At the conclusion of a one-ticket race, Saint Mary’s students elected juniors Kat Sullivan and Maddy Martin on Thursday to serve as the 2013-14 student body president and vice president. Sullivan, a communications studies major whose mother was student body president of Saint Mary’s in 1976, said she is looking forward to stepping into the role April 1. “It was really exciting and I was glad that other students were just as [excited as] we were,” Sullivan said. “They realized the importance of voting, regardless of the fact that we were running unopposed. It is very important that students’ voices are heard.” The Student Government Association (SGA) sent an email Thursday to students opening up the election. Attached was a link to OrgSync, the College’s new communication system, where students were able to select the Sullivan-Martin ticket or chose to abstain. Current student body president Maureen Parsons said 262 students voted in this year’s election, and 91 percent of the voters were in favor of the Sullivan-Martin ticket. Martin, a biology and Spanish double major, said she is particularly excited about the level of voting participation from the student body. “Obviously it wasn’t a huge surprise, but it was still really awesome that we had enough participation from the student body,” she said. “Even though we were the only ticket running, I had great feedback from other students saying that Kat and I were going to be great leaders next year. It really gives me a lot of confidence going in to next year knowing that the student body supports us.” In the upcoming weeks, Sullivan said she and Martin will work on applications for other SGA positions. They plan to release the applications for these positions Friday to give students ample time to consider applying. “We would also like to have an Activities Night geared towards SGA so students can see what exactly SGA is and how they can get involved,” Sullivan said. “This will be important as we start to work towards transparency and better communication between SGA and the student body.” Martin, who currently serves as the vice president of finance for SGA, said she wants to alert the student body to the opportunities SGA offers. Outgoing leaders will assist the new team in learning the ropes of their jobs. “We will have a grace period starting April 1 where the new members essentially ‘shadow’ old members,” Martin said. “It provides some comfort going in because students have the opportunity to ask questions; they aren’t just thrown into the system.” Choosing the right students as fellow leaders for the College is the pair’s first priority once they take office in April, Sullivan said. “I would also like to sit down with all the newly elected leaders on campus once big board and class board elections are finalized,” Sullivan said. “I would like to hit the ground running and delegate tasks from the beginning of our term as student body president and vice president. That’s why it will be important to choose leaders as soon as we can so we can establish what roles people will take with events and initiatives over the next year.” Student Activities Board (SAB), Student Diversity Board (SDB), Residence Hall Association (RHA) and class board elections will be held March 7, Martin said. “I am so excited to continue expanding SGA,” Martin said. “We have a really great backbone set in place, and now it comes time to add on. We can now begin to perfect and modify the structure.” Sullivan, like Martin, said she is looking forward to working alongside her fellow Belles to get the student body more involved in SGA. “I am really excited to be working with Maddy,” Sullivan said. “I think that we will make a good team because we have different academic and extracurricular backgrounds. Through our current involvement on SGA, we have seen different aspects of Saint Mary’s that need to be improved. “Together, we can change the dynamic of the student body.”
Category: yfeebw
GRC expands programs
To augment the work of student government’s Gender Issues Committee and the new Prism ND, the Gender Relations Center (GRC) is initiating new programming this year to drum up conversation about sexuality, identity and relationships at Notre Dame. Dr. Christine Caron-Gebhardt, director of the GRC, said expanded offerings include roundtable discussions, presentations from experts and dorm workshops. The first notable event is a three-part series of speeches from Terry Nelson Johnson, a professional speaker and mentor at Old St. Patrick’s Church in Chicago, on sexuality and Catholicism, men and masculinity and LGBTQ and Catholicism and it will take place Sept. 16 and 17. “We’re continuing our conversations on sexuality and relationships, but really broadening the conversation to include things around men and masculinity, LGBTQ, understanding of gender and identities [and] the intersectionality of identities,” Caron-Gebhardt said. Amanda Downey, assistant director for educational initiatives at the GRC, said Johnson first spoke at Notre Dame last year, at the request of a group of students from Keough Hall. “Terry Nelson Johnson came to us as a result of a student interest. A group of men from Keough came over one day and said they wanted to talk about intimacy,” Downey said. “They wanted to bring him, and they wanted him to talk about intimacy.” To better connect with the needs of the student body, Caron-Gebhardt said the GRC is starting a dorm commissioner program. “We are piloting dorm commissioners as a resource for students within their residence halls as well as a conduit for students to let us know what kinds of conversations, what kinds of questions they want to talk about here on campus about gender, sexuality and relationships,” she said. For those who want to continue these conversations, Caron-Gebhardt said the GRC is sponsoring the Sr. Jean Round Table, where students can discuss gender issues together. Each meeting will have a different theme ranging from “sports and gender,” to “gender and Catholicism,” with the first taking placed Oct. 2. The GRC will also sponsor “Man Talk” and “Women’s Wisdom” sessions, Caron-Gebhardt said. “Those conversation talks are student-generated,” she said. “We provide the venue, we provide the structure, but students provide the things that are important and they want to discuss.” To begin the discussion freshman year, Caron-Gebhardt said the GRC has amended its Contemporary Topics curriculum so one day covers healthy relationships and the other addresses prevention of sexual violence on campus through bystander intervention. “We took up that charge from [the Committee on Sexual Assault Prevention] saying, ‘How can we understand that sexual violence on our campus is not just about two people involved but actually impacts our community?’” Caron-Gebhardt said. In another effort to raise awareness of sexual violence in the spring, Downey said the GRC will sponsor an exhibition of “Unheard Voices,” a show by artist Jason Dilley that tells the stories of individual survivors of sexual assault. “[Dilley] has bronzed face casts – imagine a plaster cast of a face and then it’s dipped into a bronze and on a black background,” she said. “Students can walk around and there are little headphones attached to each face, and you can actually hear this person tell their story, which is a really powerful program.” Caron-Gebhardt said the GRC also plans to supplement Prism ND’s LGBTQ-focused programs, including special events for National Coming Out Day in October and Transgender Awareness Month and Stand Against Hate in November. “We see collaborating on events and co-sponsoring events together [with Prism ND],” Caron-Gebhardt said. “We also see that there are things that they may offer that we would then complement and offer individually. I see us doing things collaboratively and individually.” Caron-Gebhardt said the GRC encourages students to get involved with their programing and express what they want the GRC function. “[We want to] respond to student needs as we continue the dialogue around certain issues,” she said.
The future of third-party inspections
The COVID-19 pandemic has devastated many businesses, including the mortgage lending industry. One of the significant obstacles faced within the mortgage industry was the change in approach to completing an inspection of the borrower’s home by a third party. In most scenarios, the appraiser is considered to be the third party, however, as the traditional real-estate transaction is completed there may be additional third parties who become involved. Depending on the scenario, this can include a third-party inspection by a home inspector, FHA inspector, city building inspector, etc. In the face of the pandemic, many appraisers, myself included, have come across borrowers who are hesitant to allow an inspection of their home. In some cases, borrowers would simply not allow a third party into their home, even with all precautions against the spread of the virus being taken, including using a mask and gloves.As the pandemic grew in the US, many major cities put in place stay at home orders and deemed certain professions non-essential. This created significant delays in the completion of an appraisal report. In response, the GSE’s were quick to offer some temporary guidance on how an appraisal can be completed without the interior of the subject being inspected. This was dependent on the loan type, LTV ratio, and type of transaction. (Lender Letter 2020-04) These guidelines allowed certain loans to qualify for a desktop only or drive-by appraisal to avoid any persons entering the borrower’s home.Speaking with many lenders, credit unions, and servicers, some groups have tried to create a way to allow the borrower to send interior property data to their valuations team to allow the information to be transmitted to the appraiser to complete a more credible report. We have seen lenders create their own DropBox or Google Drive enabling the homeowner to send photos to these platforms. This works in limited capacity but ultimately, proves too complicated. Another proposed workaround is having the borrower submit photos via email. However, with most inboxes at a 10MB limit, this only allows for 2-5 photos to be sent. Additionally, having multiple emails from thousands of different borrowers sent to a lender, becomes disorganized and messy very quickly. On top of these obvious issues, lenders are also faced with questions regarding the authenticity of the photos, including questions of when they were taken, where they were taken, etc. Without a method of verifying this information it is a big risk for the lender and the appraiser to take. It became apparent, a more secure method of transferring interior subject data is a must have for the current industry and we have seen many different technologies develop to help with this.Some companies have developed smart-phone applications or web applications to allow the borrower to submit interior data of their home. These applications range from simply taking photos to answering property specific questions. While this solves the problem of easy data submission for the borrower, the problem of verifying authenticity remains. There has to be a solution that will record the longitude/latitude of where the photos were taken, and a time stamp to verify when it was taken. A geo-fencing security option is most important along with a method to only allow for real-time photos to be accepted within the application. This forces the user to take the photos through the application and prohibits any uploads from a photo gallery, where the photos can be edited or taken at a previous date.An inspection solution must include the aforementioned fraud prevention tactics to be successful. Additionally, the user experience should also be taken into consideration. It is important to have an easy and user-friendly application for the typical homeowner to navigate and complete the order request. As they say, one size does not fit all, and the same solution will not apply to each credit union and lending institution. Certain customization may be required within the application, such as different photo requirements, the ability to add a questionnaire to each request, or as simple as a white labeling option. Not every application will offer this level of customization so the lending institution or credit union will have to consider these options in order to select the application which can best fulfill their requirements.As the needs of customers change along with the ever-evolving landscape of technology, these are some great starting points to consider when preparing to make these decisions. 13SHARESShareShareSharePrintMailGooglePinterestDiggRedditStumbleuponDeliciousBufferTumblr,Luke Tomaszewski Luke Tomaszewski is the CEO of eValuation ZONE, Inc. a national AMC(Appraisal Management Company) and also CEO and founder of a newTech company called ProxyPics, Inc. located in … Web: https://proxypics.com Details
Pennsylvania Sees Success in Substance Use Hotline Connecting Callers to Treatment
Pennsylvania Sees Success in Substance Use Hotline Connecting Callers to Treatment Press Release, Public Health, Substance Use Disorder Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today recognized the one-year anniversary of the Pennsylvania Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs’ (DDAP) PA Get Help Now Helpline, which first began taking calls on November 10, 2016. The helpline is a toll-free, statewide service that connects individuals seeking treatment for themselves or a loved one to options in their community. The helpline, staffed 24 hours a day, seven days a week, received more than 18,000 calls in the first year.“The PA Get Help Now helpline is connecting people to the care they need to begin the process of recovery,” Governor Wolf said. “As Pennsylvanians continue to battle against the heroin and opioid epidemic, the helpline is a tremendous example of an initiative that is making a measurable difference in the fight.”“In the past year, PA Get Help Now has received more than 18,000 calls,” DDAP Acting Secretary Jennifer Smith said. “These calls have connected thousands of Pennsylvanians into treatment options that help make recovery a reality. Too often I hear that people delay seeking treatment simply because they do not know where to begin. The helpline combats that problem every day.”The helpline has connected thousands of Pennsylvanians to at least one treatment resource, including detoxification centers, medication-assisted treatment options, outpatient treatment, and other treatment and recovery support services. Helpline operators connect callers directly to these resources and will stay on the phone with the caller until an appointment is scheduled.“Helpline operators are trained to connect you to treatment resources that can best identify and address a caller’s needs, including financial concerns. If a caller is unsure if their insurance will cover treatment or how they will pay for it, helpline operators will help find the best option for their financial situation,” said Acting Secretary Smith. “Concerns over ability to pay should not prevent anyone from seeking treatment.”Individuals seeking recovery resources for themselves or a loved one can call the toll-free PA Get Help Now helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357). A live chat option is also available online for those seeking help who may not be comfortable speaking directly to a helpline operator.For more information on the Department of Drug and Alcohol Programs and treatment options around the commonwealth, visit www.ddap.pa.gov and https://apps.ddap.pa.gov/gethelpnow/. SHARE Email Facebook Twitter
November 13, 2017
Once in a generation opportunity as 1950s family home hits the market for the first time in 67 years
It might be overkill for the mobile generation, but an in-built telephoner table was the height of sophistication in the 1950s The home is riddled with potential and looking for its second owner in almost 70 yearsBEYOND this facade sits a celebration of interior design not seen since the 1950s … and some of it is probably best left there. Original features make this a ‘must see’ for keen renovatorsMr Hamilton said when these original homes hit the market for the first time, buyers were drawn to the possibilities.“First time sales are always nice — they attract a lot of inquiry. It says a lot about the street and the neighbours that people stay there for so long,” he said.Follow Kieran Clair on Twitter at @kieranclair Looking for opportunity? Welcome to 11 Fourteenth Avenue, KedronThat’s not to say 11 Fourteenth Avenue, Kedron doesn’t have its charms.For the first time since circa 1950, the three-bedroom home has been offered for sale, and its potential is obvious according to LJ Hooker Stafford agent, Dean Hamilton.“It’s untouched,” Mr Hamilton said. What some call ‘tired’ others call ‘treasure’More from newsMould, age, not enough to stop 17 bidders fighting for this homeless than 1 hour agoBuyers ‘crazy’ not to take govt freebies, says 28-yr-old investorless than 1 hour agoMr Hamilton said two sisters had inherited their family home, but have decided now was the time to sell.“They grew up there with the blue flower wallpaper. They remember when there was nothing in that street and you had views to the north,” Mr Hamilton said.Mr Hamilton said response to the listing had been fantastic, with a dozen inquiries since the listing went live 24 hours ago.“I’ve already got a couple of written offers at the moment,” he said.Mr Hamilton said while the property needed an upgrade, keen renovators would find many features worth retaining.“There individual lighting in the lounge, ornate cornices and wood panelling with a built in telephone desk and a picture rail — it’s still got the original carpeting,” he said.
Shell Marine and CCCC Dredging Enter Framework Agreement
Shell Marine has signed a framework agreement with CCCC Dredging (Group) Co. Ltd of China to supply marine lubricants and provide technical services across the Chinese company’s fleet.In addition to the supply of Shell Marine’s comprehensive range of lubricating oils designed for every shipboard application, CCCC Dredging’s full access to the company’s technical services is a key component of the agreement.Effective lubricants supply and service, according to Shell Marine experts, is essential because the correct choice and management of marine lubricants optimizes performance and minimizes component wear, thereby extending time between overhauls.All of these factors have a direct impact on the bottom line and asset lifecycle costs.Technical service products within the Shell Marine portfolio now available to CCCC Dredging include:Shell LubeAdvisor – for general technical support and product guidance;Shell LubeMonitor – for condition monitoring and operational optimization;Shell LubeAnalyst – for planned and predictive maintenance.Commenting on the agreement, CCCC Dredging’s Vice President, Mr. Liu Shudong, said: “Shell Marine’s comprehensive product range and extensive network ensure that it is well-placed to meet our complex requirements, both in terms of product and supply. We also see the technical services aspect of the agreement as a key element in supporting our drive to raise fleet efficiency and optimize the performance of our assets.”Mr. Joris van Brussel, General Manager of Shell Marine, commented: “We are delighted to have formalized this strategic agreement with CCCC Dredging. We believe that our customer-oriented services and global supply network will provide a comprehensive all-in-one basis for marine lubricant optimization across the CCCC Dredging fleet.”
Winter Weather Advisory For WRBI Area
The National Weather Service issuing a Winter Weather Advisory for The WRBI Listening Area from 4 PM Saturday through 4 AM Sunday. Accumulations of 2 to 3 inches of snow are expected with higher amounts possible.Travel difficulties are expected due to reduced visibilities and snow accumulations. Be prepared for snow covered roads and use caution while driving.Many area events including sports and church have been cancelled. Listen to Country 103.9 WRBI for Severe Weather updates and logon to www.wrbiradio.com for up-to-date listings of closings, cancellations, and delays as well as area County Travel Status.
Vaz Te on his way?
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes Ricardo Vaz Te may have been the target of an illegal approach following a statement issued by the Portuguese winger declaring his disenchantment at Upton Park. There remains a possibility Vaz Te will still be a West Ham player when the window closes and, if that is the case, Allardyce will not bear a grudge. “Nothing is beyond repair with me,” he added. “20 years ago, 18 years ago, he’d probably never kick a ball again. In today’s world of football and me being a bit more mature and mellow, I’m always ready to give someone a second chance. “At this moment in time if he wants to leave he can. There’s no problem with that. The club who wants him will have to pay a fair price we consider is right. He won’t just leave the club because he wants to.” Whether Vaz Te, who scored a free-kick in the Hammers’ 2-1 Capital Cup second-round win over Cheltenham on Tuesday, will be considered for selection at home to Stoke on Saturday remains to be seen. But one player who will not be available against the Potters is midfielder Alou Diarra. The 32-year-old, who missed a large chunk of last season with a hamstring problem, lasted only 34 minutes against Sky Bet League Two outfit Cheltenham in midweek before being forced off through injury. Capped 44 times by France, Diarra has failed to earn a regular place in the West Ham side since joining from Marseille at the start of last season and was loaned to Rennes in January. Allardyce confirmed the knee injury and believes it has ended Diarra’s season just two weeks into the new campaign. “Alou got injured the other night unfortunately,” Allardyce said. “The injury is more serious than we expected and it is an ACL [anterior cruciate ligament] reconstruction unfortunately. “That will probably finish his season, that is a big blow to us in squad terms. He was hoping to forge his way into the side this season but, obviously with the injury, now that will not be the case.” George McCartney and Andy Carroll also remain sidelined for the visit of Mark Hughes’ Stoke with young midfielder Ravel Morrison pushing for his first league start for the Hammers. The 26-year-old has gradually fallen down the pecking order at West Ham, with the likes of Joe Cole, Matt Jarvis and Stewart Downing having joined the Hammers in the last 12 months. Vaz Te scored the winning goal in the Championship play-off final that sealed West Ham’s return to the top flight and also impressed during their first season back in the Barclays Premier League last season. A dislocated shoulder in the 3-1 home defeat to Arsenal curtailed Vaz Te’s season but the player, who also worked under Allardyce at Bolton, has said he is disappointed with his situation at West Ham. “Last season I was asked to change positions for the benefit of the team even though I had just scored 24 goals. Despite this, it has been made obvious to myself and my representatives that I am not in the manager’s plans,” his statement, issued on Thursday, read. “In my 10 years as a professional football player I have never submitted a transfer request nor issued a statement. However, I am frustrated at West Ham United Football Club.” The timing of the statement, with just a matter of days remaining of the summer transfer window, has left Allardyce questioning the reasoning behind making such comments public. “If anybody’s going to leave now it’ll be Vaz,” he said. “You don’t keep anybody that doesn’t want to stay. If a club comes in to make the right offer for him we’ll be more than happy to accommodate the transfer request he’s given us. “Generally when you make [a statement] like that, they’ve been tapped up. Someone would’ve probably already contacted him. “I am expecting a bid for him in the next couple of days because you don’t do that sort of thing this late in the transfer window. “I would expect in the next couple of days we will have an inquiry. If not he’s put himself in a difficult position having said what he’s said if he doesn’t have another club lined up.” Press Association
Reds negotiating Ings compensation
Liverpool and Burnley remain locked in talks over compensation for striker Danny Ings but claims the Clarets could be entitled to a record fee at tribunal appear unlikely. Press Association Sport understands the two clubs are miles apart on their valuations as Burnley, influenced by a £12million bid lodged by Tottenham earlier this month despite being told by Ings’ agent weeks ago he was not interested in moving to White Hart Lane, are believed to want around £10million. Reports have suggested if the Professional Football Compensation Committee are asked to rule they could break their own record valuation which required Chelsea to pay £6.5million (£3.5million up front with add-ons based on appearances up to 40 and senior England recognition) when the then 20-year-old Daniel Sturridge, coincidentally now at Anfield, quit Manchester City after his contract expired in 2009. However, each case is judged on its own merits and the fact that deal was between two top Premier League clubs, Sturridge was being offered substantial wages – an indicator of how highly the buying club valued him – and he had been with City since the age of eight were all factored into the fee. Ings’ circumstances are different in that he is not a product of Burnley’s academy having joined from Bournemouth for £1million four years ago. Tottenham’s reported bid for Ings has been viewed with some scepticism and previous history suggests it is unlikely to push up the transfer fee as, for example, Tom Ince’s move from Blackpool to Hull saw the Seasiders reportedly reject an £8million bid in January for the 22-year-old and then be awarded £2million plus add-ons by a tribunal. If the timescale of that case, which was finally settled in the January after the summer transfer window, was followed in the Ings example Burnley would have to wait until 2016 for any money – although they will already have benefited from a Premier League parachute payment of £24million with a further £40million to follow in the three subsequent years. Talks are continuing between the two clubs and it seems a fee in the region of between £5million and £6million is the most likely outcome at this stage. Liverpool confirmed the departures of captain Steven Gerrard, Glen Johnson and goalkeeper Brad Jones with the submission of their retained list of the forthcoming Premier League season. Press Association Gerrard is joining Los Angeles Galaxy next month while the latest club to be linked with Johnson are Besiktas, the side which knocked the Reds out of the Europa League last season. Also leaving the club are Under-21 players Marc Pelosi and Jordan Lussey, the latter who has been with the academy since 2002. With no senior back-up goalkeeper, Liverpool are expected to step up their bid to sign Bolton’s out-of-contract Adam Bogdan to provide competition for Simon Mignolet. The Reds announced the capture of the England Under-21 international, whose contract expires at Turf Moor on June 30, on Monday. However, because of his age (22) the Clarets are entitled to financial recompense and have already rejected an opening offer of £4million. 
Hailakandi school football team emerge zonal champion in Zonal Level Tournament
A CorrespondentHailakandi: Lala HS and MP School, Hailakandi emerged as zonal champion in the Zonal Level Football Tournament held at Silchar recently. Team Hailakandi defeated Team Karimganj by a margin of 1-0 in the finals. In the semi final, Hailakandi defeated Cachar by a margin of 3-0.District champions from Cachar, Karimganj, Hailakandi and Dima Hasao took part in the zonal championship.The team will now compete for the State Championship to be held at SAI complex in Guwahati from November 28.Congratulating Team Hailakandi, Inspector of Schools, Rajiv Kumar Jha said, “It’s a proud moment for Hailakandi district and the Department of Secondary Education.”Jha exuded optimism that Team Hailakandi will bring more laurels for the district and wished them all success for the state level championship.Also Read: NEUFC take on Mumbai FC in ISL today at Indira Gandhi Athletic StadiumAlso Watch: Leopard enters house in Assam-Meghalaya Border, sparks panic among public