Category Archives: Freedom

Former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega is in critical condition after undergoing two brain surgeries.

Noriega, 83, underwent the first procedure Tuesday morning to remove a benign tumor from his brain. But after that surgery, doctors discovered a hemorrhage that forced them to go back in that afternoon, his daughters and lawyer said.

He was listed in critical condition in the intensive care unit of Santo Tomas public hospital in Panama City, attorney Ezra Angel said Tuesday night.

Angel said doctors had succeeded in stopping the bleeding during the second procedure and Noriega was returned to intensive care.

"He is sedated," the lawyer said. "His condition is critical after undergoing a (second) open brain surgery in less than eight hours."

Officials at the hospital did not comment or return calls.

Earlier Tuesday, Noriega's daughters, Thays and Sandra Noriega, said their father was returned to the operating room after doctors detected bleeding following the first operation to remove the tumor.

The tumor was detected in the months after Noriega returned to Panama in December 2011 and was imprisoned for corruption and the killings of political opponents during his reign in the 1980s.

Doctors have said it grew unexpectedly recently and threatened the life of the former dictator, who has also suffered from vascular ailments and uses a wheelchair.

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Your daily 6: Tebow's debut, OJ's freedom and 'A Day Without a Woman' - STLtoday.com

by BAR editor and senior columnist Margaret Kimberley

The latest New York Times article is proof that outgoing president Obama was looking not for intelligence he knew didnt exist, but anything that could be used against Trump and his team. When it comes to intrigue, Donald Trump is grossly outmatched by the Democrats, the spooks and the corporate media. Team Obama has the most adept spies in the world while Trump has his son-in-law and untested staff who are completely out of their league.

If there is evidence that the Russian Federation took some action that propelled Donald Trump to victory it has yet to be revealed. One wouldnt know that from the daily Russophobic hysteria presented in the corporate media and the Democratic Party. Hillary Clinton tried to make Vladimir Putin an issue in the election but it didnt help her at all. She often compared Putin to Adolph Hitler and labeled Trump his puppet but the charges didnt prevent the political upset from taking place.

Having lost, the Democratic Party and their media cohorts continue the effort to make trouble for another nation whose only crime is the pursuit of its own interests. The anti-Russia strategy also distracts the Democratic rank and file. They ought to be angry that their standard bearer and their party leadership lost an election because of corruption, hubris and incompetence but instead they are taken in by propaganda.

What passes for proof are nonsensical terms like Russian digital finger prints and claims that any and every Russian is always acting on Putins orders.

Donald Trump is partly being hoisted on his own petard, as his nonsensical claim of having done deals in Russia has come back to haunt him. In 2013 Trump hosted his Miss Universe pageant in Moscow but he returned home empty handed after trying to consummate real estate deals there. This aspect of Trumps personality makes him the perfect target when his enemies want to tell lies about him.

We know that someone gave Wikileaks emails from the Democratic National Committee but it isnt clear if the information was hacked by a hostile actor or was leaked by an insider. What passes for proof are nonsensical terms like Russian digital finger prints and claims that any and every Russian is always acting on Putins orders.

Trump is the perfect fall guy because he is so hated and so incompetent. At least half of all Americans despise the new president and for very good reasons. Unlike other presidents who use euphemism and code words, he openly activated the racist elements who are never far from the surface in this country. His victory was also unexpected and defied so-called expert opinion. The combination of dislike and shock makes it easy for the worst charges made about him to be believed.

At least half of all Americans despise the new president and for very good reasons.

But the Democratic Party has been relentless in using any and all information to make it appear that he and his team are all under the sway of Moscow. Trump assembled a group as amateurish and unprepared as he is and they are no match for the concerted effort inveighed against them.

The Obama friendly New York Times said as much. Their article Obama Administration Rushed to Preserve Intelligence of Russian Election Hacking is proof that the outgoing president was looking not for intelligence he knew didnt exist, but anything that could be used against Trump and his team. It isnt surprising that Attorney General Sessions was asked about campaign contacts with Moscow. The Senate already knew that he met with the Russian ambassador to the United States. They knew that the now ousted National Security Adviser spoke to the same ambassador. There is nothing illegal about these contacts and Trump is not the first president elect to have had contacts with foreign governments.

In 1968 Richard Nixon convinced the Vietnamese not to engage Hubert Humphrey in offers of peace talks. In 1980 Ronald Reagan delayed the release of hostages held by Iran in order to secure his victory against Jimmy Carter. If the corporate media were to point out this history they would jeopardize their role as partners of the Democratic Party sector of the ruling classes.

Trump is not the first president elect to have had contacts with foreign governments.

These facts dont matter of course. What does matter is that Trump said things that made the rest of the rulers nervous. If he made good on his promise to have some sort of dtente with Russia he would undo the imperialist agenda. If he stopped the trade deals that they used to help the capitalists move their capital he was upending very serious plans. Calling NATO obsolete was another danger when NATO is an active partner in interventions around the world.

But Trump isnt smart enough to counter the attacks. In between tweets about his old reality show and jibes at celebrities he unleashed ICE against undocumented immigrants and pursues his scheme to keep Muslims from seven countries out of the United States. Instead of acting like other presidents and getting undercover white supremacists on his staff, Trump puts avowed racists front and center and makes himself a target of progressives who probably wouldnt care what he did if he had an Obamaesque, smooth presentation of evil doing.

Presentation is everything and Trump presents such an ugly face that he makes life easy for his opponents. It is obvious that Flynn and Sessions were under surveillance but Trump has twitter outbursts and accuses Obama of tapping his phone. Team Obama has the most adept spies in the world while Trump has his son-in-law and untested staff who are completely out of their league.

Trump said things that made the rest of the rulers nervous.

Now Russia is hated by progressives. This antipathy is no small matter because it makes war more acceptable and therefore more likely. Once again progressives stand down and allow serious harm to be done to this country and the rest of the world.

The animosity directed at Trump the man should be directed at the system. We are watching the perfect crime take place. The neo-liberal corporatist Democrats are winning the fight against Trump but not because they want to do good. Their schemes were upended by his election and they will stop at nothing to get back into power. The end game isnt clear. For now they are succeeding in handcuffing Trump. Their intentions are never good for people in this country or in the rest of the world. Our lives are still very much at risk because of Democratic Party corruption and Trumps failings and incompetence.

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Freedom Rider: Trump and Russia, the Perfect Lie - Black Agenda Report

By WisconsinWatch | 1 hour ago

Jentri Colello/For the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism

Bill Lueders, president of the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council, recounted the ups and downs of the previous year as he presented 'Opees' at the 2016 Wisconsin Watchdog Awards.

Two citizens, two journalists, one fired government worker and one small but gutsy Wisconsin newspaper are among the recipients of the 2016-17 Openness Awards, or Opees, bestowed annually by the Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council.

The awards, announced in advance of national Sunshine Week (sunshineweek.org), March 12-18, recognize extraordinary achievement in the cause of open government. This is the 11th consecutive year that awards have been given.

Now, more than ever, protecting Wisconsins traditions of open government depends on the courage and initiative of individuals, said Bill Lueders, council president. We saw a good deal of that in 2016.

The Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council is a nonpartisan group that seeks to promote open government. It consists of about two dozen members representing media and other public interests. Sponsoring organizations include the Wisconsin Newspaper Association, Wisconsin Broadcasters Association, Wisconsin Associated Press, Wisconsin News Photographers and the Madison Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. (Two staff members of the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Managing Editor Dee J. Hall and Executive Director Andy Hall, serve on the council.)

The winners are invited to receive their awards at the seventh annual Wisconsin Watchdog Awards Dinner in Madison on Thursday, March 30. The event is presented jointly by the Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism, Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council and the Madison Pro Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists.

Awards are being given this year in six categories. The winners are:

Citizen Openness Award (Copee): Tie: John Krueger, Lance Fena

Krueger, an Appleton parent, joined with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty in suing the Appleton Area School District for not letting him attend meetings of a committee formed in response to his curricula-related concerns. That case is now being decided by the state Supreme Court. Fena is the Milton School District resident who asserted his right to make a video recording at a school board meeting, as the law expressly allows. The board not only backed down after initially adjourning to avoid being filmed, it subsequently began live-streaming its proceedings.

Media Openness Award (Mopee): New Richmond News

It took more than three years, but this small newspaper in St. Croix County won its case challenging wholesale records redactions by law enforcement agencies all around the state. A state appeals court in May affirmed that local officials were overreacting to a 2012 federal court ruling in the amount of driver-license-related information they have been withholding. Issues remain but the New Richmond News brought a measure of clarity to what had been chaos.

Political Openness Award (Popee): Cory Mason

This Democratic lawmaker from Racine continues his efforts to end the ability of legislative party caucuses to meet in secret, but revelations that GOP lawmakers in 2011 used this secrecy to gleefully attack voting rights make the issue more urgent than ever. Mason also broke ranks with some members of his party last year to make the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association subject to state openness laws, and before that opposed efforts to reduce transparency of campaign donors and the attempt to gut the open records law through the state budget.

Open Records Scoop of the Year: Tie: Katelyn Ferral, Patrick Marley

In what was a banner year for reporting that drew on public records, we picked two major projects involving threats to vulnerable populations. Ferral, of The Capital Times, exposed the dismal conditions at a state veterans facility in King, Wisconsin; the Legislature ordered an audit, the federal government issued citations, and the head of the states Department of Veterans Affairs resigned. Marley and other Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reporters documented shocking abuses at two state juvenile prisons; the state has increased training and oversight, and federal authorities are looking into possible indictments and civil rights prosecutions.

Whistleblower of the Year (Whoopee): Ronald Klym

This federal employee, a long-time senior legal assistant for the administrative law judges who grant or deny Social Security benefits, blew the whistle on what Watchdog.org, which reported his story, called incompetence, misconduct and long case delays at a Milwaukee disability office. Klym was allegedly subjected to additional work assignments, unreasonable deadlines and unjustified suspensions; in August, he was fired. Absolutely. I am being punished because I am a whistleblower, he said at the time. Now hes being honored for it.

No Friend of Openness (Nopee): The Wisconsin Department of Corrections

Among an unfortunately broad array of candidates, no other state agency has compiled such a bleak record on openness. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in June catalogued an array of DOC denials and delays, including those concerning the states troubled juvenile prisons. In September, the agency proceeded with a plan to immediately destroy training videos after earlier spiking plans to do so. And DOC Secretary Ed Wall was fired for writing to another state official at home with the express goal of avoiding the open records law. The DOCs awesome power to deprive people of liberty must be matched with a strong commitment to transparency. Were waiting.

The Wisconsin Center for Investigative Journalism is a nonprofit organization. If you value our work, please help support it.

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Wisconsin Freedom of Information Council names 'Opee' winners - WisconsinWatch.org

File photo

Dozens of students at Freedom Shores Elementary School west of Lantana have been stricken with nausea and vomiting, prompting an investigation by state health investigators.

More than 100 students were absent Friday at the public elementary school on West Hypoluxo Road, far more than on a typical day, said Tim OConnor, spokesman for the county health department.

Fridays numbers were almost three times what they would normally see, OConnor said.

The high number of absences continued this week, with many students complaining of nausea and vomiting.

The health department is investigating the cause of the outbreak.

In a letter to school parents, health officials said that any of several viruses or bacteria could be to blame for the outbreak, but that the symptoms will most likely subside without medication.

Still, health officials recommended that parents of sick children seek medical attention and keep the children home from school for 48 hours after their symptoms subside.

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The PBC teachers union tried to disqualify half of its presidentialcandidates

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Dozens of students fall ill at Freedom Shores Elementary west of Lantana - Palm Beach Post (blog)

Freedom Honor Flight announces 19th...

LA CROSSE, Wis. (WKBT) - Local veterans wishing to visit memorials built in their honor could have their trips paid for this year.

La Crosse's Freedom Honor Flight released its flight schedule for the year, offering one flight this spring and another in the fall. The Freedom Honor Flight flies veterans to Washington, D.C. to see the veteran memorials built in the nation's capital.

Flight organizers say the trip is an experience every veteran should have the chance to take.

"In terms of personalizing it,the send off, the welcome home and everything that goes on in D.C., we have a great experience for our veterans and that's why we want to keep it going, said Freedom Honor Flight President Pat Stephens.

The first Freedom Honor Flight of the year will take veterans to the capital on May 6. Veterans will have another chance to visit the memorials on September 16.

Veterans can apply for a seat at FreedomHonorFlight.org. All veterans can apply for the trips, but World War Two veterans will be prioritized.

Freedom Honor Flight announces 19th and 20th flights - News8000.com - WKBT

LETHBRIDGE, Alta. The oldest son of Martin Luther King Jr. is praising Canada for being a beacon of freedom.

At a leadership conference in Lethbridge this morning, Martin Luther King III said his father gave a series of lectures in Toronto 50 years ago.

Martin Luther King III speaks to reporters after his meeting with President-elect Donald Trump at Trump Tower on Jan. 16, 2017 in New York City.

He says his father paid homage to Canada for being a haven for those seeking freedom through the Underground Railroad.

King says Canada continues to be a "north star'' for those seeking freedom.

He says Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Canada have set a "wonderful standard of freedom'' watched by millions of people.

King's praise comes as U.S. President Donald Trump imposes another travel ban on people from a handful of predominantly Muslim countries.

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Martin Luther King III Praises Canada As A 'North Star' Of Freedom - Huffington Post Canada

President Donald Trump recently professed, I love the First Amendment nobody loves it more than me. But last month, he took to Twitter to tar the news media with which he does not agree, as the enemy of the American People. A week later, he doubled down on that allegation.

It does not stop there though. The president has also argued that we should open up libel laws to enable more plaintiffs to sue the news media, prohibit the news media from using anonymous sources, and bar certain news organizations from press briefings.

Trumps stance on press freedom is a radical departure from this countrys long history of protecting the independence of the press.

Inseparable from the identity of the United States is our commitment from even before the founding to the freedom of speech and of the press. It was a British tax on newspapers, in fact, that so incensed the Founding Fathers that they organized the first gathering of representatives from the various colonies to protest the British Governments actions the First Congress of the American Colonies.

So two decades and a Revolutionary War later, when the Founders sat down to draft the Constitution, it was agreed the proposed Bill of Rights would include a provision protecting the press from interference by the government, so that the press could hold it to account. That provision became the First Amendment, which states in part, Congress shall make no law ... abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press.

The Founders, who themselves had contentious relationships with the press, nevertheless understood the importance of this firewall in a democracy like ours. Thomas Jefferson, who President Trump has cited as support for his hostile views on press freedom, made clear his belief that however cantankerous the press can be, it is vital: Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter.

But the First Amendment is not just the stuff of Founding Fathers and dusty history books. It is active in our lives every day we pick up a newspaper and read a critical account of the governments conduct. Indeed, the Supreme Court has consistently expanded the rights of the news media to report on, largely without fear of reprisal, those in positions of power. In doing so, it recognized that intrusion on the presss independence must be considered against the backdrop of what it called our profound national commitment to the principle that debate on public issues should be uninhibited, robust and wide open, and that it may well include vehement, caustic, and sometimes unpleasantly sharp attacks on government and public officials.

Today, in a climate where everything is political, the First Amendments protections for freedom of speech and of the press are non-partisan issues on which everyone should be able to agree. The presidents calls to weaken those freedoms simply because he does not agree with critical coverage demands continued vigilance in preserving one of this countrys most cherished possessions.

Matthew L. Schafer grew up in Princeton and is a media lawyer practicing in New York City. His column is submitted by Voices From the Prairie, a local grassroots citizens movement that commits to upholding the values of tolerance, fairness, and inclusion in American Society and political life.

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Democracy and Freedom of the Press - Bureau County Republican

Fort Worth Star Telegram

New Texas Freedom Caucus works to be a voice for 'liberty-minded grassroots Texans' Fort Worth Star Telegram The Texas Freedom Caucus chose these priorities because they represent the issues of concern to the ordinary Texans who work hard and pay the taxes that we spend in Austin, Schaefer said. Our mission is to empower the grassroots through close ...

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New Texas Freedom Caucus works to be a voice for 'liberty-minded grassroots Texans' - Fort Worth Star Telegram

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I took a look at the map and estimated I was a short Nomad drive away from my objective in Mass Effect: Andromeda maybe 30 or 40 seconds. I ran over some enemies, passed small settlements inside of icy caves, and saw the mysterious Remnant fighting wildlife, then double checked my position. I had only gone a short distance and was still at least a dozen discoveries away from my target. The map for this one of several explorable planets was so large I actually laughed.

You say you dont want to spend tons of time exploring each planet? Dont. You want to know everything about the Ryder family secrets? Hunt away. You want Ryder to act like the beloved Commander Shepard? Make it so. Members of developer BioWare told me that player freedom is more important than ever in Andromeda, and it showed in every facet of the game I experienced during my nearly 10 hours of playtime.

New Kids on the Block

After 600 years of travel, the human colony ship Arc Hyperion arrives in the Andromeda galaxy in search of a new home. Playing as either Sara or Scott Ryder, the player embarks on an adventure to find a Golden World, or habitable planet, after their original destination turns out to be a bust. Chaos ensues.

Regardless of which Ryder twin you choose, the difference between them and the original Mass Effect trilogys Shepard is immediately noticeable. While they have combat training, they dont command the same leadership as Shepard. If Andromeda is going to be your first Mass Effect, I think youll be in good hands with the new protagonist. Ryder feels more relatable thanks to the new dialogue system that allows you to better dictate Ryders personality.

Mass Effect: Andromeda does away with the black and white Paragon and Renegade options in favor of four other response types that arent colored by morality. Instead I chose between emotional, logical, casual, and professional lines that shape Ryders character. In one playthrough Ryder was somewhat shy and sometimes struggled for confidence when talking to crew members, but in another I made Ryder stern with little care for the feelings of others.

And the others? Theyre great. From the new squadmates to random people I encountered on the Nexus, everyone had something to say. Its obvious that a lot of care was put into writing even the most minor engineers and colonists. Among the main cast, S.A.M. seems to have the highest potential for causing galactic controversy. In Andromeda, Ryder is always accompanied by an integrated AI that acts a little like The Legend of Zeldas Navi, but instead of being talkative like the squadmates he occasionally chimes in to offer analysis and advice for objectives. He doesnt seem to have as much personality as the original trilogys EDI, but S.A.M.s mysterious relationship with the Ryder family makes his side quests intriguing. Having true AI is taboo in Mass Effect, so itll be interesting to see how issues with S.A.M. pan out in the Andromeda galaxy.

In one mid-game save I had Sara Ryder run around the Tempest and flirt with as many crew mates as I could.

Like S.A.M., a lot of the squadmates have unique backgrounds that directly tie them to some of the biggest conflicts in Andromeda. As one of the native Andromeda races, the angara Jaal offered unique insight to exploration and drama. Pairing him with the inquisitive Peebee made for a fun drive in the Nomad. When I geared up for a mission I considered their personalities and interests as much as their combat capabilities. Since Andromeda doesnt lock Ryder into one class, I felt like I could be flexible with the squadmates I brought along to each mission. Interactions with the squadmates seem more robust during downtime, too. I got to jump to a mid-game save at one point during my two days at BioWare, and thankfully didnt find anyone calibrating a weapon endlessly.

Better interactions leads to better flirting. In one mid-game save I had Sara Ryder run around the Tempest and flirt with as many crew mates as I could. It was hilarious. She stumbled over her words when flirting with some of the dashing characters, and was silly with others. Though I didnt play enough to experience a full romance, I liked both the beginnings and the end yup, BioWare let me skip to one of the sexier scenes. Without spoiling it, I was delighted by how much choice I got even in that moment. It was intimate and respectful of the kind of relationship I wanted to create between the two characters.

Tell Me Another Story

Andromeda draws out many feelings I got from the first Mass Effect without treading too familiar ground. Exploring a galaxy filled with alien life and a mysterious threat is delightful. The danger from the oppressive kett seems to be more direct than the Reapers secretive existence, but there are plenty of supplemental stories that bolster the main mission. For one, exploring potential homes for humanity is a pretty big deal, and Ryders personal journey to learn family affairs refreshes the adventure as well.

Im a twin myself, so I had an especially deep connection with the Ryder family. Unlike in past Mass Effect games, family is an important (or, if you really dont care, an unimportant) part of Ryders identity, which opens a whole new kind of emotional vein. The Ryder family had a lot to do with the development of the Andromeda Initiative and have the weight of humanitys future on their shoulders, so there seems to be some good drama waiting to be discovered there.

Though Andromeda departs from Shepards Milky Way adventure, some story beats that were massively important to the original trilogy do come into play in the new galaxy the genophage wasnt magically cured during the trip, after all. If youre new to the series or simply forgot some of the finer details, Andromeda does supply players with enough information about these issues. Like in past games you almost always have the option to ask about a subject, or you can look it up in the robust Codex.

In addition to the main story and family drama there are a plethora of paths to follow; residual Milky Way drama, rebellions against oppressors, squadmate loyalty missions, Remnant secrets, and tons of side missions. Andromeda is packed with stories. Thankfully, like the Codex, the Journal tracks who I add to my crew, what missions Ive completed, what optional objectives I may have missed, and most importantly, minor and major choices like who shot first when meeting new species.

I was impressed with how even the smallest actions have nuanced consequences. At one point I talked with my human squadmate Cora about dragons, and not long after Ryder saw a huge beast flying in the sky. Ryder then brought up conversation they had with Cora to their other human companion, Liam. Had I not taken the time to talk to Cora previously I wouldnt have experienced that. Sure, its not revolutionary or even remotely important to the story, but it gives capability of caring about things other than what I dictate they have agency.

Other actions like saving crew members or disagreeing with someone higher in command have rippling effects too. Rumors spread about my choices in an argument and I once saw a soldier I failed to help laying in a medical bed. And of course there are the bigger, game-changing decisions youll have to make. Im already planning on having a pre-choice save to retreat to based on the one big decision I played through.

Shoot, Craft, Explore

Each Mass Effect game has its own take on cover-based combat, and Andromedas has a great redesign. The jump jet helps modernize Andromedas movement to be faster and give players better verticality without sacrificing what makes Mass Effects combat special. I could jump, hover and shoot, then pummel one or two enemies, but I still had to take cover when my team was swarmed. The automatic cover system took some time to get used to, but once I did I had fun obliterating enemies with my chosen loadout.

Andromeda doesnt lock players into one weapon or ability class. I experimented with all sorts of combinations and felt more powerful because of the ability freedom. The number of powers and their skill trees is a little overwhelming, but Id much prefer them over a simpler RPG system that limits customization, especially since Ryders combat versatility allowed me to pick squadmates based in their personality or interest in the mission.

The weapon variety, customization, and crafting were also a tad intimidating. I didnt have enough time to explore the systems fully with access to Milky Way, Remnant, and Andromeda weapons youve got a lot to choose from. While I enjoyed trying the new kinds of beam-based guns, my favorite were the new melee weapons. The Asari sword is awesome. I opted to stick with weapons I picked up through the campaign, but if you use your scanner to research enough technology in the environment you can develop all sorts of things. Schematics require certain resources for construction, so if youre especially interested in crafting, youll need to do some exploring.

Even if you dont care about crafting, youll want to wander. As mentioned previously, the planets I got to explore are huge and have a lot to offer. I was surprised at how many objectives popped up on my map as I drove around in the Nomad. There were plenty of random kett waiting to be fought and strange Remnant structures that beckoned me to fight their guards then snoop around.

Remnant technology is fascinating and its architecture is beautiful.

Though I didnt get to fully explore a Remnant vault, I loved the small part I got to see. The Remnant technology is fascinating and its architecture is beautiful. I know Im going to obsess over their mysteries once I get to play more.

The rest of the places I visited were well-designed too. Theres a surprising variety of planets and people youll meet. One of my favorite parts of being in this galaxy was how it felt like it lived without me. I came across random enemy scuffles and plenty of fun conversations between random people on the Nexus Ill always wonder if that salarian engineer ever got his Galactic Girl Scout cookies. Squadmates react to the environment more too. All this is great, but it was a little disappointing when I accidentally cut someone off because I triggered a new scripted line. Still, too much good writing seems like a decent problem to have.

If you dont want to wait around to eavesdrop on NPCs or get in an intimate interspecies relationship, you dont have to. But the beauty is that BioWare gives you that choice. Mass Effect Andromeda is filled with secrets and options, and I cant wait to uncover them all.

Keep it on IGN for more reveals and features Mass Effect: Andromeda. Take a look at the IGN First hub to see all of our Andromeda coverage.

Miranda Sanchez is an Editor at IGN. You can talk with her about space dates, AI ethics, anime, and video games on Twitter.

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Mass Effect: Andromeda Offers Awesome Player Freedom - IGN

If youve got an idea of how to use the Lalonde Ranch property, speak up. Its available.

Thats because the members of the last group to do so, Missoulas Freedom Gardens, grew so fed up with the county that they walked out of their last meeting, leaving a years worth of work behind.

Susan Estep, one of the gardens board members, doesnt think it was standard public process that stymied their attempt to lease the site.

Clearly, the intention was to stall us through another growing season and so we gave up. Were done, Estep said.

Freedom Gardens, which grows on a back lot on the fairgrounds, donates hundreds of pounds of food to the Missoula Food Bank and focuses on technology and education in year-round farming techniques.

The group wanted to lease the Lalonde Ranch, a seven-acre homestead site in the county-run industrial park west of town, to expand their garden to include a community education center complete with greenhouse, aquaponics system and kitchen.

But faced with murky and time-consuming government processes, along with a Board of County Commissioners they never felt was on their side, the group quit negotiations partway through the process in early February.

According to Commissioner Jean Curtiss, theres enough work required to make the site usable that the county wanted to slow down before handing off to the gardens.

The barns arent up to code for people, she said, and the houses electrical system is extremely out of date.

If it was just going to be used and someone was going to plant an orchard and park their tractor in the barn, it wouldnt need to be fixed, Curtiss said. If were going to put money in it, we have to give others a chance. Thats what the law requires.

The county asked for public proposals back in 2014 and drew zero requests. That effort, put forth as a request for ideas, offered the site as-is.

Since their inception, the gardens have been located on a back lot of the Missoula County Fairgrounds, a spot obtained with a handshake deal with then-director Steve Earle in 2013.

Freedom Gardens obtained a 3,200-square-foot greenhouse and a 4,800-gallon aquaponics system a little over a year ago, Estep said.

The aquaponics system grows produce in water thats recycled from fish tanks, which raise edible fish. The gardens website boasts that the system would allow them to grow on a commercial scale using significantly less water than usual farming methods and would also take up less space.

The greenhouse and aquaponics system have yet to see the light of day: Both remain in storage while the gardens' future sits in limbo, Estep said.

Its not just the gardens expansion thats stalled, either according to a Feb. 16 Facebook post by Freedom Gardens Board Chair Heath Carey, the gardens didnt produce any crops over the last year due to shifting conditions at the fairgrounds and their gardens fate.

Missoula is home to a handful of community gardens grow spaces defined by their volunteer-led planting and harvesting, and their commitment to local, sustainable food production including ones run by the Associated Students of the University of Montana and four farms and six gardens run by Garden City Harvest.

Freedom Gardens was committed to the idea of a public partnership, after the 2014 request for ideas from the county on ways to use the Lalonde Ranch site went unanswered for over a year.

Estep and her group figured the ranch would be the perfect spot for them to put down roots, with enough land to actually use their greenhouse and aquaponics system. So they put in their suggested use in early 2016.

The park was overseen by former commissioner Stacy Rye who, Estep said, along with commissioner Cola Rowley, liked the gardens idea to move onto the property.

The project inched along during 2016 and a deal seemed to be ready in early 2017; a meeting was set to sew up the last details and draft a lease for approval at a commissioners public meeting.

County Chief Operating Officer Chris Lounsbury said the county knew the ranch wasnt in perfect shape the 2014 request for ideas specified the site was as-is" but hadnt quite realized the extent of repairs, legal research and work that needed to be done at the ranch to facilitate a long-term lease for Freedom Gardens.

The county has two other long-term leases, both land-only, with the YMCA and Missoula Correctional Services.

Laws allowing government entities to lease land are restrictive, Lounsbury said, as the state thinks local governments should either sell land or use it for a government purpose.

It is a different lease than weve ever looked at, he said. We want to be slow, deliberate and thoughtful.

Its not meant to cause frustration.

But, as Lounsbury acknowledged, it did just that and in spades with the Freedom Gardens representatives.

Estep provided minutes and notes taken by her husband Mark on meetings and interactions with the county. The documents are dotted with vexed asides, noting county staff members who were in a huff, the countys reluctance around a July site visit, and characterizing comments from Jean Curtiss as her tirade.

Group members walked out of their Feb. 7 meeting with the county, fed up with what they saw as constant roadblocks and next steps.

At the meeting, Commissioner Dave Strohmaier suggested doing a request for proposals, essentially seeking more ideas for the site that might cost less money, as well as looking into historical designations. A homestead at the ranch is thought to be the oldest original building in Missoula County.

The day after that meeting, Estep sent out an email blast expressing her disappointment and anger with the county and their process.

Jean and her tag along Dave Strohmaier yesterday proved how little they care about preserving the history of agriculture in the Missoula Valley and the Freedom Gardens has abandoned the hope of bringing the Lalonde Ranch back to life, she wrote.

So at the start of 2017, the Freedom Gardens is officially on the market for a new home; officially done dealing with the Board of County Commissioners, frustrated by what they see as a lack of respect and reliability, stonewalling and government sludgery.

Were just going to go find some other way to make our project happen, Estep said.

Go here to see the original:

The cost of freedom: Missoula County drives local group up the wall - The Missoulian