"The State Counsellor" marks the latest film outing for novelist Boris Akunin's Fandorin character after local smash "Turkish Gambit." New movie sees the franchise maturing with a darker tone and an older thesp as lead, while sophomore helmer Filipp Yankovsky is alleged to have been guided by pic's producer and co-star Nikita Mikhalkov.
With: Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Oleg Tabakov, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Maria Mironova, Mikhail Efremov, Emilia Spivak, Oksana Fandera, Alexei Gorbunov.
Opulent Russian thriller “The State Counsellor” marks the latest film outing for novelist Boris Akunin’s Fandorin character after local smash “Turkish Gambit.” New movie sees the franchise maturing with a darker tone and an older thesp as lead (Oleg Menshikov replacing Yegor Beroyev), while sophomore helmer Filipp Yankovsky (“Moving”) is alleged to have been guided by pic’s producer and co-star Nikita Mikhalkov. More polished than “Gambit” but less fun, “Counsellor” scored disappointing numbers at home post-April release, but meatier subject could help export product overseas if marketing departments take wise counsel.
Although pic’s script assumes some awareness of sleuthing abilities of Poirot-like hero Erast Fandorin (Menshikov), hardly any knowledge of Akunin’s original thrillers or “Turkish Gamibit” is necessary. Story unfolds in 1891, 14 years after events depicted in previous film, a turbulent period when anarchist groups, treated with great sympathy here, are sowing the seeds that will be harvested in the revolutions to come.
A high-ranking official is killed on a train by an assassin calling himself State Counsellor Erast Fandorin. Of course, the killer is not the real Fandorin (Menshikov) — who is summoned to solve the murder — but an anarchist named Green (Konstantin Khabensky), who is in contact with a double agent working within the state department.
Fandorin’s task is to hunt down Green and his cronies and sniff out the rat. Fandorin investigates a selection of suspects, at one point disseminating misinformation to see who’s the leak. Jocular but ruthlessly ambitious top cop Pozharsky (Mikhalkov) helps out.
Meanwhile, Green starts to suspect his informant, whom he’s never met, may have an agenda not entirely congruent with the aims of the proletariat. And, Green’s joining forces with another terrorist, Kozir (Vladimir Mashkov), produces friction when Kozir’s prostitute g.f. Juli (Maria Mironova) proves fickle with her favors. Seems like the only person Green can trust is aristo-turned-anarchist Igla (Oksana Fandera) — or can he?
As detective fiction, plot is passable but not gripping, while helming credited to Yankovsky is competent but somewhat lacking in juice. For the record, script softens ending of original Akunin book, but the cynicism about the State’s tolerance of the unscrupulous still lingers throughout, striking a contempo resonance for Russian auds.
Pic’s more-than-able ensemble go at the material with gusto, with extra plaudits due to a soulful Khabensky (on a second outing with Yankovsky after “Moving”) and a serpent-sleek Mikhalkov, whose respective characters rep contrasting alter egos for the hero. Only Menshikov himself disappoints with his excessively prissy, charisma-free Fandorin.
In typical Russian period-pic style, production design by Vladimir Aronin, costumes (Sergei Struchyov) and use of snowy locations are all aces, with well-balanced widescreen lensing by Vladislav Opelyants. Trashy pop song over the closing credits that sounds like a Eurovision Song Contest reject is truly abysmal, but could be shorn for foreign export.
Production: A Nikita Mikhalkov's Studio Tri-Te production, in association with Channel One, Mosfilm, with the support of Russian Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography. (International sales: Channel One, Moscow.) Produced by Leonid Vereshchagin, Mikhalkov. Executive producers, Natalia Birulina, Alexei Balashov, Sergei Gurevich. Directed by Filipp Yankovsky. Screenplay, Boris Akunin.
Crew: Camera (color, widescreen), Vladislav Opelyants; editors, Enzo Meniconi, Yaroslav Mochalov; music, Enri Lolashvili; production designer, Vladimir Aronin; costumes, Sergei Struchyov; sound (Dolby Digital), Konstantin Zarin. Reviewed at Sochi Open Russian Film Festival (competing), June 12, 2005. Running time: 130 MIN.
With: With: Oleg Menshikov, Nikita Mikhalkov, Konstantin Khabensky, Vladimir Mashkov, Oleg Tabakov, Fyodor Bondarchuk, Maria Mironova, Mikhail Efremov, Emilia Spivak, Oksana Fandera, Alexei Gorbunov.


A new project visualizes the responses to a 20-questions-style game in which participants are asked to think about one thing that they are most passionate about.
Swedish insurance company Folksam has created an emotional barometer that attempts to capture the sentiment of the country. The project visualizes the responses to a 20-questions-style game in which participants are asked to think about one thing that they are most passionate about. After the questions are asked and the passion uncovered, participants are given a visualization showing others with their passions and the breakdown of different responses throughout the country.


Police in the southern province of Binh Duong have dropped charges against a local police officer who fatally hit a man on a motorbike while driving a car, saying he was not at fault, VnExpress reported Friday.
The Thu Dau Mot town police concluded that Captain Le Quang Binh, 36, was not culpable since he was driving in the correct lane when the accident happened on October 20 while the victim was not.
Binh, who came under fire for not stopping after hitting Nguyen Huu Quan, 27, had merely "panicked," Senior Lieutenant-Colonel Nguyen Quoc Tuan, deputy chief of the Thu Dau Mot police, said.
Binh was driving a friend's car back to a party he had been attending when he hit a motorist.
He did not get out of the car, thinking it was a minor mishap, the police claimed.
But passers-by were outraged and chased him. It was when he was fleeing the scene that he hit Quan's motorbike.
The officer, who was being chased by dozens of people, dragged Quan's motorbike for some two kilometers, they said. Quan died of his injuries two days later in hospital.
Pham Xuan Truong, chief of the Binh Duong police office, said though Binh would not face criminal charges, the department was considering action against him.


It's impossible not to have that face and energy onscreen and not feel happy and good. When she's off, it sort of affects everything and everyone and that's why we'll tell that arc in the first four of five episodes. She's not suffering for that long because that's a painful thing to watch. She's our sunshine.
With Garcia's upbeat nature having been impacted by the events of the Season 14 premiere, what may be a short time, relatively speaking, might feel longer. Criminal Minds' showrunner revealing to TV Insider that Garcia's mood will be overcast for around four episodes does not sound that lengthy. However, the show's fourteenth season is currently slated to run for fifteen episodes, meaning that this is almost a third of the season. So, Garcia's return to her upbeat nature will not be a blink-and-you-missed-it event.
That said, the crime drama will not be lingering on it for a great deal of time for the reasons the showrunner mentioned. So, there is light at the end of the tunnel as fans settle in for Criminal Minds to contribute a significant block of the season to explore this side of the usually upbeat character.
As showrunner Erica Messer points out, Garcia is the show's source of sunshine, and when the sun is eclipsed, it tends to get noticed. Garcia will not be alone in facing darker times ahead. Messer also teased that Season 14 will find Reid pausing to reflect after being tortured in the premiere.
Maybe he and Garcia can help each other? With her facing a challenging time in her life, fans should prepare for an arc that will take them through some ups and downs. It is sad but realistic for her not rebound from a trauma overnight, or in the span of a single episode. While Criminal Minds' showrunner revealed how long Garcia's dark side would last, she did not reveal the mechanism that will eventually help Garcia overcome the darkness so that she can shine again.
While time heals, fans will have to tune in to see if anything else plays a role in helping her. Given how Garcia's personality helps stave off the show's own dark side, that development will be a significant game changer for the crime drama. Stepping in to provide some light in the meantime, will be Rossi's reignited romance with his ex-wife, and he is not the only one whose personal life will be explored in the current season.
In that vein, there will be lots to look forward to as the latest installment in the crime procedural moves forward. The fourteenth season of Criminal Minds continues Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS. The crime procedural is joined by a ton of new programming arriving on CBS, along with other series coming this fall.


The outlook for the U.S. stock market next year ranges from a gain of about 16% to nearly no gain at all.
It's crystal ball time for Wall Street stock strategists.
For 2018, will it be a big gain for stocks? Or little or no gain?
The most optimistic forecaster says the U.S. stock market — which has risen nearly 20% this year — will post another year of sizable returns.
The market's biggest skeptic thinks the rally will stall and stocks will end next year pretty much where they're trading now.
That said, year-end predictions are more art than science. And predicting the future isn't necessarily Wall Street's strong suit. At the start of 2017, for example, not a single strategist at 18 top banks saw the Standard & Poor's 500 stock index rising as much as it has. The average gain predicted was 5.5% and the biggest bull saw stocks rising 12%, according to Bloomberg.
If the average prediction had been right, a 401(k) investor with $10,000 invested in the S&P 500 at the start of 2017 would have gained $550. That's well shy of the market's actual return of nearly $2,000.
Reviewing Wall Street pros' predictions for the year ahead, however, provides investors with an outline of factors that might move stock prices.
A USA TODAY analysis of more than a dozen 2018 predictions from Wall Street's biggest banks found a wide variation in where stocks are headed. The most bullish year-end price target for the S&P 500 is 3,100, or nearly 16% higher than its current level of 2,680. The least optimistic prediction is 2,750, which represents a gain of less than 3%. The average target is 2,883, or a return of roughly 7.5%.
No one is calling for a big drop in stock prices.
The reason for the most bullish call on Wall Street can be summed up in one word: earnings. And investors can point to President Trump and the Republican Congress, who have put into law a tax cut plan that will likely boost U.S. companies.
Tony Dwyer, the chief market strategist at New York financial firm Canaccord Genuity, says lower corporate taxes under the plan will add up to bigger profits and larger stock gains in 2018.
Dwyer last week raised his year-end 2018 target for the S&P 500 to 3,100, up from an earlier prediction of 2,800, when it became clear that the proposal to slash the corporate tax rate to 21% from 35% would become a reality.
Wall Street's biggest bull now expects the 500 big companies in the index to post overall earnings per share of $155 next year, up more than 10% from his prior earnings forecast that didn't include the tax cuts.
"Clarity on tax legislation," is bullish for stocks, says Dwyer, adding that companies will return some of their tax windfall to investors through dividends and stock buybacks, which makes their earnings growth look better.
Dwyer is advising investors to buy stocks next year even if they suffer periodic declines in price.
The biggest beneficiaries of corporate tax cuts, he says, will be financial companies, including banks, and the energy industry, which should both see profit boosts of about 20% under the new tax law.
And while Dwyer says there is a good "possibility of a near-term correction," he says the market still has a number of factors working in its favor. His upbeat outlook for stocks assumes the market will benefit from a continuing recovery in the global economy, accelerating business activity in the U.S., more investment spending by businesses, rising wages and the profit boost from corporate tax cuts.
After big gains this year, most Wall Street strategists see the market posting single-digit percentage gains in 2018. David Kostin, chief equity strategist at Goldman Sachs, whose year-end S&P 500 target of 2,850 is near the average, sees the market rising 6.3%.
Kostin downplays fears of a mania and bases his outlook on "rational exuberance."
The key underpinnings of the market remain in place, including faster GDP growth, slowly rising interest rates and corporate profit growth aided by tax cuts.
"The bull market will continue in 2018," Kostin says.
Don't expect another year of big gains and market calm, says Michael Wilson, chief U.S. equity strategist at Morgan Stanley.
Instead, prepare for bigger price drops from time to time and an annual gain of just 2% to 3% in 2018, he says. His year-end target is 2,750.
Why is Wilson, one of Wall Street's biggest bulls in 2017, turning more cautious?
A lot of the good news, such as improving growth around the globe and strong corporate earnings, may already be reflected in higher stock prices, he says. Investors, he warns, might start pricing in "deteriorating" business conditions.
In 2017, virtually all types of stocks, both in the U.S. and around the world, went up together, due to a rare occurrence of "synchronous growth," a term that describes a world in which virtually all economies are growing at the same time.
"That is likely to change in 2018," Wilson warns in his outlook report. "Calm is likely to wane," too.
The market could get more turbulent as the global recovery becomes more uneven, or less synchronous, Wilson says. He also expects corporate earnings growth, a key driver of stocks in 2017, to peak in the first half of 2018.
More tepid profits "inevitably will bring some heartburn for investors," Wilson notes.
Wilson also points out that the economic recovery is in its ninth year, or in its late stages. And while an aging recovery is "not bearish" for stocks, it does mean the U.S. economy will eventually suffer a recession, he says.
And while Wilson says it's too early to call for an economic contraction, investors may start to reprice stocks at lower levels to account for a recession in 2019.
Next year might also be when the market finally sees "full-blown euphoria," with retail investors plowing money into stocks, signaling a peak in prices, he adds.
Participation from retail investors "may be the final missing ingredient to conclude this cyclical bull market," Wilson wrote. "We suspect that could happen in early 2018."


Falling donations, rising costs close 2 Easter Seals camps in B.C.
Summer camps to be closed in Squamish, Shawnigan Lake provided programs for children and young adults with disabilities.
Two summer camps for disabled children will not run next year as the charity that operates them faces a million-dollar cash shortfall.
Since the 1960s, the Easter Seals charity has operated three summer camps in B.C. for hundreds of children with disabilities.
This week the charity announced it is closing two of those camps, at Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island, and near Squamish.
Only the camp at Winfield in the Okanagan will operate next year.
"This is not a happy time for us, "Charlene Krepiskevich, the president and CEO of Easter Seals for BC and the Yukon, told On the Island host Gregor Craigie Wednesday.
"We are facing a declining support base, philanthropic giving is going down, not just for us but charities across Canada," Krepiskevich said. "Smaller charities are really feeling the pinch."
Ann Auld, whose adult daughter Zola has been attending the camp at Shawnigan Lake since childhood, said the loss is so devastating she can't yet break the news to her.
"These are the opportunities that just don't happen at any other time in these young people's lives," she said.
The single parent said the six-day camp is also her only respite from care for her daughter during the year.
Zola won't part with the "I Love Camp" wristband she receives at registration and keeps next to her bed after she returns home, Auld said.
"This is her way of telling me that this is her happy place."
Krepiskevich acknowledged the loss of the Squamish and Shawnigan Lake camps will hit hard for families who used them.
"Right now it's very cherished for five weeks of the year but what else should we be doing with that facility, you know, at that kind of cost?" she said. Camp Shawnigan alone is a $700,000-a year-operation.
The charity is encouraging families who usually attend Shawnigan Lake and Squamish to consider sending their children to the Winfield camp this year.
"We know it's a long way away," Krepiskevich said. "This is November and so we're giving families as much notice as we possibly can so they can plan."
With the closing of the camp, Krepsikevich said Easter Seals (also known as the BC Lions Society for Children with Disabilities) is now preparing to reimagine its mandate.
The charity's board and community will now begin to consider the role of the charity in the context of program gaps that exist for people of all ages with disabilities, and gaps in services such as respite, transition support for children 'aging out' of care and housing.


Well maintained ranch home with newer steel roof, all appliances, window covering, and more. Nestled along Cayuta Creek with great fishing close by, they stock the creek at the end of the road twice a year, Conveniently located between Ithaca, Horseheads, Elmira, and Waverly. Attached garage has a nice workshop right out back. This home is part of the 100% Money Back Guarantee Program, certain terms, & conditions apply.


A number of trains between Cambridge and King's Lynn will be affected by disruption on the rails this afternoon.
A speed restriction is in place between the two stations due to a defective track.
Train services are likely to be delayed or revised until 5pm.
National Rail is asking people to continue to travel as normal.
Network Rail engineers have been dispatched to the site to investigate, until they have confirmed the track is safe, trains will run at a reduced speed.
You can read all about it in our live blog below.
That’s all from us today folks, we’ll be bringing you all the latest breaking news from Cambridge and beyond.
Train services in both directions will proceed at caution over a defective section of track between Kings Lynn and Ely, extending journey times by up to 10 minutes.
A speed restriction over defective track between Kings Lynn and Ely means that trains have to run at a rescued speed between these stations. A normal service is expected to resume by 17:00.
It’s been a day of train trouble.
This morning a number of services between Cambridge and London King’s Cross were delayed and cancelled due to engineering work which overran. This lasted until around 11am, causing problems for many commuters.
You can read more about it by clicking the link below.
A regular service is still in operation, however services are having to run at a reduced speed, therefore they may experience small delays. A regular service is still in operation, however services are having to run at a reduced speed, therefore they may experience small delays.
Network Rail engineers have been dispatched to site to investigate. Until they have confirmed the track is safe, trains will have to run at a reduced speed.
National Rail has confirmed services will be delayed until 3.45pm, due to a speed restriction on a defective track between Cambridge and King’s Lynn.


Many are people are talking about how to prevent violence in Chicago. But today, officials asked a new group to join the discussion: young residents at the Cook County juvenile jail. WBEZ's Susie An reports.


Hollywood stars can now be recreated so perfectly through technology that actors are drawing up wills to control how their digital selves perform long after their death, the Oscar-winning British special effects team behind the film Gravity has said.
The revelation comes after another British company, CereProc, helped to produce an audio recording of John F Kennedy “delivering” the speech he was due to give on the day in 1963 that he was assassinated.
According to the special effects company Framestore, however, technology now allows for much more. Sir William Sargent, Framestore’s chief executive, says special effects have broken the equivalent of the four-minute mile, which is to make a digital human that convinces viewers it is real.
Framestore was responsible for a chocolate bar commercial that featured a digital recreation of Audrey Hepburn, after approval from her sons. “It was a high-risk venture as they could have stopped it at any time,” said Sir William.
The Framestore team, talking exclusively to The Daily Telegraph ahead of our series on British technology, running all next week, revealed that such developments might include the use of artificial intelligence alongside digital representations of dead actors.
The commercial and philosophical ramifications are immense. A full examination of the extraordinary part British companies are playing in the creation of virtual, computer-generated alternative worlds will form part of next week’s Telegraph series Hunting the UK’s First Trillion Dollar Company.
For now, Framestore is marrying excitement about new technological possibilities with a degree of trepidation.
“I would be deeply unhappy if I was creating things that were emotially or physically damaging,” said Sir William.


The fundraiser will take place 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday at The Hawk, 468 W. Anaheim St.
A close friend of Don Campbell's started the fundraiser after the retired sergeant's suicide outside an LBPD substation last week.
Local entrepreneur and creator of the city's only food tour company, Layla Ali-Ahmad, is currently undergoing treatment for stage four breast cancer.
Walk MS: Long Beach is expected to draw an estimated 2,500 people to El Dorado Park North on Saturday, April 14 with the goal of raising funds to help those affected with MS, Walk MS announced.
Long Beach local jazz legend Helen Borgers passed away Sunday after being hospitalized for nine weeks due to deteriorating health issues. She was 60.
Next week, Michael’s on Naples Ristorante and Chianina Steakhouse will hold a fundraiser to help the restaurant industry in Sonoma and Napa Valley impacted by the fires.
California Pizza Kitchen is hosting a statewide fundraiser Monday, November 6 through Wednesday November 8 to support communities impacted by the recent Northern California wildfires, CPK officials announced.
Long Beach State Men’s Basketball will play against CSU Bakersfield at the Walter Pyramid on Monday, October 30, with all proceeds from the game to go toward supporting relief efforts for the California fires this past month.
California Pizza Kitchen (CPK) is hosting a nationwide fundraiser on Tuesday to aid relief efforts for residents and communities impacted by Hurricane Harvey.


One day after Obama and Netanyahu discuss Iran, Tehran announced it will allow nuclear inspectors access to the Parchin site.
Iran said Tuesday it will allow International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit the Parchin military complex near Tehran.
The UN nuclear watchdog will be granted access to the suspected nuclear site at a time to be announced, the semi-official ISNA news agency reported Tuesday.
Iran's permanent envoy to the IAEA said Tuesday the move was a gesture of goodwill.
The visit will not be allowed, however, until an agreement is reached on inspection guidelines, according to the ISNA.
It is believed that Parchin is home to a large chamber designed for testing the high-explosives necessary to detonate the core of a nuclear warhead.
The IAEA noted the potential test chamber on recent satellite photos requested to visit the site last month during talks in Tehran, but the request was denied.
The nuclear watchdog last visited the site in 2005, but did not look in the area where the explosives chamber is believed to be located.
The site could be a potential target in a possible Israeli attack on Iranian nuclear sites.
US President Barak Obama met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu where Iran's nuclear program was at the top of their agenda.
Also Monday, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany announced they would resume nuclear talks with Iran.


Mark Zuckerberg, Snoop Dogg and Sean Parker pictured, last month.
No, its not a scene out of The Social Network II – it occurred earlier this month after the social networking duo got into a public brawl outside a Hollywood night spot over Facebook’s involvement with music streaming service Spotify.
The scrap followed the launch of the Spotify/Facebook partnership at West Hollywood nightclub. Parker has shares in the Euro streaming giant.
The music and social partnerships, announced last month at Facebook F8 conference, also include Berkeley-based MOG and San Francisco-based Rdio as digital music sales slump.
The integration of Spotify and Facebook “is very similar to what I dreamed of 10 years ago” Parker declared at the lavish party Facebook’s f8 party last month, where pigs roasted on a double-decker spit, and The Killers and Snoop Dogg all took to the live stage.
But the ‘dream’ may not be all roses: “Sean and Mark had done the big Spotify launch and headed to The Beverly to party. They spent a lot of money on alcohol, and as the night went on they got into an intense discussion, which turned into a loud argument as they left” a ‘source’ told New York Post.
Or at least he hopes so.


Kemp the supply-side tax cutter and Dole the dogged budget balancer have been ideological enemies for almost two decades. At some point the political antagonism tilted into the personal. Kemp was partly responsible for the single most painful political betrayal in Dole’s life. In 1985, after the supply-side tax cuts championed by Kemp were followed by an exploding federal deficit, Dole pushed through the Senate a politically daring curb on cost of living adjustments (COLAS) for Social Security recipients. To squeeze out a one-vote majority in the Senate, Dole had to arrange for Republican Pete Wilson, then a Senator from California, to be wheeled in from emergency surgery. But when the bill got to the House, Kemp, who still believed that growth spurred by tax cuts would make deep spending cuts unnecessary, got White House chief of staff Donald Regan to persuade Ronald Reagan to oppose it. The bill died after Reagan allied himself with none other than Democratic Speaker Tip O’Neill to do it in. The episode helped Democrats regain control of the Senate the next year. Dole aides said Kemp would never be forgiven.


Sept. 5, 2018 2:59 p.m.
I am excited about the BYU win, but Ute and Cougar fans need to play nice for a few more weeks. Ute fans will look dumb if Arizona turns out to be pretty good and they lose to KT and the Wildcats. Cougar fans better not brag about beating Arizona, Arizona might be 3-9 this year. Let's wait until after week 3 when we have more data points on the teams before we start the trash talk. :) Go Cougs!
Sept. 5, 2018 1:03 p.m.
How is it that BYU had 3 months to prepare for an Arizona team lead by a new head coach and a new offensive coordinator?
It could easily be argued that BYU didn’t have any time to prepare for Arizona except for base defense.
Sept. 4, 2018 2:53 p.m.
Now begins the challenge for BYU. They had 3 months to prepare for Arizona and earned the upset. They have 7 days to prepare for Cal, then 7 days to prepare for Wisconsin. How well can the young staff make weekly adjustments?
Sept. 4, 2018 11:59 a.m.
One penalty, or two, doesn’t change the fact that Utah fans rushed the field THREE times after beating a rival that they supposedly no longer care about.
You’ve legitimately earned your designation as the 2nd most rival obsessed fan base in the country.
Sept. 4, 2018 8:49 a.m.
"Why do the Ute "fans" still rush the field when you beat BYU? One year they even rushed the field 3 times getting 2 penalties in the process!"
This statement is false. In 2012, one penalty was called on the fans when a game ending field goal attempt was blocked and the fans came onto the field prior to the play being called dead. That was the only penalty called in the last sequence of events in that game.
The first "ending" to the game ended up not being the end as 1 second was put back on the clock (no penalty). The second "ending", the blocked FG attempt, resulting in a penalty and one untimed down. The third "ending" was the real end when the FG attempt hit the upright.
You're the national wimp, unwilling to travel anywhere east of the Rocky Mountains - Michigan (3-9) and No Illinois are the only two exceptions to that in the last decade.
Sept. 3, 2018 9:46 p.m.
Why do the Ute "fans" still rush the field when you beat BYU? One year they even rushed the field 3 times getting 2 penalties in the process! Can't wait to see how Utah fares against KT and the Wildcats! I will be interested to see how Utah and it's fans react to upsetting a team from another P5 conference but I will have to wait until bowl season if the Utes can qualify for a bowl game this year!
Sept. 3, 2018 8:06 p.m.
How much national exposure does Utah get for losing to 4-8 Oregon or 3-9 WSU and finishing 9th in the PAC 12, 5th in their division?
USC was unranked and coming off a blowout loss to Alabama when Utah barely beat the Trojans.
The only who were “impressed” were Utah fans.
USC would have destroyed U if you’d played the Trojans in late November, instead of early September.
No hype, that’s an absolute certainty.
Sept. 3, 2018 6:26 p.m.
Sept. 3, 2018 5:33 p.m.
Unlike Utah BYU gets national exposure by playing at places like LSU, Mississippi State, Texas, Michigan State.(previous years) Wisconsin this year and Tennessee. (next year) Utah schedules only in the West and complains about going to Northern Illinois.
You're the national cupcake, willing to travel anywhere.
Sept. 3, 2018 4:41 p.m.
The only way you earn sub-.500 pac 12 bottom feeder record is to lose more conference games than you win. In my opionion, BYU had a great game plan and the execution was better than at any time last year. Let’s wait and see how Arizona does at Utah. If Tate is healthy, I bet he gets more than 14 yards against u. The U’s conference record last year was sub .500. I’m glad everyone can recognize what a bottom feeder is.
Sept. 3, 2018 3:58 p.m.
It’s now officially been 3,201 days since byu-p last beat us.....Ouch!
8 straight & counting is soon upon us!
What I say to that is a big So What? Not everyone cares about the rivalry which really doesn't mean much anymore. Unlike Utah BYU gets national exposure by playing at places like LSU, Mississippi State, Texas, Michigan State.(previous years) Wisconsin this year and Tennessee. (next year) Utah schedules only in the West and complains about going to Northern Illinois.
Sept. 3, 2018 3:39 p.m.
"Just to be fair, make sure you jump on Ute articles and read comments from Y fans."
Do 2 wrongs make a right?
I comment on Utah boards, always respectfully although I don't wear rose colored glasses.
But if it's so annoying, people need to stop doing it - I think my most recent Utah comment was mentioning how the Washington was clearly a good opponent for Auburn.
Sept. 3, 2018 2:36 p.m.
Ute fans sure are embarrassing sometimes.
Just to be fair, make sure you jump on Ute articles and read comments from Y fans.
Sept. 3, 2018 2:28 p.m.
Throwback to old style BYU football. No spectacular receivers or running backs or defensive backs. No obvious 1st round picks anywhere.
But receivers ran their routes and got open. They caught all of the catchable passes. Steady performance on the ground behind a massive OL by half a dozen backs supporting the main ball carrier.
Several backs catching the ball out of the backfield including screen passes. Even the fullback. Tight ends involved. Receivers blocking.
The only thing missing was the draw play. Clean up some bad throws and bone head penalties, and we beat CAL Saturday night.
Sept. 3, 2018 1:47 p.m.
AU = Auburn University.....In this case, you meant U of A.
KT was a Heisman candidate in RRod’s run-first system, not in the pass-first/pocket-passer system Sumlin employs.
Sumlin/Mazzone effectively neutralized U of A’s only hope for Ws this year by shackling KT/putting cement blocks on his feet.....He wasn’t recruited to play in this sort of system, period.
Their game-plan was utterly mind-boggling.
Yet, byu-p could only beat them by merely 5 points.
If history is any indicator, U of A will finish as a sub-.500 PAC-12 bottom-feeder, since that’s the only sort of PAC-12 opponent byu-p’s ever able to beat.
Sept. 3, 2018 1:15 p.m.
Sept. 3, 2018 12:33 p.m.
C’mon man! Show a little class. Admit that you were wrong and that BYU played a good game and AU did not. Why can’t you just once be reasonably honest in your evaluation.
Sept. 3, 2018 1:13 p.m.
I have never been a Mangum fan. His freshman year was pedestrian and his junior year was a nightmare. That being said, Saturday by far was his best game. It isn’t always about the stats. There was no hero ball or panic. Grimes dialed up a great game plan and Mangum executed it. I don’t even mind the dirt balls. I’d rather have them only where the receiver can get it rather than a pick. Grimes also put in many roll outs which plays in to some of Mangum’s best throws in the past. It also gave him more time to throw but in a structured way instead of panic.
This is just one game versus two years of mediocre to poor play so I am cautiously optimistic that Mangum just needed the right coach and the right system.
Sept. 3, 2018 11:34 a.m.
I’m extremely impressed with Mangum and Canada. Even though Arizona had the 118th defense last year, it’s still a good road win. WAY overhyped Tate! Hopefully the media will give that a rest now. If Mangum and Canada stay healthy all season, the cougs will have a good year, and will most definitely go bowling. Super happy football season is rolling. Good luck cougs!
Sept. 3, 2018 11:05 a.m.
I had to do a double take on that comment too. Go back and carefully reread the comment. The author used two hyphens to throw in a side comment, so that the phrase after the second hyphen actually refers to the game just played, not anything that occurred last year. The author's writing is technically (grammatically) correct, but it was just a poor piece of writing -- too easy to be misunderstood.
Sept. 3, 2018 10:37 a.m.
I tip my hat to them.
Sept. 3, 2018 10:05 a.m.
As a former lineman, I couldn’t be prouder of the line performance. We played a good game and except for 4th quarter “prevent defense” that always allows a team to pick up running yardage, our defense was awesome. Hopefully the secondary will improve. One of the biggest factors “No Turn Overs”. Keep it up.
Sept. 3, 2018 10:04 a.m.
Lets hope the team doesn't get too full of themselves and start reading articles this week that say they will be 11-2.
Take the games one at a time and realize that it doesn't take too many mistakes or plays off to lose a game.
Sept. 3, 2018 10:02 a.m.
Sept. 3, 2018 9:52 a.m.
I think evaluating Mangum is tough her. Someone above implied giving him some slack for it being his first game...but in perspective I have issue with that.
Mangum had a terrible year last and has openly admitted that much of it was his fault....gaining unhealthy weight, mentally not committed...etc etc. Then on the flip side he is often referenced by many as a co-mvp to Winston in the Elite training camp. He came on the scene in 2015 performing good and gave high hopes.
So what are we supposed to expect as fans? Look at Alabama’s QB (I won’t attempt his name ) He played awesome for his first game and he’s not a senior with co- mvp credentials. Is there a reason I should expect less from Tanner than I do from any other “elite” QB? Tanner had a promising first year, then played behind a QB now playing behind Drew Brees, then in a lot of ways threw away his junior year...so yes I expect a lot from Tanner. One of them being to not throw balls into the dirt 3 times.
Sept. 3, 2018 9:35 a.m.
"The big 3rd quarter all wraps up into one play- the one where Collie made a circus catch out of a badly thrown Mangum pass."
I guess we see it differently.
The OL, which was doing a great job, allowed 2 guys through (both TEs blew their blocking assignments), Tanner had been touched twice and was running up in the pocket when he delivered a strike under pressure.
The ball was thrown perfectly, Collie had pressure from above and behind him and made the catch of the game on that. Had it not been a perfect strike it would have been an interception or incomplete.
the next pass was to Bushman who caught it in stride, it basically landed in his shirt pocket.
Tanner had some passes that weren't great - but the one you pointed out was an incredible play by Tanner.
Sept. 3, 2018 9:11 a.m.
I am fairly confident BYU will beat Cal at home. The Bears have beaten some good teams in Berkeley but are generally ineffective on the road. The big test will be at Camp Randall (stadium) vs Wisconsin. Wisconsin winning is a given but how BYU plays against possibly the best team in the Big Ten will say a lot. In that case a moral victory is very acceptable and we can see how much BYU has really improved.
Sept. 3, 2018 9:04 a.m.
Um, Jeff - please advise which PAC 12 team BYU beat last year in late October. San Jose St, UNLV, and Hawaii don’t count.
Thanks in large part to a dominating, 21-point third-quarter barrage, the Cougars (1-0) won their season-opener — last year it wasn’t until late October that BYU finally earned its first win over an FBS opponent — against a Pac-12 foe on the road.
Sept. 3, 2018 8:55 a.m.
The Ute fans can’t quite leave it alone, can ya?
Sept. 3, 2018 8:53 a.m.
They told us that Grimes was a linemen genius. the Grimes hire was what BYU needed. You win and lose by your linemen. Tanner had plenty of time, 0 sacks, Canada had big holes to run through.
The key to beating Zona was to take away the run and make them pass it. Rushing 3 men, blitzing sparingly while our capable linebackers patrolled the gaps strangled the wildcat's running game.
Byu is going tobe solid against any run team....but will struggle against a good passing QB.
Sept. 3, 2018 8:46 a.m.
If you recorded the game and intend on watching it again, notice how the AU defensive and offensive linemen seemed to be on roller skates with every snap. The BYU offensive and defensive lines were overpowering, especially Khyiris Tonga. Even the ESPN commentators mentioned how often he pushed his blockers back into the AU QB! Want to know why their vaunted QB had a rough game running? He was running for his life, away from Khyiris Tonga and BYU's defense! Sometimes AU had to keep a back in to double team trying to block him! Mangum did fine but it was a team victory with the O and D lines being the difference.
Sept. 3, 2018 8:34 a.m.
Sept. 3, 2018 8:28 a.m.
BYU has definitely been there before. However, I think any team that experiences their worst season in 60 years is allowed to celebrate big after a win the first game of the next season. BYU was a 10 point dog and few gave them a chance. As a BYU fan, I have no problem with the celebration after the disaster which was last year.
Sept. 3, 2018 8:01 a.m.
Ute fans continually tell us what a big deal the P5 is and that us lowly mid majors should bow and respect.
Well BYU just beat a P5 school. So it’s a big deal according to your highly set standards.
But I agree with you. A win against the PAC 12 is like any other win. That conference is the worst of the P5 conferences.
Sept. 3, 2018 6:38 a.m.
"As good as the team played, Mangum did not play well except for the third quarter."
Hmmm. Perfection in game 1? Or ever? He was a lot more perfect than the Heisman Candidate was. You guys are a hard lot to please.
Here's what I saw: A powerhouse offensive line that protected the QB and opened big holes. Receivers blocking downfield. A running back constantly making big plays through those big holes. Touchdowns instead of pileups at the enemy goal line. Speed.
Did any body notice the UA players on the ground getting stretched while the BYU players were dancing around and getting ready for the next play? Yes, Tanner missed a few throws. But he complete more. And more importantly, his execution of the options was stellar. He has a good understanding of the offense. He'll be fine.
Finally: how many injuries did BYU have? I don't remember any.
Sept. 3, 2018 5:29 a.m.
There was no question that the offensive line won this game for BYU. They completely controlled the line of scrimmage for the entire game and protected the QB all night long. They were the difference from last year and I can't remember when the offensive line was ever so dominant for BYU. Obviously, the experience in the SEC helped Jeff Grimes understand how key the line play has to be. Our running backs have never had such big holes to run through. We will have to see if this can be maintained but this is a very positive sign for BYU.
Sept. 3, 2018 4:56 a.m.
I suggest you walk on.
The pressure Tanner was under was incredible.
He was superb and will only get better. In case you didn’t know, they won the game. He is respected as a player but even more so as a person.
I really hope you make the team and can take over his position. That will take a lot of pressure off Tanner.
Sept. 3, 2018 1:31 a.m.
Mangum hung 21 points on a P5 team on the road in a single quarter and we're criticizing him?
That was probably the best quarter overall for BYU football in Mangum's career.
Sept. 3, 2018 12:37 a.m.
North Carolina was 3-9 in 2017 playing on the road. A win over Cal would be nice, BYU would need to play another turnover free game, that’s where the Bears beat the Tarheels by not taking care of the ball, it wasn’t an overwhelming win, but a win nevertheless.
Mangum needs to have some deep targets to spread out the coverage.
Sept. 2, 2018 11:37 p.m.
As I said in another comment section, good win. I mean it. No one expected that, and it was a good win.
But, despite last years 4-9 season, maybe act like you've been there before? The exuberant celebrations made it seem like you may have just beaten Alabama...not a team coming off a 6-7 season, with an entirely new coaching staff.
I guess that's just the BYU way though.
Sept. 2, 2018 9:34 p.m.
Some of my buddies were already calling for Wilson at halftime. Even though I was not super impressed by Tanner either, I told them to give him sometime to relax and get into rhythm. He was 20 for 28 so we are being a little harsh on him. I expect him to be even better next week now that he has got the rust and first game jitters out of the way.
Sept. 2, 2018 8:57 p.m.
As good as the team played, Mangum did not play well except for the third quarter..... when he was stellar. This game frankly should have been over sooner had Mangum completed a few passes to wide open receivers. he also should have been intercepted at least once when the ball was thrown right to the defensive corner for Arizona. He dropped the ball. In the fourth quarter, nobody had confidence in Mangum throwing a ball past 10 yards. Thats not good... for a senior QB. If the defense stacks the box...in effect daring the QB to throw, you have to have a QB that can make them pay beyond 10 yards. Im still not convinced Mangum will not get pulled this season. Im elated for the win, but still not convinced Mangum can do what BYU needs. Here is hoping for more of his third quarter performance in games to come.
Sept. 2, 2018 5:56 p.m.
Mangum came out with much more confidence in the 3rd quarter. I also think the hurry-up suited him well. I hope he can carry that confidence into next game, and thusly improve his accuracy.
The 0 turnovers was also key, however I had hoped the defense would create a few.


"We're proud of the musical line-up of Miyelo Music Festival," says Donnie Reis, lead man of the Donnie Reis Band as well as producer at Twelve3South Studio. "We put a bunch of effort into bringing national acts."
TIPP CITY, Ohio, June 1, 2015 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Trebius Promotions along with Twelve3South Studio is proud to announce the surprise addition of Jonathan Jackson + Enation to the roster of artists performing at Miyelo Music Festival, presented by Dave Arbogast on July 18 in Tipp City, Ohio.
Jonathan Jackson + Enation is an anthemic Alt/Rock/Pop three piece from Nashville, Tenn. The band recently released their fourth studio album, Radio Cinematic, through Loud & Proud Records. Jonathan Jackson’s album has a local tie-in, as 4 of the tracks had their strings arranged by Donnie Reis and recorded in Tipp City’s Twelve3South Studio.
Tipp City’s downtown merchant district plays host on July 18 to the inaugural festival with proceeds to benefit Pink Ribbon Girls. Festival-goers will enjoy entertainment from 1 p.m. until 12 midnight from 3 stages all located downtown. Event sponsor Heidelberg Distributing will be featuring Budweiser products as well as a selection of craft beers from Goose Island. Online ticket sales began April 15 and continue until sold out.
The July 18 festival is packed with music. In addition to Jonathan Jackson + Enation, national acts include Will Hoge, Brandon Chase, Neulore, The Donnie Reis Band, Kris Allen, Erick Baker, Seth Glier, Ben Bradford, Elenowen, Joseph LeMay, Keta, Treva Blomquist and Jacqui Sandell, along with several Ohio bands like The Nate Jones Band, RAYA, Daniel Dye, Cory Breth, Forage, Paige Beller and Elektrobek.
Tipp City is located just north of Dayton, Ohio on I-75, a quick drive from cities like Cincinnati, Columbus and Toledo.
The general fee for admission is $30 per person ($40 at the gate). The festival is free for children ages 10 and under with a paid adult admission. Coolers are not permitted. Gates open at 11:30 a.m. with performances starting at 1 p.m. and going until 12 midnight.
Miyelo Music Festival would like to thank the presenting sponsor, Dave Arbogast as well as the “wings” sponsors, Airstream, RB Jergens, Heidelberg Distributing, Mauro Orthodontics and WiGro Construction and “second stage” sponsors, Energy Optimizers, USA, Proto Plastics, Brian Muenchenbach, the Tipp City Arts Council, Tippecanoe Christmas in the Village, Tip Top Canning Co., the Tipp City Chamber of Commerce, Thrivent Financial, Fox’s Pizza and Boston’s Bistro.
For more information or to buy tickets to see Jonathan Jackson + Enation at Miyelo Music Festival, go to http://miyelomusicfest.com/.
Miyelo Music Festival invites you to party with purpose at an Americana Music Festival that will feature eleven hours of music across three stages in Historic Downtown Tipp City on July 18, 2015. Pronounced “my-EL-oh” the word loosely translates to “I AM” in the language of the Lakota. Proceeds go to charity.
Twelve3South is equipped with the music industry’s most cutting edge signal chains utilizing the latest innovations in technology along with the best in tested, classic analogue signal processing. Twelve3South is equipped with a full Avid ProTools HD Native system utilizing Apogee’s flagship interface, the Symphony I/O with 24 channels of analog I/O, implementing the best AD/DA converters the industry has to offer. Twelve3South also uses Avid’s C|24 control surface and its 16 onboard mic pres to help maximize workflow. For more information on Twelve3South Studio and Donnie Reis, visit both http://twelve3south.com and http://donniereis.com/.


PRESIDENT Mnangagwa has said Zimbabwe is not only Open for Business but for dialogue too, as it forges ahead with engaging locals and foreigners in its quest to attain a middle class economy by 2030.
Addressing members of the corporate world, academics and the business community during the Midlands State University fundraising golf tournament and dinner for the construction of the Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa Law School and Liberation Heritage Centre in Kwekwe yesterday evening, President Mnangagwa said while the Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra had succeeded beyond measure, the country, he said, was now open for dialogue to attract investors.
He said it was unfortunate that there would be "doubting Thomasses" when development matters are discussed.
President Mnangagwa said he was optimistic Zimbabweans should rally behind the Government's socio-economic programmes so that locals enjoy the fruits of the liberation struggle.
"I remember when we had returned from China and we visited parents in Mashoko Village in Masvingo during a traditional beer drinking ceremony. We told the parents that we were freedom fighters and were going to see to it that black people ruled themselves. Some parents laughed at us and some sympathised with us and we were optimistic that we would one day attain independence. So two villagers started fighting — one was supporting us while the other was saying we would never defeat the colonisers. As they were fighting, one fell down after he was tripped by a log and the one supporting us landed on his chest and shouted "ndodye zhizha" (I am enjoying green mealies from a harvest)," he said.
"So this story reminds me of when I coined the Zimbabwe is Open for Business mantra. Some people in Government didn't believe me but on that mantra I am now saying Zimbabwe is open for business and dialogue for socio-economic growth."
The President urged Zimbabweans to be united and have positive dreams about the country adding that peace was a driver of foreign investments. He said the vision for the expansion of MSU was mooted by the likes of former Vice-Chancellor Professor Ngwabi Bhebhe and today it is coming to fruition.
"You will find that developed countries are peaceful. Their people see projects such as this one as everyone's responsibility. If we unite we develop. But if we don't we won't go anywhere. At the same time you find out that if there is unity and peace in the country, we invite investors," he said.
MSU vice-chancellor Professor Victor Ngonidzashe Muzvidziwa said the new Kwekwe Law School Campus was expected to change the lives in Kwekwe the same way the Zvishavane Campus has done to people in the area. He said the Kwekwe Campus was vital for socio-economic development of the province and country at large.
Minister of State for Midlands Provincial Affairs Larry Mavhima commended MSU for its role in taking education across the country saying the new dispensation target of making the country a middle income economy by 2030 is achievable. He said MSU was deeply rooted in socio-economic development of the province and the country at large.
"MSU is doing well in advancing the education sector in the country. Its department of Local Governance is assisting local authorities with expertise. We have the medical school that is also assisting health institutions, an indication that MSU is key in innovation, renovation and success of the country, " he said.
Minister Mavhima said the gross domestic product of the Midlands Province had increased because of the presence of MSU, the mining and agricultural sectors.
President Mnangagwa donated $50 000 for the construction of the campus while Kwekwe City Council donated the land.


Privacy vs. security is a topic most brands would rather avoid, but Apple took it on this week with a thorough, but easy to understand letter.
In its 40-year history, Apple has been on the cutting edge of computers, music devices, smartphones, and cloud services. So it’s only fitting that the company is now playing a lead role in the debate of personal privacy versus security.
It’s a conversation that people will — and should — be having for the decades to come, but one that major corporations would prefer to avoid, which is one reason Apple’s decision to wade in is so noteworthy.
To recap, the FBI asked Apple to essentially hack into the iPhone that belonged to Syed Rizwan Farook, the terrorist who, along with his wife, killed 14 people in San Bernardino, California, last year. In other words, the federal law enforcement agency hadn’t been able to crack the device itself to gain a peek at its contents, so it asked Apple to create a backdoor.
Apple said no, which prompts the (valid) question of why the world’s most valuable company was unwilling or unable to pitch in to help with the investigation into a fundamentalist killer who murdered more than a dozen people. Seems like an easy choice, right?
Apple had to explain why it’s not so simple, which is why its choice of an open letter rather than a sit-down interview, press release, or series of tweets is so important.
Tim Cook, the company’s chief executive, explained its side of the story in just more than 1,100 words, clearly discussing in layman’s terms why such a request could lead to jeopardizing the privacy of its entire customer base.
What jumps off the page immediately is how eminently readable Cook’s letter is. It’s neither a jargon-heavy statement from a technology giant, nor a missive from a CEO in his ivory tower. The letter clearly lays out Apple’s case, outlying why it places such a high premium on privacy in easy-to-understand terms. It describes the company’s interaction with the FBI after the San Bernardino attacks, what could happen if a backdoor falls into the wrong hands, and why it believes the government is overreaching. And in an era of bombastic political rhetoric and CEOs issuing public statements through Twitter, the note is cordial, even polite in making its point.
In a smart take on the topic, Hill+Knowlton Strategies corporate and risk practice leader Howard Opinsky noted that "the fact that Cook is owning the decision makes it seem like an issue of conscience, rather than a decision designed solely to drive shareholder value."
"It’s likely smart for both reasons," Opinsky said via email. "And if the courts rule against Apple, the company can comply with U.S. law, but will not be accountable to its customers or foreign governments for allowing the U.S. government to access personal information."
On a practical media relations level, the letter is also easily quotable and addresses the controversy to the degree that was warranted. It is a textbook combination of strategy and tactics for making a complicated subject easier to understand.
The strategy also won Apple support from several Silicon Valley frenemies. Google CEO Sundar Pichai backed Cook on Twitter, as did Jack Dorsey. WhatsApp chief Jan Koum did likewise on Facebook. And while Mark Zuckerberg emphasized the degree to which his company is cooperating with law enforcement, he said it will stick to its principles on user privacy.
Three days after Apple released its letter and received mostly favorable news coverage, the Justice Department asked a court to compel Apple to create a backdoor. It contended the company’s decision was "based on its concern for its business model and public brand marketing strategy" instead of public safety.
Apple’s strategy is not without risk; there’s a reason most companies avoid these swampy questions, after all, and it remains to be seen where the courts will come down in the near term or the future. Yet for this week at least, Apple’s thoughtful strategy won the PR battle.
Your call: Is Apple right to oppose FBI requests to access Syed Farook's iPhone?


Crown Royal has rolled out the latest ad spot in their “Reign On” campaign, debuting a clip called “Anthem” during Jimmy Kimmel Live. Director Rupert Sanders captures the spirit of the campaign with a clip of inspiring and motivational visuals accompanied by riveting music. Watch to see for yourself. #ReignOn.


The state Department of Conservation and Recreation has added parts of Shrewsbury and Boylston to the regulated area designed to head off an infestation of Asian longhorned beetles initially found in the Greendale section of Worcester earlier this month.
None of the treacherous tree killers has been found in the two towns, but because the latest beetles were located in trees in Worcester close to Shrewsbury and Boylston, the state yesterday further expanded the regulated area into Shrewsbury and Boylston. The regulated area was first expanded beyond the Greendale area into parts of West Boylston and Holden last week.
Local and state officials stressed that no actual beetles have been located in the four towns, but new discoveries in Worcester prompted expansion of the regulated area outside the city.
As a precaution, Shrewsbury�s popular Saturday yard waste drop-off program is suspended until further notice, it was announced yesterday.
To prevent the spread of infestation, the state Department of Conservation and Recreation is prohibiting residents and businesses from transferring live beetles and yard waste, including branches, leaves, firewood, logs, stumps, roots and green lumber, from within the regulated area to outside the area, which is where Shrewsbury�s South Street yard waste drop-off site is located.
Worcester City Manager Michael V. O�Brien said yesterday that in the interim, the city is allowing people who live within regulated areas in West Boylston, Holden, Boylston and Shrewsbury to bring tree limbs and other wood products to the city�s designated drop-off site within the regulated area, on Clark Street. Grass clippings and other yard waste will not be accepted.
The Clark Street site is open from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Wednesdays, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays. He said the city is being as supportive as it can to the towns that have been placed within the regulated area.
The Clark Street drop-off site is for residents only. Mr. O�Brien said the city administration is working on establishing a site within the regulated areas for businesses as soon as possible. But for now, businesses that handle yard waste within the regulated areas are required to keep it on site or grind it on site, as long as the wood is chipped to less than 1 inch by 1 inch, according to a letter from the U.S. Department of Agriculture sent to local businesses that might deal with trees or yard waste.
Mr. O�Brien said he thought it was important to note that the infestations are not spreading rapidly across the area, but rather the discovery of infestations keeps pushing the regulated area outward. �They haven�t jumped geographically,� he said of the shiny black beetles that USDA officials say tend to stay on the tree where they are born, although they are capable of flying one and a half miles.
Infestation of the 1- to 1-1/2-inch bullet-shaped bug with white spots and long black and white antennas in Worcester was announced two weeks ago. Native to China, they are harmless to humans and pets, but they bore into deciduous hardwood trees, causing them to wither and die if the beetles are undetected.
Since their discovery in the United States in 1996, the invasive beetles have prompted the removal of tens of thousands of trees in New York, New Jersey and Illinois and the expenditure of $269 million by state and federal agencies.
Shrewsbury Town Manager Daniel J. Morgado said the reason Shrewsbury is now in the regulated area is because portions of the town, as well as portions of West Boylston, Holden and Boylston, are within a mile and a half of infested trees in Worcester.
The portion of Shrewsbury in the regulated area is land along the north side of Route 9, from the Lake Quinsigamond bridge to Maple Avenue, extending north along Maple Avenue to Route 140 (on the west side of Route 140 only, north of Main Street and west of Boylston Street).
�We can�t take material from inside the regulated zone outside the regulated zone. Our fear is if there is any contaminated material, we would be expanding that contamination,� Mr. Morgado said. Residents should watch the town�s Web site, www.shrewsbury-ma.gov, for updates, he said.
Meanwhile, a public meeting will be held at 6:30 p.m. today in Quinsigamond Community College�s Hebert Auditorium, 670 West Boylston St., Worcester. Municipal, state and federal officials will make presentations and answer questions. Mr. Morgado said Shrewsbury is considering hosting its own public forum early next week.
Mr. O�Brien said residents have been cooperative and helpful throughout the process, and said he hopes that cooperation continues. Suzanne Bond, a spokeswoman for the USDA, said that as officials start to fan out into the city to do tree-by-tree searches at the end of the month, residents should not be surprised to see USDA officials inspecting trees on their property.
Mr. Morgado said federal officials are establishing a survey team to inspect all trees susceptible to hosting the beetles in the delineated area. Anyone who sees an Asian longhorned beetle can report it by filling out a form at www.shrewsbury-ma.gov or www.massnrc.org/pests or by calling (508) 799-8330.
Steven H. Foskett Jr. of the Telegram & Gazette staff contributed to this report.


Hundreds of visitors descended the seven stories to the base of the Sept. 11 Memorial Museum on Thursday for the national exhibit's dedication ceremony.
President Barack Obama greets World Trade Center attacks survivor Ling Young (center) and Alison Crowther, (right) the mother of Welles Crowther who died in the attacks while assisting in evacuation efforts in the South Tower, during the opening ceremony for the National September 11 Memorial Museum at ground zero May 15, 2014 in New York City.
Hundreds of visitors descended the seven stories to the base of the Sept. 11 Memorial Museum on Thursday for the national exhibit's dedication ceremony that centered as much around the lives of those lost 13 years ago as much as it around survivors.
At least 700 individuals were on hand for the commemoration, which began with a children's choir rendition of Steven Sondheim's "Somewhere" that reverberated from the slurry wall within the expansive Foundation Hall.
Former Mayor Michael Bloomberg was the first person to address the crowd, which sat in front large concrete slab that showed photos taken on the day of the attack and videos recounting the lives upended thereafter.
The moving images and sounds of voicemails from worried family members left for victims led many in the crowd to wipe tears throughout the hour-long ceremony.
"This museum — built on a site of rubble and ruins — is now filled with the faces, the stories and the memories of our common grief and our common hope," Bloomberg said.
Among the sea of faces in the crowd were survivors, family family members of those lost in the attack, first responders and various political leaders — including President Barack Obama and wife Michelle, former president Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, New York State Gov. Andrew Cuomo and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie.
Obama toured the exhibit minutes before approaching the podium, along with the first lady, the Clintons, Bloomberg and his long time partner Diana Taylor.
"To all those who responded with such courage — on behalf of Michelle and myself and the American people, it is an honor for us to join in your memories," the president said. "To remember and to reflect. But above all, to reaffirm the true spirit of 9/11 -- love, compassion, sacrifice — and to enshrine it forever in the heart of our nation."
Obmaa said that the museum would be profound and moving experience to those who visit, and it gives an opportunity for people to see the faces of "3,000 innocent souls" who lost their lives in 2001.
"We can touch their names and hear their voices and glimpse the small items that speak to the beauty of their lives — a wedding ring, a dusty helmet, a shining badge," he added. "Here we tell their story, so that generations yet unborn will never forget."
While introducing the story of 24-year-old equities trader Welles Remy Crowther, who died when the South Tower collapsed after he led survivors down 17 flights of stairs, Obama made a passing reference to the attack's perpetrators.
"Three years ago this month, after our SEALs made sure that justice was done, I came to Ground Zero. And among the families here that day was Alison Crowther," he said before embracing her and Ling Young — one of the people Welles — who until days after the attack was only knows as the man with the red bandana – saved that day.
"It is our greatest hope that when people come here and see Welles' red bandana, they will remember how people helped each other that day, and we hope they will be inspired to do the same in ways both big and small," Alison said. "This is the true legacy of Sept. 11."
Tony Award-winning performer LaChanze also punctuated the stories of resiliency and goodwill with a powerful rendition of "Amazing Grace," dedicated to her late husband Calvin Joseph Gooding, a securities trader who was working in the North Tower.
Ahead of the dedication, Paula Grant Berry, who lost her husband David and co-chairs the memorial foundation's program committee said that the museum will be a safe place for visitors who might not have the same connection to Sept. 11 and its aftermath that those gathered at the museum already do.
"If anything, from my perspective, it's for them. Over time, this exhibition will be open and we won't all be around," she said. "New Yorkers are certainly going to come to this and they're going to bring their own stories. They're going to find their own stories … I think they'll bring something to it, and I hope this museum will help them in that way."


Check out the high school boys basketball sectional scores/highlights reported for Feb. 26.
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) — Check out the high school boys basketball opening round sectional scores/highlights reported for Feb. 26.


President Donald J. Trump applauds during his State of the Union speech before members of Congress in the House chamber of the U.S. Capitol on January 30, 2018 in Washington, D.C.
Despite calling for bipartisanship and national unity during his first State of the Union address on Tuesday (that is after almost an hour of self-congratulating), Trump still brought up his most divisive, discriminatory policy yet: His “four pillars” for immigration reform. Along with ending both the family reunification and lottery visa programs, the reality TV star president is seeking $25 billion in border wall funding in exchange for developing a pathway to citizenship for roughly 1.8 million undocumented immigrants. Apparently that will keep America safe from raging gun violence. Even though there is no credible data to prove Trump and other American nativist’s claims that immigrants are responsible for an outsized share of crime.
It’s clear that the Trump administration is hell-bent on fulfilling his controversial campaign promise of building a “great wall” along the U.S.-Mexico border at all costs, irrespective of the number of brown lives potentially affected by such an overarching deal that seemingly tries benefiting Dreamers (at least on Republican terms). In fact, White House officials reportedly referred to the proposal, which was crafted by Trump’s ultra-conservative senior advisor Stephen Miller, as “extremely generous” when it was first unveiled last Thursday.
But “generous” how? And to whom exactly? While much of the discourse surrounding immigration lately has centered on renewing protections associated with the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program and shielding hundreds of thousands of Dreamers from deportation (and rightfully so), the border wall has loomed largely in the background with less attention, even though, it, too, impacts thousands of lives; granted not on the same level as physical removals and family separation. And because of that harsh reality, the border issue is handled differently, as though with less importance. The proof is in its constant appraisal.
The problem is that Trump and his Republican cohorts have masterfully tied Dreamer relief (and other significant measures) to the wall, further complicating how Democrats decide to approach these topics moving forward. It’s the Sophie’s Choice of 2018: Help young undocumented folks who only know life in America or destroy hundreds of miles of land on U.S. soil to create a wall that will serve as a deterrent to dark-skinned people seeking refuge and opportunity? It’s become a matter of political maneuvering for Democrats, who, are actively prioritizing Dreamers over everything else immigration-related (as they should). But that doesn’t mean neglecting the border altogether, nor does it mean immediately reaching for the American people’s checkbook for the sake of compromising, particularly at the expense of a culturally-rich region that boasts millions of tax-paying residents and hundreds of plant and animal species that now face eradication should the wall proceed.
While negotiating the terms for ending this month’s government shutdown, Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), by his own admission, “reluctantly put the border wall on the table for discussion” in exchange for DACA. It was only after the government reopened (which Schumer voted affirmatively for, along with 32 other Democrats and all but three Republicans) that the New York native rescinded the original wall offer. Regardless of the eventual flip-flopping, countless Democratic supporters, namely Latinos, responded to the vote by accusing their party of caving to Republicans, most of whom are intrigued by the wall’s purpose of keeping “bad hombres” (and this alleged cavalcade of MS-13 members) away from supposedly terrified citizens. Their thunderous applause in the House chamber Tuesday is clear evidence of such thinking. I see you with that standing ovation, Ted Cruz.
But that has come with a price. For instance, in Eagle Pass, where I’m from, my Texas border town’s Fourth of July celebrations take place at a park near the international bridge that has a 14-foot-tall barrier (the physical version of Trump’s “pillars,” if you will) stretching for miles to our left and the Rio Grande calmly flowing to our right. My fellow Eagle Passians are now constantly caught between two symbols that each carry such distinct meaning to this predominately Mexican-American community. Because just imagine having to walk past towering black metal posts designed to keep brown immigrants out while commemorating American independence and the beauty of our nation’s democracy. All the while, a few hundred yards away is the perfect representation of our heritage and cultural origins, which alone, paint a certain picture of who we are to the rest of the country. And I’m sorry, but that picture is far from scary or dangerous.
Sen. Schumer’s team did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding the initial promise to Trump or his current thoughts on border wall funding. “Current” is an important modifier, because Schumer was part of the bipartisan group of lawmakers who voted for the Secure Fence Act of 2006, which allowed the Department of Homeland Security to provide “at least two layers of reinforced fencing” along our southern border. That list also included then Democratic Senators Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, Sen. John McCain (R-AZ), and Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA). More than a decade later, Feinstein and her colleague Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA) were among the 15 Democrats to vote against reopening the government, saying they were dissatisfied with proposed DACA protections outlined in the stopgap spending bill. Neither of their offices, though, responded to a request for comment specifically on their positioning regarding border wall funding in light of this month’s shutdown. Requests for comment from five other U.S. senators representing border states, including border wall fans Sen. Cruz and Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), went unanswered.
I genuinely feel like Republicans and Democrats, to an extent, have mythologized border life (despite probably never visiting), to the point where we’re now debating the merits of its organic, natural existence to appease Trump’s mostly-white backers. Plus, legislators will always concern themselves with a topic that could likely damage their political reputations. Because, let’s be frank, who wants to be on the record these days as saying they could care less about the future of Dreamers? Coming out in support of border wall funding, in whatever capacity, though, just doesn’t hold the same weight.
For a vast majority of us who actually hail from the border, those characterizations are incredibly apt. Because the truth of the matter is, the border, along with the wall, itself, signifies something different for three groups of people, and that was made quite evident this month when it was essentially deemed an afterthought by politicians preoccupied by Trump’s other schismatic demands. For Republicans, the wall is a tangible product that will calm a xenophobic base worried about drug dealers, rapists, and murderers; for some Democrats, the border translates to Latinos, and Latinos typically mean votes and majority support, especially when compared to the alternative; and for longtime residents, like myself, the border is simply home where thousands of miles away from the rancor of D.C., we enjoy the unique blend of both American and Mexican cultures as proud U.S. citizens.
Of course there’s always a give-and-take when negotiating legislation – especially when it comes to saving vulnerable undocumented people in desperate need of our help – but our representatives should see that the border is also a living, breathing entity. One that requires political recompense, not a bigoted fence.


Eugene Omoruyi had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Geo Baker had 16 points and five assists as Rutgers used a 22-0 run to come back and beat Indiana 66-58 Wednesday night.
PISCATAWAY, N.J. (AP) — Eugene Omoruyi had a double-double with 14 points and 10 rebounds and Geo Baker had 16 points and five assists as Rutgers used a 22-0 run to come back and beat Indiana 66-58 Wednesday night.
Ron Harper Jr. had a fast break dunk followed by a 3-pointer after back-to-back Indiana turnovers as Rutgers (11-9, 4-6 Big Ten) ended the first half on a 9-0 run, cutting Indiana’s lead to 29-28. The Scarlet Knights started the second half on a 11-0 run to give them their first lead of the game since 3-2.
Indiana (12-9, 3-7 Big Ten) scored with 3:48 left in the first half on Aljami Durham layup. The Hoosiers wouldn’t score again until Romeo Langford, who had a game-high 20 points, hit a 3-pointer with 14:29 to go to end Rutgers’ 22-0 run and make it 41-32.
Langford got Indiana within seven, scoring with 6:09 to go and again with 2:43 to play on a pair of free throws. A Juwan Morgan layup made it 58-53 with 2:00 minutes to go, but that’s the closest Indiana would get.
Rutgers: This was a big step for the Scarlet Knights as they continue to climb their way out of the basement of the Big Ten, winning three in a row for the first time in school history. The last time Rutgers won three-straight league games in the regular season since 2003-04, when they were members of the Big East. Rutgers joined the Big Ten in 2014.
Indiana: At No. 6 Michigan State Saturday night.
Rutgers: At Ohio State Saturday.


PHOENIX (AP)  Electric car maker Lucid Motors said Tuesday it will build a manufacturing plant in Arizona that will begin production in 2018 as it looks to compete in the fast-growing market for luxury electric vehicles.
The company said it chose the Casa Grande location from dozens of other spots around the country.
Construction of the factory will begin next year in a move expected to bring an initial 400 jobs. The company projects the plant will have 2,000 workers by 2022.
Lucid, which recently changed its name from Atieva, has been around for a decade, focusing its early years on making batteries. Its staff includes former Tesla employees, including its chief technology officer.
The decision came amid rising demand for electric cars from traditional automakers and Silicon Valley startups such as Lucid.
Tesla Motors is building a sprawling battery factory near Reno, Nevada, after receiving a generous $1.3 billion incentive package from the Nevada Legislature.
Faraday Future, another electric car maker, is building a factory near Las Vegas after getting $335 million from the state, although the project has been stalled amid questions about its funding source.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey has made job creation and a business-friendly climate top priorities of his administration. He previously made a trip to California to lure the Lucid factory.
“It’s a real sign that the state is attractive, that California companies and companies from around the country see Arizona as a great place to do business,” Ducey said.
Lucid is receiving government assistance from the Arizona Commerce Authority that could total in the millions.
The future for startup electric vehicle makers is far from a sure thing, especially for companies that have yet to manufacture a single car, said Sam Abuelsamid, a senior analyst for the market research firm Navigant who has studied Lucid and met with company executives.
He cites a litany of challenges.
Tesla has struggled to turn a profit despite huge demand for its Model X and more affordable Model 3. Vehicle reliability is a major concern for any new car maker, especially in a marketplace where traditional automakers are manufacturing their own electric vehicles. And battery technology is highly expensive.
He also noted how startups are at the mercy of investors who can become skittish about handing over cash. He cited the Faraday plant in Nevada where construction work was suspended recently at the factory site. Abuelsamid said the Chinese entrepreneur backing that company was also an early investor in Lucid.
A news conference announcing the move Tuesday featured business and political leaders along with top company officials. The company showed off two prototypes for its planned car.
“We’re very excited to be bringing new jobs and our innovative technology to Casa Grande,” said Brian Barron, Lucid’s director of global manufacturing.


July 15, 2015 School board, Uncategorized.
The Palm Beach County public school system will receive $1.6 million from BP after suing the oil and gas company over its role in the April 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.
The settlement agreement is for $2 million, but the law firm representing the county school board, West Palm Beach firm Morgan and Morgan, will keep $400,000 as its fee, Superintendent Robert Avossa announced Wednesday.
School board members voted Wednesday to approve the settlement.
The school board was one of several around the state that joined a federal lawsuit against BP in April 2011, claiming that they had lost education money through a decline in sales tax revenue stemming from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
The state of Florida received $3.25 billion as part of the same settlement.
Lee County’s school board this week approved a $2.5 million settlement with BP, while Polk County’s school board agreed to $1.5 million.
Miami-Dade’s school board also approved a $2.5 million settlement Wednesday.
Deputy school board attorney Blair Littlejohn said that independent arbitrators decided how settlement money would be divided among different government agencies. There is no conditions on how the money is spent.
“It can be used for whatever the school board ultimately decides to do with it,” Littlejohn said.


Benchmark indices ended on a strong note on Tuesday after hitting fresh record highs in the intra-day trade on Tuesday. The S&P BSE Sensex hit a new lifetime high of 39,364.34 in the trade while the broader Nifty50 index of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) surpassed 11,800 level to hit a record of 11,810.95.
At close, the 30-share index Sensex of BSE ended at 39,276, up 370 points or 0.95 per cent while Nifty closed at 11,787, up 97 points or 0.83 per cent.
In the broader market, the S&P BSE MidCap index ended 19 points or 0.12 per cent higher at 15,521, while the S&P BSE SmallCap index closed at 15,172, up 57 points, or 0.37 per cent.
Among sectoral indices, private bank stocks gained the most, followed by financial services and auto stocks.
Jet Airways ended around 8 per cent lower at Rs 241.50 apiece on the NSE after reports suggested the airline may shut down its opeartions temporarily.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) hit a six-month high, extending its Monday’s 5 per cent rally on the BSE, after the company reported better than expected 2.4 per cent growth in constant currency (CC) revenue in the March 2018 quarter of financial year 2018 - 19 (Q4FY19). The stock settled at Rs 2,132 apiece on BSE, up over 1 per cent.
Polycab India shares made a strong stock market debut by listing at Rs 633, an 18 per cent hike against its issue price of Rs 538 per share on the BSE. The stock ended at Rs 655.00, up 3.48 per cent.


Hoapili Hale. Wendy Osher/Maui Now photo.
The Hawaiʻi State Judiciary is making more court documents available for online viewing.
Circuit and family court criminal case documents filed on Jan. 23, 2017 and thereafter will be available for download and purchase online through eCourt Kokua. This will supplement the current traffic, district court criminal, and appellate cases presently available on eCourt Kokua.
Civil case information will continue to be available through Hoʻohiki.
There will be a temporary disruption of service of the information typically available on Hoʻohiki in circuit and family court criminal cases.
New filings or updates to circuit and family court criminal cases between Jan. 18-20, 2017 may not be posted on Hoʻohiki; however, the court record will still be available in paper form at each courthouse.


Wanna hack the military? The Department of Defense is starting to give hackers more opportunities to test its systems without the threat of prosecution.
The department announced today that it is expanding its Hack the Pentagon program to include more DoD systems and networks. Hack the Pentagon pays hackers to find and report vulnerabilities in exchange for cash, and so far it’s proved effective — the first bug was reported 13 minutes after the program launched.
Hack the Pentagon initially ran as a pilot program between April 18 and May 12 of this year and only included five DoD websites, but DoD plans to develop it into a permanent program that collects vulnerability reports on more websites and systems. The introduction of Hack the Pentagon represents the first time the U.S. government has experimented with a commercial bug bounty that allowed participating hackers to be paid for discovering vulnerabilities.
“Although the pilot was a success, it only tested the crowdsourced security concept against public-facing websites. We believe the concept will be successful when applied to many or all of DoD’s other security challenges,” a DoD spokesperson said in a statement.
Hack the Pentagon was administered by the bug bounty platform HackerOne, which reports that the pilot generated 138 unique bug reports and a total of $71,200 in bounties paid to hackers.
One of the Hack the Pentagon participants, David Dworken, just graduated from high school. He said he reported 22 bugs to DoD, which he discovered during his free periods at school.
DoD is embarking on three measures to strengthen the program: developing a vulnerability disclosure process, expanding the bug bounty program, and adding incentives for DoD contractors to allow testing on their systems.
“With these efforts, we will capitalize on Hack the Pentagon’s success and continue to evolve the way we secure DoD networks, systems and information,” a DoD spokesperson said.