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| Local Colleges Report: SDSU, UCSD face midweek challenges in womens hoops |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Getting your trinity audio player ready... The women’s basketball teams at san diego state (15-3, 9-0) and uc san diego (13-6, 8-1) face tough mid-week road assignments while sitting on top of their respective conference standings.
the aztecs will seek a 12th straight win at colorado state (17, 8-2) wednesday morning before hosting nevada saturday afternoon at viejas arena.
the tritons will play at uc santa barbara (15-3, 7-2) thursday night before hosting cal state northridge saturday afternoon.
sdsu guard nala williams was named the mountain west player of the week on monday after scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 assists in the aztecs’ 94-66 win over san jose state on saturday.
meanwhile, uc san diego scored a 68-66 win at uc irvine to move into a tie with the anteaters atop the big west conference standings.
forwards rose smith and erin condron scored 20 and 19 points, respectively, while guard makayla rose put up 12 points, six rebounds, five assists and two steals.
division ii basketball point loma nazarene’s women’s basketball team improved to 14-4 and climbed back on top of the pacwest conference standings with a 10-2 mark after beating azusa pacific (80-55) and contender vanguard (59-57) last week. Center eiley tippins had 45 points and 14 rebounds over the two games.
meanwhile, the plnu men (14-4, 9-3) slipped into second in the pacwest with a 76-67 loss at vanguard. Forward andrew nagy finished with 17 points and eight rebounds. Andrew hommes added 16 points and six rebounds.
cal state san marcos men’s basketball team (10-7, 7-5) is coming off a 76-71 overtime win at san francisco state on saturday. Freshman guard chris carrillo (la jolla country day) came off the bench to lead the cougars with 20 points.
freshman forward kaity haan had a double-double with 18 points and 12 rebounds, but the cougars’ women (6-11, 3-9) lost 69-57 at san francisco state. Csusm’s women have lost six straight.
jc basketball san diego city college finished the first half of the pacific coast athletic conference season with a perfect 8-0 record while the miracosta college women remain the only undefeated team in the california community college athletic association heading into a key game tuesday.
sdcc is 15-5 overall and winners of six straight games.
the knights gained their two-game lead friday with a 94-86 home win over palomar. Junior camacho led the knights with 27 points while dylan griffin (university city high) added 23 points and 12 rebounds. Matin madadkar (torrey pines high) chipped in 17.
indoor track and field san diego state senior xiamara young won the triple jump (43 feet, 2.9 inches) and placed second in the long jump (20 feet, 9.6 inches) in the martin luther king jr. Invitational at the university of new mexico.
sdsu’s 4×400 relay team of anna mager, shari hurdman, kelia bentham and lidia major finished fifth with a time of 3:40.04, the seventh-fastest mark in aztec history.
a day before the relay, major posted the eighth-fastest 600-meter time in aztec history (1:35.79). Hurdman, a freshman from australia, ran the 400 in 56.1 seconds with karina janik at 58.29. Returnee aji mbye led the aztecs in the 200 with a time of 23.97, just ahead of laraigh allen (24.05) and freshman kelia bentham (24.10).
women’s water polo san diego state’s women’s water polo team, which is ranked 21st in the nation, lost to second-ranked usc 22-8 saturday in the aztecs’ home debut. San diego state is 3-2.
women’s swimming and diving san diego state extended its dual-meet winning streak to 85 last friday with a 155-108 victory over the usd at the aztec aquaplex.
ali mann set pool records while winning the 50 freestyle (22.48 seconds) and 100 butterfly (52.68) and kaydence bispo sweeping the 100 (49.95) and 200 (1:48.32), the aztecs won all 13 swimming events. The 200 medley relay team of abby storm, moa bergdahl, emily tenczar and alyssa shiller set the aquaplex record with a time of 1:40.35.
the aztecs haven’t lost a dual meet since jan. 8, 2018. |
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| No Common Set of Facts |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Julie mason and i discussed the tragic events of last weekend and the state of american politics on her wonderful radio show.
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julie mason and i discussed the tragic events of last weekend and the state of american politics on her wonderful radio show.
wall street journal: “the annual tax-filing season that opened monday will produce a cash surge estimated at $100 billion beyond last year’s $329 billion total, and it is engineered to…
jonathan martin: “to cover the republican party in the age of president donald trump requires a grasp of cryptology.” “Because of the unflinching personal loyalty he demands, and punishment he’ll…
“gregory bovino has been removed from his role as border patrol ‘commander at large’ and will return to his former job in el centro, california, where he is expected to…
“border patrol commander gregory bovino will imminently leave minnesota along with some of his agents,” the wall street journal reports. “Bovino had emerged as the public face of the trump…
“white house press secretary karoline leavitt on monday notably distanced president trump from rhetoric made by high-profile members of his administration in the aftermath of the shooting death of alex…
“the white house on monday urged the senate to pass the six-bill appropriations package to avert a partial government shutdown and signaled it doesn’t want department of homeland security money…
perry johnson (r) “will make another bid to become michigan’s governor, after spending $8 million years ago and failing to get on the ballot due to faulty nominating petitions,” the…
politico: “current and former officials describe growing frustration and disillusionment with the trump administration’s approach, even as they support the goal of immigration enforcement.”Save to favorites
“a number of republicans have criticized alex pretti—who was killed by a federal border patrol agent saturday—for carrying a gun during protest activity,” the wall street journal reports. “They are…
“the american academy of pediatrics recommends children be vaccinated against 18 diseases, more than the u.S. Government directs after it overhauled its schedule,” the wall street journal reports. “The doctors…
“as u.S. Warplanes and aircraft carriers approach the persian gulf, tehran and its regional allies are warning they will respond aggressively to a potential strike,” the new york times reports….
investigators are reviewing body-worn camera video of the fatal shooting of alex pretti, nbc news reports. The video was taken from multiple angles.Save to favorites
rep. Tom suozzi (d-ny) on monday said he regretted his vote last week for a funding bill for the department of homeland security, amid intense backlash surrounding the trump administration’s…
president trump described what he said was a “very good call” with minnesota gov. Tim walz (d) in which they “seemed to be on a similar wavelength,” amid growing tensions…
president trump told new york magazine he’s closed his eyes during cabinet meetings because they are “boring as hell.” Said trump: “i’m going around a room, and i’ve got 28…
president trump on monday said the justice department is investigating rep. Ilhan omar (d-mn), politico reports. Omar responded: “sorry, trump, your support is collapsing and you’re panicking. Right on cue,…
president donald trump insists that the united states will effectively take ownership of u.S. Military bases in greenland, making them sovereign u.S. Land, usa today reports. A senior greenlandic official…
“treasury secretary scott bessent on monday said he had cancelled all treasury department contracts with the consulting firm booz allen hamilton, one of whose employees leaked the tax records of…
democratic strategist david axelrod has some sharp critiques of california gov. Gavin newsom (d) as he prepares for a potential white house run, axios reports. Said axelrod: “haven’t we seen…
“independents across the country are lining up to run in house and senate races, hoping to ride voters’ frustration with both parties to the halls of the capitol,” politico reports….
taegan goddard is the founder of political wire, one of the earliest and most influential political web sites. He also runs political job hunt, electoral vote map and the political dictionary.
goddard spent more than a decade as managing director and chief operating officer of a prominent investment firm in new york city. Previously, he was a policy adviser to a u.S. Senator and governor.
goddard is also co-author of you won - now what? (Scribner, 1998), a political management book hailed by prominent journalists and politicians from both parties. In addition, goddards essays on politics and public policy have appeared in dozens of newspapers across the country.
goddard earned degrees from vassar college and harvard university. He lives in new york with his wife and three sons.
goddard is the owner of goddard media llc.
“there are a lot of blogs and news sites claiming to understand politics, but only a few actually do. Political wire is one of them.”
— chuck todd, host of “meet the press”
“concise. Relevant. To the point. Political wire is the first site i check when i’m looking for the latest political nugget. That pretty much says it all.”
— stuart rothenberg, editor of the rothenberg political report
“political wire is one of only four or five sites that i check every day and sometimes several times a day, for the latest political news and developments.”
— charlie cook, editor of the cook political report
“the big news, delicious tidbits, pearls of wisdom — nicely packaged, constantly updated… what political junkie could ask for more?”
— larry sabato, center for politics, university of virginia
“political wire is a great, great site.”
— joe scarborough, host of msnbc’s “morning joe”
“taegan goddard has a knack for digging out political gems that too often get passed over by the mainstream press, and for delivering the latest electoral developments in a sharp, no frills style that makes his political wire an addictive blog habit you don’t want to kick.”
— arianna huffington, founder of the huffington post
“political wire is one of the absolute must-read sites in the blogosphere.”
— glenn reynolds, founder of instapundit
“i rely on taegan goddard’s political wire for straight, fair political news, he gets right to the point. It’s an eagerly anticipated part of my news reading.”
— craig newmark, founder of craigslist. |
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| Mick Foley Announces Passing of His Mother - TPWW |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Wwe hall of famer mick foley announced on facebook that his mother, beverly foley, passed away earlier today.
foley stated that his mother had been battling dementia for a long time prior to her passing.
“goodbye mom
it is with a heavy heart i share the news of my mother’s passing, following a long battle with dementia. My mother was an intensely private person – so much so that i pleaded with wwe not to show her in the crowd at a 1997 msg show – and i have struggled in trying to decide whether i should make her passing public. Her will specified there would be no visitation, no funeral; not even an obituary – but in the end, we as a family felt it would be good for all of us if there was a tribute of some kind to a remarkable woman. Also, knowing i am far from alone in being a child of a parent stricken with such a devastating illness, i am hoping that by writing this tribute, other families in the same situation will know they are not alone; that others out there can feel their pain.
my mother was born on a farm in a small town in western new york in 1938. On the heels of the great depression, times were tough, and the food on her family’s table was either raised or grown on the farm, or procured by rifle. Out of necessity, a dollar had to be stretched as far as it could possibly go, and she carried the financial lessons she’d learned on that farm with her throughout her life. In my high school years, i would see my best friends practically shivering in their winter coats when they came to my house, and it took me years to realize that not many families kept the thermostat at 56° in the winter or went without air conditioning – either in the home or in the car – in those scorching summers of my past.
i grew up in a 64 square-foot room in a 1200 square-foot home with one small bathroom for the entire family. I believe i was 12 years old when an extension was added onto my room turning my 8‘ x 8‘ room into a 10‘ x 8‘ room – a whopping addition of 16 square feet. My brother john and i fondly recall the audible gasps my mother would make when seeing the bill from the restaurant…any restaurant. She simply knew what it was like to grow up poor, and did not see any need to pay out any more than was absolutely necessary. So if you’re wondering where the legendary foley thriftiness came from, it was from my mom – and those lessons learned have served me well over the years!
my brother and i thought we had it made, though. We had close friends in the neighborhood, our own neighborhood wiffleball team (the parsonage yankees) and a delicious, home-cooked meal on the table every night. While there is not a drop of italian blood in the foley ancestry, i have never tasted spaghetti and meatballs or lasagna that could touch my mom‘s. Her yorkshire pudding (a christmas day tradition) was the bret hart of yorkshire puddings; the best there is, the best there was, the best there ever will be!
until a couple years ago, my mother had never once mentioned that she had been stricken with polio as a child. Had my father not told me, i never would have known. Then one day, shortly before my mother went into assisted living due to the progression of her disease, she brought out a small keepsake box with some yellowed newspaper clippings, and it was in one of those clippings i read of her months long battle with the dreaded disease. I may have done some impressive things in my career, but my mother stomped a mud hole in polio’s @ss and walked it dry, and grew into a strong, independent woman who became the first member of her family to attend college. Her quest for a college education was met with much resistance from her father, who simply did not see the need for a woman to have a college education. Their relationship remained distant up until my grandfather‘s death of dementia in the early 1990s. But my mother persevered, got that college education she valued so greatly – graduating near the top of her class – and landed a job as a physical education teacher in the small long island town of setauket, new york. It was there she met my father and gave up her own ambitions to become a full-time mother to me and my brother john, encouraging us to chase dreams of our own. When i was 15, my mother went back to work for twenty plus years – always making sure my brother and i had a home cooked breakfast before she began her workday.
her thirst for knowledge never ended. In time she earned two different masters degrees, and was like a walking encyclopedia. Night after night, i would look on in amazement as my mother watched “jeopardy” – answering question after question, usually faring far better than the actual contestants. I never once heard her say “i don’t know” in regard to one of my questions, whereas i say those three words to my children almost every single day. Up until just a few years ago, when the disease had really taken its toll, she was still polishing off two good sized novels a week. She loved reading to me and my brother, sparked my imagination and nurtured my own love for reading and writing. Although i did not realize it until years later, when i sat down with my notebooks to write “have a nice day”, i was not doing it all on my own; my mother’s love was guiding me – all those years of encouragement allowing me to believe i had the necessary tools to write my very own book. Following the book’s release, my mother carried it with her everywhere – and that 570-page behemoth wasn’t light by any means. Chris jericho even used the hefty tome to score a questionable victory over me in st. Louis in 1999. I do believe her proudest moment as my mother was seeing my name on the cover of a book i had written. There’s no way i could have done it without her.
my mother first entered the pro-wrestling lexicon in april, 1997, after a sitdown interview with jim ross where i talked about my reaction to my first experience in the bizarre subculture of japanese “death match” wrestling by saying, “mrs. Foley’s baby boy is finally home!” Had jr not taken an interest in that phrase, the mention probably would have been one and done. Instead, jim really sank his teeth into the moniker, and through his words, my mom became part of my character. With the exception of the rock’s mother atta (and perhaps shelton benjamin’s) i can think of no other mother who has been so closely associated with a child’s pro wrestling journey. I guess buff bagwell would have reason to disagree but my mother’s intense privacy cost any possibility there would ever be a “mrs. Foley on a pole” match.
the phrase “be kind: you never know what struggle someone is going through” took on a great deal of added meaning following my mother‘s dementia diagnosis. To see such a brilliant, strong woman slipping away so rapidly was the most difficult thing i’ve ever been through. The decision to put her into assisted-living was heartbreaking, but by that point, she was no longer capable of taking care of herself, and had taken to wandering off with increasingly greater regularity. After catching her about to wander off into the night at 3 am in new hampshire’s white mountains, i sadly realized that the trip we planned to see the “radio christmas spectacular” and the play “chicago” on broadway would not come to pass. Wandering off in the small town of setauket was one thing. I knew if she wandered off into the night in new york city, we might never see her again. I remember the helplessness in her eyes when my brother and i asked her if she knew our names, and she came up with wrong names for both of us. Sadly, she needed to leave the home she’d lived in for 60 years – a devastating blow to the entire family.
sometimes, when faced with the type of dark cloud a dementia diagnosis brings, you need to look for the slightest hint of a silver lining. For me, that silver lining was knowing that even as the disease progressed rapidly – even as we knew there was no chance of a happy ending to her life story – for a short window of time, there was something of a childlike wonder in her eyes, especially when she would watch certain movies, or “outlander” on starz – her favorite television series of all time. Her dedication to the show became well-known among some of the cast – so much so that when i met “outlander” star sam heughan at new york comic con, his first words to me were, “how’s your mum?” Though my first book represented the accomplishment my mother was most proud of, a close second had to go to my role in “star force ii”, one of those shoestring budget pandemic movies, where actors would record their dialogue on their smart phone and send them in, at which point the clips would be edited in wild and wonderful ways. For my mother, seeing her baby boy in the do-it-yourself movie starring both “outlander” leads sam heughan and caitriona balfe (not to mention james mcavoy) was a crowning achievement for her as a very proud parent. I ordered four different cameo videos for her from the cast of “outlander”, and hearing those stars she admired so much talking about her own son would cause her to beam with pride. Since her passing, i’ve been binging her beloved show, and feel her presence with me as i watch the tight-knit fraser clan navigate an uncertain future in colonial america.
just two weeks before her passing, my children and i all had the chance to say our final goodbyes. We took turns holding her hand, telling her how much we loved her, and what a special part of our lives she was. She only spoke a few words that day, but her eyes were open, she was alert, and i’d like to believe she heard every loving word we spoke that day. I returned to visit her just two weeks later, and the light was gone. There was no sign of recognition. I held her hand, told her i loved her and that it was ok to let go. A few days later, she was gone.
i hope and pray one day this terrible disease will be vanquished, and one day, no one will have to go through the same experience my family did. Until that day, i encourage all of you to appreciate the little things, tell your loved ones they are loved, and never take a single precious moment for granted. I owe a debt of gratitude to my brother john and his son jake for their constant presence in her life during such a difficult period of time.
goodbye mom. I love you very much and will always be proud to be mrs. Foley’s baby boy. |
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| UTA basketball, tennis, and track and field set to compete this week | Sports | |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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As the cold keeps fans bundled up in their homes, uta athletics will prepare for a week of basketball, track and field, and tennis.
here’s the schedule for tuesday to feb. 2.
men’s basketball
coming off a win against tarleton state university, the men’s basketball team will host southern utah university in its throwback game at 7 p.M. Thursday at college park center. In their last matchup earlier this month, the mavericks took down southern utah 86-77.
the men’s team will take a day off before it hosts california baptist university at 2 p.M. Saturday at college park center. The team will look to replicate its success from its new year’s day matchup against california baptist, when uta won 63-51.
both games will be available to stream on espn+.
women’s basketball
the women’s basketball team will travel to cedar city, utah, to take on southern utah university at 7:30 p.M. Thursday at america first events center. The lady mavericks could not protect home court the last time the teams faced off, as southern utah took them down in a close 3-point loss.
the women’s team will take a day off as well, then travel to riverside, california, to take on california baptist university at 3 p.M. Saturday at the dale e. And sarah ann fowler events center.
track and field
uta track and field will have the opportunity to showcase its talent at the two-day robert platt invitational on friday and saturday at the yeoman fieldhouse in houston, texas. The mavericks put on a solid performance in their season-opening invitational, with several first-place finishes, from sophomore emilia mandl (800-meter), junior daniel armstrong (800) and sophomore ethan saenz (pole vault).
men’s tennis
due to inclement weather, the men’s tennis team’s match against oklahoma state university was canceled and has been rescheduled for 10 a.M. Tuesday at the greenwood tennis center in stillwater, oklahoma.
women’s tennis
women’s tennis will compete against texas christian university at 6 p.M. Sunday at the bayard h. Friedman tennis center in fort worth, texas.
historically, tcu has gotten the better of uta. The team will have the opportunity to take its first win and break a 20-match losing streak.
@z0.Diac_ |
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| A Shining Star Returns to Dallas: PepsiCos Nur Kara Is a Natural at Marketing La |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Nur kara joined the corporate legal department at pepsico in january 2024 having never practiced marketing law.
but during the past two years, the native north texan has played a monumental role in leading the legal efforts for major redesigns and portfolio transformations for more than 15 pepsico foods brands, including top revenue-generating portfolios like lay’s and tostitos. Kara’s impact, according to pepsico executives, has been extraordinary.
a litigation associate at dla piper only 25 months ago, kara said the biggest transition going in-house has been the ability for her to own brand clients, the relative autonomy to conduct her work and directly providing counsel to corporate business leaders.
“i find myself growing and thriving as a legal professional, shifting away from a highly specialized and billable-hour governed role to learning up on not just one new practice area — marketing/advertising law — but also on intersecting regulatory, intellectual property, nutrition science and communications concerns,” she told the texas lawbook. “Needing to be a business-focused generalist has increased my adaptability, legal acumen to quickly issue-spot and evaluate risks, relationship-building and communications, and project management skills.”
kara’s achievements in such a short period of time, including:
- substantiated more than 300 health and nutrient-content claims, reviewed packaging and labeling for compliance with food and drug administration, federal trade commission and u.S. Department of agriculture regulations;
- ensured alignment with school nutrition standards and advertising-to-children rules;
- reviewed advertising materials across print, digital, and broadcast mediums — including super bowl campaigns;
- led project and risk analyses for nearly 70 products;
- drafted and negotiated more than 100 agreements, including nondisclosure agreements, service agreements, sponsorships, influencer deals, talent agreements, sweepstakes and contest rules and music licenses; and
- co-founded the pepsico legal department’s pro bono program, building external partnerships with legal aid of northwest texas and emily’s place, a nonprofit serving survivors of domestic violence.
“in every organization, there are individuals who quietly transform the culture, elevate the work and inspire those around them,” said pepsico legal director candace uduebor. “Nur kara is one of those rare individuals. Before pepsico, nur had no experience in marketing law. It is a true testament to her determination and mental agility that, in just two years, nur has taken on and excelled in a new and evolving practice area, entrusted with many of the company’s core brands. In doing so, she has managed some of the business’s highest-profile campaigns from conception to launch, such as those for super bowl®, fifa and premiere streaming partners, including tv commercials featuring union talent.”
premium subscriber q&a: nur kara discusses the traits she seeks in outside counsel, what outside counsel need to know when working with her and more.
“as the primary attorney for the largest core snack foods brands undergoing reformulations and innovations, nur has substantiated complex product claims against rapidly changing federal and state regulations and counseled directors and executives on legal and regulatory risks,” uduebor said.
the association of corporate counsel’s dfw chapter and the texas lawbook have named kara as one of two finalists for the 2025 dfw corporate counsel award for rookie of the year.
“nur joined pepsico’s legal team to advise marketing clients on food advertising — a high-stakes, fast-paced domain where legal precision meets creative ambition,” said uduebor, who nominated kara for the award. “From day one, she distinguished herself as a trusted advisor, translating complex regulatory frameworks into clear, actionable guidance. Her ability to balance legal rigor with business pragmatism has earned her the respect of colleagues across departments.”
“nur kara is not just a rising star — she is a force for good,” she said. “She exemplifies the ‘pepsico way,’ bringing our core cultural values to life through her work and leadership.”
leanne oliver, the recently retired pepsico foods general counsel and now partner at phillips murrah, hired kara away from the boston office of dla piper to join the drink and food giant’s plano-based legal department.
“sometimes you get lucky, and a true shining star decides to move back to dallas,” oliver said. “That was the case with nur. I knew immediately that she would be a perfect addition to our team and that she had the ability to make an immediate impact. From day one, nur showed poise and confidence. While many lawyers struggle transitioning from firm life to in-house, it was seamless for her. She quickly earned the trust of her clients and became a valued member of the marketing legal team.”
kara’s mother’s family was born and raised in uganda. Her father’s family was from tanzania. Former ugandan president idi amin’s economic war and military dictatorship led to her family’s eviction from the region in 1972.
her mother was 13. Her father was 18.
“they were given mere days to pack up their homes and livelihoods and were forced to seek asylum in the west,” kara said.
kara’s parents met while studying in the united kingdom. After marriage, they immigrated to the united states and settled in the carrollton area four decades ago.
“their pursuit of the american dream proved difficult,” she said. “My mom held many varied roles, as an airline agent and phlebotomist, and my father was a small-business owner. But they never wavered in their strength and determination to provide for me and my sister. Perhaps we kept them going and now they keep us going, as we aim to provide them in retirement with the small luxuries and restful moments they always deserved.”
kara attended girls-only hockaday school in dallas, thanks to a scholarship. She attended the university of chicago — also on scholarships — where she earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and human rights.
“my parents always pushed for my sister and me to have the best education, the power that would unlock a new world of opportunities for us,” she said. “I have been fortunate to live, study and work in spain, uganda, egypt, india and the united kingdom. I am a global citizen, always aiming to leverage my personal background and upbringing for good — to serve those individuals and communities less privileged, provide mentorship to aspiring students and young professionals like myself and hopefully continue to lay the familial foundation, as did my parents for me, that we can do and be and earn beyond our societally prescribed means.”
“by age three, i had developed the tenacity and passionate arguments required of a lawyer,” she said. “My uncle always said i’d grow up to be a lawyer. But along the way i envisioned careers as a writer or journalist, an academic or a path in global health and human rights policy advocacy.”
while studying at hockaday and performing community service projects across dallas, kara first cultivated a passion for the liberal arts and human rights.
the university of chicago was a time that “expanded my theoretical thinking and tested my character — not simply because of the harsh winters,” she said.
“i wanted to take my analysis of international treaties, policies and policing efforts outside of the classroom,” she said. “So i tutored students with intellectual, behavioral and socioeconomic disadvantages in chicago public schools. [I] interned with amnesty international, where i researched immigration, the death penalty and global genocides. [I] returned to my mother’s roots in kampala, uganda, on a summer grant, where i worked with a girls’ rights ngo focused on combatting sexual violence and child labor.”
kara also used a post-college fulbright-nehru scholarship to lead a project in new delhi, india, that focused on educating girls on menstrual health and hygiene rights.
she also pursued her passion for journalism as a freelance writer for trailblazing south asian publications like brown girl magazine.
kara earned her master’s degree in health policy and finance at the london school of economics and the london school of hygiene & tropical medicine. Then came law school with the help of sidley austin’s prelaw scholarship and the american bar association’s legal opportunity scholarship.
“seeking to bridge the gaps in health policy development, implementation and enforcement is what eventually led me to the university of north carolina-chapel hill for law school,” she said. “So, in sum, i guess i became all the things i wanted to in some form or fashion on my way to becoming a lawyer.”
kara spent the first several months as a practicing lawyer working on pro bono projects courtesy of dla piper’s krantz fellowship.
in january 2021, she joined dla’s product liability litigation team, where she worked on multidistrict mass tort and class action matters for major pharmaceutical, medical device and agrochemical manufacturers.
“i got the unique chance to take depositions, go to trial and interface with high-profile clients,” she said. “I took on leadership opportunities at the firm with recruitment, inclusion and business development efforts. But after a few years, i realized the work i enjoyed the most was not within the confines of briefing and discovery and the billable structure, but instead conducting risk assessments and directly counseling clients. I wanted to develop my legal skills as a generalist and strategic partner.”
kara searched for roles in the pharmaceutical and consumer packaged goods industries. That’s when she discovered on linkedin the marketing and advertising attorney role with pepsico/frito-lay in plano.
“i thought about how great it would be to move back and spend more time with my aging parents, my sister and my no-longer-little niece and nephew,” she said. “I knew i wanted to join a global company with innovation rooted in science, social responsibility rooted in sustainability and a renowned company culture — all qualities to which pepsico subscribes—and it worked out.”
joining pepsico at a time for innovation and reformulation, an evolving policy and regulatory backdrop required kara “to learn up fast.” Her lack of prior direct marketing law experience also presented a challenge.
“i needed to understand varying brand personas, product histories and missions and business systems, while identifying how to translate complex regulatory frameworks into clear, actionable guidance,” she said. “Luckily, law firm life had trained me well with issue-spotting litigation risks, resolving numerous requests on tight timelines and engaging with life-science concepts.”
a critical challenge kara faced was how to advise 15-plus brands, constantly shifting between each, and then effectively liaising with those in marketing, regulatory, r&d, supply chain, finance and public relations within each business operation.
the job required kara to substantiate numerous product claims in compliance with guidance and regulations issued by the ftc, fda, usda and varying state laws. She also has advised on high-profile promotions and campaigns involving the nfl/super bowl, fifa, streaming partners and premier talent and influencers.
“my biggest success has been serving as the primary attorney for some of the company’s legacy, top revenue-generating brands undergoing extensive portfolio transformations,” she said. “It has been an intellectually stimulating journey thus far. I will forever be learning the business, but i am proud of the work i’ve been able to accomplish in such a short time, achieving a role promotion and building strong, trusted relationships.”
pepsico foods general counsel adrienne mosley said kara exemplifies what it means to be an outstanding lawyer.
“nur’s insight, unwavering dedication and intellectual curiosity empower clients to confidently navigate emerging legal risks and seize opportunities in a rapidly evolving landscape,” mosley said. “Nur’s empathy and creativity allow her to deeply understand challenges and trade-offs, which presenting ways to mitigate that serve the business goals while reducing risk.”
“what truly sets her apart is her emotional intuition — she understands people, their pressures and their goals,” she said. “That’s why her clients see her not as a legal checkpoint, but as a genuine partner who helps them move forward with confidence and clarity.”
fun facts: nur kara
- favorite book: i’ve always been a bookworm. Exactly why i needed glasses at a young age — secretly reading past bedtime in the dark! Bookstores are where i’m a kid in a candy shop. I prefer books that offer an escape from my personal but remain relatable, like poignant memoirs and fiction novels highlighting minority and immigrant voices. Some that have stuck with me are the bright hour: a memoir of living and dying by nina riggs, a woman is no man by etaf rum and an american marriage by tayari jones.
- favorite music group: anything bollywood or pakistani indie! My husband has gotten us into the depths of spotify.
- favorite movie: it now takes me at least three days to get through a movie! I am always on the hunt for 30-minute shows — shrinking on apple tv being one of my recent favorites.
- favorite restaurant: i’m always on the hunt for authentic korean food, chinese food and sushi. Too many favorites in the dallas area, but chef sun’s noodle & dumpling and mr. Sushi stand out.
- favorite beverage: i’m on a matcha kick lately! Trying to perfect it at home with the right temperature, whisking and microfoam techniques.
- favorite vacation: i took full advantage of my fulbright year in india to travel the country. It is the most diverse country i have visited, with each state rooted in its own culture, food, languages and ethnic and religious groups. It’s been my most awe-inspiring experience traveling to over 15 cities across 10 states, probably my favorites being amritsar and varanasi for their spiritual immersions and ladakh and darjeeling for the vast himalayas and stunning landscapes.
- hero in life: undoubtedly, my parents. I would not be who i am or where i am without their love, guidance and inherited values. I have seen them model great persistence, positivity, inclusivity and passionate service to others throughout all of life’s twists and turns. It is my pursuit to preserve and pass on their legacy as best as possible. |
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| Berkeleys history: Cop scolds 1926 drivers for ignoring traffic signs |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Trinity audioplayer ready...
“if the citizens of berkeley would observe the traffic ordinance, half of the problem facing the police department today would be solved, declares j. Fisher, traffic officer” the berkeley daily gazette reported a century ago on jan. 22, 1926.
“ninety-five percent of the people in berkeley disregard the signs, which we have placed to regulate traffic,” fisher continued. “There is no excuse for this when it is considered that the ordinance is the work of the people themselves. From july (1925) to january (1926), there were 522 accidents in this city. In these five persons were killed and 178 injured”.
fisher stated that “the traffic problem is the most serious situation that the police department faces today,” adding that the problem was nationwide and that berkeley’s traffic accident rate was statistically in the middle of cities its size.
“he called attention to the fact that if drivers of cars would approach the traffic question with the same regard as is evinced by people walking on the sidewalks do to one another, a great stride in solving the problem would be made,” the gazette reported.
gas station: berkeley’s planning commission voted jan. 28, 1926, to endorse a zoning change to allow a gas station at the northeast corner of college avenue and webster street.
the gazette reported that the hearing “failed to bring out the usual large numbers of objectors to a lowering of college avenue (zoning) classifications,” in part because nearby residents who opposed commercial uses on college extending down to webster saw a gas station as “a compromise to business.” The corner today is the longtime home of the city’s elmwood branch of the u.S. Postal service.
local flooding: a century ago on the night of jan. 28-29, 1926, “the heaviest downpour of the rainy season” hit berkeley. There were “miniature johnstown floods that caused damage to streets and flooded basements,” and utility trenches along shattuck avenue “were filled several feet deep with rushing water.”
“there was a river down dwight way, and south berkeley got its usual share of water,” the gazette reported. “It was high tide at bancroft and telegraph,” and co-eds trying to cross found the flood rose “to the level of the bottom of their skirts.”
“a small lake” formed at delaware street and san pablo avenue. Streetcar tracks were undermined by flooding water at sacramento and cedar. Store basements on shattuck were flooded, and numerous automobile accidents happened throughout berkeley.
in one case a streetcar hit a police car at shattuck and university avenues. The policeman who was driving escaped unhurt. But if you recall from last week’s column, this was yet another instance of a berkeley public safety employee in a vehicle hit by a streetcar.
goat attack: in an incident that showed berkeley in the 1920s still featured rural characteristics, mrs. Mary l. Webster, of 2330 west st., Was butted by a neighbor’s goat when she tried to lead it from a vacant lot. She was knocked unconscious and suffered some broken ribs.
library fees: uc berkeley alumni readers and researchers were up in arms a century ago in protest of a new fee for their use of uc libraries. They had previously been able to use the libraries for a year at a time upon making a $5 refundable deposit with the university. Members of the general public were charged $10 for a year of library use.
the university eliminated the alumni privilege but then revised the rules to say that a $6 annual payment instead of $10 would suffice for alumni. The alumni wanted the old deposit system back. For those wondering who had access to uc library book stacks back then, the article in the jan. 30, 1926, gazette also noted that all grad students would be allowed to enter the stacks.
bay area native and berkeley community historian steven finacom holds this column’s copyright. |
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| Alabamas Charles Bediako can keep playing, restraining order extended - Yahoo Sp |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Alabamas charles bediako can keep playing, restraining order extended story by
craig meyer, usa today network tue, 27 january 2026 at 12:19 am utc · 2 min read charles bediako ’s much-discussed return to college basketball will continue for nearly another two weeks – not solely because of a court order or a judge’s ruling, but with a little help from mother nature.
the alabama center’s temporary restraining order against the ncaa was extended by another 10 days due to counsel’s unavailability for the scheduled injunction hearing on tuesday, jan. 27.
advertisement advertisement advertisement in an order on monday, jan. 26 , judge james roberts jr. Of the tuscaloosa (alabama) county circuit court wrote that taylor askew, an attorney for the ncaa, was unable to attend the hearing because of “weather issues” where he lives in tennessee. Roberts added that the next hearing will be reset later by a separate order.
required reading: paying attention to texas tech yet? You should. That and more from college basketball weekend
after three years of playing professionally in the nba g league , bediako returned to alabama, where he played from 2021-23, after roberts granted him a temporary restraining order on wednesday, jan. 21.
advertisement advertisement advertisement in his first game back with the crimson tide, the seven-footer had 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals while making five of his six field-goal attempts in 25 minutes in a 79-73 loss at home against tennessee on jan. 24 .
with roberts’ decision, bediako will be eligible to compete in at least the next three games for alabama: jan. 27 against missouri, feb. 1 at no. 21 florida and feb. 4 against texas a&m.
bediako was not selected in the 2023 nba draft, and while he has never played an nba game, he suited up in 82 g league games over three seasons, including, most recently, for the motor city cruise on jan. 17, one week before his first game back with alabama.
advertisement advertisement advertisement he’s one of several former g league players who has joined a college roster this season, a trend that has raised the public ire of notable figures across the sport, as well as the ncaa itself, which said such moves are “taking away opportunities from high school students.” Michigan state coach tom izzo described it as “utterly ridiculous.” Even alabama coach nate oats, a former high school coach in michigan, spoke up last month after baylor brought in former nba draft pick james nnaji, saying the increased prevalence of such players was “taking opportunities away” from high schoolers.
this article originally appeared on usa today: alabamas charles bediako gets ncaa restraining order extended
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| Village Missions Response to a Shortage of Rural Pastors |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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By executive director john adams
perhaps you won’t be surprised to learn that a shortage of pastors first impacts rural communities and small towns. Since those are the places village missions serves, we’ve seen the impact up close. This isn’t a new issue, but it’s becoming increasingly critical. In fact, we have identified new missionaries as our most pressing challenge.
shortage of rural pastors
the shortage of rural pastors is not merely an employment or missionary-sending issue; it’s a spiritual issue. Only god can call people into ministry, much as only he can call them to faith in christ. The apostle paul points out the joint responsibility of our work and god’s work, speaking about discipleship in colossians 1:29 (nlt), “that’s why i work and struggle so hard, depending on christ’s mighty power that works within me.” We want to embrace that perspective.
while we have long been praying for more missionaries, we are also inviting ministry partners to join us in prayer and to participate in a monthly online prayer gathering. This 30-minute prayer time allows us to collectively ask the lord to call and send more rural pastors to fields awaiting these shepherds.
accessible training for ministry
years ago, missionary ron sallee noticed the decline in students who could go away for bible college training. It wasn’t that they weren’t interested; many students were working or raising families. The expense and challenges involved made school-based bible training unrealistic. In1995 ron sallee launched a two-year intensive bible training program on the village missions field where he served. He called it contender’s bible school.
later, video courses were produced from this course material and became contender’s discipleship initiative (cdi). This free online resource is helping thousands of christians become more mature disciples and training many for ministry.
cdi is helping to meet the need for more rural pastors: 24 village missionaries were trained through cdi.
new role: director of missionary development
after 47 years of ministry with village missions, ron is handing over the cdi program to the next director. As we make this change, we are merging this role with our on ramp programs at several bible colleges. The title of the new role is director of missionary development.
jon hansen – who has served with village missions since 1966 as a missionary, district representative, and assistant director – is taking on this new role. Jon’s training and experience in higher education, as well as his extensive experience with village missions, will enable him to focus intensively on preparing people for rural ministry.
ron and marilyn sallee aren’t ending ministry. Instead, they are launching a new ministry with peace haven for village missions alumni. In addition, they will serve as vm associate missionaries, an interim pastoral role.
new assistant director
one of our seasoned village missionaries, dan mason, will step into the assistant director role. Dan brings deep ministry experience, a shepherd’s heart, and godly wisdom that will serve well in supporting the work of district representatives and of finding new missionaries. He has served with village missions since june 2006, when he and his wife, amber, began a pastoral residency with tony and kathy pinkham in kettle falls, washington. The masons have served two fields: unity, oregon, from 2007 to 2011, and pacific city, oregon, since 2011.
in february, dan will begin training with jon hansen. Dan and amber will work alongside the hansens this spring to coordinate and run the district representative meetings and then candidate school, when a new group of vm candidates come to finish the application and onboarding process.
connecting with potential missionary pastors
in addition to these leadership changes, we are also investing further in cdi and our on ramp programs, and we are ramping up our efforts to connect with potential missionaries through online outreach and contacting bible colleges more broadly. We are also making sure that those who believe in the value of rural and small-town churches, and those who need christ in these communities, are tuned into this need. Likely, some prospective missionaries will first learn about village missions from one of our ministry partners.
need for rural pastors and thriving rural churches
with one out of every five americans residing in a rural community or small town, millions have yet to respond in faith to christ. Most of the time, these people need to hear the good news from someone they can trust, someone who lives in their community. While it isn’t always the pastor who shares the message, a church that is effectively sharing its hope is usually led by a faithful pastor who intentionally shares the gospel with others.
if you’ve had some connection with a rural place or small town, you likely know how vital a thriving country church can be. If you know someone who should consider serving with village missions, send them to our website (www.Villagemissions.Org).
whether you know someone or not, please join in praying for god to call more people to serve in rural places where the need is great. |
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| Long Beach presents first-ever LGBTQIA2S+ Community Health Needs Assessment |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Community members presented the findings of the inaugural lgbtqia2s+ community health needs assessment on tuesday to the long beach city council, with top priorities including housing, affirming health resources and addressing safety in regards to hate crimes and violent incidents.
over the year plus of distributing surveys and holding listening sessions, the city found its best practices for collecting data specific to sex, sexual orientation and gender identity, which it will use going forward.
fifth district councilmember megan kerr said the assessment has the power to “do some real restorative and reparative work for people who have lost faith in the city’s ability to see them, to find services for them and to support and uplift them.”
community partners that helped compile data and engage with the community for these findings included kubo organizing project, earthlodge center, the lgbtq center, apla health, young people to the front and long beach forward.
the goals of the lgbtqia2s+ health needs assessment include:
- to assess the factors most impacting quality of life for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, asexual and two-spirit individuals in long beach
- to identify current resources and assets available to the community that promote health and well-being.
- to understand best practices in collecting demographic data related to sex, sexual orientation and gender identity.
- to facilitate a community-driven proposal that leverages the strengths of the community in order to address health disparities and advance health equity for the lgbtqia2s+ community.
several listening sessions were held over the past year to gather multiple perspectives, as well as outreach at community events. Participants in surveys and listening sessions were currently living in long beach, 18 years and older and identified as part of the lbgtqia2s+ community.
one-hour listening sessions were conducted with multiple subgroups such as latinx, black, filipinx, cambodian, transgender, gender expansive and intersex (tgi), youth, older adults, and folks with disabilities. The survey completed by 447 people included 61 questions and was available in english, spanish, khmer and tagalog.
almost 70% of the survey participants were people of color, 60% were between the ages of 25 and 44, 47% were part of the tgi community, 31% had an annual income of $20,000 or less, and 17% said their highest level of education was a ged. The 90802 zip code had the highest level of survey participants.
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safety and community
safety, violence and community support emerged as a central theme in surveys and discussions, said ellie perez, interim director of the lgbtq center of long beach. Participants said in the last 12 months, 34% had experienced verbal abuse, 25% were threatened or harassed, 13% experienced physical abuse and 10% encountered cyberbullying. Over 80% of individuals said they had a safe place to go and socialize, and had friendships or relationships that were supportive.
however, nearly 60% of participants said they did not feel “confident” to go to the police for help. This number was higher (77%) among those who were transgender, gender expansive and intersex. Only 21% of people in long beach’s lbgtqia2s+ community said they reported a hate crime or violence committed towards them to the police, “suggesting a reluctance to engage with law enforcement,” perez said.
housing
housing was another prevalent issue brought up during the lgbtqia2s+ health needs assessment. About 6% of participants said they spend most nights in a shelter, while 64% reported couch-surfing with someone they knew. When asked about their emergency shelter experiences, 50% of tgi participants said they felt the shelter was affirming their gender.
a quarter of those surveyed or who participated in listening sessions said they had experienced homelessness in the last year, with 74% of them being people of color. Nearly a quarter of participants said they spend most of their income on rent alone. Of those who spend most of their income on rent, the rate was higher among the tgi community (31%) than the cisgender community (14%).
mental health
sixty-four percent of participants reported being diagnosed with a mental health condition in their lifetime, with 80% of those being in the tgi community and 51% being cisgender. Barriers to mental health care included difficulty finding an affirming provider, getting an appointment due to long waitlists or being able to afford treatment. A quarter of respondents said they were able to access mental health services within the last year.
needs identified
participants identified housing and homelessness as the top priority (64%), followed by mental health (38%), access to affirming care (36%) and safety (32%). Tgi individuals saw the greatest need for housing support, though rent burden among all participants was prevalent. A high priority was also being able to access support services after experiencing a violent or hate crime.
for sogi data collection, the group had multiple suggestions for best practices:
- allow multiple response options for sexual orientation and gender identity.
- include all response choices to show diversity of experiences.
- protect all sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity data that is collected.
- remind individuals that responding to sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity related questions is optional.
- provide resources for term definitions.
- ensure a diversity of categories when reporting data.
additional cultural considerations were to include culturally-specific identities and understanding that not all terms can be translated exactly.
next steps
long beach forward, kubo organizing project and long beach city college will soon be hosting an lgbtqia2s+ health summit to report these findings to the community and dive deeper into the data. |
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| Alabamas Charles Bediako gets NCAA restraining order extended |
| Posted on Tuesday, January 27 @ 00:00:44 PST (2 reads) | |
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Alabamas charles bediako can keep playing, restraining order extended
craig meyer
charles bediako’s much-discussed return to college basketball will continue for nearly another two weeks – not solely because of a court order or a judge’s ruling, but with a little help from mother nature.
the alabama center’s temporary restraining order against the ncaa was extended by another 10 days due to counsel’s unavailability for the scheduled injunction hearing on tuesday, jan. 27.
in an order on monday, jan. 26, judge james roberts jr. Of the tuscaloosa (alabama) county circuit court wrote that taylor askew, an attorney for the ncaa, was unable to attend the hearing because of “weather issues” where he lives in tennessee. Roberts added that the next hearing will be reset later by a separate order.
after three years of playing professionally in the nba g league, bediako returned to alabama, where he played from 2021-23, after roberts granted him a temporary restraining order on wednesday, jan. 21.
in his first game back with the crimson tide, the seven-footer had 13 points, three rebounds, two blocks and two steals while making five of his six field-goal attempts in 25 minutes in a 79-73 loss at home against tennessee on jan. 24.
with roberts’ decision, bediako will be eligible to compete in at least the next three games for alabama: jan. 27 against missouri, feb. 1 at no. 21 florida and feb. 4 against texas a&m.
bediako was not selected in the 2023 nba draft, and while he has never played an nba game, he suited up in 82 g league games over three seasons, including, most recently, for the motor city cruise on jan. 17, one week before his first game back with alabama.
he’s one of several former g league players who has joined a college roster this season, a trend that has raised the public ire of notable figures across the sport, as well as the ncaa itself, which said such moves are “taking away opportunities from high school students.” Michigan state coach tom izzo described it as “utterly ridiculous.” Even alabama coach nate oats, a former high school coach in michigan, spoke up last month after baylor brought in former nba draft pick james nnaji, saying the increased prevalence of such players was “taking opportunities away” from high schoolers. |
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