Walking the halls of Poquoson Middle School was a trip down memory lane for many of the people who toured the building after a joint meeting between the School Board and City Council Tuesday night.

They had walked these halls as preteens or teenagers some when the building was still the high school.

City Attorney D. Wayne Moore pointed out the old band room and a space under the current music room risers that once contained locker room showers. He drew laughs when he said he drove the school bus in high school, making a handsome wage for a teenager in the late 1950s.

Despite the light feel around the tour, its subject was a pending decision that Mayor Gene Hunt said would shape the citys education for a generation. It might be the most important work that we as School Board members have ever accomplished on our term, added School Board Chair Steven Kast.

At Tuesdays meeting, the council and the board reopened discussions of school consolidation, going over the enrollment decline the schools have faced for years, the shrinking of state funding and some infrastructure challenges in the school buildings.

Hunt implored the council and the board to approach the consolidation discussions with an open mind. He said the primary driver of any decision should be doing whats best for students, adding that any money saved by consolidating would stay in the schools.

Since 2006, Poquoson school enrollment has dropped by 522 students. The enrollment in fall 2016 was 2,080, leaving the school 649 students short of its functional capacity. Superintendent Jennifer Parish noted that the enrollment and capacity gap is distributed across the citys four schools.

She also went over declining state funding and the city having to meet the schools funding gaps, increasing its contribution year to year. Kast said the state does not provide money for capital projects, leaving the burden of construction on the city.

In 2012, a consolidation committee appointed by the School Board decided against closing any of the citys four schools but said the city and schools should revisit the discussion in 2016 if enrollment decline continued. The committee said Poquoson Primary School made the most sense to close because it could be used for other purposes for some financial gain and made for the easiest instructional transition.

Parish outlined a 2012 facility study by school staff and a contractor that offered several possibilities for the middle school, ranging from fixing it up to demolishing it and building a new one.

The contractor listed the architectural and mechanical work the building needed. The contractor found the school had undergone 11 phases of work, leading to some disjointed operating systems, like running about a dozen different HVAC systems. The contractor said despite renovations and additions, much of the building was out of date, adding that the schools out-of-date systems were grandfathered due to age and were not up to current code.

Steve Pappas, the schools executive operations director, led the tour of the middle school, highlighting signs of age and patchwork repairs.

(Aileen Devlin/Daily Press) /

School Board, City Council and school division and city staff members look over an out dated music room during a tour of Poquoson Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. Poquoson Middle is the oldest school in the city and is being considered for closing the school because of declining enrollment, down by about 500 in 10 year.

School Board, City Council and school division and city staff members look over an out dated music room during a tour of Poquoson Middle School on Tuesday, Aug. 15, 2017. Poquoson Middle is the oldest school in the city and is being considered for closing the school because of declining enrollment, down by about 500 in 10 year. ((Aileen Devlin/Daily Press) /)

In the auditorium, he stood by a pillar that was warped from moisture with paint bearing scars of water damage. He took the group upstairs to one of the biggest rooms in the school what Moore said was the old band room and said the room only had two electric outlets. Lack of connectivity in some places inhibits the use of new technology in classes, Parish said.

Down the hall, Pappas pointed out a window to the other second floor across the roof the two upstairs wings arent connected, but were different additions made over the years. And even though there are two second floors, the building has no elevators.

In one utility room of pipes and electrical panels, Pappas showed a line about four cinder blocks tall the high water mark from Hurricane Isabel. Some electrical panels in the room were lower than the water line. In an outdoor utility room, Pappas invited the group to look up at a gash in the roof through which you could clearly see the sky.

He pointed out a computer lab as one of the lowest rooms in building. He said they stack all the equipment any time a big storm is expected. The room was also cooled by a window air conditioning unit, a sign of the disparate HVAC systems.

The shop class area showed a different sort of HVAC a piece of machinery hanging from the ceiling that looked like some antique car part. Pappas said hot water runs through it, and a fan blows out the heated air.

Toward the end of the tour, as if on cue, a leak sprung as Pappas passed through a first-floor doorway.

Kast said the School Board hopes to make a consolidation recommendation to the City Council in November. Hunt said he hopes the council can make a final decision in December.

Reyes can be reached by phone at 757-247-4692. Follow him on Twitter @jdauzreyes.

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Will Poquoson's leaky middle school fall to consolidation - Daily Press

BALDWIN COUNTY, AL (WALA) -

Three Baldwin County schools have new additions that officially opened Monday, August 14, 2017. The additions add 38 new classroom and eliminate several portables from each campus. These are the first completed projects from the school systems pay-as-you-go capital improvements plan.

Elberta Elementary, Elsanor School and Baldwin County Middle School will start a new school year with a huge facelift. Each school has brand new additions to welcome students next week. Most broke ground last October, the first of a list of projects in phase one of Baldwin County Schools pay-as-you-go plan.

Right now, youve got five schools identified, the three we just identified and Fairhope High School with 20 classrooms and Perdido with an additional 16 classrooms, explained Baldwin County Schools superintendent, Eddie Tyler.

Fairhope and Perdido additions will be completed later in the school year. Those that are moving in by the start of school are grateful and excited for what the new wings will offer to both teachers and students.

The excitement here is justwere exploding, said Elberta Elementary principal, Jenny Breazeale. To have a pre-K through sixth school for this community is going to be such a blessing because a pre-K through sixth school truly is a community school.

The addition of 10 classrooms at Elsanor School was long overdue. Kayla Buchanan teaches second grade and was putting finishing touches on her classroom Monday. She moved from a small room in the historic schoolhouse to a brand new classroom and says she cant wait to welcome the kids.

The younger kids are just so excited, Buchanan said. These kids deserve the best and so Im just so excited for everything to be new and clean and just more exciting that it normally would.

Central Baldwin Middle School got 14 new classrooms. The wing will be the new home for the eighth grade class. Principal, Phillip Fountain said theyve been looking forward to this day since they broke ground 10 months ago.

Theyre going to spend a lot of their time every day right here in this wing and quite frankly, its beautiful, Fountain said. Whats not to like about it? When you have things that are nice, brand new, the anticipationthe excitementit really builds.

The total budget for improvements to five schools in phase one of capital improvements is almost $16 million dollars.

All content 2017, WALA; Mobile, AL. (A Meredith Corporation Station). All Rights Reserved.

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USA TODAY Sports Published 2:36 p.m. ET July 7, 2017 | Updated 3:29 p.m. ET July 7, 2017

While becoming an All-Star is a great honor, what a player does in the game could leave a lasting impact on his legacy. USA TODAY Sports

Blue Jays reliever Roberto Osuna was a late addition to the AL All-Star team.(Photo: Kevin Jairaj, USA TODAY Sports)

Most every All-Star Game snub was settled Friday when Major League Baseball added seven players to American and National league rosters as replacements for injured players or pitchers starting this weekend.

The lone National League addition, Alex Wood, will replace his fellow Los Angeles Dodgers lefty Clayton Kershaw, who starts on Sunday. Wood has started the season 10-0 with a 1.67 ERA.

Dodgers lefty Alex Wood's amazing first half is over - but can he get to All-Star Game?

MLB Home Run Derby: Six show-stopping performances

Indians' Terry Francona will not manage in All-Star Game after heart procedure

Added to the AL squad for Tuesday's game in Miami: Seattle second baseman Robinson Cano, Tampa Bay ace Chris Archer, relievers Chris Devenski (Houston), Roberto Osuna (Toronto) and Brandon Kintzler (Minnesota) and Detroit outfielder Justin Upton.

Devenski's addition gives the Astros a major league-high six All-Stars.

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Dodgers' Alex Wood, six others named to All-Star Game rosters - USA TODAY

Sixers prove and gain plenty with additions of JJ Redick, Amir Johnson

Whether the process is over or still ongoing, the Sixers are entering a new chapter in the direction of the team. It is one in whichveteran leadership for the young core is highly revered, so much so that the Sixers are willing to pay up for it.

The Sixers on Saturday agreed to a one-year contract with shooting guard JJ Redick worth $23 million, according to a league source (see story). That's $280,487.81 per regular-season game.

The Sixers also agreed to a one-year, $11 million deal with forward Amir Johnson, according to a source (see story).As of Saturday, Johnson will be the second-highest paid player on the Sixers next season behind Redick.

These paychecks, Redick's in particular, are representative of the Sixers'commitment to improving the team now. They aren't building a roster looking to knock off the Cavaliers, but rather one that can take a critical step in the development of the organization. The Sixers need to surround players like Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz and Dario Saric with veterans to make that happen.

Johnson will be entering his 13th season; Redick his 12th. Both made their NBA debuts in 2006, the same year Fultz turned 8years old.

The two, along with Jerryd Bayless, can instill lessons of professionalism and accountability to achieve lengthy NBA careers. Both Johnson and Redick are seasoned in the playoffs and know how to take care of their bodies. Johnson played 80 games last regular season while Redickmissed only four.

Yes, Redick will add instant offense with his dangerous long-range shot and Johnson will provide versatility in the frontcourt, but the bigger value could be the influence they have on the younger players. Embiid and Simmons already welcomed Redick's addition with approvals on social media (see story).

The short-term commitments to Johnson and Redick keep in line with the Sixers'desire to maintain salary cap flexibility for the future, including free agency and a potential contract extension forEmbiid. If all goes well, the Sixers could revisit their contract situations for the following season and perhaps negotiate for more years at a discount. Or, the players could part ways and find new teams. Either outcome, the Sixers won't have their hands tied contractually when they enter the market in the summer of 2018.

The Sixers have inked two long-term veterans to short-term deals. If the young players soak up everything Johnson and Redick have to offer, just one season could be enough to make a long-lasting impact.

LAS VEGAS -- JJ Redick was one of the most sought-after free agents on the market. Teams were pushing for his veteran leadership and three-point shooting. All the while his decision was quite easy.

Truthfully, for probably the eight weeks between the season and free agency, as we got closer and closer to free agency, I wanted to be in Philadelphia, Redick said at his introductory press conference Saturday after officially signing with the Sixers(see story). That was the place I wanted to be.

Redick agreed to a one-year, $23 million contract with the Sixers on July 1, the first afternoon of free agency. What seemed like it could have been a drawn out period of heavy consideration was shortened to less than 24 hours.

You brought 40 people to the meeting, Redick said, turning to president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo seated next to him. It was just a great experience.

The Sixers were quick to agree to a deal with Redick because he checked off a long list of offseason needs, the first being offense.

What this team needed more than anything was a shooter, Colangelo said. We arguably have the best shooter in the league.

In addition to being instant scoring and reliable three-point threat, the shooting guard is a proven veteran leader who has made the playoffs part of his annual schedule.

"Yeah, I would just say that Josh and Dave and Bryan aren't paying me $23 million to be a leader, Redick said. They're paying me that because I can play and same thing with Amir (Johnson).

Redick viewed the Sixers system and roster as the best fit for him. He said the acquisition of the No. 1 pick to land Markelle Fultz solidified his interest in signing with them. Long before the trade, though, Redick had been enticed by the possibility of playing under Brett Brown.

To be honest, he was probably the biggest factor in this decision, Redick said of Brown. Hes someone that Ive watched and I wanted to play for. Im thrilled to be playing for him next year.

Redicks quick decision to join the Sixers came after years of traveling to the city as a member of the opposing team. A social media post from his past turned out to be telling of his relocation in 2017.

"Somebody on Twitter the other day dug up an old tweet from 2011 when I said that I was roaming the streets of Philadelphia and it was one of my favorite cities and it's a very underrated city," Redick said. "Six years later, I still feel the same way."

LAS VEGAS -- The Sixers are prepared to move forward in summer league if Markelle Fultz cannot play. After all, they arent strangers to injured rookies.

Fultz suffered a left ankle sprain in the third quarter of Saturdays 95-93 win over the Warriors (see Instant Replay). He stepped on the back of Jabari Browns foot as he attempted to chase down a block and had to be helped off the court by his teammates without putting pressure on his foot.

The Sixers have not announced a long-term plan for Fultz's availability during the remainder of summer league, but it seems unlikely he will be able to play in Sundays back-to-back game against the Spurs.

Seeing Fultz grabbing his ankle on the court was a visual reminder of the long list of injuries endured by Sixers before even playing an NBA game. Even the slightest wince or hobble is jarring for many to see at this point.

Nerlens Noel sat out his rookie season because of an ACL injury. Joel Embiid missed two years because of foot surgeries. Just last October, Ben Simmons was hit by a season-ending Jones fracture in his right foot.

Any sport you play in in a competitive atmosphere and youre athletic and moving around, thats just the challenge, assistant coach Lloyd Pierce said. Its easy to put that on the history of what weve gone through, but no, its just part of the game. Its part of the sport.

Fultz began receiving treatment Saturday night (he was not available to speak to media because of this). Pierce said this will be a lesson for Fultz to learn about taking care of his body to recover from an injury.

The Sixers plan to go with Larry Drew II more often without Fultz and Timothe Luwawu Cabarrot.Luwawu-Cabarrot also left Saturday's game with an upper lip laceration that required stitches. Drew II hit the go-ahead basket in their victory. Aaron Harrison also drew praise from Pierce for scoring 13 points in as many minutes off the bench.

Next guy up, Pierce said. Weve got a lot of bodies and a lot of guys that did not play tonight will get their opportunity at some point during the week.

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Sixers prove and gain plenty with additions of JJ Redick, Amir Johnson - Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia

MILWAUKEE (WAOW) -

Could the Brewers be "buyers" at the trade deadline? According to MLB.com, that possibility is looking more and more likely.

With the Crew eight games above .500 and holding a 4.5 game lead over the Cubs in the National League Central, Brewers general manager David Stearns is currently "monitoring the market" to make a possible addition to the club's pitching staff, according to national columnist Jon Paul Morosi.

Morosi indicates the Brewers are interested in trading for either Sonny Gray of the Oakland A's or Jose Quintana, a lefty from the Chicago White Sox. Both players are having down years in 2017 after achieving successthrough the early part of the decade.

But why would the Brewers, a team in the midst of one of the biggest rebuilds in baseball, mortgage their future to make a run in 2017? Stearns' experience as an assistant GM in Houston could play a big role.

The Astros' 2015 season is strikingly similar to that of the Brewers in 2017: Going through a rebuilding process, Houston overachieved in 2015 and put itself in position to make a big moveat the trade deadline before striking a deal that Brewers fans should remember well: GM Jeff Luhnow, along with his second-in-command Stearns, sentprospects Domingo Santana, Josh Hader and Brett Phillips to Milwaukee in exchange for Carlos Gomez and Mike Fiers.

The Astros wound up making the playoffs as a Wild Card before losing to the eventual champion Royals in the Divisional Round.

Gomez flamed out before eventually being released while Fiers has established himself as a key member of Houston's pitching rotation. Meanwhile, Santana and Hader have panned out to become key players on this year's resurgent Brewers team, and Phillips is considered one of the organization's top prospects.

Despite giving all of that up, the Astros rebuild has worked out wonderfully: they're currently the best team in baseball, nine games better than any other team in the American League and on pace for a franchise-record 109 wins. Their goals have gone from Wild Card to World Series in just two years.

The lesson here is this: Even if a rebuilding team gambles and makes a trade, the rebuild can still continue. Stearns no doubt will keep this experience at the front of his mind as the July trade deadline fast approaches.

The rest is here:
REPORT: Brewers expected to "eye additions" as trade deadline approaches - WAOW

By Joe Skrebels

Anyone who bought Breath of the Wilds Expansion Pass likely did so on the promise of its second, story-focused installment. With several months to go until the Champions Ballad DLC, however, Nintendos offered something of a stop-gap in the form of a grab-bag set of additions to its bucolic masterpiece. It may not be precisely what fans are clamoring for, but that might be its strength, as The Master Trials offers a couple of very pleasant surprises.

The headline act, without any doubt, comes in the form of the Trial of the Sword. A new challenge mode of sorts, the Trial draws its primary idea from Breath of the Wilds best challenge - Eventide Island.

That tantalising landmass draws most players, siren-like, across the sea to its southeastern shores, before promptly stripping them of all their items, and facing them against a series of challenges, without the opportunity to save. Eventide is magnificent, somehow cramming ideas from survival games and XCOMs Iron Man mode into the games already near-perfect structure. It challenged players to forget about the things theyd earned and engage purely with what theyd learned. Utilising Breath of the Wilds many overlapping systems became the key to surviving (and winning little more than the pleasure of a save point at its final Shrine).

Trial of the Sword is Eventide on a grand scale. Provided youve earned the right to hold the Master Sword, youll have the option of plonking it right back into its pedestal and progressing through a series of 45 one-shot rooms, most of which are specific combat trials. Youll begin with no armour, no weapons and no Divine Beast powers, scavenging what you can along the way. Die before you hit one of three checkpoints and you have to do it all again. Depending on your speed, that can mean anything up to a couple of hours progress can be lost if youre not careful. This is truly something for Breath of the Wilds endgame.

The idea of centering an endgame challenge around combat - one of Breath of the Wilds most simplistic features - might seem antithetical. Thats because combat is only the means of progression - the challenge comes from applying all your knowledge of the wider game. Sets of five stages work around similar themes, asking the player to engage with environmental conditions while killing off all of the stages occupants.

One set takes place entirely in a thunderstorm, meaning youre best off ditching any metal items youre carrying (or even better off using them as lightning traps). Another sees you in a vertical wind tunnel of sorts, with enemies placed across floating platforms and almost all armed with bows and arrows, turning it as much into a test of your skilful paragliding as it is your slow-motion bow work. There are areas where you need to deal with constant cold without the clothing to withstand it, or simply defeat boss enemies with the scant resources you have left after all the preceding stages. Even its quiet interim stages (each one appearing after a mini-boss fight) are trials of a kind - youll need to turn what little food you have into the most effective possible recipes, and forage for as much as you can. Please, learn from my mistakes: lifesaving fairies run away if you sprint desperately up to them.

Hitting each checkpoint in the Trial may offer a permanent 10-point damage buff to your Master Sword but, like Eventide, completing it all really is its own reward. It may not bring the sheer wonder of stumbling across the main games biggest surprises by accident - if youre able to finish this, it will likely be because youve played enough to know how - but it condenses the mechanical joy of Breath of the Wild into a four-hour gauntlet. The upcoming story expansion is rightfully the most exciting post-release addition to the game, but it will genuinely have some trouble beating the pure, adrenal fun of making it through the Trial of the Sword.

That sets an unassailably high bar for the rest of the DLC pack, but much of the rest of the Master Trials additions are certainly welcome, if not hugely significant.

Heros Path, for example, takes the last 200 hours of your time in the game and presents it as a scrawled track drawn across the games map (just press the minus button and hit X to see it). Designed primarily to show you areas youve missed while exploring, its an extremely useful new tool (I almost immediately spotted a whole jutting landmass Id never bothered to travel around), but its just as pleasant when used as a short-form replay of your time in Hyrule.

Theres an argument to be made that - in its capacity as a navigational feature - Heros Path should have been included in the game from the beginning, but the ability to watch it trace its way around the map in fast-forward adds a different dimension. Theres an odd nostalgia invoked as you watch your journey flitting around Hyrule: a shrine detour you remember taking, the first time you retreated from the Hebra mountains to get something warmer to wear, those three to four hundred deaths in the Yiga Clan hideout. That feeling could only really be achieved when used in hindsight. Few are likely to forget their first run around Breath of the Wild, so its nice to have the game itself acknowledge that fact.

The Travel Medallion is another new, utilitarian feature that some will argue should have been in the game from the beginning. On this, Im not as inclined to disagree. After youve found the medallion (following a short quest), it can be dropped anywhere, creating a bespoke fast travel point. Its particularly useful for return trips to areas with materials to grind for, cutting out travel time from Shrines. Nintendo might argue that having it in the game from the beginning would have taken away from Breath of the Wilds philosophy that players should have to interact with the world as much as possible, but adding the equivalent of a single movable Shrine doesnt feel as though it would detract from that idea all too much. Either way, for those still on the hunt for the games rarest materials, this will be a boon.

The weakest addition comes in the form of new clothing items, all of which are direct references to past games: Midnas helmet from Twilight Princess, Phantom Guardian armour from The Phantom Hourglass, Majoras Mask. Most useful of all is the Korok Mask, which shakes when youre near one of the games 900 hidden Koroks. Perhaps better, however, is the Tingle outfit, simply because it causes almost every NPC to recoil in horror when you approach.

Each offers a dose of fan service but, barring the Korok Mask, the effects of each clothing item are familiar enough - attack buffs, higher speed at night, and the ability to avoid being spotted by certain enemies are all abilities present on existing armour. Theyre clearly more suited to new players than those whove already dealt with the worst Hyrule has to offer. Given how much time has passed since release, its unlikely that the first group is larger than the second, making each feel a little underwhelming when you pick them up.

To compound that problem, to avoid simply giving you each item Nintendo includes a set of hints to follow. Those hints, it tells you outwardly, correspond exactly with various areas in the Hyrule Field region. Unfortunately, for anyone whos spent a fair bit of time in the Field, it turns what should be treasure hunting into a dull trudge from obvious point to obvious point, intermittently turning on the Magnesis power to spot a buried chest. These items are teed up as legendary relics of a forgotten past - finding them half-buried in an old barn seems a tad underwhelming. Simply put, its not a great deal of fun to find the items, and theyre not all that useful when you do.

Thankfully, theres a final addition that adds a great deal more for those whove seen most of Breath of the Wild already. Only available from the main menu as a totally fresh start, Master Mode was previously referred to as Hard Mode by Nintendo, but its not difficult to see why it would opt for a more grandiose title upon release. This is a more creative increase in difficulty than most games upper levels.

While allowing players only a single save slot and increasing each enemy types rank by one (red Bokoblins become Blue Bokoblins, for example) arent unfamiliar tactics, it has crueler ideas up its sleeve. Familiar enemy placements are disrupted, with new mobs ready to swarm you in unexpected places - not least with the addition of weird, floating platforms (held aloft, grimly, by still-living Octoroks) hovering above the Hyrule horizon. Plus, those enemies now regenerate health if you stop attacking them, and can spot you from further away.

Nintendos clearly aiming to indulge those looking for a real New Game+ experience. Stronger enemies earlier on means that Link ends up better equipped than he would usually be, even before he leaves the Great Plateau tutorial area. On the other hand, the addition of what used to be the games hardest regular enemy, a Silver Lynel, in the Great Plateau speaks to how much of a challenge the mode will be. That there are entirely new, gold-ranked enemies (including Lynels) is a further promise. It wont be for everyone (I guarantee some will throw in the towel after being killed by the games first enemy after 150 hours of play), but Master Mode is a fantastic way of adding a lot more by changing a little. Thats emblematic of the Master Trials DLC as whole.

The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild -- The Master Trials

The Verdict

The Master Trials doesnt make any epochal changes to the established Breath of the Wild formula, but by packing in one of the games best quests, some welcome new features, and a hard mode to be reckoned with, it more than paves the way for the starrier story expansion to come.

Editors' Choice

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The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - The Master Trials DLC Review - IGN

You cant talk about the G6 without comparing it to the S8. Be warned, Ill be doing that a lot in this review.

Even as the G6 was first announced and impressed everyone with its minimal bezels, gorgeous display, and refined design, we knew the S8 was right around the corner with, even smaller bezels, an even prettier display, and a sleeker design.

All this means the G6 inevitably feels like its playing second fiddle to the S8. But after spending a couple of months with both devices, that may not be such a bad thing.

Note: LG recently announced a slightly more powerful LG G6+, which goes up to 128GB of storage and adds a Hi-Fi 32-bit Quad DAC. We only reviewed the older model, but you can read up more on the G6+ here.

Once you get past the initial prettiness of the S8, theres something appealing about the relatively tame design of the G6. The phone is attractive enough, with its glass back and metal frame, but it still plays it safe with some of that utilitarian LG vibe.

That isnt necessarily a downside. For those of us that dont use cases, its at least nice that I dont feel a need to baby the G6 the way I do the S8. And if you do use a case, all youre going to notice is that beautiful display anyway. Regardless, its probably the most premium-feeling phone LG has made (Id argue the original LG V10 felt just as premium, but I digress).

Mind you, Ive lost some confidence in the G6s claimed military-standard drop resistance; Ive seen too many YouTube drop tests with unsavory results. At the end of the day, its still a phone with a glass screen and a glass back. Still, it feels a bit more sturdy, and the flatter sides help it feel more secure in hand. That counts for something.

As mentioned before, the screen is a pleasure to behold. That tall aspect ratio and minimal bezels help the display melt away in your hands. Its arguably most impressive display Ive seen right up there with the Galaxy S8.

Being of the LCD variety, its not quite as eye-popping as the S8, but the colors feel a little more accurate by default, and LG has finally nailed the white balance. And as much as I prefer the pitch-blacks of OLED displays, I also appreciate how LCDs arent prone to distracting color tints at off-center viewing angles its almost like looking at paper.

The screen is rated for HDR10 and Dolby Vision HDR which work beautifully when watching Netflix so its able to get quite bright and is easily visible outdoors. The rounded corners are icing on the cake.

Unfortunately, the tall aspect ratio means that some apps either dont use up the full display or have elements cut out, and LG isnt as good about resizing video to fill the screen as Samsung. It also means that while the phone is comfortably narrow, its harder to reach items near the top of the screen.

These are issues every phone with a tall display will suffer from. But for some reason I cant wrap my head around, LG decided to omit a one-handed mode in the software. This was an absolute life-saver on the V20, and ultimately makes that phone easier to use than the G6, despite being much larger overall.

Its one of those things where if youve never used it before, you may not care. I, however, use the one-handed mode multiple times per day, and its omission here repeatedly irked me. Another point for the S8.

Conversely, LGs fingerprint reader is in a much more comfortable location to access with with one hand, so theres that.

The software hasnt changed much between generations. The headline addition was Google Assistant support, which made the G6 the first non-Google device with the technology although that isnt much of a selling point now that its spread to other devices.

The UI still features a rather bland white-on-black look, but there are at least some themeing options through LGs store. More importantly, LGs skin doesnt really slow down the phone very much. I just wish LG stuck to a stock Android look, given its custom UI isnt adding very much in the way of extra features. Samsung has an equally heavy skin, but it looks betterand provides more useful additions.

Performance-wise, the G6 and S8 feel similarly zippy for most tasks. The G6 will be slower to load some games and larger apps, sure, but it feels smooth to scroll around and navigate the UI on the whole.

That said, after using the device for several months and populating it with ever more apps, theres been a little bit of slowdown, but nothing too bad. Its worth mentioning Ive noticed slowdown less on the S8 though. As youd imagine, given the newer processor, its probably the better choice if youre concerned about long-term performance.On the whole though, I find the performance differences between the two phones largely negligible.

The Snapdragon 835s newer technology is more palpable when it comes to battery life. Though the G6 has a fairly hefty 3,200 mAh battery, its big, bright screen and last generation processor meant that I consistently got worse battery life from it than Samsungs S8.

I generally found myself getting about 4 or 4.5 hours of screen on time with my typical heavy use. Its notbad, but the smaller S8 normally netted me about 5.5 hours, and the larger S8+ about 6.5. I wish LG had gone all out and packed in a larger battery to compensate, given its already chunkier than Samsungs devices.

Practically speaking, the camera is the biggest differentiator between the two devices, and its a category I think LG handily wins.

Frankly, I think picture quality among any of the flagship phones is a toss-up, though perhaps the S8 gets slightly better results on average. Still, that pales in comparison to the versatility afforded by the wide angle camera.

Ive been using the LG V20 since it launched last year, which also has a second wide-angle camera, and its a godsend for crowded spaces and city architecture. Basically, it comes in handy whenever you often dont have the room to step back far enough to fit everything in your frame.

Of course, you could always do a panorama, but those are slow and prone to stitching errors.

Unlike on the V20(and G5), this time LG is using the same exact sensor for both cameras, making the wide-angle not just a secondary option for perfect lighting its just as capable in low light and high-contrast situations as well.

It would take a dramatic leap in image quality to make me prefer a single lens to a dual-camera setup. LG remains the only manufacturer to pair a normal camera lens with a wide-angle one, and its the most practical combination in the business (though Id love to see a third telephoto lens someday).

I cant help but feel LG shot itself a bit in the foot by opting to go with a Snapdragon 821 instead of the newer 835. It kills a bit of the flagship vibe for the spec fiends, and it seems to have a real-world disadvantage regarding battery life.

As such, the Galaxy S8 remains the Android phone Id recommend tomost people, but its certainly not the one Id recommend to all, especially if youre into mobile photography. That is can be found unlocked for quite a bit cheaper is a nice bonus too.

For all the comparisons, its worth acknowledging the G6 is a great phone in its own right. The screen is absolutely fantastic, the build quality and design are quite good, and the camera experience is one of the best around. I just hope LG pushes the bar a little higher next time around.

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LG G6 long-term review: Sometimes second fiddle isn't so bad - TNW

Microsoft is adding seven new titles to its $9.99 Xbox Game Pass in July. The game subscription service lets gamers download and play any of the over 100 titles available on the service, about three-quarters of which are games either launched on the Xbox 360 or ported to Xbox One from the 360. The new offerings include the following games:

The Flame In The Flood

Guacamelee

Resident Evil 6

Dead Island: Definitive Edition

F1 2015

Monaco

Bards Gold

None of the new additions have triple-A value; Resident Evil 6, Dead Island: DE, Monaco, and Guacamelee all released on Xbox 360. The other three new titles are old (F1 2015), retro (Bards Gold), and/or independent (The Flame In The Flood).

The only game here worth a second mention is The Flame In The Flood; its an excellent rogue-like survival title that stands apart from other games in the genre. It was just as excellent when it was released early last year on Steam. Perhaps theres value here for those who havent checked out the Game Pass yet, but if you were waiting to see what happened next before you decided to carry your subscription another month: this might be the announcement that saves you 10 dollars in July.

The entire Xbox Game Pass subscription is based on potential. Its pretty easy to pore over the library, decide if games like Halo 5 and NBA 2K16 are strong enough to influence your wallet, and then determine if the 100 plus available titles are right for you. The service held more value for its potential than its initially modest library.

At least it did now theyve announced the new titles being added and its difficult to find a reason to maintain a subscription unless there are several games youve been playing with Game Pass in June you just cant put down.

When Microsoft announced the Xbox Game Pass they showed a commitment to keep their customers experience competitive. Finally, single-console owners who chose the Xbox One would have access to a game subscription service similar to Sonys Playstation Now. Even better for Microsoft fans, the Game Pass would offer current generation games along side older backwards compatible titles; Sonys offering only has PS3 games.

The problem is Xbox just came back at us with another batch of games that feel like they should have been included in the first month (longer for Xbox Insiders) with the other decent offerings. At best this is a maybe theres one game for you attempt at pleasing everyone at once offering, but theres no star title.

The Xbox Game Pass missed a crucial opportunity to prove that maintaining a subscription to the service is worth it. Games like Forza 6 or even just Forza Horizon 2 would have made excellent offerings after E3s Forza 7 announcement this year.

Microsoft is going to have to loosen its own premium offerings or get publishers like Bethesda or Bioware to chip in more recent titles to give the service value again.

The Xbox Game Pass shows us, with the new July game additions, that its where games that have little-to-no further earning potential go to retire.

Xbox Game Pass - July 2017 Update on Microsoft

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Xbox Game Pass adds first batch of new titles and it's already time to cancel - TNW

Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills Elementary District 181 will spend about $400,000 for additional features not included in the original $53.3 million budget for the new Hinsdale Middle School.

The District 181 Board Monday approved paying for a fitness mezzanine and expanded storage at about $53,400, two operable windows per classroom for about $217,400 and ducted fan coil units in lieu of cassettes for about $134,500.

The board considered, but took a pass on, an indoor track, which would have cost about $295,000.

"I'm still committed to coming in on or under budget," board President Jennifer Burns said. "The fact that we're on budget with 80 percent of the bids in gives us a good look at our financial situation with the project, which is good."

Burns said two of the additions, the windows and the improved HVAC system, are mechnical items the board felt should be in the building, and would cost more to add later on.

"I think the fitness mezzanine and storage are needed, and we felt the cost for that was justified," she said. "We couldn't justify spending the additional money for the track."

Board member Margaret Kleber agreed.

"The community said that parity with CHMS was important to them, and I think it's important to take that into consideration," Kleber said, noting that adding a track at HMS would leave that school with about 2 times the space of CHMS for physical education.

Nathan Lucht spoke in favor of the track.

"We can, and should, build the best school we can," he said. "Parity should be forward looking."

Both a ducted fan coil and a cassette are types of terminal distribution devices for the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system in the classrooms. Both provide the necessary heating and cooling distribution, with the ducted fan coil providing for better mixing of the air in the room, according to information provided by the district.

Operable windows provide the opportunity for outdoor air on days when the weather is not too humid or too cold. The operable windows include a design feature that will shut down the air conditioning to that room when a window is open, eliminating a previously identified concern with condensation occurring if there were high humidity levels, according to Kerry Leonard, the owner's representative for the project.

The fitness mezzanine is an accessible second level on top of the storage area at one end of the gym. Since the gymnasium is two stories, this space could be made usable for students. Fitness equipment would be provided to further the health portion of the physical education curriculum.

cfieldman@pioneerlocal.com

Twitter @chuckwriting

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Track not part of $400000 in Hinsdale Middle School additions - Chicago Tribune

Aurora University Athletic Director Jim Hamad has this theory about where sports facilities fit in the scheme of things at a school.

"For those people who understand athletics, they're sort of the front porch to the university," Hamad said. "People that come to visit campuses that are athletes look at the facilities and amenities, and while every area of a campus is important, athletics are seen the most by those outside the school."

Earlier this spring, Aurora University broke ground in Montgomery and has been working ever since to add new athletic facilities to an estimated 90-acre parcel at Jericho Road and Edgelawn Drive, about a mile south of the main Aurora University campus.

Spartan Athletic Park calls for two phases of work, with the first planned for completion this fall. It includes a softball stadium with a turf outfield and dirt infield, a soccer and lacrosse stadium, locker rooms and 500 parking spaces. A wrought iron tree-lined gateway entrance will welcome visitors as well as a plaza, university officials said.

Phase two of the estimated $18 million, privately funded project will add a baseball stadium and a track and field area, with the possible addition of some tennis courts. Work on the second phase will begin in the spring.

Hamad said that given the growth of the student body at Aurora University, including its student athletes, the new additions were something "that had to happen."

"Regarding our athletic program, we've had a run of phenomenal success recently and it really is time to take things to the next level and not only match the facilities of our competition but exceed them," Hamad said. "We're looking at an enrollment of almost 5,000 students next year and about 700 of them will be student athletes. We wanted facilities that were more high end and to change our profile and catch up to the other schools."

Steve McFarland, vice president for university communications, said discussions regarding new facilities began as far back as 2012 and that the school has had to get along with makeshift options including playing baseball and soccer at off-campus park district facilities.

McFarland said the project really jump-started once school officials found the right site.

"Back in 2013, we were looking at about a 35-acre lot that belonged to the West Aurora School District but during the meetings we had with residents in the area, there were concerns about building facilities there and, in the end, there wasn't enough room for what we needed or to expand," McFarland said.

Space and future expansion issues changed after the school bought a vacant nine-hole golf course, formerly known as Wolf Run, along with a land parcel that had been owned by a church.

Aurora University Director of Projects Jessica Tooley said the athletic facility initiative "has a lot of stakeholders" and that efforts are being made "to make sure there is no room for error."

"The key to this project has been the communication we've had that's been at the forefront of this project," she said. "We're working with over a dozen subcontractors and things have gone smoothly. And the neighbors here say they are happy and feel this will add value."

John Cox, who lives at 1625 Jericho Road with his daughter, said he moved in two years ago and neither he nor his daughter "has any problems with (the work on the athletic facilities) except it makes a lot of dust."

Neighbor Becky Murphy, who lives at 1661 Jericho, said she has been in her home 25 years and that the area "needs an up-kick."

"We're very sports-minded and I'm thrilled about this and feel it's a good use of the land," Murphy said. "People around here are happy and hope it adds value."

Mohammed Adi, owner of the Al's Convenience and Tobacco store directly across from the project site, said the work "is something we've been waiting for."

"This is something that will bring more people here into Aurora Township, and it's something very positive that has received great support," he said.

Athletes like junior softball pitcher Britni Wilson, 21, from Olympia, Wash., said even though she will play in the new stadium only one season, she feels like "we're finally catching up to the other schools."

"This is going to showcase our teams and give us more exposure," Wilson said. "It will also be good for the fans and future athletes looking at our school."

David Sharos is a freelance reporter for The Beacon-News.

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New athletic additions at Aurora U. 'had to happen' - Chicago Tribune