Tennessee State Parks to host virtual bike ride across the state
Tennessee’s annual Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee (BRAT) is going virtual this year. During the virtual month-long event, which takes place September 1- 30, riders can log their miles on lovetoride.net as part of the Bicycle Ride Across Tennessee Cycling Club. The goal is for participants to ride 688 miles, the distance from Bristol to Memphis, in the month of September. Because this year is the 31st annual BRAT, the club has a goal of 31,000 miles collectively. Tennessee State Parks to host virtual bike ride across the state The brook floater, a state-endangered freshwater mussel, was recently reintroduced into waters it hasn’t inhabited in more than 100 years, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission said in a news release. In July, agency biologists stocked approximately 350 brook floaters downstream of Lake James in the Catawba River. The last time a brook floater was documented in this stretch of river was 1919, shortly before the impoundment of Lake James. Photo: Night scene with starry sky and meteorite trail over forest. Long exposure shoot by Eshma Biologists introduce freshwater mussel into Catawba River after an absence of 100+ years “This is a great event for cyclists across our state, and the virtual format will allow everyone to participate while still practicing social distancing,” Jim Bryson, deputy commissioner of the Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation, said in a news release. “It’s a way to maintain personal goals but still follow safety guidelines in light of COVID-19.” Mussel species have a high extinction rate, especially in the last few decades. In North Carolina alone, there are 48 species of mussel, 30 of which are listed as endangered, threatened or special concern. “Mussels are important because they help keep our waters clean,” said T.R. Russ, the lead Commission biologist.
By Lee Rials, WHINSEC Public Affairs May 09, 2017 The Western Hemisphere Institute for Security Cooperation’s (WHINSEC) Command & General Staff Officers Course (CGSOC) filled its annual Current Operations Discussion Panels with experts on topics relating to responses to humanitarian crises and disasters from April 4th-6th. Experts from among active and retired senior leaders, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Department of State, Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, the non-governmental organization Team Rubicon, the Department of the Army G-3/5/7, U.S. Northern Command, U.S. Army North, U.S. Southern Command, U.S. Army South, the Inter-American Air Forces Academy, and the U.S. Coast Guard discussed Defense Support to Civil Authorities (DSCA) and disaster response in general. The 66 CGSOC students from the U.S., Canada, and 11 other nations, and their instructors were the primary audience as such events as Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Haiti earthquake, the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, and river floods were addressed in terms of government and non-governmental agencies working together. Natural disaster and humanitarian assistance crises are considered by most Caribbean and Central and South American governments and their people as daily threats to life, rule of law, and stability. In the United States, storms, fires, and floods are frequent occurrences requiring response from all levels of our governments. The CGSOC sponsors these discussions each year, and the topic this year was particularly apropos because one of the key presenters did not come because he stayed in Louisiana to organize response to violent storms that occurred just before the panels. These presentations and discussions increase the ability of WHINSEC CGSOC students to plan, respond, and conduct DSCA and Humanitarian Assistance / Disaster Response operations.
As the result of a recent study that found one in seven Americans are dependent on food stamps, the Graduate Student Government has started the Food Stamp Challenge, a monthlong initiative part of Trojans Unite Against Hunger, a USC-led campaign to stop hunger in the United States.Dean of Social Work Marilyn Flynn and the Dean of Religious Life Varun Soni are among more than sixty participants who have opted to take the challenge for one to four days. Participants are limited to spending only $4 per day.“It’s pretty rough,” said Blas Villalobos, a graduate student studying social work. “You actually have to take a look at what you’re eating when you get hungry. Unfortunately, two or three days of this doesn’t really compare to what some people go through on a daily basis.”Of the more than 45 million people who use food stamps, 47 percent are children, according to the Department of Agriculture.“It’s so easy for us to walk into a store and say, ‘That’s the kind of bread and peanut butter I want, because it’s better for me,’” said Sarah Young, a graduate student studying social work. “For so many people, though, that’s just not an option.”Jason Lipeles, a coordinator of the Food Stamp Challenge, said that one of the toughest parts about living on food stamps is getting adequate nutrition.“When I went shopping for the challenge, I noticed that because I was looking for cheap produce, it tended to be low quality,” Lipeles said. “There definitely wasn’t any organic produce.”D’Andre Holland, GSG director of community service and special events, said she hopes the initiative will foster awareness and promote action among USC students.“We still have a long way to go as far as poverty is concerned,” Holland said. “If we can throw food away every 10 to 20 minutes, why are so many people still hungry?”Kevin Anderson, GSG vice president-elect, said GSG is planning other social awareness campaigns this semester.
After a pair of wins over the weekend, the University of Wisconsin volleyball team (6-4, 2-0 Big Ten) faces perhaps their toughest stretch of the season with matchups against No. 5 Penn State and No. 2 Nebraska.Both the Penn State Nittany Lions (9-2, 2-0 Big Ten) and the Nebraska Cornhuskers (10-1, 2-0 Big Ten) pose major threats to the Badgers’ impressive start to Big Ten play. Their combined three losses have all come from ranked opponents.The Badgers will not face another test this grueling until late November when they face the two teams consecutively once again.Women’s Volleyball: Kelly Sheffield shines light on team depth for upcoming seasonThe University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball team recently began their regular season schedule. Hopefully, this season will be one of Read…A successful week will require a few key factors — sustained defensive effort, service aces and the Molly Haggerty who showed up against Indiana on Sunday afternoon.After allowing a .457 hitting percentage against Washington, the Badgers buckled down on defense this weekend holding Purdue and Indiana to a combined .133 hitting percentage.Head Coach Kelly Sheffield pointed to the improved defense in his press conference Monday.“I think we were reading the game a little bit better. I thought our effort in the backcourt was really much better than what it has been,” Sheffield said. “We weren’t getting a ton of stuff blocked at times, but I thought our touches were positives.”Penn State and Nebraska both pose major threats to this goal with their potent offenses hitting .285 and .243, respectively, despite schedules loaded with ranked opponents.Women’s Volleyball: Wisconsin looks to take a step forward after Elite Eight exit last seasonThe University of Wisconsin women’s volleyball team just got their season underway following the Big Ten/ACC Challenge against Florida State Read…The Badgers have overcome poor defensive performances this year with their dominance at the service line. To beat teams of this caliber, they will need to balance both.Wisconsin is third in the Big Ten in aces per set with 1.69 thanks in large part to freshman Izzy Ashburn. But middle blocker Dana Rettke and libero Tiffany Clark have combined for 23 sets on their own.Penn State has only allowed four or more aces in two matches this season — those two matches were their only losses on the season.The Cornhuskers have allowed the second-fewest aces per set in the Big Ten trailing only the Nittany Lions.Volleyball: All-American Rettke remains hungry following summer with Team USAJunior Dana Rettke has been one of the most intimidating forces in college volleyball for over two years now. A Read…Lastly, the Badgers need outside hitter Molly Haggerty to complement Rettke with special performances.Haggerty has struggled to return to her freshman season from where she received the Big Ten Freshman of the Year honor. After a back injury forced her to redshirt in 2017, she struggled to regain footing in 2018, but the Molly of old has been seen in flashes recently.The matchup with Penn State is at the UW Fieldhouse starting at 8 p.m. and the Nebraska contest is at 7 p.m. in Lincoln, Nebraska. Both matches can be seen on Big Ten Network or listened to on 100.9 FM.
Before the results of last weeks scramble are announced, I have been informed that one players contribution to the previous weeks winning team was inadvertently omitted from last weeks report. Noel Kiernan showed his greenside skills to finish off the work of his team mates, and sink putts from all angles on several greens. As we all know, especially in scrambles, driving is for show but the serious business of the game is on the greens, and Noel proved he has it where it counts, so well done to all three on their victory. On to this week, and the duo of Damian Gallagher and John McClafferty were first on the winners podium again,joined by Paddy Lynch and Denis Deeney. While no detail is available at the moment on how they carved out their victory, they somehow managed to conjure up a winning score of seven under par, to nip the competition by the narrowest of margins. Another near miss for the rest of the field of competitors, but another chance comes along this Sunday at 11.45 for a 12 noon tee-off at Otway. GOLF NEWS: OTWAY GOLF CLUB NOTES was last modified: November 5th, 2012 by StephenShare this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)Click to share on Skype (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Tags:OTWAY GOLF CLUB NOTES