Nearly four years ago, we uprooted our family and moved halfway across the country from the South to the Midwest It was a two-day journey with a full U-Haul and endless bathroom breaks After five years and having two kids states away from our families we didn't have to give big hugs or say goodbye; we simply said My spouse and I both grew up next to cousins and it was important to us for our kids to have the same When we first moved, we paid my mom to be our kids' day care provider until they entered school she works at their elementary school and drives them home daily It's also nice because I have a direct line to them throughout the day I can text her if I'm worried about them or think they need anything My parents regularly take them for sleepovers; if it's been a few weeks without one either the kids or my parents are asking to set one up ask to hang out on a whim — sometimes I tag along and other times I'm given the gift of free time also lives with my parents and is a staple in the boys' lives They force him out of his shell by constantly inviting him over or asking him to play They love spending time with him and have so much fun when he's around It's night and day from their toddler days before we moved Moving back home has created a wonderful setup and made our lives so much richer We have big family get-togethers and request that our kids play on the same sports teams and we often plan trips to meet in the middle I constantly tease them that they will move near us after retirement and I am crossing my fingers that it actually happens someday Moving was a huge adjustment for our family, especially my husband, who switched careers and committed to moving to his wife's hometown it's provided us with a stable and happy location for our kids They have been given the gift of time with grandparents EPA waiver authorizing California’s Advanced Clean Cars II ban on sales of new gas New Jersey is one of 13 states that has committed to adopting the ACC II ban which mandates that no new gas-powered cars be purchased in the Garden State by the year 2035 with targeted annual requirements of electric vehicle sales starting for model year 2027 by stalling the penalties that auto companies will face starting next year (model year 2027) when the EV targets are not made “This positive House vote is a vote for common sense But as we have said for nearly two years now the ban on gas-powered cars in such an expedited time frame has never been feasible or practical or affordable knows that states adopting this rule will place a heavy strain on the limited resources of families “This California mandate cannot and should not cripple our communities and businesses in our state We contend it should have never been authorized “We thank the members of the House on both sides of the aisle who voted to overturn California’s ban on sales of new gas cars We urge the Senate to also approve the CRA resolutions and get the final measure to the President’s desk.” Sign up to receive our daily e-news service six days per week It features important business news and information for a business like yours New Jersey Business Today is delivered to your inbox at 4:00 pm You will also receive a digital edition of New Jersey Business magazine at the beginning of the month Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Get A Golf Handicap UK Golf Guide Golfshake Top 100s Find Golf Travel Deals Golf Competitions Community Forum There are many instances in life where the idea of something is superior to reality Golf is full of them despite this game being most rewarding when stripped to its basics without the added trappings of modern technology and gimmicks But one thing that stands above the rest as inconsequential fluff is the existence of halfway houses not every venue on the planet has the facilities or budget to host one of these little buildings that rest waiting patiently to supply you with a tasty beverage or bite to eat that will fuel you into action for the back nine particularly (but not exclusively) at higher-end clubs and resorts These buildings often have distinctive character and come in all manner of sizes and charming styles Sunningdale is one that springs instantly to mind.  (Image Credit: Kevin Diss Photography) I've played several courses that notably had a watering hole with each of them being a little oasis on a hot day or some respite from the chill of winter but I have to admit that the concept of them leaves me feeling rather cold There's no doubt that a soothing drink of something fresh on a warm afternoon in summer can be welcome likewise a coffee or tea when temperatures have plummeted but I feel they break the momentum of a round and that these unnecessary pauses are best left for afterwards in the clubhouse when you have the freedom to fully reflect on your day the halfway houses that I am least in favour of are those that encourage golfers to have a seat and consume a light meal for ten minutes or so or maybe even down a refreshment (sometimes of the alcoholic variety) before you head for home on the back half of the course The arguments in favour of them would be that it's effectively like an intermission at the theatre when you have time to take a breath after the first act and ready yourself for the second whereas halfway houses (which often aren't even at the midpoint) are just arbitrary by comparison if you have spent good money to play a celebrated layout you may wish to fully luxuriate and indulge in that experience and sitting down for a period can extend the day a little further.  and don't want to see the rhythm of the round halted shutting ourselves off from the outside world for a few glorious hours and sharing the memories of each hole and shots as we play them.  drinking and reflections can wait till afterwards I don't believe that these worlds are ideally blended together - although I shall remain open to having the option of buying something light to go Many of you will disagree and think that I'm completely missing the point of what these facilities offer and it wouldn't be the first time that my own instincts don't match with conventional wisdom or popular opinion.  Halfway houses perhaps do have a place in the right context the best among them are probably evidence of that but they are mere window-dressing that I don't think would be noticed if they didn't exist.  Think of all the courses you've played that don't have one you haven't once thought that the place would be enhanced if a wee hut serving booze caffeinated beverages or savoury treats was there I'm far more keen to step straight onto the tenth tee ready to continue our round together The Most Overrated Things About Golf Old Fashioned Golf Club Rules That Need to Go Is This The Best Halfway House in The World Are These The Best Halfway Houses in Golf Tags: GOLFERS Golf daily picks Tuition Series Golf Forums Golf Course Directory UK Golf Courses Tee Time Search Golf Inspired Search for Golf Courses Tee Time Search Weekly Tour News Industry News Rating & Reviews Get a Golf Handicap Golfscoretracker Handicap Calculations Stat Tracking Cards Golfshake Services Terms, Cookies & Privacy by Bettie Cross Texas — Construction of a new bridge over Lady Bird Lake is halfway to completion The eastern end of Austin’s most popular hike and bike trail is getting a $25-million-dollar makeover and cyclists a safer way to get across Lady Bird Lake than South Pleasant Valley Road the city is getting a first-of-its-kind bridge A wishbone bridge is taking shape with concrete beams almost spanning Lady Bird Lake Rocking and almost done," said Austin cyclist Wayne Nagel Nagel bikes around Lady Bird Lake several times a week. He says the three-pronged pedestrian bridge next to Longhorn Dam will be much safer than making people walk and bike next to traffic on South Pleasant Valley Road They have made a lot of progress," said Nagel RELATED| Construction begins on new pedestrian bridge over Lady Bird Lake Construction crews have completed all the substructure work which includes columns beneath the water that hold up the bridge with the exception of one span that is being left open to give crews access in and out "What the contractor is currently working on is placing the deck that sits right on top of the beams and that's the portion that everyone will walk and bike on We have gotten about half of the deck in place," said Genest Landry Assistant Director of Project Delivery at Capital Delivery Services construction crews have dug out a new pedestrian crossing under South Pleasant Valley Road The arched tunnel is a safer underpass that is 8 times the size of what was there "It was about 7-feet in height and 5-feet in width and our new underpass is 30-feet wide by 16-feet tall," said Landry An artist rendering shows what the tunnel will look like when it is completed Another image depicts the central platform or gathering place where the three prongs of the wishbone bridge meet It is going to have pergolas that will have plants growing on them that will provide some shade," said Landry The wishbone bridge looks further along than it is The connection between the north and south shores of the lake is not set to open to pedestrians and cyclists until this time next year As Lebanon County athletics unfold through the spring there’s been plenty of action to highlight from the diamond The Lancaster-Lebanon baseball league tournaments are scheduled to start May 10 and that means there’s just a few regular season contests to go let’s review some superlative choices around Lebanon County baseball 'Living a dream:' Lebanon football's Jamil Gordon maturing through each new opportunity 2025 commitment tracker: Lebanon County's updated 2025 college announcements list Tyler Peck is used to making contact at the bat, and it’s led to some huge hits this season. The Cougars senior catcher has six home runs so far, which leads the entire Mid-Penn conference. Overall, Peck currently has 20 hits and 18 RBIs along with four double plays and a triple while at bat. Peck’s hitting ability has given the Cougars some walk-off wins this season and will remain a factor for opposing pitchers through the rest of his campaign. Best pitching unit: Northern Lebanon VikingsIt’s been another dominant campaign for Northern Lebanon, and it comes from strong play at the mound. After returning five pitchers from 2024’s team, the Vikings have allowed just 2.4 runs per game this season and put together three shutout games. The group is headlined by junior Adrian Gonzalez along with seniors Vincent Battistelli and Brian Bicksler — who all combined for 87 strikeouts and a 13-1 record to this point. After meeting up for a midseason Section 2 contest, Lebanon and Lampeter-Strasburg turned in an electric finish. Following a 4-3 win by the Pioneers a few weeks prior, the scoreboard was tied 2-2 going into the seventh inning after scores by Lebanon’s David Furjanic and Diego Serrano. With the Cedars up to bat first, junior infielder Kevin Munoz stepped up and launched a home run to give Lebanon a three-run hit — while giving the team a commanding 5-2 lead. The Cedars secured the win in the next series of play, and Munoz’s home run helped push his squad higher in the Section 2 standings. After playing in just three games as a junior, Landon Kreider took a leap on the diamond in 2025. Following just one run and six hits last year, the Falcons’ senior outfielder holds a .314 batting average with 12 runs, 16 hits and six RBIs thus far this year. Kreider has also hit for three triples so far, which stands alone as No. 1 in Section 1 action. Furjanic is a versatile player for Lebanon, and he puts on a show as a runner. After tallying 18 stolen bases in 16 games so far, Lebanon’s senior deserves this honor. Furjanic was efficient stealing plates as a junior when he stole 13 bases in 20 games, but averaging over one per game in 2025 is another step up from that. The Cedars’ senior has the fourth most stolen bases among District 3 baseball and will keep giving opposing pitchers trouble beyond first base. Anspach came out firing to begin the year, and he’s made plays at bat regularly because of it. After earning seven hits and five RBIs through his first six games this year, the Vikings’ freshman kept it rolling to stay hot on the diamond. He’s put up 11 hits, 10 runs and six RBIs altogether and added 14 putouts in the field so far through his freshman campaign. I weighed in at 258 after gaining 13 pounds from Thanksgiving through New Years. We have all been there. Football season, travel, parties & the holidays combined to do a number on me. It is the hardest time of the year health wise for a reason. What was done was done. And it was time to move onward. I immediately started eating healthy & watching the sugar intake again. After I really pissed Big Cat off in December when I missed a flight for a DraftKings stream, I decided to travel way less in 2025 to focus on work & health stuff after 4 years of flying too close to the sun. The first day I jogged 2 miles and was hurting too! But I had to start somewhere. No shame in that. I reached out to my co-worker Matthew Piper Jenks and he has been a godsend for accountability (as he has been to Frank The Tank). Jenks stays on my ass demanding excellence daily and letting him down is not an option. (I send workout reports daily) Jenks helps me to lift weights more often instead of just running which I enjoy more.  The first part of weight loss is always the easiest as the body overreacts to the sugar intake disappearing. I lost 9 LBs in January & was making strides on the running by the end of the 1st month. Super Bowl Week in New Orleans was not good to start February. Historically, I have struggled when traveling and this time was no different. I gained a few pounds back and had to really turn it up the rest of the month to overcompensate. I succeeded and ended the month at 242. When not on the road, maintaining control of my diet is not that difficult luckily. I am a huge foodie but there are so many great options these days. Just have to get a little creative.... The running kicked into another gear in March. Mook asked me to run miles on Mook Can't Sleep to raise money for co-worker Ben DiGulio's sister and her cancer battle for the family. I had not gone farther than a 10k (6.2 miles) to that point but decided to let it rip for the cause. I ran my 1st 1/2 Marathon of 2025 that night in 2 hours and 34 minutes! And we raised $11,000 for the family. MASSIVE W! Originally my goal for the year was to run a 1/2 marathon again but with that already down by mid-March I signed up for the Chicago Marathon on October 12th instead. We have a crew of about 10 of us from the office running it and I cannot wait! Everything has continued to progress positively the last week 6 weeks. My sugar cravings are completely gone now which is def a first! I still eat fruit on keto but that is it. Just lots of protein & greens.  The fact that I can still eat a steak dinner and lose weight feels like a miracle. I hit the 5 year mark of the no alcohol journey on Sunday (minus the Bible Study incident). To celebrate, I ran my 2nd 1/2 Marathon of the year in 2 hours & 29 minutes (5 min improvement). While improvement was shown, I was completely GASSED at the end which was a reality check of how much it will take to run the full 26.2 miles in October. But at least there will be plenty of beautiful Chicago weather in the summer to train! I also even did a 72 hour fast last week from 1pm Tuesday to 1pm Friday drinking only water & coffee. Thursday night during the NFL Draft Stream was BRUTAL as I was eyeing the food the whole night but got through it. By the end I weighed 228.2 on Friday morning.  This was the first time to be in the 220s since 2013!  Moving forward, the weight loss should slow down some naturally. The goal is to lose a manageable 5 pounds a month to put me near 200 for the Chicago Marathon. (Planning to lift weights three times a week too…. can't be skinny fat!) While the 1st half has definitely been a big success, THE JOB IS NOT FINISHED! And a big thank you to Planet Fitness for building a gym in the Chicago office! LAFAYETTE ― Tri-County softball has gained momentum this spring with several key victories including against 2024 class 1A champion Rossville Harrison has competed against the top programs in the state like Noblesville Which of these teams holds the crown as the best softball program in the Lafayette area here's a ranking of the top five Lafayette area teams The rankings are based on head-to-head matchups strength of schedule and all-around production More: How do you say that? Helping you with those tricky area softball and baseball names Senior catcher Bella Dominguez is hitting a smoldering .606 in a lineup with seven players batting .300 or better Tri-County is on a mission to win the program's first IHSAA sectional title but have the chance to go further with heavy hitting roster and pitching staff led by juniors Maddi Nevitt (3.68 ERA The Cavaliers have proven themselves capable of beating elite programs Tri-County is a team of both the present and future getting a pair of outstanding performances from freshmen Reese Johnson (.423 batting average 15 RBIs) and Jayden Martin (.433 batting average Add two senior leaders in Sara Zarse (.364 batting average five RBIs) and Kami Wilkerson (.333 batting average) and Tri-County has the makings of a team capable of achieving program milestones 7 in class 1A by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana More: 'She's not just a coach': Lafayette area softball players cherish relationship with trainer Audra May coming off its first class 1A state championship in history 12 by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana Rossville owns a victory against Harrison and continues to score runs at a high level while equipped with one of the best pitchers in the state in Avery Layton 12 walks and has clubbed four home runs with one triple Junior utility player Autumn Pascal had three home runs and 10 RBIs in one game against Frankfort Rossville has nine hitters batting over .300 More: Here are the 90 high school softball players to watch in the Lafayette area Harrison has battled growing pains with a revamped batting order while incorporating senior starting pitcher Bradie Odom their level of competition is superior when comparing to the rest of the Lafayette area while sophomore Mallory Duell leads the Raiders with a .312 batting average plus key wins over McCutcheon and Tri-County McCutcheon junior Kaidynn Peckinpaugh leads a group that's playing well plus a pair of competitive games against Harrison and Plainfield Peckinpaugh carries a 2.39 ERA with 49 strikeouts and 25 walks along with hitting .438 McCutcheon can collectively hit with a lineup that's smacked eight home runs Senior third baseman Mallorie Beutel is hitting .412 with one home run Sophomore Kacie Nading has performed at a high level and catcher Sydney Osborn has provided key slugs hitting a grand slam against Rossville on April 11 The Mavericks have the pieces to puzzle together a sectional title run but the adjustment will be trying to hit Bradi Odom of Harrison North Newton senior Sydney Rainford is quietly putting together one of the greatest seasons in area history In addition to her over 800 career strikeouts Rainford leads her team in nearly every offensive category with a .643 batting average Rainford has 110 strikeouts and 11 walks as of Tuesday morning for the Spartans 12 in class 1A by the Softball Coaches Association of Indiana The offensive support has come as well with Riley Higgins (.400 batting average three doubles) and Macy Busboom (.286 batting average) Men’s Golf Making a Push at the Halfway Point4/26/2025 1:45:00 PM | Men's Golf That was the last episode of The Pitt that I watched before learning that my own dad had suddenly passed away. I remember the first thing I watched in the aftermath of getting the news: the next episode in my queue for the final season of You. I needed to do something in those wrenching in-between hours of inactivity and it needed to be as far away from reality as possible. Joe Goldberg wreaking stalker mania havoc on trust-fund one-percenters fit the bill. But as the days and weeks went by, I felt an almost perverse urge to return to The Pitt. I’m not sure if it was a play at defiance, to prove that I could and would be able to handle something as innocuous and evergreen as depictions of death and loss in art. Another part of me wondered if watching people grapple with death, in most cases sudden and unexpected, would offer some kind of comfort or catharsis. Crucially, it was an experiment I wanted to undergo alone. Even with a house full of family on hand to support me, I didn’t want to feel like someone was watching me watch something that could reflect my real circumstances at any given moment. Smash-cut to the wee hours of the morning, me in full vamp mode, as the rest of the house slept, pressing play on what must have been episode six or seven of The Pitt and, to my surprise…feeling nothing. It was as easy, enjoyable, and escapist as it had been a week before, even with all the dying patients, conversations about sudden loss, and early-onset grief. A subplot involving an older, loquacious Black man charming the ER staff alongside his exasperated son reminded me of being in the hospital with my dad during a Covid scare years ago, him trying to deflate any tension or anxiety with non-stop jokes—but in a matter-of-fact way. Nothing that had me rushing to turn off the television. I felt relieved, reassured, emboldened even. Surely something soon would pull the rug out from underneath me—the game is the game—but in the meantime, I wasn’t fragile enough to crumble at any given moment or in the face of the more obvious red flags. Then a funny thing happened. I put on an episode of Frasier, my go-to sleep-timer TV show, the ideal, unfussy sitcom for people who can’t fall asleep to silence. Frasier and Martin were commiserating about something, in a scene I’ve likely seen dozens of times. But in this particular moment it hit differently. A guy in his 40s, finding new ways to relate to his father. I’m in my mid-30s and suddenly that experience is no longer in the cards for me. That brief moment changed the whole texture and DNA of one of my favorite shows. No intubations, flatlines, or conversations about loss, and yet it choked me up. I’ve kept up the nighttime Frasier routine every night since, but that different perspective is always in the back of my mind now. As is the certainty that more moments like this are on the horizon. Home » Events » Community » Wicked New England – A Halfway to Halloween Festival View Website Wicked New England is a Halfway to Halloween Festival for those who can’t wait for spooky season This one-day event for the whole family features a curated market with vendors from all over New England and beyond selling their spooky and macabre merchandise stage presentations by haunted attractions including Spooky World Get your tickets here you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: Destination Salem You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the unsubscribe link Treats and Trends" report shows some Americans are already embracing the Halloween spirit Mars is conjuring up eerie-sistible seasonal offerings you won't want to miss Mars is once again diving into the delicious details of how Americans are planning celebrating and—most importantly—stocking up on candy for the biggest treating occasion of the year when Halloween and candy go hand in hand The new data reveals a whopping 95 percent of Americans planning to celebrate Halloween typically purchase some type of candy the spooky spirit starts frighteningly early Nearly 1 in 10 Gen Z and Millennials are already conjuring up their celebrations and these generations are also most likely to buy seasonal treats as soon as they see them online or in store Gen Z and Millennials also don't wait for the leaves to fall to start their Halloween planning—on average They're also fueling the rise of the Summerween trend because why wait until October to indulge in the festivities we think about Halloween year-round and increasingly we are seeing consumers embrace the spooky season early as well," said Tim LeBel Chief Halloween Officer and President of Sales at Mars Wrigley North America Mars has something for every ghost and ghoul no matter how.. chocolate reigns supreme among Halloween candy with 80 percent of Halloween candy purchasers reporting they typically buy this perennial favorite M&M'S®—a top brand for Halloween[1]—will release an all-new M&M'S® Halloween Blend in Milk Chocolate Peanut Milk Chocolate and Peanut Butter Milk Chocolate varieties and is celebrating the return of M&M'S® Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie for a second year While chocolate still holds its lead as a favorite across generations Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to purchase gummy The report also found that half (50 percent) of Halloween candy purchasers typically buy Halloween-themed candy And Mars has you covered with festive shapes like SNICKERS® Pumpkins and new Fun Size M&M'S® Peanut Butter giveaway bags that are perfect for delighting trick-or-treaters Mars is also bringing back fan favorites Ghoulish Green TWIX® and SNICKERS® along with SKITTLES® Shriekers—bringing a haunting twist to iconic Mars candies Mars is a top choice for variety packs during Halloween[2] and this year there are even more options for every chocolate With Gen Z and Millennials more likely to purchase fruity treats compared to other generations Mars is releasing additional combinations of fruity fan-favorites that are scary good The complete 2025 Mars Halloween product lineup will include: These are some findings from an Ipsos survey The starting sample for the survey was a representative sample of n=3,000 U.S including an oversample of n=105 Gen Z adults for this survey is plus or minus 2.4 percentage points The survey was weighted to known population characteristics on gender Hannah Messinger[email protected](445) 444-6970 Incorporated is driven by the belief that the world we want tomorrow starts with how we do business today our diverse and expanding portfolio of leading pet care products and veterinary services support pets all around the world and our quality snacking and food products delight millions of people every day We produce some of the world's best-loved brands including ROYAL CANIN® Our international networks of pet hospitals and our global veterinary diagnostics business ANTECH® offers breakthrough capabilities in pet diagnostics Efficiency and Freedom — inspire our 150,000 Associates to act every day to help create a better world for people Ipsos is one of the largest market research and polling companies globally operating in 90 markets and employing over 18,000 people Our passionately curious research professionals analysts and scientists have built unique multi-specialist capabilities that provide true understanding and powerful insights into the actions Our 75 solutions are based on primary data from our surveys and qualitative or observational techniques Our tagline "Game Changers" sums up our ambition to help our 5,000 customers move confidently through a rapidly changing world Ipsos has been listed on the Euronext Paris since July 1 The company is part of the SBF 120 and Mid-60 indices and is eligible for the Deferred Settlement Service (SRD) ISIN code FR0000073298, Reuters ISOS.PA, Bloomberg IPS:FP www.ipsos.com Top Halloween Candies Nationwide: 2024 Annual List Incorporated — a global leader and maker of beloved snacking Incorporated — a global leader and maker of more than 40 beloved snacking Food & Beverages Retail Surveys, Polls and Research Do not sell or share my personal information: The Morris County Tournament is underway while the Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament is set to kick off on Wednesday with first-round action Division races are taking shape and teams are preparing to make a second-half push for a postseason spot Here's a look at the latest Morris/Sussex Top 10 rankings as we head into May and the fifth week of the 2025 season: The Rams have dropped three of their last four games They started the week with a 7-1 loss to No Morristown; Saturday at West Essex; Monday vs The Golden Panthers maintain their ranking despite splitting their last four games the Pompton Plains school dropped back-to-back contests to Wayne Hills They bounced back with wins over Hasbrouck Heights They opened this week with a 3-1 loss at Parsippany The Wildcats' 10-game win streak was snapped Monday in a 9-1 loss to No The Golden Eagles swept Montville last week 4-2 on Monday and 6-1 on Wednesday before dropping an 8-3 contest at No The Rockaway school started the week with a 9-1 win over High Point on Monday Hanover Park (MCT first round); Monday at Mendham The Dodgers break into the rankings after winning seven straight games and nine of their first 10 The Wolfpack slip a spot following back-to-back losses to Ridge West Morris picked up a 6-5 road win over No The Lions swept Mendham last week by scores of 8-4 and 6-1 before dropping a tight 6-5 matchup at parochial rival Bergen Catholic The Sparta school opened the week with a 4-2 win over Chatham on Monday The Flanders school has won eight of its last nine games to move to the top of the NJAC National division Roxbury outscored opponents 25-9 in wins over Morristown Beard Sophomore Anthony Palombit is batting .542 with a team-high 13 hits and 12 RBIs Whippany Park (MCT first round); Monday vs The Green Wave stretched their win streak to four straight including a big 7-2 win over state-ranked Don Bosco last Friday the Morris Township school outscored Randolph 20-2 in two games They started the week with a 12-2 win over Morristown Beard Parsippany (MCT first round); Monday at Montville ShareSaveCommentMoneyPersonal FinanceBureau Of Prisons Rescinds Controversial Limits On Halfway HouseByWalter Pavlo Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights I am a consultant on white-collar crime and former convicted felon.Follow AuthorApr 10 04:30pm EDTShareSaveCommentFederal Bureau of Prisons backtracks on limiting halfway house to 60 days The Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) issued a memorandum last week limiting the amount of halfway house placement for federal inmates from 12 months to 2 months The result was that many prisoners who had dates to go to a halfway house or home confinement “We have an update we want to share regarding the memo issued on March 31 announcing limitations on Second Chance Act (SCA) placements in Residential Reentry Centers Based on concerns about how these limitations impact the population BOP will not proceed with the planned changes to limit SCA placement to 60 days the BOP is going to be honoring the earlier dates given to prisoners to start their halfway house placement The Second Chance Act (SCA) is a significant piece of U.S first enacted in 2008 and subsequently reauthorized under the First Step Act It designed to improve the process and outcomes of reentry for individuals leaving correctional facilities Its fundamental goals are to reduce recidivism—the tendency of a convicted criminal to reoffend—and enhance public safety by helping formerly incarcerated individuals successfully reintegrate into their communities These services often include employment assistance (job training housing support (transitional and long-term) substance abuse and mental health treatment The SCA also supports research and evaluation to identify effective reentry strategies By addressing the complex challenges faced upon release SCA aims to provide individuals with a meaningful opportunity to rebuild their lives contributing to safer communities and reducing the costs associated with re-incarceration This program is especially helpful to those who have been incarcerated for many years as they try to gain employment it allows them to get back with their families and back to work in short order it allows them to live outside of an institution while still allowing the incarcerated person to have supervision until their sentence is complete Each April, the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs celebrates Second Chance Month to recognize the importance of helping individuals and agencies across the country appreciate their role in supporting the safe and successful reentry of millions of people returning from incarceration each year This reversal by the BOP represents some of the best news prisoners and their families will receive Advocates who worked diligently for both the First Step Act and the Second Chance Act were outraged when the initial 60-day limit was put in place and now relieved that it was reversed We are absolutely thrilled by this extraordinary news,” said Rabbi Moshe Margaretten “Halfway house placement is a vital tool in reducing recidivism providing individuals with the support they need to successfully reintegrate into society and rebuild connections with their families and communities We are deeply grateful to the Department of Justice and the Bureau of Prisons for reconsidering this policy change.” The reasoning for the initial limit on halfway house and a sudden reversal comes at a time when the BOP has yet to have a new Director in place the BOP does not even have an Acting Director in place which is difficult to understand since the Agency faces so many challenges with an annual budget of $8.3 billion was dismissed by the Trump administration on Inauguration Day and the Acting Director that was named to stand in subsequently announced his near-immediate retirement The BOP staff recently lost their retention bonuses while hiring has slowed to fill the nearly 4,000 open positions It is likely that Trump and his Department of Justice (DOJ) will not fill all those positions and will seek additional cuts One step Trump recently took was to issue an executive order eliminating collective bargaining rights for federal unions including those representing Bureau of Prisons employees Using the Civil Service Reform Act of 1978 the order excludes DOJ agencies (including the BOP) from the Federal Labor-Management Relations Program effectively stripping unions of their right to negotiate on behalf of employees BOP employees may feel a bit snubbed in the celebration That may also ripple down to prisoners who rely on staff to get them to the halfway house the next director just inherited another problem It didn't take very long for those plans to go dramatically awry building a 16-point lead in the first quarter—and they didn't let up By halftime the Warriors were down a whopping 27 points And when they failed to cut into that deficit through the first half of the third quarter head coach Steve Kerr decided enough was enough With just under six minutes left in the third Kerr benched his starters and put in the backups to play out the rest of what looked like a blowout Game 5 loss The Warriors decide to empty their bench. Down 29 points, with 5:50 minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter. pic.twitter.com/VrSxxKoQuI The Warriors' bench squad made things awfully interesting in their minutes battling fiercely against Houston's bench to cut what was a 31-point lead in half Ime Udoka put the Rockets' starters back in but Kerr kept riding with the bench—at one point the lead got down to as little as 13 with four minutes to go in the game The Rockets kept their lead on despite some late-game fireworks and Draymond Green didn't see the court after they got pulled in the third Game 6 is set for Friday night at Golden State The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only Betting and gambling content is intended for individuals 21+ and is based on individual commentators' opinions and not that of Sports Illustrated or its affiliates All picks and predictions are suggestions only and not a guarantee of success or profit If you or someone you know has a gambling problem crisis counseling and referral services can be accessed by calling 1-800-GAMBLER  Monday, Apr 28, 2025The AN/TPS-80 Ground and Air Task Oriented Radar (G/ATOR) stands ready for action during Ryukyu Shield 24 on Naval Base White Beach, Okinawa, Japan. (Lance Cpl. Nemos Armijo/Marine Corps)The Marine Corps is more than halfway through receiving its most advanced radar system to date So far, Northrop Grumman has delivered 35 of the AN/TPS-80 Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar A total of 60 are expected in the inventory by 2029 product manager for the G/ATOR for Marine Corps Systems Command told Marine Corps Times ahead of the annual Modern Day Marine military exposition five will go to the Air Force and one is being kept by the Navy for developmental testing the new Marine Littoral Regiments and a host of aviation units are prioritized to receive them the service will begin work on an extended-range mode part of a software update that will give the system farther reach The system provides “enhanced situational awareness and additional capabilities to conduct short- to medium-range radar surveillance and air defense and air traffic control missions,” according to a Marine release The three-vehicle set includes a communications equipment group on a Humvee or similar platform a trailer-mounted radar array and a power equipment group on a larger truck artillery — the Marines — had a separate radar We — the Marines — had our own separate radar for air-breathing and missile targets,” Chief Warrant Officer 3 Jack Linke said in a 2021 release “G/ATOR lets us accomplish both those missions with far better accuracy than either of us had before with our legacy systems.” G/ATOR also gives ground weapons a locating capability “for conduct of counter-battery/counter-fire missions,” according to the release Marines with the 12th Marine Littoral Regiment used a Japanese Self-Defense Force C-2 cargo plane to transport the TPS-80 Ground/Air Task Oriented Radar Yonaguni is the final island in a string of islands that are part of Okinawa which is home to 18,000 residents and another 7,000 U.S Marines deployed the radar as part of training with enhanced sensing and targeting data between 12th MLR and the Japanese military during Exercise Resolute Dragon Though each G/ATOR will be able to run each of the various missions one system cannot run those missions simultaneously The system entered production in June 2019, according to Northrop Grumman. It provides 360-degree coverage for air defense and other missions. While air defense has been the primary mission for the G/ATOR, the radar can also run medium-range air traffic control. This gives Marines the ability to build an expeditionary airport and run it organically with the G/ATOR and a precision navigation radar to land aircraft. At the same time, an ongoing effort is training Marines to conduct intermediate maintenance at their level, instead of pushing repairs to depot-level work that might not need that level of expertise. The move shortens maintenance time and allows the Corps to keep more systems operational for longer periods between detailed maintenance needs. Todd South has written about crime, courts, government and the military for multiple publications since 2004 and was named a 2014 Pulitzer finalist for a co-written project on witness intimidation. Todd is a Marine veteran of the Iraq War. Facebook pageTwitter feedRSS feedDefense News © 2025 Ali Mulhall discusses the shot with her caddie on the 9th hole fairway at the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship Ali Mulhall lines up a birdie putt on the 9th Hole at the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship Ali Mulhall discusses the shot with her caddie on the 9th hole green at the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship Ali Mulhall prepares a pitch out of the rough onto the 9th hole green at the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship Ali Mulhall waits for her turn to putt on the 9th hole green at the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship The LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship continues through Saturday and Sunday that followed Ali Mulhall around during the second round of the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship Ali Mulhall bounced back and finished strong competing in her first professional golf tournament event shot 3-under-par 69 in Friday’s second round of the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship in Ivins It was a bounce-back performance after Mulhall fired a 3-over-par 75 in Thursday’s opening session Her 144 stroke total over the two days brought her finishing score at the event to even par I feel like I came back and really grinded out there and shot a good round today,” Mulhall told reporters after she signed her scorecard and completed her second round “I think just not getting too ahead of myself Mulhall experienced a whirlwind in two days A lifetime dream that she had long prepared for and anticipated went by in a flash But I’m proud of myself the way I finished today Mulhall started early Friday morning and teed off with a bogey 5 on the tenth hole She quickly followed that with back-to-back birdies on the 12th and 13th A bogey on the 15th was erased with another pair of birdies at 17 and 18 bringing her in at the halfway point at -2 Her back nine holes were not quite so up and down Consecutive birdies on the 8th and 9th holes brought Mulhall out with a 35 and carded her 69 total for the second round Mulhall said she benefited greatly from a pre-tournament pep talk from lifelong St who golfed in his 500th career professional event last October at the PGA Black Desert Championship at the same venue in Ivins I really appreciated his help my first night Mulhall had her own personal gallery as she navigated the course getting cheers from family and a loud contingent of local supporters and for them to come out here and watch 18 holes both days it really was just incredible and I’m so thankful they could come,” she said South Korean golfer Haeran Ryu held the lead at the halfway point of the LPGA Tour Black Desert Championship when play concluded Friday evening Ryu backed up her round-best 63 on Thursday with a 67 on Friday Her total of 130 strokes is two better than second-place Somi Lee who shot back-to-back 66’s for a stroke count of 132 Tied for third place at -11 are German Esther Henseleit and South Korean Soo Bin Joo Rounding out the top five golfers at the halfway point are Thailand’s Ariya Jutanugarn and Chinese Taipei’s Wei-Ling Hsu The third and fourth championship rounds continue Saturday and Sunday in Ivins Email notifications are only sent once a day summary of the weather details and news of any severe weather We'll send breaking news and news alerts to you as they happen Receive Sunday Local Offers Coupons from St Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account 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 haunted evening where the eerie beauty of Halloween meets the captivating power of live string music our talented musicians will bring to life iconic spooky themes Each haunting note and sinister chord will transport you to the heart of Halloween Set amongst only the light of shimmering candles combined with the evocative sounds of violin cello and viola will keep you on the edge of your seat as the music sends shivers down your spine Settle in for storytelling of local ghost stories and iconic national narratives that is sure to unsettle your soul Take in the custom compositions of the Lizze Borden House and the Villisca Axe Murder House powerfully played on delicate strings evoking the unsettling thrill of the stories Whether you’re a Halloween enthusiast or simply a lover of haunting melodies this unique event promises a one of a kind experience that will leave you eagerly awaiting the season of thrills Don’t miss this opportunity to celebrate the magic and mystery of Halloween with an unforgettable night of live string music Return to events calendar More info Sign up Get the guide Contact us © 2025 Choose Chicago. All rights reserved.Privacy policy | Your privacy choices | Terms of use | Sitemap ShareSaveCommentMoneyPersonal FinanceFederal Inmates Being Scammed With Halfway House PromisesByWalter Pavlo I am a consultant on white-collar crime and former convicted felon.Follow AuthorApr 09 02:13pm EDTShareSaveCommentFamily members of prisoners are receiving unsolicited calls requesting money to get their loved one .. The sudden change has upended the plans of incarcerated individuals and their families with many seeing their previously approved release dates rescinded it means staying in prison until February 2026 instead of going home in March 2025 family members and legal advocates quickly mobilized reaching out to the BOP’s Residential Reentry Managers in hopes of salvaging community placement plans A new scam has emerged preying on families desperate for relief area code (202) claim that their loved one is now "eligible for immediate compassionate release"—for a fee The caller says $1,700 is required to cover the cost of an ankle bracelet and electronic monitoring equipment “Your person doesn’t qualify for the program,” and hung up asking whether the call they received was legitimate They were scrambling to gather the requested funds desperate for any chance to bring their relative home sooner I had to give them the difficult truth: the BOP never asks families for money to secure monitoring devices Compassionate release is granted only by a U.S and only after the inmate formally submits a request to the BOP which must either approve or deny the motion before it reaches the court There are no shortcuts—and certainly no legitimate services that require payment in exchange for early release This latest policy change on halfway house placement is already sowing confusion and disappointment With nearly 160,000 inmates currently in federal custody—most of whom will eventually return home—the human impact of these decisions is significant that return home now feels further away than ever I contacted the BOP to report details of my conversation with the scammer. The agency acknowledged a similar scam had circulated in 2023 when fraudsters also sought money in exchange for promised home confinement due to an alleged shortage of ankle bracelets The timing of the scam—right as hope is being stripped away by BOP policy shifts—makes it all the more damaging families should be leaning on facts and verified information not falling prey to false promises peddled by predators exploiting the cracks in a strained system There are always opportunities to try to scam someone when they do not have information or promises are made that solve the problem they have the BOP has been vocal about the limited capacity issues faced by the Agency and it may take years to correct those problems There is no short-term fix and the BOP is currently having a difficult time with no real leadership since Director Colette Peters was let go just as Donald Trump was taking office There are numerous consultants who have information and certainly social media has no shortage of rumors particularly now since the BOP is such turmoil amid the new administration directives This has created an opportunity for people to take advantage of both the BOP and the families of those incarcerated It is also difficult when the facts of the current situation do not help those who want their loved ones to be home It takes very little effort and no sophisticated equipment for a scam like this to take hard earned money from a family based on a promise please use the BOP’s memorandum as guidance The Whatcom County Charter Review Commission is halfway through the six-month process of shaping the next 10 years of governance in Whatcom County the commission has yet to bring forward any substantive charter amendments to be considered by voters in November but a few major proposals are waiting in the wings.  The commission is made up of 15 members from the five county council districts and convenes once a decade to propose changes to the county charter The community then votes on the proposed amendments.  The election for commissioners but the commission has eight Democrat-endorsed members and seven Republican-endorsed members when nine Republican-friendly commissioners joined six who were Democrat-endorsed.  The 2025 commission had a somewhat rocky start, spending much of its first meetings on struggles over procedure public accessibility and whether or not to recite the Pledge of Allegiance May 22 is the last meeting at which new amendments can be proposed and the commission needs to have a list of amendments finalized to send to the Whatcom County Council by July 10 in order for the proposals to be put on the November ballot.  Only two amendments have received the votes necessary so far: one lowers the number of signatures needed to put a charter amendment proposed by the public on the ballot and one allows the commission convener to set the meeting rules which could speed up and simplify the body’s initial meeting Commissioner Andrew Reding proposed the signature requirement change and said “This is to rectify the fact that the requirement was placed so high that there has never been a charter amendment proposal directly from the people.”  called it “my gift to the next commission.” Mutchler suspects the reason the amendments proposed thus far have been relatively low stakes is that there’s a high barrier to passage especially with an 8-7 ideological split on the commission.  the county council raised the threshold for charter commission votes — now a supermajority of commissioners (at least 10 votes) is required to bring an amendment to the ballot.  “It’s hard to get 10 people to agree on lunch Every side needs the other side to vote with them.”  The commission is considering two amendments about salaries: one that would change how the salaries of elected officials are set and one that would make a charter review commissioner a paid position Both are still being workshopped and could be voted on at the commission’s April 24 meeting at Cordata Elementary School.  One significant amendment that changes the makeup of county council is on the schedule for future discussion who was one of the freeholders who helped draft the charter in 1978 and has served on every commission since has proposed eliminating the two at-large council positions which are chosen in countywide elections and have tended to swing progressive due to Bellingham’s voting power the progressive bloc intends to bring forward a ranked choice voting proposal although they haven’t yet submitted anything voters are able to rank candidates on a ballot “I’ve been a strong supporter of ranked choice voting for over four decades,” Reding said “It’s the best way to match outcomes to voter intentions.” Battles for representation on the county council are not unique to the 2025 commission.  The 2025 commission will hold additional meetings Other amendments yet to be discussed by the commission include a proposal requiring a supermajority vote from county council to raise taxes and a proposal modifying the county’s budget process timeline.  Meetings are held at 6 p.m. on the second and fourth Thursday of each month, with agendas, packets and online access information posted beforehand at whatcomcounty.us/4550. Community members can send in comments online or speak at meetings Julia Tellman writes about civic issues and anything else that happens to cross her desk; contact her at juliatellman@cascadiadaily.com Email newstips@cascadiadaily.com or Call/Text 360-922-3092 GRUNDY CENTER — After a long and often emotional hearing at the Grundy County Courthouse on Monday afternoon former Conrad Chamber-Main Street Executive Director and Beaman Conrad Emergency Response Team (BCERTS) Secretary/Treasurer Krista Grant received a suspended prison sentence totaling 29 years on a total of five counts related to her ongoing theft of over $46,000 from the two aforementioned entities She will be required to spend a year in a residential correctional facility With about 30 people observing the proceedings in the courtroom Grant was represented by Attorney Adam Junaid while Grundy County Attorney Erika Allen and Assistant County Attorney Kali Adams appeared on behalf of the state A trio of character witnesses testified on Grant’s behalf during the sentencing hearing — friends Stacy Cordes and Katie Simms and her husband Marc Grant All of them described a woman who has been deeply involved in the community through her volunteer work and had shown strong remorse for her actions and undergone therapy since she was first arrested in 2023 they did not feel that sending Grant to prison would aid in her rehabilitation or allow her to repay the debt she now owed to Conrad who has lived in Conrad for almost all of his life provided the longest testimony of the three witnesses sharing that he and his wife of nearly 24 years had received an outpouring of support from the community when one of their daughters was born prematurely and she subsequently felt strongly about volunteering as much as she could and “always wanting to give back more than was given.” Krista Grant first notified her husband of “mistakes” she had made in her role with the BCERTS he learned of the additional charges pertaining to her tenure with Chamber-Main Street Once she had hit “rock bottom,” he said she began to move in a more positive direction take accountability and devise a payback plan which included selling her late father’s vintage pickup truck and most of her jewelry other than her wedding ring Marc Grant described the experience as “life changing” and “eye opening” and called the crimes his wife committed “so out of character for her.” She is well aware of the pain she has caused and the family has grown stronger as a result of the situation He did not feel that there were any telltale signs or “big ticket purchases” that would have alerted him to any sort of fraud as the couple maintained separate accounts Marc Grant described Krista as a great wife and mother who made bad decisions and he didn’t feel that prison would benefit her in any way she and Dryer clarified that the family had at least $15,000 prepared to pay back immediately in restitution Written statements on Grant’s behalf were also provided by Deane Adams the judge moved on to sentencing recommendations The State argued that the maximum allowable prison sentences should be imposed with the fines suspended while the defense made the case that both the prison time and the fines be suspended Junaid contended that his client had wanted to plead guilty for some time and described her as “a humbled person” who felt a deep sense of shame about her actions Krista Grant herself took the opportunity to speak before the court and lamented the “stain” she had left She even recounted the first time she ever took funds to transfer $200 into her own personal account — shaking but with the intent to pay the money back the following day “I do know that I never meant to never pay all that back That was never my intention,” she said She recalled being confronted by Jordan Hoy of the BCERTS at a pancake breakfast in 2023 and initially believing it could all be fixed she realized that was no longer possible and fought back tears as she detailed coming clean to her family as well as wanting to speak with community members even as her legal counsel at the time advised against it After hitting the aforementioned “rock bottom” late in 2023 and contemplating suicide Grant decided she would avoid taking the “easy road” and instead work to rebuild her life and her place in the community “Today I stand before you a different person than I was then My house may have the big red ‘S’ on it and that’s OK because the things I am doing now to take care of myself and to take care of my family and to take care of my community are better,” she said “I’ve wanted to apologize for a long time and to go up and apologize and admit what I did But relationship debt is so big that the words ‘I’m sorry’ are not enough and them forgiving me doesn’t change the fact that I did it She said she had been living in a prison of her own making for the last two years and had a lot of work left to do in making amends and regaining the trust of the community added that she had not asked for a deferred judgment because she felt that decisions she made needed to be a part of her story “permanently.” she reiterated her plea for mercy from the court and consideration for a suspended sentence Allen then argued that Grant’s conduct occurred repeatedly and deliberately and placed an even greater burden on a small town EMS service already strapped for cash going through counseling and taking responsibility at this point the purpose of sentencing is not just rehabilitation,” she said and so I would request that the court also consider that Ms Grant cultivated trust and used that trust to her own financial benefit and that that is not an uncommon occurrence in today’s world described how the agency primarily relies on donations and memorials from community members and said they had been impacted greatly by Grant’s thefts over a four-year period especially as equipment costs continue to rise “Krista’s direct actions while a member of BCERTS has led to the breakdown of trust within the community and has harmed the BCERTS reputation,” Hoy said He went on to detail her pattern of deception in opening accounts in the organization’s name that only she had access to and moving funds without approval while often failing to produce financial reports over the last two years before her arrest at one time even calling efforts to look into the fraud “a witch hunt.” habitual lying and her demeanor during a couple of administrative meetings it was clear that Krista abused her position of authority and trust internally with BCERTS Krista was placed on administrative leave as this behavior is not acceptable,” Hoy said “It is of the opinion of BCERTS that Krista should be held responsible for incurring the debt of restitution and be made an example of with prison time for abusing her position as an administrator of a rural public EMS service.” As Dryer considered the sentence to be imposed she weighed the defendant’s lack of criminal history against the seriousness of the crimes their ongoing nature and the fact that the victims were a rural EMS service and an organization aimed at promoting economic development within the community The judge concluded that she found the presentence investigation recommendation for a suspended sentence to be correct “to a point,” and she felt Grant needed to be working and earning money to repay the victims as soon as possible “I do also think that you need to experience some incarceration to emphasize the fact that you need to comply with the rules of supervision in the community and to give you a taste of what will happen if you do not,” Dryer said “I can do that by making a condition of your supervision placement in a community based residential correctional facility.” she agreed to impose the aforementioned requirement for one year or until maximum benefit is achieved while suspending the total consecutive prison sentences of 29 years and fines of $3,500 for first degree theft two counts of third degree theft and credit card fraud Grant will be required to report to the facility immediately once she is summoned The restitution amounts are $23,410.31 to BCERTS and $22,826.25 to Chamber-Main Street LLC | https://www.timesrepublican.com | 135 West Main Street Essential digital access to quality FT journalism on any device Complete digital access to quality FT journalism with expert analysis from industry leaders Terms & Conditions apply Discover all the plans currently available in your country See why over a million readers pay to read the Financial Times Halloween treat maker Mars has unveiled its 2025 Halloween candy lineup in celebration of Halfway to Halloween This year’s lineup features several returning favorites as well as new seasonal varieties for candy lovers to get excited about Mars has announced five returning seasonal candy varieties including M&M’s Milk Chocolate Pumpkin Pie The Ghoulish Green varieties of Twix and Snickers made their debut in 2022 and add a ghoulish green tint to the inside of some of your favorite Halloween treats Ghoulish Green Twix features a green cookie center while Ghoulish Green Snickers are filled with green nougat Skittles Shriekers made their debut in 2021 and feature extreme sour Skittles flavors M&M’s are getting a new Halloween blend in Milk Chocolate The new blend mixes black and orange candy shells for some of your favorite M&M’s flavors Mars will introduce four new variety packs Mars is releasing new seasonal packages of some of its favorite treats Snickers Pumpkins will debut in a new 6-pack offering and Fun Size M&M’s Peanut Butter will be available in giveaway bags that are perfect for delighting trick-or-treaters and increasingly we are seeing consumers embrace the spooky season early as well,” said Tim LeBel Mars has something for every ghost and ghoul no matter how… or how early… you celebrate this year.” Mars debuted its 2025 Halloween candy lineup alongside its second annual “Mars Tricks, Treats, and Trends,” a consumer insights report that explores how Americans are planning to celebrate Halloween View previous campaigns. ShareSaveCommentMoneyPersonal FinanceUnder Budget Pressure, Bureau Of Prisons To Cut Halfway House TimeByWalter Pavlo I am a consultant on white-collar crime and former convicted felon.Follow AuthorApr 01 05:38pm EDTShareSaveCommentMany federal inmates complete their sentences on home confinement for up to 6 months the BOP is cutting the program and making inmates stay in expensive The Federal Bureau of Prisons is currently facing significant pressure to operate within its $8.3 billion budget which remains unchanged from the previous year due to a continuing resolution the BOP is grappling with the challenge of managing its resources amid understaffing and deteriorating facilities the BOP has decided to limit the prerelease custody period for inmates under the Second Chance Act to a maximum of 60 days significantly reducing the time eligible inmates can spend in halfway houses or home confinement a blow to those inmates who are eligible for up to a year of prerelease custody "In response to ongoing budget constraints all individuals releasing to the community under Second Chance Act (SCA) authority after April 21 will have their dates adjusted and reduced to a maximum of 60 days First Step Act placements will continue as planned Individuals who have completed the Residential Drug Abuse Program (RDAP) will have their transfer date reduced to allow for a 125-day placement in the Residential Reentry Center (RRC)." Bush’s administration and later expanded by the First Step Act allowed inmates to transition into the community for up to a year inmates could serve ten percent of their sentence in home confinement with an additional six months in a halfway house This approach has been essential in facilitating the reintegration of inmates into society especially during the COVID-19 pandemic when the BOP utilized halfway houses to house vulnerable inmates He emphasizes that the proposed 60-day limit is insufficient for inmates particularly those who have spent decades in prison The reliance on halfway houses has been crucial especially considering that over 90% of federal prisoners will eventually return to society These facilities serve as vital transitional spaces allowing inmates to adjust to life outside of prison Despite the BOP’s increased dependence on halfway houses over the last five years it has not taken steps to expand their capacity Nunes said that his members were caught off guard “We have had a great relationship with the BOP over the years,” Nunes said “as our members have worked through problems with the BOP falling behind on its payments to halfway houses." Nunes told me that it was not uncommon for the BOP to be 120-180 days late on paying halfway house contractors where the majority of money paid under the contract goes toward staffing The BOP acknowledged some issues associated with late payments because of a new account payables software ”It has been difficult to run these halfway houses without a line of credit if you’re doing work with the BOP," Nunes said “you can’t staff your organization properly when the funds are so stretched out.” “and this move is not only counter to her comments but I’m not sure how it actually saves any money.” Nunes also said there is still some confusion over the BOP announcement in that he does not know if those who are currently in halfway houses but have more than the 2 months remaining in prerelease custody will be returned to prison “our members were looking at ways to expand capacity so they may have hired people Many advocates of criminal justice reform were also caught off guard by the announcement. "This is deeply troubling," said Rabbi Moshe Margaretten, president of Tzedek Association "Drastically reducing halfway house placements flies in the face of both logic and clear data demonstrating a significant reduction in recidivism for those who participate in this program." The president of Families Against Mandatory Minimums the rationale for this policy decision does not hold water Prisons come with a menu of fixed costs that do not apply to halfway houses and certainly do not apply to home confinement it cannot be that holding people in prison rather than a halfway house or home confinement will save money for the Bureau of Prisons Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved and creatures of the night are awaiting you to share in a delightful fright shadows change and doors open to the frightening and strange So before you throw those old costumes away Powell Drive Park740 Powell DriveRaleigh 27606 919-996-6066 This feedback widget is not intended for customer service issues This feedback is reviewed monthly to help us improve our site. For immediate customer service please refer to our staff directory Erotic Survival Thriller ‘Bone Lake’ Sets October Theatrical Release Date Five Horror Movies Inspired by Fairy Tales to Stream This Week Multiverse Revenge Thriller ‘Redux Redux’ Acquired by Saban for Theatrical Release ‘Together’ Trailer – Alison Brie & Dave Franco’s Love and Flesh Get Corrupted Rock Climbing Survival Horror ‘The Sound’ Will Release in June ‘The Last of Us Part II’ Character Makes Violent Entrance in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Netflix Renews Apocalyptic Sci-Fi Series ‘The Eternaut’ for Season 2 ‘Revival’ Trailer Brings the Dead Back to Life in SYFY Comic Book Adaptation Series Check Into Shudder’s ‘Hell Motel’ from the Creators of ‘Slasher’ [Trailer] Matthew Lillard in Talks to Join Mike Flanagan’s ‘Carrie’ TV Series Director Haylie Duff’s ‘I Am Your Biggest Fan’ Is a Predictable But Watchable Kidnapping Thriller [Review] ‘Rosario’ Review – Family Curse Horror Story Gets Caught in Familiar Possession Trappings ‘The Horror at Highrook’ Nails the Cosmic Horror Blendo Games’ Immersive Sim ‘Skin Deep’ Is Hilarious and Exhilarating [Review] ‘Until Dawn’ Review – Kitchen Sink Creature Feature Fails Its Source Material Let’s Cast a ‘White Lotus’ Season With Stephen King Characters Salem Horror Fest 2025 Opening Night Raises Hell with Ashley Laurence [Event Report] 6 Recent Free-to-Play Horror Games That’ll Give You Nightmares Supernatural Tactical Extraction Shooter ‘Nightmare Frontier’ Comes to Steam This Summer [Trailer] a ‘FAITH’-Inspired Farming Sim Coming This October [Trailer] ‘Clock Tower’-Inspired Survival Horror Title ‘Midnight Special’ Launches May 8 on Steam [Trailer] Body Horror Sim ‘Zoochosis’ Announced for PlayStation Consoles [Trailer] Latest ‘Elden Ring Nightreign’ Trailer Highlights the Game’s Systems [Watch] We’re just about halfway to Halloween, and Fright-Rags is celebrating with a Halloween III: Season of the Witch bundle packed with spooky goodness featuring the iconic Silver Shamrock masks The set includes four exclusive items with retro-style artwork by Austin Pardun: a shirt they’re expected to ship the week of May 30 the once maligned and now celebrated 1982 installment in the Halloween franchise is written and directed by Tommy Lee Wallace (IT) When a terrified toy salesman is brought to the hospital clutching the year’s most popular Halloween mask Daniel Challis and the salesman’s daughter trace the costume to Silver Shamrock Novelties and its founder They uncover Cochran’s shocking plan and must stop him before trick-or-treaters across the country never come home Fright Rags Serves Up ‘Halloween,’ ‘Friday the 13th,’ ‘Elm Street,’ ‘Twin Peaks’ Diner Mugs 5 of This Week’s Coolest Horror Collectibles Including ‘Gremlins 2’ & ‘Shin Godzilla’ Toys Rob Zombie’s ‘House of 1000 Corpses’ Parodies ‘Animal House’ on Fright-Rags Shirt The online store will remain open offering one last chance to snag the board games and expansion backs Bright Light Media’s Creative Director Freddie Carlini said of the closing “It has been nothing short of a dream to have had the chance to bring to life our love letter to 80s horror and to have watched horror fans embrace it and help the world grow throughout that time With the release of the Time Warp Expansion last summer we officially ended the 1980s storyline of the game and thus have a completed universe available for all to own as well as our other game and love letter to aquatic horror We post news and comment on federal criminal justice issues focused primarily on trial and post-conviction matters A little background: The Holy Grail for the 94% of federal prisoners who will someday be released is getting to halfway house a residential facility located in a community setting in which former inmates and recovering substance abusers transition to outside living with regular jobs If my unscientific survey of the hundreds of my newsletter readers who have cycled through halfway houses is any indication It features an unpleasant mix of all levels of violent and nonviolent state and federal inmates a staff that is poorly trained compared to Bureau of Prisons personnel and petty rules enforced with the constant fear of being sent back to a secure institution halfway house represents the promise of relative freedom to walk the streets (subject to curfews and severe limitations on where they are going and where they may not tarry) and work in a job where they feel like employees instead of inmates One of the first questions a new federal inmate asks is when he or she will be eligible for halfway house placement. Eligible prisoners can earn First Step Act credits for successful programming with the first 365 credits shortening their sentences by up to a year Any credits over 365 entitles a prisoner to more halfway house or home confinement time Even if prisoners are ineligible for earning FSA credits, the Second Chance Act of 2007—codified in 18 USC 3624(c)—permits (but does not require) the BOP to place any inmate in a halfway house for up to 12 months The BOP has always been focused on placing the inmates at the highest risk of recidivism and with the greatest need for services in halfway house halfway house was never intended to be a reward for good conduct or an accolade for good character but rather a prerelease tool to increase the chances that the corrections system would never see the prisoner again The BOP has traditionally employed a five-factor metric to place inmates in halfway house and to determine the duration of their stay. The five-factor review focuses on the resources of the facility and the history and characteristics of the offender It clearly costs less to place a prisoner in a halfway house than to keep him in prison Maybe but maybe not. The COIF consists of “the obligation encountered in Bureau of Prisons facilities (excluding activation costs)” incurred in keeping an inmate, according to 28 CFR 0.96c the BOP calculates that its facilities repair costs are $3 billion costs that have not been paid (and may never be paid) “Prisons come with a menu of fixed costs that do not apply to halfway houses and certainly do not apply to home confinement.” Her point was that the BOP should maximize the number of months and number of inmates in halfway house Fixed costs, by definition, do not increase according to inmate count. In other words, if $100.00 of the prison COIF represents fixed costs and $21.00 represents marginal costs then sending a prisoner to halfway house only saves the BOP $21.00 while costing it about $114.00 in contract fees to the halfway house Net loss to the BOP: about $93.00 a day per prisoner placed in halfway house No one doubts that the BOP is bleeding cash. The agency currently has nearly 6,000 fewer employees than needed, a shortfall costing over $437 million in overtime charges, BOP associate deputy director Kathleen Toomey told Congress in February 2025 A third of the FY 2023 overtime went for almost 76,000 outside medical trips and 84,000 hospitalizations Prison consultants Dr. Susan Giddings and Bruce Cameron wrote last week that halfway house placement “is actually more expensive than the cost of incarceration in a minimum-security prison and and all the Bureau can do is stop the hemorrhaging But if President Trump and Congress act now Home Confinement placement is significantly less costly than halfway house or incarceration but in order to take advantage of the savings and better use the residential halfway house resources more efficiently It’s time to flip the table and get something done executive director of the Eastern Ohio Correction Center and president of the International Community Justice Association told prison consultant Walter Pavlo that halfway houses currently have capacity and could expand without needing new contracts with the BOP both heavily reliant on halfway house placement were passed by Congress overwhelmingly on the assumption that they would save money on the costs of incarceration.” The Sobering Reality:  Giddings and Cameron said that while the BOP announcement cutting halfway house placement was “devastating” for many prisoners and their families,” it is unsurprising: The Bureau has had to prioritize lengthy First Step Act (FSA) prerelease placements over SCA placements for months. These lengthy FSA placements tie up halfway house and home confinement resources for well beyond the average four- to five-month placement The issue was further exacerbated by the previous Administration’s refusal to support the Bureau in court challenges regarding whether the Bureau had any discretion in these designation decisions to include cases where the individual presented public safety risks The Bureau was told the only consideration was the time credits: nothing else mattered The BOP has argued in court that it is not required to honor FSA credits for halfway house So how do you pay a big new bill required by law from a budget that is already under intense pressure Answer – you stop spending on any part of the budget over which you have control One inmate told me that at her facility, “Girls were devastated. Screaming, crying, shutting down, signing out of RDAP.” Another prisoner demanded to know whether it was true that “Trump passed a new law to where federal inmates can only get 60 days of halfway house now a that you can’t get up to 6 months anymore?” Of course, Trump had nothing directly to do with this. As far as implementing the SCA nothing in that law required the BOP to give prisoners any halfway house time Whether there is a solid legal challenge to last week’s decision has yet to be seen Race to the Courthouse:  If my email can be believed—and I got a lot of email on the subject—inmates are now filing a blizzard of suits challenging the BOP action The cottage industry of people who provide litigation support services to federal prisoners is leading the charge Another prisoner complained to me that the BOP “wants to keep us in prison longer, which means spending more money to keep us locked up. Then they don’t want to implement the Second Chance Act, which is law. We can’t break the law, but they clearly can by not implementing the Second Chance Act.” Blame First Step for encouraging the belief that halfway house is an entitlement and blame the BOP’s administrative laziness for convincing prisoners and their families that a full year in halfway house was a given it’s not about keeping people in prison longer Giddings and Cameron, The Bureau Takes Additional Drastic Actions to Contain Costs as They Struggle with Budget Issues (April 1 Cost of Incarceration Fee Forbes, Bureau of Prisons Is A “Powder Keg” With Problems (April 4 Forbes, Under Budget Pressure, Bureau Of Prisons To Cut Halfway House Time (April 1 Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Bureau of Prisons has plenty of open beds for reentry (December 6 Rodriguez v. Smith Hindman v. Inch “There is no crueler tyranny than that which is perpetrated under the shield of the law and in the name of justice.” ~ Charles-Louis de Secondat FAYETTEVILLE — They may be cheering for the No but it didn’t take long for Texas baseball fans to start waving the white flag Thursday night 11 Razorbacks used a pair of multi-run homers to build an early lead that they eventually grew to 9-0 win over the top-ranked Longhorns in their series opener at Baum-Walker Stadium Carson Boles started the scoring with a two-run shot into the Hog Pen in the second and Cam Kozeal crushed a two-out full-count pitch off the scoreboard for a three-run blast It put together a five-run fourth inning to really give it a cushion two-run double by Wehiwa Aloy chased Texas starter Ruger Riojas and then Kuhio Aloy capped the frame with an RBI single It was amid that onslaught that some Texas supporters threw in the towel — albeit not without getting a jab in For some more colorful analysis, take this comment from T Town Horn: “Ark has been playing like dogs**t but suddenly playing with their hair on fire the rivalry – mostly dormant for three decades – is alive and well the Razorbacks received some phenomenal pitching from Zach Root The left-hander looked every bit of an ace racking up a career-high 11 strikeouts in 8 shutout innings Primal Scream Caps Strong Response to Playful Jab + More from Game 1 win vs Texas For evidence of how much the Razorbacks are feeling their mounting injuries look no further than their starting lineup for Game 1 of the Arkansas vs Texas series With second baseman Gabe Fraser (back) and left fielder Logan Maxwell (hamstring) out Dave Van Horn has opted for two different routes for their replacements for Thursday’s 6 p.m It’s not particularly shocking that Cam Kozeal slid over from first to second base to fill Fraser’s position but it is a bit of a surprise that Reese Robinett is getting the nod over Rocco Peppi and Michael Anderson at first base The redshirt sophomore is making just his second start of the year and first in SEC play he has just two previous appearances in conference games all of which came in his lone start against UAPB on April 15 while the other was a single against Little Rock last week That means his four hits have come in his last seven at bats so he’s swinging a bit of a hot bat — albeit against midweek competition and not the elite pitching staff of Texas — compared to Peppi who is 0 for 5 since returning from a back injury that kept him out for a month biggest factor in the decision is likely that Robinett is a lefty This appears to be a case of Van Horn playing the matchups He is not using that strategy to fill Maxwell’s spot in left field Rather than going with the left-handed hitting Kendall Diggs Diggs has struggled mightily since returning from offseason shoulder surgery He is hitting just .167 with 7 RBIs in 60 at bats 3-strikeout showing last weekend at Florida Van Horn has abandoned that line of thinking and gone with Boles instead The DII transfer has hit well in limited opportunities That includes an impressive 6 for 16 (.375) in SEC play It’s also worth noting that neither Fraser nor Maxwell were listed as “game-time decisions” on the SEC availability report but Van Horn indicated during his pregame radio interview with Phil Elson that Maxwell would likely rest this weekend with the hope he’ll be back at full strength down the road For our in-depth post-gamer for Arkansas vs Texas Game 1 Texas starter Ruger Riojas is coming off a start in which he threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings against Texas A&M It was his first outing as the Longhorns’ Game 1 starter as ace Jared Spencer is out for the year with a shoulder injury That performance against the Aggies improved the right-hander to 8-1 with a 2.98 ERA and 1.05 WHIP He also has 51 strikeouts and only 12 walks in 54.1 innings but Root set the Longhorns down in order with three strikeouts to open the game Wehiwa Aloy hit an opposite-field line drive 347 feet the right fielder caught it up against the wall for an out That was the most productive at bat for the Razorbacks Root started the game with four straight strikeouts before getting back-to-back ground outs to short to cap another perfect frame He’s thrown 33 pitches through two innings Iredale ripped a 104 mph double to left to become the game’s first base runner Boles followed with a line drive into the Hog Pen for a two-run blast (the metrics: 107 mph Then Robinett roped a 109 mph line drive single into left-center Texas got out of the inning thanks to a 5-4-3 double play He’s still thrown only 21 pitches through two innings Texas got its first base runner courtesy of a leadoff single by Rodriguez that just got by a diving Aloy at shortstop Root bounced back to retire the next three Longhorns in a 10-pitch inning He’s up to 43 pitches through three innings Thomas was plunked to start the inning and Wehiwa Aloy drew a one-out walk but it looked like the Hogs might waste the opportunity Kuhio Aloy flied out to deep left on a ball caught just in front of the wall and Kozeal fell behind 0-2 but he fought back to a full count before launching a three-run blast off the top of the scoreboard in right (the metrics: 104 mph Iredale also hit the ball really hard (102 mph) but got under it too much for a fly out to left to end the inning 411 FEET AND NO DOUBT ABOUT IT pic.twitter.com/ejgdR3qJVH Galvan drew a leadoff walk on five pitches but Root promptly erased him by getting Flores to ground into a 6-4-3 double play Gasparino flied out to right for Texas’ first fly out of the game but his 374-foot shot that left the bat at 102 mph went foul down the left field line he hit a dribbler to the shortstop and reached on an infield Davalan grounded out to first to move the runners up and with two outs Aloy hit a line drive (104 mph) off the base of the wall in right-center for a two-run double Right-hander Cody Howard is now pitching for Texas He promptly gave up an RBI single to Kuhio Aloy who hit a 108 mph grounder that just got under the diving second baseman to drive in his brother Howard struck out Kozeal to finally end the inning All three Texas batters struck out looking in the fifth He’s up to 66 pitches through 5 innings it went down 1-2-3 with a pair of ground outs to second sandwiched around a strikeout by Boles Williams slapped a ball to the left side that Aloy got to who now has four straight frames of 12 or fewer pitches He’s at 77 total pitches through six innings Arkansas’ leadoff man reached via HBP Thomas followed with a walk in an eight-pitch AB but his 102 mph line drive hung up long enough for the center fielder to run under it as Wehiwa Aloy popped out to short and Kuhio Aloy flied out to center Flores smoked a 104 mph line drive right back at Root but he recovered the ball in time to throw him out at first Schuessler hit a pop up in foul ground and Robinett made a nice grab reaching over the wall Borba hit a grounder to short and Aloy took the easy out at second to end the inning Root has thrown just 87 pitches through seven innings Kozeal threatened to invoke the mercy rule but his deep fly was caught on the track in right Iredale followed with a strikeout and Boles lined out to left Root needed just 12 pitches to retire the Longhorns in order in the eighth He struck out the first and third batters he faced He’s at 99 pitches through eight innings Robinett worked a full-count walk to start the inning and Helfrick once again threatened to invoke the run rule but his fly ball was caught at the wall in left Thomas followed with a strikeout looking and Davalan flied out to center to send the game to the ninth Right-hander Will McEntire is now pitching for the Razorbacks He struck out pinch hitter Jaquae Stewart for the first out before walking pinch hitter Cole Chamberlain He bounced back with a strikeout of Flores and had pinch hitter Easton Winfield down 0-2 before striking him out in a full count Location: Baum-Walker Stadium (Fayetteville TV: ESPN2 (stream) More coverage of Arkansas baseball and Arkansas vs Texas from BoAS… The Knicks’ Karl-Anthony Towns and the Hawks’ Trae Young both have had reasons to enjoy the season • Get NBA League Pass TODAY > Halfway gets you almost nothing in pro sports a flashy start might snag some player an All-Star berth on occasion but the stuff that matters most — awards legacies — requires start-to-finish commitments and excellence The unofficial midpoint of the NBA season is valuable primarily for what it suggests for the second half. What have we learned so far? The defending champs in Boston have no worries. We might have a new Kia MVP. A much-maligned crop of rookies has produced some helpful role players And Anthony Edwards knows all the words and gestures Half-empty only matters when it becomes fully full here are 10 things we’ve learned through the season’s first half: Forget market size. Ignore “flyover-ness.” Cleveland and Oklahoma City are contenders in full whose times have arrived Both rosters are brimming with young talent and worthy All-Star candidates and only the Cavs’ stocked roster keeps them from having a leading Kia MVP candidate like the Thunder’s Shai-Gilgeous Alexander Coaches Kenny Atkinson and Mark Daigneault masterfully have kept their respective squads focused and together (although team chemistry and winning have that classic chicken-or-egg dynamic). We got a taste of a possible Finals matchup last week in Cleveland — the Cavs won 129-122 — and we get a second Thursday in OKC (7:30 p.m. ET, TNT) After a thrilling Cavaliers win halted a 15-game Thunder win streak the teams match up again Thursday in Oklahoma City (7:30 If ballots were cast today, Gilgeous-Alexander probably would win the Kia Most Valuable Player award and, in a nod to the legend after whom the trophy is named — Michael Jordan — become the first perimeter player to snag it since James Harden in 2018 But like the winners over the past six seasons — Jokić (three) Giannis Antetokounmpo (two) and Joel Embiid (one) — the Thunder’s leader is an import The slender scorer is on pace to become only the second player in NBA history to average at least 30 points while shooting better than 50% The only other guy to do that — and he did it twice — was Jordan The latter season probably appeals more to Gilgeous-Alexander and Thunder fans since that produced the first of Jordan’s six championship rings It’s not as if there’s a shortage of candidates to keep the run of internationally produced MVP winners alive. Dallas’ Luka Dončić has finished in the top eight of voting for the past five seasons and still is just 25 Gilgeous-Alexander is 26 and driving a team that figures to be good for a while Victor Wembanyama might be the biggest obstacle to domestically grown MVPs in the coming years a likely All-NBA pick and possibly the Kia Defensive Player of the Year in 2024-25 especially if the Spurs improve as much next season as they seem to have this season (on pace for 19 more victories) The Philadelphia 76ers’ center was a part of that foreign MVP core two seasons ago and finished second in 2021 and ’22 But he has missed 65% of the Sixers’ games so far he’s lugging a list of career injuries as long as his inseam and he turns 31 in two months It’s hard to see a lot of individual or team success in his near future with five teams to climb over for the assured sixth playoff spot in the East And their next 15 games are against opponents who either are ahead of them in the standings or boast better win-loss records The ingredients were there when the season began and — no guarantees this would happen — both Houston and Detroit have shown tremendous improvement Ime Udoka and the Rockets are seven games better (at 26-12) than at the same point last season 2 in the West and have a nice blend of young talent Detroit is about a year behind in development Bickerstaff’s first season there and already the Pistons have won 17 more games than a season ago (4-36) Rockets big man Alperen Sengun and Pistons playmaker Cade Cunningham are the straws stirring these drinks Cade Cunningham's 29-point 2nd half elevates the Pistons to yet another victory this time over the Knicks at Madison Square Garden Miami has prided itself on being different — more demanding, tougher, less accommodating to dilettantes — than many NBA franchises in this era of player empowerment. But that blew up in the Heat’s faces last month when Jimmy Butler — already Hamlet-in-a-headband (“To play or not to play…”) — talked about his inability to find “joy” while being paid $48 million to play basketball in Miami despite a $52 million option for next season The league’s most celebrated culture is saddled with the poster guy for turning off fans everywhere The Wolves are getting traction with Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo in Towns’ place James (40), Durant (36), Stephen Curry (36), Russell Westbrook (36) and Harden (35) took home nine of 10 MVP trophies from 2009-18 They’re not likely to add a 10th but they are thriving at a point by which many Hall of Famers already were done Curry and Harden are scoring north of 20 ppg with the first three at least likely to be showcased in San Francisco on All-Star Sunday Harden has been solid except for inaccuracy while Westbrook is rejuvenated playing next to and for Jokić Steve Aschburner has written about the NBA since 1980. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on X The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the NBA Our writers reveal their award winners from the 1st half of the 2024-25 season Cleveland and Oklahoma City continue to show why they are the NBA's 2 best teams as 2024-25 hits its midway point these 10 teams could be active in pursuing roster moves Oklahoma City's superstar guard takes over the top spot while Victor Wembanyama moves up another peg in the Top 5 Hardy has compiled an 85-161 record over his 3 seasons at the helm in Utah 8 teams remain in the hunt for the NBA title as the conference semifinals tip off DFS picks for Monday's 2-game slate of the NBA playoffs featuring Knicks-Celtics and Nuggets-Thunder Celtics-Knicks and Thunder-Nuggets open series tonight The first round is finished and these 10 things stand out most from the teams In a team meeting before Sunday's clinching win Draymond Green explains he was 'embarrassed' after losing his poise in Game 6 We can’t release more of our sound journalism without a subscription but we can make it easy for you to come aboard Current WORLD subscribers can log in to access content Already a member? Sign in. There is an air of triumphalism in many corners of the American right since Donald Trump’s re-election and inauguration. After years of feeling like political and cultural underdogs, victories are stacking up. Even progressives at the New York Times are admitting the right’s current momentum Trump critic Bill Mahar even admits that Trump is not only politically powerful but also culturally popular The “demographics are destiny” canard that Democrats based their future upon is now matched by a Republican coalition that is as diverse as it has ever been Add to that the rapid-fire sequence of executive orders undoing four years of Joe Biden’s chaos at the border and it seems like the wind in the right’s sails has never been stronger But let me offer a word of caution: As welcome as all this newfound momentum is it will be nothing but a halfway revolution if we do not combine our cultural momentum with a moral vision Until we address the deeper cultural rot that has corroded our national soul The mere act of defeating an opponent does not mean we have built something in its place “Owning the libs” may make for an entertaining political spectacle but it is not a strategy to build a culture of marriage The present concern is that the right’s coalition will be more successful at defeating a common enemy than it is at fostering ideological unity. Consider that the strategic alliance of religious conservatives, pod-bros and tech-bros, anti-woke Barstool conservatives and Rogan libertarians have little in common except a shared contempt for liberalism’s power Whether the diverse strands of the American right can consolidate into a cultural majority that can control the commanding heights of culture like the left has for the last six decades is still unknown What would it mean for America to be “back” that a cultural consensus emerges that uniformly celebrates the Declaration’s famous dictum: “We hold these truths to be self-evident that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” American society must return to God The pillars of Western civilization that had Judeo-Christian values as their foundation would once again be normal Only by returning to the truths of nature and Nature’s God could America ever really be “back.” That would result in more marriages and fewer divorces Sexual promiscuity would give way to a revolution of marital monogamy between one man and one woman Human dignity would be consistently applied A surge of new children would offset the looming fertility crisis It would mean that male and female are no longer disputed categories The Sexual Revolution would be regarded for what it truly is—a culture-destroying pathogen that harmed women and reduced men to little else than nerve endings with consciousness If the American right stops at the political and fails to rebuild the moral and social fabric of the nation we are merely winning skirmishes while losing the war That is where liberalism’s power still lies The real battle is not over tax rates or regulatory reform—important as those may be—but over the nature of family The progressive left did not create all of these problems but its policies and philosophies have exacerbated them The right’s response must be more than just defeating them at the ballot box—it must be about offering something better Conservatives should hope that our efforts at building a counter-elite create a new mainstream we must reclaim the idea that truth exists and that human nature is not infinitely malleable The postmodern left thrives on the belief that identity is fluid and reality itself can be reshaped according to personal whims We know that human flourishing is found not in endless self-reinvention but in anchoring ourselves to eternal truths—truths about what it means to be men and women This is the true revolution we need—a counter-revolution to the chaos of the last six decades The victories we are seeing today should not be an excuse for complacency but a call to action This is our moment to do more than just push back against the excesses of the left It is our chance to rebuild what has been broken and to reassert the values that made America strong If you are wondering how to start this revolution Tell someone you care about that you love them If we fail to seize this opportunity before us if we are content to simply play defense while the cultural decay continues then all current victories will be temporary A nation cannot thrive on policy wins alone—it must build a moral and spiritual foundation to sustain those wins If you enjoyed this article and would like to support WORLD's brand of Biblically sound journalism, click here Andrew is the managing editor of WORLD Opinions and serves as associate professor of Christian ethics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary He is also a fellow with The Ethics and Public Policy Center These daily articles have become part of my steady diet Seth Troutt | The wages of sin and the goodness of Good Friday Daniel Darling | Russia’s Palm Sunday attack and the evangelical church in Ukraine please don’t make members of the congregation cringe when they bring friends to church Finn | We should never downplay the seriousness of physical attacks—by the right or the left Please wait while we load the latest comments.. Please register, subscribe, or log in to comment on this article atYSU Spring Invitational Photo by: Ben PopkoWomen’s Golf in Second Place at Halfway Mark of YSU Spring Invite4/6/2025 8:02:00 PM | Women's Golf Former senator Justin Eichorn leaves custody on Wednesday.KARE 11Go Deeper.CloseCreate an account or log in to save stories We have added it to a list of your favorite stories Justin Eichorn to be released under conditions to a halfway house as the criminal case that led to his resignation proceeds Eichorn, who had been in jail since his arrest last week in Bloomington for attempted coercion and enticement of a minor Eichorn didn’t comment to a KARE 11 photojournalist as he walked briskly to a car outside the St He was granted release after a lengthy hearing, in which prosecutors alleged he was familiar with soliciting sex from online ads. In the detention hearing, prosecutors argued that the Grand Rapids Republican should stay in jail, given discrepancies in statements he made to a pretrial service officer MPR News helps you turn down the noise and build shared understanding Turn up your support for this public resource and keep trusted journalism accessible to all Federal prosecutors contend Eichorn misled them about the existence of a firearm in the St Paul apartment he rented while serving in the Legislature They also suggested he attempted to keep a laptop and cell phone from investigators by having someone try to retrieve them while he was locked up Defense attorney Charles Hawkins suggested the laptop could have been used for Eichorn’s apartment leasing business Brittany Eichorn filed for divorce on Monday FBI Special Agent Matthew Vogel testified at Wednesday’s hearing that he didn’t have enough information yet to describe what was on the computer He said Justin Eichorn shared the password to the laptop but because much of the information on it is encrypted investigators needed more time to get full results Investigators were also inspecting an iPhone 6 found in the apartment; it had been reset to factory settings in February Hawkins also argued that Eichorn’s claim that he did not have a gun was not a lie He said the former lawmaker’s statement made to court interviewers could have been misheard in a noisy interview room or he could have misunderstood the question Prosecuting attorney Dan Bobier told Judge Shannon Elkins he was most concerned about Eichorn allegedly lying to the court about having a gun in his apartment Bobier argued there was no misunderstanding about the question “He has no interest in being honest,” Bobier argued “That’s a problem and it’s one warranting detention.”  Inside a red bag FBI agents found in former Minnesota State Sen and several of his state Senate business cards District Court of Minnesota motion from March 23.Courtesy of U.S District Court of MinnesotaAfter an hours-long hearing Elkins ruled that Eichorn should be released to a halfway house She said he is not a flight risk given significant ties to Minnesota and is not a danger to the public given his lack of a criminal history or mental health concerns The judge said Eichorn would be released under strict conditions — including not leaving Minnesota being on home detention and submitting to GPS monitoring — and asked if he understood that if he breaks any of them Bobier asked for a 48-hour stay on the release order Eichorn’s defense challenged probable cause in the case arguing that the prosecution couldn’t prove Eichorn would have followed through with paying for an encounter with a person he had contacted through a prostitution ad She said it made no difference whether Eichorn finalized an agreement with the person he believed to be a teenage girl; the fact that he offered anything in exchange for sexual contact with someone he believed to be underage was enough to break the law The next hearing in the case hasn’t been scheduled MPR News reporter Peter Cox contributed to this story