ADA CALHOUN: Discusses “Why We Can’t Sleep,” which she wrote when she was the throes of a midlife crisis and realized other Gen X women were miserable, too. After research, she saw a pattern: sandwiched getween the boomers and the Millennials, Gen X women were facing new problems as they entered middle age. 7 p.m. Tuesday, March 2, presented by Magers & Quinn. Live on Facebook and YouTube.
LAUREN FOX: New York Times bestselling author of “Still Life with Husband” and other novels introduces “Send for Me,” a time-jumping work of historical fiction in which a woman discovers a cache of old letters from her Jewish grandmother that sheds light on her family’s struggles and fate during the rise of Nazism in Germany. 7 p.m. Mnday, March 1, in Metropolitan Library Service Agency’s Club Book Series. No registration necessary. Follow the Club Book Facebook page (facebook.com/ClubBook), where events will be streamed in real time.
LITERARY LIGHTS: Celebrates Women’s History Month and women poets with a program featuring Wendy Brown-Baez, Marge Barrett, Ethan McKiernan and Terri Ford, hosted by Donna Isaac. 2 p.m. Sunday, March 7, presented via Zoom by Next Chapter booksellers. Go to: nextchapterbooksellers.com.
PARENTS MANNERS: Sarah Davis and Evie Granfille discuss “Modern Manners for Moms & Dads,” a look at how parents adjust to and use social media. $5. 7 p.m. Monday, March 1, presented by Magers & Quinn. Go to: magersandquinn.com/events.
STEW THORNLEY: Author and official scorer for Minnesota Twins home games discusses “Ballparks of the Twin Cities.” 7 p.m. Monday, March 1, via Zoom, presented by Next Chapter Booksellers. Go to: nextchapterbooksellers.com.
NBC political reporter Steve Kornacki posted a tweet Friday night thanking the Chicago Blackhawks for sending him a new jersey, adding he "can't wait" to see them on the ice Sunday.
"The best part of Jimmy Fallon ambush-cleaning my office: the @NHLBlackhawks saw that I had one of their jerseys and sent me one of these. Can’t wait to see them debut on the ice on Sunday!" Kornacki said in a tweet.
The Blackhawks responded to the tweet with a gif of player Patrick Kane, saying "Looks great Steve!!"
NBC late night host Jimmy Fallon surprised Kornacki last month on his show by cleaning his office while he was away, which was said to be an "incredibly messy" space.
As Fallon went through the various items in Kornacki's cluttered office, he showed an old Chicago Blackhawks jersey on a rack among other button-down shirts.
The jersey was representing player Jonathan Toews, No. 19 on the ice.
Kornacki made headlines as a data analyst during MSNBC's coverage of the 2020 Presidential Race with his quick number crunching and explanation of nationwide voting.
MADISON, Wis. (AP) - Wisconsin election officials may send voting deputies back into nursing homes ahead of the April elections.
The state Elections Commission banned deputies from entering nursing homes in March 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic was taking hold. That ban remains in place despite urgings from Republicans to lift it.
Earlier this month the Legislature’s GOP-controlled rules committee ordered the commission to promulgate the ban as an emergency rule.
The commission is set to discuss such a move during a meeting Tuesday.
Commission Administrator Meagan Wolfe is recommending that commissioners drop the ban. She says even if the commission puts together a rule Republican legislators will strike it down as unlawful.
Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.
Donald Trump's presidency is over and his Twitter feed silenced, but at the first major conservative gathering of the year, the message is clear: Mr. Trump is here to stay.
Elected officials and activists who spoke on the first day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Florida this year, focused on COVID-19 restrictions, the so-called cancel culture, how the 2020 election was administered and the threats they see from Democratic policies. While there was barely any mention of the attack at the Capitol last month, speakers railed against the "liberal mob" and riots over the summer.
The conference doesn't feature open critics of the former president, so praise for Mr. Trump, who still has the support of most GOP voters, was a theme of the opening day.
"There are a whole lot of voices in Washington that want to just erase the last four years," Texas Senator Ted Cruz told the crowd. "Let me tell you right now: Donald J. Trump ain't going anywhere."
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton told a story about an immigrant attributing his economic success to the former president, and celebrated Mr. Trump ability to attract Latino voters in the 2020 election.
And Missouri Senator Josh Hawley received a standing ovation when he told the crowd of his objection to the election results on January 6. He blasted Twitter for banning Trump, and ended his speech with: "America now, America first, America forever."
Many speakers urged the Republican Party against a return to its pre-Trump origins and criticized some of the policies past GOP leaders have pushed.
"We will not win the future by trying to go back to where the Republican Party used to be," said Florida Senator Rick Scott, who also chairs the Senate Republicans' campaign operation. "If we do, we will lose the working base that President Trump so animated. We're going to lose elections across the country and ultimately we're going to lose our nation."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is up for reelection in 2022, set his own mark for conservatives going forward, saying the party rejects open borders, "weakness" against China and "military adventurism."
"We will not go back to the days of the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear," he said. "Hold the line, stand your ground, and don't ever, ever back down."
Hawley told the people attending CPAC that they "represent what's coming next."
"To the people who say to us, 'Oh, you're the past. Your moment has passed, it's over. It's Joe Biden's America now,'" he said. "I just want to say, 'we're not the past. We're the future,'" he said.
At the event, Hawley wore the widespread criticism of his objection to the counting of Electoral College votes on January 6 as a badge of honor.
"I was called a traitor, I was called a seditionist," he said of the reaction to his vote. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm standing right here. I'm going to stand up for you, because if we can't have free and open debate in this country, we're not going to have a country left." His phrasing echoed a remark made by Mr. Trump to his supporters that day: "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
Nearly a dozen speakers at the event have been mentioned as possible 2024 presidential candidates. "For a second there, I thought we were in Des Moines," Cruz quipped about the speaking lineup.
Cotton, among the likely White House hopefuls, suggested Republicans might not be running against Biden in four years. "They want to give amnesty to 15 to 20 million illegal aliens. With no strings attached, with voting rights —presumably in time for what they hope will be Kamala Harris' reelection campaign," he said.
But as a roster of Republicans compete to boost their profiles, it is Mr. Trump who is the marquee speaker, set to make his first public remarks since leaving office at the conference on Sunday.
Mr. Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., joked that the conference should be called "TPAC" because of the support the former president has among the audience. He offered a brief preview of his father's speech, telling the crowd, "I imagine it will not be what we call a 'low-energy' speech. And I assure you that it will solidify Donald Trump and all of your feelings about the MAGA Movement as the future of the Republican Party."
Polling shows Mr. Trump still holds a firm grip on the Republican Party's base. A Suffolk University/USA Today poll published earlier this week found nearly 6 in 10 Trump supporters said they'd like to see him run for president again in 2024 and 76% said they'd vote for him if he sought the Republican nomination.
Saturday's notable speakers include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who have been floated as potential 2024 presidential candidates.
CEDAR FALLS – Deep teal is Kylie Elser’s favorite color – for now.
It’s the color of her new T-shirt emblazoned with silver smiling stars and the words “Shine Bright,” the flagship theme of her new online T-shirt business, Kylie’s Attire. The message also conveys the need for everyone to feel like they matter and belong.
Kylie shines bright in her own way.
Carrie Elser looks at her daughter, Kylie, as she talks about Kylie's Attire, a T-shirt line she and her brother, Joey design. Kylie, who has Rett's Syndrome, a genetic neurological disorder that causes impairments, gives the money raised from shirt sales to non-profit organizations.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
The newly minted entrepreneur, 20, has Rett syndrome. It is a rare genetic neurological disorder that occurs primarily in girls and leads to severe impairments. Her parents, Paul and Carrie, got the diagnosis when Kylie was 18 months old. Their daughter uses a wheelchair and is non-verbal, communicating with her eyes and a computer.
Kylie loves fashion and clothes, said her mom. “Target is her happy place. She loves looking at clothes and feeling their textures. That’s how she landed on this business.” Kylie also likes glitter, the color purple and elephants – a tiny elephant is tucked into her company logo.
Two designs are currently available at www.kyliesattire.com. One collection features T-shirts printed with the “Shine Bright” artwork, and a second design shows a large pair of eyes and the phrase “Sorry, did I roll my eyes out loud?”
Carrie Elser holds up one of the T-shirt designs for sale through Kylie's Attire.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Kylie appreciates the witticism. Her computer uses a camera built into the base of the computer that tracks her eye movement. It has pre-programmed words, sayings, questions and comments.
“Kylie hovers over one of the squares for a set amount of time, and then it selects that choice for her, kind of like clicking a mouse," Carrie said. "During the pandemic as we've been stuck inside, her favorite comment has been, ‘Can we do something else?’”
Kylie also uses low-tech ways to get her points across, such as facial and body language and blinking her eyes for "yes" and "no."
“One of the challenges of Rett syndrome is the motor apraxia. Kylie knows what she wants her body to do, but execution is difficult. She communicates best when she is relaxed. Any added stress can really slow down her communication.”
Julie Cuvelier, a business educator at Cedar Falls High School, has worked with Kylie for about two years, beginning in an entrepreneur course and helping her develop and write a business plan. Steadily, the idea gained momentum. Kylie was able to visit various businesses, including a T-shirt company.
“Comfort was important to Kylie, and we wanted her to feel the fabric. We’ve been very committed to making this Kylie’s business and making sure the choices are hers. She’s got a very sassy side,” Cuvelier said.
Tammy Frahm, Kylie’s teacher, said she is proud and happy that Kylie has found her passion. “She's pretty independent-minded. The biggest thing is letting her make all the decisions because it’s her business. Everybody wants to make choices in their lives and do something they feel is valuable,” she said.
Kylie, a CF High School graduate, can continue to take classes and receive support from the school until she is 21.
Launching Kylie’s Attire been a true team effort, Carrie said, including Kylie’s teachers, support system and family. “We’ve had to learn about taxes, bookkeeping, packaging and shipping. Kylie’s good at visually creating things. Our thought has always been how can we maximize Kylie’s participation? She loves quotes and sayings and picks them out, picks the colors and works with a graphic designer who creates options for Kylie to choose.”
Kylie said her “quotes are relevant, show a little of my personality and create conversation. My shirts show that even though I have a disability, my only limitation is your attitude.”
Joey, her younger brother, loves to draw, and Kylie incorporates Joey’s artwork into her T-shirts because “it’s smart,” she said.
Joey, 17, has autism. “He draws all the time, but we have to snag them quickly before he colors them. Sometimes Kylie will say ‘No’ to one of his pictures. We take photos of his drawings and send to Kylie’s graphics designer who uses them to start her designs,” said Carrie.
Carrie and her son, Joey, look through a binder full of his hand drawn comics, characters and designs, some of which are featured on Kylie's T-shirts and stickers.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
After Kylie selects her designs, Carrie waits a short while before sending them to the graphics designer. “I want Kylie to look at them again to make sure she’s happy with her choices.”
Carrie praises Print This owner Destiny Dietrick for her willingness to work with Kylie on graphic designs and printing the company’s products. “We are so grateful for everyone who has taken the time to work with us.”
Kylie plans to release several more T-shirt designs in the coming months, eventually adding long-sleeved T-shirts and crewneck sweatshirts to her stock. She also sells stickers with her flowery logo and other motifs. Every purchase comes with a thank-you card.
In addition, 10% of the profits from a particular design will go to a nonprofit organization, such as Cedar Valley Angels, a nonprofit that supports children and families experiencing foster care. Future recipients will be Ronald McDonald House in Iowa City, where Kylie’s family has stayed in the past, and Inclusion Connection, an organization dedicated to accessibility and acceptance.
“Kylie shows that everyone can find a way to contribute. It takes a little more time for us, but it’s worth the effort,” Carrie said. “Kylie has a voice, and our family is embracing her potential.”
Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls Vice President of Community Impact Heather Cue ties knots on the cut ends of a fleece blanket on Saturday during the "Wrapped in a Hug" community impact project at Fred Becker Elementary School.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 2
Heather Marquez of Waterloo, right, and Emerson Marquez, 8, make cuts on a fleece blanket Saturday during "Wrapped in a Hug," a community impact event hosted by the Junior League Waterloo-Cedar Falls.
CHRIS ZOELLER, Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 3
Finished fleece blankets are stacked at the front of the gym during the "Wrapped in a Hug" at Fred Becker Elementary School on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 4
Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls President Melanie Knipp, left, Emerson and Heather Marquez work on fleece blankets on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 5
Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls members make tied fleece blankets on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 6
Completed fleece blankets of various colors and designs are stacked on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 7
Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls members make tied fleece blankets on Saturday.
CHRIS ZOELLER Courier Staff Photographer
Blankets 8
Junior League of Waterloo-Cedar Falls members pose with their completed fleece blankets on Saturday.
February 27, 2021 at 07:00PM
https://wcfcourier.com/news/local/young-woman-with-rett-syndrome-starts-business-to-send-message-of-belonging/article_7ac3ef33-f958-5d78-aaa0-41e109539bcd.html
Young woman with Rett syndrome starts business to send message of belonging - Waterloo Cedar Falls Courier
CLEMSON, S.C. – After an exciting first day of the ACC Indoor Championships, Sean Murphy broke the Virginia Tech record in the heptathlon, and the Hokies set the stage for a thrilling Saturday by sending 10 athletes to the finals of their events.
This morning saw the conclusion of the heptathlon, with athletes competing in the 60m hurdles, the pole vault, and the 1000m. The star of the show was Sean Murphy, who recorded career bests in the pole vault at 13' 1.5" (4.00m), and the 1000m with a time of 2:47.07. Across the weekend's events, Murphy posted five personal records on the way to a career best in heptathlon points, finishing with 5,350. That total earned Murphy a bronze medal as the third best in the ACC, and shattered Tech's previous school record by 68 points.
"I could not be happier with the performance Sean gave this weekend," Head Jumps Coach Paul Zalewski said. "After having surgery to repair his hamstring a year ago, to come here and put down a 400 point personal best, break the school record, and get the bronze is truly incredible. He showed unbelievable toughness and competitiveness."
On the women's side, two athletes recorded valuable points for the Hokies. Ellie Vest posted PRs in the 60m hurdles and the shot put to finish the pentathlon with 3,660 points and eighth place. In the long jump, Eszter Bajnok reached the finals and jumped a season best 19' 6.25" (5.95m), also earning eighth place.
"I was so proud of Ellie's effort today," Coach Zalewski said. "She didn't jump as well as we expected in the high jump, but she stayed focused, gave a PR performance in the shot, and a good long jump. She was 12th going into the 800m and put in a great effort to race herself up four spots into scoring position. She's a fighter and I couldn't be prouder."
Friday's running events were filled with preliminaries, as 10 Hokies advanced to their finals on Saturday. Clinching appearances in the finals tomorrow thanks to these qualifying times are:
After Friday's events, the men's team holds the team points lead with 48, and the women's team is in sixth with 18.5 points.
Action begins on the final day of the ACC Indoor Track and Field Championships at 10:30 with the men's triple jump, while a full slate of track finals begins at noon. ACCN will broadcast Saturday's events right at the beginning of the field events at 10:30.
Gallery: (2-26-2021) 2021 ACC INDOOR TRACK & FIELD DAY 2
February 27, 2021 at 09:52AM
https://hokiesports.com/news/2021/2/26/track-field-hokies-send-ten-more-track-athletes-to-saturdays-finals-as-sean-murphy-sets-school-heptathlon-record.aspx
Hokies send ten more track athletes to Saturday's finals as Sean Murphy sets school heptathlon record - VT hokiesports.com
Donald Trump's presidency is over and his Twitter feed silenced, but at the first major conservative gathering of the year, the message is clear: Mr. Trump is here to stay.
Elected officials and activists who spoke on the first day of the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) held in Florida this year, focused on COVID-19 restrictions, the so-called cancel culture, how the 2020 election was administered and the threats they see from Democratic policies. While there was barely any mention of the attack at the Capitol last month, speakers railed against the "liberal mob" and riots over the summer.
The conference doesn't feature open critics of the former president, so praise for Mr. Trump, who still has the support of most GOP voters, was a theme of the opening day.
"There are a whole lot of voices in Washington that want to just erase the last four years," Texas Senator Ted Cruz told the crowd. "Let me tell you right now: Donald J. Trump ain't going anywhere."
Arkansas Senator Tom Cotton told a story about an immigrant attributing his economic success to the former president, and celebrated Mr. Trump ability to attract Latino voters in the 2020 election.
And Missouri Senator Josh Hawley received a standing ovation when he told the crowd of his objection to the election results on January 6. He blasted Twitter for banning Trump, and ended his speech with: "America now, America first, America forever."
Many speakers urged the Republican Party against a return to its pre-Trump origins and criticized some of the policies past GOP leaders have pushed.
"We will not win the future by trying to go back to where the Republican Party used to be," said Florida Senator Rick Scott, who also chairs the Senate Republicans' campaign operation. "If we do, we will lose the working base that President Trump so animated. We're going to lose elections across the country and ultimately we're going to lose our nation."
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is up for reelection in 2022, set his own mark for conservatives going forward, saying the party rejects open borders, "weakness" against China and "military adventurism."
"We will not go back to the days of the failed Republican establishment of yesteryear," he said. "Hold the line, stand your ground, and don't ever, ever back down."
Hawley told the people attending CPAC that they "represent what's coming next."
"To the people who say to us, 'Oh, you're the past. Your moment has passed, it's over. It's Joe Biden's America now,'" he said. "I just want to say, 'we're not the past. We're the future,'" he said.
At the event, Hawley wore the widespread criticism of his objection to the counting of Electoral College votes on January 6 as a badge of honor.
"I was called a traitor, I was called a seditionist," he said of the reaction to his vote. "I'm not going anywhere. I'm standing right here. I'm going to stand up for you, because if we can't have free and open debate in this country, we're not going to have a country left." His phrasing echoed a remark made by Mr. Trump to his supporters that day: "If you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore."
Nearly a dozen speakers at the event have been mentioned as possible 2024 presidential candidates. "For a second there, I thought we were in Des Moines," Cruz quipped about the speaking lineup.
Cotton, among the likely White House hopefuls, suggested Republicans might not be running against Biden in four years. "They want to give amnesty to 15 to 20 million illegal aliens. With no strings attached, with voting rights —presumably in time for what they hope will be Kamala Harris' reelection campaign," he said.
But as a roster of Republicans compete to boost their profiles, it is Mr. Trump who is the marquee speaker, set to make his first public remarks since leaving office at the conference on Sunday.
Mr. Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., joked that the conference should be called "TPAC" because of the support the former president has among the audience. He offered a brief preview of his father's speech, telling the crowd, "I imagine it will not be what we call a 'low-energy' speech. And I assure you that it will solidify Donald Trump and all of your feelings about the MAGA Movement as the future of the Republican Party."
Polling shows Mr. Trump still holds a firm grip on the Republican Party's base. A Suffolk University/USA Today poll published earlier this week found nearly 6 in 10 Trump supporters said they'd like to see him run for president again in 2024 and 76% said they'd vote for him if he sought the Republican nomination.
Saturday's notable speakers include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, who have been floated as potential 2024 presidential candidates.
LAUREN FOX: New York Times bestselling author of “Still Life with Husband” and other novels introduces “Send for Me,” a time-jumping work of historical fiction in which a woman discovers a cache of old letters from her Jewish grandmother that sheds light on her family’s struggles and fate during the rise of Nazism in Germany. 7 p.m. Mnday, March 1, in Metropolitan Library Service Agency’s Club Book Series. No registration necessary. Follow the Club Book Facebook page (facebook.com/ClubBook), where events will be streamed in real time.
