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haddonfieldproject · 3 years

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<<PREVIOUS⏺<<CONTENTS>>

WARREN COUNTY/CARPENTER COUNTY LINE, ILLINOIS

Twenty Seven Hours Later

“Oh god!” The Governor turned from the Mustang with a hand over her mouth, her face suddenly pale.

“Oh jesus fuck!”

She took off across the roadway, running has fast as her flats would carry her. One of those shiny black shoes slipped on the wet asphault causing her to teeter, but she did not fall. She reached the tall wet grass on the opposite side of the road, bent, and proceeded to vomit in the ditch there. Salazar hurried after her.

Meeker and McGrath gave each other a tired look, and then looked back to the wreck. They barely noticed the white truck pull up behind them and Fred Colbourne hop out. A siren wailed in front of them as another Carpenter County Fire Department vehicle joined the other one and ejected six or seven more fire fighters in full yellow and orange regalia.

McGrath pointed to the crumpled body which lay in the middle of the road, atop the white lines.

“That's definitely Lloyd Chumway there,” he said morosely, “And this one here in the drivers seat...that's Lee.”

Meeker spit. “Pretty well intact, considering.”

“Well, they were in a pretty nice truck.” McGrath said, glancing over to the Governor who had now dropped to her knees. Salazar held her gently by the shoulders. She was still wretching.

“It's Booger's truck,” Meeker replied softly.

“The cook from the diner? The one with his head in the..”

Meeker cut him off, “Yep.”

“What about the kids in the Mustang? Can you ID them?” McGrath asked, walking around to the other side of the orange sports-car.

“Well,” Meeker took a deep breath, “This is Brad Doyle's mustang. He's pretty well known by the police around here. Not a bad kid.” He spit again, “But not a very good one either.”

McGrath's eyes panned across the headless torso in the driver's seat clad in a blood soaked Code Orange shirt. Bits of blood, bone, and brain lay all over the steel bumper of the truck which had completley intruded upon the cab of the Mustang. Some of it belonged to Brad, some belonged to the mess of a carcass that lay in the center of the car beside him. There was nothing but a heap of blood, skin, bones, and some sort of leopard print clothing. Another crumpled body lay in the backseat. Young female, her head turned around the wrong way on her neck. She was missing her legs.

“Do you know these other two occupants?” McGrath asked.

“The one in the backseat is Kyndra Bailey. I'm guessing this one,” he gulped as he looked over the tattered remains, “this one is probably Zoey Gonland, her girlfriend. They liked to hang out with Brad.”

McGrath looked up from the other side of the car, “More trouble makers?”

“They were good kids. A little bit of the talk of the town, but good kids.”

McGrath shook his head, “I don't follow.”

“A high school lesbian couple in a small town like this. Everyone knows them.”

“Jesus God Almighty,” Fred Colbourne said as he stepped up to the wreck beside them.

Another man, this one tall and thin with short brown hair, a yellow polo shirt and khaki pants also appeared beside them. Meeker looked at him. The man extended his hand.

“I'm Shelton Ganoux, the Carpenter County Medical Examiner. They called for me as soon as they arrived.” The man said, nodding a head to the fire fighters who were laboring around the wreck of the semi-truck and ambulance.

“And we here in Warren County greatly appreciate your help,” Meeker said, shaking the young man's hand firmly. “We've had one hell of a night over here and our boys are a little tied up.”

Ganoux half-bowed his head, “So I've heard.”

“What the hell happened out here,” Colbourne asked.

The Governor and Salazar re-appeared next to them. The Governor pulled a kleenex from her pantsuit pocket and dabbed at her mouth.

“It appears we have two separate accidents, occurring within about an hour and a half of each other. The orange sports-car, the truck, and the tractor trailer incident occurred at around six o'clock this morning, while the ambulance seems to have collided with the tractor trailer at around seven thirty.”

“Makes sense,” Meeker mumbled.

“What?” Colbourne asked, “What makes sense.”

“It looks like Mustang was behind the tractor trailer and went to try and pass him when they struck the Chumway Brothers in the truck coming from the opposite direction.” McGrath said.

Meeker's phone began to vibrate in his pants. He pulled it out, hit the green button on the screen, and stuck it to his ear.

“Meeker!” He barked. The voice that answered was gruff.

“Hey Deputy, it's Lorne Appleby.”

“Who?”

“Appleby, from Protective Services.”

“Oh right. Well?”

“Nothing yet. I'm gonna head to the hotel room for some shut eye. Miss. Cromer should be back in a few hours. Just wanted to keep you abreast of the...”

“Mrs. who?”

“Cromer...Ellen Cromer...from DCF.”

Meeker rubbed his forehead. “Aww yeah..right right. I'm sorry Appleby, I got a million things going on right now.”

“I know, I know. Like I said, just wanted to keep you abreast of the situation.”

“Who do I got over there now?”

“Officer Chang just left, Officer Stanton just arrived, two other officers in a squad car just went on patrol an hour or so ago...forgive me, I don't remember their names.”

Meeker adjusted the phone from one ear to the other. “Oh right, that's Warner and Farnsworth I think.”

“Maybe.”

“Okay, keep me posted.”

“Will do.”

Meeker ended the call.

“Who was that?” Fred asked.

“Guy from Protective Services about Maddie Keane.”

“Still haven't found her?” Colbourne asked.

Meeker shook his head and waved at the wreckage in front of him. “And if it wasn't for all this shit and everything else I'd have every god damn cop out there looking for her.”

Fred patted his friend's back. “I know Bengie. I know. You're doing the best you can.”

They were quiet for awhile and Ben took some deep breaths to gather his thoughts.

“You know what I'm wondering?” Colbourne asked after some time had passed.

“What's that?” Ben replied quietly.

“How in the world did no one around here hear a wreck like that?”

“Well the only ones out here are Reverend Taylor over there,” he pointed to his right, to a house on the top of a hill, “and Amos Yoder. Amos claims to have been woken up by the second accident, he's talking to the state troopers now.” he pointed to his left, toward a dirt road leading down to a quaint little farmhouse with a big red barn. An Amish man was indeed standing along side the curb next to his driveway talking to an Illinois State Trooper who was dictating his statement on a clipboard.

“Amos said he slept right through the first accident, and I've known Kevin Taylor for years, we had sleep overs together when we were kids. He has to sleep with some kind of noise. He always brought a sound machine to my house, annoying little shit.” Meeker continued, “He sleeps with a box-fan I think. He probably couldn't hear a frieght train coming through his living room.”

“Besides that it was still raining at six o'clock this morning,” Ganoux said, “the sound of the storm could have muffled much of the noise.”

“I just can't believe Gary Windorf didn't see the over-turned tractor trailer.” Colbourne said, gesturing to the ambulance. Gary Windorf had been the driver.

“We told him to haul ass,” Meeker sighed, “it was still dark and raining.”

“Plus he was coming up from over this hill,” McGrath added, waving at the rise in the road behind them.

The Governor cleared her throat. “So we have the Chumway brothers here...where the hell is Myers? Is he in the back of that ambulance where he belongs?”

“Who is Myers?” Ganoux asked.

“Objective number one,” Meeker replied, “Big guy, jumpsuit..”

“The guy with the mask, kinda toasty?”

“That'd be him,” McGrath nodded.

“He's over there.” Ganoux pointed. Three firefighters crouched beside a body near the tree line. The figure was face down in the mud only a few feet from the trailer of Gabriel Couture's truck. “It appears the patient was thrown from the ambulance.”

“But he's dead?” Meeker asked.

“Very much so. He hit a tree in mid air.” Ganoux replied.

“He was dead before he was even put in the ambulance,” Colbourne grunted.

“Well, I can't tell that. I'd need to do a full autopsy to do that.” Ganoux said.

“Forget that,” The Governor spat, “Get his ass in a body bag and let's get it back to the High School. Get all these bodies over there so we can...”

She was interrupted by the sound of approaching vehicles. The whole party turned as a black GMC Van pulled up behind the firetrucks. In the distance, it looked as if the van had been followed by a train of semi-trucks. The truck tractors where plain white with no lettering, while the trailers were gray, and also blank. The hiss of the parking brakes sounded off one at a time.

The doors of the GMC Van opened. Several almost identical looking Caucasian men in black suits stepped out. They seemed to be led by another man, who had climbed out of the passenger side of the van. He was older than the others, judging by the gray in his hair.

The older gentlemen stepped up and extended his hand to the Governor.

“Governor Harris?” He asked simply.

“I am,” The Governor replied, taking his hand.

“I'm Dick Spencer, Director of the Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team for Region Five.”

“How do you do?” The Governor asked with a forced smile. “This is Deputy McGrath of the---”

Spencer cut her off and pulled a piece of paper from the inside breast pocket of his coat, “Did you request Federal Response?”

“Yes sir, we've had a bad night in this town---” The Governor started but again, Spencer cut her off.

“And you are fully aware that in so doing, you have allowed the Department of Homeland Security to begin to conduct an investigation into the order, as to the reasons why such an order would be placed pursuant to Guideline 542, section B, article F?”

The Governor looked at Meeker and then to McGrath, who took the roll of papers from Agent Spencer. “Yes sir..I am aware of the...”

“Excellent then,” Spencer looked down at the papers and began to thumb through them, “I have two affidavits for your law enforcement officers here to fill out. They must be in precise detail as to the events that transpired over the night , and why you would need to place an order for a portable refrigeration unit for casualty victims.” He looked at McGrath, “You need to fill one out as does this local officer...Officer----???”

Meeker took one of the papers, “Deputy Sheriff Ben Meeker.”

“Meeker,” Spencer nodded, “I also have a battery of questions we need to go over, but first I have three questions.”

McGrath took the other paper, “Yeah, shoot.”

“Do you or do you not want to be a big pain in my ass today?�� Spencer asked.

McGrath laughed in spite of himself. “What?”

“I'm not aware that I said anything amusing Agent?” Spencer replied, cutting a look to Meeker and then back at McGrath, “Do you want to be a big pain in my ass today?”

“No sir,” McGrath replied.

Spencer looked back at Meeker, “Do you want to be a big pain in my ass Deputy Sheriff?”

“No sir,” Meeker replied.

“Excellent,” Spencer said, “Now let's get something straight. I don't want to be here, okay?”

Meeker and McGrath nodded.

“You are aware that last night was Halloween?” Spencer asked.

Meeker and McGrath looked at one another, not sure how to answer. McGrath was brave enough to try. “Well—yes...”

“Do little girls and boys play dress up on Halloween?” Spencer asked.

The two men looked at each other again and then replied in unison: “Yes sir,”

“You know who else plays dress up?”

Meeker and McGrath looked at each other a third time and then back at Spencer and shook their heads.

“Russian mail order brides play dress up,” Spencer said matter-of-factly. “Just hours ago, I was playing dress up with my Russian mail order bride, and you can imagine what kind of activities proceed playing dress up and drinking Vodka and 7-Up all night. And you can imagine how doing these things would be very taxing for a man my age, couldn't you?”

“Yes sir,” the men replied.

“I would like nothing better than to be back in my bed, in my Chicago penthouse, with Katya on my ‪Saturday morning‬. But instead, I'm called out to this piss-ant little town in the Storm-of-the-fuckin'-century. You can imagine how that would put me in a bad mood, correct?”

“Yes sir,” the men agreed.

“If there is any thing between those two affidavits that doesn't match up, or if there is anything that has transpired in this town that isn't cherry, or if the two of you aren't one hundred percent crystal clear and straight with me and obedient to my will like two little golden retriever puppy dogs, I will have Washington DC on my ass, and I don't want ‪Washington DC‬ on my ass for anything, and that will turn you into a big pain in the ass for me, and we don't want that now do we?”

“No sir,” they responded.

“I want to get this over with so I can go back home and enjoy my weekend, got it?”

“Yes sir.”

“Good,” Spencer pointed to the trucks, “Second question,” he said, “Where is the mobile refrigeration unit going to be erected?”

McGrath stuttered and looked at Meeker.

Meeker swallowed and said, “Best place I guess would be the parking lot of the high school...we've already set up a field---.”

“You guess?” Spencer stammered.

“Yes sir,” The Governor cut in, “The parking lot of the High School is where we want it.”

“What high school? I need a name people! I need an address!” Spencer's volume level went up a notch.

“It's Haddonfield High School, on the corner of Belmont and Main Street,” Meeker said.

“Well is it Belmont or Main Street?!” Spencer nearly roared.

“‪248 Belmont Avenue‬,” Meeker responded calmly.

“Got it,” one of the accompanyng men in black suits said quietly, and then they all turned to walk toward the first truck.

“Third question,” Spencer said, his volume level returning to normal, “is there a police station in this god-forsaken town that we conduct business in, or do we rednecks like to stand out in the road and play with our dicks in front of a bunch of mangled car accident victims?”

“I have two of my boys setting up a big tent in the parking lot of the hospital. That's gonna be ground zero for now until that scene gets under control and we can shift everything to the high school.” Meeker replied.

“The tent we use for the exhibitions on fair days and stuff. The recruitment tent?” Colbourne asked.

“Exactly. Herman Beach and Chris Huber are grabbing it from the storage unit. They should be there any minute. We should probably get over there now, I think we're done here.”

“That sounds like a fantastic idea,” Spencer said, turning back toward his vehicle. “There better be coffee.”

The Governor piped up, “Don't you have a Mayor in this town somewhere? Someone is gonna have to talk to the press!”

Meeker winced.

NEXT>> (Coming Soon)

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anaxustrikon1 · 2 years

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anaxustrikon · 3 years

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cafeology · 6 years

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Cafeology & The University of Sheffield - Cauca Visit 2018.

The following blog explains my trip with the University of Sheffield who we arranged a direct souring agreement with a coffee producer in the south of Colombia. This producer, Cencoic consists of indigenous farmers based in the southern region of Cauca. The intention of this trip is to forge strong and sustainable relationships with our producer as well as see how the University of Sheffield can engage with potential projects over and above coffee sourcing to assist the growers association.

I was joined by Gavin Brown, Head of Commercial Services, Peter Anstess, General Manager of Retail Operations, Meg McGrath, Development Officer, University of Sheffield Students Union and Daniela Orrego Payan, a Colombian National who is studying at the University of Sheffield. Also joining us on the trip was Greg Morgan from Social Sciences at the University of Sheffield. Greg had been attending the Worldwide Universities Network AGM in Perth, Australia and came back via Bogota on his return journey. Sadly we were also due to be joined by Professor Duncan Cameron, who is an expert on Plant and Soil Biology. Sadly Duncan’s father had a heart attack 2 days before the trip resulting in him being unable to make it. I wish Mr Cameron Senior a speedy recovery and thoughts are with Duncan and his family. 27 May 2018

It was an early start for a Bank Holiday weekend as the flight was via Madrid at 06.20. I decided to stay at Heathrow the evening before which hopefully assisted the tiredness although it didn’t feel like it when the alarm went off at 03.50.

Everything went to time and the connection for Bogota, despite leaving behind schedule, still arrived on time into Colombia’s capital. Unfortunately my pick up was no where to be seen as there had been a mix up but our exporter Mariano was on hand to arrange another driver who took me to the hotel so all in all a very smooth journey.

Once checked into the hotel, Mariano had made arrangements to meet for dinner with his colleague Pablo. I have travelled in the Huila region with Pablo who originates from Uruguay but has worked in the Bogota office for a while now. It was good to catch up with them both and I appreciated them giving up family time on a Sunday night to join me. The hotel is in a fantastic location called Zona T, in the heart of the shopping district close to all the bars and restaurants, a recommendation from Duncan! I was very much looking forward to my first cold Club Colombia beer and was devastated to find out that my trip had clashed with the elections in Colombia. There is a total country wide ban on alcohol sales on Election Day..... so it was diet cokes all round with dinner. It was probably for the best as I was getting a little tired so I headed back to the hotel to get some much needed rest.

Monday 28 May

As always, travelling west resulted in the natural alarm clock going off way too early! Thankfully I knew there was going to be a lot of coffee consumed and the excitement about being back in this fantastic country was once again getting the better of me. After breakfast, I went for a walk around the local area, bustling with peeping horns, and a vibrancy which Colombia is famous for - it was good to be back in Bogota. At 2640m above sea level, the air is thinner here and the temperatures normally a steady 19 degrees. You will almost see rain every day and this day was certainly no different. Mariano had arranged a pick up to the office around 12.45 and met me on arrival at ECTP. Unfortunately I needed ID to get into the offices and I had everything safely tucked away in the safe back at the hotel. I eventually managed to retrieve an old photo of my passport on my phone from a trip to NYC a couple of years ago which, after much negotiation, the security accepted and I was finally in the building. ECTP stands for Engelhart Commodities Trading Partners (formerly BTG Pactual) is a global commodity merchant and assists in the sourcing and exporting of all of our Colombian coffee. I met up with Pablo and Marco and discussed in detail with Mariano our vision for the next 5 years in Colombia, also what we would like to achieve on this trip. It also gave me the opportunity to discuss the exciting plans with our new Roastery and give them an update on current challenges faced at our point in the supply chain. After the meeting, I had chance to discover more of this amazing city whilst on foot touring many of the coffee bars including Tostao, a relatively new concept offering coffee and pastries at fantastically low prices. They are popping up everywhere. I was very much looking forward to the evening to be reunited with Francisco (Pacho) and Norma from Asoapia as they had made the difficult journey from Risaralda especially to meet me. We arranged to meet at my hotel at 7pm along with Mariano and headed out for drinks. There is a great bond between us and it was fantastic to catch up. It may have been quite an informal location (La Cerveceria), a bar round the corner, but Pacho armed with notepad got straight down to business. We discussed many things including microlots and also purchasing Organic from the farm whilst I managed to give him an update on the Roastery which he was delighted to hear about. Thankfully the ban on alcohol had been and gone and we were enjoying the Club Colombia Roja as we waited for Greg Morgan to arrive from Perth via Santiago who would be joining us for Dinner. Greg is the Head of International Partnerships at the University of Sheffield and had planned to join us on his way back from the Worldwide Universities Network AGM in Perth, Australia. Greg has spent considerable time in Colombia (not to mention many other conflict areas in the world) so it was good to catch up out here in Bogota. After introductions, we moved on for dinner. Pacho was very tired and after the fantastic meal, Pacho, Norma and Mariano left. Greg and I weren’t far behind them. Food in Colombia can be quite rich but from my experience it is always very good. The levels of hygiene in Colombia are extremely high and if you enjoy meat, you won’t go far wrong in Colombia.

29 May

My guests from the University of Sheffield were on the red eye flight direct from London which meant they landed in Bogota at 4am. I had arranged a pick up for them and due to the early hours they were checked in at the hotel by 5am. Thankfully their rooms were ready which allowed them the chance for a couple of hours rest. We met down at breakfast at 8am and it was good to see them here in Bogota after nearly 9 months of planning. Making the trip was Gavin Brown, Director of Commercial Services, Peter Anstess, General Manager, Retail Operations, Megan McGrath, Development Officer, Students Union and Daniela Payan A post grad student studying Management and Entrepreneurship. Daniela only learnt of the trip on 24 hours before departure following the very sad news regarding Duncan’s father. After the introductions and a brief by me of the itinerary, we headed off to the offices again of ECTP, all armed with ID! We were met once again by Mariano. Pacho and Norma were already on site. After the introductions, we discussed many areas of how the University of Sheffield may be able to assist the cooperative through different programs which Greg was interested to investigate further. We also discussed current pricing and the opportunity of securing micro lots on the next container. This will give total traceability to our customers whilst offering exclusivity for customers wishing to have a unique coffee. This also gave us the opportunity to present the brand new Roastology packaging specifically with its own unique label for Pacho and Asoapia. Not only were Pacho and Norma impressed but Peter and Gavin expressed interest for some of the retail packs to be sold across some of the retail outlets. It is always great to catch up with Pacho and I thought it was a good time to invite him over to the UK next year to celebrate 10 years of this fantastic direct trade partnership. Time was now cracking on as Pacho and Norma were heading off to Pereira so we said our goodbyes and went our separate ways. In the afternoon we planned a trip up to Monserrate, a stunning Monastery at the highest point in Bogota which gives the most amazing views of this huge city. Situated at 3152m above sea level, you reach the summit via a cable car or funicular. As Bogota is built on a plane with very little hills, you get an incredible scale of the size and sprawl of the area. We travelled up by cable car although I think Gavin and Peter were contemplating the steep walk, thankfully the cable car won. Once at the top it was photo time - and lots of them as it was clear (for the time being), then the weather closed in at incredible speed and the rain came down. Time was cracking on so we decided to head back down as we had a meeting scheduled at The Los Andes Universidad organised by Greg with a little help from our in house Colombian, Daniela. We were hosted by Yadira Mongollón - Head of Mobility Office International Affairs and Camilo Villa Moreno - Head of Cooperation for Research & Networks, Office of International Affairs and given a tour of the University including faculty of engineering and of course all the coffee and food outlets with Gavin and Peter taking notes. The university is celebrating its 70th anniversary this year which despite being relatively new is one of the leading Universities in Colombia. It is relatively small with only 19000 students, 15,000 undergraduates and only 450 doctorates. There are many foreign students attending the University including UK representation from Loughborough,Essex and Bristol, two of which I proudly added that we work with. Yadira gifted us with some coffee as she advised that the farmer is an Alumni of the University. A really nice touch and once again it shows how wide spread the coffee industry is throughout this magnificent country.. Following the tour, it was time to say our goodbyes and we ordered a cab just as the heavens opened. With that, totalled with Bogota rush hour traffic, it was going to be a long journey back. It took 90 minutes to do the 9 mile trip - welcome to Bogotá’s shocking traffic problem! It was a quick change at the hotel as we were guests of Tiffany Kohl, a good friend of mine at the biggest event in Bogota on a Tuesday night, Gringo Tuesdays. Tiffany is the founder of this amazing concept wishing to connect people visiting Bogota from all over the globe. The event now attracts over a thousand people every Tuesday and has won national acclaim as the place to be. We weren’t disappointed, it was an amazing party with a very friendly and welcoming feel. I do however think we may have been the only true Gringo’s in the place...... Unfortunately due to the timings, those who had only arrived that morning were beginning to flag so we didn’t test it to the full but still managed to have a fantastic night - thanks Tiffany! Daniela and Meg left a short time before us and we headed for a steak around the corner before retiring back to the hotel. Even Greg and I were ready for some sleep but fair play to Peter, he had managed 46 hours without bed although I think he was gutted not to do the extra couple of hours!

30 May

This morning allowed us all to have a leisurely breakfast before heading to the airport which I think was welcomed by all. Despite this the majority of us were awake at the crack of dawn. The morning allowed me to clear some emails and arrange transportation as well as sorting out the bills for the guests as it was all on one booking. Thankfully it was Daniela to the rescue, this Gringo from Sheffield was struggling to string two words together in Spanish. I had booked a minibus allowing us plenty of time for the Bogota traffic to get us to the airport. Today and Thursday were going to be the main event so my stress level was beginning to get a hold on me as the cab was running late. We only had this window to get to Cauca as there are only two flights a day with the other one in the evening which would have resulted in missing the afternoons visit to the parchment mill. The cab eventually arrived 40 mins late due to...traffic! It was a nervous journey through the city but luckily the traffic was being kind to us. Thankfully we arrived and met Mariano at the airport and our flight to Popayán left on time as the turbo prob steered through the rather threatening gathering clouds. The flight was just over an hour passing over some dramatic scenery, common with virtually anywhere in Colombia. The airport at Popayán is tiny and the bags were off loaded rather promptly and then the carousel stopped with both Peter and Gavin still waiting for their bags. Sadly they were still in Bogotá. They were both pretty cool about it but it was a little concerning as Peter had packed a drone that he had recently purchased and wanted to get some footage at the farm. Thankfully Avianca had located both bags and sent them with the evenings flight and they were delivered to the hotel so issue averted. We then bundled ourselves into taxis and headed to the hotel Dann Monasterio in the town. The hotel was superb, 16th century monastery, it was very traditional. We checked in and headed for lunch. We were greeted with an almighty storm, but the temperature was mild allowing us lunch on the covered patio. After lunch we were due to head off to the Cencoic parchment mill which is the other side of Popayán. Although my room was fabulous it backed on to the main road and if you’ve ever travelled in Colombia, you’ll realise that blasting horns, many with multi tones appears to be a very popular pastime country wide! I decided to relocate, which the hotel staff couldn’t be more obliging. Little did I realise it was going to turn into the most stressful 45 minutes of the whole trip. I moved everything out of the room and into the new, quiet room and began to unpack the small amount of items. At this point I realised I couldn’t locate my passport - cue brain racking followed by melt down. I checked the old room, new room, reception desk and nowhere to be seen. Everyone was now waiting in reception including the taxi drivers, how embarrassing! Mariano and one of the staff came up to the first room I checked into and were really helpful. I checked the safe one more time and it had got wedged upright behind the door - what a feeling. I rejoined the group and offered my sincere apologies to all with many offering a chuckle knowing panic was over. We then headed the short drive to the mill and met with Recardo, who manages the Parchment Mill. Ricardo is a very passionate gent and very accommodating and showed us around the facility allowing many photos to be taken as well as another delicious coffee. Ricardo also has his own coffee farm and grows coffee for Cencoic. We were then taken to the offices of Cencoic where I was reunited with Elisabeth Meneses Sandoval who I met in Seattle at the SCA in April 2017. Elisabeth is the Export Manager and was involved in the very first talks about the vision we had for the exclusive direct trade for the University of Sheffield. It was lovely to see her again and meet the team. We were then given a presentation (and more fabulous coffee) by Hernan Vincente Castellanos who is the Coordinator in the Coffee Department. This was extremely informative and helped the University gain a greater insight into the set up and challenges faced by this indigenous group as well as their vision for the future. Following the presentation, we were invited downstairs for a cupping session of 14 different coffees. It was great to see how the University embraced it and the guys hosting it were very accommodating and light hearted which led to a fun hour. Both Greg and I choose #4 which also matched that of the staff and Mariano so we have a secret cupper in the Social Sciences department at the University of Sheffield. We found out later that the winning coffee was actually from Ricardo’s farm, the chap who runs the Parchment warehouse. Following the cupping, we left the offices all together around 9pm and headed off for a ‘couple’ of beers and some food with Elisabeth and the team - it is just so wonderful how inclusive the group is with staff regardless of their position. During the meal we discussed the World of Coffee event in Amsterdam which was a fortnight away. I was delighted to learn that Elisabeth would be attending the event and explained that we will be showcasing our new roaster there. We agreed to meet on Friday 22 June at the expo. We also discussed the possibility of the General Manager, Juan Carlos visiting the University of Sheffield after the event. This will be quite tight to achieve but it would be amazing to show Juan Carlos how the Cencoic coffee is being showcased at the University. Daniela was very excited as her parents happened to be in the town that evening. Her father was giving a talk at the Hotel we were actually staying in - what an unbelievable coincidence. Naturally Daniela spent a brief time with her Mum & Dad which was lovely to see. We had a great evening but perhaps a little later than anticipated as our hosts showed they too are fans of Club Colombia.

31 May

It was an early start with lots of anticipation in the team as we were heading to the farms and for Gavin, Peter and Meg, this would be their first time seeing coffee growing -always a magical experience. We were met by Elisabeth and Hernan with three cars ready for the trip out to Caldono. I encouraged both Peter and Gavin to travel in the front seats to get phots of the journey, something later which Gavin didn’t thank me for given the standard of driving out in the countryside..... We travelled for around 90 minutes before reaching the drying farm and parchment station run by Cecilia, a lady who Toni and I had met at the first meeting in Seattle which was lovely to now see her operation. The facility was immaculate, clearly lots of pride taken here. Cicilia showed us how each of the certifications have their own designated rooms and in the region they are growing certified and non certified coffees. Out the back of the mill was a covered raised African Drying Beds. This is a patio which is elevated to to allow air to circulate the beans as they lay on wire mesh. There are several different methods of drying but this allows you to maximise space as and allow the moisture to drain generally resulting in better quality. We were made so welcome and personally I was very impressed at the cleanliness of the area and the quality of the parchment. Gavin, Peter and Meg then passed gifts to some of the staff which was a lovely touch and very well received. Peter and I were then given a bag, made in the town which was a lovely touch. Time was creeping on so we had to leave but it was great to see Cicilia again and proved a fabulous insight for team Sheffield. We then made the short (and steady) trip to the farm, poor Greg was in a Suzuki car which probably isn’t the best when travelling off road and rolling close behind, it did appear to take a few hits on the route - At one stage they were reconstructing the road and they flattened part of the road to allow Greg’s car through - something which typifies this fantastic country and the amazing people. We visited two farms, El Eden and La Esmeralda which allowed the guys to see the full process. This included seeing the washing station, the Pulping Machine and of course the drying bed - once again using covered African beds. The terrain here was extremely steep but what made it worse was the recent rain which made it very difficult to keep upright. We all thought we were well prepared but clearly the locals had greater experience of such challenges. Elisabeth led us down to the farm with me constantly asking her to slow down. Behind me was Daniela who slipping over more time than me on skis. When we reached the farm we were now missing Gavin and Peter, two of the finest athletes in the Commercial Services. Finally we heard them approaching with Peter in hysterics and a rather muddy Gavin following on. Gavin had taken an almighty tumble and had now written off most of his clothing. We were informed that Peter had sympathetically rushed to get his camera out prior to assisting Gavin back to his feet. The question is, would Gavin have done the same .... We were greeted by Floresmino at El Eden farm along with his wife and daughter. The farms here are all run by indigenous people so the language barrier is quite a challenge as it is quite far removed from Latin American Spanish. Despite Mariano being fluent in English and Spanish, words such as ‘university’ are difficult for the people to understand. Floresmino’s family as long as he’s aware, which is several generations have been involved in the production of coffee and of course it is his wish that this continues with his children. Floresmino has run El Eden farm for 5 years. The farm is situated at 1726m with the main arabica varietals of Cattura and Catuai. They have a primary and secondary harvest here and they were just coming to the end of the second harvest. Life is very tough here and the farmers face many challenges but the help and support given from Cencoic really does make a huge difference. After seeking permission from Floresmino, it was time for Peter to take to the skies (well his drone at least). Could this be the moment for Gavins payback as his drone would disappear towards the equator or end in a horrendous nose dive into the wilderness... This was not to be as The take off was smoother than that of a Avianca ATR Turbo Prop. With such concentration (and lots of pressure) the drone was off, flying high over the area. It was attracting unwanted attention from the Vultures circling high above us but after a few minutes, the Peter brought it back down with an equally smooth landing - Peter you smashed it! Personally I can’t wait to see the footage provided he pressed the record button.... We then visited the pulping station and saw the compost area where the cherries are turned into fertiliser to assist the soil when planting new trees. It was then time to head back up the hill and meet Antonio at La Esmeralda farm. We travelled deep into the plantations and saw lots of stunning coffee growing all at different stages from green through to red. Antonia picked oranges fresh from the tree which went down an absolute treat - I think Megan wanted to take a sack full home! I showed the guys how sweet the coffee cherry is as they chewed the fruit around the bean being careful not to bite on the cherry. It has a beautiful sweet flavour and sticky mucilage surrounding the bean. Whilst Meg and Daniela were getting tucked into the oranges, Peter went for a wonder with Gavin, once again, what was going to happen. This time it was payback for Gavin as Peter almost disappeared as he descended down a hole at great speed. Thankfully both incidents only resulted in a increase in cleaning bills and nothing else. As we returned to the farm, Gavin decided to see how long it would take for him to pick 41 cherries (the approximate amount used in a single shot of espresso). This was a great exercise to show this part of the long process to get the coffee to your cup. It took a total of 51 seconds which highlights once again the skill and effort required to pick coffee on a grand scale. All our coffee at Cafeology is hand picked. Once we returned to the farm we were given freshly squeezed Pineapple juice by Antonia’s wife and more fresh orange. The guys from the University then distributed more gifts to the workers at La Esmeralda farm before departing for the journey back. We were at an altitude of just under 1800m which did feel very high. It does however make you realise the height of Bogota which is considerably higher at 2640m making it one of the worlds highest capital cities. The journey back was fairly uneventful as we headed back to Popayan in plenty of time for our flight back to Bogota. We said our goodbyes at the Hotel Dann Monasterio, something which I always find slightly emotional but happy to know we would be meeting again in Amsterdam very soon. I handed out some gifts including our ‘Made in Sheffield’ cupping spoons before Elisabeth and the team departed. We had just enough time for a late lunch at the hotel before heading to the airport for the short journey back to Bogota. Once again we left to time and arrived into Bogota slightly early. Thankfully all the cases arrived with us and we were met at the airport and taken back to the hotel. Time was now ticking on so we checked in briefly and headed out to the restaurant/bar next door called Andres and recapped on what a magical experience the visit to Cencoic was. I believe this unique partnership with Cencoic and the University of Sheffield can be something which benefits the producer greatly. In addition to forming long and sustainable relationships, I believe my client can bring areas of expertise and help to the producer over and above that of paying a fair price for coffee.

Working with such departments as Plant and Social Sciences brings a whole new dimension to coffee sourcing and something I feel can offer huge benefits to our producers as we look at ways of assisting this magnificent process.

#cafeology #theuniversityofsheffield #cencoic #roastology #colombia #cauca #coffee #partnerships #sustainability

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nbntv-blog · 5 years

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Sports car erupts into flames at Sydney petrol station

Posted April 28, 2019 09:41:12

Map: Mcgraths Hill 2756

A service station worker has been praised for his quick thinking after a sports car went up in flames last night at a petrol station in Sydney’s north-west.

The ferocious flames took over the BP service station in McGraths Hill near Windsor just before 7:00pm.

A Chevrolet Corvette parked near the bowsers was completely destroyed…

View On WordPress

#Disasters and Accidents #Fires

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everettwilkinson · 7 years

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ANOTHER ATTACK in Spain — BANNON UNLEASHED: 4th interview in 3 days — W.H. aides stay put, but McMaster and Powell aren’t happy — B’DAY: Austan Goolsbee

BREAKING OVERNIGHT — ANOTHER ATTACK IN SPAIN — AP/BARCELONA: “Police on Friday shot and killed five people wearing fake bomb belts who staged a car attack in a seaside resort in Spain’s Catalonia region hours after a van plowed into pedestrians on a busy Barcelona promenade, killing at least 13 people and injuring over 100 others. Authorities said the back-to-back vehicle attacks — as well as an explosion earlier this week elsewhere in Catalonia— were connected and the work of a large terrorist group. Three people were arrested, but the driver of the van used in the Barcelona attack remained at large and the manhunt intensified for the perpetrators of the latest European rampage claimed by the Islamic State group. …

“Authorities were still reeling from Thursday’s Barcelona attack when police in the popular seaside town of Cambrils, about 130 kilometers (80 miles) to the south, fatally shot five people near the town’s boardwalk who had plowed into a group of tourists and locals with their blue Audi 3. Six people, including a police officer, were injured, though it wasn’t clear how badly. Catalonia’s interior minister, Joaquim Forn, told Onda Cero radio that the five suspects killed in a subsequent shootout with police were wearing fake bomb belts.” http://bit.ly/2wWlkfI

Story Continued Below

Good Friday morning. It is day 210 of Donald J. Trump’s presidency. He has another 1,251 days in his first term. There are 445 days until Election Day 2018.

PLAYBOOK ON THE ROAD — Matt Haller reading Playbook in Sea Island, Georgia at the Cloister http://politi.co/2vIWqkU … Chris Wilson of WPA Intelligence at the Sydney Westin http://politi.co/2vOWlKX … John Michael Gonzalez in Santa Fe, New Mexico http://politi.co/2vOlDck … Kurt Bardella in Napa http://politi.co/2fR2W3y … Winston Lord at the Jean Talon farmers market in little Italy in Montreal for a ‘baby moon’ he and his wife are on: http://politi.co/2wg7Myo

— OTHER READERS sent in pictures of themselves reading Playbook in Yangon, Myanmar, Legoland, California, Siem Reap, Cambodia, Shenzhen, China, Shanghai, Homer Spit, the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska, the northern edge of Alaska, Alderney in the Channel Islands, San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, Maho Bay in St. John’s in U.S.V.I, the Yale Club in NYC and Cipriani Dolci at Grand Central Terminal. Send photos to Daniel [email protected], or Tweet photos with #PlaybookLoyal for a chance to be featured next week and be entered into a contest to win a signed Matt Wuerker cartoon. See the whole gallery of entries this week http://politi.co/2vIWqkU

**SUBSCRIBE to Playbook: http://politi.co/2lQswbh

STORY OF THE DAY — JOHN BRESNAHAN and RACHAEL BADE — “The agonizing, 8-page memo on how to chauffeur a congressman”: “Empty his trash. Always have hand sanitizer and gum at the ready. And don’t bother with ‘unnecessary conversation’ — the congressman doesn’t have time for your chit-chat. Demanding, high-maintenance bosses are notorious on Capitol Hill. The late Sen. Ted Kennedy’s staff had to walk his dog, poop pick-up and all. Former Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison made her male aides carry her purse. The latest addition to the list: Rep. Todd Rokita, an Indiana Republican running in one of next year’s most competitive Senate races.

“Who knew it could take eight pages of instructions on how to properly escort a member of Congress around his district? Yet there it is, laid out in mind-blowing detail, in a memo obtained by POLITICO that’s sure to make any young, eager-beaver political aide shudder. Tasks listed in the document, entitled ‘Instructions on Staffing and Driving — District Version,’ include handing Rokita a cup of black coffee upon picking him up at his home, acting as a physical barrier between him and trackers looking to capture embarrassing footage of the congressman, and ‘avoid[ing] sudden acceleration or braking’ while driving. ‘The goal is to provide as smooth a ride as possible,’ reads the instruction manual, co-authored by a former chief of staff to the congressman and Tim Edson, Rokita’s ex-communications director turned campaign spokesman.

“Drivers are expected to transport not only Rokita’s toothbrush and toothpaste but also stock and tote around the district a nearly 20-item supply box that Rokita’s staffers call ‘the football.’ The contents include gum, hand sanitizer, business cards, bottled water, napkins and Kleenex, Lozenges-brand cough drops, a stapler and stapler remover, Post-it notes and Shout wipes, among other items. …

“Asked about the memo, Rokita’s campaign spokesman Tim Edson wrote in an email that ‘there is nothing embarrassing about always being prepared.’ Edson blamed the leaked memo on his boss’ longtime nemesis, Rep. Luke Messer (R-Ind.), who’s running against Rokita for the GOP nomination to challenge Democratic incumbent Sen. Joe Donnelly.” http://politi.co/2v7xjEK … The memo http://bit.ly/2w8aR37

FIRST IN PLAYBOOK — CHARLOTTESVILLE, STANDING UP TO TRUMP SEEPS INTO 2018 — MARK PUTNAM, the top-flight Democratic ad maker, has cut another ad for Amy McGrath, the Marine veteran running against Rep. Andy Barr in Kentucky. The spot — set at the end of a runway — talks about her fighter pilot service after 9/11. But she eventually says “There are times when politicians might have to make a difficult choice: do you stand with the president, or do you stand with the country? Right now is one of those times. Every Republican congressman and senator has to make a choice. Standing up to the president may not be what they signed up for, but when the president is in solidarity with white supremacists and Nazis, those members of Congress have to stand up and tell him he’s wrong.” … “That’s why I’m running for Congress against Andy Barr in Kentucky. He has yet to condemn the president on anything.” http://bit.ly/2wg0bjh

— THIS LINE OF ATTACK could be fruitful for Democrats who are looking to tie Trump to Republican lawmakers. So far, GOP operatives believe that Trump is his own brand apart from the Republican Party. If that changes, it could be a major drag on GOP incumbents in the 2018 midterms.

OVER TO YOU, MR. PRESIDENT — SEN. JEFF FLAKE (R-Ariz.) in the NYT: “We Need Immigrants With Skills. But Working Hard Is a Skill”: “Someone recently said, ‘When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best.’ The man who said that never met Manuel Chaidez.” http://nyti.ms/2x9UUWZ

— IF YOU HADN’T GUESSED BY NOW, that someone Flake is referring to is President Donald Trump.

— @Team_Mitch: “Jeff Flake is an excellent Senator and a tireless advocate for Arizona and our nation. He has my full support. –MM”.

4TH ON-RECORD BANNON COMMENT IN 3 DAYS — “Trump embraces culture war with call to preserve Confederate statues,” by WaPo’s Bob Costa and David Nakamura: “Bannon — a hard-line nationalist whose position has been threatened in recent days by his clashes with moderate colleagues and his blunt remarks to a liberal magazine — has fiercely defended Trump in internal staff discussions, according to White House officials. In an email to The Washington Post on Thursday, Bannon said Democrats do not understand Trump and underestimate his appeal. ‘This past election, the Democrats used every personal attack, including charges of racism, against President Trump. He then won a landslide victory on a straightforward platform of economic nationalism,’ Bannon wrote. ‘As long as the Democrats fail to understand this, they will continue to lose. But leftist elites do not value history, so why would they learn from history?’” http://wapo.st/2w7RRSj

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): If you know only one fact about rising drug costs, know this one: drug makers set prices for prescription drugs. To help manage nearly double-digit price increases, employers, unions and government programs use PBMs to negotiate lower net prices to help curb costs for employers and patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

READ THIS ONE — “White House aides squirm at Trump’s rhetoric but stay put: Officials said they don’t expect anyone in the West Wing to resign, despite distaste for Trump’s Charlottesville comments,” by Annie Karni and Ben White: “National security adviser H.R. McMaster and his deputy, Dina Powell, have been unhappy with Trump’s rhetoric on race over the past week, according to a White House official. But neither of them is considering resigning — they have told people it is too serious and dangerous a moment in the world for them to simply walk away.” http://politi.co/2xah8rY

WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL BOARD — “The men and women who have joined the Trump Administration aren’t doing so because it enhances their reputations. They have no illusions about Mr. Trump’s character flaws, or if they did, they don’t any more. They are trying to serve their country. They know nearly 63 million Americans voted for Donald Trump, and that it does the country no good to root for a Presidency’s disintegration.

“They see a rare moment of united Republican government to move in a better direction on domestic policy. Or they want to correct the erosion of American power and influence that accelerated during the Obama years. But that task gets harder with every reckless Trumpian flight from normal presidential behavior. Every person has to decide how long he or she can serve in good conscience. But we hope the best stay as long as they can for the good of the country.” http://on.wsj.com/2vIYn0O

— “Gary Cohn stays put — for now — following Trump’s comments on Charlottesville,” by WaPo’s Damian Paletta and Renae Merle: “The White House on Thursday took the unusual step of saying that National Economic Council Director Gary Cohn would not resign, trying to contain the fallout from President Trump’s controversial comments about the deadly riot in Charlottesville over the weekend and his assertion that ‘very fine people’ were protesting alongside neo-Nazis. Cohn, who funded the Cohn Jewish Student Center at Kent State University in 2009, was mortified by Trump’s comments, three people close to him said, and he has been bombarded with calls from friends asking him if he will leave.

“Instead, the White House said that Cohn plans to stay put and focus on advancing Trump’s economic agenda. It was unclear, though, how long Cohn would remain in the job or if he is still a leading candidate to be nominated as the next chairman of the Federal Reserve.” http://wapo.st/2vOqYQC

— LUNCH WITH THE FT — STANLEY FISCHER on COHN: “Fischer declares that the current incumbent would be an ‘excellent choice’, pointing out that she has made the potentially market-unsettling process of unwinding Fed stimulus ‘sedate. She has done it very well.’ That said, Fischer says he likes Cohn, whom he used to sit next to at dinners thrown by Goldman Sachs during the IMF’s annual meetings. And he isn’t worried that Cohn is not an economist. ‘The chairman of an institution such as the Fed, one of the primary things he needs is the ability to judge the advice he is getting,’ he says.” http://on.ft.com/2fQVJRh

MORE CHARLOTTESVILLE REPUBLICAN REACTION …

— SEN. BOB CORKER (R-Tenn.) on POTUS, via Nooga.com: “The President has not yet been able to demonstrate the stability nor some of the competence that he needs to demonstrate in order to be successful … He also recently has not demonstrated that he understand the character of this nation. He has not demonstrated that he understands what has made this nation great and what it is today, and he’s got to demonstrate the characteristics of a president who understands that.” http://bit.ly/2xam3ck

— “Sen. [Tim] Scott says Trump’s ‘moral authority is compromised,’” by Vice’s Shawna Thomas: “‘I’m not going to defend the indefensible … [Trump’s] comments on Monday were strong. His comments on Tuesday started erasing the comments that were strong. What we want to see from our president is clarity and moral authority. And that moral authority is compromised when Tuesday happened. There’s no question about that.’ Scott added that the president hasn’t reached out to him to discuss Charlottesville.” http://bit.ly/2v73JPT

— ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER to ATTN: “I have a message to the Neo-Nazis, to the White Nationalists, and to the Neo-Confederates … Your heroes are losers. You are supporting a lost cause. And believe me, I knew the original Nazis, because you see, I was born in Austria in 1947, shortly after the Second World War. And growing up, I was surrounded by broken men, men who came home from a war filled with shrapnels and guilt, men who were misled into a losing ideology. And I can tell you: that these ghosts you idolize spent the rest of their lives living in shame and right now, they’re resting in hell.” http://bit.ly/2wgjVTT

TRUMP’S FRIDAY — THE PRESIDENT is heading to Camp David around 11 a.m. and arrives there at 12:15 p.m. He has a working lunch, then meets with the National Security Council. Trump heads back to his country club in Bedminster around 4:15 p.m.

TRUMP INC. — “Three fundraising giants cancel plans for galas at Mar-a-Lago,” by WaPo’s Drew Harwell and David Fahrenthold: “The American Cancer Society, a high-dollar client at the club since at least 2009, cited its ‘values and commitment to diversity’ in a statement on its decision to move an upcoming fundraising gala. Another longtime Mar-a-Lago customer, the Cleveland Clinic, abruptly changed course on its winter event only days after saying it planned to continue doing business at Mar-a-Lago, a leading venue for charitable events in the posh resort town. The American Friends of Magen David Adom, which raises money for Israel’s equivalent of the Red Cross, also said it would not hold its 2018 gala at the club ‘after considerable deliberation,’ though it did not give a reason. The charity had one of Mar-a-Lago’s biggest events last season, with about 600 people in attendance.” http://wapo.st/2vIY85I

HACKED — “Online activist group Anonymous posts what it says are private contact details for 22 GOP members of Congress,” by WaPo’s Todd Frankel and Craig Timberg: “A group affiliated with the online activist group known as Anonymous Thursday posted what it says are the private cellphone numbers and email addresses for 22 Republican members of Congress in a bid to push for President Trump’s impeachment, reigniting the use of hacked information in U.S. political battles.” http://wapo.st/2wVwQrH

HOUSE CHIEF DEPUTY WHIP PATRICK MCHENRY: SCALISE HAS TO RELEARN TO WALK — Gaston Gazette: “McHenry: This has been a challenging year for us as Americans. Let’s just be honest about it. Two months ago, I saw somebody who so hated the president of the United States that he shot my friends that were out playing baseball at 7 o’clock one morning. And my friend Steve Scalise got shot that morning. I saw him Monday night, he’s recovering well. He’s got to re-learn to walk as a result of it, two months later. He has a long road ahead. But he is good, sound mentally, emotionally, spiritually, encouraging. But I saw my friend get shot because somebody so hated the president that he wanted to take it out on Republicans.” http://bit.ly/2vIU71t

FOR YOUR RADAR — “Mattis says a decision is closer on strategy for Afghanistan,” by AP’s Robert Burns: “After months of sometimes heated internal debate, the Trump administration has almost reached a decision on a new approach for fighting the 16-year-old war in Afghanistan, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said Thursday. He gave no hint of what the strategy would look like. In remarks at the State Department, Mattis told reporters President Donald Trump will confer with his national security team Friday at the Camp David presidential retreat in Maryland, and said the talks ‘will move this toward a decision.’ ‘We are coming very close to a decision, and I anticipate it in the very near future,’ he added.” http://bit.ly/2vOfufU

HMM — “Pentagon Forces Out Popular Press Spokesman,” by Foreign Policy’s Dan De Luce and Paul McLeary: “The Defense Department has parted ways with a senior media adviser who had years of experience working with reporters, a move that is sure to aggravate the administration’s already difficult relations with the press corps. The abrupt departure of Steve Warren, an Army colonel who established a rapport with Pentagon correspondents over the course of his career, coincides with broader complaints raised by journalists about how the department is providing information and handling media access to Defense Secretary James Mattis. …

“Dana White, the assistant secretary of defense for public affairs, played a key role in Warren’s departure, current and former officials told Foreign Policy. In an emailed statement, White said Warren became ineligible for the position due to White House objections. … Several reporters who had committed to travel with Mattis to the Middle East were informed late Monday — just four days before they were to leave — that they had been disinvited from the trip. This follows a pattern that has become increasingly common under Mattis, where reporters who have completed their visa paperwork and made plans to take multi-day international travel were told they were no longer welcome, with little explanation.” http://atfp.co/2vIPIeQ

— REUTERS: “Top U.S. general reaffirms commitment to Japan amid North Korea tensions,” by Tim Kelly in Tokyo: Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Joe Dunford “restated Washington’s ‘ironclad commitment’ to the security of its close Asian ally, Japan, on Friday amid regional tensions over North Korea, telling his counterpart in Tokyo that ‘an attack on one is an attack on both of us.’” http://reut.rs/2uVV3g9

THE JUICE …

— STEVEN MNUCHIN is facing new calls to step down from the administration. More than 250 of Mnuchin’s fellow Yale class of 1985 alumni have written an open letter pushing him to resign. “We call upon you, as our friend, our classmate, and as a fellow American, to resign in protest of President Trump’s support of Nazism and white supremacy. We know you are better than this, and we are counting on you to do the right thing.” The letter http://bit.ly/2vIIreR

— NYT’s MAGGIE HABERMAN: “James Murdoch, Rebuking Trump, Pledges $1 Million to Anti-Defamation League”: “In an email on Thursday, a copy of which was obtained by The New York Times and confirmed as authentic by a spokesman for Mr. Murdoch’s company, the Fox scion gave an extraordinarily candid statement against the white supremacist sentiment that swept through Virginia last weekend. It was also the most outspoken that a member of the Murdoch family has been in response to the week’s events. …

“‘I’m writing to you in a personal capacity, as a concerned citizen and a father. It has not been my habit to widely offer running commentary on current affairs, nor to presume to weigh in on the events of a given day save those that might be of particular or specific concern to 21CF and my colleagues,’ he wrote. ‘But what we watched this last week in Charlottesville and the reaction to it by the President of the United States concern all of us as Americans and free people.’

“He added: ‘These events remind us all why vigilance against hate and bigotry is an eternal obligation — a necessary discipline for the preservation of our way of life and our ideals. The presence of hate in our society was appallingly laid bare as we watched swastikas brandished on the streets of Charlottesville and acts of brutal terrorism and violence perpetrated by a racist mob. I can’t even believe I have to write this: standing up to Nazis is essential; there are no good Nazis. Or Klansmen, or terrorists. Democrats, Republicans, and others must all agree on this, and it compromises nothing for them to do so.’” http://nyti.ms/2wVwgtK … The email http://nyti.ms/2vIVNYG

CLICKER — TINA FEY, a University of Virginia graduate, gives her thoughts on Charlottesville in a special NBC SNL “Weekend Update” http://bit.ly/2ibG9Aq

TV TONIGHT – Bob Costa’s guests on PBS’ “Washington Week”: Geoff Bennett of NPR, Shawna Thomas of VICE News, Michael Scherer of TIME Magazine and Molly Ball of The Atlantic.

MARK LERNER RECOVERING FROM CANCER — “Read the letter from Nationals principal owner Mark Lerner to The Post regarding his bout with cancer” http://wapo.st/2w8hpyB

PHOTO DU JOUR: Workers use a crane to lift a monument dedicated to former U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice Roger Brooke Taney after it was was removed from outside Maryland State House, in Annapolis, Md. on Aug. 18. | Jose Luis Magana/AP Photo

TALKER — NEW YORKER COVER — “Blowhard,” by David Plunkert, who rarely does work on politics, shows Trump alone in a sailboat, with the sail looking like a KKK hood. “President Trump’s weak pushback to hate groups — as if he was trying not to alienate them as voters — compelled me to take up my pen,” he said. http://bit.ly/2uWmxlJ

FIRST PERSON — “I Voted for Trump. And I Sorely Regret It,” by Julius Krein in the NYT: “I supported the Republican in dozens of articles, radio and TV appearances, even as conservative friends and colleagues said I had to be kidding. As early as September 2015, I wrote that Mr. Trump was ‘the most serious candidate in the race.’ … I saw the decline in this country — its weak economy and frayed social fabric — and I thought Mr. Trump’s willingness to move past partisan stalemates could begin a process of renewal. It is now clear that my optimism was unfounded. I can’t stand by this disgraceful administration any longer, and I would urge anyone who once supported him as I did to stop defending the 45th president. Far from making America great again, Mr. Trump has betrayed the foundations of our common citizenship. And his actions are jeopardizing any prospect of enacting an agenda that might restore the promise of American life.” http://nyti.ms/2uVWDyn

RAHM EMANUEL appeared on “The Axe Files” with David Axelrod, talking about Trump, Charlottesville, Sessions, immigration, 2018 midterms, and more. Podcast: http://cnn.it/2vOnHRn … CNN story: http://cnn.it/2v73wMt

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers and other health care purchasers; however, the list price – the important starting point for those negotiations — continues to rise, at a rate of nearly ten percent in 2016 alone. Increased competition, faster reviews of generics and biosimilars and ending anti-competitive practices can also bring down the cost of medications for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

BUSINESS BURST — “AT&T-Time Warner Deal, an Early Trump Target, Reaches Advanced Stage,” by WSJ’s Drew FitzGerald and Joe Flint: “The government review of AT&T Inc.’s $85 billion takeover of Time Warner Inc. has reached an advanced stage, people close to the situation said, a significant milestone in a deal that was closely watched for signs of how the Trump administration would view large mergers. The deal’s regulatory review has hit a late-stage point where AT&T lawyers are discussing merger conditions with the Justice Department, the people said. The review process has reached that point despite a vacant seat atop the department’s antitrust division. An approval could underscore the administration’s pro-business credentials at a time when President Donald Trump’s ties with America’s CEOs are under severe stress.” http://on.wsj.com/2wgazYa

CAPITOL FILE GETS POLITICAL — Politics meets pop-culture in Capitol File’s fall issue. Under guest editor Marissa Mitrovich’s leadership, the D.C. magazine looks at political fashion via global fashion authority Ken Downing and showcases a snapshot of lawmakers with social media savvy. Former Obama speechwriter David Litt talks about his new memoir and operatives Jimmy Williams and Doug Heye pen a bipartisan piece on Congress post-August recess. The magazine http://bit.ly/2i8VMIN

THE PLAYBOOK INTERVIEW: DAVID SKORTON, SECRETARY OF THE SMITHSONIAN

David Skorton, secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, warms up on his flute before joining a rehearsal with the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra at Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History in 2015. | Andrew Harnik/AP Photo

Smithsonian Secretary David Skorton initially thought a search firm had the wrong mail merge when he was contacted about the position more than two years ago. “To this day it is possible they did have the wrong mail merge,” he joked in an interview with Playbook in his office in the Smithsonian Castle last week. “I guess they couldn’t get their first 26 candidates.” The cardiologist and former president of Cornell and University of Iowa just passed the two-year mark at his newest job, where he is charged with overseeing the institute’s museums, national zoo and partnerships with over 200 affiliate museums across the country.

Skorton, who helped celebrate the Smithsonian’s 171st anniversary last week, said that while the scientific and historical aspects are perhaps the most known, the arts are just as crucial a part of the institution’s mission: “I didn’t want to use a stethoscope to make a living, I wanted to use this,” he said, pointing to a flute he keeps in his office next to his desk. “That’s my advocation. I spend a lot of time on music. I feel like I come partly from the arts in my heart.”

More highlights…

ON PUBLIC SKEPTICISM OF SCIENTIFIC FINDINGS: “Concern by the scientific community that the public does not either grasp or believe the results of science is nothing new. … As unpopular as this may be with my fellow scientists, I think it is largely our responsibility, the scientists’ responsibility, because we don’t emphasize dissemination of scientific information to the public in a form it can be digested by non-specialists … [and we don’t explain] how the method works. The scientific method is a self-correcting endeavor, and scientists are professional skeptics. … We really need to spend more time … being an interface between the sometimes very obscure areas of work that we do … and the general public, even the broadly educated public who just don’t happen to come from a science background. … I think both science and the media have in a sense failed the American public by not making that stuff more digestible.”

ON FOSTERING PUBLIC CONVERSATIONS: “One of the things that the Smithsonian has done, in a way that wasn’t organized across the institution, is to convene conversations for and among the public on issues that are troubling. We’re not policymakers, we’re not regulators. We’re in an industry that’s still trusted in America. Americans trust libraries, archives, museums. I think [we’re] bringing together that trust that the public has in us and our capabilities of bringing people together. … We started a website called Smithsonian Second Opinion, and I’ll convene panel discussions and try hard to get the panelists across the spectrum of opinion. … We’re going to do this every three or so months. We’re about to record the second one on immigration, the third one which will be just a few months from now, which will be entitled something like ‘does art matter?’ That’s another way in which we’re going to parly what I hope is continuing trust that the American public has in the Smithsonian.” The first Second Opinion on climate change http://bit.ly/2uW8b3U

–Read more from Skorton on the Smithsonian’s work with the D.C. community and his favorite artifacts http://politi.co/2fRMcZW

SPOTTED: #NeverTrump-ers Katie Pavlich, Guy Benson and Michelle Fields arriving at the Aruba airport yesterday and heading toward the Ritz-Carlton.

SPOTTED IN SAN FRANCISCO at a TechNet young professional happy hour last night for Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) at Microsoft on Market Street: Gideon Lett, Tucker Bounds, Davis White, Katie Biber, Blain Rethmeier, Carolyn Glanville, Jackie Rooney, Duf Sundheim, Vikrum Aiyer, Kate O’Sullivan, Amelia McLear, Jamie Corley.

SUNDAY SO FAR – CBS’ “Face the Nation”: Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) … Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.). … president and director-counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund Sherrilyn Ifill, co-founder of Life After Hate Christian Picciolini and Vice’s Elle Reeve. Political panel: Jamelle Bouie, Jeffrey Goldberg, Julie Pace, and Reihan Salam

— “Fox News Sunday”: Charlie Hurt, Bob Woodward, Gillian Turner, Juan Williams

— CNN’s “State of the Union”: Bakari Sellers, Rick Santorum, Nina Turner, Rep. Scott Taylor (R-Va.)

— CNN’s “Inside Politics,” guest-hosted by Nia-Malika Henderson: Julie Pace, Mike Bender, Michael Warren, Jackie Calmes

WELCOME TO THE WORLD — Amanda Brown Lierman, political and organizing director at the DNC and Kyle Lierman, founder and CEO of Civic Advisors, email friends and family: “Amanda and I are excited to introduce you to Belle Brown Lierman!! We are still at GW Hospital where the staff have been incredible. Amanda was a hero during the birth and her and Belle are both in good health and resting peacefully. Thanks to all of you for your prayers, support and guidance along this journey. We’ll be heading back to Maryland tomorrow, and we can’t wait to introduce her to the whole village soon!” Pic http://bit.ly/2wfNpkV

— Hastie Afkhami, SVP and head of digital at the Podesta Group, and Dr. Amir Afkhami, associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and associate professor of global health at GW and a former Robert Wood Johnson health policy fellow for Sen. Stabenow, post on Facebook: “Leela Eleanor Afkhami joined our family on August 15th at 4:30 a.m. Named after one of her mother’s favorite flowers, Leela is the Farsi name for the lilac flower. Leela’s middle name pays homage to her father and mother’s love of history and the many strong and wise Eleanors who have transformed the world for the better. Aryana can’t wait to introduce all of our friends and family to her little sister!” Pic http://politi.co/2uOGvCZ … Big sister Aryana meeting Leela http://politi.co/2v755tP

BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Austan Goolsbee, professor of economics at UChicago and former chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, is 48. How he’s celebrating: “I’m on vacation in Oregon with my wife and our 3 kids. We are closing out with the solar eclipse on Monday. The family got me a present of a three hour SUP downwinder through the Columbia River Gorge which should be #amazeballs.* *h/t the kids”. Read his Playbook Plus Q&A: http://politi.co/2fQdiAS

BIRTHDAYS: Jason Furman, senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics and former chairman of the WH Council of Economic Advisers, is 47 … Tim Geithner, president of Warburg Pincus, is 56 … Rosalynn Carter is 9-0 … Bob Woodruff is 56 … Obama alum Jon Lovett, co-host of “Pod Save America,” host of “Lovett or Leave It” and founder of Crooked Media … Dr. Darryl Walker … Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) is 64 … Cara Mason (hat tip: Sean Spicer) … Paris Dennard, CNN commentator … Holly Kuzmich, executive director of the George W. Bush Institute and SVP at the George W. Bush Presidential Center … Mark Edwards, chocolatier at Edward Marc Chocolatier, is 36 … former Providence mayor Angel Taveras is 47 … Louisa Terrell … Lee Kamlet … Scott Haber … Meera Kallupura … Lincoln Foran, VP at J.P. Morgan … Gerry Wallace is 77 … Politico alums Bill Tomson and Ethan Melnick … Megan Scully …

… Felipe Calderon, the former president of Mexico, is 55 (h/t Jorge Guajardo) … Simone Pathe, senior politics reporter at Roll Call … Jeffrey Hiday, director of media relations at RAND Corporation … David Fishman, managing director and partner at Global Gateway Advisors in New York (h/t Arlette Saenz) … Elizabeth “Lizzy” Letter, oversight counsel for the ranking member at Senate HELP committee (h/t Osaremen Fortune Okolo) … WSJ and NJ alum Martin Vaughn … Kristi Slafka Brannan … Connie Hair … Betsy Stark … Gab Forsyth … J.P. Duffy … Matt Chandler … Elizabeth Metraux … Haley Graves … Luke Mitchem … Lou Ventre … Jordan Baugh … Shaun Sahloff … Elizabeth Hart … Emily D’Antonio … William McCormick … Dan Sullivan, founder and managing director of Montrose Advisors … Chris Black … Lauren Smith … Kim Haddow, the queen of New Orleans … Beth Grupp, spending her day making the world a better place for everyone … Pat Heinz-Pribyl … Pam Houston … Jua Johnson … Margaret Planner … Bob Dvorsky (h/ts Teresa Vilmain)

****** A message from the Coalition for Affordable Prescription Drugs (CAPD): The high prices that drug makers set for prescription drugs can put financial strain on patients, employers, unions and others who provide health care coverage to more than 50 percent of Americans. Pharmacy benefit managers negotiate the lowest net price for prescriptions on behalf of employers, unions and government programs. But, as list prices – the starting point for those negotiations — continue their nearly double-digit increases, the effects ripple throughout the system. The key to ensuring greater access and affordability lies in fostering greater competition. Facilitating faster reviews of generics and biosimilars, identifying off-patent drugs with little or no generic competition, and ending anti-competitive practices that keep safe, effective alternatives out of the market are also key to abating rising drug costs for patients. Learn more at affordableprescriptiondrugs.org ******

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CORRECTION: An earlier item said Ben Domenech was spotted at the Aruba airport on his way to the Ritz-Carlton. He was not part of the group that is there.

Original Source link

from CapitalistHQ.com https://capitalisthq.com/another-attack-in-spain-bannon-unleashed-4th-interview-in-3-days-w-h-aides-stay-put-but-mcmaster-and-powell-arent-happy-bday-austan-goolsbee/

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