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The Steak Tartare includes egg yolk purée, truffle aioli, mustard créme fraiche ice cream, capers, and cornichons. David Petkiewicz/TNS CLEVELAND, Ohio — You eat with your eyes first. Or maybe “The camera eats first.” Either way, looks matter. In recent years neuroscience has proven what we already know ... food tastes better when it looks good. With that in mind, fine dining chefs must approach plating as art. They strive for perfectly prepared food presented with a “wow” factor on the plate. While cooking is science, plating is art, says Tim McCoy, Education Director at the International Culinary Arts and Sciences Institue and Loretta Paganini School of Cooking in Chesterland. And art is harder to teach. “It’s not like there’s a set of rules that everybody agrees with,” he says. At least not yet. “We use a couple of different styles that are popular, and we give them names like classical, concentric, stacked, architectural and linear,” he says. “But it’s not like you’re going into a kitchen, and a chef will give it that name.” Culinary students are encouraged to know their tools — sauces, glazes, flavored oils as well as hard elements like herbs, croutons, toile and more. “We encourage our students to play around a little bit,” McCoy says. “Your plating should be in mind before you start. That’s because your plating style may impact how you’re going to choose the ingredients. It may affect how you fabricate your vegetables or how you slice your meat.” What goes on the plate matters but so does what doesn’t. “You need enough negative space — enough space around the food — for better impact,” says McCoy. “Negative space tends to focus the interest on the food.” Plating is becoming a competitive sport as chefs and consumers show off dishes on social media. We talked to three top chefs in Northeast Ohio about how they approach the plating game. “Plating, in my eyes, is so important,” says Sam Lesniak, chef at Cru Uncorked, a fine dining establishment in Moreland Hills. “Being able to present your dish aesthetically is only the first step in creating a beautiful dish. Plating is a good way to transfer your energy and idea onto a canvas for others to absorb.” “People are constantly pushing the boundaries on new plating techniques and cooking techniques to set themselves apart and set the new standard,” he says. Styles and chefs evolve along the way. Sometimes that happens over years, sometimes over minutes. “Being able to execute from concept to finish product goes through many different phases and changes until you’re able to nail your initial visualization,” Lesniak explains. “Sometimes completely changing from your original idea into something better.” Tools in the Cru kitchen include squeeze bottles, misting bottles, tweezers, pastry brushes, cake testers, offset spatula, plating spoons, and various molds to create specific shapes. It’s not just the tools; ingredients matter as well. “When you’re provided with beautiful products it’s then our jobs as chefs to know how to prepare it correctly and to fabricate the items in certain ways to really let the product shine naturally,” he explains. “Using house-grown microgreens such as nasturtium, citrus lace, violas, Egyptian star flower, Anise hyssop, pea tendrils, and sorrel is one of my plating go-tos to help add that finishing touch.” At TURN Bar + Kitchen in the Ritz Carlton Cleveland, Chef Manikandan “Mani” Ramalingam has two things in mind. The “wow factor” comes first, he says. “Sometimes, I want the guest to take pictures before they start eating.” When creating that photogenic plate, he builds it in pieces. “The dish has to have all components — the star of the plate, a crunch element and a sauce that complements the star,” he says. “It should have two to three different flavors — a sweet, a sour, a spicey – so it creates fireworks in your mouth.” As a rule, he suggests just three or four items on a plate. Once these are determined, developing presentation begins. The final product must be replicated over and over again as a dish is ordered. “I use squeeze bottles and tweezers,” Ramalingam says of his tools. “Brushes are outdated. I ask my pastry chefs to not use any brushstrokes anymore.” “Microgreens help elevate as long as they are specific microgreens that complement the food, as long as they are specific to the dish, add value and look good,” he continues. For example, a tomato dish might include micro basil, an Asian dish micro shiso and a Mexican dish micro cilantro. Ramalingam has learned from experience and watching celebrity and master chefs he worked with. He continues to follow many of them on social media. “I follow what’s happening in the world. That’s how I get myself inspired,” he says. “I try to not copy anybody, but I try to get inspired by them.” Meanwhile at The Culinary Vegetable Institute at The Chef’s Garden in Milan, Ohio, Executive Chef Liaison Jamie Simpson has advantages when it comes to plating. He’s not only a professional chef, but he went to art school. Simpson also absorbed art composition from his grandfather who was a professional photographer. “He taught me composition, the rule of thirds, dodging, enlarging, and most importantly, collaborating with nature in a way that brings emotion, composition, and storytelling within a single frame,” Simpson says. He uses that background to create a visual story on the plates he sends out to diners. The Culinary Vegetable Institute is not a restaurant but a showcase for The Chef’s Garden and it hosts special dinner events throughout the year. “Carefully plated food in restaurant settings has widened its footprint across the industry but overall food seems much simpler today than five years ago,” he observes. “Part of this is due to rising food costs and the big one is rising labor costs. Restaurants should be lean right now to weather the current climate. They should also be intentional in presentation when the spaghetti costs $36.” Simpson uses whatever tools help tell the story he’s telling. “Sometimes a cake spatula and a knife are all you need. Sometimes a trip to the hardware store,” he says with a touch of exaggeration. Working as part of The Chef’s Garden has advantages. “I’m a bit biased but I feel like every ingredient we grow here on the farm (when placed next to a commodity and even ‘local’ product of the same variety) is miles above and beyond its nearest counterpart,” he says. “The Chef’s Garden grows for flavor, color, shelf life, and texture.” The food itself is an artistic component. Among these Simpson lists small heads of lettuce, gold beets, petite carrots with tops on, green garlic with roots attached, zucchini blossoms, potatoes the size of peas, flower petals in hundreds of variations. “The ingredients we grow here are amazing,” he says. “Every ingredient we grow makes food more compelling and that’s the point.” Simpson gets his inspiration in the garden. “To walk through the garden is to walk through a kaleidoscope of colors, flavors, and textures,” he says.Elon Musk jests about potentially purchasing MSNBC
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New conflict in northeast Syria could bring 'dramatic consequences' --UN envoyFour members of Maine’s deaf community died in Lewiston in October 2023 in what is believed to be the deadliest mass shooting of deaf people in the U.S. The pain of that loss was magnified by the barriers to communication and information deaf survivors and loved ones faced in the immediate aftermath. Maine Public Radio , in partnership with the Portland Press Herald and Frontline PBS, presents “Breakdown:” a limited-series podcast about the deadliest mass shooting in Maine history. Episode 5 examines the outsize impact of the Lewiston shooting on those who are deaf and hard of hearing, how the community often feels forgotten and why the tragedy has become a catalyst for equity. BOBBI NICHOLS: All of a sudden I heard this noise. And it was so loud. It felt like this big glass chandelier had broke. [ambient music fades up] PATTY WIGHT, HOST: Some people who survived the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s history recall the moment they knew something was wrong by what they heard. BEN DYER: All we heard was pop pop to start. And everyone kinda looked, kinda like, ‘Oh, did balloons pop? Was there a birthday party in the back room?’ ... And and then we heard the pop, pop and scream. HOST: But others that night also remember a different sensation. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: “I felt the vibrations in the bar. The glasses at the bar shattered. And I was confused.” HOST: Kyle Curtis is deaf. He’s telling his story to an independent commission investigating the shooting. Like nearly all of the deaf people in this episode, his words are voiced by a female interpreter. Curtis was one of nine deaf men who were playing in a weekly cornhole league at Schemengees Bar & Grille in Lewiston on Oct. 25, 2023. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: “I saw the bullets coming out of the gun. I could see the flashes in the muzzle. And I could see people falling.” HOST: Another deaf player in the group, Steve Richards Kretlow, says that it felt like something in the kitchen exploded. STEVE RICHARDS KRETLOW, COMMISSION: “I stood up at my table and looked to see what was happening and saw a gunman. I told my friends, ‘Run! Run! Hide. Be safe.’ And everybody scattered. I could feel the vibrations of the gun going off everywhere.” HOST: Kretlow runs, and he’s shot in the leg. He dives under a table and pretends he’s dead. Meanwhile, Kyle Curtis drops to the floor to try to escape the barrage. He crawls toward a door and makes it outside. It’s only then that he realizes he’s injured. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: “And I felt kind of funny because I felt all warm and wet on my side, so I looked and a fragment had hit me ... and I was just kind of in shock. I couldn’t see any of my deaf friends anywhere. No one was coming out. And that scared me. I could only see hearing people.” HOST: Others try to help Curtis. They take off his shirt and use it to tie up his arm. When police arrive, a friend who can hear tries to help Curtis communicate. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: “Because he knew and understood I was deaf, and so he was gesturing with me and sharing with the cop what had happened.” Kyle Curtis reacts during public comment at Lewiston City Hall during a public hearing before the state panel investigating the Lewiston mass shootings in March 2024. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal HOST: Eighteen people died that night after the shooting at Schemengees and at a bowling alley across town. The state of Maine was reeling. And it was an especially difficult time for the deaf community. [piano theme music fades up] HOST: Four of the people killed were deaf. It’s believed to be the deadliest mass shooting of deaf people in the U.S. The pain of that loss would be compounded in the hours and days that followed, as deaf family members tried to find out what happened and locate loved ones. Some who were injured struggled to communicate with first responders and health care workers. And the wider deaf public had to fight for access to televised public safety information while a two-day manhunt was underway. It was a familiar experience for a community that often feels forgotten. But it’s further evidence, they say, that our systems are unprepared to meet their needs — in emergencies, health care, and the media. And they want that to change. From Maine Public Radio, The Portland Press Herald and Frontline PBS, this is Breakdown. I’m Patty Wight. Episode 5: ‘We’re still here.’ [theme music fades down] NIRAV SHAH, PRESS CONFERENCE: “... the Maine CDC is now reporting 2,913 cases of COVID-19 across the state ...” [guitar plucking music] HOST: It’s June 2020 and Nirav Shah, the director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, is holding his regular televised briefing on COVID-19. NIRAV SHAH, PRESS CONFERENCE: “Right now, 26 individuals are currently in the hospital ... ” HOST: In the upper right-hand corner of the screen, there’s a guy with a trim beard — wearing a blazer — who’s interpreting the CDC’s presentation into American Sign Language. His name is Josh Seal. He’s deaf, and is one of just a few Certified Deaf Interpreters in Maine. Josh works with a hearing teammate who listens and signs to him, then he interprets for viewers. Dr. Nirav Shah (from left), director of the Maine Center for Disease Control, Gov. Janet Mills and American Sign Language interpreter Josh Seal during the last regularly scheduled coronavirus news conference Wednesday June 30, 2021, in the cabinet room of Maine State House in Augusta. Joe Phelan/Kennebec Journal For many deaf people in the U.S., English is not their primary language. It’s American Sign Language, or ASL. The two are not the same. ASL has its own vocabulary, grammar, and word order. Because ASL is Josh’s native language, his interpretation of the CDC briefings is the best way to provide the latest information on the spread of a new and deadly virus we know little about. But it was a much bigger audience than usual for Josh. LIZ SEAL: There he is, I mean, not just a regular private doctor’s office. No, he’s on the news. You know, it was pretty nerve racking for him. HOST: That’s Josh’s wife, Liz Seal, who’s also deaf. Their four kids are, too. She says that Josh had only started working as a Certified Deaf Interpreter shortly before the pandemic. LIZ SEAL: He had just left his job as an ed tech at a school, which he loved supporting young deaf children in elementary school and to give them a can-do attitude. HOST: Being an interpreter fit in with one of his life missions: making sure Maine’s deaf community had quick access to information — especially in an emergency. But information would be hard to come by in the aftermath of the shooting, even for Josh’s own family. Because he was one of the deaf men playing cornhole that night at Schemengees. [ambient music] HOST: Liz found out there had been a shooting through friends. LIZ SEAL: But there was no details. Just in general, there was a shooting. So I didn’t know what to do. HOST: Liz needs to find Josh. She gets in her car and meets up with deaf friends who are also searching for missing loved ones. There isn’t a lot of information in the hours after the shooting. But Liz says for the deaf and hard of hearing community, there’s even less. LIZ SEAL: We knew one was at this hospital. One was at the Armory, where apparently people were getting more information there. We call different hospitals. ‘Do you have my husband?’ Liz Seal, the widow of Josh Seal, in June 2024. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald HOST: She can’t get any information about Josh. Liz drives to hospitals and the Lewiston Armory, where survivors are initially brought. Her in-laws, who are hearing, also join the search. LIZ SEAL: And this went all through the night. ‘Where could he be?’ HOST: Liz is frantic. Everywhere she goes, she’s using text to communicate. Her in-laws know some sign language, and try to help. LIZ SEAL: What was interesting was that all these places, the Armory, the different hospitals, even the reunification center did not think to provide interpreters, did not think to call them when they were set up at the very beginning, even though they knew that there were deaf people involved. HOST: It’s unclear from the commission report exactly when first responders realized that deaf people were among the victims and survivors. But it found that when Lewiston police discovered some of the victims were deaf, they dispatched an officer who knew ASL to the Armory. What Liz remembers is sitting at a table at the reunification center and all at once several people start talking over each other. She doesn’t know what they’re saying. But her mother-in-law does. It’s about Josh. LIZ SEAL: Eventually they directed that to my mother-in-law, that at this point we assume he’s among the deceased. [ambient music fades up] HOST: Josh has most likely been killed. Liz is overcome with grief. LIZ SEAL: That was made much worse by the fact that my mother-in-law, who was the mother of my husband, had to also be the one to break the news to me. That retraumatized me again. HOST: As deaf loved ones in the community face communication barriers, two deaf men wounded at Schemengees also encounter problems at local hospitals. Steve Richards Kretlow is at one hospital, bleeding from a gunshot wound to his leg. To communicate with doctors, he says he needs an American Sign Language interpreter. But, as Kretlow explains to the independent commission investigating the shooting, he instead has to rely on Video Remote Interpreting, or VRI. It’s a device that connects to a virtual interpreter on a screen, such as a tablet. STEVE RICHARDS KRETLOW, COMMISSION: “It was just a screen with a person on it ... And I said, ‘No. I don’t, I don’t understand that well enough. I need an interpreter ... an actual live person.’ ... This system — VRI — it just keeps disconnecting in the middle of signs. And they didn’t know our local signs. Those interpreters are national interpreters so they don’t know our local signs and they didn’t know what I was trying to say, and she couldn’t catch up, and I was so frustrated.” Steve Richards Kretlow reads a prepared statement as his wife Heather holds it at Lewiston City Hall during a public hearing before the state panel investigating the Lewiston mass shootings in March 2024. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal [ambient music fades up] HOST: Like many languages, ASL has regional differences and local dialects and signs. That’s part of why Kretlow struggles to communicate. STEVE RICHARDS KRETLOW, COMMISSION: “And they just kept using VRI, and I was missing most of every conversation. It was like I was missing 80% of what was being said.” HOST: It’s also ideal to have an in-person interpreter because ASL is a visual language. It uses the whole body, especially the hands and face. If you’re a hearing person, and are sick or in pain, think about how hard it can be to talk. Now imagine the same situation, only you’re deaf. And you have to communicate over video. MEGAN VOZZELLA: And you are laying on a bed, let’s say. The way it’s set up, you can’t see faces. If you’re in pain, you can’t access that information. HOST: That’s Megan Vozzella. She’s deaf. She’s advocated for her community since her husband, Steve Vozzella, who was also deaf, was killed in the shooting. MEGAN VOZZELLA: The medical professionals who are there are, you know, trying to move things out of the way. If you have a human, a person who is there who can adjust, like the interpreter can, that gives you access to that communication for all the parties who are there. HOST: There’s another disadvantage to VRI: it’s prone to connectivity issues. It can freeze or cut out if the Wi-Fi isn’t strong enough. That’s something I witnessed firsthand when I asked to see a VRI machine. MALVINA GREGORY: OK. So this is a remote interpreter unit. ... HOST: Malvina Gregory is standing in front of a rolling cart with a tablet mounted on a pole. Gregory is the director of interpreter and cross-cultural services at Portland-based MaineHealth. It’s the largest health care system in the state. MALVINA GREGORY: So I’m just going to tap and open up the call to find a sign language interpreter. HOST: Within moments, a friendly male interpreter appears on the screen. But as he explains VRI, his image freezes and his voice becomes garbled. VRI INTERPRETER: ... and I would be ready to go and I would say tilt the camera towards your patient ... [garbled] HOST: A weak Wi-Fi connection is the problem, says Gregory. MALVINA GREGORY: This is the frustration that some of the patients have — is that his image is freezing a little bit. Right, we’re getting digitization of it, um, it will drop out ... VRI INTERPRETER: Can you see my hands moving smoothly? MALVINA GREGORY: Yeah no, we can’t actually. It’s actually very blurred to us. [ambient music fades up] HOST: That glitchiness is what Kyle Curtis says he experienced the night of the shooting. He also had to rely on VRI while he was treated at a different hospital after he was hit by a fragment. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: ” ... you only see half a sign, you miss half the sentence.” HOST: He’s testifying to the independent commission. KYLE CURTIS, COMMISSION: “They decided it was so bad there in that room, they moved me to a different room ... and it was worse there than it was before. They switched interpreters six different times on the VRI system to find somebody who could understand me. And I was very frustrated trying to explain things over and over with all of the, the um, disconnects. And I said I need an ASL — American Sign Language — interpreter.” HOST: Studies have linked poor communication to worse health outcomes in people who are deaf and hard of hearing. In their testimony to the commission, Curtis and Kretlow don’t say whether the communication gaps affected the care they received. But commission member Debra Baeder offers an observation: DEBRA BAEDER, COMMISSION: “What strikes me is you go through this incredible trauma. And then the gaps and lapses and problems with communication just compounds it. It definitely magnifies the horrible experience that you had.” Dr. Debra Baeder, a member of the Independent Commission to Investigate the Facts of the Tragedy in Lewiston, in the council chamber of Lewiston City Hall in May 2024. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal HOST: “Yes,” Curtis answers. “I agree.” [piano music fades up] HOST: But it turns out, there were interpreters waiting outside Lewiston hospitals on the night of the shooting, trying to get in. They came after word spread rapidly through the deaf community that some of their members were among those killed and injured. But they weren’t let in for hours. NOEL SULLIVAN: We were denied access because they were in lockdown. HOST: Noel Sullivan is the president and CEO of the Pine Tree Society, which offers 24/7 ASL interpreting services. NOEL SULLIVAN: But we were trying to say, ‘But you have someone in there, we know you will not communicate with.’ And they said, ‘Oh, we have this iPad system, we use virtual.’ HOST: One hospital — Central Maine Medical Center — treated more than a dozen people who were injured. As their emergency room filled with patients, chief medical and operating officer John Alexander says the hospital also became overwhelmed with volunteers who wanted to help in whatever way they could — from interpreters, to former staff, to members of the community. JOHN ALEXANDER: And so trying to manage that, you know, in-pouring of assistance, which is great, and you know, certainly, when you reflect back on it is heartwarming. But in the moment, was really a lot to try to figure out, ‘OK, who are you? What are your credentials? What can you do? Where should you go?’ HOST: Even though it was a chaotic night, some say the communication gaps after the Lewiston shooting point to a larger systemic problem. ASL interpreter Amanda Eisenhart told the independent commission investigating the shooting that those gaps highlight an assumption in our culture that deaf people are not present. AMANDA EISENHART, COMMISSION: “This is because deaf people are chronically overlooked in public policy, procedure, and public safety practice. To assume that deaf people are not present in spaces is to continue to practice the social erasure of deaf lives.” [ambient music] HOST: More than 3.5% of the U.S. population is deaf or hard of hearing. That’s roughly 12 million people. In Maine, the estimate is more than 70,000 people. The state is home to some of the nation’s oldest institutions for the deaf. The Maine Association of the Deaf formed in the late 1870s. That’s around the same time that a school for the deaf opened in Portland. It’s still in operation, in a neighboring town and under a different name: the Governor Baxter School for the Deaf. The deaf community in Maine often describes itself as small and tight knit. Liz Seal says that they rely on each other to share information. LIZ SEAL: We’re the type of community that believes in collectivism. And what I know I’m going to tell you, what you know, you’re going to tell me. HOST: But Liz says the deaf community didn’t have the same access to public information after the shooting, even though state officials provided regular televised updates. MIKE SAUSCHUCK, PRESS CONFERENCE: “Thank you for joining us here this evening. My name’s Mike Sauschuck, I’m the commissioner from the Department of Public Safety here in Maine.“ HOST: At the first briefing, the night of the shooting, when the suspect was still at large — there was no ASL interpreter. MIKE SAUSCHUCK, PRESS CONFERENCE: “And this is a general caution to the public that at approximately 6:56 this evening, a couple of shooting incidents occurred here with multiple casualties in the city of Lewiston.” HOST: To the deaf community, it was a stinging reminder that they were an afterthought. And because English is not the first language for many deaf people, TV captions aren’t a substitute that work for everyone. Maine State Police Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck addresses the media on Oct. 27, 2023. Russ Dillingham/Sun Journal By the next day, there was an ASL interpreter at the briefings. But she wasn’t always visible to viewers. During a news conference Friday morning — a day and half after the shooting — police were still trying to find the suspect and rolled in large maps of the search area behind the lectern. That meant there was no place for the interpreter, Regan Thibodeau, to stand in view of video cameras. [ambient music fades up] HOST: I was at that news conference. I remember Thibodeau, visibly frustrated, hoisting herself on top of a hard wooden desk behind the maps, kneeling to try to get in the cameras’ view. But most of the time, you couldn’t see her. Afterwards, Thibodeau, who is deaf herself, said the shooting hit both the local and national deaf community hard — and they were trying to tune in. REGAN THIBODEAU: There are many people calling to tell me, the interpreter, ‘I can’t see you. What do I do to see you? ... Some channels are full coverage, sometimes they pan out and then I can’t see you. I don’t know what’s going on, I missed that information.’ HOST: All that members of the deaf community want, Thibodeau said, is to get the same information at the same time as everyone else — especially during a public emergency. REGAN THIBODEAU: These people live in our community. They live in our towns. This is a critical time and access is important. HOST: By that afternoon’s briefing, the message began to sink in. Public Safety Commissioner Sauschuck opened with this announcement: MIKE SAUSCHUCK, PRESS CONFERENCE: “For starters, let me just say, for the consideration of the four deaf victims and their family, we are requesting that the ASL interpreter is in all frames for language access here in Maine and the U.S. They are grieving and have a right to know the latest info in ASL.” HOST: That reminder was repeated at other news conferences about the shooting — including one held by President Joe Biden during his visit to Lewiston a week later. As Biden invited Maine Sen. Susan Collins to speak, Maine’s governor whispered in her ear just before she stepped to the microphone. SUSAN COLLINS, PRESS CONFERENCE: “Thank you very much, Mr. President. I’ve been asked to remind the cameras to include our interpreter in your shots ...” Maine State Police Public Safety Commissioner Michael Sauschuck speaks at a press conference in Lewiston on Oct. 28, 2023. ASL interpreter Regan Thibodeau is at right. Daryn Slover/Sun Journal LISA ROSE: I was very blown away by that. [ambient music fades up] HOST: Lisa Rose is the president of the National Association of the Deaf. She’s deaf herself and says that moment served as a powerful example. LISA ROSE: I had never seen someone at that level of government make sure that the screen is going to be accessible. HOST: In the months that followed, news stories and events drew positive attention to the deaf community and also recognized its losses. Maine’s popular minor league baseball team, the Portland Sea Dogs, held a Deaf and Hard of Hearing Awareness Night the following summer. Baseball has historic ties to deaf culture. In the late 1800s, several major league players who were deaf helped pioneer some of the hand signals that umpires still use to this day. And baseball was Josh Seal’s favorite sport. He was honored before the game started. ANNOUNCER, SEA DOGS GAME: “At this time, we’d like to take a moment to remember Josh Seal. Josh was a beloved leader in the state’s deaf community ...” HOST: Students from the Baxter School for the Deaf signed the national anthem while it was sung. Sea Dogs vice president Chris Cameron shows off a American Sign Language-designed Sea Dogs jersey Thursday, June 13, 2024. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer ANNOUNCER, SEA DOGS GAME: “They are thrilled to showcase the beauty and authenticity of American Sign Language through this performance ...” HOST: The baseball team wore shirts emblazoned with Sea Dogs in ASL fingerspelling, and they were later auctioned off to support a camp for deaf and hard of hearing children that Josh started. [piano music] HOST: Liz Seal was at the game with their four children. She said this kind of awareness of the deaf community is what Josh worked for. LIZ SEAL: It’s been wonderful to raise awareness since the shooting ... you know, people thought that deaf and hard of hearing people already had full access, but then they learned in a crisis we do not. HOST: But along with the increased attention given to the deaf community, there were missteps. Roughly six weeks after the shooting, a task force to improve communication in health care settings for the deaf and hard of hearing met for the first time. The task force was established shortly before the shooting. Now, its work took on even greater importance. But the first time they meet, they run into a communication blunder. Liz Seal, the widow of Josh Seal, with her children (from left) Jayson, 13; Jaxton, 4; Sephine, 10; and Jarrod, 6, at their home Friday, June 14, 2024. Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Staff Photographer EMILY BLACHLY, TASK FORCE: “May I make one more comment before we move on about deaf community members not being able to see?” HOST: Task force member Emily Blachly, who’s deaf, points out that the livestream video of the meeting lacks an extra camera to focus on the interpreters. EMILY BLACHLY: “This forum is happening in, um, in spoken English for the most part, but the interpreters who are here for us in the room are not accessible to those who are joining online on Zoom because there’s no camera on them ... So this is an example of where those barriers happen just by public entities, so ...” [guitar strumming, piano fades up] HOST: After a brief discussion, the co-chair of the task force, Sen. Henry Ingwerson pauses the meeting. Roughly 30 minutes later, he resumes it with the interpreters now visible in one of the video frames. HENRY INGWERSON, TASK FORCE: “This demonstrates the work we have to do, in this, in this committee, this group.” HOST: In its report issued three months after the shooting, the task force recommended that health care providers at least attempt to get an ASL interpreter when requested. It also urged that health care providers take steps to prevent the overreliance on Video Remote Interpreting — VRI. But some advocates for the deaf say so far, little has changed. THOMAS MINCH: Any improvement? I have to say, honestly, not much. HOST: That’s Thomas Minch of Disability Rights Maine. He says he continues to get a steady stream of complaints from deaf patients who don’t have access to in-person interpreters at health care appointments. Instead, they have to use VRI. Thomas Minch speaks to the Sun Journal on Oct. 10, 2024, at the Maine Resiliency Center in Lewiston. Andree Kehn/Sun Journal THOMAS MINCH: And Oct. 25 was absolutely horrendous, of course, but it didn’t even drive the message home. And it’s like, why is this continuing? [xylophone music fades up] HOST: Others say there is progress being made on improving communication in health care. The state is undertaking an assessment of how many ASL interpreters are needed. One reason health care providers rely on VRI is that there’s a shortage of interpreters, both in Maine and across the country. State police released an internal review that says ASL interpreters should be considered necessary in, quote, “significant incidents.” And the Maine Association of the Deaf is meeting regularly with state officials to initiate changes, including training for first responders to better communicate with people who are deaf and hard of hearing. Director Matt Webster is deaf. He says that the Association wants to see improvements become policy. MATT WEBSTER: And now that things are in talks ... yes, I feel like it’s moving. It’s slow, but it’s moving. I see a commitment from people that I hadn’t seen before. HOST: The deaf community nationwide is watching Maine to see if there are any changes — and if the state could be a model. [keyboard music fades up] The motivation to make changes is real. But so is the concern that it won’t last. More than 25 years ago, the state of Maine issued a report assessing the needs of the deaf and hard of hearing population. Among the priorities? Better interpreter services and emergency communications — problems that still need to be solved. THOMAS MINCH: We don’t have high expectations. Because it’s a pattern. HOST: Again, Thomas Minch of Disability Rights Maine. THOMAS MINCH: It’s a pattern, a lifetime of patterns that we’ve all experienced, you know, something comes up, and then it’s great, and then it goes away. There’s been no stability in any of this improvement. It just quiets down again. HOST: This summer, I visited a camp in central Maine called the Pine Tree Camp’s Dirigo Experience. It’s a place where around two dozen kids get to come for a week to splash and swim and form lasting friendships. That’s important for any child — and especially for those who are deaf or hard of hearing. This camp is just for them. KEVIN BOHLIN: That was Josh’s vision. HOST: That’s Kevin Bohlin. Kevin is deaf and was friends with Josh. He helped him start the camp in 2022. KEVIN BOHLIN: Because he grew up in Maine. And he was essentially alone in his public school system, and he had very few opportunities year-round to meet other deaf and hard of hearing peers. HOST: Kevin says the camp is both a response and a solution to the communication barriers the deaf community faces. Here, no one feels left out. And sprinkled in with typical camp activities, like archery and nature walks, kids meet adult mentors and learn about potential careers — guidance that Kevin says deaf kids don’t always get. IZZY: I’m like, this place is so great. I love this. HOST: This is 13-year-old Izzy’s first summer at the Dirigo Experience camp. She’s speaking with her own voice and says she likes being with other kids who are deaf. IZZY: It kind of makes you feel like that — you’re not alone. Or you’re not different. HOST: That’s why it’s so important that things improve, says Kevin. Because it will have consequences for this generation of deaf kids. KEVIN BOHLIN: The changes I want to see, you know, is for them to never have to worry for a single day about getting access to communication. HOST: Josh Seal dreamed of that too. And for all deaf and hard of hearing kids to connect with one another and have the confidence to be themselves. Those dreams are now his legacy. [piano theme fades up] HOST: In our sixth and final episode: ARTHUR BARNARD, RALLY: “This is not about taking guns, OK? This is about doing the right thing and finding the right politicians who are willing to do the right thing more than they are afraid of losing their jobs!” CYNTHIA YOUNG, PRESS CONFERENCE: “There needs to be accountability for those actions not taken that led up to the 18 souls being lost, and also the loss of feeling safe and secure for the survivors of this tragic event. NICOLE HERLING, COMMISSION: “And my question is, what the hell are we going to do for the people who have traumatic brain injuries today? What are we going to do for their families who are experiencing it today?” HOST: Turning anguish into action. That’s next time on Breakdown. Breakdown is a collaboration between Maine Public Radio, the Portland Press Herald and FRONTLINE PBS, with support from Rock Creek Sound. Our reporters are Susan Sharon, Kevin Miller, and Steve Mistler. The producer is Emily Pisacreta. The show is edited by Ellen Weiss and Keith Shortall. Our executive producers are Mark Simpson and Erin Texeira. Sound design and mixing by Benjamin Frisch. Fact checking by Nicole Reinert. Legal support from Dale Cohen. Jane Hecker-Cain was the ASL interpreter for Liz Seal. Cid Pollard was the ASL interpreter for Megan Vozzella. Rebecca Stuckless was the ASL interpreter for Lisa Rose. Stacey Bsullak was the ASL interpreter for Regan Thibodeau. Julia Schafer was the ASL interpreter for Thomas Minch. Grace Cooney was the ASL interpreter for Kevin Bohlin and Matt Webster. Rick Schneider is the President and CEO of Maine Public Radio. Lisa Desisto is the CEO and Publisher of the Portland Press Herald. Raney Aronson-Rath is the executive producer and editor-in-chief of FRONTLINE. Breakdown is produced through FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative, which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation. For an upcoming video translation of the podcast in American Sign Language, go to frontline.org. For additional reporting about Lewiston, visit mainepublic.org/breakdown, pressherald.com and frontline.org, where you can also stream the documentary Breakdown in Maine. If you are in crisis, please call, text or chat with the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline at 988, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting TALK to 741741. We’re a new podcast and the best way to help us get discovered is to leave a five-star review wherever you get our show, and tell your friends. I’m Patty Wight. Thanks for listening. This story is part of an ongoing collaboration with FRONTLINE (PBS) and Maine Public that includes an upcoming documentary. It is supported through FRONTLINE’s Local Journalism Initiative , which is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundatio Comments are not available on this story. 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WASHINGTON “Washington is still operating as if it’s March 2020. The headquarters of most agencies remain largely abandoned,” Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa, wrote in a report released Thursday that paints a dystopian picture of the federal workforce inside the vaunted beltway. It’s been nearly five years since COVID knocked on America’s door. Most schools and businesses opened up years ago. But federal government operations in Washington, D.C., are way behind the flyover states. Because of COVID, President Joe Biden campaigned from home in 2020. He has been a frequently absent executive since he took the oath of office in 2021. Ernst figured Biden “was out of office 532 days over the last three-and-a-half years, about 40 percent of the time he was expected to be in the Oval Office.” The no-show mentality has filtered from the top down. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin didn’t bother to inform Biden when he was hospitalized for days. Defense Deputy Secretary Kathleen Hicks ran the Pentagon while on a beach vacation in Puerto Rico. Moscow and Beijing must be gleeful. Federal agencies are supposed to serve the public — inspecting baby formula, screening calls from veterans who desperately need mental-health services, processing student aid applications — but how many of them are actually working? Americans don’t get time off from paying taxes. Ernst is a founder and member of the DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) caucus that is preparing to go after the worst abuses in the federal workforce. According to Ernst, “the nation’s capital is a ghost town, with government buildings averaging an occupancy rate of 12 percent.” The Biden administration has been in no hurry to get federal workers back to the office — to the displeasure of D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, as well as area eateries and businesses. An updated contract between the Social Security Administration and the American Federation of Government Employees extends work-from-home policies — reporting to the office between two and five days a week — into 2029. TrumpLand has a better take. In a piece that ran in The Wall Street Journal last month, DOGE czars Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy wrote of common-sense reforms that should send a thrill up voters’ legs — most notably, a requirement that federal workers in the D.C. area come to the office five days a week. The DOGE duo expect that the policy “would result in a wave of voluntary terminations that we welcome.” Federal employees who show up for work and do their jobs diligently must be enraged at these abuses. According to Ernst, 3 percent of the federal workforce telecommuted daily before COVID. Now 6 percent report in-person on a full-time basis, while nearly one-third work entirely remotely. The arrogance of those who abused COVID measures can be breathtaking. A Veterans Affairs manager dialed into a meeting from his bathtub. He took a selfie of himself in the tub with the headline, “my office for the next hour.” “Instead of pulling the plug on these ‘bubble bath bureaucrats,’ taxpayer dollars keep going down the drain, paying their salaries and maintaining their empty offices,” Ernst wrote. I’ve been in this business for so long that I remember when even partial government shutdowns generated horror stories about the disasters about to fall upon a vulnerable public. Now we learn that nearly one-third of the federal government workforce is entirely remote. Sort of like Joe Biden.
BARRY McGuigan broke down in tears over his father's death and family trauma on tonight's I'm A Celebrity: Unpacked. Former boxer Barry, 63, became visibly emotional after being shown a video of his late father Patrick performing at the 1968 Eurovision Song Contest. Under the stage name Pat McGeegan, Patrick placed fourth in the competition with the song Chance of a Lifetime. Hosts Joel Dommett, Sam Thompson , and Kemi Rodgers surprised the recently eliminated campmate with the heartfelt footage, leaving Barry deeply moved. Struggling to contain his emotions, he shared: "He died at 52, the poor fella, cancer." Joel praised Barry for his openness about grief, calling him an "inspiration". Earlier in the series, Barry had candidly shared with his fellow campmates the devastating loss of his daughter Danika , along with other family hardships. Speaking on tonight’s show, Barry reflected on the painful experiences. He said: "Losing my dad, then my brother to suicide, and then my girl... it just destroyed me. "I only had one daughter, so it’s hard to bounce back from that. My brother was 34, my dad was 52. "But losing your child... her whole career was ahead of her. She was a fantastic young actress. Her film Wildfire was winning awards all over the world, and she was just about to break through. "Then she was given five weeks to live." Barry admitted he sometimes feels judged for expressing his grief, claiming, "People say, 'Why doesn’t he stop weeping?'" But the hosts - along with newly-departed Maura Higgins and last year's winner Jill Scott - were quick to offer comfort, reminding him of the strength in sharing his story. Just today, Good Morning Britain viewers accused the show of ‘setting a trap’ for Barry as he broke down in tears over Danika live on-air. The sporting legend was initially in high spirits as he spoke to Rob Rinder and Kate Garraway from the luxurious JW Marriott Hotel in Surfers Paradise. But Barry grew emotional later in the conversation. When asked about Danika, who died from bowel cancer five years ago aged 33, he tearfully said: "It’s the single most devastating thing that’s happened to me. "Losing my daughter was dreadful. I never recovered from it. "It’s important I do chat about it. I know she’s there somewhere. "Her life was so sad, the most important time in her life when things were looking great, she got cancer and died. "In time, we learn how to deal with it. Danny had similar issues in his life." Fans were furious that the show had asked him such questions about his daughter. One wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "You set Barry up there." "Poor Barry," another chimed in. A third tweeted: "Oh Barry sending love to you and your wife and family, losing a child is the worst thing anyone can go through." i'm A Celebrity is back for its 24th series, with a batch of famous faces living in the Aussie jungle. The Sun's Jake Penkethman takes a look at the stars on the show this year.. Coleen Rooney - Arguably the most famous name in the camp, the leading WAG, known for her marriage to Wayne Rooney , has made a grand return to TV as she looks to put the Wagatha Christie scandal behind her. The Sun revealed the mum-of-four had bagged an eye-watering deal worth over £1.5million to be on the show this year making her the highest-paid contestant ever. Tulisa - The popstar and former X Factor judge has made her triumphant TV comeback by signing up to this year's I'm A Celeb after shunning TV shows for many years. Known for being a member of the trio, N-Dubz, Tulisa became a household name back in 2011 when she signed on to replace Cheryl on ITV show The X Factor in a multi-million pound deal. Alan Halsall - The actor, known for playing the long-running role of Tyrone Dobbs on ITV soap opera Coronation Street, was originally signed up to head Down Under last year but an operation threw his scheduled appearance off-course. Now he has become the latest Corrie star to win over both the viewers and his fellow celebrities. Melvin Odoom - The Radio DJ has become a regular face on TV screens after rising to fame with presenting roles on Kiss FM, BBC Radio 1 and 4Music. Melvin has already been for a spin on the Strictly dancefloor and co-hosted The Xtra Factor with Rochelle Humes in 2015 but now he is facing up to his biggest challenge yet - the Aussie jungle . GK Barry - The UK's biggest social media personality, GK, whose real name is Grace Keeling, has transformed her TikTok stardom into a lucrative career. Aside from her popular social media channels, she hosts the weekly podcast, Saving Grace, and regularly appears on ITV talk show, Loose Women. She has even gone on to endorse popular brands such as PrettyLittleThing, KFC and Ann Summers. Dean McCullough - A rising star amongst this year's bunch of celebs , Dean first achieved notability through his radio appearances on Gaydio and BBC Radio 1. He was chosen to join the BBC station permanently in 2021 and has featured prominently ever since. He has enjoyed a crossover to ITV over the past year thanks to his guest slots on Big Brother spin-off show, Late & Live. Oti Mabuse - The pro dancer has signed up to her latest TV show after making her way through the biggest programmes on the box. She originally found fame on Strictly Come Dancing but has since branched out into the world of TV judging with appearances on former BBC show The Greatest Dancer as well as her current role on ITV's Dancing On Ice . Danny Jones - The McFly star was drafted into the programme last minute as a replacement for Tommy Fury. Danny is the second member of McFly to enter the jungle , after Dougie Poynter won the show in 2011. He is also considered a rising star on ITV as he's now one of the mentors on their Saturday night talent show, The Voice , along with bandmate Tom Fletcher. Jane Moore - The Loose Women star and The Sun columnist is braving the creepy crawlies this year. The star is ready for a new challenge - having recently split from her husband . It will be Jane's first foray into reality TV with the telly favourite having always said no to reality shows in the past. Barry McGuigan - Former pro boxer Barry is the latest fighting champ to head Down Under following in the footsteps of Tony Bellew and Amir Khan. It comes after a tough few years for Irish star Barry, who lost his daughter Danika to bowel cancer . He told The Late Late Show in 2021: "She was such an intrinsic part of the family that every day we ache." Maura Higgins - The Irish TV beauty first found fame on Love Island where she found a brief connection with dancer Curtis Pritchard . Since then, she has competed on Dancing On Ice as well as hosting the Irish version of the beauty contest, Glow Up. Since last year, she has been working on building up her career in the US by being the social media correspondent and host of Aftersun to accompany Love Island USA. She even guest hosted an episode of the spin-off, Love Island Games, in place of Maya Jama last year. Rev. Richard Coles - Former BBC radio host the Rev Richard Coles is a late arrival on I’m A Celebrity , and he's ready to spill the beans on his former employer. The former Communards and Strictly star , said the BBC did not know its a**e from its elbow last year. An insider said: "Rev Coles will have a variety of tales to tell from his wild days as a pop star in the Eighties, through to performing on Strictly and his later life as a man of the cloth."
US stocks experience mixed fortunes on quiet day of trading
United Airlines travelers with lost luggage have a new tool to track their bags. If the lost bag has an Apple AirTag in it, that information can now be passed directly to United, the airline announced Thursday. The new feature, called Share Item Location, allows travelers with an AirTag or other Find My network accessory to share the location with the airline’s customer service team to help locate their luggage in the event it’s misplaced. United says more than 99% of its customers pick up their luggage without a hitch. The feature is now available with iOS 18.2, iPadOS 18.2 or macOS 15.2. “Apple’s new Share Item Location feature will help customers travel with even more confidence, knowing they have another way to access their bag’s precise location with AirTag or their Find My accessory of choice,” said David Kinzelman, United’s chief customer officer. Travelers on United whose bags do not arrive at their destination can file a delayed baggage report with United and share the link to the item’s location either through the United app or via text message. After the report has been submitted, customer service agents will be able to locate the item on an interactive map alongside a timestamp of a recent update. The shared location will be disabled after a customer has the bag, and customers can also stop sharing the location of the item at any time on their own. The location link will also automatically expire after seven days. Using AirTags or other tracking devices on luggage is increasingly popular among frequent travelers, with a significant boom following the 2022 Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown , which displaced thousands of travelers over Christmas and into 2023, alongside much of their belongings. United says lost bags are rare, with more than 99% of its customers arriving with their bags. It says the new technology will help those with lost bags to recover them more quickly because the airline will have more information about them. Apple previously announced the new service will also be integrated at other air carriers, including Delta Air Lines. Others include Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Brussels Airlines, Eurowings, Iberia, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa, Qantas, Singapore Airlines, Swiss International Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Virgin Atlantic and Vueling. Get local news delivered to your inbox!The S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
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Eagles look to clinch NFC East title while Cowboys hope to play spoilerThe S&P 500 fell less than 0.1% after spending the day wavering between small gains and losses. The tiny loss ended the benchmark index’s three-day winning streak. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.1% and the Nasdaq composite fell 0.1%. Trading volume was lighter than usual as US markets reopened following the Christmas holiday. Semiconductor giant Nvidia, whose enormous valuation gives it an outsize influence on indexes, slipped 0.2%. Meta Platforms fell 0.7%, and Amazon and Netflix each fell 0.9%. Tesla was among the biggest decliners in the S&P 500, finishing 1.8% lower. Some tech companies fared better. Chip company Broadcom rose 2.4%, Micron Technology added 0.6% and Adobe gained 0.5%. Health care stocks were a bright spot. CVS Health rose 1.5% and Walgreens Boots Alliance added 5.3% for the biggest gain among S&P 500 stocks. Several retailers also gained ground. Target rose 3%, Ross Stores added 2.3%, Best Buy rose 2.9% and Dollar Tree gained 3.8%. Traders are watching to see whether retailers have a strong holiday season. The day after Christmas traditionally ranks among the top 10 biggest shopping days of the year, as consumers go online or rush to stores to cash in gift cards and raid bargain bins. US-listed shares in Honda and Nissan rose 4.1% and 16.4% respectively. The Japanese car makers announced earlier this week that the two companies are in talks to combine. All told, the S&P 500 fell 2.45 points to 6,037.59. The Dow added 28.77 points to 43,325.80. The Nasdaq fell 10.77 points to close at 20,020.36. Wall Street also got a labour market update. US applications for unemployment benefits held steady last week, though continuing claims rose to the highest level in three years, the Labour Department reported. Treasury yields mostly fell in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury slipped to 4.58% from 4.59% late on Tuesday. Major European markets were closed, as well as Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand and Indonesia. Trading was expected to be subdued this week with a thin slate of economic data on the calendar.
The Orange County technology company DiscoverIT Solutions Inc. has been awarded a nearly $400,000 contract to purchase and install additional security cameras at Oceanside Harbor. “The harbor project will add 51 new cameras to supplement the nine commercial-grade cameras currently in place,” Deputy City Manager Robert O’Brien said earlier this month. “Assuming no significant delays in the procurement and delivery of parts and equipment, the installation is expected to be completed by the end of April 2025.” The new equipment is a response to heightened public concerns about safety at the harbor after a few high-profile, violent attacks earlier this year. The City Council unanimously approved the expenditure for cameras Dec. 18. “The purpose of this project is to achieve near-comprehensive safety camera coverage within the harbor area, including Harbor Village, the marina’s gates, as well as each service building, which house restrooms for the public and slip permittees,” states a report by city staff. Oceanside’s harbor has close to 1,000 recreational and commercial boat slips, and about 10 percent of the recreational slips are leased by boat owners who live aboard their vessel. At present the harbor has about 18 security cameras, only nine of which are considered commercial-grade equipment, according to the report. Some of the cameras don’t record video and some don’t work because of poor Wi-Fi connectivity. “Currently, only one commercial-grade camera partially covers the Harbor Village, an area in the district that is often congested with a large number of visitors, and lined with retail shops, restaurants, kiosks to purchase whale watching tickets and sundries, etc.,” the report states. “Security cameras are an effective means to reduce criminal activity,” it states. “Not only do they serve as a visual deterrent to would-be criminals, they can capture video images necessary to help solve crimes when they do occur.” The new cameras will not be installed in a manner that compromises the privacy of slip renters, the report states. Some will be in fixed positions, some will pan, tilt and zoom focus. About two-thirds of the money will come from the city’s share of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, along with $100,000 from the harbor reserve account and just over $70,000 from the citywide general fund. Harbor officials also have discussed the possible installation of a kiosk or similar structure to check people at the harbor entrances, perhaps to be staffed only overnight when the need for security is greatest.
Dallas (7-8) at Philadelphia (12-3) Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox BetMGM NFL Odds: Eagles by 7 1/2 Against the spread: Dallas 6-9; Philadelphia 9-6 Series record: Cowboys lead 74-58. Last meeting: Jalen Hurts threw two touchdowns and ran for two more in the Eagles’ 34-6 rout of the Cowboys at Dallas on Nov. 10. Last week: Cowboys defeated the Buccaneers 26-24; Eagles lost 36-33 at Washington. Cowboys offense: overall (16), rush (28), pass (10), scoring (20) Cowboys defense: overall (27), rush (27), pass (21), scoring (30) Eagles offense: overall (6), rush (1), pass (31), scoring (8) Eagles defense: overall (1), rush (9), pass (2), scoring (5) Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-3; Eagles plus-6 Eagles player to watch RB Saquon Barkley is 162 yards shy of becoming the ninth player in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season and needs 268 yards to break Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record of 2,105 yards, set in 1984. Cowboys player to watch In his past five games, QB Cooper Rush has passed for nine touchdowns and one interception, looking more comfortable of late after taking over for Dak Prescott in November. Rush is 9-2 as a starter against teams that are not the Eagles. Key matchup Dallas’s rushing defense vs. Barkley. Can anyone stop him? The Cowboys will be the latest to try to corral Barkley, who has 1,838 rushing yards and 2,114 scrimmage yards, both of which lead the NFL. Dallas ranks 28th in the NFL in rushing defense, allowing an average of 135.9 yards a game. Philadelphia, behind Barkley’s stellar play, tops the league at 187.9 yards a game on the ground. Key injuries Cowboys: WR CeeDee Lamb will miss the final two games after getting shut down over the sprained right shoulder he’s been dealing with the second half of the season. ... LB Eric Kendricks (calf) warmed up but wasn’t able to play against Tampa Bay last week. Eagles: Hurts is in concussion protocol after leaving the game following a 13-yard scramble with 9:52 left in the first quarter last week. ... DE Josh Sweat (ankle) and Jordan Davis also left the game at Washington early. ... QB Ian Book was signed to the practice squad Thursday. Series notes The Cowboys made the playoffs in each of the previous three seasons, but were eliminated prior to their game against Tampa Bay last week when the Commanders came back from a 13-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat Philadelphia. ... Dallas is 5-2 on the road. ... The Eagles can clinch the NFC East and one of the conference’s top two seeds with a victory. ... On Jan. 11, 1981, the Eagles defeated the Cowboys 20-7 at their former home, Veterans Stadium. Wilbert Montgomery rushed for a 42-yard touchdown to give Philadelphia an early lead that propelled the Eagles to their first Super Bowl appearance. Stats and stuff LB Micah Parsons needs half a sack to reach double digits in sacks for the fourth straight season to begin his career and would become just the fifth player to accomplish the feat in NFL history. ... K Brandon Aubrey made a 53-yard and two 58-yard field goals against the Buccaneers, upping his league-leading total to 14 made of 50-plus yards. ... Kenny Pickett went 14 of 24 for 143 yards and a TD in relief of Hurts last week. If he can’t go because of the rib injury and Hurts remains unavailable, Philadelphia could turn to third-stringer Tanner McKee, a 2023 sixth-round pick. Pickett, a 2022 first-round pick, is no stranger to starting, going 14-10 as Pittsburgh’s QB earlier in his career. ... Defensive back C.J. Gardner-Johnson was ejected against Washington for committing two unsportsmanlike penalties. ... The Eagles already set a team record for rushing yards in a season with 2,818, and they are within four rushing touchdowns of tying the club’s best single-season mark of 32, set in 2022. ... Barkley needs just 33 yards from scrimmage to break McCoy’s mark of 2,146 scrimmage yards, set in 2013. ... WR A.J. Brown leads the NFL with 16.3 yards a catch and ranks ninth in the league with 1,043 receiving yards, joining Mike Quick (1983–85) as the only Philadelphia players to have three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving seasons. Fantasy tip Philadelphia’s defense is tied for ninth in the NFL with a plus-6 turnover margin. With Hurts possibly sidelined, Philadelphia giving up an uncharacteristic 36 points last week and the chance to clinch the division, the Eagles defense likely will be extra motivated to have a good performance against a Dallas offense that ranks 21st in the league in points. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL