text:
Building Local Supplies
Think Regional, Act Local
Metropolitan's role in the region has evolved over time. We are builders and planners. We brought water to Southern California, and we look today at the possibilities of local supply development to complement our imported supply investments. Our support of conservation and diverse local resource programs like water recycling, desalination, groundwater recovery and storage have provided over 7 million acre-feet to the region's resource mix and increased our resiliency and reliability. Local resources are regional resources because they offset regional imported water demands.
It's not an either-or situation: we're developing local resources while shoring up our imported supplies. Each piece of our supply portfolio depends on the other. One is insurance against the other's vulnerabilities. When imports are challenged by drought cycles or natural disasters, local resources and conservation programs can ease the burdens of import demands. In turn, high quality imported supplies are necessary for recycling and groundwater replenishment programs. Working together, these sources provide Southern California with reliable water. Having a mix of water resources to draw from has protected the region from the impact of drought cycles and climate change.
Local Supplies for Regional Reliability
When a local supply is developed, whether it is in Ventura, San Diego, or any community in between, all Southern California benefits. Our regional cooperation and interdependence mean one community's recycling or groundwater cleanup project decreases the burden on Metropolitan's system as a whole. That reduces operating costs, frees up conveyance capacity to benefit all system users and helps the region adapt to climate change. That is why Metropolitan supports and incentivizes several beneficial programs and initiatives that help the region act locally. We have invested $1.6 billion in these programs to date. For a rundown of achievements, click here and for the full Achievement Report click here.
The numbers tell a success story. In the 1990s, nearly 60 percent of Metropolitan's supply portfolio was made up of imported resources from the Colorado River and our contract with the State Water Project. The balance was from local resources. A shift in the supply paradigm shows a 2035 mix of about 36 percent imported supply and 64 percent local resources.
Encouraging Local Development
Metropolitan's Local Resources Program provides incentives for member and local agencies to develop new local water supply projects, such as water recycling and groundwater recovery, to reduce demand on imported water and increase water supply reliability throughout Southern California. Since the inception of the LRP in 1982, Metropolitan has provided financial assistance to more than 100 projects across Southern California, to produce over 1.3 trillion gallons of recycled water and recovered groundwater. By providing direct funding based on how much water the projects produce, the program has significantly increased their economic viability.
Ensuring reliable water for Southern California requires investing in local water supplies from diverse sources and widespread conservation.
Water is too precious a resource to use just once. Recycled water would reduce reliance on imported water supplies, reuse water currently sent to the ocean, and recycle cleaned wastewater to create a drought-resilient readily available supply that could be used for groundwater replenishment, landscape irrigation or industrial purposes.
Metropolitan has historically supported recycled water projects developed by others through our Local Resources Program, but with hotter temperatures and drier conditions, it's going to take all of us working together to find new and innovative ways to protect and maximize our water. That is why Metropolitan, and the Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts are advancing their legacies of being good water stewards with a partnership to develop a new source of local water through a regional recycled water project called Pure Water Southern California. If fully realized, Pure Water Southern California would produce up to 150 million gallons of water daily – enough water for about 500,000 homes. It would be one of the largest advanced water treatment plants in the world. The program is currently operating a 500,000-gallon-per-day demonstration facility to verify its innovative processes, which could improve efficiencies and reduce costs in water recycling. This would be a new source of water for up to 15 million people.
Learn more about The Pure Water Southern California
To further support local water supplies Metropolitan's board approved a $3 million annual budget for the On-site Retrofit Program, which provides financial incentives for the conversion of potable irrigation and industrial systems to recycled water. Incentives can help cover the costs of project design, permitting, construction costs associated with the retrofit, connection fees and required recycled water signage.
Read more about Metropolitan's On-site Retrofit Program.
Milestones in Recycled Water Use
The past five decades have seen recycled water use in Southern California grow rapidly, for both irrigation and groundwater replenishment.
Here's a look at its history in the region, from the first recycled water plant to the large recycling water projects we see today.
The Sanitation Districts' Whittier Narrows Water Reclamation Plant becomes the first plant in the U.S. intentionally designed to recycle water, using it to recharge groundwater basins.
As Southern California's population grows, recycled water lines are constructed alongside new development to irrigate schoolyards, parks and golf courses.
Water Factory 21 begins purifying wastewater in Orange County and using it to replenish and protect groundwater from seawater intrusion. Becomes first plant in the world to use reverse osmosis.
Wastewater treatment plants add processes to produce more recycled water. Purple pipes are adopted as industry standard to distinguish recycled water for irrigation, firefighting and industrial use.
Several new water recycling facilities are built that use reverse osmosis. The resulting water is used for groundwater recharge and industrial use.
Orange County embarks on the largest water reuse project of its kind in the world, eventually purifying 130 million gallons of water daily to replenish groundwater supplies used for drinking. Becomes the gold standard for water recycling.
The city of San Diego advances a water recycling program that for the first time in California would use purified recycled water to fill a drinking water reservoir.
Water agencies from Ventura to San Diego continue to take steps toward implementing large recycling projects. The Regional Recycled Water Program will take the rapid growth of recycled water use in Southern California even farther.
Metropolitan has explored seawater desalination as a potential new supply since the 1960s, and we even developed and piloted our own thermal distillation technology.
While desalination technology has been used to treat and recover brackish groundwater for decades, the cost of treating seawater was not historically competitive with other resources. In the past 10 years, rapid improvements in membrane performance, energy recovery technology and process design have lowered seawater desalination costs, making it, in some cases, competitive with other new supply options.
Since 2001, Metropolitan has provided financial incentives for our member agencies to develop local seawater desalination projects, and seawater desalination became part of of our Local Resources Program in 2014.
Groundwater Recovery
Groundwater provides more than 35 percent of Southern California's drinking water, making groundwater replenishment and storage programs critically important. Groundwater wells sometime become unusable because of contamination or increased salinity. This leaves water agencies with a choice – they can rely more heavily on imported supplies as a replacement or they can recover the groundwater by building treatment facilities to remove contaminants or salt. Although Metropolitan does not own or manage groundwater basins in Southern California, we play a critical role as the region's supplemental water supplier. We help replenish the basins and financially support groundwater recovery projects that treat groundwater.
Metropolitan also works with local agencies to store imported surface water in groundwater basins for use in times of shortage under conjunctive-use agreements. These agreements create flexible ways to manage water resources. Other management tools include water exchanges and transfer programs that help ensure future water supplies for the region.
In 2020, Metropolitan launched two pilot programs to better understand the costs and benefits of stormwater capture, yield and use. One program looks at opportunities to capture stormwater for direct use. The other explores stormwater capture for groundwater recharge. Together, Metropolitan invested $12.5 million in these programs. The data collected will help Metropolitan evaluate the water supply benefits of stormwater capture and provide guidelines for future funding strategies.
A growing slice of Metropolitan's reliability equation is water conservation. Through myriad initiatives — including financial incentives and partnerships with member agencies, local communities, schools, businesses and diverse organizations — conservation has become a way of life in Southern California.
Over the past 40 years, Metropolitan has driven innovation, evolved markets and influenced consumer decision-making to increase water-use efficiency. Catalysts such as direct rebates, outreach and education, new technology support, advocacy for new building codes and standards, and development of strategic alliances have contributed to positive lasting change.
Visit bewaterwise.com and SoCalWater$mart to learn more about Metropolitan's residential and commercial rebate programs and incentives and other conservation programs.
We also support innovative conservation efforts in business with research partnerships and programs like the Water Savings Incentive Program. This regional pay-for-performance initiative is available to all commercial, industrial, institutional, agricultural and large landscape consumers with qualifying projects that focus on water-use efficiency within Metropolitan's service area.
The Innovative Conservation Program offers competitive grant funding to evaluate water savings and reliability of devices, technologies and strategies. More detailed information about these funding programs is available here.
Since 2009, Metropolitan and local water agencies have maintained a Long-Term Conservation Plan that supports state legislation aimed at reducing water use. Southern California met the plan's goal of reducing per capita water consumption by 20 percent by 2020. The lasting changes are clear today – consumers' values, behaviors and preferences for water-efficient devices have led to significant reductions in water consumption.
Future Supply Actions
Metropolitan is also investing in research to develop future local water supplies through innovative approaches. Through the Future Supply Actions Funding Program, Metropolitan funds member agency pilot projects and technical studies aimed at increasing the potential of recycled water, stormwater, groundwater and seawater desalination. Metropolitan has so far invested $6.5 million in more than two dozen studies.


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Q: How may I load the points/restore the points to display a signature? Using Xamarin Signature Pad Xamarin.Forms code and examples, I've developed the following.
Using Json I serialize the signature Point[] array and store it in the database. When the user selects a list item, the signature data Point[] string is pulled from the database and deserialized and stored in a Point[]. I see that the Xamarin Signature Pad documentation says I may load a signature by the following signature.LoadPoints (points); line.
I tried doing this in the ItemView code after creating padView with no success.
How may I load the points/restore the points to display a signature?
ListView code:
async void OnListItemSelected(object sender, SelectedItemChangedEventArgs e)
{
    ((App)App.Current).ResumeAtDatabaseId = (e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem).ID;
    Debug.WriteLine("setting ResumeAtDatabaseId = " + (e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem).ID);

    await Navigation.PushAsync(new DatabaseItemView
    {
        //BindingContext = e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem
        Name = (e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem).Name,
        Date = Convert.ToDateTime((e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem).Date),
        PadViewPointsString = (e.SelectedItem as DatabaseItem).SignatureData
});
}

ItemView code:
public partial class DatabaseItemView : ContentPage
    {
        public string Name { get => Name.Text; set => Name.Text = value; }
        public DateTime Date { get => Date.Date; set => Date.Date = value; }
        public SignaturePadView PadView { get => padView; set => padView = value; }
        public string PadViewPointsString
        {
            get => padViewPointsString;
            set
            {
                padViewPointsString = value;
                if (value != null)
                {
                    PadViewPoints = JsonConvert.DeserializeObject<Xamarin.Forms.Point[]>(value);
                }
            }
        }
        public Xamarin.Forms.Point[] PadViewPoints { get => padViewPoints; set => padViewPoints = value; }

        private Entry Name;
        private DatePicker Date;
        private SignaturePadView padView;
        private IEnumerable<Point> signatureData;
        private string padViewPointsString;
        private Point[] padViewPoints;

        public DatabaseItemView ()
        {
            //InitializeComponent ();

            //Name
            Name = new Entry
            {
                Placeholder = "Name"
            };
            //Name.SetBinding(Entry.TextProperty, "Name");

            //Date
            Date = new DatePicker
            {
                Date = DateTime.Now.Date
            };
            //Date.SetBinding(DatePicker.DateProperty, "Date");

            //signature
            padView = new SignaturePadView
            {
                HeightRequest = 150, WidthRequest = 240,
                BackgroundColor = Color.White,
                CaptionText = "Caption This", CaptionTextColor = Color.Black,
                ClearText = "Clear Me!", ClearTextColor = Color.Red,
                PromptText = "Prompt Here", PromptTextColor = Color.Red,
                SignatureLineColor = Color.Aqua, StrokeColor = Color.Black, StrokeWidth = 2
            };

            //signatureData

            //saveButton
            var saveButton = new Button
            {
                Text = "Save",
                HorizontalOptions = LayoutOptions.FillAndExpand,
                Font = Font.SystemFontOfSize(NamedSize.Large),
                //Command = new Command(() => App.NavigateTo<DatabaseItemViewModel>()),
            };
            saveButton.Clicked += OnSaveButtonClicked;

            //build the page
            Content = new StackLayout
            {
                Spacing = 20,
                Padding = 50,
                //VerticalOptions = LayoutOptions.Center,
                Children =
                {
                    Name,
                    Date,
                    padView,
                    saveButton
                }
            };
        }

        async void OnSaveButtonClicked(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            var temp = padView.Points;
            var tempArray = padView.Points.ToArray();
            //serialize tempArray to json and store as text
            string json = JsonConvert.SerializeObject(tempArray);

            var databaseItem = new DatabaseItem
            {
                ID = ((App)App.Current).ResumeAtDatabaseId,
                Name = Name.Text,
                Date = Date.Date.ToString(),
                SignatureData = json
            };
            //var databaseItem = (DatabaseItem)BindingContext;
            await App.Database.SaveItemAsync(databaseItem);
            await Navigation.PopAsync();
        }
    }

A: I think the problem is in the fact that the constructor executes before the properties are set. Try to add this line in the end of PadViewPointsString setter (after setting PadViewPoints): padView.LoadPoints(PadViewPoints);

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Located less than 10 minutes from our hotel, Oceano Dunes is the perfect site for a range of activities and sights in Pismo Beach. There is space for recreational activities such as hiking, camping, surf fishing, surfing, swimming and dune buggy rides as well as spotting wildlife. Red-tailed hawks, owls, and many kinds of shorebirds are just some of the fauna on display in this picturesque region. However, guests of our hotel near Oceano Dunes who are interested in clamming need to obtain a license and follow strict local guidelines.
Our Pismo Beach hotel is within reach of California's central coast wine country, including the Edna Valley wineries, earning it the label "Your Wine and Waves Destination." Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Syrah, Viognier and Roussanne are some of the most successful varieties produced in the region. The nearby Pacific Ocean, just 30 minutes outside of downtown Pismo Beach, significantly influences the climate of the area.
Montana de Oro State Park is a hiker, biker, and camper haven, boasting secluded sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and trails along streams. The golden wildflowers that bloom in the spring give Montana del Oro its name, meaning "Mountain of Gold." It is not rare to see black-tailed deer and the black oystercatcher during your visit.
Every year Sunset magazine puts on a four-day culinary event in the region. There is a two-day main event featuring wine makers, brew masters, celebrity chefs, fishermen, artisanal food producers, Sunset experts, and producers from Ventura to Santa Barbara to San Luis Obispo to Monterey to Santa Cruz.


text:
Yellen to face Congress amid uncertainty on Fed rate policy
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will address Congress on Wednesday at a time of deepening uncertainty about the Fed's interest rate policies. Since the Fed raised rates from record lows in December, the economic landscape has become clouded by falling stock markets, global...
By Martin Crutsinger - AP Economics Writer - Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen will address Congress on Wednesday at a time of deepening uncertainty about the Fed's interest rate policies.
Since the Fed raised rates from record lows in December, the economic landscape has become clouded by falling stock markets, global weakness and sharply lower energy prices. Against that backdrop, lawmakers will likely want to question Yellen about the probable pace of further rate hikes and the Fed's role in supporting the U.S. economy.
After testifying to the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday, Yellen will address the Senate Banking Committee on Thursday.
Last week's jobs report for January further complicated the likelihood and timetable of additional rate increases. It showed more pay for workers and rising confidence among job seekers, even though the pace of hiring slowed.
So are more Fed rate hikes coming soon?
There is less certainty now than when the Fed raised its target rate for overnight lending on Dec. 16 from a record low near zero to a range of 0.25 percent to 0.5 percent. Stocks have been battered. So far this year, the Dow Jones industrial average has lost 8.1 percent. The Standard & Poor's 500 index is down 9.4 percent. And the tech-heavy Nasdaq has plunged 14.8 percent.
It's unclear how much Yellen will say about the likely timetable for rate increases. She and other Fed officials have stressed that their decisions remain "data dependent" — that is, hinge largely on the latest economic data.
Much of that data since December has been tepid. Manufacturing has slumped. Corporate profits are down. Business stockpiles are up. Shrunken oil prices have squeezed energy companies.
On the other hand, the job market — the most vital part of the economy — remains solid. Worker pay is even starting to show its first significant gains since the Great Recession ended 6½ years ago. The Fed has long awaited faster wage growth for evidence that the job market is as strong as the steady hiring gains and low unemployment rate (now 4.9 percent) would suggest.
After the Fed began raising rates late last year, the widespread expectation was that it would continue to boost its benchmark rate gradually but steadily, most likely starting in March. But that was before global markets became deeply unsettled. Concerns intensified that China, the world's second-largest economy, was slowing even more than expected. And oil prices resumed their fall.
The value of the dollar has also strengthened further, crimping U.S. manufacturers, whose export sales fell last year for the first time since the recession year of 2009. A key manufacturing gauge has been in recession territory for four months.
The overall economy grew at a meager 0.7 percent annual rate in the October-December quarter, leading some analysts to begin wondering about the possibility of another recession within a year or two.
Sung Won Sohn, an economics professor at the Martin Smith School of Business at California State University, said he expected Yellen, in addressing Congress, to leave the door open for a gradual rise in rates if market conditions stabilize and the economy rebounds. Some analysts say they think her testimony will echo comments the Fed's vice chair, Stanley Fischer, made in a speech last week.
Fischer took note of the market turmoil, diminished oil prices and strengthened dollar and said, "If these developments lead to a persistent tightening of financial conditions, they could signal a slowing in the global economy that could affect growth and inflation in the United States."
Fischer noted, though, that previous periods of market volatility had had no permanent impact on the economy.
"We simply do not know" the timing and pace of future rate hikes, Fischer said.
Getting a $560k Motorcycle to Fly
LSC Shutters 3 Plants
By a vote of 89-10, the measure replacing 25-year-old NAFTA now goes to Trump for his signature.
FDA Shuts Down Home Style Foods
The FDA found 'significant objectionable conditions' during several inspections.
Russell Stover Cutting, Adding Jobs
The chocolates maker plans to close some facilities and stores nationwide, but the expected loss of about 400 jobs will be offset by new jobs from expansion elsewhere.
GM is Bringing Back the Hummer
And the new incarnation will be quite the departure from its gas-guzzling origins.
US, China Agree to Resume Trade Talks
The discussions are set to continue Wednesday when the Trump administration signs a Phase One trade agreement with China in Washington.
Aero Suppliers Woodward, Hexcel to Merge
The new company, called Woodward Hexcel, will generate more than $5 billion in annual sales with a market capitalization nearing $14 billion.
Michelle Chapman
Boeing Supplier to Cut 2,800 Jobs in KS
Tied to the grounding of the Boeing 737 Max, the layoffs threaten to hurt a state economy that's been solid for months.
US Biotech Gets Regulation Website
The Website streamlines information about the three regulatory agencies charged with overseeing agriculture biotechnology products.
US Adds 145K Jobs; Unemployment at 3.5%
Manufacturing companies added just 46,000 jobs in all of 2019.
Josh Boak

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Home > List of families > Fabaceae subfamily Papilionoideae > Pterocarpus > lucens
Pterocarpus lucens Guill. & Perr.
subsp. antunesii (Taub.) Rojo
Drawing showing characteristics forPterocarpus lucens
Lusaka 1976: Patricia Bingham
Trees in bloom;
McBride's Camp;
Photo: Chris McBride
Specimen citations: Display citations Detailed records: Display species records QDS maps by: Google Maps Point records by Google Maps
Synonyms: Pterocarpus antunesii (Taub.) Harms
Pterocarpus stevensonii Burtt Davy
Small often shrubby tree. Bark pale grey, mottled, flaking, branchlets sometimes spine-tipped. Leaves imparipinnate with up to 4 pairs of leaflets and a terminal leaflet; leaflets ovate, oblong to somewhat obovate, small for the genus, usually c. 3 × 2 cm, light green, asymmetric at the apex and base; margin entire. Flowers in long lax axillary and terminal sprays, pale yellow, sweetly scented. Flowering time very brief, lasting only a few days. Fruit a small flattened oval pod, up to 5 × 3 cm, asymmetric at the apex, markedly swollen over the single seed, surrounded by a thick membranous wing.
Type location:
Derivation of specific name: lucens: shining
Habitat: In deciduous woodland, mostly on deep sandy soils, sometimes forming thickets
Altitude range: Up to 1200 m
Flowering time: Nov - Dec
Worldwide distribution: Southern Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe.
Zambian distribution (Flora Zambesiaca): B,W,C,S
Zambian distribution (Provinces): W
Growth form(s): Tree.
Content last updated: Thursday 17 December 2015
Brummitt, R.K., Harder, D.K., Lewis, G.P., Lock, J.M., Polhill, R.M. and Verdcourt, B. (2007). Leguminosae Subfamily Papilionoideae Flora Zambesiaca 3(3) Pages 60 - 62.
Curtis, B.A. & Mannheimer, C.A. (2005). Tree Atlas of Namibia National Botanic Research Institute, Windhoek Page 240. as Pterocarpus lucens
Drummond, R.B. (1972). A list of Rhodesian Legumes. Kirkia 8(2) Page 225. as Pterocarpus antunesii
Drummond, R.B. (1975). A list of trees, shrubs and woody climbers indigenous or naturalised in Rhodesia. Kirkia 10(1) Page 246. As Pterocarpus antunesii
Schmidt, E., Lötter, M. & McCleland, W. (2002). Trees and shrubs of Mpumalanga and Kruger National Park Jacana, Johannesburg, South Africa Pages 220 - 221. (Includes a picture).
Setshogo, M.P. (2005). Preliminary checklist of the plants of Botswana. Sabonet Report no. 37. Sabonet, Pretoria and Gaborone Page 71.
Setshogo, M.P. & Venter, F. (2003). Trees of Botswana: names and distribution SABONET Report No. 18 Southern African Botanical Diversity Network, Pretoria Page 96.
Other sources of information about Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii:
Flora of Botswana: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii
Flora of Caprivi: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii
Flora of Malawi: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii
Flora of Mozambique: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii
Flora of Zimbabwe: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii
African Plants: A Photo Guide (Senckenberg): Pterocarpus lucens
BHL (Biodiversity Heritage Library): Pterocarpus lucens
EOL (Encyclopedia of Life): Pterocarpus lucens
ePIC (electronic Plant Information Center): Pterocarpus lucens
Flora Zambesiaca web site: Pterocarpus lucens
GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility): Pterocarpus lucens
GRIN (Germplasm Resources Information Network): Pterocarpus lucens
iNaturalist: Pterocarpus lucens
IPNI (International Plant Names Index): Pterocarpus lucens
JSTOR Plant Science: Pterocarpus lucens
Kew Herbarium catalogue: Pterocarpus lucens
Mansfeld World Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Crops: Pterocarpus lucens
Plants of the World Online: Pterocarpus lucens
Tropicos: Pterocarpus lucens
Wikipedia: Pterocarpus lucens
Bingham, M.G., Willemen, A., Wursten, B.T., Ballings, P. and Hyde, M.A. (2021). Flora of Zambia: Species information: Pterocarpus lucens subsp. antunesii.
https://www.zambiaflora.com/speciesdata/species.php?species_id=131140, retrieved 18 January 2021
Site software last modified: 10 May 2018 10:51pm


text:
You are at:Home»News»Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway is coming live from a Southampton cruise ship tonight
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Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway is coming live from a Southampton cruise ship tonight
By James Barker	on	 April 2, 2016 News
It's Saturday's biggest show, and tonight the big finale of Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeway is coming live from one of Southampton's very own cruise ships!
The show, which kicks off at 7pm tonight on ITV1, is broadcasting live from P&O Cruises' Britannia cruise ship. The ship is moored in sunny Barcelona for the occasion, so it's going to be an unmissable event!
Throughout the show, we're also set to be treated with an appearance by Peter Andre (probably singing 'Mysterious Girl', let's be honest), Andy Murray getting a grilling from Little Ant and Dec, and the resolution to the biggest whodunnit on television currently – Who Shot Simon Cowell? Let's be honest, suspect numbers are out of the roof for this one, so it's not one to miss.
Britannia can usually be found moored in Southampton docks, near the University of Southampton's very own National Oceanography Centre. Over the next two weeks, it will also be featured in the cooking program Battleships.
Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway concludes its latest series at 7pm tonight on ITV.
Editor of The Edge 2017-18. Culture Editor before that. Sporadic writer for the Wessex Scene, DJ on Surge, known photobomber of SUSUtv's videos. Bad habits include Netflix, not doing my work and drinking too much tea.


Contact | Ashworth Knuff & Co. CPAs Inc.
Contact us now for an obligation-free chat, or drop by our office in Lorain, OH and Middleburg Heights, OH to discuss your financial needs. Our firm has developed a reputation for delivering quality bookkeeping services in a timely manner that is cost-effective for our clients. We can provide you with all the information you need. Give us a call today at (440) 260-2000.


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Bayside Estates is a manufactured home subdivision. What does that mean? We are just like any subdivision, we own our homes and lots and can sell them ourselves or through a realtor. Our streets are maintained by Lee County as is any county road.
This is a "Resident Owned", "Deed Restricted", "Fifty-Five (55) and Older" community. We have a nine-member board of directors who are elected by the homeowners to conduct business of the corporation.


text:
Home News Baylor From salutes to sic 'ems
From salutes to sic 'ems
Chet Edwards, The W.R. Poage Distinguished Chair for Public Service shakes hands with Battalion Commander Major Santos Arroyo during his lunch with the Veterans of Baylor in the McMullen-Connally Faculty Dining Center on Monday. Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
Chet Edwards, The W.R. Poage Distinguished Chair for Public Service shakes hands with Battalion Commander Major Santos Arroyo during his lunch with the Veterans of Baylor in the McMullen-Connally Faculty Dining Center on Monday.
Matt Hellman | Lariat Photo Editor
By Linda Wilkins
Assistant City Editor
From the battlefield to Baylor, some students are transitioning from military life to a life of academia.
To help with the transition to college life, the Veteran Educational and Transition Services (VETS) Center is available this year to help student veterans reach their academic goals.
Hewitt senior Rachael Harrelson is a student veteran and was a medic and served on board two ships during her time in the military. She also served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and in the global war on terrorism.
However, Harrelson said transitioning to Baylor was intimidating.
"I was in my late 20's, going to school with 18 and 19-year-olds, and I felt behind in my career because of it," Harrelson wrote in an email sent to the Lariat.
While Harrelson said she is able to balance being a wife, mother and student, she understands the difficulties associated with transitioning.
There are 70 student veterans enrolled at Baylor using the G.I. Bill, which is an act intended to help veterans pay for their education.
Harrelson said the VETS center is a positive part of the transitioning process.
Dr. Janet Bagby, senior lecturer in education psychology and the coordinator of the VETS center, said the mission of the service is to support the academic success of student veterans at Baylor.
Bagby said she has done research for the past three years on student veterans on college campuses, and she realized that student veterans do need extra support for the transition from the military to campus.
"This support is needed because these students have come from a highly structured environment of the military to the unstructured environment on campus," Bagby said. "We are working to assist student veterans in meeting their academic goals."
Bagby said the VETS center is located in room 110.13 in the Army ROTC center on Speight Avenue.
A transition coach is available to help student veterans make the transition to campus. This coach is available from 9 A.M. to 3 P.M Tuesdays and Thursdays.
This year, Lanette Thompson, a doctoral student in the educational psychology graduate program, will serve as the transition coach.
"I'm going to be personalizing and giving help to student veterans," Thompson said. "If they need help with classes or transition experiences then we'll talk, and I can refer them to the success center, OALA or the counseling center." OALA is the office of Access and Learning Accommodation at Baylor that assist students with disabilities or special needs.
Thompson said she will individualize her advice to each student veteran that comes to her for help.
"They can know there is someone there who cares and will do anything possible to help them succeed," Thompson said.
While Thompson is not a licensed counselor, she said she can offer her advice and help to student veterans, especially because she has had overseas experience. Thompson lived in Africa for 26 years doing mission work. During that time, she experienced several government take-overs and witnessed poverty. She said these situations were similar to what a veteran might have seen.
The VETS center is funded by Baylor and located under the Office of Enrollment Management.
Veterans of Baylor, a student club started in November 2011, complements the VETS center and offers student veterans a community on campus, Bagby said.
"Our slogan is 'from salutes to sic 'ems,'" Bagby said.
Harrelson, president of Veterans of Baylor, said the club offers the friendship aspect of being a college student while the VETS center offers academic support. She said there is a sense of camaraderie among veterans, especially because many of them are older than other non-veteran college students.
"It is a student club, and so the membership is open to all student veterans on campus," Bagby said. "It is meant to build community and provide support for our campus veterans."
Bagby, the faculty adviser for the Veterans of Baylor, said any student veteran is welcome to come to the meetings, which are held at 5:15 p.m. every second Thursday of the month in the Army ROTC office. Spouses, relatives of veterans and ROTC members are also welcome to the meetings.
She said the meetings are to plan community service events or ceremonies such as a Veterans Day memorial or to hear speakers.
Rachael Harrelson
Veteran Educational and Transition Services
Veterans of Baylor


text:
Пасту́шья су́мка, или Су́мочник () — род травянистых растений из семейства .

Латинское научное название дано по форме плода:  — ящичек, ларчик.

Трава пастушьей сумки () широко применяется в народной и научной медицине, в том числе в качестве кровоостанавливающего средства в гинекологической практике.

Ботаническое описание
Высота взрослых растений — до 60 см.

Чашелистики прямые, лепестки коротко-ноготковые, белые, розоватые или палевые, длина не более 3,5 мм. По обе стороны коротких тычинок по одной полулунной медовой желёзке, на внешней стороне они почти соприкасаются между собой, и посылают в сторону длинных тычинок линейный отросток. Особенностью пастушьей сумки является то, что она цветёт и плодоносит весь сезон (с мая по сентябрь).

Плод — двухстворчатый сжатый стручочек длиной до 10 мм.

Виды
По информации базы данных The Plant List, род включает 9 видов:

Хозяйственное значение и применение

Использование в кулинарии
Пастушья сумка используется в армянской кухне, особенно в кухне армян Нагорного Карабаха. Её употребляют в сыром виде, как салат или в смеси с другими весенними травами, а также как начинку для блюда
карабахских армян — женгялов хац.

Примечания

Литература

Ссылки
 Махлаюк В. П. Лекарственные растения в народной медицине
Энциклопедия лекарственных трав Украины. Пастушья сумка: лечебные свойства и использование в народной медицине

Капустные
Лекарственные растения
Травы
Флора Евразии

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
kim volkman - The I-94 Bar
2019 Barfly Top Ten: Chris Virtue
Written by The Barman on 29 December 2019 .
2019 was first year for a while that I wasn't doing a radio show and being in Canberra for work, I felt I was little bit out of the loop. Nonetheless, it was another memorable rock 'n' roll year and here's my top10 in no particular order.
Kim Volkman and the Whiskey Priests at Marrickville Bowlo in Sydney
This took me back to when I first started seeing bands in Melbourne in the mid '70s. It was no-nonsense loud rock. Two really good guitarists on top of a solid rhythm section. I loved how the band occupied half the stage and hardly broke formation through the gig. The record's pretty good, too.
Sue Telfer Tribute in Sydney
It was really sad to lose Sue. She was seriously special and it was great to see so many people come out and so many good bands turn it on. All the bands I saw were great with X as a four piece the standout. I reckon it was the best gig I've seen Steve Lucas do.
2019 Barfly Top Ten: Peter "Rossy" Ross
Open Season - Mick Medew and The Mesmerisers
Firstly declaring an extreme bias and a conflict of interest with this one, Mick's second offering from the Mesmerisers is even better than the last. The addition of ex-Tribesmen tub thumper Michael Charles has added muscularity to the band and they go from strength to strength. Some Sydney and Newcastle Birdman supports really won them some new fans. Brian Mann created a stunning sounding record. My fave album of the year.
Address to the Nation - Chris Masuak and the Viveiro Wave Riders
Again, another declaration as I've worked closely with Chris over the past thirty years. My second fave of the year… beaten by a short nose. Chris writes killer songs… plays guitar better than any player I have worked with and has a band so tight I couldn't slide a fag paper between it. A great album, and it gave us a few wry smiles.
The Festival of Sue (X, New Christs et al)
The shock of Sue Telfer's passing pulled together a stellar line up talent who delivered on an emotional night. There were some killer performances but my top two were the New Christs, whose emotion tinged performance left no doubt that they are a top echelon act… but man of the match for mine was Steve Lucas and X. It was a blinding performance, Steve sang and played better than I have heard the band in years, Kim Volkman & Geof Holmes snarled and snorted like a beast. The Barman and Tiffany Palmer did a great job getting it all together, and we raised a great sum of cash for Support Act. I'd like to think Sue would've approved.
2019 Barfly Top Tens: The Barman
In no particular order, The Barman's Top 12 albums of 2019:
"So I Could Have Them Destroyed" – The Hard-Ons (Music Farmers)
You could say "What a comeback!" but only if they'd really gone away. So much variety yet it hangs together so well.
"The Devil Won't Take Charity" - Kim Volkman and the Whiskey Priests (Beast Records)
Kim and his band have that Stonesy-Keef vibe down pat. Raunch and roll.
"Mystery Train" – Chickenstones (Crankinhaus Records)
Sydney's best kept secret. Doc might be driving the bus but Preacher Phil really steps up. Soulful and abrasive tunes played with heart.
"Shake Yer Popboomerang Vol 3" - Various Artists (Popboomerang)
Some of the material back-tracks but it's a collection of rolled gold. Aussie power pop for the ages.
"Black Door" – The Volcanics (Citadel)
High-energy, passion and variety. Their best to date. The Volcanics are truly a world class band.
"The Aints! Play The Saints" - The Aints! (Fatal Records)
Will we ever see their faces again? Maybe. Maybe not. This is a white-hot snapshot of what they delivered live.
"Ann Arbor Revival Meeting" - Scott Morgan's Powertrane featuring Deniz Tek & Ron Asheton (Grown Up Wrong)
As historical artefacts go, this is as good as they get. It's a generously appointed re-issue of a stellar, all-star show.
After 40 years, it's not time to say goodbye
Written by The Barman on 24 July 2017 .
X in full flight in Sydney. Murray Bennett photo
Forty years of X and there's a national tour to celebrate. Who would have thought? Certainly none of the original members, of which Steve Lucas is the only one remaining alive.
Lucas and bassist Ian Rilen were, of course, the only constant members of X. Almost. Even Ian was went briefly MIA from one line-up. The pair's tumultuous relationship has been documented in many places and they were the heart and soul of the band.
BARFLY TOP TEN: Buffalo Revisited lead bassist and guitarist with The Cool Charmers, "noted underground journalist" Steve Lorkin
Top 10 not in any order:
1) White Stripes –Vault #33 Icky Thump X
Third Man Records Vault only release, 10 year anniversary edition. Includes a wacko coloured vinyl re-press of the double album plus two bonus albums containing all the non-album b-sides and the full demos housed in a way out box. The demos are furious ! Only released for a few months via Third Man Records.
2) Shy Impostors CD (maxi EP/mini album CD)
Unleashed by those God-loving folks at Citadel Records. Seven demos recorded 1980 and now finally after a loving re-mix by Jason Blackwell sound truly fab. The songs, vocals and rough as guts musicianship by these proto legends are gold. Melodic and dirty.
3) Buffalo Revisited gig at Brewtality Festival in Melbourne
Is it truly an honour for me after being a Buffalo fan since 1974 to be playing with their mighty vocalist Dave Tice with some fellow Buffalo maniacs (Troy and Marcus). And to be playing those great songs (a mind melt to learn btw). We hit our cosmic groove at the Brewtality Festival in Melbourne; more to come for sure.
Book a launch date with Kim Volkman
Singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kim Volkman has been part of Melbourne's live music scene for 38 years.
He's played in bands like The Severals, Ian Rilen & the Love Addicts, The Patron Saints and Kim Volkman and the Whiskey Priests. He's currently treading the boards nationally, as bass player for the current line-up of X.
His autobiography "The Devil Won't Take Charity" will be launched at Robarta, St Kilda on September 3, 2017 from 2-5pm. Join the Facebook event here.
Pre-orders are open and you can score yourself a copy of the limited edition, signed book for $30 plus postage by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. There are also copies on sale at X shows.
Written by The Barman on 21 October 2019 .
KIm Volkman and the Whiskey Priests come from Melbourne. No shock there. Most of the best Australian rock and roll does. And this is a record - like most of them - with a beginning and an end. No shit again, Sherlock. The distinction is that the songs at each end book-end and define what's inbetween - and it's pretty fucking great.
The slightly frayed vocal of opening track "I'm Still Standing (Alive and Well)" and its swaggering, Oz Rock chug suits its survivor sentiment to a tee. And the cover of the Jagger/Richards classic "Silver Train" that closes the album is pulled off with consummate, ragged ease.
Stones and Oz Rock. They're children of the blues. Throw in the inevitable Ian Rilen and the Love Addicts comparison (more on that later) and you'll appreciate how "The Devil Won't Take Charity" nails its colours to the masts.
The Devil Won't Take Charity - Kim Volkman (self published)
Written by The Barman on 04 August 2017 .
It's been said that everybody does have a book in them, but in most cases that's where it should stay. Melbourne musician Kim Volkman begs to differ.
Now, he's not exactly a household name so you could well ask what business Volkman has writing an autobiography. If you do I'll not-so-respectfully point out that Justin Bieber has five (allegedly) self-penned books against his name on Amazon right now.
It helps that Volkman has led an interesting musical life. Guitarist with Ian Rilen and the Love Addicts - one of the most underrated, raw and real bands to appear on Australian stages in the last 30 years - he's also had three stints filling his late ex-band leader's bass spot in X.
Volkman's played with many lesser-known bands - including his own very good Whiskey Priests. Unlike Justin Bieber, he's never had notable success. That's probably a good thing in Kim's case - on his own admission, it might have killed him.


At least 500 people requiring urgent medical attention must be evacuated from eastern Aleppo immediately said a partner of Muslim Aid today, from inside Aleppo itself.
Among those currently trapped include at least 12 people requiring intensive care treatment, new born babies in need of incubation and people requiring emergency surgery and kidney dialysis.
Muslim Aid is supporting a hospital close to the Turkey/Syria border, providing medical equipment and costs for 127 staff members, including doctors, pharmacists, nurses, technicians, porters and cleaners.
"These committed staff members know that there are so many people who urgently need their help and if they aren't evacuated soon, many of them will die. These long delays could lead to huge medical complications that could have been avoided. That is very hard for medical professionals to bear," added Jehangir.
Muslim Aid's partner organisation currently has 200 staff members trapped inside Aleppo, including doctors, teachers, project managers and others.
Muslim Aid is supporting the partner to run five primary schools in Syria (three in Aleppo) and two in Idlib. The three schools in Aleppo have stopped functioning and all the children are displaced.
"Our partner is urgently trying to re-establish contact with the teachers in order to know what has happened to the children. Once we know where they are we will do everything we can to help them," explained Jehangir.
Muslim Aid and the local partner have been distributing food parcels in Aleppo but this was suspended last week.
"The situation in Syria is one of the worst humanitarian disasters of our time; it is nothing less than barbaric," concluded Jehangir. "The relevant authorities must urgently facilitate a safe exit for all civilians and humanitarian workers out of the besieged area to the destinations of their choice without being the subject of detention, interrogation or persecution.


On Saturday, the Living Letters team was welcomed at the Lutheran church in Brooklyn which draws its name from the Arabic word for peace, "Salam".
Discussions about gun control and small arms trafficking, violence in the streets and against ethnic groups, as well as the engagement by churches in peacemaking activities consumed the first days of a 10-day visit to the United States by an international ecumenical team representing the World Council of Churches (WCC).
Members of the team, who travel to New York, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and New Orleans from 15-23 September, include a South African church leader once jailed for his anti-apartheid activity, a public health specialist from Lebanon, a Brazilian ecumenical officer and a human rights lawyer from Pakistan. They bring to meetings with American church leaders experiences of violence in their own countries and ways they have been working for peace and justice.
The group's visit, called Living Letters, is part of the WCC's Decade to Overcome Violence, an initiative to promote peaceful alternatives to violence.
"We need your help," the Rev. Michael Livingston, president of the National Council of Church of Christ (NCCC), told them. Livingston said the country suffers from "a scourge of gun violence": "We need your help to turn around this terrible situation we have."
An ordained Presbyterian minister who also is executive director of the International Council of Community Churches in the US, Livingston brought greetings to the delegation on behalf of members of the NCCC which is hosting the visit. "We want to learn from you, and from our own stories, to make this world a world of peace," he said.
In the nation's capital, the delegation heard about the grim statistics of epidemic gun violence from Ladd Everitt, representing the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and about the activity in arms trafficking from Scott Stedjam, from Oxfam America.
"We have a real pride in violence in our country," said Everitt. "We also profit from it," he added, describing how the sale of violent video games and films produced by the motion picture industry glorify violence and promote vigilante justice.
"We are a David fighting Goliath," he said, describing the millions of dollars earned by the industry. He asked the ecumenical visitors to encourage Americans to take a stand against the culture of violence. "Our politicians are not speaking up and our community leaders are not speaking up," he said.
Stedjam said countries often put profits before principles when it comes to arms sales. The US has sidestepped its own regulations and "has violated the spirit of the law," he said, by providing arms to countries such as Saudi Arabia, despite its record of human rights abuses, to Pakistan, which is ruled by a military dictatorship, and to India, which has refused to sign the non-nuclear proliferation treaty.
In another session, delegates engaged in dialogue about the Iraq war with Dr Elizabeth Ferris, a senior fellow with the Brookings Institute, and Dr Antonios Kireopoulos, associate general secretary for International Affairs and Peace of the NCCC. Government representatives also spoke with the delegation during an informal lunch in the Senate building.
A tour of Washington's several war monuments from a peace perspective, led by the Rev. Phil Jones of the Church of the Brethren, known historically for its peacemaking, moved members of the delegation. Jones challenged the delegation to speak straightforwardly to the church. "If there are moments we go into narrow spaces, challenge all of us to use a wider lens," he said. "Challenge us to use words that heal, rather than hurt - to ensure a more peaceful world."
In the first two days of the team's visit in the New York area, they met with members at Salam Arabic Lutheran Church, a multicultural church in Brooklyn that ministers to immigrants from the Middle East; worshiped at Abyssinian Baptist Church, a historic church serving the African American community in Harlem, and were guests at the third annual Peace Festival of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, an interfaith organization with programs and educational projects that support domestic and international nonviolent alternatives to conflict.
Also on the team's agenda are visits with an Amish Mennonite community, where last year five young schoolgirls were killed in a random act of violence; inner-city ministries in Philadelphia where communities are confronting drive-by street shootings; the United Nations in New York on September 21 for an ecumenical event to mark the International Day of Prayer for Peace and New Orleans, which struggles with domestic and street violence in the wake of Hurricane Katrina that broke through levees and flooded two-thirds of that historic city two years ago.
The WCC delegation to the US is the second visit of Living Letters, small ecumenical teams who visit a country to listen, learn, share approaches and help to confront challenges in order to overcome violence, promote peace and pray for peace. The first was a team sent 4-14 August to Sri Lanka, a troubled Indian Ocean island that has suffered internal strife since 1983. Renewed violence since 2005 has claimed at least 5,000 lives there.
Rev. Edwin Makue of Marshalltown, South Africa, a minister of the Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa, is the general secretary of the South African Council of Churches.
Lina Moukheiber of Beirut, Lebanon, a member of the Greek Orthodox Church (Patriarchate of Antioch) and a public health specialist who has worked in the United States, the Middle East and Africa, and currently is the director of development at the Saint George Hospital in Lebanon.
Dr Marcelo Schneider from Porto Alegre, Brazil, the ecumenical officer of the Evangelical Church of Lutheran Confession in Brazil. He also serves as the ecumenical assistant to the moderator of the World Council of Churches' central committee, Rev. Dr Walter Altmann.
Aneeqa Maria Akhtar of Lahore, Pakistan, a Roman Catholic who is a civil rights lawyer and human rights activist. She works as a legal advisor for Legal Aid Assistance and Settlement, along with filling the position of Dean of Faculty and Studies at Trinity Law College in Lahore.
"A Living Letters team is successful when those they visit can affirm 'We are not alone!' and when team members feel they have received much from those who they have visited," said the coordinator of the Decade to Overcome Violence, Rev. Hansulrich Gerber, who is accompanying the team to the US.
(*) Jerry Hames is a religion journalist who has worked for 40 years for Canadian and American church publications. He recently retired as editor of the national publication of the Episcopal Church in the United States.


Manufactured in France from prior to 1927 until 0.
"Camera new model half varnished walnut with large shift , high accuracy, very rigid, allows the use of kit, wide-angle and long focal length. Triple shift. Leather bellows. Direct move of the back part by means of a stand with a double extra strong oblique rack with locking button.
The sliding of the rear part is metal not liable of becoming unstable .
Vertical tilt with tracking index to check parallelism. reversible lens plate, allowing to install, for the transport, the shutter and the lens within the camera.
Plate holders sliding on velvet and spring locking of the reversible plate holders frames . 2 Congress type nuts for installation on tripod "
The lens is a Berthiot Périgraphe série vtb 6,8 180 mm No 224 454. Curtain shutter.


"We herewith notify pursuant to sec. 25 para. 1 sentence 1 WpHG that on 12 February 2015 we directly held an instrument pursuant to sec. 25a para. 1 sentence 1 WpHG enabling us under certain circumstances to indirectly acquire voting rights in the proportion of 19.03% (equals: 13,400,001 voting rights) in HUGO BOSS AG calculated from the total amount of voting rights in HUGO BOSS AG in the amount of 70,400,000. As per this date we would have fallen below the threshold of 30%, 25% and 20% of voting rights.
The instrument held by us relates to a right of first offer (Recht zur Abgabe eines ersten An-gebots) contained in a Shareholders Agreement, which was signed in 2007 and ends on 02 August 2017, between our company and PFC S.r.l. as minority shareholders and Red & Black Holdco S.à r.l. and Red & Black Holdco 2 S.à r.l. as majority shareholders of the holding company Red & Black Topco S.à r.l. ("Topco").


I truly do love my kids. In those seldom moments when they're cuteness isn't followed or preceeded by annoying or naughty, I remember that they are the most adorable and fantastic kids in the world! Their smiles make me laugh and smile and remember why it's great to be a mom! I love them, and I need to remember that even when they're being naughty! It's hard at times- but I think I need to put some pictures of them smiling up at my mom's, just to remember while I am chewing them out, that they're adorable. It's been hard while being at my Mom's. We don't have enough space for ourselves, let alone all of our crap. We really don't have enough room to sleep comfortably at night, but at least we have a roof over our heads, and Jaran has work. I am so thankful for that! And very grateful that my Mom and Bob are allowing us to interrupt their world for a while! Thanks! Take Care everyone!
Ditto Emily. That picture of Ansleigh at the top of your blog is gorgeous! What a cutie pie. And McKie is starting to look so grown up! And I guess I'd better not leave Brensyn out. Of course he's a sweetheart - he just doesn't talk to me much!
Your daughter has beautiful eyes just like her mommy.
That has to be hard living in such a small space. We live in a small apartment and I feel like were bursting at the seems too. I just have to remind myself that it takes a while to get a good job, house, etc. and I can't expect these things all at once. It is hard though when your young and raising a family, huh?
Cute pictures of your beautiful kids! Oh on your Easter Picutes it looks like McKie has a mohak...When did you give McKie a mohak?? hahaha it looks cute!


The U.S. Department of State and the Aspen Institute hosted the formal launch of the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise at the Department's George C. Marshall Center on Tuesday, November 27th. Representatives from the 22 founding organizations as well as approximately 150 private sector executives, senior government officials, and non-profit organizations participated in the event.
Hundreds of thousands of people around the world, largely women, participate in the artisan sector. Behind agriculture, artisan activity is the second largest employer and in the developing world, often the primary means of income. However, the value chain for artisan enterprises is fragmented and fraught with barriers that inhibit greater economic value and returns from occurring. To address these challenges, the Aspen Institute is launching the Alliance for Artisan Enterprise, a platform enabling companies, non-profits, governments, and international organizations to collaborate to support and grow artisan enterprises, provide best practice services to the organizations that support them, and to support the broader recognition of the importance of the artisan sector to development, economic growth and preservation of cultural heritage.
Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, Melanne Verveer and Executive Vice President of Policy and Public Programs, Elliot Gerson for the Aspen Institute, officially launched the Alliance and delivered opening keynote remarks. Following their remarks, members of the Alliance, including west elm, Walmart, USAID, the International Folk Art Market-Santa Fe, and Global Goods Partners discussed the economic value that artisans provide, critical barriers in the supply chain, areas of opportunity, and innovative collaborations the Alliance will leverage in order to expand market access for artisans globally. The event fell on Fair Tuesday, a response to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, illustrating the power consumers can have in changing the lives of a community by purchasing one fair trade item.


text:
With the incorporation Acme became a dependent district of Wellington and the two entities share the same governing board with the Wellington Council acting as the Board of Supervisors for Acme.
Election Information and Administrative Services of the District
The Wellington Charter states that: "Effective March 28, 1996, at 7 p.m. the terms of office of the Board Supervisors of the Acme Improvement District shall terminate, and the village council members of the Village of Wellington shall assume the duties and responsibilities of the Board of Supervisors." The Charter also states that "all special acts of the Acme Improvement District shall become ordinances of the Village of Wellington on March 28, 1996."
Acme's responsibilities currently include the construction, operation, and maintenance of administration and maintenance facilities, surface water management system facilities, park and recreation facilities, roads, and water and wastewater facilities. Wellington officials and staff perform the administration of these functions, and Acme's official headquarters is in Wellington offices in Wellington, Florida. Upon incorporation all Acme employees became employees of Wellington. However, certain employees are assigned to the District for operations and maintenance while others are allocated to Acme for administration and managerial purposes. According to the Interlocal Agreement, Wellington acts on behalf of the District, and was authorized to exercise certain governmental responsibilities including the approval of plats, procurement of goods and services, execution of contracts, establishment of fees, acquisition and disposal of property, effectuation of regulatory compliance and defense and prosecution of court actions. Within Wellington government, three departments oversee most areas of the District's administration: the Wellington Manager, Finance, and Public Works.
Anne Gerwig, President
Email Address: agerwig@wellingtonfl.gov
Mailing Address: 12300 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, FL 33414
Anne Gerwig and her husband, Alan, have lived in Wellington for 24 years with their three children – Jessica, Dane and Luke. Ms. Gerwig is the…
John T. McGovern, Supervisor
Email Address: jmcgovern@wellingtonfl.gov
John T. McGovern is the newest member of the Village Council. He was appointed in February, 2015 to replace Councilman Howard Coates.
Councilman…
Michael Napoleone was elected to the Village Council without opposition in December 2015 for a four-year term commencing on March 22, 2016. He is the…
Michael Drahos, Supervisor
Email Address: mdrahos@wellingtonfl.gov
Michael Drahos was elected to the Village Council for a four-year term commencing on March 22, 2016.
Tanya Siskind, Supervisor
Email Address: tsiskind@wellingtonfl.gov
Mailing Address: 12300 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, FL 3341
She was appointed on April 13, 2016.


text:
by Brian Wright
NHCommonsense
Solari.com
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Live Free and Smoke... or Not
2006 Defeat of Smoking Ban #1 in the Free State (and initial popular revolt against Real ID)
A Breath of Fresh Air Felt 'round the World
The following writeup was initially appended to the book I wrote—New Pilgrim Chonicles—about my experiences as a Free State Project member, then early mover to the state of New Hampshire. Following the Free State Project Porcupine Festival in the summer of 2005, I put my boots on Free State ground, renting a room in the historically notable town of New Boston.
In the spring of 2006, federal-government-funded "health" issue organizations such as the American Lung Association and other organized invaders of the NFP (Neighborhood of Free People) made New Hampshire a major target. The people's republics surrounding New Hampshire—Maine, New York, Vermont, Mass., etc.—had all succumbed to government takeover of private-property airspace in the form of a smoking ban on bars and restaurants. New Hampshire was the lone holdout, and had to be brought in line. The following is the story of a successful resistance...
HB 1177, Smoking Ban
It's a big weekend in the Free State, starting with a gathering at Joel and Amy's abode—word-of-mouth invitation only, Joel announces the idea at the March MVP meeting—for a "Flying Wachowski Brothers" combination film-viewing evening.
On Friday night, St. Patty's Day, we first watch The Matrix on DVD, then drive down to Merrimack to watch V for Vendetta at the Cinemagic. We maybe have 20 of our Free State revolutionary culturati in tow.
Then back to reality with a lesson or two.
"Meet and Greet" Extraordinaire
Before delving into the workload du jour, I want to comment on a second event of an enjoyment/rewards nature, the Margot and Bradley Keyes' World Famous Meet and Greet at their home in Epsom. This was held on the heels of the Wachowski moviefest, the next day in fact; all known Free Staters and fellow travelers were invited.
What a difference, then, arriving at Brad and Margot's, Margot making a beeline for me (and others) with open arms and a "Brian, it's wonderful to see you," I tell you, a Margot hug can be a lifechanger. First, I wasn't sure she even remembered my name. Second, well, it was like being a plant set for a long time in a dark corner suddenly drenched with sunlight and water.
This is how it should be. People in our movement are born and destined for being-friendly to. Such a simple thing, but you know it takes exceptional energy to constantly send out the warm energy, especially in these troubled times. How enchanting we have Ms. Margot, showing a well-formed hug is worth a hundred syllogisms.
Everyone is here tonight, too, easily 50-100 people—the official tally is 87. Now I'm to the point of knowing several of the early movers and shakers and fellow travelers. I tell Brad Keyes I'm interested in drawing together a group of individuals who may enjoy discussing books and ideas from the perspective of holistic Objectivism (that's the philosophy of Ayn Rand for all you "atavistic cave-dwellers.")
And he's good with that idea. A couple of others nearby chime in, too. A few of the FSP poobahs are in the throng, along with three state representatives.
Let me rattle off some names, Brad and Margot, of course, Don Gorman—sometimes respectfully referred to by some as 'The Don'—, Calvin Pratt, Kat Dillon, Chris Lawless, Russell Kanning, the Swearingens, Joel and Amy, Dawn Lincoln, Sandy Pierre, Jon Bender, Dan and Carol McGuire, Dave "The Mad Hugger" Mincin, and many of the folks who came to Movie Night. The crop of the crop.
What a high! This is definitely something you early movers have to look forward to when you arrive. Our group of revelers is distinct. Virtually everyone at the party is a solid activist, or a leader, depending on the cause. The fun and games of Movie Night and Meet and Greet is only prologue for the practical work to come.
On the eve of political battles ahead, I contemplate the many activities available for those who move hither. Our mundane real-world job as freedom people, should we choose to accept it, is to replace a budding American tyranny with something kinder and gentler… by using the tools of self-government we were all exposed to as children:
Caring about the issues, and about the people they affect
Reading and becoming informed about the issues
In general developing one's mind and one's natural reason
Getting to know one's neighbors
Attending town meetings, participating in local politics
Writing letters to one's representatives
Calling one's representatives
Discussing one's feelings with one's representatives face to face
Writing letters to the editor and other opinion outlets
Running for office, participating in other campaigns
Demonstrating, protesting, persuading, cajoling
Petitioning, lobbying, distributing literature
Leading on important issues, following on others
Always thinking for oneself
Aftermathing at one's pub of choice
These are the tools we will be carrying into battle. Unbeknownst to me, many of the people in the laughter-and-conversation-filled room tonight are going to the capital on Tuesday to lobby on an important vote.
Battleground, Part 1
Oddly enough, reckless endangerment of one's pub of choice is the issue we're tackling. House Bill 1177 is scheduled for a vote in the House on Tuesday, 3/21; HB 1177 would extend the state ban on smoking beyond certain businesses, specifically, to restaurants and bars. No more raising a stein for freedom in one hand with a cigarette in the other at your local tavern.
Some anti-choice segments of the health and safety lobbies—it's harsh to call them Health Nazis (yet objectively descriptive)—smell the blood of lost freedom in the water. Groups such as the American Cancer Institute Action Committee and the CleanAirWorksNH lead the charge with misleading paraphernalia that 79% of the people in New Hampshire want to force bar and restaurant owners to go smoke-free.
No, the poll means approximately 79% prefer to patronize some smoke-free environments. We have it on good authority that 80% prefer freedom to choose. We should have come up with an 80% pin.
Every surrounding state has compelled restaurants and bars to prohibit lighting up inside their own property. Restaurateurs and smokers' rights organizations have either surrendered to the ban, or, in the case of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce, actively endorsed such abject surrender of their members' property rights.
So here you have a multimillion-dollar national lobbying operation—several of the umbrella organizations fighting for a ban receive federal tax dollars—initiating the legislation months ago, tracking down our representatives, hounding them, sending them mountains of emails and other glossy paraphernalia of specious reasoning.
It doesn't matter that two-thirds of the bars and restaurants in New Hampshire have gone smoke-free of their own will. Or that the only restaurant/bar worker to testify, a nonsmoker, opposes the ban on the principle of freedom of choice.
Advocates of the ban use a timeworn emotional appeal: they point to someone's personal misfortune, often their own, as a pretext for taking away everyone's freedom.
Here, they hope to tyrannize a hard-pressed minority, the dying breed (literally, I suppose) of smokers who like to light up at bars. I used to be such a person, and, candidly, at the time I positively relished the whole experience, as arguably unhealthful as it might have been. I still want access to such wretched, civilized self-pollution as an option if I'm having a bad day. It's my body and my life.
Preaching to the choir, I know.
Our Peerless Fearless Dude taking on the entire health, restaurant, and chamber-of-commerce establishment is New Hampshire Liberty Alliance (NHLA) stalwart, the honorable Keith Murphy. A 15-year veteran of the restaurant business and a former bartender and waiter—and serious nonsmoker—Keith has been personally attending all the committee meetings, patiently persuading the several representatives, and keeping the NHLA troops focused.
Of course, he and several others have been top of the proceedings—the ubiquitous Don Gorman, Calvin Pratt, LPNH Chairman John Babiarz, others—approach the legislators professionally and humbly. They offer refined arguments, first-rate literature, personal stories, and special sensitivity to each legislator's unique circumstances.
Today is the house vote on 1177. Our program is to assemble at the state house, politely hand out literature to the representatives, watch the result in the gallery, and celebrate our fortune in a longstanding tradition at the Barley House directly across the street.
I drive up from New Boston, park at a meter a block away, then enter the capitol from the back door—there is no security function there; it feels as if one is entering the home of a neighbor with a "mi casa es su casa" policy—and descend the steps into the basement cafeteria.
The gang's all here. Astounding. I count approximately 20 activists. Even during my LP heydays of the early 80s, seeing this many well-dressed, professional (not to mention extremely good looking) activists assembled to do some real work meant you were at a national convention or a national protest… or dreaming.
Standard practice is to put on a message badge, stand outside the second-floor elevators and courteously intercept representatives with a handout as they head to their offices before entering the chamber. In reality, most of the reps have made up their minds, so our presence serves to mainly to cheerlead, to lend moral support to the good reps of principle who have been hammered mercilessly by the aforementioned health-über-freedom (HUF) extremists.
We also, by making a showing, give notice to our opponents that we mean business. Their days of uncontested lobbying for the nanny (or the pappy) state are over… at least in the Free State. I brought my little camera, and I figure to do a photojournalist routine for the website and for my journal.
A word or two about the process—Keith, John, Calvin, and others all have the drill down pat: "You're a citizen who is concerned with the liberty of the people of New Hampshire." There's a widespread anxiety factor that we libertarian legislative activists don't become associated with the Free State Project in legislators' minds.
I get the point.
The grand scheme of politics on the street here is the NH Liberty Alliance more or less sets the standards and serves as the umbrella organization with whom to announce one's connection—at least to members of the legislature.
The attractive NHLA pin rests on virtually everyone's lapel—I'm an NHLA member, but forgot my pin—and the legislators are beginning to make the association between that symbol and informed, professional yet passionate, freedom-loving lobbying. In most legislators' minds, the pin conjures up a positive image.
You can see above with Calvin, the practiced approach of delivering the benevolent message of liberty (though, judging from the badge, the guy he's speaking to is a lobbyist on a different issue—there are other issues being considered today on the House floor). I'd rate the elevator activity as a huge success, simply judging by the number of reps contacted and the number of reps who warmly receive our message of support for their native interest in liberty.
I've run into Christine Gay, who I met the other night at Joel and Amy's moviefest. Another pleasant surprise, for someone so young and relatively new to the fight, she has a solid knowledge of the issues. In particular, she points to Article 83 of the NH Constitution, which states, "Free and fair competition in the trades and industries is an inherent and essential right of the people…" So, the constitution says the government cannot meddle with business decisions.
After the gladhanding by the elevators, I walk with her to feed our respective parking meters. This is a common sight around the capitol, and the rates are not bad (two-quarters/hour but there's a two-hour limit; you can get the same rate in a nearby structure and put in enough quarters for an all-day park, if you like).
Again, this is the more important day for all of us, because the House is theoretically the closest to the people. New Hampshire has 400 representatives—note this is a true citizen legislature, each representative or senator receives a salary of $100 per year, plus mileage—and my district around New Boston has four representatives. I've contacted them. Normally, when you call you reach their residence or the office where they work. Often, at their homes, one of their children answers the phone.
The gallery fills. The HUF extremists, wearing their 79% buttons have staked out the best seats. But we have a significant presence and the gallery is big enough for both groups. We're outnumbered, as you can see from the photo. But we make up a sizeable contingent nonetheless… providing in quality what we lack in quantity.
Opponents of the ban are truly eloquent, many using some of the arguments suggested to them by the NHLA and its members. Some of the homegrown oratory is amazingly poetic and incisive, I'm getting chills. But the skids have been greased and the propaganda mill has been effective. The only voice of the people comes from ourselves; all business lobbies have gone to sleep or gone over to the other side.
To make a long story short, the vote is slightly in favor of extending the ban. A key amendment would have extended the ban to bars and restaurants but offered them exceptions based on performance of notification or air cleanup actions. That loses narrowly. In essence, we are approximately a dozen votes short of defeating HB 1177.
Thus, we fight the good fight against large odds and narrowly lose… for now. The bill still has to get through the senate. In general, a senate body tends to accept the will of the people as expressed through a house body, but this is New Hampshire. There is some reason to hold out hope for a senate defeat. Adjourn to the Barley House.
Now comes the happy tale.
But don't let me jump the gun.
For another several days, HB 1177 kicks around Concord and hits the appropriate committee in the senate. New Hampshire has a system where a committee can declare a bill inexpedient to legislate (ITL), meaning basically the committee feels the bill should not be enacted.
In the case of HB 1177, some pro-business-freedom members of the committee have prevailed and declared HB 1177 ITL.
Naturally, the full senate can exercise the right to overrule the committee, and in this highly publicized and heavily lobbied enterprise, the senate schedules such a vote. This vote is coming up, and I get my notice from the Porcupine announcement board courtesy of Sandy Pierre, who heads up the Merrimack Valley Porcupines. She urges us if possible, to please join NHLA activists on April 6 for last-minute moral support for approving the committee ITL recommendation.
Also, the word gets out to contact our senators. Which is something I'm getting good at, now. It doesn't take long to establish a personal relationship with your representatives or senator… assuming they're halfway reasonable. (Mine are pretty good; many of our leading activists reside in districts represented by genuine dipwads, or, as the lowest category of the NHLA Report Card stipulates:
CT (Constitutional Threat) = Unfaithful to their oath to the New Hampshire Constitution and the rule of law.)
Anyway, my senator is Sheila Roberge, who you can find on the Web. Sheila, from her photo and from the background info, was active in the Reagan and Bush I campaigns. So a) she's been around and seems a mellower, matronly sort, b) she may have some understanding or care for true conservative (actually true classical liberal) ideas, such as smaller government, and c) she may not be a blindly enthusiastic supporter of the Bush II criminal cabal.
Of course, this is state politics. But the federales have a lot of power and use it disgracefully in trying to buy acquiescence to their centralized-power addictions. Thus, a national campaign has implications for what a state legislator will do at home. I've already called her office to oppose the federales' Real ID program, as well.
So far I've always spoken with her secretary-voicemail, Angela. Angela dutifully takes down my comments and we chitchat a little; she promises to deliver them to Sheila. Angela becomes, like, you know, my surrogate senator. And we get along super, at least on the phone.
For the senate vote, we don't have so many people. I arrive later than the others, but recall there being half a dozen or so, meeting down in the cafeteria. Sandy, Denis Goddard, Don Gorman, Keith Murphy, Carol McGuire, and Sam Adams. The HUF extremists have prepared deviously, somehow reserving the senate gallery exclusively for themselves. (If they lose, they'll look kind of stupid for bogarting the gallery stage, won't they?)
We strain to listen to an audio streaming of the proceedings on the floor through Sam's computer there in the cafeteria. You can see our gruesome twosome, Don Gorman on the left, Keith on the right, listening intently. It's a nail biter; Keith is saying we may just be a vote short. Roll call vote. My Sheila votes our way! It comes down to the very end, vote 12-11 to accept the committee's recommendation to ITL!
I'm so geeked. So majorly geeked! People don't realize how big this is! For the first time in modern political life, a determined band of freedom fighters engage the political process and skillfully defeat the hallowed overwhelming (in this case, leftist) collective. The "roll over and take tyranny up the wazoo" movement stops here, today!
Naturally, we're elated, hugs and handshakes all around. I don't recall my feet touching the ground on our way across the street to the Barley House. Only the five of us, a couple have gone ahead to the next-door office building where Cato and the ACLU are joining forces to present the case against Real ID.
I feel I'm on hand for a quiet yet momentous milestone. The New York Times and The Boston Globe should be here interviewing both of these political giants: Keith Murphy, who took the defeat of HB 1177 as his personal mission, and Don Gorman, who's been leading the fight for American freedom in New Hampshire for decades. When they write the history of our time, Keith and Don will crest the list of Liberty's Who's Who—as early winners.
Don's countenance reveals deep satisfaction. He observes that for the first time, the NHLA has virtually singlehandedly affected public policy with a real, on-the-street, pro-freedom triumph. Also, he notes that the NHLA is finally on this exciting occasion seeing the benefit of the influx of freedom fighters via the Free State Project.
That cements it for me. Now I see how the FSP works, or should work. It's a perfect setup. On the one hand you have Jason Soren's simple, elegant equation to bring people to a beautiful place that is already substantially freer than any other political subdivision on the planet. Once there, you're naturally going to let the other shoe drop. You'll probably embrace the political process, even though it's quite enough for many just to be part of the scene.
Comment from Cal Pratt: "The social community we're creating here needs to be emphasized, because I've always thought that's the biggest draw the FSP has. It's about the people and not just the activism."
Assuming you do come here to carry on the fight for freedom, you have innumerable groups on every issue to choose from. In my humble opinion, the central, effective organization for the political activist in NH is, indeed, the New Hampshire Liberty Alliance. So I'm giving NHLA a plug, and I'll be spending more of my time and money toward its growth. Folks, this is "more fun than when the pigs ate grandpa." Winning is everything.
As my book goes to publication, it appears the NHLA and other organizations are fighting the Real ID act successfully. The whole idea of a "liberty alliance" working in such a down-to-earth, yet sophisticated, manner bears exporting. It can easily become the model whereby Free State 2 and Free State 3 and Free State n throw off the shackles and roll back the American state for good. Then on to the rest of the world… not with armies but with ideas of self-government. It's magical. The spirits of our colonial ancestors stir.
As if to underscore our profound hope for the future, on the way back to my car, the Peace Guy is there, part of what I discover is called the Concord Vigil. He was here two weeks ago, and he's here today. Don Booth is 89 years old, sort of a peace-and-love freelancer associated with an outfit called NH Peace Action.
In my jaded conservative past, I might have disparaged people like Don as pacifist-leftist anti-Americans. Today, with all that's happened with illegal wars for corporate-welfare-statist hegemony, where we've witnessed first hand the treachery and inhumanity of the political class, I see peace people and freedom people coming together with a healing understanding—the best of left and right.
After all, according to the libertarian aphorism, "war is the health of the state." I think we have a lot to learn from each other. Through peace find freedom, through freedom find peace. Riding "the gentle energies of love," we have a state, a country, a planet, and a galaxy to win. (The rest of the universe we'll temporarily leave to its own devices.)
HB 1582, Defiance of Real ID
After the success defeating the smoking ban, freedom people at the Portal went on to even more important things. A brave, young hero of the revolution named Joel Winters stepped up to the plate to lead the movement to stop federal Real ID in New Hampshire. Let me tell the story of Real ID in the words of another good friend of mine and fellow freedom fighter on Portal ground, Matt Simon, in his letter to the folks back home on the occasion of Independence Day, 2006.
Final Personal Message from the Author
I'd like to end by saying to my friends and family, as well as my cause-oriented and thinking-oriented brothers and sisters around the world—particularly the young—I hope I've given you something in these pages to hang your hat on. Or a lovingly placed rock or two to help you cross the turbulent stream of widespread irrationality and conniving political power that separates us from the Promised Land of exceptionally high-quality living for real people.
A humility disclaimer is also in order: In no way am I attempting to personally direct or control the flow of energy at the Portal; that energy is composed of the several valiant and individualistic souls engaged in the struggle here—I'm only a member of the team, a relative rookie at that. Hence, Chronicles cannot define the experience, only capture a part of what it's like… offer one man's view of what it means and possibly some good ideas to try out.
I know most your hearts are heavy over the state of public affairs today, and you worry about your future and the future of your children. But it's darkest just before the dawn. The tipping point has arrived. This book and other creative contributions provide solid evidence of that fact. Just as the divine right of kings and slavery were boldly swept away by our ancestors during The Enlightenment, so, too, we will dispel dogmatic faith and statism during our new Age of Reason. The Bard speaks across the centuries:
Thank you for joining me in the journey, either here at the Freedom Portal, or through it, with so many beautiful people growing more so, or from whatever point you send the love beams toward us. Please continue the dialog with me either personally or through my site, FreeCommunityofReason.org.[1] I look forward to sharing with you the free, benevolent, rational, prosperous world that lies directly on the threshold of our invigorating vision.
[1] Which would become the Coffee Coaster (www.thecoffeecoaster.com)
Copyright © Brian Wright | The Coffee Coaster™
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Home News Analysis What's Behind the Violence in Ecatepec, Mexico City's Sprawling Suburb?
What's Behind the Violence in Ecatepec, Mexico City's Sprawling Suburb?
Written by Escrito por
Patrick Corcoran
Beltran Leyva Org
Ecatepec, a suburb of Mexico City, has seen rise in violence
The Mexican government's recently released list of cities with the highest number of murders under President Enrique Peña Nieto's tenure includes one surprise entry: Ecatepec, the sprawling Mexico City suburb not known as a center of organized crime.
According to Mexico's Interior Ministry, the five cities that have registered the most murder investigations since December 2012 are Acapulco, Tijuana, Culiacán, Juárez, and Ecatepec.
The measure of violence is slightly odd; Mexico has various murder registries at the municipal level, a more direct and reliable statistic for measuring violence than the number of murder cases opened. But other sources support the thrust of the Interior Ministry's findings. According to municipal tallies from Justice in Mexico's most recent report, for instance, Ecatepec has registered either the fourth- or fifth-largest number of murders in each of the years Peña Nieto has been office.
For Ecatepec, this represents both a historic explosion and the reversal of a long-term trend. According to the government's statistical agency Inegi, considered Mexico's most reliable source for municipal homicide statistics, Ecatepec averaged 344 murders a year from 1991 to 1994.
SEE ALSO: InDepth Coverage of Homicides
For the next 14 years, however, the city's murder rate dropped to an average of 235 a year, a sustained decrease of more than 30 percent that equates to a murder rate of approximately 16 per 100,000 residents. During this period, the total number of murders never surpassed 277, and bottomed out at 158 in 2007. For one of Mexico's largest cities, this shift toward a safer Ecatepec represented a substantial achievement, sufficient to drop the annual national murder rate by about a percentage point.
But as with many areas in Mexico, the insecurity that began under President Felipe Calderón had massive consequences in Ecatepec. In 2009, the city tallied 317 murders, its worst total since 1994. The following year, it registered 413, until then the worst total in the city's recent history. (Inegi's online records go back to 1990.)
From 2011 to 2015, the situation has grown substantially worse: Ecatepec has witnessed approximately 533 murders a year, a 125 percent increase from the 1995-2008 average that yields a rate of 33 homicides per 100,000 residents.
Unlike Acapulco, Tijuana, Culiacán, and Juárez, all of which are notorious havens of cartel warfare, Ecatepec does not loom large in popular conceptions of the Mexican criminal landscape. There have been no famous battles for Ecatepec, nor is it the home base of any major criminal organizations.
But Ecatepec does have a long history of smaller, locally-based criminal groups. In 2008, for instance, the local police chief named eight principal local criminal groups operating in Ecatepec, which focused primarily on retail drug sales. While these groups presumably obtained their merchandise from larger organizations, they appeared to be independent entities.
As in much of the country, the spiral of violence during the Calderón administration brought these local groups into increased contact with larger trafficking organizations. The principal groups that set down roots in Ecatepec were the Familia Michoacana and a series of groups linked to the Beltrán Leyva Organization (BLO).
The disintegration of formerly dominant groups has sparked a sense of chaos that has further driven the city's bloodshed. The arrest or killing of Alfredo, Arturo, and Héctor Beltrán Leyva, as well as top lieutenants like Edgar Valdes Villarreal and Sergio Villarreal, splintered the organization into countless offshoots, many of which have attempted to set down roots in Ecatepec. These include the Hand with Eyes, the Rojos, and Warriors United.
SEE ALSO: Beltrán Leyva Organization Profile
Today, Ecatepec is struggling to confront both the deep-seated criminal roots and the aftermath of the cartel breakdown. Much of the current violence appears to stem from control over extortion and the drug markets more than fights for trafficking routes. In the aftermath of one recent killing, a local media outlet estimated that 20 business owners have been murdered since 2016 for refusing to make extortion payments.
In a narrow sense, Ecatepec's travails support a longstanding government narrative that the Mexico City area is off-limits to criminal groups. As recently as 2014, high-ranking officials like Interior Secretary Miguel Ángel Osorio Chong said that in the capital there was no sign of the "big cartels," and that the criminal rivalries stemmed largely from low-level groups fighting over turf.
But even if one accepts that — and the United States Drug Enforement Administration, among other authorities, does not — with a murder rate that has consistently been among the worst in the nation, the presence of the Zetas or the Sinaloa Cartel in the Mexico City metro area is to a certain degree irrelevant.
That's not to suggest that Mexico City is in danger of turning into war zone. The murder rate within city limits in recent years has been remarkably consistent — approximately 12 per 100,000 residents, roughly on a par with Minneapolis, Minnesota or Orlando, Florida — and never suffered a grave deterioration during the Calderón years. In the broader context, the capital city's status is enviable.
But just across the municipal border in Ecatepec, the situation is far different, and the persistent violence there has sparked surprisingly little outcry or attention.
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