Category Archives: Progress

The Anaheim Ducks hit the midseason mark with a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Jan. 13. The team sits 29th in the overall standings with a 15-28-1 record through 44 contests; they hold a one-point lead over the Ottawa Senators, who have five games in hand. The Ducks six-game winning streak from Oct. 24-Nov. 5 helped build a seven-point cushion on the last-placed San Jose Sharks and a three-point advantage over the Chicago Blackhawks.

The rebuilding Ducks were expected to be in the hunt for a lottery pick in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft rather than competing for a playoff spot this season, so the results have not been surprising. With 2023-24 more than halfway to its conclusion, its time to take stock of what the Ducks have accomplished, what needs to change, and what happens next before the organization switches to offseason mode.

The Ducks revamped defense corps hasnt been perfect by any means, but it has improved over last season. Opposing teams averaged a league-high 39.1 shots per game in 2022-23 versus the Ducks. The club has made some progress in that area, surrendering the fifth-most shots against per game (32.8). The Ducks also rank 10th in the league in hits (807) and ninth overall in blocked shots (727) after finishing 31st in hits and 19th in blocks last season. General manager Pat Verbeek wanted his team to be harder to play against, and the players have bought into that style for the most part.

Goaltending has been a bit of a roller coaster again, but taking away some of the pressure that John Gibson and Lukas Dostal face on a gamely basis has been noticeable. As a result, the Ducks rank 20th in the league in save percentage (.896), which is just slightly below the league average (.899). They also sit 17th overall in scoring chances against during 5-on-5 situations after allowing the most last season. The team is still allowing too many high-danger chances at 5-on-5 (tied for seventh-most in the NHL), but even that is an improvement over last campaign.

Radko Gudashas been a welcome addition, thanks in large part to his physicality.Pavel Mintyukovhas made a big impact as a rookie, displaying his tremendous two-way upside. Despite being used sparingly, Tristan Luneau acquitted himself well during his first seven NHL outings. Jackson LaCombe has struggled in 2023-24 but could still carve out a role for himself in the top-six group. Cam Fowler has been leaned on heavily while delivering mixed results.

The Ducks also have talented defense prospects in their pipeline. At the American Hockey League (AHL) level, Olen Zellweger, Drew Helleson, and Tyson Hinds have been sharpening their skills with the San Diego Gulls. Zellweger, who will take part in the AHL All-Star Classic on Feb. 4-5, should get a look in the NHL before the end of the season. Additionally, Noah Warren, Rodwin Dionicio, Vojtech Port, and Konnor Smith have been developing in the junior ranks.

Frank Vatrano, who will represent the Ducks at the NHL All-Star Game, has been a bright spot for the team offensively. He leads the club with 21 goals and 33 points in 44 appearances. The 29-year-old winger has bounced back in a big way after he produced just 22 goals and 41 points in 81 outings in 2022-23.

Mason McTavish has made great strides during his sophomore campaign, and Leo Carlsson has shown flashes of his immense potential as a future first-line center. It also appears as though the game management phase of Carlssons development plan has come to an end after he topped 20 minutes of ice time in back-to-back games Monday (Jan. 15) against the Florida Panthers and Tuesday (Jan. 16) versus the Washington Capitals.

Troy Terry, Adam Henrique, Ryan Strome, and Alex Killorn have also chipped in offensively, but the Ducks rank 29th in the league in goals per game (2.50) and have generated the fewest scoring chances in 5-on-5 situations this season. The team has been held to two goals or fewer in 24 of 29 losses. Terry and Killorn have been trying to work themselves back from sluggish starts. Trevor Zegras, who has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries, only has four goals and seven points in 20 contests. He got off to an unproductive start as well and has been mentioned as a possible trade candidate.

Related: Ducks News & Rumors: Gauthier, Zegras, Gibson, Luneau & More

Injuries to Zegras, McTavish, Carlsson, Mintyukov, and ex-Ducks defender Jamie Drysdale have played a role in the teams offensive woes this campaign. The roster isnt deep to begin with, so playing without key skaters and not getting the chance to ice a fully healthy lineup for most of the season has been an issue. Still, scoring goals isnt a new problem for the Ducks. The team has potted the second-fewest goals in the league since 2020-21, with 668, which is just 43 more tallies than the Seattle Kraken in 56 more games.

Verbeek made what he hopes is a significant move to help resolve the teams offensive deficiencies on Jan. 8 when he dealt Drysdale and a 2025 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Cutter Gauthier. The 19-year-old Gauthier is a highly skilled top prospect who could make an immediate impact. He is expected to sign with the Ducks in the spring following the conclusion of his sophomore year with Boston College.

He has obvious top-six talent, Verbeek said after the deal. Hes versatile. He can really shoot the puck and hes got underrated playmaking skills. His skating ability is elite, in my opinion. Ive been looking for more speed up front with our group and certainly fills that ticketWhat I love about Cutter is hes a shooter and goal scorer. He has a nice combination of playmaking ability as well, so I think not only will he be able to shoot the puck into the net, but I think hes going to be able to make other players better too.

The Ducks lead the league with 625 penalty minutes, including a whopping 208 minor infractions. They have 35 more minor penalties than the second-place Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Detroit Red Wings. For all the good that Vatrano and Gudas have done this campaign, they rank first and second in the NHL, respectively, in minor penalties.

McTavish is fifth, Strome is tied for seventh, and Ilya Lyubushkin is tied for ninth. The Ducks net penalties (penalties drawn to penalties taken) of minus-44 is the worst in the league, and the team has been shorthanded an NHL-leading 186 times. Allowing the second-most power-play goals against (41) isnt a recipe for sustained success. The Ducks will need to be much more disciplined in the second half.

Verbeek is likely to move pending unrestricted free agents Jakob Silfverberg, Henrique, and Lyubushkin before the March 8 trade deadline. Contending teams seeking depth pieces could benefit from acquiring any of them, but Henrique is likely to yield the best return due to his versatility and scoring ability. The GM made a bold move by sending Drysdale out for Gauthier. That suggests that Zegras, Vatrano, Gibson, and Fowler could be trade candidates as well if the package coming back to the Ducks is substantial enough.

The Ducks have lost some tight games, but the team has largely been much more competitive under new head coach Greg Cronin. They were battling back from deficits early in the season, but the lack of scoring has prevented those comebacks from happening lately.

They still need to be better on special teams, and Gauthier and Zellweger could eventually become permanent members of the top power-play combination. The penalty kill would benefit tremendously if the Ducks cut down on needless infractions with better positioning. Additionally, it would be helpful if the team managed to stay healthier. Thats always easier said than done, especially with the unpredictable nature of injuries, but having a healthy lineup would provide the Ducks brass with a much clearer idea of how to assess the roster moving forward.

Analytics courtesy of Natural Stat Trick.

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Ducks' Midseason Check-in: Progress, Improvement Areas & More - The Hockey Writers

For decades, environmental advocates have been pushing back against greenwashing, when polluting companies misleadingly present themselves as environmentally friendly. Governments are finally starting to tackle the problem with stricter regulations: The European Union agreed to ban deceptive environmental ads in September, and the U.S. Fair Trade Commission is in the process of updating its guidelines around green advertising.

But as new rules go into effect, theyre contributing to a different problem: Many companies, even honest ones, are afraid to talk about their work on climate change at all.

The practice of greenhushing is now widespread, according to a new report released on Tuesday by South Pole, a Switzerland-based climate consultancy and carbon offset developer. Some 70 percent of sustainability-minded companies around the world are deliberately hiding their climate goals to comply with new regulations and avoid public scrutiny. Thats in contrast to just a few years ago, when headlines were full of splashy corporate promises on climate change and even oil companies were pledging to zero out their emissions. The report suggests that this newfound silence could impede genuine progress on climate change and decrease pressure on the big emitters that are already lagging behind.

South Pole found that climate-conscious companies in fashion, consumer goods, tech, oil, and even environmental services are greenhushing. Nearly half of sustainability representatives reported that communicating about their climate targets has become harder in just the past year. But companies arent giving up on going net-zero just the opposite. Of the 1,400 companies surveyed, three-quarters said they were pouring more money than before into efforts to cut carbon emissions. They just didnt want to talk much about it.

We really just cannot afford to not learn from each other, said Nadia Khknen, a deputy director at South Pole and the reports lead author. Companies should be sharing the lessons theyve learned from trying to cut their emissions, engaging one another in hard conversations about what is working and what is not, and how we can improve it, she said.

Greenhushing was the most common, unexpectedly, among the greenest companies. Some 88 percent of those in environmental services, a category that includes renewables and recycling, said they were decreasing their messaging about their climate targets, even though 93 percent said they were on track to meet their goals. Consumer goods companies, like those that sell food, beverages, and household goods, were the next likely to be greenhushing (86 percent), more than the oil and gas industry (72 percent).

The survey, conducted anonymously, is the first to offer insight from companies as to why theyre keeping quiet. Environmental service companies had one of the same top reasons as oil companies: heightened scrutiny from investors, customers, and the media. Among all the companies that admitted to greenhushing, well over half listed changing regulations as a reason why theyre not talking about their climate pledges. Some companies also cited a lack of sufficient data or clear industry guidance around how to communicate their green claims.

Their hesitation has real consequences, researchers from South Pole said. For one, it cuts down on the sense of competition and pressure that can drive companies to be more ambitious with their environmental targets. If youre hiding what youre doing, or not talking about it in a prominent way, it can hold back others, said George Favaloro, South Poles head of climate solutions for North America. The trend also could also cut down on sharing tips and tricks for decarbonizing that could help others trim their carbon emissions.

The report found that greenhushing isnt unfolding equally across the 12 countries surveyed. American companies arent as quiet likely because the United States has less regulation around environmental claims. U.S. companies were the second least likely to be greenhushing, behind Japan. European companies were on the opposite end of the scale. France, which has laws that explicitly limit greenwashing, led the pack with 82 percent of companies staying mum.

Theyre really up against it in Europe now, and in the U.S., its still a bit off in the future, Favaloro said. Its coming, but its not quite here yet. One of the first anti-greenwashing laws in the U.S. went into effect in California earlier this month, mandating that large companies disclose their emissions to back up climate-friendly claims. Lawsuits are also a growing threat: Last year, Nike and Delta Air Lines were sued for making questionable claims about their environmental impacts.

It might be surprising that U.S. companies are unafraid of communicating their climate goals considering the conservative backlash against ESG, short for environmental, social, and governance, a set of standards investors use to assess companies. But the ESG drama has more serious consequences for asset managers like Vanguard and BlackRock, which removed references to sustainability goals on their websites last year, than for corporations.

The 1,400 companies surveyed in the South Pole report are some of the furthest along when it comes to corporate climate action. Overall, however, most companies havent even started yet. Only 8 percent of a broad group of 77,000 corporations, which includes global Fortune 500 companies, have set a net-zero target, the report found. The more that even the leaders dont talk about what theyre doing, its going to provide less motivation to get that group in the game, Favaloro said.

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Companies are hiding their climate progress. A new report explains why. - Grist

A quick response from Albemarle County firefighters was unable to prevent a residence near Faber from burning to the ground late Tuesday night, leaving its occupant with minor injuries and no place to live.

Albemarle authorities said they were dispatched to the reported blaze in the 6500 block of Faber Road near the Albemarle-Nelson county line just before midnight Tuesday. The first units arrived on the scene in 16 minutes.

Flames continue to burn at the scene of a house fire near Faber on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

Units discovered heavy fire conditions on the first floor of the home spreading to the second floor, according to a statement from the county fire department.

The man living in the residence was able to evacuate safely. Authorities said the unidentified occupant was sleeping when the fire started and was awoken by the smell of smoke.

What remains of a house after a fire near Faber is seen on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

He vacated the residence and was treated for minor injuries on-site. Now displaced, he is currently being assisted by friends and the American Red Cross, authorities said.

No cause for the fire had been determined as of Wednesday afternoon. The Albemarle County Fire Marshal's Office is overseeing the investigation.

A motorcycle sits within the wreckage of house fire near Faber on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

In all, 16 units from Albemarle County and two from Nelson County responded to the fire, according to Albemarle County spokeswoman Logan Bogert.

ACFR remained on scene throughout the day on Wednesday, January 17, to monitor and extinguish any hot spots, Bogert told The Daily Progress.

Albemarle County Fire Rescue units respond to a house fire in the 6560 block of Faber Road near the Nelson County border on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

When The Daily Progress visited the scene Wednesday at noon, two fire engines, one ambulance and one fire rescue vehicle were still present, as well as six firefighters.

Among them was Chuck Pugh, assistant chief of North Garden Volunteer Fire Company. Pugh said he left his home for the fire at 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, and that the house was still considered an active fire 12 hours later. Flames could be seen on a small portion of the property but were being contained by the crew on site.

Chuck Pugh, assistant fire chief with the North Garden Volunteer Fire Department, walks by the remains of a house fire near Faber on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

The house had completely burned down, with what appeared to be a motorcycle among the burnt rubble.

The isolated residence near the woods was hundreds of yards from other residences, and Bogert said no other buildings or properties were damaged during the incident.

What remains of a house in Albemarle County near Faber after a fire destroyed the structure as seen onWednesday, Jan. 17, 2024.

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Albemarle County house burns to the ground in late night fire - The Daily Progress

The OSU offense encountered a variety of changes in the offseason, and it appeared on Saturday night that some of those changes are still a work in progress.

Starting with the quarterbacks.

Garret Rangel was the first quarterback to make his way on the field in OSU's 27-13 win against Central Arkansas. After having little success, there was a change.Alan Bowman took the field during the second quarter, which resulted in two field goals. Gunnar Gundy had the best performance for the Cowboys, beginning with a handoff to Elijah Collins for a touchdown in the fourth quarter, elevating the energy in Boone Pickens Stadium.

Less than three minutes later, Gundy completed a 39-yard pass to Jaden Bray. Five plays later, Gundy handed the ball to Ollie Gordon II, and he paraded into the endzone.

The revolving door at quarterback did not help the offense, and each QB had things to improve on. The Cowboys need one solid leader instead of three.

sports.ed@ocolly.com

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Underwhelming performance: Quarterbacks still a work in progress - Daily O'Collegian

Governor Kathy Hochul and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority today announced the accelerated pace of completion of accessibility projects across the New York City subway system with the opening of another fully accessible station, Grand St L station in Williamsburg, Brooklyn the fourth across the transit system in 2023. The opening followed a summer in which significant progress was made on accessibility improvements. In July, the MTA celebrated Disability Pride Month with a wide array of events and announcements including the opening of three fully accessible stations: Court Square G station in Queens, Dyckman St 1 station in Upper Manhattan, and 8 Av N station in Brooklyn.

The Grand St L station is the most recent example of our hard work to ensure that no New Yorker has to worry about whether they can safely access public transportation, Governor Hochul said. The MTA shares our commitment to delivering accessibility improvements across New York City and will continue to strive to make transit accessible to all.

The pace in which the MTA is awarding contracts for accessibility projects is five times what it was before 2020. The MTA has awarded contracts for 13 stations in 2020, 10 stations in 2021, 13 stations in 2022, and previously announced its plan to award contracts for 17 stations by the end of the year.

During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic when ridership significantly decreased, the MTA prioritized expanding accessibility improvements in the subway by completing 15 accessibility projects. Following today's announcement, there are 142 accessible stations and 30 stations in construction for accessibility upgrades, eight of which are expected to be complete by the end of 2023. Those stations are:

MTA Chair and CEO Janno Lieber said, When it comes to accessibility, the MTA is delivering on an unprecedented commitment both in terms of dollars or number of stations and we are going to keep going at the same pace and level of investment until we achieve full accessibility.

NYC Transit President Richard Davey said, We're excited to welcome Brooklyn L customers to their new, accessible station, which also has also been enhanced with freshly installed eye-catching mosaic artwork by a local Brooklyn-based artist. This has been a summer full of accessibility milestones in the system, from enhanced wayfinding for customers with disabilities to a number of newly accessible subway stations. We will keep up this momentum, and I look forward to celebrating several more accessible stations opening later in 2023.

MTA Construction and Development President Jamie Torres-Springer said, Newly-accessible stations like Grand St L are the fruits of our efforts to execute projects better, faster, and cheaper through innovative delivery methods such as contract bundling. We are on track to complete this particular eight-station package of ADA upgrades, which will greatly improve accessibility not just in Williamsburg but throughout our transit system.

MTA Chief Accessibility Officer and Senior Advisor Quemuel Arroyo said, I'm proud to join my MTA colleagues in opening two new elevators at the Grand St L station, making it the first accessible station in East Williamsburg, as the journey continues to make transit more accessible for everyone including riders with disabilities, seniors, families with strollers, and visitors. Just over a year ago, the MTA joined accessibility advocates to celebrate a settlement that affirmed were all committed to the shared goal to expand accessibility across our subway system, and that continues to materialize, one station at a time.

The Grand St L station accessibility project was funded by a grant provided by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) and completed as part of a design-build package of eight stations throughout the subway system, the first such bundle undertaken by MTA Construction & Development (C&D) to deliver accessibility upgrades better, faster, and cheaper. The remaining stations from that bundle are projected to open later this year.

In June, as part of the stations accessibility design-build package, MTA Arts & Design announced new mosaic artwork commissioned by artist Glendalys Medina, Gratitudes Off Grand. The resulting work is comprised of vividly colored geometric formscircles, diamonds, squares, and rectangles reflecting the artists practice inspired by Tano, hip-hop and Latino cultures and music. Medinas art also focuses on the way humans create sense out of the world such as the way brains organize patterns. For more on this piece, click here.

The 2020-2024 MTA Capital Plan includes a historic investment of $5.2 billion to make 67 subway stations ADA accessible, more than any capital plan in the MTAs history and more than the last three capital plans combined. In addition, the Authority is delivering accessibility projects at an unprecedented pace, completing 21 ADA stations since 2020, double the number of ADA stations completed in the previous six years.

In July, the MTA also began rolling out innovative new wayfinding features across 11 subway stations and 24 stops along the M60 bus route in Manhattan. These tools include:

Representative Nydia M. Velzquez said, I commend the MTA for their commitment to increasing accessibility at subway stations across the city. Access to reliable public transportation is a necessity for many New Yorkers, and the new fully accessible Grand St L subway station in Williamsburg will help ensure people aren't left behind due to disability. I look forward to continuing to work to ensure that New York City's public transportation is accessible for all.

State Senator Julia Salazar said, The installation of ADA-compliant elevators at the Grand St. station is a needed and welcomed improvement that will provide thousands of our neighbors with the accommodations they need to navigate the City. I thank the MTA for listening to our community about the need for accessible public transit.

Assemblymember Emily Gallagher said, People of all physical abilities have the same right to access our mass transit system but that hasn't been the reality for far too long. With the opening of the new elevators at the Grand Street L station, the MTA is one step closer to achieving its obligation. I thank everyone for working so diligently to get this done.

Assemblymember Maritza Davila said, As thousands of New Yorkers commute every day on the subway, its paramount that we work to make the transit systems more accessible. Its great to see that the L train elevators are ADA compliant and the project is completed. This will benefit a lot of commuters who live in the vicinity, especially in a high foot traffic location. Though there is still more work to be done, the ultimate goal is to make our subways systems safe, clean, efficient and accessible for all.

Councilmember Jennifer Gutierrez said, I am thrilled that the Grand Street L station ADA project has been substantially completed, and marks an important step in expanding the inclusivity and accessibility of our neighborhood. I'm deeply grateful to the local community for their patience and understanding, as well as their advocacy, throughout this essential project.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso said, Todays announcement is cause for celebration. Accessibility is freedom, and ADA projects like this are essential for enabling Brooklynites to move about our borough easily and comfortably. Im excited that these elevators are finally up and running, and I look forward to continuing to work with the MTA to build a transit network that prioritizes equity and inclusivity.

The rest is here:

Governor Hochul Announces Progress in Increasing MTA Accessibility - ny.gov

This is my favorite time of the year, although I truly love Maine in every season, with the possible exception of the muddy one.

The last two weeks in August and all of September have everything temperatures that are neither too warm nor too cold, not too much rain (most years), and gardens that produce prolifically both food and flowers.

Yes, weve enjoyed the garden earlier in the season. But now there is more of everything.

In the vegetable garden, beginning in August and continuing until the first frost hits sometime between Sept. 20 (the earliest ever in our Cape Elizabeth garden) and early November, its peak harvest. Early on, were limited to just a few early-season vegetables and fruits like peas and strawberries, plus the cold-frame-assisted lettuce we get in April.

Succession planting gives us peas, beans, beets, chard, carrots throughout the season.

Among the many vegetables were harvesting now are potatoes, peppers, cucumbers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, kale and zucchini and other squashes.

Although corn starts in late July, the tastiest specimens dont arrive until mid August. We stopped growing corn because the raccoons kept getting ours; now we buy it from a local farm. But we still enjoy it several times a week from August until the first frost.

But the real reason this is the best time of year, garden-wise, is tomatoes. In all their varied glory, they are a celebration of summer. During peak season, right now in ordinary years, my wife Nancy and I eat tomatoes just about every day.

The pop-in-your-mouth-whole cherry-size tomatoes come earlier, typically in July, and they are a healthy snack and an accompaniment to lunch-time sandwiches. But it isnt until mid-August that the big, juicy slicers begin to ripen. Big tomatoes, like Beefeater and Big Beef, for two, can weigh up to three pounds apiece! A single slice will cover an entire sandwich.

Im talking hypothetically. This year, with the cooler temperatures and very frequent rains of June, July and August, our tomatoes have mostly been the bite-size varieties, and not even an abundance of those. So far, anyway. We maintain hope for a bountiful harvest, and the green beefy tomatoes are getting bigger.

Now to the flowers.

Most people think spring is prime time for flowering plants, and the early flowering bulb plants and spring-blooming shrubs are certainly welcome after the drab colors of winter. But our gardens have as many if not more flowers in August and September.

Rudbeckia, or black-eyed Susan, is blooming everywhere in our property in the vegetable garden, along the driveway, and in the shady backyard borders, where it thrives despite what the catalogs say about its need for sun. It both self-seeds and spreads underground through is roots.

Echinacea or purple coneflower is another late bloomer; despite the name, it comes in more colors than purple. Echinacea is native to much of the United States, but not necessarily Maine.

Coreopsis tripteris, or tall tickseed, can get up to 9 feet tall. Its delicate yellow flowers sway in gentle breezes and are able to survive strong winds. Nancy planted it in our garden from seed about 40 years ago, and it is one of my favorites.

Two flowers found next to each other in our gardens and in alphabetical flower catalogs are helianthus, perennial sunflower, and helenium (sneezeweed). Both like full sun, are mostly yellow, and are attractive in the fall.

Rose of Sharon, in two varieties, is another favorite. The herbaceous perennial blooms late in the season, grows more than 3 feet tall and has huge flowers that have stopped students walking by our property in their tracks. In contrast to the yellows and oranges common in most fall bloomers, Rose of Sharon herbaceous perennials come in white, blue, rose and purple. The shrub can reach up to 9 feet tall. It has white, pink or purple flowers that emerge late in the season. Usually, we see them in September, though this year, the blooms started in mid-August.

When youre planning your garden, remember the late bloomers.

Tom Atwell is a freelance writer gardening in Cape Elizabeth. He can be contacted at: tomatwell@me.com.

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A progress report: The columnist's garden in September - Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel

Archer said the accomplishments of the RIVER program thus far are particularly impressive considering the program has only been in place for five years. (Image courtesy of Steve McCaw / NIEHS)

Recipients of the NIEHS Outstanding New Environmental Scientists (ONES) and Revolutionizing Innovative, Visionary Environmental Health Research (RIVER) awards gathered at NIEHS for a symposium July 27-28 to discuss their scientific endeavors and forge new connections. More than two dozen plenary talks and nearly as many poster presentations reflected the breadth of the funded research, covering topics that ranged from assessing the impact of indoor air quality on children to pinpointing the mechanisms of chromosome instability in blue whales.

These flagship programs focus on funding people versus projects, said NIEHS Deputy Director Trevor Archer, Ph.D. The researchers we support have demonstrated vision, foresight, and thinking about how environmental science is going to progress over the next decade, and they are enormously successful in building bold and exciting new ideas.

Justin Colacino, Ph.D., of the University of Michigan presented a plenary talk on his ONES grant, which was so successful that he was able to renew it on the first try. Colacinos project focuses on development, stem cells, and breast cancer disparities.

There are really profound disparities in breast cancer incidence and outcomes, said Colacino. Breast cancer mortality rates in Black women compared to Asian women, for instance, are two to three times higher. And we dont have a great handle on whats going on.

Colacino explained what research from his lab and others has shown thus far.

We still have a whole lot of work to do, said Colacino. This support from NIEHS has been a springboard for my career. Im so grateful for the opportunity.

Outside Rodbell Auditorium, the air buzzed with energy as researchers flitted from poster to poster, eagerly making new contacts and absorbing fresh insights.

Its so great to see so many people whose work Ive read and admired in the same room, said ONES awardee Amy Padula, Ph.D., of the University of California, San Francisco, as she presented her poster on the impact of wildfires on preterm birth. I have a long list of people to talk to, and I havent gotten to everybody yet.

In addition to the plenaries and posters, a panel of senior researchers described how they parlayed their ONES award into the prestigious RIVER award. Many of the panelists joked about the daunting task of compressing more than 15 years of their lives into 10 minutes before dutifully regaling the audience with stories of scientific successes and setbacks.

Sequestration hit when I was trying to renew my ONES and was going up for tenure, so that was a challenging time, said Patricia Opresko, Ph.D., of the University of Pittsburgh as she presented a timeline of her career overlaid with grant numbers. But I like to think of all those smaller mid-career grants as stepping stones that eventually led me to the RIVER.

During the Q&A, ONES awardee Alessandro Venosa, Ph.D., of the University of Utah asked whether the panelists thought it was the science itself or the connections they made as ONES recipients that eventually helped them transition to a RIVER award.

For me, it was both, because the ONES was really generous and allowed me to explore a lot of new boundaries beyond the three aims typical of other grants, said Yu-Ying He, Ph.D., of the University of Chicago and former NIEHS posdoc. The collaborations also made those new directions possible and pushed me to think outside the box.

Citations: Nguyen VK, Kahana A, Heidt J, Polemi K, Kvasnicka J, Jolliet O, Colacino JA. 2020. A comprehensive analysis of racial disparities in chemical biomarker concentrations in United States women, 1999-2014. Environ Int 137:105496.

Thong T, Fort CA, Hill EM, Colacino JA. Environmental exposures, stem cells, and cancer. 2019. Pharmacol Ther 204:107398.

Polemi KM, Nguyen VK, Heidt J, Kahana A, Jolliet O, Colacino JA. 2021. Identifying the link between chemical exposures and breast cancer in African American women via integrated in vitro and exposure biomarker data. Toxicology 463:152964.

(Marla Broadfoot, Ph.D., is a contract writer for the NIEHS Office of Communications and Public Liaison.)

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September 2023: Innovative researchers celebrate scientific ... - Environmental Factor Newsletter

Like many athletes, Hoyos placed immense pressure on herself throughout her golf career to overcome challenges and succeed. These high expectations, coupled with a perfectionist mind frame, held her back from executing and enjoying the sport she grew up loving.

Hoyos realized she had to make a mental change if she wanted to be great. During matches, she started letting go and not allow a bad shot to determine the outcome of her overall performance. Hoyos credits her strong mentality as the catalyst for change during her last season at Lynn.

Letting go is the best course of action, said Hoyos. How you react to moments of stress will determine the outcome.

This positive mindset elevated her game and validated her position as a high-caliber athlete. On the last day of Nationals, Coach Keith Larson officially announced that Hoyos won the PING Womens Golf Association (WGCA) Division II Player of the Year award. In addition, Hoyos earned WGCA First Team All-American honors, she was a WGCA All-South Region first-team honoree, the 2023 Sunshine State Conference Golfer of the Year with First-Team All-SSC honors and was also a Honda DII Athlete of the Year finalist. With her new mentality for the game and support from her teammates, she felt on top of the world. It was a great season for me and the whole team. My season at Lynn was a perfect way to end my career as a collegiate athlete.

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Progress over perfectionism - Lynn University

Representatives with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Los Angeles District hosted a public meeting to discuss a Formerly Used Defense Site, or FUDS, project with Clark County residents July 25 at the Aliante Library in Las Vegas.

Geophysicists, munitions experts, chemists and program managers with the South Pacific Divisions Sacramento and Albuquerque districts answered questions about the Nellis Remedial Action Munitions Response Site 03 FUDS Project.

Once the remediation process is complete, the city will benefit by being able to use the land that once presented a potential hazard, said Harry Hendler, Los Angeles District environmental lead and FUDS program manager.

The Department of Defense is responsible for environmental restoration of properties that were formerly owned by, leased to, or otherwise possessed by, the U.S. and under the jurisdiction of the U.S. secretary of defense before October 1986. The Corps executes the program pursuant to the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liabilities Act.

MRS 03 is currently in the remedial investigation phase, but after cleanup is completed, the City of North Las Vegas plans to develop the MRS 03 site into a restaurant and entertainment center (will be zoned as commercial area) to support future UNLV-north campus and nearby communities in North Las Vegas, wrote Kay Chang-Minami, Los Angeles District FUDS project manager, in a provided statement.

There are more than 10,000 potential FUDS properties across the country and its territories ranging in sizes from less than an acre to hundreds of thousands of acres. The FUDS areas can be found in industrial or residential areas as well as on federal, tribal or state properties.

Nellis MRS 03 FUDS Project is going well, Chang-Minami said. Stakeholders are currently reviewing the draft final Quality Assurance Project Plan as it relates to remedial investigation process.

The Corps is dedicated to protecting human health and the environment by investigating and, if required, cleaning up potential contamination or munitions that may remain on these properties from past Department of Defense activities.

Investigation is currently scheduled to start in January 2024 after the holidays, Chang-Minami added.

As of Sept. 30, 2021, approximately 5,400 FUDS areas nationwide have been identified for investigation and cleanup.

The LA District supports the public and military in Arizona with a variety of projects and planning, engineering, construction and environmental services. Projects include flood-risk management, navigation, recreation, and infrastructure and environmental stewardship.

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LA District FUDS team makes progress on Nellis Remedial Action ... - spl.usace.army.mil

(SACRAMENTO)

If youre driving in the area of Highway 50 and E. Bidwell Street in Folsom, you may notice new signs of progress on UC Davis Healths planned medical campus. Crews are preparing the site for the first of three projects: a 112,000 square foot outpatient clinic. Two new signs also proclaim the area the future home of the Folsom Center for Health.

One of the signs was unveiled on Friday in an event at the worksite. A construction worker used a crane to remove a drape that was covering it, revealing the name and the partners behind the project: UC Davis Health, contractor Rudolph and Sletten, designers LPAS Architecture and Design and Boulder Associates and construction management team Jacobs.

UC Davis Health leaders, partners and officials from the City of Folsom were on hand for the event.

Were excited to be moving forward on this critical project to expand and innovate patient care in Folsom, said Mike Condrin, interim chief administrator for UC Davis Medical Center and chief operating officer for UC Davis Health Hospital Division. Weve been caring for Folsom for more than two decades, and this project will allow us to consolidate and grow primary and specialty care in the area while modernizing at the same time.

The new three-story outpatient clinic, called the Folsom Medical Office Building, will include primary and specialty care, a lab for blood draws, ophthalmology and an optic shop. It will also feature imaging and an infusion suite offering treatments for cancer patients and other services. The building will have unobstructed views of the Sierra foothills.

The City of Folsom is excited to celebrate the progress of UC Davis Healths future medical campus in Folsom Ranch, said Folsom Mayor Rosario Rodriguez. With groundwork already underway, this expansion will ensure the health and wellness of our residents by providing top-tier, accessible outpatient medical care close to home. With 40 acres dedicated to this campus, UC Davis Health is positioned to expand alongside the city, planning for the Folsom communitys needs today and for many generations.

The $171 million medical building, set to be completed in 2025, is the first of several projects planned for the lot at the southwest corner of Highway 50 and E. Bidwell, in Folsom Ranch. Also planned are a surgery center, a hotel and a micro-hospital with an emergency department with up to 30 beds. The project will evolve with the areas needs, notes Condrin.

The beauty of this project is that we can adapt and grow with the community. Our goal is to provide the services people need from maternity care to advanced imaging close to home so that people dont need to drive to Sacramento to get specialty care, Condrin explained.

The new health campus will utilize the latest in technology, with a focus on delivering more care outside of the hospital, in outpatient centers, clinics or at home, reducing costs and making patients more comfortable.

UC Davis Health is following the University of California Sustainable Practices Policy for the project, ensuring that energy efficiency, water conservation, waste reduction and efficient transportation are incorporated in the design from the beginning.

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Signs of progress on new Folsom Medical Office Building - UC Davis Health