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Hello, and welcome to the L.A. Times soccer newsletter. Im Kevin Baxter, The Times soccer writer, and we start in the German Bundesliga, where many young American players have recently gotten their starts.

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The one were focusing on today is Matthew Hoppe of Yorba Linda. Colleague Dylan Hernandez recently told part of his story through conversations with Hoppes father and former coaches. Now Im going to let Matthew fill in the blanks of his rapidly accelerating career himself.

Last year, in his first season in Germany, Hoppe did little to raise eyebrows playing for Schalkes U-19 team. But when the coronavirus shut down European soccer in March, Hoppe returned home to Yorba Linda, where he used the four-month break to work with his father, Tom, his first coach, on small details within his game.

The most important for me were first touch and shooting, said Hoppe, who trained two and three times a day.

The work paid off, because when Hoppe returned to Schalke in the summer, he was a different player. Soon he was scrimmaging with the first team, even scoring a goal against the players whose jobs he was trying to take.

That earned him his first Bundesliga appearance in November.

I was able to show that I can compete with players on the first team, he said. And they gave me my debut and I havent looked back since.

Why look back when the future is so bright? In his third start, Hoppe scored a hat trick, the start of a streak in which he scored five times in 11 days. By the end of January, he led the team in goals, had collected the jersey of Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski as a gift, and signed a new contract through the 2022-23 season.

Everything changed so fast, in the span of a month or a half or two months, he said. There have been some moments where I was able to take a step back and look at all thats happened. It is crazy.

Becoming an overnight sensation took years of work, though, beginning in grade school when his parents made him choose between flag football, baseball and soccer.

It was obviously soccer, he said. I trained every day with my dad, and thats where I got a lot of my love for the sport.

But if Hoppe, a month shy of his 20th birthday, would seem to have found success quickly, he had to endure years of frustration and disappointment first. He was always good enough to get an audition, it seemed, but he never made enough of an impression to break through.

On his club team, he played in the midfield alongside Efran lvarez, but while lvarez would go on to score 11 goals in 17 games with U.S. and Mexican youth national teams, Hoppe was never asked to suit up. While lvarez moved quickly through the Galaxy academy ranks to the first team, Hoppe, then just 5 feet 4, was cut.

At the elite Barcelona residential academy in Arizona, Hoppe was originally overshadowed by future Galaxy defender Julian Araujo, now a U.S. international.

It didnt really bother me that much. Obviously, theyre good players, Hoppe said of the snubs. Even though it was frustrating at times, I just had to keep working hard and keeping trying to prove I belonged there and could play with the best players in the U.S. and the best players in the world.

The Barcelona coaches helped make that happen. Impressed by Hoppes soccer instincts, they moved him from the midfield to striker and he responded with 29 goals to lead all U-19 players in U.S. Soccer Development Academy competition. Shortly after, Schalke offered him a spot in its developmental system.

It was my dream, ever since I was young, to play in Europe, to try to be a top player in Europe, he said.

Moving half a world away to a place where he doesnt speak the language was a tough transition for Hoppe, who lived in a team house and studied German in between practices.

Its hard to be away from home, away from your family, he said. But its a good experience and Im able to learn a lot here. My German is getting better. I am able to understand everything that the coaches are saying in the meetings and in the trainings. I just need to improve on speaking it.

There were struggles on the field too. Hoppe acknowledges he had a lot to learn and the learning curve was steep. But the chance to train with the first team helped, as did the knowledge that the Bundesliga had patiently nurtured the career of several young Americans, including Chris Richards, Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, Josh Sargent and Weston McKennie, who left Schalke 13 months after Hoppe arrived.

It gave me some confidence and hope that Americans can play in the Bundesliga, that they can play at the top level. Especially young Americans, he said. That was helpful to me.

Hoppe said his success hasnt changed his daily life, other than dealing with additional media obligations, such as a 30-minute teleconference last week with about a dozen U.S. reporters. The additional recognition helped in other ways too, as when Lewandowski, arguably Europes best player, literally gave him the shirt off his back after a game last month.

I asked for his jersey after the game, Hoppe said with a grin. He gave it to me.

A week later, he received a new contract although some might differ over whether that qualifies as a reward or punishment given that last-place Schalke (1-14-6) seems certain to be relegated.

The biggest goal is to help Schalke stay in the first division. Thats where my focus is right now, Hoppe said. I want to keep scoring goals, keep helping the team any way I can.

Hed also welcome a call-up to the national for next months friendly with Northern Ireland a summons that seems likely given that coach Gregg Berhalter is in need of a healthy, physical No. 9, a profile Hoppe, now a strapping 6 feet 3, fits.

Im looking forward to whatever the U.S. national team has for me, he said. I cant wait.

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Three months into the European schedule, the popular notion around the Premier League was that Manchester Citys season and Pep Guardiolas stay with the team was about over.

After a lackluster 2-0 loss to Tottenham in late November, City was 4-2-3 and languishing in the bottom half of the league table. Couple that with a 2019-20 season in which it finished 18 points behind Liverpool while losing nine games most in the Guardiola era and the second most in a decade and it seemed clear the star-studded team needed new leadership.

Turns out rumors of Peps demise were greatly exaggerated, though, because City hasnt lost since that Tottenham game, winning 16 straight and going unbeaten in 23 in a row in all competition. And it has trailed just once for 22 minutes, in an FA Cup game during that time, outscoring opponents 55-6 with 17 clean sheets.

Its arguably among the most dominant three-month runs by a first-division team in English soccer history, and its one Guardiola accomplished largely without two of his top players in Sergio Aguero, who hasnt started a game during the streak, and Kevin De Bruyne, who hasnt played in nearly a month.

Guardiola pegged the turnaround to a mid-December draw with West Bromwich Albion that left City ninth in the standings.

I felt this is not the team I recognize. I didnt like what I saw, he told reporters over the weekend.

So he called an emergency huddle with assistants Juanma Lillo, Manuel Estiarte and Rodolfo Borrell and Txiki Begiristain, the teams director of soccer operations.

We had to reconstruct the team from that point, Guardiola said. We had to return to our game move the ball quicker, do more passes, stay in position, run less with the ball, do it together. The qualities of the players did the rest.

The coaches made some technical changes too, the most important of which was moving midfielder Ilkay Gundogan forward. He is one of 14 players who have scored during the 16-game winning streak, finding the back of the net a career-high 11 times in the last two months, beginning with a goal against West Brom. And goalkeeper Ederson, who conceded seven goals in Citys first three games, has pitched 18 shutouts in 24 games since.

Guardiola also benefitted from the play of Joao Cancelo at right back and 20-year-old Phil Foden, who has been a workhorse on the wing and in the midfield.

The reason why we have done what we have done so far is exclusively the personality and the talent of the players, Guardiola said. We have a few intelligent players here. When things are going bad, they step forward.

For all of Citys star power, however, Guardiola said his team lacks a superstar such as Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo, a player who can win the biggest of games by himself.

I would love to have a player who scores every single game four goals, he said.

But, he added, not if he had to give up the players he has now.

I wouldnt change any player that we have right now, he said.

The Embassy of Qatar made a $40,000 donation to the community foundation of the Orange County Soccer Club to support healthy, active communities in Southern California. The club said the donation will help fund clinics, mental health resources, equipment distribution and academic programs. Last fall, the embassy gave $15,000 to the team to support its partnership with the Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County.

The embassy, based in Washington D.C., also gave $25,000 to LAFC to support similar work empowering youth through athletic and mentorship programs. The awards were made on the second Tuesday in February, which is national sports day in Qatar.

I have always viewed Orange County Soccer Club as a local soccer club with global reach and huge ambitions, OCSC owner James Keston said. Establishing a strong relationship with the Embassy of the State of Qatar in the United States, especially in light of the fact that Qatar will be hosting the World Cup in 2022 and the United States will follow by hosting in 2026, is another important step for OCSC in putting ourselves on the global soccer map.

The Galaxy will continue what, at best, can be considered a modest roster rebuild this week by promoting a handful of players from Galaxy II, their USL Championship affiliate. But the team also announced Monday it had signed Jamaican international Oniel Fisher, a versatile defender/winger whom D.C. United elected not to keep in November. Fisher, 29, provides backup at both outside back positions as well as in the midfield and could prove to be a valuable addition. The Galaxy also signed midfielder Carlos Harvey, 21, who made six appearances last season on loan from Panamanian club Tauro. The Galaxy, who entered the week with 23 players on their first-team roster, are continuing their pursuit of Argentine attacker Cristian Pavn. ... LAFC, whose roster is at 26, added five players during the offseason, strengthening the defense with the additions of outside backs Marco Farfan, from the Portland Timbers, and Kim Moon-Hwan, from South Koreas Busan IPark, and the offense with forward Corey Baird, who will enter training camp next month competing to fill the open spot left by the departure of Brian Rodrguez to Spain. ... The Galaxy have turned their home at Dignity Health Sports Park into a drive-through COVID-19 vaccination center this week with a goal of vaccinating 20,000 people, aged 65 and over, from vulnerable and underserved communities. Vaccinations are by appointment only.

No ones been able to consistently train and play, and I think that if there is a silver lining in this, its that all of our bodies could have probably used a break that we would never have gotten until we retired if not for this pandemic.

Coronavirus survivor Alex Morgan, who will make her return to the national team in Thursdays SheBelieves Cup, searching for a positive in the wreckage COVID-19 has had on both world-class soccer players and the population in general.

Until next time...

Stay tuned for future newsletters. Subscribe here, and Ill come right to your inbox. Something else youd like to see? Email me. Or follow me on Twitter: @kbaxter11.

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Soccer newsletter: How Matthew Hoppe made it in the Bundesliga - Los Angeles Times

On the day after New Years, the Atlanta Hawks entered the fourth quarter with a four-point lead over the Cleveland Cavaliers, a team that has toiled at the bottom of the Eastern Conference this season and likely will for its remainder. While the Hawks may have led by as many as 15 points in that game, what ensued that night was a weak quarter and a half of basketball for the Hawks, resulting in a 96-91 loss to one of the leagues worst teams. This seemed harmless enough at the time, but it was the first sign of a concerning trend that Hawks fans have watched unfold as the season continues.

Since the Hawks torrid 4-1 start, they have gone 7-14 and find themselves with more questions than answers thus far this season. Here, well evaluate four such games where the Hawks failed to secure a win despite being in the lead late in the game (vCLE, vNYK, @DAL, vIND). What we will uncover is that a combination of costly late turnovers and mental mistakes, poor defensive execution, and an overall lack of engagement and passion in crunch time have led to these painful late collapses. As such, the blame rests across the entire organization from the players failing to execute, to coaches failing to adjust, as well as the overall struggles of this team battling significant roster turnover and injuries amid an unprecedented season. So, lets focus on a choice selection of pivotal moments in each of these games that changed the momentum and resulted in Hawks losses.

As referenced above, the Hawks led by as many as 15 points in this game (67-52 with 6:31 left in the 3rd quarter). From that point on, we began to see some of the early glimpses of the problems that cause these late game collapses. The back-to-back turnovers in the clip below are typical of young teams. Kevin Huerter tries to force two bad passes to Bruno, and it backfires, leading to an easy dunk for JaVale McGee (Shaq voice) on the other side. One other point to note, this occurred while Young was on the bench, meaning Huerter was being tasked with ball-handling duties. The lack of a consistent and stable back-up point guard has exacerbated these issues.

In the final four minutes of the 3rd quarter, the Hawks had nine offensive possessions, which had these results: two made shots for four points and six missed shots (2/8 for 25%). They also conceded three offensive rebounds, had a shot clock violation, and a technical foul to boot. By the end of the 3rd quarter, the Cavs were within four points. Bask in the sheer majesty of these consecutive offensive rebounds for the Cavs, resulting in a JaVale McGee three-point play (the Hawks made McGee look as good as he believes he is).

In the 4th quarter, Atlanta continued to struggle with the same issues that plagued them in the 3rd. The Cavaliers won the 4th quarter 26-17. Trae Young had one assist and three turnovers in the 4th quarter, including going 2/7 from the field (28.6%). The poor shooting isnt a disaster, defenses get stingier in the 4th, but the turnovers are the bigger issue.

In the clip below, with the Hawks down by one, Young gets good penetration after a Collins pick. Young draws Larry Nance Jr. towards him and get Nance to bite on a hesitation dribble, but Young misses his patented floater. No real problem there, thats a good shot. He succeeds in getting his own miss, but rather than pulling the ball out to reset for a decent look, he brings the ball low and tries to force a pass into the post to Collins. That mistake in a close game down the stretch is the type of mental error good teams cant afford make. Good look, bad luck, bad mental error typical of a young player trying to do too much.

In the final two minutes of the 4th quarter, the game just turned against the Hawks. Drummond gets an easy dunk after taking the ball away from Young, just as Young is about to run the break off a Cavs turnover. Then, Sexton hits the dagger over Bogdanovic, who didnt even have a hand in Sextons face in a tie game with 30 seconds left and five seconds on the shot clock.

The Knicks game was eerily similar to the Cavaliers game just 2 days earlier. Once again, the Hawks had a 15-point lead in the 3rd quarter (82-67 with 4:47 left), and by the end of the 3rd, the lead was cut down to four. The Knicks went on a 17-6 run in the final 5 minutes of the 3rd quarter. The clip below typifies the effort at the end of the 3rd. Knicks rookie Immanuel Quickley dribbles to RJ Barretts side of the floor, showing a DHO, but Quickley fakes the handoff blowing past Reddish for the easy dunk. Goodwin points to Reddish to switch on the handoff, but Reddish fails to recognize the switch to engage Quickley at the point of attack, so he gets caught flat-footed on the blow-by. That blown coverage pulls the Knicks within 7 points of the Hawks with just 30 seconds left in the 3rd.

Knox hits a three-pointer to end the quarter, and the Knicks are within striking distance of the lead, despite being down 15 points earlier in that same quarter. Each side trades baskets for the majority of the 4th quarter, and its all tied at 99 at the half-way point of the period. Atlanta had four turnovers in the 4th quarter (too many) and three of those came after the six-minute mark. See two of those turnovers below. In the first, its difficult to say exactly who is to blame here (if anyone).

Its unclear if this is a play called by Lloyd Pierce or if this was a read by Young. In either case, posting up Hunter on Austin Rivers isnt a bad decision on the surface, but its always about time and score and in a tie-game with six minutes left that shouldnt be the first option. Randle does a great job digging down on the entry pass to steal the ball from Hunter.

In the second clip, with 10 seconds left on the shot clock, Reddish receives a tipped skip pass in the corner and attacks the basket. He has the dump off pass to Collins in the lane when Mitchell Robinson (one of the most talented shot-blockers in the league) steps up to challenge, but Reddish decides to elevate; realizing half-way up that he couldnt finish, Cam tries to force a pass to Collins anyway.

Obviously, Reddish made the wrong choice, but the offense at this point had stalled. Young hadnt found any avenues to probe and needed a bail-out skip pass that barely reached its target. One could argue that Bogdanovic or Huerter would have been more equipped than Reddish to make the right read, but at the same time you need Reddishs defensive prowess for the other end of the floor, so the lineup decision isnt without merit. These turnovers were on consecutive possessions for the Hawks, and completely killed the offensive flow. Despite the fact that the Knicks didnt actually score off those turnovers, the damage to the Hawks momentum was done.

The final clip demonstrates the Hawks penchant for missing opportunities and simply not doing the little things required to win games. Austin Rivers razzle dazzles for nearly five seconds with the shot clock winding down and is forced into a very bad shot with John Collins coming to contest. The mistake here for the Hawks occurs when Huerter and Hunter dont box out Julius Randle, who is averaging 11.1 rebounds/game (as of the writing of this piece).

Theyre both caught ball-watching with Rivers pounding the ball into the hardwood, so when the shot goes up, Randle is able to sneak between them and sky for the put-back. Hunter in particular misses the box out and fails to put a body into Randle diving to the rim on Rivers drive. With the game on the line, a missed box out, failing to secure the rebound after a bad shot, can be the difference between winning and losing.

The Hawks had 18 offensive possessions in the last six minutes of the game, they scored on only four of those possessions, missing 10 shots to go along with two turnovers, and an offensive foul. The Hawks shot 7/21 (33.3%) in the 4th quarter to the Knicks 9/16 (56.2%), losing the quarter 29-20 along with the game.

Over a month later, the Hawks held their largest lead on the Dallas Mavericks at 81-68, with 5:30 left in the 3rd quarter. Unlike their previous collapses, the Hawks managed to mostly limit the damage through the end of the 3rd quarter and took a nine-point lead into the 4th. The downfall was delayed to the beginning of the 4th quarter instead, with the Hawks failing to score in the first two minutes of the quarter (four offensive possessions). And yes, in case you were wondering, one of those four possessions was a 33-footer from Young with 16 seconds left on the shot clock.

Atlanta suffered an even more devastating scoring drought from 7:49 to 4:44. In that time, the Mavericks enjoyed a +10 advantage, from being down five points to being up five points, while the Hawks missed 5 shots and committed an offensive foul. The most revealing possession in this stretch featured the type of uninspired, disengaged offense that has plagued the Hawks throughout these late game collapses.

As Huerter receives the ball on the wing, we see Young immediately recede to nearly half-court. Having your most potent offensive weapon 40-feet away from the basket is not a sign of an organized offensive strategy. Reddish never moves from the corner, Collins drifts around no-mans-land between the mid-post and the elbow, so Huerter is left with no options after his unsuccessful drive attempt other than kicking it out to the always-ready Gallinari for a contested 3-pointer.

The lack of movement, creativity, and energy falls on the players, but the absence of a cohesive strategy or a solid go-to play with six minutes left in a tie game falls under the purview of the coaching staff. Theres a lot that went wrong here, and it indicates the lack of direction and engagement that seems so common in these meltdowns for this team.

The offense picked back up for almost exactly one minute as the Hawks scored 8 points from minute 2:03 to 1:05. Unfortunately, that didnt matter as the Mavericks scored 5 of their own points in that stretch. The most critical of these came on a Dorian Finney-Smith wide open 3-pointer. Snell gets burned on the Brunson drive, so Gallinari really has no options, but he may have been better served staying home as Brunson seemed to have a tough angle to finish. Not to mention, Gallinari has struggled with mobility, and he would have had no chance to show help and get back to his man at the perimeter.

Its difficult to point at one single thing here, the Hawks were missing Bogdanovic, Hunter, Rondo, and Dunn in this game, all of whom are better defenders than Gallinari. The first two likely would be on the floor in this scenario over Gallinari, and they may have made a better defensive play here. This is just as much part of the story of the Hawks late game struggles as any other example presented in this piece.

Atlanta lost the 4th quarter 37-27, standing in stark contrast to the 2nd quarter where the Hawks outscored the Mavericks 30-19. Directionless offense and a few less-than-perfect defensive moments are more than enough to let a team like Dallas slip back into the game, and the Hawks paid for it. Over a month after the Cavaliers and Knicks games, the Hawks seemed to make zero improvements in these late game situations.

At 96-87, Atlanta held their largest lead of the game against Indiana with 9:33 left in the 4th quarter. In the nine and a half minutes that followed, the Pacers outplayed the Hawks to the tune of a 38-17 run, while they shot 70.6% from the field to the Hawks 37.5%. Some of this certainly was attributable to Atlanta simply missing open shots. Find two such painful examples in the clips below. Nothing stands out as particularly wrong here, theyre wide open looks for good shooters, they just didnt fall. It happens.

So, what did the Hawks do wrong? The problem started before these wide-open shots were missed, indeed even if they had fallen, the Hawks still might not have won. Similar to the Mavericks game a few nights earlier, the offense fell apart down the stretch with players making poor choices that didnt put their team in a position to win. Collins takes a contested 3-pointer with 13 seconds left in the shot clock and no one under the rim. The reason why Collins shoots such a great percentage from 3 (39.1% as of the writing of this segment) is that he takes those shots in rhythm, not forcing up shots like he did in the clip below.

Finally, and perhaps the most common issue cited in this film session, there were critical turnovers, the worst of which came when TJ McConnell stripped Young after Young seemingly forgot that McConnell was right behind him after he was denying the entry pass to Young just moments before. These kinds of mental lapses are unacceptable in the 1st quarter, let alone down by 2 points with 4:50 left in the game. McConnell is the kind of savvy veteran who can pull these types of moves off, but these antics become even more prevalent in the playoffs when everything is on the line. The star point guard cant afford to make mistakes like this when it really counts.

All told, the Hawks lost this game by 12 points, giving up a blistering 41 points to the Pacers in the 4th quarter. Indiana outscored Atlanta 20-8 over the final 5:12 of the game, the latest in a slew of late collapses that have riddled the Hawks season thus far.

Theres never just one reason why a team struggles. While its easy to point the finger at the coach, or at the star player, or at the GM, more often than not its a combination of those things and many others that can cause inconsistency and a lack of execution. However, the prevalence and pervasiveness of these late-game stumbles have grown from slightly concerning to full-blown worrisome. Across the four games that this piece analyzed, there were some overarching themes and insights that we could take away.

First, and most obvious, this team has struggled with injuries, as well as incorporating the 10 (!) new roster additions this season (Im including Capela as his first in-game minutes came this season). Few Hawks fans realize this, but only Young, Huerter, and Collins were on this roster in this 2018-19 season.

Second, this team is prone to making poor decisions and has not demonstrated the polish required to finish games. In the breakdowns above, we saw the Hawks forcing bad passes and bad shots, blowing coverages in high-leverage defensive possessions, missing box-outs, failing to put a hand in the shooters face, forgetting to clear the backcourt. These are the types of things that win close games and separate the ok teams from the great teams.

Finally, and this builds on the above two points, the Hawks simply dont look engaged and passionate. Obviously, they all care about winning, but have they shown that they are willing to go above and beyond and do the little things it takes to win games? A lot of this does fall at the feet of the coaching staff, its their responsibility to drive buy-in and hold players accountable. But those players also need to be open and available to that coaching, they need to execute their assignments and the game-plan.

If theres one main takeaway from this research, it once again be that there is never just one reason why a teams struggles. Its a collection of failures. Unless, the Hawks work to address these challenges, across every facet of the organization, and get these young players engaged and passionate, they have no chance of turning around this season-killing trend of blowing winnable games. Well all be watching with intent, hoping that they figure it out.

Read more here:
Film Session: How and why the Atlanta Hawks have struggled to close out wins - Peachtree Hoops

General Motors has been talking up its electrification game for some time now, yet it has only had a single electric vehicle among all its brands: the Chevy Bolt EV, which was first launched in 2016. That changes today as the 2022Chevrolet Bolt EUV makes its debut alongside a refreshed version of the original Bolt EV.

While the two all-electric hatchbacks are the latest step in the automaker's march toward its plan to stop selling internal-combustion vehicles, they are not built with the Ultium electric vehicle flexible architecture or batteries that they say are the company's path to the future. Instead, they are both built on the bones of the original Bolt EV.

Though this may be an evolutionary dead-end technologically, the vehicles do have plenty of value to offer prospective buyers. For starters, take a look at their prices. This newly refreshed and improved Bolt EV actually has an MSRP $5,000 lower than the 2021, with its base price of $31,995 (includes destination charges). The slightly larger Bolt EUV gets a slightly higher price tag at $33,995.

Now let's take a look at exactly what buyers will be getting for their money, starting with the smaller of the two. The refreshed Bolt EV has undergone an impressive transformation. Though the exterior metal is pretty much the same, the redesigned fascia is distinctively different from the original.

It front looks more modern, taking cues from Chevy's latest design language. Slim daytime running lights, which double as turn indicators, now sit at the hood line in place of the headlights of the previous design,with its actual headlights cloaked within blackened trim below. Around back, the taillights have also evolved into a soft rectangular shape, and tie things up quite nicely.

Stepping into the cabin, we see an even bigger transformation from the outgoing model year. Gone are the acres of hard plastics that previously lent it an economy-car vibe. Instead, soft-touch surfaces make the interior much more in-line with pricing.

Also gone is the vestigial upright gear selector in the center console. It has been replaced by buttons and a pull toggle, which opens up space and adds a more modern feel. Fans of one-pedal driving where letting off the accelerator pedal instigates generous amounts of regenerative braking, allowing drivers to not use the brake pedal in most situations will be happy to learn one of those buttons will specifically apply that mode. And that's in addition to the steering wheel paddles which traditionally applied increased regenerative braking in the Bolt EV.

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The Bolt EV also gets a new 10.2-inch touchscreen in the center stack with a fresh layout and allows for Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. With regards to connectivity, it also features a 4G LTE wi-fi hotspot, along with (optional on the Bolt EV, standard on the EUV) wireless charging for phones.

The seats, which were previously a point of many complaints, have been replaced by a much-improved design, which not only look better, but which should also be more supportive and comfortable. With contrast stitching and a subtletriangular geometric pattern, they certainly look better, and pair well with the new and sportier flat-bottomed steering wheel.

Mechanically, the car is much the same as it was, offering a more-than-adequate 200 horsepower (150 kilowatts), and 266 pound-feet of torque. This allows for acceleration from 0-to-60 miles per hour in less than seven seconds. The battery is, again, 65 kWh and good for 259 miles (417 km) of GM-estimatedrange. The pack comes with an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty on both vehicles.

For charging at home, the Chevy Bolt EV can charge at a rate of 11 kW with an EVSE (home charging unit) capable of that output. If you can live with the slower, but still adequate, charging rate of 7.2 kW, the automaker is offering an optional (standard with the EUV) charge cable that can plug into a 220-volt outlet. It also comes with an adapter that will allow users to plug into a 110-volt outlet, which will add about 4 miles per each hour it's plugged in.

DC fast-charging remains the Achilles heel for the Bolt EV and EUV, though now it is standard equipment on both. While most electric vehicles today allow for power intake rates over 100 kW, owners will have to settle for a 55 kW maximum. While that may be slightly inconvenient for trips over 400 or so miles, it can still add 100 miles of range in less than 30 minutes.

The 2022 Bolt EUV may share the same platform as its electric stablemate, but is 6.3 inches (161 mm) longer over all. Chevrolet says this gives it crossover SUV-like proportions. While that may be subjective, what is certain is that the wheelbase of the EUV is 2.95 inches (75 mm) longer than the Bolt EV's, so should offer a slightly smoother ride. It also offers over 3 inches more rear legroom, making this an even better family vehicle.

From the exterior, the differences between the Bolt EUV and EV are subtle. Despite a strong family resemblance, the two actually share no exterior metal. Like the EV, the Bolt EUV, has similar slim DRLs located high on the fascia that double as turn indicators. Its tail lights are similar, that not identical to those on the Bolt EV.

Moving to the interior, the basic layout is identical to the Bolt EV. However, while they both share optional additions likeheated and ventilated front seats and heated rear seats, only the EUV has a check box to add a panoramic power sunroof.

Being slightly larger and 90 pounds heavier, the Bolt EUV offers slightly less GM-estimated range than the EV at 250 miles (402 km). This also means it will added slightly fewer miles in a given period of time while DC fast-charging: 95 miles in 30 minutes.

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Safety

Though their price tags may be geared to value-seeking customers, the Bolt EV and EUV do not skimp on safety features. They both come standard with "Chevy Safety Assist," which includesautomatic emergency braking (AEB), forward collision alert, lane keep assist with lane departure warning, following distance indicator, IntelliBeam (automatic headlight high-low beam switching), and front pedestrian braking. Both have a rear vision camera as standard as well.

Rear cross-traffic alert, HD surround vision, and adaptive cruise control are all optional.

The Premier trim level of Chevy Bolt EUV will have the option of Super Cruise, an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that adds auto-steer to adaptive cruise control on certain pre-mapped roads (over 200,00 miles worth in North America and increasing). Additionally, it has a driver monitoring component and will disengage and give warnings if the driver takes their attention from the road ahead for too long.

Conclusion

Both the EUV and refreshed EV will enter production later this spring and be available from dealers this summer. For those who want a nicely-appointed Bolt EUV as early as possible, Chevrolet is offering a launch edition featuring Super Cruise, a sunroof, unique wheels, special badging and an illuminated charge port for $43,495, which can be reserved on its website.

The new Chevrolet Bolt EUV and refreshed Bolt EV are terrific additions to the electric vehicle landscape. The Bolt EUV in particular, with its increased rear passenger leg room and longer list of standard equipment, represents a value well worth considering over pricier competitors. In addition to finding a home in a good many family garages, we would not be surprised to see ride-share operators adding these to their fleets as well.

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Chevy Bolt Goes Big With New EUV And Newly Refreshed EV - InsideEVs

The Falcons finished in the basement of the NFC South, something that hadnt happened since 2007. Their slow, multi-stage implosion from 2017 through 2020 ended with a 4-12 whimper, and that mercifully led to the organization making sweeping changes and trying to bring in fresh perspectives.

Will that lead to an immediate rebound, a long-term return to relevance, or will it be more of the same for Atlanta? That question wont be answered for a while, but at least one outlet likes the teams chances of pushing their way back up in the NFC South this year.

Heres the high level reasoning from Pro Football Focus:

The first is that they were not as bad this past season as their record indicates. Despite earning the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Atlanta actually finished the year at 18th in PFFs ELO Power Ratings. The second is that a perennial powerhouse in the division the New Orleans Saints could be primed to take a step back following Drew Brees retirement and an offseason with plenty of question marks when it comes to the salary cap on the horizon.

As PFF also notes, the offense should be good again in 2021, with the upgrade from Dirk Koetter to Arthur Smith providing quite a bit of that juice. The addition of Dean Pees at least provides some level of hope that the defense will be consistently better, even if expecting a one year jump to good is probably a bridge too far. Theres little question that Atlanta is talented enough on paper with the right additions to take a substantial step forward, and thats why the Falcons are second on this list behind a capable 49ers team.

There are several obstacles, of course, that remain likely to keep Atlanta out of first place in the NFC South. The first is a Buccaneers team that intends to reload for another title run with Tom Brady at the helm, and while no team has repeated since the 2003-2004 Patriots, their chances of snagging the division with the talent on hand is high. The Panthers and Saints are unlikely to be bad teams next year, so long as both of them at least get capable quarterbacks in the fold, and so it will be a true fight just to push into second place. I like the Falcons chances against a New Orleans team that is going to bleed some talent and a Carolina team with a rookie quarterback at the helm, but so much remains to be done before I can feel great about it.

Atlanta can make some noise with an effective offseason and what we all hope is a better coaching staff. Im just not quite ready to predict something as wild as them knocking off the defending Super Bowl champions for the division crown in February.

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Can the Falcons jump from the basement to an NFC South title in 2021? Pro Football Focus thinks so - The Falcoholic

The Cleveland Restoration Society (CRS) will kick off one of its most popular series this Saturday, Feb. 20a virtual SNOOP! tour of the William H. Ford House at 4201 Franklin Blvd. in Ohio City.

The members-only SNOOP! tours provide exclusive, behind-the-scenes access to ongoing and completed historic preservation projects in and around the Greater Cleveland area.

The Queen Anne Victorian-style home is one of the most intact historic homes in the area and is a contributing structure to the Franklin Boulevard-West Clinton Historic District. Matt and Celine Shenk bought the house in 2014 when the historic home was deemed unlivable and showed signs of severe neglect. The Shenks restored many elements of the homes original beauty and modernized other areas in keeping with period charm.

While it served as a single-family home for many years, it was also used as a boarding house and rented out room by room, says Margaret Lann, director of preservation services and publications for CRS. The Shenks underwent four rounds of construction over the course of three years in order to revive the house.

Lann says CRS Heritage Home Programhelpedthe Shenks retain and restore many original features of the homeincluding vintage lighting fixtures, hardwood floors and trim, fireplaces, and specialty wall coverings. One of the most intriguing aspects of the home, Lann says, is the Lincrusta wallpaper.

Stephen Sullivan, a Youngstown-based historic Lincrusta expert with Sullivans Wallcoverings, will be on the panel along with the Shenks to discuss the restoration.

The tour is free and only open to CRS members. New memberships start at $35 per year. The tour takes place on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 10 a.m. There is a limit of 90 people for the event. Registrants will receive the Zoom link on Friday, Feb. 19.

Originally posted here:
Cleveland Restoration Society kicks off SNOOP! tours this Saturday with 1891 William H. Ford House - freshwatercleveland

A gas-fed fire caused very high flames to billow in the 500 block of Green Bay Road in Highland Park Monday evening. | Photo: Max Weingardt.

Gas and water service remains out for nearly 70 homes in Highland Park after a gas line was struck by a contractor, leading to an hours-long gas-fueled fire at the scene.

The Highland Park Fire Department and Highland Park Police Department responded around 6 p.m. Monday to the 500 block of Green Bay Road.

Firefighters arrived and found a contractor had struck a gas line, causing a gas leak. A construction vehicle and a generator caught on fire and the gas leak fueled the fire for several hours.

Green Bay Road between Clavey Road and Washington Place was closed due to the incident as city and utility crews responded to the scene.

The fire was finally extinguished around 10 p.m. Tuesday but gas and water service to 69 homes in the area were impacted.

North Shore Gas worked throughout the night to repair the gas line. The city said Tuesday morning service restoration at each home will not take place until after the main gas line has been restored.

When NSG is ready to resume service, NSG staff will need to activate service at each individual home for safety purposes. NSG will visit each home to conduct a pressure test, the city said in a statement.

After the gas main is repaired, repairs to the water main will resume.

Due to the cold temperatures, residents without gas service were offered the option of two overnight warming centers or accommodation at an area hotel.

The City has made arrangements for a discounted rate. Income-qualified individuals may be eligible for a fee waiver. Police Officers will go door-to-door to impacted homes with additional information, officials said.

There was also a limited power outage in the vicinity as well and ComEd restored the service Monday evening.

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Crews working to restore service to 70 homes after gas leak fueled hours-long fire in Highland Park - Lake and McHenry County Scanner

During a press conference from the City of Oklahoma City, ONG, expressed how vital conservation is. Due to limited supply of natural gas ONG says they could easily see "widespread outages". Their supplier is currently experiencing "freeze-offs" at the well-head because of the extreme temperatures which is impacting how much gas they are able to provide to ONG.

If outages occur, it could take an extended period of time to restore service to homes as they need to visit each home as part of the process.

ONG is stressing that energy conservation is vital to prevent this from happening.

ONG provided residential customers the following tips for conserving their gas energy use:

The website also provided the following safety tips for using natural gas energy:

The website warns carbon monoxide can be produced by a natural gas appliance that is not operating efficiently or vented properly

Carbon monoxide, also called CO, is an odorless, colorless and tasteless gas that can make you sick and, in some circumstances, may be deadly. Carbon monoxide is created by the incomplete or improper burning of fuel, the news release states.

Symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning are usually recognized by the following:

Here are some tips to prevent carbon monoxide:

Immediately leave the building you are in and get outside to fresh air if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. Then call 911 or call your local fire or police department and, if necessary, request medical assistance.

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ONG Warns 'Widespread Outages' Possible & Restoration Will Take Time | News Radio 1000 KTOK | OKC Breaking News - iHeartRadio

You may also go to YouTube to watch this short video about the Elijah J. Miller House.

In honor of Presidents Day, a federal holiday celebrated each February in tribute to our first U.S. President George Washington, Westchester County Executive George Latimer is highlighting the important work that was done to restore the historic Elijah J. Miller House in North White Plains. The Westchester County Parks property, which was renovated by Latimer in 2019, was the home of Elijah and Ann Miller, and where President Washington once stayed during the American Revolution. After spending more than 20 years in disrepair, the site is now an educational center where children and families can visit to explore a piece of our nations history. While the property was forced to close due to COVID-19, the County is hopeful for a future, reservation-based reopening with New York State Safety Guidelines in place.

Latimer said: While we may not be able to gather at the Miller House in person, the meaning behind this historic home should never be forgotten. When we made the commitment to reestablish the Miller House, that decision wasnt only made because there was a historic building that we wanted to honor. This building tells us all something about who George Washington was when he was here. It tells us the story of the American Spirit, which we should all remember on Presidents Day.

Commissioner of the Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation Kathy OConnor said: We were thrilled that the restoration of the Miller House was a priority for the Latimer administration. It sat for so long and sustained structural damage to the point where we could no longer allow visitors. We look forward to the day when we can begin programming again to educate children about this important landmark and history of their County.

Cynthia Kauffman of the Daughters of Libertys Legacy (DOLL) said: DOLL was honored to be a part of the revival of the historic Miller House, an extraordinary local landmark. A significant place in our American history where Generals Washington, Lee, Gates and others stood fast against British tyranny and fought for Liberty during the American Revolution. DOLL is pleased to have presented entertaining and historic programs about the Miller familys supporting role in our fight for liberty. We look forward to 'Ann Fisher Miller' welcoming the community back to the reopening of Miller House and continuing our collaboration with Westchester County Parks.

President of Friends of Miller House John S. Diaconis said: We are grateful for County Executive Latimers leadership in preserving this historic landmark. The Elijah Miller House is an 18th century farm house used by General George Washington during the Revolutionary War as a headquarters command post. During the Battle of White Plains, soldiers took shelter under the shade of a 300 year old sycamore thats preserved on the property.

DOLL is a New York 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, founded by two women who are descendants of Patriots who fought for Liberty during the American Revolution. DOLL was formed for the purpose of promoting patriotism and preserving history.

The 501 (c)(3) Friends of Miller House/Washingtons Headquarters is an organization dedicated to help preserve the historic preservation and its ongoing operations

The Miller House is on the National Register of Historic Places, the New York State Register of Historic Places and the Westchester County Inventory of Historic Places. Its also a Town of North Castle Landmark.

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County Executive George Latimer Celebrates President's Day By Highlighting the Renovation of the Elijah J. Miller House - westchestergov.com

DINWIDDIE COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) Dinwiddie County is taking a hit from central Virginias most damaging and most widespread ice storm in 20 years.

As of Tuesday night at 6:00, 55 percent of customers are still without power. The number decreased from 70 percent of customers that morning.

8News saw both Dominion Energy and Southside Electric Cooperative crews working to restore power Tuesday as people like John Anello adapt to stay warm.

My mom lives at an apartment complex so I just had to pack the kids up and go there, Anello said. He told 8News much of the food is his refrigerator spoiled after his home lost power Saturday.

Wednesday will mark the fifth day without power at his home. However, hes thankful he has somewhere warm to go. Not everyone has that option, he said.

I know its gonna take time and I know its frustrating. Theres other people that need it more than I do, Anello told 8News.

Sarah Woodlands family doesnt have any family to turn to. Over the weekend, she not only lost power but also gained a tree.

As soon as I closed my eyes it sounded like a big explosion, said her daughter, who is eight months pregnant. I go into the living room and there was a tree in the living room. I thought I was about ready to have my baby right then and there!

The treefall resulted in extensive damage to the familys front deck, roof, carpet, and appliances inside.

We tried to prepare for it by cutting down other trees in the yard to make sure this didnt happen and here we go, Woodland said. After the tree fell, her fianc was hurt while trying to make sure the home was secure and had to be taken to an E.R. Thankfully, Woodland said, it was just some bruised ribs.

Its just one thing after another but were getting through it, she told 8News.

The family has been staying in a not always comfortable hotel ever since.

You might as well have been staying in the house because the heat kept going out in our room, she said.

The family is expecting home owners insurance to help with some of the cost, but its still a burden. Woodland said shes grateful some family has stepped in to help.

Dominion Energy has roughly 800 more customers in Dinwiddie than Southside Electric does. But as of Tuesday night, Southside has nearly three times the amount of outages. About 2,200 Dominion customers were still in the dark while 5,720 Southside customers remained without power as of 6 p.m. Tuesday.

John Anello is a Southside customer and while he reported his outage to the company days ago, theres still a massive tree branch sitting on his power line. Anello said he reported the outage by leaving a message with Southside and was never contacted after.

Hopefully we can get it back before Thursday but with the storm coming Thursday I dont know, he said.

Southside Electric did not agree to an interview with 8News on Monday or Tuesday. Late in the afternoon Tuesday, a company representative sent a news release with information. However, none of the information given was specific to Dinwiddie County.

In advance of the freezing weather, 18 mutual-aid crews, ten contract crews, and eight contract tree crews were brought on board, as well as 26 of its own restoration crews. Subsequently, on Monday, February 15, an additional 10 contract crews arrived, with 10 more scheduled to arrive by Thursday, the statement read.

The company said the full restoration will take several days due to the sheer damage that has been left behind. The release states that crews are having a tough time reaching some power poles and lines because of downed trees.

As of noon on Tuesday, February 16 there were 752 outages affecting approximately 31,500 members. Specifically, there were 207 reported broken poles, 191 reported broken cross arms, 352 reports of downed wire and 32 circuit outages, the company representative wrote.

According to the company, the following is their strategy for restoring power: SEC crews will be working to first restore electricity on larger, three-phase lines that serve more members. If a SEC member is served by a single-phase line, it will take time to get their power flowing again. While a good amount of progress is being made, it will likely be several days before all members have electricity. SEC apologizes for this inconvenience and want all members to know SEC is working as quickly and safely as possible.

This is a developing story. Stay with 8News for updates.

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More than half of Dinwiddie customers going on day five in the dark - 8News

The Cy Twombly Foundation has denounced the Louvres restoration of its Bronze Room, which houses a site-specific work by Twombly, and has demanded that the Paris institution restore the room to its original state. French newspaper Le Monde reports that on February 1, New York attorney David R. Baum, acting as legal adviser to Twombly Foundation president Nicola del Roscio, emailed Louvre director Jean-Luc Martinez condemning the changes to the room and asking that they be corrected immediately, or at least before the space is reopened to the public. On receiving no reply from Martinez by February 3, Baum wrote to French cultural minister Roselyne Bachelot to complain about the Louvres lack of substantial response.

The Twombly Foundation contends that the changes being made to the Bronze Room conflict profoundly with Twomblys contribution, which the American artist completed in 2010, a year before his death. The room, constructed between 1551 and 1553 by architect Pierre Lescot, occupies the Louvres Sully Wing, one of the institutions largest and oldest wings, and houses more than a thousand works in precious metal, including rings, helmets, and crowns. Twomblys contribution, commissioned by the Louvres then-director Henri Loyette in 2007, was meant to complement a 1930s redesign of the room by Albert Ferran, and was seen as a particularly fitting choice owing to the artists interest in Greek and Roman history.

To create the Louvre commission, Twombly painted the Bronze Rooms ceiling a vibrant Mediterranean blue, and then punctuated the field with disks, shields, and planets in various shades of ocher and white and crossed by bands bearing the names of classical sculptors, including Phidias, Praxiteles, Polykleitos, and Skopas. The artists choice of color takes into account the rooms pale walls and white and gray marble floor, and in dialogue with the rooms contents endows the space with a much-needed lightness. The renovation currently underway is intended to restore the room to its pre-1930s appearance, and includes the replacement of the floor and fixtures, and the repainting of the walls, which are to be red. Additionally, Etruscan metal works are to be displayed alongside the Roman and Greek artifacts traditionally held in the room.

The Twombly Foundation claims that it was never contacted about the changes, which it calls an odious affront that is in violation of the artists moral rights.

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Cy Twombly Foundation Calls Louvre Restoration of Bronze Room an Odious Affront - Artforum