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Based in Saint-Imier in Switzerland since 1832, for nearly two centuries Longines have been creating beautiful Swiss Made timepieces which embody their motto of 'Elegance, Tradition and Performance'. As well as its signature elegant style, Longines' reputation for precision and reliability have made them a paragon of excellence in the sporting world.
Longines History
Longines Through The Years
Travel back in time with us and explore the rich history of Longines.
The Saint-Imier watchmaking establishment is founded by Auguste Agassiz. Auguste and his two partners make and sell pocket watches with crown-wheel escapements.
The watch factory, located in Saint-Imier – or more precisely in Es Longines ("long meadows") – is inaugurated by Ernest Francillon.
Longines produces its first movement, the 20A, which wins an award at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. Most movements at this time were wound with keys, but Longines begin producing watches wound via the crown.
The oldest known advertisements for the winged hourglass date back to 1881. The patented chronograph was popular amongst everyone involved in the sport of horse racing, from the bettors and spectators to the professional riders.
Longines wins the Grand Prix at the Universal Exhibition in Paris in 1900 with a pocket watch named La Renommée.
The first system of electromechanical sports timing (using wires which when broken respectively start or stop the watch) is used at the Federal Gymnastics Festival in Basel.
The brand begins to develop its first movements for wristwatches.
Longines is named the official supplier for the International Aeronautical Federation.
The brand's first self-winding movement launches.
Longines develops the brand's first quartz clock and the Longines Conquest collection is launched.
The elegant Longines Flagship collection is launched, with its distinctive medallion featuring a caravel engraved on the caseback.
Longines develops a mechanical self-winding calibre, the L990, with a height of only 2.95mm making it the world's flattest self-winding movement of its kind.
Having signed technical partnerships with the Formula 1 teams of Ferrari and later Renault, Longines becomes the Official Timekeeper for F1 races for 10 years.
Longines is named Official Timekeeper for all the artistic and rhythmic gymnastics events organised by the International Federation of Gymnastics.
The Longines DolceVita collection launches.
As mechanical movements become more popular once again, Longines launches the Longines Master collection, made up of models with mechanical movements.
The Longines Sport collection launches, specially created to meet the needs of sportspeople without sacrificing elegance.
The Longines Saint-Imier collection launches in tribute to where the company was born and where it remains today.
The International Equestrian Federation (FEI) and Longines sign a partnership agreement whereby the watch brand is appointed top partner of the FEI.
The Longines Elegant collection launches, perfectly representing the elegance inherent to the brand.
The Longines Record collection is released, becoming the first collection to be entirely equipped with C.O.S.C. chronometer certified, automatic movements.
The Longines Spirit collection launches, paying tribute to some of the greatest adventurers.
Sporting Partnerships
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For over 100 years, Longines has devoted its passion, precision and timekeeping expertise to the world of sports.
Longines & Equestrian Sports
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Longines & Archery
A sport which relies completely on precision and accuracy, Longines is proud to be the Official Partner and Timekeeper of the Archery World Championships, in which they play a key role in timing the competitions and presenting the results.
Longines & Commonwealth Games
An honour which celebrates over a century of sporting partnerships, Longines is proud to be the Official Partner and Timekeeper of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. The largest multi-sport event to be held in Australia this decade, the games gathers athletes from 70 Commonwealth nations.
Longines Buying Guide
Find Out Why You Should Own A Longines Watch
Why Longines
Why Choose a Longines Watch?
Swiss Made quality. To earn the honour of wearing the Swiss Made badge, a Longines watch must adhere to the 'Swissness Laws' which guarantee its authenticity and heritage.
Famous for its elegant design, a Longines watch is a great choice if you want a refined and sophisticated look.
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It's a beautiful essay. Her wistful images are stirring. And I know now, after following Didion to Los Angeles, that some memories will be hard to shake. I imagine especially when autumn rolls around, and the subsequent holiday decorations. But right now, I'm in love with L.A.'s sunlight. It really is something to see.


text:
Orbán Béla (Kolozsvár, 1929. december 7. – Kolozsvár, 2016. január 16.) erdélyi magyar matematikus, egyetemi oktató, Spáda János építész unokája.

Életútja
Egyik nagyapja az olasz származású Spáda János építőmester, édesapja vegyészmérnök volt. Szülővárosában a római katolikus gimnáziumban érettségizett (1948), a Bolyai Tudományegyetem Matematika-Fizika Karán szerzett tanári oklevelet (1952). A Bolyai, majd a Babeș-Bolyai Egyetemen tanított (1951–1989) nyugalomba vonulásáig. 1971-ben doktorált Gh. Călugăreanu akadémikus irányításával. Tudományos cikkei hazai és külföldi szakfolyóiratokban, valamint a Korunk s A Hét hasábjain jelentek meg.

Munkássága
Főbb kutatási területei: a geometria algebrai alapjai, projektív geometria, nomográfia. Doktori disszertációjában a geometria algebrai alapjaival foglalkozott. Számos mértankönyv fordítója. Főiskolai felvételi vizsgák geometriai feladataiból szerkesztett gyűjteménye egyetemi jegyzetként több kiadást ért meg. A Matematikai kislexikon (1983) társszerzője. Írásai közül kiemelkedik értekezése a magyar matematikai szaknyelv időszerű kérdéseiről a Matematikai Lapok 1993/6-os számában.

Magyar nyelvű könyvei
 A geometria mai szemmel (Radó Ferenccel, Kolozsvár 1981).
 Matematika-szótár (román-magyar, magyar-román), Ábel Kiadó, 2007 (Székely Győzővel)

Román nyelvű könyvei
 Îndrumator şi culegere de probleme de geometrie pentru concursul de admitere la facultatea de Matematică a universităţii "Babeş-Bolyai", Universitatea "Babeş-Bolyai", 1977.
 Indrumator si culegere de probleme de geometrie si de trigonometrie date la concursurile de admitere în învatamîntul superior din anii 1970–1985, Universitatea dib Cluj-Napoca, 1985.
 Îndrumator şi culegere de probleme de geometrie şi trigonometrie date la concursurile de admitere în Învatamîntul superior din anii 1978–1986, Universitatea dib Cluj-Napoca, 1987.
 Culegere de probleme de geometrie (társszerzők: Groze Victoria, Radó Ferenc, Vasiu Adrian), Universitatea "Babeş-Bolyai", 1979.

Tudományos cikkei (válogatás)
Orbán, B.: Quadratic transformation of two Pappian planes. Geometry and topology, Proc. 15th Natl. Conf., Timişoara/Rom. 1984, 199−201 (1984).
Orbán, B.: Extension of collineations defined on subsets of a Pappian projective plane containing a conic. Stud. Univ. Babeș-Bolyai, Math. 26, No.1, 73−77 (1981).
Orbán, B.: Closure theorems on algebraic curves in a projective plane over an arbitrary field. Geometry and topology, Proc. Colloq., Cluj-Napoca/Rom. 1978, 241−245 (1979).
Orbán, B.; Radó, F.: Nomograms with minimal global error. Math., Rev. Anal. Numér. Théor. Approximation, Anal. Numér. Théor. Approximation 6, 163−170 (1977).
Orbán, B.: Extension of collineations defined on certain sets of a Desarguesian projective plane. Aequationes Math. 6, 59−65 (1971).
Groze, S.; Orbán, B.: La décomposition d'une projectivite sur une conique et son application à la meilleure transformation projective d'une echelle situee sur un cercle. Rev. Roum. Math. Pures Appl. 12, 1065−1073 (1967).
Groze, S.; Orbán, B.: Sur une classe de transformations des nomogrammes de l'ordre trois. Mathematica, Cluj 7(30), 233−246 (1965).
Radó, F.; Groze, V.; Orbán, B.: Propriétés extrémales dans une classe de fonctions et applications à la transformation des nomogrammes. Mathematica, Cluj 6(29), 307−325 (1964).
 Orbán, B.: Sur les courbes generalisees des courbes algebriques planes. (románul) Stud. Univ. Babeș-Bolyai, Ser. I. 7, No.1, 71–77 (1962).
 Kiss, Á.; Orbán, B.: Sur une classe des coniques monofocales. (magyarul) Stud. Univ. Babeș-Bolyai, Ser. I 3, No.3, 49–68 (1958).

Források

 Kolozsvári Egyetemi Könyvtár katalógusa
 Gyászjelentés, Szabadság, 2016. január 19. Online hozzáférés

További információk

Kapcsolódó szócikkek

 Erdélyi magyar matematikusok és informatikusok listája
 Romániai magyar matematikai és csillagászati szakirodalom

Romániai magyar matematikusok
Romániai magyar egyetemi, főiskolai oktatók
Kolozsváriak
1929-ben született személyek
2016-ban elhunyt személyek

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From the 'Way out of our league' department: NASA reports that Insight has landed on Mars.
The lander took 7 months to reach its destination on a 300 million mile trip from Earth.
We at Nerd's Drink Whiskey can't pretend to understand it all, but we are in awe at the data gathered, analysed, and used by NASA to make our lives better.
If this is what you use our tax dollars for, shut up and take my money! Go NASA!
Tom Baker to release a Doctor Who novel.
The book will be based on a Doctor Who script that he helped write.
The original script was written with co-star Ian Marter while Baker was playing his role as the 4th Doctor.
The name of the book will be Doctor Who: Scratchman.
The story is said to cover the time of the 4th Doctor, so old school fans of the long running series should be thrilled at the news.
The book will be released on January 24th of 2019.
Screenwriter Terry Rossio is in serious hot water after using a racial slur on his Twitter account.
Although mostly known for being a writer on Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean, and Shrek, he also has writing credits on the upcoming (and controversial right out of the gate) Jonny Quest.
Rossio is against vaccinating children, but it's the comparison that is causing the backlash.
Disney has fired Guardians Of The Galaxy writer and director James Gunn, celebrated novelist Chuck Wendig, and others very recently for less controversial things said on the same social network.
Disney has yet to announce if they will respond to the use of this racial slur with the same level of authority.
More importantly, no word on if Warner Brothers will still trust Terry Rossio to handle the character Hadji with the racial sensitivity necessary in the recently announced Jonny Quest reboot.


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What's It Like To Talk About Death?
Back in the early 90's I ran an organisation that advised on everything to do with death and dying, including sitting vigil with the dying, so I'm relaxed around the subject. In general though, people feel that death is something that they can't speak about, perhaps because it will bring death to them or make people think they're weird, so I was slightly anxious about how many people would turn up to the first Portobello Death Café, especially since it was being recorded by Radio 4.
I need not have worried. In all, there were about 20 of us, about half of whom looked under 25, and the conversation flowed beautifully. Not surprisingly, older people had developed their philosophy around death, it seemed to hold no fear for them, and they were keen to stress how important it was to live as full a life as possible. Younger people seemed more focused on the deaths they had experienced and how the process of dying, death and bereavement seemed too haphazard, that there were no rituals to guide them or anyone else through something that didn't just happen for one day but resonated throughout their lives.
Right at the beginning of the evening we wrote about what death meant for us on Post It notes and stuck them on the wall. Throughout the evening the notes fell off like autumn leaves. No one missed the symbolism. The reporter put his recording equipment away and joined us as an equal, we all listened to each other carefully and respectfully. The age differences in this group were striking and whilst no overt teaching happened it was noticeable and somewhat moving that younger people listened carefully to what older people had to say and vice versa.
Then we fell upon the exquisite Red Velvet cake that Hummingbird Bakery had so kindly donated and I had to remind people to go home so that the venue could close on time. The only thing I wasn't happy with was the part of the Radio 4 report in which I say "Portobello Death Café" as if I've gone mad. I was reading the cake and was fairly overwhelmed by Hummingbirds generosity and the sheer prettiness of the cake. You can hear my shame as well as the wise and useful things that people said at the café here at around 25mins in.
I'm hopeful that tonight's Death Café will be as successful and that the one on the 13th November that will be filmed by Yahoo will come across well. People do want to talk about death, to explore their fears and philosophy and develop their knowledge by listening to other people's experience. If you're around Portobello, join us.
A wise and straightforward description of Post-Natal Depression.
"It all boils down to the same thing, the same thing that birth, pregnancy and parenting boil down to. Knowledge. If I had known others felt the same? If I had known there was help out there? We don't talk any more, we don't trust ourselves and we don't listen to our intuition. We're all too busy getting were we're going as quickly and effortlessly as we can. If my body wants me to spend longer in bed with my new baby then maybe it has a point? If I yearn for company and comfort and don't thrive well when alone and vulnerable then maybe there's a good reason for that?"


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text:
SCFC2
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YJB Focus – Si
October 22, 2015 by Jim White
Welcome to YJB Focus, where we meet a loyal Swans fan who also happens to be a regular visitor to the SCFC2 website.
This week features a regular on SCFC2…
Zip Jack City
Name or SCFC2 Guestbook Name: Si or ZipJackCity on the Guestbook
Occupation: Full time carer & Artist
How long have you been supporting the Swans?
I have been supporting the Swans since the 81/82 season. I was 9 yrs old so I make that 33 years… 33 years??? Sh*t I'm getting old now, but that's 33 years of many highs and a lot more lows than I care to remember.
What was the first Swans game you attended and what are your memories of it?
I started supporting the Swans probably like most supporters because of my old man. He wasn't a big supporter and by that I mean he didn't go to every game due to work commitments, but he took me to my first game and the odd few when he was home.
So for the next 5-6 yrs I suppose you could have called me a part-timer, until I got to an age where I could go by myself or with friends.
SCFC2 Guestbookers have recently been recalling fond memories of Swans experiences past and present and I recalled my first ever game, some of you may have read it, but most probably not.
Dai Davies
My first game was a cold Tuesday night in March during the 81/82 season, sat in the old West upper with my old man and brother, watching West Ham at home.
Like I said in my guestbook memoirs I don't remember much about the game, more the feeling, being taken to watch a football game of this team called Swansea City. I remember the smells, the chanting, the atmosphere and that we lost that night 1-0 to a Van Der Elst goal!.
I don't remember the goal itself, but I do recall the Vetch fell silent for a brief moment until a lone voice could be heard shouting from the North Bank "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT DAI!" – and the whole place erupted in laughter.
Who is your worst Swans player of all time, and why?
Worst Swans player? Hmmmm, there are quite a few donkeys I could fill in here! But personally I'd like to change it from a player to a manager – KEVIN CULLIS. Need I say more!
What is your least favourite away ground (past or present), and why?
Now I didn't go to that many away games, I was always skint. But one place always stands out in my mind – and I don't know if it was because I was with a friend in the home end (because he lived there and supported them) – but for me it has to be Millmoor the home of Rotherham United.
What a dump. We drew 1-1 so wasn't so bad, but I do remember turning my mate down on several occasions when he asked if I wanted to go and watch them again with him!
John Cornforth and Roger Freestone
Funniest moment whilst watching the Swans?
My funniest moment watching the Swans was when we beat Reading in 1992 to go top.
Super Johnny Cornforth had just scored and ran to the supporters to celebrate, one of my mates got all excited and ran to the front of the North Bank in an attempt to climb the fence and celebrate with the on coming Cornforth.
He lost his footing and fell flat on his face! The bloody idiot still swears to this day he was pushed 🙂
You've got a meal deal ticket for Nando's, which Swans player (past or present) would you take with you and why?
Who would I take for a Nando's…. can I have 2? Would love to take the maestro that is Mr Trundle as I think he'd be a right good laugh. But my favourite player was Roger…. Roger Roger…. Roger Roger…. Roger Roger Freestone! Would have to have him there tucking into a taco too.
What do you like most about the Swans?
What I like most about the Swans is the growing respect we seem to be developing amongst other supporters. I remember many years ago talking to fans of different clubs and they would say "Swansea who?". Now it's "great team…. excellent football… well run club". I like that!
If there was one thing you could change about the club what would it be?
I wouldn't change a thing, well apart from the obvious – buy the Liberty and extend. I find it increasingly more difficult to get to games now because of the lack of tickets available.
Vetch Field pasty or Liberty hot dog?
Let's face it, the pasties were awful back then. I remember my old man buying me one…. ONCE! Never again. So I always filled up with a quarter pounder cheese burger and fries at Wimpy before the game instead.
And as for the hot dogs of today, well I think I'll pass on them too! What? Do you think I'm made of money? 🙂
If you would like to feature on YJB Focus, then get in touch via our contact us form and you never know, you could be featured here next time!
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Gem Locations are places where Nature rules.
Gem locations can have defenders, guardians, occupants or otherwise be not immediately accessible. As such mounting an expedition to one such location is just as dangerous as any mission.
I encourage you to come up with your own "location"


If you want to go on holiday without your cared for person we can help you apply for a small grant from the Carers Trust . They give grants of up to £500. They will not backdate a claim and you will need to give at least 3 months notice of the break as your application has to go to a panel who make the decision. For more information please contact Carers Lewisham 020 8699 8686 or email: info@carerslewisham.org.uk.


A question we often get in the office is what effect filing bankruptcy has on our credit score. As this chart, based on data from the New York Federal Reserve shows, credit scores do improve after the filing of any type of bankruptcy.
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whats a hernia ? i m having a lump on the top part of my belly button.. is it hernia ? can some one please explain.. is there any other possible problem i m having ?
A hernia is a protrusion of a tissue, structure, or part of an organ through the muscular tissue or the membrane by which it is normally contained.
The lump above your belly button could very well be a hernia. You should visit a doctor to diagnose it.
Can a person get hernia surgery more than once?
is it normal for me to have not felt my hernia?
is there anything i shouldnt or should do before my hernia surgery?
is it safe for me to sleep on my stomach with my hernia?
is it important to have a hernia removed ASAP or?
what are some foods i should be eating now that i have had my surgery?


Home Page / Home / Hollywood / Hollywood News / Sterling K. Brown To Star In True-Life Sports Drama 'Rise'!
Sterling K. Brown To Star In True-Life Sports Drama 'Rise'!
The Emmy winner will play Willie Davis, a janitor at a Louisiana middle school who took over the boys' basketball program — which was in danger of being canceled due to lack of funds — and led the team to the state championship. Davis' real-life story has been covered in HBO's Real Sports feature segments.
AFFIRM Films, Sony's faith-based label that was behind the titles Miracles From Heaven and Heaven Is for Real, will produce in partnership with Crystal City Entertainment and Gulfstream Pictures.
"Sports films typically teach us something more than just 'sports.' They leave us with a better understanding and knowledge of ourselves and what it takes to live our best life and lift up those around us, no matter the circumstances," said Rich Peluso, head of AFFIRM.
"Willie Davis is a true American hero. I'm honored to tell his story on film, and there's nothing better than having Sterling K. Brown play the role," said Sullivan, who is a veteran television director, having recently helmed episodes of You, All American and the DC series Titans.
Brown, repped by Innovative, JWS Entertainment and Bloom Hergott, was most recently seen in the third season of NBC's This Is Us, which just aired its season finale. His recent films credits include The Predator and Black Panther. Brown is set for Paramount's The Rhythm Section and will voice-star in Sony's Angry Birds II and Disney's Frozen II.
New Trailer For 'Chocolate City' Released!


One of the toughest holes at Horizon Hills. It has length and a very elevated and contoured green surrounded by deep bunkers. The challenge starts as early as the tee shot. From the tee box you may not be able to sight the fairway and only get a glimpse of a bunker mounding. The line of attack on this somewhat blind hole is left of this bunker where the fairway opens up generously. However, many may opt to play to the right but they will get suckered into the rough and sometimes barren hill slopes. Once again, Watson keeps the golfer on his toes even at the finishing line and this is another green not to be taken lightly. A good drive, an accurate long iron and two smart putts are needed to save par. Otherwise, laying up before the green will take the greenside bunkers out of play and a bogey or better can be expected.


Scribd has a bad reputation (from its early days as a document hosting site) for being a piracy haven, and to combat piracy Scribd has adopted an automated that checks user uploads for pirated content.
Unfortunately that system, like a similar system at Youtube, works a little too well. There are several reports over on the Smashwords blog from Scribd users whose documents were removed from the site by Scribd's automated system.
When Smashwords signed up to distribute ebooks to Scribd's ebook subscription service last Fall, one of the side effects of the deal was that ebooks from Smashwords were regarded by Scribd's system as being an original source.
This has led to more than a few problems. Whenever an author quoted a court document, public domain work, or other legitimately copyright-free document in their book, Scribd logs the quoted text as belonging to the author and their automated system flags and removes any user-uploaded documents that contain the same text.
I have a slightly different purview on this whole subject. Many of my document posts on Scribd are 1)historical documents, long out of copyright protection, 2) government or legal documents, not protected by copyright laws, 3) public domain documents in which the author has granted free copy rights to all. I find many times these documents will get taken down by Scribd, and I suspect that is because some author has included quotes from the documents within their copyrighted books. So, even in the world of copyright protection, there are improvements that must be considered. Not everything is black and white.
This type of criticism should sound familiar to anyone who follows copyright news, an in particular Youtube, whose ContentID system is often the focal point of complaints from both media companies and uploaders.
ContentID has had its own share of mistakenly removed videos, and in fact this kind of error gets news coverage about once every other month. The most recent one to cross my news feeds was a report about a video of US Congressional committee hearings being removed as a result of copyright claims by Telemundo and Univision. And only a few months before that, Youtube started taking down user uploaded gameplay videos en masse, even though the videos were arguably fair use and were often encouraged by the game developers.
And those are just the most recent cases; I have been reading about similar issues for over 4 years.
Today's news about Scribd has only reinforced this blogger's negative opinion of automated systems like ContentID. They make it far too easy for legit content to be blithely removed without involving even a single person in the decision.
Ah yes, gameplay videos. Reminds me of the times, I printed walkthroughs at work on a matrix printer … (~15 years ago).
…as per Digital Reader, http://the-digital-reader.com/2014/04/02/scribd-has-a-youtube-problem/#.Uz33Usfsv5I this is not a Scribd / Smashwords isolated problem.
Plus I've heard reports from other authors about other distributors having the same problems.
I lost links from over a dozen blog posts, and a widely distributed press release, so I'm not just standing by watching. And I'm still finding books needing replacing.
I think your final point in your post "…automated systems..make it far too easy for legit content to be blithely removed without involving even a single person in the decision" is a needed call for refinement.
Maybe a two-step process, with notification for clarification to the author done first before removal. Or the placing of the title in question in some sort of holding folder while notification is done.
Being these automated systems are probably more a part of our digital future than not, it's time to add a layer of human mediation.
And I know for my part, without Scribd's author support staff, it's unlikely I'd be surviving this distribution – to them my deepest thanks!
Scribd should have people or a system to see if part of the books are in the public domain. Maybe both.


text:
Benton Harbor is a city in Berrien County in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is 46 miles southwest of Kalamazoo and 71 miles southwest of Grand Rapids. According to the 2020 census, its population was 9,103. It is the smaller, by population, of the two principal cities in the Niles–Benton Harbor Metropolitan Statistical Area, an area with 156,813 people. Benton Harbor and the city of St. Joseph are separated by the St. Joseph River and are known locally as the "Twin Cities". Fairplain and Benton Heights are unincorporated areas adjacent to Benton Harbor.

History
Benton Harbor was founded by Henry C. Morton, Sterne Brunson and Charles Hull, who all now have or have had schools named after them. Benton Harbor was mainly wetlands bordered by the Paw Paw River, through which a canal was built, hence the "harbor" in the city's name. In 1860, the village was laid out by Brunson, Morton, Hull and others, and given the name Brunson Harbor.

Brunson, Morton, and Hull also donated land and solicited subscriptions for construction of the canal, which was completed in 1862. It had long been recognized that a canal would be crucial to the town's development, both to drain the marsh and to provide a berthing area for ships. The canal, originally  wide but expanded to  in 1868, led to the town's becoming a shipping and manufacturing center for the area.

In 1866, the settlement's name was changed to Benton Harbor in honor of Thomas Hart Benton, a Missouri Senator who helped Michigan achieve statehood. In 1836, Benton Harbor was organized as a village and in 1891 it was incorporated as a city.

The House of David religious group was founded there and once ran a local amusement park.

21st century

The Benton Harbor riots occurred in 1966 and 2003. The first followed a fatal shooting, the second a fatal police pursuit. Several other riots also occurred in the intervening periods.

Water state of emergency

As with the 2014–2019 public health crisis involving the drinking water in Flint, in 2018 higher-than-acceptable levels of lead were found in Benton Harbor's tap water. Water was starting to appear "bubbly and white" to "brown", with a "horrible" taste and poor smell. This was due to lead-based water service lines. Testing found the samples returned lead levels of 22 parts per billion, greater than the 20 parts per billion in Flint and the federal lead action level of 15 parts per billion. High levels of copper were also noted in the annual consumer confidence reports that have been required by Environmental Protection Agency.

Concerns were with the health impacts of lead poisoning. As a result, residents were supplied with free bottled water, including for use with brushing teeth and cooking, for residences and schools. In September 2021, $10 million was budgeted to replace the lead service lines.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has an area of , of which  is land and  is water.

Climate
Benton Harbor has a humid continental climate (Köppen: Dfa) that has very warm summers for the type and also less cold winters than many climates of the classification. Due to lake-effect snow there is very high snowfall relative to precipitation in winter, but far lower than some locations that are farther north in the state. Summer high temperatures range from  from June to August, but the apparent heat is normally moderated by mild nights.

Demographics

2020 census

2010 census
As of the census of 2010, there were 10,038 people, 3,548 households, and 2,335 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,329 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 89.2% African American, 7.0% White, 0.3% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 0.8% from other races, and 2.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.2% of the population.

There were 3,548 households, of which 44.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 17.0% were married couples living together, 43.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 5.6% had a male householder with no wife present, and 34.2% were non-families. 28.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.41.

The median age in the city was 28.3 years. 35.1% of residents were under the age of 18; 10.4% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 24.5% were from 25 to 44; 22.2% were from 45 to 64; and 7.7% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the city was 46.5% male and 53.5% female.

2000 census
At the 2000 census, there were 11,182 people, 3,767 households and 2,557 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 4,492 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 92.40% African American, 5.48% White, 0.15% Native American, 0.13% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.14% from other races, and 1.65% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 0.58% of the population.

There were 3,767 households, of which 42.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 20.8% were married couples living together, 42.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.1% were non-families. 26.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.91 and the average family size was 3.53.

Age distribution was 39.6% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 25.9% from 25 to 44, 16.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 25 years. For every 100 females, there were 83.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 72.7 males.

The median household income was $17,471, and the median family income was $19,250. Males had a median income of $27,154 versus $20,105 for females. The per capita income for the city was $8,965, the lowest in Michigan. About 39.6% of families and 42.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 52.5% of those under age 18 and 29.7% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics
The Michigan Treasury Department in 2009 sent a team to look into the city's finances. The team's report was a long list of mismanagement to the point that budgets were "effectively meaningless as a financial management tool." The city was $10 million underfunded in its pension fund and increasing budget deficits. In April 2010, Democratic Governor Jennifer Granholm appointed Joseph Harris as Emergency Financial Manager. City staff was reduced by 30 to 70.

Harris was given expanded powers under a new law signed in March 2011 by Republican Governor Rick Snyder. Harris was previously the chief financial officer for the city of Detroit. On April 14, 2011, Harris suspended the decision-making powers of Benton Harbor's elected city officials, who can hold meetings but are not allowed to govern. The Michigan AFL–CIO president called the move "sad news for democracy in Michigan", but at least one city official, City Commissioner Bryan Joseph, supported it, saying the city had been mismanaged for decades.

On January 4, 2012, city commissioners Marcus Muhammad and MaryAlice Adams held a press conference where they stated that if there was still an emergency financial manager administering the city when Benton Harbor hosted the Senior PGA Championship in May, an "Occupy PGA movement should sit in on the golf greens and driving ranges in protest." Occupy PGA did hold protest marches on multiple days during the tournament, but did not disrupt the tournament.

On January 11, 2013, the Emergency Financial Assistance Loan Board (ELB) voted to replace Harris as the Emergency Financial Manager (EFM) for the city. On February 1, 2013, the ELB appointed Tony R. Saunders II as the youngest Successor-Emergency Financial Manager for the city of Benton Harbor.

Library service for the city is provided by the Benton Harbor Public Library.

The town has a police department.

Education
The city is served by two institutions, Benton Harbor Area Schools within the Berrien Regional Education Service Agency, and Lake Michigan College, a two-year community college just east of Benton Harbor.

Economy
Whirlpool Corporation, the world's largest manufacturer of major home appliances, has its corporate headquarters in nearby Benton Charter Township, along with a new Riverview campus near the St. Joseph River in Benton Harbor and the Technical Center in St. Joseph.

Community organizations
Black Autonomy Network Community Organization (BANCO) is a political and social justice coalition working in Benton Harbor.

Transportation

Major highways
 bypasses the city to the east and south, connecting with Kalamazoo and Detroit to the east and with Michigan City, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois, to the south and southwest.
 travels through the downtowns of both Benton Harbor and St. Joseph. It mostly follows the former route of US 12.
 begins nearby in Benton Township and continues northerly toward Holland, ending at Grand Rapids.
 is currently a freeway (the St. Joseph Valley Parkway) from the Indiana border north, until merging with a five-lane road (Napier Avenue) to a brief connection with I-94. A freeway connection directly to I-94 is under construction as of 2022.
 serves as a loop route connecting with I-196 at the north and running through downtown St. Joseph. M-63 continues on to I-94 and then to M-139, where it ends. M-63 follows the former route of US 33.
 begins at US 12 near Niles and terminates at BL I-94 on the Benton Harbor–Benton Township border (the northbound direction terminates wholly within Benton Township). M-139 follows a former route of US 31 south of I-94.
Spanning the Paw Paw River and providing an additional connection to St. Joseph, the Charles Freeman Joseph bridge on Whitwam Drive, is named for Benton Harbor's first black mayor, opened in late 2005.

Rail
The Amtrak station in St. Joseph is served daily by Amtrak's Pere Marquette passenger train.

Bus
Twin Cities Area Transportation Authority (TCATA) provides bus transit throughout Benton Harbor and the surrounding areas. Originally strictly a dial-a-ride service, it has recently expanded to include three fixed routes—Red Route, Green Route and Blue Route. Red Route serves Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, St. Joseph Charter Township, Lincoln Township, and Royalton Township. Blue and Green routes operate throughout Benton Harbor and Benton Township.

Air
Southwest Michigan Regional Airport provides non-commercial air service.

Shipping
Both Benton Harbor and neighboring St. Joseph are commercial ports that receive bulk goods from lake freighters.

Media
Benton Harbor is served by The Herald-Palladium newspaper, whose offices are in nearby St. Joseph Township, and is part of the South Bend/Elkhart television market. The Benton Spirit community newspaper has also served the community for the past 10 years. The paper was acknowledged by former Governor Granholm's 2003 Benton Harbor Task Force Report as a key communications stakeholder that "proactively assists in the total development of Benton Harbor". Benton Harbor is served by sister radio stations WCXT, WCSY-FM, WQLQ, WIRX, WQYQ, WSJM-FM, and WYTZ, as well as WHFB and some in the South Bend market. Additionally, most of the Chicago market TV and radio stations are available from  across the lake.

Points of interest

Sites of interest in Benton Harbor are Shiloh House, built in 1910, which served as the administration building and men's dormitory for the House of David colony, a communal religious group; Morton House (on Morton Hill), built in 1849 by Eleazar Morton, which now houses a museum; Jean Klock Park on Lake Michigan; and the Golf Club at Harbor Shores. In neighboring Benton Township is a large fruit market that replaced the fruit market in the "flats" area of Benton Harbor, which was torn down during an urban renewal project in 1967.

The main shopping center is The Orchards Mall.

Sports
An American Basketball Association team (ABA), the Twin City Ballers, played in Benton Harbor for a few games in November 2006, but left the city due to poor attendance at games. Another ABA team, the Lake Michigan Admirals, began play in 2009. The Admirals switched from the ABA to join the Premiere Basketball League for the 2012 season.

Jack Dempsey defended his heavyweight title on September 6, 1920, in Benton Harbor, defeating Billy Miske.

The city hosts the Maytag Ironman 70.3 Steelhead triathlon, a qualifying event for the Ironman 70.3 World Championship.

The city is the birthplace of Iris Kyle, the most successful professional bodybuilder ever, with ten overall Ms. Olympia wins and two heavyweight wins, along with seven Ms. International wins and one heavyweight win.

Festivals

Benton Harbor co-hosts the annual Blossomtime Festival with St. Joseph.

Notable people

 Vearne C. Babcock – member of the Early Birds of Aviation
 Joique Bell – NFL football player for Detroit Lions
 Bill Berry – jazz trumpeter
 Bobo Brazil – professional wrestler
 Wilson Chandler – NBA player for  Philadelphia 76ers
 Don Griffin – professional football player
 Gene Harris (Haire) – jazz pianist
 Niki Haris – singer and daughter of Gene Harris
Clara Edmunds Hemingway – poet, singer, composer, editor
 Don Hopkins – MLB player for Oakland A's
 Ernie Hudson – actor, Ghostbusters
 Arte Johnson – actor and comedian, Laugh-In
 Julie Krone – jockey, first woman to win horse racing's Belmont Stakes
 Iris Kyle – IFBB professional bodybuilder
 Walker "Bud" Mahurin – U.S. Air Force officer
 Jim "Dandy" Mangrum – lead vocalist, Black Oak Arkansas
 Anthony Miller – professional basketball player
 Charles Willard Moore – architect and AIA Gold Medal winner
 Rome (Jerome Woods) – R&B singer
 Sinbad (David Adkins) – actor and comedian
 Ruth Terry – singer and actress
 Robert L. Van Antwerp Jr. - U.S. Army Lieutenant General and Chief of Engineers
 Chet Walker – NBA basketball player for Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls, 7-time All-Star, 2012 inductee in Basketball Hall of Fame
 Lyman M. Ward – Union Army brigadier general
 Wally Weber – U-M football player, assistant coach, Hall of Honor inductee
 Robert Whaley – NBA basketball player

See also

 Flint water crisis

References

External links

 History of Benton Harbor and tales of village days (by James Pender. Chicago: The Braun Printing Co., 1915)
Benton-Michigan Spirit Community Newspaper

Cities in Berrien County, Michigan
Michigan populated places on Lake Michigan
1860 establishments in Michigan


was hit by the 9 mm bullet in the center of his upper chest, his life was likely saved by his concealable body armor.
Second Chance is the brand of body armor preferred by officers in both departments initially represented in the near-fatal incident in Winslow, according to police officials. Though Chase sustained a hit directly into his chest, because of the body armor, he was able to assist his fellow officers as they regrouped after the shot and formed a containing perimeter.
Chase suffered nothing more than a bruise, a "nasty welt" and four stitches worth of damage to his upper chest, Kennebec County Sheriff Everett B. Flannery Jr. said.
A "saves counter" on Second Chance's Web site counts the number of lives saved by the manufacturer's body armor. Chase will likely be listed as number 922. Without his vest, the bullet probably would have killed him, Flannery said." Concealable body armor is really the quintessential item that you have, next to your firearm," he said.
Flannery said body armor is manufactured to withstand fired bullets, knife thrusts or nearly any other weapon used to bludgeon an officer. Body armor also minimizes damage officers sustain in auto accidents.
Chase was wearing a standard, concealable vest when the bullet struck him, Flannery said. It is standard for both Winslow and Kennebec officers to wear some sort of body armor at all times when they are on duty, both Flannery and Winslow Police Chief Michael Heavener said.
Officers on patrol wear a lighter "bullet proof vest" under their uniform, although in tactical assaults they can show up to work in bulkier gear that is worn outside their uniforms.


text:
Q: Why does forward selection only take $O(p^2)$ calls to the learning algorithm? In http://cs229.stanford.edu/notes/cs229-notes-all/cs229-notes5.pdf pg 5, it states that forward search takes $O(p^2)$ (note the notes uses $n$ instead of $p$ for the number if independent variables).
Isn't the number of calls actually $O(2^p \cdot k$)? You're consider all possible subsets of independent variables in forward search, of which there are $2^p$ of them. For each subset you perform a k-fold validation so $k$ learning calls for each subset.
How is it that it's quadratic instead of exponential?

A: In the forward selection procedure described, the features are partitioned into selected vs. candidate sets. At the start, the selected set is empty, and all $p$ features are candidates. At each stage, each candidate feature is provisionally added as a(n additional) trial feature, and the best one is chosen to be kept.
So 1 new feature is removed from the candidate set after each iteration.
This means the first iteration tests $p$ candidates, the second $p-1$, etc.
And $p + (p-1) + \ldots + 2 + 1 = O[p^2]$.
Once a feature is added to the selected set, it is never removed in subsequent iterations. So the procedure does not explore all subsets of features. Rather it is a greedy heuristic, with no guarantees of optimality. (I believe this is why techniques like LASSO have become more popular for feature selection.)

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Q: Qt/C++ - confused about caller/callee, object ownership I am creating a GUI to manipulate a robot arm. The location of the arm can be described by 6 floats (describing the positions of the various arm joints.
The interface consists of a QGraphicsView with a diagram of the arm (which can be clicked to change the arm position - adjusting the 6 floats). The interface also has 6 lineEdit boxes, to also adjust those values separately.
When the graphics view is clicked, and when the line edit boxes are changed, I'd like the line edit boxes / graphics view to stay in synchronisation.
This brings me to confusion about how to store the 6 floats, and trigger events when they're updated. My current idea is this:

*

*The robot arm's location should be represented by a class, RobotArmLocation. Objects of this class then have methods such as obj.ShoulderRotation() and obj.SetShoulderRotation().

*The MainWindow has a single instance of RobotArmLocation.

Next is the bit I'm more confused about, how to join everything up. I am thinking:

*

*The MainWindow has a ArmLocationChanged slot. This is signalled whenever the location object is changed.

*The diagram class will have a SetRobotArmLocation(RobotArmLocation &loc). When the diagram is changed, it's free to change the location object, and fire a signal to the ArmLocationChanged slot.

*Likewise, changing any of the text boxes will fire a signal to that ArmLocationChanged slot. The slot then has code to synchronise all the elements.

This kind of seems like a mess to me, does anyone have any other suggestions? I've also thought of the following, does it have any merrit?

*

*The RobotArmLocation class has a ValueChanged slot, the diagram and textboxes can use that directly, and bypass the MainWindow directly (seems cleaner?)

thanks for any wisdom!

A: Except for really simple cases (e.g. a label that shows the value of a slider) my experience has been to stay away from inter-component signal/slot connections inside Qt Designer. Rather, have the component firing the signal of interest connect to a slog defined in the top level QWidget class you're subclassing (i.e. QMainWidow, etc... let's just call it the Form class). You can also go the other way: if you have a custom signal in the Form class, you can connect it with Qt Designer to one of the public widget slots.
To be specific using your example:

*

*I'm going to assume that you have subclassed QMainWindow and QGraphicsView. Let's call the subclasses RobotMainWindow and RobotView.

*RobotMainWindow contains the QLineEdit fields and RobotView. The way you specify RobotView in Qt Designer is to insert a QWidget and use the Promote to... feature to tell Qt that the QWidget should be replaced at compile time with your custom RobotView.

*Name the QLineEdit fields edit1, edit2...edit6.

*In the Qt Designer signal/slot editor define slots in RobotMainWindow to be called when the value in a QLineEdit changes. There are some more elegant ways of doing this, but for simplicity let's say you define 6 slots named setValue1(float), setValue2(float), etc.

*In the source code for RobotMainWindow, go declare and define these slots, such that they update your arm, shoulder, whatever.

*Also in the source code, define a signal valueChanged() (or multiple for each field, your choice). Have the slots you defined emit valueChanged().

*Back in Qt Designer you can now link the appropriate signal from each QLineEdit to the corresponding slot in RobotMainWindow.

*Back in the signal/slot editor add the valueChanged() signal to the RobotMainWindow (so Qt Designer knows about it). Connect this signal to a new slot in RobotView, using the procedure above, so it can update the rendering.

*Repeat all of this for handling changes from RobotView to the editing fields (via RobotMainWindow.

In short, I think you'll find everything more straight-forward if your route the signals through your Form subclass (which I think of as the Controller in MVC parlance).


text:
CVS/pharmacy Partners with Boys & Girls Clubs of America to Address Crisis Facing Our Nation's Youth
CVS/pharmacy will donate a portion of the proceeds from the sale of select Back to School products to Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Great Futures Campaign
.@CVSCaremarkFYI will donate to @BGCA_Clubs #GreatFutures campaign to address crisis facing our nation's youth http://3bl.me/ta8e34
Monday, August 11, 2014 - 3:30pm
NEWSROOM: CVS Health
CAMPAIGN: Prescription for a Better World
WOONSOCKET, R.I., Aug. 11, 2014 /3BL Media/ -- CVS/pharmacy , the retail division of CVS Caremark Corporation, today announced a cause marketing campaign to support Boys & Girls Clubs of America's Great Futures Campaign, a new initiative to raise awareness about the critical role of out-of-school time, and empower the next generation of youth on their path to a great future. August 10-23, 2014, CVS/pharmacy will donate 1 percent of purchases of select Back to School products, up to $125,000, in support of the Great Futures Campaign.
When school ends at 3 p.m. each day, 15 million kids in America have nowhere to go. Without a structured schedule after school, kids are left unguided, unsupervised, and potentially unsafe. They are more prone to violence, childhood obesity, and dropping out of high school. The Great Futures Campaign aims to open more doors for America's kids and encourage them to learn, inspire them to lead, and motivate them to be healthy.
"We're thrilled to partner with CVS Caremark in support of the Great Futures Campaign," said Julie Teer, Senior Vice President of Resource Development at Boys & Girls Clubs of America. "Together, we will help raise awareness of the challenges that today's youth face and also highlight the important role out-of-school time plays in a child's life."
Beginning August 10, CVS/pharmacy customers can support the Great Futures Campaign when they visit their local CVS/pharmacy store and purchase Back to School essentials. This partnership aligns with the mission of the CVS Caremark All Kids Can philanthropic program, which was created to help kids to be the best that they can be. Through All Kids Can, the company is committed to supporting nonprofit organizations like Boys & Girls Clubs of America that provide local communities with innovative programs and services focused on helping children succeed in life.
"CVS Caremark and Boys & Girls Clubs of America share a commitment to helping all kids on their path to better health," said Eileen Howard Boone, Senior Vice President of Corporate Social Responsibility & Philanthropy at CVS Caremark. "Through support of the Great Futures Campaign, CVS Caremark and our customers will help ensure that youth nationwide have a safe and nurturing environment where they can reach their full potential."
To learn more about the Great Futures Campaign or to make a donation, please visit www.greatfutures.org.
About CVS Caremark CVS Caremark is dedicated to helping people on their path to better health as the largest integrated pharmacy company in the United States. Through the Company's more than 7,700 retail pharmacy stores; its leading pharmacy benefit manager serving nearly 65 million plan members; and its retail health clinic system, the largest in the nation with more than 860 MinuteClinic® locations, it is a market leader in mail order, retail and specialty pharmacy, retail clinics, and Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Plans. As a pharmacy innovation company, CVS Caremark continually strives to improve health and lower costs by developing new approaches such as its unique Pharmacy Advisor® program that helps people with chronic diseases such as diabetes obtain and stay on their medications. Find more information about CVS Caremark at http://info.cvscaremark.com/.
About Boys & Girls Club of America
For more than 100 years, Boys & Girls Clubs of America has enabled young people most in need to achieve great futures as productive, caring, responsible citizens. Today, more than 4,100 Clubs serve nearly 4 million young people annually through Club membership and community outreach. Clubs are located in cities, towns, public housing and on Native lands throughout the country, and serve military families in BGCA-affiliated Youth Centers on U.S. military installations worldwide. They provide a safe place, caring adult mentors, fun, friendship, and high-impact youth development programs on a daily basis during critical non-school hours. Priority programs emphasize academic success, good character and citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. In a Harris Survey of alumni, 57 percent said the Club saved their lives. National headquarters are located in Atlanta. Learn more on Facebook and Twitter.
Media Contacts: Joanne Dwyer, CVS/pharmacy
Joanne.Dwyer@CVSCaremark.com
Eva Pereira, RF|Binder
Eva.Pereira@rfbinder.com
CATEGORY: Philanthropy & Cause Initiatives
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Tuesday, June 18, 2019 - 12:05pm
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text:
Wednesday, 20th January, 2016
Council Chamber, Town Hall, High Street, Stockton on Tees, TS18 1AU
The Worshipful the Mayor (Cllr Ian Dalgarno); Cllr Helen Atkinson, Cllr Sonia Bailey, Cllr Paul Baker, Cllr Chris Barlow, Cllr Jim Beall, Cllr Derrick Brown, Cllr Julia Cherrett, Cllr Carol Clark, Cllr Chris Clough, Cllr Robert Cook, Cllr Nigel Cooke, Cllr Gillian Corr, Cllr Evaline Cunningham, Cllr Ken Dixon, Cllr Kevin Faulks, Cllr John Gardner, Cllr Lisa Grainge, Cllr Lynn Hall, Cllr Elsi Hampton, Cllr David Harrington, Cllr Di Hewitt, Cllr Ben Houchen, Cllr Stefan Houghton, Cllr Barbara Inman, Cllr Mohammed Javed, Cllr Eileen Johnson, Cllr Paul Kirton, Cllr Mrs Ann McCoy, Cllr Mick Moore, Cllr Mrs Kathryn Nelson, Cllr Steve Nelson, Cllr Mrs Jean O'Donnell, Cllr Stephen Parry, Cllr Ross Patterson, Cllr Maurice Perry, Cllr Lauriane Povey, Cllr Rachael Proud, Cllr Paul Rowling, Cllr Michael Smith, Cllr Andrew Stephenson, Cllr Norma Stephenson O.B.E, Cllr Mick Stoker, Cllr Tracey Stott, Cllr Laura Tunney, Cllr Matthew Vickers, Cllr Mrs Sylvia Walmsley, Cllr Sally Ann Watson, Cllr Julia Whitehill, Cllr David Wilburn, Cllr Norma Wilburn, Cllr Bill Woodhead and Cllr Barry Woodhouse.
Neil Schneider (CE), Richard McGuckin (EG&D), Beccy Brown (HR,L&C), Garry Cummings (F&BS), J McCann (CS), R Kench (C,L&E), M Gray (CS), D E Bond (Proper Officer), P K Bell (A,D&ES).
Jeremy Atkinson, Mike Cherrett, Members of the public.
Cllr Michael Clark, Cllr Phil Dennis.
80/15 WELCOME, EVACUATION PROCEDURE AND THE RECORDING OF THE MEETING
The Worshipful the Mayor welcomed everyone to the meeting and outlined the procedure for the recording of the meeting.
The evacuation procedure was noted.
Preamble for item C 81/15
82/15 MINUTES
(Attachment: 1)Final Minutes - Council - 25th November 2015
The minutes of the meeting held on 25th November 2015 were signed by the Worshipful the Mayor as a correct record.
83/15 PRESENTATION OF THE HONORARY ALDERMAN OF THE BOROUGH
84/15 PUBLIC QUESTION TIME
(Attachment: 2)PQ - MR AND MRS M - BC
| (Attachment: 3)PQ - KJ - AM
| (Attachment: 4)PQ - EJ - BC
| (Attachment: 5)PQ - CR - BC
| (Attachment: 6)PQ - JM - AM
85/15 WELFARE REFORM UPDATE
(Attachment: 7)Report
| (Attachment: 8)Appendix A
| (Attachment: 9)Minute Extract
Cabinet on 3rd December 2015 had RESOLVED that:-
1.	The contents of the report be noted.
2.	The performance monitoring outcomes and observations provided be noted.
Council RESOLVED that:-
3. The current local Council Tax Support Scheme for the financial year 2016/17 be retained.
86/15 REVIEW OF THE STATEMENT OF PRINCIPLES FOR GAMBLING PREMISES
(Attachment: 10)Report
| (Attachment: 11)Appendix
| (Attachment: 12)Minute Extract
RESOLVED that the revised Statement of Principles for Gambling Premises as presented in the report to Cabinet at Appendix 1 be approved.
87/15 REVIEW OF THE STATEMENT OF LICENSING POLICY MADE UNDER THE LICENSING ACT 2003
RESOLVED that the Licensing Act 2003 Statement of Licensing Policy as presented in the report to Cabinet at Appendix 1 be approved.
88/15 COMMUNITY GOVERNANCE REVIEWS - BILLINGHAM TOWN COUNCIL AND ELTON PARISH COUNCIL
| (Attachment: 17)App A
| (Attachment: 18)App B - Part 1
RESOLVED that:-
1. Billingham Town Council be retained.
2. Elton Parish Council be retained and a process to elect Members be commenced, following final Council approval, but that if this process and any necessary co-option does not deliver a Parish Council that is quorate then the required action should be taken to secure the dissolution of Elton Parish and the abolition of the Parish Council.
89/15 YARM BACK LANE AND HARROWGATE LANE MASTER PLAN
RESOLVED that the Yarm Back Lane and Harrowgate Lane Masterplan be approved for use in the determination of planning applications and as an evidence base in support of the emerging RELP.
90/15 MEMBER QUESTION TIME
(Attachment: 22)MQ - JC - NW
91/15 FORWARD PLAN AND LEADER'S STATEMENT
81/15 Councillors Helen Atkinson, Mrs Ann McCoy, Mrs Jean O'Donnell, Stephen Parry and Mick Stoker declared personal prejudicial interests in respect of agenda item 10 - Community Governance Reviews - Billingham Town Council and Elton Parish Council as they were members of Billingham Town Council. Councillors Helen Atkinson, Mrs Ann McCoy, Mrs Jean O'Donnell, Stephen Parry and Mick Stoker withdrew from the meeting and left the room during consideration of the item.
Councillor Lynn Hall declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 10 -Community Governance Reviews - Billingham Town Council and Elton Parish Council as she was an elector for Elton Parish on the electoral roll, St John's Church, Elton.
Councillor Steve Nelson declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 7 - Welfare Reform as he was a member of Tristar Board.
Councillor Paul Rowling declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 7 - Welfare Reform as he was a member of Tristar Board.
Councillor Steve Nelson declared a personal non prejudicial interest in respect of agenda item 8 - Review of Statement of Principles for Gambling Premises as he was a member of Grosvenor Casino.
83/15 It gave the Worshipful the Mayor great pleasure to confer the title of Honorary Alderman on former Councillor Jeremy Atkinson who had given many years' service to the Borough.
Jeremy was called forward and signed the Honorary Alderman Roll and received his Alderman Medal, with a framed certificate.
The Worshipful the Mayor and the Chief Executive witnessed the declaration and added their signature to the Honorary Alderman Roll.
84/15 The following question had been submitted by Mr and Mrs McDonald for response by the Leader of the Council. Mr and Mrs McDonald were not in attendance at the meeting and had requested that their question be read out by the Worshipful the Mayor and also that the response to their question was given at the meeting:-
"Given that meetings have taken place between Senior member of Cleveland Police and SBC in 2013 as described in letter from DCC Spittle to Mr Schneider, the subject matter being the provision of bought out child care which is clearly a very serious issue which should be recorded for transparency and responsibility purposes. I would expect that any meetings that took place between the senior people of two professional organisations would generate a minutes of meeting, Could SBC please provide details of what was discussed and conclusions reached or alternatively a copy of the Minutes of Meeting?"
The Leader of the Council responded with:-
"The discussions referred to in 2013 were not minuted. The Council is unable therefore to supply a record of what was discussed.
However, the letter of the 13 June 2014 from Deputy Chief Constable Iain Spittal does refer to those discussions, and to the information the Council had provided about how they intended to operate the residential homes it was proposed to establish in the Stockton area.
A copy of the Deputy Chief Constable's letter is accessible on the Council's website. It is appended to a copy of a report to the Planning Committee meeting held on the 18 June 2014, which approved planning application 14/1211/COU for the change of use of Red Plains to a children's home."
The following question had been submitted by Kenneth Jones for response by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People. Kenneth Jones was not in attendance at the meeting and had requested that his question be read out by the Worshipful the Mayor and also that the response to his question was given at the meeting:-
"Considering the examples, references and data used and presented by Stockton Council at the initial planning meeting for Red Plains, it is clear you did not have the foresight, capability or sound judgement to predict the disturbingly high number of police call-outs that have occurred at the property since it opened. Had this number of call-outs been expected then what would the planning department have said about the change of use of Red Plains when it is so close to neighbouring houses - one inhabited by an old lady and the other by a family with two very young children?"
The Cabinet Member for Children and Young People responded with:-
"Of course it's impossible for us to speculate what the decision of the Planning Committee might have been if they had more information or different information. We all know or certainly those who sit on the Planning Committee that each decision is based on the information you have in front of you and of course Planning Officers have always advised Members as to what is a planning issue and what is not so as I say it is impossible question to answer but I would like to add one thing.
I think we should and I have said it before in response to a previous question, have confidence in the staff at Red Plains who continue to do their duty to report when a child is late and it will always comply with that young person's care plan, it can be 15 minutes or it can be 45 minutes but it will comply with their care plan and when you consider perhaps the pressure that these staff might feel they are under because they are being watched all the time they could perhaps leave it 10 minutes or 15 minutes to make the figures less. They do not do that and I would say to you that you should have absolute confidence in the staff of that home and I will add we should have confidence in Cleveland Police who quite clearly make child protection a priority.
When, and I said this at a previous meeting, our priority is to make children cared for and I read out a statement from the children that they feel safe at Red Plains and consider it their home, I don't want anything other than that, that is sufficient for me.
The following question had been submitted by Edward Jones for response by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People. Edward Jones was not in attendance at the meeting and had requested that his question be read out by the Worshipful the Mayor.
The question was as follows:-
"When the business case was being constructed for the creation of SOG NE LLP, was the cost to police time included in this? If so, what was the projected financial cost and what is the current cost to date?"
Edward Jones would receive a written response to his question.
The following question had been submitted by Colin Rodgers for response by the Leader of the Council. Colin Rodgers was not in attendance at the meeting and had requested that his question be read out by the Worshipful the Mayor and also that the response to his question was given at the meeting:-
"It is widely believed that when King Edwin School was acquired there were 2 four bedroom houses on site, which were both subsequently demolished. Bearing in mind the legal and moral obligation of the Council to pursue VFM on behalf of the local electorate would it not have been better to utilise the said houses for the following reasons;
1) Full refurbishment of these houses could have been achieved at a fraction of the acquisition costs of 118 Darlington Road alone.
2) The pre-stated requirement for a "semi-rural" location is achieved as they were located within the schools own grounds.
3) Extensive travel costs to and from remote locations would have been reduced to nil.
4) A controlled program of integrating the cared for children (on achieving a suitable record of conduct) to local schools on a day release, controlled and monitored manner, could have been realised.
5) The bad feeling within affected groups generated by the Councils questionable methods of buying these former residential properties, could have been avoided?"
"We do not believe your suggestion that the 2 x 4 bed properties should have been converted to be Children's Homes.
The business case for the Joint Venture was based on a model where the Children's Homes are based in communities and the children go to school, as do the majority of children in the Borough.
Whilst one of the houses on the site has been demolished, the other house is still in use by the school."
The following question had been submitted by Judith Mannion for response by the Cabinet Member for Children and Young People. Judith Mannion was not in attendance at the meeting and had requested that her question be read out by the Worshipful the Mayor and also that the response to her question was given at the meeting:-
"How many children have either left or been removed from Red Plains Hartburn since the home opened on 9 March 2015?"
"Four."
85/15 Consideration was given to a report that presented an update on monitoring of the outcomes / impact of Welfare Reform and a summary of actions undertaken to mitigate against circumstances arising from the implementation of the Welfare Reform Act.
Quarterly reports on Welfare Reform had been provided to Cabinet since 2013, providing information on a range of indicators which showed how welfare reforms were impacting on residents and service provision across the borough. These reports had also included detail on any updates the Council had received with regard to the further roll-out of welfare reform and interventions the Council was making to manage its impact on the residents.
As part of the existing monitoring arrangements, new or unexpected trends had emerged such as activity around benefit sanctions, the use of local food banks and shifts in the rented housing sector from social to private landlords.
Following feedback received on previous quarterly reports, at Q4 2014/15 there was a review of the large range of information previously provided to ensure that it was more focussed and easier to follow, yet continued to provide an accurate and robust summary of welfare reform issues. The report continued to use that more focussed range of information.
The Association of North East Councils (ANEC) had commissioned the Institute of Local Governance (ILG) to undertake a piece of work monitoring the impact of welfare reform across the region. The outcomes from that research work would be useful in understanding the local impact of welfare reform and whether it differed from the impact sub-regionally and across the wider region. As part of that research work, a basket of monitoring indicators had been developed which would be collected from all participating local authorities.
To support the ILG research work, the basket of monitoring indicators that they had developed had been entirely included within the monitoring framework attached to the report, with each of those measures clearly labelled.
Members considered a number of options for Stockton's Local Council Tax Support Scheme and following public consultation agreed on the "shared reduction" option with all working age claimants paying a minimum contribution of 20% of the Council Tax charge. The Welfare Reform and Work Bill was going through Parliament. The proposals would have an impact on LCTSS expenditure. The breadth of measures being brought in over several years makes realistic estimates complex with customers gaining and losing from different welfare measures dependent on their personal circumstances. Following a challenge from the House of Lords new announcements were expected with regard to the proposed changes to Working Tax Credits which it was believed would be made in the Comprehensive Spending Review announcement on the 25 November 2015. There was too much uncertainty for the Council to make any assumption about the impact of all the proposed changes to the Council Tax Support scheme over the next financial year and on this basis Cabinet was asked to recommend to Council the existing scheme be retained. It would be necessary for a full scheme review to take place in the financial year 2016/17 to reflect any incoming changes. Local Council Tax Support Schemes were not fully funded so there may be some impact on the medium term financial plan which would need to be managed in year and reports on the impact of this would be provided as part of the financial report to Cabinet. Any scheme review would require full consultation with the public.
The Local Government Finance Act imposed a duty upon local councils to adopt a Local Council Tax Support Scheme, to replace Council Tax Benefit, from April 2013. The existing scheme would remain in place for the financial year 2015/16. It was designed to safeguard the financial position of the Council whilst trying to ensure that the effect of the scheme did not disproportionately affect any particular group of residents.
Overall Council Tax collection for 2014/15 at 96.4% was 0.5% below target, and for those in receipt of Local Council Tax Support (LCTS) collection reduced to 79%. The method of calculating collection levels for those in receipt of LCTS changed from 2014/15 therefore it was difficult to make a direct comparison. However, the on-going collection of 2013/14 arrears from some Council Tax payers that faced new or increased charges following the introduction of LCTS meant that their 2014/15 charges remained unpaid whilst they paid off arrears. At the end of 2014/15 only 1.8% of the debit was outstanding from 2013/14.
Due to software changes, more accurate data on enforcement activity, including bailiff referrals would not be available until later in the new financial year. Levels of recovery and enforcement including the issue of summonses remained very much on par with volumes issued last year. The totals reported differed due to a change in method of calculating activity levels, therefore were not directly comparable.
Cabinet considered the report at its meeting held on 3 December 2015 and a copy of the relevant minute extract was attached to the report.
86/15 Consideration was given to a report on the Review of the Statement of Principles for Gambling Premises.
The Authority was required by the Gambling Act 2005 to publish a statement of the principles that it proposed to apply when exercising its functions under the Act, in the form of a Gambling Policy. This policy statement must be published every three years. The Council's policy statement took effect in January 2013 and was due for review.
The purpose of the report was for Members to consider the views and comments received from the Licensing Committee and other interested parties following consultation on the proposed revised policy.
Consultation closed on the 20 October 2015. A small number of responses were received including substantive comments from Luxury Leisure Limited, Gosschalks Solicitors (on behalf of the Association of British Bookmakers) and Coral Racing Limited
The policy and comments received were considered at the Licensing Committee held on the 20 October 2015 when consideration was given to amending the draft policy to take account of some of the points raised. These changes had been incorporated into the final draft policy attached to the report.
The main changes to the policy were detailed within the report.
Further minor changes had been made to the draft policy following the comments received during the consultation exercise. These were also detailed within the report.
A copy of the final draft policy was available to Members.
Cabinet considered this matter at its meeting held on 3 December 2015 and a copy of the relevant minute extract was attached to the report.
87/15 Consideration was given to a report on the Review of the Statement of Licensing Policy Made Under the Licensing Act 2003.
The Authority was required by the Licensing Act 2003 to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy that set out its guiding principles for making licensing decisions under the Act. The Statement of Licensing Policy needed to be renewed every five years. The Policy Statement took effect in January 2011 and was due for renewal in January 2016.
Following the Licensing Committee meeting on 15 July 2015, consultation on the revised draft was commenced with the publication of a newspaper advert and the draft Policy being placed on the Council's website. Contact was made with a number of interested parties, including all responsible authorities, existing premises licence and club premises certificate holders, trade bodies and associations and community groups and residents associations. In total, only three responses were received.
The responses received and the revised draft was considered by the Licensing Committee at their meeting on 20 October 2015, and it was agreed that the revised Policy be passed onto Cabinet and Council for final approval.
The main changes to the Policy Statement from the 2011 version were summarised within the report.
88/15 The report presented feedback from consultation with stakeholders and all local government electors in the areas of Billingham Town Council and Elton Parish Council and invited comments on next steps.
Following receipt of a petition which called for the abolition of Billingham Town Council, a Community Governance Review commenced. The opportunity was also taken to conduct a Community Governance Review in relation to Elton Parish Council.
A community Governance review enabled a principal council to review and put in place new arrangements, and make changes to current community governance systems and structures, for example by creating, merging, abolishing or changing parish or town councils in the review area.
The Government had emphasized that the aim of a review should be to bring about improved community engagement, more cohesive communities, better local democracy, and result in more effective and convenient delivery of services.
The timetable approved by Cabinet and Council recognised that a review must conclude within 12 months from receipt of a valid petition (received 26 June 2015).
The key stages of the reviews were as follows:-
Consultation with all Local Government Electors in the area 17.9.15 - 31.10.15 complete
Consideration of the wider forms of Community Governance in the area 17.9.15 - 31.10.15 complete
Initial findings considered and draft proposals presented for consideration by CMT 09.11.15
Cabinet meeting 03.12.15 to consider findings.
Draft recommendations to Council 20.1.16
Consult on draft proposals 21.1.16 to 17.2.16
Final recommendation to Cabinet 17.3.16
Final recommendation to Council 27.04.16
Final Recommendations and reasons for the decision published and stakeholders informed on 28.04.16
Recommendations implemented from 28.04.16
Implementation of any proposed abolition of Billingham Town Council and Elton Parish Council would be dependent upon the time it would take to finalise and publish a re-organisation order.
An integral part of the review was to consult with the local government electors for the area under review and any other person or body, including a local authority (i.e. the Town Council) who appeared to have an interest in it.
The consultation feedback was detailed within the report. Whilst there was support for abolition in both cases, there was also support for retaining both Councils. In relation to Elton, a number of individuals had indicated that there was interest in becoming a Parish Councillor.
89/15 Consideration was given to a report on Yarm Back Lane and Harrowgate Lane Masterplan.
The report advised on joint working to prepare a masterplan for a strategic sustainable urban extension at West Stockton and sought approval of a masterplan for use in the determination of planning applications at the site and as an evidence base in support of the emerging Regeneration and Environment Local Plan (RELP).
The Council had identified land at Yarm Back Lane and Harrowgate Lane as housing allocations within the RELP. The RELP was at publication stage and emerging policies (H17, H18 and H19) highlighted the need for development to be delivered in accordance with a masterplan to ensure that a sustainable urban extension of 2,150 dwellings, including associated infrastructure, was successfully delivered.
The scale of the development meant that there were numerous shared infrastructure requirements which needed to be delivered; this included but was not limited to a primary school and highway junction improvements. In addition to this there were numerous landownerships across the site. A masterplan was seen as essential in ensuring that:
•	individual planning applications came forward in accordance with the masterplan to deliver a sustainable and integrated urban extension; and
•	infrastructure was delivered when it was required
The purpose of this masterplan was to provide a robust and comprehensive evidence base to support the allocation of the sites and to guide individual planning applications. .
The Council had been working in collaboration with the Advisory Team for Large Applications (ATLAS), landowners and developers and agents to prepare a comprehensive masterplan for the sites.
Planning Committee had refused a planning application on part of the site, known as Tithebarn Land (planning application reference (14/2291/EIS). This decision was being appealed by the applicant and was progressing towards a public inquiry. The reasons for refusal were as follows:
•	Development does not represent sustainable development:
In the opinion of the Local Planning Authority the proposal in coming forward ahead of an established masterplan, could lead to an unfair distribution of uses and another developer coming forward later being asked to provide more than is justified by their own development. This could make some parcels unviable and risk necessary infrastructure not being provided for the proper planning of the area, resulting in significant social and economic harm which would be contrary to the definition and aims of sustainable development as set out in the NPPF (paragraph 7, 9 and 14).
•	Highway Safety:
The applicant has failed to provide sufficient information to satisfactorily demonstrate that the proposed development would not have a detrimental impact on highway safety and the free flow of traffic to both the Local and Strategic Highway Networks or that the impact could be satisfactorily mitigated to the reasonable satisfaction of the Local Planning Authority and is therefore contrary to guidance within policy CS2 of the Core Strategy (1&2) and paragraph 32 of the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF).
The first reason for refusal highlighted concern with development preceding in advance of a masterplan and the implications this could have for the wider site.
The planning application, which was subject to public inquiry sought permission for 340 dwellings whilst the masterplan only distributes 250 dwellings to this element of the site. The appellant was not in agreement with the distribution of dwellings identified within the masterplan. As all elements of the collaborative masterplan could not be agreed the Council had sought to progress a separate masterplan albeit the contents of this masterplan maintained the main elements of the collaborative process undertaken.
The masterplan, which was attached to the report, sought to:
•	Outline the vision and development objectives for the site;
•	Identify constraints and their impact on development;
•	Identify infrastructure requirements;
•	Provide a Strategic Framework Plan to shape development proposals;
•	Provide clarity regarding the requirements for planning applications; and
•	Provide clarity regarding the phasing and delivery of housing and infrastructure
Following allocation of the sites within the RELP the masterplan could be adopted as a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). Should the Council decide to take the masterplan forward as an SPD so that it formed part of the Development Plan there would be a requirement for a statutory period of consultation and potentially a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA).
The emerging RELP was supported by an Infrastructure Strategy and Schedule which provided a strategic level assessment of the infrastructure requirements arising from the RELP as a whole. Building upon this strategic assessment, a detailed Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) had been produced as part of the masterplan to co-ordinate the delivery of the infrastructure which was necessary to support residential development on the Yarm Back Lane and Harrowgate Lane sites.
The IDP drew upon the evidence base prepared to support the preparation of the masterplan and set out what infrastructure was needed and the anticipated timescales / phase of development when this should be provided. The key infrastructure requirements identified in the IDP include the provision of:
•	Junction enhancements;
•	Other access and transport infrastructure;
•	Community hub (incorporating a primary school, community centre and neighbourhood centre);
•	Green infrastructure;
•	Surface water drainage infrastructure;
•	Affordable housing;
•	Utilities related infrastructure.
The Council had been working with landowners and developers to agree an approach to contributions and the delivery of infrastructure which was both equitable and CIL compliant. At the present time no agreement had been reached. The masterplan identified that until agreement had been reached, to the satisfaction of the Council, it would not be possible to determine planning applications at the site. The Council would continue to liaise with landowners and developers to reach agreement.
Cabinet considered this matter at its meeting held on 14 January 2015 and a copy of the relevant minute extract had been circulated to Members.
A discussion took place regarding to the consultation about the proposals and it was moved by Councillor Hall, seconded by Councillor Houchen that the item be deferred to enable further consultation to take place.
The motion was not carried.
90/15 The following question had been submitted by Councillor Cherrett for response by the Cabinet Member for Arts, Culture and Leisure:-
"In 1995 the City Challenge Arts Panel spent funding of �30,000 for a piece of public artwork entitled "Racing Ahead". The sculpture was commissioned by artist Irene Brown after a competition the public voted in and, in the words of a Stockton Council Information leaflet at the time "the life sized greyhounds are "surging ahead with energy" and "symbolise the town's dynamism and renaissance looking to a better future".
The sculpture has disappeared from the High Street during the regeneration works and repeated requests to Council Officers about the whereabouts of the sculpture and its future have proved fruitless.
Surging ahead with energy and looking to a better future must surely be key issues for the regeneration of Stockton High Street so can the Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture confirm just where the greyhounds are currently being kennelled and when and where we might hope to see them being re-homed within Stockton High Street?"
The Cabinet Member for Arts, Leisure and Culture responded with:-
Thank you for the question.
Can we start on what we might agree on, it is a beautiful piece of art work, a beautiful piece of public sculpture that ought to be put somewhere within Stockton. What I find difficult to agree is that you haven't had answers because the email trail suggests that you have and what I couldn't possibly agree to is the return of the sculptures to the High Street for a number of reasons. Firstly because it doesn't fit with the renaissance of the High Street and as important from my point of view is that the RNIB and Guide Dogs for the Blind require us not to have pieces of sculpture in places where people can fall over them. I would agree with you it needs to be decided quite quickly so what we would ask you do and ask the rest of the Council to do is to give us some ideas of where the new location might be, there have been a few suggestions already and let us get an agreement as fast as possible so that this can be returned to public use.
Councillor Cherrett asked the following supplementary question:-
91/15 The Leader of the Council gave his Forward Plan and Leaders Statement.
Since the Council had last met on the 25th November, Cabinet met on the 3rd December and considered reports on:
•	The Scrutiny review of River Tees Crossing infrastructure
•	The use and control of activities in the borough's town centres
•	The Northshore gateway site
•	The Regeneration and Environment Local Plan evidence base review
•	The Care Act 2014 and the charging policy review
•	An update on the Medium Term Financial Plan
•	The Quarter 2 Performance Outturn
•	The Quarter 2 Welfare Reform Update
•	An update on Preston Park Museum and Grounds
•	The review of provision for 11-19 year olds
•	A review of the statement of principles for gambling premises
•	A review of the statement of Licensing policy under the licensing Act 2003
•	The Community Governance Reviews for Billingham Town Council and Elton Parish Council
Looking ahead, there was a busy period coming up.
Cabinet would meet next to consider a report on the impact of the Government's financial settlement on the Council's Medium Term Financial Plan. Cabinet then meets again on the 11th February to consider reports on:
•	The provision of Travel Support for Adult Social Care Service Users and Carers
•	An update on progress on SEN outcomes
•	The procedure for Admission of pupils to Primary and Secondary
•	Early Help Developments
•	The Director of Adults and Health Annual Report
•	The 2016-19 Council Plan
•	The Scrutiny Review of FOI requests
•	Progress on Developments Across the South of the Borough
•	An update on Town Centres
•	Tees Active - Performance Review and Contract
•	The Brighter Borough for All - Tackling Family Poverty framework.
Finally, Cabinet meets on the 18th February to consider the Medium Term Financial Plan 2016-20 which would then be brought to the special meeting of Council on the 24th February 2016.
It was clear that it was going to be a very tough year and Members were going to face some very difficult decisions. The Financial Settlement had been very difficult and was even worse than the worst case prediction of a 9% reduction in Government Funding.
Unfortunately the Council was facing a 13% reduction in Government Funding next year and by the end of the next medium term financial plan period the Council would have seen a �73 million reduction in funding since 2010/11, that's a reduction of 61%. Cabinet would be considering this extremely difficult situation on 21st January 2016 and then again on the 18th February 2016 so that Cabinet could bring a set of recommendations to the next Council meeting on 24th February 2016.


The photograph slips out from inside the front cover of the book. It glides, twists, and somersaults a few times before it lands on the floor. I reach down to pick it up.
It's been years since I've seen it. Now that the world has turned digital, you don't see photographs like this much anymore. Its edges are curling. I wipe away the thin film of dust on the surface with my shirt sleeve and flatten out the photo.
I smile. It's a picture of Kent Brinkley. He's sitting at one of those electric organs from the 1960's and wearing his favorite stocking cap—blue with red and white stripes and a pompom ball on the end. I met Kent when I was serving my first congregation right out of seminary.
Kent was in his early fifties but had the cognitive abilities of a first grader. He was barely five-feet tall, exuberant with life. Big, fulsome cheeks and bright eyes behind those thick-rimmed glasses. The only thing more delightful than Kent's grin was his infectious laugh.
I remember taking this photograph. My mind goes back to the day I snapped it with my camera.
We finish our drinks and walk over to the waver home nearby where Kent lives. I can barely keep up with him. He leads me to a small room with a little brown electric organ—the one in the photograph. Its keys are stained yellow, its four legs so wobbly it seems at any minute it might topple over. Kent flips the "On" switch. Then he pulls up the rickety little bench and positions himself.
He looks at me. "I wrote this for you." And he repeats what he told me earlier. "The love of Jesus goes in, and the song comes out." He places his stubby index finger on the lowest key of the organ, closes his eyes, breathes in a deep breath, and starts playing.
Key by key. One note after another, he moves his index finger up the keyboard. Deliberate. Unrushed. All the way until he reaches the last and highest key. And then he goes all the way back down.
That was it. That was the song. The love of Jesus went into his heart, and this song came out. I close my eyes and listen to Kent play for me. When he finishes, I notice my cheeks are damp.
"Did you like it?" Kent turns and faces me, beaming from ear to ear.
I hold the photograph in my hand and memory does its work. Oh, Kent. Precious child of God. My brother, my friend, my teacher. About a year after the photo was taken, Kent went to be with the Lord as a result of kidney failure. It's sentimental, even cliché I know, but I can't help but picture him in the presence of Jesus now, on his little electronic organ, that grin on his face, the love of Jesus going into his heart and the notes coming out.
Kent is among the beautiful saints in my life who have taught me to receive. Receiving a gift is not easy for me; I'd much rather play the role of giver. It's probably a control thing. Receiving is so vulnerable. And yet it's in that place of vulnerability, of both receiving and giving, that we encounter God and discover one another in love. Kent Brinkley was my teacher in this.
The love of Jesus goes in, and the notes of God's shalom come out. A song of beauty, hope, new creation.
This post originally appeared on The Twelve.
I love this story. Thank you for sharing.
What a deeply moving story! Christ's love and people's abilities to share don't depend on intellect and musical ability, just a deep love for the Lord and a desire to share that love.
"I Don't Do Nursing Homes" - Really?