Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

Even the manufacturing locations are being kept secret. Development of a loyal-wingman drone by Boeing in Australia may not be a black program, but it is at least light gray.

Still, the company has let a little light in by releasing a photograph of the first major assembly of the first prototypeits center fuselage. It reveals that the fighter-like Airpower Teaming System (ATS), as the drone is called, has large adaptable spaces for payloads.

At first, these will surely be for electromagnetic missions: passive intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, and perhaps jamming. Yet even the intended tasking of the ATS is not confirmed amid a general withholding of information about the program since its public unveiling in February 2019.

When it released the photograph on Feb. 9, Boeing reiterated the plan for the ATS to fly for the first time this year. The type is aimed at the global defense market, with Australia as the potential launch customer. The 11.7-m (38-ft.) type may be a candidate for U.S. and British programs, too.

BAE Systems says it is supplying the flight-management system among other items, including technology from the British Taranis and Mantis and Australian Kingfisher experimental drone programs. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is a partner in the work, which the service calls the Loyal WingmanAdvanced Development Program, but has not committed to quantity production.

The potential production quantityeasily hundreds of aircraftunderlines the importance of the location of manufacturing and identity of the manufacturer. In the photograph the major assembly is seen in what looks like a small, new factory.

Asked where the aircraft is being made, Boeing referred Aviation Week to the RAAF. The Australian defense department, responding on behalf of the RAAF, in turn attributed its inability to disclose information to Boeings need for commercial secrecy. The defense department is unable to release information on specific locations at this time due to Boeing customer and supplier sensitivities, it says.

Design, development and manufacturing of the prototypes is occurring across three Australian states by more than 22 suppliers, the defense department says. Boeing has a number of sites and teams focused on the design, development and manufacture of the Airpower Teaming System.

The commercial reasons for not disclosing the manufacturing locations are unclear. But the policy also helps keep the details of the design secret.

The drone is aimed at the international market and intended to be cheapand not subject to U.S. export restrictions. It seems likely ATS would be mostly kept in storage, like missile rounds, minimizing support costs. Hinting at the number of ATS an air force might need, Boeing says it has studied concepts in which 4-16 of the drones would accompany one manned fighter. Even if a customer did not buy at least four ATS for every fighter, unusually large-scale production must be envisioned.

The states involved are evidently Queensland and Victoria and perhaps South Australia. The photograph revealed a conventional structural scheme in which an aluminum substructure was covered by a composite skin. Lining of the inlet ducts also appears to be made of composite. Boeing is presumably making the composite parts at its factory in Melbourne, Victoria, which specializes in such materials.

AME Systems, in Victoria, is making wiring looms. The Australian subsidiary of RUAG, also in Victoria, is supplying landing gear. Globally, RUAG maintains business-jet landing gear, a hint at the origins of the ATS undercarriage.

BAE Systems is making hardware kits including flight control computers and navigation equipment. Its autonomous-vehicles team is in Melbourne, but the company makes electronics in South Australia. Ferra Engineering of Brisbane, Queensland, is making precision machine components and subassemblies, Boeing says. That notably does not include building up major assemblies such as the fuselage.

According to Boeing, the programs industrial team comprises 16 companies. This contrasts with the defense departments reference to 22 suppliers.

The ATS appears to be designed for high subsonic speed in level flight; it will need that to keep up with the manned fighters it accompanies. Its single engine is of an unidentified type used in very light personal jets. The Australian government said last year the aircraft could be armedpresumably in a later version.

The RAAFs head of air-combat capability, Air Cdre. Darren Goldie, underlined Australias withholding of a commitment to volume production of the ATS, saying in a Boeing statement that working with the company would help the air force consider options for manned-unmanned teaming. But there is industrial pressure on Australia to place an ATS order: Boeing said last year the fabrication equipment was not too big to be moved to another country.

The major assembly in the photograph is most of the fuselage of the first aircraft, from the well for the nose landing gear to the wells for the main landing gear. If the assembly includes the rear fuselage, the camera angle has been chosen not to show it. Rear fuselages are sensitive parts of stealth designs. That rear was covered on a mockup that Boeing presented at the Australian International Airshow in February 2019. In general, the fuselage major assembly appears to conform to the design of the mockup.

The next major milestone will be weight on wheels, when the fuselage structure moves from the assembly jig to the aircrafts own landing gear to continue systems installation and functional testing, Boeing says. The Australian team has applied digital engineering and advanced composite materials to achieve cost and agility goals for the . . . aircraft, which is designed to use artificial intelligence in teaming with other manned and unmanned platforms.

BAE Australia has a strong background in autonomous systems. Apart from the flight management system, it is providing simulation capability, flight control computers and navigation equipment. This equipment will be allied with Boeings autonomous mission systems, BAE says. Another partner is the governments Defense Science and Technology Group.

Visible in the fuselage assembly, are the insides of the inlet ducts. These snake inward and upward to hide the engine face; this is a conventional stealth feature. Access hatches and doors in the belly are hexagonal, a low-observability feature supplementing an airframe shape that appears intended to be highly stealthy. ATS missions must demand a level of detectability comparable to that of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning, since the two types would operate together in Australian service.

Lines of fasteners in the lower corners of the fuselage and the position of frames inside indicate the location of payload bays. These are forward of the main landing gear wells and abreast of the downstream section of the inlet duct, where it would be a single tube. The ATS already was known to have space near the center of gravity for payloads. Customers will be able to tailor ATS sensors and systems based on their own defense and industrial objectives, Boeing says.

The bays may open at the sides rather than below. Since fasteners are visible in the photograph, the first ATS prototype will not have full stealth features. The forward fuselage is full of avionics, a source close to the program said in 2019. Conceivably, some of that equipment also could be customized, especially to take advantage of the nose position.

Since the ATS could be armed, designers may intend the adaptable midfuselage spaces to become weapon bays in a later version. The evident size of the bays seems to rule out the possibility of carrying air-to-air missiles, but glide bombs might fit, making the ATS a strike aircraft useful against undefended or lightly defended ground targets. The GBU-39 Small-Diameter Bomb is 1.78 m long, only half as long as a Raytheon AIM-120 Amraam.

An aircraft such as this might be flown for only hundreds of hours, offering the potential to cut structural weight. The fuselage does not appear to have heavy-duty gauges, and elements could be spaced more widely than would be done in an aircraft designed for intensive use. Bent-metal frames abreast of the inlets are much lighter than would be expected on a fighter. The robustness of the overall structure probably is governed largely by maneuver loads, not fatigue life.

The inlet shapes and mild bumps on the sides of the fuselage upstreamseen in the mockup and on the major assemblycorrespond to the design of supersonic diverterless inlets, which are stealth features. This suggests the slippery aircraft may be supersonic in a shallow dive, a valuable characteristic in fleeing from enemy fighters. With an engine unlikely to much exceed 3,000 lb. thrust, it could hardly rely on repeated hard maneuvers to survive.

Yet the positioning and shaping of the inlets, suiting high angles of attack, indicates that the ATS is intended to pull high-G maneuvers. Otherwise, stealth considerations would recommend a dorsal inlet. In a Japanese concept, loyal-wingman drones could serve as missile sponges. In that role, an ability to maneuver hard once or twice before running out of energy would be valuable. So would extremely low cost.

The aircraft appears to lack hydraulics, which would be troublesome for long-term storage. Instead, actuation of flight control surfaces and doors may be entirely electric.

The large fuel load for a range (perhaps ferry range) of 3,700 km (2,000 nm) probably is carried at least mainly in the upper fuselage and wing.

With Guy Norris in Los Angeles and Graham Warwick in Washington

See the article here:
Boeing Builds ATS Assembly, But Will Not Say Where - Aviation Week

NZXTs new ultra-compact H1 mITX chassis arrives equipped with both a 650w, 80+ Gold SFX modular power supply and built-in NZXT 140mm AIO liquid cooling, making it incredibly attractive for system builders looking to assemble a tiny but powerful desktop PC. Simply drop in your choice of mITX motherboard, 2.5-inch SSD/HDD (or a motherboard-mounted NVMe drive) and system memory (and a graphics card if youre a gamer), and the NZXT H1 becomes a quiet, compact machine. With support for all but the largest of GPUs, the H1 can also be built up as a powerful gaming monster.

Priced at $349, the H1 seems pricey, until you stop to factor in the cost of a quality AIO cooler and SFX-L PSU. Taken together with the attractive chassis, theres a surprising level of value here.

As small form-factor (SFF) cases go, the H1 delivers a simple, monolithic look snf minimalist appeal. At 187mm x 187mm (7.36 x 7.36 inches square), it occupies a tiny amount of desk or floor space, while allowing for system builds which rival large gaming PCs. Combine this with a very perferated set of side panels, the H1 allows for access to fresh air for the 140mm AIO as well as allowing easy venting of the thermal load.

Top panel access is clean and concise, with an LED-lit power switch and a single item each of USB-C, USB-A and a 4-pole audio I/O jack.

The NZXT H1 ships with all components nested neatly within its rectangular frame, including the installed 650w power supply and PCI-e graphics card riser. Cabling is neatly bundled and already routed throughout the chassis, making cable management an afterthought even before assembly.

Included accessories are focused around AIO cooler mounting for AMD AM4, FM2(+), FM1, AM3(+), AM2 and Intel 115x. An included headphone/mic splitter makes for easy addition for audio I/O from the top panel, instead of routing 3.5mm connections to the bottom of the motherboard panel.

Getting to the interior of the H1 requires both the tempered glass front panel and mesh rear panel to be popped off to unlock the singular, U-shaped side+top cover of the chassis. Side rails allow for the top/side panel to slide neatly up and off of the chassis, and provide guidance when sliding them back down into position during reassembly. Magnetic, removable mesh dust filters extend along the interior length of both side panels.

The 140mm AIO comes with a splotch of pre-applied thermal compound on the plate, and the radiator is mounted on a swing-out frame that allows for simple access to the motherboard mounting platform.

Stubborn stickers are unfortunately found on multiple components of the H1, which tend to leave a lot of adhesive mess upon removal. A bit of adhesive remover was required to tidy this up, but wed like to see a better approach to providing information to the buyer/builder than stickers that wind up looking like the above when you attempt to remove them. We would also like to caution that a good amount of pressure and rubbing was required when removing the gunk, which could cause damage to components if you arent careful.

Even though the H1 supports only the small, mini-ITX motherboard form factor, it feels like theres a good amount of space to move about inside the chassis during installation of components. A relocated PSU power cable allows for the 120v power to be relocated to the rear/bottom of the chassis, along with the motherboard I/O panel.

Below the motherboard sits the PCI-e graphics card riser mount, which wraps around to the opposite side and allows for the riser to be fitted into the PCI-e slot. There is ample room for all but the very largest graphic cards on the market, allowing for the H1 to pack as much graphics card power into a highly portable build.

Closely resembling the Kraken M22, the 140mm AIO in the H1 has the pump mounted in the center of the radiator, leaving the mounted component to function only as a CPU block.

Swivel fittings allow sweeping the sleeved tubing out and away from the CPU when the radiator and fan are swung back into mounting position. Since the 140mm AIO pivots down to sit adjacent to the CPU block face, rotating the coolers tubing is required to close up the chassis. Use care when performing this step though, as it still requires focus to correctly orient the tubing while also not pinching it or the fan/pump wiring between the chassis pivot hinge in the process.

Once the motherboard is installed and the cooler cold plate is mounted, closing up the H1 shows just how compact a complete system build can be. The layout and preparation of the cabling, cooler and drives resembles a densely complex puzzle of components. Seeing the close proximity of all the components, its easy to see why the correct positioning of the coolant tubing is needed to complete the electronics origami inside the H1.

The bottom of the H1 aligns the motherboard I/O panel, graphics card ports and relocated power supply connection in a convenient cavity and routing arch cutaway. As the H1 is designed to stand vertically, the lower cutaway provides Ethernet, USB, display and power cabling to collect and direct out the bottom rear of the H1 chassis.

MORE:Best Cases

MORE:All Case Content

Original post:
NZXT H1 Review: SFF Excellence, PSU and AIO Included - Tom's Hardware

The Alabama Legislature met in session for Day 5 of the annual Regular Session on Tuesday, February 18. Twenty-eight committee meetings were held during the week to consider legislation. Both Houses met in session on Thursday, February 20 for Day 6.

535 bills have been introduced so far this Session.

The Legislature will return to Montgomery on Mardi Gras for Day 7 of the Session with the House convening at 1:00 p.m. and the Senate convening at 2:00 p.m..

DURING THE WEEK

The Senate Judiciary Committee held a public hearing on SB165 by Senator Tim Melson. The bill, named the Compassion Act, creates an appointed nine member medical cannabis commission to oversee regulations and licensing for medical cannabis cultivators, processors, and dispensaries, and requires a statewide seed-to-sale tracking system for all medical cannabis in the state. The bill does not allow for the smoking or vaping of marijuana or edible forms of the drug. However, treatment in the form of pills, gelatinous cubes, gels, orals or creams, transdermal patches, and nebulizers will be allowed.

Patients would receive a state issued Medical Cannabis Card and a patient registry would be established. Medical conditions are enumerated in the bill, including Crohns Disease, HIV/Aids Related nausea, cancer-related chronic pain, and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Proponents and opponents spoke on the bill. After several amendments were adopted by the Committee, the bill was given a favorable report.

The House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee held a public hearing, but did not vote, on HB79 by Representative Tim Wadsworth that would authorize a judge of probate, district judge, or circuit judge to carry a pistol openly or concealed in a courtroom, courthouse, courthouse property, and within his or her office.

Advertisement

Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM) Director Lance LeFleur and staff briefed the Mobile and Baldwin delegations on the structure and timeline of the containment, clean up, and monitoring of the Barry Steam Plant Coal Ash Deposit in Mobile County.

The Senate confirmed nine of the Governors board and commission appointments this week including Leslie D. Sanders to the Board of Human Resources, Representative Rod Scott to the Alabama Commission on Higher Education, and Wendall Wilkie Gunn to the University of North Alabama Board of Trustees.

BILLS PASSED BY HOUSE:

Advertisement

Advertisement

HB46 by Rep. Hollis HB66 by Rep. McClammyHB84 by Rep. Hill HB140 by Rep. Baker

BILLS PASSED BY SENATE:

SB53 by Sen. BurketteSB106 by Sen. Barfoot

To prohibit the smoking of tobacco products or vaping in a motor vehicle when a child aged 14 or under is in the vehicle.

To authorize a municipality or county to establish a local redevelopment authority for property that is contiguous to an active US Air Force military installation.

To limit mayoral pardons in relation to convictions for domestic violence.

To provide that landfills covered by substances other than earth are included within the definition of a landfill.

To authorize a municipality or county to establish a local redevelopment authority for property that is contiguous to an active US Air Force military installation.

To authorize the formation of charter schools near military installations with a focus on serving military dependents.

HOUSE:

HB35 by Rep. PringleHB69 by Rep. RichHB74 by Rep. K. Brown

To prohibit public K-12 schools from participating in, sponsoring, or provide coaching staff for interscholastic athletic events at which athletes are allowed to participate in competition against athletes who are of a different biological gender (House State Government Committee).

To increase the fees for issuing permits in the regulation of of the manufacturing, sale, display of fireworks, and for the use of pyrotechnics before an audience with 5% of the total fee going to the Alabama Firefighters Annuity and Benefit Fund (House Insurance Committee).

To prohibit the operator of a motor vehicle from using a wireless communication device in any manner that would require the operator to physically hold the device (Amended in House Public Safety and Homeland Security Committee).

SIGNIFICANT FLOOR ACTION THIS WEEK

NOTEWORTHY BILLS REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE THIS WEEK

HB81 by Rep. C. BrownHB110 by Rep. C. BrownHB113 by Rep. C. Brown HB209 by Rep. McMillanHB233 by Rep. ReynoldsHB272 by Rep. Weaver

SENATE:HB147 by Rep. SellsSB59 by Sen. WardSB60 by Sen. Ward SB177 by Sen. GudgerSB183 by Senator Sessions

A proposed Constitutional Amendment to provide that a person charged with a Class A felony, when the proof is evident or the presumption is great, and if no conditions of release can reasonably protect the community from risk of physical harm, be denied bail before conviction (Amended in House Judiciary Committee).

To designate the Dauphin Island Sea Labs Alabama Aquarium as the official Aquarium of Alabama (House State Government Committee).

To provide for additional offenses that would require mandatory denial of bail (Amended in House Judiciary Committee).

To permit a pet dog in an outdoor dining area of a food service establishment under certain conditions (House County and Municipal Government).

To allow a municipality to use electronic records and signatures in the conduct of its affairs (House County and Municipal Government Committee).

To revise deadlines for candidates to qualify for the November 3, 2020 general election to accommodate the dates of the 2020 Republican National Convention (House Constitution, Campaigns and Elections Committee).

To prohibit a municipality that does not already have an occupational tax from imposing an occupational tax unless authorized by local law (Senate Governmental Affairs).

A proposed Constitutional Amendment to provide that all individuals are entitled to reasonable bail prior to conviction, except for offenses enumerated by the Legislature by general law (Substituted by Senate Judiciary Committee).

To provide for additional offenses that would require mandatory denial of bail (Substituted by Senate Judiciary).

To provide that former public employees may resume employment with their former employer or with another public employer during the 2 year prohibition against lobbying or otherwise representing clients before the government body for which he or she had worked (Amended in Senate Fiscal Responsibility ond Economic Development Committee).

To authorize any county to issue bonds to refund certain bonds previously issued by the county, and to ratify and confirm the validity of any refunding bonds originally issued prior to January 1, 2011 (Amended in Senate Banking and Insurance Committee).

SB196 by Sen. Williams

To provide the Department of Agriculture and Industries with exclusive jurisdiction over the regulation of working animals; to provide a reporting and investigation process for alleged violations of animal cruelty (Senate Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry Committee).

SIGNIFICANT INTRODUCTIONS THIS WEEK

A proposed Constitutional Amendment that would authorize municipalities to levy and collect ad valorem tax for the purpose of paying debt service on bonds, and the costs of public capital improvements (House County and Municipal Government Committee).To specify that the definition of gross receipts, for the purposes of municipal business license taxes, does not include any excise tax imposed by the federal, state, and local governments (House County and Municipal Government Committee).

To exempt slot machines manufactured prior to 1960 from the crime of possession of a gambling device under certain circumstances (House Judiciary Committee).

To create the Alabama Church Protection Act to provide for the justification for a person to use deadly phycial force in self-defense or in the defense of another on the premises of a church in certain circumstances (House Judiciary Committee).

To require each public school senior to legibly print and sign his or her name in cursive writing as a requirement for graduation from high school (House Education Policy Committee).

To provide that if a person is convicted of boating under the influence, the persons boating license and drivers license will be suspended (House Judiciary Committee).To authorize the adoption of local legislation authorizing wagering on professional, collegiate, and amateur sports contests and athletic events (House Judiciary Committee).To prohibit a medical procedure on or medication to a minor child that is intended to alter the minor childs gender or delay puberty (House Health Committee).

HOUSE:

HB253 by Rep. BallHB258 by Rep. CrawfordHB260 by Rep. C. BrownHB263 by Rep. GreerHB270 by Rep. SellsHB284 by Rep. ShaverHB301 by Rep. RogersHB303 by Rep. AllenPage 4 of 6

SENATE:

MSB194 by Senator WaggonerSB217 by Sen. WhatleySB219 by Sen. ShelnuttSB110 by Sen. Figures

To revise deadlines for candidates to qualify for the November 3, 2020 general election to accommodate the dates of the 2020 Republican National Convention (Senate Governmental Affairs Committee).

To require a municipality or county that levies a motor fuel tax to use the proceeds for road and bridge construction and maintenance with certain exceptions (Senate Finance and Taxation Education Committee).

To prohibit a medical procedure on or medication to a minor child that is intended to alter the minor childs gender or delay puberty (Senate Healthcare Committee).

To repeal Act 2019-189 making abortion or attempted abortion a felony (Senate Judiciary Committee).

More:
Weekly Legislative Session Report: Week Three - alreporter.com

MILWAUKEE - The man suspected of killing five people before turning the gun on himself at the Molson Coors facility in Milwaukee has been identified as a longtime electrician with the company, multiple sources tell TMJ4 News.

Anthony Ferrill, 51, worked as an electrician at Molson Coors for the last 20 years. The above photo is taken from a family member's Facebook page that has since been removed.

Their names are:

Jesus Valle Jr., 33Gennady Levshetz, 51Trevor Wetselaar, 33Dana Walk, 57Dale Hudson, 50

Milwaukee police said the gunman opened fire at a Molson Coors building Wednesday afternoon. Five employees were killed before Ferrill turned the gun on himself. Police have not yet officially identified Ferrill.

A motive for the shooting is unknown at this time. Police were seen at a home believed to be owned by Ferrill Thursday afternoon.

Neighbors say investigators arrived to the 8000 block of Potomac Avenue before 3 p.m. on Feb 26, and haven't left.

State Representative Lakeshia Myers tweeted on Wednesday that the police presence in the area is related to the shooting that happened at Molson Coors.

"I feel bad for the family," said Elizabeth Pine. She lives across the street from the home being investigated.

She told TMJ4 News that federal agents came to her home as many as six times to question her about her neighbor.

"They were here until after 11," said LaPine. "It's just unreal. You know? You're just in disbelief. You wouldn't think somebody could do something like that."

LaPine and other neighbors, who did not wish to be identified, said police would not tell them why they were being questioned. But, after hearing news of the mass shooting at Molson Coors they quickly realized there was a connection between that tragic crime and the crime scene on their block.

"One of the policemen came and he had a picture and he asked me to identify the picture and then I knew who it was," said LaPine.

More here:
Molson Coors gunman identified as longtime company electrician - WJFW-TV

Ron Riveras lengthy period in Carolina mores than. Matt Rhules arrival in Carolina need to equate to large offseason modifications for thePanthers The actual obstacle for Rhule and also his training personnel will certainly be to determine what settings require prompt interest and also what places can wait till a year from currently.

The Panthers have a lineup that is ripe for a duration of major change. Naturally, there are a lots of inquiries regarding what the group will certainly do at quarterback. There stand disagreements for beginning the 2020 routine period with Cam Newton, Kyle Allen or Will Grier under facility. Its additionally feasible that the Panthers will certainly prepare a brand-new quarterback of the future with theirNo 7 general choice in Aprils draft.

The groups protection might additionally undertake a significant overhaul thisoffseason The groups leading cornerback, James Bradberry, is a substantial trip threat in totally free company. Key pass rushes Gerald McCoy, Mario Addison, Bruce Irvin, and also Vernon Butler are all freelances as well. Its difficult to assume that every one of those gamers will certainly be going back to Charlotte in 2020.

Figuring out exactly how to retool the Panthers pass thrill is a have to for Marty Hurneys front workplace this postseason.

The Panthers arent mosting likely to allow every one of their freelance protective electrician go, however they will not re-sign the whole team either. As such, infusing even more young people right into the team will certainly be a have to for the Panthers.

The great information is that in 2014s preliminary choice, Brian Burns, blinked Pro Bowl possible in 2014. His break matter and also influence need to just expand in his 2nd period as an expert.

Burns visibility on the side need to lead the Panthers to investing even more of their offseason funding on a within pass rush. McCoy looks most likely to leave using totally free company. Spending a high draft badger a turbulent defensive take on would truly assist reset the Carolina protection.

Continued here:
5 offseason needs for the Carolina Panthers - The Union Journal

Since the investigation began, a massage board staff member has been suspended for licensing Axiom graduates, and the boards executive director stepped down without explanation two weeks ago.

The same staff has been there for years, said a former massage board employee, expressing surprise at the failure to spot phony credentials. I dont know how they didnt catch them." The former employee requested anonymity out of fear of retribution from the owners of illicit massage spas.

Officials at the Division of Professional Licensure, which oversees the massage board and 37 others, acknowledged the existence of a federal investigation in January when they rejected a Globe public records request for documents related to the applications of hundreds of licensed massage therapists.

Federal authorities have advised DPL that dissemination of the requested records at this time will jeopardize or prejudice investigative efforts because these documents are related and/or touch upon an ongoing investigation, Kevin Scanlon, general counsel of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, wrote in a January e-mail.

A spokeswoman for the US attorneys office also declined to comment. An FBI spokeswoman said she could neither confirm nor deny the existence of an investigation.

Last week, the Division of Professional Licensure belatedly released documents to the Globe in response to a request for records related to Axiom. The records show officials started suspending the licenses of several massage therapists with Axiom credentials in November a month after the Globe requested the documents.

Carolyn Assa, spokeswoman for the states Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, said the Division of Professional Licensure is now conducting an internal review of all 9,000 massage therapy licensees.

Public safety and license integrity are the Division of Professional Licensures top priority and the division has recently enhanced protocols to strengthen screenings for all applicants on a go forward basis, particularly for out-of-state schools, Assa said.

DPL staff is trained to look for signs of human trafficking in establishments and refers all suspected cases over to law enforcement for further investigation, as the division is not a law enforcement agency, she said, adding that "the department investigates all complaints.

Since Jan. 1, Assa said, each out-of-state application has been reviewed twice, and applicants will not be approved until the board receives proof that the school is in good standing with its state licensing authority.

The massage board, created by the Legislature in 2006, was supposed to relieve cities and towns of the burden of regulating the industry. The board is authorized to scrutinize the backgrounds of therapists and spa owners alike before issuing licenses, which are required. The board can fine spas that dont comply with the rules and can ultimately revoke their licenses.

But several police departments complain that the state actually undercuts local government efforts by licensing some people who are suspected of sex trafficking. In addition, they say, the state boards rules supercede local regulations, making it hard for cities and towns to set their own standards for massage parlors. In fact, a 2008 letter from the Division of Professional Licensure told cities and towns they could no longer regulate or license massage therapists.

The town of Oxford, for example, tried to crack down on unlicensed massage parlors that officials believed were offering sex to customers, based on complaints from neighbors and the towns own investigations.

Even though state licenses are required, violators typically face only fines. So, Oxford police and the board of health worked together to create their own rules, requiring the towns three unlicensed massage parlors to undergo frequent inspections, identify customers and employees, and submit to criminal background checks.

But the owners found an easy way to bypass the local bylaw: They got licensed by the state.

We went to do the inspections and we were trumped by the state licenses," said Oxford police Chief Anthony Saad. "We couldnt do anything.

The spa operators have denied any wrongdoing.

A Globe review of the states roster of massage therapists reveals hundreds whose credentials, addresses, or backgrounds could have raised questions for regulators.

For instance, more than 300 current Massachusetts massage license holders list Flushing, N.Y., as their home address. Law enforcement officials and experts have described Flushing as the hub of sex trafficking in the United States where young women enter the country and are then dispatched to other cities. The former massage board employee said the board did not single out these applicants for increased scrutiny because they felt that would be discriminatory.

A major sex trafficker convicted in Florida last year of operating illegal Asian massage parlors across the country has at least one licensed massage establishment in Massachusetts, according to federal court records. David C. Williams, who pleaded guilty in November to human trafficking, was cited in court records as associated with Braintree Massage, which operates on Commercial Street and is licensed by the state. Williams, prosecutors said, used other peoples names on official records to conceal his ownership.

A woman there answered the phone Hello? but didnt speak English and wouldnt take a message.

Even some women previously convicted of prostitution have valid Massachusetts massage licenses. Yu Yun Chen of Quincy, for example, was charged in 2013 with engaging in prostitution and operating an unlicensed massage business in Andover. Police said she ran a similar operation in Danvers. Chen admitted sufficient facts, akin to a guilty plea, in 2014 in Lawrence District Court and was placed on probation for six months. In 2017, she received a license from the state massage board, records show. Old misdemeanor convictions do not disqualify applicants for state licenses.

Earlier this month, the Division of Professional Licensure disciplined one employee. FeiYan Chen was suspended for three days for approving the licenses of applicants who claimed to have graduated from Axiom, according to records and a former DPL official.

In an e-mailed message, Chen said she would speak to her supervisor and the lawyer for the board before deciding whether to comment.

Records show Chen approved the applications of at least eight people who claimed to have graduated from Axiom, the now-closed school in Bergen, N.J. Its founder, Naresh Rane, pleaded guilty in 2018 in federal court in Newark to using interstate facilities to promote prostitution. He is currently awaiting sentencing. His lawyer, David A. Schwartz, declined to comment.

Rane sold fake school transcripts and graduation certificates for between $1,000 and $2,600 each, knowing that these documents would be used to facilitate the prostitution business," court records show. These documents enabled workers to obtain state massage licenses, which could be displayed at massage parlors offering prostitution services to create the appearance of legitimacy, prosecutors said.

In Massachusetts, most of the applicants claimed to have attended Axiom in 2015 or later although the school closed in 2014. Rane wrote a reference for one of the applicants.

The former massage board employee said the massage board also licensed therapists who graduated from other schools that had lost their accreditation, or were closed or unapproved. Sometimes required references were clearly fabricated, as well, claiming, I went to church with her in New York at a time when the applicant reported living in California, the employee said.

The federal probe comes as the Division of Professional Licensure is already facing heavy criticism for allowing applicants with long criminal records to obtain other types of state licenses. In December, the Globe reported that some dangerous sex offenders, including an electrician who served time for assaulting a boy he coached, and another electrician who served time for murder, were able to get electrician licenses.

There has to be some sort of vetting process that happens so people feel safe. Any breakdown in that chain causes a problem. Thats what were seeing now, said Senator Paul Feeney, chairman of the Joint Committee on Consumer Protection and Professional Licensure. The panel held a sometimes contentious hearing with DPL leaders in January after the Globe story.

Leadership of the division has changed substantially in recent weeks.

Bob Houston, a former FBI agent and an expert on human trafficking, said state licensing authorities could make it much more difficult for illicit massage spas to exist by doing thorough background checks, vetting bogus schools, and screening false certifications. If state law allows for regulatory mechanisms to halt the exploitation before the victim-worker ever gets to an illicit massage business, it is a tragedy if these tools are not being applied, said Houston, a partner in Washington D.C.-based Heyrick Research.

In Oxford, officials have tried to for years to regulate or close three local massage parlors, including one where they arrested a massage therapist for soliciting an undercover officer in 2010. The woman, Yim Wai Kuen, was charged with indecent assault and battery on a person over 14, a felony, and sexual conduct for a fee, a misdemeanor. She defaulted and a warrant was issued in 2011.

Oxford police say they would welcome a more vigilant massage board, or a new system of oversight, where cities and towns could also license or regulate massage businesses. The local bylaw, they said, should trump a state license.

Its a public safety nightmare, said Oxford police Lieutenant William Marcelonis. We dont even know their real names. Theyre being shipped in and shipped out.

We used to get on the girls for not having licenses, but then the state in their infinite wisdom decided to pass legislation that says theyre in charge of the licensing and theres nothing we can do to enforce it. So how effective do you think that might be?" he said.

Andrea Estes can be reached at andrea.estes@globe.com.

Excerpt from:
FBI investigating states licensing of massage therapists with fake credentials - The Boston Globe

There were stories about the founding of the State of Israel locked into the memories of people who lived locally as well.

I know that because I was honored to be able to tell a few of those stories.

Most but not all of the main characters in these stories have died, most of them after I talked to them, one long before I talked to his grandson. All the stories have been featured in the Jewish Standard.

Get The Jewish Standard Newsletter by email and never miss our top storiesFree Sign Up

On January 24, 2003, I wrote about Reuel Dankner, who lived in Fair Lawn then; the story was called Its been an amazing life. Mr. Dankner was born in 1922, in Westchester County, but his father had been born in Palestine. The family moved to Netanya when Reuel was 10.

On their first day, he said, the family took a bus to their temporary new home. The bus went from the paved road from Haifa to Tel Aviv. They transferred to another bus to go to Netanya, but after a few miles the bus got stuck in the sand. We all had to get out and push the bus. Our first day in Palestine!

Reuel Dankner

Mr. Dankner described playing baseball in the familys eventually long-term home in Petach Tikvah with a broomstick, and the gloves hed brought from his old home. Just having them made him the home-run king of Petach Tikvah.

At 12, he was recruited into the Haganah. You dont just ask to join. They recruit you, he said. He soon learned how to put a gun together blindfolded. His parents never knew.

The family gave up on Palestine life was hard there and went back to New York. Mr. Dankner joined the American Army in 1942; he did intelligence there, and used the Arabic that he spoke to pick up information in Casablanca. He was on Normandy Beach on D Day, he was at the Battle of the Bulge, he came back home and had a regular life.

In 1948, among other adventures, I was in Los Angeles I did take a load of guns and ammunition down to the Mexican border. He had to leave it there, though, as other people took it across the border and loaded it on ships for Israel. They had my record they knew I had been in the Palestinian underground.

Reuel Dankner died in 2005

In 2003, three local people were among the 70 given awards by the American Veterans for Israel; the awards, celebrated after the Salute to Israel parade, were distributed on board the Intrepid. I wrote about them in the June 13th issue that year, in a story called Steaming Toward Palestine:

Nathan Nadler

Nathan Nadler of Rutherford, born in Brooklyn in 1927, was drafted into the U.S. Army when he turned 18; he was sent to Munich, where he put his training as an electrician to use. After the wars end and his discharge, he saw newspaper ads for the Barney Ross Brigade of the American Free League for Palestine. He went to Union Square to find out about it, but left its office unimpressed. But, he said, As I was leaving, a young boy ran over to me, put a piece of paper in my hand with a penciled telephone number scribbled on it. If youre really interested, call this number, he said. The kid was about 14. He called, was asked to go to a townhouse on Fifth Avenue near the Metropolitan Museum of Art a mansion, he called it, probably accurately and was interviewed by someone who sat in the dark and aimed a flashlight at Mr. Nadler, so he was blinded by it. He never saw his interviewer, but the next day he got a call, telling him to go Pier 32 in Philadelphia. Theyll be expecting you, he was told. He went, boarded the President Warfield, and was gone. He was 20 years old.

The boat was renamed the Exodus.

Concentration camp survivors from DP camps line up in Sate as they prepare to board the Exodus.

After it got to the port of Sete, in France, 4,554 people, all survivors, boarded. The British dogged them for the entire journey to Palestine, refusing to let them off, fighting them when they tried to disembark. One of the crew, standing right next to Mr. Nadler, was killed. His name was Bill Bernstein. They clubbed him and he died, Mr. Nadler said.

He was injured, but he, like everyone else, kept fighting, but in the end they lost. The boat had to take its passengers back, and the only place that would take those passengers all Shoah survivors was a one-time German concentration camp.

Mr. Nadler, meanwhile, as a crew member, was on a prison ship in Marseilles; his leg had been badly wounded. I never made it to Palestine then, he said. Back in the States, he became an electrician.

Nathan Nadler died in 2012.

David Hanovice of Fort Lee was born in Tel Aviv, grew up in Houston, went back to Palestine, and then joined the U. S. Army and was based in the Middle East during World War II. After the war ended he went back to the United States, but in 1948, when Israel was attacked, he returned. He got on a ship in New Orleans, the Yucatan, destined for the Israeli navy. It was all illegal; he couldnt get a passport to Israel, because the U. S. government wasnt giving them, but as a sailor he didnt need one. And no one on the Yucatan told the government that the ship was going to Israel. That wasnt legal either. It was a mishmash of all kinds of deception, Mr. Hanovice said.

David Hanovice

He stayed in the Israeli navy for many years, became a commander, moved back to the United States, and became a chief engineer in the American merchant marine; his wife, Rose, was a nurse in the Israeli army.

David Hanovice died in 2009.

Naomi Kantey of Hackensack was born in Philadelphia in 1925; she was a fervent Zionist and a nurse in the Cadet Nurse Corp. Out of my class, two were selected by the Navy, and I was one of them, she said. The other nurse got sent to California; she went to Queens. The war ended just before her training did. But she knew that there was trouble in Palestine, she said. All of us of that generation were profoundly moved by the Holocaust. We thought about it all the time. That concern propelled her to Palestine but getting there wasnt easy.

Naomi Kantey

She was able to get a passport, but she needed a visa from the British government, and it was denied. I was so sure that I was going to get a visa, the consternation must have registered on my face, she said. The British official took pity on her and suggested that she go to the Jewish Agency. He even gave me their address.

When she got there, she was sent away, but later she got a visa or a vise she later realized that it was a forgery, complete with misspellings. But it got her to Haifa. She was a nurse, and that made her valuable.

At one point, she said, her passport vanished; later it reappeared, courtesy of the Mossad. That is why Ive never been surprised by anything the Mossad has done, she said.

She worked in many hospitals in Israel, and later came back to the United States, where she worked as a nurse in the Teaneck public school system for 21 years.

Naomi Kantey died in 2015.

In the January 9, 2015 issue, I wrote a story, Scheherazade in Cresskill, about Shlomo Lev.

Mr. Lev was born in Odessa in 1927; a natural storyteller and extraordinarily wild child. His adventures arent relevant here, and must have been horrific for his parents, but theyre great story fodder.

Shlomo Lev

In 1933, he and his family moved to Palestine, and Mr. Lev grew up in Givat Yam. He wanted to fight the Germans and tried to join the British army when he was 16 he was too young for that, but not for the British navy but instead he was being secretly recruited into the Palmach. It sounds like a good adventure, he said. After his stint there ended, he joined the Palyam, Palestines new navy. They smuggled immigrants from Europe into Palestine. There were more adventures. He fought the British until the State of Israel was established, and then he joined the new countrys merchant marine.

In 1954, the Egyptians captured his ship in the Suez Canal really, it is impossible to make Mr. Levs story short, its glory is in its meticulously delivered wild details and he and his shipmates were imprisoned. It is at this point in his story that Mr. Lev brought out the underpants that hed sewn for himself while he was in captivity, in possession of a needle, thread, and the remnants of a shirt made of fine Egyptian cotton, but underwear-less.

After some time he and his companions were released, he came back to the United States, had more adventures, and raised a family here.

I am thrilled to be able to report that Shlomo and Alma Lev are still living in Cresskill, and most likely Mr. Lev has even more stories to tell.

In our November 27, 2017 issue, Paul Caine of Tenafly told the story of his grandfather, Wolf Herman Silberstein, a New York City patrolman who was born in Brooklyn in 1906 and died in 1948.

Mr. Caine knew very little about his grandfather until recently the story I wrote, My grandfather did what?, is about what he learned. The way he uncovered it bears re-reading, but this is the gist of it: His grandfather, working with another Jewish NYPD cop, Leon Katz, were helping the Jews in mandatory Palestine. As I put it in that story, quoting a story in the Jerusalem Post, Mr. Katz, another former New York City policeman and a onetime inspector general of the citys prisons, who made aliyah in 1981, talked about how he put together a group of other city cops who had, not to put too fine a point on it, smuggled guns to mandatory Palestine as it fought for freedom from the British.

Wolf Herman Silberstein

The story described not only how Mr. Silberstein and Mr. Katz stored the guns, but also how they sweet-talked the FBI into letting them go. Other NYC police brass knew about the gun-running, Mr. Caine said, but they liked Mr. Silberstein and Mr. Katz; moreover, because most of them were Irish and sympathetic to the struggles against the Brits, they had sympathy for the cause as well.

When Mr. Silberstein died, he was honored with a blue funeral, as an ocean of uniformed NYPD cops stood shoulder to shoulder at the Shomrim Societys cemetery in Queens.

There probably are many other stories of local people who were involved in Palestines struggle to become Israel or in Israels first years. Some might come from the people who were there; by now probably many more would come from their children or grandchildren. We would love to hear those stories. If you have any to tell, please email me at joanne@psfam.org.

Read more:
Stories from the Jewish Standard about Israel's first years - The Jewish Standard

John Bisset/Stuff

Police are investigating the death of a Brazilian man in Southland on Friday.

Police are still trying to piece together how aBrazilian man living in Southland died.

Honorary Consul for BrazilAna CristinaTurnbull confirmed that the man was JoelPalmeira.

Altitude Resurfacinggeneral manager Shaun McGowan saidthe incident that claimed the life of Palmeiraon Friday was a tragic accident.

Palmeira, who was a father of two, went missing on theWaiau Rivernear Lake Monowai at 6.50pm.

A police Search and Rescue team found his body four hours later.

READ MORE:* Brazillian man dies on southern river* Southland Brazilians mourn the loss of community member* Family of fugitive found dead in Taranaki creek still seeking answers over his death

A police spokesperson said itwasstill unclear how Palmeira died, butthe case had been referred to the Coroner.

Turnbull said the man was working in NewZealand as an electrician.

She said his employer had notified the Embassy of Brazil of his death and had offered their assistance to his family.

"Altitude Resurfacing wishes to express its heartfelt condolences to the family of one of our valued team memberswho tragically lost his life in a recreational accident last week," McGowan wrote in a statement to Stuff.

He said it was a "sad and shocking time for the victim's family" and his team.

The incident happened during an after-hours social event.

"After finishing work for the day on February 21, the team took a well-earned opportunity to socialise together in the afternoon," McGowan said.

"He was a well-loved member of our team, whose contributions on both professional and personal levels were greatly appreciated by everyone at Altitude Resurfacing. We will all miss him," McGowan said.

He said the company was supporting Palmeira'sfamily "as much as we can" and had offered to contribute towards the cost of transporting his body back to Brazil.

A Facebook fundraising page had been set up by friendson Saturday to help withtransportation.

The page had raised$13,686by Wednesday morning.

Palmeirais believed to be an active member of the Southland Brazilian community.

The Southland Multicultural Society has postponed itsBrazilian Day event, which was scheduled to take place at Southern Institute of Technologyon Saturday.

McGowan also said Altitude Resurfacing had made arrangements to ensure its staff had access to support services during "this deeply sad time".

Read the original here:
Employer of a Brazilian man who died in 'tragic accident' says he was a well-loved team member - Stuff.co.nz

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9 for renovations.

Portland Library to close for up to 8 weeks for renovations

PORTLAND - The Portland Public Library will close for six to eight weeks beginning on March 9.

The closure will allow a contractor to re-do portions of the library, as part of the $358,000 renovation of the 37-year-old building.

Even though the library will be closed, Library Director Janet Nocek said some activities will be held there, while others will take place in the nearby Senior Center.

The overhaul of the library will focus on improving the facility in terms of accessibility, service provision and energy efficiency, Nocek said in a statement.

Closing the library should make the project go faster - and go more smoothly, Nocek said in subsequent interview. Were certainly anticipating that the ambiance will be improved, and that the library will be made accessible to all.

Much of the work will involve efforts to make the building more accessible to people with either physical or mental disabilities or a combination of both, Nocek said.

Were trying mightily to remove those things that may be a barrier to our patrons, she said.

The project will involve providing more accommodating seating for members of the aging populations, as well as those with joint issues, she said.

This accommodating seating will be located in browsing areas and near displays of interest to visually impaired residents, Nocek said.

To further serve residents with physical disabilities, the library is installing tables of adjustable height, she said.

New lighting will be installed both at a new and updated service desk as well as in areas of adult browsing, Nocek said.

The lighting will serve to improve usability as well as being more energy efficient, she said.

The library also is addressing the desire of residents who want to use charging stations for mobile devices while reducing or eliminating the problems that can create.

At present, a number of patrons place cords in walkways to meeting roomsand use chairs as tables to get closer to an outlet.

However, in doing so, they create obstacles of wheel-bound persons and tripping hazards for others, Nocek said.

One of the main reasons the library will be closed is because the contractor is tearing up the existing carpet.

New carpet will be installed in the public areas, Nocek said.

Doing so will yield a number of benefits, she said.

It will provide better sound absorption. Color-coded layout of pathways will provide guidance in navigating the library for those with certain cognitive and visual challenges, Nocek said.

The project is being funded by a combination of sources, including a $108,400 grant from the Connecticut State Library, and $250,000 from the Endowment Fund.

It comes amid a surge in efforts to adjust and expand the library experience for residents of the region.

Just last week, Cromwell re-dedicated its library following a $3.2 million renovation and expansion.

And both the Russell Library in Middletown and the East Hampton Public Library have embarked on developing long-term strategic plans.

See more here:
Portland Library to close for up to 8 weeks for renovations - Middletown Press

Keeping up a house takes work. Keeping up a riverfront structure that houses ballrooms, exhibit halls and meeting rooms for hundreds of events and thousands of visitors takes even more work.

Add hurricane-related damage to that, and the workload increases exponentially. That is the reason the Wilmington City Council unanimously approved $1.9 million for repairs to the Wilmington Convention Center.Hurricane Florence inundated the area with record-setting rainfall in 2018, and it caused extensive damage to homes and other structures, including the convention center.The total convention center project, according to city staff, will cost $2.7 million. The city received $763,610 from FEMA funding, and insurance provided $25,463. The remaining funds will come from the Convention Center Fund.The $1.9 million includes roof repair, siding and major structural repairs that have to be done, Convention Center General Manager Fredia Brady said. Some of it has to do with general upkeep of the building, also.The Wilmington Convention Center first opened its doors in November 2010, so it was anticipated that maintenance would be needed to account for wear and tear of the facility, according to Mayor Bill Saffo.The fund created took into account that we would have to do general updating every 10 years or so, and we are getting more conventions, more conferences, more people coming, Saffo said.The project has been divided into two phases. The first phase is an architectural assessment, which has already been completed, and the second phase is the repairs, which are now in progress.One of the major repairs needed to the building includes the outside siding where water leaked behind and seeped inside damaging walls, floors and ceilings.The interior work is in progress and is set to be completed by the end of February.Refurbishing and redoing what needs to be done is expected on a 10- year basis. Repainting and installing new carpets is important for general upkeep of a facility that receives as much traffic as the convention center does, Saffo said.With about 75,000 attendees each year, the 10-year-old building has seen its share of wear and tear over the course of the past decade. Given that the event space is solidly booked most months, it can be difficult for construction crews to get in to make repairs.A reprieve in January allowed an opportunity to take care of some of the much-needed work.Water damaged its terrazzo floors, so convention center officials took advantage of the downtime and blocked out two weeks to get those resurfaced and sealed with a protective coating. Having to work around a busy event schedule, other repairs required careful planning and coordination in order to complete.In November and December, we didnt have any non-event days, Brady said. January was light, but now its February, and weve hit the ground running.Carpets and fabric paneling were replaced in three meeting rooms, all of which had seen hurricane water damage. New carpets were also installed in the ticket office and other administrative offices, and drywall and baseboards have been replaced and painting was completed throughout the space.Carpet has to be consistent from meeting room to meeting room, Brady explained.Both the main ballroom and junior ballroom are set to have carpets replaced and ceiling damage repaired.Exterior work has begun and a November completion is planned.The city has done a really good job studying and looking into how water was getting in and making sure it was fixed and preventing future damage, Brady said.The majority of the recent issues occurred on the north side of the building, which was exposed to extensive water damage during Hurricane Florence. An important component to the repairs is working to mitigate damage from future storms.With the siding, most of the money will go to figure out how to prevent water from getting in there again, Brady said. The city has been really smart about it.The heating, ventilation and air conditioning unit is in need of repair, as well as the gutters and downspouts on the exhibit hall roof that need to be installed.Another much-needed renovation on the north side of the building is the veranda that has been closed to foot traffic as a safety measure.The veranda has separated from the building, so that will be fixed, Brady said. It is not currently open to pedestrians until it is fixed, which will be over the next several months.The roof of the convention center is another concern.It is possible the entire roof will need to be replaced, but that will be several months down the road, Brady said.In addition to physical changes at the convention center, the facilitys management company, SMG, recently combined with AEG Facilities to create a new, stand-alone, global facility management and venue services company, ASM Global, according to a news release.ASM is headquartered in Los Angeles with key operations based in West Conshohocken, Pensylvania, a suburb of Philadelphia. The company also has corporate offices in London; Manchester, England; Brisbane, Australia; and Sao Paulo, Brazil.The Wilmington Convention Center is the largest convention center on the North Carolina coast, and is continuing to grow with many conventions choosing Wilmington over nearby Myrtle Beach.The new Aloft Coastline Hotel with 125 guest rooms could be open this year and will increase the capacity to bring in even larger groups for the convention center.It is imperative that we keep our convention center up to date, refurbished and looking good, Saffo said. Tourism is a top industry in our area, employing over 6,000 people, and it is important for us to have an upgraded and very good convention center here.The increased business at the convention center is an asset to the Wilmington area, so any upgrades are considered investments in the city itself.The mission of the convention center was to bring in people, support hospitality, support businesses, and it is doing that, Saffo said. The convention center is a very important economic development tool for our community.

Read more:
Center of attention - Greater Wilmington Business Journal