Daily Archives: June 23, 2021

Neeley specializes in digging into a residences past, and its not often an easy task. You dont just Google your address and immediately print out your own houses biography.

Theres more you can discover if you cast a wider net and employ more tools of the house history trade: What was on the land before your house was built? Was it part of some other town or township, such as Alamitos Beach, Zaferia, or Virginia City before Long Beach annexed it? Was it a sprawling sugar beet field? A part of a historic rancho? Is it in a tract that is built on reclaimed marshland? Is there a story behind the name of your street? Do you know how your street got its name? What do you know about its architect or its architecture?

These are all part of the history of your house and theyre questions that interest Neeley, a librarian/historian who runs HouStories, providing stories and histories behind the homes and neighborhoods of homeowners and businesses.

Neeley, a resident of Belmont Heights, has a host of research tools at her disposal, as well as a bachelors degree in history from Gonzaga University, and a masters in library and information studies from UC Berkeley.

Some of the tools she uses in providing histories of more than 400 properties are fairly common, such as newspaper archives, old city directories (which are marvels in their own right, providing more than just phone numbers of people in town, but also individuals occupations and spouse names as well as cross-referencing street addresses), heritage sites like Ancestry.com and various historical archives housed at colleges and universities.

My main clients are people who have moved to Long Beach and want to know more about their home, said Neeley.

The COVID pandemic that crippled many businesses, didnt hurt HouStories at all, she said. People were at home and just looking at their house and becoming curious about its past.

A good portion of Neeleys clients come from the history-rich neighborhoods of Bluff Park, Bluff Heights, California Heights, Naples and Carroll Park.

There are, of course, stories about homes being haunted by ghosts. Some good, some falling into the ghostly cliche of being merely scary.

I had a house whose owners said was inhabited by children ghosts that moved toys around, she said. Sometimes with ghosts I call in a friend who can free the ghostsits not an exorcism, she just allows them to leave. But in the case of the child ghosts, the homeowners opted to keep them and let them continue to play with toys.

Some stories are more sinister. Neeley did a history of a home in Carroll Park that was owned by a Jewish family in the early 1930s when the Ku Klux Klan was quite active in Long Beach.

The family was Communist and had been holding a meeting of other Communists at their home one night in 1932 when the Klan showed up with and set up a burning cross on the familys front lawn and forced their way into the house. They dragged the family, the husband, wife and two children and beat them with rubber hoses and their fists before the police came upon the scene and put an end to the violence, even though, said Neeley, some of the Klansmen were on the force.

The daughters name was Malvina Reynolds, who was 32 at the time of the attempted kidnapping. She went on to become a world-famous folk and protest singer. She wrote Little Boxes, which became the theme song for the Showtime series Weeds, as well as the folk/protest song What Have they Done to the Rain. Both songs have been covered by multiple artists over the years, including Pete Seeger, Marianne Faithful, Joan Baez as well as more modern artists, such as Death Cab for Cutie, Elvis Costello, Randy Newman and Rilo Kiley who took turns performing Little Boxes for the opening credits on episodes of Weeds.

Neeley runs across oddities in the course of her researchand it would be odd, indeed if she didnt. The house that shes currently researching in Bluff Park had a closet with a water faucet in it. She found that the home had once been carved up and turned into a boarding house with individual rooms being rented out and the faucet was just a remnant of the era. And theres no good reason to remove it.

Another home had a safe plastered into the wall and its dial was the only thing that protruded from the wall. Naturally, the homeowners couldnt help but tear the wall out to get to the safe and whatever riches were inside. As Geraldo Rivera could have predicted, the safe was empty. Neeley discovered that a former owner of the home owned a safe company.

Neeleys quest is never-ending and shes currently looking for relatives or archival materials of developer Adam Wasem and architect George Riddle.

Wasem moved to Long Beach from Iowa in 1904 and bought up a lot of acreage along whats now Broadway in the Bluff Park neighborhood. He lived in a house he built shortly after his arrival at 2445 Broadway. It has been said that the ghost of Wasem still haunts the house.

Riddle, said Neeley, specialized in Spanish and Mediterranean revival architecture and built courtyard housing like El Cordova in Alamitos Beach. They were tiny houses, you might have 300-400 square feet and they feel palatial, said Neeley. They were full of niches and hallways, they all had a front and back door. When I look at new condos they might have the same square footage but theyre just boxes. Id love to see his archives if there are any.

Neeleys research on a home includes information on the events going on in the city when the house was built, its former residents, old photographs and other historical information. She publishes it all in a hardcover book. She gets $1,500 for the book.

HouStories other services include researching data to qualify a property as a Historic Landmark or its eligibility for Mills Act, which can save you money on property tax; conducting workshops; doing speaking engagements; offering custom tours of neighborhoods; and providing consulting on an hourly basis.

For info on the service, go to the HouStories website.

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Your home has a history; HouStories will tell you what it is Long Beach Post News - Long Beach Post

MARION COUNTY, Ind. AMarionCountyprogram to help people with criminal backgrounds re-enter the workforce returns to in-person meetings.

StartingTuesday,theMarionCountyProsecutorsOfficeSecondChanceWorkshop is no longer online. Its reversing a switch that was made during the pandemic and is going back to face to face.

County prosecutorRyanMearssays there werebarriers to doing it online and returning to in-person removes those and allows them to make more of a connection with the people they are trying to help.

Theres people who dont have access to reliable internet. Andso,youkind of excludepeople when you do them virtual-based just because not everybody can log on to a website orhas the ability tocommunicate that way, said Mears.

Were asking these people personal questions about their background. And talking toa complete strangerover a computer is onething butestablishing that in-person relationship is even better. And the other thing is,its just easier to work through challenges and problems that you face and its easier to find a solution when everyone is in the room working together to try and figure these things out.

The point of the workshop is to help people with criminal history either get their drivers licenses or clean up their records.

We have to bring these services to people and access to justice is a real issue. And this is our way of reaching out to the community and saying, Hey, were trying to help so that people can move forward with their lives.'

The prosecutors office has volunteers and representation come and helpset aside thousands in traffic tickets and DMV reinstatementfees and then start the work to have someprior convictionsexpunged.

When kids feel like they have a better opportunity, they dont commit crime. And when adults havejobs,theydontcommit crimes, said Mears.

So,when youare able tohelp people get jobs and get into the workforce, these individuals are not going to be the ones out there committing crimes.So,this is the best crime prevention tool that there is.

The first one backisTuesdayand another onThursday.Theyre somethingMears says people were excited to see return, as shown by the sign-ups.

I think it also goes to show how many people are looking for help. We opened the registration for these twoevents,and we had 375 people register within 48 hours. Which tells you the demand. Weactually hadto close the registration.

Theyare planning to host at least one workshop a month moving forward.

It just tells me how many people are out there in the community who want help, who want to do better, who want to be in a position to move forward with theirlives.

Click hereto find out if you qualifyand for details on registering.

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Workshop to help people in Marion County with criminal history returns to in-person meetings - Fox 59

What happened on June 22 in the history of the New York Rangers

On this date in 2018 the New York Rangers had three first round draft picks for the first and only time in their history. While the picks have yet to fully live up to their promise, there are signs that this was a draft that could change the destiny of the team.

The first Rangers pick was ninth overall and with it, they chose Vitali Kravtsov, a young winger from Russia. The pick raised some eyebrows as the Rangers went with a highly regarded Russian player instead of some Canadian prospects like forward Oliver Wahlstrom and defensemen Noah Dobson and Evan Bouchard.

The second first round pick for the Rangers was 22nd overall and the team traded up to get there., sending a first and second round pick to Ottawa to move up four spots. They sent the 26th overall pick acquired from Boston in the Rick Nash deal along with the 48th pick in the second round acquired from New Jersey in the Michael Grabner trade in exchange for the 22nd pick from Ottawa so that they could draft defenseman KAndre Miller. Miller had excelled with the U.S. National U18 team and was committed to attend the University of Wisconsin.

The Rangers final first round pick was 28th overall, acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning in the deal that sent Ryan McDonagh and J.T Miller to Florida. With that pick, they selected defenseman Nils Lundkvist, the 14th ranked European skater by Central Scouting. He was the 10th European taken in the draft.

Three full seasons have elapsed since that draft and we are starting to see results. KAndre Miller surprisingly made the varsity and had an excellent rookie season on the second defense pairing. Vitali Kravtsov played a full season in the KHL and made his NHL debut late in the season, showing some of the potential he had shown in Russia. Nils Lundkvist had an outstanding season in Sweden, named the best Swedish defenseman in the SHL. After his playoffs and the World Championships, he signed his Entry Level Contract and is expected to vie for a job with the Rangers in the fall.

The three picks for the Rangers was not the most for one team in one year. In 1974, the Montreal Canadiens had five picks in the first round, while Boston (1970), Colorado (1998) and the Islanders (1999) had four first round picks in one year.

In 2003 on this date the Rangers drafted defenseman Philippe Furrer, the first player they have selected from Switzerland. He was picked in the 6th round, 179th overall and he never made the trip across the Atlantic, playing his entire career in Switzerland.

43 players from Switzerland have played in the NHL including two for the Rangers. Defenseman Mark Hardy was born there because his Canadian father was playing for a Swiss team. Raphael Diaz was a defenseman born and raised in Switzerland and he played for the Rangers in 2014 in their run to the Stanley Cup Final.

Some of the most well known Swiss players include Nico Hischier, Roman Josi, Timo Meier and Nino Niederreiter.

20 NHL players have been born on June 22 with two former Rangers among them.

Darroll Powe was born on this date in 1985 in Saskatoon,Saskatchewan. He was a center who traded to New York in February 2013 from Minnesota for Mike Rupp. Powe was more known for his defensive play and penalty killing and he was scoreless in 35 games over two seasons for the Rangers. He spent the 2013-14 season in Hartford coming up to New York for only one game. He retired after one more season in the AHL at the age of 28.

Dean Turner was a defenseman, born on this date in 1958 in Dearborn, Michigan. Drafted by the Rangers in the third round of the 1978 Amateur Draft, he made it to the Rangers for one game in 1978-79, spending the season in Hartford where he totaled 275 minutes in penalties. He was included in the big trade to Colorado for Barry Beck in 1979 and he played 31 games for the Rockies. He retired after the 1982-83 season mostly spent in the AHL with three games for the Los Angeles Kings.

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On June 22 in NYR history: A draft that could remake the Rangers - Blue Line Station

In 1994, Princess Diana donned a plunging black off-the-shoulder gown that had lived in her closet for three years yet remained unworn until the June evening when she was set to attend a fundraising gala for Vanity Fair at the Serpentine Gallery. It was a last-minute switch, according to her stylist Anna Harvey, as the Princess had previously planned on wearing a Valentino dress until the look was prematurely leaked to the press. Diana chose this specific evening, the night that her former husband Prince Charles publicly admitted on television that he had cheated on Diana, to reach for the Christina Stambolian dress. Instead of shying away from the cameras that wouldve undoubtedly been trained on her that evening with or without the Christina Stambolian gown, Diana consciously chose to wear a dress that had previously felt far too daring and walk in with her head held high. Thus, the birth of the revenge dress.

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The premise of the revenge outfit is that the person looks so fantastically good that whoever wronged them feels a regret or shame that is revenge enough in itself. In the small and unlikely chance that you dont immediately think of the former Princess of Wales when you hear the term revenge dress, perhaps what comes to mind is Bella Hadid at the 2017 Met Gala wearing, well, a revenge body stocking.

The sheer black jumpsuit-style garment was figure-hugging right with a scoop back, an off-the-shoulder neckline, and skin-tight pant legs that traveled down to cover her black stiletto heels. Hadid was notably looking for a shockingly sexy look in the wake of her breakup with The Weeknd who was in attendance at the Met Gala with then-girlfriend Selena Gomez. The outfit, though not particularly on-theme for a Rei Kawakubo/Comme Des Garons: Art of the In-Between gala, was Hadids way of non-verbally communicating a state of mental and physical well-being post-split. In short, the goal was to display exactly what The Weeknd was missing while taking the higher road.

Perhaps you dont think of a specific outfit when you hear the phrase revenge look. Perhaps your mind focuses not on the clothes, but on the body that wears the revenge outfit. Maybe you watched Khloe Kardashians E! Network show that premiered in 2017 where contestants get fitness, beauty, and fashion makeovers thanks to a whole slew of stylists, trainers, and Hollywood-approved technicians. But whether you prefer a revenge fit or a revenge makeover, the storyline tends to remain the same breakup, glow up, revenge.

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So whats the formula for a revenge outfit?

Rolls of black silk + royal jewels + a wild sense of calm and rising above, la Princess Diana? Gold shimmer + a healthy tan + a glow of internal satisfaction despite just having separated from Brad Pitt, la Jennifer Aniston wearing Chanel in 2005? Cutouts + a mini skirt held together by a single safety pin, as demonstrated by Irina Shayk post-Brad Pitt? Does the outfit have to be well-fitted and slightly scandalous, or is it just meant to draw attention to your outfit and away from the situation that just happened?

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Katie Holmes take on a revenge look is less formal and more cozy, and yet equally if not more sexy than a glittering gown. In 2019, the actress donned a Khaite cashmere cardigan and bralette set styled by Julia Von Boehm and images of her hailing a taxi on Sixth Ave went viral. The knit set sold out, and to this day Katie Holmes remains an NYC street style icon to watch. Her bradigan remained the focus, rather than her split from Jamie Foxx after six years of dating. Those who swoon over her sprezzatura may not remember the breakup, but were sure that Jamie Foxx hasnt forgotten that particular outfit.

But the idea of a revenge look isnt just about post-breakup revenge or a former lover. To those who declare that revenge dressing is surface-level or perhaps even immature for its supposed focus on superficiality, let us redirect you to the well-timed return of the high heel. Dubbed the revenge shoe, the stiletto and the pointed toe are on the rise again as a way to take back the months of pajama pants, to make up for the days of slippers and house shoes. The nostalgia trend has swept Gen Z, decking themselves out with pony bead jewelry and baby tees only months after a pandemic stole precious months of their adolescent lives. Even the idea of revenge traveling, or the hard-earned huge uptick in travel as restrictions lift, is floating around in the public vernacular.

Revenge doesnt have to be a rage-filled tirade reclamation its about reclaiming and courage. And its okay to be sharp, happy, confident, angry, or aloof in the way that you dress because theres a beauty to the storytelling of it, after all. How will you be revenge-dressing this summer?

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A History of Why We Love The Revenge Look - CR Fashion Book

History Rewritten: Records Fall at the West Coast Classic - Morning Chalk Up

Credit: West Coast Classic (instagram.com/thewestcoastclassic/)

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CrossFits ability to continuously measure our progress is one of its undeniable traits that gets so many of us hooked. So for those of us who get particularly stoked about comparing performances and measuring improvement, nothing was more exciting than the West Coast Classic in Las Vegas, NV this weekend.

Remind me: The West Coast Classic Semifinal featured seven workouts that had previously been tested at either Regionals competitions, the CrossFit Invitationals or the Games between 2013 and 2019, making it the quintessential chance to assess how some of the top athletes in the world have progressed in recent years, both as individuals and as a community as a whole.

A Closer Look

Event 1: 2016 Regionals Snatch Ladder10 squat snatches (185/135 pounds)8 squat snatches (205/145 pounds)6 squat snatches (225/155 pounds)4 squat snatches (245/165 pounds)2 squat snatches (265 pounds/175 pounds)

In 2016, the top mens time across all eight regions was Mat Frasers time of 6:05.29, while the top female time was 5:29.82 by Kara Saunders. Both times were taken down in Las Vegas: Tola Morakinyo had the top mens time with 5:49.53, and Kloie Wilson posted the top female time of 5:28.26.

Worth noting: Whats even more impressive than Morakinyo and Wilsons times was the depth of the field on the weekend. In 2016, only 33 percent of the mens field of 321 athletes across all regions completed the event under the time cap, while only 20.7 percent of the womens field finished. At the time, just finishing the workout was seen as a major accomplishment.

Notable individual improvements: In the competition against themselves, Noah Ohlsen, Cole Sager, Regan Huckaby and Kari Pearce all boasted huge personal bests from 2016.

Event 2: 2014 CrossFIt Games Legless27 thrusters (95/65 pounds)4 legless rope climbs21 thrusters3 legless rope climbs15 thrusters2 legless rope climbs9 thrusters1 legless rope climb

Legless in 2013 was the first time legless rope climbs were introduced in competition, and to say athletes struggled with the movement, especially on the womens side, is an understatement. In fact, only two women completed the workout under the 10 minute time cap that year: Alessandra Pichelli and Christy Adkins.

Worth noting: Twenty women on the weekend completed Legless before the time cap, 19 of whom bested Pichellis top time of 9:33.7 from 2013. Further, the fastest time on the weekend put up by Pearce (6:21.2) was more than three minutes faster than Pichellis in 2013.

Event 3: 2019 CrossFit Games Ruck Ruck6K Ruck Run with increasing weight each lap(10, 30, 40, 50 pounds for the women, 20, 40, 50, 60 for the men)

Though the event on the weekend was similar to the 2019 CrossFit Games, it was much more challenging at the West Coast Classic, and not just because of the hot desert sun that caused Kristine Best to withdraw from the competition and Dani Speegle to stop after the third lap.

Event 4: 2017 CrossFit Games Triple-G Chipper100 pull-ups80 GHD sit-ups60 one-legged squats40 calorie row20 single arm dumbbell push press (100/70 pounds)

In 2017, the Triple-G Chipper at the Games was won by Saunders in a time of 10:45.72 and Fraser in a time of 10:46.46. Both times were bested at the West Coast Classic.

Notable individual improvements: Shadburne crushed her time from 2017 by more than two and a half minutes, while Pearce shed more than a minute off her 2017 performance. On the mens side, Ohlsen improved his score by a minute and 39 seconds, while Sager crushed his 2017 time by more than two minutes.

Event 5: 2017 Regionals Finale30/25 calorie bike20 burpee box jump overs (30/24 inch)10 D-ball cleans (150, 100 pounds)

While the event in Las Vegas was similar to the 2017 Regionals event, there was one major difference: In 2017, athletes cleaned a sandbag at the end of the event, and on the weekend they used a D-ball. So a direct comparison is likely not 100 percent accurate.

But just for fun: Both the winning times from the 2017 Regionals competitions Sara Sigmundsdottir (3:26.92) and Andrey Ganin (2:54.39) were, once again, beaten at the West Coast Classic.

Event 6: 2014 CrossFit Games Push Pull9 strict deficit handstand push-ups18 toes-to-bar60-foot sled pull60-foot sled push10 handstand push-ups20 toes-to-bar60-foot sled pull60-foot sled push11 handstand push-ups22 toes-to-bar60-foot sled pull60-foot sled push12 handstand push-up24 toes-to-bar60-foot sled pull60-foot sled push

The Push Pull event on the weekend was the most different from its original form. The original event didnt include the 84 toes-to-bar, nor did it include sled (Torque Tank in this case) pushing. Further, the handstand push-ups repetitions were lower in 2014, and the pull portion of the workout involved pulling a weighted sled as opposed to a Torque Tank. Thus, the 2014 event was more of a sprint, while the event on the weekend had a 17-minute time cap.

Event 7: 2015 Regionals Closer15 ring muscle-ups1 squat clean (235/150 pounds)1 squat clean (255/165 pounds)1 squat clean (275/180 pounds)1 squat clean (285/190 pounds)1 squat clean (295/200 pounds)

Again, this final workout on the weekend in Las Vegas was similar to, but not the exact same as the 2015 regionals event.

Worth noting: Considering the barbells were considerably heavier at the West Coast Classic, a direct comparison doesnt seem fair. However, leave it to the athletes to boast comparable scores to 2015 even when the final barbell was 30 pounds heavier for the men and 25 pounds heavier for the women than it was six years ago.

Notable individual improvements: Despite the significantly heavier barbells, Pearce actually beat her time from 2015 by almost 30 seconds 2:32.0 in 2015 and 2:03.21 on the weekend while Noah Ohlsen posted the exact same time from 2015 (1:24)

The bottom line: As impressive as Pichelli was in 2014 when she showed the world how to kip a legless rope climb and finish Legless before the time cap, or as great as Fraser was on the Snatch Ladder in 2016, the athletes from the West Coast Classic proved just how much fitter they are today. The questions then become: What is the limit of human fitness? Is there a limit?

For a daily digest of all things CrossFit. Community, Competitions, Athletes, Tips, Recipes, Deals and more.

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History Rewritten: Records Fall at the West Coast Classic - Morning Chalk Up

DRUNK How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization By Edward Slingerland

Frederick the Great of Prussia had a problem: His soldiers were drinking coffee instead of beer. This must be prevented, he wrote in a 1777 tirade on the disgusting new fad sweeping the kingdom. Why would any commander want a bunch of guys with guns quaffing liquid neurotoxins instead of wholesome brews rarely associated with brawling, karaoke and regrettable tattoos (to say nothing of liver damage and hangovers)? Caffeinated armies might sound more dependable than their tipsy counterparts but the king recognized that beer was a uniquely powerful bonding agent, and key to morale.

He was not the first to intuit its practical applications. For thousands of years cultures around the world have implicitly understood that the sober, rational, calculating individual mind is a barrier to social trust, Edward Slingerland writes in Drunk: How We Sipped, Danced, and Stumbled Our Way to Civilization, an effervescent new study thats equal parts anthropology, psychology and evolutionary biology. Drawing on recent experiments, Neolithic burials, eclectic myths and global literature, Slingerland teases out the evolutionary advantages and enduring benefits of getting blitzed. Its a rowdy banquet of a book in which the ancient Roman historian Tacitus, Lord Byron, Timothy Leary, George Washington, the Chinese poet Tao Yuanming and many others toast the merits of drowning Apollonian reason in Dionysian abandon. We visit wine-soaked temple orgies in ancient Egypt, the chicha-brewing capital of the Inca Empire, Fijian villages, Irish pubs and the official whiskey room at a Google campus, knocking back bits of evidence from Burning Man and Beowulf along the way.

Although Slingerland, a professor of philosophy at the University of British Columbia, extols the pleasures of drinking in moderation and occasionally in excess for their own hedonic sake, the functional upsides of intoxication are his primary concern. Drinking not only allows wary, self-interested individuals to drop their guard and collaborate, he writes, it also facilitates the creativity and playfulness our species needs to innovate and survive. A negroni will essentially wipe out the prefrontal cortex, the site of pragmatic, grown-up thinking. Zap the same region with a transcranial magnet and youll get the same results: happier, less inhibited, more childlike adults. Given that transcranial magnets are expensive, not very portable and typically not welcome at parties, alcohol remains a handy, low-tech tool to get good will and fresh ideas flowing.

For our ancestors, inebriation was especially essential, a robust and elegant response to the challenges of getting a selfish, suspicious, narrowly goal-oriented primate to loosen up and connect with strangers. This is why hunter-gatherers likely began producing beer and wine before bread. Brewing vats and drinking vessels at a 12,000-year-old site in what is now eastern Turkey suggest that people were gathering in groups, fermenting grain or grapes, playing music and then getting truly hammered before wed even figured out agriculture. Then, when humans did begin to settle down, sow crops and domesticate livestock, it was alcohol that allowed them to do so in increasingly large numbers, giving rise to towns and cities. It is no accident that, in the brutal competition of cultural groups from which civilizations emerged, it is the drinkers, smokers and trippers who emerged triumphant, Slingerland writes: Human society would not exist without ample lubrication.

Slingerland is adamant that chemically induced communion is just as valuable (and perhaps particularly necessary) in modern times, but he does address alcohols more obvious medical and economic costs, the devastating effects of addiction and the subtle, pernicious ways in which drinking can alienate and exclude outsiders. Some readers might find the treatment cursory given the gravity of these issues, but Slingerland simply argues that they have been well documented, whereas serious scholarly work on the value of intoxication is surprisingly scant. As a result, poor alcohol stands defenseless against doctors and government policymakers who paint it as pure vice. Slingerland takes up the cause with all the chivalry of a knight-errant, and his infectious passion makes this book a romp as well as a refreshingly erudite rejoinder to the prevailing wisdom.

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A History of Getting Hammered, and Why Some of Us Should Keep Doing It - The New York Times

During Pride month, Sesame Street introduced a new gay couple and their daughter as recurring characters on the show. USA TODAY

Sesame Streetis making history with the firstmarried same-sexcoupleto berecurring characters on the longtime favorite children's series.

The show debuted an episodeThursdaytitled "Family Day," featuringmarried couple Frank, played by Alex Weisman, and Daveplayed by Chris Costa. They also have a daughter named Mia, who is played by Olivia Perez.

This is not the first time the show has included same sex parents, according to a Sesame Workshop spokesperson. A recent "letter of the day" segment, F is for Family, included a boy with two mothers, and alive-action "Elmos World" video in last years Fathers Day episode featureda boy with two fathers and avoiceover narration that said You might have a stepdad, or even two dads.

But, aSesame Workshop spokesperson saysthis is the firstmarried same-sex couple who will appear onSesame Streetagain in the future.

In the episode, the characters preparefor a neighborhood partyand try to hide Granny Bird to surpriseBig Bird.

But, Nina, a bike store owner on Sesame Street, saysher brother Dave is on his way with his family, and introducesthem when they arrive.

"Okay, everybody, everybody,I want you to meet my brother Dave and his husband Frank, and mysobrina Mia," Nina saysin the episode.

"Sesame Street" returns with its 51st season launching on HBO Max Nov. 12. See the famous faces that have made their way to the friendly neighborhood that is home to beloved puppets such as Elmo, Ernie, Bert, Big Bird, Oscar the Grouch, Rosita, Cookie Monster, Grover and Abby Cadabby.(Photo: Sesame Workshop)

'Speak up!':Sesame Street to tackle racism in TV special 'The Power of We'

Big Bird exclusive:Big Bird talks new Sesame Street podcast 'Foley & Friends,' life in lockdown and birdseed banana bread

Alan Muraoka, whodirected the episode andplays the owner of Hooper's Store on the show,expressed his excitement in a Facebook poston Thursday.

"I am so honored and humbled to have co-directed this important and milestone episode. Love is love, and we are so happy to add this special family to our Sesame family," Muraoka wrote.

Naomi Moland, afaculty member at the School of International Service at American University who wrote an op-edin 2019 for USA TODAY on bringing human LGBTQ characters to the show, says the episode was "very groundbreaking."

"From my own experience, I am in a same-sex marriage and I have a two-year old. And so for me, it is really important for him to see that this is normal, that there are other families that look like ours that have either two moms or two dads," Moland said.

"I also think it is extremely important for all children to see this because when they encounter families like mine, they see that this is normal and there are different types of families."

Moland says she liked how the episode incorporatedthe family in a subtle way, which would be effective for children in having deep organic conversations with their parents about how there are different kinds of families out there whoshould also be respected.

"I think that television producers and multicultural educators more broadly haveto strike a very delicate balance between focusing on differences and focusing on similarities," Moland said. "This was done in a very subtle way where they just said 'This is my brother, this is his husband, this is their daughter.' "

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'Love is love': Sesame Street features first married same-sex couple to have recurring spots on show - USA TODAY

Already the best pitcher in MLB over the past few seasons, two-time Cy Young Award winner Jacob deGrom has taken his game to another level in 2021.

Armed with a 100 mph fastball and a devastating slider, the New York Mets' ace is primed to make a run at Hall of Famer Bob Gibson's seemingly unbreakable modern single-season ERA record of 1.12 -- set 53 years ago in 1968 -- with a campaign that could rank among the best baseball has ever seen.

Will the 33-year-old right-hander break Gibson's hallowed mark? Will he stay healthy enough to pitch a full season? Will he drive in more runs at the plate than he allows on the mound? Will he help pitch a hapless Mets offense into the playoffs? Will he ultimately be the rare pitcher to take home an MVP Award?

DeGrom pitched five innings of the first game of a doubleheader on Monday, giving up one hit, walking two and striking out six -- and giving up zero runs -- in a 4-2 win over the Atlanta Braves. He has had 30 scoreless innings in a row.

We'll have you covered with everything from his record pace to his best performances.

DeGrom through 12 starts: 0.50

Gibson through 12 starts: 1.52

So far this season, deGrom isn't just on Gibson's record pace -- he's eclipsing it. Here's how deGrom's 2021 numbers compare to the same point in the Cardinals ace's legendary 1968 campaign.

deGromGibsonStarts1212ERA0.501.52WHIP0.510.88Opp BA.113.181Opp OPS.353.480Five amazing deGrom stats

1. He is the only pitcher in MLB history with more RBIs (five) at the plate than earned runs allowed (four) in a 10-start span within a single season, according to ESPN Stats & Information research.

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2. DeGrom allowed 0.53 walks plus hits per inning pitched in his first 10 starts of this season. According to the Elias Sports Bureau research, that's the lowest WHIP by any pitcher over any 10-start span in modern MLB history.

3. According to Baseball-Reference data, deGrom's ERA+ (100 is league average) is at an unfathomable 777. No player since 1947 has finished a season with a higher mark than Trevor Bauer's 292 in 2020, and Pedro Martinez's 291 in 2000 is the highest for a 162-game season in that span.

4. DeGrom is now the only pitcher to allow one or no runs in 12 consecutive starts, surpassing Gibson's streak of 11 such starts.

5. DeGrom is striking out 14.6 batters per nine innings pitched, more than any other qualified starter this season and on pace to eclipse Shane Bieber's all-time mark of 14.198 from last season.

1. April 23 vs. Washington Nationals

9 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 15 strikeouts. Game score: 98.

Quote that says it all: "You're going to be replaying that game at the end of 2021 in one of those greatest games of 2021," said Mets teammate Brandon Nimmo. "He has to be from a different planet because he just does things that seem out of this world."

2. April 10 vs. Miami Marlins

8 innings, 5 hits, 1 earned run, 0 walks, 14 strikeouts. Game score: 82

Quote that says it all: "Unfortunately, we've been through this before," Nimmo said as the Mets' history of trouble giving deGrom enough run support continued. "It's never easy."

At an age when many pitchers are starting to slow down, Jacob deGrom's velocity and production are on the upswing. Here's why he could be baseball's next king of longevity.

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3. June 5 at San Diego Padres

7 innings, 3 hits, 0 earned runs, 1 walk, 11 strikeouts. Game score: 81

Quote that says it all: "It's impressive, I have never seen anything like it," Mets manager Luis Rojas on deGrom's spectacular season. "You know you are watching something special."

4. June 11 vs. San Diego Padres

6 innings, 1 hit, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 10 strikeouts. Game score: 80

Quote that says it all: "M-V-P, M-V-P" -- Mets fans at Citi Field as deGrom mowed down the Padres for a second straight outing.

5. May 31 at Arizona Diamondbacks

6 innings, 2 hits, 0 earned runs, 0 walks, 8 strikeouts. Game score: 76.

Quote that says it all: "I feel like I could have kept going tonight, but discussing [with the coaching staff], we wanted to be smart with it," deGrom said of leaving after 70 pitches in his second start back from a short IL stint.

DeGrom is scheduled to make his final start of the month on June 26 against the Philadelphia Phillies. The MLB record for best ERA through the end of June is 0.78 by Dutch Leonard in 1914.

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Jacob deGrom GOAT tracker - Where Mets ace's season stands among the best in MLB history - ESPN