Starlink has changed how many access the internet, whether living in rural areas or traveling full-time in a van or camper . Even more, it comes with many features to assist with disadvantages you may find. For example, there are no contracts associated with the product, so if you're not going to be home for a month, you can easily turn the service off, which saves you money. There is also a feature called heating which works great for wintery situations you may find yourself. In the Starlink app, under Settings then Starlink, you'll see Snow Melt — you have to be connected to Starlink to see beyond the router and dish menu. This heating feature has three options — automatic, which turns on if the device detects snow; preheat, which will keep Starlink warm to resist snow built-up; and off, which completely deactivates the snow melt mode. It is entirely up to you which mode to keep snow melt under. Personally, I have the Starlink Standard Actuated, which is the older version of the current Starlink Standard kit, and I use it on the Roam plan as an off-grid tech essential when I'm traveling in my camper. I've seen snow melt in action and can give you a bit of insight, regarding how well the heating feature works and whether it's worth having on in the first place. According to its website, Starlink is designed to work in all types of weather — though, it can't handle extreme forces of nature like hurricanes, tornadoes, meteors, and dinosaurs (the site really says that). When it comes to heating the dish, at the first signs of obstructions due to snow, the heating pad will start to work and melt off snow as quickly as it can. However, be aware that in times of extreme cold or heat, you may experience a bit of lagging. Starlink can handle anywhere between -22 and 122 degrees Fahrenheit. YouTube channel Riverside Homestead Life gives a clear indication of how well Starlink's heating element works. In his video, he walks out to his grounded Starlink hiding in a bank of fresh snow, but there is space around the dish where the snow had continuously melted. Furthermore, there is no snow on top of the Starlink pad due to the snow melt feature. I will mention that the video does not show any ice hanging off structures and the snow looks powdery, which indicates fluffy snow, which is easier to deal with than wet snow. To back that up with my own experience, the heating element worked quickly and automatically turned off when the snow had melted. However, during freezing rain, it was more difficult to work with. Ice likes to cling to the dish, and sometimes the heating feature won't register because it can still pick up satellites through the ice — though, the service can lag because of it. This is a good time to use the preheat mode if your power source can handle it. The most viable reason most people turn off snow melt is because of energy consumption. Starlink itself can use up quite a bit of power. If we're looking at the Starlink Standard specifications, it uses an average of 75 to 100 watts an hour. The Starlink Standard Actuated version uses between 50 and 75 watts. That said, Starlink's website does not indicate how many watts extra is needed for the heating feature — however, users have shared their experiences with it. One user on Reddit showed a screenshot of the power consumption before and while using the heating component. It indicated a nearly 40 to 50 watt increase, which is no surprise considering how much power is needed for heated gadgets. Another user stated that a Starlink representative told them that it uses about 165 watts altogether to melt approximately three inches of snow. In all honesty, though, an extra 50 watts for the feature isn't too bad of a tradeoff for fast internet. While off-road camping out in a Colorado snowstorm, I noticed a spike in the average wattage usage for that day if I had to use snow melt mode. Afterward, wattage usage returned to normal, and I never saw a need to turn off the feature completely, especially since I was working with over 3,500 watts of battery, and I turned off Starlink at night. However, if your Starlink is attached to a smaller power source, like the Jackery Explorer 1500 , or you are simply energy-conscious, you can turn off the heating mode to have full control of your drawing power.ABS WavesightTM, the ABS-affiliated Software-as-a-Service company, is pleased to announce that UNI-FLEET SDN BHD, a specialized shipping company operating tanker vessels primarily focused on the transportation of ammonia across Asia, has chosen to implement Nautical Systems (NS) Maintenance Manager and Purchasing Manager modules to revolutionize their maintenance and inventory processes. “We’re excited for the opportunity to support UNI-FLEET with Nautical Systems,” said Staci Satterwhite, CEO at ABS Wavesight. “The integration of NS Maintenance Manager and NS Purchasing Manager will equip UNI-FLEET with the tools they need to automate maintenance processes, manage inventory efficiently and drive operational excellence.” NS Maintenance Manager will provide UNI-FLEET with a powerful, integrated database that brings together critical maintenance and purchasing information to streamline scheduling, tracking and forecasting, helping to reduce costs and increase uptime. NS Purchasing Manager will assist UNI-FLEET in revolutionizing procurement and inventory control activities by facilitating competitive bidding, contracting and inventory tracking and connecting these activities back to their maintenance operations. “The implementation of ABS Wavesight’s Nautical Systems solutions marks a significant step forward for our organization in enhancing our maintenance and procurement operations,” said Mohd Iylia Tan, General Manager at UNI-FLEET SDN BHD. “We are confident that this technology will streamline our processes and strengthen our operational efficiency.” Source: ABS Wavesight
WASHINGTON (AP) — Pete Hegseth, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Defense Department, said he had a “wonderful conversation” with Maine Sen. Susan Collins on Wednesday as he pushed to win enough votes for confirmation. He said he will not back down after allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. Collins said after the hourlong meeting that she questioned Hegseth about the allegations amid reports of drinking and the revelation that he made a settlement payment after being accused of a sexual assault that he denies. She said she had a “good, substantive” discussion with Hegseth and “covered a wide range of topics,” including sexual assault in the military, Ukraine and NATO. But she said she would wait until a hearing, and notably a background check, to make a decision. “I asked virtually every question under the sun,” Collins told reporters as she left her office after the meeting. "I pressed him both on his position on military issues as well as the allegations against him, so I don’t think there was anything that we did not cover.” The meeting with Collins was closely watched as she is seen as more likely than most of her Republican Senate colleagues to vote against some of Trump’s Cabinet picks. She and Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, a fellow moderate Republican, did not shy from opposing Trump in his first term when they wanted to do so and sometimes supported President Joe Biden’s nominees for the judicial and executive branches. And Hegseth, an infantry combat veteran and former “Fox & Friends” weekend host, is working to gain as many votes as he can as some senators have expressed concerns about his personal history and lack of management experience. “I’m certainly not going to assume anything about where the senator stands,” Hegseth said as he left Collins’ office. “This is a process that we respect and appreciate. And we hope, in time, overall, when we get through that committee and to the floor that we can earn her support.” Hegseth met with Murkowski on Tuesday. He has also been meeting repeatedly with Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst, a military veteran who has said she is a survivor of sexual assault and has spent time in the Senate working on improving how attacks are reported and prosecuted within the ranks. On Monday, Ernst said after a meeting with him that he had committed to selecting a senior official to prioritize those goals. Republicans will have a 53-49 majority next year, meaning Trump cannot lose more than three votes on any of his nominees. It is so far unclear whether Hegseth will have enough support, but Trump has stepped up his pressure on senators in the last week. “Pete is a WINNER, and there is nothing that can be done to change that!!!” Trump posted on his social media platform last week. On Thursday, Hegseth plans to meet with a Democrat — Pennsylvania Sen. John Fetterman. Fetterman confirmed the meeting to The Associated Press but did not say whether he was considering supporting Hegseth or what he planned to discuss. ___ Associated Press writer Ali Swenson contributed to this report. Mary Clare Jalonick And Matt Brown, The Associated PressMeta said it is “99% of the way there” in solving an ongoing social media blackout with its apps. On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .
What’s goin’ on hyur? “Hyur” is the 2024 football season’s end, featuring dynamic pairings in the first 12-team national championship quest and transfers. No, this ain’t lamenting Alabama’s being outside looking at the playoffs. This ain’t snubbery; 1966 was. Much to the sorrow of gamblers/critics, Bama’s out because of its 9-3 record. The bashing Bama business whenever/wherever the Crimson Tide has competed in marquee games dates at least to the 1926 Rose Bowl, when 23 Heart of Dixie, barefooted, one-horned, slave-owning devils rode a train to California and downed heavily-favored Washington, 20-19. Ricky Adams Dothan’s Johnny Mack Brown and Enterprise’s James “Goofy” Bowdoin were among the Wallace Wade-coached Tidesmen, the first Southern team to play in Pasadena. Hmmm. “Insult(?): Citrus Bowl picks South Carolina over Crimson Tide.” “Warde Manuel admits he doesn’t know how close vote was between Alabama, SMU for final playoff spot.” Bama’s ReliaQuest Bowl mission against Michigan, whose athletics director is, ta da, Manuel, is continuing the double-figure-wins-season streak begun in 2008. Without Bama, wonder who’ll be this year’s bashee? Cinderella story? With Oregon, Georgia, Boise State and Arizona State drawing conference-champion, first-round byes, commentators/writers can bore their sharpened QWERTY fangs into opening games, Clemson at Texas, SMU at Penn State, Tennessee at Ohio State and the earth-shattering, historic renewal, Indiana at Notre Dame nail-biting classic. The Irish lead the series, 23-5-1, have an eight-game winning streak since 1950, but last played in 1991, the first game in Notre Dame’s ongoing NBC-TV deal. While awaiting this humongous clash, gander at recently-published headlines your scribe couldn’t compose for money: “South Carolina government attempting to force Gamecocks into College Football Playoff.” “SEC Bans Bevo Before Georgia-Texas Title Game.” “Texas students, fans start petition to SEC Commissioner over Bevo ban.” Those headlines leadeth us unto this week’s genesis, the transfer pothole’s official opening Monday, after an almost endless stream of scholarship players had already announced intentions to enter it ... if they could find the key to unlock it. More than 2,800 FBS players entered the NCAA’s transfer database last year. Removing those who withdrew/turned pro, the final total was 2,707 transfers, approximately 25% of all FBS scholarship players. Arizona State grabbed 65 of ’em. More headlines through Tuesday: “Players opting out of bowl games.” “Army vs. Navy Game: Uniforms unveiled for 125th meeting between Black Knights/Midshipmen.” “Penn State’s lost seven verbal commitments in 2025 Class.” “Western Kentucky quarterback TJ Finley enters portal after playing at LSU, Auburn and Texas State.” “University of Virginia football receives program-altering, multi-million dollar anonymous donation.” “Ravens Suspend Johnson for Refusing to Play Against Eagles.” “Vandy QB Pavia waits as federal judge takes injunction request under advisement.” “Chaos at Auburn: Two Quarterbacks Leave Program in Same Hour.” “Kelly: LSU learning money talks or five-stars walk.” “Kentucky losing second starting receiver to portal.” “Clemson football’s 2025 recruiting class decimated by decommitment.” “Eleven Auburn players leaving.” “DeBoer Feels Alabama in ‘Good Spot’ for Guys Choosing to Play in Bowl.” “Georgia Linked to Projected $1.3 Million Star QB as Potential Beck Replacement.” “Alabama Freshman Receiver, Nine Teammates Enter Portal.” “Texas Lands Projected $496K Saraland QB to Compete With Manning.” “Mets sign Soto to $765 Million all-time richest contract.” “Analyst pulled during high school championship football broadcast for bias.” “Ohio State player to enter portal after bowl game.” Whoa! Woah! And now, headlines of this century: “Taylor Swift gives team $197 million in bonuses as Eras Tour ends.” “Colorado State faces Miami (Ohio) in the Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl.” “MIT Forecasts Civilization Will Fall By 2040 ...” Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox!Nebraska auditor alleges more fraud by contracted DHHS caregivers
Football is for everyone: HE Sports Minister
Manchester United’s decision to put up the cost of all members’ match tickets to £66 for the remainder of the season has been labelled “offensive” by the club’s leading supporters’ group. Manchester United Supporters’ Trust (MUST) revealed the club had informed the fans forum that changes to certain ticket policies will take effect immediately “and that this price will apply for kids and over-65s as well as adults”. The news comes as the club confirmed the cost of paying off former manager Erik ten Hag and his staff was £10.4million, while a release clause to bring in new head coach Ruben Amorim and his staff amounted to £11m. The figures were part of a longer version of the club’s first-quarter accounts which were released to the New York Stock Exchange on Wednesday. United and Everton fans are set to stage a protest against ticket prices ahead of their Premier League clash on Sunday. Supporters are being asked to gather next to the trinity statue outside Old Trafford to support the Football Supporters’ Association’s ‘Stop Exploiting Loyalty’ campaign. As well as increasing prices generally, fans are unhappy about the removal of concession tickets for certain groups. An MUST statement read: “Suffice it to say that the idea that the fans must pay their ‘fair share’ for the club’s excesses and/or mismanagement — and above all, the Glazers’ lack of investment over two decades — is offensive. “We fans have done everything we have been asked. We have cheered the players on even in the face of substandard performance. “We have objected to this action in the strongest possible terms, both for the action itself and the complete lack of consultation, which is a step backward based on the process we had agreed with the club before INEOS’ arrival. “Over the coming days MUST will be seeking urgent discussions with the club to get them to listen to fans’ concern at this policy. “United fans have sucked up a lot. We will not be silent on this and we need to be prepared to resist any attempts to further drive up ticket prices.” Supporters’ group The 1958 said along with United and Everton, both Liverpool and Manchester City supporters will also display an FSA banner ahead of their match on Sunday. “With 19 out of 20 Premier League clubs increasing ticket prices this season, FC58, Everton, Liverpool and City supporters will display the FSA banner to raise awareness that any future season ticket price increases, removal of concessions, and treating match-going supporters as an easy target to make quick revenues will not be tolerated,” the fans’ group said. “With the discussions around the rebuild or redevelopment of Old Trafford, we need to send a message to the club that we are laser focused on keeping football affordable and looking after our loyal, match-going fan base. “Manchester United have announced that they will be selling tickets to members for the remainder of the season at a minimum of £66 irrespective of if you are under 16, youth, OAP or disabled, which is a clear exploitation of the loyal fan base and their first move towards dynamic pricing.”North Korean leader Kim Jong-un has held a policy-setting key meeting of the country's ruling party last week ahead of the new year, state media KCNA reported. or signup to continue reading The "strongest" response strategy towards the United States was declared during the party meeting for the country's safety and national interests, the report said, without providing any details. The trilateral alliance between South Korea, the US and Japan has expanded to a "nuclear military bloc" and South Korea has become an "anti-communism outpost" for the US, the KCNA report added. "The reality clearly suggests which direction we should go and what we should do and how," the report said. The meeting, which was held from December 23-27, according to the report, also reviewed the handling of floods earlier this year, including the plan that brought those affected to Pyongyang, the capital. The reclusive state also vowed to promote relations with "friendly" countries during the meeting. The assembly of the party and government officials often lasts a few days and has been used in recent years to make key policy announcements. The 11th plenary session of the eighth central committee of the Workers' Party of Korea wraps up a year in which Russian President Vladimir Putin held a summit with Kim and signed a deal that included a mutual defence pledge. Washington and Seoul have criticised the two countries' military co-operation, including what they say is a dispatch of North Korean troops to fight for Russia in its war against Ukraine. Previously, state media had released Kim's speech on New Year's Day. DAILY Today's top stories curated by our news team. WEEKDAYS Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation. WEEKLY The latest news, results & expert analysis. WEEKDAYS Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening. WEEKLY Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters. WEEKLY Love footy? We've got all the action covered. WEEKLY Every Saturday and Tuesday, explore destinations deals, tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe. WEEKLY Going out or staying in? Find out what's on. WEEKDAYS Sharp. Close to the ground. Digging deep. Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs, politics and more. 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Franklin Resources Inc. grew its holdings in shares of AtriCure, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ATRC – Free Report ) by 0.9% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent 13F filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The fund owned 56,843 shares of the medical device company’s stock after acquiring an additional 484 shares during the quarter. Franklin Resources Inc. owned about 0.12% of AtriCure worth $1,569,000 at the end of the most recent quarter. A number of other large investors have also recently modified their holdings of the business. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. lifted its position in AtriCure by 0.8% in the 2nd quarter. BNP PARIBAS ASSET MANAGEMENT Holding S.A. now owns 380,720 shares of the medical device company’s stock worth $8,669,000 after buying an additional 2,898 shares during the last quarter. Rhumbline Advisers lifted its position in AtriCure by 3.7% in the 2nd quarter. Rhumbline Advisers now owns 72,936 shares of the medical device company’s stock worth $1,661,000 after buying an additional 2,577 shares during the last quarter. Fiera Capital Corp lifted its position in AtriCure by 1.1% in the 2nd quarter. Fiera Capital Corp now owns 918,207 shares of the medical device company’s stock worth $20,908,000 after buying an additional 10,432 shares during the last quarter. Arizona State Retirement System lifted its position in AtriCure by 4.0% in the 2nd quarter. Arizona State Retirement System now owns 13,542 shares of the medical device company’s stock worth $308,000 after buying an additional 517 shares during the last quarter. Finally, Quest Partners LLC lifted its position in AtriCure by 38.3% in the 2nd quarter. Quest Partners LLC now owns 5,868 shares of the medical device company’s stock worth $134,000 after buying an additional 1,626 shares during the last quarter. Institutional investors own 99.11% of the company’s stock. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In ATRC has been the subject of a number of recent research reports. StockNews.com upgraded AtriCure from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Saturday, September 14th. Oppenheimer lifted their price target on AtriCure from $32.00 to $36.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Canaccord Genuity Group lifted their price target on AtriCure from $53.00 to $61.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Monday, December 9th. UBS Group lifted their price target on AtriCure from $35.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. Finally, Needham & Company LLC lifted their price target on AtriCure from $34.00 to $40.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 30th. One analyst has rated the stock with a hold rating and eight have issued a buy rating to the company’s stock. According to data from MarketBeat, the company currently has a consensus rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $42.00. AtriCure Price Performance ATRC opened at $30.65 on Friday. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 2.59 and a current ratio of 3.62. AtriCure, Inc. has a 52-week low of $18.94 and a 52-week high of $39.04. The stock has a market capitalization of $1.49 billion, a PE ratio of -36.93 and a beta of 1.40. The stock’s 50 day moving average price is $33.49 and its 200-day moving average price is $27.76. AtriCure ( NASDAQ:ATRC – Get Free Report ) last posted its earnings results on Tuesday, October 29th. The medical device company reported ($0.17) earnings per share (EPS) for the quarter, beating the consensus estimate of ($0.19) by $0.02. AtriCure had a negative return on equity of 8.12% and a negative net margin of 8.70%. The firm had revenue of $115.91 million for the quarter, compared to analysts’ expectations of $112.23 million. During the same period in the previous year, the firm earned ($0.20) earnings per share. The business’s revenue was up 17.9% compared to the same quarter last year. On average, equities research analysts predict that AtriCure, Inc. will post -0.72 EPS for the current year. AtriCure Profile ( Free Report ) AtriCure, Inc develops, manufactures, and sells devices for surgical ablation of cardiac tissue, exclusion of the left atrial appendage, and temporarily blocking pain by ablating peripheral nerves to medical centers in the United States, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, and internationally. The company offers Isolator Synergy Clamps, single-use disposable radio frequency products; multifunctional pens and linear ablation devices, such as the MAX Pen device that enables surgeons to evaluate cardiac arrhythmias, perform temporary cardiac pacing, sensing, and stimulation, and ablate cardiac tissue with the same device; and the Coolrail device, which enables users to make longer linear lines of ablation. Read More Want to see what other hedge funds are holding ATRC? Visit HoldingsChannel.com to get the latest 13F filings and insider trades for AtriCure, Inc. ( NASDAQ:ATRC – Free Report ). Receive News & Ratings for AtriCure Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for AtriCure and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Things to watch this week in the Big 12 Conference: No. 14 BYU (9-1, 6-1 Big 12, No. 14 CFP) at No. 21 Arizona State (8-2, 5-2, No. 21), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (ESPN) League newcomer Arizona State has a three-game winning streak and BYU is coming off its first loss. The Cougars, after losing at home to Kansas, still control their own destiny in making the Big 12 championship game. They can clinch a spot in that Dec. 7 game as early as Saturday, if they win and instate rival Utah wins at home against No. 22 Iowa State. Arizona State was picked at the bottom of the 16-team league in the preseason media poll, but already has a five-win improvement in coach Kenny Dillingham's second season. No. 16 Colorado (8-2, 6-1, No. 16 CFP) at Kansas (4-6, 3-4), Saturday, 3:30 p.m. ET (Fox) Coach Deion Sanders and the Buffaloes are in prime position to make the Big 12 title game in their return to the league after 13 seasons in the Pac-12. If BYU and Utah win, Colorado would be able to claim the other title game spot with a win over Kansas. The Buffs have a four-game winning streak. The Jayhawks need another November win over a ranked Big 12 contender while trying to get bowl eligible for the third season in a row. Kansas has won consecutive games over Top 25 teams for the first time in school history, knocking off Iowa State before BYU. Iowa State quarterback Rocco Becht has thrown a touchdown in a school-record 14 consecutive games, while receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel both have more than 800 yards receiving. San Jose State is the only other FBS team with a pair of 800-yard receivers. Becht has 2,628 yards and 17 touchdowns passing for the Cyclones (8-2, 5-2), who are still in Big 12 contention. Oklahoma State goes into its home finale against Texas Tech with a seven-game losing streak, its longest since a nine-game skid from 1977-78. The only longer winless streak since was an 0-10-1 season in 1991. This is Mike Gundy's 20th season as head coach, and his longest losing streak before now was five in a row in 2005, his first season and the last time the Cowboys didn't make a bowl game. ... Baylor plays at Houston for the first time since 1995, the final Southwest Conference season. The Cougars won last year in the only meeting since to even the series 14-14-1. ... Eight Big 12 teams are bowl eligible. As many as six more teams could reach six wins. The Big 12 already has four 1,000-yard rushers, including three who did it last season. UCF's RJ Harvey is the league's top rusher (1,328 yards) and top scorer with 21 touchdowns (19 rushing/two receiving). The others with consecutive 1,000-yard seasons are Texas Tech career rushing leader Tahj Brooks (1,184 yards) and Kansas State's DJ Giddens (1,128 yards). Cam Skattebo with league newcomer Arizona State has 1,074 yards. Devin Neal, the career rushing leader at his hometown university, is 74 yards shy of being the first Kansas player with three 1,000-yard seasons. Cincinnati's Corey Kiner needs 97 yards to reach 1,000 again. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
UN General Assembly calls for 'unconditional' ceasefire in GazaDyskinetic Cerebral Palsy: A Closer Look at Symptoms, Diagnosis and Clinical Research Underway
Robert Anderson wrote numerous stories on high school athletes for The Roanoke Times. Now it’s his turn to be recognized. The Virginia High School League announced Wednesday that Anderson has been chosen for the 2025 class of the Virginia High School Hall of Fame. Anderson graduated from Martinsville High School in 1974. The class’ 50th anniversary reunion was held earlier this year at the Virginia Museum of Natural History in Martinsville. “We were in there with all the old bones and dinosaurs. It wasn’t until we left that I looked up and saw that the name of the room we had it in was called the hall of ancient life,” Anderson, 68, cracked Wednesday in a phone interview. “I guess this is what happens when you become a dinosaur, these kind of awards.” Anderson was a sports writer for The Bristol Herald Courier from 1978 to 2001, covering high school sports, NASCAR and Virginia Tech football and basketball. He was hired by the Roanoke Times in 2001 to oversee its high school sports coverage. He informed and dazzled readers of The Roanoke Times with his writing until he retired in June 2022. “I think I could find unusual stories that lay a little bit below the surface,” he said. “Telling some stories a little bit different than your ballgame scores.” The Roanoke County resident is part of an eight-person class that will be inducted in April at a Charlottesville hotel. Anderson learned a few months ago that he was chosen for the media category. He was nominated by former Salem High School athletic director Sandy Hadaway for consideration for the hall. Anderson played basketball and tennis for Martinsville. “I’m obviously not getting inducted for that,” he cracked. Anderson is embarrassed that he will be the first Martinsville graduate to enter the Virginia High School Hall of Fame. “Ridiculous,” he said. “The reason is, mostly people don’t nominate their athletes or their coaches. “Good Lord, (Martinsville has worthy candidates such as) Shawn Moore, Jeff Adkins, ... Lou Whitaker, Carl Hairston, Sonny Wade, Dennis Mahan. “People, I don’t think they know the history of their schools. ... People are busy in their day-to-day life, and I don’t think it’s on a lot of people’s radar. “I wish people would really make an effort to get your folks nominated.” Anderson loved being a sports writer. “A lot of jobs, you’re looking at the clock and you’re wondering when it’s ever going to get to 5 o’clock,” he said. “I never looked at it that way. I was the opposite. I always looked up and wished there were a little more time left in the day to get done what I needed to do. “It was exciting in a lot of ways.” Anderson’s favorite high school team to cover was the Cave Spring boys basketball squad that won the 2002 Group AAA state title. The star of that squad was former Duke and NBA guard and current NBA coach J.J. Redick. Redick missed six games that season with a foot injury. The team was just 9-9 when he rejoined the lineup in February 2002. After losing Redick’s first game back, the Knights won their final nine games, including the title games of the district, regional and state tournaments. “I ranked them No. 1 in Timesland with a 9-10 record when he came back and some guy from somewhere called and just raised hell about it,” Anderson said. “And then of course they won the whole thing that year. The guy didn’t call me back.” Anderson considers his most memorable high school sports article to be the one he wrote in 2007, 10 years after Pulaski County’s Lee Cook collapsed on the ground following a routine on-field collision with William Fleming’s Jamie Penn in a football game at Victory Stadium. Cook died of cardiac arrest triggered by a blow to the front part of his body. Penn was shot to death in 2005 at the age of 23. “It’s a sad story,” Anderson said. “There’s just something about that story and talking to (the late football coaches) Joel Hicks and Kila Miller about their memories of that and (talking to) the families of both those young guys and how that whole thing intertwined.” Anderson also remembers the article he wrote for The Roanoke Times in 2005 on the late Surry County boys basketball coach Joseph Ellis, who guided his team to a state title while battling cancer. Ellis died two months after the article was published. Anderson is also proud of the All-Timesland special sections he put out at the end of each school year, saluting standouts in every sport. He said his favorite high school athlete to cover was Calvin Talford, who was a multi-sport star at Castlewood High in Russell County before playing basketball at East Tennessee State and minor-league baseball in Martinsville. Anderson enjoyed covering VHSL state championship games, meets and matches. “Probably the most intense event in high school to cover is that packed state wrestling tournament at Salem Civic Center,” he said. He especially loved covering the state high school track and field championships. “I’ve always liked track and field,” he said. Anderson was named the winner of the sports-writing portfolio category by the Virginia Press Association in 2018 and 2022, finishing second in that category three other times. The former Emory & Henry tennis standout was named a top-10 finalist in the sports feature category by the Associated Press Sports Editors for a 2017 story on the late Roanoke tennis legend Carnis Poindexter. He was given the E.B. Whitmore Award by the Southwest Virginia Coaches Association and the 2006 Marshall Johnson Award by the Virginia High School Coaches Association. Anderson still writes about once or twice a month for The Cardinal News website. He also writes occasionally for VirginiaPreps.com . The new class also includes former Fluvanna County football, basketball and track and field standout Luther Bates; former Petersburg football and track and field standout Jerome Mathis; Heritage-Leesburg gymnastics coach and former Broad Run gymnastics coach Jennifer Aubel; former Mills Godwin tennis and basketball coach and former Douglas Freeman tennis coach Mark Seidenberg; Tabb field hockey coach Wendy Wilson; the late Tabb athletic director Willard Hunt; Virginia Beach City Public Schools athletic administrator David Rhodes; and VHSL state debate director Bob Seabolt.Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. A new way of treating serious asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) attacks could be a “game-changer” and is the first leap in treatment for 50 years, researchers say. Offering patients an injection is more effective than the current care of steroid tablets and cuts the need for further treatment by 30%, according to a study. Benralizumab is a monoclonal antibody that targets specific white blood cells, called eosinophils, to reduce lung inflammation. It is currently used as a repeat treatment for severe asthma at a low dose, but a new clinical trial has found that a higher single dose can be very effective if injected at the time of a flare-up. The findings, published in the Lancet Respiratory Medicine, included 158 people who needed medical attention in A&E for their asthma or COPD attack (COPD is a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties). Patients were given a quick blood test to see what type of attack they were having, with those suffering an “eosinophilic exacerbation” involving eosinophils (a type of white blood cell) being suitable for treatment. Around 50% of asthma attacks are eosinophilic exacerbations, as are 30% of COPD ones, according to the scientists. The clinical trial, led by King’s College London and carried out at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, saw patients randomly split into three groups. One group received the benralizumab injection and dummy tablets, another received standard care (prednisolone steroids 30mg daily for five days) and a dummy injection, and the third group received both the benralizumab injection and steroids. After 28 days, respiratory symptoms of cough, wheeze, breathlessness and sputum were found to be better in people on benralizumab. And after 90 days, there were four times fewer people in the benralizumab group who failed treatment compared with those receiving steroids. Treatment with the benralizumab injection also took longer to fail, meaning fewer visits to a GP or hospital for patients, researchers said. Furthermore, people also reported a better quality of life on the new regime. Scientists at King’s said steroids can have severe side-effects such as increasing the risk of diabetes and osteoporosis, meaning switching to benralizumab could provide huge benefits. Lead investigator Professor Mona Bafadhel, from King’s, said: “This could be a game-changer for people with asthma and COPD. “Treatment for asthma and COPD exacerbations have not changed in 50 years, despite causing 3.8 million deaths worldwide a year combined. “Benralizumab is a safe and effective drug already used to manage severe asthma. “We’ve used the drug in a different way – at the point of an exacerbation – to show that it’s more effective than steroid tablets, which is the only treatment currently available.” Researchers said benralizumab could also potentially be administered safely at home or in a GP practice, as well as in A&E. First author Dr Sanjay Ramakrishnan, clinical senior lecturer at the University of Western Australia, said: “Our study shows massive promise for asthma and COPD treatment. “COPD is the third leading cause of death worldwide but treatment for the condition is stuck in the 20th century. “We need to provide these patients with life-saving options before their time runs out.” Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and innovation at Asthma and Lung UK, welcomed the findings but said: “It’s appalling that this is the first new treatment for those suffering from asthma and COPD attacks in 50 years, indicating how desperately underfunded lung health research is.” AstraZeneca provided the drug for the study and funded the research, but had no input into trial design, delivery, analysis or interpretation.On Wednesday at around 6pm, thousands of social media users in parts of the UK reported an outage with Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. The social media giant reported that a “technical issue” had left users unable to access its services. DownDetector, a website that monitors social media outages, says the three cities hit worst by the outage were London, Manchester and Glasgow. Other major cities hit hard by the blackout were Cardiff, Nottingham and Birmingham. Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. We apologize to those who’ve been affected by the outage. — Meta (@Meta) December 11, 2024 By around 10pm on Wednesday, DownDetector UK said there had been 23,445 reports of Facebook outages, 11,466 Instagram outages and 18,646 on WhatsApp across Britain. In an update issued at 10.26pm on X, Meta said the problem was now nearly resolved. A spokesperson said: “Thanks for bearing with us! We’re 99% of the way there – just doing some last checks. “We apologise to those who’ve been affected by the outage.” Other parts of the world affected include Europe, Asia, South America and Australia, according to DownTracker. To find out if your area is affected, visit: downdetector.co.uk/status/facebook/map .
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