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| University Awards: Jerry Hulick 73 | Virginia Tech News | Virginia Tech |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (7 reads) | |
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University awards: jerry hulick 73
i was invited to speak at one of the alumni events, and i was so nervous that all of these distinguished alumni were going to be there. And i sat next to jerry and he just put me so at ease. He was the type of person that, like, immediately put me at ease and made me feel comfortable. It becomes clear very quickly that hes always thinking about how to help other people. I know jerry largely through his service on the deans roundtable. One of the things about jerry thats really special in terms of virginia tech is, i dont know that we have that many alumni been recognized in the hall of distinction in two different colleges, and that hes been equally active for both the college of liberal arts and sciences and the college of science. Jerry hulick, a 1973 graduate of virginia tech, built a distinguished career in financial services, retiring as a general agent of the washington group of mass mutual. His professional path was defined not only by leadership, but by a deep commitment to helping others navigate complex financial futures. A dedicated hokie, hulick has remained closely connected to virginia tech through years of service and philanthropy, supporting initiatives that reflect the universitys mission of uprising, driven by a passion for advocacy. He has focused much of his work on supporting individuals with special needs and their families. His impact continues through his support of the virginia tech autism clinic, helping expand access, research and opportunity for the community. Jerry has funded our mobile autism clinic, which is essentially a van that has been converted so that we are able to travel to different parts of rural southwest virginia. A couple of years ago, the roof blew off. Jerry just immediately came to our aid once he heard what had happened. Jerry really does care about the virginia tech community. Jerry really does care about autistic individuals and their families and the greater autism community. And i think that is what makes him very special. Hes had a huge impact on me personally, and also on the students and the people that i work with through the autism clinic, because he believes in what we do. And when you have somebody who believes in you. It helps you to keep believing in yourself and what you do. I cant really think of the stronger example of the spirit of the pros of and hes a walking, talking distillation of that at its best. And i think that youd find few people better positioned to be deserving of this award, what makes jerry unique again is the service, not just one college in an exceptional way, but to two. Hes not just concerned about what can be done now to help people, but what can we continue to do to help them, like, thrive throughout their lives? I just wanted to say congratulations directly to jerry for a well-deserved award. And thank you so much from the bottom of our hearts for your unwavering support and encouragement for everything that we do at virginia tech. |
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| COMMUNITY DIGEST: July 19, 2026 |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (8 reads) | |
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Luzerne county wyoming valley chapter of the embroiderers’ guild of america public stitch-in: 10 a.M. To noon saturday, july 25. Barnes and noble bookstore, arena hub plaza, wilkes-barre twp. Public is welcome to bring something to stitch along or to stop by and see what the group is stitching.
back mountain roast beef dinner: 4:30 to 6:30 p.M wednesdays, july 22 and aug. 26. Northmoreland volunteer fire company, 1618 demunds road, centermoreland. Roast beef, real mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetable and dessert.
fire company bingo: doors and kitchen open 5:30 p.M. Monday, july 27. Northmoreland volunteer fire company, 1618 demunds road, centermoreland. No rsvp needed, but appreciated. For information, call jim at 570-520-9741.
dallas lions club hosts fourth annual frank g rollman memorial golf tournament: registration, 12:30 p.M.; Tee time, 1:30 p.M. Friday, aug. 14. Irem temple country club, dallas. Dinner and awards held at appletree terrace, dallas. Supports charitable and service organizations and scholarships. For information, contact any dallas lions club member, lion don berlew at 570-760-6147 or lion julie persing at 570-954-0446.
irem ladies host purse/cash bingo: doors open noon; games start 1 p.M. Sunday, aug. 16. Irem pavilion, dallas. Basket raffles, 50/50, food, and drink available for purchase. No outside food or drinks permitted. Proceeds to benefit the irem ladies and purchases are not tax-deductible. Presale tickets, $25; at the door, $30. Tickets available at the irem shrine, dallas, and j madison salon, kingston, or call linda at 570-606-9230. No outside food permitted.
dupont dupont neighborhood crime watch hosts community 250th celebration: 4 to 8 p.M. Saturday, july 25. Dupont park. Music, food, games; touch-a-truck, raffle baskets, food trucks, scavenger hunt, duck pond and facing the giants band, craft and art vendors. Raffle baskets can be donated up to the day of the event.
home association’s sock hop dinner-dance: rsvp deadline, friday, sept. 11; event, 4:30 to 10 p.M. Saturday, sept. 12. Dupont veterans of foreign wars post 4909. Dinner; music by luongo brothers band; cash bar. Cost, $30. Donations of calf socks, preferably white, will be collected for area veterans. For tickets, see or call bob at the post or 570-472-1152.
edwardsville edwardsville hometown committee’s junk in the trunk flea market: setup, 7 a.M.; Sale, 8 a.M. To 1 p.M. Saturday, aug. 15. John hopkins memorial park, edwardsville. Cost, $10 per vehicle; pay on arrival in exact change. Preregister at edwpierogi@gmail.Com with name and number of spaces needed. Refreshment stand will be open.
forty fort annual indoor/outdoor craft and flea market: 8 a.M. To 2 p.M. Saturday, sept. 5. Forty fort united methodist church, 10 yeager ave., Forty fort. Vendors sought; non-refundable fee, $25 for indoor or outdoor space. For applications, contact fortyfortumc@gmail.Com, 570-287-3840 or 570-371-1460. For information, visit www.Fortyfortchurch.Org.
third annual forty fort cemetery run through history: 9 a.M. Saturday, sept. 12. Forty fort cemetery grounds. Raises money for the operation and upkeep of the historic cemetery and forty fort meeting house. Features a 5k run, 10k run, 5k walk (with a shortcut) and kids run. Runners and walkers who register will receive a commemorative medal; registrants by midnight aug. 31 receive a t-shirt. All participants will be chip-timed. Awards and festivities, 11 a.M. With live music and food truck. Walking tours of the cemetery and meeting house led by local historians. Early registration, walk and 5k, $25; 10k, $35; fees increase after july 31. For registration link and information, visit forty fort cemetery 5k / 10k / walk on facebook.
hanover twp. Big tent bazaar: 5 p.M. (After 4 p.M. Mass) to midnight saturday, july 18; 4 to 10 p.M. Sunday, july 19. Exaltation of the holy cross parish, 420 main road, buttonwood, hanover township. Famous homemade potato pancakes, halushki, clam chowder, whimpies, potato pierogi, farmer’s cheese pierogi, piggies, pulled pork, funnel cakes, homemade baked goods, traveling potato pancake cart and more. Mega raffle (with thousands of dollars in prizes), nightly 50/50, lottery frame stand, gift cards, money board, stuffed animals, vera bradley and friends purse stand, instant bingo, children’s games, wagon of cheer and over 150 theme baskets. Live entertainment, souled out on friday; oz and pop star drive on saturday; triple fret and lance thomas band on sunday. Beer stand, specialty beer stand, and a full-service tiki bar. For information, call 570-823-6242 or visit www.Exhc.Org.
hanover township lions club and michael mootz host community ice cream social: 5 to 7 p.M. Wednesday, july 22. Michael mootz creamery, sans souci parkway. Lions club membership applications and hero banner and christmas tree sponsorship forms available. Eyeglasses collected; children’s eye exams performed. Michael mootz offering special discounts for those who attend. Free family event.
harding annual chicken barbecue: takeout starts 4 p.M.; Dine-in 4:30 to 6:30 p.M. Saturday, july 18. Mount zion methodist church pavilion, mount zion road, harding. Held in memory of wayman ‘buzzy” smith. Half of a chicken, a baked potato, corn on the cob, slaw, roll, and dessert. Cost, $15 adults. All welcome. To reserve tickets, call karen daniels at 570-885-1650. Donations sought and appreciated of nonperishable food for the west pittston united methodist church food pantry and any new or gently used clothes and toys for children up to 18 years old for children and youth services in wilkes-barre.
hunlock creek gone fishin’ vacation bible school program: 6 to 8 p.M. Aug. 3 to 5. Oakdale independent church, 485 oakdale dr., Hunlock creek. For ages 4-13. Sign up at https://mtmoriahfellowship.Org/vbs-2026.
laflin cash bingo: doors open 10 a.M.; Games, 12:30 to 3:30 p.M. Saturday, aug. 8. St. Maria goretti parish hall, 42 redwood drive, laflin. Tickets, $25 in advance, $30 at the door; includes 20 games with prizes of $100. Specials, $5, $300 to $1,000 in prizes. Extra games may be purchased. Food and beverages available for purchase. Basket raffle; bake sale; 50/50. For tickets, call the parish office from 9 a.M. To 2 p.M. At 570-655-8956.
luzerne ymca program: 10 a.M. To 2 p.M., Mondays to fridays through august. Louis falcone memorial park, luzerne. For information, contact the borough building.
luzerne volunteer fire department annual chicken barbecue: 11:30 a.M. To 4 p.M. Sunday, aug. 23. Fire hall, 66 tener st., Luzerne. Dine-in or takeout. Cost, $13; includes one-half chicken, baked potato, corn on the cob and roll. If dining in, free water, tea and coffee. All meals must be picked up by 4 p.M. Advance tickets recommended; limited tickets at the door. For tickets, see department members, stop at the firehall between 6 and 8 p.M. Or call the firehall at 570-287-7006 or ron rahl at 570-288-2249; if no answer, leave a message.
mocanaqua st. Faustina parish/st. Mary church mocanaqua festival: 5 to 9:30 p.M. Saturday, sept. 5; and 1 to 9:30 p.M. Sunday, sept. 6. St. Mary park, lee road, mocanaqua. Holy mass, 4 p.M. Saturday at the park. Homemade ethnic foods (pierogi, haluski, piggies, potato pancakes, turkette, desserts), refreshments, basket raffles, prize stands and much more. Free parking and admission. Live entertainment, the music room, 5 to 9:30 p.M, saturday; flaxy morgan, 5 to 9:30 p.M. Sunday. Rain or shine; plenty of seating under the pavilion. For information, call mary at 570-574-5198.
mountain top fifth annual zachary a.Kollar golf tournament and basket raffle: 1:30 p.M. Shotgun start, saturday, july 25. Blue ridge trail golf course, mountain top. For information, visit https://www.Facebook.Com/zk7forever.
rotary club of mountain top hosts summerfest: noon to 6 p.M. Sunday, july 26. Mountain top hose co. Fairgrounds, lehigh street, mountain top. Family friendly. Live entertainment, games, basket and gift card raffle, and food trucks. Free general admission; $10 wine and spirits garden admission.
mountain top social club meetings: 1:30 p.M. July 28. American legion, 1550 henry drive, mountain top. Ice cream social, july 28. All bus trips open to the public; call dolores kelly zajac, trip coordinator, at 732-690-9609. For club information, call ady burner, president, at 347-397-8356. Club membership is currently closed.
the 73rd annual st. Jude parish picnic: 4 to 10 p.M. Friday, aug. 7; 4 to 10 p.M. Saturday, aug. 8; noon to 8 p.M. Sunday, aug. 9. The grove, 420 s. Mountain blvd., Mountain top. Food, fun activities and fellowship; homemade food including pierogi, halusky and potato pancakes; children’s games; huge basket raffle. Entertainment, dgm, 6:30 to 9:30 p.M. Friday; rockaholix band, 6:30 to 9:30 p.M. Saturday; dj mike, 1 to 5 p.M. Sunday. Open-pit chicken barbecue dinner, noon sunday.
nanticoke the 2026 crab fest: 6 to 10 p.M. Saturday, july 25. St. Faustina grove, nanticoke. Details and an order form may be found at nanticokecatholic.Com
chasing the light art exhibition: through friday, july 31. Schulman gallery, campus center, luzerne county community college. Features original works by members of the hazleton art league plein air artists group. Opening reception features live piano music, light fare, and refreshments. Free; open to the public. For information and gallery hours, visit https://www.Luzerne.Edu/schulmangallery.
newport twp. Newport township lions club 48th annual golf tournament: 8:30 a.M. Sign-in; 9 a.M. Shotgun start. Friday, aug. 21. Wilkes barre municipal golf course. Captain and mate (point system). Cost, $160 per team. For information, contact chairman john zyla at 570-735-1714.
pittston st. Michael byzantine church’s 29th annual flea market and food fest: 9 a.M. To 4 p.M. Saturday, aug. 1; 9 a.M. To 3 p.M.Sunday, aug. 2. St. Michael the archangel byzantine catholic church, outside and inside lower-level church hall, 205 n. Main street, pittston. Flea market with unique items, including a museum-like collection of antique typewriters likely to interest collectors or those wanting a nostalgic piece of history; toys, housewares, furniture, home furnishings, decorations, purses, linens, jewelry, books, craft and sewing supplies, and more. Takeout dinner, 10 a.M. To 3 p.M. Sunday only, spaghetti with homemade sauce and meatballs, bread, fruit cup; $14 adults, $7 for children younger than age 12. Indoor food bar features carpatho-rusyn specialties: holupki, known locally as “piggies” and ready to eat or as piggie packs to go; homemade potato cheese pierogi, farmer’s cheese pierogi; halushki (noodles and cabbage); and ethnic food samplers. Wimpies, chicken wings by the dozen, chicken bites sold by the pound, pasta salad, and beverages. Outdoor food tents feature grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, cheeseburgers, sausage and peppers, and potato pancakes. Homemade baked goods tent only saturday. For information, visit stmichaelsbyzantine.Com.
communion of saints parish hosts summer fest 2026: 5 to 10 p.M. Thursday, aug. 6 to saturday, aug. 8. St. John the evangelist church, church and broad streets, pittston. Games of chance, big basket raffle, cash bingo, children’s games, raffles, variety of food. Entertainment, smoke in mirrors on thursday, bugeye mcguire on friday, and flaxy morgan on saturday.
brook estates travelers host trip to amish country: bus leaves 8 a.M. Wednesday, aug. 19, from brook estates community center, 402 pollock drive, pittston. Trip to bird-in-hand restaurant and stage. Cost, $115; includes lunch, show, round-trip transportation, tax and gratuity. For information, call marion at 570-881-4943.
plymouth clothing and book sale: 9 a.M. To 4 p.M. Friday, july 31; 9 a.M. To 2 p.M. Saturday, aug. 1. Ss. Peter and paul united church of christ, 20 nottingham st., Plymouth. Clothing, books, puzzles, cds, dvds, cassette tapes, vhs tapes, records and albums.
keystone state literacy association luzerne county presents the shawnee time travelers: 11 a.M. To 1:30 p.M. Saturday, aug. 1. Plymouth public library, 107 w. Main st., Plymouth. Shawnee cemetery preservation association members dress in period clothing to portray historical figures from our country’s past. The group will portray two characters from the revolutionary period, betsy ross and polly cooper of the oneida indian nation. Presentations followed by storytime and crafts with literacy association members. Free book giveaway (biographies and books of the time) to the first 50 children participating. To rsvp, call the library at 570-779-4775. For information on the association, email kslaluzernecounty@gmail.Com or visit ksla.Wildapricot.Org.
swoyersville swoyersville kiwanis scholarship open golf tournament: registration deadline, tuesday, aug. 25; 1 p.M. Shotgun start, sunday, aug, 30. Four seasons golf club, exeter. Captain and crew format. Cost, $85 per golfer; early bird team discount, teams paid in full by aug. 7 receive $5 discount per golfer. Cost includes green fees, cart, dinner, prizes and refreshments. Longest drive hole and 50-50 hole. Hole sponsors welcome; gold, $175; silver, $125; bronze, $100. Proceeds benefit scholarship program. For information or to register, contact gene at 570-704-7196 or gkbreznay@comcast.Net, email swoyk1951@comcast.Net or talk to any swoyersville kiwanis member, or visit swoyersville kiwanis on facebook and instagram.
wilkes-barre st. Nicholas/st. Mary parish summer bazaar: after 4 p.M. Mass to 10:30 p.M. Saturday, july 18. Church grounds, 226 s. Washington st., Wilkes-barre. Raffle, 50/50, games, a variety of food. Giant indoor flea market opens thursday, 1 to 9 p.M. And 3 to 9 p.M. Friday and saturday. Live entertainment from 7 to 10:30 p.M. Nightly, including flaxy morgan on thursday, popstar drive on friday and kartune on saturday.
wilkes university’s sordoni art gallery and nepa pride project present out loud/lgbtqia+ visibility in nepa and the pulse nightclub/ 49 elegies exhibit: through aug. 2. Sordoni art gallery. Karambelas media & communication center, 141 s. Main st., Wilkes-barre. For information, visit wilkes.Edu/sordoniartgallery.
why cook wednesday ukrainian festival food take-out dinner: pickup, 4 to 7 p.M. Wednesday, aug. 12. Ss. Peter and paul ukrainian greek catholic church school hall, 635 n. River st., Wilkes-barre. Menu includes holubtsi dinner with two piggies, three pyrohy and green beans for $12; kovbasa dinner with kielbasa and sauerkraut, hard roll and three pyrohy, $10; pagash, three cuts for $6 or tray of 12 for $22; pyrohy, six for $6 or a dozen frozen for $10; cabbage and noodles, $4 a pint; and piggie six-packs, $18. Bake sale and basket raffle. Takeout only; preorders strongly recommended. To order, call the kitchen at 570-829-3051.
live performances music box players present “disney’s frozen, the musical”: fridays to sundays, july 19, 24-26, and 31, aug. 1-2. Music box dinner playhouse, 196 hughes st, swoyersville. Buffet dinner served at saturday and sunday performances. Friday performances show-only. There is a $3 discount for all adult dinner and show tickets; $5 discount for all children and student show-only tickets. Full cash bar open at all performances. For information or tickets, contactl 570 283-2195 or visit musicbox.Ticketleap.Com.
helping hands in our area saint vincent de paul kitchen’s 2026 “sponsor for a day” campaign: for a donation of $125 or more, an individual, family, business, community organization, or faith-based group can sponsor the day’s meal. This is the primary means of financial support for the kitchen’s mission to provide a free daily meal to the community. To participate, call 570-829-7796. For information, visit www.Facebook.Com/stvincentkitchen.
clothing closet: open 10 a.M. To noon, first and third wednesday of the month. Dorranceton united methodist church (enter by side door), 549 wyoming ave, kingston. Free clothing in women’s, men’s and children’s styles; many sizes to choose from.
food pantry distribution: 10 a.M. To noon, second wednesday of each month. Forty fort united methodist church. Open to all in need. No early birds. With generosity from ceo/weinberg food bank and the church family.
order of alhambra, alhamar caravan no. 4: meets at 6:30 p.M. Second wednesday of the month. King’s college chapel, wilkes-barre. A catholic fraternal organization dedicated to assisting the intellectually disabled. New members welcome.
project donating joy quilt group regular meetings: 9 a.M. To noon every monday. Trucksville united methodist church, 40 knob hill road, trucksville. Quilts are made for children in crisis or need. New members to the group welcome. For information, contact judy gober at 570-262-3858.
submit community news: the citizens’ voice welcomes community news and photographs from community groups, service organizations and nonprofit organizations. Send writeups and/or photos via email only to community@citizensvoice.Com. Announcements for upcoming events should be submitted at least a week prior to ensure publication. For full listings, visit citizensvoice.Com. |
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| We Couldnt Stop Exploring These 11 Georgia Museums Even After Hours |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Some georgia museums politely suggest a closing time, but the best ones keep rattling around in your head long after the lights dim and the doors click shut.
we found places here that spark big questions, weird trivia rabbit holes, childhood wonder, and the kind of delighted exhaustion that usually follows a very good road trip snack stop.
from dinosaur bones in atlanta to civil war stories in columbus and a fizzy shrine to soda in downtown atlanta, these museums turn a casual visit into an all-day affair with bonus mental souvenirs.
if you are plotting a georgia itinerary that feels smarter, livelier, and a lot less predictable, start with these eleven standouts and prepare to leave saying, just one more gallery.
1. Tellus science museum – cartersville
the moment you walk into tellus science museum in cartersville, your inner science nerd starts doing cartwheels.
this sprawling museum just off interstate 75 packs in dinosaurs, minerals, fossils, and hands-on exhibits without ever feeling stuffy.
it is the kind of place where kids race ahead, adults pretend they are supervising, and everyone ends up equally dazzled.
the fossil gallery is a showstopper, with towering skeletons and ancient life displays that make deep time feel suddenly personal.
i also loved the gemstone and mineral hall, where sparkling cases look part treasure vault, part geology flex.
if you need a change of pace, the planetarium and observatory add a skyward twist that keeps the day from feeling one-note.
located at 100 tellus drive in cartersville, this museum makes an easy stop from atlanta or chattanooga.
give yourself several hours, because rushing tellus is like speed-reading a mystery novel and skipping the reveal.
by the end, you may leave talking about meteorites, mastodons, and minerals like you just earned a very specific superpower.
2. Center for civil and human rights – atlanta
few museums manage to be moving, urgent, and beautifully designed all at once, but this one does.
the center for civil and human rights in atlanta places you inside stories that shaped the nation, then connects them to struggles that still matter today.
it is not a breezy stop, yet it is one of the most important museum visits in georgia.
interactive exhibits on the american civil rights movement create a deeply personal experience, especially when audio and multimedia place you closer to the courage and danger activists faced.
the human rights galleries broaden the lens, linking atlanta history to global fights for dignity, justice, and freedom.
that balance gives the museum real force and keeps it from feeling trapped in the past.
located at 100 ivan allen jr. Boulevard in downtown atlanta, it sits near several major attractions but deserves unhurried time.
i would recommend arriving ready to read, listen, and pause rather than simply moving from display to display.
you may leave quieter than you arrived, but also sharper, more grounded, and more aware of the work history still asks of us.
3. Booth western art museum – cartersville
cowboy boots are optional, but a sense of curiosity absolutely helps at booth western art museum in cartersville.
this unexpectedly grand museum explores the american west through paintings, sculpture, photography, and presidential portraiture with real style.
it feels polished yet approachable, like the art world decided to loosen its collar and tell better stories.
the galleries sweep from dramatic frontier landscapes to finely detailed bronzes, giving you both myth and reality in one visit.
i liked how the museum examines western identity without reducing it to movie clichés and campfire swagger.
the scale also impresses, because room after room reveals another visual surprise waiting just around the bend.
booth sits at 501 museum drive in cartersville and pairs especially well with a same-day stop at tellus if you want a powerhouse museum double feature.
take your time with the interpretive text, because the context adds real texture to the beauty on the walls.
you may arrive expecting saddles and sunsets, then leave talking about history, storytelling, and why bronze sculptures have such excellent dramatic posture.
4. Savannah children’s museum – savannah
open air and full of playful energy, savannah children’s museum feels like recess got an educational budget.
set on the old central of georgia railway site in savannah, this outdoor museum invites kids to climb, build, explore, and experiment instead of whispering through galleries.
that fresh-air format gives it a charm all its own.
the exhibits focus on hands-on learning, from imaginative play spaces to sensory activities and simple science experiences that keep little minds fully engaged.
adults will appreciate that the setup encourages movement, curiosity, and discovery without feeling overprogrammed.
it also helps that the historic setting adds visual character, so the place feels rooted in savannah rather than dropped in from nowhere.
you will find it at 655 louisville road, close to other family-friendly stops in the city.
bring water, sunscreen, and clothes that can handle enthusiastic play, because this is not a museum for standing politely near ropes.
if your travel crew includes younger kids, this spot can save the day, burn some energy, and still sneak in enough learning to make everyone feel impressively productive.
5. National infantry museum and soldier center – columbus
at the national infantry museum and soldier center in columbus, history does not sit quietly behind glass.
this museum, located near fort benning at 1775 legacy way, uses immersive exhibits, artifacts, and large-scale environments to trace the american infantry experience from the revolutionary war to modern conflicts.
the result feels cinematic, but never trivial.
one gallery can pull you into muddy battlefields and training grounds, while the next slows the pace with deeply personal stories of service and sacrifice.
i appreciated how the museum balances military hardware with human perspective, giving equal weight to equipment, tactics, and emotion.
that mix makes the visit meaningful whether you arrive as a history buff, a family member, or simply a curious traveler.
plan for several hours, because there is a lot here and rushing blunts the impact.
the museum is free to visit, which feels almost mischievously generous considering the scale and quality of the experience.
by the time you step back outside, you may feel both informed and humbled, with a much clearer sense of what infantry service has demanded across generations.
6. World of coca-cola – atlanta
fizz, nostalgia, and a dash of marketing wizardry hit fast at world of coca-cola in downtown atlanta.
set near centennial olympic park, this attraction turns a familiar soft drink into a full-blown cultural time capsule with vintage ads, bottling history, and enough red branding to tint your memories.
even if you are not a soda superfan, the place is surprisingly fun.
the tasting room is the big crowd magnet, and for good reason.
sampling coca-cola products from around the world feels like a quick passport stamp spree, with a few flavors that delight and a few that may inspire brave-face diplomacy.
the vault exhibit, pop culture displays, and behind-the-brand storytelling keep the museum playful rather than syrupy.
you will find it at 121 baker street nw in atlanta, an easy add-on with the georgia aquarium and nearby attractions.
go earlier in the day if you want shorter lines and a less frantic tasting session.
by the time you leave, you may know more about one beverage than any reasonable person should, and somehow still want a souvenir bottle.
7. Georgia museum of art – athens
athens is famous for music and college-town energy, but the georgia museum of art adds a quieter kind of brilliance.
located on the university of georgia campus at 90 carlton street, this museum offers a smart mix of american painting, decorative arts, contemporary works, and rotating exhibitions.
it feels welcoming, thoughtful, and refreshingly free of pretense.
what makes it memorable is the pacing.
you can wander into a gallery of luminous landscapes, turn a corner, and suddenly find work that challenges your assumptions or asks you to look twice.
i like museums that reward both quick wonder and slow attention, and this one does exactly that.
the museum is especially good for a relaxed afternoon in athens, whether you pair it with campus strolling, coffee, or a downtown dinner afterward.
check the exhibition schedule before visiting, since special shows often add unexpected depth and variety to the permanent collection.
if some art museums make you feel like you forgot the secret handshake, this one is the opposite, inviting you in with confidence, clarity, and plenty to keep your imagination pleasantly occupied.
8. Augusta museum of history – augusta
local history can sometimes feel like homework in sensible shoes, but the augusta museum of history keeps it lively.
at 560 reynolds street in downtown augusta, the museum traces the city’s story through transportation, culture, industry, and memorable personalities with a grounded sense of place.
you leave understanding augusta as more than a dot on the map.
one standout is the strong connection to james brown, whose legacy adds music, charisma, and a welcome jolt of rhythm to the experience.
there are also exhibits on the region’s development and a historic train display that gives the museum a nice sense of motion.
that variety helps the visit feel layered rather than locked into a single storyline.
because the museum focuses on augusta itself, it works best when you treat it as a key to the city beyond its walls.
afterward, a walk along the riverfront or through downtown lands differently because the context is suddenly richer.
if you enjoy places that turn local details into bigger stories, this museum delivers, proving that community history can be sharp, surprising, and a lot more entertaining than its reputation suggests.
9. Southeastern railway museum – duluth
steel, nostalgia, and giant wheels set the tone at the southeastern railway museum in duluth.
located at 3595 buford highway, this museum celebrates rail history with locomotives, passenger cars, transit vehicles, and transportation exhibits that make you want to say all aboard without irony.
it is wonderfully specific, and that is part of the fun.
walking among the railcars gives the place a tactile thrill that smaller transportation displays often lack.
you are not just reading about trains, you are seeing their scale up close and getting a better sense of how rail travel shaped daily life and regional growth.
families tend to love it, but so do adults who secretly perk up around old machinery and polished brass details.
this museum works especially well on a clear day, since much of the experience involves exploring outdoor equipment and grounds.
wear comfortable shoes and leave extra time if special rides or events are running, because they can make the visit even more memorable.
by the end, you may find yourself oddly invested in cabooses, sleeper cars, and the elegant swagger of a vintage locomotive just sitting there minding its magnificent business.
10. Fernbank museum of natural history – atlanta
few museum entrances make a statement like fernbank, where giant dinosaurs practically say hello before you finish blinking.
located at 767 clifton road ne in atlanta, fernbank museum of natural history combines prehistoric drama, science exhibits, cultural displays, and outdoor trails in a way that feels both expansive and easy to enjoy.
it is a crowd-pleaser with real substance.
the great hall alone is worth the visit, thanks to enormous dinosaur skeletons that turn everyone into an instant photographer.
beyond that, rotating exhibits, natural history displays, and immersive programming keep the experience dynamic rather than static.
i also appreciate the wooded outdoor areas, which let you reset between galleries and add a welcome breath of fresh air.
fernbank works well for families, date days, and solo wandering, because it offers enough variety to meet different moods.
if you can, pair your visit with a giant screen film or special exhibit for even more range.
some museums politely ask for your attention, but fernbank practically grabs your sleeve and says, look at this, and honestly, it is usually right.
11. Mighty eighth air force museum – pooler
the mighty eighth air force museum in pooler delivers the kind of visit that starts with aircraft and ends with reflection.
located near savannah at 175 bourne avenue, it honors the history of the eighth air force through restored planes, wartime artifacts, personal stories, and memorial spaces that carry real emotional weight.
it is respectful, detailed, and deeply absorbing.
aviation fans will appreciate the aircraft displays and the chance to see engineering up close, but the museum reaches well beyond machinery.
letters, uniforms, photographs, and oral histories help turn massive historical events into human stories with names and faces.
that personal focus keeps the experience grounded even when the scale of the war feels overwhelming.
give yourself time to move slowly, because this is not a place best handled as a checklist stop.
the museum’s design encourages both learning and remembrance, which makes it especially memorable for multigenerational travel groups.
you may arrive expecting a military museum and leave with something more lasting, a stronger sense of courage, cost, and the quiet ways history continues to ask for our attention. |
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| Calendar - Sergeant Bluff Advocate |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (6 reads) | |
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| Flea-Borne Typhus Surges Across Texas: A Waco Child Nearly Died and Doctors Warn |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (8 reads) | |
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On july 16, 2026, a 12-year-old waco athlete named hope smith had been home from summer camp for nine days. Her fever had not broken. Doctors had told her family twice it was something else — first hand, foot, and mouth disease, then strep throat. By the time hopes oxygen levels and blood pressure dropped at mclane childrens hospital in temple, she was in septic shock from a disease most of her doctors had never thought to test for: flea-borne typhus. She spent six days in the pediatric icu. Her infectious disease specialist, dr. Dubrocq, told local television that he was evaluating four more potential cases that same week, and that he diagnoses the illness in patients from a 100-mile radius of his hospital almost every other day this summer.
this is not a rare disease in a far corner of the world. It is occurring right now, at peak intensity, across texas — the most popular summer road-trip and cruise-departure state in the country — and a june 2026 study published in the centers for disease control and preventions journal emerging infectious diseases found that it sent nearly 80 percent of confirmed patients to the hospital.
a 12-year-old from waco spent six days in the icu
hopes case followed a pattern that has become disturbingly familiar to infectious disease physicians in texas. Fever, headache, and extreme fatigue arrived first. The symptoms looked exactly like the flu, or covid-19, or any number of common summer viruses. Antibiotics prescribed for strep did nothing, because flea-borne typhus is caused by the bacterium rickettsia typhi — a type of obligate intracellular bacteria — and most standard antibiotics do not touch it.
by the ninth day of illness, hope had stopped eating and her urine had darkened, signs of organ stress. Her fever had climbed to nearly 106 degrees. At the hospital, her blood pressure and oxygen dropped simultaneously, the hallmark of septic shock.
hope survived. Dr. Dubrocq attributed the rise in central texas cases partly to mild winters that fail to reduce flea and tick populations — a pattern that researchers at the university of texas medical branch in galveston and at texas a&m have now documented across the state.
what is flea-borne typhus and why have you never heard of it?
flea-borne typhus — also called murine typhus or endemic typhus — is a bacterial infection caused by rickettsia typhi and spread to humans not by the flea bite itself, but by flea feces. When an infected flea bites a person, it defecates simultaneously. If that fecal matter enters the bite wound, a scratch, or a mucous membrane such as the eye or mouth, the bacteria can establish an infection. The disease cannot spread from person to person.
the reason most people have never heard of it is that aggressive vector-control campaigns using ddt in the 1940s came close to eliminating the disease from the united states. The cdc stopped tracking cases nationally in 1987. That decision turned out to be premature.
the antibiotic doxycycline kills rickettsia typhi effectively. According to the cdcs clinical overview of flea-borne typhus and the merck manual, treatment should be started on clinical suspicion without waiting for laboratory confirmation — because the standard blood tests are not reliably positive early in illness, and because the window between first symptoms and dangerous organ damage can be measured in days.
there is no vaccine.
how did typhus nearly disappear, and why is it back?
the original transmission cycle for murine typhus in the united states involved urban rats and their fleas — a combination that ddt campaigns effectively dismantled by the mid-twentieth century. Cases fell from more than 4,500 per year nationally in the 1940s to near-zero in most states.
but the disease never fully left south texas. Over the past 25 years, it has expanded dramatically. Dr. Gregory m. Anstead, an infectious disease specialist and professor at ut health san antonio, told texas public radio that in the 1990s, there were only about 200 cases annually in texas. In the decade from 2010 to 2019, that number rose 12-fold.
according to the texas department of state health services, more than 6,700 cases of flea-borne typhus were reported in the state between 2008 and 2023, with approximately 70 percent of those patients hospitalized and 14 deaths attributed to the disease over that span. Texas now reports more flea-borne typhus cases annually than any other state in the country. In 2024, the state recorded 847 cases — the highest annual total on record, according to texas public radio reporting on state health data.
the nature of the disease has also changed. The rat-flea transmission cycle that once drove most cases has given way to a suburban and peri-urban cycle involving virginia opossums and cat fleas, according to utmb researchers whose 2023 seroprevalence study found that antibody evidence of r. Typhi infection among galveston county residents had climbed from 1.2 percent in 2013 to 7.8 percent in 2021 — a statistically significant increase that, the study concluded, reflected genuine reemergence rather than improved testing alone.
a july 2026 study from texas a&m universitys college of veterinary medicine and biomedical sciences found dna from r. Typhi in cat fleas collected from domestic cats in the rio grande valley, confirming that pet cats can serve as a vehicle for bringing the pathogen directly into homes. Dr. Sujata balasubramanian, the studys first author, said the pattern marks a new chapter for the disease: the last time flea-borne typhus was rampant, rats and rat fleas were the main reservoir and vector. Now, there is a layer of cat fleas contributing to this uptick.
meanwhile, the disease has spread well beyond its historical stronghold in south texas — the region from nueces county to the rio grande valley. According to the texas dshs, cases are now regularly reported in the dallas-fort worth metroplex, the houston metro area, and bexar and travis counties. The waco case reflects an emerging central texas presence that dr. Dubrocq and colleagues are tracking in real time.
what are the symptoms of murine typhus?
the symptoms of flea-borne typhus typically appear within 14 days of contact with infected fleas or flea feces, according to the cdc — often without the person knowing they were bitten.
initial symptoms include persistent fever, headache, chills, muscle pain, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and extreme fatigue. These are nearly identical to influenza, covid-19, and dengue fever at presentation, which is the central clinical problem. Research has found that a rash — which starts on the trunk and spreads to the arms and legs — appears in only about half of cases, and the full classic triad of fever, headache, and rash occurs in roughly 12 percent. Clinicians who rely on the rash to suspect the diagnosis will miss most cases.
according to the texas dshs, if flea-borne typhus goes untreated, the illness can persist for months and cause damage to the liver, kidneys, heart, lungs, and brain. In its most severe form, the disease triggers hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, a life-threatening immune cascade in which the bodys macrophages begin destroying its own blood cells, driving organ failure that carries an icu mortality rate of 38 to 68 percent in adults, according to published critical care studies.
texas has the highest typhus case count in the nation, and it is growing
the geographic footprint of flea-borne typhus in texas has expanded steadily. From 2003 to 2013, the number of counties reporting cases grew from 18 to 36, and annual case counts more than doubled. That expansion has continued. Texas dshs data show cases are now endemic not just in the rio grande valley but across the states major cities and into new counties each year.
the summer months are peak season. Multiple peer-reviewed studies examining texas case data have found that murine typhus illness onset peaks in june and july, which coincides precisely with the height of tourist activity in galveston, along the gulf coast, at san antonios river walk, at austins outdoor venues, and across the states extensive campground and state-park system.
a 2026 study from texas a&m noted that warming temperatures, growing populations of pet and stray cats, and limited access to affordable veterinary flea treatments are all contributing to the diseases continued spread. Dr. Sarah hamer, a professor in texas a&ms department of veterinary integrative biosciences, said the risk is concentrated but expanding: there are only a few places in the us where murine typhus is recognized to be transmitted with some regularity and, unfortunately, that includes south texas.
the san antonio metropolitan health district confirmed to newsweek that murine typhus is endemic in bexar county and said the public should treat for fleas before beginning any rodent control in homes or yards, so that fleas on dead rodents do not transfer to human hosts.
eighty percent of galveston patients were hospitalized, and two died
in june 2026, researchers at utmb published the most detailed clinical picture of murine typhus severity yet assembled. Lead author matthew pickich and colleagues — puneet singh, efstathia polychronopoulou, shawn p. Nishi, lucas s. Blanton, and alexander g. Duarte — reviewed microbiology records from april 2019 through october 2023 and identified 149 confirmed and probable adult cases.
of those 149 patients, 119 — nearly 80 percent — required hospitalization. Of the hospitalized patients, 33, or 28 percent, required admission to the intensive care unit. Two patients died in the icu. Both deaths were attributed to multiorgan failure combined with hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis.
the study identified older age as the principal risk factor for icu admission: icu patients had a median age of 54.9 years compared to 47.2 years for non-icu patients. Underlying conditions including obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease were more common among hospitalized patients. Thrombocytopenia — an abnormally low platelet count — was more severe in icu patients.
the study also found that the median time from an emergency department visit to starting appropriate antibiotics was one day for icu patients and two days for non-icu patients. That narrow window — the gap between the moment a physician first sees a typhus patient and the moment treatment begins — is where the disease claims lives. Early recognition and prompt treatment is imperative, the studys authors wrote directly.
severe complications documented in the broader murine typhus literature include acute kidney injury, meningoencephalitis, myocarditis, respiratory failure, and septic shock — the last of which is what put hope smith in the pediatric icu in waco.
what to do if you get sick in texas this summer
the most important step for any traveler in texas who develops a persistent fever, severe headache, or muscle pain within two weeks of any outdoor activity — camping, hiking, gardening, visiting a park, walking near vegetation — is to tell a physician about the potential flea exposure and specifically ask about testing for murine typhus.
the disease requires suspicion-based testing to diagnose, according to the cdc, and many physicians in regions where murine typhus is less familiar will not order the test unprompted. Asking for it directly can be the difference between timely treatment and a delayed diagnosis. The cdc advises that treatment with doxycycline should begin on clinical suspicion and should not wait for laboratory confirmation.
standard prevention measures, according to the texas dshs, include applying insect repellent with deet during outdoor activities, keeping pet cats and dogs on regular veterinary flea-control products, keeping yards clear of brush and debris that attract rodents and opossums, not leaving pet food outdoors overnight, and avoiding direct contact with stray or feral cats and opossums.
children and older adults face different ends of the risk spectrum. Children between ages 5 and 19 have the highest attack rate for the disease, according to published texas case data. Adults over 50 are at highest risk of requiring icu-level care, according to the utmb 2026 study. Neither group is well served by a diagnosis of strep throat or influenza that doesnt resolve with conventional treatment.
peak season for flea-borne typhus in texas runs through the end of july and tapers in august. The disease does not end with summer: south texas sees a second case peak in december and january. But the intersection of school vacations, outdoor recreation, and flea population peaks makes july the highest-risk window for most travelers — and this week, in central texas alone, physicians are already seeing the consequences.
this article is copyrighted by travelers today, the travel news leader |
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| Area soccer experts hope World Cup drives interest and meaningful change |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Trinity audioplayer ready...
as he cruised through his hometown, he stared through windows in amazement as people he didn’t recognize waved at him from crowded sidewalks along state street.
nico bustos felt a little overwhelmed that saturday afternoon in november. He and his teammates on the abington heights boys soccer team had won their first-ever piaa class 3a championship a few hours earlier. He scored a goal in the 2-0 victory on a header in the second half. When het got home, he thought family, friends and fellow students would greet him at the high school to celebrate.
he didn’t anticipate the couple that weaved through an exuberant crowd of strangers in the parking lot just to tell him they appreciated what he and his teammates did for the sport. Nor did he expect to see videos of children and families, who were watching the game at tully’s restaurant, counting down the final seconds of the game like it was new year’s eve before erupting into jubilation over plates of chicken tenders.
“i didn’t know we had people in this area, even through scranton, who enjoyed the sport that much,” bustos said. “There are so many people who love soccer and understand it.”
what bustos and his teammates experienced then, many around northeast pennsylvania also have learned about soccer in the last month.
the sporting event of the summer, the 2026 fifa world cup, concludes sunday afternoon, when argentina faces spain in the championship game at metlife stadium in east rutherford, new jersey.
the united states is no stranger to hosting the world’s most popular sporting event. It last held the men’s tournament in 1994, and the women’s competitions in 1999 and 2003. All three spurred immediate and tangible changes for the sport in the u.S., Namely the creation of the national women’s soccer league and major league soccer, which debuted in 1996 and has become the longest-running top-flight soccer league in the nation’s history.
but as world cup excitement winds down, local soccer aficionados like bustos wonder what the future holds for the sport, here and nationwide.
“the world cup has spurred a lot of interest and excitement in soccer, and i’m sure because of it there are a lot of families and children and parents watching soccer for the first time,” said collen pivirotto, the longtime head coach of the university of scranton women’s soccer team. “But i also think that soccer is booming already. I think it’s already doing really well.
“i’m not sure if anything incredible is going to happen, or if there are any huge things that could change. But this has certainly been a huge positive in the united states in terms of soccer.”
that doesn’t mean there aren’t ways to tweak a great thing. Doing so might determine how exponentially the sport can grow at the local level, and whether the united states can ever be a contender for a world cup championship of its own.
a better direction
“the beautiful game” still lags in popularity behind stalwarts like american football, baseball and basketball among u.S. Sports fans. But for children, recreational soccer leagues have become every bit the introduction to sports participation as little league or biddy basketball.
thousands of children in northeast pennsylvania sign up annually, and just about every community has a program nearby to facilitate interest that boomed after the ’94 world cup and the women’s national team’s rise to prominence a few years later. That, pivirotto pointed out, has made soccer in the u.S. More accessible, more popular and played to a better quality than ever before.
popularity also presents challenges.
jack nolan has coached varsity soccer in wilkes-barre for 27 years. In his days coaching the boys team at the former meyers high school, he said he’d have been thrilled if he could field a 25-player roster.
now at wilkes-barre area, nolan said almost 120 students signed up to play on his team in the fall. He expects only around 80 will show up when mandatory practices start aug. 17, and concedes he’ll have to cut a quarter of them to get to a workable 55-60-player roster for the season.
interest in playing soccer, he insists, is not an issue. Nor does he expect it to be one even after the excitement of the world cup cools.
but the opportunity to become a top-level, difference-making competitor on the international stage is not-so-slowly becoming a problem in a system that inadvertently works to stifle it.
“our (national) youth program needs a lot more development, and the problem on the youth side is cost,” nolan said.
“a lot of these european countries, they develop their youth programs free of charge. Here, you’re paying to play. I coach at wilkes-barre area, and a lot of our kids can’t afford the club teams that are out there. There are club teams who do scholarships and hardships and things of that nature, but a lot of my kids just can’t afford it.”
the issue is infiltrating baseball and basketball at the youth levels too, but it’s especially challenging in soccer. To play for a high-level club soccer team, the average family typically spends between $5,000 and $20,000 annually on travel, club costs, equipment and uniforms, according to industry estimates.
the cost rises depending on the quality of the club, the level of competition and the location of the team. It’s typically going to be on the pricier side for the top players in northeast pennsylvania, because to face the best competition, they have to travel to allentown or even philadelphia, nolan said.
while participation and interest in soccer steadily increases among children in all demographics, it is still essentially a sport for the economically well-off at the elite levels in the united states.
the feeling among those elbows-deep in the local soccer community is that organizations like u.S. Soccer or mls would do well to capture the momentum of the world cup, funnel more money into developmental avenues, and work to develop a more efficient feeder system that would make the cost of pursuing a long-term goal of playing at an elite level tenable for more young americans.
“we’re like $50 in the spring and $50 in the fall, and we see families who can only pay for one session,” said mike slusser, club director for the south wilkes-barre skyhawks rec league program. “We’re like, ‘hey, you don’t need to pay for the fall,’ and they get that prideful, ‘we don’t want to do that.’ But with some of these kids, you’re thinking if they can’t afford $50, there’s no hope they can go play at a higher level. Some of them are at the level where i’d love to see them be able to play for those teams and get that three-day-a-week attention that would change them from a slightly undisciplined player to one who can really play.
“they have the talent, but you can’t install that discipline in two hours a week when you’re talking about working with all these kids.”
a new hope
when bustos’ high school coach chats with his best soccer friends about these issues, there’s a hypothetical question he poses about soccer at the national level.
“there has been this feel of ‘the future is bright’ for such a long time,” frank dyska said. “But, aren’t we in the future now? What is it going to take to break through?”
money spent properly is only one part of the answer. Others insist answers won’t come with a cost. But if the u.S. Is ever to attain greatness on an international level, now is the time to harness possibilities.
the world cup drew major buzz. And in the late summer, major streaming services will carry worldwide soccer matches into american homes, making top-flight soccer more accessible to local fans. Lionel messi, the argentina forward who is the biggest soccer star in the world, plays for inter miami in mls. Arguably the most beloved comedy on american television over the last decade is “ted lasso,” the story of a midlevel college football coach who moved to london to coach in the premier league.
still, nolan’s wolfpack will open their regular season against west scranton at 11 a.M. On aug. 28, the only time that day the program can use the field because the football team needs it later that night. Few soccer matches at the varsity level receive media coverage before the playoffs, and stands rarely are occupied by anyone other than family, friends and the most rabid of soccer fans.
“when you look at other countries having a ton of success, it seems like soccer is just embedded in the culture from the time a kid starts walking to the time they can’t walk anymore,” dyska said.
it has never been that way here. But, maybe the 2026 fifa world cup can be the impetus for that sort of revival, the creation of a greater demand for the game.
“now that the world cup is over, i hope these fans of the world cup go and watch these players play for the club teams,” bustos said. “I hope that support continues, that even more people start to watch now, and we can keep building that fan base. It will keep building the players, too, if they know they have a country that is supporting them. It will make the players better. That support will make the national team even better that it was now.” |
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| Trump Sells Iran to China; the Perversity of Geopolitics - Arizona Daily Indepen |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Who does iran think is going to help them rebuild after the onslaught?
we spent several years in the second decade of the 21st century living in the middle east; abu dhabi to be exact. With lots of travel time on those islamic holidays, and also its dirt cheap jet-a fuel for the many airlines flying out of dubai as well, 80 miles north. Of course, iran was off limits, especially for low-grade techs.
a few years later we ran out of space in our passports in bali and had the local american consul fly them to jakarta for an insert. All caused by our many travels in-and-out of the united arab emirates; it’s centrally located, as an american southerner would tell you about atlanta. Hey, geography matters.
i’m also a big fan of mark twain’s admonition on travel,
“travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
i have routinely advised it to graduating high school seniors who were clueless about college.
all this is why i’m deadly serious about what i’m about to tell you. The fix is in on iran, same as the fix is in on mark kelly as potus-in-waiting.
*but for the present, trump is selling iran to china.
he’s given iran every opportunity to put on their big-boy pants and act like a sober important nation, instead of this wandering, murderous, religious tent-show throwback to the 14th century. So far, they’ve chosen the 14th century, where everything transactional is always religious. And screw you, if you’re not in my religion. A classic vestige of the past piscean era we’re fast leaving.
iran clearly hasn’t thought this thing through. When you’re all bombed to sh*t, and that warfare stops, and nobody around you cares to contribute real charity, or invest a nickel in your rehab, who do you turn to?
answer: china. Iran, you’re about to be china’s bitch. No two ways about it.
it makes sense, when you consider it’s in complete alignment with the emerging multipolar world order, i.E. That which replaces the unipolar one emerging after reagan, thatcher, and pope john paul won the cold war (1991), sending the soviet union to ronnie’s dustbin of history. This is the fate that awaits religious iran, where all the mullahs and their families are currently the primo parasite class.
china is licking her chops, and trump is grinning from ear-to-ear. Hey, it’s the art of the deal, in a new multipolar world, and beginning of the end of the petrodollar imperium.
sellers is a southpark, roosevelt-republican (teddy) living in incorporated oro valley; his background is federal technology commercialization. |
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| Bellaire High School Community Rallies Behind Student Detained by ICE at Houston |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:05 PDT (6 reads) | |
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Houston – the bellaire community is rallying around an 18-year-old bellaire high school student who was detained by u.S. Immigration and customs enforcement (ice) at houston’s hobby airport.
teachers and friends identify the student as alim garipov, an 18-year-old originally from russia. According to those close to him, garipov was traveling with family members to visit colleges when he was detained.
ice confirmed garipov was arrested in houston on july 17, saying he remained in the united states after his authorized stay expired.
community shows support
since news of garipov’s detention became public, an outpouring of support has spread throughout the bellaire community.
teachers have shared messages on social media describing garipov as a hardworking student who founded bellaire high school’s russian culture club, worked diligently to learn english and made a lasting impact both inside and outside the classroom.
former classmates and teammates also praised garipov, describing him as a standout swimmer, team captain and someone who consistently made others feel welcome.
what happens when an asylum applicant is detained?
as community members seek answers about garipov’s case, immigration attorney ruby powers, who is not involved in the case, says a pending asylum application means an individual is waiting for a decision from immigration officials or an immigration judge.
however, she says having a pending asylum case does not prevent someone from being detained.
“to have a person detained at an airport for no other reason other than asylum pending and being 18, we haven’t seen that happen,” powers said.
powers explained that detention does not necessarily end an asylum case.
“it doesn’t actually mean that this is the end,” she said. “It just means we’re at a different stage with a different jurisdiction.”
ice: pending application does not provide legal status
in a statement, ice said garipov was admitted to the united states in 2022 as a non-immigrant but did not depart before his authorized stay expired.
the agency said a pending asylum application does not confer legal immigration status and that individuals detained by ice continue to receive due process under federal law.
what comes next?
powers says garipov may still have legal options moving forward and that his detention should not prevent him from pursuing another asylum application in the future, depending on the circumstances of his case.
garipov’s family has not publicly commented, saying they want time to pursue legal claims.
meanwhile, u.S. Rep. Lizzie fletcher says her office is working with the family and remains in contact with federal agencies regarding the case. |
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| One Track Mind: Mamdani Says Hes Exploring Whether Netanyahu Could Be Arrested D |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:04 PDT (6 reads) | |
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New york city mayor zohran mamdani said he is consulting with city attorneys to determine whether any legal authority exists to arrest israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu if he visits new york.
in an interview with the new york times, mamdani described netanyahu as “a war criminal,” arguing that the israeli leader belongs before the international criminal court in the hague, which has issued an arrest warrant for him.
watch: nyc mayor zohran mamdani said he is in an active conversation with the citys law department about whether he has the authority to order the arrest of israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu if he visits new york for the u.N. General assembly.
i believe that prime…
[pic.Twitter.Com/gzjafbvwgu]— clash report (@clashreport)
[july 18, 2026]
mamdani said he is in ongoing discussions with the city’s legal team to understand what powers, if any, the mayor’s office has in such a situation.
“whatever the law allows me to do in new york city, that’s what we will do,” mamdani said. “But we won’t be writing our own laws to that end.”
the comments drew swift criticism from israeli officials.
israel’s ambassador to the united nations, danny danon, dismissed the remarks and said mamdani should focus on governing new york city and addressing rising antisemitism rather than targeting israel. Danon also said prime minister netanyahu still intends to travel to new york for the u.N. General assembly, adding that, in his view, “if anyone should be arrested, it is nyc mayor zohran mamdani.”
israeli consul general in new york ofir akunis likewise stated that the mayor has no legal authority to order the arrest of a foreign head of government and urged him to concentrate on city issues instead.
laura loomer: “new york city mayor zohran mamdani is strategizing whether he has the legal authority to arrest israeli prime minister benjamin netanyahu when he visits in september. Imagine how safe the streets of new york would be if zohran treated nyc’s actual criminals the same way he treats a foreign leader. This is yet another example of the islamic communists embracing an america last policy.”
this is not the first time mamdani has made such comments. Before taking office in october 2025, he pledged to “exhaust every legal option” to seek netanyahu’s arrest if the prime minister came to new york.
mamdani has been a frequent critic of israel throughout the war with hamas. He accused israel of committing “genocide” in gaza, criticized israel’s response following the october 7 hamas attack, and has faced criticism for declining to call for hamas to disarm or explicitly condemn the phrase “globalize the intifada.”
mayor mamdani: here’s why your threat to arrest pm netanyahu’s in nyc during unga is not going to happen:
1. The u.S. Is not party to the rome statute that underlies the icc,
2. The un headquarters agreement grants diplomatic protections to visiting heads of gov’t,
3.…— Ambassador mike waltz (@michaelgwaltz)
[july 18, 2026]
netanyahu, appearing on sid rosenberg’s radio show, claims mamdani “champions” hamas and “apologizes and accuses for iran,
“he is with the terror actors… i think, secretly, he hates america.”
[pic.Twitter.Com/x2ilvvhafx]— jacob n. Kornbluh (@jacobkornbluh)
[july 15, 2026]
this isn’t a college protest. This is the city of new york.
threatening to arrest the democratically elected leader of one of america’s closest allies during u.N. General assembly week isn’t bold. It’s reckless.
american diplomats, service members, and officials are stationed…
[https://t.Co/wq5axm0klr]— eric adams (@ericadamsfornyc)
[july 19, 2026] |
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| 5Star Preps 2026 Baseball Offensive Player of the Year, presented by Garza Law: |
| Posted on Sunday, July 19 @ 00:01:04 PDT (7 reads) | |
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by jesse smithey
heritage baseball coach robbie bennett gets the same rhetorical question often when he tells people that his star player, gaven french, still has another year left.
“most people are like, ‘holy cow, he was just a junior?” Bennett said.
“people don’t realize he’s coming back next year. So, i’m excited.”
and why wouldn’t he be?
french, the 2026 5star preps offensive player of the year presented by garza law, helped heritage have a season for the ages in the spring. He led the mountaineers to their first-ever appearance in a tssaa state tournament and had the mountaineers on the cusp of reaching the title-game round.
he hit .463 as a junior with 16 doubles, 17 home runs, 48 walks and 56 rbis. Not to mention, he was 9-1 on the mound with 109 strikeouts and a 1.18 era in 65.1 innings pitched.
the two-way player has long been committed to the university of tennessee.
he more than proved his credentials this past season.
“for him to just come straight out of basketball and into baseball and do what he did, he’s just a special athlete,” bennett said. “Better than that, he’s just a really good kid. He’s a yes-sir, no-sir kid. Hitting wise, we get into the region tournament, and they’re walking him with a runner on first base. They’re walking him with nobody on. We’re playing signal mountain that first game, and they walked him the first two times. Every time somebody didn’t walk him, he hit a home run — in the substate and in the region. He had an awesome year.”
“he works when nobody is watching,” bennett added. “He’s a 1,500-point scorer in basketball. Truth be known, if he played football, there’s no telling how good he’d be there. Obviously, his sophomore year, he started at quarterback for us, until he got hurt. He’s just a special athlete.”
french averaged 15.8 points per game for a heritage boys’ basketball team that went 23-9, that barely lost to eventual 3a champion alcoa in the district 5-3a championship and that fell just a few points shy of making the state sectionals (substate). He shot 39 percent from the 3-point line and 86 percent at the free-throw line.
but all while basketball transpired, french found ways to make sure his baseball skills remained sharp for the 2026 season. Sometimes that meant hitting and throwing bullpens on weekends or random off days during the week.
“i had to be ready to go,” french said. “I knew we had a really good team. I wanted to have my a-game to start off.”
still, french said, it took a few weeks for him to reach full confidence in his swing once baseball season commenced.
“but once i got it back, i was fine,” he said.
heritage finished the season 35-14. The mountaineers had seven memorable battles with district 5-3a rival alcoa, with heritage winning the final one over the tornadoes in the region 3-3a championship.
but when coach bennett looks back on the 2026 season that french had, he’ll always remember what french told him before heritage faced watertown in game 2 of a best-of-three state sectional series.
heritage led the series 1-0 and french was to take the mound that day to try and clinch the program’s first-ever trip to state.
“he told me before the game, ‘get me one run,” bennett recalled. “And that’s all it took. He threw a gem.”
heritage won the game 1-0. French struck out seven and walked one, allowing just five hits.
“as a competitor, that’s my mindset every time. I tell the guys to just give me one run and i got us,” french said. “That day in the bullpen, it felt really good. All four pitches were working in the pen. So i just told them, ‘get me one run and i got the rest.” That happened.
“but that’s my mindset every time i go out is just try and dominate the team i’m pitching against.”
in four games at state, french went 5-for-12 at the plate with a home run, two doubles, four walks and five rbis. He started one game on the mound, striking out 10 and allowing just two hits in five innings pitched.
roughly two months removed from that week in murfreesboro, french appreciates the accomplishment heritage baseball achieved. But he’d certainly like another crack at it in 2027.
“we’d never been to the state tournament before. So just getting there for the first time for our school and our coaching staff that had been there for 20 years, to be able to get there was really cool,” he said. “But we’re not satisfied, because we’re all competitors and we didn’t win it all. Looking back, it was a really fun time. But we didn’t finish the job. I wouldn’t say satisfaction, but it did feel good to get there.”
between now and then, french plans to increase his velocity as a pitcher. Already blessed with a fastball that hits the 92 to 94-miles-per-hour, french wants that to jump up to 96-98 by the time he’s a senior.
he’s still in the midst of his travel ball season right now, though. At the end of july, he’ll head to hoover, ala., To play in the east coast pro, which will allow him to perform in front of major league baseball scouting directors. Then, in early august, he’ll play for the kansas city royals scout team out in california in the area code games.
slated to be a two-way player at tennessee, french will continue to hone both his offensive talents and pitching abilities to keep every avenue ajar. Tennessee coach josh elander has told him to do that, as well, french said.
“coach elander said to do both for as long as you can, to see what the game does for you,” french said. “Right now, i think my pitching is probably ahead of my hitting, just numbers wise and what i like to do. But i’m going to try and do both as long as i can just to see how it plays out. Pitchers turn into hitters. Hitters turn into pitchers. Drew gilbert came in as a pitcher only at tennessee, and we see where he’s at now.
“i feel like i can hit with the best of them. I got confidence when i get into the box when i can. Baseball is hard. Being able to do both when i get into college is going to be difficult. But i feel like i can do it.” |
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