Parents, neighborhood get shoes for running grade-schoolers - Billings Gazette

The kids in McKinley Elementary’s cross-country club gathered on the blacktop, running shoes tied tight, ready to take a jog around the neighborhood Friday morning.

The shoes are important. Elementary school students wear all kinds of shoes — big, blocky basketball shoes, barely there flats, slip-ons, Chuck Taylors. But not all of them have running shoes, and it can be hard to jog a mile in a pair of flats.

“They could, it’s just not good for them,” said volunteer coach Ceci Bentler.

So parents at the school got together and went through their closets. Some of them had older children who had outgrown a perfectly good pair of running shoes and they offered them to the club.

Pretty soon, the school had a full-blown shoe drive on its hands, with families and neighbors offering their children’s outgrown shoes. For the students who needed them, it was a welcome offering.

McKinley has a diverse student body, with kids coming from shelters and downtown motels and 100-year-old restored manses up the hill.

Getting running shoes to everyone who needs a pair — and making sure kids are aware those shoes are available so that they’ll feel they can join the club — has been an important, but delicate task.

In an effort not to single anyone out, club organizers have talked up the shoes to all the kids, explaining that running shoes, like football pads or shin guards, are a necessary piece of equipment to participate in the sport of distance running.

When they join a team, they get the equipment they need.

“It’s sports equipment,” Bentler said. “It’s gotten to be so big, it’s become a non-issue.”

And ultimately, that was the goal — to get as many kids running as they could.

“They are so talented and eager,” Bentler said.

Sarah Brown’s two children run in the club. Providing shoes to any kid who might need them or want them is vital, she said.

The high cost of participating in many sports often excludes students with the talent or desire to participate who would otherwise play or run if they could. They need the chance, Brown said.

“I feel really strongly about it.”

It’s why she loves running and making sure students get the chance to do it.

“I think it’s a huge gift to give these kids,” she said. “A sport they can do just walking out their back door.”

They don’t need a team; they don’t need helmets or pads or rackets or gloves. They just need shoes and the road or an open park, she said.

Running also gives the kids a kind of alone time that really doesn’t come from anything else. They take off on a jog and they’re on their own, a solitary escape for a few moments from the world around them, she said.

“They need that,” she said.

The club is still looking for shoes, specifically children’s sizes 3 to 6. Bentler has set up a collection box at the downtown YMCA and hopes to gather in what they need.

“It’s an organic effort of getting hand-me-down shoes to kids,” she said.

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Jim Donaldson: Amendola, filling big shoes, hangs tough in opener - The Providence Journal

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y — For a little guy, Wes Welker left some huge shoes to fill in New England.

For six seasons, he was Tom Brady’s “go-to” guy. When the Patriots needed a first down, a clutch catch, somebody to move the chains, Welker was often Option Number One.

In five of the six years he was a Patriot, Welker caught at least 111 passes. He set a team record for receptions with 123 in 2009 and had 122 in 2011.

Then, Thursday night in Denver, in his first game with the Broncos, he had nine catches, two of them for touchdowns.

Talk about tough acts to follow.

It would be easier to sing after Sinatra, or for an understudy to step in for James Earl Jones in a Broadway play.

That was the situation Danny Amendola found himself in Sunday afternoon against the Bills.

He was playing Welker’s position of slot receiver, but he was the center of attention.

Everyone in New England was watching him, wondering if he really could replace the wildly popular — and highly productive — Welker.

So it was troubling when, late in the first half, after catching three passes for 40 yards, Amendola limped off the field in obvious discomfort with what appeared to be a strained groin muscle.

Talk about a worst-case scenario.

Amendola came to New England with a reputation of being injury prone.

He played in only one game for the Rams in 2011 because of a dislocated elbow and sat out five games for St. Louis last season because of shoulder and ankle injuries.

No one ever questioned Amendola’s productivity. His durability, however, was another matter entirely — particularly when compared with Welker, who would take a licking and keep on playing, missing just three games in his six seasons with the Pats.

So it was significant that, after getting treatment at halftime, Amendola came out in the second half and made some Welker-like plays that helped the Patriots avoid what would have been an embarrassing loss.

In the end, the game came down not to Stephen Gostkowski’s foot but to Amendola’s hands.

With just 1:20 remaining, the Patriots were trailing, 21-20, and facing a 3rd-and-8 situation at the Buffalo 39 — still out of realistic range for a field goal.

That’s when Amendola darted over the middle and made a surehanded grab of a rifled pass from Tom Brady for a first down at the 29.

It was his fourth catch of the desperation drive, and when Shane Vereen followed it with a 15-yard run to the Bills’ 14 on the next play, the Patriots were able to pull out the win on a 35-yard field goal by Gostkowski.

“Danny stepped up,” Belichick said. “He made some big catches in some tough situations.”

Brady spoke similarly of Amendola.

“He really toughed it out, which was pretty impressive,” the quarterback said. “I thought he was going to be out the rest of the game. He gave everything he’s got.”

Amendola showed something Sunday to Patriots fans.

He stayed in the game, and then did as much as any Pats player to win the game.

Targeted 14 times by Brady, he finished with game-high totals of 10 catches for 104 yards.

Afterward, in the crowded visitors locker room, Amendola pointed out that this isn’t the first time he’s followed in Welker’s footsteps.

“I was a senior in high school, and going to Texas Tech, when Wes Welker was there and catching 15 balls a game,” he said. “He’s one of the most productive players ever.”

As a senior at Texas Tech in 2003, Welker caught 97 passes for 1,099 yards. When Amendola was a senior, in 2007, he caught 109 for 1,245 for the Red Raiders.

That’s not to say he’s going to surpass the phenomenal numbers Welker put up in New England. That borders on the impossible. But, if he can avoid injury, Amendola should compile some pretty healthy stats.

“I don’t think about that stuff,” Amendola said when asked about the inevitable comparisons with Welker, and the pressure of trying to replace him — both on the field and in the hearts of Patriots fans.

“I just think about my job. I’m really excited to be here. I love playing with these guys.”

In the first half, he said, “I really didn’t have my legs under me.”

And, when he limped off the field, it seemed as if he might not be running at all in the second half.

“We have some good trainers here,” was Amendola’s tight-lipped explanation for how he was able to keep playing.

“It’s a long game, a physical game,” he said. “You’ve just got to keep fighting.”

After the game, Amendola was feeling no pain.

“Right now,” he said, “I feel good about winning.”

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Mimi Naman: She sold lots of clothing, shoes and wrapped them all in loads of ... - al.com (blog)

A self-sufficient woman who helped expand the Naman mercantile business, Mimi Naman, is remembered for her strong Catholic faith, her devotion to her nieces and nephews, and her passion for all things Mobile.

"She was so loving and generous," recalled her sister, Eloise Naman Fadalla, who worked with Naman at her store, Children's World and Village Bootery. "The customers just loved her."

The third of 11 children born to George Elias Naman and Helen Zoghby Naman in Brewton, Naman died on Sept. 1. She was never one to discuss or disclose her age, her family said.

Naman attended T. R. Miller High School and moved with her family in the 1930s to Mobile, where she — like her siblings — joined the family businesses, pitching in at Naman's Food Store and Naman's Department Store. The family with Lebanese origins became widely recognized in Mobile.

Fadalla said that she and her brothers and sisters helped to wait on customers and wrap up their selections, learning enough about the business to go out on their own when they were grown.

Naman, who never married, chose to start a store focusing on shoes and children's clothes. It was initially located off University Boulevard near Ossie's, a popular restaurant at the time. Today, it's at Springhill Avenue and Interstate 65.

Children's World

Naman was especially skilled at building relationships with her customers — generations of them — and helping them to find what they needed, her nieces said.

Children's World, which still specializes in dress clothes and uniforms, offered sizes that were difficult to find. When necessary, Naman tackled the alterations herself.

The Village Bootery, meanwhile, was one of the first in the Mobile market to sell Thom McAn shoes.

"She loved so much what she was doing and believed in what she was doing," said niece Aggie Gibson of Florala. "She believed that one customer was as important as the next."

Naman would welcome customers and embrace them, and the children always flocked to her, said niece Georgette Spencer of Mobile.

Spencer fought back tears as she described Naman's generosity. "She didn't let them leave without clothes for their children," Spencer said, adding that Naman sometimes gave items away. "She was so loving and generous to everyone she met."

Naman and Fadalla were charter members of Springhill Business and Professional Women's Club, of which Naman served as president.

Naman also embraced Mobile and everything about it, from places like the Bellingrath Gardens and Home in Theodore to events like Mardi Gras, her family said.

And Naman practiced her faith every morning, visiting Corpus Christi Catholic Church before the workday began. She adopted the favorite saint of her mother, Saint Anthony.

"She lived her life as if nothing couldn't be accomplished because of her faith in God," Gibson said. "Her favorite saying was, 'No matter what, the Lord provides.'"

The chapter in the Bible that speaks of love, 1 Corinthians 13, describes Naman, Gibson said: "It could have been written by Mimi, but it was written about her."

Archbishop Emeritus Oscar H. Lipscomb, a friend of the family, was celebrant at the funeral and burial, while the Rev. James F. Zoghby, pastor at Corpus Christ, was concelebrant and eulogist. Gibson delivered a memorial in Naman's honor.

'I like that name'

Naman's nieces described her as a devoted "second mother" to them and the family's other children. In many photos, she is carrying a child, holding one by the hand or offering one in baptism, as was the case with Spencer, her goddaughter.

The checkout counter in her store bears witness to her love for her young nieces and nephews. Naman allowed them to write their names there, where they, in turn, left sweet messages for her. "Super Mimi," one reads.

In fact, it was Fadalla's oldest daughter, Helen Fadalla Hotard, who at age 3 coined "Mimi" as the nickname for Naman, who was born Amelia Mary. "You know, I like that name," Naman was quoted as saying.

About a year and a half ago, Naman and Fadalla were opening the store, and Naman stepped on a pebble, which caused her to fall. A perfectly healthy woman, she fractured her femur and spent months in the hospital.

Spencer and her husband, Gary, helped to keep the store open while Fadalla stayed with and cared for her sister. Customers would enter the shop, take a look around and say, "'Where are the ladies?'" said Gary Spencer.

In recent months, Naman had become well enough to return to the shop, but she never fully recovered from the fall, her family said.

"I remember having the most fun taking her back to her shop," Spencer said. "Her customers and their children alike would take running steps to see her."

Carol McPhail welcomes your suggestions for coastal Alabama Life Stories. Do you know an ordinary Alabamian who lived an extraordinary life? Contact McPhail at cmcphail@al.com

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Why Do We Wear Sneakers Instead of Shoes on Yom Kippur? - Chabad.org

Sneakers, sandals and slippers in the synagogue, oh my! Why on this holiest of days is our footwear so casual?

Well, in the book of Leviticus, the Torah commands us to “afflict” ourselves on Yom Kippur. Why? Two reasons:

1. On this day, when our connection to G‑d is bared, we are compared to angels, who have no physical needs.


2. We afflict ourselves to demonstrate the extent of our regret for our past misdeeds.

The rabbis determined that “affliction” means that we are to deny ourselves certain luxuries, including wearing leather footwear. Leather shoes were considered a comfort until recent times, when it became possible to manufacture comfortable shoes of other materials.

(We also afflict ourselves on Tishah B’Av, when we mourn the destruction of the Holy Temples. Leather footwear is not worn on that day either.)

On a mystical level, wearing leather is reminiscent of the primordial sin committed by Adam and Eve, after which G‑d outfitted them in garments made of skins (Genesis 3:21). On Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, we don’t want to do anything that recalls this sin. (Similarly, we also refrain from wearing gold on Yom Kippur, so as not to recall the sin of the Golden Calf.)

So, there is no “custom” to wear sneakers; any synthetic shoe will do. In fact, your sneakers may be made of leather, so check the materials before you wear them on Yom Kippur.

Click here to visit our comprehensive Yom Kippur section.

Best wishes for a sweet new year,

Chani Benjaminson,

Chabad.org

Chani Benjaminson is co-director of Chabad of the South Coast, coordinator of Chabad’s Ask the Rabbi and Feedback departments, and is a member of the editorial staff of Chabad.org.

The content on this page is copyrighted by the author, publisher and/or Chabad.org, and is produced by Chabad.org. If you enjoyed this article, we encourage you to distribute it further, provided that you comply with the copyright policy.

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BIG SHOES TO FILL - STLtoday.com

Steven Jackson

Games: 131 • Starts: 119 • Attempts: 2,396 • Yards: 10,138 • Avg.: 4.2 • TDs: 56

Daryl Richardson

Games: 16 • Starts: 0 • Attempts: 98

Yards: 475 • Avg.: 4.8 • TDs: 0

Isaiah Pead

Games: 15 • Starts: 1 • Attempts: 10

Yards: 54 • Avg.: 5.4 • TDs: 0

Zac Stacy

Rookie

Benny Cunningham

Rookie

Chase Reynolds

Practice squad in 2011 and 2012

Note: As a receiver, Jackson had 407 catches for 3,324 yards and eight TDs. In 2012,

Richardson caught 24 passes for 163 yards while Pead had three catches for 16 yards.

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Boy's shoes duct-taped to his feet - ActionNewsJax.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Brynn Hackett says her whole world revolves around her 4-year-old son Jacob.

Jacob is autistic, non-verbal, and a student at Southside Estates Elementary School. When he got off the bus Thursday afternoon, Hackett says she was shocked to see Jacob's shoes had been duct-taped to his feet.

She said, "As soon as I saw it, I just knew it wasn't right. And it broke my heart on so many levels."

She said she called the teacher and didn't get an answer right away. Then she called Action News. And we went to the school district looking for answers.

DCPS Spokeswoman Marsha Oliver told us, "When you contacted us, we contacted the principal. The principal did an investigation, did talk to the teacher. Understood very clearly that the teacher did not in any way seek to harm the child."

In fact, Oliver said the teacher was actually trying to help Jacob. She said the day before, he had gotten hurt when he took off his shoes and stepped on sand spurs while playing outside.

Oliver said, "It was certainly a very sincere effort and act to show care and concern."

Hackett said she would have preferred the teacher just take her son inside. She couldn't stand the sight of her son's feet being bound like that.

Hackett said, "It's just wrong. It shouldn't happen to any child."

Hackett says she's not sure if she'll be sending her son back to school here.

The school district said the principal at Southside Estates even called the Department of Children and Families to ask if taping the student's shoes to his feet in any way violated DCF standards and expectations. The principal was told no.

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Shelby teacher headed to Peru to pass out shoes - Mansfield News Journal

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Teammates pitch in to get friend new kicks after $120 shoes stolen - Chronicle-Telegram

ELYRIA– They’re Adidas Crazy 8’s, and Aaron Worthy knew they were kind of hot.

Even with a price tag of $120, he told his mother during a recent back-to-school shopping trip he had to have them in order to start the new school year in style.

After Elyria High School freshman Aaron Worthy’s shoes were stolen, his entire football team pitched in to help buy him a new pair of shoes. KRISTIN BAUER/CHRONICLE TELEGRAM

Someone else likely thought so, too, because the shoes came up missing and presumably stolen within three days of school. But fellow members of the Elyria High School freshman football team immediately rallied around the player, proving that they stick together even when it comes to donating money to buy someone shoes.

Aaron said he was not happy to return to his locker last Wednesday to find his new shoes gone.

“I was almost sick to my stomach,” he said. “They were my teammates and I didn’t think we would steal from each other.”

The door to the locker room at Elyria high stadium was locked and it is believed that no one went into the room while the team was on the field practicing. The shoes never resurfaced, but it did not take long for teammates to move past the problem of the stolen shoes and onto a solution of how to get Aaron new ones.

“I just thought it was the right thing to do,” said 14-year-old Trevor Workman. “Aaron’s never been mean to anyone really so he didn’t deserve this.”

It was Trevor’s idea to buy the shoes. With 48 players on the team, he knew if everyone gave a few dollars then the shoes could be repurchased. In the first day, the players – all 13- and 14-year-old freshmen – raised $82. Aaron came up with the rest.

“I think we’re a really solid team,” Trevor said. “A lot of people know each other because we’ve been practicing for a few weeks or from playing football together in earlier years. We don’t know for sure who took the shoes, but as a team we’re sticking together.”

Aaron said he wasn’t expecting to be handed a fistful of cash after practice Monday.

“They didn’t do it so I felt kind of bad that I was taking their money, but at the same time I thought they were cool teammates and helped me out even though they didn’t do anything,” he said.

Aaron has been playing football since seventh grade and said this team is one of the most cohesive.

“We always had a sense of friendship. When we played Elyria Catholic, we won the game,” he said. “We stuck together and stayed strong.”

Michelle Novak, Aaron’s mother, said the generosity of the team helped lessen the sting of her son losing the pricey shoes. She is not in the habit of buying $120 shoes often and usually gets her son two high-priced pairs of shoes a year.

KRISTIN BAUER/CHRONICLE TELEGRAM

“I am so amazingly proud and excited for this group of young men we have on this freshman team,” she said.

As for the shoes, Novak said a replacement pair in Aaron’s size had to be reordered as the Finish Line shoe store at Midway Mall was out by the time he returned. They should arrive by Tuesday and will likely be back on her son’s feet soon after.

Contact Lisa Roberson at 329-7121 or lroberson@chroniclet.com.

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Boy's shoes duct-taped to his feet - ActionNewsJax.com

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Brynn Hackett says her whole world revolves around her 4-year-old son Jacob.

Jacob is autistic, non-verbal, and a student at Southside Estates Elementary School. When he got off the bus Thursday afternoon, Hackett says she was shocked to see Jacob's shoes had been duct-taped to his feet.

She said, "As soon as I saw it, I just knew it wasn't right. And it broke my heart on so many levels."

She said she called the teacher and didn't get an answer right away. Then she called Action News. And we went to the school district looking for answers.

DCPS Spokeswoman Marsha Oliver told us, "When you contacted us, we contacted the principal. The principal did an investigation, did talk to the teacher. Understood very clearly that the teacher did not in any way seek to harm the child."

In fact, Oliver said the teacher was actually trying to help Jacob. She said the day before, he had gotten hurt when he took off his shoes and stepped on sand spurs while playing outside.

Oliver said, "It was certainly a very sincere effort and act to show care and concern."

Hackett said she would have preferred the teacher just take her son inside. She couldn't stand the sight of her son's feet being bound like that.

Hackett said, "It's just wrong. It shouldn't happen to any child."

Hackett says she's not sure if she'll be sending her son back to school here.

The school district said the principal at Southside Estates even called the Department of Children and Families to ask if taping the student's shoes to his feet in any way violated DCF standards and expectations. The principal was told no.

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From Naomi Campbell to this season's best shoes: the Guardian Weekend ... - The Guardian (blog)

Naomi Campbell reveals all to Jess Cartner-Morley in Guardian Weekend magazine. Photograph: Gustavo Papaleo

Want inspiration for a new season of fashion? Want a potted history of the front row, and juicy revelations by one of the biggest supermodels in the world? You'll find it all in the Weekend magazine fashion special this Saturday, 7 September 2013 (theguardian.com/fashion).

The Guardian's fashion team pick their top 20 shoes, bags, coats, skirts, knits and shoes, and Jess Cartner-Morley interviews Naomi Campbell, during which the supermodel has a "je n'ai pas de regrette" moment. Hadley Freeman looks at the politics, frissons and hysterics that accompany the front row at fashion shows, and hears from those who occupied the hot seats at shows gone by.

Preparations before a show at New York fashion week, September 5, 2013. Photograph: Lucas Jackson/Reuters

There will also be live coverage of the shows direct from New York fashion week on the site all weekend. Head to theguardian.com/fashion from 9am on Saturday 7 September to get your weekend fix of all things fashion.

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These Spiky Shoes Literally Put A Spring In Your Step - Popular Science

The Adidas Springblade uses springs to give athletes better verticality

By Amber Williams Posted 09.05.2013 at 4:19 pm

Adidas Springblade Brian Klutch

Cushioned sneakers can help athletes jump higher—a compressed sole returns energy vertically. Adidas has now developed a shoe that could also help runners go faster. Sixteen slanted plastic springs on the sole of the Springblade return a runner’s energy horizontally, providing extra forward momentum. Engineers tuned each spring independently, optimizing thickness, height, and orientation to match the role it plays in a stride. Compared with footsteps taken on standard soles, those on Springblade should have measurably more forward propulsion.

Landing

In a running stride, a person’s heel hits the ground with a force equal to three times his body weight. To absorb the impact, the single spring on the Springblade’s heel is thicker than the others. It’s also as wide as the foot, which helps the shoe grip the ground.

Transition

As the foot rolls forward, the springs—arranged in pairs for balance—compress, storing energy. The arch doesn’t take the same impact as the heel and toes, so these springs are thinner and can squeeze further, gathering even more energy.

Push-off

When a runner’s forward momentum takes over, the heel begins to peel off the ground. That’s when the springs—from back to front—decompress and release energy. At this point in the stride, leg muscles generate thrust too, which puts about 2.5 times a person’s weight on the ball of the foot. Like those at the heel, the springs here are beefier to prevent slipping.

Adidas Springblade

Blades: 16

Weight: 12.8 ounces

Prices: $180

This article originally appeared in the September 2013 issue of Popular Science.

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New York Today: Old-Fashioned Shoe Leather - New York Times (blog)

Alyssa Loorya/Chrysalis Archaeology If baby needs an old pair of shoes, look no further.

Updated 12:54 p.m. | The excavation of this city churns up endless fragments of the past, from pipe stems and pottery shards to bits of stone wall and oyster shell.

Recently, on the site of a street reconstruction project near South Street Seaport, archaeologists found a pair of late-18th-century leather toddler’s slippers.

“They’re in excellent condition given that they were in waterlogged soil for over 200 years,” said Alyssa Loorya of Chrysalis Archaeology, who is leading the investigation at the site of the city Department of Design and Construction’s $35 million project.

The water kept the moisture in, she said, while the soil “provided the ideal setting for these artifacts — not too acidic, not too corrosive.”

One shoe has only the sole remaining. But the other, with a soft, paper-thin upper, is completely intact.

“Probably if it’s properly restored it would fit a kid’s foot,” Ms. Loorya said.

The dig has also yielded buttons from British regiments that fought the Battle of Brooklyn, liquor bottles and a musket ball.

“It’s the gift that keeps on giving,” Ms. Loorya said.

Here’s what you need to know for Friday and the weekend.

WEATHER

Two more lovely days. Sunny and cool today with a high of 74. Sunny and 78 on Saturday. Then clouding over with a chance of showers on Sunday.

TRANSIT & TRAFFIC

• Mass Transit:: Click for latest M.T.A. status.

• Roads:: Click for traffic map or radio report on the 1s.

Alternate-side parking is suspended for Rosh Hashana. Meter rules remain in effect.

COMING UP TODAY

• On the campaign trail, William C. Thompson Jr. visits transit workers and hosts a Bronx block party with the salsa great Willie Colón. Bill de Blasio greets voters on the Fulton Mall in Brooklyn.

• Christine C. Quinn is on “The Brian Lehrer Show” on WNYC at 10 a.m., campaigns in Washington Heights with the Dominican Women’s Coalition and hosts a rally at the Stonewall Inn.

• John A. Catsimatidis visits a Port Authority police softball game on Staten Island. Joseph J. Lhota is on NY1’s “Road to City Hall” at 7 p.m.

• Names of 12 firefighters who died of 9/11-related illnesses are placed on the Memorial Wall at Fire Department headquarters in Brooklyn.

• A city police officer will appear in federal court in Brooklyn on charges that he illegally trafficked military-grade weapons to the Philippines. [WABC Eyewitness News]

• A musical adaptation of “The Tempest” with a cast of 200 begins its weekend-long run at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. 8 p.m. [Free, see ticket info]

• Bronx Museum of the Arts features an evening of video screenings and performances. 6 p.m. [Free]

• “The Wackness” screens at Morgan Avenue Underground in Williamsburg, followed by a dance party. 8 p.m. [Pay what you want]

• A two-weekend-long Greek festival kicks off at Holy Trinity St. Nicholas Church on Staten Island at 6 p.m.

IN THE NEWS

• About 60,000 more people were arrested for minor offenses in the city last year than in the mayor’s first year in office. [DNA Info]

• A man died in a freak accident at a Brooklyn park after a remote-controlled toy helicopter struck him in the head. [New York Times]

• The Irish bookmaking site Paddy Power is offering 4-5 odds on Mr. de Blasio winning the mayor’s race (not just the primary). [Daily News]

• Nearly a year after Hurricane Sandy, teams of Mennonite volunteers are still rebuilding homes on Staten Island and in the Rockaways and plan to stay for years. [New York Times]

• The driver who filmed himself doing a lap of Manhattan in 24 minutes has been arrested, the police say. [Jalopnik]

• A city survey found 95 percent of parents were satisfied with their public schools. [Daily News]

• Not content to have created the cronut, Dominique Ansel has hatched a portable soufflé. [Gothamist]

• Andy Murray will not repeat as United States Open champion.

• Yankees fall to Red Sox, 9-8, in 10.

THE WEEKEND

Saturday

• A whole day of live rock and acoustic music at the Astoria Music Now festival at Astoria Park in Queens. [Free]

• The Brooklyn Bike Jumble, a bicycle flea market, at J.J. Byrne Park in Park Slope. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. [Free]

• An outdoor art show in Washington Square. Also Sunday. [Free]

• Catch-and-release fishing at the Harlem Meer in Central Park. 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. [Free]

• Ed Asner soars in a hot-air balloon, or his voice does anyway, as the Pixar feature “Up” screens at South Street Seaport. 8 p.m. [Free]

Sunday

• The Autumn Moon Festival and children’s lantern parade in Sara D. Roosevelt Park in Chinatown. 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. [Free]

• A “Walk Through Time” fund-raiser in Prospect Park honors senior citizens and includes a path through the decades, oral histories and music. 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. [Free registration]

• Shiny new cars fill Brookfield Place at the World Financial Center as Motorexpo 2013 opens. [Free]

• An afternoon of yoga, tai chi and African dance in Brooklyn Bridge Park, with snacks, courtesy of the listings site Flavorpill. 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. [Free, R.S.V.P. required]

Weekend Street Closings

Click for the complete list. The site SocialEyesNYC has a listing of street fairs.

AND FINALLY…

The city’s love affair with beekeeping continues unabated with National Honey Month in full swing, as the New York City Honey Festival returns to Rockaway Beach on Saturday.

There will be hives. There will be free samples.

Children will make bee puppets, paint a bee-themed mural and create bee costumes (for themselves, not for the bees).

A Rosh Hashana casting of sins into the waters will include a ceremony to save the bees.

And at dusk, “Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory” will bring the day to a sweet conclusion.

It all happens on the Beach 86th Street boardwalk.

---

Nicole Higgins DeSmet contributed reporting.

New York Today is a morning roundup that stays live from 6 a.m. till about noon.

What would you like to see here to start your day? Post a comment, e-mail us at nytoday@nytimes.com or reach us via Twitter using #NYToday.

Find us on weekdays at nytimes.com/nytoday.

---

This post has been revised to reflect the following correction:

Correction: September 6, 2013

The Mets game referred to in an earlier version of this post was played on Wednesday, not Thursday.

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Walking a mile in a real NASA astronaut's underwater shoes - Ars Technica

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Joe Silva's Shoes: What's next for UFC Fight Night 28's winners? - MMAjunkie.com

Joe Silva's Shoes: What's next for UFC Fight Night 28's winners? The UFC wrapped up its third event in a seven-day span on Wednesday when "UFC Fight Night 28: Teixeira vs. Bader" took place inside the surprisingly chilly confines of Mineirinho Arena in Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.

This past week's UFC Fight Night 27 and UFC 164 cards were deemed the better of the three events due to more familiar names and significant matchups, but when it came to the top-billed bouts, an argument can be made UFC Fight Night 28 delivered the most thrilling finishes of any event.

Glover Teixeira (22-2 MMA, 5-0 UFC), Ronaldo Souza (19-3 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Joseph Benavidez (19-3 MMA, 6-1 UFC) all delivered the goods with first-round knockouts to send the roughly 5,000 Brazilian fans in attendance home happy. Rafael Natal (17-4-1 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC), Ali Bagautinov (11-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Piotr Hallmann (14-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) all contributed to a worthwhile main card with a "Fight of the Night" performance, brutal knockout and comeback submission. In all, the UFC's third event on FOX Sports 1 was an entertaining evening of action.

After every fight card, fans wonder whom the winners will be matched up with next.

With another night of UFC action in the rearview mirror, it's time to look forward, put on a pair of Joe Silva's (and Sean Shelby's) shoes, and play UFC matchmaker.

Ali Bagautinov

Should fight: A UFC newcomer

Why they should fight: There was a lot of buzz surrounding Bagautinov prior to his octagon debut on Wednesday, and with the way he performed in a third-round knockout win over Marcos Vinicius, it's easy to see why.

Bagautinov is a former Russian sambo champion who transitioned to MMA in 2009 and has since won 11 of his 13 professional fights. With the UFC reportedly starting plans for a future debut in Russia, it wouldn't hurt to build up Bagautinov with some wins.

That said, the UFC flyweight division is continuing to evolve, and as more 125-pounders are signed, it wouldn't hurt bring in a fighter who will give Bagautinov a tough, yet winnable, fight.

Rafael Natal

Should fight: Tom Lawlor

Why they should fight: Natal and Lawlor (9-5 MMA, 5-4 UFC) are hovering in the middle of the pack in the middleweight division and are both known for their toughness inside the cage.

Both were victorious in their most recent trips to the octagon, and this matchup has all the makings of an exciting contest between two fighters eager to emerge from the mid-tier of the 185-pound weight class. The result of this bout will see one man continue to move forward up the rankings while the other goes back to the drawing board.

Piotr Hallmann

Should fight: Al Iaquinta

Why they should fight: Poland's Hallmann proved to be a worthy addition to an already loaded UFC lightweight division as he displayed tremendous toughness and resiliency in coming back from a tough first round to submit Francisco Trinaldo.

The 26-year-old showed he has great potential by submitting Trinaldo with a kimura, and matching him against another tough prospect like Iaquinta (6-2-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) – who also picked up a recent impressive win – seems like a logical next step up for both.

Joseph Benavidez

Should fight: Demetrious Johnson

Why they should fight: Considering the thin nature of the 125-pound division, it's likely Benavidez will be next in line for a shot at flyweight champion Johnson (18-2-1 MMA, 6-1-1 UFC) after recording his third straight win against Jussier Formiga.

Johnson defeated Benavidez once before, at UFC 152, to become the inaugural UFC flyweight titleholder. The fight was a competitive five-round battle, but Johnson was clearly the superior competitor that night and walked away with a decision victory and the championship belt. How would a rematch go, now more than a year later? It's hard to tell. But Benavidez is certainly capable of defeating Johnson with the right game plan and his newfound confidence under the tutelage of Team Alpha Male coach Duane Ludwig.

Unfortunately for "Joe-Jitsu," fighting Johnson again this soon is a major risk. Two losses to the champion in such a short time span would put him in title purgatory, a situation very similar to what he faced at bantamweight with two losses to champ Dominick Cruz. However, if Benavidez loses to Johnson again, there's no lighter weight class to drop to.

While the rematch may not be the most appealing option currently, there are no other contenders with enough momentum or name value to warrant a title shot. Besides, at the end of the day, Benavidez has earned his rematch.

Ronaldo Souza

Should fight: Winner of Michael Bisping vs. Mark Munoz

Why they should fight: A win over Yushin Okami is no joke, and after defeating "Thunder" by first-round knockout, there are only big fights in store for Souza.

The former Strikeforce middleweight titleholder has quickly made waves since moving to the UFC earlier this year and has produced two very impressive performances to become the new name to watch at 185 pounds.

A win over Okami typically moves a fighter very close to a title shot, but with Chris Weidman, Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort crowding the top of the weight class, it's going to take another quality win to get "Jacare" in a championship fight. There are several important middleweight fights on tap before the end of the year, but as far as contenders matchups go, the UFC Fight Night 30 main event of Bisping (24-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) vs. Munoz (13-3 MMA, 8-3 UFC) is the highest-profile contest of them all.

The winner of that fight, like Souza, will be right on the verge of a title fight, and a bout against "Jacare" has all the elements of a battle for No. 1 contendership.

The UFC has been looking for any opportunity to justify putting Bisping in a title fight, and if he were to beat Munoz and Souza back-to-back on top of his win over Alan Belcher earlier this year, "The Count" would finally have the string of victories needed to legitimize him as a title challenger.

As for Munoz, "The Filipino Wrecking Machine" has been flirting with title contendership for a while now and will always be one good winning streak away from earning a shot at the belt.

The middleweight division is arguably more interesting than it has been in years, and this matchup would only help reveal the division's true pecking order.

Glover Teixeira

Should fight: Winner of Jon Jones vs. Alexander Gustafsson

Why they should fight: While it would be nice to see Teixeira record a win over a fighter actually ranked in the top 10 of the weight class, it appears his come-from-behind knockout of Ryan Bader was enough to earn a light heavyweight title shot.

The Brazilian has recorded five-straight victories – four by stoppage – since joining the UFC roster in May 2012, and his success has quickly elevated him to the top of the UFC light heavyweight rankings.

UFC President Dana White stated prior to the event that an impressive win for Teixeira would earn him a title shot, and despite the fact the 32-year-old was on the defensive for most of the fight and seemingly on the verge of being knocked out, his performance was enough to get a crack at the gold.

Teixeira is sitting on a remarkable 20-fight winning streak and will now wait to see who comes out the winner of the Jones (18-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) vs. Gustafsson (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) title fight at UFC 165 on Sept. 21.

For more on UFC Fight Night 28, stay tuned to the UFC Events section of the site.

(Pictured: Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza)

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Some General Mitchell Airport travelers will be able to keep their shoes on - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

By the end of the year, Milwaukee's Mitchell International Airport will be one of 100 in the United States where travelers can walk through security checkpoints wearing their shoes and belts, the Transportation Security Administration said Wednesday.

Mitchell is benefiting from an expansion of the TSA's expedited screening program, PreCheck, which already exists in 40 airports including Chicago O'Hare International Airport and is coming to 60 more, affecting millions of passengers in 42 states.

A luxury in a post-9-11 era, PreCheck allows travelers with clearance to use security lanes that allow them to keep their shoes, belts and light jackets on. They can leave their laptops and bags containing liquids and gels in their carry-on bags.

The agency also is increasing the number of PreCheck lanes at airports that already have the program, the TSA said.

Along with Mitchell, Dane County Regional Airport in Madison, Midway International Airport in Chicago and the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport are getting on board the program.

"As TSA continues to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to transportation security, we are looking for more opportunities to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way possible," TSA Administrator John S. Pistole said in a release.

To be eligible for PreCheck, travelers have to be American citizens in frequent flier programs with certain airlines that then invite them to apply for approval. Participating airlines are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America.

JetBlue and Southwest aren't yet offering PreCheck but are making arrangements to join.

Americans who are members of a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Trusted Traveler program and Canadians who belong to CBP's NEXUS program also are eligible.

Barcodes on boarding passes when scanned will show whether a passenger is preapproved.

The TSA will launch an online application program that takes fingerprints later this year to enroll more U.S. citizens, according to Reuters. The cost is $85 for five years, and PreCheck can be revoked or suspended if passengers commit crimes or have security problems.

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Spectacular Fantasy Art Shoes from the Stuart Weitzman Collection - PARADE

Jane Gershon Weitzman takes shoe obsession to a whole new level. Her new book, Art & Sole , showcases around 150 incredible art shoes made from unique materials like feathers, paper, metal, Swarovski crystals, and even corrugated cardboard. Not meant to be worn, these art shoes celebrate the artistic potential of footwear, elevating shoes from utilitarian objects to striking sculptures in their own right.

Indulge your inner Carrie Bradshaw and check out these photos of incredible art shoes from Art & Sole!

Above: Decked in Dahlias

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Biodegradable shoes a product whose time hasn't quite arrived - ABQ Journal

Take a hike. Toss your shoes in the woods at the end.

That’s an extreme example. But in theory the 01M shoes, which are made in Spain of a vegetable-based plastic material, could go from your foot to a compost bin once worn out.

The company touts the shoes will biodegrade in about six months.

I wore them around for a few days. Weird looks were a common side effect from pedestrians in my test. With pointy toes and no sole they look like elf shoes.

In truth, the 01M footwear act more like slippers or socks than shoes. The material is at max 2mm thick and they have zero support.

The vegetable-based plastic is clammy on the foot, and trapped air “burps” out of the ankle cuff occasionally as you walk. This adds an unpleasant audible effect to the already startlingly strange shoe.

Flex your toes and the 01M shoes flex, too. The rubbery bio-plastic will protect from dirt but don’t expect the shoes to hold up to sharp stones.

For protection from a dirty hotel shower, sure, these throw-away shoes can work. They are lightweight (about 2.5 ounces each) and cheap at $20.

The company (http://01m.ca) touts its products contain no glues, solvents or other mal chemicals used in the manufacturing of traditional footwear.

I applaud the effort and the ethos of the shoes. But the performance and functionality is quite limited.

For outdoors use, a backpacker might consider taking a pair along into the woods. After a day tromping in hiking boots, the sock-like 01Ms could be a great wear-around-camp option.

If not, roll them up and put them away. Or, if the strange footwear isn’t living up to your expectations, dig a hole and throw the 01Ms inside. Nature will take care of the rest.

Stephen Regenold is founder and editor of GearJunkie.com.

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Keep your shoes, jackets on: TSA to expand pre-screening program - CNN

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

• The TSA will allow pre-screening at 60 more airports, expand it at 40 current airports


• PreCheck participants can skip removing shoes, other items after verifying their identities


• Expansion is part of TSA effort to change "one-size-fits-all approach" to security

Washington (CNN) -- More airports around the United States will soon allow passengers to go through security without removing their shoes, light jackets, and belts.

The Transportation Security Administration is expanding its expedited screening program called PreCheck to 60 new airports by the end of the year and is increasing the number of lanes for the program at the 40 airports that currently offer it.

PreCheck passengers also can leave laptops and small liquids in their carry-on luggage.

In 2012, a passenger traveling from Miami International Airport attempted to transport 163 marine tropical fish, 12 pond slider turtles, 22 invertebrates, 24 live coral pieces, 8 pieces of stony corals with mushroom polyps and 8 pieces of soft coral to Maracaibo, Venezuela. Transportation Security Administration officers discovered the animals, and the passenger surrendered the items to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Check out what other strange items travelers have attempted to get past airport security, according to the TSA's blog.

TSA agents at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport discovered human skull fragments in a clay pot in checked luggage. The owners of the bag said they did not know there were skull fragments in the pots.

A box with "explosive" scrawled across it was checked at San Francisco International Airport; it contained an airbag.

A passenger at Dayton International Airport set off alarms when he tried to get a tobacco grinder shaped like a hand grenade through security. Officers also found a soda can with a false bottom that contained marijuana.

An Atlanta traveler used a PVC pipe with end caps to protect a portable printer. TSA agents flagged the item because of its resemblance to a bomb.

A gun with no cylinder was found inside a cutout book at Honolulu International Airport.

An AT4 rocket launcher was found in checked baggage at Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Pennsylvania.

Twenty-four pounds of black powder were found at Chicago Midway Airport. Though properly packaged ammunition is permitted in checked baggage, black powder is not.

An inert Claymore mine and grenade were discovered at San Jose International Airport in California.

A gag gift made to look like an explosive device was found at Florida's St. Petersburg/Clearwater International Airport.

Law enforcement officers evacuated Dallas-Fort Worth's baggage area and the terminals near a bazooka round found in checked luggage. The item was moved to a remote location, where it was deemed inert.

A carryon with a powder horn containing approximately 3 ounces of black powder was found at Clinton National Airport in Little Rock, Arkansas.

Two swords were found in a guitar case that a Salt Lake City passenger was attempting to carry on to a flight.

Throwing stars shaped like the Batman symbol were found at San Diego International Airport.

A spear gun was confiscated at New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport. The passenger claimed he thought spear guns were OK to bring on board, according to the TSA blog.

A traveler at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport attempted to get marijuana onto a flight in a jar of peanut butter.

An inert grenade was found at San Antonio International Airport.

A hairbrush with a concealed dagger was discovered by TSA agents at Kahului Airport in Hawaii.

A throwing star was found at Los Angeles International Airport.

Two cannonballs were found in luggage at Hawaii's Kahului Airport.

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

20 odd items confiscated by TSA

Odd items confiscated by the TSA

HIDE CAPTION

Photos: 20 odd items confiscated by TSA

Photos: Other items now allowed by the TSA

Right now only very frequent fliers invited by their airlines and passengers who are members of U.S. Customs and Border Protection's trusted traveler programs can participate.

TSA says later this year it will launch an application process to allow passengers who want to join PreCheck to pay $85, verify their identity and provide fingerprints at an enrollment center.

Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and Virgin America currently participate in the program. JetBlue and Southwest will begin taking part when they are "operationally ready," according to the TSA.

PreCheck is part of a larger effort by TSA to move to security based more on risks that certain passengers may pose.

"As TSA continues to move away from a one-size-fits-all approach to transportation security, we are looking for more opportunities to provide the most effective security in the most efficient way possible," TSA Administrator John Pistole said in the news release announcing the expansion.

To see the list of participating airports, go here.

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Make Your Own LED Shoes That Light Up When You Walk - Gizmodo

Look. You're adult self is pretty much a failure to your 8-year-old childhood self. You don't buy toys for yourself anymore. You don't remember the last time you gorged out in the candy aisle. You try to eat healthy. You talk about things like politics and the economy and lumbar support. You basically lost everything you enjoyed doing as a child. So do yourself a favor and remember the good times by creating your own LED shoes that light up when you walk.

Few things make people happier than seeing light up shoes in stride. Adafruit has come up with a way to easily convert any pair of shoes you have to light up with a NeoPixel strip and FLORA. Basically, you're making a velostat step sensor in the heel pop colors on your feet. So worth it.

Full instructions from Becky Stern and Phillip Burgess here. [Adafruit via Laughing Squid]

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Jane Gershon Weitzman pens a book on art shoes - Boston Globe

Like many shoe lovers, Jane Gershon Weitzman spent years happily shopping for perfect pumps. Her searches took her all over the globe. But what she unearthed on these high-heel treasure hunts never touched her feet.

The wife of luxury shoe designer Stuart Weitzman , Jane Weitzman carved out a niche for herself decorating the windows of her husband’s Madison Avenue flagship store during the 1990s and 2000s. For a span of a dozen years she filled the windows of Stuart Weitzman stores with shoes created from corrugated cardboard, wire, wood, steel, or flowers. She even found an artist who crocheted shoes.

As for Stuart Weitzman's creations? They didn’t appear in the windows.

“The windows showcased the art, and didn’t hurt business at all,” Jane Weitzman said. “It attracted people into the stores. Because, as you know, most of the world puts products in the window. We didn’t put the merchandise in the windows. I took that chance and I think it paid off. At the time I did what no one else was doing.”

She ended up finding or commissioning more than 1,000 pieces of shoe art, some of which have been collected in the book “Art & Sole” (Harper Design). As the windows became a must-see part of New York life, Weitzman expanded her vision and looked for even more avant-garde art. As the company grew and the number of shops expanded, Weitzman’s window displays began traveling to stores nationally, and then internationally.

The shoes sat in storage for the past decade, but after frequent inquiries about their whereabouts from Stuart Weitzman shoppers, Jane Weitzman decided to put together the book, which includes more than 150 photos of what she calls “fantasy art shoes.”

Stuart Weitzman, who got his start designing for his father’s factory in Haverhill, met Jane when they lived in the same apartment building in Brighton in 1965. The pair maintain their local connections. Stuart donates to civic projects in Haverhill while Jane sits on the board of Boston Children’s Hospital.

While she still has more than 1,000 art shoes, Weitzman regrets that she sold hundreds of the shoes to collectors over the years. She said she sold the contents of an entire window display to a store in London.

“In the beginning I was happy to sell them off and use the money for the next window. It was a huge mistake,” she said. “I had no idea that we would ever grow so much, and I certainly never dreamed that there would be a book.”

Christopher Muther can be reached at christopher.muther@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @Chris_Muther.

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