Category Archives: Progress

The same day that white nationalist Christopher Cantwell appeared in Albemarle County court on assault charges related to the Aug. 11 torch-lit march at the University of Virginia, a hearing for James Fields Jr. the man accused of plowing his car into a group of protesters on Aug. 12 was pushed to the end of this year.

Cantwell, from Keene, New Hampshire, faces two charges of illegal use of tear gas, phosgene or other gases and one charge of malicious bodily injury by means of a caustic substance or agent, according to UVa police.

Emily Gorcenski, who filed the complaint against Cantwell, said she was scared for her life on the night of Aug. 11 when she and a small group of UVa students were confronted by white nationalist marchers. The small group of students and locals showed up to protest the group of white supremacists who marched through Grounds carrying tiki torches.

Standing in front of the statue of Thomas Jefferson at UVas Rotunda that night, Gorcenski said she was doused in lighter fluid and maced.

It was terrifying, said Gorcenski. Before the attacks happened, it was people in my face shouting hate and bigotry.

I literally expected to die that night, she said.

Gorcenski also filed a protective order against Cantwell earlier this week, which she said is a fairly standard procedure with violent crimes. After watching Cantwells interview on VICE News, Gorcenski said Cantwell appeared to be well-armed and wanted to become a more violent person.

I think it was the right thing I needed to do to protect myself and my family, she said.

In Virginia, a protective order prohibits acts of violence or threats against the petitioner, and prohibits contact by the subject of the order with the person filing the order, according to state code.

In Albemarle County General District Court Thursday, Cantwell told a judge he plans to hire his own attorney. The judge did not set a bond, but told Cantwell his attorney could request a bond hearing at a future date.

Albemarle County Commonwealths Attorney Robert Tracci told the judge the commonwealth would oppose bond for Cantwell.

Cantwells next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 12.

He is being held at the Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail after turning himself in to the Lynchburg Police Department on Wednesday afternoon.

Also on Thursday, a preliminary court hearing for Fields that was scheduled for Friday was continued until Dec. 14. Both the commonwealth and Fields defense attorney asked a judge to push the hearing to the later date, according to court documents.

Fields is accused of ramming his Dodge Challenger into a large group of counter-protesters marching through the downtown area following the failed Unite the Right rally on Aug. 12. The attack killed 32-year-old Heather Heyer and injured 30 others.

Fields is charged with second-degree murder, five counts of malicious wounding, three counts of aggravated malicious wounding and one count of hit-and-run.

Fields is also being held at Albemarle-Charlottesville Regional Jail.

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White nationalist Cantwell appears in Albemarle court after turning himself in, Fields to await Dec. hearing - The Daily Progress

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10/11/2013

By: beran111

I got about a dozen quotes. Roofers were knocking on my door when they saw my roof. Of the dozen or so estimates, 3 were the same price as Clearing. Checking BBB, etc, I found no concerns with Clearing. For 2800 sq. ft. the job was done in 1 day with 5 laborers. 2 roofs were torn off, bad wood replaced, used Timberline Architectural shingles (my choice). Painless, except for writing the check. I watched most of the job. Replaced my kitchen hood vent that did not have a flapper to keep cold air out. New lead stack. 1 trailer for scrap pulled by F150 truck, 2 vans. The crew did not even take a lunch break and had concrete for kidneys. I just wrote a check for about 1/2 when the crew and materials showed up and paid in full when they were done that day. I also did not sign a contract until they showed up to work so there would be no problem with a time line. Thus, I was in full control of the job. Nothing to complain about. Some of the material had to moved twice and the trailer would have to be dumped by hand. So I estimate they moved 13 tons of material. I figured I got my money's worth. I also paid $1,200 less than the highest quote. No up charges. To get a rating on BBB, the contractor has to pay $500 a year, so many don't join. Research Angie's List online and find out about it. You may be surprised . If you call, please mention Jim B at 6613. That will be my way of saying thank you to Steve, the contractor. He could not get a permit immediately because my town runs a back ground check on contractors that are new to my town. He passed with flying colors. I researched roofing, and I know how the job should be done. This job was done right with no cheating.

02/20/2015

By: Ed R.

I live in an upscale building in Downtown Evanston and Peter had re-done at least three unit's in our building in the 8 years I've lived here (everyone was thrilled with their results, by the way!). I had never hired a contractor before and needed to update my master bathroom so needless to say it was an overwhelming experience having to shop around for a contractor, choose a design that would not only be something I like but that would add to my condo's value, and be something that was affordable. Peter (the owner of PCH Construction) was terrific!!! First off, his pricing was the lowest of the three estimates but more importantly, Peter's 20 years plus of contracting experience proved invaluable. Peter helped advise me every step of the way and even allows his clients to take advantage of the contractor discounts from suppliers. Peter always answers his calls promptly and worked with me to accomplish everything I was trying to do with this space. The job was scheduled to take 4-5 weeks and he finished in exactly 4 weeks as promised! His workmen are long-time employees and TOTAL PRO's as their work and also work with only top vendors for things like the stone fabrication (cutting and installing the vanity top and shower stall threshold), Glass, and vanity cabinet)!!! Everything from the tile to the cabinetry, glass and stone vanity counter top was expertly done. Also, Peter and his staff keep things as clean and quiet as possible during the job, so no worries there either. You will be so glad you went with PCH!!! I could not be happier with the results!!!

04/12/2013

By: simon.kolasa

This was my first remodeling project and to say I know absolutely, nothing about it is an understatement. I can confidently say that I know the very best contractor in Chicago: the owner of PCH Construction Company, Mr. Peter ! He deserve more than 5 stars! He was so patient and helpful to us, he spent an hour just going over all the things we want to do and answered all our questions. The whole time he's so sweet and pleasant so you don't feel bad asking at all. then he gave us a very detailed quote with very good price. Peter was always accessible by phone and would promptly accommodate our questions, concerns, and time frames for different phases of the project. He and his crew were very courteous and industrious; they arrived on time each morning and worked hard all day. They were excellent, trustworthy, very clean and respectful of the house. They set up the first day to keep things clean, like the floors and rugs, and then also cleaned at the end of every day and took the construction debris away. A pleasure and easy to work with, friendly to our dogs, professional from start to finish. We are very pleased with the end result of our kitchen and bathroom projects provided by PCH Construction Company.Highly recommended !!!

11/19/2013

By: Holly W.

PCH Construction remodeled much of our home in 2008 with the exception of the kitchen. The 2008 remodel included completely renovating the master bath, guest bath, replacing all interior doors, replacing all light fixtures and painting the entire house. I am pleased to report that the improvements are holding up extremely well. Peter has been back to us several times over the years for other smaller projects. In October of 2013 Peter completed the renovation of our kitchen with a new granite counter top and stainless steel sink. As with the other projects, our kitchen remodeling project was extremely well planned and executed. Peter is aware of all the details of a project and can provide guidance to a homeowner if needed. He is excellent at keeping projects on track and his attention to detail is outstanding. His carpenters are always very courteous and neat too.

10/08/2013

By: catk14

In early June of 2013, as result of flood damage, mold from our basement was discovered after my daughter experienced a severe asthma attack. TND transformed and delivered a newly constructed mold-free, impressively modern and sunny 4-room living space. More importantly they completed under schedule! In a considerate and accommodating manner, the contractor discussed and reviewed meticulously with me the process, suggested materials with in my budget and even relieved me of the daunting task of paint color selection; they chose colors I can happily live with for the next several years! What I deem particularly special about TND were the daily updates and progress reports on the work. We were unable to live at home during construction so it was reassuring to have virtual narratives of the progress. Honestly, Im saving for the next home improvement project with TND!

10/12/2013

By: rewardexcellence

PCH Company is among the few stellar construction companies in the metropolitan Chicago area. I highly recommend Peter and his crew for any project big or small. I had a small nuisance job (installing new baseboard on my first floor) and I expected to be ignored or relegated to piecemeal visits. Within one week Peter gave me an estimate, his capable carpenter arrived on time, and in no time my small project was completed. At all times he was pleasant, professional, prompt, tidy, and a pleasure to do business with. I so appreciate that he helped me with a small project, on short notice. PCH is the Bentley of construction firms.

05/18/2016

By: Natalia Z.

I have meet Peter when I had a kitchen faucet leak in my rental unit. They picked up the phone immediately and scheduled a crew. The crew arrived on time with parts and equipment. It took them 1.5 hour to unclog the toilet and exchange the kitchen faucet. The crew was professional and polite. Price included all parts and material. Top notch service - recommend without hesitation! Since2009 I continuously use PCH for my personal projects and my business. I can not imagine working with any other GC more than Peter. Tons of experience, knowledge and superior customer service skills. Highly recommended!!

05/29/2013

By: jessica.buczek.9

We first met Peter 10 years ago when he remodeled our kitchen and turned our attached garage into an extension to our kitchen. So when we decided to finish our basement there was no question who we were going to call. Our basement had many air ducts located in an interesting arrangement but Peter created soffits that hide everything and still looks elegant. Peter worked with us to complete the basement we dreamed of within our budget. He is easy to work with, professional, and flexible that PCH is the only construction company we would ever call for work around our house.

01/17/2015

By: Jack W.

I have a friend who just moved here to Trumbull Park Homes. Before the move in we noticed that there were no pictures of the inside of any units. Fast forward a few months and I see that the units are decent in size. The property itself is somewhat maintained but could use a bit more attention. The neighborhood is relatively quiet and free from riffraff. Its the winter months so I hope it continues throughout the summer. Overall it is an okay place to live.

03/26/2013

By: dawndavidson2556

We wanted to be sure we were going to get great quality work so we looked at their previous projects, and it all checked out. They were very helpful, and they weren't interested in our money and prices but they were concerned on getting the job done in a timely manner. Not many businesses are like that today. I recommend these guys and if I need to I won't think twice about hiring them again.

How do I protect myself from payment disputes with general contractors?

What is a reasonable pay schedule with a contractor?

What should be in the contract with a contractor?

How do I protect myself from the cost of contractor injuries?

Can I ask the contractor to clean up the mess?

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Chicago, IL Progress Construction - Yellow Pages

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government is turning the screws on companies that do business with North Korea in violation of U.N. sanctions but has stopped short of taking the more aggressive, and riskier, move of targeting Chinese banks that facilitate Pyongyang's trade in arms and other banned goods.

On Tuesday, the Trump administration blacklisted 16 Chinese, Russian and Singaporean companies and individuals for trading with banned North Korean entities, including in coal, oil and metals.

The campaign to pressure North Korea's trading partners is aimed at eventually forcing Pyongyang to give up its nuclear and missile programs.

The latest measures did not, however, sanction the Chinese banks that experts and former U.S. officials say enable North Korea's international trade, often by laundering funds through the United States.

Targeting those banks with measures known as "secondary sanctions" could effectively bar them from making U.S. dollar transactions or moving money through U.S. banks, a death knell for most financial institutions, or subject them to huge fines like those levied on European banks accused of failing to follow sanctions on Iran's nuclear and missile programs.

China hawks within the Trump administration who have been frustrated by Beijing's perceived inaction on North Korea have been pressing for secondary sanctions.

But a more moderate, pro-business faction, including Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Trump's chief economic adviser Gary Cohn, is concerned about the impact such sanctions would have on the economic relationship with Beijing.

"I am not surprised they held off on (sanctioning) Chinese financial institutions," said Joseph DeThomas, a former State Department official who worked on Iran and North Korea sanctions, referring to Tuesday's actions.

"Once we go down the road of hitting a Chinese bank that is deeply connected to the U.S. financial system, things will begin to move very fast and be quite unpredictable."

China, the world's second-largest economy, is the United States' largest trading partner in terms of goods and an enormous market for American businesses, making the United States vulnerable to any retaliation by Beijing.

Earlier this month, China signed on to new U.N. sanctions on North Korea that banned the export of coal, iron, seafood, and lead.

Previous U.N. resolutions had restricted, rather than banned, some of those exports. Chinese and Russian support for the new sanctions was a major diplomatic win for the Trump administration.

Dan Fried, the State Department's sanctions coordinator until February, said "as a general rule," Washington should warn China before blacklisting Chinese banks, though that may not always be possible. Sanctioning Chinese companies violating U.N. sanctions by dealing with blacklisted North Korean firms would be a good step before going after banks broadly, he said.

"Coal and seafood exports from North Korea are now banned," Fried said. "So we should go after any and all companies importing them."

He said Washington should also consider "naming and shaming" companies, particularly in textiles, that use North Korean labor, adding that this could include both Chinese and Western firms.

Around 5,200 Chinese companies traded with North Korea from 2013 to 2016, according to an analysis by the non-profit research group C4ADS, a relatively small number that could be vulnerable to enforcement measures, experts said.

But David Cohen, a former deputy director of the CIA, said implementing U.N. resolutions likely would not entirely address financial relationships North Korean front companies in Hong Kong or China have with Chinese banks and which are "used to funnel funds back to the regime, particularly from illicit sales."

"So that's an area where secondary sanctions could be effective," Cohen said.

A broad campaign to cut off North Korea's financial links would have a successful recent precedent: the intensive U.S. effort to halt Iran's nuclear program, which included levying $12 billion in fines against European banks that facilitated Iranian trade.

Both the George W. Bush and Barack Obama administrations limited Iran's access to financial channels, and eventually went after Iran's broader trade links. That effort was backed by strong Congressional sanctions.

The measures worked. Iran's oil exports dropped by more than half, inflation spiked, the currency plummeted, and economic output shrank 5.6 percent in 2012 and 1.7 percent in 2013, according to the International Monetary Fund. Iran agreed to negotiate over its nuclear program, and eventually reached a deal with the United States and world powers.

In a warning shot against North Korea, the U.S. Treasury Department in June targeted a small Chinese bank, the Bank of Dandong, accusing it of laundering money for Pyongyang.

Also in June, the Department of Justice said a China-based company was laundering U.S. dollars through American banks for a sanctioned North Korean bank. And a handful of other recent U.S. measures have targeted North Korea's international trade and finance networks.

But Washington has not targeted Chinese banks working with North Korea in a broad way, and Congress has not yet imposed the kinds of mandatory secondary sanctions that strengthened the hand of U.S. negotiators when dealing with Iran.

Anthony Ruggiero, a former U.S. Treasury official now with the Foundation for Defense of Democracies think tank, believes fears of Chinese retaliation for action against Chinese banks are overblown.

"There's a way to do it," he said. "You don't have to freeze their assets; you don't have to cut them off from the United States. You can basically declare that their compliance procedures are not appropriate and that they can get significant fines.

"(Then) they will start to ask the right questions."

Congress is due to consider legislation requiring U.S. measures against any banks that deal with North Korea. The bill is based loosely on the same Congressional sanctions that were imposed on Iran.

"You've seen a series of administrations, Republicans and Democrats, who believed that China would cooperate when it came to applying economic pressure to North Korea," Senator Chris Van Hollen, a Democrat and one of the bill's lead sponsors, said in an interview last week.

"We have to move from quiet requests for cooperation to very clear demands that China enforce these sanctions that it signed up for."

Editing by Kieran Murray and James Dalgleish

Original post:

US holds powerful but risky tool to halt North Korea's nuclear progress - Reuters

Transparency is a tricky thing. Its easy to shine a light on what youre proud of when things are going great, and a lot harder to put on display anything that isntespecially when it comes to diversity and inclusion. To its credit, Atlassian justreleased adiversity reportthat isnt all As.

Like other tech companies,the Australian enterprise software company has made incremental gains by hiring more underrepresented minorities, but its still gotwork to do as its global workforce ofover2,200 continues to grow. Unlike other tech companies, Atlassian isnt shy about acknowledging that. Some choose not to report at all,even though delivering regular demographicsnapshots (good or bad) canbring business benefits all on its ownif only to learn whats workingand what isnt.

Related: These Entrepreneurs Are Done Waiting For Silicon Valley To Close The Racial Wealth Gap

Aubrey Blanche, Atlassians global head of diversity and inclusion, tells Fast Companythat the number of underrepresented minorities hired into itsmore than 700-person U.S. workforce (the only country that counts race when parsing the numbers) fell over the past 12 months, from 13% to 10.2%. Blanche says candidly that its largely because priority wasnt placed on hiring those candidates as the company grew.

Underrepresented minorities in tech roles did increase to 13.1%. Over one-third (32%) of all new hires since last Augustwere women, including 36% inleadership roles. And the shareof staff over 40 years old went from 11% to 15.7%.

Whats different about Atlassians report is that it focuses on its teamcomposition, not overall employeenumbers. While that team-level data looks promising at first glance (100% of teams in customer support, finance, and IThave at least one woman), Blanche admits that simply having one person from an underrepresented minority group on a team of mostly white males doesnt equal inclusion.

We realized we need to develop a stronger signal of belonging, and that needs to happen at the team level, she says. Team-level reporting suggested the experience of belonging is a great predictor of success.

To make staff feel like they belong,Blanche says Atlassian is focusing on teams cognitive diversitynot just gender, race, age, etc., but difference of experiences and ideaswhich she admits is really hard to measure because of the number of ways individuals can be different.

But in order for all these cognitive and other differences to make a positive impact, she maintains that companies and individual employees need a shared set ofvalues.Thats why Atlassian assesses candidates forvalues fit rather than culture fit, which Blanche notes can be riddled with unconscious bias. Lots of research finds that behavioral interviewing is the most accurate prediction of fit, she explains.So interviewers at the company ask specific questions like,Would you be willing to reconsider your original point of view? instead of relying on old standbys like, Where do you see yourself in five years?

In the meantime, Atlassian plans to continue sharing snapshots of its progress on diversity and inclusion.Adds Blanche, We need to create space for honest reporting of failures and learnings and constructive dialogue that respects the dignity and accomplishments of all of our teammates. Without that degree of transparencynot just at Atlassian but throughout the tech sectorthere isnt much chance for real progress.

Lydia Dishman is a reporter writing about the intersection of tech, leadership, and innovation. She is a regular contributor to Fast Company and has written for CBS Moneywatch, Fortune, The Guardian, Popular Science, and the New York Times, among others.

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Atlassian's New Diversity Report Shows You Can't Make Progress Without Transparency - Fast Company

Hey A.V. Club readers. Hi. We know that the past 24 hours have been bumpysomething thats been true of every one of our site redesigns, but especially when it involves this significant of a transition.

We knew from the moment we were told wed be moving to Kinja that it would be a major overhaul. We knew wed be trying to take a decade-plus of contentfiled according to its own complex, not exactly modular organization systemand fit into someone elses platform, then asking the administrators of that platform to tailor it to suit our own, very complicated, idiosyncratic needs. Its a minor miracle we made it here at all.

That said, were well aware that the site isnt all the way there. Again, weve been on Kinja barely a day; were all still figuring out how to work it ourselves. And weve spent the hours since the switch compiling our own list of the things that dont work, then figuring out what other improvements need to be made to the navigation, to the comments, to the designto just about everything. Were going to get there eventually. It will just take a little time.

For now, though, here are some common concerns weve heard:

Im having problems commenting.If youve already followed the instructions in this Newswire from yesterday and youre still having trouble logging in, or youre still showing up in the grays despite using our claim form, contact the help desk. Someone will respond directly and assist you, we promise.

I thought all our old Disqus comments were supposed to migrate over, but I dont see them.They couldnt import everything at once, but weve been assured that those archived comments should start trickling in over the coming days.

I cant find TV Club reviews.Yep. The good news is that not long after yesterdays launch, we added TV Reviews to the navigation bar on the desktop site (its expected to be added to the mobile site nav bar soon). If you click on that, youll be taken to a landing page with every TV Club review. Use the drop-down menu at the top to find a specific show page. From there, you can use the second drop-down menu to narrow it down to reviews from a specific season.

I cant find film/music/book/game/comics reviews.All other, non-TV reviews are rolled up under the Reviews tab in the nav bar. On that landing page, use the drop-down menu at the top to narrow it to the specific kind of review youre looking for.

I miss the review box where you could easily see the letter grades before clicking on them.Yeah, that thing was nice. We (probably) wont have something like that again, but we are discussing the best way to get those letter grades back on the front and landing pages alongside their respective reviews, so you can see them before clicking.

You guys stopped covering comics, books, and podcasts?!We didnt! For now, at least, the Comics, Books, and Podmass categories are rolled up under AUX, and were still definitely covering all of them. You can also find book and comics reviews under Reviews using the drop-down menu at the top.

Your navigation, in general, is confusing and needs to be improved ASAP.We agree. Now that were here and things are no longer just hypothetical, were able to actually see how its all being sorted, then start figuring out what doesnt make sense, and discuss how to better organize things. Fixing navigation is absolutely our first priority.

Your search function doesnt work.We know. Its on the list.

Your RSS feed doesnt work anymore.We know. Its on the list. Hey, look at that: They fixed it.

Please just go back to the old site.We cant. What we can do is improve this site until its as good as it can possibly be. Again, this will take some time. But now that were here, its all that were focused on.

In the meantime, you can help us by adding to our already very long list of necessary improvements by filling out this feedback form, which will then be read by real people (real people who are also having to contend with major, occasionally frustrating changes on their endso, just something to keep in mind). They will then be taken into account during our ongoing reconstruction. We genuinely need your help with identifying everything that needs to be fixed or improved, so anything constructive you have to offer there is much appreciated.

For now, thanks for your patienceand, as always, just for being here.

Continued here:

The Kinja-ing: An update on a work in progress - A.V. Club

Despite having no suspects in custody, Danville police say progress is being made in the investigation into the shooting death of a 16-year-old high school student earlier this month.

I will tell you that the investigation has not stalled and is moving forward, Danville Police Department Lt. Mike Wallace said.

Wallace said police have filed no charges related to the killing of Nitaya Adams, 16, of Danville. A shooting early in the morning on Aug. 6 along Paxton Street left Adams dead and sent bullet hole through walls of neighboring houses and at least one vehicle.

I will continue to make the plea to call us if they have any information, Wallace said.

Adams father Malcolm Plummer said that police had not told him any more information on his daughters shooting. Plummer said he was confident the investigation would lead to arrests, however.

The Virginia medical examiners officer would not reveal the cause or manner of death in the shooting, Tracie Cooper, administrator for the Roanoke office, said.

Theres a note in here to refer all calls to law enforcement, Cooper said.

Cooper added that police departments can ask the medical examiners office to refer questions to them when information on victims is related to an ongoing investigation.

Adams, who was a rising senior at George Washington High School, was out spending the last weekend before school started with friends before she was shot, family members said earlier this month. Family described Adams as funny and compassionate and said she wanted to pursue a career in nursing.

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Police: Progress, but no arrests in shooting of GW student - GoDanRiver.com

Follow @Brexit for all the latest news, and sign up to our daily Brexit Bulletin newsletter.

Brexit watchers doubt whether the U.K. has done enough to convince the European Union to allow trade talks to start as soon as October.

Despite a swathe of policy documents, with a new one on data protection scheduled for release on Thursday, analysts say Prime Minister Theresa Mays government is still hazy on where it matters most to the bloc.

It remains unlikely that enough progress can be made to move on to the future EU-U.K. relationship anytime soon, said Carsten Nickel, deputy director of research at Teneo Intelligence. Despite the position papers, the U.K.s preferences for the future relationship remain vague, and progress on key divorce items has been limited.

Thats not to say the U.K. hasnt made some concessions. On Wednesday it accepted EU law will have sway in Britain even after Brexit, potentially smoothing the way for deals on citizens rights and commerce. By seeking a transition for after March 2019 it has also dropped threats that no deal is better than a bad deal.

The problem is that while May is fixated on future relations the EU is concentrating on settling the terms of separation such as the Irish border, giving protection the Europeans living in the U.K. and the divorce bill.

Only when sufficient progress is made on those topics will the EU acquiesce to moving on. The danger is that the U.K. is deemed not to have caved enough and time is not on its side.

With talks set to resume next week in Brussels, European Commission spokesman Alexander Winterstein on Wednesday reminded the British of the blocs priorities.

Our own position is very clear, is very transparent, and is unchanged, he told reporters in Brussels. We hope to make progress on the three main issues that we -- not only we but also the EU27 -- have set out and need to be clarified upfront.

The U.K. is playing a "risky game" by not offering anything new on two sticking points -- the divorce bill or the rights of EU citizens, said Andrew Goodwin at Oxford Economics.

"This increases the likelihood that progress will be slow, which would put further pressure on what is already a very tight timetable," he said.

Others are more optimistic. The position papers represent a sensible U.K. approach hiding in plain sight, Rupert Harrison, a former Treasury adviser now at BlackRock Inc., said in a tweet on Wednesday.

As well as giving ground on the EU Court of Justice, the U.K. has also said EU citizens will continue to enjoy visa-free travel on Brexit and in July conceded it would make a financial settlement though it remains extremely cagey on what its willing to pay.

In the talks next week British negotiators wont reveal the amount the U.K. is willing to pay, nor even hint at where they believe it has financial obligations, according to a person familiar with the talks.

U.K. officials believe they will have more leverage if they refrain from revealing their position on the bill until far later in the negotiation process. They will though warn the EU not to make greater financial demands over its contributions to the blocs investment bank, a person familiar with the Brexit negotiations said.

The final paper this week reveals the government plans to adhere to European data-sharing rules, to minimize disruption for U.K.-based companies conducting business with the bloc. To be sure, its relatively easy for the U.K. to seek alignment with the EU when its convenient.

Global tech companies including Facebook Inc., Alphabet Inc. and Snap Inc. have been expanding operations in the U.K. over the past few years. Any issues with the transfer of data between the U.K. and Europe will cause these companies unwanted headaches.

The real test is still to come. May has paved the way for a compromise over ECJ jurisdiction, but now EU negotiators will be looking for any other red lines she is willing to blur.

See the original post here:

UK Progress on Brexit Questioned as Bill Still Unresolved - Bloomberg

More progress for Matthews He took part in individual position drills Wednesday and that participation continued Thursday as Jordan Matthews inches closer to getting full clearance. That wont come in time for Saturdays preseason game at Baltimore, but the receiver will be making the trip with the team this weekend.

Jordan Matthews and Cordy Glenn both of whom are progressing well, will make the trip. Well continue to list them as day to day. We believe theyre headed in the right direction, said head coach Sean McDermott. I really dont think theyll play at this point. We do want to get them acclimated to traveling with us and going through that process. Staying in the hotel the night before and being involved in the meetings. We may even have them warm up with the team and be on the sideline too.

The urgency to get Matthews in a preseason game doesnt seem to be there for McDermott and his coaching staff. They have full confidence in Matthews capabilities as a receiver.

We know Jordan and what he can do, said McDermott. Hes made a tremendous amount of progress over the last week. He stays after and works with the quarterbacks.

RELATED: GLENN STICKING TO THE PLAN TO PLAY WEEK 1

Taylor puts in solid week After the preseason performance by the offense at Philadelphia, QB Tyrod Taylor said there are no excuses. Committed to making the offense function more consistently, Taylor redoubled his efforts in practice this week.

The first thing I noticed was his leadership. It hasnt changed. Hes the first one in the building and one of the last to leave, McDermott said. From a head coaching standpoint I appreciate that. I know his teammates appreciate that about him.

I feel like hes more decisive and playing more free within the offense. Hes developing some continuity and chemistry with his receivers. Even thought Jordan (Matthews) is probably not going to play Saturday night, youre seeing that develop through practice reps.

In his first two seasons as the Bills starting quarterback, Taylor at times was reluctant to take risks in the passing game. Even though hes in a new scheme, McDermott and offensive coordinator Rick Dennison have pushed the mantra of playing free and taking a few more calculated risks.

For our players I want them to know that playing free is powerful. Theres power in that, said McDermott. Were not going out there to think. Im the one who has to think. Theyve got to go out there and play and basically default into the habits that theyve built through the week or the preseason. When they do that theres power in that. You tend to put on display the best version of yourself when you play free and aggressive.

Taylor and the offense will get the opportunity to demonstrate that on Saturday night in Baltimore.

Ragland battling through each day He had a major uphill climb entering training camp. Returning from a major knee injury, in a new defensive scheme and with healthy competition at his position. From the start Reggie Ragland has battled and gone the extra mile, something that hasnt been lost of his head coach.

The thing I love about Reggie is hes doing a really good job off the field right now in terms of extra work before practice, extra work after practice in terms of his conditioning and getting himself where he needs to be, said McDermott. Coming off the injury that we know hes coming off of youre starting from a position of deficit. Hes really working hard. He continues to get himself comfortable with our system. His best football is in front of him.

Hes right, sometimes my knee feels good, sometimes its sore, Ragland said. I just know I have to keep getting better. I know Im young and I still have time, so Im not pressed about some of the things, but I know I still have to keep getting better. Coach McDermott, and all of the coaches tell me this all of the time, so Im just going to keep getting better.

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More progress for Matthews - BuffaloBills.com

If R.A. Long were to step inside the Monticello Hotel today, he would find it looking much like it did when he was busy founding the city of Longview in 1923.

The historic hotel, the first major building to rise in the new town, is nearing the end of a multimillion-dollar renovation. It is packed with turn-of-the-century antiques and old paintings. The ceiling plasterwork of its Crystal Ballroom, long covered by a drop ceiling, is fully restored, and the arched ceiling is again flanked by plaster columns.

Mr. Long would find plenty of new features, too: a red-hued speakeasy with burgundy wood bar, crystal chandeliers, a stage for performers and dozens of newly-renovated apartments in the second and third floors.

Ten months after purchasing the iconic property for $2.8 million, the new owners are celebrating the complete remodel of the Crystal Ballroom and progress in other areas of the hotels renovation with a Prohibition-era themed party Friday night. The sold-out party is expected to attract more than 300 attendees.

The new owners faced a host of challenges along the way, from shakeups with management, financial constraints that forced out local owners, negative media coverage and struggles finding a company to run the hotels restaurant.

In spite of the drama, the $3 million to $4 million restoration project is nearing completion. The restaurant remodel will be done within 60 days, according to management. Monticello Place, the corporate owner, is negotiating with potential partners to run the hotels restaurant. The hotels 52 apartments are nearly all full, and there is a long waiting list of prospective tenants.

And the owners are the early stages of planning for a renovation of the adjacent ugly-duckling motel, with an idea of expanding it from 20 rooms currently to 70 to 120 rooms and refacing the exterior to match the colonial brick facade of the main hotel.

It feels great just to say, Hey this is where were going to go with this. Its a 20s atmosphere. We want to bring it back to the original look, said Sharon Walker, general manager of Monticello. We want to bring it back to the community and make it a landmark.

Heres a review some of the work that has been done so far and whats on the horizon.

Restaurant: About 60 days away from completion, much of the floor of the restaurant was lowered four feet, revealing the original tiling. The walls will feature dark burgundy wood paneling and 1920s-style wallpaper with a red background and a gold floursih pattern on the top. Patrons can order drinks from a 1904-vintage zebra wood bar or watch chefs prepare meals in front of display cooking bar. Carpet will be installed in the next month in some sections of the restaurant. During restoration, workers discovered a heavy-duty crane wheel that historically was used to hoist food from the basement to the first floor. The crane will be on display at the restaurant. A massive, six-foot high crystal chandelier originally from the Orpheum Theatre in Seattle will be installed above the dining area (it was previously in the Crystal Ballroom.) Outside the restaurant is original mint green tiling previously covered up by concrete, as well as a concrete patio for outdoor seating.

Restaurant management: With a working title of the Rogue Steakhouse, the restaurant will have a fine dining menu of steaks and seafood, although thats subject to change depending on the final partners who manage the restaurant. The owners say they have prospective restaurant, but no deals have been finalized.

Cafe: The old Fireside Lounge has been gutted and will be replaced by a bakery and cafe. The owners expect to begin the 90-day project to build out the cafe soon, once the restaurant is complete. The hotel is still negotiating a potential partner for the cafe.

Crystal Ballroom: The old drop ceiling was removed, as were the concrete floors that covered original tiling. Thousands of dollars were poured into intricately restoring the plasterwork ceiling. A salvaged column was sent to Las Vegas to be replicated, and now 42 mint-green and gold columns line the ballroom, mimicking photos of the original space.

Speakeasy: To the right of the ballroom is the Speakeasy, a red-toned, dark wood-themed room featuring an 1920s-era Al Capone wood bar from Chicago, VIP seating and a separate stage. The speakeasys red chairs and red doors on the far wall are all from an old popular restaurant in in downtown Kelso, Peters. Right now the doors are shuttered close but eventually theyll lead into the hotels future gift shop. Nearby the red doors is a 200-year old stained glass window mounted on the wall, and two large stained-glass, four-foot tall lamps marking the corners of the stage,which will be host to live music, jazz, comedians and other performances.

Apartment remodel of second and third floors: All but one of 10 luxury apartments have been rented out, Walker said. A new fire alarm system was installed, along with a new heating/cooling system, and new electrical, plumbing, steel stud framing and sheetrock is complete. New tiles, six-foot tubs and new appliances, and new kitchen cabinets were installed, too. The second floor apartments also got a significant refreshing, too.

Throughout the renovations, Walker said shes been overwhelmed with an outpouring of community support in the form of donated time, materials or just simple encouragement from people who want to see the hotel succeed after a long history of financial struggles and troubled ownerships.

On a daily basis, we get people wandering into the ballroom to look around, Walker said. The Longview Rotary Club, Chamber of Commerce and other civic groups already have signed up to host events at the hotel. The ballroom is booked through the holiday season.Its great to have someone pat you on the back. It keeps you going and keeps you positive, Walker said.

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Monticello Hotel celebrates renovation progress - Longview Daily News

Ravens tight end Benjamin Watson made an 11-yard catch in the second quarter of Thursdays preseason game in Miami seemingly just a blip in the game recap.

To Watson, however, the catch was a milestone.

It was the first reception Watson made in a game since Jan. 3, 2016, when he hauled in six catches for 59 yards and a touchdown as a member of the New Orleans Saints.

When he came into the locker room at halftime, Watson had a text message from his wife waiting.

She told me that the kids were going crazy, he said. It was a victory for all of us.

Watson missed all last season after he tore his Achilles in the Ravens 2016 third preseason game. Now the 36-year-old veteran enters Saturdays preseason game against the Buffalo Bills 364 days later making progress but still trying to get all the way back.

Coming up on about a year since surgery and theres still more to get, Watson said. But Im satisfied with my progress; I think Im coming along great and getting back to playing football.

Last year, former Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. was in a similar position trying to return from a ruptured Achilles. Smith didnt play in the preseason, but made his debut in Week 1 to the tune of five catches.

Watsons on track to be in the Ravens lineup when they kick off the regular season against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 10. The question is: at what level?

The Ravens could certainly use him considering theyve had season-ending injuries to Dennis Pitta (hip) and Crockett Gillmore (knee), and Darren Waller is suspended for the year. That has left Watson, Nick Boyle, Maxx Williams and Larry Donnell as the teams top tight ends.

Of the four, Watson holds the most potential as a playmaking pass catcher. In 2015, Watson set or tied career highs in catches (74), receiving yards (825) and touchdowns (six) in his last full season with the Saints. The Ravens would be ecstatic with similar production.

Watson has been gradually re-building his game. He first returned to the practice field during minicamp on a limited basis. Hes increased his practice reps and is now full-go in training camp and the preseason, according to Head Coach John Harbaugh.

Hes done an excellent job of working hard to get himself to where he can perform, Harbaugh said. Im excited about Ben.

Despite being a month into training camp, Watson still stays after the veterans exit practice to catch extra throws from the teams quarterbacks. Hes trying to work through some muscle imbalances he still has in his legs.

Just like Smith, Watsons calf muscle shrunk after the injury. He similarly calls it baby calf.

Its trying to gain weight. I moved it up to solid food now; its off of the breast milk, growing up a little bit, Watson joked. Its still a process. Theres still a ways to go with the strength.

Watson has flashed at times during practices open to reporters, particularly in the red-zone, where the 6-foot-3, 251-pound target should be a major weapon.

Asked if he feels quicker now than he did at the start of training camp, Watson said, definitely. But he added that he does feel some deficiency when he does certain movements.

The great thing about the body is its able to compensate, and its able to maneuver, he said. When somethings not right, something else kicks in. Im still going through a maintenance program.

Mentally, Watson also said hes made great strides. Hes not thinking about the injury anymore, and his body is listening to his brain.

A lot of football is reactionary. Being able to read a coverage on the fly and have your body do what your mind wants it to do, it takes some time to get back to that, Watson said. But as I watch film, I still have a ways to go.

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Benjamin Watson Making Progress After Achilles, But Not All the ... - BaltimoreRavens.com