Daily Archives: December 29, 2020

The Drivers Of 2021 – Outlook India

Posted: December 29, 2020 at 12:36 am

India is witnessing transformations at an unpreceedented speed and scale. The transformations are across all spheres of activity, impacting the socio-economic and political fabric of this country. There is clearly a move towards improving livability, making it easier to do business and improving the economy. From a governance perspective, the role of the people are evovling from being a mere voter, tax-payer and a general bystander on majoity of the issues to an active participant and influencer on majority of policy issues. There has been a renewed focus on global issues such as environment and sustainability, thereby bringing about strong measures to comply with global best practices. There have been visible audacious plans proposed and implemented by the government which have helped address the pressing issues plaguing the countrys development. The nature of the economy has also evolved from being a highly monsoon dependent to being virtually drought proof, that has helped provide the policy headspace to the government to drive growth & development. Many initiatives launched by the government have led to a phenomenon of Competitive Federalization thereby promoting country-wide development.

The enablement through wide-scale technology adoption (growing usage of drones, wireless technology etc.) and innovative processes has led to improved efficiency and greater success. The growth in opportunities and urbanization in India has led to a large population being attracted to move to India. India is now being perceived as a land of opportunities and the destination of the future.

It is also leading to friction being created among the old and the young, the traditional versus the forward looking, the Haves and the Have-Nots.

Below are nine trends that I see will be shaping India in 2021.

1. Changing demographics of the most youthful nation

Demographics continue to be a major driving force for the growth and much else in India. India accounts for nearly 17% of the worlds population[1] and is experiencing rapid demographic changes, with wide implications not only for the country but also across other regions of the world.

The key demographic trend is the increasing youthfulness of the country. Roughly 50% of the population is less than 24 years old. The implications of this demographic structure have started playing out on the key trends in this country. Cable TV was introduced in the country around 25 years ago. Internet came about 20 years ago. So, we have a large part of the population that has grown up with significantly higher exposure to information and global trends. Hence, their higher levels of aspirations are driving the direction in which this country is going.

This youthful population is technologically more skilled, socially more aware, politically more involved and economically more aspirational. Many of them are what is popularly called the Digital Natives. This enables a greater penetration of technology, leading to a Digital Pervasiveness in the country. Their economic aspirations are leading to rapid urbanization and also the trend of large number of start-ups and entrepreneurship flowering.

Indias working-age population is expected to balloon up, making India the largest contributor to the global working population. This would also make India an even larger market.

It will also provide a global workforce required for Make in India. However, we need to capitalize on this demographicsin the coming decade, through human resource development on an urgent basis, else India will be left in chaos with a high population and no growth.

2. People participation

Increasingly we are observing a greater participation of the people in issues of policy making, governance and change. The advent of social media and interactive mediums has given rise to increasing velocity of citizens interactions with policy makers on various issues. Again, the trend is being primarily driven by a more aware and politically active youthful population. Correspondingly, public administration is increasingly looking to place the citizen at the centre of policymakers considerations. Citizens are increasingly questioning the leaders they elect to the national, state and local levels on a wide range of issues which range from affordable housing to international relations.

The RTI Act has also been considerably utilized as a tool by citizens groups to influence and shape government functioning over the last decade. The inflow of information through this medium has empowered citizens to ask questions on various aspects of policies and programmes, especially with regards to accountability and governance.

We have also seen people movements in the form of candle-light vigils and participation in new forms of political movements which has not only pressurized the government machinery to act on certain issues, but also has created new political forces. We are witnessing largescale people movements such as the movement by the affluent Punjab farmers to put pressure on the government to change its recently enacted laws.

In tandem with a more pervasive television access and access to social media tools such as Twitter, people movement is both feeding into and feeding off a more realtime news transmission and opinion creation. It has forced the government machinery at Centre, State and local levels to take action on matters that would have traditionally been swept under the carpet, out of public memory and considerations. This is also helping break the stranglehold of a few powerful influencers on the government machinery, increasing accountability into all arms of the government the executive, the legislative and the judiciary. This is one single most transformative trend that will continue to have considerable influence on how India transforms.

3. Urbanization

The economic aspirations, coupled with squeezing out of excess labour from agriculture, is leading to rapid urbanization of India. The urbanization is being fuelled by both, mass migration from rural areas to urban areas and rural habitations evolving into semi-urban and urban habitations.

According to World Bank estimates, an unprecedented 50% of the Indian population would be residing in urban areas by 2041. Natural growth continues to be the significant element (approx. 40 million) of urban population growth during the period 2001 to 2011, as compared to net rural urban migration (approx. 22 million).

A report by IIHS in 2011 estimates that the top 100 largest cities produce 43% of the countrys GDP, with 16% of the population and just 0.24% of the land area. Apart, from serious challenges related to habitat, transport and other facilities, it has also generated high expectations, especially among educated youth. Indias urbanization is thus playing a significant role in social transformation and economic mobility.

Urbanization in India has necessitated a phenomenal demand for land, thereby resulting in the formation of urban agglomerations. Managing population densities within Indian cities is a significant challenge in accommodating urban expansion, as is financing urban expansion and city renewal thereby calling for innovative urban planning frameworks and regulations.

The trend of urbanization is expected to kick off larger consumption of steel, cement and other commodities and manufactured goods. It would also lead to more efficient cities, thus leading to larger consumption of services. It would thus feed into the economic aspirations of a burgeoning youthful population.

The government has also stepped in to support the urbanization trend, after relative apathy for much of the first 65 years of this country. Programs of Smart City, AMRUT, Swachh Bharat and Housing for All are expected to significantly contribute to the urbanization trensd in this country.

4. Pervasive Digitization

Over the past two decades, there has been an exponential proliferation of digital technologies in the country. There are over 276 million mobile phone internet users in India as compared to 48 million users in 2012.The number of Internet users in India grew at an even more rapid rate, from 150million in 2012 to almost 350 millionin 2015, listing India on the 3rd rank globally. Again, it seems to be that a digitally more adaptable youthful population is driving the higher digital penetration in the country.

All information, things and spaces are getting digitized. We notice that not only is legacy information being digitized but also that new information is generated and consumed in a digital form. Governments are moving towards a regime where no paper certificates are required. Certificates will be digitally created and hosted.

Things are getting connected to the internet. From meters, to vehicles to pollution sensors, to shoes, glasses, watches, pacemakers, embedded medical devices everything is getting digitized and connected to the Internet under the framework of Internet of Things (IOT). And hence everything can be remotely monitored and managed, increasing the levels of automation to unprecedented levels.

Spaces are getting connected. From homes and offices to public spaces getting free WiFi and 4G connectivity. Even spaces such as cars and public transportation are getting connected, and things, spaces and information are freely communicating with each other in an all pervasive digital fabric. With technologies such as 3D printing creeping in, even products are getting digitized, with the designs being sent over to homes to be printed and created, and hence if someone is short of a cup for a dinner party, all that the person has to do is print it out without stepping out from home.

This is transforming how we work, interact, transact and live.

5. Job creators vs job seekers

The economic aspirations of the youth are driving a larger number of startups being conceived, than ever before. They are moving away from the traditional aspiration of a comfortable job to high risk, high pay off world of startups. The youthful energies of the startups are transforming the business ecosystems and having a deep impact on our lives.

Many of the startups are supported by digital technologies and are hence in the domain of e-commerce and m-commerce. This startup ecosystem is being made possible due to the fact that a more youthful population is digitally enabled. It is interesting to note that more than 70 percent of the entrepreneurs are less than 35 years of age.

With nearly three to four startups emerging every day, India ranks third in the world in terms of the number of startups. It has been estimated that the in the year 2015, the number of startups grew at a rate as high as 40%. This increase in the number of startups has, in turn, led to a sharp increase in the number of employment opportunities within India.

However, there are a large number of startups that are not necessarily in the domain of e-commerce and m-commerce, but are definitely contributing to larger job creation in the country. These are services and manufacturing companies that are emboldened by the series of business process reforms being introduced by the central and state governments, which is making it easier to do business in India.

Clearly, the movement away from being job seekers towards being job creators, is one of the most significant trends in the country.

6. The conscious citizen - environmentally sensitive responsible consumption

The combined pressures of population growth, economic growth and climate change is placing increased stress on essential natural resources in India and globally. These issues have made people sensitive towards sustainable resource management. There is a movement towards adopting policies and practices that help reduce unnecessary consumption, reversing a trend of unfettered consumption as a mark of development. Slowly but surely, people are moving towards environmentally sensitive, responsible consumption. The awareness of the majority youthful population of India to the issues of climate destruction, is pushing the political and social thought process and policy making.

The trend is clearly demonstrated by the people support received by the odd-even cars scheme by Government of Delhi, for reducing the air pollution impact by vehicles. Even at greater personal discomfort, people moved onto public transportation and car-pooling.

This is in lock-step with the global trend that has being brewing for more than a decade, fueled by the youth, who have now come to occupy places of decision making.

Indian government is getting the political space, supported by this more-aware population, to boldly put forth its Intended Nationally Determined Contribution (INDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). India has committed to reduce the emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35 per cent by 2030 from the 2005 level, achieve about 40 per cent cumulative electric power installed capacity from non-fossil fuel based energy resources with a target of 175 GW by 2022 and creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of CO2 equivalent through additional forest and tree cover by 2030.

India is furiously adopting solar energy, in one of the most ambitious plans globally. Other renewable sources are also being tapped into, with cities trying to adopt more environmentally friendly transportation systems. With these ambitious yet achievable renewable energy, energy efficiency and emission reduction targets India is leading and walking the talk on the movement towards a more resourceful India and the planet.

7. Interconnectedness with the rest of the globe

With almost 40% of the GDP linked to global trade, India has rapidly become interconnected with the global economy. The interconnectedness is not just economic, but also in terms of culture, skills, technology, medicine, policy making, language and in almost all domains of life. The process that was kicked off over a hundred years ago, with Indias participation in World War I, where modern ideas and concepts started flowing into India at a much more rapid pace, has snowballed, and India is set to come back to global centre stage, by not only being influenced by global trends, but also by influencing the global trends.

As the veterans of World War I came back to India, they carried their thoughts and outlooks back into the society, transforming society. In a similar process, in pursuit of economic objectives, we are observing large movements of people from rural India (and urban India), to other countries and their interactions with the society back in their villages, is fundamentally altering age-old traditions, some even leading to aggravated class and caste frictions.

Indias cultural industry movies, music, art etc is also having deep impact globally. New words, forms of dance, forms of music, cinematography etc are evolving globally, with significant influence from India.

Similarly, Indian movies, music, art, theatre, lingua franca, are all getting deeply impacted by the global trends.

Economically, we see a continued increase in the levels of international trade and capital flows for India. We are observing that the voracious appetite of capital by India, is beginning to have noticeable influence on global capital flows.

This can have both positive and negative impacts for the economy. Indias merchandise trade as a percentage of GDP is currently hovering around 40%[2] which can substantially impact the economy. Though with the dropping oil prices the import bills are reducing and helping India maintain the targeted current account deficit as well as fiscal deficit of 3.9% of the GDP and overall inflation, however with the reduced global demand due to slowdown of Europe and China, there has been drop in exports as well. However, as the trend toward increased economic interconnectedness is expected to continue, Government of India is ensuring that they have the right policy frameworks in place to capture the benefits of trade and manage the risk through ongoing and upcoming fiscal policies like increase FDI limits in insurance, railways, defense, encouraging privatization of loss making public sector companies.

These policies are also helping in trade liberalization, economic reforms and freer movement of capital and technology from the developed world to India and helping India becoming increasingly important player in international finance, being one of the most sort after destination for investment for global investors.

8. Transformational national initiatives

The government has taken up a slew of initiatives that have been audacious in scale and transformational in nature. These initiatives have shaped the governance within the country. These initiatives are driven by the aspirations of the youthful population aspirations for better living conditions and pursuit of happiness. Unless India is able to rapidly develop and transform, it could possibly stare at an implosion driven by the disgruntled youth. And hence the urgent need for the large national initiatives.

Government programs address the wide range of issues in a structured manner. A set of programmes is aimed to provide the safety net to the vulnerable sections of the society as the nation goes through the upheavals that will emerge from such rapid transformation. These programmes include financial inclusion, targeted subsidy delivery etc. another set of programmes are focused on creating a vibrant economy that will lead to the wealth creation necessary for fueling the transformation and to meet the aspirations of the burgeoning youth. This includes programmes such as improving Ease of Doing Business in India, enabling the startup ecosystem, Make in India, largescale infrastructure development etc. A third set of programmes focus on providing a better life to its people through initiatives such as housing for all, toilets for all etc.

The scale at which the initiatives are been implemented has been audacious and transformational. For instance, a record setting 360 million bank accounts have been opened within the country under Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana. In addition to being audacious in scale, the implementation methodology has been innovative. Under improving Ease of Doing Business initiative and Smart City initiative, the country witnessed the phenomenon of Competitive Federalism. This innovative mechanism to have the Centre and the states work in alignment, is being extended to many other programmes. Furthermore, more than 30,000-40,000 citizens are giving up LPG subsidy every day for contributing to nation building. This demonstrates that the cynicism in the society is giving way to youthful morality and exuberance. Such unprecedented response from the citizens is reshaping governance within the country into a more participatory governance. It has led to the emergence of a new trend which would significantly influence the countrys future.

9. Asymmetric warfare

For a long time, India has been at the receiving end of asymmetric warfare, in the form of terrorism. A much smaller amount of effort (in the form of crafting and running terror infrastructure) from adversaries was tying down a disproportionate amount of Indian defence assets and forces. However, we witness new dimensions of asymmetric warfare emerging in the country.

The country is facing asymmetric warfare in the form of fake currencies being pumped in (economic warfare), cyberattacks, large cale migrations (which may be unintended but is exposing the country to demographic challenges), water diversion from key river systems and social warfare enabled through technology (MMS being circulated leading to social disturbances). The ability to withstand such attacks is not limited to the abilities of the military forces but require a larger capacity building within the financial institutions, diplomatic institutions an common people (possibly through curriculum change to enable them to withstand cyberattacks, such as phising, and social attacks such as the one that was witnessed in Bangalore that targeted Northeasterners), and corporates.

The trend of asymmetric warfare is only going to be amplified and emanate in several more dimensions. We have already witnessed what is possibly a global scale germ warfare, if the allegations of Covid-19 being China-made are true.

In summary, demographics, technology and governance will shape the coming year and the decade. Will it also propel India into a major prosperous economy and power that India has been striving for?

(Dr Jaijit Bhattacharya is President of Centre for Digital Economy Policy Research. Views are personal, and do not necessarily reflect those of Outlook Magazine)

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Brown Makes Progress on Innovative New Performing Arts Center – School Constructions News

Posted: at 12:35 am

By SCN Staff

PROVIDENCE, R.I.Shawmut Design and Construction recently celebrated a virtual topping-off ceremony of Brown Universitys under-construction Performing Arts Center at 130 Angell Street in Providence. The project began in 2019 and is slated to be completed in spring 2023; it is anticipated to achieve a minimum of LEED Silver certification.

Shawmut, in partnership with internationally acclaimed architecture firm REX, is completing the state-of-the-art, 94,000-square-foot complex that will anchor a future campus arts district and expand the possibilities for the creation and staging of experimental, collaborative, and engaged performance work. With an unparalleled approach to spatial, acoustic, and technical flexibility, the Performing Arts Center will feature a dynamic main performance hall, a central lobby and promenade as well as customizable spaces to create, rehearse and perform.

Were proud to continue our partnership with Brown University and create a building that will push the boundaries of innovation in performance spaces across the globe, said Ron Simoneau, executive vice president of education at Shawmut. Through an innovative and collaborative project delivery, were building a facility that is technologically sophisticated, highly flexible and one-of-a-kind in higher education.

Designed to offer unmatched flexibility, the buildings main performance hall will be able to transform into any of five vastly different stage and audience configurations ranging from a 625-seat symphony orchestra hall to a 250-seat proscenium theater to an immersive surround-sound cube for experimental media performance. The shoebox-shaped hall can modulate physically and acoustically and will feature components such as seating gantries, acoustic curtains, reflector panels and lighting bridges that can be shifted, hidden and stretched to configure the space. With the capability to move walls, floors, seats, ceiling and lights, the Performing Arts Center will become an ultra-adaptable hub for Brown and surrounding communities.

On its exterior, the building will feature an aluminum rainscreen that will appear to shift in color and pattern with seasonal changes and time of day. Inside, the Diana Nelson and John Atwater Lobby will create a central convening space that sits within the buildings horizontal clearstory, slicing through the faade at stage level to enable performances, rehearsals and arts scholarship to extend into the Brown campus and surrounding neighborhood. Below street level, the complex will offer spaces for theater, music and dance that will enable students and faculty to create cutting-edge, original artwork and include areas for student groups and other collaborative activities.

Were here to recognize the hard work underway each and every day by the teams of dedicated professionals who support this project, said Brown University President Christina H. Paxson at the virtual event on December 10. This celebration is about all of youespecially all of the skilled men and women who are quite literally bringing this remarkable vision to life.

Work on the Performing Arts Center has been able to continue throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Building on the firms world-class safety program, Shawmut has deployed enhanced safety protocols to mitigate the risk of infectious disease spread across all jobsites rolling out new procedures, jobsite innovation and an exhaustive COVID-19 risk assessment and response plan nationwide. These protocols are implemented at the project site and include Shawmut Vitals a custom technology platform which allows team members to self-certify daily health screenings by scanning a job-specific QR code and completing a health survey.

To optimize efficiency, the project is utilizing Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) an approach that brings the university, Shawmut, REX and subcontractor teams together to execute all phases of the project, resulting in an effective and highly collaborative planning, design and building process.

Shawmut Design and Construction is a $1.5 billion construction management firm with offices located in Boston, Providence, New York, Miami, Chicago, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, and Irvine, Calif.

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Cuomo: WNY has heard the message; making good progress on hospitalizations – WGRZ.com

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Governor Andrew Cuomo says region has gone from highest positivity in the state a month ago to currently 4th lowest in the state.

ALBANY, N.Y. Governor Andrew Cuomo Monday provided an update to New Yorkers on Day 303 of the state's on-going response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Cuomo said the WNY region, which encompasses Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua and Allegany counties, has gone from having the highest positivity rate in the state a month ago to currently having the fourth lowest.

The WNY region currently has 494 people in hospitals being treated for COVID-19, or 0.04% of the population. The region's positivity rate currently stands at 6.43%.

"Western New York is doing a good job getting ahead of the positivity rate," said the governor.

However, the governor did express concern that the state has seen an uptick in positive cases across the state over the weekend. He said health officials are studying the numbers to explain if there is a circumstantial situation responsible, or if there was possibly pre-Christmas spread that is being evidenced now.

Cuomo says the state health department and the Buffalo Bills continue to work together to develop a pilot plan to return at least some fans to the stadium in time for any potential home playoff games and says more news on that topic will be coming soon.

The governor also announced he is signing an Executive Order Monday to withhold pay increases for all Commissioners and elected officials, including himself. The Executive Order preventing housing evictions and foreclosures has also been extended.

Cuomo said New York currently sits at the top of the chart for the number of COVID-19 vaccines given out so far. In response to questions on how the vaccine is being distributed across the state, he reminds New Yorkers that a region's number of vaccines given out is proportionate to the number of people eligible to receive one in that region.

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‘What matters is the progress’: After breakthrough season, BYU looks to build off offensive emergence of 2020 – KSL.com

Posted: at 12:35 am

PROVO By any account, either blue-goggled or shades of envy, BYU's 2020 football season was unlike any other.

From playing in a global pandemic while other programs were planning to push to the spring, to finishing ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 for the first time since 2009, there has been no other season quite like 2020.

The Cougars traveled from coast to coast, built up several rivalries and established new ones, as they were at one point the only team competing in college football located west of El Paso, looking for games and trying to garner national respect. Along the way, they found a way, thanks in large part to its mantra: any team, any time, any place or at least, anyone that was willing to play amid several layers of COVID-19 restrictions.

Plenty will be remembered, fondly recalled and shamelessly hoped when the 2020 season is fully in the rear-view mirror. But there are a few things that fans of both BYU and other schools should agree on about this Cougars team: They deserve some respect.

Of course, any discussion of the Cougars' 2020 season has to begin with two points: the quarterback and the schedule.

Behind quarterback Zach Wilson, the junior who threw for 3,692 yards and 33 touchdowns with just three interceptions while finishing eighth in the 2020 Heisman Trophy ballot box, the Cougars went on a barnstorming tour of college football taking on all comers en route to the first 11-win season in over a decade and first such campaign with just one loss since the acclaimed Cotton Bowl team of 1996.

Under offensive coordinator Jeff Grimes and passing game coordinator Aaron Roderick, The Cougars compiled an explosive offense, ranking fourth in scoring offense (43.5 points per game), fourth in passing efficiency (189.35), seventh in total offense (522.2 yards per game), and eighth in passing offense (332.1 yards per game), through bowl games played Dec. 26.

"He's a great player. I think everybody's talked about him a lot, and I hope he knows how much I appreciate him. You know, we believe in him," said BYU coach Kalani Sitake, a candidate for two national coach of the year honors. "Coach Roderick has done a great job with him. I'm just so thankful that I got the coach that guy. His work ethic and his passion for the game is awesome, and it's an honor for me to be his coach. I'm really proud of him and the things that he can do on the field.

"He's got a lot of years of football left."

It was an offense that reminded many fans of the gun-slinging combinations of years past and one that BYU coaches and players vow will continue.

"I think it's just going to keep going from here," Wilson said after leading the Cougars to a 49-23 win over UCF in the Boca Raton Bowl. "It's been an exciting year of 2020, but also tons of ups and downs. Great way to finish this way, but this offense is just going to keep improving into next year and the year after that.

"We got some great coaches and great players around that are used to the scheme and know what we're asking for. So it's been an exciting year, but we're going to keep growing on for next year."

That's the measure that Sitake will no doubt take into the offseason, as well: for as good as the Cougars' 2020 season was, it also had its challenges and its holdups. By all accounts and even if it wasn't the fault of BYU, the schedule was significantly less than originally planned, with big-name Power Five opponents replaced by lower-level Group of Five squads scheduled on a moment's notice in the late summer and early fall.

No matter how successful the 11-1 season is viewed and make no mistake, it should be viewed as a success there's always a need for improvement for the fifth-year head coach who will look to build on his winningest season in Provo.

"I mean, it doesn't really matter the wins and losses. What matters is the progress that we're making as a program," Sitake said. "I know that's what fans look at, but for me, I'm seeing a lot of progress made over the last few years. We were really excited about this season because we knew we had a deep team, and we had it tested often. So I was really proud of our players, and I think this is going to be a huge step for a lot of young guys that made a lot of plays and that have bright futures here at BYU.

"We're gonna have to lean on them heavily as we go into the next season."

The heights of the 2020 season were prefaced by a low unlike any the program has ever seen in its history.

Due to the coronavirus pandemic and a shift of major conferences toward a conference-only (or less) fall schedule, BYU's schedule that included Utah, Arizona State, Stanford, Michigan State, Missouri and Boise State (among others) was whittled down to as few as two opponents.

As if to add insult to injury or perhaps vice-versa, to use an even more cruel turn of phrase star tight end Matt Bushman suffered a season-ending Achilles' tendon injury just days before the start of the season.

But athletic director Tom Holmoe quickly leapt into action. Sure, the schedule didn't wind up being anything near as difficult as originally intended but the Cougars were just looking to play at all.

The Utes were replaced with a prime-time game on Labor Day night against Navy. Teams from the Sun Belt and Conference USA replaced the Pac-12 and Big Ten. Boise State and San Diego State initially dropped off the schedule, then were re-added in October when the Mountain West like the Pac-12 and Big Ten reversed course about its plans to cancel the season amid the pandemic.

When all was said and done, the Cougars' schedule included Troy, Louisiana Tech, UTSA, Houston and Western Kentucky but they felt lucky to be playing. With such a schedule, BYU kept winning. After a rout of Navy, they trounced their Sun Belt and C-USA contenders most by double digits before a Friday night showdown at Houston.

That win opened up the country's eyes to the strength of the BYU offense and the dynamic athleticism of quarterback Zach Wilson. The Cougars steadily rose up in the ranks, climbing as high as No. 8 in the Associated Press Top 25 and USA Today/Amway Coaches Poll.

The highlight of the schedule, though, was a 51-17 win over Boise State, the Cougars' first-ever win over the Broncos on the Blue Turf in the 11-game history of the rivalry series. It was a win that propelled BYU's national prominence and gave them instant national credibility as New Year's Six darlings (and even dark horse playoff contenders) by media, pundits and writers.

But when the College Football Playoff selection committee met for the first time, BYU wasn't given any respect. The Cougars ventured through the mid-teens in the committees' eyes, which pointed regularly to the schedule.

BYU's schedule was rated the 100th-most difficult in college football, according to Jeff Sagarin's computer rankings a 63.31 rating comparable to its Group of Five peers Central Florida (69.28) and Cincinnati (65.67), as well as Power Five challenger North Carolina (69.05).

Knowing they needed a schedule infusion, the Cougars signed up one of its top challengers; when COVID-19 concerns forced the cancellation of fellow FBS independent Liberty's matchup at Coastal Carolina in front of ESPN's College GameDay, BYU jumped at the chance. Traveling across the country on three day's notice, the Cougars faced the Chanticleers in what many still call the "Game of the Year."

But a 22-15 loss near the shores of Myrtle Beach dropped BYU from the ranks of the undefeated, its only blemish on an otherwise perfect year.

Still, there was no remorse for the road trip even with the loss. The Cougars wanted a challenge, and Coastal Carolina which didn't lose until an overtime defeat to that same Liberty squad in the Cure Bowl gave them every bit of one.

"If there's a chance we could play a doubleheader and back-to-back games, we'd take that," Sitake told KSL.com after returning from Conway, South Carolina. "I love coaching these guys, and they love to play football. They're a bunch of football guys.

"We just want to play football; I let everyone else do the talking on rankings and that stuff. But you know what you're made of when you compete and put yourself in uncomfortable positions and just compete."

With Wilson expected to jump to the NFL any day the projected first-round pick who is a junior said he'd make a decision by New Year's Day after the Boca Raton Bowl BYU will move into 2021 looking to replace several key positions.

Beyond Wilson, offensive lineman Brady Christensen could also depart for a professional career. He's the top-rated lineman in the country, according to Pro Football Focus. Seniors like Khyiris Tonga, Zayne Anderson and Isaiah Kaufusi are also expected to take their shot at the NFL, as is Bushman.

Likely the same will happen with Zac Dawe, Bracken El-Bakri, Kavika Fonua and defensive backs Chris Wilcox and Troy Warner; all of them could be eligible to return for a free season of eligibility under NCAA legislation approved because of the nature of the pandemic, but it's highly likely they will move on to professional careers, in some fashion.

Sitake said any seniors who desire to come back will be allowed to return. Though their scholarship won't count against the 80-man roster limit, they will count toward the 125-man roster limit of NCAA Division I.

If any of them do return, they'll join twin tailbacks Tyler Allgeier (1,130 yards, 13 touchdowns) and Lopini Katoa (44 yards, five touchdowns), not to mention receivers like Dax Milne, Gunner Romney (767 yards, two touchdowns) and Isaac Rex (429 yards, 12 touchdowns). Whomever takes over at quarterback be it Baylor Romney, Jaren Hall, Jacob Conover, Sol-Jay Maiava-Peters or some other unforeseen candidate at this time will have plenty of weapons at their disposal.

But for one final season, these seniors gave BYU fans a year to remember even if most were forced to watch it from home.

"It was just special. We've got a special team here," Kaufusi said after the bowl game. "To go out in that way, and in that fashion, to dominate that game, it was just special. Really proud of the guys. Proud of the team. We worked so hard for this, and to be able to execute and play at a high level like we did tonight, it's incredible.

"We knew we had a special team from the beginning, from all the adversity that we had faced, and I'm just really, really proud of our guys."

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Investigators making progress in Dec. 9 homicide as they seek another suspect – KELOLAND.com

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Posted: Dec 28, 2020 / 12:53 PM CST / Updated: Dec 28, 2020 / 01:42 PM CST

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Sioux Falls police are working to arrest a third person involved in the death of Ephraim Shulue, 16, who died on Dec. 9.

Police are also searching for what they believe is a fourth person involved in the incident.

The most recent arrest happened on Dec. 26 when Ali K. Ahmed, 16, was arrested, Lt. Terrance Matia said during todays police briefing. The first arrest was made on Dec. 23 when Sembel Sale, 17, was arrested.

Charges for both include first degree murder and attempted murder.

Police are gathering evidence to arrest Devon Montileaux, 17, Matia said.

The investigation was joint effort with the Minnehaha County Fugitive Task Force.

The homicide happened during a robbery attempt, Matia said.

Amed was driving for the suspected robbers, Matia said.

Matia said Shulues friends drove by him as he was dying on the ground.

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Pandemic Wipes Out Progress On Phoenix Area Disconnected Youth – KJZZ

Posted: at 12:35 am

During the pandemic, the number of young people not in school or working has increased significantly across the Valley. The pandemic could wipe out all the progress made over the past five years.

Sometimes called disconnected youth, theyre also referred to as opportunity youth. Theyre 16- to 24-year-olds who are not working or attending school.

Opportunities for Youth is a coalition of governments, schools, nonprofits and businesses focused on creating educational and career pathways. Five years ago, the Valley group reported an opportunity youth rate of almost 19%. By 2019, it had dropped to 12.3%. But now, the rate is estimated to be 25.6%. That means one in four16- to 24-year-olds is not in school or working.

The Phoenix City Council recently approved up to $300,000 over three years for Opportunities for Youth/Arizona State University Center for Human Capital and Youth Development to provide services to reengage disconnected youth with basic needs such as food, housing, and medical/behavioral health services to help them transition to educational and employment opportunities.

According to its website, Opportunities for Youth had a goal by 2020 to achieve an 11% opportunity youth rate in Maricopa County and by 2030 to achieve a 7% opportunity youth rate.

Opportunities for Youth, led by ASUs Center for Human Capital and Youth Development, identifies as the only collaborative network of service providers, K-12 and higher education professionals, government, philanthropic funders and businesses focused on reducing the opportunity youth rate in Maricopa County.

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Slow, Steady Progress in Pa. as 77,000 of 1 Million in Phase 1A Have Received Vaccine – NBC 10 Philadelphia

Posted: at 12:35 am

Less than 10% of the healthcare workers and older Pennsylvanians who make up Phase 1A of the state's vaccination rollout plan have received their first doses, but the top health official said she expects a "consistent, weekly distribution" of the coronavirus vaccine in the weeks ahead.

It will like take several weeks before all of the estimated 1 million Pennsylvanians who make up Phase 1A receive their first dose, Health Secretary Rachel Levine said Monday.

This week -- the third since vaccinations started earlier this month -- Levine said 58 hospitals and longterm care facilities will receive 73,000 doses of vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna.

Full coverage of the COVID-19 outbreak and how it impacts you

Once all healthcare workers and older citizens living in longterm care facilities throughout the state receive those doses, next up will be first responders and a vast number of Pennsylvanians who either work in jobs "critical" to the functioning of society. Younger Pennsylvanians who are considered "high risk" to COVID-19 infections may also be in Phase 1B. It remains unclear exactly what order workers in Phase 1B will be given doses.

That decision is still likely months, not weeks, away. The state is using distribution guidelines issued by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and National Institute of Health.

This graphic is provided in a report by the National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine that was commissioned by the CDC and NIH.

The general public in Pennsylvania is not expected to be eligible for the vaccine until late spring or early summer at the earliest, Levine said.

She added that the vaccine rollout is being conducted so that those who receive their first dose will then receive their second dose three to four weeks later. Those who receive the Pfizer vaccine will receive their second dose three weeks later while those who receive the Moderna vaccine will receive it four weeks later.

"We anticipate there will be consistent weekly distribution in Pase 1A," Levine said at a press conference Monday. But she noted that Pennsylvania's Department of Health, as well as Philadelphia's Department of Health, which is receiving doses separately from the state, do not know week-to-week how many doses they will receive for distribution.

The state and city are given doses weekly from the federal government.

The pandemic has increased in the number of cases for three straight months, with each setting monthly records for cases. In December alone, 1 in 59 Americans became infected with the coronavirus.

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Carl Vinson VA in Dublin makes progress in vaccinating veterans and frontline workers – 13WMAZ.com

Posted: at 12:35 am

The Medical Center Director says 80% of the veterans who live in the community living centers have been vaccinated.

DUBLIN, Ga. Veterans who call the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center home are continuing to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Medical Center received its first shipment of the Moderna vaccine last week, and now the medical center director says the rollout is going well.

Lester Porter was the first veteran at the Carl Vinson VA Medical Center to get vaccinated.

"I haven't been afraid of dying every day, but I did not want to get sick and die," he said.

The Dublin VA says the WWII veteran received the vaccine two days before his 97th birthday. Porter getting his vaccine is a small part of the VA's plan to help all of their veterans and frontline workers.

"It's been going quite well. In our auditorium, we have set up a large area for us to be able to deliver the vaccine," said Medical Center Director David Whitmer.

Whitmer says staff members who get their vaccine in the auditorium are also observed afterward.

So far, the Dublin VA has vaccinated about 80% of veterans that call the VA home.

"We are actually expecting to receive additional doses in the next few days and we are really excited," Whitmer said.

They plan to vaccinate veterans with underlying health conditions who are over 75 next.

"If they have hypertension for example, or diabetes, or perhaps a previous cancer diagnosis, we will start contacting them, and then scheduling them to come and get a vaccination here in Dublin," Whitmer said.

He says neither staff nor veterans have had any adverse reactions to the vaccine.

Their hope is to give vets like Lester a winning chance in the fight against COVID-19.

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Community Relations Commission foresees progress on diversity in 2021 – The Durango Herald

Posted: at 12:35 am

It was a year of friction in Durango and across the nation as social reform protests and counterprotests swept the country. In response, the city government says it will prioritize diversity, equity and inclusion issues in 2021, relying on the Community Relations Commission to bring viewpoints to City Council.

Community Relations Commission members say they can point to examples of how the city turned its response into action, but the pace has been a challenge.

Sometimes this work can move at a glacial pace for those that are suffering. It can feel as if there is no progress being made, said Lexie Stetson-Lee, who chaired the committee. That is going to be a common thread until we embed more of this, educate more and shift systems.

The Community Relations Commission, which launched in 2012, is one of several boards and commissions that advise City Council.

In the past, it has hosted focus group meetings and surveyed the community at events. It launched a Civility First pledge program, which gathered pledges from more than 70 community organizations but has been criticized as a superficial effort.

The five-member board began 2020 with three empty seats, which were filled between February and August. Unlike other boards, it didnt have a City Council member designated as a liaison.

The commissions budget is $3,000, and it is possibly the only advisory board with a budget.

Steps takenThis year, one main project was to hold three listening sessions with community members starting in January.

Then, several Black Americans were killed at the hands of law enforcement, with George Floyds death in May leading to nationwide protests. In Durango, the community protested and split over the Chief sign outside of Toh-Atin Gallery, 145 W. Ninth St.

The listening sessions were filled with people recounting frustrations and experiences of prejudice and discrimination in the city.

In response, Councilor Barbara Noseworthy took on the role of interim liaison and a third staff liaison, Sandy Irwin, was added to the commission. Irwin is part of a staff team organizing the citys diversity, equity and inclusion initiative.

When Stetson-Lees term ends in January, Tirzah Camacho will become the new chair. Camacho, who has served on the board since September 2019, has regularly challenged city norms while advocating for traditionally marginalized communities. City staff members believe she is the first Indigenous person to chair a city board or commission.

I hope by accepting, it would be in the name of modeling for other people in the community to think about these spaces, and that they could stand in these spaces with decision-makers for power building, Camacho said after her nomination during a December commission meeting.

Stetson-Lee said one of the commissions biggest successes dealt with translation services. Durango added Google Translate to its website and allocated additional funding for translation in 2021.

It was an example of community feedback being heard and action seen within a year, she said.

When we look at inclusive participation, translation is needed. And it is a sincere win this year, Stetson-Lee said.

Councils approval of an inclusion-focused city goal for 2021 and the listening sessions were major successes, said Irwin, who is also director of the Durango Public Library.

Stetson-Lee added the commission had a lot of very brave and very giving community members share with us this year, and so we were able to embed that into the citys goals.

Looking aheadThe commission is still working on its next steps in 2021. It plans to bring in a strategic planning adviser to help during a goal-setting workshop in January.

In December, the commission members listed its top priorities as translation services, holding the commission accountable to its goals, the Civility First program and connecting the city to educational institutions.

Some challenges still remain, including the pace of change and necessary resources, commission representatives said.

But looking ahead, they felt that regardless of the individual people involved, policy changes were in place to continue prioritizing diversity, equity and inclusion in the future.

For Stetson-Lee, she hopes the commission will still be community-driven, informed by residents and those struggling to be heard but in need of change.

Sometimes you have to go through uncomfortable change to come back to harmony, Stetson-Lee said. That might have marked this year as being a more uncomfortable year, but I would say the goal remains the same.

smullane@durangoherald.com

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Police Officials Tout Progress, Warn Of Waning Diversity On Force – 90.5 WESA

Posted: at 12:35 am

Pittsburgh Police officials told City Council on last week that the bureau is making progress on a series of reforms but they warned the force risked becoming less diverse at a time when racial tensions around policing have come to the forefront.

The hearing was called by City Councilor Corey OConnor to assess the Bureau of Public Safetys work on a series of police reforms proposed by a task force this past October. The task force called for a slew of changes in crowd control and use of force, police training and recruitment, community engagement and transparency in policing data.

A lot of these issues cannot be addressed overnight, Police Chief Scott Schubert said. But others were addressed even before recommendations were made.

Public Safety Director Wendell Hissrich noted that as of last week, 78 police had been sidelined by virus concerns, and 18 were known to be infected. That kind of disruption, he said, has slowed some of the response with the issues that have been brought to us.

Still, officials touted success in many areas like community engagement. And they said more progress was expected in early 2021, when they hoped to make policing data more broadly available and to complete work on the 8 Cant Wait reforms to the use of force. Those changes, endorsed by Mayor Bill Peduto last summer, include a ban on chokeholds, an emphasis on de-escalation tactics and more rigorous standards for police accountability and use of force.

Officials also said they welcomed efforts to have social service agencies rather than police handle concerns about mental health and homelessness challenges which they acknowledged the average officer may not have sufficient expertise to handle.

Officers are general practitioners they are not the cardiologists, said Hissrich. They are confronted with issues that they dont have the answers [for].

But Schubert also expressed concerns that a longstanding concern about the police force the disproportionately small number of non-white officers in its ranks could get worse.

Currently, the force is about 13 percent Black, in a city where nearly one-quarter of residents are Black. More than 50 of those Black officers are eligible for retirement, Schubert says: If they all depart, the share of Black officers on the force would drop to just 7 percent. And with no plans to recruit a new class of officers next year an austerity measure prompted by the coronavirus there is little immediate prospect of reversing the trend.

Right now, it doesnt represent the demographics of the city of Pittsburgh, Schubert said. And if all [those eligible for retirement] would go, were going to be in pretty bad shape. Its something, and Ive said it to you before, thats of deep concern to me for our organization.

Black officers on the force are more likely to be older, because many of them were hired under a 1970s-era federal consent decree that required half of new police hires to be black. But the percentage of new hires who are Black has dropped since the decree lapsed. In recent years, the city has sought to step up recruitment of non-white officers, but with little effect on the overall trend.

Broader staffing issues led to an exchange with City Councilor Deb Gross over the debate about whether to defund police by redirecting money toward way from law enforcement and toward social-services. The issue has been at the forefront of protests and public comment before council throughout the latter half of the year.

HIssrich said that when he joined the Peduto administration, the message he heard was We need more officers, we need more officers. The force reached 900 positions a level he said was appropriate. Now we want to curtail back to where we were years ago. In my opinion it would be very detrimental to the city of Pittsburgh as far as crime.

Schubert added that if cuts were made, the first things to be cut would be community engagement efforts that try to ease police-community tensions.

My whole career I have believed in community policing, but there are resources you need to make that happen, he said.

Gross was unconvinced. She noted, as she has before, that Pittsburgh has more police per capita than many other comparable cities. And she noted that the citys just-passed 2021 budget contained steeper cuts for other services while leaving $111 million for policing.

This budget defunds city planning and its defunded [the Department of Public Works] and defunded Parks and Rec, she said. And we did not defund police even a little bit.

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