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Why help in Tijuana?
In October 2018, we closely followed the journey of the migrant caravan from Honduras to the US. US mid-term elections were approaching and the people making that journey were being unjustly demonised. Our friend and photojournalist Sean Hawkey had also been travelling with the caravan for a month. We spoke to him in one of our podcasts and we determined to help. We wanted to achieve two things:
First to offer a little aid with dignity at this difficult point in their journey
And second, to advocate for their right to seek a better life
While we were there, it was the 70th anniversary of Human Rights Day. The first sentence of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is one we fervently believe in:
"Recognition of the inherent dignity and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation of freedom, justice and peace in the world"
In Central America, the combination of climate change, extreme poverty, shocking violence and a criminal political elite drove them to flee. They have no freedom, justice or peace. They are refugees seeking a future. And they are #NotAnInvasion.
This is what drove us to help. We all need to do more for people who have run out of options and are looking for a better life. We should all have that right. And we should all be allowed to live in dignity.
What did we achieve?
In the 13 days we were there, we:
Cooked and served over 4,000 piping hot, tasty and highly nutritious meals
Distributed about 10,000 pieces of fruit and 2,000 litres of drinking water
Paid a local pharmacy to keep its toilet open and free to all 12 hours a day
Supported the cleaning of the camp area with hundreds of trash/ rubbish bags
Worked with over 30 volunteers from Mexico, US, UK, Haiti, Salvador and Honduras who also contributed essential hygiene items as well as their free labour
Listened to many people tell us their life in home countries, why they left and their dreams
Worked with other agencies to highlight people needing medical care and unaccompanied minors needing protection
Donated mass catering equipment to the local Church community to enable them to continue offering sustenance to local migrants
Invested in the local Tijuana economy
Most important of all, we put dignity at the heart of everything we did and practically demonstrated to people who have had to leave their country that they are not alone and that people care.
We started with a needs assessment
When the caravan of about 4,000-5,000 arrived at Tijuana at the end of November they set up camp in the Benito Juarez sports stadium in the Zona Norte right next to the US border.
By the time we arrived on 2 December, everyone had been removed from the overcrowded and insanitary stadium. They had settled in two camps – one official camp on the outskirts of the city (El Barretal) and one unofficial squatter camp right outside the sports stadium (Zona Norte). Both had huge problems.
El Barretal camp
When we visited there were about 2500 people living on top of one another. The Mexican state, army, Unicef, Save the Children and other agencies were setting up. It was about 15 miles from the border in the outskirts of the city. There were two large halls full of people in addition to a patio with tents. It was crowded. Helping there would have probably duplicated efforts and we'd have inevitably got tangled up with coordination activities.
Since our visit, numbers have increased and the camp authorities have now severely restricted opportunities for organisations like ours to help.
Zona Norte camp
About 700 people, who decided not to go to El Barretal camp, set up a camp immediately outside camping in tents on the street outside. Although there were large numbers of young men, there were many families and young children. As part of a deliberate (unsuccessful) state policy to force people to go to the official camp, this camp was denied toilets, running water, food and medical provision.
Although conditions were harsh, they still preferred to stay in the squatter camp because:
They could not afford the time or money travel into the city (some were working locally, some were applying for refugee status in Mexico and needed to sign papers/ have interviews)
There were many complaints about the degree of control and the unreasonable regulations in the official camp
They hoped that being by the wall they would remain in the public eye and US would change its policy towards them
There may be an opportunity for an unofficial attempt to cross the border
Given the support already available at the official El Barretal camp, we decided to focus on food for the unofficial squat at Zona Norte where there was a lack of any services.
What did we offer?
We started the first day with a distribution of fresh fruit to 500 people. This was to allow us to bond as a team and work on a system before doing the more difficult task of serving 500 hot meals. We had to negotiate with the police for some time to get permission. It was cold and very wet.
We then continued to offer hot meals every day for the next eight days. Meals were varied but all contained a lot of fresh vegetables, rice or pasta, and either chicken, beef or beans. We also offered a piece of fruit and drinking water.
On our last day, we distributed a bumper fruit pack of 4,000 grade A apples, bananas and mandarins together with 400 litre bottles of water.
Shops were charging 5 pesos (about 25 cents/ 20 pence) to use their toilet so we paid one to keep it cleaned and open from 10am to 10pm every day we were there.
We made a policy of buying everything from small local businesses.
Finding the Helpers and working together as a team
From the moment we arrived, local resident Moises Godinez dedicated himself to supporting us and introduced us to his Church where his father Enrique was Pastor. They had a large communal kitchen that became the hub of our activity.
The church was already offering accommodation to Salvadorean and Haitian refugees. They also threw themselves into helping together with other members of the church community and their local contacts. They sourced great ingredients, came up with the recipes, prepared the food, laid on transport and helped to serve.
We were also joined by Honduran and US humanitarian workers who brought their own essentials to distribute. Together with Siobhan O'Loughlin, Brandon Neill, Mary Allen, Shannon Ongaro, Paul Hutchings and John Sloan from the Refugee Support Europe volunteer family, this was a true international effort.
We spent a lot of time listening to their stories
We spoke to many people and their overwhelming desire was to provide for their families. What they had in common was the impossible burden of trying to live where murder is normal, justice is rare, work is scarce and wages do not cover basic living. Central American states are failing to protect their people.
We spoke to a 28 man who was a farmer in Copan and left because he could not provide for his widowed mother, his wife and their 3 year old son. He talked tearfully for a long time about the violence, criminality and injustice there. But added to that, even working all day on plantations for $3 a day, growing his own maize, beans and coffee, cutting his own firewood, the family was still hungry. He said he faced certain death in Honduras. He is applying for a residence permit in Mexico so he can work and send money back to his mother, wife and son.
Another, a qualified electrician left because no-one had money to pay for his services. He left his wife and 4 of his children behind in Honduras but brought his oldest child with him – his 17 year old daughter – because she stood the best chance of being able to cross the border with him. When they do that, he will send money back to support his family in Honduras.
The journey was tough. We spoke to one Honduran who is a semi-qualified doctor and joined partly to support the caravan with medical care but also because he deserted from the Honduran navy after orders to shoot on his own people. He said that he had to attend to 3 people who died en route falling off vehicles or being knocked down.
One man in his late 30s described how he was part of a group trying to walk into the US but was rounded up by a gang before crossing the Mexican border. They were all held hostage but when no payment came they were tortured and massacred. He was shot but escaped. This gang then murdered his 20 year old son in Tegucigalpa as punishment and warned that if he returned they would kill him as well. He cannot return and he is fearful in Mexico.
There were unaccompanied children. We spoke to a 13 year old Salvadorian girl who was there with her 19 year old male cousin and waiting for her 15 year old sister to arrive. When she did arrive, the cousin left and the two girls were left to fend for themselves in the squatter camp. They either had no parents or had run away from them. We tried hard to get them into UN protection but days later, they were still on the streets.
We found another 15 year old boy who was there with his 21 year old friend and they had no idea what their legal options were. They just wanted to get to the US to earn some money.
We have published a handful of other stories here, here and here.
This is just a sample. We spoke to many people who had been watching their children starve, been threatened with extreme violence and seen their friends and family shot dead. One child matter of factly related how his grandmother had been shot in the head right in front of him.
They need a chance to rebuild their lives in peace and dignity with justice and opportunities.
As with all humanitarian crises, the needs are changing. The longer we were there, the more people we saw arriving to provide food both from Mexico and from across the border in California.
At the time of our leaving (15 Dec 2018), people needed better sanitation, drinking water, showers, communications home, help into work locally, legal and medical support.
But Tijuana has many refugees and asylum seekers and that is always likely to be the case. We will be taking some time to review our experience and see what we can do to help in 2019.
We have to thank all those donors who helped us to help. Thank you – together we made a difference.


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Supporters don't want 1A hockey to be a class dismissed
By Jim Paulsen, Star Tribune, 03/04/14, 10:24PM CST
The Class 1A state tournament serves a noble and needed purpose, its supporters point out.
Scott Wasbotten (23) celebrated his goal in the second period during the 2013 Class 1A boys' hockey tournament in St. Paul. (Carlos Gonzalez, Star Tribune FILE)
Luverne coach Derrick Brown saw this coming as hockey was beginning to take a skate-hold on Minnesota's southwestern corner. It showed in the youth ranks.
A little patience and whole lot of hope later, what once seemed like stargazing became reality when the Cardinals, in only their 12th year in existence, joined an exclusive club by qualifying for the boys' hockey state tournament.
"We'd been breaking through for a while," Brown said. "But it's a special feeling to actually get to the state tournament."
It's a tale certainly worth telling, but it comes with a caveat: Luverne, sporting a 27-0-1 record, will make its debut in the Class 1A bracket of smaller schools. Those teams gained entry after the Minnesota State High School League added a second class in 1992 and, to many hockey fans, messed with perfection by diluting a national high school sports showcase.
To those pining for the old days, Brown said, "This is about growing hockey in this part of the state. Hockey is all about numbers. It's not realistic for us to try to compete with Edina. But in Class 1A, we don't have to."
The Class 1A tournament, which begins Wednesday at Xcel Energy Center, has all the trappings of the Class 2A show, but it lacks the fan interest. It never sells out and draws about one-third of the fans. While it can spawn hopes of a Hoosiers-type of run, in which the little guys rise up and smite the behemoths, it rarely happens.
When the tournament has drawn media attention of late, it's been aimed at why perennial power St. Thomas Academy was playing in the tournament at all. The Cadets moved up to Class 2A this season.
Bloomington Kennedy coach Dave Dillon used to think that Class 2A was the only way to go. But the reality of the Eagles' situation changed his mind. Dwindling participation numbers had eaten away at the program. There always was a core of dedicated kids, just not enough to stay competitive with their large suburban brethren.
"This year, we had 26, 27 players try out," Dillon said. "That's less than some schools cut. I wanted to stay in Class 2A as long as we could, to see if we could turn the program around and compete, but we were on life support."
The Eagles dropped to Class 1A this season and made it to the Section 2 semifinals before losing to Orono in overtime. The hope that came with their best playoff showing in years has resulted in a huge payoff, Dillon said.
"This was the shot in the arm we needed," he said. "People are excited again. If this hadn't happened, we'd have been a cooperative in a few years, I'm sure."
Paul Gibson, coach of tournament-entrant Chisago Lakes, agreed. His Wildcats are making their first appearance since 1995. Gibson said he has yet to encounter a supporter who isn't giddy about it.
"For those who think it means less, you haven't been in our community for the last week and seen the energy this has created and the renewed optimism this has brought to our youth program," he said.
"The two-class system provides more teams to experience the excitement of a state tournament atmosphere."
Luverne belongs
Often, first-timers to tournament have been given a boost by a pocketful of luck in the section playoffs, perhaps an early round upset or a goalie doing handstands while stopping pucks.
That's not the case for Luverne, a school of 308 students. There were no lucky breaks. This one was earned.
Seven players have 35 or more points. Sophomore wing Chaz Smedsrud has 87 points, senior Logan Norman has 71 and eighth-grade wunderkind Jaxon Nelson has 70. Speedy junior defenseman Toby Sengvongxay a skill set that has him on a path to play in the Elite League next fall. Goalie Kendall Meyer has been a rock.
"These guys went out over the summer and made themselves better hockey players," Brown said.
Luverne's only blemish, a 1-1 tie with St. Michael-Albertville in the Schwan Cup in December, could be considered a victory. The Cardinals won the ensuing shootout and ended up winning the entire bracket.
"That was a big confidence-builder for us," Brown said. "On the bus coming home, there was a special feeling. We thought 'Let's get that section [championship] medal.' You could feel things building up to it."
One step at a time
When team members arrived home in Luverne after winning the section championship, the town gave them a rousing welcome. Police escorted them through town. Hands were sore the next day from all of the high-fives given and received.
"Nobody can believe we're going," Sengvongxay said. "It's so exciting."
The dream season is expected to hit a major obstacle Wednesday, when Luverne takes on Hermantown in the quarterfinals. Few expect it to beat the Hawks, runners-up for the past four years, but that's not the Cardinals' focus.
"I don't think we need to win to make a statement," Sengvongxay said. "We want to play well and stay competitive. If we do that, good things will happen."
Jim Paulsen • 612-673-7737
Coon Rapids goalie win the big one as he pulls off a JV/varsity doubleheader
Sophomore Will Wagner had already completed the junior varsity game when illness and injury drew him into the featured event.
Minnetonka gets back on track with conference win over Wayzata
The Skippers snapped a four game winless streak by jumping to an early lead.
Marvin family's teachings go beyond hockey, and the message is heard far from Warroad
By DAVID LA VAQUE, Star Tribune 01/07/2022, 9:30am CST
The Max Foundation, established after Max Marvin died by suicide, is spreading the word on helping young people with mental health.
Tag(s): Home Elite League St. Thomas Academy Edina Hermantown St. Michael-Albertville Chisago Lakes Bloomington Kennedy Luverne Orono St. Thomas Academy Edina Hermantown STMA Chisago Lakes Bloomington Kennedy Luverne Orono

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Vietnam actively contributes to ASEAN's development: Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh
Vietnam has always been an active and responsible member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) over the past 25 years since it joined the regional bloc, as well as made significant contributions to its development, especially in crucial moments, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh stressed on August 19.
Vietnam exerts extra effort for cohesive, responsive ASEAN
Vietnam lauds Canada's support to ASEAN in COVID-19 fight
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks at the symposium on August 19. (Photo: Tuan Anh)
Speaking at the opening ceremony of a virtual international symposium in Hanoi, he further said Vietnam has contributed to the creation of ASEAN milestones such as realizing the goals of establishing a bloc with all the 10 Southeast Asian countries as members and the ASEAN Community, building ASEAN Charter, and promoting the central role and international position of ASEAN.
Over the past 25 years, Vietnam has witnessed important changes of the association from a humble beginning to the most successful regional cooperation organization for peace, stability and prosperity in the region, as well as an important partner of global powers, he added.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Vu Khoan said Vietnam's entry in ASEAN has eventually brought win-win benefits. For ASEAN, it was the first step to bring together all the 10 Southeast Asian nations, paving the way to eliminate suspicions and confrontation and turn to peace and cooperation. For Vietnam, this was the first step to integrate into the world, he added.
Message by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh to the Second Berlin Climate and Security Conference
The following is the message by H.E. Pham Binh Minh, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Vietnam to the Second Berlin Climate and Security Conference ...
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh holds phone talks with Italian FM
Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh and Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Luigi Di Maio discussed ways to beef up ...
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh to attend 14th ASEM Foreign Ministers' Meeting
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh will attend the 14th Foreign Ministers' Meeting of the Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) slated for December 15-16 ...
tags: ASEAN Deputy Prime Minister Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh Association of Southeast Asian Nations


Fighting with humans or vampires, you will need definitely weapons. So here we are talking about Vampyr guide on how to get guns in the game. Vampyr, developed by Dontnod Entertainment, is built on Unreal Engine. It released on 5th June 2018 and is available for PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
The game has a dark and deals with supernatural powers and creatures. The player controls Dr. Jonathan Reid. He has recently turned a vampyr and is struggling in deciding his choices. His oath as a doctor and his newly gained thirst for blood is making him struggle. He has to help the citizens by finding a cure for the flu. But he also needs to feed on the people his has vowed to heal. As a Vampyr, doctor can use his supernatural abilities and fight. Or he can be the savior and feed to survive. The game shows London in 1918. Dr. Reid's actions can either save and doom the city.
In the game, you will be using weapons and your vampirical skills and tendencies. Striking a perfect balance between the two is the key to excelling in the game. There are melee weapons like clubs, stakes and swords and ranged weapons like guns. They are fired by using the triangle (PS4) or the Y (Xbox One) button. You will find the Revolver early in the game but there are other guns in the game as well. This guide will show how to get guns in the game.
The shotgun is a really good weapon to get as it allows you to hit multiple enemies with a single shot. You also have a sawn-off variant and a pump-action one. At the main entrance of Pembroke Hospital, speak to the ambulance driver for getting ammunition and parts to upgrade your weapons. Make sure to upgrade your guns at workbenches in Reid's hideouts. The revolver can stun enemies and the shotgun is used to hit hard shots. there is also a merchant in White Chapel who sells rare upgrade parts for weapons. These are expensive though so make sure to have enough money first. That's all about Vampyr guide on how to get guns in the game.
A graduand from VIT University, Vellore in Mechanical Engineering, currently working in Elecon Engineering Company. Gaming and writing have been his passion since childhood and hence, he believes TheTech52 is a great platform to showcase his passion and ability.


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By Melany Gardner
How does Scouting help young men build confidence?
Why does Scouting matter? How does Scouting help a young man to build confidence? We asked these questions and more to our Scouting leaders and members of the community. Watch the video below to hear them tell us their experiences on how Scouting instills confidence in themselves as leaders, achievers and sons of God.
Robert Louder, a member of a stake presidency in the Utah National Parks Council, begins with a vision of how he has seen confidence grow in the boys around him as they participate in Scouting:
"You see a young deacon, a twelve-year-old Scout, bewildered by the whole situation, and you watch them grow as they are given opportunities to lead," he said. "They stand in front of a group and they're befuddled at what they're going to say, but with the help of a good Scout leader coaching them, and training them, and teaching them, by the end of the year, they get a little better."
Eventually these young men are fourteen, fifteen, and so on, becoming more and more confident in themselves. President Louder said he's seen older boys take charge in meetings, directing others, all with great confidence—many of them with much greater poise and confidence than he himself had as a youth—because of those great Scouting opportunities to lead, guide, teach and demonstrate.
Utah Governor Gary Herbert said merit badges are a great way to learn skills that help Scouts become self-reliant which in turn help young men feel confident that they can address the challenges of life because they are prepared.
"Another good Scout value, 'Be Prepared,'" he said. "That preparation that we learn in Scouting helps us to prepare for life, whether that's getting a better job, getting education; whether it's becoming better husbands and fathers…brothers, friends, neighbors. All those things that we're taught in Scouting help us become better leaders of tomorrow."
For former NFL football player, Chad Lewis, earning his Eagle Scout Award was a confidence-building experience. Lewis's friends had differing opinions on how "cool" it was that he was becoming an Eagle, but here's what he thought it meant:
"I thought it took a lot of work. I thought it took a lot of follow-through," he said. "I thought to get your Eagle Scout, you've got to be a finisher. It's easy to be a starter, but it's hard to be a finisher. The confidence that it gave me, at a time when I needed confidence, was really crucial. And it taught me that if I can do this…, I can finish this, I can get this and earn this badge, then guess what? I can do other things that are hard."
Sometimes you might not think that you can do hard things, Lewis said, but Scouting teaches determination to keep moving forward one merit badge at a time, one campout at a time.
"It's not easy to go and be a success at something overnight, it takes a lot of work—chipping away, being consistent, working hard, being dedicated. Well, guess where I learned that? I learned that when I was a twelve, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen-year-old in the Scouting program, and I'm very grateful for that."
Brad Harris, author of Trials to Testimony, believes that Scouting builds confidence in a young man in many ways. First, Scouting is not just a season, or a league, or a couple of years in a young man's life; it's ten years of strategically planned program to help catapult them into adulthood.
The Utah National Parks Council hosts a youth leadership camp, National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT/Timberline). Harris said he has seen new young men coming into the Missionary Training Center who have attended this training.
"I've seen young men at the MTC who have been to Timberline," he said. "They kind of rise above the others because they've been trained how to be leaders, especially if they go back as staff. So, they have confidence leading."
In his assignment at the MTC, Harris asked the MTC president what he would like to see in missionaries. He told him three things: leadership experience, significant away-from-home experiences, and work ethic.
"Scouting, if properly applied, helps provide confidence for a young man being away from home because we see separation anxiety quite often, especially among the eighteen-year-olds. So, young men who have been to several Scout camps—been away from home many times—that helps them overcome the difficulty of being away from home the first time."
The same goes for helping the young men have leadership experience and practice hard work. The Scouts then know they have done hard things before, and can do hard things on their missions.
Ryan Wood, a Scoutmaster in our council, sees confidence building in a young man at every level of Scouting, from Cub Scouts to Venturing. He told a story of a young man on a high adventure 40-mile hiking trip. This young man knew that the trip was going to hard and his leader saw him prepare for three months by going to the gym to get in shape for the hike.
"Nobody asked him to, but he knew he needed to do it for himself," Wood said. "As he did it, and as we did the hike, you could see him beaming with confidence because he was able to accomplish something that many boys struggled with. That same confidence prepared him for leadership positions that he shortly after received, and was able to lead young men with that confidence that he gained through that experience."
This is the fourth installment in a series of six videos produced with special thanks to Eagle Scout, Harrison Webber and Web-5 Productions for the Utah National Parks Council, BSA. Each video will focus on one of the Six Pillars of Being Prepared: Testimony, Service, Mission Preparation, Confidence, Life Skills and Integrity.
Author: Melany Gardner | "The Boy Scout" Editor and Marketing Specialist, Utah National Parks Council
Tags: Confidence, pillar 4, Six Pillars of Being Prepared, why scouting matters
← Scouts Throw, Shoot, Climb and Race to Victory at the 22nd Annual Sanpete Challenge Scouts Set Sail in Salem →
3 thoughts on "How does Scouting help young men build confidence?"
George Weight September 30, 2016 at 5:37 am
Can we have someone responsible for UNPC blog posts do a little proofreading, so that typos are corrected before an article is published? That's a hard thing in itself, but would represent Scouting a lot better!
Melany Gardner Post author September 30, 2016 at 11:50 am
Thank you so much for taking the time to read through the article! Forgive me for the errors, they should be fixed now. Our copy editors wear several hats and do their best to get through all the articles in a timely fashion.
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CJ Cup
Zozo Championship
WGC- HSBC Champions
The RSM Classic
Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship
The Genesis Invitational
WGC - Mexico Championship
Lowry gives McIlroy words of encouragement
Rory McIlroy has congratulated Shane Lowry and told him his life would never be the same again after he was catapulted to national hero status in Ireland after winning the British Open on Sunday.
Four-times major champion McIlroy missed the cut by a shot at Royal Portrush, and was already back in Florida moving into a new house when Irishman Lowry completed a fairytale ending by lifting the Claret Jug in the first Open held in Northern Ireland since 1951.
"He texted me on Friday night and gave me a couple of words of encouragement," McIlroy said on Wednesday, on the eve of the World Golf Championships-St. Jude Invitational in Memphis.
"He said 'I'll see you in Memphis' and I said 'I hope I don't see you in Memphis because hopefully you're still drinking out of the Claret Jug', and that came to fruition, which is nice."
As predicted, Lowry pulled out of this week's event at TPC Southwind to savour his victory at home.
McIlroy instead is looking forward to buying Lowry dinner when they finally catch up in a fortnight at the Northern Trust tournament at Liberty National, just across the water from New York.
"I texted him straight after (he won). I said 'it's going to change your life'. It is a life-changer, and especially doing it there at Portrush. He's going to be a national hero for the rest of his life. I'm just so happy for him."
Northern Irishman McIlroy also expressed satisfaction with the way the Open was played without any major hitches and sees no reason why it will not return to Portrush within the next decade.
Smith wins Sony Open in Hawaii
Cameron Smith wins Sony Open in Hawaii to qualify for the Masters.
'Cheater' Reed burned on $2m putt
A heckler has burned golf 'cheater' Patrick Reed while he was hitting a playoff putt worth nearly $2 million.
Jan 6th, 2020 01:03
Scott takes out Australian PGA title
Adam Scott has broken a three-year title drought by claiming the 2019 Australian PGA Championship by two strokes
Dec 22nd, 2019 00:19
"I don't think they put a foot wrong," he said. "The scenes on Sunday, with Shane winning it was a fairytale ending.
"To see all the people running down the final fairway and the marshals having to create a wall for a barricade, it was unbelievable.
"I think it was a great showcase for our country and from what I'm hearing the Open will go back to Portrush in maybe the next eight or 10 years."
Ireland's Padraig Harrington said on Wednesday he felt pride in the way that seemingly all of the country celebrated Lowry's victory.
"We take things very personally in Ireland and Shane's win was a win for the whole country," said three-times major champion Harrington, who will compete at the PGA Tour's Barracuda Championship in Nevada.
"We saw the success of the Open in Royal Portrush and Shane winning as a success for everybody in our small little island.
"We like to punch above our weight in Ireland, winning big things like that and doing incredible stuff like that. We take it to heart (and) the whole country gets behind it."
More Golf news
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Cameron Smith's bright start to lucrative $10m WGC stop in Tennessee


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Every city which has its origin in the distant past has legends connected with its foundation. Kenigsberg appeared without any legends as a result of a crusade. The city was founded in 1255 "in honour of Christ, and for Hotels in Kaliningrad protection of newly-converted Christians".
Little has remained since that old time; during the centuries medieval towns were reconstructed many times. Kenigsberg experienced the large upsurge in the 17-20th centuries. Present-day Kaliningrad combines the features of a contemporary Russian and European city in a marvelous way. The German and the Russian histories intertwined here and gave a new form to the city. The huge Kenigsberg Cathedral, built in 1333, is considered to be a symbol of the city. Now the bells of the cathedral play the starting melody of the Fifth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven every hour. Near the cathedral the tomb of Immanuel Kant, who is regarded to be one of the three most important philosophers - together with Plato and Aristotle, is situated. The parish of St. Judith which is called St. Nicholas's now, the oldest church on the Zamlandsky Peninsula, is also worth to visit. Among the most popular sights there is the largest museum of amber located in the "Der-Don" Tower.
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Formula One: Fernando Alonso praises McLaren as Honda introduce engine upgrades
Two-time world champion Alonso and his team-mate Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, are both struggling to make any impression in this year's title race but the Spaniard insists there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.AFP | August 26, 2016, 15:41 IST
BELGIUM: Fernando Alonso has heaped praise on his McLaren Honda team, which is introducing upgraded engines at this weekend's Belgian Grand Prix, and described them as the best team of his career.
Two-time world champion Alonso and his team-mate Jenson Button, the 2009 champion, are both struggling to make any impression in this year's title race but the Spaniard insists there are plenty of reasons to be cheerful.
"We are in the right direction -- the team is strong, the technical people we have. We are united. There is a good balance in the team, in the staff and in the design group," he said ahead of Formula One's return after a break during the European summer.
"For me, it's probably the best team I've been with in my career.
"We are not competitive now because we have had a lot of problems to solve from last year. We weren't ready to compete at this level and we had to make sure the reliability was in place, the power, drive-ability and aerodynamics.
"Everything had to change a lot and we had to find a direction. In terms of the team, the structure and the organisation, this is the best group that I've been working with."
Both Alonso and Button will run with upgraded power units this weekend, with Honda having given their approval for the use of new parts -- and the spending of seven of the team's remaining 11 development tokens for this year.
The team will introduce tweaks to the combustion chamber, turbo and compressor and both drivers will have use of all the new components at a Spa circuit where engine power is a key factor.
The power unit changes for this weekend mean that Alonso has now taken his fifth and final permissible set of components for all six parts of his power unit.
Meanwhile, Alonso added that he believes the regulations overhaul for 2017 may give McLaren a chance to take a big step forward.
"If we stayed with the same regulations as this year, probably not, because even if we had the same power as Mercedes, Mercedes is clearly ahead of everyone in terms of aerodynamics and everything," he said.
"But the change opens up a hope for all of us, not just McLaren."
He said this season is best regarded as a transitional one, with 2017 "the priority".
"We are concentrated on being world champions, which requires a big improvement for next year. A lot of effort is being made this year for next year's car."
The identity of his team-mate for 2017 remains unconfirmed and, ahead of the Belgian race, McLaren racing director Eric Boullier said the decision will be made without allowing any emotions to interfere.
It boils down to a choice between Button and rising Belgian star Stoffel Vandoorne.
"We need to be rational about what we want to achieve at McLaren this year, next year and in the following years," he said.
McLaren set engine deadline amid Renault speculation
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Tags : Industry, McLaren, Formula One, Fernando Alonso, motorsports, International Energy Forum, international


Recaptured by the scientists and relocated to black sites around the world, Linkin and Ira are barely surviving. Stripped of their identities and tortured to the breaking point, they find out that there are bigger plans for them. They are forced to use their mutated abilities for a common purpose after losing their loved ones and each other, and there are consequences worse than death if they step out of line. This time, there's nothing they can do.


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PORTEC-3: Possible benefit with combined ...
ABIM finds 69% concordance between ...
Frontline Medical News Conference News ASCO Annual Meeting
PORTEC-3: Possible benefit with combined CT/RT in high-risk endometrial cancer
byFrontline Medical NewsJune 15, 2017
AT ASCO 2017
CHICAGO (FRONTLINE MEDICAL NEWS) – Adjuvant chemotherapy given during and after pelvic radiotherapy in women with high-risk endometrial cancer provided no significant 5-year failure-free or overall survival benefit, compared with pelvic radiotherapy alone, in the randomized PORTEC-3 intergroup trial. It did, however, show a trend toward improved 5-year failure-free survival (FFS).
Further, study participants with stage III endometrial cancer experienced a statistically significant 11% improvement in FFS – defined as relapse or endometrial cancer-related death – at 5 years, Stephanie M. de Boer, MD, reported at the annual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.
The 5-year FFS rate in 330 women who received both chemotherapy and radiotherapy was 76%, vs. 69% in 330 women who received only radiotherapy (hazard ratio, 0.77). The respective 5-year overall survival rates were 82%, vs. 77% (HR, 0.79), said Dr. de Boer of Leiden University Medical Center, the Netherlands.
The differences did not reach statistical significance, but there was a "trend for better failure-free survival" beginning after 1 year and "a small suggestion for an overall survival benefit" after 3 years in patients treated with chemotherapy and radiotherapy, she said.
Among the 45% of study participants with stage III endometrial cancer, 5-year FFS and overall survival were significantly lower than in those with stage I-II disease (64% vs. 79% and 74% vs. 83%, respectively), but those with stage III disease experienced the greatest benefit with adjuvant chemotherapy.
"Five-year failure-free survival was 69% for those [with stage III disease] treated with radiotherapy and chemotherapy, vs. 58% for those treated with radiotherapy alone," she said, noting that the hazard ratio was 0.66.
Five-year overall survival in the stage III patients was 79%, vs. 70% (HR, 0.69). Only the difference in FFS reached statistical significance, Dr. de Boer noted.
Study subjects were women with either Federation Internationale de Gynecologie et d'Obstetrique stage I grade 3 endometrial cancer with deep myometrial invasion and/or lymphovascular space invasion or with stage II or III disease or with serous/clear cell histology. They had a mean age of 62 years, good performance status, and no residual macroscopic tumor after surgery. They were randomly assigned to receive two cycles of cisplatin at 50 mg/m2 in week 1 and 4 of radiotherapy (48.6 Gy in 1.8 Gy fractions), followed by four cycles of carboplatin AUC5 and paclitaxel at 175 mg/m2 in 3-week intervals, or to receive radiotherapy alone.
Median follow-up was 60.2 months.
"The rationale of the PORTEC-3 trial was that 15% of endometrial cancer patients have high-risk disease features, and these patients are at increased risk of distant metastases and endometrial cancer–related death," Dr. de Boer said.
Several trials have looked at intensified treatment in these patients and include some that have compared chemotherapy and radiation and that found no difference in progression-free survival or overall survival. A Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) phase II trial of concurrent chemotherapy and radiotherapy, however, showed promising results and a feasible toxicity profile, she said.
A phase III Nordic Society of Gynecologic Oncology (SGO)/European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) trial suggested that sequential chemotherapy and radiotherapy was associated with improved progression-free survival.
"But, various chemotherapy schedules and sequences have been used in these trials, and no extensive quality of life analysis was done," she noted.
In PORTEC-3, radiotherapy and two cycles of concurrent cisplatin followed by four cycles of carboplatin and paclitaxel showed some promise, and quality of life analyses showed no difference between groups at 1 and 2 years after randomization.
In fact, although the adverse events findings as reported in 2016 in Lancet Oncology showed that, during therapy and for the first 6 months after therapy, "significantly more and more severe toxicity" occurred in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy group, vs. the radiotherapy group alone, this effect was transient and not associated with long-term effects on quality of life.
"There was significant recovery without significant differences at 1 and 2 years after randomization," Dr. de Boer said, adding that the toxicity translated to worse physical functioning and quality of life during and for 6 months after therapy but that no differences in quality of life, and only small differences in physical functioning, were seen at 1 and 2 years.
The residual effect on physical functioning may have been related to the tingling and numbness, which was the most important long-term side effect reported in the trial, she said, noting that 25% of patients in the chemotherapy and radiotherapy group reported tingling and numbness at 2 years, compared with 6% in the radiotherapy group.
Based on these findings, combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy cannot be recommended as standard for patients with stage I and II high-risk endometrial cancer, she said.
However, based on the 11% FFS benefit for stage III patients, "the combined chemotherapy and radiotherapy schedule is recommended to maximize failure-free survival," she concluded, noting that interpretation of overall survival results may need longer follow-up.
Ritu Salani, MD, who was invited to discuss Dr. de Boer's abstract, said the PORTEC-3 findings raise a number of questions for studies going forward, such as the role of therapy sequence.
"Radiation has always preceded chemotherapy, and I wonder if distant recurrences could actually be impacted if we do chemotherapy first, whether it's a complete course or in a sandwich-approach style. I think these are questions that we need to continue to address," said Dr. Salani of Ohio State University, Columbus.
Other questions posed by Dr. Salani focused on whether high risk early stage and advanced disease should be studied separately, whether maintenance therapy should be evaluated in this population, whether there was under-staging in PORTEC-3 as 42% of patients did not undergo lymphadenectomy, whether there is a role for sentinel node assessment, and whether residual disease status should be a surgical metric and if chemotherapy should be reserved for those with residual disease.
"I think we continue to have many treatment options, and I think our tumor board debates will continue. And I think PORTEC-3 will add to this discussion. But, at this point I think we're left to individualize treatment and to continue to provide the best outcome for our patients while minimizing toxicity," she concluded.
Dr. de Boer reported having no disclosures. Dr. Salani has received honoraria from Clovis Oncology and Lynparza and has served as a consultant or advisor for Genentech/Roche.
sworcester@frontlinemedcom.com
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When faced with a difficult legal situation, you want to make certain you have the best representation and legal team in your corner. At Peters & Peters Law Firm, PLLC, their attorneys and staff are there to ensure you the most sound advice and legal counsel possible.
Since 2001 they have worked tirelessly for clients to the very best of their ability and have committed themselves to a policy of honest billing. No fine print, no gimmicks, just results.
Perhaps the greatest frustration for most people who hire lawyers is the lack of accessibility and slow or non-existent communication. That's not a concern with Peters & Peters, as they pride themselves on being available to their clients. Their office is open and available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, in the beautiful Stafford Opera House, right on the Courthouse square.
This commitment shows, as their reputation in the community is one of ability, integrity, and good old-fashioned Texas friendly.


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Office of the President | University of Tennessee
Interim President Boyd
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2019 Honorees and Nominees
UTALK
Stacey Patterson
Vice President for Research, Outreach and Economic Development
Stacey Patterson is the vice president for research, outreach and economic development at the University of Tennessee. Patterson joined the University in 2006 in a joint role as a licensing associate for the UT Research Foundation (UTRF) and a research scientist in the Center for Environmental Biotechnology (CEB). At UTRF, she was responsible for managing a broad portfolio of intellectual property for licensing and commercialization to the private sector. Her research at CEB led to significant external funding and the launch of a startup company developing biological cell lines for optical imaging applications.
In 2009, Patterson joined UT System administration as director of research partnerships for the executive vice president office. She served as lead author of a proposal for research infrastructure that won a $24-million grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Among several statewide initiatives Patterson has led is the $62.5-million Volunteer State Solar Initiative. In 2012, she was named assistant vice president and director of research partnerships, and in 2015 she was promoted to the dual roles of UT associate vice president for research and vice president of the UT Research Foundation.
Patterson has bachelor's and doctoral degrees in microbiology from UT Knoxville and a master's degree in environmental health sciences from East Tennessee State University. She completed a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of South Florida and returned to UT Knoxville with a joint appointment in research and technology transfer in 2006. Patterson has secured research funding from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, the U.S. Army, NSF and the National Institutes of Health, and she has been a contributor on discoveries achieving several U.S. patents in sensor development and cancer imaging.
Email: stacey.patterson@tennessee.edu
Contact: Diane McNeil
diane-mcneil@tennessee.edu
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The Life Line is a major line that is carved on the inside of the hand around the Mount of Venus at the base of the Thumb. The length, shape, and quality of the Life Line are associated with the state of the physical body, and with awareness of and attention to the physical world. Let me put one myth to rest: the length of the Life Line does not predict the length of one's life. It does, however, show concerns about protection and preservation of the body. The Life Line is also called the Line of Earth. It is considered the line of family and tribe because we build our physical constitutions within our tribes. As humans, we look to our communities for support and safety. If we feel safe in our clans, our core energy systems are more likely to be in balance.
If your Life Line is short, delicate, or scattered, you have difficulty resting. Your personal anchor and grounding system has been compromised. Because you're accustomed to living in a routine of "flight," you may not recognize these patterns as you read about them for the first time. For example, your work or family life may involve your driving from one place to another and another. You might feel as though you're constantly scrambling to get your life in order. You may think, "There's not enough time to get it all done!" Core survival issues such as paying the rent, not losing your job, and having enough food, remain strong considerations in your life and family. At worst, a sense of support from family is severely lacking, which creates a lack of trust in the tribal system. If your tribal system is at risk, you are more likely to doubt your role and value in society, asking, "Do I belong here?" Doubt of one's role in the community can cause anxiety and internal tension that, in turn, produce a strong urge to create safety for oneself and others. When this is recognized and more clearly understood, one can begin to implement change, increasing stability instead of insecurity. If you have this type of Life Line, create and implement a plan for poise, routine, and balance on a regular basis.
A significant interruption is clearly shown in the Life Line, which is composed of two separate and overlapping segments. The inside, upper segment is frayed and scattered. A secondary Life Line, toward the center of the palm, continues toward the wrist.
Before I know it, I'm rationalizing starting the day earlier and earlier and ending later and later. I'm working fourteen-hour days as an average. There is a constant and never-ending continuation of tasks leading to my insanity.
I've learned to see my big jobs as smaller jobs. I break large chunks of responsibility and work into smaller chunks. I can breathe easier as I settle down with bite-sized jobs.
A person with a weak (short, broken, frayed, or unclear) Life Line constantly seeks stability because of a sense of being out of balance. A sense of urgency arises from the thought that there is not enough time to live fully. There is an impulse to live a high-quality life before it's too late.
When the owner of a weak Life Line becomes aware of this challenge and makes a determined effort to overcome it through grounding activities, she can set her anchor and feel more stable. Examples of grounding activities include walking, yoga, working regular hours, getting enough sleep, eating healthy foods, looking out the window to watch nature in action, and simply breathing. Creating a sacred garden on the patio or painting the walls in earth colors will bring the sense of balance and harmony to a fidgety nervous system.
Weak Life Line Positive: You're on heightened alert, attentive to getting many things accomplished, with opportunities to rebuild.
Weak Life Line Negative: You're susceptible to burn out when you do too much (too much is defined by you, not the world); feeling out of balance and depleted.


Much of southern Western Australia, the Interior district of Western Australia, and arid regions of South Australia have experienced 6-month (April to September) rainfall in the lowest 5 per cent of records, as shown on the map. The area affected by the current event is greater than it was last month, especially in western and central South Australia, as well as in parts of southern New South Wales.
September rainfall was below average over most of the southern mainland of Australia, and in the lowest 10 per cent of records for parts of South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria (see September rainfall deciles).
Much of Western Australia along and adjacent to the west coast south of Carnarvon, extending inland to an area around Kalgoorlie, received average or above-average September rainfall. Despite this rainfall, deficiencies remain severe in large parts of southern and central Western Australia. The western half of southwest Western Australia continues to experience long-term rainfall deficiencies - see for example the most recent 36-month period. The southwest region had its driest year on record in 2010, and the two-year period 2010–2011 was the driest on record in some parts of southwest Western Australia, meaning that the below average rainfall conditions being experienced in 2012 are exacerbating pre-existing dry conditions.


In London there is a massive amount of high value vehicles stolen everyday. Did you know over 200 vehicles are stolen each week and the most common vehicles getting stolen are Land Rover, Mercedes, Ford and BMW these are being stolen by key cloning over the air wirelessly if the vehicle has a keyless ignition or they are breaking entry and using the OBD diagnostic port to reprogram a new key into your vehicle. Due to London being such a busy place its a perfect area for thieves to steal a vehicle without being noticed.
Key cloning over the air is where your smart key is cloned while your walking away from your vehicle. This means you can simply pull into a car park and get out while locking your doors as normal. While your walking away your smart key is being cloned due to it transmitting a signal every couple of seconds. A thief will be nearby and will wait until you walk out of sight, once you do they will walk up to your vehicle and unlock it without giving anyone the slightest idea they are stealing the vehicle. Once there in they push the start button and drive away.
Customers in the London area are very worried and are trying all sorts of methods such as OBD plates and boxes but sadly these are not stopping all forms of theft. We do have a package that puts a full stop to key cloning over the air and OBD port hacking, this is the Cobra ADR series it's an alarm and immobiliser system, but with an advantage over any other system on the market. It has a small card that sits on your vehicles key ring which sends out a signal which is hyper encrypted known as ACE technology. These systems can be fitted to all the most common stolen vehicles in London, UK.
We fit Car Alarms London and all other areas in the UK nationwide.


Shopping for low cost homeowners insurance in Alpena, MI does not have to be difficult. We are here to help you find and compare multiple providers. Simply enter your Zip in the form above and you will be taken to a page which will list the top most reputable home insurance companies in your Alpena county.
The coverage mentioned above is a basic form of coverage that you absolutely need to have. There are optional coverage items that you can add, such as guaranteed replacement cost, which provides the most complete coverage. If your house gets totally damaged, the insurance company will pay for the cost of building it. However, as you might expect, most insurers require you to meet specific underwriting requirements and pay a higher premium. This brings us to another important point: How much does it cost to insure your home in Alpena, MI?
To get cheap Alpena, MI home insurance quotes use our simple comparison tool and you will be ahead of most regular consumers who do not do their own comparison or rely on an agent to do it for them.
Getting a home proprietor requires you to shield your home and the valuables in it. This contains acquiring the very best homeowner's plan. It can often be difficult to afford, but which is why you ought to do issues to preserve on your insurance coverage.
To make sure that you are paying the most affordable volume on your homeowner's insurance coverage, evaluate the value of your insurance coverage to yet another firm's procedures at minimum after a year. You need to also evaluation your current policy and mark any alterations that may possibly have occurred which could decrease your quality.
When thinking about insurance policy for your residence, get into account the creating components that are in the property you desire to insure as nicely as any achievable additions. Insurance coverage companies will most probably grant increased charges for safer development supplies this kind of as steel and cement as opposed to flammable wooden. Be sure to examine rates with numerous organizations also.
When acquiring a homeowner's insurance policies policy, what is excluded from protection is often more crucial that what the plan does protect. Flood coverage, for example, is not typically protected in most homeowner's insurance policies, but can be acquired as a independent plan. The identical is real for other organic disasters these kinds of as earthquakes.
Be positive to assessment your coverage yearly to check out and see if there are any discount rates accessible to you. This may possibly result from additions these kinds of as a safety alarm tied to a checking company, a fireplace suppression system, and set up of added fire alarms. There also might be products in your neighborhood that can effect it such as removal of trees or additional fire suppression stores.
Get a good alarm method to decrease your homeowner's insurance coverage. This will support to safeguard your property at all occasions. Your house house owners insurance policies may possibly consider you are not an at-chance house and lessen your insurance policy. Don't forget to send out to your insurance company documentation that your house is secured.
To reduce the cost of your house insurance coverage, you need to lower the hazards of incident. You can commence by getting fireplace evidence furnishings and components. Put in smoke detectors and hearth extinguishers. Your insurance company will think about your home as safer, and in scenario of hearth you should be capable to contain the fireplace much more effortlessly.
If you want to be confident your residence and belongings are coated in the celebration of a flood, the time to buy flood insurance is not the minute it starts to rain. Most flood insurance policies plans will not go over flood hurt incurred inside of the first 30 times of purchase, so you need to have to make that contact right now, instead than putting it off.
If you have young children away at school, study your home owner's insurance policies protection policy to see if their belongings in the dormitory are lined. Most policies supply some protection in situation of theft or damage as prolonged as the child is portion of your house, but it also is dependent on the value of their belongings. If your kid is dwelling off-campus in an apartment, they may not be protected at all.
Set up a advanced alarm method in your home, ideally a single that is monitored by a respected stability firm, or is joined immediately to the local police station. Insurance policies firms reduce your annually high quality by up to 5% if you can prove by an bill or agreement that you have a centrally monitored stability technique installed.
To get a price reduction on your home owner's insurance policy, get other types of insurance by way of the identical company. Most businesses offer you several policy discounts to anybody has numerous insurance policy contracts via them. Before you select your policy, you must check other insurance policy firms and see if any of them provide other forms of insurance coverage you may well require.
Make sure you have sufficient protection for the contents within your house. Most of the time regular homeowner's insurance coverage will be enough to protect your contents if anything happens, but if you have really useful products, you may possibly want to get additional protection for those products or boost the articles insurance.
If you are shopping for a new homeowner's insurance coverage plan, you need to look for consumer welcoming companies. You will want to deal with a business that is ready to simply process any claims you might have. Check out out evaluations from recent, as nicely as former, consumers of the insurance policies firms you are thinking about for some unbiased suggestions.
In summary, catastrophe can occur any time, which is why you should make positive you have homeowner's insurance. Getting lined can ease the repercussions of a house catastrophe. The earlier mentioned article has presented you info that you can use in purchase to make certain that your residence is effectively secured.


We here at ODi wanted to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season. We know many of you take this time to spend with family, as we do, but business still has to go on. Let us all remember the good things in our lives and cherish what we have and our families. Let's remember that there are those out there with less then us that are trying to just stay warm or have a good meal. Help those less fortunate than yourself when you can. Our company and staff helps out year-round those less fortunate then ourselves and it feels good to see smiles on other peoples' faces.
Again, to everyone, happy holidays, whichever ones you celebrate and thank you for your support.


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Clearing up litter with a can-do spirit
Local people in Hanwell have been ensuring their green spaces are as clean as possible by organising regular litter picking and clear-ups targeting cans, bottles and any rubbish irresponsibly dropped in the area.
Litter Action Group Ealing Residents – or LAGER CAN is a suitably-named local group, as founder member Keith Freegard explains: "Beer cans are the most common item we find as litter in the local parks, so it fits well.
"We focus our efforts around Brent Lodge Park and Manor Court Green and all around the river and I manage to do a sweep of the area most days. Right now there are more than 133 members of the group so between us all we are hopefully making a real difference and across several parks.
For Keith, his love of local parks is the reason he works almost daily to keep his patch litter free: "For myself and many people, experiencing our local parks should be about enjoyment – whether you are walking, playing sport or having a picnic. It's been shown that getting out into green spaces is hugely beneficial for health and wellbeing.
"This is why it is so disappointing to see a minority of people mindlessly chucking their litter around and ruining what should be a pleasant experience for all park users. I used to get really angry about litter, up to the point where I was feeling worse when out walking in my local parks – not better.
"That's when I realised I should turn all that anger into positive energy and try to make a real difference myself – so I created the Facebook group LAGER CAN."
Ealing Council has also been working alongside the group to ensure that they have ongoing support, securing them £750 of local ward funding in the process. Brent Lodge Park is also one of many in the borough that has been furnished with litter clean-up boards complete with rubbish bags and litter-picking sticks for temporary use should passers-by wish to contribute.
Keith continues: "It's been great to see the council's park ranger team getting turbo-charged on the issue of litter in parks and we've personally received help from them in our litter clean-up efforts. I know they also support Brent River Clean-up volunteer groups and recent Plogging events.
"I think we have already seen a change in behaviour as people see others taking a stand against littering and notice the positive impact on the environment. I think that there has been a reduction in litter being dropped around here or at least a lot more is getting cleaned-up. I should know as I'm cleaning up almost every day."
Litter Action Group For Ealing Residents
Web: www.facebook.com/groups/LAGERCan
"I think we have already seen a change in behaviour as people see others taking a stand against littering and notice the positive impact on the environment".
- Keith Freegard, LAGER CAN founder member
How to Plan a Community Clean Up
How to organise a clean-up where you live Whether you want to get rid of fly-tipped rubbish, bring...


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Carlsbad struggles to attract chains due to low workforce base
Oil boom drew workers to high-paying jobs in the industry
Adrian Hedden
Chains often pass over Carlsbad because of its low unemployment rate
Housing for workers is also a problem for interested companies
Officials hope that growth will continue so more businesses come to Carlsbad
An essential resource to business development in Carlsbad is becoming scarce.
The recent oil boom drew the local workforce away from jobs at restaurants and stores and into better paying positions in the oilfield.
And with a growing population, CEO of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce Robert Defer, said more and more businesses are approaching the city looking to set up shop.
More:The long drive south: Carlsbad housing shortage a risk to local culture
But the biggest challenge facing a new business in Carlsbad is finding workers.
"There are a lot of different chains that do contact us," Defer said. "The current challenges are employment based. That goes hand-in-hand with the oil companies. Everyone is fighting for the same personnel."
Defer said many chain restaurants and retail businesses approach the Chamber and other Carlsbad organizations eager to capitalize on the growing boom town.
He said many rescind their interest when the learn of the city's shrinking workforce.
Carlsbad had only a 2.8 percent unemployment rate as of May 2018, per records from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
More:Empty shelves: Oil and gas boom challenges local Carlsbad businesses, housing market
That's just more than half New Mexico's unemployment rate of about 5 percent, and still below the U.S. average of about 4 percent.
"The biggest questions for us are always about employees," Defer said. "Employment is probably going to be the biggest problem. They can find workers."
A lack of staff is also due to a lack of housing, he said, as oil companies and others moving bought up the available rental units and purchasable homes, driving up costs and cutting availability.
"Housing is a big issue for workers," Defer said. "It's not a strong market. That makes it hard to bring employees in. I don't think there's any doubt that a restaurant could do well in Carlsbad, you just need the workers to man those locations."
Population too low?
Further challenging, many restaurant and retail chains have certain requirements that a city must meet for a new location to be considered.
Aside from a strong workforce, companies can require a city or town be along an interstate or meet certain populations requirements – often based on the U.S. Census.
More:Priced out: Young professionals struggle to afford housing in Carlsbad
But the U.S. Census does not give an accurate picture of Carlsbad, said Jeff Campbell, director of business development with the Carlsbad Department of Development.
The Census survey is conducted every 10 years, with the last in 2010 showing about 26,000 people in Carlsbad.
Ahead of the official 2020 U.S. Census survey, Carlsbad was estimated to be at about 27,000 people.
That means only 1,000 people were added to the city's federally-recognized population in seven years.
Campbell said the Department of Development had to get creative to fully express how many people are in the Cavern City.
He pointed to a study of water usage conducted by the department which accounted for about 75,000 people in the city.
More:Carlsbad faces teaching shortage, vacancies grow through state
But this still might not be enough to draw in popular chains such as Red Lobster or Olive Garden, Campbell said.
Per data provided by the CDOD, both restaurants require a minimum population of 100,000 people.
A Dave and Busters would need 500,000, and Chuck E. Cheese calls for at least 200,000 people.
The numbers grew, Campbell said, during the Great Recession of 2008, when companies felt the anxiety of a struggling economy and increased their requirements.
"A lot people as why we can't have a Red Lobster when Roswell does," he said. "That's because they got theirs when the requirements were lower."
Growth continues; officials hopeful
But still, the CDOD works to tell the story of Carlsbad and why a business could fit in, despite a potentially lower permanent customer base.
More:County officials: Eddy County estimated population falls short of reality
"Not everybody answers the Census," Campbell said. "We are a big transient workforce. Some companies, we'll meet all the requirements but then they ask about workforce. That usually ends the conversation. They will make exceptions for smaller places, if it seems like a good market."
But the future could look brighter, Campbell said, as an historic explosion of activity in the Permian Basin was expected to continue, causing dramatic growth in Carlsbad.
Most of the growth, Campbell said, is centered on the south side of the city, near the South Y and main thoroughfare to the oilfields of southern Eddy County and into West Texas.
He said the next sign of growth will likely be existing fast food businesses expanding to that area of Carlsbad.
"That's where people are looking," Campbell said. "That area is growing tremendously. As long as the industries stay strong, I really think Carlsbad will see a lot of growth. When we have all this interest coming in, the upside looks pretty good."
More:Diversifying an oil and gas economy
In the meantime, Defer worried larger chains would continue to pass over Carlsbad, waiting for the city to grow to the adequate size in both customer and workforce base.
"A lot of larger chains will expand in larger population centers," Defer said. "If (a city) is not up to their standards, they don't choose you. They see the growth that is here. They're very interested. But when they see the employment numbers, they have to take a second look."
Adrian Hedden can be reached at 575-628-5516, achedden@currentargus.com or @AdrianHedden on Twitter.