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As the NFL Power Rankings charge toward midseason, this is a good time for assessment. And this week, it's about identifying who must pick up the slack over the final 10 weeks of the campaign.

While most of the selections below are individual players, position units and even coaches bear some of this burden.

How we rank in our Power Rankings: Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.

Previous rankings: 7 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | Preseason

Jump to:ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CINCLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | INDJAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MINNE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SFSEA | TB | TEN | WSH

Week 7 ranking: 3

Who needs to step up: S Minkah Fitzpatrick

Yes, Fitzpatrick had a pick-six against the Browns. But he needs to make splash plays more consistently. The Steelers traded a first-round pick last season for Fitzpatrick, who delivered almost immediately. He has been much quieter this season. His biggest play against the Titans was a holding call that gave Ryan Tannehill and Derrick Henry a fresh set of downs on the goal line after a would-be stop. Henry scored on the next play. Fitzpatrick also missed a tackle of AJ Brown that led to Brown's 73-yard touchdown. For the defense to play at the level it reached last season, Fitzpatrick needs to have a bigger positive impact on the game. -- Brooke Pryor

Week 7 ranking: 2

Who needs to step up: K Harrison Butker

Butker has missed five extra points, and his PAT rate of 79.2% is the worst in the NFL. It hasn't cost the Chiefs yet, but it's only a matter of time until it does. What's puzzling about this is that Butker has been so good on field goals (93%). He hit two 58-yarders in a Week 2 overtime win versus the Chargers. -- Adam Teicher

Week 7 ranking: 1

2 Related

Who needs to step up: S Jamal Adams

It's not that Adams has underperformed when he has been on the field. It's that he hasn't been on the field enough, missing the past three games while the Seahawks' defense has been gashed at a historic rate. Adams was arguably their most impactful defender before he hurt his groin in Week 3. Part of his impact was as a pass-rusher: His two sacks remain tied for the team lead as Seattle has only nine sacks total. All the draft capital the Seahawks gave up for Adams will make it difficult to trade for another impact defender before next week's deadline. They need their All-Pro safety to get back on the field and start making plays. -- Brady Henderson

Week 7 ranking: 4

Who needs to step up: WR Miles Boykin

Boykin has failed to step up into the No. 2 wide receiver role for the Ravens, totaling 11 catches for 122 yards (ranking 104th among NFL wideouts). Boykin has struggled to develop any chemistry with Lamar Jackson and his increasing miscommunication with the quarterback has become a hot topic in Baltimore. With defenses loading up the box to stop the run game, Boykin can make teams pay with some big plays on the outside. The Ravens need a third option because teams are focusing their coverages to stop wide receiver Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews. -- Jamison Hensley

Week 7 ranking: 6

Who needs to step up: OLB Preston Smith

Though six games last year, the edge rusher had seven sacks (on his way to a 12-sack season), 12 QB hits and a pass rush win rate of 24.2%. His numbers through six games this year: a half-sack, two QB hits and a PRWR of 15.6%. Smith made a key fourth-down stop on a read-option by Deshaun Watson during Sunday's game, and the Packers' defense needs more of that. -- Rob Demovsky

Week 7 ranking: 5

Who needs to step up: OLB/DE Jadeveon Clowney

Winning the Clowney sweepstakes was supposed to push the Titans' defense over the top. Clowney has put some pressure on the quarterback, but the Titans have yet to experience the type of game-wrecking performance that compelled them to sign him. Tennessee is last in opponent third-down percentage (60%). A large part of that percentage is due to the Titans' inability to get pressure on the quarterback. Through six games, the Titans only have six sacks. All of the blame shouldn't fall on Clowney, but he hasn't had the impact that was expected when Tennessee reunited him with Mike Vrabel. -- Turron Davenport

1:02

Max Kellerman finally agrees he was wrong about Tom Brady "falling off a cliff" the past few seasons.

Week 7 ranking: 7

Who needs to step up: TE Rob Gronkowski

I wouldn't say Gronkowski needs to step up as much as I think he needs to continue doing what he has done over the past two weeks -- catching 10 passes for 140 yards and two TDs. He is starting to own the middle of the field and is having success on crossing routes and in the red zone on back-shoulder fades. This is especially important without O.J. Howard (Achilles) and with Mike Evans continuing to recover from an ankle injury. -- Jenna Laine

Week 7 ranking: 8

Who needs to step up: LB Tremaine Edmunds

To his credit, Edmunds has played through a shoulder injury that he suffered in Week 1 and caused him to miss the Bills' following game. But when he has been out there, the third-year linebacker hasn't looked like the Pro Bowler we saw last season. His reactions seem slower, he has missed tackles and he has difficulty shedding blocks. Buffalo's defensive struggles represent the team's biggest surprise this season, and if the Bills are going to turn it around in pursuit of an AFC East title, Edmunds needs to lead the charge. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

Week 7 ranking: 9

Fantasy fallout: How to sort out Steelers WRs Winfield Jr. relies on Dad's FaceTime calls What to expect from Tua in first start Chiefs like their new RB duo Morris' biggest challenge with 1-5 Falcons

Who needs to step up: The secondary

It wouldn't be fair to single out just one player in the Saints' secondary, since every one of them has taken turns with busted coverages or pass interference penalties -- which have become New Orleans' most nagging problem all season. The Saints have now allowed six passes of 48-plus yards in their past four games. And they have just one interception since Week 1. They need cornerbacks Marshon Lattimore and Janoris Jenkins to live up to their potential as one of the league's best CB duos, and they need a lot more consistency from the talented safety trio of Marcus Williams, Malcolm Jenkins and C.J. Gardner-Johnson. -- Mike Triplett

Week 7 ranking: 10

Who needs to step up: K Samuel Sloman

It could be too little, too late for Sloman, a seventh-round pick from Miami (Ohio), after the Rams signed veteran Kai Forbath to the active roster from the Bears' practice squad ahead of Week 7. Sloman has lacked consistency, especially on PATs and kickoffs, while his field goal range remains somewhat of a mystery because of the Rams' ability to score touchdowns. A ninth-year pro, Forbath could take over the job at any moment. -- Lindsey Thiry

Week 7 ranking: 16

Who needs to step up: RB Chase Edmonds

Even if Kenyan Drake's ankle injury isn't serious, Edmonds will still need to keep playing like he did during Sunday night's win over the Seahawks. Edmonds gained 145 total yards, had a major impact in overtime and helped kick-start the Cardinals' run game. He showed, yet again, that he can handle whatever is thrown at him. If the Cardinals want to make a run to the playoffs, Edmonds will need to play a significant role. -- Josh Weinfuss

Week 7 ranking: 11

Who needs to step up: QB Nick Foles

Chicago is positioned for a playoff run. The Bears have a championship-caliber defense and a better-than-expected kicker, Cairo Santos, but the offense is suspect. Coach Matt Nagy benched Mitchell Trubisky in favor of Foles to smooth out the rough edges and play a more consistent brand of football. The results have been average. The Bears are winning, but the offense under Foles doesn't look a ton better than it did when Trubisky ran the show. Foles is under pressure to elevate his game. The season hinges on it. -- Jeff Dickerson

Week 7 ranking: 12

Who needs to step up: WR T.Y. Hilton

Hilton is on pace for the least-productive season of his nine-year NFL career. He has 20 receptions for 242 yards and no touchdowns through the first six games. What makes Hilton's lack of production even worse is that the soon-to-be 31-year-old will be a free agent at the end of the season. -- Mike Wells

1:19

Marcus Spears details how big of a loss it is for the Browns that Odell Beckham Jr. will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.

Week 7 ranking: 13

Who needs to step up: WR Rashard Higgins

With Odell Beckham Jr. out for the season with a torn ACL, the onus will fall on Higgins to replace him in the lineup. Higgins and QB Baker Mayfield, who also are close friends, have enjoyed a rapport on the field going back to Mayfield's rookie season in 2018. The Browns will need Higgins to be Mayfield's security blanket alongside new No. 1 WR Jarvis Landry if the Browns are to finally snap the league's longest playoff drought, which dates to 2002. -- Jake Trotter

Week 7 ranking: 17

Who needs to step up: QB Jimmy Garoppolo

Over the past two weeks, the 49ers have gotten back to their formula of running the ball, playing good defense and having Garoppolo steer an efficient play-action passing attack. But the schedule is about to get tougher, and the burden is probably going to fall more on Garoppolo to deliver. That means pushing the ball down the field more consistently and taking advantage when opposing defenses stack the box to stop the run. Garoppolo has done it before, but for the Niners to remain in the NFC playoff hunt, they'll likely need him to do it again. -- Nick Wagoner

Week 7 ranking: 15

Everything you need this week: Full schedule | Standings Depth charts for every team Transactions | Injuries Football Power Index rankings More NFL coverage

Who needs to step up: RT Trent Brown

The enigmatic and highly paid right tackle rarely practiced in training camp due to a cranky calf, played three snaps in the season opener after aggravating the injury and was a force in the Raiders' upset win at Kansas City on Oct. 11. Then he tested positive for COVID-19 last week, and because he was not wearing his tracker in the team facility, the four other starting offensive linemen had to self-quarantine and miss practice the rest of the week before facing a fearsome Tampa Bay defense. Since signing a four-year, $66 million deal with the Raiders, Brown has played 10-plus snaps in just 11 of 22 games. Las Vegas needs a better return on its investment. -- Paul Gutierrez

Week 7 ranking: 18

Who needs to step up: TE Ian Thomas

It would be easy to say the entire defense that just allowed the Saints to convert 12 of 14 third downs and has been horrible on third down all year. But I'm going with Thomas, because in seven games, he has only seven catches for an offense in which he should thrive. Sure, the tight end has been downplayed somewhat in Joe Brady's scheme. But one reason it has been downplayed is the lack of consistent playmaking ability by Thomas. It makes that position a possible target before the trade deadline. -- David Newton

1:02

Ryan Clark breaks down why Cam Newton hasn't turned out to be exactly what the Patriots needed thus far.

Week 7 ranking: 14

Who needs to step up: QB Cam Newton

Would the real Cam Newton please stand up? Is it the QB who electrified New England in the first weeks of the season? Or the struggling QB who hasn't looked the same over his next three games? The contrast is striking. Fewer interceptions and better accuracy and decision-making are where the improvement starts. -- Mike Reiss

Week 7 ranking: 19

Who needs to step up: RB Matt Breida

The Dolphins brought in two veteran running backs this offseason -- Breida and Jordan Howard -- to upgrade their run game, and both have been outplayed by second-year back Myles Gaskin. Breida was brought in for his speed and big-play ability, but he has yet to break an impact play. Over the past four games, he has 21 carries for 56 yards (2.67 yards per carry). With Tua Tagovailoa as the new starting QB, Breida needs to be more of a playmaker. -- Cameron Wolfe

Week 7 ranking: 21

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Who needs to step up: The defense

Melvin Ingram is back from IR and is the leader of the group. In his absence, the D gave up 17-point leads to Tampa Bay and New Orleans and lost both games. The defense also was in danger Sunday versus the Jaguars, losing a 16-point lead at one point. Justin Herbert might be all that, but if the defense doesn't step up, it won't matter. As Ingram said, "We can't keep making the same mistakes. We come in, we look at each other in the eye as men and say, 'It's got to stop somewhere, so why not today?'" The close losses have to stop, and Herbert can't do it on his own. -- Shelley Smith

Week 7 ranking: 22

Who needs to step up: DT Fletcher Cox

Carson Wentz has picked up his game, so now it's critical for the primary driver on defense to do the same. Cox has 1.5 sacks through seven games, putting him on pace for 3.5 this season -- a far cry from his 10.5-sack campaign in 2018. Cox draws plenty of double-teams and has had his share of impact plays, but big expectations come with an average salary of $17 million and the billing as one of the NFL's best defensive players. With Hassan Ridgeway lost for the season and Malik Jackson dealing with a quad injury, it's as important as ever that Cox sets the tone for a defense that's yielding 28 points per game. -- Tim McManus

Read the original post:
NFL Power Rankings Week 8 - 1-32 poll, plus players who need to step up in 2020 - ESPN

A record surge in coronavirus cases is pushing hospitals to the brink in the border cities of El Paso and Ciudad Juarez, confronting health officials in Texas and Mexico with twin disasters in the tightly knit metropolitan area of 3 million people.

Health officials are blaming the spike on family gatherings, multiple generations living in the same household and younger people going out to shop or conduct business.

The crisis part of a deadly comeback by the virus across nearly the entire U.S. has created one of the most desperate hot spots in North America and underscored how intricately connected the two cities are economically, geographically and culturally, with lots of people routinely going back and forth across the border to shop or visit with family.

We are like Siamese cities, said Juarez resident Roberto Melgoza Ramos, whose son recovered from a bout of COVID-19 after taking a cocktail of homemade remedies and prescription drugs. You cant cut El Paso without cutting Juarez, and you cant cut Juarez without cutting El Paso.

In other developments Tuesday, Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, banned indoor dining and drinking in Chicago in one of the biggest retreats yet in the face of the latest surge. And Wisconsins governor pleaded with residents to voluntarily stay home as the state shattered records for daily cases and deaths. Democratic Gov. Tony Evers issued a stay-at-home order in March, but the conservative-leaning state Supreme Court struck it down two months later.

In El Paso, authorities have instructed residents to stay home for two weeks and imposed a 10 p.m. curfew, and they are setting up dozens of hospital beds at a convention center.

Read the full story here.

Governor bans indoor dining in Chicago as virus cases jump

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. Surging COVID-19 cases in Chicago prompted Gov. J.B. Pritzker on Tuesday to ban indoor dining and bar services and limit the number of people gathering in one place.

The rules taking effect Friday will force diners and bar patrons outdoors and shut down service at 11 p.m. No more than 25 people may gather at one time, or fewer if that number would exceed 25 percent of room capacity.

We cant ignore what is happening around us, because without action, this could look worse than anything we saw in the spring, Pritzker said, referring to the start of the pandemic, when health care resources were pushed to the limit because of the overwhelming number of COVID-19 cases.

Chicago, which comprises Region 11 of the states 11 COVID-19 monitoring regions, joins six other regions subject to what the Pritzker administration calls resurgence mitigations. A day earlier, Pritzker imposed the restrictions on Region 10, Cook County outside of Chicago and Lake County to the north.

After a summer of declining case numbers Illinois fared better than many other states, particularly in the South and West they began climbing again in August and jumped precipitously this month. There were 4,000 new infections and 46 additional deaths Tuesday, bringing total cases to 382,985 with 9,568 deaths.

There were 2,758 hospitalized, an 86 percent increase from a month ago, and both intensive care patients at 595 and the 241 on ventilators represented increases in the 70 percent range.

Other regions which hit the mitigation bar did so when positive rates of COVD-19 test results topped 8 percent for three consecutive days. Dr. Ngozi Ezike, the state public health director, said the latest additions, Cook County on Monday and Chicago on Tuesday, have seen the troubling rise in numbers of sick people requiring inpatient treatment as well as a jump in positive test results.

Based on current trends, we soon could face reduced hospital bed availability and overwhelming our health care systems, Ezike said.

Massachusetts governor says virus surge driven by people under 30

BOSTON The recent surge in confirmed coronavirus cases in Massachusetts is being driven in large part by an increase among younger people, Gov. Charlie Baker said Tuesday.

Whereas 15 percent of new cases in April were among people under age 30, now 37 percent of the new confirmed cases are people in that age group, the Republican governor said at a news conference at which he urged people to stop partying.

According to our most recent data, about 300 people per day under 30 have contracted COVID-19, have tested positive for it, with about 38,000 people in this age group diagnosed since March, he said.

More than half the new cases have been traced to social gatherings and household transmission, and there have been more reports of indoor parties as the weather has turned cooler, Baker said. He reminded people that outdoor trick-or-treating on Halloween is much safer than an indoor party.

To keep case rates down, and help us not only keep people healthy, but also ensure that our hospitals continue to have the capacity they need to serve their patients, our young people need to be serious about dealing with COVID, he said.

Baker also shed new light on the states decision last week to close indoor skating rinks for two weeks in response to an increase in cases linked to youth hockey games.

He blamed the closures on irresponsible parents and coaches who didnt cooperate with state contact tracers, including some who refused to supply team rosters.

Youth hockey needs to make some changes, he said.

He also urged people to limit Thanksgiving gatherings to members of the same household, or if mixing households, limit the number of guests to as few as possible.

Canadian Thanksgiving may be cautionary tale for Americans as coronavirus surges

TORONTO As the holiday season approaches amid a surge in novel coronavirus cases across the country, a Thanksgiving-related spike in Canada may serve as a cautionary tale for the United States.

Case counts in much of Canada are climbing, even in parts of the country that imposed new autumn restrictions. Canadians celebrate Thanksgiving on the second Monday of October, and both provincial and federal officials have pointed to the holiday as a culprit.

In some areas we are learning that gathering during the Thanksgiving weekend contributed to the elevated case counts we are seeing today, Howard Njoo, Canadas deputy chief public health officer, told reporters Tuesday in Ottawa. Our actions matter.

Before the holiday, officials advised Canadians to curtail their plans by limiting celebrations to those living under the same roof or moving the party online, but it is not clear how widely the advice was heeded.

In the United States, where Thanksgiving is held on the fourth Thursday in November, officials issued similar warnings. Last week, the United States hit an all-time high in new coronavirus cases, exceeding 80,000 in a day for the first time.

In an interview with CBS News earlier this month, the nations leading infectious-disease expert, Anthony Fauci, warned that Thanksgiving events could lead to new cases.

That is, unfortunately, a risk, when you have people coming from out of town, gathering together in an indoor setting, he said. It is unfortunate, because thats such a sacred part of American tradition.

But in both Canada and the United States, messaging around how to celebrate has been muddled, with officials at different levels of government offering seemingly conflicting guidance. Ontario Premier Doug Ford described his own holiday plans, then appeared to change them after critics pointed out that they contradicted his own governments advice to celebrate only with those in ones immediate household.

Canadian officials are now dealing with the aftermath of the holiday. Albertas chief medical officer of health, Deena Hinshaw, said last week that the Thanksgiving-related cases showed how the virus can exploit human interaction.

Read the full story here.

Birx says Bismarck, N.D. has worst virus protocols shes ever seen

WASHINGTON The White House coronavirus response coordinator says North Dakotas capital city had the worst COVID-19 protocols shes seen in her travels around the country.

Dr. Deborah Birx, whose tour has taken her to nearly 40 states, says she found the absence of face coverings and the lack of social distancing in Bismarck deeply unfortunate and a danger to public health.

North Dakota continues to rank first in the country for virus cases per capita in the last two weeks, according to The COVID Tracking Project. The Bismarck area has in recent months been a hot spot.

North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum has not ordered a statewide mask mandate, instead urging people to wear masks out of personal responsibility and care for others.

Burgum says he and Birx have been in complete agreement since the beginning of this, local media reported.

Russia imposes nationwide mask requirement

MOSCOW Russian authorities on Tuesday have issued a nationwide mask requirement amid a rapid resurgence of the coronavirus outbreak.

Health authorities registered 16,550 new cases and 320 deaths on Tuesday, the highest daily death toll since the beginning of the pandemic.

Russias public health agency, Rospotrebnadzor, ordered all Russians to wear masks in crowded public spaces, on public transport, in taxis, at parking lots and in elevators starting on Wednesday. The agency also recommended regional authorities put a curfew on entertainment events, cafes, restaurants and bars from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Russia has the worlds fourth-largest tally of more than 1.5 million confirmed coronavirus cases. The governments coronavirus task force has been reporting more than 15,000 new infections every day since last Sunday, which is much higher than in the spring.

In total, Russia has reported more than 26,000 virus-related deaths.

Despite the sharp spike in daily new infections, Russian authorities have repeatedly dismissed the idea of imposing a second national lockdown or shutting down businesses. Most virus-related restrictions were lifted during the summer.

Czech Republic average cases double in 2 weeks

PRAGUE The Czech government is asking the Parliament to approve its plan to extend a state of emergency it declared a month.

Prime Minister Andrej Babis says the measure is needed to protect the health and lives of the citizens. The Parliament is expected to take a vote on the request to extend the state of emergency until Dec 3.

The rolling average of daily cases has risen in the past two weeks from 48 per 100,000 people on Oct. 12 to 115 on Monday.

Starting on Wednesday, the government is imposing more regulations, including nationwide curfew from 9 p.m. 5 a.m. All stores must close on Sundays. Employees in state and private companies are recommended to work from home. The government says it wont reopen elementary schools as planned on Monday because the rising infections.

The Czech Republic has 268,370 cases, about a third registered in the last week. There are 5,613 COVID-19 patients hospitalized.

The nation recorded 2,365 deaths since March, with 748 confirmed in the last week.

New Yorks public university system requiring students test negative before they can go home for Thanksgiving

ALBANY, N.Y. New Yorks public university system is requiring students to test negative for the coronavirus before they can leave for Thanksgiving break in hopes of preventing community spread back home.

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras told The Associated Press that the systems 64 colleges and universities must have plans by Nov. 5 to test about 140,000 students within 10 days before Thanksgiving break.

SUNY has planned to transition most colleges and universities to remote learning after Thanksgiving. SUNY will require colleges to isolate or quarantine any residential student who tests positive for COVID-19 or is exposed to COVID-19 in the 14 days before Thanksgiving break.

Tehran hits record high virus deaths

TEHRAN Iran has reached another single-day record with 346 deaths. That brings the countrys total virus deaths to 33,299, the highest coronavirus toll in the Mideast.

Iran Health Ministry spokeswoman Sima Sadat Lari says daily coronavirus cases have also hit a record, with 6,968 reported. That brings Irans total number of infections to 581,824.

She says 4,995 COVID-19 patients are in serious condition.

Canary Islands to require negative tests for tourists

MADRID Spains Canary Islands aim to pass a law this week demanding a negative COVID-19 test result from tourists wanting to visit the archipelago off northwest Africa.

Canary Islands President ngel Vctor Torres says the measure will apply to both Spaniards and foreigners. New infections have been soaring across Spain except for the Canary Islands, a popular tourist destination that is 1,800 kilometers (1,120 miles) southwest of Madrid.

He said the law was being prepared even before the U.K. and Germany recently lifted travel restrictions to the Canary Islands. Those two countries account for more than half the archipelagos 13 million annual visitors.

Any tourist without a certified document confirming a negative test result between 48 and 72 hours before their arrival wont be allowed inside any accommodations on the island. The visitor will be asked to go to a local testing center at their own expense.

Officials in the Canary Islands have officially recorded almost 17,000 cases of coronavirus and 272 deaths.

French hospitals filling up with virus patients

PARIS The French government is warning of possible new lockdowns as hospitals fill up wit COVID-19 patients and doctors plead for backup.

President Emmanuel Macron is convening top ministers and Prime Minister Jean Castex is meeting with lawmakers, unions and business lobbies as the government weighs its next steps in the fight against surging infections. Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told France-Inter radio that we should expect difficult decisions.

Among possible new measures for the hardest-hit areas are lengthening existing curfews, full confinement on weekends or all week and closing non-essential businesses.

Doctors describe growing pressure on emergency services and intensive care wards, where COVID-19 patients take up 54 percent of beds nationwide.

France is reporting more than 350 new cases per 100,000 people each week, and nearly 18 percent of tests are positive. It has reported Europes third-highest virus death toll, at more than 35,000 lives lost.

Kentucky governor urges residents to take stricter steps to curb infections

FRANKFORT, Ky. Kentuckys governor is urging people in the states counties hit hardest by the pandemic to take stricter steps to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Gov. Andy Beshear stressed Monday that he is only offering recommendations not mandates.

Beshear says people should avoid hosting or attending gatherings of any size. He says employers should allow employees to work from home when possible, and noncritical government offices should operate virtually. Also, he says, in-person shopping should be reduced, with people opting to order online for pickup.

The recommendations are aimed at the 55 counties nearly half of all Kentucky counties with the highest infection rates. Those counties have a daily average of at least 25 new virus cases per 100,000 residents.

Mississippi governor expands mask mandate

JACKSON, Miss. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves is expanding a mask mandate to seven additional counties to try to control the spread of the coronavirus as cases increase rapidly in some areas.

His new order takes effect Wednesday and lasts until at least Nov. 11.

Sixteen of Mississippis 82 counties will require people to wear face coverings when they are indoors away from their homes. Social gatherings in those 16 counties also will be limited to 10 people indoors or 50 people outdoors.

Reeves says the restrictions are in counties that have had at least 200 confirmed virus cases or at least 500 confirmed cases per 100,000 residents during a recent two-week period.

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Created by Charley and Vlas Parlapanides in collaboration with Powerhouse Animation Studios, the production house behind Castlevania, Blood of Zeus tells the story of a young man named Heron, who grows up believing that he is a bastard. But when the world faces an unprecedented danger, his real identity is revealed. He is the son of none other than the king of the gods himself, Zeus. Heron subsequently embarks on an incredible journey.

He completes quests, acquires magical and divine weapons, and fights an even more diverse set of monsters than what originally is in Greek mythology. The series has an ensemble voice cast, including Derek Phillips as Heron, Jessica Henwick as Alexia, Claudia Christian as Hera, Elias Toufexis as Seraphim, and Jason OMara as Zeus. If you are already done binging the first season and are wondering about Blood of Zeus season 2, this is the article for you.

Blood of Zeus season 1 premiered on October 27, 2020, on Netflix. It consists of eight episodes, with a runtime of 25-37 minutes each.

As for Blood of Zeus season 2, here is what we know. Greek mythology is arguably the most influential collection of stories, poems, and legends in the history of human civilization. In the past few millennia, it has served as the source of inspiration for countless works of literature, art, entertainment, and music. Blood of Zeus is one of the latest additions to this astounding legacy.

Time and again, Netflix has shown that they are willing to invest in good animated content. Considering how incredibly well-made the inaugural season of Blood of Zeus is and the rave reviews it has been receiving, it is only a matter of time before Netflix renews the series. Once that happens, we expect Blood of Zeus season 2 to release sometime in late 2021.

Although Heron didnt know it, his divine father has been on his side since he was very young, disguised as an old man who took care of him and his mother. But when he finally learns who he is, it puts him and his mother on the receiving end of the wrath of Zeus wife, Hera. In the season finale, Zeus and the gods belonging to his faction prepares for war along with Heron and his friends. Elsewhere, Hera releases the giants from their watery prison and gains control over them.

During the battle, Heron manages to pull the cauldron out of Heras protection, which leads to giants attacking her. Zeus uses all of his energy to save his wife. Heron fights his half-twin through his mother, Seraphim, and when his fathers powers manifest in him, he emerges victorious. He then reverses the spell on the cauldron, pulling all the energies of the giants back inside it. The series ends with Heron in Olympus and Seraphim in Hades. The latter is approached by the titular god, who tells him that he can have an easy life in his realm if he kneels before him, making Seraphim realize that the gods arent done with him.

With the introduction of Hades this late in the season, there is a possibility that he might serve as the primary antagonist of the next. We might see a very different Hera in season 2, someone who is kinder and less conniving. There are hints about a romantic relationship between Heron and Alexia sprinkled throughout the first season. In the second, it might get some screen time. Season 2 might also focus on how Heron is getting used to the powers he inherited from his father.

Read More:Netflixs Blood of Zeus Ending, Explained

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Blood of Zeus Season 2 Release Date on Netflix, Will New Season Air in 2021? - The Cinemaholic

A dispute between bond king Bill Gross and his next-door neighbor over a $1-million outdoor sculpture has devolved into police calls to their Laguna Beach mansions, multiple legal actions and allegations that the billionaire investor blared the Gilligans Island theme song on a loop at all hours to annoy his neighbor.

The Pimco co-founder and his partner, former professional tennis player Amy Schwartz, are being accused by tech entrepreneur Mark Towfiq and his wife of harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The cause? A 22-foot-long blue glass installation and an even bigger pole and netting structure erected to protect it that Towfiq said blocked his view, prompting a complaint to the city.

The netting over the Dale Chihuly sculpture that Bill Gross and his partner installed, as seen from his neighbors home.

(Mark Towfiq)

Its another in a long line of bitter quarrels between well-to-do neighbors in Southern Californias most expensive neighborhoods, who sometimes find that with a coveted address comes deep-pocketed adversaries and little peace of mind.

At issue this time is an artwork that can be lighted at night and features cobalt-colored reeds stretching nearly 10 feet in height, swimming marlin and globes inspired by traditional blown-glass Japanese fishing floats. It was created by Dale Chihuly, an artist whose striking blown-glass work adorns the ceiling of the Bellagio hotels lobby in Las Vegas.

The lawn sculpture was installed in 2019 and in itself appeared not to foment any trouble. The dispute began when Gross and Schwartz installed netting this year to protect the work after it was damaged, according to legal filings and city records.

Gross and Schwartz in a lawsuit say more than $50,000 damage, apparently caused by a thrown rock, is evidence of an escalating campaign of vandalism; Towfiq and his wife say it was probably damaged by something falling on it.

Redacted emails released to The Times by the city of Laguna Beach indicated someone associated with Gross and Schwartz told a code enforcement officer the netting was temporary and was needed to protect the sculpture from trees and mother nature, and that a palm frond caused $100,000 in damage.

Towfiq and his wife, Carol Nakahara, in their lawsuit say the netting was at first removed intermittently but later remained up, with Gross and Schwartz avoiding attempts to resolve the problem. That prompted Towfiq to call the city, which inspected the property and sent Gross a letter July 28 informing him that the netting, lighting and sculpture lacked the proper permits.

The quarrel has escalated since then.

VIDEO | 01:01

Neighbor alleges bond investor Bill Gross played Gilligans Island theme on loop

What started as a fight over lawn art in Laguna Beach escalated into complaints that bond investor Bill Gross was playing music -- including the Gilligans Island theme song -- so loud it could be heard in his neighbors home.

The neighbors lawsuit accuses the billionaire and his partner of playing blaring music at all hours, including the Gilligans Island theme song, rap and pop, in an effort to force him to drop the complaint. The couple say they have had to take refuge twice either with relatives or in a hotel room. In an application for a temporary restraining order filed Oct. 15, which was granted, Towfiq cites a text message allegedly sent to him by Gross after he asked the music to be turned down: Peace on all fronts or well [sic] just have nightly concerts big boy.

Defendant William Gross is a 76-year-old billionaire used to getting his way no matter what. As proven by their behavior here, Gross and his decades-younger-girlfriend, defendant Amy Schwartz, are bullies, states the Superior Court lawsuit filed by Towfiq and his wife.

Gross and Schwartz, 51, actually beat their neighbors to the courthouse, filing their own lawsuit Oct. 13 and accusing Towfiq of developing an obsession with them, which included installing cameras directed at their property and peeping tom behaviors. In a request for a temporary restraining order filed last week that is pending, Gross said he had played music since moving into the property and felt trapped in my own home.

Defendant Towfiq appears to have a particular fascination not only with Mr. Gross but also Ms. Schwartz, particularly when the pair are swimming and thus wearing minimal, if any, clothing, states the lawsuit, which accuses Towfiq of invasion of privacy, among other causes of action.

Towfiq, in his temporary restraining order application, said that after Gross and Schwartz complained to a police officer that he had inappropriately recorded them, he told the officer he made the videos on his property and only to record their harassing noise violations and the intrusiveness of their unpermitted additions.

Schwartz issued a statement that the dispute was very upsetting to her because the sculpture, with its assorted blue pieces, was bought for her by Gross because her mother was ill.

Since I have no children of my own, they are like my babies. My mother, who has Alzheimers, and I pray to them and she enjoys looking at them because its her favorite color and makes her smile, she said in the statement.

Schwartz also said she and Gross were the best neighbors since they were at the house only about five days a month, for five months a year. She added that the noise from the nearby highway and ocean were a lot louder than their music.

Towfiq and his wife allege in their lawsuit that the harassment escalated to the point this month that loud music was played even when Gross and Schwartz were not home, apparently controlling their sound system remotely.

Neighborly disputes in Southern Californias wealthiest corners dont only involve celebrities and entertainers, such as Jim Belushi and Justin Bieber sometimes they include business leaders too.

One highly publicized case in 2017 ensnared KB Home Chief Executive Jeffrey Mezger, accused by Bel-Air neighbor and comedian Kathy Griffin of an obscene rant caught on tape over an allegedly noisy backyard party. The KB Home board announced it would dock his year-end bonus.

Nobody is docking Gross pay no matter what the outcome of this dispute. The bond investor retired last year and is worth an estimated $1.5 billion, according to Forbes. He made his vast fortune at Pimco, the Newport Beach bond house he co-founded in 1971 but left in an acrimonious 2014 split as returns fell and investors left.

Pimco co-founder Bill Gross speaks at an event.

(Tim Boyle / Bloomberg News)

Gross sued and accused a cabal of Pimco executives of pushing him out because of their lust for power, greed and a desire to improve their own financial position, while Pimco called Gross an abusive and disruptive force. The two sides reached a 2017 settlement that paid Gross family foundation $81 million, with the firm agreeing to honor its co-founder with various gestures, including creating an award that recognized his long history of philanthropy. Gross contributed $19 million to the foundation as part of the settlement, and this year signed the Giving Pledge, which requires signatories to give away the majority of their wealth.

Around the same time, he went through an acrimonious divorce from his second wife, with both sides obtaining restraining orders and Sue Gross accusing him of turning over a separate Laguna Beach home to her in utter chaos and disrepair, including infusing it with puke and fart smells dispensed from spray bottles. In a mea culpa, Gross admitted in a Financial Times interview last year that he bought the spray at a drugstore and wasnt even sure why he did it, though he alluded to the strain of a divorce that had gotten very ugly.

Towfiq, 56, an Orange County businessman who owned a data center operator, is no stranger to defending his property rights in court. He bought the South Coast Highway property in 2009 hoping to build his dream home in the exclusive Rockledge neighborhood. But he first had to endure a protracted legal battle with a neighbor who opposed the project, citing its proximity, effect on coastal access and other issues. The neighbor tried to get the City Council and California Coastal Commission to stop the project and took legal action, but Towfiq ultimately prevailed.

The home also raised eyebrows because of its design by prominent modernist architect Mark Singer. After it was completed, though, the home with its spectacular views, 2,000-square-foot covered patio and infinity edge pool received a glowing write-up in the Orange County Register. The paper lauded Singer, who died in 2015, for creating structures that harmonized with nature while at the same time making a bold, contemporary claim to the space they occupy.

The Dale Chihuly sculpture with protective netting on the property of Bill Gross and his partner, lighted up in the evening and seen from his neighbors home.

(Mark Towfiq)

Gross made his own news when the Register reported in 2018 he had picked up the property next door for $32 million, just a month after buying another seaside Laguna Beach property for nearly $36 million. A spokesman said he jointly owned the Rockledge property with Schwartz.

The 10,000-square-foot home, dubbed Rockledge-by-the-Sea, features a nearly 3,000-square-foot master suite, gym, wine-display room and commercial-grade elevator, according to the paper. Gross has other museum-quality art inside and outside the mansion, including one of Robert Indianas famous Love statues.

A hearing on Towfiqs request to convert the temporary restraining order into a lengthier civil harassment order is set for Nov. 2. Meanwhile, Gross has been given an extension until Nov. 16 to seek the proper permits, which a spokesman said were being pursued.

Neither Towfiq nor Gross agreed to be interviewed, according to their representatives.

Read more from the original source:
Neighbor alleges Bill Gross blared Gilligan's Island theme - Los Angeles Times

About Time: Fashion and Duration at the Metropolitan Museum of Arts Costume Institute seems somehow fated.

Thursdays official opening was bumped from early May, due to the museums months-long closure due to the coronavirus. First and foremost, About Time is a celebration of The Mets 150th anniversary, and the endurance of fashion. But the coronavirus has given the theme greater relevance and resonance, as much of the world has grown to look at the passage, or shiftlessness, of time so differently as they slog or stride through the pandemic.

During a preview Saturday afternoon, Andrew Bolton, Wendy Yu curator in charge at the Costume Institute, said museum-goers may now be more inclined to look at the show and see what has endured and how that has happened, whether that be in regards to a sleeve, the chemise or the bustle. The time of the mind is very different from the time of the clock. That is what I thought a lot about, especially in lockdown, Bolton said.

One of the starting points for the show was the fact that world standardized time was created in the same decade that The Met was founded.

The shows layout is structured around the sparring concepts of temporality by Henri Bergson and Charles Baudelaire, who coined the term modernity and considered fashion to be the hallmark of it, Bolton said. Bergson introduced the concept of pure duration in 1889, believing the past and present coexist in a continuous flow. Baudelaires view was the past and present are divisible, with the present succeeding the past.

Set up to reflect 60 minutes of fashion, there are 60 groupings of two ensembles each. Baudelaires temporality is presented as a linear, chronological timeline of those fashions from 1870 to the present day, drenched in black to accentuate their silhouettes and the timelessness of fashion progression. Bergsons temporality consists of 60 interruptions or disruptions that predate or post-date those in the Baudelaire timeline, but often reflect shapes, materials, techniques and decorations that illustrate Bergsons notion of endurance. Each minute has one ensemble reflecting the Baudelaire timeline and a second disruptor ensemble representative of the Bergson one. Black index notches on the bottom edges relate to the Baudelaire timeline and those on the top edge show the Bergson one. What time is it?

The first gallery is dark and somber with the pendulum of an Es Devlin-designed clock suspended and swinging from the ceiling. The white-walled second gallery is covered with mirrors that create a kaleidoscopic look of enduring designer fashion or perhaps a reflection of fast fashion.

Acknowledging how the pandemic has heightened the About Time theme, Bolton said the fashion industry has always been driven by time and the exhibit is a way of slowing things down. Fashion is reflecting this accelerated pace of time with technology and everything being so digitally connected 24/7. But fashion has reflected this need for immediacy and instantaneousness [for a while]. The production of fashion has had to speed up, the circulation of fashion has turned up and the consumption has sped up so some of this is about slowing down, Bolton said.

With that, he exited the multimirrored second gallery and its innumerable reflections of the garments on display and turned a corner to the finale look a white Viktor & Rolf made from swatches collected over the years. The design is a nod to sustainability, noting how their couture collections for the past four years have been comprised of surplus fabrics. I love the simplicity of it. The silhouette suggests a pre-modern year. But apart from that, the act of quilt making and patchwork is about shared labor, community and collaboration. Its an example of conscious creativity and the need to slow things down, Bolton said.

An American mourning dress from 1870 the first item visitors will see in the show might do the trick. The choice appears to be a double entendre, given the current tumult worldwide. The elaborate dress is displayed in profile to show its raised-waist, floor-length skirt and bustle. It is exhibited with a 1939 Elsa Schiaparelli black felt evening dress, her then-updated take on the bustle. One of Boltons favorite pairings is an American afternoon dress from 1876 paired with Alexander McQueens bumster skirt that gives a new twist on the process line. Charles Frederick Worth first designed it for Princess Alexandra of Denmark.

Cristbal Balenciaga, Jonathan Anderson, Iris van Herpen, Rudi Gernreich, Bou Soeurs, Norman Norrell, Malcolm McLaren, Jun Takahashi, Rei Kawakubo, Marc Jacobs, Gianni Versace, Issey Miyake, Charles James, Nicolas Ghesquiere, Georgina Godley, Gabrielle Chanel, Karl Lagerfeld, Thom Browne, Kei Ninomiya and Olivier Rousteing are among the designers featured in the show. While some may see a whats-old-is-new undercurrent or direct design inspiration, Bolton said the show is more about endurance and portraying connections over time such as how the bow motif has endured. Ditto for deconstruction, which the Punk movement created in the Seventies. Its about the recirculation of ideas, and the reappropriation of ideas. Thats what the tensions are trying to tease out with the timeline, he said.

Walking through the exhibit, what needs to be reflected on is fashions dominant ideologies like change, power, class, whiteness. They all need to be addressed, and this is a time when we can do that and have mad ideas, Bolton said. Why doesnt fashion week happen in one city every year like the Olympic Games? It could be Johannesburg one year that celebrates fashion, rejuvenates a city and decentralizes fashion, and decolonizes fashion obviously. Its a time to think radically and thoughtfully. What you dont want to do is think rashly and think quickly. You dont want to replace one bias with another bias. Its time for radical change but thoughtful change.

Referring to the choice of black as the exhibits predominant color, he said, The color black has so many connotations of authority and power, but also chicness and elegance. Its a meditation on the color black, and also on fashion and temporality. Its also appropriate. Can you imagine if we did Camp this year? It would have been a disaster, Bolton said with a laugh, referring to last years Costume Institute exhibit. This show has a quietness, a reflective and contemplative quality that the show certainly helps with.

After Black Lives Matter gained momentum, Bolton reconsidered the curation and added more styles from Black designers. The initial plan had been to select iconic pieces or the most quintessential silhouette of a specific period on a timeline. I wasnt thinking about race, ethnicity, gender or sexuality. I was really looking at it purely aesthetically. Black Lives Matter made me realize it cant not be. When you work on any show going forward, it has to be part of your intellectual framework. It has benefited the show tremendously, Bolton said.

He was thrilled to add an ensemble from Hood By Airs Shayne Oliver. Shaynes tricky to get a hold of because hes such an independent thinker. He has so many interests. Weve tried to work with Shayne in the past and his interests have been elsewhere. Its been lovely to work with him, Bolton said.

A Stephen Burrows black dress with lettuce edging in red top stitching was another addition after Bolton found it on 1stdibs last summer. Another non-museum find that is displayed is a Patrick Kelly dress that is embellished with a heart-shaped motif. That one was procured on Etsy. The Met has pieces from Burrows and Kelly. However, major museums have been criticized for their limited archival work from Black designers.

Off-Whites Virgil Abloh was part of the initial roster for the Louis Vuitton-sponsored show. A long-sleeved black dress imprinted with Little Black Dress in white lettering that he designed is presented with one from Coco Chanel.

Working from home last spring had its challenges, since using the museums database doesnt give you a sense of proportions or color, Bolton said. Being homebound had upsides, too. It allowed me to respond to current events, which I would have never done otherwise. Thats been a huge plus, he said.

The antithesis of that may be Bertha Black Lewrys 1943 dinner suit that was re-created from a mans tailcoat suit from 1929. The repurposing was done in response to the U.S. restrictions on textiles at that time and Harpers Bazaar tasked the designer with the repurposing challenge. Lewrys look is partnered with a Martin Margiela broadcloth and silk satin jacket from 2000. Nearby, another type of fashion endurance is on view a Madame Grs gown that a client commissioned, after visiting her in Paris during the war to reassure her that couture was thriving. As fashion shifts more to sustainability, longevity is a key aspect, Bolton said.

Eighty-five percent of the items are from the museums permanent collection, more than 10 percent were gifts from designers in honor of The Mets anniversary and there were a few loaners, such as a Saint Laurent Broken Mirrors evening jacket that paid homage to the one Schiaparelli created decades earlier, using panes from hand mirrors that evoked Versailles Hall of Mirrors.

The Met, like many global cultural institutions, is dealing with significant economic challenges after months of being closed. It reopened two months ago with advanced ticketing and 25 percent of its normal capacity. A number of visitors were milling around the second floor on Saturday afternoon but weekday traffic is said to be more sparse. While About Times opening was postponed for five months, The Met Gala was canceled altogether this year. Already at work on next years Costume Institute show, Bolton had to juggle his time between that and About Time.

Wall text has intentionally been kept to a minimum and printed guides are obsolete due to COVID-19. For the first time, visitors can use a QR code to access a body of text on their smartphones that can also be read before or after.

Knowing travel restrictions and health concerns will keep many would-be visitors from walking through The Mets Fifth Avenue doors, a video has been created of the exhibit for its site. There are other digital and audio additions. Upon entering About Time, visitors will hear Nicole Kidmans voice hauntingly reading from Virginia Woolfs Orlando. Woolf serves as the ghost narrator with time-centered quotes from her books featured throughout the show. The authors changing view of time from the chronological to one centered on inner duration is what Bolton would like gallery-goers to leave with.

Kidman isnt the only Oscar-winning actress, who lent her voice to the museum. Her costars from The Hours Meryl Streep and Julianne Moore also chimed in. After cooking up the idea to pipe into the galleries Philip Glass music from the film, Bolton wondered if the three lead actresses would be game. Streep was the first to oblige, recording her reading in her kitchen with a clock ticking in the background. Nervous about getting Kidman and Moore, who were busy on location with projects, Bolton said. It was Meryl, who said, Why dont you ask them to record it into their iPhones? It will be easier for them and they wont have to go to a recording studio. Thats how they did it. Thats what youre hearing. So, thanks Meryl.

Another stroke of synergy came from Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Michael Cunningham, who penned a short story titled Out of Time for the About Time catalogue. His book The Hours inspired the film.

Not everything ran like clockwork, though: Bolton had wanted to stage the exhibit as a maze and lined up Es Devlin, the artist and lighting designer, to design one. After word came back that the fire department would not approve, Bolton decided to do a clock instead and Devlin scrapped the maze model and went to work.

If the literal ticking of her clock feels a little like Fritz Langs Metropolis, thats not by chance. Standardized time is so connected to the ideology of modernity, which Metropolis is all about. Fashion, to me, is the purest expression of modernity, and ephemerality, change and progress. More than any other art form, fashion is able to turn so quickly. Thats whats so nice to walk around it [the pendulum] you see emphatically the Fifties, the Thirties, the Twenties. It just takes you right there.

Sometimes revisiting the past is not well-received. Although John Galliano, who remains a controversial figure in fashion, is one of the few featured designers to have more than one selection, Bolton said he wasnt concerned. If you look at Johns work from the Nineties, his Masai or Orient Express collections for Dior, the cultural appropriations read so different now. I was looking at the coverage of Johns work during that period. There was not one mention of cultural appropriation, whereas now that would be a story.

Describing Galliano as a technical genius, Bolton is interested in doing an exhibit that looks back at designers approaches to controversial collections as well as peoples reception. Gallianos personal actions have also made him controversial, namely due to a videotaped anti-Semitic rant for which he was sentenced in France and later apologized for.

Bolton said, Its hard because you could go through the whole museum and look at artists [work] with controversial backgrounds or issues. I think what we have to do is perhaps to play it forward to address them all and contextualize them all. I am not a great fan of taking things out of history. Id much rather have an exhibit and address issues. If we are able to have an exhibit down the line and globally, I do think thats important, for sure.

Read more from WWD:

Mets Costume Institute Outlines About Time Fashion Exhibition

Everyone Is Invited Virtually to the 2020 Met Gala

Celebrities Share Met Gala Throwback Photos Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

WATCH: Met Gala Red Carpet All-Stars

See the article here:
The Met Gets Ready to Unveil 'About Time: Fashion and Duration' - WWD

After the success of the first Mighty Ducks film, Disney immediately ordered up another serving and cranked it through production at amazing speed. InD2: The Mighty Ducks, the stakes are upped to a national level when the team is recruited to represent all of the United States. Now, we know this story is about our favorite youth hockey team, and they're the bee's knees, but it's a big leap to have recruitment for Team USA consist of grabbing an entire team whose only major victory is a single peewee hockey title.

The writers do a decent job of explaining the whole process by wrapping the recruitment in public relations. In that regard, it makes a bit of sense: People do love a feel-good story, and the miracle of the Ducks is a tearjerker. Still, it's unlikely that the reputation of the entire country would be placed on the shoulders of a team comprised mostly of some random kids from Minnesota.

Added to the lack of logic is the shortcomings of all the new additions. The speedster has trouble stopping. The puck handler won't stop showboating. The muscle is a testosterone-loaded bully. It's hard to believe that recruitment surrounding Team USA would consist of the Ducks and a few random players from Texas and the Olympic figure skating awards stand.And we obviously have to keep Goldberg on as the goalie because, well, it's Goldberg. Any kid will tell you to not look too much into it.

Read more:
Things only adults notice in The Mighty Ducks franchise - Looper

Pokemon Sword and Shield's latest DLC expansion Crown Tundra will feature the Legendary Bird Trio, which will be found roaming around the region.

Pokemon Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra expansion will have the Galarian legendary birds roaming around the new region. Encounters with Galarian Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres function similarly to how players found the Legendary dogs in the Johto region.

The latest DLC for Pokemon Sword and Shield is the secondstory-driven installmentof the Expansion Pass, after the Isle of Armor earlier this year.Trainers can access the new, snowy area of Galaras soon asthey reach Wedgehurst.

RELATED: Leak Suggests Game Freak Planned More Kalos Pokemon Games

Trainerscan catch the legendary Galarian birdsby starting the quest "A Legendary Tree of a Legendary Three." This begins with a cutscene showing a massive pink tree, and then showing the bird trio getting into a fight. Suddenly, the legendaries spot the trainer and scatter, leaving trails across the Crown Tundra. From there the three birds -whose Shinies have just been revealed- can be tracked, chased, and eventually caught in a manner similar to the Pokemon Gold and Silver games.

One of the biggest draws about the Crown Tundra DLC is the fact that it has practically every single legendary Pokemon in the game. This comes with a catch, however, in the form of Dynamax Adventures. These require players to team up with three other trainers, venturing deep into dens to fighthordes ofDynamaxed Pokemon. The final battle will pit players against a Legendary.

Articuno, Zapdos, and Moltres in Galarian form is sure to catch the eye of Pokemon fans both new and old. The additions of Isle of Armor and now Crown Tundra have madeSword and Shield one of developer Game Freak's most impressive entries in the franchise, but there are those who say that Pokemon Gold and Silverare still the most ambitious Pokmon games ever.

The new region acts like one giant Wild Area, sharing a similar structureto Isle of Armor. Trainerswho are looking to stock up on items beforeadventuring off into the Crown Tundra should check out this Isle of Armor trick which grants infinite money.

Pokemon Sword and ShieldCrown Tundra DLC releases October 22 on Nintendo Switch.

MORE: Everything You Need To Know Before Playing Pokemon Sword and Shield's Crown Tundra DLC

Source: GameInformer

Cyberpunk 2077 Breaks Release Date Promise to Fan Who Took Days Off Work, Twitter Storm Ensues

Read the rest here:
Pokemon Sword and Shield Legendary Bird Trio Are Found in the Wild - GameRant

The Dewey Beach Lifesaving Station is set to get a much-needed new roof, as commissioners voted Oct. 9 to accept a $13,624 proposal from low bidder Spicer Bros. to install architectural shingles.

Interim Town Manager Jim Dedes said he obtained six bids from contractors on cedar, metal or asphalt shingles. He said metal was ruled out because it wouldn't match aesthetically, leaving the best choice between asphalt and cedar, which currently covers the roof.

Dedes said some bidders didnt recommend cedar because the building sits next to the ocean, and other bids for cedar shingles were cost-prohibitive.

Dedes said he was told the current roofs cedar shingles were installed incorrectly; roofers used too many nails, which split the shingles. The current roof was installed before his time, and there is likely no warranty at this point, he said.

The price will likely go up a bit if roofers need to replace plywood underneath the shingles, Dedes said. The town could get a 40-year manufacturer warranty, or pay extra for a 50-year warranty. Spicer Bros. will install the roof, and the shingle manufacturer will inspect it to ensure installation was done correctly, he said.

Dewey Beach Building Official Daune Hinks said the building is in a wind-borne debris zone right next to the ocean, and that architectural asphalt shingles have a greater protection rating.

Commissioner Gary Persinger said he had 15 years of experience with a cedar shake roof in Dewey Beach.

It was not a pleasant experience, Persinger said, noting that repair issues always arose regarding the correct kind of nails and contractor qualifications. He said he favored architectural-grade asphalt shingles, some of which have the appearance of cedar.

Commissioner David Jasinski abstained from voting on the type of shingles. He said the building is supposed to be a historic replica, and that shingles will make a significant difference in its appearance.

Commissioners agreed that if Spicer Bros. cant install the roof within 60 days, the next-lowest bidder will be approached. Commissioners voted unanimously to pay for the roof from the general fund.

The station overlooks the ocean at the end of Dagsworthy Avenue, and it is a 1988 replica of the original building that was commissioned as the Rehoboth Beach Lifesaving Station in 1878. The original station was decommissioned in 1947, and was moved firstto the Forgotten Mile, where it was converted into a private home, and latermoved to Shipcarpenter Square in Lewes, where it was restored as a home and still stands today.

The rest is here:
Dewey Lifesaving Station roof to be replaced - CapeGazette.com

For most householders the idea of garden ornamentation goes no further than a few gnomes or some hanging baskets.

But things were a little different at Wentworth Woodhouse, created in an era when outdoor fashion was influenced by the likes of Capability Brown rather than television makeover shows.

The stately home - with the longest frontage of any house in the country - was a byword for lavish oppulence when it was created by the Fitzwilliam family on the back of profits from coal mining in the 18th Century and was built in the Rotherham village of Wentworth.

And now it is undergoing the biggest current restoration project after the Houses of Parliament, details of the level of extravagance have emerged.

A year-long project to replace the roof has now come to an end and in addition to making the building watertight, it has involved restoring a series of 20 giant stone urns and imposing statues which decorate the roof.

The design of the building means they are out of bounds for close inspection and can be seen - at best - by staring skywards from the ground.

That did not stop the Fitzwilliams demanding the best, however, regardless of the engineering feats which must have been needed to hoist them into place.

Today, modern cranes have been employed to take the urns down for restoration but the statues are so large they were left in position as work was done to preserve them for the future.

Despite the challenges of replacing a stately home's roof, the project was opened up for public viewings with walkways suitable for disabled access, which gave a rare glimpse of the house from a unique viewpoint.

The restoration is being conducted by the Wentworth Woodhouse Consveration Trust, which took over the house recently. It has been in private ownership for decades wit public access severely limited and was in a state of decay, needing a hugely expensive package of work, largely being financed by grants.

Woodhead Construction were called in for the roofing job, a project which quantity surveyor Amy Stamford does not expect to be bettered during her career.

Even constructing the scaffolding which allowed access to the roof, under a plastic tent, was a logistical challenge as it had to be a free-standing structure unsupported by the house.

Amy said: "The scaffolding was one of the biggest problems, just to make it work, because it is not tied into the building.

"The roof and structural repairs are one of the biggest risks because until we undid it, we did not know what it would be like.

"We thought it would be nasty, but in fact it was in good condition.

"Building sites are generally not open to the public, but then they came up with the public walkways and the guys on site have been able to show their families what we have done. That is something the don't generally get to do," she said.

The stone urns were pinned together and had deteriorated, with some needing total replacement.

It appears the house had been hit by lightning at some point, due to damage to two urns and a statue.

While the Fitzwilliams may have been sticklers for the finest in decorative terms, not everything was done to perfection.

Leaks in the roof were blamed on insufficent drainage capacity, leaving water standing for too long, rather than serious faults with the roof itself. That flaw has been corrected as part of the restoration.

Link:
Secrets of a stately home's hidden indulgence revealed as roof is replaced - Yorkshire Live

Author Irene Richardson - October 24, 2020October 24, 2020UMAMI, a new sushi and Thai restaurant, will occupy the space previously housed by Babalu. Photo via Jacob Blankenship for Bham Now

Lakeview has the drinks, the dancing and now the area will have a staple weve all been missing. The owners of Nori Thai and Sushi and Shikiare moving into the 29Seven mixed-use development with plans to open a new Asian restaurant, UMAMI.

The restauranteurs partnered withRetail Specialists Lyndsy Yim to find the ideal spot for UMAMI. Its new home is the former space of Babalu. The Mexican restaurant. which specialized in tapas and small plates, closed in March of this year.

While we were sad to wave goodbye, we cant help but be excited to hear the news something delicious is filling the space (and our stomachs).

The Lakeview area has been missing an Asian concept and UMAMI fits perfect into our overall strategy to bring unique concepts to the development.

The joint Thai and sushi restaurant is set to be a hit and were already texting the group chat for dinner plans. Have you eaten at Nori or Shikki before? I think its safe to say we can trust the talent from those kitchens will be carry over to Lakeview.

But, its just the beginning for what Retail Specialists, the local real estate firm who owns the property, envisions for the growing neighborhood. The team recognizes Lakeview as a unique part of Birmingham that welcomes families and young professionals alike. So, their focus aims to cater to both sets of people.

Our focus is on bringing concepts that will bring consumers to 29-7 during the day and after work during the weekwe want it to be a destination seven days a week

Lakeview is in such a great part of Birmingham positioned closed to Avondale and Downtown. Its perfect for families during the day to have lunch, but poised for happy hours and nightlife as well for young professionals.

Lakeview has been on a roll lately and it doesnt seem like thats going to stop any time soon. The Purple Onion brought its Mediterranean eats to the area just this month. Also, Magic City Wellness moved into space previously occupied by Baptist Health Systems.

Not every addition has been accompanied by a roof and four walls. Crosstown scooters made Lakeview go mobile with its motorized scooters that are now available at Nails Convenience Store.

While we not-so-patiently wait for UMAMI to open, swing by Nori Thai and Sushi or Shiki for takeout or dine-in and get a preview of what we might see on the menu. If theres one thing Im sure can solve anything, its a bowl of Panang curry.

Related

Excerpt from:
Former Babalu space to be replaced by new Asian restaurant in Lakeview - Bham Now