime Democratic Rep. Marcy Kaptur in a district recently redrawn to favor Republicans. Majewski is among a cluster of GOP candidates, most running for office for the first time, whose unvarnished life stories and hard-right politics could diminish the chances of a Republican “red wave” on Election Day in November. He is also a vivid representation of a new breed of politicians who reject facts as they try to emulate Trump. “It bothers me when people trade on their military service to get elected to office when what they are doing is misleading the people they want to vote for them,” Don Christensen, a retired colonel and former chief prosecutor for the Air Force, said of Majewski. “Veterans have done so much for this country and when you claim to have done what your brothers and sisters in arms actually did to build up your reputation, it is a disservice.” Majewski’s campaign declined to make him available for an interview and, in a lengthy statement issued to the AP, did not directly address questions about his claim of deploying to Afghanistan. A spokeswoman declined to provide additional comment when the AP followed up with additional questions. “I am proud to have served my country,” Majewski said in the statement. “My accomplishments and record are under attack, meanwhile, career politician Marcy Kaptur has a forty-year record of failure for my Toledo community, which is why I’m running for Congress.” With no previous political experience, Majewski is perhaps an unlikely person to be the Republican nominee taking on Kaptur, who has represented the Toledo area since 1983. But two state legislators who were also on the ballot in the August GOP primary split the establishment vote. That cleared a path for Majewski, who previously worked in the nuclear power industry and dabbled in politics as a pro-Trump hip-hop performer and promoter of the QAnon conspiracy theory. He was also at the U.S. Capitol during the insurrection on Jan. 6, 2021. Throughout his campaign Majewski has offered his Air Force service as a valuable credential. The tagline “veteran for Congress” appears on campaign merchandise. He ran a Facebook ad promoting himself as “combat veteran.” And in a campaign video released this year, Majewski marauds through a vacant factory with a rifle while pledging to restore an America that is “independent and strong like the country I fought for.” More recently, the House Republican campaign committee released a biography that describes Majewski as a veteran whose “squadron was one of the first on the ground in Afghanistan after 9/11.” A campaign ad posted online Tuesday by Majewski supporters flashed the words “Afghanistan War Veteran” across the screen alongside a picture of a younger Majewski in his dress uniform. A biography posted on his campaign website does not mention Afghanistan, but in an August 2021 tweet criticizing the U.S. withdraw from the country, Majewski said he would “gladly suit up and go back to Afghanistan.” He’s been far less forthcoming when asked about the specifics of his service. “I don’t like talking about my military experience,” he said in a 2021 interview on the One American Podcast after volunteering that he served one tour of duty in Afghanistan. “It was a tough time in life. You know, the military wasn’t easy.” A review of his service records, which the AP obtained from the National Archives through a public records request, as well as an accounting provided by the Air Force, offers a possible explanation for his hesitancy. Rather than deploying to Afghanistan, as he has claimed, the records state that Majewski was based at Kadena Air Base in Japan for much of his active-duty service. He later deployed for six months to Qatar in May 2002, where he helped load and unload planes while serving as a “passenger operations specialist,” the records show. While based in Qatar, Majewski would land at other air bases to transfer military passengers, medics, supplies, his campaign said. The campaign did not answer a direct question about whether he was ever in Afghanistan. Experts argue Majewski’s description of himself as a “combat veteran” is also misleading. The term can evoke images of soldiers storming a beachhead or finding refuge during a firefight. But under the laws and regulations of the U.S. government, facing live fire has little to do with someone earning the title. During the Persian Gulf War, then-President George H.W. Bush designated, for the first time, countries used as combat support areas as combat zones despite the low-risk of American service members ever facing hostilities. That helped veterans receive a favorable tax status. Qatar, which is now home to the largest U.S. air base in the Middle East, was among the countries that received the designation under Bush’s executive order — a status that remains in effect today. Regardless, it rankles some when those seeking office offer their status as a combat veteran as a credential to voters without explaining that it does not mean that they came under hostile fire. “As somebody who was in Qatar, I do not consider myself a combat veteran,” said Christensen, the retired Air Force colonel who now runs Protect Our Defenders, a military watchdog organization. “I think that would be offensive to those who were actually engaged in combat and Iraq and Afghanistan.” Majewski’s campaign said that he calls himself a combat veteran because the area he deployed to — Qatar — is considered a combat zone. Majewski also lacks many of the medals that are typically awarded to those who served in Afghanistan. Though he once said that he went more than 40 days without a shower during his time in the landlocked country, he does not have an Afghanistan campaign medal, which was issued to those who served “30 consecutive days or 60 nonconsecutive days” in the country. He also did not receive a Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, which was issued to service members before the creation of the Afghanistan campaign medal if they deployed overseas in “direct service to the War on Terror.” Matthew Borie, an Air Force veteran who worked in intelligence and reviewed Majewski’s records at AP’s request, said it’s “odd” that Majewski lacks many of the “medals you would expect to see for someone who deployed to Afghanistan.” There’s also the matter of Majewski’s final rank and reenlistment code when he left active duty after four years of service. Most leave the service after four years having received several promotions that are generally awarded for time served. Majewski exited at a rank that was one notch above where he started. His enlistment code also indicated that he could not sign up with the Air Force again. Majewski’s campaign said he received what’s called a nonjudicial punishment in 2001 after getting into a “brawl” in his dormitory, which resulted in a demotion. Nonjudicial punishments are designed to hold service members accountable for bad behavior that does not rise to the level of a court-martial. Majewski’s resume exaggeration isn’t limited to his military service, reverberating throughout his professional life, as well as a nascent political career that took shape in an online world of conspiracy theories. Since gaining traction in his campaign for Congress, Majewski has denied that he is a follower of the QAnon conspiracy theory while playing down his participation in the Capitol riot. The baseless and apocalyptic QAnon belief is based on cryptic online postings by the anonymous “Q,” who is purportedly a government insider. It posits that Trump is fighting entrenched enemies in the government and also involves satanism and child sex trafficking. “Let me be clear, I denounce QAnon. I do not support Q, and I do not subscribe to their conspiracy theories,” Majewski said in his statement to the AP. But in the past Majewski repeatedly posted QAnon references and memes to social media, wore a QAnon shirt during a TV interview and has described Zak Paine, a QAnon influencer and online personality who goes by the nom de guerre Redpill78, as a “good friend.” During a February 2021 appearance on a YouTube stream, Majewski stated, “I believe in everything that’s been put out from Q,” while characterizing the false posts as “military-level intelligence, in my opinion.” He also posted, to the right-wing social media platform Parler, a photo of the “Trump 2020” mural he painted on his lawn that was modified to change the zeros into “Q’s,” as first reported by CNN. Then there’s Majewski’s participation in the Jan. 6 insurrection. Majewski has said that he raised about $25,000 to help dozens of people attend the “Stop the Steal” rally that preceded the attack on the Capito...

Trump Docs Probe: Court Lifts Hold On Mar-A-Lago Records https://digitalarkansasnews.com/trump-docs-probe-court-lifts-hold-on-mar-a-lago-records/ In a stark repudiation of Donald Trump’s legal arguments, a federal appeals court today permitted the Justice Department to resume its use of classified records seized from the former US president’s Florida estate as part of its ongoing criminal investigation. An aerial view of former US President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida. (Source: Associated Press) The ruling from a three-judge panel of the US Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit amounts to an overwhelming victory for the Justice Department, clearing the way for investigators to continue scrutinising the documents as they consider whether to bring criminal charges over the storage of of top-secret records at Mar-a-Lago after Trump left the White House. In lifting a hold on a core aspect of the department’s probe, the court removed an obstacle that could have delayed the investigation by weeks, if not months. The appeals court also pointedly noted that Trump had presented no evidence that he had declassified the sensitive records, as he has repeatedly maintained, and rejected the possibility that Trump could have an “individual interest in or need for” the roughly 100 documents with classification markings that were seized by the FBI in its August 8 search of the Palm Beach property. READ MORE: Trump accused of vast fraud in suit by NY attorney general The government had argued that its investigation had been impeded, and national security concerns swept aside, by an order from US District Judge Aileen Cannon that temporarily barred investigators from continuing to use the documents in its inquiry. Cannon, a Trump appointee, had said the hold would remain in place pending a separate review by an independent arbiter she had appointed at the Trump team’s request to review the records. The appeals panel agreed with the Justice Department’s concerns. “It is self-evident that the public has a strong interest in ensuring that the storage of the classified records did not result in ‘exceptionally grave damage to the national security,’” they wrote. “Ascertaining that,” they added, “necessarily involves reviewing the documents, determining who had access to them and when, and deciding which (if any) sources or methods are compromised.” An injunction that delayed or prevented the criminal investigation “from using classified materials risks imposing real and significant harm on the United States and the public,” they wrote. Two of the three judges who issued today’s ruling — Britt Grant and Andrew Brasher — were nominated to the 11th Circuit by Trump. Judge Robin Rosenbaum was nominated by former US President Barack Obama. Lawyers for Trump did not return an email seeking comment on whether they would appeal the ruling. The Justice Department did not have an immediate comment. The FBI last month seized roughly 11,000 documents, including about 100 with classification markings, during a court-authorized search of the Palm Beach club. It has launched a criminal investigation into whether the records were mishandled or compromised, though is not clear whether Trump or anyone else will be charged. Cannon ruled on September 5 that she would name an independent arbiter, or special master, to do an independent review of those records and segregate any that may be covered by claims of attorney-client privilege or executive privilege and to determine whether any of the materials should be returned to Trump. Raymond Dearie, the former chief judge of the federal court based in Brooklyn, has been named to the role and held his first meeting on Tuesday with lawyers for both sides. The Justice Department had argued that a special master review of the classified documents was not necessary. It said Trump had no plausible basis to invoke executive privilege over the documents, nor could the records be covered by attorney-client privilege because they do not involve communications between Trump and his lawyers. It had also contested Cannon’s order requiring it to provide Dearie and Trump’s lawyers with access to the classified material. The court sided with the Justice Department today, saying “courts should order review of such materials in only the most extraordinary circumstances. The record does not allow for the conclusion that this is such a circumstance.” Trump’s lawyers had argued that an independent review of the records was essential given the unprecedented nature of the investigation. The lawyers have also said the department had not yet proven that the seized documents were classified, though they have notably stopped short of asserting — as Trump repeatedly has — that the records were previously declassified. The Trump team this week resisted providing Dearie with any information to support the idea that the records might have been declassified, signaling the issue could be part of their defense in the event of an indictment. But the appeals court appeared to scoff at that argument. “Plaintiff suggests that he may have declassified these documents when he was President. But the record contains no evidence that any of these records were declassified,” they wrote. “In any event, at least for these purposes, the declassification argument is a red herring because declassifying an official document would not change its content or render it personal.” Read More Here

Yen Weakens After Bank Of Japan Holds Rates; Asian Markets Sink On Hawkish Fed https://digitalarkansasnews.com/yen-weakens-after-bank-of-japan-holds-rates-asian-markets-sink-on-hawkish-fed/ Oil prices climb after Fed’s rate hikes, demand fears linger Oil prices climbed following the Fed’s third consecutive rate hike. Reuters also reported Chinese refiners are expecting the nation to release up to 15 million tonnes worth of oil products export quotas for the rest of the year, citing people with knowledge of the matter. Brent crude futures rose 0.45% to stand at $90.24 per barrel, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate also gained 0.45% to $83.3 per barrel. — Lee Ying Shan Fed hike likely to keep Asian risk assets under pressure, JPMorgan says Asian risk assets, especially export-oriented companies, will remain under pressure in the short term following the Fed’s rate hike, according to Tai Hui, chief APAC market strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management. Tai added that a strong U.S. dollar is likely to persist, but tightening monetary policy in most Asian central banks — with the exception of China and Japan — should help limit the extent of Asian currency depreciation. The U.S. dollar index, which tracks the greenback against a basket of its peers, strengthened sharply and last stood at 111.697. — Abigail Ng Bank of Japan holds steady, stands by yield curve control policy – yen weakens past 145 The Bank of Japan kept its interest rates on hold, according to an announcement posted on its website – meeting expectations forecasted by economists in a Reuters poll. The Japanese yen weakened to 145 against the greenback shortly after the decision. “Japan’s economy has picked up as the resumption of economic activity has progressed while public health has been protected from Covid-19, despite being affected by factors such as a rise in commodity prices,” the central bank said in the statement. –Jihye Lee CNBC Pro: This fund manager is beating the market. Here’s what he’s betting against Stock markets are down but the fund managed by Patrick Armstrong at Plurimi Wealth is continuing to deliver positive returns. The fund manager has a number of short positions to play the market volatility. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Asian currencies weaken after Fed’s third-straight big hike Currencies in the Asia-Pacific weakened further after the U.S. Federal Reserve delivered its third consecutive rate hike of 75 basis points. China’s onshore yuan weakened past 7.09 per dollar, hovering near levels not seen since June 2020. The Japanese yen weakened to 144.51, while the Korean won also surged past 1,409 against the greenback – the weakest since March 2009. Australia’s dollar fell to $0.6589. –Jihye Lee U.S. 2-year Treasury yield inches toward 2007 highs British pound slides further to hover around 37-year low The British pound fell further in Asia’s morning trade, hitting $1.1217 — its lowest level since 1985. The currency has been losing ground against the U.S. dollar this year as economic concerns rise. Analysts are split over whether the U.K. central bank will hike rates by 50 basis points or 75 basis points later today. Sterling last traded at $1.1223. — Abigail Ng CNBC Pro: Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson names the key attribute he likes in stocks Morgan Stanley’s Mike Wilson is staying defensive amid the persistent market volatility this year. He names the key attribute he’s looking for in stocks. Stocks with this attribute have been “rewarded” this year, with the trend likely to persist until the market turns more bullish, according to Wilson. Pro subscribers can read more here. — Zavier Ong Bank of Japan likely to maintain yield curve control for rest of 2022: DBS Substantial adjustments to the Bank of Japan’s policies are likely to happen only after the central bank’s leadership changes in mid-2023, DBS Group Research said in a note Tuesday. But the BOJ may consider some “policy finetuning,” such as widening the target band by 10 basis points, in response to market pressures, analysts wrote. It added that “regardless of intervention,” the dollar-yen could test 147.66 last seen in August 1998, adding they are not ruling out USD/JPY pushing above 150 “without a hard landing in the U.S. prompting Fed cuts.” — Abigail Ng Stock futures open lower U.S. stock futures fell on Wednesday night following a volatile session in the major averages as traders weighed another large rate hike from the Federal Reserve. Dow Jones Industrial Average futures declined by 16 points, or 0.05%. S&P 500 and Nasdaq 100 futures dipped 0.19% and 0.31%, respectively. — Sarah Min Stocks slide, Dow closes 522 points lower in volatile trading session Stocks wavered on Wednesday but finished the session deep in the red after the Federal Reserve announced another 75 basis point rate hike. The Dow Jones Industrial Average shed 522.45 points, or 1.7%, to close at 30,183.78. The S&P 500 slid 1.71% to 3,789.93 and the Nasdaq Composite dove 1.79% to 11,220.19. — Samantha Subin Read More Here

Jan. 6 Committee, Racing Year-End Clock, Expects Final Hearing Next Week https://digitalarkansasnews.com/jan-6-committee-racing-year-end-clock-expects-final-hearing-next-week/ WASHINGTON — A House committee investigating the U.S. Capitol attack is seeking to reclaim some of the spotlight lost to other blockbuster legal developments around Donald Trump with what could be its final hearing next week. Committee Chairman Bennie Thompson told reporters Tuesday that a hearing scheduled for Sept. 28 would be the last for the committee, “unless something else develops.” The panel is also planning to release an interim report of its investigative conclusions in early October, just weeks before the Nov. 8 elections that will determine control of Congress. “It won’t be a quiet period,” Thompson, a Mississippi Democrat, said last week. The panel will need to crank up the volume to regain attention seized by the FBI’s raid of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida and the dozens of subpoenas issued by federal and state grand juries. Since its last hearing, on July 21, the committee’s vice chair, Republican Liz Cheney, suffered a deflating primary loss to a Trump-backed candidate in Wyoming. With the committee’s charter sunsetting at the end of the year, some of the loftier investigative pursuits — such as seeking testimony from the ex-president — may simply run out of time. And efforts to enforce subpoenas served on Trump’s congressional allies will probably remain unresolved. The panel does intend on continuing its gumshoe work as long as possible, and is not planning to release its final report until December. But such end-of-year timing risks delivering too much, too late, given that Republicans could simply ignore any legislative recommendations come January if they win the House majority. Committee members are still deciding on the topic or topics of the Sept. 28 hearing, and whether live witnesses will be called. One idea is to focus on security lapses at the Capitol tied to Jan. 6 and the reasons for delays in deployment of the National Guard — a subject explored already by other congressional committees. Another would be to focus on Trump’s actions after the Jan. 6 insurrection. The hearing will be at 1 p.m. local time, not in prime time as a few of the previous ones have been. Thompson said the committee would go over some findings or conclusions that will be contained in the final report, as well as some recommendations. “We have substantial footage of what occurred and we have significant witness testimony that we haven’t used in other hearings,” he said. While it is expected to be the final hearing, Thompson said that is not set in stone, “because things happen.” FINAL REPORT The committee recently received a substantial tranche of additional subpoenaed material from the U.S. Secret Service — including chat messages and radio traffic among Secret Service personnel from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, that could solve mysteries involving Trump’s interactions with his security detail on the day of the attack. “We’re taking in documents every day, we’re working, we’re reading, we’re going to do our best to put together a product the United States House can be proud of in this final report that will have some historical significance,” said panel member Pete Aguilar, a California Democrat. The final, full report is expected to be voluminous, jam-packed with testimony gleaned from more than 1,000 witnesses, while providing conclusions, exhibits and recommendations to enact new election protections and other reforms. “And that’s not lost on any of us — how important this work is to make sure that this doesn’t happen again and make sure we tell the full and complete story,” Aguilar said. Undecided is whether there could also be referrals to the Justice Department recommending criminal prosecutions. Multiple grand juries in Washington and Georgia are already scrutinizing efforts to overturn the 2020 election. Meanwhile, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed suit Wednesday in state court, naming Trump, the Trump Organization, and three of his children for allegedly inflating the value of his real estate company’s assets in order to obtain more favorable loan terms and other benefits. PENCE TESTIMONY In deference to the limited time left, there is less talk of the committee calling former Vice President Mike Pence or even Trump himself, to voluntarily testify, though that hadn’t been considered probable. It is also growing unlikely that several of Trump’s subpoenaed Republican allies in Congress will ever be forced to appear, or former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and former deputy chief of staff Dan Scavino. Even the committee’s plans to recommend reforms to the electoral counting procedures has found itself overtaken by events. Cheney and Zoe Lofgren, a Democratic panel member, introduced a bill this week to strengthen the Electoral College Act, which is endorsed by the committee. The House passed the legislation Wednesday on a 229-203 vote. A similar bill is working its way through the Senate, and any final action to merge the two versions for final passage won’t happen until after the November midterm elections, in which there are at least 45 Republican candidates on the ballot for the House and Senate who have either said the 2020 election was stolen or cast doubt on its legitimacy. “I want to be very clear that this is to prevent future attacks during election processes,” Cheney said of her bill during an appearance Monday evening at the American Enterprise Institute. But Cheney said no one should misconstrue efforts to overhaul the Election Count Act as suggesting that Trump did not violate existing law. Panel members say they know that critics will accuse them of trying to affect the Nov. 8 election with the additional hearing and an early report, but insist they need to start releasing some committee information in coherent chunks that are digestible by the public. “There are those partisans of former President Trump who will denounce anything we do. So, you know, we’re not going to jump through hoops to please people who will call whatever we’re doing partisan,” committee member Jamie Raskin, a Maryland Democrat, said. Invalid username/password. Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration. Use the form below to reset your password. When you’ve submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code. « Previous Read More Here

LEONARD QUART: The Public World Is On My Mind https://digitalarkansasnews.com/leonard-quart-the-public-world-is-on-my-mind/ London, United Kingdom. Queen’s funeral cortege borne on the State Gun Carriage of the Royal Navy carrying Queen Elizabeth II to Westminster Abbey. Picture by Andrew Parsons, courtesy of UK Government via Flickr. Sitting and drinking an iced latte at one of the Village’s many cafes again, but this time I am free-associating more than remembering. I have a New York Times with me, so my mind bursts with images and ideas that emanate from the newspaper stories I have just read. The war between Russia and Ukraine is a daily staple—with nefarious, quasi-genocidal activity by Putin and his minions, and, at least to my mind, heroic military triumphs for a beleaguered Ukraine. Despite their recent victories, the Ukrainians have had some of their cities destroyed as well as many civilian lives lost. There is nothing to romanticize in the loss of so many lives, and the creation of a mass of refugees that has settled in countries ranging from Poland to Canada. Meanwhile, climate change continues to wreck havoc with power out in much of Puerto Rico, storms and flooding in Alaska, and typhoons in Japan. There is no sign that most developed nations are able to make more than incremental changes in response to global warming. The oil and gas interests remain callously uncompromising in their desire to maintain their profits. An aircrew from Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen conduct an overflight of Puerto Rico in the aftermath of Hurricane Fiona. The Coast Guard is using flights like this to assess safe port conditions and pollution concerns left in the wake of the storm. Photo courtesy of U.S. Coast Guard via Flickr. At the moment, the news is not dominated by the murderous morass in the Ukraine or apocalyptic weather, but by the elaborate and elongated funeral ceremony for Queen Elizabeth. The queen had performed her ceremonial role dutifully and brilliantly for seven decades. But she always remained a mystery—nobody ever quite knew what she felt or believed in. That fact probably helped turn her into an icon—a figure beyond criticism and clearly an indelible and unchanging symbol of what it meant to be British. However, the hushed voices of commentators on British television, the tears from some of the public lining the streets, and the constant barrage of homages feels excessive and a touch absurd. The queen presided over an empire that was already shattered or dissolving, and whose exercise of power left bad memories and angry criticism from many of her subjects. Also, her family was embroiled in a series of soap operatic and tabloid controversies over the years. So steady the queen was, however, the 70 years of her reign had its repellent and embarrassing moments. And of course there is always the monstrous Trump now cornered by innumerable investigations—one of them that will hopefully indict him and force him to face a prison sentence. In response, Trump has doubled down by embracing the extremist conspiracy group QAnon at a political rally in Ohio by playing music that is virtually indistinguishable from the group’s adopted anthem. QAnon holds that Trump is waging a secret war against elite Satan-worshipping pedophiles in government, business, and the media. These are crackpot notions that Trump is willing to use to consolidate his base, while his fearful Republican colleagues, except for courageous figures like Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger, as usual say nothing or wink at what is happening. The public world throws up a surfeit of images and ideas. Many of them, like the palpable threat to democracy raised by Trump, Desantis, and their acolytes, make me feel that we live in very anxious and precarious times. Read More Here

FBI Little Rock Crack Down On Violent Crime Over The Summer https://digitalarkansasnews.com/fbi-little-rock-crack-down-on-violent-crime-over-the-summer/ As violent crime increases across the state, the FBI is working to make Arkansas a safer place to live. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Solving violent crime has never been an easy task, but in Central Arkansas, the FBI is heavily involved in that process. “These last few years have been a challenging environment,” Special Agent in Charge James Dawson said. The FBI division in Little Rock has had a busy summer— it’s been filled with progress though.  “Then you look at what the field office as a whole, what was achieved by the FBI, or scored by the FBI, throughout the year,” Dawson said. “It’s probably closer to 400 arrests out of that 6,000.” Nationwide, the FBI made violent crime a priority this summer and said in a tweet that they made arrests in 5,980 violent crime, gang, and narcotics cases. Along with those arrests, 2,728 guns were taken off the streets and 845 gangs were disrupted. Meanwhile, in Arkansas Dawson said that they made progress above other areas of the country. “This is an environment in which the FBI has been very active compared to other jurisdictions around the United States,” he said. Those 400 arrests made up a large piece of what the FBI accomplished this summer. “We’re talking six and a half, seven percent were achieved here in the state of Arkansas,” Dawson elaborated. That doesn’t mean issues can’t still pop up. Just about a month ago, Central Arkansas saw a weekend filled with violent shootings. Figuring out what happened took a lot of different agencies, including the FBI. While that weekend has passed, the issues have not. “Anything that we can do as a community to dissuade that and to overcome that is really going to be important,” Dawson said. While we may not be quite where he’d like us to be, Dawson said that they’re making headway. “I don’t know that really, we’re where we need to be, which is seeing a precipitous decline in criminal activity, or violent criminal activity in our metropolitan areas,” he said. “But I don’t believe we’re losing any ground at this point.” Much of the violent crime is addressed by the GETROCK task force, the gang enforcement task force at the Little Rock Bureau of the FBI.  Dawson said that within the past two years, they’ve made hundreds of arrests, removed hundreds of guns from the streets, and confiscated more than 500 pounds of narcotics. Read More…

Putin Orders Partial Military Call-Up, Sparking Protests https://digitalarkansasnews.com/putin-orders-partial-military-call-up-sparking-protests/ KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists Wednesday to bolster his forces in Ukraine, a deeply unpopular move that sparked rare protests across the country and led to almost 1,200 arrests. The risky order follows humiliating setbacks for Putin’s troops nearly seven months after they invaded Ukraine. The first such call-up in Russia since World War II heightened tensions with Ukraine’s Western backers, who derided it as an act of weakness and desperation. The move also sent some Russians scrambling to buy plane tickets to flee the country. In his 14-minute nationally televised address, Putin also warned the West that he isn’t bluffing about using everything at his disposal to protect Russia — an apparent reference to his nuclear arsenal. He has previously rebuked NATO countries for supplying weapons to Ukraine. Confronted with steep battlefield losses, expanding front lines and a conflict that has raged longer than expected, the Kremlin has struggled to replenish its troops in Ukraine, reportedly even resorting to widespread recruitment in prisons. The total number of reservists to be called up could be as high as 300,000, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. However, Putin’s decree authorizing the partial mobilization, which took effect immediately, offered few details, raising suspicions that the draft could be broadened at any moment. Notably, one clause was kept secret. Despite Russia’s harsh laws against criticizing the military and the war, protesters outraged by the mobilization overcame their fear of arrest to stage protests in cities across the country. Nearly 1,200 Russians were arrested in anti-war demonstrations in cities including Moscow and St. Petersburg, according to the independent Russian human rights group OVD-Info. Associated Press journalists in Moscow witnessed at least a dozen arrests in the first 15 minutes of a nighttime protest in the capital, with police in heavy body armor tackling demonstrators in front of shops, hauling some away as they chanted, “No to war!” “I’m not afraid of anything. The most valuable thing that they can take from us is the life of our children. I won’t give them life of my child,” said one Muscovite, who declined to give her name. Asked whether protesting would help, she said: “It won’t help, but it’s my civic duty to express my stance. No to war!” In Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city, police hauled onto buses some of the 40 protesters who were detained at an anti-war rally. One woman in a wheelchair shouted, referring to the Russian president: “Goddamn bald-headed ‘nut job’. He’s going to drop a bomb on us, and we’re all still protecting him. I’ve said enough.” The Vesna opposition movement called for protests, saying: “Thousands of Russian men — our fathers, brothers and husbands — will be thrown into the meat grinder of the war. What will they be dying for? What will mothers and children be crying for?” The Moscow prosecutor’s office warned that organizing or participating in protests could lead to up to 15 years in prison. Authorities have issued similar warnings ahead of other protests. Wednesday’s were the first nationwide anti-war protests since the fighting began in late February. Other Russians responded by trying to leave the country, and flights out quickly became booked. In Armenia, Sergey arrived with his 17-year-old son, saying they had prepared for such a scenario. Another Russian, Valery, said his wife’s family lives in Kyiv, and mobilization is out of the question for him “just for the moral aspect alone.” Both men declined to give their last names. The state communication watchdog Roskomnadzor warned media that access to their websites would be blocked for transmitting “false information” about the mobilization. Residents in Ukraine’s second-largest city, Kharkiv, appeared despondent about the mobilization as they watched emergency workers clear debris from Russian rocket attacks on two apartment buildings. “You just don’t know what to expect from him,” said Kharkiv resident Olena Milevska, 66. “But you do understand that it’s something personal for him.” In calling for the mobilization, Putin cited the length of the front line, which he said exceeds 1,000 kilometers (more than 620 miles). He also said Russia is effectively fighting the combined military might of Western countries. Western leaders said the mobilization was in response to Russia’s recent battlefield losses. President Joe Biden told the U.N. General Assembly that Putin’s new nuclear threats showed “reckless disregard” for Russia’s responsibilities as a signer of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons. Hours later, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged world leaders at the gathering to strip Russia of its vote in international institutions and its U.N. Security Council veto, saying that aggressors need to be punished and isolated. Speaking by video, Zelenskyy said his forces “can return the Ukrainian flag to our entire territory. We can do it with the force of arms. But we need time.” Putin did not attend the meeting. Following an emergency meeting of European Union foreign ministers Wednesday night, EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell promised more sanctions on Russia over its escalation of the Ukraine conflict. He said he was certain there would be “unanimous agreement” for sanctioning both Russia’s economy and individual Russians. “It’s clear that Putin is trying to destroy Ukraine. Hes trying to destroy the country by different means since he’s failing militarily,” Borrell said. Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny said the mobilization means the war “is getting worse, deepening, and Putin is trying to involve as many people as possible. … It’s being done just to let one person keep his grip on personal power.” The partial mobilization order came two days before Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine plan to hold referendums on becoming part of Russia — a move that could allow Moscow to escalate the war. The votes start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Foreign leaders are already calling the votes illegitimate and nonbinding. Zelenskyy said they were a “sham” and “noise” to distract the public. Michael Kofman, head of Russian studies at the CNA think tank in Washington, said Putin has staked his regime on the war, and that annexation “is a point of no return,” as is mobilization “to an extent.” “Partial mobilization affects everybody. And everybody in Russia understands … that they could be the next wave, and this is only the first wave,” Kofman said. Shoigu, Russia’s defense minister, said only some of those with relevant combat and service experience will be mobilized. He said about 25 million people fit that criteria, but only about 1% of them will be mobilized. It wasn’t clear how many years of combat experience or what level of training soldiers must have to be mobilized. Another clause in the decree prevents most professional soldiers from terminating their contracts until after the partial mobilization. Putin’s mobilization gambit could backfire by making the war unpopular at home and hurting his own standing. It also concedes Russia’s underlying military shortcomings. A Ukrainian counteroffensive this month seized the military initiative from Russia and captured large areas in Ukraine from Russian forces. The Russian mobilization is unlikely to produce any consequences on the battlefield for months because of a lack of training facilities and equipment. Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin said it seemed “an act of desperation.” “People will evade this mobilization in every possible way, bribe their way out of this mobilization, leave the country,” he said. He described the announcement as “a huge personal blow to Russian citizens, who until recently (took part in the hostilities) with pleasure, sitting on their couches, (watching) TV. And now the war has come into their home.” In his address, Putin accused the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and cited alleged “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading NATO states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia.” He did not elaborate. “When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal,” Putin said. In other developments, relatives of two U.S. military veterans who disappeared while fighting Russia with Ukrainian forces said they had been released after about three months in captivity. They were part of a swap arranged by Saudi Arabia of 10 prisoners from the U.S., Morocco, the United Kingdom, Sweden and Croatia. And in another release, Ukraine announced early Thursday that it had won freedom from Russian custody of 215 Ukrainian and foreign citizens, including fighters who had defended a besieged steel plant in the city of Mariupol for months. Zelenskyy posted a video showing an official briefing him on the freeing of the citizens, in exchange for pro-Russian opposition leader Viktor Medvedchuk and 55 others held by Ukraine. —- Yesica Fisch in Kharkiv contributed to this story. ___ Follow the AP’s coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Read More Here

Levitt Amp Grant Awarded Once Again To The Amp At Sam Michaels https://digitalarkansasnews.com/levitt-amp-grant-awarded-once-again-to-the-amp-at-sam-michaels/ SHENANDOAH JUNCTION — The Mortimer and Mimi Levitt Foundation recently announced that Jefferson County Parks and Recreation has been selected as a grant recipient for a total of $90,000 in matching funds to present a free outdoor music series in 2023, 2024 and 2025. A current recipient of a Levitt AMP grant, the park system submitted its request to continue the Levitt AMP Shenandoah Junction Music Series, which began in 2021. The Levitt AMP Grant Awards are an exciting, multi-year matching grant opportunity bringing the joy of free, live music to towns and cities with a population of up to 250,000 people. For the 2023–2025 grant cycle, the Levitt Foundation expanded the Levitt AMP program from an annual matching grant of $25K into a three-year matching grant of $30K per year, for a total grant award of $90K. In May, the Levitt Foundation invited current grantees to reapply and submit proposals that would reflect the three goals of the Levitt AMP Awards: Amplify community pride and a city’s unique character; enrich lives through the power of free, live music; and illustrate the importance of inclusive and vibrant public places. All 18 returning Levitt AMP grantees were awarded $90K matching grants each to present the Levitt AMP Music Series in 2023-2025, reflecting a total grant award of $1.62 million. In addition to returning grantees, the Levitt Foundation will award up to 10 additional U.S. nonprofits a total of $900K to bring the Levitt AMP Music Series to their communities. Following an open call for applicant submissions in June, the new Levitt AMP grant recipients will be announced on Nov. 15, 2022. “Emerging from the pandemic, we have all witnessed the importance of community and connection on our well-being, and free, live music in public spaces is a powerful way to bring people together of all ages and backgrounds. Expanding the Levitt AMP Shenandoah Junction Grant Awards into a multi-year, $90K grant and inviting additional towns and cities into the program was inspired in part by the positive impact Jefferson County Parks and Recreation is having on the local community,” said Sharon Yazowski, executive director of the Levitt Foundation. “We look forward to the continued impact of the Levitt AMP Shenandoah Junction Music Series, which has energized Sam Michaels Park, giving the community opportunities to connect in a family-friendly and welcoming environment.” Additional locations to receive the multi-year funding included Berea, Kentucky; Carson City, Nevada; Earlham, Iowa, Fort Smith, Arkansas; Gallup, New Mexico; Galva, Illinois; Middlesboro, Kentucky; Ocala, Florida; Sheboygan, Wisconsin; Soldotna, Alaska; Springfield, Illinois; St. Johnsbury, Vermont; Stevens Point, Wisconsin; Trenton, New Jersey; Utica, New York; Whitesburg, Kentucky; and Woonsocket, Rhode Island. Combining new and returning Levitt AMP grantees, the Levitt Foundation is investing over $2.5 million over the next three years to bring free concerts to 28 communities across the U.S. as part of the Levitt AMP Music Series, featuring a diverse lineup of high-caliber entertainment while building community through music. Read More Here

Provincetown Legal Notices – The Provincetown Independent https://digitalarkansasnews.com/provincetown-legal-notices-the-provincetown-independent-3/ Town of Provincetown Public Notice Select Board The Provincetown Select Board is accepting traffic hearing proposals until 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, for the 2022 Annual Traffic Hearing. The hearing is scheduled for Monday, November 7, 2022, at 6:00 p.m. in the Judge Welsh Room, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657. Such proposals must be submitted in writing on the traffic hearing proposal form which is available in the Office of the Select Board, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657, by request at [email protected] and on the Town’s website at www.provincetown-ma.gov. David Abramson, Chair Select Board Posted: Town Hall, www.provincetown-ma.gov , 08/29/2022, 9:40 am AR Published Independent: September 9th, 16th, and 23rd. Town of Provincetown Public Hearing Historic District Commission October 5, 2022 The Provincetown Historic District Commission will hold a Public Hearing at 3:30 P.M. on Wednesday, October 5, 2022, in the Judge Welsh Room at Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA. Public Hearings will be held for the following applications requesting a Certificate to be issued in accordance with the Provincetown Historic District Commission established under the General By-Laws, Chapter 15 of the Town of Provincetown.  HDC 22-201 Application by Mark Kinnane, on behalf of Dean Landy et al, requesting to make changes to the north elevation of a structure on a previously approved plan on the property located at 4 Miller Hill Road, U8. HDC 22-202 Application by Robert Silva requesting to replace a window with a slider on the structure located at 5 Conwell Street. HDC 22-206 Application by Murdock Mackinnon requesting to replace four windows and to repair shingles and trim as needed on the structure located at 8 Brewster Street, U2 Laurie Delmolino, Chair Posted by the Town Clerk www.provincetown-ma.gov, 09/07/2022, 12:05 pm AR Published: The Independent September 15 and 22, 2022 Town of Provincetown Public Hearing Licensing Board October 11, 2022 The Provincetown Licensing Board will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 5:15 p.m. in the Caucus Hall at Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, Massachusetts, to hear:  Special Entertainment Petition from Paul Melanson of Pack Ventures, LLC d.b.a. Tin Pan Alley, for a Special Entertainment License for an event on November 21,2022 from 7pm to 9pm at 269 Commercial St., Provincetown, MA.  No rain date requested. Special Alcohol License Petition from Anne Hubbell, representing Provincetown Film Society for a Special Alcohol License for an event to be held on October 15, 2022 at Mary Heaton Vorse House, 466 Commercial Street, between 5pm and 8pm. No rain date requested. Show Cause Hearing To consider whether to suspend, revoke, or put conditions on the Vehicle for Hire Operator license of Richard Fraumeni at a show-cause hearing to determine if they are in violation of Licensing Board Rules & Regulations Section 8.02(x):  A vehicle for hire operator shall conduct themselves in a courteous and professional manner at all times. A driver shall not interfere with the business transactions of another taxi/livery vehicle or engage in any activity which impedes the movement of vehicular or pedestrian traffic on a public way. Comments may be submitted during the hearing or in writing to the Licensing Board, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 or [email protected]  by October 10, noon. Posted: Town Hall, http://www.provincetown-ma.gov, 09/14/2022, 11:30 am AR Published: Independent: September 22 and 29, 2022 Town of Provincetown Public Hearing Select Board October 11, 2022 Installation of 36’ +/- of 1-3” conduit from proposed handhole 4/H6-C to customer installed handhole 4/H6-D The Provincetown Select Board will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 11, 2022, at 7:00 p.m. in the Judge Welsh Room, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 pursuant to MGL Chapter 166, Section 22, on the following request: Application by Marissa Jackson on behalf of Eversource Energy requesting permission to install 36’ +/- of 1-3” conduit from proposed handhole 4/H6-C to customer installed handhole 4/H6-D at 50 West Vine Street in accordance with the plan filed herewith marked Plan No. 9353755 dated August 24, 2022. Copies of the plan can be seen upon request. Comments may be submitted in writing by Tuesday, October 4, 2022, 12 noon to the Office of the Select Board, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 or [email protected]  or in person at the hearing or virtually by dialing (833) 579-7589.  When prompted, enter the following conference number:  999 455 580 #. David Abramson, Chairman Select Board  Posted: Town Hall, http://www.provincetown-ma.gov 09/01/2022, 3:10 pm AR Published: Independent:  September 22nd and September 29th, 2022. Town of Provincetown Public Hearing Select Board October 11, 2022 Economic Development Permit: The Provincetown Select Board will hold a Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the Judge Welsh Room, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 to receive comments from the public on the following Economic Development Permit requests: EDP 22-03, 288 Bradford Street, by Michael Miller (applicant) on behalf of Provincetown Tennis Club Inc, (owner) to increase the assigned Title 5 flow to the existing property by 253 gallons per day to add two employee housing units. EDP 22-04, 12 Winthrop Street, by Lucas Colburn (applicant) on behalf of Mercury Hotel Propco LLC, dba Mercury Guest House (owner) to increase the assigned Title 5 flow to the existing property by 220 gallons per day to add two guest rooms. Comments may be submitted in writing to the Office of the Select Board, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657 or [email protected] by Tuesday, October 4, 2022, noon, or in person at the hearing or virtually. Posted: Town Hall, http://www.provincetown-ma.gov 09/14/2022, 2:00 pm AR Published: Provincetown Independent: September 22 and 29, 2022 Town of Provincetown Joint Public Hearing Select Board Finance Committee October 11, 2022 November 09, 2022 Special Meeting Funding In accordance with §6-4-g of the Provincetown Charter, the Select Board and the Finance Committee will hold a remote Joint Public Hearing on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at 7 pm. in the Judge Welsh Hearing Room, Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA, to hear comments from the public on funding pertaining to articles of the November 9, 2022 Special Town Meeting. Copies of the budget are available by request to the Select Board via email at [email protected]  or on the town’s website at www.provincetown-ma.gov. The public is encouraged to submit any comments in writing by Tuesday, October 4, 2022, to the Select Board, Provincetown Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA, 02657, by email to [email protected], or in person at the hearing or virtually. David Abramson Chair, Select Board Mark Bjorstrom Chair, Finance Committee Posted: Town Hall, http://www.provincetown-ma.gov, 09/14/2022, 10:50 am AR Published: Provincetown Independent: September 22nd and September 29th, 2022 Town of Provincetown Public Hearing Zoning Board of Appeals October 6, 2022 The Provincetown Zoning Board of Appeals will hold a Public Hearing at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 6, 2022, in the Judge Welsh Room in Town Hall, 260 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA on the following cases: ZBA 22-50 Application by Capizzi Home Improvement, Inc., on behalf of Rian P. Akey et vir., seeking a Special Permit pursuant to Article 3, Section 3110, Change, Extensions, or Alterations, of the Zoning By-Laws to replace front entry steps and move them farther into the pre-existing, non-conforming front yard setback on the property located at 7 Off Conwell Street (Residential 3 Zone). ZBA 22-51 Application by Julia Michelsen, on behalf of John D. Childs, seeking a Special Permit pursuant to Article 2, Section 2640, Building Scale of the Zoning By-Laws to demolish a building and rebuild a larger structure that will be in excess of the maximum allowable neighborhood scale on the property located at 898 Commercial Street (Residential 1 Zone). ZBA 22-53 Application by Don DiRocco, of Hammer Architects, on behalf of 34 Commercial St., LLC, seeking a Special Permit pursuant to Article 2, Section 2640, Building Scale, and Article 3, Section 3110, Change, Extensions, or Alterations, of the Zoning By-Laws to remove an existing front entry landing and replace it with an open front porch up and along a pre-existing, non-conforming west side yard setback and to increase the building scale above the maximum allowable neighborhood average on the property located at 34 Commercial Street (Residential 1 Zone).  ZBA 22-54 Notice of Appeal by Elizabeth Athineos for a violation notice related to flags on the property located at 63 Shank Painter Road (General Commercial Zone).  ZBA 22-56 Application by Ted Smith, on behalf of Peter C. Bullis et vir., seeking a Special Permit pursuant to Article 3, Section 3110, Change, Extensions, or Alterations, of the Zoning By-Laws to construct a one-story addition to the northwest corner going up and along a pre-existing, non-conforming north side yard and west rear yard setbacks on the property located at 6 Winslow Street (Residential 3 Zone). ZBA 22-57 Application by Lynn Mogell seeking a Special Permit pursuant to Article 3, Section 3110, Change, Extensions, or Alterations, of the Zoning By-Laws to enclose an existing concrete entry stair to create more living space up and along a pre-existing, non-conforming east side yard setback on the property located at 8 Garfield Street (Residential 1 Zone). ZBA 22-58 Appli...