Latest news with #Custer
Eater
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eater
A New Women's Sports Bar Called Pitch the Baby Is Coming to Seattle
Seattle has no shortage of sports bars, so the announcement of a new one coming this summer might not seem particularly thrilling… at first. But Pitch the Baby is special for a few reasons. Firstly it's a women's sports bar, one of the few in the country. Secondly, it's helmed by Seattle restaurant icons Monica Dimas (Little Neon Taco, Westman's Bagel) and Anais Custer (La Dive, Rich Rich) along with their longtime friend, business leader Kimfer Flanery-Rye (founder of consulting firm Inclusion Equals). 'We kept finding ourselves in spaces that weren't designed with us in mind,' Custer said in a statement. 'Pitch the Baby is our answer to the question: what if we created the sports bar we've always wanted but could never find?' The new bar aims to 'redefine' the women's sports bar experience. Taking over Rocket Taco's former space (it moved across the street), it's now the latest addition to the 19th Avenue corridor, a.k.a. Capitol Hill's longtime off-the-beaten-path hotspot for laid-back nights out. The name, for those wondering — and most people are going to wonder — is a 'cheeky' nod to a 1990s Cocteau Twins song. 'It captures the playful spirit we're bringing to the space and to sports in general,' Dimas says. 'We recognize that sports fans come from all walks of life and aren't a monolith, just like us. By choosing a name that's a bit off-kilter, we're honoring the different perspectives and backgrounds that make up the sports community.' The Pitch the Baby team is still waiting on their liquor license, though right now, they're planning for a June launch. That doesn't mean they haven't been busy, of course. Custer says she's curating a bar menu 'that pays homage to timeless cocktails, including a Pim's Cup, a gin and tonic, and a variety of classic martinis.' The bar will also serve local craft beer, a wine list focused on natural varietals, and Peroni on tap (an inspiration from European sports bars). Customers can also expect various drink specials, which may change based on the game schedule. 'I'm very passionate about doing interactive drink specials,' Custer says. 'For example, if the Seattle Storm is playing the Indiana Fever, we would assign a cocktail to each team.' This will be alongside Mexican-inspired cuisine with global twists from Dimas, including a small bites happy hour menu. 'My background is rooted in Michoacan, a region where food is closely tied to cultural identity, community, and tradition,' she says. 'I see Mexican food through a lens shaped by the intersection of migration and cultural change, and lately, I've been really interested in the Moorish influence on Mexican cuisine and seeing the dishes of my childhood through this historical perspective.' As for the look and ambience, Dimas compared it to a cozy English pub. 'We're being intentional about TV placement instead of going for a wall-to-wall screen setup,' she says. '[We're] planning on four to five TVs, which is enough to catch the game from any seat, but not so many that it overwhelms the room.' Those TVs will capture a wide range of women's competitions, but all three owners agree that they'll show men's sports on occasion. 'While our emphasis is on women's sports, we also recognize significant men's sporting events, such as the World Cup, and will feature them as well,' Dimas says. 'Our goal is to create an inclusive environment that celebrates athletic excellence across the board, providing a welcoming space for all sports fans to come together. We'll have a shared calendar of big events that anyone can access and subscribe to.' There is another women's sports-centric bar in the city, Ballard's Rough and Tumble. But the team isn't worried about the pond being too small. 'The more of us there are (woman's sports bars), the more popular this segment of the bar market will be overall,' Custer says. 'Once people experience Pitch the Baby, they are going to want to go to any female sports bar all the time!' According to an NBC news analysis, there were just six women's sports bars at the start of 2025. Thanks to additions like Pitch the Baby, that number is projected to quadruple by the end of the year. 'We're proud to be part of that wave. There's real momentum here, and it's only going to grow,' says Flanery-Rye. 'The more visibility we give to women's sports, the more demand we'll see, not just for coverage but for spaces that celebrate it. We're not just riding a trend; we're helping lead a shift that's long overdue.' Pitch the Baby will be at 600 19th Avenue East on Capitol Hill. It plans to open this summer. For updates, follow the bar on Instagram . Sign up for our newsletter.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
NASCAR Cup Series Driver Cole Custer visits elementary students in Newton
NEWTON, Iowa — On Thursday, NASCAR Cup Series Driver Cole Custer visited students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, where he answered questions about what it's really like to be behind the wheel. Custer was visiting the state to participate in the 2025 NASCAR Day Giveathon at the Iowa Speedway. Custer has raced in Iowa multiple times in both the truck series and Xfinity, but this year's Iowa Corn 350 will be his first race in a Cup car at the Iowa Speedway. Custer says Iowa is a track he always enjoys coming back to. Funko Pop! figures of Caitlin Clark, other WNBA stars coming — how to get them 'Iowa Speedway is a place that I think every single person in NASCAR loves going back to. You know, it has so much character with the bumps in the new pavement and the track. So, it makes it a challenge for us that we look forward to. And also just how passionate the fans are, you know, seeing the place packed for pretty much every single race out there is so awesome,' said Custer. While not an Iowan himself, Custer says he always enjoys visiting the state, and even has his own Iowa ties. 'There are so many down-to-earth people and farmers and people who are passionate about racing. You know, we got Knoxville right down the road. My wife's family's actually from Iowa, so I've gotten to see people and been around the cities here a little bit. And it's really cool towns, and just people, that people are nice, and it's just, it's awesome coming here and to see the passion for the sport,' said Custer. Custer says he's excited to see that passion in action come August, where he hopes his team will take home the trophy. Iowa News: NASCAR Cup Series Driver Cole Custer visits elementary students in Newton Another windy day ahead as temps cool Reynolds requests waiver to make certain foods ineligible under SNAP Funko Pop! figures of Caitlin Clark, other WNBA stars coming — how to get them 3 charged in Dallas County fire that caused over $800k in damage to bike trail bridge Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
26-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
The Brave New World of Book Publishing
In front of me sit five books from my bookshelf: Blindness by José Saramago, Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison, The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test by Tom Wolfe, Crazy Horse and Custer by Stephen Ambrose, and All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque. The books were published by Mariner, Vintage, Picador, Anchor Books, and Ballantine Books, respectively. Although the names of these publishers may not be immediately recognizable, a closer look reveals that they are all imprints of three major publishing houses: Penguin Random House (Vintage, Anchor, Ballantine), MacMillan (Picador), and HarperCollins (Mariner). Simon & Schuster and Hachette Book Group round out what is commonly called the Big Five, a collection of book publishers that collectively controls around 80 percent of the book-publishing market. Chances are, if you purchase a book from Barnes & Noble, it was published by one of these five major companies. Indeed, of the 13 other books on one of my shelves, every single one was published by an imprint of one of the Big Five houses. But the Big Five are not the only game in town. The Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA) boasts around 3,600 members, and none of them (with the exception of Sourcebooks, of which Penguin Random House owns a 75 percent stake) is owned by one of the Big Five. About 40 percent of these members are self-published authors, which means somewhere around 2,160 are either standalone publishing houses or university presses. In other words, despite the common narrative that the Big Five publishing houses rule the industry with an iron fist, there are certainly competitors for authors to choose from. And for a particular type of writer—especially authors who aren't international bestsellers but nonetheless know how to build and satisfy an audience—corporate publishers, which are good at getting books into stores across the country but aren't usually as good at outreach to specific readers, may actually do more harm than good. Big publishers are, understandably, focused on their bottom line. 'If you think about the purpose of a corporate publisher,' IBPA CEO Andrea Fleck-Nisbet told me, 'their main purpose is to satisfy their investors.' The business model of a big corporate publisher mirrors that of a venture capital firm: They make big bets on a few books that they hope will sell millions of copies, ideally within the first few weeks of publication—the canonical example here is Prince Harry, who was reportedly paid a $20 million advance for his memoir—and assume, as Fleck-Nisbet said, that 'everything else is going to lose money.' This model is great for the big-name authors who earn six- or seven- or eight-figure advances, but midlist authors—an industry term for authors whose books are well-received but aren't bestsellers—don't fare nearly as well. There are many reasons why the big publishers stop promoting books written by midlist authors after the first few weeks of sales, but basically it comes down to a lack of resources: Because each of the Big Five houses publishes more than 1,000 books per year, they don't tend to spend the necessary resources on the books they expect won't make them any money. Jane Friedman, a Cincinnati-based author with over 25 years' experience reporting on the publishing industry, told me that for smaller titles, 'it's like sink or swim for the author.' Infinite Books, a new publisher launched last month by the American company O'Shaughnessy Ventures, seeks to operate with a different business model. Jimmy Soni, Infinite Books' CEO, said that the publisher plans to treat 'every single book as its own standalone business' and to 'try over time to get it to profitability,' rather than push for record sales over a short time following publication. Soni explained that this approach was inspired by his experience with his own books, which, he said, 'have earned out over time.' Part of treating each book as its own standalone business is reimagining 'every part of the [publishing] process,' according to Soni. One part that Infinite Books is rethinking is book contracts, which are typically formulaic and leave authors with a meager 15 percent or so of the royalties. By contrast, Infinite Books is focused on designing custom contracts for each author—for instance, authors who want to take a bet on their book's sales may waive the advance altogether in return for a majority share of the royalties. 'That's a totally fair deal for us as a publisher,' Soni said, 'and also puts the onus on us to make sure the book sells.' But perhaps more important for midlist authors than having the option to sign bespoke contracts is the willingness of independent publishers to devote more resources to connecting authors and readers. Indeed, 'the dirty secret' in publishing today, Fleck-Nisbet told me, 'is that the marketing and the reaching [of] consumers, no matter who you are, is ultimately up to the author.' This is because, instead of selling directly to readers, traditional publishers are mostly focused on selling to retailers—a strategy that typically sold the most books in the decades during which the Big Five amassed their market power. Friedman explained that this retail-focused bookselling model coincided with the onetime cultural dominance of large media outlets, and that the necessity of satisfying individual consumers' book-buying preferences today mirrors the trajectory of the media landscape writ large. Once upon a time, she told me, reviewers in mainstream outlets such as The New York Times had outsize influence on which books readers bought, and large publishers would typically build relationships with institutional reviewers as a result. Today, she told me, in part because Amazon has almost infinitely expanded the pool of books available for purchase, readers are 'not necessarily relying on the mainstream media' to recommend books to them; instead, 'they're looking at their peer group, they're looking at influencers, they're looking at people on social media.' In other words, as the mainstream media has declined in influence, big publishers have lost one of their main advantages. As a result, 'it's a little bit harder for the publisher to push the same buttons as before' to juice book sales—and authors are now expected to build their own following through social media, email newsletters, and other avenues. The consensus among people I talked to for this story is that big publishers haven't been able to keep up with the times, and authors have been worse off for it. (Representatives from each of the Big Five publishing houses did not return my request for comment.) As a result, this more social-media-heavy, influencer-dominated consumer marketing era has opened the door for enterprising startup publishing houses and self-publishers to establish devoted readerships. Friedman and I discussed the case of Brandon Sanderson, the fantasy author who began a Kickstarter campaign in 2022 to self-publish the four novels he had written during the pandemic. After just one month, he had raised nearly $42 million from 185,000 backers—the largest Kickstarter campaign in history—and delivered the books directly to readers who had contributed to the crowdfunded effort before letting his publisher have the paperback distribution rights. Sanderson is perhaps the most successful example of a growing type: 'savvy authors,' as Friedman calls them, who are 'using publishers to their own ends'—but not relying on companies to do (or not do) the important work of connecting with and satisfying their fans. Indeed, many authors turn to alternative publishing platforms and perform these functions on their own. One such platform is Substack, where 'authors have been serializing books . . . since the early days,' as Sophia Efthimiatou, head of publisher relations and events at Substack, told me via email. Efthimiatou said that 'more and more writers are using Substack to share long-form work in installments and build dedicated, engaged readerships along the way.' (She did not provide specific numbers to bolster this claim.) Examples include Ted Gioia's Music to Raise the Dead and Patti Smith's The Melting. 'Unlike other self-publishing options,' Efthimiatou said, 'Substack is a live, organic space where authors can gather their most engaged supporters and keep the conversation going well beyond publication day.' Substack is certainly promising for nonfiction writers, but Friedman thinks the notion that the platform is disrupting the fiction publishing industry is 'ridiculous.' 'There's very little audience on Substack for serialized fiction,' she told me, citing Wattpad—which was founded in 2006 and is generally understood as hosting fiction—as the online platform where serialized fiction authors find real success. Ross Douthat, the New York Times columnist, confirms that the audience on Substack for serialized fiction, at least in his experience, has been lackluster. Douthat's book The Falcon's Children, a fantasy novel that he has been serializing on the platform since September 2024 after established fantasy publishers 'politely declined to publish it,' has received a 'very kind' reception from its audience. But, he said, the book has attracted 'a relatively small number' of paid subscribers. (When I told him that I am subscribed but have only read about 500 words of the first chapter, Douthat quipped, 'Then you are probably a representative subscriber.') Of course, the other major benefit of using Substack—as with any self-publishing platform—is that the author retains total control over the project. This autonomy is what drove Philip Graham, author of nine books of fiction and nonfiction, to self-publish his latest book, What the Dead Can Say. Graham told me that the novel is 'the central book' of his career, and it took over 30 years to write. Because it defined so much of Graham's identity as an artist, he didn't want anyone meddling in the creative process. So Graham published the book himself. The physical version, which Graham and his wife distributed to Little Free Libraries across the country, is designed not to sell but to compel readers who pick up the book to continue reading for the sake of the story. To that end, the book has a barebones cover and omits Graham's name; it also forgoes the usual author blurbs and the summary on the inside flap. This type of book 'would be impossible to exist in the commercial world that we have in publishing,' Graham said. Meanwhile, Graham told me he keeps 94 percent of the revenue from the online version of the book, a rate that would be unheard of even with independent presses, let alone a big publishing house. The best part? He has 'never had more fun publishing a book.' Much of the commentary on book publishing presents an image of an industry in decline. The condemnations are many: publishers are selling out to unethical private-equity companies, Amazon retains a 'death grip' on bookselling, nobody buys books anymore (that last bit, Friedman tells me, is a common misconception: While nonfiction book sales are down, 'fiction has been doing phenomenally well'). And, given the large publishers' tendency to pull resources from midlist authors to focus on their cash cows, it's understandable for authors to be wary of the Big Five. But today, we live in a brave new world of publishing, one in which the Big Five are no longer the only players in the game (their market dominance, according to some reporting, has been slipping in recent years). Indeed, after reporting this story, I've come to the conclusion that it may actually be better for authors to publish with independent publishers, or even on their own. Especially for midlist authors who have found limited success with traditional publishing—'an endangered species' in today's world, as Douthat put it—independent publishing or self-publishing may be the way to go, assuming those authors know how to connect with their audience. That last bit is a big assumption. Cultivating and maintaining a devoted readership requires time and attention, and many an author may recoil at the prospect of working to build a brand in addition to creating their art. (And it's likely that more people will fail at this project than will succeed.) Additionally, authors who rely on their audience for their livelihood are at risk of falling victim to audience capture, whereby they become increasingly beholden to the wishes of their fans rather than guided by their own artistic vision. But like it or not, in our modern attention economy and influencer-obsessed culture, it seems that's what it takes to make a good living selling books. Of course, in the long run, whether books will be able to compete with other sources of information or entertainment, especially in the age of AI, is another question entirely. But that's a story for another day.
Yahoo
11-03-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Mobile Disaster Recovery Centers in McDowell County Tuesday
war — Mobile FEMA Disaster Recovery Centers are scheduled to open in two McDowell County locations Tuesday to assist residents still working to recovery from the devastating Feb. 15 flood. The mobile FEMA centers are scheduled to be open today in the community of Panther and the city of War to help flood victims apply for federal assistance, according to the McDowell County Commission. A FEMA mobile unit will be set up today at Grants Supermarket in War from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. A second FEMA mobile unit will be open today at the Panther Missionary Baptist Church at 362 Greenbrier Mountain Road from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at Bradshaw Town Hall, according to a FEMA announcement. Nate Custer, media relations specialist with FEMA, said the McDowell County center in Bradshaw will be open until further notice. Offering the opportunity to speak with FEMA representatives in person, the Bradshaw center will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sunday. McDowell County is one of four counties including Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming included in a federal disaster declaration from President Donald Trump. FEMA assistance for nine other counties including Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Wayne, Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan is still being evaluated by FEMA. A FEMA Disaster Recovery Center also opened Monday at the Wyoming County Courthouse at 25 Main Avenue in Pineville. The center is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays. Flood survivors are encouraged to bring documentation, especially if they have not yet applied for FEMA assistance. This documentation can be things like a deed, apartment lease or a utility bill showing that the home or apartment is the applicant's primary address, said Nate Custer said, media relations specialist for FEMA. People seeking FEMA assistance can visit the Disaster Recovery Center more than once if they have questions about their applications. Some applicants are more comfortable speaking with FEMA representatives in person, Custer said. They are not limited to one visit. Flood survivors also are not limited to visiting the FEMA center in their home county. They can go to any FEMA center that is open, Custer said. For example, flood survivors that live in one county but work in another can visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center closer to their workplace if that is more convenient. A representative of the U.S. Small Business Administration will be at the McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center as well as FEMA. FEMA also has opened a Disaster Recovery Center at the Lifeline Princeton Church of God at 250 Oakvale Road near Princeton. FEMA operated out of the church until Feb. 14 when the agency was helping residents impacted by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 apply for assistance. The most recent flood occurred the day after it closed. The Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be closed on Sunday, according to FEMA's announcement. The center will also be closed on March 15, March 22 and April 19 for the church's previously scheduled events. Disaster Recovery Centers are open to all, including survivors with mobility issues, impaired vision and those who are who are deaf or hard of hearing. Flood survivors do not have to visit a recovery center to register with FEMA. People can call 800-621-FEMA (3362). The toll-free telephone line operates seven days a week. Flood survivors seeking assistance can also register online at or through the FEMA app on their cellphone. For more information on West Virginia's disaster recovery, visit West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, and The U.S. Small Business Administration announced Monday that additional SBA Recovery Centers are opening in Mercer County and McDowell County. The Mercer County Business Recovery Center opens today from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. After today, it will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m to 6 p.m. and closed on Sundays. The McDowell County Business Recovery Center will open Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the National Guard Armory at 600 Stewart Street in Welch. After this coming Wednesday, it will be open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. It will be closed Sundays. SBA customer service representatives will be on hand at the Business Recovery Centers to answer questions about the federal agency's disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but people can schedule an in-person appointment in advance at The U.S. Small Business Administration also has opened a Business Recovery Center at the Princeton Public Library at 920 Mercer Street. This center will be remaining open. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., then Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be closed on Sunday. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
Yahoo
08-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Disaster center opening to aid McDowell County flood victims
bradshaw — Starting at 8 a.m. today, FEMA will be opening a Disaster Recovery Center in McDowell County to help residents struggling after the Feb. 15 flood apply for federal disaster aid. The McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center, also referred to as a DRC, will be opening at Bradshaw Town Hall, according to a FEMA announcement issued Thursday. It is located at 10002 Marshall Highway in Bradshaw. Nate Custer, media relations specialist with FEMA, said the McDowell County center will be open until further notice. How long it will remain open will depend on how many people impacted by the flood use it. Offering the opportunity to speak with FEMA representatives in person, the center will be open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on Sunday. McDowell County is one of four counties including Mercer, Mingo and Wyoming included in a major disaster declaration which was requested by Gov. Patrick Morrisey and later approved by President Donald Trump. FEMA assistance for nine other counties including Raleigh, Greenbrier, Summers, Wayne, Boone, Cabell, Kanawha, Lincoln and Logan was still being evaluated Thursday by FEMA. Flood survivors are encouraged to bring documentation, especially if they have not yet applied for FEMA assistance. This documentation can be things like a deed, apartment lease or a utility bill showing that the home or apartment is the applicant's primary address, Custer said. People seeking FEMA assistance can visit the Disaster Recovery Center more than once if they have questions about their applications. 'Some people are more comfortable talking face-to-face,' Custer said. 'You're not limited to one visit.' Flood survivors also are not limited to visiting the FEMA center in their own county. 'You don't have to go to the center in your county,' Custer said. 'You can go to any of them that are open.' For example, flood survivors that live in one county but work in another can visit the FEMA Disaster Recovery Center closer to their workplace if that is more convenient, he said. A representative of the U.S. Small Business Administration will be at the McDowell County Disaster Recovery Center as well as FEMA. 'We like to use the term one-stop shopping,' Custer said. FEMA opened a Disaster Recovery Center Tuesday at the Lifeline Princeton Church of God at 250 Oakvale Road near Princeton. FEMA operated out of the church until Feb. 14 when the agency was helping residents impacted by Tropical Storm Helene in September 2024 apply for assistance. The most recent flood occurred the day after it closed. The Mercer County Disaster Recovery Center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be closed on Sunday, according to FEMA's announcement. The center will also be closed on March 15, March 22 and April 19 for the church's previously scheduled events. Disaster Recovery Centers are open to all, including survivors with mobility issues, impaired vision and those who are who are deaf or hard of hearing. Flood survivors do not have to visit a recovery center to register with FEMA. People can call 800-621-FEMA (3362). The toll-free telephone line operates seven days a week. People using a relay service, such as video relay service (VRS), captioned telephone service or others should give FEMA their number for that service. Flood survivors seeking assistance can also register online at or through the FEMA app on their cellphone. For more information on West Virginia's disaster recovery, visit West Virginia Emergency Management Division Facebook page, and The U.S. Small Business Administration opened a Business Recovery Center Monday at the Princeton Public Library at 920 Mercer Street. The center is open Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., then Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be closed on Sunday. SBA representatives answer questions about the agency's disaster loan program, explain the application process and help individuals complete their application. Walk-ins are accepted, but in-person appointments can be scheduled in advance at Disaster survivors should not wait to settle with their insurance company before applying for a disaster loan, SBA officials said. If a survivor does not know how much of their loss will be covered by insurance or other sources, SBA can make a low-interest disaster loan for the total loss up to its loan limits, provided the borrower agrees to use insurance proceeds to reduce or repay the loan. With the changes to FEMA's Sequence of Delivery, survivors are now encouraged to simultaneously apply for FEMA grants and the SBA low-interest disaster loan assistance to fully recover, SBA officials said. To apply online, visit Applicants may also call SBA's Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@ for more information on SBA disaster assistance. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services. The filing deadline to return applications for physical property damage is April 28. The deadline to return economic injury applications is Nov. 26. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@
