Kafir hate via a hostile mindset is finding institutional inroads and bases to its justification in many countries, not limited to the Islamic nations alone.

A disturbing twitter post has left me and several others perturbed over the past week:

This tweet in Kashmiri addressed to me says May your dead body be found on Houston (USA) highways along with the dead-body of your children. This is just one sample of abuse I get everyday for tweeting about Kashmir. I get scared, traumatized, worried for my family, I block and move on because I know I wont get the support.

This is what Sunanda Vashisht, a full time professional and a known voice of Kashmiri Hindus posted on 1stJuly 2020.

A few days before the American Independence Day, this has more reasons for diaspora to be concerned than one. The famous words of Abraham Lincoln at his Gettysburg Address, acclaimed as the best known sentence in English language states thus stated: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Faith is an important aspect of ones identity and to exercise it freely forms one of the basic principles of liberty and freedom. Critics of Jehad are labelled as intolerant; the dictionary meaning of it beinga holy war waged on behalf of Islam as a religious duty.

Many followers of the Islamic faith will reject Jehad as their movement. Infact, there are champions of the Islamic faith who espouse principles of freedom, liberty, justice and equality. In a recent address to an Islamic Research Centre, Ibrahim Kalin, Turkish Presidential spokesperson said, Sixty percent of conflicts in the world todayarehappening in Muslim countries. This must be a hard lesson for all of us. Islam is a religion of peace and tolerance, constantly taking the side of world peace and global justice.

There are atleast 50 countries that are Muslim-Majority (over 50% Muslim population). Among the prominent Islamic states are: Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Oman, and Yemen. There are states where Islam is politically defined state religion: Egypt, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Algeria, Malaysia, Maldives, Morocco, Libya, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Bangladesh, Somalia and Brunei.

Turkey, a modern, democratic and secular state has just recently after much debate and world attention, converted the Hagia Sophia, a former Greek Orthodox patriarchal cathedral into a Mosque. Almost 85 years back, in1935, the first Turkish President and founder of the Republic of Turkey,Mustafa Kemal Atatrk, transformed the building into a museum, prohibiting the use of the building as a place of worship. In 2006, the Turkish government first allowed the construction of a small prayer room for both Christian and Muslim devotees, and since 2013, from the minarets of the museum the muezzin sings the call to prayer twice a day.

Malaysia, celebrated as truly Asia the government in 1970s implemented a Bumiputra (son of the soil) policy that is designed to favour indigenous Muslim population of the country by affirmative action in public sector.Oh! and the case of Everest Moorthy hasnt been forgotten by the Hindus in Malaysia. A Tamil practicing Hindu, he was a member of the first group of Malaysians to climb Mount Everest in 1997. He died at the age of 36 on 20 December 2005 and his family were denied the body under Shariah law stating that Moorthy had converted to Islam before his death. His family were Hindu so they were denied the right to cremate him. Moorthys wife filed petitions but the High Court dismissed the application, stating it had no jurisdiction to determine whether Moorthy had converted to Islam, because the Syariah High Court had already ruled on the matter. Though there was no record, no evidence of Moorthy converting to Islam, the family were not able to attend his funeral nor participate in his last rites.

Pakistan government gave permission to the construction of a Krishna temple in Islamabad, its first ever in 2018. Hailed as a significant step to Naya Pakistan vision of more tolerant, chapter for the country especially as the Prime Minister Imran Khan ordered a sanction of nearly a fifth of the total cost of the temple, $1.3 million for its construction. The Muslim clerics stepped in immediately and for the past two years pressured the government into disallowing the construction of a temple in a Muslim majority country. Citizens were mobilised heavily criticising the government for misusing public money and finally the government backtracked a few days ago its pledge to donate the money seeking counsel from the Council of Islamic ideology. The temple site was vandalised heavily with videos and imagery of this in progress shared on social media. None of the vandals have been arrested. Pakistan, though founded as an Islamic state had a secular, democratic constitution drafted by its founder, Mohd Ali Jinnah which has converted to more radically Islamic Nation than what was proposed. Next door in India, there are over 300,000 400,000 mosques in the country, with around 22 in the 10 km radius of Delhi (excluding the NCR region).

The world is dealing with an increasing intolerance; Kafir Hate via a hostile mindset that is finding institutional inroads and bases to its justification in many countries, not limited to the Islamic Nations alone. Jehadi Johns are created in the West and radicalised. Burhan Wanis are celebrated asMujahids, children are being brainwashed to pelt stones and fight for azadi.And Sunandas of the free world are terrorised for talking about her personal tragedy, of having suffered an ethnic genocide in Kashmir, at the behest of slogans shouted from the local mosque: Die, Convert or Leave, just because she is a Hindu.

************************Lakshmi Kaul is a British Indian living in London

See the article here:

The idea of liberty in a world that hates 'kafir' - The Sunday Guardian

In the Declaration of Independence, the very first right is life, followed by liberty and the pursuit of happiness. There is a reason for that order. When people dont wear a mask in a public place, they are threatening my life and those of others while holding liberty (freedom) at a higher level.

Actually, it shows people just dont care and they fall back on freedom as an excuse.

Gov. Mills is holding the public accountable to the highest principles of this country by requiring masks. I guess she needs to since the no-maskers wont.

Those who strongly support the Second Amendment and believe in liberty/right/freedom to have guns still have rules imposed by the state that a person cant indiscriminately wave a gun around in a crowd with a finger on the trigger. Thats pretty much what people are doing right now when they dont wear a mask. They are spraying droplets into the air that potentially contain the coronavirus.

There are new rules for a reason: to protect peoples lives so they can have liberty and the right to pursue happiness.

Those who think not wearing a mask is a political statement should pay attention to the Declaration of Independence.

Wearing a mask is just common sense. Those who think the world revolves around them might not believe that.

Anyone who sees someone not wearing a mask, even for a legitimate health reason, in a public place, should keep their distance. Theyve got their finger on the trigger.

Robert Limoges, Poland

Editors note: This letter was corrected on July 15 to reflect the phrase life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is contained in the Declaration of Independence.

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Robert Limoges: Non-maskers a threat to life, liberty - The Bethel Citizen

15th July, 2020 by Owen Bellwood

Spirits advisory company Harris & Simms has acquired a stake in American whiskey brand Saint Liberty for an undisclosed sum.

Saint Liberty Whiskey aims to uncover untold stories of Prohibition-era women bootleggers

Harris & Simms was founded by Dia Simms and Erin Harris, who previously worked as president and SVP of Combs Enterprises, founded by American rapper Sean Diddy Combs. Simms and Harris helped develop premium vodka Croc, which is owned by spirits producer Diageo with the backing of Combs, into a million-case selling brand.

The duo has now taken a meaningful stake in Saint Liberty Whiskey, which uses its releases to uncover untold stories of the pioneering, Prohibition-era women bootleggers.

Saint Liberty Whiskey founder and chief historian, Mark Sorelle, said: We are so thrilled to have H&S as partners in Saint Liberty Whiskey. With their collective 30+ years experience in wine and spirits and disciplined approach to brand building they will be an invaluable asset to our team.

The first whiskey release from Saint Liberty is Berties Bear Gulch Bourbon Whiskey, which honours African-American homesteader Bertie Birdie Brown, who was known for making moonshine.

Harris added: Saint Liberty honours women, but the liquid is made for everyone. It is incredible whiskey full of character that is made for discerning whiskey drinkers. These women represent hustle and spirit. Their stories belong on the forefront of spirits history and the liquid belongs on the backbar of every quality bar. Its the spirit of revolution.

Each release from Saint Liberty Whiskey is proofed and bottled in the state where each inspiring woman originally resided, using the same water source they would have used 100 years ago.

Saint Liberty Whiskey has pledged to spend 5% of gross profits on supporting womens empowerment issues, entrepreneurial and educational efforts.

Original post:

Former Croc execs invest in Saint Liberty Whiskey - The Spirits Business

Two of New York's most recognizable landmarks could reopen as early as next week, News 4 has learned.

The National Park Service did not make the announcement official yet, but a spokesperson said their landmarks' reopening remains on track. Their reopening would fall in line with New York City entering Phase IV on Monday, if approved by Gov. Andrew Cuomo.

Masks and face coverings for visitors and park staff would be encouraged but not made mandatory, sources tell News 4. Masks would be mandatory on boats ferrying visitors to the islands.

Indoor access to the Statue of Liberty is not expected to reopen just yet.

Also reopening next week: the Empire State Building Observatory.

The iconic landmarks have been closed since early March when New York City and the state shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

View original post here:

Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island Expected to Open Early Next Week - NBC New York

This is a threat to liberty.

This summer, Americans have taken to the streets to protest police brutality and demand change. During the protest surrounding the death of Freddie Gray, officials in Baltimore quietly and secretly turned to the very surveillance technology now before the Board of Aldermen to track protestors. It came to light in June that U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was flying a large, high-altitude Predator drone above Minneapolis. Putting spy planes over St. Louis is a blatant effort to chill speech through a militaristic display of raw power. Surveillance technology is not new to St. Louis, but we are adding more to a freight train already out of control. Since the launch of the Real Time Crime Center in 2015, St. Louis embrace of surveillance technologies includes 1,100 cameras and a Stingray device used to track cell phones, all without regulation.

You may not agree with the causes driving people out in the streets today, but what happens when this technology is turned on you? You cannot support the right to assemble and simultaneously support the unrestricted use of surveillance technology.

Drones and other aircraft are a platform one that can be used to carry any number of other technologies up into the sky. Among the sensors they can carry are GPS, radar, range-finders, magnetic-field change sensing, sonar, radio frequency sensors and chemical and biochemical sensors.

This is not a Ring doorbell folks; this is the beginning of an Orwellian nightmare for the city of St. Louis.

If St. Louis continues to charge toward new, experimental technologies without community control, we are opening ourselves to a world in which every move we make outside of our home is subject to government scrutiny.

More than fifteen other cities around the country, including cities like Nashville, have stood up and passed legislation to ensure that a transparent and clear process is put in place to approve any use of surveillance technology, measure the effectiveness of that technology, and ensure it is free from racial bias. We owe that to our residents, to the victims of crime, and to our Constitution. We must have community control over police surveillance through measures like Board Bill 95 so that St. Louis can move toward a future of both safety and freedom.

Luz Mara Henrquez is the Executive Director of the ACLU of Missouri. The RFT welcomes interesting essays on topics of local interest. To contribute, contact Editor in Chief Doyle Murphy at doyle.murphy@riverfronttimes.com.

Excerpt from:

Opinion: St. Louis Spy Plane Proposal Is a Threat to Liberty - Riverfront Times

For our next stop on our journey across the Magic Kingdom as it begins reopening to the public, were making a patriotic turn toward Liberty Square. The Liberty Belle is up and sailing across the Rivers of America once again at the Magic Kingdom, but with extra safety precautions in the wake of COVID-19.

Liberty Belle is operating from 9:30 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Social distancing markers on the floor of the boat indicate where each party should stand in order to maintain a safe distance.

The green social distancing markers can be found all throughout the Liberty Belle, so you can still stand in your favorite spot and take in the scenic Magic Kingdom views.

Be sure to also check out our coverage of the Magic Kingdom Ferryboat reopening, and stay tuned as we continue to cover the Walt Disney World parks reopening over the next few days!

Related

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PHOTOS: Liberty Square Riverboat Sets Sail Again with New Social Distancing Measures at the Magic Kingdom - wdwnt.com

More than six weeks after George Floyd was killed under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, protests in Pittsburgh continued to call for sweeping changes to the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police and an end to systemic racism.

Hundreds gathered in East Liberty Monday afternoon at the former Zone 5 police station in East Liberty, which protesters say the police department plans to reoccupy and marched throughout East Liberty and Friendship to protest the move, and to call on city officials to defund the police.

There is still a lot of high-end development thats going on in this city. We still have this divide in Penn Avenue," organizer Randall Taylor said. "On one side of the street are upscale businesses and on the other side of the street are businesses that cater primarily to an African American consumer.

Taylor believes that returning the police station to the area will make things worse, pushing even more Black people out by making them feel too uncomfortable to live, travel through or shop in the neighborhood.

When you have more police presence, youre going to have more interactions with police, and when you have more interactions, that's going to lead to more arrests and other unpleasant things, he said.

Taylor envisions a new use for the Zone 5 station.

We need to convert that police station into a peace station, p-e-a-c-e, and talk about how to use that space to create a stronger community, he said.

Protesters also wanted to protect themselves and one another from contracting COVID-19. In attempts to do so, organizers did several 6-feet checks and asked protesters to spread out from one another. Everyone wore masks.

A public safety spokesperson could not be reached for comment about the departments plans for moving back to the East Liberty station. A leaky roof and sewer problems at the North Euclid Ave. station prompted the police to move to another building on Washington Blvd in 2007, according to reporting from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. The building was shared with firefighters who moved out last summer for repairs, according to a police press release.

But East Liberty has undergone massive changes since the building was last used -- and the dialogue over policing has shifted across the country in the past few months.

Pittsburgh needs to make changes, said Nique Craft, one of the leaders of a Monday protest. This is a civil rights movement for a lot of us and it is important. You dont do this because you have time off of work. You do it because you mean it.

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Protesters Want Police To Rethink Moving Back To East Liberty - 90.5 WESA

Editors Note: For another viewpoint, see Point: Supreme Courts Decision Is the Opposite of Religious Freedom

In a year beset by disappointing decisions from the Supreme Court, a trio of religious liberty cases decided this term provides constitutionalists with some hope.

Little Sisters of the Poor v. Pennsylvania

The Little Sisters of the Poor need no introduction. This order of female Catholic religious has been serving the elderly in 30 countries for over 175 years. Although the Little Sisters seem like an unlikely target, the order has been in the cross-hairs of one government or another for nearly a decade.

This week, in a 7-2 decision written by Justice Clarence Thomas, the Supreme Court held that the federal government had the authority to exempt the Little Sisters from its birth control mandate.

Sadly, the legal battle may not be at an end for the Little Sisters. The case likely will go forward on other grounds, but the court strongly implied that the Religious Freedom and Restoration Act (RFRA) would operate to protect the conscience rights of the Little Sisters.

That statute, the court explained, provide[s] very broad protection for religious liberty. It forbids the government from substantially burdening a persons exercise of religion unless the government can demonstrate that there is no less restrictive means by which it can further a compelling government interest.

The contraceptive mandate clearly fails RFRAs test. Certainly, there are other ways the government can provide contraceptives without forcing nuns to do so.

Espinoza v. Montana

InEspinoza v. Montana, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the fundamental right of families to send their children to the school of their choice, including religious schools. By a vote of 5 to 4, the court held that a state program to help families cover the cost of private school may not discriminate against schools with religious missions.

At issue in the case was a modest Montana program that granted tax credits for donations to organizations that awarded private-school tuition scholarships. The Montana Supreme Court held that the states Blaine Amendment forbade Montana from providing the tax credits to parents who chose a religious school.

The Supreme Court reversed the decision. The court held that Montanas Blaine Amendment discriminated against religious schools and the families whose children attend them. In an opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, the court held that the Free Exercise Clause protects religious observers against unequal treatment.

Montana had discriminated on the basis of a schools religious status, plain and simple. The courts decision strongly suggests that the Blaine Amendments remaining in 35 states are constitutionally infirm, and may not be used to discriminate against religious schools.

Our Lady of Guadalupe v. Morrissey-Berru

In Our Lady of Guadalupe,the court held that the First Amendment bars courts from intervening in employment disputes involving teachers at religious schools. Writing for the Court Justice Alito stated that the First Amendment protects church autonomy including the right of religious institutions to decide matters of faith and doctrine without government intrusion.

This protection, Justice Alito noted, was crucial to the Framers of our Constitution the British Crown, for example, had the right to fill religious offices and to otherwise control religion. As applied to schools, the court recognized that teachers who are entrusted with inculcating religious values and beliefs are ministers of the faith, even though they are not formally ordained.

As such, the government may not interfere with a religious schools decision to hire or fire such an employee.

As Alito recognized, parents choose to send their children to religious schools for religious education and formation. Thus, a narrow interpretation of the ministerial exception would have interfered with the ability of parents to raise their children with a distinctly religious education.

In short, teachers at religious schools play a critical role in transmitting the faith to the next generation and are properly categorized as ministers.

Conclusion

Justice Thomas has famously lamented that the Free Exercise Clause seems to rest precariously on the lowest rung of the Courts ladder of rights. With its trifecta of religious liberty decisions this term, the Supreme Court may finally be poised to give equal weight to religious liberty.

Its about time.

The rest is here:

Counterpoint: Religious Liberty Scores a Win at the Supreme Court, and It's About Time - InsideSources

Jason Oliver Jr. knows what it means anytime he sees "the look."

Oliver, who carved out a starting cornerback role in his sophomore season at Liberty High School last fall, rarely needs to be told when he's made a mistake, as confirmation tends to come via a single sideline glance from his father Jason Sr., who coaches the team's defensive backs and receivers.

"If I make a mistake, its to a point where we just have a look and we know what I did wrong," Jason Jr. said. "I just look at him and we can fix it.

Jason Sr. said this almost telepathic relationship formed through years of running drills on the practice field and the backyard, where he's attempted to fine-tune every aspect of his son's game.

"It's so many hours put in to the point where we've grounded it in," Jason Sr. said. "I can just look at him and right away, he knows 'Ok, technique right here broke down.'"

While the father-son pair's commitment to grinding out drills likely isn't a surprise to many in Kern County, the elder Oliver says this path wasn't always preordained for his son.

A star at Bakersfield High School in the late 80s, Oliver's stature in the local football community only grew after a run at USC, where he recorded 11 career interceptions as a defensive back from 1990-93.

But when he and wife Nicole had a son in 2004, Jason Sr., whose birth name is Durant Jason Oliver, wanted to carry on his name without putting any pressure on his child to follow in his gridiron footsteps.

By slightly altering the name, the couple hoped people wouldn't instantly associate son Jason Durant Oliver with his father's on-field accomplishments. The plan didn't work.

"I didn't want to make him a junior like that, because what if he doesn't want to play football?" Jason Sr. said. "But everybody specifically switched his name to make him a junior. I kind of doomed him with that."

The younger Oliver needed little convincing to take the field himself, though, with his dad saying he began asking to go through workouts "while he still had Pull-Ups on."

Entering high school with hopes of landing a Division-I scholarship, Jason Jr. put himself in position to achieve that goal during a sophomore season where he played a key role on a Liberty defense that allowed seven or fewer points in six of 12 games.

He recorded two interceptions on the year, the biggest coming in the SWYL opener against Centennial. With the Golden Hawks down 14-7 and 11 yards away from tying the game in the third quarter, Oliver jumped a route in the end zone to return the momentum to the Patriots, who went on to win 17-7en route to a third consecutive unbeaten run in league play.

That early progress has already caught the attention of a Pac-12 program. In May, just weeks before his 16th birthday, Jason Jr. was elated and surprised to receive his first offer from Utah, a program that had three DBs selected in the first three rounds of the 2020 NFL Draft.

"That was so awesome, but I was definitely surprised I got that offer so early," he said. "I had my mom sitting right next to me and I was the happiest kid in the world."

With two years until college begins, Jason Jr. is hoping to further boost his stock in the coming seasons. Listed at just 145 pounds, he's aiming to add considerable bulk to his frame while also improving his footwork and ball skills.

Jason Jr. is among the fearful, expressing concern that he could lose out on a season where both individual and team expectations are sky high.

"Right now, it's not looking too good for us," he said. "If we don't have (a season), I'll just have to wait for my senior year, show out then. ButIm a little worried because I was really looking forward to this season, because we have a good team coming in. I was hoping wed (have) a chance at Valley."

Until team activities can resume, workouts will likely be limited to the backyard at the Oliver house, where Jason Jr. will attempt to make needed improvements to his game, all while avoiding dreaded critical looks from his father.

But with his son seemingly on pace to exceed his lofty accomplishments, Jason Sr. expectsthose disapproving glances will be few and far between.

His skillset, in my opinion, is clearly ahead of mine," he said. "I didnt get offered a Division-I scholarship as a 15 year old. I didnt play varsity as a sophomore. Hes faster than I am, quicker, better ball skills. I dont know if thats dad talk, but hes clearly going to be a better athlete than his dad was.

See the original post here:

Liberty's Oliver proving a worthy successor to his local legend father - The Bakersfield Californian

Kelly D. Stretcher of First Liberty National Bank has been elected to the board of directors of the Texas Bankers Association. He was elected during the associations first Virtual Annual Convention. His first term was nearly 11 years ago while he was the president and COO of First National Bank of Gilmer.

Stretcher, a 1997 graduate of the Southwestern Graduate School of Banking at Southern Methodist University, has an Ag Education degree from East Texas State University. With over 30 years in banking, Stretcher and his team has made great strides to improve customer service and technology within First Liberty National Bank, one of which is the installation of the countys first Interactive Video Teller machine.

He is active in the community as a member of the Masonic Lodge, Liberty Rotary Club and TVEs executive board.

Chairman of the Board Charles McGuire said, Kellys leadership skills and banking knowledge has allowed our bank to compete with any bank anywhere. We are very honored to have him on our team and this recognition is a well-deserved honor. I have full confidence that the experiences he will gain as a board member of the Texas Bankers Association will benefit our bank both now and in the future.

Link:

FLNB President and CEO Kelly Stretcher reelected to TBA board - Liberty Vindicator

Bill Bogantz, Guest Columnist Published 3:41 p.m. ET July 12, 2020

The Board of Trustees of Liberty Township, Licking County, Ohio, wants to take the opportunity to address the rampant misinformation regarding two applications for zoning certificates to permit two group homes proposed to be constructed and located in Liberty

Township. First, the Board of Trustees does not review applications for zoning certificates, does not have the authority to approve or reject them, and, contrary to baseless statements, has not rejected either application.

Second, each time the applications have been submitted to Liberty Township, and they have been submitted twice, they have been incomplete, and have failed to include all of the necessary information required for these types of applications under the Liberty Township Zoning Resolution. If Liberty Township receives completed applications, they will be reviewed by the Zoning Department, which will make the initial determination and identify any next steps that may be required, in accordance with Liberty Townships process for handling such applications.

Previously: Board of DD superintendent: 'We weren't welcome in Liberty Township'

Liberty Township Trustees, Board of DD differ on why project failed

Third, Great Lakes Property Development, a third-party builder, was the stated applicant for these two proposals, not the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities. Liberty Township has made multiple requests for the additional information that is missing from the applications, on June 16th and June 21st. Finally, on June 25th, the applications were denied by the Zoning Department for lack of complete information. The truth and facts are that Liberty Township has yet to receive a set of complete applications, and hence has not made any determination based on building or use.

It is unfortunate that the Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities has found it necessary to resort to the court of public opinion rather than work with the builder to submit completed application materials to Liberty Township. If the Editorial Board has additional information to support its unfounded assertions, please provide thati nformation to Liberty Township and, if no such information exists, the Board of Trustees requests a retraction of its June 28, 2020 editorial.

Bill Bogantz, Trustee, Liberty Township, Licking County, Ohio

The Licking County Board of Developmental Disabilities disputes the claims that their applications were incomplete. Also, while the original editorial did wrongly imply that the trustees formally rejected the project in avote, The Advocate's editorial board stands by its belief that the trustees helped foster a situation where the board of developmental disabilities felt unwanted in Liberty Township. This in practice killed the project from moving forward in the area, which the editorial board believes is more important than whether the trustees held a formal vote on the issue.

Read or Share this story: https://www.newarkadvocate.com/story/news/local/2020/07/12/liberty-township-responds-criticism-over-dd-project/5406604002/

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Liberty Township responds to criticism over DD project in Licking County - The Newark Advocate

Fire stations across Liberty County will be collecting bottled water and Gatorade in the H20 for Heroes Water Collection Drive on Saturday, Aug. 1, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. As the temperatures rise so does the physical demand on firefighters, making it an even more critical time to stay hydrated as they battle fires and respond to emergencies.

Residents, churches, non-profits organizations and businesses in Liberty County are being encouraged to participate. In addition to cases of water and Gatorade, organizers of the drive are asking for donations of individually-packaged salty snacks, such as nuts, crackers and trail mix.

Organizers are striving to maintain a no-contact way of collecting the items, such as setting up tables outside the fire stations where people can leave the items. At some stations, a firefighter may also be on site to help unload the items with limited contact with the donor, thereby working to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Nicolus Nelson with Liberty County ESD 3, one of the organizers, said that donations can be made in advance by arranging the deliveries with the fire departments in the donors community.

They can always drop off items at the front door of the fire stations, he said.

Here are the locations of the fire stations in Liberty County:

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Drive-through water collection to benefit Liberty County firefighters set for Aug. 1 - Bluebonnet News

It's been a year and a half since anyone has heard from Seth Svabik -- now his family and police are offering a reward for information

by: Nadine Grimley

Editors note: This story has been edited to correct the relationship of Bonnie Svabik to Seth Svabik. She is his stepmother. We regret the error.

LIBERTY TWP., Ohio (WKBN) What happened to Seth Svabik? Its a question both his family and police want an answer to. Now theyre offering a $5,000 reward for information that could lead them to the missing man.

Seth has ties to Cincinnati and Ludlow, Kentucky, but seemingly disappeared from Trumbull County January 9, 2019 without a trace.

There has to be somebody that knows something, said Thomas Svabik, Seths father.

The Svabik family is pleading for answers. Its been a year and a half to the day since Seth left a rehab facility in Warren.

His last known location was Motel 6 on Belmont Avenue in Liberty, where Thomas said Seth was turned away from, most likely because he was high.

Seth is a very sensitive, caring person, said Bonnie Svabik, his stepmother. He really has a good heart and its sad he got into this mess with the drugs.

Seth was on the phone with his mother, who lives out of town, as he walked away. Thomas told us the last thing she heard him say.

Hey bud, how you doin? So we dont know if that was just a casual greeting, or that was someone that he knew that was coming to pick him up or something like that because he did have a lot of friends in the area.

Seths bags were left behind, found across the street. Other than that, it seems he vanished in plain sight from busy Belmont Avenue without a trace.

His phone has been turned off and theres no activity on his bank account.

Only thing that has come of that is direct deposits from Social Security and from the stimulus. Theres been no withdrawals, no activity whatsoever from any persons, said Liberty Police Capt. Ray Buhala.

We havent heard one doggone thing with anybody. Nothing, Thomas said.

Drones and two separate cadaver dog teams did an extensive search of the area where he was last seen but still no clues, no leads and no tips.

Its very difficult at this point, Buhala said.

If theres anybody that knows anything about anything, even the smallest little detail, is to at least give the police a way to go, Thomas said.

If you have any information on where Seth Svabik is or how he disappeared, please call Liberty Township Police at 330-759-1315. Again, there is a $5,000 reward for tips that help police find him.

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No leads on man who vanished from Belmont Ave. in Liberty without a trace - WKBN.com

Home Television The Liberty Biberdy Guy from Liberty Mutual Commercials, Tanner Novlan, Is Joining...

How do you follow up one the big watercooler talk commercials? Well, Tanner Novlan has figured out his next move.

Tanner is the star of that Liberty Mutual ad in which a dim witted actor auditions for the commercial. He blows all his lines, cant remember anything and cant take direction. Now hes taking his act to CBSs The Bold and the Beautiful where he will play a doctor! I hope his patients have good insurance. Look Novlan took join the show in the fall as they air new episodes post-COVID.

Roger Friedman began his Showbiz411 column in April 2009 after 10 years with Fox News, where he created the Fox411 column. He wrote the Intelligencer column for NY Magazine in the mid 90s, reporting on the OJ Simpson trial, as well as for the real Parade magazine (when it was owned by Conde Nast), and has written for the New York Observer, Details, Vogue, Spin, the New York Times, NY Post, Washington Post, and NY Daily News among many publications. He is the writer and co-producer of "Only the Strong Survive," a selection of the Cannes, Sundance, and Telluride Film festivals, directed by DA Pennebaker and Chris Hegedus.

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The Liberty Biberdy Guy from Liberty Mutual Commercials, Tanner Novlan, Is Joining CBS Soap Bold and the Beautiful - Showbiz411

The Liberty secondary lost two players, including a projected starter, to the transfer portal in late June. The coaching staff quickly hasmade up for those losses on the recruiting trail.

Amarian Williams, a rising senior at Cedar Hill High School in Texas, became the third cornerback to verbally commit in Libertys 2021 recruiting class when he announced his decision early Thursday evening on social media.

The 6-foot, 165-pound Williams joins Wendell McClain and Jaiden Hill as cornerbacks in the recruiting class.

The trio will be part of a group expected to contend for immediate playing time in the 2021 season after KeiTrel Clark and Tayvion Land announced June 22 they were leaving the Flames program because of racial insensitivity and cultural incompetence in the leadership of the university.

Clark and Land were both rising sophomores. Land announced earlier this week he is transferring to Norfolk State.

Williams was part of Cedar Hills cornerback rotation last season and played in the teams Class 6A Division 2 area championship game appearance against Denton Guyer.

Williams received his offer from Liberty on April 10. It was his lone offer from a Football Bowl Subdivision program. He received 10 offers from FCS programs Fordham, Lamar, Central Arkansas, Tennessee State, Abilene Christian, Prairie View A&M, Texas Southern, Northwestern State, Houston Baptist and Illinois State.

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Cornerback Williams verbally commits to Liberty - Lynchburg News and Advance

I write to voice my displeasure with Sumter's recently passed "mask ordinance" and my opposition to same. I have experienced bad government in my life, but this one ranks near the bottom. I am going to reference sources in this letter and include them at the bottom, but brevity demands that I be concise.

COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, and deaths attributed to it, are on the decline for the week ending June 27, 2020. Nationally, levels of "influenza-like illness (ILI) and COVID-19-like illness (CLI) activity" remain lower than peaks seen in March and April of this year. Source, Centers for Disease Control, July 3, 2020, with the corresponding link below. But, in reality, when you swath with such a broad brush and include "influenza like" and "COVID-19 like" in a catchall manner, that could account for almost anything. For instance, the common cold, which carries the same antibodies as COVID-19, and could be resulting in all the "false positive" tests.

In the May 28, 2020, edition of Forbes, the Centers for Disease Control stated that "less than half" of two positive COVID-19 antibody tests are correct. Read that again. Now, I'm not a physician, but to me that sounds like the CDC is stating over half the tests are false positives.

And, speaking of physicians, I had a doctor's appointment this past week. Out of respect and admiration for my doctor, I will not divulge his name. But we are close, and he confided to me, during our appointment, that a week ago Friday, he admitted a terminally ill cancer patient into the hospital. Sadly, that patient passed away the following Monday. However, my doctor was not the attending physician when his patient died. And, lo and behold, the terminal cancer did not kill him, it was, you got it, COVID-19.

Masks are just so asinine. I look around (I refuse to wear one), and I see fellow citizens scared like sheep. Have any of you ever had or known anyone who has had pink eye or a stye on their eye? If you have, well, those are viral infections. Putting a mask on your face does not cover your eyes. This is simply just an attempt to see how much freedom and liberty can be taken away from you before you will say enough. And you people are letting them do so, lock, stock and barrel. I don't care what your politics are; this is a great summation, and it comes from Sarah Huckabee Sanders. She posted it on Twitter May 13, 2020:

"It is not the government's job to protect my health. It's the government's job to protect my Constitutional Rights. It's my job to protect my health. When you trade liberty for safety, you end up losing both."

So, Sumter government. Repeal this ridiculous ordinance. If my fellow citizens wish to be sheep, I will not stand in their way. By all means, let them do so and wear their masks. Some children, when they were young, liked security blankets or pacifiers too. However, quit forcing yourself, and your misguided beliefs, upon me, when there is nothing to back it up but the leftist media garbage. It is precisely for such reasons that I no longer watch television. I think Sumter government should also cease watching television when it comes to passing laws that infringe upon freedom and liberty.

https://bit.ly/2DlNUi7

MIKE ARDIS

Sumter

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Letter: Mask ordinance is attempt to take away liberty and freedom - Sumter Item

By Toni G. Atkins

This July, as we build on the momentum of recent weeks and work to make real progress in dismantling 400 years of systemic racism, it is clear that these goals our nation first outlined in declaring independence remain aspirational and out of reach for many Americans. Since people all across the country started taking to the streets following the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and too many other people of color, there have been changes in use-of-force policies, a growing emphasis on community-based law enforcement, the accelerated removal of racist flags and statues, and movement to eliminate racist roadblocks to equality and opportunity that have seeped into our lawbooks. As anger and grief have joined with power and purpose, there is now real resolve and real hope that the stain that started in 1619, and which was preserved even in our great founding documents, may finally be removed from the fabric of our society.

In the Legislature, one of the biggest tools we have to help Californians enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness is the state budget, which helps shape our economy and create jobs, fund education and improve schools, and maintain vital services like fire prevention, affordable housing, and parks and recreation. The annual state budget, which took effect July 1, looks a little different this year. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic and its drag on the economy, several of the important investments we hoped to make this year will have to wait. The good news is that after ten years of responsible budgeting by the Legislature and the Governor, California was in the best shape possible to respond to this fiscal emergency and our approach to the 2020-2021 budget has been to follow that responsible path.

Finally, as I write this, the U.S. Supreme Court is releasing its last round of decisions for the 2019-2020 term. Some of these decisions bring badly-needed good news. It was important to see the Court recognize the rights of LGBTQ workers so they cant be fired just for being who they are, protect Dreamers and other immigrants from being targeted for deportation by the Trump Administration, and protect abortion rights from further encroachment and erosion by red-state legislatures. These decisions also serve to remind us that we still have far to go and provide even more motivation for all of us to do everything we can to bring about the changes needed in our country. There has to come a time when the rights of women, people of color and the LGBT+ community arent dependent upon the kindness of strangers or the votes of justices. Like all Americans, our rights are inalienable and have to be respected that way. All we are asking is our chance to have what America celebrates this month: life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

Toni G. Atkins represents District 39 in the California Senate. Follow her on Twitter @SenToniAtkins.

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'Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness' San Diego Downtown News - San Diego Downtown News

LEBANON Plans to build a natural gas pipeline in Lebanon and Hanover appear to be dead after Liberty Utilities did not request an extension of franchise rights that expired in March.

New Hampshire regulators in 2018 gave Liberty two years to complete construction of a pipeline slated to start near the Lebanon Landfill and end in downtown Hanover.

If the pipeline was not flowing gas by March 5, 2020, Liberty was to file an update and ask for more time, the New Hampshire Public Utilities Commission ordered.

But the company didnt ask for an extension or seek the approval of Lebanons Planning Board, an important step required to start construction.

The order clearly states that Libertys franchise authority will expire if its not exercised within two years, said Amanda Noonan, director of consumer services and external affairs at the PUC.

She called Libertys lack of action unusual and said its unclear whether the company would have to start regulatory proceedings from scratch if it sought to revive the project.

Weve never had this happen before, Noonan said in a phone interview. Typically when you grant a franchise, service commences.

Emails requesting comment from Liberty spokesman John Shore were not returned by deadline Friday.

Opponents of the project celebrated the news, declaring, That pipeline is dead! in an email blast Thursday morning.

Liberty had won approval for a turn-key supply operation near the Lebanon landfill on Route 12A, in which gas would be trucked there and then sent north by pipeline into downtown Hanover.

It was a bad business proposition, and we helped save Liberty and their ratepayers from getting into what would have been a fiasco, Jonathan Chaffee, a West Lebanon resident and intervenor in the proceedings, said Friday.

Chaffee and other Upper Valley residents spent years campaigning against the proposed pipeline, arguing natural gas contributes to climate change and that the fracking process used to extract the fuel is harmful to the environment.

The opposition effort, which included hundreds of letters to the PUC, showed that theres little residential support for natural gas, Chaffee said, adding that officials representing Lebanon and Hanover also testified against the pipeline.

A page has been turned. Theres a new reality, and people are contentious of the need to decrease fossil fuel use, he said.

Dartmouth Colleges 2019 announcement that it planned to spend $200 million on a green energy initiative to upgrade its heating and electricity system with a focus on renewable fuels may have played a role in the pipelines delay.

The college was once considered an anchor customer for the project, and Liberty hasnt publicly announced what large institution could take its place. Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center hasnt had talks about signing on to the pipeline, spokesman Rick Adams said in an email.

Liberty estimated construction would cost $9.7 million in the first five years, with about 50% of those costs met by securing a single, large customer.

But in its ruling, the PUC called the notion of relying so heavily on a single customer an unacceptable risk, and the three-member body imposed additional restrictions that would force shareholders to foot shortfalls.

Chaffee, who had access to additional information about the pipeline as an intervenor, also said that Libertys option to use land on Route 12A for the pipeline expired.

Calls left for Upper Valley Sand and Gravel, which owns the property south of the Lebanon landfill, were not returned Friday.

Liberty still has an option to use land owned by Hanover developer Jay Campion, he said Friday.

Campion had sought approval for a natural gas depot of his own off Route 120 but withdrew from proceedings after striking a deal with Liberty. Campion wouldnt say when the option expires but said hes still in touch with the utility company.

Ive got plans of my own for that property that might actually involve them, he said via phone.

Liberty would still need to win approval from the PUC and the city of Lebanon for any such project there.

Campion, who declined to further discuss plans for the property, last year pitched plans for a 250-unit condominium project, which would be supported by its own heating, power and wastewater treatment plants.

The so-called Signal Park proposal went before the Planning Board for a conceptual review, but Campion hasnt yet submitted formal plans to the city.

Tim Camerato can be reached at tcamerato@vnews.com or 603-727-3223.

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Lebanon-Hanover natural gas project no longer in the pipeline - Valley News

Garnett Payne writes that the Black Lives Mater movement has been hijacked; that it is inspired by Hitler, Stalin and Lenin; and that we have lost sight of what it means to be a republic, to be one nation under God, and to be indivisible with liberty and justice for all. She believes crime and dependency in the Black community are inherent traits, not the result of centuries of systemic racism.

I disagree with her. I dont believe America is only one nation. We are many, and to believe otherwise is to neglect the Indigenous, immigrant and interlocking ideas of nationhood that dont fit easily into the colonial, settler-imperialist narrative. I dont believe we have liberty and justice for all. I believe we have an outdated justice system that works to preserve racist institutions that allow our economy to flourish on the backs of poor Black and brown people. Can we call ourselves a free nation when children are in cages, Black people are murdered in the streets and in their own homes by the people who are supposed to protect us, and our president is attempting to launch a culture war in the midst of a pandemic? And I certainly dont believe we are indivisible. How can we be, when some Americans are at higher risks to be murdered, get COVID-19 and experience more harshly the rising tides of climate change? This is the direct result of systemic racism.

Payne, and many white Americans like her (and myself) are being forced to reckon with their role in systemic racism in America. We have an opportunity to stand in solidarity with our Black, Indigenous and people of color brothers and sisters as they advocate for justice. For me, a white-passing woman, that means listening and learning, not criticizing and dividing.

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Letter to the editor: I don't believe we have liberty and justice for all - Summit Daily News

The Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association has been bringing LGBTQ tennis players together in the Philadelphia area for a dozen years. And while COVID-19 has put a damper on some of 2020, they are preparing for a return to the courts soon.

The organization boasts about 70 participants each year from across the TriState/Delaware Valley area. Their partnership with RiverWinds Golf & Tennis Club, a facility in New Jersey, allows them access to tennis courts in an area most central to their main membership area.

They host drill sessions, monthly social gatherings (when social gatherings are allowed) and ladder styled league play. They also participate in events involving LGBTQ tennis groups from other states and regions, including the annual four-city Atlantic Cup. The association even hosts an annual tournament of their own, the Philadelphia Open, but this year its been canceled due to the pandemic.

Its through the Gay and Lesbian Tennis Alliance that their reach goes beyond the City of Brotherly Love.

A major benefit of being apart of the G.L.T.A. is its acceptance of every lifestyle, openly welcoming members of the LGBTQIA+ society, P.L.T.A president Matthew Wong said. Being under their umbrella and being active within the communities expands the range of potential participants for P.L.T.A.

P.L.T.A. has also made helping youth a priority for the organization, raising donations to The Attic Youth Center, which aims to support LGBTQ youth in Philadelphia.

The Attic Youth Centers goal has been to reduce the feeling of isolation by providing a sense of community and developing programs and services to counteract the prejudice and oppression that many LGBTQ youth often face, Wong said.

The group also works with Legacy Youth Tennis and Education, which uses tennis to build educational and character-building programs to prepare youth for success through an inclusive community.

Now members are looking forward to a time when they can return to the courts with no concerns about their health, other than making sure they do some good stretching and warm-up drills.

With everything that has transpired over the past few months, tennis remains an outlet for so many, Wong said. We understand that when the season resumes, that it will be necessary for people to resume their daily activities and be there for them to release all excess stress from their lives.

To find out more about the Philadelphia Liberty Tennis Association, visit their website, or find them on Instagram or Facebook.

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Liberty Tennis looking to return to the courts in Philadelphia - Outsports