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An early morning fire on Wednesday heavily damaged the kitchen and living room of a Forks Township home and destroyed the attached garage and a vehicle inside.

The township fire department responded just after 6 a.m. to the yellow, single story home at 803 Newlins Road East as a heavy plume of dark grey smoke reached into the sky.

No one was hurt and the two adult residents got out safely before firefighters arrived, department Capt. Jason Billiard said.

Billiard declined to name the residents. An older woman and a middle-aged man were seated just beyond the front yard and received care from Suburban EMS personnel and the chaplain for the Palmer Township Municipal Fire Department, which also responded to help fight the stubborn blaze. The residents declined to comment.

Northampton County records show the home is owned by Virginia Mitman.

It was not immediately clear if the home had smoke detectors, Billiard said.

Firefighters were still putting out hot spots at 8 a.m. in the garage. A vehicle parked outside the garage appeared to have fire damage.

A township fire marshal was just beginning the investigation into the cause and manner of the fire so Billiard couldnt say if anything was suspicious. Met-Ed pulled the electric service, which is common in such fires, so the home cant be lived in. Billiard said the fire marshal would make the determination if it is livable if power is restored.

In addition to Forks and Palmer firefighters and Suburban EMS, Forks fire police and upper Nazareth and Lower Mount Bethel firefighters assisted.

It wasnt immediately clear if the American Red Cross was assisting the residents.

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Tony Rhodin can be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com.

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Forks Township fire heavily damages house and garage but no one hurt - lehighvalleylive.com

Atlantic City Council recently decided to ask the state for a grant to create a statue on the Boardwalk honoring civil rights and womens rights leader Fannie Lou Hamer.

Hamers contribution to the mid-1960s push for voting rights and participation by Blacks and women in politics is enough to merit remembering and honoring her anywhere in America outside her Mississippi home. Doing so at Jim Whelan Boardwalk Hall would be especially appropriate in light of her effort there to advance those rights, in particular within the Democratic Party.

Hamer co-founded the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party (MFDP) to give African-Americans a voice in a region dominated by an all-white Democratic organization. She represented the MFDP at the 1964 Democratic National Convention in Atlantic City.

She and other activists urged the convention to accept them as the official delegation from Mississippi.

In nationally televised testimony urging that her group be declared the delegates, Hamer said, All of this is on account we want to register, to become first-class citizens, and if the Freedom Democratic Party is not seated now, I question America.

National Democratic leaders offered a compromise that would include two members of the Hamer group on the state delegation, but the MFDP rejected it and afterwards all of the white members from the Mississippi delegation walked out. Not until the following party convention in 1968 were the MFDP members seated, after the Democratic Party demanded more equal representation from state delegations.

Hamer also co-founded the National Womens Political Caucus, which seeks to recruit, train and support women of all races in their quest for elected office.

A statue of Hamer at the site of her memorable stand for civil and womens rights would help bring her story to the general public. Stockton Universitys nearby Fannie Lou Hamer Event Room advances that awareness too in a more limited way.

Too bad, though, that Atlantic City Council the very same day it sought the grant for the Hamer statue paid $19,000 to remove the statue of Christopher Columbus that had long stood at the Atlantic City Expressway entrance to the city. That gives the days proceedings the appearance of advancing a partisan ideology, as if they were seeking to suppress one remembrance of the past in favor of another.

Awareness of and understanding history is like free speech best served by unfettered and diverse efforts ever working toward mutual agreement about better ideas. The melding of more perspectives on the past is crucial to people knowing who they are, how they got here and where theyre going.

As Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis said in his famous opinion on the value of free speech, those who achieved the nations independence knew that the path of safety lies in the opportunity to discuss freely supposed grievances and proposed remedies, and that the fitting remedy for evil counsels is good ones. If there be time to expose through discussion the falsehood and fallacies, to avert the evil by the process of education, the remedy to be applied is more speech, not enforced silence.

In Atlantic City, South Jersey and across America, the effective response to regret about the past is to better understand the history and resolve to do better in the future.

Those who cannot remember and understand the past may not be condemned to repeat it exactly, but theyre at much greater risk of again succumbing to forces that prompt behavior theyll later regret.

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Our view: Hamer statue a welcome Boardwalk addition when theres money for it - Press of Atlantic City

Julie Falsetti, For The York Dispatch Published 6:27 p.m. ET Aug. 18, 2020

Lately Ive been on an eggplant kick. I bought a lot on my last visit to the market, and the two remaining eggplants in my vegetable bin were screaming to be cooked.

Aside from being too hot to put on the oven, eggplant Parmesan seemed like a dish more appropriate for the mid-winter than mid-summer. In addition to the eggplants, I had a large bunch of celery and a lot of tomatoes from my garden. Caponata seemed to be the answer.

Caponata is a Sicilian appetizer that could be a cousin of ratatouille. The origin of the name is hazy. One version says that it came about because caponata was traditionally paired with a fish called capone in an old Sicilian dialect. Another theory is that it came from the Greek word capto, meaning to cut.

Sicilian food reflects the cuisines of the islands invaders. The flavors of caponata bear this out. The agrodolce (sweet-sour) sauce is a contribution from the Romans. The vinegar, sugar and olive oil combination gives caponata a sweet, tangy flavor.

The Moors, who came from North Africa, introduced the addition of dried fruits and nuts in savory dishes. Tomatoes were a gift from the Spaniards, who brought them back from the Americas.

Caponata takes a bit of time to prepare, but the finished dish is well worth the effort. It is served chilled or at room temperature. It makes an excellent accompaniment to grilled meat or fish and is great topper for a light bruchetta. Like most dishes with a medley of ingredients, it tastes even better the next day.

Caponata takes a bit of effort, but the end result is worth it.(Photo: Julie Falsetti photo)

2 medium eggplants, cut into -inch cubes

Salt

6 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 large yellow onion, coarsely chopped

3 ripe tomatoes (about 1 pound), cored, peeled, and coarsely chopped

2 ribs celery, thinly sliced crosswise

cup red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons. sugar

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 tablespoons golden raisins

2 tablespoons pine nuts

2 tablespoons capers, rinsed

12 pitted green olives, coarsely chopped

1 red bell pepper, roasted, peeled, cored, seeded and thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

Chopped basil and parsley for garnish

Put the eggplant into a colander set over a large bowl; toss with 2 teaspoons salt. Top with a plate weighted down with several large cans; let drain for 1 hour.

Pat the eggplant dry with paper towels. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the eggplant and cook until golden brown, 78 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the eggplant to a bowl. Repeat with more oil and the remaining eggplant.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil and onions; cook until soft, about 8 minutes. Add the tomatoes and celery and cook until the tomatoes release their juices, 56 minutes. Add the vinegar, sugar and tomato paste and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Add the cooked eggplant, raisins, pine nuts, capers, olives, roasted peppers, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook until heated through. Transfer to a plate; let cool slightly. Top with basil and parsley.

Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Julie Falsetti, a York native, comes from a long line of good cooks. Her column, From Scratch, runs twice monthly in The York Dispatch food section. Reach her with questions and comments at julietrulie11@gmail.com.

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Cuisines come together in caponata - York Dispatch

A rendering of the inside of Hive 435, a bar proposed inside the new City View development in downtown St. George. If granted all the proper permits, the upscale bar would be the city's third standalone drinking establishment.(Photo: Courtesy Cameron Payne)

A third bar in St. Georges historic downtown core is inching closer to reality.

The citys planning commission on Tuesday gave its nod of approval to a conditional use permit for a new upscale bar located just off Main Street and St. George Boulevard.

That bar, called Hive 435, would be located on the ground floor of the new City View development in the heart of downtown.

Owner Cameron Payne billed the proposed bar as an upscale drinking establishment, aimed at attracting a business professional local crowd and draw visitors staying at the luxury Advenire boutique hotel, just a short walk away.

We want to have a nightlife down here in St. George, Payne said in a phone call with The Spectrum. Basically (Hive 435) is a tap house; well have anywhere for 30 to 50 taps, a full liquor bar and well also do wine as well.

In addition to the drinks, Hive 435 would also have a small kitchen and a dart room that doubles as a multifunction room.Payne envisions that space holding events like yoga and mimosas on the weekends.

However, Hive 435 has more hurdles to cross before it becomes more than just a proposal.

The Advenire, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, and Wood Ash Rye prepare for their official opening in the heart of downtown St. George Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

The bars conditional use permit still must be approved by the city council its expected to be on their agenda in the near future and Payne will have to get a liquor license from the state.

Just four permits for stand-alone bars exist in St. Georges historic downtown, with two already spoken for. The existing permits belong to Wood Ash Rye, the bar inside The Advenire Hotel, and Zion Brewings Station II bar.

From dishwasher to serving senators: The story of Angelicas Mexican Grill and it's owner

While there are plenty of restaurants where you can order a drink with food, standalone bars are a relatively new addition to the city. Its been less than a year since Station II, St. Georges first full-fledged watering hole, opened its doors in late 2019.

The four bar permits aren't just the only permits available in the downtown arts district, they're the only standalone bar permits available city-wide. Other restaurants and establishments have city-issued alcohol licenses, but they are either limited to a certain type of beverage or must be served with food.

A rendering of the inside of Hive 435, a bar proposed inside the new City View development in downtown St. George. If granted all the proper permits, the upscale bar would be the city's third standalone drinking establishment.(Photo: Courtesy Cameron Payne)

Payne said thestandalone bar permits can be "super tough" to get approved for.

After the approval of Station II in early 2019, which passed through city council with little hesitation, the permit for Wood Ash Rye caused consternation among some city lawmakers less than two months later illustrating St. Georges conservative alcoholic history.

Brewing in the backyard: Buzzed on the creative, scientific world of home made beer

While were talking about this, I think its important that we realize where we live, Councilman Jimmy Hughes said in the April 4, 2019 meeting that granted Wood Ash Rye its bar permit. Its not just a Utah thing, other places in the United States have done and experimented with dry counties there are some valid concerns from the community, especially our community which has a long history of being somewhat dry.

Despite the concerns, the council voted unanimously to grant Wood Ash Rye its bar permit.

The Advenire, a Marriott Autograph Collection hotel, and Wood Ash Rye prepare for their official opening in the heart of downtown St. George Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020.(Photo: Chris Caldwell / The Spectrum & Daily News)

If granted its permits, Hive 435 aims to foster an upscale atmosphere reflective of St. Georges historic downtown district.

Local beers and mixed drinks will be served from behind a 37-foot bar and a kitchen will serve a small yet local menu, according to the bars permit application with the city.

Seating will be communal, which Im not sure is a good idea right now, Payne joked, referencing the COVID-19 pandemic, and there will be a banquet room that doubles as a dart room.

If all goes to plan, and Payne is granted permits from both the city and the state, he hopes to open Hive 435 by January or February 2021, just in time for southern Utahs tourist season to start ramping up.

Sam Gross covers the outdoors and development in Southern Utah for The St. George Spectrum & Daily News.Support his work by subscribing to TheSpectrum.com.

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A third standalone bar, called Hive 435, could be on its way to downtown St. George - The Spectrum

By Outer Banks Voice on August 18, 2020

As of the afternoon of Aug. 18, Dare County had reported no new cases of COVID-19 on that date. In addition, the update from the Dare County Department of Health and Human Services (DCDHHS), also released on Aug. 18, contained additional hopeful news about the trajectory of the virus here something DCDHHS Director Sheila Davis attributes to a lot of people doing the right things.

For the 4th week in a row we have seen a decrease in the number of new positive cases in Dare County, the DCDHHS update read. The week of July 20 there were 55 new cases, the week of July 27 there 42 new cases, the week of August 3rd there were 21 new cases and this past week there were 18 new cases.

Given those numbers, its not surprising that another key metric the percentage of positive tests out of all those administered has also been on the decline for the last month.

The countys Aug. 18 update reported that, This past week, there were 1,101COVID-19 diagnostic tests performed in Dare County 1,093 were performed by local healthcare providers and 108 were performed at the community testing event held on August 11. This brings the total number of tests performed since early March to 9,341.

There were 18 positive cases between August 10 and August 16, the update indicated. The percent of positive tests to overall tests in Dare County since we started testing in early March decreased again this week for the 4th week in a row, to 4.24%. The percent positive to total tests for the past week alone was 1.63%.

In an email to the Voice, Davies wrote that, I believe we are seeing the lower cases because the majority of people are doing the right things physical distancing, wearing masks and good hand hygiene, following the Exec Order by limiting numbers at mass gatherings. I also believe there are many businesses/establishments that are taking extra precautions to help reduce the spread i.e. hotels doing grab-back breakfast pick up instead of dine-in continental breakfast, hotel housekeepers following protocols to not clean a room when a guest is in the room, limiting occupancy and ensuring social/physical distancing, consistently enforcing mask requirements, etc.

Even so, local health officials are not ready to pop the champagne cork. While noting their satisfaction in seeing these numbers, Davies also emphasized the need to remain vigilant.

I believe the only way we will see these lower numbers continue is if we follow the 3Ws and stay vigilant, Davies added in her email to the Voice. It would be foolish to think our lower numbers are because the virus is not still prevalent in Dare County. Numbers could quickly [increase] if we dont do the right things.

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DCDHHS 'very pleased' with recent COVID numbers - The Outer Banks Voice

The hot temperatures and afternoon thundershowers of a Florida summer mean bumper crops of home-grown tomatoes. When your kitchen counter is overwhelmed with an abundance, turn on the oven for just a bit and serve up this killer Summery Southern Tomato Pie.

Tomato pie topped with tomatoes that are intensely red and flavorful is what summer tastes like in the South. Sitting elegantly on top of my cake stand, you can taste the intense flavors of this pie with one glance. And the aroma will knock you over. This pie deserves a place of honor on your table.

Tomato pie is easy to prepare you can use whatever cheese or herbs you like to flavor the custardy filling. You can buy ready-made pie crust and save yourself some time, but my Parmesan and buttermilk crust is the foundation that will make this pie memorable. Make sure you have the basics on hand: domestic or Italian Parmesan cheese, extra-sharp white cheddar cheese, sweet onions (Vidalia if you can find them), good-quality mayonnaise (Dukes is the classic), your favorite fresh herbs and plenty of rich red local tomatoes.

When it comes to your tomato pie, just about anything goes for the crust. Many cooks use slices of day-old bread, puff pastry, canned biscuit dough, refrigerated rolled pie dough or phyllo dough for their creations. My crust blends a mixture of butter and vegetable shortening for both stability and flavor. The addition of Parmesan cheese and buttermilk enhances the flavors. The addition of earthy turmeric gives the pastry a nice accent.

Youll want to thinly slice your tomatoes, arrange them between layers of paper towels, sprinkle with a little salt and leave them alone for a few minutes. This will help absorb excess liquid and prevent a watery, soggy pie. Sweet Vidalia onions, scallions or spring onions, as well as fresh oregano, basil and chives, will complement the tomatoes. Use a blend of cheeses for a flavor boost; sharp cheddar and Parmesan make good companions. Switch the cheeses to use provolone, mozzarella or Asiago.

Youll mix the grated cheese with mayonnaise. I like to use just a couple of teaspoons of Dijon mustard, too. To the tomato topping, some cooks add a little dill weed or cayenne pepper for a slight kick. Take a shortcut and use a store-bought tub of your favorite pimento cheese as the filling, then layer the sliced tomatoes in between and on top. Lets get busy making this pie before summer passes us by.

For the Parmesan buttermilk pie crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon ground turmeric, optional, for color

teaspoon fine sea salt

teaspoon black pepper

cup (1 sticks) unsalted butter, cold and cut into pieces

cup solid vegetable shortening, cold and cut into pieces

6 tablespoons whole buttermilk, cold

For the topping and filling:

2 pounds assorted medium red ripe tomatoes, about 3, for the filling and topping

1 teaspoon fine sea salt, divided

1 cups grated extra sharp white cheddar cheese

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

cup mayonnaise

1 large egg, lightly beaten

cup finely sliced fresh basil leaves, divided

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh chives, divided

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

teaspoon ground black pepper

1 cup finely sliced and peeled sweet onion, sliced inch thin

Make the pie crust: To the bowl of a large food processor, pulse the flour, cheese, turmeric (if using), salt and pepper just until combined, about three pulses. Add the butter and shortening and pulse just until pea-sized, about five pulses. Drizzle in the buttermilk and process just until the dough begins to come together. Do not overprocess. Turn the dough out onto a piece of plastic wrap and lightly knead into a ball and then flatten into a disc. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Roll the dough out on a large piece of parchment paper into a 14-inch circle about inch thick. Transfer to a 9-inch pie dish, pressing the dough into the bottom and up the sides. Trim the edges, leaving 1 inch overhanging. Fold the edges under and crimp with your fingers with any design you favor. Freeze the dough in the pan for 20 minutes. Line the pie crust with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and further bake for another 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are golden and the bottom crust is set. Cool completely before filling.

Make the filing and bake: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Slice the tomatoes inch thick, then cut each in half. Place on a paper towel-lined half sheet pan, sprinkle with teaspoon of salt and cover with another layer of paper towels. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Pat dry before using in the filling and topping.

In a large mixing bowl, stir together the grated cheddar, Parmesan, mayonnaise, egg, cup basil, 1 tablespoon chives, mustard, pepper and remaining teaspoon salt.

Evenly arrange the sliced onions on the bottom of the partially baked pie crust. Gently and evenly spread with half the cheese mixture and layer with half of the sliced tomatoes overlapping. Repeat with the remaining cheese mixture and remaining tomatoes. Top with the remaining basil and chives. Bake on a half sheet pan on the center rack of the oven for 40 to 50 minutes, covering the crust with foil after 20 minutes to prevent excess browning. Let the pie cool completely before serving to firm up. Serve at room temperature.

Makes about 8 slices.

Source: Lorraine Fina Stevenski

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Put your tomatoes to use in Summery Southern Tomato Pie - Tampa Bay Times

TOWSON, MD (Monday, August 17, 2020) As COVID-19 brings new challenges for college students and their parents, car care and property insurance may get lost in the back-to-school shuffle.AAA Mid-Atlantic reminds students living away at college and their parents to not overlook these important steps to make sure vehicles and other belongings have adequate protection.

Homeowners and renters insurance tips for students:

Safeguard your items from theft.Always lock your dorm room door and never leave belongings unattended on campus. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the library, dining hall and other public places are the primary areas where property theft occurs on campus.

According toConsumer Reports, dorm rooms can be a hot spot for thieves. Two roommates could have $6,000 or more worth of electronics alone laptops, tablets, smartphones and gaming systems as well as other items of value in their small living space.

According toU.S. Department of Education data of crimes reported on college campuses, theft of personal property is the most common crime, followed by motor vehicle theft.

Auto insurance tips for students:

If you have questions about any or are concerned about gaps in your existing coverage, contact a local insurance agent at 866-AAA-4YOU, or aaa.com/insurance.

Lessons on Car Maintenance for College Students:

In addition to reviewing insurance coverage, students heading to college should also address the important subject of vehicle maintenance and repair.

Before sending a son or daughter off to college with a car, AAA Mid-Atlantic encourages parents to sit down with their students and discuss plans for proper vehicle maintenance, as well as how to deal with unexpected problems when parental rescue is more than just a few minutes away.

Take COVID-19 Precautions Inside the Car

With interaction comes the need to regularly clean the inside of the car to protect from COVID-19.For a list of cleaning products that will destroy the COVID-19 virus, visithttps://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/list-n-disinfectants-use-against-sars-cov-2. Choose carefully because some cleaning products may damage or discolor your upholstery or dash.

Follow the CDCs recommendations for preventive measures if passengers are allowed in the car:

Check and Maintain TiresTires are one of the easiest components of a vehicle to maintain, but they are frequently overlooked until something goes wrong. Every student should have a tire pressure gauge in their vehicle, know where it is located, and understand how to use it properly. While there are a variety of tire pressure gauges, those with electronic readouts might be the easiest for the teen to use.Explain that tires should be checked at least once a month when the tires are cold.

Show your young adult where to find the vehicle manufacturers recommended tire pressure typically on a label located on the drivers door jamb or in the vehicle owners manual. It is important to let them know they shouldnotuse the inflation pressure found on the tire sidewall. That is the tires maximum pressure level, but it might not be the correct pressure for the tire when used on their particular vehicle.

To demonstrate proper tire care, AAA offers a number of short videos that can be viewed on theAAA YouTube channel.

Know the Vehicles Maintenance SchedulePerforming the manufacturers regularly scheduled maintenance on a vehicle will greatly extend its life and help ward off more costly repairs down the road. While its a good idea to make sure your students car is current with all maintenance items prior to sending them off to college, its possible some items will be due while they are away.

Sit down and go over the owners manual with your son or daughter. Explain the recommended maintenance schedule and remind them that in addition to basic oil changes other important items such as filters, batteries and brakes must also be regularly checked and maintained. AAA recommends that parents and studentscreate a shared calendar with reminders so both are aware of any upcoming required maintenance or services.

The school year spans the winter months when inclement weather can place added demands on vehicle electrical systems. The average lifespan of a car battery is three to five years, so AAA recommends that any battery in this age range be checkedbeforethe student leaves for school. In many areas, the AAA Mobile Battery Service will come to a members home and provide this service at no charge.

Find a Repair Facility Near College

It is important for parents to help students identify an auto repair shop they can trust near their school in case routine servicing or unexpected repairs become necessary.

If unfamiliar with the area around a college, visitAAA.com/Repair to locate nearby AAA Approved Auto Repair facilities. As a free public service for all motorists, AAA inspects auto repair shops around the country and only approves those that meet and continually maintain high professional standards for equipment, customer service, cleanliness and training.

When first arriving at the college, AAA recommends parents and students visit the selected repair shop and meet the staff. Ask for some shop business cards that you and your young adult can keep handy in case an emergency arises.

Prepare for Roadside EmergenciesIt is also important for parents to prepare their children for a breakdown or other roadside emergency especially if they are attending college too far away to call home for help.

Make sure the students vehicle has a well-stocked roadside emergency kit with contents suitable for local weather conditions during the school year. A basic kit should include a flashlight with extra batteries, jumper cables, first-aid kit, bottled water, rags or paper towels, a tire pressure gauge, a blanket, granola or energy bars, and a selection of basic hand tools. Add an ice scraper, snow brush and kitty litter or other material to increase traction should snow or ice be an issue.

For added peace of mind, provide the student with a AAA membership, which offers reliable roadside assistance through a large dedicated network of service providers with good coverage in and around the college. AAAs many benefits are available to members no matter whose vehicle in they are in, so parents wont have to worry about their teen being stranded in a friends vehicle with no access to emergency road service.

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College-Bound Students Don't Forget Property Protection And A Car Care Plan - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

Inside Carolina's Ross Martin and Greg Barnes join host Tommy Ashley to break down the 2020 Carolina wide receiver and tight end roster in the second part of IC's State of the Position series. The Inside Carolina crew takes a dive into perhaps the deepest talent pool on the Tar Heel roster and examines a room loaded with experienced talent on the front line and deep with talented youth behind the starters. From there, the tight end position gets the spotlight with the focus being onwhich young player canemergeand help this area go from the unknown to a strength for Mack Brown's Heels.

Dyami. Dazz. Beau.

As with the first two position groups in this series, the wide receiver room is loaded with talent for second year coach Lonnie Galloway. Experienced and proven, the trio of Brown, Newsome and Corrales provide quarterback Sam Howell with a myriad of options out of the gate. The two Ds come in off 1,000-yard season with Corrales perfecting his craft as a big strong target that Howell can rely on in the red zone. Toe Groves and speedster Antoine Green keep the returning talent flowing on the field and Emery Simmons gained valuable in-game experience last season.

Where things get interesting is the addition of Josh Downs. Downs reported with the first group of post-shutdown returners to Chapel Hill indicating that without question, he will be playing major minutes in his first season. Ray Rose, Khafre Brown, Stephen Gosnell, Justin Olson and Tylee Craft can all plan to see the field at times leaving Howell, and potentially Jace Rude and Jacolby Criswell with upwards of a dozen targets possible at the receiver position.

The second portion of the show brings us to the biggest question mark on offense. Even with the explosion of yards and points by the offense last season, tight end was often overlooked and perhaps as a result, experienced the most meeting room upheaval in the offseason. Gone is coach Tim Brewster in an interesting departure and in is place is John Lilly. Lilly comes with an impressive resume to coach a group that wont see the preseason accoladesof its counterparts on the offensive side of the ball.

Garrett Walston came on strong late in the season in 2019 and with the departure of Carl Tucker (Alabama) and Jake Bargas(graduation), he will shoulder the load. There is talented depth, but other than Kamari Morales, on the field experience is nil. True freshmen John Copenhaver and Kendall Karr add depth.

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On The Beat: Position Checkup - WRs & TEs - 247Sports

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. The rapid pace that invasive shrubs infiltrate forests in the northeastern United States makes scientists suspect they have a consistent advantage over native shrubs, and the first region-wide study of leaf timing, conducted by Penn State researchers, supports those suspicions.

With the help of citizen scientists spread over more than 150 sites in more than 20 states, researchers collected thousands of observations over four years of exactly when both invasive and native shrubs leaf out in the spring and lose their leaves in the fall. The study area was expansive, stretching from southern Maine to central Minnesota south to southern Missouri, to North Carolina.

In the spring, the invasive shrubs in the understory at Shaver's Creek have green leaves to take advantage of extra sunlight while the overstory canopy is leafless. However, native shrubs have barely burst leaf buds. Citizen scientists collected data on this phenomenon of extended leaf phenology across the Northeast.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean/Penn State

Eastern North America is the recipient of more invasive shrubspecies into naturalareas than any other geographic region of the world, said lead researcherErynn Maynard-Bean, postdoctoral researcher in the College of Agricultural Sciences, working under the guidance of Margot Kaye, associate professor of forest ecology.Invasive shrubs are growing in both abundance and in the number of species established at the expense of many types of native species.

The researchers reported in Biological Invasions that invasive shrubs can maintain leaves 77 days longer than native shrubs within a growing season at the southern end of the area studied. The difference decreases to about 30 days at the northern end of the study area. At the southern end of the study area, the time when invasive shrubs have leaves and native shrubs do not is equally distributed between spring and fall; in the northern reaches of the study area, two-thirds of the difference between native and invasive growing seasons occur in fall.

The location of observations used for modeling leaf emergence and leaf off. The final number of observations used to model leaf emergence by citizen scientists was 911 across 153 sites, and for leaf off was 589 observations across 72 sites.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean/Penn State

The longer period with leaves gives invasive plants an advantage in acquiring more energy from sunlight and their leaves create shade in early spring and late fall that may limit growth of native species, such as forest ephemeral wildflowers, Maynard-Bean explained.This helps explain their negative impact on native tree regeneration, plant diversity and abundance, she said. But invasive shrubs also have a negative impact on communities of animal species sensitive to light and temperature, such as bees, butterflies and amphibians.

Small, local studies in Northeast forests have shown that invasive shrubs have leaves longer than native shrubs. However, because the phenomenon known as extended leaf phenology varies geographically, the degree to which it benefits invasive shrubs across the region had previously been unknown.

The difference between native plants and invasive plants having leaves is not consistent, Maynard-Bean noted. It varies, dependingon latitude, species studied and weather for the study period.

But with the help of citizen scientistswithUSA National Phenology Networkwatching plants with us from around the eastern U.S., we found a pattern of greater extended leaf phenology as you move south, she said. This provides a unified framework for connecting local-scale research results from different parts of the eastern U.S. that had previously not agreed with one another.

In early spring, northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin) is a native shrub that is just breaking buds on the left, while an invasive shrub, Morrows honeysuckle (Lonicera morrowii), has well-developed leaves on the right.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean/Penn State

With the goal of understanding on-the-ground implications for eastern deciduous forest ecosystems, the researchers chose common, widespread species that co-occur in forest understories. Native shrubs followed in the study included alternate-leaf dogwood, flowering dogwood, gray dogwood, spicebush, mapleleaf viburnum, southern arrowwood, hobble-bush and black haw. Invasive shrubs native to Europe or Asia followed in the study included Japanese barberry, burning bush, multiflora rose and several species of honeysuckles and privet.

About 800 citizen scientists collected more than 8,000 observations of leaf timing for 804 shrubs at 384 sites, from 2015 through 2018.In addition, Maynard-Bean made observations at three sites in Pennsylvania.

In late fall, the native shrub, mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium), exhibits fall color prior to the adjacent invasive privet (Ligustrum obtusifolium) which is still bright green and photosyntheticallyactive.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean/Penn State

Thepatterns of extended leaf phenology for invasive shrubs compared to native shrubs found in this study have important implications for policy and management, according to Kaye, whose research group has been evaluating invasive shrubs in Northeast forests for more than a decade. She pointed out that invasives included in this study are still commonly used for horticultural purposes in some states but are banned in others.

The presence of this phenomenon may serve as a predictive trait for the invasion potential of new horticultural specimens, Maynard-Bean said. From a management perspective, extended leaf phenology makes invasive shrubs an easier green target in the spring and fall for detection, removal and treatment, which can protect dormant, non-target native species.

Also contributing to the research were Tyler Wagner, adjunct professor of fisheries ecology, andEric Burkhart, associate teaching professor in the Department of Ecosystem Science and Management.

In late fall, the native shrub northern spicebush (Lindera benzoin), with yellow fall color surrounded by Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) that still has deep green foliage as well as red fruits.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean/Penn State

The National Science Foundation funded this research and theUSA National Phenology Network's support was instrumental in the study. The Arboretum at Penn State and Shavers Creek Environmental Center also supported the research by allowing data collection at their sites.

Extended leaf phenology becomes apparent at the ends of the growing season in early spring and late fall when most native woody species have lost their foliage.

IMAGE: Erynn Maynard-Bean

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Invasive shrubs in Northeast forests grow leaves earlier and keep them longer - Penn State News

President Donald Trump reportedly wants the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to approve the plant extract oleandrin as a potential treatment for COVID-19, despite a current lack of evidence that it would be effective for this purpose.

The extract was promoted to the president during an Oval Office meeting in July, which involved Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson, MyPillow founder and CEO Mike Lindell and Andrew Whitney, an executive at Phoenix Biotechnologya company that is developing and pushing the oleandrin product to the Trump administration.

During the meeting, Trump "basically said: ...'The FDA should be approving it,'" Lindell told Axios. But what is oleandrin and does the substance have any medical uses?

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Oleandrin is a botanical extract from the oleander plantan evergreen shrub or small tree that is highly toxic to humans and many animals if any part is ingested. Oleandrin is one of several toxic compounds that the plant contains.

Some "in vitro" researcha term used to refer to studies done in test tubes rather than animals or humanshas suggested that the substance could potentially be useful as a treatment for various cancers, including those of the colon, pancreas and prostate.

Furthermore, one in vitro study published in the journal Fitoterapia found that the compound inhibits the ability of HIV to establish an infection, although it should be noted that the results of test tube studies do not always translate into animal or human models.

Professor Sharon Lewin, an internationally renowned expert on antiviral drugs from the University of Melbourne in Australia, told Axios: "Oleandrin looks to have antiviral activity at high doses in a test-tube model. You'd certainly want to see more work done on this before even contemplating a human trial" for its effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2the virus that causes COVID-19.

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While one paper published in July by researchers from the University of Texas at Galveston indicated that oleandrin inhibits SARS-CoV-2 in monkey kidney cells, its conclusions should be viewed with caution. The paper, which lists Robert Newmanchairman of Phoenix Biotechnology's scientific advisory boardas an author has not been peer-reviewed. This means it is yet to undergo evaluation by experts in the field in order to be published in a scientific journal.

In May 2020 the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) conducted some preliminary testing of oleandrin against SARS-CoV-2. The results were "inconclusive," a spokesperson, Caree Vander Linden, told Axios.

"Additionally, USAMRIID was contacted by University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, indicating that they were also testing it," Vander Linden said. "Given our inconclusive results, and having other high priority therapeutics to assess, we did not continue with this line of research."

Aside from the aforementioned research, there appear to be no other published papers testing oleandrin's efficacy against SARS-CoV-2 in animals or humans. However, Whitney told Axios on Saturday that an unpublished lab study testing oleandrin on humans as a COVID-19 treatment is in the process of being peer-reviewed.

Whitney says that oleandrin can "cure" COVID-19, causing symptoms to disappear "in the vast majority of cases," Axios reported, although there is currently insufficient publicly available evidence to back up these claims.

"We have something that we believe will address the problem and we want to make it available," Whitney told Axios. "We believe we should be given the opportunity to demonstrate that in a hospital clinical trial setting and we believe that must happen now and not a month from now."

The company is exploring oleandrin as a potential COVID-19 treatmentsomething which would require the drug to undergo rigorous human clinical trials. However, Phoenix Biotechnology is also pushing the FDA to allow oleandrin to be sold as a dietary supplement. This could happen quickly, according to Whitney, although the company would not be allowed to make claims about its effectiveness in treating or curing COVID-19.

Oleandrin's use against COVID-19 is supported by Carson and Lindella Trump backer, who recently bought a stake in Phoenix Biotechnology. Lindella personal friend of Carson and the presidenthelped to arrange the July Oval Office meeting where Whitney discussed oleandrin's use against COVID-19, The Washington Post reported.

Some senior administration officials have expressed their concern over oleandrin being pushed as a COVID-19 treatment at the top of the U.S. government.

"The involvement of the Secretary of HUD and MyPillow.com in pushing a dubious product at the highest levels should give Americans no comfort at night about their health and safety during a raging pandemic," a senior administration official told Axios.

In March, Trump pushed FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn to authorize the emergency use of the anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine for the treatment of COVID-19.

The agency subsequently issued an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for the drug. however, the FDA revoked this in June based on results from a large, randomized clinical trial in hospitalized patients "that found these medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery."

Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.

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What Is Oleandrin? Trump Reportedly Wants FDA to Approve Plant Extract for Coronavirus - Newsweek