Category Archives: Progress

KANSAS CITY, Kan. Northeastern State took a couple of steps forward in 2021 and will look to advance furthermore this upcoming season.

The RiverHawks got into the win column for the first time since the 2017 season and did so twice, going 2-9. It was the programs first two-win campaign since 2016.

Really excited about the opportunity of the season being right around the corner, said NSU head coach J.J. Eckert Tuesday at the Mid-America Intercollegiate Athletics Association Football Media Day at Kansas City Convention Centers Little Theater. As you go back and recap 2021, you have expectations. You had the whole 2020 COVID year and the things that went along with that and hopefully youre looking for better things and the opportunity to improve in a lot of areas. I think big picture wise, we were able to do some things as a football program to do that. The problem was that we didnt do the things we had to do down the stretch to be the kind of program that we would like to be.

Eckert, who was joined Tuesday by players Blake Corn and Isaiah Davis, emphasized the differences in the past two offseasons.

You look at that 2-9 and when you come out of September and youre where youre at, you want to work hard as far as trying to improve, so obviously going into the spring that was a big, big, big emphasis was just trying to make sure that we continue to be a mentally and physically tough football team a lot like this league is made of up, Eckert said.

This year got us back on track with a full offseason. You had an opportunity to have an eight-week winter conditioning program, and thats important. In this league there are a lot of guys that are redshirt juniors, redshirt seniors, super seniors like we had last year. Weve got to continue to get bigger, faster, stronger to be the kind of program that we want to be, and I think that was something this year allowed us to do it. This spring was the best weve had up to this point from a weight room standpoint.

In his first full season with the RiverHawks, Corn collected 19 total tackles, including 4.5 tackles for losses, and had 3.5 quarterback sacks and a quarterback hurry in 11 games.

Corn is a former Tahlequah High School standout that has made a big impact for NSU at the defensive end position.

It means everything to me, Corn said of representing NSU Tuesday. Tahlequah is where I grew up. Tahlequah is where Ive lived my whole life, and to play for the university in my hometown its one of the greatest honors, especially being coached by another Tahlequah alum. Its just a great feeling to have to be able to be home.

Davis, a junior running back, rushed for a team-high 346 yards on 85 carries (4.1 yards per carry) with four touchdowns. Davis, who played in all 11 games, also had 14 receptions for 129 yards and a pair of TDs.

Davis feels hes made strides, along with the entire offense.

I think I improved by getting bigger, faster, stronger, Davis said. I feel like as a whole offense we have all taken steps in the right direction. We were young last year, so weve got a bunch of guys coming back that know the offense.

The RiverHawks are currently in search of a defensive coordinator with the start of fall camp less than two weeks away. Former defensive coordinator Michael Conrad departed a couple of weeks ago.

Theres never good timing when you lose a coach in any situation, Eckert said. But at the end of the day I think its important to find a way to make it a situation you can get better from, and the timing piece makes that difficult sometimes. Hopefully we can get something turned around in a quick manner, and hopefully we can get everything situated so come Aug. 1 were ready to roll.

The RiverHawks open fall camp Friday, Aug. 5 and their season opener is Thursday, Sept. 1 on the road against Emporia State. Their home opener is Saturday, Sept. 10 against Missouri Southern at Doc Wadley Stadium.

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BUILDING BLOCKS: NSU will look to continue its forward progress in 2022 - Tahlequah Daily Press

Judy Ridley at Davis Clothing in Lexington checks out items as they prepare for back-to-school and the tax-free weekend which begins Friday, July 29, 2022.Photo by: Steve Corlew / The Lexington Progress

Article by Steve Corlew-

Its back-to-school time in Tennessee and time once again to save on your taxes.

The traditional state tax holiday on clothing, school supplies, and computers will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Friday, July 29 and ends at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Items exempt from taxes include apparel that cost $100 or less per item such as shirts, pants, socks, shoes, and dresses. School supplies priced less than $100 per item, and computers, laptops, or a tablet priced $1,500 or less.

There will also be a sales tax holiday on food and food ingredients

For complete coverage, see the July 27th edition of The Lexington Progress.

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Time to Save on Taxes Lexington Progress - lexingtonprogress.com

Were thrilled to have you as a Progress Residential resident. Progress Residential is a national property management company that provides excellent service to its residents through friendly local teams. Progress team members are focused on making your time in the home is as convenient and easy as possible.

We want to make sure you have the information you need to get the most out of your time with us. While all the information on this page is important, you can skip to the topics that are most relevant to you with the quick links section below.

HOW DOES THE MANAGEMENT TRANSFER AFFECT ME?

The management of your rental home is being transferred to Progress Residential. This means, going forward, Progress Residential will be responsible for the property management services of your home. You will make payments to Progress and place any maintenance service requests through Progress.

Well provide the information you'll need along the way, but there are a few things to understand as this transfer takes place.

CREATING A RENT CAF ACCOUNT

To make payments online, schedule automatic payments, access your account, view your lease, and more, youll need to create an account in our safe and secure online system. Progress Residential uses Rent Caf, a secure account portal.

Creating an account is quick and easy.

If you encounter any issues while registering, please email [emailprotected]. Please Note: It may take up to 48 hours for your method of payment to be validated through your banking institution. Please be sure to create your account several days ahead of the first of the month so your payment is processed on time.

UPDATING AN EXISTING RENT CAF ACCOUNT

Like your previous property manager, Progress Residential uses Rent Caf, a secure resident account portal that allows you tomake payments online, schedule automatic payments, access your account, view your lease, and more. If you have an online account through your previous property manager through Rent Caf, all you'll need to do is log in to your account with your current login credentials and update or re-enter your preferred method of payment.

While much of your account information was transferred to your Progress online account, your method of payment cannot transfer. As a result, you'll need to enter your preferred method of payment in your Progress Residential account. You will be able to log in to Progress Residential's Rent Caf resident portalwith the same login credentials you used with your previous property manager.

Please take a few minutes to log in and set up your preferred method of payment to ensure that your payments are processed accurately and on time.

Updating your payment information is simple:

Once your payment details are validated, you will be able to make payments and submit online service requests here.

If you encounter any issues while registering, please email[emailprotected].

PAYMENT OPTIONS

To make a rent payment, please click here.

Were proud to offer six great payment options for your convenience. For more information on those options, please to visit our All About Payments page.

While in-person payments cannot be accepted,were happy to let you know that we accept WIPS(Walk-In Payment System)payments.If you currently use WIPS, please watch your email for information about making WIPS payments to Progress Residential going forward.

IMPORTANT CONTACTS

While you can find answers to most common questions here on our website, specifically on our Frequently Asked Questions, if you encounter some specific issues below, heres who you should contact:

UPDATE YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION

Do you get our emails? Its important that youre getting essential and time-sensitive information from Progress straight to your inbox. In order to best serve you, take a moment to fill out this form with your contact information so we can keep you up to date with everything you need to know. If youre already receiving information from us, no need to complete this form.Update your contact information now.

To update your contact information, please click here.

RENEWING YOUR LEASE

If your lease is up for renewal and you have not accepted a renewal offer from your previous property manager, Progress will send you a new renewal offer. Generally, the new offer from Progress will be for the same rate and term as your previous offer. Please watch your email for that offer and contact one of our amazing Leasing Specialists with any questions.

For more information on renewing your lease with Progress, please click here.

MOVING INTO YOUR HOME

If youve signed your lease and are preparing to move into your home, please watch for communications from Progress Residential team members. Our team members will guide you through the process of moving into your new rental home.

MOVING OUT OF YOUR HOME

If youve given notice and are preparing to move out of your home, your move out date should remain the same. You may be contacted by Progress Residential team members as you complete the move-out process, so pleasewatch for communications. Our team members will guide you through the process of moving out of your new rental home.

FOR RESIDENTS WHO HAVE PREVIOUSLY GIVEN NOTICE

If youve given notice to your previous property manager and are planning on moving out of the home, the transition to Progress Residential shouldnt impact you. However, you need to be aware of a few things:

UTILITIES AND UTILITY BILLING

Any utilities that are in your name will not be impacted by this transition. Any utility services that were held in your previous property managers name will be transferred to Progress Residential. Those utilities will be managed by Conservice, Progress Residentials utility management service. For more information on this, please visit our Setting up and Managing Utilities page here.

Generally, in your first account statement with Progress, youll see charges for any utility services you used for the last short period of time with your previous property manager. Occasionally, it takes additional time to process and transfer utility charges, so its possible that youll see these charges in your second months account statement.

If you have any questions about your property manager handled utilities, please contact [emailprotected]

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Were thrilled to have you as a Progress Residential resident. Again, we want to make sure you have the information you need. This website, is filled with helpful information and answers to most questions. Please take a few minutes to look at the resources available to you under the Current Residents menu.

We recommend visiting a few pages specifically:

Resident Services PageThis page gives you quick access to make a payment, submit a service request, check the status of a service request, give notice, add pets, and more.

Welcome Home Guide pageThis page provides you with an overview about the most common services youll use while in your Progress home and will direct you to additional pages where you can learn more. On this page you can learn more about making payments, placing service requests, and managing your utilities.

Home Care and MaintenanceThis page provides a detailed outline of maintenance and service items as well as covers responsibility of the most common maintenance items.

A great way to stay connected with us is through our Facebook and Instagram pages. We regularly host contests and giveaways, share important updates as well as share fun and interesting information. We hope youll give us a like and follow!

WELCOME TO PROGRESS!

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Welcome to Progress | Progress Residential

Country music star John Rich hit the top of the charts with a song slamming liberal progress" and bypassing what he called the music industry "machine."

Rich released his song Progress Friday on Truth Social and Rumble. Within hours, it soared to No. 1 on the Apple iTunes song chart.

Felt good to beat the machine today:) Thanks to all of you for the massive support! We are making good #Progress #NumberOne #Worldwide, tweeted Rich, who is half of the country music duo Big & Rich.

The song's lyrics include several direct messages challenging the views of liberals.

LIKE BAKING A CAKE: BILL BURR BLASTS PRO-ABORTION ARGUMENTS IN VIRAL VIDEO

They say building back better will make America great, Rich sings. If thats the wave of the future, all Ive got to say is, stick your progress where the sun dont shine. Keep your big mess away from me and mine. If you leave us alone, well, wed all be just fine.

Progress beat out new releases from Billie Eilish and Lizzo, as well as Running Up That Hill by Kate Bush.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER

"Here I am with no record label, no publisher, no marketing deal," Rich told Just the News. "It is bypassing this machine that they've built, going right around the machine, going right to the people.

Continued here:

LISTEN: Country star John Rich tops iTunes with anti-liberal song ...

A month ago I wrote that Ukrainian resistance in the Severodonetsk and Lysychansk salient might experience a sudden collapse under constant Russian shell-fire. Approximately ten days after that article the collapse came, and the front moved west by about 20 km. Neither side has released reliable figures for the number of troops killed, wounded or captured, but a sober estimate suggests that surprisingly few Ukrainians fell into Russian hands. At the last minute Ukraine carried out a ragged but successful withdrawal with video reportage showing Ukrainian troops fleeing in private cars and even walking westwards.

But the collapse did not signal the restart of mobile warfare. Instead, Russias momentum appears to have stalled. While Russian forces continue to shell Ukrainian lines and rear areas, at a rate somewhere in the region of 20,000 shells per day across a 30-km front that runs due north from Horlivka, reports from the contact line conspicuously lack any substantial movement of that line. Russian tactics shell the line until it cracks then occupy the ground without resistance or Russian casualties are extremely slow.

In the two weeks since the taking of Lysychansk the contact line has moved no more than a few kilometres west. Fronts are also stalled in Kherson and Kharkiv.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian government sources have been talking up the size of the infantry forces which have been mobilised since February. Defence Minister Reznikov claimed that Kyiv has a million-man army at its disposal, a number that turned out to include police forces, the National Guard and the Border Guard. Stripping those away still leaves a stillvery considerable force of 700,000 men and women in uniform with some military training from national service and more recent militarisation. The number is probably exaggerated but not by much men have been forbidden from leaving Ukraine since the start of the war, and it is not hard to give a man a uniform, a rifle and a unit.

Reznikov declared that this large, if weak, force would be thrown against the Kherson front, presumably in an attempt to move the contact line east to the Dnepr River. A few days later he walked back from this plan, saying Lets just say, there was a little misunderstanding. I did not say that we are gathering a million-strong army. Please forgive my English, it is not my native language. So, no human wave offensive in Western Kherson, but we have seen harassing attacks along the northern and southern fringes of the 1,000-km front. Casualty rates are not being reported but are likely very high for the attackers.

A human-wave offensive looks very unlikely, in part because of the logistical challenge of assembling a hundred thousand men in one place in secret with all the supplies and ammo they need.

Much more likely is the steady deployment of replacement troops to the contact line in the Donbas salient, who would then dig in. Even partly trained troops can hold a trench line with limited supplies. With a reserve of several hundred thousand men Ukraine can take losses of 200 men per day in the Donbas more or less indefinitely.

That situation (if it is happening) would pose a serious challenge to Russia. With a clear agenda to preserve soldiers' lives, Moscows only practical strategy is the one it is using on the Donbas front: shell the enemy to pieces before occupying abandoned defence lines. The tactic keeps Russian soldiers alive, but is very, very slow.

Consider: the attack on Severodonetsk and Lysychansk began around May 6 but Lysychansk finally fell only on July 3. It took 60 days for the front line to move 30 km 500 metres per day. Todays rates of advance are even slower.

Kyiv can dig fortified lines all over the larger Donbas salient on to the Dnepr River. Ukraines Javelin missiles have neutralised Russias tanks and the hand-held MANIPADs can also counter airstrikes. That leaves Russia with the option: artillery conquers, and infantry occupies.

Geography makes Russias calculus worse. Ukrainian forces occupy a salient poking into Russian-held territory with Slovyansk at its northern end and Horlivka at its southern. The salient is 30 kmwide and 20 kmdeep. With constant pressure, moving at 500 metres per day, Russia might take eight weeks to occupy it. But that would still leave half of Donetsk Oblast in Ukrainian hands, with another 40 kmof ground to capture but this time on a north-south front of 80 km.

It is likely that Russias original plan was to take this ground with rapid armoured thrusts from the north and south to surround, neutralise and capture the Ukrainian forces inside the larger salient. Instead, Russian troops have become bogged down in a slow slogging fight over well-prepared trenches, relying on a ten-to-one advantage in artillery fire to win small advances.

HIMARS tips the artillery balance

In the past two weeks the calculus has grown worse still. Until now Russia has been able to move its flow of artillery ammunition (a few thousand tonnes per day) to within an hours drive of the gun line without fear of retaliation. That has changed. With a small force of US HIMARS rocket-firing trucks in operation the artillery balance has changed in three painful ways.

First, the standard rocket fired by HIMARS can fly 70 km. This means that a launch vehicle sited a protective 20 kmbehind the contact line can hit forward logistics facilities about 50 kmbeyond it those railheads where Russian ammunition moves from trains to trucks for the last leg to the gun line. As soon as HIMARS arrived, Ukraine claimed (reliably) to have hit some 30 of those logistics points, destroying large quantities of stored Russian artillery ammunition. More importantly, the rail heads have to move further away from the gun line, slowing the flow of ammunition forwards as the same number of trucks does double the work.

Second, HIMARS rockets have an accurate inertial guidance system which allows them to hit fixed ground targets (like a warehouse or a railhead) with their 100 kg warhead. Inertial guidance is internal to the rocket, so it cannot be jammed or spoofed. This means that Russia must now spread its logistics depots among more sites and that those sites must be concealed from US satellite reconnaissance. That slows up the logistics flow.

Third, while a HIMARS rocket is not invulnerable to anti-missile defences, it is hard to hit, coming in low and very fast (500 metres per second), with a flight time from launch to impact of only about 120 seconds. If Russia wants to hit incoming HIMARS rockets it must spread its surface-to-air launchers more thinly, opening space in which the remnants of Ukraines air force might be able to operate once more.

Reports from the contact line corroborate that the rate of incoming Russian artillery fire has indeed slowed.

Sited well behind the contact line, HIMARS launchers are harder to kill because they can operate under cover from shoulder-launched air defence and from Ukraines remaining large air defence missile units. They can also move (fast) within seconds of firing rockets, skipping out of the way of retaliation.

Harder, but not impossible Russia has already claimed three launcher kills out of the eight presently in service. That remaining threat might be neutralised if the US finally decides to supply extended-range HIMARS ammunition to Ukraine.

HIMARS has two extended range options. The first is a standard rocket with a smaller warhead that can fly 135 km. That would mean hitting a target 50 kmbehind the contact line from 85 kmaway a range that makes a counter-strike very unlikely.

The second is a much larger rocket that carries a 200 kg warhead for 300 km. This weapon (TACAMS) offers a new range of possibilities to Kyiv for example its combination of precision (a few metres) and payload would allow it to damage or even destroy the Kerch Straits bridge that connects Crimea with Russia. It could do the same to the bridges across the Dnepr that supply Russian troops in western Khersonand that would also supply an assault on Odesa. Since Moscow regards Crimea as sovereign Russian territory an attack on it raises the alarming possibility that Moscow might regard a TACAMS attack on Crimea as an American act of war against Russia. The possibilities for TACAMS-driven escalation are frightening.

Wither Russian strategy

What does all this mean for Russias strategy from here on? It is worth remembering that Russia is still in its declared Phase 2 of the Special Military Operation. I speculated two months ago on what Phase 2 might contain. Whatever its aims (and those are very much not public) they were probably set with an assumption that Russia could move the contact line faster than 500 metres per day.

Phase 2 might have been reduced to occupation of the whole of Donetsk Oblast. If it includes an advance to the Dnepr River Russian forces would have another 70 kmto take, on a front some 400 kmlong. It is hard not to conclude that if Phase 2s objective was to occupy trans-Dnepr Ukraine the aim is now out of reach absent a full mobilisation of Russias armed forces. It is highly unlikely that a full mobilisation is politically possible Putins support would drain away, while US Neocon activists inside and outside the Administration might finally get their way and drag the West into a war with Russia. Moscow has repeatedly confirmed that fresh conscripts will not be sent to fight in Ukraine, while reports from inside Russia suggest that recruitment of non-conscripts is proving difficult, slow and surprisingly expensive.

The same conclusion seems to apply to the taking of Odesa. There is no reason to believe that the rate of advance on Odesa would be any faster than it has been in the Donbas. Indeed, an attempt to advance on both fronts simultaneously would dilute Russias artillery advantage in both areas, perhaps fatally, and Ukrainian nationalist sentiments are likely to withstand more pain west of the Dnepr than east of it. If Odessa is out of reach then Kharkiv is equally so. Back east of the Dnepr a Russian win would have to include the capture of the main Dnepr cities Zaporizhiye, Dnipro and Kremenchuk each considerably larger than Mariupol and each closer to home and covered by HIMARS and Ukrainian artillery (such as it is).

It is hard to escape the conclusion that a quick win is simply no longer available to Russia, and that a slow one is out of reach too.

Where does that leave Phase 2? A clue might be found in Putins recent statement that the war is reaching a point at which Ukraines negotiating options have vanished. It is interesting to think about how negotiating options can vanish. One way is for a party to achieve unequivocal victory through the complete collapse of the other. Think of Germany in May 1945. That is not happening in Ukraine.

Another way is for one party to have reached all its goals in a way that effectively prevents the other party from upsetting them. It may be this result that Putin was referring to. Looking at the rate of advance in the Donbas, that interpretation would imply that Russias Phase 2 goal has shrunk to marginal additional gains in the Donbas, perhaps the capture of that small northern salient up to Slovyansk and Kramatorsk, leaving the western half of the Donetsk Oblast in Ukrainian hands.

One plan might be to take those two cities and then freeze the front throughout Ukraine, using artillery and air superiority to stop Ukraine from bombarding civilians in the Donbas and Kherson (which it has been doing consistently in recent weeks without comment from Western media), by systematically destroying artillery and rocket systems anywhere that they appear.

Standstill?

A unilateral standstill declaration by Moscow would leave Ukraine with two choices either accept it, and with it a frozen conflict long term, or throw large numbers of partly trained men into near-suicidal attacks against well-prepared Russian lines covered by artillery and air support. The latter option would kill up to 100,000 Ukrainian men (initially;more if sustained) probably for no territorial gain. At present Kyiv is loudly proclaiming its intention to recover all territory occupied by Russia a firm case of Unicorns and Rainbows possibly in order to keep weapons and money flowing in from the West. Kyiv can of course continue to make wild statements of impossible ambitions while in practice accepting a fait accompli.

A unilateral standstill would stop the killing on both sides and would cause Western media audiences to grow bored of the Ukraine war and turn their attention to more pressing matters inflation, living costs, national elections, the energy crisis and whatever else comes along to distract them. US audiences are already there Ukraine is no longer high in the running order of national news programmes, or even on them at all much of the time. UK audiences too are beginning to focus on other issues, not least the replacement of a deeply Russophobic Prime Minister who has been a major cheerleader for Western support of Ukraine. A standstill would also reduce, even remove, the incidents that are presented as Russian outrages (like the destruction of a Ukrainian army mess in Vinnitsa last week).

A frozen conflict might in practice appeal to both sides. Ukraine could continue to plead for money and weapons from the West (being still under occupation), while Russia could declare the Operation complete and look to liberate its frozen foreign reserves and restart the sale of oil and gas to Europe. It must be tempting.

The alternative looks very much less tempting. Denied the ability to carry out manoeuvre warfare by Javelin and its cousins Moscow has the option of a slow, painful, expensive westwards slog, with every day bringing new accusations of outrage and war crimes, new risks of escalation from Nato or of political trouble at home, and new military funerals.

But there is a very real possibility that none of what I describe above will happen. Ukrainian forces are now more or less tank-less and plane-less, but Russian forces are very much tanked up and ready to roll. To a soldier there is always the prospect that if you push hard enough and long enough on one point your opponents resistance at that point will collapse, allowing your manoeuvre forces to flood through the gap youve created and restart the fast mechanised war that you should have enjoyed all along. With advances of 20-30 kmper day on offer the Dnepr and Odessa look only one tempting week away, with tens or hundreds of thousands of enemy infantry surrendering into captivity behind your armoured spearheads as they envelop whole army corps. Cities throw open their gates unwilling and unable to suffer the same fate as Mariupol and Kyiv sues for an immediate peace on terms similar to the March deal in Ankara.

This is not a complete fantasy. If Russian claims for Ukrainian mortality rates (both in and behind the contact line) are correct then the new Ukrainian front in the Donbas salient might well collapse. If the 700,000 man Ukrainian national service army is as weak, partly trained and short of ammunition as it looks then it might well throw up its hands in surrender. Larger defeats have happened (and Russias Ministry of Defence narrates them in its Telegram feed at regular intervals).

At present there are no signs that Moscow is limiting its aims to the Donbas and Kherson, and some signs that it has larger goals in mind. With one exception at Ankara in March, whenever Moscow has been offered a choice of more violence or less violence since February it has chosen more violence. We have ten weeks of good fighting weather in which to find out which choice it will make now.

Originally posted here:

DON: Why is Russia's progress in the Ukraine campaign so slow? - bne IntelliNews

Update by edhat staff

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

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

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

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

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

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

The cause is under investigation.

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

Scott Safechuck (@SBCFireInfo) July 24, 2022

Reported by Tagdes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

History of Auburns GM1 research

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Excerpt from:

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

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

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

Heres the Nixle alert in full:

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

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

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

Link:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Read the original here:

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

July 22, 2022 Hermits Peak and Calf Canyon Fire Update

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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