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Welcome to Guilderland Travel Baseball!  We are a not-for-profit organization that provides players skill development and advanced competition within the Capital District Elite (CDElite) and Eastern New York Travel Baseball (ENYTB).  Our 7u-18u players mainly reside within the Guilderland, Voorheesville and Berne-Knox-Westerlo school districts and also participate in Guilderland Cal Ripken.  In addition to our beautiful fields at Keenholt's Park, Guilderland Travel Baseball offers year-round training at our own 10,000 sq ft indoor facility.

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Bhbl joins capital district elite baseball for 2024 travel season.

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2024 Board of Directors

Posted January 9, 2024

CDMSBL Past League Champions

Posted September 1, 2023

2023 Board of Directors

Posted March 9, 2023

2023 Sunshine Classic

Posted May 2, 2022

Looking for an alternative to softball? Ballplayers of all skill levels age 18 and over are joining the Men's Senior/Adult Baseball League. It's the fastest growing adult baseball organization in the country.

Get ready to play real baseball at a competitive level on a regular basis in a professionally run environment!

Jesse Braverman

A sitdown with the comeback coach Jesse Braverman

CDMSBL Q&A: Talking baseball with Fred Pidgeon

A feeling for the game

CDMSBL Q&A: Talking Baseball With Jim Wing

  Taking a good look at the game

CDMSBL Q&A: Talking baseball with Jim Dalton

The stadium and the gang out back

MSBL First Responder: JJ Janetsky, Capital District MSBL Member and Amsterdam, NY Police Officer

MSBL First Responder: JJ Janetsky

Capital District MSBL Member and Amsterdam, NY Police Officer

"A Fan is Born"

CDMSBL Q&A: Talkin' Baseball with Jim Porter

Whiz manager Jim Porter talks baseball

Retrospective: Cubs - as told by Jim McQuade to Rob Currier

CDMSBL: the Cubs!

CDMSBL Q&A: Talking Baseball with Mike Girard

CDMSBL member Mike Girard!

Capital Region deserves affiliated Double-A baseball

M ay 8—ALBANY, N.Y. — To paraphrase a tune from "Ol' Blue Eyes," that's life (that's life). That's what all the people say. There's no baseball in April. Opening Day in May. As the Tri-City ValleyCats are readying to open their regular season, it's wild to me that the Capital Region hasn't experienced April Double-A baseball in 30 years.

How can an area of this size not have at least Double-A baseball, let alone any affiliated baseball? It is absurd!

Due to the 2020 Major League Baseball decision reducing the number of affiliated minor league teams, 36 teams were eliminated across 23 states. Hence, New York's Capital Region has been without affiliated minor league baseball since 2020.

It's puzzling when one considers that the Capital Region's metropolitan statistical area (MSA) population of 941,000, compares near or above other regions of the state where they have affiliated baseball teams. Buffalo, 1.1 million has the Triple-A Buffalo Bisons (Toronto Blue Jays), Rochester, 1.1 million houses the Triple-A Rochester Red Wings (Washington Nationals), Poughkeepsie, 703,000, boasts the High-A Hudson Valley Renegades (New York Yankees), Syracuse, 653,000, hosts the Triple-A Syracuse Mets (New York Mets), and Binghamton, 243,000, has the Double-A Binghamton Rumble Ponies (New York Mets).

One can't fault Capital Region baseball fans for MLB's decision-making. From their inception in 2002, nearly three million ValleyCats fans walked through the turnstiles at Joseph L. Bruno Stadium. Plus, from 2010 to 2019, the team averaged 4,196 fans per game, or 93% of capacity, additionally, in their last five seasons in the New York — Pennsylvania League, the club placed in the top three in league attendance. One of the cities that ranked ahead of Tri-City in attendance was Brooklyn, which is essentially a major league city.

According to baseball-reference.com , one month into the 2024 campaign, Binghamton's per-game average attendance is 1,442, Syracuse's is 2,449, Rochester's 3,632, Buffalo's 4,026, Hudson Valley's 2,334 and Brooklyn's is 1,715.

You're telling me this area can't average somewhere around those totals? Please!

Unfortunately, no one from MLB to the ValleyCats to local officials has been able to tell me why the Captial Region was left out. Is it inadequate facilities? Lack of local ownership? Lack of corporate and business support? Lack of a stronger political push from local, state, and federal officials?

It's also absurd that the Yankees could place their Double-A or Triple-A affiliate here but presently have clubs based in Somerset, N.J., and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Pa. respectively.

At one time, Yankee baseball worked here, and if a proper stadium had been built, it would probably still be here.

From 1985-1994 the Albany Colonie Yankees, a Double-A Eastern League minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees called Heritage Park home for 10 years.

Nearly 100 players who made it to the major leagues honed their craft at the ballpark by the airport. Including Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Bernie Williams, Jorge Posada, Andy Pettitte, and other players who contributed to their 90s run of dynastic success who played at Albany, guys like Jim Leyritz, Andy Fox, and Brian Boehringer.

Amongst other notable names to have played here were Al Leiter, Gerald Williams, J.T. Snow, Roberto Kelly, Hal Morris, Doug Drabek, Pat Kelly, Randy Velarde, Andy Stankiewicz, Russ Davis, Sterling Hitchcock, Bob Geren, Brad Ausmus, Russ Springer, Mike DeJean and even "Primetime" himself Deion Sanders.

While their parent club in New York was sleepwalking through the late 1980s and early 1990s, Heritage Park was the place for exciting Yankee baseball on the way to the big leagues.

That explained why Albany in 1985 smashed and set the Eastern League record for attendance with more than 324,003. In fact, as the Oakland A's Double-A affiliate in 1983, Albany drew more than 200,000 fans for a team that finished in last place.

From 1985-1987 Albany led the Eastern League in attendance and from 1985-1990 Albany was top three in attendance each year. If one counts the A's days (1983-1984) Albany finished in the top three in attendance from 1983-1990.

Attendance figures were skewed in the last remaining years (1991-1994) due in part to a fan base alienated by constant rumors and attempts by ownership to move the team.

As for on-field moments, perhaps no more memorable moment happened than in 1986 when Yankees legend Ron Guidry pitched in a rehab start for three innings in front of a packed beyond-capacity crowd of 14,491.

Former players like Reggie Jackson or Willie Randolph also visited the park to help with the younger players, and scouts with radar guns by the dozen to watch former Yankee fire-balling lefty prospect Brien Taylor pitch in 1993, a year before he ruined his arm in a fight.

In 1994 during the strike, Buck Showalter who managed the Albany-Colonie Yankees to a championship in 1989, their second of three (1988, 1989, 1991) with many of the players who would contribute to World Series Championships in New York, was on hand to scout players who would also contribute to those championships with Gene "Stick" Michael and Billy Connors.

After the 1994 season, the team left, along with its cheap quality affiliated minor league baseball until the Short Season Single-A ValleyCats arrived in 2002

This happened mostly because there was no local ownership and no local businesses were willing to step up and keep the team in Albany. Nobody wanted to put any money towards improvements of a ballpark that was unfortunately built before the Camden Yards era. Failure also stemmed from the state level of government to local politicians in Albany County and the Town of Colonie, who years after the team left could never build a new stadium to secure another team.

As a lifelong Albany resident, I've noticed how people say it's great that we're centrally located about two to three hours away from other major cities like New York, Boston, and Montreal. That's fantastic but tell me how many people can practically go to three games a week while plopping down $100 bucks a ticket, plus tolls, gas, parking, concessions, etc., get home at 2 a.m., and go to work the next day? If you said yes, then you're a better and wealthier fan than I.

That's why I miss having that high-level, affordable, accessible, baseball so much. You give me a state-of-the-art baseball stadium with around 7,000 seats, the high-level product of Double-A baseball, and coupled with a promotional marketing team and organizational know-how the ValleyCats front office possesses, it will thrive here. It's a guaranteed winner and this area with a rich history of Double-A baseball deserves it!

(c)2024 The Record, Troy, N.Y. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

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Stormy Daniels concludes her testimony as Trump trial continues

Hungary and china sign strategic cooperation agreement during visit by chinese president xi, hungary china.

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BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) —

Hungary and China signed a number of new agreements on Thursday to deepen their economic and cultural cooperation during a visit to the Central European country by Chinese President Xi Jinping , a trip meant to solidify China's economic footprint in the region.

Xi and Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán held talks in the capital Budapest as part of the Chinese leader's final stop on a five-day European tour that also took in Serbia and France . During a press briefing following the talks, Orbán praised the “continuous, uninterrupted friendship” between the two countries since his tenure began in 2010, and promised that Hungary would continue to host further Chinese investments.

“I would like to assure the president that Hungary will continue to provide fair conditions for Chinese companies investing in our country, and that we will create the opportunity for the most modern Western and the most modern Eastern technologies to meet and build cooperation in Hungary,” Orbán said.

Beijing has invested billions in Hungary and sees the European Union member as an important foothold inside the 27-member trading bloc. In December, Hungary announced that one of the world’s largest EV manufacturers, China’s BYD, will open its first European EV production factory in the south of the country — an inroad that could upend the competitiveness of the continent’s auto industry.

Hungary is also hosting several Chinese EV battery plants and hopes to become a global hub of lithium ion battery manufacturing, and has undertaken a railway project — part of Xi's Belt and Road Initiative — to connect the country with the Chinese-controlled port of Piraeus in Greece as an entry point for Chinese goods to Central and Eastern Europe.

On Thursday, Xi said he and Orbán agreed the Belt and Road Initiative “is highly consistent with Hungary’s strategy of opening to the east,” and that China supports Hungary in playing a greater role within the EU on promoting China-EU relations.

Hungarian and Chinese officials concluded a strategic partnership agreement and signed 18 other agreements and memoranda of understanding, but no major investments were announced at the news briefing.

However, Hungarian Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó later said in a video on Facebook that initial discussions had begun on China developing a freight railway bypass of Budapest and a rail link between the capital and Budapest Ferihegy airport.

Orbán, a nationalist populist leader who has pursued deeper ties with Beijing while distancing himself from his more mainstream partners in the EU, noted during the news conference that three-quarters of investments in Hungary last year came from China, and spoke of Beijing's role in the world's shifting balance of power.

“Looking back at the world economy and commerce of 20 years ago, it doesn’t resemble at all what we’re living in today," Orbán said. “Then, we lived in a single polar world, and now we live in a multi-polar world order, and one of the main columns of this new world order is China.”

He added that Hungary would seek to expand economic cooperation with China to the field of nuclear energy. Hungary is currently working with Russia on adding a new reactor to its Paks nuclear facility, which is expected to go online by the end of the decade.

Budapest residents met with road closures and increased security during Xi's visit as groups of his supporters and critics gathered in various points of the city to demonstrate.

Hundreds of people gathered near Budapest’s Buda Castle waving Chinese and Hungarian flags, hoping to catch a glimpse of Xi's motorcade. Many Chinese nationals in red baseball caps and claiming to be volunteers with China's embassy were present.

A Hungarian lawmaker with the opposition Momentum party told The Associated Press that he and a colleague had been approached by a group of such men on Wednesday as they attempted to place EU flags on a bridge in Budapest.

In a video obtained by the AP, the lawmaker, Márton Tompos, said that the men, all wearing red baseball caps, confronted him to make sure that no flags or symbols referencing China-claimed Tibet or Taiwan would be hung on the route of Xi's motorcade.

“They told me that they were volunteers for the Chinese embassy here, and they said they wanted to make sure that there weren't Tibetan or Taiwanese flags, because that wouldn’t be nice," Tompos said. The men wouldn't let his colleague proceed "until he showed them that it was an EU flag,” he added.

Other minor conflicts broke out during the day between Tibetan protesters and some of the red-capped Chinese nationals, who attempted to prevent activists from displaying Tibetan flags by obscuring them with their own Chinese national flags.

One activist, Tenzin Yangzom, a campaign coordinator for the International Tibet Network, criticized Hungary’s government for “allowing the Chinese police to be operating on Hungarian streets.”

“This is not China, is it? This is Hungary, it’s a free country, you have freedom of speech,” she said.

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High School Sports | Anne Arundel County high school baseball,…

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High School Sports | Anne Arundel County high school baseball, softball teams seeded in regional brackets

The Maryland Public Secondary Schools Athletic Association dropped baseball and softball seedings on Tuesday. For baseball, the region quarterfinals begin Thursday, followed by semifinals on Saturday and region finals next Tuesday.

For softball teams, regional semifinals are scheduled for May 13 and finals on May 15.

In softball, Crofton (17-2), seeking the first region title in program history, won’t have Class 3A to worry about anymore. As a 4A East Region I team, the Cardinals first hosts whomever wins the No. 4 Old Mill/No. 5 Meade scrap before that winner faces the the winner of No. 2 North County/No. 3 Glen Burnie (7-13) in the final.

As the No. 3 seed in 4A East Region II, Broadneck (10-7) first hosts No. 6 Annapolis with the winner facing No. 2 Leonardtown and possibly No. 1 Bowie in the final. Broadneck carries state semifinal experience from last year — a level they’re hungry to reach again.

Class 3A won’t allow intercounty play for that long. 3A East I is stuffed with local teams, with No. 4 Arundel — which features Division I talent but surprised with both wins and losses — facing No. 5 J.M. Bennett in the quarterfinal and No. 3 Severna Park (12-7) and No. 6 South River (7-11) clashing in the same round.

No. 1 Northeast and No. 2 Chesapeake each take byes to the region semifinals. The Cougars (14-3) beat both Falcons and Seahawks somewhat handily in the past, whereas the Eagles (14-1) only just staved off a five-run rally by Arundel on May 3.

But if the Pasadena rivals and top seeds meet up again in the region final, Northeast is surely hungry to avenge its 11-run stomping by Chesapeake this season.

Southern is the third seed in Class 2A West II and hosts No. 6 Wilde Lake for the region quarterfinal round. A win and the Bulldogs (7-10) would advance to No. 2 Centennial.

As far as state championships go, Anne Arundel baseball has a more recent example to follow — the 2022 Chesapeake team — but zero idea who it might be. This season was a mess — everyone beat everyone else in a merry-go-round of dingers.

A very young No. 4 North County (6-13) has mustered more wins as of late and battled to closer defeats. The Knights shouldn’t have any issue with winless No. 5 Meade, but with No. 1 Crofton next on the docket and a recent seven-run loss in memory, it’s not going to be an easy road.

One of the wins contributing to Broadneck’s No. 2 seeding in 4A East Region II is an 11-run shutout of the Cardinals last month. And while things have been a little rocky lately, with losses to Glen Burnie and Arundel, the Bruins (15-4) are more than capable of dominance.

They’ll need to pass No. 3 Leonardtown or No. 6 Suitland, but hosting should help. They’ll then either travel to No. 1 Bowie or host No. 4 Annapolis.

Things are a little less internal in Class 3A South I, with local rivals Chesapeake and Northeast meeting up in the region semifinal. There’s absolutely no way to predict how that’ll go; both teams showed a habit for walkoffs, close shaves and odd losses. The Cougars (12-7) squeaked past Northeast, 2-1, on April 5, but have grown a lot since. The Eagles are on a win streak, which includes county championship contender Arundel.

And speaking of Arundel and weird seasons, the Wildcats (12-8) are the No. 4 seed in 3A East I and host No. 5 South River (13-7) on Thursday. After a mixed start, Arundel beat top tier county opponents by often close margins, which included the Seahawks, 9-8.

No. 2 Severna Park, no longer a 4A team and hoping to stay healthy this year and chase a fourth state title, wouldn’t have a chance of meeting either until the region final; the Falcons (15-4) first take on No. 3 Bennett in the semifinal, while either the Seahawks or Wildcats will go to Stephen Decatur.

Southern is the fifth seed in Class 2A West II and voyages to No. 4 Hammond on Thursday.

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business Real Estate

$850 million mixed-use district in Fort Worth gets initial greenlight

Larkspur capital and keystone group, lp have partnered on the project..

By Anna Butler

6:00 AM on May 9, 2024 CDT

Dallas builder Larkspur Capital and private equity investment firm Keystone Group, LP have received a thumbs up from Fort Worth’s Zoning Commission to redevelop five parcels north of the city’s Cultural District that mainly comprise industrial warehouses.

The rezoning effort is just the beginning of a more sweeping phased redevelopment for 35 acres west of downtown Fort Worth near the intersection of University Drive and White Settlement Road.

Related: Another office building to rise within Crescent Fort Worth development

Zoning documents show the early scope calls for an approximately $850 million multi-phased development. It could span as many as 2 million square feet of residential, retail, office and hospitality space at full build-out, according to the documents.

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Entertainment options and green space are also expected to factor within the design.

“We’re excited about today’s unanimous vote for approval at Fort Worth’s Zoning Commission,” said Larkspur president Carl Anderson in an email.

“This transformative project will employ the latest techniques in urban planning to focus on the resident/tenant/visitor experience and how people interact with the ground plane of the district.”

The five parcels were rezoned as high-intensity mixed-use geared toward being a pedestrian-friendly urban village. Austin-based Michael Hsu Office of Architecture is providing project identity, visioning, master planning and branding services for the development, according to Anderson.

Demolition of multiple buildings, including the former Fort Worth ISD headquarters, is nearing completion.

The first phase of the project is set include food and beverage, retail and mixed-use buildings, which will be designed by Dallas-based Corgan.

Fort Worth city council is slated to vote on the zoning change on June 11.

Construction on the first phase is expected to start in the first quarter of 2025.

Beyond the region’s population influx, the development is set to benefit from the anticipated build-up at Panther Island , a placemaking mixed-use vision years in the making.

Keystone Group, LP, a private equity investment firm tied to Fort Worth’s Bass family. The firm has invested in energy, manufacturing, high-tech and real estate.

Larkspur is in the midst of developing several residential projects across Dallas and recently acquired a tract in the Southwestern Medical District .

Anna Butler , Real estate reporter . Anna is a real estate reporter for The Dallas Morning News. She previously served as managing editor and real estate editor of the Dallas Business Journal. She is a graduate of Wake Forest University. A seventh generation Texan, Anna grew up in Austin.

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September 16, 2012 Moscow Russia

Three days in the russian capital: moscow.

My trip to Moscow was long overdue. Not Moscow as a place, but the idea of discovering a whole new city and sharing it with you. The feeling of anticipation is nice. It was 2am and time to leave home towards the airport to take the Alitalia flight flying to Moscow via Rome. Too bad I couldn't take the direct flight with Aeroflot since my visa starts today and Aeroflot flies from Beirut only two times a week (Wednesday and Sunday).

The whole time I was so excited to discover the Russian capital, the city of dreams and gold, the city of the rich and poor and the city that has become known as the most expensive city for tourists in the world.

Moscow is the financial and political center of Russia and the former Soviet Union, with a population of around 13 million, and covers an area of around 1080 km². One-tenth of all Russian citizens live in the metropolitan area. My adventures started at the MEA Cedar Class Business Lounge , a spot I have experienced many times before in the past few years but never wrote a review about. I spent my time moving around taking pictures and noting down all the smallest details. I then took the flight on Alitalia reaching Fiumicino Airport. I toured their Duty Free and restaurants it was time to try their business lounges . The two Alitalia business lounges in Rome are Giotto and Le Navi. Two very ordinary lounges that I won't talk much about here but I obviously didn't like them much. You can read more in the reviews about them just for you to have an idea of what to expect if you're traveling.

Moscow here I come: 

The plane landed and we went running to belt 8 to pick up our bags. Everything went smoothly as Sergei, the driver, was waiting outside to take me to the Lotte Hotel.

The Lotte Hotel Moscow , a Korean chain, situated at the intersection of New Arbat Avenue and Novinsky Boulevard. The hotel is the first overseas project of South Korean" Lotte Hotels & Resorts " hotel chain. It is the highest rated hotel in the Lotte chain which is labelled as the first 6 Star Hotel in Moscow with facilities and customer service that's next to none. An hour and 45 minutes drive later, I hear the first English language speaking person around here as I was welcomed at the Lotte Hotel Moscow. This fabulous hotel is worth trying. It all starts with a catchy first impression entering the high ceiling lobby all covered with gold and sculptures.

The first night I arrived...

That night and after more than 12 hours traveling and transferring from an airport to the other I decided to go for the "I need to stay awake" plan. After grabbing a light sandwich at Subway-a chain specialized in submarine sandwiches: A soft baguette filled with meat, cheese and vegetables. In addition to these, the chain also serves wraps and salads as well as baked goods including cookies, donuts and muffins.  I put on my Nike running shoes and was on a mission to discover every single detail of what the Russian everyday life is and not just what tourists come to see. During the 10 km course, it was a jump into the Muscovite society in a new way. Streets, cars, house, Metro stations, underground tunnels and government buildings were all on the menu. I saw details that you wouldn't experience on a Tour Bus or driving a car while walking on the sidewalks of the Zubovsky boulevard or what they call today the 

Garden Ring:

Also known as the  "B" Ring , is a circular  avenue  around the central  Moscow . The Ring consists of seventeen individually named streets   and fifteen squares. It has a  circumference  of sixteen kilometres.   At its narrowest point,  Krymsky Bridge , the Ring has six lanes; at its widest, Zubovskaya Square, it has eighteen lanes.

The next morning...

I enjoyed my walk so much the night before that I decided to wake up very early to enjoy a morning in the park. It was 7am and I started another 10km walk around Moscow's Gorky Park just next to the  Krymsky Bridge . Gorky Park , opened in 1928 and located at Krymsky Val is situated just across the Moskva River from Park Kultury Metro Station. The Park was planned by Konstantin Melnikov, a world-famous soviet avant-garde and constructivist architect. Gorky Park was created by the amalgamation of the extensive gardens of the old Golitsyn Hospital and the Neskuchny Palace and covers an area of 300 acres along the river.

Later on that day, was the Hop-On Hop-Off sight seeing bus tour . The best thing to do in a city you visit for the first time. If you would like to learn more about the 860 year old  Moscow , home to some of the largest and most important museums, art galleries, architectural sites, world's billionaire capital and epicenter of Russia's most beautiful women book your ticket as soon as you arrive.

The tour's itinerary included major tourist spots to see:

The Moscow Kremlin, Alexander Garden, Red Square, Saint Basil's Cathedral, Lenin Mausoleum, Cathedral of Christ the Savior, Historical Museum, Treaty's Job Gallery, Tsar Cannon, Tsar Bell, Kremlin Armory, Cathedral of the Archangel, Cathedral of the Dormition, Cathedral of the Annunciation, Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Old Arbat Street, Museum of Modern Arts, Polytechnic Museum, Tolstoi Museum and many others enough to keep you busy for a week.

Moscow is really impressive and grandiose. But one place caught my attention: The pedestrian bridge next to the Bolotnaya Square. It is a simple bridge that carries a great tradition. Over 30 newly weds were around it that day. What was happening? Curiously I asked around and discovered that the tradition in Moscow suggests that every new couple should pass over the bridge and leave a lock. Dozens of trees all made of locks are there with the couples names on each. It's a nice tradition!

I definitely encourage you to visit the Red Square and the luxury mall next to it as well as the St. Basil's Cathedral we all see every time Russian is mentioned in the news: The Red Square separates the Kremlin, the former royal citadel and currently the official residence of the President of Russia, from a historic merchant quarter known as Kitai-gorod. As major streets of Moscow radiate from here in all directions, being promoted to major highways outside the city, Red Square is often considered the central square of Moscow and all of Russia. For dinner I was invited to a Lebanese restaurant called Sultan. Sultan serves all Lebanese specialities as well as Sushi all served on low chairs where eating is done the way the Sultans used to. The Sultan was not the best of my experiences but as I heard that Russians love it especially that they have 9 oriental dancers moving their bellies on oriental tunes every thirty minutes. We've all heard about the expensive taxis in Moscow, and believe me I've already experienced it. Taking a taxi from the street is far too expensive, charging more than $5 for every kilometer traveled. At the hotel, I discovered the "Phaeton" taxi company."Phaeton" is more than a taxi . It gives you an incomparable feeling of personal liberty and importance. They have taken the best from the world taxi history to provide you with the comfort and the confidence of old England, accuracy of Switzerland and politeness of the East in accordance with technologies and standards of modern life. Imagine they have free WiFi inside the Taxis. That's a surprise I wasn't expecting at half the price you'll pay on the streets.

The next day...

Today's plan was less hectic yet interesting. Discovering the walking district of Moscow, the old and new Arbat streets, which reminded me of the Taxim street of Istanbul where you can shop, enjoy artists shows and check out a variety of restaurants. The Arbat is an approximately one-kilometer long pedestrian street in the historical center of Moscow. The Arbat has existed at least since the 15th century, thus laying claim to being one of the oldest surviving streets of the Russian capital. It forms the heart of the Arbat District of Moscow. Originally the street formed part of an important trade route and was home to a large number of craftsmen.

After that, it was lunch at Pierre Gagnaire, the only Michelin Star French chef to open a restaurant in the Russian capital. Here is where things started to get very serious for me. The experience was just out of this world. Trying the Gaya menu, I gave the head waiter the liberty to take me through the experience as they see it at their restaurant. A four course menu for a $150/person, worth every penny up until the last bite. At night, Moscow's nightlife is not to be missed. A variety of clubs and lounges are available - some of which cater to clubs, pubs, Jazz clubs among many others, as Moscow enjoys a good night out just like any other country around. I tried Propaganda clubs, the name intrigued me and its considered as one of the best bars in the world. Propaganda is surely one of the best places in Moscow to go for an unpretentious night out dancing. A guest DJ from around the world was there spinning the decks. I would advise going early as you will enjoy cheaper drinks before 11pm. The places enjoys a cosmopolitan crowd.

Last day, and it was already time to leave.

A memorable short trip that I will surely repeat very soon with an aim to visit St. Petersburg and other Russian cities. Do not leave without visiting the Kremlin from the inside and the interesting armory chamber. The Moscow Kremlin is situated in the very center of the capital of Russia. Its monumental walls and towers, golden-domed cathedrals and ancient palaces stand high on the Borovitskiy Hill above the Moskva River forming a magnificent architectural ensemble.  Ticket prices are affordable for the offered experience.

The last couple of hours...

Home to some of the world's most renowned tourist attractions, the city of Moscow keeps one of its most important treasures hidden deep underground. Designed by the most skilled architects of the Soviet Union, Moscow's metro system has been described as an underground art museum, for its unique murals and decorations. Whether you're traveling between local attractions and hotels in Moscow, or you simply want to check out some true artistic masterpieces, Moscow's subway stations are just what you're looking for.

Keep the local currency cash you didn't spend yet, as the airport's duty free has lots of items you should take back home with you.

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Young black bear sighted in Northeast D.C.’s Brookland

Neighbors nicknamed it “Otis.”

Shireen Rose Shakouri was walking her dog in Northeast Washington’s Brookland neighborhood on Wednesday morning when she saw what she thought was a large, off-leash dog. As she got closer — and it turned to look at her — she captured a photo of a young black bear walking near 14th and Newton streets NE.

Officials said they suspect it is the same bear that was seen roaming across Maryland in recent days and the subject of about half a dozen reports, according to Jonathan Trudeau, bear biologist for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

“There has been a lot of chatter about the bear in the D.C. area over the past week or so, and it is difficult to say exactly how many... since many of them have been second- or third-hand [accounts],” Trudeau said. “But yes, we have heard of at least a half a dozen reports of the bear in the past few days.”

Trudeau, who oversees the state’s management of black bears, added that there have been roughly a dozen bear sightings in Maryland — in Glenwood, Olney, Wheaton, Silver Spring and Hyattsville — in the past month. Officials said that recent sightings are typical for this time of year as juveniles disperse in the spring and summer and look for homes.

After seeing the bear, Shakouri contacted the D.C. Humane Rescue Alliance. According to a statement, the organization is actively monitoring the situation with the D.C. Department of Energy and Environment and Maryland’s Department of Natural Resources. The organization said that best practices are to allow the bear to “naturally depart the area without intervention” but that officers are prepared to sedate and relocate the bear if necessary.

“Black bears are typically non-aggressive and rarely pose a threat to humans,” the organization wrote. “For the safety of both the public and the bear, we urge individuals not to approach the animal or attempt to take photos at close range, as this is truly what will cause an unsafe environment.”

Shakouri was only able to capture one photo of the bear before it noticed her watching and walked away while she was still on the phone with the rescue alliance. Neighbors have since named the bear “Otis,” according to a social media post from D.C. Council member Zachary Parker (D-Ward 5).

“D.C. and the surrounding areas are home to a wide range of wildlife and I’m happy to share the city with them,” Shakouri wrote in an email to The Washington Post. “But I’ll be happier when the bear is in a safer and better environment for him and everyone else.”

More bears have appeared in central and southern Maryland in the past five to 10 years, according to Trudeau. The local bear population began to rebound after the 1950s, when hunting was prohibited. He attributed the rise in bear sightings to their growing population, which has led the bears into areas with more people. But he noted that sightings are rare and that technology has made it so residents can capture and share a bear that may have otherwise walked by unnoticed. A 2022 survey found that about 12 percent of Maryland residents have seen a black bear in the wild in the state.

Noelia Schmidt, a natural resources specialist for Montgomery Parks, said she began tracking bear sightings closely in 2020. She found that sightings occur generally between April and June. She has tracked 10 sightings in Montgomery County since April 20, and she suspects more recent sightings have been the same bear following a green space across the county.

She advised that residents minimize exposing possible food sources , such as bird feeders, pet food, grills and garbage, as bears travel through an area quickly — often moving great distances overnight.

“Despite their size and the way they look, they are scared of humans,” she said. “And we want to try to keep it that way. So there is, you know, very minimum conflict.”

Trudeau advised anyone who comes across a wild bear to speak to it “calmly in a low tone” and make sure it doesn’t feel cornered. Resources and information are available on the Department of Natural Resources website.

“It’s a very unique and rare experience to see a bear in the wild,” he said. “If you do see the bear, you know, again, appreciate seeing that beautiful, charismatic species. But make sure that you give it space.”

In June, another black bear — named Franklin by some local residents after he posted up in a tree on Franklin Street — made his way through the same Northeast neighborhood before officials relocated him.

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Day trip to Suzdal from Moscow: transport, sights, maps and tips

 DAY TRIP TO SUZDAL

  Suzdal is one of the most popular destinations on the Golden Ring and the whole city is often described as an open-air museum.  The city has no railway station and practically no heavy industry, meaning that is has preserved its provincial charm and a great deal of architectural monuments.

  From Moscow, Suzdal is not as easy to get to as Sergiev Posad (the closest Golden Ring city to the capital) but it is worth going the extra distance as Suzdal provides more of a contrast from Moscow.  If you make use of high-speed trains it is possible and not too demanding to visit for even just a day, but of course spending the night there is recommended to soak in the atmosphere or to combine it with a visit to neighbouring Vladimir.  As the city is a very popular tourist destination you will have no problem finding a cafe or guesthouse there.  There is practically no public transport in the city, but the city is small and most sights are located relatively close to each other.

Getting There and Back

Via Vladimir

Direct to Suzdal

  Buses directly to Suzdal leave from Moscow’s Schyolkovsky Bus Station.  There are about 9 buses a day and it takes around 4½ hours depending on traffic.  The buses stop at Vladimir too.  Using this option will mean a rather exhausting day trip.

Orientation and Main Sights

  Suzdal is a relatively small city and it is not difficult to walk around the city to see most of the sights.  

  The main road in the city is Ulitsa Lenina which runs north across the whole city.  

  The main sights of Suzdal are located either on or just off this road, including the two main sights: the Suzdal Kremlin in the south and the Spaso-Yevfimiev Monastery in the north.

  More information about Suzdal can be found on our Suzdal  pages.

  Suzdal is famous for its medovukha (mead) which is an alcoholic drink made out of honey.  It can be drunk either hot or cold, meaning it perfect in both summer and winter, and you will find it on practically every menu in the city.  There are various flavours of the drink available and even a non-alcoholic version.  In addition to medovukha, you can find all traditional Russian souvenirs in the city and there is a big souvenir market on Torgovaya Ploschad.

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Eric is the President of Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball where he has served since 2015, and the 11U Class A Head Coach. Additionally, he is a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association and is Certified by USA Baseball.

Dan Shevlin

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Dan is President of Queensbury Youth Baseball & Softaball and Deputy Commissioner of Eastern New York Cal Ripken. Dan has been a key member of the youth baseball community in Upsate new York since 201X.

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Fred is the Vice President of Burnt Hill-Ballston Lake Junior Baseball. He served as the league's President for a decade and has coached all levels of Youth baseball since 2008.

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Vice President Saratoga-Wilton Youth Baseball

Mike whiteaker, president guilderland travel baseball, robert mccolgan, commissioner eny cal ripken, ellen braun, vice president colonie little league, brian hamlin, president north colonie youth baseball, matt bertinetti, fmr president clifton park baseball league.

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• Exclusive local tournaments for Members Only: Super 8, Summer Blast, Madness!, and ValleyCats Fall Classic. Each with a 2 game guarantee. Sign up available on team order form.
• OPEN tournament: Last Man Standing. 3 game guarantee. Last weekend of July. All teams in the Capital District and beyond are welcome to join in this summer finale! Members sign up on team order form. Non-members sign up on-line through tournament menu.
• Sanctioned National Championship Tournament Series are available to members at all ages via ENYTB affiliates: NABF; PONY; and, AABC. Sign-up available on team order form.

Nine ENYTB Teams Have Won Sanctioned National Championships. Can your team be the 10th?

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Moscow Maps and Orientation

(moscow, central federal district, russia), maps and orientation of the city.

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