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August 2014 - Upcoming Events
|7/15 - 8/12
|River Valley Artists Guild 2014 Summer Members Show
|Orange Hall Gallery
|7/15 - 8/12
|Capturing the Motion of Water through Pastels and Oils
|Orange Hall Gallery Fringe
|8/13 -10/27
|Artists of Excellence ~ Works by Fay Wood
|Kaplan Hall, foyer of Mindy Ross Gallery
|8/18 - 10/2
|Pen and Paint
|Kaplan Hall,
Mindy Ross Gallery
|8/19 - 10/9
|AntARTica: Exploring Art & Science at the Bottom of the World!
|Orange Hall Gallery
River Valley Artists Guild 2014 Summer Members Show
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 to Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Orange Hall Gallery (MDTN)
It's been ten years since a small group of artists got together and decided to form the River Valley Artists Guild. The late Bernie Kilbourn, along with his artist friends Matilda Grech, Paul Horsman, Elaine Tedesco, and Elizabeth Hayes all then residents of Port Jervis, put their combined years of experience together to start this group. They wanted it to be a broad spectrum arts organization; so the word guild was used in order to include artisan craftsmen. Through this first decade, various types of works have been displayed at the members' shows. Most of the members come from New York and Pennsylvania communities bordering the Delaware River with some from Milford, PA as well as Middletown and Newburgh in Orange County, Mohegan Lake in Westchester County, and Branchville, NJ.
The River Valley Artists Guild 2014 Summer Members Show will be on exhibit in Orange Hall Gallery July 15 through August 12, 2014. Artworks will be in several media including oils, acrylics, watercolors, pastels, air brush, photographs, acrylic collage, fabric art, and weaving.
The present president is Joan Kehlenbeck of Cuddebackville who will have an ongoing demonstration using oil with brushes and palate knives of how she creates the illusion of surf and the movement of waves in her ocean paintings. Entitled "Triptych Seascapes on Canvas" the artwork will consist of three 18 x 24" canvases hinged to form a free standing triangle. The whole painting will be done during the reception scheduled for Sunday, July 27 from 1 to 4pm. In addition to the art demonstration, classical guitarist Joy Zelada of Newburgh will play throughout the reception.
To further the visual experience, on the wall of Orange Hall Gallery Fringe, Joan Kehlenbeck will be exhibiting her artworks that depict water scenes in a show entitled Capturing the Motion of Water through Pastels and Oils.
The reception and exhibits are free and open to the public. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9am to 8pm in July. In August, additional hours are Friday 9am to 6pm.
Orange Hall is located at the corner of Grandview and Wawayanda Avenues on the Middletown campus of Orange County Community College. Questions may be directed to Cultural Affairs at (845)341-4891 and email@example.com.
Images, top to bottom: Spring Awakening, acrylic by Daniela Cooney; Wipeout, oil by Elva Zingaro; Boy in the Blue Shirt, oil by Joan Standora
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Capturing the Motion of Water through Pastels and Oils
Tuesday, July 15, 2014 to Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Orange Hall Gallery Fringe (MDTN)
To further the visual art experience in Orange Hall Gallery, Joan Kehlenbeck will be exhibiting her artworks that depict water scenes in a show entitled Capturing the Motion of Water through Pastels and Oils. The paintings will be hung on the long wall of Orange Hall Gallery Fringe. This mini-show is meant to complement the art demonstration she is giving on Sunday, July 27 between 1 and 4pm in the gallery, and the show runs simultaneous with the River Valley Artists Guild 2014 Summer Members Show, July 15 through August 12, 2014. The title of the art demonstration is "Triptych Seascapes on Canvas." Kehlenbeck will be doing an ongoing demonstration, from 1 to 4pm, using oil with brushes and palate knives. Through the demo, she will explain how she creates the illusion of surf and the movement of waves in her ocean paintings.
Joan Kehlenbeck has an associate in arts degree from Orange County Community College. She is a community arts leader as she is president of RVAG and chairs the group's shows. She is an enthusiastic participant in the Port Jervis Arts Walk. She also presents successful art workshops for children. In addition, she is a top-notch seamstress whose stitchery nearly equals in quality her paintings.
Joan Kehlenbeck has always lived in the country as she lived in Forestburgh, Sullivan County as a girl, and now resides in Cuddebackville, Orange County. Living in the country has made artwork an extension of her life. Her goal is to capture the beauty of nature and preserve it for others to enjoy forever. Local scenes, historical buildings, and portraits are her favorite subjects. In recent years, she has become fascinated with seascapes and the action of water at the seashore, and subsequently, has developed a technique in the painting of waves especially in rough surf as she creates the illusion of their three-dimensionality. She works in oils, pastels, and charcoal.
Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9am to 8pm in July. In August, additional hours are Friday 9am to 6pm. Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, Middletown on the SUNY Orange campus. Questions may be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com and (845)341-4891.
Images (photos by Andrew Kehlenbeck), top to bottom: Joan Kehlenbeck next to her oil painting "Rough Surf"; "Light House in the Distance" Coast of France, pastel by Joan Kehlenbeck; "Stephen Crane Pond" Forestburgh, NY, pastel by Joan Kehlenbeck
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Artists of Excellence ~ Works by Fay Wood
Wednesday, August 13, 2014 to Monday, October 27, 2014
The Foyer of the Mindy Ross Gallery, Kaplan Hall (NBG)
The Artists of Excellence exhibit series opens the new academic year with a display of works by artist Fay Wood of Saugerties. Wood paints in several media, but it is her sculptures which will be on view in the large vitrine glass case in the Foyer of the Mindy Ross Gallery at SUNY Orange's Kaplan Hall located at the corner of Grand and First Streets, Newburgh, NY.
The Artists of Excellence exhibits, initiated to spotlight highly talented regional artists, gives the college community and the community-at-large the privilege of viewing exquisite pieces in various media by professional artists. This show, which is free and open to the public, will be on view August 13 through October 27, 2014 8am to 8pm, Monday through Thursday and till 4pm on Friday, plus 4 to 8pm on Last Saturdays, a Newburgh arts initiative. To see a full list of Last Saturdays events for August 30, visit Last Saturdays Facebook event page.
Wood uses a meticulous, process-oriented approach that gives the many found objects and materials she gathers, a new life by transforming them into art. She uses wood, metal, wire, paper, and paint. Her works demonstrate the creativity necessary to conceptualize these objects and materials being combined to become totally different and, indeed, sculptures.
Wood has shown her works in Florence, Italy and Cologne, Germany. Her artworks also have been in many solo, group, and invitational shows in the United States.
Fay Wood attended Massachusetts College of Art and studied with Sculptor Wolfgang Behl at his studio. She also participated in classes at the Art Students League and the School of Visual Arts both in NYC. In 2004, she was the winner of the Proskauer Prize given by the National Sculpture Society. But, she states that most of all she is proud of being in the "generation of women of transition who were trying to be everything at once!" She certainly attained that in art.
Questions may be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com and (845)341-9386/4891.
Images, top to bottom: Fay Wood, sculptress; Dancing Animal, found object sculpture by Fay Wood
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Pen and Paint
Monday, August 18, 2014 to Thursday, October 2, 2014
Mindy Ross Gallery, Kaplan Hall (NBG)
The Graff sisters are talented artists, one literary and one visual. Together, their works make a unique exhibit through which viewers may be able to realize how many of their works complement each other.
Pen and Paint is the title of the dual show by Sandra Graff, poet, and Barbara Graff, painter, and the exhibit is on view in the Mindy Ross Gallery, Kaplan Hall, August 18 through October 2, 2014.
Sandra Graff is the author of many poems some of which are contained in her two chapbooks, This Big Dress and Girl in Garden. Her poems have been published in Rhino Poetry Journal, Georgetown Review, Blueline, The Fourth River, Home Planet News, and Copperfield Review, among others. She is an associate professor of English at SUNY Orange, and during the academic year, she teaches two poetry courses on contemporary poetry and creative writing poetry. Her Hudson Valley home offers a view of the Shawangunk Ridge, a setting of inspiration itself. She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching from Fairleigh Dickinson University.
Barbara Graff is a fine artist and mannequin make-up specialist. Her fascination with the human face is demonstrated through her paintings as well in her commercial work. The three-dimensionality of her works on canvas with the inclusion of masks and textures, plus found objects and driftwood as well as oils and acrylics, bring her works to life and certainly grab the attention of the viewer. Her artworks have been shown in many venues in the Hudson Valley and the New York metropolitan area. Her mannequin make-up designing in the fashion industry has brought her work to public eye in such stores as Bergdorf Goodman, Barney's New York, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, as well as several other major stores in the USA and abroad. She lives in the Catskill Region, near Woodstock. She received a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Hofstra University.
The art reception, during which Joy Zelada of Newburgh will play classical guitar, is scheduled from 4 to 8pm on Saturday, August 30 at the Mindy Ross Gallery. The reception also includes SUNY Orange as a gallery on the Last Saturdays' events in Newburgh. To see a full list of Last Saturdays events for August 30, visit Last Saturdays Facebook event page.
Then, on Thursday, October 2 the closing reception will center on a poetry reading of original works by Sandra Graff starting at 7pm in the Great Room which is next to the Mindy Ross Gallery. Designed as a multimedia event entitled "Pen & Paint Coffee House," it will include refreshments, a booksigning by Sandra Graff, and a musical interlude.
The community is welcome to come to these free events.
Gallery hours are 9am to 4pm, Monday through Friday, plus 4 to 8pm on Last Saturdays, a Newburgh arts initiative. SUNY Orange's Kaplan Hall is located at the corner of Grand and First Streets, Newburgh, NY. Questions may be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com and (845)341-9386/4891.
Images (photos provided by Sandra Graff and Barbara Graff), top to bottom: This Big Dress, chapbook by Sandra Graff; Sandra Graff, poet; Earth Watch, mixed media by Barbara Graff; Barbara Graff, painter
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AntARTica: Exploring Art & Science at the Bottom of the World!
Tuesday, August 19, 2014 to Thursday, October 9, 2014
Orange Hall Gallery (MDTN)
Have you ever known anyone who has gone to Antarctica, let alone someone who dives through drilled holes in the ice more than 180 times? In fact, why would anyone do that? …for the sake of science. A man who grew up on a country road in the Town of Wallkill has gone to Antarctica twenty times to perform scientific research dives to bring back small specimens of foraminifera. Sam Bowser, PhD, is a polar biologist, protistologist, and art/science enthusiast specializing on "forams"—unicellular aquatic creatures that play a crucial role in marine environments. Some may recognize him as one of the characters featured in Werner Herzog's documentary "Encounters at the End of the World" or for being the featured scientist on the Discovery Channel's "Forces of Nature." His work has shown that Antarctica is populated with forams that evolved hundreds of millions of years ago. They are like dinosaurs that are still around. A new genus of Foraminifera, was named Bowseria in his honor in 2008. And, Bowser Valley, lying East of Crawford Valley in St. Johns Range, Victoria Land, Antarctica, was named in 2005.
Artist Laura Von Rosk travelled to Antarctica in the fall of 2011 to work with Dr. Bowser and his research team. She was there to assist with the scientific research and dive teams and, in one way or another, incorporate this experience into her own work as a visual artist. Von Rosk is well-known for her small surreal paintings of expansive landscapes often lush with vegetation. After her Antarctic trip, icy scenery and landscape of many shades of white have become prevalent in her work. By recombining, emphasizing, manipulating, or inventing elements of the landscape, she explores the tension between natural forms and memory.
Orange Hall Gallery is the venue for an exhibit that was inspired by the expedition to Antarctica. Entitled AntARTica: Exploring Art & Science at the Bottom of the World! the show will be on view August 19 through October 9, 2014. Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday 9am to 8pm and Fridays till 6pm. Bowser's watercolors of the jewel-like Foraminifera and Von Rosk's oil paintings of her interpretations of the Antarctic vista along with specimens plus short video documentaries by exploration team members Hilary Hudson and Henry Kaiser comprise this fascinating educational opportunity.
In addition, Bowser and Von Rosk will give a presentation on the research work on forams in Antarctica as well as art-science projects. This will take place on Thursday, October 9 from 7 to 9pm during the closing reception. The reception and exhibit are free and open to the public. Also, Dr. Bowser will present a lecture with 3D slides on forams in Orange Hall Gallery on September 23 at 7pm.
Laura Von Rosk received her MFA from the University of Pennsylvania, and her BFA from SUNY Purchase. Her paintings have been exhibited nationally in both solo and group shows. Her awards include a New York Foundation for the Arts Fellowship in Painting, grants from the Pollack-Krasner Foundation, the Bernheim Foundation in Clermont, KY, a Full Fellowship residency at the Vermont Studio Center, and residencies at Yaddo, Blue Mountain Center, The Millay Colony, Centrum, and Dorland Mountain Arts Colony. She is director of the Lake George Arts Project's Courthouse Gallery.
Sam Bowser graduated with an AAS degree from SUNY Orange. He received a BS in biological sciences and a PhD in cell biology from SUNY Albany. He has done extensive post-doctoral work on cell biology and polar biology at Wadsworth Center, NYS Department of Health and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, respectively. He has received numerous awards and honors including the Science Teachers Association of New York Executive Award.
Orange Hall is located at the corner of Wawayanda and Grandview Avenues, Middletown on the SUNY Orange campus. Questions may be directed to email@example.com and (845)341-4891.
Images, top to bottom: Psammosphaera, watercolor by Sam Bowser; Pressure Ridges, oil by Laura Von Rosk; Sam Bowser, PhD, polar biologist, protistologist, and art/science enthusiast, and Laura Von Rosk, artist, in Antarctica
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Contact Us:
Dorothy Szefc
Coordinator of Cultural Affairs
(845) 341-4891
All Cultural Affairs Events are open to the public and all buildings are universally accessible.
NOTE: All artists' images on these pages are copyrighted and are used by kind permission of the artists. Please do not download, reproduce or use without permission.


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Motorists are facing delays after remnants from Tropical Storm Lee produced heavy rain that flooded many streets and highways around New Jersey today.
Flash flooding followed thunderstorms that pounded communities along the Delaware River with downpours and lightning. Sections of Routes 29, 73 and 130 — all near the Delaware River and its tributaries — are among those closed.
A more complete list of road closures can be found at 511nj.org, the Department of Transportation's traffic website.
National Weather Service meteorologist Joe Miketta in Mount Holly called the situation "atrocious" in most areas.
Miketta says the Raritan and Passaic Rivers, which forced residents into shelters last week, could also flood.
The rain is not expected to end until Friday.
Related coverage:
• N.J. weather: Continued heavy rain likely to lead to more flooding
• More rainfall threatens to send N.J. rivers rising over banks

subset: commoncrawl


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The Cornerstone University senior, one of three race walkers from the school invited to participate for the first time in the Penn Relays in Philadelphia last week, became the first track and field athlete in the program's history to qualify for the prestigious USA Track and Field championships in June.
Brown had her sights set on the qualifying standard of 26 minutes.
She kept her splits under 2:02 for the first seven laps -- ahead of the 2:04 per lap needed to qualify. She walked 2:04 on the eighth and 10th laps, then finished strong with a 2:00 on the 12th lap and 55 seconds in the final 200 meters to finish seventh overall amid a talented field of competitors in 25:15.76.
"I knew I had it with a lap to go," Brown said.
In addition to clinching a berth in the USATF championships, Brown (Bay City Western) lowered her school record in the event by 1:44.
Teammate Katie Malinowski, a senior from Forest Hills Central, was on pace for a personal-best time through 10 laps but finished 11th in a time of 27:27.72.
Kris Shear, a junior from Rockford, shattered the school record in the men's 10,000-meter race walk at the Penn Relays. He finished in fifth place in 51:11.66, taking almost 8 minutes off Kelvin Shuneson's time of 59:07.65 in 2007.
Shear completed the first 5,000 meters just 11 seconds slower than his personal-best time for that distance. He kept pushing through the second half of the 25-lap event despite problems with both legs.
"My hips and knees were ready to stop with five laps to go," Shear said.
College notes
DEREK DENNIS, a former Forest Hills Central standout shortstop, is set to play for the Wareham Gatemen in the Cape Cod summer league. He was chosen in the 10th round of the June amateur draft by the Tampa Bay Rays last year, but instead decided to play baseball for the University of Michigan. In an early forecast of the 2012 draft, Dennis is ranked as the No. 13 prospect in the country by Baseball America.
THE CALVIN COLLEGE women's track and field team is No. 1 in the latest NCAA Division III national rankings, according to rankings released Wednesday by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Coaches Association. Calvin is first with 152.42 points, Illinois Wesleyan is second with 144.10 and Wisconsin-Oshkosh is third with 125.15.
PHILANA GREENE and Phil Heyboer of Hope College were honored as the outstanding female and male athletes of Hope College's senior class at the school's honors convocation Thursday night. Greene, (Grandville), who was presented the John Schouten Award, was instrumental in helping the Flying Dutch reach the championship game of the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament this year. Heyboer, who was presented the Otto van der Velde All-Campus Award, was a three-time NCAA All-American swimmer who set three school records and tied another record. Heyboer (Holland Christian) achieved All-MIAA honors all four years at Hope.
ERIC WEBER, a junior attackman on the Hope College lacrosse team, finished the regular season with 110 points, including 73 goals, to earn Central Collegiate Lacrosse Association offensive player of the year honors for the second consecutive season. Weber (Ann Arbor Pioneer) leads the Flying Dutchmen into the CCLA tournament Friday and Saturday in Saline. He also was named to the CCLA first team for the second year in a row. Teammates Allen Campbell (attack), Pieter Norden (goalie) and Duncan Wierengo (defense) received second-team honors.
THE CALVIN COLLEGE softball team, which finished 4-29 and did not win a league game last season, reached the 10-win plateau April 24 with a 5-4 upset of regionally ranked Trine in the first game of a home doubleheader. The Knights scored twice in the bottom of the seventh inning, including a walk-off single by senior Mandy Johnson (NorthPointe Christian). Freshman pitcher Shelby Mast (Hudsonville) struck out a career-high 12 batters in the contest.
THE GRAND VALLEY men's and women's golf teams both qualified for NCAA Division II regionals. The men, who earned an automatic berth by winning the GLIAC championship last October, will compete Monday through Wednesday at The Territory Golf Club in Duncan, Okla. The women, who clinched an automatic berth by winning the conference title by 26 strokes last weekend, will compete Sunday through Tuesday at Rivercut Golf Course in Springfield, Mo. The Lakers women's team has finished first or second in seven consecutive tournaments dating to late September. They were runners-up in the NCAA championship matches last year.
THE FERRIS STATE men's and women's golf teams also qualified for the same D-II regionals. The men's team is making its eighth consecutive appearance in regional competition, and the women's team is headed to regionals for the ninth year in a row.
KARA VANDEGUCHTE, a Hope College junior, is poised to qualify for the NCAA Division III championships in the heptathlon for a second consecutive year. She finished third among 14 competitors in the seven-event competition with a total of 4,397 points at the Gina Relays hosted by Hillsdale College last Friday. The conditional qualifying total for the national meet next month is 4,100 points. Vandeguchte, of Hamilton, finished with 4,313 points and in 20th place at nationals last year.
ELIZABETH SMIT, a Calvin College senior from Kirkland, Wash., shattered her own school record with an NCAA automatic qualifying time of 10:29.55 in the 3,000-meter steeplechase in the Gina Relays at Hillsdale College last weekend. Smith won the race by one-tenth of a second and lopped more than 13 seconds off her previous school mark of 10:43.05. Rachel Boerner, a junior from Bergenfield, N.J., also ran an NCAA automatic qualifying and personal-best time of 1:00.51 in the 400-meter hurdles at the same meet.
GARRETT THOMPSON, an incoming recruit at Ferris State University, is one of eight nominees for the North American Hockey League Junior Player of the Year Award presented annually by USA Hockey to the outstanding American-born player in the junior ranks. Thompson, of Woodhaven, scored 24 goals and totaled 50 points in 57 games for the NAHL's Traverse City North Stars this past season.
A RECORD FIELD of more than 1,000 runners took part Saturday in the Calvin Spring Classic 5K and Karen Muyskens Fun Run on the Calvin College campus. Zack Nowicki of Comstock Park won the men's title in a time of 17 minutes, 30 seconds. Jana Baatenburg of Grand Rapids ran the 1.3-mile course in 18:55 to claim the women's title. Jay Bowers of Caledonia took the male masters title in 18:27 (seventh male to finish). Tricia Nelson of Alto was the women's masters winner in 23:27 (15th female to finish).
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What to Watch for: 5.15.13
Follow @Nationals on Twitter | Like the Nationals on Facebook
Washington Nationals (21-18) vs. Los Angeles Dodgers (16-22)
LHP Ross Detwiler (2-3, 2.53) vs. RHP Zack Greinke (1-0, 1.59)
Washington looks for a winning series to open its 10-game, three-city California road trip as the Nationals send southpaw Ross Detwiler against the recently reinstated Zack Greinke. Greinke has been out for four weeks following a broken collar bone, and allowed eight runs (three earned) in just 4.1 innings of work in his lone rehab start at High-A last week.
1. Span CF
2. Lombardozzi LF
3. Zimmerman 3B
4. LaRoche 1B
5. Desmond SS
6. Ramos C
7. Espinosa 2B
8. Berndina RF
9. Detwiler LHP
Washington's pitching staff has logged 20.0 consecutive innings without issuing a walk, just 8.0 innings shy of matching the longest such streak in MLB this season. The Nationals ('05-present) record for consecutive innings without granting a walk is 29.0, accomplished over parts of four games from September 16-20 during the 2011 campaign.
Nationals pitchers have thrown 47.0 consecutive innings without surrendering a home run, a stretch that has spanned five+ contests. On the flipside, Washington's batters have been held inside the yard for three straight games and look to avoid their first four-game homer drought since the 2011 season (five games without a home run from September 12-16).
Ryan Zimmerman, Jayson Werth, Adam LaRoche, Bryce Harper, Danny Espinosa, Denard Span and Wilson Ramos have all missed time this season while dealing with injury or illness. Davey Johnson was last able to pen a lineup that included his standard starting eight (LaRoche 1B, Espinosa 2B, Desmond SS, Zimmerman 3B, Harper LF, Span CF, Werth RF, Ramos/Suzuki C) on April 14. Washington is 6-4 this season when Johnson's standard starting eight play together.


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This deal has ended.
As part of their Deal of the Day, Overstock drops the Set of 3 Rubberwood Nesting Tables (Malaysia) from $58.99 to $48.99. With free shipping, that's the lowest price we've seen to date. This set includes three handmade solid rubber wood tables. There's no sales tax (except UT).No longer available


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"We have had no contact from anyone in the Grand Traverse county prosecutor's office. If and when any contact is made, we will fully cooperate with any investigation." Stacie Behler, vice president of communications, said this morning.
Also today, Meijer President Mark Murray appeared at the Cascade Meijer store for a promotional event. There, he declined to comment on the announcement that the Acme Township's attorney has asked the Grand Traverse County prosecutor for a criminal investigation.
Murray said the results of Meijer's own internal review by a Lansing attorney would be made public when completed.
"We will be taking it to the Department of State," said Murray today. "We will do this as fast we can. This is a serious allegation and we want to be thorough in the review."
The township attorney called for the investigation into an alleged violations of the campaign finance law involved in effort to oust trustees opposed to a proposed Meijer store north of Traverse City.
"We certainly think that a crime was committed, and there were a number of people involved," Acme Township attorney Christopher Bzdok told The Press today.
Bzdok said he met recently with Assistant Grand Traverse County Prosecutor Robert Cooney and a state police detective. He supplied information he believes is evidence of campaign-law violations, conspiracy and possibly perjury.
"They tried to overthrow the local government by subterfuge," he said.
Bzdok announced the request at Tuesday's board meeting. Grand Traverse Prosecutor Alan Schneider has agreed to ask Michigan state police to look into retail giant's actions, the Traverse City Record-Eagle reported today.
Four trustees -- Wayne Kladder, Paul Scott, Erick Takayama and Frank Zarafonitis -- are seeking to "press charges," according to township records. Kladder, the township supervisor, said today the township attorney would speak on their behalf.
Bzdok said the board has been under intense pressure during the three-year battle that included Meijer filing suit against the township and township treasurer.
They felt relief once Meijer's allegations surfaced, he said. "It was very stressful."
He said that he went to the county prosecutor rather than the state because he was concerned that Meijer had contacted Secretary of State Terri Lynn Land to indicate that an internal inquiry is under way. He had concerns that politics would factor into any decisions.
According to documents obtained by The Press, Meijer hired the Grand Rapids public relations firm Seyferth Spaulding Tennyson Inc. to assist in its Acme Township efforts.
Seyferth founder Ginny Seyferth, who has defended her firm, said today she did not know about the request for an investigation. "I'm not aware of this situation. I haven't been contacted."
The firm was involved in the recall-campaign strategy and recall petition language, and designed a Web site, court documents showed.
The documents came to light when Acme Township Treasurer William Boltres sued Meijer, which had sued him earlier.
Michigan law prohibits corporations from making contributions to political campaigns. Violations are a felony, usually punished by fines as high as $10,000; charges also carry a possible three-year prison term.
Meijer co-chairman Hank Meijer has said top officials would not have condoned election-law violations. He said his company may have lacked "internal controls" to properly oversee events such as those in Traverse City.


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They're not called the Power Rankings for nothing.
It has been power, specifically from the bats of the Boston Red Sox, that has cemented the team atop this week's MassLive.com AL Power Rankings.
The week started off innocently enough. The Red Sox took the first two of three games against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. A tough-luck loss highlighted by a struggling Red Sox lineup on Monday was followed by an impressive performance from Jon Lester who out-dueled Tigers ace Max Scherzer on Tuesday.
That all set the stage for the Red Sox offensive eruption on Wednesday.
The Red Sox were clinging to a 5-4 lead in the sixth inning. The game had all the trappings of becoming a nail-biter between two of the AL's best squads.
Then the dam broke open.
A Will Middlebrooks grand slam highlighted an eight-run, sixth inning. David Ortiz's second home run of the night highlighted a five-run seventh, and when it was all over the Red Sox were 20-4 winners, and on their way to the Bronx.
It only got better from there.
The Red Sox weren't the only newsworthy team of last week, but they were the lone team with almost exclusively good news.
The Tampa Bay Rays made news, but not for good reasons. The Rays continued their nightmare of a trip out west. The Yankees absorbed the offensive barrage by the Red Sox, and yet another injury to Derek Jeter's ankle.
When the smoke cleared the Red Sox were sitting comfortably atop the Power Rankings
No. 1, Boston Red Sox (87-58): First Place, AL East. Last week, No.1
The Red Sox are playing their best baseball when it counts. We're long past the point where one could say it is early. This is crunch time, and the Red Sox are crunching their opponents.
The week was highlighted by the team's offensive barrage which was spearheaded by the red-hot Mike Napoli. Napoli wasn't the only player making news offensively. David Ortiz got his 2000th hit on Wednesday night.
It wasn't all good news for the Red Sox.
Jacoby Ellsbury, one of baseball's best leadoff hitters will be sidelined with a compression fracture in his foot. The report that Ellsbury could return for the playoffs is encouraging, but whether or not that actually happens is yet to be determined.
There was some good injury news as well. Starter Clay Buchholz will return to the mound Tuesday night against the Tampa Bay Rays.
No.2, Oakland A's (83-60): First Place, AL West. Last week, No. 4
Oakland has taken advantage of its schedule to take over first place out west. First the A's beat their rivals the Texas Rangers in two out of three games. That was followed by three out of four against the Astros.
Oakland's lead is razor thin, but they've been in a tight race all season, and this week's schedule starts with some potentially easy games against the Twins, but ends with three crucial games in Texas.
No. 3, Detroit Tigers (82-61): First Place, AL Central. Last week, No. 2
It wasn't a good week for the Detroit Tigers, but it was a good week to make them realize the importance of their previously good weeks.
The Tigers' exceptional play allows them to not get too upset about a fairly unimpressive 2-4 week. The week saw the Tigers get battered by the Red Sox and then lose two of three to the Royals.
When the smoke cleared the Tigers still had a five-game lead over second-place Cleveland.
One bad week can be brushed off. Two could be a reason for concern.
Detroit plays the White Sox on the road, before returning home to face those pesky Royals.
No. 4, Texas Rangers (81-61): Second Place, AL West. Last week, No. 3
When the week started, Texas had a chance extend their narrow first-place lead. When it ended, they were in second place, 1.5 games behind the Athletics.
It was a frustrating week for the Rangers. They lost two of three to the A's and then ran into a suddenly hot Los Angeles Angels team.
Texas has had to endure some inconsistent pitching and the offense is in a bit of a slump.
This coming week looms as one of the tougher ones on the Rangers' schedule.
It isn't just that the Rangers play Oakland next weekend. It's that the first half of the week will be spent hosting one of baseball's best teams in the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Texas has to figure out a way to at least four of six games from two of baseball's best teams. That's not going to be easy.
No. 5, Tampa Bay Rays (78-64): Second Place, AL East. Last week, No. 5
Tampa held onto the No. 5 spot in the power rankings, but they find themselves 7.5 games back from the first-place Red Sox.
The Rays finished a disastrous West Coast road trip with a 3-7 record. The timing couldn't have been worse.
Now a three-game head-to-head matchup with the Red Sox that could have been for the division lead, is instead one that the Rays need just to hold onto their narrow lead in the wild card race.
Even with the recent cold spell, the Rays are still in position to make the playoffs.
They've got to reverse their recent losing trend if they want it to stay that way.
No. 6, Baltimore Orioles (76-66): Third Place, AL East. Last week, No. 6
For almost all of 2013, the Orioles have been just on the outside of the playoff picture, looking in.
That's where they find themselves this week as well.
Baltimore is two games behind Tampa for the AL's second and final wild card spot. They're tied with Cleveland. Can the Orioles get hot and catch Tampa, or even separate themselves from the pack?
They've got a chance.
Baltimore gets the hobbled Yankees for four games at Camden Yards, then they travel north to play the disappointing Blue Jays.
If the Orioles can find a way to break out of their current streak of playing just barely above. 500 baseball, then the wild card spot is well within their reach.
No. 7, Cleveland Indians (76-66): Second Place, AL Central. Last week, No. 7
Red Sox manager John Farrell is probably going to win American League Manager of the Year. Former Red Sox manager, and current Cleveland Indians skipper Terry Francona may very well finish second.
The Indians weren't expected to be all that good, but here they are, a few weeks from the conclusion of the 2013 season, and the Tribe are just two games back from Tampa is the wild card race.
The question is whether or not the Indians have enough left in the tank to catch the Rays.
Three home games against the Royals followed by a road trip to face last place Chicago. Cleveland simply must win these games this upcoming week.
The Indians have one of the league's easiest schedules down he stretch, but that won't do them any good unless they can take full advantage of that.
No. 8, New York Yankees (76-67): Fourth Place, AL East. Last week, No. 8
The Yankees should be in deep trouble, and if the only way to make the playoffs was by winning a division title, this season would be over.
There are two wild card spots, and that means that even on the heels of losing three of four to the first place Red Sox at home, the Yankees are still very much in the playoff hunt.
They're just 2.5 games back from the Rays. That's the good news.
Here's the not-so-good-news.
The Yankees are embarking on a 10-game road trip. Both the Orioles and the Red Sox are on the itinerary and oh, by the way, Derek Jeter is out indefinitely -- again.
Jeter being hobbled is nothing new for this squad. Injuries in general have become the norm, not the exception.
There's nothing normal about missing the playoffs, and unless the Yankees can find a way to emerge from this road trip with a decent record, the postseason could be just a distant memory.
No. 9, Kansas City Royals (75-68): Third Place, AL Central. Last week, No. 9
The Royals are still clinging to some slim playoff hopes. They're only 3.5 games back, but three teams are in front of them. That puts the very inexperienced Royals in a tough spot.
To this point, the Royals have been able to hang in the race. They're coming off a week in which they were able to rack up five wins in seven games, including two against the first-place Tigers.
This week, they get another shot at the Tigers, and, more importantly, they get to play the Cleveland Indians, one of those three teams currently in front of them in the wild card hunt.
The three-game series is in Cleveland, and starts Monday. If the Royals can win at least two of the three games, then they'll be able to get even closer to their first postseason berth since 1985.
No. 10, Los Angeles Angels (67-75): Third Place, AL West. Last week, No. 10
The Angels are either a case of "too little, too late," or they just really enjoy playing the role of spoiler.
Either way, this is a team that was supposed to be very good, was not and is, all of a sudden, playing some pretty good baseball.
The problem is that they're playing this good baseball in early September, and they're already all but eliminated from playoff contention.
Nonetheless, they can still be a major thorn in the side of teams with their eyes on the postseason.
Last week, the Angels were able to make the paths to the postseason for both the Rays and Rangers more difficult.
This week, they've got only other non-playoff teams on the schedule. The Angels can rack up some more wins against weak competition, until the next team with playoff aspirations shows up on their schedule.
No. 11, Toronto Blue Jays (67-76): Fifth Place, AL East. Last week, No. 12
Here's another team that was supposed to have been playing good baseball all season long, and instead did not.
The Blue Jays are playing good baseball when it no longer counts, winning of eight of their last 10. Just like the Angels, the only way the Jays can impact the playoff race is by beating teams that are actually participating in it.
Toronto starts this week by playing their West Coast mirror, the Angels. Then the Jays host the Orioles a team with very legit playoff hopes. Toronto could prove to be a real pest to their AL East rivals down the stretch this season.
No. 12, Seattle Mariners (65-78): Fourth Place, AL West. Last week, No. 11
The Mariners have undergone a fairly dramatic transformation since the start of the 2013 season.
If it seems like a lot of the older, more experienced major leaguers who were getting regular playing time when the season started have vanished and been replaced by much younger players, well you're right.
Veteran ace Felix Hernandez all of a sudden finds himself surrounded by young talent such as Taijuan Walker and James Paxton.
The Mariners have made a commitment to allowing the talent from their minor league system to get major league playing time. That could pay big dividends in 2014.
No.13, Minnesota Twins (61-80): Fourth Place, AL Central. Last week, No.13
The Twins are like the Mariners in that they've shed some veterans and made a decision to play their younger talent. The difference is that their best young talent is still not major league ready, so even the young players that you see on the current Twins roster are not representative of the Twins future.
The Twins' future, at least as far as the offense goes, rests in the development of Miguel Sano and Byron Buxton. Both potential future All-Stars are still in the minors. Joe Mauer isn't going anywhere, so the current, and future catcher will play, but he has to recover from a concussion first.
The problem is that the Twins do have a very young pitching staff, and it does't look all that good. If Minnesota hopes to contend for the AL Central Title again anytime soon, they're going to have to find some pitching. That's never an easy task.
No.14, Chicago White Sox (57-85): Fifth Place, AL Central. Last week, No. 14
The Chicago White Sox are one of two AL teams to win a World Series this century not named the New York Yankees or Boston Red Sox.
They're a long way from returning to that point though.
Chicago has really just started to rebuild a team that is too old, doesn't get on base enough to score consistently and doesn't pitch well enough to prevent the opposition from scoring consistently.
The White Sox's September should look familiar to Red Sox fans, and not familiar in a good way.
Chicago is off to a 1-7 start this month, and, with games against playoff bound Detroit, and playoff contender Cleveland on this week's schedule, things promise to get worse before they better.
No.15, Houston Astros (57-85): Fifth Place, AL West. Last week, No.15
They've been in last place all season, and if you did a power rankings for the last two seasons, they'd have been in last place for the duration of those seasons as well.
That's got to change, and it will. But not this season.
Houston's minor league system is loaded, and the current roster is already showcasing plenty of young talent.
Prospects are never guaranteed for success, and the chances of all of Houston's young players developing to their projected potential are slim, but some of these guys will end up as very productive major leaguers.
The question is how many of them, and will it be enough?
It would seem like 2014 might be the first season where Astros fans start to get some answers.


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Inhibition of arterial lesion progression in CD16-deficient mice: evidence for altered immunity and the role of IL-10
Aims Given the importance of IgG Fc receptors in immune regulation, we hypothesized that Fcg receptor type III (FcgRIII, CD16) plays an important role in atherogenesis. We therefore analysed the formation of arterial lesions in LDL receptor-deficient (LDLR−/−) and FcgRIII−/−×LDLR−/− double knockout mice at three different points up to 24 weeks of exposure to a high-fat diet.
Methods and results Analysis of Oil Red-O-stained sections revealed no difference in lesion formation between strains after 6 weeks of a high-fat diet, and a modest decrease after 14 weeks in double knockouts relative to LDLR−/− controls. After 24 weeks, lesion formation was decreased in the aortic root (30%) and innominate artery (50%) in FcgRIII double knockouts relative to LDLR−/− controls. Analysis of peripheral CD4+ T-cells by intracellular flow cytometry from double knockouts after 24 weeks of a high-fat diet revealed statistically significant increases in the percentages of cells producing interferon-γ, interleukin (IL)-10, and IL-4 relative to controls, differences that were also observed by analyses of whole aortas for cytokine mRNA levels. As determined by flow cytometry, FcgRIII deficiency resulted in an expansion of CD4+ cells and an increase in the CD4 to CD8 ratio. Analysis of plasma anti-oxidized LDL (OxLDL) antibodies by chemiluminescent assay revealed that IgG1 and IgG2c titers to OxLDL were increased in FcgRIII −/−×LDLR−/− double knockouts relative to LDLR−/− controls, while total IgG levels were similar.
Conclusion These results reveal altered immunity in FcgRIII−/−×LDLR−/− mice and a reduction in lesion formation associated with increased production of IL-10 by an expansion of CD4+ T-cells. The reduction in lesion formation was manifest well after evidence of an immune response to OxLDL, suggesting that FcgRIII contributes to lesion progression in murine atherosclerosis.
- Fc receptors
- Murine atherosclerosis
- T-cells
- Oxidized LDL
- Lesions
- Interferon
- Lymphoid follicle
1. Introduction
Atherosclerosis is a complex disease with many contributing factors, including important roles for many elements of both innate and adaptive immunity.1–10 Several studies have highlighted the importance of T-cells in the atherogenic process11–15 and in addition there is now a well-documented humoral response to the various oxidation-specific neoepitopes triggered by LDL oxidation. For example, in hypercholesterolaemic murine models, a protective effect was associated with expansion of naturally occurring E06/T15 idiotypic IgM, which has the capacity to block uptake of oxidized LDL (OxLDL) by scavenger receptors.16,17 In the case of anti-OxLDL IgG, although the role of such antibodies remains to be clarified, many studies have demonstrated their presence in plasma or atherosclerotic lesions.18–22 Because the formation of arterial lesions was reduced in Fc receptor gamma chain knockout mice, it can be inferred that the triggering of activating-type FcγRs by IgG immune complexes is proatherogenic.23 However, gamma chain is also associated with the T-cell/CD3 receptor complex and the glycoprotein VI (GPVI) complex and as such plays an important role in T-cell signalling and platelet activation.24–27 This suggests that there may be multiple mechanisms by which the absence of gamma chain impacts lesion formation, some of which may function independently of activation by immune complexes. We therefore focused on murine FcγRIII (CD16), an activating-type FcγR expressed on macrophages, dendritic cells, and NK T-cells that binds immune complexes containing IgG1, IgG2c, and IgG2b.28–30 Depending on the model, signalling associated with FcγRIII can enhance either T helper cell 1 (Th1) or Th2 biased responses.31,32 FcγRIII is also unique among other activating-type FcγRs (FcγRI and FcγRIV) in that it may influence thymic B and T-cell development through interactions with non-immunoglobulin (Ig) ligands.33,34 In the present study, we tested the hypothesis that the formation of arterial lesions would be decreased in mice deficient in FcγRIII. We found that relative to LDLR−/− controls, arterial lesion formation was dramatically decreased in FcγRIII-deficient mice on the LDLR receptor negative background, which was most apparent at a relatively later stage of atherogenesis. These data support that FcγRIII is important for lesion progression. In addition, analyses of cytokine production suggest that the decrease in arterial lesion formation in FcγRIII-deficient mice involves IL-10 produced by an expanded population of CD4+ T-cells. Signalling pathways associated with FcγRIII may represent targets for modulating the formation of atherosclerotic lesions.
2. Methods
2.1 Mice and study protocol
Expanded methods are provided as Supplemental material online. Male and female LDLR−/− and LDLR−/−×FcγRIII−/− mice, 4–7 weeks of age, were placed on high-fat western diet (Harlan-Teklad no. 88137) and analysed as indicated after 6, 14, or 24 weeks. All procedures and manipulations were approved by the local Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee (IACUC) and conform to guidelines listed in the Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals published by the US National Institutes of Health (NIH Publication No. 85-23, revised 1996).
2.2 Analysis of lesions
Oil Red-O-stained sections of the aortic root and innominate artery were analysed according to Plump et al.35 For immunohistochemical analyses for macrophages, acetone-fixed cryosections were stained with anti-CD68. Antibody binding was detected with goat anti-rat Fab'2 conjugated to alkaline phosphatase. To detect the presence of T-cells, serial transverse 10 µm sections of the aortic root, aortic arch, or innominate artery were stained with APC-anti-CD3 (or APC-anti-CD3 plus FITC-conjugated anti-B220) after 14 weeks (5 LDLR−/− and 5 double knockouts) or 24 weeks of high-fat diet (4 LDLR−/− and 4 double knockouts) and analysed with a Nikon Eclipse 80i immunofluorescence microscope with NIS Elements software.
2.3 Analyses of plasma for lipids and antibody levels
Total plasma cholesterol and triglycerides were determined enzymatically (Raichem, Columbia, MD, USA). Antibody titers to OxLDLs were determined by chemiluminescent immunoassay.36
2.4 Flow cytometry
To determine the CD4-CD8 ratio, splenocytes were counted by haemacytometer then stained with FITC-anti-mouse CD4 plus PE-anti-mouse CD8 and analysed by flow cytometry. For intracellular staining of cytokines, peripheral mononuclear cells or purified CD4+ splenocytes were restimulated for 6 h at 37° with a leukocyte activation cocktail (eBiosciences). Cells were stained first with PE-Cy5-anti-mouse CD4 followed by fixation in methanol-free paraformaldehyde. The cells were then washed in a permeabilization buffer containing saponin then stained with FITC-anti-mouse IL-10 (rat IgG2b), FITC-anti-mouse IL-4 (rat IgG1), or PE-anti-mouse interferon-γ (rat IgG1) prepared in permeabilization buffer (eBiosciences). Isotype-matched controls were included to determine background fluorescence in each experiment and cells were analysed with a FacScan or Facs Canto flow cytometer.
2.5 Real-time RT–PCR
For the analysis of mRNA levels, aortas were homogenized on ice in Trizol and total RNA immediately isolated and stored at −80°. Total RNA was subsequently reverse transcribed and the cDNA was used to measure IL-10 and interferon-γ (IFN-γ). The data were normalized to GAPDH and are presented as fold-increase relative to mRNA levels obtained from an aorta from a chow-fed C57BL/6 control.
2.6 Statistical methods
All data were analysed using Prism software. Unpaired Student's t-test was used to compare groups of data that were normally distributed and of similar variance; otherwise the non-parametric Mann–Whitney test was used. In each case, P < 0.05 was taken to indicate statistical significance.
3. Results
3.1 Effects of FcγR deficiency on lesion formation
Lesion area in LDLR−/− and LDLR−/−×FcγRIII−/− mice was analysed in the aortic root after 6, 14, or 24 weeks of high-fat diet. By Oil Red-O staining, no differences in lesion formation were found between LDLR−/− and LDLR−/−×FcγRIII−/− mice after 6 weeks (not shown). After 14 weeks, FcγRIII deficiency was associated with a modest but statistically significant decrease in lesion area in the aortic root for males and females relative to LDLR−/− controls (Figure 1A). After 24 weeks of high-fat diet (Figures 1B and C, and 2), lesion formation relative to LDLR−/− controls had decreased 30% in the aortic root and 50% in the innominate artery (P < 0.0001 and 0.0008, respectively). No effect of gender was evident at any time point (not shown).
As shown in Figure 2, the smaller lesions of FcγRIII−/− double knockouts delineated by Oil Red-O staining contained correspondingly less CD68+ macrophages. Analyses of CD3 immunofluorescence established the presence of numerous clusters of T-cells in the aortic root, aortic arch, and innominate artery from each strain of mice after 14 weeks of high-fat diet (data not shown). Results were similar after 24 weeks of high-fat diet. Representative examples of clusters of T-cells in the aortic root of an FcγRIII double knockout after 24 weeks of high-fat diet are shown in Figure 3. A difference between the controls and double knockouts was the presence of areas adjacent to the aorta in the double knockouts that stained densely for both CD3+ T-cells and B-cells after 24 weeks of high-fat diet (Figure 3). These regions resembled adventitial ectopic lymphoid follicles that were reported for the apolipoprotein E knockout mouse where clusters of T-cells and clusters of B-cells appeared together after a year or more in mice on standard chow.37 The implications of this are addressed below but the important point is that these data demonstrate the presence of significant numbers of T-cells in the double knockouts at a point (24 weeks of high-fat diet) when differences in cytokine mRNA levels in whole aortas were noted (see what follows).
3.2 Effects of FcγR deficiency on plasma lipids
FcγRIII−/− deficiency was associated with increased total plasma cholesterol for both males and females (Tables 1 and 2) and the differences were statistically significant after 24 weeks of high-fat diet. Plasma triglyceride levels in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts also tended to be greater relative to LDLR−/− controls and the differences were statistically significant for females after 14 weeks of high-fat diet. FcγRIII−/−-deficient mice appeared to thrive on high-fat diet and at the time of sacrifice exhibited increased body weight relative to controls (Tables 1 and 2). These data suggest that the reduction in lesion formation in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts was not due to changes in plasma lipid levels.
|742 ± 37
|679 ± 48
|39.2 ± 5.0
|812 ± 34
|785 ± 59
|42.7 ± 1.9†
|578 ± 23
|281 ± 18
|24.2 ± 3.7
|682 ± 51
|373 ± 30‡
|32.2 ± 4.7*
TC, total plasma cholesterol; TG, plasma triglycerides, each in mg/dL; DKO, double knockout; BW, body weight, in grams.
For comparisons between strains: †, P = 0.03; ‡, P = 0.009; *, P > 0.0001.
|788 ± 96
|424 ± 75
|37.4 ± 7.1
|934 ± 86†
|620 ± 229
|42.2 ± 7.2
|660 ± 145
|449 ± 186
|26.3 ± 4.0
|867 ± 134‡
|550 ± 62
|29.7 ± 5.1
TC, total plasma cholesterol; TG, plasma triglycerides, each in mg/dL; DKO, double knockout; BW, body weight, in grams.
For comparisons between strains: †P = 0.02, ‡P = 0.047.
3.3 Effects of FcγR deficiency on plasma anti-OxLDL antibodies
Analysis of plasma anti-OxLDL antibodies revealed increased IgG1 and IgG2c titers in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts relative to LDLR−/− controls. Statistically significant increases were obtained for each isotype at 14 and 24 weeks of high-fat diet when malondialdehyde-LDL was used for antigen (see Supplementary material online, Figure S1), and the difference was greatest in the case of IgG2c. Similar results were obtained with copper OxLDL (see Supplementary material online, Figure S1). Total plasma IgG was also not different at any point between LDLR−/− mice and FcγRIII−/− double knockouts (data not shown). Surprisingly, the levels of anti-OxLDL IgG titers for both strains, which were greatest at 14 weeks of high-fat diet, had fallen by 24 weeks, while anti-OxLDL IgM titers were greatest at 24 weeks. Similar to IgG1 and IgG2c titers, IgM titers in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts were significantly increased relative to LDLR−/− controls (see Supplementary material online, Figure S2). These data suggested that there was a dysregulation of antibody production to OxLDLs raising the possibility of altered cytokine production in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts after weeks of high-fat diet.
3.4 Analyses of cytokine production
To address potential mechanisms by which the absence of FcγRIII resulted in decreased lesion formation, CD4+ T-cells isolated from peripheral blood (Figure 4), and spleen (Figure 5), were analysed for the presence of cytokines by intracellular flow cytometry after 24 weeks of high-fat diet. The results indicated similar increases in the numbers of CD4+ T-cells expressing interleukin-4 (IL-4), IL-10, or IFN-γ obtained from FcγRIII−/− double knockouts relative to LDLR−/− controls, each difference being statistically significant (Figure 4). Cytokine expression was barely detectable in cells obtained from age-matched controls of each strain on chow diet (data not shown), consistent with a response to the inflammatory effects of high-fat diet. More dramatic results were obtained with CD4+ T-cells purified from spleens. In the example shown in Figure 5, there was a 5.2-fold increase in the number of CD4+ T-cells expressing IL-10 in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts after 24 weeks of high-fat diet and a two-fold increase in the number of cells expressing IFN-γ. These data suggest an alteration in T-cell development and/or function in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts dependent in part on high-fat diet. This was supported further by measuring the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T-cells in spleens taken from each strain after 24 weeks of high-fat or chow diet. FcγRIII−/− double knockouts on high-fat diet exhibited a dramatic increase in the total number of splenocytes (Figure 6B), a significant increase in the total number of CD4+ cells, and as a result, a significant increase in the CD4 to CD8 ratio (for 14 double knockouts and 10 LDLR−/− controls, the mean CD4 to CD8 ratios were 3.0 ± 0.3 vs. 1.7 ± 0.1, respectively, P = 0.003). Thus, relative to the situation for controls, there was an expansion of the numbers of CD4+ T-cells in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts that was dependent on high-fat diet.
Data supporting that the changes in cytokine production noted above may have contributed to the reduction in lesion formation in the absence of FcγRIII was obtained by analysing mRNA levels of IL-10 and IFN-γ in aortas taken after 24 weeks of high-fat diet. Using an aorta from a chow-fed C57BL/6 mouse for baseline, we determined that the levels of mRNA for each cytokine in LDLR−/− mice were increased above baseline, the fold-increase being greatest for IFN-γ (P = 0.005) (Figure 7). Consistent with the changes in cytokine production determined by intracellular staining, mRNA levels for each cytokine in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts were significantly greater relative to LDLR−/− controls, the difference being greatest for IL-10.
4. Discussion
There are two important findings of this study. The first is a significant reduction in the formation of arterial lesions in FcγRIII-deficient mice after 24 weeks of high-fat diet but not earlier, suggesting that FcγRIII plays an important role in lesion progression (Figure 1). The second is that this reduction was associated with the development of an expanded population of CD4+ T-cells producing the anti-atherogenic cytokine IL-1038–43 (Figures 4–6). The presence of T-cells in lesions from double knockouts together with decreased numbers of macrophages (Figures 2 and 3) suggests that T-cells may have been an important source of cytokines in the lesions (Figure 7). Contributions from macrophages or dendritic cells, however, cannot be excluded. While an exhaustive analysis of leukocyte content in lesions was not undertaken, the data suggest that the absence of FcγRIII was associated with differences in leukocyte content after 6 months of high-fat diet. It was interesting and surprising to note the presence of numerous clusters of T-cells and B-cells that resembled adventitial ectopic lymphoid follicles first reported for atherosclerosis in the apolipoprotein E knockout mouse.37 In the present study, we noted these structures at the level of the aortic root (Figure 3) and ascending arch (not shown) in the double knockouts, but not LDLR−/− controls. The role that these structures serve has not been defined, but it is interesting to speculate that the absence of FcγRIII signalling, which was associated with increased numbers of peripheral T-cells (Figures 5 and 6), may have played a role in enhancing the formation of these ectopic lymphoid structures.
The decreased accumulation of lipids and macrophages seen in lesions of FcγRIII−/− double knockouts was also observed in studies of IL-10 hyperexpression in murine atherosclerosis.41 Remarkably, the reduction in lesion formation was lower in the absence of FcγRIII despite the fact that total plasma cholesterol levels in FcγRIII−/− double knockouts tended to be greater relative to LDLR−/− controls (Tables 1 and 2). That the reduction in lesion formation was more evident after 24 weeks of high-fat diet rather than 14 weeks suggests that FcγRIII activity is important for lesion progression. These results contrast with the study of Hernandez-Vargas et al.23 who found that lesion formation was significantly decreased in gamma chain-deficient mice on the apoE-deficient background by 16 weeks of high-fat diet. Although results of later time points were not reported in that study, the differences between their findings at 16 weeks and ours at a similar time point suggest that the mechanisms underlying lesion formation are unique in each model. This is not surprising given the differences noted between the two models. As stated earlier, reports suggest that both T-cell signalling and platelet activation mediated by GPVI are altered by the absence of the Fc receptor gamma chain.24,25
Of the three activating-type FcγRs in mice, FcγRIII is unique in its IgG ligand binding properties and in its ability to bind non-Ig ligands, each of which could have played a role in the present study. The increase in both anti-OxLDL IgG2c (Th1 dependent) and IgG1 (Th2 dependent) in the absence of FcγRIII is consistent with increases in both Th1-dependent (IFN-γ) and Th2-dependent cytokines (IL-10) seen in this study (see Supplementary material online, Figure S1) and may have occurred as a result of the effects on B-cells of altered cytokine production. These results add to the complexity of FcγRIII activity in the regulation of immune phenomena in these models. Indeed, in combination with TLR-4 ligands such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS), FcγRIII cross-linking on dendritic cells regulates Th2 cytokine production independently of its ability to process immune complexes,31 a characteristic that was not shared by the high-affinity FcγRI.31 In mice, FcγRIII mediated signalling is important for thymic T-cell development and includes the involvement of non-immunoglobulin ligand(s).33,34,44 The effects of FcγRIII activity on lesion formation could therefore be dependent on the interaction with immune complexes and/or with non-immunoglobulin ligands. In support of this, a recent report demonstrated that FcγRIII is a receptor for E. coli.45
The finding of increased production of both IL-10 and IFN-γ was surprising in that IFN-γ is a Th1 cytokine with well-documented pro-atherogenic activity.46–50 On the other hand, IL-10 is a Th2-like cytokine with a well-documented anti-atherogenic role.38–43,51 Similar to the present study, hyperexpression of IL-10 in LDLR−/− mice resulted in a 50% reduction in aortic lesion formation after 20 weeks of high-fat diet,41 but in contrast, production of IFN-γ by T-cells was reduced and the ratio of anti-OxLDL IgG1 to IgG2c was increased. The increase in production of IFN-γ in the present study may have been at least in part responsible for the lack of a change in the ratio of anti-OxLDL IgG2c to IgG1 (see Supplementary material online, Figure S1). IFN-γ is important for priming T-cells for production of Th2 cytokines such as IL-452 and could have played such a role in the absence of FcγRIII. These findings are consistent with the changes in cytokines and the decrease in arterial lesion formation seen in the present study. Thus, while decreased lesion formation observed in the present study is consistent with the inhibitory role of IL-10, it does not exclude the importance of IFN-γ.
In summary, the data support that the activity of FcγRIII, a structurally and functionally unique activating-type FcγR, contributes to arterial lesion progression in LDL receptor-deficient mice and that IL-10 may play an important role in this phenomenon. In the absence of FcγRIII, there was an expansion of CD4+ T-cells producing IL-10 and IFN-γ and a reduction in the size and lipid content of arterial lesions that was more apparent after 24 weeks of high-fat diet. Signalling pathways regulating these phenomena may represent targets that could be exploited therapeutically to regulate the progression of atherosclerotic diseases.
Supplementary material
Supplementary Material is available at Cardiovascular Research online.
Conflict of interest: none declared.
This work was supported by funding from the Hitchcock Foundation, the US Department of Veterans Affairs (Merit Review Awards to P.M., J.K., and R.F.), and by the National Institutes of Health (HL086559 and HL088093 to J.W.).
- Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2009. For permissions please email: email@example.com.


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Posts Tagged 'eBay International Market'
Posted October 14th, 2010 at 9:42 AM Filed in: General Announcements
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A few years ago some of our team held senior positions with a major UK local directory publisher. Back in 2004 we built a local pay-per-click search engine (like AdWords) but for local advertisers.
We helped over 70,000 businesses manage their online advertising campaigns in major search engines such as Google, Yahoo and MSN. By the time we moved on to pastures new, the technology was serving in the region of 200 million searches a month and it was making a reasonable return for everyone involved.
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MONTGOMERY, Alabama -- Alabama State Troopers' Chevy Tahoe is in the running to win The American Association of State Troopers first-ever Best Looking Cruiser contest.
Visit the association's Facebook page to vote by Tuesday, July 15.
Alabama Department of Public Safety's Tahoe is one of 49 featured state police/highway patrol cruisers in the contest.
The vehicle with the most "likes" on Facebook will be featured on the cover of an upcoming issue of AAST's "Trooper Connection" newsletter.


text: Massive batch of Hunger Games stills show off the Capitol, the Hob, and Peeta's camouflage!Meredith Woerner2/29/12 8:06pmFiled to: Hunger gamesMoviesBooksSuzanne Collins118EditPromoteDismissUndismissHideShare to KinjaToggle Conversation toolsGo to permalink We've got an insane collection of The Hunger Games stills that show off all sorts of amazing new places and faces from the land of Panem. Check out wacky Capitol fashions, the Hob from District 12, hospitals, hover crafts and the insane camouflage the tributes use to hide themselves inside the games. Images from kinopoisk via Collider. Gear from Kinja DealsBestsellers: HGST Touro S 1TB 7200RPM Portable Drive Bestsellers: Retro USB Super Nintendo ControllerHumble Rocks Ice for Less Than $4Reply118 repliesLeave a reply


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http://www.lynn911.com http://www.homes-for-sale-dallas.com
What price point are you working with? If you have not selected a Realtor, I'll be happy to interview you.
McKinney as a whole is a very family friendly area (as is Frisco, and other surrounding towns). The Downtown McKinney area has had alot of updates in the recent past and the area may suit you & your families needs. While Realtors aren't able to provide our personal opinion on the safety of any given neighborhood, we can certainly point you in the direction of finding specific information for yourself.
For example:
if you are concerned about crime in a particular part of town, you can contact the McKinney police department and they can give you crime statistics. They can be reached at 972-547-2700 or on-line at http://www.McKinneyPolice.org.
if you are concerned about the schools in particular neighborhood, you can see each campuses test scores, ethnic breakdown, poverty level breakdown, etc in the Texas Education Agency school reports. You can find those at: http://www.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2007/index.html (if you need assistance with this website please let me know & I will be happy to help).
Another good tip for deciding if a neighborhood is right for you is to visit the area personally, go to the grocery store or library in that area and the people you see will be the neighbhors in that immediate area.
Even though we as Realtors can't give our opinions on the area, I hope this information has been helpful in your search. If you would like to speak in depth about more specific information, or if you need further assistance, please feel free to call anytime.
Melissa Hailey
Coldwell Banker Jane Henry Realtors
North Texas Top Realtors
For individual ratings: http://www.mckinneyrealestateinfo.com/mischool/zip/75070/
As a Realtor and Mckinney resident I understand your concerns about the schools in the area. In the Historic District the schools aren't the best. But, it is a very charming neighborhood that lots of people love it. It has a lot of restaurants and shops that remember Paris, France.
The best elementary school in Mckinney is the Valley Creek (This is the best school I could imagine for my kids. With so many stay home moms, the number of volunteer hours each month is unbelievable. This means more time for the teachers to focus on the kids. It also means most families are very involved and it feels like a big family. Teachers are warm, more loving, and truly care about the kids. It's the best! ).
If you would like to speak about more specific information, or if you need further assistance, I can assist you in finding the perfect house to fit your needs. Feel free to contact me 214-968-1002 anytime, I answer the phone. I look forward to working with you soon. Your satisfaction is my top priority.
Best Regards,
Morgana Johnson, Realtor
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage
7001 Preston Road, Suite 125
Dallas, TX 75205
Office: 972-542-9682
Fax: 214-504-2319
Mobile: 214-968-1002
Those same style homes can be found almost new in the neighborhoods you will probably like better. Give me a call and I will be happy to help...plus offer you a Buyer Rebate if you use my services as a Buyers Agent...972-529-5555
When in McKiney check out Stonebridge Ranch. It is a neighborhood with several subdivisions. It is beautifully landscaped and has wonderful family amenities. The schools are rated highly and there are two different districts within Stonebridge Ranch, McKiney ISD & Frisco ISD (both in McKinney) Frisco has a much lower tax rate. You can check out schools on http://www.greatschools.net. I am a resident ad can speak more freely, Stonebridge Ranch is a very safe, friendly place to raise a family. Cascades Park has some wonderful opportunities with resales and it is in Frisco ISD. Good luck!


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You think snow is cool? You ain't seen nothin' babe
Let's see why they're making such a big deal about this white stuff
Yeah, don't know what they're makin' such a fuss about
Ok, maybe not. I'm cool, but damn this snow is COLD
Since the weekend we've been seeing the most extreme snow here in Ireland for decades, and winter has just begun! Cars are stuck, roads impassable, flights grounded, deliveries halted. The city centres are being deserted after 4pm to beat the big freeze home. The child in me absolutely LOVES it. The adult in me will soon feel inconvenienced if it goes on for much longer. But for now, YAY SNOW!
I also got some fab footage of Einstein's snow binkies, but shall have to wait till I can steal Dave's 'puter to do some editing before I can post it. My little netbook just can't handle the HD goodness! Bunny is now recovering from his exertions upstairs in my bed. Something tells me I'll be changing the sheets later.


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EAST LANSING, Michigan — As the final seconds of Saturday's Division 3 girls soccer state championship game ticked away, Hudsonville Unity Christian's Shannon Balcer dropped to her back, stared up at the sky and folded her arms. Her dazed teammates remained on their feet.
Not far away, a pile of Powers players grew rapidly as soon as the final horn sounded and pandemonium ensued.
With that, the Crusaders' run of consecutive state titles ended at six as the Chargers became the Flint-area's first girls soccer team to hoist a state championship trophy with a 1-0 upset at Michigan State University
"We were extremely excited just for the opportunity to come here and play Unity Christian," said Powers coach Art Moody, whose team finished 18-3-1.
"We came out here and thought we were just going to try to compete, but the girls came prepared. They just took every game as it came starting from day one. We said what are goal (state championship) was the first day we met and then said we were not going to speak of it again until we got to that day. Now, we can talk."
They can talk about knocking off a Unity Christian team that had outscored its opponents 109-2 coming into Saturday's game and hardly allowing the Crusaders a quality scoring opportunity while spending the majority of the game in Unity Christian's (24-2-1) end.
"It feels amazing and we knew it was possible, but just had to be sure to play our game, keep possession and it worked," Powers' Brittany Tenis said. "We are very excited right now."
The Powers boys team captured the 1996 Class B championship and the Goodrich boys took the 2008 Division 3 title for the Flint-area's only other state soccer crowns. The win also meant the area will not go without a team state championship of any kind since 1959-60.
"When the game ended, I was like 'Oh my gosh, am I dreaming?' and then I was like 'Wow, we actually did it'," Powers forward Maddie Reynolds said. "This is just awesome and I am so proud of the season. We were really blessed with talent and played really well together in every aspect of the game. We just tried to keep pushing the ball up on them."
Reynolds' pushing paid off with the game's lone goal.
With 8:03 left in the first half, Reynolds took a pass from Morgan McKerchie and booted the ball as she approached the box with a Unity defender closing in. The shot went over the shoulder of the Unity goalkeeper Holly VanNoord and into the left side of the net for Reynolds' 11th and easily most important goal of the season.
"I scored, but we couldn't back down because 1-0 is not a good lead against them," Reynolds said. "They could have easily tied it up, but we pushed through and got the win. We played a good game and kept playing well together during the entire game."
The Chargers did not ease up and McKerchie nearly made it 2-0 with just over 27 minutes remaining in the game, but VanNoord dove to knock down her shot from close range. Less than two minutes later, McKenzie Mora just missed the left corner of the net with a booming shot.
"We pressed them a lot in the air because we knew they were strong heading the ball and we made sure to get the first touch on the ball," Tenis said. "The goal certainly pumped us up because so many times big games come down to one goal. Usually the team that gets the first goal is more excited and more aggressive."
According to Moody, the importance of scoring first could not be overstated.
"I knew we could get behind their defense at some point because they had three defenders in the back and we have three great forwards," he said. "Maddie Reynolds has scored some big goals this year and she did a fantastic job, using her speed and putting a great shot on net. I knew it would be a one-goal game, but was not just sure which team was going to get the one goal."
Unity Christian exerted its most pressure on Powers in the first five minutes of game and did not come close to scoring thereafter as freshman goalkeeper Heather Rolls recorded her 14th shutout in 18 games. The Chargers' defense gave up just nine goals this season against schedule that featured nine games against teams that won district titles.
"Flint Powers played well and they attacked extremely well," Unity Christian coach Randy Heethuis said. "I knew this might be a one-goal game, and we were hoping to get the goal, but we did not possess the ball very well today and just weren't able to string something dangerous together on offense. Powers attacked offensively very well and had a nice gameplan."
Powers was making its fifth state championship game appearance in 12 years. They lost by one goal to Unity Christian in 2007 and 2009.
"Last time, we didn't know what to expect and came out a little bit flat, but we didn't play bad that time," said Tenis, one of several veterans of the 2009 title game. "They just got one goal on us and this time we were able to do that to them."


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Give Now
The State Superintendent is accused of awarding a lucrative technology contract without seeking public bids.
A House committee OK'd Sunday alcohol sales, but not before some switched sides, and the Senate heard testimony about the Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
Martinsville schools' newly named acting superintendent Jerry Sanders is taking over after the interim superintendent resigned this week.
State statute required the superintendent to cancel school for the entire district because of a water line break.
Legislation passed this year requires public schools to develop bullying prevention programs.
A bill that passed the Senate because of Sue Ellspermann's deciding vote removes a requirement for superintendents to have a specific license.
As the first Democrat in nearly four decades to become state superintendent, Ritz must navigate the tricky politics of the GOP-controlled statehouse.
Pence Wednesday also tabbed Indianapolis City-County councilman Jeff Cardwell to lead the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
New York Giant Steve Weatherford does not lead in many statistics, but the Vigo County School Corporation superintendent wants kids to vote for him.
Nearly half of Superintendent-elect Glenda Ritz's campaign contributions came in the amount of $25, and few were more than $100.


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how to travel light: top 10 tips
Who better to ask about packing tips than our Intrepid team? We've travelled extensively over the years and managed to refine our packing into a precision operation that saves time and space and most importantly, the weight of our backpacks…
1) Buy a waterproof toiletry bag that has a hook, so that all you have to do is take the whole bag to the bathroom and hang it on the door or the shower rail. The temptation is often to buy a pretty bag with lots of seemingly useful pockets and zips, but over time these become impractical, they break, are fiddly to get at items and they don't fit everything.
2) Buy shampoos and other creams with a screw-top lid – instead of a flip-top or pumps. This will save you hours of cleaning up leaking bottles and you can re-fill the same screw-top bottles for years.
3) Take your mobile/cell phone – it can double as a calculator, alarm clock and torch in one, even GPS, camera and other features these days. Many people don't take their mobile because of the call cost, but you can turn it onto flight mode so that you do not pay charges yet still use all the utilities – saves carrying separate devices.
4) Spend a little extra on your travel wardrobe and buy the UV protection, non-wrinkle and breathable fabric – common in most outdoor clothing stores. The best thing about these clothes is that they look good for longer, so you do not feel the need to do your washing as much while travelling. Ideally when you travel make your standard wardrobe 2 pair of trousers with zip-off legs, 2 t-shirts and 2 collared travel shirts – all made from this material. Then depending on your destination add the layers, like a fleece and waterproof jacket.
5) Make a packing list and keep it for future trips. Keep a spreadsheet on your computer that you can refine over the years and list all the possible items you might need to take on an overseas trip. Next time it will only 10 minutes to pack because you have an expert list already prepared.
6) Take audiobooks or e-books on holidays instead of traditional paperbacks. Forget about lugging around 3 books of 600 pages each, store your favourite trilogy as an audio file that takes up no space at all.
7) Shoes – buy good shoes. The amount of space that shoes can take up in your luggage is a real waste so take one pair. Something like Goretex shoes are breathable so keep your feet dry and warm, but also comfortable in hot temperatures. Buy a neutral colour (avoiding the temptation to be colourful) so they go with everything and look good even when you go out for the night. The only other shoes you should then need are the light-weight and very practical thongs or flip-flops.
8.) Electrical cords – plan in advance is my best advice. A lot of devices today run from kettle cords so you can get a range of international kettle cords so all you need is this one cord for all your devices that require charging. They can be a struggle to find but you can get them in your home country. Imagine taking only 1 cord instead of the usual 3-4 that you need for all your devices?
9) If you have a smart phone or iPad, download your guide book (or at least the chapters that you need), or save city info, reviews, maps and other references so you can refer to it off-line. It will save trees and space.
10) An often debated technique is folding vs. rolling your clothes. Many Intrepidites swear by the rolling method, but at the risk of starting an international debate, here's another option to try: laying clothes flat (not even folding them unless they are trousers) is argued by some to be the most space efficient method, and leaves clothes relatively wrinkle-free.
To find out about travelling with Intrepid and for your chance to WIN a trip in every edition, subscribe to Intrepid Express, our free e-newsletter.
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If 2 of you are travelling together split your clothes between your bags – in case one goes missing, and always carry a set of underwear, tshirt and any essential medicines in your hand luggage. We have had the whole groups bags go missing on 2 trips due to airport problems – with no luggage for 3 days, and some of our group had left their malaria medicine in their hold luggage……….
Regarding shoes, it might be worth considering Vibram Five Fingers – http://www.vibramfivefingers.com/ – they're little thicker than the sole and light weight, they take up almost no space. Whilst expensive in the UK (less so in the USA) the 'trek' models are relatively discrete to match different clothes… though it is true that the design will turn heads!
For packing clothes I use the plastic bag method. Use the large zip-lock bags, fold tee and shirts in one, shorts and trousers in another etc. Roll to get the air out, zip and pat down flat again. Slipping the bags you want out of the backpack is easy and no wrinkles. Great for front opening backpacks.


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ALBERTON -- They've met a dozen times already this hockey season and on Sunday at 1 p.m. the Mid-Isle Matrix and the Western Regals will play for gold in the championship final of the Atlantic Midget AAA Hockey championship. The tournament is being played at the Jacques Cartier Arena.
The two Island teams rose to the top of the standings at the end of the round-robin portion of the five-team tournament., the Regals in first place with a 4-0 record and eight points and the Matrix second with three wins and six points. Their only loss was to the Regals, 3-2 on Friday, the winning goal coming in the final minute of regulation time.
Regals and Matrix players came close to a clean sweep of the hardware at the tournament's awards banquet Saturday night. The Regals' TJ Shea was named tournament MVP and teammate Brandon Williams was named top defenceman. Cody Miller of the Matrix picked up the top scorer award, based on four goals and five assists, and Sean MacPhee of the Matrix was named the tournament's top goaltender. Grant Nolan of the St. John's Marshalls picked up the award for top forward.
First and second place teams play in the 1 p.m. gold medal game; third and fourth place teams will play in the bronze medal game at 10 a.m.
The St. John's Marshalls, finished third with a win, two losses and a tie, for three points while the Bedford Blues earned two ties for two points. The Saint John Warriors finished out of the play-offs, picking up a single point in four games.
The Regals, hosts of the Atlantic championship, narrowly beat out the Matrix for first place in the P.E.I. Midget AAA Hockey League's regular season and last week ousted them 3-2 in the play-off championship series.
The Matrix picked up two wins in the final day of round-robin games at the Atlantic championship Saturday. They started the day with a 4-0 shut-out of the Warriors and finished it with a 6-2 victory over the Marshals. In between, the Regals picked up a 6-2 victory over the Blues.


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MOBILE, Ala. -- A group of Mobilians are spreading Johnny Appleseed's message. Their purpose is not to plant apple trees, but to teach others, particularly children, about the fruit and its many benefits.
After Benny and Janie Newberry acquired an old-fashioned apple press, they were asked to demonstrate it at Allentown Elementary School, which one of the Newberry grandchildren attended. A couple of years later, Harry and Gloria Malone, who had a grandson at Allentown, joined the Newberrys; then Joel and Alma Jean Malone came on deck. All attend Crawford Baptist Church and have been friends for most of their lives.
"It was so enjoyable working with friends that we've become a permanent crew," Benny Newberry said.
They've carried their apparatus to preschools and day cares and demonstrated at fall and harvest festivals. And this year, the Apple Dumpling Gang, as they've come to be known, visited Dodge Elementary School, making three presentations a day for three days.
The Newberry-Malone presentation lasts just about 30 minutes. In addition to telling children about Johnny Appleseed (an opportunity to speak of conservation) and giving them a chance to taste the sweet, fresh apple juice, the Apple Dumpling Gang has a table set up with apple products -- dried apples, apple butter, apple sauce, apple jelly -- even an apple-pie kit.
For the complete report, see Sunday's Mobile County Neighbors section.
For more Mobile County Neighbors news, go to http://www.al.com/news/press-register/neighbors.ssf


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Gov. Tom Corbett's re-election campaign has taken the unusual step of targeting Democratic gubernatorial frontrunner Allyson Schwartz early because it "assumes" the Montgomery County congresswoman will be the 2014 Democratic gubernatorial nominee.
Schwartz, speaking to reporters at the state Capitol before meeting with the House Democratic caucus, said she's been singled out by the governor's campaign because she is the biggest threat to his re-election.
"Gov. Corbett and the state [GOP] party is very concerned about my being the nominee," she said. "They're taking me on already. You don't actually do that if you're not worried about the candidacy of your opponent."
"We see it as the reality in a way that they've got to take me on already," Schwartz added. "I think they see me as the strongest and most serious threat against them."
A new Harper poll released Tuesday finds Schwartz still leading all Democratic challengers by 7 points.
She noted that the Corbett campaign and Pennsylvania GOP have attacked her proposal to impose a 5 percent extraction tax on companies mining the Marcellus Shale.
"They're already out there saying that a moderate 5 percent extraction tax, lower than Texas, lower than Oklahoma, the same as West Virginia, would be very damaging to the energy companies," Schwartz said. "I'm happy to take on that argument."
Corbett Campaign Manager Mike Barley acknowledged the campaign's Schwartz focus, and attributed it to her strength in the polls.
"Congresswoman Schwartz is the leading candidate as multiple polls have confirmed," Barely said. "We assume she will be the Democratic Party's nominee."
Schwartz also took the opportunity to urge Democratic state lawmakers to support passage of a transportation bill as soon as possible.
A state Senate-approved transportation bill floundered in the House during budget negotiations, and Republican House leaders accused Democrats of abandoning the bill in order to hurt Corbett's re-election chances.
However much Schwartz supports passage of a transportation bill, she said Democrats should not capitulate to House Republicans' insistence that a bill also weaken the state's prevailing wage law.
"The bill should be done without the prevailing wage changes and I think the Republicans fully understand that it's not something that makes it easier for Democrats to vote for it," Schwartz said.
"This is also a Republican [controlled] House," she added. "That concedes the fact that there are not enough Republican votes. Why are they saying 'no' to basic infrastructure needs of the state?"
And Schwartz dismissed the notion that passage of a transportation bill would be perceived as a victory for the governor and hurt Democrats' chances of a gubernatorial victory next year.
"I don't want to second guess the Democratic leadership here in the House or the Senate on how they actually get to passing legislation and what can be worked out," she said. "My point is, I'm not going to say 'Here's exactly what you should do.' What I'm saying is 'Get it done'."


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In honor of the undefeated Saints' heart-stopping victory over the Redskins, here's the 12-0 edition of my weekly list of random film-related stuff. In this case, it's five cool movies with "12" in the title ...
5 - "12 Rounds" (2008) -- OK, so Renny Harlin's relentless 2008 actioner is far from being a great movie, but its New Orleans setting makes it a shoo-in for this list. Besides, what it lacks in acting it makes up for in adrenaline.
4 - "Ocean's 12" (2004) -- George Clooney and company doing what they do best -- that is, ripping off the Rat Pack. As a sequel to a remake, it's hard to imagine it being any more derivative. At the same time, though, it's hard to imagine anyone doing it with more style and charm.
3 - "2012" (2009) -- Big dumb, apocalyptic fun, from Roland Emmerich, who only does things if he can do them BIG. Best part: It's still in theaters.
2 - "Twelve Monkeys" (1995) -- The always trippy Terry Gilliam (whose "The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus" is set to come out this holiday season) weaves a time-traveling head-spinner starring Bruce Willis and featuring a fantastic early performance from Brad Pitt.
1 - "12 Angry Men" (1957) -- Sidney Lumet's jury-room drama is so simple, yet so brilliant. I could -- and do -- watch it over and over.
- From Nola.com: Find New Orleans area showtimes.
- On Twitter: Follow the Twitter feed of T-P movie critic Mike Scott
- From the T-P: The T-P's A-to-Z movie review archive.
- From the T-P: More movie news and reviews from Times-Picayune movie critic Mike Scott


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The Associated Students of Copper Mountain College (ASCMC), the student government arm of CMC, recently inducted 25 students into the organization. CMC student, Riley Walters, will serve as President of ASCMC for the 2011-2012 school year.
ASCMC's purpose, according to CMC Professor and ASCMC Faculty Advisor, Joe DeSantis, is "to act as a support structure to help make decisions for the college. In both the ASCMC class and the ASCMC student leadership organization, this is a chance for the students to have a voice or seat at the table at Board of Trustees and College Council (leadership board) meetings. ASCMC also provides representation in the community and on the various CMC college committees."
Students can participate in ASCMC for as long as they choose, although there is a term limit on officer positions. ASCMC offers students a direct way to be involved while at CMC. The organization is hoping to have a campus spirit day this school year. ASCMC also works with the CMC Foundation, the dozen student clubs at CMC and acts as liaison for different campus events. "The top priority for us at ASCMC is to have fun," notes President Walters. Membership is open and meetings are on Friday afternoons from 3-5 on the main campus. Visit www.cmccd.edu and link to the student government page and find additional information on ASCMC under campus life.


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MONTGOMERY, Alabama – The National Weather Service predicts today in the River Region will be partly sunny with a 20-percent chance of rain before noon and a high near 67.
Tonight is forecast to be mostly clear with a low near 44 degrees and a light wind from the north.
The weather service predicts Wednesday will be sunny with a high near 68 and a northeast wind at about 5 mph. Wednesday night's forecast calls for mostly clear skies and a low of about 45.
For more about the weather, visit al.com/weather .


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U.S. Rep. Vance McAllister, R-Swartz, missed his scheduled qualifying period Thursday, saying he got caught in traffic.
McAllister said he will stay in Baton Rouge on Thursday night and qualify at 8 a.m. Friday. He'll then head to a speaking engagement in Lake Charles.
Friday is the final day of the qualifying period that began Wednesday.
"I just thought surely they don't close until 5 p.m.," McAllister said.
Secretary of State spokesperson Meg Casper said they had to abide by posted office hours.
"Our hours of qualifying are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. That's what we've publicized. We haven't heard from his staff at all," Casper said.
Despite the hiccup Thursday, McAllister did take the lead in fundraising in the race after he loaned his campaign $400,000.
"It's a good start. I have more cash on hand than anyone else," McAllister said.
The loan now puts his campaign $1 million in debt to himself after he was elected last year in a largely self-funded race.
McAllister has already drawn several challengers -- mostly from his own party -- to unseat him.
Zach Dasher, R-Calhoun, qualified Thursday. Dasher has ties the the famous Robertson family of "Duck Dynasty."
Until McAllister's loan to himself, Dasher led the 5th district field in cash on had with about $215,500.
McAllister was elected during a special election last fall after former Rep. Rodney Alexander resigned the position.
His bid for his first full term suffered a setback earlier this year after video captured the married congressman kissing a married female staffer.
So far, Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo is the only Democrat to enter the race. Mayo finished third behind McAllister and state Sen. Neil Riser last year.
Other Republican challengers include Monroe businessman Harris Brown, Mangham doctor Ralph Abraham and former Grant Parish district attorney Ed Tarpley.
* * * * * * *
Cole Avery is a legislative and state politics reporter based in Baton Rouge. You can reach him on Twitter @cole_avery1 or email email@example.com.


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The inside of the restaurant. I like their wallpaper.
Annie ordered the Ortolano: Roasted eggplant, sun-dried tomato tapenade with fresh mozzarella and parmesan melted on ciabattina. Per Annie, "It was really flavorful and the fresh mozzarella melted in my mouth."
I ordered the Classic Tuna Melt: White Albacore tuna salad, cheddar cheese, alfalfa sprouts, tomato, dijon, and aioli on rosemary bread. Yum! It was really creamy and delicious but not too overpowering. Totally hit the spot! Overall, Annie and I were blown away by the taste of their sandwiches. At $10-$12 a piece, the sandwiches aren't necessarily cheap, but you get what you pay for. I love places that do the basics right, and Say Cheese does exactly that. If you find yourself in Silver Lake and are looking for a lunch spot, look no further. Say Cheese reviews on Yelp 2800 Hyperion Ave Los Angeles, CA 90027 323.665.0545


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Scranton Museums
• A WorldWeb.com Travel Guide to Museums in Scranton, PA, Pennsylvania.
One of the largest collections of period locomotives and rolling stock in the United States is on display at Steamtown National Historic Site. Visitors have the chance to see a working roundhouse, a locomotive shop and a restoration shop. A history museum, a technology museum and a visitor center are also located on-site.
Located in a restored, late 19th century mill building, The Lackawanna County Trolley Museum transports visitors back to the time of electric railway systems. Using interactive exhibits, this museum retells the story of these unique transports and the impact they had on the Lackawanna Valley.
The life and career of Houdini is recounted through a variety of exhibits. On Halloween, a special Houdini seance is held at the museum.
A local landmark for nearly a century, the Everhart Museum displays a wide range of natural history, science and art collections. The museum also offers educational events like art classes, lectures, and a public reference library.
The area's only museum dedicated to the history of anthracite mining, PA Anthracite Heritage Museum features interactive displays that allow visitors to experience the lives of the proud people who worked in and around these mines.
Holocaust Museum & Research Center
Sponsored by the Jewish Federation of Northeastern Pennsylvania, the HMRC was established in 1994 in the Scranton Jewish Community Center. The museum features a small but growing collection of artifacts including a Czech Torah that survived the Holocaust. The research center offers community education, commemorations and outreach programs for local schools.