#pastor Alex strikes again

[jimmcslims]

[b-afterhours]

To Know Him (part seven)

summary: AU set in the summer of 1959 Gloria is desperate to see a world beyond the church and the small texan town she grew up in. One day she runs into a bad boy with striking green eyes in the local greaser gang the Saint’s of Duke Street. She had only heard of their existence and shenanigans but upon meeting Bill she can tell he’s not as bad as everyone had warned…

warnings: cursing, mentions of sex

if you’re seeing this for the first time you can read part one here and if you need to catch up on previous chapters go here.

Over the last weeks, Gloria slowly packed her things little by little so that it wouldn’t be terribly obvious to her parents half her room was put away. She hated the idea of running away but she was left with no other choice. After the first week of August, she was leaving. She had counted out her babysitting and church money and had enough for a bus ticket and a little to get by before she found a job. It wasn’t going to be easy but as soon as classes started she hoped everything could fall into place for her. At least she prayed that it would.

It began to dawn on her that the end of the summer was near and so was her time with Bill. She would mention it but Bill would assure her that it wasn’t over when she left. That he could visit her and even phone her. It provided some comfort but every night that she listened to the radio with him from her room away she’d cry. She couldn’t help but miss him already.

“Wouldn’t you want to come with me?” She asked him one night on Mrs. Robins porch as he smoked, leaning on a rail.

“You know I want to...” he said blowing a thin trail of smoke.

“So?”

“I can’t,” he took a deep drag. “It’s not eas-”

“Of course it’s not easy Billie!” She snapped.

“Gloria please don’t be upset with me,” he rubbed his forehead with the two fingers holding his cig.

“You’ve been practically pushing me out of here?”

“Because,” he said loudly making her jump. He relaxed his shoulders and took a deep breath to even his tone. “Y-you’re going to be someone someday. You can’t do the great things you’re meant to do here. I-I would want anything to go with you but I can’t... I’ll hold you back,” he harshly flicked the cigarette off the porch.

“You won’t…” she choked she felt tears coming on. “Do you really like me or is this just uh, a fling to you?”

“I really hope you don’t think that,” he said visibly upset before he cleared the lump in his throat. “Of course this isn’t a fling Gloria. Jesus. You mean more to me than that...”

“I-I’m sorry. I don’t really think that… I just, I’m not dumb okay?” She pushed her hair back in frustration. “I just don’t know how this works? I’ve never had anyone like me like you do,” she said wiping the rogue tears that fell from her eyes with the back of her hand.

“Don’t cry,” Bill took her hand and pulled her into an embrace. “I can’t see you cry. Not yet. It’s gonna break my heart,” he said into her sweet smelling hair.

“Sorry,” she mumbled against his leather jacket. They held each other tightly for a while settling their emotions.

“We don’t have a long time, we shouldn’t start fighting now,” Bill kissed the top of her head.

Gloria looked up at his pale eyes, her chin rested on his sore chest. She hadn’t a clue about the tattoo yet, he planned to show her before she left. Besides, it was still scabbed and inflamed, in no condition to show off to the world just yet.

“What is it?” He whispered noticing she had something on her mind. “Do you love me?”

Gloria grinned. “How do you know I was thinking that?”

“Your eyes,” he smirked. “I meet you one night and now here were are.”

“Here we are and I love you.”

“I love you too,” he kissed her.

When Bill walked her home that night, he listened to her speak excitedly about all the things she was eager to see and experience once in Austin. He carefully listened to remember her voice and her joyous expressions. When she suggested that he go with her it took everything in him to not tell her that he’d been thinking about it. But any mention of his plans would only serve in getting her hopes up and he couldn’t risk it if things fell through. Besides, it wasn’t wise to leave town with the pastor’s daughter and leave his family with hell to deal with. He knew the right moment would come and he had to act on it as soon as it presented its self.

He had devised several ideas in his head but one, in particular, he kept going back on even though he knew it was insane. But it was nearly perfect. No one could take her away from him if he had the balls to go through with it. When they reached the end of her block Gloria sighed a deep knowing sigh when they could hear her parents arguing a few houses down.

“They’re fighting again...” she frowned.

“This is like the fourth night in a row? Is everything okay?”

“I-I don’t know. When they hear the door open they stop and I just quickly go to my room,” she shrugged.

“You won’t have to deal with it much longer at least,” he said and kissed the top of her forehead. …

The gravel crunched underneath Bill’s feet as he trod across the side lot of his house. When he turned the corner, he was surprised to see his oldest brother Ace outside polishing bike parts in the light of a few oil lamps on the porch. But he had a feeling he was waiting for his arrival. To talk about whatever he’d been itching to ask him. Ace had been quiet since he came back to town but he had heard bits and pieces about what Bill had been up too from Wolf and Eija.

“You’ve been walking a lot? Something wrong with your bike?” Ace said, his large muscles flexing as he buffed out a dull spot.

“Uh, no? It’s just too noisy at this hour,” Bill shoved his hands in his blue jeans.

Ace lightly laughed. “Since when have you ever cared about the noise? You built the thing loud.”

Bill rolled his eyes. “I think you know.”

“Do I?” He slung his rag over his shoulder and leaned back in his chair.

“You don’t have to bullshit around Alex.”

“Well fine,” he lightly sighed. “I do know... And I’ve been wondering when the hell you were going to tell me?”

“I’m sure Eija filled you in,” he pulled two cigarettes out of his pack and handed one to his brother.

“Sorta,” he leaned into Bill’s zippo. “You really outdid yourself this time, kid. Gloria Castillo? The pastors' daughter?”

“Yeah, your point?”

“My point,” Alex scoffed. “Well… at least if you do her wrong she’s not the type that will come here busting the headlights off your cycle like Bonnie did.”

“Christ. I wasn’t even with Bonnie like that,” he took a deep drag remembering the scene she caused.

“She definitely thought you were.”

“This is way different.”

“Hmm. I can tell… So, does she know about the barbershop?”

“So this is why you’re askin’, huh?” Bill shook his head.

“Well?” Ace lightly shrugged.

Bill sighed. “She knows about it kinda but that’s it.”

“Kinda? You know we have a deal with Earl. If they know that the pastors' daughter is hanging out with you it could cause trouble,” he pointed at him with his cigarette before flicking it away. “Her dad is over there all the damn time.”

“I know...” Bill looked away.

“Well then? Do you like her enough to fuck it all up?” Ace shook his head in amusement as Bill fell dead silent. “You love her don’t you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he took the last drag of his cigarette, burning his lungs as he smoked it down to the filter. “I know it can’t work out like that between us, okay?” He said stubbing the cig into the gravel with his steel-toed boot. “But she’s leaving town. It’s over and I can just forget about her and this whole summer. I promise everything will cool off,” he swallowed hard.

Ace frowned as he shook his head. “No. You’re lying, it does matter. I’ve never seen you like this? You found someone you can’t let that go, Bill. You remember Eva?”

“Yeah...”

“It’s not so different from what you’re going through. I miss her every day. But you know she’s a Claws sister… I could have made it work but I didn’t and it kills me. You don’t want that Bill.”

Bill was surprised that Ace was being so open with him. He was expecting to get his ass chewed out. Actually, he was hoping for it. But what he was getting was exactly what he needed to hear. To be validated in his feelings when he was starting to worry he was losing it.

“You took a shine on Pastor Castillo’s daughter of all people,” Ace leaned back in his chair and lightly laughed. “It’s going to be hard but it will be worth it.

“Shit,” Bill choked up.

“So what’s the plan, kid?”

“What?” He cleared his throat.

“I know you thought of some kinda scheme? You’re not going to forget her, it’ll be impossible. If you want to be with her I think you know what you have to do. And when you do, you both need to get the hell out of this town as fast as you can.”

“I-I can’t…”

“Don’t worry about us. We can handle anything. We’re family.”

“But Gloria she-”

“Gloria Castillo loves you. And you love her right?”

“I do. W-with everything I got.”

“Then would you quit worryin’? Damn kid.” …

Gloria was home piling her bags into the center of a bedsheet and then grabbed all the corners to lug it to her window. She couldn’t have her things hidden in the closet anymore it was beginning to make her paranoid despite it only being a single suitcase and two stuffed tote bags. She left only one small tote packed with her radio, her bible, two outfits, basic toiletries, and her letters from UT. After straining to lift the sheet full of her stuff over the window, she successfully settled in between her house and two decent sized shrubs which kept it fairly hidden. Marty and Greg promised to pick it up and leave it at The Saint's house for her in the morning in the meantime.

“What on earth?”

“Goodness!” Gloria hissed clutching her chest. “Give me a heart attack will ya Rita?”

“Sorry,” she lightly laughed and leaned on the edge of her window sill. “So you’re really doin’ it huh?”

“Shh. And yes. What choice do I have?”

“You’ve gotten some guts hangin’ with a Saint all summer did you?”

“Shh!” she said harshly.

“Sorry,” Rita whispered. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re doing it. Guess Bear was good for something.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Oh don’t have a cow I don’t mean wrong.”

“Sorry, Rita… it’s just-”

“I know Gloria,” she sighed. “He’s good to you, I shouldn’t be so rude... You think I’ll find a guy like you got?”

Gloria smiled. “Of course! Margarita, any guy would be lucky to call you theirs.”

“He looks at you with those dreamy eyes and I’m just so happy for you Gloria. I’m going to miss you...” she teared up.

“Me too Rita,” a lump formed in her throat.

The girls began to lightly laugh to stop the tears that were threatening to spill over. She was going to miss talking between houses late at night with her childhood friend. It started to creep up that she wasn’t going to know a single soul in Austin. She would be all alone... …

Bill rode all day trying to straighten out his head before seeing Gloria at Mrs. Robins. He had been mulling over the conversation he had with his brother Ace for days now. Ace was right but he was still having trouble wrapping his head around his plans. At a stop sign, he saw Rick again staring suspiciously at him from the other side of the four-way stop.

“Fuckin’ great,” Bill groaned.

Instead of going his usual route Bill took a left leading him back home. The whole purpose of his cruise failing to improve his mood; he arrived in a worse funk than when he left. He stomped to his room and dug under his mattress for the cardboard cigar box he stored his money in. He straightened all the crumpled ones and fives and laid them neatly on his bed counting them. He only had 115 dollars to his name, the majority of that made up by the lone fifty dollar bill he had.

“What are you doing?” V said walking into their shared bedroom from his shower.

“None of your business,” Bill said hastily grabbing the money off his bed.

“Fine.”

“Good,” he muttered.

“Oh, Ace said he’s got something for you?”

Bill paused and glanced at him with a concerned look. “Well, I gotta go. Could you let him know I’ll be here tonight?”

“Sure.”

“And Greg’s bringing Gloria’s stuff by so don’t go snooping through it.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Wolf rolled his eyes and waved him off. …

Gloria and Bill were passionately making out on Mrs. Robins couch that very evening. She was straddling his waist as he laid his long body on the couch. Both of them were going at it more heavy than usual. Bill felt her grind her hips down harshly causing a stir in his pants. When she moaned against his lips he immediately snapped his hands from her bottom to her waist to stop her from repeating her movements again.

“Gloria, slow down,” he panted.

“Did I do something wrong?” She said concerned.

“No, babe,” he lightly laughed and pecked her lips. “You just can’t move your hips like that on me. Especially in this pretty dress.”

“Oh… Oh!” She said again when her encyclopedia knowledge suddenly came back to her. “Y-you know we can? I-”

Bill closed his eyes and shook his head. “Not like this. Not on Mrs. Robins couch. And I know you have your convictions...”

“What, waiting for marriage? Who cares?” She said kissing his neck.

“I do. Because I know you do,” he sat up a bit, pulling Gloria off of him. “We should probably take a break.”

“Okay… you’re right I do care about that...” she bit her lip feeling a bit embarrassed. “I’m sorry I got carried away,” she held his hand. “I guess... I should give you your gift now,” she suggested trying to keep the awkward air from settling between them.

“You’ve got a gift for me?” He said surprised yet so flattered. Bill watched her undo the first two buttons of her dress which made him raise his brows. “Gloria?”

“Relax,” she giggled. “I wanted to give you one of these,” she pointed at two necklaces she wore underneath her clothes, one was a simple gold cross and the other was a gold and silver crucifix. She reached behind her neck, unclasping the crucifix necklace and dropped it into his open palm.

“I don’t know what to say?” Bill said almost stunned that she was giving him something so personal and cherished. “I feel terrible if I keep it?”

“It’s a gift, Billie. You better keep it. It’s a thank you gift, for everything,” she softly smiled. “And something to remember me by...”

Bill put the necklace on with her help and he kissed her tenderly right after.

“I know you have your reservations about religion but-”

“I love it,” he kissed her again, “I love you.”

He thought for a split second to tell her his plans, to tell her he was going with her, to ask her what he’d been too nervous to even think about but he chickened out. It wasn’t the right time. …

On his walk home he angrily kicked an empty baked bean can the whole way feeling foolish. Ace was once again on the porch fiddling with rusty engine parts with Gus accompanying him this time. Both of them were laughing over a dumb joke when Bill approached. He tried walking passed them and go straight to his room and sulk but he was pulled back by the end of his leather jacket.

“Hold up. I know Wolf told you I got something for you?” Ace said.

“Something? Or are you going to give me another lecture? I’m not in the mood.”

“Ohh,” Gus said with a laugh. “What’s wrong with you?”

“Leave him alone,” Ace lightly smacked Gus’ knee. “Our poor little brother is lovesick.”

“So you two just gonna mess with me?” He huffed.

“Relax, kid,” Ace said reaching into the back pocket of his dusty work pants. “Like I promised to find for you,” he said presenting a gold ring fixed with a small marquise cut ruby.

Upon seeing it, Bill’s plans finally clicked in his complicated head. He chickened out because he didn’t have a ring. Even if it still seemed crazy to propose to a girl he fell in love with over the summer he needed it to be perfect despite the circumstances. His plan was to marry her and that way they would always be together. Even if her father hunted her down all the way to Austin, there was no chance of him taking his wife away.

“I can’t believe you found it?” Bill said in disbelief, taking the ring to take a closer look at it. It had been a couple of days since their last talk when Ace promised to search for it but Bill had lost hope that it would ever turn up. Ace had intended to propose to Eva before things fell apart. The only thing remaining of their love-cut-short was the ring.

“We had to go across the tracks for it,” Gus said taking a sip of his beer.

“Claw territory? Eva still had it?” Bill said feeling terrible that they had to make the trip to their enemies turf.

Ace shrugged. “Yeah… had to trade those chrome panels to her dimwit brother, for the peace, for it but it’s not a big deal.”

“You could have gotten good money for-”

“I’ll get even better ones,” Ace interjected, “don’t worry about it.”

Bill smiled. “Thanks, I owe you.”

“You owe me nothing, kid.”

“So. When are you going to ask her,” Gus asked.

“I only have this week before she goes...”

His brother’s both looked away blowing raspberry’s and scratching the back of their necks feeling the stress they couldn’t even imagine their little brother must be going through.

”Well,” Gus lifted his beer, “I’ll drink to that.” …

Bill threaded the ring into the same necklace Gloria had given him that night. He felt like the luckiest guy in the world being gifted gold and silver from people he loved. He was a man who hardly ever asked for handouts, it was odd to be given things. He settled into bed, listening along to the radio as he smoked a cigarette and fiddled with the ring and crucifix pendant with his other hand. Ways of asking for Gloria’s hand in marriage ran through his head. Everyone scenario made him blush with embarrassment. He could feel his heart race as he grew increasingly nervous.

“Can you stop muttering over there,” Wolf turned over in bed to face him from his side of the room.

“Sorry.”

“So you’re really gonna do it?” He said through a yawn.

“Yeah…” Bill said sheepishly. “D-do you think I’m crazy for asking her?”

“Yes and no.”

“Yes?”

“I mean, if you don’t want cops commissioned by the fucking pastor busting down your door in Austin it’s the best way,” Wolf lightly laughed. “But regardless, if you weren’t going to marry her now, you’d do it eventually.”

“That’s true,” Bill sighed. “She could say no, though...”

“I’ll admit I don’t know Gloria well but I highly doubt it. You got her wrapped around your finger.”

“More like, the other way around,” Bill started to laugh.

“You’re right since you got that tattoo! You’re hopeless!” Wolf laughed with him and threw his pillow at him. “Now turn off the radio before I cry myself to sleep, sheesh.”

Bill reached for the radio but it cut off on its own and he didn’t bother with it. He laid in bed staring at the ceiling still feeling like he’d truly lost his mind but he was okay with it now. He had fallen deeply in love and he had no idea anyone would be capable of doing that to him. Not until Gloria. And she was always in his sight, in the same bubble of a town, and he hadn’t a clue that love was there the whole time. He thought back to the General Store when he saw her nervously fumble with her change purse and despite being timid around the “big ol’ bad Saints” she stood her ground and sat right across from him at the soda bar. He didn’t know if it was luck or god when her bike chain jammed on her the next week. But he was certainly unspeakably grateful for that shitty bike chain. 

PART EIGHT

tags: @imaginingyournotsolikelyfuture @bskarsgardfilth @billieskars@skrsgards @kikilikes @mixtapes-books@partypoison00 @fine-i-suppose@shannonxbarnes @darthdeziewok @kyralangdon @sexual-rendezvous   @trybeingabitch  @bill-skarsgard-writings @reinamysterio@mazarinqueen @fine-i-suppose@therealzoeyael @darthdeziewok @skarswhat @pennytdc@bskarsgardlove92 @frappylou @mixtapes-books @spacemerlady@stardustginger @lilzbean

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[protectorsofthewood]

Abby and Wendy - Episode 38

THE LONG ROAD 

“Hey Abby!” Phoebe turned to catch a glimpse of Abby’s face in the faint light. “You never mentioned all this fascinating stuff. I had no idea.” 

               “Yeah, but remember, I haven’t seen him in ten years.” 

“Isaiah and Ishmael know him too,” added Lluvia. “In fact, the whole band might be staying with Alex.” 

 They were walking along a wandering pathway bordered by thin metal posts holding chains, apparently set up to keep people off the lawn. Sculpted columns held lights throwing shadows across their path. Large stone buildings with arches and gothic decorations appeared across the lawn. Tall oak and maple trees obscured the view ahead. A thin curved moon like a boat sailed slowly across the sky. The campus was quiet, with murmuring voices and music in the background.  

 A wide arch appeared ahead of them, and then a short tunnel led off the campus to a narrow street lined with a row of very old brick houses. Lluvia stopped at one of these small one family dwellings, about five yards wide and two stories high. After a tiny front yard, three windows glowed in the night, one near the door and two above.  

               “Well, there are people here at least,” Abby said. 

 “Of course,” Lluvia replied. “It’s a big deal that we’re visiting. They’re waiting for us.” 

 “How do you know?” Abby sensed that Lluvia knew a lot more about this situation than she had let on. 

 Lluvia laughed. “We’re better organized than you think. We obey the phone rules, but Sharon brings messages back and forth. And I’m here often these days.”  

She knocked on the door, and knocked again. An acoustic guitar and voice suddenly stopped. 

“Yes?” came a voice. “Who is it?” 

“It’s me, Isaiah! Lluvia!” 

The door opened. Isaiah and Lluvia embraced. Abby glanced around at the mess in the small multi-purpose room. There were pizza boxes on the floor, two open duffel bags with loose clothing, a sleeping bag, books, two guitars and a drum set, and prints all over the walls. Isaiah pushed some books on the couch onto the floor, and moved a couple of folding chairs. 

“Please, have a seat,” he said. “Lluvia, Abby, Phoebe, sorry for the chaos here, and sorry to be the only one to welcome you. The others should be back… well, it’s hard to say. There’s a lot going on.” Isaiah raised a hand as if to dismiss the whole subject. “What about Alex?” asked Lluvia.  

“I thought he was at the gallery.” 

“Mmm… we were just there. In fact, we were supposed to meet him there.” 

“Welcome to Evansville College,” said Isaiah sarcastically.

There’s something sad in his eyes, thought Abby. “You don’t look too happy. Anything we can do?” Isaiah shrugged. 

Abby looked at Lluvia, who was speechless and seemed shocked. Clearly she had not expected this reception. Abby decided to pursue Isaiah, get him to open up. “I heard that song through the door,” she said. “I still hear it in my head. What song is that?” 

“Oh, just something I’ve been working on. I think I finished it.” 

“Let’s hear it.” 

“I’m a bad guitar player. I won’t do it justice.” 

“Through the door it sounded… well, powerful. I’m really interested.” Abby handed him a guitar. He’s depressed, she thought. Lonely, but more than that.

Isaiah played a few chords and hummed a melody, not a fast rhythm but not slow either. A very solemn tune. He began to sing: 

                        Take me up on the long road 

                      Where the heavens open wide 

                       I want to tell you just how much we care 

                      Won’t you listen to our cry 

                      Do you ever show your hand 

                      Can anyone ever know 

                      It’s all that we can do to crawl 

                       And it’s a long long way to go 

                        Climbing up the distant ladder 

                       Sometimes the heart’s the only guide 

                        I want you to know about the love we share 

                       I want you to see how hard we try 

                      Take one step at a time 

                       When you’re feeling so empty 

                       You’ve got to lose just to live 

                       I don’t see nothing here for free 

                        Can I do something for you 

                       Can you do something for me 

                       Cause it’s way after midnight 

                      And I can barely see 

                       Take me for a ride on your railroad 

                       Take me for a ride up to the sun 

                       I want to know the place where we go 

                       Where our lives are lost and won 

 The song was over. There was a moment of silence. “Oooo…” murmured Lluvia.  

“Definitely… powerful,” repeated Abby. 

There was silence again. Finally, Lluvia said, “It’s about you, right? We’re your friends. Come on, let us in, what’s up?” 

“I don’t want to talk about it. But… I know I have to… Okay, the big news is I’m catching Sharon’s boat early tomorrow. I’ll miss the big concert in the courtyard tomorrow night. I told Cali, but haven’t spoken to anyone else. Maybe Cali will find them.” 

“Something important must have happened.” Lluvia put her hand on his knee. “Come on, let us in.” 

“My mother’s sick. She’ll have some kind of procedure done on her eye tomorrow morning, and be in the hospital for a few days. I’m frightened for her.” They waited. 

“She got Sharon to find me and say I should act as pastor on 

Sunday in the church, unless Sonny wants to do it. In which case I should support Sonny and run Sunday school. Junior’s in River City for a meeting. He’s away more often than he’s home. And I am too!”  

Isaiah opened his arms as if pleading with them. “We’re deserting our responsibilities. I don’t like it here. Everyone is a kid, a mob of twenty-year olds looking for girlfriends or boyfriends, socializing like mad. There’s no one here like me. I’m not interested in assistant professors and college events. I’m thirty-four years old, and not making any money – though we are supposed to get paid for our radio concert – but I don’t care, they’ll give me my share later. And then they’ll go to River City for a show, but I won’t go. And… any moment they’ll walk in and I’ll spoil their evening, but I don’t care. I can’t do this any longer.” Lluvia hugged him. 

“They won’t even have time to practice the band without me!” Isaiah was almost yelling with frustration. “It’s such a mean thing I’m doing. You got to lose just to live.” He had tears in his eyes. 

“I think you’re doing the right thing,” Abby said. 

“Yeah,” Lluvia said softly. “It’s important to be pastor if they need you. These kids in Sunday school are important. How about Wednesday night at the Open Gate? Hundreds of people come every week. With Junior and Cali gone, who can run it? You have jobs to do.” 

“I do. I do. And I like my jobs. I like the band too, but I end up sitting around here, feeling out of place. My band and their friends are over ten years younger than me. These students are even younger. You should hear the stuff they talk about. Debating the end of the world. Dystopia, everything’s about dystopia. I hate these discussions. Let’s do something about it! They talk about Alex’s fire breathing dragon as if the end is near. And that dragon pouring out the flood…” – he motioned to a nearby print of The Ark on the wall – “you see it everywhere.”   

Lluvia backed up and gave Isaiah a stare. “Now don’t go overboard on me, that’s not fair. The Students Against Fossil Fuels are trying. You see STAFF shirts all over. We’ve just come from a meeting where we were all trying to do something. Alex isn’t predicting the end of the world. His Ark is about getting through the flood with all life. The dragon is just nature striking back against our mistakes. You must have heard Alex’s idea. He wants to give Students Against Fossil Fuels a new name: SAD, for Students Against Distopia.” 

“Mmm… I like that,” Isaiah replied. “But I’m not a student, and I’m not going to be one. How old are you, Lluvia?” 

“Why ask that? I’m twenty-two.” 

“See? That’s my point. You like Alex. You’re in a different stage of life. And you’re right, I know I’m being unfair, venting all this to you. I’ll get over it. At least now I know what I should be doing. The band will survive. They’ll figure it out.” 

Abby broke into the conversation. “You’re right. Don’t feel guilty. They’ll understand. And who can argue with your mother, your church, your community? Lluvia and I grew up there, went to Sunday school there. We would never be where we are without adults who cared.” 

Phoebe suddenly had a few words to say. “The band will survive. I know them. We’re on your side. Do what you need to do. Now, I’m going to clean up this place. How did it become such a mess? We’re staying here too.”  

Abby and Lluvia and Isaiah joined in.  

Cali and Alex arrived, and received a warm welcome from all. Abby and Alex embraced and stared at each other. Everyone felt a burst of energy and sat around the coffee table with several conversations going on at once. Cali did her best to relieve Isaiah’s anxieties. She had spoken to George, Eddy, and Ishmael. They were already making plans on the phone. Rain was predicted for the following evening, and Sara had received permission to move the concert indoors. In fact, explained Cali, they might be able to play in the beautiful old auditorium in Alexander Hall. That circular stone building was the most prestigious place for music on campus.  

Plus, Sara wanted Ishmael, Eddy, and George to show up early the following morning at the trustee event. “Sara’s afraid the trustees will delay presenting their position on disinvestment,” Cali explained. “People could get restless and annoyed. Sara wants the band to hold the crowd if that happens.”  

Nobody was mad at Isaiah; Cali was sure of that. The band would set up in Alexander Hall early in the afternoon, and could practice for hours. The concert would begin at 7pm.  

Alex offered beer, wine, coffee, or tea. Phoebe, Lluvia, and Abby were exhausted, and wanted peppermint tea and a place to sleep. Isaiah was packing his things in a duffel bag.  

“So where is everybody?” asked Isaiah.  

“Well, George and Ishmael are in Sara’s dorm,” Cali answered. “Eddie is somewhere with Stephanie, and I’m invited to a party and only stopped by to bring you the news.” 

I’ve got to say something, thought Abby. I need to know something! “Cali, wait a second. I haven’t seen George since that disaster in the churchyard. He hasn’t returned to Middletown since then. 

I need to know how he’s doing… It was so painful for him.” 

“Yeah, it was,” Cali replied softly, almost in a whisper. “But he likes it here. It’s kind of… well, liberating for him to be away from all that tension. He’s writing songs, gets along with Sara and her friends. He can’t stay in Sara’s dormitory forever, but so far it’s okay.” 

Abby breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, that really helps.” 

“It’s all okay,” Cali said. She headed out the door and said she’d be back in a couple of hours. There was a long silence.

Then Lluvia looked at Alex. “Where were you? We saw your gallery, but you didn’t show up.” 

“I’m sorry… I was at the big staff meeting. We’re organizing tomorrow’s…” He hesitated. “Event…gathering… demonstration? Who knows what it is, or how it will come off. Sara and Amy are desperate to give it some respectability and prestige. They asked everyone to act as security, speak to the campus police about any problems, intervene on people trying to disrupt. The meeting went on and on, but at least we have a plan. Staff will show at 8am and drink coffee, and greet people as they arrive. I’m not used to this sort of thing, but I’m doing my best. No banners, no signs allowed. We’re all supposed to wear STAFF t-shirts. Here, I’ve got a few to give you.” He reached into his backpack and handed out the shirts. 

“How exciting,” exclaimed Lluvia. “That’s wonderful… I’m so… proud of you. I can’t wait.” 

Alex smiled at her. “See, I’m not such an irresponsible, no-good, undisciplined…” 

“Now that’s unfair!” Lluvia retorted. “I never said those things.” 

Alex was surprised and immediately apologized. “Of course you didn’t. I was just thinking of what my sister used to call me, maybe even still calls me. I shouldn’t pin it on you. Please forgive me.” 

They hugged. Phoebe and Abby looked at each other and smiled, nodding at each other. They had guessed correctly. 

They drank their tea in silence. Alex looked around anxiously. “I know I haven’t been much of a host, but we do have a bed and two cots in the front room upstairs. Cali sleeps right here on the couch. George stays with Sara, Eddy stays with Stephanie, and Ishmael stays with friends I haven’t met yet. Isaiah and I have the back room. I hope that’s okay.” 

He looked from one to another. No one replied. “Please, we can change the arrangement if there’s a problem…” 

“No, of course not,” Abby said. “It’s all fine, please don’t worry, just wake us early. We’ll wear our new shirts and follow everything you do in the morning.” 

“I’m thrilled to be here!” exclaimed Phoebe. “Thank you, Alex!” 

Abby reached out and touched his hand. “Yes, and please don’t apologize. We’ll have a chance to catch up on the years gone by… maybe tomorrow afternoon?” 

“Oh, I’d love that, I’m so curious about all you’ve done. And by the way, I’ve got a print to give you tomorrow before you leave. I’d love to hear your reaction to it. I was thinking of you when I drew it. I don’t know what it means. It came out of a dream.” 

“I’d love to see it. And I loved your show. I even bought a print!” 

“You shouldn’t have done that! I’ll give you any print you like.” 

“That’s okay, I’m glad I bought it, and I’m eager to see whatever you want to give me.” 

“I’ve got to tell you,” Alex went on, “you’re famous here in Evansville. Everyone follows the news. You should know that people will try to interview you tomorrow.” 

“No, please! If anyone asks, just say I’m only here to listen. Tell the other staff.” Abby was very firm, and obviously worried. 

“Ah, I’m glad you mentioned it,” Alex replied. “I’ll bring it up early tomorrow. That’s the kind of thing Sara and Amy need to know. They’ll probably assign campus security to watch over you.” 

Please! thought Abby. I need to be invisible.  

Phoebe and Lluvia were looking at her. “We’ll stick with you,” Phoebe said.  

[torentialtribute]

Paul Pogba is latest example of what is crippling Manchester United 

In any case, nobody will have to ask Jesse Lingard and Marcus Rashford where they went on vacation when Manchester The players from United return for pre-season training. You don't have to waste time on courtesies.

Only one picture of the residence and Liverpool and we all know that this will take a while. Lingard and Rashford enjoyed staying with Miami fans and the rest of us for a while in Miami Beach. When Lingard decided to give us a video tour of the apartment that the players had shared on their journey, I wandered into a room and caught his friend Jamal Branker face down and a pillow around.

Branker & # 39; s name may end up in United legend as rhyming jargon, but the sight of him trying to have sex with an empty bed seemed the perfect analogy for a club that revolves in its impotence while the conquests are made elsewhere. At United the good times have disappeared. The only things left are a few wrinkled sheets and an urgent need to get the cleaners inside.

<img id = "i-4fcbba8572678d1e" src = "https://dailym.ai/2L8OK3v Paul_Pogba_has_asked_to_leave_Manchester_United_this_summer_with-a-6_1561236404354.jpg "height =" 792 "width =" 634 "alt =" Paul Pogba has asked to leave Manchester United this summer, with the club paralyzed "class =" blkBorder img-share "Manchester United this summer , with the club paralyzed "

Paul Pogba has asked to leave Manchester United this summer, with the club paralyzed

<img id = "i-27a278c5ea8e1cf3" src = "https://dailym.ai/2IyLBs0" height = "545" width = " 306 "alt =" <img id = "i-27a278c5ea8e1cf3" src = "https://dailym.ai/2IyLBs0 "height =" 545 "width =" 306 "alt =" Jesse Lingard uploaded a Snapchat video "class =" blkBorder img-share "" blkBorder img-sha re "

It showed Jamal Branker,

It showed Jamal Branker, face down and rotating with a pillow The Snapchat video of Lingard showed Jamal Branker, face down and spinning around with a pillow

It has been six seasons since Manchester United won the Premier League but with the signing of Daniel James and the approaching one arrival of Aaron Wan-Bissaka, it was another summer of drift, procrastination and dissatisfaction at a club that was 11 dominant in English football.

The club has become the Premier League equivalent of a giant lumberjack, chewing the reputations of players and managers, devouring mountains of banknotes and leaving a few piles of sawdust to show it. The failure of executive vice-president Ed Woodward to appoint a football director in the summer is yet another sign of a club gripped by stasis and incompetence.

The harsh truth is that United is now away from reclaiming hegemony enjoyed under Sir Alex Ferguson than they have ever been. In their search for the rediscovery of the glories of the past, they went back to the first. This is the largest club in England, stuck in one year after another.

<img id = "i-a29ed57878563e28" src = "https://dailym.ai/2L8OKAx image-m-13_1561229257592.jpg "height =" 610 "width =" 634 "alt =" Manchester United, the largest club in England, is stuck in one year after another "class =" blkBorder img-share ", sitting stuck in one year after another "

Manchester United, the largest club in England, are stuck in one year zero after another

It has come to the point that it is difficult to to see the release of the cycle of despair they have fallen in. Once their dominance seemed so free and effortless, but now the club has become a soap for actors who seem to believe they belong to a better show.

The cycle is as follows: United cannot qualify for the Champions League and so it is difficult to attract the best players in the world, the only elite players they consider are the ones they come for the money. Those aren't the kind of characters you build a title-winning team around, United finds out. So they leave and the cycle keeps turning.

Paul Pogba wants to leave this summer. Pogba is a brilliant midfielder, a player with vision and drive and grace, a star who played a crucial role in France that won the World Cup in Russia last year. And yet he has only shown fleeting glimpses of his talent at United. And now he seems tired of getting out of the swamp of mediocrity around him.

<img id = "i-7a77a29a4c4af8a5" src = "https://dailym.ai/2IyLBZ2 image-a-6_1561228766099.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Paul Pogba wants to leave and has shown only fleeting glimpses of his talent in Old Trafford [1] [2] [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [8] [8] [9] [10]

& # 39; After this season and everything happened this season with my season as my best season too … I think it would be a good time to have a new challenge somewhere else.

So instead of United being able to concentrate on trying to close the gaping gap between exist, I think of this: to have a new challenge somewhere else, and City, Liverpool and Spurs, it seems as if Pogba & # 39; s desire to free himself from Old Trafford is the saga that the summer pastor ert. Real Madrid wants him. Maybe Juventus does that too. Both can of course offer Champions League football.

United says that Pogba is not for sale, but that they should get a premium price for him and let him go. They must restart. Not the same anymore. The formula they use does not work. It's not like they were close to City of Liverpool last season: they were 32 points behind City. They ended as close to the relegation zone as possible to the title.

<img id = "i-ac03cf47d2a5a07e" src = "https: //i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2019/06/22/19/15125498-0-image-a-5_1561228635723.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Pogba was part of last season's edition and if he wants to leave, he will not be part of the solution "

Pogba was part of the last issue of the season and if he wants to leave he will not being part of the solution

Pogba was part of that problem. If he wants to leave, it is clear that he will not be part of the solution. It is only the latest example of the difference between perception and reality that paralyzes United. They may still have commercial potential, but their reputation is declining in the field. Why would one of & # 39; the world's leading young players now want to move to Old Trafford?

They continue to be connected with Matthijs van Ligt, the 19-year-old prodigy of Ajax. Perhaps one should applaud their ambition, but is it ambition or self-deception? Why would a player like De Ligt United choose Real Madrid or Juventus?

Mats Hummels has just kicked them back in favor of a move to Borussia Dortmund, although United offered him more money. So even the money has stopped talking. Wan-Bissaka and James are at least a step in the right direction, talented, hungry young players who desperately want to prove themselves at Old Trafford.

Mats Hummels refused United to move to Borussia Dortmund despite the money supply "

go to Borussia Dortmund despite the money being offered"

Mats Hummels refused United to go to Borussia Dortmund despite the money offered

Gary Neville said last week that it would not be possible that United would become champion for the next two years. Afterwards There are so many changes that must be made at United, from the top of the club to the bottom, that it can take considerably longer before they are able to challenge the title again.

The inventory is daunting: owners who appear to be asset-stripping the club; an executive vice-president who is out of his depth; a philosophy that gives priority to earning money over glory; a stadium that looks dying and tired compared to the new developments at Spurs and Anfield; a team full of deadwood and everyday life; players who do not want to be there; other players who are extremely satisfied with themselves for whom they have never won a great honor.

Manchester United, the club that claims to have sex in an empty bed, has a long way to go before the good times are back.

<img id = "i-b7bf449cf0741700" src = "https://dailym.ai/2L8eCN2 image-a-3_1561228536230.jpg "height =" 423 "width =" 634 "alt =" Gary Neville said recently that it would be impossible for United to win the title for two seasons "it would be impossible for United to win the title to win for two seasons "

Gary Neville said recently that it would be impossible for United to win the title for two seasons

Andy Murray will still be the largest draw on Wimbledon, although he only plays in doubles.

It will be a very long time before we can bring ourselves to let him go.

Two moments stood out during England's victory over Japan during the Women & # 39; s World C up on Wednesday. The first was Karen Bardsley's fingertip, except for Kumi Yokoyama's pushing free kick to the bar in the Allianz Riviera stadium. The second was Ayaka Yamashita's acrobatic one-handed reflex to deny Rachel Daly at the other end.

The quality of goalkeeping during the tournament has done two things: it has rammed all movements of female goalkeepers over everyone's back. and has suggested that FIFA should make the goals for the ladies game smaller than the nonsense it is.

<img id = "i-25a6cb478072da27" src = "https://dailym.ai/2ID5YVj image-a-2_1561228346470.jpg "height =" 484 "width =" 634 "alt =" <img id = "i-25a6cb478072da27" src = "https://dailym.ai/2WgE5KP /22/19/15125420-0-image-a-2_1561228346470.jpg "height =" 484 "width =" 634 "alt =" The rescue of Karen Bardsley was one of the striking moments of England's victory over Japan "striking moments of England's victory over Japan "

The rescue of Karen Bardsley was one of the striking moments of England's victory over Japan

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[computacionalblog]

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida http://www.nature-business.com/business-hurricane-michael-live-updates-category-4-storm-starts-lashing-florida/

Business ImageHurricane Michael whipped up the surf at Panama City Beach, Fla., as it made its approach on Wednesday.CreditCreditEric Thayer for The New York TimesPANAMA CITY, Fla. — Hurricane Michael opened its bombardment of the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday morning, with wind and rain beginning to batter the coastline hours before the strengthening Category 4 storm was expected to make landfall with astonishing power.The authorities warned that it was too late to flee the storm, which the National Hurricane Center described as “potentially catastrophic” with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.“This is the worst storm that our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century,” Gov. Rick Scott of Florida warned. “Hurricane Michael is upon us, and now is the time to seek refuge.”Here’s the latest:• The hurricane is expected to be the strongest recorded storm to make landfall on the Panhandle. “This will be a catastrophic event the likes of which this region has never seen,” the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., warned.• The storm was about 50 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Fla., as of 11:30 a.m., moving toward the coast at 14 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center. Click on the map below to see the storm’s projected path.• The eye of Michael is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon, tracking northeast across Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday before moving off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Friday.• Weather forecasters and government officials are particularly worried about a storm surge, which they said could reach 13 feet in some areas, in a relatively flat region that is particularly vulnerable to it.• Flash flooding is also a concern. The Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region, southeast Alabama and parts of Georgia could receive four to eight inches of rain, with some spots getting as much as a foot.• Governors in three states — Florida, Alabama and Georgia — have declared states of emergency, with mandatory evacuations in effect in coastal areas across the Florida Panhandle.• The authorities said about 375,000 people live in areas covered by evacuation orders, but it was not clear how many had chosen to flee. Here’s where to find shelter from Hurricane Michael.• With the hurricane hitting in the month before a general election, for politicians “it’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership.” Read more here.• Follow New York Times journalists on the scene: Patricia Mazzei in Tallahassee, Richard Faussett in Panama City and Alan Blinder in Atlanta.Praying for safety in Panama CityIn Panama City, the rain was already coming with that ominous hurricane rhythm, the outer bands of the storm bringing drizzle, followed by unhinged gushing, followed by drizzle again.In the pre-dawn darkness, a few cars crawled down wide boulevards lined with closed-up retail shops and gas stations. About six blocks from the water, Pastor Carlos Thomas was standing on the front porch of Neal’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God, flagging down a passer-by in a driving band of rain.He had driven the church’s big, shiny new tour bus from a tree-shrouded area to an open field across from the church where he thought it might be safer.Pastor Thomas, 48, has spent his whole life in Panama City, and he said he remembered Hurricane Eloise, which passed near here in 1975 and caused millions of dollars in damage. But he said that Panama City had mostly been safe in his lifetime.So he, like so many thousands on the Panhandle, had decided to ride it out.“I believe from what I’ve seen in the past, we’re going to be O.K.,” he said. “I’m thinking God’s going to take us through it.”Pastor Thomas said some of his flock had evacuated, particularly the old and infirm. But it was unclear how many people had decided to stay along the Gulf Coast.A brother and sister, John and Laurie Hamm, had moved their mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, to the Hilton Garden Inn, a few miles inland. Her house was near downtown Panama City, right along Watson Bayou. Ms. Hamm herself said that she lives a townhouse one block from the beach.“When they started a couple of days ago and said it was going to be a Category 1, it was, like, ‘Cat 1, no big deal,’” Ms. Hamm said. “When they said Cat 2, it was like, ‘Oh maybe we’d better pay attention.’ And when they said Cat 3 it was like, ‘Oh, Lord.’”Mr. Hamm had come from Tampa to help move their mother and they had thought about moving west along the coast and out of the storm’s path. But they worried about getting stuck on Interstate 10.And so here was Ms. Hamm, an evacuee, but just a few miles from home. ‘This is going to be bad,�� Florida’s governor warnsInside the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, Governor Scott stood before a line of stone-faced uniformed military personnel and law enforcement to offer a somber briefing on the coming storm.“This is the worst storm the Florida Panhandle has seen in 100 years,” he said. “Again: This is the worst storm our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century.”ImageA construction crane was lowered ahead of the storm in Tallahassee, Fla., on Wednesday.CreditJohnny Milano for The New York TimesAmid concerns that local officials had failed to sufficiently prepare for a storm of Hurricane Michael’s magnitude, Mr. Scott said the state would fill any gaps in the response.“This thing happened fast,” he said. “It wasn’t like Irma. This one happened very quickly.”After the cameras turned off, the governor went to the work floor to speak to dozens of state workers sitting behind screens and phones, managing the state’s response.“This is going to be bad,” Mr. Scott said.In an earlier appearance on CNN, Governor Scott said the storm surge from Hurricane Michael would be far-reaching, stretching along the Florida coast from Pensacola to Tampa. With 13-foot surges predicted in some places, he said residents should be prepared for seawater to rush inland, potentially for miles, because of the state’s flat lands near the coast.“We have never seen anything like this,” Mr. Scott told CNN. “People just don’t realize the impact of storm surge.”Besides rushing water, the governor said that the winds would wallop cities on the coast and even those far from the beach.With Michael poised to be the most severe tropical cyclone to strike the United States mainland so far this year, Mr. Scott said he had activated 3,500 members of the National Guard and that 1,000 emergency responders were ready for search-and-rescue efforts. There were also 19,000 workers prepared to move in after the storm to try to restore power.A last chance to get outside in TallahasseeFlorida’s capital city awoke to a light drizzle that turned into a persistent, gusty rain. Cars roamed the roads, though the only businesses open appeared to be a handful of gas stations that still had fuel.Before sunrise, Maria Mosca and her husband, Alex, took a stroll down the sidewalk in Thomasville Road in midtown, the only people outdoors as far as the eye could see.“Just to get the restless energy out,” said Ms. Mosca, 31.“It’s sort of our last chance to go outside for the whole day,” said Mr. Mosca, 35.Their walk was in fact a rare moment of enjoyment: Ms. Mosca, a baker at a local doughnut shop, and Mr. Mosca, a state employee, normally do not get a morning off together. The couple, however, planned to spend the storm at a friend’s house.“We have a lot of trees,” Mr. Mosca said, pointing to Tallahassee’s lush canopy above him. “And our house has a whole lot of trees.”The latest forecasts have offered hope that the city would be spared the worst.“We’re very lucky that the storm didn’t track further west overnight,” Mr. Mosca said. “But it’s terrible for the people in Panama City and Apalachicola.”[Read more here about how Floridians were preparing for the storm.]The storm will be a test for political candidates.Hurricane Michael comes as undecided voters — and polls suggest there are not many of them in Florida this year — are finalizing their choices less than four weeks before statewide elections. It presents opportunities and hazards for a host of candidates eager to display competence and gravitas as voters make up their minds and begin casting their ballots.Among the candidates are Governor Scott, who is running a fierce race for Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson, and Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee, the Democratic nominee for governor.How they tackle the preparations and response to the storm could cement their standing as front-runners — or upend months of painstaking campaign work, rendered useless by the late-arriving taint of a botched disaster.“It’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership,” said former Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, who faced a hurricane about a month before the election he lost in 2016. “People are observing the littlest of things — how you dress, how you pronounce things, your passion, your empathy — and you’re being evaluated moment by moment.”VideoRising ocean temperatures have fueled some of the most devastating storms in recent years. Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on The New York Times’s climate team, explains how.Published OnSept. 13, 2018After deeply destructive hurricanes, like Florence last month and Harvey in 2017, both of which dawdled over land and dumped disastrous amounts of rain, Michael was moving at a speed that was “almost exactly average for storms,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.The storm formed in the Western Caribbean and moved steadily northward, which is typical for this time of year, and will strike in October, well before the Nov. 30 close of the Atlantic hurricane season. And the storm has moved along a path well predicted by computer models, which have suggested a Panhandle landfall for days.“It’s a very well-behaved storm,” Mr. McNoldy said.Predicting its consequences is harder to do.Georgia is told to be on alert, tooThe fast-moving hurricane’s perils are not limited to Florida, and it is expected to cross south Georgia on Wednesday and throughout Thursday.“The citizens in Georgia need to wake up and pay attention,” Brock Long, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, warning that residents might “see the power off for multiple weeks.”Gov. Nathan Deal has declared an emergency for 92 of the state’s 159 counties, and Michael is expected to pass over at least some areas as a hurricane, not a diminished tropical storm.The authorities have not ordered evacuations, the state said, but a handful of shelters are open.“The time to prepare is ending, and those in the storm’s path should be prepared to shelter-in-place,” the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency posted on Twitter on Wednesday.Michael is also expected to race over the Carolinas — including communities still recovering from Hurricane Florence — as a tropical storm before moving offshore on Friday.“Because of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence and the fact that there’s still some standing water in places, we have to be that much more alert about the damage that Hurricane Michael could do,” Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina said on Tuesday. “We know we have to be ready, and hurricane-weary North Carolinians cannot let their guard down just because we’re fatigued with Hurricane Florence.”Richard Fausset reported from Panama City; Patricia Mazzei from Tallahassee, Fla.; and Alan Blinder from Atlanta. Reporting was contributed by John Schwartz, Matthew Haag and Sandra Garcia from New York, and Daniel Victor from Hong Kong. Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/us/hurricane-michael-live-updates-florida.html |

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida, in 2018-10-10 15:46:04

[captainblogger100posts]

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida http://www.nature-business.com/business-hurricane-michael-live-updates-category-4-storm-starts-lashing-florida/

Business ImageHurricane Michael whipped up the surf at Panama City Beach, Fla., as it made its approach on Wednesday.CreditCreditEric Thayer for The New York TimesPANAMA CITY, Fla. — Hurricane Michael opened its bombardment of the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday morning, with wind and rain beginning to batter the coastline hours before the strengthening Category 4 storm was expected to make landfall with astonishing power.The authorities warned that it was too late to flee the storm, which the National Hurricane Center described as “potentially catastrophic” with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.“This is the worst storm that our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century,” Gov. Rick Scott of Florida warned. “Hurricane Michael is upon us, and now is the time to seek refuge.”Here’s the latest:• The hurricane is expected to be the strongest recorded storm to make landfall on the Panhandle. “This will be a catastrophic event the likes of which this region has never seen,” the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., warned.• The storm was about 50 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Fla., as of 11:30 a.m., moving toward the coast at 14 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center. Click on the map below to see the storm’s projected path.• The eye of Michael is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon, tracking northeast across Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday before moving off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Friday.• Weather forecasters and government officials are particularly worried about a storm surge, which they said could reach 13 feet in some areas, in a relatively flat region that is particularly vulnerable to it.• Flash flooding is also a concern. The Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region, southeast Alabama and parts of Georgia could receive four to eight inches of rain, with some spots getting as much as a foot.• Governors in three states — Florida, Alabama and Georgia — have declared states of emergency, with mandatory evacuations in effect in coastal areas across the Florida Panhandle.• The authorities said about 375,000 people live in areas covered by evacuation orders, but it was not clear how many had chosen to flee. Here’s where to find shelter from Hurricane Michael.• With the hurricane hitting in the month before a general election, for politicians “it’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership.” Read more here.• Follow New York Times journalists on the scene: Patricia Mazzei in Tallahassee, Richard Faussett in Panama City and Alan Blinder in Atlanta.Praying for safety in Panama CityIn Panama City, the rain was already coming with that ominous hurricane rhythm, the outer bands of the storm bringing drizzle, followed by unhinged gushing, followed by drizzle again.In the pre-dawn darkness, a few cars crawled down wide boulevards lined with closed-up retail shops and gas stations. About six blocks from the water, Pastor Carlos Thomas was standing on the front porch of Neal’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God, flagging down a passer-by in a driving band of rain.He had driven the church’s big, shiny new tour bus from a tree-shrouded area to an open field across from the church where he thought it might be safer.Pastor Thomas, 48, has spent his whole life in Panama City, and he said he remembered Hurricane Eloise, which passed near here in 1975 and caused millions of dollars in damage. But he said that Panama City had mostly been safe in his lifetime.So he, like so many thousands on the Panhandle, had decided to ride it out.“I believe from what I’ve seen in the past, we’re going to be O.K.,” he said. “I’m thinking God’s going to take us through it.”Pastor Thomas said some of his flock had evacuated, particularly the old and infirm. But it was unclear how many people had decided to stay along the Gulf Coast.A brother and sister, John and Laurie Hamm, had moved their mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, to the Hilton Garden Inn, a few miles inland. Her house was near downtown Panama City, right along Watson Bayou. Ms. Hamm herself said that she lives a townhouse one block from the beach.“When they started a couple of days ago and said it was going to be a Category 1, it was, like, ‘Cat 1, no big deal,’” Ms. Hamm said. “When they said Cat 2, it was like, ‘Oh maybe we’d better pay attention.’ And when they said Cat 3 it was like, ‘Oh, Lord.’”Mr. Hamm had come from Tampa to help move their mother and they had thought about moving west along the coast and out of the storm’s path. But they worried about getting stuck on Interstate 10.And so here was Ms. Hamm, an evacuee, but just a few miles from home. ‘This is going to be bad,’ Florida’s governor warnsInside the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, Governor Scott stood before a line of stone-faced uniformed military personnel and law enforcement to offer a somber briefing on the coming storm.“This is the worst storm the Florida Panhandle has seen in 100 years,” he said. “Again: This is the worst storm our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century.”ImageA construction crane was lowered ahead of the storm in Tallahassee, Fla., on Wednesday.CreditJohnny Milano for The New York TimesAmid concerns that local officials had failed to sufficiently prepare for a storm of Hurricane Michael’s magnitude, Mr. Scott said the state would fill any gaps in the response.“This thing happened fast,” he said. “It wasn’t like Irma. This one happened very quickly.”After the cameras turned off, the governor went to the work floor to speak to dozens of state workers sitting behind screens and phones, managing the state’s response.“This is going to be bad,” Mr. Scott said.In an earlier appearance on CNN, Governor Scott said the storm surge from Hurricane Michael would be far-reaching, stretching along the Florida coast from Pensacola to Tampa. With 13-foot surges predicted in some places, he said residents should be prepared for seawater to rush inland, potentially for miles, because of the state’s flat lands near the coast.“We have never seen anything like this,” Mr. Scott told CNN. “People just don’t realize the impact of storm surge.”Besides rushing water, the governor said that the winds would wallop cities on the coast and even those far from the beach.With Michael poised to be the most severe tropical cyclone to strike the United States mainland so far this year, Mr. Scott said he had activated 3,500 members of the National Guard and that 1,000 emergency responders were ready for search-and-rescue efforts. There were also 19,000 workers prepared to move in after the storm to try to restore power.A last chance to get outside in TallahasseeFlorida’s capital city awoke to a light drizzle that turned into a persistent, gusty rain. Cars roamed the roads, though the only businesses open appeared to be a handful of gas stations that still had fuel.Before sunrise, Maria Mosca and her husband, Alex, took a stroll down the sidewalk in Thomasville Road in midtown, the only people outdoors as far as the eye could see.“Just to get the restless energy out,” said Ms. Mosca, 31.“It’s sort of our last chance to go outside for the whole day,” said Mr. Mosca, 35.Their walk was in fact a rare moment of enjoyment: Ms. Mosca, a baker at a local doughnut shop, and Mr. Mosca, a state employee, normally do not get a morning off together. The couple, however, planned to spend the storm at a friend’s house.“We have a lot of trees,” Mr. Mosca said, pointing to Tallahassee’s lush canopy above him. “And our house has a whole lot of trees.”The latest forecasts have offered hope that the city would be spared the worst.“We’re very lucky that the storm didn’t track further west overnight,” Mr. Mosca said. “But it’s terrible for the people in Panama City and Apalachicola.”[Read more here about how Floridians were preparing for the storm.]The storm will be a test for political candidates.Hurricane Michael comes as undecided voters — and polls suggest there are not many of them in Florida this year — are finalizing their choices less than four weeks before statewide elections. It presents opportunities and hazards for a host of candidates eager to display competence and gravitas as voters make up their minds and begin casting their ballots.Among the candidates are Governor Scott, who is running a fierce race for Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson, and Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee, the Democratic nominee for governor.How they tackle the preparations and response to the storm could cement their standing as front-runners — or upend months of painstaking campaign work, rendered useless by the late-arriving taint of a botched disaster.“It’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership,” said former Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, who faced a hurricane about a month before the election he lost in 2016. “People are observing the littlest of things — how you dress, how you pronounce things, your passion, your empathy — and you’re being evaluated moment by moment.”VideoRising ocean temperatures have fueled some of the most devastating storms in recent years. Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on The New York Times’s climate team, explains how.Published OnSept. 13, 2018After deeply destructive hurricanes, like Florence last month and Harvey in 2017, both of which dawdled over land and dumped disastrous amounts of rain, Michael was moving at a speed that was “almost exactly average for storms,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.The storm formed in the Western Caribbean and moved steadily northward, which is typical for this time of year, and will strike in October, well before the Nov. 30 close of the Atlantic hurricane season. And the storm has moved along a path well predicted by computer models, which have suggested a Panhandle landfall for days.“It’s a very well-behaved storm,” Mr. McNoldy said.Predicting its consequences is harder to do.Georgia is told to be on alert, tooThe fast-moving hurricane’s perils are not limited to Florida, and it is expected to cross south Georgia on Wednesday and throughout Thursday.“The citizens in Georgia need to wake up and pay attention,” Brock Long, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, warning that residents might “see the power off for multiple weeks.”Gov. Nathan Deal has declared an emergency for 92 of the state’s 159 counties, and Michael is expected to pass over at least some areas as a hurricane, not a diminished tropical storm.The authorities have not ordered evacuations, the state said, but a handful of shelters are open.“The time to prepare is ending, and those in the storm’s path should be prepared to shelter-in-place,” the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency posted on Twitter on Wednesday.Michael is also expected to race over the Carolinas — including communities still recovering from Hurricane Florence — as a tropical storm before moving offshore on Friday.“Because of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence and the fact that there’s still some standing water in places, we have to be that much more alert about the damage that Hurricane Michael could do,” Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina said on Tuesday. “We know we have to be ready, and hurricane-weary North Carolinians cannot let their guard down just because we’re fatigued with Hurricane Florence.”Richard Fausset reported from Panama City; Patricia Mazzei from Tallahassee, Fla.; and Alan Blinder from Atlanta. Reporting was contributed by John Schwartz, Matthew Haag and Sandra Garcia from New York, and Daniel Victor from Hong Kong. Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/us/hurricane-michael-live-updates-florida.html |

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida, in 2018-10-10 15:46:04

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Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida

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Business ImageHurricane Michael whipped up the surf at Panama City Beach, Fla., as it made its approach on Wednesday.CreditCreditEric Thayer for The New York TimesPANAMA CITY, Fla. — Hurricane Michael opened its bombardment of the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday morning, with wind and rain beginning to batter the coastline hours before the strengthening Category 4 storm was expected to make landfall with astonishing power.The authorities warned that it was too late to flee the storm, which the National Hurricane Center described as “potentially catastrophic” with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.“This is the worst storm that our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century,” Gov. Rick Scott of Florida warned. “Hurricane Michael is upon us, and now is the time to seek refuge.”Here’s the latest:• The hurricane is expected to be the strongest recorded storm to make landfall on the Panhandle. “This will be a catastrophic event the likes of which this region has never seen,” the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., warned.• The storm was about 50 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Fla., as of 11:30 a.m., moving toward the coast at 14 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center. Click on the map below to see the storm’s projected path.• The eye of Michael is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon, tracking northeast across Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday before moving off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Friday.• Weather forecasters and government officials are particularly worried about a storm surge, which they said could reach 13 feet in some areas, in a relatively flat region that is particularly vulnerable to it.• Flash flooding is also a concern. The Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region, southeast Alabama and parts of Georgia could receive four to eight inches of rain, with some spots getting as much as a foot.• Governors in three states — Florida, Alabama and Georgia — have declared states of emergency, with mandatory evacuations in effect in coastal areas across the Florida Panhandle.• The authorities said about 375,000 people live in areas covered by evacuation orders, but it was not clear how many had chosen to flee. Here’s where to find shelter from Hurricane Michael.• With the hurricane hitting in the month before a general election, for politicians “it’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership.” Read more here.• Follow New York Times journalists on the scene: Patricia Mazzei in Tallahassee, Richard Faussett in Panama City and Alan Blinder in Atlanta.Praying for safety in Panama CityIn Panama City, the rain was already coming with that ominous hurricane rhythm, the outer bands of the storm bringing drizzle, followed by unhinged gushing, followed by drizzle again.In the pre-dawn darkness, a few cars crawled down wide boulevards lined with closed-up retail shops and gas stations. About six blocks from the water, Pastor Carlos Thomas was standing on the front porch of Neal’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God, flagging down a passer-by in a driving band of rain.He had driven the church’s big, shiny new tour bus from a tree-shrouded area to an open field across from the church where he thought it might be safer.Pastor Thomas, 48, has spent his whole life in Panama City, and he said he remembered Hurricane Eloise, which passed near here in 1975 and caused millions of dollars in damage. But he said that Panama City had mostly been safe in his lifetime.So he, like so many thousands on the Panhandle, had decided to ride it out.“I believe from what I’ve seen in the past, we’re going to be O.K.,” he said. “I’m thinking God’s going to take us through it.”Pastor Thomas said some of his flock had evacuated, particularly the old and infirm. But it was unclear how many people had decided to stay along the Gulf Coast.A brother and sister, John and Laurie Hamm, had moved their mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, to the Hilton Garden Inn, a few miles inland. Her house was near downtown Panama City, right along Watson Bayou. Ms. Hamm herself said that she lives a townhouse one block from the beach.“When they started a couple of days ago and said it was going to be a Category 1, it was, like, ‘Cat 1, no big deal,’” Ms. Hamm said. “When they said Cat 2, it was like, ‘Oh maybe we’d better pay attention.’ And when they said Cat 3 it was like, ‘Oh, Lord.’”Mr. Hamm had come from Tampa to help move their mother and they had thought about moving west along the coast and out of the storm’s path. But they worried about getting stuck on Interstate 10.And so here was Ms. Hamm, an evacuee, but just a few miles from home. ‘This is going to be bad,’ Florida’s governor warnsInside the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, Governor Scott stood before a line of stone-faced uniformed military personnel and law enforcement to offer a somber briefing on the coming storm.“This is the worst storm the Florida Panhandle has seen in 100 years,” he said. “Again: This is the worst storm our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century.”ImageA construction crane was lowered ahead of the storm in Tallahassee, Fla., on Wednesday.CreditJohnny Milano for The New York TimesAmid concerns that local officials had failed to sufficiently prepare for a storm of Hurricane Michael’s magnitude, Mr. Scott said the state would fill any gaps in the response.“This thing happened fast,” he said. “It wasn’t like Irma. This one happened very quickly.”After the cameras turned off, the governor went to the work floor to speak to dozens of state workers sitting behind screens and phones, managing the state’s response.“This is going to be bad,” Mr. Scott said.In an earlier appearance on CNN, Governor Scott said the storm surge from Hurricane Michael would be far-reaching, stretching along the Florida coast from Pensacola to Tampa. With 13-foot surges predicted in some places, he said residents should be prepared for seawater to rush inland, potentially for miles, because of the state’s flat lands near the coast.“We have never seen anything like this,” Mr. Scott told CNN. “People just don’t realize the impact of storm surge.”Besides rushing water, the governor said that the winds would wallop cities on the coast and even those far from the beach.With Michael poised to be the most severe tropical cyclone to strike the United States mainland so far this year, Mr. Scott said he had activated 3,500 members of the National Guard and that 1,000 emergency responders were ready for search-and-rescue efforts. There were also 19,000 workers prepared to move in after the storm to try to restore power.A last chance to get outside in TallahasseeFlorida’s capital city awoke to a light drizzle that turned into a persistent, gusty rain. Cars roamed the roads, though the only businesses open appeared to be a handful of gas stations that still had fuel.Before sunrise, Maria Mosca and her husband, Alex, took a stroll down the sidewalk in Thomasville Road in midtown, the only people outdoors as far as the eye could see.“Just to get the restless energy out,” said Ms. Mosca, 31.“It’s sort of our last chance to go outside for the whole day,” said Mr. Mosca, 35.Their walk was in fact a rare moment of enjoyment: Ms. Mosca, a baker at a local doughnut shop, and Mr. Mosca, a state employee, normally do not get a morning off together. The couple, however, planned to spend the storm at a friend’s house.“We have a lot of trees,” Mr. Mosca said, pointing to Tallahassee’s lush canopy above him. “And our house has a whole lot of trees.”The latest forecasts have offered hope that the city would be spared the worst.“We’re very lucky that the storm didn’t track further west overnight,” Mr. Mosca said. “But it’s terrible for the people in Panama City and Apalachicola.”[Read more here about how Floridians were preparing for the storm.]The storm will be a test for political candidates.Hurricane Michael comes as undecided voters — and polls suggest there are not many of them in Florida this year — are finalizing their choices less than four weeks before statewide elections. It presents opportunities and hazards for a host of candidates eager to display competence and gravitas as voters make up their minds and begin casting their ballots.Among the candidates are Governor Scott, who is running a fierce race for Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson, and Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee, the Democratic nominee for governor.How they tackle the preparations and response to the storm could cement their standing as front-runners — or upend months of painstaking campaign work, rendered useless by the late-arriving taint of a botched disaster.“It’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership,” said former Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, who faced a hurricane about a month before the election he lost in 2016. “People are observing the littlest of things — how you dress, how you pronounce things, your passion, your empathy — and you’re being evaluated moment by moment.”VideoRising ocean temperatures have fueled some of the most devastating storms in recent years. Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on The New York Times’s climate team, explains how.Published OnSept. 13, 2018After deeply destructive hurricanes, like Florence last month and Harvey in 2017, both of which dawdled over land and dumped disastrous amounts of rain, Michael was moving at a speed that was “almost exactly average for storms,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.The storm formed in the Western Caribbean and moved steadily northward, which is typical for this time of year, and will strike in October, well before the Nov. 30 close of the Atlantic hurricane season. And the storm has moved along a path well predicted by computer models, which have suggested a Panhandle landfall for days.“It’s a very well-behaved storm,” Mr. McNoldy said.Predicting its consequences is harder to do.Georgia is told to be on alert, tooThe fast-moving hurricane’s perils are not limited to Florida, and it is expected to cross south Georgia on Wednesday and throughout Thursday.“The citizens in Georgia need to wake up and pay attention,” Brock Long, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, warning that residents might “see the power off for multiple weeks.”Gov. Nathan Deal has declared an emergency for 92 of the state’s 159 counties, and Michael is expected to pass over at least some areas as a hurricane, not a diminished tropical storm.The authorities have not ordered evacuations, the state said, but a handful of shelters are open.“The time to prepare is ending, and those in the storm’s path should be prepared to shelter-in-place,” the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency posted on Twitter on Wednesday.Michael is also expected to race over the Carolinas — including communities still recovering from Hurricane Florence — as a tropical storm before moving offshore on Friday.“Because of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence and the fact that there’s still some standing water in places, we have to be that much more alert about the damage that Hurricane Michael could do,” Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina said on Tuesday. “We know we have to be ready, and hurricane-weary North Carolinians cannot let their guard down just because we’re fatigued with Hurricane Florence.”Richard Fausset reported from Panama City; Patricia Mazzei from Tallahassee, Fla.; and Alan Blinder from Atlanta. Reporting was contributed by John Schwartz, Matthew Haag and Sandra Garcia from New York, and Daniel Victor from Hong Kong. Read More | https://ift.tt/2EcYaJv |

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida, in 2018-10-10 15:46:04

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Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida http://www.nature-business.com/business-hurricane-michael-live-updates-category-4-storm-starts-lashing-florida/

Business ImageHurricane Michael whipped up the surf at Panama City Beach, Fla., as it made its approach on Wednesday.CreditCreditEric Thayer for The New York TimesPANAMA CITY, Fla. — Hurricane Michael opened its bombardment of the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday morning, with wind and rain beginning to batter the coastline hours before the strengthening Category 4 storm was expected to make landfall with astonishing power.The authorities warned that it was too late to flee the storm, which the National Hurricane Center described as “potentially catastrophic” with maximum sustained winds of 150 miles per hour.“This is the worst storm that our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century,” Gov. Rick Scott of Florida warned. “Hurricane Michael is upon us, and now is the time to seek refuge.”Here’s the latest:• The hurricane is expected to be the strongest recorded storm to make landfall on the Panhandle. “This will be a catastrophic event the likes of which this region has never seen,” the National Weather Service office in Tallahassee, Fla., warned.• The storm was about 50 miles south-southwest of Panama City, Fla., as of 11:30 a.m., moving toward the coast at 14 m.p.h., according to the National Hurricane Center. Click on the map below to see the storm’s projected path.• The eye of Michael is expected to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle on Wednesday afternoon, tracking northeast across Georgia and the Carolinas on Thursday before moving off the Mid-Atlantic coast on Friday.• Weather forecasters and government officials are particularly worried about a storm surge, which they said could reach 13 feet in some areas, in a relatively flat region that is particularly vulnerable to it.• Flash flooding is also a concern. The Florida Panhandle and Big Bend region, southeast Alabama and parts of Georgia could receive four to eight inches of rain, with some spots getting as much as a foot.• Governors in three states — Florida, Alabama and Georgia — have declared states of emergency, with mandatory evacuations in effect in coastal areas across the Florida Panhandle.• The authorities said about 375,000 people live in areas covered by evacuation orders, but it was not clear how many had chosen to flee. Here’s where to find shelter from Hurricane Michael.• With the hurricane hitting in the month before a general election, for politicians “it’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership.” Read more here.• Follow New York Times journalists on the scene: Patricia Mazzei in Tallahassee, Richard Faussett in Panama City and Alan Blinder in Atlanta.Praying for safety in Panama CityIn Panama City, the rain was already coming with that ominous hurricane rhythm, the outer bands of the storm bringing drizzle, followed by unhinged gushing, followed by drizzle again.In the pre-dawn darkness, a few cars crawled down wide boulevards lined with closed-up retail shops and gas stations. About six blocks from the water, Pastor Carlos Thomas was standing on the front porch of Neal’s Temple First Born Church of the Living God, flagging down a passer-by in a driving band of rain.He had driven the church’s big, shiny new tour bus from a tree-shrouded area to an open field across from the church where he thought it might be safer.Pastor Thomas, 48, has spent his whole life in Panama City, and he said he remembered Hurricane Eloise, which passed near here in 1975 and caused millions of dollars in damage. But he said that Panama City had mostly been safe in his lifetime.So he, like so many thousands on the Panhandle, had decided to ride it out.“I believe from what I’ve seen in the past, we’re going to be O.K.,” he said. “I’m thinking God’s going to take us through it.”Pastor Thomas said some of his flock had evacuated, particularly the old and infirm. But it was unclear how many people had decided to stay along the Gulf Coast.A brother and sister, John and Laurie Hamm, had moved their mother, who has Alzheimer’s disease, to the Hilton Garden Inn, a few miles inland. Her house was near downtown Panama City, right along Watson Bayou. Ms. Hamm herself said that she lives a townhouse one block from the beach.“When they started a couple of days ago and said it was going to be a Category 1, it was, like, ‘Cat 1, no big deal,’” Ms. Hamm said. “When they said Cat 2, it was like, ‘Oh maybe we’d better pay attention.’ And when they said Cat 3 it was like, ‘Oh, Lord.’”Mr. Hamm had come from Tampa to help move their mother and they had thought about moving west along the coast and out of the storm’s path. But they worried about getting stuck on Interstate 10.And so here was Ms. Hamm, an evacuee, but just a few miles from home. ‘This is going to be bad,’ Florida’s governor warnsInside the state emergency operations center in Tallahassee, Governor Scott stood before a line of stone-faced uniformed military personnel and law enforcement to offer a somber briefing on the coming storm.“This is the worst storm the Florida Panhandle has seen in 100 years,” he said. “Again: This is the worst storm our Florida Panhandle has seen in a century.”ImageA construction crane was lowered ahead of the storm in Tallahassee, Fla., on Wednesday.CreditJohnny Milano for The New York TimesAmid concerns that local officials had failed to sufficiently prepare for a storm of Hurricane Michael’s magnitude, Mr. Scott said the state would fill any gaps in the response.“This thing happened fast,” he said. “It wasn’t like Irma. This one happened very quickly.”After the cameras turned off, the governor went to the work floor to speak to dozens of state workers sitting behind screens and phones, managing the state’s response.“This is going to be bad,” Mr. Scott said.In an earlier appearance on CNN, Governor Scott said the storm surge from Hurricane Michael would be far-reaching, stretching along the Florida coast from Pensacola to Tampa. With 13-foot surges predicted in some places, he said residents should be prepared for seawater to rush inland, potentially for miles, because of the state’s flat lands near the coast.“We have never seen anything like this,” Mr. Scott told CNN. “People just don’t realize the impact of storm surge.”Besides rushing water, the governor said that the winds would wallop cities on the coast and even those far from the beach.With Michael poised to be the most severe tropical cyclone to strike the United States mainland so far this year, Mr. Scott said he had activated 3,500 members of the National Guard and that 1,000 emergency responders were ready for search-and-rescue efforts. There were also 19,000 workers prepared to move in after the storm to try to restore power.A last chance to get outside in TallahasseeFlorida’s capital city awoke to a light drizzle that turned into a persistent, gusty rain. Cars roamed the roads, though the only businesses open appeared to be a handful of gas stations that still had fuel.Before sunrise, Maria Mosca and her husband, Alex, took a stroll down the sidewalk in Thomasville Road in midtown, the only people outdoors as far as the eye could see.“Just to get the restless energy out,” said Ms. Mosca, 31.“It’s sort of our last chance to go outside for the whole day,” said Mr. Mosca, 35.Their walk was in fact a rare moment of enjoyment: Ms. Mosca, a baker at a local doughnut shop, and Mr. Mosca, a state employee, normally do not get a morning off together. The couple, however, planned to spend the storm at a friend���s house.“We have a lot of trees,” Mr. Mosca said, pointing to Tallahassee’s lush canopy above him. “And our house has a whole lot of trees.”The latest forecasts have offered hope that the city would be spared the worst.“We’re very lucky that the storm didn’t track further west overnight,” Mr. Mosca said. “But it’s terrible for the people in Panama City and Apalachicola.”[Read more here about how Floridians were preparing for the storm.]The storm will be a test for political candidates.Hurricane Michael comes as undecided voters — and polls suggest there are not many of them in Florida this year — are finalizing their choices less than four weeks before statewide elections. It presents opportunities and hazards for a host of candidates eager to display competence and gravitas as voters make up their minds and begin casting their ballots.Among the candidates are Governor Scott, who is running a fierce race for Senate against the Democratic incumbent, Bill Nelson, and Mayor Andrew Gillum of Tallahassee, the Democratic nominee for governor.How they tackle the preparations and response to the storm could cement their standing as front-runners — or upend months of painstaking campaign work, rendered useless by the late-arriving taint of a botched disaster.“It’s a chance to show leadership, but it’s also a chance to fail at leadership,” said former Gov. Pat McCrory of North Carolina, who faced a hurricane about a month before the election he lost in 2016. “People are observing the littlest of things — how you dress, how you pronounce things, your passion, your empathy — and you’re being evaluated moment by moment.”VideoRising ocean temperatures have fueled some of the most devastating storms in recent years. Kendra Pierre-Louis, a reporter on The New York Times’s climate team, explains how.Published OnSept. 13, 2018After deeply destructive hurricanes, like Florence last month and Harvey in 2017, both of which dawdled over land and dumped disastrous amounts of rain, Michael was moving at a speed that was “almost exactly average for storms,” said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science.The storm formed in the Western Caribbean and moved steadily northward, which is typical for this time of year, and will strike in October, well before the Nov. 30 close of the Atlantic hurricane season. And the storm has moved along a path well predicted by computer models, which have suggested a Panhandle landfall for days.“It’s a very well-behaved storm,” Mr. McNoldy said.Predicting its consequences is harder to do.Georgia is told to be on alert, tooThe fast-moving hurricane’s perils are not limited to Florida, and it is expected to cross south Georgia on Wednesday and throughout Thursday.“The citizens in Georgia need to wake up and pay attention,” Brock Long, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said, warning that residents might “see the power off for multiple weeks.”Gov. Nathan Deal has declared an emergency for 92 of the state’s 159 counties, and Michael is expected to pass over at least some areas as a hurricane, not a diminished tropical storm.The authorities have not ordered evacuations, the state said, but a handful of shelters are open.“The time to prepare is ending, and those in the storm’s path should be prepared to shelter-in-place,” the Georgia Emergency Management and Homeland Security Agency posted on Twitter on Wednesday.Michael is also expected to race over the Carolinas — including communities still recovering from Hurricane Florence — as a tropical storm before moving offshore on Friday.“Because of the damage caused by Hurricane Florence and the fact that there’s still some standing water in places, we have to be that much more alert about the damage that Hurricane Michael could do,” Gov. Roy Cooper of North Carolina said on Tuesday. “We know we have to be ready, and hurricane-weary North Carolinians cannot let their guard down just because we’re fatigued with Hurricane Florence.”Richard Fausset reported from Panama City; Patricia Mazzei from Tallahassee, Fla.; and Alan Blinder from Atlanta. Reporting was contributed by John Schwartz, Matthew Haag and Sandra Garcia from New York, and Daniel Victor from Hong Kong. Read More | https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/10/us/hurricane-michael-live-updates-florida.html |

Business Hurricane Michael Live Updates: Category 4 Storm Starts Lashing Florida, in 2018-10-10 15:46:04

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New Post has been published on http://www.theleader.info/2018/01/17/monte-deserved-better/

Monte Deserved Better

CD Montesinos 1 – 2 Intercity San Juan de Alicante..... by Eddie Cagigao CD Montesinos entertained the money-men of the 1st Regional Division, Group 8, Intercity San Juan. The visitors arrived in second place in the group but with a determination to win this group and gain automatic promotion at the end of the season. They are certainly not afraid to put their money where their mouth is as has been proved by their two star signings just before the Christmas break. To give you an idea, those two players earn more by themselves each month than the whole of Montesinos squad put together!  But it has to be said that the men managed by Carlos Perez were superb today. They gave their all, recovered from a first 20 minutes when it looked at times as if the visitors would over-run them, it was during these first twenty minutes that Intercity scored twice on the break, but fought their way back into the game and were unfortunate not to take a share of the points at the final whistle, when only an outstanding save by the visiting goalkeeper prevented what would have been a well-deserved Monte equaliser. With Montesinos still missing possibly their most influential player, Maccan, as well as long term injury victim Joao, the visitors started at a fast pace which at times left Montesinos trailing in their wake. The first blow arrived in the 11th minute with a good slice of fortune as the ball looped over the Monte keeper, Dani and went in off the post. A second goal for Intercity came on 24 minutes on an excellent break away which made it 0-2 and left many in the 250 crowd asking how many more this side would score. [caption id="attachment_16997" align="aligncenter" width="642"] The ever popular Carlos Ventura playing his last game for Monte[/caption] But Montesinos demonstrated they are built of sterner stuff and slowly but surely started coming more and more into the game. Vazquinho went close, Ventura was giving the visiting defence all sorts of trouble in what will almost certainly be his last game for the Club as he leaves to go to Hercules at a higher level.  Then, on 25 minutes, Manu Sanchez took a pass on the edge of the visitors penalty area and strikes an unstoppable shot into the top corner of the net. Game on!! It was all Montesinos now as their players finally realised that that winning this game was within reach and it was Intercity, with all their financial clout, that were thankful to hear the half-time whistle. The second 45 minutes made for a fantastic game to watch with both sides always trying to find another goal. The game ebbed and flowed with Montesinos having the better of the chances and pressing higher up the field as they tried desperately to find an equaliser. The visitors, as you would expect from a side put together to gain promotion, tried to hit Monte on the counter and nearly succeeded on a couple of occasions. However, deep into injury time at the end of the game, Montesinos almost nicked a point but the visiting goalkeeper pulled of a magnificent save to tip the ball around the post when the whole ground was already shouting GOAL!! So it was defeat for CD Montesinos. However, this was a defeat which demonstrated that a very humble, hard working side from a very small village can certainly live with the big boys at this level. Each and every one of the Monte players played their part but defender Dimitri was chosen as the Man of the Match by the sponsors of the game, H.E.A.T., after the match. A big shout must also go to Carlos Eduardo Ventura who leaves the Monte family today. We wish him well in his new venture at Hercules CF and thank him for all the pleasure (and goals) he has given to the club and supporters. The next game for CD Montesinos is an away game at Santa Pola, who are just one point ahead of us with 25 points and two places above us in 6th position in the league table. After two defeats on the spin, this would be a good time for CD Montesinos to get back to winning ways. Date and time have yet to be confirmed so please keep up to date with everything CD Montesinos on our Facebook page (CD Montesinos). CD Montesinos:- Dani, Alex, Fernando, Dimitri, Manu, Manuel Sanchez, Pastor, Guirao, Luis, Ventura and Vazquinho. CD Montesinos Subs:- Sergio (GK), Manuel Saez, Javi, Daniel Saiz and German CD Montesinos Scorers:- Manuel Sanchez. CD Montesinos travel away to Santa Pola to play Santa Pola CF at Estadio Municipal "Manolo Macia", on SATURDAY 20th January, kick-off 5.00pm. Travelling supporters to meet at Bar Tambalache at 4.00pm. Directions to ground (fingers crossed!!) turn right off N332 towards Santa Pola, turn right at first island, ground is on the left after right hand bend. Don't know if entrance is this side. If not, continue to next island and turn left, then left again at next island, the ground entrance hopefully is on the left. Photo's by David Winder

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/alabama-republicans-threaten-retaliation-for-disloyalty-to-moore/

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Washington may be abandoning Roy Moore by the droves. But in Alabama, the GOP has Moore’s back and is threatening retribution against defectors.

The chairwoman of the Alabama Republican Party warned she’s ready to enforce strict rules on party purity in the state’s Senate race, even if it means kicking GOP candidates off the ballot in future elections.

��It would be a serious error for any current elected GOP official or candidate to publicly endorse another party’s candidate, an independent, a third party or a write in candidate in a general election as well,” Alabama GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan told the Alabama Political Reporter. “I have heard of no GOP elected official or candidate that is even considering this option.”

A write-in is one of the only ways Republican opponents could stop Moore at this point, since it’s too late to change the ballots.

Lathan did not respond to requests for comment but the threat is being taken seriously in Alabama, since party rules — as Lathan pointedly noted — can be severe.

Alabama GOP bylaws give the party “the right to deny ballot access to a candidate for public office” to any elected official who “either publicly participated in the primary election of another political party or publicly supported a nominee of another political party.”

The provision applies for six years, meaning Alabama Republican officeholders who run against Moore or support a challenger could theoretically be barred from running again on the Republican ticket until 2023 — a political death sentence in deep-red Alabama.

“As long as Roy Moore is our nominee, a Republican cannot wage a write-in campaign under Alabama Republican Party rules and be on the ballot as a Republican in the future,” Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., told reporters when asked if he was considering a run himself.

Related: Desperate GOP Looks to Write-In Candidate to Beat Moore

But Alabama Republicans likely don’t need much arm-twisting anyway to stick with Moore through the December 12 election.

Even as their counterparts in Washington ramp up pressure on the Senate candidate following recent allegations of sexual misconduct, few if any prominent Republicans inside Alabama have split with Moore, exposing a major rift between the state and national parties.

Moore, who has denied all the allegations, was defiant Tuesday after Senate Majority Mitch McConnell called him “obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate.”

McConnell at the Bat

Republican Primary 8/15: STRIKE 1 Republican Runoff 9/26: STRIKE 2 General Election 12/12: TBD

3 STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT, MITCH. #ALSEN

— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 14, 2017

The Republican National Committee dropped out of a joint fundraising agreement with Moore late Tuesday, according to a document filed with the FEC. It also ended its field operations in the state, where it deployed 11 operatives, NBC News confirmed.

That leaves Moore’s campaign and the Alabama Republican Party alone in the fundraising arrangement.

Some Alabama Republicans think the pressure from Washington will only help Moore energize his base, noting he beat McConnell’s favored candidate by 9 percentage points in the party primary by running against the GOP establishment.

Paul Reynolds, a Republican National Committeeman from Alabama, said any Alabama Republican who wages a write-in campaign against Moore could kiss their career in the state politics goodbye

“The next move they’d try to make is to find a home in the metro Atlanta area and get out of the state, because they’d be dead politically here,” Reynolds said.

Alabama Republicans, regardless of how they personally feel about Moore, are also keenly aware that they will have to appeal to the same voters who are currently sticking with him in their own primaries next year.

Related: Sexual Harassment Spotlight Shines on Capitol Hill

“This is the political tightrope of the century,” said Alabama GOP strategist David Ferguson. “How do these elected officials answer the allegations against Roy Moore, in a hyper-political environment, without isolating their Republican base and without disregarding the very serious charges that are on the table all seven months before another heated round of statewide primaries?”

At an appearance Tuesday evening at the “God Save America Revival Conference” at a Baptist Church in Jackson, Moore portrayed himself as standing up for religious liberty against critics from the establishment GOP and Democrats. He only directly mentioned the allegations at one point in the around 30-minute speech.

“What do you think I’m going to do? Why do you think they’re giving me this trouble? Why do you think I’m being harassed by media — and by people pushing forth allegations, in the last 28 days of this election?” Moore asked the congregation.

“After 40-something years of fighting this battle, I’m now facing allegations — and that’s all the press wants to talk about,” he said. “But I want to talk about the issues. I want to talk about where this country’s going, and if we don’t come back to God, we’re not going anywhere.”

He told the crowd at Walker Springs Road Baptist Church that “obviously I’ve made a few people mad — I’m the only one that can unite Democrats and Republicans, because I seem to be opposed by both.”

“They’ve done everything they could, and now they’re together, to try to keep me from going to Washington,” he said.

Also Tuesday, it was revealed that at least one person in Alabama received a robocall from someone claiming to be a reporter for the Washington Post seeking to pay money for claims against Moore — a fake call that was condemned by the newspaper. The call was first reported by CBS station WKRG of Mobile, who spoke to a pastor who got the call.

The newspaper denied making the call.

“The Post has just learned that at least one person in Alabama has received a call from someone falsely claiming to be from The Washington Post. The call’s description of our reporting methods bears no relationship to reality,” Post Executive Editor Marty Baron said in a statement.

“We are shocked and appalled that anyone would stoop to this level to discredit real journalism,” Baron said.

Alex Seitz-Wald and Alex Moe reported from Washington, D.C., Phil Helsel from Los Angeles, and Vaughn Hillyard from Alabama.

Original Article:

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[xtramilerjourney]

To everything, a season...

In 2012, I bought my dream car. The 350z Nissan Fairlady. Before this, I was really contented with public transport and relied on the erratic Bas Mini Wilayah and Intrakota buses. If those failed, I would hail a taxi. You have to understand, I never desired a driving license and delayed this decision till much later. My parents would encourage me to drive but I would give excuses and put it off time and time again. Public transport was my way of passing out tracks and meeting strangers. I would get into a taxi and spend the next 20 to 30 minutes to get to know the driver and we would talk about everything under the sun. The highlight of my conversation would always be drawn back to what I believed and I would share my faith freely. Friends who would be generous with their time and provide me transport too. I was blessed! I remember hearing an announcement in church one day that our teens ministry were needing help with transporting teens to church. That was when I finally decided to sit for my “L” license. It was 2007 and I was 29 years old! I must admit, I failed twice on my road test. I wasn’t a bad driver but I refused to bribe the officer when taking my test. The night before, I spoke to the uncle in charge and he casually said that everything had been “settled”. That was when I realise that he had already arranged the bribe for the JPJ officer for me to pass. We fought over the phone and I told him that I refused to bribe. I believe that driving a car is a big responsibility and I had to be evaluated based on my ability to drive and not have that decision to be influenced by anything else. The uncle said I would surely fail and sure enough, before I could leave the centre for my road test, the officer picked on a minor error I had made and failed me. My second attempt was with the same officer and he failed me yet again. I stood my ground to not bribe, prayed and sat for the test again for a third time! Thankfully God had given me a new officer to test me and I passed . PTL! My dad loaned me his Iswara Aeroback and I was able to provide transport for our teens in church. You will be amazing what a 30 minute journey with a teen can do. I found a new ministry and spoke into their life as often as I could. That was also how I got myself involved in teens ministry for that season. ( I think God had set me up for this!) In 2012, I decided it was time to own my own car. My initial choice was a Myvi that would cost around RM50K. You see, I had just done XtramileDay a year back and having understood how much impact one can make in community, I had this mindset that every cent earned would be put to good use and given to community development. Being frugal was the way to go. I had just started work too after coming back from Singapore and was reluctant to buy a more expensive car though I could afford it. That season, our faith as a church was stretched to believe for our own building. Instead of keeping to the RM50K budget for the car, I saw how God gave me faith for something greater. From RM50K, it went to RM60K, then RM80K and by the end of 9 months, I had changed my budget to RM100K. In that span of time, I had seen and tested over 50 cars. You name it... Myvi, Altis, Almera, City, Vios, Triton and Hilux. I tested them all but nothing seemed to appeal to me. I still remember when my budget reached RM90K I was considering a 4X4. Eventually, it became clear that the reason I wanted a truck was so no one would bully me! HAHA... I would never be tailgated again because I would be driving a big ass truck and strike terror on the road! When I approach cars from the back, they would have to give way! Interesting enough, I never bought one because I knew my motive was wrong. I came to a place where I was convinced that maybe God just wanted to stretch my faith to believe for more and the car was just a way to teach me to dream bigger. Frustrated that I hadn’t found my car, I took a break for a month to clear my mind. One day for no apparent reason, I looked at mudah.my’s second hand cars section. And my eyes were opened! With RM100K, I could own a BMW, Mercedes... or some pretty exotic car! OMGGG!!! This began a new season for search 2nd hand cars. I had a ball going to dealerships and testing some pretty nifty cars and that was when I chanced upon a Mazda RX8 and the Nissan 350z. But, I could not wrap my head around buying a sports cars actually. Had I gone mad? What would my pastors and friends say. My parents are not gonna be happy! What am I trying to tell the world? Wahhh... Flashy flashy eh? So selfish! 2 doors?.. Have I suddenly decided to be a playboy? Come on Alex, a sports car does not exactly fit the profile of a good christian boy. Oh, I struggled internally at the beginning because I had only seen a car as a mode of transport from point A to B and never thought of anything else. With a sports car, my appreciation for performance and aesthetics changed. I was looking at cars that were fast, way way faster than my 1988 Iswara! That was also my first introduction to Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift and the world of sports cars. (Incidentally, the bad guy in that movie drives a 350z with a Veilside kit and does a whole lot of drifting!) That car literally caught my attention and I was gonna test one out soon! I decided to share with my parents and my leader about my intention to get a 2 seater, 3.5 liter, iconic japanese sports car. You can imagine how they responded - not very impressed, I must say. Everyone I knew were against me getting the car. Some were really subtle in their approach and reminded me to make sure my tithes were in order before considering the purchase. My church leader told me not to be selfish, to think about starting a family and buy a safe saloon car. “So even after speaking to your parents, you are not changing your mind? “Since you don’t want to listen to me and my advice, even though I am your leader, I have decided to end our discipleship.” “We can be friends and you can still get advice from me but I will no longer be your leader.” Honestly, I was crushed. It was a very difficult time for me, to lose a leader over a car. I had to stand firm on my conviction and go against my parents advice because I knew God had done something in me through the 9 months of searching for a car. It wasn’t just a car I was choosing to buy, but it signified a season in my life where faith was at work and it was being tested. There was such a deep conviction about the car that I was ready to make a stand and disappoint those close to me. For me, the 9 months of working through a “material” choice became a spiritual journey and a mindset shift. --- I am blessed to own a 2004 Nissan Fairlady for the past 5 years. I bought over the car from a friend who had maintained the car well. It had Brembo brakes and adjustable TEIN suspensions for better handling. He had just gotten married and his wife was expecting. I kinda hinted that his car would be better off with me since he was going to be a family man soon! Sure enough, two months later we were working out the loan and sorting out the name transfer! The car was bought for RM100K. When I first got this car, I told God to keep me single for the next 3 years so I could drive around Malaysia and enjoy the drive. That proved to be a selfish request because three weeks later I was in a relationship! Haha. This season, I am able to go on road trips alone. If you have followed me on Facebook/Instagram last week, you would have seen my journey across Malaysia. The drive took over 60 hours and some 2900km without as much as a glitch. He protected me and kept me alert during those long 10 hour drives through some of the windiest and darkest roads. The car held so well in the toughtest terrain and even when I pushed it harder, it kept on going. This car, like it’s owner has done many extra miles. I have visited schools, gone on many road trips and it has not been spared from repairs and a few minor accidents. I have not missed my tithes or my car repayment since I first got the car. What I am amazed is time and time again how God has allowed me to enjoy this car. He delights seeing us find pleasure in what we love and He is a giver of good gifts. It is in these long journeys that I am alone worshiping, talking to him, listening and taking corners at high speed that I feel pleasure, His pleasure. I come alive when I overtake or when I cruise leisurely and enjoy the beauty of my surroundings. I realise earlier on when I bought the car that there was a direct relation of the horse power and my effort as a runner. Driving a sports car, like running a tuned body is mechanical and automated yet when you push it to its limits and you can feel the raw power from the source. Everything works together in harmony and there is such awe at the power that is released. Only a sports car would do... He knew that I would find joy in going long distances, accelerating at will and appreciate the performance of a well maintained engine. Can you imagine me driving that RM50K Myvi that first started my desire for a car? There has been many lessons I have learnt since owning this car but one particular lesson remains a constant reminder - the journey of stewardship. Philippians 4:12 says “I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.” We can ask freely for what we desire and He is able to bless us! When our hearts are right, our request draws us close to him, unlocks the resources of Heaven and He receives all the glory. To every thing there is a season and am grateful for this journey thus far. “Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God. ” ~ 1 Peter 1:18-21 MSG

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/alabama-republicans-threaten-retaliation-for-disloyalty-to-moore/

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Washington may be abandoning Roy Moore by the droves. But in Alabama, the GOP has Moore’s back and is threatening retribution against defectors.

The chairwoman of the Alabama Republican Party warned she’s ready to enforce strict rules on party purity in the state’s Senate race, even if it means kicking GOP candidates off the ballot in future elections.

“It would be a serious error for any current elected GOP official or candidate to publicly endorse another party’s candidate, an independent, a third party or a write in candidate in a general election as well,” Alabama GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan told the Alabama Political Reporter. “I have heard of no GOP elected official or candidate that is even considering this option.”

A write-in is one of the only ways Republican opponents could stop Moore at this point, since it’s too late to change the ballots.

Lathan did not respond to requests for comment but the threat is being taken seriously in Alabama, since party rules — as Lathan pointedly noted — can be severe.

Alabama GOP bylaws give the party “the right to deny ballot access to a candidate for public office” to any elected official who “either publicly participated in the primary election of another political party or publicly supported a nominee of another political party.”

The provision applies for six years, meaning Alabama Republican officeholders who run against Moore or support a challenger could theoretically be barred from running again on the Republican ticket until 2023 — a political death sentence in deep-red Alabama.

“As long as Roy Moore is our nominee, a Republican cannot wage a write-in campaign under Alabama Republican Party rules and be on the ballot as a Republican in the future,” Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., told reporters when asked if he was considering a run himself.

Related: Desperate GOP Looks to Write-In Candidate to Beat Moore

But Alabama Republicans likely don’t need much arm-twisting anyway to stick with Moore through the December 12 election.

Even as their counterparts in Washington ramp up pressure on the Senate candidate following recent allegations of sexual misconduct, few if any prominent Republicans inside Alabama have split with Moore, exposing a major rift between the state and national parties.

Moore, who has denied all the allegations, was defiant Tuesday after Senate Majority Mitch McConnell called him “obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate.”

McConnell at the Bat

Republican Primary 8/15: STRIKE 1 Republican Runoff 9/26: STRIKE 2 General Election 12/12: TBD

3 STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT, MITCH. #ALSEN

— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 14, 2017

The Republican National Committee dropped out of a joint fundraising agreement with Moore late Tuesday, according to a document filed with the FEC. It also ended its field operations in the state, where it deployed 11 operatives, NBC News confirmed.

That leaves Moore’s campaign and the Alabama Republican Party alone in the fundraising arrangement.

Some Alabama Republicans think the pressure from Washington will only help Moore energize his base, noting he beat McConnell’s favored candidate by 9 percentage points in the party primary by running against the GOP establishment.

Paul Reynolds, a Republican National Committeeman from Alabama, said any Alabama Republican who wages a write-in campaign against Moore could kiss their career in the state politics goodbye

“The next move they’d try to make is to find a home in the metro Atlanta area and get out of the state, because they’d be dead politically here,” Reynolds said.

Alabama Republicans, regardless of how they personally feel about Moore, are also keenly aware that they will have to appeal to the same voters who are currently sticking with him in their own primaries next year.

Related: Sexual Harassment Spotlight Shines on Capitol Hill

“This is the political tightrope of the century,” said Alabama GOP strategist David Ferguson. “How do these elected officials answer the allegations against Roy Moore, in a hyper-political environment, without isolating their Republican base and without disregarding the very serious charges that are on the table all seven months before another heated round of statewide primaries?”

At an appearance Tuesday evening at the “God Save America Revival Conference” at a Baptist Church in Jackson, Moore portrayed himself as standing up for religious liberty against critics from the establishment GOP and Democrats. He only directly mentioned the allegations at one point in the around 30-minute speech.

“What do you think I’m going to do? Why do you think they’re giving me this trouble? Why do you think I’m being harassed by media — and by people pushing forth allegations, in the last 28 days of this election?” Moore asked the congregation.

“After 40-something years of fighting this battle, I’m now facing allegations ��� and that’s all the press wants to talk about,” he said. “But I want to talk about the issues. I want to talk about where this country’s going, and if we don’t come back to God, we’re not going anywhere.”

He told the crowd at Walker Springs Road Baptist Church that “obviously I’ve made a few people mad — I’m the only one that can unite Democrats and Republicans, because I seem to be opposed by both.”

“They’ve done everything they could, and now they’re together, to try to keep me from going to Washington,” he said.

Also Tuesday, it was revealed that at least one person in Alabama received a robocall from someone claiming to be a reporter for the Washington Post seeking to pay money for claims against Moore — a fake call that was condemned by the newspaper. The call was first reported by CBS station WKRG of Mobile, who spoke to a pastor who got the call.

The newspaper denied making the call.

“The Post has just learned that at least one person in Alabama has received a call from someone falsely claiming to be from The Washington Post. The call’s description of our reporting methods bears no relationship to reality,” Post Executive Editor Marty Baron said in a statement.

“We are shocked and appalled that anyone would stoop to this level to discredit real journalism,” Baron said.

Alex Seitz-Wald and Alex Moe reported from Washington, D.C., Phil Helsel from Los Angeles, and Vaughn Hillyard from Alabama.

Original Article:

Click here

[usnewsaggregator-blog]

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

New Post has been published on http://usnewsaggregator.com/alabama-republicans-threaten-retaliation-for-disloyalty-to-moore/

Alabama Republicans Threaten Retaliation for Disloyalty to Moore

WASHINGTON — Republicans in Washington may be abandoning Roy Moore by the droves. But in Alabama, the GOP has Moore’s back and is threatening retribution against defectors.

The chairwoman of the Alabama Republican Party warned she’s ready to enforce strict rules on party purity in the state’s Senate race, even if it means kicking GOP candidates off the ballot in future elections.

“It would be a serious error for any current elected GOP official or candidate to publicly endorse another party’s candidate, an independent, a third party or a write in candidate in a general election as well,” Alabama GOP Chairwoman Terry Lathan told the Alabama Political Reporter. “I have heard of no GOP elected official or candidate that is even considering this option.”

A write-in is one of the only ways Republican opponents could stop Moore at this point, since it’s too late to change the ballots.

Lathan did not respond to requests for comment but the threat is being taken seriously in Alabama, since party rules — as Lathan pointedly noted — can be severe.

Alabama GOP bylaws give the party “the right to deny ballot access to a candidate for public office” to any elected official who “either publicly participated in the primary election of another political party or publicly supported a nominee of another political party.”

The provision applies for six years, meaning Alabama Republican officeholders who run against Moore or support a challenger could theoretically be barred from running again on the Republican ticket until 2023 — a political death sentence in deep-red Alabama.

“As long as Roy Moore is our nominee, a Republican cannot wage a write-in campaign under Alabama Republican Party rules and be on the ballot as a Republican in the future,” Rep. Mo Brooks, R-Ala., told reporters when asked if he was considering a run himself.

Related: Desperate GOP Looks to Write-In Candidate to Beat Moore

But Alabama Republicans likely don’t need much arm-twisting anyway to stick with Moore through the December 12 election.

Even as their counterparts in Washington ramp up pressure on the Senate candidate following recent allegations of sexual misconduct, few if any prominent Republicans inside Alabama have split with Moore, exposing a major rift between the state and national parties.

Moore, who has denied all the allegations, was defiant Tuesday after Senate Majority Mitch McConnell called him “obviously not fit to be in the United States Senate.”

McConnell at the Bat

Republican Primary 8/15: STRIKE 1 Republican Runoff 9/26: STRIKE 2 General Election 12/12: TBD

3 STRIKES AND YOU’RE OUT, MITCH. #ALSEN

— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) November 14, 2017

The Republican National Committee dropped out of a joint fundraising agreement with Moore late Tuesday, according to a document filed with the FEC. It also ended its field operations in the state, where it deployed 11 operatives, NBC News confirmed.

That leaves Moore’s campaign and the Alabama Republican Party alone in the fundraising arrangement.

Some Alabama Republicans think the pressure from Washington will only help Moore energize his base, noting he beat McConnell’s favored candidate by 9 percentage points in the party primary by running against the GOP establishment.

Paul Reynolds, a Republican National Committeeman from Alabama, said any Alabama Republican who wages a write-in campaign against Moore could kiss their career in the state politics goodbye

“The next move they’d try to make is to find a home in the metro Atlanta area and get out of the state, because they’d be dead politically here,” Reynolds said.

Alabama Republicans, regardless of how they personally feel about Moore, are also keenly aware that they will have to appeal to the same voters who are currently sticking with him in their own primaries next year.

Related: Sexual Harassment Spotlight Shines on Capitol Hill

“This is the political tightrope of the century,” said Alabama GOP strategist David Ferguson. “How do these elected officials answer the allegations against Roy Moore, in a hyper-political environment, without isolating their Republican base and without disregarding the very serious charges that are on the table all seven months before another heated round of statewide primaries?”

At an appearance Tuesday evening at the “God Save America Revival Conference” at a Baptist Church in Jackson, Moore portrayed himself as standing up for religious liberty against critics from the establishment GOP and Democrats. He only directly mentioned the allegations at one point in the around 30-minute speech.

“What do you think I’m going to do? Why do you think they’re giving me this trouble? Why do you think I’m being harassed by media — and by people pushing forth allegations, in the last 28 days of this election?” Moore asked the congregation.

“After 40-something years of fighting this battle, I’m now facing allegations — and that’s all the press wants to talk about,” he said. “But I want to talk about the issues. I want to talk about where this country’s going, and if we don’t come back to God, we’re not going anywhere.”

He told the crowd at Walker Springs Road Baptist Church that “obviously I’ve made a few people mad — I’m the only one that can unite Democrats and Republicans, because I seem to be opposed by both.”

“They’ve done everything they could, and now they’re together, to try to keep me from going to Washington,” he said.

Also Tuesday, it was revealed that at least one person in Alabama received a robocall from someone claiming to be a reporter for the Washington Post seeking to pay money for claims against Moore — a fake call that was condemned by the newspaper. The call was first reported by CBS station WKRG of Mobile, who spoke to a pastor who got the call.

The newspaper denied making the call.

“The Post has just learned that at least one person in Alabama has received a call from someone falsely claiming to be from The Washington Post. The call’s description of our reporting methods bears no relationship to reality,” Post Executive Editor Marty Baron said in a statement.

“We are shocked and appalled that anyone would stoop to this level to discredit real journalism,” Baron said.

Alex Seitz-Wald and Alex Moe reported from Washington, D.C., Phil Helsel from Los Angeles, and Vaughn Hillyard from Alabama.

Original Article:

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