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The NHL's Race to the Bottom
by Sean McIndoe
With most of the offseason's major moves already made and rosters around the league largely set, it's time to start talking about which team heads into the 2014-15 season with the best chance at earning the big prize.
No, not the Stanley Cup — that's so 2013-14. This year, there's something far more important to play for: a top draft pick, and the chance to select Connor McDavid or Jack Eichel, two of the most hyped draft prospects the NHL has seen since Sidney Crosby.
To be clear, we'd certainly never suggest than an NHL team would intentionally tank for the opportunity to draft a generational franchise player. But while the league is making changes to its draft lottery format for next year, it's reportedly keeping the existing rule that prevents the last-place team from dropping any further than second, meaning that whichever team finishes 30th this year is guaranteed to get one of McDavid or Eichel.
And that makes this year's NHL basement a very valuable piece of real estate. By my count, a little more than half the teams in the league could be contenders for last place overall if everything went wrong. Of course, some of those teams are better positioned than others, so let's start with the worst of the worst.
The Top Bottom Contenders
This year's 30th slot sure feels like it's the Sabres' to lose. After all, they're the defending champs in this category, having finished at the bottom of the league last year. It wasn't even close — the Sabres were 14 points back of the 29th-place Panthers. (And remember, that was with former All-Star Ryan Miller in net for most of the season.)
This year's team doesn't figure to be much better. They made a few token improvements, trading for Josh Gorges, adding Brian Gionta, and bringing back Matt Moulson via free agency. But those improvements are partly countered by the loss of defenseman Christian Ehrhoff, who led last year's team in ice time by over two minutes a night but was bought out in June.
The Sabres still figure to be better than last year, since it would be hard to imagine them being much worse, but they should still be awful. Maybe even more important, they're absolutely fine with that. This is a team that is clearly in scorched-earth rebuild mode, and if that means a lot of losing for a few years, GM Tim Murray seems like he can live with it. This year, the race to finish dead last should be the one and only instance where the Sabres will be tough to beat.
The Flames are another team that's in rebuild mode, although they actually did try to get better this summer, and may have succeeded thanks to the signing of goaltender Jonas Hiller. On the other hand, they lost Mike Cammalleri, and they're apparently going to insist on stocking their roster with Brian Burke–style tough guys, so any improvement is likely to be minimal.
Burke may be the wild card here. In previous jobs, the Flames' president has been adamant about not having much patience for traditional, long-term rebuilds, and he's indicated that he feels the same way about Calgary. Last year's Flames were a hardworking team that outperformed just about everyone's expectations, and if Hiller can get back to the level he's played at in the past, then maybe a fast-track approach can work. A more likely scenario is that the team struggles, and the organization's patience for losing gets tested.
The Panthers finished 29th last year, then won the draft lottery to capture the top pick. They gave up more goals than any team but Edmonton, and had a worse goal differential than anyone other than Buffalo. They were bad.
But after a busy offseason that saw GM Dale Tallon spend big in free agency, they figure to be … well, "less bad" is about as far as I'm willing to go right now. Willie Mitchell and Jussi Jokinen will both help. The much-maligned Dave Bolland will, too, ridiculous contract aside. Aaron Ekblad probably won't, at least initially, because it's so difficult for 18-year-old defensemen to have an impact, but he should be great someday. Perhaps the biggest difference maker will be Roberto Luongo, who'll have a full season in Florida after last year's deadline trade that you'd already completely forgotten about.
The Panthers are bad but seem anxious to get better, which means they probably will be. That's unlikely to be enough to get them to the playoffs, but it could keep them just out of range of the Flames and Sabres.
The Hurricanes finished 24th last year, missing the playoffs by 10 points. That was enough to spur changes throughout the organization, including a new coach and GM.
What hasn't changed, at least not much, is the roster. That's bad news for Hurricane fans, since on paper they look like a team with some reasonably decent top-line talent but little in the way of depth. They've also been unable to find a taker for goaltender Cam Ward, whose injury woes, deteriorating performance, and terrible contract may have rendered him untradable.
If Ward bounces back (or Anton Khudobin wins the job outright), they should be fine — after all, even in a bad year they still finished 31 points clear of the Sabres last season. But this dashboard has plenty of warning lights blinking.
Nobody seems to expect the Predators to be any good this year. That's understandable, given that they've missed the playoffs two straight years and just fired longtime coach Barry Trotz. But they did add James Neal via trade and signed Mike Ribeiro and Derek Roy to cheap deals. And they're coming off a season that was better than you probably remember it — they had 88 points and avoided finishing in the bottom 10 — so it would take a major step back to get them into contention for the top pick.
But maybe the worst news is that they still play in the stacked Central Division, where they'll be sentenced to spending most of the season getting run over by teams like the Blues, Blackhawks, and Avs.
Like the Predators, the Jets are stuck in the seemingly hopeless Central. Unlike the Predators, they don't seem all that interested in getting better. That's led to some confusion over what exactly the front office is doing. One proposed answer: blatantly tanking the season. Which, again, NHL teams would never ever do.
Could Be in the Mix
The Senators went into last year as a trendy sleeper pick to contend, then suffered through an awful season when their goaltending cratered. On paper, they'll be even worse this year after trading captain and top-scoring forward Jason Spezza and not adding much to replace him apart from journeyman David Legwand.
The goaltending should be better, but this is still shaping up to be the toughest season the Senators have had since the epic futility of the mid-'90s. There's long been a sense of curiosity in Ottawa over how much the city's notoriously fickle sports fans would support a truly bad team. This could be the year we find out.
Coming off a 25th-place season and featuring an aging core, the Canucks seem like a strong candidate for "former contender that finally falls off a cliff and has to start all over" status. They traded Ryan Kesler and Jason Garrison over the offseason and didn't get much back in return, and their big-money free agent deal with Ryan Miller was widely panned.
But on paper, the Canucks still look like a pretty good team, and it's possible that last year was the worst-case scenario. At this point, it would be a surprise to see them scraping the bottom of the league. But it's also worth remembering that they just cleaned house and brought in new management and coaches. If the season did go bad and it started to make sense to just steer toward the iceberg and hit rock bottom, the powers that be will have the job security to do it.
Sure, the Oilers have been near the bottom of the league for years. But with excellent young talent like Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle, they have to take a step forward eventually, right?
(Oops, sorry. Accidentally cut-and-pasted my Oilers summary from 2010. Let's try again …)
Sure, the Oilers have been near the bottom of the league for years. But with excellent young talent like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, they have to take a step forward eventually, right?
(Crap, that one was from 2011. One more try.)
Sure, the Oilers have been near the bottom of the league for years. But with excellent young talent like Taylor Hall, Jordan Eberle, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Justin Schultz, and Nail Yakupov, they have to take a step forward eventually, right?
(Nope, that was from 2012. You know what, maybe the Oilers should have been in that first section after all.)
Not Unless Things Go Really Bad
The Islanders finished in the bottom five last year, which is becoming familiar territory for this traditionally awful franchise — they've been 26th or worse in five of the last six years, including a 2008-09 season that saw them finish dead last.
So why not rank them higher on this list? Because, believe it or not, they look like they could be pretty good this year. Last season was largely sidetracked by awful goaltending, and they addressed the position by acquiring Jaroslav Halak. They also added two very good forwards in Nikolai Kulemin and Mikhail Grabovski, and John Tavares will be back to full health after getting hurt at the Olympics and missing the second half.
And remember, the Islanders don't have their own first-round pick this year. (They traded it to the Sabres.) So even if all the wheels come off and the season is headed for disaster, GM Garth Snow will be highly motivated to do everything possible to avoid a last-place finish. Based on their offseason moves, it's highly unlikely it even comes to that.
The Coyotes finished last year with 89 points, and were in the playoff mix right up until the season's final days. On paper, they've got worse since then, buying out no. 1 center Mike Ribeiro and losing Radim Vrbata to free agency. They replaced some of that offense with Sam Gagner, but only some.
The Coyotes were perceived as overachievers last year, so it's not hard to imagine them taking a step or two back. In the ultracompetitive Western Conference, that could be enough to knock them into contention for a bottom-five finish. But all the way down to 30th? That seems like a stretch.
The Caps missed the playoffs last year for the first time since 2007, and the responded with an offseason that was, um, interesting. They've hit rock bottom before, spending several seasons in the basement a decade ago, but doing it again during what's left of Alex Ovechkin's prime would be tough to take. To finish 30th, they'd have to have just about everything go bad. Not "Brooks Orpik contract"–level bad, but still bad.
The Devils missed the playoffs last year, and given how old the roster is, it's tempting to predict they'll be even worse this year. After all, when your two best forwards are Jaromir Jagr (42) and Patrik Elias (38), you're just begging for performance decline and/or injury to wipe out your scoring.
But while they could certainly happen, the Devils should still be good enough to stay out of the basement. As bad as last season went, they were still an 88-point team, and that was with their ridiculous 0-13 shootout record. And with Martin Brodeur apparently done in New Jersey, the team can finally lean on the far superior Cory Schneider in net. As long as he stays healthy enough to play 60 or 65 games, they should be fine.
Yes, they did finished dead last by a wide margin just three seasons ago, but with smart management and a rebuild that's well on its way, it's hard to imagine them being in the mix this year. I'm including them here just because Blue Jacket fans will be scanning the list for them out of force of habit. Hi, Columbus fans!
The Leafs were a mess last year, and they're returning essentially the same core under the same coach and the same GM. Last season, they needed great goaltending just to stay near .500, so if Jonathan Bernier ever slumped or got hurt, things could get ugly. And just as a reminder, he's never made it through a full season as a starter.
All that said, there are a pair of two sure-thing franchise players available at the top of the draft, and this is the Toronto Maple Leafs we're talking about. There's no way they don't end up picking ninth.
Total Long Shots, But Fun to Think About
After 23 straight seasons of making the playoffs, the aging Wings seem to be on the verge of finally fading. Even so, they're 2014-15 lineup will feature too much talent to have a realistic chance at a total collapse. There's no chance. They shouldn't even be on this list.
Still … you have to admit, finally failing just long enough to grab a franchise player and then rebounding right back into contention a year later would be the most Red Wings thing ever.
The Flyers already did the whole "completely unexpected crash and burn" thing back in 2007, so there's a precedent here. And the Hockey Prospectus guys make a decent case that some curious roster moves and the specter of Steve Mason makes them vulnerable. It would be nice to see them land the no. 1 pick, just so we could see them desperately try to use it to trade for Shea Weber.
The Avalanche head into the season having replaced last year's Maple Leafs as the league's most divisive team. They're coming off a 112-point season and are stacked with young talent, yet all the numbers seem to point to impending doom.
It still seems like the absolute worst-case scenario here would be narrowly missing the playoffs, unless Patrick Roy starts pulling Semyon Varlamov for the extra attacker right after the opening faceoff every night and everyone is too afraid of him to say anything about. So, let's call it a 20 percent chance.
(And yes, we left out a dozen teams off the list entirely, on the assumption that they had absolutely, positively zero chance of finishing last under any circumstances. I'll just offer my apologies in advance to one of those teams for dooming them. Looking at you, Wild fans.)
Filed Under: NHL, Buffalo Sabres, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers, Carolina Hurricanes, Nashville Predators, Winnipeg Jets, Ottawa Senators, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, New York Islanders, Arizona Coyotes, Washington Capitals, New Jersey Devils, Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings, Philadelphia Flyers, Colorado Avalanche
Sean McIndoe 's work can be found at Down Goes Brown. When he's not writing, he makes hockey jokes on Twitter at @downgoesbrown.
Archive @ DownGoesBrown
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Jean Longtin ( Never Nudes - Budweiser )
# 93 Jean Longtin
Whether it's on the ice or in the locker room no Banana is safe around Mr. Banana Grabber. Sure he bruises easy but given the chance he can split the defense and slip one in.
2015 Vandals Div 6 8 1 1 2 0 0 3
2014/15 Vandals Div 6 14 3 1 4 1 0 9
2014 Vandelay Industries Div 7 11 0 1 1 0 0 12
2013/14 The Never Nudes Labatts 19 1 0 1 1 0 15
2013 Never Nudes Budweiser 13 0 2 2 0 0 9
2012/2013 Never Nudes Budweiser 19 2 5 7 0 0 15
2011/2012 Mega Man Star Force Export 15 0 1 1 0 0 18
2011 Mega Man Star Force Lakeport 14 2 2 4 0 0 21
2010/2011 Shockers Lakeport 20 4 3 7 0 0 0
TOTALS: 144 16 17 33 4 0 108
The Never Nudes Labatts 5 0 2 2 0 0 9
2014 Vandelay Industries Div 7 5 0 2 2 0 0 0
2013 Never Nudes Budweiser 3 0 0 0 0 0 0
2012 Mega Man Star Force Export 4 1 0 1 1 0 0
2011 Mega Man Star Force Lakeport 2 2 4 6 0 0 3
2011 Shockers Lakeport 5 1 1 2 0 0 0
TOTALS: 35 4 11 15 1 0 15
2014/2015 Vandals Div 5 4 0 1 1 0 0 0
09/24/12 Never Nudes at Mag 7 4-10 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/02/12 Never Nudes vs Bi-Polar Bears 4-2 W 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
10/14/12 Never Nudes vs Perley Rideau Militia 6-5 W 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
10/22/12 Never Nudes vs 11 Guys One Cup 0-2 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
10/28/12 Never Nudes at Gordon Bombays 5-7 L 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
11/05/12 Never Nudes vs Sheepskates 0-3 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11/13/12 Never Nudes at Bi-Polar Bears 3-5 L 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
11/19/12 Never Nudes at Ice Dawgz 6-5 W 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
11/28/12 Never Nudes at Autobots 5-2 W 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
12/06/12 Never Nudes vs Gordon Bombays 6-4 W 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
12/13/12 Never Nudes at Sheepskates 2-4 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
01/02/13 Never Nudes vs Bi-Polar Bears 2-4 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
01/10/13 Never Nudes at Bi-Polar Bears 9-3 W 0 1 1 0 0 0 0
01/20/13 Never Nudes vs Autobots 3-4 OTL 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
01/27/13 Never Nudes at Gordon Bombays 7-4 W 0 0 0 3 0 0 0
02/03/13 Never Nudes vs Ice Dawgz 3-5 L 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
02/11/13 Never Nudes at Bi-Polar Bears 7-8 OTL 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
02/19/13 Never Nudes at Ice Dawgz 2-5 L 0 1 1 3 0 0 0

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Rescuing whales 'high-risk' work government doesn't want to do, DFO email shows
New Brunswick·Deep Trouble
Whale rescuers are in limbo, as they wait for the completion of a five-month-old Transport Canada investigation into Joe Howlett's death while disentangling an endangered whale.
As whale rescuers wait for more direction from the federal government, an at-risk species continues to decline
Karissa Donkin · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2017 6:00 AM AT | Last Updated: December 12, 2017
Right whales have been dying in high numbers, and reproducing in extremely low numbers since 2010. (Lisa Conger/Northeast Fisheries Science Center under NOAA Permit #17355)
Months before Joe Howlett died rescuing a right whale from a Department of Fisheries and Oceans boat, a government official described disentanglement as expensive and "high-risk" work it doesn't have any intention of doing itself, according to documents obtained by CBC News.
Whale rescuers are in limbo, as they wait for the completion of a five-month-old Transport Canada investigation into Howlett's July death. Transport Canada declined an interview for this story.
Howlett, a co-founder of the Campobello Whale Rescue Team based in New Brunswick, had cut fishing lines wrapped around an endangered male right whale when he died on July 10, struck by the whale's tail. He was on a Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) boat at the time.
No more disentangling right whales
In the wake of his death, DFO imposed a wide ban on North Atlantic right whale disentanglements.
At stake is the future of the North Atlantic right whale, a species that continues to be decimated by human activity.
At least two right whales were seen to be entangled in the months since his death and non-profit whale rescuers have been powerless to help.
DEEP TROUBLE: The story of whale rescuer Joe Howlett's death
'Deflated' carcass declared 17th North Atlantic right whale to die this year
Earlier this month, the decomposed carcass of a North Atlantic right whale was found on a beach on Nantucket, the 17th such discovery this year.
The endangered species has lost an estimated four per cent of its population this year.
Only about 450 North Atlantic right whales are left. An untold number of those creatures are living with scars from fishing gear.
'We're doing their mandate for them'
Wayne Ledwell, who runs Whale Release and Strandings in Newfoundland and Labrador, wants more input into the future of his craft. (CBC)
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for protecting at-risk species, including several types of whales.
But the federal government has relied on non-profit whale rescue groups, like Howlett's Campobello Whale Rescue Team, to disentangle whales.
DFO officers are only trained to "support an expert disentangler, but not to lead the response," according to a December 2016 email sent by Jeanette LaPointe, a senior program officer within the department. CBC News obtained the document through Access to Information.
"Leading disentanglement response is a high-risk, time- and resource-intensive activity, which requires specialized training and knowledge to safely execute," LaPointe wrote in the email, addressed to several other department officials.
The disentanglers agree they're the experts. But they want more funding and input into the future of their craft.
"We're doing their mandate for them," said Wayne Ledwell, who runs Whale Release and Strandings, based out of Newfoundland and Labrador.
"In many cases, [DFO] can't do it. If you can't do it, then you should provide funding to the groups that can do it."
Charles 'Stormy' Mayo, a North Atlantic right whale researcher at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Mass., was instrumental in developing the technique to save whales. (CBC)
After Howlett's death, the federal government considered revoking permits for all whale rescue groups, the documents show.
"Given the safety issues, senior managers want to think about how to manage for human safety," Julie Stewart, director of the federal government's Species at Risk Program, wrote in an email four days after Howlett's death.
It's a "conundrum," she wrote, as she appealed to other government employees for advice.
Here's how the species came to be in such deep trouble. 2:57Kristina Makkay, a DFO senior policy adviser, responded, outlining the pros and cons of stopping people from disentangling whales.
"Pros:
No more human lives are lost.
The department is seen as taking care of its people.
Reduces risk to department of lawsuits related to the dangers of disentanglement."
But, Makkay continued, if the department revokes the permits, more whales could die, and that could put more pressure on government "to come up with stronger preventative actions."
"It all comes down to whether Canadians believe that whales are people too, and saving them should be of a similar priority," she wrote.
The department couldn't find a section of the Fisheries Act that would allow it to revoke a disentanglement permit "for health and safety reasons."
Instead, it imposed new restrictions on rescuers, including a wide ban on North Atlantic right whale disentanglements.
'A dangerous undertaking'
Joe Howlett flashes a peace sign. The elation of saving another life drove him to do right whale rescues, fellow volunteers say. (Canadian Whale Institute/New England Aquarium)
According to Charles "Stormy" Mayo, a scientist who developed leading whale disentanglement techniques, the solution lies in having well-trained people.
DEEP TROUBLE: Right whale rescuers wary in wake of death, anxious for work to resume
Howlett was well trained, Mayo said, but the task will always come with some risk.
"We've all known that it is a dangerous undertaking," said Mayo, who is the director of the North Atlantic Right Whale ecology program at the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Mass.
"If you go to sea, and you don't even go near a whale, there are people — good fishermen who know their way — and who die at sea. It's a dangerous place."
Still, he hopes the Canadian government sees whale rescues as an important wildlife issue.
Whatever the federal government comes up with, it won't have come from Ledwell, who has been disentangling whales for more than three decades. He said no one has asked him for his input into the future of whale rescue.
"That was unbelievable, actually, that nobody came here," Ledwell said.
"It's not an ego thing. But nobody came here and said, 'What do you think of this? What do you think happened here? Where should we go next with this?'"
The impact of a pause
Mayport, a calving female, was spotted entangled in fishing gear this summer. No one was allowed to rescue her. (Laura Ganley/Center for Coastal Studies under NOAA permit #14603)
Howlett's team members have said he would have wanted whale rescues to continue, despite what happened to him.
Since North Atlantic right whale rescues were paused, two have been spotted tangled in fishing gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Mayport, seven years old, was last spotted on July 19 entangled in snow crab gear, with a buoy line lodged in her mouth. A calving female, she was one of the whales who is crucial to keeping the species alive.
A second whale was spotted entangled in heavy fishing line on Aug. 28. It was identified as whale No. 3245, a 15-year-old male.
"The whale was essentially hogtied, with line through its mouth, leading to wraps of the peduncle," a report from the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium says. The peduncle is the lower body and base of the whale's tale.
No one was allowed to rescue either whale. They haven't been seen since.
CBC New Brunswick produced a six-episode podcast on the deadly summer for North Atlantic right whales. You can find it on the CBC Podcasts page or search for Deep Trouble on iTunes.
PODCAST: Deep Trouble: the North Atlantic right whale in peril
Deep Trouble: the North Atlantic right whale in peril
The story of whale rescuer Joe Howlett's death
Right whale rescuers wary in wake of death, anxious for work to resume
Uncertain future of the North Atlantic right whale linked to its tiny prey
Disappearance of right whales from winter breeding grounds a mystery for scientists
7 right whales entangled this summer, new data shows
Right whales could be 20 years away from certain extinction, scientists say


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Home Club Ashley Jackson gets better with age, says HGC's Paul van Ass
Ashley Jackson gets better with age, says HGC's Paul van Ass
Putting something back: Ashley Jackson tutors the youngsters
The accolades continue for Ashley Jackson as the Englishman kept himself on top of the Hoofdklasse leading scorer table at the weekend.
The HGC player, who moved to Holland on a two-year contract in the summer, has been on blistering form for his club under the auspices of coach Paul van Ass.
"I do notice that he has become older, he might even be better than before. He plays more in the service of the team, his connecting factor is greater than before," Van Ass told hockey.nl at the weekend.
"I want to see beautiful things on the field. Ashley, like me, is a hockey enthusiast. He is a player like Hakim Ziyech at Ajax. He suddenly sees holes. He is waiting for passages inside. His aptitude is insanely good. He reads the contest.
"With the English national team everything is always very structured. That's not for Ashley."
While his form for his club remains free spirited it is his country future which remains of interest.
His goal feats in the world's best league have come at a time when GB and England men's coach Danny Kerry admitted to The Hockey Paper and the BBC in recent weeks that Jackson is not out of his thoughts as attentions turn to a potential u-turn on his international career.
Jackson has linked up brilliantly with the likes of Seve van Ass, Kenta Tanaka and Tanguy Cosyns in the HGC this season.
For now, Jackson is happily based in Wassenaar with his wife, having used Australian player and "fitness king" Nick Budgeon as a personal trainer in preparation for the season.
"Paul sold me on the dream," said Jackson. "So far everything is going to plan.
"At the moment I'm enjoying what I'm doing. I've got no plans to go back to the national team immediately.
"They run a full-time programme and I'm happy here. Who knows what the future holds."
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HomeNewsSportsFlorida State UniversityFSU's Ramsey, Smith Named ACC Players of the Week (Plus Game Highlights)
FSU's Ramsey, Smith Named ACC Players of the Week (Plus Game Highlights)
September 21, 2015 Staff Reports Florida State University, Sports 0
The Seminole defenders combine for 11 tackles in leading FSU to a road shutout at Boston College.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State's Terrance Smith and Jalen Ramsey were named Players of the Week by the Atlantic Coast Conference after leading the Seminoles to a 14-0 victory at Boston College in the league opener for both schools this past Friday.
After a 3-0 start, the Seminoles will enjoy a bye week before returning to action on Saturday, October 3 at Wake Forest. Game time is set for 3:30 p.m. Listen to the game anywhere in Southwest Georgia on Live 101.9 FM!
Smith and Ramsey paced a Seminole defense that held the Eagles under 200 yards of total offense en route to FSU's first road shutout since 2003. Florida State forced four three and outs in the game, while only two of BC's 12 possessions entered Seminole territory. The closest Boston College got to the end zone was reaching the Florida State 39-yard line.
It marks the third time in their careers that both Smith and Ramsey have been named ACC Players of the Week.
LINEBACKER:
Terrance Smith, Florida State, R-Sr., LB, 6-4, 230, Decatur, Ga.
Smith had five tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and forced a fumble in the fourth quarter on the game's biggest play. Smith forced the ball free from BC's Jon Hilliman and Ramsey was there for the scoop and score to give the Seminoles breathing room in what had been a 7-0 game. Smith spearheaded a defensive effort that allowed Boston College just 195 yards of total offense as it marked the first time the Eagles had been shut out since 2010.
DEFENSIVE BACK:
Jalen Ramsey, Florida State, Jr., CB, 6-1, 222, Smyrna, Tenn.
Ramsey earns ACC Defensive Back of the Week honors for the second consecutive week. The junior cornerback continued to solidify himself as one of the nation's top defensive players, leading the charge in FSU's 14-0 victory at Boston College. Ramsey scored on a 36-yard fumble recovery in the fourth quarter with the Noles clinging to a 7-0 lead and had six tackles, including five solo stops. Ramsey led a pass defense that allowed only five completions on 15 attempts for 56 yards. Ramsey contributed to the Seminoles' lone interception on the night by blanketing his receiver and enabling safety Lamarcus Brutus to make the pick.
For his performance, Ramsey has also been nominated as a Lott IMPACT Player of the Week candidate. Fans can vote for Ramsey as the Lott IMPACT Player of the Week at the following link:http://www.lottimpacttrophy.org/vote
Terrance Smith
New Bainbridge firefighters training hard
Dispose of prescription drugs safely with National Drug Take-Back Day this Saturday
Southern Football Report: Bowl Preview Part 1
December 15, 2015 Bradley Warren News, Opinions, Sports 0
It's the most wonderful time of the year but also the most bittersweet time of the year for diehard college football fans like me. Beginning on Thursday, December 19th there is a football game (college […]
SPORTS: FSU, UGA Agree to Home and Home Series
April 2, 2019 Dustin Dowdy Featured Posts, Flint Media, Florida State University, Sports, University of Georgia 0
Seminoles Sign Home-And-Home With Georgia FSU will host the Bulldogs to open the 2027 season with a trip to Athens set for 2028 TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Florida State and Georgia have agreed to a home-and-home series to […]
Southern Football Report Stadium Countdown: #7 Doak Campbell Stadium
August 20, 2015 Bradley Warren Florida State University, News, Opinions, Sports 0
Bobby Bowden Field at Doak Campbell Stadium Built – 1950 Capacity – 82,300 Record Capacity – 84,409 'The House that Bobby Built' fit snuggly on the south side of the Florida State University campus is […]


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Kansas Speedway Adds a Helping Hand to Tornado Victims in Joplin, Reading
By Chip Rouse May 24, 2011, 10:53am CDT
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Kansas Speedway is joining the numerous public and private initiatives to assist relief efforts in Joplin, Mo., and Reading, Kan., following devastating destruction from tornadoes and violent storms over the weekend.
Speedway officials on Monday announced a special program that will allow auto racing fans to drive their personal vehicles around the track in western Wyandotte County for a donation to the American Red Cross of either $25 or $50.
At times like this, it is important for everyone to come together and help out, said Kansas Speedway president Pat Warren. "We have several ticket holders in each of these devastated areas, and we wanted to make sure they know that they, along with the rest of their communities, are not forgotten during times like this," he said.
For a donation of $25, fans will be permitted to drive around the Kansas Speedway between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. on June 24. Fans who make a $50 donation will get to drive around the track at night, from 6:30-10 p.m. on June 18, as part of the first night event at the Speedway.
Kansas Speedway officials say cash and check donations will be accepted during the upcoming June 4-5 NASCAR race weekend. Fans who make a donation will receive a voucher redeemable for the date that matches the level of their donation.
The project applies only to vehicles that are legal to drive on the street and equipped with seatbelts for all passengers. Tractor trailers, RVs and motorcycles are excluded.


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Stacy Haiduk can currently be seen on the long-running daytime drama Days of Our Lives weekdays on NBC as Kristen DiMera. Her new movie Home is Where the Killer Is premiered on Netflix in October, 2019.
In 2017, she was nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category for her portrayal of Patty Williams on The Young and The Restless.
In recent years, Stacy had memorable recurring roles on True Blood, Cho:sen, Twisted, Heroes, and Prison Break. She had guest starring roles on Longmire, Hawaii Five-0, The Mentalist, NCIS, CSI, CSI: Miami, Burn Notice, and The X-Files.
A native of Grand Rapids, Michigan, Stacy studied dance from an early age and moved to New York City in to work theater productions and dance in music videos. She appeared in music videos for the late Laura Branigan and country group Sawyer Brown. Her work in commercials led to work on NBC's daytime drama Another World and she has worked in television, movies, video games, and in online media since.
Stacy Haiduk is internationally known as Lana Lang in the series Superboy, portrayed Lt. Katie Hitchcock on Seaquest DSV, then the seductive Lilly Langtry on the cult favorite show, Kindred: The Embrace.
She is the voice of Akaavi Spar in the massively multiplayer online game Star Wars: The Old Republic and of Dr. Aline Maera in the video game Mirror's Edge: Catalyst.
Stacy resides in California and is married to actor, director, and author Bradford Tatum.


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What Is the Keto Diet and How Does It Work? Here's the Ultimate Keto Guide for Beginners (Including Exactly How to Get Started)
It's one of the most popular diets for weight loss, so here's everything you need to know about it.
Christin Perry
Parade.com has an extensive editorial partnership with Cleveland Clinic, consistently named as one of the nation's best hospitals in U.S. News & World Report's annual "America's Best Hospitals" survey. Click here to learn more about our health reporting policies.
Looking for a new diet to kickstart serious weight loss? The keto diet is probably on your list of eating plans to consider. One of the most popular diet plans of all time, the keto diet promises rapid weight loss by turning fat into energy (and let's face it—who doesn't want more energy while dropping pounds?) Other benefits of the keto diet include clearer skin, better heart health, and lower cancer risk, to name a few.
If this sounds like the #dietwin you've been looking for, you've come to the right place to learn all about it. Here, we'll go into more detail about what is the ketogenic diet, how it works, and what you can—and can't—eat if you follow the keto diet, and potential side effects. And before you ask, yes, we've even included some keto recipes for you to try, including desserts! Consider this the keto diet for beginners, because we're here to answer every single one of your questions, from the benefits of the keto diet to the risks, what you can eat, and more.
What Is the Ketogenic Diet?
The ketogenic diet is similar to the ever-popular South Beach diet of long ago. It's a high-fat, low-carb plan that is meant to put your body into a state of ketosis in order to burn more fat faster. What is ketosis? It's what occurs when your body doesn't have enough glucose to burn for energy, so it begins to burn fat instead, resulting in a build-up of ketones in the body. In most cases, people get enough glucose through sugar or starch (i.e. carbs). But the keto diet excludes those foods, which depletes the body's glucose stores and forces it to burn fat for energy.
Related: Whole30 vs. Keto Face-Off—Which Low-Carb Diet Is Better for Losing Weight?
What Are the Benefits Of a Ketogenic Diet?
Following a ketogenic eating pattern allows you to sustain energy, mood, and cognitive focus without relying upon regular meals for energy, asserts ancestral health movement leader Mark Sisson, author of the book Keto for Life. What's more, he says, "fat and ketones burn more cleanly in the body, delivering a host of health and disease protection benefits."
When your body burns fat for energy, like it does on the keto diet, one of the biggest benefits you'll experience is weight loss, especially at first as your body enters a state of ketosis. But if you're able to carefully plan and execute your keto diet plan, you'll enjoy other benefits, too. Dr. Josh Axe, creator of DrAxe.com, co-founder of the company Ancient Nutrition and author of Keto Diet, Keto Diet Cookbook and the upcoming Collagen Diet brings us a few below.
No more counting calories
Because the keto diet is chock full of healthy fats and proteins, you'll feel fuller, longer.
More energy
According to the Perfect Keto website, "you'll enjoy a constant, steady stream of keto energy instead of dips throughout the day because you're not spiking your blood sugar levels."
Enhanced mental clarity
Ketones supply your brain, muscles and organs with a steady source of energy, says Dr. Axe. This can also lead to enhanced focus, attention, memory and potentially problem-solving and learning capacity.
Brain protection
The diet offers protection against a broad range of neurodegenerative disorders, Dr. Axe says, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, traumatic brain injury and stroke.
Healthy blood sugar levels
According to Dr. Axe, very low-carbohydrate, high-fat diets are safe and effective when it comes to reducing blood sugar fluctuations and insulin resistance in diabetic and prediabetic adults.
Is the Keto Diet Safe? Are There Side Effects?
Like anything that sounds too good to be true, there are some drawbacks to the keto diet, ranging from temporary annoyances to dangerous conditions. When you first transition to the keto diet, you can expect symptoms like excessive fatigue, dehydration, dizziness, weakness, decreased concentration, sweats and cold-like symptoms, says Emily Tills, a registered dietitian. "That's because the body is almost going into a starvation-like state."
This is often known as the keto flu.
More seriously, the keto diet can cause increases in cholesterol levels, so it's definitely not a good option for anyone with existing high cholesterol. "If you have a history of heart disease or heart attack, I would strongly encourage you to find another change to make with your food, rather than adding in more fat," Tills advises.
And Lisa Richards, author of The Candida Diet, agrees: "Anyone with kidney disease, pregnant, nursing, diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, or anyone who has had their gallbladder removed should not follow keto. Fluctuations in chemicals and hormones can exacerbate these conditions," she says.
Related: If You're One of These 6 Types of People, the Keto Diet May Be Bad for You
Finally, it's important to understand that following the keto diet without proper guidance and careful planning can lead to a life-threatening condition called ketoacidosis. That's when the body produces dangerous levels of ketones, which can cause your blood to become acidic. It can lead to kidney failure, coma and even death if left untreated. So it's important to seek the guidance of a dietician if you're unsure.
What Are the Different Types of Ketogenic Diets?
Admittedly, the keto diet can be a bit difficult to follow in the long run. That's mostly thanks to how different it is than the diet that most Americans are used to. As a result, there are several different types of ketogenic diets you can choose from, ranging from super restrictive to somewhat forgiving. Dr. Axe breaks down the different types of keto diets below:
Clean keto diet
Focuses on minimally-processed whole-foods, including plenty of healthy fats/oils, quality meats/protein in moderation, and lots of non-starchy vegetables, herbs, spices bone broth and probiotic foods.
Keto-cycling or carb-cycling
Involves eating very low-carb most days of the week, but intentionally increasing carb intake 1-2 days per week in order to replenish glycogen stores and prevent side effects like fatigue.
Modified keto diet
Includes a bit more protein and carbs than a traditional keto diet, allowing for more flexibility and food variety. One drawback is that it may not be easy to stay in ketosis while following a modified plan, however some feel it's a healthy and sustainable way to eat long-term.
Ketotarian diet
This is a keto diet with a mostly plant-based or pescatarian twist. It's a great fit for people who want to experience the benefits of keto but still want to eat a largely plant-based diet.
Eco-keto diet
"Eco-Keto" is a catchy way of describing an eco-friendly, ketogenic diet. Most people interpret eco-keto as being totally plant-based, aka a vegan keto diet.
Find out how you can combine intermittent fasting and keto.
How Do You Know You're In Ketosis?
The best way is to test yourself either through urine tests, a breath test or a blood test, says Whitney Lauritsen, co-author of The Vegan Ketogenic Diet Cookbook. "In the book we talk about the different pros and cons. So the urine test can measure your level. You pee on it. It's very affordable. It gives you quick results. You can buy them online, but it's not the most reliable test," she says. "A breath test you can buy a device online and that can measure the byproducts of ketones in your breath. But it can be really pricey and it's not always the most accurate. The most accurate thing to do is to do a blood test. And you can actually do this at the doctor. You can get a device for this so you can buy online. But not everybody wants to test their blood every day cause it's uncomfortable, but it is the most accurate way to test it. So it depends on how important that is to you."
What Are the Best Foods For a Keto Diet Plan?
The best keto foods are those that are low in carbs and high in fat and protein. But that doesn't give you carte blanche to tear through a whole sleeve of Oreos. Dr. Axe says, "A 'clean' keto approach is a ketogenic diet that focuses on whole foods, including plenty of healthy fats/oils, quality meats/protein in moderation, and lots of non-starchy vegetables." A few simple steps can make your kitchen keto-friendly before you start the diet.
Fats and oils
Olive oil, coconut oil, grass-fed butter and avocado oil
Grass-fed meat, pasture-raised poultry, cage-free eggs, all types of wild-caught fish and seafood
Butter, heavy cream, sour cream, organic cheese, full-fat/unsweetened yogurt, kefir, milk.
Broccoli, cauliflower, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and other cruciferous veggies, all types of leafy greens, asparagus, cucumber, celery, mushrooms, bell peppers, zucchini, tomatoes and carrots
Almonds, walnuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pistachios, chestnuts, pumpkin seeds, nut butters and seed butters, chia seeds and flaxseeds
Need more ideas? Here's a comprehensive keto diet food list with 150+ foods.
What Foods Should You Avoid On a Keto Diet?
Hot topic alert! There's quite a bit of debate when it comes to foods to avoid on a keto diet. That's because many followers struggle with the restrictive nature of the diet, so they sometimes turn to processed food that's technically "allowed" since it's high in fat but low in carbs. Other followers, like Sisson, vehemently oppose this practice, insisting that it misses the entire point of the keto diet.
"The Internet buzz about 'dirty keto' is a great example of how NOT to do keto. Blending diet orange soda, heavy cream and ice into a slushy might be zero carb, but it offers little nutritional value and will not necessarily support internal ketone production. The prevalence of processed and packaged snacks labeled keto is pause for reflection, as we should better emphasize whole foods as close to their original state as possible," he says.
Other foods to avoid on the keto diet include fruit of all types except berries, all types of sugar, including honey, agave, and cane sugar, foods made with grains or grain flour, all products containing corn, and snack/junk foods.
Here's a round-up of keto sweeteners to help you out.
What Are Some Keto Diet Recipes?
Yes, the keto diet is restrictive. Yes, the list of food you can't eat is extensive. But, we're here to tell you that it can be done. After all, we'll sign up for any diet that successfully hides cauliflower in mac and cheese! We've listed some of our favorite keto dinner recipes below, as proof that you can enjoy delectable food while following the keto diet.
Cauliflower mac and cheese—Easy, cheesy and simply delicious, cauliflower mac and cheese is one of the most popular keto recipes out there. Sign us up!
Buffalo shrimp lettuce taco wraps—You won't miss the carbs in this clever lettuce wrap, with buffalo-flavored shrimp and all the toppings you could ever want.
Citrus marinated grilled chicken—Citrus has a way of adding an abundance of juicy flavor to meat, which is why this citrus marinated grilled chicken is one of the best keto recipes in our opinion.
Related: 14 Tips To Eat Keto On A Budget
What Are the Best Keto Diet Breakfasts?
Start your day off right the keto way with a few of our recommendations for the best keto diet breakfasts.
Low-carb breakfast casserole—Cheese, bacon and mushrooms combine for a perfectly delicious and filling keto-approved breakfast casserole.
Keto almond flour pancakes—Bet you didn't know you can still enjoy this breakfast classic on the keto diet, but you can! Here, almond flour is the perfect substitute for unhealthy enriched flour.
Keto pumpkin muffins—Whether you're welcoming fall or just a huge fan of muffins (and who's not?) we love these keto-approved pumpkin muffins that whip up in a jiffy!
What Are the Best Keto Diet Snacks?
It's hard enough to follow a diet plan, but when the munchies hit? All bets are off! That's why we've included some of our favorite keto snacks for you to browse through, hopefully before snack time rolls around. With just a bit of advance planning, you can keep one of these delectable goodies at your fingertips to snack on between meals.
Low-carb, keto protein cookie dough bites—These yummy treats are held together with collagen, which benefits hair, nails and joints. We'll call this a double win.
Heavenly cream cheese dark chocolate keto fudge—Perfect for a holiday gathering or an office party, no one will guess these sneaky treats are keto-friendly.
Pickle roll ups—We can't think of a better snack than pickles, and good news—they're keto-approved! These rollups feature corned beef and cream cheese wrapped around a pickle for the perfect pick-me-up.
What Are the Best Keto Diet Desserts?
Diets that cut out all the yummy food simply aren't sustainable. After all, sometimes you deserve a sweet reward! Check out our short list of some of the best keto diet desserts we've seen.
Chocolate keto pie—There are no two ways about it: this pie looks simply amazing. With a stunning presentation and even better taste, it's the perfect choice for a holiday gathering or simply to enjoy on your own.
Chocolate peanut butter cheesecake—Here's another of our favorite keto-approved desserts that you won't be able to get enough of. This peanut butter cheesecake will melt in your mouth, and it's guilt-free, too!
Keto blueberry cobbler—This keto-friendly blueberry cobbler is the perfect choice for a simple, mid-week dessert. Almond flour keeps the crust in line with keto guidelines, and is the perfect backdrop for delicious, juicy berries.
Find out what celebs and influencers who have tried the keto diet have to say about the process with these keto quotes.
Mark Sisson, author of the book Keto for Life
Whitney Lauritsen, co-author of The Vegan Ketogenic Diet Cookbook.
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Series: Reliving Agent Orange
ProPublica Files Lawsuit Seeking Agent Orange Documents From the VA
The suit claims the VA failed to promptly process a FOIA request for correspondence with a consultant about the defoliant used during the Vietnam War.
by Charles Ornstein
Dec. 20, 2016, 11:15 a.m. EST
ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot are exploring the effects of the chemical mixture Agent Orange on Vietnam veterans and their families, as well as their fight for benefits.
ProPublica has sued the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, claiming the agency failed to promptly process a request for correspondence with a consultant about Agent Orange, a toxic defoliant used during the Vietnam War.
The lawsuit, filed late Friday in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., alleges that the delays violated the Freedom of Information Act, a 50-year-old law whose mission is to provide the public with information about government operations.
ProPublica submitted a FOIA request in May, requesting correspondence between various VA officials and scientist Alvin Young, who has guided the stance of the military and VA on Agent Orange and whether it has harmed service members. The request also sought internal correspondence about any contracts awarded to Young or his consulting firm.
To date, the VA has not provided any of the requested documents.
"We always try, as we did in this case, to resolve records issues without filing a lawsuit." said Stephen Engelberg, ProPublica's editor in chief. "The documents that relate to Dr. Young's government-paid work are exactly the sort of material the Freedom of Information Act covers. We look forward to reporting on their contents as soon as possible."
In a statement, the VA said it has not formally received the lawsuit and does not comment on pending litigation. It also said, "VA strives to process FOIAs on a first-in, first-out basis. Generally, requests are placed on one of two tracks: simple or complex. Complex requests, by definition are more laborious and may require more time to process."
Young has been a staunch defender of Agent Orange, saying that few veterans were exposed to the herbicide, which contained the chemical dioxin. Some vets, he wrote in a 2011 email, were simply "freeloaders," making up ailments to "cash in" on the VA's compensation system. (The email was to a veteran who had been corresponding with Young and subsequently shared it with others.)
Over the years, the VA has repeatedly cited Young's work to deny disability compensation to vets. Young's critics, including other scientists, say that his research has been compromised by inaccuracies, inconsistencies or omissions of key facts. Some of Young's work has been funded by Monsanto Co. and Dow Chemical Co., the makers of Agent Orange, and he served as an expert for the chemical companies in 2004 when Vietnam vets sued them.
ProPublica and The Virginian-Pilot wrote about Young's role in the VA's handling of Agent Orange claims in October. In the story, he defended his consulting work and his research. He said there's no conclusive evidence showing Agent Orange directly caused any health problems. He also said he believes most sick vets are suffering from the effects of old age, or perhaps war itself, rather than Agent Orange.
The article was part of a series of articles about Agent Orange's lasting effects more than four decades after the Vietnam War ended.
In its May FOIA request, ProPublica asked the VA to expedite its handling of the request and waive all fees. While those requests were granted, different offices within the VA have cited various reasons, including computer issues and a backlog of requests, for not producing any records.
"The VA has stonewalled and failed to disclose them," said the lawsuit, filed on ProPublica's behalf by attorney Seth Watkins of the law firm Adduci, Mastriani & Schaumberg, in Washington, D.C.
The lawsuit seeks an order compelling the VA to produce the records and pay its attorney's fees.
Charles Ornstein
Charles Ornstein oversees the Local Reporting Network, as well as ProPublica offices in the Midwest, the South, the Southwest and a unit operated with The Texas Tribune.
@charlesornstein


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Women Speakers Underrepresented at Medical Conferences but Numbers on Rise
Ryan Apr.17.2019 Mental Health 0
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/PsychiatricNewsAlert/~3/1reBqENzPlw/women-speakers-underrepresented-at.html
The proportion of women speakers at medical conferences increased between 2007 and 2017 but continues to be well below 50%, reflecting continued underrepresentation of women in medicine generally, according to an analysis in JAMA Network Open.
"[T]he perceived gender gap in speakers at physician conferences likely represents the overall gender gap in academic medicine rather than a bias specific to conferences," wrote Shannon M. Ruzycki, M.D., of the University of Calgary and colleagues.
Ruzycki and colleagues analyzed meeting programs and faculty lists of medical and surgical meetings in 2007 and from 2013 through 2017. Each list of names was analyzed using a validated web-based tool that can identify names in a text-based document and predict whether the first name belongs to a woman. The proportion of women speakers was compared with the average proportion of practicing physicians in the United States and in Canada.
There were 701 meeting programs available for analysis. Of those, 82 meetings (12%) had more than 50% women speakers. In addition, the average proportion of conference speakers who were women significantly increased from 2007 to 2017—24.6% to 34.1%.
The mean proportion of women physicians practicing in the United States and Canada saw a similar increase, from 26.1% in 2007 to 32.4% in 2015 (the last year for which data on the sex of practicing physicians were available, according to the study authors).
Ruzycki and colleagues noted that the presence of women role models in careers dominated by men can increase the engagement of young women.
"Exposure to female speakers at medical conferences may be a means of encouraging female medical students and residents to choose specialties that have historically been male dominated," they wrote. "Strategies to promote inclusivity of female speakers at academic conferences may therefore represent an important opportunity to influence gender equity within medicine."
For related information, see the Psychiatric News article "Panel Discusses Obstacles Facing Women in Medicine."
(Image: iStock/piranka)
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Homepage > Who We Are
Meet the BCW Sport team
Lars Haue-Pedersen, Managing Director
Lars leads the BCW Sports practice. With over twenty years of experience in the international sports world, Lars has distinguished himself as a master strategist and specialist in sports management and international sports events bids. He has a proven track record of success with bidding teams, including Los Angeles' bid for 2028 Olympic Games, Doha's bid for the IAAF World Championships in 2019, and Poland and Ukraine's UEFA EURO 2012 bid. Furthermore, he advises key sport leaders in achieving their goals, and those of their sport.
Lars is a graduate of Odense University (DK) and has an Executive Education at Harvard Business School. He is also a lecturer on sports events/bidding strategies at several universities across Europe.
Greg Curchod, Director
Greg is a director at the BCW Sports practice, he is a specialist in international sporting events. He has proven himself by leading several bid committees to success. Among them, Lausanne for the IOC Winter Youth Olympic Games, Doha for the IAAF World Championships in 2019 and Poland and Ukraine for UEFA EURO 2012.
Greg holds a degree in International Hospitality (Lausanne, SUI) and executive training at Harvard Business School. He is also a lecturer on the organisation of sporting events in various academic institutions. He is fluent in French and English.
Tanya Heimlich-Ng Yuen, Director
Tanya is a Director of the BCW Sports practice. In this role, she works with a broad range of international clients in developing and implementing international sports communications & PR campaigns and event bidding strategies. Tanya has led several bidding teams and individuals to success, including the LA 2028 Summer Olympic Games, China 2019 FIBA Basketball World Championships, the Pan-American Games in Lima 2019 and Denmark and Germany's bid for the IHF World Men's Handball Championship 2019.
Tanya has a Master in International Sports Management and a Diploma in Advocacy and International Relations from the Graduate Institute of Geneva.
Dale Neuburger, Director (North America)
As Director of BCW sports practice - North America - based in Indianapolis, Dale brings thirty years of professional experience in soliciting and managing major sporting events as well as experience as an administrator of highly successful sport-related organizations. As a consultant since 2005, his clients have included important cities like Phoenix, Pittsburgh, and Columbus, as well as significant organizations like the United States Olympic Committee (including 22 of its NGBs) and the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Mr. Neuburger has broad experience in international sports, currently serving as Vice President of FINA (International Federation for swimming), and formerly serving as Assistant Chef de Mission for the US Olympic delegation in Athens. He was President of Indiana Sports Corporation for 12 years, helping Indianapolis to host more than 200 events that created $2 billion in incremental economic development. Mr. Neuburger also led the successful $50 million fundraising effort to relocate the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) to Indianapolis.
Héloise Signe, Senior Consultant
As a senior consultant, Heloise works closely with several cities from around the world on event strategy development and evaluation; including the Dubai Sports Council (DSC), the city of Lausanne (Switzerland) and the city of Gothenburg (Sweden). She has also been involved in successful bid campaigns for major international events; including Lausanne 2020. Finally, Heloise advises sports organisations in the development of successful strategy for the growth of their sport; including the International Swimming Federation (FINA), World Archery (WA), the International Ski Federation (FIS) and the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV).
She holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from HEC Montréal, Canada and a Master of Science in Economics from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland.
Michelle Perry, Senior Consultant (North America)
Since joining in 2012, Michelle has provided expertise and guidance to sport-related organizations focusing on strategic and business performance planning; event bidding and hosting strategies; and, sports facility analysis for concurrent competitive and recreational use. Michelle brings over 25 years of major event management experience and has a broad background in organizational bidding processes, facility management, and strategic and business development. Michelle comes to BCW Sport practice from the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) where she spent 12 years overseeing the NCAA Women's Final Four – the highest profile and most important women's collegiate sporting event in the United States. Her responsibilities included the oversight of tournament operations, financial management and external business development, facility operations, security protocols, game management operations, and participating team coordination.
Cameron Angus, Consultant
Cameron is a Project Manager at the BCW Sports practice. He advises many international sports organisations on the design and development of their strategies. He also works actively with host cities and countries bidding for events and establishing themselves within the international sports world. In his role, he has worked closely alongside a number of sports organisations and cities, such as International Olympic Committee (IOC), International Ski Federation (FIS) and the City of Lausanne.
Cameron is a graduate of University of Durham, where he studied Politics, and has an International Master in Management, Law and Humanities of Sport (FIFA Master).
Steve Roush, Director - Sport Performance (North America)
Steve joined the BCW Sport practice in 2009 after serving as the Chief of Sport Performance for the United States Olympic Committee including the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing where Team USA enjoyed a record medal haul for the organization. As the head of the BCW Sports practice's Sports Performance activities, Steve provides coordination and assistance to sports organizations and governmental agencies in improving elite athlete performance by providing strategic advice, as well as tailored consulting and training programs in areas such as: Athlete Development Pipeline, High Performance Planning, Olympic Games preparation consultation, Sport Organization Development and Evaluation of sports performance systems. Steve is an alumnus of the University of Wisconsin, from which he received a bachelor's degree in physical education in 1985 and his MBA in Finance, Investment and Banking in 1989.
Maria Riah, Project Manager
Maria has a strong cross-cultural communication skills thanks to her international background, she speaks five different languages: French, Russian, English, Spanish and Arabic. As Project Manager at the BCW Sports practice, she supports various project and closely works with the City of Lausanne in giving strategic advice related to the development and implementation of strategy for the Olympic Capital, including development of communication material and platforms.
Maria holds a Master's degree in Management and Corporate Strategy, she graduated from the Faculty of Business and Economics of Lausanne.
Johanna Massuyeau, Project Manager
As project manager at the BCW sport practice, Johanna collaborates on various projects related to strategic communications, event host support and events activation. She works closely with the Organising Committees of the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games and the Gwangju 2019 FINA World Championships, as well as the International Association of Athletics Federations. Johanna holds a BSc in Economics, Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick and an MSc in Management and Strategy from the Faculty of Business and Economics at the University of Lausanne.
Meryl Blank, Project Manager
Meryl is a Project Manager at the BCW Sports Practice team in Lausanne. She works cross-functionally on a variety of strategy and communications projects for international sports federations, sport events and host cities. With an international academic background rooting in business and culture, Meryl is a strong cross-functional communicator with a profound commercial and analytical understanding. Besides her interest in the world of sports, she has a passion for languages – she speaks German (mother tongue), English, Danish, Italian and French. Meryl holds an international BSc. in Business, Language and Culture from Copenhagen Business School (CBS), Denmark. During her Double Master Degree program (MSc. Economics and Business Administration) at CBS and Università Bocconi, Meryl specialized in the field of strategic marketing and innovation management.
Sandra Sun, Consultant - International Projects and Initiatives
Sandra Sun joined the BCW Sport Practice in 2016, after serving 10 years as international programs manager at the General Sport Administration of China, Chinese Olympic Committee, and China Swimming Association. Sandra Sun is bilingual in Mandarin Chinese and English, and her clients various Chinese sport governmental bodies, Olympic teams, and commercial entities in organizational strategies and business connections. Sandra Sun holds a Master of Science degree in Sports Management and Policy from the University of Georgia.
Bob Gambardella, Senior Consultant (North America)
Bob Gambardella joined the BCW Sports practice in 2017 after serving as the Chief, Singapore Sport Institute (2009-2016) where he led a team of 124 sport administrators/sport scientists and managed an operating budget of $S73m. His areas of leadership included High Performance Sports, Athlete Services, Sport Science, Sports Medicine, Sport Analytics, Coaching Academy, Strategy Planning, NSA Partnerships & Grant Administration/Finance. Gambardella earned two Masters' Degrees in Sport Management: International Olympic Committee (IOC) MEMOS Program- Executive Masters in Sports Organization Management, 2004 and University of Northern Colorado, Master of Arts in Physical Education/Sport Management, 1997.
Michelle (Dusserre) Farrell, M.B.S., R.D., Consultant– Sport Performance (North America)
Michelle joined the team in 2009 following an extensive career in the sports industry. Farrell brings over 30 years of involvement in sport starting as a 1984 Olympic Silver Medalist in the sport of gymnastics. Michelle was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame in 2006. Beyond her career as an athlete, Michelle has served in assistant coaching roles at Arizona State University, SCATS Gymnastics in Diamond Bar, Colorado Aerials Gymnastics in Colorado Springs and the U.S. Air Force Academy. Michelle also served on the board of directors as an athlete representative for USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic Committee. Michelle has expertise in the field of sport programs, working with the USOC Sport Partnership division from 2000-2006, Michelle was manager of a large portfolio of NGB's in the U.S. advising on athlete development, coach development, sport development and organisational development. Michelle has also worked in the sports television field, working three Olympic Games for NBC Sports (1992, 1996, 2000) in the research division. Michelle earned the following degrees: Bachelor of Science, Human Nutrition, Arizona State University, Master of Basic Science, Exercise Science, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs and is a Registered Dietitian, American Dietetic Association.


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United Way Surpasses Goal! THANK YOU!
The United Way of Lee, Hendry, Glades, and Okeechobee has concluded the 2018-2019 Campaign, and exceeded the campaign goal of $10,301,386. This is the 26th consecutive year that the goal has been met or exceeded.
Campaign Chairs Linda Doggett and Robert Shearman made the announcement that local residents and companies contributed a record amount, $10,438,361 to the campaign which is a 4% increase. The theme of the 2018-2019 United Way Campaign was the "The Power of U!" "The generous people of Southwest Florida took "The POWER of U!" theme to their hearts and put the campaign over the top!" said Linda Doggett, Campaign Chair, Board Member, Lee County Clerk of Courts and Comptroller.
The residents of Bonita Bay surpassed their United Way goal and became the first Gated Community to raise over 1 Million Dollars!
The announcement was made at the March 29th meeting of the United Way Board of Directors at United Way headquarters. Robert Shearman, Campaign Chair, Board Member, and attorney with Henderson Franklin Attorneys at Law said, "Not only did we top the goal, we exceeded it by over $100,000! That means more local people can be helped by our 96 United Way Partner Agencies. We live in an extraordinarily generous community, and to all of you who gave, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts."
"Making the goal means our agencies will receive their full share of funding for the coming year, including agencies and programs that are new to the network such as the Cape Coral Caring Center, Midwest Food Bank, Cancer Alliance, and Gulf Coast Humane Society," said Linda Doggett. "Long standing United Way Partner's like Abuse Counseling and Treatment, Children's Advocacy Center, The Salvation Army, and Bonita Springs Assistance will be able to continue their vital programs because our United Way surpassed goal. Because of your generosity, hungry families will receive food, veterans will find support through Mission United, abused children will find safety and shelter, older persons can find assistance to remain in their own homes, and thousands of lower income families can get their taxes done free through Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA). You gave so others could have a better life," she concluded.
Robert Shearman added, "All funds raised by our United Way stay here in our community, and our United Way keeps administrative and fundraising cost extremely low, investing 92% of the money raised into local agencies and programs. Our United Way has been named a Four-Star Charity, the top rating on Charity Navigator for the past 7 years, and we are one of very few charities in the nation to receive a perfect overall score of 100%. Charity Navigator is one of the most utilized evaluators of charities used to guide intelligent giving."
"Again, a very sincere thank you to all of the individuals, companies, communities, and partner agencies for your generous contributions. You proved again what an incredibly caring community this is," Shearman concluded.
Publix Super Markets is the largest contributor to the United Way Campaign and a member of the Million Dollar Circle of Excellence.
The top local contributing companies and the top communities are as follows:
Top United Way Contributors
One Million + Circle of Excellence
Bonita Bay Community
Five Hundred Thousand+ Circle of Excellence
Bonita Bay Group
Islands of Sanibel & Captiva
Two Hundred Thousand+ Circle of Excellence
Chico's FAS
LCEC
One Hundred Thousand+ Circle of Excellence
Lee County School District
Lee Board of County Commissioners
Shadow Wood
McGriff Insurance Services
Break-Out Campaign Award
Alta Resources
Many United Way Partner Agencies were represented at the Goal Announcement, and executive directors of the agencies talked about how important United Way is to their success and ability to assist their clients.
Campaign Chairs Linda Doggett and Bob Shearman.
Dotty St. Amand, Chief Executive Officer of Lighthouse of Southwest Florida said, "United Way funds are essential in assisting us to fulfill our mission of enabling people of all ages who are living with blindness or vision impairment to achieve independence. From babies to older adults, our programs positively impact the quality of their lives at each stage of life's journey. We couldn't make it happen without the generosity of United Way donors."
Meg Geltner, Executive Director of Pace Center for Girls, said, "The appreciation that PACE Center for Girls has for the United Way's support is wide-ranging. The United Way funds supports our PACE girls who are transitioning from the PACE school back into the Lee County School District. The funds pay for our master-degreed transition counselor who supports the students before, during, and after their transitions. The success of this system of care is measured by the number of PACE girls who are graduating from high school. In 2019 eight of our girls will be graduating from high school. United Way ROCKS!"
Chris Hansen, CEO of Child Care of Southwest Florida (CCSWFL), a United Way Partner Agency, talked about how vital the United Way's support is to the organization's success as they work to enhance the lives of children and their families as an accredited, preferred Voluntary Pre-Kindergarten (VPK) provider. "The daily support and collaboration from the United Way and other partner agencies allows CCSWFL to do its part to ensure children have an opportunity to experience quality early childhood education and nutritional support. The program does more than prepare students for Kindergarten; it gives them the foundation necessary to become lifelong learners and contribute to the success of our community."


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Whisky – a short story
George was a staid English gentleman and creature of enduring well-established routine. Every day at precisely at six-o-clock he made himself, and anyone with him, an evening cocktail, then after dinner he would serve a glass of premium Laphroaig Scotch whisky. His before dinner cocktail was a special concoction which he called a "Trinity". Daily he lovingly mixed it to the same unchanging recipe. George was not an alcoholic and never over imbibed he was merely happy with his routine, and enjoyed his tried and true evening pick-me-ups which he often referred to as his medicine. He bought his liquor wholesale by mail and parsimoniously stored it in a converted air-raid shelter under his home.
It was behavior like this which gave his family and friends the impression that George was a man of unchangeable demeanor. Some even extended their belief in his permanence to thinking that he, frankly, didn't care where he lived as long as it afforded elegance and permanence. The deduction about his living arrangements derived from the fact that he lived in the same house for forty years, and had watching it gently morph to accommodate the whims of his three wives. He had never imposed his will on their demands except to insist that they not move and that the garden and wine cellar remain his private domains unsullied by female presence. But suddenly, after his retirement and his third wife had divorced him, he surprised everyone and sold his solid residence to buy an historic converted school house adjacent to a church-yard. Even his dogs were surprised by his move. When asked why he chose to uproot at this stage in his life he explained that the change was to give him a new garden to design.
County Durham is a gently undulating place and the site of George's new home was no exception. It was perched on a hill so that you entered at the main level from the front garden but exited at the rear one level above the back garden. The site enabled the inclusion of a lower level basement under the house. The only access to this lower level was from a driveway which ran parallel to house on its west side. As is so common in England the drive was also a public right-of-way and provided a short cut to an adjacent row of homes and to the street on the north side of the church yard. With little hesitation George made this undercroft his cellar and stored his liquor here in the unchanging climate of a basement cave.
George quickly settled into his new home and as soon as he had the interior arranged to his liking he began to work on the gardens. He dug flower beds and vegetable beds, excavated ponds, constructed a greenhouse, and built stone walls. As time went on the garden began to take on his personality and he enjoyed the results. He re-established his regime, made his evening Trinities and drank his after dinner Laphroaig. Life was good he thought. But then a minor inconvenience assailed his calm, when he noticed that his whiskey cellar seemed to be decreasing faster than he was drinking.
At first this ordered man thought that he had made a mistake in his records. He calmly rechecked his accounts and made a new inventory. He checked the lock to his store-room cellar. Everything was in order, he returned to his garden and plants. But about a fortnight later when he went down for another bottle of whisky he found his supply to again be short one bottle. The storeroom was otherwise untouched and had the same musty smell and damp air. He deduced that someone was helping themselves to his supply probably doing so as they passed by on the right-of-way. He called out a locksmith and changed the lock and went on with his life in the belief that his problem was solved.
But his problem was not solved and when he went down to pick up another bottle for himself he found his supply to again be short by one bottle. This brought him to two ordered conclusions. First, that his visitor was undeterred by locks and second, that he drank at about the same rate as he did.
It is interesting to note that George never, for a moment, thought that his thefts were perpetrated by a woman. He always saw him as a man, a middle-aged man such as himself, one who had a refined taste and enjoyed a good Scotch, one who was restrained and resourceful one who could pick a lock with ease. A man George could admire. He never considered the occult and never wondered whether this unknown person might have so much in common with him and that, perhaps, they might become friends, No, true to his ordered personality George's overriding concern was to protect his liquor and to stop the attrition. He evaluated his options. A new heavier duty lock might solve the problem but he thought that it was obvious that his visitor had already proved himself undeterred by locks and so he discounted this option.
George decided to test a new theory that his visitor was not a whisky drinker but merely fenced the stolen bottles for a little extra cash. He innately disliked this theory since his Scotch as exclusive brand of Laphroaig from the island of Islay. This whisky has a distinctive smoky character combined with notes of iodine, seaweed and salt. The distinctive flavor is derived from peat which is ascribed to the water from which the whiskey is made and to the peating levels of the barley. It is an acquired taste and is, to the uninitiated, almost medicinal in flavor, but to the connoisseur a precious elixir. He went to the village off-license liquor store to check their supply of Scotch. He wandered down the aisles looking at the store's display. He talked to the salesman at the counter where he learnt that they didn't carry Laphroaig or, indeed, any Whiskies from Islay – never had. To save face George bought a couple of less expensive popular blended whiskies.
When George got home he placed the inexpensive whiskies on the shelf from which his attrition was occurring. He wasn't sure if he wanted his visitor to settle for what he considered an inferior product but he needed to know. He was almost happy when he next went down for a bottle to see the two bottles still standing where he had put them but then he started for the nearest bottle of Laphroaig had disappeared. George's thief was a Scotch connoisseur.
George went to the local police station and made a report. He suggested to the desk sergeant that an analysis of the people who used the right-of-way ought to assist in solving the mystery. The houses to the south were fairly affluent and those to the north less so. He suggested that the thief had to be someone who travelled the right-of-way on a regular basis, perhaps every day. The desk sergeant grunted and told George to stick to the facts which he meticulously transcribed into a report.
George went away disappointed and decided to do some of his own sleuthing. Over the next three weeks he reworked all his garden beds along the right-of-way and scrutinized everyone who passed by. They all smiled at him, some paused to gossip about the weather while others merely responded to his greeting with similar greetings. When the gardens were completed George was no further along in his quest and when he went down to replenish his upstairs supply he again found that one bottle had gone. So, he thought, the perpetrator is doing it at night when I am in bed or on the mornings that I do my charity work.
Finally George smiled in glee for he thought that he knew the perfect solution. He hurried to his dust-bin and retrieved his last empty Laphroaig bottle. He carefully washed it and fitted it with a funnel from his kitchen drawer. Then he placed the assembly on the floor next to the toilet. Over the next few days he gleefully watched the bottle fill with a liquid which looked like whisky. When it was full to his satisfaction he screwed on a cap and patched the top to resemble an unopened bottle.
He went down to his cellar and was happy to find that the thief had not yet returned. He placed his prepared bottle on the shelf closest to the door in the place from which the pervious bottles had disappeared. George had tremendous self-control and did not inspect his cellar for over a week, but when he did so he was delighted to find that the prepared bottle had disappeared. He called his children to share in his macabre celebration. His pleasure was so great that he afforded himself two drams of whisky that evening.
Posted in Short story
Tagged Scotch, theft, whiskey, whisky


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Brits failing to take paid leave from work for fears of a mounting workload
Ten percent of office workers also said a holidays was "pointless" as they end up working through it remotely anyway
Millions of office workers fail to all their annual leave because of mounting workloads and a fear that their bosses would not approve it.
A poll of 2,000 employees revealed that almost a third (28 per cent) leave FIVE DAYS unclaimed out of the average 28-day holiday entitlement.
One in 10 office workers claim they have no one to hand work over to and end up staying to do it themselves.
Ten per cent also describe a holiday as 'pointless' as they end up working through it remotely anyway.
A third of respondents even admit to having F.O.A.L - a 'fear of annual leave'.
Chris Logan, managing director at Crystal Ski Holidays, said: "Not every employer is happy to sign off holiday requests.
"And not all staff feel comfortable booking leave, fearing they won't be able to switch off from work anyway.
"The findings suggest more than three million office workers aren't using all the leave they are entitled to.
"This means huge numbers of adults who are probably stressed, over-worked and over-tired by the end of the year.
"Of those that do take leave, many like to use it for short breaks, which could take away some of the stressed incurred by longer holidays, and reduce the fear of annual leave."
The study found the average worker isn't comfortable booking annual leave longer than eight days (Image: Getty)
Woman praises 2p cleaning hack that rids taps of limescale in minutes
Researchers for Crystal Ski Holidays hit the high street to see how the general public view booking annual leave.
Call centre worker Lindo, 29, from East London, said: "I am a workaholic. I get scared using any holiday as I always put work first.
"It sometimes annoys my friends, but work is something I'm passionate about. I live to work, rather than work to live. I definitely have a fear of annual leave."
Actor Oliver Longstaff, 28, from Marlow, said: "I prefer to take shorter breaks as I don't want to miss out on work.
"Seems silly, but if something came up I'd want to be around for that.
"If I'm on a long holiday then I can't be available for what might come up. I can't remember my last long holiday."
The study also found the average worker isn't comfortable booking any more than eight days holiday in one go - with one fifth preferring to book four days or less.
And one quarter of employers claim to feel happier using annual leave for shorter breaks.
The majority of those polled do manage to enjoy their time off when they take it, but just under one in 20 can't enjoy a holiday because of work stress.
This is because they spend the whole time thinking about work (30 per cent), feeling guilty about being off (17 per cent) or check their emails anyway (18 per cent).
A third are hesitant to request annual leave because they worry what their boss will think, and the same amount believe a holiday isn't worth the stress of compiling a mega-handover.
Another one in five dilly-dally over putting in a holiday form because their colleagues rarely take any and they don't want to appear less hardworking.
A quarter even believe taking their vacation entitlement would affect their chances of a promotion or pay rise - and 13 per cent 'can't afford' to go on holiday as it is.
According to research, a tenth of adults have been hauled into the boss's office for a telling off after taking holiday (Image: Getty)
Mum divides internet after breastfeeding baby while driving down motorway
According to the OnePoll research, a tenth of working adults have been hauled into the boss's office for a telling off after taking a holiday.
The same amount lost potential business, and more than a third came back to a huge mountain of work that had been left for them to deal with.
Just over 40 per cent would even be happy to forego annual leave - and take extra pay instead.
However, two thirds believe failing to take regular holidays can lead to burnout, and 47 per cent think there is more chance of employees falling ill if they don't take time off.
A further 62 per cent think the most important part of taking annual leave, however, is simply to spend more quality time with friends and family.
Chris Logan, for Crystal Ski Holidays, added: "Holidays are vital to our wellbeing for many reasons.
"Think about how you feel when it's been a long time since you had one - and in fact, sometimes the longer you go without, the harder it is to take one.
"If you get yourself in a mind-set of always putting work first, then when you do take time off, you may struggle with it.
"Taking regular short breaks can do people the world of good, and for many embarking on all-consuming activity holidays can be just the ticket to completely switch off from the day-to-day grind."
Top 10 reasons Brits didn't take all their annual leave in 2019:
1. I had too much work to do
2. It wasn't worth the hassle of coming back to a mountain of work
3. I couldn't afford to go on holiday
4. I had no one I could hand my work too
5. I worry too much about what will happen while I'm away
6. It was pointless as I'd only have worked on my annual leave anyway
7. I had no one to go away with / spend it with
8. I didn't think the boss would approve
9. I love work and don't desire time off
10. I didn't feel I could abandon my clients / customers


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Live Voting
Managing Your Election
Surfacing an Access Key
Manually provide a voter their voting credentials
Written by Kuldip Gill
This article will bring you step-by-step through the process of surfacing a voter's access key in order to allow them to vote. You would want to do this if your voter has not received their email notice, for example, or if you want to cast a vote on behalf of a voter who cannot access a computer.
To surface and share an access key:
Click on the vote's name in your Dashboard to be brought to that vote's "Results" page.
Find the associated voter by entering their email address into the search box of the voter list (you can also search by their ballot ID/SMS/Name/Postal address if using those features)
Please note, that if the voter has contact information already entered, this information cannot be updated once their key is surfaced.
Surface the access key. To surface the access key, check the checkbox associated with the voter whose access key you'd like to surface, and then from the drop-down menu that appears, click on the "Show Access Key" link:
Share the access key with the voter by emailing it to them with your own email program, or phoning the voter and sharing the access key - you just want to do this in a confidential manner.
Direct them to https://electionbuddy.com/ballot. From there, they will see the screen below, prompting them to enter their access key:


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Home > News and events > Announcements > Public invited to have their say about the future of health services
Public invited to have their say about the future of health services
Posted on 10th November 2014 in Announcements
North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust is inviting members of the public to have their say about the future of health services.
A series of meetings will give people the opportunity to hear from their local health trust and speak to health professionals about their services.
You will hear a short presentation followed by questions and answers at events on:
10.30am on 17 November at Hartlepool Central Library
2.30pm on 20 November in Watson Hall, Thornaby Pavilion
5pm on 20 November at All Saints School, Blair Avenue, Ingleby Barwick
1pm on 24 November, Eaglescliffe Medical Practice
1pm on 26 November, Stockton Baptist Tabernacle
4pm on 26 November, Billingham Forum
1pm on 28 November, Easington Social Welfare Centre
5pm on 28 November, Peterlee Leisure Centre
11am on 1 December, Sedgefield Parish Hall
Chief executive Alan Foster said: "We recently announced that the board had made a decision to pause the development work on the new hospital until after the general election next year.
"During the announcement we said that we would be engaging with our staff and the public to seek views on how to deliver more care closer to home where possible and secure further investment in community based services, while continuing to centralise services where necessary to maintain and improve the safety and quality of hospital-based provision.
"We wanted to take the opportunity to talk to the public about the new hospital and the benefits it will bring to the population we serve.
"We know that it is important to get people's views. We also understand that people worry about transport and how they will access their local health services. We want to talk to members of the public about these issues to ensure that we can provide the very best healthcare in the future and so we would encourage people to come along to these events."


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Yellowstone Migrations
Joe Riis
The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem harbors the last great populations of elk, pronghorn antelope, and mule deer. Photographer Joe Riis has spent a decade here, revealing these animals' previously invisible migrations. Each year, these animals face natural challenges and man-made obstacles on their journeys--but Joe's images are galvanizing action in the Yellowstone ecosystem to preserve these fragile, ancient migration routes.
View the Yellowstone Migrations project site.
About the author / photographer
Joe Riis is a wildlife biologist turned wildlife photojournalist and filmmaker known for his pioneering documentation of animal migrations in the West. He is a Photography Fellow at National Geographic as well as the Wyoming Migration Initiative. Since 2009, he has worked on natural history photography assignments for National Geographic on five continents. His photographs have been exhibited widely and are included in private and public collections worldwide.
Volunteers from the Jackson Hole Wildlife Foundation remove obsolete barbed wire fencing to protect migrating elk and deer. Learn more.
A group of diverse stakeholders in Wyoming rallied together to build a freeway overpass to protect pronghorn antelopes during their migrations. Read more & view Joe's photos.
Gold Award - Nautilus Book Awards, Animals & Nature category, 2018
Silver Award - Independent Publisher Book Awards, Ecology & Nature category, 2018
Select Media
Conservationists, hunters, and policymakers are collaborating to improve conditions for Yellowstone's migrating animals, National Geographic, August 2, 2018
"Simply put, this book is a gem." Review by Rick Graetz, Crown of the Continent and the Greater Yellowstone Magazine, University of Montana, Winter/Spring 2018
"A beautiful and ambitious illustrated study of the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem." Big Sky Journal's book list "Reading the West," Summer 2018
"Protecting America's Last Great Animal Migrations," Arthur Middleton, New York Times, Feb. 23, 2018
Gretel Ehrlich / Emilene Ostlind / Thomas Lovejoy
Arthur Middleton / James Prosek
George Storer Foundation
Yellowstone Migration Initiative
Through August 19: "Invisible Boundaries" exhibit at National Museum of Wildlife Art, Jackson, Wyoming / details here
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