The opening day of the inaugural Starry Nites Festival took place ona beautiful sunny day, Saturday, March 18. The festivities unfolded on one of the first days of spring, in the back mountains of Santa Barbara. The eclectic multi-stage music celebration drew a respectable crowd of eager and upbeat music fans but fell short of reaching the 3000-capacity set for the first year.

The spectacular setting was the aptly named Live Oak campground at the top of the San Marcos mountain pass. The campsites stretched along the Santa Ynez river, which was flowing freely for the first time in years after this winter's drought ending rainy season. Campers nestled their tents and hammocks in a meadow of California oak trees, providing a shady canopy from the sun.

Just after noon, the local Santa Barbara band, Afishinsea kicked off the festival on the modest Santa Barbara stage. The moody jam band is well known in the area as an experimental powerhouse of Indie music tunes. Next, to the stage, a tent was set up with a full-service bar and a studio of sorts set up by Roland music. Several different sets of instruments were left to musicians and music fans alike to form impromptu jams throughout the festival. A delicious barbecue stand completed the outside village.

Later in the afternoon, the main Starry Nites village opened complete with two main music stages, several gourmet food trucks and another well stocked full service bar. A large green grassy meadow, exuding the scent of fresh spring flowers, surrounded the outer areas around the stages. Closer to the action, picnic benches carefully placed under the shade of large California oak trees provide seating options for music fans. It was such a relaxing setting; one festival goer could be seen laying on the grass reading a college textbook, well others fell asleep in the tall grass.

The music began on the Cachuma stage, the smaller of the two just after 2 in the afternoon, with only a few people standing in front of the stage in the hot afternoon sun. But by the time the powerful Los Angeles rock band, The Feels took the stage; a small crowd had gathered to hear some great hard rock. In fact, most of the bands, playing at the festival shared an affinity for wailing guitar drenched jams. From the classic 50th anniversary show by one of the first psychedelic rock bands The Strawberry Alarm Clock to the young punk antics of the aptly named Thunderpussy, the show featured multiple generations of incredible musicians.

Thelo-fi indie-rock band, Elvis Depressedly made the trek from Asheville, North Carolina, a city similar to Santa Barbara in many ways, to play an engaging sunset performance. This prolific group has produced no less than eight records in the last seven years. As the sun began to set, the American punkabilly duo The Kolars brought an ever-growing crowd around the stage to life. The married duo of Rob Kolar and tap dancing stand up drummer Lauren Brown bring a persona to their upbeat music, that was first fashioned in their band He's My Brother Shes my sister.

For many, the next band to play was the biggest draw to the festival. As second night headliner Alan Parsons looked on from behind the Cachuma stage, The Strawberry Alarm Clock swarmed the main Starry stage. Remarkably, five of the seven original members of this band formed in 1967, still play the San Francisco style psychedelic rock sound that they helped invent. They were joined by Howie Anderson on rhythm guitar and vocals. Drummer Randy Seol joked thatHowie was the newest member of the band only playing with them since 1986. Randy also joked that the band's other drummer, Gene Gunnels had to leave the group right before their first big hit,Incense, And Peppermints,because his girlfriend gave him an ultimatum to get a real job or she would leave him. The sound crew struggled getting so many instruments microphoned correctly. The set ended up being pushed back 45 minutes behind schedule. But once the band did play, the sound was nearly spot on, and the group was allowed to play their entire 18 song set, delighting the audience including Parsons. The chief architect of the band's music, keyboardist Mark Weitz played with the band for the first time since a near-fatal car crash last August.

As night fell all girl Seattle punk rockers, Thunderpussy had even bigger sound issues on the Cachuma stage. Already behind schedule because of the delayed Strawberry Alarm Clock set, the band had to stop after first losing the minimal lighting on the stage and then half of their microphones, to a generator overload problem. Charismatic lead singer Molly Sides made the best of the situation by prancing about and chatting uptake audience. Once lead guitarist Whitney Petty got her sound working, she broke into a wailing guitar riff sending Sides into a convulsive dance craze and the band never slow down for the rest of their shortened set.

Portland's veteran Indie rock band, The Dandy Warhols turned in the next set of the night, the most intense and angelic of day one. Their moody guitar drenched jams seemed to catch the essence of the festival and played an extended set to the largest crowd of the night. She Wants Revenge from nearby San Fernando Valley brought their somber retro rock sound to the Cachuma stage next, but the minimalist production values of the smaller stage did not suit their style well, and it was an uneventful set.

By the time The Kills played their closing main stage set, well behind schedule, many festival goers had left to negotiate the mountain pass back to the city, or retired to enjoy the serenity of the campground. But the band turned in an energy infused set of intense music that has endeared the band to the likes of musicians like Jack White. While the end of their set just after midnight meant the end of the evening for most attending the festival, several dozen music fans made their way in the dark to the little acoustic stage in the woods. One of the unique aspects of the festival, the acoustic stage featured performances by, the Kolars, enigmatic Los Angeles singer Pearl Charles and Dandy Warhols guitarist Brent Deboer. The soulful performers played tunes until nearly 3 am, while music fans lounged in the meadow, smoking, drinking, dancing and star gazing into the awesome crystal clear mountain sky. It was truly a Starry night.

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Starry Nites Festival 2017 | Day 1 | Review - Grateful Web

Preschool SVOD app Hopster has launched a new digital playroom hubcalled Senseto help kids, particularly those with autism, develop sensory processing skills. Along with the extension of the app, Hopster is also debuting original content focused on accepting and tolerating differences.

The playroom will appear inHopsters special themed area, andwill be available on April 2 at the launch of Hopsters Celebrating Differences and Similarities campaign.

New original animated fare supporting the initiative includes Punky, about a young girl with Down Syndrome; Mouk, a show introducing kids to different cultures and customs; African cultural showBino and Fino; The Adventures of Zee, about Arabic culture; and Signed Storiesclassic fairy tales told throughnarration and sign language.

The extension hopes to both relax kids and let them play. Itincludes nine screens with various textures, sights and sounds that kids can interact with by using their fingers. It is designed to helpdevelop fine motor skills, especially when it comes to rotation and positioning.

On the relaxation side, asection of the app includes calm and meditative animations using water and bubbles, as well as relaxing instrumental music and sounds.

Sense has undergone intensive user testing and Hopster consulted with parents andspecial educational teachers to create a product that best fits the needs of kids with autism. In that vein, there are two color options within the appfor kidswith sensitivity to light and color.

The news comes just after Sesame Workshop debuted its first autistic character on the seriesto expand its autism initiative.

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Hopster launches digital playroom for autistic kids - Kidscreen

SMITHFIELD Its getting green again on the Tom and Linda Schwarz farm south of Smithfield, at least in the greenhouses where tiny mint and mustard plants were the first to emerge in early March from the organic soil sourced from Wisconsin dairy.

The four 30-foot wide greenhouses one is 100 feet long, two are each 72 feet long and one is 50 feet long first were used during the 2011 growing season.

They represent the latest steps in the Schwarz Family Farm transition from a traditional commodity grain, hay and livestock farm to an added-value enterprise now specializing in certified organic crops and produce. Tom said he now is planning to return cattle to the farms diverse mix of food and feed products.

Were thinking about starting some grasses for people to use in their yards, Linda added.

The family part of the six-generation farm has included daughter, Becky, as marketing director since she graduated from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in 2010 and son, Alex, who was sales manager from after his Chadron State College graduation in 2008 until recently. Alex now lives and works in Kearney.

With Alex out of it, we need to figure out what we can do with one less person, Becky said.

It certainly wont be the first time the family has adapted to change.

Tom said that after he and Linda were married in 1984, he farmed with his dad, Paul Pete Schwarz. They had livestock and crops irrigated with surface water delivered by Central Nebraska Public Power and Irrigation District and groundwater.

We were farming on a large scale, 2,500 acres irrigated, Tom said, which required hired help.

In the 1990s, his dad said it was time to scale back to what he and Tom could handle on their own. After Pete died in 1997, the acres shrunk again as the family settled the estate.

Tom said that over 10 years, they had cut the farm enterprise in half and then cut it in half again. We couldnt work in the traditional sense. We had to change our thinking, he said. All you are is lunch, in time, for those big guys unless you build a different house.

So they transitioned into the only organic farm in Gosper County.

Tom said it was a good fit with the hay grinding business they had started in the early 1980s. They now use a rotation of organic irrigated corns, soybeans, wheat and alfalfa.

Hes looking at feeding some calves with rotational grazing of annual and perennial forages under pivot irrigation.

Becky said she also has an idea for raising some pasture pigs in the future.

Weve gotta break out of this traditional mentality of this is how you farm get out of thinking about commodities and (think) about customers, Tom said about a key to the future for many ag producers.

He said farmers and ranchers need to produce the products consumers want and deliver them when they want them. If people want non-GMO, we can raise non-GMO. If they want GMO, we can grow GMOs, he added.

Tom said his family prefers to grow food-grade crops. He explained that if they cant sell food-grade corn for a premium, it still can be sold as a commodity. The oats they grow can be sold as food, seed or feed.

A huge part of earning premiums for certified organic products is keeping the detailed records required. Record keeping requirements for organic are enormous, Tom said. Thats what Linda does almost full time.

Linda said she submits an application due each March for an annual recertification. At least one inspector comes to the farm to collect crop samples to test for GMO hybrids and pesticide use.

There are trade-offs with organic production, the Schwarzes said. Chemical and fertilizer costs arent as high, but there is more labor involved.

So instead of writing a check to Monsanto, we write checks to our kids, Tom joked.

Seasonal employees are needed to tend the greenhouse plants. Linda said there were seven teens hired last summer, six from Holdrege and one from Bertrand.

There is a lot of pruning with tomatoes, she said. They also do a lot of transplanting and packaging.

Linda and Becky oversee the produce production, while Tom farms the field crops.

Like all farmers, they weigh the pros and cons of different crops each year.

Tom said the Palmer amaranth infestation in south-central Nebraska soybean fields last year was just killing us. It also is an issue for a calf feeding plan that includes roasted soybeans, which are digested farther down the digestive track than alfalfa and other feeds.

Most produce is grown in the greenhouses, although Becky grew some garlic, onions, leeks and jalapeos, and a little okra outside last year.

Linda said the smallest greenhouse has perennial herbs and overflow from the other three. Its the only one heated over the winter, she said, so its home to anything that might freeze.

The 100-foot-long greenhouse is the starter site for most plants and where sugar pea greens are grown. The two middle-size, movable greenhouses are where most tomatoes, peppers, white carrots and beets are grown.

The major market for Schwarz Family Farm produce is Hy-Vee, primarily Omaha and Lincoln area stores. Some also goes to the Grand Island and Kearney stores.

We literally call them up when we have things ready, Tom said. Some stores take a bunch and some take a little. Theres no rhyme or reason.

Becky transports most of the produce in a refrigerated delivery truck or sometimes a Toyota 4Runner with the air conditioner set on high.

I would really prefer it if we could hit the early tomato market, by the first of June, but that can be a challenge, Tom said, explaining that the best premiums are paid for produce delivered earlier or later than the big seasons for other commercial growers and home gardeners.

Most of the organic grain, which must be identity preserved, is marketed through Scoular, which has an organic division. The Schwarzes leave the wheat in their bins and Scoular picks it up there for the markets the company serves.

Tom said a lot of corn goes to a Chase, Kan., egg producer and some soybeans go to dairies that have their own soybean roasters.

Much of the organic alfalfa is sold to area conventional buyers, he said, because its hard to haul hay long distances.

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Schwarz family prepares to add cattle to diverse organic food and feed production - Kearney Hub

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Meditation can be scary at first: You're supposed to sit alone, in silence with all of your thoughts, yet not let them distract you. It sounds nearly impossible right? Well, studies have found countless health benefits to meditation, so there's definitely something to it.

Though it might be best to ease your way into it. You don't need to start meditating for 30 minutes at a time. Instead, start with these short, 1-minute meditations that can help you slow down, breathe and focus on something other than your thoughts. Watch the video below for guided meditations, or read the instructions below.

Place one hand on your chest and one hand on your heart. Slowly breathe in through your nose for four counts, slowly breathe out for four counts. This is best to do before bed or right when you wake. It will help you start your day with clarity, or end your day on a peaceful note.

RELATED: Learn to meditate in 10 minutes

Use your right thumb to plug your right nostril, breathe in through the left. Then plug your left nostril with your index finger and breathe out through the right nostril. Then breathe in through the right nostril, and out through the left. Keep alternating. This will help you balance your energy.

Drop your right ear to your right shoulder and slowly breathe in, and then blow out slowly through your mouth. Think about pushing out any and all tension. Repeat this four times total, then switch sides.

This meditation can help to get rid of head and neck tension, and help you find your way to physical and mental serenity.

RELATED: Try an easy 5-minute meditation

You can do this while waiting in line, or sitting at your desk. Bring your awareness to your mid-section by pulling the naval in towards the spine. Breathe out, hold the breathe at the bottom, and then slowly release and breathe back in. Hold the breath at the top, and then slowly breathe out pulling the naval back in and contracting the abs. Repeat this a few times.

Start in standing position with your palms together and take a deep breath in through the nose. Place one hand on your hip, lower the other arm and exhale as you bend to the side. Come back to center and inhale, and exhale to the other side. Repeat this, alternating sides each time and focusing on your breath.

Plant one foot firmly on the ground, turn your opposite knee out and press your foot into your ankle, calf or above your knee. Place palms together and focus on slowly breathing in and out. If you're having trouble balancing, choose a point on the ground and fix your eyes there. Breathe here for 60 seconds. Then repeat on the opposite side.

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Try these simple 1-minute meditations to calm your mind - Today.com

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10-Minute Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Stress Forbes It's easy to feel stressed. Demands on our time, a long to-do list and people asking for phone calls and meetings. There is a way out. If you meditate for even ten minutes, you'll feel better. That's because the body's stress response is prone to snap ...

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10-Minute Mindfulness Meditation To Reduce Stress - Forbes

(Photo: Jacob Lundy, WJON Intern)

ST. CLOUD Lack of sleep, endless hours of study, and plenty of pizza and pop barely get students through a stressful finals week.

As the term ends, students look for different ways to stay calm. Meditation gives students a way to heal the mind by finding inner focus and peace so they can finish the semester strong.

Coordinator of Heal the Mind and Succeed with Meditation program, Nalindrani Malimage says meditation gives students more focus and discipline.

Controlling ones thoughts is really vital for success in any field. So when it comes to studys students need to practice mindful meditation which gives them more discipline and focus, says Malimage.

Malimage believes in lending a hand to students so they can succeed in class.

I went to this one student who was in tears, held her hand and asked if she was alright. I told her about the meditation session and after the class she hugged me. So I really felt how much this can help people, says Malimage.

Meditation sessions are held monthly in Atwood Memorial Center at St. Cloud State University. The next session is Friday from 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm.

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Students Learn to Relax Before Finals Week Through Meditation - WJON News

Despite our many blessings, were living in a tumultuous time. From political distress on Capitol Hill to the escalating opioid epidemic and arguments over health care, its easy to feel overwhelmed, even helpless. We cant necessarily put an end to all of the crazy, but we can begin by taking control of our mental and physical health. Cannabis legalization has helped to reignite that spark, inspiring us to take our well-being into our own hands with aid from the medicinal qualities of the plant. Two women on the forefront of this ideological revolution are Emma Chasen and Alyssa Wildrick of Prismatic Paradigm, an initiative that runs classes and workshops that pull from a variety of different healing modalities such as medicine making using local medicinal herbs, sound healing, community engagement, and guided meditation.

With a degree in Medicinal Plant Research, Emma Chasen quit the Brown University Oncology Research Group after her supervisor favored a pharmaceutical drug over cannabis in a clinical trial. She headed to Portland, Oregon, and began working with Farma, one of the top dispensaries in the world, where she trains staff on cannabis science and empathetic patient care. Prismatic Paradigm co-founder Alyssa Wildrick is a certified White Light Usui Reiki Master and Teacher, plus a studying Clinical Herbalist with a background in yoga, fitness education, and sports nutrition.

Together, Chasen and Wildrick are engaging their community in order to dismantle our capitalistic, patriarchal society through herbal education, empowerment, community and healing workshops. MERRY JANE caught up with Prismatic Paradigm to discuss how activating our spiritual and energetic selves by using cannabis and meditation can empower and enrich our lives.

MERRY JANE: Why do cannabis and meditation work so well together? Prismatic Paradigm: Cannabis is an incredibly grounding plant with the ability to elevate consciousness. The duality of total body relaxation plus mental elevation is a perfect combination for meditation. Most people struggle to quiet the mind and lift out of the body during meditation. The right cannabis cultivar, when dosed appropriately, allows people to slow down, quiet the racing mind, and calm the body. This is the most desirable state for a transformative, meditative experience.

How does adding cannabis enhance the meditative process? Cannabis can enhance the meditative process in many different ways due to its unique interactions with each persons endocannabinoid system. For some people, cannabis simply allows the muscles to relax and the body to melt into the floor. For others, cannabis completely quiets the busy mind. On other occasions, people have told us that cannabis enhances their ability to gain perspective on a situation and connect the dots in their life experiences. Cannabis can and does allow people to go deeper, to gain insight, to relax all powerful and desired outcomes in a meditative experience.

What method of consumption do you suggest when pairing cannabis with meditation? We suggest either vaping or smoking with herb blends. Usually, when people are called to meditate, they dont want to eat an edible and wait two hours for it to take effect. Vaping allows the cannabis novice to microdose and to more precisely find their desired state of consciousness. For the experienced user, smoking [flower] is ideal. Its the delivery method with the fastest onset and therefore allows one to get in the zone rather quickly. Combining cannabis with medicinal herbs helps to protect the lungs and balance the overall experience.

What types of herbs can you combine with cannabis to elevate your experience? There are many medicinal herbs that you can combine with cannabis to elevate your experience. If you like a richer smoke, mullein is a great full-bodied herb with the added benefit of being a lung protector. We strongly suggest experimenting with Passionflower as a smoking herb, which is known for its ability to quell symptoms such as anxiety, insomnia, restlessness, headaches, muscle aches, and more. Peppermint is another great herb to combine with cannabis for its decongestant properties and fresh flavor. Prismatic Paradigm currently has two herbal smoking blends available an uplifting blend and a relaxing blend. A blend specifically designed to smoke with cannabis is in the works. Its so delicious, and we are really excited about it!

What are the benefits of guided meditation? We love guided meditation because it is so helpful in quieting the mind. In this day and age, we are so accustomed to constant stimulation from our surroundings, creating a somewhat shorter attention span than those of our ancestors. Giving someone a narrative to focus on usually allows them to achieve a more powerful meditative experience. When there is no narrative, a large portion of the meditation is usually spent trying to eliminate the brain chattering, which clouds what is supposed to be relaxing with a pervasive feeling of frustration. Guided meditation with plant energizes your mind, body, and soul.

Do you have any tips for how a novice like me can practice meditation at home? If you are like us and you prefer guided meditation, find a CD or recording online of a meditation that resonates with you. Prismatic Paradigm will soon have recordings of our guided meditations available, as well. Consume whatever cannabis and medicinal herbs youre feeling, get comfy, and start your recording. If you dont need a guided meditation, begin with your breath and deepen your practice with conscious breathing. We also find that binary sounds, Tuvan throat singing, instrumental music, and crystal bowl recordings help to keep the mind focused and relaxed during meditation.

How this will enrich your life and even help chill out the world's crazy collective vibe? The collective consciousness is freaking out right now, and rightfully so. The planet and its people are at the hands of a megalomaniac American ruler. There is so much information and misinformation out there that it is easy to feel unfocused and disempowered.

When is your next healing workshop? We are hosting many events this spring! Follow our Instagram and Facebook pages for information about upcoming workshops. Plant Spirit Medicine Guided Meditation with Sound Healing is an hour and a half guided meditation focused on a certain plant ally. Recently, we plugged into Rosemary and Kava. We interact with the dried plant material, drop a dose of tincture, and talk about its properties before we go into a guided meditation. We also play a crystal singing bowl during the meditation for the added benefit of vibrational sound healing. We hope to do these every other week with a different plant. In addition to our ongoing Plant Spirit Meditations, we have a Holistic Strategies for Combating Fear and Anxiety workshop on April 11 and a Beltane Workshop on April 30.

Visit Prismatic Paradigms website here for more about the organizations mindful offerings.

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Exploring the Synergy Between Cannabis and Meditation - MERRY JANE

Grange Hall in Northville is set to add another incarnation to the long list of lives it has led since it was built in 1831. The Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center is in contract to purchase the hall after searching for a new space to accommodate its growing membership.

The Buddhist meditation center, a nonprofit currently based in Port Jefferson, plans to use the second floor of the 186-year-old hall on Sound Avenue for meditation practices. The first floor will remain open to the community for different groups and activities, said Don Jayamaha of Mattituck, who donated the centers current space in 2008.

We want to keep it open for anybody to use it, Mr. Jayamaha said Monday, comparing it to how the Jamesport Meeting House is used.

In 2014, former pastor Dianne Rodriguez of First Parish Church, which owned the hall, said the church hoped a nonprofit that nurtured itself and its own passion, whatever that passion may be would fill the space.

Grange Hall was the original sanctuary for First Parish Church and became a school, the Northville Academy, in 1860, local historian Richard Wines told the News-Review in 2014. The space later became a community center for local farmers who belonged to the National Grange, a nonprofit that advocates for rural America and agriculture, he said.

Mr. Wines will advise the group, including Mr. Jayamaha and the centers resident monk, Bhante Nanda, as they look to restore the building and keep its history intact.

I want to make sure its preserved like it was back in 1831, Mr. Jayamaha said.

He mentioned that vision for the hall includes a white picket fence and American flag out front, as it was once captured in a photograph in its earlier days.

The group raised $53,000 in donations toward the purchase and will continue to raise funds to make improvements to the building, according to center. It has also created a GoFundMe page for the move.

The center is open to all and the meditation programs are free, though donations are encouraged, Mr. Jayamaha said.

We want it to be affordable to everybody thats the key, he said, adding that there are 25 to 30 people from around Long Island who frequent the center. Whats special about the center, he said, is that it not tied to a religion and people from different faiths participate in the mediation programs.

It is strictly meditation, he said.

Anthony Manetta of Ridge, who has been attending the meditation programs regularly for about a year, said more people might attend if theres more space, as its become difficult to get a seat at the Port Jefferson location, potentially turning people away.

I cant wait for it to happen, Mr. Manetta said, noting that the move will be a big undertaking.

The center will continue fundraising for building materials and hopes to get the surrounding community interested, he said.

Videos on the centers Facebook page give a glimpse into weekly chanting and evening meditation programs. In one, a chorus of chants is led by resident monk Bhante Nanda. He then guides a group through meditation, with thoughts to be mindful of: May I be well, happy and peaceful and May I be free from anger.

Breathe in, breathe out, he says in long phrases. Then, its quiet as the camera turns to face the centers Buddha and the group meditates.

Mr. Jayamaha said meditation helps him keep his mind strong like a mountain and calm like the bottom of the ocean in any given situation, something friends at his accounting job in Hauppauge often marvel at and jokingly ask if hes taking some sort of medication.

Its not medication, he tells them, Its meditation.

The goal is to have the meditation center begin using Grange Hall on June 1, Mr. Jayamaha said.

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Buddhist meditation center planned for Grange Hall in Northville ... - Riverhead News Review

After a long and varied history of uses, the historic Grange Hall on Sound Avenue in Northville is now slated to become a Buddhist meditation center and community hub. The 186-year-old Grange Hall is in contract to be sold to the Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center, presently located in Port Jefferson.

Were excited, Anthony Manetta, a member of the Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center said in a phone interview Monday. The second floor of the two-story building will be devoted to the practice of Buddhism and meditation; the first floor will be used to serve the community, hosting things like AA meetings, he said.

The meditation center expects to finalize the sale some time in late April and open on June 1, Long Island Buddhist Meditation Center member Don Jayamaha said.

Grange Hallwas originally located in Aquebogue and used as a Strict Congregationalist Meeting House. It was moved to its present location in 1834 and served as a church until 1860, when it was converted for use as a school by the Northville Academy, a private co-educational secondary school that enrolled more than 160 students.

Over the years Grange Hall has been used as a gathering place for local farmers, a center for dances and social gatherings and a homeless shelter. It is owned by the First Parish Church UCC, which also owns the church across Sound Avenue from Grange Hall.

Faced with a declining congregation and exigent financial circumstances, First Parish was in danger of closing its doors for good in 2013 and decided to rent the church building, located on the corner of Sound Avenue and Church Lane, to the Community Baptist Church and conduct its own worship services in Grange Hall instead, its pastor Dianne Rodriguez told RiverheadLOCAL at the time. But the church could not hang on, Rodriguez said in a Feb. 23 interview. Rodriguez relocated to the Portland, Oregon in March 2015, she said.

Up until 1972, the church was known as the Sound Avenue Congregational Church. At that time the Jamesport and Sound Avenue Congregational churches decided to merge and First Parish Church was born. Services were held in the Sound Avenue church and the Jamesport Congregational Church, on Main Road in Jamesport, was rented to House of Praise and then the North Fork Unitarian Universalist Church. In 2008, First Parish sold the Jamesport church, which dates back to 1731, to the Jamesport Meeting House Preservation Trust. The Community Baptist Church continues to rent the former First Parish church building.

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Buddhist meditation center in contract to purchase historic Grange Hall - RiverheadLOCAL

TEMPE, AZ - There is a new push to put a different kind of weapon at a Valley police department. But, this one is all about defending them, not from a criminal, but from the very stresses of the job itself.

That is why the Tempe Police Department is advocating for their officers to meditate. However, it is not as "hippy-dippy" as it may seem.

"There's this idea that Tempe police officers are sitting around in a circle on yoga mats...with incense and chimes," said Chief Sylvia Moir. "And that's not what we are experiencing at all."

Instead, the officers in the department get an app on their phone and training from a specialist on the basics. After that, it is up to the individual officer if and how they use it.

"Between calls for service, we're saying'reset,'" Chief Moir said. "And enter the new call with a new fresh perspective."

That way it is less likely for officers to be triggered or "take the bait," as Chief Moirdescribed it.

And at a time when tensions are high between police officers and their communities it is more of a conversation now.

"For decades, we've been incorporating breathing into training," Chief Moir explained. "We used to just call it combat breathing and it was during crisis events, so we are expanding it."

The plan is to introduce it more into the academy and the rest of the force; starting officers off early with the tools they need to stay calm.

But, above all, Chief Moir said they want their officers to be healthy people.

"So, when they arrive home, hey're the mom, they're the dad, they're the wife or husband or brother or sister," Chief Moir said. "They are the human that is a police officer."

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Tempe police chief says meditation should be used by officers to ... - ABC15 Arizona