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There was some thought that the 10-6A girls basketball race would be more wide open this season.

The standings say otherwise, thus far, as the teams hit the halfway point chasing a familiar team as Sachse is once again leading the pack.

The Mustangs have dismissed all challengers thus far, but that does not mean the second half of the slate will lack for drama.

The race for the playoff spots are still up for grabs and there are contenders lurking that can still make a run.

And if Sachse should falter for the first time in several years, that will just add to the mix.

Here is a look at the district race:

Sachse (20-6, 7-0)

Sachse has had a couple of close calls against its Garland ISd rivals.

The Mustangs narrowly defeated Lakeview, 46-43 in the finals of the Curtis Culwell Invitational in early December, though it was a non-district game.

For any that thought that was a sign of vulnerability, Sachse showed that was not the case with a thorough 36-19 victory last Saturday.

Rowlett pushed them on Friday, but the Mustangs once again found a way with a 46-42 victory to extend its district winning streak to 62 in a row.

The reasons for doubt were the departure of two-time district most valuable player Avery Crouse, as well as first-teamer Kayla Demus.

The Mustangs were then dealt a big blow when point guard Jayla Brooks, a SMU-signee who was the 10-6A offensive player of the year last season, suffered a season-ending injury.

But Sachses winning streak is a testament to its depth and that has once again been the case.

TCU-signee Adhel Tac is a contender for district most valuable player. Tac is a dominant force inside and can also play out at the perimeter and distribute to teammates.

Fellow senior Tia Harvey is a dynamic scorer who is also a go-to player with veteran experience.

Elizabeth Woods, a 6-1 junior, Sierra Douglas, a 6-2 junior, and Anderson Forthman, a 6-1 senior, give them depth in the post alongside Tac.

Junior Brianna Salazar and freshman Journee Chambers have helped fill the void left by Brooks in handling the ball, juniors Shanyais Rose and Morgan Mundy have also contributed in the back court and freshman Crislyn Rose could be the next star for the Mustangs.

Key Game: at Lakeview (Feb. 4)

Rowlett (10-16, 4-3)

The Eagles have put themselves in position to make the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season and despite the loss to Sachse on Friday, they showed they can compete with every team in the district.

Rowlett had to replace its emotional leader in Ngozi Obineke, who was the co-most valuable player a season ago, but has relied on a solid nucleus.

That includes a first-team honoree in sophomore Nevaeh Zavala, who made an immediate impact last season, and has stepped up her game, averaging 15.2 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Zavala is one of three Eagles averaging double figures in scoring. Senior Reagan Warren is averaging 11.9 points and 6.4 rebounds per game, while senior Madilyn Rodriguez is at 11.5 points and a team-high 6.8 boards per contest.

All three players are also averaging better than one steal per game, led by Rodriguez at 2.2 per night.

Rowlett has also featured solid depth with senior Mya Devance senior Ryllie Booker, senior Hannah Rumore, junior Taiyana Pitts and sophomore Kendall Miles.

Key Game: at Wylie (Jan. 31)

Lakeview (18-4, 6-1)

The Patriots showed they can compete with Sachse on a given night in the Culwell finals, though the second meeting was not that time.

Still, Lakeview has compiled an impressive body of work otherwise, putting them in sole possession of second place.

Sophomore Carleece Gates (9.5 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 1.8 apg) was voted as the 10-6A newcomer of the year as a freshman a year ago, where she was joined on the first team by junior Taliyah Harris (8.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 4.3 apg).

Lakeview also presents a difficult match-up problem for most teams with athletics bigs in 6-3 junior Jaliya Sharp, 6-1 junior Sanaa Baker and 6-0 junior Aja Scott.

Key Game: vs. Sachse (Feb. 4)

Wylie (15-12, 5-2)

The Pirates have flown under the radar somewhat, but are right in the thick of the playoff race.

With players such as all-district performers Peyton Rush and Alyssa Sullivan, Wylie could make a second half charge.

Junior Sianne Hill, junior Bailey Harris, senior Macy Sisco and sophomore Lynn Nwachukwu have also provided some scoring punch.

Key Game: at Sachse (Tues.)

Garland (11-12, 3-4)

The Owls boosted their playoff hopes recently with key wins over Naaman Forest and North Garland.

Garland features one of the better 1-2 interior punches in the district with 6-4 junior Xyllize Harrison and 5-10 senior Cynthia Onyekwe and senior Ruth Ajayi is solid on the outside.

Key Game: at Wylie (Jan. 24)

Naaman Forest (9-13, 2-5)

The Rangers have one of the shortest benches in the district and that might be a factor in their playoff chances, especially coming off a tough loss to Garland on Tuesday that dropped them two games off the pace.

Still, Naaman Forest does have some firepower with senior Gabby Robinson, senior Shamrin Shaw and senior Jmya Jones.

Key Game: at Rowlett (Tues.)

North Garland (6-15, 1-6)

The Raiders have some solid scorers with senior Tyvionna Williams, senior Asia Johnson and senior Morgan Ross, but it has not translated to success in district, where they have been held to 33 points or less in every game.

Key Game: vs. Garland (Fri.)

South Garland (3-19, 0-7)

The Colonels have endured their share of struggles this year and it has not helped they have been without the services of their best player, senior Vanessa Wharton, for much of the season.

Though likely not a playoff contender, South Garland is still hoping to have an impact on the playoff race with senior Kandace Sutton, senior Jocelyn Bell, junior Jackie Roberts and others.

Key Game: at North Garland (Feb. 4)

Continue reading here:
Sachse in control, Rowlett in the hunt heading into second half - Star Local Media

Royal Power Solutions (RPS) vice-president of supply chain Kevin Reed (pictured) believes medium-sized suppliers should find a reason for entry and control what they can when deciding to expand into Mexico.

RPS, based in Illinois, US, celebrated the opening of its automotive parts manufacturing factory in Quertaro, Mexico last month, where it assembles automotive battery terminal systems, moulded plastic covers and studded eyelets for tier one and two manufacturers, including those producing electric vehicles.

As one of Mexicos fastest-growing cities, Quertaro has the second highest GDP per capita and is home to 300 automotive industry companies. The city is in the Bajo region in central Mexico where OEMs BMW, Honda, Audi, Volkswagen, GM and Nissan have invested.

According to Reed, among the main logistics challenges investing in Mexico are the countrys locally produced raw material supply and logistics infrastructure.

The single largest materials input for producing eyelets and terminals flat roll copper and aluminium are not available directly from mills within Mexico today, he explained, adding that copper was also used in battery-powered hybrid fully electric vehicles.

Supply and demandLast year, RPS supply chain efforts were largely focused on qualifying local suppliers for outside processes and market testing various logistics providers. Supplier partnerships should be considered and there is no shame in sub-contracting when necessary, states Reed. The key is to control what you can.

Milk run optimisation (cost-optimal routes for inbound and outbound shipments) is one of the strategies Reed suggests deploying when operating in the country. Regarding challenges, he cites tax and regulation, particularly in focus in light of the news from the US senate last week.

The US-Mexico-Canada trade agreement (USMCA)has now been approved by the US Senate, which has joined Mexico in ratifying the new North American Free Trade Agreement (Nafta). Canada still needs to put pen to paper, however the news does seem to move towards resolution and further lifts uncertainty for North American supply chains.

As the bill becomes law however, it will raise questions for manufacturers and logistics providers around compliance, including how to meet new rules of origin requirements, and rises in production cost, and border trade.

According to the National Auto Parts Industry (INA), Mexico is the fifth-largest automotive parts producer in the world and the largest In Latin America. Looking ahead, INA has forecast that production of Mexican automotive parts will continue to grow, with an expected US$96 billion value by 2021 - another indication of the crucial role the country plays in US automotive trade.

The impact of the USMCA on automotive trade between the North American trading partners will be under discussion at the forthcoming Automotive Logistics Mexico conference to be held in Mexico City between February 25-27

Kevin Reed will be a speaker at the conference, where he will further discuss the challenges and opportunities of operating in Mexico

Read this article:
Control what you can in Mexico, says RPS - Automotive Logistics

Far-left Senator Bernie Sanders surprised users on social media Monday; posting a bizarre tweet claiming the United States needs national rent control to regulate the cost of apartments across the country.

This is a crisis. We need national rent control, wrote Sanders on social media.

Sanders is now tied with former Vice President Joe Biden in the latest national polls; setting the stage for a high-stakes showdown between the two top Democrats ahead of the Iowa Caucus.

The online poll, released Thursday, shows that 20% of registered Democrats and independents said they would back Sanders over 11 other candidates to run in the general election against President Donald Trump, an increase of 2 percentage points from a similar poll that ran last week, reports Reuters. Another 19% supported Biden, 12% said they would vote for Senator Elizabeth Warren, 9% backed former New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg and 6% said they would support Pete Buttigieg, the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

The poll also shows that about one in five potential primary voters remain undecided. And among those who have picked, nearly two out of three say they are open to changing their minds, adds the website. Sanders, an independent who built a national network of fervent supporters while running for the partys nomination in 2016, has consistently ranked among the most popular candidates since he entered the race.

Read the full report here.

Source: Reuters

See the article here:
BACK IN THE USSR! Bernie Sanders Calls for 'National Rent Control' for Apartments Across the USA - Sean Hannity

A second term for President Trump would produce reassuring continuity for markets, at least in the short term. We have seen the impact his pronouncements on social media can have, and this is likely to be a feature of a second term in office for President Trump.

A change in administration would likely introduce some short-term volatility, but the longer-term impact of individual candidates is harder to judge. We will be carefully tracking the primaries from February onwards when the Democratic nominee will become clearer as we consider what market impact, if any, the challenger may have.

At an institutional level, a Democratic president who facing a Republican senateSenate might be less disruptive for markets than one with party backing. Gridlock would prevent any potential rollback of Trumps tax cuts or contentious policies around healthcare, technology and energybig policy shifts that could create market volatility. But stagnation and malaise would likely benefit no one and, while Democratic control of the Presidency and both houses could be negative for some sectors, it could also lead to opportunities opening up elsewhere as the policy focus shifts.

Go here to read the rest:
US Election 2020: Beyond the media thunderdome - Coutts

Suddenly needing a replacement for the young, popular, bilingual manager they hired in November and dumped in dishonor last week, the Mets picked the young, popular, bilingual manager prospect they already had.

Luis Rojas will succeed Carlos Beltran who lost his job because ofhis involvement in the Astros sign-stealing scandal as the Mets manager, general manager Brodie Van Wagenen said Wednesday at Citi Field.

Heading into his 14th season with the organization, Rojas checks a lot of boxes: He is analytically adept, having helped players digest data in his role as quality-control coach last year; he knows the roster, having coached or managed many of the Mets during his dozen years working in the minors; and he comes from a famous baseball family, the son of former Expos/Giants manager Felipe Alou and the brother of former All-Star outfielder Moises Alou.

Not a bad option for a team that found itself in the highly unusual position of looking for a manager in January.

The short version is hes very, very well qualified, said Van Wagenen, who interviewed Rojas multiple times in October but opted for Beltran instead. We anticipate him to be a great addition to our team. We think he has the ability to be consistent, to be calm under pressure and to understand the opportunity that this team has as we head into the 2020 season.

Hes respected by the players, hes trusted by the players and hes someone that we have great confidence in his ability to lead our team and his ability to put us in the best position to succeed.

Rojas promotion isnt official yet. Van Wagenen said the Mets are working to finalize a multi-year deal with Rojas, 38, who will be formally introduced in a news conference at Citi Field when the contract is done.

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Aside from filling Rojas previous role, the Mets dont expect any changes to the coaching staff. The Red Soxreportedly areinterested in bench coach Hensley Meulens for their manager opening, but they have not requested permission to interview him, Van Wagenen said.

Selecting Rojas mostly ends the Mets portion of the 2017 Astros cheating saga. Beltran was a player on that team and was named in Major League Baseballs report on the issue, and he and the team parted ways that is the official term last week.

That left Van Wagenen & Co. conducting their second manager search of the offseason. Becausethey went through this process in October, this time around it was largely a matter of referring to their notes and deciding whether they needed to re-open their group of candidates, Van Wagenen said.

Have circumstances changed now that would change what we were looking for in a manager? Van Wagenen said. We came to the conclusion that going to the existing candidate pool that we had already gone through this extensive process with was [the best choice]. Even though circumstances have changed, the people that we narrowed our focus to before were the right people for us to focus on.

Van Wagenen said Rojas was someone we focused on very early and very quickly. He called Rojas a serious candidate back in October.

When it came to this unfortunate circumstance, we didnt want to change the values that we outlined for ourselves in the initial process, Van Wagenen said. We wanted to continue the momentum that we have with the work thats been done in preparation for spring training, and we felt like Luis was in a position to be a leader of that group.

Rojas was popular among Mets last year, his first on the major-league staff, and shortly after the news broke Wednesday, Pete Alonso, Marcus Stroman and Dominic Smith all chimed in approvingly on social media.

This will be Rojas first managing job in the majors, but dont call him inexperienced. In addition to managing in the Dominic Winter League and leading the Dominican Republic team in an Olympic qualifying tournament a job Rojas was honored to be picked for he also managed Mets minor league teams for eight seasons. Along the way, he had Jacob deGrom on the 2012 Savannah Sand Gnats and Alonso and Jeff McNeil on the 2018 Binghamton Rumble Ponies, among many others.

And now they are all in the majors, with Rojas in charge.

[Rojas]has a good finger on the pulse of this particular team, Van Wagenen said. He was part of it last year, he was part of the momentum ride we had in the second half of the year and the success we had. From our evaluation standpoint, that was another separator for him versus some of the other candidates. He knows these guys. He knows how to communicate to them. Every returning player on the roster has a relationship with him. Thats valuable to us at this time.

Age: 38

Former role with the Mets: Quality-control coach in 2019, acting as a conduit between the front office and coaching staff. Rojas helped incorporate analytics into game strategy and preparation. He was also the team's outfield coach last season.

Playing career: A leftfielder, first baseman and third baseman, Rojas played with the Orioles (2000), Marlins (2001-02) and Expos/Nationals (2003-05) in their minor league systems.

Managing career: Gulf Coast Mets (2011), Savannah Sand Gnats (2012-14), St. Lucie Mets (2015-16), Binghamton Rumble Ponies (2017-18)

Family tree: Son of 17-year major league player and former Expos and Giants manager Felipe Alou and brother of six-time All-Star outfielder Moises Alou, who played the last two seasons of his career with the Mets in 2007-08. He is the nephew of former MLB outfielders Matty and Jesus Alou. According to MLB.com, Rojas uses his paternal grandfathers last name, Rojas, while his father and brother use his paternal grandmothers last name, Alou.

Read more from the original source:
Mets finalizing deal to make Rojas their next manager - Newsday