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Its hard to keep up with national politics these days no less whats happening in your state and local governments.Now,try to think back to everything thats happened in state politics since 2009.

It was a major political decade in Minnesota,and believe it or not,some of the stories here rival the intrigue coming out of Washington,D.C.,every day.

From the longest government shutdown in state history to the rise and fall of some of the states most prominent politicians,here are the top stories in state politics between 2009 and 2019,listed in somewhat chronological order:

Then-Gov. Tim Pawlenty discussed the Minnesota Supreme Court's ruling regarding the unallotment case in May 2010.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2010

Back in the summer of 2009,after lawmakers went home for the year,former Republican Gov.Tim Pawlenty wielded a little-known executive power to unilaterally cut or shift $2.7 billion from the state budget.

Democrats who controlled the House and Senate were furious,arguing Pawlenty used the power to cut spending out of the budget they sent him because he didnt want to sign a tax bill they also sent him to pay for it.The Supreme Court ultimately ruled his use of unallotment was improper,with Pawlentys former law partner and Supreme Court pick Eric Magnuson authoring the deciding opinion against him.

Then-Republican Senate Majority Leader Amy Koch spoke to reporters at a news conference in June 2011.

Tom Scheck | MPR News 2011

The tea party wave in 2010 helped deliver a majority to Republicans in the state House and Senate for the first time since the modern day state Republican Party was designated back in the 1970s.

It gave them the power to shape state policy and budgets for the first time in decades,but there was a big caveat:The first Democratic governor in decades,Mark Dayton,was also elected that year and would repeatedly clash with their agenda.

The grounds of the Minnesota State Capitol in St. Paul remained quiet in July 2011 as the state government shutdown continued.

Nikki Tundel | MPR News 2011

One of Dayton and the Republican-controlled Legislatures biggest disagreements was over the states two-year budget in 2011 and how to close a multibillion-dollar budget deficit.

They couldnt agree to a deal by the end of session in May or by June 30,the end of the fiscal year and the constitutional deadline to pass a balanced budget.State government shut down the next day and stayed shut down for 20 days,easily the longest government shutdown in state history.

Republican state Sen. Amy Koch resigned as majority leader in 2011 after revelations of an affair with a subordinate.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2011

The tea party wave also brought a rising star lawmaker into the spotlight.Then-Republican Sen.Amy Koch orchestrated her partys takeover of the chamber and was elected Senate majority leader for her efforts the first woman in state history to ever hold that position.

But one year later,Kochs political rise came to an abrupt halt when four male colleagues held a press conference without her to reveal she had an affair with a subordinate.She resigned as majority leader the next day and didnt seek reelection the next cycle.

Her subordinate,Michael Brodkorb,was fired by the Senate,kicking off a wrongful termination lawsuit in which he argued he was treated differently than female staffers who had relationships with male elected officials.He threatened to bring those relationships to light,but never did,eventually settling with the Senate for $30,000.

Minnesota Vikings owner Zygi Wilf spoke at a news conference after Minneapolis was selected as the host for 2018 Super Bowl at the NFL's spring meetings in May 2014 in Atlanta.

David Goldman | AP 2014

It was hard to believe the Republican-led Legislature and Dayton could agree on anything,no less a $1 billion new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings that required hundreds of millions of dollars in public subsidy.But they struck a deal in 2012,ending a more than decadelong saga to get the stadium built.

It was a session full of twists and turns,from the defeat of the stadium bill in a key House committee to its unlikely revival in the final days of session.

Demonstrators on both sides of the issue gathered outside the Minnesota House chamber to greet lawmakers as they arrived to take up the same-sex marriage bill at the State Capitol in May 2013.

Jim Mone | AP Photo 2013

While Dayton vetoed many Republican priorities,they were able to bypass him and put two proposed constitutional amendments on the 2012 ballot:a photo ID requirement to vote and a ban on gay marriage (it was already banned in state law).

Democrats launched massive campaigns to defeat the amendments,which voters ultimately did.It was no easy feat:Polling leading all the way up to Election Day showed both amendments had enough support to pass.

The 2012 election also swept Democrats into control of the Legislature and all of state government.By May,theyd flipped the debate from constitutionally banning gay marriage to a successful push to make Minnesota the 12th state in the nation to allow same-sex couples to marry.

Then-MNsure Chair Brian Beutner, left, listened as interim CEO Scott Leitz spoke during a press conference in December 2013 in Minneapolis. Leitz took over after the resignation of April Todd-Malmlov, who faced criticism over complications with insurance sign-ups under the federal health care law.

Glen Stubbe | The Star Tribune via AP 2013

MNsure,MNLARS?Those two government-run IT projects consumed much of the Capitols limited oxygen supply for the better part of the last decade,with technical glitches,cost overruns and long delays for Minnesotans either trying to buy health insurance or update their vehicle tabs and registration.

The MNsure insurance exchange is running more smoothly now,and MNLARS has now been scrapped for VTRS Vehicle Title and Registration System which lawmakers hope wont have the same problems when its rolled out.

Master stone carver Mark Wickstrom selected a tool while working on exterior restoration at the State Capitol in St. Paul in April 2015.

Jeffrey Thompson | MPR News 2015

It started more than a dozen years ago as a $100,000 study to explore the restoration needs on the inside of the Minnesota Capitol.But it ballooned into a $310 million project to revive dulled murals,fix plaster work,install massive slabs of marble to fix the crumbling exterior and rewire the entire structure to make it a modern workspace.

It took years and shut down most of the building during that time,but the idea was to restore the more than 100-year-old building for the next 100 years to come.

In 2017, Minnesota lawmakers scrapped a ban on Sunday liquor sales.

George Dornbach | MPR News 2017

It only took 159 years,but in 2017,Minnesota lawmakers scrapped a ban on selling alcohol on Sundays.Before that,the Sunday liquor sales debate was a perennial issue at the Capitol,making strange bedfellows of Republicans and Democrats who routinely defeated it over religious objections and opposition from liquor stores,who liked not being open on Sundays.

Education Minnesota President Denise Specht joined other groups urging Dayton budget vetoes in May 2017.

Brian Bakst | MPR News 2017

After another messy end to the 2017 legislative session,Dayton zeroed out the Legislatures $130 million operating budget at the same time he signed the rest of the states two-year budget.

It was a final attempt to get lawmakers to renegotiate some tax breaks and teacher licensure provisions they disagreed on,but the Legislature didnt bite.Instead,they sued the governor arguing he violated the Constitutions separation of powers between the Legislative and executive branches.A lower court agreed,but the Minnesota Supreme Court ultimately upheld Daytons veto.

Sen. Al Franken, center, held hands with his wife, Franni Bryson, as he left the Capitol after speaking on the Senate floor in December 2017 in Washington. Franken announced his resignation following a wave of sexual misconduct allegations and a collapse of support from his Democratic colleagues.

Jacquelyn Martin | AP 2017

Allegations of sexual harassment and assault were sweeping up prominent people in the media and politics across the country in 2017,and by late fall,two state legislators resigned amid allegations of repeated inappropriate behavior toward women in politics.

Their stories revealed a broader culture of sexual harassment in workplaces,including the state and national capitols.In Washington,D.C.,Minnesota U.S.Sen.Al Franken was also facing a string of allegations of unwanted groping and forcible kissing.After pressure from his Senate colleagues,he resigned from office in December 2017.

Then-Republican gubernatorial candidates Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson, left, and former Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty at MPR News in August 2018.

Evan Frost | MPR News 2018

Frankens resignation in the middle of his term set off a stunning series of events.It triggered a law that allowed Dayton to appoint his replacement Lt.Gov.Tina Smith until the next general election,which triggered a different constitutional provision requiring the Senate president take over as lieutenant governor.

But there was one problem:The Senate president was Republican Michelle Fischbach,who wasnt exactly thrilled about leaving the chamber to serve alongside a Democratic governor.The Senate fought back in court,but the case ultimately went unresolved.

Fischbach announced shortly after session ended that she would,in fact,take over the lieutenant governor job and leave the Senate.Why?She later became the lieutenant governor candidate alongside Pawlenty as he attempted an executive branch comeback.

Minnesota Republicans took control of part or all of the Legislature for most of the last decade,and in 2018,they flipped two Greater Minnesota seats from Democrat to Republicans.But the party hasn't won a single statewide office since 2006,when Pawlenty was elected to a second term as governor.

Twice,the Republican Party picked Hennepin County Commissioner Jeff Johnson as their gubernatorial candidate,only to have him lose handily twice.It's a concerning streak for party operatives,who worry the voting power of the Twin Cities and suburban communities could lock them out of that office for decades to come.

See the article here:
Decade's dozen: The top 12 Minnesota politics stories of the past 10 years - Minnesota Public Radio News

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund submitted more than 200,000 signatures to the Colorado Secretary of State's office in favor of reintroducing gray wolves. If enough are validated, the petition will become a 2020 ballot initiative.

Colorado might be getting a little more populated in 2023.

On Tuesday morning, the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund (RMWAF) handed over 211,093 signatures to the Colorados Secretary of States office in support of a petition to reintroduce gray wolves in Colorado. The signatures, which have been collected across the state since June, will take 30 calendar days to be validated by Secretary of State Jena Griswolds office. If enough are validated (124,632 are required), the petition will become an initiative on the 2020 statewide ballot.

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The Rocky Mountain Wolf Projectand the Rocky Mountain Wolf Action Fund started gathering signatures this past summer with the help of nonprofits like Defenders of Wildlife, the Wild Foundation, and the Endangered Species Coalition, in the hopes of adding wolves back into Colorados natural landscape.

Delivering these signatures is the first step toward restoring an interconnected population of wolves that stretches from the high Arctic southward to the Mexican border, bringing back a true American species, Joanna Lambert, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Boulder and a member of the Rocky Mountain Wolf Project, said at a press conference.

The Rocky Mountain Wolf Project works to educate the public about wolf ecology and behavior in the hopes of restoring wolf populations back in Colorado. Gray wolves have been roaming the wild lands of North America for almost a million years. Yet, sometime early in the 1940s, Colorados last wolf howled its very last howl, Lambert said. Our best peer-reviewed science tells us that native species like wolves are essential to the delicate balance of species, species interactions, and ecosystem health.

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the Colorado Farm Bureau, the Colorados Cattlemen Association, and the Colorado Wool Growers Association all openly oppose the initiative making the 2020 ballot. Many organizations have joined the Stop the Wolf Coalition which is made up of sportsmen, farmers and ranches, and individuals who are concerned about wolf reintroduction in Colorado.

The signatures, which were originally due by December 13, are expected to be validated by the Secretary of States office by January 9. If enough are verified, the petition will be the first time in U.S. history that a restoration initiative of an endangered species will be decided by voters. If Coloradans vote in favor of reintroducing wolves, Colorado Parks and Wildlife would take over implementation and management. And by 2023, Colorado could be home to 2030 gray wolves.

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By restoring wolves, our state can serve as a model of what good stewardship of public lands and wild landscapes looks like.

Victoria manages the social media accounts for both 5280 and 5280 Home and identifies opportunities for growth and engagement. She also writes and edits stories for 5280.com.

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Wolf Reintroduction Is One Step Closer to Becoming a Reality - 5280 | The Denver Magazine

The winners were:

2019 Manufacturing Business Excellence GSM Filtration

2019 Marketing Business Excellence Beyond Engagement

2019 New Business Excellence The Salt Oasis Kingsport

2019 Retail Business Excellence Duke & Fox

2019 Woman-Owned Business Excellence Flight Athletic Academy

2019 Service Business Excellence Appalachian Maid Services

2019 Construction Business Excellence Patterson Homes

2019 Innovation Business Excellence ActionVFX

2019 Food Business Excellence The Main Street Pizza Company

2019 Pillar of Excellence Hunter, Smith & Davis

2019 Young Entrepreneur Business Excellence ARO Creative

2019 Gazelle Business Excellence Mycroft Signs

2019 Veteran-Owned - Rowan Tree Care

More than 300 business leaders and entrepreneurs showed up for the awards gala held at the MeadowView Marriott, including all of Pals operators. The Pals organization was on hand to witness an honored guest, Hal Carmack. Carmack was presented with a special Hidden Gem Award, for his significant but quiet contributions including designing and building 26 of Pals distinctive hot-dog-shaped restaurants.

Don Royston received the 2019 IMPACT Award. Royston is well-known for his role as Santa Claus aboard the Santa Train. Royston was one of the original founding fathers who helped create KOSBE. Royston was also recently recognized with the prestigious Lifetime Member Award during the State of the Kingsport Chamber Holiday Breakfast.

Taylors Martial Arts Academy received a $1,000 cash prize for their efforts and results while participating in KOSBEs new Propel Mentor/Protg Program. The Propel program is a one-of-its-kind opportunity designed for woman-, veteran-, and minority-owned small businesses and disadvantaged businesses including rural, economic, or social disadvantage. The program provides business owners with one-on-one assistance to help them grow their business, and teams them up with a mentor (an established community business leader) and exclusive mastermind group.

The award winners represent the best of the best small businesses in the region, said Dustin Mohr, KOSBE chair-elect and chief operating officer at Martin Dentistry. In an environment that is increasingly competitive, we have recognized the leading businesses and individuals that have impacted the small business community, the city of Kingsport, and beyond.

The nominations, representing 46 businesses and eight individuals, were judged by an independent jury of industry experts. To maintain the integrity and quality of the competition, no staff from the Kingsport Chamber, nor KOSBE was part of the selection process.

About The KOSBEs

The KOSBEs promote economic impact by recognizing small businesses that are leading by example and making an extraordinary contribution to the communities they do business in. The winners exemplify leadership and excellence in overcoming adversity, and a passion for helping others succeed. Award winners serve as inspirational leaders to other local small businesses, and they model best practices that will progress the region as a whole. For a complete list of past winners, visitwww.kosbeawards.org.

About KOSBE

The mission of KOSBE is to be the go-to organization in the area for small business owners and entrepreneurs who want to start or grow their business, by creating and developing the right tools and resources and cultivating the right partnerships. For more information, call (423) 392-8811, or visitwww.kosbe.org.

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Who are this year's KOSBE Award winners? - Kingsport Times News

Bengaluru-based MyGate has reached over 5,000 communities since its launch three years ago and plans to take that number past 30,000 by the end of next year

December12, 20195 min read

You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media.

With rising urbanization, gated communities are increasingly becoming a norm. These communitieswhile ensuring a plethora of additional perks for little extra costpromise security for residents. But as communities grow, it is important to ask: Are security measures keeping up?

When Vijay Arisetty moved out of the Indian Air Force nearly ten years ago following a shoulder dislocation, he thought moving to such a community would give his family the same kind of security that they are used to.

But, you know, aspirations are always much higher than the ground reality, he says.

That was the idea behind MyGate, a Bengaluru-based start-up whose sole aim is to make gated communities safer.

Analyzing the market, Arisetty found that residential real estate was growing rapidly, with most of it coming via the private sector. And of those, very few were individual houses. The trend, already prevalent in tier I cities, has slowly moved to tier II and tier III as well.

The reason, says Arisetty, is people are aspiring for additional luxuries such as a swimming pool, something that they may not be able to afford individually.

And with technology bringing everything from food to medicines to the doorstep through a click, it has subsequently resulted in an increased number of visitors to communities.

As a result, residents also end up interacting with the security personnel multiple times a day.

The processes at the gate have become much more cumbersome and the security guards with their existing skills were not able to perform this job, Arisetty explains.

After zeroing in on these gaps, he went to Shreyans Daga, a friend from a business school with a background in technology, and Abhishek Kumar, who was a colleague of Arisetty during his stint at Goldman Sachs. Both of them agreed to come on-board almost instantly, he says.

Very little has changed in the product since they first launched in 2016, according to Arisetty.

MyGate gives a mobile device to security personnel at the gate, where they only have to input numbers. The simplicity makes sure that even those who are not tech-savvy would be able to use the system conveniently.

There are different modules on the platform, with a separate one each for those who visit the apartments for daily chores, delivery executives and relatives.

For example, if a maid works at a few houses at a gated community, they would need to get their profiles uploaded into the system and would have a six-digit code. Every time they enter, they would have to give the code to the guard at the gate, who would then enter it into his device.

The residents who have employed the maid would then get a notification on their mobile app.

The convenience doesn't stop there. In a scenario where a maid is absent, residents have the choice of seeing the other maids who work at the same society, contact them and avail their services for the given day.

Over time, MyGate has integrated delivery apps such as Swiggy and Zomato into the system, making those transactions more seamless. After an order is placed and a delivery executive is assigned, the resident gets a notification from the MyGate app. Once they approve, the executive is let in.

The company has also added features such as paying monthly dues to the apartment association or those who do daily chores directly through the app.

For us, the initial days were really difficult, says Arisetty.

Considering how the gate is such a complex place where multiple things happen, people were unwilling to believe that such a simple solution could work.

To set the ball rolling, they installed the product for free at three gated communities with roughly 3,000 houses across Bengaluru.

What happened is, when it was being used by these 3,000 houses, there were 6,000 guests coming to these houses on a daily basis. They used to see this and they used to go back to their communities and say that why don't you install MyGate, Arisetty says.

The growth has been exponential since. From 40 communities in 2017, MyGate is now used in more than 5,000 communities in 11 cities. Arisetty says they expect the number to reach 30,000 by the end of next year.

So, has there been a point when they realized that they made it?

He says it was about two years ago, when underground internet cables got cut in Chennai due to a cyclone and MyGate went down for two hours. Around 40 per cent of our user base reached out to us that MyGate is not working and that was like, you know, yes, people are not able to live without MyGate.

The company raised an $8.7 million series A round in October last year from Bengaluru-based venture capital firm Prime Venture Partners and followed that up with a $56 million series B round two months ago, which saw participation from Tiger Global and Chinas Tencent Holdings.

MyGate has always been profitable on a unit economics basis, and thats something which has also contributed to investors believing in their business, says Arisetty.

According to Arisetty, 70-80 per cent of their growth over the next year will come from the 11 cities that they are already present in, with the rest from some tier II locations that they are looking to enter.

We want to go a little bit deeper into each of the cities and then probably move out, he says.

The company is also focused on making the technology better, bringing down the time it takes for a visitor to check in. Currently, it takes a visitor at the gate 20 seconds on average and the company aims to get that down to two seconds.

It's like you ring a calling bell, the bell should ring. It has to be that real time.

See the article here:
Live In a Gated Community? This Start-Up Is Making It Safer - Entrepreneur

Picture used for illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: Supplied

Dubai: Whether you are a working parent, a stay-at-home mum or dad or an entrepreneur, the UAE's lifestyle can be exhausting. The work hours are long, commute can be long too because of peak hour traffic and most houses have a nuclear family set up. In such situations,getting help at home, whether through a maid to look after your household chores or a nanny to provide childcare services, can make a world of difference. However, there are strict regulations governing the hiring of domestic workers in the UAE. It is important to know the dos and donts in such relationships as well as your rights and the rights of the domstic worker.

So, if you are on the hunt for that perfect family support staff, here is how you can start the process.

Before you begin, ask yourself exactly what you are looking for. It is helpful to ask the following questions:

Once you have answered these questions, the next steps become easier.

Part-time maid or nanny

If you want a part-time help, you need to get in touch with the many maid services in the UAE. This can be an expensive option, with many maid services charging Dh100-150 for four hours of service but it is a great option to consider if you only need help at home occasionally. The charges can be higher if you want the maid to bring her own supplies.

There are no documents or registration required if you choose to hire part-time maids from registered companies as the companies manage their workers' employment processes.

However, it is important to only deal with legitimate businesses and steer clear of any agents who promise part-time househelp without being registered with the relevant local authorities.

To verify that the company you are dealing with is registered with the economic department, you can search for the company on the Abu Dhabi Economic department website hereand the Dubai Economic Department website here.

Full-time maid or nanny

Before you know the processes and options available to you as a UAE resident to get a maid or nanny, it is important to know about the agencies and ministry that oversees the hiring and regulation of domestic workers in the UAE.

What is Tadbeer?

Tadbeer service centers are licensed by the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MOHRE). The centers provide integrated services to recruit and employ domestic workers. The centers are available across the UAE and offer various options for families. Whether you want Tadbeer to provide a maid, with all the government paperwork taken care of by the centre, or you already have someone in mind who you would like to sponsor, Tadbeer provides various packages based on your needs.

You can visit any of their centres in the UAE, a list is provided here.

However, these centres are not iterconnected, which means that if you wish to apply for your maid or nanny's visa through Tadbeer, you will need to contact a specific centre to find out what their requirements, fees and processes are. These can vary as Tadbeer has collaborated with other companies that operate the individual centres. So, the packages and offers you get at one centre may not necessarily be the same as another centre.

If you want a full-time house help or nanny, do you want to have her living at your home or outside? The two options are referred to as live-in or live-out. Whichever option makes more sense to you and your family, you will then have several ways of selecting the right person:

Once you have met the right candidate, the next step is getting the necessary paperwork in place, so that they are a legal worker in the country. If you want to get the maid or nanny on your own visa,you have two options

Process to bring a maid or nanny on your own sponsorship

1. If you wish to sponsor a maid on your visa, you need to take the following documents to a typing centre:

a. Tenancy contract for a two bedroom apartment, with maid's room or a three bedroom apartment. Requirements can change, so speak to your typing centre to find out what the minimum requirements are.

b. Salary certificate, showing a minimum salary of Dh10,000.

d. Passport and visa copy

f. Maid passport copy maid photo

g. If the maid or nanny is a national of the same country, you need to get a certificate from the countrys consulate proving you are not related.

If the maid is not in the country, she will require an entry permit to enter the country. This can incur additional costs. Once she is in the country, you need to apply for the medical fitness test, health insurance and Emirates ID processes. The total cost can range from Dh7,000-Dh10,0000, depending on the company you are dealing with.

The visa is valid for one year.

2. In the UAE,Tadbeer is authorised by MOHRE to deal with domestic worker visas. If you wish to get a maid or nanny from Tadbeer, you can do that through their Tadbeer two-year visa service. However, as mentioned earlier, you will need to contact a specific centre to find out what their requirements, fees and processes are. However,there are some aspects and payments that you will need to pay regardless of which centre you approach:

a. the visa processing fees (some centres do not include medical insurance in this amount, so always make sure you check which services are covered)

b.the maid's monthly salary

c. monthly service charges for Tadbeer

d. return ticket every two years.

You can either get the maid under your sponsorship, or she can be under Tadbeer's sponsorship, with a contract between you and Tadbeer that the worker will only work for your household.

Under your sponsorship, you have the ability to set the salary that suits you and the house help. However, each country has independent regulations regarding minimum salary and other criteria such as age. These will be provided by the typing centres or Tadbeer centres.

Single males are not allowed to sponsor maids.

If you do not have a maid or nanny that you already know of, you can approach Tadbeer centres and meet with the candidates they have. This can be a more expensive option but comes with several guarantees. There is no downpayment requried and families need to visit a Tadbeer office with their passport and visa copy and Emirates ID. Once you meet a maid that you like, you simply need to provide post-dated cheques for 24 months, for the two years the maid will be with you.

If you are not satisfied with the maid, the agency allows for a change of four maids in the span of two years.

Families are required to provide food and accomodation to the maid, while Tadbeer manages their salary payment, medical testing and insurance costs, Emirates ID and air ticket costs.

What are their rights?

As per UAE law, domestic workers are entitled to the following:

What not to do...

Whether you are looking for a part-time or a full-time house maid, make sure you deal with registered companies, who send maids on an hour-based system.

Residents hiring illegal housemaids are fined up to Dh50,000 as per the UAE lawwhich stipulates that maids should be sponsored by them or by recruiters. Depending on the case, offenders not only face fines but also deportation.

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How to find a maid or a nanny in the UAE? - Gulf News

By Thomas Harrigan

December 12, 2019

The Giants announced new dimensions for Oracle Park's outfield on Thursday as part of their plan to revamp the park for the 2020 season, which includes relocating the bullpens from foul territory to their new home behind the center-field wall.

Left-center field will move from 404 feet to 399 feet, center field will move from 399 feet to 391 feet, and "Triples Alley" in right-center field will move from 421 feet to 415 feet. The new center-field wall will be seven feet high instead of eight.

The bullpens, which had been located in foul territory since the stadium first opened in 2000, will be placed to the left and right of The Garden at Oracle Park. The Giants shared renderings of how the new bullpens will look on Thursday.

Fans will have a direct view from The Garden into the Giants' bullpen, and two new standing room terraces will be constructed next to the bleachers in left- and right-center field. The terraces will offer views of the playing field and into the bullpens.

The new dimensions could help increase the offensive output at home for the Giants, who went 35-46 while averaging only 3.35 runs per game at Oracle Park this past season, compared to 5.02 runs per game on the road. San Francisco ranked last in the National League with 63 home runs and 271 runs scored at home.

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Giants to move in outfield fences in 2020 - MLB.com

IFC'S "BROCKMIRE" SWINGS FOR THE FENCES IN ITS FOURTH AND FINAL SEASON PREMIERING IN MARCH 2020

HANK AZARIA-LED SERIES WELCOMES BACK SERIES ALL-STARS AMANDA PEET, TYREL JACKSON WILLIAMS AND KATIE FINNERAN

Reina Hardesty (The Flash) Joins the Cast

First Look Photo of Hank Azaria and Amanda Peet

NEW YORK - December 12, 2019 - IFC announced today that the fourth and final season of its critically-acclaimed series Brockmire starring Hank Azaria will premiere in March 2020. Returning for the series' final season are Amanda Peet, Tyrel Jackson Williams and Katie Finneran. Additionally, Reina Hardesty (The Flash) has joined the series' line-up for the final eight episodes.

Said Executive Producer and star Hank Azaria, "I really loved this season in several very right and a few very wrong ways. I hope you will too."

Jim Brockmire commented: "Making this show has been one of the top 7 joys of my life. Others include: that time by the swings with this guy Phil; my visit to the belt factory; my childhood days on the carrot farm; every time I finish a pancake challenge; that moment when you pass a porta potty and it really stinks then finally you get far enough away from it where you don't smell it anymore and just normal air seems like sweet, sweet perfume to you."

IFC Executive Director Blake Callaway added, "From the beginning, Brockmire was conceived as a four-season story, and we are so proud to see it written and produced to its creative conclusion. Blazers off to the amazing crew, our fantastic partners at Funny Or Die, and the incredible cast, especially the incomparable Hank Azaria, who lives, sleeps and breaths Jim Brockmire, as well as Amanda Peet who makes an indelible contribution to the show as Jules, and Tyrel Jackson-Williams who completely shines as Charles. Fans and critics alike will love watching how the story ends."

"It's hard to believe that Jim Brockmire first entered our lives a decade ago in what is now regarded as one of Funny Or Die's all-time classic videos," said Mike Farah, CEO of Funny Or Die and Executive Producer of Brockmire. "It's been an amazing journey and honor watching Hank bring so much comedy, empathy and emotion to the character, and we are excited for fans of the show to see the final and most ambitious season of Brockmire. I want to thank the entire Brockmire team, and especially IFC, for always championing our show."

Brockmire follows Jim Brockmire (Azaria), a famed major league baseball announcer who suffered a notorious public breakdown after stumbling upon his wife's (Finneran) infidelity - a breakdown so bad that "Brutal Brockmire" became a viral internet meme. Season 1 began a decade later, as Brockmire looked to reclaim his career and reputation by calling games for the Morristown Frackers, an underdog minor league baseball team. Despite finding happiness in Morristown alongside his girlfriend/team owner Jules (Peet), Season 2 began with a newly-single Brockmire calling games in New Orleans and living with his co-dependent friend Charles (Williams)... while fully indulging in the city's booze-riddled sins. When a drug-fueled night of partying with a stranger ends with a near-death experience, Brockmire realizes it's time to get sober once and for all. Season 3 took place one year after a stint in rehab, with Brockmire doing play-by-play in the radio booth for the major leagues in central Florida while maintaining his brazen and narcissistic tendencies, despite actually being on the wagon.

Brockmire originally appeared as a viral short video on the award-winning comedy website Funny Or Die. The series is written and developed by Joel Church-Cooper. This season Azaria, Church-Cooper and Funny Or Die's Farah and Joe Farrell are executive producers. Mo Marable is also an executive producer and series director.

Brockmire Seasons 1-3 are currently available to watch on iTunes, Google Play, Amazon and XBOX. Season 1 and 2 are also available on Hulu, with Season 3 joining Wednesday, January 1, 2020.

For updates on Brockmire, please check out:Website: http://www.ifc.com/shows/brockmireFacebook https://www.facebook.com/BrockmireIFC Twitter https://twitter.com/BrockmireIFC Hashtag #BrockmireInstagram https://www.instagram.com/IFC

About IFC

IFC is the home of offbeat, unexpected comedies. Acclaimed series Documentary Now!, Brockmire, Baroness von Sketch Show, Sherman's Showcase and the upcoming Year of the Rabbit air alongside fan-favorite movies and comedic cult TV shows. IFC is owned and operated by AMC Networks Inc., and available across multiple platforms. IFC is Always On, Slightly Off.

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Breaking News - IFC's "Brockmire" Swings for the Fences in Its Fourth and Final Season Premiering in March 2020 - The Futon Critic

The Massachusetts Appeals Court today overturned a Superior Court judge's ruling that a church on Harvard Street in Mattapan has to make changes to a six-foot fence that really annoys a neighbor, ruling that matter should have gone to Land Court instead.

Lula and Leon Johnson sued Christ Apostle Church in 2014, saying they had long been allowed to park in the church driveway, dating to the day's when it was owned by the Jehovah's Witnesses, but that something hapened in 2013 to really sour relations between the couple and the church:

This resulted in the church building a new fence, six feet high, directly on the property line. Prior to building it, the church received a permit to build the fence from the city of Boston. The new fence did not have a gate in it. Moreover, because the Johnsons' home was situated very close to the lot line on the side facing the church, the new fence made it practically impossible for the Johnsons to access that side of their home for maintenance purposes; indeed, in one place there are only thirteen inches of space between the fence and the Johnsons' home.

In their filing, the church alleged that one of Johnson's grandson's attacked the pastor, and that's what led it to build the fence.

The couple sued in Suffolk Superior Court over what they claimed was a "spite fence," alleging negligence and "adverse possession." The church then filed a counter-suit alleging trespassing - the church said the Johnson's hired a contractor to move the fence away from their property.

A Suffolk Superior Court judge sided with the couple and ordered the church to install a gate in the fence and to let the Johnson's "access" their property from the church land.

But in its ruling today, the appeals court said that was a mistake, not for any reasons related to Lula Johnson's claims - the suit continued after her husband died - but because state law gives "exclusive original jurisdiction" over disputes related to parcels of land with titles registered in the county registry of deeds, and both pieces of land have titlles registered with the Suffolk County registry.

While not denominated as such, the judgment purports to grant the plaintiff a permanent easement to use the church's property to access her property. The Superior Court does not have jurisdiction to so encumber registered land.

So the court ordered the case transferred to Land Court for its consideration.

The rest is here:
Good fences don't make good neighbors, one court rules, but another court will have to consider the matter now, a third court rules - Universal Hub

The Real Housewives of Orange County are in Key West, and the drama is off the charts! The Tres Amigas are likely never going to be on good terms with Kelly Dodd ever again. Kelly made up with Tamra Judge on last weeks episode, but how long will that really last? Vicki Gunvalson has been reaching out to a woman that Kelly allegedly attacked. OOF.

For some reason, Shannon Beador took it upon herself to tell Kelly what Vicki was doing. GinaKirschenheiter wanted to do it first, but Fun Shannon beat her to the punch. Emily Simpson is also on the trip. Shes not really making an impact of any kind, but shes there. Braunwyn Windham-Burke probably didnt expect all this chaos when she planned the trip. Fun times are not allowed. Kelly and Vicki are about to go to war once again.

Vicki is injured. What a shock. Once again, the biggest drama queen of all time (besides Shannon) has been hurt. OKAY, VICKI.

Kelly, of course, doesnt believe Vicki is as hurt as she claims. Emily makes a hilarious dig about Tres Amigas being senior citizens, and Im dying. SO FUNNY.

Braunwyn, Emily, and Kelly take a tour of the Hemingway House, and it looks beautiful. Who knew there was so much history in Key West? Very cool.

Vicki falls trying to walk on her crutches, and her need for attention is annoying. Someone is trying a littletoohard to earn back her orange. Grow up.

Gina and Kelly have the same bathing suit and Kellys oranges are loud and proud. Sorry Gina, but Kelly wins a who wore it best contest this time. There really was no competition.

Watching how scared Gina is of water shouldnt entertain me as much as it does. If she isthat scared, she should stop putting herself in positions like this. Going on a jet ski isprobably not the place for someone with crippling water anxiety.

Honestly, watching Shannon do water sports is just as entertaining as watching Gina. Shannon doing athletics of any kind is never NOT going to be funny. Her facial reactions and body language are way too hilarious.

While in the water, Gina spots a shark, and now her life may be over. What a year. First, she was arrested, and now shes going to get eaten by JAWS. What a way to go though! Everyone out of the water!

I know the guide says nobody has ever died from a hammerhead, but damn. If I saw a HAMMERHEAD SHARK in the water, Id be fleeing for my life. Someone put my back on land.

Gina is crying, and Kelly hands her a starfish for good luck. LMAO. Alright. Hey, I know a shark is coming to eat you, but here is Patrick.

Braunwyn tells the Tres Amigas that Kelly admitted to having an anger problem. Here she goes again. Being the bone collector. She is SUCH a flip-flop.

The women are going out to a group dinner, so things are about to heat up. Theres almost no chance of this event going off without a Kelly and Vicki showdown. Someones going overboard on this booze cruise!

Braunwyn has the weirdest energy. She also looks panicked and frazzled. Im not sure if this group is the best environment for her.

Vicki has personalized hats for everyone, and the Kelly hat says Krazy AF. Apparently, doing it with a K is not shady. However, being shady doesnt make it not true. I think Kelly is very aware shes crazy, and she owns it for the most part.

Emily opens up to Kelly about her children mimicking her fighting with Shane Simpson. Kids pick up on everything, so thats not surprising. If their environment is toxic, theyll act out.

Kelly issues a very heartfelt apology to Tamra, and they exchange I love yous. Unfortunately, Tamra cant let that be it. She tries to initiate a peace treaty between Kelly and Vicki as well. LET IT GO.

How can Vicki honestly think shes doing nothing to Kelly? Shes done so many low down dirty things to Kelly. Pretending not to be self-aware isnt cute.

The ladies are back in Orange County after an intense Florida trip. Hopefully, being back home will knock some sense in them. The Tres Amigas cannot dominate this group forever. Its a clique that needs to come to an end.

Tamra, Shannon, and Braunwyn meet up for dinner with their significant others. They discuss Kelly and Vickis never-ending feud and how they always go low.

When you lay it all out there, they really are very similar. That could be the reason why they end up clashing.

Theyre inviting Kelly to Vickis engagement party. Oh, man. I dont know how great of an idea that is. Its the happiest day of Vickis life, and youre inviting her biggest enemy. Pot stirrers!

Kelly and her boyfriend Brian Reagan go to a batting cage, and hes horrible when it comes to athletics. Kelly actually can hit the ball really well! They talk about Vickis engagement party, but she has no interest in going to that. I feel that. Vickis been horrible to her.

Kelly shuts down Brian when he asks what the next step is for them. He wants her to move in, but she doesnt want to move in without an engagement. Fair enough. Although, we all know the real next step

Gina calls her mother and talks about the status of her marriage. She needs to figure out what shes going to do next. None of this is healthy. She wants to make the marriage work, but COME ON.

Her mother says its not just sex and says it shouldnt be the only priority. Thank you, momma! Preach! Gina is willing to stick this marriage out forallof the wrong reasons.

I feel like Tamra put her sons together in the room without telling them just to get a storyline. Thats not okay at all. Shes really forcing this situation.

However, the conversation turns to Tamras behavior. Shes been snapping at everyone lately. Shes projecting her financial issues onto the entire family.

Spencer Barneysays that Tamra doesnt really listen to him, and told him to get over a breakup. He claims theyre all wired by everyone. So many people in the family arent speaking to one another. What a mess.

Emily and Kelly are actually going to this anger management. I love that Emily is self-aware enough to realize she snaps too quickly. Thats such a good step.

Kelly had a better childhood than Emily, but the girl still has some issues. Although something went wrong in her life for her to get in the place shes in now. Most people dont react the way she does at the drop of the hat.

The therapist has them envision the people they find hardest to love. Naturally, Kellys top name was Vicki. She finds it hard not to punch Vicki in the face.

I mean, surely thats a common feeling. Theres so much hurt between the two. They might not ever be able to FULLY make up.

Emily wants everything in her life to be perfect to combat the chaos of her childhood. Stuff that happens when people are kids really sticks with them. It can be really rough.

Kelly doesnt want to hate Vicki. I actually believe that. I think she reacts really quickly to things. However, that doesnt mean she wants a blood feud. Shed probably prefer peace because at the end of the day nobody wants to fight forever.

Unlike Vicki, I dont think Kelly wants this to keep blowing up. Kellys going to the engagement party, so evidently, she is open to peace. Instead of fighting, this could be a new beginning for the two. I guess we will find out soon.

TELL US SHOULD KELLY AND VICKI MAKE UP? WHO IS MOST TO BLAME FOR THEIR FALLING OUT? ARE YOU ENJOYING THIS SEASON OF THE REAL HOUSEWIVES OF ORANGE COUNTY?

[Photo Credit: Bravo]

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Real Housewives Of Orange County Recap: Some Fences Are Made To Be Broken - Reality Tea

The seemingly ever-changing Marlins Park will sport a few new looks for the 2020 campaign. While roster changes are being made to improve the Marlins on-field product, that product will literally be presented on a new field.

The Marlins announced on Wednesday on their Beyond the Bases blogthat asynthetic grass surface will be installed for the upcoming season, thanks to a corporate partnership with Shaw Sports Turf. This new playing surface will replace the natural grass which struggled to take root at times in the retractable-roof stadium.

According to the announcement, the turf should closely mimic the surface play of natural grass.

The B1K: Batting A Thousand by Shaw Sports Turf is a dual fiber turf system comprised of Shaws high-performance Strenexe XD slit film and Bolt monofilament. This system provides excellent durability and functionality by minimizing infill splashing, maintaining adequate infill levels across the field. The Bolt fiber provides realistic ball roll, friction and natural grass aesthetics. These characteristics ensure the experiences of the players and fans will be maintained at the highest level.

Miami will join the Texas Rangers, who open their new stadiumGlobe Life Field in 2020, with the new synthetic turf for this season. In 2019, the Arizona Diamondbacks installed the same surface in Chase Field.

In an interview with Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republicin August, Diamondbacks infielder Nick Ahmedsaid he hadnt experienced any bad hops on the infield. Ahmed said the turf behaves as close to grass as any artificial surface on which he has played. He called it definitely slower than the grass.

This new synthetic system should play more realistically than other artificial surfaces like Astro-Turf. Notoriously fast and bouncy, Astro-Turf was said to impact player durability, leading to injuries. This is perhaps most notably associated former Marlin Andre Dawson, who played for 11 seasons on the artificial turf at Olympic Stadium for the Montreal Expos and had 12 knee surgeries.

Miami CEO Derek Jeter said the following in a press release regarding the new playing surface.

In going through the process of evaluating the playing surface at Marlins Park in 2019, we set out to find a solution to combat the challenges we have experienced with growing natural grass in Marlins Park. We appreciate the extensive research and new technology from our partners at Shaw Sports Turf to help us deliver a consistent playing field designed to enhance the safety for players and the playability for baseball.

MIAMI, FLORIDA MAY 30: Harold Ramirez #47 of the Miami Marlins. (Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images)

Marlins Park will also feature slightly different dimensions in 2020. Straightaway center field will now be 400 feet from home, whereas it had been 407 feet for the last few years. In right-center field, the wall will now be 387 feet (previously 399).

The stadium has always been a pitchers park, but this adjustment may change that thinking.

On Beyond the Bases, Jeter is quoted about the new dimensions.

As we enhance the playing surface at Marlins Park, we felt it was also appropriate to take the opportunity to evaluate our outfield dimensions. We made the decision to adjust the distance of the outfield fence, which will now be more in line with the field dimensions you see across many of todays ballparks.

The Marlins were last in the MLB with 146 homers last season, 68 of which came at Marlins Park. According to Jordan McPhersons article today in the Miami Herald, the Marlins would have had 19 additional home runs last season with the new dimensions. McPherson notes the opposition would have also had 19 additional home runs playing at Marlins Park with the new distances.

While this change may affect the pitchers, its a positive move for the team. Having the ballparks dimension more in line with whats seen around the league will help market the team to free agents in the future.

See the article here:
Synthetic Turf and Shorter Fences coming to Marlins Park in 2020 - Marlin Maniac