Daily Archives: July 25, 2022

Update by edhat staff

Firefighters are responding to a growing brush fire off Tepusquet Road east of Santa Maria.

At 12:29 p.m., crews from the Santa Barbara County Department, Los Padres National Forest, Santa Maria, Cal Fire, and Air Support responded to the 700 block of Tepusquet Road, east of Blazing Saddle.

Now called the Blaze Fire reportedly started at 3-4 acres on a ridge with a moderate rate of spread.

CalFire and County Air Support are responding with a fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter, and air tanker. Smoke can be seen from up to a half-mile away.

At 2:30 p.m., the Santa Barbara County Fire Department reported the fire is holding at 5 to 6 acres with another helicopter ordered in to help. The fixed-wing air tanker was released.

At 3:30 p.m., the County Fire Department announced the forward progress of the fire had been halted with a total of 4.5 acres. Firefighters continue working in the rugged terrain to contain the fire with a hose around the fires edge.

The cause is under investigation.

#BlazeFire: Vegetation Fire Updated: Fire still reported at approximately 5-6 acres and holding. One additional type 1 helicopter ordered. Fixed wing air tanker 75 released, tanker 107 being held at Inc. Fire cause under investigation. pic.twitter.com/GfsDnOwHJH

Scott Safechuck (@SBCFireInfo) July 24, 2022

Reported by Tagdes

Vegetation Fire 750 Tepusquet Rd. Santa Maria. County and LP responding.

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Forward Progress Halted in Vegetation Fire East of Santa Maria - Santa Barbara Edhat

Jojo is experiencing life like most 13-year-old girls: staying up later, watching movies, shopping and baking cookies. And now she has more liberty, but its a different kind of freedom.

She uses a walker, but she and her family see it as freedom, a remarkable accomplishment compared to her six months of not being able to walk prior to receiving a gene therapy treatment for her rare disease.

Jojo has GM1 gangliosidosisan inherited disorder that progressively destroys nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord and is estimated to occur in one in 100,000 to 200,000 newborns. But her mother sees steady improvement in Jojo, who was the first child to participate in a clinical trial that has its origin in Auburn University research.

Jojo was very ill when she was treated with gene therapy in 2019. She had great trouble swallowing and eating, and she wasnt able to walk, said Jojos mother, a family practice physician in Los Angeles. Since treatment, Jojo eats normally and is at a normal weight for her age. She still has some challenges, but shes made great improvements in many ways.

The trials gene therapy treatment was created at Auburns College of Veterinary Medicine, where scientists for several decades have researched treatments to improve and extend the lives of cats affected by GM1 gangliosidosis.

GM1 gangliosidosis is caused by mutations in a gene known as GLB1, thus impairing production of the enzyme, beta-galactosidase. The treatment, administered intravenously, delivers a functional copy of the GLB1 gene that improves the enzyme activity, leading to improved neuromuscular function.

Auburn worked with the University of Massachusetts Medical School and the National Institutes of Health to move the research into helping children suffering from the disease. In 2019, Jojo became the first child to receive the one-dose treatment at NIH in Bethesda, Maryland.

We had hoped to stop the diseases progression, but she is showing real signs of improvement, said Dr. Doug Martin, director of Auburns Scott-Ritchey Research Center in the College of Veterinary Medicine and a professor in the Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Pharmacology.

He says the treatment is very promising because it has worked well in GM1mice and cats and is delivered by a single IV injection that takes less than an hour.

As this trial and new trials progress, and as more patients are treated, we'll have a good idea of whether the gene therapy helps children as much as it has helped the animals, he said. This is certainly what we're hoping for.

Martin says the NIH trial, which includes 11 children, is the first of three trials underway.

Jojo actually was part of a sort of pre-clinical trial at NIH, Martin said. Her condition was so poor at first that she was not qualified for the actual trial, but now she has improved enough with treatment that she would qualify.

Clinical trials are being conducted also at the University of California-Irvine, which is using a spinal fluid injection, and one at the University of Pennsylvania, Martin said.

Our research at Auburn has shown that GM1 in cats can be treated, so we are fortunate more institutions are seeing the possibility of moving it into cures for children.

Martin and his fellow Auburn researchers are moving forward with additional research as well, hoping to add to the knowledge base for GM1 and the related GM2 disease, called Tay Sachs. They are testing higher doses of the treatment to help cats with GM1 and are checking the toxicity and clinical effects.

This will provide valuable information to veterinarians and human physicians as we fight these diseases, he said. Additionally, because there are similarities in the pathology of GM1 gangliosidosis and Alzheimers disease, it is possible that the same platform being used for GM1 could someday be used to treat Alzheimers.

For GM2, Auburn is testing a new generation of vector to be administered intravenously or in the spinal fluid. The current treatment for GM2 is given by an injection into the brain, but researchers are seeking a less invasive method.

History of Auburns GM1 research

Martin is leading Auburns effort, which was started by his mentor, Professor Emeritus Henry Baker, in the 1970s. To move the treatment toward human medicine, Martin developed a partnership with UMass Medical School researchers Drs. Miguel Sena-Esteves and Heather Gray-Edwards, an Auburn graduate, and they have worked collaboratively for 15 years, combining animal and human medicine studies to treat rare diseases that affect both animals and humans.

For Auburn graduates Sara and Michael Heatherly of Opelika, Alabama, whose son Porter was the first known case of GM1 in Alabama and died in 2016, the knowledge of a treatment is one of mixed emotions.

"We are excited to know there is hope for the future of children diagnosed with GM1, Michael Heatherly said. We are thankful for everyone who has dedicated their time, resources and careers to move this treatment forward.

We understood early on the research would not help Porter, but we wanted to help spread the word of the research and the progress that was being made.

Parents of a child with GM1 each carry one copy of the mutated gene, but they typically do not show signs and symptoms of the condition.

To honor Porter and his familywho held fundraisers for several years to support Auburns researchthe Scott-Ritchey Research Center incorporated Porters likeness in a creative identity for the center.

Donations to help fund Auburns research into GM1 can be made online.

Excerpt from:

Progress in the fight against GM1 - Office of Communications and Marketing

UPDATE 6:45 pm: Forward progress has been stopped on the Banks Fire, according to Cal Fire Mendocino.

UPDATE 6:10 pm: The Sheriffs Office has issued an evacuation warning for the Banks Fire via Nixle, and residents should be prepared to leave if conditions feel unsafe. The fire has been growing at a slow to moderate rate of spread since its start, and has reached around 15 acres, according to the most recent official update. The Banks Fire is travelling in a northeast direction from 74900 Covelo Road, according to the Sheriffs Office

Heres the Nixle alert in full:

Evacuation Warning: Wildfire in the Covelo area, Highway 162/Dobie and Fairbanks/Wattenburg Ln, Be ready to evacuate at any moment, gather your belongings, check on your neighbors and leave early if possible. Please avoid the area, Emergency crews need access, DO NOT BLOCK THE ROAD. Only call 9 1 1 for emergencies. We will publish more information including evacuation zone maps and social media updates tomendoready.orgas more information becomes available.

MENDOCINO Co., 7/24/22 Fire crews are on the scene of the Banks Fire in Covelo, located in the vicinity of State Route 162 and Fairbanks Road. The fire is currently reported to be approximately 10 acres in size, and the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office has issued a Nixle alert calling for situational awareness, but evacuations have not yet been issued. Read the Nixle here.

Cal Fire is assisting Round Valley Fire and other fire crews on this fire. Additional information about possible evacuations and road closures will be updated at the countys emergency website, mendoready.org.

Link:

Forward progress stopped on Banks Fire in Covelo (updated 6:45pm) - The Mendocino Voice

Frances supporters may have been outnumbered in the New York Stadium stands, and the team may not have scored as many as they did against Italy in the group stage, but this was as dominant a 1-0 win as you could find.

Across two hours of football, France fired 33 shots (13 on target) at the Netherlands. They faced just one shot on target by the time their place in the Euro 2022 semi-final against Germany was secured.

But, for all their quality when attacking in open play, Eve Perissets winner (above) came from the penalty spot in this meeting of two European heavyweights.

Frances quality, though, should not be forgotten about any time soon.

They exerted control throughout but it was the precision they showed across the pitch which set them on their way. Within two minutes, Kadidiatou Diani had displayed great presence of mind to move infield and slide a pass in behind for Grace Geyoro from the right. Geyoro was also involved in an intricate one-touch move with Sakina Karchaoui and Delphine Cascarino on the left, personifying the silk and vigour that would follow.

Becoming even more reliant on young goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar, the constant movement of the French frontline was a two-fold issue for for the Dutch to solve.

They had a few big chances but defensively we stood (up) well, said Netherlands centre-back Dominique Janssen. If we were just a bit more patient when we played through them we could have created more chances but it was hard because we had to put a lot of energy into defending. Sometimes its hard to have enough energy to attack (properly).

An energy-sapping ordeal for their opposition, Frances technical proficiency put them in control and it was Diani who led that charge. Particularly in the first half, the 27-year-old was comfortable and confident enough on the ball to have an impact wherever that may be.

On 20 minutes, she received a throw-in under pressure inside her own half and evaded pressure from multiple Dutch players before moving the ball for France to attack down the left wing, resulting in a Cascarino well-struck shot needing to be saved. On 37 minutes, the composure she showed to delay her pass into Melvine Malard whose shot was denied by Stefanie van der Gragt was the prime example of that composure in the final third.

The initial signs of Dutch frustration came from Danielle van de Donk. Diani felt comfortable enough to pull off a roulette and Van de Donk responded. First came the standing tackle in midfield, then came the sliding tackle on the touchline to try and set the tone.

As has been a common theme for many of the successful nations at this tournament, depth was key for France. While they were technically clean and crisp throughout the first half, their substitutes maintained that standard and brought a freshness to the attack after the Netherlands had weathered the storm of the first half.

I like the fact that the players gave it their all and kept plugging away; they stayed true to our game plan, said France manager Corinne Diacre. All the players performed their roles and we saw how well that worked. The players that came on certainly did not weaken the side, quite the contrary.

Malard who became Frances youngest scorer at a European Championship against Iceland kept her place up front for the injured Marie-Antoinette Katoto and was unlucky not to score. The impact of Selma Bacha named UEFAs player of the match off the bench was indicative of France keeping their attack fresh towards the end of the second half and into extra-time.

The 21-year-old ensured the technical level on the pitch did not drop. Within minutes of coming on, she was involved in an intricate one-two on halfway with Sandie Toletti before racing up the left wing and finding Diani inside the box. Later she popped up on the right to test Van Domselaar at her near post, but also kept the pressure on with her deliveries from set pieces helping Wendie Renard reach a total of six shots in the game.

Bacha was good but one youngster deserved the recognition of player of the match, and she wasnt French.

Van Domselaars performance in goal for the Netherlands was not a fluke. The 22-year-old made 10 saves in the first 90 minutes more than Frances Pauline Peyraud-Magnin has had to make in the tournament (seven) and left the best until last, back-pedalling to tip a looping Renard header wide.

She was a major reason the Netherlands progressed in this tournament, performing consistently since replacing the injured Sari van Veenendaal against Sweden. In the final group game against Switzerland, she started off with a strong save from Sandy Maendlys long-range effort and went on to make vital saves at both 0-0 and 1-1 as the Dutch won 4-1.

I think she was incredible. She kept us in the game most of the games, actually. I didnt expect her to be so good, so Im actually very proud (of her). Shes my player of the tournament, said Van de Donk.

Ive been training with her for a couple of years now with the national team and seen her in the Dutch league. Shes always been very good but she stepped up and showed the whole world what shes got.

While groans and boos rained down from the Netherlands contingent in the stands, the excitement when the 22-year-old made a save or ventured into the France box for a late free kick spoke to how quickly Van Domselaar had won the hearts of the Dutch support.

France, though, had been here before, exiting the last three European Championships at the quarter-final stage.Once Perissets penalty went in, it seemed a weight had been lifted.

There is no question that the French play with swagger and a precision that make them such tough opposition. Having broken their quarter-final curse, they will face a Germany team who have proven they can be clinical in the semi-final.

Not only have Germany kept clean sheets in all four games so far, but they have also scored at least two goals in each of those games.

For all of Frances positive play this tournament, their 5-1 win over Italy is the only time they have truly swept opposition aside with both their performance and the result.

Their foundations are there, whoever plays up front, and with quality and clarity across the pitch its now time to take full advantage of the chances they create.

(Top photo: Joris Verwijst/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Read the original here:

Swaggering France progress but must be more clinical to beat Germany - The Athletic

July 22, 2022 Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire Update

Acres: 341,735| Containment: 93% | Total personnel: 654| Start Date: Hermits Peak: April 6, 2022; Calf Canyon: April 19, 2022 | Cause: Hermits Peak: Spot fires from prescribed burn; Calf Canyon: Holdover fire from prescribed pile burn | Location: 12 miles NW of Las Vegas, NM | Fuels: Heavy mixed conifer, ponderosa pine, brush, and grass

Highlights: A recorded informational update for the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire has been posted on the Santa Fe National Forest Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/. This video contains informational updates and important resources from the Incident Management Team; the Taos, San Miguel, and Mora County Offices of Emergency Management; the Burned Area Emergency Response Team; and the Carson and Santa Fe National Forests. The Southwest Incident Management Team 4 will transfer command of the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire to the Southwest Incident Management Team 5 on Monday, July 25, at 7:00 AM. This is the final update from Southwest Team 4. The Team extends its sincere thanks and gratitude to the local communities for their support and hospitality throughout this incident.

Operations: Heavy rain fell across the majority of the fire area, producing over an inch of rain in less than an hour in some places, causing substantial flooding. Some firefighting resources were temporarily blocked by a landslide of debris on Highway 121, requiring several hours to remove the material for safe passage. To maintain the safety of incident personnel, firefighters had to temporarily withdraw from their suppression repair work but were able to make notable progress in the days prior. Ahead of the rains, crews were able to continue pulling logs out of the Gallinas Creek drainage. Dozer repair work was successfully completed around Elk Mountain to the west and Martinez Pond to the north. Once conditions improve, a hand crew and grader will move into these areas to do some additional cleanup work. Despite the adverse weather, firefighters are taking advantage of favorable conditions in the mornings to complete critical suppression repairs on both private and National Forest System lands before the afternoon thunderstorms move into the fire area.

Closures and Restrictions: Area closures remain in effect for both the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests. These closures are in place for ongoing wildfire suppression repair operations, and to protect public health and safety in the event of debris flow and flash flooding. The wildfire suppression repair operations include, but are not limited to, road repair and stabilization, heavy equipment use, and fire line repair efforts. For the latest information about the Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires closure orders for both the Santa Fe and Carson National Forests, please see the links to each forests website below. Information related to fire restrictions across public and private land can be found at: https://nmfireinfo.com/fire-restrictions/.

Weather: A persistent weather pattern will continue today with morning sun and afternoon clouds, along with scattered showers and thunderstorms. Storm coverage should be slightly less than the past couple of days. Lightning, heavy rain, and localized flooding are possible. Temperatures will be near seasonal normal values with highs ranging from the 60s in the higher elevations to the upper 80s in the low valleys. Scattered afternoon showers and storms are possible through the weekend.

Fire Flooding and Recovery Resources: Disaster Assistance Resources: https://www.nmdhsem.org/2022-wildfires/| After Wildfire New Mexico Guide: https://www.afterwildfirenm.org/| Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fires Burned Area Emergency Response: https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8104/

For questions or concerns related to flooding, please call the New Mexico State Emergency Operations Center at 1-800-432-2080. For federal disaster assistance, please call the FEMA Helpline at 1-800-621-3362.

Private Land Suppression Repair Survey (English and Spanish): https://www.tinyurl.com/suppressionrepair

Fire Information: Office Hours: 8:00 AM 8:00 PM | Phone: 505-356-2636| Email: 2022.hermitspeak@firenet.gov

Online Fire Information Resources: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/8069/ | https://www.facebook.com/santafeNF/| nmfireinfo.com |Santa Fe National Forest Twitter | tinyurl.com/HermitsYouTube | Santa Fe National Forest | Carson National Forest

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Suppression repair progress interrupted by rain and flooding - nmfireinfo.com

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Now that the 2022 July internationals are wrapped up, we delve into the state of affairs in each of the northern hemisphere nations. Last up, it is France.

With a curtailed two-Test tour of Japan following a stellar Six Nations season that saw France lift the Grand Slam, Fabien Galthie viewed this trip as a chance to explore the depth of his squad and to try new combinations as Les Bleus season continued its excellence.

Some big names, especially the overworked of La Rochelle and Toulouse, were rested. Antoine Dupont, Gregory Alldritt, Francois Cros, Cyril Baille, Romain Ntamack and a host more chose to stay at home to wind down after one of the longest seasons in memory.

However, it also gave Galthie the chance to recall some long-term injured players such as Charles Ollivon, Matthieu Jalibert and Virimi Vakatawa, all absolutely proven Test players, and in the case of Ollivon and Jalibert, world-class performers when at their best.

France are in the envious position of competition for places across the board. In some areas, such as back-row and half-back, they have at least two world-class players competing for the positions but in others, such as lock and tighthead, the depth is less well developed and this tour allowed Les Bleus to explore the glittering talent at their disposal.

At loosehead, Jean-Baptiste Gros showed his continued improvement, starting both Tests and demonstrating his incredible workrate and powerful scrummaging. In the backline, Damian Penaud reminded us hes still the best right wing in the world crossing for a brace in the first test. However, at tighthead, Demba Bambas explosive work around the pitch is still not mirrored in the tight and France will be pleased at the development of young Clermont prop Sipili Falatea, adding another layer of depth to their stocks.

In the back-row, theres little doubt that in the form of 2020/21, Ollivon is the best flanker in world rugby. The intellect and leadership of the man is the stuff of legend within the French camp and, whilst Dupont has been an excellent caretaker skipper, Ollivon isnt known as The Boss without good reason. He was once again magnificent in Japan and theres no doubt hell lead France into the World Cup next year, with Dylan Cretin also likely to be alongside him in a squad role after an impressive tour.

Story continues

France still have confusion at 10. For all Ntamacks brilliance as a runner, his match control is somewhat flaky at times and he simply isnt as good at getting a pack going forward as Bordeauxs Jalibert, who impressed on his return from injury. With Baptiste Couilloud and Maxime Lucu also impressing at nine, Frances half-back stocks are in rude health and the return of Jalibert gives Galthie the option of structure over invention at ten.

In terms of the on-pitch efforts, Japan rocked France at times, pushing them all the way in the first Test for 40 minutes going in at half time 13-13. However, the strength and fitness of the French proved decisive in the second period as Jalibert cut loose in swelteringly hot and humid conditions to create two magnificent tries, with Melvyn Jaminet adding 17 points off the tee.

A week later, Couillouds try 10 minutes from time turned a messy match back in Frances favour after Japan full-back Ryohei Yamanaka had crashed over for two first half tries in Tokyo for a 15-7 half-time lead.

People might look back at these games and point out that France should have put away the Brave Blossoms a little easier than they did, but Japan at home are a serious prospect for any Test side now and France will be delighted to have been examined so properly by their hosts.

As the last leg of World Cup preparation begins, Galthie moves into this period knowing he has the exceptional riches in most positions, with set-piece and defensive system to be a foundation of his campaign. Bolt on Les Bleus mercurial ability to score tries and the next 12 months will see the coaches focusing on finding out their very best squad and fine tuning some starting positions such as fly-half.

Its a solid B grade of a tour after an A+ season; the next challenge is to continue this form into a taxing November Test schedule followed by the huge challenge of a Six Nations that sees them play England and Ireland away from home. France are on the verge of greatness; the next 12 months will define just how great this side can become.

READ MORE: State of the Nation: Italys loss to Georgia brings them back down to earth with a bump

The article State of the Nation: France continue to make progress after positive Japan tour appeared first on Planetrugby.com.

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State of the Nation: France continue to make progress after positive Japan tour - Yahoo Eurosport UK

Nikki Spoelstra, the wife of Miami Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra, is offering an inspiring update on the couples four-year-old son Santiago, who was first diagnosed with cancer during the Heats 2021-22 season.

Back in March, Santiago Spoelstra underwent what was described at the time only as a medical procedure. His father missed one game because of that issue.

The serious nature of Burkitt lymphoma required quick efforts on the part of the medical staff that was treating Santiago Spoelstra, Thats because its a form of non-Hodgkins lymphoma that begins in the immune cells and can spread rapidly.

Despite the uncertainty of his sons situation and the chemotherapy that was required to bring the disease into remission, Erik Spoelstra continued to coach the team, though he offered no insight on what he and his wife were enduring.

In retrospect, that makes Erik Spoelstras efforts to coach the Heat into their second finals in the past three seasons a remarkable accomplishment. The Heat fell in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals last season to the Boston Celtics, who subsequently lost in the finals to the Golden State Warriors.

Of course, Nikki Spoelstra was also enduring her own pain and was forced to do it as she carried the couples third child, That pending arrival was announced by her last month, with the baby, a girl, due this fall.

Santiago Spoelstra and his younger brother Dante will be ready to welcome their new sister when she arrives. The hope is that some point in the future that his medical issues will be a thing of the past,

Read more from the original source:

Erik Spoelstras wife shares inspiring progress after revealing that their son was battling cancer du... - Heat Nation

Just days after winning the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award, the Department of Energys highest honor for mid-career scientists, Rachel Segalman, professor and chair of UC Santa Barbaras Chemical Engineering Department, learned shed received another top honor the Andreas Acrivos Award for Professional Progress in Chemical Engineering, among the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) most prestigious prizes.

The AIChE annually presents the Professional Progress Award in recognition of one researchers sustained intellectual leadership and significant contributions to the field of chemical engineering. Segalman was recognized for pioneering studies of functional soft materials including semiconducting block polymers, polymeric ionic liquids, and hybrid thermoelectric materials.

Much like the Lawrence Award, the Acrivos Professional Progress Award is special because some of my personal heroes have won it, said Segalman, referencing Frances Arnold (2004) and Matthew Tirrell (1998), the former dean of UCSBs College of Engineering. While the Lawrence Award is special because of its stature in the U.S. government, the Acrivos Professional Progress is a recognition from my peers.

Segalmans research focuses on controlling the self-assembly, structure, and properties in functional polymers. Structural control over soft matter through microscopic length scales is a key tool for optimizing properties in applications ranging from solar and thermal energy to biomaterials.

An elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and a fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences and the American Physical Society, Segalmans work has provided key insights into the molecular basis for the thermoelectric effect in organic molecules, an essential step to subsequent advances in organic thermoelectrics, a field in which she has emerged as a pioneer through her fundamental advances in the science of molecular thermoelectrics and engineering their design.

Segalman also has made important connections between the molecular and mesoscale structure of polymers and their ability to transport electronic and ionic charge, most recently demonstrating superionic conduction in polymers. She is associate director of the Materials for Water and Energy Systems, which seeks to make similar connections with application to the purification of water from perniciously contaminated sources.

We are extremely proud to congratulate Rachel Segalman on receiving one of the highest honors awarded in chemical engineering, said Tresa Pollock, interim dean of the College of Engineering and the Alcoa Distinguished Professor of Materials. Peer recognition of her pioneering studies on functional soft materials and their impact in the chemical engineering and materials science disciplines is well deserved.

Acrivos is an internationally recognized educator and researcher who helped transform the field of chemical engineering, especially in the areas of fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer. His research on the flow of viscous fluids made it possible to model, analyze and engineer chemical and fluid processes, with applications in industries such as microelectronics and petroleum recovery.

Segalman briefly shared an office with Acrivos while she was an assistant professor at UC Berkeley and he was on sabbatical.

He was visiting Berkeley for my first few months on faculty, she recalled. His mentorship and especially his warmth and welcome to academia made a lasting impression on my career to this day, they remind me how important that first welcome is in a career. So, it is particularly thrilling to receive this award that is named after him.

Segalman will receive the award in November, at an honors ceremony during the 2022 AIChE Annual Meeting.

Link:

In the Name of Progress | The UCSB Current - The UCSB Current

Justin Fields regularly trends on Twitter. Doesnt matter if the Bears are in hibernation. Doesnt matter if a scientist has come up with a cure for cancer. The Bears quarterback is always there, like your conscience. Ill ask myself, Its March, the season is months away and what could people possibly be saying about him?

Silly me. Theres always something to be said about Fields even when there really isnt. Undeterred by his rocky rookie season, Bears fans have kept up a tidal wave of love for the kid. It will carry him to the start of training camp Tuesday. On social media, the reason to talk about him can come from any number of inspirations video of a perfect, 15-yard minicamp pass that launches a thousand odes. An experts quarterback ranking that outrageously libels Our Man. A report that shows Fields jersey as one of the top sellers in the NFL.

If he lives up to even a fraction of what people see for him in Year 2 of his career, hell letter in four sports this year.

And all of it the love, the strident defenses, the virtual stalking is OK. If you cant be hopeful during training camp, you cant be hopeful ever.

Im about to ask whats realistic for Fields in 2022, knowing full well that realism has about as much to do with training camp as goat yoga does. The reality is that, as physically talented as his biggest backers say he is, the Bears talent level on offense isnt expected to be commensurate with that of a good NFL offense. That side of the ball could be really bad this season.

Now, before the true believers jump on me for injecting negativity (realism!) into what should be a joyous occasion (the start of camp), I want to point out that I have graciously given you an out. If Fields doesnt live up to your Year 2 expectations, youll be able to say that new general manager Ryan Poles has saddled the poor guy with linemen who cant block and receivers who cant receive.

Last year, you were able to say that Fields struggles were all Matt Nagys fault. Nagy is the former Bears coach who, his detractors say, wouldnt know a pass from a run, an X from an O or a quarterback from a nickelback. In this reading of the situation, Fields seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions and 73.2 passer rating were Nagys doing.

Id like to say that well soon find out if Nagy was to blame for everything, but I dont think we will. Not that Nagy will escape condemnation. His ship has sailed, and its called the SS Offensive Ineptitude. But with the Bears talent level expected to be so low on offense, its going to be hard to pin all of the planets woes on Nagy. I know youll try.

The excuse game can last only so long, however. There has to be real progress from Fields, and just because the offense isnt expected to be great, it doesnt mean he has to spend a season running in place. I want to see his accuracy improve. He obviously has a good arm. Can that arm deliver footballs into the hands of receivers? Fields certainly didnt do that well enough last season.

The rest of it is merit-badge stuff what his teammates say about his leadership skills in the huddle, how he processes information, etc. Just complete passes more often. The hard ones and the easy ones. If he can do that, then maybe he can be the quarterback his legion of followers say he already is. Until then, its just a wall of sound on social media.

Again, thats OK for now. Training camp has two parallel tracks. One track is for the players and the coaches to gel. The other is for unreined optimism, even when logic tells you to hold your horses. So enjoy the next month or so. The Bears preseason opener is against the Chiefs on Aug. 13, with Nagy, now a Kansas City assistant, making his return to Soldier Field. If Fields has a good game, I wouldnt want to be Nagy. If Fields doesnt have a good game, Bears fans can blame everybody else. What a beautiful thing preseason is.

I dont know what you call what the Bears are doing. A rebuild? A rebuild gives sports franchises a license to stink while offering hope. Its a weird sell, but its all the rage these days.

The Bears should just get it over with and change their name to Justin Fields Bears. I think Ill put that on Twitter. Feel free to love it.

See the original post:

Justin Fields progress is the only storyline heading into Bears camp - Chicago Sun-Times

The American Rescue Plan's$5 billion investmentin emergency housing vouchers (EHVs) is helping tens of thousands of people escapehomelessness.

The programis leasing at a rate faster than any previous HUD housing voucher programand is driving unprecedented collaboration between public housing agencies (PHAs), homeless services organizations, and victim services organizations.

In the last year, EHVs have helped more than 26,000 householdssecure permanent housing, and nearly 35,000 are searching for a unit or completing the leasing process.87% of EHVs have been either leased or issued, and on average, the time between an EHV being issued to leasing a home is77 days.

President Biden signed the American Rescue Plan inMarch 2021,awarding70,000 EHVs to nearly 700 PHAs for people experiencing or at risk of homelessness; people fleeing, or attempting to flee, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or human trafficking; and people who were recently homeless or who have a high risk of housing instability. In September 2021, HUD and USICH launched House Americato help state, local, and tribal leaders make the most ofEHVs and other federal funding. To date, 100 communities have joined House America.

The EHV program is the first-ever special purpose voucher program within HUD to address overall homelessness and not specifically veteran homelessness. Itprovides communities new flexibilities and resources [... that include]robust administrative funding and a new service fee that allows program administrators to pay for costs necessary to help families find and retain housing, HUD stated in a new fact sheet. PHAs can also use service fees for landlords incentives, tenants security and utility deposits, housing search assistance, and even for furniture and household goods, which are often a forgotten expense for families who are directly transitioning from homelessness.

Through the EHV program, HUD is takingaggressive actions to address homelessness by:

For more onhow HUDis taking these actions, readthe full fact sheet.

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See the article here:

87% Leased or Issued: The Unprecedented Progress of Emergency Housing Vouchers - United States Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH)