Mila Trani – Menta Selvatica (Segell Microscopi Inspired by the mythological and medicinal properties of wild mint, Menta Selvatica (wild mint) is an exploration of femininity, shaped through myths, rituals, and love spells. Mila Trani’s lovely, expressive, and versatile voice, combined with collaborations from leading musicians in the Spanish world music scene creates an album where diverse musical traditions intertwine sensitively The compositions reflect an artistic career fueled by curiosity, fusing Mediterranean melodies, Caribbean rhythms, and the passion of flamenco and fado Italian folklore serves as a central influence reinterpreted with a dramatic intensity that bridges past and present She later collaborated with Redsolution and led innovative vocal projects an a cappella group that won prestigious awards including the Aarhus Vocal Festival (2017) and Vokal Total (2018) The ensemble has performed at venues such as Blue Note Milan and Teatro Dal Verme Trani has directed the Malanga Voice Orchestra a 20-member female choir that fuses tradition with experimentation Their performance at TEDx Milano (2023) and a first-place win at the Solevoci Festival (2024) underscore her innovative approach She has also collaborated with Cristina Donà and Saverio Lanza Please enter an answer in digits:3 − three = Medievalists.net A team of researchers has used cutting-edge scientific tools to help solve a long-standing mystery in medieval art history: the chronological order of the monumental bronze doors created by the 12th-century artisan Barisanus of Trani Long admired for their intricate reliefs and craftsmanship, the doors of the cathedrals in Trani, Ravello, and Monreale are some of the finest surviving examples of medieval bronze work. But until now, scholars have debated which of these masterpieces came first. In a new open-access study published today in PLOS ONE researchers combined high-resolution 3D imaging and art historical research to investigate how the doors were made—and when “The measurements of the selected panels present on all three doors which provide information on model and metal shrinkage confirmed that the Trani door is the oldest of the three surviving Barisanus doors,” the team writes Barisanus of Trani was one of the most productive bronze-casters of the High Middle Ages his name appears on the doors of Trani and Monreale and stylistic similarities link him to the Ravello door as well these Italian bronze doors consist of flat panels affixed to wooden supports but Barisanus’s work is distinctive for its engraved flat reliefs and its iconographic program—dominated by saints The question of which door came first has long hinged on art-historical interpretation Scholars often assumed Ravello was oldest due to its relatively modest ornamentation with Monreale considered the most elaborate and thus latest But this new study challenges that developmental narrative the researchers created precise 3D models of the door panels allowing for minute comparisons between repeated motifs—like Saint George or John the Baptist—across the three sets of doors Measuring these differences gave researchers a new way to establish sequence The panels from Trani were consistently the largest—suggesting they were the originals from which the others were modeled Monreale was second—pointing to concurrent or overlapping production Chemical analysis (via portable X-ray fluorescence and principal component analysis) confirmed further differences All three doors were made of leaded bronze but each used slightly different metal compositions which contained high levels of antimony—up to 7%—a rare feature that may reflect local ore sources in Sicily’s Peloritani Mountains This suggests the doors were likely cast near their respective cathedrals using locally sourced materials and that the wax models—not the finished molds—were what traveled between locations The study not only helps date the surviving doors but also offers a more nuanced picture of how Barisanus’s workshop operated Rather than a fixed atelier producing objects in sequence it appears the workshop reused models flexibly responding to patron needs and casting doors on site And thanks to digital imaging and metallurgical science art historians now have a firmer foundation to study one of the medieval world’s most important metalworking traditions “Distinguishing between originals and casts has become significantly more feasible,” the authors write “and since these observations are grounded in quantifiable data they can bolster hypotheses that previously relied solely on stylistic considerations.” The article, “The 12th century bronze doors of Barisanus of Trani in Trani, Ravello and Monreale,” by Marianne Mödlinger, Bastian Asmus, Martin Fera, Judith Utz and Giorgia Ghiara, is published in PLOS ONE. Click here to read it The research is carried out by GAPAMET (Gates to Paradise: Creating metal doors for 11th-12th century churches) project, which is headed up by Marianne Mödlinger of the University of Genoa. Earlier this month, members of this team also published the article “Deconstructing Barisanus’ medieval casting technology based on digital twins” in Scientific Reports [image or embed] — Martin Fera (@archaeosphera.bsky.social) March 3, 2025 at 6:40 AM Top Image: The four doors from Barisanus of Trani Relief visualization of digital surface models (DSMs) CC-BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) We've created a Patreon for Medievalists.net as we want to transition to a more community-funded model We aim to be the leading content provider about all things medieval podcast and Youtube page offers news and resources about the Middle Ages We hope that are our audience wants to support us so that we can further develop our podcast and remove the advertising on our platforms This will also allow our fans to get more involved in what content we do produce Member Login According to Mat-Su Borough School District Superintendent Dr the Mat-Su Borough has some of the best graduation rates state-wide each year he said the district’s correspondence students consistently lag behind their non-correspondence peers the district’s correspondence school Mat-Su Central had a graduation rate of 73% 13% lower than the district average of 86% “This is not an indictment of our correspondence school or correspondence schools in general,” he told the School Board “what I’m showing is a problem we have systemically.” Trani made it clear he recognizes this is a difficult problem to tackle He recommended creating two new schools through board action.One would prioritize a hybrid-learning environment where students would alternate between in-person instruction and at home learning giving students more customizability with their schedules The other would be a dedicated correspondence school awarding the state minimum diploma to graduates opening two new schools is a daunting goal Trani needs additional funding and public support for the programs While there is no specific timeline for the possible school openings Trani said he hopes to see progress within the next two years Office: (907) 733-1700 News: (907) 733-1900 Studio: (907) 733-1200 Email: info@ktna.org Physical: 13764 Second Street Mailing: PO Box 300 Talkeetna Link: FCC Online Public File and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting University of Copenhagen - Faculty of Science image: Millions of simulations form a rough map of all conceivable outcomes when three objects meet like a vast tapestry woven from the threads of initial configurations This is where the isles of regularity appear The most popular show on Netflix at the moment is the science fiction series 3-Body Problem Based on a Chinese novel series by Liu Cixin the series involves a menagerie of characters time periods and even extraterrestrial visitors But the central premise is concerned with a star system in which three stars gravitate around one another with three objects influencing each other's gravity has fascinated scientists ever since the “father of gravity” While the interaction between two objects meeting in space is predictable the introduction of a third massive object makes the triadic encounter not just complex "The Three-Body Problem is one of the most famous unsolvable problems in mathematics and theoretical physics The theory states that when three objects meet without regularity and completely detached from the starting point But our millions of simulations demonstrate that there are gaps in this chaos – ‘isles of regularity’ – which directly depend on how the three objects are positioned relative to each other when they meet as well as their speed and angle of approach," explains Alessandro Alberto Trani of the University of Copenhagen’s Niels Bohr Institute Trani hopes that the discovery will pave the way for improved astrophysics models as the Three-Body Problem is not just a theoretical challenge The encounter of three objects in the universe is a common occurrence and its understanding is crucial "If we are to understand gravitational waves which are emitted from black holes and other massive objects in motion the interactions of black holes as they meet and merge are essential our understanding of such encounters could be a key to comprehending phenomena such as gravitational waves gravity itself and many other fundamental mysteries of the universe," says the researcher which can calculate the movements of astronomical objects based on the knowledge we have about the laws of nature such as Newton’s gravity and Einstein’s general relativity Trani set it to run millions of simulations of three-body encounters within certain defined parameters The initial parameters for the simulations were the positions of two of the objects in their mutual orbit – i.e. the angle of approach of the third object – varying by 90 degrees The millions of simulations were spread across the various possible combinations within this framework the results form a rough map of all conceivable outcomes like a vast tapestry woven from the threads of initial configurations The colours represent the object that is eventually ejected from the system after the encounter “If the three-body problem were purely chaotic we would see only a chaotic mix of indistinguishable dots with all three outcomes blending together without any discernible order regular “isles” emerge from this chaotic sea leading to uniform outcomes—and therefore This discovery holds great promises for a deeper understanding of an otherwise impossible phenomenon Pure chaos is something they already know how to calculate using statistical methods but when chaos is interrupted by regularities "When some regions in this map of possible outcomes suddenly become regular it throws off statistical probability calculations Our challenge now is to learn how to blend statistical methods with the so-called numerical calculations which offer high precision when the system behaves regularly," says Alessandro Alberto Trani they offer hope for an entirely new level of understanding in the long run," he says Alessandro Alberto Trani started a side project to investigate fractal universes within the Three-Body Problem It was then that he came up with the idea of mapping the outcomes in search of regularities He knew the famous problem from his studies but hadn’t delved into the works of fiction – the recent Netflix show or the novel behind it: “The Three-Body Problem” by Liu Cixin he familiarized himself with the plot enough to conclude that it actually deals with a "4-Body Problem." it involves a star system with three stars and one planet which is regularly thrown into chaotic developments Such a system is actually best defined as a Four-Body Problem the most likely outcome is that the planet would quickly be destroyed by one of the three stars So it would soon become a Three-Body-Problem," the researcher grins Niels Bohr International Academy at the Niels Bohr Institute Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology 10.1051/0004-6361/202449862 Isles of regularity in a sea of chaos amid the gravitational three-body problem are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system Copyright © 2025 by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application only days away from her 89th birthday.  1935 in Worcester a daughter of the late Ray and Mary (Campbell) Craig she was a graduate of the initial North High School with the class of 1956 and later attended the former Salter Secretarial School in Worcester.  she worked as a Clerk Supervisor for over twenty-five years at the Worcester District Court in the office of the late clerk magistrate Dorothy loved making her house a home and keeping her yard and gardens in pristine condition observing and cataloging the many birds who would often visit her little oasis on Neptune Drive A tea cup enthusiast she was always on the hunt for the right addition to her countless teacup sets Dorothy was a strong advocate and active in the mother’s PKU Support Group she became committed to learning about its treatment Dorothy was selected to be resource mother by Boston Children’s Hospital and she helped many young and pregnant mothers throughout New England She was instrumental in developing a helpful cookbook for families living with the genetic disease she achieved over 40 years of continuous sobriety and helped many women as a part of her recovery.  Bryce Trani (Nicole) and Brad Trani (Jennifer Lynch); great-grandchildren Jackson and Parker Trani; her former daughter-in-law Elizabeth Vella (Paul) of Shrewsbury; also survived by six first nieces and nephews Dorothy was predeceased by her former husband Family and friends will honor and remember Dorothy’s life by gathering for a morning wake on Saturday followed by her funeral Mass celebrated at 11 a.m Burial will follow in Mountain View Cemetery Expressions of sympathy may be made to St. John’s Food for the Poor Program, 44 Temple Street, Worcester, MA 01604 or https://www.stjohnsfoodforthepoor.org/ Arrangements by James + John Heald of The Joyce Funeral Home 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 Captain of the Northport High School 1995 Long Island Champion Boys Basketball team Doug Trani is helping to spearhead a group effort to renovate the basketball court in Northport Village’s Cow Harbor Park The new court will be dedicated to lifetime Northport resident and youth basketball coach and mentor We rely on your support to share good news! Become a supporting member today. The Northport High School 1995 Long Island Champion Boys Basketball team is together again this time taking on a new challenge that will bring their love of the sport full circle Reunited in person this past June for the funeral of a teammate’s father Philip Neri Church on Main Street in Northport Village and walked down to the basketball court located in Cow Harbor Park on Woodbine Avenue and reminisced about playing there in the 1990s The court has since fallen into a state of disrepair and the team was immediately inspired to return it to the fun inviting and formative part of their childhoods “It’s a great memory we have here of playing on the court as little kids and we just want to pass it on to the next generation,” said Doug Trani then captain of the 1995 champion team and one of the players heading the renovation project He said when they used to play on the court While the current hoops and rims have their strengths especially for someone who is young and learning basketball,” he said it’ll be a very desirable place to play for kids.” After a few Zoom meetings with his teammates the group was ready to forge ahead with its vision to bring a beautiful the team’s starting lineup – Doug and fellow players Greg Dunne and Chris Wiebke – presented a plan to revitalize the basketball court to the Village Board The team found a perfect partner in Eatons Neck Youth Club a Northport-based nonprofit known for providing affordable and inclusive basketball opportunities to Northport children for more than 50 years Most of the guys on the team grew up in the club’s basketball league and credit club president Steve Schmitt for assisting them throughout this process especially in their paperwork and fundraising efforts “He’s been nothing but amazing,” said Doug the team unveiled a GoFundMe page to help raise the money to put their plan into action “Northport basketball has been an avenue for boys and girls to develop high character and positive self-esteem for more than 100 years,” reads the page alluding to records showing that the first Northport High School boys basketball team was created in 1920 The entire team is helping with the initiative and believe that refurbishing the basketball court will “create an accessible place where kids can discover and nurture a love for the game.” Members of the 1994-1995 NHS basketball team celebrate an undefeated season in this throwback yearbook picture two new commercial-grade tempered glass backboards a completely refinished and repainted surface and court markings The group has already begun to get quotes from vendors and are looking to break ground in March 2022 Doug doesn't shy away from recognizing the practical (for adults With benches facing the scenic harbor backdrop while enjoying the iconic Northport Harbor view it will be dedicated in honor of John Kennedy lifelong resident of Northport Village and East Northport and longtime doer of charitable works in town father of four and personification of the good qualities we would all want our kids to learn from sports,” reads the GoFundMe page really just a wonderful person to be around,” Doug said commending John for dedicating his time not only to basketball he started rattling off all these other people in the town related to basketball he thought would be a good idea player (and member of Northport High School’s 1973 League 2 Championship team) John’s humbleness and sense of humor radiate in even a brief encounter as he quickly dismisses compliments to give credit to others He was honored that the team would even consider dedicating the court to him “Just them saying that they wanted to do that “These guys are the best guys in the world.” Doug recalls how John would tip the guys off when he found a new court they could practice on and was always willing to help them along their basketball journeys John coached youth teams even when his kids had moved onto other ones and he’s really just stayed a part of all of our lives,” said Doug with all five starters continuing to be involved in sports: Doug is the associate athletic director for compliance at St John’s University in Queens; Chris is a senior director at the NBA; Rob is a college basketball coach at St Joseph’s in Maine; Greg is a college basketball coach at SUNY Brockport; and Tom The 1995 team reminds him of how he grew up Doug and the other team members hope that the new court can help shift children’s habits from indoors to outside again walking or biking downtown to play a pickup game with friends and neighbors going to different basketball courts around town “And then we'd walk to the deli across the way the team’s GoFundMe page has raised $13,320 toward its goal of $50,000 All donations are tax deductible and go directly to the revitalization of the basketball court; any surplus will be earmarked to future maintenance and upkeep of the court For more information, and to make a donation, visit the GoFundMe page here Get the latest news delivered to your inbox Archbishop Ieronymos of Athens and All Greece met this morning with a distinguished delegation of Roman Catholic clergy and university professors from Trani was received at the Holy Archdiocese of Athens during their visit to Greece Archbishop Ieronymos expressed his heartfelt joy and gratitude for the visit He recounted his own experiences visiting Italy as an educator and his admiration for its historical monuments and vibrant culture The Archbishop also reminisced about his meeting with Pope Francis during his visit to Athens highlighting the strong connections between the Greek church and the Roman Catholic community He spoke of the Greek church’s “Apostoliki Diakonia” programs and the students who come to Athens each summer to learn Greek thanked the Archbishop for the warm reception describing the meeting as a “valuable gift” that they would cherish He noted that their visit was inspired by their patron saint Saint Nicholas the Pilgrim from Steiri in Boeotia D’Ascenzo emphasized their pilgrimage’s purpose to explore and learn from Greek traditions expressing their shared values of hospitality and welcome and to other significant locations in Boeotia The meeting was attended by Protopresbyter Emmanuel Papamikroulis Secretary of the Synodal Committee on Inter-Orthodox and Inter-Christian Relations Photos: Christos Bonis / Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas The Vatican announced on Monday that all telephone communication within its territory will be suspended during the upcoming conclave.. Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew delivered the keynote address at the International Scientific Conference “Restarting from Nicaea:.. The Holy Synod of the Ecumenical Patriarchate approved on October 4th the canonization of Eldress Sophia Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew traveled by air to Antalya the Patriarchate of Jerusalem solemnly celebrated the Sunday of the Myrrh-Bearing Women... (function() { window.mc4wp = window.mc4wp || { listeners: [] cb) { window.mc4wp.listeners.push( { event : evt callback: cb } ); } } }})(); © 2023 OrthodoxTimes.com - All rights reserved Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website These cookies do not store any personal information Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website Scientists studying the infamous 3-body problem have discovered certain "islands of regularity" that emerge from the gravitational chaos The famously chaotic three-body problem which describes how three masses gravitationally interact new research suggests it's not quite as chaotic as scientists thought — and that finding could make the problem more puzzling than ever These islands could help scientists detect colliding black holes The gravitational interactions between two bodies can be reliably described and mapped using equations things get wild — the motions of the bodies are unpredictable and often end with one of the bodies being flung out of the system Even small changes in their starting masses velocities or positions often lead to drastically different outcomes Broadly speaking, researchers use statistics to predict how often any one of the three bodies will be ejected from the system. But when Alessandro Trani a theoretical physicist at the Niels Bohr Institute in Denmark and his colleagues ran computer simulations of the three-body problem their results didn't match the statistical predictions Their experiments began with a binary — two objects orbiting each other — and a single object approaching from elsewhere in space the team altered the positions of the two bodies in the binary and the angle at which the single object approached they let the three bodies interact until one was eventually kicked out of the system Related: Mathematicians find 12,000 new solutions to 'unsolvable' 3-body problem even a small adjustment to the positions or angles of the three bodies could change which of the three objects got ejected But Trani and his colleagues found several ranges of positions and angles where the same object got kicked out every time These "isles of regularity" represent gaps in the chaos of the three-body problem Get the world’s most fascinating discoveries delivered straight to your inbox These non-chaotic zones could complicate how researchers predict three-body interactions in space The predictions scientists usually apply to these astrophysical interactions rely on statistics But the purely statistical calculations don't work on problems that include regions of both chaos and regularity —What is the three-body problem, and is it really unsolvable? —Physicists crack unsolvable three-body problem using drunkard's walk —Physicists get close to taming the chaos of the three-body problem "We need to have a mix of statistical predictions for the chaotic space and a mix of regular mechanical theory or deterministic theory for the regular one and we also need to know how to mix the outcomes," Trani told Live Science "That's the most difficult part: identifying where the three-body problem is chaotic and where it's not more opportunities to study gravitational waves Skyler WareSocial Links NavigationLive Science ContributorSkyler Ware is a freelance science journalist covering chemistry She was a 2023 AAAS Mass Media Science and Engineering Fellow at Science News Her work has also appeared in Science News Explores 'Dramatic revision of a basic chapter in algebra': Mathematicians devise new way to solve devilishly difficult equations Mathematicians just solved a 125-year-old problem Space photo of the week: Record-breaking James Webb telescope image captures 1,678 galaxy groups at once The family requests that in lieu of Flowers donations be made in Rosemary Trani's name to the Cancer Research Institute at www.cancerresearch.org Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Northport Village Mayor Donna Koch and Sally Kohn (center at the September 20 John Kennedy Court ribbon cutting It was quite the scene on the newly redone basketball court in Cow Harbor Park last month: multiple generations of local residents gathered to celebrate the completion of an undertaking so long in the works some wondered if it would ever happen some from the Eaton’s Neck basketball league some wearing the jerseys of their parents’ favorite teams others there to witness the vision their mom or dad or neighbor worked so hard to ensure became a reality a group of people integral to the basketball court’s success – former Northport High School player Doug Trani Trustee Dave Weber – gathered around a hoop After three long years and with the support of over 200 individual donations the John Kennedy Court in Cow Harbor Park is officially open A well-attended ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday A plaque installed on a large rock at the entrance of the park nearest the court reads This court is inspired by Northport resident John Kennedy who believes the most important play in basketball and in life is the assist His volunteerism and love of basketball set an example for how to use sports to bring communities together and inspire kids with principles of hard work a quote by John Kennedy: “This basketball court celebrates lifelong friendships The basketball court revitalization project was spearheaded by Northport High School 1995 Long Island Boys Championship basketball teammates Doug Trani Rob Sanicola and Tom Radman after they noticed it had fallen into disrepair including Northport Village Trustee and Commissioner of Parks Meghan Dolan Vice President of the 1653 Foundation Mark McAteer members of the Northport Native Garden Initiative and community members who dedicated time it became a symbol of community perseverance and positivity There were several speakers at the ribbon cutting ceremony including:Northport Village Mayor Donna KochNorthport Village Deputy Mayor Meghan DolanNorthport Village Trustee Dave WeberNew York State Senator Mario MatteraNew York State Assemblyman Keith BrownVice President of the 1653 Foundation Mark McAteer1995 basketball team member and project organizer Chris WiebkeKaren Acompora of the Louis J Sally Kohn, wife of the late Andy Kohn cut the court ribbon in honor of her husband who passed away in September 2023 $25,000 was raised in Andy’s memory and dedicated to the court a project he had always hoped would come to fruition “There is no way to really articulate how happy I am to be here today standing on our court,” Deputy Mayor Dolan said during the ceremony “Today we are celebrating not only the very very long list of people and organizations who helped and supported us in getting to this point and the passion and selflessness of this project and the literal and figurative Village that made it happen.”  Dolan recognized the 1995 team as the impetus for this renovation and revitalization  – not because it would benefit them personally or because they wanted to spend three years of their lives advocating for it before taking a moment to address the young people in the crowd “I hope you are inspired by the spirit of giving back With dedication to and belief in a common good goal Dolan gave Mayor Koch credit for remaining dedicated to the project through the many obstacles and frustrations that took place She also thanked Trustee Weber for obtaining a $75,000 state grant through former New York State Senator Jim Gaughran and for his commitment to seeing the project through to completion including the Northport Village Highway Department; Village Administrator Roland Buzard and Assistant to the Mayor Don Tesoriero; Mark McAteer and the 1653 Foundation; Steven Schmidt from the Eaton’s Neck basketball league; Kevin O’Neil and Richard Dolce from the Engeman Theater Jim Ruck; the Schiavetta family; members of the Northport Native Garden Initiative; the Louis J Acompora Memorial Foundation and Northport middle school student Bridget Gorman who recently used money earned during a bake sale to help fund a Save Station with an automatic external defibrillator (AED) for Cow Harbor Park Dolan thanked John Kennedy for being the embodiment of what the community is and the values that the project celebrates Project organizer and 1995 Long Island Boys Championship basketball team member Chris Wiebke spoke on behalf of the 1995 team and thanked so many of the people involved in the project’s success “You were one of the hundreds of people who contributed to this initiative but nobody is as inspiring and kind as you and your husband are in participating we can get a very small part of his selfless legacy.”  In describing the role of Dolan throughout the process Wiebke explained that during a meeting about the court with a law degree and a ton of common sense.” He thanked Dolan for her wisdom support and passion since becoming a Village trustee in 2022 decrepit basketball court was truly unjust for the kids of Northport He never once suggested that he wanted any credit for any of this it was all about the kids and nothing else,” Wiebke explained When it came time for Northport/East Northport lifelong resident John Kennedy to take the microphone and accept the honor bestowed upon him he made it clear why this dedication was meant to be reading his speech from pieces of looseleaf paper with large many of which were held by his grandaughter Kennedy called his friends and family members up to the podium for hugs and special thanks Kennedy spoke about his younger years as a basketball player the lessons he learned and the people he met as he grew older and became his own children’s biggest fan; many of the people who brightened the way for Kennedy were at the dedication cheering Kennedy on from the court’s perimeter His entire speech focused on the lifelong friendships and meaningful connections the sport brought into his life and how he hopes that others have the same opportunities he did “For that kid who dribbled that basketball and played at the park day and night to have this is better than having my number hanging from the rafters at Madison Square Garden,” he said Lifetime resident John Kennedy takes a shot at the newly renovated basketball court named after him in Northport Village The community life centered around the Giudecca (as the Jewish quarter was known) and its four synagogues two of which survived the repeated violence of history has recently been restored to its original purpose a Star of David and a bell now coexist on the building’s exterior But few who walk these streets are aware of this,” explained architect Renzo Funaro vice-president of the Foundation for Jewish Cultural Heritage in Italy (FBCEI) which were discussed at the “Jewish Trani Project” meeting on 7 February architect Giorgio Gramegna (project designer of the Jewish section in the diocesan museum) and local authorities.“The goal is to increase visibility for the Giudecca There is much to be shared and we plan to spread this information digitally as well,” explained Funaro who is part of a working group created in 2023 to promote the area’s cultural touristic and architectural value.Among the initiatives presented at the meeting selected by an expert commission and presented to local schools Students will be involved in spreading awareness of Jewish Trani and Hebrew alphabet will be offered in schools High schools will also be involved in the use of the logo and its possible graphic sculptural and multimedia applications,” Funaro said Seleziona il modo in cui vuoi essere contattato da Unione delle Comunità Ebraiche Italiane: Usiamo Mailchimp come piattaforma per la realizzazione e l'invio dei nostri notiziari. Con l'iscrizione le tue informazioni saranno trasferite a Mailchimp per l'elaborazione. Scopri di più sulla privacy di Mailchimp Get quality reporting directly into your inbox I always thought this limits your opportunities,” said Vincenzo Trani in his strongly accented but animated Russian The 47-year-old Italian businessman was explaining in a high-profile interview on a Russian state channel why he decided to come to the country 20 years ago but where I can make more and better use of my experience?” he said Read our investigation into how Imon’s Tajik founders were forced out by Mikro Kapital and other foreign investors with the help of Tajikistan’s National Bank After first working for the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) he founded a popular car sharing company and a small business lender He also owns companies — mostly microlenders and car sharing services — in other “interesting” places One of his latest investments was the purchase of a large stake in a microfinance lender in Tajikistan. He bought into the company, he explained in another interview because it focused on helping women entrepreneurs in the majority-Muslim Central Asian country Trani’s investment involved forcing out the two Tajik women who founded the company He bought out their nonprofit foundation against their will — with the support of Jamoliddin Nuraliev who is the son-in-law of Tajikistan’s president and the deputy head of its national bank who has served on the board of one of his companies has since become Italy’s Undersecretary of State for European Affairs Trani has also been associated with Pavel Borodin a Russian politician who was a top official for the Union of Russia and Belarus a supranational body meant to encourage closer economic and political ties between the two countries Borodin is said to have helped Trani enter the Belarusian market Trani has had official connections in Belarus he served as the country’s honorary consul to Naples Trani spoke openly about having meetings arranged for him in Tajikistan by Belarusian diplomats this is how he was introduced to Jamoliddin Nuraliev But while Trani’s titles and connections are public enough his corporate structures do not lend themselves to easy oversight and now a portion of Imon are all part of a larger structure based in Luxembourg called Mikro Kapital Group They are owned by Mikro Kapital’s so-called “securitization funds” — loosely regulated financial vehicles that trade on the advertised profitability of Trani’s businesses to borrow many millions of dollars They do this by selling bonds and other debt instruments with attractive interest rates of up to 11 percent to private investors whose identities are never revealed making it impossible to know the origin of the money According to Mikro Kapital’s financial statements the money he raises this way is practically the only source of funding for Trani’s investments An analysis of the statements also shows that Mikro Kapital frequently engages in large intra-group transactions for no obvious commercial reason and with no explanation provided Its companies are sometimes transferred between various funds and subject to inexplicable revaluations a single Mikro Kapital company was owned by three of the group’s securitization funds over two years with its value changing up and down by over $20 million in that period In response to reporters’ questions about Mikro Kapital Trani wrote that the company’s financial data is “compiled with the support of three global auditors and two international leading independent valuation firms,” that its “due diligence is performed regularly by the most important and trusted global financial institutions,” and that it “operates in line with all legal requirements and international best practices” in terms of transparency He emphasized that Mikro Kapital fully adheres to European anti-money-laundering rules when accepting private investment and that the fund operates “in sustainable finance.” Support from readers like you helps OCCRP expose organized crime and corruption around the world you’ll be directly supporting investigative journalism as a public good You’ll also gain access to exclusive insights and benefits was built over two decades to help women entrepreneurs Confidential banking documents obtained by OCCRP show how DNB and Nordea Bishkek city officials bent or broke the law to give prime land to Kyrgyzstan’s most elite citizens In “Fulfilling the Promise: Virginia Commonwealth University and the City of Richmond, 1968–2009,” VCU President Emeritus and University Distinguished Professor Eugene P and Associate Professor of History Emeritus John T tell the story of VCU from its founding in 1968 through the end of Trani’s tenure as president in 2009 and the university’s role in Richmond The book, published by the University of Virginia Press and released in September shows how VCU — created from the merger of the Medical College of Virginia and Richmond Professional Institute to serve a city emerging from an era of desegregation political conflict and economic decline — reflects a larger national story of urban universities and the past and future of American higher education Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and former rector of the VCU Board of Visitors The authors’ royalties from sales of the book will go to the VCU Foundation to fund student scholarships Trani and Kneebone recently spoke with VCU News about “Fulfilling the Promise,” which they say shows how VCU has been a force for positive change in Richmond and Virginia What inspired you to work together to tell the story of VCU Kneebone: We were coming up on the 40th anniversary and people felt like we had something to celebrate The city had come back and VCU of course was quite successful — it had a large enrollment enrolling more Virginia students than any other city university.  I got a call from the president’s office proposed that he and I work together on a history of VCU Let me propose to him that I’ll do oral history interviews and we can put together a biography of Dr VCU’s story is much bigger than just one person and more complicated.” He said VCU’s last history was Virginius Dabney’s 1988 book on the 20th anniversary And he gave more attention in that book to the history of the Medical College of Virginia and Richmond Professional Institute than to VCU itself So VCU really needs a proper history.” We talked a bit and I said I know a lot about Virginia and Richmond so we can collaborate.” We set out with me doing research on the earlier years and interviewing him sort of preliminary interviews.   here’s something that was going on in Virginia higher education back then This is what seemed to be happening in Missouri.” So we had a sense of that larger context as well We talk about the process in the book’s introduction I think our different strengths actually worked together.   What is it about VCU’s story that makes it serve as a good microcosm for higher education in the U.S. states there have been three trends that have led to a “powerful transformation in Richmond.” They are the emergence of VCU the desire of its citizens to change long patterns of discrimination and a concerted effort to emphasize the city’s natural beauty how two institutions — MCV and RPI — came together to create a university that has worked with its community and that by doing so showed that a large public institution with a significant medical center can not only survive but thrive and play a role in what is known as the “eds and meds” phenomenon that is typically played in urban America by elite private institutions with large medical centers VCU can be a role model for higher education in the U.S Kneebone: We say that VCU is sort of exemplary of the fall and rise of urban universities have always existed but today’s universities in urban areas are more than half of the total number of institutions the idea was that putting students out in the countryside in a bucolic location where they weren’t distracted gave them a chance to engage in the high jinks of fraternity and sorority life and college life in general which catered to working-class immigrant minority students students who were occupation oriented rather than liberal arts types you might find at traditional schools seemed to be lower status. The higher status was for more selective schools and schools engaged in research coming from a low point where they were in the midst of cities that were falling apart suffering from suburbanization and white flight and conflicts, and with a mission to help solve some of these city issues as well ended up becoming sort of the exemplars of higher education Students today at just about every school are career oriented are thinking ahead to what they’re going to do in the future less connected and less worried about fraternities and sororities are a place that is actually lively and exciting instead of scary and dangerous as it was 40 So it’s a success story that we’re telling.  That’s the “promise” of the book’s title VCU was founded with a mission to be a university that serves a city emerging from the era of urban crisis in the late ’60s How do you see that mission as having been fulfilled? Do you see VCU as having more work to be done along those lines as it moves into the future Kneebone: The urban crisis in Richmond extended for a long time it’s not just 1960s with population dropping as people moved to the suburbs and businesses and hospitals followed Richmond went through political conflict in the 1970s over annexation and the emergence of an African American majority in city government The city went through a variety of financial problems through the 1980s Richmond was one of the top cities for homicide rate And so Richmond had a long period of struggling to get ahead and VCU found itself found its mission in fulfilling that original promise which was to be of service to the city.  That’s been from faculty engaged in research to the university as an economic anchor to the city through hard times so the medical center has served as a de facto public hospital while also keeping the highest standards of an academic health center.  as Richmond has come back and become a place where people want to reside rather than escape from It has been a source of investment on its part but also a reason for others to invest in the city.  Trani: What has been fulfilled is that VCU is now one university — located in a major city — that has had a major positive impact on the growth of that city VCU did not consider itself as one university by 2009 the university community took pride in its two well-established campuses The Monroe Park Campus boundaries are defined by the growth north and west on Broad Street for the Schools of Business and Engineering The MCV Campus boundaries have been fortified by VCU Health opening the Gateway Building and the Critical Care Hospital and the Children’s Hospital [under construction] as well as by the growth of the Biotech Research Park just east of the MCV Campus.  VCU has many nationally ranked programs on both campuses with a strong inter-campus focus on the life sciences that covers so many of its programs That is what makes VCU so attractive as a university and it has many programs that are focused on the professions offering high-quality health services to everyone I believe that all of this has more than fulfilled the hopes and promises of its founders What kind of research did this project entail I imagine both of you have a lot of firsthand knowledge but I’m sure there was lots of research that went into it as well What did that process look like?   Kneebone: We certainly sought out all of the archival sources that we could Cabell Library and Tompkins-McCaw Library have very good special collections departments So we were able to find correspondence and meeting notes People were deleting emails rather than making carbon copies and saving them So we ended up with the Richmond newspapers and Cabell Library and Tompkins-McCaw have been good about [conducting] interviews earlier — they have a number of interviews with people who are no longer with us So it’s a mixture of sources — archival sources firsthand knowledge and interviews with people with firsthand knowledge.  Did anything that you found in your research surprise you or change your thinking about VCU and its history?  Kneebone: I’m not sure if I was surprised but maybe pleasantly pleased that when I talked with a variety of people who had different experiences faculty administrators and so on — were proud of what they had done at VCU They might disagree with some of the things other people did there’s always disagreements along those lines I wish we hadn’t done this.” People were [overall] pleased with their time at VCU One thing that I was struck with is that when VCU came into being one of the constants from people looking for ways to make Richmond’s future better was [the view] that Richmond needed to merge with the suburban counties and people in the county and Black folks in Richmond saw that as a scheme to limit their power.  Richmond in the 21st century has been standing on its own and not looking to get rescued by being incorporated by the counties.   did VCU have an important role in changing that debate?  One is simply that VCU puts lots of money into the local economy the chicken and the egg problem for revitalization was if you want to build up the city you need people residing there you need to have retail and restaurants and amenities you have to have people living in the city with the thousands of students coming and living in Richmond and deciding to stay here And then that helps bring in the amenities You can see that on Broad Street and you can see it on Main Street and of course all the apartment [developments].  So I think VCU is really important in Richmond getting past that difficulty of getting residents and the retail that the residents need.  Who do you envision would be interested in reading “Fulfilling the Promise?” And what do you hope readers get out of it?   Trani: Certainly the more than 100,000 living alumni the majority of whom are living and working in Virginia They will no doubt take much pride in the university they helped create That pride is clearly evident by the more that 100 sellouts in a row for the men’s basketball games at the Siegel Center The fact that the book is only $35 and that all of the authors’ royalties are going to the VCU Foundation for student scholarships will interest them also.  the community of our city will learn even more about how this great university has worked to create a better Richmond serving as an economic anchor and as a major provider of health care for our whole metropolitan area VCU is a force for positive change that is making use of being located in a great city and that will be obvious to all who read this book Kneebone: I hope that people associated with VCU — students faculty and staff — will get a larger perspective and pride in the institution [from reading the book] I hope that Richmonders will see the city’s last half century captured in the book And I hope that people interested in higher education will get a sense of what can be done.  there is a sub theme to the book that is about the steady reductions in public [financial] support for higher education and increasing pressure on tuition to make up for it And that is certainly a problem that we face today.  Probably I’d say the real story here — and this is certainly important in 2020 — is that VCU throughout its history has shown lots of resilience People at VCU can make their way through hard times and keep on pushing ahead.  Subscribe to VCU News at newsletter.vcu.edu and receive a selection of stories news clips and event listings in your inbox Brian Brown named VCU School of Business dean Class of 2025: That guy driving the hot dog who oversaw the launch of VCU’s bachelor’s program in photography In her short film based on Poe’s ‘Annabel Lee,’ VCUarts undergraduate finds inspiration from depression Class of 2025: Advanced nursing degree gives Brooke Gore a chance to truly graduate RVA native Everette Taylor brings grit and empathy to dream role as Kickstarter CEO Class of 2025: Felicia Fowler relishes the long journey to her VCU degree Certain traits in romantic partners can amplify the impact of a person’s genetic risk for alcohol problems NEW JERSEY APARTMENT ASSOCIATION PROMOTES ALEXA TRANI  NJ) - The New Jersey Apartment Association (NJAA) has announced that Alexa Trani has been promoted to Manager of Education she will be planning and executing NJAA’s professional development offerings with a focus on expanding the Association’s educational programming while ensuring that members in every role of the multifamily industry have access to relevant and high-quality classes She will implement the National Apartment Association’s national designation programs as well as design specialized programming for members at every level of their career “Alexa’s ambition and professionalism truly illustrates how well-positioned she is to take on this role Professional development in our industry has changed extensively since COVID and we recognized Alexa’s talent for engaging members and valuing the important role education plays for NJAA” said David Brogan “I look forward to seeing Alexa’s accomplishments in this role.” Trani started with NJAA in 2021 as an intern she served as NJAA’s Education Coordinator where she administered the operations of the Association’s educational offerings She is a 2021 graduate of The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State University) and a resident of Princeton Junction The New Jersey Apartment Association (NJAA) is the premier trade association representing all facets of the multifamily housing industry including market rate and affordable housing owners NJAA’s membership owns and manages over 240,000 apartments providing quality housing to over one million New Jerseyans I would like to receive emails from Insider NJ Elenco the creator of the award-winning Snap Circuits line of educational circuit-building toys is pleased to announce that Anthony Trani has joined the Elenco team as Chief Executive Officer An experienced business leader with over 15 years of experience in global consumer products Anthony comes to Elenco from Bazooka Candy Brands where he led Global Marketing and Innovation Anthony’s appointment supports the Company’s strategic direction as it looks to strengthen and expand its business within the education and toy markets around the world “I am excited to join the Elenco team and privileged to work for such a well-respected company in both the toy and education industries,” says Anthony Trani “I look forward to working with this team to take Elenco’s world-renowned Snap Circuits brand and portfolio of educational toys to new heights across the globe I am confident that his experience and knowledge will help drive Elenco’s growth and mission as a leader in STEM toys and products.” Elenco also welcomes Nancy Burdge who joined the Sales Team as National Account Manager Nancy has an extensive consumer packaged goods background Search for shows online and experience them offline Il Tacco di Bacco is a tool designed to enhance the quality of our lives A fulfilling existence is built on authentic connections which we believe can only arise in the real world This is why we’ve created a guide to help you navigate We provide the means; you discover the purpose owner of Trani Brothers Landscaping takes a family photo with his fiance A finished photo of a landscaping project by Trani Brothers Landscaping Residents of the Unity House enjoy the new landscaped backyard GEORGE — When it comes to the wrath of addiction Trani’s story is one of both defeat and victory illuminating the fact that addiction can happen to anyone as even though he was both raised by loving parents and a member […] as even though he was both raised by loving parents and a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints he still found his way onto a dark path that would alter his life has been a resident of the city on and off for 24 years With his father being a police officer and his mother a school teacher he said he had a great childhood with supportive parents who focused on raising him to be the best version of himself he said he began experimenting with recreational drugs He spent the next couple of years in and out of juvenile centers and treatment facilities he was kicked out of multiple schools but finally graduated from an alternative high school at age 19 after checking in and out of several drug and alcohol treatment facilities he said his child and the children of his child’s mother were removed from their home After 15 months of sobriety and working to get his children back members of his family took custody of his children and he was evicted from his apartment “I realized I was doing this whole thing over and over and over and over and over again,” he said “And I finally had gotten to the point where I really didn’t want to continue going on the way that I did but I really didn’t want to clean up my own mess So my plans were that I was just going to take my own life and I wasn’t going to continue on including moving from Salt Lake City back to St with only a backpack and a few hundred dollars he was put in contact with the owner of a recovery house in St “I reached out to this gentleman and he said we’ll give you a place to stay,’” Trani said where he soon realized that a large and supportive recovery community existed in St He began working in the landscaping business with other men who taught him the ropes and supported him in almost every aspect of his life – from being more present with his kids to offering him rides to and from work When the pandemic hit the country, Trani said he then had his children living with him and was struggling to find a balance between work, picking up side jobs to make ends meet and being a single father. That’s when he decided to take a leap of faith and start his own landscaping business, Trani Brothers Landscaping “I got an overwhelming amount of support from a lot of different people from the people I used to work for – just a lot of friends that I gained – and that’s really what pushed me forward,” Trani said Originally starting the business by himself ultimately leading to the inception of Trani Brothers Landscaping which has been running now for almost two years and employs five under the company name He said he has not done it all by himself and expressed gratitude toward all who have helped him along the way those who have done work for him and the recovery community With all the support Trani has received, he said he wanted to give back to the community. When he saw an online photo of Unity House a recovery facility for women and children in St Knowing there were children present at the facility with a lot of help from people in recovery,” he said “I offered my time and labor to go and do whatever needed to be done.” He said a friend raised money to purchase supplies and was amazed at the outpouring of help from volunteers from the recovery community who came together to complete the Unity House project Added Trani: “A project I thought would take much longer Sometimes I would show up and there would be five volunteers When it comes to both his business and his life he said he always tries to treat people right he focuses on supplying designs and products that the consumer wants and takes pride in fair bids and beautiful results He said: “There’s this quote that always sticks with me it’s actually from going to church when I was younger: ‘Because I have been given much I too must give.’ When we get the chance to give back Jesse Trani shows off his branded company shirt The dirt backyard of Unity House prior to the landscaping renovation project Volunteers in the recovery community work on landscaping project for Unity House owner of Trani Brothers Landscaping smiles for the camera Landscaping work done by Tani Brothers Landscaping Date and location unspecified | Photo courtesy of Vanisa Cleveland The finished project of a landscaping project by Trani Brothers Landscaping Before and after photos of a landscaping project by Trani Brothers Landscaping “Before” and “after” photos of a landscaping project by Trani Brothers Landscaping A Trani Brothers Landscaping employee works on backyard project A completed photo of a landscaping project by Trani Brothers Landscaping Copyright St. George News, SaintGeorgeUtah.com LLC, 2024, all rights reserved. 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Photo by Arturo Garcia-Ayala Upon entering Trani’s Dockside Station you’re greeted by the edge of a 40-foot-long serpentine bar made from mahogany a divey bar that has been replaced by a drive-through Starbucks on Gaffey Street that bar shaped like three connecting houses on the edge of 9th and Gaffey Street was called the Mirror Room Random Lengths is the Los Angeles harbor area's remaining independently owned progressive news magazine Contact us: letters@randomlengthsnews.com © Newspaper WordPress Theme by TagDiv Wayne Valley football coach Roger Kotlarz remembers the first time he saw Nick Trani in a blue Indians practice jersey quite vividly The coach was hurriedly walking toward the varsity field for the 2015 team’s first practice of the summer Bishop pointed out the 14-year old Trani to Kotlarz and said “he’s going to be just like his brother.” Bishop was comparing Nick Trani to his older brother Alex Kotlarz immediately recognized the comparison as “high praise.” “I didn’t coach Alex Trani,” Kotlarz said “He graduated from Wayne Valley three years before I got here in 2014 But I heard a lot of great things about him I was very happy to hear Coach Bishop make that comparison.” Alex Trani played for Wayne Valley from 2009-11 He generated 919 yards of total offense and recorded 114 tackles He was also the team’s starting punter “I would sit in the stands and watch Alex play I wanted to be him,” Nick Trani said “Alex taught me how to play the game in our backyard and in our living room After every game we will watch the film and he’ll give me pointers Alex is now a manager at the family’s business Vinni’s Pizzarama on Hamburg Turnpike His memories and Nick’s memories are almost identical “I never went easy on Nick when he was little,” Alex said “I used to tackle him into the soft couch Then he picked up the ball and came at me a lot harder than he did the first time I knew he was destined to be a star in high school.” Nick Trani is now a three-year starter at linebacker and a two-year regular as a running back for Wayne Valley He also splits time at quarterback with senior Ryan Michels Nick Trani did something his brother never did — score four touchdowns in one game “We’ve had a lot of great players here,” Kotlarz said “Several guys have scored three touchdowns in a game Wayne Valley indeed has had no shortage of talented running backs Kotlarz has previously coached three all-time greats — Mark DeLuise The most prolific running back in school history Matt Dortch (3,069 total yards of offense from 2005-07) “The guy Nick reminds me of the most is DeLuise,” Kotlarz said “I remember watching Mark (DeLuise) when I was in middle school,” Trani said There were a lot of great running backs here If I’m being compared to any of those guys it’s a tremendous honor for me.” has actually been a little “embarrassing” for Trani “I don’t deserve the attention,” he claims Joe Esposito and Shaquai Anderson; and juniors Ricky Ruggiero, Jordan Botero Frank Tortora and our tight ends (senior Dnany Murphy and junior Anthony DePalma) deserve the attention Anybody could score touchdowns with those guys blocking Whenever I score I go up to those guys and say ‘thank you.’ ” Trani compiled 214 yards against Indian Hills 7 and 9 yards) He also completed 4 of 5 passes for 37 yards Sophomore John Testa ran for 73 yards and a 4-yard touchdown Senior Chris Ventura had a 2-yard scoring rush Junior Chase Hemming had three completions “Our guys have been especially physical and aggressive in their run blocking.” “Tommy really has a nose for the ball,” Kotlarz said “He has four interceptions in five games.” Local: Wayne Valley football tops Passaic Valley for TODAY Cup News: Nick Trani sets tone, Wayne Valley football tops Nutley North Jersey Football: Individual Statistics through Week 4 Murphy and DeLuccia had six tackles apiece Kevin Schneeloch and Lancellotti had four spills each “I think they’re going to win it all this year,” Alex Trani said “Nick tells me that the team is very close Alex still plays against Nick and still doesn’t take it easy They recently played a one-on-one of sorts at Wayne Valley “Nick likes to say that he’s better linebacker than me and that I was a better running back than him Let’s just say I needed to put him in his place,” Alex Trani concluded with a laugh things didn’t look so great for the guitar that global symbol of youthful freedom and rebellion for 70 years running With hip-hop and spectacle pop supposedly owning the hearts and wallets of millennials and Generation Z — and so many 20th-century guitar deities either dead or soloing into their 70s — electric guitar sales had skidded by about one-third in the decade since 2007 a research organization that tracks industry data whose celebrated Les Paul line had helped put the Led in Zeppelin All of this was enough for The Washington Post to declare the “slow secret death of the six-string electric” in 2017 even Eric Clapton himself sounded ready to spread the ashes “Maybe,” he mused at a 2017 news conference for the documentary “Eric Clapton: A Life in 12 Bars,” “the guitar is over.” A half-year into a pandemic that has threatened to sink entire industries people are turning to the guitar as a quarantine companion and psychological salve spurring a surge in sales for some of the most storied companies (Fender Taylor) that has shocked even industry veterans “I would never have predicted that we would be looking at having a record year,” said Andy Mooney chief executive of Fender Musical Instruments Corp. a Los Angeles-based guitar giant that has equipped Rock & Roll Hall of Famers since Buddy Holly strapped on a 1954 sunburst Fender Stratocaster back in the tail-fin 1950s “We’ve broken so many records,” Mooney said “It will be the biggest year of sales volume in Fender history I never would have thought we would be where we are today if you asked me back in March.” It’s not just graying baby boomer men looking to live out one last Peter Frampton fantasy putting their own generational stamp on the instrument that rocked their parents’ generation while also discovering the powers of six-string therapy It all started with a collective breaking point a guitar instructor in Los Angeles whose thousands of instructional videos on YouTube have attracted some 75 million views over the past 14 years “There was this point with my students where I could tell that numbing out on Netflix and Instagram and Facebook was just not working anymore,” Trani said “People could no longer go to their usual coping mechanisms Shortly after stay-at-home orders were announced in the spring Trani saw a surge of traffic for his videos and quickly tripled his number of private students taking lessons remotely Popular instructional sites like JustinGuitar.com and GuitarTricks saw similar spikes during the spring And most of the new students were not looking to rekindle memories of Foghat live in 1976 Most of them probably did not know who Foghat was given that the majority of Trani’s new students were female-presenting people in their late 20s or early 30s The biggest names in the business of online guitar instruction were seeing a similar pattern Fender said that its guitar-instruction app saw its user base shoot to 930,000 from 150,000 between late March and late June with a considerable assist from a three-month promotional giveaway Female users accounted for 45% of the new wave Prospective players who had never quite found the time to take up an instrument suddenly had little excuse not to put it: “In a world of digital acceleration Many newcomers to the instrument seemed to be looking for an oasis of calm in a turbulent world “this sense of learning how to sit with yourself.” That was the case for one of his new students who decided to make good on her long-standing ambitions to learn guitar in March despite a frenzied schedule juggling remote work as a project coordination manager at a technology company and parenting duties for her 17-month-old son and being able to drown everything else out,” said Lucido who has been plucking out songs like “Beautiful Stranger” by Halsey and “Bluebird” by Miranda Lambert “You just really have to focus on your hand placement then pairing that with the strumming,” she added musician and the author of the 2006 New York Times bestseller “This Is Your Brain on Music.” (Many psychological studies have shown the therapeutic benefits of playing an instrument is “neuroprotective” in that it “requires that you grow new neural pathways — something you can do at literally any age.” He added that “using your brain for something that is challenging which helps regulate stable mood chemicals like serotonin and dopamine And “there is a very real sense of mastery and accomplishment,” Levitin said “I’m working on a Chopin piece on the piano right now — the Prelude in E minor — and I keep reminding myself I’m putting my fingers in the same configurations that Chopin did “holds true for Clapton when I play guitar.” Stay secure and make sure you have the best reading experience possible by upgrading your browser Anthony Trani | Source: Elenco/The Toy Book Trani’s appointment supports the company’s larger efforts to strengthen and expand its business to the global market Elenco, the manufacturer behind the educational Snap Circuits line of STEM construction toys Trani’s appointment supports the company’s larger efforts to strengthen and expand its business to the global market.  “I am excited to join the Elenco team and privileged to work for such a well-respected company in both the toy and education industries,” Trani says “I look forward to working with this team to take Elenco’s world-renowned Snap Circuits brand and portfolio of educational toys to new heights across the globe.” Trani comes to Elenco from Bazooka Candy Brands where he led global marketing and innovation He has over 15 years of experience in global consumer products.  As part of the company’s expansion, Elenco also welcomes Nancy Burdge as a national account manager for its sales team. Burdge has experience in consumer packaged goods at companies such as Elf on the Shelf.  Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Danielle is an editorial intern for the Pop Insider When she’s not giving an incredibly off-key performance of her favorite Disney soundtracks Danielle is excited to immerse herself in the world of toys and unleash her inner child Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" This website uses cookies that help the website function and help us understand how to interact with it. We use these cookies to provide you with an improved user experience. If you continue to visit our website, we assume you are OK with it.Read More This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page Long Beach Business Journal Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInThe Mat-Su Borough School District School Board has unanimously approved candidate Randy Trani as the next superintendent. The vote was conducted during a special meeting on Tuesday that followed a short period of public testimony. The instating of Trani as superintendent will be made official following contract negotiations, which will also come before the board. Trani, who grew up in Cordova, taught in Alaskan school districts before moving to Oregon and becoming the superintendent of Corbett Schools in 2009. "You need to decide what's best for our top kids is best for all kids, set your goals extremely high and then bring in the supports to help all the students reach those goals," Trani said in a Q&A posted to the Mat-Su Borough School District website. "That requires embracing a continuous progress model, where you meet students where they are and you move them forward." During the meeting, board members praised Trani's dedication to students and employees, and his philosophy on setting high goals he calls "absurd aspirations." "He wants to help the state that he came from," said School Board Member Kelsey Trimmer, "and he has the qualifications to do that." Just four members of the public testified at the meeting. Most of them said positive things about Trani but criticized the transparency and timeliness of the board's process in selecting and approving a candidate for the position. "The superintendent search timelines promised a public forum during April 27," Mat-Su Education Association President Dianne Shibe testified at the meeting," and that is still posted on the website this evening, but that did not happen. Instead, we got notice that a candidate hire would be voted on in four days. I'm concerned that a pattern is being set by the board that is thwarting public input." Shibe cited "an abrupt removal" of five important books and resources by The New York Times from a literature list the board hasn't yet voted on rescinding as evidence that public input is being hampered. Another caller testified saying, "I haven't been able to read both of his books yet to learn more about the details of his educational philosophy, as I just learned about him a few days ago. But I'm sure almost no one on the school board has read them either. Mr. Trani will soon discover that most of the board members are apparently not into reading potentially objectionable books." Trani was one of over a dozen candidates identified in a national search by executive leadership search firm Ray and Associates, Inc. as qualified for the position of superintendent. An undisclosed number of those applicants withdrew their applications due to the coronavirus pandemic. 2019 2:30 p.m.The Corbett School District board approved the application to become a charter school district Wednesday District leaders have talked about becoming a charter for almost two years Being a charter allows the district in eastern Multnomah County to bring in out-of-district students without requesting an inter-district transfer which requires permission from the neighboring district A previous Oregon law allowed open enrollment for students With half of its students coming from neighboring districts Corbett Superintendent Randy Trani had to find a way to keep bringing in out of district students – and the money that comes with them Now that the school board has approved the charter application school leaders believe the district can remain financially viable by bringing in a limited number of out-of-district students Corbett school leaders expect to have lower enrollment in the future “What we offer at Corbett is a valuable experience for students and I’m happy we can share it with Corbett kids and non-Corbett kids,” Trani said Corbett will join 20 other Oregon school districts that have made the move to a charter Most of the others are smaller and farther from large urban centers than Corbett Almost everything will remain the same with Corbett as a charter district The current school board will oversee the new charter school behavior and discipline policies will remain the same Trani said there may be a name change for the school. According to the application the name of the proposed school is Corbett District School “We should probably let the kids decide if the name should change or stay the same,” Trani said Trani said the school will move on to other tasks now we can move on to going for a bond,” Trani said Trani presented a plan that includes moving students out of the middle school sometime next year. The school has been a safety concern for the district for years but a long-term plan for the district includes a bond 5-year bond next year to build trust in the community Trani also presented new academic plans for the district It included a new career technical education (CTE) program and fewer required Advanced Placement courses In the past, some members of the community expressed concern that Corbett didn't offer enough CTE courses for the rural district And Trani discussed reducing the number of required AP courses from six to four Trani said funds from the recent state law known as the Student Success Act will help Corbett build up its CTE programs while receiving state funding based on enrollment Tags: Education, Local, News Stand with OPB and protect independent journalism for everyone Listen to the OPB News live stream (opens new window)Streaming Now a project following a group of students from kindergarten to high school graduation She came to OPB in 2019 to cover K-12 education Elizabeth hosted Season 2 of OPB's \"Class of 2025\" podcast and was part of the award-winning production team for \"Class of 2025: Freshman Year.\" She previously covered the environment and the Great Lakes for Ideastream Public Media in Cleveland Elizabeth has also served as mentor for NPR's Next Generation Radio project which she also participated in as an early-career journalist in 2016 Elizabeth is a graduate of Baldwin Wallace University The talk around the Wayne Valley football team all summer long was that the team would be dramatically improved in 2018 it seemed to some that “talk” is all it was Now, however, there are indications that the 0-2 start is dramatically misleading. The losses came against Pennsylvania powerhouse Spring-Ford and Wayne Hills, a team that is loaded with talent yet again. Wayne Valley they came up heartbreakingly short both times Wayne Valley registered its first win in Week 3 with a decisive 40-19 victory over Nutley a team that has been .500 or better in four of the past five seasons The Indians were especially strong in the first half when they compiled 230 yards of offense The dominant performance has led to speculation that Wayne Valley is better than its record indicates “I’m not about to say our record is misleading,” Kotlarz said “We’re a 1-2 team with a mission to be much better We have a game against a talented well-coached Passaic Valley team Friday (7 p.m so we have no business saying we’re better than 1-2.” Wayne Valley will enter that game with confidence after cruising past Nutley with ease Versatile senior Nick Trani led the way once again He rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns (both 3 yards) including two touchdowns to junior Jake DeLuccia (29 and 15 yards) Trani’s versatility was on full display early He intercepted Nutley’s Justin Lucia on the first pass of the game and returned it 36 yards Three plays later he scored his first 3-yard rushing touchdown “He set the tone for us in this game right off the bat.” Junior Elijah Lugo and sophomore John Testa also scored rushing touchdowns for Wayne Valley (6 and 3 yards Junior Chase Hemming caught four balls for 84 yards DeLuccia and senior Danny Murphy all had a team-high seven tackles Two of DeLuccia’s tackles were for a loss Testa added five tackles (two for a loss) and two hurries Seniors Nick Duncan and Kevin Schneeloch also had five tackles Seniors Shaquai Anderson and Ali Gega had four tackles apiece Junior Tommy Moran had two interceptions and returned them for a total of 73 yards Senior Sean Roberts also had an interception Duncan recovered a fumble caused by Murphy “It’s not necessarily reflected in the stats and Anderson) has been stout in run defense That’s a credit to the guys up front,” Kotlarz said “The defense also came up with five takeaways (four interceptions and a fumble recovery) Our offense also came up with several big plays.” Lucia had two 25 yard touchdown throws for Nutley Anyone passing through the foyer of the Trani Center for Life Sciences at Virginia Commonwealth University will notice a fascinating new feature — a 6-foot diameter sphere suspended 25 feet above the ground. Known as Science On a Sphere the global display system is on long-term loan from NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center.  Science On a Sphere shows animated images of the atmosphere It is primarily used as an education and outreach tool to describe the environmental processes of Earth lightweight carbon-fiber sphere and give it life “The sphere doesn’t rotate, but it gives you the impression that it’s rotating,” said Robert Tombes, Ph.D., vice provost for life sciences and research Alexander MacDonald, Ph.D., former director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Earth System Research Laboratories in Boulder came up with the concept for the system in 1995 but it wasn’t patented to NOAA until 2005 It was originally developed by NOAA to explore environmental data using satellite views NASA has purchased five systems from NOAA for education and public outreach to help the public understand the science of many of its missions.  The system displays NASA and NOAA scientific data and contains approximately 1,500 views of Earth NASA Goddard was the fourth location in the world to install the system “We were at the leading edge of making the product work,” said Maurice Henderson Science On a Sphere project manager at NASA Goddard “We worked to make the system better and to make a rich library of observations from space that show Earth as well as other planets in our solar system.”  The NASA spheres are currently located at the Danville Science Center in Danville Virginia; the Hubble Traveling Exhibit; Lewis Center for Educational Research in California; NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore; and at VCU The system has been in the Trani Center foyer since the first week of August “It wasn’t a trivial installation It weighs about 50 pounds,” Henderson said “We had to use a scissor lift to get it into place.” The system will be an asset to classes in earth science and meteorology “This is suited to use in an instructional sense. The system will be running on a clock, but it can also be reserved for instruction. The School of Education is interested in using it to instruct science teachers and STEM instructors,” Tombes said an assistant professor in the School of Education and director of the Child Development Center at VCU referred Tombes to Henderson at NASA Goddard Beatty sees Science On a Sphere as an opportunity for older children at the center to learn about science and the environment “We use interest-based curriculum at the center We talk to the kids about planets and the Earth,” he said “How cool would it be to take them somewhere on campus where they can see what we are talking about.”  Science On a Sphere represents a “whole different realm of learning,” Tombes said.  “There are a lot of videos that can be loaded into the system — anything that can be visualized in a spherical sense,” he said “I think the possibilities are almost endless.” Media Kit Click here for Greater Long Island newsletters. Click here to download the iPhone app Doug Trani made lifelong friendships shooting hoops at Cow Harbor Park he has strived for future generations to have the same opportunity Trani was the captain of Northport High School’s 1995 Long Island champs basketball team members of the team reunited to raise money to revamp the outdated Cow Harbor Park basketball court In conjunction with the Eaton’s Neck Youth Club, a not-for-profit, they launched a GoFundMe page with a $50,000 goal in July The community already passed that benchmark and donations are still pouring in “We are incredibly grateful to the 228 donors who have to date contributed over $66,000 to refurbish the Northport Cow Harbor Basketball Court over the last four months,” Trani said The Village of Northport announced this week the procurement of a $75,000 State and Municipal Facilities (SAM) grant that will jumpstart the project “With the help of New York State Senator [James] Gaughran and his office this project will be fully funded and will go from a dream on paper to reality for our community,” Village of Northport Trustee Dave Weber Jr The village also announced the project has received the green light with construction slated to begin early 2022 “I look forward to working with Trustee Weber and the Village Board in making this project a reality,” Gaughran said in the release “It is my hope that community children will find this an inviting and safe space while enjoying the beautiful surroundings Northport Village parks have to offer.” who has been working with professionals on the project’s design said the court will cost approximately $150,000 The community is still contributing toward the cost Trani said they will be used to maintain the new court He hopes to see kids playing on the new court by the fall of 2022 the former team captain said he wants to honor donors in some fashion at the park He also said the court will be dedicated to John Kennedy a Northport fixture who’s community service and passion for basketball inspired Trani and his teammates “My teammates and I are honored to give back to a community that supported us in our youth,” he said “Dedicating the court to John Kennedy a person so passionate about both basketball and helping others every day will help us impart these important values in the next generation of players.” Top: 1995 Northport High School basketball teammate Chris Wiebke team captain Trani and Village Trustee Weber Jr Tap here to see what’s happening or around a campfire — or at the Acoustic Guitar booth at Winter NAMM 2016 That’s where it happened when Jennifer Trani and Any Riwer showed up and did some vigorous improvising on a pair of Fender Paramount Series guitars — Trani playing a dreadnought cutaway You may unsubscribe or change which emails you receive at any time We will never share your email address with third-parties Copyright © 2025 - String Letter Publishing