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September 22, 2023
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After a lull, asylum-seekers adapt to U.S. immigration changes and again overwhelm border agents
Asylum-seekers wait in a makeshift camp after crossing the nearby border with Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. Associated Press Page 2
By ELLIOT SPAGAT Associated Press JACUMBA HOT SPRINGS, Calif. (AP) — A group of migrants from China surrendered to a Border Patrol agent in remote Southern California as gusts of wind drowned the hum of highvoltage power lines, joining others from Ecuador, Brazil, Colombia and elsewhere in a desert campsite with shelters made from tree branches. Their arrival Wednesday was another sign that agents have become overwhelmed in recent days by asylum-seekers on parts of the U.S. border with Mexico. In tiny Eagle Pass, Texas, nearly 6,000 migrants crossed from Mexico in to the U.S. in two days, prompting authorities to close one of the town’s two official border crossings so those agents could instead help with the influx. Border crossings have closed recently for similar reasons in San Diego and El Paso, Texas. After a dip in illegal crossings that followed new
asylum restrictions in May, President Joe Biden’s administration is again on its heels. Democratic mayors and
governors are seeking more relief for hosting asylum-seekers and Republicans are seizing on the issue ahead
of 2024 elections.
Continued on Page 2
UP FRONT Friday 22 September 2023 A2
After a lull, asylum-seekers adapt to U.S. immigration changes and again overwhelm border agents
Continued from Front
The Homeland Security Department said Wednesday it would grant Temporary Protected Status to an estimated 472,000 Venezuelans who were in the U.S. on July 31, easing paths to work authorization. That’s in addition to 242,700 Venezuelans who already had qualified for temporary status. The administration is also sending 800 activeduty military troops to the border, adding to 2,500 National Guard members there. It’s expanding border holding facilities by 3,250 people to nearly 23,000, and extending home surveillance nationwide for families awaiting initial asylum screenings. The administration renewed pressure — and blame — on Congress, which has long failed to agree on comprehensive changes to the nation’s immigration system. The Biden administration is now asking Congress for $4 billion in emergency funding. Homeland Security said in a statement that it was “using the limited tools it has available to secure the border and build a safe, orderly, and humane immigration system.” Theresa Cardinal Brown, the Bipartisan Policy Center’s senior advisor for immigration and border policy, said it’s normal to see a dip in illegal crossings after changes
like those imposed in May, but that is usually short-lived once migrants see how things play out. “People see what happened to the last group of people that tried and they’re like, ‘Oh, well maybe it’s not as harsh as they say,’” Brown said. An increase in families arriving at the border led to unacceptable conditions in two of the busiest Border Patrol sector, a courtappointed monitor reported to a federal court last week. Dr. Paul H. Wise said children as young as 8 years old were separated from parents during processing in South Texas, a practice that has been mainly used
for boys 13 to 17. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it was reviewing Wise’s report, noting limited, temporary separations may occur during processing for safety reasons but they are nothing like the long-term separations under former President Donald Trump. Wise said even short-term separation can have “lasting, harmful effects.” In Eagle Pass, a town of 28,000 people, about 2,700 migrants crossed Tuesday and 3,000 Wednesday, according to Maverick County Sheriff Tom Schmerber. Mayor Rolando Salinas declared the city a disaster
area on Tuesday. U.S. authorities closed a bridge and international railway in Eagle Pass on Wednesday to redirect staff. Union Pacific Railroad Co. said Thursday that thousands of rail cars cross the border there daily. CBP told business leaders they have no estimate of when rail traffic would resume in Eagle Pass or when U.S.-bound commercial truck traffic would reopen at a bridge in El Paso. Traffic slowed at other border crossings. “All along the border, we’re experiencing large numbers of migrants, so you will see slowdowns and disrup
tions” at border crossings, said Dennis McKenzie, CBP deputy director for cargo and conveyance security. “It’s all hands on deck.” In San Diego, a pedestrian crossing has been closed since Sept. 14 to direct staff to an area where migrants from Cameroon to Colombia are waiting between a double-layer border wall in San Diego. Volunteers are handing the migrants food and bottled water while they wait to be processed. Near Jacumba Hot Springs, a town of less than 1,000 people with a small hotel and general store amid boulder-strewn mountains an hour’s drive east of San Diego, migrants camps began forming last week for the first time since May. Smugglers drive migrants to a spot in Mexico where the border wall ends. One of three camps in the Jacumba Valley is about a half-hour walk on a gravel road used almost exclusively by border agents. On Wednesday, none had stayed longer than one night, occupying tents that were left behind by others. The Border Patrol gives migrants colored wristbands marking their arrival date to determine who gets shuttled first to a processing location. Campfires and juniper shrub shield migrants from evening chills. Some climbed atop boulders hoping to get a cellphone signal.q
Asylum-seekers wait in a makeshift camp after crossing the nearby border with Mexico, Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. Associated Press
In a first, Massachusetts to ban purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies
BOSTON (AP) — Gov. Maura Healey signed an executive order Thursday that she says will make Massachu
setts the first state to ban the purchase of single-use plastic bottles by state agencies. Massachusetts buys about 100,000 of the plastic water bottles each year. The order bars all executive offices and agencies in Massachusetts from purchasing any single-use plastic bottles under 21 fluid ounces except in cases of emergency. Healey, a Democrat, said the executive order takes effect
immediately. Healey also signed a second executive order that she said will set state biodiversity conservation goals for 2030, 2040, and 2050 — and develop strategies to meet those targets. She said protections will be among the first to extend to coastal and marine habitats. "Massachusetts has a long history of being first in the nation, and we're proud to be the first to set long
term targets for biodiversity and to ban state agencies from purchasing single-use plastic bottles," Healey said Thursday. She said the state will be looking at strategies such as "marine protected areas" to help make sure that coastal and ocean habitats critical to biodiversity can recover and thrive while also ensuring the state helps maintains a climate-resilient landscape for the future.q
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey delivers her inaugural address in the House Chamber at the Statehouse moments after being sworn into office during inauguration ceremonies on Jan. 5, 2023, in Boston. Associated Press
U.S. NEWS A3 Friday 22 September 2023
Senate confirms chairman of joint chiefs as GOP senator still blocking hundreds of military nominees
By MARY CLARE JALONICK and TARA COPP Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate on Wednesday confirmed Gen. CQ Brown as the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, putting him in place to succeed Gen. Mark Milley when he retires at the end of the month. Brown's confirmation on a 83-11 vote, months after President Joe Biden nominated him for the post, comes as Democrats try to maneuver around holds placed on hundreds of nominations by Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville over the Pentagon's abortion policy. The Senate is also expected to confirm Gen. Randy George to be Army Chief of Staff and Gen. Eric Smith as commandant of the U.S. Marine Corps this week. Tuberville has been blocking the Senate from the routine process of approving military nominations in groups, frustrating Democrats who had said they would not go through the time-consuming process of bringing up individual nominations for a vote. More than 300 nominees are still stalled amid Tuberville's blockade, and confirming them one-by-one would take months. But Senate Majority Leader
Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., reversed course on Wednesday and moved to force votes on Brown, George and Smith. "Senator Tuberville is forcing us to face his obstruction head on," Schumer said. "I want to make clear to my Republican colleagues — this cannot continue." Tuberville did not object to the confirmation votes, saying he will maintain his holds but is fine with bringing up nominations individually for roll call votes. White House national secu
rity spokesman John Kirby said that Brown's confirmation, along with expected votes on Smith and George, is positive news. But "we should have never been in this position," he said. "While good for these three officers, it doesn't fix the problem or provide a path forward for the 316 other general and flag officers that are held up by this ridiculous hold," Kirby told reporters. Brown, a career fighter pilot, was the Air Force's first Black commander of the
Pacific Air Forces and most recently its first Black chief of staff, making him the first African American to lead any of the military branches. His confirmation will also mark the first time the Pentagon's top two posts were held by African Americans, with Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin as the top civilian leader. In a statement late Wednesday, Austin said Brown would be a "tremendous leader" as the new chairman. Brown, 60, replaces Joint
Chiefs Chairman Army Gen. Mark Milley, who is retiring after four decades in military service. Milley's four-year term as chairman ends on Sept. 30. Tuberville said on Wednesday that he will continue to hold up the other nominations unless the Pentagon ends its policy of paying for travel when a service member has to go out of state to get an abortion or other reproductive care. The Biden administration instituted the policy after the Supreme Court overturned the nationwide right to an abortion and some states have limited or banned the procedure. "Let's do one at a time or change the policy back," Tuberville said after Schumer put the three nominations up for a vote. "Let's vote on it." In an effort to force Tuberville's hand, Democrats had said they would not bring up the most senior nominees while the others were still stalled. "There's an old saying in the military, leave no one behind," Senate Armed Services Chairman Jack Reed said in July. But in a frustrated speech on the Senate floor, Schumer said Wednesday he was left with no other choice. "Senator Tuberville is using them as pawns," Schumer said of the nominees.q
Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, testifies during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing July 11, 2023, on Capitol Hill in Washington. Associated Press
Biden aiming to scrub medical debt from people’s credit scores, which could up ratings for millions
By JOSH BOAK Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday that the Biden administration is taking the first steps toward removing medical bills from people's credit scores, which could improve ratings for millions of people. Harris said that would make it easier for them to obtain an auto loan or a home mortgage. Roughly one in five people report hav
ing medical debt. The vice president said the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is beginning the rulemaking process to make the change. The agency said in a statement that including medical debt in credit scores is problematic because "mistakes and inaccuracies in medical billing are common." The announcement comes after a long push by the Biden administration to minimize the importance
of medical debt in how people's creditworthiness is rated. CFPB director Rohit Chopra said the credit reporting companies Equifax, TransUnion and Experian announced last March that they would stop reporting "some but not all medical bills on an individual's credit report." In addition to pulling medical bills from credit reports, the proposal would prevent creditors from using medical bills when decid
ing on loans and stop debt collectors from using credit ratings to pressure people with health care-related debt. The government will
hear feedback from small businesses and then issue a notice of a proposed rulemaking at some point next year.q
Vice President Kamala Harris laughs as she speaks at Hampton University on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in Hampton, Va. Associated Press
U.S. NEWS Friday 22 September 2023 A4
Biden administration announces $600M to produce COVID tests and will reopen website to order them
By WILL WEISSERT Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration announced Wednesday that it is providing $600 million in funding to produce new at-home COVID-19 tests and is restarting a website allowing Americans to again order up to four free tests per household — aiming to prevent possible shortages during a rise in coronavirus cases that has typically come during colder months. The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25, and that no-cost tests will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service. Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states from California to Maryland have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million overthe-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said. The new effort is meant to guard against supply chain issues that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID tests made overseas during past surges in coronavirus cases. But it also illus
trates the political balance President Joe Biden is trying to strike as he seeks reelection next year between trumpeting his administration having led the country through the worst of the pandemic while also trying to trying to better prepare for the continued effects of a virus that persists. Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, said that though some portions of the public may be tired of the pandemic and its implications, at home-testing remains a key way to slow the spread of new cases. "Whether or not people are done with it, we know the
virus is there, we know that it's circulating. We know, if past is prologue, it'll circulate to a higher degree and spread, and cases will go up in the fall and winter seasons," O'Connell said. "Anticipating that that would be true again, or something similar, we want to make sure the American people have these tools." O'Connell said the website will remain functional to receive orders through the holidays and "we reserve the right to keep it open even longer if we're starting to see an increase in cases." "If there is a demand for
these tests, we want to make sure that they're made available to the American people for free in this way," O'Connell said. "But, at this point, our focus is getting through the holidays and making sure folks can take a test if they're going to see Grandma for Thanksgiving." The tests are designed to detect COVID variants currently circulating, and are intended for use by the end of the year. But they will include instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates, the department said. The initiative follows four previous rounds where fed
eral officials and the U.S. Postal Service provided more than 755 million tests for free to homes nationwide. It is also meant to complement ongoing federal efforts to provide free COVID tests to long-term care facilities, schools, low-income senior housing, uninsured individuals and underserved communities which are already distributing 4 million per week and have distributed 500 million tests to date, the department said. O'Connell said manufacturers would be able to spread out the 200 million tests they will produce for federal use over 18 months. That means that, as demand for home tests rises via the website or at U.S. retailers when COVID cases increase around the country, producers can focus on meeting those orders — but that they will then have an additional outlet for the tests they produce during period when demand declines. She also said that each winter since the pandemic began "as people move indoors into heated spaces" cases rise and added that also "there's always an opportunity or chance for another variant to come" but "we're not anticipating that."q
COVID-19 antigen home tests indicating a positive result are photographed in New York, April 5, 2023. Associated Press
The building where the Parkland school massacre occurred is set to be demolished next summer
PARKLAND, Fla. (AP) — The South Florida school building where 14 students and three staff members were
fatally shot in a 2018 massacre will be demolished next summer, officials announced Thursday. The demolition of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School's 1200 building, which has remained closed and locked behind a fence since the Parkland shooting, is scheduled to take place immediately after the end of the school year, Broward County Public Schools said in a statement. "We understand the urgen
cy of this matter, but it is essential to prioritize safety above all else," it said. "In preparation for the demolition, crews will clean and clear the building, adhering to state and the Environmental Protection Agency's landfill disposal regulations." Classes have long-since resumed at the Stoneman Douglas campus while the building with bullet-riddled and blood-splattered walls remained. Members of the
community have been calling for its demolition for years, but prosecutors said they needed to preserve it as evidence for the murder trial of the shooter. On Feb. 14, 2018, former student Nikolas Cruz went with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle to the campus, where he killed the 17 people and wounded 17 others. He pleaded guilty in 2021 and was sentenced to life in prison last year.q
The 1200 building at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla., is seen, Oct. 20, 2021. Associated Press
WORLD NEWS A5 Friday 22 September 2023
By MARK LEWIS Associated Press STAVANGER, Norway (AP) — The political careers of two of Norway’s most powerful women are under threat after it was revealed that their husbands were trading in shares behind their backs. Anniken Huitfeldt, the current foreign minister of the center-left Labor Party, and Norway’s former conservative prime minister for eight years, Erna Solberg, are having to explain why they were making decisions in office that could potentially have enriched their spouses. The cases of the two women on opposite sides of the political divide are separate but their defense is
more or less the same: they say they didn’t know what their husbands were up to. And rivals are calling for both women to stand down. Rasmus Hansson, a lawmaker for the Green Party said the pair were damaging the reputation of Norwegian politics and urged them both to resign. “Walk now. Please,” he wrote on Facebook, adding that if they refused to go, their parties should remove them. Right now, the case against Solberg, 62, is graver. During her two terms in office from 2013 to 2021, her husband, Sindre Finnes, made more than 3,600 share deals, many of which should have disqualified Solberg from
making decisions on running the country. “I mean very clearly that I have responsibility, and I have explained why: I thought I had fulfilled my responsibility. I had no reason to believe that Sindre was deceiving me,” Solberg said in interviews with Norwegian media on Thursday. She said her husband “cannot engage in share trading if I become prime minister again.” In a statement issued through his lawyer, Finnes admitted he lied to his wife about his trades but he said he never acted on inside information, which would have been a criminal offense. Even in Norway, where the route to the top of politics
is considered smoother for women than other places in the world, the stereotype-busting image of Solberg being too busy running the country to worry
what her husband was doing at home has often been played for laughs. “That would not have happened if it was the other way around.q
By JULIA FRANKEL Associated Press JERUSALEM (AP) — Violence from Israeli settlers has displaced over 1,100 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank since 2022, according to a U.N. report released Thursday, with officials describing the exodus as unparalleled in recent years. The report documented about three settler-related incidents each day in the West Bank the highest daily average since the U.N. began documenting the trend in 2006. The violence has completely emptied out five Palestinian communities. Six more have seen half their inhabitants leave, and seven have seen a quarter flee, the report said. As Israeli settlements expand under the far-right government of Benjamin Netanyahu, Palestinians say the violence from radical Israeli settlers has reached a fever pitch. “The U.N. has recorded unprecedented levels of settler violence against Palestinians this year,” said Lynn Hastings, humanitarian co
ordinator for the occupied Palestinian territory. “The humanitarian community is responding to their immediate needs, but there would be no need for humanitarian assistance if their fundamental rights were upheld.” Those who have left their homes say that attacks on their grazing lands and vio
lence from settlement outposts many of which are recently established on hilltops ringing rural Palestinian villages prompted them to pull up stakes permanently. Experts say the trend is transforming the map of the West Bank and further undermining the prospects for an independent Pales
tinian state. The Palestinians seek the West Bank, east Jerusalem and Gaza Strip areas captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war for their future state. The affected villages are mostly reliant on herding and agriculture for their livelihoods. Nearly all of the communities reported hav
ing to sell part of their livestock and 70% have had to borrow money to pay for artificial feed after settler incursions cut off access to their grazing lands, the report says. Over a third of the residents have reported changing their livelihoods, some giving up shepherding altogether. The Palestinian communities that saw the greatest population loss were in areas with the highest number of settlement outposts, according to the report. COGAT, the Israeli defense body responsible for Palestinian civilian affairs, did not respond to a request for comment. Settlement expansion has been promoted by successive Israeli governments over nearly six decades, but Netanyahu’s far-right government has made it a top priority. Settler firebrand and powerful Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich now oversees settlement policy and has vowed to step up construction and legalize outposts built without authorization.q
Palestinian shepherd Mustafa Arara, 24, stands in the ruins of the West Bank Bedouin village of al-Baqa where residents fled in July after settlers established an outpost a stone’s throw from the village in June, Wednesday, Aug. 9, 2023. Associated Press
U.N. reports says West Bank settler violence has displaced over 1,100 Palestinians since 2022
Norwegian Foreign Minister Anniken Huitfeldt attends the Ukraine Recovery Conference in London, on June 21, 2023. Associated Press
Their husbands’ misdeeds leave Norway’s most powerful women facing the consequences
WORLD NEWS Friday 22 September 2023 A6
By CARA ANNA Associated Press NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — Kenya’s president has committed his country to lead a multinational force in Haiti to combat gang warfare, even as residents of both countries question the plan being pushed by Washington. President William Ruto spoke on Wednesday at a ceremony establishing diplomatic ties with the Caribbean nation, held on the sidelines of the annual United Nations gathering of world leaders. Haiti’s prime minister, Ariel Henry, attended. Henry requested the deployment of such a force a year ago. “As the leading nation in the U.N.-backed security mission in Haiti, we are committed to deploying a specialized team to comprehensively assess the situation and formulate actionable strategies that will lead to long-term solutions,” Ruto said. Gangs have overpowered Haitian police, with experts
estimating they now control some 80% of the capital, Port-au-Prince, since the July 2021 assassination of President Jovenel Moïse. Schools in some areas have closed because warring gangs are raping and killing people. The violence has displaced nearly 200,000 Haitians whose homes
have been burned. The United States has praised Kenya for even considering leading the United Nations-backed force while other countries hesitated, and the U.S. is drafting a U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing it. The U.S. has said it will provide direct financial
assistance along with training, logistical and material support. On Thursday, Ruto met with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who thanked Kenya for being a strong partner on Haiti. “We are here to have a conversation on the how, the nittygritty, so that we can be
able to make a useful contribution,” Ruto said. Kenya sent an assessment team to Haiti weeks ago with the idea of deploying 1,000 of its police. Kenyan officials haven’t responded to questions about the mission. Bahamas and Jamaica have offered support to the force. There are only about 10,000 police officers in Haiti for more than 11 million people. Some Haitians and Kenyans have expressed skepticism about a multinational deployment led by Kenyan police, who have long been accused by watchdogs of using deadly force, torture and other abuses. “In the past year we have witnessed a wave of punitive policing during protests, extrajudicial killings, deaths in custody, deliberate torture of children, interference with investigative authorities” and other violations, the Kenyabased Independent Medico-Legal Unit said in a report this month.q
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Singapore police say they have uncovered more luxury watches, gold bars and other assets from a massive money laundering scheme that was busted last month, bringing the total amount of assets seized or frozen to 2.4 billion Singapore dollars ($1.75 billion). The police had launched further operations related to a group of foreign nationals suspected to be involved in laundering the proceeds of their organized criminal activities, including scams and online gambling, police said in a statement on Wednesday. The latest action followed multiple other raids across
the city-state last month that saw properties, vehicles, luxury goods and gold bars worth SG$1 billion ($731 million) seized
or frozen. Nine men and a woman from Cyprus, Turkey, China, Cambodia and Vanuatu have been charged in court.
The case has cast a shadow on Singapore’s status as a financial hub known for its low crime and clean image. The latest operations saw additional assets seized or frozen, with the total estimate growing to SG$2.4 billion ($1.75 billion), police said Wednesday. This included bank accounts with a total estimated value of more than SG$1.127 billion ($824 million) and cash of more than SG$76 million ($55 million). Police also seized 68 gold bars, 294 luxury bags, 164 luxury watches, 546 pieces of jewelry, 204 electronic devices and cryptocurrencies worth more than SG$38 million ($28 million). The
statement said that prohibition of disposal orders were been issued against more than 110 properties and 62 vehicles with a total estimated value of more than SG$1.24 billion ($906 million), as well as bottles of liquor, wine and multiple ornaments. “Investigations are ongoing,” the statement added. The Monetary Authority of Singapore said last month that the arrests came after financial institutions filed suspicious transaction reports such as suspicious fund flows, dubious documentation of the source of wealth or funds, and inconsistencies or evasiveness in information provided to them.q
A protester holds up a machete as a symbol of self-defense against gangs, during a protest against gang violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Friday, Aug. 25, 2023. Associated Press
Kenya’s president is committing his country to lead a multinational force to Haiti to combat gangs
People are dwarfed against the financial skyline as they take photos of the Merlion statue along the Marina Bay area in Singapore, on June 30, 2020. Associated Press
Singapore police uncover more gold bars, watches and other assets from money laundering scheme
local a7 Friday 22 September 2023
Aruba’s Nature is to be Cherished
ST. CRUZ — The national park Arikok comprises almost 18 % of the island. Its rugged terrain, desert-like hills filled with tall cacti, breathtaking coastline and protected local flora and fauna welcome you to be explored. There is numerous wildlife to discover like for example the sea turtle who lays his eggs on the park’s beaches. There are more places on the island that are a preserved area like the Bubali Plas which is a bird sanctuary.
The national park Arikok takes you on a memorable journey of the islands past offering unique geological, cultural and historical sites. These can all be enjoyed and explored either on your own or during guided tours. A wide variety of educational and informative programs and fun activities
is available.
Did you know that four of the in total seven species of sea turtle lay their eggs on Aruba's beaches? In the national park, a Least Tern (Sternula antillarum) keeps a strict eye on a very special event taking place below on the beach: a majestic Leatherback (Dermochelys coriacea) heads back to sea after laying her eggs, while another nest laid 2 months ago by the same female hatches. A very rare occurrence of daytime nesting and hatching. Sea turtles prefer nesting in the cool and dark hours of the night. And hatchlings usually wait for the cue of cooling surface sand before emerging.
Bubali Magic This beautiful close-up image of the pink bird is cour
tesy of Michiel Oversteegen of the Aruba Birdlife Conservation. This important foundation showcases and builds awareness of Aruba’s birds and other native flora and fauna. You may have seen a ‘pink cloud’ lately at the Bubali or Spanish Lagoon Wetlands areas? It’s most likely to be Roseate Spoonbills (Ajaia ajaja) or ‘Chucharon Cora’ as they are known in Papiamento. This unusual looking bird forages in shallow muddy water while sweeping its flattened bill from side to side to catch small fish, crustaeceans and other aquatic invertebrates. The Roseate Spoonbill remains an uncommon sight as they are vulnerable to degradation of feeding and nesting habitats (Wetlands). (Source: arikok national park)
The aforementioned is just a part of what Aruba’s nature has to offer. We cannot stress enough to go, see for yourself. The island has the most beautiful beaches but it is also worthwhile to go beyond this and get an idea of our entire island. Lately there is a discussion going on about the effect certain activities have on our nature, for example the ATV vehicles cause a lot of dust, noise and leave tire tracks.
Animals live in these areas where the vehicles run, often with high speed and with detrimental consequences to flora and fauna. Motorized vehicles are forbidden to drive on the sand dunes in the Northern part of the island and all beaches in Aruba are forbidden for any motorized vehicle. Treasure our island to enjoy it like you do: as a tropical and natural paradise. We truly appreciate it!q
Aruba to me
ORANJESTAD — You are back or still enjoying your vacation?... we would like to portrait you! By inviting you to send us your favorite vacation picture while enjoying our Happy Island.
Complete the sentence: Aruba to me is ……. Send your picture with that text (including your name and where you are from) to:
[email protected] and we will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep your best moments alive? Please do note: By submitting photos, text
or any other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials, as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes without compensation.
Last but not least: check out our website, Instagram and Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our free newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader every day again.q
local Friday 22 September 2023 a8
Experience Unrivaled Excitement and Win Big at LIV Casino, Barceló Aruba
Oranjestad – Get ready to indulge in thrilling gaming experiences and a chance to strike it rich at LIV Casino, nestled within the luxurious Barceló Aruba resort. With a wide array of games and a captivating atmosphere, LIV Casino promises an unforgettable entertainment journey for visitors seeking excitement and good fortune.
LIV Casino boasts an impressive selection of 123 slot machines, each waiting to make someone a lucky winner. Among
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The casino is not just about slots – for those who relish the thrill of traditional table games, LIV Casino delivers on every front. Step up to the challenge at the Blackjack Table, where strategy meets chance, or take a spin at the Roulette Table for an electrifying game of luck. Additionally, the Three Card Poker Table
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Adding to the anticipation, every table at LIV Casino features its own progressive jackpot, promising the potential for monumental winnings that could change a player's life in an instant. The gaming action at LIV Casino comes alive from 11 AM to 3 AM, ensuring non-stop excitement throughout the day and into the night. For those looking to experience the thrill of table games, the tables are open from 4:30 PM until closing, inviting players to try their hand at a variety of games while enjoying the vibrant casino ambiance.
"Try your luck with us at LIV Casino at Barceló Aruba," encourages Marc Charley, Casino General Manager of LIV Casino. "We have crafted an environ
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LIV Casino at Barceló Aruba stands as a hub of entertainment, where visitors can not only try their luck but also revel in the world-class amenities and hospitality that the Barceló brand is renowned for.
About LIV Casino, Barceló Aruba: LIV Casino, located within the lavish Barceló Aruba resort, offers a premier gaming experience on the stunning island of Aruba. With a wide range of slot machines and table games, as well as the allure of progressive jackpots, LIV Casino provides endless entertainment for both novice and seasoned players. The casino operates from 11 AM to 3 AM, while table games are available from 4:30 PM till closing.q
Aruban snacks and where to find them
ORANJESTAD — Want to taste something different for a change? How about some Aruban snacks that you can find all around the island? Hop in your car, and go to these locations to find some of the most popular and tasty snacks that are beloved by our locals.
One of the staples of Aru
ban cuisine and snacks is the Pastechi. Pastechi is a Caribbean fried pastry that is filled with cheese, meat, chicken, veggies and sometimes even fish! Or perhaps you might want to try a croquette, locally called a “kroket,” which is a crusty fried snack with typically a meat and dough mix filling. The Aruban kroket is based
on its Dutch counterpart, the “bitterbal”.
These two snacks are typically found in all local snack trucks, which can be found all over the island, including on the side of the main road that stretches from San Nicolas to the Hotel Area. You can also find pastechis and krokets at local bak
eries and snack shops, like Bright Bakery in Piedra Plat, Huchada in Santa Cruz or Pastechi House in the city center. These places may also sell other snacks and sandwiches too, perfect for on-the-road lunch break.
While you’re at it, why not accompany your snack with a refreshing “batido”? Batidos are fruit shakes, typically made with added milk for some creaminess. However, you can also ask to hold the milk. Batidos are commonly found in snack shops too. You may find some batido shops next the flee markets downtown, or if you’re on your way to San Nicolas, at Mauchi Smoothies and Juice Bar in Savaneta (located at the side of the main road).
If you are looking for something a bit more fresh and healthy, why not try some coconuts, or shaved ice from local vendors? These
vendors carry their little shop at the back of their truck, so they are evermoving around the island. However, there are a few spots where you can almost always find a coconut/shaved ice vendor: 1. Right next to the Red Anchor in San Nicolas, on the way to Baby Beach. 2. Along the main road next to the airport field. 3. At the California Light House. 4. At the Alto Vista Chapel.
These vendors may also sell other delights, like the beloved coconut-based dessert “cocada” or peanuts. All in all, in Aruba, you can always find some place to take a break and have a bite of something local, you maybe just might have to look for them!q
Photo credit: wheninaruba. com
LOCAL A9 Friday 22 September 2023
Aruba Tourism Authority honors aloyal visitor at Costa Linda Beach Resort
The Aruba Tourism Authority recently had the great pleasure of recognizing a Goodwill Ambassador of Aruba. This Ambassador was honored with a certificateacknowledging his years of visits, loyalty, and love for the island of Aruba.
The honor certification is presented on behalf of the Minister of Tourism as a token of appreciation and to say “Masha Danki” to guests who have visited Aruba 10, 20, or 35 years or more consecutively.
The three honoring levels are as follows: Distinguished Visitor (10>years consecutively visiting Aruba) Goodwill Ambassador (20>years consecutively visiting Aruba) Emerald Ambassador (35>years consecutively visiting Aruba)
The honoree was: Goodwill Ambassador Mr. Juan Cochesa from Florida, United States.
Ms. Kimberley Richardson representing the Aruba Tourism Authority, and staff members of the Costa Linda Beach Resort bestowed the Goodwill Ambassador certificate to the honoree, presented him with gifts, and also thanked him for choosing Aruba as his favorite vacation destination,as his home away from home.
Top reasons for returning to Aruba, provided by the honoree were: Marriage celebration Family reunions Aruba’s nice sandy beaches Costa Linda’s “Delicioso Piña Co
lada” The resort and its staff
On behalf of the Aruba Tourism Au
thority, we would like to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to the honoreefor his continued visits to the“One Happy Island”q.
Aruba to me
ORANJESTAD — You are back and we would like to portrait you! By inviting you to send us your favorite vacation picture while enjoy
ing our Happy Island.
Complete the sentence: Aruba to me is ……. Send your picture with that text
(including your name and where you are from) to:
[email protected] and we will publish your vacation memory. Isn’t that a special way to keep your best moments alive? Please do note: By submitting photos, text or any other materials, you give permission to The Aruba Today Newspaper, Caribbean Speed Printers and any of its affiliated companies to use said materials,
as well as names, likeness, etc. for promotional purposes without compensation. Last but not least: check out our website, Instagram and Facebook page! Thank you for supporting our free newspaper, we strive to make you a happy reader every day again. For today we received a lovely message from Jack Shearer who is visiting us
from York, Pennsylvania, USA.
He wrote to us saying: “Aruba to me is a safe beautiful place to enjoy time with family while taking in the wonderful sights and cuisine.”
Thank you for sending us this wonderful message sharing what Aruba means to you with us and our readers!q
Friday 22 September 2023 A10
The district of Savaneta A quick history guide to the island’s first capital
( O r a n j e s t a d ) — B e f o r e Oranjestad became the island nation’s capital, Aruba’s first capital was the district of Savaneta. Here is where the cultural identity of Aruba was born, and from where the rest of the island developed into what it is today.
Savaneta is said to have been the first place where the Caquetio inhabitants first stepped foot on the island. Though there isn’t hard evidence to back this up, but considering the legend of the Cacique Arua, it is believed that there were already movements on Aruba—and Savaneta— around 88 AD.
The Caquetios probably made their way to the island either from Venezuela, Colombia or other Caribbean islands in the region, but with good weather it was relatively easy for them to travel back and forth in their canoes. So, since the Caquetios discovered the island, Aruba found her first form of civilization. It wasn’t until 1499 when Aruba met another group of people who set foot on the island: the Spanish explorer Alonso de Ojeda. De Ojeda first took notice of Aruba off the coast of Venezuela, during his exploration of the Latin American country. This was on August 9th, 1499. However, de Ojeda didn’t actually sail to the island till 4 days later, on August 23rd, 1499. This was the beginning of the Spanish era on Aruba (1499-1636).
Alonso usually didn’t stop at every island or land he saw, especially not in the Caribbean. He would often take notice of land from afar and continue sailing. However, Aruba was an exception. He had heard that there were “quebracho” trees on the island, which were commonly used to produce dye or paint. But since these trees could not be found in Savaneta, he continued to search in the area of what is now known as Santa Cruz. The best way to transport the tree barks was via a route passing through Savaneta, and so the first road between Savaneta and Santa Cruz was made.
The Dutch colonial era (1636-1805) During the 80-year war between The Netherlands and Spain, Dutch explorers and merchants began to travel to the ABC islands. Once they landed in Aruba, they deported the small Arawakan and Spanish community that was living on the island. This was the beginning of colonization of the ABC islands by the Dutch empire. Around the same, the West Indian Company (WIC) was born. Bonaire and Curacao were mostly used for plantations, where the Dutch had transported slaves from Africa. Aruba, on the other hand, was mostly used to raise cattle and to house the haring factory. The Dutch had often forced the indigenous community to work for them.
In 1636, when the Netherlands won the war against Spain, the country surrendered the islands to the Dutch. The Dutch administration appointed the island’s first commander, an Irish man named N. Williams. Because the Dutch were interested in other Caribbean islands and countries in South America, they imported Dutch merchants and business men, all of whom resided in Savaneta. This way, Savaneta officially became the island’s first capital.
However, at the end of the 18th century, the commander at the time, J.R. Lauffer, moved his office to
what is now “Horse Bay” in Oranjestad. Because the highest office on the island moved away from Savaneta, the capital lost its title to what was called then Playa.
How Savaneta got its name The name Savaneta probably has a Spanish origin. It was said that when the Spanish climbed a hill called Yara, they saw that the area was mostly open and had no big trees. In Spanish, such a land area is called a “sabana”.
Because of its land surface, Savaneta was a great place to construct cattle farms. From here, the farmer culture on Aruba was
born. Before the Aruban Gold Rush and the construction of the Refinery in San Nicolas, most residents were farmers, and Savaneta had many inhabitants that farmed fruits and vegetables. They also continued the tradition of raising cattle, like goat, sheep, pigs and horses. Savaneta was one of the first places on the island to have a general farming culture. From this culture, many other traditions were born, like the Dera Gay Holiday that we celebrate every year on June 24th. q
Source: Historia di Savaneta (History of Savaneta) by Adolf “Dufi” Kock.
LOCAL
Alonso de Ojeda
“Quebracho” (Kibrahacha) tree; used to make dye and paint
Commandeursbaai (Commander’s Bay) at Savaneta
local a11 Friday 22 September 2023
Fruit Loose & Veggie Boost: Aruban fruits and vegetables
Fresh fruits make a tropical holiday’s picture complete. Whether you see the mangoes hanging in the trees or the fresh fruit cocktail on the side table of your pool bed, the link is there: you are in the tropics. Aruba grows her own fruits and veggies and there are some pretty out-of-space local species you may never had heard of, but really healthy and delicious.
Mispel This is a fruit with a character (510 cm/2-4 inches). It does not ripe until it is picked or falls off the tree. Mispel is hard with a sandpaper like texture when immature, soft and juicy when ripe. It's technically a berry, but contains a skin similar to that of a kiwi. It's grainy and sweet, with a light, musky flavor. The sap or gum from the tree is also a source of 'chicle' the original ingredient used to make chewing gum. Rich in tannins, antioxidants shown to contain anti-inflammatory compounds, and vitamin C, essential for healthy immune function. Season: year- round.
Kenepa
Ovoid green fruit that grows in bunches on trees up to 30m high. The fruit is related to the lychee and have tight, thin but rigid skins. Inside the skin is the tart, tangy, or sweet pulp of the fruit covering a large seed. The pulp is usually cream or orange colored. Kenepa strengthens the immune system, and prevents the reproduction of bacteria and viruses in the body. This fruit is highly recommended to treat lung infections and urinary tract infections. It also helps to cure insomnia and rejuvenates the nervous system. Season: the fruit typically ripen during the summer.
Druif
There is no chance you did not bump into one of the sea grape trees while spending your vacation on Aruba. The sea grape plant is often used in ocean-side landscaping in sandy soil right on the beach and it produces clusters of fruit that resemble grapes. Are sea grapes edible? Yes, they are. Animals enjoy sea grapes and humans can eat them as well, and they are used to make jam. They contain very low calories and sugar, enabling good bacterium to digest food and excrete waste quickly which is effective in preventing constipation. Season: Sep-Oct.
Shimarucu
Maybe Aruba’s most popular wild fruit tree. You may have noticed cars at the side of the road and people picking those red berries. Well, that’s Shimarucu. The local habit to stop for these delicious fruits goes from generation to generation. Its fruit’s degree of sour depends on the amount of rain it gets. Red Shimarucus tend to taste better than orange. The fruit has super power: a true vitamin bomb. Adults only need to eat 3-4 of these berries to meet their daily recommended amount of Vitamin C. Season: Rainy months (Oct-Jan).
Tamarind
A delicious, sweet fruit that has a wide variety of uses and applications, both for medicinal and culinary purposes. It is a medium-sized bushy tree with evergreen leaves and fruit that develops in pods characterized by long, brown shells. Inside is a sticky, fleshy, juicy pulp, which is the Tamarind fruit. Both sweet and sour in taste, the fruit contains a significant level of vitamin C, as well as vitamin E, B vitamins, calcium, iron, phosphorous, potassium, manganese, and dietary fiber. There are also a number of organic compounds that make tamarind a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory agent. Season: March.
When it comes to veggies the island certainly offers a home-grown selection. They taste delicious and have their specific talents to boost your immune system. Start the day with a ‘batida’ (smoothie) enriched with a local veggie touch or select your restaurant that offers local vegetable dishes to get the real pure taste of it.
Comcomber chiquito
This is a sort of local squash, but looks like a cucumber with prickly skin. The taste however is bitterer than the cucumber and the vegetable is smaller in size but bigger in width. Inside is a soft, fleshy pulp and seeds, just like the cucumber. Comcomber chiquito is grown in the island and used in salads and ‘stoba’ (stew) or on its own in vinegar. The veggie contains multiple B vitamins, including vitamin B1, vi
tamin B5, and vitamin B7 (biotin). B vitamins are known to help ease feelings of anxiety and buffer some of the damaging effects of stress. Additionally this veggie is rich in two of the most basic elements needed for healthy digestion: water and fiber. Season: year- round.
Yambo Family of Okra, also known as ‘lady’s fingers’: a green flowering plant. Okra belongs to the same plant family as hibiscus and cotton. A classic favorite dish in Aruba is Sopi di yambo. It has long been favored as a food for the healthconscious. It contains potassium, vitamin B, vitamin C, folic acid, and calcium. It’s low in calories and has a high dietary fiber content. Recently, a new benefit of including okra in your diet is being considered. Okra has been suggested to help manage blood sugar in cases of type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. Season: year- round.
Bonch’i Cunucu A long, small bean, boiled for a side dish or snack. Long beans have a chewy, crunchy texture– more so than snap beans–and a flavor reminiscent of the dry navy bean or asparagus. Besides stir-fry, soups and salads, the long bean is a good choice for stewing, braising (to remain chewy and firm), sautéing, shallow frying, and deep frying. With cooking, the long bean’s bean flavor intensifies. Long beans are low in calories, about 45 calories per cup, and rich in vitamin A and also contain vitamin C and potassium. Season: year-round.
Pampuna
In the endless summer of Caribbean living we only have to concern ourselves with a wet season and a dry season. Still we do indulge heavily in the pleasures of pumpkin and enjoy Caribbean pumpkin recipes year round. A popular dish in Aruban restaurants is Sopa Di Pompuna, don’t miss it. This dish is made of pumpkin soup, and parsley. Pumpkins are rich in flavonoid polyphenolic antioxidants such as xanthin, lutein and carotenes and also contain vitamins. Pumpkin seeds are a good source of omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and proteins. Pumpkins are used to make desserts, breads and soups.q
BUSINESS Friday 22 September 2023 A12
By MELISSA LAMBARENA of NerdWallet The return of federal student loan payments in October has the potential to derail your finances, especially if you’re already struggling with credit card payments. One in five student loan borrowers have risk factors that suggest they could struggle with student loan payments when they resume, according to a June blog post at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The impact won’t be as significant during the initial 12-month student loan onramp period from Oct. 1 to Sept 30, 2024. You won’t default on student loans or see credit scores plummet after missing payments during that time. But interest will continue to accrue, making the growing debt more difficult to manage. Use the next 12 months to make progress with consistent payments. You’ll save more money over time and pay down debt faster. Here are some strategies to consider as you’re getting started. 1. REVAMP YOUR BUDGET An updated budget clarifies how much money is available to pay down debts. Review your debit and credit card statements for opportunities to cut back or find cheaper alternatives. Start by writing down where your money is going, says Kristen Holt, CEO at GreenPath, a nonprofit credit counseling agency. Prioritize essentials like rent, utilities, transportation and others, she says. And, if possible, work toward building an emer
A tassel with 2023 on it rests on a graduation cap as students walk in a procession for Howard University’s commencement in Washington, Saturday, May 13, 2023.
Associated Press
Millennial Money: 5 options if you’re crushed by student loan and credit card debt
gency fund of at least $500 to prevent more debt. “Anything is better than nothing,” Holt says. “Even if you’re putting $10 a paycheck into a savings account, it takes a while, but it’s still going to be better than zero.” Next, determine whether you’ll be laser focused on student loan or credit card debt. Keep up with all payments, but put more money toward the high interest debt to make more progress. Credit cards typically have higher interest rates unless new terms are applied through an agreement or promotional offer. 2. SEEK LOWER CREDIT CARD INTEREST RATES A good credit score of 690 or higher can qualify you for low-interest offers. A balance transfer credit card, for instance, lets you move debt from a different account onto the card to get a lower interest rate. The ideal balance transfer card has no annual fee, a 0% introductory interest rate and a reasonable balance transfer fee of 3% or
lower. If that fee is lower than your current projected interest payments, the savings will add up and you can apply them to student loan payments. For multiple credit card balances, consider a personal loan that consolidates debts into a single low-interest fixed payment. If circumstances beyond your control, like an emergency or a layoff, are impacting your ability to keep up with payments, ask the credit card issuer if it has a hardship plan. It may temporarily lower interest and waive fees for a specific period of time, depending on the issuer’s terms. 3. CONSIDER AN INCOMEDRIVEN REPAYMENT PLAN With an income-driven repayment plan, your monthly payments on federal student loans are based on your income and family size. The debts are also forgiven after 20 or 25 years of payments. There are currently four income-driven repayment plans to consider based on your goals and loan type. When it comes to student loans, you either want to pay them off quickly to save on interest or pay as little as possible to take advantage of any of the forgiveness plans that are available, says Renée Earwood, an accredited financial counselor and student loan coach.q
A13 Friday 22 September 2023 BUSINESS
San Nicolas
Police 100 Oranjestad 527 3140 Noord 527 3200 Sta. Cruz 527 2900 San Nicolas 584 5000 Police Tipline 11141 Ambulancia 911 Fire Dept. 115 Red Cross 582 2219
Women in Difficulties PHARMACY ON DUTY
TAXI SERVICES Taxi Tas 587 5900 Prof. Taxi 588 0035 Taxi D.T.S. 587 2300 Taxi Serv. Aruba 583 3232 A1 Taxi Serv. 280 2828
Aruba Airport 524 2424 American Airlines 582 2700 Avianca 588 0059 Jet Blue 588 2244 Surinam 582 7896
FAVI- Visually Impaired Tel. 582 5051
Alcoholics Anonymous Tel. 736 2952
Quota Club Tel. 525 2672
Centre for Diabetes Tel. 524 8888
Narcotics Anonymous Tel. 583 8989
Fundacion Contra Violencia Relacional Tel. 583 5400
DOCTOR ON DUTY
Oranjestad
Women in Difficulties OTHER Dental Clinic 587 9850 Blood Bank Aruba 587 0002 Urgent Care 586 0448 Walk-In Doctor’s Clinic +297 588 0539 Women in Difficulties EMERGENCY
Women in Difficulties TRAVEL INFO
Women in Difficulties AID FOUNDATIONS
Child Abuse Prevention Tel. 582 4433
Women in Difficulties General Info
Phone Directory Tel. 118
Oranjestad: Paradera: tel. 588 6638 Aloe : tel. 584 4606
Hospital 7:00 pm / 10:00pm Tel. 527 4000
Imsan 24 hours Tel.524 8833
facebook.com/arubatoday/
HEALTH
By DAVID KOENIG AP Business Writer Fake listings have emerged as a major problem for Airbnb, threatening to scare off consumers and prompting the short-term rental service to use AI in an effort to crack down on fraudsters. Airbnb says it has removed 59,000 fake listings and prevented another 157,000 from joining the platform this year. Fake listings and high cleaning fees are among several issues that Airbnb said Wednesday that its users highlighted in a company survey. Others included high cleaning fees and a desire for lower prices. The San Francisco company said more than 260,000 listings have lowered or removed cleaning fees this year, since it gave consumers the means to sort listings in order of all-in pricing. Airbnb says the change in how prices are displayed discourages hosts from touting low prices but piling on extra fees. However, only about one-third of Airbnb renters are using it. “We got a lot of feedback that Airbnb is not as affordable as it used to be,” CEO Brian Chesky said in an interview. The pricing changes are starting work, he said, and more measures are in the works. One of those is “seasonal dynamic pricing” technology that would help hosts adjust prices more often, like airlines and hotels do. Chesky said that will prod hosts into cutting prices during the off-season, but it could also help them raise peak prices.Airbnb also said that later this year it will begin verifying all listings in its top five markets including the United States and the United Kingdom to combat an outbreak of fakes. Fraudulent listings create refunds and rebooking costs for Airbnb, “but the biggest risk is to our reputation,” Chesky said. “If you can’t trust when you book
The Airbnb app icon is displayed on an iPad screen in Washington, D.C., on May 8, 2021.
Associated Press
Airbnb says it’s cracking down on fake listings and has removed 59,000 of them this year
an Airbnb that it’s real and you’re going to like it, then you’re going to stay in a hotel.” The company plans to use AI to help it verify listings in those top five countries. It will have hosts go inside the property and open the Airbnb app. GPS will verify they are at the correct address, and AI will be used to compare
live photos with pictures that the host uses on the listing. Properties in the U.S., U.K., Canada, France and Australia that pass the test will get a “verified” icon on their listings starting in February. The company said it will verify listings in 30 more countries starting late next year.q
PEOPLE / ARTS Friday 22 September 2023 A14
By JAKE COYLE AP Film Writer TORONTO (AP) — You may find yourself in a movie theater with “Stop Making Sense” playing and the members of Talking Heads in the audience. That was the once-in-alifetime scenario when the new 4K restoration of “Stop Making Sense” premiered recently at the Toronto International Film Festival. On screen was a young, elastic David Byrne. In the theater, he was dancing, too, along with a crowd who couldn’t stay seated for “Burning Down the House.” “For a moment I thought, ‘Is it OK for me to get up and dance at our own movie?” Byrne says, laughing, the morning after. “But how could you not?” For nearly four decades, “Stop Making Sense,” directed by Jonathan Demme, has exerted an inexorable pull on all who encounter the frenetic fever of arguably the finest concert film ever made. Its power to bring together it opens with Byrne alone on a spare stage and swells into an art-funk spectacular is such that it’s even managed to reunite Talking Heads, too. For the first time in 21 years, Talking Heads are a band again, even if only in movie theaters. Byrne, the band’s principal songwriter and singer, keyboardist-guitarist Jerry Harrison, bassist Tina Weymouth and drummer Chris Frantz who last gathered together in 2002 for their induction to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame have assembled once more for the rerelease of “Stop Making Sense.” “It feels normal,” says Weymouth. “I mean, this is our tour. We’re touring this movie.” Since they officially broke up in 1991, the four members of Talking Heads have often squabbled, bitterly. Byrne has said he regrets his role in the band’s “ugly” dissolution. Frantz, who’s married to Weymouth, published a 2020 memoir that described some of the
discord and lingering hurts. When Byrne mounted the acclaimed Broadway show “American Utopia” a few years ago, featuring many Talking Heads songs, Frantz was stung not to even be invited. As the group congregated the morning after the “Stop Making Sense” premiere for an interview, though, they were cordial with each other. “How you livin’, Jerry?” greeted Frantz. Byrne gazed out the window, contemplating a possible cycling route for the afternoon. He and Harrison sat on one couch, Weymouth and Frantz on another. Their spirits were high. The film remains in light, a potent reminder of Talking Heads’ uniquely transfixing power. Harrison helped oversee the restoration from the long-lost original negatives. It opens on IMAX screens Friday and in other theaters Sept. 29. “One of the things that happened to me in rewatching it and working on it, was realizing: ‘Oh my God is everybody good,’” says Harrison. “I didn’t know I was cute,”
smiled Weymouth, who nimbly bounces from one foot to the other throughout the film. “The whole band, they were so attractive, so beautiful.” “Stop Making Sense,” filmed over four nights at Los Angeles’ Pantages Theater in 1983, hasn’t dimmed with time. “Same as it ever was,” you could say. What begins with a solitary Byrne, with an acoustic guitar and boombox, steadily accumulates as the members of the band join him, then others like Parliament-Funkadelic keyboardist Bernie Worrell and guitarist Alex Weir. This jittery, wide-eyed musician singing of psycho killers to a syncopated beat attracts a legion. His movements are malleable and constant. The music grows euphoric. This IS a party. This IS a disco. “It’s the unbridled joyousness of the performance, which snowballs,” says Frantz. “It starts off with ‘Psycho Killer,’ which is a thing unto itself. But it snowballs into this ecstatic experience. You can see it very clearly with the band members. They’re gettin’ more
and more fever.” Byrne had choregraphed the Talking Heads tour that year, for the album “Speaking in Tongues.” Their concert came ready-made for Demme, a devoted Heads fan and an ardent music listener who approached the band with producer Gary Goetzman after seeing them perform in 1983 at the Hollywood Bowl. Byrne’s concept stemmed from, he says, “showing people what it takes to put on a show.” “We start with an empty stage and gradually add each part, each musician. As they come in, you hear what their contribution is,” Byrne says. “You see how it all gets done. It’s like a magician showing how the tricks are done, but the trick still works. We’ve seen behind the curtain, but the trick still works.” And the “tricks” are grand. There’s, of course, Byrne’s iconic, Kabuki-influenced big suit in “Girlfriend Is Better”– now even bigger in IMAX. There’s also his achingly gentle dance with a floor lamp in “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)”
a sumptuous echo to Gene Kelly’s tap dance around a lamp post in “Singin’ in the Rain.” Other elements of “Stop Making Sense” have also proved remarkably resilient, though they can be harder to pin down. The songs, particularly something like “Life During Wartime,” synthesized a modern discombobulation that was only just emerging in the technascent ‘80s. “Stop Making Sense” shot on film with six cameras but mixed digitally in Hal Ashby’s editing room heralded a disorienting information age future while at the same time making the case that this strange new world could also be funky as hell. “There’s most definitely a prescient nature in David’s lyrics,” Harrison says. “David seemed to capture, you might say, the future zeitgeist.” Talking Heads never participated in another film. Who needs legacy burnishing when “Stop Making Sense” is still so alive? In conversation, the band again and again marveled at how deeply in tune they were with one another then perhaps especially in contrast to the years that followed. “This is going to sound really ridiculous but I think about the fusion of the sun,” says Weymouth. “It implodes and explodes. And I think that push and pull was so magical to our creative forces, the way that we worked together, the way we were supportive of each other. It was very special and none of us has found it again. If we sat down and played music, we’d be connecting again.”q
Musicians Jerry Harrison, left, Tina Weymouth, Chris Frantz and David Byrne of the Talking Heads pose together at a special screening of “Stop Making Sense” to celebrate the 40th anniversary 4k remastered rerelease at Metrograph on Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023, in New York. Associated Press
Talking Heads on the once-in-a-lifetime ‘Stop Making Sense’
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SPORTS A15 Friday 22 September 2023
By ROB MAADDI AP Pro Football Writer Nick Chubb’s injury underscores why running backs want better contracts and why NFL teams are reluctant to pay them. Chubb’s season ended abruptly when he suffered the devastating knee injury that was too gruesome for replay in Cleveland’s loss to Pittsburgh on Monday night. The four-time Pro Bowl pick faces a long, arduous road to recovery with no guaranteed money coming his way beyond the $10.85 million he’s making this season. Chubb will be attempting his second comeback from a significant injury to the same knee at age 28 with a non-guaranteed salary of $12.2 million due in 2024. The Browns would assume a $4 million dead cap hit if they release him next year, according to Spotrac.com. Running backs have been arguing for bigger contracts and more guaranteed money in recent years because they’re underpaid in comparison to their peers. Only kickers and punters had a lower franchise tag than running backs ($10.1 million) in 2023. The franchise tag represents the average of the top five salaries at the
player’s position for the current year. It was $32.4 million for quarterbacks, $19.7 million for wide receivers and $18.2 million for offensive linemen. Five years ago, the franchise tag for running backs was significantly higher at $14.5 million. The devaluing of the position became a contentious issue for top running backs over the past offseason. Giants star Saquon Barkley and Raiders All-Pro Josh Jacobs refused to sign their franchise tags and were unhappy about not getting long-term contracts. Pro Bowl running
back Tony Pollard signed his franchise tag with Dallas. “Every player wants to have that longevity, that contract to ensure you’re safe longevity-wise,” Pollard said on the AP Pro Football Podcast. “But, it is what it is. We couldn’t get a deal done within the deadline. So at this point, I’m just playing ball, going out there trying to win games.” Jonathan Taylor, a 2021 AllPro, has been locked in a contract dispute with the Colts and was placed on the physically unable to perform list to start the sea
son because he’s recovering from offseason ankle surgery. Many backs, including, Chubb voiced their concerns about the disparity in pay throughout the summer. The NFL Players Association agreed to the franchise tags in the collective bargaining agreement. “Right now, there’s really nothing we can do,” Chubb said in July. “We’re kind of handcuffed with the situation. We’re the only position that our production hurts us the most. If we go out there and run 2,000 yards with so many carries,
the next year they’re going to say, you’re probably worn down. It’s tough.” Last Monday, the NFL filed a grievance against the NFLPA, alleging that union leaders, including President JC Tretter, have advised running backs to “consider feigning or exaggerating injuries” to help increase their leverage in contract negotiations. The grievance will be reviewed by an arbitrator. Meanwhile, legitimate injuries are piling up for running backs. JK Dobbins suffered a season-ending Achilles tendon injury in Week 1. Barkley was ruled out for New York’s game against San Francisco on Thursday because of an ankle injury. Austin Ekeler and Aaron Jones missed games last week. David Montgomery and Jamaal Williams left their last game with injuries. Teams view running backs as interchangeable. Many clubs aren’t willing to invest big money on running backs because late-round picks and undrafted free agents have had plenty of success. Only three Super Bowl champions in the past 15 years had a 1,000-yard rusher in the regular season compared with 11 in the 15 seasons before that. q
Cleveland Browns running back Nick Chubb, grimaces on the field after an injury during the first half of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers Monday, Sept. 18, 2023, in Pittsburgh.
Associated Press
Nick Chubb’s injury underscores running backs’ pleas for bigger contracts and teams’ fears
Cowboys star CB Trevon Diggs tears ACL in practice. It's a blow for a defense off to a great start
By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Pro Football Writer FRISCO, Texas (AP) — Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs tore the ACL in his left knee in practice Thursday, a major setback for a defense off to a great start in 2023. The team said an MRI confirmed the ACL tear and that while there was no timetable for a return, the 2021 All-Pro was expected to miss the rest of the season. Diggs was seen leaving the team's headquarters on crutches. He had his
first interception of the season in last week's 30-10 victory over the New York Jets. Diggs is tied for the NFL lead with 18 interceptions since entering the league in 2020. It's quite a blow for a defense that has had 10 sacks and seven takeaways without a turnover by the Dallas offense. The plus-seven turnover margin led the NFL through two games. Dallas (2-0), which visits Arizona (0-2) on Sunday, is just the fifth team in the Super Bowl era to score at
least 70 points and allow 10 or fewer in the first two games. The Cowboys beat both New York teams by a combined 70-10. "Saw that I guess a couple of you saw out there on the field," quarterback Dak Prescott said after practice, not wanting to speculate on the severity of the injury. "Prayers, hoping for the best, simple as that." Diggs signed a $97 million, five-year contract extension at the start of training camp. The Cowboys drafted the former Alabama
player in the second round in 2020. Diggs, who tied a franchise record with 11 interceptions in 2021, was off to a strong start in his first season with 2019 AP Defen
sive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore starting on the opposite side. Through two games, Diggs had an NFL-best 1.0 passer rating against when targeted.q
Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs stands on the field before a preseason NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders in Arlington, Texas, Aug. 26, 2023. Associated Press
SPORTS Friday 22 September 2023 A16
By STEPHEN HAWKINS AP Baseball Writer ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — This time of year, Houston Astros manager Dusty Baker is usually starting to think about getting some rest for his everyday players and putting together pitching plans for the playoffs. Not yet this season in what is shaping up for a wild West finish in the American League. The reigning World Series champion Astros will go into the final 10 days of the regular season with only a half-game lead in the AL West over both Seattle and Texas after all were off Thursday. The Mariners play their final 10 games against those other two teams. “These tight (races), they can build character. So, let’s see what kind of character we’ve got,” Baker said. “It’s kind of cool to see three teams fighting for one spot, two spots with the wild card,” Mariners first baseman Ty France said. “It’s exactly how we wanted to finish, and hopefully we can take care of business.” Seattle opens a threegame series at Texas on Friday night with those teams tied for the American League’s third and final wild-card spot, and Toronto right ahead of them. The Mariners then go home for
three games against Houston and four more against the Rangers. Houston has 85 wins after their walk-off victory Wednesday over AL-best Baltimore to stay in front and avoid being swept at home. That is one more win than the Mariners and Rangers all three teams have 68 losses. The Astros pretty comfortably won each of the last five AL West titles determined over full 162-game schedules, including by 16 games last season. They have been to the AL Cham
pionship Series six years in a row, even as a 29-31 wild card during the COVIDaltered 2020 season. They went to the World Series four times in that span, winning two of them. Only 39-39 at home, the Astros host 102-loss Kansas City this weekend before going to Seattle and NL wild-card contender Arizona. “I don’t think it’s going be a problem for us to go out there and focus and win some games,” said Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, adding that their past
success should help them. Texas, already ensured its first winning record since 2016, led the AL West for 148 of the season’s first 149 days through Aug. 26. But the Rangers had lost 20 of 30 games before back-toback wins over Boston. “It’s been a heck of a ride ... some steep, steep hills, up and down. It’s unlike I’ve seen, to be honest, when you look at this rollercoaster ride,” said Rangers manager Bruce Bochy, a three-time World Series champion with San Francisco before being out of
the dugout the past three seasons. “But I missed it. ... If you told me I’d been in this situation last year when I wasn’t doing this, I would have done a cartwheel around this ballpark.” The Rangers have two multiple Cy Young Award winners, but Jacob deGrom (elbow surgery) hasn’t pitched since April and trade-deadline acquisition Max Scherzer is on the injured list with a strained muscle in his shoulder. Five of their six All-Stars have been on the IL since that July 11 game, with slugger Adolis Garcia and rookie third baseman Josh Jung the last to return this week. Seattle and Texas last met the first weekend in June, when the Rangers swept three games at home, including 16-6 and 12-3 wins. The Mariners, who last season made the playoffs for the first time since 2001, were then 29-30 and 9 1/2 games out of the division lead. While only 1-5 against Texas so far, the Mariners have won eight of 10 against the Astros. Houston went 9-4 against the Rangers, hitting 16 homers and outscoring them 39-10 in a three-game road sweep just two weeks ago to take sole possession of the division lead for the first time all season.q
NEW YORK (AP) — Satou Sabally of the Dallas Wings was named the WNBA’s Most Improved Player on Thursday after averaging career bests with 18.6 points, 81. rebounds and 4.4 assists per game. The fourth-year pro set a franchise record with seven consecutive double-doubles early in the season and finished with 14 doubledoubles fifth in the league and her first career tripledouble. Sallaby and the
Wings reached the playoffs for the third consecutive year and won a postseason series for the first time since moving to the Dallas area from Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the 2016 season. They swept Atlanta in a best-ofthree and are set to play defending champion Las Vegas in the best-of-five semifinals. The second overall pick in the draft by Dallas in 2020 out of Oregon, Sabally averaged 11.3 points and 4.8
rebounds in 11 games last season. She shot a careerhigh 43.5% from the field this season after shooting 39.8% a year ago. The 25-year-old’s 3-point percentage jumped to 36.1% from 23.3% last season. Sabally finished ninth in scoring, 10th in rebounding and fourth in steals (1.8 per game) and was an All-Star Game starter for the first time in her second appearance.q
Seattle Mariners’ Julio Rodriguez (44) is congratulated by J.P. Crawford (3) after hitting a home run against the Oakland Athletics during the fifth inning of a baseball game in Oakland, Calif., Wednesday, Sept. 20, 2023. Associated Press
The AL West is headed for a wild finish between the Astros, Rangers and Mariners
Dallas Wings forward Satou Sabally (0) works to the basket againt Atlanta Dream forward Monique Billings (25) during the second half of Game 2 of a first-round WNBA basketball playoff series Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023, in Arlington, Texas.
Associated Press
Satou Sabally of the Dallas Wings wins WNBA’s Most Improved Player award
