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Wine forgery is rife – here's how to avoid it The TelegraphBOSTON — The commission appointed to come up with a new state seal and motto for Massachusetts to replace the current ones that critics decry as racially insensitive to the state’s Indigenous communities discussed some early ideas, but made no firm decisions, at a meeting Tuesday.
The Special Commission on the Official Seal and Motto of the Commonwealth, made up of lawmakers, members of Indigenous tribes, historians and others, also disclosed plans to solicit feedback with a survey and several virtual and in-person public forums.
The current seal that appears on state flags, which dates to the late 19th century, features a depiction of a Native American man beneath a colonist’s arm brandishing a sword, which critics say is a reference to English colonists’ cruelty to local tribes centuries ago.
A new seal should not depict a human, said Donna Curtin of the commission’s research and design subcommittee.
“While a majority of state seals do include a human figure, the subcommittee’s feelings were that the design for the new seal should not include a human figure as it was felt it could not reflect the full diversity or identities of either Indigenous peoples or of the whole peoples on the Commonwealth,” she said.
Some ideas include symbols or elements from nature that might better reflect the state.
“We’re on the same page that we want to see a completely new design here,” said Commission co-Chair Brian Weeden.
The state’s Latin motto that translates as, “By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty,” dates to about 1659 and is attributed to English politician Algernon Sydney, according to the secretary of state’s office.
A new motto should reflect concepts such as liberty, peace, justice, equity and educational opportunity, said Michael Comeau of the commission’s history and usages subcommittee.
It should also be easier to understand.
“It was suggested that the motto should be recognizable and be transferrable and should not require explanation to the general public,” he said.
Commission members stressed that all the ideas are in the early stages and nothing has been finalized.
The 20-member commission was created by the state Legislature and was supposed to complete its work by the end of this year, but has asked for an extension until next March.
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The Monterey Bay Aquarium, influential enough for a riff in Pixar’s “Finding Dory,” and its Seafood Watch monitoring program on September 6 designated Maine lobster as “red” meaning the crustacean is on its “avoid” list when it comes to dining out. The Seafood Watch program places seafood items, like Dungeness crab, on a color-coded scale determining sustainability, ranging from red to yellow, meaning a “good alternative,” and green meaning “best choice.” While concerning, the San Francisco Chronicle spoke with a number of restaurants in the Bay Area that won’t take lobster off the menu. Only Waterbar on the Embarcadero decided on September 16 to adhere to the aquarium’s advisory.
Restaurants including Burlingame’s New England Lobster Co. and SoMa’s Luke Lobster won’t take David Foster Wallace’s fascination off the menu, saying the issues surrounding the lobster’s endangerment are being addressed. North Atlantic right whales entangle themselves in lobster fishing lines, leading to the species — with about 350 whales left in total — to perish in the netting. A Maine congressional delegation says there have been no right whale entanglements since 2004, though the data is fuzzy as a 2019 report by the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium documents five entanglements. In any case, Napa Valley’s La Toque will keep serving lobster, as will Jo’s Modern Thai in Oakland. At Waterbar, buying manager Eric Hyman told the Chronicle “I don’t know if there’s a perfect alternative, but there’s certainly other animals that can fill that void for lobster for a lot of customers.”
In lighter news, Bay Area brewery Woods Beer & Wine Co. will throw an Oktoberfest shindig on September 24. Tickets cost $25, or $10 for community club members, and the event will feature bratwurst, branded steins, and beer releases.
There’s a third outpost in the works for 42-year-old Blondie’s pizza place at another of San Francisco’s malls. The Berkeley shop opened in the food court at Civic Center’s Westfield in January, and the San Francisco Business Times reports the business will take over Suite 250D on the second level of Stonestown Mall, formerly Villa Italian Kitchen.
Tolgay Karabulut came to San Francisco in 2009 from Turkey and found the filo-dough pastry game in the city to be weak. The San Francisco Standard featured him and his new business, Baklavastory, in their “Chinatown”-style investigation to understand why baklava hangs out in so many convenience shops throughout the city. (Spoiler: Diamond Baklava, our local “baklava baron,” has been in the game since 1969.)
SOMA Pilipinas is throwing its annual Undiscovered SF party on October 22 from 12 p.m.-6 p.m. in SoMa. Former vendors include Sarap Shop and the Lumpia Company, both of whom now dole out the goods at Chase Center. Vendor, volunteer, and performer applications are online.
For Release: Tuesday, September 20, 2022
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) is holding a virtual public information session on Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. to update residents on a research project to control phosphorous in Honeoye Lake in the town of Richmond, Ontario County. Phosphorous is a critical nutrient but excess concentrations can result in poor water quality.
DEC is studying potential management actions to control internal lake phosphorus loading from sediments on the floor of the lake. Honeoye Lake is a valued recreational asset, but it is currently impaired due to high phosphorus concentrations, mostly coming from within the lake itself. High phosphorous concentrations can create water quality issues such as reduced water clarity, low dissolved oxygen, fish die-offs, and may lead to harmful or toxic algal blooms (HABs).
This fall a contractor hired by DEC will apply aluminum sulfate (alum), a nutrient inactivant, to the deepest portions of Honeoye Lake in an effort to trap phosphorus in the sediments, preventing it from being dispersed in the water column where it can harm water quality.
Alum has been used to restore water quality outside of New York State. This pilot project will help inform the development of DEC's policy on nutrient inactivants. Honeoye Lake will be the third of three lakes treated as part of DEC's research to gauge the effectiveness of alum in reducing internal nutrient loads of certain lakes by physically binding and reducing available excess phosphorus in the water column. Initial pilot projects began treatments during spring 2019 at Peach and Mohegan lakes, located in Putnam and Westchester counties, respectively.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) for Honeoye Lake (PDF) concluded internal loading is the dominant source of phosphorus, making it an ideal candidate for the third pilot alum treatment. The data obtained from these three pilot projects will be evaluated to inform potential DEC guidance and permit requirements on the use of nutrient inactivants in New York. A similar, but limited alum treatment took place in 2006 on Honeoye Lake.
The virtual meeting will enable the community to hear from DEC on the steps proposed to improve Honeoye water quality. The meeting can be accessed via WebEx (leaves DEC website). Individuals without computer access may join the meeting by dialing 518-549-0500 and using the meeting access code: 3322022.
When it comes to HABs in Honeoye Lake or any waterbody, DEC encourages New Yorkers to "KNOW IT, AVOID IT, REPORT IT." KNOW IT - HABs vary in appearance from scattered green dots in the water, to long, linear green streaks, pea soup or spilled green paint, to blue-green or white coloration. AVOID IT - People, pets, and livestock should avoid contact with water that is discolored or has algal scums on the surface. REPORT IT - If members of the public suspect a HAB, report it through the NYHABs online reporting form available on DEC's website. Symptoms or health concerns related to HABs should be reported to DOH at harmfulalgae@health.ny.gov
While the exact cause of HABs is not fully understood, HABs usually occur in waters high in phosphorus and/or nitrogen. New York State has many programs and activities to reduce phosphorus and nitrogen from entering the water from surrounding lands, including stormwater permitting programs, funding for water quality improvement projects, and a nutrient law that restricts the use of phosphorus lawn fertilizer. DEC also continues to evaluate HAB mitigation technology and strategies.
For more information about HABs, including bloom notifications, which are updated daily through fall, visit DEC's Harmful Algal Blooms webpage. The HABs Program Guide (PDF), which includes information and links to resources regarding bloom prevention, management, and control, can also be downloaded from the DEC website. Visit DOH's website for DOH's public health information (leaves DEC website).
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Max Scherzer earned his 200th career win by tossing six perfect innings on Monday as the visiting New York Mets clinched a playoff spot by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 7-2.
Pete Alonso hit a monstrous three-run homer in the fourth inning to spark the fifth straight win for the Mets, who remained a game ahead of the second-place Atlanta Braves in the National League East. The Brewers fell 2 1/2 games behind the idle Philadelphia Phillies in the race for the third and final NL wild-card spot.
Scherzer (10-4), who missed the previous 15 days with a left oblique injury, struck out nine while throwing only 68 pitches. He is the 120th pitcher to record 200 wins but just the third active pitcher to reach the milestone, joining former teammate Justin Verlander (243 wins) as well as Zack Greinke (223 wins).
Brewers starter Corbin Burnes (10-8) allowed five runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four over 5 2/3 innings.
Astros 4, Rays 0
Jose Altuve hit his major-league-leading 11th leadoff homer, Luis Garcia fired five shutout innings and Houston clinched a second consecutive American League West title by beating Tampa Bay in St. Petersburg, Fla.
In his 86-pitch start, Garcia (13-8) used his quirky, rocking windup to hold the Rays to just two hits. Alex Bregman finished 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double as the Astros breezed to their eighth win in the past nine games.
Harold Ramirez went 3-for-4, but the Rays mustered just five hits. Over six innings, Rays starter Drew Rasmussen (10-6) allowed four runs on six hits.
Braves 5, Nationals 2
Kyle Wright earned his major-league-leading 19th victory and Atlanta topped Washington for its ninth straight home win.
The Braves improved to 11-3 against the Nationals this year. The home winning streak is the team's longest of the season and the longest since the club's modern-era record of 13 in 2019.
Wright (19-5) pitched six innings and allowed two runs on eight hits. Travis d'Arnaud and Eddie Rosario each had two hits and an RBI. Nationals starter Cory Abbott (0-3) yielded four runs on six hits in four innings.
Guardians 11, Twins 4
Josh Naylor and Amed Rosario each hit three-run home runs, Luke Maile also went deep and Cleveland rolled to a victory over visiting Minnesota. The Guardians won four of five in the crucial series.
Steven Kwan went 2-for-4 with a triple, an RBI and a run, while Myles Straw tripled and scored three runs for the Guardians, who extended their American League Central lead to four games over the idle Chicago White Sox and seven games over the slumping Twins.
Rosario, Naylor, Jose Ramirez and Andres Gimenez also had two hits for the Guardians, who open a three-game series with the White Sox on Tuesday at Chicago. Nick Gordon hit a homer and an RBI single for the Twins.
Mariners 9, Angels 1
Carlos Santana hit two home runs, including a grand slam, Ty France had a three-run homer and Logan Gilbert struck out a career-high 11 batters to lift Seattle to a win over Los Angeles in Anaheim, Calif., avoiding a sweep.
Gilbert (13-6) went six innings, allowing one run on four hits. Angels starter Jose Suarez (6-8) and Gilbert were locked up in a 1-0 game through four innings, with the only run coming on France's RBI double in the first. Santana then broke the game open in the fifth with his grand slam.
Suarez wound up charged with five runs on seven hits in five innings. Shohei Ohtani and Matt Duffy each had two hits for the Angels.
Tigers 11, Orioles 0
Tyler Alexander no-hit the Orioles through six innings as visiting Detroit put a huge dent in Baltimore's playoff hopes with a shutout victory.
Alexander (4-10) gave up two hits in the seventh before exiting after the inning. He struck out four and walked two. The Tigers won for just the second time in Alexander's past 14 outings and just the second time in eight games overall.
The Orioles, who have lost nine of their last 14 games, used outfielder Ryan McKenna on the mound in the ninth inning. He gave up two runs. Baltimore starter Tyler Wells (7-7) yielded five runs on four hits in three-plus innings.
Marlins 10, Cubs 3
Bryan De La Cruz hit the go-ahead grand slam in the third inning, leading host Miami to a win over Chicago.
De La Cruz went 2-for-5 with four RBIs, and Jon Berti and Charles Leblanc also homered for the Marlins. Berti went 3-for-5 with two RBIs and two stolen bases, and he leads the majors with 36 steals. Christopher Morel homered for the Cubs.
Edward Cabrera (6-3) earned the win, allowing three hits and three runs in five innings. On his 79th and final pitch, he grabbed his left side in discomfort.
--Field Level Media
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