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Developer goes to the state to avoid city deal
By TODresources / June 14, 2019
The rail yard that would house the controversial One Central development can be seen beyond Soldier Field in this image looking west. (Image: Marco Verch, Flickr)
South of The Loop in Chicago, a developer is eyeing the rail yard across from Soldier Field as the site for the city's next mega development. The project, called One Central, has been the talk of the town and is in the middle of big discussions about what role the developer, the city, and the state play in building a major transit hub.
One Central is massive; it includes up to 12 mixed-use skyscrapers on 34 acres of prime land, costs some $20 billion, and will take a decade to complete. Part of the reason for the great expense is the need to put a cap over the Metra commuter rail tracks to support development. But according to a report commissioned by the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, the project would bring an estimated $120 billion for the city over the next 40 years in taxes and transit revenues if completed.
A major sticking point for the project between the developer and new Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been the $3.8 billion transit hub included in the plans that would serve Metra, Amtrak, CTA, and a proposed circulator service around the waterfront. The Mayor has said she will limit the use of TIFs in the future and questioned whether a transit hub at this location was a priority given other transportation needs.
This led the developer to ask the state for a deal: the developer would front the cash for the transportation hub and keep a portion of the revenues generated until they recoup the upfront cost over a 20 year period, at which point the state would retain ownership. However, the city would still need to approve zoning variances to accommodate One Central as currently planned.
At this juncture the debate is far from settled, but it has brought forward many interesting ideas for financing large transportation infrastructure needs including the state's involvement in this major redevelopment project. For more information on infrastructure finance, check out TODresources.org to find more reports including the EPA's Infrastructure Financing Options for Transit-Oriented Development.
What's new on the pod?
Charlotte established TOD zoning in light rail station areas before their Blue line light rail opened in 2007. But after a decade of development, planners noted some improvements were in order. For starters, the old one-size-fits-all policy wasn't meeting the markets where they were at. At some stations, the zoning didn't allow enough height or density while at others there was demand for less intense development. Second, the city needed better standards for the street-levels of buildings that would create active uses and better screen parking. So the city set out to create new TOD zoning rules that would fit the market as we hear on this month's episode of Building Better Communities with Transit. Catch this episode on Soundcloud, Stitcher, iTunes, Overcast or wherever you get your podcasts.
Recent TOD news
Here are a few things that have been happening this week with TOD projects across the country.
Turning to TOD for Nassau County (The Island Now)
More apartments to rise at Chicago Avenue Blue Line stop (Curbed Chicago)
Mystery developer wants to build on Westlake station land (Curbed Los Angeles)
TOD key to switching Ottawa away from car oriented city (Ottawa Start)


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Q: node.js variable inside HTML a href attribute I have a variable of labels which is an array in Node.js. And I want to place the first item in the list within a href attribute of HTML. I tried Link. The item is not coming through. How do I make the q=val take the item?. Any help please?

A: Thank you all for the contribution. I finally solved it by concatenating the link with the variable, stored it in another variable and then placed the new variable next to the href attribute without any quotaions.
let dlink = 'https://chiniki.ng/s/?q='+labels[0];

then
Link

Thanks again

A: use rendering lib like the famous ejs then pass labels array to the frontend view in the same line when you render the html page. ie.
res.render('YOUR_HTML_FILE', {labels: YOUR_ARRAY_VARIABLE });

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Healthy chocolates contain the highest antioxidant level and can be used to make chocolate specialties.
Make your own "superfood" healthy chocolates and add in whatever suits your fancy. Throw in some maca root or reishi mushroom into your chocolate candies - for example.
You could also use fancy molds and make beautiful looking healthy chocolates for that special holiday.
You'll want to use properly fermented cacao beans (which helps to remove anti-nutrients like phytic acid).
You'll also want cacao beans that have been sun dried for a few days.
You'll also want to roast your cacao beans for at least 15 minutes at 250 degrees F to bring out the flavor of your chocolate.
Also, this step helps to crack the shell of the bean which needs to be removed before making healthy chocolates.
You can either peel away the shells or put them in a bag and whack them with a rolling pin to speed up the process.
Then winnow them with a blow dryer to separate the nibs from the shells - outside!
You can buy shelled chocolate nibs from most health food stores.
You would put the chocolate nibs into a spice blender or food processor to break up the chocolate nibs into a cacao powder. Eventually, the nibs will turn into a cacao paste.
You can add finely ground sugar and a little bit of cacao butter shavings to make your chocolate smoother.
The cacao paste (when blended long enough) will eventually turn into a chocolate liquor. The chocolate liquor is then "conched" to drive off acidic flavor compounds.
Most people use an electric stone grinder for this lengthy process. Or you can use an old fashioned stone mortar and pestle. The longer you stone grind your chocolate, the better your chocolate will taste.
Tempering is kind of an optional step when making chocolates There are a few ways to temper which re-establishes cacao butter crystals.
This helps to give chocolate more shine and structure which is helpful when making chocolates.
After this step, the chocolate can be poured into molds until hardened.
You can use healthy chocolates in your homemade chocolate specialties or use it to make a decadent smoothie.
If you need some inspiration and your looking for ideas on how to make a great smoothie, check out Chocolate Smoothie Recipe.
I have to say that a great chocolate bar is one of my favorite treats and it's so easy to make healthy chocolates when you have some cacao beans or cacao nibs on hand.
Chocolate quiz answer: Healthy Chocolates can Help!
You can also use healthy chocolates to make chocolate cakes, chocolate frosting, chocolate ice cream, chocolate shakes, chocolate fudge, hot chocolate, and whatever else you can think up in your mind!
To find the best quality cacao, I would visit my nearest health food store. Look for organic or "raw" cacao nibs or beans.
Be sure that you roast your cacao nibs or beans at a low temperature to preserve their nutrients before turning them into chocolate.
Return to Where Does Chocolate Come From?


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The GW approximation (GWA) is an approximation made in order to calculate the self-energy of a many-body system of electrons. The approximation is that the expansion of the self-energy Σ in terms of the single particle Green's function G and the screened Coulomb interaction W (in units of )

can be truncated after the first term:

In other words, the self-energy is expanded in a formal Taylor series in powers of the screened interaction W and the lowest order term is kept in the expansion in GWA.

Theory

The above formulae are schematic in nature and show the overall idea of the approximation.  More precisely, if we label an electron coordinate with its position, spin, and time and bundle all three into a composite index (the numbers 1, 2, etc.), we have

where the "+" superscript means the time index is shifted forward by an infinitesimal amount.  The GWA is then

To put this in context, if one replaces W by the bare Coulomb interaction (i.e. the usual 1/r interaction), one generates the standard perturbative series for the self-energy found in most many-body textbooks.  The GWA with W replaced by the bare Coulomb yields nothing other than the Hartree–Fock exchange potential (self-energy).  Therefore, loosely speaking, the GWA represents a type of dynamically screened Hartree–Fock self-energy.

In a solid state system, the series for the self-energy in terms of W should converge much faster than the traditional series in the bare Coulomb interaction.  This is because the screening of the medium reduces the effective strength of the Coulomb interaction:  for example, if one places an electron at some position in a material and asks what the potential is at some other position in the material, the value is smaller than given by the bare Coulomb interaction (inverse distance between the points) because the other electrons in the medium polarize (move or distort their electronic states) so as to screen the electric field.  Therefore, W is a smaller quantity than the bare Coulomb interaction so that a series in W should have higher hopes of converging quickly.

To see the more rapid convergence, we can consider the simplest example involving the homogeneous or uniform electron gas which is characterized by an electron density or equivalently the average electron-electron separation or Wigner–Seitz radius .  (We only present a scaling argument and will not compute numerical prefactors that are order unity.)  Here are the key steps:
 The kinetic energy of an electron scales as
 The average electron-electron repulsion from the bare (unscreened) Coulomb interaction scales as  (simply the inverse of the typical separation)
 The electron gas dielectric function in the simplest  Thomas–Fermi screening model for a wave vector  is

where  is the screening wave number that scales as
 Typical wave vectors  scale as  (again typical inverse separation)
 Hence a typical screening value is
 The screened Coulomb interaction is

Thus for the bare Coulomb interaction, the ratio of Coulomb to kinetic energy is of order  which is of order 2-5 for a typical metal and not small at all:  in other words, the bare Coulomb interaction is rather strong and makes for a poor perturbative expansion.  On the other hand, the ratio of a typical  to the kinetic energy is greatly reduced by the screening and is of order  which is well behaved and smaller than unity even for large : the screened
interaction is much weaker and is more likely to give a rapidly converging perturbative series.

Software implementing the GW approximation
 ABINIT - plane-wave pseudopotential method
 BerkeleyGW - plane-wave pseudopotential method
 CP2K - Gaussian-based low-scaling all-electron and pseudopotential method
 ELK - full-potential (linearized) augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method
 FHI-aims - numeric atom-centered orbitals method
 Fiesta - Gaussian all-electron method
 GAP - an all-electron GW code based on augmented plane-waves, currently interfaced with WIEN2k
 GPAW
 Molgw - small gaussian basis code
 PySCF
 Quantum ESPRESSO - Wannier-function pseudopotential method
 Questaal - Full Potential (FP-LMTO) method
 SaX  - plane-wave pseudopotential method
 Spex -  full-potential (linearized) augmented plane-wave (FP-LAPW) method
 TURBOMOLE - Gaussian all-electron method
 VASP - projector-augmented-wave (PAW) method
 West - large scale GW
 YAMBO code - plane-wave pseudopotential method

Sources

  The key publications concerning the application of the GW approximation
  Picture of Lars Hedin, inventor of GW
  GW100 - Benchmarking the GW approach for molecules.

References

Further reading

 Electron Correlation in the Solid State, Norman H. March (editor), World Scientific Publishing Company

Quantum field theory

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


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Written by admin on January 11, 2022
Our Take: Food is one of human's primal needs for sustenance and survival; unfortunately, not everyone gets access to an adequate food supply. Considering the United Nations' estimation of about 805 million people across the globe being undernourished, with the majority of this number living in developing countries, countries, specifically the most impacted, must begin to realize the impacts food insecurity has on the economy and seek sustainable solutions. Like other developing countries, Nigeria must tackle food security from the root causes, among which are poverty, communal conflicts/crises, rapid population growth, among others.
The aim of this paper is to examine the increasing food insecurity in Nigeria and the implications on the stability of the country in particular and Africa in general. This study tries to x-ray the food insecurity in Nigeria and Africa in general. This is important in order to alert the stakeholders in the agricultural sector on the implications of the rising food insecurity in the country in recent years. In the course of the study, secondary data sourced from the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations was used by examining the trend of food insecurity from 1990 to 2014.
The findings of this study indicate that key food security indicators used for the study such as prevalence of undernourishment, food inadequacy and numbers of undernourished people are on the increase in Nigeria from the year 2009 to 2014 according to the latest survey. The implication of this is that if the trend is not halted as quickly as possible it is a time bomb that may pose grave security risks and danger to the country and African sub-region as a whole being the most populous black nation. In order to prevent this, the immediate causes of the rising food insecurity as pointed out in the study must be identified while appropriate measures such as consistent policy framework for agriculture, provision of infrastructures, population control through birth control, provision of storage facilities and abolition of trade barriers among others are suggested to solve the food security challenges in Nigeria and by extension other African countries.
Food is one of the most important items in the world as it is critical to human survival together with clothing and shelter. These three items are usually classified as the man's basic needs. Food security in Africa has come under extreme threats due to some factors of which are natural while some are artificial depending on the circumstances and the countries involved. A food-secure world is one where all people have access to safe, nutritious and affordable food that provides the foundation for active and healthy lives.
The FAO defines food security as: "When all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food that meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life." Nearly one billion people are undernourished, hungry and living without adequate daily calories (PAI, 2015). Food security affects more than human health and welfare – it also contributes to economic and political stability as it is often noticed that most countries of the world where there is political instability are always associated with food insecure territories, the food insecurity in such countries might have been as a result of political instability or the political instability was as a result of food insecurity. One often led to the other but they go hand in hand in the affected areas. Food security has three aspects; food availability, food access and food adequacy.
Food insecurity exists when people lack sustainable physical or economic access to enough safe, nutritious, and socially acceptable food for a healthy and productive life. Food insecurity may be chronic, seasonal, or temporary. Food insecurity and malnutrition result in catastrophic amounts of human suffering. The World Health Organization estimates that approximately 60 percent of all childhood deaths in the developing world are associated with chronic hunger and malnutrition. In developing countries, persistent malnutrition leaves children weak, vulnerable, and less able to fight such common childhood illnesses as diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, malaria, and measles.
The United Nations estimates that about 805 million people – approximately one in eight – are undernourished as of 2014. The majority of these people live in developing countries, where more than 14 percent of the people are unable to meet their dietary energy requirements. Progress has been made in southern Asia, northern Africa and most countries of eastern and southeastern Asia, as well as in Latin America. Feeding this growing global population in the years to come will require producing more food and distributing it in a manner that reaches more people (Cargill, 2014).
The root cause of food insecurity in developing countries is the inability of people to gain access to food due to poverty. While the rest of the world has made significant progress towards poverty alleviation, Africa, in particular Sub-Saharan Africa continues to lag behind. Projections show that there will be an increase in this tendency unless preventive measures are taken. Food security on the continent has worsened since 1970 and the proportion of the malnourished population has remained within the 33 to 35 percent range in Sub-Saharan Africa. The prevalence of malnutrition within the continent varies by region. It is lowest in Northern Africa with 4 percent and highest in Central Africa with 40 percent. (Angela, 2006).
Categories of Food Insecurity
There are three main categories of food insecurity as classified by the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) of the United Nations.
Acute: Sever hunger and malnutrition to the point that lives are threatened immediately (e.g. famine),
Occasional: When food insecurity occurs due to a specific temporary circumstance,
Chronic: Ability to meet food needs is consistently or permanently under threat.
2.0 Material and Method
This study was carried out using Nigeria as a case study being the most populous country in the African continent with estimated 178 million people as of 2014 (Worldometers, 2014) and as such the country is more vulnerable to food insecurity considering the pressure on the available resources needed to ensure adequate and sustainable food supply to the populace. The study made use of mostly secondary data sourced from Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and other past survey works that have been carried out on similar topics. The key food security indicators such as prevalence of undernourishment, food inadequacy and numbers of undernourished people in Nigeria from the year 2009 to 2014 according to the latest FAO survey were used for the study and their respective trend were observed to give the appropriate judgment as to the food security status of Nigeria which is of great concern to the stakeholders in recent time
Results and Discussions
State of Food Insecurity in Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa and the World At Large
Table 1 reveals that the latest estimates indicate that 805 million people – about one in nine of the world's population – were chronically undernourished in 2012–14, with insufficient food for an active and healthy life. This number represents a decline of more than 100 million people over the last decade and of 209 million since 1990–92. The vast majority of hungry people live in developing regions, which saw 42 percent reduction in the prevalence of undernourished people between 1990–92 and 2012–14, despite this progress, about one in eight people, or 13.5 percent of the overall population, remain chronically undernourished in these regions, down from 23.4 percent in 1990–92. The MDG 1c hunger target – of halving, by 2015, the proportion of undernourished people in the developing world – is within reach, but considerable efforts are immediately needed, particularly in countries where progress has stalled. Despite overall progress, large differences remain across developing regions. Eastern and South-Eastern Asia have already achieved the MDG hunger target. The same is true of Latin America and the Caribbean, while the Caucasus and Central Asia are on track to reach MDG 1c by 2015. Latin America and the Caribbean are also on track to reach the more ambitious WFS goal. By contrast, sub- Saharan Africa and Southern and Western Asia have registered insufficient progress to reach the MDG target. Sub-Saharan Africa has become home to more than a quarter of the world's undernourished people, owing to an increase of 38 million in the number of hungry people since 1990–92 (SOFI, 2014).
In the same vein, according to the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) as depicted in Table 2, the prevalence of undernourishment, food security and the number of undernourished people have been on increase in Nigeria since 2009 due to the enumerated causes as itemized below in Nigeria though with the current trend as depicted in this paper, Nigeria still remains one of the few countries with lowest value in terms of prevalence of undernourishment, food insecurity and the number of undernourished people in the sub-Saharan Africa thus one of the most food secured countries in the region. However, the current trend whereby these indicators of food insecurity keep on rising is worrisome and requires the immediate attention of the concerned authorities through the suggested solutions as listed subsequently in this paper.
Causes of Food Insecurity
There are many causes of food insecurity in Africa. This presentation will limit the scope to that of Nigeria as presented in the above where it has been discovered that the food insecurity in on the rise since 2009 in the country which will give a template to the other African countries due to the fact that countries in Africa face similar challenges but only differ in magnitude. Some of the popular and common causes are itemized below
War and Political Instability: Of recent, the greatest threat to food security in Nigeria comes from the insurgency. As it is generally known that like other countries of the world, Nigeria is passing through one of her greatest challenges since independence from Britain in 1960. Of the six geo-political zones in Nigeria, the North East which is one of the critical zones that do not only provide the staple foods like grains, wheat and others but that is equally responsible for the provision of greater percentage of dairy products and animal protein in form of meat is currently under siege by insurgents. This has disrupted the agricultural activities in the areas while businesses worth millions of US Dollars have equally being halted. With this, the food security of the area is not only affected but almost every part of the country thus resulting to upward rising in the prices of food commodities in Nigeria. More than one million people have been displaced both internally and externally with more than ten thousand deaths. The remaining people in the affected areas are unable to continue their farming activities in the areas which had resulted in the alteration in the agricultural value chain in the country thereby resulting in reduction of food production. The problems started in 2009 and got escalated in the year 2014.
Urbanization: Like other countries of the world, increasing rural-urban migration due to urbanization play key roles in the emerging food insecurity in Nigeria. According to Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO), by year 2050, 70 percent of the world population is expected to be living in cities. By this, the agricultural production will be disrupted thereby increasing the food insecurity.
Population Growth: This is another factor responsible for food insecurity in Nigeria. Currently, Nigeria is the 6th populous country in the world with the estimated population of about 178 million people with annual growth rate of 3 percent. This has increased the demand for food products just like other countries of the world. With this glaring increase in the population, there is no commensurable increase in the agricultural production. According to the United Nations, Nigeria is expected to become third most populous country in the world by 2050 overtaking America (The Guardian, June 13, 2013).
Poor Agricultural Sector Development: This is another problem that poses great threat to food security in Nigeria and Africa as whole. Most African countries including Nigeria do not have sustainable Agricultural policy that will enhance food security in the long run. This is so because in Nigeria and majority of African countries as a whole until recently do not have stable leadership thereby resulting to policy somersault. Nigeria for example has not been on stable political leadership until 1999 when the country returned to full democracy devoid of military intervention. This has led to inconsistencies in policies that could have placed the country on a stable track that could have ensured that there is uninterrupted food supply. However, the opposite is the case as successive governments have engaged in different agricultural policies that have led to cancellation of the existing ones even when the extant ones proved prosperous and sustainable. Some government policies interfere with markets, create standards that inhibit trade and remove price signals to farmers. Export restrictions and trading bans isolate local markets and give farmers little incentive to expand production for the next season, limiting the potential supply response to soaring prices.
Climate Change: Climate Change is another reason why there is food shortage in Africa. It has changed the productivity pattern. The rain and water is less predictable now than before. The rain comes either too late or too early or for a shorter period. Farmers are confused and do not know when to cultivate their grains and other vegetables. Some years, the rain comes too early and when they plant the grains, the rain stops and the grains rot under the ground.
Effects of Food Insecurity
In developing countries, persistent malnutrition leaves children weak, vulnerable, and less able to fight such common childhood illnesses as diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, malaria, and measles. Adolescents and adults also suffer adverse consequences of food insecurity and malnutrition. Malnutrition can lead to decreased energy levels, delayed maturation, growth failure, impaired cognitive ability, diminished capacity to learn, decreased ability to resist infections and illnesses, shortened life expectancy, increased maternal mortality, and low birth weight.
Food insecurity may also result to political instability just as food-insecure individuals may manifest feelings of alienation, powerlessness, stress, and anxiety, and they may experience reduced productivity, reduced work and school performance, and reduced income earnings. Household dynamics may become disrupted because of a preoccupation with obtaining food, which may lead to anger, pessimism, and irritation among other vices.
Suggested Solutions to the Problems of Food Insecurity
Researchers and other stakeholders have consistently worked on the way forward for the lingering food crisis in Africa sub-region including Nigeria. In order to mitigate the effects of food insecurity on the people there should be proactive actions on the side of the leaders with a view to protecting their people from starving to death as we are currently witnessing in some African countries including Nigeria. To achieve this among other things, this paper will like to suggest these few things among other numerous ways of reducing the incidence food insecurity in Nigeria and other African countries;
Consistent Policy Framework: First and foremost, the leaders must adhere strictly to unique agricultural policy that will be subjected to periodic review by experts concerned instead of the current policy somersault as we are currently witnessing. Once this is achieved, the successive governments will be able to pursue the food security with the desired vigour.
Provision of Infrastructures: Provision of social amenities such as roads, portable water, electricity, etc. should be provided to the rural dwellers to prevent or reduce rural-urban migration as this will ensure there is adequate labour for agricultural activities in the rural areas thereby increasing food productivities that will not only guarantee food security but will equally provide employment opportunities to the growing population in a way that it will reduce the pressure in the urban centers. Under this, the government should also encourage mechanized farming as a way of reducing the incidence of food insecurity as all over the world now agriculture is a serious business enterprise and the world has moved beyond the era of subsistence farming whereby agriculture is seen as feeding the immediate family with little or nothing for income drive. Modern agriculture is not only feeding the family but the world and is generating millions of employment and veritable source of income to both the farmers and source of foreign exchange to many countries of the world.
Population Control: Just like other African countries where poverty is rampant, population is majorly uncontrolled as the methods of achieving this menace such as contraceptives is still unpopular especially in the rural areas thereby resulting to population surge among the people thus encouraging undue competition for insufficient food. Government and other development partners such as world bank, UNICEF, FAO, WFP and others should rise up to assist the government in educating people on birth control so that there can be food security guaranty.
Provision of Storage Facilities: To avoid waste that usually accompany harvest season in Nigeria, government should do everything possible to ensure there is adequate provision of processing and storage facilities for Agricultural products so that there will be all year round food security and in turn boost the income level of farmers thereby reducing poverty which is the ultimate goal of the Nigerian government just like any other African government. The current situation in Nigerian has become so worrisome to the extent that vast majority of the harvested crops waste away during the farm season while huge amount of money is being used by the government to offset the import bills of the same commodities during the off season.
Abolition of Trade Barriers: There should be free trade across the African borders to guarantee free flow of food commodities across borders. Though, there are various extant trade agreements with other African countries especially the western Africa but the enforcement across nations has been very weak. If these trade agreements are fully operational the food insecurity will not only be minimized in Nigeria but in other African countries.
The problem of food insecurity must be seen as a security threats to not only to the country but also to the continent as a whole thereby prompting each country to device means aimed at reducing the menace headlong so as to prevent possible negative consequences that usually accompany food insecurity in countries that have suffered unrest before. If the problem is attacked with all seriousness by implementing the recommendations of various policy makers then the continent will be self-sufficient in terms of food security.
To address food insecurity, Nigeria must as a matter of urgency, put in place the following:
Revive infrastructure development: providing basic social facilities for the underserved would be an important tool for food security, this would douse the rural dwellers' attraction to the urban centers, consequently resulting in an even distribution of food and decreased competition for limited available resources.
Make agricultural policies and programs that address specific issues affecting food supply while also adopting periodic policy reviews and adjustments to address real-time problems such as climate change.
Encourage free trade across neighboring African countries and establish standard storage facilities to avoid food wastage.
About the Author(s):
– Wasiu Olayinka Fawole ( PhD) – World Bank · Project Implementation
– Burhan Ozkan – Akdeniz University, Department of Agricultural Economics
– Eda Ilbasmis( PhD) – Akdeniz University, Department of Agricultural Economics
Source: ResearchGate
Keywords: Food Insecurity, Prevalence of undernourishment, Africa, Nigeria.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Burglars dial 999 after victim collapses
BURGLARS who broke into a north Warwickshire woman's home dialled 999 when she collapsed.
The duo broke into the home in Watling Street, Dordon, on Tuesday night.
On finding the front door locked, they went around to the back and kicked in the back door.
The woman was threatened while one burglar tried to search the house. The second burglar stayed with the woman and she collapsed on the floor.
The burglars called for an ambulance before running out of the house.
The woman, who was very upset and frightened, was checked over by an ambulance crew and was found to be unhurt.
The two raiders were described as white and in their late teens or early twenties. One has light brown hair. He is stocky in appearance. The other offender is shorter, with a thin face and dark short hair.
Police are appealing for anyone with information to call Atherstone station on 01827 718092 or Crimestoppers, which is anonymous, on 0800 555 111.
CourtsCoventry tower block arsonist told he will be deported as he's jailedAbdu Aden admitted starting the fire at Thomas King House
Further 21 Covid-19 deaths recorded in Coventry
CoronavirusThe most recent data has been released by the government
Man accused of assisting offender over fatal stabbing has case dismissed
CourtsRobert Burgess was stabbed to death in October 2019


Blue Waves has large proportions which add to the sense of luxury. The entire lower level is dedicated to living. Inside, the expansive open plan design hosts the kitchen, dining and family room complete with full size billiard table. Gorgeous Caesar stone adds richness to the chef inspired kitchen. A stunning lanai will blow you away! Complete with lounge and dining furniture as well as a gas fire for cool nights this oozes luxury. Lounge in the lanai while you watch the kids in the secluded pool. A games area allows you to enjoy table tennis and fussball. And to top it off, upstairs you will find an enormous rumpus room!! Blue Waves will definitely exceed your expectations.
Truly designed for an extended family holiday, Blue Waves comfortably sleeps 16 guests (Families only please). The master suite has a king size bed and ensuite. There are three queen bedded rooms and two rooms with tri-bunks. For that extra couple there is a queensize bed located in the 'study'. With two family bathrooms and another shower in the laundry everyone is catered for.
Please note: a maximum of 12 adult guests will be permitted at this home and a surcharge of $25.00 per adult, per night will apply for any more than 8 adult guests staying. Family groups of up to 16 guests are accepted and the surcharge will not apply to children.
"We had an amazing weekend at Blue Waves. The property had plenty of space for young children and adults to keep them entertained. Very impressed with the cleanliness and linen/towels provided. The initial enquiry and service from Verve was fantastic. We will definitely book our next holiday with Verve again!"


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Generator är Bad Religions sjätte album, utgivet 13 mars 1992. Det var bandets första album med trummisen Bobby Schayer, som ersatte Pete Finestone.

Låtlista
"Generator" (Brett Gurewitz) - 3:22
"Too Much to Ask" (Greg Graffin) - 2:45
"No Direction" (Greg Graffin) - 3:14
"Tomorrow" (Greg Graffin) - 1:56
"Two Babies in the Dark" (Brett Gurewitz) - 2:25
"Heaven Is Falling" (Brett Gurewitz) - 2:04
"Atomic Garden" (Brett Gurewitz) - 3:11
"The Answer" (Greg Graffin) - 3:21
"Fertile Crescent" (Greg Graffin) - 2:09
"Chimaera" (Greg Graffin) - 2:28
"Only Entertainment" (Greg Graffin) - 3:12

Medverkande
Greg Graffin - sång
Greg Hetson - gitarr
Brett Gurewitz - gitarr, sång
Jay Bentley - bas, sång
Bobby Schayer - trummor, percussion

Musikalbum 1992
Album av Bad Religion


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Florida Governor's Baseball Dinner to celebrate 100 years of Pinellas spring training
Published on January 28, 2014 in Uncategorized by Phil Ammann
Gov. Rick Scott celebrates a century of Pinellas County Spring Training Baseball by hosting a February event at the home of the Tampa Bay Rays.
St. Petersburg will take home field advantage for the 2014 Governor's Baseball Dinner on Thursday, February 13 at Tropicana Field in St. Petersburg.
This year, the Governor's Dinner commemorates 100 years of Major League Baseball's springtime ritual, a tradition eagerly awaited by both players and fans. During February and March, Florida's Grapefruit League hosts 15 Major League Baseball teams, when more than 1.5 million fans attend spring training games throughout the state.
Proceeds of the event go to the Florida Sports Foundation, which supports the state's nine professional sports teams and Florida's $36 billion sports industry.
In 1914, the St. Louis Browns became the first Major League Baseball team to head to Pinellas County. The following year, avid baseball fan Al Lang convinced his hometown team, the Philadelphia Phillies, to train locally.
The Phillies' appearance turned Lang into a local hero.
An appreciative and enthusiastic city made Lang — namesake of Al Lang Stadium (now Progress Energy Stadium) – a two-term St. Petersburg mayor. During those years of service, Lang started another St. Pete tradition — the city's iconic green benches.
Over the next several decades, eight professional teams played in Pinellas at one time or another: Browns, Phillies, Boston Braves, New York Yankees, New York Mets, St. Louis Cardinals, Baltimore Orioles and the Tampa Bay Rays. The Cardinals practiced in St. Pete for almost 60 seasons, making them the longest lasting franchise in the region to date.
Throughout the heyday of Pinellas spring training, teams brought home a combined 19 World Series titles.
The county continues to be the official spring home to two MLB teams — the Philadelphia Phillies in Clearwater and the Toronto Blue Jays in Dunedin.
At 6:00 p.m. February 13, the Governor's Dinner will begin with cocktails and a silent auction. Dinner — with a program featuring impressionist Frank Caliendo — starts at 7:00 p.m.
Tickets start at $75, with a table for eight available for $1,500. Priority seating for eight will set donors back $2,500.
Table reservations and tickets are available online or by mail to the Florida Sports Foundation at 2930 Kerry Forest Parkway, Suite 101, Tallahassee, FL 32309 (ATTN: Governor's Baseball Dinner)
Phil Ammann
Phil Ammann is a St. Petersburg-based journalist and blogger. With more than three decades of writing, editing and management experience, Phil produced material for both print and online, in addition to founding HRNewsDaily.com. His broad range includes covering news, local government and culture reviews for Patch.com, technical articles and profiles for BetterRVing Magazine and advice columns for a metaphysical website, among others. Phil has served as a contributor and production manager for SaintPetersBlog since 2013. He lives in St. Pete with his wife, visual artist Margaret Juul and can be reached at phil@floridapolitics.com and on Twitter @PhilAmmann.
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14 May Mamzer
Posted at 11:00h in Beings and Entities, Children and Childhood, Demons and Possession, Folklore and Folktales, Monsters, Creatures, and Cryptids	by	Creepypasta.com Content Curator 0 Comments
📅 Published on May 14, 2019
"Mamzer"
Simza stumbled through the dark forest, tripping over indiscernible tree roots in the darkness. She sensed that something was wrong with the baby, and was afraid, but she had no one to confide in. She had wandered away from the camp when she started feeling the sharp pains in her abdomen. Surely, it was not time yet. As far as she could tell, she was only about six months along.
Pitiko, the voivode of their band, had hastily declared her baby to be the bastard of Satan. None of the men in her kompania had confessed to fathering it, and she was not willing to admit who the real father was: an outsider that she had met in a town they had camped near during the summer. She had been fifteen at the time, and she could not even imagine what led her to be intimate with the stranger. He did not force himself upon her, but she felt strangely enchanted by him, as if he had cast a spell on her. This is, in fact, what she believed. Perhaps he was a witch or demon, and Pitiko had been correct.
Vadoma, the phuri dai, was the old woman who looked after the welfare of the group's women and children. Simza had gone to her first, and she was willing to help; but once Pitiko proclaimed that Simza was the Devil's consort, Vadoma would have nothing to do with her. Simza had gone to her earlier that evening when the strange feelings began, but the old woman shunned her.
Now, Simza was alone in the cold. It had started to rain also, but she did not care. The pain was so intense now that nothing else in the world seemed to matter. She was certain that she was losing the baby. Perhaps it had died already, and her body was rejecting it. She had seen other girls who had miscarried or delivered stillborn babies. One of them had even died. She was sure that she was dying now. She had never felt a pain so severe.
She collapsed under a shelf of rock that overhung the trail. She was out of the rain, but soaking wet and chilled to the bone. Her hair hung in strings and dripped water into her eyes, making them sting.
She quickly uttered prayers to Saint Sarah and the Virgin Mary, promising to devote her life to them if they would intercede and beg God for mercy on her behalf.
"Yov sasti Mari, pherdi dey," Hail Mary, full of Grace. "Devel tusa; punidi tu mashkir jul'ende; I punido tire and'ako phel – Isos." Blessed art thou among women, and the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
"San Mari, Isoseskiri day; mang Devles vash amenge papanenge; akana i ade amare meripaskiri hor." Saint Mary, Mother of God, pray for us now and at our hour of death.
Over and over, she repeated the Ave Maria; but the pain increased. It finally became so intense that she could no longer speak. She did not even have the strength to scream. The rest of her body went numb, and she could not feel anything except the sting in her belly. Even the cold washed away.
Then, she felt as if something was pressing at her abdomen from the inside. Not the baby kicking. It did not feel like that. More as if it were straining against the walls of its prison. She lifted her blouse and looked at her stomach. Sure enough, there were protrusions that looked like tiny hands pushing from the inside. She had never seen or heard of anything like this before.
Without warning, she felt a gush of warm liquid between her legs and sluicing down her bottom. Her bag of waters had broken. The baby was coming. Was this what labor felt like? It was too soon. Panic and despair overtook her as she realized that she was alone in the forest and had no idea what to do, whether the baby was stillborn or not.
She fell back into the mud, no longer concerned about staying clean or dry. She was pushing and pushing, but it felt like the baby was trying to resist. It continued to push at her abdomen with its miniature hands, which were now pressing harder and forming more pronounced shapes on her belly.
A new feeling inside surprised her – as if something were tearing. Only, it felt like it was moving upwards, out of her abdomen and into her chest cavity. It was! She could now feel one of its tiny hands reaching up into her rib cage. It became hard to breathe, and her pulse began to pound – a deafening sound in her ears. Her vision began to fade, everything becoming bright white. Without warning, all her pain subsided. Her feelings of fear and dread died away. She stopped writhing and struggling and lay peacefully on the forest floor, the rain falling more lightly now, tickling her face.
Her movements weakened, muscles went slack, and her eyelids opened wider. The last thing she felt was peace. Her mind registered that everything had stopped, even her pulse. Her body was completely at rest. Everything had shut down; save for the creature that still struggled inside her, now desperate to escape. Seconds later, she was dead.
Simza's body lay still on the forest floor, growing cold, skin drained of color. Something in her belly still struggled, its movements growing frantic. When Simza's heart stopped beating, the creature's supply of oxygen had been cut off. It was now asphyxiating. Like its mother, its movements grew weaker and weaker until they ceased altogether.
Simza's blouse, now soaked through with rain and streaked with mud, was still pulled up, exposing her abdomen. A hole opened near her belly button, small at first. Just a pinprick of blood appeared as a needle-like spike lanced through the skin. A second tiny spike poked through inches away from the first. As the holes widened, more tiny claws came through, spreading the widening holes apart like pairs of lips parting, until both holes joined and split into one large mouth. The claws withdrew, and the movement in Simza's belly waned. Then, slowly, a tiny hand thrust its way through the hole, reaching toward the weeping sky. The mamzer was finally free from its prison.
Credit: Kenneth Kohl (Official Website • Amazon)
Danny knew he had made a mistake in coming, but he took a seat nonetheless. All of the Alcoholics Anonymous meeting on his side ...
babies, beings, births, children, creatures, demons, entities, folk tales, folklore, folktales, Kenneth Kohl, kids, monsters


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HELLYAR, Christine, 1947-
Patinated cast bronze in three pieces
Two at 1240mm high , one at 1370mm high
Armlets are decorative bands usually worn above the bicep and made from a precious material such as gold or silver. Why then have these three bronze sculptures been given that title?
Based on native plants, fern, palm and flowering flax, they are sited in Grafton Road in a small plot which is formally planted to resemble an eighteenth century European garden. Armlet comes from a series of the artist's works which are titled to make reference to the adornments of classical antiquity – amulet, necklet, coronet, diadem. Two of the sets of three stems – Spray and Corsage – were also titled for the European tradition of women wearing flowers for special occasions. The three stems that make up Armlet are meant to stand as sentinels in attendance upon Mother Nature, and to draw attention to her beauty through their own.
As a group of works, the series that Armlet comes from was first exhibited collectively in the winter of 1993, and the work was purchased for The University of Auckland Art Collection the following year.
Christine Hellyar has had a long association with this University. She graduated with a Diploma of Fine Arts (Hons) from Elam School of Fine Arts in 1969, focusing on landscapes and land forms in her sculpture. Endlessly experimental in her practice, she was the first artist to mould her work in latex directly from native flora. By the mid-1980s she had established herself as one of the leading sculptors of her generation. She returned to Elam to teach in the Sculpture Department where she stayed for over a decade. Maintaining an invigorating sculptural installation which now occupies her full-time, she now has commissions in every major New Zealand sculpture park and also installed in many public and private buildings.
In writing to the University in 1994 while still teaching at Elam, the artist drew a plan of where she would like her sculpture sited, commenting that she found the proportions of the small garden at the back of the German Department to be most suitable. She felt that the Grafton Road garden had a contemplative nature, with seating that made it appropriate for the addition of an art work. She also observed that the garden was relatively private.
Writing more recently about her concerns at that time, the artist has identified her principal interest as being in the ways in which humans domesticate the sublime in nature, subjecting the wilderness to the mowing, pruning and clipping which makes a garden.
Bronze as a material carries historical associations and the artist has used it here knowingly. The great civilisations of antiquity worked in bronze for art, from the time of the introduction of this alloy of copper and tin for edged weapons. Having worked for a long period in rubber, plaster and found materials, Christine Hellyar relished deploying the loaded properties of this metal to contribute to a long tradition of civic sculpture.
"I like the tool and weapon quality of the bronze," she writes. Ironically, bronze can be both solid and ephemeral. While it seems like a permanent material (in contrast to the biodegradable media the artist has often used) relatively few large ancient bronzes have survived. Many more works in ceramic and stone have come through the centuries, even if only in fragments, as many bronzes were melted down to make weapons in times of war, or to create new sculptures commemorating the victors.
Commemoration is part of the content of this work. Native vegetation has been lost through the process of colonisation, and this is a city where even the Mäori names which were based on plants have been replaced. For example, Maungakiekie – mountain of kiekie (Freycinetia banksii) – is now One Tree Hill, and like the rest of Tamaki makau rau which has been cleared of its coastal broadleaf forest, few remnants of flora persist to remind us of what has gone.
The artist writes that she likes to think of the three different kinds of plants in Armlet dancing together in this European garden – fern, palm and flowering flax united once again as they were in pre-colonial times.
Hellyar was born and raised in New Plymouth, NZ. Her key inspiration for her art is the beaches and bushes both in New Plymouth and the Auckland scene where she is now based. She spent four years studying at the University of Auckland specialising in sculpture. Her key influences for her work are Louise Bourgeois and Robert Smithson. She taught part time at the Elam School of Fine Arts in 1981 till 1996, then moved to work full time in her studio. During this time she was awarded the Adam Award for her significant contribution to the New Zealand art scene. In 2003 she won a Department of Conservation residency and spent six weeks living up Mount Taranaki making drawings and sculptures. Her work usually reflects her interest in tribal Ethnology and in Landscape Gardens. Her work has been exhibited in Australia, USA, England, Holland, Spain, Hungary, Japan, Korea and Singapore. Her overall theme present in her art is related to the domestication and socialisation of the found landscape.
Articles related to HELLYAR, Christine, 1947-, available from INZART: Index to New Zealand Art


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Why are Olympians given flowers?
Why do Olympic athletes get flowers?
Why do they give medal winners flowers?
What is the meaning of the Olympic flowers?
Why are athletes given flowers?
What is so special about the bouquets the winning athletes received?
Are the Olympic flowers real?
Are flowers thrown at the Olympics?
Why are the Olympics so important?
What is the animal on the Olympic flowers?
The mascot's name is a blend of two Japanese words, mirai, meaning future, and towa, meaning eternity. But the flowers handed to Olympians to celebrate their achievement have a deeper meaning for Japan — they represent the recovery from the disastrous 2011 earthquake and tsunami.
The bouquets of yellow, green and blue flowers presented to medalists at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were grown almost entirely in these three districts. The bright yellow sunflowers that dominate the bouquets were grown in Miyagi by parents whose children died in the disaster.
The indigo blue flowers, gentians, are grown in Iwate
Together, these flowers represent the disaster-affected regions of Japan and aim to bring people's attention to these cities. The aspidistras, have been grown in Tokyo and symbolise the host city of the 2020 Olympic Games.
The Olympic Games date back to Ancient Greece where athletes were awarded olive-leaf wreaths to commemorate victories. … It was during Victorian times that flowers were first presented to victorious athletes on the winners' podium, a practice that was adopted when the first modern Olympics were held in Athens in 1896.
IT IS IMPORTANT: What's the difference between Greek gods and Olympians?
In addition to medals, every athlete receives a special victory bouquet, which carries extra significance in Japan. The flowers used in the bouquets pay tribute to three key areas of Japan.
The Olympic victory bouquets are made of flowers grown in prefectures affected by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami, which devastated the country back in 2011. There are sunflowers, gentians, eustomas and Solomon's seals. … Each flower in the bouquet also holds a special meaning.
Traditionally, Olympic medal ceremonies included athletes receiving a bouquet of flowers after being presented with their respective medals. This is also the reason flowers were replaced since it's not a gift most athletes treasure anyway. …
The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
The cartoony Miraitowa is the official mascot of the Tokyo Olympics, and it comes with surprising powers the athletes can only envy. Every Olympics has its own mascot, officially hailed as the ambassador of the Games. Tokyo has two: Miraitowa for the Olympics and Someity for the Paralympic Games.


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Marks & Spencer suffers another round of falling food and clothing sales as boss admits its culture is 'siloed, slow, and hierarchical'
Group expects sluggish sales figures to continue in the near future
One analyst says reading the results is 'like taking a cold shower'
100 stores are to close over the next few years and every aspect of firm changed
Pre-tax profits for the six months to end of September rose by 2%
By Jane Denton For Thisismoney
Published: 05:06 EST, 7 November 2018 | Updated: 13:41 EST, 7 January 2019
Marks & Spencer has warned it expects its poor sales figures to continue in the near future, as it battles to transform its old-fashioned stores, clunky website and sell more of what people want to buy at a fair price.
Steve Rowe, the group's chief executive, said he will be leaving 'no stone unturned' in ploughing ahead with the company's transformation plan, which includes closing 100 stores over the next few years.
In a frank admission, Mr Rowe said M&S's culture was 'siloed, slow, and hierarchical.'
'Reading through M&S's latest half year results is like taking a cold shower', one analyst said
Most of the company's results were in line with expectations. In the six months to the end of September, the retailer's food and clothing sales fell, while pre-tax profits grew by two per cent to £223.5million.
M&S blamed an early Easter, the reduction of prices of 100 everyday products and axing 'complex and confusing' promotions for its falling food sales.
FTSE LIVE: Shares on the rise after Democrats gain control... High Street fearing Christmas wipeout as shoppers go online... M&S fashion chief feels the heat over sales – and even Holly... Marks & Spencer investors must wait to see fruits of...
Marks & Spencer Group share price and data available here
Clothing and home sales fell by 2.7 per cent as a result of the strategy to close underperforming stores and reduce the amount of in-store space dedicated to non-food items. Like-for-like sales fell by 1.1 per cent.
Would you be sad to see M&S disappear from the High Street?
Yes 395 votes
No 86 votes
Food revenue dipped by 0.2 per cent overall, but like-for-like sales slipped by 2.9 per cent.
The retailer's high-end food business is facing stiff competition from the likes of Aldi and Lidl, who are rapidly introducing 'best' own-brand ranges in a bid to compete with M&S.
The retailer, which was founded in 1884, is pushing ahead with plans to revive its online presence and give shoppers a better user experience that is competitive against online rivals like Amazon.
David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets, said: 'A push towards e-commerce would keep up with consumer habits, and be far more cost effective. The long-term goal is to have one third of sales online, and have fewer homeware and large clothing stores at better locations.'
Food sales down: Food revenue dipped by 0.2 per cent overall, M&S's results show
M&S's frank admissions about the extent to which it needs to change come amid a torrid year for the British high street.
When looking at its own foibles and failings, M&S will be all too aware that Toys R Us, Maplin and Poundworld collapsed this year.
New Look underwent a restructuring and House of Fraser entered administration, but was subsequently snapped up by retail magnate Mike Ashley.
'In the latest budget, Phillip Hammond, announced some initiatives to help out the high street, but it was mostly aimed at small stores, and besides, it might be too little too late, analyst Mr Madden said.
Needs to change: In a frank admission, Mr Rowe said M&S's culture was 'siloed, slow, and hierarchical'
While the state of M&S's stores, its website and product lines often grab the headlines, the company is also a FTSE 100 listed firm.
Commenting the outlook for M&S's investors, some of whom will have held shares in the company for many years, Lee Wild, head of equity strategy at Interactive Investor, said: 'There's been enough optimism around M&S shares recently to force a break above an 18-month downtrend and, while the FTSE 100 has been flat the past fortnight, M&S is up over 7 per cent.
'Further gains will hinge on Marks successfully tackling the decline in sales and providing further evidence it is delivering on its promises.'
David Madden, an analyst at CMC Markets, said: 'The balance sheet is still robust, but investors will have to wait out the restructuring programme, which should be beneficial to the retailer in the long-run.'
Tom Stevenson, of Fidelity Personal Investing, said: 'Reading through M&S's latest half year results is like taking a cold shower. The company is ruthlessly honest about the massive challenge it faces'.
'The outlook remains unchanged, so shareholders can look forward to a full year of modestly lower underlying profits with the expectation of another difficult 12 months to come after that. The good news is that the interim dividend was maintained.
'That remains the main reason to own Marks & Spencer shares. A yield of more than 6 per cent, reasonably well-covered by expected earnings and so safer than most dividend income streams at that level, is attractive in a low-interest-rate environment. The income story buys M&S time to navigate its ambitious recovery plan.'
M&S has maintained its dividend and shareholders will be getting a payout of 6.8p a share in January.
Shares in M&S are currently down 3.8 per cent or 11.5p to 291p.
M&S boss outlines future plans
M& S boss Steve Rowe says he will change every aspect of the company
In the company's half-year results, Steve Rowe, the group's chief executive, said: 'In May I set out in our 'Facing the Facts' presentation, the challenges we face and the steps we are taking in this the first phase of our transformation programme.
'Against the background of profound structural change in our industry, we are leaving no stone unturned and reshaping our business, its organisation and culture.
'This phase is about rebuilding the foundations of the future M&S and we are judging progress as much by the pace of change as the trading outcomes.
'Already, we have reorganised into a family of strong businesses in the biggest change to our structure for decades. We now have a largely new, very determined and energetic management team in place. M&S is becoming a faster, more commercial and more digital business.
'We are on track to restructure our store portfolio with over 100 full-line closures and expect to see newly remodelled stores open next year. We are fixing the basics of our online channel and there are very early signs of improvement. Every aspect of our ranges, how we trade, our supply chain and marketing is undergoing scrutiny and change.'
<!- - ad: https://mads.dailymail.co.uk/v6/us/money/moneynews/article/other/mpu_factbox.html - ->
Fluctuations: M&S's share price performance has fluctuated over the last year
M&S sales slip as boss says culture is 'slow, and hierarchical'


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Many Man Killed in Winn Parish Crash, High Speed Suspected Factor
November 30, 2020 / Winn Parish Journal / Leave a comment
Winn Parish – On November 29, 2020, shortly after 12:00 p.m., Louisiana State Police Troop E responded to a single-vehicle crash on U.S. Highway 84, west of Winnfield. This crash claimed the life of 21-year-old Jacob A. Patton, of Many. High speed is a suspected factor in this crash.
The initial investigation revealed a 2001 GMC Sierra pickup, driven by Patton, was traveling westbound on U.S. Highway 84. For reasons still under investigation, Patton lost control of his vehicle, exited the roadway, and struck a tree.
Patton, who was restrained, sustained fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. A toxicology sample was obtained and submitted for analysis. The crash remains under investigation.
Louisiana State Troopers wish to remind motorists to obey all speed limit signs and avoid all distractions. Speeding reduces a driver's ability to steer safely around curves or objects in the roadway, extends the distance necessary to stop a vehicle, and increases the distance a vehicle travels while the driver reacts to a situation. Speeding and other aggressive driving behaviors are among the leading causes of highway crashes and fatalities.
In 2020, Troop E Troopers have investigated 48 fatal crashes resulting in 56 fatalities.
Winn Parish LDH COVID Weekly Update 11/27/20
According to the Louisiana Department of Health website on November 27, 2020, Winn Parish reported 983 (893 confirmed – 90 probable) total new cases of COVID 19. An increase of 112 cases since 11-19-2020. Two additional deaths were reported in Winn Parish last week bringing the parish total to 26 (25 confirmed – 1 probable). The latest numbers place Winn Parish in the top ten of Louisiana parishes with the most cases per 100,000 residents in the last seven days.
Confirmed cases and deaths, which are widely considered to be an undercount of the true toll, are counts of individuals whose coronavirus infections were confirmed by a molecular laboratory test. Probable cases and deaths count individuals who meet criteria for other types of testing, symptoms and exposure, as developed by national and local governments.
The week of 11/5 – 11/18 Winn Parish two week cumulative incidence was 771.19. Placing Winn Parish in the "High" category.
Winn Correctional Center
According to ICE.GOV as of 11/26/2020 there are 2 detainees with confirmed cases of COVID 19 currently under isolation or monitoring at the Winn Correctional Center (WCC). There have been no additional deaths keeping the total number of deaths of a detainee who died after testing positive for COVID-19 while in ICE custody at WCC at one. There have been 243 total confirmed COVID-19 cases at WCC since testing began in February 2020. (These numbers have not changed in the last two updates)
There have been no official numbers reported by Winn Parish Sheriff's Office or LaSalle Management regarding number of positive COVID cases or deaths amongst staff at WCC.
Winn Parish Long-Term Care Facilities
The latest Nursing Home Report dated November 24, 2020, reflects 5 new cases among residents, and 5 new case among staff reported for this week at Autumn Leaves Nursing & Rehab Center. Winnfield Nursing & Rehab reported 3 new cases among residents, and 3 new cases among staff.
Facility Autumn Leaves Winnfield Nursing & Rehab
Parish Winn Winn
Resident Census 84 73
Total COVID-19 Cases
Among Residents 31 61
New COVID-19 Cases
Among Residents
Since Last Report (11-17-20) 5 3
Of Total Resident Cases, Number Whose Infections Began at this Facility 29 57
Total Residents
Recovered 23 44
Total COVD-19 Deaths
Among Residents 2 10
Among Staff 29 37
Among Staff
Total Staff Recovered 26 30
COVID_NursingHomes_112420Download
Winn Parish Schools
COVID-19 cases reported to LDH by K-12 Winn Parish Schools as of the 11/15/20 report:
Parish No. of Schools
in Parish Faculty/
Total Cases Faculty/
Cases Reported
11/16 – 11/22 Student
11/16 – 11/22
Winn 6 20 62 Less than 0 Greater than 5 9
Cases are defined as individuals reported to have positive SARS-CoV-2 molecular or antigen laboratory tests. Cases are self-reported
by K-12 schools currently enrolled in the school reporting system.
K-12ReportbyParish-11222020Download
Name: Nekell Unique Russell
Charge: Probation Violation
Name: Charles Ford
Race: Unknown
Charge: Burglary-Aggravated, Domestic Abuse Battery, Simple Criminal Damage to Property
Name: Dylan D. Harrison
Charge: Attempted Second Degree Murder, Illegal Possession of Stolen Firearms
Name: Shirley Desadier
Charge: Theft > $1,000, Criminal Damage to Property, Criminal Trespass, Attempted Theft of Livestock > $15,000, Misrepresentation During Booking, Possession of CDS IV with Intent to Distribute
Bond: Not Listed
Name: Fermario Fobbs
Charge: Theft, Resisting an Officer by Flight, Simple Battery
Bond: $2,200
WPSB Special Public Session/Committee Meetings
November 30, 2020 November 30, 2020 / Winn Parish Journal / Leave a comment
The Winn Parish School Board meet in special public session Monday, November 30, 2020, at 5:00 PM in the meeting room of the Winn Parish School Board for the purpose of adopting a local declaration of a State of Emergency due to damages caused by Hurricane Laura. WPSB will also conduct committee meetings.
Police Juries
A five-dollar banknote issued by the Concordia Parish Police Jury in 1862. Courtesy of The Historic New Orleans Collection
By: Kelby Ouchley
Unique in the United States, police juries are elected political bodies that govern most parishes in the state of Louisiana. Police juries comprise the legislative and executive branches of parish governments. Not all parishes are governed by police juries, as twenty-three of the state's sixty-four parishes have home rule charters that allow other forms of administration, including council-president, council-manager, and consolidated parish/city. Modern police juries have broad authority to enact and enforce ordinances and regulations, maintain public works, and levy taxes. However, the origin of police juries has a dark side, as regulating slavery was one of the initial purposes of their establishment.
Police juries predate Louisiana statehood in 1812. The present state of Louisiana was called the Orleans Territory at the time of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Soon afterwards, the Orleans Territory was divided into twelve counties that roughly coincided with the existing parishes that had been delineated by the Catholic Church during the French colonial period and the Spanish colonial period. These counties were further divided into nineteen parishes by the territorial legislature in 1807. As the population of the state increased, the nineteen parishes continued to be divided, which resulted in the sixty-four parishes of today.
The original law that established police juries was passed at the Second Session of the Third Legislature of the Territory of Orleans 1811. The act reads in part, "Be it enacted, by the Legislative Council and House of Representative of the Territory of Orleans, in General Assembly convened, That the Parish Juries summoned in the manner and form hereafter prescribed be and that the same are hereby authorized to establish, each in their respective parishes, if they deem it necessary for the police of said parish, a gendarmerie whose duty it shall be specially to go after runaway negroes and to maintain good order among the slaves. . . . And be it further enacted, That the parish juries who shall think proper to establish bodies of gendarmerie in their respective parishes, shall have power to lay on the slaves of their said parishes a tax for the keeping of said gendarmerie. And be it further enacted, That the parish meeting, or police jury . . . shall be composed for the future of a jury of twelve inhabitants presided by the parish judge, or in his absence by one of the members of the jury, elected by ballots." Various amendments were added after statehood, including dividing parishes into wards from which police jurors would be elected. Others removed the requirement of twelve jurors per parish and permitted each parish to determine the number of jurors needed based on population. The presiding parish judge was also replaced by a police jury president elected from within the body of jurors. Parish elections for jurors are usually held in odd-numbered years using the open primary system.
In parishes where voters have replaced police juries with other forms of government in recent years, proponents of the switch have cited the efficiency of an administrative branch working separately from a legislative body, as opposed to the somewhat antiquated system of police jurors serving both the legislative and executive functions. Police juries still hold sway in the state's rural regions, while parishes containing large municipalities or expanding suburban regions have tended to convert to other forms of government.
In general, police juries are restricted in their actions to those powers authorized by law or the state constitution. The constitution, though, grants broad authority to police juries if the actions are otherwise legal and approved by the parish voters. The Police Jury Association of Louisiana was established in 1924 to improve parish government through advocacy and education. The organization states that police juries "exercise over fifty different functions and powers, including road and bridge construction and maintenance, drainage, sewerage, solid waste disposal, fire protection, recreations and parks, parish prison construction and maintenance, road lighting and marking, many water works, health units and hospitals, etc. They also house and maintain the Courts and the offices of the Assessor, Coroner, Clerk of Court, Registrar of Voters, District Attorney and the Sheriff. They promote economic development and tourism in their parishes, regulate various business activities, and administer numerous state and federal programs on the parish level." Police juries also have authority to enforce ordinances with fines through civil court processes.
Parishes using the police jury system: Acadia, Allen, Assumption, Avoyelles, Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Calcasieu, Caldwell, Cameron, Catahoula, Claiborne, Concordia, DeSoto, East Carroll, East Feliciana, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson Davis, La Salle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Helena, Tensas, Union, Vermilion, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, West Feliciana, Winn
Parishes using the council-president system: Ascension, Iberia, Iberville, Jefferson, Lafourche, Livingston, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Charles, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, Washington, West Baton Rouge
Parishes using the consolidated parish/city system: Orleans Parish and New Orleans, East Baton Rouge Parish and Baton Rouge; Lafayette Parish and Lafayette; Terrebonne Parish and Houma
Parishes using council-manager system: Caddo
<FURTHER READING>
Hancock, Harry J., ed. Your Louisiana Government: An Owner's Manual. Baton Rouge: Public
Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, 1998.
Louisiana Police Jury Association. Police Jury Manual – A Compilation of the Laws Concerning the Authority and Responsibility of Parish Governing Authorities. Baton Rouge: Louisiana Police Jury Association, 1996.
The Encyclopedia of Louisiana. St. Clair Shores: Somerset Publishers, 1999.
Wall, Bennett H., John C. Rodrique, and L.T. Cummins, eds. Louisiana: A History. Hoboken:
Wiley-Blackwell, 2014.
This article is courtesy of 64 Parishes' online encyclopedia of Louisiana history and culture.
Winn Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Christmas Tree Lot Open Daily 4 PM – 7PM
The Winn Chamber of Commerce and Tourism is excited to announce The Winn Chamber Tree Lot!
The Christmas tree lot is located in the empty lot across the street from the post office!!
The Lot will be open Monday – Thursday 4 PM – 7 PM and Friday – Saturday 1 PM – 7 PM.
5 Ft. Tree $40
12 Inch Wreath $20
Small Tree Stand $15
Medium Tree Stand $20
Large Tree Stand $30
Open Positions at the Winn Parish Police Jury
The following positions are currently open at the Winn Parish Police Jury. Applications may be picked up at the Winn Parish Police Jury office.
Job Title: Dump Truck Driver:
Department: Highway Department
Description: Under direct supervision of Road Superintendent, operates trucks and other light equipment used in construction and maintenance; performs a variety of manual tasks in connection with such operations; and performs other duties as required. This is an entry-level job.
Examples of Work: Equipment Operation-Drive or operate such equipment as 5 yard dump, stake, and flatbed trucks, small farm type tractors with blade or bush hog. Provides routine maintenance on equipment, assists in mechanical repairs, performs physical labor as required; maintains simple records of equipment operations; may operate less complex equipment as needed; and services assigned equipment daily.
Minimum Qualifications: Training and Experience -Three (3) months of experience operating one or more kinds of equipment specified for the class, OR six ( 6) months to one (1) year of experience in general labor or maintenance work.
Licenses and Certificates: Must Possess CDL license.
Job Title: Utility Workers
Description: Works under supervision of Road Superintendent. Must have the knowledge of operating a variety of complex and specialized equipment. Must be able to perform work as required and perform any duty as required.
Examples of Work: Drive or operate equipment such as pot hole patching truck, small farm type tractors with blade or bush hog. Provides routine maintenance on equipment, assist in mechanical repairs, performs physical labor as required; maintain simple records of equipment operations and services assigned equipment daily.
Job Title: Custodian
Department: Courthouse and Health Unit Maintenance
Description: Performs all janitorial services including sweeping and waxing floors, vacuuming all carpet, dusting furniture, emptying trash receptacles, moving furniture, baseboards, etc. Tends to lighting in building, and performs over-all cleaning and maintenance of building and grounds. Operates and maintains cleaning supplies and equipment. Experience in plumbing and electrical work is a plus. Must be willing, and have no problem, working with parish trustees. Must be available to be on twenty-four (24) hour call. Works directly under the supervision of the Secretary/Treasurer.
Free COVID Testing Every Monday in Winnfield
COVID-19 testing is provided every Monday, by the National Guard at the Winn Parish Health Unit located at 301 W Main St #101, Winnfield, LA 71483. The testing hours are 8am-12pm. This is a free service for our community.
Register online at health.questdiagnostics.com/stlou
Notice of Death November 29, 2020
July 01, 1956 – November 25, 2020
Service: Monday, November 30 at 2 pm at St Patrick Catholic Church, located at 624 Rowena St in Montgomery
Michael Alan Rivers
Service: Monday, November 30 at 10 am at St. Joseph Catholic Church
RED RIVER:
Gladys "Happy" Friday
March 05, 1956 – November 28, 2020
Service: Tuesday, December 1 at 1 pm at Rockett-Nettles Funeral Home Chapel
Live trees and wreaths will be for sale in the empty lot near the post office!!
The Tree Lot will be open Monday – Thursday 4 PM – 7 PM and Friday – Saturday 1 PM – 7 PM.
Thanksgiving Everyday
The day of March 13, 2020 started out as any other regular ole day. Mostly. But, by the time the sun had set, the whole world started to change a little. Just after dark, as I sat on my porch with my daughters, we were trying to figure out exactly how a two-week shutdown would directly affect us. We watched local and national news from our phones and it appeared that worldwide panic was setting in with the worldwide pandemic.
We thought, we pondered, we joked and then we mildly worried about the COVID19 pandemic. Even though we joked and made light of the situation, we always went back to low-key worrying. Being a woman of faith, I knew better than to let our worry get the best of us. I knew the Lord's mighty hand could be felt in any grave situation. We sat on our porch and each one of us took turns praying for our nation, praying for our leaders and then each one of us took turns praying individually.
When it came time for my oldest daughter to pray individually, she chose to pray for my friend, Lyn, who would soon be giving birth to her very first child. I was almost embarrassed that I had not considered my friend and what she must be feeling. Giving birth is a miraculous moment mixed with blessings and anxiety on a normal day. But, giving birth during a pandemic had to be accompanied by feelings of fear of the unknown.
As soon as we finished our prayers, I called my friend to let her know that Meredith chose to pray for her during our porch prayers. It made me feel slightly guilty that I had forgotten to include them. As a mom trying to raise thoughtful kids, it truly made my day that she wasn't just thinking about herself or her own circumstances. She chose my dear friend to ask God to be with her during this uncertain time. After speaking with my friend, I could tell by the tone in her voice that she was calm and reassured.
She was so full of peace and she knew everything would be okay. She is also a praying woman.
Over the next couple of weeks my friend became well-versed in the changes that would accompany a COVID-19 childbirth. She could only have one person in the room with her. That one person could not be interchanged at any time. As soon as the baby was born, there would be no extra lingering around the hospital if there were no complications. There could be no visitors at all. This meant we could not invade her room as soon as he was born and shower them with affection.
As we would soon learn, we could not shower him with kisses at all. We could only admire him from afar. With no fanfare, or pomp and circumstance. Mr. Jalen made his quiet entrance into this world during a pandemic. He was healthy; he was just as beautiful as we imagined he would be; and we could only view him on Facetime. That was perfect for me; we wanted him to stay healthy.
Months had rolled by; I was only able to briefly hold him a couple of times and the anticipation of one-on-one time with him was building. On Halloween day I called my friend to let her know that I had a spooky present for him, it was just my luck they were in town and would be stopping by.
When they pulled in my driveway, I removed him from his car seat and I welcomed him to my home. All of my friends' children refer to me as, "Auntie Reebs" so I need to start training Jalen of this very important nickname. As I was holding him and telling him where he was, I just became so overwhelmed with gratefulness. I was grateful to be holding him at my home. I was grateful he was healthy and I was grateful that I even had a home to welcome him into. I was grateful that I could afford to buy him a small gift for Halloween. I was grateful that my friend is now a mother. Words almost cannot explain the feeling of gratitude that had engulfed me. And, it was Halloween. It wasn't even the worldly acceptable time to give thanks.
As we just celebrated Thanksgiving yesterday, I encourage you to find something to be grateful for every single day until the next Thanksgiving. Look for the small reasons to give thanks.
Even if you do not feel like you like you have anything to be grateful for, thank God as though you do. Your thankfulness will catch up with your circumstances one day, and when it does, your heart will be overflowing with gratefulness.
"Enter his gates with Thanksgiving and enter his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations." – Psalm 100:4-5
FEMA Deadline for Laura Assistance is Today
Renters and homeowners in parishes designated for FEMA assistance after Hurricane Laura have until Friday, Nov. 27 to register for help.
Here are the parishes approved for Individual Assistance, that is, assistance to individuals and households: Acadia (Parish)Allen (Parish)Beauregard (Parish)Caddo (Parish)Calcasieu (Parish)Cameron (Parish)Grant (Parish)Jackson (Parish)Jefferson Davis (Parish)La Salle (Parish)Lincoln (Parish)Morehouse (Parish)Natchitoches (Parish)Ouachita (Parish)Rapides (Parish)Sabine (Parish)St. Landry (Parish)Union (Parish)Vermilion (Parish)Vernon (Parish)Winn (Parish)
Survivors can register for FEMA assistance by visiting disasterassistance.gov, or by calling the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585). Survivors can also register by visiting one of FEMA's Mobile Registration Intake Centers (MRIC), or download the FEMA Mobile App, by texting 43362 for either ANDROID or APPLE.
Here's a page of helpful details from FEMA.
Here are some details on how FEMA decides if your home is "habitable"
How FEMA Determines if a Home is Habitable
FEMA considers specific factors when determining if a survivor can return to a safe, sanitary and functional home after a storm such as Hurricane Laura.
Hurricane Laura survivors who received determination letters from FEMA may have questions about how FEMA determines whether their home can be lived in. Some may question the "habitability" or "inhabitability" determination of their home as a result of the disaster damage.
Defining Habitability
FEMA defines a habitable home as one that is safe, sanitary, functional and presents no disaster-caused hazards to the occupants. Under this definition, a house may have hurricane damage but still be occupied while repairs are underway.
FEMA verifies if a home is habitable in several ways, including on-site inspections and use of technology, such as satellite imagery, combined with applicant self-assessments.
A FEMA inspection determines if home repairs are needed to ensure the safety or health of the occupants or to make the home functional.
FEMA's Individuals and Households Program guidance determines eligibility for the following types of assistance based on a home's habitability:
Lodging Expense Reimbursement;
Rental Assistance;
Home Repair Assistance and Replacement Assistance;
Direct Housing Assistance; and,
Other Needs Assistance like moving and storage costs
FEMA may help when the primary residence has been destroyed, is inhabitable or is inaccessible.
Eligibility for federal assistance
FEMA considers these factors when determining if an applicant is eligible for federal assistance:
The exterior is structurally sound, including windows, doors and roof;
The electricity, gas, heat, plumbing, etc., are functioning;
The interior is structurally sound, including floors, walls and ceiling;
There is safe access to and from the home;
The septic and sewer systems are functioning properly; and,
The water supply or well (if applicable) is functioning.
For more information or to register for assistance:
Call the FEMA Helpline at 800-621-3362 (TTY 800-462-7585).
Visit disasterassistance.gov/ [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net]
To find a drive-thru Disaster Recovery Center (DRC), text 43362 and type DRC and a ZIP code (for example DRC 12345).
To receive a link to download the FEMA app:
Apple devices: text APPLE to 43362
Android devices: text ANDROID to 43362
Visit fema.gov/about/news-multimedia/app [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net]
For the latest information on Hurricane Laura, visit fema.gov/disaster/4559 [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net]. Follow the FEMA Region 6 Twitter account at twitter.com/FEMARegion6 [u7061146.ct.sendgrid.net].
NPSO: DEPUTIES ARREST WINN PARISH MAN ON DRUG CHARGES FOLLOWING ALLEGED THEFT CALL IN CAMPTI
An alleged theft call to the Natchitoches Parish Sheriff's Office on Tuesday afternoon led to the arrest of a Winn Parish man on drug charges according to Natchitoches Parish Sheriff Stuart Wright.
On Tuesday November 24 at approximately 3:20pm, Deputies assigned to the NPSO Patrol Division responded to a theft call in the 100 block of Carter Street in Campti, La.
Deputies arrived on scene.
While deputies were speaking with the complainant, he alleged that a person identified as Fate Bush went to his residence stole a small amount of cash then fled in a green truck.
Responding deputies informed other deputies in the area to BOLO (Be on the Look Out) for the vehicle.
Shortly thereafter, deputies stopped a green 1999 Ford Ranger operated by Bush near the intersections of Lake and Walters Street in Campti.
Deputies say while speaking with Bush they observed a large knife in his front pocket.
During a pat-down for officer safety due to the knife, Bush became fidgety and attempted to get back in the vehicle.
Bush informed deputies all he had in the vehicle was two guns and a marijuana blunt."
Bush then handed deputies a small bag of suspected synthetic marijuana from his pocket.
Bush was placed under arrest.
A search of the vehicle led to the seizure of a small amount of suspected methamphetamine , suspected marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
Two rifles, a Marlin .22 caliber and Savage .22 caliber were discovered in the vehicle.
Fate Bush, 30, of St. Maurice, La. was transported and booked into the Natchitoches Parish Detention Center charged with Possession of CDS Schedule II Methamphetamine, Possession of CDS I Marijuana, Illegal Possession of a Firearm during a Narcotics Offense, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
Deputies say while interviewing Bush he stated he didn't take any money from the complainant's residence.
Bush remains in the Natchitoches Detention Center awaiting bond.
Deputy D. Rice and Lt. B. Smith made the arrest.