Daily Archives: August 28, 2021

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) The North Carolina Senate passed a bill Thursday impacting how racism and history are talked about in classrooms, as Republicans accuse some teachers of trying to indoctrinate kids.

The 25-17 vote on the bill was strictly on party lines as Republicans raise concerns about critical race theory in classrooms.

The purpose of this bill is to put in place guardrails to protect against the most extreme forms of indoctrination, said Republican Senate leader Phil Berger. It is one part of a larger movement. The success of that movement will come from shining a light on this doctrine in our institutions.

Sen. Gladys Robinson (D-Guilford) criticized a report earlier this week by Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (R), which outlined various claims of indoctrination occurring.

Some people wrote to a task force he formed about the issue, calling attention to books and lesson plans they found inappropriate. One person said their child was told to feel ashamed for being white and Christian.

They see teachers who care about them. These teachers arent indoctrinating. Thats a bunch of political lies, Sen. Robinson said. Indoctrination is fake news. As a matter of fact, its more than that. Its a bold-faced lie.

The bill the Senate passed does not mention critical race theory but rather blocks schools from promoting 13 concepts.

Some of them include: the United States was created by members of a particular race or sex for the purpose of oppressing members of another race or sex, that one race or sex is inherently superior to another, and that the United States government should be violently overthrown.

It is definitely needed because you have folks showing up at school board meetings concerned about what may be happening in the classroom, said Berger.

The vote comes as Republican-led legislatures across the country take action on bills related to critical race theory.

Sen. Jay Chaudhuri (D-Wake) dismissed the effort in North Carolina as Fox News-driven fear-mongering.

Though the bill does not include penalties for anyone who does not comply with it, some Democrats questioned if it would lead to teachers censoring themselves and avoiding talking about certain parts of history.

If this bill becomes law whose stories will not be heard? asked Sen. Mike Woodard (D-Durham). He who remembers not the past, shall be condemned to repeat it.

Berger countered those assertions, saying, The opponents of the bill have to mischaracterize it.

Sen. Robinson questioned why Republicans spent time on the issue when the state still does not have a budget enacted nearly two months into the fiscal year.

Weve got a budget to pass. We need to make sure that we give the resources here and stop doing bills that dont have substance. This doesnt have any substance, she said.

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NC Senate passes bill that affects how racism and history are taught - WNCT

HONOLULU (KHON2) 211 years.That is how long one story has been hidden from Hawaiis history.

Over two centuries later, the story of an African American slave turned advisor to the King was revealed this week with a commemorative plaque at Washington Middle School.

Anthony D. Allen, a slave from New York, landed on the shores of Hawaii in 1810 after working on a ship following his escape from slavery.

Allen befriended King Kamehameha I after being at sea for nearly a decade and became his close advisor.

He built a close enough relationship with the King to be gifted a plot of land that is where Washington Middle School on South King Street is located today.

This site that were standing on right now was only a strip of land and the ocean was beyond these streets right here, says Deloris Guttman, director and historian at the Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum.

There were no houses, no nothing.And he had his farm.Actually, he had the first resort in Hawaii with 10 grass huts and a hotel and a bar and a bowling alley, Guttman said.

Signage has been installed at Washington Middle School to indicate the location as a National Underground Railroad Network site.

This project is a result of a collaboration between Washington Middle School, Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum and the National Park Service.

The National Underground Railroad Network for Freedom is an organization that basically is telling the stories of more of the expanded aspects of the Underground Railroad because there were so many different ways that slaves would use to try to escape the injustice and brutality of what the slavery was, says David Kilton, chief of interpretation at the National Park Service.

Fast forward to the 1920s and this property was sold to the State Department of Education.

This history holds relevance to the students who still attend school there every day.

We feel that our students have a better chance in moving forward when they learn about the circumstances that Anthony Allen came from and others, that they needed to overcome in order to be successful, says Michael Harano, principal of Washington Middle School.

And in these days, our students here in particular, come from some of those dire circumstances.

History shares that no one needs to remain in challenging circumstances if they are willing to work their way out of it.

To find out more about the Obama Hawaiian Africana Museum, click here.

To find out more about Anthony Allen and the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom, click here.

Link:

Hidden piece of Hawaii history revealed at Washington Middle School - KHON2

ANN ARBOR, MI - If you mention the Big House, any University of Michigan fan worth their maize and blue will know youre talking about their huge football stadium. But less than a century ago, that spot south of Ann Arbor was known as the Miller familys farm. It boasted barns, strawberry patches and a (troublesome) underground spring - not the artificial turf and block M that can be found on the site today.

Join MLives award-winning video team for a cool look back at The Big House - its history, its construction and all the upgrades and expansions it has seen throughout the years. And was there really some big piece of construction equipment left buried beneath the stadium after it was stuck in quicksand-like conditions during the build job? Tune in to find out.

For more on the history of the Big House, check out this timeline of the stadium. It spans the pre-construction era to some of the most recent improvements.

One tidbit we particularly enjoyed was the legend of Biff and Bennie:

In 1927, the year Michigan Stadium opened, the Detroit Zoo acquired 10 wolverines from Alaska. During that season, then-Michigan football coach and athletic director Fielding Yost worked out a deal with the zoo to have two of the wolverines transported to the stadium on football Saturdays.

The two wolverines, nicknamed Biff and Bennie, were paraded around Michigan Stadium in cages. That practice ended after a short time, however. As the story goes, Biff and Bennie grew larger and more ferocious, making it dangerous for them to be moved around near the public.

For more info on this seasons Wolverine sports, check out what our reporters are covering here.

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The cool history behind the University of Michigans Big House - MLive.com

One thing overzealous fans have in common? They think theyre a part of the team.

Ive been watching a Vice documentary series over the last week called Dark Side of Football. It takes a look at scandals, wrongdoings, cheating and crimes throughout the NFLs history. The sixth and final episode is entitled FANatics and aired back in June.

If youre going to do an episode on the dark side of football fandom, it makes a whole lot of sense to chronicle Eagles fans. Vice specifically reports on how the teams rivalry with the Cowboys affects the collective psyche and actions of Eagles fans.

As it begins, former Eagles All-Pro returner Darren Sproles says, Eagles fans... theyre probably the craziest to me.

Hes not wrong!

Other pundits and players involved in the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry chime in.

Former All-Pro tight end Chad Lewis reflects on going to the first practice of his Eagles career, arriving at training camp and being greeted by loads of Eagles fans hammering home the requirement of beating Dallas twice per year.

I think Philadelphia fans earn a bad rap, Lewis says. They want you to know if you come into Philadelphia, were going to drive you out of this stadium.

Thats a tough one, Chad!

Yes, the documentary does mention snowballs, from Santa Claus to the time the Cowboys players got pelted with them. Still, Vice dives into the sociological aspects of Eagles fans behavior, going beyond dumb hot takes and anti-Philly bias. One social psychologist ultimately compares football to a religion, touching upon fans long-held rituals and the tradition of it happening once per week on Sundays.

Its not some character assassination upon Eagles fans. Its a glimpse into the franchises long history with the Cowboys and what makes us Eagles fans tick.

They just care so much that if you dont play well or things go bad, they get so angry, former Eagles punter Sean Landeta says. Its like a family member. They hate you as much as they love you.

One aspect, however, that wasnt given proper context was the Eagles Week 7 win over the Cowboys in 1987. NFL players went on strike that season. Many Cowboys stars crossed the picket line, blowing out the Eagles back in Week 5 while the Eagles team was filled with scab replacement players.

When the strike ended, then Eagles coach Buddy Ryan didnt forget Dallas and their head coach, Tom Landry, running up the score while the Eagles were undermanned.

The Eagles, in turn, gave the Cowboys some payback. Running a fake kneel down near the end of regulation, quarterback Randall Cunningham launched a pass towards the end zone, drawing a defensive pass interference call. Keith Byars plowed in from one yard out to give the Birds the 37-20 win.

Tom Landry would never do that to anybody. a Cowboys player said.

Thats a blatant lie, as it had happened just two weeks prior.

Some Cowboys players are on the doc throwing tantrums about the Eagles showing up a legendary coach.

Calm the hell down!

If you want more info on the Eagles and Cowboys that season, I cannot recommend enough this video from SB Nations Jon Bois: Randall Cunningham Seizes the Means of Production.

If you got a normal job, if youre a normal working schlub, you go to work 9-to-5, you have the opportunity to affect the performance of a multimillion-dollar professional athlete, Fox Sports Radios Ben Maller says. That is the ultimate prize for a certain percentage of fans.

I feel that in my heart of hearts.

Vice goes on to shed light on the Bounty Bowls, Michael Irvins final NFL game, Judge Seamus McCafferys court in Veterans Stadium and more things that have given Eagles fans the reputation that they have.

When the episode gets closer to its end, the documentary depicts the joy Eagles fans had when the team won Super Bowl LII and the cathartic emotional impact it had. I can sure agree given the impact its had on me.

The whole city of Philadelphia was there, Sproles says of the way Eagles fans celebrated through the streets.

It meant a lot to us. As the first group to bring it to Philly, well go in the history books for that.

Thats all we wanted in the end: for our batshit wild obsession to give back as much as we gave to it.

If you want to watch the episode, heres the link to it on Vices website. You need to sign in with your cable provider to watch. Personally, I just said Vice On Demand into the Xfinity voice remote and found it that way.

Its worth a watch for sure!

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Vice documentary details the history of the Eagles-Cowboys rivalry - Bleeding Green Nation

CLEVELAND A Cleveland hidden gem is back after a two-month-long journey across Lake Erie to Erie, Pennsylvania where it underwent restoration work. News 5 took a deep dive into the USS Cod submarine, which sank more than 12 enemy ships, to get a further sense of how lucky Cleveland is to have it.

Related: 100 Hidden Gems of Cleveland

"It was like seeing your submarine for the first time. Seeing the Cod in dry dock was absolutely incredible, said Evan Cerne-Iannone, USS Cod Curator about her return to the shores of Lake Erie.

Cerne-Iannone said changes are constantly being made to the World War II-era submarine to increase visitors experience.

Jeff Barnhill | News 5 Cleveland.

We are a hidden gem because the USS Cod is the only American World War II submarine that still maintains its World War II configuration, said Cerne-Iannone about the submarine which was featured on our 100 hidden gems of Cleveland.

Aside from docking in Cleveland, the submarine has a deep local connection. Its five diesel generators were built on the citys West Side by General Motors.

If you want to get a slice of what it was like to board an American submarine during World War II, a visit to the USS Cod is a must.

It's important for us to keep Cod exactly the way she was in 1945 because I think that's really what attracts people. The immersive experience, said Paul Farace, USS Skipper.

A tangible piece of World War II history docked in Clevelands North Coast Harbor serves as a reminder to all Americans.

So our greatest mission is to remind Americans that their freedom isn't free. So coming aboard hopefully will take you back to that time and you'll begin to appreciate what Americans, Farace said.

This CLE hidden gem is a tangible piece of WWII history

RELATED: USS Cod is preparing to make return journey from Erie to Cleveland this weekend

Download the News 5 Cleveland app now for more stories from us, plus alerts on major news, the latest weather forecast, traffic information and much more. Download now on your Apple device here, and your Android device here.

You can also catch News 5 Cleveland on Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, YouTube TV, DIRECTV NOW, Hulu Live and more. We're also on Amazon Alexa devices. Learn more about our streaming options here.

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Patriotic pride and a tangible piece of WWII history, the USS Cod is a Cleveland hidden gem - News 5 Cleveland

Nine pitches, nine strikes. Thats all it took for Boston Red Sox lefty Chris Sale to breeze through the third inning against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday.

The immaculate inning in which a pitcher strikes out the side in order using only nine pitches is among the rarest of baseball achievements. It might not be quite as economical as escaping an inning with the minimum of three pitches but the pure dominance of overwhelming the opposing lineup with a barrage of strikes is a sight to behold.

Of the nine strikes in the inning, five of them were swings-and-misses, including the third strike to all three batters. Sale sent Nick Gordon and Andrelton Simmons down swinging with his four-seam fastball, then got Rob Refsnyder to chase a slider to finish off the inning.

The immaculate inning was the third of Sales career, tying him with Hall of Famer Sandy Koufax for the major league record.

The last three immaculate innings by a Red Sox pitcher all belong to Sale. The previous two instances both occurred during the 2019 season, on May 8 in Baltimore and on June 5 in Kansas City. The record-tying performance last night is the only immaculate inning that Sale has produced at home.

Prior to Sale, the last immaculate inning by a Red Sox pitcher at Fenway Park was from Pedro Martinez on May 18, 2002 against the Seattle Mariners. Pedro started that game with an immaculate first inning on his way to recording nine strikeouts over eight innings of one-run ball to earn the win, improving his record at the time to 6-0.

Sale also notched a win to cap his night, giving him three wins in as many starts since returning from a two-year absence due to Tommy John surgery. He tossed 5 1/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on two hits and two walks while striking out eight.

The lefty is still building up his workload with the Red Sox limiting him to under 90 pitches in all three starts. He made it one out further last night than he had in his previous two starts when he was pulled after five innings.

Aside from the cautious pitch counts, Sale hasnt missed a beat despite a long layoff while recovering from surgery. Hes 3-0 with a 2.35 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 21 strikeouts in 15 1/3 innings this season.

The only thing holding Sale back from reclaiming the mantle of staff ace is the limited workload but hes making steady progress. He also showed an uptick in velocity in hist last start with four of his fastballs hitting 98+ mph against the Twins, per Baseball Savant.

Red Sox fans waited a long time to see Sale on the mound again and he hasnt disappointed. With the surgery far behind him, a healthy Sale is ready to establish himself as one of the leagues best pitchers once again. Not every frame can be as efficient as his immaculate inning but Sale is always a threat to mow down any opposing lineup.

Continued here:

Red Sox ace Chris Sale makes history with immaculate inning - BoSox Injection

By Kel HahnUniversity of Kentucky

TheUniversity of KentuckySolar Car Teamaccomplished a feat never achieved in its 22-year history they won a national solar car competition.

Photos provided

The University of Kentucky Solar Car Team is an independent, student-led organization formed in 1999 that designs, builds, and races solar electric vehicles. Undergraduate and graduate students of any majors and skill levels come together to gain hands-on experience with mechanical, electrical, and computer science design; racing strategy and logistics; and business marketing/fundraising. Every summer, collegiate solar electric vehicle teams across the country gather for a track race, the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP) and every other year for a road race, the American Solar Challenge (ASC).

This year, team members arrived in Topeka, Kansas, on July 27, with Gato del Sol VI, the teams sixth custom made solar electric vehicle which has been operational since 2018. The team was the first through the three-day technical scrutineering, a rigorous evaluation to ensure all built aspects of the car satisfy strict regulatory requirements. After finishing scrutineering first, they started first on the track and completed the most laps at Heartland Motorsport Park over three days to win the Formula Sun Grand Prix (FSGP).

FSGP is as much a test of our driving ability as it is our ability to design and build a reliable car and fix difficult engineering problems on the fly, said Donovin Lewis, a Ph.D. student in electrical engineering. The technical and hands-on experience gained through engineering education at the University of Kentucky prepared us for quickly and effectively responding to crises and get us back on the track. Our own grit and dedication alongside years of passed-down knowledge and continuous development enabled the success we had out on the track.

The team finished with 250 laps or 625 miles of driving completed and was the only team to not incur a penalty during the three-day competition, finishing 11 laps ahead of MIT who took second place.

Mike Johnson, professor and chair in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, said, The Solar Car Team was absolutely incredible this year, and I am really proud of what they accomplished. This shows what engineers can do when they work together across the boundaries of their individual disciplines to design and carry-out solutions to real-world problems. I cant wait to see what will come next.

The closest the UK Solar Car Team had come to winning a competition prior was over 10 years ago in 2009, when it took second in FSGP with Gato del Sol III.

Ecstatic over its accomplishment, the team had little time to celebrate. Two days later, they would begin the American Solar Challenge (ASC), a 970-mile road competition spanning from Independence, Missouri, to Las Vegas, New Mexico. In the past six attempts, the UK Solar Car Team had only finished ASC twice with a ninth-place finish in 2010 serving as their highest place.

When it came to the road race, we were entering uncharted waters, Lewis said. Our most experienced team member, who has been on the team for nine years, had only experienced six hours of an ASC prior before battery issues took us out of that race. Entering ASC, the goal was simply to finish under our cars own power for the first time in our teams history.

Over the five-day event, Gato del Sol VI displayed a strong showing. It spent 33 hours on the road, had no critical issues, and the team never had to load it on the trailer, running on its own power for the entirety of the race. In the end, UK placed second among the seven competing teams in their category with 965.2 miles driven, making a new mark for their best finish at ASC.

UK also picked up the Most Improved Award for having developed Gato VI, a car which failed to pass scrutineering in 2018, into a car that was now able to be driven into firstplace in FSGP.

We still have so much to look forward to, especially this year, said returning team member Sheldon Salins. We will have another ASC this summer, with a road distance nearly double what we just completed. So, we are going to perfect Gato del Sol VI into the best vehicle it can be. Even more exciting, this fall marks the beginning of the construction of our next-generation car, Gato del Sol VII, which will be an even stronger competitor on the track and on the road.Additional information about UK Solar Car can be foundhere.

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For first time in team's history, the University of Kentucky's Solar Car Team wins national competition - User-generated content