Los Angeles (AP) — Gene Wilder, the frizzy-haired actor who brought his deft comedic touch to such unforgettable roles as the neurotic accountant in “The Producers” and the mad scientist of “Young Frankenstein,” has died. He was 83.
Wilder’s nephew said Monday that the actor and writer died late Sunday at his home in Stamford, Connecticut, from complications from Alzheimer’s disease.
Jordan Walker-Pearlman said in a statement that Wilder was diagnosed with the disease three years ago, but kept the condition private so as not to disappoint fans.
“He simply couldn’t bear the idea of one less smile in the world,” Walker-Pearlman said.
Wilder started his acting career on the stage, but millions knew him from his work in the movies, especially his collaborations with Mel Brooks on “The Producers,” ”Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.” The last film — with Wilder playing a California-born descendant of the mad scientist, insisting that his name is pronounced “Frahn-ken-SHTEEN” — was co-written by Brooks and Wilder.
“Gene Wilder, one of the truly great talents of our time, is gone,” Brooks wrote in a statement Monday. “He blessed every film we did together with his special magic and he blessed my life with his friendship. He will be so missed.”
With his unkempt hair and big, buggy eyes, Wilder was a master at playing panicked characters caught up in schemes that only a madman such as Brooks could devise, whether reviving a monster in “Young Frankenstein” or bilking Broadway in “The Producers.” Brooks would call him “God’s perfect prey, the victim in all of us.”
But he also knew how to keep it cool as the boozing gunslinger in “Blazing Saddles” or the charming candy man in the children’s favorite “Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.” His craziest role: the therapist having an affair with a sheep in Woody Allen’s “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex.”
“The greatest comedic mind of my childhood is now gone,” actor Josh Gad wrote on Twitter. “#RIP #GeneWilder & thank you 4 your pure imagination. This one hits hard.”
Tweeted Jim Carrey: “Gene Wilder was one of the funniest and sweetest energies ever to take a human form. If there’s a heaven he has a Golden Ticket.”
Wilder was close friends with Richard Pryor and their contrasting personas — Wilder uptight, Pryor loose — were ideal for comedy. They co-starred in four films: “Silver Streak,” ”Stir Crazy,” ”See No Evil, Hear No Evil” and “Another You.” And they created several memorable scenes, particularly when Pryor provided Wilder with directions on how to “act black” as they tried to avoid police in “Silver Streak.”
But Wilder would insist in a 2013 interview that he was no comedian. He told interviewer Robert Osborne it was the biggest misconception about him.
“What a comic, what a funny guy, all that stuff! And I’m not. I’m really not. Except in a comedy in films,” Wilder said. “But I make my wife laugh once or twice in the house, but nothing special. But when people see me in a movie and it’s funny then they stop and say things to me about ‘how funny you were.’ But I don’t think I’m that funny. I think I can be in the movies.”
In 1968, Wilder received an Oscar nomination for his work in Brooks’ “The Producers.” He played the introverted Leo Bloom, an accountant who discovers the liberating joys of greed and corruption as he and Max Bialystock (Zero Mostel) conceive a Broadway flop titled “Springtime For Hitler” and plan to flee with the money raised for the show’s production. Matthew Broderick played Wilder’s role in the 2001 Broadway stage revival of the show.
Though they collaborated on film, Wilder and Brooks met through the theater. Wilder was in a play with Brooks’ then-future wife, Anne Bancroft, who introduced the pair backstage in 1963.
Wilder, a Milwaukee native, was born Jerome Silberman on June 11, 1933. His father was a Russian emigre, his mother was of Polish descent. When he was 6, Wilder’s mother suffered a heart attack that left her a semi-invalid. He soon began improvising comedy skits to entertain her, the first indication of his future career.
He started taking acting classes at age 12 and continued performing and taking lesson through college. In 1961, Wilder became a member of Lee Strasberg’s prestigious Actor’s Studio in Manhattan.
That same year, he made both his off-Broadway and Broadway debuts. He won the Clarence Derwent Award, given to promising newcomers, for the Broadway work in Graham Greene’s comedy “The Complaisant Lover.”
He used his new name, Gene Wilder, for the off-Broadway and Broadway roles. He lifted the first name from the character Eugene Gant in Thomas Wolfe’s “Look Back, Homeward Angel,” while the last name was clipped from playwright Thornton Wilder. A key break came when he co-starred with Bancroft in Bertolt Brecht’s “Mother Courage,” and met Brooks, her future husband.
“I was having trouble with one little section of the play, and he gave me tips on how to act. He said, ‘That’s a song and dance. He’s proselytizing about communism. Just skip over it, sing and dance over it, and get on to the good stuff.’ And he was right,” Wilder later explained.
Before starring in “The Producers,” he had a small role as the hostage of gangsters in the 1967 classic “Bonnie and Clyde.” He peaked in the mid-1970s with the twin Brooks hits “Blazing Saddles” and “Young Frankenstein.”
He went on to write several screenplays and direct several films. In 1982, while making the generally forgettable “Hanky-Panky,” he fell in love with co-star Gilda Radner. They were married in 1984, and co-starred in two Wilder-penned films: “The Woman in Red” and “Haunted Honeymoon.”
After Radner died of ovarian cancer in 1989, Wilder spent much of his time after promoting cancer research and opened a support facility for cancer patients. In 1991, he testified before Congress about the need for increased testing for cancer.
That same year, he appeared in his final film role: “Another You” with Pryor.
Wilder worked mostly in television in recent years, including appearances on “Will & Grace” — including one that earned him an Emmy Award for outstanding guest actor — and a starring role in the short-lived sitcom “Something Wilder.” In 2015, he was among the voices in the animated “The Yo Gabba Gabba! Movie 2.”
As for why he stopped appearing on the big screen, Wilder said in 2013 he was turned off by the noise and foul language in modern movies.
“I didn’t want to do the kind of junk I was seeing,” he said in an interview. “I didn’t want to do 3D for instance. I didn’t want to do ones where there’s just bombing and loud and swearing, so much swearing… can’t they just stop and talk instead of swearing?”
Wilder is survived by his wife, Karen, whom he married in 1991, and his daughter from a previous marriage, Katherine, from whom he was estranged.

Actor Gene Wilder, star of Mel Brooks movies, dies at 83


WASHINGTON—Last year 35,092 people died in traffic crashes in the United States, a 7.2 percent year-on-year increase that runs counter to a five-decade trend of declining fatalities, the U.S. Transportation Department said.
U.S. officials said lower gasoline prices combined with job growth increased the number of miles driven last year by the highest rate in nearly 25 years. Distracted driving was cited in about a tenth of traffic fatalities in 2015, the U.S. DOT said.
Data "showed traffic deaths rising across nearly every segment of the population," the department said in a statement.
The number of fatalities was near preliminary estimates issued nearly two months ago.
The last time U.S. traffic fatalities rose at a greater rate was in 1966, when they went up 8.1 percent. That was two years before the federal government required seat belts in cars.
While the number of fatalities rose in 2015, driving is far safer now in the United States than it was in the past. In 1966, the fatality rate—measured as deaths per miles driven—was five times higher than today. In that year, nearly 51,000 people were killed on U.S. roads.
Almost half of passenger vehicle occupants killed last year were not wearing safety belts, although the belts are standard equipment in all cars and required to be worn in some U.S. states, the DOT said.
"Solving this problem will take teamwork, so we're issuing a call to action and asking researchers, safety experts, data scientists, and the public to analyze the fatality data and help find ways to prevent these tragedies," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Almost one in three fatalities involved drunk drivers or speeding, the DOT said.
The number of vehicle miles traveled in the United States rose 3.5 percent in 2015 from a year earlier, the DOT said.
In 2005, U.S. traffic deaths were 22 percent higher, at 42,708.

Traffic deaths rise 7.2% in 2015; almost half involved no seat belt use


The number of vehicle miles traveled in the United States rose 3.5 percent in 2015 from a year earlier, the DOT said.
WASHINGTON—Last year 35,092 people died in traffic crashes in the United States, a 7.2 percent year-on-year increase that runs counter to a five-decade trend of declining fatalities, the U.S. Transportation Department said.
U.S. officials said lower gasoline prices combined with job growth increased the number of miles driven last year by the highest rate in nearly 25 years. Distracted driving was cited in about a tenth of traffic fatalities in 2015, the U.S. DOT said.
Data "showed traffic deaths rising across nearly every segment of the population," the department said in a statement.
The number of fatalities was near preliminary estimates issued nearly two months ago.
The last time U.S. traffic fatalities rose at a greater rate was in 1966, when they went up 8.1 percent. That was two years before the federal government required seat belts in cars.
While the number of fatalities rose in 2015, driving is far safer now in the United States than it was in the past. In 1966, the fatality rate—measured as deaths per miles driven—was five times higher than today. In that year, nearly 51,000 people were killed on U.S. roads.
Almost half of passenger vehicle occupants killed last year were not wearing safety belts, although the belts are standard equipment in all cars and required to be worn in some U.S. states, the DOT said.
"Solving this problem will take teamwork, so we're issuing a call to action and asking researchers, safety experts, data scientists, and the public to analyze the fatality data and help find ways to prevent these tragedies," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx.
Almost one in three fatalities involved drunk drivers or speeding, the DOT said.
The number of vehicle miles traveled in the United States rose 3.5 percent in 2015 from a year earlier, the DOT said.
In 2005, U.S. traffic deaths were 22 percent higher, at 42,708.

Traffic deaths rise 7.2 percent in 2015, almost half involved no seat belt use


A carer who helped herself to a disabled man’s money to buy Christmas presents and birthday gifts for her children has walked free from court.
Joanne Ailey, 43, admitted she did not need the money and had a comfortable household income when she started withdrawing cash and making Amazon purchases from her client’s account.
How you would feel if (your son) had been the victim of someone taking advantage of him is something I will leave with your own conscience
Ailey, a carer employed by Fylde based charity the Ormerod Trust, was trusted to care for the 33-year-old victim at his supported accommodation in St Annes.
He has significant learning difficulties and had no concept of money or that he was being stolen from, Preston Crown Court was told.
Between August 2014 and July 2015, Ailey was employed as the victim’s key worker.
An Amazon account had been set up to make purchases for his benefit, and money withdrawn from the bank was to be done over the counter and authorised by management.
In September 2015, staff at the Ormerod Trust noticed there had been a number of cash machine withdrawals and online purchases which did not appear to be for the victim’s benefit.
Ailey was questioned and admitted: “I think I have just been stupid. I have, but I don’t know why.”
Over 10 months, she had conned the man out of £2,167.06, buying scooters for her children and assorted gifts.
The court heard Ailey, of Alexandra Road, St Annes, had a difficult home life as one of her children has behavioural and learning difficulties.
She has suffered from post natal depression and went through a breakdown.
Judge Pamela Badley, sentencing, told Ailey: “You have pleaded guilty to stealing from a vulnerable man you were looking after. While you took the money, day after day when you were going back, smiling at your victim and doing little jobs for him, you had one hand in his bank account – and that is a callous thing to do.”
Ailey pleaded guilty to fraud by abuse of her position and was handed an eight-month jail sentence, suspended for two years with a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement and £250 costs.
Judge Badley also ordered Ailey to pay back the money she had stolen within 28 days.
She said: “How you would feel if (your son) had been the victim of someone taking advantage of him is something I will leave with your own conscience.”
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A carer who helped herself to a disabled man’s money to buy Christmas presents and birthday gifts for her children has walked free from court.


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.
And, perhaps more worryingly, one in 10 respondents to the Churchill Home Insurance survey allow children between the ages of five and seven to drink alcohol.
While it is not illegal for a child between the age of five and 16 to drink alcohol on private premises, it flies in the face of advice from the Chief Medical Officer whose official advice warns: “Children and their parents or carers are advised that an alcohol-free childhood is the healthiest and best option. However, if children drink alcohol underage, it should not be until at least the age of 15 years.
“Parents and young people should be aware that drinking, even at age 15 or older, can be hazardous to health and that not drinking is the healthiest option for young people.”

Do you think it’s okay to allow children to drink some alcohol at home?


A study has found that half of parents with children under the age of 14 allow them to drink alcohol at home.


Seven days before, Carroll had taken down one of the SAC’s most decorated citizens, a program as familiar with the top step of the podium as any.
Knocking out a current occupant of that top step proved somewhat more problematical for the Chargers.
In front of a full-to-bursting house at Carroll, reigning 5A state champion Snider (2-0) stole the air from the place early Friday night, riding a dominant first half to a 41-7 victory over a young Chargers squad that opened the 2016 season with a win at Bishop Luers last week.
Quarterback Michael Haupert (72 yards) and running backs Money Woods (113) and Christian Covington (97) combined for 282 rushing yards and four touchdowns, Damarious Ridley took a punt back 62 yards for another score, and Snider’s defense shut down the Chargers (1-1), holding Carroll to just 10 yards on the ground a week after Nic Novotny ran for more than 200.
“The defense played very well,” Snider coach Kurt Tippmann said. “As well as Carroll ran the ball last week, it was a nice challenge to say, ‘Hey, this team ran the ball very well against a very good program like Bishop Luers. What better challenge can we have this week than to see how good we are against the run?’”
Pretty good, as it turned out. And right from the start.
The Panthers rolled to a 34-0 lead at the break, piling up 301 yards to Carroll’s 70. Snider scored on five of their six possessions and clambered out of two mammoth holes on two of them, both times courtesy of Haupert. The junior quarterback, who also threw for 74 yards, erased a third-and-22 with a 26-yard scramble for six on the first drive, and his 37-yard keeper on a second-and-37 kept the second drive going.
That one ended with Woods slicing in from the 3-yard line, one of his two scores.
“All I want to do is come out here and run our hardest,” Woods said. “And when there’s an open hole you want to hit them and make plays.”
On this night, they made plenty.


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Point Pleasant Big Blacks at Lincoln County Panthers
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Point Pleasant won 62-7 in Point Pleasant
Current head-to-head streak: Point Pleasant has won 3 straight.
Five things to note:
1. Point Pleasant holds a state-best 33-game regular season winning streak, having not lost in the regular season since October 5, 2012. That loss came on the road, at Oak Hill by a 34-14 final.
2. The Big Blacks’ last trip to Hamlin resulted in a 54-0 PPHS victory. That is one of 13 shutout victories the Point Pleasant defense has posted in Dave Darst’s tenure.
3. Point Pleasant is a 10-10 in its last 20 season openers, but has won five consecutive.
4. A total of 63 players will suit up for the Big Blacks this fall, 37 of which are varsity returnees.
5. Road, sweet road. The Big Blacks have won 17 consecutive regular season contests away from Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field.
Wahama White Falcons at Ravenswood Red Devils
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Wahama won 42-0 in Mason.
Current head-to-head streak: Wahama has won 1 straight.
Five things to note:
1. Wahama’s last trip to Ravenswood was August 29, 2014. The Red Devils claimed a 27-6 win in that game and handed WHS its first season opening loss since 2006.
2. The White Falcons have won 11 of its last 20 season openers, including eight of its last nine.
3. Since joining the TVC Hocking prior to the 2010 season, Wahama is 9-3 in non-league regular season play.
4. Both teams are coming off of their worst seasons in the last decade, as Ravenswood was 1-9 last fall, and Wahama was 4-6.
5. The Red Devils have 35 players on the 2016 roster including five seniors, 10 juniors, seven sophomores and 13 freshmen. The White Falcons have 27 players on this fall’s roster, including two seniors, 10 juniors, 11 sophomores and four freshmen. A total of 18 of Wahama’s players are returning from last year.
Hannan Wildcats at Montcalm Generals
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Montcalm won 50-12 in Ashton.
Current head-to-head streak: Montcalm has won 8 straight.
Five things to note:
1. The Wildcats are hoping to start the season with a victory for the first time since 1999. Hannan is just 2-19 in its last 21 season openers.
2. Hannan last defeated the Generals on October 26, 2007, by a 12-6 final in Ashton. Since then MHS has outscored the Wildcats by a 276-to-63 count.
3. Including a 2-0 forfeit loss in 2014, Hannan has been shutout in three of the last eight meetings with MHS.
4. Montcalm has 39 players on its 2016 roster, compared to Hannan, which has 21 players. Of Hannan’s 21 players, 10 are returnees from last season.
5. Hannan’s last trip to Purdich Field resulted in a 69-14 MHS victory. HHS hasn’t won at Montcalm since November 9, 1996, when the Wildcats claimed a 30-0 triumph.
Wahama running back Dalton Kearns (23) looks for a block from Colton Arrington (28) during the White Falcons’ 46-14 loss to visiting Trimble on October 2, 2015. http://mydailytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.26-WAH-D.Kearns-1.jpg Wahama running back Dalton Kearns (23) looks for a block from Colton Arrington (28) during the White Falcons’ 46-14 loss to visiting Trimble on October 2, 2015. Alex Hawley/OVP Sports

Mason County teams open season on the road


Point Pleasant Big Blacks at Lincoln County Panthers
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Point Pleasant won 62-7 in Point Pleasant
Current head-to-head streak: Point Pleasant has won 3 straight.
Five things to note:
1. Point Pleasant holds a state-best 33-game regular season winning streak, having not lost in the regular season since October 5, 2012. That loss came on the road, at Oak Hill by a 34-14 final.
2. The Big Blacks’ last trip to Hamlin resulted in a 54-0 PPHS victory. That is one of 13 shutout victories the Point Pleasant defense has posted in Dave Darst’s tenure.
3. Point Pleasant is a 10-10 in its last 20 season openers, but has won five consecutive.
4. A total of 63 players will suit up for the Big Blacks this fall, 37 of which are varsity returnees.
5. Road, sweet road. The Big Blacks have won 17 consecutive regular season contests away from Ohio Valley Bank Track and Field.
Wahama White Falcons at Ravenswood Red Devils
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Wahama won 42-0 in Mason.
Current head-to-head streak: Wahama has won 1 straight.
Five things to note:
1. Wahama’s last trip to Ravenswood was August 29, 2014. The Red Devils claimed a 27-6 win in that game and handed WHS its first season opening loss since 2006.
2. The White Falcons have won 11 of its last 20 season openers, including eight of its last nine.
3. Since joining the TVC Hocking prior to the 2010 season, Wahama is 9-3 in non-league regular season play.
4. Both teams are coming off of their worst seasons in the last decade, as Ravenswood was 1-9 last fall, and Wahama was 4-6.
5. The Red Devils have 35 players on the 2016 roster including five seniors, 10 juniors, seven sophomores and 13 freshmen. The White Falcons have 27 players on this fall’s roster, including two seniors, 10 juniors, 11 sophomores and four freshmen. A total of 18 of Wahama’s players are returning from last year.
Hannan Wildcats at Montcalm Generals
Last meeting between the teams: August 28, 2015. Montcalm won 50-12 in Ashton.
Current head-to-head streak: Montcalm has won 8 straight.
Five things to note:
1. The Wildcats are hoping to start the season with a victory for the first time since 1999. Hannan is just 2-19 in its last 21 season openers.
2. Hannan last defeated the Generals on October 26, 2007, by a 12-6 final in Ashton. Since then MHS has outscored the Wildcats by a 276-to-63 count.
3. Including a 2-0 forfeit loss in 2014, Hannan has been shutout in three of the last eight meetings with MHS.
4. Montcalm has 39 players on its 2016 roster, compared to Hannan, which has 21 players. Of Hannan’s 21 players, 10 are returnees from last season.
5. Hannan’s last trip to Purdich Field resulted in a 69-14 MHS victory. HHS hasn’t won at Montcalm since November 9, 1996, when the Wildcats claimed a 30-0 triumph.
Wahama running back Dalton Kearns (23) looks for a block from Colton Arrington (28) during the White Falcons’ 46-14 loss to visiting Trimble on October 2, 2015. http://mydailyregister.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.26-WAH-D.Kearns-1.jpg Wahama running back Dalton Kearns (23) looks for a block from Colton Arrington (28) during the White Falcons’ 46-14 loss to visiting Trimble on October 2, 2015. Alex Hawley/OVP Sports


A former Virginia politician who was jailed over a sex scandal involving a teenage girl leads a crowded field running for mayor of the state's capital city, a poll showed on Tuesday.
Joe Morrissey, 58, holds a commanding lead in the Richmond mayor's race with 28 percent of the vote city-wide, according to the Christopher Newport University poll. The poll showed him about 12 points ahead of the nearest of his seven competitors.
Morrissey pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of contributing to the delinquency of a minor in December 2014 for his relationship with a receptionist who began working in his office when she was 17. He is now married to the woman and they have two children.
Morrissey, who was first elected to the Virginia House of Delegates in 2007, was sentenced to six months in jail and resigned from office. He switched from Democrat to run as an independent in the special election to fill his seat.
During a three-month stay in an area jail, Morrissey commuted to the state legislature on work release and also ran his re-election campaign.
Morrissey stunned political pundits when he won in January 2015 while serving his jail sentence. He gave up his most recent bid to serve in the state Senate last September, citing health problems.
The poll was based on 600 live interviews with registered voters Aug. 18 through- 24 and has a margin of error of 4.9 percentage points.
Morrissey also had his license to practice law revoked by the Virginia State Bar Disciplinary Board in 2003.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Dan Grebler)

Poll shows Virginia lawmaker jailed in sex scandal leading mayor's race


A former Virginia politician who was jailed over a sex scandal involving a teenage girl leads a crowded field running for mayor of the state's capital city, a poll showed on Tuesday.


We frequently lament the neglected state of public footpaths and bridleways. Many are completely overgrown with nettles and brambles; ploughed over by farmers; diverted by reversal or removal of signs, and stiles rotting or unstable. The reason? You’ve guessed – lack of funds!
Blackberries are late ripening this year. On August 13 we found just sufficient to enhance an apple pie. Delicious! A local wild hedgerow contained several raspberry canes bearing a few berries to nibble along the way. Large hazel nuts adorned several shrubs easily recognised by their zig-zag twigs covered with reddish brown hairs. The toothed, rounded leaves end in a small point. The nut itself has a leafy husk, but will not ripen until late autumn.
Meanwhile, there’s no mistaking the slender rowan tree with steeply rising branches. Its flat-topped clusters of cream-coloured flowers have ripened to scarlet berries by August. They look good enough to eat, but certainly not raw. We must try a recipe for cooking them, they look so tempting!
The mason wasp, inhabiting a corner of our greenhouse, has been working very hard all week. When I previously mentioned its activities, the cylindrical nest was 11.5cm from the ground, and the nest itself 4cm long. Having constructed both above and below the nest, it’s now 9.5cm from the ground, and 8cm in length! It seems to collect sand or soil particles to mix with water we’ve seen it visiting our bird bath close by. A remarkable feat of engineering for a solitary wasp. It has just pollinatedthe cucumber flowers.
Scarborough’s Castle Hill cliffs alongside the Marine Drive are plastered with ‘guano’ – the dried excrement of fish-eating sea birds. (It makes a grand fertiliser.)
At any great seabird colony, kittiwakes are the most numerous. Nesting precariously on narrow cliff ledges, they noisily proclaim their name, “kitti-way-ake”, with clamourous calls. They are real birds of the sea and fish out at sea most of the year, only nesting near at hand in spring. Looking to the future, we observed they’d nested on the Futurist as well as the Spa Bridge and harbour lamp posts!
Soon – silence will reign, as already many have completed nesting duties and headed to northern fishing grounds.
Visiting Scar and Castlebeck Woods just north of Castlebeck Farm, Harwood Dale, we hoped to re-discover the Bog Pimpernel. Having waded through tall, shoulder-high bracken we reached the bridge spanning the beck. Many wild flowers were recorded, such as tormentil, eyebright, harebell, heather, fleabane, and water mint etc, but the pimpernel site had vanished, alas.
A memorable seat to Shaun Teasdale, 51 years, 2012 was inscribed:
“Come sit with me, enjoy the view,
Don’t be sad, I’m here with you.”
l Mind the midges don’t bite!
Have you got something to share on the story? Were you there? What do you think? - Send your pictures, videos or story and we'll publish the best × Continue the story Country diary: Reaping the rewards from hedgerows Loading ... Add up to 3 photos or 1 videos to the story There's been a problem uploading your files. Please try again. By uploading your file you agree to our Terms and Conditions × Continue the story Sign in to contribute sign in shape the news in your area...


We frequently lament the neglected state of public footpaths and bridleways. Many are completely overgrown with nettles and brambles; ploughed over by farmers; diverted by reversal or removal of signs, and stiles rotting or unstable. The reason? You’ve guessed – lack of funds!


Country diary: Reaping the rewards from hedgerows


Wade's cousin's death part of uptick in Chicago gun violence
CHICAGO (AP) — The fatal shooting of NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin in Chicago is part of a sharp uptick in gun violence in the nation's third-largest city this year. Among the other innocent people caught in crossfire have been young children playing outside and a father paying bills at his kitchen table.
Wade's cousin, Nykea Aldridge, who was shot Friday while pushing her baby in a stroller near a school, was one of nearly 20 people shot between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning, police said. Three others were killed.
Here's a look at what's happening in Chicago:
___
HOMICIDES UP
There were 441 homicides in the city between the start of the year and Aug. 21, a nearly 50 percent increase over the same period last year, police said. That's also more than 80 percent higher than at the same point in 2014, when the city ended the year with just over 400 homicides — the least in a half-century.
Other cities, such as Los Angeles and Memphis, Tennessee, also have seen homicides rise, according to a midyear survey by the Major Cities Chiefs Association. But experts say it isn't enough to suggest a trend, noting numbers are down elsewhere, such as Oakland, California, and Miami.
___
SHOOTINGS SOAR
Much of the increase in Chicago homicides is related to more shootings, which have been climbing since 2013 but have spiked this year to 2,228 as of Aug. 21.
That's 48 percent more than in the same timeframe last year, and easily surpasses the total recorded in all of 2014, when there were 2,084.
___
BUT WHY?
There isn't a clear cause.
Chicago police and Mayor Rahm Emanuel frequently point to gang violence and the easy availability of guns. The city once had some of the nation's strictest gun-control laws, but many are no longer on the books. Last year, the police department said it confiscated nearly 7,000 illegal guns.
Others point to a loss of trust between police and the community, a long-standing problem that grew worse after Chicago police released a squad-car video in November that showed a white police officer fatally shooting a black teenager 16 times. The video of Laquan McDonald's death set off weeks of protests.
Many of the neighborhoods on the city's South and West sides where the violence is concentrated struggle with gang membership and high unemployment and poverty rates.
___
INNOCENT BYSTANDERS
Police said Aldridge, a 32-year-old mother of four, was going to register her kids for school Friday when two men walked up and shot at a third man, hitting her in the head and arm.
She is among the many innocent people who have been hit by stray gunfire, including a growing number of young children.
In the first six months of the year, 15 children younger than 10 were shot, none fatally. That's seven more than in the first half of 2015.
The victims included a 6-year-old girl who was drawing with sidewalk chalk when she was shot in the back with a bullet intended for rival gang members. A bullet pierced the cheek of a 4-year-old boy as walked down a sidewalk, holding his mother's hand.


CHICAGO (AP) — The fatal shooting of NBA star Dwyane Wade's cousin in Chicago is part of a sharp uptick in gun violence in the nation's third-largest city th...


Wade's cousin's death part of uptick in Chicago gun violence


Club captain Glenn Loovens has expressed his relief over returning to action after a six-week absence.
Having recovered from ankle surgery, Loovens featured in the Owls development squad’s 2-0 victory over Birmingham City at Hillsborough today.
The Dutchman played over an hour as Neil Thompson’s team sealed their second successive home win courtesy of strikes by Claude Dielna and Warren Clarke.
Loovens told The Star: “It is always really good to get back out there after an injury. I have only been back in full training since Monday but I asked if I could play and hour and I’m glad I did. You can only do so much in training.”
For our Owls news and opinion on twitter follow here
It was the 32-year-old’s first outing since the Championship Play-Off final.
Trialist Reise Allansani
“I was struggling with the injury all season last year,” revealed Loovens. “I played through it with a lot of pain killing injections so I had to get it sorted.”
For more news from Hillsborough click here
Dielna opened the scoring in the 15th minute, curling in a glorious 25-yard free-kick.
After the break, Clarke lashed in the second before Daniel Cleary saw red late on.
*Owls: Dawson; Percival, Loovens (O’Grady 63), Dielna (Lee 83), Penney; Stobbs, Murphy, Clarke; Bus, Allansani (Centeno 35). Substitutes: Wallis, Rodney.
Follow Dom Howson on twitter

VIDEO: Owls captain Glenn Loovens relieved to put injury woes behind him


Visit now for the latest Sheffield Wednesday football news - direct from The Star and updated throughout the day.


Spanish police said Saturday they had smashed a major ring allegedly providing Chinese nationals living illegally in the country with fake contracts as domestic staff so they could get residency permits.
Police arrested 57 people across the country as part of the operation, including a Chinese couple suspected of running the ring, police said in a statement.
The authorities suspect Chinese nationals living illegally in Barcelona paid the ring around 8,000 euros ($9,000) for fake domestic work contracts with employers in the holiday island of Lanzarote, allowing them to obtain residency permits.
“They would return to Barcelona once they obtained a residency permit to work in the textile sector, without ever carrying out job they were hired for,” the statement said.
The ring allegedly paid employers, usually hotels in Lanzarote, 1,500-2,000 euros for each fake work contract they provided a Chinese national.
A police spokeswoman could not say how many Chinese nationals obtained residency permits through the scheme, saying only that the ring was “very important”.
Just under 200,000 Chinese nationals legally live in Spain, making the Chinese immigrant population the fourth largest foreign community in the country, according to national statistics institute INE.

Spanish police smash Chinese immigration ring


Nigeria news, news in Africa, politics, Entertainment, Sports


Dear Mr. President :
Last year, when you assumed office, the chant of “Change,” your campaign slogan, ushered you into the Presidential Villa. Today, cries of “hunger” could be heard across the length and breadth of our vast country.
Nigerians hunger, not only for food, but also for good leadership, for peace, security, and justice. This letter is to appeal to you to do something fast, and, if you are already doing something, to redouble your effort.
May it not be written on the pages of history that Nigerians die of starvation under your watch. As President, you are the chief servant of the nation. I, therefore, urge you to live up to the huge expectation of millions of Nigerians. A stitch in time saves nine.
This is the second year of your administration.
You and your party promised to lead the masses to the Promised Land. It is not an easy task to lead. But by campaigning for this office, you offered to take the enormous task of leadership upon yourself. Nigerians are waiting for you to fulfill the promises you made during the campaign.
They voted you into office because of those promises. The introduction of town hall meetings is a commendable idea. But in practice, you, not just your ministers, must converse with Nigerians. You are the President. You must be accountable to them. The buck stops on your desk.
Even if your administration has no magic wand at least give some words of encouragement. On this same score, please instruct your ministers, and insist that they be sincere and polite at those town meetings. Their sophistry will neither serve you nor Nigerians.
Mr. President, if you want to leave a credible legacy come 2019, in all sincerity, please retool your administration. Change is desirable. But it must be a change for the better. Let this change be real. Change is not real when old things that we ought to discard refuse to pass away.
You will need to take a critical look at your cabinet, at the policies and programs of your administration, and at those who help you to formulate and execute them. You will need to take a critical look at the manner of appointments you have been making.
It is true that commonsense dictates that you appoint men and women you can trust. But if most of the people you trust are from one section of the country and practice the same religion, then you and all of us are living in insecurity. The Nigerian economy has never been in a state as terrible as this.
You as President are like the pilot of an aircraft flying in turbulence. Turbulent times bring the best or the worst out of a pilot. We can no longer blame the turbulence on past administrations. You know quite well that some of the officials of your administration served in previous dispensations.
Blame for what we have been experiencing is, in fact, bipartisan in character. The entire political class needs to come together, irrespective of party differences, to acknowledge its collective guilt and to seek ways of saving the sinking ship that our country has become.
This cannot be done if some officials of your administration demonize and alienate members of the opposition. If a large portion of the blame for the present situation is to be laid on the doorsteps of the entire political class, the search for a solution must involve everyone.
That is why no one should be alienated. All hands must be on deck. This is the time to revitalize moribund industries, reinvigorate our agriculture, make our country tourist and investor friendly, and enable our young men and women to find fulfillment by contributing to the common good.
None of these lofty goals can be achieved without good education. On this particular issue, recent appointments you have made in the education sector raise a question: have you really appointed the best? Still, on education, it is important that our universities be allowed to use their own criteria to admit students.
It is a gross violation of the principles of federalism and academic freedom for the federal government to insist that only a federal parastatal can decide on who gains admission into our universities. It is the role of the university senate, not of government bureaucrats, to decide on who gets admitted and who is awarded a certificate.
Mr. President, your desire to wage a war on corruption is just and noble. But a just war must be waged with just means. Those who have stolen the wealth of this country have broken the laws of our country. They must be treated according to the law and not outside the law, and the outcome of the judicial process must be respected by the government.
Even accused persons have rights. Where those rights are violated, we risk a descent to anarchy. It is our candid opinion that corruption is not found in only one party. No political party in Nigeria has a monopoly of looters. That is why we need an EFCC that is thoroughly independent of the presidency, and an Attorney General without party affiliation working in partnership with various independent accounting institutes.
This will ensure that we come up with an objective list of those who plundered our treasury. Mr. President, pardon me if I sound like a gratuitous counselor. I owe you the truth and nothing but the truth. In my life as a public figure and a religious leader, I have offered my counsel, for whatever its worth, to quite a number of Presidents in this country.
I do this because I desire that you succeed. For the success of the leader is the success of the citizens. If there is no solution to Nigeria’s problem, there may be endless war. You strike one town, you gain it, and you come again to regain it. Remember that you cannot put a crown on your head.
It is the people who put it on you. Otherwise one day, you will get tired of it. Please listen to the legitimate cries of your fellow citizens.
Cardinal Anthony Okogie, the emeritus Archbishop of Lagos, writes from Lagos.

Cardinal Anthony Okogie writes open letter to President Buhari


(CNN) "I cannot stand and sing the anthem. I cannot salute the flag. I know that I am a black man in a white world."
That's not Colin Kaepernick, the San Francisco 49ers quarterback whose refusal to stand during the national anthem has invited criticism from all corners of the sports world.
That's Jackie Robinson, beloved baseball pioneer and civil rights activist, writing in his 1972 autobiography, " I Never Had It Made ."
After Kaepernick was spotted sitting during the anthem preceding last Friday's NFL preseason game, the struggling quarterback said he would not stand "to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of color."
It's hard not to notice their words are almost perfectly aligned. But it shouldn't be a surprise when you consider some historical context, namely, that the anthem actually contains a reference to slavery and Kaepernick is far from the first athlete to question its scope.
The national anthem's forgotten lyrics
"The Star-Spangled Banner" was written by Francis Scott Key in 1814 about the American victory at the Battle of Fort McHenry. We only sing the first verse, but Key penned three more. This is the third verse:
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore,
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a Country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.
The mere mention of "slave" is not entirely remarkable; slavery was alive and well in the United States in 1814. Key himself owned slaves, was an anti-abolitionist and once called his African brethren " a distinct and inferior race of people ."
As an anthem, "The Star-Spangled Banner" has never been a unanimous fit. Since it was officially designated as the national anthem in 1931, Americans have debated its suitability of its militaristic lyrics and difficult tune. (Some have offered up "God Bless America" and "America the Beautiful" are as alternatives.)
Athletes and the American ritual
JUST WATCHED The salute that changed the world Replay More Videos ... MUST WATCH The salute that changed the world 02:40
The American ritual of the national anthem has always been a crucible for patriotism and protest. It presents a particularly fraught dynamic for sports stars, since sports events are often so closely tied with the rhetoric of American pride. When a highly visible opinion comes up against a highly visible symbol, the result is always incendiary.
Around the same time, Jackie Robinson was using his achievements to advance civil rights causes, two American Olympic runners, Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in a black power salute during a medal ceremony at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City as the anthem was playing.
The result was iconic. The reaction was ugly. Racial slurs were hurled at the pair and an article in Time called it a " public display of petulance ."
Today, similar criticisms have been leveled against Kaepernick, a biracial Super Bowl quarterback who was raised by white adoptive parents and made $13 million in 2014. He was called "spoiled." He was called far worse in his Twitter mentions
It's a lot of ire for a gesture with a strong historical and rhetorical precedent.
One doesn't even need to dip into iconic moments in history to follow the trend.

Slavery and the national anthem: The surprising history behind Colin Kaepernick's protest


The anthem actually contains a reference to slavery and Kaepernick is far from the first athlete to question it.


Hartlepool United have signed ANOTHER striker after bringing in Tom Heardman on loan from Newcastle United.
Barely had the ink dried from Bradley Fewster's signature on a half-season deal for the Middlesbrough forward when Pools announced the switch of Heardman.
The 20-year-old Geordie joins Pools until the turn of the year and will come into contention for Saturday's League Two trip to Stevenage.
Heardman has enjoyed good reviews at Newcastle with local media pundits saying the last man of his height to bang in goals in a black and white jersey was Andy Carroll.
The young prospect, from Gosforth, stands 6ft 4in and has scored goals at youth and reserve level for the Magpies though he has recently recovered from a hip injury.
Heardman, who will have the No 34 shirt in the squad, spent last week training with Pools at Maiden Castle, where he impressed Hignett and his right-hand-man Curtis Fleming.
“I’m really pleased that Tom is coming into the club,” Hignett told the Pools website.
“He’s come back to fitness in good form and has scored a few goals for Newcastle’s Reserve side this season so we want him to come here and kick-on.
“He’s a big lad who can put himself about and he’s something a little bit different to the other forwards we have in the squad at the moment."
Like Fewster, Heardman will not be eligible for the Checkatrade Trophy tie \at Notts County tomorrow night.

Hartlepool sign Newcastle's ‘next Andy Carroll’ Tom Heardman on loan


Visit now for the latest Newcastle United news - direct from the Sunderland Echo and updated throughout the day.


Amazon Dash one-button device arrives in Britain
LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Seeking to capitalise on Britons too busy or forgetful to shop for household essentials, retail giant Amazon is bringing its thumb-sized, one-button ordering device to the UK.
From Wednesday, British Amazon Prime customers will be able to order supplies of products such as toilet paper, dishwasher tablets, dog food and coffee at the touch of the wifi-connected Amazon Dash button.
Each device is dedicated to a single product -- toilet roll, for instance -- with the brand's logo emblazoned on the buttons, which cost 4.99 pounds ($6.53) apiece. So if you wanted the service for two different products, you would need a separate device for each, though customers receive the cost of the device back in the form of a discount on their first order.
Some customers thought the U.S. launch on March 31, 2015, was an April Fool's joke, said Daniel Rausch, director of Amazon Dash.
But the service, as gimmicky as it may sound, appears to have caught the imagination of household goods manufacturers.
Rausch said that more than 150 brands have joined the scheme in the United States, up from about 20 at launch, and that there has been a threefold increase in customer orders through the devices in the past two months, though the company gave no data on sales numbers.
In Britain, Amazon Dash will launch with 48 brands in the scheme.
The next step for Amazon is to automate the service entirely, so that appliances such as printers, vacuum cleaners and washing machines order new ink, bags and washing powder when they are running low.


LONDON, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Seeking to capitalise on Britons too busy or forgetful to shop for household essentials, retail giant Amazon is bringing its thumb...


Amazon Dash one-button device arrives in Britain


2:12 Watch baby polar bear Nora grow up fast Pause
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2:59 The Buzz with Buzz: the Koch brothers, money and politics
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The Latest: Man in black detained before LAX airport panic


The Latest on false reports of a shooter that led to evacuations at Los Angeles airport (all times local):


PEMBROKE — Seed jewelry making and soapstone carving, laced with stories of history and tradition, are just a sample of the creative treasure trove Mardella Lowery will share this year with workshop students at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke’s Museum of Southeast Native American Indian.
When Lowery is approached by class organizers about sharing some of her skills, she comes to the table with about 30 possibilities, depending on the age of the students. But whether it’s seed jewelry or soapstone carving, Lowery plans for every student to leave her workshops with a finished project.
Born and raised in Robeson County, Lowery is a member of the Lumbee tribe. She moved to Philadelphia where she became involved in the United American Indians of Delaware Valley and began her teaching and art career. She focuses in the areas of bead and leather work, quilting, wood, bone and soapstone carving and storytelling.
Lowery has been the featured artist at hundreds of festivals, powwows, schools and libraries and recently appeared at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. She was the only American Indian among 152 artists accepted for Pennsylvania’s Artists in Education program.
She learned much of her craft from her family, but it was during one of her storytelling presentations years ago that she met her soapstone carving mentor, Old Bear Grinning. With his encouragement, she discovered a talent and love of carving, and learned to never leave work unfinished.
“He told me to never go into a class, or sit down to a piece of work, if you can’t finish it,” she said.
Lowery has the same expectation for her workshop students.
While it took her four nights to complete a turtle for Old Bear Grinning, workshop participants will have only two and a half hours to create their pieces. To make sure they can successfully complete their work, Lowery times how long it takes her to finish a potential workshop project, and then allows an extra 20 to 30 minutes for a student to be able to complete the same project.
Seed jewelry workshops are tentatively planned for Sept. 6 and 16, and she hopes to have soapstone carving workshops scheduled soon.
If a soapstone carving workshop is scheduled, students will be provided a 4-inch-by-5-inch piece of soapstone, a nail, a file and three weights of sandpaper. The cost of this class will depend on the weight and cost of the soapstone.
Seed jewelry students may choose from North Carolina and Navajo corn, three types of pumpkin, two kinds of cantaloupe or watermelon, or chinaberries. Seeds, beads, No. 8 needle and thread will be provided and the cost is $30 per person. If a child attends this workshop, the adult companion is responsible for ensuring both projects are complete with the allotted workshop time, or they can make one together.
Participants who want to bring a child to one of Lowery’s workshops should call Alisha Locklear Monroe, museum assistant, at 910-521-6282, to confirm age appropriateness of proposed projects. Lowery said if a project is shared, the cost for the child won’t be for the full amount.
The museum is located in Old Main on the campus of UNCP. For information call 910-521-6282 or visit uncp.edu/nativemuseum.
Juanita Lagrone | The Robesonian Tentatively scheduled for Sept. 6 and 16, seed jewelry workshop will offer students the opportunity to use cantaloupe, pumpkin, watermelon, chinaberry, Navaho corn or North Carolina corn. http://robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_seedjewelry2.jpg Juanita Lagrone | The Robesonian Tentatively scheduled for Sept. 6 and 16, seed jewelry workshop will offer students the opportunity to use cantaloupe, pumpkin, watermelon, chinaberry, Navaho corn or North Carolina corn. Juanita Lagrone | The Robesonian Lumbee artist and storyteller Mardella Lowery carved her own eagle smudge bowl. Accented with abalone shell, the bowl has been “colored” by the sweat of her hands. http://robesonian.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_LOWERYMardella2.jpg Juanita Lagrone | The Robesonian Lumbee artist and storyteller Mardella Lowery carved her own eagle smudge bowl. Accented with abalone shell, the bowl has been “colored” by the sweat of her hands.
Lowery creates jewelry, quilts, wood and bone creations
By Juanita Lagrone [email protected]
Reach Juanita Lagrone at [email protected] or call 910-416-5865.
Reach Juanita Lagrone at [email protected] or call 910-416-5865.


0:32 Carolina Panthers coach caught off guard by military jet flyover Pause
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0:35 Transit police officer saves man from oncoming train
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2:13 They're yours you know? Happy 100th to The National Park Service
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1:02 Happy 100th birthday, National Parks Service

Veterans tweet support for Kaepernick’s protest


People who identify themselves as veterans have tweeted pictures of themselves in uniform and messages of support under the hashtag #VeteransForKaepernick


Two men are due to appear in court on Saturday in connection with a €100,000 drugs seizure in Cork on Thursday.
Members of the Cork city divisional drugs squad are due to bring the two men, aged 35 and 33 respectively, before a special sitting of Cork District Court in relation to Thursday’s drugs seizure in Blarney.
Detectives are continuing to question a third man (35) from the Tower area in connection with the seizure .
The three quarters of a kilo of heroin worth €100,000 was found along with €1,000 worth of cocaine in an apartment in Blarney as part of a follow up search operation by gardaí.
Detectives had earlier recovered €8,000 worth of heroin when they searched two parked cars in an industrial estate in the Togher area of Cork city’s southside at around 3.30pm on Thursday.
Detectives arrested the three men, two of whom are from the Blarney area with the third (35) from the Tower area, and brought them to Togher and Gurranebraher Garda Stations.
All three were arrested under drugs trafficking legislation which allows the Garda to hold suspects for up to seven days. However last night gardaí received directions from the Director of Public Prosecutions to charge two of the suspects.
The arrests were part of an intelligence led operation by members of the Cork city divisional drugs squad investigating the activities of a criminal gang operating in the Cork area.

Two men due in court following €100,000 heroin seizure


Detectives continue to question a third man after drugs were seized in Cork


1:22 Trump and Clinton go after each other for racism - Election Rewind Pause
1:30 Trump promises safety for black and Hispanic voters, while Clinton reps battle AP - Election Rewind
1:45 Donald Trump speaks at Tampa presidential campaign rally
1:07 Trump supporters sell merchandise outside Tampa rally
1:32 Clinton and Justin Timberlake pose for photo booth photos while Trump camp accuses media of bias - Election Rewind
1:20 A closer look at propose Florida solar energy amendments
1:19 Kaine, Pence urge other camp to come clean - Election Rewind
1:28 Have we now seen all of Trump? - Election Rewind
1:42 Trump reshuffles campaign staff - Election Rewind
1:32 Gary Johnson on immigration: Let's not build a wall across the border

Ex-Congressman Anthony Weiner caught up in sexting scandal again


The disgraced ex-congressman, who is married to the vice chairwoman of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign, has reportedly been sexting a Donald Trump supporter, even sending a suggestive picture with his toddler son in bed with him.


1:57 Tim Kaine knocks Trump — and Florida Governor Scott Pause
1:22 Trump and Clinton go after each other for racism - Election Rewind
1:30 Trump promises safety for black and Hispanic voters, while Clinton reps battle AP - Election Rewind
1:45 Donald Trump speaks at Tampa presidential campaign rally
1:07 Trump supporters sell merchandise outside Tampa rally
1:32 Clinton and Justin Timberlake pose for photo booth photos while Trump camp accuses media of bias - Election Rewind
1:20 A closer look at propose Florida solar energy amendments
1:19 Kaine, Pence urge other camp to come clean - Election Rewind
1:28 Have we now seen all of Trump? - Election Rewind
1:42 Trump reshuffles campaign staff - Election Rewind

How many people like both Clinton and Trump? Umm...


Nearly no one has a positive opinion of both major presidential candidates, and unusually high numbers of people view both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump unfavorably, says a new Monmouth University poll


1:22 Trump and Clinton go after each other for racism - Election Rewind Pause
1:30 Trump promises safety for black and Hispanic voters, while Clinton reps battle AP - Election Rewind
1:45 Donald Trump speaks at Tampa presidential campaign rally
1:07 Trump supporters sell merchandise outside Tampa rally
1:32 Clinton and Justin Timberlake pose for photo booth photos while Trump camp accuses media of bias - Election Rewind
1:20 A closer look at propose Florida solar energy amendments
1:19 Kaine, Pence urge other camp to come clean - Election Rewind
1:28 Have we now seen all of Trump? - Election Rewind
1:42 Trump reshuffles campaign staff - Election Rewind
1:32 Gary Johnson on immigration: Let's not build a wall across the border
1:30 'We need to legalize marijuana,' Libertarian Gary Johnson says in Miami

Tim Kaine knocks Trump - and Florida Governor Scott


Second boycotter says will rejoin Libya's U.N.-backed government
TRIPOLI, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A member of the leadership of Libya's U.N.-backed government who is close to powerful rival factions in the east of the country has said he will end his boycott of the Tripoli-based body.
The decision by Ali Gatrani could strengthen the Government of National Accord (GNA), coming days after a second boycotting member of the government's nine-member leadership, or Presidential Council, said he would resume his role.
But in a statement late on Saturday, Gatrani referred anew to concerns around the continuing power of armed groups in the politics of the oil-producing North African state.
Eastern factions have blocked the parliament based in the east from approving the GNA, saying they believe the U.N.-backed government is dependent on militias and is undermining eastern forces led by General Khalifa Haftar.
Western states are counting on the GNA as the best option in tackling the political chaos, security vacuum and economic collapse that have convulsed Libya since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in an uprising five years ago.
The result of a U.N.-mediated deal signed in December, the GNA arrived in Tripoli, the capital in the west of Libya, three months later where it has gradually moved to install ministers.
But it has failed to win endorsement from the pre-existing parliament in the east, which is seen as indispensable if it is to extend its authority across the country.
Last week, the Council said it would resubmit a list of ministers to the parliament in the east, after some lawmakers there voted for a second time to reject it.
Gatrani said he was resuming his role in response to an invitation to a meeting on Sunday from Fayez Seraj, who heads both the GNA and the Presidential Council.
He said his top concern was "the rights of the Barqa region and its people ... whom we represent, along with their sons' sacrifices in the police and the army". Barqa is the name for Libya's eastern region.
Gatrani said he had been surprised by the Presidential Council's move from Tunis to Tripoli in March, even though the U.N. backed deal "states that the venue of Presidential Council meetings would be in the capital, Tripoli, only after the militias have left".
"For that we inform you that we are not going to respond to the call to convene unless the meeting venue is in a Libyan city controlled by regular police and army," he said.
The parliament now in the east left Tripoli in 2014 after armed opponents seized the capital and installed rival institutions there. The GNA has largely displaced the former government in Tripoli, but has struggled to win popular support.


TRIPOLI, Aug 28 (Reuters) - A member of the leadership of Libya's U.N.-backed government who is close to powerful rival factions in the east of the country h...


Second boycotter says will rejoin Libya's U.N.-backed government


GALLIPOLIS — Officials with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities said Friday they are eliminating 32 full-time positions from the Gallipolis Developmental Center.
The positions, officials said, are part of a plan to streamline the workforce with the number of clients the Gallipolis facility serves. At present, officials said the workforce in Gallipolis doesn’t match with the number of people who live at the facility. Although 32 full-time positions will be eliminated by the first week of December, the state plans to turn 18 of those positions into part-time opportunities.
According to John Martin, director of the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, GDC employees may have the option to stay on as part-time workers.
“We had to deliver some very difficult news (Friday) at the Gallipolis Developmental Center this morning,” Martin said. “We have, simply put, more staff than we need for the number of folks who live there. So, we made an announcement around 10 (a.m.).”
Martin said along with the position changes, the state is offering an early retirement buyout. Martin said he believes 36 members of GDC staff would qualify, if they choose to take that option.
“We want to make the operation as efficient as possible and have the right number of staff for the right number of folks who live there,” he said. “It’s hard. These are dedicated (employees) who are good people and it’s a difficult message for us to have to deliver.”
Martin said that nationally, West Virginia does not have state facilities like Ohio’s GDC, neither does Indiana or Michigan.
“In Ohio, we still see a role for the centers,” he said. “They are becoming smaller, but we still feel they play a critical role in our service delivery system. Often, they are handling complex individuals. Something we’re trying to emphasize is we’re not here to close the center and that’s not what our intent is.”
Martin said that some of the decisions to be made with GDC’s transition may still be up in the air as union workers will come to negotiate. The director said the state department would do the best it could to keep employees aware of job openings that fit their qualifications. The department will also work with Gallia office of the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services and job fairs to keep individuals informed of career opportunities.
The elimination of jobs is not due to budgetary issues, but in an attempt to streamline staff. Currently, before employee cutbacks take place, GDC has 192 employees and 53 clients it serves.
Martin said GDC is moving toward a temporary care facility for individuals experiencing a crisis in their lives and will handle serious care needs.
“Somebody could be at home with mom and dad and go into crisis or they could be in a group home and go into crisis,” Martin said. “They come into our centers. We do crisis stabilization and then follow them back into the community and support them there. That’s been one of the transitions that we have done.”
Since 2009, facilities like GDC have seen a gradual reduction in clients due to aggressive effort to enforce the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Olmstead v. L.C. According to ada.gov, the ruling required states to “eliminate unnecessary segregation of persons with disabilities and to ensure that persons with disabilities received services in the most integrated setting appropriate to their needs.”
GDC has scaled back its roles in state developmental care. The facility in the past has been considered to be a major employer in the Ohio Valley region. Since that time, many former GDC workers have moved on. The facility had a maximum population of more than 1,500 people in its lifetime and the location had served as an American Civil War hospital as well as an epileptic hospital before serving as the area’s developmental center.
GDC superintendent Margaret Mossbarger previously told the Tribune, three years ago the facility had 300 residents. A few years ago, a contentious battle was held between employees and the state over previous GDC cutbacks. Gov. John Kasich made an appearance at Rio Grande. Locals protested his appearance.
After July of this year, eight centers like GDC exist throughout Ohio. GDC serves Pickaway, Ross, Pike, Scioto, Hocking, Vinton, Jackson, Lawrence, Gallia, Meigs, Athens and Washington counties. The state agency has announced it is closing two other facilities in the state.
Many individuals like GDC’s residents have been moving into private residential care communities like the ResCare facility in Rio Grande.
State officials are still in the talks with undisclosed organizations as to what will happen with GDC residential cottages. Zach Haughawout, communications and legislation representative with the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities, said ideally he thinks the buildings are best outfitted to services providing residential care and such organizations looking to provide those services would be considered first to make use of the cottages.
Dean Wright can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2103.
http://mydailysentinel.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_DSCN6165-5.jpg

UPDATE: 32 FT jobs eliminated at Gallipolis Developmental Center


“Do you know what tha dha ri na means? Everyone who has learnt carnatic music hums these syllables; find out what they mean,” said a smiling K.J. Yesudas. No other music is as great as carnatic with its 72 melakartha structure and the manodharma involved in singing it, he added.
“And you can sing it only if you have the blessings of your guru. Even if you study under someone for 10 years, if he does not bless you, it won’t work,” said the veteran musician, who has trained under greats including Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar.
“It was T. V. Gopalakrishnan and the Jaya-Vijaya duo, who took me to my guru when my father insisted that I learn carnatic music. Though the family was passing through very difficult times, my father, who was a theatre artist, insisted that I learn music as he himself had not been able to. He did not ask me to take up a job and earn,” he recalled.
‘He never took money’
Mr. Yesudas also said that every student who had learnt music under Chembai, as he is known, had done well in life.
“Despite me being a Christian, he made me sit near him and taught me for five years. I remember learning a keerthanai from him during a train journey. He never took money from any of his students,” he said.
Mr. Yesudas, who addressed the press in connection with the second edition of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar festival to be held between August 30 and September 1 at Krishna Gana Sabha, said at least 14 senior artists including P.S. Narayanaswamy, S. R. Janakiraman, Madurai G.S. Mani, Umayalpuram K. Sivaraman and R. Thayumanavan would be honoured during the three-day festival. On all three days, a workshop on carnatic and sound technology would be held. Concerts by upcoming and senior musicians would be organised from 9 a.m. on all days.
Musician K.J. Yesudas recalled his life-changing experience as a student of Chembai Vaidyanatha Bhagavathar

Chembai music festival in Chennai from August 30


“Do you know what
tha dha ri na
means? Everyone who has learnt carnatic music hums these syllables; find out what they mean,” said a smiling K.J. Yesudas. No other music is as great as c


Terminally ill patients must be allowed to die naturally, with all dignity till the end, says M.R. Rajagopal, chairman of Pallium India.
The draft bill, Medical Treatment of Terminally-ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, or the “Passive Euthanasia Bill” confuses between euthanasia and natural death, according to experts.
Euthanasia, active or passive, would be killing. But what is required would be that terminally ill patients be allowed to die naturally, with all dignity till the end by providing them palliative care and pain relief, M.R. Rajagopal, chairman of Pallium India, has said.
Speaking at a discussion on “Life with dignity to the End,” in the context of the proposed draft Bill on Passive Euthanasia organised by Pallium India here on Friday, Dr. Rajagopal said a patient or his family choosing not to prolong death with artificial support measures and human interventions inside intensive care units in hospitals was not euthanasia.
Intentional ending
Euthanasia is intentional ending of one’s life, which was very different from the process of withholding or withdrawing life support measures that artificially sustain a person’s life, he said. The draft Bill should distinguish between the terminology “withholding” and “withdrawing” life support, he said.
The proposed Bill also threatens to invalidate the “living will” or Advance Directive that the patient and her/his family have drawn up. Not respecting Advance Directive would be violating an individual’s right to autonomy, Dr. Rajagopal said.
Participating in the discussion, legal experts said there was much confusion regarding the validity of a living will and that going by the current law, living will would be applicable only for withholding life support to artificially sustain life. For withdrawing life support already put in place to keep a patient alive, court directive would be necessary.
B. Ekbal, public health expert and member, State Planning Board, said technology-driven medical care of the day often forgot the basics of medical care, primarily, the autonomy of the patient.

Draft Bill should be clear about euthanasia: experts


The draft bill, Medical Treatment of Terminally-ill Patients (Protection of Patients and Medical Practitioners) Bill, or the “Passive Euthanasia Bill” confuses between euthanasia and natural death, a


Zachary Todd Anderson has been booked in the Crow Wing County Jail Saturday on suspicion of first-degree murder and kidnapping of 5-year-old Alayna Ertl of Watkins, Minnesota. Booking photo/Crow Wing County Jail
WALKER, Minn. — The 25-year-old Coon Rapids, Minn., man arrested in connection with the abduction and death of 5-year-old Alayna Jeanne Ertl was charged Tuesday with second-degree murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of kidnapping and theft.
The suspect, Zachary Todd Anderson, made his first court appearance on the criminal charges, all felonies, late Tuesday morning in Cass County District Court in Walker before Judge David Harrington. Harrington set unconditional bond at $2 million.
Anderson is accused of kidnapping Alayna from her Watkins, Minn., home early Saturday.
Meeker County Sheriff’s Office deputies received a report at 10 a.m. Saturday of a missing child. Ertl’s parents told deputies she had been put to bed at 2 a.m. Saturday and at 8 a.m. both the girl and a guest who had spent the night, Anderson, were gone. The parent’s white GMC Sierra truck also was missing with the father’s cellphone inside.
Deputies conducted a neighborhood canvass for Alayna. They also contacted the family’s cell phone provider to try to locate the whereabouts of Anderson. When Alayna was not located during the canvass, the Meeker County Sheriff’s Office contacted the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to request assistance with the investigation. An AMBER Alert was issued at 1:12 p.m. Saturday.
Cass County sheriff’s deputies located the stolen vehicle on property owned by Anderson’s family in rural Cass County. No one was inside the vehicle or a cabin on the property, the BCA stated.
Additional law enforcement responded to the property and Anderson was located at 4:24 p.m. by K-9 officers in a wooded area about a quarter mile from the cabin on the 4900 block of Iroquois Trail Loop Southwest. Anderson did not attempt to flee, he did not have a weapon and did not resist arrest, the BCA stated.
Information provided by the suspect as well as additional investigative efforts led law enforcement to Alayna’s remains in a swampy wooded area a few hundred yards from the cabin. She was pronounced deceased at the scene. A preliminary autopsy from the Ramsey County Medical Examiner’s office indicated Alayna’s death was the result of homicidal violence.
The crime is being investigated jointly by the Meeker and Cass County sheriff’s offices and the BCA.

Charges filed against family friend in kidnapping, murder of 5-year-old


PANAJI: Bridgestone India Pvt Ltd, subsidiary of world’s largest tyre and rubber company Bridgestone Corporation, announced the foray of America’s legendary tyre brand Firestone in India. The brand will launch Firestone FR500™ targeted at the passenger car segment and Firestone Destination™ LE02 for the SUV car segment. Firestone founded in 1900 in the United States of America by Harvey Firestone, is a brand that has delivered quality and dependability for over 100 years, which is reflected in the brand’s tagline ‘Always Dependable’. It is this heritage and legacy combined with years of experience and research that has helped Firestone become a leading global tyre brand. NT
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Long Prairie Police led on chase by bicyclist


BROOKLYN, Mich. – Kyle Larson raced to his first Sprint Cup victory Sunday, taking the lead on a restart with nine laps remaining and holding off Chase Elliott at Michigan International Speedway in a duel between two of NASCAR's up-and-coming standouts.
Elliott had a comfortable lead before a tire problem on Michael Annett's car brought out the yellow flag. Larson had the better restart and went on to win by 1.48 seconds. Brad Keselowski finished third.
Larson's victory in his No. 42 Chevrolet snapped a 99-race losing streak for Chip Ganassi Racing dating to Jamie McMurray's victory at Talladega in 2013.
Larson secured a spot in the Chase for the Sprint Cup with two races left in the regular season. Elliott remains winless, but is in solid shape to make the Chase field on points if need be.
It was the 99th career start for the 24-year-old Larson, who had 14 top-five finishes before Sunday but hadn't won at the Cup level. The 20-year-old Elliott is winless in 29 starts, but this was an impressive showing for him after eight consecutive races outside the top 10.
Elliott finished second at Michigan in June as well, losing to Joey Logano.
Elliott led by 2.86 seconds with 28 laps to go Sunday, and it looked like Larson's chance to catch him had been derailed when he lost ground passing a lapped car. The caution gave him another shot, though, and he took advantage.
There were only four cautions in the 200-lap, 400-mile race. Larson led a race-high 41 laps. Logano, the pole winner, finished 10th.
Chris Buescher, who has a victory but still needs to stay in the top 30 in points to make the Chase, finished 35th after some early engine trouble. Buescher is seven points ahead of David Ragan for 30th place on the season.
Alex Bowman, filling in for Dale Earnhardt Jr. in the No. 88 car, had a problem with the ignition system and finished 30th.
Hendrick Motorsports is now winless in the last 19 races after Elliott fell short, but there were some positive signs for the team. At the midway point, Hendrick cars were 1-2, with Jimmie Johnson leading Elliott at the front. Kasey Kahne was in fifth at that point.
Johnson ended up sixth, and Kahne finished 14th.
This is Hendrick's longest losing streak since a 22-race dry spell from 1993 into 1994.
Twelve drivers who have wrapped up Chase berths. Tony Stewart, who has a victory, has clinched a top-30 finish in points to secure his spot.
Buescher's situation is still uncertain, so there could end up being as many as four drivers making it in on points. Elliott is 11th in the standings, the top driver with no victories.

Larson takes advantage of late restart for first Cup victory


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Here are Mississippi’s top high school football teams in each class as selected by a panel of Associated Press state sports writers.
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KGGS reported another excellent year for results at GCSE with the 58% A*/A result meaning that 58% of all subject passes were awarded the top two grades.
Ninety-nine per cent of all students at the Grantham girls’ school achieved at least 5 A*/C passes and 60 per cent achieved at least 5 A*/A passes this year.
Celebrating GCSE results at KGGS.
Headteacher Mr Scott was delighted for the Year 11 students at KGGS. He said: “Our staff and students have worked extremely hard and parents have been very supportive. Our students’ results are richly deserved and I am particularly pleased to report that they have achieved their academic success whilst still devoting a great deal of time and energy contributing to their wider school community. ”
There were a large number of outstanding individual performances at KGGS with an impressive 56 students achieving at least 10 A*/A grades. Special mentions should go to Isabel Leach with 12 A* grades, and Emma Carrington, Georgia Edge, Phoebe Jackson, Jemima Nambo, and Lauren Singer who were amongst a group who achieved 11 A* grades.

Grantham girls’ school celebrates another excellent year for GCSE results


KGGS reported another excellent year for results at GCSE with the 58% A*/A result meaning that 58% of all subject passes were awarded the top two grades.


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With 10,000 Syrian refugees settled, aid groups seek spots for more


The U.S. has met its resettlement goal of 10,000 Syrian refugees, but aid groups say the target is a woefully insufficient contribution for a country of American size and resources while opponents say the process endangers national security.


MOORHEAD — Like a lot of people, Will and Kristi Sauvageau had never heard of U-47700. They had no idea that it's a synthetic opioid eight times more powerful than morphine. They weren't aware that it's made in foreign labs and sold over the internet.
And they didn't know their 26-year-old son, Adam, was mixed up with it. Only after he was found dead at his north Moorhead home did they learn about U-47700.
"This is a scary drug," said Lt. Brad Penas of the Moorhead Police Department. "This is not a drug that's necessarily new to the United States, but it's maybe new to our area."
Penas said Adam Sauvageau died from an apparent drug overdose earlier this month. Based on evidence gathered, investigators suspect that U-47700 played a role in his death, but they won't know for sure until they receive autopsy results, the lieutenant said.
Police are trying to figure out where the U-47700 in this case originated, and they want to determine who's selling this powdery drug that can be injected, snorted or taken orally.
"I would guess the product's coming from overseas. I would suspect China," Penas said. "Typically, this kind of drug is mail order."
Other law enforcement agencies in the Fargo-Moorhead area say they have not come across U-47700, but they have encountered other synthetic opioids, such as fentanyl and its analog, furanyl fentanyl.
'That stupid stuff'
Born in Perham, Sauvageau lived in Glyndon before moving to Moorhead when he was about 5 years old. His parents, who are divorced, described him as a smart kid with a sense of humor and a bunch of friends.
"He liked his catfishing, liked his motorcycles," his mom said. "He just had a problem with that stupid stuff."
Sauvageau attended Moorhead public schools, and his parents believe he got hooked on drugs while in high school after he began hanging out with a different crowd. His dad assumes Adam started out using prescription drugs, but what led up to his opioid use isn't clear.
Sometime after graduating from Moorhead High School, Sauvageau received outpatient treatment at Prairie St. John's Hospital in Fargo and later in Brainerd.
"I thought he was clean for a while, and he was doing really good," his father said. "Temptation must have got to him."
His parents said they occasionally tried talking to him about his addiction, but it was a difficult subject to broach. "He said he just suffered all the time, basically. He'd be happy on the outside, but (on) the inside, he just couldn't beat it," his father said.
His mother lamented the shortage of local treatment options for people with opioid addictions. She said she would sometimes ask her son about getting help, and he would try to reassure her.
"I'm taking care of it, Mom," he would say. "I'm taking care of it."
'To bury their child'
Opioids like heroin and fentanyl have taken a toll on the Fargo-Moorhead region this year, resulting in scores of hospitalizations and about a dozen fatal overdoses. Sauvageau's death is the first that appears connected to U-47700.
The drug, which sells for about $40 a gram online, has been linked to at least 50 deaths nationwide, The Associated Press reported in June. It's one of a variety of potent synthetic opioids that have popped up around the country. An extreme example is carfentanil, a drug sold commercially as a sedative for elephants.
Because new versions of these drugs are quickly produced and distributed, state and federal officials have scrambled to regulate them.
The Drug Enforcement Administration is in the process of evaluating U-47700, but in the meantime, it's taken emergency action to outlaw the drug nationwide, said Kenneth Solek, assistant special agent in charge of the Minneapolis-St. Paul district office.
Sauvageau was a cook at the Brickhouse Tavern in Moorhead, and he had been living with his father. On the afternoon of Aug. 12, his dad came home to find a message on the answering machine that said his son had not shown up for work.
"So I went downstairs to wake him up about 2 o'clock," his father said. "He was already dead."
A little over two months before, Sauvageau had suffered his first drug overdose, presumably from opioid use, his mom said. Afterward, she told him, "A parent is not supposed to bury their child."
Sauvageau's response was nonchalant. "He just kind of, like, shrugged it off," she said. "He was using too much again."
This weekend, Sauvageau's family plans to spread his ashes along the banks of the Red River in Gooseberry Mound Park where he spent hours upon hours catfishing.
"He had his best times there, I think," his dad said.

Moorhead police: New synthetic opioid U-47700 may have played role in apparent overdose death


28 more patients admitted to various hospitals
Even as a total of 97 patients from across Tiruvallur district are being treated for fever in various hospitals, the Public Health Department on Thursday urged residents to participate in reducing sources of mosquito breeding. On Thursday, 28 new patients were admitted to the hospitals while 23 were discharged. Many of the patients are undergoing treatment at government hospitals and a few, at a private centre.
“There has been a marginal increase in the admission rate and possibly even in the cases of fever. But, we are also seeing more people coming forward for admission. As we are taking all possible precautionary measures, more people are being admitted,” said Director of Public Health K. Kolandaisamy.
As many as 10 persons from Adi Andhrawada and Kaverirajapuram are in hospitals at present.
An official said that there was no cause for panic and that the department was fully prepared to deal with the fever cases. “We are conducting intense campaigns to prevent further cases of fever. We have alerted all the Collectors to put in place multi-dimensional mechanisms at the first instance of fever. So far, the number of dengue cases in Tamil Nadu this year has been lower than the number this time last year,” Dr. Kolandaisamy said.
He, however, stressed that public participation was crucial to eradicating breeding sources such as open pits, sump and The challenge in rural areas is that the animals are kept in close proximity to the houses. The focus is on creating awareness of maintaining hygiene and avoiding infections such as leptospirosis, he said. “We need public participation to make this campaign sustainable,” he said.

Public help sought to curb mosquito menace


Even as a total of 97 patients from across Tiruvallur district are being treated for fever in various hospitals, the Public Health Department on Thursday urged residents to participate in reducing sou


RACINE, Ohio — It’s always important to head into league play with momentum.
The Southern volleyball made the most of its final non-conference match before beginning the 2016 Tri-Valley Conference Hocking Division slate, as the Lady Tornadoes swept River Valley — which also starts league play next — by a 3-0 count, on Monday night in Meigs County.
The Lady Tornadoes (2-0) never trailed in the opening game of the night, rolling to a 25-12 win, capped off by five straight service points by SHS junior libero Jane Roush.
In the second game, Southern had three separate runs of at least 5-0 each, as the Purple and Gold cruised to a 25-13 victory.
In the third game, the Lady Tornadoes jumped out to a 9-1 lead, highlighted by six straight service points by Sierra Cleland. River Valley (1-3) battled back to within four points at 11-7, but couldn’t get any closer, as Southern capped off the 3-0 sweep with a 25-14 victory.
Southern — which hasn’t played since last Tuesday, when the Lady Tornadoes swept Meigs — is now 2-0 under first-year head coach Kim Hupp.
“We had a good week off and we worked very, very hard in practice,” Hupp said. “Today, I think the girls had fun, and they executed very well. We bumped-set-spiked, that was our goal and I thought they executed that very well.”
RVHS is now just 1-3 on the season, all against TVC Hocking opponents. First-year RVHS head coach Megan Elliott noted her team needs an attitude adjustment if it wants to bounce back.
“They’re attitudes just weren’t there,” Elliott said of her team. “They didn’t come out wanting to win and it just kills them. It is completely detrimental to their entire game and they started out like that. They had a couple points where they brought themselves up and were able to come back a little bit, but it wasn’t enough to bring it through.”
Southern’s service attack was led by Cleland and Amanda Cole with 10 points apiece, including two aces and one ace respectively. Roush had nine points and a game-best three aces, Kamryn Smith added eight points and one ace, while Sara Schenkelberg and Marlee Maynard both finished with four points, including one ace by Schenkelberg. Katie Barton rounded out the SHS service attack with one point in the win.
“We were working together as a team,” Hupp said. “It takes all of them, they all got into night and they all did their jobs. The girls coming off the bench did their jobs. I thought our hitters hit very well, hit around the block and got it down.”
At the net, Cole led the Lady Tornadoes with 11 kills and two blocks, followed by Kamryn Smith with eight kills. Marissa Johnson posted seven kills, Faith Teaford added five, while Cleland and Maynard each added four kills and one block, with Maynard recording a majority of the team’s assists. Macie Michael rounded out the SHS net attack with two kills in the victory.
Emily Adkins led RVHS with four service points, followed by Carly Gilmore with three. Isabella Mershon finished with two points and one ace for the Lady Raiders, while Angel Toler, Jaden Neal and Rayanna Adkins each marked one service point.
“In practice they do very well and they know what they’re doing,” Elliott said. “We practice covering and I feel like, for the most part, they come in and apply that really well. Their communication was lacking, but they were covering decent on the hits and blocks. Skill-wise it wasn’t too bad, but as for their attitudes and working together as a team, they didn’t quite come together for it.”
River Valley’s net attack was led by Gilmore and Brianna McGuire with three kills and four blocks apiece. Rachel Horner marked three kills and three blocks, Toler added two kills and one block, while Emily Adkins finished with two kills. Mershon led RVHS with six assists, followed by Toler with two. Toler marked a team-high 12 digs, followed by Gilmore and Cierra Roberts with 10 each.
Southern will return to action on Thursday, when it hosts Trimble, which is one of two teams SHS shared the 2015 TVC Hocking championship with.
“We will just prepare for it the same way we did this game,” Hupp said of Thursday’s scheduled clash with Trimble.
After starting TVC Ohio play at Wellston on Tuesday, River Valley will return home for a league-clash with Nelsonville-York, on Thursday.
Alex Hawley can be reached at 740-446-2342, ext. 2100.
Southern senior Marlee Maynard (center) spikes the ball between River Valley’s Emily Adkins (29) and Rachel Horner (5) during the Lady Tornadoes’ sweep of the Lady Raiders, on Monday in Racine. http://mydailytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.31-SHS-Maynard-1.jpg Southern senior Marlee Maynard (center) spikes the ball between River Valley’s Emily Adkins (29) and Rachel Horner (5) during the Lady Tornadoes’ sweep of the Lady Raiders, on Monday in Racine. Alex Hawley/OVP Sports River Valley senior Emily Adkins (29) attempts a spike during the Lady Raiders’ loss at Southern, on Monday. http://mydailytribune.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/web1_8.31-RV-Adkins-1.jpg River Valley senior Emily Adkins (29) attempts a spike during the Lady Raiders’ loss at Southern, on Monday. Alex Hawley/OVP Sports