Month: February 2024

1. Putin warns West risks nuclear war with Russia if its troops enter Ukraine war  NPR
2. Putin warns West of risk of nuclear war, says Moscow can strike Western targets  Reuters
3. Putin Threatens Nuclear War if Foreign Troops Deploy to Ukraine  Foreign Policy
4. Russian troops inch ahead as war in Ukraine barrels into third year  Al Jazeera English
5. Putin’s Nuclear Threats Become Background Theme of Ukraine War  The New York Times

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1. Pentagon leak suspect Jack Teixeira to plead guilty: Sources  ABC News
2. Jack Teixeira Expected to Plead Guilty in Leak of Trove of Secrets  The New York Times
3. Air National Guardsman accused of posting classified documents online expected to plead guilty  CNN
4. Jack Teixeira will plead guilty in massive leak of documents on Discord  The Washington Post
5. Jack Teixeira expected to plead guilty in documents leak case  NPR

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February is American Heart Month. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is an emergency procedure that can be performed by anyone when a person’s heart stops beating (cardiac arrest), they have stopped breathing, have abnormal breathing (agonal [gasping respiration]), or do not have a pulse. It involves hands-on intervention – chest compressions often combined with mouth-to-mouth breathing – that can help maintain blood flow until medical help arrives.

Sergeant Jonathan Medina joined BPD in 2013. He was assigned to the Community Redevelopment Area (CRA) from 2021-2022. Sgt. Medina is a member of the Marine Unit and Hostage Negotiator Team. He is also a Field Training Officer and general, defensive tactics, driving, and taser instructor.

Sergeant Andres Perez joined the department as a patrol officer in 2010. He was assigned to several investigative units and transferred to detectives in 2017, where he worked in the Special Investigations and Narcotics units before joining the Criminal Investigations Section as a homicide detective. Sgt. Perez has been a SWAT Team member since 2018 and is the SWAT Team Leader.

Congratulations, Sergeants!

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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1. Biden and Trump both head to U.S.-Mexico border  The Associated Press
2. Biden, during visit to overwhelmed border, urges Republicans to back Senate bill: ‘Time to act’  Fox News
3. Immigration duel at the border – The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer – Podcast on CNN Audio  CNN
4. How Cable News Handled Biden and Trump at the Southern Border  The New York Times
5. President Biden Remarks at Border Patrol Station in Brownsville, Texas  C-SPAN

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by Don Laible

Mitch Keller and David Bednar had a blast representing the Pittsburgh Pirates at the 2023 MLB All-Star Game in Seattle.

It’s been nine months now since Keller and Bednar received word from their manager, Derek Shelton, that they would be busy during the 2023 All-Star break, and the kids still stretch their longest smiles when remembering the experience.

Shortly after the Pirates opened camp last month, when asked about one of their career highlights, coming up with details on what they did on the field, who they mingled with, and how their families were a big part of them being National League All-Stars is exciting.

“I had to pinch myself when I had a moment in the clubhouse,” said Bednar, who, in his third full season as a Pirate in 2023, collected a career-high 39 saves. “I looked around the room and recognized so many players. I wanted to pick their brains.”

As kids, both Keller and Bednar admit to making it a point to watch the MLB mid-summer classic each season. Having so many of their favorite players together on the same team for one night was as good as it got for the future big-league hurlers.

Bednar, who was also selected for the National League squad the previous season, remains happy he had familiar faces to share his baseball honor with.

“It was so cool. I soaked in so much of being a part of the event,” says Bednar, a Pittsburgh native. “Sharing (the All-Star selection) with Mitch and “Sheltie” made it all so much more special.”

“Sheltie” is Pirates’ manager Derek Shelton.

With the National League skippered by Philadelphia Phillies’ Rob Thomson and his coaching staff (each league is represented by the coaching staff of the previous season’s World Series clubs), Shelton was the lone “outsider” to the staff. Thomson and Shelton have a professional relationship tracing back to their minor league days while in the New York Yankees’ organization.

Bednar was well represented, personally, at Seattle’s T-Mobile Park. Along with his parents, wife Casey, his brother, and sister, there was much pride from those who know the closer the longest.

Catching up with fellow National League All-Star Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers, who was a teammate of Bednar’s with Team USA for the 2023 World Baseball Classic, bringing home a signed jersey filled with names of the game’s elite who made up the All-Star teams, these memories are stamped in the Pirates’ pitcher’s mind.

Keller, who, like Bednar in 2023, was in his third full season with Pittsburgh, was no fluke to receive all-star honors in 2023. As one of 11 starters selected to represent the National League, Keller was chosen by Thomson to be among the nine pitchers used in the game.

“It (the 2023 All-Star Game) was a surreal experience, and I’m grateful for the opportunity,” Keller recalls while sitting at his clubhouse stall at Pirate City. “It was nice to share a locker room with guys from the league.”

“Guys” who are normally foes, but for the schedule break last July became teammates, Keller hung with Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw, Atlanta’s Spencer Strider, and with pitching ace Corbin Burnes (then with the Brewers and most recently traded to the Baltimore Orioles).

Having an unobstructed, up-close view of the 2023 All-Star Home Run Derby the evening before the game was another highlight for Keller to remember.

“Getting to watch all the greats was amazing. Julio Rodriquez was incredible, when he was up at bat in the derby”, Keller tells of the Seattle Mariners’ center fielder’s performance which totaled 41 home runs, setting the single-round record in Home Run Derby history.

Like Bednar, Keller was well represented by family members who made the trip out to the Pacific Northwest.

Participating in the red carpet walk and all the events planned by MLB to make this annual jewel event a must-see for the millions of fans watching on FOX and listening on ESPN Radio made Keller’s first-time selection as an All-Star unforgettable.

Bednar, who replaced Kershaw due to injury, tied for first in the National League last season in saves with 39. Keller ended his season with a 13-9 record, and 210 strikeouts (tied for fifth in the league). With the optimism surrounding both Pittsburgh pitchers’ careers, predicting more appearances at MLB’s All-Star Games isn’t a stretch.

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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Staff Report

BRADENTON — It’s another weekend, and you know what that means. If you guessed another great lineup of local, talented musicians in Manatee, Sarasota, and surrounding counties, you would be correct. Check out The Bradenton Times Weekend Sounds to see what bands you can catch at your favorite venues.

Jamie Tremps and Gustav Viehmeyer
Cafe in the Park
Friday – 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

The dynamic duo made up of Jamie Tremps and Gustav Viehmeyer is back! Folk jazz musician, Jamie Tremps, is one of Sarasota’s favorite singer-songwriters. She has made a name for herself with the Jamie Tremps Combo and in the world renowned band, The Garbage Man. Her style features the best of jazz, hints of manouche and awe-inspiring vocals featuring a diverse repertoire of classics from each era. Featured guitarist, Gustav Viehmeyer is known for his virtuous guitar playing in the worlds of jazz and gypsy jazz. He has performed in many prestigious festivals including the Sarasota Film Festival & Jazz on the Bay. No cover. 

Always check for updates each week due to inclement weather.

About the venue:

Located in Payne Park, downtown Sarasota, Cafe in the Park captures the spirit of a quintessential urban cafe terrace. It’s the perfect place for a great coffee, a fresh sandwich, and live music. The family-friendly spot has menu selections of healthy cafe eats.

Sean Chambers Red Hot Blues Festival 
Big Top Brewing 
Friday – 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Join Big Top for the Sean Chambers Red Hot Blues Festival on Fri Mar 01 2024 at 19:00 ! Get ready to groove to the electrifying blues tunes and to raise funds & awareness for Parkinson’s!

Florida born Sean Chambers began his career in the Blues back in 1998 when he toured with the legendary Hubert Sumlin as his guitarist and band leader until 2003. During Sean’s tenure with Mr. Sumlin, Britain’s own Guitarist magazine named Chambers as “One of the top 50 blues guitarists of the last century.” No cover.

Weekend Lineup:

Friday March 1st Sean Chambers & The Savoy Brown Rhythm Section

Saturday 3/2: staring at noon. Trey Wanvig, Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones, RJ Howson with special guest Les Dudek!

Sunday 3/3 starting at 2pm JP Soars, and a perfect ending to the weekend of great music with Damon Fowler Group.

About the venue:

Big Top Brewing Company is a Sarasota-based production brewery. A complement to Sarasota’s historical association with The Ringling Circus and the performing arts, Big Top has set out to create great beer worthy of the history and culture that is Sarasota. Featuring brewing, tasting, and live music from some of the area’s best performers. A spacious outdoor venue with an expansive beer garden, porch bar, and food truck. 975 Cattlemen Road, Sarasota.

Messenger
Mattison’s Riverwalk Grill 
Saturday – 6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Messenger is an energetic band playing a variety of favorite songs, from classics to current hits with a powerful vocal team that includes male & female lead vocals, great harmonies and a female bass player. They perform Classic rock, a little country & billboard hits. No cover. 

About the venue:

Chef Paul Mattison, executive chef and proprietor of Mattison’s, operates a successful culinary group on Florida’s Gulf Coast. Located in Sarasota and Bradenton, each Mattison’s restaurant location is unique to its neighborhood, offering Chef Paul Mattison’s signature menu items, outstanding service, and quality ingredients, while supporting the community, regional farmers, and culinary suppliers. Mattison’s Catering is a chef-owned and operated company procuring fresh, natural, and local ingredients. Catering In-house and off-site, Mattison’s Catering Company offers experienced professionals, and custom menus.

Kat Riggins
Cottonmouth Southern Soul Kitchen
Saturday – 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Inspired by the variety and abundance of music in her parents’ collection, it makes sense that her own music is peppered with hints of it all. Make no mistake; however, Kat Riggins is undeniably a BLUES WOMAN! She travels the world with the sole mission of keeping the blues alive and thriving through her Blues Revival Movement.

She has been vocally compared to Koko Taylor, Etta James and Tina Turner to name a few. While obviously influenced by those icons, Mrs. Riggins has a voice and delivery all her own. Full of power, rasp and grit she can belt out one of her contemporary blues originals one minute, then deliver a tender, sultry standard the next. She does this all while making each person in her audience feel as if she is speaking directly to them. Blues Revivals are interactive and personal no matter how large the crowd. This intimacy is what makes every Blues Revival a memorable experience…not only for the audience, but for Kat as well. Cover $12 pre/$17 DOS

About the venue:

Cottonmouth – Bradenton Florida’s music venue serving southern soul cuisine and live music on our beautiful patio in the Village of the Arts. Dave Shiplett and crew will to serve you and give you an evening you will long remember with seating inside and outside and art from local artists on display. Cottonmouth is the place to hang and feed your soul.

James Albritton
Bridge Tender Inn
Sunday – 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

James Albritton serves up the soul sound of the 70s (and more). “People don’t think they know me, but they do,” claims James Albritton. The reasoning behind that, he explains, is that he plays guitar and sings at clubs and in concerts in lots of different configurations, from solo gigs to backing up others (and just to add to the confusion, that may be on guitar or drums), to regularly playing with Andrew Glasgow, Damon Jeffrey Owens and John Hetherington as The Hydramatic (his regular full-band home) and in various duo or trio configurations. So you may have seen him and not realized it was him, he reasons… but offers this helpful hint: “I’m the giant, nerdy-lookin’ dude who sings weird.” No cover.

About the venue:

Established 30 years ago, Bridge Tender Inn (BTI) is Bradenton’s favorite sports bar and grille to eat, drink, and socialize while watching a televised sports event. You can chug beers, eat lip-smacking food, enjoy live music, and make great memories in a comfy, laid-back setting.

Trad Music Jam 
Fogartyville 
Sunday – 2:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.

“Trad-Roots Music” refers to a blend of tunes and songs descended through an oral history, passed along through the socio-cultural interactions of communities around the globe that have made their way to the US.

To keep the music simple enough for everyone to join in, we encourage the sharing of melodies and songs that have a simple chord structure of 2, 3 or 4 chords – typically in the I, IV, V, vi and ii structure. Chord charts for the selected tunes of the Slow Jam will be provided on a flip chart.

Fogartyville jams are all about sharing music, making new friends, and enjoying a relaxing afternoon listening to and playing acoustic music. Hosted by inspiring jam leaders, each gathering will introduce music, tips and skills to uplift the listening and playing enjoyment of all. The events will begin with a Slow Jam, followed by more advanced playing. All acoustic instruments are welcome.

The focus for jammers is to share a common goal of playing as one united sound and establish a cohesive groove. Tunes and tempos will be intended for folks who have at least an upper beginner level of ability on their instrument of choice, but beginners are welcome too, and advanced players are highly encouraged to come early to support the Slow Jam, or to come later for the Up-to-Speed jam. Only acoustic instruments will be permitted. There will be one electronic keyboard available.

For those writing original material, please check our Singer-Songwriter series beginning in January where your original work is welcomed to be performed!

Jam Structure

First hour – Slow Jam (see description below)

Second hour – Moderate to Up-Speed Session of tunes and songs to share

Final 1⁄2 hour – Anything Goes – breakout into smaller ensembles, network, be mentored, get more information, etc.

What is a Slow Jam?

The “slow” modifier indicates that it is targeted to the following musicians: people who have been playing solo and want to get used to playing in a group setting: people who have just learned how to play and want to play with others; people who have instruments that have been gathering dust for a “few” years; experienced players who are trying out playing instruments other than their primary instrument; people who are comfortable playing their instrument but want to become more comfortable singing/leading a song. The tunes are played at the tempo that is most appropriate for the level of the group, and the keys of C, G, A, D and E and their relative minors.

It is our hope that you will feel more confident and comfortable playing at the many open jams and open mics that can be found in our area after playing at the Trad-Roots Jam! As our common repertoire expands, future sessions will become more open, so let us know your favorites and if you would like to lead them!

Trad Music Jam | Sunday, March 3, 1:30-4:30 p.m. | Free. (Donations graciously accepted.)

Feel free to bring snacks to share.

Register here.

For more local music listings in Bradenton and throughout the area, check out GoTonight.com or download the GoTonight app.

Artists and local venues, you can now sign up and input your own calendar info directly into the Bradenton Times website. Click here to learn more. 

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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1. Israel Hamas war live updates: 112 killed waiting for food in Gaza  USA TODAY
2. Israel-Hamas war: Gaza Health Ministry says over 30,000 Palestinians killed  The Associated Press
3. As Hungry Gazans Crowd an Aid Convoy, a Crush of Bodies, Israeli Gunshots and a Deadly Toll  The New York Times
4. Cease-fire calls in Congress grow after killings at Gaza humanitarian aid convoy  The Hill
5. 30000 dead. A stampede of the starving. Hostages dying. The war in Gaza has to end  Haaretz

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Staff Report

BRADENTON — On Wednesday, approximately 1.2 million gallons of mostly raw sewage was bypassed and discharged into the Manatee River.

“At 12:10 pm the city water Reclamation Facility experienced an operational failure,” read the FDEP pollution notice. “The filter system had a blockage of the media causing 1.2 million gallons of partially treated wastewater to be bypassed into the Manatee River. The bypass was closed at 5:10 pm and the river sampling was started. City staff cleaned the aeras affected and a normal operation resumed.”

In 2022, the city settled a lawsuit regarding wastewater spilling into the Manatee River, agreeing to improve its wastewater infrastructure significantly.

“When do we seek an injunction for the city to stop development they can’t handle?” asked former Manatee County Commissioner and TBT publisher Joe McClash. “The fact that there are so many units under construction downtown and several times a year raw sewage is released gives rise to the fact that they can’t handle what they already have. They could have an interconnect with the county to handle any problems in the future. Until then, there shouldn’t be any certificates of occupancy issued.”

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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Staff Report

BRADENTON — A cramped apartment, a family struggling to escape the past, and a Gentleman Caller who brings the one thing they all desperately crave—hope.

The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams’ classic play about dreams, deception, and our collective need for connection, will run through March 10 in the Bradenton Kiwanis Theater at the Manatee Performing Arts Center in downtown Bradenton.

The play, which propelled Williams from obscurity to fame, premiered in 1944 and has been seen as a timeless classic ever since. It includes autobiographical elements, featuring characters based on Williams, his histrionic mother, and his mentally fragile sister.

Williams drew on a short story and screenplay he had previously written under the title of The Gentleman Caller. Rated PG, it will be directed by Lee Gundersheimer.

“The play is memory,” says Gundersheimer. “Being a memory play it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic.”

Click here for ticket information.

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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by Ariana Figueroa, Florida Phoenix

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky will step down as the Senate Republican leader in November, he said on the Senate floor Wednesday, announcing the end of a run as party leader that broke records for its length and shaped American politics over nearly two decades.

“One of life’s most underappreciated talents is to know when it’s time to move on to life’s next chapter,” McConnell said. “It’s time for the next generation of leadership.”

McConnell, who turned 82 last week, cited the death of his wife’s sister several weeks ago, as an event that prompted him to think about his future.

“When you lose a loved one, particularly at a young age, there’s a certain introspection that accompanies the grieving process,” he said.

President Joe Biden, who spent decades in the Senate before he was elected vice president in 2008, said in impromptu remarks Wednesday that he highly respected McConnell.

“He and I have trust,” he said, according to a White House pool report. “We’ve got a great relationship. We fight like hell but he never, never, never misrepresented anything. I’m sorry to hear he’s stepping down.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement that while he didn’t see “eye to eye,” with McConnell on various policies and politics, the New York Democrat said he was proud of what they were able to accomplish, despite their differences.

“I am very proud that we both came together in the last few years to lead the Senate forward at critical moments when our country needed us, like passing the CARES Act in the early days of the COVID pandemic, finishing our work to certify the election on January 6th, and more recently working together to fund the fight for Ukraine,” Schumer said.

McConnell has faced increasing pressure to endorse the GOP presidential front-runner, Donald Trump. The two have a tense relationship that reached a breaking point following the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the U.S. Capitol after then-President Trump encouraged supporters to disrupt the certification of electoral votes in the 2020 election.

Former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who is the last remaining Republican challenging Trump for the party’s presidential nomination, said in a campaign stop in Utah that McConnell has had an amazing career.”

“We obviously thank him for his leadership and his service,” Haley said at an appearance in Orem, Utah. “But I applaud him for realizing that it is time for new generational change. I think what’s more important is we need to understand we don’t just need new generational change in Congress. We also need new general generational change in the White House.”

Kentucky’s longest-serving senator has shaped the federal judiciary system, including by leading Senate confirmation of 234 lifetime appointments to the federal bench.

He played an important role in establishing a conservative U.S. Supreme Court by blocking Democratic then-President Barack Obama from appointing a justice before the 2016 presidential election.

That conservative Supreme Court has handed down decisions in the past few years with major impacts on American society. The court ended the constitutional right to access abortion care, struck down the Biden administration’s student loan forgiveness plan and expanded gun rights by limiting states’ power to enact gun safety laws.

New leader election in November

McConnell, who first arrived in the Senate in 1984 and became Republican leader in 2007, said he is “not going anywhere” until a new Republican leader is tapped. His Senate term is set to end January 2027.

“I love the Senate,” McConnell said. “It’s been my life.”

Senate Republicans will select a new leader in November. Possible McConnell successors include Minority Whip John Thune of South Dakota, Republican Conference Chairman John Barrasso of Wyoming and former Republican Whip John Cornyn of Texas.

“As the longest serving Senate leader in American history, Mitch McConnell has made an indelible mark on this institution and the Republican Party,” Cornyn said in a post to X. “For more than 17 years, he has been the steady hand at the helm, guiding us through some of the most consequential debates and decisions in recent history.”

Cornyn also thanked McConnell for protecting “the Senate’s essential role under the Constitution,” and called him “pragmatic, knowledgeable, humble, and effective.”

Thune said it “will be hard to imagine a Senate in which Sen. McConnell isn’t serving as Republican leader” but hinted he would try to succeed the Kentuckian.

“For decades, he’s been a fierce defender of the Senate, our conference, and our party, and we’re all better for his service,” Thune said in a statement. “Mitch leaves enormous shoes to fill, and it’s with humility that I look forward to having a discussion with my colleagues about what the future holds for the Senate Republican Conference and a new generation of leadership. Until then, thank you, Mitch.”

Barrasso praised McConnell’s career as the GOP leader and said that Republicans are focused on the November presidential election and flipping the Senate control.

“That’s what my focus is,” he told reporters Wednesday.

Thune recently endorsed Trump, following earlier endorsements by Barrasso and Cornyn.

Accolades from other GOP senators

More allies among McConnell’s Senate Republican colleagues rushed Wednesday to sing his praises.

North Carolina’s Thom Tillis praised McConnell’s achievements in shaping the judiciary and in enacting conservative policy goals in domestic and foreign policy.

“Leader McConnell is a true legend of the U.S. Senate,” Tillis said in a statement. “Under his historic leadership, the Senate secured a conservative majority on the Supreme Court, passed historic tax reform, and enacted bipartisan legislation to save our economy from the brink at the start of the pandemic.”

Montana’s Steve Daines, who also chairs the GOP’s Senate campaign arm, also touted McConnell’s role in passing the 2017 tax bill that made sweeping changes to the U.S. tax code.

“He will be remembered not only as the longest-serving party leader in the history of the Senate but a consummate gentleman and committed public servant,” Daines said in a statement.

Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia thanked McConnell for his “steadfast leadership and commitment to conservative principles.”

South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham wrote on X that McConnell will be “remembered as one of the most effective leaders in U.S. history.”

“No one in the Republican Party has echoed the themes of peace through strength – the Reagan model of national security – better than Senator Mitch McConnell,” he said.

Nebraska’s Deb Fischer congratulated McConnell for his decades of work in the Senate.

“Leader McConnell has served as a bulwark of conservative leadership throughout his time in the Senate,” she wrote on X. “His fierce reverence for our institution and shrewd consideration of the future made him an extraordinarily effective leader in all situations.”

GOP division apparent

But the schism that emerged in the GOP in recent years between McConnell’s establishment wing and an upstart faction more aligned with Trump was also apparent in the reaction to McConnell’s announcement.

“I called on McConnell to step down over a year ago,” Missouri Republican Josh Hawley tweeted. “This is good news. But why wait so long – we need new leadership now.”

The House Freedom Caucus, an influential group of far-right lawmakers in that chamber, mocked McConnell in a tweet that identified him as a Democrat because he has pursued bipartisan measures to fund Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.

“Our thoughts are with our Democrat colleagues in the Senate on the retirement of their Co-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (D-Ukraine),” a tweet from the caucus’ official account read. “No need to wait till November… Senate Republicans should IMMEDIATELY elect a *Republican* Minority Leader.”

U.S. Rep. Bob Good, a Virginia Republican who is a member of the House Freedom Caucus, said McConnell’s move could allow for more conservative leadership. Good floated Florida Sen. Rick Scott, who led a failed conservative challenge to displace McConnell as GOP leader in November 2022, as a potential successor to McConnell.

“Mitch McConnell stepping down provides a great opportunity for true conservative leadership in the Senate,” Good said. Scott “would make a great Republican leader.”

Wednesday, Scott again called for new leadership in the Senate.

“As everyone knows, I challenged Leader McConnell in 2022,” he said in a statement. “This is an opportunity to refocus our efforts on solving the significant challenges facing our country and actually reflect the aspirations of voters,”

McKenzie Romero contributed to this report.

Florida Phoenix is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Florida Phoenix maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Diane Rado for questions: info@floridaphoenix.com. Follow Florida Phoenix on Facebook and Twitter.

Source: thebradentontimes.com

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