If you’re a fan of baseball and the history of the minor leagues then you may be familiar with the historic Chattanooga Lookouts. The Tennessee Double-A team dates back to the early 1900s and is sometimes known for baseball trivia relating to Babe Ruth and Lou Gerhig.

Back in 1931, the New York Yankees played the Lookouts at Chattanooga’s Historic Engel Stadium. The Lookouts roster included a 17-year-old girl named Jackie Mitchell who struck out both Gehrig and Ruth. The Lookouts have since moved to a new stadium but Engel Stadium is still in use and has become a filming location.

In the movie 42, the True Story of an American Legend Engel Stadium was used as the setting for much of the live baseball scenes filmed for the movie. It doubled for historic ballparks such as Ebbetts Field in Brooklyn which was torn down in 1960.

Lookout for Looie!

At the end of March 2021, the Lookouts front office reported to police that the offices at the new home of the lookouts since 2000, AT&T Field, were broken into. Among the items listed as stolen was the head for the mascot costume for Looie the Lookout. It is valued at $3,000 by the team.

Rich Mozingo, President for the Lookouts, stated that Looie was not just sitting around for somebody to pick up.

“He was behind locked doors,” Mozingo said during an interview. “And, they beat those doors in.”

BREAKING: Looie Found Safe and Sound!

After being mascot-napped, Looie the Lookout has been returned home safe. The Lovable Lookout would like to thank the Chattanooga community and his friends @ChattanoogaPD for their support and assistance.

https://t.co/yfHvboaCKd pic.twitter.com/QRRDHJMjaw

— Chattanooga Lookouts (@ChattLookouts) March 31, 2021

Other items stolen included team sports memorabilia and equipment. But Looie is what captured the attention of area residents and sports fans from across the nation. Social media posts from the Chattanooga Police department and the Lookouts started a small “Lookout for Looie” neighborhood watch campaign.

It didn’t take long for the effort to knock one out of the park! Pun intended.

Looie Returns

Enter Brian Hunter who is an electrician for the nearby Tennessee Aquarium. Both AT&T Field and the Aquarium are located in downtown Chattanooga.

“I saw something red on the side of the road back there on Powerhouse Alley,” Hunter said about his drive on the road that home run and foul balls often land on. “I heard the story yesterday and I knew to stop,” said the electrician for the Aquarium. “I looked at it and I kind of knew what it was… it was Looie.”

Mozingo said that he and others in the office were worried about the outcome.. but at the same time hoping for the best. Here’s the reason – there’s not much a thief can do with a stolen professional sports team mascot! Post one selfie on social media with a big stolen mascot head and the police will soon be paying a visit.

“Once you’ve stolen Looie’s head… what do you do with him?” Mozingo stated in an interview with local NBC news affiliate WRCB Channel 3. “There’s not a real great market for it.”

As with any good crime story, pictures of the soggy Looie head laying on the side of the road were taken. But, the Lookouts front office didn’t want to release them out of respect for Looie’s many young fans.

Looie is back in the hands of Mozingo and his staff and getting ready for home games. The question now is who took him? According to police the dollar amount of the theft could lead to felony charges. Hopefully, that mystery will be solved. And, hopefully, Lookout fans will get to see Mr. Hunter throw out the first pitch during a game this upcoming season!

The post Stolen Mascot Returns to Historic Minor League Baseball Team appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

The return to JFK is focused on the premium and business travelers between the east and west coast of the United States. It is a move that now allows the airline to provide air travel service from all three of the major New York airports.

“United’s return to JFK reflects not only our strong commitment to the New York City area, but also to increasing service to and from the places our customers want to fly,” said Ankit Gupta, Vice President of Domestic Network Planning and Scheduling. “With the addition of JFK, United now offers unmatched service, greater convenience, more choice and a best-in-class product for travelers throughout the New York City region as they return to the skies.”

This new service currently offers one round-trip flight, five days a week to each West Coast airport. United says that passengers can expect to see the number of flights double in the near future as the demand increases.

The premium cabins on these United Airlines flights feature flat-bed seats on all flights. This is similar to the current flight to Los Angeles and San Francisco from its hub in Newark.

According to the airline, amenities onboard the trans-con flights include the signature cooling gel pillow along with the Saks Fifth Avenue day blanket and pillow. Meal on the flights, offer seasonal menus crafted by renowned chefs and distinctive amenities.

These offering are available to travelers in United Business and United Premium Plus sections who enjoy a complimentary hot entrée, mixed nuts, salad and dessert, as well as complimentary alcoholic beverages.

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Watch George Floyd Murder Trial Live Stream below in this article:

Viewers can tune in online to watch the George Floyd murder trial live stream on mobile devices and other internet connected devices.

This morning, the trial started with opening statements from the prosecution as well as the defense attorneys representing officer Chauvin.

Both opening arguments concluded just before noon eastern time this morning. After a 20-minute recess, the trial has resumed with the first of what will be a long list of witness testimony.

In its opening statement, the prosecution focused on the fact that officer Chauvin did not “get up” or “let up” after kneeling on the neck of George Floyd for nine minutes and twenty-nine seconds. It is their contention that this is what caused the death of Mr. Floyd.

The defense, meanwhile, is trying to show that Mr. Floyd died as a result of a heart condition complicated by the ingestion of narcotics and the stress of the situation.

Youtube: Live stream of the trial from USA Today.

The trial is expected to continue for some time. The major news networks, including HLN and CNN, are broadcasting the live trial coverage continuously while also providing a live stream of the trial online.

The post Watch George Floyd Murder Trial Live Stream appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

During a recent podcast, a former NFL player commented that he remembers a teammate showing up drunk for a game. You would expect the rest of the story to mention that said player would have had a terrible day, but that’s not what happened!

Jon Kitna, a former QB for the Bengals, recently appeared on the Ryen Russillo Podcast and chatted up old times. During the interview, Kitna talked about an unnamed player showing up late before the game and then going on to have a pretty good day!

“There was a time that I played a game with a guy that was drunk in the huddle. There was a time that a guy showed up late to a game. In the NFL, you need to be there two hours, two hours, and 15 minutes ahead of time. And he showed up under an hour before the game’s start. Those are weird things, now. That’s tough. I’m not sure if the staff knew. But I think the guy was like — that was kind of his normal. I mean he was drunk and had close to 200 yards receiving now. So it was crazy.”

Kitna played with the Bengals from 2001-2005 so there’s a good chance a bunch of internet detectives is already crunching game stats during that period looking for players that had near 200 yard days.

If you thought drinking before a game was unheard of, guess again!

Several NFL players have admitted to drinking before games. Clinton Portis, former back for the Washington and Denver Clinton Portis, said that he and some other teammates would regularly have a quick swallow “of Hennessy” before the start of a game.

The admission came during an interview with the Washington Post in 2017. Portis stated that he, Santana Moss, and the late Sean Taylor would boost their “adrenaline” before games.

“Not like going out and getting sloppy wasted. Just adrenaline,” Portis said in the interview. “You know, you take a shot and you were done with it. Me, Santana, and Sean, we did this for a year and a half before anybody knew. We never told anybody. It was just, hey, here’s a little sip, bam, that was it.”

It just stands to reason that Babe Ruth couldn’t be the only professional sports figure in history that would have a swallow, or several, before hitting the field.

The post Former Bengals QB Jon Kitna recalls Player Drunk during a Game appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

A crisp Sauvignon Blanc, a creamy Chardonnay, a very Instagrammable rosé, a silky Pinot Noir and a couple of robust Cabernets. All grown in Monterey Country, California, are expected to hit the shelves in the following weeks.

With a fantastic team of experts comprising renowned Master Sommelier Chris Miller and winemaker Nick Dumergue, this undertaking is predicted to target the middle-range and fine wine markets.

Chef Ramsay’s new vinous business doesn’t come without controversy. Being a fierce ambassador for British cuisine, it just doesn’t sound right that his wine’s grapes don’t come from the emerging British vineyards. England’s wine regions have been growing steadily in the last few years, and quality is better than ever.

Perhaps Chef Ramsey has been spending too much time on his Los Angeles property.

Meanwhile, the British wine industry could use sponsorship of Ramsay’s caliber. Isn’t Britain’s finest fermented grape juice not up to the celebrity Chef’s standards?

The post From Hell’s Kitchen to the Vineyards, Chef Gordon Ramsay Releases His Own Wine appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

It has the power to influence people’s lives immensely, yet the ever-prevalent social stigmas are treated like the elephant in the room that no one wants to talk about.

Though the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) was primarily responsible for modulating what private TV channels broadcast, it has spent years blocking western and Indian content from Pakistani screens. However, in recent times it has been notorious for consistently banning dramas depicting social taboos.

The board became active, especially since the past year, taking down local serials, left, right and centre. It started from Udaari, a few years back, while the recent hit list consists of the much-anticipated drama ‘Dil na umeed to nahi’. A strong female lead seems to be the common factor in all these dramas.

PEMRA and its controversial ban History.

1. Dil na umeed to nahi – (I haven’t lost hope)

PEMRA reportedly issued a notice to TV One, citing the drama Dil na umeed to nahi for airing ‘objectionable content’. The channel also received a five-day notice to review the telecast and censor the necessary scenes. After the verdict, PEMRA made headlines in print and electronic media alike. Simultaneously, social media was abuzz with netizens calling out the authority for its bias decision. The majority of the audiences opined that they need more such dramas to highlight social issues in society.

The drama features a stellar cast with Yumna Zaidi as the main protagonist, Nauman Ijaz, Yasra Rizvi, Samiya Mumtaz and Wahaj Ali, playing significant roles. The gripping storyline revolves around a prostitute Sumbul, who had a traumatic childhood as a victim of human trafficking. Regardless, she pushes through adversity to emerge as a strong woman who fights against injustice for her fellow call-girls.

Additionally, the story-driven play portrays a mix of social stigmas like child-abuse, prostitution, human trafficking and child marriages.

Dil na umeed se tou nahi comes under the production banner of Kashf Foundation, famous for making serials highlighting social issues like child abuse, sexual harassment and prostitution.

• Udaari (Lit: to fly)

Urwa Hocane and Farhan Saeed starrer Udaari was the first drama serial to bring social evils like sexual harassment, child abuse and rape to Pakistani screen sets.

Udaari hit the television screens in 2016, making waves for its bold representation of an unorthodox subject. The 25-episode narrative brought child sexual abuse to the forefront and helped create awareness among the masses.

After the telecast of the first few episodes, Hum TV received a show-cause notice from PEMRA, asking to explain the airing of a few unpalatable scenes. Other channels also got warnings to produce dramas in compliance with social values or get ready to face the ban.

• Pyar Ke Sadqay (For the sake of Love)

Pyar ke sadqay premiered on Hum TV from January to August 2020. It was another such drama to stir up controversy. This Hum Sitaray serial showcased Omair Rana as an obsessive father-in-law who pursues his son’s naive wife (Yumna Zaidi) romantically and makes consistent advances on her. However, the drama depicted the real picture of our society, as statistics indicate that 34 per cent of sexual abusers are close family members.

However, this time PEMRA issued a press release stating that the drama’s plot went against viewers discretion as they did not want to see such disrespect of “sacred relations”. The board also mentioned that they have been receiving several complaints on a daily basis, since the show went on air.

After repeated notices to TV channels, PEMRA finally announced a ban on the rerun of 2 dramas, one of which was Pyar ke sadqay.

All around the world, Entertainment industries are venturing into creative projects and genres, educating audiences on societal issues. However, in Pakistan, such bans on dramas depicting societal challenges does nothing but hinder the creative process of the Pakistani entertainment industry.

Instead of banning social campaigns, PEMRA can ask channels to shift broadcast timings to after 9 PM that cater to mature audiences. Doing so will be a win-win situation for all, the audience as well as the makers.

The post PEMRA Bans more TV Dramas which depict Social Stigmas appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

A huge number of women belonging from all socioeconomic backgrounds, along with men who identify themselves as feminists, took to the streets on women’s day and demanded the rights of women.

The injustice is prevalent across Pakistan highlighted by a lack of education, basic health rights, employment opportunities for women. And perhaps the most fundamental and important of all – a lack of security for all those women who are present in the Pakistani society.

The Aurat march in Pakistan brought a lot of attention to the whole topic. The media shared the impactful speeches which were made at the marches in major cities such as Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. This included the sharing of the posters made by individuals themselves.

Many prominent celebrities were a part of the women’s day march and raised their voice. Each year the march causes a bustle in society and conversation regarding this topic is initiated too.

Changes must be made. However, improvement can only come for the women once every individual, regardless of their gender, realizes the importance of this conversation.

The post Pakistani Feminists take the Streets on Women’s Day appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

The film industry, and film and television award shows in particular, have long faced criticism for their lack of acknowledgement, and sometimes blatant disregard, for the work of those actors/writers/directors from minority groups.

Despite some huge wins for these communities in recent years, with films such as “Get Out (2017)” and “Parasite (2019)”, many still claim these award shows and the people that organise them have a prejudice towards these groups. The 2021 BAFTAs are rewriting the script on Hollywood.

16 of the 24 acting nominees this year are coming from ethnic minority groups. Of these include, Daniel Kaluuya, who received huge acclaim for his role as Chris Washington in the previously mentioned Horror-Drama, “Get Out”. His latest film, “Judas and the Black Messiah” has a total of 4 nominations, making it one of the most commended films at the ceremony.

The film has seen unprecedented success due to the topical nature of the film’s story and how it links to a recent rise in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.

On top of this, 4 out of the 6 nominees for directing are women, making a stark difference from last years’ BAFTAs where not a single nominee for directing was a woman. Director Chloe Zhao seems to be the fan favourite to win, and seeing as her film “Nomadland” has been nominated for 7 awards, it’s safe to say she’s walking away with at least one trophy in hand.

But nothing is certain yet, and since the ceremony is still a month away, we’ll have to stick with guessing for now…

The post 2021 BAFTA Nominees Announced with most Diverse Nominations in Film History appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

In a candid conversation, during an appearance in The Late Late Show with James Corden, he got honest about the plans he has regarding his move and gave a couple of reasons.

Watch the James Corden inverview with Prince Harry below:

With such a bold statement, many controversial articles were written and a great amount of time on news channels was spent regarding this situation.

Prince Harry, to clarify the situation, followed on and made a couple of more statements to cool down and clarify the whole fiasco.

Prince Harry made it very clear that, although he plans to work as a regular citizen, leaving the royal status behind, he will ‘never walk away from his family’.

In his interview, he even said that ‘it was never walking away rather about stepping down’. He also added in the conversation that the British media served a very toxic role in his life.

While his father couldn’t walk away from such an environment, he made sure to keep him and his family safe from this and decided to make a leap of faith in this way.

The post Prince Harry Speaks Out about Leaving the Royal Family appeared first on CitizenNewsWire.

In Japan, where coronavirus-related suicides are increasing, Prime Minister Suga named ‘Minister of Loneliness’ Tetsushi Sakamoto, who acted as Regional Minister.

Social life has ground to a stop in Japan’s battle against the coronavirus, leaving the people to feel constantly depressed and lonely.

The rise in suicides has occurred in the world. Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga has designated Tetsushi Sakamoto, Minister of Regional Development, as Minister liable for the concerns of the lone people.

Sakamoto claimed in his first speech about his current assignment, “I was advised by Prime Minister Suga to examine the problem and to bring out a holistic approach in cooperation with the ministry in question. I plan to carry out programs aimed at avoiding social isolation and protecting people’s relations.”

Sakamoto also addressed his intention to organize an emergency conference by the end of February and to welcome and listen to others who have helped many people cope with mental health problems, in particular depression and exclusion. Consultations will also be held on support programs, and will also be accompanied by Suga.

The Ministry of Health of Japan has confirmed that the rate of suicide, which has been decreasing in Japan for 10 years as part of strenuous contributions, has begun to increase again for the first time since the end of 2020. In Japan, where 20,919 people committed suicide in 2020, the rise in female and youth suicides is projected to be due to financial hardships exacerbated by the outbreak.

A 70 Percent Rise in The Women Suicide Rate.

Suga has previously reported that about 880 Japanese women committed suicide in October 2020, which is 70% more than the same time last year.

Michiko Ueda, a suicide researcher, said “There are many women who are not married. They have managed to live their own life, work, and survive but generally have no stable jobs. So, they have financial and social issues in harsh times.”

Japan ranks 121 among 153 countries in the 2020 Gender Equity Survey issued by the World Economic Forum (WEF).

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