Maria Galati Hill literally grew up in the boating industry hanging around her family’s Galati Yacht Sales brokerage business on the west coast of Florida and going to work with her dad she has helped the company grow to an international level with her savvy understanding of social media You’ve probably seen her in several industry videos such as the ones from last fall’s Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show We caught up with her to talk about her life in boating strapped to the helm chair with a belt while we were underway My parents hosted Galati Customer trips just as I do today and it’s all about making boating safe for all ages My parents believed in instilling hard work at an early age something I plan to do with my two daughters my mom would take me to the marina where my dad would find small things for me to do around the office such as putting the address stickers on the back of yacht pamphlets and alphabetizing files Working with my dad was the highlight of my day as a kid I still get to work closely with my dad to this day My first formal job was also within the company working the receptionist desk on Saturdays The luxury-car world was a big inspiration on social media for me in regards to where I could see the company going The yachting world hadn’t quite caught on yet and I was determined to make Galati one of the first in our industry to utilize social media to its full potential Now being one of the most-followed yacht dealerships in the world I feel like we’re doing our job to bring global awareness to all of our favorite pastime—boating The quality time you spend with your loved ones on the water is something that’s hard to put into words I believe our followers love getting a sense of that feeling even if it’s through their phone It was my brother’s idea for me to be on camera And my goal ever since then has been to make watching the videos on our page feel like a personal tour There’s honestly too many bloopers to count but the funniest is probably when I nearly walked off the dock focusing more on what I was saying than where I was going The takes with my hair flying straight up are pretty funny too My happy place is on my parents’ 23-foot center-console zipping around the bay with my two girls on my lap catching the sunset Read Next: On Board With: Monique Richter a typical work day is actually behind a desk but when I am fortunate enough to get on the water it’s either during a video shoot or hosting a customer event Both ways are extremely busy and yet extremely fun My title is Social Media Manager and all leads we get through social media go to our sales team But every time I see a comment like that I feel proud of how far I’ve come with learning every detail about these boats as if I were one of our sales professionals I just have a deep passion for both the company and the brands we sell Many products featured on this site were editorially chosen Boating may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Boating Firecrown Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited You are using an outdated browser. Upgrade your browser today or install Google Chrome Frame to better experience this site Obituaries Carter-Ricks Funeral Homes3838 East Highway 47 P.O 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 « Back Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Dragos Cojocariu (Damen Galati) and Ovidiu Romaniuc (Bureau Veritas representative) sign offon start of cutting They will bring the total number of Damen vessels operated by BC Ferries to ten BC Ferries’ fully electric vessels are a critical part of the company’s broader strategy to reduce corporate emissions by 2030 The four new electric ferries will contribute to this goal by eliminating approximately 10,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent annually.The ferries carry Damen’s in-house E3 notation The Damen Galati steel cutting ceremony was attended by David Tolman BC Ferries’ program manager for the Island Class series of vessels including Damen Shipyards group chairman Kommer Damen “It is a pleasure to attend this milestone event together with our client,” said Kommer Damen “The long-standing relationship we have with BC Ferries is a prime example of how Damen works to support its customers BC Ferries operates a number of Damen Ferries The vessels we are building demonstrate increasing sustainability we have delivered hybrid propulsion vessels already representing a step towards lower emissions These fully electric ferries prepare the ground for zero emissions operations bringing BC Ferries’ efficiency goals within reach.” executive director of shipbuilding at BC Ferries “Reaching the steel cutting and grand block assembly milestones for two of our four new Island Class vessels is a great signal of the progress being made towards welcoming these new electric vessels into our fleet Each stage of construction brings us closer to delivering cleaner and more efficient vessels that align with our commitment to serving coastal communities.” Damen is also providing BC Ferries with the charging towers that the ferries will use to recharge their batteries between services as passengers are embarking and disembarking Able to transport up to 390 passengers and 47 vehicles the four ferries will operate between Nanaimo and Gabriola Island and Campbell River and Quadra Island Damen Shipyards Galati currently has six fully electric ferries under contract for Canada; the four Island Class vessels, plus two ferries for the City of Toronto. April 2025 Marine Log’s Top Women in Maritime Celebration 2025 As our Blues Fan Of The Week … Chris scores a pair of tickets to a Blues Home Game later this season … Congrats Chris Send us a pic of you repping your Blues gear and you could be chosen as our Blues Fan Of The Week you’ll win a pair of tickets to a Blues Home Game later this season Must be a resident of Missouri or Illinois Need help accessing the FCC Public File due to a disability Please contact Melissa Johnson at publicfilestlouis@hubbardradio.com This web site is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area For travel to the United States on a temporary basis For foreign citizens who want to live permanently in the United States The Visa Waiver Program (VWP) allows citizens of participating countries* to travel to the United States without a visa for stays of 90 days or less Outside of Romania: +40-21-270-6000 (press 8) U.S.-Romania Cooperation on Small Modular Reactors Learn more about quality higher-education opportunities in the U.S that you will not find anywhere else in the world The American Corner program promotes understanding and cooperation between the U.S It is an honor to join you today for the opening of the U.S Embassy’s “We the People” exhibit here in Galaţi Allow me to extend a special thank you to Mayor Pucheanu for providing the outdoor venue for our exhibit And thank you to Rector Barbu for hosting our reception in this beautiful historic building We appreciate the warm welcome we have received from the people of Galaţi who have come out today to see our exhibit which celebrates and explores the relationship between the people of Romania and the United States “We the People,” comes from the opening words of the U.S a document that enshrines the principles of democratic governance and individual rights These words speak to the shared values between the United States and Romania—values of liberty These are the same values that have underpinned our long-standing bilateral relationship one that is as vibrant today as it has ever been It is fitting that we celebrate our long-standing strategic partnership here in Galati – a city with deep historical significance in U.S.-Romania relations Galaţi’s relationship with the United States dates back further than many may realize several decades before the United States and Romania formally established diplomatic relations in 1880 representative to what eventually became modern Romania He was commissioned as an honorary American vice-consul when the United States opened a consulate in Galati Prince Cuza accepted his credentials and encouraged him to expand U.S This early diplomatic presence by the United States in Galati reflects the economic and strategic importance of this area at the time Galaţi has continued to play a critical role in Romania’s economic development as well as in its relations with the United States As we deepen our bilateral ties and work together to promote economic growth the United States continues to invest in Romania Cities like Galaţi are a key part of our common effort to build prosperity and cultural institutions are eager to engage with Romanian partners our relationship is about more than just economic cooperation It is also about the values and connections we share across the many realms Our collaboration is rooted in a mutual commitment to advancing the shared interests and values that bind our nations together – liberty we aim to build a future that reflects the aspirations and ideals of our peoples our shared dedication to democratic principles is more important than ever we stand together in the face of Russia’s unprovoked and illegal aggression to support Ukraine and strengthen collective deterrence and defense within the Alliance in the face of unimaginable hardship endured by our neighbors in Ukraine Romania has shown the world the true meaning of solidarity The outpouring of support and empathy from the people of Galați in support of your neighbors has been nothing short of extraordinary We have been moved by the way in which the people and government of Romania rushed to the border when the war began to assist those in need Your actions have made a difference in the lives of countless Ukrainian families Thank you for showing the world that in times of crisis Please be assured you will always have a partner in the United States As we celebrate this exhibit’s opening here in Galaţi I am reminded of the importance of continuing to foster these connections—whether through art The United States remains steadfast in its commitment to strengthening its relationship with Romania particularly with communities like Galaţi that have been so integral to our shared history I hope you will be inspired not only by the stories they tell “We the People” is more than a phrase; it is a call to action a reminder that we all have a role to play in shaping the future of our societies we will continue to build on the legacy of friendship and cooperation in which Galaţi has played such a vital role We use cookies to make our website work better and improve your experience. By continuing to use the site, you agree to our privacy policy. From February 24, 2022, to August 31, 2024, millions of refugees have fled Ukraine, with 6,900,866 entering Romania. Approximately 177,000 of these refugees have registered for Temporary Protection or similar national protection schemes in the country. To address their immediate needs, particularly for accommodation, the Romanian Government, in collaboration with civil society and local authorities, established several collective centers nationwide. 21 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Universitatea Cluj won 1–0 over Otelul Galati on Fri Predicted lineups are available for the match a few days in advance while the actual lineup will be available about an hour ahead of the match The current head to head record for the teams are Otelul Galati 7 win(s) Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (10) Haven't kept a clean sheet in 5 matches Have scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Universitatea Cluj have won the previous 2 matches against Otelul Galati. 21 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Universitatea Cluj won 1–0 over Otelul Galati on Fri 21 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Universitatea Cluj have won the previous 2 matches against Otelul Galati Otelul Galati is playing home against Universitatea Cluj at Stadionul Otelul on Fri 18 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Otelul Galati won 2–0 over FC Unirea Slobozia on Fri This is 5 of the Superliga Relegation Group The current head to head record for the teams are Otelul Galati 1 win(s) Have scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches 18 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT?Otelul Galati won 2–0 over FC Unirea Slobozia on Fri 18 Apr 2025 14:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches Otelul Galati is playing home against FC Unirea Slobozia at Stadionul Otelul on Fri This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page. 04 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Otelul Galati won 1–0 over CSM Politehnica Iasi on Fri This is 3 of the Superliga Relegation Group The current head to head record for the teams are Otelul Galati 2 win(s) Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (12) Have scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches CSM Politehnica Iasi have won the previous 2 matches against Otelul Galati. 04 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT?Otelul Galati won 1–0 over CSM Politehnica Iasi on Fri 04 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches CSM Politehnica Iasi have won the previous 2 matches against Otelul Galati Otelul Galati is playing home against CSM Politehnica Iasi at Stadionul Otelul on Fri your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics Dare to imagine the future with business and tech visionaries Deep dive conversations with business leaders Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society Europe's water is under increasing pressure floods are taking their toll on our drinking water Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters and to discover some of the best water solutions an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt Thousands of homes were washed away by flooding in the Romanian county of Galati – leaving thousands displaced roads and bridges have been devastated by the recent extreme weather and accompanying loss of life Saturday morning marked the beginning of the clean-up in Emilia-Romagna Volunteers came to help those heavily affected by the weather The small town of Romagna was hit by flooding – leaving significant damage The extent of the damage is still being evaluated but on Friday Italian Premiere Giorgia Meloni’s government approved an initial allocation of 20 million euros in aid Flooding was expected to peak in Hungary on Saturday as the Danube River reached peak level key infrastructure points such as metro entrances were fortified with sandbags Liberty Galati’s actions are aimed to build further a sustainable business protect the company’s future and restart the production operations in Galati The process will have a long-term positive impact on employees Liberty Galați is the largest primary steel producer in Romania a steelmaking capacity of 3 million tonnes of steel per annum and an annual turnover of up to 7 billion RON that are essential to infrastructure developments in Romanian and across Europe Galati’s proximity to Ukraine means that it is strategically positioned to support rebuilding efforts and has a positive demand outlook The preventive composition process will be implemented with the advisors appointed by Liberty – EuroInsol and Sierra Quadrant We use cookies for keeping our website reliable and secure, personalising content and ads, providing social media features and to analyse how our website is used. This is Radio Schuman, your new go-to podcast to spice up your weekday mornings with relevant news, insights, and behind-the-scenes from Brussels and beyond. From the economy to the climate and the EU's role in world affairs, this talk show sheds light on European affairs and the issues that impact on our daily lives as Europeans. Tune in to understand the ins and outs of European politics. No agenda, no argument, no bias, No Comment. Get the story without commentary. Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society. Europe's water is under increasing pressure. Pollution, droughts, floods are taking their toll on our drinking water, lakes, rivers and coastlines. Join us on a journey around Europe to see why protecting ecosystems matters, how our wastewater can be better managed, and to discover some of the best water solutions. Video reports, an animated explainer series and live debate - find out why Water Matters, from Euronews. We give you the latest climate facts from the world’s leading source, analyse the trends and explain how our planet is changing. We meet the experts on the front line of climate change who explore new strategies to mitigate and adapt. Romania's Galati County has been devastated by widespread flooding following days of heavy rainfall that has resulted in the deaths of seven people. More than a third of the village of Pechea has been hit by the floods, which have caked many homes in layers of mud. One local resident returned from Italy to find his house completely destroyed. "I've been working on this house for 25 years, to have a house and food. And now I am totally devastated", he told Euronews, adding that he'd invested around €100,000 in the property over the years. In the village of Slobozia Conachi, 750 houses have been flooded, as well as the town hall where the village's archives are kept. Many of the files have been covered in mud. Data from Romania's home insurance scheme PAID shows only one out of Galati County's five localities had mandatory insurance at the end of August 2024. Both Pechea and Slobozia Conachi suffered severe floods in 2013 and 2016, after which works were carried out to unclog the riverbed. However, Pechea Mayor Mihăiță Măncilă says this did not offer sufficient protection from the latest floods. "The problem is that a simple dam before Pechea Village is not enough," he told Euronews. "The water comes from much further away, it gathers from all the slopes, and also passes through our area." Eight Romanian counties have been affected by the severe flooding that has inundated Central Europe in the last few days. Roughly 200 million cubic metres of rain has fallen in the southern Moldavia region alone. At least seven people have died so far, and thousands of homes have been damaged. 14 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Universitatea Craiova won 2–1 over Otelul Galati on Fri The current head to head record for the teams are Universitatea Craiova 3 win(s) Have scored 3 goals in their last 5 matches 14 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Universitatea Craiova won 2–1 over Otelul Galati on Fri 14 Feb 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 7 goals in their last 5 matches Universitatea Craiova is playing home against Otelul Galati at Stadionul Ion Oblemenco on Fri Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account A Toronto lawyer and opponent of COVID-19 public-health measures has suffered another in a string of legal defeats with an Ontario court tossing out his “outlandish” lawsuit over vaccine mandates and ordering his clients to pay $190,000 in legal costs Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience The statement of claim filed by lawyer Rocco Galati challenged the firing or suspension of hundreds of Ontario health-care workers who refused to get vaccinated against the virus But it also accused governments and hospitals of promoting a “false” pandemic committing crimes against humanity and deliberately causing harm to Ontarians with its anti-COVID measures COVID shots were not vaccines but scientific experimentation Your guide to the world of Canadian politics By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of First Reading will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? The statement of claim “is so outlandish and so far outside of the spectrum of what is reasonable that there is no legitimate public interest in its pursuit,” Koehnen wrote “While the interests of a free and democratic society may warrant leeway with respect to the pursuit of unconventional claims at the outset when such claims continue to be pursued after being struck out by four courts they amount to an abuse of public resources.” Koehnen did say the 473 plaintiffs could file amended statements of claim that focused on the facts of each individual’s case and left out accusations of vast conspiracies and crimes against humanity A former client of Galati’s did just that after retaining another lawyer Koehnen also said allegations that certain public-health measures were wrong-headed essentially pit one scientific opinion against another and should be contested elsewhere “There may be a legitimate debate about whether public health measures could have been more effective,” he said “That … is better conducted in the form of a ‘lessons-learned’ inquiry by responsible scientists and public health authorities than it is in this action” “I have the distinct impression (the claim’s) object is not to vindicate the employment rights of the plaintiffs so much as it is to mount a political crusade in which the court will be used as a grandstand to conduct an inquiry into the effectiveness of vaccines and the effectiveness of government measures.” calling the mandates a violation of basic human rights Galati could not be reached for comment on the new ruling by deadline The lawyer built a reputation during the pandemic as a fiery opponent of the public-health response to the virus which killed more than 60,000 Canadians and packed intensive-care units with gravely ill patients He has called protective face coverings “slave-trade masks” and other public-health measures “vicious fraud.” But his crusade against those measures has repeatedly hit a judicial brick wall doctors and other health-care workers who had been fired suspended or had their hospital privileges revoked because they did not get a COVID vaccine other publicly funded health organizations and the provincial government Koehnen said the statement of claim could not go ahead in part because of a jurisdictional issue Those workers covered by union contracts had to first challenge the discipline actions through the labour arbitration process; doctors whose privileges were ended have their own non-court appeal process they have to exhaust first before going to court The lawsuit alleged that a provincial directive around vaccination of health-care workers violated protections in section 7 of the Charter of Rights by requiring workers to get immunized as a condition of employment But Koehnen noted that the directive only said health-care organizations had to set up vaccination policies not that they should fire employees who refused the shots The specific actions of individual hospitals were labour-relations matters none of the organizations actually forced employees to be vaccinated; workers still had the right to refuse “Section 7 does not protect the right to practice a profession,” he said The judge rejected as well allegations in the lawsuit that the defendants were part of a conspiracy intimidated employees and purposely inflicted mental anguish The statement of claim said that the “predominant purpose” of the province and hospitals was to “cause injury” to health care workers like those in the case “It strains all credulity to accept that the premier of Ontario a number cabinet ministers and 54 non-governmental defendants somehow conspired to concoct a plan to declare a ‘false pandemic’ all for the predominant purpose of harming the plaintiffs,” wrote Koehnen transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account 14 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Otelul Galati won 1–0 over Botosani on Mon This is 4 of the Superliga Relegation Group The current head to head record for the teams are Botosani 3 win(s) Have scored 6 goals in their last 5 matches 14 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT?Otelul Galati won 1–0 over Botosani on Mon 14 Apr 2025 14:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 8 goals in their last 5 matches Botosani is playing home against Otelul Galati at Stadionul Municipal 25 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Otelul Galati won 3–0 over Sepsi OSK on Fri This is 6 of the Superliga Relegation Group The current head to head record for the teams are Sepsi OSK 2 win(s) Have kept the most clean sheets in the competition (15) 25 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT?Otelul Galati won 3–0 over Sepsi OSK on Fri 25 Apr 2025 18:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Sepsi OSK is playing home against Otelul Galati at Stadionul Sepsi on Fri Galati Yacht Sales last week announced that it has become an Absolute Yachts dealer covering the Florida Gulf Coast through Texas “We are thrilled to join the Absolute dealer network,” Galati Yacht Sales Absolute brand manager Joseph Galati III said in a statement. “Absolute Yachts perfectly complements our existing offerings with their exceptional quality innovative design and superior build process.” “Absolute sails with genuine dedication by the side of its dealers so we can only be pleased that more professionals are joining our nautical family,” Absolute president Angelo Gobbi said in the statement “We are sure that [Galati] will represent us proficiently strengthening the brand’s awareness in a very important market and providing full and reliable assistance and customer care service.” Soundings Trade Only may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site Copyright © 2025 Soundings Trade Only Firecrown. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. 22 Dec 2024 13:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}CFR Cluj won 3–2 over Otelul Galati on Sun The current head to head record for the teams are CFR Cluj 8 win(s) 22 Dec 2024 13:00:00 GMT?CFR Cluj won 3–2 over Otelul Galati on Sun 22 Dec 2024 13:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 9 goals in their last 5 matches CFR Cluj is playing home against Otelul Galati at Stadionul Dr A man walks in a flood-hit courtyard in Galati County, Romania, Sept. 15, 2024. Galati County, Romania, is struggling to recover from the severe floods brought by Cyclone Boris on Saturday, which has claimed five lives and displaced over 250 residents. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) BUCHAREST, Sept. 14 (Xinhua) -- Galati County, Romania, is struggling to recover from the severe floods brought by Cyclone Boris on Saturday, which has claimed five lives and displaced over 250 residents. The cyclone unleashed heavy rainfall, totaling 150 liters per square meter. It caused widespread flooding, leaving more than 25,000 homes without power and impacting over 5,000 households across 12 towns, according to local media reports. In response to the disaster, the Romanian government has mobilized emergency resources. Prime Minister Marcel Ciolacu visited Slobozia Conachi, one of the hardest-hit towns. "Our priority is saving lives. We have the logistics in place to respond quickly," he said, promising temporary housing, food, and other essential supplies for displaced families. Meanwhile, the National Committee for Emergency Situations approved emergency aid, which includes 400 tons of food, sleeping bags, mattresses, and modular housing units to provide temporary shelter for those affected. The Ministry of National Defense deployed military personnel, rescue boats and trucks to assist in rescue operations. Romanian Gendarmerie patrols have also been deployed to prevent looting and vandalism in the affected towns. "The safety of the people remains our top priority," a Gendarmerie spokesperson said, urging residents to follow safety instructions and avoid returning to dangerous areas until conditions stabilize. As more severe weather is forecast, with a red alert for heavy rain issued for nearby Vaslui County, the Romanian government is closely monitoring the situation. Efforts are also underway to repair damaged infrastructure and restore normalcy for the thousands impacted by what has been described as the worst flooding in the region since 2016. ■ A muddy dog curls up inside a piece of abandoned furniture in Galati County, Romania, Sept. 15, 2024. Galati County, Romania, is struggling to recover from the severe floods brought by Cyclone Boris on Saturday, which has claimed five lives and displaced over 250 residents. (Photo by Cristian Cristel/Xinhua) This photo shows a flood-hit courtyard in Galati County, Romania, Sept. 15, 2024. This photo shows flood-hit fields in Galati County, Romania, Sept 15, 2024. A man clears floodwater at his residence in Galati County, Romania, Sept. 15, 2024. People walk on a muddy road after flood in Galati County, Romania, Sept. 15, 2024. Volume 6 - 2019 | https://doi.org/10.3389/frobt.2019.00046 This article is part of the Research TopicAI for Robot Modeling, Path Planning, and Intelligent ControlView all 6 articles A correction has been applied to this article in: Corrigendum: Terrain awareness using a tracked skid-steering vehicle with passive independent suspensions This paper presents a novel approach for terrain characterization based on a tracked skid-steer vehicle with a passive independent suspensions system A set of physics-based parameters is used to characterize the terrain properties: drive motor electrical currents the power spectral density for the vertical accelerations and motor currents the system predicts the type of terrain that the robot traverses A wide set of experimental results acquired on various surfaces are provided to verify the study in the field proving its effectiveness for application in autonomous robots This last aspect can be considered as a limiting factor since the roughness that it is possible to run against in terrains like ploughed and rocky soil or gravel can generate unintended mechanical stress to the robot frame and the sensors the robot vertical motion is controlled by the shock absorber mounted on each suspension arm section 2 illustrates the vehicle model used for this research Section 3 investigates how the vehicle interacts with its supporting surface during straight and turning motion and it provides a description of the PSD method Section 4 provides considerations and experimental results obtained on different surfaces by using an all-terrain tracked vehicle to validate the proposed approach The vehicle used for this research work is a tracked skid-steering robot named “maXXII” that is under development at the University of Salento. It features passive suspensions as showed in Figure 1 The weight of the vehicle is W = 40 kg and its nominal track width is 0.95 m Each track pad (A) has a width of about 0.18 m and a height of 0.16 m and it is composed by a continuous band of treads made of synthetic rubber for off-road use and reinforced with steel wires in order to provide a good traction on almost all the surfaces Each undercarriage is based on a parallelogram design with an upper front wheel more advanced to help the vehicle to overcome obstacles and climb stairs Each track sprocket (B) is driven by a 12V DC motor with a gearbox with a maximum output torque of 40 Nm and a maximum angular velocity of 70RPM for a total output power of about 400 W The sensor set includes two optical encoders mounted on each gearbox shaft a RTK GPS and an inertial measurement unit with 3-axis gyroscope accelerometer and magnetometer for the orientation following the NED (North A first version of the vehicle “maXXII” used for this research work idle wheel A is very close to its normal position since it is moving on an horizontal plane while idle wheels B and C are diametrically opposed because they are trying to tighten the track belt under the action of their shock absorbers The tensioner wheel appears to be moved outwards than in the previous configuration because the idle wheel D is moved up and decreases the track tension ahead since the vehicle is moving forward The passive suspension system used for each track made by four linkages and four shock absorbers Single-arm suspension linkages with shock absorbers Another example of suspension configuration By considering a simplified suspension system as shown in Figure 6 where the presence of the sprung mass is neglected and the shock absorber has a spring constant of k = 37.27 N/mm the linkage has mass M1 = 0.9 kg and length L = 0.1 m and the idle wheel has a radius of r = 0.04 m it is possible to write the equations to describe the subsystem behavior: A simple subsystem made by a single-arm linkage with a shock absorber Where I is the inertia expression for the assembly composed by the suspension linkage and the idle wheel θ is the angle related to the angular displacement of the linkage θ¨ is its second derivative and O is the pivot point for the rotational motion of the linkage it is possible to rewrite the expression in (1) as follows: The last equation in (4) is used to express the natural frequency associated with the suspension system the Wi-Fi module needed for the remote communication with the vehicle the Bluetooth receiver which enables the vehicle to be manually controlled and the dual channel motor controller A specific ROS node has been designed in C++ in order to let the vehicle to communicate with the sensors while another one has been developed to send the locomotion instructions to the motor controller and to send the acquired values from sensors over the Wi-Fi network Functional block diagram for the used vehicle the equation to measure the steering radius can be obtained by considering the proportion between each side of the two triangles AFC and ADE as in Equations (5) and (6) The kinematic for a skid-steering tracked vehicle during a clockwise steering maneuver where B is the width of the vehicle body V0 is the velocity for the outer track and Vi is the velocity for the inner track It should be noted that the steering radius calculated in Equation (5) is considered under the assumption that no slippage effects are generated between the idle wheels and the rubber track and between the rubber pads and the ground during the turning maneuver skidding and slipping effects between idle wheels and ground surfaces can be observed for all skid-steering vehicles since slipping is necessary when a vehicle heading change is needed a traditional kinematics approach is not enough to correctly describe the vehicle position in the environment The difference between the vehicle forward velocity and the sprocket angular velocity can be obtained as result of the longitudinal slip effect i while the new yaw rate estimate will be as showed in the following Equation (9): is used as a parameter to describe the terrain conditions and to classify it depending on the amount of slippage introduced into the vehicle system By expressing the angular velocity of the vehicle ωz as: where Bs is the estimated equivalent track, it is possible to implement a state observer using an EKF by extending Equation (10) to a discrete-time state-space model (Reina et al., 2017b) where the parameters values change like in a random walk: where xk = 1/Bs is the state variable at time k and Hk+1 the measurement coefficient The EKF estimation operates through the prediction-correction cycle expressed by: where x^k+1- is the predicted state vector Pk+1- is the variance matrix for x^k+1- and Pk+1 is the updated error covariance estimate The slip track estimation is calculated only during turning maneuvers since the filter is switched off during straight motion due to the lack of excitation It should be noted that the slip track measurement remains bounded When the vehicle executes straight driving both numerator and denominator in equation Bs=ΔVωz-1 are infinitesimals of the same order and this results in finite values of Bs Unlike it happens in wheeled vehicles where the portion of the tire's tread that touches the terrain surface is very small while the ground pressure can reach very high values the tracked vehicles are characterized by a larger fingerprint on the soil surface and by a lower ground pressure the value of the maximum tractive effort Fmax that can be generated by a tracked vehicle is produced by the shear stress of the terrain and the contact area A as showed in the following equation: where A = 0.220m2 is the contact area for both tracks and W = 392N is the normal load while c and ϕ are strictly related to the terrain type and the torque can be considered as roughly proportional to the DC motor current: where Tr is the motor torque constant and τ = 60 is the gearbox ratio by measuring the left and the right motor currents during straight motion at constant velocity it is possible to have an indirect estimation of the motion resistance for a specific terrain condition given the track geometry and the vertical load it is worth noting that the amplitude of current peaks and their period change according with the physical characteristics of each terrain The irregularities of the terrain generate a different power transfer to the tracks by requesting more or less motor torque the motor current values present regular peaks and period since the surface is almost flat and does not include roughness; in this case the electrical current amplitude is limited the current values present several high peaks due to the presence of debris and irregularities while sand terrain is characterized by low peaks This happens because sand has higher deformability than the asphalt and offers a larger contact area for the tracks The vibration response of tracked vehicle on the terrain is quite different from the response of the vehicle on wheels in order to define the accurate dynamic model of a tracked vehicle is very important to study the vehicle vibration response a direct linear relationship between input and output signals exists a vehicle system which is defined by its transfer function takes in account the input representing the terrain irregularities and generates an output representing the vibration of the vehicle the frequency response function can be defined as the ratio of the output to input under steady-state conditions If it is possible to consider a simplified single-degree-of-freedom model for the vehicle and both the input and output values can be expressed in terms of displacements and the vibration of the sprung mass as output is calculated in term of accelerations then the modulus of the transfer function H(f) is expressed as follows: where f is the frequency of excitation and fn is the natural frequency of the system The damping ratio is not included in Equation (19) since the shock absorber used by the vehicle works only with a spring without dampers When the transfer function of a specific system is known it is possible to express the relation between the power spectral density of the input Sg(f) and the power spectral density of the output Sv(f) of the whole system as follows: this relation shows how the output power spectral density is associated to the input power spectral density through the square of the modulus of the transfer function The power spectral density defines how the power of a signal is distributed over frequency and it is strictly correlated to the interaction between the terrain profile and the track belt and between the belt and the track sprocket In contrast to the wheeled vehicles which usually present only a single peak in their frequency answer the vehicle used for this study showed four distinct and separate peaks and four odd harmonics in total The study of this important aspect allows finding the proper fingerprint for each terrain profile The power spectral density function has been used also to study the motor current behavior during steady-state conditions when the vehicle moves straight for at least 30 s and at its maximum speed over different terrains This gives an overall idea about the spectral energy distribution and the current signature for each terrain profile In order to validate the method and acquire the data, several tests were performed on different terrain surfaces: sand, gravel, mud and asphalt. Figure 9 shows an aerial view of the test field taken from Google Earth (40° 7′ 56.0856″ N 18° 30′ 2.2356″ E) used for the experimental campaigns (on the left) which is located in Otranto Italy and a view of the vehicle moving on small natural bumps (on the right) the vehicle “maXXII” was forced to perform two main motion primitives and a straight line at constant speed of 0.75 m/s followed by a steering maneuver at a constant rate of turn of 45 deg/s a set of data was recorded by using the rosbag utility provided by ROS by including the motor currents the angular velocities for the track sprockets and the accelerations along the vertical axis at a frequency of Fs = 120 Hz a “fingerprint” has been defined by combining specific values of electrical currents equivalent track and power spectral density of both electrical currents and vertical accelerations; after this a classification learner tool was used to train a model over the classified data (A) Aerial view of the test field in a Bauxite pit The registered values for the equivalent track are showed in Figure 10 where it is possible to check the vehicle behavior during turning operations over sand, gravel, mud and asphalt. All the main values are reported in Table 1 and the maximum equivalent track of 1.329 m has been reported during the test over the mud where the wet surface generates the highest slipping effect while asphalt reported the lowest average value with only 1.159 m Equivalent track values for different terrains The power spectral density was computed over sample with a time length of t = 10 s by using the accelerations along the Z-axis of the vehicle recorded from the inertial sensor and shows how the tracks interact with the terrain profile as it is possible to see in Figure 12 In particular, it is worth noting that the higher power spectral density value was registered at around 10 Hz for all the tests by showing a sort of vehicle intrinsic periodicity as showed in Table 3 The specific design of the track generates in total four harmonics for each terrain: the first one is centered at 10 Hz for all the terrains except for the mud The third harmonic is located at around 30 Hz the fifth at 50 Hz and the seventh harmonic at 70 Hz Mushy mud decreases the mobility of the whole track and this induces a very specific slower frequency response while asphalt provides a much more responsive and reactive terrain profile Typical values for the PSD of body vertical acceleration The previous method based on the power spectral density function has been applied also on motor currents during straight motion in order to add and enhance information about the profile signature for each terrain Data has been stored in a text file where each sample array was composed by four numerical values (equivalent track a probabilistic graphical model based on Bayesian network representing a group of variables and their conditional dependencies by using a Directed Acyclic Graph (DAG) has been designed along a ROS node to compare the online acquired sensor data against the dataset stored into the database This ROS node has been used to output on-line estimations about the terrain profile by running the probabilistic algorithm on the real-time data coming from the vehicle sensors Reference values for some terrain profiles Mud detection presents a rate of success of about 72% and needs further investigations due to its unpredictable nature mainly on tracked vehicles A further follow up to this study will consider also the suspension displacement and position by reading data from linear potentiometers mounted in parallel on each shock absorber in order to investigate the frequency response for each suspension The accuracy of the proposed classification method The datasets generated for this study are available on request to the corresponding author Both authors made significant contributions to the conception and design of the research They equally dealt with data analysis and interpretation The research leading to these results has received funding from the Horizon 2020 European Commission under grant agreement n The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest Learning traversability from point clouds in challenging scenarios CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Vibration-based terrain classification for planetary exploration rovers CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar “Probabilistic obstacle detection using 2 1/2 D terrain maps,” in Proceedings of the 2012 9th Conference on Computer and Robot Vision (CRV) (Toronto Google Scholar Frequency response method for terrain classification in autonomous ground vehicles CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar “Air-ground robotic ensembles for cooperative applications: concepts and preliminary results,” in 2nd International Conference on Field and Service Robotics (Pittsburgh Google Scholar “Algorithms and performance analysis for path navigation of ackerman-steered autonomous robots,” in Proceedings of the 8th Workshop on Performance Metrics for Intelligent Systems (Gaithersburg Developing and applying novel spectral feature parameters for classifying soil salt types in arid land CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Stochastic modeling of 1-d and 2-d terrain profiles using a polynomial chaos approach CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Approximating kinematics for tracked mobile robots CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar “Slip estimation methods for proprioceptive terrain classification using tracked mobile robots,” in Pattern Recognition Association of South Africa and Robotics and Mechatronics (PRASARobMech) (Bloemfontein) Google Scholar A self-learning framework for statistical ground classification using radar and monocular vision CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar A survey of ranging and imaging techniques for precision agriculture phenotyping CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Terrain characterization and classification with a mobile robot CrossRef Full Text | Google Scholar Model-based prediction of skid-steer robot kinematics using online estimation of track instantaneous centers 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Available online at: http://www.ros.org (accessed June 11 “SPOC: Deep learning-based terrain classification for Mars rover missions,” in AIAA Space Forum (Long Beach Google Scholar “Obstacle detection and avoidance for mobile outdoor robotics,” in EOS Conference on Industrial Imaging and Machine Vision Google Scholar Citation: Galati R and Reina G (2019) Terrain Awareness Using a Tracked Skid-Steering Vehicle With Passive Independent Suspensions Received: 24 April 2019; Accepted: 03 June 2019; Published: 21 June 2019 Copyright © 2019 Galati and Reina. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Rocco Galati, cm9jY28uZ2FsYXRpQHVuaXNhbGVudG8uaXQ= Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish Support us Two Riverhead Central School District assistant superintendents will leave the district at the end of next month according to an agreement set for a vote at tonight’s special school board meeting Assistant Superintendent for Elementary Education and Educational Services Lori Koerner and Assistant Superintendent for Secondary Education Grants & Student Outcomes William Galati have opted to accept a one-time retirement incentive offered by the district Both administrators signed the retirement incentive agreement yesterday Their retirements will be effective on June 30 The agreement allows each administrator seven days to revoke their participation The district will pay both administrators the value of 1½ months salary for each year of service within the school district as well as the value of all their unused vacation and sick days remaining at the end of the year calculated at 1/222 of the administrator’s salary the administrators will not be paid any other retirement or terminal allowance benefits from the district Galati and Koerner oversee the school district’s K-12 curriculum Both received raises from the school district during this school year Koerner’s current salary is $211,666 and Galati’s salary is $206,504 Koerner was hired by the district as executive director for curriculum and instruction and professional personnel in 2019 She was promoted to the assistant superintendent position in 2021 Galati joined the district as an assistant principal in 2021 before being promoted to an executive director position in 2022; the position created by the school board in an administrative restructuring He was promoted to assistant superintendent in January Koerner was administratively reassigned at home and investigated by the school district for allegedly grabbing and pushing the district superintendent’s confidential secretary School board president Colin Palmer said in January that the investigation into Koerner was completed and found no “provable wrongdoing.” Palmer has said that the school board brought in Interim Superintendent Cheryl Pedisich who retired after a 10-year long tenure as superintendent of the Three Village School District “specifically to restructure” the school district. The resolution states that the agreement is in the school district’s economic interests Palmer did not immediately return a call requesting comment According to the agreement posted online the retirement incentive was offered to any non-aligned central office administrator with at least two years of service in the district who is eligible to retire from the New York State Retirement System as of June 30 The survival of local journalism depends on your support. We are a small family-owned operation. You rely on us to stay informed, and we depend on you to make our work possible. Just a few dollars can help us continue to bring this important service to our community. Support RiverheadLOCAL today. Get fresh local news straight to your inbox every day. 16 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}UTA Arad won 2–0 over Otelul Galati on Sun This is 1 of the Superliga Relegation Group The current head to head record for the teams are UTA Arad 1 win(s) Have scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches 16 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT?UTA Arad won 2–0 over Otelul Galati on Sun 16 Mar 2025 16:00:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches UTA Arad is playing home against Otelul Galati at Arena Francisc Neuman on Sun Includes: Ascension Island, Botswana, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, St. Helena, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, South Africa, South Sudan, Sudan, Eswatini, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe Includes: Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Comoros, Congo - Brazzaville, Congo - Kinshasa, Côte d’Ivoire, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guadeloupe, Guinea, Guyana, Madagascar, Mali, Martinique, Mauritius, Monaco, Niger, Réunion, Senegal, Togo 08 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Otelul Galati vs Rapid Bucuresti on Sat The current head to head record for the teams are Otelul Galati 4 win(s) 08 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT?Otelul Galati vs Rapid Bucuresti on Sat 08 Feb 2025 17:00:00 GMT ended in a 1–1 tie.InsightsHave scored 4 goals in their last 5 matches Otelul Galati is playing home against Rapid Bucuresti at Stadionul Otelul on Sat 04 Feb 2025 18:30:00 GMT?.css-1txiau5-AnswerContainer{color:var(--GlobalColorScheme-Text-secondaryText2);}Dinamo Bucuresti won 1–0 over Otelul Galati on Tue The current head to head record for the teams are Dinamo Bucuresti 10 win(s) 04 Feb 2025 18:30:00 GMT?Dinamo Bucuresti won 1–0 over Otelul Galati on Tue 04 Feb 2025 18:30:00 GMT.InsightsHave scored 5 goals in their last 5 matches Dinamo Bucuresti is playing home against Otelul Galati at Stadionul Arcul de Triumf on Tue Posted by oipainternational | Sep 16 Flood emergency response for animals in Galati Torrential rains in Central and Eastern Europe have unleashed devastating flash floods tragically resulting in the deaths of at least four people in Romania The hardest-hit area was concentrated in Galati region with 5,000 households severely impacted by the rising waters While the dog shelter run by our member association Sava’s Safe Haven – located just a few kilometres away from the affected area countless people and animals have been badly affected and are suffering in the aftermath of the disaster is on the front lines providing relief and assistance to families with pets and strays Sava’s team began to reach some villages during the weekend and Galati continues to be under a high-level emergency warning In constant contact with local authorities and police Sava’s team is closely monitoring the weather situation and awaiting the opportunity to provide new aid they will continue to reach families and animals in need in affected villages we must come together and support Sava’s important mission OIPA will help them provide life-saving resources to animals affected by floods We cannot allow these animals to suffer alone WILL YOU JOIN US IN THIS IMPORTANT EMERGENCY E-mail: international@oipa.org Certified mail:oipa@pec.oipa.org OIPA International Organization For Animal Protection Tax ID code: 97310380155 NGO associated with the UN Department of Global Communications (DGC) the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) and accredited at UN Environment Assembly (UNEA) Accredited in the Register of Representatives of Interest of the European Commission OIPA Italia Guardie Zoofile Appelli per gli animali Medici Internazionali LIMAV Ricerca senza animali Bomboniere solidali appeals and victories?Subscribe to our newsletter Academy Award-nominated and Tony Award-winning writer actor and emeritus professor in the department of performance studies in the School of Communication Galati graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Northwestern in 1965 and earned his doctorate in interpretation (now performance studies) in 1971 Galati began teaching at Northwestern in 1973 He retired and was named emeritus professor in 2006 His papers are held in the Northwestern University Archives.E now the dean of the School of Communication was hired in 2000 as Galati’s “replacement” as the famed performance studies professor was retiring “Frank was a towering figure in both SoC and industry and leaves behind a bounty of profound performance work and a legacy that will live on through those he trained and whose lives he touched I knew him well as a colleague and treasure my memories of his genius and kindness,” Johnson said Galati was nominated for an Academy Award for his adapted screenplay of “The Accidental Tourist” and won two Tony Awards in 1990 for his adaptation of “The Grapes of Wrath,” which originated at the Steppenwolf Theatre Additional Broadway-directed shows include “Ragtime” in 1998 and “The Pirate Queen” in 2007 as well as dozens of high-profile productions in Chicago and well beyond where he was an artistic associate at Asolo Repertory Theatre “Frank Galati’s impact on the Chicago theater community is enormous; not just as a writer and director of iconic productions such as “The Grapes of Wrath” for Steppenwolf and “She Always Said or as an actor in plays like “A Flea in Her Ear” at Goodman but most significantly as a teacher at Northwestern,” said Henry Godinez professor and chair of the department of theatre “His signature courses in adapting non-dramatic literature for the stage produced students like Mary Zimmerman basically created a new genre for the American theater landscape.” theater professor and actress in several of Galati’s plays said she is grateful for Galati “adopting” her into his tribe of artists “Doing a play directed by Frank was like being in graduate school all over again as well as innumerable other ideas in which he was versed news@northwestern.edu Get the latest news delivered to your inbox he didn’t just make and teach theatre of the mind but of the heart as well Director, writer, performer, and teacher Frank Galati a longtime member of Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre Company and professor at Northwestern University who won Tony Awards for directing The Grapes of Wrath and Ragtime an actor approached Frank with a lot of new ideas about his character and what he should be doing in that quiet moment of the play to be suddenly very loud. Frank listened intently illuminated in thought. “Yes, yes,” he said Frank told me he had stopped giving any critical notes whatsoever because actors always self-corrected. I don’t know if this is true but I do know that when he gave individual notes he was multilingual: He spoke to each performer in the language of their unique sensibility and method. So to one he’d say “How are you feeling about that moment when you stand and…?” and then after several minutes of intimate and detailed discussion Faster.” His notes to the general company were rhapsodic. Utterly possessed by his love of the complex act of theatre the text itself (which to him was a living presence of greatest possible treasure) he cast a spell—if spells can be said to consist of relentlessly original perfectly stated. Often there were tears. Frank was weepy. I’m weepy like that too. Especially now I saw Frank walking to class in the rain. He was a large man with a forward gaze that seemed to be directed simultaneously outward and in. Against the rain he was carrying a yellow umbrella meant for a child and the absolute pattern of an artist and a human being that I longed to be? It’s unimaginable. Back then among all the things I learned from Frank (that is was the understanding that the true mark of sophistication in response to performance is enthusiasm. Not cynical dismissal but enthusiasm. Not the childish eyeroll but rather to find beauty. If the attempt was sincere Frank could find the flecks of gold amidst the sawdust of any performance. Whether in a freshman class or on the stage of the Lyric in its attempt to capture something of the fleeting world Here are some other things I learned from Frank: and he was hilarious. He was our philosopher king for whom understanding why the thing worked was more thrilling than that it did work. He was the most astute reader of text and people that I’ve ever known. His creative energy as a director and writer was relentless; as an actor he was eccentric riveting. His generosity was preposterous particularly in the realm of adaptation and staging Nothing I can say here can adequately capture the life force and beauty of that man and his work; but like the penultimate image of his Grapes of Wrath where Rose of Sharon nurses a starving man as rain pours down in sheets behind them in the huge opening of the barn doors I believe we all make our plays for just two or three people: the only witnesses whose opinion matters. And it makes no difference if that person is no longer alive; we go on making and shaping everything under the thought of what they might think or feel or say of it. I know that when looked at that way it doesn’t matter that Frank will never actually see another show of mine or any of ours; that we will never again return home to an eight-minute phone message from him rapturous and luminescent. I know we all live on in each other and in our work. I know that “nothing is ever lost; the missing jewel always turns up again.” So I know we will all be fine and carry on Mary Zimmerman is a writer and director of theatre specializing in the adaptation of classic stories of world literature for the stage. She teaches in the performance studies department at Northwestern University Support American Theatre: a just and thriving theatre ecology begins with information for all. Please join us in this mission by joining TCG which entitles you to copies of our quarterly print magazine and helps support a long legacy of quality nonprofit arts journalism ©2025 Theatre Communications Group Each gift is a stitch in the tapestry that celebrates our resilience Donate to TCG! Olivia Consolmagno (née Galati) was a star pitcher for a Hofstra softball team that made the NCAA Tournament three times during her Hofstra career including the program’s first appearance in the NCAA Super Regional in 2012 Galati’s dominance on the mound led her to be named CAA Pitcher of the Year and NFCA All-Northeast Region all four years while she played at Hofstra when she went 34-7 with an ERA of 0.95 and 378 strikeouts earned her NFCA First Team All-America honors the first Hofstra player to receive the honor She finished 2013 as an NFCA Second Team All-American after posting a 40-12 record with a 1.42 ERA and a school record 395 strikeouts She is one of just six Hofstra softball players to have her jersey retired Galati was also a standout in the classroom earning CoSIDA Academic All-America honors in 2013 making her the sixth Hofstra softball player to receive Academic All-America honors Galati was picked second overall by the New York/New Jersey Comets in the National Pro Fastpitch (NPF) Draft She won the NPF Championship in 2014 with USSSA Pride Galati is married and has worked as a physical education teacher at Bay Shore High School since 2014 She has also been the Bay Shore High School softball coach during that time coaching the JV side for six years before moving on to coach the varsity team I had been in contact with Coach [Bill] Edwards and Coach [Larissa] Anderson at the time I had visited the school and I really liked it here I was playing on a travel team at the time and was exposed to a lot of different schools but for some reason there was something in me that wanted to go to Hofstra I wanted to be close to my family and compete competitively with a close-to-home University What is your favorite memory from playing at Hofstra I think my favorite memory was winning the UCLA Regional in 2012 and us going to Super Regionals which was being broadcast on ESPN for the first time What does it mean to you to be a part of the Hofstra family my time at Hofstra felt like it was such a family atmosphere I still feel very connected to the Hofstra campus and the University they had that very same motto of having pride in the building you work in and with the people you work with And that’s why I think I love my job so much because there’s so much pride working with who you work with and where you work I just think that I was lucky having that feeling at Hofstra during my time and now being in a teaching environment and instilling that same pride into the kids that I work with You were drafted straight out of Hofstra to play professional softball I had heard from Coach Edwards that I was potentially being looked at to be drafted So I ended up watching the draft and was picked second overall to a New York/New Jersey Comets team that was based out of Montclair State University in New Jersey. It was definitely a different experience from college softball You’re taking that top group of players from all over the country and condensing them into four teams I’m happy that I had the experience for the two years that I did play professionally I loved school and everything that was surrounded by it I just knew from a very young age that I wanted to become a teacher. How were you able to take what you learned at Hofstra as a student-athlete and translate that into teaching I love teaching and coaching at the same high school I love seeing my players walk the halls and having some of my players in class I think that a lot of what I’ve learned as an athlete and going through the Hofstra program I try to relay my experiences to my students and relate with them so they can gain as much knowledge as possible whenever we interact What is one piece of advice you would give to current Hofstra student-athletes I would probably say if the sport is something you truly love no matter how difficult time periods might be – whether you’re struggling physically or emotionally in the sport or out of it – when you push past those moments is when it's truly rewarding and it’s a memory that will live with you for the rest of your life Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Almost 7,000 households (6,939) in 28 communes were severely hit by the floods in Galati county according to the updated estimates published by the local authorities on the evening of September 19 Galati is the county that suffered the heaviest damages during the floods caused by massive rainfalls last weekend Most of the households hit by the floods are in Pechea - 2,000 and hydrotechnical constructions were also damaged in the 28 localities (Photo source: Inquam Photos/George Calin) Business Insider SRL is a carrier of data with personal character registered in the “Registrul de Evidenta a Prelucrarilor de Date cu Caracter Personal” with the no Romania-Insider.com is a trademark registered with the help of NOMENIUS and all exclusivity rights are reserved to the owner of Business Insider SRL Any unauthorized use will be sanctioned according to the provisions of trademarks law 84/1998