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‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 To Premiere In 2022, New Teaser Released

WASHINGTON — Netflix, on Aug. 6, 2021, released the second teaser for the upcoming season of supernatural series, “Stranger Things,” which confirmed that season 4 would debut in 2022, nearly two and a half years after the July 2019 release of season 3.

The new 30-second teaser features classic moments from the first three seasons of “Stranger Things” mixed with quick snippets from season 4 footage, including a glimpse of the new monster, an amusement park, and a creepy old clock.

The teaser also will air on Aug. 13, 2021 night during the National Broadcasting Company’s (NBC) Tokyo Olympics coverage.

The first season 4 trailer, which was released on Feb. 14, 2020, teased fans with the return of David Harbour’s Hopper. The second trailer, released in May 2021, hinted at the rumored return of Dr. Martin Brenner, played by Matthew Modine.

However, a month after “Stranger Things” started production on season 4 in February 2020, it was suspended due to the escalating coronavirus pandemic. It resumed in September 2020, as per reports.

The show’s season three concluded with the heroes of Hawkins triumphant once again, but they suffered a loss.

Hopper (Harbour) perished due to Joyce (Winona Ryder) closing the door to the Upside Down below the Star Court Mall. And during the battle with a monster, Eleven (Millie Bobby Brown) lost her powers. Following Hopper’s death, Joyce took Eleven and moved with the Byers family, including Will (Noah Schnapp) and Jonathan (Charlie Heaton), out of Hawkins.

Teasing its fan, during a credits scene set in Russia, “Stranger Things” revealed Russians had a Demogorgon and “the American” captive. Could Hopper be alive? That remains to be seen.

“Although it’s not all good news for our ‘American’ (Hopper); he is imprisoned far from home in the snowy wasteland of Kamchatka, where he will face dangers both human…and other,” said Duffer brothers, the series creator to a media outlet in 2020.

“Meanwhile, back in the states, a new horror is beginning to surface, something long-buried, something that connects everything. Season 4 is shaping up to be the biggest and most frightening season yet, and we cannot wait for everyone to see more,” they said.

The series, homage to 1980s genre films, first premiered on Netflix in 2016 and has since swept away many award nominations, including 31 Emmy nominations and seven wins. The Duffers, writers, directors, and showrunners of the series, previously worked on the Fox series “Wayward Pines” and wrote and directed the post-apocalyptic horror film ‘Hidden.’

Created by Matt and Ross Duffer, “Stranger Things” is produced by Monkey Massacre Productions & 21 Laps Entertainment. The twin brothers serve as writers, directors, executive producers, and showrunners on the series alongside executive producer/director Shawn Levy and executive producer Dan Cohen of 21 Laps and executive producer Iain Paterson.

(With inputs from ANI)

Edited by Ojaswin Kathuria and Nikita Nikhil



The post ‘Stranger Things’ Season 4 To Premiere In 2022, New Teaser Released appeared first on Zenger News.

VIDEO: Flipping Marvel: Athlete’s Mind-Bending Slo-Mo Backflips Stun Social Media 

A man who performs backflips in slow motion is a hit on social media.

Micah Moeller’s videos on TikTok have 155,000 followers. Numerous videos have drawn more than 1 million views.

“I have been flipping since I was young and my family bought a trampoline, but I never took it seriously until I met my friend Kendan Smiley,” said 20-year-old Moeller, of Bellingham, Washington. “We would do trampoline tricks daily during the summer of 2017. I learned how to flip over years of practice and repetition. I never had traditional coaching, like gymnastics or cheerleading.”

In one TikTok clip viewed 3.4 million times, Moeller is standing in a garden before performing a backflip in slow motion that extends over two days and one night.

A similar video filmed in a living room has been viewed 3.7 million times on TikTok. Moeller flips backwards as the camera turns 360 degrees.

“Shorter-term content usually takes about two days for me to produce (one day filming and one day editing). But some of my short content has taken up to 80 hours to produce,” Moeller said.

“My longest project was a video on my YouTube channel about creating a trampoline park in my backyard. This video took about 800 hours to edit.

“Most of my VFX videos are use practical effects (in camera effects), but sometimes I will use cross dissolves or motion blur to make the final product smoother,” he said. “I’ve always wanted to create videos professionally, and I have been for the past four years. So you could say this is a childhood dream.”

Micah Moeller performs one of his popular backflips.  (@micah.moeller/Zenger)

However, Moeller draws the line at competitions.

“I haven’t competed in any flipping events, but I have filmed for a few. I find that competing takes the fun out of how open the sport is,” he said.

“The flipping community is more about supporting others for their own progression rather than how good someone is compared to the top athletes in the sport. The events are lots of fun though and usually have about 60 to 80 people competing.”

For any wannabe flippers out there, Moeller has some advice.

“Flips are definitely dangerous and should be learned in a proper facility if you have access to one,” he said. “Lots of gymnastics and cheerleading gyms have open gyms, and there are also trampoline parks available. These are great places to learn how to flip.”

Edited by Fern Siegel and Judith Isacoff



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Ed Herman Looks To Extend His MMA Career With A Win Over Alonzo Menifield

Forty-year-old Ed Herman will enter the UFC’s Octagon for the 28th time on Saturday night, this time in a match against the explosive Alonzo “Atomic” Menifield.

Now competing at light heavyweight, Herman (27–14–0, 1 no contest) has the longest uninterrupted tenure on the UFC’s active roster. He competed as a middleweight for much of his career, but feels fresher than ever now that cutting drastic amounts of weight is a thing of that past.

Herman’s UFC 265 preliminary bout opponent, Menifield (10–2–0), is coming off of a first-round submission of Fabio Cherant in March. Herman, known as “Short Fuse,” hasn’t competed since September 2020. He will be competing in his 41st fight as a mixed martial artist. UFC 265 can be seen live on pay-per-view via the Disney Bundle and ESPN Plus.

Zenger caught up with “Short Fuse” during fight week to discuss his battle plan against Menifield and what his future might hold after the fight.

Percy Crawford interviewed Ed Herman for Zenger.


Zenger: How is everything going, Ed?

Herman: Everything is going really good, man. It sounds a bit cliché, but almost better than ever. I’m feeling amazing at 40 years old.

Zenger: Would you credit that to your ability to continuously evolve with the game, taking good care of your body or a combination of the two?

Herman: Definitely a combination of both and a little of luck on my side.

Zenger: We all need a little of that. You have been in the UFC for a long time. Some of the guys you came in with aren’t even fighting anymore. How different is the game now as opposed to when you started?

Percy Crawford interviewed Ed Herman for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)

Herman: It’s a lot different. Back then, it was kind of tough guys in the sport, and now it’s supreme athletes as well. There’s still tough guys, but the level of athletes that are in our sport now is very high. Guys are making the choice to come over now, to where they could be playing other professional sports and instead are choosing this path.

Zenger: You are coming into UFC 265 on a three-fight winning streak. You have shared the Octagon with a lot of great fighters. Do you feel like the experience gained in those fights are the keys to some of the consistency you’re having right now?

Herman: Yeah, a little bit. I would like to take some of the credit myself by putting in the work, continuing being a student of the game and continuing to try and evolve and get better to compete at this level.

Zenger: You have always had a blue-collar approach to fighting. That’s obviously what keeps you relevant and winning, but what keeps you motivated?

Herman: Well, I gotta say those paychecks are a part of it. I got college to pay for, for three kids. That kind of stuff. I like to be able to walk away from this sport and have some things to show for it. Now the money is better than it was before. Before I was making a living, but that was about it. Now I’m able to start to put some money away for my retirement, make some investments, and like I said, save for college for my kids. With inflation and everything becoming more expensive from real estate to gasoline, it’s hard to walk away from the money sometimes. And I’m still winning. I still feel good and healthy, so if I can do that, why not?

Zenger: Menifield is your opponent on Aug. 7. During one of his recent fights, you said you weren’t impressed by him or his opponent for that particular performance. What do you see in him heading into your matchup with him?

Herman: He’s a stud athlete. He’s very explosive. He looks really strong. He’s definitely a dangerous guy, but I feel my experience and my skill level is higher. I feel I can weather that storm, and I’ll have the opportunity to shut him down with my skills and my durability.

Zenger: It always feels like a pick your poison when someone is fighting against you because we have watched your standup get so much better, and obviously the wrestling has always been there. Stylistically, what type of fight are you expecting from Menifield?

Herman: You know, it’s kind of hard to say. I feel like in a lot of his fights, he’s come out with some big bursts, he likes to control the cage. Put a lot of pressure on guys and keep them pinned against the cage, and step back and flurry. He’s definitely strong enough to get a takedown and I can see him trying to get a takedown, but he’s got a smart coaching staff, and I don’t think that would be a very smart option for him. Especially after my last fight when my energy bar was down to the bottom and I still pulled off a submission.

I’m dangerous on the ground, man. I got legit jiu jitsu for fighting. You’re not going to see me rolling underneath for ankle locks or anything, but if it presented itself there, I’m going to look for it. I’m well-versed on the ground. I feel like he’s in trouble anywhere. I feel like he’s going to be nervous. I’ve got the reach on the outside. But he’s got that explosive power and that speed on me a little bit.

Ed Herman will take part in his 41st pro MMA fight on Saturday night, a light heavyweight match against Alonzo Menifield. (Courtesy of Ed Herman)

Zenger: Is it concerning to you that he may be a bit sharper, as he fought in March and you haven’t been inside the cage since last September?

Herman: I’ve been in the gym this whole time because I was supposed to fight in May; that got pushed back. I think I was supposed to fight in July, and that got pushed back. I’ve been in the gym all year. It’s not like before, when I was injured and out of the gym for months at a time. But I have trained this entire time. I don’t see any type of ring rust will be a problem for me. I haven’t fought for a little while, but I have still been really active, so I don’t see it being a problem.

Zenger: You have weathered so many storms throughout your career. What has it been like just making it to the cage and crossing your fingers hoping your opponent does the same, with COVID being a thing?

Herman: It’s been a crazy year. Last year I had a fight canceled the day of, and that was really frustrating. I had to get right back into camp right afterwards and get ready for Mike Rodriguez. At 39–40 years old, it’s a lot harder to do that than when you’re a kid. I use that time to recover. The camp is what takes it out of you a lot of the times. It’s been a tough time with COVID. Not only that, but all the separation of family and friends, and all the chaos throughout the world.

In the gym, you don’t see a lot of that. Every race, religion, none of that matters here. We’re all brothers. But I feel like outside of here, the world has become an ugly place right now. We gotta love each other and love our neighbors and get back to being there for people. Hopefully, that can continue to happen, and we can all get along.

Zenger: This will be your 41st fight, and in October you turn 41 years old, so that would seem to be a bit of an omen for you.

Herman: Ah, I didn’t think about that. That’s kind of crazy. I feel really good. Like I said, a little bit of luck and all that stuff we talked about with taking care of myself has gone a long way. I feel good. My first fight at 205, I didn’t cut any weight. I weighed in at 203. But I’ve been able to actually lift weights between camps and put on a little more muscle. That keeps me from getting injured as easy.

When you’re always too lean and constantly cutting weight, I feel like you get injured easier. Building a bit of muscle mass for this camp, I’ve been able to stay healthier that way. It’s the first time in my life that I have lifted weights on a consistent basis, so you’re going to see the biggest, baddest, strongest Ed Herman that you have ever seen, and I’m going to be shredded, too. That’s wassup, man. I’m ready to go. I feel great.

Zenger: Given your longevity, what’s your approach to these fights now?

Herman: I’m definitely not overlooking Alonzo, he’s a very dangerous opponent. I try to take it one fight at a time now. Each time we go back and talk to my coach and talk to my family to make sure my body’s right, my mind is right. I think a lot of it is mental at this point. I know how to fight. I know how to do all this stuff, but being in the right mindset matters. I’ve lost fights in the past before I even stepped in the cage because I wasn’t in the right place mentally. That’s a lot of it. I gotta enjoy these moments. What’s the worst that can happen, it’s already happened.

Zenger: What does Ed Herman have to do to be successful on Saturday night?

Herman: I just gotta go out there and put the work in. I gotta fight composed, I gotta fight smart, stay with my game plan and not let my emotions control what I’m doing, which isn’t always easy in the heat of the moment. I just gotta go do my thing and do what I do best, get out there and fight.

I’m up for a contract negotiation after this fight, so I’d love to stick around for a little bit longer. I’m taking it one at a time, but at the same time I think I’ve got another three or four fights in me before I hang them up.

Zenger: Win, lose or draw, you have never disappointed in terms of giving your all. I expect much of the same on Saturday night, and good luck to you.

Herman: It’s good to talk to you again. It’s been a long time, Percy. I want to thank all the fans for sticking by me. I got a lot of support coming into this fight. A lot of people giving me a lot of love, respect and support. I appreciate that from the fans and all my people who got my back. My gym here, American Top Team-Portland, my coaches and teammates, I couldn’t do this without them. You don’t do this by yourself, so also my family, of course.

Edited by Matthew B. Hall and Judith Isacoff



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Cruiserweight Title — Not Andre Dirrell Fight — In Badou Jack’s Immediate Plans

Badou Jack was set to avenge what many boxing insiders felt was an unjust split-decision loss to Jean Pascal on the undercard of Floyd Mayweather’s June 6 exhibition bout against YouTuber Logan Paul.

Instead, Jack was notified at the end of May that Pascal had tested positive for several performance-enhancing drugs and the fight was canceled. Jack went on to knock out undefeated late replacement Dervin Colina in the fourth round.

Jack has seemingly put Pascal and the light heavyweight division in his review mirror as he prepares to move up to cruiserweight in hopes of capturing his third world title in as many divisions.

Jack opens up to Zenger about the disappointment of not being able to avenge the Pascal loss, shoots down a potential bout against Andre Dirrell and talks about the Badou Jack Foundation.

Percy Crawford interviewed Badou Jack for Zenger.


Zenger: Before our last interview could appear, Jean Pascal tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs, and your anticipated rematch with him was off the week of the fight. This seems to be the Badou Jack playbook where you just roll with the punches.

Jack: Yeah, I mean there have been so many bad things that have happened in my career, bad decisions, and bullshit, so it’s nothing new to me. And the same thing with drug testing happened before when I fought Lucian Bute.

Zenger: Your career seems to be a Hollywood producer’s dream, so maybe that’s the silver lining (laughing).

Jack: (Laughing). Right!

Zenger: You put a lot into landing that rematch. Obviously, you don’t want to fight a drug cheat, but in the same breath, that had to be devastating news.

Percy Crawford interviewed Badou Jack for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)

Jack: It was really sad. First of all, they robbed me the first time, then I had to wait 18 months for the rematch. I was actually on my way up to cruiserweight before I was offered the fight with Pascal. Floyd [Mayweather] asked me if I could make the weight, and I said, “Sure!” I had a little time, four months, so I said, “Yeah!” I was up to 220 pounds and then I had to cut all that weight to fight at 175 and got robbed.

Floyd called me a couple of days after and said I had to fight him [Pascal] in April in LA. Then the pandemic happened, and then he wanted more money, excuses, excuses. Then the week before the fight, I was in the best shape of my life mentally and physically. I was so ready to stop him this time.

Zenger: It seems like you always felt that something wasn’t right about Pascal in terms of being a clean fighter.

Jack: Yes. Before the first fight, we asked for VADA [Voluntary Anit-Doping Association] testing, and there was no testing. We were begging for it. It didn’t happen. And then this time we asked from the beginning. It didn’t happen for the full camp, but it was the last five weeks. That was better than nothing.

Badou Jack held the WBC super-middleweight title from 2014–2017, and the WBA light-heavyweight title in 2017. (Courtesy of Team Jack)

Zenger: It served its purpose because it caught him. I’m sure you have moved on from any potential fight with Pascal. You have talked about moving up to cruiserweight for a long time. However, Andre Dirrell respectfully said he would like to test his skills against you at 175. Is that something you would entertain?

Jack: No, definitely not. He’s not in my plans. But you’re right, at least he was respectful. … At the stage where he’s at right now, he brings nothing to the table. He has no title, he’s ranked way below me, there is no money in a fight like that. I have nothing to gain, other than his name, but his name doesn’t mean nothing right now to me. He’s not a part of my plans. My plan is to become a three-division world champion. If it’s a crazy money fight, I will stay at 175, like a Canelo [Álvarez] fight or something. Other than that, he’s not a part of my plan.

Zenger: From light heavyweight [175 pound weight limit] to cruiserweight [200 pound limit] is probably the biggest gap in between weight divisions in boxing. How do you plan to properly put on the weight and grow into the division?

Jack: It takes time to put on real muscle. Also, I’m cutting a lot of weight to make 175. I was cutting at least 30 pounds. We’ll see. I will grow into the weight class. I’m about to be 38, I’m tired of cutting weight. Who says that cutting 30 pounds is better than gaining 30 pounds? Plus, I want to make history. I want to challenge these bigger guys. And stylistically I have an easier time with the bigger guys.

Badou Jack’s record is 24–3–3. (Courtesy of Team Jack) 

Zenger: Do you feel like the speed advantage that one would think you would have at cruiserweight will play a factor in your success in the division?

Jack: Yeah definitely. And I came from super middleweight. I’m not even the biggest light heavyweight. Canelo has conquered a lot of weight classes, Floyd did it, so there is no reason why I can’t try that. Just to be big and heavy, that’s easy. You can just eat and lift weights. It’s gotta be functional strength. I’m going to keep my speed, and it’s going to be fun.

Zenger: Given the time needed you would need to do everything you just mentioned of growing into your cruiserweight frame. When can we expect to see you make your official cruiserweight debut?

Jack: I’m not sure. I hope to be back before the end of the year. It might not be for the title in that fight, but never say never. I’m going to talk to my team and see what’s next.

Zenger: You always have so much more than boxing going on. You are very active in other countries with philanthropy work, and your foundation. Is that the perfect balance for you during your fighting downtime?

Jack: Yeah. Right now, during the pandemic, it’s been kind of slow with the foundation as far as visiting refugee camps and stuff. We still got a lot of stuff done though. My fight before last, we donated a lot to my foundation. I just came back from Dubai. That’s when I saw that Andre Dirrell had called me out.

Badou Jack with a Syrian refugee. His foundation is working with Palestinian and Syrian refugee camps and plans to start working with foster children in the United States. (Courtesy of Team Jack)

Zenger: Tell me a bit more about the Badou Jack Foundation.

Jack: We are trying to make it one of the biggest foundations in the world, especially for refugee kids and orphans in those poor countries. The focus is mostly where my dad is from, West Africa, Gambia and the Middle East. We’re working with a Palestinian refugee camp, a Syrian refugee camp, and we’re going to start with foster kids here in the states, as well.

Zenger: You are an amazing man and fighter, Badou. Continue fighting the good fight, and I wish you the best of luck. Is there anything else you want to add?

Jack: Hopefully, I will have some good news soon. Thank you, Percy.

Edited by Judith Isacoff and Matthew B. Hall



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Instagram To Make Accounts For Users Under 16 Private By Default

WASHINGTON — Facebook-owned Instagram announced that new accounts of users under the age of 16 would be set to private by default to ensure the safety of young people. 

The update is one of the few new features rolled out by Instagram to make the application safer for everyone, especially minors.

“Creating an experience on Instagram that’s safe and private for young people, but also fun comes with competing challenges,” Instagram said in a statement on July 27. 

“We want them to easily make new friends and keep up with their family, but we don’t want them to deal with unwanted DMs or comments from strangers. We think private accounts are the right choice for young people, but we recognize some young creators might want to have public accounts to build a following.”

Users below the age of 16 (18 in some countries) will now have private accounts by default, and only approved followers can see posts and like or comment under private accounts.

Instagram will roll out new technology aimed at reducing unwanted contact from adults — like those who have already been blocked or reported by other teens — and it will change how advertisers can reach its teenage audience, as per a media report.

“For young people who already have a public account on Instagram, we will show them a notification highlighting the benefits of a private account and explaining how to change their privacy settings. We will still give young people the choice to switch to a public account or keep their current account public if they wish,” the company’s statement said.

The decision has been taken after detailed research carried out by Instagram. The research suggested that eight out of ten young people accepted the private default settings during sign-up. 

However, Instagram will not force teenagers to remain private. They can switch to public accounts at any time, including during sign-up, as per the media report. 

Instagram has also introduced an up-gradation for its multi-clip video ‘Reels. The social media app has now said that users can create 60 seconds videos on Reels. 

The recent update also adds functionality for a captions sticker on Reels, which transcribes audio to text, as per a media report. The caption sticker is currently available only in a handful of English-speaking countries.

Reels was introduced last year in August as “a new way to create and discover short, entertaining videos on Instagram.” It earlier supported Reels up to 30 seconds only, while its competitor TikTok recently expanded its limit to three minutes for all creators.

Announcing the news, Instagram posted a meme on its official Twitter handle on July 27 showing the progression of its Reels feature. However, Instagram did not reveal further details about the latest update. 

(With inputs from ANI)

Edited by Abinaya Vijayaraghavan and Praveen Pramod Tewari



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VIDEO: Royal Tomb With A View: Stunning Time Lapse Footage Of Ancient King’s Burial Mountain 

Time-lapse footage by a Turkish drone artist shows views of Mount Nemrut, a World Heritage Site since 1987. The mountain is believed to be a royal tomb from the first century B.C.

The 7,001-foot mountain in southeastern Turkey is noted for having large statues around its summit.

In 62 B.C., King Antiochus I Theos of Commagene built a tomb-sanctuary on the summit flanked by huge statues of himself, two lions, two eagles and various Greek and Iranian gods. The statues once had the names of each god inscribed on them. The heads were removed from their bodies at some point and are now scattered throughout the site.

Antiochus I was the son of King Mithridates I Callinicus and Queen Laodice VII Thea of Commagene. He was half Armenian and half Greek, a distant member of the Orontid Dynasty. Although the Roman Republic was annexing territories during his reign, Antiochus used diplomacy to keep Commagene independent. He made peace with Pompey in 64 B.C, when the Roman general invaded Syria, eventually becoming an ally.

Sunset over Mount Nemrut, captured in time-lapse video by Isa Turan. (@jesus_tr/Zenger)

To capture a broad range of views of  Mount Nemrut, Isa Turan took time-lapse footage, which he posted online.

“The video starts with the sunset on the western face of Mount Nemrut on the evening of July 10,” he said. “Later, it becomes night and the Milky Way and the stars are visible. Finally, after continuing with night scenes on the eastern terrace, the sun rises.

“All night long, we were alone with the statues under the stars,” said Isa Turan, who filmed time-lapse video of Mount Nemrut, near Ad?yaman, Turkey, on July 10. (@jesus_tr/Zenger)

“We didn’t even close our eyes for a minute during the 30 hours that passed until we went from Izmir to Nemrut and completed the shooting,” he said. “We were one of the few lucky people who experienced the sunset, starry nights and sunrise at the same time in Nemrut, which we arrived at in the evening.

“All night long, we were alone with the statues under the stars. It is really difficult for me to express my experience and my feelings into words. We have officially made a journey into history among these ruins built thousands of years ago.

“It was an extraordinary experience to be so close to the sky in the pitch black of night, with the howling of the strong wind and the stars seemingly within touching distance.”

Edited by Fern Siegel and Judith Isacoff



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VIDEO: Former Olympic Star Dominique Dawes Brings A New Spirit To Gymnastics

Clarksburg, MD — Three-time Olympian Dominique Dawes still maintains her focus and dedication to what’s important in life — including laughter.

During her performances, Dawes says she rarely smiled. But today, as a wife, mother of four young children and owner of a gymnastics academy, she encourages the girls she trains to express emotions that would not have been acceptable during her career.

It’s part of a shift in the cutthroat culture of American gymnastics that was brought to the fore at the Tokyo Olympics by the decision of Simone Biles — considered the “Greatest of All Time” in the sport — to pull out of the team event final due to mental exhaustion.

“She needs to do what is best for Simone,” Dawes told Zenger in an interview.

“At the end of the day she is the one who has to live her life. Just like [Japanese world tennis No. 1] Naomi Osaka, who made the decision to not partake in a press conference because she was concerned about her mental health, athletes need to be able to say no,” she said.

“If they feel that it’s unhealthy for them, they need to be able to step away.”

Dawes was a member of the “Magnificent Seven” team that won gold at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. She was also the first black person — male or female — of any nationality to win an Olympic gold medal in gymnastics, and the first African American to win an individual Olympic medal in the floor exercise.

A lot has changed since then, she said, with her Olympic successors like Biles more empowered to stand up for their own interests.

“When I think about the Olympic Games, it brings me back to the level of sacrifice and commitment and what it took to earn a spot on that Olympic stage,” Dawes said. “We did what was told of us. Back in the ’90s, gymnasts were literally trained to be to robots.”

“It is very much a breath of fresh air to be a 44-year-old mom and to listen to my inner voice now.”

A different focus

Dawes said her views on gymnastics changed after she became a mother.

“I think it is important for our kids to enjoy their childhood,” said Dawes, who started in gymnastics when she was 6 years old.

In the 2020 documentary “Art of the Athlete,” Dawes talks about moving away from her parents and siblings when she was 10 to pursue her dream of being a world-class champion. While she later would be nicknamed “Awesome Dawesome,” her journey was not easy.

“Everything that came out in 2016 regarding [former USA Gymnastics national team doctor and convicted sex offender] Larry Nassar … it was the culture that allowed that to go on,” Dawes said. “He abused so many young girls, and now we are shining a light on a culture that has some horrible, physical and psychological abuse.

“I want to make sure that we are focusing on building and not tearing kids down, building them up to be champions in life.”

“I want people to have a healthy introduction to the sport of gymnastics,” says Dawes.  (Courtesy of Dominique Dawes)

Dawes said she doesn’t have a competitive team at the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics and Ninja Academy in Clarksburg, Maryland, and that is by choice.

Her academy “is all about creating a healthy environment and being honest about the journey that I had, back in my career. While I love sports, it can be a very grueling environment. What I am offering is quite different. I want people to have a healthy introduction to the sport of gymnastics. It is not about building champions. It is more about happy and healthy kids growing up to be healthy adults.

“As a mom of four, I see life differently,” she said. “Everyone has different strengths and abilities. I see every kid there as gifted and talented. That’s how my facilities run, as opposed to a highly competitive facility.

“It can be a very grueling environment, but I want people to have a healthy place. We are planting positive seeds, and it is really about building the self-esteem and the emotional psychology of smiling and laughing and caring about [children] as people.”

Changing the “spirit of gymnastics”

“We are really striving to change the spirit of gymnastics. It was the culture that allowed the abuse of so many young girls,” she said.

Dawes, who spoke with Zenger before Team USA began their performances in Tokyo on Sunday, said she and her family would be watching.

“I feel like everyone in the globe is going to be watching, being what we have been through over the last year and a half,” she said. “We are cheering for them.”

Dawes married Jeff Thompson, a teacher in Potomac, Maryland, in 2013, and today they are parents of a 7-year-old, a 5-year-old and 3-year-old twins.

When she was asked what name she goes by, she said: “It is still Dawes. But my husband gets on me to change it to Dominique Thompson.”

Her husband, a former professional basketball player, said of Dawes: “She is amazing. I want to elevate her as a mother, wife and businesswoman.

“I see the business as a calling. I look at her all the time, and as a man, I have to put the ego aside because she is so well-loved, and let her be the mother and the wife. It is often a complicated road to navigate,” he said.

Dawes celebrates with a student at her gymnastics academy. (Courtesy of Dominique Dawes)

A trailblazer

Milton Kent, a professor at Morgan State University, said Dawes was clearly a trailblazer for modern athletes because at the time she was competing, the Eastern Europeans set the standards in gymnastics and the Americans were not serious contenders.

“They were controlled by Béla Károlyi, the Hungarian [coach] who had a big influence in the U.S.,” Kent said. “Dominique had her own private coach, Kelli Hill.

Kent said Biles and other present-day Olympic gymnasts owe much to Dawes. But now Dawes wants to chart a new course for her students.

Dominique Dawes shares her truth about competition and mental health.  (Claire Swift/Zenger News)

“In terms of some parents, they don’t really [understand] the journey and the level of sacrifice it takes for a young child,” she said.

“I want to be part of the change by creating a healthy environment. I see life different now that I am a mother of four kids. I now see things in terms of my children and as a protective parent. … I am going to be part of the parents who really care.”

Edited by Judith Isacoff and Fern Siegel,  Visuals Edited by Claire Swift, John Diaz and Brian Coen,  Director of Photography, Adrian Muys



The post VIDEO: Former Olympic Star Dominique Dawes Brings A New Spirit To Gymnastics appeared first on Zenger News.

SBVC Launches Machinist Training Pilot Program for Individuals with Autism

SBVC Launches Machinist Training Pilot Program for ?Individuals with Autism   SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Among Americans with disabilities, there is a high rate of unemployment and underemployment — something San Bernardino Valley College and the Uniquely Abled Project are working to change.   This August, Valley College will launch a pilot program providing Computer Numerical Control (CNC) machinist training to individuals with autism. This first cohort of eight students will receive on-campus instruction and hands-on work experience using SBVC’s state-of-the-art machinist technology, with San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board later providing job placement.   The program will be made possible thanks to a $10,000 award from the Bank of America Charitable Foundation, $15,000 from the San Bernardino  Valley College Foundation, and $10,000 from Goodwill. This $35,000 will cover the cost of a job coach who will assist students enrolled in the program.  
“We are committed to equity in education and ensuring all students have access to educational opportunities at SBVC that will improve their quality of life,” SBVC Foundation Interim Director Mike Layne said.   The Uniquely Abled Project’s Uniquely Abled Academy Program offers vocational training and job development for high-functioning adults on the autism spectrum and has successfully placed more than 90 percent of its graduates with jobs. Using funds provided by the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Goodwill purchased the Uniquely Abled Academy curriculum for SBVC.   “The Uniquely Abled Project is delighted to partner with SBVC to extend the benefits of a Uniquely Abled Academy to the manufacturers and uniquely abled individuals of the Inland Empire,” Uniquely Abled Project Founder and President Ivan Rosenberg said. “Manufacturers get the skilled CNC operators they need, and individuals with Level 1 autism will have good paying career jobs that will enable them to live productive and fulfilling lives. Our hope is that this will be the first of a number of UAAs in the Inland Empire.”   Machinist Prof. Miguel Ortiz first learned about the Uniquely Abled Project in 2017, and thought it would be a good avenue for SBVC to explore. A CNC machinist operates equipment that produce parts and tools made from plastic, metal, and other materials. There is a shortage of qualified CNC machinists in the manufacturing sector, and when students complete the Uniquely Abled Academy, they can get matched with jobs paying anywhere from $33,000 to $54,000 annually.   “For the individual and the industry, it’s a win-win,” Ortiz said. “Being a CNC operator is the most prevalent job and easiest way to get into the industry.”   The California Department of Rehabilitation will provide participant referrals to SBVC, and before starting the Uniquely Abled Academy Program, students will go through a screening process to ensure this is the right fit for them. Layne said the hope is to have a second, larger cohort start in 2022, and because of the key partnerships with the Department of Rehabilitation, Goodwill, and San Bernardino County Workforce Development, SBVC should be able to “successfully launch, grow, and sustain the project in future years.”   Jonathan Weldy, chairman of the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board’s Special Populations Committee, said the organization “applauds Valley College, the Uniquely Abled Project, and all of the supporters of this model program that will create great career opportunities for a segment of the population that is often left out. At Workforce Development, we look forward to working with program graduates and our business community in providing job placement services.”

VIDEO: Ala. Councilman’s Racial Slur Was ‘Orchestrated’ Plot To Harm Him, Says Mayor

TARRANT, Ala. — As a white city councilman in an Alabama town faces outrage for directing a racial slur at a black city councilwoman, the town’s mayor says the episode was a calculated political stunt meant to harm him.

Video footage of the July 19 town meeting in Tarrant, Alabama, a suburb of Birmingham, rocketed across the U.S. at the speed of Twitter, drawing demands for John “Tommy” Bryant’s resignation.

Interviews and Internet messages reviewed by Zenger reveal a power struggle with Bryant and his wife, who are white, battling black first-term mayor Wayman A. Newton, who has become a disruptive force in one corner of the Deep South. The fight in this majority-black town of about 6,200 has an unusual complication: Newton says Bryant and Veronica Bandy Freeman, the councilwoman he smeared, often work together to thwart his proposals.

Bryant was caught on video during a hearing Monday night, pointing to a black councilwoman and asking, “Do we have a house n*****r in here?” He later said he was trying to draw attention to Newton’s use of the phrase, which typically refers to a black American who chooses to be subservient to white people.

Newton denies using the phrase but says he was targeted for being critical of a fellow black politician who has fought him on vote after vote. Newton and Bryant are both Republicans. City council elections in Tarrant are non-partisan and party affiliation is not required, according to Newton.

Bryant’s wife Nancy Mahler Bryant claimed in a Facebook post before Monday’s hearing that Newton started the racial fireworks by using the slur to berate Freeman. Mrs. Bryant said Freeman sided with the white city council faction and opposed Newton’s move to fire a private garbage collection firm and bring that work under the town’s control.

In this later-deleted Facebook post, Tommy Bryant’s wife accused Mayor Newton of calling black councilwoman Veronica Bandy Freeman a “house n*****,” an allegation Newton denies. (Facebook/Tracie Threadford)

“He [Newton] called another council member a house n*****r because she did not want to vote with him,” Mrs. Bryant wrote on Facebook. She initially wrote the word “bigger” but later corrected her typo, spelling out the two-word racial slur, the post’s version history shows. Mrs. Bryant later deleted her comment, but Newton read it aloud during Monday’s town meeting.

“He hollered ‘f-you’ multiple times to all the council members when they did not agree with him for independent garbage service,” Mrs. Bryant wrote. “He has demeaned, harassed and slandered two council members to the point of having the police called on him and police reports filed.”

Newton told Zenger he hasn’t verbally abused anyone. “It’s not true,” he told Zenger. “The one time I actually made a point of being verbal was when he [Mr. Bryant] called me ‘boy.’”

Freeman called Bryant’s words “unconscionable racial discrimination and harassment,” in a statement issued through her attorney. She is one of two black members of the Tarrant City Council. The other, Tracie B. Threadford, sent Zenger a screen capture of Mrs. Bryant’s Facebook post.

“He’s got to go,” Threadford said of Bryant. She said, too, that Mrs. Bryant is openly racist, “calling us ‘the blacks’ and using the n-word.” She declined to reveal her party affiliation.

Tracie Threadford, an elected Tarrant, Ala. City councilwoman, says the Bryants and others are trying to stop Mayor Wayman Newton’s reforms because they don’t want progress to come as a result of a black man being elected. (@cityoftarrant/Facebook)

Bryant is defiant, denying he’s a bigot and telling local reporters that he may run for mayor against Newton.

Democrats and their allies are calling for Bryant to step down. “He is a racist and unfit to serve,” Alabama Democrats Executive Director Wade F. Perry said in a statement that called him and two other Republicans “embarrassments to Alabama.”

“THIS MAN HAS TO GO!” the Alabama state conference of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People said in a statement. “We are fed up with the way he feels emboldened to spew his racist hate in the public.”

In a statement, Alabama Republican Party Chairman John Wahl did not say whether Bryant should resign, but called his language a “racially charged outburst” that “is completely unacceptable in any setting.”

Wayman Newton, the black first-term mayor of Tarrant, Ala., says Bryan’t racial slur was part of a calculated plot to draw attention to a false claim that he himself had used the same words to refer to a black councilwoman who opposed him politically. (@cityoftarrant/Facebook)

Wahl praised Newton as a member of the GOP and said the party “deeply appreciate[s] his commitment to serving his constituents honorably, even in the face of adversity.”

The Republican National Committee did not respond to repeated requests for comment.

Newton accused Freeman and Bryant of coordinating a clumsy political attack against him that was rooted in politics, not race. “I’ve had ongoing battles with Bryant that have also included Freeman,” he said. “Together, they’ve undermined everything I’ve tried to do. They’ve been hand-in-hand for some time, voting together on practically everything.”

He said he received written notification on July 15, four days before Bryant used the racial slur in public, that Freeman would file an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission complaint against him and the city for racial discrimination.

“The timing is peculiar. I believe it was all orchestrated,” Newton said. “It was a political strategy poorly executed.”

Veronica Bandy Freeman, an elected Tarrant, Ala. City councilwoman, was the object of Bryant’s “house n*****” slur, but according to Mayor Wayman Newton the two work together often to obstruct his proposals. (@voteveronicafreemandistrict1/Facebook)

Newton is seated next to Freeman in the video. He questioned the sincerity of her tearful exit from the council chambers, saying that she wasn’t crying when Bryant used the racial slur.

“She didn’t even start crying until I started reading the Facebook post from Bryant’s wife,” he said.

Newton’s first-term agenda includes initiatives to attract businesses to a city known mainly for producing foundry coke, a coal byproduct that’s burned to melt iron. He said Bryant and Freeman, along with two other council members, have thwarted him at every turn.

“I once tried to hire a consultant with extensive experience helping small municipalities identify economic development and brownfield development opportunities,” he said. “They refused to even listen to him.”

Newton did win a battle of wills by introducing and passing an anti-nepotism bill.

“We had a case where a father was the direct supervisor of two sons, and I wanted to ensure that city hiring and promotion practices were based on merit,” he said. “But, every time I introduced the bill, it was DOA [dead on arrival] with Freeman and Bryant and the rest of the council. It wasn’t until I threatened to add the bill to every council agenda did they finally vote for its approval.”

Threadford said Newton is right about the other council members’ obstructionism. But she blames racism, not politics, for a series of impasses.

“The fact is that Tarrant wants to change, but not through a black man,” she said. “This is buffoonery at its finest.”

Edited by David Martosko and Andre Johnson



The post VIDEO: Ala. Councilman’s Racial Slur Was ‘Orchestrated’ Plot To Harm Him, Says Mayor appeared first on Zenger News.

Ex-Miami Dolphins Pro Bowler Draws On Deep Football Experience In First Head-Coach Role 

Chris Chambers played for several winning coaches during the course of his collegiate pro-football career. Now he’s working to put what he learned to work in his first head-coaching job at the University of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.

His playing days were productive: Following a successful career as a wide receiver at the University of Wisconsin, where he ranks in the top 10 in several statistical categories, the Miami Dolphins selected Chambers in the second round of the 2001 NFL draft. His best season was in 2005 when he led the Dolphins in receptions and was named to the AFC Pro Bowl. He would also play for the San Diego Chargers and the Kansas City Chiefs before wrapping up a 10-year pro career.

Next, he opened a training facility, The Chamber, and coached high school before earning the nod this year from the University of Fort Lauderdale as its first head football coach since the school joined the NCCAA [National Christian College Athletic Association].

Chambers is excited to be able to help students academically, athletically and spiritually at the commuter college. He hopes to implement some teachings of legendary coaching figures throughout his career, and plans to surround himself with an experienced coaching staff.

Zenger caught up with Chambers, who talks about the difficulty of being a first-year coach following COVID, explains the type of athletes he’s looking for, and much more.

Percy Crawford interviewed Chris Chambers for Zenger.


Zenger: Congratulations on being named head football coach of the University of Fort Lauderdale. How is everything going?

Chambers: It’s going well, man. I absolutely love the opportunity. I thought it goes well with everything I have done up to this point with my pro career and post-career in sports performance the last 10 years. Just being around the high school kids, the college kids and the pro prospects.

I was already immersed in that scene. Just to be able to take that and become the head coach of a university is big, and I didn’t want to take it for granted. I’ve been coaching high school the last couple of years, so I had gotten that itch to really start coaching, and then this opportunity literally just fell in my lap over a weekend.

Zenger: Obviously, the biggest difference from high school to college is recruiting. What has that process been like?

Percy Crawford interviewed Chris Chambers for Zenger. (Heidi Malone/Zenger)

Chambers: That’s the most challenging part right now. I had to start my recruiting process in May, if you could imagine, to get ready for a 2021 season. There was a lot of interest from freshman from the previous coach, but if he’s not here, he’s not going to be trying to help them guys get here. He would be re-recruiting them to other places. That was an uphill battle in the beginning. I didn’t even count on the people that he recruited before me. I just focused on the people who saw me become the head coach and then inquired about being on our team.

I have really been digging through some past recruits that are interested and some leads I had, then transfer portal, then JUCO [Junior College], and now I’m getting with some influencers in the area; head coaches or prep school coaches sending me lists. Private coaches are sending me stuff, so I’m just gathering as much information as possible, putting it in my database and calling guys.

At first, Percy, I was getting a lead, and I was emailing that player. I was like, “You know what, these kids are not looking at emails like we look at them.” It took me a week to figure that out because I wasn’t getting any response until I started calling people. I was calling the leads, I was texting them, and then the communication picked up, and we got a bit more social as far as the marketing side.

People started seeing this as a real opportunity, so I used that to my advantage. I’m just using a combination of influencers, social media, past relationships with coaches, and now I’m hiring coaches to help me on the recruiting side as well.

Zenger: Times have changed and things are a lot different from when you were being recruited. What other adjustments have you made in your own recruiting process?

Chambers: Because we had COVID-19 last year, we all spent a lot of time on Zoom and finding different ways to communicate, different ways to evaluate people. At the same time, there are not too many of them I have seen in person. We hosted three showcases. The showcases were really to give them an orientation of the school, give them information of admissions and enrollments, talk about scholarship opportunities, and the next day was to see them in person. Get them to run around, put them through combine-type drills and evaluate them. That’s been picking up. The first time I think we had 19, the second time we had 31 and this past weekend we had almost 40. So, the word is definitely getting out, but at the same time, we’re a commuter school.

We’re going to have to rely heavily on local guys who don’t need housing. When the kids come from out of town, we still find housing opportunities for them, but that’s not something that the school takes care of. We only take care of tuition and fees when it comes to scholarships, but when it comes to housing, that’s more on the parents and kids. I’m trying to find a way to at least give them some options in the area so they feel safe, and make sure things work out.

Zenger: Tell me more about how COVID-19 impacted what you are trying to do.

Chambers: Yeah. I dealt with the whole COVID thing as far as what we needed to do last year with limited practices, limited time and stuff like that. So, it does feel like a COVID year for me, even though it’s not anymore for a lot of other programs. They had a chance to do winter, they had a chance to do spring ball, they had a chance to do summer workouts. So everybody is completely ready for the 2021 season, as opposed to last year. I’m dealing with COVID because I didn’t get a spring, I didn’t get a winter, all I got was a little bit of the summer. Not a lot of practice, not a lot of conditioning, not a lot of things you would need to build up for a football season. That’s going to be the challenging part.

The good thing is, I have been working on hiring the right coaches and people. Even though this is an urgent situation, I’ve been very slow and patient with it. I didn’t want to hire just anybody. I needed to hire experienced people who understood the situation as far as growth potential, and people who know how to develop athletes very fast. I’m closing in on some guys right now. I have a few coaches hired already.

That’s another challenge in itself, because if you don’t have relationships with certain people, you just don’t want to be hiring anybody just to be hiring them just because they have a resume. You want to have some sort of relationship and continuity, because if you don’t, it can go the other way real fast. I’ve seen that happen before on the professional level. When the upstairs and the coaching staff weren’t in sync, it trickled down to the players and it just gets ugly from there. That’s where I’m at with that.

Zenger: What made the University of Fort Lauderdale the place for you?

Chambers: I would say the name was the biggest thing. I felt like from being in the business world the last 10 years, I saw it as a great startup business opportunity. It’s something that I can grow. I can put my imprint on and potentially leave a legacy, being one of the first head coaches of the school, and hopefully taking it to NCAA Division I one day. That’s obviously not going to happen overnight, but the fact that I was an influencer in the area already, a celebrity, professional football player, all of those things will help bring out the exposure for the school, which I love doing.

I’ve always been in media, I’m good at handling that, I’ve owned my own training facility for several years, so as far as working with people, hiring people, firing people (laughing), all of those responsibilities that comes with owning a business, I have that in my back pocket already. I’m confident when it comes to some of the things I need to do as a coach, but at the same time, we are a faith-based school, and I absolutely love that. The fact that I can tell a parent that we are going to develop you academically, athletically and spiritually is big, and it resonates a lot with people.

Zenger: Is this a high-pressure job for you?

Chambers: Yes! (laughing). The school wants admissions. We know in every program, every high school and the majority of college programs, the football team is the leader of the program, unless you’re a basketball school. What that means is, we’re the ones that’s going to go out there and hopefully have money games, the money games are going to seep into the athletic department, the athletic department is going to be able to use some of them funds to support other sports and activities.

I see that as a big responsibility, and I enjoy the fact that we get to be the leaders when I come to that. That’s what we have to do, we have to build this up through the football department. We build from the nine sports that we have right now, to 14 sports, to 20 sports, and that’s when you talk about entering other conferences, or having opportunities to do special things in the future.

Zenger: What do you look for in an athlete?

Chambers: Heart is big, but I love smart football players, and I love tough football players. Those are things that you can’t really measure from talent. Obviously, if they have the talent, that’s even better, but tough football players is what I’m looking for. Guys who want to handle responsibilities. I’m going to make sure they know how to communicate. I want to make sure they are very transparent, because I’m going to do the things that I would want a coach to do. I want a coach to be straight up with me, good, bad or ugly. Just tell me what it is. That’s the coach that I want to have.

When I was at the University of Wisconsin, I would run through a wall for [then-head coach] Barry Alvarez. I have to figure out, how do I get these kids to run through a wall for me? That’s going to be the challenge. I will be able to draw from a place like Wisconsin, and the many coaches I had with the Miami Dolphins. I even had coach [Nick] Saban for a year or two. I’m taking all of these different teachings and seeing if I can develop something for myself. At the same time, I will rely on my coaching staff who may have even more experience than me on this level that can be able to help out in that area.

Zenger: I wish you the best of luck and I know you will enjoy success at the University of Fort Lauderdale. Anything before I let you go?

Chambers: I appreciate it. I think it would be good if we circle back at some point mid-season or post-season and do another one and see how things are going and talk about future plans from there.

(Edited by Matthew B. Hall and Judith Isacoff)



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