Prepper's Web

Earlier this month, some Oregon voters began receiving glossy mailers blaming Gov. Kate Brown and the “Democrat-controlled state Legislature” for “soaring gas prices” and the “out-of-control cost of living.”

A website with two short videos claiming policies passed by legislative Democrats led to increases in crime and inflation went live around the same time. 

The mailers, the website and the ads were all paid for by the Coalition for Safe, Healthy and Prosperous Communities – but that coalition doesn’t exist in state campaign finance or business records. 

The mysterious mail and online ads come after a national Republican group named the Oregon Legislature one of its top targets. Oregon remains a Democratic stronghold, but Republicans view this year as their best chance in more than a decade of taking control of a legislative chamber. 

The organization is all but untraceable, though it shares a name with a newly-formed national nonprofit started by three prominent Republicans with ties to the oil and gas industry. Its failure to disclose its funding and spending could mean it’s violating the spirit, if not the letter, of state campaign finance laws. 

“There are some groups that will do messaging work, often under a 501(c)3 designation or maybe a (c)4 where they say it’s not technically about an election or doesn’t technically fall within the campaign finance rules,” said Ben Morris, a spokesman for the Oregon Secretary of State’s Office.  “It’s more just issue advocacy, which there are different rules for. So it’s possible that would be their argument if they’re not registering as a political action committee reporting stuff.” 

Different rules for different groups

Organizations that spend money on political ads generally have to file records with the Secretary of State’s Office showing how much they raise and spend and who benefits. Rules differ depending on what type of organization it is, Morris said.

Political action committees raise and spend money to support or oppose a candidate, ballot measure or political party. Within three days of their first contribution or expenditure, PACs have to file a statement of organization with the state’s campaign finance database, ORESTAR, that includes their purpose and contact information.

Organizations that don’t seek contributions but spend money supporting or opposing a candidate or ballot measure are independent expenditure filers. They aren’t allowed to coordinate with campaigns, and they must register in ORESTAR within seven days after spending more than $250. 

In a gray area are groups that say they’re doing general issue advocacy, or spending to support a cause but not something directly tied to an election. 

After reviewing the mailers, Morris said the Secretary of State’s office would need more information to know where the coalition falls. 

Jason Kafoury, a Portland attorney and one of the leaders of an effort to strengthen state campaign finance laws, said the coalition could be blurring the lines of issue advocacy. Nonprofits with 501(c)3 status can’t get involved in politics, while those registered as 501(c)4s can advocate on issues but not for or against candidates. 

“‘These politicians aren’t doing X’ sounds like the message, which is a cute way of dealing with it,” he said.

A ballot initiative Kafoury and other campaign finance reform advocates proposed this year would have required every group sending political mail to list its top five donors on the advertisement. It didn’t make it to the ballot, but supporters plan to try again in 2024.  

Hard to find

Whoever is behind the mailers and video ads have made themselves difficult to find. The mailers list an address, but it’s a postal annex in Portland where anyone can pay to rent a mailbox.

The website doesn’t have any contact information listed. The whois search engine shows that someone named “Jim Balentine” who works for a company called “MWP” in Atlanta, Georgia, registered that domain on July 12. 

The Georgia Corporations Division doesn’t have any records of a Jim Balentine. It lists a number of businesses that use the acronym “MWP,” including painters, photographers and property management companies. 

But only one, Atlanta-based MWPolitical, fits the bill. It’s a political digital strategy firm founded by Jim Valentine.

Valentine supports Republicans, according to his social media postings. And SEAL, a political action committee that backs conservative veterans, paid his firm more than $1.8 million in 2020.

A political action committee supporting Oregon Republican Knute Buehler during his 2020 run for Congress also paid MWPolitical $500, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Jessica Gomez received a nearly $20,000 reimbursement in March for a canceled ad purchase, according to state and federal campaign finance records. 

Valentine did not return a call or text message on Thursday. 

The coalition shares a name with Washington, D.C.-based 501(c)4 that opened last year, according to the Internal Revenue Service. The IRS doesn’t yet have any available copies of the organization’s Form 990 returns, the documents tax-exempt nonprofits must file every year.

But the D.C. corporation registry lists the organization and three directors, all of whom are longtime Republican operatives with ties to the oil and gas industry.

Jeff Berkowitz, the only one with publicly available contact information, was formerly the chief researcher for the Republican National Committee and now runs his own opposition research firm. His spokesman did not respond to an email on Thursday.

Alby Modiano, another director, was the president of the U.S. Oil and Gas Association from 1993 until at least 2018, though he now describes himself as the former president. And the last director, Marc Himmelstein, is a longtime lobbyist for the energy industry. 

Oliver Muggli, executive director of the Senate Democratic Leadership Fund, called the mystery mailers “pretty disturbing.” The Senate Democratic Leadership Fund, a political action committee that supports Democratic state senators and candidates for Senate, discloses its fundraising and spending, as do other political action committees.

“I think they’re counting on Oregonians being fooled by that sort of spending, and I think that Oregonians won’t be fooled by D.C. corporate interests disguising themselves to try to appear more grassroots,” he said.

In an effort to save money and eat healthier, I challenged myself not to eat out for two weeks. (Full disclosure: I lasted eight days cooking all of my meals before I splurged on a burrito bowl at Chipotle.) For those of you looking to increase your at-home cooking but not your spending who are stronger-willed than I am, I’ve got 10 tips for how to plan out your healthy budget meal prepping, before going to the store, at the store and once you’re home.

For this challenge, I focused on affordable, nutritious, filling foods. As a college-student on a shoestring budget with limited cooking supplies, I hope these tips will be helpful for anyone looking to save money on balanced, simple home-cooked meals. (You can also check out our stories on whether it’s cheaper to buy groceries online or in the store, and if meal kits are worth the money compared to regular groceries.) 

Read more: Best Cheap Meal Delivery Services

Before going to the store

1. Figure out your nutritional goals 

Everyone is different, so think about what you need to fuel your lifestyle. Are you active? Do you have dietary restrictions? Do you have an allergy that makes getting the right nutrients more difficult? 

For the best bang for your buck, the base of your meal should aim to have all three macronutrients: a carbohydrate, a protein and a fat. To make a fully balanced meal, include fruits and vegetables wherever possible. According to the Center for Disease Control, only one in 10 adults in the US eats enough vegetables and fruits (2-3 cups of veggies and 1.5-2 cups of fruit per day). 

To help you plan, check out our story on what fruits are most affordable right now. 

2. Set a budget

So how do you set a budget for groceries? The US Department of Agriculture recommends that males aged 19 to 50 on a low-cost to moderate budget should spend about $66 to $82 per week, based on dietary intake recommendations. For females in the same age group, that weekly budget is $57-$70. This will also vary depending on the price of groceries where you live, but will help as a general guideline if you’re not sure where to start. 

For all basics such as bread, milk, and butter, etc., I recommend a store like Aldi or Trader Joe’s, which have business models that keep prices lower than many other supermarkets. For example, at Aldi, I recently bought almond milk for $1.45, almost $2 cheaper than the generic Whole Foods brand. So, check out these options if you have one near you for most basic items before heading to another store.

Read more: Best Healthy Meal Delivery Services

3. Find recipes and make a grocery store list 

This seems self-explanatory, but many people end up impulse-buying goods they don’t need. The grocery store is designed so we do! Before you go, look up easy recipes online, open up a cookbook, or plan to double up on recipes you can already make. There are plenty of websites, YouTube channels and TikTok videos dedicated to healthy meal-planning.

If you’re meal prepping, write down the ingredients for each meal, and how much of each are needed. By making a grocery list, you can focus on exactly what you need and stick to it.

If you don’t know where to start, I generally aim to buy:

1 lean meat meat item 

• Chicken
• Ground Turkey 

2 non-meat protein items

• Beans
• Tofu
• Edamame

3 starches, preferably whole grain

• Brown Rice
• Pasta
• Bread
• Oatmeal

2-3 different servings of fruits (frozen or fresh)

• Bananas
• Strawberries
• Blueberries
• Pineapple

2-3 different servings of vegetables (frozen or fresh)

• Carrots
• Broccoli
• Green Beans
• Cauliflower
• Spinach

1-2 fat sources 

• Avocado
• Olive Oil
• Nuts

If you need some meal inspiration, here are a few of my go-to recipes and ingredients for different meals:

Breakfast

• Smoothie (frozen fruit, milk, spinach, Greek yogurt)
• Oatmeal (and fruit)

Lunch

• Flatbread wraps (whole grain wrap, chicken, beans, cheese, lettuce, corn, chipotle mayo, avocado) 

Dinner

• Taco Bowl (rice, beans, meat (optional), red onion, lettuce, fajita vegetables, cilantro, avocado) 
• Stir Fry (rice, frozen stir fry veggies, meat (optional), soy sauce, peanut butter, honey, red pepper flakes)

Read more: The Best Meal Prep Containers to Buy for 2022

At the store

4. Read the nutrition labels

Get down on the bottom row and take the time to read the nutrition label to see if what you’re buying is actually providing the nutrients you’re looking for, whether that’s fiber, vitamins, or protein. Check out our guide on what to look for and avoid on nutrition labels. 

5. Do the math 

I know you want to get in and get out of the store as fast as possible, but a couple extra minutes could save you money. Many companies have reduced their food portion sizes while keeping prices the same. Cross-check between brands and different sizes for the best deal by dividing the total price by the total weight. While you have your calculator out, try totaling as you shop. You will start to remember item prices, and you won’t be startled at the register. 

6. Buy store brands

Everyone knows store brands are usually cheaper than premium brands, but the margin is higher than you’d think. Buying store brands wherever you shop can save you as much as 30%, say expert grocery shoppers.

7. Shop grocery store sales in-store and online

Pay attention to the sales at the store. Many grocery stores release a weekly ad that you can scan beforehand. Pick out the items you want to use and try to plan your meals for the week around discounted items. If you know you buy an item often and it’s on sale, stock up on it. (Lots of in-season fruits are less expensive, too.)

Many large stores have apps or websites, so lookout for online-specific discounts and deals. Coupon websites such as Coupons.com have a section entirely for grocery stores. Selecting the items you’d like to buy beforehand also helps you diversify your meals as you incorporate new on-sale items.

8. Prioritize versatility

The key to buying groceries is not to get fancy — you don’t need that pricey truffle oil that you’re only going to use in one recipe ever. Keep it simple with the ingredients you know you’ll use and use a lot. Save the experimenting for when you have more money. Ingredient-prepping is less daunting than meal-prepping, so if you have similar bases while varying the spices and sauces, you’ll be able to stretch a handful of ingredients into different meals.

9. Buy frozen or canned

Frozen and canned fruits and vegetables aren’t the enemy. A 2017 study showed that not only are frozen vegetables and fruit nutritionally comparable to fresh ones, but frozen produce may actually retain vitamins more efficiently than fresh produce stored in the fridge for five days or more. Canned items are processed more than frozen produce, but they are both harvested and preserved at peak ripeness. Regardless, eating frozen and canned foods are a great way to add essential vitamins and minerals into your diet easily and affordably.

After the Store

10. Make your food last

The steps you take after grocery shopping are crucial to efficiently using the food you just bought. Take steps to preserve your food in the fridge longer, including your fruits and veggies, and organize your kitchen to save money and stay motivated to eat the good food you just bought. 

Happy meal prepping! For more tips on healthy meal preparation, check out expert picks on the best fish to grill, and the best air fryers.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

When Pope Francis arrives in Canada next week, the first official stop on his itinerary is the community of Maskwacis, just south of Edmonton, where the pontiff will visit the site of a former residential school and meet with communities who have been impacted by these schools and their legacies.

Pope Francis will have a gathering with the Indigenous community at the pow wow grounds, where chiefs and delegations will process in traditional regalia. The pope is expected to speak there and renew his apology for the harm caused by the residential school system, which the Catholic Church played a large role in administering.

But before these high-profile events, the pope will make another stop – at nearby Sacred Heart Parish.

The actual visit to the church will be brief – probably around 10 minutes. Pope Francis will have an opportunity to use the restroom and to pray, before beginning his official meetings with Indigenous peoples and members of the local parish community.

But even such a brief papal visit requires months of preparation.

What does it look like to get ready for a papal visit? What kind of planning is involved? What are the practical considerations that must be taken into account?

The Pillar spoke with Fr. Roger Rouleau, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish, to learn more about how the priest and his parish have been preparing to welcome Pope Francis next week. The conversation has been edited for length and clarity.

Share

Oh, yes. 

So we had the inside of the church – most of that area needed a fresh coat of paint. I don’t know when the last time was that it was painted, but it’s probably been 10, 15 years or so. So just a little spruce up. 

We’re having the floors re-waxed this week, as we speak. The entry doors were repainted over the weekend. And then just a little bit of landscaping. 

The province [of Alberta] stepped up and has replaced four of our sidewalks, has paved our parking lots and all the roadways around the church and the pow wow grounds where the Holy Father’s “Popemobile” will have to travel.

So again, a huge collaboration from all levels of government and church here. It’s been really exciting to see it come together.

It’s incredible, the amount of details, and we’ve had to do in about four months, what Rome usually says should be done over about 72 weeks. 

Somebody was joking the other day that we may have caused some trouble, that now Rome will expect everybody to do it in four months in the future. But it’s been a really tight timeline. And obviously we couldn’t get everything done that we would like, not everything will be perfect the way we want it, but I think it will go smoothly.

So it has been quite something. I know everybody has worked incredibly hard, and everybody’s a little stressed. 

For the church, our portion was going to be somewhere between $5,000-6,000. And basically that’s relating to the physical building of the church and the grounds. We’ve had several hundreds of dollars of flowers donated that we’ve been able to plant around the facility just to make it look nicer. The waxing of the floor is actually someone who just donated that labor. It’s a parishioner in my other parish here in the neighboring town. Then as far as the cement and the parking lot, I have no idea what those costs are. And I’m sure that there are additional costs that have been dealt with through the organizing committee and the diocese that I’m not aware of.

There have been some instructions. 

I haven’t received a document per se, but we’ve received some instructions. They are fairly strict on what is possible. Our parish church is not technically an official stop. It is more of a practical stop, and an opportunity for him to pray before he begins the official visit. 

So we’ve been told this is a five-minute stop where the incoming pastor and myself may get to say hello, but that’s about it. They’re very tight on that, especially with his health and his age. We would rather him spend the time with the community.

I was actually thinking about that the other day, that we might need to have something. Because I know when it comes to the papal Mass, the following day, they gave us a pretty strict outline of what has to be done in the sacristy, including snacks and beverages and what-not. But they haven’t issued that for the church. 

We’ll have something on hand, but I haven’t decided what yet.

It’s been extensive. We’ve actually had the Swiss Guard and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), we have had the national and provincial levels. It’s been quite a big [effort…The Vatican has] teamed up with Global Affairs Canada to coordinate all of the security protocol aspect of things.

And we had one of the advance visits that was specifically security-oriented. It was interesting. We were already talking about replacing some of the sidewalks where the pope would have to drive, because it wasn’t wide enough. And they recommended doing that, but then we needed to have the RCMP present when we’re pouring the concrete to make sure that nothing untoward was done underneath that was placed underneath it. So everybody was surprised, nobody expected that, but there’s a certain logic to it.

Not alone, no. Inside the church there’ll be myself, the new pastor coming in mid-August, the sisters who’ve been serving the parish for 20-some years, and a few of the local elders, especially those who’ve been former students at the school. 

And that’ll be maybe 10, 12 of us inside the building.

Share The Pillar

You know what, I didn’t even try. This particular event is for the Indigenous peoples and we really wanted to keep that focus. We were able to secure a number of tickets for our parishioners in Maskwacis to make sure that our Catholics, our practicing Catholics in the community can be present. We think that’s important that they be there to receive the pope and not be left out. But for the other neighboring parishes – and I know some of my other parishioners are rather disappointed – the focus here really is coming to visit the Indigenous peoples, that’s the heart of his pilgrimage here.

My mom and dad were actually with me when I got the initial call from the archbishop. So they’ve kind of known from the beginning. My family knows the impact and the – if I could put it this way – the symbolic weight of the pope coming to the reserve to be with the Indigenous people in their home like that, they understand that very well. And they’re all happy and excited for that.

Well, it was pretty exciting but I couldn’t tell anybody. I got a call out of the blue from the archbishop about March 28th or 29th, saying that he was coming over on Palm Sunday with 20 people from the Vatican to check out if it was possible [for the pope] to come to the church. And Palm Sunday was 10 days later. I had to tell a couple people so that we could make sure everything was ready to receive the archbishop and the initial delegation to come check things out. 

But it was all pretty hush-hush to some extent. And so it was exciting and yet it could be frustrating sometimes not to be able to share that excitement with everybody.

Then that Sunday, obviously, we had to tell people why a delegation from Rome was there. We said we were putting forward a proposal. Now I had already understood from the archbishop that it was more than a proposal, but that’s the line we had to use at that point for some time.

And we had a couple visits from delegations. And then when the news was officially announced by Rome here at the beginning of July, I think it was, then I was free to be able to say, “Yes, this is happening.” 

Because with the Holy Father’s health, nothing’s official until it’s official.

For the most part they’ve been very excited to receive the Holy Father. There’s been some incredible collaboration. The town of Maskwacis has four different reservations that link together in this town site. And the four chiefs have been working together. One of our elders said, “This is one of the first times we’ve managed to get them to work together.” So there’s a lot of good will here to receive the Holy Father.

Everybody knows the privilege that of all the places with former schools, he chose us. And they’re really excited to welcome him. Of course, there’s always a little underlying tension. There are some elders who are afraid that we can’t get it together in such a short timeline. Some others, based on their hurt, are still a little resentful and not really ready to receive the Holy Father. But perhaps that’s one of the reasons, we could say, why it’s so important for him to come here. The [Indigenous] delegation went to visit him in March, and now he comes to visit them and he visits them in their home really. And that’s such an important thing.

That’s a good question. I’ve kind of been running through in my head just a couple of words of hello. My Spanish is a little bit rusty. I was fluent 20 years ago, but we’ll see. Again, once things get into play, I’m almost just along for the ride because everything is decided by other people. So at the end of the day, we’ll see what happens and we’ll go along with what happens.

Well, I’m excited. I am nervous. Again, there are still a lot of unknowns because I’m not in the top branches of the coordination. So I feel like there’s still so much I seem to don’t know, but it is exciting to be able to receive him. I’m one of the few priests in the country here who will ever be able to say that he received a pope in his own parish. He’s not just coming to my diocese or to my country, he’s literally coming into my parish church.

You know, it’s been incredible to see how people have come together. Even the city of Edmonton has been a tremendous partner in all of this. And it’s incredible the doors that this has opened, everybody knows how impactful this will be for reconciliation and to push from history and scandal toward healing. I’m sure you’ve seen all the headlines over the years that this has happened, that has happened. The Church did this and didn’t do that. It’s all about the past. There’s a unique moment here that the Holy Father has grabbed onto and to be in the present with the people so that together we can move forward to a future of healing.

The elders have mentioned that themselves. One of our very well-respected elders here, even nationally known said, “You know what, it’s time for us to make a word of forgiveness.” He said, “I recognize not everybody’s there, but we have to start and to respond to the pope’s apology by offering forgiveness.” And I think that will in itself open some incredible doors and then we’ll have all the work to follow up with everything afterwards to keep going. This isn’t the culmination, this is the front door.

The University of Maine at Augusta’s new plane, a Cirrus SR20 GS that was purchased with $500,000, will allow the UMA aviation program to be more competitive. Emily Duggan/Kennebec Journal

BRUNSWICK — The University of Maine at Augusta is attempting to train the next generation of pilots while investing in the new technology to do so.  

Its aviation program on Wednesday unveiled a new $500,000 plane approved by the University of Maine System Board of Trustees in September — a Cirrus SR20 GS — that will allow the aviation program to expand from Augusta to the UMA center at the Brunswick airport. 

Some of the first people to fly in the new plane were high school students attending summer camp through the aviation program. A group of six rising 12th graders spent eight days at the school after spending a year in the early college course a year prior. 

They got to fly for the first time this week with the help of instructor Greg Jolda and some increasingly new technology — virtual reality and flight simulators — that prepared them for take-off. 

Kate Pfleging is a homeschooled student from Vassalboro who attended the camp. She first decided to go into aviation as it is a field that’s “really needed” currently. Her second time flying, ever, was this past week and in UMA’s new plane. 

“I wasn’t really scared, but it was a little intimidating,” she said. “Sometimes you get a little queasy but that’s what the bags are for.” 

Employment for airline pilots is projected to grow 14% by 2030 and employment for commercial line pilots are expected to grow 11% in the same time frame, according to statistics from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and shared by UMA’s dean, Brenda McAleer.

McAleer said the growth is projected as the country, and the world, comes out of the COVID-19 pandemic, during which time pilots were furloughed. But now air travel is expected to increase, not only by commercial flight, but through importing cargo, transporting packages and air flight services to hospitals.  

UMA’s flight program started in 2013 and remains as the only university in the state to offer bachelor’s degrees in traditional flight and remote pilot instruction. It started in a public-private partnership with Maine Instrument Flight.

These six campers will end their week Saturday and start again in the fall, alongside their high school courses. They bought matching aviator sunglasses Wednesday from the dollar store to celebrate the week. Emily Duggan/Kennebec Journal

Flight training was originally offered at the Augusta State Airport, with Maine Instrument Flight, and now, with the investment of the new plane, students will be able to fly out of the Brunswick Executive Airport, where UMA has classrooms and flight training facilities. UMA will still maintain its partnership with Maine Instrument Flight with the purchase of the plane.

The new plane will allow UMA to have its own “tail number” where the program will become Federal Aviation Administration Part 141 certified this coming fall. Previously, the partnership with Maine Instrument Flight helped the program become certified.

Since 2016, the program has grown from 36 students to 50 in the latest year, with 27 students already confirmed for the upcoming fall semester, according to Jon Henry, vice president of enrollment management at UMA. The degree offered is a bachelor’s degree in aviation, flight instructor, in which a pilot’s license is needed as a prerequisite and a certificate in unmanned aerial system operations, otherwise known as drones. 

Alongside the new technology added to the syllabi, it will be one of the “more competitive programs east of the Mississippi,” Jolda, the aviation instructor and UMA aviation program coordinator, said at Wednesday’s event.

Greg Jolda, aviation program director for the University of Maine at Augusta, spoke Wednesday at the Brunswick Center’s plane unveiling event. He was one of three speakers and spoke on how the program will improve with the investments made this past year. Emily Duggan/Kennebec Journal

In the couple of months since she graduated in May, Amber Kochaber has already secured a job at Maine Instrument Flight, where she teaches people ranging from high school students to adults how to fly. Students have to be at least 16 years old to reach their first solo fight, but there are no age requirements in the state of Maine for flight training. 

Since she started flying four years ago, Kochaber said anecdotally that she has seen an increase in the number of people of all ages who want to learn how to fly, and is “not sure what struck” the increase.  She enjoys teaching and seeing the reaction people have when they fly for the first time. 

“I feel like I’m always learning something new,” Kochaber said of flying. “Every flight is something new and I’m able to teach someone something new.” 

Kochaber said in the short time she graduated from UMA, the virtual reality, or VR, training is new, and that it realistically simulates what it’s like to fly a plane. Another way the university simulates flight is through the Redbird FMX Simulator, where students can mimic the controls of a plane and feel what it’s like to actually be moving.

Building and flying drones is part of student instruction. The drone program is not new — it began in 2017 — but provides the extra step of simulation for students. 

The full-motion Redbird FMX Simulator allows students to feel what it’s like to fly. The equipment is based at the UMA Brunswick Center. Emily Duggan/Kennebec Journal

Dan LeClair, the director of UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) Education & Research, said his colleagues believe flying drones are the future of the flight industry. He mentioned how in the Ukraine-Russian war, drones are used to destroy artillery. 

“All of the courses at UMA, we include learning how to fly as a part of those courses, so you are always flying to complete something,” LeClair said. “Like everything else in aviation, it helps to get flight instruction to learn how to fly.” 

Because the FAA does not currently allow those “planes” to fly beyond the visual line of sight or to be in the air above 400 feet, what the students can do now is limited, but there is the potential for more in the future. 

“When the FAA does allow flight beyond the line of sight, we could use them for shark sightings where here (at the Brunswick center) have a direct path to the ocean and we can fly all around looking at the sharks, or we can use them agriculturally for crops,” LeClair said.

The new technology will be intertwined into this coming school year and this week’s campers will get to experience it as they head into their final year of high school and complete classes simultaneously at UMA.  

Nathaniel Best, a Whitefield resident, plans to enter his senior year at Lincoln Academy and then attend UMA the following year.  

Best has goals to either be a commercial airline pilot or to transport cargo, like through FedEx. Before the summer camp this week, he had experience flying a seaplane with a friend of his but is still working on his landing, which he hopes to learn in UMA’s Ground Class this fall.  

“We are getting to the fun part now,” he said. 

« Previous

Related Stories

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul speaks to reporters about legislation passed during a special legislative session in the Red Room at the state Capitol, Friday, July 1, 2022, in Albany, N.Y. (AP Photo/Hans Pennink)

ALBANY, N.Y. — New York is prepping for a potential fall surge in COVID-19 cases when schools reopen by stockpiling tests and keeping mask mandates on the table, Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday.

“We need to be cognizant of what could be our future,” the governor said during a Manhattan press conference. “If anything, this pandemic, COVID, has taught us that preparations are the key to, literally, survival.”

Hospitalizations and infections are already on the rise in the Empire State thanks to the the BA.5 subvariant of omicron, which has proven to be particularly good at evading protections from vaccinations and prior infections.

The state has stockpiled more than 20 million at-home tests that are ready to be distributed as needed when students begin returning to classrooms, and Hochul said that mask mandates could also return if infections surge.

“We don’t currently, based on today’s numbers, anticipate the need for masks in classrooms, but I’m going to reserve the right to return to this policy if the numbers change, the circumstances change,” she said.

Indoor mask rules, including schools, were suspended earlier this year following a winter spike in coronavirus cases.

The state will be sending out about 3 million test kits to districts ahead of start of the school year

Health officials encouraged anyone over 50 to get a COVID booster shot if they have yet to receive one this year to help protect them against infection.

New York is also soliciting proposals for a pandemic policy review to study how the state handled the COVID crisis, something that critics have long called for and Hochul promised would happen shortly after she took office last year.

The review will focus on state policies that affected schools and businesses, as well as controversial rules that impacted nursing homes and prisons, during the peak of the pandemic.

“I want to make sure we are very intentional about this, have a broad scope to what we are doing and have a real blueprint so that it is useful to us,” Hochul said.

A request for proposals for the “After-Action Review Board” will be issued soon and Hochul said she expects initial findings to be completed in six months and a completed review will be ready some time next year.

New York’s pandemic response has faced wide criticism, particularly related to rules that related to nursing homes under former Gov. Andrew Cuomo that many say led to unnecessary deaths.

A review by Attorney General Letitia James released last year found the state significantly undercounted nursing home deaths during the height of the pandemic.

State Homeland Security Commissioner Jackie Bray will help oversee the soon-to-begin independent review, Hochul said.

The governor also shot down concerns about recent reports about campaign donations made by a family that runs a company that received a no-bid contract for COVID tests.

“I was not aware of that this was a company that had been supportive of me I don’t keep track of that,” she said.

.

Eva Cordero first visited and fell in love with Montclair State University when she was a tween. She was on campus for a pool party at the Student Recreation Center and remembers thinking that college was “cool.” She visited campus again, this time for a performance at the Alexander Kasser Theater, with her seventh-grade choir group. It was then she decided Montclair was the place for her.

In mid-July, the 16-year-old Wood-Ridge High School rising senior was back at the University for the Hispanic Student College Institute (HSCI), a three-day immersive program for high school rising juniors and seniors of Hispanic/Latinx descent designed to help them navigate the college admissions process and set them up for academic success. Cordero, who learned about the Institute after visiting the University’s website, was one of 79 students. Despite her love of Montclair and attending the University’s Open House with her parents, at first she was uneasy about being away from the comfort and familiarity of home for the first time.

“I was a little nervous. I didn’t know if I would like it. Was I going to make friends?” she says. “I gave it a chance. Now, I wish it were longer.”

Now in its sixth year, HSCI provides students with a preview of the college experience, while helping them learn about everything from financial aid and the college essay and application process to learning about majors and internship opportunities. They also get to network with academic and professional mentors. HSCI, which is free to students, is supported by State Farm Insurance.

Throughout the program, students also work closely with peer mentors, mostly Montclair students who emphasize the ongoing support that helped them achieve their personal, educational and professional goals. Montclair has ranked among the Top 100 Colleges for Hispanics for the past 19 years by Hispanic Outlook on Education magazine.

Associate Provost for Hispanic Initiatives and International Programs Katia Paz Goldfarb says HSCI uses access and equity as a guiding framework.

“We provide access to information, human and financial resources, and mentors because we know what is crucial for a successful college application process and a smooth transition from high school to college,” she says. “Additionally, this program intentionally serves our future Hispanic students and reflects the work Montclair State University is doing as a Hispanic-Serving Institution and the commitment of our institution to serve our communities.”

Not only did Cordero make new friends, she says she found the sessions chock full of information. She plans to major in Family Science and Human Development and minor in Business to reach her goal of becoming a social worker and school guidance counselor for children with special needs.

She says the Business minor will come in handy because ultimately, she wants to open her own day care center for special needs children. “I want people to work for me,” she says. “I am trying to think ahead and set myself up for success. I want to do it for me and to make my parents proud because without them I would not be where I am.”

The importance of family, culture and giving back to one’s community were common themes among this summer’s HSCI participants.

Shantal Proano, a Montclair peer mentor and senior Medical Humanities major, grew emotional when she shared with HSCI participants that when she’s feeling burned out, “I think about my [immigrant] parents and their struggle because they didn’t come here for nothing.” Her comment drew applause from HSCI participants, many of whom relate and will be first-generation college students.

Keynote speaker Gian Paul Gonzalez ’07, shared some thoughts about his father, a Cuban immigrant, with the students, noting: “My dad is about greatness. He worked two jobs, came home and never complained.”

The motivational speaker and founder of Hope + Future Youth Center in West New York, New Jersey, urged students to be “All In” when it comes to being of service to others rather than chasing fame or fortune. “Fame is what you do for yourself but greatness is what you do for others,” said Gonzalez, who gave up a career in the NBA to become a ninth-grade world history teacher in Union City. “Fame is about self-preservation; how good can you look. Greatness is about self-sacrifice; how good can you make someone else look?”

Goldfarb says: “The family component is extremely important. Many of our participants are going to be the first in their families to go to college. Families also need access to information and resources so they can best support their children.” She notes that peer mentors will continue supporting families and participants through the year.

Building community with people who understand your experience also is important. Stephanie De Dios, a peer mentor, told students that seeing Hispanics among Montclair’s students, staff and faculty weighed into her decision on where to enroll. “For those who don’t know, Montclair is a Hispanic-Serving Institution, and seeing other Hispanics on campus is something I looked for and was a deciding factor for me in attending MSU,” she told the students. “I like the diversity. It feels welcoming, and you feel less out of place.”

This year, HSCI had one international student. Moira Mejia, a 16-year-old from the Dominican Republic, is in New Jersey visiting a friend of her mother’s. Mejia learned about the program from her mother’s friend, whose daughters attended HSCI. She decided to attend after reading up on it. Mejia, who is interested in studying acting or fashion, says she doesn’t know if she will come to college in the U.S. but would consider Montclair.

“From what I’ve heard, it’s really good here, and they help you a lot, which is good,” she says, adding, “It’s great. I love it. I never thought I would be here.”

Gabriel Galloza, 16, a rising junior from Morristown High School, attended not just for himself but for students in his Immigrant Resource Group. Galloza, who was born in the United States to immigrant parents, likes to assist immigrant students and English Language Learners navigate student life. More than half of his high school’s student population is minority, mostly Hispanic, and about 20% are ELL students.

While Galloza hopes to pursue his dream of going to Harvard, which he visited this summer, he wanted to learn all he could at HSCI. “My main goal is to learn specifically what the college process looks like for undocumented students in New Jersey to give them hope,” he says. “So many of these students have told me they want to be a doctor or they want to study astronomy, they want to study business, study so many things but they have no idea how they’re going to get it done. So that’s what I want to get from this program.”

Programs such as HSCI, Pre-College Access Institute and the Summer Bridge Program are important in helping underserved student populations achieve college success.

Cordero is already sold. “I’m so set on coming here. In my head, I’m already committed,” she says, adding that she applied for and was accepted to the University’s Early Bird Junior Admit Program. “I have a spot but I still need to reapply in September. I’m really excited about that.”

Photo Gallery

Story by Staff Writer Sylvia A. Martinez. Photos by Mike Peters and Sweet Dreams Studios.

You may also like:

As I get everything ready for my daughter (Olivia)  to embark on her elementary school journey, I can’t help but wonder if I am equipping her with everything she needs to be successful. Even more so, post pandemic. I have been teaching for 8 years, yet have never been on the parent side of things until now.

Here are a few things I am doing to ensure Olivia is ready for kindergarten that might be useful for parents sending off their children to school for the first time ever or for the first time since the pandemic. 

1. Lunch / Snack independence. Students get approximately 20 minutes to eat (this varies on the school) and every minute counts! Does your child know how to open the packaging of their snacks or lunches? This is the time to ensure they can do something as simple as open and place their straw in their juice box without help! Teachers are available to assist, however, if your child can do it, they don’t have to wait for help and can spend all of their time eating. 
2. Bathroom procedures. This is one that requires some practice and a good place to do it is in a public restroom when you’re out and about! Ensure your child can close the stall on their own (and lock and unlock  it), wipe themselves, flush, and wash their hands using soap! The soap dispenser and hand dryers can be tricky to navigate, but the more exposure they get to doing it independently, the better they will get at it!
3. Fastening shoes. Shoes with laces can look so cute on your 5-year-old. But, can they tie them independently? Again, this is a task that teachers are happy to assist with. However, it may be easier for your child to get shoes with velcro so that they can fasten them themselves. This independence can also boost their confidence.
4. Label their supplies and make sure they know which are theirs. Teachers handle many school supplies the first days and it is difficult for them to remember what parents brought what. Simplify this process by labeling the supplies that are meant for individual use (water bottle, pencil box, etc.) and also ensure your child recognizes that it belongs to them! That way, they are able to speak up if a teacher can’t locate the label or know who an item belongs to. 
5. Go over typical classroom routines. School is familiar to us, but we often forget that this is brand new to them! Especially if they have never been in a classroom setting before for pre-k. Kindergarten teachers are amazingly patient and will go over all of the procedures, but it doesn’t hurt to talk to your child about some basics. Let them know they can ask for help or the bathroom by raising their hand, that they need to share classroom supplies when the teacher instructs them to, and that they need to stay quiet and focused when the teacher is talking. These little pep talks will help your child feel much more ready and confident!   

What are some ways you’re prepping your child to start school?

About the author

Marissa Will is the mother of two toddlers, Olivia (4) and Logan (2). Writing was her first passion: she’s a freelance writer and a Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication alumna. Will is currently educating the future leaders of tomorrow: She has spent the past eight years teaching third grade with a master’s degree in elementary education from Northern Arizona University-Yuma.

By far the most intimidating fear for me since discovering Prepping has been a lack of water. I’ve learned how to make a pantry but water remains one of my personal bugbears. I’ve read countless pieces on drought, weather anomalies and pollution. There are very real effect these factors are causing with traditional farming which spills over into other sectors too.

Over the summer, kids can lose some of the knowledge they gained during the school year. It’s known as the “Summer Slip” and our guest today shares how to prevent it from happening to your child.

Mary Miele is an education consultant and CEO of Evolved Education Company, where she advises kids from nursery school to college.

Miele says that students lose about 30% of learning during the summertime.

For younger students, they tend to lose skills like reading, writing, and mathematics. For older students it’s more about the content (ex. chemistry or algebra) that gets lost. Some even need to review “independence skills,” like how to accomplish tasks.  

The good news is that you don’t need to do much to have an impact. Ten minutes a day or an hour a week, helps prevent the “Summer Slip.” Keep things simple with flashcards or workbooks. Ask your older kids how they would like to help solve the problem of the “Summer Slip.”

Miele says that research shows that without some review over the summer, the next school year could be more difficult for the kids.