An event every day that begins at 10:00 am A representative of the Adel Chefridi jewelry brand will visit Max’s at The Shops at Excelsior & Grand for a trunk showing of the designer’s exquisite collections Friday Adel designs each piece with inspiration and references to the many cultures that weave the diverse tapestry of his homeland He grew up surrounded by the art and aesthetic influences of the Phoenicians One of his signature design elements is the engraving which stems from his appreciation of the beauty and meaning of inscribing symbols and patterns on stone or in metal that’s found in all facets of Tunisian architecture An event every month that begins at 11:00 am on day Second of the month We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information you should always call ahead to confirm dates To submit an event for consideration, consult our calendar policies and guidelines. If you are the site owner (or you manage this site), please whitelist your IP or if you think this block is an error please open a support ticket and make sure to include the block details (displayed in the box below) so we can assist you in troubleshooting the issue Please select what you would like included for printing: Copy the text below and then paste that into your favorite email application 2025 at the Kavanagh House-Everystep Hospice in Des Moines the daughter of Ronald Eugene and Beverly Jean (Kern) Bagley She was raised in the Des Moines area and graduated from Saydel High School in 1971 She met and was married to Roger Hulbert Sr on November 25th From this union Roger Jr and Valerie were born She was best known for her positive attitude and upstanding spirit through all of life's challenges she and Roger became foster parents to 4 children to bring beauty and joy into the life of others whether it was handmade jewelry or her annual calendar Preceding her in death were her parents; daughter: Valerie Hulbert; brothers: Robert Bagley and Ronald Dean Bagley; brother-in-law: Lloyd Uitermarkt; grandparents: Charles and Martha Bagley and Earl and Ethel Kern; as well as her beloved pup: Sandy Survivors include her husband: Roger Hulbert Sr.; children: Roger Hulbert Jr and Greyson; sister: Rhonda Uitermarkt; stepmother Barb Bagley; beloved pup: Sasha; as well as many nieces 2025 at 10:00 am at the Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home-Adel Chapel Burial will take place at Bear Creek Cemetery memorials are suggested to Earlham Fire and Rescue or to the family for designation at a later date Online condolences may be shared with the family at www.caldwellparrish.com Add to Calendar Add to Calendar Add to Calendar This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply Service map data © OpenStreetMap contributors The world lost a bright light with the passing of Adel Ali Sokkary leaving an indelible mark on all who knew him Adel was a professional rower whose dedication defined his early years He rekindled his disciplined relationship with water sports in retirement metaling in multiple swimming events during the New Mexico Senior Olympics His strength was not only evident on the water but in every aspect of his life After attaining a Masters degree in Egypt he continued his education at the University of Minnesota in the Horticulture Department and proceeded to earn a PhD in Management He carried that same determination into a rich 30-year career with the City of Albuquerque He was part of the team that developed the Albuquerque BioPark becoming the first Director of the Rio Grande Botanical Garden His journey and accomplishments are the epitome of the American Dream As a father he inspired a sense of duty and service that lives on in his children and grandchildren through their careers virtues and involvement in their communities The culmination of his life's joy was seeing his six grandchildren play and grow While he remained tied to his family in Egypt he created extended family in Minneapolis and Albuquerque whom he loved deeply He shared an unbreakable bond with his beloved wife who stood by his side through every twist and turn Their love was a testament to resilience and devotion With contagious energy and natural charisma making every gathering more vibrant and every moment more memorable in the stories that will be told for generations and two adopted kids as well as their spouses and children I’ve always believed life isn’t meant to be lived in just one place I made the move to the Tri-state area for something new.I’m all about new experiences—whether it’s picking up hobbies or staying active while knowing when to take it easy You’ll often find me checking out the latest events and exploring different corners of the city What is your role and how long have you been at StoryCorps I’m a development coordinator on the Development team and I’ve been with StoryCorps for a year and three months I am the team’s primary point of contact for any donor inquiries: I enter all of our gifts into our system and prep acknowledgement of these gifts The best part of my job is getting to work with so many passionate people across the organization It really energizes me and makes me happy to be at StoryCorps.I’ve been fortunate to work with an amazing team that’s supportive Their diverse perspectives have been refreshing and have contributed to both my growth and the team’s We hear from many of our donors at the end of the year so there’s usually lots of gift acknowledgments to prepare and a lot of questions from them attention to detail is really important at this time of year to ensure that nothing falls through the cracks Why should everyone record a story with StoryCorps It’s timeless and therapeutic and an opportunity to have your unique reflections preserved for years to come.I’ve witnessed firsthand the positive impact storytelling and genuine dialogue can have in bringing people together Meet Sofiya Ballin, Executive Producer of Brightness in Black Copyright © 2003-2025 StoryCorps, Inc. All rights reserved. With more than 30 years of experience working in senior management roles at leading IT and telecommunication companies, Adel Al-Saleh was appointed Chief Executive Officer of SES in February 2024. Adel joined SES from T-Systems, the IT subsidiary of leading European Telecommunication provider Deutsche Telekom, where he was CEO since 2018. He was also a Board Member of Deutsche Telekom. Before that, he was the CEO for Northgate Information Solutions (NIS) Group from 2011-2018. Adel also held a variety of senior leadership roles at IMS Health and IBM for the first 25 years of his professional life. Adel graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering and holds a Master of Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University. Adel is a US and UK national. Dr. Adel Bassily-MarcusWe are pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Adel M. Bassily-Marcus as the Chief of Surgical Intensive Care for the Yale New Haven Health System, effective September 1, 2024. Dr. Bassily-Marcus, a Professor at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, brings over 30 years of experience to Yale. The new role, designed to unify surgical intensive care operations across the health system, will report to Dr. Nita Ahuja (Chair of Surgery), Dr. Lisa Leffert (Chair of Anesthesiology), and Dr. Maxwell Laurans (Senior Vice President of Surgical Services). “This recruitment was a real tour de force with input from leaders, faculty, and staff from across the system to ensure priorities across all departments and service lines were voiced,” said YNHHS Surgeon-in-Chief and YSM Chair of Surgery, Dr. Nita Ahuja. Supporting the search was a multi-disciplinary committee representing General Surgery, Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Bariatric Surgery, Colorectal Surgery, Cardiac Surgery, Vascular Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Anesthesiology, Cardiology, Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Urology, Nursing, and Quality. “We are confident that Dr. Bassily-Marcus is the ideal candidate for this role given his unique breadth of experience and his perspective on the multifaceted nature of surgical critical care,” said Dr. Leffert. Dr. Bassily-Marcus’ career is distinguished by his extensive experience managing surgical critical care patients and teams. Throughout his tenure at Mount Sinai, he directed both clinical and technological functions of the system’s 19 intensive care unit teams, spanning eight New York hospitals. He also held leadership roles across surgical ICU, critical care consultation, tracheostomy team, nutrition and vascular access services. His research on critical care management and procedures has led to the development of national and international guidelines on managing critically ill patients, and he established innovative programs, including the Critical Care Simulation Training, which is part of the core curriculum for all medical students at ISMMS. As a pioneer in the field of critical care informatics, he was elected the inaugural Chair of the EPIC critical care specialty steering board. Dr. Bassily-Marcus is originally from Cairo, Egypt. He graduated from the Ain Shams University Faculty of Medicine and Surgery, completed internal medicine residency at UMDNJ, followed by fellowship in surgical critical care at Mount Sinai Hospital, where he was recruited as faculty in the Department of Surgery. At Yale, Dr. Bassily-Marcus will hold a primary faculty appointment in the Department of Surgery and a secondary appointment in the Department of Anesthesiology. Print The board of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California is considering the findings of a seven-month investigation into accusations against General Manager Adel Hagekhalil — a process that has revealed competing claims of discrimination and exposed deep divisions among leaders of the state’s largest urban water supplier The board met twice in closed session this week to consider the findings of five completed investigations Board members then voted to continue Hagekhalil’s leave of absence until their next meeting Wednesday Hagekhalil was placed on leave in June in response to allegations by the agency’s chief financial officer, Katano Kasaine, who accused him of sexism and alleged he had harassed, demeaned and sidelined her and created a hostile work environment. Hagekhalil has denied the accusations, insisting he did nothing wrong. During a public portion of Tuesday’s MWD meeting, Hagekhalil told board members he was pleased with the results of the investigations, which he said exonerated him, and that he was eager and prepared to return to his job. “While I have not engaged in any misconduct, I have learned from this experience and understand how I can do better, and certainly, I will take to heart any feedback,” Hagekhalil said. “I will handle this situation with grace and humility. I look forward to engaging in a healing process. I will ensure that our workplace is safe, supportive, inclusive and productive.” Climate & Environment The Metropolitan Water District board extends the leave of absence of General Manager Adel Hagekhalil while an investigation of harassment allegations continues Some of the accusations against Hagekhalil were aired publicly when Kasaine’s complaint to the board was leaked to the media in June Kasaine wrote in her May 27 letter that she has been “maligned and sidelined from my core responsibilities.” She said Hagekhalil’s “preference for male colleagues/staff over me has continued to sow the seeds of sexism and belittling.” She also criticized Hagekhalil’s hiring of a team of trusted calling it “an entire shadow leadership team wielding more power than those holding official titles.” The board members deliberated in private for several hours discussing the findings of the investigations and how they will proceed The agenda said they would consider possible “discipline/dismissal/release” of an employee Board members made no comments about their discussions as they adjourned the meeting board member Fred Jung said he hopes the district will resolve the matter before next week’s meeting “I think there is some heavy negotiating that has to be done,” Jung told The Times in an interview “There is some risk of potential generous litigation otherwise.” “I feel that in the agency’s best interests and we have a window right now to bring about some sort of off-ramp to all of this,” Jung said He declined to discuss specifics or comment on what form that resolution might take The Metropolitan Water District delivers water to cities and agencies that supply 19 million people across Southern California. As the district’s top manager, Hagekhalil has played a central role in efforts to transform the agency and shift its mix of water supplies to help Southern California adapt to worsening droughts intensified by climate change. Hagekhalil’s lawyer, Kerry Garvis Wright, told the board Tuesday that the general manager has been treated unfairly since he was placed on administrative leave, and has been subjected to false claims. She said he has “suffered enormous and irreparable reputational harm as a result of the district’s actions.” Garvis Wright warned the board that “any adverse action by the board against Mr. Hagekhalil will not withstand legal scrutiny,” and said there was “powerful evidence of racial and ethnic discrimination, which of course is unlawful.” The MWD’s general manager was placed on leave amid an investigation into complaints Adel Hagekhalil says the accusations against him are unfounded Hagekhalil is the district’s first Arab American general manager His lawyer and supporters have said they are concerned that anti-Arab sentiments among some board members could affect their handling of the investigation While Hagekhalil was on leave, one board member, John Morris, was censured by the MWD board for making a racist remark about another district employee calling him a “camel jockey.” The agency’s officials said that case did not directly involve Hagekhalil the board barred Morris from taking part in deliberations and votes regarding the Hagekhalil investigation Some civil rights advocates have also raised concerns about potential discrimination in the investigation regional legal director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations urged the board to reinstate Hagekhalil and said “We want to again ask that this discrimination and harassment be addressed and remedied.” Any decision the board reaches could be challenged in court. The MWD meeting agenda said the board also privately discussed two additional claims that involve “significant exposure” of the district to potential litigation One of those claims was an Oct. 18 letter to the board from Dawn Collins She described Kasaine as a “whistleblower who has been subjected to retaliation” and said the leak of her letter was meant to send a message to those who dare to challenge “the unethical and unlawful pattern of conduct at the highest levels” of the MWD The letter released by the MWD was partially redacted It included a copy of a discrimination complaint that Kasaine filed with the state in October Kasaine described herself as a Black woman of African origin and alleged she was subjected to an ongoing “pattern of harassment Kasaine has not responded to requests from The Times to speak about the matter Since Hagekhalil was placed on leave, Deven Upadhyay has served as interim general manager. As the investigation has continued, the board voted twice to extend Hagekhalil’s leave of absence Hagekhalil previously worked for the city of Los Angeles leading programs focusing on sewers and streets. He was appointed the MWD’s general manager in 2021 after a power struggle among board members. The district is led by a 38-member board of directors. Each board member is appointed by one of the MWD’s 26 member agencies, which include cities and water suppliers. During more than three years in the job, he said he has focused on reforming the agency. “As an outsider, I brought new leadership, new ideas, and some new people onto the staff. However, change is never easy. Unfortunately, some saw change as a threat and filed frivolous complaints and claims regarding these reforms,” Hagekhalil said during the meeting Tuesday. “This has been a difficult time for me and my family, and for others at this agency. It is time to turn the page and move forward.” MWD head Adel Hagekhalil wants Southern California to adapt to climate change becoming more resilient and more self-reliant on local water sources During this month’s devastating fires in Southern California, MWD officials have been working with Los Angeles and other local agencies to route water supplies where needed. Before board members began discussing the matter in closed session Tuesday, they listened to comments from about 40 people who spoke in support of Hagekhalil, as well as several others who spoke against him. Former L.A. City Councilmember Paul Koretz praised Hagekhalil as “close to perfect” as a manager, and said he believes the reason the board has taken many months to complete the investigations is that the dispute over his tenure is closely linked to divisions over water policy within the agency. “I think if this was a clear-cut case, and the charges were clearly real, you would have made this decision in less than seven months,” Koretz said. “Clearly, this is a very divided board,” Koretz said. “The people that want the body to be more reform-minded and sustainable will probably vote to keep Adel. The ones that don’t, by and large, I believe, will vote to remove him, and that should be an incredible embarrassment for this body.” Barbara Barrigan-Parrilla, who leads the nonprofit group Restore the Delta, which advocates for protecting the estuary, called Hagekhalil “the best leader presently for Southern California, when climate resilience clearly needs to be your top priority.” “Politics and power agendas need to be set aside,” Barrigan-Parrilla said. “He is the change and leader that you need to continue.” California When fire hydrants ran dry, the L.A. Department of Water and Power struggled to get water where needed. The utility’s operations chief explains the decisions as the fire spread. Those who criticized Hagekhalil during the meeting included Rickita Hudson, the board’s executive secretary. She said that she has endured a “hostile work environment” and that the general manager’s “style is hostile.” She did not provide details. “How many more claims have to be made public for this community to say, he is not the leader for Metropolitan?” Hudson said. “He may have been a better leader at L.A., but not Metropolitan.” Others said they support Hagekhalil and have broader concerns about the water district’s internal culture. Caty Wagner, water campaign manager for the Sierra Club, said she is most concerned that a board member recently felt comfortable uttering a racist remark out loud. “The ability to trust the board, for the public, has declined,” Wagner said. “[MWD] needs a serious reset and some deep reflections.” Board member Mark Gold said Hagekhalil is a “good and decent person” who has done exemplary work and achieved significant accomplishments while spearheading water initiatives — and that the issues revealed by this investigation process are deep-seated in nature, go beyond Hagekhalil, and need to be addressed. “The toxic culture that Adel inherited has been nothing short of alarming,” Gold told board members Tuesday. “We have a longstanding history of sexism and racism that exists to this day. I’ve never witnessed a culture where there was so much undercutting, accusations and disputes filed.” He recommended a series of “corrective actions” for the MWD, such as assessing the organizational structure to adopt changes that can “reduce the conflict risks.” The MWD should also develop a staff culture improvement plan, he said, and change the existing procedures for resolving disputes. “This is so much more than about one individual,” Gold said. “What has been exposed during the last seven months has been that we have an organizational culture that is hugely problematic, and we owe it to our customers and everybody else to really try to remedy that.” Ian James is a reporter who focuses on water and climate change in California and the West. Before joining the Los Angeles Times in 2021, he was an environment reporter at the Arizona Republic and the Desert Sun. He previously worked for the Associated Press as a correspondent in the Caribbean and as bureau chief in Venezuela. Follow him on Bluesky @ianjames.bsky.social and on X @ByIanJames. Subscribe for unlimited accessSite Map Shortly after taking the helm as CEO of SES, Adel Al-Saleh made the splash move to acquire Intelsat in a stunning piece of industry consolidation It has echoes of when Eva Berneke became CEO of Eutelsat and within a short period of time announced a deal to acquire OneWeb The satellite industry has entered a new era of fierce competition in markets such as government SES will have an enviable collection of Geostationary (GEO) and Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) assets going forward as it looks to grow its business in the second half of the decade The question is whether combining two satellites giants will be the catalyst to jump-start a new era for one of the most well-known names in satellite In this wide-ranging interview with Via Satellite Al-Saleh talks about his first year at SES and why he believes the two operators need to combine to have the fuel to scale and compete on a global scale dynamic industry that is moving very fast and the level of innovation I have witnessed is impressive there is a lot of money that is being poured into it there is pressure on existing players to reinvent themselves and reshape their business models It is an industry that is both exciting and offers big opportunities but can be challenging for players that are not prepared to change I see it as a huge opportunity for SES to adapt Al-Saleh: Multi-orbit is a critical success factor for SES but it’s not the only thing operators need to do The question is what you want your company to be What kind of things do you want to be doing There are still plenty of opportunities for GEO providers some of the regional GEO players provide unique services and capabilities that are valued and will continue to be valued in the foreseeable future Every country wants some level of sovereignty in terms of their satellite capacity it is clear that the increasing demand for connectivity necessitates flexible solutions and a variety of elements for success I am a big believer that no single orbit or provider can accomplish everything I grew up in the IT industry and we always had big and successful players But we always understood that no single provider can offer everything You can’t get everything from Microsoft or from Google or from AWS or Accenture You need to have a diverse portfolio of solutions to fulfil the demands of your applications We bring capabilities with the GEO and MEO assets we own but also complement some solutions with LEOs We don’t own LEOs but we would partner with LEO satellite operators Multi-orbit is not the absolute requirement for success it is a strategic component of who we are and how we want to drive the company forward Al-Saleh: That is a very tough description If a GEO player does not have a unique application they are fulfilling and is not self-sustaining over the mid-to-long-term then ‘Yes,’ they are in danger of becoming obsolete If a standalone GEO player has a unique offering for GEO-specific applications there is a good chance for them to survive They have to bring new innovations and continuously develop services for their customers we will be in a position where we have latest software-defined GEO satellites and a robust MEO constellation Al-Saleh: Starlink has built an incredible capability and it is not easy to compete against them We have a problem in the market because people are completely enamored and blinded by the perception that Starlink has taken everything It is not true that Starlink is winning everything SES’s Open Orbits partner has just won two big airlines – Thai and Turkish Airlines with more coming up in the next few months We are also serving 100 ocean cruise liners and have continued to compete and win business even as Starlink has also been very successful in this market these successes are not talked about as much There is a big part of the market that wants simple standard solutions and that is an area where Starlink is suited to win Yet there are other parts of the market that can use multi-orbit solutions There will be a percentage of airlines that will say they will just go single orbit But there will also be others that find alternatives to LEO compelling our customers benefit from having choices both of providers and orbits That is why Airbus and Boeing have been looking at linefit installations of multi-orbit and multi-band antennas I am convinced that the market is big and vibrant enough for multiple players Thanks to Starlink and the work they have done with John Deere we received plenty of inbounds from agriculture companies equipment manufacturers wanting to explore solutions We have had farmers asking about how they can get real-time information on the moisture of the soil They want indicators on when the best time to harvest is They want the best indicators on when they go and plant their seeds All of these information is also made possible thanks to analysis and real-time information sent through satellite we were sitting around waiting for customers to come and talk to us Starlink has opened up new applications and disrupted the market leading to healthy competition and spurring the industry into action Al-Saleh: Government — both military and civil — continues to be very strong for us Our government business is growing in high single-digits so far this year We see consistent demand coming from both U.S One good example is the European Commission They want to build their own constellation We are getting a lot of traction with Open Orbits – a network created alongside with our regional satellite partners such as Neo Space Group to deliver connectivity to airlines around the world the airlines want to talk to operators to understand our future solutions and how they can count on us for the next 20 years I would also say cruise continues to be a really buoyant segment in terms of connectivity on ships Cruise companies want an increasing amount of capacity Some of these ships are using both Starlink and SES connectivity services We have seen double-digit growth on our part Cruise companies are now asking us for help with quality of experience They want us to help them understand connectivity usage patterns of their cruise passengers so they can match the level of connectivity accordingly delivering an enhanced guest experience for their passengers There are a couple of other segments like telco and energy that are growing really fast because our second-generation robust MEO constellation – O3b mPOWER – is ideal for trunking and mobile backhaul Energy is beginning to get a lot of traction as seen in our sales pipeline Al-Saleh: Many cruise lines use both of us and that is not easy for one provider to always guarantee for 100 cruise ships or ocean liners which are huge cities floating on the sea Europe is determined to build a sovereign constellation for its connectivity needs without having to rely on others this project is significant for various reasons a private-public partnership where the European Commission will co-invest with us alleviating the upfront investment that SES as we reach full capacity with the launch of our 12th and 13th O3b mPOWER satellites in 2026 we need to think about the next constellation to meet future demand This project lays the foundation for that future network allowing us to advance our vision of augmenting our MEO network today One of the issues with our current investment approach is that we often think in terms of the next constellation and end up building isolated networks SES will focus on building integrated networks The beauty of MEO is that it doesn’t require much to boost capacity; adding a few satellites to an existing network can significantly increase its capacity we are creating the foundation of next-generation satellites with enhanced capabilities that can communicate seamlessly with one another This new network will be integrated with the existing constellation so there is continuity in service delivery the European Union will be anchor customer for the IRIS² project and the MEO constellation Al-Saleh: We will be investing more in MEO than GEO and oscillating between 70/30 There may also be years where it is 100 percent MEO We will be building GEOs for specific applications for where we exactly need it An example is ASTRA 1P that we just launched at 19.2 degrees East orbit for our video business over Europe I also don’t see a scenario when GEOs will be more than a MEO investment because of the robustness of the GEO fleet we have Al-Saleh: It wasn’t very hard for me to see that in order for us to be a credible competitor in the market Not only more scale in terms of satellites The market is moving away from this peaks and valleys type of capital expenditure Investing big for three years and not investing for three years is a flawed model in my opinion What you need to have as a company is the capacity to invest every year consistently in the areas that you need to grow a combined company will have the firepower to invest $600 million to $650 million every year We will be investing $2 billion every three years Neither us nor Intelsat could do this alone Both companies had previously attempted to close the deal so we knew the teams and were familiar with each other we found strong alignment on the industry and our path forward I brought a slightly different approach compared to before Negotiating for a year can leave scars and difficulties but Dave and I were able to come to an agreement that made sense for both companies and we moved quickly This is how I operate; if I see an opportunity There is a question in terms of how many of the regional GEO players will survive and how many of them are able to have a business case to replace their satellites in the future There are a lot of new technologies coming in with micro-satellites that are very interesting and could be very disruptive The intense disruption and competitive pressures in this industry suggest that there will be more changes in the future Al-Saleh: We have quite a significant number of regulatory authorities that we need to file with and the work started immediately as soon as we signed the transaction SES is making good progress with filing processes having already secured multiple regulatory approvals including CFIUS [Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States] and from several other foreign direct investment authorities but the major long-lead clearances are proceeding to our initial expectations Everything is where we anticipated it would be at this point in the process and we are getting information requests from regulators who genuinely want to understand the logic and what it means to their markets I am optimistic on the progress and confident we are going to get this closed in due time Al-Saleh: We have done a lot of work on that we have a work stream focused on the branding of the combined unit and the company The name will be SES once the transaction closes Our goal is to integrate the two companies into one; we will have leaders from both companies leading this new entity ensuring it is not dominated by one company over the other we are exploring creative ways to retain some of the value of the Intelsat brand which is the oldest operator in the world with significant accomplishments that should not be forgotten Both branding teams of Intelsat and SES are working alongside one another to evolve the brand beyond just the name ensuring we do not lose the value of Intelsat Al-Saleh: The good news is that Intelsat understood the value of the MEO orbit This convergence of strategic thinking was key If Intelsat had chosen to follow the path of Telesat and Eutelsat to build a LEO constellation it would not have aligned with our thinking But we have done enough work at the right level to understand the future opportunities after we close We think that our expanded MEO capabilities of more O3b mPOWER satellites and our participation in IRIS² will benefit from the addition of Intelsat’s resources Al-Saleh: The fundamental value of the SES/Intelsat transaction is that the two companies look similar and therefore there are sizable synergies when you bring these two companies together If you consider Intelsat’s investment capabilities alongside ours it isn’t clear that we would each have been able to build our own MEO constellation separately The companies separately would not have been able to reach the same scale and capability as it will in a combined effort we did not see the absence of an NGSO constellation on their part as a hindrance We like their strategy and the strength of their business We admire what Dave and the leadership team achieved during challenging times including their emergence from bankruptcy and how it positioned the company particularly their strong presence in the aero sector There are many complementary strategic alignments making the deal sensible beyond just the synergies Al-Saleh: There are many others beyond those you named But the demand for satellite connectivity is expanding and growing and has evolved significantly over the past 40+ years Initially satellite connectivity was used mainly for video distribution it has now become more mainstream with people recognizing its ability to deliver ubiquitous high-quality connectivity to complement terrestrial networks This perspective has shifted dramatically in the last five years largely due to the disruptive impact of Starlink by integrating satellite services to expand rural connectivity has opened up the agriculture industry to satellite services Another sector opening up for the satellite industry is the automotive industry vehicles will begin to incorporate satellite communications Even though the capacity required for each car is small the sheer number of cars creates a substantial market IoT services are increasingly incorporating satellite connectivity alongside terrestrial options While IoT was a significant trend 10 to 15 years ago Telcos see enormous opportunities within IoT I have spoken to many D2D players and most of them require partnerships for their backhauls and resilience enhancement coverage This is not just about going direct-to-device but also about moving traffic which represents a substantial emerging business this is why we have bifurcated our solutions The other segment seeks more sophisticated solutions and more managed services where the complexity is removed from these services media companies are increasingly approaching us expressing a desire to move away from uplink services and large antennas on their broadcasting station roofs They recognize our expertise and global teleport network questioning why they should build their own infrastructure as long as your business evolves into providing innovative vertical solutions demand for your services will remain robust and competitively priced to compete with major players Failing to do so will make it difficult for you to succeed Al-Saleh: The pipeline is good for agriculture I don’t know if it is the next quarter or the quarter after that which will see us expanding in agriculture and energy Al-Saleh: I am still learning and I am immensely impressed with the engineering aspects of building a satellite and what it takes it get it up there We need to develop and manufacture satellites within months and not five-year cycles particularly why we haven’t transitioned to agile development and faster iteration sooner – something which SES is now committed to doing Why haven’t we explored different models in the past and continued with the old waterfall development and manufacturing cycles Why haven’t we disrupted the industry to accelerate it you will see us challenging the industry and moving much faster than before one of our teleports got caught by a forest fire in California I was surprised by our employees who risked everything and remained in the teleport to fight the fire They wanted to protect the teleport and the gateways loyalty and commitment to SES from our employees is incredibly surprising to me and I am very thankful for that [Read more about SES's acquisition of Intelsat in the Via Satellite content collection, "SES and Intelsat: The Biggest Deal of 2024"] Katelyn Adel Captures Career First SEC Weekly Honor4/1/2025 4:20:00 PM | Track & Field Adel was named the Women’s SEC Freshman of the Week for her performance at last week’s Texas Relays BIRMINGHAM, Ala. – For the second consecutive week, Alabama track and field has accumulated at least one weekly honor, the Southeastern Conference announced Tuesday. Multi-event athlete Katelyn Adel earned Women's Freshman of the Week recognition Adel finished first in the women's heptathlon at the Texas Relays Her 5,587-point total became the second-most in program history – only 86 points shy of the program record Adel accumulated top-two finishes in the high jump (first) In the first two weeks of outdoor competition, the Crimson Tide has notched three SEC weekly honors, as Adel joins Oussama El Bouchayby (Men's Co-Runner) and Trevor Gunzell (Men's Field Athlete) who earned recognition March 25 Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInADEL (WALB) - As rural areas continue to recover from Hurricane Helene Adel is serving as a hub for multiple communities impacted by the storm Over 3,000 customers took a hit after Helene the city of Adel was able to restore power for a majority of its residents and businesses by Tuesday City management said there are approximately 25 customers waiting on electricians to be able to receive power now we are just waiting on internet so we can get back to work,” she said Colston like many others in her neighborhood relied on one another to help find and deliver the resources offered because of a lack of transportation or delays in cell service a lot of people came together and we made sure that everyone’s needs were taken care of I met a lot of neighbors I didn’t know I had,” she said Pulling together no matter the circumstances is a common theme but being a refuge for the surrounding cities that were impacted by Helene just coming together as a strong tight-knit community and you get by being resilient as we will be strong on the other side of this,” Adel city manager Mark Barber said Cook County Emergency Management Agency said electric companies are set up at Cook County High School to work in the rural communities Power is expected to be fully restored by next Friday getting some electricity in their house it just makes all the difference in the world And hopefully with the amount of work crews here in Adel - cook county and the surrounding areas others will get electricity super fast,” Buddy Duke public works is asking you to pile your storm debris like trees or anything that may have blown from a structure “We need to keep those piles separate because when we come in to execute this those materials are going to two separate places on two separate trucks so they need to be able to get that done If people could help us out in keeping that separate when piling,” TJ Tucker Tucker says while the community is still a long way from fully recovering the city has been able to keep streets clear for travel and recovery efforts in the county as well Cook County EMA wants to remind residents to be careful when traveling because there are still down trees and power lines Forrest Avenue in Adel between the little league field and tennis courts every day from 9 a.m Please bring towels and toiletries as they are not supplied Below are the locations that are serving hot meals from Oct Meals and supplies are offered at all locations Have a news tip or see an error that needs correction? Let us know. Please include the article’s headline in your message The new general manager of the MWD will be Deven Upadhyay, who has been serving in the position on an interim basis since Hagekhalil was placed on leave last year. Board members announced their decision to make a final offer of a legal settlement to Hagekhalil after holding a closed-door meeting to discuss the findings of investigations into allegations against him. The findings of the completed investigations have not been made public. And details of the proposed settlement were not immediately disclosed. The board told Hagekhalil that if he didn’t accept their offer, the agency would terminate his employment “without cause.” Hagekhalil’s lawyer, Kerry Garvis Wright, said he rejected the offer. “This decision is nothing more than a political power grab, clearing the way for Metropolitan to return to old and antiquated water policies,” Garvis Wright said in an email. “Over the past week, Mr. Hagekhalil offered to resolve his legal claims against MWD, but now is left with no choice but to pursue all his legal options to protect his rights and reputation.” Hagekhalil was placed on leave in June in response to allegations by the agency’s chief financial officer who accused him of sexism and alleged he had harassed demeaned and sidelined her and created a hostile work environment Kasaine criticized MWD’s handling of the process during a public portion of Wednesday’s meeting told the board that the leak of her confidential letters regarding her complaints led to her becoming a “target of bullying and public scrutiny that has taken a severe toll on her both professionally and personally.” Collins urged MWD to act transparently and “release the investigation report.” Collins said at least one of Kasaine’s complaints was substantiated by the investigation that Hagekhalil “treated her less favorably than her male colleagues.” Garvis Wright said the investigation did not conclude that the supposed preferential treatment was because of Kasaine’s gender and therefore there was no violation of the district’s anti-discrimination policy “These decisions — which fall squarely within Mr Hagekhalil’s discretion as General Manager — were made without regard to gender but rather what was in the best interest of the agency,” she said Garvis Wright said that Hagekhalil did not engage in any misconduct and that the investigation “did not substantiate the alleged retaliation Hagekhalil at MWD headquarters in L.A (Brian van der Brug / Los Angeles Times) Hagekhalil was the district’s first Arab American general manager His lawyer and supporters have said they are concerned that anti-Arab sentiments among some board members may have tainted the investigation While Hagekhalil was on leave, one board member, John Morris, was censured by the MWD board for making a racist remark about another district employee. The agency’s officials said that case did not directly involve Hagekhalil. Nevertheless, the MWD board barred Morris from taking part in the deliberations and votes regarding the Hagekhalil investigation. “The Board voted to terminate his contract without cause, which is a continuation of the racist, discriminatory, and retaliatory treatment of him throughout his tenure with the agency,” Garvis Wright said. “As an Arab and Muslim American, he and others were subjected to overtly racist comments and actions by Board members who organized opposition to him and voted against him.” Hans Johnson, president of the East Area Progressive Democrats, said he is deeply concerned about anti-Arab bias on the board. He said acting against Hagekhalil “without having rectified the problems with documented bias by members of this board is profoundly troubling and will be a lasting shame on MWD.” the Metropolitan Water District’s board is set to decide the fate of General Manager Adel Hagekhalil The Metropolitan Water District delivers water to cities and agencies that supply 19 million people across Southern California. As the district’s top manager, Hagekhalil played a central role in efforts to transform the agency and shift its mix of water supplies to help Southern California adapt to worsening droughts intensified by climate change and he achieved significant accomplishments guided the agency through historic drought conditions and earned excellent performance reviews every year,” Garvis Wright said and some saw change as a threat and filed several baseless claims against him.” Hagekhalil previously worked for the city of Los Angeles leading programs focusing on sewers and streets. He was appointed MWD general manager in 2021 after a bitter power struggle among board members. During a series of recent meetings, dozens of Hagekhalil’s supporters, including colleagues, environmental advocates and L.A. city officials, praised him as a reformer and a talented leader, and urged the board to reinstate him. “What has transpired here is an injustice, and this board should be embarrassed,” said Charming Evelyn, who leads the Sierra Club’s water committee in Southern California. “What are we doing here? We are impugning the character of a good man. This is wrong.” The district is led by a 38-member Board of Directors. Each member is appointed by one of the MWD’s 26 member agencies, which include cities and water suppliers. During their closed-door session, 27 board members voted to present Hagekhalil the MWD’s “best and final offer” of a legal settlement — the details of which have not been disclosed — and if the offer was not accepted, to terminate his employment without cause. The California fires erupted amid extremely dry conditions UCLA scientists say extreme heat linked to climate change was a factor in the fires’ intensity Six board members voted “no,” and five were absent Mark Gold of Santa Monica was one of those who voted against the majority. He has praised Hagekhalil and said he did not think he should lose his job Gold has said the investigation revealed a “toxic culture” within the agency that needs to be addressed Gold recommended a series of corrective actions such as changing the procedures for resolving disputes and reassessing the organizational structure to reduce risks of conflicts “It’s just concerning the amount of dysfunction that’s there,” Gold said after the vote “It’s important that we improve the culture.” The board voted unanimously to appoint Upadhyay has been named the new general manager of the Metropolitan Water District (Metropolitan Water District) “I think there’s an acknowledgment that the culture has room for improvement,” Gold said “And the hope is that someone who’s as respected as Deven will help us move in that direction.” Adán Ortega Jr., chair of the MWD board, said after the vote that the panel “took decisive steps to stabilize our organization and workforce.” He also said the water district “takes all allegations of discrimination, harassment and unfair treatment seriously.” 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 The AY YOLA group became a real discovery - their song Homay instantly spread across social networks and captured the hearts of listeners around the world But the real sensation was caused by the group's lead vocalist - 25-year-old Adel Shaikhitdinova Fans not only admire her voice but are literally going crazy over her charm The group members admitted that they expected success but didn't think it would come so rapidly - already the second single from the album made them superstars major world labels have already approached the collective The geography of their tours is also expanding rapidly the participants shared how Homay made it to Pasha Volya and Laysan Utyasheva's home: Laysan's grandmother helped them translate the song into Russian The host didn't hide his admiration: "It's a breath of fresh air!" she humorously comments on how fans try to recreate their viral video - instead of a fox hat even though she performs on stage with her own father "We've learned to collaborate," she smiles something unexpected is happening - fans are bombarding the girl on social media and even trying to show excessive attention in person Colleagues joke that Adel already needs to walk with security: "Direct messages are simply exploding They don't even write 'hello' or 'how are you' anymore - just straight to 'marry me'." "Sometimes it seems like they really want to kidnap her!" laughs Rinat Russians have created a real frenzy around the kefir that Vladimir Putin offered to journalists in a recently released documentary film The Adel Women’s Club is sponsoring their annual spring luncheon on Monday Tickets can be purchased in advance by calling or texting Paula Joiner Many able-bodied individuals are able to walk in and out of buildings without a second thought But Robert Fisher is here to remind you that a closed door can represent a major barrier to some Des Moines area residents has contended with as he's navigated his Adel community in a motorized wheelchair These experiences have prompted Fisher to educate local leaders on the challenges residents like himself face while trying to maintain his independence he has worked to persuade local governments and businesses to improve accessibility to their public spaces by installing automatic handicap accessible doors that can be opened with the push of a button “They need to put it in for other people in wheelchairs to come into that building and out of that building," Fisher said you cannot go in because they do not have a handicap or automatic door.” The Americans with Disabilities Act dictates that organizations and businesses must make their public spaces accessible by providing doors that can open with minimal force and with enough width and clearance to accommodate wheelchairs, among other criteria But federal guidelines do not require power-assist doors like the ones that Fisher advocates for This equipment can cost thousands of dollars to install and maintain Instead, those with mobility issues must rely on others to open doors for them in order to access that building. This, Fisher argued, is demeaning and a hindrance to the thousands of Iowans living with a mobility disability which includes older Iowans and those who have physical challenges these individuals may be discouraged from going out “It goes beyond convenience; it's about promoting a society where everyone can navigate public spaces with dignity and autonomy,” Fisher wrote in a letter he sent to businesses Fisher has been tireless in his effort over the last several years a local community organizer who has helped Fisher in his efforts "He’s always thinking about what he can do to move the ball on this from the governor of the state of Iowa to big corporations the post office and the Wells Fargo Bank in Adel have installed doors thanks to his advocacy But progress convincing other major businesses in the area to install these doors has been slow he has also set his sights on other avenues for change In late November, he spoke before the Waukee City Council to ask council members to consider changing city ordinances to require these doors be installed on new construction in Waukee By convincing elected officials to change city building code Fisher said he hopes it would ensure access and independence for hundreds of residents in Dallas County with mobility issues While he continues to reach out to local and county governments Fisher also hopes to advocate for this type of policy on a statewide level He said he hopes to educate state legislators and other government officials on this issue and to encourage them to consider drafting legislation that would make installing these power-assist doors part of state law “I will be involving myself anyway I can to make it happen because I don’t want other wheelchair users to go through what I go through — not having a handicap button or automatic door," Fisher said but they have to realize they have to educate themselves to get them.” Michaela Ramm covers health care for the Des Moines Register. She can be reached at mramm@registermedia.com or at (319) 339-7354 SES CEO Adel Al-Saleh kicked off SATELLITE with the announcement that the operator is working with Lynk Global on direct-to-device (D2D) service offering Under the strategic partnership announced Monday SES will invest in Lynk and become a channel partner to allow government mobile network operator (MNO) and automotive customers to access Lynk’s D2D network This will support a range of applications including remote access mission-critical first responder and secure government communications “We are going to partner from a go-to-market perspective in how we take this service to our customers where we can take those capabilities to them We will leverage our strong go-to-market in these segments to provide those services to our customers,” Al-Saleh said SES will provide Series B funding for Lynk’s D2D constellation and collaborate in developing Lynk's network architecture Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed Al-Saleh said the companies plan to move Lynk’s satellite manufacturing to Europe Lynk currently has a manufacturing facility in Virginia every political entity is looking for sovereignty We will bring that capability to Europe to make sure that we can create an opportunity to participate in European projects,” Al-Saleh said SES sees D2D as a “huge opportunity,” and one that will evolve with mid-term growth over multiple years including a relay service for Lynk to route traffic between its Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) satellites and SES’s Medium-Earth Orbit (MEO) satellites for real-time data delivery SES will also provide network-as-a-service with SES’s global ground network to provide gateway access and SES’s Geostationary (GEO) satellites to provide telemetry tracking and command and monitoring (TTC&M) services “We believe our network in space — specifically MEO — is a great advantage to be able to move traffic between LEO constellations to MEO to deliver real-time services,” Al-Saleh said “We also believe that our ground infrastructure is an advantage that a lot of direct-to-device can use instead of building their own infrastructures that require a lot of capital and takes a lot of time.” Al-Saleh explained that SES’s satellites can provide visibility to where LEO satellites are in orbit as a value-add service SES plans to offer these services to other companies as well working with Lynk to be the first driver in the marketplace,” he said Lynk was one of the earliest entrants to the direct-to-device market, claiming the first-ever connection between a satellite in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) to a mobile phone on Earth in 2020 The company currently provides emergency alerts and two-way SMS messaging in a number of countries through partnerships with local MNOs but has not significantly scaled its satellite constellation Lynk is also in the midst of a deal to go public through a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC), but the SPAC trust has dwindled as shareholders voted to redeem their shares. The SPAC faces a regulatory deadline of March 25 to vote to approve the merger The company recently named former Intelsat President Ramu Potarazu as CEO Al-Saleh said Potarazu has been a partner in driving strategic initiatives with SES “This long-term strategic collaboration with SES will deeply integrate our networks to enhance our capabilities and validates our LEO D2D network,” Potarazu commented in a news release “With access to the right satellite infrastructure and dedicated ground infrastructure through SES we are strengthening our ability to address government An organization in Adel is holding a sports league for youth starting in spring The Adel Parks and Recreation Department is inviting youth from ages five to 12 to sign up for the South Dallas Little League for baseball and softball According to Recreation Supervisor Ramona Dillinger She explains that practices will begin towards the end of March with games starting the end of April and beginning of May Dillinger points out that the games will be taking place at the Little League Complex in Adel at 6pm on Mondays and Thursdays. The deadline to register is February 23rd and the cost ranges from $70 to $85. Contact the Adel Parks and Rec Department for more information at (515)-993-4525, or you can register by clicking here Two local floral shops are getting ready for one of their busiest holidays Adel Flowers and Gifts opened in its new location at 801 Main St. Flowers moved across the street to 1401 Walnut St. Both shops are now gearing up for Valentine’s Day Adel Flowers and Gifts was located within Harvey’s Greenhouse for 16 years before moving to its new location on the courthouse square “I was shocked at how much difference it made in (visibility),” said Marie Hansen I think we were overlooked because people came in for plants they weren’t necessarily shopping for flowers But I didn’t think it would make that big of a difference.”  Hansen added that community members were excited to see what they did with the 130-year-old building The building overlooks the Dallas County Courthouse and the new mural on the side of the Fiesta Mexican Restaurant and has brought in shoppers to check out the new space The new space also features additional natural light and has more room for retail and gift items “It’s been busy since we opened up here,” Hansen said Flowers has also seen an increase in foot traffic at its new location in Dallas Center The business opened in April 2021 in The Suites at 1400 Walnut “That space really worked for me for my first few years just because I wanted to get my foot in the door,” owner Kati Meyers said While she loved the space and the owner business owners she wanted the chance to continue to expand her business “I’ve grown a little bit and I really needed some visibility,” Meyers said of her decision to move across the street especially with the windows so people can see me and I’m right on the corner.”  She also has had bikers pop in while riding the Raccoon River Valley Trail and stopping at the trailhead across the street Meyers said many have remarked on what a cute shop it is and that they’ll be back Both shops have turned their attention to preparing for the Valentine’s Day holiday A lot goes into getting ready for one of the floral shops’ biggest holidays of the year Flower orders are typically placed two months before Valentine’s Day and then work turns to putting together all of the various arrangements “It’s just a one-day event so it all kind of crashes in on Valentine’s Day Anything we can do ahead of time is helpful.”  Adel Flowers and Gifts plans to have four to five designers on hand to help put together the arrangements Drivers will then help get the flowers delivered throughout the day on Valentine’s Day Red roses tend to be a popular choice for customers to send to their significant other “I would say (roses) are still the most popular flower,” Hansen said Though Meyers said she also has several customers ordering a variety of flowers within an arrangement “Flowers are meant to complement each other,” she added Both shops encourage customers to preorder their Valentine’s Day arrangements for pick-up or delivery Orders can be placed through Adel Flowers and Gifts by calling 515-993-4884 or visiting adelflowers.com the Adel and Dallas Center shops will both offer grab-and-go bouquets on Valentine’s Day Adel Flowers and Gifts also offers teddy bears wine and more to go along with the bouquets “My favorite part of Valentine’s Day is just seeing everybody that day you can kind of feel the excitement,” Meyers said I think it’s nice to have a day dedicated to love.”  Activating this feature will stop all interaction and design based motions and animations on the site for the duration of your visit Activating this feature will create a focus area on the screen that will follow your mouse to eliminate distractions Our people accept the challenge every single day – and we’re showcasing a few of their stories we connected with our Global Solutions Director for Water Conveyance and Storage; Dr The challenge: The changing climate impacts the world’s regions – and their water needs – differently the climate is the number one contributor to persistent water scarcity With desalination plants serving as the main source of freshwater high-budget mega reservoirs have been seen as a way to increase water storage security and efficiency.Tell us more about this challenge.​ high-budget projects for confidential clients Our team developed a concept during one particular project that cut down construction costs by more than 15% saving significantly on a multi-billion-dollar project The concept is simple: instead of soliciting the walls of a concrete reservoir over the full height we created a recess in the bottom slab that gave us 15 to 20% additional storage at practically no additional cost.​That client must have been thrilled by this concept we also suggested placing an electro-resistivity measurement system for leakage detection This technology has been known for decades but we’ve never used it as a permanent leakage detection system for concrete reservoirs before We don’t just work with our clients on the initial project we’re always thinking about how it’s going to function into the future.What else are you excited about when it comes to water conveyance and storage?​ Another major area that is rapidly expanding is related to energy renewables We’ve already seen considerable developments in photovoltaic technology (solar panels) and wind energy because these are fluctuating energy sources with periods of ebb and flow One way to accomplish this is through pumped storage hydropower. We’re in a new era where the development of and innovations in hydropower are starting to take shape and change the market It’s an exciting time to be involved in and play a role in shaping this future delivering a more secure and resilient resource supply for tomorrow Photo belongs to the Adel Police Department The Adel Police Department wants to thank public for their help with locating a young teenager that was reported missing 13-year-old Eli James Zeliadt was last seen around Old Portland Road in Adel around 6pm on Monday evening The police department describes that Zeliadt may have been on a bicycle at the time he went missing The Adel Police Department found Zeliadt late Tuesday night ADEL – The GBI has arrested an Adel man in connection with a child molestation investigation involving solicitation of high school boys The GBI has arrested and charged Michael Steven Bennett the Cook County Sheriff’s Office requested the GBI to investigate allegations against Bennett of sexual misconduct with minors Preliminary information indicates that Bennett solicited high school boys to perform sexual acts Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the Cook County Sheriff’s Office at (229) 896-74711 or the GBI’s regional investigative office in Douglas at (912) 389-4103. Anonymous tips can also be submitted by calling 1-800-597-TIPS (8477), online at https://gbi.georgia.gov/submit-tips-online the case file will be given to the Alapaha Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office for review and potential prosecution In a new interview with Troy Culpan of May The Rock Be With You WITHIN TEMPTATION frontwoman Sharon Den Adel was asked if she and her bandmates have commenced work on material for the follow-up to 2023's "Bleed Out" album She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "We're working already on new material I must say that it goes pretty well at the moment if there will be hiccups for certain songs that you need on the album that aren't there and maybe take a little bit more time So it's difficult to say or to predict how long it's gonna take for a new album to come out Regarding the evolution of WITHIN TEMPTATION's songwriting the things that are in direct contact or what you've done that week most of the time end up in my music eventually it's the things that are processing in your brain We've always been very much inspired by politics although we've never been a political band until the latest album like… There's so many aspects to it and intriguing how people think and how they work and sometimes manipulate things in the news or anything And it inspires a lot how to talk about and to write about The things we are frustrated about ends up in our music sometimes to process those emotions and then putting it into music: 'Okay She continued: "I never thought of that in the past I was always thinking of an idea of a story that I wanted to tell which is way more difficult if the story didn't happen to you Then it's more difficult to express your emotions into that And now it's more about the things really happening actually in daily life." Sharon told the "Everblack" podcast about WITHIN TEMPTATION's constant musical evolution: "The fire hasn't died But I think that's what's always been inspirational to us — not to do the same thing over and over and make that even better I think that's what makes our blood stream But I also admire people who can make their style a certain art and make it perfect or somehow In December 2023, Den Adel was asked by Mexico's Summa Inferno why it was important for her and her bandmates to voice their political views in some of their recently released songs including "Wireless" and the title track of their latest album "Bleed Out" which have highlighted such current topics as the war in Ukraine and the suspicious death of Mahsa Amini an Iranian woman "detained" for not wearing a hijab when the musicians were traveling from country to country what they did is bring the news from one country to another country," she explained people would know up North because then the musicians came and they make music telling the stories of what's happening in the world And I think that essence of being a musician I think the essence of keeping certain subjects alive in a different way than in the past but now more like the news goes so fast in our time And the thing is it becomes old news very fast But certain things you need to keep addressing and talking about and of course now that what's happening in Gaza and in Israel we've written songs about certain of these topics So that's why we're talking about it in our interviews And because it becomes old news very quickly here in Europe but nobody talks that much anymore about the Ukraine or what's happening in Iran but in different ways from a European point of view it's already very much old news since Mahsa Amini died because she resisted the morality police and died in a horrible way after being beaten to death just because she wore her clothes in an incorrect way And it's very important to talk about these topics because otherwise it becomes old news and their fight is still going on We could have written about so many things in the world even about South America where certain things are happening But these were the things that inspired us when we were in the studio Mahsa Amini had just died and we watched the news But it could have been also other topics that are just as much needed to be talked about But these were the things that were happening in the moment when we were writing music." Asked if she is afraid of the backlash and criticism she and the rest of WITHIN TEMPTATION might receive for publicly voicing their political views What I hope to do with this — we're not lashing out or criticizing anything It's more like we try to keep the subject alive because just by talking about it we can bring other people to new ideas or get a little bit deeper into the subject or start being interested in the subject and thinking about what is the right thing to do So I'm not afraid of feeling attacked because of the fact that we take a certain point of view because I think… Well We can all be a voice and we can all contribute to the debate on what kind of world do you wanna live in and what do you accept from each other and what don't we accept from each other There should be a certain pressure from other countries trying to help certain people in need And I think it's most important that we support those who are in oppression and to let them know there's people thinking about them and supporting them." Adel-Byanu Abidullina joined the Kansas coaching staff as an assistant coach in August of 2023 after completing her college tennis career at the University of Delaware 1 doubles for the Blue Hens and was ranked as high as No 3 in Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) doubles rankings Abidullina advanced to the Quarterfinals of the ITA Fall National Championships and finished the season ranked No 35 in the final ITA Division I doubles rankings with a record of 29-2 qualifying for the NCAA Doubles Championships where she was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American in singles (2019 2021) and a two time NCAA Division II All-American in doubles (2020 She was a three-time ITA All-Academic honoree and two-time MIAA Player of the Year (2019 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 Veronica "Ronnie" Flores-Herrera is the Real-Time Desk Manager for KRIS 6 News The Emmy-nominated journalist has been covering news in the Coastal Bend since 1997 Tx — A Nueces County Grand Jury has decided not to indict former Nueces County Medical Examiner Dr Shaker was arrested for 17 violations of the Texas Occupations Code Each charge was a third-degree felony that carried a $50,000 bond He resigned from his position about a week after his arrest According to a press release sent by Shaker's attorneys a Nueces County grand jury met on Thursday They reviewed the charges and evidence against him and decided there was not enough evidence to charge Shaker with the felony crimes he was accused of the grand jury decided not to indict him and issued a No-bill His attorneys also say the Texas Medical Board reviewed the complaints filed on Dr Shaker and declined to take any action against him Shaker is grateful for the actions of the grand jury and hopes to rebuild his life and restore his reputation and after the intense media scrutiny and attention he hopes to enjoy his privacy with his family." Nueces County paid $300,000 in a settlement involving 32 families who filed complaints against the office Some families claimed the Medical Examiner's office negligently handled bodies In 2022, KRIS 6 News spoke with the Canel family, who said the Medical Examiner's Office mutilated their infant son's body in 2016. 2024Courtesy of brands/Aamna Adel/Laneen WellsSave this storySave this storySave this storySave this storyAll products featured on Self are independently selected by our editors we may receive compensation from retailers and/or from purchases of products through these links Dr. Adel specializes in skin health and hair loss, and she’s constantly offering up tips on both subjects to her 1.6 million followers. In doing so, she shares a ton of product recommendations that cater to all different concerns: fungal acne, large pores, greasy roots—you name it But what does she reach for on a daily basis Adel about her current skin and hair care routine to find out which products she keeps in rotation in her shower and medicine cabinet to hydrate her dry skin and give her wavy hair a boost “It doesn’t pill and it absorbs really easily Adel washes away the day with an oil-based cleanser and then a water-based one: “I’m a big fan of double cleansing because I think that’s the best way to remove all of my makeup and sunscreen,” she says “And it definitely makes a difference when it comes to how well all of the other products that I apply afterward absorb into my skin.” Get more of SELF’s stellar product recommendations delivered right to your inbox (for free!). The board’s decision will extend Hagekhalil’s leave of absence until an investigator has finished interviews and submitted a report on the findings. “The investigation is being conducted independently by an outside investigator,” said Adán Ortega Jr., chair of the MWD board. “The investigator is down to final witnesses.” The outcome is expected to determine whether Hagekhalil is fired or reinstated as the top manager of California’s largest urban water supplier he has called for transforming the agency and has focused on adaptation to climate change in part by reducing reliance on water supplies from distant sources and investing in local water supplies Some of the accusations against Hagekhalil surfaced in a letter to the board from Chief Financial Officer Katano Kasaine saying he has always treated other employees with respect and professionalism “I’ve been compelled to defend my reputation and my job based on my record of inclusion reform and results,” Hagekhalil told the board during Monday’s meeting The MWD board placed Hagekhalil on leave on June 13 He said the investigator contacted him for the first time on Friday to schedule an interview Hagekhalil said he hasn’t done anything wrong and is ready to tell his side of the story “I will continue to strive to treat everyone with courtesy “I’m committed to working with you and the employees to find these solutions to move us forward and heal the organization.” said she has learned that other employees referenced in Kasaine’s complaint also have yet to be interviewed Hagekhalil himself has identified more than 40 witnesses with knowledge of the allegations,” Garvis Wright said “We continue to have enormous concerns about the process and the lack of fairness and independence of the investigation.” It’s the second time the board has voted to extend his leave of absence The leave had been scheduled to end this week Board members discussed the matter and voted to approve the extension in closed session after listening to comments from the public for more than two hours About 50 people spoke in support of Hagekhalil, praising him as a talented leader with a record of being respectful, inclusive and supportive of women. Many urged the board to reinstate him. The supporters included MWD employees, residents, environmental advocates, Los Angeles city officials and others who have worked with Hagekhalil. Six other people spoke critically of Hagekhalil, saying the accusations are serious and the board should base its decision on the investigation’s findings, not attempts by his allies to sway the process. Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield said the investigation has lasted a long time, which is “not a good look.” “I’m very concerned about what’s going on here,” Blumenfield said. “I know that there is a lot of water politics going on always. This is California. But I really hope that that doesn’t interfere with what this good man is trying to do to help our region and to help us with our water policy.” The Metropolitan Water District delivers water to cities and agencies that supply 19 million people across Southern California City Councilmember Paul Koretz said Hagekhalil is “one of the finest executives I’ve ever worked with.” his only real fault was not always agreeing with his subordinates on policy,” Koretz said this kind of trumped-up charge is more of the stuff of which California water policy is known and famous for The way this has been handled is frankly embarrassing.” Hagekhalil previously worked for the city of Los Angeles’ leading programs focusing on sewers and streets. He was appointed the MWD’s general manager in 2021 after a bitter power struggle among board members. Bruce Reznik, executive director of the group Los Angeles Waterkeeper, said he understood that such personnel issues require caution, but that nothing in the complaints that have come to light would warrant dismissing Hagekhalil. “It’s now been more or less a four-month fishing expedition and I don’t think you’ve caught any fish,” Reznik said. “And that’s one of my worries, is we can keep dragging this out.” Others praised Hagekhalil’s character and leadership style. Hilary Norton, former chair of the California Transportation Commission, called him a “collaborator who is respectful to women, uplifts new ideas that stem from women leaders and gives women the opportunity to say what they need to say, speak their mind and support their leadership.” Norton said she has been in “harassing environments” in local and state government, but Hagekhalil is “someone who would stand up for women.” Melanie Winter has long advocated for change along the L.A she remains focused on healing L.A.’s relationship to water some employee groups have criticized Hagekhalil’s management and what they say are failures The Hispanic Employees Assn. urged the board to “hold him accountable for his actions that go against his responsibility to cultivate and maintain a fair The Black Employees Assn. said there has been a “a pattern of behavior by Mr Hagekhalil negatively affecting several members president and chief executive of the business consulting firm WaterMark Associates said the comments by some that Hagekhalil is a “good leader” are irrelevant to investigating the complaints against him “There are only two questions you must answer today: Are these allegations true what is your course of action?” Burke said the general manager sets the culture and tone Condoning his behavior tells the women of Metropolitan that they are indeed second-class citizens that inappropriate behavior is encouraged and rewarded.” saying Hagekhalil “does not listen to and respect the people that know the finances” of the agency Ellen Mackey, a senior ecologist and leader of the women’s caucus at the MWD, called for reinstating Hagekhalil while the investigation proceeds. She praised him for making progress improving the culture at the agency, “but we fear we are now losing ground with those more comfortable with the old, abusive work environment.” In interviews with current and former staffers and reviews of district records The Times found a pattern of complaints alleging harassment and bullying of women at the Metropolitan Water District said after the meeting that the investigation “must be thorough fair and respectful of the rights of everyone involved.” Deven Upadhyay is serving as interim general manager “While I know many would have preferred for our board to have reached a conclusion today we must take care to protect the independence of the outside investigator and give them time to hear witnesses and affected parties who may be impacted “A fair and thorough process for all parties involved is our priority.” Some civil rights advocates have raised concerns about potential discrimination in the process. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has told the water district that Hagekhalil has been “subjected to discriminatory and racist actions and behaviors” by some board members Hagekhalil is the first Muslim Arab American general manager in the district’s history. He grew up in Lebanon with his Palestinian family before immigrating to the United States in 1984 “We are concerned about the potential discriminatory, anti-Arab, and Islamophobia sentiment coloring his placement on leave and the current investigation,” Amr Shabaik, the council’s legal director in Los Angeles, said in a letter to the MWD board last week. “We are aware that Board members have used derogatory terms against immigrants, Muslims, and Arabs. Such alleged statements include the following: ‘When are we going to get rid of those refugees?’ ‘When are we going to hire someone that we can pronounce their last name,’ and calling Muslims and Arab Americans ‘Camel Jockeys,’” Shabaik wrote. “We ask that the potential discrimination and harassment against Mr. Hagekhalil be addressed and remedied,” he said. MWD spokesperson Rebecca Kimitch said the agency “takes all accusations of discrimination, harassment and retaliation seriously,” and that these allegations are being treated in accordance with the district’s antidiscrimination policies. In a new interview with the "Everblack" podcast She responded (as transcribed by BLABBERMOUTH.NET): "Well we are trying to make… That's also so funny because I was talking to Robert [Westerholt WITHIN TEMPTATION guitarist and Sharon's husband] we're gonna take our time this time — maybe two years maybe a little bit longer — just to make the perfect album.' And then we started writing Maybe we should release it very soon.' It's I can't say it anymore because I don't wanna disappoint anyone," she continued And we really have an idea what we wanna do next." Sharon also touched upon WITHIN TEMPTATION's constant musical evolution Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email you’ll meet Travis and Dakota Page of The Page Brothers Band from Adel They say they’re “a band of brothers with a swampy southern sound rooted in bluesy rock n’ roll and Georgia soul” and that description is pretty much perfect.  The Peach State is home to an abundance of musical talent host Jeremy Powell welcomes a band that embodies the rich musical traditions of Georgia The Page Brothers Band — comprised of Travis and Dakota Page — joins the show to share their story Describing themselves as “a band of brothers with a swampy Southern sound rooted in bluesy rock ‘n’ roll and Georgia soul,” The Page Brothers Band delivers music that feels both deeply personal and universally relatable From their small-town upbringing to their journey in honing their craft their passion for storytelling through song shines in this intimate conversation Jeremy Powell kicks off the episode by highlighting the band's unique blend of influences whose deep baritone voice immediately sets him apart recalls how he spent his childhood imitating Johnny Cash credits his first guitar — gifted by his grandparents — as the beginning of his musical journey making creativity a natural part of their lives but it shaped the Page Brothers' journey in meaningful ways the local music scene required them to look beyond their hometown to places like Valdosta and Tifton to find gigs and connect with fellow musicians became their musical home base — a place where they could refine their skills and build a following Despite the challenges of growing up in a small town with few performance opportunities the brothers embraced their roots and let those experiences shape their music while Travis’ skillful guitar playing adds depth and emotion to their sound music is more than a passion — it’s his full-time job Travis balances music with his role as a co-owner of String Theory Music in Adel a job that allows him to stay connected to his craft even when he’s off stage Though their journeys have taken different paths the ultimate goal remains the same: to make music that resonates they aim to create songs that “make disturbed people feel comfortable and comfortable people feel disturbed.” Their music isn’t about chasing trends — it’s about honesty The Page Brothers Band treats listeners to live performances filled with raw emotion and storytelling their lyrics reflect real-life experiences Their performances showcase not only their individual talents but also the undeniable chemistry between two brothers who have spent years making music together Jeremy asks Travis to brag about his brother and uncanny ability to craft the perfect lyric It’s a touching moment that encapsulates the deep bond between these two musicians — one that translates seamlessly into their music this episode of Peach Jam is not to be missed The Page Brothers Band brings authenticity and an unmistakable Georgia sound to every note they play Listen to the full episode now and experience the magic of this talented duo for yourself The Peach Jam podcast from GPB features songs and stories from a variety of the incredibly talented and diverse bands and artists who call the Peach State home Recorded live in our GPB studios, you get a front row seat for the intimate musical performances and free-flowing conversation from a truly eclectic variety of Georgia musicians. You can find more at GPB.org/PeachJamPodcast — and please download and subscribe on your favorite podcast platform.  Jeremy Powell is an experienced radio and podcast producer who has spent many years working in Atlanta He graduated from Darlington School in Rome and is an avid music fan and vinyl collector GPB is committed to bringing you comprehensive news coverage from Georgia across the country and around the world.  Your support makes this possible.  Please consider making a gift today to support this vital public service a singer-songwriter from Season 2 of Peach Jam returns to Georgia Public Broadcasting to share news about his new album and his new love.  found his love for music in The House of God Church and its Sacred Steel sound Now he shares his passion and love for that sound with the world.  Atlanta-based alternative rock band Frigga Five reflects on their journey from basement rehearsals to sold-out shows and a growing place in the city’s vibrant music scene they share what it means to build something together from the ground up a $479,000 house for sale close to Adel is a rare example of a residential property built around a very unusual geodesic dome the central dome is home to the living space and a spiral staircase that leads to an upper level “writer’s nest.” Realtor Laurie Culp described the home as a retreat for creative talents most recently inspiring its musician and novelist owners Central Iowa’s most famous geodesic dome structure downtown’s conservatory at the Greater Des Moines Botanical Garden and perhaps inspired the triangular panel framework of this 1,310-square-foot The four-acre plot is positioned a short drive north from Highway 6 “You pull into your driveway and can be refreshed and renewed,” Culp said And while it was built as a picturesque escape from city life it is still close enough to urban amenities to receive deliveries from DoorDash “It feels like a house in the woods” she added “and through every window there is a view of trees,” enhanced by frequent visits from local foxes The plentiful windows also foster an environment during winter months that Culp described as similar to living inside a “snow globe.” the home’s clever design becomes more obvious One half of the dome leads to a hallway and outdoor deck while the opposite side connects to a rectangular addition featuring the primary bedroom and doors to its own private patio Stainless steel appliances and maple cabinets in the kitchen have been installed to fit flush with the eccentrically shaped walls The angular living room ceiling is a steady reminder of the unusual design an exaggerated variant on a traditional vaulted ceiling and famed for its energy efficiency On the 800-square-foot finished lower level Culp believes the compact layout might prove less appealing for a family and outdoor breaks on the wrap-around deck or in the enclosed hot tub and spa wired a few steps from the house Four other buildings on the site include a 1,200-square-foot combination garage and workshop and all could be utilized by imaginative new owners with plans to develop a home business “I see this property as generating money for people,” Culp said but it’ll be kind of life changing for the right person that knows they need that kind of a house,” she added The home is listed at $479,000 by Laurie Culp of RE/MAX Precision Contact Culp at 515-291-1522 for more information and a private showing Richard Lane is a freelance writer for the Des Moines Register. If you have a home we should feature, reach out to Susan Stapleton at sstapleton@gannett.com Manager of Programming responsible for developing plans for programme strands and preparing the programme grid on a daily as well as overseeing the global planning effort with regards to special events series and long and short-term programme planning to increase viewership ratings Adel Ksiksi is also the Head of Al Jazeera Industry Days It is an event that intends to support the expansion of documentaries worldwide and aims to match key decision-makers with interesting and valuable projects © 2024 International Documentary Association Privacy Policy Just how many ears of sweet corn have been served during Adel’s Sweet Corn Festival Organizers said it’s hard to know for sure but the number is likely in the hundreds of thousands as the annual festival returns for the 45th year on Saturday “I was told the year I started (in 2016) that they ordered 7 tons that year so that’s what I’ve rolled with going forward,” said Deb Bengtson president of the Adel Partners Chamber of Commerce A little under seven tons of Deardorff Sweet Corn has been ordered for this year’s festival which kicks off on Friday with the community corn shucking Area residents are invited to help shuck around 14,000 ears of corn starting at 4:30 p.m on Friday in the parking lot at 10th and Prairie Complimentary water and beer will be provided by Culligan and the Corner Tap it’s around a two-hour process to shuck a little under 7 tons of corn,” Bengtson said “The community has been great about showing up and helping us shuck the corn and get it ready for the next day I’ve had people tell me that it's their favorite part of the Sweet Corn Festival.”  The Sweet Corn Princess Contest will follow at 6:30 p.m third and fourth grade ADM students are set to participate The princess and her court are selected by random drawing The annual Sweet Corn Festival has evolved over the years “The festival just started out as a (way for) local merchants to say thank you to the community for supporting them and it’s mushroomed from there to a very big festival,” Bengtson said The celebration draws more than 11,000 people graduates of Adel-De Soto-Minburn High School and area residents “It gives us the opportunity to showcase what a charming and beautiful community we have in Adel And that’s what makes it really special,” Bengtson said Around 500 volunteers are needed to make sure everything runs smoothly “The Raccoon Valley Sportsman Club helps with the quality control the Boy Scouts help load the truck (with corn) It takes a village to put on the Sweet Corn Festival,” Bengtson said More than 100 volunteers help with the 5K alone while members of the Adel Kiwanis Club help coordinate the parade “It’s our way to give back to the community,” Gavin said of the Kiwanis members Festivities continue on Saturday, Aug. 10 with the Sweet Corn 5K Fun Run/Walk at 7:30 a.m. Scott Gavin of the Adel Kiwanis, which helps organize the parade, said the route will travel down 18th Street to Main Street turn at 11th Street and return to Prairie before kicking out at 14th Street and Gavin said anyone looking to participate in the parade can get in line at 8:30 a.m “It’s amazing the level of participation and the level of attendees,” he added as area residents line both sides of the street This year's parade will likely be even bigger as it's an election year art and info vendors will be stationed around the downtown square from 9 a.m “We have the most vendors that we’ve ever had at any Sweet Corn Festival,” Bengtson said “We hope everybody comes out and checks out all of our vendors there’s a wide variety this year from art to crafts to face painting Other activities include a car show, live music, sand volleyball and a bags tournaments The Garlick Team will present this year’s fun zone from 12-4 p.m The Sweet Corn Festival wraps up with a street party from 6 p.m featuring live music by Burnin’ Sensations “It’s really a place to come together as a community and celebrate and enjoy free sweet corn,” Bengtson added She encourages locals to check out all of Saturday's activities “You just need to come and experience it,” Bengtson said “Who doesn’t want to eat an ear of sweet corn in the summertime?”   For more information, including a full schedule, visit the Adel Sweet Corn Festival Facebook page