Latest news with #Lavin
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- General
- Yahoo
Darts welcomes new president with strong Dakota County ties
Darts, a Dakota County nonprofit that provides social services for adults 55 and older, appointed the fifth president in its 51-year history this week. Mike Lavin stepped into the role of president on Monday, adding West St. Paul to the list of Dakota County communities he's served. 'It is an honor and a privilege to have the opportunity to lead an organization with such deep roots in the community,' Lavin said in a news release from the nonprofit. 'I am committed to continuing to build on the mission and values of DARTS as we maintain our dedication to older adults and caregivers.' Prior to his appointment at Darts, Lavin spent some 30 years with YMCA of Greater St. Paul and YMCA of the North, taking on roles including senior director of childcare, vice president of operations and senior vice president of product growth, according to LinkedIn. Lavin also served as executive director for YMCA locations in Eagan and Hastings, where he helped to establish youth sports leagues. During his tenure with the Y, Lavin also helped create ForeverWell, a program that offers group exercise classes and social events for older adults. The program is now offered at YMCAs nationwide, according to the release. A graduate of the University of Wisconsin-River Falls and current Hastings resident, Lavin first began with Darts as a volunteer. He and his wife, Laurie Lavin, spent the last 10 years doing volunteer yardwork for the nonprofit. For the past 10 years, Darts was led by Ann Bailey. Also a former Wisconsinite, Bailey learned of Darts in 2002 when her father was struggling with Alzheimer's disease. A unique trajectory, Bailey went from a caregiver receiving Darts services to a financial donor, then board member before being appointed president in June 2015. RELATED: Under her leadership, the nonprofit introduced new programs and served thousands as it expanded its services to all of Dakota County and now includes southern Washington County and southern Ramsey County. In a recent conversation with the Pioneer Press, Bailey shared her hopes for her successor. 'A lot of times people say, 'Who will fill your shoes?' I don't want them to fill it. I want them to pick up the pair next to mine and walk their own path.' Bailey will officially retire from the organization July 1. 'With a deep commitment to values and purpose-driven leadership, the board and I are confident that Mike is a good fit for Darts and Darts is a good fit for Mike,' Michele Engdahl, chair of the board of directors, said in the release. 'We look forward to him continuing the legacy of excellence that Ann has built.' New Bush Foundation Fellows include amputee, journalist, architect, more Air quality alert extended to noon Wednesday throughout Minnesota New MN measles cases confirmed, including Dakota County child who had not traveled 'An absolute privilege': Darts President Ann Bailey offers advice, reflects on 10 years in Dakota County aging services Rosemount: Public invited to tour new $58M Police and Public Works campus
Los Angeles Times
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Why ‘sitcom royalty' Linda Lavin has a strong case for a posthumous Emmy
Linda Lavin has never won an Emmy. That may surprise you, particularly if you were around when Lavin headlined the long-running CBS sitcom 'Alice,' in which she played a widowed mom working as a waitress while pursuing her dream of singing. The series ran from 1976 to 1985, piling up more than 200 episodes, a spinoff for Polly Holliday (Flo, the 'kiss my grits' sass-flinger) and a lasting reputation for presenting an early, understated feminist role model. Alice wasn't nearly as brash as Bea Arthur's Maude or quite as lovable as Jean Stapleton's Edith Bunker, but like her contemporary Mary Tyler Moore, she could turn the world on with her smile. Lavin, who died in December at 87, did earn two Golden Globes for the role and, after 'Alice' ended, she won a Tony Award in 1987 for lead actress in a play for her turn as a Jewish mother navigating a changing world in Neil Simon's 'Broadway Bound.' 'It was one of the greatest stage performances I have ever seen, and I told her that the first day I met her,' says Nathan Lane, who had the opportunity to share his enthusiasm with Lavin when they worked together on the Hulu sitcom 'Mid-Century Modern.' Lane recalls watching the play and choking up when Lavin absent-mindedly wiped off a phone receiver — her character was always cleaning — right after a wrenching phone call. 'She could do anything and make it look effortless,' Lane says. 'Working with her was the happiest experience I've ever had in television.' 'Mid-Century Modern' showrunners Max Mutchnick and David Kohan had considered a few women for the role of Sybil Schneiderman, mother of Lane's character, Bunny — one of three gay friends who decide to live together, following the death of a fourth, in a Palm Springs home also occupied by Sybil. That living arrangement produces some friction and good-natured barbs, but Sybil, as played by Lavin, always leads with love and a generous spirit. And, of course, she's funny. Veteran sitcom director James Burrows calls Lavin a 'heat-seeking missile for a joke.' Anyone watching was very much in on the fun. When Lavin was revealed as Bunny's mother in the first episode, the studio audience was so happy to see her that Burrows had to stop the scene because they were cheering so loudly. 'It took a few tries to finally get it right,' Mutchnik says. 'People always referred to Linda as sitcom royalty, and we quickly found out that that was true.' Lavin had completed filming seven episodes of 'Mid-Century Modern' when, in December, she told Kohan and Mutchnik that she had lung cancer and would be undergoing radiation treatment. The prognosis, she said, was good, and she encouraged them to write her illness into the show, should she be limited. Lavin died Dec. 29. 'I had spoken to her the day after Christmas,' Lane says. 'We were supposed to be back in a week to film the last three episodes, and she was feeling very positive and optimistic.' He pauses. 'I'm getting too emotional.' Another pause. 'At least I was able to tell her how much I loved her.' Lane was afforded another chance to express his feelings when the cast and crew reconvened in January to shoot the episode addressing Lavin's demise. Titled 'Here's to You, Mrs. Schneiderman,' the half-hour finds Lane's Bunny recounting Sybil's death, using details that mirrored Lavin's own passing. On that December day, Lavin's husband, Steve Bakunas, had been driving her to the hospital, with Lavin admonishing him not to speed. After saying 'I love you,' Lavin's last words were: 'Live your life.' 'The only way we could write this and honor her was to tell the truth,' Kohan says, adding that Bakunas had given them his blessing. In a way, he notes, Lavin had too with her directive to incorporate her diagnosis into the show. Kohan says he took some solace in the fact that Lavin was able to say goodbye and was spared having to battle cancer that had metastasized in both lungs. And yet ... 'You have to understand that I had spoken to her two days before and she was so vital and so present,' he adds quietly. 'She also told us, 'Steve and I have said everything we need to say to each other' and that they had done the work,' Mutchnik says. 'She said she had a few dreams for her life. One was a work situation where she was happy, and she loved the work and the work loved her. One was to be in love with the right man — and she was — and she wanted to live in Malibu, and that is where her life ended. So she had everything she wanted.' In Emmy history, 33 actors — 22 men and 11 women — have been posthumously nominated. Most recently, Treat Williams earned a nod last year for his supporting turn in the FX limited series 'Feud: Capote vs. the Swans.' Ray Liotta was nominated in 2023 in the same category for 'Black Bird.' And in 1978, Will Geer received three posthumous nominations, including his last season on 'The Waltons.' (He lost all three.) Lavin has a legitimate case. She elevates 'Mid-Century Modern' every time she's onscreen with her vitality and comic timing. In April, she picked up a comedy supporting actress nod from the Gotham Television Awards. 'I really hope she's considered,' Mutchnik says. 'She so f— deserves it. Her work in those episodes is incredible, the best of what the medium can offer.' Adds Kohan: 'She was such a beloved figure, partly because of the way she loved other people. In our little world, for everyone in front of and behind the camera, she was the momma of the place. We were lucky to have her.'
Irish Examiner
09-05-2025
- Sport
- Irish Examiner
Outdoor basketball? The two-point arc is completely changing Gaelic football
Before the Football Review Committee presented the direction they were taking Gaelic football, they first had to show us what was steering it. Over 7,000 survey responses ranked their top technical skills with a clear top five. The responses were categorised and dissected in an extraordinarily detailed chapter of the FRC's interim report. Kicking and catching scored highest, with long-range points third. General creative play and goal scoring rounded out the set. Nothing that could be considered a defensive skill, like blocking or correct tackling, was rated highly. It was that appreciation for long-range scores combined with a need to entice blanket defences that led to the creation of a 40-metre arc. Since then, the two-pointer has been a revelation. Teams are living and dying by what it adds, or in certain cases fails to add. What we know for certain is that shots from outside the arc are on the rise. In the first report by the Games Intelligence Unit, the average number of two-point attempts from play was just over eight per game. In their most recent report on the provincial championships, it was 12. As soon as the new rule was first proposed, there was a rush to consult the basketball brethren within the game's ranks. Decades ago, the strategy and patterns of the American hardwood sport seeped into Gaelic football coaching. The new orange flag was only ever going to intensify that crossover. The three-point line transformed shot location in the NBA. Now consider the impact it's already having in GAA. In last Sunday's Connacht final, Galway only attempted one midrange shot. Their first six attempts were all for two-pointers. 'It is risk and reward,' says former Limerick footballer Stephen Lavin. He runs the website 'Game Sense Coaching', an online coaching guide on skills and tactical awareness. 'This happens naturally. A player says if I go back two yards, the risk that I miss is slightly higher, but it is twice the reward. That is in their mind and the team's mind. I'm not criticising the committee here, I understand why they got rid of the four-point goal, but you have reduced the reward of going for goals. This is all about risk and reward.' Figure 1. Coaches can now more easily manipulate defences to create the space for their shooters. 'Overload to isolate,' is Lavin's label. 'Previously it was about width and depth; now it is really where can you bunch anywhere in the scoring area to create space somewhere else.' Meath manager Robbie Brennan's headline-grabbing assessment of the new rules last March saw him label it 'outdoor basketball with a breeze.' Eight-time All-Ireland winner and current Éanna basketballer Michael Darragh Macauley predicted that the arc alone will 'completely change Gaelic football'. Now we're starting to see it. The most recent FRC progress report included a shot map that divided one half of the pitch into 13 zones. The return from a two-point shot outside the arc exceeded that of a mid-range shot inside it. This is where the rash decision to scrap the four-point goal starts to take its toll. Jim Gavin said at the time that there was agreement it would work in competitive games. Players and Ard Chomhairle members were worried about what it would mean in matches that pitted teams from different divisions against each other. Essentially, it could get ugly fast. Is there enough incentive for teams to work it in? If not, what does that mean for the nature of the sport? 'When you have players bunching inside for example, the risk isn't worth the reward for kicking a ball in,' says Lavin. 'In my opinion, you'd kick that goal in if you could get four points from it.' An additional problem is that the numbers can prove boring. Few want to dissect a chaotic and inflammatory game in this cold way. Even if you do, there are complications upon complications. Two-point tallies need to differentiate between frees and from play. Figure 2. Frees can be conceded on the arc or result from 50m advancements and 4v3 breaches. There have been numerous examples of teams conceding a two-point free on the arc, but advantage means play continues and a player eventually scores a one. Game state matters. T he conversion rate tends to differ depending on if teams are drawing, losing or winning. We live on a windy island. What we are starting to see is how teams are building their game around the arc. Since the removal of the 12v11 scenario, no team in the country has attempted as many two-pointers as Meath. They also have the second lowest goal shots across that stretch, ahead of only Cavan. They didn't score a goal against Dublin in the semi-final shock but they did score twice as many two-pointers. It was always likely that coaches like Kevin Walsh in Cork, who previously brought his Galway team to the St. Mary's basketball halls for preseason training, would find a way to get creative with his attack. They kicked six two-pointers to Kerry's one in the Munster semi-final clash. Cork's ability to create space and set screens was true innovation. More of it will follow. And that will inevitably dictate the future. 'These things evolve over time,' says Lavin. 'You might see a clip from a championship game and see what worked. That's what I'd be doing as a coach. Other teams end up copying that. This happens across sport, like Pep Guardiola in soccer.' That trend will be worth monitoring. The hope is that the arc will open up the game, not define it. What we know is that change has arrived. What we don't know is how far it will go.
Irish Independent
06-05-2025
- Irish Independent
Roscommon woman (89) who died after being struck by truck to be laid to rest on Monday
Ms Lavin, of Mullen, Frenchpark, and formerly of Ardikellan, Strokestown, was 'highly regarded' in the community, according to Roscommon County Councillor Liam Callaghan. The 89-year-old died after being hit by a truck at the junction of the N5 and R361 at approximately 4.45pm on Thursday afternoon (May 1). Gardaí are appealing to any witnesses to the incident to come forward. Removal from her home will take place on Monday morning to St Asicus' Church, Frenchpark, arriving for Mass of the Resurrection at 11 am followed by burial in Cloonshanville Cemetery. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Michael; her parents, Elizabeth and Pat Lane; sister, Ettie and brother Martin. Ms Lavin is survived by her sons, Pat and Gerry; her daughter, Martina Langan (Ballymote); her grandson, Michael; son-in-law, Tommy; daughter-in-law, Yvonne; Pat's partner, Anne; sisters, Mai and Breege; brothers, Ed and Micheál; brother-in-law, Pat Beirne; sister-in-law, Linda Lane; nephews, nieces, extended family, neighbours and many friends.
HKFP
30-04-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Chinese national arrested with surveillance device near Philippine election commission
A Chinese national was arrested while operating a surveillance device near the offices of the Philippine election commission, authorities said Wednesday, less than two weeks before the country's mid-term polls. The man was allegedly using an 'IMSI catcher', a device capable of mimicking a cell tower and snatching messages from the air in a one-to-three-kilometre (about 3,200-to-9,800-feet) radius. Two Chinese men detained in February were accused of using the same device while driving near sensitive government and military locations in Manila. National Bureau of Investigation spokesman Ferdinand Lavin told AFP the latest arrest was made Tuesday near the offices of the Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) after agents confirmed the IMSI was in operation. 'When we made the arrest, that was the third time he had come to Comelec,' Lavin said, adding other locations visited included the Philippine Supreme Court, Department of Justice and US Embassy. The arrested man held a passport issued by Macau, Lavin said, while a hired Filipino driver who cooperated with the operation was not detained. Macau is ruled by China. Beijing on Wednesday said it was currently in communications with Manila to learn more about the situation while denying any attempt to tamper with Philippine elections. 'We will not and have no interest in interfering in such internal affairs of the Philippines,' foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said when asked about the arrest at a daily press conference. 'We also advise individual politicians in the Philippines not to take the chance to hype up issues related to China, make something out of nothing and seize the opportunity to profit,' Guo added. Earlier this month, Beijing made its own allegations of spying, saying it had 'destroyed' an intelligence network set up by a Philippine espionage agency and arrested three Filipino spies. The Philippines' National Security Council (NSC) later said supposed confessions televised on Chinese state media appeared to have been 'scripted, strongly suggesting that they were not made freely' and that a spy agency mentioned did not exist. The espionage accusations come as the two countries confront each other over disputed territory in the South China Sea and as tensions rise over the Philippines' security ties with ally the United States. Last week, NSC Assistant Director General Jonathan Malaya told a Senate hearing that his agency believed Beijing was likely behind online attacks aimed at influencing the coming mid-term polls. The Chinese Embassy strongly denied the allegation. The Philippines' May 12 elections will decide hundreds of seats in the House of Representatives and Senate as well as thousands of local positions. LATEST FROM HKFP Chinese national arrested with surveillance device near Philippine election commission Hong Kong legislature passes HK$822.3 billion budget bill for 2025-26 Hong Kong police arrest 99 people, aged 13 to 74, in citywide drug trafficking crackdown Ex-senator David Perdue confirmed as US ambassador to China
