can gft !!! Holy hell, was out at a couple nature areas recently and came back with a shit ton of bites. I'm scratchin' them until they bleed. Of course, instead of going to my pcp, I'm seeking more qualified help from GIAOT/HROT. Those of you unfortunate to have similar experiences, what are my options? Do I need to fap more?

In the distant and innocent year of 2002, lawmakers really thought they could cut back on negative and corrosive political advertising with one simple trick: Making candidates personally stand behind their ads. Within a year of passage of the McCain-Feingold Act, politicians started appearing at the end of their ads mouthing much-mocked platitudes like, “I’m John Kerry, and I approve this message!”

Though the requirement is technically still in effect, it seems fantastically quaint now. The law never applied to independent or super PAC ads, which drenched the airwaves in mud, and the “stand by your ad” requirements never applied to internet ads, which would soon become one of the dominant ways in which candidates misled voters.

More crucially, the requirement apparently had little effect on the era of Donald Trump. That was evident as recently as Monday, when Trump reposted a video in which he precelebrated his 2024 victory and answered the question of “what’s next for America?” with an image containing the words: “the creation of a unified Reich.”

It was clear in Trump’s first presidential campaign that this level of cartoonish outrageousness would help him get the attention he craved. As Jim Rutenberg of The Times wrote in 2018, the campaign law never stopped Trump or other Republican candidates from advertising blatant lies and overt racism; being crudely aggressive and openly authoritarian, in fact, had become a useful tool.
Former Representative David Price of North Carolina, an architect of the “stand by your ad” provision in 2002, summed up the new attitude this way 16 years later: “I’m the baddest, meanest, most politically incorrect guy in town and will say whatever pops into my head and I regard that as a political virtue.”
The “stand by your ad” law couldn’t prevent this attitude, but if it had been more effective, it might at least have spared the country the embarrassing spectacle of blaming bad ads on some low-level staff member somewhere. In 2015, when Trump retweeted a dumb post mocking Iowa voters for preferring Ben Carson, he later deleted the tweet and put full responsibility on an intern, who he said had apologized. (Trump himself, of course, almost never apologizes.)
In the case of the Reich video, the campaign said it was created by a “random account online” and reposted “by a staffer,” though the posting was done in Trump’s own name. (The campaign took it down the next day, after the inevitable outcry.) Too bad Congress didn’t prohibit blaming the help for a candidate’s deeply offensive messages.

Remarking that it’s not feasible to jail the Iowa Department of Corrections for deliberately violating a court order, a Polk County judge has fined the state agency $1,500 for contempt of court.



The penalty stems from a lawsuit that 13 prison inmates, then housed at the Anamosa State Penitentiary, filed against the Corrections Department in 2018. The inmates alleged the state was violating their constitutional rights by denying them access to magazines or other materials with nudity or sexually explicit content.


The lawsuit was triggered by the Iowa Legislature’s 2018 revision of the state law that restricts inmate access to adult content. After the revisions, the law barred any commercially published material that contained not only sexually explicit content but also nudity.




A judge in the case concluded the law and the department policies that sprang from it were potentially too broad and could infringe on the inmates’ First Amendment rights. The court issued an injunction that stated the department “shall not prevent the distribution of materials to (the plaintiffs) and other inmates similarly situated that features mere non-sexually explicit nudity.”


In 2022, with the injunction still in place, one of the plaintiffs sought to hold the Corrections Department in contempt of court, alleging it was violating the 2019 order by denying his request to purchase lingerie magazines. The inmate later testified he had filed a complaint with the Iowa Office of Ombudsman on the issue. Court exhibits show that in October 2020, the ombudsman’s office told the inmate it questioned the department’s “dubious interpretation and application of the court injunction” — indicating it had been put on notice that it was violating the court order.


At about that same time, another plaintiff complained the department had taken away his copy of Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue — a magazine that’s commonly available at grocery stores and other retailers.


During the trial, Dee Radeke, an inmate and prison librarian, testified that after the Legislature amended the law, a prison security director asked him to pull from circulation any pictures of pinup girls, graphic novels or novels containing strong sexual content such as “Shades of Grey.”





Corrections Department Executive Officer Rebecca Bowker testified that she followed the court’s order “to a T,” but also testified that she wasn’t sure if she had even seen the order. In addition, Bowker testified she believed the policy prohibited photos of women in thong bikinis on the grounds that their genitalia would not be “substantially” covered.


The inmates lost their case, with Polk County District Court Judge Jeffrey Farrell concluding they did not have a First Amendment right to possess materials containing nudity. Farrell then turned to the issue of whether the Corrections Department had violated the 2019 injunction while the case was still pending.


The department, Farrell concluded, had “violated this order in multiple ways,” in part by amending its own policies in 2022 — long after the inmates had sued.


“The injunction had been in place for three years at the time DOC changed its policy in 2022,” Farrell noted. “This action shows DOC acted willfully in denying nude content despite the injunction. The DOC denied (one plaintiff’s) request for three editions of Playboy that had been approved under the prior policy.”


Because there were three separate magazines the inmate was denied, Farrell found there were three separate instances of contempt. In determining what sanctions to impose, the judge observed the court “does not consider jail as a real option …”


Adding there was no individual who could or should be jailed as a result of the “institutional” violations of the court’s order, Farrell imposed the maximum penalty.


He wrote that he considered awarding the $1,500 to the inmate who pursued the contempt action “so he could receive some remuneration for the unlawful denial of the publications he requested.” The law, however, stipulates the fines are punitive, Farrell noted, and are intended for “the benefit of the state” — the same entity that will be paying the fine.


The Corrections Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Last week, the inmates filed a motion for a new trial and an appeal of Farrell’s decision.


Editor’s note: Reporter Clark Kauffman worked for the Iowa Office of Ombudsman from October 2018 through November 2019. This article first appeared in the Iowa Capital Dispatch.

Just a gut punch to every non-biden supporting American!

Their ownership group embarrasses me. Both as a supporter and as an American.

Just let Poch go after they bought a whole new exceedingly young team selling off the more experienced team and he still managed to get things together to finish 6th in the League and qualify for European competition.

Not only are they letting a coach go when he was clearly posting a very upward trend line in terms of results which is bad enough, but they are making themselves a toxic choice to any manager with options.

How these bozos got their hands on so much money I have no idea but they seem bound and determined to lose it all.

On the worst days, when the backyard would flood and the toilet would gurgle and the smell of sewage hung thick in the air, Monica Arenas would flee to her mother-in-law’s home to use the bathroom or wash laundry.

“It was a nightmare,” Arenas, 41, recalled one evening in the modest house she shares with her husband and teenage daughter several miles north of downtown Miami.

She worried about what pathogens might lurk in the tainted waters, what it might cost to fix the persistent problems and whether the ever-present anxiety would ever subside.

Residents in neighborhoods around Arenas’s have similar tales to share — of out-of-commission toilets, of groundwater rising through cracks in their garage floors, of worries about their own waste running through the streets and ultimately polluting nearby Biscayne Bay.


SEPTICTANKS: Little River to Biscayne Bay
0:26

For all the obvious challenges facing South Florida as sea levels surge, one serious threat to public health and the environment remains largely out of sight, but everywhere:

Septic tanks.

Millions of them dot the American South, a region grappling with some of the planet’s fastest-rising seas, according to a Washington Post analysis. At more than a dozen tide gauges from Texas to North Carolina, sea levels have risen at least 6 inches since 2010 — a change similar to what occurred over the previous five decades.

This image is a key for the following image which is a map. The map is titled "One village’s risk" with a description: "Officials worry about the threat of rising groundwater along the Little River in and around El Portal, where many homes rely on septic systems"







Officials worry about the threat of rising groundwater along the Little River in and around El Portal, where many homes rely on septic systems





A map showing septic systems along the Little River in an area of Miami-Dade county that includes El Portal and portions of Miami and Miami Shores.



King tide shown is the highest observed tide at Virginia Key on Oct. 28, 2023 (1.96 ft.)




Along those coastlines, swelling seas are driving water tables higher and creating worries in places where septic systems abound, but where officials often lack reliable data about their location or how many might already be compromised.

“These are ticking time bombs under the ground that, when they fail, will pollute,” said Andrew Wunderley, executive director of the nonprofit Charleston Waterkeeper, which monitors water quality in the Lowcountry of South Carolina.

Story continues below advertisement

To work properly, septic systems need to sit above an adequate amount of dry soil that can filter contaminants from wastewater before it reaches local waterways and underground drinking water sources. But in many communities, that buffer is vanishing.

A diagram titled "How rising waters threaten septic systems" The most common type of septic systems rely on gravity to move sewage through a tank where solids settle and liquid waste is slowly released into the soil through a series of perforated pipes called a drain field. The soil acts as a natural filter, neutralizing germs and pollutants before they can contaminate groundwater. Sea level rise and extreme rainfall are raising groundwater levels, resulting in more shallow buffers of soil that help protect local waterways and underground aquifers. If a conventional septic system becomes submerged, wastewater will not be properly treated. Toilets can stop working and sewage can flood yards.



How rising waters threaten septic systems



The most common type of septic systems rely on gravity to move sewage through a tank where solids settle and liquid waste is slowly released into the soil through a series of perforated pipes called a drain field.







The soil acts as a natural filter, neutralizing germs and pollutants before they can contaminate groundwater.



Sea level rise and extreme rainfall are raising groundwater levels, resulting in more shallow buffers of soil that help protect local waterways and underground aquifers.



If a conventional septic system becomes submerged, wastewater will not be properly treated. Toilets can stop working and sewage can flood yards.


An estimated 120,000 septic systems remain in Miami-Dade County, their subterranean concrete boxes and drain fields a relic of the area’s feverish growth generations ago. Of those, the county estimated in 2018, about half are at risk of being “periodically compromised” during severe storms or particularly wet years.

Miami, where seas have risen six inches since 2010, offers a high-profile example of a predicament that parts of the southeast Atlantic and Gulf coasts are confronting — and one scientists say will become only more pervasive — as waters continue to rise.
A chart showing annual average sea levels at Virginia Key, Biscayne Bay, Florida where according to Post analysis, seas have risen 6.0 inches since 2010. The chart shows linear trends for two periods: 1932-2009 where the trend is 0.1 inches per year and 2010 to 2023 where the trend is 0.4 inches per year.










here, expensive repairs afflict homeowners as septic systems falter. Fetid water increases the risk of gastrointestinal diseases and other health hazards as floodwaters fill yards and streets. Profound worries persist about the environmental toll — which, researchers in Miami say, means submerged septic tanks are leaking nutrients into the porous limestone, potentially fueling algae blooms that kill fish.

“It’s really pretty gross,” said Michael Sukop, a hydrogeologist at Florida International University.

Rising seas will only exacerbate the problem, he added. “As the water table gets higher, all bets are off.”

Miami-Dade County is racing to replace as many septic tanks as possible, as quickly as possible. But it is a tedious, expensive and daunting task, one that officials say will ultimately cost billions of dollars they don’t yet have.

Incidentally, this multi-million dollar boondoggle has already been abandoned post completion >

Israel will not transfer much-needed funds to the Palestinian Authority in the wake of the decision by three European countries to recognize a Palestinian state, the country’s finance minister said on Wednesday, as its foreign minister denounced the European moves as giving “a gold medal to Hamas terrorists.”
The decision by the finance minister, Bezalel Smotrich, a far-right leader who opposes Palestinian sovereignty, threatened to push the Palestinian government into a deeper fiscal crisis. He said in a statement that he had informed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would no longer send tax revenues to the authority, which administers parts of the Israeli-occupied West Bank in close cooperation with Israel.
Mr. Smotrich’s office signaled that the decision was at least partly a response to Spain, Norway and Ireland recognizing Palestinian statehood, and that the Palestinian leadership bore responsibility for campaigning for the move.
“They are acting against Israel legally, diplomatically and for unilateral recognition,” said Eytan Fuld, a spokesman for Mr. Smotrich, referring to the authority. “When they act against the state of Israel, there must be a response.”
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The Palestinian Authority did not immediately respond, but Palestinian officials have previously condemned Israel’s withholding of Palestinian tax revenues it collects as “piracy.”
Sign up for the Israel-Hamas War Briefing. The latest news about the conflict. Get it sent to your inbox.

Israel also recalled its ambassadors from Spain, Ireland and Norway for consultations on Wednesday morning. Israel Katz, the Israeli foreign minister, said he had summoned the countries’ envoys to Israel for a “severe scolding” following “their governments’ decision to award a gold medal to Hamas terrorists.”

Mr. Netanyahu’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Mr. Smotrich’s statement, nor did it immediately comment on the European countries’ announcements.
Under decades-old agreements, Israel collects customs and import taxes on behalf of the Palestinian Authority. Those revenues constitute most of the Palestinian budget, particularly as international aid has declined. But Mr. Smotrich — who has labeled the Palestinian Authority “an enemy” — had already delayed transferring the latest tranche of funds before the announcements on Wednesday, said Mr. Fuld and a Palestinian official. The Palestinian official spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly.
The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority is already in a severe financial crisis following tightened Israeli restrictions on its funding and a depressed West Bank economy stemming from the war. This month, it managed to pay only 50 percent of the salaries of tens of thousands of civil servants.

​

Diplomats and analysts have warned that the Palestinian government’s deepening financial problems could lead to further unrest in the Israeli-occupied West Bank. More than 500 Palestinians have been killed in the territory, many in clashes with Israeli forces, since the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7 prompted Israel to go to war in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Authority Health Ministry.
Palestinians have faced tightening Israeli restrictions since Oct. 7. Over 100,000 Palestinians who worked in Israel were barred from entering, creating mass unemployment overnight. Near-nightly raids, Israeli road closures, and stricter checkpoints have further choked the Palestinian economy.
The Palestinian Authority traditionally disburses some of the tax funds collected by Israel to Gaza. After the war broke out in October, Mr. Smotrich said he would withhold that part from the amount it transfers to the authority. Palestinian officials refused to accept the reduced payments at all in protest.
After a monthslong standoff over the issue, Israeli and Palestinian leaders agreed to a deal stipulating that Norway would hold some of the revenues in trust until Israel agreed they could be sent to the Palestinians. The Palestinians agreed to receive the reduced payments in the meantime.
On Wednesday, Mr. Smotrich called for the government to immediately annul that agreement as well.
Top Israeli officials, including Mr. Netanyahu, have repeatedly excoriated international recognition of a Palestinian state as a “prize for terrorism” after the Oct. 7 attack.
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Most of the current hard-line Israeli government rejects the establishment of an independent Palestinian state, practically ruling out peace talks to end Israel’s decades-long occupation.
President Biden and Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken have said that after the war, Gaza should be unified with the West Bank under a “revitalized” Palestinian Authority. Israel has remained vehemently opposed to that idea. The authority in its current form is also unpopular among Palestinians, who view it as complicit in Israel’s occupation.

I'm planning on making a small little trip out to CA.

I have very little experience with setting up my own flights/hotels.

I used to fly/travel with a previous job but they handled 100% of it.

A coworker has been trying to help me which has helped a bunch.

Is it normally best to book everything separately? Initially she tried going through Expedia but it seemed cheaper to do it separately.

Looks like flying Allegiant out of Des Moines is the best bet. Then just calling the hotel and booking some nights.

What about a vehicle? Best to rent or use Uber? Never used Uber in my life.

Thoughts? Tips?

Tell me these ****ing leftist imbeciles aren't getting desperate!! 🤡 🚨🤡🤣

I'm starting to see these again. Why?

Are companies just jacking up the asking price and then giving it back through low interest terms? Or are they looking ahead to an economic downswing that will require the Fed to slash rates, and they're just getting ahead of the curve?

HWT Air Force - saying Missouri. He is from Kansas, so maybe location is an issue?

I know, it's considered a joke of a sport, but it's actually one of the more fun things I've gotten involved in. And following some of the coverage of events online shows that it could be a really fun sport if ESPN or someone would decide to cover it for the offseason of other sports.

Are there any other players here, or folks who follow the tour itself?

Vastly underrated band.

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🥰

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His (and the Republican Party's) extreme climate change denialism doesn't pass the smell test. And his own state is one of several that will pay the price.

This is a longish article that hard to cut and paste effectively. Apologies to those on the wrong side of their paywall.

Fast-rising seas could swamp septic systems in parts of the South

An estimated 120,000 septic systems remain in Miami-Dade County, their subterranean concrete boxes and drain fields a relic of the area’s feverish growth generations ago. Of those, the county estimated in 2018, about half are at risk of being “periodically compromised” during severe storms or particularly wet years.

Miami, where seas have risen six inches since 2010, offers a high-profile example of a predicament that parts of the southeast Atlantic and Gulf coasts are confronting — and one scientists say will become only more pervasive — as waters continue to rise.



more here

First up, Nelson Brands is officially returning to Iowa to wrestle for one final season in 2024-25:

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Brands was suspended for the entire 2023-24 season as part of the gambling investigation.

His return does create some interesting questions for Iowa in the 165-174-184 area of the lineup. Iowa already has Michael Caliendo, a returning All-American, at 165. Patrick Kennedy and blue-chip recruit Gabe Arnold split time at 174 for Iowa last season, with generally good results (albeit no podium finish at the NCAA Tournament). 184 was a big problem for Iowa last season, with Aidan Riggins struggling to fill that spot in the lineup effectively. Kennedy is likely too small for 174 and Arnold prefers 174 as well. Brands has wrestled 184 in the past, though he's had his most success at 174 as well.

Incoming frosh Angelo Ferrari, another blue-chip recruit, should be a factor in the 174-184 area of the lineup as well.

Is prettier than Iowa City and Madison combined. Sorry not sorry

Caught up with Crotty after his game on Friday and after he received the offer from Iowa. He told me about his early relationship with them and Coach Dillard, what kind of fit he sees with the Hawkeyes, other top schools and more.

I really like Crotty. Would be a nice get for the Hawks. Should be a three-star at the least, in my opinion.

Story:

I’m hoping this is AI or something.

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Heller, Rick D <XXXXXXXXXX>


To: Heller, Rick D <Rick-Heller@IowaBaseball.com>

Wed 2/14/2024 11:12 AM

Hi Everyone,

The 2024 Hawkeye baseball season starts this Friday!! We leave this afternoon for Charleston, SC, and our opening games of the 2024 season. We will play Seton Hall, Ball State and Lehigh at the Swig and Swine College Classic at the Shipyard Park in Charleston. You can listen to all three games on the radio here or stream the games here (a seven-day pass is $19.99).

The weather has given us more days outside this year than ever before. With 20 inches of snow and -20 temps when the guys arrived back on campus. It looked like we had zero chance at getting outside, even one time! When the warmup began our awesome grounds crew were able to move the snow off the turf for us. We have been outside every day in February!

We had our media day yesterday, followed by one more full practice. The guys lifted this morning early and will get their baseball work in between classes, with the bus leaving for the airport at 1:30. Thursday we will practice at the facility in Charleston and be ready to go on Friday.

Brody Brecht (Jr., Ankeny, Iowa) will take the ball in game one vs Seton Hall. With Brody having a full year to focus on baseball he is in great shape and has looked sharp in his early live sets. Marcus Morgan (Jr., Iowa City, Iowa) will start on Saturday and is coming off his best performance of the early training this past Saturday. Marcus is also in great shape and ready to go. Cade Obermueller (Fr., Iowa City, Iowa) will start game three on Sunday and has pitched great his last two scrimmages. All three of these guys have had a tremendous off season.

Jack Whitlock (Jr., Cumming, Georgia) will likely be the guy who takes the ball after Brecht on Friday. Jack is coming off an outstanding year and with the work he’s put in this off season, is in an even better place right now. On Saturday Anthony Watts (So., Clive, Iowa) will likely be the guy who comes in after Morgan. Anthony has pitched well since the fall. He has good stuff and has been tough to hit. Reece Beuter (R-Jr., Cedar Falls, Iowa) will take the mound after Obermueller on Sunday. Reece has been sharp since arriving here in the fall and is bulldog on the mound.

After that, we have a deep and talented bullpen that will feature Sam Hart (Jr., Highlands Ranch, Colorado), Zach Voelker (R-Jr., Granite Bay, California), Jack Young (Sr., LeClaire, Iowa), Elliott Cadieux-Lanoue (Fr., Saint-Pie, Quebec, Ontario), Benjamin DeTaeye (R-Sr., Clive, Iowa), Ganon Archer (So., Adel, Iowa), Brant Hogue (Sr., Sioux City, Iowa), Justin Hackett (So., Winterset, Iowa), Aaron Savary (So., Dubuque, Iowa), Drew Deremer (Fr., Omaha, Nebraska), Caleb Strack (R-Sr., Little Falls, Minnesota), Chas Wheatley (Jr., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), and Rowan Donels (Fr., Cedar Rapids, Iowa).

The starting lineup will have a wealth of experience with three of the four starters up the middle returning. Cade Moss (Sr., Johnston, Iowa) is back at catcher after having an outstanding 2023 season. Cade will be out the first three to four weeks with a broken hamate bone in his hand. He had surgery last Wednesday. Michael Seegers (Sr., Oconomowoc, Wisconsin) is back at shortstop. Mike is one of the best defenders at SS in the country and our leadoff man in the lineup. Kyle Huckstorf (R-Sr., Waterford, Wisconsin) is back in centerfield and like Seegers, is one of the top defenders in the country. Kyle has pop in his bat and will steal a lot of bases for us this year.

Sam Petersen (Jr., Huxley, Iowa) will be in left or right field and is coming off a fantastic 2023 season and a championship in the Cape Cod league this summer. With Sam, we will have two centerfielders in the outfield and has tremendous speed. We look for Sam to provide a lot of offense for us this year. Raider Tello (R-Jr., El Monte, California) had a great year for us last season at third base. Raider will hit in the middle of the line up and is an outstanding defensive third baseman. Ben Wilmes (Jr., Johnston, Iowa) had a solid 2023 season and has played well this fall and early spring. Ben will float between corner outfield, occasional infield and is also our emergency catcher.

Blake Guerin (So., Shoreview, Minnesota) will take over at first base. Blake saw limited action last year playing behind Brennen Dorighi and Keaton Anthony but is ready to go after a solid off season. Blake will provide power in the middle of the lineup and is solid defender at first. Gable Mitchell (So., Iowa City, Iowa) and Andy Nelson (Sr., Winfield, Illinois) will both see time at second base. Gable saw some action last year as a freshman and has played well this fall and early spring. He is an excellent defensive player who switch hits. Andy missed last year with and elbow injury. He brings a lot of experience from the two previous seasons. Andy has great speed and like Wilmes, can play several positions. You will see Andy in the outfield and at times second base. Davis Cop (Sr., Valencia, California) will be a big part of this team both with his bat and his defense. Davis will catch when Cade is out and has done a nice job with our pitching staff so far. He will also be a middle of the line up bat we can count of to produce runs. Davis will likely see time at 1B and DH as well this year.

Connor Hennings (Jr., Morgan Hill, California) is an outfielder with outstand speed and power at the plate and will be in the mix in the outfield. Reese Moore (So., Van Meter, Iowa) has taken a big step forward with his catching and his bat. Reese is in the mix at catcher and DH and gives us an option for a left-handed hitting bat with power. Will Mulflur (Sr., Mercer Island, Washington), Ben Swails (So., Tiffin, Iowa), Kellen Strohmeyer (So., Dubuque, Iowa), Joe Connolly (Fr., Omaha, Nebraska), Merrick Mathews (Jr., Centerville, Iowa) Ryan Brosius (Fr., Dubuque, Iowa) and Ty Plummer (Fr., West Des Moines, Iowa) will give us our depth with the position players. We will be without Max Burt (Fr., Mason City, Iowa) for the rest of the season with a torn ACL. He was having a strong freshman year, and we all feel terrible for Max.

As I said in my last letter, we have a great group of men on this team. The leadership and character are strong. All good things as we head into the season with a lot of expectations. We have prepared as best we could and will attack each day with the intent of being in control of ourselves. If we can do this for 56 games, we should have a great season!

Some news before I go. We will play our final series with Florida International at Principal Park in Des Moines. With us having the bye in Big Ten play the final weekend, it’s a chance to hopefully have a big crowd as it seats 11,000. If the season goes well, it will be a great trial run on grass and in front of a bunch of people! With the Big Ten Tournament the next week and hopefully regional play the week after, it could be helpful. Thanks to the I Cubs GM, and Iowa Alum, Sam Bernabe for making this happen. Sam is a great baseball man and has been a friend to our program long before I arrived at Iowa.

With moving the final series to Des Moines, May 3-5 vs Northwestern will be our final home series at Duane Banks field. We will have our annual Iowa Baseball golf outing Friday, May 3 at 9:00 a.m. at Finkbine and our team will play NW at 6:05 that night. That Sunday, May 5 will be our senior-parents day at the ballpark.

I’m sure most of you have heard about this but for those who haven’t, we have a had a set back with the stadium renovation. A snag with a key donor right before the board meeting in November has delayed things a little. Though it was a tough blow, we still have a significant amount of money to start the project. We have regrouped and are currently planning for what we can do this summer and fall, while we go out and fundraise for the rest of the money to finish the project. We will be starting the project this summer, but it may be in phases.

Thanks to everyone on this newsletter who has helped with the stadium!! We will get it finished. Starting the project this summer will be a big step in moving forward. With us having to prioritize and re do the plans, we must work our way through the board meetings this spring for approval and get going from there!

We will have some fun and challenging early season games down south!! I hope to see a bunch of Hawk fans on the road with us!! If you can’t make it to an early series, I hope to see you here at home when we return.

As always, send me any names and emails of friends and teammates who want to be on the list.

Here’s to a great 2024!!

Go Hawks!!!

I'm sure Nike is ready to pounce on her stardom much like they took Michael Jordan on an incredible marketing ride.