Category Archives: Bahamas

FLORIDA, Nov. 19 /CSRwire/ - Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK) signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with The Bahamas to fund and support flood damage repairs and basic restoration efforts at Rand Memorial Hospital, the primary hospital in Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, which sustained significant damage in September from Hurricane Dorian.

The MOU agreement formalizes a collaborative partnership between The Bahamas and Carnival Corporation designed to provide hurricane relief funds for the joint mission of rapidly restoring Rand Memorial Hospital, with a collective goal of returning the facility to a safe and healthy environment for patients and medical professionals by the end of March 2020.

The Rand Memorial Hospital project comprises two critical restoration initiatives: remediation and basic repairs for the facility, and replacing damaged medical equipment.

Additionally, the hospitals existing kitchen suffered damage, so the restoration project is expected to include the completion of a new kitchen that was partially constructed prior to the storm, which will be able to provide meals for patients and staff once the hospital officially reopens.

Working with a project coordinator that will have day-to-day oversight of all elements of the project, Carnival Corporation and the Government of The Bahamas will coordinate with collaborative partners in support of the restoration efforts, including Direct Relief, an international relief organization that provides critical medications and supplies during emergencies; World Central Kitchen, a food relief organization that serves meals to local communities following a crisis; the Grand Bahama Shipyard based in Freeport and the University of Miami, among others.

Also, during the restoration process, Carnival Corporation will support World Central Kitchens continued provisioning of daily meals for patients and staff as part of an ongoing partnership following the storm.

We are extremely pleased to immediately begin remediation efforts at Rand Memorial, which serves as Grand Bahama Islands primary medical facility and represents a critical step in our ability to recover and once again serve our community, said Sharon Williams, administrator for Grand Bahama Health Services, the local healthcare system that includes Rand Memorial Hospital. We are grateful to the Bahamian emergency response team from Carnival Corporation, Direct Relief, Grand Bahama Shipyard, University of Miami and its partners for working together to restore our facility as quickly as possible to a safe, secure and healthy environment for medical care.

In support of overall recovery efforts in The Bahamas, we have worked with government and community leaders to determine meaningful ways we can help that will deliver a lasting impact, and our shared mission to support the restoration of Rand Memorial Hospital exemplifies that commitment, said Marie McKenzie, vice president of global ports and Caribbean government relations for Carnival Corporation. This restoration project is crucial for the health needs of residents, while also supporting the longer-term vitality of the community and is indicative of the rebuilding progress on the island. Along with our partners, we look forward to supporting the governments efforts to reopen Rand Memorial Hospital as an important step in the overall recovery of Grand Bahama Island.

The Rand Memorial Hospital restoration efforts outlined in todays MOU are part of a significant donation from Carnival Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Carnival Corporation, the companys cruise line brands and its guests, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation to provide funding and in-kind support to help overall hurricane recovery efforts in The Bahamas.

Since Hurricane Dorian hit in September, Carnival Corporation and its brands have worked with local and international organizations, including Grand Bahama Shipyard, Direct Relief, Tropical Shipping and World Central Kitchen, to partner with businesses across The Bahamas on projects providing both immediate relief and long-term impacts wherever possible.

The companys partnership with Tropical Shipping collected and delivered an estimated 10 million pounds of supplies in over 250 shipping containers to the country made possible by generous donations from countless individuals and organizations throughout South Florida and North America. In addition, two ships from the companys Carnival Cruise Line brand Carnival Liberty and Carnival Pride made stops in Freeport to deliver relief supplies to assist residents, including water, generators, chain saws, prepared meals and medical supplies.

With support from Carnival Corporation, Carnival Foundation, and the Micky and Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, Direct Relief has delivered more than $2.9 million in life-saving medical aid to health facilities across the Bahamas, including Rand Hospital.

Carnival Corporation and Carnival Foundation are among the organizations that provided support to World Central Kitchen, which served more than 25,000 meals per day to people in Abaco and Grand Bahama following the storm. In total, Chef Jose Andres's World Central Kitchen has provided over one million meals throughout The Bahamas.

Carnival Corporation brands also conducted donation drives to support The Bahamas through Direct Relief and World Central Kitchen. Overall, Carnival Cruise Line guests and employees have donated more than $500,000 to organizations supporting Bahamas relief efforts.

In addition to these broad relief efforts, three of Carnival Corporations brands Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Princess Cruises are continuing regular sailings to The Bahamas with an expected 250 total calls to the country throughout the remainder of 2019, helping to support the countrys tourism industry and its vital economic impact on businesses and residents. Carnival Cruise Line officially returned to Grand Bahama in mid-October when multiple ships docked in Freeport for the first time since the storm, marking the return of regular cruise calls to Grand Bahama Island.

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About Carnival Corporation & plcCarnival Corporation & plc is the worlds largest leisure travel company and among the most profitable and financially strong in the cruise and vacation industries, with a portfolio of nine of the worlds leading cruise lines. With operations in North America, Australia, Europe and Asia, its portfolio features Carnival Cruise Line, Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, Seabourn, P&O Cruises (Australia), Costa Cruises, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises (UK) and Cunard.

Together, the corporations cruise lines operate 104 ships with 249,000 lower berths visiting over 700 ports around the world, with 17 new ships scheduled to be delivered through 2025. Carnival Corporation & plc also operates Holland America Princess Alaska Tours, the leading tour company in Alaska and the Canadian Yukon. Traded on both the New York and London Stock Exchanges, Carnival Corporation & plc is the only group in the world to be included in both the S&P 500 and the FTSE 100 indices.

With a long history of innovation and providing guests with extraordinary vacation experiences, Carnival Corporation has received thousands of industry awards including recognition by the Consumer Technology Association as a CES 2019 Innovation Awards Honoree for the OceanMedallion. A revolutionary wearable device that contains a proprietary blend of communication technologies, the OceanMedallion enables the world's first interactive guest experience platform transforming vacation travel on a large scale into a highly personalized level of customized service. The prestigious CES Innovation Awards honor outstanding design and engineering in consumer technology products.

Additional information can be found on http://www.carnival.com, http://www.princess.com, http://www.hollandamerica.com, http://www.seabourn.com, http://www.pocruises.com.au, http://www.costacruise.com, http://www.aida.de, http://www.pocruises.com and http://www.cunard.com.

Carnival Corporation Media Contacts:Roger Frizzell, Carnival Corporation, rfrizzell@carnival.com, (305) 406-7862Mike Flanagan, LDWW, mike@ldwwgroup.com, (727) 452-4538

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Carnival Corporation Signs Agreement With the Bahamas to Fund and Support Restoration of Rand Memorial Hospital Following Hurricane Dorian -...

November 21, 2019Matthew Pitt

The 2019 partypoker LIVE Caribbean Poker Party crowned another three champions on the fourth day of the festival with Adrian Mateos, Christopher Brammer and Daniel Dvoress walking away with wallet-filling prizes.

Mateos victory came in the $25,500 MILLIONS Super High Roller, a tournament that saw 125 entries processed. Only the top 17 finishers received a slice of the $3,125,000 pie and it was Elio Fox who was the first to cash; Fox banked $60,000.

Fox gained some company on the rail when Alex Foxen and Kristen Bicknell busted. Sean Winter,Peter Jetten, Rainer Kempe, and Davidi Kitai then crashed out to leave only 10 players in the hunt for the title.

Ten became nine when Jeremy Ausmus busted and the official eight-handed final table was set when Darren Elias lost his stack.

The prize money had now grown to $115,000 and this sum went to Michael Zhang, who already has a MILLIONS Super High Roller title to his name, fell in ninth. Zhang lost a coinflip wth ace-king against Christopher Frasers pair of tens.

Orpen Kisacikoglu also lost a flip when his king-eight failed to connect with the board when he was all-in against Niall Farrells pocket fives.

Frances Benjamin Pollak will count himself unlucky with how his tournament ended. Pollak three-bet all-in with ace-ten when Brock Wilson had opened with a raise. Wilson had initially raised with a pair of aces in the hole so had a simple call. Call he did and Wilsons hand held, leaving five players in contention to become the champion.

Those five became four when Farrell got the last of his chips into the middle with ace-seven and found himself up against the king-queen of Fraser. A king on the flop put Fraser in the lead, but the three community cards were all clubs and Farrell held the seven in that suit. No help arrived on the turn or river and Farrells tournament ended abruptly.

David Eldridge jammed with eights into the nines of Fraser before Fraser got his stack in with a draw against the top pair of Wilson to send the tournament into the heads-up stage. This hand gave Wilson a massive chip advantage with his 105,000,000 chips playing Mateos 18,500,000.

Mateos class shone through and he managed to pull almost level, prompting Wilson to agree to a deal that saw him walk away with $619,536 and Mateos scoop $520,464. The pair decided to flip for the tournament and the flip went Mateos way. Comeback completed!

*reflects a heads-up deal

Christopher Brammer padded his bankroll with $165,000, the fourth-largest live score of his career, by taking down the $1,100 MILLIONS Mini Main Event. Brammer overcame a tough final day that saw the likes of Ryan Riess and Jeff Gross bust before the final table.

That final table was the home to a talented bunch of players, including Joe Cada who ran out of luck in fifth-place for a $40,000 score.

Brammer eventually found himself heads-up with Joseph Cheong. Cheong and Brammer have clashed dozens of time at the virtual felt but were no face-to-face for the title and the not-so-small matter of $165,000. It was Brammer who emerged victorious, resigning Cheong to the $110,000 consolation prize which takes his lifetime live winnings past $14.5 million.

Daniel Dvoress may have won $4,080,000 in the Super High Roller Bowl Bahamas event but his hunger for success is as large as ever. Dvoress was one of 45 entries in the $25,000 Short Deck event and he took down the whole shebang for another $375,000.

Dvoress defeated Danny Tang heads-up for the title with the recent WSOP bracelet winner having to make do with a $250,00 runner-up prize.

Earlier at the final table, former WSOP Main Event champion John Cynn busted in sixth-place for $70,000 before Isaac Haxton collected $95,000 for his fifth-place finish. The legendary Phil Ivey busted in fourth for $126,250 before Chin Wei Lim became the penultimate bust-out, his third-place exit being worth $175,000.

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Adrian Mateos, Christopher Brammer, and Daniel Dvoress Win Big in The Bahamas - PokerNews.com

Dianne Newcomer(Photo: courtesy)

"Hurricane Dorian has devastated the Bahamas" was the tweet that went viral on Twitter last month, but here's the deal: it was wrong!

Dorian was the 2nd most powerful hurricane to hit the Caribbean since 1950 when she rolled ashore on September 4. With winds gusting up to 220 mph, she was the storm that would not leave. For 38 hours, Dorian lingered over Abaco and Grand Bahama destroying lives, homes, businesses, and island infrastructure. We saw the pictures; it was the worst time imaginable for these two islands, but, folks, it was not "the Bahamas" being pounded.

"The Bahamas "are the 700 islands (and over 2,000 rocks and cays) scattered over 100,000 square miles of ocean in the Atlantic Ocean, starting just about 50 miles south of Florida. They are an ecological wonder and home to the clearest water on the planet. In "The Bahamas," you can actually see your toes as easily as you can the worlds third largest fringing barrier reef and, by the way, it is still there!

Dorian only affected the Abacos and the Grand Bahama Island, so don't panic. Nassau and Paradise Island, the Exumas, Eleuthera, Harbour Island, Bimini, Andros, the Berry Islands and Cat Island, along with many of the other smaller islands in this destination, are alive and wll and would sincerely love to have your business.

Nothing has changed in these locations.The same natural beauty, charming culture, high rolling casinos, stunning golf courses, and warm friendly people are waiting for you to discover their beaches and wonderful resorts. The Bahamas need you, so why not go? Besides, we all know everything is just "better in the The Bahamas," right?

And, speaking of a place that needs your support and in case you missed it last week, I would like to remind you the FBI has completed its investigation of the 11 Americans who died in the Dominican Republic this year. Their conclusion confirmed the findings of the Dominican Republic authorities. All of the deaths were the result of natural causes pneumonia, pulmonary edema, cardiac arrest and cerebral tramaedia.

What great news this is for the D.R.! This island, which is one of my most favorite destinations in the Caribbean, has suffered so much from the misleading speculations and the media frenzy that oncentrated on all those "mysterious deaths.

Now, I will not deny these deaths were tragic, but, when some 3.2 million tourists "survived" their vacation last year in the D.R., it was difficult for me, as a travel agent, to reach that fever pitched level of outrage encouraged by the media--especially considering these deaths occurred over a 6 month period of time and not in a couple weeks span like the media suggested.

How nice it was to finally and officially learn nothing nefarious --like tainted alcohol or poisonous insecticide in the food-- actually happened in the Dominican Republic ! So, at Monroe Travel Service, where I work, it is business as usual for us at the DR. Of course, I might also add it is important to be as cautious in the DR as you would be in New Orleans. It pays to always keep your wits about you no matter where you are.

In an effort to keep traveling our world simple enough for all of us to understand the risks, the U.S. State Department has created a program which targets destinations and assesses them based on risk. They placed a level 2 travel advisory on the Dominican Republic. This means travelers should exercise increased caution due to crime threats. Yet, don't be too alarmed with this assement as most destinations (even Italy and France, as well as almost everywhere you travel) will be at a Level 2.

In order to put these levels in perspective, it should be noted the highest security advisory issued by our government is a level 4.Currently, there are only 11 countries where travel is not suggested and, probably we all can easily discern the reason why. The places where our state department says Americans should not travel are Afghanistan, Central African Republic, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Somalia, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

Seems to me that, based solely on our government's assessment of the risk and danger situation for travelers, there are a whole lot of places where we can still go! Why not step out into this big wide wonderful world and enjoy some life-changing travel moments?Go experience the kindess, laughter, beauty and joy that comes from interaction with others in new and different places around the world.

Whether you dream of warm sunny days, beautiful resorts, and the crystal clear blue waters of the Caribbean or maybe walking the cobblestoned streets of Spain, then give us a call at Monroe Travel Service. We would love to show you the way. Life is like ice cream. Enjoy it before it melts.

Dianne Newcomer is a travel advisor at Monroe Travel Service, just off North 19th and Tower Drive in Monroe. For all your travel needs, call 318 323 3465 or info@monroetravel.com and let us help you explore our world.

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The Bahamas are doing just fine and await your arrival - The News Star

What's Open, What's Rebuilding and What's Recovering Across The Bahamas

NASSAU, Bahamas, Oct. 24, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- More than a month has passed since Hurricane Dorian made landfall on two northern islands of The Bahamas. Already, Grand Bahama Island is rebounding with many of its hotels and attractions reopened and plans for its airport to resume international service soon. While The Abacos face a longer road to recovery, the country remains resilient and steadfast in its commitment to help the island rebuild by maintaining a healthy flow of tourism which accounts for half of the country's GDP to the islands that were not affected by the storm.

Open for Business

Nassau and Paradise IslandThis pair of islands which are home to the country's most extensive array of resorts, hotels, restaurants and tour operators were not affected by Hurricane Dorian and are operating normally. With seasonal hotel incentives and increased airlift, it is easier than ever for travelers to visit this year.

The Out IslandsWith the exception of The Abacos, the Out Islands are open and operating as usual. Some resorts and lodges take a fall hiatus for annual leave or renewal projects, but there are many options for accommodations. Airports, government ports and marinas are open across the islands.

Grand Bahama IslandGrand Bahama Island is back to business welcoming travelers at its cruise port, and soon to welcome international travelers when the airport reopens next month. Ferries and cruise lines, including Balearia, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line, are already bringing travelers to Freeport to experience a number of excursions and sites that have reopened. The airport is operating domestic flights via temporary facilities and will welcome its first international flight on November 15. Numerous hotels and resorts are already open or expected to re-open within weeks.

Recovering and Rebuilding

The AbacosAbaco has the longest road to recovery with virtually no viable options for leisure tourism in the near future. The current focus is on re-opening local government complexes and restoring basic services to facilitate rebuilding.

Response to Hurricane DorianAs the capital of The Bahamas, and the home of the country's government, Nassau is also a central hub for the Hurricane Dorian recovery process. Persons that have been displaced by the storm are being accommodated on the island, with the most recent informationfrom The Bahamas National Emergency Management Association (NEMA) indicating that 895 individuals are being housed across six shelters.

How to HelpOne of the best things people can do to help, now more than ever is to visit. The Bahamas is open for business and still delivering the tropical getaway the country is known for. In addition to planning a trip to The Bahamas, those who wish to contribute can find a list of The Bahamas' verified partners at http://www.bahamas.com/relief.

PRESS INQUIRIESAnita Johnson-PattyBahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviationajohnson@bahamas.com

Weber ShandwickPublic Relations bahamas@webershandwick.com

SOURCE Bahamas Ministry of Tourism & Aviation (BMOTA)

https://www.bahamas.com

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The Islands Of The Bahamas State Of The Business Tourism Update - PRNewswire

11-year-old boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reach over 1,200

An 11-year-old Florida boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something.

With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas.

"I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother.

The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies.

Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."

The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered.

Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes, and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "

Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out."

The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

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11-year-old boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reach over 1200 - Greenwich Time

Tourism in The Bahamas is rebounding fast following Hurricane Dorian, which made landfall on two northern islands in September.

Grand Bahama is already welcoming travelers at its cruise port and the island's airport will resume international services next month.

Ferries and cruise lines, including Balearia, Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line and Carnival Cruise Line, are already bringing travelers to Freeport as a number of excursions and sites have reopened, while numerous hotels and resorts are already open or expect to resume operations within weeks, according to a statement

Nassau and Paradise Island, home to the countrys most extensive array of resorts, hotels, restaurants and tour operators, were not affected by Hurricane Dorian and are operating normally, as are The Out Islands.

While The Abacos face a longer road to recovery, the country remains resilient in its commitment to help the island rebuild by maintaining a healthy flow of tourism which accounts for half of the countrys GDP to the islands that were not affected by the storm.

According to the Bahamas National Emergency Management Association (NEMA), Dorian left 65 dead and 895 people housed in shelters.

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Tourism In The Bahamas Rebounds After Hurricane Dorian - Cruise Industry News

An 11-year-old Jupiter boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something. With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas. "I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother. The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies. Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered. Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out." The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

An 11-year-old Jupiter boy is reflecting on his idea to help that eventually spread across the country. In September, Cade Frye was so overcome with the images he saw of the devastation in the Bahamas caused by Hurricane Dorian, that he had to do something.

With the help of his parents, Cade decided to collect backpacks and fill them with school supplies, toys, other necessities and hand deliver them to children in the Bahamas.

"I don't think we had any idea how big it was going to get," said Amanda Frye, Cades mother.

The Frye family created a Facebook page called Backpacks for the Bahamas. People from all over the country donated their own backpacks filled with supplies.

Cade said, "It makes me feel good and I'm really helping."

The first shipment to the Bahamas contained close to 100 book bags. Since then, over 1,200 bags have been delivered.

Amanda Frye said, "To hear a child think she was just getting a bag and to open it and to see that she had clothes and she had snacks, its pretty cool when you know that you had a hand in that. "

Cade said, "I think the kids feel grateful and I feel like I really helped out."

The Frye family is no longer collecting backpacks for the Bahamas. The final delivery shipment will contain just over 200 backpacks.

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Local boy's backpack deliveries to the Bahamas reaches over 1,200 - WPBF West Palm Beach

With more than 15 million pairs of new shoes donated to kids in need since 2011, the BOBS from Skechers movement continues to aid disaster-impacted families through its charitable shoe program. Beginning this month, the company plans to distribute thousands of pairs of new shoes to Hurricane Dorian victims in the Bahamas and Storm Imelda-affected families in Houston.

Together with its donation partner Soles4Souls, the Company will ship more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to Nassau; charity organizations Women Supporting Women and Urban Renewal will initially distribute 1,080 shoes to displaced victims of Hurricane Dorian this month, with more distributions anticipated in early 2020. Skechers and Soles4Souls also plan to send more than 2,000 pairs of BOBS donation shoes to the organization Communities in Schools of Houston to support the regions families during the holiday season, as well as in the new year based on need.

Through our relief efforts for previous disasters like Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico, we understand how challenging it can be to connect with victims when a communitys infrastructure is so deeply impactedand how crucial it is that we continue to offer support to these affected areas months after the media spotlight dims, said Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. Healing a community is not a sprint, its a marathonand we are doing what we can to help thousands of these families in the months to come. Although we cant provide shoes for every disaster, we aim to do so for as many as possible, exploring ways to support other communities as they are impacted.

Skechers has donated new shoes to children affected by poverty, homelessness and natural disasters in more than 60 countriesfrom the Indian Ocean tsunami in 2004 and Haitis 2010 earthquake; to Superstorm Sandy; Hurricanes Katrina, Harvey, Irma and Maria; and the 2018 fires in California. The Company most recently donated thousands of shoes to children in need at back-to-school events in Miami and Milwaukee.

Along with its philanthropic efforts for children, the Company also partners with Petco Foundation to help animals nationwide through sales of BOBS from Skechers shoes, apparel and accessories. Since 2015, Skechers has donated more than $4.23 million to animal welfare organizationsfunds that have helped more than 750,000 pets in the United States, including more than 396,000 dogs and cats saved through adoptions.

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Skechers Distributes New Shoes To Storm Victims In The Bahamas And Houston - SGB Media

CHARLOTTE Before the Timberwolves opening game against Brooklyn, Karl-Anthony Towns pulled out a book by the Lebanese-American author Kahlil Gibran and began reading.

Towns is a fan of Gibran, specifically his most famous work, The Prophet, which has sold millions of copies since its original publication in 1923. Its a collection of over two dozen prose poems that touch on lifes major issues love, family, freedom, friendship and death. It came recommended to Towns by his cousin, and then Towns saw it in a bookstore.

That book, at a time in my life I needed help and needed wisdom, it gave me everything I needed Towns said. I always feel like when I go into Barnes & Noble, its more God telling me what he wants me to read. I just felt that was the book that he was telling me I needed to read at that point. I did and it was very fortunate.

Towns swears by Gibrans philosophies so much that he gifted a copy of it to the rest of the Wolves before the season with an accompanying note.

It said how the book would empower us, guard Josh Okogie said. Little things like that show what kind of leader he wants to be.

This is Karl-Anthony Towns, the leader of the Timberwolves. There is no one in his way any longer.

Not Jimmy Butler, whose Heat will play the Wolves in their home opener on Sunday (though without Butler, who recently became a father to a baby girl). Not Tom Thibodeau. Towns has help in the form of veteran forward Robert Covington, but President Gersson Rosas has made clear this is Towns team in every way.

Over the past few months he hasnt been shy about imprinting his style across the team, whether that be spearheading a team trip to the Bahamas or giving the team a book to read.

No matter what the circumstances were, whatever it was here, I just kept leading by action, Towns said.

In a better place

The results have been nothing but positive. Towns has had two monster games to open the season, averaging 36.5 points, 14.5 rebounds and 5.5 assists, and the Wolves have two wins.

Im in a spot right now where I got to lead these guys, Towns said. Ive got to lead them. And no matter what I go through in life or whatever I went through, I got to make sure I take those experiences, teach the guys, especially young guys, how to go from boys to men, no pun intended.

When Towns earned his second All-Star appearance last season, he spoke about how trying the season was for him personally and professionally. He didnt name names, but Butlers presence loomed large when he was here. Butler was the dominant personality, the alpha dog, and wasnt afraid to call out Towns for what he perceived as shortcomings, like not working hard enough.

Now he has the unflinching support of the organization, his teammates and a coach with whom he is close in Ryan Saunders.

Ill say for one, hes definitely more confident, Okogie said. Last year, it was kind of like, especially the start of the season with Jimmy it was him and Jimmy. And then when Jimmy left, I dont want to say he wasnt ready, but that confidence that Ive seen now wasnt there. Now, hes more vocal.

Towns college coach, Kentuckys John Calipari, said Towns is better for having experienced adversity early in his career.

You got to have some failure, Calipari said in a phone interview this week. You have to have things happen to you that knock you on your heels so you can learn about yourself. That was a trying year on a lot of different fronts. But it was good for him, because he had to deal with it, and you know what? He came out the other side OK.

If you poll his teammates, Towns has changed in one major way he is more vocal.

I think hes trying to take it upon himself to embrace that role, guard Jeff Teague said. He definitely got better, way more vocal. Takes criticism. Talks to guys and does it all.

Towns has done his best to try to bring these Wolves together, to form a bond within this team that was lacking in others while he has been here. He did things like attend the charity basketball game Jordan Bell had.

I was new to the team at the time, so he was going out of his way to show theyre going to be here for me on and off the court, Bell said.

Then there was the trip to the Bahamas, of which a picture hangs in the Wolves practice facility. Towns invoked that trip after the Wolves season-opening overtime win at Brooklyn, calling out those who mightve found the whole thing hokey.

Unity, cohesiveness, Bahamas was not a joke, Towns said. This is something that was real. We bonded, and you saw, when the game got close, no matter how close and how rough it was getting, we stayed very unified, and we kept to each other.

Object: Winning

Calipari has seen a fair share of his players go on to make big money in the NBA. Towns, he said, has remained the same person throughout his career, even as the checks have gotten a lot bigger in the first year of a max deal.

Im rooting for him because hes one of the great kids, most loyal part of our family that Ive coached, Calipari said. Hes not changed. Hes a wonderful kid, and thats hard. You got a max deal, more money than you know what to do with, youre being treated like royalty, can you stay who you are?

Another effect of the Butler trade was it brought Covington, who knew Towns previously, to the Wolves. Covington said he hasnt been afraid to prod Towns where he feels like Towns needs a little push.

When you got a like me thats always on his head, it causes you to adjust, Covington said with a laugh. I see the capabilities in him. I know the type of leadership he has within him. He just needed the right person to bring it out. Im fortunate enough to be that guy. But Im also going to tell him when he does something wrong. He expects that about me.

Towns has said individual accomplishments dont matter much to him, that the people where he grew up in New Jersey dont care how about his points or rebounds.

Every time I go home they look at me and go, Wow, youre really good, but you never win, Towns said.

Towns has played so far like a man out to prove people wrong, whether its the people back home, his doubters around the league like Butler or just random folks on social media.

But he knows hell need his teammates along for the ride, and hes doing his best to make sure everyone has each others back.

Its up to me to do a lot of things Towns said. And I accept the challenge willingly.

Link:

The Timberwolves are Karl-Anthony Towns' team now - Star Tribune

In a major step for the recovery of Grand Bahamas crucial tourism industry, the islands Viva Wyndham Fortuna Beach Resort is reopening.

The all-inclusive resort will be reopening on Nov. 1, tourism officials confirmed to Caribbean Journal.

The property will be reopening with more than half of its rooms having been newly renovated.

When it reopens, it will be the first hotel in Grand Bahama to resume normal operations since Hurricane Dorian.

Viva Wyndham is Wyndhams all-inclusive brand, with a footprint of resorts concentrated in The Bahamas and the Dominican Republic.

Its one of several hotels set to come back on line over the next few months, including the Flaming Bay Hotel, which already reopened earlier this month.

Grand Bahamas cruise sector has already rebounded, with dominant cruise line Carnival Cruise Line already running cruises to Freeport once again.

For more, visit the Viva Wyndham.

CJ

Original post:

Grand Bahama All-Inclusive to Reopen in November - Caribbean Journal