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This is more of a political stretch than a likelihood, but modern American politics teaches us that all things are possible.

And, yes, U.S. Senator Bob Casey Jr., Scranton-born hometown pal and ally of President-Elect Joe Biden, says he wants to stay in the Senate. But he also says if Biden offers an administration post, hed be honored to talk about it.

So, its at least worth some political fun to consider -- just in case being honored turns in to being hired -- who Gov. Tom Wolf would choose as Caseys replacement. Because thats how it works: the governor fills a Senate vacancy.

Would Wolf look to make history by naming a Black, Latino or woman? Boost a political pal who wants to be a Senator? Or pick a placeholder who wont seek the job come next election?

For starters, Wolf could name himself, but that would never happen. Hes made clear his current office is his last. And, Im reliably told, he wants to remain in his 45-year marriage to wife Frances. Which is to say, she wouldnt like it.

Then who?

An obvious pick is Lt. Gov. John Fetterman. He ran for Senate in the 2016 Democratic primary (won by Katie McGinty) and is expected to run for Senate or governor in 2022.

Whoever Wolf would pick serves until the next General Election, November 2021; and if he or she runs and wins, serves out Caseys term through 2024.

But Fetterman might take a pass. He could be leaning more toward a run for governor. Still, there are Sheetz stores in the D.C. area. And certainly Atty. Gen. Josh Shapiro, a likely 2022 gubernatorial candidate himself, would happily help Fetterman out with any move.

Or Wolf could tap state Treasurer Joe Torsella.

The Berwick-born, Ivy-educated Rhodes Scholar already has a Senator-like resume, and a karmic case for his selection.

Hes a former U.S. Representative to the United Nations, a former president and CEO of the National Constitution Center and a former chairman of the state Board of Education.

Torsella narrowly lost reelection as Treasurer to Republican Stacy Garrity last month in a race all but invisible compared to the presidential race.

A case could be made, with no disrespect to Garrity, that Torsellas loss was due to the state no longer having straight-party voting. It went away as part of 2019 legislation backed and signed by Gov. Wolf giving us mail-in voting.

Did that hurt down-ballot Dems? Well, in Torsellas case, the drop-off between Biden and Torsella was more than 200,000 votes. Torsella lost to Garrity by 52,500 votes. Would he have lost with straight-party voting? Maybe. Maybe not. And maybe the political fates will make his loss up to him.

Meanwhile, the state never has had a woman senator, or a Black senator, or a Latino senator. Wolf could tilt in that direction.

And if he leans to gender, you might think the aforementioned McGinty, who lost the 2016 Senate race to incumbent Republican Pat Toomey by just 1.5% of the vote, would be a logical choice. Dont. She was briefly Wolfs chief of staff. Didnt work out. No reward is in the offing.

How about University of Pennsylvania Prez Amy Gutman? Pals with Biden. Great fundraiser. And while she takes some flak for her reported $3.6 million salary, she and her husband, Columbia University Prof Michael Doyle, donated $2 million this fall to Penns nursing school. Theres speculation Biden might ask her to serve in his cabinet. There was similar speculation in 2016, if Hillary Clinton was elected.

Or Wolf could tap Pedro Rivera, his former secretary of education, now president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology, whos currently working on Bidens transition team.

Or, Dwight Evans, a Philadelphia political force, a former long-time state House power, elected to Congress in 2016. Evans, who is Black, was among the first name Democrats to endorse then-little-known Wolf for governor in 2014.

Of course, many others could be considered. And, as noted, the likelihood of the need arising is, at best, slim.

Yet its still 2020. So, almost any political musing enters the realm of the possible.

John Baer may be reached at baer.columnist@gmail.com

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If Joe Biden wants Pa. Sen. Bob Casey in his administration, who does the governor pick to replace him? | Joh - pennlive.com

The 49ers pulled off an upset victory over the Rams as time expired on the game clock when Robbie Gould split the uprights with the game-winning kick. The win improves the 49ers to 5-6 and keeps them in the playoff race while improving their chances to make it to 17.8% per Football Outsiders playoff odds. This was a 13.1% increase over the previous week. Theyre still last place in the division, but with the seventh playoff teams addition in each conference, its not out of the question by any means.

Making a late playoff push comes at the right time, too, as the 49ers got back Richard Sherman, Raheem Mostert, and Deebo Samuel back in the lineup. Trent Williams was a late addition off the covid list as Brandon Aiyuk remained on it and will likely be back for the Monday Night Football game against the Bills this coming Monday.

The playoff push also comes amid a lot of growing criticism of Shanahan, the in-game play-caller and head coach as fans increasingly grow restless with a less than functioning offense and on a team where. But what are the criticisms, and are they fair? Ill attempt to answer those in this article.

The main source of fans frustration right now is the offensive line play and whats perceived as Shanahans unwillingness to adjust his gameplan to give his quarterbacks time to get throws off. But thats not really warranted. For one thing, every play in Shanahans playbook has a built-in hot route or sight adjust based on a blitzing defender.

Against the Rams on Sunday, Nick Mullens was under pressure on 12 of 38 dropbacks, was sacked twice, and was hit three times per Pro Football Focus. He didnt face his first pressure until late in the second quarter.

Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald made easy work of the double team of Daniel Brunskill and rookie right guard Colton Mckivitz. Mullens escaped to the left and got a pass off. It was the first real pressure he faced. Later in the drive, he faced another pressure, but it was on a screen pass that went nowhere and shouldnt really count as a pressure anyway because of the entire right side of the offensive line released downfield.

But in the second half, most of the pressure he faced was quarterback-driven pressures when he failed to read his progressions properly or held the ball too long and took two unnecessary sacks.

This is a good example of quarterback-generated pressure. The play call is all-go four verticals with a check down underneath. The pressure comes from the right side again, with Donald trying to split McKivitz and Brunskill again. From the end zone view, you can see Mullens has a lane to climb the pocket to his left, and it would take one hitch step for him to get a clean throw to reed down the left hash.

Instead, Mullens shuffles around and runs right into the rushing lane to his right as both Donald and Leonard Floyd collapse the right side. On a five-man pass protection, Mullens has to process this faster and do a better job of seeing the routes develop and feeling the rush. As a result, he takes a hit, and its recorded against the interior linemen rather than Mullens.

On another quarterback-generated pressure, Mullens made the wrong read.

Reed motions over to the right, creating a 2x2 formation with the running back offset to Mullenss left. To the right, Mullens has a 3-over-2 situation. His pre-snap read shouldve told him to look left first, where he essentially has a 3-over-3 matchup due to the back releasing to the left flat. The Rams are in cover-6 (quarter-quarter-half) with the cover-2 side into the boundary.

Mullens drops back and looks right first instead of left. Hes looking for routes that never come uncovered or develop long enough to get open. By the time he scans to the left, the pressure is already in the backfield.

Some plays with longer developing routes are not meant to have full-field reads, especially with five in protection because the line cannot hold their blocks for four-plus seconds as they did here. Had he started left, he couldve come off the whip route and back to the flat (the go route was automatically not an option due to the deep safety).

Mullens was also sacked twice, and both are largely his fault. His first sack came late in the third quarter after Donald had already generated some pressures. His second sack came midway through the fourth quarter.

On the first sack, the 49ers are running play action. The goal with straight drop-back play action to so slow the pass rush long enough for the quarterback to find an intermediate-range throw downfield. That doesnt happen here. Mullens turns around and looks to throw and almost immediately has pressure in his face. Once he turns and sees the rusher, he should know to look for his checkdown right away. He doesnt and takes a sack.

Now, McGlinchey does deserve some blame for this because he barely touches Donald and shouldve held his block longer. But its Aaron Donald. The quarterback can make players like Donald irrelevant throughout the game by making quick throws and quick decisions.

On the second sack, he had a little more time to get rid of it and still held on to it.

On the second sack, he never anticipated the running back coming open. But he had the time, and it wouldve required an off-platform throw, which the 49ers quarterbacks make with some regularity. So its not like he couldnt try to. The throw was there.

Or he had Bourne and Reed breaking open on in-breaking routes to the right that he couldve thrown with some anticipation before the rush arrives in his lap. As a result, he pulls it down and tries to escape but gets knocked down for the sack.

On any given Sunday, Shanahan manages to scheme his receivers and tight ends more than should ever be expected for a head coach or allowed by the defense. On some plays, there is nothing but open grass. In other plays, there are wide-open windows. The Rams game had both.

Mullens missed a chance to convert a 3rd and long when he overthrew a wide-open Jordan Reed over the middle running a basic route (10-12 yard dig route) over the middle. He had a clean pocket and time to step into the throw, and he sailed too far in front and too high for Reed to make an attempt at catching it. If Mullens hits the catch radius anywhere near Reed, thats at a minimum a 15 yard gain.

When hes not off-target with throws, Mullens can seem indecisive on his reads and therefore put the ball in harms way.

Reed is to the left running a quick out. To the right, fullback Kyle Juszczyk is running an arrow route with Dwelley over the top of him running a basic route across the middle. Mullens drops back and doesnt trust what he sees. He winds up for the throw, doesnt throw it, and pumps to Reed instead. This is just wasted movement. He attempts the throw to the next progression, Dwelley over the middle, but he doesnt have the arm to make it.

This hesitation prevents the offense from moving the chains. And its not an uncommon thing that Mullens does. In Week 10 versus New Orleans, Mullens missed a wide-open Brandon Aiyuk with similar wasted motion.

In that game, on the first drive, Shanahan called a one-man iso route play called read. Aiyuk is the lone receiver running a read route where he has the option to sit at a depth of 20 yards or take off on a go route. The safety turns his hips to run with a deep route, so Aiyuk sits at 20 yards and turns for the pass. As hes coming open, Mullens double clutches for some reason and doesnt trust what he sees. As a result, he throws late, and the pass is nearly intercepted.

Later in that game, Mullens had another receiver schemed wide open due to the route distribution stretching the defense laterally, but he never came off the read to consider the first down throw he had at the sticks, choosing instead a much tougher throw into coverage.

Mullens sort of double clutches again, not really sure if he should pull the trigger when he sees it opening, causing him to be late on the throw, wasting valuable movement and time he needs to fit a pass into tight coverage. He had Bourne open on the deep sit route to that side, which wouldve been a much easier wide-open throw.

How much of that is Shanahan responsible for? If hes coaching Mullens through the progression in the film room and on the practice field based on the likely coverage hell get on the throw; then there isnt much he can do beyond that. Receivers have been running wide open through the secondary since week one this season, and both starting quarterbacks have failed to do the basics required of their position. It has cost them way more drives and points than anything Shanahan is failing to do.

Of course, this isnt true either. For one thing, Shanahan has adjusted the foundation of his run game to account for the 6-1 fronts most teams are playing by using sifts and escort motions to get extra defenders at the point of attack.

When the 49ers were able to crack the code on the defense late in the first quarter on their touchdown drive, they did through the run game.

One addition to the playbook theyve made to the running game (though its scored as a pass) is through the use of their new Deadpool package for Deebo Samuel. Its a package they used with success against the Rams in week six out of 11 personnel. In week 12, they used it to gain 33 yards on their touchdown drive, but this time out of 12 personnel from the shotgun.

The play is blocked like their outside zone concept Zorro. Zorro tells the F back to block/protect the inside gap of the tight end while the tight end kicks out or reaches the edge defender. The F, in this case, is Jeff Wilson, offset to the left of Mullens. Deebo comes on a jet motion, takes the tap pass with a full head of steam, and runs the edge behind his blockers downfield.

The 49ers deployed this package at key moments in the game against the Rams in week six but its tough to prepare for a multi-varied rushing attack.

Another run game adjustment this season is the escort motion to get extra defenders to the playside and create new gaps.

The 49ers have three to block four to the play side. The run tags have a sift block plus a fly/escort motion to get blockers over to the play-side against the Rams six men on the line of scrimmage and 8 in a condensed box for the formation, creating extra gaps the Rams cant account for. Mostert gets to the edge, and all he has to do is beat the cornerback alone on an island. Remember what Alex Gibbs said about making corners tackle? Easy six.

The reinforcements have arrived and at the right time too. The 49ers are in a position to make a potentially late playoff push in the final quarter of the season, but the margin for error is small. They cannot afford to give away drives on offense at any point in the game due to mistakes, throwing, blocking, dropped passes, etc., but the returning players should be able to hold the line until a potential week 16 return of Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle.

The 49ers will also play their next two games in Arizona due to being shut out of Santa Clara during a three-week pause in sports in the county at all levels due to the rising covid cases. Its unclear where the 49ers will play their remaining home games after that, but for a team facing a ton of adversity, getting wins on the road has been easier than winning at home anyway, and the next several weeks will tell us a lot about this team as we advance.

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49ers film room: Are the criticisms of Shanahan fair? Looking at the Rams game for answers - Niners Nation

TEMECULA The lines between the outdoors and indoors are being blurred. Homeowners build extensive outdoor living spaces so they can relax on weather-resistant furniture and cook in outdoor kitchens in their backyards. In addition, indoor three-season rooms full of bright, open windows that showcase outdoor vistas challenge the boundaries between outside and inside.

For those working with limited budgets, there are some easy, inexpensive ways to enjoy the majesty of natural landscapes indoors. Houseplants can be used to improve indoor spaces, and they also provide various health benefits.

Plants help with allergies.

According to WebMD, rooms with houseplants tend to have less dust and mold in them than those without any foliage. Leaves and other parts of the plants serve as natural filters, catching airborne particles and allergens. Plants with textured leaves might be especially effective at trapping particles.

Growing plants put more oxygen into the air.

The human respiratory system works by bringing in oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. Plants do the opposite during photosynthesis. They absorb carbon dioxide and then release oxygen. Plants can put much more oxygen into the air, improving indoor conditions.

Houseplants increase indoor humidity and reduce illness.

Studies from the Agricultural University of Norway found that indoor plants can increase humidity in indoor spaces, which decreases the incidences of sore throats, dry coughs, dry skin and the common cold. Higher absolute humidity can decrease the chances of survival and transmission of the flu virus.

They filter the air.

Researchers who presented their work at the 252nd National Meeting and Exposition of the American Chemical Society found certain houseplants can combat the potentially harmful effects of volatile organic compounds. Plants may help filter out VOCs like benzene, acetone and formaldehyde, which can enter indoor air via cleaning supplies, dry-cleaned clothes, furniture, printers and paints.

They improve the interior atmosphere.

Prevention magazine said plants can be used to screen unattractive areas, moderate room temperature by shading spots from the sun and even reduce noise. Plants also can improve ambiance and create a pleasing atmosphere in a room.

Houseplants can improve your mood.

Growing and caring for plants can alleviate everyday stress. A nationwide study from UK Magazine Gardeners World found 80% of gardeners declared themselves satisfied with life compared to 67% among non-gardeners. Gardeners were more positive mentally. Greenery can help people feel more at home and improve mental health. A rehab center in Norway found patients reported a greater increase in well-being four weeks after having greenery added to their surroundings.

Houseplants can improve indoor areas and positively affect personal health.

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Take in the many benefits of houseplants - Valley News

Zoom Video Communications (NASDAQ:ZM) posted fiscal third-quarter earnings way above guidance, and management raised its full-year outlook again. Yet because of its lofty valuation, the company's stock price dropped following the release of these phenomenal results. Let's see whether Zoom's various growth opportunities could lift the stock price higher again.

The coronavirus pandemic certainly contributed to Zoom's stellar fiscal third-quarter results. Revenue increased to $777.2 million, up 367% year over year, way above the guidance range of $685 million to $690 million. During the earnings call, CFO Kelly Steckelberg explained that this outstanding performance is thanks to the lower-than-expected churn rate -- an encouraging sign for the demand for Zoom's products no matter how the coronavirus situation evolves.

Image source: Getty Images.

Zoom's customer base also grew significantly. The number of customers with more than 10 employees increased to 433,700, up 485% year over year. And Zoom's products attracted large enterprises too, with 1,289 customers spending more than $100,000 over the last 12 months, up 136% from the prior-year quarter.

Given these positive developments, management again raised its full-year revenue guidance to a range of $2.575 billion to $2.580 billion, which corresponds to a 314% year-over-year increase, compared to a previous range of $2.37 billion to $2.39 billion.

With these impressive results, Zoom will face a tough base comparison for revenue growth next year, though. And the coronavirus-induced boost in demand for the company's remote communication solutions should wane with diminishing travel restrictions associated with potential coronavirus vaccines. However, Zoom will be pulling several levers to fuel its growth.

Over the last few years, the company has been expanding beyond its core video communications business to become a comprehensive unified communications player, partly thanks to its Zoom Phone. As a result of the company's solid execution, the research outfit Gartner recently positioned Zoom as a leader in its magic quadrant for unified communications, based on its completeness of vision and ability to execute. Management doesn't communicate specific metrics about the performance of Zoom Phone, but it planned increased sales and marketing efforts to boost the product, which should solidify the company's positioning as a unified communications specialist and contribute to revenue growth.

The new online events platform OnZoom should also support revenue growth over the next several years with a monetization strategy executives will announce in 2021. And beyond the extra revenue potential that remains difficult to estimate, the company may benefit from an attractive and free opportunity to raise its brand awareness, as influential broadcasters may leverage social networks to advertise their Zoom-based gatherings and events.

In addition, during the earnings call, Steckelberg confirmed Zoom's ambition of increasing sales and marketing and research and development expenses to fuel revenue growth. Indeed, the company's spendings couldn't keep pace with exploding revenue over the last couple of quarters, which resulted in enormous free cash flow, as you can see in the chart below.

ZM Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts

However, that underspending could lead to missed or reduced long-term growth opportunities. The result of these investments remains to be seen, but it shows management's focus on long-term growth instead of immediate free cash flow.

Besides, thanks to its strong profitability, the company accumulated a comfortable safety net of $1.9 billion of cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities and no debt at the end of last quarter, which can be used to fuel its growth and expand its addressable market via acquisitions. For instance, Steckelberg expressed satisfaction in providing contact center capabilities via partnerships. But I wouldn't be surprised to see the company expanding its portfolio in the medium term with a contact center solution it could acquire or develop thanks to its large resources.

Zoom will also leverage several other growth opportunities thanks to its other products and partnerships. The potential of all these growth levers remains uncertain, but even if you assume flawless execution and strong growth, the stock looks expensive. Zoom's market cap corresponds to 46 times revenue, based on the midpoint of full-year guidance, which indicates phenomenal results are already priced in despite intensifying competition and no matter how the coronavirus pandemic pans out.

Thus, given Zoom's limited stock price upside potential even if growth opportunities materialize, investors should wait for a deeper pullback before considering investing in the high-growth communications specialist.

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Is There Still Room for Zoom Stock to Boom? - Motley Fool

Inequities within our society that have persisted over decades have never been more evident than in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic has illuminated the digital divide for learners and has laid bare the challenges that todays college students face around ensuring their basic needs are met. In addition to the pandemic, racial injustice in America further highlights the need to eliminate equity gaps.

Like a flash of lightning in the night, the pandemic revealed all the cracks and fissures hidden in the landscape and gave us a stark and unsparing look at the cavernous wealth and attainment gap before us in our Black and Brown urban communities, in the immigrant communities of our gateway cities and in our poor, white communities in the rural regions, Dr. Pam Eddinger, president of Bunker Hill Community College, said in the recent Dallas Herring lecture, entitled Insights from the Pandemic: The Reckoning and the Hope at Our Nations Community Colleges.

To reduce inequities within our society, we have to address the root causes of these disparities. And while there are many potential solutions, wide-open access to education has long been a hallmark of the American dream though one that is not realized for Black, Latinx, and Native American populations. North Carolinas Career and College Promise program provides college coursework through the local community college to high school juniors and seniors. Career and College Promise increases access to the states higher education pipeline and has the potential to reduce college attainment gaps.

Community colleges can be a catalyst for this needed change given their open access missions, embedded nature within the community, and credential programs intended to meet the needs of lifelong learners and the local workforce. North Carolinas Community College System (NCCCS) is uniquely positioned to achieve these aims. The 58 community colleges within NCCCS were specifically designed to be within 30 minutes of any North Carolinian, and my research confirms this is true for more than 99% of residents. Simply being located near a community college reduces barriers to access because a prospective student does not have to travel far and is likely to have more familiarity with their local college.

Another benefit of having community colleges embedded locally across the state is the partnerships between the college and the K-12 schools. These partnerships can lead to early and increased exposure for K-12 students to the college environment. Many of North Carolinas community colleges conduct campus tours as early as eighth grade, community colleges are home to Early College High Schools, and most importantly, community colleges provide opportunities for high school students to earn college credit through the Career and College Promise program.

Within Career and College Promise, there are two pathways for students to choose from. The first is the College Transfer Pathway which consists primarily of general education courses meant to transfer to one of the University of North Carolina System (UNC) institutions. That pathway is governed by the states Comprehensive Articulation Agreement (CAA). The CAA is a joint effort between NCCCS and the UNC System and it establishes the foundation of course transfer between the two systems with the goal of increasing students degree completion through maximizing applicability of credit. While the agreement is not perfect, the CAA establishes the necessary structure and organization around successful between-system transfer. The second pathway is Career and Technical Education meant to prepare students with the knowledge, skills, and credentials to enter the workforce.

The goal of Career and College Promise is to increase the number of completed associate and bachelors degrees for North Carolinas residents by providing early access to college while a student is in high school. Early access to college allows students to try on college while in the more familiar environment of high school. Students are able to practice their new time management skills, study skills, and experience the academic rigors of college with the added support often offered by faculty and staff. College courses taken early in high school that apply to students associate and bachelors degrees also save students valuable time and money as they pursue higher education.

While these benefits are common across many dual enrollment programs, North Carolina takes further steps to broaden access. For instance, the North Carolina state legislature has recognized the value of creating a pipeline into and through postsecondary education and covers the cost of tuition for the Career and College Promise. This funding allows students to take advantage of the program without fewer financial constraints.

There are costs such as transportation, books, and supplies which are not covered by the program. However, tuition is the largest college expense, making it an important factor when thinking about how to reach low-income and historically underserved students. Career and College Promise is offered statewide, further reducing geographic barriers in access to education.

Further, the legislature has funded career coaches who are professional staff members that help high school students explore their college and career options. Community colleges across the state also have designated Career and College Promise liaisons who facilitate the delivery of the program. These factors combined not only promise to cover tuition but open the promise of a college education to many students who may not have considered going to college otherwise.

The benefits of Career and College Promise extend beyond increasing student access to higher education. In my own research, I found that students who participated in the program in 2015-2016 and/or 2016-2017 had a higher probability of enrolling in a North Carolina community college after high school, had higher persistence rates, had higher community college graduation rates, and had a higher college GPA when compared to students who did not participate in the program. The Career and College Promise program has all of the right components: free tuition, broad accessibility, support for students, and participation is associated with positive educational outcomes. As of the 2019-20 academic year, the program enrolls more than 70,000 students across the state.

While the foundation of the program is firmly established and there is broad support and participation in the program, Career and College Promise is not equitably reaching populations of students that are historically underserved in higher education. Relative to all North Carolina 10th graders in the 2014-2015 academic year, students who go on to participate in the College Transfer Pathway are more likely to be female (63% compared to 50%) and white (76% to 56%), to speak English at home (93% compared to 86%), and to have a higher high school GPA (4.0 on average, compared to 3.2).

In another aspect of my research that focuses specifically on historically underrepresented students, it is apparent that students that meet these criteria are more likely to participate in the Career and Technical Education Pathway. Relative to their counterparts in the College Transfer Pathway, students in the Career and Technical Education Pathway are more likely to be Black (20% compared to 11%), Latinx (11% compared to 6%), to be economically disadvantaged (48% compared to 30%) and to speak Spanish at home (11% compared to 5%).

Given we know that Black, Latinx, and low-income students are among the groups of students least likely to access higher education, it is important that state-wide marketing, recruitment, and retention policy focus on these populations so that North Carolinas College Transfer Pathway provides postsecondary opportunities for students who may not already be college-bound. The postsecondary pipeline from the high schools through the community colleges and to the universities in North Carolina is strong, and Career and College Promise has already opened access to more than 27% of high school graduates across the state.

However, for North Carolina to fully realize the potential impact of Career and College Promise on postsecondary attainment, to reduce inequities and close postsecondary attainment gaps, the program must provide equitable access for Black, Latinx, and Native American populations.

Sarah A. Deal, Ph. D. is a research affiliate at the Belk Center for Community College Leadership and Research. Deal researches topics including dual enrollment, college access, and rural student success. Deal focuses on policy and practitioner-relevant research, leveraging her 10 years of experience working in higher education within North Carolina, most recently with the North Carolina Community College System. She earned her Ph.D. in Educational Leadership, Policy and Human Development in 2020 at North Carolina State University and is a Lead Consultant with DVP-PRAXIS LTD.

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Career and College Promise in NC: Room for growth - EdNC

When busy empty-nesters Donna, an immunologist, and David, a European history professor, traded in their New Jersey family home for a more modestly-sized apartment on New York City's Upper West Side, they knew they'd need some redecorating and renovation guidance from a pro. So they enlisted Joe Human of Designs by Human, who specializes in both construction and decorating for a holistic approach. Down-sizing meant prioritizing a guest bedroom for the occasional home visit from their grown children, but they also needed a designated home office, so Human helped them do bothin one room.

Whether you're trying to figure out how to design a spare room or you could use a little guidance for your own bedroom-meets-home-office, the transformational guest room makeover below is sure to inspire good functional and formal change. Keep reading to discover the do's and don'ts of guest room and home office decorating.

As many of us can personally attest, focusing on work and being productive in the same room where you're supposed to rest, relax, and unwind can feel impossible. But all it really takes is a strategic layout to help break the room into different zones based upon use-case, and versatile decor. In this room, Human started by "toning down some of the colors" and landed on a muted olive green anchor color, Benjamin Moore's Vintage Vogue (the ceiling is Ceiling White and molding, doors, and trim in China White semigloss), which is a nice balance between stimulating and stylish, soothing and understatedin other words, ideal for a bedroom-office hybrid. "It should draw out your creativity and actually make you want to go into that room to get things done," Human says.

If you're trying to come up with a color scheme for this type of room, Human has some advice: "I see and hear all the time that, 'everything must be white and light to feel bright' and it is simply not true! This room was lighter in color tones in almost every way, but now it feels so much lighter and brightereven with all the dark colorsand now is so much more interesting."

The couple's condo is in a classic New York Art Deco building, so Human wanted to accentuate some of that original character. He added "intricately detailed crown molding to bring in that modern take on Art Deco" design. And while the couple didn't have the budget for real wood wainscoting, the existing wood chair rail running the perimeter was able to function as a makeshift alternative. Plus, it could work as a dividing line that allowed for a fun wallpaper moment. "What do we miss in while living in NYC? Nature! I didnt want a literal picture of trees or a floral print because this room had to remain neutral for guests, so we found this wonderful vintage-inspired mural-scape from Anthropologie that almost extends the space further and makes the room feel larger than it actually is."

Hanging full, voluminous drapes warmed up the room and extended the life of the wallpaper into the dimensional space. (Not to mention, the window treatments gives guests the green light to sleep in and relax without blocking any of the natural light when open.) Human brightened up the space with "newer, more useful overhead fixtures and then the addition of side lamps for accent lighting." Oh! And, of course, comfy bedding is a must for a guest room. Human opted for a Brooklinen set.

"The size of the room was ample but as you can see, there was a mish-mosh of items that needed to be curated and made cohesive." We're all for incorporating sentimental items and furniture in a roomthose items can become the very lifeblood of the space, since they often communicate your personal style and interests. For example, the little stuffed doll on the dresser of this room, is "a sock puppet made by our daughter out of some of Donna's old socks! Next to it is an origami dragon, also made by her," the homeowner David says.

The books are another good example. "Their book collection is honestly one of my favorite things" about the entire space, Human says. "In so many projects, I get to curate book collections for clients. But I was so happy to see the existing collection here." All it took was a little reorganizing. While the books were "literally overflowing in the space when we got there," they now look nice and orderly thanks to another bookshelf made to house the books.

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Joe Human's Dramatic Guest Bedroom and Home Office Makeover - HouseBeautiful.com

Salemis ready to serve its visitors during theholiday season, as fewer crowds lead to intimate shopping experiences. Salemhas so much to offer during theholidayseason, says Kate Fox, executive director of DestinationSalem. It is magical to stroll through theSalemCommon and see the lights and enjoy the picturesque backdrop of downtownSalem.

In response to the economic impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on Massachusetts local businesses and communities, the state has launched the #mylocalMA campaign to help drive business and economic recovery to small businesses and Main Streets across the state such as downtownSalem. In addition, economic development catalyzer Creative Collectiveis running a separate hyper-local campaign, #StayLocalSalem and #StayLocal2020.

We are happy to welcome visitors back toSalemfor theholidayseason. The crowds are light this time of year and walking around and accessing shops and restaurants is easy, says Kim Driscoll, Mayor ofSalem. There are new shops and restaurants in the community that are excited to share theholidayexperience with visitors.

While walking between stores,holidayrevelers can grab a decadent hot chocolate from a stop onSalemshot chocolate crawl,and take in some festive photo opportunities such as theholidaytree next to the statue of Samantha fromBewitched.Salemis celebrating the recent opening of many new businesses and expanded offerings from old favorites. Once the shopping is done, enjoy your favorite local museums and restaurants.

Start yourholidayshopping inSalem, where you can find intimate shopping experiences in local shops. For example, the shops at Artists Row feature items by local artisans such as candles, jewelry, and artwork. In addition to the diverse range of stores on Essex Street, including Moodys Home & Gifts, Wicked Good Books, and the PEM Shop, Pickering Wharf offers many options forholidaygifts in stores like Merry and Bright, Partridge in a Bear Tree, andSalemdipity. DestinationSalemhas created lists of ideas for presents such asmasks,ornaments, and overallgiftsfromSalem-based stores and boutiques.

Salemhas many new businesses this year like Beverly Bees in Artists Row, Botanica / Hermetic Arts Center, City Smoke Shop, Coven Beauty Company, GNU Kitchen, Jenni Stuart Fine Jewelry, Pentagram, Sage, Settler, Shindig Studios at Artists Row, the Juicery, and Spitfire Tacos. In addition to the new businesses, many popular locales such asSalemArts Association, District Trading Company, The Boutique, and Jolie Tea Company have expanded their spaces.

Salem is renowned for its food scene and in addition to indoor dining, the culinary community is ready for the cold weather as many restaurants have been outfitted with tents and heaters to extend outdoor dining through the end of November. Enjoy award-winning pizza from Bambolina, local cuisine from Ledger Restaurant & Bar, or the freshest seafood at Turners or Finz.For a list of DestinationSalemrecommended restaurants, visitsalem.org/eat.

Hotels inSalemoffer cozy rooms forholidayvisitors, sometimes even offering in-room fireplaces. The hotels and inns ofSalemare a perfect place to get comfortable inside and plan out the next day for shopping inSalem. There are seasonal specials to consider when booking a hotel such as the historic Hawthorne Hotel and TheSalemInn, contemporarySalemWaterfront Hotel and Suites, mid-century modern gem The HotelSalem, and the new Hampton InnSalem. Clickherefor a list of recommended hotels and inns.

A long-standing favorite, HistoricSalemis adapting to COVID-1 restrictions and hosting avirtual tourof historic houses decorated for theholidays. Peabody Essex Museum is offering aholidayexperience with seasonal decorations and shop specials.Click herefor a list of recommended museums and attractions.

DestinationSalemhas launched a new mobile app to assist visitors toSalemin accessing the latest information. This new app features news, information on walking tours, educational content, and location-based notifications. The app is available for iOS and Android and can be found on the App Stores by searching for DestinationSalem, Mass.

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7 Ways to Celebrate the Season in Salem This Year - nshoremag.com

ESPN will utilize its signature MegaCast production for its NFL Wild Card presentation (January 9 or 10), marking the concepts NFL postseason debut and delivering fans the most extensive multi-channel NFL Playoff game offering to date. Viewers will be treated to at least four distinct presentations across five Walt Disney Company networks as ESPN and ABC will simulcast the traditional telecast, ESPN2 and Freeform will produce their own distinct viewing experiences and ESPN Deportes will air the Spanish-language offering.

ESPNs Monday Night Football commentator team of Steve Levy, Brian Griese, Louis Riddick, Lisa Salters and John Parry will call the game on ESPN and ABC, while ESPN2 and Freeform will utilize a separate set of commentators and format. Details on the additional productions, including personalities for those presentations, will be announced in the coming weeks.

ABC to Simulcast Two Upcoming Monday Night Football GamesPrior to the NFL Wild Card game, ABC will also simulcast two Monday Night Football contests in December as ESPN concludes its regular season slate. Buffalo vs. San Francisco on December 7 and Buffalo at New England on December 28 will be on ABC and ESPN, with both networks airing the traditional telecasts featuring Levy, Griese, Riddick, Salters, and Parry. All three games will also be streamed across devices on ESPN, ESPN Deportes, ABC and NFL digital properties, and on mobile via NFL and Verizon Media properties.

In addition to tonights game, Seattle at Philadelphia, ESPNs remainingMonday Night Footballslate includes Baltimore at Cleveland on December 14 and Pittsburgh at Cincinnati on December 21. In addition to airing on ESPN, these games are available to be streamed across the same digital and mobile platforms referenced above, with the exception of ABC. AllMonday Night Footballgames begin at 8 p.m. ET.

NFL Draft, Raiders Las Vegas Debut Among ESPNs Enhanced NFL Productions This YearESPNs NFL Wild Card MegaCast production and additional ABC Monday Night Football simulcasts continue a series of enhanced NFL productions in 2020. In April, ESPN, ABC and NFL Networks collaborative NFL Draft presentation shattered viewership records and was also lauded as a technological triumph. Then, in September, ESPN showcased the Raiders first home game in Las Vegas with a multi-network presentation, including a national simulcast on ABC and distinctive presentation on ESPN2.

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Media contact: Derek Volner at 860-384-9986; [emailprotected] and @DerekVolner

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ESPN Activates MegaCast Production for NFL Wild Card Presentation; Most-Extensive Multi-Channel NFL Playoff Game Offering to Date - ESPN Press Room

Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

Christmas Day for the royal family is going to look a bit different this year. Due to the ongoing pandemic, there won't be an annual walk to services at St. Mary Magdalene church, and Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip won't be spending the holidays at Sandringham estatebreaking a decades-long royal tradition. Instead, the couple plans to celebrate "quietly" at Windsor Castle.

But even if the Queen and Prince Philip are having a low-key Christmas, it'll still be plenty festive. Windsor Castle has been decorated to the nines this year with Christmas trees, twinkle lights, and festive garlands.

The centerpiece of the castle's Christmas decor is a 20-foot-high Norway spruce tree, sourced from Windsor Great Park. The tree sits in St. George's Hall, the largest room in the castle, and is decorated with 3,000 lights and hundreds of iridescent ornaments. Starting today, visitors to Windsor Castle can also view this jaw-dropping tree, which took Royal Collection Trust staff two full days to decorate.

Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

In addition to the spruce, other parts of the castle were also gussied up for the holiday season. The State Dining Room now showcases the Grand Service, a silver-gilt dining service commissioned by King George IV in 1806 (while he was Prince Regent), in honor of the bicentenary of George IVs accession to the throne. The service, which consists of over 4,000 pieces, is still used by the royal family today for State Banquets.

Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

In other parts of the castle, holiday decorations complement existing features. Garlands pepper the Grand Staircase, which is home to some of the most notable arms and armor from the Royal Collection. In the Queen's Gallery, small Christmas trees line the room's perimeter, standing alongside rare silver furniture.

Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

And finally, while the 20-foot spruce might be the most impressive tree in Windsor Castle, it is by no means the only one. In the Inner Hall sits another Christmas tree, decorated with shimmering lights and ornaments. The space, created by George IV in the 1820s as an area to greet official guests, is now the first room visitors see when they enter the castle.

Royal Collection Trust/Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II 2020

Those who visit the royal residence this holiday season should be sure to also stop by the castle's Undercroft Caf. For the holiday season only, the restaurant will serve a variety of festive fare, from turkey sandwiches to cranberry and orange clairs.

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The Royal Family Decorated Windsor Castle for Christmas, and It Looks Stunning - TownandCountrymag.com

A Ukrainian Village workers cottage, little changed since 1920 and likely built originally by one of the legendary post-Chicago Fire rebuilders of the city, is on the market for the second time this year.

Priced at $660,000, the one-and-a-half story brick house on Walton Street appears to be a Kerfoot cottage,the classic Chicago houses that William Kerfoots real estate firm built by the dozens in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Kerfoot was the real estate man who advertised in the first edition of the Chicago Tribune published after the October 1871 fire, all gone but wife, children and energy. To some people, he represents the I Will spirit that rebuilt the city in subsequent years.

While its not certain that the Walton Street house, built in 1895, is one of Kerfoots, he is known to have been a prolific builder in the neighborhood between 1886 and 1907.

With its trim brick exterior and steep gabled roof, it has the look and feel of a Kerfoot, said Rich Anselmo, the @properties agent representing the home. Anselmo said hes been part of the sale of at least a dozen Kerfoot cottages, representing either buyer or seller, over the years. This one, Anselmo said, is the closest to original condition Ive seen.

Two successive ownershave failed to follow through on updating the home, which Anselmo said leaves it largely as it was in 1920. The family that owned it from 1920 through 2007 updated only a toilet and some light fixtures in all that time, he said. He knows the toilet is from 1946 because the date is stamped inside the tank.

A buyer who paid $465,000 for the house in 2007 got distracted by another project and didnt get around to updating this one, Anselmo said, and the next buyer, who paid $627,500 in July, hasdecided not to go through with a planned rehab. The secondowner put the house on the market Nov. 30, asking for $660,000.

The house has old-fashioned kitchen and bathroom sinks and no kitchen cabinetry, all of which would demand updating. At the same time, it has desirable vintage features intact: pocket doors and wood window and door frames. The cost of rehab would likely start in the $400,000s, Anselmo said, and could go much higher if it included a family room addition off the back.

The house, seen in the center of the photo at the top of this story, is flanked by a homebuilt in the 2010s to replicate the look of Kerfoot cottages (on the left in the photo) and another original one. They are in a landmark district that prevents demolition.

A fully rehabbed Kerfoot cottage across the street sold for $850,000 in June 2019.

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An 1890s cottage is on the market for second time this year - Crain's Chicago Business