Daily Archives: April 6, 2021

April 4 marked the 53d anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther Kings assassination. Over half a century. Has America come any closer to his dream?

He would be pleased at some of our progress. Segregation is no longer the law of the land. The Voting Rights Act helped open doors. Dr. King would be pleased that a majority of Americans joined to elect and re-elect an African American president. Georgians just elected a black minister from Dr. Kings own historic church to the U.S. Senate. There are now 60 African American members of Congress, 54 Latino members, 20 Asian American or Pacific Islander Americans and 5 native Americans.

Yet the reconstruction has brought reaction. By a 5-4 decision, right-wing judges on the Supreme Court gutted the Voting Rights Act, even after overwhelming majorities of both parties voted to reauthorize it. Now across the country, Republicans, fearful of the growing involvement of minorities and the young, are seeking to impose restrictions that make voting more difficult.

Dr. King would be marching with those who seek to make it easier to register and to vote. Hed be urging the Senate to pass S1, the For the People election reform bill that would go far to limit voter suppression, gerrymandering and counter the role of secret big money in politics. He surely would be delighted that African American business leaders of major corporations and banks have joined in urging the corporate community to speak out against efforts to suppress the vote.

George Floyds murder would appall but not surprise Dr. King. The shameful mass incarceration of African Americans and the structural racial inequities of our criminal justice system demand reform. Again, Dr. King would be marching with the Black Lives Matter movement and would be encouraged by the multiracial outpouring of largely peaceful, nonviolent protests demanding reform.

Economic justice was the third movement of Dr. Kings civil rights symphonyand the most incomplete. The pandemic has once more stripped the veil off of Americas structural racial inequalities. African Americans and Latinos were the most likely to be infected, the most likely to lack health care, the most likely to be frontline workers, the least likely to be able to work from home.

When the economy shut down, African Americans and Latinos suffered the largest loss of jobs, and the greatest collapse of incomes. We are also vulnerable to the most evictions and foreclosures. The schools our children attend are the least likely to have adequate ventilation or space for social distancing.

The level of economic violence suffered daily by poor and low-income families is immoral and unnecessary. Millions of Americans still lack the basic right to adequate health care. Dr. Kings legacy has helped to inspire a new Poor Peoples Campaign, giving voice to the 140 million low income and impoverished Americans who struggle to survive.

Dr. King protested as the War on Poverty was defeated in the jungles of Vietnam. He understood that a bloated military budget, constant interventions across the world, the arms race that threatened all humanity sapped the resources, energy and attention needed to make America better.

Today, the military budget is even higherin comparable dollarsthan it was at the height of the Cold War. The U.S. maintains nearly 800 military bases in more than 70 countries. We fight endless wars on the other side of the world. And worse, we seem headed into a new Cold War, this time with both Russia and China, and have launched a trillion-dollar program to build a new generation of nuclear weapons that we dont need and cannot use.

Our priorities remain distorted. There were no Republican votes for Bidens Rescue Plan to deal with the pandemic and the economic collapse. Many predict that there will be no Republican votes for Bidens American Jobs Plan to rebuild and modernize our infrastructure and begin to deal with the existential threat of catastrophic climate change. Yet there will be bipartisan support for a military budget far beyond our security needs.

Over half a century. Weve come a long way, yet we still have so far to go. Hope is provided by a new generationmore diverse, more engaged, better educated, and increasingly on the march. They are bringing new energy and new numbers to the struggle for justice and peace. About that, Dr. King surely would be pleased.

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The Moral Universe: Evaluating progress across the arc of MLK's Dream to America's reality today - Milwaukee Independent

Report, together with formal minutes relating to the report

Ordered by the House of Commons to be printed 15 December 2020

Summary

Since 2018, the International Development Committee has been inquiring into sexual exploitation and abuse in the aid sector. We are determined to keep the spotlight on this issue until we can see that effective, concerted efforts are being taken to combat this problem in every corner of the sector. Our predecessor committee identified several factors that have enabled sexual exploitation and abuse to persist, including a lack of safeguarding culture and ineffective investigations into perpetrators when abuses occur.

We recognise that in the last couple of years aid actors including the Department for International Development, non-governmental organisations, private sector suppliers and the United Nations have introduced new practices and procedures to tackle this problem and improve whistleblowing policies and protections. Many aid organisations have introduced new training to raise awareness among staff and some have employed new preventing sexual exploitation and abuse (PSEA) champions and coordinators.

Whilst this is commendable, we are keen to ensure this does not become a box-ticking exercise that fails to address the underlying culture that has enabled sexual exploitation and abuse to persist.

Our evidence has shown that in some parts of the aid sector discriminatory attitudes may have stifled progress in tackling this problem and the entrenched power imbalances make it almost impossible for aid beneficiaries to challenge aid providers. It is clear aid beneficiaries need to be empowered and involved more directly in aid delivery. We advocate for approaches to tackling sexual exploitation and abuse that engage local populations and prioritise support for victims and survivors.

The recent sex for jobs scandal during the 201820 Ebola response in the Democratic Republic of the Congo was described as an open secret1 yet little seems to have been done to put a stop to it. We need safe reporting mechanisms, designed with local populations so that individuals are empowered to come forward. Individuals also need to trust that if they do raise a complaint, robust investigations will take place and appropriate action taken against the perpetrator if the complaint is upheld. Without these mechanisms, all the efforts that have been directed towards employment cycle schemes such as the Misconduct Disclosure Scheme and Aid Worker Registration Scheme will be completely ineffective at stopping perpetrators from moving around the aid sector with impunity.We are proud of the impact that the aid sector has achieved in tackling poverty around the world and we want this work to continue, but the sexual exploitation, abuse and underlying culture outlined in this report will continue to undermine its efforts unless organisations do everything they can to stamp it out. The Department for International Development had made positive steps towards holding its implementing partners accountable for their safeguarding practices and the new Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) must continue to push for change as it takes over stewardship of the aid budget.

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Progress on tackling the sexual exploitation and abuse of aid beneficiaries, Seventh Report of Session 201921 - World - ReliefWeb

Everest numbers continue to mount. Meanwhile, Annapurna is first in line to be summited this spring.

Young mountaineers and veteran Sherpas, climbing celebrities, and anonymous wannabes, no trekkers but lots of climbers: Thats the cast of characters currently flocking to Nepal and to Everest Base Camp, in particular.

The number of Everest hopefuls rises by the day. On Friday, we reported 105 Everest climbers. Now, on Monday, there are 160, spread over 17 teams. Already, Base Camp crews are in place, and the Icefall Doctors fixed the route through the Khumbu Icefall days ago. Most climbers have not quite reached EBC, though.

Face masks are mandatory along the trek to BC, although at least one person above is not complying. Photo: IMG/J. Schrock

Yesterday, the Mountain Professionals team arrived at Phakding, the first nights stop on their hike in. Its very quiet in the valley because there are no trekking-only groups, Ryan Waters told ExplorersWeb. It is nice because it is just locals and climbing expeditions, although maybe not so nice for the businesses.

The moon above the famous Boudhanath stupa was red during the recent wildfires, but by the end of last week, Kathmandu enjoyed slightly clearer air. Photo: The Kathmandu Times

International Mountain Guides has also returned to Everest with two teams. Leaders are Eric Simonson, Ang Jangbu Sherpa, Jonathan Schrock, Phunuru Sherpa, Ang Dorjee Sherpa, Kevin Kayl, Andy Politz, and Greg Vernovage. One group reached Phakding yesterday, the other is already in Namche.

Poor visibility from the wildfires delayed flights to Lukla last week, so expedition members drove from Kathmandu to Phaplu on the new highway in progress. From there, they caught a helicopter to the beginning of the trek. They will arrive in EBC next week.

According to Alan Arnette, the local Nepali companies are servicing mostly Indian clients. However, Nirmal Purja and Mingma David Sherpas Elite Himalayan Experience includes three British climbers: Steve Davis from York, (Manaslu 2019), Dan Dowding from London (Aconcagua with Elite, 2020), and Adriana Brownlee.

Although people in the UK currently arent allowed to travel overseas for recreation, Brownlee has been in Nepal since her time in Pakistan in December-January, at K2 Base Camp. It is possible that the other two have been similarly out of the country.

The Elite group also includes Gareth Jones of the United States (Denali), Jenn Drummond (Ama Dablam with Garrett Madison in fall 2020), Ed Hill, and Quebecs Marie-Pier Desharnais.

Nirmal Purja. Photo: Elite Himalayan Experience

They will all climb Nims Style, as leader Nirmal Purja puts it. You will be climbing with minimum support, you will be carrying your own shit up the mountains, YOU will earn YOUR respect.

Over the years of my climbing, he went on, from being the fastest man to climb all 148,000m to making the first ascent of mighty K2 in winter without supplemental O2, breaking records after records and creating history, the mountains have taught me a lot. He promised that his skills would redound to his clients advantage.

Pakistans Broad Boy and Kami Rita Sherpa, about to leave Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, 19-year-old Shehroze Kashif from Pakistan, dubbed Broad Boy after summiting Broad Peak, will be the youngest on Everest this season, besting the now 20-year-old Adriana Brownlee. He will climb with veteran Kami Rita Sherpa, who will break his own record by reaching his 25th Everest summit. Since Kashif is partially acclimatized, they flew straight from Kathmandu to Dingboche at 4,000m. Check the pairs brief video here.

On Annapurna, several climbers have already reached Camp 2. According to Pakistans Kamran Ali, the route to Camp 3 is being fixed, and Alis partners are on their way to C3 for their third acclimatization round and a final night at altitude before their summit push.

Climber on Annapurna. Photo: Purnima Shrestha

On Dhaulagiri, Carla Perez and Topo Mena flew to Base Camp yesterday to attempt a new route up the NW Ridge. Horia Colibasanu and Marius Gane are aiming for the same ridge although it is unclear whether both parties will be on exactly the same line. The Romanian duo completed their acclimatization trek and will head to the mountain from Kathmandu in a couple of days.

Esteban Mena and Carla Perez of Ecuador board a flight to Dhaulagiri Base Camp under smoky but clearing Nepal skies. Photo: Carla Perez

Senior journalist, published author and communication consultant. Specialized on high-altitude mountaineering, with an interest for everything around the mountains: from economics to geopolitics. After five years exploring distant professional ranges, I returned to ExWeb BC in 2018. Feeling right at home since then!

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Everest Climbers Now Number 160, Progress on Annapurna - ExplorersWeb

University of Cincinnati's United Asian Advocates student group will meet with university administrators on Thursday to discuss a list of demands to support Asian and Black, Indigenous and people of color who are students, faculty and staff.(Photo: Provided/Aashka Raval)

University of Cincinnati administrators will meet with United Asian Advocates, a student group, this week to discuss growing anti-Asian global and local sentiments and a list of demands the organization submitted to the university in March.

"(I'm) disturbed at the lack of progress there has been in terms of making a campus safe for everyone," said Catharine Baek,a third-year piano performance major atUC's College-Conservatory of Music. She is the director of communicationsfor United Asian Advocates.

Baek is a second-generation Korean American, though shesays her parents immigrated to America at such young ages it basically adds a "half" to her second-generation status.She grew up nearCleveland.

Baek told The Enquirer she has watched professors "talk down" to international students, "as if they are stupid." In those moments, she says, she feels stuck and doesn't know how to insert herself, stand up for her peers or move forward from the incident.

More:UC professor who called COVID-19 'the Chinese virus' not asked to return

She doesn't know how to stand up for herself, either, she said.

It's little things, Baek said. One time she was talking to a peer about activities they participated in high school. Her peer said: "Did you just study a lot?"

It was like a jab, like a paper cut. Baek said it was too smalla thing to process in the moment. But she remembers still feeling hurt days later, unsure of how to express herself or how to address the microaggression.

"It doesn't seem like anything," Baek said, "but it's perpetuating this model minority myth."

Baek's roommate and United Asian Advocates co-president Aashka Raval says the group often discussed issues of racism in years past but decided to address anti-Asian hatehead-on in September after an adjunctinstructor referred to COVID-19 as "the Chinese virus" in an email to a student. UC did not renew its contract with John Ucker for the spring semester after investigating the incident.

According to the university's website, 4.7% of students identify as Asian and 6.4% of students identify as international. There are nearly 36,000 undergraduate students enrolled in the 2020-2021 school year.

Raval, a third-year business analytics major and international student from western India, says United Asian Advocates held student forums and other feedback sessions that would later lead to a list of demands. The process intensified after the group was "Zoom-bombed"during a virtual Asian leadership panel event on Feb. 23.

"We had people unmute themselves and just start spewing hate" about 40-45 minutes into the event, Raval said. "And not just anti-Asian. Anti-Black, anti-semitic, anti-LGBTQ. Just hate."

They were able to remove one of the disruptors, but then another user started to speak up with racist comments, Raval said. They called a member of the United Asians Advocates a "cow" and told her to "go back to India."

"This was just so traumatic," Raval said, especially after putting so much work into an event that was supposed to empower Asian students and professionals. "It's so easy for someone to just jump in and ruin the entire thing that you've been planning for two months."

Later that week, Raval messaged her advisors and United Asian Advocates compiled a list of demands for the university.

UC's United Asian Advocates student group members participated in a downtown Cincinnati vigil and "Stop Asian Hate" rally outside of the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center on March 21, 2021.(Photo: Provided/Aashka Raval)

The group ended up with six demands, summarized below:

Further details regarding the demands can be found on United Asian Advocates' website.

University spokesperson M.B. Reilly confirmed administration is reaching out to learn more from United Asian Advocates in response to their demands.

"I am always happy to partner and engage with our students, faculty and staff, whether with our student groups directly, their faculty and staff advisors, or administrative offices," Bleuzette Marshall, UC'svice president for equity, inclusion and community impact, said in a Tuesday statement."It is my consistent practice that when speaking with any individual or group, I do speak with them and never about them."

UC president Neville Pinto, who was born in Mumbai, India,has released two statements since September regarding anti-Asian hate.But both Raval andBaek say they think Pinto and the university could do more to support Asian-identifying students and staff at UC.

"There is no move for action in terms of, like, very concrete steps," Baek said. "If the leadership can't provide the resources for students, then who is, really? It shouldn't be up to a student group to demand something of a university, too. Like, this should already have been in the works."

The students will meet with the president's office Thursday morning, Raval said.

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'Disturbed at the lack of progress.' UC students demand support for Asian-identifying community - The Cincinnati Enquirer

Facts, not fear: We're tracking the latest coronavirus numbers and vaccination efforts across the San Antonio area.

SAN ANTONIO We're tracking the latest numbers from the coronavirus pandemic as well as the vaccine efforts in San Antonio and across Texas.

Vaccine Progress in Bexar County

Across Bexar County, more than 831,000 vaccine doses have been administered, as of April 4.

DSHS defines "population" as residents who are 16 years of age or older; in Bexar County, this represents more than 1.55 million people. The CDC states that "when a high percentage of the community is immune to a disease (through vaccination and/or prior illness)," that community will have reached herd immunity, "making the spread of this disease from person to person unlikely."

80,190vaccines were administered last week in Bexar County; a total of 831,547vaccine doses have been administered in the county since vaccination efforts began 15 weeks ago.

Across Texas, 4.668 million residents are fully vaccinated. In total, the state has administered 12.529 million vaccine doses, as of April 5. Texas is one of eight states with less than 17% of its population fully vaccinated, as of April 4:

18.8 percent of the country's population has been fully vaccinated as of April 4, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Latest Coronavirus Numbers

Here are the latest numbers reported by Bexar County and state officials:

Bexar County (data as of Tuesday, April 6):

Metro Health reports new data at 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Texas (data as of Tuesday, April 4):

More county case information is available through theTexas Department of Health Services COVID-19 dashboard.

Bexar County COVID-19 Trends

This week's update of the Warning Signs and Progress Indicators for Bexar County saw Bexar County holding steady at the low-risk level. The positivity rate remains at 2.1% for a second straight week, well below the 5% threshold set by local officials.

The county's seven-day moving average decreased slightly, from 188 at the end of last week to 167 on Monday.

The number of COVID-19 patients receiving treatments at area hospitals dropped by seven in the last 24 hours, to 179. Of those, 72 patients are in intensive care, and 30 are on ventilators.

Latest Coronavirus Headlines

Coronavirus symptoms

The symptoms of coronavirus can be similar to the flu or a bad cold. Symptoms include fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea, according to the Centers for Disease Control.

Most healthy people will have mild symptoms. A study of more than 72,000 patients by the Centers for Disease Control in China showed 80 percent of the cases there were mild.

But infections can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure, and even death, according to the World Health Organization. Older people with underlying health conditions are most at risk.

Experts determined there was consistent evidence these conditions increase a person's risk, regardless of age:

Human coronaviruses are usually spread...

Help stop the spread of coronavirus

Find a Testing Location

City officials recommend getting a COVID-19 test if you experience fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.

Here's a Testing Sites Locatorto help you find the testing location closest to you in San Antonio.

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Vaccine Progress: More than 20% fully vaccinated in Bexar County - KENS5.com

DELAWARE Progress is being made on a bill that would remove dual registration requirements for voters. Representative Bryan Shupe tells 47ABC right now most Delawareans have to register twice to be able to vote in all elections across the state. They must register with the state for statewide elections, but register again for local elections. There are some other things were looking at that I think are kind of feel good measures for voting rights. But I really do feel that the municipal voting rights is something that is very impactful, said Rep. Shupe.

Rep. Shupe says hes been able to get Democratic State Senator Elizabeth Lockman on board as primary sponsor. Im happy to have someone who, on face value looks like theyre completely opposite of me, but we have the same values when it comes to voting rights, said Rep. Shupe.

Because voters must currently go through the dual registration process, Rep. Shupe says the bill could potentially impact thousands of Delawareans. It allows for literally tens of thousands of individuals, who I believe are disenfranchised right now, to be able to vote in the street level, in their town, elections that are going to affect their daily lives, said Rep. Shupe.

Rep. Shupe says hes still looking for additional sponsors. He addsthe bill will be put out to the committee in about two weeks.

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Progress being made on Del. bill that would eliminate dual voter registration - 47abc - WMDT

On Day 55 of the West Virginia Legislatures 60-day session, Gov. Jim Justice gathered top lawmakers of both parties to try to hash out the differences between three very different plans to reduce the personal income tax. Instead, the governor offered up another version of his plan before lawmakers chimed in and consensus on the issue remained elusive.

Billed as a way to urge lawmakers to agree on what has been, to date, a stalemate, the governor's "summit" began with Justice critiquing the plans put forth by the Republican-led House and Senate.

I do not agree with the House plan from the standpoint that it takes a long, long time, Justice said of House Bill 3300, as passed by the lower chamber last month.

Under that plan, the personal income tax reduction would take place over the course of roughly 12 years and would reduce revenue by at least $150 million year over year totaling more than $2 billion in lost revenue upon full implementation. The proposal from the House offers no new sources of revenue.

Justice said the House plan would not effectively entice people to move to West Virginia one of his stated motivations in reducing the personal income tax.

I think from the Senate side, they went big enough, Justice said, noting, however, that he sees certain tax hikes as burdening the wrong parts of the population.

A strike-and-insert amendment to House Bill 3300 adopted by the Senate Finance Committee and slated for a vote in the full Senate with amendments pending Tuesday differs greatly from the House plan, but also departs from Justices proposal that was announced last month.

Under the upper chambers plan, there would be increases to the consumer sales tax from 6 percent to 8.5 percent, the reinstatement of the food tax at 2.5 percent and a new hotel occupancy fee, among other revenue increases.

My plan did just this it tried to make every single living, breathing West Virginian cash-positive, Justice said, arguing that his original plan took on what he called the Charleston swamp.

But those words from Justice, as he acknowledged disapproval from some business groups and lobbyists, served as a pivot. Justice then unveiled a brand new set of ideas on tax reform with some aspects of his original plan remaining intact and others dramatically changed.

After passing out literature to lawmakers on the stage, the governor announced a new proposal he called the Justice 4 All income tax plan. He then explained the latest iteration of his plan, moving the personal income tax reduction down to 50 percent (it was a 60-percent reduction in his original plan).

Under Justices new plan, the consumer sales tax would still jump from 6 percent to 7.9 percent. Proposed increases to beer, liquor and wine that were included in Justices original plan would be eliminated, the governor said.

After the governor introduced his new plan, lawmakers began to speak up and offer their own thoughts on the various proposals.

One of the principal concerns that the members of the House always debate at length is how any proposed plan would differentiate West Virginia from neighboring states specifically as it relates to the border-county issue, said House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay.

After a somewhat extended back and forth with Justice about concerns over border

counties, Senate President Craig Blair, R-Berkeley, said he would get behind the governors new plan.

"I'd vote for this in a heartbeat and I do believe what you've got here is an improvement, Blair said about Justices latest set of ideas.

Are we prepared to do this today? No, said Blair, signaling his eagerness to find compromise. But maybe tomorrow. The sooner the better.

Senate Finance Chairman Eric Tarr, R-Putnam, questioned why the governors plan had focused on taxes on coal and gas, when he sees President Joe Bidens proposed policies on natural resources as a potential hindrance.

There is concern within the Senate of using volatile and less predictable taxes to offset a reduction in a very stable revenue source, Tarr said, noting that the Senate plan didnt consider severance taxes on natural resources.

Justice responded by saying that his plan didnt hinge on severance taxes as much as it does economic growth. The governor took issue with the Senates plan to reinstate things like the food tax.

The biggest thing that I think the Senate plan will be a tremendous obstacle is just this like it or not like it it puts an incredible burden back on those that are struggling the most. They're going to perceive it that way, Justice responded.

House Finance Chairman Eric Householder, R-Berkeley, said he was giving the governor the way out with the plan that has already passed the lower chamber.

The House, right now, has the common-sense approach a moderate approach that doesn't wreck the West Virginia economy, Householder said. And it burdens no one. Yes, it may take 12 years. But I think it's a more common-sense approach.

It was nearly an hour and a half into Mondays summit before Justice heard from Democrats whose small numbers in the House and Senate have been able to offer little influence on legislation this session.

House Minority Leader Stephen Baldwin, D-Greenbrier, applauded Justice for bringing members of the two parties together and for championing the tax rebates for low-wage earners included in the both of the governors plans, including the new Justice 4 All proposal.

Baldwin also asked Justice what cuts to the state budget might be included under the new plan, including $25 million of funding to programs that have not yet been identified.

I heard you talk about the potential cuts over time in the House plan, Baldwin said. We've obviously seen what the potential cuts are in terms of the Senate plan for the budget moving forward which I think are some pretty important things to you. So what might those look like?

Justice said he had met with Tarr about potential cuts that would reel back wasteful spending, that the governor said would be easy.

Now, I dont really know what they are. And, you know, we'll have to all look at that and see what they are, he said.

House Minority Leader Doug Skaff, D-Kanawha, also thanked Justice for the opportunity to speak at the summit, and said he is open to the idea of reducing the personal income tax. However, Skaff said things felt too rushed and he made it clear that consensus wasnt there yet.

I question the sense of urgency today that we have to hurry up and do this. I'd be all for us meeting numerous times, through the next few months through the whole summer, Skaff said. Let's get this right. Let's do it right, let's take part of the Senate's plan, part of the House plan, your plan let's get this right.

I know we've only got five days left and we can talk about this for 500 years, Justice said in closing out the two-hour summit. But it takes a lot of effort from everybody. I have given you every single thing in my soul to try to get us across the finish line.

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Gov. Justice Unveils Yet Another Personal Income Tax Reduction Plan, But Progress On Issue Remains Elusive - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

James Wiseman is finding life as an NBA rookie to be an adventure, and that goes for Warriors head coach Steve Kerr as well as he tries to guide the no-longer-a-teenager through the season.

Wiseman, who turned 20 on Wednesday, felt he played really well during Sundays 117-111 loss in Atlanta, shooting 4-for-9 with five rebounds in 18 minutes, but he was given just one stint of playing time in each half. I was very surprised, he said during Mondays media session. I just knew that was coachs game plan, trying to figure something out. But I was kinda confused, I cant lie.

Kerr wasnt specific about his critique on Wiseman or whats in store with the Bucks up next Tuesday night at Chase Center, but said, Everything weve talked about this year is trying to make the playoffs and develop our young guys. Were right in the thick of things, so its important not to assume that minutes equal development. It also includes observation from the sidelines, earning minutes.

If there are mistakes made in the previous game, lets work on those. If we dont correct them, its less playing time. It cant just be where we throw him out there and let him go for 30 minutes every night, because frankly, hes not ready for that.

Wiseman understands that. Ive just got to do what got me here: rebound, block shots and run the floor, he said. Dont try to do something thats something out of my game, because I think Im improving. Im getting to the basket faster, trying to be more aggressive with my rebounding. I think Im playing way better defense than previous games, and Im being way more vocal on the defensive end.

I think Im a great defender,but I need to be better on my timing and footwork in the rotations. Mind you, I only played three games in college. Im still behind the 8-ball. But Im getting exponentially better each day.

Kerr said its normal for a player to have growing pains entering the NBA so early. It was the same thing for a lot of highly touted prospects who didnt have college experience, even guys like Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett. I dont know that after Kobes couple of airballs in the playoffs against Utah in his rookie year, we could have said hes gonna be a top-five player of all time. We just have to be patient with James. We just cant force the issue.

Briefly: Wiseman said he gets advice from a number of NBA players, including Brooklyns Kyie Irving, and that he and Kevin Durant are especially close. I talk to KD every day via text, Wiseman said. Ive been knowing him since high school, when he watched film and told me what to work on, how to get into the league, stuff like that. Hes been telling me about how he was able to fit into the system here. ... Kerr said Stephen Curry felt great when he arrived at practice, and that everything is trending toward him playing Tuesday night.

Bruce Jenkins is a San Francisco Chronicle columnist.

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Wiseman and Kerr: Its a work in progress - San Francisco Chronicle

From left, Santa Ynez Chumash Tribal Chairman Kenneth Kahn, Secretary/Treasurer Maxine Littlejohn, Vice Chair Raul Armenta, and Business Committee members Gary Pace and Mike Lopez stand on the future site of the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center, which is slated for completion later this year.

The 14,000-square-foot facility will feature architecture reflecting Chumash culture

Staff Report

Construction and exhibit development for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center is making impressive progress. The museum will be a monument dedicated to celebrating the Santa Ynez Chumash tribes heritage and history while providing educational opportunities to visitors wanting to learn more about the Chumash people and their rich culture.

We are excited to see firsthand the progress that is being made on the Santa Ynez Chumash Museum and Cultural Center said Kenneth Kahn, tribal chairman for the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians. This has been a long-anticipated dream of the tribe, and we are committed to telling the story of our people so visitors will come away with a deeper understanding of the challenges and opportunities Chumash ancestors faced living in the Santa Ynez Valley for more than 8,000 years.

The 14,000-square-foot facility will feature architecture reflecting Chumash culture, offering visitors a unique experience and intimate look into the first people of this region. The design of the museum includes a Welcome House, Heritage House, Traditional Tule House, Samala Language House, and a Tomol House; symbolically bringing together several houses to make a village.The project will include a 3.5-acre cultural park featuring native plants used by the Chumash.

The museum was designed by the Seattle-based, award-winning Jones & Jones Architects and Landscape Architects. Founding Partner Johnpaul Jones, who was awarded a National Humanities Medal by President Barack Obama at the White House in 2014, is Choctaw/Cherokee by heritage and was one of the principal designers of the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian on the Mall in Washington, D.C.

Jones & Jones specializes in works of integrated architecture and landscape architecture rooted in nature and culture as diverse as the places they celebrate, giving voice to the region and its people.

Bernards, a California-based construction company, is providing general contracting and construction services, while Summit Project Management of Culver City has been retained to manage the project.

Throughout the pre-planning, design and build process, the tribe also seeks to advance the legacy of Chumash environmental stewardship by its pursuit to become one of the first LEED-certified tribal museums in the United States. The project will feature high-efficiency systems to protect the tribes artifact collection, locally sourced materials such as stone from the Santa Ynez Valley and landscape irrigation that utilizes recycled water.

Other features will include informative exhibits and cultural objects that have been collected throughout the decades-long planning process for the museum. In all, a collection of more than 20,000 cultural objects have been amassed and preserved to help tell the story of Santa Ynez Chumash.

The project is slated for completion later this year.

The Santa Ynez Reservation is located in Santa Barbara County and was established and officially recognized by the federal government on Dec. 27, 1901. Today, the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians remains the only federally recognized Chumash tribe in the nation. The tribe is a self-governing tribal sovereign nation and follows the laws set forth in its tribal constitution.

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AUGUSTA, Ga. -- Justin Thomas joined aprestigiousgroup when he won The Players Championship last month.

He would add his name to an even smaller subset of PGA Tour stars if he continues his steady progress at Augusta National and wins the Masters this week.

Thomas fired weekend rounds of 64-68 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass torally fromseven shots back to win at 14-under274.In becoming the fourth player in Tour history to win 14 times before his 28thbirthday(Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Johnny Miller are the others), Thomasalsobecame the fourth player to win a Players, a major championship, a World Golf Championship and a FedEx Cup playoff event, joining Woods, Rory McIlroy and Henrik Stenson.

IfThomaswins the Masters, there would be only two players in history with a green jacket, a Players, a WGC and a FedEx playoff victory.

Woods is the other. That's what youcall select company.

More: Rock solid: Justin Thomas overtakes Lee Westwood to win Players Championship

More: Gene Frenette: After "crappy couple months," Justin Thomas is deserving Players champion

Woods also is the only player in history to win a Players Championship, then follow that up with a victory at the Masters, in 2001.

Thomas said his Players victory was remarkable in the sense that he wasnt exactly overflowing with confidence entering the week and was still carrying some emotional baggage after the death of his grandfather in February and the fallout from the homophobic slurhe uttered at himself at the Sentry Tournament of Champions in January that was caught on TV and resulted in the loss of sponsors and his apologies.

I had not been playing great, Thomas said on Tuesday before a practice session at the Augusta National Golf Club. I wasnt in a great place mentally … and for some reason, it just clicked.

Thomas lost himself on the TPC Sawgrass range and short-game areas that week to try to piece together the missing parts of his game.

I practiced really, really hard Monday through Wednesday, just to find something, to try to figure something out to where I can play the tournament and just get it around, he said. Because I know that you can have hot rounds out there. I was fortunate to just squeak by Friday [when he made the cut with a shot to spare] and found one of those rounds on Saturday.

"Once I get there Sunday, I was comfortable and just had to stay patient and stay in my own little world and was able to really play flawlessly, tee-to-green, and that was good enough to get it done.

He now faces another challenge at the Masters, which he said is even more of a grind as far as preparation goes.

Its a long and grueling week and it takes a toll on you mentally andphysical, he said. SoIve been really trying to get rested and used [Monday through Wednesday] as opportunities to get ready to where I feel like Im near the top of peaking for my game once we tee it up Thursday.

While Thomas didnt achieve quick success at Augusta like long-time friend Jordan Spieth (who tied for second, won and tied for second in his first three career Masters starts), or Woods (who won his first start as a professional and had three victories in his first six years), Thomas has demonstrated a steady learning curve.

He tied for 39thin his first Masters start in 2016, with bumpy first (76) and third rounds (78).

But Thomas has improved his standing in every start since and has only one additional round of 76. He tied for 22ndin 2017, for 17thin 2018, for 12thin 2019 and then turned in a solo fourth last November and was among the elite group tied for first through 36 holes.

Thomas shot two under-par rounds on the weekend but the 71-70 lost ground to winner Dustin Johnson and runners-up Cameron Smith andSungjaeIm.

Thomas discovered one of the keys to playing at Augusta National, hitting greens, from the beginning. He was 11thin the field in greens in regulation in his first start (.639) and has never been worse than sixth since then.

His main struggle, like so many other players, has been onthegreens. Thomas averaged30.937 puttsper round in his first four starts, ranking no better than 42ndamong the players who made the cut.

However, hedid better lastNovember, finishing 10thin putts per round (28.75). That was more than a half-shot per roundand in a game and at a place where the margin of victory can be minuscule, thats real progress,

Thomas is cautious, however,about any perceived progress had made because of the nature of the Augusta National greens in November as opposed to the firmer and faster surfaces in April.

It was still the same golf course tee-to-green but it was a different golf course at the same time, he said. Any sort of past memory that y I feel like its a place that Im going to win at some point … I feel like I can do it multiple times.ou had, you almost had to throw it out the window because a lot of chips and putts just reacted differently.

But he said the week still gave him confidence.

Im able to grow on the good finish and had a chance, he said. I was in the final group on Saturday and the second-to-last group on Sunday. I know I can play this place well … very similar to [the Players Stadium Course].I feel like its a place that Im going to win at some point … I feel like I can do it multiple times.

Read more from the original source:

Players champion Justin Thomas will be trying to build off his Masters finish in November - The Florida Times-Union