Category: PHILLY & PA. NEWS

Globetrotter makes crazy catwalk trick shot at Chase Center

(San Francisco – Jan. 2020) Prior to their debut at Chase Center with two games this Saturday, Harlem Globetrotters star Zeus McClurkin made the new arena’s first ever trick shot from the catwalk early this morning.  Following the made basket from the rafters, Zeus challenged Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, stating “Alright Steph, your shot!  I’m pretty sure that’s an H.” – referring to the popular basketball game of H-O-R-S-E.  The video was posted minutes ago and is approved for media (courtesy Harlem Globetrotters).

Via

YouTube

(extended version)

Via

Facebook

(short version)

Earlier this season,  Zeus also proved Curry’s new tunnel shot is makeable, as the trick shot artist made a no-look rainbow shot backwards (

video

).

The Globetrotters will make their Chase Center debut when their new “Pushing the Limits” World Tour comes to San Francisco this Saturday, Jan. 11 at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., as part of seven games in the Bay Area.  The world-famous team will also return to Oakland Arena (formerly Oracle Arena) on Saturday, Jan. 18 for games at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., in addition to SAP Center at San Jose on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 19 at 2 p.m. and Monday, Jan. 20 for a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee at 1 p.m.

A trip to the Bay Area has extra meaning for the Globetrotters in recent years, as the comparison between the Globetrotters and the Golden State Warriors is commonplace for media, fans and players.  The Globetrotters have collaborated with the Warriors on several occasions, including a visit with Stephen Curry in 2018 (

video

) and an introduction of the Globetrotters’ 4-point shot with Klay Thompson in 2017 (

video

).

Pennsylvania Ag Republicans say debate over milk shows depth of partisan divide

By Kim Jarrett |

The Center Square

January 2020

HARRISBURG, PA–The proof that politics affects the agriculture industry is in the milk, said members of the Pennsylvania Ag Republicans at their meeting during the Pennsylvania Farm Show.

During the Obama administration, whole and two percent milks were removed from school lunchrooms across the nation. The Trump administration added some back to school lunchrooms, but whole milk is still banned.

The move has hurt the dairy industry, members of the Ag Republicans said, and it might not recover until whole milk is allowed back into the schools.

U.S. Rep. G.T. Thompson has introduced a measure called “Whole Milk for Healthy Kids” that would bring whole milk back to the schools. But unfortunately, he said, the issue is not in the House Agriculture Committee but in the Education and Labor Committee.

The Food and Drug Administration is still considering changes to what can be labeled as milk, Thompson said, calling products labeled as almond milk “juice.”

Thompson and Lawrence Tabas, chairman of the Pennsylvania Republican Party, emphasized the importance of the 2020 election on agriculture. Tabas said some of the Democratic candidates want to “completely change what it means to be an American.”

“If they don’t like whole milk, if they don’t like some of the crops you are growing, if they don’t like red meat, they can tell you that you can’t raise, produce it or sell it,” Tabas said.

Thompson and Tabas also praised the recent U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement. A large portion of the exported milk from Pennsylvania goes to Mexico, said Mike Firestine, chairman of the Ag Republicans.

Thompson said a portion of a trade agreement with China could come in the next few weeks. That agreement is expected to include hardwoods, one of Pennsylvania’s leading products.

President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania by a slim margin in 2016, and Tabas predicted Trump would win again. He said Republican losses in the 2018 election were because Trump was not on the ballot.

The focus of the Ag Republicans is to get Trump reelected even though agriculture is going through a tough time right now, Firestine said. The economy, overall, is doing well, he said.

“Our stock market has been going up, even with the impeachment trials,” Firestine said.

U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser said agriculture is important to the nation’s economy and to the upcoming elections.

“What’s good for farmers is good for our country,” he said.

Tabas encouraged the group to place signs on their property. The state Republican Party is focusing on about 1.5 million Pennsylvanians that are not registered to vote. The goal is to get 150,000 to register, Tabas said.

published here with permission of The Center Square

Philadelphia CBP K9 Proves Practice Makes Perfect with Outbound Marijuana Seizure during Training

Release Date:

January , 2020

PHILADELPHIA

– Coaches always preach that practice makes perfect and that the more you train, the better you perform.

CBP narcotics K9 Dasha

This axiom was clearly on display Tuesday when a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) narcotics detector dog team in Philadelphia discovered nearly 500 grams of marijuana being shipped from San Francisco to Barcelona, Spain while practice detection skills in an air cargo hangar.

K9 Dasha caught the marijuana scent in a postal parcel manifested as “Zoomingos Monkey with Banan” that was packaged in an outbound mail container. The CBP K9 officer opened the package and noticed a silver pouch that contained a single bag with 468.4 grams, or about one pound, of marijuana.

The CBP K9 team seized the marijuana, which has a street value of about $800.

“Customs and Border Protection officers remains steadfast in our commitment to disrupt narcotics smuggling attempts, and our highly-skilled narcotics detector dog teams are on the frontline of this effort,” said Casey Durst, CBP’s Director of Field Operations in Baltimore. “Illicit narcotics interdictions is one way in which CBP contributes to the safety and safety of our communities.”

Nearly 500 grams

of marijuana destined for

Barcelona, Spain.

CBP officers screen international travelers and cargo and search for illicit narcotics, unreported currency, weapons, counterfeit consumer goods, prohibited agriculture, and other illicit products that could potentially harm the American public, U.S. businesses, and our nation’s safety and economic vitality.

CBP seized an average of 4,657 pounds of illicit narcotics every day during 2018 across the United States. Learn about what CBP accomplished during \”

A Typical Day

\” in 2018.

Learn more about CBP at

CBP.gov

.

ETC Northeast Pipeline has been Issued a $30.6 Million Fine

By Dave Fidlin |

The Center Square

Jan, 2020

ETC Northeast Pipeline has been issued a $30.6 million fine for an explosion and fire that occurred nearly 16 months ago and resulted in widespread damage and contamination in Pennsylvania.

The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection announced that it was issuing the civic penalty as part of an agreement with ETC that will give the operator the ability to resume work and correct unlawful conduct.

The fine, described by state DEP officials as “historic” because of its sizable monetary amount, is linked to an incident that occurred Sept. 10, 2018, in Center Township in Beaver County. A landslide along ETC’s Revolution Pipeline resulted in portions of the pipeline separating, which caused gas to escape the infrastructure.

On the day of the incident, the gas ultimately ignited, which resulted in a fire that burned multiple acres of forested areas.

A single-family home, a barn and numerous vehicles within the impacted area were destroyed. Six high-voltage electric transmission towers also collapsed. There were no injuries or deaths reported from the incident.

In a statement, Patrick McDonnell, secretary of the state DEP, said the amount of the fine was reflective of ETC’s failure to comply with the agency’s regulations and lack of adequately monitoring the Revolution Pipeline while it was under construction.

“DEP is committed to holding permittees accountable for permit compliance and will continue to provide active and stringent oversight over the construction of their projects,” McDonnell said in the statement. “Permittees are obligated to ensure that their projects are constructed without incident and in full compliance with permits. If a permittee fails to do so, they will be held accountable.”

The state agency’s recent news release also revealed a subsequent investigation conducted after the pipeline fire and explosion revealed ETC had not stabilized the Revolution Pipeline in multiple areas during construction and “illegally impacted” streams and wetlands in its vicinity because of inadequate stormwater runoff.

ETC, an affiliate of Energy Transfer Partners, has agreed to a number of conditions moving forward, according to state environment officials, including a provision $28.6 million of the fine go toward funds devoted to clean water and a designated oil and gas program.

The earmarked funds, according to the DEP, will help fortify some of the state’s natural areas.

Officials with ETC have not issued a formal statement on the DEP’s ruling, and an attempt to reach Energy Transfer Partners for comment this week was unsuccessful.

Moving forward, DEP officials said they will be stringently monitoring ETC’s pipeline work to ensure terms and conditions in the agreement are satisfied.

“The conditions imposed by this agreement seek to ensure that ETC will get this right,” McDonell said in the statement. “Anything less is unacceptable.”

At least one organization, the Better Path Coalition, has gone on record in opposition to the DEP’s decision. The environmental advocacy group took aim at the ETC’s track record of monitoring compliance across the state.

“Pennsylvanians jaded by the Department of Environmental Protection’s poor track record for holding polluters to account will be unmoved by the agency’s historic fine on ETC,” according to the statement from Better Path Coalition. “Instead, they will shudder at the thought that the company will be able once again to get permits for its projects.”

published here with permission of The Center Squarei

NIAAA Study: Alcohol-related deaths increasing in the United States

An analysis of U.S. death certificate data by researchers at the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National

Institutes of Health, found that nearly 1 million people died from alcohol-related causes between 1999 and 2017. The number of death certificates mentioning alcohol more than doubled from 35,914 in 1999 to 72,558 in 2017, the year in which alcohol played a role in 2.6% of all deaths in the United States. The increase in alcohol-related deaths is consistent with reports of increases in alcohol consumption and alcohol-involved emergency department visits and hospitalizations during the same period. The new findings are reported online in the journal

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research

.

“Alcohol is not a benign substance and there are many ways it can contribute to mortality,” said NIAAA Director Dr. George F. Koob. “The current findings suggest that alcohol-related deaths involving injuries, overdoses, and chronic diseases are increasing across a wide swath of the population. The report is a wakeup call to the growing threat alcohol poses to public health.”

In the new study, Aaron White, Ph.D., senior scientific advisor to the NIAAA director, and colleagues analyzed data from all U.S. death certificates filed from 1999 to 2017.  A death was identified as alcohol-related if an alcohol-induced cause was listed as the underlying cause or as a contributing cause of death.  The researchers found that, in 2017, nearly half of alcohol-related deaths resulted from liver disease (31%; 22,245) or overdoses on alcohol alone or with other drugs (18%; 12,954). People aged 45-74 had the highest rates of deaths related to alcohol, but the biggest increases over time were among people age 25-34. High rates among middle-aged adults are consistent with recent reports of increases in “deaths of despair,” generally defined as deaths related to overdoses, alcohol-associated liver cirrhosis, and suicides, primarily among non-Hispanic whites. However, the authors report that, by the end of the study period, alcohol-related deaths were increasing among people in almost all age and racial and ethnic group.

As with increases in alcohol consumption and related medical emergencies, rates of death involving alcohol increased more for women (85%) than men (35%) over the study period, further narrowing once large differences in alcohol use and harms between males and females. The findings come at a time of growing evidence that even one drink per day of alcohol can contribute to an increase in the risk of breast cancer for women. Women also appear to be at a greater risk than men for alcohol-related cardiovascular diseases, liver disease, alcohol use disorder, and other consequences.

“Alcohol is a growing women’s health issue,” said Dr. Koob. “The rapid increase in deaths involving alcohol among women is troubling and parallels the increases in alcohol consumption among women over the past few decades.”

The authors note that previous studies have shown that the role of alcohol in deaths is vastly underreported. Since the present study examined death certificates only, the actual number of alcohol-related deaths in 2017 may far exceed the 72,558 determined by the authors.

“Taken together,” said Dr. Koob, “the findings of this study and others suggests that alcohol-related harms are increasing at multiple levels – from ED visits and hospitalizations to deaths. We know that the contribution of alcohol often fails to make it onto death certificates. Better surveillance of alcohol involvement in mortality is essential in order to better understand and address the impact of alcohol on public health.”

About the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA):

The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), part of the National Institutes of Health, is the primary U.S. agency for conducting and supporting research on the causes, consequences, diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of alcohol use disorder. NIAAA also disseminates research findings to general, professional, and academic audiences. Additional alcohol research information and publications are available at

www.niaaa.nih.gov

.

About the National Institutes of Health (NIH):

NIH, the nation\’s medical research agency, includes 27 Institutes and Centers and is a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. NIH is the primary federal agency conducting and supporting basic, clinical, and translational medical research, and is investigating the causes, treatments, and cures for both common and rare diseases. For more information about NIH and its programs, visit

www.nih.gov

.

NIH…Turning Discovery Into Health

®

Reference

Aaron White, PhD, I-Jen P. Castle, PhD, Ralph Hingson, ScD, Patricia Powell, PhD. Using death certificates to explore changes in alcohol-related mortality in the United States, 1999–2017

Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.

Published online January 8, 2020.

Grace Mary Schiavone (nee Sorace) of Aiken, SC, formerly of Bellmawr NJ, age 91

Grace Mary Schiavone (nee Sorace), born in Philadelphia, PA on August 24, 1929, passed away January 8, 2020. Currently an Aiken (South Carolina) resident and formerly of Bellmawr, NJ.

She was predeceased by Parents Isadore and Mary Sorace, Brothers Charles and Benjamin Sorace, Sister Frances Gagliardi, Husband and Father of her Children, Albert Charles Schiavo, second Husband Peter Schiavone and Son Albert Schiavo.

She is survived by her 6 Children – Daughter Janet DePrince (Frank), Son Robert Schiavo (Chris), Daughter Marie McFadden (Michael), Daughters Eleanor Togneri and Florence Schiavo, Son Anthony Schiavo, Grandsons Albert Schiavo and Evan Andrews, brother Salvatore Sorace, many Nieces and Nephews and Sister In Heart Gloria Spalinski.

As a young girl, Grace was a ballerina with LaScala Opera Company in Philadelphia for several years. She was their youngest dancer at that time.

Grace had a passion for life and her favorite hobbies were sewing, crocheting, creating beaded bracelets, cooking, baking and playing Bingo. She volunteered for the Aiken Chapter of The Lydia’s Project. She had special stories about her appear in the Aiken Standard and Bella Magazine for two businesses she started at ages 89 and 90 – “Tutu Cute Totes” and “Gracelets”.

A Celebration of Life will be held to honor Grace on Saturday, January 11 at George Funeral Home, 211 Park Avenue SW, Aiken. Visitation will begin at 10am and a service at 11am, followed by a luncheon at the same location. All are welcome to attend to celebrate the life of Grace!

In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations to the following groups: Prisma Health Hospice, PO Box 7275, Columbia, SC 29202; SPCA Albrecht Center for Animal Welfare, 199 Willow Run Road, Aiken, SC 29801; The Lydia’s Project, Aiken Volunteer Chapter at Cedar Creek, 1369 Interstate Parkway, Augusta, GA 30909.

The Historic George Funeral Home, 211 Park Ave., SW, Aiken, SC 29801 (803.649.6234), has charge of arrangements.

Expressions of sympathy may be left by visiting

www.georgefuneralhomes.com

PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety

Editor\’s Note

: Former Gloucester City Police Office John Driscoll shares his personal thoughts below about his battle with PTSD, Depression, and Anxiety. He included some suggestions on what he did to cope with these common problems. According to the

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

PTSD can happen to anyone. It is not a sign of weakness. A number of factors can increase the chance that someone will develop PTSD, many of which are not under that person\’s control. For example, if you were directly exposed to trauma or are injured, you are more likely to develop PTSD.

*****

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 10, 2020)–My name is John Driscoll and I suffer from depression and anxiety as a result of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder. Although, people who suffer from depression, anxiety or any number of mental illnesses do not always require a starting point or trauma mine did.

Recently, after, my community experienced a great loss, I contemplated sharing my story including what initiated my disorder, how I was diagnosed, and how I am impacted by it. However, after some consideration, I thought it might be more helpful, at least to some, if I share my coping mechanisms, techniques and some information about treatments I have explored in hopes that they might help someone else.

image courtesy of https://www.freedomcounselingutah.com/

So, I have listed a few items below that may help you if you are suffering from a mental illness.

Care for yourself. If you are not taking care of yourself physically, attempt too. If you started to go to the gym- good for you. If you had a piece of fruit instead of a candy bar- good for you. If you walked around the block for the first time in a year- good for you. If it was the first time in two days that you got out of bed and took a shower-good for you. I know that if you suffer from depression it can be difficult to exercise. Even, getting out of bed can feel like you already have a great weight to lift, but, find the strength, and take that first step. Then, add to it, and slowly you will feel better. I still suffer but maintaining a healthy lifestyle reduces my depression.

Consider treatments like therapy, service animals, medication and/or peer groups. The sooner one gets help, usually, dictates the better the outcome. Also, everyone is different and what works for one person may not work for another, so, give different remedies a try if need be. Furthermore, you can get a bad doctor or therapist like you can get a bad mechanic, so, if one isn’t good for you, get another doctor.

Speak up when you are hurting. I was afraid to speak up because of the stigma I thought that would be placed upon me. And, I thought a police officer can’t ask for help. I thought it was a sign of weakness, or that I would lose my job, but I was wrong. If I had received help when I was starting to deteriorate, I may have never gotten to my breaking point.

Feel no shame about your condition. You are not to blame. You are not weak. You have made it this far despite your medical challenges.

Know that if you were the best mechanic before you knew your diagnosis, or before your peers knew your diagnosis you are still the best mechanic. Don’t let someone take that from you. I cannot tell you how many times someone attempted to invalidate something I did or said because they, now, know I have PTSD. PTSD doesn’t mean I am no longer a good father or husband.

Apologize if you wronged someone. Your mental illness does not give you the right to treat others poorly. If once, you apologized to them, and they can’t or won’t forgive you then move on. Only apologize once. There is no living in the past.

Forgive, if you can, and you will feel better/lighter.

Avoid overindulgence in drugs and/or alcohol. Consider avoiding them altogether as they are not the solution and can easily exacerbate your mental health issues.

Rest if you are hit with a steep depression. It is okay to take a day off from work and spend it in bed. No one would want you coming into work with the flu, nor should they want you coming into work in a depressive state. You must realize that you are sick, however, you can’t spend too much time in bed. After you are rested from having the flu you get up and you must do the same after a depressive episode.

Utilize the tools available. I try to keep my mind occupied as it helps reduce the effects of my PTSD. Sometimes watching a movie or reading an article can do the trick, However, I feel I must be riveted in a book or movie for it to have any significant impact. One thing that has proven helpful in redirecting my mind when it is thrust into a negative episode is doing some activity that requires me to utilize my mental and physical abilities at the same time. So, try challenging yourself to do something that requires both. I find even a simple game of solitaire can help to redirect me. There are numerous apps that you can also utilize like Box Breathe.

Remember that the old saying “don’t judge a book by its cover” should be applied to all social media accounts like Facebook. Social media does not tell the entire story. That picture of a smiling man may be the façade of a man with many problems including depression.

Celebrate good moments.

Last, and most important is having a good support system if you have someone already- great, and if you don’t get someone, talk to a family member, friend, therapist, or join a peer group, but never give up.

John Driscoll,

Retired Police Officer

Some Quick References

American Addiction Centers. (2019, October 10).

Can Alcohol Induce Depression?

Retrieved from American Addiction Centers: https://americanaddictioncenters.org/alcoholism-treatment/depression

Greenberg, M. (2017, April 2).

Stuck in Negative Thinking? It Could Be Your Brain

. Retrieved from Psycology Today: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201704/stuck-in-negative-thinking-it-could-be-your-brain

Mayo Clinic Staff. (2017, September 27).

Depression and anxiety: Exercise eases symptoms

. Retrieved from Mayo Clinic: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise/art-20046495

New Jersey and Pennsylvania continue to dominate the sports betting market

(Gloucestercitynews.net)(January 9, 2020)–A year and a half ago, the US Senate decided to legalize online sports betting at a national level. It was a  decision that shook the global betting industry – the world\’s largest market had just opened the floodgates… or so it seemed.

What followed has been a protracted, confusing state-by-state process that has left all of US\’ states at different stages of the legalization process. The federal setup in the US has led to a patchwork effect across the country with each state deciding on whether or not to allow sports betting as well as setting their unique restrictions, fees and tax rates.

At the time of writing, there are two frontrunners in this current situation; New Jersey and Pennsylvania. It was the former that set the standards early on by creating an attractive environment for sportsbooks and customers alike. Low tax rates and an easy licensing setup which involved partnering with existing casinos meant that sportsbooks flooded into the Garden state. The most crucial decision may have been to allow full and unrestricted access online. This decision stood in stark contrast to Nevada, which requires an in-person sign-up deposit and withdrawal. Many expect the Garden State to overtake Nevada in gambling revenue soon. You can now enjoy the largest selection of

sportsbooks in New Jersey

.

Pennsylvania took a little longer to get off the ground. The 36% tax rate, and license fee of $10 million, proved an initial stumbling block for sportsbooks. However, the lure of 13 million potential customers soon attracted the likes of Sugarhouse and eventually Fanduel, DraftKings and other followed suit. It expected that the number of

PA sportsbooks in 2020

would grow to compete with NJ.

Both states boast a vast number of sports teams which will have attracted sportsbooks. PA alone is home to the Philadelphia Phillies and the Pittsburg Pirates in the MLB; the Philadelphia Eagles and Philadelphia Steelers in the NFL; the Philadelphia Flyers and Pittsburg Penguins as well as the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA. NJ is home to the New York Jets and New York Giants in the NFL and the New Jersey Devils in the NHL.

The only state that could compete with both NJ and PA online in 2020 will be Indiana. There are currently only three IN sports books; FanDuel, DraftKings and BetRivers. It is expected that 2020 will be the year that Hoosier State begins to compete with NJ and PA.

NJ is expected to retain the crown for best state for sports betting in 2020. The gaming commission is considering to legalize esports, which could lead to even more growth. Currently, 80% of sports bets in NJ are placed via mobile betting, a trend that is set to continue as sports books continue to pump investment into their apps. New Jersians also love their basketball – in the first year, there were $200,000,000 more wagers placed on basketball than the second most popular – football.

Pennsylvania is still set to reach its full potential. There have been murmurs of a reduced tax on sports books setting up shop in the Keystone state. This would increase the state\’s competitiveness, especially concerning newcomers like Indiana and West Virginia.

images courtesy of unsplash.com

GUEST OPINION: NRA-Defended Lawsuit Preserves Predator Hunting in Alaska

by

Brian McCombie/NRA-ILA

Great news for hunters in Alaska: Predator hunting, in accordance with Alaska law, can continue on the nearly 77 million acres of National Wildlife Refuge land in Alaska. And the National Rifle Association (NRA) helped make this happen.

Predator hunting was threatened, thanks to a federal lawsuit brought by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD), in CBD v. Bernhardt.  The NRA and Safari Club International and others intervened as defendants in the lawsuit and argued against the CBD’s various claims against predator hunting on Refuge lands.

“This is an important victory for hunters and I’m proud NRA was an integral part of this litigation,” said Director of Hunting Policy for NRA-ILA Erica Rhoad. “Because of this case, states will continue to have the right to manage their wildlife as they deem appropriate.”

Hiking lead staff members of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service\’s Alaska Region to a large caribou herd in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Image by Danielle Brigida, USFWS.)

According to Associate Litigation Counsel for NRA-ILA Michael Jean, the genesis of the lawsuit goes back to August 2016, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, under the U.S. Department of The Interior (DOI), promulgated a rule that limited predator hunting—hunting that was otherwise authorized by state law—on National Wildlife Refuge land in Alaska. As reported by this NRA Hunters’ Leadership Forum website,

“not only did the Obama Administration’s blatant overreach counter America’s lauded state-based wildlife conservation

practices. It was also at odds with Alaska’s constitutional mandate to manage its fish and wildlife under the principles of sustained yield. Just as important, the difference between Alaska and other states is that many Alaskans subsistence-hunt for survival.”

However,

in accordance with the Congressional Review Act, as reported by NRAHLF.org, the DOI submitted that rule to Congress

. Then, in February 2017, Congress passed and President Trump signed H.R.J. Res 69 into law. H.R.J. Res 69 rescinded the DOI rule that limited predator hunting, prohibiting the DOI from promulgating a substantially similar rule in the future, allowing hunting to continue in accordance with Alaska law.

CBD challenged both H.R.J. Res 69 and the Congressional Review Act under the “Take Care” clause of the U.S. Constitution, which directs the Executive branch to take care and faithfully execute the law. CBD\’s argument was that because Congress did not directly amend any substantive law, the DOI didn’t know what the law was and could not faithfully execute it. The lawsuit launched by CBD named current DOI Secretary David Bernhardt as the defendant.

This grizzly was spotted from a camp on the Sheenjek River in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. (Image by Alexis Bonogofsky, USFWS.)

In May 2018, U.S. District Judge Sharon L. Gleason dismissed the suit in its entirety, relying on arguments made by the NRA and SCI.  CBD appealed.

Yesterday, on Dec. 30, a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed that ruling dismissing all of CBD’s claims.

According to Courthouse News Service,

the judges “found that the Center for Biological Diversity failed to make a valid argument

that Congress violated the constitutional balance of powers when it passed a 2017 joint resolution allowing certain hunting techniques to be reinstated throughout Alaska’s expansive wildlife refuge system.”

The article also noted, “Because Congress properly enacted the joint resolution, and therefore validly amended Interior’s authority to administer national wildlife refuges in Alaska, Congress did not prevent the president from exercising his constitutional duty to faithfully execute the laws,” wrote U.S. Circuit Judge Sandra Segal Ikuta on behalf of the panel. “Indeed, the president now has the constitutional obligation to execute the joint resolution.”

The legal precedent here is important, too, as it can be used to keep National Wildlife Refuge hunting regulations in accordance with host states’ hunting seasons and regulations.

Follow NRA Hunters\’ Leadership Forum on Twitter @HuntersLead.

About the Author:

Brian McCombie is a field editor and editorial contributor for the NRA\’s American Hunter. He writes about firearms and gear for the NRA\’s Shooting Illustrated website, as well as handling public relations and marketing for companies and manufacturers in the shooting sports industry. He is a member of the National Rifle Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Brian likes hunting hogs, shooting 1911s chambered in 10 mm and .45 ACP, watching the Chicago Bears and relaxing with his two cats, Peanut Morgan and Simon.

GOOD NEWS for the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University

Receives Gift to Create the Scott Richards North Star Foundation and Stop Alzheimer’s Now Chair for Alzheimer’s Research

(Philadelphia, PA) –

The Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University (LKSOM) has received a gift from Temple University trustee, benefactor and Fox School of Business alumnus Phil Richards and the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation (SRNSCF), as well as Stop Alzheimer’s Now (SAN), to

establish the Scott Richards North Star Foundation and Stop Alzheimer’s Now Chair for Alzheimer’s Research at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple. The gift to establish the Chair will be utilized exclusively for the purpose of funding Alzheimer’s research at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple (ACT). The name of the researcher who will be first occupant of the new chair position will be announced at a later date.

“We’re extremely thankful to the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation and Stop Alzheimer’s Now for this generous gift,” said

John M. Daly, MD, FACS

, Interim Dean and Harry C. Donahoo Professor of Surgery at LKSOM. “That these two organizations would select Temple for this donation speaks volumes to the promising work being done by Dr. Domenico Praticò and his team at the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple. The Alzheimer’s Center is performing cutting-edge research into the causation, prevention and ultimately cure of this devastating disease.”

The Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation is a Minnesota non-profit corporation, and Stop Alzheimer’s Now is a Texas non-profit corporation. Both have a core funding priority of ending Alzheimer’s disease. In 2018 SRNSCF provided a gift to LKSOM to establish the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research at Temple as well as the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple.

Domenico Praticò, MD

, was appointed the first Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation Chair for Alzheimer’s Research and Professor and Director of the Alzheimer’s Center at Temple. The occupant of the new chair funded by this latest gift will report to Dr. Praticò. SAN also provided a gift in early 2019 to fund research at ACT.

“The Alzheimer’s Center at Temple is committed to promoting brain health and fostering discoveries for a better understanding of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias through advanced research, clinical studies and innovative educational program,” said Dr. Praticò. “Alzheimer’s disease is becoming a major health concern, and if novel successful therapies do not become available, the number of patients suffering from the disease is expected to rise dramatically over the next 30 years. This gift will allow us to continue to pursue our ultimate goal of finding a cure.”

Alzheimer’s disease is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States today. The Alzheimer’s Center at Temple integrates research, training, clinical and educational activities in order to study the pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s disease and related disorders, discover the mechanisms responsible for their onset and progression, and develop effective treatment strategies with the ultimate goal of curing those diseases.

“The catastrophic consequences to the victims of this insidious disease are compounded by the tragedy thrust upon the caregivers (75% women) whose lives are severely disrupted when it occurs. We all must do whatever we can to alleviate both,” said

Phil Richards

, who is also Executive Chairman and Founder of the North Star Resource Group and Chairman of the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation.

“We interviewed many directors around the country as we considered where we wanted to partner,” said

Shaun McDuffee

, Founder of Stop Alzheimer’s Now. “Dr Praticò’s passion and expertise made Temple University jump to the top of our list.   We believe that with his leadership and commitment, Temple is going to come up with a solution to the Alzheimer’s epidemic.”

The North Star Resource Group established a charitable foundation in 2004 to support causes close to the North Star team. The foundation was renamed the Scott Richards North Star Charitable Foundation in 2008, after the passing of former president Scott Richards, son of Temple Trustee Richards. Since 2004, North Star has donated 10% of all profits to the foundation, which has contributed more than $5 million to local communities across the nation. The foundation also supports the philanthropic interests of its advisors and team members by providing an internal gift matching program focusing on breast cancer, Bikes for Kids, ataxia, myelofibrosis, cystic fibrosis, as well as Alzheimer’s.

Stop Alzheimer’s Now founded by Shaun McDuffee in 2013, has committed to walking across all 50 states to raise awareness and funds for research for a cure. To date, SAN has walked nearly 1,000 miles and raised $400,000 through individual contributions and partnerships with organizations such as SRNSCF and the McDuffee Family Foundation.

About Temple Health

Temple University Health System (TUHS) is a $2.2 billion academic health system dedicated to providing access to quality patient care and supporting excellence in medical education and research. The Health System consists of Temple University Hospital (TUH)

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TUH-Episcopal Campus; TUH-Northeastern Campus; The Hospital of Fox Chase Cancer Center and Affiliates, an NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center; Jeanes Hospital, a community-based hospital offering medical, surgical and emergency services; Temple Transport Team, a ground and air-ambulance company; Temple Physicians, Inc., a network of community-based specialty and primary-care physician practices; and Temple Faculty Practice Plan, Inc., TUHS’s physician practice plan comprised of more than 500 full-time and part-time academic physicians in 20 clinical departments. TUHS is affiliated with the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University.

Temple Health refers to the health, education and research activities carried out by the affiliates of Temple University Health System (TUHS) and by the Katz School of Medicine.  TUHS neither provides nor controls the provision of health care. All health care is provided by its member organizations or independent health care providers affiliated with TUHS member organizations. Each TUHS member organization is owned and operated pursuant to its governing documents.

It is the policy of Temple University Health System that there shall be no exclusion from, or participation in, and no one denied the benefits of, the delivery of quality medical care on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity/expression, disability, age, ancestry, color, national origin, physical ability, level of education, or source of payment.