Like an increasing number of Bozeman residents, Belinda and Steven Ankney live out of a vehicle.

The couple of 13 years has been living in a trailer parked in a series of spots around Bozeman for two and a half years and has been working to get into a more permanent home that entire time.

I always tell myself this paycheck will be the one, Belinda Ankney said through tears. Its never the one.

Their vehicle doesnt provide everything they need. Frigid temperatures can make life dangerous, and they worry about their vehicle being towed as the number of cars and trailers functioning as homes grows in Bozeman and overtakes some streets.

And people can be cruel to those living on the street. The couple has had their trailer egged and its windows broken. As they stood in the snow and cold speaking to a reporter recently, the windows of their neighbors car had also been smashed.

When Steven ventures out to ask strangers for money, he said, he is often harassed.

We all work. We all try to survive, and I dont deserve to be called names because Im asking for help, he said. Belinda works as a housekeeper at a local hotel. Steven works at a car parts store.

Living out of a trailer or a car in the winter isnt cheap. Many people rely on generators, which can use large amounts of gas, to stay warm.

Its expensive being homeless, Steven said.

Whats more, the couple has three kids, ages 12, 14 and 16.

One potential solution is the Warming Center, a facility run by the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) and Bozemans only emergency homeless shelter.

But when the Ankneys stopped by the center for showers recently, they said, they saw a guest smoking what they thought was methamphetamine in a bathroom stall. As recovering addicts, they sympathized with the person but said it was tough for us to be around that.

It makes it tougher on people trying to stay sober, Steven said.

The Ankneys plight on the street and in the Warming Center reveals much of what has made life so hard for the homeless and urban campers of Bozeman, and highlights that homelessness is among the most difficult problems facing the city as its population balloons.

According to Montanas Continuum of Care Coalition and a nonprofit organization called Pathways MISI, the rate of homelessness in Bozeman increased by 35% from 2019 to 2021, and the number of people seeking out the Warming Center increased by 47%.

Recent numbers are even more drastic: In December of 2021, an average of 43 people a night utilized the Warming Center. In November 2022 the average was 77, according to Penny Johnson, communications manager for the HRDC. Thats a 79% increase.

That trend is in part connected to Bozemans lack of affordable housing. According to Zillow, the median rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Bozeman is currently $2,049, and the citys rental vacancy rate is consistently under 2%. With the median price of a single-family home in Bozeman hovering near $900,000, the idea of buying a house is an unattainable pipedream for many.

Jasper, who fears backlash and asked that his real name not be used for this story, lives out of his RV in an urban encampment on Flora Lane, just west of Murdochs Ranch and Home Supply on North Seventh Avenue. Its a tough way to live, he said.

The attitude against us thats the problem with Bozeman, said Jasper, who said he has been homeless or lived in a vehicle in several cities. People tell me, Go get a job. Im working 60 hours a week.

Jaspers friend, Eric Gritzinger Sr., said his belongings were set on fire while he was staying in Lindley Park on the citys east side. He believes the culprit was someone harassing the homeless community.

Nick Acker, who worked at the Warming Center for five years and has lived in Bozeman since 2009, said theres a gaping discrepancy between what Bozeman says it is and what it actually is.

Its lauded as this idyllic mountain college town, Acker said. Thats far from the reality.

LEGAL PARAMETERS

The removal of homeless people from various Bozeman parks and recreation areas started last summer after the Warming Center expanded its availability to 365 days a year. With a shelter open all year and beds available, the city can now force homeless people to leave public spaces. That authority follows a ruling from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a lawsuit homeless people filed against the city of Boise, Idaho.

Bozeman police and the city attorney appear to be interpreting the decision at face value.

As long as theres a shelter space we can remove them from the park, Bozeman Police Capt. Joseph Swanson told Montana Free Press.

Over the course of the summer, the city conducted three sweeps of encampments one at Bozeman Pond and one at the East Gallatin Recreation Area, followed by another at the recreation area later in the summer. City parks were also checked weekly following the first sweep by a community resource officer and a member of HRDC, said Bozeman Assistant City Attorney Anna Saverud. Homeless people were warned that if they didnt leave within a few days, authorities would remove their belongings, Saverud and Swanson said.

Gritzinger did not comply in time and said his Lindley Park campsite and belongings were put in a dumpster. (Saverud said everyones belongings are stored in a downtown facility.)

Those sweeps changed Bozemans homeless landscape.

Before a couple months ago it seemed like everyone was piled everywhere in the parks, Gritzinger said.

As Bozemans housing crisis grows, it appears to be manifesting as people living out of their vehicles, rows and rows of cars and RVs parked along numerous city streets.

Theres more vans on the streets than ever before, Acker said.

LIMITED OPTIONS

One of the few alternatives to the street is the Warming Center.

The Warming Center is open from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to 4 p.m., with Friday and Saturday being overnight-only. But in a couple months, these hours could look different, depending on funding.

Last year was the first year the center was open through the summer, which cost nearly an additional $242,000. Gallatin County contributed $50,000, and $75,000 came from the COVID-19 CARES Act. The rest is from the citys community housing fund.

But fundraising is constant for the center. The city has pledged money for the 2023 summer, but not enough to keep it open the whole season, said Brian Guyer, director of housing for HRDC. HRDC is still working on securing donations to keep the facility open through this winter, he added.

Bozemans former Warming Center on Industrial Drive, which operated from 2012 to 2020, held only 40 guests. The current one, housed in an old roller skating rink at 2015 Wheat Dr., can hold about 100 guests and 120 in a pinch, Guyer said. During the winter, the center will house 80 to 90 guests who are never charged for their stay on a normal night.

The center typically has one staff person working for every 50 guests. At night, during the intense part of the shift, there will be three to four staffers on duty, Guyer said.

But those ratios often dont keep altercations and arguments from boiling over, multiple guests of the center told MTFP.

The whole week theres been nonstop fights, Ame Michel-Barbeier said in late October, around the time temperatures started to drop and Bozeman saw its first dump of snow. Im not getting much sleep.

Nearly every homeless person or urban camper interviewed told MTFP that the center is the scene of frequent verbal and physical fights, but most acknowledged that its the only shelter available to them.

People are getting beat to shit in the Warming Center, said Dawn Campbell, who works at a Super 8 hotel, has been homeless for 14 years and has witnessed a number of fights. But I think that the Warming Center really helps people out.

Guyer denied those characterizations.

Behavior maintenance isnt a huge issue for us, he said. Calling this chaotic would be a gross misrepresentation of whats happening here.

Some of the incidents are par for the course at homeless shelters, especially as an emergency shelter that doesnt require guests to be sober in a county with large gaps in mental health services, Guyer said.

All of this adds up to situations that may seem chaotic, but our staff is trained in crisis de-escalation and addressing tensions before a crisis occurs, Guyer added in an email. Unfortunately, there are times when we have to ask someone to leave due to their behavior and inability to follow our behavior agreement, which is reviewed and signed by every guest.

During Ackers time at the shelter from 2014 to 2019, he said, he saw both aggressive and violent behavior.

If someone says they feel unsafe, thats the reality, Acker said. We could have a perfectly peaceful shelter, and, if a quarter of the people say they feel unsafe, you cant ignore that.

That said, many of the homeless people using the shelter believe that the center staff are doing the best they can.

Im just happy to have a place to sleep, said 43-year-old Nick Faulkner, who came to Bozeman last spring and has stayed at the center almost every night since. [Staff] can only do so much.

CALLS TO POLICE

From Jan. 3, 2021, to Oct. 9, 2022, there were 842 calls to 911 from the center more than one a day, according to city call logs reviewed by MTFP.

Weve seen an increase in calls over there because weve seen an increase of people utilizing the center, Police Capt. Swanson said.

Not all of the calls, however, were for violence or arguments. Many were for medical issues. But because of how the calls are logged, its difficult to glean what happened in each incident, Swanson said.

What can be known is that during that same time, there were 64 calls to the centers address related to incidents including sexual crimes, assault, possession of weapons, criminal trespassing and disorderly conduct that were substantial enough for city police to open a case.

You take addiction issues, you take mental health issues, take the stress of living on the streets and you have a very tense environment, Acker said. Im not saying that excuses certain behavior.

Numerous other calls were reported but often resulted in warnings with no formal case being filed, according to city records.

The cops ought to just park their cars here, said Christie Banderob, a long-time Warming Center guest who now lives in a tiny home village next to the center. Same thing with the ambulance.

THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE MY SAFE ZONE

Some issues from the Warming Center also spill over into the HRDC-run tiny homes 150-to-300-square-foot homes with a kitchenette and a bathroom where tenants are required to pay 30% of their income toward rent directly next to the center, Banderob said.

After decades of homelessness, Banderob finally got a roof over her head when she was placed in one of the HRDC-controlled homes. But the relief didnt last long for the 59-year-old disabled single woman.

Banderob was falling asleep in her home in late October when a man started banging on her door. When Banderob cracked the door to see what the commotion was about, he pushed his way in and choked, beat and sexually assaulted her, according to charging documents filed against the accused assailant and what Banderob told MTFP.

It only stopped when Banderob managed to get her foot in the cracked door and open it enough to yell for help, she said. The police came and arrested the man, but she had already suffered a broken finger, four broken ribs, and a forehead gash that required six stitches. The assailant, Banderob told MTFP, smeared butter and sprayed Lysol in her hair.

When officers entered her home, they found butter all over the kitchen floor, blood in the entryway which remains on her carpet today and Banderob sitting on her bed, struggling to breathe with blood on her head and face, according to charging documents.

From her hospital bed on the night of the incident, Banderob told officers she thought the man was going to kill her.

This was supposed to be my safe zone. Im 100 pounds soaking wet, she told MTFP.

Banderob said she no longer feels safe in her home and believes the incident was preventable because, according to the affidavit, the assailant was loudly going from door to door before he reached her.

I like having a roof over my head, but all of the time I was homeless I never had any of this shit happen, she said.

The accused assailant, William Perez, has been charged with two felony counts of aggravated burglary and pleaded not guilty. He is being held in the Gallatin County jail on $100,000 bail.

HRDCs Guyer told MTFP that following the assault additional cameras were installed by the tiny homes and patrols by center staff were increased.

Guyer also said that at community meetings an increased police presence at the village has been brought up, but its something that residents have rebuffed. Banderob, however, said shes been asking for more security for months.

Guyer added that security issues are to be expected.

This is absolutely part and parcel with offering up this kind of housing approach, he said. Youre going to have security issues.

The housing approach Guyer referenced is a housing first model that aims to alleviate chronic homelessness and is based on the idea that once people have stable housing they can then obtain mental health and addiction services.

Now, Banderob is talking about finding somewhere new to live because she struggles to stay in the space where she was brutally assaulted.

I dont want to live here anymore, she said. Theres fights all the time. They cant control it.

There are plans for a new Warming Center on Griffin Drive, which Guyer says will mitigate some of the issues that exist at the current facility.

The new center will have more space, family rooms for people with children, and walls as opposed to curtains to separate the men and the women.

Construction of the new shelter will not start until HRDC hits its fundraising goal of $15 million, said Johnson, the agencys communications manager. So far, HRDC has raised roughly $11.5 million in two years, Johnson added in mid-November. HRDC had a goal of opening the new center by the end of 2023, but its unclear if that will pan out.

The Griffin Drive location will also include the Fork and Spoon (a pay-what-you-can restaurant) and other services offered by HRDC.

Bozeman is also home to Family Promise, a nonprofit that, according to its website, can shelter up to about 18 families at a time at various locations, but requires guests to keep a job or be in school and has a zero tolerance for alcohol and drugs, among other requirements that make it inaccessible for some homeless people or urban campers.

Following large donations, Family Promises annual budget increased from roughly $400,000 to $2.2 million from 2019 to 2022, said Christel Chvilicek, executive director of the local organization. That cash spurred a 600% increase in families served, uncovering a large swath of Bozemans homeless population that wasnt being helped. Still, the facility has an average of 30 families on the waiting list at all times, Chvilicek estimated.

In addition, seven more tiny homes are under construction in the village behind the current Warming Center, an expansion that makes Banderob more nervous about living in the community.

This place is a disaster, she said. But I dont want this place taken away from anybody. We need it.

Where else is anybody gonna go?

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The plight of Bozemans homeless people - KBZK News

The year 2022 was filled with plenty of amazing stories in the local sports scene. Some stood out above the rest, though, according to me, Goshen News sports editor Austin Hough.

Without further ado, here are the top 10 stories from the 2022 local prep sports scene.

1. Area girls swimmers shine at state It was hard to just pick one school for this entry, as three shined in their own ways.

Concord took the top billing with its fourth-place finish as a team, its best in school history. Senior Grace Brenneman placed in four events (two third-place showing and two fifth-place finishes), helping her earn the IHSAA Mental Attitude Award selection for the sport. Concord ended up scoring in 10 events, accumulating 162 team points in what was an historic day for the Minutemen program.

While Northridge wasnt as deep of a team as Concord, the Raiders top-end talent was special. It was highlighted by three divers finishing in the top six: Jiselle Miller second, Kaitlin Simmons third and Evie Long sixth. Miller came within five points of winning the state title, taking the lead into the final dive before Center Groves Mia Prusiecki edged her at the end. All three Northridge divers are competing in college currently at Louisville, Purdue and Bowling Green, respectively. Along with swimmer Syd Nethercutts big performances in the 500- and- 200-yard freestyle races, the Raiders finished ninth as a team at state.

Wawasee also had a strong showing at state, placing 12th. Sisters Alexis and Julie Mishler placed in multiple events, allowing the Warriors to have its best finish at the state meet in its program history so far.

2. Fairfield GBB comes within seconds of the state title game Fairfield was the top girls basketball team in the area back at the beginning of the year, coming within moments of making it to its first ever state championship game. The Falcons overcame an injury to senior starter Brooke Sanchez to win sectional and regional championships, advancing to the Class 2A semi-state game. Locked in a defensive battle with Frankton, Fairfield led late in the fourth quarter before Eagles senior Bailee Webb made a shot with 16.9 seconds remaining. The Falcons couldnt muster up a shot on its final possession, ending Fairfields season one game short of state. Despite the bitter ending, the Falcons finished 24-4 on the season, tied for the most wins in a season in program history.

3. Fairfield baseball wins sectional title in honor of Kadin Schrock Probably the most emotional story of the year, Fairfield sophomore baseball player Kadin Schrock died in an accident on May 15. Two days later, the Falcons honored Schrock before a game with their rivals, Westview, in what was a stirring scene in Emma.

Thirteen days later, Fairfield returned to that same field, this time beating the Warriors to win a Class 2A sectional championship, the programs first since 2010. All the players on the Falcons team wore the sleeves rolled up on their jerseys in honor of Schrock that day, and they dedicated their entire season to their teammate who passed away too soon. Although Fairfields season would end in its next game, the 2022 Falcons will always be remembered for how they handled such a tragic event with grace and courage.

4. Alexys Antal pitches Westview softball to its first-ever sectional title Youll be hard pressed to find a better single-day performance than the one Westview senior Alexys Antal had on May 28.

With the weather forcing the sectional semifinals and final onto the same day, Antal knew shed have to pitch at least 14 innings for the Warriors that Saturday. Naturally, both games decided to go extra innings, as the Warriors semifinal game against Fairfield and championship contest against Bremen went 10 innings each. Over that span, Antal pitched all 20 innings, throwing 274 combined pitches, striking out 40 batters and allowing just one earned run. Westview beat Fairfield, 3-2, and Bremen, 1-0, to win the programs first-ever sectional championship, cementing Antals legacy in the Westview softball history books. She nearly pitched the Warriors to a win over Eastside in the regional as well, losing 1-0 against a Blazers team that went on to win the Class 2A state title two weeks later.

5. Noah Bontrager breaks onto the XC scene One of the better debut seasons in recent memory, Westview freshman Noah Bontrager made his presence felt in the cross country world this fall. Along with countless regular season race wins, Bontrager won individual sectional, regional and semi-state titles the latter of which set a new school record with a time of 15:20. He backed up his historic performance the next week with a 12th-place finish at the state meet, earning all-state honors in the process. With three more years left in high school, it feels like the skys the limit for what Bontrager could achieve in the sport.

6. Armen Koltookian dominates on the mat There was no doubt Koltookian was one of the better wrestlers in the area going into the postseason in January, as indicated by his 31-6 record. Few forecasted what hed do in the postseason, however, rolling to sectional, regional and semi-state championships in the 195-pound weight class. The then-junior then lost a tough first round match at the state tournament, concluding his season with a 41-7 record. Given hes already off to a strong start in his senior season, itll be intriguing to see what the now-senior does here on the mat to start the 2023 calendar year.

7. Northridge football wins its second-straight sectional title The Why Not Us sequel wasnt as long as 2021, but Northridge still found a way to win another sectional title, only its third overall in program history. The Raiders upset previously-unbeaten NorthWood, 34-17, in the sectional championship game in Nappanee, with senior wide receiver Jethro Hochstetler having a career night 10 catches, 209 yards and three touchdowns. Northridge head coach Chad Eppley now has an 8-2 postseason record over two seasons, turning two, 5-4 regular seasons into playoff success both years.

8. Westview boys soccer reaches No. 1 in 1A poll Coming off a Class 1A state title in 2021, expectations were high for the Westview boys soccer team in 2022. They somehow exceeded them, putting together a dominant regular season and playoffs before losing in the semi-state match to Park Tudor. The Warriors went 19-2-1 overall, with 16 of those wins coming in shutout fashion. They outscored their opponents 131-10, with junior Teague Misner becoming the programs all-time leading goal scorer along the way. They were the No. 1 team in the Class 1A coaches poll for the majority of the season, with its only losses coming against Class 3A Northridge and aforementioned Park Tudor who won the Class 1A state title game, 9-0, a week after beating the Warriors. Although the season didnt end with a state championship, it was truly one for the history books for Westview.

9. NorthWood boys basketball reaches No. 1 in 3A poll One of the more accomplished boys basketball programs in the area achieved something it had never done during the 2021-22 season: be ranked No. 1. NorthWood reached that milestone with the Jan. 18 poll, which followed after a 49-48 win over Northridge the week prior. The Panthers ultimately headed into the postseason ranked No. 3 in the Class 3A poll, where they won their third-straight sectional championship before losing to Leo in the regional championship game. NorthWood finished the campaign with a 25-3 record, going unbeaten in the Northern Lakes Conference for the first time as well.

10. Beck Willems, Austin Cripe make history at respective schools Is it cheating to put two similar, yet different things as one entry here?

The fun thing about the basketball season is that two things can happen in the same year, yet happen in different seasons. That happened here, as Willems and Cripe both became the all-time leading scorers at Bethany Christian and West Noble, respectively.

Willems accomplished the feat in a game on Feb. 18 against Trinity at Greenlawn, making a free throw with 1:17 left in the game to let him pass 1997 graduate Elliot Friesen atop the schools scoring list. The now-Albion College freshman finished with 1,186 points in his prep career, 39 ahead of Friesen.

Cripes accomplishment was much more recent in fact, it happened last Wednesday, Dec. 21. In the middle of a 36-point performance to knock of Prairie Heights, Cripe became the West Noble all-time leading scorer, passing 1990 alum Doug Targgart. As of Dec. 29, Cripe has career 1,303 points. With two-plus months to go in his senior season, time will tell just how many points the Bethel University commit finishes with.

Honorable mentions (in chronological order): Northridges Jack Moore and Concords Anthony Roberts break their respective schools 1,600-meter race records in the same race at a meet in April; Fairfield freshman golfer Brayden Miller earns all-state honors; both the Fairfield girls tennis and Goshen boys tennis teams go undefeated on their way to semi-state appearances; NorthWood volleyball wins first regional title since 2010.

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PREP SPORTS BEST OF 2022: The top 10 moments from a ... - Goshen News

Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have "killer instincts" that set them a class apart, says Marin Cilic

Men's tennis' Big 4 comprising Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer and Andy Murray have separated themselves from the rest of the pack, particularly at the Grand Slams, because of their mental strength and demeanor on the court, believes Marin Cilic. The Croatian attributed the Big 4's dominance to their "killer instincts" and unparalleled attitude, coupled with sheer relentlessness.

Cilic is one of the very few to have won a Grand Slam singles title in the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic-Murray era of dominance, particularly the Big 3. While the likes of Cilic, Stan Wawrinka, Daniil Medvedev, and others over the years experienced what it takes to beat these greats of the sport at the Grand Slams, they were still unable to get the better of them consistently. That is still the case when it comes to Nadal and Djokovic.

Sharing his thoughts on their legacy, Cilic highlighted how the Big 4's ability to control matches mentally more than anything sets them apart.

The 2014 US Open champion praised the "really, really incredible" Big 4 who he believes have been almost impossible to beat at the Grand Slams over the past decade-and-a-half, further stressing their prowess in all aspects of the sport.

The Croatian tennis great also opined that the tendency of many top players to be inconsistent at the Grand Slams often spells danger against the Big 3 particularly, who, more often than not, grab even the smallest window of opportunity provided by their opponents.

Cilic opined that for the Big 3, Nadal and Djokovic going forward as Federer has retired, that aspect will continue to give them a big edge.

While Marin Cilic was already in an exclusive club of non-Big 4 Grand Slam champions over the last 20 years, he became the only player apart from the Big 4 to join another exclusive club during his impressive 2022 season.

By reaching the semifinals of the 2022 French Open, Cilic became the only active player other than Rafael Nadal, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Andy Murray to reach at least the semifinals at all four Grand Slam tournaments. With Federer's retirement, he is now among just four active players to have that feat in the bag.

The 34-year-old expressed pride in his incredible achievement and is thrilled by his record at the Grand Slams, the tournaments that matter most.

After another stellar year at the Majors in 2022, during which he made a semifinal and a quarterfinal in three appearances, Cilic is now even more motivated to win big.

Check out the first glimpse of Rafael Nadal's baby boy here.

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Handling negative persons can be difficult. Listening to someone with a pessimistic, doom and gloom attitude drains energy, tests the limits of your patience, and can impact your mental and physical health. Life is too short and precious to be inundated by negative persons. If someone around you, whether a family member or casual colleague, is consistently negative, judgmental, and critical, what can you do about it? Here are some tips from stress manager Eddie Chandler for countering negativity, together with some of my own sentiments:

Accept your limitations: You are neither responsible for nor in charge of changing anothers attitude. In fact, be prepared for shocked disagreement if you call attention to their negativity. While you cannot change other persons, you can control your reaction to them.

Cut others some slack: Check out your assessment. Make sure you're not reading more negativity than is intended in anothers comments and actions. Few people consciously decide to make those around them miserable. Most people generally mean well and have good intentions.

Establish boundaries: Limit contact with pessimistic and selfish people. Regardless of who they are, strive not to let anothers negativity infect you. You can choose not to react to anothers words or actions.

Ask for clarification: Make others clarify, explain and repeat whatever negative sentiment they just expressed. This can help negative persons to realize how they sound and possibly to recognize the groundlessness of what they are saying.

Offer solutions: Point out the positive possibilities and focus on potential benefits rather than pending liabilities. Use empathy and diplomacy without buying into their problem.

Don't get baited: Never fight another's turf war. Take what negative persons say with a grain of salt; it is very likely not completely accurate. Some people complain in the hopes that other persons can be enjoined to fight their battles with or even for them. Don't take their bait. Beware of getting yourself caught in a triangle; refuse to be a messenger between a chronically negative person and someone who has supposedly done them wrong. If you choose to serve as their mediator, have both parties present and keep in mind that any miscommunication is their problem, not yours.

Call them on it: If others start fishing for sympathy, call them on it. Question their maturity and gently advise them to quit complaining. Use humor to point out their pessimistic comments. Try mirroring their attitude by expressing sentiments as negative as theirs. This may appear patronizing, but for some people, this could help them to realize how their defeatist approach sounds, and motivate them to change. In extreme cases, taping or videoing them or taking pictures could also help you to prove your point. When they see their facial expressions, hear their negativity and discover how others behave around them, their negativity is harder to deny. Enlist the help of friends or colleagues to work on the problem together.

Don't let them get to you: Be prepared to ignore the negative comments of a known grouch. Don't let their negativity draw you into a downward spiral. Dont let your perceptions be contaminated by anothers hypercritical world-view. If everything else fails, avoid them entirely so their negativity does not bring you down. A negative environment definitely impacts your productivity at work and your personal relationships. If, despite your best efforts, anothers faultfinding persists and begins to infiltrate your own outlook, walk away. As best you can, remove yourself, even if it is only emotionally, from energy-draining persons.

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Handling Negative Persons - Patch

Pediatric emergency departments and clinics have been overcrowded with the dramatic increase in child respiratory viruses, leaving many families anxious about caring for sick kids.

Making decisions about what to do or not do can be exhausting, especially coming out of nearly three years of pandemic fears, social isolation and burnout. Parents need practical strategies to balance the health risks and stressors of kids getting sick as we trudge through the virulent flu, RSV and COVID-19 winter season.

As researchers of family well-being interventions, we provide four evidence-based stress-management strategies grounded in dialectical behaviour therapy skills (DBT).

In tough situations, DBT encourages a mindset that balances accepting reality as it currently is (even if this is very much a reality we never wanted!) while identifying actionable steps to change our ability to cope, like bringing in social support and understanding our emotional reactions in compassionate ways.

To bring you the most relevant information, we collaborated with pediatric emergency physicians to integrate their frontline expertise.

Try these tips to build confidence that you're doing exactly what is needed for your kids this year.

1) What are my most important values? For many families, kids' activities are on the schedule again: fun with friends, time with relatives, celebrations. But having a cavalier attitude about including sick children at events like in pre-pandemic times might have costs down the road.

Consider your own values and identify the activities that are the most important, and consider what precautions you're willing to take to keep your family and community healthy. Maybe it makes sense to attend a small house party with daycare friends, but not a larger gathering at the local arcade? If limiting sick days matters to you, catching up on COVID-19 boosters or flu shots could save you weeks of sick kids at home. Now is also a great time to teach kids of any age about the basics of hand-washing, tissue use and the "batman cough." Articles on the new etiquette of coughs highlight the value of masks for residual symptoms, and rebuilding trust with our communities.

Finally, keeping kids home when sick really matters. It will also help you avoid the side-eye in public.

2) How will I manage if they get sick? If you have young kids at home, odds are they've already been sick and they'll get sick again. Coping ahead anticipating and rehearsing responses to difficult situations can reduce anxiety now and help you respond effectively in the future.

With the waves of child sickness, it's common to find yourself with depleted resources, physically and emotionally. In anticipation of the next onset of illness, a little preparation can go a long way to reduce family stress and promote recovery. Consider replenishing essentials, reviewing the plan for seeking health care, planning for childcare difficulties and managing tough emotions.

3) My child is sick. How worried should I be? Managing a sick child is tough when there is little to be done but wait and watch. DBT helps you ask "what is the problem to be solved?" This might be as "simple" as tolerating family physical and emotional discomfort with compassion and care.

Staying present and focusing on improving the moment can help reduce distress when nothing else can be done.

Alternatively, more change-based action is needed. When faced with an ill child, consider looking from every angle of the situation. Remember there is no absolute truth and we can't predict the future. Be open to alternative options, check your assumptions and avoid using extreme language ("always" and "never").

It's key to critically assess the validity of information sources and prioritize those that are evidence-based, including governmental or health board websites. Diving down the rabbit hole of googling symptoms will typically increase stress without offering meaningful benefits.

Fortunately, the odds of serious illness or death are small in Canada for most children. Ask a health-care provider if you're concerned your child may be at greater risk of serious illness (for example, if they were premature, have underlying heart or lung conditions, neuromuscular disorders, immune problems or take medication that suppresses the immune system).

4) Back to basics You may already be well versed in the importance of "basics" when it comes to serving your emotions. There is a reason why "hangry" is such a common concept! Small steps can go a long way to helping the household stay healthy, recover quickly and keep family moods up.

As a family, try to prioritize plenty of sleep, nutritious foods and getting outside once a day. And while this is true for the whole family, parents should also keep in mind the airplane rule: we must put our own masks on before we help those around us.

Lastly, social connection offers a buffer to stress. Find ways to be creative with scheduling quality social connections consistent with your comfort level such as connecting with friends over FaceTime or only meeting outdoors.

During really tough moments, acknowledge the difficulty of the situation and remind yourself that you're doing your best in a really challenging time.

It's normal to be on edge and exhausted managing so much, particularly after three years of pandemic disruptions to family life. We hope these tips may provide even a small amount of relief this winter.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

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Fears about RSV, flu and winter viruses can cause parental stress. Try these 4 expert tips to balance mental wellness and health risks - Devdiscourse

To close Thursday's practice for the University of Akron mens basketball team at Rhodes Arena, coach John Groce talked about setting a tone on the road for the Zips' game at 8:30 p.m. Friday at Ball State.

Groce may as well have been talking about setting a tone for the next two weeks as the Zips play four of the next five on the road, beginning with Fridays games against the Cardinals, which will be televised nationally on CBS Sports Network.

Coaches always talk about playing with the right attitude. However, so far with an 0-2 record on the road (1-5, if neutral sites are included), the Zips have shown vulnerability when away from the confines of Rhodes Arena.

We've been soft on the road, guard Greg Tribble, coming off a 16-point effort in the Mid-American Conference opener, said.

Groce acknowledged theres been a problem.

I thought our start in those two games is awful, he said. I know I'm talking about just the vibe, the physicality, being ready to play at a level that we need to, where we're being aggressive and proactive rather than reactive. And so that's something I think is important tomorrow night.

Groce gave credit to the teams that beat the the Zips, but also said theres also something else at play a team thats still developing.

I think part of it is you got four [younger guys] right now and an eight- or nine-man rotation that haven't played a league game until the other night, and they're learning their way, he said.

Right now, injuries to starting guard Xavier Castaneda and back-up guard Garvin Clarke are forcing some of UAs younger players to learn, and quickly. Guard Tavari Johnson had earned significant minutes, but Groce turned to Kobe Mitchell, Armani Lyles to fill holes in the rotation against Northern Illinois.

Those holes are not unsubstantial with Groce having to juggle the lineup without those two players, but others filled the void.

Tribble produced a season high with 16 points, knowing that he had to play more aggressively on offense, which involved him having to play freer. He said he needed to be more decisive in that regard.

I feel like sometimes I think too much, he said. Just being decisive again to my spots to where I know I can get my shots at.

As for the younger players asked to step up, guard Nate Johnson added eight points in 30 minutes against the Huskies, doubling his season average. He said he needs to continue performing that way for the Zips to have success in the coming days.

Just more me being more consistent, he said of his role, and my teammates trusting and everybody's stepping up and just playing our role, playing hard.

Tavari Johnson, who also scored eight points against Northern Illinois, said he has to be more aggressive.

Our main scorer is out, so I feel like I'm behind him, so I have to pick it up, because [forward Enrique Freeman] is not going to be able to score our points by himself, he said. "Someone has to help him, so I feel like I had to be more aggressive to try to help him out.

And those younger players will get leeway to develop, Groce said. He understands that with the inexperience comes mistakes. The difference is mistakes made out of effort and those made from mental errors.

If it's errors out of aggression or what I call forced errors rather than unforced errors, he said, then I'm fine with that. That's going to happen some with young guys.

But that right attitude has to be there, also. Tribble said the Zips need a hit-first mindset, challenging opponents from the outset beginning Friday.

We just been getting off to slow, flat starts. It starts with me and some of the older guys on our team, he said. We just got to come out in, set the rules and get that intensity. The younger guys feed off us.

Whether Castaneda plays will be a game-time decision, Groce said.

The Zips guard could be seen working with team personnel off to the side during Thursdays practice, using only his left hand.

If he can go, we'll play him, Groce said. If he can't go, then obviously we're looking at waiting to see what happens between now and next Tuesday against Bowling Green.

Clarke, meanwhile, did some light work with team personnel with his left leg secured in a brace. Though not a starter, his experience is invaluable and his absence most assuredly hurts UAs depth.

Reach George M. Thomas at gthomas@thebeaconjurnal.com

Excerpt from:
University of Akron men's basketball team fills holes with youth - Akron Beacon Journal

Somewhere near the crossroads of the start of the pandemic and its related burnout, we added a few work-related buzzwords to the lexicon: The Great Resignation, quiet quitting, career cushioning, and now, act your wage. Employees are now rethinking their relationship with workrather than doing more than theyre supposed to in desperate moves to advance their careers, they are acting their wage.

The pandemic has given many people the opportunity to reflect on the quality of their lives, explains Dr. Carla Marie Manly, a clinical psychologist. As people moved into hermit mode, many discovered that the slower pace was extremely beneficial for their personal lives. The experience of working from home or from a beach far away from the office left people wondering, Why am I in the rat race? Why am I working so hard to make money for others? For many people, the pandemic provided a stark juxtaposition to the fast-paced life that created burnout and stress.

Many peopleemployees and managers alikewonder if you can be just as productive with a four-day workweek. And if a four-day workweek is successful, how about a three-day workweek? The pandemic gave us work-from-home flexibility and opened the door for more shifts in how, where and when we work. Technology allows for flexibility, but theres a downside to always being connected.

With the rise of remote and hybrid work, LinkedIn found that 40% of working Americans feel more burned out since the start of the pandemic, and 37% are working less traditional hours, explains Blair Heitmann, LinkedIn career expert. We saw that people worked longer days, with many working off-hours and experiencing burnout as their work-life lines blurred.

Acting your wage means you arent on call or on the hook for company problems 24/7 the way a CEO or Executive Director might be, explains career coach Gracie Miller. Its recognizing that you were hired for 40 hours of work and not doing overtime you arent being paid for. You can still take initiative, be a team player and have a positive attitude during those 40 hours. But you dont answer messages on Slack at 11 p.m. or email someone on a Sunday.

But its hard to act your wage if your workplace encourages you to work above your pay grade and/or if youre afraid to speak up about increased workload. If youre not sure, check out these signs of a toxic workplace.

You could say it started because people are fed up at work, but really it started because Reddit and TikTok gave employees a platform to speak up about their dissatisfaction at work. Wed be remiss if we didnt acknowledge the influence of social media and the internet at large for enabling this trend, explains Aaron Rubens, CEO and co-founder of Kudoboard, a workplace appreciation platform.

Employees (and millennials in particular) began sharing their dissatisfaction at workand realized theyre not alone, Rubens says. What emerged was a picture of employers who dont appreciate their employees and essentially see them as expendable resources.

TikToker @saraisthreads posted about employers setting expectations they cant meet, and got almost two million views. @jennahushka gets about 14K views when she posts about dating, but when she posted about burnout or lack of training, her views skyrocket to hundreds of thousands. @loewhaley got two million views when she posted about a micromanaging coworker who doesnt respect boundaries and closer to three million views when she posted about etiquette around out-of-office email.

On Reddits r/antiwork subreddit, the vibe is more about life/work balance than quitting work altogether and provides an outlet for act your wage conversations. People talk about living wages, paid sick time, the housing crisis and more.

Dr. Manly sees both sides of it. There is merit to acting your wage,' Dr. Manly says, Yet for those who find satisfaction in working hard, theres much to be said for the mental health boost that can come from enjoying a strong work ethic.

In many circumstances, its about having reasonable expectations for whats expected of you and how far you might be willing to push those expectations. If youre in a position where you feel youre being pushed to work beyond your wage, you can use it to spark a conversation with your managers.

If your relationship with the manager isnt conducive to this, its time to think beyond your role and responsibilities, says Jenn Lim, a global workplace expert and author of the bestselling book Beyond Happiness: How Authentic Leaders Prioritize Purpose and People for Growth and Impact. When we choose work that is aligned with our values and purpose, and that is intrinsically motivated, were working for more than a paycheck, Lim says, Were working towards something more meaningful and greater than ourselves; were acting our purpose, not just our wage.

Sources:

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Everything You Need to Know About "Act Your Wage" - Reader's Digest

Annapolis boys basketball has become unfortunately used to 18-point deficits like the one they faced against Southern on Friday. The Panthers are a young team, first-year coach Tim Bonnett said, and figured out early on that those kinds of margins were too much pressure.

But, they kept building their confidence and abilities in practice anyway. And on Friday, rather than letting those kinds of scores seep into their self-confidence and become their identity, the young Panthers chose to fight.

Sophomore Darrian Carter embodied that fighting spirit. From just two points scored in the first quarter to 23 by games end, the 6-foot-5 forwards initial fiery comeback lit the torch for the rest of the Panthers en route to a 60-59 finish over the Bulldogs.

I told them, teams are gonna go on runs. We can make runs, too, if we stick with it, Bonnett said. Its all mental for us because were so young and inexperienced. But they fought through it.

The Panthers displayed just how determined it was to right its wrongs in the final moments. Annapolis trailed by one when junior Reggie Dean curved around the court on his teams final possession. This was his chance, and he didnt waste it. The guard slowed his pace before charging into the paint and popping his go-ahead, game-winning layup over a horde of Bulldogs.

And even then, Annapolis didnt rest on small victories. Southern inbounded the ball, dishing to Joell Simmons to move towards his own potential winner. Carter wasnt having it. The skyward sophomore moved to guard Simmons, forcing the senior to misfire as the clock hit zero.

Its our grit and attitude, Carter said. We decided that, even though we had a bad first half to the season, we figured we can come change it in the second half. Thats what we plan on doing.

When Southern surpassed Annapolis to lead 15-12 at first quarters end, it did not look back. The Bulldogs scored 15 straight to start the second while all the heat Annapolis presented in the former frame dissipated like hot air.

Southern guard Brian Griffin popped in two points at the buzzer to toss the Bulldogs to an 18-point advantage, 36-18, at halftime.

But as much as Southern punished their hosts in the second quarter, Annapolis spirit wasnt beat. And the Bulldogs did little to change that.

The Panthers didnt speak of woe at halftime. They spoke of work, Carter said.

First quarter, we played OK. Second quarter was downhill, the sophomore said. Halftime, we came back out, showed up, played our game.

Led by Carter, the Panthers steadily cut chunks from Southerns lead, getting within 51-35 going to the fourth.

Darrians still learning how to score, Bonnett said, and Im working on building confidence with him, too. Hes just learning he can be dominant when he has the ball in his hands,

Carter got to work. When he didnt get baskets, teammates rushed in to back him up. Freshman guard Nysean Harris with a 3-pointer, for instance. Even as its once-healthy lead crumbled away, Southern played erratic, taking inaccurate shots or turn over the ball.

Bonnett and his staff stress being active. His Panthers let their hands go limp in the first half, the coach said, allowing the Bulldogs to collect plenty of skip passes and plenty of 3-pointers. Once Annapolis focused on its hands, it couldnt be stopped.

We [also] figured out how to stop their top guys. They were doing everything credit to them, they played a great game, Carter said. But we decided we wanted to play defense. Close out on shooters and stop them from driving up.

With 2:08 left, Annapolis got within three points. But they werent interesting in tying. Harris shuffled up to the arc and fired. For a split second, the court went quiet as Southern watched their lead die.

Then, the gym split open with sound. And Annapolis led for the first time since the first quarter at 58-57.

It felt great, like the energy the crowd gave us, Carter said, we were just able to get back in the game.

Go here to see the original:
Annapolis boys basketball shows grit and promise in rally over ... - Capital Gazette

From compliance mandates and campus culture to cyber security and access control, practitioners and solutions providers give their predictions on where the industry is headed.

Whether you believe in fortune-telling or not, nearly all who work in the campus safety and security industry would agree that knowing what the future holds would save our community and the entire country a whole lot of headaches and heartaches.

While we can often learn a lot from history and its tendency to be repetitive, advances such as those in technology are catapulting us away from the ability to look into the past to predict the future. Thankfully, those same advances have better equipped the industry to protect students, staff, patients, and the surrounding communities.

Since we dont know for sure what will happen in the future, practitioners and solutions providers who live through and study safety and security day in and day out are our closest bet to accurately predicting what lies ahead. Heres what some of them have to say on various related topics.

Mike Lahiff, CEO of ZeroEyes:

The education sectors Great Resignation crisis will continue, with safety concerns playing a significant role. In a 2022 survey of school leaders and teachers, 40% said they felt less safe than five years ago. Nearly half of American Federation of Teachers (AFT) members say they worry about a mass shooting in their workplace, and a full 63% feel that their schools are not ready for a mass shooter event. Its no wonder that 55% of educators report that they are ready to leave their profession earlier than planned. Many school decision-makers seem to have the attitude that an active shooter situation couldnt happen to them, but we predict that more proactive security measures will become commonplace as school threats continue to increase.

More states will follow Michigans lead and release funds specifically devoted to school safety. Theyll have to because voters will demand it. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 76% of Americans consider gun violence one of the biggest problems facing the country. In another survey of 998 registered U.S. voters, three in five adults stated they belief that leaders in Washington are not doing enough to prevent gun-related violence. The threat of gun-related violence is not going to go away, and especially in the wake of Uvalde parents are demanding that their children be better protected while on school grounds.

Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D., Executive Director of Threat Management, Ontic:

I have a number of colleagues who are health providers and I talk with them from time to time about what theyre seeing. And then a number of hospitals and healthcare facilities, I actively support through training and program guidance through behavioral threat assessments. What Im seeing in those different purviews is while healthcare providers are in the thick of it now in terms of workplace violence, Im starting to see impact from the Joint Commission requirements. As hospitals are fully implementing those requirements and other guidances, like from the American Hospital Association, it takes a while but they are starting to see the beneficial impact of having these programs in place and having these trained teams to respond to incidents as they occur.

While the number of threats may continue to remain high, what Im seeing improvement in is the ability of hospitals and healthcare facilities to respond appropriately and figure out, Where do we need to actually intervene to mitigate risk?

I feel like there is absolutely hope on the horizon in large part because of these requirements. Theyve now been in place for a year and were actually seeing that beneficial impact of reduction in incidents because theyre able to get left of bang, theyre able to look at something before harm has occurred, and take steps to mitigate it.

Marisa Randazzo, Ph.D., Executive Director of Threat Management, Ontic:

My prediction for violence in schools is that were actually going to see a decrease because were getting back to much more normal conditions. Healthcare is still under siege, in part because they are facing this ongoing tripledemic an ongoing influx of patients. Again, were finally seeing the benefits of a couple of years of work. Because of federal funding, so many states now are really trying to implement behavioral threat assessments and violence prevention at a state level, whether it is for looking at concerns coming from students about employee behavior, whatever the case may be. We are finally seeing the benefits of all this infrastructure thats been built at a state level and for schools around the country in a way we have never seen before, historically.

It is my truly optimistic view that were going to see targeted school violence incidents start to decrease and were going to hear much more about the wins schools are having the averted attacks. So much that we do to prevent violence centers around how to support someone who is struggling. Whether it is a patient, a patient family member, a student, or an employee, when we find someone who is considering resorting to violence or feels like they are at the end of their rope and have no other options left, the more we can do to actually support that person and help them solve those underlying problems.

Kati Garner, M.Ed., Regional Training Consultant, Colorado School Safety Resource Center:

2023 will be a year that sees continued conversation around mental health, its impact on staff and students, and how much it affects the overall safety of our campuses. There will be ongoing struggles to hire needed mental health professionals but I truly believe states, districts, and communities will band together to help each other find creative solutions to provide these critical resources.

Anthony Pluretti, Executive Director of Campus Safety, Widener University, 2022CSHigher Education Director of the Year winner:

As the higher education industry continues to experience enrollment challenges, campus safety offices are being called upon to do more than just provide safe environments. Students need to feel welcome at their institutions, and campus safety offices will be called upon to contribute to recruitment and retention efforts in that regard.

Widener University has made building a culture of belonging on our campuses an institution-wide priority, and I see this becoming a more widespread practice in 2023. Campus safety and police agencies are in an excellent position to reformat their outreach programs and find better ways to establish meaningful and lasting connections with the community. Agencies have always had some kind of education that they deliver to the community, however, creating a sense of belonging is about connecting with your students on a much deeper level than was customary in previous years.

Social media pages, comfort K9s, collaborative events with student organizations and just having fun with students are the kinds of things I believe will be asked of everyone this year and going forward. It will be important to develop a culture of hospitality in our departments while still providing a safe campus and enforcing the law.

At Widener, we see every interaction with the community as an opportunity to help recruit or retain students, and to contribute to a culture of belonging. Our campus safety office has found that building and strengthening relationships with this as a priority has been a really rewarding experience.

Michael Garcia, National End User Manager, K-12 Safe Schools, HID Global:

In 2007, myself, a school psychologist, and a group of school safety and security advocates and practitioners from across the country predicted that mental and behavioral health, behavioral threat analyses, and a focus on improving school culture to create a social and emotional climate would combine with physical security people, policy and technology to compliment emergency security operations management in schools. This comprehensive framework would empower school districts to assess and manage risks district-wide. I am sad to say that we were kicked out of school administrative offices and educational service centers across the country.

Well, after 16+ years, we finally have buy-in at the school district level. With this in place, my prediction, now that state and federal government funds for safety and security are starting to flow into schools is.GET READY FOR COMPLIANCE MANDATES. Some will be funded, some un-funded, but all will be enforced by holding back funds if schools are audited and not in compliance. These mandates will be driven by politicians, those appointed by politicians, and non-security professionals, for the most part.

Many past, current, and future issues will not be addressed. Lobbyist groups will begin to push the emerging, non-proven products of their clients as the best investment for the safety of our school-aged children, teachers, administrators, and staff. The compliance measures will be audited by non-security professionals as well, which will deliver a double whammy to those districts that do not have seasoned school security leadership and a decision-making round table in place (with the school board as the final decision approval authority).

To kick these mandates off, school audits will be mandated and performed in 2023, which will deliver surface tension and known vulnerabilities at best. Many of these audits will be grade your own test type, do-it-yourself audits, not the required third-party individual verification and validation (IV&V) true risk assessments (that include cyber and environmental risks, etc), which can then be audited by the state or federal compliance agencies.

We will see more gross negligence lawsuits in school districts because of the school boards and superintendents not mitigating the critical risks found in the submitted risk assessments. They will either not see the value of mitigation for the threats and vulnerabilities that a true risk assessment will bring to light or they will not want to invest the financial resources needed to properly secure our most precious and priceless assets. Compliance mandates will place the responsibility of diligence, vigilance, and management of the safety and security process squarely on the shoulders of the elected board members (governance trustees) and the CEO of the district (superintendent).

This is where board and administrator safety and security training by the National School Boards Association (NSBA) and the American Association of School Administrators (AASA) will be imperative because it has never been required before at the executive level.

Gary Sigrist, CEO and President, Safeguard Risk Solutions:

Legislation and funding for school safety will continue to make a difference, but schools will need help in finding the right solutions for their school community.

We are starting to see states providing legislation and funding that can make a real difference in school safety. The Ohio Attorney Generals Office provided funding for Law Enforcement Officers to receive training in conducting Security and Vulnerability Assessments for their local schools. Ohios 133rd General Assembly enacted House Bill 123, the Safety and Violence Education Students (SAVE Students) Act, regarding school security and youth suicide awareness education and training. HB 123 requires each school building in grades six through 12 to have a Threat Assessment Team (TAT).

House Bill 110 of the 134th General Assembly provides grant funding for eligible security improvements that assist organizations in preventing and preparing for responding to acts of terrorism. For schools to qualify for the grants, they not only have to show a need based on a current Security and Vulnerability Assessment, but they must have a trained Threat Assessment Team. The Ohio School Safety Center provided qualified schools with a list of approved trainers for a district TAT, many of them free to the schools and districts. Schools can meet the requirements of the grant without the need to pay a vendor for an SVA or threat assessment training.

Sadly, with grant funding comes vendors selling snake oil to schools with solutions that are unnecessary, unproven, and often put students and schools at risk with a false sense of security. Although states should not be in the business of promoting products or vendors, a state or national clearinghouse on the types of products proven to make a difference and a method for vetting vendors would go a long way in making the most of safety grant dollars. For example, you cannot work as a school security consultant in Texas unless you have been vetted and approved by the state. Schools and districts must understand grants are limited and there must be a method of funding safety initiatives after state and federal grants cease. If we want this trend of positive legislation and funding to continue, we must help schools spend money wisely.

Michael DePasquale, CEO at BIO-key:

The number of threats to higher education institutions will, unfortunately, continue to rise in 2023, and institutions will need to strengthen their cybersecurity efforts accordingly. IT departments in this sector are often understaffed and underfunded, treated as an afterthought. However, several proactive security measures taken by higher education organizations, like installing biometric authentication methods, can help defend against increased attempts of phishing, fraud, and identity cyberattacks.

Security oversight in healthcare systems can cost lives, as the industry has a direct impact on the well-being of individuals. As we continue to see a rise in cyber threats in healthcare, preventative security measures, like the implementation of identity-bound biometrics, will prove critical to ensuring users are who they say they are when accessing healthcare networks.

As remote and hybrid work methods continue to remain prominent, companies in 2023 will be forced to deploy stronger identity solutions to maintain security efforts. While device-based authentication can ensure only trusted phones and laptops can access the network, this method fails to properly authenticate the individual behind that device. This year, well see a definitive shift toward authenticating the user to strengthen security procedures within the enterprise.

According to a report from Eagle Eye Networks, the top five video surveillance trends for 2023 are:

1. Businesses are budgeting for video surveillance platforms that are AI-ready and future-proof2. Businesses want solutions that reduce operating costs3. Parking is being universally automated4. Schools are experimenting with security technologies to enhance safety5. Convenient and continuous customer support saves time and manpower

While the after-effects of the pandemic, regional conflicts and an uncertain economy present many challenges, business owners will find encouraging information in the 2023 Trends in Video Surveillance report, said CEO Dean Drako. Many of the 2023 trends are driven by recent introductions of cloud + AI technology that are being rapidly adopted by businesses, schools, and organizations across APAC, EMEA, and North America. A common denominator in 2023 will be affordable, easy-to-use technology that gives an insight into operations.

Genetec Press Release:

The [2022 State of Physical Security Report] also showed that 67% of organizations are planning to invest in access control system (ACS) modernization in 2023, putting it at the top of the physical security tech investment list. Modern ACS include built-in cyber defenses and health monitoring tools, and higher levels of automation. Upgrading to a modern, open ACS will help organizations eliminate the weak points of legacy systems and better defend against cybersecurity threats, as well as enable new capabilities like mobile credentials, biometrics, and cloud-connected controllers and services, to implement over time.

Guy Bliesner, School Safety & Security Analyst, Idaho School Safety and Security Program:

Following recent school shooting incidents, there is intense emotional inertia and strong public pressure to do something to make our schools safe. Significant monies are being allocated for school safety and security improvements at the federal, state, and local levels. This will provide an unprecedented opportunity this coming year to create safer and more secure schools.

Unfortunately, there are no easy answers. No one size fits all solution. No buy this one thing school safety remedy. No just do this and your school will be safe process. The radical differences in exposure, security posture, school community demographic, location, building design, and condition, plus a dozen other factors, preclude a universal best answer to any school security improvement.

School security is an ongoing posture that a school community must adopt and not simply a set of processes, and infinitely more than just a product. We need to be cognizant of this unique opportunity and use it effectively.

Agree or disagree with the predictions made here? Share your thoughts, respectfully, in the comments!

Continue reading here:
11 Predictions for Campus Safety and Security in 2023 - Campus Safety Magazine

Western Sydney coach Marko Rudan has questioned the mental strength of his players after watching their shock 1-0 loss to last-placed Perth Glory at a windswept Macedonia Park.

The Wanderers entered Friday night's match full of confidence on the back of last week's 4-0 thrashing of Macarthur, and they were expected to sweep aside a struggling Glory outfit missing key players Ryan Williams, Mark Beevers and Aaron McEneff.

But Glory flipped the script on its head, dominating the first half before scoring the winner in the 59th minute in what was one of Western Sydney's worst performance of the A-League Men season.

The result put a major dent in Western Sydney's hopes of catching ladder leaders Melbourne City, and has also left them vulnerable to being leapfrogged by the likes of Central Coast, Adelaide, and Brisbane.

Rudan said the performance against Glory wasn't good enough.

"We are not going to keep building if our mentality isn't right," Rudan said.

"And it's games like this where we've struggled.

"We come to Perth, poor lighting, strong winds - so what. So what.

"These external factors, if we're going to be a good side, need to be forgotten about.

"We need to be mentally better, and we're not. We're not there."

Rudan wants to see his players show their mental strength during the tough moments.

"That's a process. It's not a magic wand," he said.

"You put them in certain positions or moments to try to challenge them.

"But ultimately the most important day of the week is game day, that's where you get judged, not at training

"A lot of people can do it at training. But can you come to Perth on a windy night and do it? We're not there. Maybe a handful are."

Rudan said captain Marcelo Guedes had some "strong words" to his teammates after the game.

"He understands what winning means and what it takes. It's easy to win at home or when things are going well," Rudan said.

"That's easy, anyone can play the game. But the challenge for this group of players is switching on the mentality (when it's tough), and the attitude needs to be right as well."

The Wanderers are sweating on the fitness of attacker Kusini Yengi after he limped off with a quad injury in the first half.

Yengi only returned a week ago from a similar injury, and it's unlikely he will be able to face Melbourne City at CommBank Stadium on Sunday.

Continue reading here:
Rudan critical of brittle Wanderers - The West Australian