Marc (Shelly) Ince; many grandchildren and great-grandchildren; many nieces nephews and other loving family and friends Walter and Francis Spangenberg; her husband of 67 years A memorial service for Betty Lou will be held at Our Lady of the Lakes Catholic Church in Balsam Lake Submit A Story or Press Release: DrydenWire@gmail.com Advertising Questions General Questions DrydenWire Insider Questions Spangenberg serves as director of Allied Legal Affairs with Alliance Defending Freedom Spangenberg leads the Allied Legal Affairs team and strategically deploying more than 4,700 attorneys aligned with ADF’s mission to protect and promote life Attorneys in ADF’s network have played important roles in hundreds of precedent-setting matters and many victories at the U.S including serving as lead or co-counsel alongside ADF attorneys in several Supreme Court cases Spangenberg also works with the Grants & Funding Program which has awarded approximately $55 million in grant funds to thousands of legal projects and cases many of which have set national and multinational precedents Spangenberg worked in Big Law gaining extensive experience in high-stakes litigation including developing and leading strategies and mass coordination in high-profile matters magna cum laude and was top of his class at Penn State Law He is admitted to practice in Pennsylvania District Court for the Western District of Pennsylvania ADF is the world's largest legal organizationcommitted to protecting religious freedom,free speech © 2025 Alliance Defending Freedom is a registered 501(C)(3) Charity. All rights reserved A challenger is taking on two incumbents for two available seats on the Menasha School Board Nathan Spangenberg is taking on board president Rob Konitzer and current board member Carol Sturm We asked the candidates to tell us why they should be elected. Their responses were lightly edited for clarity. Candidates are shown in alphabetical order, not necessarily the order shown on the ballot. To learn more about voting and how to register, visit myvote.wi.gov (Spangenberg did not respond to multiple requests from the Post-Crescent to participate in the candidate survey.) Carol Sturm (inc.)Age: 70Residence: MenashaOccupation: I am retired after 31+ years as an educational support employee of the Menasha Joint School District.Highest level of education: One year college along with various workshops conferences and trainings relevant to my workRelevant experience: Incumbent board member three years; my children went to Menasha Schools; parent volunteer; employee of the Menasha School District for 31+ yearsWhy are you running for office?Konitzer: I am running for school board again to ensure the best possible education for my daughter who is a third-grader in the district as well as for all other students in the district Sturm: I am running for the Board of Education to ensure Menasha schools are continuing to make positive strides for our students My experiences of how the schools operated from my time in the district as a parent volunteer and employee has been a great asset to my school board experience What makes you the better candidate?Konitzer: My family includes many teachers so I have always considered a quality education to be of great importance for becoming contributing members of society whether students are preparing for college I have attended numerous conventions and other educational opportunities to stay up-to-date on the current issues facing our district I am the better candidate because of experience with all aspects of our school district I am very approachable and see the big picture of Menasha Schools Working with students has always been a passion of mine to help make a difference Volunteering in the classrooms and PTOs gave insight from the parent perspective I moved through the different areas of support positions ending my career as an administrative assistant in the district office Konitzer: Our district faces many challenges — state financing ensuring all students have equal opportunities keeping quality teachers in the face of shortages ensuring student engagement —all while trying to continually improve based on the latest proven methods It is through open communication with the parents and community that we will work to find the best solutions for all involved Sturm: Our district has very strong leaders who are capable and transparent Academic growth has always been a priority in the Menasha School District along with the safety of our children The mill rate has remained constant through economic change Rebecca Loroff is a K-12 education reporter for the USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin His new venture has its sights set on enhancing IP value in the biotech and pharma space in addition to the tech fields that Spangenberg’s former IPNav was known to monetise Register to receive our newsletter and gain limited access to subscriber content expert analysis and essential resources from the IAM experts Copyright © Law Business ResearchCompany Number: 03281866 VAT: GB 160 7529 10 Unlock unlimited access to all IAM content lawns are in various stages of greening up but having the absolute greenest lawn in spring is not necessarily better Nitrogen fertilization is a key component of home lawn care Properly timed spring nitrogen applications play a key role in ensuring healthy lawns Moderation is key; do not fertilize too much Overdoing it in spring can lead to top growth at the expense of root growth which leads to troubles as the season progresses Start by choosing a quality nitrogen fertilizer or slowly available nitrogen all refer to products releasing lesser amounts of nitrogen for plants to use over a longer period Specific examples found in the guaranteed analysis section of fertilizer packages include sulfur-coated urea Organic fertilizers often contain water-insoluble nitrogen (WIN) These quality fertilizers may be more expensive but have positive influences on lawn health How much to apply is the next major decision A rate of about 1 pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet is suggested for spring The higher the nitrogen percentage a fertilizer contains Most product labels with spreader setting guides are calibrated for a 1-pound rate Dividing 100 by the percent nitrogen in the bag (as a whole number) will tell you how much product is needed for every 1,000 square feet of lawn area to supply the suggested 1-pound rate there's the decision of when is the proper timing for your spring lawn fertilizer application Exactly when in May depends on your location in Wisconsin Earlier in the month is recommended in the south A good rule to help decide proper timing is wait until you've mowed your lawn twice and then fertilize Wisconsin law limits phosphorus application on lawns only to either newly established lawns or lawns where a soil test has shown phosphorus deficiency Soil tests will determine phosphorus levels and if deficiencies exist lawn fertilizers sold in garden center outlets do not contain phosphorus Research shows turfgrass is very efficient at holding nutrients in place and avoiding runoff issues but fertilizers need to be uniformly applied directly to lawns which can drain into storm drains and waterways Proper fertilizing gets lawns off to a great start for 2025 We use cookies to personalize content and ads and to analyze our traffic and improve our service which explores Pirkko's relationship with her father through fluid timelines moving between his death and her childhood you’ve talked in the past about your conscious decision never to produce a memoir and about the fact that your works The Red Book of Farewells contains a coming-of-age story and künstlerroman about Pirkko Saisio This places you in the autofictional lineage of Karl Ove Knausgård Pirkko Saisio I’ve indeed decided to forgo writing a memoir or someone else who is by trade a storyteller of their own life chooses which events get given significance They also get to select the cause-effect relationships of the events of their own life there’s the temptation to depict oneself as popular or particularly interesting It knowingly connects things together that don’t belong together I believe the autofiction author is freer in their relationship to their main character The autofictional main character doesn’t have to be popular I received the first chapters to read a few days ago and I recognize myself in the text—the biography is based on interviews that the author conducted with multiple associates of mine over the last decade as if it was written about an identical twin sister I don’t want to change anything; everything is correct the writer creates a character using themselves as material The truthfulness of fiction is based on the author's sincerity The writer must also possess a sense of paradox the ability to see that reality happens simultaneously from many perspectives The truthfulness of fiction is then evaluated by the recipient—the reader—with such guidelines as whether or not the fiction is believable and whether it causes in the reader any subconscious recognitions that cannot be put into words Mia Spangenberg I’d like to piggyback off of what Pirkko was just saying about how fiction is to be evaluated by whether the reader is able to recognize something that ultimately cannot be put into words That is so powerful because while we translators spend hours and hours poring over words and how to string sentences together there is something intuitive about the art of translation something that goes beyond the linguistic realm While I don’t agree with everything Walter Benjamin says in his essay “The Task of the Translator ” I think his description of translation as producing an echo of the original in another language is beautiful:it should produce a palpable effect even if you can’t quite grasp it in your hands or put it into words It’s actually marvelous to talk at the same time with the author and translator This is the first time that a longer work of Saisio’s has been rendered into the English language Can you describe how this book-length project came to be I then did a sample translation of The Red Book of Farewells from which I’ve workshopped various excerpts at the 2021 virtual Bread Loaf Translator’s Conference and with my wonderful peers in the Northwest Literary Translators group I pitched the work to CJ Evans at Two Lines Press a connection I made via ALTA’s pitch sessions—I highly encourage all translators to get in on these!—who subsequently decided to buy the rights based on my sample and invited me to translate the novel as I’ve not only gotten to translate the novel and work with a fabulous press but I’ve also had the opportunity to meet and get to know Pirkko I noticed the text’s unique and often poetic formatting when I was reading The Red Book of Farewells The line breaks function to give the lines a kind of visual emphasis in the text and your namesake character in the book is also a theatrical actor I’m interested to hear how other genres—poetry and theater in particular—influence your writing A fictional text should play like music: surprisingly I don’t let a sentence with which I’m not happy remain in the text and the effort of the production itself—that is the sweat of the author—must not be visible in the sentence that’s to be published Rhythm is still the most important thing in dialogue The different characters must have an individual speech rhythm and these dialogues form the polyphony of the drama Drama is a more economical form than prose Drama exists only alongside conflict; it does not tolerate any kind of description Conflict works in drama on many levels: there are conflicts between people Since both prose and drama are my bread and butter perhaps in such a way that drama influences my prose I tend to write prose in scenes where there is a conflict within the person and between the person and the environment MS It is indeed drama that makes Pirkko’s prose so unique not only in terms of how she crafts dialogue and builds up internal and external conflicts but also in how she sets the scene which she distills into the essential elements when the fictional Pirkko has just revealed to her mother that she is in a relationship with another young woman: The beams of the streetlights dissolve into darkness Pirkko's work also has a cinematic quality the protagonist often watches events unfold from a certain angle which reminds me of camera angles and shots in filmmaking NP I want to change gears and talk about language Finnish is very different from English: the syntax is much more flexible But gender and sexuality are obviously important themes in the book the character Pirkko realizes that she is interested in girls at a time when homosexual activity is still illegal in Finland Though the book describes decades-ago events these themes are still politically relevant in many ways: I’m thinking of the US where right-wing politicians constantly try to create legislation against identity and sexuality which is frustrating and regressive to watch I'm interested to hear what you think about how the book's themes relate to the current discourse right-wing populists find gender identity issues difficult as they do the concerns of gender minorities and their rights I myself am both unable and unwilling to judge which issues in the trilogy will come up right now fiction in itself has its own value and does not necessarily have to speak to current themes And thus it doesn't really require a social discussion either fiction speaks to the unconscious layers of the reader has written that reading is the unbridled copulation of the writer's and the reader's hidden senses But Eva Wein was young when she wrote that I don't think I would express the matter quite so frankly anymore in terms of the assault on LGBTQ+ and women’s rights is terrifying I am appalled by the movement to ban books which is largely targeting books dealing with race and sexuality These book bans rob citizens of the opportunity to know our history and the diversity of our country and deny marginalized communities places where they can see themselves represented could you also discuss the particular challenges of translating from Finnish MS When I first started translating The Red Book of Farewells one of the things Pirkko told me is that she wanted to break the wall of space and time between the writer and the reader This concept comes from the theater: the idea of breaking the fourth wall that separates the actors on stage from their audience so that the spectator feels like they are part of the action Pirkko said in an email to me that she wanted the reader to feel like they’re in the same space with the author Recreating this sense of intimacy became one of the guiding principles in my translation Finnish is indeed very interesting because of its single pronoun The gender of the person in question is revealed through other markers which is also gender-neutral and literally means “it.” So Pirkko had these two pronouns at her disposal and she used them to distinguish between the fictional protagonist Pirkko Saisio whom she calls “hän,” and other female characters like her first love whom she refers to as “se.” And let me emphasize that there is nothing derogatory at all about referring to someone as “se.” It happens all the time became a challenge for me because it essentially meant I had to make sure that the context made it clear who was being referred to at any given time Another challenge in translating from Finnish into English is that Finnish is far more concise than English Finnish favors the use of the passive voice—this is common in everything from official discourse to everyday conversation—and it is also often possible to leave out the subject here are two sentences that appear in the novel: This is a passive construction and translates literally as: we tend to want to avoid passive voice in English and I also wanted to preserve the sense of intimacy that was important to Pirkko One way to achieve that closeness is by using you as the subject You take it." This is a more natural English construction and the generic you includes both the writer and the reader your talent for creating conflict—and thus intimacy—is apparent in the visual details I’m thinking of the scene in which a perfect strawberry cake remains uneaten under a cake dome while Havva makes a confession that rattles the narrator to the core I’m in agreement with Mia: your prose style is very cinematic you write a lot about memory and the fact that the very act of remembering at different points in time changes the way things appear to happen which I’m borrowing from the English translation directly: “Memory takes souvenirs from the present back into the past.” At least in English it’s almost aphoristic in its clarity—no doubt a result of the editing process you describe And it’s true that a writer can examine events time and time again from different perspectives which doesn’t mean that I always accept the sentences and phrases as they first appear What it really means is that I don’t continue writing until I’m satisfied with what I’ve already written I’ve written more than half of my output on a typewriter but The Red Book of Farewells is one of the first—I don’t recall if it was the very first—texts I wrote on a computer The difference between these two writing methods is vast you need to think your sentence through to finished you can begin a sentence without knowing how it will continue A phrase or sentence is like a kind of modeling clay that you can mold into its finished shape on the computer I write my books from start to finish—that is I start from the beginning and continue chronologically to the end If I remember or think of something that proceeds differently than what I’ve already written in the middle of writing I go back in the text and change it as needed I combine memories and then manipulate them nobody can remember long dialogue verbatim—the fictional content crystallizes in dialogue form it’s not essential to me for the memory to be totally authentic The most important thing is the emotional content of the memory and its recognizability which is first to me and then through me to the reader NP Another theme in the book is difference and separation—the state of being communist in Finland during the postwar period but she also comes to another realization in the book: that she’s a writer How does the realization of difference contribute to Pirkko’s choices and to her development as a character PS The narrator’s feeling of difference is really twofold Growing up in a communist and atheist home unquestioned belief in Christian values in Finland the feeling of being different was in many ways related to faith and values the world of values at home was in conflict with the official world of societal values The latter was reflected in the educational system starting from kindergarten and continuing through the entire twelve-year school period communists and socialists had strong representation in the parliament—stronger than ever before or since So the narrator's family was not special in this respect I have a strong impression that communist homes were hidden and during my school days—ages eleven to nineteen—none of my classmates there were people in the family and circle of family acquaintances who thought and acted the same way as my parents deeper feeling of difference relates to sexual orientation it was an unconscious feeling of alienation because I didn't believe that "people like that”—that is Sappho's poems had been translated into Finnish but critics as late as the ’80s wrote that interpretations implying Sappho was erotically in love with women were tasteless because the poems were so bright and of such a high standard for example the communist families hidden during school that adult authorities disagreed about certain basic questions of life such as the existence of God This meant that my own relationship with the basic questions of life was also left for me to solve The question of my sexual identity was solved only when I met the first woman who offered me erotic love and this first female lover of mine introduced me to other people like me The feeling of existential loneliness was finally resolved was also a way to accept the heterosexual world Niina Pollari is a poet and Finnish translator currently located in Western North Carolina She is the author of the poetry collections Path of Totality (Soft Skull as well as the co-author of the split chapbook Total Mood Killer (Tiger Bee Press Cory Spangenberg has been released by the San Diego Padres and is free to sign with any major league team The Padres let go of the utility player this week as they needed to adjust their roster for the Rule-5 draft which is next month The longest-tenured Padre (on the active roster) is no longer with the team. Cory Spangenberg who has been sporting a Padres uniform since he made his major league debut in 2014 was released by the team three days after being designated for assignment He has cleared waivers and is free to sign with any major league team his abilities with the bat dropped off after this with a rising strikeout rate and a declining on-base percentage being the primary factors His strikeout rate soared to 32.8% while his on-base percentage dipped to .298 Said factor led to him posting career lows in nearly every batting category and wRC+(83) (these are his lowest if his 2016 season is excluded as he only played in 14 games due to a torn quad) Spangenberg is still a candidate to re-sign with the team on a minor league deal but it is likely that he will test the waters of free agency first He will have suitors not because of his bat The utility infielder is capable of playing second base He has graded out as roughly average at second base and slightly below average at third base but the capabilities of filling in at those pivotal positions will no doubt be attractive to teams in need of a left-handed bench player it is unlikely that Spangenberg comes back to play for San Diego I am currently attending San Diego State University while working on achieving a major in journalism I write for The Daily Aztec while also hosting the sports radio show “Picked Off” I hope to bring content that you will enjoy reading It makes sense the team wants to move on from Spangenberg Trees are a long-term investment in landscapes that will pay dividends for years to come Celebrate Arbor Day 2025 this week by planting a tree Following some key planting process guidelines will help ensure the successful planting of your new tree select trees to properly fit site conditions Take time to consider all factors involved with the landscape location and research into trees making a good match check for any overhead utility lines and call diggers hotline to mark any underground utilities in the vicinity choose vigorous stock free of any signs of damage which is a widening where the stem meets the roots This assists you in planting trees at the proper depth Proper depth and width when preparing planting holes plays a crucial role in successful transplanting of trees Proper depth should be the same as growing in the nursery; measure (and use) the distance from the root flare to the bottom of the root ball or root mass Avoid digging holes too deep and refilling as tree root balls often settle after planting Ideally make planting holes three to five times the width of the root ball and roughen the sides Carefully place trees into properly prepared holes Always support root balls when handling trees; do not just lift by trunks alone Remove containers before planting and cut any circling roots twine and wire associated with wrapped root balls (balled & burlap stock) should be carefully cut away after trees are secure in the planting hole Always avoid any burlap extending above the soil surface after planting Do not heavily amend backfill with organic material sand or fertilizer on the bottom of planting holes Lightly tamp or water to settle air pockets when placing soil back in the hole Refill planting holes in thirds rather than all at once Mulch root zones after planting but keep mulch away from direct contact with the trunk Water thoroughly after planting and then as needed to avoid drought stress Make sure stakes are outside planting holes and protect bark from rope snows melt away to reveal lawns underneath the temptation is to get out and start working on them There is a sequence to follow as spring advances for best results Lawns need to thaw out and dry out; it is best to stay off them until this occurs Lawns that had snow cover for considerable time this winter often experience vole damage This is visible in spring as winding trails on the lawn surface and small piles of grass Raking lawns will remove all these types of loose surface materials but does not remove thatch Thatch management calls for practices such as core aerating When to apply pre-emergence crabgrass herbicides in a timely manner is a common question each spring need to warm to near 60 degrees and stay there for several consecutive days before crabgrass will germinate This does not happen in March or April on Wisconsin lawns so you have plenty of time before applying crabgrass preventers this spring Early May is a good target for application for lawns where crabgrass has been a problem in the past Fertilizer application timing is the other common lawn-care decision of spring Lawns do not need fertilizer as soon as they thaw out Ideally wait until grasses resume growing and mowing has resumed this usually is not until early May and can be even later While it may be tempting to fertilize early to get lawns greener excess nitrogen fertilizer in spring sets lawns up for multiple problems as the season progresses Moderation in lawn nitrogen fertilizer applications is important Reseeding lawns in spring is best scheduled for late April or even later up north Lawns like cool weather but hard freezes are unwelcome news for seedlings Major lawn renovation is better to schedule in late summer Rake away debris and roughen the soil surface before broadcasting seed Slit-seeders are great for overseeding thin lawns While we welcome mild weather in early spring patience is the key ingredient for spring lawn work Good things come to lawns when homeowners wait and significant ice have all been in recent weather headlines across Wisconsin These weather events brought down more than a few twigs from trees The amount and size of downed material tells us numerous things about trees and can help direct any call for action small twigs littering the ground after a windy day (not significant storms) are a trait of the tree species and sycamore are among trees species notorious for dropping twigs on windy days Do some research before planting any new tree species to avoid this type of problem The other extreme is when entire trees come crashing down in high winds or snow and ice loads With the heavy amount of ice some areas of northern Wisconsin received even the healthiest of trees may have failed oftentimes when major trunks split or entire trees crash to the ground even though trees otherwise appeared perfectly healthy Vital vascular tissue (xylem and phloem) transporting water and food products for tree health is located just under the bark The bulk of remaining trunk volume is dead accumulated xylem tissue with the sole purpose of structurally supporting trees may rot away wood leading to structural failure in winds and ice or heavy snowstorms and signs of fungal structures such as shelf fungi protruding through bark Consider hiring a licensed arborist to assist you in assessing the health of trees and soundness of trunks especially with large suspect trees near homes Whenever branches break as the result of storms or winds the tree may have already sealed it off with callus tissue Use caution not to prune back into sound tissue and damage any callusing that may have occurred Close inspection often reveals the transition from dead to live tissue the branch should be pruned properly as soon as possible Broken limbs should be removed either to the first logical side branch or all the way back to the trunk Leave the collar region where the limb was attached to the trunk There is no need for pruning dressing or sealer If the branches are high up or of difficult nature Erich Spangenberg and Colin Bristow 7 February 2025NewsFuture of IPTom Phillips‘One of the most significant opportunities I've ever worked on’: Inside Erich Spangenberg’s licensing deal with Ultraleap The patent monetiser has high hopes for a 500-plus portfolio of hand tracking and haptics tech coveted by extended reality innovators For more information on individual annual subscriptions for full paid access and corporate subscription options please contact us For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription that we can add you to for FREE, please email Adrian Tapping at atapping@newtonmedia.co.uk TwitterLinkedin Copyright © worldipreview.com 2024 | Headless Content Management with Blaze Apple scab is one of the more common foliar diseases of trees and was a widespread problem across Wisconsin in 2024 Flowering crab apples and apples grown in orchards are prone to infection which can cause most leaves to drop off the tree early Managing this disease involves planning before the growing season resumes Infection starts as leaves emerge from buds in the coming weeks as our spring progresses leaves on trees will start to show olive green to black spots It is common to see early defoliation starting in July One of the keys to how severe this disease will be in any given year is the weather conditions as foliage develops wet weather when crab apples or apples are in this stage favors apple scab development Susceptible trees need to be protected by fungicide applications starting as buds break open and leaves emerge Timing is critical; as most fungicides protect emerging foliage from plant diseases such as scab and mancozeb as active ingredients are available to control apple scab or thiophanate methyl fungicides are available but should be alternated with other active ingredients Always refer to specific product labels to ensure the fungicide is intended for use on either on landscape crab apples or apples to harvest Home orchard sprays usually contain fungicides to control scab Repeated applications at seven-to-14-day intervals through the wet weather is usually required read product labels for the time intervals Fungicide treatments must be repeated each year to protect susceptible trees The most effective long-term management strategy for apple scab on flowering crab apples is to plant apple-scab-resistant cultivars and varieties and tree habit are important characteristics when choosing flowering crabs; but start with disease resistance Pruning to allow air to circulate through trees can potentially reduce scab to some degree by drying foliage faster Cleaning up infected leaves in fall can reduce the number of spores to infect trees the following spring If you have a highly susceptible flowering crab consider replacing it with a resistant one That will make an excellent 2025 Arbor Day project that will pay dividends for years to come Even though we are in bitter cold of Wisconsin winter it is not too early for planning ahead to the 2025 vegetable garden Gardening catalogs and websites provide opportunities to research the best vegetables to grow in your garden this upcoming season One mistake to avoid is simply picking a cultivar without knowing its specific features or characteristics The terms cultivar and variety each refer to some genetic difference within the species that is an asset when growing plants The two terms are often interchanged and mean the same thing although technically cultivars have been developed through man-made crop breeding processes while varieties are natural variations that occur within a species Genetic differences in cultivars or varieties often are visible traits They are also traits not readily visible yet particularly important for garden success disease resistance or other stress tolerances These are the characteristics to focus on when choosing your 2025 vegetable crops disease-resistant cultivars are the best single defense against major diseases of vegetable crops disease-resistant plants have genetic resistance that allow them to produce crops even when conditions are very favorable for disease Choosing disease resistant drastically increases your chances of successful crops Research crops you plan to grow to see what disease concerns exist and what resistant cultivars or varieties are available you are aware of VF or VFN designations associated with various tomato cultivars Verticillium and fusarium wilt are serious fungal diseases in the soil that can kill entire plants But there are verticillium (V) and fusarium (F) resistant tomatoes Look for VF resistance when choosing tomatoes in catalogs or in the garden center this spring Root-knot nematodes also exist in soil and infect tomatoes a VFN tomato cultivar offers significant resistance to major soil-borne problems tomatoes may face Mosaic viruses are another major disease affecting many vegetable crops Viruses cause stunted and deformed plants with reduced yields and spread from plant to plant by insects The best defense is mosaic-resistant cultivars Carefully selecting cultivars can also help for limited space gardens especially for crops that usually take lots of space Wise cultivar selection is the important first step to a successful vegetable garden in 2025 Bruce Spangenberg is a horticulture outreach specialist with UW-Madison Division of Extension and garden questions anytime at www.go.wisc.edu/GardenQuestions Spangenberg is still just 26 years old with time to prove he was worth using a first-round selection on Spangenberg began his professional career in short-season ball absolutely mashing the pitching at that level to the tune of a .384/.545/.535 slash line in just over 100 plate appearances He also sported a walk rate (25.6%) more than double his strikeout rate (12.4%) Spangenberg finished that 2011 season in Low-A posting a .286/.345/.365 slash line over 209 plate appearances Based on his first taste of professional action it was clear that Spangenberg had all the tools to be a solid hitter but there was no power whatsoever in his game Spangenberg spent the entirety of the next season in High-A although he was limited to a rather pedestrian .271/.324/.352 in just 98 games Despite those struggles at a higher level in 2012 Spangenberg rebounded starting the season back in High-A Spangenberg made significant improvements to his walk rate Spange finished that 2013 season in Double-A playing in 76 games and posting a .289/.331/.366 slash line leaving him just below league average as a hitter With a full three years under his belt at this point it seemed pretty clear the type of player Spangenberg was: low-OBP He finished the season with over 300 plate appearances in the big leagues he demonstrated solid baserunning and defense which made him a league average player by fWAR (2.0 fWAR) despite the limited playing time it seemed that Spangenberg was finally turning the corner towards being a productive everyday regular in the Padres’ lineup Despite being the starting second baseman for the Padres on opening day Spangenberg tore his quad in April and only played in 14 games for the entirety of the season Spangenberg’s place in the Padres’ long-term plans came into question heading into 2017 it appeared Spangenberg was once again going to be in a battle for playing time with 2018 around the corner They could always move him back to third after the year but with below average defense and not a lot of power he doesn’t profile as much of a third baseman it seems like Spangenberg is more likely a platoon player at best and a bench option at worst For a team with some solid infielders coming through the pipeline Spangenberg may find himself as trade bait sooner rather than later Editorial and Prospect Writer for East Village Times Patrick has lived in San Diego for his entire life and has been a Padres fan nearly as long Patrick lives for baseball and is always looking to learn new things about the game he loves through advanced stats We recognise you are attempting to access this website from a country belonging to the European Economic Area (EEA) including the EU which enforces the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and therefore cannot grant you access at this time e-mail us at news@communityadvocate.com or call us at 508-366-5500 Evergreen conifers become very prominent throughout the landscape over the winter months in Wisconsin Thanksgiving weekend traditionally kicks off the annual search for the perfect Christmas tree Here is an overview of the more common pine species share the characteristic of having long needles arranged in clusters or bundles; usually of two Needles of each bundle fuse together at the base where connected to the twig usually in early June as new growth expands pines stay very compact and dense in appearance as found in Christmas tree lots pines tend to open in growth habit as they mature White pines are desirable landscape trees and double as a nice Christmas tree exceptionally long (4-8 inches) often curved cones Large white pines are found in historical logging and resort areas across much of northern Wisconsin Needle drop in early fall is usually heavy which can be an inconvenience when needles pile up on roofs of houses garages or cabins located under a large white pine air pollution and problems associated with heavy clay soils so selecting the suitable spot in the landscape is important The most popular pine for Christmas trees is Scotch they develop attractive orange bark on the upper limbs and trunk areas for landscape use Scots pine is not necessarily the best choice It is prone to drought damage and often develops insect and disease problems that tend to limit long-term use Austrian pine is a widely used landscape tree but not commonly used as a Christmas tree stiff needles are in bundles of two and come to a very sharp point meaning they will tolerate less-than-ideal soil conditions windbreaks and along highways for that reason and frequently in Wisconsin forest plantings A trick to tell them apart is to bend the needles Connecting decision makers to a dynamic network of information Bloomberg quickly and accurately delivers business and financial information Donald J. Trump Jr. has a stake in a new patent-litigation-focused business launched by seasoned monetization executive Erich Spangenberg, according to a Thursday filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission Dallas-based Spangenberg has been called a “patent troll” by his critics based on his work in the 2000s and 2010s when he helped pioneer the practice of buying up patents and making them profitable through aggressive litigation strategies who founded the patent-monetization company now called IP Navigation Group LLC and one of the reasons there was a push for .. workflow tools and premium legal & business news Log in to keep reading or access research tools Written by Andrew Spangenberg But it’s a lot more difficult when violent activists are trying to shut you down—and when the local police aid them in silencing you That’s what happened to pastor Matthew Meinecke of Seattle But thanks to the efforts of ADF Allied Attorneys Nate Kellum and Keith Kemper this evangelist is once again free to share the Gospel on his city’s streets As director of Allied Legal Affairs at Alliance Defending Freedom, I have the privilege of working with our Attorney Network This story is just one recent example of the excellent work our Allied Attorneys are doing nationwide Matthew Meinecke has been publicly ministering in Seattle for years He reads the Bible aloud and often holds signs and hands out literature His message doesn’t always resonate with listeners but what happened in the summer of 2022 was beyond the pale On June 24, 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade Pro-abortion demonstrators gathered in Seattle to protest the decision Meinecke also attended the protest—not to speak about abortion but to read from the Bible and share the Gospel message the street preacher took hold of a traffic sawhorse Protesters then picked Meinecke up (along with the sawhorse) and dropped him on the pavement across the street When Meinecke got up and began reading from Scripture again protesters knocked him back down and took one of his shoes a similar situation unfolded at a pro-LGBT event in a Seattle park Meinecke attended the event to read from his Bible Event attendees surrounded the street preacher and “howled and barked like dogs” in his face Law enforcement again showed up and told Meinecke to leave Matthew Meinecke should not have been censored for peacefully sharing his views in a public place The First Amendment guarantees him (and every American) the rights of free speech and religious freedom both of which he was exercising peacefully The parties in the lawsuit agreed that the Constitution protects religious speech like Meinecke’s The only question was whether the officers’ restriction of that speech was permissible and manner” of speech—which officers repeatedly cited—represent one way that restrictions on speech can be constitutional if they satisfy certain criteria the officers’ actions did not meet those criteria the officers were censoring Meinecke based on the content of his message and manner restrictions must be content-neutral While a federal district court sided with the city Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit ruled that the actions of the officers (i.e. the city) presented a content-based burden on Meinecke’s expressive activity “It is apparent from the facts,” the court ruled “… that the Seattle police directed Meinecke to leave the area because of the reaction his Bible-reading provoked.” That last part is important. The officers restricted Meinecke’s speech because of the reaction it was generating. In legal terms, that’s called a “heckler’s veto”—the censorship of someone’s speech due to a hostile reaction from opponents of that speech For the government to restrict the content of a person’s speech its actions must satisfy “strict scrutiny.” Put simply the government must show that its actions were narrowly tailored to serve compelling state interests The city’s restrictions silencing Meinecke did not satisfy strict scrutiny the officers could have required the protesters to step away from Meinecke Or they could have warned the protesters that physical violence would result in their arrests They could have even arrested the individuals who ultimately assaulted Meinecke they allowed the protesters’ frenzied actions to shut down Meinecke’s speech The 9th Circuit was right to recognize that the officers’ actions burdened the preacher’s speech and that Meinecke “had a right … to use public sidewalks and streets for the peaceful dissemination of his views.” Thanks to the advocacy of our Allied Attorneys Matthew Meinecke is now free to read his Bible aloud on the streets of Seattle without fear of arrest It’s an encouraging example of how when we unite for a common mission we can trust in God for astonishing results “This result is only fitting,” said Kellum formerly of the Center for Religious Expression and now with First Liberty Institute “Pastor Meinecke is thrilled to put this case behind him and get back to sharing the Gospel on the streets of Seattle.” 2025 at 1:41 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Upon arrival Sergeant Nicholas Spangenberg and Police Officer Thomas Schaffer immediately began CPR Secaucus Police responded to the 200 block of Julianne Terrace for a 911 call of a man who was unresponsive and not breathing Sergeant Nicholas Spangenberg and Police Officer Thomas Schaffer immediately began cardio pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) officers Matthew Cutola and Thomas Spuler readied their Automated External Defibrillators (AED) and assisted with CPR until EMTs arrived from Hudson Regional Hospital who were later assisted by paramedics from Jersey City Medical Center The man's pulse was found shortly thereafter He was transported to Hudson Regional Hospital and as of Wednesday afternoon remains in stable condition in the hospital “The continuous training of Secaucus police officers once again proved fruitful and saved another life,” Police Chief Dennis Miller said “I am extremely proud of these officers and their quick response I would be negligent if I did not give praise to Hudson Regional Hospital’s EMS and Jersey City Medical Center’s paramedics for their ongoing commitment to the safety of the residents of the town of Secaucus.” Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. One of the highlights in the northwoods each year is foliage of trees turning brilliant colors before dropping for winter While often credited incorrectly to Jack Frost this annual process involves several factors Green leaves on trees during the growing season have chlorophyll inside them which is vital to use sunlight to produce stored energy There are other color pigments in the leaves as well but they are masked by abundant green chlorophyll While fall weather can vary from year to year the main factor to trigger this dormancy process in trees That factor is increasing darkness as our days shorten This is why trees show fall color change about the same time each year although there is variation within species of trees Hormone levels in trees control this process as they react to increasing accumulating darkness which can lead to variations in color intensity and exact timing each year chlorophyll breaks down in leaves and then other color pigments that were present all the time become visible Pigments carotene and xanthophyll give leaves orange and yellow colors Red color is due to production of anthocyanins Eventually leaves will dry up and drop from trees as a wall-like layer is formed where the leaf stalk (petiole) joins the twig Good fall color is favored by sunny days and cool nights Frost or early freeze are detrimental to the process and may cause early drop with poor color Pines and other evergreens can also show color change in fall needles do not stay on the evergreens forever older needles may turn brilliant yellow or brown at once White pines in particular show this vividly Green needles remain on the ends of branches and there is usually an abrupt break between the yellow or brown needles and the newer green growth as you advance outward on the branch Speeding Up Merck’s Process from 6 Months to 6 Hours with an AI R&D Assistant 60% More Engagement With Hyper-Personalization for a US Proptech A Step by Step Guide to De-Risking Product Globalization Mastering Product Information Management: Your Key to the Digital Age Moritz Spangenberg No one was prepared for what the COVID-19 pandemic has brought upon the world Social isolation has pushed some companies out of business forcing others to reorganize the way they work in order to stay afloat Among others, they had to shift their supplier strategies due to social distancing introduce new and reposition their current products so that they correlated with the new pivoted their business to operate effectively in this new reality brought by the pandemic outbreak If your business has also been impacted by COVID-19 you’ll find tried-and-tested strategies and solutions that will help you adjust to this difficult new reality Even though the term ‘pivot’ is frequently understood as a drastic business change it doesn’t always entail changes that shake the business to its core it’s the process of addressing an important problem or challenge the company is facing – one that is keeping it from achieving its goals a pivot can mean anything from introducing a new product or service into the business’ offer through to an entire redefinition of the business and entering a new industry the retailer decided to introduce two changes Woolworths started offering essential groceries in addition to their homeware in order to make shopping as safe as possible they introduced a ‘Click & Collect’ module which allowed customers to order items online and pick them up from a parking lot This method allows customers to never leave their car or come into direct contact with staff Woolworths announced that they would be testing the solution at 14 locations across the country The results of introducing groceries into their offering as well as leveraging this new distribution channel and product offering are yet to be revealed IKEA is a Scandinavian chain that sells ready-to-assemble furniture and houseware in a warehouse-like space. IKEA owns stores in 38 countries and territories and employs over 211,000 people IKEA also has several brick and mortar shops Their e-commerce business has remained fully operational even as stores closed to the public It utilizes e-commerce as the cornerstone of their business and took steps to improve the online experience for customers Since online shopping was used more heavily throughout this time new services like contactless delivery (“Click & Collect”) were also introduced to protect customers and workers Coach is an American fashion luxury company Coach released a comfort-focused collection to target their stay-at-home consumer crowd They also extended their return policies by an additional 30 days – both in-store and on the website – to encourage more people to feel comfortable with the thought of shopping online which could be a new experience for some shoppers Since covering one’s face became part of our new reality Coach started selling reusable face masks to cater to their high end shoppers Coach has also assured customers that their distribution centers remain open and have new safety measures in place to get packages safely to them Best Buy is an American multinational consumer electronics retailer that sells video games Best Buy implemented a contactless curbside service for both online and phone orders They have pickup stations outside their stores that allow their employees to deliver items without coming into contact with customers Another service that Best Buy has managed remotely is their technology repair They have utilized virtual tools to aid Americans from a distance With so many working from home or homeschooling there is an increased need for technology support Best Buy’s Geek Squad remote support has been one way to resolve challenges that occur with technology – even from a distance They advertise that the average wait time is only 3 minutes and each case is resolved in 45 minutes or less They have notified customers shopping online that they adhere to all CDC guidelines and social distancing requirements All incoming packages are quarantined for 24 hours and team members receive thermal checks and gloves when handling merchandise Rag & Bone has also limited outside packages that they typically would have accepted They’re also offering easy online returns – customers can print a prepaid UPS Ground Return label and drop off the package at the nearest UPS location Rag & Bone has rolled out a number of virtual services like private appointments all a customer needs to do is call a store and an employee will meet them on the curb Walgreens is the second-largest pharmacy chain in the United States and serves its customers by filling prescriptions Walgreens increased its role as a provider of medicine and healthcare products as well as a grocery store In addition to implementing safety measures in-store Walgreens partnered with Postmates to deliver grocery items and personal care products This partnership allowed brands to continue to serve customers more quickly and efficiently especially vulnerable populations that couldn’t shop in-store Walgreens offers drive-thru COVID-19 testing and requires that everyone wears a face mask – all to keep their employees and customers safe As soon as several European nations were forced into lockdown decided to introduce a new service: fresh produce to ensure the company maintained a steady income They reached out to local farmers and small grocers who had no online presence and offered them an option to sell their goods through the Granadilla Swim online store Not only did this help the swimwear brand stay alive but also helped small entrepreneurs maintain financial liquidity The new service turned out to be a massive success – so much that the swimwear brand decided to launch a separate service now available on the dedicated Granadilla Eats website Michaels is the largest craft and home decor store in North America which operates more than 1250 stores across Canada and the United States With customers barred from entering stores they joined a large number of retail stores offering curbside and contactless pickup Customers are encouraged to make purchases online or through the Michaels app and then have a team member bring the purchase to their car The entire transaction is done without customers and employees having any contact with one another Michaels offers an almost instantaneous pickup at select stores, where customers qualify for same-day delivery if they place an order online before 6 PM The craft store also decided to implement contactless home delivery – the drivers that serve Michaels leave the package at the front door Secondly, in order to cater to customers who wanted to receive their items quickly, they also implemented a curbside, contactless pickup and drop-off module This solution allows customers to collect and return their items safely from in front of the stores without coming into direct contact with any employees select DSW stores were already open across the country with staff strictly abiding by the CDC health guidelines and only a limited number of customers were allowed into the store at once Dick’s Sporting Goods is an American sporting goods retail company which has 850 stores around the United States With professional and recreational sports cancelled due to COVID-19 Dick’s Sporting Goods has seen a drop in the demand for their products along with store closures They have continued to offer curbside contactless pickup for customers who shop online and wish to pick up items they have ordered in a safe and secure manner They have also instituted policies for their employees that promote social distancing Some stores also offer shopping by appointment or designated shopping hours for at-risk customers retailers worldwide needed to take action quickly to alleviate the negative impact of the pandemic on business most retailers from all categories – grocery and others – introduced new distribution channels even went a step further and started offering an entirely new product category (in their case The above-mentioned retailers had to quickly adjust their business to effectively operate in the new reality with all signs showing that they’ve made perfect strategic decisions usable products with blazing-fast efficiency Let's talk business to Clarence and Elvira May(nee Tweady) Spangenberg 1997 in Summerfield and she survives in New Baden Kimberly (Richard) Biebel; and grandchildren Leon was an active member of Bloomingdale Baptist Church where he earned the nickname “The Little Preacher” He enjoyed playing baseball and was a proud participant in the Boy Scouts where he attended Oakdale Grade School and graduated from Nashville Community High School Leon cherished the time spent with family and friends where he was affectionately known as the “grillmaster.” He found peace at his cabin Leon worked on a dairy farm and later took up a role as a truck driver for Rehkemper Building Products in St until the time of services at Nordike Funeral Home in New Baden Funeral services will take place at 10 a.m Memorials may be made to the Locust Creek Cemetery or the American Heart Association and will be accepted at the funeral home Condolences may be sent to the family at www.nordikefuneralhome.com is designed to provide general insights and is not tailored financial advice Our commentary is rooted in historical data and analyst projections and is not intended to serve as specific investment guidance It does not formulate a recommendation to purchase or divest any stock and does not consider individual investment objectives or financial circumstances Be aware that our analysis might not incorporate the most recent price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative information GuruFocus holds no position in the stocks mentioned herein We are living through a time on planet Earth when it can be hard to find much hope We're getting bombarded with bad news from nearly every angle and disillusionment is a very real reaction to all that we're either experiencing or witnessing What is it that can give us hope for the future the Erie Reader editors have sifted through hundreds of nominations to decide which 40 people under 40 years old should be featured What is always so uplifting about this list year after year are the myriad ways that each of the honorees makes a difference in our community: through government and politics by teaching the next generation of leaders or by simply following wherever their ideas and motivations lead them — by having the confidence in their own ability to make change and do good And that should give us all hope for the future It's right here — in Erie and among these pages with these 40 along with the 440 who have come before them Do you know someone you would like to see in an upcoming class? Our online nominations for 2025's class are now open! Just visit eriereader.com/40under40nomination Jonathan Atkinson Eric Anthony Berdis Raven Clark-Steves Deonte Cooley Katherine Dahlkemper-Yezzi Brendan Daugherty Ryan Dawley Abby DeSantis Margaret Dieudonne Colleen Dougherty Cypher Eihwaz Emma Eisert-Wlodarczyk Jonathan "Jonny" Evans Franchesca Fee Craig Flint Jordan Fuller Amberlee Glazier Ryan Hoover Alexandria Iwanenko Andre Jones Jacob Jones Anna Lindvay Valerie Luckey, OSB Joey Mancuso-Ellis Courtney Mealy Steve Mik Adam D. Nelson Todd Paropacic Katie Phillilps Philip Seaver-Hall Haieda Sharifi Shabia Singh Jason Spagenberg Alex (Lone Sav) Staley Tenay Taylor Jenny Tompkins Seth Trott Drew Whiting Ja'Leesa Williams Tori Williams An Erie native, Atkinson has dedicated his career to serving minority veterans in our community. A graduate of Cathedral Preparatory School and Gannon University — from 2020 to 2023, he served as the minority veterans program coordinator for the Erie VA Medical Center Atkinson and his colleagues received the 2022 Excellence in Government Gold Award for their collective efforts in Diversity "Minority veterans have historically been overlooked and may not have received the VA services to which they were entitled To be able to provide a sense of comfort and advocacy to our veterans who may feel as if they don't belong The Homeless Care Program was nationally recognized for their efforts in helping the National VA reach their goal of housing 38,000 Veterans in 2023 "Although we may not have the sheer volume of homeless population in comparison to larger cities our Homeless Care Program finished fifth nationally in completion percentage and a testament to the work that our staff completes on a daily basis to support our homeless veterans in Erie." serving as committee vice chairman and chairman of the Grants Review Committee he is proud of the $200,000 in Generational Impact grants they have provided to support projects that will have tremendous impact for BIPOC individuals and communities living in Erie County the commission awarded $300,800 to 29 BIPOC-owned small businesses to supplement the hardships experienced from COVID The Erie County DEI commission awarded $291,500 to 25 small businesses for the same purpose the commission created a small business fund to support business growth and advance equity for BIPOC owned businesses who have historically been marginalized Atkinson says he enjoys spending time at Presque Isle State Park and the Erie Zoo with his wife and their 1-year-old son He is looking forward to taking his son to his first basketball game this fall "My wife and I are expecting our second child and look forward to meeting our baby girl in July I try to spend time with my family as often as possible We usually gather for Sunday dinner." — AVS Some artists draw from the darkness for their expression; but for others it is in joy where they find their inspiration and their passion continuously find ways to imagine and embody joy through my practice," he explained "Quilting and fiber practices have a long history of leisure and making for pleasure joy is an act of resilience — a critical method of subverting hegemonic narratives of suffering." which combines quilting and fiber arts with sculpture They were also recognized as the 2023 Lydia McCain Mid-Career Artist Fellow for Erie Arts and Culture a graduate of Iroquois High School and multiple-degree holder (including an MFA and M.Ed.) spreading their creativity through their pieces; they are also an educator who will be moving out of the Erie area soon to pursue their Ph.D "I am passionate about arts education for early learners," they said "My students are incredible and have taught me so much from the play and work we create together Berdis cites their partner Alex as an instrumental part of their creative and professional journey and they spend their time outside of work creating but the joy that does eventually come also brings joy for the future," Berdis said After spending years organizing programs at the Jefferson Educational Society (JES) as their programming and marketing coordinator, Raven Clark-Steves has recently set off on her own by launching Raven Clark Consulting which is a strategic communications consulting business calling on her professional experience and educational training in marketing This Villa Maria Academy graduate earned her bachelor's degree in political science at Allegheny University and her master's in communication from Syracuse University She has put these degrees to great use as part of Erie's Think Tank — she spearheaded JES satellite programming helping to bring thought-provoking speakers and workshops to areas of the city and county that don't have easy access to the JES main campus (e.g and West Millcreek) as well as operating their budding youth civic education and leadership program As part of the Erie Democratic Party's Black Caucus the political is personal to Clark-Steves: "I dream of an inclusive and prosperous Erie I dream of our inner-city neighborhoods and rural communities being rich in resources and thriving with opportunities for their residents Erie is my home; a beautiful little slice of paradise on the lake that all residents should be able to enjoy and prosper in." When she's not working on making Erie a more inclusive and spending time outdoors with her new spouse: "I married my wonderful husband Shannon this year I'm a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ (pansexual/Queer) and disabled communities I've struggled with mental illness for 15 years and I want those who share similar struggles to know that a happy and that you can make an impact in your community." — EP This Central High School graduate and father of eight is a self-described "beacon of hope." After earning his bachelor's degree in sociology, he has gone on to pursue his master's degree in organizational leadership at Mercyhurst University all while constantly working to create avenues of growth for folks in Erie who haven't traditionally had them If someone had to describe Deonte Cooley in one word, that word might be "tireless." His nominator, Amanda Duncan (Erie's 40 Under 40 class of 2020) describes him as "one of those unassuming figures who goes out He's doing it because he genuinely loves his community and wants to lift up those around him and creating innovative new ways to crush the status quo." Above and beyond his duties at Mercyhurst University and as a realtor for Agresti Real Estate a committee member of the Athletics Facilities Committee through Erie's Public Schools He currently runs a group called "The Manifestation Team" which meets bi-weekly to discuss plans He has created an LLC called Cooley's Strategies and Solutions as well as a nonprofit organization called Community for Unity and Opportunity on top of being a drug and alcohol counselor to those in state correctional institutions — being a tireless "beacon of hope" to those at their most hopeless "My grandfather has played a major role in the man that I have become today and I honor him and mention him daily My former football coach Patrick DiPaolo believed in me when no one else did and told me he would not allow me to waste my life Had it not been for him and his encouragement I would not have gone to college and may not have become the man I am today." — EP Dahlkemper's has been a household name in the Erie region for more than 60 years and Katherine Dahlkemper-Yezzi plans to keep it that way for many more years to come As a third-generation co-owner of the family business Katherine knows more than a thing or two about jewelry: "One might say that I was born into the jewelry industry going into the family business has always been the plan I used to nap under my mom's work desk," she said recalling evenings in the store working on homework before helping to clean and organize drawers Katherine developed her passion for the jewelry industry while earning her bachelor's degree in marketing and consumer psychology at Penn State Behrend and went on to earn her master's in organizational leadership with a focus in strategy and innovation from Mercyhurst University I started to develop relationships and friendships with clients and they started coming in asking for me," she said "They wanted to work with me because they trusted me and they enjoyed my personality and perspective — that feeling has always stuck with me." Aside from her roles in the store — Katherine is also part of Retail Jewelers Organization (RJO)'s Next Gen network a group of next-generation independent jewelers under 40 throughout the US she was selected by Jewelers of America as one of the Top 20 Jewelers under 40 in the U.S. a highly regarded award in the industry that celebrates young professionals who exemplify leadership skills Katherine utilizes the store's position to help in the community whenever possible "I try to fulfill as many donation requests as we possibly can to help raise money for dozens of nonprofit organizations in the area," Katherine said Katherine has volunteered her time with the Upper Room of Erie When not running operations at the store or helping in the community Katherine enjoys Erie sunsets and local live music as well as traveling and experiencing new cultures She stays busy and active alongside her husband Justin range — these are attributes that distinguish both performance and production Brendan Daugherty has established a commanding presence in the Erie theater scene Most recently he has lent his sonorous voice to The Selfish Giant (with Erie Opera Theatre) and Erie Philharmonic Pops Series productions Rodgers and Hammerstein in Concert (2022) and Broadway in Concert (2024) adding to a lengthy list of performing credits with the Erie Playhouse and Gannon University extending all the way back to 2012 He has been nominated for Best Actor in our Best of Erie Awards several times winning the honor in 2018 and finishing as a runner-up in 2022 But as comfortable as Daugherty is in the spotlight he is just as happy in the background as a director and set designer ceding center stage to his many appreciative understudies The Northwestern High School and Edinboro University graduate generously and selflessly splits his time between work and play(s) — dozens upon dozens of youth and community theater productions all across the region Aside from double duty as an adjunct professor at Penn State Behrend (teaching principles of stagecraft and technical theater) and the scenic shop manager at the Erie Playhouse (building the sets for all its shows and handling rentals of those production assets) Daugherty lends his talents to the General McLane and McDowell theater programs Daugherty has impacted thousands of students and volunteers over his young and prolific career Says nominator and 2023 40 Under 40 honoree Will Steadman: "Brendan demonstrates what hard work truly encompasses and does so with unrivaled kindness." — MS If you've paid attention to local theater or local media at all in the past few years, you probably already know who Ryan Dawley is. Maybe you've seen him on stage all around the region. Maybe you've listened to his podcast, Spotlight 814, or maybe you've seen the Emmy Award-winning WQLN series, Chronicles Having lived and performed in 12 different countries this Gannon alum is a musical theater veteran Not content to stay anchored on one stage or even one city he's landed key roles at the Erie Playhouse (Tootsie and the Franklin's Barrow-Civic Theatre (Jesus Christ Superstar) His upcoming project is something deeply personal as he plans to host a podcast to boost awareness for Parkinson's Disease his day job is bringing just as much worthy attention to the Erie area As the audio supervisor of Chronicles for WQLN/PBS/NPR he's in charge of the sound of the acclaimed original program which took home a Great Lakes Emmy Award this June In an ideal world, we'd all have the time to prepare nutritious homemade meals that nourish us and our families, but in the event that isn't the case, the next best thing is a business dreamed into reality by Abby DeSantis: Meals with Abs which meal preps nutritious and delicious breakfasts and dinners for delivery and pick-up for Erie's residents The McDowell grad went to Penn State University for her bachelor's and has additionally gained a certification from the Institute for Integrative Nutrition as well as being a certified Holistic Nutrition Coach What started as a side gig has since turned into a full-fledged setup "Being able to help people while doing something I absolutely love is so rewarding," DeSantis said "Building a business from the ground up has made me really proud Her nominator agrees: "Abby opened up a whole new portal in Erie's food experience She makes food that is nourishing and delicious [people] are able to access meals that help us all perform and experience life in a better way." heading outdoors to spaces like Asbury Woods and Scott Park and spending time with her 9-year-old pitbull rescue DeSantis works with Erie's Public Schools' ANCHOR and SAIL programs teaching elementary school and middle school kids how to cook "I hope to continue to add to the quality of life of people in Erie and to make life easier Margaret Dieudonne is described by those who know her as remarkable the daughter of a Colombian mother and Haitian father (resulting in her being able to speak English where she graduated from Coral Reef Senior High School earning her bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering and then received a master's in electrical and computer engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology Today, Dieudonne is the advanced lead engineer at Erie's Wabtec Corporation She works with customers to devise requirements to create new locomotive strategies that protect the engine and ensure our locomotive engines meet EPA standards She also leads engineers on various projects to coordinate tasks and communicate between locomotive subsystems After a decade in Erie, she enjoys living here and plans on staying. "I strive to show people Erie through my eyes, a place that has helped me see what it means to have a community support you and your local business because they care to see it succeed," Dieudonne says. This is in reference to her other role: executive director of the beloved Eerie Horror Fest She works hard to organize a "spooky atmosphere" for the festival while curating global film submissions and a kid-friendly film with trick-or-treating She also serves on the board of the Film Society of Northwestern Pennsylvania is an active member of Wabtec's African Heritage Forum (AHF) and has previously held roles as Erie site leader and global program manager in an effort to highlight the achievements of Black employees and the importance of professional development as well as the deep conversations about life that come with this everything from opera to reggaeton to synth-pop She is passionate about fashion and history too and enjoys watching period pieces which combine both Colleen Dougherty is a problem-solver — in her career she tackles the challenges that face metro areas like Erie studying the way issues impact these communities and actively seeking out ways to positively shape the futures of these areas Colleen attended Fairview High School before earning her BA in Philosophy and Politics from John Carroll University and her MA in German and European Studies (MAGES) from Georgetown University In her work as a research officer with the Nowak Metro Finance Lab at Drexel University Colleen dedicates her time to not only identifying challenges and opportunities in cities and metros but also aims to apply solutions that will help foster sustainable development: "I am deeply passionate about leveraging innovative approaches to address the evolving needs of our communities," she said "My work involves not just studying existing solutions but actively shaping the future of urban development through deep objective research on innovative financial instruments and inclusive financial strategies." Colleen's passion for Erie inspires much of the work she does — after living in Washington she recently moved back to Erie as a fully remote employee so she could continue her research and eventually apply it in ways that will directly benefit our own city "Ensuring that Erie thrives in the face of evolving economic landscapes requires a commitment to both capturing proven solutions and pioneering new pathways for sustainable and inclusive economic development," she said something that her research aims to achieve Colleen also leads the group "Perspectives for the Future and Participation" as a non-resident fellow with Das Progressive Zentrum a think tank of professionals based in Berlin we delve into the complex issues impacting industrial heartlands across the transatlantic," she said This work has afforded her the opportunity to create international connections and champion Erie at conferences and in spaces on the international stage Colleen has delved right back into community involvement in the months she's been back — she is a member of the Transforming Industrial Heartlands Regional Initiative that is run out of the Jefferson Educational Society as well as a member of the Erie Women's Fund and Emerging Erie Fund A few years ago, when Odd Atrocity burst onto our local music scene The face of that band is their vocalist Cypher Eihwaz they were able to craft a collection of events and creating media all with a shared mission In addition to serving as vocalist of Odd Atrocity and also recorded guest vocals for Northbound Soul This is all coming from someone who still suffers from terrible stage fright with the band offering free drug-testing kits and Narcan spray (for emergency use in an opioid overdose) alongside stickers and handmade bracelets at their merch table or organizing food or clothing drives at events The band, along with like-minded groups like Dumpster Garden, helped build the brand and vision of OddCity Entertainment Eihwaz and OddCity have launched annual events such as the Violet Gathering (to help victims of domestic violence) and Rainbow Fest (which features LGBTQIA+ artists) and a nonprofit for harm reduction advocacy They also have two children with their husband Uriah who they have been happily with since their days at General McLane high school Their family also includes two dogs and a cat along with a revolving door of animals that Cypher helps to rehabilitate The former volunteer firefighter is also a longtime stick and poke tattoo artist as well as providing graphic design for OddCity and From the Ashes Promotions a graduate of the University of Dayton with a Bachelor of Science in Pre-Medicine is the school engagement director for the American Heart Association she works with school communities across northwestern Pennsylvania to implement life-saving initiatives and support the health and wellness goals of the individual school districts She's also a small business owner, having opened Polliwogs Gym in the Colony Plaza this past October She's been thrilled by the support from the Erie community adding that the encouragement from her friends and family is what made her dream a reality "I am so lucky to be able to provide Erie families with a safe space for the youngest members of our community (four months to eight years) to develop their motor skills and experience positive social interactions all while learning through play," she explains Having spent years participating in and coaching gymnastics this was always an idea in the back of her mind On top of overseeing day-to-day operations she also develops curriculum used in their classes and directly works with the children to teach all sorts of skills Eisert-Wlodarczyk gets to work with the community's youth "By supporting their well-being physically we are positively impacting the next generation of community members and potential leaders," she says "I hope to continue to provide children and their families with opportunities for positive development and to be a resource for the Erie community for years to come!" She lived and worked in Spain and also backpacked across Europe She also likes spending time with friends and family visiting the many local breweries and coffee shops and is perfectly content curling up with a good book she'll be marrying her fiance Sean at the Presque Isle Lighthouse Ohio and lived in Georgia and Alabama due to her mother's military assignments she moved here in 2003 and graduated from McDowell High School "I consider Erie as my hometown," she says — and Erie is lucky to have her collaborating with other artists on videos and projects or DJ-ing an event — he pretty much never stops This NWPA Collegiate Academy graduate went on to earn his bachelor's in broadcast and print journalism from Penn State University — but quickly realized that music was his passion-pursuit and gave him the ability to make the most positive impact in Erie "As I've navigated different areas of life I've found purpose in writing and performing music I strive to be an artist who inspires and gives hope encouraging others to chase their dreams and be their authentic selves … And I book bands and musicians and give them an opportunity to play in a cool venue with great audio and lighting and help to put some money in their pockets so that they can continue playing I believe in Erie and I believe in the people here and I'm simply proud to be a small part of it all." When Evans isn't doing one of his multiple jobs or collecting sports jerseys and vintage video game consoles He credits his family and idyllic childhood for starting him down a path to personal success "I'm lucky to have the family I have and anything that I do that's a positive contribution to this planet or to this city is a testament to them I just aspire to be like them and carry on their legacy." — EP Franchesca Fee's life imitates art. This multi-faceted, multi-talented, well-traveled woman is deeply knowledgeable on subjects ranging from Baroque and Renaissance Italian art to SCUBA diving and cataloging historic shipwrecks. And learning everything she can about those subjects that interest her has led her to becoming the director for Erie Insurance's corporate museum, The Heritage Center as well as being the art curator for all of the company's in-house art — which is extensive Fee came to Erie to attend Penn State Behrend earning her bachelor's in art history before going on to earn her master's degree in the same subject She is currently a breath away from earning her doctorate from Rutgers University where she became an Excellence Fellow (which helps support her research in Italy) as well as teaching online art history courses for the school She published her work on the artist Valentin de Boulogne in an international which earned her the Olga Berendsen Prize at Rutgers University When Fee isn't in a museum, gallery, classroom, or archives, she enjoys being in or on the water, in whatever way possible. Last year, she received her certification for the Pennsylvania Archaeology Shipwreck and Survey Team (PASST) and now regularly dives on historic shipwrecks in Lake Erie She is also in the midst of learning to sail and is crewing on a boat in the Erie Yacht Club Racing Fleet Fee is proud to call Erie her home base and has recently purchased a historic home she's working to restore I love aiding in preserving our city's rich past for future generations whether it's helping to document and research a shipwreck or work of art or serving as a steward of Erie Insurance's nearly 100 years of history." — EP the infectious love of weather that Flint has and his passion shines through every time he's on air This Penn State University graduate has always had an interest in weather — he jokes "Just ask my mom!" And this interest has led Flint to follow a path that has taken him to his dream job: "It has been a life long dream of mine to be a TV weather guy I took a circuitous route to my career and there were several rough patches I'm reminded of a famous Frank Sinatra song titled 'I Did It My Way' and here I am and Flint prides himself as being able to provide some moments of levity during a broadcast that might contain upsetting "Weather is something we all experience and talk about on the daily and that gives me a little more latitude as opposed to being a journalist; it allows me to have a little more of an opinion Weather is subjective — some people like lazy It's pretty cool and I like to have fun with it." Flint's passion doesn't start and stop with weather — he is committed to Erie and is excited to stick around "I jumped at the opportunity to come back to Erie You cannot deny the vibe or the energy in the air here." — EP and Jordan Fuller has his sights set on redefining what a successful entrepreneurial ecosystem is By creating and implementing a streamlined framework for economic development in Erie County As the director of entrepreneurship for the Erie Regional Chamber and Growth Partnership (ERCGP) his focus is on creating spaces that make it easier to invest in and grow businesses The ERCGP offers three avenues for entrepreneurs in Erie — the FIRE accelerator a global catalyst for startups to build their legacies in the Erie region that Jordan designed while working for the Erie Innovation District; the ICE Angel Education Program which educates potential investors; and the ICE Angel Fund which provides a mechanism to deploy those investments to local entrepreneurs The ICE Angel Fund recently made its first investment in a local company — Blind Tiger, a woman-owned business (2016 40 Under 40 honoree Rebecca Styn) that creates and sells Prohibition Era-inspired mocktails "He's crafted a remarkable incubation program that has seen dozens of entrepreneurs connect with Erie talent and industry," said nominator Sean Fedorko of Radius CoWork (Erie's 40 Under 40 class of 2016) less confidence in itself to invest and grow." a Google-backed initiative sponsoring local entrepreneurial education and networking events and is involved in numerous organizations across northwestern Pennsylvania and I will always have 30 minutes for a meeting or to vent about something that is challenging in your business," Jordan said Amberlee Glazier is changing what it means to do things by the books The children's librarian-extraordinaire is at the helm of various civic engagement efforts to ensure equitable opportunities for the next generation Glazier originally wanted to become a human rights attorney and interned as a field organizer with the Human Rights Campaign in California during the 2008 election Amberlee's accolades cover a range of political and information sciences as activism is at the heart of everything she does a take-home reading program for families to share during the shutdown and three to four activities with supplies and instructions — an effort that made it possible for families to remain connected to the library and early literacy programs while under quarantine In 2021, the Pennsylvania Library Association awarded the Erie County Public Library's children's librarian team the Best Practices Award for a civic engagement display complete with voter registration forms and library precincts to familiarize children and their families with the electoral process The contest runs concurrently with major national elections "The library is the only place where everyone in our community — regardless of age or background — has free and equal access to materials "My job is to help provide materials and experiences that enrich their lives and help them grow into lifelong readers and learners." she's a church school instructor and designs summer programming for St Previously known as Manic Pixie Demon Girl her skating days with Erie Roller Derby came to a close as an injury sidelined her so now she spends her spare time with her wonderful new spouse you understand what an important piece of the puzzle he is Thanks to Hoover's engagement and unbridled enthusiasm for what he does As experience director for the Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC) he works with fellow 2024 40 Under 40 honoree and Executive Director Drew Whiting to steer the organization in the right direction and to have a good time doing it With the ASCEND climbing wall open for business (and the obvious upward mobility metaphors that come with it) and the Flagship City Food Hall now a tentpole destination downtown the EDDC is well into their next phase of operation He's also happy to do his part in his hometown of Harborcreek and his son Aiden relocated there after living in Orlando for years (they're still avid Disney World fans) he's helped organize events like Fall Fest not to mention the immersive haunted house he helped design and construct for HarborCreep Nights Thanks to his event programming alone Setting up music and other experiences at the Food Hall (complete with his impressive photography) outdoor sets along the Shops at 5th and State (e.g. Hoover is making Downtown Erie a place people want to be That was exactly what one of his first tasks was Hoover helped market the first wave of apartments "I've surrounded myself with positive Downtown Erie supporters There's a dedicated group of people who truly want to make Downtown Erie a better place for the next generation of visitors Alexandria was no stranger to other cultures: as the granddaughter of immigrants from Italy her childhood was immersed in traditions from all over the world It only made sense that this exposure would spark an interest that would follow her through school and lead her to the work she does today Alexandria graduated from Canisius College with a triple major BA in International Relations and earned her JD from Duquesne University School of Law she earned Distinguished Student Awards and graduated with summa cum laude honors As an associate attorney with Amicangelo & Theisen Alexandria applied that interest from her childhood to helping those in need She represents clients in front of immigration judges in both Buffalo and Philadelphia as well as traveling with clients for naturalization and green card interviews and for affirmative asylum interviews One of her proudest accomplishments is her work with the Afghan community: "In August 2021 relocated over 70,000 Afghans [to the U.S.] without much of a plan," Alexandria said "Our firm stepped in to help and I have assisted 20 Afghans in receiving grants of asylum approval and over 50 Afghans in receiving their permanent resident card to be able to remain in the U.S as interpreters and soldiers for the military and now I get to do my part to pay it back to them — it is one of the most rewarding parts of my job." Alexandria's community commitment extends past her career as an associate attorney She serves in a number of positions across multiple organizations including the Multicultural Health Evaluation and Delivery Systems (MHEDS) as a board member strategic planning and governance committees) and the Academy for Human Rights (board member and governance committee chair) "I truly want to make Erie a better place for everyone — I have always wanted to be a voice for the voiceless," Alexandria expressed "I can use my privilege to advocate for others and we have to listen to them and respond accordingly." Alexandria enjoys spending time at Presque Isle with her 1-year-old daughter and is looking forward to sharing Mommy and Me dance classes with her daughter as she grows A talented designer who has worked with some of the music industry's hottest artists and a down-to-earth creative uplifting Erie's Black community through fashion An Erie native, Jones graduated from Central High School and Edinboro University's graphic design program. His education served him well because he uses those skills to create his clothing designs while also marketing and promoting them — all while serving as an art director for Blavity his approach to fashion has landed him well-known clients like Lizzo designing looks for her European Tour in 2018 Pieces of his clothing were featured on Showtime's The Chi (2022) He also "ghost designs" merch and apparel for streetwear brands and music artists some of which you may have seen in editorials Jones says much of his apparel work is inspired by the 1980s His fashions emphasize multi-functionality and high wearability with most pieces having a transformative property to make them more sustainable and also incredibly fun Jones was the second place winner in Jack Daniel's "Classic Remix" design competition A member of Chroma Guild (established in 2019 by Erie Arts and Culture to advance access to resources and opportunities for creative and cultural professionals of color) he says he wants to provide Erie with hope can and will kill your spirits and creativity But anything worth having is worth fighting for," he said Despite opportunities to take his career elsewhere He will most definitely let me know," Jones said he says he spends hours on the beach at Presque Isle and loves dry humor Jones is also a competitive pole dancer and instructor at Liege Barre and Pole He's the two-time national champion and medalist of men's pole dancing (2019 2023) and was a bronze medalist at the 2023 Pole Sports and Arts World Federation World Championships Jacob Jones has accomplished a lot in his 30 years After graduating from Strong Vincent High School Jones earned his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Gannon University followed by a master's degree in public administration The center is a member-driven organization which supports the needs of local family-owned businesses He is also an adjunct faculty member at the Erie County Community College where he teaches classes about entrepreneurship he's also a registered minister having performed over 20 weddings; he's a recent graduate of the Jefferson Civic Leadership Academy; and he is currently working on a Raimy Fellowship project concerning youth mental health and fixing and building things (skills he learned from his father) "I want to make Erie a place that people want to root their lives into," says Jones and growing city that needs to overhaul its old ways of thinking This city has so much potential and energy When Anna Lindvay isn't brewing up delicious coffee concoctions at her day job as a barista at Werner Books & Coffee (whose staff recently received the inaugural Safe Space of the Year award from local nonprofit Compton's Table) The goal she shares with her fellow community organizers is to bring progressive social and political ideals to a local level of action and change Lindvay explains the kind of work she does myself and others with the Democratic Socialists of America organized a mutual aid gathering in Perry Square where we platformed local progressive political candidates and managed to collect enough nonperishables to fill every Little Free Pantry within the city — turning a potentially stressful and polarizing moment into something positive and proactive for the community." Lindvay's efforts (including deploying petitions and drawing speakers and crowds to council meetings) were key in the adoption of Andre Horton's resolution to make sure that the kind of censorship that led to Pride displays being removed from the Blasco Public Library would not happen in the future "I try to make Erie a better place by advancing the ideas of civic engagement and community building — and by showing that you don't need to be an elected official or have a bunch of money in order to make an impact." When Lindvay isn't engaging in local advocacy She doesn't drive or own a car and hopes to never need to And Erie is lucky to call her a permanent resident I hope to be able to attend city council and school board meetings with the weight of being a tax-paying property owner." — EP Devoting herself to a monastic lifestyle, Valerie Luckey has made it her mission to help those in need. Through her work with Emmaus Ministries upholding the Biblical tenets of kindness and charity in her everyday life Luckey is living by the rule of Saint Benedict himself to "live differently than the world's way" and to "put the Love of Christ above all else." While Emmaus Ministries is best known for their local soup kitchen, they also oversee the Food Pantry, Kids Cafe, Grove, and Saint Mary's Studio: A Space to Create (a flourishing studio unto itself, which The Reader covered recently) It was conceived by Sister Mary Lou Kownacki Sister Mary Miller was named director of Emmaus Ministries and lovingly led the organization for over 42 years until her death Luckey was open about her grief at Miller's passing and publicly detailed her mixed emotions after she was named the new director Saint Benedict also wrote that God sometimes speaks through the youngest person in the community With Luckey's position amongst a new generation of Sisters she is likely to serve the region for decades to come And this is perhaps the perfect place for her to be Pennsylvania and attending Emmaus High School she received her bachelor's and master's from Saint Joseph's University in Philadelphia She served nearby as a fourth grade teacher for several years before joining the Sisters "I believe the combination of love and creativity is the most powerful we have as humans for making positive change are the most authentic forms of love and creativity I have to offer a world in need of peace and justice." — NW Joey Mancuso-Ellis equips her clients with swords Joey helps patrons feel just as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside The owner of Sterling Rivers Spa is an Erie native with an extensive resume in cosmetics and esthetics She has done wedding makeup for 20 years and began teaching master classes at her spa as her skills include facials to waxes Joey offers free eyebrow tints to breast cancer survivors women who lose their hair due to chemotherapy wear wigs or rock a bald look but the lack of natural facial hair like eyebrows can still make women feel self-conscious Joey helps those women regain some power during a seemingly powerless period of their lives Joey works to make her spa the breath of fresh air that helps her clients relax and rejuvenate Joey enjoys alone time to charge her own batteries "I am very empathetic and can feel energy from other people Working in a field where I'm one-on-one with people all day "I go to dinner by myself or take myself to the movies." Joey is proud to be a part of the Erie community "I love to see the growth and the success of so many local businesses here," she remarked "I have been extremely blessed with the success of my business and owe it all to the support of the people in Erie I think Erie is a hidden gem and I'm proud to be here and along for the ride to watch it flourish in the future." — CF You may know her as "Interstella" but there's more to Courtney Mealy than what you see on the flat track. Mealy spends the majority of her time outside of her day job at UPMC Hamot managing the day-to-day and long-range operations of Erie Roller Derby (ERD) The league is a 501(c)3 organization which is 100 percent volunteer-operated Pennsylvania and attended Cranberry Jr./Sr High School and Edinboro University where she received her BFA in Jewelry/Metalsmithing as well as an art education certification Mealy also attended Mercyhurst North East for her Associate of Science She has served on the board of directors of Erie Roller Derby since 2019 and currently serves as the board chair She says that her passion is quite possibly an obsession because she is always on the lookout for ways they can improve the league and better serve their members and community we are a diverse group of individuals with a passion for promoting the athleticism needed for playing a full-contact sport while at the same time fostering an inclusive and transformative community that provides access to sports for women the league has continued to grow under her leadership "We've grown to the point where we are consistently fielding two rosters of skaters for games we have almost a full contingent of skating officials and a good number of non-skating officials as well as a healthy base of volunteers to support our off-track endeavors Part of this growth comes from establishing new and exciting recruitment efforts with 2022 being the inaugural year for our new recruit Skate Camp — an eight-week program meant to get new recruits steady on their skates in a friendly and low-pressure environment," said Mealy She had also lead the development of a skater scholarship program which provides financial relief to folks who may not be able to afford monthly dues co-leading a committee to establish the organization as a 501(c)3 (which they received in October 2023) and obtaining various grants and funding sources to pay for programming "The thing I am most proud of is the way our organization has impacted our members on a personal level I strive to ensure ERD is a place where people feel valued and empowered both on and off the track," said Mealy When she's not thinking about derby or working on a derby project Mealy likes to put together puzzles and spend time with her husband and her dog She's getting ready to host Erie's first roller derby tournament in September Having grown up in Erie and graduating from Mercyhurst Prep, Steve Mik is now embedded deeply in the local art scene. As an artist, he works with The Looking Glass Art Project which focuses on large-scale public art installations These have included the recently completed Union City Gateway Mural Project which is composed of three murals depicting the importance of French Creek to the community and the mural painted on the HANDS building on East Sixth and East Avenue called "Growth Over Guns," which was painted with students from Erie Center for Arts and Technology The latter is a statement about overcoming gun violence through the power of positivity "This was a topic that the students felt very strongly about and had personal connections to," explains Mik "which in turn was evident by the effort and depth of their participation that resulted in a powerful finished product." Mik is also a teaching artist with Erie Arts and Culture where he introduces and educates students about all types of art focusing on harnessing their creativity to channel it into an expression of their experiences "It is my goal to use public art to beautify and transform our community," Mik says but it is also about community engagement and addressing issues positively "This process allows people to participate in the creation of public art while giving them a hands-on connection to the work and a lasting sense of pride that strengthens ties within the community." Mik loves spending time with his daughter and two dogs and supporting local businesses and restaurants "I dream of painting all of the walls along the Bayfront Connector especially the huge one along the bay," he says it's just about sharing a common goal: "I believe that by working together and communicating we can create a world that is not only beautiful but also safe and healthy for us Adam D. Nelson, a financial advisor for Edward Jones, Wealth Management was deeply gratified to be ranked number 21 on the 2023 Forbes Best In State Next Gen Wealth Advisors in Pennsylvania "Being named to that list … was a really big deal for me as it was national recognition for what I've built over the past 16 years," Nelson said "Having been recognized within Edward Jones the past several years as being in the top 5 percent of North America given we are the largest firm by advisor count in the U.S." Erie-educated (Penn State Behrend) financial advisor opened his own Edward Jones branch in 2008 on Buffalo Road and has been there ever since But you would be remiss if you equated Nelson's professional accomplishments to an all-about-work lifestyle he has taken on many different volunteer roles in the community sponsoring the Harborcreek Sports Boosters previously heading the board of the Eastside YMCA and serving on the board of Penn State Behrend Black School of Business the youngest-ever appointee when he was just 28 And Nelson is passionate about his volunteer work for his wife Jessie's organization a 3/4ths home for women overcoming addiction The human members of the family are widely traveled; they've made it to every continent except Antarctica But they're proud to call Erie home and for good reason; "I have always been very fond of Erie … It was an incredible place to grow up and has helped shape my determined work ethic and values …There's a reason so many people return to Erie; it's big enough to have options Todd Paropacic does a little bit of everything Erie is happy to have him as a welcome and engaging fixture helping to lead the new generation of our creative community Hailing from North East, Paropacic attended Gannon University, where he interned at the Erie Art Museum This paved the way for his full-time career as their visitor services coordinator some of his duties include booking musical guests for Gallery Nights and Art After Dark You may also know him as the frontman of PianoPunk the one-of-a-kind trio that exists on a plane between Rufus Wainwright and the National These colorful and vibrant works were featured in a solo exhibition at the 10/20 Collective Perhaps you yourself have contributed to one of his pieces In "The Notebook," Paropacic and members of the public helped to fill 15 journals amounting to 2,500 pages some of which were displayed during the 10/20 Collective show He has been a member of the Northwest Pennsylvania Artist Association (NPAA) since 2022 and will begin his residency at FEED Media Art Center in the coming months He's published three collections of poetry: Hackensack: or im only here cus new york city is like right there all of which feature his artwork on the covers These were published under his umbrella imprint What Why Aesthetics which also includes his recording projects and more he wants "to help elevate art in the greater Erie community and find my place in the rich tapestry that is the Erie artistic tradition." — NW Many of these careers are in trades or medical and agricultural sectors and they provide "practical and valuable experiences that prepare participants for successful careers," said Phillips One of her nominators spoke to Katie's rare gift of caring for others: "Katie is the poster woman for what all social workers should aspire to be," they said "Every day Katie works to improve the lives of youth that would normally be ignored or neglected Her work ensures every one of the Erie community's residents can live a fulfilling Phillips is also a member of the North East School Board and sits on the board of the Office of Children and Youth Services She is wife to husband Dustin and mother to daughter Willow as well as pet mom to dog Odin and cat Captain Professor Soots In Boots In her free time she likes to study native plants She plans on calling Erie home for a long while "Erie is a beautiful and vibrant community with abundant resources My vision for Erie is a place where we collaborate to address complex community issues and find unique and innovative solutions I believe that by strengthening networking among local nonprofits we can enhance resource sharing and collectively amplify our impact." — CS Philip Seaver-Hall is a rising star in the world of law — and we don't mean that figuratively He has been given the distinction of "Rising Star" multiple times by Super Lawyers Magazine a designation reserved for the top 2.5 percent of attorneys in each state who are under the age of 40 or who have been in practice for fewer than 10 years If you had told Philip 10 years ago he'd be where he is now "I was laser-focused on becoming a professional classical musician between ages 14 and 20," he disclosed "I wanted to play in a professional orchestra or teach music at the collegiate level." And he certainly could have made a career of it: prior to law school he performed countless concerts throughout Canada I started feeling like I could do more to make a long-lasting difference in people's lives — I felt that law presented a higher calling for me." After earning his JD from Penn State University's Dickinson School of Law, Philip found himself in Erie for a summer internship with Knox McLaughlin Gornall & Sennett (KMGS) Arizona and attending high school in Sarasota Erie is now home for Philip: "I immediately loved Erie and now I can't imagine living anywhere else." In his work with Constitutional Law at KMGS Philip is also routinely called upon to advise school districts throughout Pennsylvania on complicated civil rights issues Philip will also be joining the faculty of Penn State University's Dickinson School of Law as an adjunct professor of law teaching advanced legal writing Philip's community involvement reaches beyond his practice of law: he was recently elected chairman of the Erie Philharmonic Board of Governors, serves as a board member for Lake Erie Arboretum at Frontier Park (LEAF) is president of the Erie County Young Democrats and is a contributing editor for the Appellate Advocacy Blog he received the Pro Bono Award from both the Erie County Bar Association and the Pennsylvania Bar Association "My highest ambition is to serve the public," he said "I do my best every day to serve my clients expertly help Erie County's residents make their voices heard Haieda Sharifi believes in four values: loyalty It's those virtues that have defined her life since 2022 when her family escaped the Taliban Haieda spent five months at a military base in Texas before resettling in Erie where she has since dedicated her time to helping over 500 fellow Afghans start their new lives in the area She became an interpreter at the U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants (USCRI) because she was one of the first Afghan women there who spoke English helping dozens of families who had been allies to the U.S military in Afghanistan as they prepared legal applications for asylum in the States She is now a case manager for the federally-funded program Services for Afghan Survivors Impacted by Combat which supports families with services like enrolling children in school so sometimes Afghan women don't feel comfortable speaking to men when they arrive in the U.S I have dedicated myself to helping immigrants from Afghanistan and other countries adjust to life here," she said providing support with language and cultural integration especially for women who feel comfortable sharing their concerns with me." She was two years into a law program in Kabul when her family escaped and is now taking prerequisite courses for Gannon University's nursing program Haieda plans to receive dual degrees in business administration and nursing with future hopes of applying to medical school Haieda Sharifi is an utterly crucial figure in Erie helping some of the region's most vulnerable families to remain stable through their resettlement period in Erie — a time that is temporary but fragile," wrote Ashley Lawson there will be thousands of people who can point back to Haieda Sharifi as the key figure who put their family on a steady path to self-sufficiency and community integration." — CF where she attended high school at West Humber Collegiate Institute she earned her Doctorate of Medicine from Avalon University School of Medicine in Curaçao where she received proficiency awards as a top student in anatomy She then completed her residency training at the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Today, she is a family medicine physician as well as being the chief medical officer at Erie's Multicultural Health Evaluation Delivery System (MHEDS) an all-purpose healthcare service provider for Erie's vast multicultural community she works tirelessly to help Erie's New Americans navigate their communities and by providing healthcare delivery that is both effective and inclusive "My best professional achievement is providing care to the population of northwest PA and seeing positive transformations of those under my care," Singh says "I aspire to deliver high level healthcare services to the Erie community and I hope to continuously motivate and inspire positive health outcomes." She's working to add additional healthcare services needed within the community including dental she's also worked hard finding ways to be involved in community programs for patient engagement She's also working on earning a lifestyle medicine certification and is excited to incorporate what she learns into her practice to heal and treat some of the root causes of chronic conditions she is "a unique talent and a visionary striving to change health outcomes across Erie County for new residents to the community." She's also a proud first-time homeowner in Erie "I am optimistic in its growth and potential and I am proud to be part of the Erie community." — JB As the manager for the Borough of Edinboro Jason Spangenberg knows what makes his town tick From handling all of the borough's accounting and finances to managing the day-to-day operations — including water and recreation — there's not much that goes on in the town that he doesn't have a hand in But borough management wasn't always on his career radar: "I actually never planned to work in local government," Jason confessed "I went to school for accounting and was planning to go to grad school to get enough credits to take the CPA exam when a part-time office clerk position opened up at the borough right before my college graduation Jason earned his degree in business administration and accounting from Edinboro University before making his way up the ranks in the borough's offices he moved into the finance director position in 2016 before taking on the role of borough manager in 2021 Although this field was not the direction he planned to take he does feel that it happened in large part due to inspiration from his late grandfather "He was always doing his part for his community," Jason said "I had the best example in the world in my grandfather and I only hope I can serve his memory as he deserved." one of Jason's proudest accomplishments has been improving the relationship between the borough and the community "I think the poor relationships were just from strong opinions and bad blood and people were feeding into that rather than doing the right thing," he said "I was working [to fix those relationships] from the moment I started working here." And fix them he did: in the few years since taking on leadership Jason has brought in more than $3 million in grants for the borough directly impacting and improving the community "The parks and recreation grants are the most rewarding since they have a direct impact on the community's enjoyment of what we have to offer." Jason is also a board member for Edinboro Community & Economic Development (ECED) including the annual Boro With The Works firework festival When not directly improving his community through his work Jason's talent as a trombonist is put to work "I especially enjoy playing for the Erie Footlights summer theater program," he said A member of the Misery Bay Big Band and a volunteer staff member for the General McLane marching band Jason also organizes a community jazz band alongside his wife Katie and his brother Corey Outside of work and community involvement, you'll still find Jason out in the community; he enjoys spending his weekends helping in the kitchen of his wife Katie's new coffee shop in Edinboro, Bean & Bear Café Alex (Lone Sav) Staley isn't afraid to try new things or making or playing music — he is known for being involved He joined the Erie Arts and Culture teaching artist roster and completed his first residency at Edison Elementary School Staley guided the students through the process of shoe design allowing them to create art that was printed on high quality footwear which they all received at the end of the program Giving back and being a mentor is important to Staley who says "I wouldn't have made it to the point I'm at right now without mentors who have really guided me through life Mentorship doesn't seem to be very common these days but it's extremely effective and enriching I would like to encourage others to give back to our community in ways of mentorship if they are able to." Staley says he is most proud that he was recently awarded an $87,000 grant from the Simons Foundation in NYC to create a large-scale art show at FEED inspired by the eclipse He was the only Erie artist working with FEED and Erie Arts and Culture on the Triangle Project which celebrated the Solar Eclipse this spring Staley traveled to New York to work with scientists to then present their work at FEED and the project is receiving worldwide attention Staley has also shown his art in Miami during Miami Art Week 2022 He is involved with the Erie School District You may have also seen him performing with one of his bands as well as a bass player for Dirty Leaf and Matthew Crays and Co he is known for being really good at Dance Staley says he wants to continue to support the arts and the culture that exists in Erie while working towards helping others reach their full potential Tenay Taylor was looking out for Erie long before she established its first Black woman-owned security firm her nurturing spirit has manifested in her direct care work at Sarah Reed Children's Center where she helped transform the lives of kids and families; as an AmeriCorps VISTA member through which she has teamed with local nonprofit organizations to fight poverty; as program coordinator with Erie's Black Wall Street where she's equipped her fellow Black entrepreneurs with actionable business insights and strategies; and as an Erie City Mom supporting other mothers and mother figures "I've known [Tenay] for two decades and she has a true passion for life," says nominator and former Collegiate Academy classmate Susannah Faulkner (40 Under 40 class of 2023) "She fights for what she believes in and has the strength to build a better Erie." will be cemented in knowledge and education "[I'd like to promote] the idea that intelligence is not only valuable but also admirable I strive to make it 'cool' to be smart." It's little surprise that Taylor's favorite pastime is learning which has led to a diverse set of interests that include logistics (she holds a Class A CDL) it's important to monitor for blind spots — and cover them Especially where there is accountability to others — something this aspiring Erie City Councilwoman feels deeply "I am committed to enhancing Erie's overall quality of life aspiring to elevate its status as a highly desirable locale for residents My vision includes fostering an environment conducive to establishing enduring family legacies where individuals can flourish and thrive within the fabric of our hometown By cultivating a sense of security and prosperity I aim to lay the foundation for future generations to call Erie their cherished home." — MS A convener and connector for many local groups educating and empowering them to make sure Erie is not left behind when decisions are made in Harrisburg and Washington Tompkins is leading PennFuture's efforts to build climate-resilient waterways and watershed communities in Pennsylvania Similar to a point guard or floor general in basketball, Tompkins directs the necessary resources to leverage the organization's civic engagement, policy, legislative, communications, and legal expertise, making sure all teammates are running the same play. As a key liaison to her home in the Northwest Region, Tompkins also continues to oversee PennFuture's Lake Erie and Great Lakes Advocacy She remains embedded in the Erie community to build climate resilience and watchdog against other environmental threats You may find her providing public comment at a meeting or meeting with like-minded advocates on an issue of concern Tompkins attended Romulus Central School and Allegheny College where she received her BA in Environmental Studies She has become involved with numerous agencies and serves on the Center for Family Services Board of Directors as secretary and governance committee chair She is also a member of the City of Meadville Environmental Advisory Council; an election rover with Crawford County Voter Service; a Jefferson Civic Leadership Academy alum; and chair of Community Resilience Action Network of Erie Tompkins hopes her advocacy motivates others to take action to protect Lake Erie and expand access to it for others a sustainable Erie hinges on clean water and better health outcomes for our watershed communities," she said As you'd expect, Tompkins loves to be near the water as much as possible. She enjoys kayaking and canoeing, a walk or hike with her husband and two rescue pups (Chai & Finn), in her vegetable or pollinator gardens, or with her nose in a good book. Her husband Bennett also loves working regionally with the Foundation for Sustainable Forests we're working on protecting both our woods and waters," she said Advocacy is said to be compassion and community at work. Case in point: Seth Trott. The Erie native and attorney in Quinn Law Firm's litigation division uses his talents to shine a light on the needed justice for others Trott fosters political engagement at the local level and supports marginalized members of the community He has assisted over 20 transgender individuals by developing "Hello My Name Is: A Legal Name Change Clinic" and co-hosted the SafeNet fundraiser this past year an event that supports survivors of domestic violence His efforts reach across the entirety of Erie County as he is involved with Young Erie Professionals (YEP) and is board treasurer for Impact Corry He assists rural and urban communities in finding funds for infrastructure projects and he researches the implications that emerging technology and green initiatives will continue to have for years to come "Many people want to support positive change, but Seth actually gets out there and does it," said nominator Charles Gray, executive director of Impact Corry Seth was recently awarded "Ally of the Year" by Compton's Table for 2024 and completed the Jefferson Educational Society's Raimy Fellowship program in 2019 He was the editor-in-chief of the Dickinson Law Review while in law school at Penn State in 2023 Seth also enjoys restoring antique furniture I look for ways to build bridges and make a genuine impact throughout the broader Erie community We live in a place where you don't necessarily need to be the head of a large company or organization to make a difference," Seth said I look forward to seeing more and more people take ownership of their community to turn the Erie region into the polished gem it deserves to be." — CF New York native is embracing Erie's ongoing transformation Drew Whiting has made "leaving it all on the field for Erie'' his personal creed (as opposed to leaving it all on the karaoke stage while channeling his inner Scott Stapp) The Notre Dame and Loyola University of Chicago School of Law grad has wasted little time applying his expertise as a venture capital attorney and entrepreneur to his role as the new CEO of the Erie Downtown Development Corporation (EDDC) With most of the EDDC's initial projects completed or rounding into form Whiting has turned his attention to collaboration with peer organizations such as the Erie Downtown Partnership The largest and most personal of those investments is 1000 State St., which has become the latest example of a once-neglected downtown property injected with new life. The corner of 10th and State now houses Five Iron Golf an indoor social entertainment complex featuring six state-of-the-art sports simulators (five golf and one multi-sport) as well as lower-tech but also enjoyable diversions such as darts these complexes had only existed in major cities like New York City but Whiting and his partners (general manager Chase Rogan and kitchen manager J.B Innes) were able to pitch a pretty convincing argument that Erie is a city on the upswing Tying his personal fortunes to the project was a risk "I want to serve the community as a leader by example putting others first and doing difficult things with conviction and optimism." We're lucky his Erie in-laws are known for their longevity because we have to believe there are more great things to come from this golf enthusiast Embroidery is a skill that requires infinite patience, minute attention to detail, and a willingness to see a project through from start to finish. It shouldn't surprise you to learn that Ja'Leesa Williams also embodies these values, and the owner and embroidery specialist for Sew Royalty also has a deep and abiding commitment to the Erie community "I'm committed to investing my time and resources in empowering individuals and my community," said Williams Which is why I make sure to spend time giving back in some capacity." like teaching people to create their own items." The Central High and Perseus House Charter School of Excellence grad, who holds a degree in social work from Mercyhurst University, is also on the Sisters of St. Joseph Advancement Committee as well as the board of the Youth Leadership Institute of Erie She's a teaching artist and member of the National Society of Leadership and Success as well Williams' nominator spoke to her unique ability to combine social work and art: "Her current involvement in teaching sewing and embroidery in schools and community centers … underscores her passion for arts education and leadership in cultural enrichment This nominee's blend of professional expertise in social work and active participation in arts and community development embodies the spirit and criteria of 40 Under 40." When asked about staying in Erie for the foreseeable future Williams was adamant "I want to be of service to my community before relocating somewhere else To know Tori Williams is to be inspired by her — through her leadership and work at Gannon where she plans and runs their entire events and programming schedule being the point of contact for over 100 student clubs and organizations running the Student Development Theory Cohort leading three international travel trips with Gannon students (to Iceland and training 120+ employees in Gannon's recently adopted Safe Zone Project (which aims to "foster inclusive environments and address common challenges faced by this community within educational settings'') And that single sentence is just scratching the surface of the breadth of her meaningful community work For Tori, it was her participation within the Safe Zone Project that has been the most meaningful to her "Co-hosting Safe Zone Trainings on Gannon's campus has been one of the most enriching experiences of my professional career If the visibility of seeing over 120 Safe Zone Trained stickers across campus (both in Erie and in Ruskin This John Carroll University alum came to Erie by way of Lawrence Kansas where she earned her Masters of Education in Higher Education Administration But Erie is now the place she is proud to call home "I believe in the power of small actions to create significant change in our community I am dedicated to making Erie a place where everyone feels valued and supported." When she's not busy chipping away at the mountain of work on her desk, you can find her volunteering with local neighborhood organization Our West Bayfront, spending time with her partner Starla and their cat Dolly Purrton, participating in her Queer Book Club, or simply being outdoors with friends. She's also made it a personal mission to try to inspire joy wherever she goes. If you see Tori, she'll invariably ask you, "What has been bringing you joy lately?" She elaborates, "This simple question has sparked some of the most meaningful conversations I've ever had. By encouraging others to discuss joy, I try to remind everyone to appreciate the small moments that bring happiness." — EP Frequent rainfall for this growing season has been favorable for yard and garden plantings. Besides mosquitoes, certain insects and insect relatives also thrive in years with abundant rainfall. The list includes earwigs, slugs and millipedes. Many insects and insect relatives like humid and dark conditions. Unfortunately, ideal growing conditions for plants, such as soils rich in organic matter, organic mulches, and moisture are also ideal habitat for earwigs, millipedes, and slugs. There is a fine line between reducing favorable habitat for these pests and lowering the growing conditions for plants. These types of pests are most active at night, so plant damage may be observed but whatever caused it is not visible. Earwigs are one of the few pests that eat marigolds, so if leaves of bedding plants such as these are being reduced to veins, chances are earwigs are involved. Slugs commonly make holes in leaves, with hostas at the top of their preference list. When plant damage is noted, careful investigation may reveal the culprit. Earwigs are elongated insects with pincer-like projections on the back end. Slugs look like snails without shells, are usually grayish or whitish, and commonly leave a slime trail. Millipedes, primarily scavengers on dead plant material, look like small multisegmented worms and often are found in tight curled balls as they dry up on pavement. For potted plants, carefully lift the container and see what critter may be underneath. In mulched areas, turn some mulch to see what may crawl out. Go out after dark with a flashlight and you may catch the culprit at work. None of these insects or insect relatives are poisonous and do not bite or sting, although earwigs can pinch if handled. They are typically scavengers but occasionally feed on live plants, especially earwigs and slugs. They also wander indoors and become a nuisance. All are more active during wet weather. Leaving a zone of bare concrete or soil that can dry out around homes and buildings helps keep them out. Also reduce entry points around doors and windows by assuring windows and doors fit tightly and caulking cracks and crevices in these areas. Pieces of hose or similar material may be put out to trap earwigs and slugs at night, then emptied in the morning. Plants being damaged by earwigs may be treated with an insecticide if damage is warranted. Likewise, commercial slug baits are available. Always read and follow all label directions when using pesticides to ensure products are safely used on the plant being damaged. Bruce Spangenberg is Iron County Extension Horticulture Educator with University of Wisconsin Extension. Email yard and garden questions to him at bruce.spangenberg@wisc.edu or call 715-561-2695. SUFFOLK, Va. — These days, it feels like there are cameras nearly everywhere, but just because you're being recorded doesn't mean you can get access to that video. In fact, one woman is learning that the hard way as she’s trying to navigate insurance after a vehicle accident on private property. “I had just got in the truck, and then I, you know, turned to go out of the parking lot, and then it wasn't two seconds later, I felt like I was knocked forward,” said Janice Spangenberg. Watch more: 2 road rage shootings reported this month in Hampton Roads Spangenberg’s vehicle sustained damage to the passenger door, passenger nerf bar and side mirror when she got into an accident leaving Sentara Family Medicine in Suffolk. “I was a little shocked because [when I saw the damage] I thought, ‘Wow, that's pretty bad,’” she recalled. After exchanging information with the other driver and calling the police, she took her truck to a local auto shop. They quoted her about $5,220 to fix all the damage. “He said, ‘Wow.’ He says, ‘Somebody really hit you, Janice,’ and I said, ‘Yeah, they did, Tommy,’” Spangenberg shared. Watch similar coverage: A red Corvette drives through Suffolk Burger King Spangenberg said it’s bad timing. She just took off her comprehensive insurance coverage on the truck to save some money because she does not drive it often. After connecting with the other driver’s adjustor, she was hopeful that surveillance video on the property would show what happened and relieve her of responsibility. “She said, ‘Well, it's your word against his.’ She says, ‘I've got to see the video,' and she said, 'Once I see the video, I'll know whose fault it is,’” Spangenberg told me. Spangenberg reached out to Sentara Health, and a representative sent her a letter saying in part: Spangenberg shared that she was shocked to learn this information. “It was filmed on their equipment, on their property. The only way to force them to produce that video footage would be through a search warrant or a subpoena,” said Bill O'Mara, managing partner at Cooper Hurley. O’Mara stated, generally speaking, serving a search warrant takes time, and there is no guarantee that the company has kept the video or was even recording it. “It’s very hard for a private citizen to get their hands on that footage,” he explained. Watch this: VSP looking for witnesses after road rage shooting on I-664; 1 hurt O’Mara suggests calling for police and waiting for them to arrive. If their body cameras are rolling, you can submit a Freedom of Information Act request (FOIA). It is a law that gives you the right to request records from the government. It will take time and paperwork, but the results could be beneficial. “I've had tremendous luck helping people, where the camera footage is rolling on the body cam, and while I don't have video of the accident itself, I have conversations with both drivers and the law enforcement officer very shortly after the wreck,” O’Mara said. “I’ve gotten some great sound bites where maybe the other driver, after they talked to the police, changed their story when the insurance companies got involved, and I was able to get some admissions of fault on video,” he continued. Watch more of our coverage: Road rage could be part of a larger mental health issue, doctor says He also said that businesses cannot be held responsible for an accident that happens on its lot unless you can point to direct negligence that the business contributed to the wreck. Because accidents happen on private property all the time, Spangenberg’s advice is to have insurance and act quickly. She is hopeful her story can help someone else navigate after a crash. Leaves dropping from trees may signal a variety of things. Perhaps it is just a normal process, a sign of stress, or potentially a serious problem. Examine the situation a little closer to make a diagnosis as to the cause of trees dropping leaves. Look closely at leaves dropping and those still on the tree for spotting or discoloration. Foliar diseases causing early leaf drop has been common this season. The most common example is apple scab on flowering crabapples and apples. Spots initially are olive to gray and as they develop turn darker. Leaves yellowing and dropping will have lots of irregular black spots on them. Anthracnose causes irregular blighted lesions on leaves of many trees and is also common this year. Root and trunk injury can show remarkably similar symptoms, making diagnosis of wilts diseases difficult to confirm. Examine trunks of larger trees with wilting and dropping leaves for signs of injury, wounds, and hollow areas. Consider any digging, soil compaction, or construction activity that may have occurred not just in the past few weeks but in the past few years. Finally, insect borers can also cause leaves to wilt and drop from trees. Borers as a group attack weak or highly stressed trees. One exception is ash infested with emerald ash borer, which will attack perfectly healthy trees. Look for small D-shaped holes and pieces of bark falling as other symptoms. Volume 5 - 2024 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frsus.2024.1037148 This article is part of the Research TopicSustainable Consumption and CareView all 10 articles often considered economically non-productive is undervalued and professionally underpaid This short perspective paper develops a holistic understanding of care It contributes to identifying pathways towards socially and environmentally sustainable Based on archetypical definitions from feminist literature and gender studies we define care work as comprising activities and practices in relation to someone or something (e.g. and social groups to support wellbeing and quality of life They do so by providing many of the “services” that enable people to participate in society and sustain objects of ethical The definition covers a broad spectrum of care work including both professional paid care and unpaid more or less voluntarily provided care (social norms constitute the “less voluntary” case) We differentiate amongst different types of care work and use this more fine-grain approach to have a closer look at the relation between paid and unpaid care and the relation of care to sustainable development it is even more challenging to get a chosen social identity accepted if it is beyond the dichotomic stereotypes This perspective paper aims to suggest exemplary steps to overcome that gap by first identifying and characterizing different kinds of care work according to the “cui bono” (to whose benefit) criterion Then we take a look at the development dynamics of care work mention the links to sustainable development we define care work as comprising relational and intentional activities and practices in relation to someone or something (e.g. by providing many of the “services” that enable people to participate in society and sustain objects of ethical including the largely invisible emotional labor of caring work both in professional paid care and in unpaid more or less voluntarily provided care (more so with care a desired human emotion The vast majority of the activities and professions identified as “essential” in the COVID-19 pandemic are hence classified as unpaid or professional care work which underlines the essential function of care for a functioning and resilient society it appears useful to differentiate different types of care work and use this more fine-grain approach to have a closer look at the relation of paid and unpaid care and the relation of care to sustainable development and to derive some exemplary suggestions for improving the status of care work we conducted an English language literature search on Google Scholar using the combined term “care and sustainability” When eliminating those focused on specific aspects of health (e.g. primary health care or midwifery care) or care (e.g. a visible but limited representation of different cultural perspectives remained (approximately 25 papers) From this list of papers identified in the first round we worked backwards analysing the reference lists of the papers identified and used Google Scholar again to locate additional publications providing relevant insights a process known as “snowballing.” In line with the emphasis of the analysis priority was given to literature analysing (1) the difference between—and different environmental impacts of—different kinds of paid and unpaid work (2) the contribution of care work to societal wellbeing and (3) suggested measures to enhance the status of care work we shared the results of the literature analysis with an international group of experts on the future of work senior researchers of the participating institutes from different countries in North and South and with long-standing experience in research related to the issues under investigation they were not involved in the literature analysis work The draft typology was discussed with them individually and in three online group meetings and the results were used to refine and complement the literature analysis The typology of care in Table 1 identifies five different types of care work which is why our definition of care (see Introduction) explicitly emphasizes “nurturing and cultivating land and social groups” (of which the caregiver can be a member—or not) as the necessary sustainable means to “support wellbeing and quality of life.” This essential link is illustrated by the One Health approach promoted by the World Health Organization (2023), now enshrined in the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, adopted by the Conference of Parties of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD, 2023) It is based on the insight that human health physically and mentally—a key object of care—cannot be achieved in an unhealthy environment; COVID-19 as a zoonotic disease accelerated the process of turning this scientific insight into a policy statement Hence caring for the environment is caring for human health and caring for health requires caring for the environment our definition of care work refers to taking care of “land and social groups.” Actively supporting the well-being and quality of life of humans and social groups is exactly the core of social sustainability whilst nurturing and cultivating the land and what lives there is environmental sustainability Care work types 2–5 enhance sustainability Care work can provide emotional bonding between humans as it safeguards against potential threats by assuring the proximity to caring and protective others. When individuals feel this is a reliable given, the activation of the caregiving behavior system is facilitated; reliable care availability is a social process with positive feedback loops (Nisa et al., 2021) motivating more men to engage in care and reducing the economic pressure on women to further reduce their contribution This offers opportunities to include care work into daily life schedules If proof of care experience were a condition for management positions in the formal economy, companies would probably be managed differently (type 5): with a higher share of female board members, the number of narcists, mostly male board members, would probably decline (Grijalva et al., 2015) a human-centred economy also requires “care in work.” A relevant step in this direction might be that individuals would be required to present a care biography as part of the professional CV when applying for a job This should be one immediate priority of public spending The “crisis of care” is not the crisis of one type of care but applies to pay as much as unpaid care work and to care for a wide range of targets from oneself to the larger social and natural environment Addressing the policy challenges for different kinds of care in isolation can be hardly successful a one-size-fits-all policy approach will probably not succeed and skills required for different types of care A comprehensive typology of care and care work like the one presented in this perspective paper supports a differentiated analysis it can be used to identify generic characteristics of care across the different types and the policies to support them in a specific socio-cultural context the five types of care work are mutually dependent and require type-specific strategies to improve the conditions for different kinds of care Combining both is what we call a holistic understanding of care in the broad sense illustrated by the typology are indispensable conditions for social as well as environmental sustainability sustainable development is essentially a care-based concept including caring for the living conditions of the generations to come The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary material further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author The author(s) declare that no financial support was received for the research The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest The author(s) declared that they were an editorial board member of Frontiers This had no impact on the peer review process and the final decision All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 1. ^The survey of 2022 time use was published in Statistisches Bundesamt (2024) It shows women decreasing their paid work by 0.9% and men by 5.6% while increasing their unpaid work by 1.3 and 1.7% As these data appear to be strongly influenced by the COVID-19 public health policy impacts we refrain from a comparison of the disaggregated time use data for unpaid work 2. ^We hold that the term “Nature’s Contributions to People” introduced by IPBES the Intergovernmental Platform for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services as an alternative to “ecosystem services,” is preferable as it explicitly accommodates different world views and value systems as “services” is part of the definition of care work we use 3. ^Unfortunately we cannot discuss the international dimension (1998) in Eigenarbeit – Modell für ökologisches Wirtschaften oder patriarchale Falle für Frauen Zukunft der Arbeit – welcher Arbeit Google Scholar Google Scholar CBD (2023). The biodiversity plan for life on earth. Available at: https://www.cbd.int/gbf (Accessed April 24 Google Scholar Google Scholar Using the theory of protected needs to conceptualize sustainability as ‘caring for human wellbeing': an empirical confirmation of the theory's potential “Caring – a labour of love” in A labour of love Google Scholar Gender differences in narcissism: a meta-analytic review Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Practice-ing behaviour change: applying social practice theory to pro-environmental behaviour change Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Berlin: Zu den sozial-ökologischen Folgen flexibler Arbeit Google Scholar Careful economics: Integrating caring activities and economic science Germany: Springer Science & Business Media Google Scholar Why care workers are feeling less valued and leaving the sector after the pandemic Google Scholar Martínez Secure human attachment can promote support for climate change mitigation Toward sustainable wellbeing: advances in contemporary concepts Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Majority of workers who quit a job in 2021 cite low pay Google Scholar What changes after women enter top management teams Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Women health workers: working relentlessly in hospitals and at home Switzerland: International Labour Organisation Google Scholar A caring and sustainable economy: a concept note from a feminist perspective Google Scholar The dynamics of social practice: Everyday life and how it changes Google Scholar Spangenberg The changing contribution of unpaid work to the total standard of living in sustainable development scenarios Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Spangenberg Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Spangenberg Crossref Full Text | Google Scholar Statistisches Bundesamt (1995) Die Zeitverwendung der Bevölkerung Methoden und erste Ergebnisse der Zeitbudgeterhebung 1991/92 (Tabellenband I und III) Google Scholar Statistisches Bundesamt (2015) “Zeitverwendungserhebung” in Aktivitäten in Stunden und Minuten für ausgewählte Personengruppen 2012/2013 (Wiesbaden: Statistisches Bundesamt) Google Scholar Statistisches Bundesamt (2024) Google Scholar Moral boundaries: A political argument for an ethic of care Google Scholar United Nations (Ed.) (1993) the United Nations programme of action from Rio Google Scholar WCED (1987) Google Scholar World Health Organization (2023). Advancing the One Health Agenda with a focus on environment. Available at: https://www.who.int/news/item/21-12-2023-advancing-the-one-health-agenda-with-a-focus-on-environment (Accessed April 12 Wir sind doch alle längst gleichberechtigt Google Scholar Citation: Spangenberg JH and Lorek S (2024) Towards care-centred societies Received: 24 September 2024; Accepted: 22 October 2024; Published: 07 November 2024 Copyright © 2024 Spangenberg and Lorek. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Sylvia Lorek, c3lsdmlhLmxvcmVrQHNlcmkuZGU= †These authors have contributed equally to this work Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Foliage damage and diseases favored by our weather this spring both contribute to tree problems we are seeing now throughout the Northwoods The good news is the actual threat to tree health is usually not as serious as it looks late frosts and freezes occurred in April and May newly emerging leaves on trees sustained damage frequently appearing in a symmetrical pattern as the damage occurred as the leaf developed in the bud Injured leaves also may have torn or ragged edges Often this type of damage is confused with insect feeding Frost injury may cause blackened areas on leaves The extent weather-related damage depends on what stage of development the tree was at when the winds Trees may send out additional leaves after losing foliage Anthracnose is a common fungal disease on trees this season; favored by cool Anthracnose appears as blotches or irregular patches on leaves Maples and oaks are among the trees this disease commonly appears on no action can be taken but this leaf disease is not considered a threat to overall tree health Apple scab also is favored by our cool wet spring conditions Flowering crab apples and orchard apples are both susceptible to this fungal disease Infection starts as leaves emerge from buds foliage develops olive green to black spots It is possible to see major defoliation by early July Several fungicides are available to manage apple scab application starts each season as buds break on trees Refer to specific fungicide product labels to ensure the fungicide can be used either on crab apples or apples Home orchard sprays usually contain fungicides that will manage scab The most effective way to manage scab on flowering crab apples is to plant scab-resistant cultivars and varieties These plants have genetic resistance and do not need fungicide protection While flower color and ornamental features are usually the first characteristics considered when choosing flowering crabs; start with disease resistance There are some scab-resistant apples available as well Bruce Spangenberg is Iron County Extension Horticulture Educator with University of Wisconsin Extension Email yard and garden questions to him at bruce.spangenberg@wisc.edu or call 715-561-2695 Growing apple trees without having them produce flowers is frustrating and has been a common complaint this season Oftentimes it is difficult to determine an exact single cause but consider a variety of factors in troubleshooting why apple trees fail to bloom Keep in mind there is a difference between not blooming and blooming but not setting fruit Trees blooming but not developing fruit is a pollination issue Most apple cultivars need a second cultivar Poor weather during bloom reduces insect activity and pollination Late spring frosts we saw this spring can also damage flowers No blooms on trees are another issue and can be difficult to positively determine why Dwarfing rootstock trees will flower sooner than semi-dwarf or standard trees Standard trees can take up to 7 to 10 years while dwarf trees can flower the year after planting and the graft union is a swelling on the trunk that must be 2 to 3 inches above the soil line the scion (trunk above graft) directly roots into soil taking away the dwarf influence of the rootstock Excessively vigorous apple trees produce vegetative growth at the expense of flower bud formation but heavy pruning stimulates trees to produce excessive vegetative growth Certain rootstocks can also be very vigorous and delay blooming Vertical branches tend to be more vegetative than horizontal oriented branches Use branch spreaders when dormant spring pruning to bend vertical branches to be more horizontal thus encouraging future flower bud formation selecting horizontal scaffold branches when pruning is important for long term fruiting success Apple trees with large fruit crops follow up with little if any flowers the next season This is because developing seeds in the apples release hormones that inhibit flower bud formation The solution is to thin fruit during the heavy bearing year within three weeks of petal fall to help break the cycle Some can be corrected with management adjustments heavy defoliation from spongy moth caterpillars could also be contributing factors this season Bruce Spangenberg is the Iron County Extension horticulture educator with University of Wisconsin Extension