Steve Nedved
Author's posts
Feb 11
“This Is It”: Scotty McCreery grabs his second #1 with his wedding song
ABC/Image Group LAScotty McCreery earns his second #1 in a row this week, as “This Is It” ascends to the top of the country chart. The intensely personal song was inspired by his proposal to his longtime girlfriend Gabi, whom he married last June. “I wrote ‘This Is It’ for Gabi,” Scotty explains. “It’s our song. I …
Feb 11
Barbie aims for inclusion as Mattel unveils doll who uses wheelchair and one with a prosthetic limb
Ekaterina79/iStock(NEW YORK) — Barbie is expanding her crew of pals as Mattel releases a new variety of inclusive dolls as part of their Fashionistas collection. Monday, the American toy company announced it’s adding dolls with braided hair texture, a new body type and Barbies who reflect permanent physical disabilities. Barbie’s new body type features a …
Feb 11
Survey shows cotton planting intentions up three percent
Photo courtesy University of Georgia Extension U.S. cotton producers intend to plant 14.5 million cotton acres this spring, up nearly three percent from 2018. That’s according to the National Cotton Council’s Early Season Planting Intentions Survey. The council says a higher cotton-to-soybean price ratio is the main driver behind the projected increase. The biggest increases …
Feb 11
ASF fills Chinese markets with pork, but shortage coming
A report by Rabobank says African Swine Fever is the single biggest challenge in the global pork market. Senior Analyst Chenjun Pan says that means opportunities for some and threats for others. She says Chinese pork supplies are believed to be okay in the first quarter, but imports are expected to increase after that. Reports …
Feb 11
Winter wheat acres are second-lowest on record
The USDA says U.S. winter wheat acreage, at 31.3 million acres, is four percent less than last year. “That will be the second-lowest planted acres ever, going back to 1909,” says USDA Chief Economist Rob Johansson. “Record lows in Nebraska, New Jersey, Ohio, West Virginia—and the lowest in Kansas since the 1950’s.” The decline is …
Feb 11
Acting defense secretary says no orders to reduce forces in Afghanistan
MivPiv/iStock(WASHINGTON) — En route to Afghanistan on an unannounced trip, acting Defense Secretary Patrick Shanahan said on Monday he has not received orders from President Donald Trump to reduce the number of U.S. troops in Afghanistan by half, a Taliban demand made at recent peace talks with U.S. negotiators. During his first visit to Afghanistan, …
Feb 11
Parkland mom pens heartbreaking letter to slain daughter 1 year after school massacre
New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signs “Alyssa’s Law” in Trenton, N.J., Feb. 6, 2019. (N.J. Governor’s Office)(PARKLAND, Fla.) — The mother of Alyssa Alhadeff, who was among the students killed in the Parkland, Florida, school shooting massacre, penned a heartbreaking letter to her slain daughter as the anniversary of the shooting approaches. Alyssa, a 14-year-old …
Feb 11
Berlin Film Festival offers opportunities for women, building on #MeToo momentum
Michael Tran/Getty Images(BERLIN) — As a young, female movie producer working in Hollywood in the 1980s, Gale Anne Hurd struggled for her talents to be recognized by her male peers. Although she’d already produced and co-wrote her first feature film, The Terminator, which was a blockbuster hit, some potential employers accused her of receiving credit …
Feb 11
Next round of trade talks kicks off in China
Another round of trade talks between the U.S. and China continues today in Beijing. Cabinet-level talks will begin Thursday when U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnunchin meet with China’s Vice Premier. Trade officials have until the self-imposed deadline of March 1st to come to an agreement. President Trump has said he …
Feb 11
Local Sports for Monday February 11th
It was a busy weekend of sports that involved area, local and college sports that had fans cheering all over the state. The Mitchell Kernel girls’ basketball team started things by upsetting #2 Harrisburg at the Palace 63-51 to improve to 9-6 overall. The Kernel girls will have three tough road games this week at …