City councilors also approved a few change orders to the permanent indirect potable reuse project.The first phase of the project is the installation of the pipeline which is 90 percent complete and is expected to be done by summer.

The change order for this phase is miscellaneous additions to the original contract which will cost around $141 thousand dollars with a 13 day extension.

And the money for these change orders are in the budget because through the course of the original design of the project they were able to eliminate some costs.

"Consequently, the project came in well under budget. We had actually borrowed, I think it was $33 million and both contracts together was only 25, so there is adequate funding available, which is nice because we know we always run across these change orders during construction projects," Russell Schreiber, Wichita Falls Public Works Director.

The second phase will include changes to the wastewater treatment plant which will cost around $255 thousand dollars with a 59 day extension.

It is 45 percent complete and will now be done in December, versus the fall.The change order includes different maintenance work.

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City's Pipeline Project Coming in Under Budget - KFDX

Holmes said when fire crews arrived there were flames coming out through a basement window and flames were beginning to go up the side of building to the first and second floors. Holmes said the fire damaged all three levels and was a total loss.

The homeowner is Paul Weimer and according to the Crow Wing County property tax records, the building value is estimated to be $55,000.

Holmes said it appears the fire started from an electrical problem in the basement, but it is under investigation. Holmes said firefighters were on scene longer as the home had several additions and roof lines and they had to make sure the fire was completely out.

The American Red Cross was not called to assist the occupantstwo adults and two juvenilesas they had family nearby to help.

In other fire calls:

Firefighters responded to a grass fire at 6:30 p.m. Monday off Crow Wing County Road 121, south of Brainerd. Upon arrival, firefighters determined it to be a permitted burn out of control. The fire burned about two to three acres.

The Pillager Fire Department responded to a fire Sunday late afternoon on the north west corner of Pillager Lake off Cass County Road 1. It turned out it was a controlled burn that got out of hand. About four acres burned.

Read the original post:
Fire destroys home on Oak Street - Brainerd Dispatch

Noah Feldman, Bloomberg View 5:03 a.m. CT March 22, 2017

Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch is telling senators that he keeps "an open mind for the entire process" when he issues rulings. (March 21) AP

Judge Neil Gorsuch pauses as he speaks in the East Room of the White House in Washington, on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017, after President Donald Trump announced Gorsuch as his nominee for the Supreme Court.(Photo: Carolyn Kaster/AP)

Confirmation hearings for U.S. Supreme Court justices are an occasion for a national conversation about constitutional law and interpretation. Because Judge Neil Gorsuch is being billed as an originalist, his hearings this week are a great opportunity to ask him five pressing questions about constitutional thought.

Start with the most basic: Why should judges use originalism in the first place? Originalism holds that judges should interpret the Constitution based on the original meaning of the text, but the Constitution itself is silent about how it should be interpreted.

And the framers themselves weren't originalist. In one instance, James Madison, the lead architect of the whole document, years later as president signed a bill that re-established the Bank of the United States which he himself had deemed unconstitutional when it was proposed by Alexander Hamilton some 20 years before.

Madison's initial objection to the bank was that he and the other framers hadn't given Congress the authority to charter a bank. He was in a position to know what the framers' intent was, because he was one of them indeed the most important.

But he explained in 1815 that the acceptance of the bank over decades by all three branches of government with the "concurrence of the general will of the nation" had made it constitutional.

If Madison wasn't an originalist, why should judges be so today?

The next big originalism question is, how do you generalize 18th century meanings to modern conditions? A case in point is the right to bear arms.

The Second Amendment explains its purpose by saying that the right to bear arms must be preserved because a "well-regulated militia" is "necessary" to the security of a free state. It's pretty rare for an amendment to contain its own purpose, so you'd think that would be relevant to its original meaning.

Yet in his 5-4 opinion for the Supreme Court interpreting the Second Amendment to cover handguns, Justice Antonin Scalia ran roughshod over the explanatory part of the amendment. Purporting to use originalism, he said that the right to bear arms was an individual right not limited to militia service.

This leap of generalization brought Scalia to the conclusion that a right expressly designed for militia extended to block the District of Columbia from regulating handguns. What principle of originalism led him to the rule he chose? And would Gorsuch explain and defend it?

A third crucial question for originalism is what it has to say about stare decisis, the principle that the Supreme Court should follow its precedents. Most, and in fact almost all, of the court's greatest rights decisions aren't grounded in original intent, from Brown v. Board of Education (desegregation) to Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey (abortion), Lawrence v. Texas (gay sex), and Obergefell v. Hodges (gay marriage.)

All these decisions are the law of the land. But a consistent originalist would have to overturn them all.

The fourth serious question about originalism relates to a topic on which Gorsuch has written as a judge, namely the administrative state. In his opinion attacking Chevron deference, the doctrine that holds courts should defer to agencies' interpretations of ambiguous laws, Gorsuch specifically pointed out that the mass of executive agencies created by presidents from Franklin Roosevelt to Richard Nixon sits uncomfortably in the three-branch constitutional structure laid out by the framers. He's right about this. The agencies form in effect a fourth branch of government.

How should an originalist relate to the administrative state? Gorsuch reasoned in his anti-Chevron opinion that the courts should be especially careful about deferring to agencies' statutory interpretation because the agencies are on such doubtful constitutional footing.

This leads to the final and in some sense most powerful question for the originalist: What's the alternative to a living constitution? Is it, as Justice Scalia would sometimes exasperatedly seem to acknowledge, a dead one?

When Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes introduced the metaphor of the living Constitution, he compared the document to an organism that had evolved over the generations.

The living, organic Constitution has changed drastically over the centuries. It has responded to wars, changed moral beliefs, new demographics (including immigration), new technologies, and American expansion, regionally and globally.

Originalism posits that the framer's vision, without evolutionary additions and subtractions, can fit these radically different circumstances. A

Noah Feldman is a Bloomberg View columnist. For more columns from Bloomberg View, visit http://www.bloomberg.com/view.

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What does originalism mean to Judge Gorsuch? - The Commercial Appeal

The Redskins need a nose tackle. It sounds like that might come via the NFL Draft. Ben Standig on why that's a risky plan.

TheWashington Redskinscertainly hope the additions of free agents Terrell McClain and Stacy McGee boost a defensive line which struggled last season. On the surface, a generous interpretation has the unit breaking even with the two new big guys replacingChris Bakerand Ricky Jean Francois. We'll see. All can agree more help is needed, particularly at nose tackle.

Right now weve got [A.J.] Francis, weve got Joey [Mbu], and weve got Phil Taylor, defensive coordinator Greg Manusky said recently during an interview on ESPN 980 about three players who could end up playing key roles in 2017 despite havig minimal name recognition among casual fans. Now were getting those three guys in the mix and well see how it pans out. The new coordinator also said, "Right now, we might be in a situation where were looking for a nose in the draft."

Now that last sentence is the likely and perhaps ideal scenario at this point. The frenzied aspect of free agency is no more nearly two weeks in. Some potentiallyhelpful options remain, but probably few long-term solutions. That's the hope with the draft.

Problem: By the numbers, this isn't a year to plan on landing a nose tackle early in the Draft.

Now, this doesn't mean the Redskins can't find a run-stuffer or an interior pass rusher or a prospect with those and other attributes. It's just that there aren't many of them deemed worthy of first or second selection.

When looking at four NFL Draft sites that rank at least the top 100 players -- CBS, ESPN, DraftTek, Sporting News -- only five defensive tackle types are among the top 100 prospects on each: Jonathan Allen (Alabama), Malik McDowell (Michigan State), Caleb Brantley (Florida),Montravius Adams (Auburn), Dalvin Tomlinson (Alabama).

The Redskins own the 17th and 49th selection along with eight selections between rounds 3-7.

Allen is a projected top-5 overall selection. Three of the four sites slot McDowell 20-21. However, the Michigan State product is a 3-4 end or 4-3 tackle, but isn't built to line up directly over the opposing center.

http://www.scout.com/nfl/redskins/story/1763626-redskins-depth-chart-now...

Brantley is. Problem: Despite some earlier first round buzz, none of the four sites rank him higher than 41 overall among all prospects. The collective projectionshave Adams (High 39, low 88) and Tomlinson (54, 79) on the 2-3 line. Other nose tackle prospects with Day 2 potential include Jaleel Johnson (Iowa), Carlos Watkins (Clemson) and Elijah Qualls (Washington). Michigan's Chris Wormley could hear his name called in the second round, but, like McDowell, isn't a true nose tackle.

Of course, the Redskins could find gold in the later rounds. Baker went undrafted in 2009 and became Washington's top lineman over the past two seasons. Nobody should count on immediate success with this scenario and, based on the current options, Washington needs just that. Drafting for need isn't always wise if it means reaching. The Redskins arguably need a boot at inside linebacker, guard, running back and safety. Yes, maybe quarterback.

With the No. 17 pick, it would appear any nose tackle type would be a stretch. Maybe that's not the case in the second round, but there justaren't that many big men projected in that range and other teams have comparable holesThat's why looking for a tackle is one thing, but planning on landing one is another.

Ben Standigis the Publisher of Breaking Burgundy and theHuddle Report's 2012 NFL Mock Draft champion. You can find him on Twitter@benstandig,Facebookand onGoogle+.

Follow Breaking Burgundyon Twitter@breakburgundy,Facebook,andbecome a subscriberto receive access to premium content and discounted Redskinstickets.

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The Flaw With Redskins Defensive Coordinator Greg Manusky's Plan - Scout

Over the course of 149 years, the YMCA constantly evolved to fit the needs of Kokomo. Now, one more time, the old Y building at the corner of Union and Walnut streets will play a role that, in a way, represents a return to its roots.

Just last month it was announced the historic YMCA, now empty after the completion of a new facility across the street, would be remodeled to serve a new purpose in the City of Firsts. A $6.5 million private investment would see the structure transformed into an apartment complex to fit the need for housing in downtown Kokomo. While the building will no longer be a YMCA, looking back at the Ys history in Kokomo its easy to see that for nearly 150 years the YMCA has evolved and morphed to serve the community.

But, the Ys beginnings in serving the community came before the organization even had a dedicated building in Kokomo. Thats because prior to being a focal point for fitness, as they are now in the United States, YMCAs primarily acted as evangelical organizations. In 1868, when the Young Mens Christian Association first came to Kokomo, it did just this.

According to Dave Dubois, who recently retired as the Kokomo Ys CEO, the YMCA is rooted overseas in London, where an individual by the name of George Williams saw a need for a Bible study targeting young men who moved to cities to work during the Industrial Revolution. This model became a reality in 1844.

What he witnessed was these guys getting paid a decent wage for the day, said Dubois. They lived at work basically. Sometimes they shared beds because there was one bed for two or three guys rotating work shifts. When they were off, these young men with money and time and freedom were making some poor choices. It was the proverbial wine, women, and song. He was a young devout Christian man, and he said he wanted to start a Bible study. In the first meeting there were 12 young guys he worked with.

From there, the organization spread overseas, and in 1868, a local judge by the name of Samuel Davis donated the use of rooms on the second floor of a building in downtown Kokomo just north of Mulberry Street and on the east side of Main. These rooms became the modest beginnings of the Y locally, and $600 was raised to furnish the first YMCA, according to a historic newspaper clipping provided by the Kokomo-Howard County Public Library.

What the YMCA was in those days was a strictly Evangelical Christian organization. From some of our original historical documents, this was true in the 1870s. It was meant to expand the kingdom of God, said Dubois. It was an organization for exactly what it said, young men who were Christians. What they did in the 1870s and 1880s in Howard County was essentially organize and execute revivals. So, they brought traveling evangelists to town and set up in all the hamlets and townships in Howard County. They brought evangelists to town and did tent revival meetings.

Then the local organization entered a dormant period in the late 1880s. Dubois said little record exists of the YMCAs evangelical activities during this period. However, in 1909 the organization was revived.

Similar to how local campaigns helped raised funding for the new Y downtown, Howard County citizens and businesses contributed to the original YMCA building on the corner of Union and Walnut streets.

The community raised $140,000 for the first structure, which had its first cornerstone laid on June 8, 1910, by then-Gov. Thomas R. Marshall. The YMCA building was completed in 1911, and it served a purpose that was also much different than its newer counterpart serves today.

The original four-story structure called for 57 rooms that could be rented out to young men. It contained the original gymnasium, a pool, dining facilities, and even a bowling alley was included in the basement as part of the original plans. According to Dubois, its not clear how long the bowling alley remained, but it eventually became a rifle, pistol, and archery range. Also, a smoking room, lounge areas, and even a library were included for residents.

Similar to how the YMCA got its start overseas, the idea of providing lodging was to have a facility for young men to stay at that offered a Christian focus within the community. Also, the YMCA at the time fostered a very different environment than it does now.

According to Dubois, women were excluded from becoming members at that time. Also, children only were allowed into the facility once a week, on Saturdays at 9 a.m. for one hour, to play basketball in the gym.

Of course, over the years the community center continued to evolve and underwent multiple additions and remodels.

In 1957, the Kokomo Ys first expansion took place. Again, the community raised funding to construct a second gymnasium, which was built on what was a courtyard at the time. This is also when what would become the racquetball court would be added, but at the time the space served as a handball court since racquetball wasnt invented until the 1960s.

The last major addition to the original YMCA occurred in 1965. With this, the natatorium was added to replace the original pool that was in the basement of the facility.

The final big change for the facility that didnt include an addition occurred in 1983.

The locker rooms were expanded in the basement. Also, the third floors housing was removed and replaced with what served as the facilitys fitness center until it closed. Upstairs, the Ys remaining 24 rooms became storage space.

The Ys rooms were going out of vogue, so to speak, said Dubois. It was not the main focus of what the Y was doing anymore. The Y was shifting as well, and it was becoming much more of what we know today If it was still there, the remnants of the old cafeteria were removed, and they made the addition of a towel service. Those are the main things that happened in 1983. They were modernizing a 70-year-old building to meet the needs of the community.

Of course, with each expansion, Dubois noted that every change came about as a result of changing times. This, he indicated, always played a role in decisions made in changing the facility. But regardless of the era, the former CEO said the YMCA has touched many lives in the Howard County, and even after its no longer a Y, the old building will continue to play a role in the growth of the community.

I think Ill always believe this, that the Y plays a critical role in the life of a community in many, many ways, said Dubois. I think Kokomo has been deeply enriched because weve had a strong Y for a very long time. Im excited about (the remodel). I think its extremely cool. Its sort of a circle thats closed when you think people will be living there again. Its like its served this full cycle of life, and its coming back to its origins.

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YMCA comes full circle - Kokomo Perspective

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Were through the Senior Bowl, the Super Bowl, the Combine, the first two waves of free agency and, now, several Pro Days. To cite Bill Belichick: No Days Off.

With a few more to come between now and draft weekend, heres my second 2017 NFL mock draft. Dig in. Dont agree? Let me hear about it. Tweet me at @PSchrags or email me atPeterSchrager@gmail.com.

Garrett is the unanimous top prospect in this draft class. The Browns are wealthy with draft picks (six of the top 65), but they shouldnt get cute here. Take the best guy on the board. Garrett is the top prospect in this class and a franchise cornerstone.

I expect the 49ers, who signed many players tofiscally sound deals in free agency, to look at offers for the second overall pick. A talent-starved roster coming into this offseason, San Francisco could be willing to parlay the second pick into a bunch of others. But what if it keeps the choice?

I wouldnt be surprised if the Ninerswent defensive line for the third straight year with their first-round selection. Thomass stock skyrocketed at the Combine, and hes local with a loaded resume from Stanford. Tremendous kid, great family, and a heck of a franchise cornerstone up front for San Francisco. Thomas, DeForest Buckner, and Erik Armstead could make for a scary defensive line for years to come.

Its not often you see a safety taken in the top three, but I think the Bears pluck the tone-setter out of Baton Rouge if the first two picks fall this way. Adams, whose father, George, played for the Giants in the 1980s, is a punishing hitter who roams the middle.

Adams was the rare bright spot in a forgettable 2016 LSU season. He is adefensive leader, a vocal guy and someone who can play right away. A scud missile from the safety spot, he can bring a toughness to the Chicago defensive backfield thats been missing in recent years.

For the 11th straight year, the Jaguars won free agency with big-name signings in March. With all the additions, how they use the No. 4 pick will be awfully interesting. The Jaguars D was coming on toward the second half of last season, brings back just about everyone and added A.J. Bouye and Calais Campbell to the mix. But I dont think theyre done.

Allen is a man. And with Campbell at 31 years old, theres a good mentor-student element to this. In a division with Marcus Mariota, Andrew Luck and mabye Tony Romo, you can never have enough big bodies up front. There are some minor concerns about Allens shoulder. Minor.

The 6-6 dynamo is my favorite tight end to enter the NFL Draft in years. Big body, can block and can move. Is top five too high? Have you seen the way Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce are utilized in their teams game plans? Howards an absolute stud, and just because Tennessee has a few tight ends on the roster doesnt mean it wouldnt scoop him up this high.

The Jets take the first quarterback off the board. Trubisky had a solid Combine performance, silencing critics who thought he was sub-6-foot-2, and exhibited solid footwork and athleticism. The Jets arent rolling into the 2017 season with Christian Hackenberg, Josh McCown and Bryce Petty as their quarterbacks. If Trubisky is on the board, they grab him.

This is one of the most loaded defensive back drafts in years, and Los Angeles is a prime spot for one of the two highly rated Ohio State defensive backs. I like Hooker, the 6-foot-1, do-everything free safety with incredible ball skills.

There have been comparisons made to Ed Reed. In 2016, Hooker intercepted seven balls and broke up four others. The Chargers are quietly building one of the better young defenses in the league in terms of talent. I love their roster on that side of the ball. Hooker would be a fantastic addition.

Fournette weighed in at 240 pounds and ran a 4.5 40-yard-dash at the Combine. He could end up running an even faster one on his Pro Day. There seems to be no baggage, and he could go even higher than this. I love this fit for Carolina and for Fournette.

So, Foster wasnt so polite to a hospital employee and was sent home from the Combine. Outrage everywhere. I asked around, and to the great dismay of many on TV and on Twitter, not many in the NFL seemed to care much, one way or the other, about his outburst.

Foster can be the NFLs next great young linebacker. That matters more. Luke Kuechly's name has been brought up as a comparison. Not a bad one, there. The Bengals lost a lot on their offensive line this offseason, but I think they go with another stud defensive player for Paul Guenthers D.

Lattimore could go anywhere from No. 2 to 15 in this draft, and I think Buffalo is a sweet spot at 10. The loss of Stephon Gilmore opens a need at the cornerback spot, and Lattimore could be the perfect battery mate with Ronald Darby. A 6-foot uber-athlete who can do it all, Lattimore overcame hamstring issues to win the starting job in 2016 and excel, earning All-Big Ten honors.

Barnett broke Reggie Whites sacks record at Tennessee and had more than 10 sacks in three different seasons while playing in the SEC. Production, production, production. I still see him as a top-15 guy. Could the Saints go offense? Sure, but I think they beef up with a pass rusher instead.

With six picks in the top 65, the Browns can do a multitude of things (including packaging a bunch of them in an attempt to lure Kirk Cousins or Jimmy G from their respective teams), but if there are no trades (I honestly believe there will be), they have to go with a quarterback, here.

Everyone jumped off the Kizer bandwagon after the Combine. Not sure why. The analysts said he underwhelmed, but several of the sources I spoke with said he actually threw the ball pretty well. Having grown up just a few miles from Cleveland, theres a fun connection here too. A pro-style QB in college and a big 6-4 frame built for the AFC North, I like Kizer for the Browns more than Deshaun Watson if both are still on the board. I like Trubisky to Cleveland more than both of them, but I think hes off the board by 12.

I dont think the Cardinals are bluffing when they say theyre interested in a young quarterback. Carson Palmer and Drew Stanton are fine for 2017, but beyond? Its time to start considering a young gun. Watson saved his biggest games for the biggest stages. Thats the good. He tossed 32 interceptions in college. Thats the bad.

I dont envision Arizona being up this high in the draft too often. Getting a Heisman finalist on the depth chart behind the 2003 winner isnt a bad idea. The wrinkle, here? Carson Palmers little brother, Jordan Palmer, has been working out with Watson for years. He speaks the world of him. Good torch passing deal here.

I dont think Philadelphia is done adding playmakers for Carson Wentz just because itadded Alshon Jeffery and Torrey Smith. Im a big fan of Williams, the 6-foot-3 receiver who torched Pitt for more than 200 yards last season. He ran a 4.5 40-yard-dash at his Pro Day and looks the part of an NFL No. 1. Coming off a broken neck, hehad a breakout season and has been compared to everyone from Demaryius Thomas to Plaxico Burress. Alshon Jeffery or not, I like this fit.

McKinley is a rather polarizing prospect, as some evaluators I speak with say hes a first-round pick all day long, while others say hes more of a top-50 guy. I like him going to Indianapolis, a team thats been loading up on defensive pieces but can still use an edge rusher to replace Robert Mathis. McKinley had 10 sacks and 18 tackles for a loss during his senior season. He got better every year in Westwood. His stock is still on the rise.

I seem to be a lot higher on Humphrey than other mock draft pundits. Oh well. Ill ride with the star of the Alabama defensive backfield from last season. The son of NFL running back Bobby Humphrey, he was a stud at the well-known Hoover High and a prime recruit of Nick Sabans. An opportunistic player who started for two seasons in Tuscaloosa, Humphrey forced three fumbles and intercepted two passes in 2016. Baltimore already has added Brandon Carr and Tony Jefferson to itsdefensive backfield but might not be done.

Ive seen Peppers go as high as top five in some mock drafts. He may very well. Or he can go somewhere in the 20-32 range.The scintillating past of Peppers repertoire is his versatility. The confounding part may be just where he fits best. He had a great week in Indianapolis and is a competitor. Curious to see how the NFL views him; and in this case Greg Manusky.

Reddick was one of the biggest winners of the Combine and has enjoyed a meteoric rise since the start of the college football season. The Camden, N.J., native played for Matt Rhule in college and led the nation with 22.5 tackles for a loss in 2016. At 6-1, 240, he can fly off the edge. I love the idea of Reddick playing either the outside or the inside in Dick Lebeaus 3-4. The Titans have two of the top 18 picks. I think they go defense with at least one of them.

I won'tbe shocked if McCaffrey goes somewhere in the top 15. The hype is real, 10 bench press reps or not. I had an NFL offensive coach tell me he likes him for his offense even more than Fournette. The Bucs already added DeSean Jackson this offseason; I have them doubling down on offense. McCaffrey to the Bucs.

The first offensive lineman off the boards is Bolles, the big boy out of Utah. At 6-5, 300 pounds with tremendous feet, Bolles was a first-team All Pac-12 selection in 2016. Having overcome personal demons, he elevated from the junior college level and then exceeded expectations in the Pac-12 Bolles is a great story.

A home run hitter who can run inside and outside the tackles, Cook would be the perfect addition to a Lions offense that was in need of some pop out of the backfield a season ago. A 5-10, 210-pound speedster who can catch out of the backfield, he could be a steal at 21stoverall.

I had Conley going in the first round back in January and caught some heat for it online. After the Combine, hes getting that first-round love everywhere. The Ohio State defensive backfield was loaded, and though Lattimore and Hooker got all the attention, this man can play. A 6-0, 195-pound physical cornerback, he has NFL size and did the job when filling in for Eli Apple in 2015 and stepping up in 2016 as a starter.

Lamp was a star at tackle in the college ranks but will play guard in the NFL. The Giants scooped up free agent D.J. Fluker, but they wont be done addressing their offensive line. Lamp can play either side and is a mauler. A stud at the Senior Bowl and the Combine, hes a first-round pick all day long.

The Raiders made a lot of moves on the offensive side of the ball (and Marshawn Lynch could be coming), but the defense is still a unit that needs more tools to compete for an AFC championship. Jackson is a do-everything athlete who might be the most explosive player in this draft. Others have him going inthe second or third round. From the folks I talk to, he's a top-25 guy. Fight on.

Ramczyks a tough son of a gun, and he comes from a good lineage. Look at some of the NFL offensive linemen out of Wisconsin the past few years, and its home run after home run after home run. Ramczyk is the next in line. Im not sure whos playing quarterback for the Texans next season really, no one is but I dont think they swing for the fences and go quarterback here. They beef up that offensive line.

Much has been made of Seattles offensive line woes last season. The Seahawks got a whole lot out of a group that wasnt necessarily a bunchof high-priced players. Theyve added some pieces in free agency, but I believe theyll hit this spot in the draft, too. Robinson can play, move, and protect.

Alex Smith is the quarterback of the Chiefs, but for how much longer? Mahomes II is a project for sure but could someday be the quarterback from this draft whom everyone remembers. This is certainly not a glaring area of need, but with Nick Foles now in Philadelphia and Alex Smith not getting any younger its a pick worth considering.

Barry Church is gone. Mo Claiborne is gone. Brandon Carr is gone. The Cowboys' defensive backfield will need some young replacements in this draft. Sidney Jones got a lot of the love in the Pac-12, but Baker could be the more productive pro.

This one is fun. Packers fans will be quick to tell me that the Pack rarely pluck talent from Madison, but Watt makes a lot of sense. The younger brother of J.J. and Derek Watt, T.J. really starred only one year at Wisconsin. But he had a heck of a season when finally healthy and recorded 11.5 sacks. The local boy stays in Wisconsin.

A 6-1, 240-pound linebacker, Davis was both the leader in the locker room and on the field of that loaded Florida defense in 2016. He should be a great fit in Pittsburghs scheme and be able to work with James Harrison and Ryan Shazier in the linebacking unit.

The Falcons loaded up in a big way with young defenders in last years draft, and theyll keep loading up in this years. Cunningham is an absolute stud. Top 10 talent, but linebackers are tough to peg in the draft. Cunningham led the SEC in tackles and was just hitting his stride as a ballplayer.

The Saints lose one burner in Brandin Cooks and get another in Ross. He ran a 4.22 in Indianapolis; the Superdome carpet could be even more gracious. A deep threat who can also go underneath, Ross might be the perfect fit in Sean Paytons offense.

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ATLANTA - Warren Green the Fourth plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from Atlanta Metropolitan State College in December. The 25-year-old Decatur student said the tuition and smaller class sizes made all the difference on his path to academic success. Students can earn an associates degree for $8,000 a year or a bachelors degree for $16,000. Fewer than 3,000 students are enrolled in the Southwest Atlanta institution on Metropolitan Boulevard.

I love Atlanta Metro. Atlanta metro gave me a second chance at a higher education. Since there aren't a lot of students, everything is more hands on with your professors, so you get more one on one with your professors, Green told FOX 5s Portia Bruner

WATCH: What an audit on Atlanta Metropolitan State College means to its students

Atlanta Metro President Gary McGaha is proud of the school's 42-year record of offering more affordable college degrees to Atlanta residents. But hes no proud of audit recently released by the State Department of Audits and Accounting. In it, auditors concluded college officials should be doing a much better job accounting for millions of dollars -- including funds for the HOPE Scholarship, Food Services Department, building additions and the new Student Center. State auditors say there's even the potential for a misappropriation of assets and a misrepresentation of the institution's financial position. Dr. McGaha said its been a tough yearfiscally speaking. He said six out of the nine members of the Fiscal Affairs Department left over the last 15 months to accept higher paying jobs.

There were absolutely no dollars missing and no funds taken at all. But we did have some people who literally made some mistakes. Now that's not an excuse because we should have gotten this corrected. But we are now and we will in the future, said McGaha whos been president for 10 years.

McGaha said he's changed leadership and replaced the Vice President and Associate Vice President of Fiscal Affairs last week. He said the school is following several long-term recommendations auditors made at the end of February.

I just don't want this to be perceived as something that is consistent with the behavior of this institution, because it is not. We have a strong history of providing quality education and we are, in that tradition, going to aggressively attack this problem. Dr. McGaha said.

Green, who plans to graduate in December, is confident the school will turn things around for the students who want a shot at a more affordable college degree.

I believe they can get everything together to get everything back on track at Atlanta Metro and I hope one day they are able to expand. Theyre giving a lot of people a chance at a higher level of education, Green said.

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Audit raises questions about Atlanta Metro's finances - FOX 5 Atlanta

With 12 games left, the Bulls are in 10th place in the Eastern Conference, one game behind a Pistons team they face at home Wednesday.

Beyond the pressure, is a playoff chase fun?

"No," coach Fred Hoiberg said. "It's miserable."

The seriousness with which Hoiberg delivered his answer spoke to the difficult place in which the Bulls find themselves. They're striving for playoff relevancy while trying to develop six players in their first or second seasons.

Hoiberg's answer also underscored how much he would rather be higher in the standings. But internal belief remains that the Bulls can secure a postseason berth.

"We're definitely not in panic mode," Michael Carter-Williams said. "We're more hungry, if anything. (Making the playoffs) would mean a lot. It's one of our goals. We showed some resiliency through some ups and downs."

Hoiberg said the team's preparation and focus on getting back to basics have improved of late.

Raptors roll: The Bulls have won 11 straight over the Raptors, including the first two meetings in Chicago this season. Hoiberg pointed out this will be a different-looking team with Kyle Lowry sidelined by injury and the additions of Serge Ibaka and P.J. Tucker at the trade deadline.

"I've been really impressed with what Cory Joseph has brought to that team," Hoiberg said of Lowry's fill-in at point guard. "Defensively, they've been terrific. They really get up into you; they try to deny and pressure all over the floor."

Rotation roulette: Carter-Williams downplayed his return to the rotation, which featured his playing the entire fourth quarter of Saturday's victory over the Jazz.

"I've been in and out a lot. We've had a lot of different lineups," he said. "But right now, I don't think anybody's worried about it. It's all focused on winning basketball.

"Coaches have been great. Guys have been great who aren't playing. We all support each other, and we're just going out and looking to win."

Hoiberg has cited Carter-Williams' defensive intensity as the reason he re-inserted the guard into the rotation.

"I'm just trying to get guys shots and play solid on defense. Get to the hoop when I can," Carter-Williams said. "Just try to bring the team back if we're losing and keep it going if we're winning. I've been told since I was in the NBA to always be ready."

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Bulls take 11-game win streak vs. Raptors into big week for their playoff push - Chicago Tribune

2017 NFL Free Agency: Winners & Losers of Week 2

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While it's difficult to be competitive in today's NFL without a front office that knows how to draft and develop its own talent, there's no question that savvy free-agency signings can take a team over the edge into contender territory.

The deals that happen after the first few days of free agency usually look much different than the ones that go down when the new league year begins, largely because teams and players' reps have had two days to negotiate those ones during the "legal-tampering" period.

And while it's true that the most expensive contracts are often announced early, teams can still make an impact in Week 2. Similarly, teams can also make foolish decisions, or do nothing.

We'll take a look at some of those winners and losers from the second week of free agency.

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The New England Patriots are consistently competitive because Bill Belichick knows how to make savvy additions in free agency to supplement a roster built from smart drafting.

Belichicksent New England's No. 32 and No. 103 picks to the New Orleans Saints in exchange for wide receiver Brandin Cooks and the No. 118 pick,per ESPN's Dianna Russini.

That move addresses one of the most anemic positions on New England's roster and gives Tom Brady a dynamic new weapon in an already deadly offense.

But it wasn't all about new faces in New England. The Patriots also managed to retain key defensive piece Dont'a Hightower, re-signing the linebacker to a four-year contract with a maximum value of $43.5 million.

Belichick is one of the best wheelers and dealers out there, so it's no surprise that the defending Super Bowl champions only got better this offseason.

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The Green Bay Packers made an uncharacteristic splash early in free agency when general manager Ted Thompson signed not one, but two free-agent tight ends in Martellus Bennett and Lance Kendricks.

As usual for Thompson, the deals did little to hurt the Packers' cap health, and there's no question the Packers offense has gotten a new level of dangerous with the improvement in pass-catchers.

However, the significant upgrade at one position didn't do enough to counteract the losses the Packers suffered in Week 2.

On March 12, one of the league's best guards, T.J. Lang, departed Green Bay for NFC North rival Detroit. While opting not to re-sign Lang certainly saved the Packers a hefty cap hit, the gains made at tight end are threatened by a weakened offensive line. There's no feasible replacement for Lang on the roster currently.

It was also a bad look when Thompson let first-round draft selection Datone Jones walk. Jones signed with a division rival: the Minnesota Vikings. The Packers converted Jones from a defensive end to an outside linebacker, elected not to pick up his fifth-year option and then let him leave in free agency. Not a success story for the front office.

Losing running back Eddie Lacy isn't a huge hit for the Packers, who can certainly do better, but right now they only have a converted wide receiver in Ty Montgomery in the backfield.

Green Bay has a lot of pressure riding on a stellar draft class with so many new holes.

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The Minnesota Vikings' grade early in free agency would look quite different to their mark after Week 2, as the team was slow to make moves.

However, Minnesota picked things up in the second week of free agency and made some crucial additions.

The Green Bay Packers' loss was the Vikings' gain as Minnesota acquired pass-rusher Datone Jones, who will now make it his business to get after Aaron Rodgers twice a year.

Jones was converted from a defensive end to an outside linebacker in the Packers' 3-4 system, and now he'll likely see another position change in the Vikings' 4-3 front. But the move gives Minnesota some nice options in the defensive line rotation.

The Vikings also resolved the looming Adrian Peterson question once and for all by bringing in the free-agent running back with arguably the most potential in former Oakland Raider Latavius Murray.

Minnesota removed itself from what would have been an $18 million option on Peterson and picked up a younger replacement on a three-year deal worth up to $15 million.

That's a savvy move for a team hoping to get back into the conversation in the NFC North.

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The Cincinnati Bengals lost a lot of talent in free agency, and they didn't do enough in Week 2 to bolster the roster as a result.

Early in free agency, Cincinnati saw star left tackle Andrew Whitworth depart for the Los Angeles Rams, while guard Kevin Zeitler defected to the rival Cleveland Browns.

The Bengals also lost Domata Peko, Rex Burkhead, Margus Hunt and Karlos Dansby.

In Week 2 of free agency, Cincinnati added tackle Andre Smith and guard T.J. Johnson, so no one can accuse the team of not at least trying to improve its new holes.

However, Smith and Johnson are nowhere near Whitworth and Zeitler in terms of talent, and so Cincinnati remains one of the teams to regress the most so far between 2016 and 2017.

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No one could claim the Detroit Lions have been aggressive in free agency, but their measured approach to improving some of their most glaring weaknesses has paid off so far this offseason.

Detroit let Larry Warford walk in free agency, but it replaced him with the Green Bay Packers' Pro Bowl guard, T.J. Lang, who makes that situation a net gain.

The Lions also went after the best right tackle available in Rick Wagner, a sure upgrade from Riley Reiff. That move is sure to improve the Lions' middling run game.

If the Lions are able to find a way to bring back wide receiver Anquan Boldin, who had 584 yards and eight touchdowns for them in 2016, they'll really be able to chalk this free agency up as a smart and successful victory.

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The Arizona Cardinals lost a lot of talent early in free agency...and haven't signed any outside free agents in Week 2 save for linebacker Jarvis Jones on March 14.

Calais Campbell, Tony Jefferson, Marcus Cooper and D.J. Swearinger all signed with other teams. Those are not players who are easy to replace.

The Cardinals attempted to mollify losing Jefferson by signing 32-year-old veteran Antoine Bethea, but that's not a long-term investment. In fact, Arizona signed three players 30 years old or older, which won't keep this team competitive for long.

If Arizona can't hold onto quarterback Carson Palmer and wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald, its window could close as early as next season. The team should be in win-now mode, especially with the NFC West relatively up for grabs, but it's not clear the front office has achieved that in free agency. The draft will be important for this team.

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The Rams made a big improvement to their already dangerous defense when they added pass-rusher Connor Barwin during the second week of free agency.

There's no question Los Angeles started free agency off on a high note, addressing one of their biggest needs at left tackle with the best player available in Andrew Whitworth.

However, the Rams have kept the momentum going into Week 2. Kickers never make for flashy free-agency signings, but Greg Zuerlein had a solid year in 2016 and can make kicks from distances that others can't.

Barwin is a particularly intriguing addition for this team. The Rams had a need to fill after trading defensive end William Hayes, and the team reunites Barwin with former Houston Texans defensive coordinator Wade Phillips. The pass-rusher is also a key addition at outside linebacker as the Rams convert to a 3-4 defense.

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Players come and go, but one of the worst things that could happen to a team during a tumultuous free-agency period is losing a member of its front office.

Washington parted ways with general manager Scot McCloughan in the middle of free agency. Somehow, the team still managed to convince coveted wide receiver Terrelle Pryor to sign, but it's a one-year "prove-it" deal, and it already seems obvious that the wideout will prove himself right onto another team come March 2018.

The Redskins also lost top receivers DeSean Jackson and Pierre Garcon, so even though the Pryor signing helps, the team still experienced a net loss at the position.

The team also didn't even offer defensive tackle Chris Baker a contract, as he explained on SiriusXM NFL Radio(h/t NFL Network), which further seems to hint at the mess that is the front office right now.

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2017 NFL Free Agency: Winners & Losers of Week 2 - Bleacher Report

Warning: Spoilers ahead for the tiny details that differentiate the 2017 remake of Beauty and the Beast from the 1991 animated version.

Theres been a fair bit of controversy over Bill Condons live-action remake of Disneys animated 1991 classic Beauty and the Beast, mostly centered over Condons proclamation that hes given Disney its first canonically, openly gay character. In an interview with Attitude, Condon described that character, the villains sycophantic sidekick LeFou, as if his sexuality was a significant, foregrounded part of the plot, and as if it ultimately arrived at some major moment of truth:

Hes confused about what he wants. Its somebody whos just realising that he has these feelings. And [actor Josh Gad] makes something really subtle and delicious out of it. And thats what has its payoff at the end, which I dont want to give away. But it is a nice, exclusively gay moment in a Disney movie.

But when it arrives, that nice, exclusively gay moment is a one-second shot of LeFou in a fancy ballroom-dance finale, accidentally shoved into the arms of a nameless man whos wearing drag because of an earlier sight gag. It isnt an exclusively gay moment, its about a dozen vaguely campy frames. Much like Finding Dorys controversial, much-ballyhooed lesbian couple two women who appeared in a extremely brief, silent reaction shot in the film LeFou is all PR blitz and no actual payoff. But the tepidness of this built-up moment hasnt stopped the predictable backlash, from online complaints to an Alabama theater noisily pulling the film from its lineup (proving the bigoted old chestnut why are they pushing their views on us is still alive and well in the world) to Malaysia banning the film. To Disneys credit, the company has refused to recut the film to appease Malaysian censors, which is an admirably principled stand to take over a single second of footage.

The LeFou imbroglio is an immense wasted opportunity. Promoting Beauty and the Beast by touting its daring inclusivity (or, grotesquely, its tribute to lyricist Howard Ashman), makes for a lot of attention-grabbing articles. But the actual execution is dull or mildly offensive, given that Disneys first official gay character (ignoring its coded ones and fan-canon ones) is a catty, clingy, regressive, confused stereotype. Beauty and the Beast isnt necessarily the right forum to explore the nuances of the gay experience. But given how much virtual ink the character has gotten, its baffling how little there is to him, not just as a gay man, but as a developed figure of any kind.

Its largely a frustrating clone of the original movie

And he isnt the only wasted opportunity in Condons remake. Its largely a frustrating clone of the original movie same songs, same script, often even the exact same shot choices but it replaces every moment of authentic or moving emotion with bombast and hyperbolic overemphasis. It slows down the flow of the familiar music by jamming in extra phrases, and builds up the energy by jamming nonstop, busy action onto the screen. Its a garish, strident film, as well as a profoundly unnecessary one. And wherever its creators come up with fresh subplots or new character details, they tend to be poorly integrated, slapped erratically over the existing narrative like a half-assed coat of paint. Among the other things the film throws out and instantly discards:

The prerelease hype around LeFou was mirrored by the prerelease hype around Belle, with Emma Watson, who plays her in the film, telling EW that Belle is now the talented inventor, rather than her father Maurice. The idea was to give Belle more of a background, and more of a purpose in life than wandering around singing about how her community disappoints her. In practice, though, her big background development consists entirely of a scene where she uses a barrel and a donkey to do her laundry so she has more time to read. She doesnt actually use her newfound inventing skills to any meaningful narrative purpose. When she needs to escape a cage, Beasts servants help her; when she needs to pick a lock, Maurice handles it. Any ambitions she has as an inventor are never verbalized, and her theoretical skills never become useful. Past the brief laundry sequence, inventing never comes up again. Its not part of the story, its a random, unattached moment.

In the same way, theres a quick shot of Belle teaching a young girl to read, and angering the local peasants, who quickly stop her. Apparently female literacy is anathema in a fantasy villa where only the boys are seen going to school. This is meant to explain why the entire town is so obsessed with Belle being, as the opening song says, very different from the rest of us and a beauty but a funny girl. The idea of Belle trying to overcome institutionalized sexism in a provincial town is a pretty heady one. But again, the film does nothing with it, apart from a single line from Belle, late in the film, complaining about how she doesnt fit in with the locals.

Less hyped, but still strangely underlined in the new movie, is the idea that the villainous blowhard Gaston (Luke Evans) is such a jerk because hes a professional soldier with no battles left to fight, and he longs to return to a simpler, more purposeful time in his life. He and LeFou know each other from the war, where they were comrades in arms. Its a potentially meaningful relationship that explains why Gaston blankly tolerates LeFous creepy handsiness, and why LeFou sticks with a loudmouthed bully. Its mildly implied that Gastons temper and inability to control his rage comes from his past, and that LeFou is an actual friend who shares Gastons history and honestly respects and understands him. Thats another potentially powerful development, but it mostly surfaces via a couple of throwaway lines, and one joke about LeFous Gaston-whispering talents.

The heel-face turn is a great tradition in stories about villains, and its given American pop culture some of its most memorable story endings in Return of the Jedi, in Dr. Seuss How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, even most recently in Moana. So the idea that LeFou might not play out entirely as a villain is potentially intriguing and certainly in keeping with Condons larger intentions for the character. Bad enough for Disneys first supposed openly gay character to be swishy, obsessive, and annoying without him also being an irredeemable villain. If only the characters development had any meaningful roots in the earlier parts of the story. There are tiny hints at him having a personality past sidekick in his emotional support of Gaston, but as character development goes, its a thin soup. At most, he gets a couple of lines to support the idea that he has his own morals and goals the best one is a new addition in The Mob Song, as Gaston whips the villagers into a fury against the Beast. His Meh, Ive decided to switch sides! line is particularly offhanded and silly.

One of the minor problems viewers grumbled over in the original Beauty and the Beast was the question of why Beasts servants Lumire, Cogsworth, Mrs. Potts, et al stand by him and seem to care so much about him, when he brought a magical curse down on them by being a selfish brat, and has subsequently turned into a temperamental, dangerous tyrant. That isnt actually much of a plot hole. Of course they stand by him and serve him hes their only chance at getting the curse lifted. Their affection for him is largely crisis management and mollification. And where can an anthropomorphic candlestick, clock, and teapot expect to go if they leave the enchanted castle?

When the film does try something new, its via halfhearted throwaway lines

But Condons version of the film does expressly take up the question. Mrs. Potts has a little monologue explaining how Beasts mother died early and his father was a vain tyrant who turned him into a vain tyrant in return. The servants did nothing to stop any of this, so they feel responsible. Screenwriters Stephen Chbosky and Evan Spiliotopoulos try hard to bring an old-world servant-and-master relationship into a 2017 setting, where loyalty and service are expressly about emotional responsibility and the idea that all awful behavior has its roots in childhood trauma. But this quickie application of plot-spackle raises more questions than it answers. Where is Beasts father? Why did the servants think they had any responsibility, or ability, to fix a prince following in a kings footsteps? Why is Disney so obsessed with dead mothers? If the servants are only hanging around because they feel they owe Beast for not interfering in his upbringing, why arent they making any efforts at all to help him improve his awful personality and terrible behavior?

Disney has struggled to define exactly what it wants to do with its seemingly endless (and depressingly profitable) run of live-action remakes of animated classics. Are they meant as homages, updates, brand deposit reminders of existing franchises, or just high-profile cash grabs? The answer varies slightly from film to film. Alice in Wonderland didnt feel like a remake so much as a new version of Lewis Carrolls classic novel, strained through Tim Burtons house brand of morbid whimsy and the cultural landscapes contemporaneous obsession with young-adult-novel-worthy teen action heroines. Maleficent tried to give Sleeping Beautys villain a tragic backstory, and wound up as a pretty but uncomfortably imitative merging of Disneys film and the Broadway hit musical Wicked. Cinderella made the title character more bland and passive, ramping up the villains personality at everyone elses expense. So far, only The Jungle Book has made it to the screen with a strong point of view and additions to the story mostly from Rudyard Kiplings original Jungle Book stories, but in part original creations that deepen the characters and make their conflicts more meaningful.

In Beauty and the Beasts case, virtually all of the new additions to the story are aimed vaguely in the same direction. As the marketing suggests, the updates are all about backstory, about trying to make the characters more three-dimensional, to make their choices more meaningful, their origins clearer, and their traumas more involving. But few of the new ideas have any sort of depth or dedication to that cause. Theyre shallow, surface additions that dont add to the story, or change its direction, or reveal anything new.

one character shows how much better this all could have been

The updates in Condons Beauty and the Beast arent exclusively superficial. Beast finally gets a song to himself, and its a powerful musical moment, even when it improbably transforms him from what Belle describes as sweet, and almost kind and so unsure to a bellowing operatic hero, as ostentatious and over-the-top as the evil Gaston. Lumires feather-duster girlfriend Plumette (voiced by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) and the living wardrobe Madame Garderobe (Audra McDonald) get slightly larger roles, giving the story a place for actors of color, even if theyre mostly offscreen voices matched to animated objects.

And most significantly, Belles dad Maurice has been upgraded from a wacky cartoon eccentric to a more nuanced character, a grieving widower doing his best to support a headstrong daughter. His embellishments include a sweet (and too short) song of his own, and a history that explains the decisions he faced when Belles mother died. (Of course she did; this is still a Disney movie.) Kevin Kline plays him as sentimental and struggling, and gives him a backbone in the moments where it counts. But more significantly, his backstory is more than an idle joke or a tweaked line. Its an integral part of the story. It affects Belles character, and alters her actions, and leads to a strong new scene that deepens Belles relationship with Beast. It hints at how much better and more committed the other character changes could have been as well.

In an interview with USA Today, actor Josh Gad boasts that the film improves LeFou, a character originally defined by cartoon conceits, by expanding on that, giving him dimension, making him human. Thats a worthy goal that might have made Beauty and the Beast feel less like an empty experiment in visual hyperbole, or at best, a timid toe testing the waters of diversity. But for the most part, the 2017 Beauty and the Beast doesnt follow through on Condons promises about LeFou, or on Gads enthusiastic claims. It doesnt follow through on many of its gambits. Its much more dedicated to copycatting a classic, while making it bigger, louder, and broader. For a $160 million movie, endlessly hyped and trumpeted as a ground-breaking act of creativity and imagination, thats a remarkably small and unworthy goal.

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The Beauty and the Beast remake is a long series of wasted opportunities - The Verge