Good morning!When Deerfield Academy headmaster Frank L a photographer spotted him picking up a crumpled piece of paper that had been dropped on the sidewalk The iconic photo symbolized the nature of the man who’d transformed a small school with 15 students in 1902 into one of the country’s top prep schools I was reminded of it on Monday when I went to watch the UMass softball team host St Weekend rains had turned Sortino Field into a mudpit but the groundskeeper had done a remarkable job drying the grass with a turbine blower It was neither his nor the team’s fault that from a fan’s perspective the rest of the stadium was an embarrassment Tattered and faded banners from the program’s glory days were draped on fences like the torn remnants from a vanquished army A staffer sat at a foldout table near the stadium entrance looking at her phone Complimentary UMass bandanas were fanned out in front of her and a pet owner took one for his dog a tail-wagging hound with a GPS tracker on its collar “I learned my lesson,” he said of the hound’s wandering ways I spotted a gent peeking inside a white aluminum dispenser near the gate I thought about asking the staffer but knew the answer It took 30 years for staff to start handing out line sheets at hockey games No wonder Pat Kelsey turned and ran for the hills Most of the announced crowd of 115 sat in twos and threes in the upper grandstand and a few more watched from the outfield bleachers Fred from Southampton and Jeff from Westfield on the third base side near the visitors dugout Fred recalled a game last season when a foul ball sailed past them into the bullpen He retrieved it and tossed it back onto the field “Everyone’s standing on the mound looking at the ball I’d grabbed the wrong ball and now their coach is yelling he’s going to protest the game on the strength of a long home run by shortstop Abigail Ahearn “UMass must be saving their ace for the second game,” I said their second two-game win streak of the season UMass coach Danielle Henderson and her predecessor Kristi Stefanoni were both standout players for Elaine Sortino “She’d get right in [the umpires’] faces,” Fred said of Sortino who won 1,185 games The program has failed to maintain Sortino’s legacy but coaches like Sortino and baseball coach John Winkin at Maine were both special It is virtually impossible to recruit good players for an outdoor sport in a cold weather climate Henderson will be able to recruit decent talent once UMass is in the MAC because Amherst feels like the Bahamas compared to playing spring ball in Ypsilanti and Kalamazoo UMass needs to take better care of the House that Elaine built UMass football coach Joe Harasymiak will roll out his team for the spring game that kicks off today at noon at McGuirk Alumni Stadium Admission is free but apparently you might need a ticket to get into the stadium Harasymiak’s offense includes seven quarterbacks Last year’s tongue-twister was quarterback Taisun Phommachanh; this year’s is running back Ofonagoro Sopuruchukwo The following week UMass travels to Ohio to play Kent State The Golden Flashes will be coming off a road tilt at Oklahoma not so much for his 0-12 record but for violating the school’s code of conduct ethics violations and misusing his school-issued credit card On Monday at frigid Target Field in Minnesota Mets broadcasters Gary Cohen and Keith Hernandez belly-laughed when they got their first look at field reporter Steve Gelbs “I didn’t pack for the trip but got some help,” said Gelbs who was decked out from head-to-toe in a Vikings uniform “This helmet padding is so heavy I’m having a difficult time keeping my head up,” laughed Gelb Condolences to the Collins family on the passing of Pat chef and brother of late Recorder columnist Chris Collins A celebration of Pat’s life will be next Saturday at the Country Club of Greenfield from 1-4 p.m SQUIBBERS: The Masters isn’t the same without pulling Sports Illustrated out of the mailbox and reading headlines like Masterpiece; Tiger Walk; Zoeller Was Stellar; The Walrus by a Whisker … Since college athletes are playing for money  … Former Minuteman John Leonard has 35 goals in 70 games for the Charlotte Checkers … Younger brother Ryan went into concussion protocol after he was blindsided by Blue Jackets’ center Adam Fantilli and pummeled to the ice by former Bruin Sean Kuraly … Couldn’t help asking the driver taking the St Bonaventure softball team back to New York how many miles were on the odometer of his 2018 bus so he looked and saw it had traveled 322,974 miles “Truckers say a diesel engine isn’t broken in until it hits a million miles,” he said  … The Toronto Maple Leafs are 14-1 to win their first Stanley Cup since 1967 Junior Amateur champ Nick Dunlap carded a 90 in the first round of last week’s Masters at Augusta … Chisox hurler Shane Smith grew up in Danvers rooting for the Red Sox and named his dog Schilling after the much maligned hero of the ’04 ALCS … SNY’s Todd Zeile says Derek Bell was the craziest player he knew during his years with the Mets “He lived on a boat in Chelsea Piers and wore a different suit every day and afterward he gave it away.” … Terry Kennedy said a $15 face value ticket to watch Holy Cross play Bentley for the AHA title cost $125 on the secondary market Not anymore.” … Nick Pivetta is 3-1 with a 1.57 ERA for the Padres Pivetta signed a three-year deal in February for $53 million that includes opt-outs after each year … UConn fans say Sarah Strong will lead the Huskies to their 13th national championship next season … Joe Benigno on who his Jets should take with the seventh overall pick: “If somehow Shedeur Sanders keeps falling and he gets to seven and he’s there for the Jets I would be deliriously ticked off if they pass on this kid.” you agree with our use of cookies to personalize your experience measure ads and monitor how our site works to improve it for our users Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application Lovingly remembered by his father Corrado Sortino and daughter Maryanna and grandfather to his grandchildren Daniel He will be missed and fondly remembered by his nephew and niece Marco and Melinda and many of his friends and family far and near Enter your phone number above to have directions sent via text This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors Live Cast Toni) Sortino Jankowski was the youngest of the 12 Sortino siblings She watched her older brothers and sisters work in the family fruit business and start their own businesses Antoinette attended Archbishop Ryan High School where she met her husband  They were married in 1965 and had 2 children – Ron She worked at Bakers Supermarkets in the delicatessen – rising to manage many of the delis Ann also worked at her brother Johnny’s restaurant – Johnny Sortino’s Pizza Ann loved to work and taught her children a strong work ethic she always saw someone she knew from the “store” or the “pizza parlor” Antoinette loved her family and was always with one of her sisters or brothers She would do anything for them – the grandchildren would spend weekends at her (and the aunt’s) house where the kids would be spoiled endlessly   Holidays were all about the kids and Antoinette couldn’t wait to host and celebrate with her family She was a tremendous caregiver – helping to take care of her parents brother and sisters at the time of their passing Ron (Karen) Jankowski and daughter Kris (John) Dostal Derek Dostal Abby Dostal; great-granddaughters: Giada Dostal Francesca Dostal and Olivia Dostal and 2 more on the way; many nieces and nephews We would like to thank the amazing staff at The Clark House at Cedarhurst for loving our mom and taking such amazing care of her   We will miss Mom every second of every day but we know she is with our dad now and many other family members that she has been waiting to see for a very long time Matthew Catholic Church 12330 South 36th Street Bellevue To view a live broadcast of the service, please visit www.heafeyheafey.com and click the “Live Cast” button at the top of the home page Dear Ron and Kris—I am so sorry for the loss of your mother She was so strong after losing your dad so young and masterfully raised her children in spite of that loss I have no doubt she was very proud of who you became and the beautiful families you created as well May God comfort you both in the days ahead and may she rest in peace. I still remember your mom and dad with fond memories from our first graduating class at Bishop Ryan I am sorry you lost Ron so early and now mourn and send my sincerest condolences and prayers to the family for the loss of Ann. Your mom and dad were the epitome of the South Omaha melting pot MAY THE WARMTH OF FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND MEMORES BRING COMFORT AT THIS DIFFICULT TIME BOB McCANN CLASS OF 62 was a such a hard worker and ran a mile a minute She was a dear friend and always gave hugs when she saw you She was also friends with my older brother when she attended Ryan High School Know she’s in good hands and will watch over her family always I’m sending you two so much love and peace during this time She was such a bright spot during my visits at Cedarhurst and I could always rely on Annie to give me a hug walk with us or just sit and visit for a little bit Thinking of you both and so thankful that I had the opportunity to know your Mom Heafey-Hoffmann-Dworak-Cutler Mortuaries © 2024 All Rights Reserved Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Learn to how to properly pour a Guinness from the brewery in Ireland Johnny Sortino’s Pizza is ending its 60-year run in Omaha on the last day of May Owners Sheri and Dana Taylor announced the closure on social media Tuesday morning “Sheri has been working in the family business since 1965 at the age of 11 and we all feel it’s a good time for her and her husband to retire,” said a post on the restaurant’s Facebook page “But you never know — maybe you’ll see us again sometime.” The family extended its “heartfelt gratitude” to customers for their support over the years and invited diners to stop in for goodbyes over the next several weeks Brothers Johnny and Tony Sortino opened the restaurant at 72nd and Pacific Streets To learn more and see a menu, go to johnnysortinospizza.com So given all the elements you must consider it’s also no piece of cake to choose the perfect apple pie from several contenders We found six burgers we would all eat again in a heartbeat but the team agreed that you can find several slices of good carrot cake in the Omaha area We all were looking for pies that closely followed the traditional Margherita definition: A Neapolitan pizza with fresh mozzarella cheese Each of the seven Omaha bread puddings we tried had its own spin on texture Helen's Caesar Salad at Railcar Modern American Kitchen has a house-made dressing that hits all the right notes Owner Jared Clarke created the salad for his ailing Aunt Helen Chili purists and innovators debate everything from consistency to ingredients and more We figured we would get blowback from chili connoisseurs but we didn't imagine the pain we'd feel at Nettie’s a series where we venture out to try some of the best dishes the Omaha area has to offer Our first edition features five local breakfast burrito options elizabeth.freeman@owh.com With our weekly newsletter packed with the latest in everything food Email notifications are only sent once a day Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account a bartender at Sortino's Italian Kitchen at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Wisconsin Dells adding Italian to Kalahari's wide array of food offerings eats a margherita-style pizza at Sortino's Italian Kitchen at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Wisconsin Dells She praised the new restaurant's customer service and variety of food offerings The stuffed shells at Sortino's are large shell pasta stuffed with ricotta and mozzarella cheeses and spinach Sortino's Italian Kitchen opened at Kalahari in Lake Delton on Dec 20 at the former site of Ivory Coast Kitchen near the main hotel lobby One of the Wisconsin Dells area’s largest resorts has now added Italian to its large array of food offerings 20 at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions in Lake Delton The location is the last of the Kalahari locations to have a Sortino’s which replaced the former Ivory Coast restaurant near the main lobby area of the resort Sortino’s has a bar and dining area and offers numerous pastas The new Italian restaurant is roughly 4,000 square feet and can seat up to 200 guests the executive chef at Kalahari Resorts and Conventions Wisconsin Dells said he has a passion for Italian food after his first job was at an Italian restaurant and he later opened one in Nashville “When I found out they wanted to open a Sortino’s in here “Any time I went to visit the other (Kalahari) properties Sortino’s has seven appetizers including calamari and bruschetta four starter items including bread with a Parmesan and olive oil dip and four salads with options to add chicken and sausage and meatball sandwiches — are also available The restaurant also has five different artisan pizzas as well as a “build your own pizza” that starts as a $12 10-inch cheese pizza and adds $2 for each additional topping saying she was impressed considering how new the restaurant is said the kitchen staff was conscious of his sensitivities to certain foods and tailored his order to accommodate them in his “Frutti de Mare” seafood meal “They were so kind to tweak certain things in the meal,” Chekribou said “Frutti de Mare” is one of four “George’s Favorites” specialty dishes on the Sortino’s menu George Sortino is one of the owners of Sortino’s and has collaborated with Kalahari CEO and Wisconsin Dells native Todd Nelson to bring the Italian flavor to Kalahari traditional flavors of Italian food,” Shetsky said shrimp or salmon can be added for an extra charge “It’s pretty much catered for any flavor profile,” restaurant general manager Don Heinz said adding that planning for the Dells Sortino’s has been in the works for two to three years Shetsky said there are not many “good Italian” options in the Dells area which he believes makes Sortino’s a welcome addition He agreed with Heinz that the restaurant has something to offer for anyone “Our family has cultivated a close friendship with George and the entire Sortino family over the years and it’s a true honor for us to offer the beloved dishes and drinks and warm welcoming service that Sortino’s is known for at our resorts,” Nelson said in a statement Sortino’s is the second restaurant to be added to Kalahari in the past year Mexican restaurant Cinco Ninos was added at the beginning of 2024 Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly The project developer envisions "a place for family gatherings to enjoy outdoor activities at Devils Lake State Park .. "I can't even tell you how many people walk through here and tell me that this is the best burger they have ever eaten," co-owner Greg Slayton said The villas at Mirror Lake will include four "treehouse" cabins with spiral staircases wrapped around white pine trees when he founded the Pension Research Institute Frank Sortino has been getting together with fellow PhDs to brainstorm better ways to manage and measure risk in the investment management industry a finance professor at San Francisco State University and his friends in academia have churned out some pretty useful tools the Upside Potential Ratio and Omega Excess These measures formed the basis of Post Modern Portfolio Theory (PMPT) which at its simplest distillation is downside risk management At odds with the orthodoxy of Modern Portfolio Theory PMPT has been relegated to a corner of the investment management world for years Sortino's ideas and PMPT may be catching on: Downside risk management has a little bit more appeal after the 56 percent drawdown in U.S equities between October 2007 and March 2009 Sortino recently began working with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney whose advisors now include his methodologies in their asset allocation evaluations one of the largest national brokerage firms expects to make available a suite of funds based on Sortino ideas to 401(k) plan sponsor clients (The firm requested anonymity as a contract has not been signed nor have the funds been approved for retirement plans yet.) A long-time critic of traditional target date funds — which calculate asset allocations solely based on an individual's age and risk tolerance contributions or goals — Sortino says his funds will give investors a clearer path to retirement with less risk of massive drawdowns In light of what has occurred in the financial markets — as well as the disastrous failures to protect assets in many “conservative” target date funds — Sortino's funds will be worth watching If they do what they're supposed to do the retirement products market may soon get a PMPT makeover RIA Edge 100: Growing Rapidly but Responsibly What truly sets peak performing retirement plans apart Tech Stacks & Growth Strategies for Future-Ready Advisory Firms Ask the Experts: Grow Your Practice with Philanthropy: Comparing DAFs and Private Foundations See how advisors are combining active and passive strategies for optimal portfolio results Registered in England & Wales with number 01835199 Burlington: 905-632-3333     Grimsby: 905-945-2755     Stoney Creek: 905-664-4222 info@smithsfh.com The Family Interactive feature enhances An Amazing Life Authorized family members can securely access their loved one's memorial website settings at any time Please enter the name and email details so that we can send your friend a link to the online tribute No names or addresses will be collected by using this service Please enter your question or comment below: A receipt has been emailed to the address provided Agreement with Policy and Continued Use of Site We encourage you to share your most beloved memories of Agatino here so that the family and other loved ones can always see it and can even comment on those shared by others it will also remain on this memorial website in perpetuity PLEASE NOTE: The reproduction of any copyrighted images is forbidden without express written permission from the copyright holder any image in violation of any copyright laws you will receive two daily updates containing all new stories one week prior to the anniversary of death The email will only serve as a reminder should you choose to connect with the family at what will no doubt be a difficult time Please select your relationship to the deceased and add your email address before submitting About Us History Our Services Facilities Obituaries Order Flowers Resources Why Preplan Cremation Q&A Green Funerals Preplanning Options Travel Protection Savant Wealth Management has made its third acquisition of 2024 so far with the addition of a veteran-owned advisory business in Louisville The $30 billion RIA firm has already added California-based Kemp Financial and Michigan based BDK financial to its growing footprint which now comprises 42 offices in 17 states The new addition is Sortino Advisory Partners has $239 million AUM and $almost $136 million AUA Hutcherson is a principal along with Stephen A Hutcherson has a particular skill in identifying and protecting vulnerable clients and focuses on helping individuals and families with complex financial planning and healthcare decisions, while Heitz’s specialty is working with closely held business owners and senior executives to help with retirement planning, estate and charitable planning, and aging care strategies. “Most families go through these critical life experiences without the tools and resources they need to make informed decisions. Savant is committed to going beyond the surface-level knowledge to help bring a deeper, personalized support offering to client families during these transitions,” Hutcherson commented. Brent Brodeski, CPA, CFP, CFA, MBA, founder and CEO of Savant Wealth Management, said that his firm is well placed to continue to serve the needs of the type of clients that the Sortino duo has focused on. “Savant’s business model enables us to partner with firms with specialized knowledge to support our team approach to working with clients. Danny and Stephen are qualified to help clients navigate issues like the financial strain of caring for elderly parents, the need for personalized solutions, and the emotional toll that caregivers undergo as they support aging family members.” Belle Vernon’s Mason Yeschenko battles Mt. Pleasant’s Bryson Bankosh for possession during their game on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024, at Viking Stadium. Games against Allderdice and Obama Academy are no longer considered section matches and count only as exhibitions, WPIAL administrator Vince Sortino said Thursday. He said the two schools were included in soccer sections at the City League’s request before learning they’re not eligible for the WPIAL playoffs under PIAA rules. Sortino said the ineligibility was noticed only recently and also affected girls tennis. What caused the problem was that the City League (District 8) and the WPIAL (District 7) will send separate qualifiers to the PIAA soccer and tennis playoffs this year. The WPIAL had anticipated that the City League would have no reserved spots on those state brackets, thereby allowing its teams to again qualify through the WPIAL playoffs. Sortino sent an email to affected schools explaining the situation. Some City League teams have competed in WPIAL sports for years as so-called “associate members,” a status not officially recognized by the PIAA. The PIAA last year banned such arrangements, but that new restriction wasn’t viewed initially as a hindrance to including some City League teams in WPIAL playoffs. That view recently changed after consulting the updated state brackets and qualifiers approved prior to the season. In tennis, the Allderdice girls had qualified for the upcoming WPIAL team tournament but were excluded from WPIAL brackets released Thursday. The move to erase wins and losses in soccer will affect some sections more than others. The Allderdice boys soccer team, with a 5-2-1 section record, was in position to qualify for the upcoming WPIAL playoffs in Class 3A. The Dragons were in third place in Section 3, and the top four teams advance to the postseason. Excluding Allderdice opens the door for Belle Vernon or West Mifflin to qualify. The Allderdice girls (2-5) were one win out of a playoff spot in their soccer section. The Obama Academy boys (1-8) and girls (0-9) were less successful this season. According to PIAA bylaws: “Teams from member schools are eligible to participate in PIAA District Championship tournaments and Contests only in the PIAA District in which they are a member.” The PIAA board approved the change in February 2023 and member schools voted 799-27 to enact the rule effective July 1, 2023. The rule change came soon after WPIAL member school Butler took the PIAA to court over its desire to compete in the District 10 football playoffs. Butler now plays an independent schedule with no opportunity for a postseason in either district. If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase CME Group. "Sortino: A ‘Sharper’ Ratio." Pages 2-3. For quick access on a chart, add this script to your favorites — learn more here For quick access on a chart, add this script to your favorites — learn more here. The Rams were scheduled to host Thomas Jefferson in a Big Six Conference game Ringgold superintendent Randall Skrinjorich confirmed the district’s decision saying in an email: “Currently the game is postponed.” Ringgold football coach Robert Heller did not immediately return a message seeking comment. WPIAL chief operating officer Vince Sortino said he’d spoken with Ringgold’s administration and agreed that postponing was warranted. Sortino said the game wasn’t considered a forfeit at this time and would be treated similar to a contest suspended by inclement weather. “If they can get it in, fine. If they can’t, that’s fine,” Sortino said. “They’re in the middle of an investigation. What they told me was satisfying to me that the health, safety and welfare of the student-athletes may be in play.” If an unplayed game became an issue in the conference standings, the WPIAL would resolve that later, he said. Thomas Jefferson (7-0, 2-0) leads the six-team conference with Ringgold (1-6, 0-2) in last place. Sortino referred other questions to the school district. “I agree with their judgment to postpone the game,” he said. A meeting of school board members was held Thursday evening at the district’s administration building. Ringgold players stood outside holding signs supporting Heller and asking the board to save the season and the coaching staff. According to the Mon Valley Independent, players said they were informed that no decision had been made on canceling next week’s game against Belle Vernon, or the season as a whole, and that the focus of the investigation is an alleged hazing incident. The Mon Valley Independent contributed to this report. The southeastern corner of the island of Sicily is home to the Necropolis of Pantalica a collection of cemeteries with rock-cut chamber tombs There are thought to be just under 4,000 tombs in the area, dating from the 13th to the 7th centuries BC The area is of archaeological significance The landscape down in the preserve is filled with lush greenery and beautiful swimming holes These ancient burial caves carved into the cliffs offer a glimpse into prehistoric funeral practices and Menorca's early inhabitants These 4,000-year-old tombs form a surreal landscape A freedman baker’s lavish tomb has a relief showing various stages of Roman bread making The ancient necropolis houses the immense rock-cut tombs of four Persian kings The remains of a luxurious 14th-century church built by the last despot of Serbia Hundreds of medieval Islamic gravestones decorate the mountainous landscape in the largest cemetery in Turkey Vincent G. Sortino aka “Uncle Jimmy” to his Brooklyn family passed away peacefully at his home beside his loving wife on May 4 1935 in Brooklyn NY to the late John and Sarah Sortino he was always proud to say he was the only one of his siblings to be born in a hospital Vince was an amazing doting husband to the love of his life Maria Sortino for 62 years He was the greatest father a daughter could ask for to their only child Cindy Brown He loved his son in law Jeff Brown as the son he never had He is survived by his wife Maria and daughter Cindy and Son in law Jeff His niece Sarah Bleau and nephews Frank Farraye George Sortino and their spouses and family Vince is preceded in death by his parents and siblings George Sortino Jeanette Farraye and Frank Sortino and sister-in-law Hope Parodi and brother-in-law After proudly serving in the Army where he says the Army shaped his life he worked at Remington Rand (Where he met his beautiful wife.)  and went to college at night at Fordham University Then worked his way up the corporate ladder at such companies as Pfizer Standard Brands and finally Nabisco Brands where he retired as Vice President of Operations He made lifelong friends with several coworkers.  Vincent loved jazz music especially hearing it live especially the Equinox Orchestra  He loved going to Broadway shows when he lived in NYC He also loved eating out and meeting new people and appreciated good whiskey The local restaurants all knew him and Maria well.  He was also a great storyteller of the past He traveled all over the world with Maria and their dear friends and Jeff and Cindy He was well known and loved by their neighbors local restaurants those assisting in their care during later days.  He never met a stranger and all strangers were blessed by his joy and kindness.  He lived a full life as shared with all “Everyday above ground is a good day” and others whose lives Vince touched are invited to a service of celebrating his life Monday May 13that 11:00am at Fox and Weeks funeral home 4605 Highway 80 East Savannah In Lieu of flowers contributions can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association https://act.alz.org/site/Donation2 Per un accesso rapido a un grafico, aggiungi questo script ai tuoi preferiti: per saperne di più clicca qui In pieno spirito TradingView, il creatore di questo script lo ha reso open-source, in modo che i trader possano esaminarlo e verificarne la funzionalità. 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Copyright © 2025 FactSet Research Systems Inc.© 2025 TradingView GENERAL INQUIRIES: [email protected] PRESS INQUIRIES: [email protected] MEMBER and MEMBERSHIP INQUIRIES: [email protected] INDIECOMMERCE: [email protected] Anna Sortino is the author of Give Me a Sign, a Summer/Fall 2023 Indies Introduce Kids’ selection Sortino is a young adult author who writes stories about disabled characters living their lives and falling in love She's Deaf and passionate about diverse representation in media Anna has since lived in different cities from coast to coast spending her free time exploring nature with her dog or reading on the couch with her cat Abby Rice of Title IX: A Bookstore in Mystic served on the panel that selected Sortino’s debut for Indies Introduce and reconnecting with who you are,” Rice said of the book “Lilah is a charming and relatable character and I can’t wait for readers to experience her camp crushes and shenanigans while also learning about Deaf culture!” Sortino and Rice discuss Give Me a Sign Abby Rice: What was your inspiration for writing your book Anna Sortino: I wanted to write a character with hearing aids exploring all the nuances I’d never seen in media representation before Because there’s a wide spectrum of hearing loss I knew that I needed a full disabled cast to achieve my goal and that the perfect setting would be summer camp Initially I was worried that people wouldn’t be receptive to reading this type of book — since typically disability representation is relegated to one minor role within a story if any — but the response to Give Me a Sign has already blown me away and it’s time to get more comfortable embracing it AR: Give Me a Sign is a wonderful look at how life-changing summer camp can be for kids and teens how much of the book is inspired by real-life experiences there a few different summer camps when I was younger though there’s one that served as the main inspiration for this story The fact that I went to a camp for deaf and blind kids always intrigued people I knew outside those circles as they couldn’t envision this experience It was there that I got to dive headfirst into Deaf culture as well as utilize ASL the most during that period of my life though still always full of joy and laughter AR: The book shows a variety of Deaf and Hard of Hearing experiences: kids learning ASL and those who haven’t different experiences with cochlear implants and hearing aids and even touches on the conversations on Youtube and Tiktok about hearing teachers of sign You do an incredible job of showing the nuance and diversity of the Deaf experience while also telling a story of a sweet summer romance and camp hijinks Can you share how you balanced the “important” conversations with the overall story and how your own experiences played into it these important conversations are a natural part of our lives Trading stories and experiences is how we can lift each other up when many other avenues of society often let us down It’s certainly a balancing act when writing a work of fiction about a community that has been marginalized to make sure that the average reader has enough context while simultaneously not slowing down the plot even from the earliest drafts of this story the notes I got from others were always “more Isaac please!” and that eagerness delighted me so the romance naturally grew from a smaller subplot to a much larger arc within this story AR: Are there any other books with Deaf characters that you recommend for readers after they’ve finished your book AS: We’re reaching a great point in Deaf representation where many of us are finally getting the chance to write from our own experiences no longer relegated to the sidelines as other people craft inaccurate portrayals I always recommend Show Me a Sign by Ann Clare LeZotte which is a great middle grade historical fiction And coming next summer in the YA space is The Loudest Silence by Sydney Langford AS: I love all the hearing readers showing up for this story whether that be for a first introduction or developing a deeper appreciation of Deaf culture and ASL this book is for anyone who has ever felt caught in between I hope this book can reach as many deaf and hard-of-hearing kids as possible especially those still trying to figure out their place in this world The majority of deaf kids are born to hearing parents and therefore it’s not always easy to find community and support Hopefully Give Me a Sign can offer some guidance and let anyone who is struggling with their disabled identity know they’re not alone Putnam’s Sons Books for Young Readers Find out more about the author on her website ABA member stores are invited to use this interview or any others in our series of Q&As with Indies Introduce debut authors in newsletters and social media and in online and in-store promotions. Please let us know if you do American Booksellers Association is a national trade association that supports and advocates for the success of independent bookstores In turn our members support local schools through book fairs donations and author visits; promote literacy; provide inclusive community centers; connect readers and books; add character to neighborhoods; champion and center diverse and new voices; and contribute to the local economy We feel honored to support them in their work PRESS INQUIRIES: [email protected] INDIECOMMERCE: [email protected] ALL OTHER INQUIRIES: [email protected] Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInCLARKSON, Neb. (WOWT) - The storm that hit Nebraska about two weeks ago brought frigid temperatures blowing snow and treacherous road conditions and — amid all that chaos — it’s time to deliver Andrea Sortino had given birth three times before but said she never thought her fourth would be quite like this I always go on time or late with my babies so I was definitely not expecting to go almost a week and a half early,” Sortino said and heading north for work when he got the call “I just changed directions and started heading straight to Norfolk,” he said Clarkson to Norfolk is about a 40-minute drive said somehow you need to figure out a way to get the kids I gave her my midwife’s first and last name and said please call her and let her know I’m on my way,” Andrea Sortino said Then she had to get behind the wheel and make the drive to the hospital in Norfolk so it was three- and four-foot drifts,” she said made another phone call — this time to law enforcement called (Stanton County Sheriff) Mike Unger and Unger had actually texted me if I remember correctly to give me a police escort to Faith Regional,” Sortino said “I called my neighbor right away because he’s the one who clears our road and he got out there with the tractor and started clearing a path for us,” Hanel said Emergency personnel from several counties were on standby “The weather was absolutely treacherous up here that night and I was concerned simply to get her there safely so the baby could be born in a hospital setting but I knew that we had the ability to get her there,” Unger said Sortino is thanking everyone who helped out I mean I should have expected it for our small town because that’s just like what we do like everyone looks out for everybody here,” she said “All of our fire and rescue — they’re all volunteer so they all do this on a volunteer basis,” Hanel said Sortino went down to the hospital to personally thank Sheriff Unger for his service Josh was able to make it to the hospital to see the birth of his son Elaine SortinoInduction:2013BioFormer University of Massachusetts softball head coach and department administrator Elaine Sortino was inducted into the George "Trigger" Burke UMass Hall of Fame during a special ceremony at Sortino's Celebration of Life in 2013 Following Sortino's passing in August of that year the UMass Athletics Hall of Fame committee met and unanimously approved her inclusion into the Hall Paula grew up in Omaha and spent her entire professional career as an Assistant to several of the Deans that served at Creighton University School of Dentistry for over 40 years After retirement she started her new career as a full-time grandmother spoiling and loving them all along the way.  grandchildren Joshua Sortino (Andrea Sortino) and Jennifer Vasicek; great-grandchildren Graicee Dennis Potter (Sheri) and Raymond Potter (Cathie) from 5pm to 7pm at Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home Followed by burial at Westlawn-Hillcrest Memorial Park Luncheon will follow at the Good Shepherd Reception Center in Omaha at 4712 S Memorials will be donated in her name to the Pediatric Cancer Programs at Children's Hospital and Medical Center in Omaha Legionary of Christ, Fr. Anthony Sortino, received the 2023 Charles and Linda Corbels Founders award for his service and dedication to the educational community of Canyon Heights Academy (CHA) The award was presented at the Canyon Heights Academy Gala Saturday The Founder’s Award is presented to a member of the Canyon Heights Academy community who exemplifies a deep love of Christ and has committed to sharing His message through life and service Canyon Heights Academy was established in 2000 as an independent private Catholic school, served by the priests of the Legionaries of Christ.  The school provides education from Montessori Preschool through grade 8 implementing an independent, coordinated and systematic curriculum across the academic disciplines. As part of 150 Regnum Christi schools in the world Canyon Heights Academy produces integrated graduates with a mature and balanced intellect leadership potential and well-formed virtue to thrive and succeed in Silicon Valley and the world beyond About the Charles and Linda Corbalis Founder’s Award: One of the pillars of a Canyon Heights Academy education is apostolic formation which emphasizes the importance of going out into society as Christian servant-leaders The outcome of this apostolic formation is that each student discovers Christ This spirit of service begins within the CHA community and is best learned when demonstrated through the example of adult members in our community The Charles and Linda Corbalis Founder’s Award is presented to a member of the Canyon Heights Academy community who has exemplified this deep love of Christ and has committed to share His message through a life of service Created in honor of Deacon Charles Corbalis and his wife the Founder’s Award recognizes the efforts of individuals whose contributions have made a lasting impact on the institution whose actions uniquely demonstrate our motto Semper Altius (“Always Higher”) and whose service and leadership transforms society with Christ’s love exemplified a deep love for Christ and was committed to sharing His message in a variety of roles during his eight years at Canyon Heights Academy member of the Board of Directors (2019-2023) Superior of the Santa Clara Legionary community In addition to his dedication to Canyon Heights Anthony had an extensive love for his community of Silicon Valley Anthony was involved and active at organizations such as Catholic Googlers and Young Catholic Professionals of California Demonstrating his love for Christ and community Anthony also created and launched the Cana Uncorked ministry for young married couples and families We spoke to Canyon Heights Academy Executive Director Kevin Hollman, and when asked what impact Fr. Anthony had on the school community “When Canyon Heights Academy would have its struggles he would remind us to pray and trust in the Lord saying ‘God wants Canyon Heights to succeed’ Anthony made was reminding us and pointing out the presence of God in our daily life.” Mr He is among us and everywhere…We are unapologetic about our faith and desire to grow closer to Jesus…We are forming saints.” That impression has remained in Mr stating “He has certainly changed our family’s life toward finding a community of faith During Canyon Heights Academy’s Covid-19 lockdown Anthony initiated Facebook Live and Youtube offering pivotal parental ministry lectures he saw a need for more spiritual direction Anthony connected families and formed friendships during the pandemic Canyon Heights Academy Advancement Coordinator Anthony’s impact has been that of Christ’s love by revealing the face of Jesus to the community day in and day out He is an incredibly intentional leader and prayerful disciple sacrificial giver of his time and talents.” Anthony is grateful and blessed to be a part of the mission and community at Canyon Heights Academy When asked what the importance of this award was to him he replied that it fills him with joy to see students and the community receptive and responsive to what God is doing in their lives is something we do because we love the Lord and we love the Church I am beyond thankful for what this community has given me.” Anthony will continue his ministry and has been assigned as Chaplain at Clear Water Academy in Calgary assistant vice chancellor at Washington University in St Before joining the university administration in 2011 Louis’ progress during the last 30 years the construction of Scottrade Center and the establishment of the network of parks and trails being built across the bistate area he was inducted into the Missouri Recreation and Parks Hall of Fame for his leadership of the metropolitan-wide campaign securing voter approval of a sales tax increase that funded the establishment of this network Most recently, he was recognized in November as St. Louis’ 2016 Citizen of the Year Sortino came to the university after serving as president of the Danforth Foundation from 2005-2011 during which time he oversaw the administration of all grants and related activities of the foundation He also helped lay the groundwork for CityArchRiver the project transforming the Gateway Arch grounds Sortino worked closely with Chancellor Mark S Wrighton and other administrative and academic leaders to develop specific plans for Washington University to become an even stronger contributor to the well-being of the St “Peter was a thoughtful and wise adviser to me and so many others at the university,” Wrighton said Everyone who ever worked with him will remember his keen intellect Working with colleagues in the Office of Government and Community Relations, Sortino helped produce the university’s Economic Impact on the St. Louis Region brochure and online resource associate vice chancellor for community engagement led a multiyear project that created a database and a system for consistent annual reporting of the university’s key economic indicators “Peter Sortino was the quintessential colleague — knowledgeable easy to work with and fun to be around,” Merrifield said Sortino served as the university’s primary liaison with the city of Clayton and the Clayton Chamber of Commerce A funeral Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m Read more about Sortino and his myriad contributions to St. Louis in his obituary in the St Obituaries Campus & Community Child tuition benefit webinar offered Flags lowered in memory of Pope Francis WashU moves training to Workday Learning Biology students win annual awards McKelvey Engineering honors 2025 distinguished alumni Student Life wins best newspaper honor at Missouri College Media awards Brad Warner, professor of pediatric surgery, 66 Julian Fleischman, associate professor emeritus, 91 William D. Owens, MD, professor emeritus of anesthesiology, 85 Understanding genetic factors behind a pediatric brain tumor Study examines overlap in causes of cancer, neurodevelopmental disorders Pollina honored for innovations in neuroscience 05.05.25 04.28.25 04.14.25 Wilmetta Toliver-Diallo Jhan Carlos Salazar Juliane Bubeck Wardenburg Who Knew WashU? 1.27.21 Who Knew WashU? 1.13.21 Who Knew WashU? 12.9.20 Garrett and Graham; many nieces and nephews April 20th from 5pm to 7pm at the West Center Chapel Memorials are suggested to Alzheimer’s Association Please accept out deepest sympathy for your loss of your sister and family: please accept my heartfelt condolences Thank you for allowing me into your home to help care for Lu My family and I will keep you all lifted up in prayers AL a daughter of the late Elzo & Grace Waldrop Linda was raised and spent a good amount of her life in Alabama and has made McMinn County her home for the past eleven years Linda is retired from Paccar after 20 years of service gardening and spending time with her family and friends she is preceded in death by one son Tony Sortino and three siblings Cecil Waldrop Linda leaves behind to cherish her memory four children Michael Sortino of Athens Maria Dokianos and husband Chris of New Lenox nephews & other extended family members along with a host of special friends The family will receive friends on Thursday 2020 from 4:00 PM until 5:00 PM in the Athens chapel of Companion Funeral Home located at 400 S White Street in Athens You are encouraged to share a memory of Linda and/or your personal condolences with her family by visiting her memorial webpage and guestbook at www.companionfunerals.com Companion Funeral Home of Athens is honored to assist her family with these arrangements Add to Calendar Companion Funeral & Cremation Service - Athens Chapel it hasn’t been a very good year for dividend stocks Total Dividend ETF (DTD) during the first half of a calendar is strong by most measures it’s not nearly as positive when the S&P 500 has gained 14% and the Nasdaq 100 has returned 17% High Dividend ETF (HIDV) has managed to beat the S&P 500 this year risk-adjusted returns actually haven’t been that bad at all That simply means that dividend ETFs have (very broadly) delivered around the same level of return per unit of risk taken Since dividend stocks are generally more conservative than the rest of the market that means they’re trailing in the current bull rally still doing roughly what would be expected of them one popular measure of risk-adjusted returns the S&P 500 is beating DTD over the past year by a 1.64 to 1.50 margin another risk-adjusted return measure relative to downside risk So while dividend ETFs haven’t performed at the level of the major averages they’ve still served as a very important piece to diversified portfolios To determine which funds fall into which bucket I want to look not just at the absolute year-to-date return but if they’re taking enormous risks to achieve those returns those great returns can look relatively average pretty quickly may be the best-performing dividend ETF year-to-date but its Sortino ratio is actually worse than DTD’s That means the fund’s risk/reward profile isn’t quite as its returns make it seem Let’s start first by setting a benchmark source: ETF Action I detailed the numbers already above in terms of returns and the pair of risk-adjusted metrics To determine which ETFs fall into the “have done well” category I’m looking at all three numbers together I want to see funds that have outperformed on both an absolute and risk-adjusted basis because that’s where the real alpha is achieved funds that lag on all three of those measures will fall into the “struggled” category I’m going to pick three ETFs in each category and offer my thoughts on why they have or have not had success so far in 2024 there hasn’t been a better combination of absolute and risk-adjusted returns within the dividend ETF category in 2024 than what MBOX has been able to produce Yet this fund still remains remarkably under the radar having just crossed the $100 million mark recently after three years in business MBOX’s returns are even more remarkable considering that the portfolio is underweight U.S large-caps and tech; the three areas of the market that have performed particularly well this year the team has really excelled at security selection According to the fund’s prospectus: The sub-adviser strives to identify dividend-paying companies with the potential for increasing dividend payments in the future The sub-adviser first analyzes securities using a fundamental analysis which seeks to measure the security’s intrinsic value as measured by price multiples and other measures of value relative to the price of the security the sub-adviser uses quantitative metrics to seek to identify dividend-paying companies that have potential for multiple dividend increases over time The sub-adviser will assess company metrics and other technical factors to assess the likelihood of a candidate company’s ability to provide ongoing The fund is generally expected to hold securities of approximately 30 to 50 companies at any given time Quality & dividend growth are key components in the fund’s strategy and it’s been able to deliver even if the dividend yield isn’t particularly high CGDV is the other dividend ETF, along with MBOX, that has put itself on a tier above the others this year. I’ve gone on record already talking about how I’m not a huge fan of this fund because of its mandate that allows for the inclusion of stocks with “the potential to pay dividends” instead of solely dividend payers That gave the fund’s managers the ability to add stocks to the portfolio during a period where the magnificent 7 stocks were roaring even though they didn’t pay a dividend at all At least those companies have actually started to pay dividends but that also puts CGDV in the category of not quite a pure dividend stock ETF I will say though that those instances are relatively few The strategy of tilting a little more towards growth and delivering an above average has clearly paid off even though it gets a little loose with its selection criteria Fidelity High Dividend ETF (FDVV)Index: Fidelity High Dividend IndexExpense Ratio: 0.15%Year-to-Date Return: 11.7%Sharpe Ratio: 1.78Sortino Ratio: 6.16source: ETF Action Fidelity isn’t necessarily known for its handful of dividend ETFs High yield ETFs have generally been more kind to shareholders in 2024 but this is a fund that has consistently performed well throughout the past several years With the Morningstar’s Large Value category its performance ranks in the top 2% over the past three years and in the top 6% over the past five years it’s earned a well-deserved 5-star rating High yielders have the potential for being riskier than the broader dividend stock universe but FDVV has managed to keep risk under control pretty well it’s only about 5% more volatile and that’s likely a result of the fund’s focus on both dividend yield AND dividend growth The latter criteria gets a little lost given the fund’s name but it’s helped to balance out risk over time ETFs That Have Struggled In 2024ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL)Index: S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats IndexExpense Ratio: 0.35%Year-to-Date Return: 2.7%Sharpe Ratio: 0.24Sortino Ratio: 0.53source: ETF Action If MBOX is one of the best dividend ETFs this year the dividend aristocrats have been a popular landing spots for income seekers to find consistent and durable dividend growth While it continues to deliver on that premise it’s not at all what investors have wanted this year NOBL has almost no exposure to tech or communication services currently the two best performing sectors year-to-date and its huge overweights to both industrials and consumer staples have been a big drag on performance While the aristocrats have never been known as high yielders one of the plusses has been that the fund has improved its current yield to 2.3% one of the highest levels it’s been since its inception over a decade ago SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY)Index: S&P High Yield Dividend Aristocrats IndexExpense Ratio: 0.35%Year-to-Date Return: 3.9%Sharpe Ratio: 0.24Sortino Ratio: 0.52source: ETF Action is essentially the high yield version of NOBL (although the dividend history requirement is a little less) it’s probably not surprising that it has also performed quite poorly even going so far to nearly match NOBL’s risk-adjusted performance statistics SDY’s sector tilts have been a little less egregious which has allowed it to generate slightly better performance but it’s not going to be nearly enough to satisfy shareholders The other thing really hurting SDY at the moment is the fact that half of its holdings come from mid-caps Mid-caps have trailed large-caps by roughly 8% year-to-date making it incredibly difficult to generate anything near benchmark-matching performance when all factors are considered source: ETF Action This one might come as a bit of a surprise given that it’s invested in tech stocks a look at the fund’s top 10 holdings might provide some clues as to why it’s struggled this year Among the biggest weightings in the fund are IBM that are getting investors excited at the moment The bottom line is that investors have mostly wanted growth all throughout 2024 These companies are nearing the mature stage of their life cycles and that’s not what people are looking for at all at the moment here’s what we’ve been looking at in terms of the winners and losers Basically, the more defensive the dividend ETF has been, the worse it’s performed. Therefore, it’s no accident that NOBL, SDY and TDV, three funds that have long-term dividend growth as a primary part of their strategy, have been among the year’s worst performers. In general, high yield dividend stocks have performed better, but there’s been almost nothing in the way of pure winners on a performance basis. Risk-adjusted returns, however, have been very positive still in some cases. MBOX is a personal favorite of mine and may be one of the most underappreciated dividend ETFs of all. Performance will change as market conditions change, but growth & tech are firmly in favor at the moment and that’s going to make it a trickier landscape for dividend seekers to navigate. Former Baldwin athletic director Vince Sortino is the assistant to the WPIAL executive director. assuming the full-time position of assistant to the executive director Sortino helps run the day-to-day league operations for District 7 and reports to the board of directors worked 28 years at Baldwin including 12 as athletic director before his position was eliminated in June 2018 he was a special education teacher at Baldwin Sortino worked for two years as athletic director at Dallastown in York County He expected to be at the public high school — one of the largest in the state — for more than the two years but opted to retire leave his position at Dallastown and entered into the Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System He is the third person to hold the WPIAL assistant to the executive director title following Jack Fullen and Jim Collins Sortino recently took time to answer some question You soon will be celebrating your first anniversary in your position as assistant to the executive director in the WPIAL Has it been a learning experience for you so far Even though I had many years in athletic administration at the high school level it is a very different kind of administrative role when being responsible for over 140 districts Did your past experience as a member of the WPIAL board of directors enhance your abilities in your new position there are currently three people — myself executive secretary Diana Rossmann and executive director Amy Scheuneman We are short one person and have not filled that position as of yet due to the covid situation and budgetary concerns My past experiences have definitely helped with my transition to my new position It is also nice to work with someone like Diana Rossmann who has been in the WPIAL office for many years and has a great understanding of what and how things are done Being able to work with Amy again has been a real blessing We had a great working relationship when we worked as athletic directors and we seem to complement each other in our new positions What have been some of your most pleasant on-the-job experiences Just being back working with my fellow ADs and school administrators again has been the most pleasant experience We have the best administrators in the state here in District 7 What are your thoughts on returning to work in the Western Pennsylvania area Kristin and I raised our children in Bethel Park and later on in the Upper St How was your two-year experience at Dallastown My two years at Dallastown were just amazing staff and students made me once again realize why I chose to get into education many I do miss my athletic director duties at times but in reality I’m doing sort of the same things just differently and on a much larger scale I don’t know if that will ever not be a part of who I am Who has had the biggest influence on you in your career I have had so many people that have been inspirational in my life Just to name a few would not be fair to the ones that I may forget to mention What are your thoughts about your overall experience at Baldwin I miss working with some of the great staff at Baldwin and also interacting with the amazing student-athletes I spent the better part of my teaching and administrative career at Baldwin and Baldwin will always have a special place in my heart Do you or does your family have an athletic background Our teams won back-to-back WPIAL championships in 1979 and 1980 at Seton LaSalle I played Division I baseball and football at Duquesne University all five of my kids played sports in high school and so did my wife Kristin What’s in the works for Vince Sortino for year two with the WPIAL I hope to be at the WPIAL for many years to come I love being back working with the special people in the WPIAL but I probably would have to say my favorite is baseball My hobbies nowadays are spending time with my kids and grandkids what is the title of the last book you read My favorite all-time movies would have to be Godfather I and II I didn’t care that much for Godfather III I have never been known to turn away from any meal but my three favorite foods would be wings My wife Kristin and I loved Hawaii and are planning to go back If you could have dinner with anyone (past or present) What is something that people may not know about you She is survived by sister her Antoinette Jankowski; many nieces and nephews 11:00AM at Holy Cross Catholic Church with visitation starting at 10:00AM Wish I was able to attend Aunt Josephine’s funeral She is in my thought and prayers as I reflect on the many happy memories of time spent with her Vince Sortino (center) awards the Baldwin male and female athlete of the year plaques to Casey Conboy and Maddi Sgattoni in 2017. The WPIAL board voted unanimously Monday to hire Sortino as assistant to the executive director, a position vacant since last summer. Sortino, who joins the staff July 1, spent the past two school years as athletic director at Dallastown in York County. “The knowledge and information base and everything that he brings to this league is going to be worthwhile and beneficial to us,” WPIAL associate executive director Amy Scheuneman said. “Especially knowing a lot of the ADs and knowing the AD world, he has the ability to jump right in.” Sortino worked 28 years at Baldwin including 12 as athletic director before the district eliminated his position in June 2018. He’ll be the third person to hold the WPIAL assistant to the executive director title following Jack Fullen and Jim Collins. The WPIAL will change leadership this summer when executive director Tim O’Malley retires and is replaced by Scheuneman. The WPIAL finalized realignment for another winter sport Monday when the board approved updated swimming sections for the 2020-21 season, but basketball remains on hold. The WPIAL had hoped to finalize basketball sections sometime soon, but the wait will continue into April after the PIAA suspended its basketball playoffs and canceled its March board meeting in response to the coronavirus outbreak. If the state basketball playoffs aren’t finished, that would affect the PIAA’s new competitive-balance formula that forces successful teams into higher classifications. The updated WPIAL boys and girls swimming sections approved Monday are identical to this past season. The WPIAL ruled Mohawk transfer Cooper Vance eligible to play baseball after a hearing Monday. The 5-foot-9, 155-pound sophomore transferred from East Palestine, Ohio, where he batted .419 with 17 runs, 12 RBIs and 19 stolen bases last season. The middle infielder also went 5-0 as a pitcher with a 0.95 ERA. He struck out 44 and walked three in 37 innings. If Javascript is disabled browser, to place orders please visit the page where our photos are available to purchase. Sign up Sign in empowerment through data, knowledge, and expertise. Join DDI community at https://join.datadriveninvestor.com When I saw the draft of the paper Financial Statement Analysis with Large Language Models by students at the University of Chicago This paper has been discussing what I’ve been preaching about for over a year ever since I’ve begun experimenting with large language models in the financial domain it’s not just large language models that are useful for finance Wall Street-style optimization algorithms are being made available to retail investors for the first time If you want to be among the first to copy trade on the NexusTrade platform, including copying the strategy presented here, copying politicians like Nancy Pelosi, and copying the actions of your friends and family, sign up for the waitlist today! This makes it for educational purposes only and it should not be considered financial advice I’m going to go through the process of how I created an algorithmic trading strategy with a sortino ratio of 2.6 and just 3 trades and the significance of creating such a strategy All of the features and functionality, including the graphs, data, and backtest reports, are going to be done using the free trading platform NexusTrade.io. You can choose to follow along, or click this link and have the pre-optimized strategy at your fingertips. Investing and dollar cost averaging into VOO has historically been a good strategy It’s the gold standard of trading strategies; if you can’t outperform VOO then you’re wasting your time (and effort) You can think about leverage as the risk-return magnifier While it does increase your gains when stocks rise leverage is not suitable for all investors and the decision to buy it should be made with extreme caution One common leverage ETF is TQQQ Buying and Holding TQQQBefore I get too ahead of myself let me start by defining some very important financial analysis metrics: Statistics for TQQQAs you can see that TQQQ has about 4 to 5x the returns of SPY Not only is the maximum drawdown more than twice that of the SPY strategy but also the sharpe ratio is nearly the same between the two (0.56 vs 0.51) its actually not a substantially better strategy if we had the foresight to sell at the top and buy less aggressively once the portfolio value was getting high predicting the market is extremely difficult (if not borderline impossible) to do using raw price data alone So, the next best option is risk management. The idea is we buy TQQQ and hope it goes up. If it doesn’t, we’ll buy more to lower our cost average. Once the portfolio starts becoming profitable, we’ll sell off our positions and introduce restrictions to buy less aggressively. You can find the exact strategy by clicking this link. The TQQQ Modified Grid Trading StrategyThis portfolio is a lot better The maximum drawdown has decreased substantially While it does have a slightly lower percent change (300% in 5 years as opposed to 400% in 5 years) there’s also a substantially lower risk profile you can see the exact trading rules for this strategy The trading strategy for this portfolioI bet if I manually updated the parameters for the strategy instead of buying 25% of my buying power in TQQQ when the portfolio value is higher than 17000 I bet if I continuously tinkered and tinked with these parameters I’d find a set of strategies that are better than every other strategy With the NexusTrade platform The Genetic Optimization EngineAs an aside here is some more important terminology associated with genetic optimization: Genetic Optimization ResultsThe end result is a population of portfolios one of our solutions has a percent change of 119.28% It has the following performance in the past 30 days TQQQ Optimized Trading StrategyCompare this to the manual approach of trying to update the parameters using 1000s of backtests which is subject to all types of biases (such as lookahead bias) and would be extremely time-consuming we can then deploy it for real-time paper-trading Deploying a strategy for real-time paper-tradingThis where Copy Trading comes into play While many people are the ambitious types that want to create their own strategy many others just want to deploy strategies that an expert has created they want to see what positions their friends has and copy them If you want to see how this portfolio is changing in real-time, sign up for the copy trading waitlist! And this article doesn’t even begin to talk about the impact of large language models and automate many menial tasks that we do develop trading strategies Algorithmic trading used to only be accessible to people who worked on Wall Street and had PhDs in quantum computing The fact that an optimization tool is so readily available for retail investors has the power to absolutely transform trading Visit us at DataDrivenInvestor.com Subscribe to DDIntel here Join our creator ecosystem here DDI Official Telegram Channel: https://t.me/+tafUp6ecEys4YjQ1 I am building a no-code, AI-Powered, algorithmic trading platform, https://nexustrade.io/ (Powered by EODHD) See all responsesHelp Peter Sortino planned a 100th birthday bash for St Louis that would go on for days and draw thousands of guests but his name was largely unknown to most who attended ’04 Eve and River Splash are the enduring memories that most St Louisans have of the 1904 World’s Fair centennial celebration The fun was a minuscule part of the work of St which was formed in 1996 to kick-start major regional improvement projects Sortino led the effort from 2000 until the organization completed its mission in 2004 Louis 2004 had managed “a string of achievements.” The recreation district is well on its way to having a labyrinth of 600 miles of interconnected trails and parks traversing 1,200 square miles “The biggest single accomplishment and the most difficult was the establishment of the Greenways system,” said former Sen Sortino succeeded in getting two major sales tax initiatives passed he led the successful campaign to pass Proposition C the first local bi-state park and recreation district in the country and to fund redevelopment of the grounds of the Gateway Arch “Peter Sortino was one of the most consequential and effective persons in our town,” Danforth said who had been receiving hospice care for several months died of pancreatic cancer this morning (March 24 The 2004 initiative ended with numerous long-term projects underway Sortino was quickly appointed president of the Danforth Foundation the foundation helped restore some of the majesty of downtown including revitalization of the Old Post Office He led the foundation through its planned dissolution in 2011 when all remaining assets were funneled into the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center Sortino was twice honored in 2016 for his green efforts He received the Keeper of the Park award from St Louis Post-Dispatch Citizen of the Year in November That’s because “he was such a humble person and so much behind the scenes,” said Susan Trautman executive director of Great Rivers Greenway another lasting venture that arose out of St With the closing of Regional Medical Center the commission was formed to help low-income people gain access to health care “Peter had a vision of how things should go and a way to get people there,” said Rudy Nickens “There were no conversations about workforce diversity before St Sortino joined the board of Forest Park Forever where he helped secure the passage of two bond issues totaling $64 million for capital improvements in Forest Park and 108 other city parks he spearheaded a funding partnership between the city and Forest Park Forever a commitment that spurred an additional $100 million in private donations “Peter was instrumental in helping us define our role today and our role in the future,” said Lesley Hoffarth president and executive director Forest Park Forever After wrapping up the foundation’s business in 2011 Sortino was named assistant vice chancellor for special initiatives at Washington University he was inducted into the Missouri Recreation and Parks Hall of Fame for his work on the tax propositions Sortino had gotten a taste of politics in 1974 Louis as an urban planning intern during his senior year at the University of Cincinnati After sitting in on aldermanic meetings and watching mayoral aides plot political strategy he was Schoemehl’s director of Operation ConServ “He had the ability to work with politicians to accomplish important objectives and he just loved the political process,” Danforth said Sometimes the process called for his “awesome” humor and Sortino was once enlisted to take a warning to Schoemehl which briefly sent the mayor and his family into hiding the ex-husband of the then-embattled license collector '''You tell Vince I'm going to be on his front lawn this weekend,''' Mr Sortino told the Post-Dispatch Luther Boykins said to him Sortino was a community and economic development consultant and a corporate secretary and senior planner for the Urban Programming Corp He gained his cooking prowess and his penchant for doing spot-on imitations growing up in a big He earned a bachelor of urban from the University of Cincinnati College of Design He later attended a senior executive program at Harvard University The young couple’s first home was in the Soulard neighborhood Sortino soon became president of the neighborhood restoration group where for many years he raised a garden and chickens the former altar boy returned to the city daily to open the doors of St “I just want to be remembered as a humble servant who was fortunate,” Mr He was preceded in death by his father and a sister Memorials may be made to Great Rivers Greenway District Washoe County District Attorney Chris Hicks hopes that the recent 10-year prison sentence of Justin Michael Sortino for luring what he thought was a 14-year-old girl for sex saved other children from being his victim.  "Sex abuse cases have lifelong effects on the victims," Hicks said in an interview with the RGJ about a string of arrests in sex abuse cases involving children in recent months.  detectives with the police department's human exploitation and trafficking (HEAT) unit came across Sortino a former Sparks High School math teacher, in an investigation focused on internet solicitation of underage girls for sex.   It was one of more than 100 similar cases the Reno Police department unit has investigated in the last three years.  In March, Arsh Bhardwaj of Reno was arrested on 10 felony charges including forcible sexual assault on a girl younger than 14 a social media platform. He is out on bail and awaiting a court date.  And last month, Dominic Renteria, 31, was booked into the Washoe County Jail on five felony charges accusing him of luring a police officer posing as a 15-year-old girl for sex Renteria had also contacted girls on social media and paid them for explicit videos and photos He remains in jail on a $1 million bond. A court date has not been set.  Read more: $1 million bail set for man accused of multiple sex crimes against girls said the number of adults attempting to arrange meetings with children for sex even shocked veteran police officers when the specialty branch was formed almost three years ago Posing as children online is one part of the unit's mission It also focuses on adults being forced into prostitution "Social media has made it much more of a problem and it has become a very dangerous place," he said.   "The conversations these adults are having with what they think are children is unimaginable," said Smith who has been a police officer for 26 years "Immediately the conversations go to that of a sexual nature," he said Sortino attempted multiple times to meet a Reno police officer posing as a teenager online for sex. After his arrest police found other messages he had been sending to underage females as far back as 2018.   who resigned from Sparks High School in 2016 had previously been investigated but not arrested for sleeping with an 18-year-old student The student did not attend Sparks High.  The district attorney's office used that former case to show that Sortino was predatory in arguing for a 30-year sentence after he pleaded guilty in April to one count of attempting to lure a child with a computer to engage in sexual conduct and one count of attempting to permit a minor to be sexually portrayed in a performance.  Washoe County Judge Tammy Riggs sentenced Sortino to concurrent 10-year sentences meaning he could be eligible for parole in a few years.  Hicks said he is going to continue to fight for tougher and longer sentences involving children.  "When this happens to a child it ends in suicidal thoughts drug problems and so many other issues," Hick said.   Siobhan McAndrew tells stories about the people of Northern Nevada and covers education in Washoe County. Read her journalism right here. Consider supporting her work by subscribing to the Reno Gazette Journal.  We pay our respects to Elders past and present and strive to honour their rich history of storytelling in our work and mission The Jewish Independent acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples as the Traditional Owners and Custodians of Country throughout Australia I was happy to have found my place in the politically progressive northern suburbs of Melbourne where I have lived all my life When my electorate was named the most progressive in the country I felt so proud to be a part of this tribe It seemed to be a vibrant and inclusive community made up of conscientious educated Australians who love the environment It was the obvious group to align myself with to overcome the ‘brokenness’ I saw in the world.  We saved the Preston Market from greedy developers we grow gardens and live sustainably with our front yard composts we share old baby clothes and ride bikes to the park welcome refugees and campaigned for an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Voice Islander Voice to Parliament We understood the science of Covid-19 and understand the threat of climate change post-October 7 I can’t help but feel that I have lost my tribe The bigotry and vitriol I have seen directed towards Jews is beyond belief This is not only seen through archaic antisemitic tropes once again openly spouted but to a new bigotry in the guise of ‘anti-Zionism’ The fact that these views are not just apparent among the fringes of society or extremists but within political parties and our mainstream society at large is devastating I cannot begin to imagine the trauma this would ignite It is not fair to have former allies and trusted platforms be so misguided How can the same people that I once considered fair and reasonable perpetrate such hate Take the media as an example; Sky News and The Australian disturb me with 90% of their content but they align almost perfectly with my views on the issue of Hamas and Israel the ABC which I had believed was a bastion of intellectual rigour has become lazy in their presentation of the very same news I have been in freefall ever since as I find myself struggling to find my allies As I walk my dog through the streets I grew up on I spend a lot of time ripping down stickers with ‘Zionism is Terrorism’ ‘FCK the IDF’ and ‘Intifada Now’ that adorn every second light pole How can these people be so blinded by their one-sided version of the ‘truth’ that they have abandoned their values when I leave the loneliness of those late-night walks with only my Staffy as company I engage in conversation with my neighbours at the local park I must say that I am pleasantly surprised that many of the people I talk to understand the conflict realise it is complicated and are as disgusted as I am at those who misuse the term justice to instead spew hate towards Jews This has highlighted the increasingly evident phenomena of a society that feels they must align themselves wholeheartedly and unthinkingly to a tribe For the survival of a thriving liberal democracy It is imperative for all of us to leave the relative safety of our tribe and re-enter the world with the armour of our values and the protection of our mindset Instead of removing ourselves completely from the idea of compromise and hope we should seek to be more knowledgeable and open and educate others to be the same when it comes to science and its attempts to rectify human subjectivity and susceptibility we realise it does not always get things right we understand that for us to realise progress and to celebrate ongoing success we must partake in more and better science Many of the people I talk to understand the conflict realise it is complicated and are as disgusted as I am at those who misuse the term justice to spew hate towards Jews We must be the change we want to see in the world and not add to the growing polarisation we are forced to endure Dr Jonas Kaplan argues that belief is not separate to knowledge and as humans we are bugged with biases and emotions that distort and influence our ideas of truth Beliefs frame every new piece of information that appears and without an appropriate sifting tool to help us overcome bias our truth will be flawed Just like imperfect science requires better and more science flawed beliefs require better and more education This is because our beliefs and values are inseparably coupled with our individual and social identity truth and identity influence us and help to build our mental models These mental models are our navigational systems in the world and are impacted by biases that we must be aware of One such bias is the Illusory Truth Effect This is the inclination to believe false information to be correct after repeated exposure Another bias is the Continued Influence Effect which is the tendency for misinformation to continue influencing people's thinking and decision-making even after it has been corrected or debunked One example coined by Sam Harris is the Fireplace Delusion It makes us feel connected to our ancestors feel a natural heat and provides us with the entertainment of ‘natures television’ Harris presents the hard truth that although the sight of a glowing hearth in your home might feel comforting and natural it is the equivalent of a diesel engine idling in your living room feelings do not always match with what is good for us something might feel right but be fundamentally wrong Is it to be a loyal member of your tribe – a way to characterise your identity Or is it to connect as strongly to reality as possible - a way to help remove bias form consensus and help attain a better life for all going forward but we should not cling to a tribe or identity at the expense of moral clarity We must form a transcendental mindset and decouple feelings from information To be firm in values but open to change and aligned to truth It is safe to say that for all the destabilisation I have felt since October 7 Lucky because as a teacher at Bialik College I have found a community that has embraced me for who I am and more than that Thank you to the Bialik and wider Jewish community for sharing your stories of vulnerability but also strength and for making me proud of humanity and what we really can be We can overcome this hate - we just need to be prepared to step forth with courage Supporting young people with ‘how’ to think and not what to think is the ultimate long-lasting contribution we can make to their education I wish that all students everywhere are given the opportunity to learn these skills rather than being told which position to take on any given issue reasoned and educated leadership guiding our teachers and students Regrettably many people seem to throw logic out the window to create a space for their antisemitism Sunlight has always been the best disinfectant Thank you so much Matthew for your wonderful article Thank you so much for your beautifully written article and for being a true friend of the Jewish community (we sure need as many of those these days) I can understand your feelings of belonging All the best to you and continue to make a difference in this world and be an up-stander for all of us Thank you for understanding and so beautifully expressing it Thank you so much for your thoughtful article Thankyou for this poignant and brave piece as we stand with you in these dark and uncertain times May our collective light overcome this darkness We must be united to protect our common values