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If Brexit split the United Kingdom from the rest of Europe, so, too, has Covid-19. Paris and Rome have begun to reenergize their critical tourism markets, but London remains largely shut down.

But it doesnt have to be as bad as it sounds. Across the U.K., new hotels are offering respite to the Covid-weary, with a range of experiences youd think would require crisscrossing the globe. They include gorgeous estates attached to wineries, a collection of seaside cottages, grand golf and wilderness resorts, and renovated town houses in London that make you feel as if youre sleeping in a princes private apartment.

Whether youre looking to plan a trip as soon as quarantine requirements lift or are homebound within the U.K. and itching to get away, you can take advantage ofthese notable openings this summer.

These four spots are completely distinct from one another, highlighting the vast variety of experiences that can be had in the U.K. What they do have in common, though, is an emphasis on the outdoorsand enough space for all the social distancing you might require.

The main Georgian house at the Newt in Somerset.

Source: The Newt in Somerset

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The Farmyard at the Newt, SomersetIt was right before the pandemic that Karen Roos and her husband, the billionaire and South African telecom giant Koos Bekker, opened the doors to their long-anticipated second hotel, the Newt in Somerset. As owners ofthefarm-to-table restaurant and hotel complexBabylonstoren in South Africa,the duo went with asimilaragrarian-gone-luxe vibe for the Newt.

Now the pair has not only reopened the Newt but also expanded it with a more family-friendly annex, the Farmyard, with 17 rooms on a former dairy farm adjacent to the Newts main Georgian estate. The lodgings themselves are less formal but equally stylishwith massive wood beams and steam showers. Several suites have two bedrooms to accommodate both parents and kids. Theres also grazing livestock, arestaurant for all-day dining, and a fabulous pool. Make time to visit the on-site cider press, which uses heirloom apples found all across Somerset, and to traverse the viper, a snaking, 40-foot-tall elevated walkway thatcuts through an oak forest teeming with butterflies.Rooms from $1,400

On the grounds of the Pig in the South Downs in Sussex.

Source: The Pig Hotel

The Pig in the South Downs, Sussex Its hard to believe youre fewer than 50 miles away from London when you arrive at the Pig in the South Downs, the eighth outpost from the porcine brand known for its intimate yet impeccably styled countryside retreats, each attached to an equally lauded restaurant. The property itself is an old Regency house that has only a handful of rich-toned rooms (plus a few suites in converted, standalone field wagons), but the experience is reallyabout whats beyond the walls: 4,000 vines of chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot meunier, and a two-acre farm to supply the chefs. Beyond that is a tangle of medieval hamlets, some with stellar markets and castles to explore, as well as the yachting capital of Chichester, with its many enticing boutiques. Rooms from $470

A bedroomat Three Mile Beach in Cornwall.

Source: Three Mile Beach

Three Mile Beach, CornwallThe creators of this idyllic seaside enclave, with 15 cheery cottages that look like candy dots along the shore, know a thing or two about what luxury travelers want: They run one of the U.K.s most widely respected bespoke travel companies, Audley. Herethey blend the best of a private home rental (hot tubs on the decks, barbecues) with five-star amenitiessuch as surfboard rentals that show up on your doorstep. A collection of food trucks, staffed by a rotating selection of the areas best chefs, is right there on the sand. All of it faces a three-mile-long beachhence the namein sunny, scenic Cornwall, where you can see dolphins bobbing and gray seals sunbathing. And when youre all topped up on Vitamin Sea,there are the many cafes and pubs of St. Ives Bay to explore, plus a number of coastal walks so beautifultheyve been designated National Trails.Rooms from $600

A taxidermists heaven at Ardfin.

Source: Ardfin

Ardfin, JuraIf Scotland is a golfers nirvana, Ardfins championship style course meets the countrys exceedingly high standards. But that would be selling the place short: Built over a decade by an Australian hedge fund trader as a roughly $28 million bet on the wild Inner Hebridean isle of Jura, its 13-room estate house is a cornucopia of sumptuous colors and patterns, with access to a glimmering indoor pool and 12,000 pastoralacres for whale watching, fishing, and deer stalking.

Its proximity to Islay makes for easy distillery hopping, and Juras natural bounty shows up at the restaurant in the formed of grilled lobster and charred venison. Golf or no, its a destination unto itself. Rooms from $1,875

Whether youre looking to celebrate the great city of London or find a highly upgraded version of sheltering in place, you can enjoy these three new options that willremain relevant beyond this summer.

A Grande suite at the Nomad London.

Source: The Nomad Hotel

Nomad LondonThe first international version of New Yorks Nomad brand of hotels occupies the former Bow Street Magistrates Court and Police Station, a grade II-listed building of historic significance opposite the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden. To someits known as the place where luminaries such as Oscar Wilde and Vivienne Westwood once stood trial.

Now its 91 rooms fill old jail cells and magistrates offices, reconfigured by the design masterminds Roman and Williams to offer significantlymore comfortable layouts than those historical figures endured. The gilded clawfoot bathtubs and downstairs restaurantin an airy atrium somewhat reminiscent of the Manhattan locationmay not bear any resemblance to the buildings past life, but the Victoriana dcor, remaining cell doors, and dramatic entryway, sized to accommodate horse-drawn carriages, are reminders of the stories these walls could tell. Rooms from $445

The Londoner sits at the urban hub of Leicester Square.

Source: The Londoner

The LondonerWhat is a super boutique hotel? Its hard to define, butthe Londoner invented the category and aims to be the first one of its kind when it opens next month, with 350 rooms in a 16-story tower off centrally located Leicester Square, a few minutes walk from the National Gallery. Thats relatively large by the typical conventions of boutique hotels, but its hardly worth building a reputation around.

More impressive is the cool, residential styling that directs your eye towardentire walls of windows overlooking the citythe feeling of being lofted in a glassy oasis thats both separated from the hustle and bustle and yet stillconnected to it. That same ethos extends to the indoor pool, where cabanas look like cocoons with sand-toned walls, and to the Whisky room, a mirrored jewel box with only14 seats hidden behind a secret passageway. Its the perfect way to ease yourself back intocity life,knowing that you have a sanctuary to return to the minute its all too much. Rooms from $567

The Phylly room at Henrys Townhouse.

Source: Henrys Townhouse

Henrys TownhouseThe best hotels tell a storyand Henrys Townhouse tells that of an old tenant, Henry Austen, brother to famed writer Jane. Thanks to their close bond, his home is where she did some of her best-known writing, including parts of Sense and Sensibility. Now the pretty Marylebone townhouse is in the hands of a new creative duo, film director Steven Collins and his wife, the antiques dealer-turned-boutique owner whose first name is also Jane. Each of the houses seven rooms is named for and inspired by Henrys real-life relatives and packed with so many Georgian antiques you may be surprised to find Dyson hair dryers in the bathrooms and Bollinger Champagne in the minibar.

Henrys room is a predictable standout, with a double four-poster bed and portraits in gilded frames. Rounding out the accommodations is a simple selection of dining spaces, including a homey dining room, where breakfast is served around a refectory table, and the library-like sitting room named for Jane Austen herself. Currently its available only for buyouts, but the owners plan to run it as a traditional hotelwith nightly room rentalsas soon as Covid-19 restrictions lift.Buyouts from $6,700; room prices to be made available as restrictions lift

The Mall andAdmiralty Arch serveas thegatewayto Buckingham Palace.

Source: Admiralty Arch

If youre not ready to gamble on a trip to the U.K. given the current quarantine requirements, which require 10 days of confinement from Americans and travelers from other amber countries, theres another good reason to wait. Next yeara series of exciting new hotel projects is set to unveil across the capital city, with entries from several titans of luxury that are currently missing from Londons landscapes. Some are the result of more than a decades worth of location scouting, searching for the perfect historic building with bones worthy of a six-star brand.

Take the Raffles, due to open in Winston Churchills Old War Office building, an Edwardian Baroque masterpiece of architecture sandwiched between Trafalgar Square and the Palace of Westminster. The company bought it from the Ministry of Defense for 350 million ($486 million) in 2014 and has been working with designer Thierry Despont on the interiors ever since. If all goes according to plan, its 125 rooms and 85 apartments will become available in 2022.

Theres also Admiralty Arch, built in 1910 as a national memorial to Queen Victoria and where the governments intelligence division operated during the two World Wars. Maybe even more significant, its the departure point for many James Bond sagas, and its arches form a key point in annual royal processions. Since 2015 its been under renovation by Waldorf Astoria, which is working with British artisans to fill it with 100 hotel rooms and four residences. Its also scheduled to open next year.

Add to those a forthcomingentry from Peninsula Londonin Knightsbridgedetails on that one are scantand youve got plenty of light at the end of the tunnel for this beloved capital of culture.

Before it's here, it's on the Bloomberg Terminal.

Read the rest here:
The Best New Hotels in Londonand Beyondto Book This Summer - Bloomberg

This week,RED Developmentannounced that construction is underway on the $300 million development ofThe Grove, the highly anticipated mixed-use destination on the northwest corner of 44th Street and Camelback Road that features the recently announced hotel,The Global Ambassador, by restaurant innovator Sam Fox.

Arguably the most high-profile intersection in the Valley, the 15-acre development also features a signature four-story Class-AA office building, several ground-floor retail spaces and restaurants; two additional two-story office buildings; a self-storage facility by Hibernia Capital; a covered parking structure; and a luxury apartment building byStreetLights Residential. Completion of the first phase is expected in the latter half of 2022 with final completion and the hotels opening slated for fall 2023. The Grove is also home to the new, state-of-the-art Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury private training facility that opened in late 2020.

READ ALSO: Sam Fox will bring The Global Ambassador hotel to Valley

Between RED, Sam Fox and the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury, The Grove is being thoughtfully designed and created by local companies with proven track records for building exceptional developments, said Mike Ebert, managing partner at RED. On the office front, The Grove will feature the first new Class AA office campus in the area in close to 20 years. In the coming weeks, well be announcing the first office tenants, which are currently set to surpass state records for price-per-square-foot leasing rates.

Already making headlines around the country, The Global Ambassador is an internationally inspired hotel that will merge impressive hospitality, culinary and wellness experiences within one perfectly and precisely curated destination. The hotel will blend a refined and elevated hospitality experience created through a global lens and locally connected. Every detail of the well-appointed hotel has been meticulously poured over, studied and designed by Fox himself. Each element is purposefully designed to elicit one cultivated experience that is rich in charm and sophistication. As a dynamic restauranteur, Foxs stellar lineup of inventive culinary offerings defines The Global Ambassador. The hotel boasts five original dining venues with cuisine influenced by the vibrant flavors found all over the world. The piece de resistance will be the Mediterranean rooftop restaurant that overlooks the iconic Camelback Mountain. The world-class amenity offering includes a Wellness Center complete with an expansive fitness level and ultra-luxe spa where health, beauty and fitness experts will curate treatments and practices designed to put the mind and body in perfect balance. Fox is co-developing The Global Ambassador with his trusted collaborator, business partner and friend Brian Frakes ofCommon Bond Development Group, a company known for its notable lifestyle development projects.

I think this location at 44th Street and Camelback Road is the most prime piece of real estate in Arizona. It just doesnt get better than this the convergence of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Paradise Valley, plus its in my own backyard, said Fox. As with all of our projects, The Global Ambassador will be rooted in the surrounding community and the hotel will take that to the next level. When you first walk in, youll notice how open and all-encompassing the ground-level is, which allows travelers and locals to mix, mingle and connect. From one space to the next, the energy plays off one another. We want people to reconnect and celebrate being together. Welcoming people into our neighborhood is the premise and foundation of The Global Ambassador.

The Grove will also be home to the fifth Arizona residential community by StreetLights Residential, a trusted leader in the multifamily industry that takes a design-centric approach to urban development. The building will feature 58 two and three-bedroom luxury apartment homes with custom design features and finishes including wood flooring, quartz countertops, mini bars, spa-like bathrooms with walk-in showers and premium Sub-Zero and Wolf kitchen appliances with custom ready finishes to match built-in cabinetry. The buildings amenities include a lobby with access to a full-service concierge, a clubroom and resident bar, two fitness studios and an elevated pool deck with private cabanas, lounge seating and outdoor fireplaces.

We believe this is one of the best pieces of real estate in the state of Arizona, and we are excited to be part of this transformative project, said Greg Nadeau, vice president of development over the Arizona region for StreetLights Residential. We have carefully crafted our residential building to complement the architecture of the district, delivering sophisticated and boutique feeling apartment homes designed for a similar style of living experienced in the surrounding Paradise Valley and Arcadia neighborhoods.

Demolition on the sites former buildings is fully completed and the initial site work including the parking garage excavation, shoring, underground utility work and waterproofing is now complete. Footings and the office building columns are currently being poured.

The Camelback Corridor is nationally recognized as the most prestigious office location for premier businesses in the Valley, and The Grove will only further enhance the strength and vitality of this area, said Christine Mackay, director, Phoenix community and economic development. As the first new Class AA office campus in two decades, we look forward to seeing the significant positive impact this development will have on the neighborhood in attracting world-class tenants.

Leasing for the office building is now underway with tenant announcements expected in the coming months. For more information on The Grove at 44th Street and Camelback, visitREDDevelopment.com/The-Grove. For more about The Global Ambassador, visitGlobalAmbassadorHotel.com.

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RED Development breaks ground on $300M The Grove in Phoenix - AZ Big Media

INDIANAPOLIS An Irvington couple is on the hunt for a bold porch pirate who swiped a new TV right in front of their injured mother.

Its disgusting and pathetic, says David Phillips of the situation, Pretty brazen, best word to say.

It happened on Dewey Avenue on Wednesday in broad daylight. David and his wife Anne had just moved her grandmother from Texas to an assisted living facility in Indy. Around the same time, she got here, Annes mother broke her ankle, and began living at their home. The TV was supposed to be for her grandmothers new abode, however a porch pirate had other plans. After the TV arrived, her mother watched from her wheelchair as a thief stole the tv right in front of her. She yelled his way, but there was nothing she could do.

I just feel like they were victimized, and now Im angry, says Anne Carroll, People are getting more confident, and doing things in broad daylight in front of people.

David says porch pirates are becoming all too common in their neighborhood.

Neighbors over there, they got hit not too long ago. My direct neighbor across the alley her welcome to the neighborhood was her kids bikes stolen next day, tells Phillips.

If you live near the 6000 block of Dewey Avenue and have surveillance cameras, the family is looking for help to identify the person who made off with the TV. A report has been filed with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

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Bold Irvington porch pirates swipes TV in front of injured woman in a wheelchair - Fox 59

The pandemic threatened to cancel a local Fourth of July tradition. Instead, a new tradition is forming.

The Fourth of July Symphony at the Park, the fireworks show traditionally held at Memorial Park, was changed to the Fourth of July Symphony on the Porch in 2020 as a way to keep the show going amid COVID-19 restrictions.

And that version is coming back Sunday, with fireworks being shot from multiple locations around the Pikes Peak region to hopefully give people patriotic views from wherever they are. The displays are accompanied by a symphony concert broadcasted from local radio stations.

The event is organized by the Colorado Springs Philharmonic and the Colorado Springs Sports Corp.

Brianna Goodwin, of the Colorado Springs Sports Corp., said 2020s Fourth of July Symphony on the Porch was such a hit that they decided to stick with it this year.

We just got the most amazing feedback from people who really liked it, Goodwin said. We felt we had something special.

Colorado Springs Mayor John Suthers agrees, saying in a news release that it feels right to bring this event back and continue to foster a sense of unity throughout our great city.

The event brought unity to the Colorado Springs area during a time in 2020 when people couldnt get together.

We wanted to have so people didnt have to miss out yet another thing, Goodwin said. A lot of people were missing out on so much last year.

Organizers realized that, for some people, the event was better without the setting of Memorial Park.

We heard from people who are homebound or dont have a car or have to work on the Fourth of July, but they could stop for 10 minutes to watch the fireworks from wherever they were, Goodwin said. This opened it up to so many people.

On Sunday, fireworks will be launched from locations including The Broadmoor, Cherokee Ridge Golf Course,The Club at Flying Horse,The Country Club of Colorado at Cheyenne Mountain Resort, Falcon Freedom Days at Meridian Ranch, Garden of the Gods Resort and Club and the Patty Jewett Golf Course.

Firework displays under the Fourth of July Symphony on Your Porch umbrella will also be hosted by Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Rocky Mountain Vibes via ticketed events.

Without the same COVID restrictions this year, people will be able to watch fireworks from beyond their own homes and front porches.

Wherever they are, theyll still be sharing the same view.

When we can do something together in Colorado Springs, it gives us this small hometown feeling, Goodwin said. It gives us that united feeling.

Continued here:
Fourth of July Symphony on your Porch returns to fill Colorado Springs with fireworks - OutThere Colorado

An Arizona woman's photo went viral when she shared a picture of some unusual houseguests.

A pack of young bobcatsreferred to as a kindlehave taken over the front porch of Kate Smith's Mesa home. She posted a picture of three young kittens sleeping near her house's entryway on Friday.

"So this is my front porch right now," Smith captioned the photo on Twitter.

The image of the slumbering cats went viral, with over 291,000 likes, 23,000 retweets and 4,000 comments of people chiming in on the bobcats' cuteness and their odd choice of a den.

The three cats pictured didn't just spend the night at Smith's home; they have taken up residence on her front porch.

"These guys have been here a month," Smith told KPNX, a local Arizona station. "I've been told that as soon as the cubs are old enough to hunt on their own, they should be moving on, but they've been here a while."

Smith posted more photos of the wild cats in the comments of her tweet. Twitter users asked for more bobcat content, and Smith posted several photos of the animals around her home. One photo taken from inside of the house shows one sitting up against a window and looking into the home.

Other pictures show the cats hanging out in trees and lounging around on garden walls. Commenters shared their own photos of uninvited, but not always unwelcome, guests. Squirrels, snakes, birds, raccoons, bears, lizards, moose and fellow bobcats were posted in response to Smith.

Smith said on Twitter that she has not attempted to touch or pick them up because she didn't want the mom to leave them behind.

She called the Arizona Game and Fish Department when the kindle started hanging around, the local station reported. Due to their nature, if the bobcats were to be removed by the Game and Fish Department, they likely would not survive the relocation and it is considered a last resort.

"The answer they gave me was that if you take them out of their territory, they typically don't survive, so I said, 'Oh, forget it," Smith said. "They're territorial, so if you plop them down in an area they're unfamiliar with, they usually won't make it."

She said she had to warn neighbors and delivery drivers not to come to the front porch. She hung up a sign asking people to stay away from the kindle.

"All neighbors and family know not to come to the front door," she said. "Our dog is grounded at this point."

People online who saw the picture suggested that Smith give them water to drink, but she told KPNX that she didn't want to make them too comfortable on her porch.

"Everybody is like, Oh my god, give them water. But Game and Fish told me not to give them water because you don't want them comfortable," she said.

If she were to feed or water them, the cats may become too attached to the porch or Smith and would not be able to go back into the wild, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

According to the Game and Fish Department, bobcats do not pose a threat to humans and don't often attack people except in the rare case that they are hyperaggressive or have rabies.

Continued here:
Wild Bobcats Make Woman's Front Porch Their Home: 'These Guys Have Been Here a Month' - Newsweek

EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) -- This weekend, you can celebrate the 4th of July from the comfort of your porch. The 4th of July Symphony on Your Porch will be back for a second year, bringing fireworks to residents across El Paso County.

The event, designed as a result of COVID-19, allows residents to enjoy the holiday while watching one of the region's many fireworks shows, "from their porch."

Organized by theColorado Springs Sports Corporation,the event continues the tradition of playing a patriotic concert, along with fireworks, while being broadcast across five local radio stations as the night sky lights up. Residents can tune in to Sunny 106.3 FM,Y96.9 FM, KCME 88.7 FM, 92.9 Peak FM, or AM 740 KVOR.

The following locations will be presenting fireworks displays, weather-permitting, without public access. These shows will be visible to residents at their homes across the region; seeCOS4thofJuly.orgfor details:

Additional communities will be hosting firework displays, while participating in the regional coordinated efforts to bring fireworks across the county.

The Fort Carson Black Hawk helicopters will do a community flyover to kick off the4th of July. Starting at approximately 5:00 pm until 6:00 pm, residents are encouraged to look to the skies for this special Independence Day tribute to honor the military men and women, past and present, who have served our great nation.

Xfinity has teamed up with Kona Ice to provide FREE patriotic frozen treats to kids in FIVE surprise neighborhoods across the community!Be on the lookout between 6 8 pm to grab your tasty treat thanks to Xfinity!

Also, iHeartRadio wants to see your #PorchParty fun!Sunny 106.3 & Y96.9 listeners can submit their best 4thof July photos via social media to enter to win. Upload your patriotic photo to the iHeartRadio gallery and you could win a prize pack bursting with concert tickets, gift cards, event tickets, and more!

TheBanning Lewis Ranch Summer Concert Serieswill host a4th of Julyevent at Vista Park. Festivities will include food trucks, farmer's market, bouncy houses, and military/first responder appreciation activities from 4 - 8 pm. Enjoy live music from Collective Groove from 7 - 9 pm with fireworks following. Full details at: BanningLewisRanch.com

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Countdown begins for 4th of July Fireworks and Symphony on Your Porch - KRDO

YOUNGWOOD, Pa. You expect your packages to be safely delivered, but for neighbors in one Westmoreland County neighborhood, theyve been dealing with a local thief.

She didnt want to be identified but a woman who lives on South Tenth Street in Youngwood was one of the first ones to call police after she noticed packages she ordered turned up missing.

I came home from running errands and packages were; some were missing, some were gone through they always left the contents in the breezeway here between these two units, the woman explained. Other neighbors started coming out saying me too; me too, so then it became increasingly suspicious.

State police say it was her neighbor Alexander Soroka who was stealing them.

The officer who responded on Monday called and said we caught the person in action a street over; thats how they discovered what was going on because someone said I just watched this little kid take a package and opened it and take the contents, the woman said.

As police were investigating several other neighbors on South Tenth Street came forward and said they had their packages stolen, too. The 8-year-old boy allegedly told troopers Soroka told him to take the packages and bring them back to him.

I think its disgusting. I have a child myself, and to even begin to think they could be told to commit this crime, its just sickening, the woman explained.

Police say they found more than $300 worth of stolen goods, but Soroka said he sold even more.

Troopers say theyve been responding to this area for several monthsall for reports of stolen packagesand believe Soroka could be behind all of them.

Police still have to sift through other goods they believe were stolen by Soroka.

Hes in jail tonight on $100,000 bond and is expected to be in court next week.

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Police say man made 8-year-old steal more than $300 in packages from porches in Westmoreland Co. - WPXI Pittsburgh

The mother of a U.S. Naval Academy midshipman candidate was fatally shot on Tuesday while sitting on a hotel porch in Annapolis, Maryland.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Annapolis Police Chief Edward Jackson explained that the incident occurred at around 12:21 a.m. local time on Tuesday when officers received reports of a victim suffering from gunshot wounds near West St.

When officers and emergency medical service officials arrived at the scene, they attempted to perform life-saving measures. The victim was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Jackson.

"The victim was identified as Michelle Jordan Cummings," Jackson said. "She's an African American female, 57 years of age who resides in Houston, Texas."

During the press conference, Jackson explained that Cummings was visiting Annapolis with her husband to watch their son be inducted into the U.S. Naval Academy.

"He's also a prospect for the football team," Jackson said. "So what turned out to be a celebratory occasion for the family, celebrating their son going to one of the best institutions in the United States, turned into a tragic event."

According to Jackson, preliminary investigations lead police to believe that Cummings was not the intended target and she was hit by a stray bullet. Jackson said that the exact number of gunshot wounds sustained has yet to be determined but noted that Cummings was shot more than once.

"Preliminary investigation reveals that the victim was sitting on a patio area at a hotel and was not the intended target. At this time in the investigation it is believed the shots were fired on Pleasant Street and traveled a distance shooting the victim," police said in a press release prior to the press conference.

As police continue to investigate the situation, they are asking for the public's help in identifying the shooter and are offering up a $2,000 reward for any information leading to the arrest and indictment of the suspect.

Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley also spoke during the press conference and said that the "city's heart is broken."

"Somebody has lost their mom on the proudest day probably of her life. So, there are no circumstances where this can be tolerated. My sympathies go out to the family," Buckley said. "We are focused on getting guns off the street but it only takes one criminal with a gun for the results to be tragic. This was a horrific outcome for the kind of everyday gun violence that many cities across America see."

He continued, "Annapolis is sadly not immune. We have deployed our crisis intervention team to assist with the family...every resource is being deployed to solve this case. The perpetrators will be found and they will be held to account."

Newsweek reached out to the Annapolis Police Department for further comment but did not receive a response in time for publication.

In a statement posted to Twitter, the U.S. Naval Academy Vice Admiral Sean Buck said, "As members of our Naval Academy family, we will do all that we can to support Leonard, his father and the entire Cummings family during this unfathomable time. My wife, Joanne, and I, on behalf of all of us here in Annapolis, offer our deepest sympathies."

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Mother of Naval Academy Midshipman Candidate Shot and Killed While Sitting on Hotel Porch - Newsweek

Tina McMenamin, an 18-year-old UNL freshman, was stabbed and sexually assaulted in her apartment on July 25, 1995.

Gregory Gabel, a mentally ill Lincoln man, was arrested in the homicide and has always been the prime suspect, an investigator said, even after pivotal DNA evidence failed to link him to the crime scene.Gabel has a computerlike memory for numbers and facts and a history of following women at businesses and public events, retired investigator Rich Doetker said in 2005.

McMenamin was killed in the minutes before she was due at work at Godfather's Pizza at 5:30 p.m. that night in 1995. Roommate Sarah Bognich found her friend in a pool of blood that night.

"The apartment was ransacked. I walked past the bedroom a couple of times before noticing her on the floor. My life changed after that. I tried to go back (to college), and I couldn't ever finish."

A single hair clutched in McMenamin's hand led police to Gabel. It matched his DNA, a one-in-1,049 chance. Circumstantial evidence also linked Gabel to the apartment building. And a man matching Gabel's description was seen fleeing the crime scene, Amberwood Apartments, 4600 Briarpark Drive.

That night, Gabel was a block away at a Sonic Drive-In. He was there every Tuesday night, cleaning up in exchange for food. And Gabel had earlier convictions for third-degree sexual assault and public indecency. Police arrested him a year after the crime.

But two years later, when a different DNA test proved the hair was not Gabel's, he was released. That hair, however, didn't necessarily belong to the killer, Doetker said. The investigator also has suspicions about the validity of the second DNA test, conducted in a Pennsylvania lab.

"There were questions that came up: Was it the right hair? The same hair?" he said.

Murder charges were dropped against Gabel with the hope that additional evidence would be found to re-arrest him, Doetker said. If the case went to trial and Gabel was found innocent, Doetker added, he could not be retried if new evidence came to light.

Mary Hepburn-O'Shea, who has worked in the mental health field in Lincoln for decades and has known Gabel for many of those years, said in 2005 that the man lost two years in jail for something he didn't do.

Hepburn-O'Shea runs downtown O.U.R. Homes, the city's largest provider for developmentally disabled people that also houses people with mental illnesses. Gabel lives and works there. "He's a weird kid," she said. "He's not ever a violent kid."

Then-Assistant Police Chief Jim Peschong, speaking in 2005, added that you can't try a case on personal beliefs and supposition. Peschong said he personally believes there is a suspect in the crime, but he declined naming anyone.

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Man fatally shot on his porch had moved to Omaha to care for his girlfriend - Lincoln Journal Star

IT is remarkable how much long-term advantage people like us have gotten by trying to be consistently not stupid, instead of trying to be very intelligent.

Charlie Munger (Warren Buffets long-term partner in Berkshire Hathaway).

THERE is likely a very good reason why former Democratic National Alliance (DNA) leader Branville McCartney is not today Prime Minister McCartney: he proved incapable of playing the long game in politics.

If the DNA had not split the vote with the FNM at the 2012 General Election, he would likely have handsomely won the Bamboo Town seat. He may have been a contender for FNM Leader after the partys blowout loss to the PLP.

Were he elected FNM Leader, Mr McCartney may have been Prime Minister in a mere five years, when the country overwhelmingly returned the party to office after the disastrous five-year term of former Prime Minister Christie.

In an unprecedented event for a sitting Prime Minister and party leader in The Bahamas, Christie lost both popular favour and his Centreville seat. Even if Dr Hubert Minnis defeated McCartney for the leadership, the latter may have been in cabinet and a contender to lead the FNM in the election after next.

It is astonishing the number of Bahamian politicians who deem themselves the bright morning star, with the sun shining throughout every part of their anatomy, believing they are destined to be or should become Prime Minister today, if not the day after. Most of these combustible galactic personalities end up being shooting stars, not fixed stars.

Reversal of fortune is as typical in elected politics as in life. The long-term view appreciates how unpredictable is politics, famously summarized by the late British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan concerning the unexpected and sudden occurrence of: Events, dear boy, events!

MacMillans instinct somewhat echoes the caution of the 13th century medieval poem, O Fortuna, inspiring Carl Orffs 20th century cantata Carmina Burana:

O Fortune,

like the moon

you are changeable,

always waxing

or waning;

hateful life

first oppresses

and then soothes

as fancy takes it;

poverty

and power

it melts them like ice

JUDGEMENT

Fortune/luck plays a powerful role in politics. But so does the slow, incremental progress of the long game: waiting, watching and preparing to take advantage of fortune and the good, bad and uncertain luck of oneself and other actors. Essential to this process is good judgement.

Mr McCartney is not alone in failing to bide his time. Politicians with a variety of talents often lack a particular temperament: to out wait current circumstances and to adopt a broader horizon beyond a given moment, including during the fog of battle.

In The Surprising Power of the Long Game, Nisim Taleb offers: The most successful people in any field all play the long game. The long game isnt particularly notable. It doesnt attract a lot of attention. In fact, from the outside, the long game looks boring. The tiny advantages that accrue arent noticed until success becomes too obvious to ignore.

The short game is intermittent. Its as if Sisyphus pushes his huge boulder halfway up a steep hill, gets tired, lets it roll down the hill, and says to himself Ill come back and do this tomorrow.

Events, dear boy, events

In 2017, just two years after the 2015 electoral contest, former UK Conservative Prime Minister Theresa May called an early snap general election to capitalise on strong polling numbers, including some showing her with a 21 percent margin over Labour.

Though the Tories won the election, they dramatically underperformed. May won a reduced majority resulting in a minority government requiring a coalition and confidence-and-supply agreement with Northern Irelands Democratic Unionist Party, which extracted certain demands, further weakening her hand.

With an unsteady coalition, post-Brexit divisions and turmoil and a series of historic defeats on Brexit legislation in the House of Commons May announced her departure from 10 Downing Street in mid-2019.

The race to succeed her included then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who made it to the final four but eventually threw his support to Boris Johnson, who later named him Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Javid resigned after a scant six months because of a row over the appointment of special advisors. It was, according to the Institute of Government, one of the shortest-lived chancellorships in modern Britain.

Johnsons eccentric and often seemingly crazed chief special adviser Dominic Cummings, who was riding precariously high at the time, sneeringly delighted in engineering Javids exit as the second most powerful member of the Cabinet.

One UK tabloid described the long game of the ambitious and steady Javid, the first British-Asian and Muslim to serve at Number 11 as Chancellor, after resigning one of the great offices of state:

He was widely credited with a dignified departure, and refrained from attacking Mr Cummings throughout. As a backbencher he has been loyal to Mr Johnson and the Government, and backed its approach to the pandemic.

There was much to criticize, including the initial shambolic and late response to the pandemic by Johnson and his Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock. The UK has the highest death toll in Europe. Javid could have attacked the government over a series of scandals, missteps and blunders.

As reported in the UK Guardian: Javids allies made it clear upon his departure as Chancellor that he was open to return to government and was not bitter.

Cummings, unlike Javid, left in a blaze of unbridled and explosive egomania, viciously turning on Johnson with numerous damaging revelations, none of which seem to have done permanent damage thus far except to Cummings, who will likely never be trusted again to work at the highest levels of government.

LOYALTY

Javid understood the importance of party loyalty, not as a matter of altruism, but as a strategy for his long-term political goals, including, likely, the prime ministership.

He did not go to the backbench and whine and complain. He did not leak certain information nor try to gain headlines to boost his standing. He did not sulk and appear petulant and peevish in the Commons.

He did not throw tantrums or act in an erratic impulsive manner, seeking to make himself the centre of political and media attention. He worked his way back to the cabinet by proving himself a team player, not a stalking lone wolf seething and plotting attacks.

How does one go to the backbench, continue to harshly criticize ones former cabinet colleagues and expect to be a leadership contender at a future date?

When a political ego is bruised it is best not to show it in public because it gives ammunition to opponents and it is off-putting to allies and supporters. Meanwhile, the wheel of fortune continued to grind then speed up in the precincts of Whitehall.

Cummings, who was more powerful than most cabinet ministers, was making enemies, reportedly including the Prime Ministers then-girlfriend Carrie Symonds, who is now his wife and who previously served as a special media advisor to Javid.

Javid maintained his good relations with Johnsons powerful partner. Cummings spectacular fall was in the offing. He was a difficult, disloyal personality who Johnson should never have brought into the heart of government.

His ignominious departure last November was followed approximately seven months later by the messy exit of Johnson loyalist Hancock, who spectacularly breached social distancing rules he planned and instituted as Health Secretary.

The initial stance of Johnson and Hancock to ride out the breach blew up as even Tory loyalists and constituency associations were enraged at the degree of hypocrisy.

Sixteen months after his abrupt resignation from Johnsons Cabinet, the well-liked Javid, who demonstrated discipline and good judgement, returned to centre stage as Health Secretary.

Amid the ongoing pandemic, one British newspaper described the new appointment as arguably the biggest and most challenging of all for Javid, who has also served as Home Secretary.

Javid has a fresh opportunity to shine and to burnish his leadership credentials. He is currently enjoying the proverbial last laugh. Back in office, the 51-year-old can rekindle alliances and make a mark with the British public and his parliamentary colleagues as the UK battles to emerge from the emergency phase of the pandemic.

Nisim Taleb further observed: The long game allows you to compound results. The longer you play the better the rewards... The long game is the opposite of the short game. Playing the long game means paying a small price today to make tomorrow easier. From the outside, the long game looks pretty boring...

LISTEN

Some politicians are narcissists with outsized egos. But some of the more successful know when to temper their egos, while trying to soothe and wrestle with their demons.

Such successful leaders typically listen to their advisors and family members who can help them to discern the moment, to restrain themselves, to breathe deeply, to become calmer, to exercise self-control.

For some, the unsteady flash of egotism, the giddiness of the moment, the lack of political maturity and stability often lead to erratic and wild-eyed actions and the rush to poor judgements including misreading the true intentions and motives of others.

Sometimes the ego becomes maniacal, incapable of restraint, judgement and discipline. Impulse reigns over reason. In the worst examples, it is like an addiction or disorder, hence the terms egomaniac and pathological narcissist.

Long-term vision includes post-frontline politics. Those who leave the frontline might find avenues such as new roles, foundations, mentoring and other means to bequeath wisdom and experience to others who can build on ones legacy.

Former Presidents Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama have done this successfully in the United States, creating models for post-presidencies. Some who leave parliament might serve in other capacities.

Paradoxically, because life is short, the long game is critical. Because we typically only get certain opportunities, we should be as prepared and ready as possible for them by accruing advantages and a strong hand for when the moment ripens and is ready for the plucking and savouring and sometimes winning the ultimate prize.

Original post:
FRONT PORCH: So much to gain by playing the long game - Bahamas Tribune